South Africa: Three Limpopo criminals sentenced to 705 years in prison The South Gauteng High Court has handed a combined 705 years imprisonment sentence to three members of a criminal gang convicted on 19 charges including murder, robbery, assault, attempted murder, possession of firearms, ammunition and kidnapping. The incidents occurred in the Mopani district in Limpopo between 2017 and 2018. The landmark conviction came following a trial which began in August 2019 and was built on detective work that involved not only the SAPS but also investigators from various banks. Three members of the gang, Calvin Congo Mabunda (42), Sibusiso Shamase Mkhwanazi (43) and Bhova Sticks Nkuna (54) began their criminal acts by targeting the district due to a high number of pensioners who were having to withdraw large amounts of cash in the Giyani, Bolobedu, Malamulele and Mokwakwaila policing precincts. Spotters in the bank would observe the withdrawal and once the victims had left the premises, other members of the gang would be alerted and the unsuspecting victims would then be followed. In some instances, they followed their victims home from the bank and broke down their front doors and robbed them in their houses. In one instance, Mabunda held a knife to a womans throat after she had bought beer and food for a lobola celebration. The gangs violent crime spree across Giyani resulted in the police establishing a special task team to apprehend them. The gang members were arrested on 06 January 2018 after robbing a Superspar employee at gunpoint. The employee allegedly collected R20 000 worth of change from the bank to be transported to the supermarket in the area. He was allegedly followed by the accused and during the robbery, a shot was fired and drew the attention of police who were patrolling nearby. The police gave chase and cornered Mkhwanazi and Mabunda at Homu 14 village. The following day, a blue car that was also involved in the robbery was spotted and the police were able to arrest Bhova, after a chase and shoot-out that left a patrol van with a bullet hole in it. After the arrest of the trio, the spate of violent robberies that were plaguing the Giyani policing area suddenly stopped and further investigations positively linked the suspects to other additional offences that happened in Gauteng and North West provinces. In 2019, there was enough evidence to go for trial, all the cases across the three provinces were centralised at the South Gauteng High Court. The three accused were subsequently handed the following sentences on Tuesday, which were diligently investigated by Warrant Officer Robert Khazamula Chabalala attached to the Provincial Organized Crime Unit in Limpopo province, as follows: - Calvin Congo Mabunda (42) was sentenced to an effective 250 years - Sibusizo Shamase Mkhwanazi (43) was sentenced to 278 years - Bhova Sticks Nkuna (54) was sentenced to 177 years "I'm delighted with the permanent removal of the three accused from society, who never showed any remorse while committing these barbaric acts. This is exemplary to would-be criminals that crime will always be paid in an unpleasant and beneficial manner to the society's advantage," Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2023-04-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. China firmly opposes U.S. arrangement for Tsai Ing-wen's "transit" trip Xinhua) 09:57, April 05, 2023 BEIJING, April 4 (Xinhua) -- China firmly opposes the U.S. arrangement for Tsai Ing-wen's "transit" trip to the United States and a meeting between her and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the third highest-ranking official of the U.S. government, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday. Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a daily news briefing, noting that it seriously contravenes the one-China principle and provisions in the three China-U.S. joint communiques and gravely undermines China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. "We urge the United States to abide by the one-China principle and provisions in the three China-U.S. joint communiques, not to allow Tsai Ing-wen's 'transit' trip to the United States, and not to arrange for any meeting or contact between Tsai and U.S. political figures and officials," Mao said. The Chinese side will closely monitor the situation as it develops and resolutely defend the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the spokesperson said. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) Alex Newell, Caroline Innerbichler, Kevin Cahoon, and Andrew Durand in "Shucked" at the Nederlander Theatre in New York. (Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman) NEW YORK Like an episode of Hee Haw written by Mel Brooks, the timely new musical Shucked opened Tuesday night at the Nederlander Theatre with more gags than every other current Broadway show put together. Wittily to wit: Momma used to say marriage is like a tornado. It starts off with a whole lot of banging and pounding and ends up with someone losing a house. Advertisement I just passed a huge squirrel, which is odd, because I dont remember eating one. If you get drunk before you get your drivers license picture taken, youll look normal when they pull you over. Advertisement Is Mr. Critic spoiling the fun? No siree, Bob. There are so many other one-liners in this show, youll barely remember this small sample when the rest come at ya like an 18-wheeler barreling through Branson, Missouri, and taking out all the dawdlers. Robert Horn, the book writer, is one funny guy. We knew this from the Broadway adaptation of Tootsie, but this time around, Horn has not let the narrative necessities of the typical Broadway experience get in the way of his jokes. Imagine a joke writer approaching a dumpster and tipping up his trash can and you get a sense of the experience. Shucked aint based on a movie; its a vehicle for laughs. And snorts, giggles and rolled eyes are what it delivers. For good or ill. Sure, theres a plot of sorts and even a message. Were in Cob County, located Somewhere north of South and south of North, and a place where being from somewhere is who you are. This community has always been surrounded by a giant wall of corn that apparently appeared around the time Noah floated his ark and that keeps those in, in, and those out, out. Events in the show, which features characters with ticket names like Gordy (John Behlmann), Peanut (Kevin Cahoon), Beau (Andrew Durand), Lulu (Alex Newell), Storyteller 1 (Ashley D. Kelley) and Storyteller 2 (Grey Henson), revolve around heroine Maizy (Caroline Innerbichler), trampling those corn walls and having romantic misadventures in Tampa, the kind of city that surely would send anyone back to Cob County kicking and screaming. At times, you feel like are watching a theme-park show at Dollywood, which is no knock on that slice of East Tennessee paradise. But Broadway veterans will also note the influence of prior musical comedies from Finians Rainbow to Brigadoon and Schmigadoon! although perhaps most notably, given the self-aware storytellers, Urinetown, another show that imagined a community with metaphor in mind. If they gave out Tony Awards for the most mismatched book and score, Shucked! would slay all other contenders. In essence, you get a couple of hours of Horns signature howlers interspersed with a country-pop-vibed score by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally. Of limited ambition, it offers a little suite of accessible ballads and specialty numbers. And there are no bravura production numbers in director Jack OBriens staging (well, save for a barrel-rolling in Act 2). This is a far more modest affair and OBrien, a wily old hand at all this stuff, just concentrates on making the punters in the orchestra giggle. And no one who has experienced Shucked! in a full house could argue that he is anything less than successful in that endeavor. Talk about paradise for the post-Red Lobster crowd, cheerfully over-served. Horn isnt just selling jokes. (Just mostly.) Hes also sending a warm-hearted, cant-we-all-just-get-along message in the form of a Broadway show that he clearly hopes can take a leaf out of Dolly Partons book and appeal to Boone County, Kentucky, as much as Brooklyn, New York. And it takes guts to tell as many jokes about race in America as Shucked unleashes. Advertisement His comedic template is very different, but Horn has Brooks crucial satiric philosophy and a good chunk of the great ones gag-writing chops. Especially when paired with OBrien, who is old enough not to give a darn, which is one of that master craftsmans greatest assets at a time when most younger Broadway players are far too jittery about how things are going to go over on social media to take the risks required for big laughs. The performances are, well, genial. I was especially tickled by Cahoons dry-roasted Peanut and Kelley is a big crowd pleaser. Innerbichler, the lead, is just as guileless as youd want from a character named Maizy in a play set in a city of corn. The show could have used a few more theatrics. Scott Pasks set is like a giant barn and I kept waiting for a channeling of Little Shop of Horrors and some corn stalks to come crashing through the all-American walls weve built for ourselves. Never happened, alas. Perhaps so much of the budget was spent on jokes, the shucks got shucked. Shucked plays at the Nederlander Theatre, 208 W. 41st St., New York; shuckedmusical.com Chris Jones is a Tribune critic. Advertisement cjones5@chicagotribune.com $5.3 million pledged to 21 initiatives across Africa, Brazil, China, U.S. and for those impacted by the earthquake in Turkiye Commitments made to support veterinary scholarships, diversity and inclusion programming, mental well-being, livestock farmers and veterinary livelihoods around the world PARSIPPANY, N.J., April 05, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, the Zoetis Foundation announced that it will distribute $5.3 million during its first round of 2023 grants, supporting 21 initiatives impacting 15 countries to help enable thriving professions and livelihoods for livestock farmers and veterinary professionals, as well as relief efforts for those impacted by the earthquake in Turkiye. Veterinarians, veterinary technicians and livestock farmers provide invaluable services to our communities, raising and caring for animals to be healthy and productive, and ensuring a sustainable future for all. Yet, veterinarians and farmers face immeasurable challenges globallyfrom rising student debt and lack of diversity to mental health challenges, including higher risks of suicide. The Zoetis Foundation has selected grantees that will help provide greater access to education and mental wellness resources, expand veterinary debt relief solutions, support diversity and inclusion efforts, and help enable thriving livelihoods by funding programs that support veterinary practices and farmers adopting sustainable and resilient business practices. "Amidst global challenges from food insecurity to climate change, veterinarians and farmers play a critical role to meet the needs of a growing population while ensuring economic stability, sustainable nutrition and a healthy environment. We are excited to continue funding organizations around the world that are identifying innovative solutions to enable an inclusive, resilient, thriving profession and make a positive impact for our communities, animals and the planet," said Jeannette Ferran Astorga, President of the Zoetis Foundation and Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Communications and Sustainability at Zoetis. Story continues Additionally, in response to the recent earthquake in Turkiye, the Zoetis Foundation quickly mobilized and is helping to provide critical support to affected communities with an initial donation of $100,000 to the American Red Cross, and matching colleague donations made to the organization (up to $100,000). To learn more about the Red Cross efforts to support people and animals impacted by the earthquake in Turkiye, please visit here. The full list of first round 2023 grant recipients and expansion of programmatic work includes: Education Livelihoods Instituto Biosistemico (IBS): in its second year of funding, IBS expands its work promoting the development of sustainable, productive, and high-quality dairy farming among 1,800 producers in the Serido region of Brazil. This is done through technical assistance activities and resources to help improve their financial stability. Livestock Industry Foundation for Africa (LIFA): in its second year of funding, LIFA continues to carry out a public lectures series aimed at upskilling poultry farm technical teams through the Knowledge Update program, expanding their existing work in Nigeria and West Africa to six additional countries: Senegal, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Guinea Bissau, Togo, and Gambia. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) in cooperation with The Sustainability Consortium: in its second year of funding, NFWF continues to provide technical assistance to U.S. farmers to implement conservation practices that help improve farm operations while also generating benefits for native habitat and wildlife, such as providing dairy farmers the tools to improve habitat conservation on agricultural lands, improve local waterways, and strengthen the sustainability of their businesses. Uganda Crane Creameries Cooperative Union (UCCCU): in its second year of funding, UCCCU continues to establish farmer-led systems and tools that enhance the productivity, production, and incomes of smallholder dairy farmers in southwestern Uganda. Veterinarians Without Borders (VWB): enhance the food security and livelihood resilience of livestock farmers in South Sudan by selecting community animal health workers and veterinary doctors to provide a number of key services, including vaccination and direct outreach to farmers in remote areas. World Food Program USA: supports the United Nations World Food Programmes climate resiliency programming in Kenya and Ethiopia. The grant aims to provide financial inclusion and linkages to veterinary services to enhance resilience against drought and improve the livelihoods of pastoralist communities. More than 80,000 pastoralists will receive integrated services including financial literacy and index-based drought insurance. 350 veterinary service providers will also receive capacity building support. Well-being Not One More Vet (NOMV): provides outreach services to veterinary professionals to improve mental health and support those in crisis through direct fiscal support and referral services, including microgrants of up to $1,000 for expenses such as therapy, medical bills, and living expenses. Shanti Project Veterinary Mental Health Initiative (VMHI): in its second year of funding, the VMHI continues to provide evidence-based, culturally competent, and multi-level mental health support services to veterinarians by expert clinicians. The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI): in its second year of funding, HABRI continues to explore the vital role of the human-animal bond in the health and well-being of people, pets, cultures, communities and for the practice of veterinary medicine across the globe through its research and education initiatives. The Zoetis Foundation was announced in 2021 to support communities and the people who care for animals. Last year, the Foundation distributed $5.7 million to advance opportunities for veterinary professionals and farmers, support the matching gifts program, and provide relief to those impacted by the war in the Ukraine. In 2023 and beyond, the Foundation plans to continue providing support across initiatives focused on diversity and inclusion, education, livelihoods, and mental well-being. The Zoetis Foundation is committed to its goal of $35 million in grants distributed by the end of 2025 to support the Foundations grantmaking priorities. The Zoetis Foundation is not soliciting grant proposals at this time. The Zoetis Foundation is a private charitable organization and is solely funded by Zoetis Inc., with distinct legal requirements and restrictions. About the Zoetis Foundation The Zoetis Foundation supports communities and the people who care for animals, with a specific focus on advancing opportunities for veterinarians and farmers around the world. The Foundations grantmaking and strategic efforts provide access to education and mental wellness resources, expand veterinary debt relief, support diversity and inclusion efforts, and enable thriving livelihoods by funding programs that help veterinary practices and farmers adopt sustainable business practices. To learn more about the Foundation, please visit: www.zoetisfoundation.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230404006118/en/ Contacts Media: Christina Lood 973-822-7249 christina.lood@zoetis.com A Westmoreland County man was the sixth person federally convicted as part of an interstate dogfighting operation in which fights were held in multiple locations, including King George County. Tarry Jeron "TJ" Wilson, 38, pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria to conspiracy to engage in dogfighting. He will face a maximum penalty of five years in prison when he is sentenced June 20. According to federal court records, Wilson and others from Washington, Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia arranged dog fights from at least May 2015 through August 2020. They used a messaging app referred to as the "DMV Board" to discuss dogfighting, exchange videos and arrange fights. Dogs frequently died as a result of the fights, court records state. Court records state that Wilson attended five fights in June 2020, including two involving his own dogs. He told fellow DMV Board members that he "loved" killing losing dogs and gave tips on ways to do it. In response to the arrest of another defendant, Wilson posted, "People like dogs. They don't like what we're doing to them though, I bet you that." Among those arrested and convicted in connection with the ring is Carlos L. Harvey of King George, who pleaded guilty in 2021. One of the fights referred to in Harvey's case took place in April 2016 at a home on Caledon Road. Two separate dog fights were held that day and at least one dog died from injuries sustained in its fight. Eleven "pit-bull-type" dogs were seized in the July 2018 raid at Harvey's home in the 8100 block of Todd Street in King George, along with equipment used in dogfighting training. The dogs had scarring consistent with dogfighting, court records state. A convicted rapists attempt at appearing remorseful at his sentencing hearing on Thursday backfired and ended with him being dragged from the Smyth County Circuit Courtroom as he cursed at the judge. Marcus Evan Contraths outburst came after Judge Deanis Simmons handed him two life sentences plus 90 years in prison. In December, Conrath pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and one count of sodomy of a teenage family member. Before Simmons pronounced his sentence, Conrath addressed his victim and the family, saying that his actions tormented him. Im sorry, guys, for all that Ive done and I pray one day you can forgive me and not let bitterness hold you back, he said. Simmons took issue with Conraths reference to bitterness, saying Conrath made it sound as if bitterness was inappropriate in this regard for you. His words to the teen, Simmons said, were, very telling. The judge said the teen had every right to feel bitter. Conrath, she said, was supposed to protect her, but he instead committed an extreme betrayal. Conraths arrest came in February 2022 after the teen told police of the abuse. In an interview with Smyth County Investigator Tony McCormick, Conrath admitted to the offenses. While delivering his sentence, Simmons reiterated her view again, saying that she did not believe that Conrath felt remorse for his actions. I hope that at some point, you recognize the severity of what youve done, she said, to which Conrath replied, Im sorry you feel that way. When Simmons told him there was no need for him to respond, Conrath said, I dont give a s---. I got life. F--- you. As bailiffs removed Conrath from the courtroom and led him toward the holding cells, he repeated his statement several more times, directing it once at the family as one of them began to speak up during his outburst. Prior to the disruption, the court heard from the teen and her mother. The girl told her abuser that he had damaged her and taken away her innocence. You took a part of me that I can never get back, she said, adding with conviction that she would not allow him to take anything else from her. The girls mother said she thought before that she was protective of her children. That protective nature has since skyrocketed. She said she and her children now suffer from depression and anxiety. Her daughter, she said, often experiences flashbacks from which she has to be calmed. The mother told Conrath, I hope what you have done eats you up inside for the rest of your life. During arguments seeking each sides desired outcome, Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Brendan Roche asked the court to impose severe punishment. Defense Attorney Joseph Stiltner asked the judge for leniency and pushed for rehabilitation, saying that a psychosexual evaluation performed following his conviction suggested that Conrath had only a moderate risk to re-offend and a high potential for rehabilitation. The defense attorney pointed to his clients past and the availability of treatment. Conrath, he said, had come from a broken home, had himself been sexually abused at a young age, and had struggled with alcohol abuse and porn addiction. Stiltner said his client understood that the court has to punish, but encouraged Simmons to also consider the resources for rehabilitation that are now available. Roche countered that while the commonwealth recognized Conraths struggles, that doesnt lessen the impact of this crime. Rehabilitation can take place, but we think it should take place after he serves his time in prison, he added. Stiltner said Conrath accepted responsibility for his actions and felt remorse. He pointed to the fact that he had been cooperative with police during the investigation and that he had pleaded guilty to the charges in court. Roche, however, contended, I would point out that there was no remorse until he got caught. Simmons said she was sorry that Conrath had experienced traumas in his life, but that people make choices. They may choose to continue the cycle, or they may choose to break away from it, she said. The judge also took issue with a portion of Conraths psychosexual evaluation, which noted that Conrath said that he solicited the teen and did not force or intimidate her to have sex with him. To Simmons, that was just semantics, she said, adding that she believed the abuse was the result of intimidation as it began when the girl was only 11 years old. Praising the teens intelligence and strength, Simmons told the girl she was proud of her. Simmons said, I want you to know that not everyone is like that and that you can lead a happy and healthy life and that none of this is your fault. Following Conraths outburst and abrupt departure from the courtroom, a stunned Stiltner requested a copy of the hearing transcript in case they were needed for appeal. Though a conviction stemming from a guilty plea is highly unlikely to be granted an appeal, sentences deemed harsh can be reviewed separately. A $50,000 donation buys a corporate scholarship for four admissions to the Training Camp Retreat that Gov. Glenn Youngkin is sponsoring this week in Short Pump. The money also ensures a spot in a VIP reception and premier dinner seating. The options for corporate donors descend in denominations of $25,000, $10,000 and $5,000. Individuals can get four reservations and top access for $25,000 in a Captain scholarship or two reservations for $10,000 with a Varsity scholarship for the fundraising camp Tuesday and Wednesday at the Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa/Short Pump in western Henrico County. The retreat will be a great opportunity for you and your clients to interact with the Governor and members of his cabinet, promised staff for the Spirit of Virginia political action committee that Youngkin set up a year ago to help boost his national political ambitions and to help his allies in federal and state elections. Youngkin, the former co-CEO of The Carlyle Group, is parlaying his skills in the high-finance world of corporate hedge funds to raise money for state and national political races, including, potentially, his own. Youngkin has raised $2.75 million this year, as the first-term governor looks to make a big statement in the first quarter of a pivotal election year to determine control of the General Assembly for the final two years of his term. The fundraising also could leave an impression about his viability as a potential candidate for the presidency or vice presidency next year. The total includes $1.5 million in large donations of $10,000 or more to Spirit of Virginia, with $265,000 in donations recorded on March 29 alone, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. Donations of $10,000 or more must be publicly disclosed within three days ahead of the April 17 deadline for quarterly campaign finance filings. Youngkins total also includes contributions to Americas Spirit, a separate social welfare organization under the federal tax code, his staff said. It noted that the total far exceeds quarterly totals by previous governors, including Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat who held the previous quarterly fundraising record of $1.5 million in the last quarter of 2015. Governor Youngkin is building a coordinated campaign to bring Virginians together around common-sense, kitchen table solutions, said Dave Rexrode, chairman and senior adviser of the PACS. Whether its empowering parents, lowering taxes or standing up to China, people across Virginia and across America are supporting the movement the governor started in the Commonwealth. The governor also plans to raise money for Republicans in targeted General Assembly races in November, his staff said. He will continue to raise resources here at home and nationwide to support the 2023 legislative elections, Rexrode said. This is just the start. Michael Bills big push Youngkin is far from alone in flexing is financial muscle for political purposes. Michael Bills, CEO of a multibillion-dollar hedge fund based in Charlottesville, gave $3.8 million last month to the Clean Virginia Fund, which supports candidates, generally Democrats, who advocate policies for environmental protection and clean energy production to fight pollution linked to climate change. With party control at stake in the General Assembly, both sides will have all the money they need, said Larry Sabato, president of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. There is a bottomless pit of money in politics. For example, Juan Pablo Segura, who is running for an open state Senate seat anchored in Loudoun County, founded the Renew Virginia PAC, which received a $1 million donation last month from Securiport LLC, the border security company led by his father, Enrique Segura. The House Democratic Caucus has $304,000 in large donations, which includes $100,000 from House Minority Leader Don Scott Jr., D-Portsmouth. Scott became minority leader after House Democrats deposed former Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, last year. Scott said this week that he has raised $325,000 in the first quarter through his personal campaign committee and his Virginia Future Generations political action committee, which has reported $50,000 in large donations this year, according to VPAP. House Speaker Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, declined to release his estimated totals until formally reporting them at the quarterly filing deadline, but his Republican Commonwealth Leadership PAC has raised $196,000 in large donations this year. Virginia Majority Makers, a PAC led by former U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-7th, and Garrison Coward, a former Republican candidate for the House of Delegates, has raised $300,000 in large donations. It is followed by the Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus at $225,000 and A Safer Virginia, a PAC led by Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares, at $210,000. And those are just the biggest of the big donations listed by VPAP, not the fundraising totals that must be reported by April 17. No one faces higher stakes than Youngkin, a political outsider who has made himself a potential presidential candidate by narrowly winning the governors race against McAuliffe in 2021. Republicans had not won a statewide race in Virginia since 2009 before Youngkin led a GOP sweep that included wins for lieutenant governor and attorney general. McAuliffe is a prodigious fundraiser who helped to set the stage for a Democratic takeover of the General Assembly in 2019 with three consecutive wave elections in reaction to the election of Republican Donald Trump as president in 2016. After losing the 2020 presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden, Trump is back as a Republican presidential candidate, but with the additional challenge of being indicted and arraigned on Tuesday in New York for allegedly falsifying business records in a hush money case during his 2016 campaign. He pleaded not guilty to all 34 felony counts in an unprecedented appearance in a Manhattan courthouse. Polls indicate Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are the front-runners for the GOP presidential nomination next year. Youngkin has cultivated a national political profile that contrasts with the former president while still courting his Make America Great Again base. He has not disavowed or confirmed an interest in the White House, but he is using his national profile to raise money for state races that could be crucial to his political viability. I think Im going to do okay Part of Youngkins national pitch is that he turned a politically blue state red, said Sabato, who added, He has to turn the legislature. Currently, Republicans hold a five-seat edge in the House of Delegates and Democrats hold a two-seat edge in the Senate, which has blocked some of the governors legislative initiatives, such as his bid to bar most abortions after 15 weeks. Scott is trying to show that he can match the fundraising ability of Filler-Corn, who lost support in the Democratic caucus after the Republican takeover of the House last year. I think Im going to do okay, Scott said this week, noting that, combined with donations last year, he has raised almost $1 million for Democratic candidates. Scott contended that the first-quarter haul affirms his leadership ability and political vision. We have an opportunity as Democrats to make sure we dont leave anybody behind, and create an economy that works for everybody, not just the wealthy, he said in an interview. When people see what were doing, theyre with us. Sabato, at UVA, agreed that the new minority leader has to prove that he can raise money like Filler-Corn did. It is important for him, he said. Thats a good start, but $325,000 aint what it used to be. Was it worth it for members of Tekamah Lions Club to travel to a two-district convention in Norfolk March 18? You bet. In addition to the networking and information on changes at the national and international levels, two local club members also were recognized for their activities. Lion Keith Burge was presented a Certificate of Appreciation, signed by International President Brian Sheehan. The certificate was conferred by Past International Director Dr. Gary Anderson. Generally, only one or two such certificates are bestowed at the district level at each of the states three conventions. They come, in part, at the recommendation of the district governor. Burge, who has been a club member for roughly 14 months, has immersed himself in club activities. He is a frequent volunteer at club projects and has become involved in club leadership, serving as first vice president for the current year which ends June 30. He also is a candidate for club president when elections are held at the end of this month. Immediate past president Karen Jackson, who has served the district as a zone chairman this year, was elected at the Norfolk convention to the office of second vice district governor. The election puts her on a path to be elected district governor, the highest local office attainable in Lions International, in the spring of 2025. District governors are formally installed into office at the international convention held every summer. The convention this year is in Boston. The 2025 convention is in Mexico City. As zone chairman, she has assisted six clubs, Arlington, Blair, John C. Fremont, Oakland, Snyder and Tekamah. Demonstrating a high level of activity and communication, she has produced monthly newsletters, travelled several hundred miles over the last nine months and has organized three meetings for the zone. The fourth is scheduled to be held tonight, April 4, in Herman. The clubs first female president, serving in its centennial year of 2021-22, Jackson is the first Tekamah Lion to seek higher office since Dave Marion was elected district governor in 2002. All told, the Tekamah club has had six district governors in its ranks, Ralph Anderson, Sr., Bill Haynes, Karl Adamson, Ed Morrow, Mike Martin and Marion. Anderson, Adamson and Morrow all became council chairman, roughly the equivalent of state president. Adamson became the only Tekamah member to reach the level of International Director, serving from 1992-1994. Only the host club, Norfolk, had more members in attendance from District O at the recent convention. Vice president Tim Gregerson and board member Mark Jackson also attended. Another COVID-19 booster shot is on the way as federal health officials look to further augment protection for those at greater risk of develo A 29-year-old parolee who was returned to state custody after allegedly assaulting a man in January now faces new charges for threatening to kill a group of corrections officers at the Nebraska State Penitentiary, investigators alleged in court filings. A corrections officer was escorting Anthony Hathaway to a holding cell inside the south Lincoln prison Thursday when the Lincoln man threatened to kill prison staff upon his release, which was set for Sunday, according to the court filings. Hathaway warned the corrections officer that he would "jam out on Sunday, and I know where the parking lot is," said Kurt Kapperman, a criminal investigator employed by the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, in the affidavit for Hathaway's arrest. "Just wait til Sunday," Hathaway said, according to the affidavit. "Ill kill all of you." Instead, Kapperman sought a warrant for Hathaway's arrest Friday. Lancaster County judge Laurie Yardley signed the warrant Tuesday, charging Hathaway with terroristic threats, according to court filings. The 29-year-old remains in custody at the State Penitentiary. Gov. Jim Pillen's school aid and tax cut plan kept on rolling Monday as lawmakers gave a strong thumbs up to a package of property tax changes worth more than $3 billion over the next six years. LB243 cleared the first round of consideration on a 41-1 vote, with seven abstentions. The bill, introduced by Sen. Tom Briese of Albion, would increase Nebraskas two property tax credit programs, cap school property tax growth and eliminate almost all community college property taxes. The package represents the second piece of Pillen's plan to advance. The first piece, which would cut the states top income tax rate by one-third and make other income tax changes, cleared first-round consideration Thursday. Lawmakers began debate later Monday on a proposal to boost state support for K-12 schools by $305 million annually, with the bulk of the increase going to districts that have the heaviest reliance on property taxes. Briese said the property tax package would provide "substantial property tax relief for everyday Nebraskans" and encouraged colleagues to "be on the right side of this" when they cast their vote. "It's a good place to be, supporting the taxpayers of Nebraska," he said. He said LB243 would provide about the same amount of property tax relief as the income tax package is expected to reduce that tax. He and Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of the Omaha area, who chairs the Revenue Committee, have pledged to continue seeking equivalent tax relief. Supporters of the package rejected all amendments Monday, including one proposal to direct property tax relief to low-income property owners and another to control the growth of property tax credit programs. Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue offered the amendment to create a "circuit-breaker" program, in which tax relief would be triggered when property taxes reached a certain percentage of a property owner's or renter's income. She said the program would help those who most need the help. The amendment was similar to a bill Blood introduced, which remains in committee. Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Bennington introduced an amendment to cap automatic increases in the amount of state dollars directed into a property tax credit program. Her amendment would allow the program to grow as property valuations grow, up to 5%, which is current law. She argued that the cap would provide some fiscal stability for the state. Under LB243, the cap would be removed on what is often referred to as the LB1107 program, named for the bill that created it. It provides income tax credits to offset a portion of school property taxes paid. Briese opposed the amendment, saying that the value of property tax relief would go backward if the 1107 program does not grow along with assessed valuations. He said valuations have averaged 5.3% growth over the past decade, ranging from 1.64% to 11.83% growth. As advanced, the property tax package also would ratchet up the size of Nebraskas long-standing property tax credit program, which uses state money to offset a portion of property owners bills. The bill would gradually increase the program from $313 million this year to $560 million by tax year 2029, after which the credit program would grow by the same percentage as the assessed valuation of property statewide. In addition, the package would limit the growth of school revenues to 3%, with some exceptions, with the goal of forcing schools to reduce property taxes when they get more state aid. Pillen has proposed boosting state school aid by providing $1,500 for every student and paying more to cover special education costs. Finally, LB243 would end community colleges ability to levy property taxes, except for building needs, starting in 2024. The bill would replace those tax revenues with state aid. State aid to the colleges would increase by 3.5% annually, with additional money available based on enrollment growth. Community colleges could levy property taxes to fill the gap if the state does not meet its funding obligations. Photos: 2023 Nebraska legislative session 010523-owh-new-lege-em01.jpg 010523-owh-new-lege-em02.jpg 010523-owh-new-lege-em04.jpg 010523-owh-new-lege-em05.jpg 010523-owh-new-lege-em06.jpg 010523-owh-new-lege-em65 010523-owh-new-lege-em37 010523-owh-new-lege-em38 010523-owh-new-lege-em49 010523-owh-new-lege-em60 010523-owh-new-lege-em45 010523-owh-new-lege-em39 010523-owh-new-lege-em48 010523-owh-new-lege-em55 010523-owh-new-lege-em59 010523-owh-new-lege-em43 010523-owh-new-lege-em42 010523-owh-new-lege-em50 010523-owh-new-lege-em53 010523-owh-new-lege-em46 010523-owh-new-lege-em40 010523-owh-new-lege-em47 010523-owh-new-lege-em51 010523-owh-new-lege-em61 010523-owh-new-lege-em64 010523-owh-new-lege-em52 010523-owh-new-lege-em56 010523-owh-new-lege-em62 010523-owh-new-lege-em63 010523-owh-new-lege-em58 010523-owh-new-lege-em44 010523-owh-new-lege-em41 010523-owh-new-lege-em54 010523-owh-new-lege-em36 010523-owh-new-lege-em31 010523-owh-new-lege-em30 010523-owh-new-lege-em32 010523-owh-new-lege-em33 010523-owh-new-lege-em35 010523-owh-new-lege-em34 010523-owh-new-lege-em24 010523-owh-new-lege-em27 010523-owh-new-lege-em26 010523-owh-new-lege-em28 010523-owh-new-lege-em25 010523-owh-new-lege-em29 010523-owh-new-lege-em23 010523-owh-new-lege-em18 010523-owh-new-lege-em21 010523-owh-new-lege-em15 010523-owh-new-lege-em17 010523-owh-new-lege-em22 010523-owh-new-lege-em19 010523-owh-new-lege-em16 010523-owh-new-lege-em20 010523-owh-new-lege-em12 010523-owh-new-lege-em09 010523-owh-new-lege-em14 010523-owh-new-lege-em13 010523-owh-new-lege-em07 010523-owh-new-lege-em11 010523-owh-new-lege-em08 010523-owh-new-lege-em03 010523-owh-new-lege-em10 010523-owh-new-lege-em03.jpg We are finally making headway here in Lincoln, slowly but surely. After a passionate debate last week, the majority of senators voted to change the rules of the Legislature to encourage the body to focus on bills that are actually on the agenda. Senators who join together to filibuster often bring motions to postpone debate, send bills back to the committee process or indefinitely postpone legislation in order to permanently stop its progress. This year, we are seeing these motions being filed and withdrawn almost haphazardly and even saw 15 motions filed on the same bill in one day. This halted substantive dialogue. Because of this, we voted to change the rules. Motions can still be filed and a filibuster can still take place but they are only to be offered one time on each bill per round of debate. Our intention was to promote constructive conversation with the use of proper debate and proposed amendments instead of continual motions. So far, this has proven successful as we were able to dive deep into legislation regarding the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, income taxes and broadband. LB 376 was the first to successfully survive an eight-hour filibuster last week and enables Nebraska to more accurately and correctly identify alcoholic products being imported into or produced in our state. It requires each licensed manufacturer, licensed wholesaler, or the holder of a shipping license in Nebraska to submit a detailed report to the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission prior to the sale or shipment of any alcoholic liquor into the state for taxation and distribution purposes. Next, an income tax package passed the first round of debate and will be instrumental in helping Nebraska be competitive with surrounding states tax rates. With LB 754, both individual and corporate income tax will be reduced incrementally to 3.99 percent by the year 2027. Lower income tax not only benefits and values the hard work of employees, it often proves to boost a states economy as people are able to afford more spending and recirculate the money back into our communities. Finally, LB 683 addressed the sensitive topic of broadband. Because I hear regularly from my constituents on how our district lacks sufficient access to broadband, this is a priority of mine. Internet connection is crucial for business, farming, and the successful growth of our communities. With this in mind, the legislature is looking to officially establish the Nebraska Broadband Office and a Director of Broadband under the jurisdiction of the governor. This new director would oversee and develop a strategic plan while coordinating state and local officials in their efforts to provide broadband across the state. Creating and maintaining a state broadband map will be a large part of this project as we look to unify statewide proposals and advocate for Nebraska on the federal level. It is my hope that Blair and surrounding areas will see an improvement on broadband access through the work of this program. Next time, Ill update you on the special education supplemental aid and property tax relief bills. If you have questions or comments, please contact Carson Clayton or Ellie Stangl in the District 16 office at (402) 471-2728 or email me at bhansen@leg.ne.gov. To follow along with the session, please visit nebraskalegislature.gov or you may watch the live stream when available at nebraskapublicmedia.org. Southwest Airlines spent the early part of 2023 trying to make good after a historic meltdown resulted in more than 16,700 canceled flights during the 2022 holidays. The airline reimbursed passengers for the cost of alternative travel arrangements and sent many travelers additional loyalty points.Southwest wasnt legally required to. The U.S. has no federal laws... Former President Donald Trump appears in court for his arraignment, April 4, 2023, in New York. Trump surrendered to authorities ahead of his arraignment on criminal charges stemming from a hush money payment to a porn actor during his 2016 campaign. (Timothy A. Clary/AP) NEW YORK For the first time in history, a former U.S. president has appeared in court as a criminal defendant. Donald Trump surrendered to authorities Tuesday after being indicted by a New York grand jury on charges related to hush-money payments at the height of the 2016 presidential election. Advertisement Trump, a 2024 presidential candidate, pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges in a Manhattan courtroom. He then flew home to Florida and spoke to a crowd of supporters at his home. Heres what to know about Trumps day in court. Advertisement Hush-money payments related to 2016 election Prosecutors unsealed the indictment against the former president Tuesday, giving Trump, his lawyers and the world their first opportunity to see them. Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Prosecutors said Trump conspired to undermine the 2016 presidential election by trying to suppress information that could harm his candidacy, and then concealing the true nature of the hush-money payments. The payments were made to two women including a porn actor who claimed they had sexual encounters with him years earlier, and to a doorman at Trump Tower who claimed to have a story about a child Trump fathered out of wedlock, according to the Manhattan district attorneys office. Donald J. Trump, defendant Trump was only seen briefly outside the district attorneys office, where he surrendered to authorities and was booked and fingerprinted behind closed doors. Trumps mugshot was not taken, according to two law enforcement officials who could not publicly discuss details of the process and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. As the former president entered the courtroom, he briefly looked at a huddle of news cameras but did not stop to speak to reporters. Inside the courtroom, Trump sat at the defense table with his hands in his lap and his lawyers at his side. He looked right at photojournalists who were briefly allowed into the courtroom as they snapped his photo. During the rest of the proceeding, he stayed still with his hands together and looked straight ahead. Trump only spoke briefly in court, telling the judge he was pleading not guilty and had been advised of his rights. The judge warned Trump that he could be removed from the courtroom if he was disruptive. Trump made no comment when he left court just under an hour later. Trumps lawyer Todd Blanche said during the hearing that Trump is absolutely frustrated, upset and believes that there is a great injustice happening in the courtroom. Your browser does not support the iframe HTML tag. Try viewing this in a modern browser like Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Internet Explorer 9 or later. A surreal day in the city where he gained fame Before he appeared in court, Trump made posts on his social media network complaining that the heavily Democratic area was a VERY UNFAIR VENUE and THIS IS NOT WHAT AMERICA WAS SUPPOSED TO BE! As his motorcade carried him across Manhattan, he posted that the experience was SURREAL. The Republican has portrayed the Manhattan case and three separate investigations from the Justice Department and prosecutors in Georgia, as politically motivated. In recent weeks, he has lashed out at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, called on his supporters to protest and warned about potential death and destruction if he were charged. Trump addresses supporters Appearing in front of several hundred supporters at his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago, Tuesday night, Trump repeated his claims that the investigation was politically motivated. He and attacked Bragg and the judge in the New York case, the judges family and other prosecutors investigating him in other cases. Advertisement The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it, Trump said. Bragg speaks briefly Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks during a press conference to discuss his indictment of former President Donald Trump on April 4, 2023. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS) Bragg, speaking publicly for the first time since the indictment last week, held a brief news conference after the court proceedings in which he said the hush-money scheme constituted felony crimes in New York stateno matter who you are. We cannot and will not normalize serious criminal conduct, Bragg said. The Democratic prosecutor said accurate and true business records are important everywhere, but especially in Manhattan, because its the financial center of the world. Bragg was asked at the news conference why he was bringing the case now and if the timing was political. The district attorney said his office had additional evidence that his predecessor did not. I bring cases when theyre ready, he said. Warnings and potential consequences The judge on Tuesday did not impose a gag order but warned Trump to avoid making comments that were inflammatory or could cause civil unrest. If convicted of any one of the 34 felony charges, Trump could face a maximum of four years in prison, but hed likely be sentenced to less. Advertisement Trial while campaigning for presidency Trump is due back in court in December, but his lawyers asked that he be excused from attending that hearing in person because of the extraordinary security required to have him show up. Prosecutors asked the judge to set a trial for January weeks before the first votes will be cast in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. Trumps lawyers asked that it be pushed to the spring. The judge did not immediately set a date. Mixed political impacts Though he faces a swirl of legal challenges, Trump is running for president again and has sought to use the charges and other investigations to galvanize his supporters. Most of the Republicans also running or eyeing campaigns have released statements supportive of Trump while slamming the investigations of him as politically motivated. Many Democratic elected officials have said little about the New York indictment, including President Joe Biden. Trumps legal troubles are only expected to bolster Democratic voters opposition to him, but its unclear whether some Republicans and independent voters will see the legal problems as too much baggage. A New York circus A crowd of Trump supporters, thronged by journalists, gathered Tuesday outside the Manhattan courthouse. Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and George Santos of New York, who is facing multiple investigations over lies he told while running for office, were swarmed by cameras and reporters when they arrived and spoke mid-morning. A band of anti-Trump protesters appeared with a large banner saying, Trump Lies All the Time. Axellio, a Colorado Springs-based cybersecurity company, won a three-year, $39.5 million contract last month to monitor and protect U.S. Army installations' internet networks around the world. The contract will deploy, maintain and update software and hardware known as the Armys Garrison Defensive Cyberspace Operations Platform, which is designed to surveille and detect unusual traffic and intrusions on garrison networks. The contract builds on Axellio's three previous agreements with the Army and is the company's largest contract yet. "This is a big deal for both the Army and Axellio by allowing a small business, a 20-plus person company, that is supporting a significant portion of the Army's defensive cyber operations and doing a great job," said Scott Aken, the company's CEO. Aken, who was named CEO of Axellio nearly a year ago, said a contract of this size and status brings attention and credibility to the company and helps it market its services to a larger customer base. Sign Up for Springs AM Update Your morning rundown of the latest news from Colorado Springs and around the country Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. Axellio collaborated with World Wide Technology and Red Hat, subcontractors on the project, to develop dimensions of the cybersecurity technology including its virtualization software, OpenShift, which helps the software use memory more efficiently, reduce power and operate more flexibly. Axellio intends to hire a couple of additional employees as Aken hopes to grow the company and branch out with sights set on working with U.S. Space Command and Space Force. "We are looking to get more and more involved with them in the Colorado Springs community," Aken said. Becoming the top-ranked metro area in America for business didnt happen overnight or by accident and it certainly didnt happen through politically charged policies and increased regulation. Moving to the top of CNBCs rankings for business took nearly four decades of incremental growth, diversifying the industries we attracted, and practical policies that enhanced not bombard the business community. While climbing this ladder took more than 40 years, sliding back to the bottom can happen in a flash. In Denver, the rate of policy change has been alarming, and the impacts have been felt in every corner of the business community. Its a long list of issues that the city council has tried to tackle, whether its housing, energy, employment, crime and more. Those attempts to take on complex policy issues have real-world impact. Since 2019, more than 1,000 businesses have left the 80202 zip code. At the same time, beginning this month, new code requirements to push Denver to reach its climate action goals will go into effect for existing commercial and multifamily buildings. Energize Denver will ban natural gas furnaces and water heaters in new construction starting next year, and by 2027 will not permit natural gas heating or cooling in commercial buildings. While that might sound good on a party platform document, heres what it looks like in true application. The Denver Metro Chamber building was remodeled and updated less than 10 years ago. Updating the water heater and portions of the HVAC system was an expensive part of that process and now were being told to replace that equipment 10 years before the useful life span of the product arrives. When we talk about practical solutions, banning gas furnaces and water heaters in new construction was aggressive enough. Allowing recently purchased systems to be replaced through attrition would have been the balanced, common-sense move. Instead, hundreds of businesses in Denver will have to tear out and replace perfectly running equipment at their cost. These green efforts from the city are driving up another kind of green the amount of money it takes to live and do business in Denver. And its not just new environmental regulations that are driving up the cost of doing business, its other anti-employer policies as well. Take for example Denvers recent wage-theft ordinance. The business community suggested a business registry or licensure program attached to individual operators that was tracked by the city. Any business that committed wage theft would have their license revoked and they would be barred from reincorporating to do business again. Again, the practical approach ended up in a ditch. The City Council chose instead to create a complex liability structure with huge and punitive fines that work their way up the chain of businesses. With recently adopted policies, the perception were creating is that Denvers political environment is a zero-sum game: for workers to do well, businesses must suffer. To meet overly aggressive environmental goals and timelines, we have to sacrifice affordability. These aggressive policies have consequences. We are tipping the scales out of balance and its driving businesses out. The data doesnt lie. We have seen what it looks like when Denver did not have a robust and diverse business community, just ask anyone who was here in the 1980s. While that might seem like a long time ago, backsliding into that business environment can happen quickly especially when unfair policies and unnecessary regulation are accelerating that retreat. J. J. Ament is president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. Aurora investigators are digging to recover the body of a 36-year-old man buried in what police described as a clandestine grave underneath a concrete floor of a condominium. The man, who has been missing for months, may have been concealed in a crawl space since last summer, police said. Casie Bock, 29, was arrested in Tuesday night in connection with the macabre case on suspicion of accessory to murder. The body was found following a Crime Stoppers tip Aurora police received Monday night. A call to the tip line noted that the alleged homicide happened six-eight months ago in the 14,600 block of East Second Avenue at the Red Sky Condos. Police acted on the tip and then the Homicide Unit got a search warrant and discovered the grave underneath the floor. Aurora Police spokesperson Joe Moylan said that the crawlspace the body is located is in an area which is hard to access. We are meticulously trying to recover the body to preserve as much evidence as possible, said Moylan. Sign up for free: Springs AM Update Your morning rundown of the latest news from Colorado Springs and around the country overnight and the stories to follow throughout the day delivered to your inbox each evening. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. Police say a second arrest is pending, but that suspect is currently in jail in another jurisdiction for a separate crime. The identity of that person will be released once he is apprehended, police said. The identity of the victim will also remain undisclosed until his relative are notified. Moylan said the excavation will likely take at least a week. Bock is being held without bond as she awaits her first appearance in court. Anyone who has information about this case, who hasnt already spoken with an investigator, is encouraged to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP (7867). Palmer High School students marched to the steps of City Hall on Wednesday in protest of what they say is the prioritization of the firearm industry over students, asking their representatives in unison, Am I next? The noon walkout was part of a nationwide protest movement coordinated by nonprofit activist group Students Demand Action to make sure lawmakers know that we need gun safety at all levels. Guns are being more taken into consideration than actual childrens lives, freshman student Clowie Burkhalter said. At the moment, this is more important than the class period that many kids could be missing because they were in a school shooting. There have been more than 130 mass shootings in 2023 that involved four or more people, according to independent data collection and research group Gun Violence Archive. That averages to just over one per day. An analysis by The Washington Post found the number of children exposed to gun violence in schools has risen from 187,000 in 2018 to 338,000 today despite a pandemic that closed campuses for roughly a year. Last year was the worst for school shootings, the analysis further found, with 34 lives lost and more than 43,000 children exposed to gunfire. Palmer High School students marched to the steps of City Hall Wednesday in protest of what they say is the prioritization of the firearm industry over students, asking their representatives in unison, Am I next?https://t.co/VFiqadrCR7 https://t.co/vLr6HeWsdH Nick Sullivan (@_sullivn) April 5, 2023 Being a student shouldnt be a death sentence but once again, gun violence has forced its way into our schools, leaving nothing but pain, trauma, and tragedy in its wake, Students Demand Action's call to organize reads. We need more than thoughts and prayers. We demand action from our lawmakers now. Dozens of Colorado schools were expected to participate in the Students Demand Action walkout, including a handful in Colorado Springs. Sign up for free: Springs AM Update Your morning rundown of the latest news from Colorado Springs and around the country overnight and the stories to follow throughout the day delivered to your inbox each evening. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. The nonprofit group is dedicated to securing common sense gun laws and ending gun violence the leading cause of death for young people in the U.S. by organizing peaceful protests. Since its launch in 2016, Students Demand Action has established more than 600 groups across the country. Palmer has several armed security guards and an SRO assigned to the school, said Principal Laura Disney, but safety nonetheless remains a top-of-mind issue. I need to make sure that I pay attention to whats going on, whether kids are in a good place or not in a good place," Disney said. Palmer students say they regularly have conversations on how they would defend themselves in the event of an active shooter situation. Grabbing the flagpole and sharpening it in the pencil sharpener. Taking Windex and spraying it in the shooters eyes. I think its our way of coping a little bit, senior student Zoe Huesgen Hobbs said. When youre sitting there in the dark (during a drill), for a second the scenario runs across your mind of like, if theres an actually shooting, Id be taking out my phone and texting my parents that I love them. I could see my friends die in front of me. A spokesperson for Colorado Springs School District 11 reminds families of high school students to call and let the school know in advance if they wish to allow their children to participate in nonschool- or district-sponsored walkouts or events. Elementary and middle school students must have a family member accompany them to participate. Most importantly, the spokesperson said, the district supports its students rights to free speech and asks them to exercise that right respectfully, peacefully and safely. Its amazing to watch them come together because thats one of those skills that we dont necessarily teach explicitly in the curriculum, Disney said. Any time you can get students to organize something and understand what it is that theyre organizing and learn how to communicate and be problem solvers, it makes me proud. An explosion trapped prosthetics pioneer Sarah Gillis inside her laboratory for 60 years before Gavin the Explorer caught her distress signal over the radio. Shed been alone with only her research and imaginary dog, Biscuit, to keep her company. All the while her bones were slowly deteriorating due to her labs low-gravity environment. What ensued was a 45-minute educational rescue mission involving spies, tuna sandwiches and catchy mnemonic devices. B-O-N-E-S, 206 that you possess, Gavin, played by local actor Sean Verdu, chanted in a call-and-response with K-5 audiences. Why is every bone so great? Allow me to elaborate. Gavin and the cast of fictional characters are the imaginative product of 63 fifth grade students studying the skeletal system at Martinez Elementary. In partnership with professionals at Theatre Across Borders, a company that creates theatre in unexpected places, those students ideas are coming to life in Project 206: A Great Bones Adventure. The play is touring 20 schools across Colorado Springs School District 11 and will be open to the public for four nights at the Millibo Art Theatre. Its a very proud moment, said Anne Weaver, one of the fifth grade teachers whose class created the play. We work with our kids in so many different capacities, but writing a play usually isnt one of them. This marks the second year Weavers class has partnered with Theatre Across Borders as a pilot for its new Science to Stage program. The program teaches school lessons using immersive art and assists students in creating an original play on a classroom topic. A lot of what (the students) have said is that its really nice not to just sit and listen or do a worksheet, that theyre up and moving around and experiencing these stories for themselves, said Melissa ORear, executive director of Theatre Across Borders and the shows director. Twice a week for six weeks, ORear and a slate of local performing artists visited Martinez Elementary to craft the play. Sign up for free: Springs AM Update Your morning rundown of the latest news from Colorado Springs and around the country overnight and the stories to follow throughout the day delivered to your inbox each evening. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. Students studied movement and body awareness with a professional at Ormao Dance Company; took puppetry lessons and learned about weight, focus and breath with an award-winning puppeteer; and led hot seat question-and-answer sessions with actors, who improvised their respective characters personalities and backgrounds. The students also broke into small groups to brainstorm pieces of the plot, setting and characters using what ORear calls a yes, and mindset. Each students idea built upon the next. She really makes every kid feel like, Oh, that was my idea, or, I helped to develop that, Weaver said. There is something from everybodys group. It was then up to ORear to condense those ideas into a singular script. After presenting a draft to students for a read through and final critique, actors began rehearsing the material. The storyline from a fifth graders perspective and making that believable, and true to the fact of keeping their attention span, can be a challenge at times, said Verdu, who strayed from his typical realism and Shakespeare roles. Its fun to get to have the freedom to do any type of creativity, right? They have no walls in their creative imagination. Behind the packaging of silly characters and storylines dreamt up by Martinez Elementarys fifth grade were insightful lessons on the function of the skeletal system and how to keep it healthy. The play even touches on more personal topics such as how society views people with disabilities. Katy Williams, who plays the prosthetics doctor Gillis, said the story hit especially close to home for her. Williams mom has suffered limb loss, and Gillis in the play was mistaken as a creature by another character due to her makeshift cane and wing-adorned outfit. There was dialogue, albeit brief, about the state of disability issues today. The Science to Stage program has been a hit among students and teachers during its two-year pilot run, D-11 visual and performing arts facilitator Laurilea McDaniel said, and strong support from the superintendent and school board have paved the way for its expansion. Columbia Elementary School, the other of the districts two arts integration elementary schools, will begin working with Theatre Across Borders next year. Pending grant approval, Trailblazer Elementary might also work with the theater company. Any time that you can put movement or music into their learning, its amazing how much topics and skills will stick with them, Weaver said. It just makes sense what theyre doing. It just makes sense with how kids learn. Former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at his Mar-a-Lago estate hours after being arraigned in New York City, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in Palm Beach, Fla. (Rebecca Blackwell/AP) Former President Donald Trump, speaking at his Florida resort at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday evening hours after his arraignment in New York, cast the case against him as unfair and politically motivated in an unusually short 21-minute speech that focused as much on other grievances and investigations. Standing before his family members, Republican Party officials and allies, Trump called Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg a criminal, claiming without evidence that Bragg had leaked information from the grand jury. Trump also called the judge overseeing the case, Juan M. Merchan, a Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and family. Advertisement In the courtroom during his arraignment earlier Tuesday, Merchan admonished Trump about his public remarks, urging him to refrain from making statements about the case with the potential to incite violence and civil unrest. In his speech, which was carried live by CNN and Fox News, Trump spent much of his time airing other perceived wrongs against him. He renewed his criticisms of the FBIs search of Mar-a-Lago in August, the New York attorney generals civil investigation into him and his familys business dealings and the open case in Georgia about his meddling in the 2020 election there. Advertisement This is a persecution, not an investigation, he said of the New York attorney generals case. Anticipation for Trumps remarks had been building all day as cable networks and national media outlets delivered minute-by-minute updates. The former president, meanwhile, declined to speak with reporters in New York and instead saved his remarks for a prime-time address back home in Florida. But Trump seemed to squander his opportunity with a speech that was long on complaints and light on applause lines. Inside the ballroom, the biggest cheer of the night was when he ended his speech by repeating his 2016 campaign motto. His remarks amount to a strategy that has become commonplace for Trump: blurring the lines between his court battles and political opponents to sway public opinion over his arrest while ginning up enthusiasm and campaign contributions from supporters. The ballroom at Mar-a-Lago where Trump spoke the same spot where he announced his third White House bid in November was set up with a wide walkway for Trump allies and relatives to make their entrances. The design also divided the room in a way that made the crowd appear larger than it was. Roughly 350 seats were set up for the audience, which included two of Trumps adult children, Tiffany Trump and Donald Trump Jr., as well as Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, both far-right Republicans. The former president spoke roughly seven hours after he left a Manhattan courthouse, where he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges that prosecutors brought against him over his role in coordinating hush-money payments to a porn actress. He is the first former president to face the prospect of a criminal trial. Trump has long aimed to paint himself as a target of politically motivated attacks and claimed the charges against him were baseless. Shortly after being indicted by a grand jury last week, he issued a statement calling the indictment political persecution and election interference at the highest level in history. His message has resonated with supporters. Since his indictment, Trumps poll numbers in the 2024 Republican presidential primary have risen by double digits, even as some longtime supporters have slowed in their rush to defend him. As he was arraigned on Tuesday, a crowd of his supporters gathered in the streets outside the Manhattan courthouse. Advertisement c.2023 The New York Times Company 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. For the first time in a dozen years, Denver residents can count on a new boss at city hall after this spring's election. Early, unofficial returns posted Tuesday night after polls closed showed former state Sen. Mike Johnston and former Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce CEO Kelly Brough leading the field of 16 candidates vying for the chance to take over from term-limited Mayor Michael Hancock, who was first elected in 2011, the last time an incumbent wasn't asking voters for another term. Since neither candidate surpassed 50% of the vote, the race goes to a June 6 run-off between the top two finishers, with mail ballots set to go out to voters in six weeks. With a little over 23,000 more ballots be tallied, Johnston led with 24.51%, followed by Brough at 20.64%, with the next-closest finisher, criminal justice advocate and organizer Lisa Calderon with 17.37%. Mike Johnston, Kelly Brough headed toward runoff in Denver mayor race It was a near certainty that the race would head to a June run-off, with 17 candidates qualifying for the ballot and most of them receiving funding under the city's new public campaign financing system. Days after ballots went out, one of the candidates, Tattered Cover co-owner and CEO Kwame Spearman, withdrew and threw his support behind Brough. While the sprawling field narrowed somewhat to the roughy half dozen candidates who have either held office, run citywide in previous elections or were among the fundraising leaders, that still left an array of choices on an already crowded ballot, possibly pushing voters to postpone their decisions until the last possible minute. Denver voters cast just over 175,000 ballots for a 38% turnout rate, roughly on par with recent mayoral elections, the city's elections division reported late Tuesday. Nearly 80,000 of the ballots received around 44% of the total were cast on election day, with almost 55,000 of those arriving in the final two hours before polls closed. Election officials said they planned to continue processing those ballots on Wednesday and begin posting more results at 2 p.m. Late Tuesday, Calderon's share of the vote was inching up while Brough's was falling slightly. Calderon insisted she would catch up, since her supporters were more likely to be among the late surge of ballots cast on election day. But unless the mix of remaining votes changes, Brough appears destined to go head-to-head with Johnston. Denver records highest single day total of cast ballots, still lower than 2019 turnout Expect the final round to be more focused and more expensive as the two remaining candidates clash on their visions for a city ready for a change. If early results hold, the two candidates who brought in by far the most money for their campaigns and for outside spending efforts supporting them also turned out the most votes. By nearly every measure, Johnston and Brough saw more dollars flow into their coffers and spent on their behalf, and it wasn't close. Johnston reported raising $686,789 in donations and collected an additional $613,539 in matching funds from the city's inaugural Fair Elections Fund program, while Brough took in $677,410 in donations and got the maximum $750,000 in matching funds. The only other candidate who approached their campaign bankrolls was self-funder Andy Rougeot, a first-time candidate and the only Republican in the race, who raised more than $900,000 but didn't participate in the public financing option. But it was in outside spending by independent expenditure outfits where the two front-runners stood head-and-shoulders above the rest, with Johnston's backers spending more than $2.2 million and Brough's supporters chipping in nearly $1 million. The next-closest recipient of outside spending was state Rep. Leslie Herod, who enjoyed around $170,000 in third-party spending. The disparities in outside spending showed, as ads supporting Johnston and Brough blanketed the airwaves and streaming platforms in the closing days of the election, bolstering ads the two candidates had been running for weeks. Mike Johnston surges ahead in Denver mayor's money race with outside support Both Johnston and Brough claim widespread support from small-dollar donors. Brough reported donations of $50 or less the amount that triggered matching funds from 1,736 individual donors, while Johnston received that level of contributions from 1,478 donors. The profile of the outside funders for each differs widely, however, with Brough's supporters including some of the city's most prominent developers and Johnston's backers including high-profile billionaires from around the country. Both candidates in the nonpartisan election are Democrats, running in an overwhelmingly Democratic city, where Joe Biden beat Donald Trump with nearly 80% of the vote in 2020, for the Democrat's strongest performance in any Colorado county. But election watchers say there's plenty of shading between the two on hot-button issues and plenty of distinctions for voters to consider. It's Brough's first campaign, though she considered running for mayor in previous cycles. "This is the first time I've run for office," she told supporters on election night. "We didn't have a foundation or a base. People said there's no way you can get this thing off the ground and your support changed everything. It reinforced my belief that we can address some of the greatest challenges we have faced in our city, because we're coming together to do it, and this campaign has proved it." It's the third time Johnston has run for office since facing he faced term limits in the northeast Denver state Senate district he represented from 2009-2017. Johnston came in third in the 2018 Democratic gubernatorial primary, behind then-U.S. Rep. Jared Polis and former State Treasurer Cary Kennedy, and he was among more than a dozen Democrats hoping to take on Republican U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner in 2020 but withdrew after former Gov. John Hickenlooper also a former two-term Denver mayor jumped in the primary. Polis and Hickenlooper each went on to win the general election. "I'm always focused on ideas what are the ideas that you care about?" Johnston told Colorado Politics late Tuesday. "And on record, you know, I think both of those matter what have you done in the past and what do you plan to do in the future? Those are the things that will always be important to me and I think are important to voters. I don't care about personal differences or personal animosity that doesn't exist for me. My only focus is on what have I done that has shown I have a track record to get these things done, and what do I plan to do in the future? I think our record and results and plans are going to be what matters the most to Denver voters." Calderon finished in third place in the first round of Denver's last mayoral election, behind Hancock and urban planner Jamie Giellis. The incumbent office-holders among the crop of mayoral candidates all finished further back in the pack: Herod, coming in fifth place with about 9.5% of the vote, followed by state Sen. Chris Hansen with just over 5% and at-large Councilwoman Debbie Ortega with about 4.5%. Only one of the remaining nine candidates who trailed Ortega broke 1%, with community organizer Ean Thomas Tafoya finishing just that mark. Denver mayoral candidates court voters in final days of election Both of the candidates likely headed to a run off spent the weeks before ballots were due criss-crossing the city, meeting voters in neighborhood gathering places. Brough told The Denver Gazette she was feeling good about the election moments before the first results posted. "My goal was to make sure voters knew who I was and what my plans were," she said, adding that she "felt a lot of love" from voters as the campaign neared the finish line. Brough's "Coffee with Kelly" meetings each drew dozens of voters as election day approached, she said. Johnston visited brewpubs and coffee shops as part of what his campaign called a "3D" tour standing for drafts, donuts and doors in all 78 of Denver's neighborhoods in the 10 days before ballots were due. "I think people seeing Mike out in their communities, being able to talk to him face to face, got us where we are today," Johnston's communications director Jordan Fuja told Colorado Politics late Tuesday. "Mike has a broad base of support it's a lot of people who are ready for a mayor who can actually fix the tough problems and bring a lot of people together." Denver Gazette reporter Alex Edwards contributed to this story. DENVER Mike Johnston and Kelly Brough the two Denver mayoral candidates who attracted the most financial support appear headed toward a runoff in June after taking commanding leads in the Tuesday election. Though the tally continued on into the night, the two candidates cleared the field early in the count, catapulting to the No. 1 and No. 2 spots, with only a few thousand votes separating them. At past 10 p.m., Johnson secured 25% of roughly 104,000 votes cast. Brough came in second with 22.5%. With a turnout of about 158,000 voters expected, early returns represented about 69% of the vote total. Trailing behind the two is a cluster of candidates that includes Lisa Calderon at 15% and Andy Rougeot at 13%. Rep. Leslie Herod has so far secured 9%. The next mayor of Denver faces gargantuan problems magnified by the citys unique characteristics, notably a homelessness crisis, a housing affordability challenge and a sense that the streets are not always safe. Whoever wins the seat could, in theory, hold on to it for the next 12 years, which makes this years contest a consequential election. "The first batch of votes released at 7 p.m. are rather convincing," said Eric Sondermann, a political observer and columnist for Colorado Politics and The Denver Gazette. "Johnston and Brough lead substantially in the low to mid-20 percent range each. Combined, they are accounting for just shy of half the total vote." Sondermann added: "It would take an unprecedented reversal in further tallies to change this course. The two of them seem almost certainly headed to a runoff battle." A cheer went up in the crowd of several hundred people who gathered at Johnston's watch party at a Lower Downtown hotel when the first round of results posted on a screen at the front of the room showing Johnston with a narrow lead over Brough, whose supporters were gathered about a half mile away. Cheers also erupted among Brough's supporters, competing with the loud music playing in the ReelWorks Event Center. Brough said she "felt a lot of love" from Denver voters as the campaign picked up. Her final "Coffee with Kelly" events drew 30 to 40 people each as election day neared, her campaign said. "When you grow up poor or disadvantaged or sometimes just different, you hear a lot more about what you can't do or who you can't be," Brough told her supporters. "What changes all of that in all our lives is when we get support from others. When people believe in us before we believe in ourselves." Brough served as U.S. John Hickenloopers chief of staff when he was mayor, and she had been a legislative analyst of all 13 current members of the Denver City Council. She has been an on-call snowplow driver at Stapleton Airport, head of human resources at the City of Denver, and president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. The two were among three candidates tied in an earlier poll commissioned by the Denver Gazette, 9News and Metropolitan State University. They also dominated the fundraising race, managing to bring in well over $2.7 million in direct contributions and matching funds combined. In his victory speech, Johnston said Denver chose "optimism and hope and change tonight." "Denver voters said they believe in bold ideas with real, concrete plans to accomplish those bold ideas. And tonight, the work just begins," Johnston added. Johnston also announced that his wife, Courtney, will be a contestant on Jeopardy! this month. "We were blessed to have an incredible field of candidates in this race not just an incredible group of people but also an incredible group of ideas," Johnston said, adding that he is "excited to make sure we can help bring their ideas for Denver to reality at the same time we try to bring our ideas to be a reality." Johnston worked as a teacher and principal before being elected to the first of his two terms representing northeast Denver in the Colorado Senate in 2009. He ran for governor in 2018, coming in third behind Gov. Jared Polis and Cary Kennedy in the Democratic primary that year. Johnston also served as the president and CEO of Gary Community Ventures. After early results were posted, Calderon's campaign said the night was still young. "We're seeing exactly what we expected," Sarah Lake, campaign manager for Calderon, said. "Our voters are late voters and we know that black and brown communities and low income communities are the ones who tend to turn in ballots late." Lake added: "We are going to show that Denver is a truly progressive city who wants new leadership that's going to represent its people and make sure that we're leading with proven solutions to our biggest challenges." Meanwhile, Debbie Ortega's campaign also said it wasn't ready to concede after early results came in. Johnston had outlined ambitious plans if elected mayor, among them his proposal to end homelessness in Denver within his first term. He also wants to build tens of thousands of new homes within eight years. Kelly Brough has similarly focused on homelessness and housing. Her plan calls for the creation of several sanctioned camping sites, possibly modeled after the Safe Outdoor Spaces Denver currently utilizes, while the city builds up its housing stock. She also plans to streamline the building permitting process, so it takes less time for builders to get approval of their designs, which, she said, would result in more homes in Denver. Brough has led the fundraising efforts for weeks and continues to do so. Including matching funds from the city, her campaign has raised $1.4 million. Johnston is not far behind, hauling in a total of $1.3 million. Both have benefitted from a significant influx in independent expenditure support from groups that are prohibited from coordinating with the campaigns. The outside support for Johnston stood at $2.2 million on election day, while Brough attracted $984,000 in support. Sondermann said his main takeaway so far is this year's race is the first Denver mayoral election for an open seat in multiple decades "without a real curveball." "The biggest fundraisers and presumptive favorites look to be comfortably ahead of all other contenders and moving toward the runoff," he told The Denver Gazette. "There might be small surprises down the ballot tonight. But there is no top-of-the-ticket surprise or upset no Federico Pena or Wellington Webb or John Hickenlooper or even Michael Hancock." Reporter Kyla Pearce and multimedia editor Tom Hellauer contributed to this article. Tom can be reached at tom.hellauer@gazette.com. Former President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago estate hours after being arraigned in New York City, in Palm Beach, Fla. Tuesday, April 4, 2023. (Todd Heisler/The New York Times) Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, all of which are tied to the former presidents role in a hush-money payment to a porn actress, Stormy Daniels. But prosecutors in the Manhattan district attorneys office accused Trump of orchestrating a broader scheme to influence the 2016 presidential election by purchasing damaging stories about him to keep them under wraps. Advertisement The defendant, Donald J. Trump, falsified New York business records in order to conceal an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 presidential election, one of the prosecutors, Chris Conroy, said at Trumps arraignment. Here are answers to some key questions that have arisen from Tuesdays events: Advertisement What is Trump accused of? The charges trace back to a $130,000 hush-money payment that Trumps fixer, Michael Cohen, made to porn actress Stormy Daniels in the final days of the 2016 campaign. The payment, which Cohen said he made at Trumps direction, suppressed her story of a sexual liaison she says she had with Trump. While serving as the commander in chief, Trump reimbursed Cohen, and thats where the fraud kicked in, prosecutors say. In internal records, Trumps company classified the repayment to Cohen as legal expenses, citing a retainer agreement. Yet there were no such expenses, prosecutors say, and the retainer agreement was fictional as well. Those records underpin the 34 counts of falsifying business records: 11 counts involve the checks, 11 center on monthly invoices Cohen submitted to the company, and 12 involve entries in the general ledger for Trumps trust. Why is that a felony? Falsifying business records can be charged as a misdemeanor offense. To elevate it to a felony, District Attorney Alvin Bragg must prove that Trumps intent to defraud was in service of a second crime. In this case, it is unclear whether Bragg has settled on the specifics of that second crime. During a news conference after the arraignment, Bragg mentioned a number of potential underlying crimes, most prominently a violation of a state election law that bars any conspiracy to promote the election of a person to public office by unlawful means. Do prosecutors need to convict Trump of a second crime? No. They must only show that there was intent to commit or conceal a second crime. Prosecutors do not have to charge Trump with any secondary crime, or prove that he committed it. But prosecutors have not yet said definitively what crime or crimes they intend to rely on to escalate the charges to a felony level. Why did prosecutors cite other hush money payments? Braggs office linked Trump to three hush-money deals. While the indictment mentions only the deal with Daniels, prosecutors likely mentioned the other deals to begin the work of proving that Trump intended to conceal a second crime. Advertisement In addition to the indictment, prosecutors filed a so-called statement of facts that referenced the other payoffs. That document, which is common in complex white-collar cases, provides something of a road map for what the prosecutors could reveal at trial. And based on evidence presented to the grand jury, it details the two hush-money deals involving the National Enquirer, which has long-standing ties to Trump. The first involved the tabloid paying $30,000 to a former Trump Tower doorman who claimed to know that Trump had fathered a child out of wedlock. The publication later determined the claim was untrue. The National Enquirer also made a payment to Karen McDougal, Playboys playmate of the year in 1998, who wanted to sell her story of an affair with Trump during the 2016 campaign. She reached a $150,000 agreement with the tabloid, which bought the rights to her story to suppress it a practice known as catch and kill. The deals suggest that the payment to Daniels was not an isolated incident but rather part of a broader strategy to influence the election. What is the maximum sentence if Trump is convicted? The charges against Trump are all Class E felonies, which are the lowest category of felony offense in New York and carry a maximum prison sentence of four years per count, though if he were convicted a judge could sentence him to probation. Advertisement c.2023 The New York Times Company A judge has granted a motion for a competency evaluation for a Britt man accused of stabbing a woman to death last month. According to court records, 56-year-old Monte Wayne Eckels will be evaluated to determine if he is fit to stand trial. The order from the court states that after a review of the file and record made at Tuesday's hearing, there is probable cause to believe Eckels suffers from a mental disorder prohibiting him from appreciating the charge brought against him. The evaluation will by the chief psychiatrist of the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital, Iowa Medical and Classification Center in Oakdale, Iowa. The charge stems from an incident around 7:10 p.m. March 6 when Britt Police responded to a call of a disturbance at 275 Fourth St. S.E. Officers say Leallen Bergman, 62, of Ventura had been stabbed to death in the home. No further court hearings have been scheduled as of Wednesday morning. North Iowa History: More police photos Statzer and Stephens with pig at old station. Scuba divers under ice 363 969 MPA 0308 MCPD training equipment.jpg Auto theft school Countyjailold.jpg Police 1912 Police use hand held radar Highway Patrol Office Map Monroe Kids visit police station police 1918 Jail break photo Old Arizona peace officer IHP VASCAR device New breath tester at P.D. Police use hand held radar.jpg Police car wreck Police car wreck New police radio Buchanan.jpg Buchanan Buchanantrouble.jpg Buchannan Buchannan Dillinger film JBuchannan motorcycles New Speed meter Police 1928 Wolfe and Risacher 2 boys in jail 2 boys at Sheriff's Office Alcohol seized near Kensett Boy Patrol Safe at Piggly-Wiggly broken into Fingerprinting school Drunk in alley Accident ST. ANSGAR A St. Ansgar man has been sentenced to federal prison for selling meth to a friend who later died of an overdose. Judge C.J. Williams sentenced Eric Allen Young, 43, to up to 14 years in prison on charges of distribution of methamphetamine on Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids. Following prison, he will be on supervised release for three years. Authorities said Young sold $90 worth of meth to a Nashua woman March 18, 2021. She used it, began vomiting and became unconscious. Young attempted to revive her with CPR and then called a friend who dialed 911. He remained at the scene until authorities arrived, records state. The woman died at the scene as a result of a methamphetamine overdose. This case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Jason Dorval Norwood. MARENGO A Tama County man suffered severe burns on one-third of his body in a Dec. 8 explosion at the C6-Zero plant, where he worked as a contractor, according to a lawsuit filed in Iowa County. Kelly Regenold and his wife, Tammy Courbat, filed the suit March 21 against C6-Zero Iowa, C6-Zero Holdings and Heartland Crush LLC, the company that owns the Marengo building where the blast happened. "The explosion blew Plaintiff off of a ladder and across the floor of the building. The subsequent fire destroyed the building and Plaintiff barely escaped with his life," the lawsuit states. "Plaintiff was taken by ambulance to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics where he was admitted for severe burns over 30 to 39% of his body, plus other injuries caused by the explosion and fire." Regenold is the second person working at C6-Zero to announce suffering major injuries in the explosion and fire. A GoFundMe page was set up soon after the fire for Cody Blasberg, who was severely burned and had to temporarily be put on a ventilator because of his injuries. C6-Zero did not have state permits to operate at the warehouse at 810 E. South St., in Marengo. The company was attempting to dissolve used roofing shingles using chemicals, oils and solvents "the vapors from which were toxic and flammable," the suit states. The morning of Dec. 8, when C6-Zero owner Howard Brand III was testing out the equipment, a mechanical failure ignited the air vapors and caused an explosion. Regenold, who was working for Deep Lake Outsourcing LLC at the C6-Zero plant, was on a ladder near the chemical vats when the blast occurred. He was among employees and others transported by ambulance to UIHC, where he remained for a month, the suit states. "He has been left with extensive scarring and disfigurement throughout his body from the burns and skin grafting required to treat his burns," the suit states. Nine employees were injured in the blast, with six needing one day away from work, according to an OSHA Form 300 C6-Zero filed with the Department of Labor. The Gazette obtained a redacted copy of the form through a Freedom of Information request to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A seventh injured employee required an "on-job transfer or restriction" and an eighth employee had no information listed for how long they missed work or whether they required a transfer. Regenold and Courbat are seeking financial compensation for Regenold's injuries and damages the couple has suffered as well as punitive damages against C6-Zero "in such amount as will deter C6-Zero and others from similar conduct." C6-Zero Spokesman Mark Corallo said the company had no comment on the pending litigation. Demolition begins at Marengo plant The Iowa Demolition Company on Monday started tearing down part of the burned-out plant. A backhoe with a claw attachment grabbed part of the metal shell and pulled it down, then hauled away piles of twisted metal and blackened debris. The demolition, expected to last several days, has stalled environmental cleanup at the site, according to EcoSource, a Des Moines-area company C6-Zero hired to deal with water and soil polluted by chemicals stored at the site. "Due to the structural issues present in the structure, EcoSource does not want excavation equipment and personnel around the building until the structure is down," the company said in a March 20 update to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. EcoSource said it still does not know where it will dispose of contaminated water and soil. "Iowa DNR and Metro Waste are both resistant to allowing standard disposal methods (solidification, landfilling, landfarming)," the company wrote. "The preferred location for liquid is Metro Park East landfill, and the Iowa County landfill for the soil disposal." The delays seem to indicate EcoSource did not meet a March 31 deadline for implementing a Site Assessment Plan. The most and least lucrative college majors in Iowa The most and least lucrative college majors in Iowa Former President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Md., March 4, 2023. (Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times) Former President Donald Trumps arraignment hearing Tuesday was the first court proceeding in what is likely to be a lengthy criminal case. A trial may not be scheduled for months and is not guaranteed to happen at all as prosecutors and Trumps lawyers are expected to argue over the merits of the case and what evidence can be presented to a jury. Advertisement Under New York law, district attorneys must turn over much of their evidence to defense lawyers within 35 days of a defendants arraignment. The rules require prosecutors to provide physical evidence such as police reports and photographs, electronic recordings and grand jury testimony, including the names of witnesses. Prosecutors may request an extension of up to 30 days under exceptional circumstances. They may also request a protective order to shield witness names and information until trial, though judges are not required to grant it. Advertisement The defense is also required to disclose certain evidence in its possession 30 days after prosecutors first open their files. Lawyers from both sides may file motions asking the judge to prevent certain evidence from being used at trial, and hearings on those motions may delay a trial further. The judge presiding over Tuesdays arraignment, Juan M. Merchan, set a schedule for Trumps lawyers to file motions by Aug. 8 and prosecutors by Sept. 19, with judges orders to come on Dec. 4. Defense lawyers can also file motions asking the judge to dismiss a case. One of Trumps lawyers, Joseph Tacopina, previously said that he anticipated filing such a motion. But after the arraignment, he told reporters outside the courthouse that it was too soon to talk about specific details. Among the possible grounds for a motion to dismiss are assertions that charges are barred by statutes of limitation, which restrict how much time can pass between a crime and charges, or that there has been prosecutorial misconduct. In high-profile cases, defense lawyers often request a change of venue, arguing that extreme media scrutiny makes it difficult to find unprejudiced jurors in the original location, but judges rarely agree. It is not clear whether Trumps lawyers will follow that strategy, and Tacopina said outside the courthouse that it was premature to speculate. But Trump has said that he does not believe he can get a fair trial in Manhattan, which is overwhelmingly liberal and where he was deeply unpopular during his presidency. Advertisement On Sunday, Trump wrote on Truth Social, the social network he started, that his case had a venue where it is IMPOSSIBLE for me to get a Fair Trial (it must be changed!). Trumps lawyers could also request a bench trial, which would not involve a jury and would be conducted by the judge alone. c.2023 The New York Times Company The Iowa State Patrol said Roland Taylor, 77, was northbound on U.S. 71 north of the intersection with 300th Street about two miles north of Spencer on an International 300 utility tractor. At about 5:58 p.m., Jon Hjelm, 68, of Spencer, who was driving north on U.S. 71 in a Chevrolet K2500 pickup, struck the tractor from behind in the right lane. Bunuel wrote: Government representative: Between 1996 and 2005, the gray wolf population in Minnesota grew nearly 50 percent; the gray wolf population in Montana increased by only 13 percent during the same period. Clearly, the Minnesota gray wolf population is more likely to survive and thrive long term. Environmentalist: But the gray wolf population in Montana is nearly 8 times the population in Minnesota; above a certain critical breeding number, the population is stable and does not require growth in order to survive. The environmentalist challenges the government representative's argument by doing which of the following? (A) introducing additional evidence that undermines an assumption made by the representative (B) challenging the representative's definition of a critical breeding number (C) demonstrating that the critical breeding number of the two wolf populations differs significantly (D) implying that the two populations of wolves could be combined in order to preserve the species (E) suggesting that the Montana wolf population grew at a faster rate than stated in the representative's argument Min Min Hence, Correct Answer must be (A) Representative-> 1996 - 2005 GW :50% , Mont 13%, Henceis more likely to survive and thrive long termEnvironmentalist -> GW : Mon = 8x{Min}(B) definition of a critical breeding number no where stated by Government Representative.(C) No demonstrating of critical breeding number of the two wolf populations stated by Environmentalist.(D) Combination of two populations of wolves not stated(E) Rate of growth not stated by the Environmentalist._________________ NONFICTION: An illuminating look at Hitler's rise to power and how it played out in one Bavarian village. "A Village in the Third Reich" by Julia Boyd and Angelika Patel; Pegasus (459 pages, $35) To understand something as enormous as World War II, go small. Focus on one person, one sliver of time, or as in the case of the terrific "A Village in the Third Reich" one town. British writer Julia Boyd takes readers from the demoralizing end of World War I, to the rise of Adolf Hitler, then straight through World War II all through the experiences of the residents of the small Bavarian town of Oberstdorf. Boyd's research is impeccable, drawing on extensive village archives, as well as diaries, interviews, newspaper accounts, letters and unpublished memoirs. What emerges is a clear picture of a traditional Alpine village, with its cows and festivals and deep Catholic faith, and the immense changes it went through in the 1930s and '40s. Its young people were compelled to join the Hitler Youth, its few Jewish residents were persecuted, its men were sent off to war including young Claudius Asal, killed just 12 days before the war's end, at age 16. And, after the war, the starving village was occupied by French, Moroccan and American troops and flooded with thousands of traumatized refugees. Like most people across Germany, the citizens of Oberstdorf had felt humiliated by the terms of the Treaty of Versailles that ended the first world war and "the realization that their country was now a global outcast." And so they were primed for a strong leader when Hitler promised prosperity and order. Almost immediately, he insinuated himself into daily life through the 1933 Equalization Act, which required every organization from government bodies to the smallest musical group to dissolve and reform as a Nazi organization, with a Nazi leader, a swastika on display, and "Heil Hitler!" to conclude each meeting. "It was the means by which Nazi tentacles would reach into every last corner of society," Boyd writes, and it worked, normalizing obedience to the regime. Focusing on one village was a brilliant way to understand the Third Reich on a human, day-to-day level. It wasn't Boyd's idea, though, and she gives full credit to Angelika Patel, the Oberstdorf woman who wrote about this as a civic history project and then later offered her research and assistance to Boyd. Boyd's prose is clear, confident and measured, connecting national events to Oberstdorf as often as possible, a device that never feels forced only human. She consistently uses the word "murder" to describe the actions of the Nazis. They didn't kill, or exterminate they murdered. The stark word carries a little more power each time she writes it. The chapter about the murder of thousands of disabled children (each of whom was labeled "a life unworthy of life") is excruciating. It focuses on a dearly loved blind child from Oberstdorf named Theodor Weissenberger, who was removed from his family and gassed to death in a retrofitted hunting lodge that was a precursor to the concentration camps' death chambers. As horrifying as that chapter is and it is truly horrifying Boyd writes with humanity and compassion, and in subsequent chapters frequently addresses the complexities of life under the Nazis. She writes about doctors, schoolteachers and others who were Nazis but who behaved according to their own moral code. "While we know there were plenty of 'good Germans' in the Third Reich, the concept of 'good Nazis' is hard to swallow," she writes. Yet "there were at least some Nazis in top jobs capable of putting morality before the party and behaving honorably, even as their colleagues committed the most horrific crimes against humanity." This included Oberstdorf Mayor Ludwig Fink, an "ardent Nazi" but one who also protected Jews and warned citizens of danger. As Patel notes in her afterword, "Exploring the Third Reich among the people I grew up with not anonymous monsters taught me how fragile civilization is. It also taught me that humble individuals can and do create pockets of humanity in inhuman times." This book illustrates exactly that. From the corridors of power in Virginia, to the legal fraternity, to the sidewalks of Richmond, everyone had an opinion on Tuesdays historic arraignment of former president Donald Trump, marking the first time in history that a commander in chief appeared in court as a criminal defendant. This is actually pretty minor, Ron Singleton, 72, of Fredericksburg, told the Richmond Times-Dispatch as he was sitting downtown next to his wife, Judy, on a sunny warm afternoon, adding that he would have liked to have seen more substantive charges brought against Trump, such as charges for withholding documents and obstructing justice. Its about as minor of charges you can go after the guy for, considering all the things that hes done, he said, adding that the charges will not prevent Trump from being the face of the Republican Party. Hes a master at manipulating the public opinion, and hes using that to his advantage, Singleton said. Its going to be very hard in the primaries to dislodge him. Judy, his 75-year-old spouse, chimed in, We ought to be changing some laws to be stricter about being able to run when youre under indictment." U.S. Rep. Bob Good, R-5th District, echoed GOP complaints that a liberal New York City prosecutor was targeting Trump unfairly. Former President Trumps indictment and arrest are chilling examples of weaponized government targeting a political opponent, he tweeted. Every freedom-loving American across the country should be disturbed by this. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th District, repeated the Democratic position that no one, not even a former president, is above the law. Former President Trumps indictment and arrest are chilling examples of weaponized government targeting a political opponent. Every freedom-loving American across the country should be disturbed by this. Congressman Bob Good (@RepBobGood) April 4, 2023 Every American including the former President should be equal in the eyes of the law, Spanberger said in a statement. Responsible lawmakers must lead by example and not use these events as an opportunity to stoke anger and division. This moment requires a calm focus on justice. Ilya Somin, a law professor at George Mason University, said that while he has reservations about Trump being brought up on relatively minor charges, he sees the former presidents arraignment as an example of the nations commanders in chief not being exempt from the law. Somin pointed out that leaders of other governments overseas have been charged with crimes. We sent at least some message that former presidents are not immune to prosecution, Somin said. In some ways, this brings us in line with a lot of other democracies where current and former heads of state have been charged and, in some cases, convicted. Somin said there is virtually no chance that Trumps current charges in New York would make him ineligible for the White House, but he said an argument could be made that Trump could be disqualified if he is convicted of an offense related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attacks at the U.S. Capitol. Hank Chambers, a professor of law at the University of Richmond, said falsifying business records is not untypical from what the public has seen from the Trump organization. Its important but not incredibly shocking, Chambers said. The professor said the decision to bring charges or not is a legal sword that cuts both ways. The refusal to bring charges can be just as politically motivated, he added. Even as Trump flew back to Mar-a-Lago on his personal jetliner after the court proceedings, Tiffany Buffaloe, 40, of Richmond, said she preferred Trump be locked up. They need to teach him a lesson, even though hes older, Buffaloe said about the 76-year-old Trump. He knew he was wrong for what he did, so he needs to face the consequences. GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who many suspect is gearing up for a run for president, had no public appearances on Tuesday and did not comment. But on Thursday, he condemned the indictment in a Twitter post, saying: It is beyond belief that District Attorney Alvin Bragg has indicted a former president and current presidential candidate for pure political gain. And despite speculation that he may run for national office, Youngkin says he is focused on governing Virginia. NC GOP lawmakers want to decide who will be new community college system president You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close While serving as foster parents, Casey and Lauren Ellis learned quickly that there is a lack of available childcare in Rockingham County. Waitlists for childcare in our area are years long, Casey Ellis said. Parents are having to not work, simply because there is no one to care for their children. The Ellises finally ended up moving out of Rockingham County to Guilford County to find needed childcare. In 2021, the couple decided to join friends Justin and Hunter Edwards, whom they met when they became licensed foster parents, and do their part to help ease some of the childcare deficit in Rockingham County. The Edwards also struggled with finding childcare for their foster children in the county. Our business partner Hunter had to quit her full-time job to care for her children by staying home with them, Ellis said. We knew that if we faced challenges, there were others, as well. The two couples opened their first childcare center, Locomotion Learning for children 1 to 5 years old, in November 2021, and then opened a second center, Locomotion Littles in Reidsville for children 9 weeks to 1 year old, in 2022. They opened their third center March 27 of this year in Madison. It serves children 1 to 5 years old with the possibility of serving infants, depending on the needs in the community. A former research and development scientist with a masters degree in biology, Casey Ellis now works full time helping run the centers, handling most of the business side of things, while Hunter manages the day-to-day operations. With my science background, I enjoy being in the classroom teaching and leading some fun science experiments, Ellis said. He described the childcare crisis in Rockingham County as a major issue affecting families. Centers across our county are closing classrooms, Ellis said. We, as a newly licensed center, are trying to absorb those placements of children as best we can so parents arent going without childcare for long periods of time. The owners also feel it is important to help support local foster-care families. The Edwards and Ellis families have each adopted three children from foster care, with each couple having a total of four children. Because we, as owners, are former foster parents, in each of our classrooms, we have an emergency slot reserved specifically for a child placed in foster care, Ellis said. This means that a foster parent in need of childcare will have immediate childcare without being placed on a waiting list. We knew we not only wanted to meet a need in our county but also somehow incorporate our love of fostering into our business model, Ellis added. Ellis said they are also proud to offer the first infant-only childcare facility in the county, which can accommodate up to 20 infants and young toddlers. At this location we also have a private lactation pod so our breastfeeding employees and parents of children in our care have a safe and comfortable place to provide nourishment to/for their baby, he said. Ellis realizes opening Locomotion centers is one way he can help, but said much more needs to be done to solve the childcare crisis in Rockingham County. He and the other owners have participated in listening groups sponsored by the Rockingham County Partnership for Children and have joined the partnership and other leaders in helping develop a formal action plan. We meet with local leaders in our area to develop talking points centered around not only the need for infant and toddler care specifically but also the barriers that are present within the early education field, Ellis said. Ellis explained that state licensing in childcare centers requires that each classroom maintain certain staff-to-child ratios to ensure the highest quality and safety. Also, for a facility to be designated a higher rated center, an education component must be met. Minimally, 50 percent of the teachers need an associate degree in Early Childhood Education. This can be challenging in rural communities In 2022, Locomotion decided to implement a benefits package offering their employees 15 paid holidays, vacation and sick time, as well as supplemental insurance. Childcare workers are often presented with significantly lower wages, and these types of benefits are rare within the field, Ellis said. We hope to not only attract well-equipped and educated staff but retain them throughout their careers. Ellis said their ultimate goal is to become a franchise with childcare centers across North Carolina, especially in rural areas, all operating under the same mission and core values. We would love to see every family in the county have access to available, affordable and quality childcare without having to relocate to other areas, Ellis said. Our hope is that by being able to meet the childcare needs of the workers in our community, in turn other new businesses will grow and flourish, therefore increasing overall economic development. Also, it is my hope that teachers are paid their worth. GREENSBORO As police continue to investigate what led to the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old girl on Saturday night, her school community is having to cope with the unexpected news. During a videotaped message posted on Grimsley High's Facebook page Tuesday morning, Principal Gerald O'Donnell spoke about the sudden loss of one of their students. "We continue to mourn the passing of Ariyonna Fountain, who tragically died this Saturday," O'Donnell said as he asked classmates and teachers to keep her family in their prayers. He said counselors would continue to be on campus in the coming days and weeks for students and staff who need support. "We are here for you," he said. Friends and family members are also posting tributes to "Ari" on Facebook with their memories and messages about how she will be missed. Fountain's homicide was the 17th in the city in 2023, compared to 13 at this time last year. Greensboro police have not determined a motive in the shooting, and have not made any arrests as of Tuesday afternoon, according to police department spokeswoman Josie Cambareri. Officers responded to the shooting in the 1300 block of Ogden Street shortly before 10 p.m. Saturday. They found the teenager on the front porch of the home with a gunshot wound to her head. She was taken to a hospital, where she died, police said. Witnesses said a group of young people were gathered at the home when "an unknown number of suspects" fired toward the gathering before running away from the scene, police said. Fountain's homicide marks the second time someone under the age of 18 has been slain in 2023. There were five juvenile deaths by homicide each in the years of 2020 and 2021, according to data provided by the police department. Seven juveniles died by homicide in 2022 the highest number since the police department began tracking this statistic in 2006. In the spirit of that North Carolina roller-coaster we call spring 42 degrees one moment, 82 the next (sometimes the same day), and everything pollen-blanketed here is an eclectic range of 20 wines to consider for April. Two excellent Sauvignon Blancs to toast the dogwoods and azaleas are the 2021 Joel Gott ($14) from California and the 2021 Babich $15 from New Zealand. White peach, pink grapefruit and green melon nuances. Two recent Chardonnay stand-outs include the 2021 Chehalem Unoaked ($20) from Oregon and the 2021 Wente Morning Fog ($12). Absent oak exposure, the Willamette Valley white is all about bright citrus, fuji apple and minerality. Wente boasts the longest continuously operated winery in the U.S., and this Chard with hints of butter, oak and vanilla reflects that familys five generations commitment to farming. A rib-eye on the grill begs a red to compliment that bold, smoky flavor. I paired it with the 2019 McPrice Myers Beautiful Earth ($45), a brand recently arrived in the Triad from Californias Paso Robles area. This is essentially a GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre blend) that also includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel. Loaded with ripe black fruit and firm tannins. Another classic red with finer tannins and silky dark fruit is the 2019 Whitehall Lane Merlot ($40) from Napa Valley. Black cherry, caramel, current and toffee. On a tighter budget? Here are three repeat buys from Trader Joes: 2020 Campi Rudi Appassimento ($7), a red blend from Italy, the 2020 Tenebres ($7), a red blend from France, and the 2021 Villa Molino Soave Classico ($6), a crisp dry white from Italy. Sales of Soave, which leverages the Garganega grape, was once a top-seller in the U.S. but American consumers now reach more frequently for Pinot Grigio. Riesling lovers can warm to the 2021 Domane Wachau Federspeil ($19). This elegant white from Austria boasts crisp acidity and layers of apricot, pear, peach and lemon-lime. In a similar style is the 2021 Laurenz V Singing Gruner Veltliner ($18), also from Austria, and the 2021 Dr. Loosen Dry Riesling ($14) from Germany. Two lighter-styled reds worth considering are the 2021 Stoller Family Estate Pinot Noir ($26) from Oregons Willamette Valley and the 2021 Kirkland Signature (Costco) Russian River Pinot Noir ($13) from California. Pinot Noirs nuanced cherry, cranberry and cola make it a versatile dinner companion. Two medium-bodied reds with a bit more heft and plum, blackberry and currant are the 2019 Chateau Saint-Sulpice Bordeax ($18) from France and the 2020 Kendall-Jackson Vintners Reserve Zinfandel ($16) from California. A crisp white from Spains Rueda region the 2020 Beronia Verdejo ($14) displays intriguing notes of minerals, almond, citrus and melon. On the opposite end of the scale is the 2021 Jacobs Creek Moscato ($9). This off-dry Aussie white is a fruit cocktail in a glass with a lowered alcohol level. Sometimes I stumble over an old friend as I did recently at The Loaded Grape. There, the 2021 Husch Dry Gewurztraminer ($24) conjured old visits to Californias Mendocino region where this grape performs admirably, maintaining its acidity against layers of white peach, honeysuckle, orange blossom and guava. Rounding out this list is a springtime repeat buy: 2021 Charles & Charles Rose ($11). This is a dry-styled blush from Washington that leans on classic French Rhone grapes like Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre. Its a refreshing reminder of warmer temperatures to come. GREENSBORO Residents along South Benbow Road want to bring even more of the citys Black history to light. As the area applies for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, the citys Planning Department is hosting a Historic Memorabilia Scan Day on Thursday at Hayes-Taylor YMCA on East Florida Street. The memorabilia will be incorporated into a series of oral histories being produced by historian Bernetiae Reed and projects being developed by UNCG and N.C. A&T faculty and staff. Reed was reflecting on how devastating storms in parts of the country have destroyed homes and communities and everything in them. History in the remaking: Proposed Benbow Road district takes first steps forward A project to nominate the South Benbow Road area as a candidate for the National Register of Historic Places is underway and recently got a boost. People are losing parts of their history and heritage, Reed said of items that helped tell the stories of those communities. Having photos and documents scanned can preserve them for generations to come, she said. While Greensboros significance in the civil rights movement is extensively documented, residents along South Benbow Road want to also highlight the people, places and events that were important parts of everyday life, be it home, work, church, school or fun. Everyone can leave with what they brought, said Eric Woodard, one of the events organizers, of often hard-to-part-with items that people would still love to share. For example, one Benbow Park resident plans to have scanned the obituaries and photos of William Bill Streat and Dr. David Trader. Streat, an MIT-educated architect, served as professor and chairman of A&Ts architectural engineering department. Prior to his time at A&T, Streat flew a B-25 bomber for the Army Air Corps as a member of the Tuskegee Airmen. He designed and built his residence on Tuscaloosa Avenue, off of Benbow Road. Trader, an alumnus of Morgan State and Howard universities, served as a combat physician in Korea. In Greensboro, he was the chief of staff and chief of medical service at the segregated L. Richardson Memorial Hospital. The first Black internist in the city, Trader would later join the staff at Moses Cone Hospital. Trader and his family for a while lived in Benbow Park. His obituary lists Dr. George Evans and Dr. Alvin Blount as speakers at his funeral, themselves trailblazers in medicine and civil rights in Greensboro. The source for the documents on Streat and Trader is Fredrica Sayles, a Benbow Park resident who passed away recently at 103. The Streats were family friends, and Trader was a neighbor to Sayles for a time. Sayles first husband, James Reid, is believed to be the first Black soldier killed in Italy during World War II as a member of the 92nd Infantry, better known as the Buffalo Soldiers. An avid horticulturalist before entering the U.S. Army, Reid is honored at A&T with his name on the campus greenhouse. Organizers hope that the effort is a rallying cry for people who may no longer live in the area but have items to contribute. People have dispersed and some have moved away to different parts of the city, but they may still have memorabilia something that reflects back to the neighborhoods along South Benbow Road, Woodard said. Woodard added that the interest in the South Benbow Road project should captivate history buffs and others. We say that its Black history, but this is all of our history, Woodard said. They played a part in shaping all of our lives. This is Greensboro history, North Carolina history, U.S. history, and to be honest, world history. Some of the folks from there, theyve affected the world. " " Some mammals have specific times of year when they mate and reproduce. That's not the case for us primates, though. Wundervisuals/Getty Images Most animals have a mating season, and it's usually a time when food, sunlight and fertility are plentiful. But what about humans? We don't hibernate Netflix and chill doesn't count and those with access to modern economies don't have to wait for seasonal resources to put food on the table. "Humans don't have a true 'mating season' simply because sex is had throughout the year, rather than saving it for a specific time," says author and professional matchmaker Dominique Clark. "People want to be together and desire connection most. So they seek relationship, but not because doing so during this season will produce offspring that can survive the harshest winter, but simply because the desire for intimacy and sex have increased." Advertisement We're part of a biologically classified group known as continuous breeders, which means that we mate or breed year-round. Seasonal breeders, like bears or chipmunks, have changes in fertility and sexual activity depending on the time of year. The females of these species experience an estrous cycle only during certain times, which introduces physiological and behavioral changes that lead to increased sexual activity. If conception doesn't take place the endometrial lining in the uterus is reabsorbed. Most women of childbearing age ovulate regularly and menstruate to shed the uterine lining if an egg is not fertilized, and do not require physiological processes to prompt sexual activity. However, people still share some of the same behaviors seen in other primates even if we don't recognize the vestigial cues. "It is theorized that something that seems inadvertent, like a man at a bar pulling up his sleeve to make a nice watch visible to a female, is a way to indicate wealth and signal that he would be a good provider and mate," says Chrissy Case, an anthrozoologist at Florida's Beacon College. "While most other primates don't own a Rolex, they can indicate wealth and the ability to support offspring through other ways." The similarities in courtship patterns between humans and nonhuman primates stems from our shared social behavior ancestry, says Dr. Jacqueline Prime, founder of the environmental nonprofit Prime Earth and a wild gibbon researcher. We are social creatures that rely on group members for our survival and reproductive success," she says. "That means getting along with each other is of paramount importance. Touch and vocal communications help us solidify our bonds as individuals who get along with each other. Humans aren't really different from any other non-human primate on this, we just have different styles and ways of doing things. Even with plenty of evidence to the contrary, the concept of a mating season may still be in play for humans, although few people would recognize it as such. Among the nomadic Turkana in northwest Kenya, more than half of all births occur in spring, from March to June. It's a phenomenon experts attribute to the harsh environment, when an influx of food leads results in high conception rates. In addition to nutritional peaks, humans' hidden mating seasons may also be influenced by factors as varied as environmental and social factors. According to a study published in the Journal of Reproductive Rhythms, when the sun shines for about 12 hours a day and the temperature stays between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit (10 and 21 degrees Celsius), women are more likely to ovulate, and men tend to produce more sperm. And findings published in the Journal of Human Reproduction showed that married, educated women aged 25 to 34 in the Czech Republic have strong seasonal ties to reproduction, with most giving birth in the spring. Meanwhile, women in the study who were younger than 19 or older than 35, unmarried and with low education levels, were more likely to give birth at no particular time of year. "Evolutionarily, sometimes we lose the full blown 'need' for something but retain it nonetheless," says Dr. Anjhula Mya Bais, a relationship expert who specializes in social psychology. "For example, some scientists argue the small pinky toe is on its way out. True, humans have evolved over time in order to give birth year around which is the 'highest' evolutionary purpose that sex would serve however a disproportionate amount of people are born in summer, indicating when most people mate. Our tendencies may not be as obvious as other primates, but they exist on closer inspection." Now That's Interesting If you think dinner and a movie is a complex dating ritual, try being a grasshopper. Male grasshoppers sing more than 400 songs, each with a different meaning, to potential females. Great Discoveries in Medicine: From Ayurveda to X-rays, Cancer to Covid and edited by William and Helen Bynum; Thames & Hudson (352 pages, $16.95 paper) Medicine isnt magic. It used to be thought of that way. Even today, its still often wrapped in mystery. But its pragmatic practitioners arent very different from mechanics, and their jobs are pretty much the same. First, figure out whats wrong. Then, find what you need to fix it. Thats how breakthroughs happen, as explained in essays collected in Great Discoveries in Medicine: From Ayurveda to X-rays, Cancer to Covid and edited by William and Helen Bynum. Divided into broad sections Discovering the Body and Tools of the Trade the book explains how, over thousands of years, people have studied how our bodies work and invented an array of chemicals and machines to make them work better. But before doctors could understand how the bodys parts fit together, they had to take them apart. And they did it with style. Early modern dissections were as much about showmanship as scholarship, writes contributor Simon Chaplin. Conducted in churches before crowds of onlookers, public dissection not only celebrated the divine wonder of the body, but also provided a chance for self-promotion. How and where dissections were done morphed over the centuries and, at times, were controversial. Physicians who preferred studying the texts of ancient doctors like Hippocrates shunned dissection as a crude tool for those whose wit is limited. Enthusiastic adherents mocked colleagues averse to cutting up cadavers as lily-livered and effeminate. Yet dissection soon became a standard part of medical training even as the need for subjects sometimes led to grave robbing and even murder. Far less disturbing was medicines continuing, ingenious invention of tools to help diagnose and even treat disease. As science progressed, these instruments became more of a necessity. Doctors were beginning to understand how the body worked. But to know even more, they had to see it at work. However, two fundamental problems remained, essayist Rodney Taylor writes. Most of the inner parts of the body are not straight, and it is dark inside. For centuries, physicians tried looking inside the body with rigid tubes. In 1868, a German doctor used an 18-inch-long pipe to peek inside a mans stomach. Conveniently, the patient was a professional sword swallower. It took almost another century for fiber optics to provide a way to truly probe our nooks and crannies and even take pictures along the way. Other breakthroughs were borne of modesty. Doctors had been trying to diagnose heart complaints by listening to patients chests since the days when everyone wore togas. But when medicine moved into the modern 19th century, that intimacy was deemed somehow improper. In 1816, Dr. Rene Laennec was consulted by a young woman who seemed to be suffering from heart disease, writes essayist Malcolm Nicholson. She was plump and Laennec was unable to get her chest to resonate upon percussion, and he felt inhibited from pressing his head firmly against the bosom of his female patient. Laennec had his eureka moment. Remembering a game he had seen played by children, Nicholson writes, he rolled several sheets of paper into a tube and placed one end against the womans chest. Putting his ear to the other end, he was pleased to be able to hear the sounds of her heart quite distinctly. The stethoscope had been invented. The earliest models werent much of an improvement. Most doctors agreed they achieved identical results the old-fashioned way. But it allowed the physicians to maintain their dignity and the patients their modesty. It helped create the classic doctor/patient relationship. Another invention was inspired by a trip to the zoo. French obstetrician Etienne Stephane Tarnier was at the Paris menagerie in 1881 when he saw a display of baby chicks in incubators. He immediately ordered the machines for his hospitals maternity ward. The mortality rate for premature infants soon dropped by almost half. Incubator baby shows featuring live infants sprang up in storefront institutes and world fairs, contributor Jeffrey Baker writes. These exhibits, whose popularity peaked at the turn of the 20th century, resembled not so much side shows as todays medical dramas celebrating the power of technology. There were many advances to celebrate. Medical innovations were constant in the 19th century, as American and European doctors pushed science forward, adding new ideas and new gadgets. Like the sphygmomanometer, made to measure blood pressure. Or the X-ray machine, developed by Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen. Few advances, however, saved more lives than antiseptics. Originally, operations were fast and gory. Surgeons operated in old blood-stained and often pus-crusted coats, with undisinfected hands, using undisinfected instruments, writes essayist Thomas Schlich. Those practices were only reformed thanks to 19th-century British surgeon Joseph Lister, who recommended disinfecting everything. Mortality rates plummeted, Schlich notes, and operations began to look very much as we know them today, with surgeons and theatre personnel clothed in sterilized gowns, wearing rubber gloves and face masks, moving in a highly restrained and disciplined manner and working a thoroughly isolated, brightly lit operating room. Those changes didnt all spring from interesting science or even altruism; rubber gloves were introduced, Schlich says, only because one doctor complained that the disinfectant he had to use gave him a rash. But the idea of a hospital as a clean, well-lighted place ensured life-saving reforms. Other advances sprang from the natural world. In 1770s, the physician William Withering heard that an old lady in Shropshire could cure dropsy an accumulation of fluids in the body with a botanical mixture including the foxglove flower. Taking a sample of her remedy into his laboratory, he discovered foxglove contained a powerful drug, digitalis. Its since become an important tool for treating heart disease, proving theres a thin line separating folk medicine and science-based medicine. And in the 17th century, Jesuit missionaries to South America noticed that the indigenous people brewed tea from the bark of a particular tree. The beverage had the advantage of treating fevers, particularly the dangerous ones caused by malaria. The native people called it quinquina, the bark of barks. It wasnt until the 19th century, however, that European chemists were able to isolate the active chemical, which they dubbed quinine. The medicine had a downside, though. While it saved countless lives, it also made the mosquito-riddled tropics safe for conquest and war. By 1916, the leading manufacturer was selling 65 million doses of quinine just to the worlds armies. Although other drugs have since been synthesized to take its place, quinine still holds on although, these days, chiefly as a flavoring agent for tonic water. Other miracle drugs originated in the natural world, notably opium from poppies and penicillin from mold. The first artificial sex hormones were derived from a chemical found in a Mexican yam. And as doctors have learned more about once mysterious diseases, the equipment used to diagnose and treat them has grown ever more complicated and sophisticated, too from MRIs to dialysis machines. Yet all of these advances have come with a price. All these tools of the trade have shaped medical diagnosis and treatment, write editors William and Helen Bynum. They have also fueled the spiraling costs of medical care, and, in many peoples eyes, made modern medicine more impersonal and cold. No one has yet invented a sympathetic machine. On a recent Saturday afternoon, with the sun shining and temperatures warming, my husband and I, with good friends Val Jeffries and Allen Powers, made the journey to Fishtail for dinner. It was hard to miss the long wood structure with a false front now painted red, formerly known as the Cowboy Bar and Supper Club. The new name MontAsia was on a new sign carrying a logo of a bison piercing the clouds surrounded by rays of sunlight. Allen, our designated driver, found a parking space right by the front door, and tucked in amongst the many large pickup trucks. Inside the restaurant, the large dining room features a pool table at one end, a long wood bar at the other, with knotty-pine walls emblazoned with cattle brands from local ranches. Once known as the iconic Cowboy Bar and Supper Club, where prime rib and beer were the mainstays, a new chef and his wife have ridden into town. MontAsia is half Montana and half Malaysian food," said Lee Johnson, a fifth-generation Montanan, executive chef and owner of MontAsia. "It's comfort food from two different families." He and his wife Yokie, a Malaysian immigrant, took over the establishment last summer and made the decision to stay true to the food they both loved and knew. The couple operated out of a small kiosk in Cooke City for four years until sleeping in their van at night with their daughter Rose and their poodle became too demanding. When the old bar became available, they opted to move their operation closer to their home in Fishtail. The purchase required perseverance, as extensive repair and updating of the building was required. Current offerings of ribeye, top sirloin, and smashed burgers were in line with what was once served up, but potstickers, chicken curry, and whiskey beef noodles make up some of the new offerings and flavors. The traditional Montana salad bar with iceberg lettuce, black olives and macaroni salad is gone, replaced by new dishes inspired from Malaysian cooking techniques and spices. Malaysian food is the underrated superstar of the global food scene, Lee enthusiastically explained. Malaysia is a diaspora with cultures made up of the Indigenous Malays and immigrant populations from China and South Asia. As a result, the food is a mixture of diverse cultures. Yokie arrived in the states in 1997 as an exchange student. I got accepted into the engineering department at MSU Bozeman and finished a degree in chemical engineering in 2000, she said She worked at Conoco for a year, and returned to Bozeman for her master's degree. I met her when I was a sous chef at Montana State University," Lee said of meeting his wife more than 20 years ago. "She was cleaning the kitchen at night to make extra money so we were often the last two people in the building." Food connected them and built a bridge to her family. When they first traveled to Malaysia to visit, Yokie recalled introducing Lee to her family and cultural cuisine. They cant really communicate because they cant speak English, but they love to be in the kitchen, making noises," she said. "Lee has really amazing knife skills so he does all the cutting and all the women are just amazed because a man can cook. We arrived early on a Saturday evening, hoping to avoid the rush. Yokie welcomed us with a Zen-like calmness and kind spirit while Western music played in the background. Seated at a high-top by the bar we had a good view of the other customers trickling in, mostly local families, and we saw what others had ordered. With potstickers being my husbands favorite, we quickly placed an order for the pork and cabbage pan-fried dumplings. They were a crowd favorite, and a perfect adornment for the housemade dipping sauce. We agreed to share a smash burger, served with two Miller Ranch beef patties, the Teri YAK i, made with locally grown Yak meat, whiskey noodles, and chicken curry. My husband wanted his own "KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) Sandwich" and protectively declared he wanted to eat the whole thing by himself. The smash burger came to the table with a large knife, and we quickly cut it into four parts. Caramelized flavors exuded from the meat after searing on a hot grill while the crevices filled with melted American cheese. The iceberg lettuce, pickles and special sauce with crispy fried onions made this a true Montana burger. The mountain of hot fries was too much to finish, and later made their way into a carry-out box. MontAsia is the first local restaurant to serve yak meat produced by Painted KC Ranch in Anaconda. Yaks are basically big hairy cows that live comfortably in the Arctic. The meat, likened to venison or bison, in the Teri YAK i was stewed with caramelized onions, Chinese rock sugar, mushroom soy sauce, ginger and roasted pineapple. The dish abounded with savory and sweet notes, and had no gaminess. Allen quickly laid claim to the whiskey beef noodles, made with Miller Ranch steak strips marinated in Early Times Kentucky whiskey. It came with onions and ginger, stir-fried and flamed with a blow torch atop noodles and garnished with fried wonton strips. As Val and I savored Yokies favorite, chicken curry made with grated coconut, fresh spices and curry leaves simmered in bone broth and coconut milk with Jasmine rice, Allen was surreptitiously drinking the house-made crispy chili dipping sauce. He probably would have smuggled the jar on the table into his wifes purse if the Johnsons had not sent us home with small sample containers. With a new chef in town, you have an excuse to load up the wagon and head to Fishtail to try the new half-Montana, half-Malaysia cuisine. Author Ivan Doig and Dolly Smith Cusker Akers, who was Montanas first Native American legislator, have been inducted into the Gallery of Outstanding Montanans. Montana Historical Society Director Molly Kruckenberg and Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras, as well as Montanas congressional delegation, recognized the achievements of these two exceptional Montanans during a March 1 ceremony at the Capitol rotunda in Helena. The gallery is in the west wing of the Capitol. Montana is full of men and women who deserve the designation of outstanding, Kruckenberg said. This years inductees are enormously qualified to be honored in this manner. Doig, a Montana author and historian, devoted his career to telling the stories of ordinary people and examining the ways Western lands shaped their lives. His diverse works, which include 13 novels and three nonfiction books, challenged the mythologized West and framed it in the larger context of what it means to be an American. In 2007, Doig was recognized with the Wallace Stegner Award for making a sustained contribution to the cultural identity of the American West. Doig died April 9, 2015, at age 76. Historian Marcella Walter and her late husband, Dave, were close friends of Ivan Doig and his wife, Carol. Walter spoke on behalf of Carol, who was unable to attend the ceremony. Ivan gave us an honest, clear-eyed view of this place those who inhabit it, Walter said. Akers was an Assiniboine woman who was Montanas first Native legislator and championed Indian self-determination during the 20th century. Following her legislative tenure, she was Montanas first coordinator of Indian welfare. In addition to her political service in Helena, she was a fixture in Washington, D.C., for more than 60 years, fighting for passage of key federal legislation including the Indian Citizenship Act and the Indian Civil Rights Act. She died June 5, 1986, having dedicated her life to securing opportunity for American Indians, especially members of the Fort Peck tribes. Eddy Crowley, a great nephew of Akers, recalled Auntie Doll as a woman of integrity who was not afraid to take on big issues. She was passionate about equality for everyone, Crowley said. She would have been honored, yet humbled, to accept this award. The gallery was established by the Montana State Legislature in 1979 to pay homage to Treasure State citizens who made contributions of state or national significance to their selected fields while epitomizing the unique spirit and character that defines Montana. The program is operated by the Montana Historical Society. Eight inductees were chosen in 2016 for the gallery, but only two are initiated every biennium. Inductees are rotated into the gallery every two years when the Legislature is in session; each is honored for an eight-year period. Nominees must have been born, raised or lived a significant period of time in Montana. No living persons are eligible for nomination. Other than Doig and Akers, inductees are: Alma Smith Jacobs, librarian and activist (1916 - 1997) John Gustave Link and Charles Sidney Haire, architects (18701954 and 18571925) Joseph Medicine Crow, war chief, historian and mentor (19132016) Fannie Sperry Steele, bucking horse champion and outfitter (18871983) Mildred Walker, novelist (19051998) James Welch, writer and storyteller (1940 - 2003) Lewis and Clark County Public Works submitted three federal infrastructure grant applications that if approved, would allow it to complete more than $13 million in road work and improve access to federal lands. The grant program, known as the Montana Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP), is administered by the Western Federal Lands Highway Division of the U.S. Department of Transportation and aims to support projects involving capital improvements, transit, planning and research that increase access to federal land. The county applied for grant funding for proposed road improvement projects involving stretches of Lake Helena Drive, Dearborn Canyon and Beaver Creek roads. This round of proposals does not require local governments to come up with a nearly 13.5% match of previous rounds. Lewis and Clark County Engineer Dan Karlin told the county commissioners during their March 30 meeting that because the local governments are now required to administer the projects, unlike previous years when the feds did the administration work, substantial local match requirement was removed. Karlin said that change will benefit the county. To be blunt, it costs less when the county administers a project than when the federal government does, he said. The countys top priority of the three applications is for phase two of the Lake Helena Drive improvements. For the past several years, the county has worked to complete the projects first phase, which brought improvements to Lake Helena Drive from Deal Lane to Lincoln Road. This second phase will pave Hauser Dam Road, which is the same thoroughfare as Lake Helena Drive, from Lincoln Road to the entrance of White Sandy Campground. The gravel road boasts the highest number of average daily traffic of all the gravel roads in the county and accesses several popular boat launches and campsites. Because of this, it requires constant maintenance, Karlin said. Roadside drainage and the road base will also be improved in preparation for asphalt. The total ask for this grant application comes to nearly $6 million. This FLAP opportunity will allow us to leverage these funds to complete the second phase of this project long before we would have been able to save the necessary funds ourselves, Karlin said. If the application is successful, construction is anticipated to begin in 2027. The second application involves improvements to Dearborn Canyon and Flat Creek roads. The project would apply almost 9 miles of crushed granite surface to the dirt roads from Chisolm-Barret Road across State Highway 435 and up to the Dearborn Trailhead. Karlin said common navigation software directs travelers along this route to access both the Dearborn and Falls Creek trailheads, Diamond Bar X Guest Ranch and C Bar N Bible Camp. Guardrails will also be installed along steeper grades. If the application is successful, construction on the nearly $3 million project is anticipated to begin in 2026. It expects to incorporate only about half of that corridor, but Karlin said the county will apply for more grant funding through this program to complete the corridor in a future round of applications, as that program gives priority to projects that demonstrate a continuation of previous work. The Dearborn Canyon and Flat Creek roads access one of the largest acreages of federal land in the county as they are surrounded by Bob Marshall and Scapegoat wilderness areas. The countys third and final application for this year involves improvements to Beaver Creek Road from its intersection with Nelson Road to the Missouri River Fishing Access Site. This roads in real tough shape From Nelson all the way down, Karlin said. The project would resurface the road in crushed granite. Drainage and road base improvements are also planned. If successful, construction on the nearly $3 million project is anticipated to begin in 2026. The county was approached by the U.S. Forest Service in 2019 to partner on work that agency was already doing on the fishing access site. The forest service was very keen on making that project happen, Karlin said. They gave us a great opportunity to include some partnership with some already existing and used federal dollars on that. Lewis and Clark County Commissioner Andy Hunthausen agreed. This is a good example of partnerships and building on what has already been done in this corridor, Hunthausen said, referring to the Forest Service and also a county-established rural improvement district that has paid assessments toward road maintenance. I think this project if successful really builds on those projects that have already happened. Fellow County Commissioner Candace Payne said the projects have the added benefit of aiding the countys first responders. This is also a tool in the tool box of our firefighters, Payne said. If they have better roads, they will better be able to get to the site where a fire is occurring. Authorities are seeking a person who threw what they described as a Molotov cocktail at a Lewis and Clark County Sheriffs Office vehicle early Sunday, then sprayed graffiti and wrote profanity on a retaining wall. This is an alarming incident as this has not been done in Helena before, Sheriff Leo Dutton said in a text. At least to a sheriffs office vehicle. Dutton said the incident, which can be seen on surveillance video, occurred around 2 a.m. at the Law and Justice Center at 406 Fuller Ave. in Helena. A male dressed in dark clothing came into the parking lot from the north. He is seen on surveillance video throwing a Molotov cocktail at a sheriffs vehicle. He also picked up a crowbar and beat the passenger door of the vehicle, which was a Ford Explorer administration car, Dutton said. Dutton asked the public for help, hoping someone may know something about the attack. He said because of an incendiary device was used, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is going to assist the sheriffs department in the investigation. This kind of behavior is not acceptable anywhere in Lewis and Clark County, he said. In my 37 years, I have not seen someone try to start a patrol vehicle on fire. Dutton said he was thankful for good support from residents who will not approve of this violence. Anyone with information should call Deputy Jake Isbell at 406-447-8293. A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out. Here are the facts: ___ Posts misrepresent rioter's actions in Jan. 6 Capitol attack CLAIM: Footage from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol shows that Jacob Chansley, who participated in the riot sporting face paint, no shirt and a fur hat with horns, was "led through the Capitol by police the entire time he was in the building." THE FACTS: Court documents and video footage from the attack on the Capitol make clear that Chansley, who is widely known as the "QAnon Shaman" and is one of the most recognizable Jan. 6 rioters, entered the Capitol without permission, was repeatedly asked to leave the building and was not accompanied at all times. After Fox News host Tucker Carlson broadcast previously unseen Jan. 6 security footage on his Monday night primetime show, social media users began sharing segments from his program that misrepresented Chansley's involvement in the riot. "BREAKING: Never before seen video of January 6 shows Jacob Chansley, the QAnon Shaman, being led through the Capitol by police the entire time that he was in the building," reads a tweet that includes a clip from Carlson's show. But the footage leaves out important context about Chansley's time in the Capitol that day. A statement prepared by the Department of Justice, which was signed by Chansley and his attorney, provides a timeline of the rioter's movement in the Capitol. For example, the statement explains that Chansley entered the Capitol through a broken door as part of a crowd that "was not lawfully authorized to enter or remain in the building" and that he was one of the first 30 rioters inside. It goes on to note that although officers asked Chansley and others multiple times to leave the Capitol, he did not comply and actively riled up his fellow rioters. The statement describes Chansley's interactions with officers, but also points out that he "entered the Gallery of the Senate alone." Chansley pleaded guilty in September 2021 to a felony charge of obstructing an official proceeding. He was sentenced in November 2021 to 41 months in prison. Asked about claims that protesters were led through the building, a Capitol Police spokesperson pointed The Associated Press to an HBO documentary about the riot, "Four Hours at the Capitol," in which an officer describes his encounter with Chansley, including how he asked the rioter and others to leave the Senate wing. Footage from the interaction appears in the documentary. "Any chance I can get you guys to leave the Senate wing?" the officer says as Chansley sits in the presiding officer's chair on the Senate Dais. A video of Chansley walking into the Capitol through the broken door is publicly available on the website of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger lambasted Carlson's segment on the Jan. 6 footage in an internal memo Tuesday. "Last night an opinion program aired commentary that was filled with offensive and misleading conclusions about the January 6 attack," Manger wrote. "One false allegation is that our officers helped the rioters and acted as 'tour guides.' This is outrageous and false." Associated Press writer Melissa Goldin in New York contributed this report. ___ No, the military hasn't recorded a 500% increase in HIV cases CLAIM: The U.S. military has recorded a 500% increase in new HIV infections since COVID-19 vaccines were introduced. THE FACTS: The U.S. military has not recorded any such increase, according to figures from the U.S. Department of Defense. Conservative commentators are baselessly claiming that rates of HIV in the military have skyrocketed since COVID-19 vaccines were rolled out to sow suspicion about the shot. "The Armed Forces of the United States recorded a five hundred percent (500%) increase in AIDS after administering the COVID-19 Vaccine to US Troops. The COVID-19 Vaccine is implicated," wrote Hal Turner, a right-wing radio host, on his website last week. Turner gave no evidence for his claims. He did not respond to a request for comment. But figures from the Defense Department and the Congressional Research Service show that the 500% figure is massively exaggerated. Further, medical experts have repeatedly emphasized that COVID-19 vaccination has not been linked to developing HIV, or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, which is caused by HIV. Nor does a condition called "VAIDS" vaccine acquired immunodeficiency syndrome exist. A total of 1,581 service members, including those in the National Guard and Reserves have been diagnosed with HIV infections since 2017, said Cmdr. Nicole Schwegman, a spokesperson for the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Three-hundred and seventeen service members were diagnosed with HIV in 2017; 280 in 2018; 314 in 2019; 237 in 2020; 309 in 2021; and 124 in 2022. These rates are consistent with figures that were cited in a 2019 Congressional Research Service report. That report cited estimates from the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center showing that approximately 350 service members are diagnosed with HIV annually. COVID-19 vaccinations first became available to the public in December 2020. In 2021, 72 more cases of HIV were diagnosed compared to 2020, constituting a 30% increase but nowhere near the 500% claimed. And in 2022, when the vaccine rollout was well underway, 185 fewer new HIV cases were diagnosed, marking a 60% drop from 2021. Though Turner did not give the source of his data, it matches claims spread about other illnesses purportedly linked to COVID-19 vaccination among military members that have been shared in the past. In those cases, the numbers stemmed from what the bloggers and social media users said was "leaked" data from Defense Medical Epidemiology Database, or DMED, an internal database that documents medical experiences of service members throughout their careers. It is only accessible by military medical providers, epidemiologists, medical researchers and clinical support staff. However, Schwegman told the AP that the claims citing this database were flawed due to an error in the data for the years 2016 to 2020. The Defense Health Agency's Armed Forces Surveillance Division reviewed the data in the system, comparing it to the source data, and found that the total number of medical diagnoses from 2016 to 2020 that were accessible in DMED "represented only a small fraction of actual medical diagnoses for those years," said Schwegman. In contrast, the total number of medical diagnoses for the year 2021 were accurate, which temporarily made it appear that there was a disproportionate increase in medical conditions between the 2016 to 2020 figures and those reported in 2021. She said that the Armed Forces Surveillance Division has since corrected the data corruption. Associated Press writer Sophia Tulp in New York contributed this report. ___ Hospital COVID payments tied to patient treatment, not deaths CLAIM: U.S. hospitals are earning a $48,000 government subsidy for every patient that dies from COVID-19 in their care. THE FACTS: Hospital industry officials and public health experts confirm the federal government provides hospitals with enhanced payments for treating COVID-19 patients, but the payments are only currently applicable to those on Medicare and aren't contingent on a patient's death. Social media users are claiming American hospitals have a financial incentive to let people with coronavirus die under their watch. But hospitals have never been compensated by the federal government based on a patient dying of COVID-19 in one of their facilities, say industry officials and public health experts. During the pandemic, hospitals have received additional money for treating COVID-19 patients as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES, the 2020 law meant to address the economic fallout of the pandemic. But those increased payments don't apply to every COVID-19 patient treated in a hospital, just the ones under Medicare, which is the federal healthcare program serving people 65 and over. Colin Milligan, a spokesperson for the American Hospital Association, confirmed that hospitals are currently eligible to receive a 20% increase in Medicare payments for caring for COVID-19 patients. "These patients are often very costly and time and labor-intensive for hospitals to treat," he explained in an email Wednesday. And despite what the social media posts claim, the enhanced COVID-19 payments aren't based on whether the patient lives or dies, experts said. In general, Medicare payments are based on the severity of the patient's condition and the types of treatments provided, said Juliette Cubanski, deputy director of Medicare policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation. The average cost of a COVID-19 hospitalization for a Medicare patient is about $24,000, she said, citing claims data from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. But the reimbursement for more severely ill patients such as those placed on a ventilator for multiple days is roughly $40,000, according to KFF's analysis. Social media posts citing a $48,000 subsidy for COVID-19 deaths appear to be taking that $40,000 average cost for treating the sickest COVID-19 patients and factoring in the special 20% reimbursement rate increase. But Cubanski argued that's not a fair assessment of the potential payout to hospitals. "My understanding of the estimates from CMS is that they already include the 20% payment increase in the stated amount," she wrote in an email. "So the payment for an extreme case would be $40k including the 20% increase, not $40k plus 20%." Spokespersons for CMS and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the agency, didn't respond to emails seeking comment this week. But President Joe Biden has announced the federal government's declaration of a public health emergency for COVID-19 will end on May 11. That means the enhanced Medicare payments along with other measures the federal government enacted to weather the pandemic will soon be a thing of the past. Associated Press writer Philip Marcelo in New York contributed this report. ___ Florida blogger bill falsely tied to DeSantis CLAIM: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wants bloggers to register with the state or face fines. THE FACTS: A bill filed in the Florida Senate that DeSantis says he does not support would require bloggers to register with the state and submit periodic reports if they are paid for posts about elected officials. Social media users have erroneously claimed in recent days that DeSantis is in favor of the bill, which was filed last week and introduced to the Senate on Tuesday. But it was Republican Florida Sen. Jason Brodeur who filed the bill and DeSantis has not publicly supported the legislation since it was filed. DeSantis clarified his position on Tuesday at a press conference following his State of the State address. "I see these people filing bills and then there's articles with my face on the article saying that oh, they're going to have to bloggers are going to have to register for the state," he said. "And then it's like, attributing it to me. And I'm like, ok, that's not anything that I've ever supported, I don't support." Brodeur's bill would require bloggers to register with the state of Florida if they are paid for posts about its governor, lieutenant governor, cabinet members or legislative officials. They would also have to file periodic reports with the state disclosing information such as who paid them and how much. Failure to file a report would result in fines of $25 a day, up to $2,500. The legislation states that it would not apply to content "on the website of a newspaper or other similar publication." Bryan Griffin, the governor's press secretary, confirmed to the AP in an email that DeSantis "does not support the bill." However, Griffin also explained that "the governor will ALWAYS consider every bill on its merits in final form if and when a bill passes the legislature and reaches his desk" before making a decision. The AP previously reported that DeSantis' office was not aware of the blogger registration legislation until it was filed. First amendment groups have argued that the proposal violates press freedoms. Melissa Goldin ___ WASHINGTON (AP) The government's response to the failure of two large banks has already involved hundreds of billions of dollars. So will ordinary Americans end up paying for it, one way or another? And what will the price tag be? It could be months before the answers are fully known. The Biden administration said it will guarantee uninsured deposits at both banks. The Federal Reserve announced a new lending program for all banks that need to borrow money to pay for withdrawals. On Thursday, the Fed provided the first glimpse of the scale of the response: It said banks had borrowed about $300 billion in emergency funding in the past week, with nearly half that amount going to holding companies for the two failed banks to pay depositors. The Fed did not say how many other banks borrowed money and added that it expects the loans to be repaid. The goal is to prevent a broadening panic in which customers rush to pull out so much money that even healthy banks buckle. That scenario would unsettle the entire financial system and risk derailing the economy. Taxpayers will probably bear no direct cost for the failure of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. But other banks may have to help defray the cost of covering uninsured deposits. Over time, those banks could pass higher costs on to customers, forcing everyone to pay more for services. Here are some questions and answers about the cost of the bank collapses: HOW IS THE RESPONSE BEING PAID FOR? Most of the cost of guaranteeing all deposits at both banks will likely be covered by the proceeds the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. receives from winding down the two banks either by selling them to other financial institutions or by auctioning off their assets. Any costs beyond that would be paid for out of the FDIC's deposit insurance fund, which is typically used in the event of a bank failure to reimburse depositors for up to $250,000 per account. The fund is maintained with fees paid by participating banks. Both Silicon Valley and Signature banks had a strikingly high share of deposits above that amount: 94% of Silicon Valley's deposits were uninsured, as were 90% of deposits at Signature. The average figure for large banks is about half that level. If necessary, the insurance fund will be replenished by a "special assessment" on banks, the FDIC, Fed and Treasury said in a joint statement. Though the cost of that assessment could ultimately be borne by bank customers, it's not clear how much money would be involved. Kathryn Judge, a law professor at Columbia University, said a bigger cost to consumers and the economy could stem from potentially major changes to the financial system that result from this episode. If all customer deposits were considered guaranteed by the government, formally or informally, then regulations would need to be strengthened to prevent bank failures or lessen their costs when they do happen. Banks might have to pay permanently higher fees to the FDIC. "It's going to require us to revisit the entire bank regulatory framework," Judge said. "That's far more significant than the modest costs that other banks will pay." WILL TAXPAYERS BE ON THE HOOK? President Joe Biden has insisted that no taxpayer money will be used to resolve the crisis. The White House is desperate to avoid any perception that average Americans are "bailing out" the two banks in a way similar to the highly unpopular bailouts of the biggest financial firms during the 2008 financial crisis. "No losses associated with the resolution of Silicon Valley Bank will be borne by the taxpayer," read the joint statement from the Treasury, Fed and FDIC. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen defended that view Thursday under tough questioning from GOP lawmakers. The Fed's lending program to help banks pay depositors is backed by $25 billion of taxpayer funds that would cover any losses on the loans. But the Fed says it's unlikely that the money will be needed because the loans will be backed by Treasury bonds and other safe securities as collateral. Even if taxpayers aren't directly on the hook, some economists say the banks' customers still stand to benefit from government support. "Saying that the taxpayer won't pay anything ignores the fact that providing insurance to somebody who didn't pay for insurance is a gift," said Anil Kashyap, an economics professor at the University of Chicago. "And that's kind of what happened." SO IS THIS A BAILOUT? Biden and other Democrats in Washington deny that their actions amount to a bailout of any kind. "It's not a bailout as happened in 2008," Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, said this week while proposing legislation to toughen bank regulation. "It is, in effect, protection of depositors and a preventive measure to stop a run on other banks all around the country." Biden has stressed that the banks' managers will be fired and their investors will not be protected. Both banks will cease to exist. In the 2008 crisis, some financial institutions that received government financial aid, like the insurer AIG, were rescued from near-certain bankruptcy. Yet many economists say the depositors at Silicon Valley Bank, which included wealthy venture capitalists and tech startups, are still receiving government help. "Why is it sensible capitalism for somebody to take a risk, and then be protected from that risk when that risk actually happens?" asked Raghuram Rajan, a finance professor at the University of Chicago and former head of India's central bank. "It's probably good for the short term in the sense that you don't have a widespread panic. ... But it is problematic for the system long term." Many Republicans on Capitol Hill argue that smaller community banks and their customers will shoulder some of the cost. Banks in rural Oklahoma "are about to pay a special fee to be able to bail out millionaires in San Francisco," Sen. James Lankford, a Republican from Oklahoma, said on the Senate floor. ___ 8 charts tracking the US economy House Republicans have revived and advanced a bill to craft an impeachment process for the state Legislature. What began as a draft bill to gather articles for impeachment became last month a study bill to develop the process. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Steve Gunderson, R-Libby, told lawmakers the existing language in the state Constitution and in law was too bare to offer any substantial guidance. "If we try to impeach an official at this time we would miserably fail, we would fall on our face," Gunderson told the House floor on Monday. The bill would assemble an interim committee that would present its findings to the 2025 Legislature. The Legislative Administration Committee tabled the bill last week, but took it off the table later that day after one Republican said his proxy vote was mistakenly placed against the bill. During the House floor debate Monday, Democrats argued the process already exists in statute, including provisions identifying which public officials can be impeached, tasking the Senate with holding the impeachment trial and stating impeachment articles must originate in the House by resolution. "I feel like it's setting up a group just to look for problems that aren't there," Rep. Marilyn Marler, D-Missoula, said Monday. "I feel like this is part of a process to get everybody thinking about impeachment, and there's something wrong with impeachment and we need to be impeaching somebody." Republican Rep. Ed Butcher, R-Winifred, countered that the process should be established now, "when you have people with cool heads and no ax to grind right now." "That's not the time to sort through and figure out how you're going to do it," he said. The bill passed an initial vote Monday 62-38 with some Republican dissent. The House passed it to the Senate on Tuesday following a 65-33 vote. Montana residents purchasing deer or elk licenses would be put into a special lottery for either a moose, bighorn sheep or mountain goat license under a bill progressing through the Legislature. House Bill 456 from Rep. Brandon Ler would create a new super tag opportunity for all resident hunters that purchase general deer and elk licenses. Hunters would be automatically entered into a drawing for a single permit for moose, goat or sheep, with the particular species selected annually by the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission. I believe this is a good way to give back to Montana residents, Ler told the Senate Fish and Game Committee on Tuesday. Super tags allow the recipient to hunt for that species in all open hunting districts in the state. Currently hunters may purchase unlimited super tag chances for $5 for individual species, such as elk, deer, mountain lion, bighorn sheep, moose, goat and others. HB 456 received strong support in the House, passing on a vote of 82-17. During Tuesdays Senate hearing the bill did not receive any support but did see opposition from some hunting groups. Marcus Strange with the Montana Wildlife Federation questioned whether the new super tag could affect revenue from the current super tags by quelling interest if they receive a different super tag opportunity for free. Dale Tribby with the Montana Sportsmen Alliance also raised the issue of whether deer or elk hunters would want or are prepared to hunt a moose, sheep or goat, noting that each may require significant preparation and effort. The bill makes the super tag program more complicated than it needs to be, he told the committee. According to FWP, more than 293,000 elk and deer licenses were sold last year, and Ler told the committee he did not believe the new super tag would negatively affect the current super tags given such slim odds. The committee did not take immediate action on the bill. Right-to-know bill tabled in House, despite unanimous Senate support A proposal to make executive branch agencies more responsive to public records requests was voted down by Republicans in the House State Administration Committee, despite clearing the Senate on a 50-0 vote last month. Senate Bill 232 was the product of lengthy discussions between the sponsor, Sen. Janet Ellis, D-Helena, and Gov. Greg Gianfortes administration. It would have established deadlines for state agencies to respond to information requests, which proponents of the bill said can often languish for months. Discussion on the bill Tuesday was scarce. The only comment came from Rep. Linda Reksten, R-Polson, who reported that the Department of Justice was opposed to it. It might create more court cases with the demands, and in terms of the time frames not being adequate, Reksten said. The bill would have applied to the executive branch more immediately, but would have given the DOJ, along with the offices of Secretary of State, Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Auditor until October of 2025 to comply. It failed to pass on a 7-11 vote, with all six Democrats and one Republican voting in favor. Sam Wilson Senate moves to prohibit ranked-choice voting A bill that would explicitly prohibit the use of ranked-choice voting in Montana elections cleared a preliminary vote in the Senate, 29-21. House Bill 598 still needs a final vote to head to the governors desk. It has advanced on mostly party-line votes, with Republicans in favor and Democrats against. Ranked-choice voting is a type of election used in some jurisdictions that voters to indicate their second-choice candidate, and potentially thirds and fourths and so on. Typically, if no single candidate receives a majority of votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and that candidates votes are distributed among the remaining candidates, according to those voters second choices. That process is then repeated until a candidate gets a majority. Proponents argue that the system generates better representation, but others say the complicated process breeds confusion. I think this scheme of voting would only solidify the distrust Montanans have in their elections, said Sen. Steve Hinebauch, R-Wibaux. Sam Wilson Constitutional amendment on redistricting suffers setback A proposal to change how the Montana Districting and Apportionment Commission draws new legislative maps appears unlikely to appear on the November ballot, after four Republican senators voted against it Tuesday. Senate Bill 534 passed the chamber 30-20 and now heads to the House. Legislative referenda to propose constitutional amendments need 100 yes votes from the Legislature in order to advance to the November ballot, where a simple majority of voters can choose to amend the state Constitution. Republicans hold 68 seats in the House, meaning the proposal would require a unified House GOP plus two Democrats to support it. The minority party has so far remained unified on contentious constitutional amendments being floated by the GOP, and Republicans were far from unified on several of those proposals in the House. Sam Wilson House approves prison dog training program After some jostling over an arbitrary appropriation, the House on Tuesday fully approved a bill to establish a dog training program in Montana's prisons. House Bill 941 is sponsored by Rep. Greg Frazer, a Deer Lodge Republican and mental health technician at Montana State Prison. He called the potential program a "win-win-win" for inmates who need rehabilitation, dogs who need training and dog owners who need good boys. However, in order to introduce the legislation after an earlier procedural deadline, the bill needed an appropriation component, and was assigned a $500,000 price tag. Frazer told the House floor on Monday the figure was arbitrarily added in order to keep the bill alive. Still, Majority Leader Sue Vinton stood against the proposal due to the cost; a similar program at the women's prison in Billings is paid for by dog owners using the program for boarding, she said. "The program should be zero," she said. "I can't vote to have this bill go forward with this type of appropriation." A handful of Republicans followed suit with testimony, but the party soon split with several in favor of Frazer's bill. "We know there is so much benefit, as the sponsor said, to working with dogs," said Rep. Fiona Nave, R-Columbus. Rep. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, chairs the appropriations committee and said a similar program at the private prison had been successful. On the House floor, he offered his support in exchange for Frazer's commitment to working that half-million-dollar price tag down in the Senate. "You have my word on camera in front of 99 other representatives and all the wonderful staff here," Frazer responded. "I will work toward making this absolutely appropriate, 100%." The bill passed its first vote Monday 86-14. On its final vote in the House on Tuesday, the bill passed 78-21. It now moves to the Senate for debate. Seaborn Larson DECATUR On the eve of Decatur's municipal election, school board candidate Hannah Wolfe posted a throwback photo her herself and her mother, Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe, pouring over the results the 2017 mayoral election. Moore Wolfe, hunched over her daughter's shoulder, had her hand over her mouth and a serious look on her face as they anxiously waited for updates to scroll in on Wolfe's laptop in the close race. The incumbent would eventually defeat challenger John Phillips by a narrow 53% to 47% margin. The scene and vibe Tuesday night were far different for Moore Wolfe. As the clock hit 7 p.m. and polls closed, Decatur's mayor appeared relaxed as she sipped on some wine and enjoyed a meal at Murphy & Co., a downtown Decatur kitchen and home decor store hosting a cooking demo. "I wanted to do one of these dinners for a long time," Moore Wolfe told Herald & Review. "They have several things they offer and I just kind of flipped through my calendar. I'm like, 'OK, I don't have anything blocked out for the evening,' because I live on an hour-by-hour basis." When she signed up months ago, it did not even register that it fell on Election Day. But even when she did find out, the mayor, who was joined by her daughter, figured it was "probably a really good distraction for both of us." Unlike in 2017 or 2019, the result Tuesday was never in question as Moore Wolfe ran unopposed for reelection to a new four-year term that sets her on the path of becoming the city's longest-serving mayor. "It's been a much easier, much more restful election night probably the most I'll ever have," Moore Wolfe said. Most candidates have election night parties, including some here in Decatur. But not @MayorMooreWolfe, whos attending a cooking class with daughter Hannah Wolfe at Murphy & Co. The mayor is running unopposed for re-election and her daughter is running for Decatur School Board. pic.twitter.com/9UPaLsBWOn Brenden Moore (@brendenmoore13) April 4, 2023 But as Moore Wolfe enjoyed a relatively stress-free evening, results were still cooking for the three seats on the Decatur City Council. As results continue to trickle in, Councilwoman Lisa Gregory, former Councilman Pat McDaniel and Councilman Dennis Cooper maintain the top three spots with Macon County Board member Karl Coleman trailing. With 100% of precincts reporting, Gregory was leading the pack with 3,586, or 27.8%, followed by McDaniel with 3,361, or 26.1%, and Cooper with 3,129, or 24.3%. Coleman was in last with 2,809 votes, or 21.8%. Turnout citywide was about 13%. The top three candidates will be sworn in next month for four-year terms. The results are preliminary, however, as vote-by-mail ballots are counted. Coleman trails Cooper by 320 votes. "It's 2023 and this is the way elections go," Coleman said. "You're not every time going to get a firm, concrete answer the night of the election. So we'll see how it plays out over the course of the next several days." Coleman, a Macon County Board member who's also the county Democratic Party chair, said he's still hopeful despite appearing like the odd man out. "Obviously, not certain that the full totality of those will come back, but mail-in ballots generally skew more progressive, more Democratic-leaning," Coleman said. "I'm optimistic, we'll see how it works out. But, we're playing the long game." Votes can be counted as long as they are postmarked by Election Day and are received by the county clerk's office by April 18. However, with Gregory up nearly 800 votes on Coleman and McDaniel up nearly 550 votes, it appears certain that both will return to the council. Gregory, 63, has been on the council since 2015. She works as a public service administrator for the Illinois Department of Heath and Family Services. The leading vote-getter, Gregory said she "would like to think (the result is) because I've come ready to work and represent the citizens the best that I can." "I just want to thank the voters who placed their trust in me. It means a lot. And we have a lot of work to accomplish in the coming years," Gregory said, listing neighborhood revitalization, workforce development and expanding the city's fiber optic network as priorities for the new term. McDaniel, 74, served on the council from 2011 to 2021. Now back after a two-year hiatus, he said he was "humbled by the support I received from the voters" and that he "won't let them down." "Potholes or whatever it is, we've got to keep an eye on both the future and the present," McDaniel said. Cooper, 70, a retired Illinois Department of Corrections official, was appointed to the council in 2021 to fill the remainder of Rodney Walker's term. "I'm pleased to be in the top three at this stage," Cooper said. "I know that we got to wait until the mail-in gets counted. But, I believe that even once they're counted that I won't lose any ground. Hopefully I may even gain some ground." This year's city races have taken a back seat to the hyper-competitive race for Decatur School Board. But the decisions the next council will make will have an impact on the city for generations to come. Among them: how to continue and expand the city's neighborhood revitalization initiative and reduce blight even as federal resources dry up, enact policies to reverse decades of population decline, enhance public safety and protect the city's investment in Lake Decatur. Though council races are nonpartisan, Coleman and Cooper identify as Democrats and Gregory is a Republican precinct committeewoman. McDaniel's party affiliation is unclear. The next council will be seated in May. DECATUR Bill Clevenger, Will Wetzel and Mark Reynolds led the pack of six candidates for three seats on the Decatur Public Schools board as of Tuesday night. Final tallies could change, however, as more than 1,500 mail-in ballots remain outstanding. Those votes can be counted until April 18, as long as they are postmarked by Election Day. Low voter turnout in consolidated elections often leads to thin margins of victory. In this race, the third- and fourth-place candidates were separated by 260 votes as of Tuesday night. Those preliminary totals were: Bill Clevenger, 2,929 (23.47%) Will Wetzel, 2,409 (19.31%) Mark A. Reynolds, 2,296 (18.4%) Hannah Wolfe, 2,036 (16.32%) Jacob Jenkins, 2,029 (16.26%) Misty Fronk, 779 (6.24%) Clevenger, the former longtime executive director of the Decatur Park District, could not immediately be reached on Tuesday night. Wetzel, an IT professional with Archer Daniels Midland Co. and former candidate for Decatur City Council, described his mood on Tuesday night as tentatively excited. This is wonderful, but we'll see (in two weeks), he said. Reynolds, a retired investment broker who now works as a substitute teacher for area schools, was also cautiously optimistic. I've been praying really hard about the process, he said. I did what I feel is the best I could as far as the campaign and being invited to speak. I did the best I could and have to let the pieces fall where they may. He said Clevenger was a big help in offering advice along the way and he was pleased that Clevenger, so far at least, seems to be the top vote-getter in the race. The race is not over yet. Jenkins noted that the outstanding mail-in ballots could still turn the tide. It won't be hard to wait, he said. It's part of the process, so I'm willing to wait. Most of all, it still comes down to having someone in there that will fight for the children. Wolfe could not be reached by phone Tuesday night. Fronk said she was not discouraged by the results. I feel pretty proud of myself, she said. I went out there with no money backing me and did the best I could and I feel pretty comfortable. MOUNT ZION Just months after falling short in her bid to represent the area in Congress, Regan Deering can claim an election win. Deering led all candidates in the race for four seats on the Mount Zion school board. The remaining seats will be filled by incumbents Kent Newton, Jeffrey Sams and Kristi Niles. Failing to make the cut were incumbent Matt Beavers and challenger Wayne Tanner. Unofficial results had Deering with 977 votes, Niles with 937 votes, Sams: 866 votes, Newton: 809 votes, Beavers with 663 votes and Tanner with 658. Macon County Clerk Josh Tanner confirmed there were 335 outstanding mail-in ballots in the Mount Zion School District race as of Tuesday night. Final election tallies are likely to change as any remaining ballots are counted over the next two weeks. Deering filed petitions to run for school board back in December, just weeks after she lost to Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield, in the race for Illinois' 13th Congressional District. Deering finished with 43% of the vote to Budzinski's 57%. Deering may have failed to win the district strategically drawn by Illinois Democrats, but her win on Tuesday is now taking her right back to where her political career began. Deering was one of many parents nationwide who took to school board meetings to air frustrations about mask mandates and other pandemic precautions in the months after March 2020. The governor's order violates an individual's rights to refuse medical treatment, Deering said at a Mount Zion school board meeting in 2021. Citizens won't be coerced into giving up their medical freedom. Deering later joined a lawsuit filed by attorney Tom DeVore which challenged the state's mask mandate. A judge ultimately dismissed the suit in August as the state had already lifted the mandate by that point. President Joe Biden says it remains to be seen if artificial intelligence is dangerous. But he says technology companies have a responsibility to make sure their products are safe before making them public. Biden met Tuesday with his council of advisers on science and technology about the risks and opportunities that rapid advancements in artificial intelligence pose for individual users and national security. Artificial intelligence burst to the forefront in the national conversation in recent months after the release of the popular ChatGPT AI chatbot. That helped spark a race among tech giants to unveil similar tools, while raising ethical and societal concerns about technology that can generate convincing prose or imagery that looks like its the work of humans. DECATUR Cameron C. Edwards, the Cerro Gordo man who specialized in stealing guns from cop cars and tried to escape during questioning by scrambling up into a drop ceiling at police headquarters, is now starting a nine-year prison sentence. The 19-year-old defendant was sentenced to seven years after pleading guilty to a charge of unlawful possession of a stolen weapon. He then received another two years on a charge of attempted escape; an additional sentence of five years for a further charge of burglary was ordered by Macon County Circuit Judge Jeffrey Geisler to run concurrently with the seven-year sentence. Edwards appeared in court Tuesday and took a plea deal negotiated by defense attorney Caleb Brown that saw the judge dismiss four additional burglary charges and six theft charges. Further charges of possession of a stolen firearm and having no FOID card were also dismissed. A sworn affidavit from the Macon County Sheriffs Office said Edwards was caught after a detailed investigation into a spree of gun theft cases that began in May of 2022. The crimes occurred throughout Central Illinois and targeted weapons left in police squad cars, including the sheriffs office own vehicles. Police raids at homes in Decatur, Sullivan and Cerro Gordo led to the recovery of six weapons, including several AR-15 rifles. Edwards was arrested August 30 and police said he admitted committing multiple burglaries to police vehicles with his accomplice, Decatur man Blaine B. Manks. In a later interview, Edwards admitted to committing approximately 30 motor vehicle burglaries with Manks in which police vehicles were targeted, said the affidavit, which was signed by Detective Cody Woods. He admitted to traveling throughout Central Illinois to find and target the cars. In a bizarre twist to the case, Woods said Edwards made a desperate bid to escape after detectives had briefly left him alone following questioning in an interview room at the sheriffs office Headquarters monitored by surveillance cameras. Detectives observed him climb onto a table and lift himself into the drop ceiling, Woods said. Detectives responded immediately and, upon entering the interview room, Edwards dropped down onto the table. Edwards stated that he was tired of being in the room. Manks, 19, had appeared in court January 19 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to three charges of possession of stolen firearms. The defendant had taken a plea deal that saw the dismissal of 10 additional charges of burglary and theft, six counts of possession of stolen guns and one count each of armed violence and aggravated fleeing police. 2023 mugshots from the Herald & Review Lourash Hirstein Phillip Gehrken Joseph A. Williams Jetrevius O. Jarrett Edwards King-Woods CHICAGO Faculty at Chicago State University, a small public university on Chicagos South Side, went on strike Monday after months of stalled negotiations with university administrators. Faculty at Eastern Illinois University and Governors State University have also filed paperwork declaring their intent to strike, with strikes possible as early as Thursday and Friday, respectively. All three faculties, which are part of University Professionals of Illinois Local 4100, voted to authorize a strike with a 97% margin of membership or higher. Northeastern Illinois University faculty have also been in negotiations with administrators since July last year after working under a contract first approved in 2014. The NEIU faculty union has requested mediation. CSUs strike has garnered messages of solidarity from union leaders in Chicago, including the heads of the Cook County College Teachers Union and the Chicago Teachers Union. Strike leaders at CSU as well as the universitys administration have pointed to wages as a key sticking point. In 2021, professors, lecturers and instructors at CSU made an average of $67,323, which was $17,386 lower than the average salary for those roles at other state universities, according to records from the states Board of Higher Education. EIU faculty made $76,244, which is $8,370 lower than the average for other universities. Im really quiet and shy, but Ive had to come out and stand up and stand out because Im seeing so much injustice, CSU faculty union president Valerie Goss told strikers at a Monday rally. CSU said in a statement on Saturday that the union's financial demands far exceed our current economic position. Negotiations at EIU are also stuck on compensation. For months now, EIU administration has proposed to us an effective pay cut, EIU facultys lead negotiator Billy Hung said in a statement last week. And for months, weve said that our members will not agree to work more for less. EIU released a statement after the faculty authorized a strike, saying that the unions proposal would cost the university $10 million over the contracts four-year term. The university cited the unclear future of international student enrollment as well as state budgeting to explain their inability to meet the unions demands. Given this uncertainty and the forecasted demographic cliff facing all universities, the University needs to continue to be focused on financial stability, the statement read. Governors States faculty union president Mike Hart said disagreements over finances as well as the overwhelming workload that academic advisors face were the areas of disagreement that led to the strike authorization. No one wants to strike, but we are willing to if necessary to settle a fair contract that gives us the support required to ensure our students get the resources they need to succeed, he said in a news release last week. Representatives from Governors State have indicated that the sides are making progress. Progress is being made at the bargaining table and that is where we will be directing our energy toward reaching an equitable new contract, Will Davis, a spokesperson for the university, said in an email Tuesday. University Professionals of Illinois is part of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, one of the two major teachers unions in the state. IFT President Daniel Montgomery said that the current divide between the universities and their faculty is ultimately a byproduct of years of underfunding from the state. This is what happens when you have 20 years of disinvestment in higher education, Montgomery told Capitol News Illinois on Monday. Although he said faculty at Governors State and EIU wont necessarily strike, Montgomery called the CSU strike the tip of the spear. Its cyclical and I think were in a period where people are saying Im not going to take this anymore, Montgomery said. The strike authorizations follow tense bargaining at other state universities, including a January strike at the University of Illinois Chicago that lasted six days and bargaining last spring at the University of Illinois Springfield that was resolved two days before a strike would have begun. Beyond higher education, labor rights have been the subject of significant recent debate in Illinois, with voters narrowly passing a constitutional amendment in November that guarantees the right of workers to collectively bargain. The amendment also bars the state from passing right-to-work laws. While last year saw a jump in the number of major strikes nationwide, strikes are still far less common than they once were, according to data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2022, there were 26 strikes with more than 1,000 participants. While that is the highest level since 2001, it is 5.5% of the peak number of strikes in 1952. New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 61F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 61F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. ABINGDON, Va. A federal jury convicted a Houston, Texas, man last week for trafficking large quantities of high-purity methamphetamine from Mexico into Southwest Virginia. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Alonso Cantu-Cantu, 46, of Houston, Texas, was the major source of supply for a drug conspiracy that distributed more than 33 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and 6 kilograms of cocaine into Southwest Virginia through a multi-jurisdiction drug trafficking organization, according to a written statement. This major conviction is the result of a six-year investigation. Im proud of the collaborative work done to get this massive quantity of dangerous drugs and dealers off our streets, said Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares. Evidence presented at trial showed that Cantu-Cantu received methamphetamine in 55-gallon drums that had been transported into the United States in water tankers, directly from sources in Mexico. Cantu-Cantu then redistributed the drugs through distributors from Indiana, who ultimately distributed down the supply chain through the western district of Virginia, from Harrisonburg to Bristol, Virginia. Many of these transactions were orchestrated through another major drug trafficker who was incarcerated in Virginia prisons during the conspiracy, according to the statement. In all, the estimated street value of the methamphetamine and cocaine distributed during the course of the conspiracy was more than $1.4 million. Over 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, 125.4 grams of heroin, 94 grams of cocaine, and 7 firearms were seized. A total of 26 defendants have now been convicted over the course of the six-year investigation, which started with the investigation of street level dealers in the Smyth County, Virginia, area. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Virginia Attorney General Miyares made the announcement. BRISTOL, Va. A Richmond judge has signed the consent decree reached by the Virginia Attorney Generals office, Virginia DEQ and attorneys for the city of Bristol Virginia, formalizing the agreement. On Tuesday the attorney generals office issued a written statement following the action of Judge Clarence Jenkins to enter the decree into the public record in Richmond Circuit Court. The proposed settlement was finalized in March and announced March 23. Ive traveled to Bristol, talked to Virginians and our neighbors in Tennessee firsthand about the issue caused by the Bristol landfill, Attorney General Jason Miyares said in the statement. Im thrilled that my office has been able to reach an agreement with the city of Bristol, which will bring relief and solutions to the community. Additionally, because this consent decree has been signed by the court, it will hold the city accountable to the promises theyve made. Last month the Department of Environmental Quality announced the proposed settlement agreement with the city, outlining steps the city must take to resolve landfill environmental challenges and a series of fines if deadlines are not met. On March 17, the Commonwealth of Virginia, DEQ Director Michael Rolband, the Virginia Air Pollution Control Board, the Virginia Waste Management Board and the city of Bristol, Virginia filed a motion to enter a judicial consent decree memorializing the terms of a negotiated settlement to resolve issues at the Bristol landfill, DEQ announced March 23. We are pleased to hear Judge Jenkins has made the Bristol landfill consent decree official, DEQ Director Rolband said in the Tuesday statement. It culminates a long process and shows the dedication from both DEQ and the office of the Attorney General to assure the citizens of Bristol that we will not stop until this issue is resolved. There is a lot more work that needs to be done on-site, but we can pause to celebrate this step in the process. The consent decree holds the City of Bristol accountable for many steps regarding the Bristol landfill and is designed to help improve landfill and area living conditions. The city is currently halfway through implementing the sidewall odor mitigation system to help address the complaints about foul odors. The deadline for completion is June 14 and the city is on track to meet that deadline, according to the statement. The city has also submitted the Ethyl Vinyl Alcohol cover system deployment plan. The cover would tie into the liner of the landfill, according to the statement. The landfill stormwater management plan is due April 30. Drilling started the week of March 27th. The city is drilling 31 additional wells total to remove both gas and liquids from the landfill. The city is also required to submit monthly compliance reports and the March report is due April 10. BRISTOL, Va. Navy Week is underway across the Tri-Cities. The U.S. Navys premier outreach program kicked off in Northeast Tennessee on Monday with numerous events throughout the region, including a mural dedication in Greeneville honoring the USS Greeneville, a submarine named after the town. On Tuesday, Lt. Commander Kevin Chambers, head of the event planning department at the Navy Office of Community Outreach, was guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Bristol, VA/TN. Chambers explained how throughout Navy Week sailors engage with local groups and organizations educating them about what the Navy does to support them and what they do to support the Navy. [Navy Week] is an outreach program that started back in 2005 as a way to connect cities and communities throughout the country with the Navy that otherwise would not have any exposure, Chambers said. Held annually in 15 communities throughout the year, Navy Week is also a way to bring hometown sailors back home and is an opportunity for crew members to visit their vessels namesake. According to Chambers, Tri-Cities Navy Week consists of 60 sailors supporting over 100 events all week, culminating with this weekends NASCAR races at Bristol Motor Speedway. Chambers called this week one of the busiest Navy Weeks ever produced and commended the Tri-Cities community for their support. In all the locations Ive been to I have yet to see a community that is more proud and is more supportive of the Navy than here in the Tri-Cities, Chambers said. Everyone has welcomed us with open arms. We are super excited to be here. As part of Navy Week, Navy Band Northeasts Rhode Island Sound will perform a public concert at the Bristol Downtown Center on Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. A Statesville store owner and his nephew were sentenced for conspiring to transport stolen electronic devices to other states and overseas, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Dena J. King. Lal H. Mahtani, 58, of Statesville received a sentence of three years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. His nephew Vivek Ramesh Mahtani, 41, of Cornelius was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, King said in a news release. The two men were sentenced in federal court on Tuesday for conspiring to transport fraudulently obtained and stolen Apple iPhones and other electronic devices to buyers in other states and overseas, King said. According to filed documents, the defendants shipped more than 1,700 pounds of fraudulently obtained devices, resulting in financial losses that exceeded $1.5 million, King said. According to documents filed in the case, from 2018 through February 2020, the defendants worked together in a scheme to purchase new iPhones and other electronic devices from individuals who had obtained the devices through fraudulent means. The devices were often obtained from wireless stores. The defendants purchased the new iPhones, which were frequently in their sealed packaging at prices substantially below their retail value, King said. Many of the devices were purchased by Lal Mahtani at New York Styles, his retail store in Statesville. The defendants used a shipping company to transport the devices to other states, including California, Texas, New York and Georgia, as well as overseas destinations, such as Hong Kong, King said. New York Styles is located at 103 E. Broad St., in Statesville, according to Google Maps. The store is listed as a mens clothing store. Posts on the stores Facebook page advertise repair services for cellular devices and Apple iPhones for sale. Vivek Mahtani also sold devices to Cellport, a Charlotte-based business owned and operated by Hamzeh Alasfar and Tayseer Alkhayyat. Alasfar and Alkhayyat pleaded guilty in Charlotte last month to related charges, King said. This case was the result of the investigative efforts of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service, King said. Searching for places to take your family to find Easter eggs this weekend? Here are some of the hunts taking place in and around Hickory. Thursday Hickory Parents Helping Parents will host an egg-hunting event at the Henry Fork River Park on Thursday. The Easter egg hunt will start at 4:30 p.m. A special hunt for children ages 2 and younger is also planned. The park is at 5655 Sweet Bay Lane in Hickory. Friday A flashlight egg hunt will be held at the Lenoir Community Church at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own flashlights. Children ages 1-17 are allowed to hunt for eggs. There will also be popcorn, drinks and prizes. If there is rain, the hunt will be moved to April 14. The Lenoir Community Church is at 1002 Lower Creek Drive NE in Lenoir. Saturday The Catawba Science Center will have a dinosaur-themed egg hunt Saturday at 9:15 a.m. Kids will be able to hunt for colorful dinosaur eggs, win prizes and explore the dinosaur exhibit at the center. Families can check out other exhibits, such as the planetarium and the aquarium until 4 p.m. Children of all ages can hunt for eggs in the main building. A separate egg hunt will be held for children ages 5 and younger in the aquarium building. The event is free for Catawba Science Center members and $14 for nonmembers. Attendees are required to purchase tickets and reserve their spots in advance. Any remaining tickets will be available for purchase at the door. The Catawba Science Center is at 243 Third Ave. NE in Hickory. St. Stephens Lutheran Church will host an Easter Eggstravaganza at 10 a.m. Saturday. Families can bring boiled eggs to dye. The church will have egg hunts for children in preschool and elementary starting at 11 a.m. The church will have sweetFrog Premium Frozen Yogurt available. St. Stephens Lutheran Church is at 2304 Springs Road NE in Hickory. St. Johns Lutheran Church in Conover will have an Easter egg hunt at 10 a.m. Saturday. Children will get to hunt for eggs, make crafts, eat snacks and hear the story of Easter. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own baskets. The church will have extra baskets for those who need one. St. Johns Lutheran Church is at 2126 St Johns Church Road NE in Conover. St. Matthews Reformed Church will host a community Easter egg hunt in Maiden on Saturday. The church will have two hunts for different age groups. The event will start at 10 a.m. and last until 1 p.m. The church will provide hot dogs for lunch. There will also be crafts, games and a story time. St. Matthews Reformed Church is at 4575 Maiden Highway in Maiden. Royal Chapel Church of God will celebrate Easter with an egg hunt and other activities on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. The event will last until 1 p.m. The Easter egg hunt will be for children ages newborn to 11. There will be a bouncy house and hot dogs. This event is free. To RSVP, call 828-324-8372. If no one answers, leave a voicemail. Royal Chapel Church of God is at 7190 George Hildebran Road in Hickory. Bethlehem Church of God in Granite Falls will have an Easter event on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is for children in the fifth grade or younger. The event will include an Easter egg hunt, games, prizes and food. The event is free. Bethlehem Church of God is at 2451 Icard Ridge Road in Granite Falls. First Baptist Church in Maiden will have an Easter event on Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. The event will feature games, an egg hunt and hot dogs for lunch. First Baptist Church is at 50 E. Main St. in Maiden. Fairview Baptist Church in Newton will have a free Easter celebration on Saturday at 1 p.m. The event will include an Easter egg hunt for all ages, candy and prizes. For lunch, the church will serve drinks, hot dogs, chips and cupcakes. Fairview Baptist Church is at 3614 Wilfong Road in Newton. Grace Chapel United Methodist Church will host a community Easter egg hunt at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The hunt will be divided into areas for different age groups. Grace Chapel United Methodist Church is at 4336 Grace Chapel Road in Granite Falls. A glow-in-the-dark Easter egg hunt will take place across the street from the Brown Penn Recreational Center on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The hunt will be in the Samuel William Davis Sr. Multipurpose Field. The event is free for children ages 3-7. The Samuel William Davis Sr. Multipurpose Field is at 735 Third St. SW in Hickory. Sunday The 242 Community Church in Hickory will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Sunday. The church service will begin at 10 a.m. An Easter egg hunt will take place after the service. Lunch will be served after the service as well. The 242 Community Church is at 3501 Section House Road, in Hickory. Trinity Hmong Lutheran Church will host its first public event on Sunday at 3 p.m. The event will feature an egg hunt, games, a photo stand and a bouncy house. The event is free. Donations are welcomed, but not required. Trinity Hmong Lutheran Church is at 2110 Mt. Olive Church Road in Newton. The bidding process for the city-owned property on U.S. 70 that was the victim of several sinkholes will continue. Hickory City Council voted to reject the highest bid at their meeting Tuesday. In February, the city received a $250,000 offer for the property at 1100 U.S. 70 SE from Hickory-based CPM Enterprise LLC. The property is known for being the site of a series of sinkholes starting in 2002, when a large hole formed in the parking lot of a restaurant and a Corvette car fell inside. Sinkholes were a recurring problem at the property through 2018 when repairs were made as part of a $4.8 million partnership between the city and the N.C. Department of Transportation. During the initial upset bid process, RIMS USA, a tire retailer based in South Carolina made a $300,000 offer for the 1.66-acre property, triggering a new upset bid process. CPM responded with a second bid of $314,950, which was $100 short of the amount they needed to offer under state law, City Clerk Debbie Miller said after opening the bid in March. Hickory Business Services Manager Dave Leonetti recommended the council reject the $300,000 bid in a memo included in the councils agenda packet. Staff feels this calculation error was in good faith, and the bidder meant to raise the bid by the proper amount, according to the memo. The memo went on: The presence of multiple bidders indicates that the value of the property is likely to remain higher than the current high bid. The spirit of the upset bid process is to obtain the greatest possible value for surplus city-owned property. City council retains the right to reject all upset bids at the conclusion of the process. City staff asked the council to set CPMs $314,950 bid as the new top offer and to open another 10-day upset bidding period, which will begin when the city clerk publishes official notice. The council unanimously voted to follow the staff recommendation and reject the current high bid. The matter was part of the councils consent agenda and was passed without discussion, which is typical for consent agenda matters. HICKORY Sixteen Hickory Police officers and four sergeants were formally sworn in last week in front of their fellow officers and families at Hickory City Hall. Thank you for choosing this career, all of you. Im honored to serve with you, Hickory Police Chief Reed Baer said to the officers during the ceremony. The Hickory Police Department is proud to welcome the following officers: Officer Dylan Soles graduated from Fred T. Foard High School and then Appalachian State University. He attended basic law enforcement training (BLET) at Western Piedmont Community College. He is a Hickory native and previously worked in dispatch for Catawba County. Officer Timothy Cramer is a Hudson native and graduated from South Caldwell High School. He attended BLET at Western Piedmont Community College. He previously worked security at a state prison. Officer Austin Steele is originally from Taylorsville and graduated from Alexander Central High School. He attended BLET at Catawba Valley Community College and he also worked as a welder. Officer Matthew Elliot is from Valdese and graduated from Jimmy C. Draughn High School. He then attended Catawba Valley Community College where he completed his BLET. He served four years in the U.S. Army. Officer Mujahid Turner is from Chapel Hill and graduated from East Chapel Hill High School and then the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He previously worked for Fed Ex. He attended BLET at Western Piedmont Community College. Officer Steven Lail is a Hickory native and graduated from St. Stephens High School. He served three years in the U.S. Army. He attended BLET at Western Piedmont Community College. Officer James Swearingen is originally from Blair, South Carolina, where he graduated from Richard Winn Academy in Winnsboro, South Carolina. He attended Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina, and later BLET at Catawba Valley Community College. Officer Seth Carter is from Taylorsville and graduated from Hickory Career and Arts Magnet. He served six years in the U.S. Marine Corps and then completed BLET at Western Piedmont Community College. Master Police Officer Daniel Peacock is a Hickory native and attended East Burke High School. He attended Appalachian State University and then completed BLET at Western Piedmont. Officer Elijah Adkins is from Valdese and graduated from Jimmy C. Draughn High School. He attended BLET at Western Piedmont Community College. Officer Chad Fredrickson is from Morganton and graduated from East Burke High School. He previously worked as a mechanic and then attended BLET at Western Piedmont Community College. Officer Alex Chapman is a Hickory native and graduated from Bunker Hill High School. He previously worked for the Department of Corrections. He attended BLET at Western Piedmont Community College. Officer Nickolas Nieves is originally from Mickleton, New Jersey, and graduated from Seven Lakes High School in Katy, Texas. He previously worked for Chick-fil-A before attending BLET at Catawba Valley Community College. Officer Richard Wolf is originally from Las Vegas, Nevada, and attended Penn Foster High School in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Asher College in Las Vegas. He attended BLET at Catawba Valley Community College and previously worked in IT for Amazon. Officer Austin Gross is from Calvert County, Maryland. He graduated from St. James High School in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. He attended Lenoir-Rhyne University and is currently enrolled at Gardner-Webb University. He attended BLET at Western Piedmont Community College. Master Police Officer Michael Ollis is a native of Morganton and graduated from Freedom High School in 1998. He studied for his Associates Degree in Criminal Justice at Western Piedmont Community College where he also attended BLET. Ollis worked at the Burke County Sheriffs Office for more than 20 years before coming to HPD. Four Hickory Police Department officers were also recognized for their promotions to sergeant. Sgt. Daniel Nash is originally from Poughkeepsie, New York, and he graduated from Holly Springs High School in Wake County. He attended Western Carolina University and then graduated from BLET at Western Piedmont Community College. He began working with the Hickory Police Department in 2017. He was selected as a member of the Special Operations Team in July 2019. Sgt. Adrian Totillo graduated from Bunker Hill High School in 2013, attended Catawba Valley Community College for criminal justice, and then graduated from BLET at Western Piedmont Community College in 2015 before joining HPD. Totillo is a native of Columbus, Ohio, and moved to North Carolina in 2007 when he was 12 years old. Sgt. Marcus Chapman graduated from Freedom High School and from BLET at Western Piedmont Community College in 2004. He started as a trainee at HPD in 2008 and was sworn in in July of that year. In 2020 he joined HPDs Criminal Investigations Division. In July 2019 he received his Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate and was named the Hickory Elks Officer of the Year in 2019 and 2022. Sgt. Robert Helton is from Burke County and a graduate of East Burke High School and Appalachian State University. He is a U.S. Army veteran and was sworn in as a police officer in June 2014. In December 2019, he was promoted to master police officer and in June 2020 he received his Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate. Tyler wuz here. Here: a water tower in Waxhaw, one adorned with graffiti that briefly garnered the attention of thousands earlier this week. A Young Mr. Tyler, an 18-year old high school student, turned himself in after the Waxhaw Police Department took to Facebook, sharing photos of the vandalism along with what little information authorities said tongue in cheek they knew about the suspect. The suspects name was likely Tyler, WPD wrote, and hes not afraid of heights. He apparently loves someone with the initial A and should consider himself blessed for not falling off the tower, the police department wrote. Tyler, the truth may set you free, but only if it comes from you, Chief Gregg Collins wrote in the post. If we get it from someone else first, not so much. Come on down to the PD and explain your artistic influences. In the days following the weekend incident, the post originating from a small town in Union County, about 40 minutes southeast of Charlotte had been shared more than 2,000 times and had more than 3,000 reactions and 1,000 comments. I know who it was it was Eric Donna Fez Hyde and Jackie and Kelso, one user commented, referencing hit TV series That 70s Show. Those dumbasses. Collins chose humor, instead of sternness, to give people a reason to share the post, he said. By Wednesday it reached as far as California. Ive found in 30 years of police work that people who really get in trouble get into it because theyve made mistake after mistake after mistake. As teenagers weve all made mistakes, the father of four 20-something daughters said, but just try to make one mistake at a time. Climbing on top of the tower was Tylers first mistake, which was already dangerous considering the lack of net or cushions below. His second mistake was vandalizing property that wasnt his, Collins said, and that cost him a court date. WPD updated the post Tuesday, sharing Tyler admitted to his misdeeds and was charged by citation before police allowed him to go home. Thank you for all the shares getting this post out there, to help solve this, WPD wrote. Case closed. Is North Carolina an important state for the arts? Of course, I assert resoundingly! There are lots of reasons. One is that the state has great art museums including the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh brought to life by its former director Larry Wheeler. The wonderful museums at Duke (Nasher), UNC Greensboro (Weatherspoon), the Mint and Bechtler in Charlotte, and other places have museums that are great blessings. What really seals the deal for North Carolina, as the new book Art of the State points out, is the plethora of artists all over the state who use their talents in many different ways. The new book by Liza Roberts, published by UNC Press, introduces us to about 60 extraordinary artists who live throughout our state. Most of them are not wedded to the oil and canvas of the traditional art world. I have gotten to know some of these 60 who sometimes work in the open where the public can observe them in action. For instance, the potter Ben Owen, who works with clay. He and his colleagues in and around Seagrove have shared their ways of working and persuaded me that their work rates as a high art form. Their pottery then are art treasures. Many Tar Heels have been privileged to work alongside Patrick Dougherty as he assembles large structures made of sticks, woven, spun, braided and twirled, his massive, cocoon-like works of art look like nests shot out of a hurricane. Dougherty lives in Chapel Hill and works all over the state and Roberts writes in places that dot the globe from Belgrade to Sewanee, Charleston to Dublin. In his work he uses the help of ordinary people to create the wooden sculptures that always draw visitors. Over time, the wood rots and the structures fade away and disappear forever, except in the memories of those who worked and those who visited the project. Thomas Sayre, who lives in Raleigh, casts components of earth and concrete into gigantic constructions. It requires heavy machinery in the process to cast and place the work. One of his studios, Roberts writes, is a field where he uses heavy machinery to dig sculptural forms in the earth, where he fills them with rebar and cement and earth, where he later digs up hardened shapes, lifts them, with a crew and a crane, and situates and embeds them where they belong. Herb Jacksons dramatic configurations of shape and color on canvas is work that I have been privileged to follow in my hometown of Davidson where Jackson taught and still lives and works. Elizabeth Bradford, who lives near Davidson on land her family has owned for hundreds of years, declares she is on a mission to take things that arent obviously beautiful and to render them beautiful in her large canvases. Every year she picks something I didnt think I could do, and I would spend the next year trying to do it. One year she decided to paint a new painting every single day for a year. These artists are celebrated in the book along with more than 50 other exciting North Carolina artists. In addition to their different modes of art, they are diverse in gender, race, ethnic background, and where they live. Art of the State calls us to savor these differences and shows how the artists diversity helps us see and better appreciate the different art forms these artists use. The new book demonstrates that our state is blessed with a variety of artists, of varying ages and races. It is a godsend that they work with a variety of different styles, mediums, and sizes. Using extraordinarily beautiful photographs of the artists and their work, Roberts shows their diversity and their charm. The photos and the books description of the artists different approaches gives its readers and viewers a spectacular introduction to the importance of North Carolina and all that it offers artists and art fans. In conclusion, Art of the State, so carefully organized and illustrated, is itself a piece of art that will be enjoyed by its owners for many years. Knowing whether your silver is sterling, something purer or not quite up to snuff is easy enough in theory. Just look for the hallmark. These were added in Britain and later around the world. They will be marked somewhere on the piece, typically the bottom. If the sterling silver was made in the United States, look for the word "sterling" or "925." But English and French hallmarks get more complicated. Advertisement The English started noting sterling standard about 500 years ago, Nelson explains. And the hallmarks don't just denote sterling-ness, they also detail where and when the silver was made. For example, a lion's head hallmark symbolizes that the sterling is English, but where it was made is noted with other animals or symbols. For instance, sterling marked with a leopard head hallmark was made in London, while pieces with an anchor mark would have been produced in Birmingham, England. Each year was assigned a different letter, too, and when it was time to repeat the alphabet, a new font was used. Maker's marks began as other symbols but shifted to the maker's initials in the 17th century. French silver was made in 950 and 800 versions that's 95 percent or 80 percent silver and is marked accordingly. A Minerva head with a No. 1 would identify a piece as 950, while the No. 2 showed it to be of the lesser quality, according to Nelson. But those are just a couple of the examples. Other countries from Denmark to China put their own marks on silver, whether it's sterling or not. The process of learning and understanding the myriad silver marks might last longer than the silver itself. " " This sterling silver fruit knife made by William Needham shows several different hallmarks and a maker's mark. (From left) The first mark is for the assay office, which tests for the silver's purity. The lion passant mark shows it is 92.5 percent silver. The final mark is a date letter, which tells when it was assayed and is likely close to the date the knife was made. Next to these are the initials WN for William Needham, or the maker's mark. Beeches Vintage Trump was briefly detained in Manhattan Criminal Court I cant believe this is happening in America, the former president wrote on the way to the court. Trump was charged with 34 crimes in the courtroom. He pleaded not guilty to all. Never in the history of the United States has a former president been indicted in a criminal case. After Donald Trump arrived at the Manhattan criminal court, according to the indictment process, he was detained for a short time, his fingerprints were taken, and then he was officially indicted, reports CNN. Trump was then taken into a courtroom. He was not handcuffed during his arrest and was under constant police protection. On his way to court, the former president wrote on his social media site, Truth Social: Were headed to Lower Manhattan, to the courthouse. It seems so SURREAL WOW, Im going to get arrested. I cant believe this is happening in America. There are a total of 34 charges against Trump. The press reports that the prosecutors office is focusing on whether he broke the law when during the 2016 presidential election, he paid $130,000 through his lawyer for the silence of a porn actress with whom he had a one-night stand 10 years earlier. Prosecutors claimed at the trial that Trump paid the $130,000 to suppress negative information about his campaign and falsified accounting records to advance his candidacy. All of the charges are low-level crimes with a maximum sentence of 4 years. Prosecutors have announced they will also subpoena porn actress Stormy Daniels. They also objected to Donald Trumps social media posts, which were deemed threatening. According to the former presidents lawyers, there is no question of threats. Judge Juan Merchan recognized Trumps right to free speech, but warned both sides not to incite violence or riots. The judge said that if new social media posts were to appear from those involved in the case, he would have to look into them more closely. Trump has denied the accusations brought against him, saying he is simply the victim of a political witch hunt. The trial lasted only 45 minutes. The former presidents attorney, Todd Blanche, later told reporters in court that his client was frustrated and upset. He accused the prosecutors office of deciding to indict for political reasons. We will fight, we will fight hard against him, the lawyer vowed. After the indictment, Trump was free to leave the courthouse, where he drove straight to the airport to return to his Mar-a-Lago estate. Live on CBS: According to CNN, the next in-person hearing is scheduled for December 4. Former US President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to all 34 charges in a New York court. The ex-president was brought to court for falsifying business records. Photo: Brazil Photo Press via AFP Fox News calculated that if the court finds Donald Trump guilty on all 34 counts, then up to 136 years in prison could be imposed on him. The actual punishment will of course be much smaller than this, and for now it is also doubtful that Trump would be found guilty of any of the charges, Fox News wrote. Falsifying business records is typically a misdemeanor in New York State. It can become a crime if the accuseds intention to defraud included the intention to commit another crime, or to facilitate or conceal the commission. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who prosecuted Trump, said that New York state election law makes it a crime to conspire to advance a candidates candidacy by illegal means. According to Bragg, Trump violated this law before the 2016 election, as they used bribes on several nights to silence anyone who might have information that could threaten Trumps election. The ex-president later falsified business records to cover up the payments. We found a total of 34 false entries in the business records, including the $130,000 payment that started the whole case Bragg said. Back in 2016, Donald Trump paid this amount to the porn actress working under the stage name Stormy Daniels so that she would not talk about the fact that they had an affair in 2006. Donald Trump says the indictment and court case are merely a political witch hunt aimed at preventing him from running for re-election in 2024. No more TikTok for politicians and public servants. Photo: Shutterstock The Australian government has banned TikTok from all public service devices, claiming the app poses significant protective security risk to the Commonwealth. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus announced on Tuesday he had authorised a mandatory direction to ban the TikTok social media app from any device issued by a Commonwealth department or agency. State and territory governments are expected to also enact the same ban, while a number of high-profile politicians have said they will ditch the app entirely. TikTok Australia management has claimed it was not informed about the ban before it was reported in the media, and denied claims it poses a security risk to the government. The Australian governments move now means that all of the Five Eyes nations have enacted similar bans on TikTok. Australian Computer Society (ACS) President Dr Nick Tate welcomed the announcement from the government. It is heartening to see the government acting promptly on the advice of cyber security experts and our intelligence agencies, he said. The security implications of TikTok on government and personal devices has been a concern for some time so it is important to be taking proactive steps. As we have seen over the past year, cyber security is a critical and rapidly evolving field and at ACS we are working with government agencies and ministers to ensure Australian data is kept as secure as possible. TikTok is owned by China-based company ByteDance. The concerns around its use centre on Chinas National Intelligence Law, which requires all organisations and citizens to support, assist and cooperate with national intelligence efforts and to protect national intelligence work secrets. The presence of this law has sparked fears that Chinese authorities could demand access to the data of TikTok users from around the world. Ban incoming Dreyfus said he authorised the ban following advice from intelligence and security agencies, and that it would be made through the Protective Security Policy Framework. He said the ban would come into effect as soon as practicable, and that exemptions will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. The ban applies only to Commonwealth-issued devices, and does not extend to the personal devices of public service workers or the general public. The government order states that the presence of the TikTok app on government devices poses a significant protective security risk to the Commonwealth, and that Commonwealth entities must now prevent the installation of the app and remove it from existing government devices, unless there is a legitimate business reason. These legitimate business reasons include if TikTok is needed to achieve a work objective, to conduct compliance and regulatory enforcement, or to reach a target audience for marketing or public relations. Exemptions for these reasons will be approved by the Chief Security Officer, and a range of mitigations will need to be in place, including the use of a separate, standalone device and generic email addresses. A number of state and territory governments have already announced that they will be following the Commonwealth orders, while Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews will also delete his popular TikTok account entirely. Last to act Australia is the last of the Five Eyes nations to enact such a ban on TikTok, after the United Kingdom and New Zealand made similar moves last month. TikTok Australias general manager Lee Hunter has said the company was not informed of the ban before it appeared in the media on Tuesday morning. Were extremely disappointed with this decision, Hunter told ABC Radio. In our view this is driven by politics and not by fact. And were also disappointed with the fact that TikTok and the millions of Australians who use it every day will find out about this decision through the media, despite repeated efforts from our end. The ban has been welcomed by the Opposition, with shadow Cyber security Minister James Paterson criticising the government for waiting on the ban after he raised concerns in July last year. If the government acted when I first called for them to do so, Australia would have led the world tackling this cyber security threat, as we did when in August 2018 when we banned Huawei from our 5G network, Paterson said. Instead, we are the last Five Eyes member to act. The Greens have criticised the ban, saying that it signals the start of an endless game of online whack-a-mole that misses the big risk. Were in a data security and privacy crisis and were fixated on one platform, Greens digital rights spokesperson David Shoebridge said. Banning TikTok from government devices is a publicity stunt which masks the fact our data is being exploited by every corporation that can get its hands on it. In other TikTok news, the company has been fined $23 million (12.7 million pounds) after the UK Information Commissioners Office found it had breached data protection laws by using the data of children aged under 13 years of age without parental consent. Ann Street United Methodist Church 335 Ann St., Concord. Pastor: Rev. Randy L. Wall. In person and Facebook Live worship 11 a.m. at Ann Street Church. Sermon: Do What Jesus Didafter Death. Scripture: Matthew 28:1-15; Colossians 3:1-11. Bethpage United Methodist Church 109 Fellowship Ave. at West C St., Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Gary McDonald. Christian Education at 9 a.m. Worship at 10 a.m. Sermon: Seeking: Who Are You Looking For? Scripture: John 20:1-18. Bogers Chapel United Methodist Church 1775 Flowes Store Road East, Concord. Pastor: Pastor Eric Shaver. Worship in-person or Facebook at 10 a.m. Friday, April 7th, 7 p.m. Good Friday Service: Power Point Presentation: Journey to the Cross. By Sharon Holmes. Opening Reading: Psalm 22 (Responsive Reading UMH 752). Scripture Reading John 18:1-19, 42. Sunday, April 9th, Sunrise Service at 7 a.m. Scripture Reading: John 20:1-18. Sunday, April 9th. Easter Worship Service at 10 a.m. (In person or Facebook). Opening Reading: A passage taken from The Lives We Actually Live pages 210-212. By Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie. Easter Cantata. Calvary Lutheran Church 950 Bradley St., Concord. 704-782-6923 Pastor: Rev. Debbie Frye. Good Friday Tenebrae Worship 7:45 p.m. Easter Worship at 6:30 a.m. (Sonrise service at the outdoor chapel) 8:30 a.m. (Casual Worship) and 11 a.m. (Traditional Worship with Childrens Church). Coffee Social 9:30-11 a.m. Childrens Area and Nursery available all times. All services live-streamed and available anytime on the Calvary Lutheran Concord YouTube channel easy access through our website http://www.clconcord.org. All are welcome. Sermon Topic: Easter SundayHe Is Risen! Center United Methodist Church 1119 Union St. S, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Tony Allen. Sunday School for In Betweens and young adults at 9 a.m. Worship at 10 a.m. Nursery is provided during the worship service. Website is www.centerumcconcord.org. Look forward to you joining us for our service! Sermon: Keeping On. Scripture: John 20:1-18. Crossroads Church 220 George W. Liles Pkwy., Concord. Pastor: Lowell McNaney. Live worship streamed on Facebook, Crossroads Concord Church app or mycrossroads.co website at 9:30 a.m. and 11:11 a.m. Crown Pointe Baptist Church 703 Tennessee Street, Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Doug Crawley. Easter Resurrection Sunday. Sunday School at 9 a.m. Worship at 10 a.m. in the sanctuary, or view online at our Facebook page. Series: Passion. Sermon: Unstoppable Love. Scripture: Luke: 24:1-9 ESV. Eastside Missionary Baptist Church 199 Elgin Drive, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Stephen Burrow. In person services: Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship services 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Recorded worship services and other information at EastsideMissionaryBaptist.org. You will be welcomed. Practice social distancing. Epworth United Methodist Church 1030 Burrage Road NE, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Bill Roberts. Sunday School at 9 a.m., followed by worship at 10 a.m. We welcome all to join us in person, or you may livestream or watch the recorded service at our website at www.epworthnc.com. Sermon: Do Not Be Afraid. Scripture: Matthew 28:1-10. Forest Hill United Methodist Church 265 Union St. N., Concord. Senior Pastor: Rev. Mandy Jones. Associate Pastor: Rev. Wes Judy. We are open for in-person worship. Contemporary worship, 9 a.m. Sunday School/small groups10 a.m. Traditional worship11 a.m. Both the contemporary and the traditional worship services will also be live-streamed at foresthillumc.org or facebook.com/foresthillumc, in case you dont feel like being here in person. Harmony United Methodist Church 101 White Street, NW, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Thad Brown. Sunday school is at 10 a.m. followed by our worship service in the sanctuary at 11 a.m. Sermon: Just As He Said. Scripture: Luke 24:1-2, Matthew 16:21; Matthew 17:22-23, Luke 9:22, Luke 24:44-47, Isaiah 53:10-11, Revelation 22:12-14. We welcome you to join us in worship! Service is live on Facebook.com/HarmonyUnitedMethodistChurch. We welcome all who are unable to join us in person to worship with us online. For more information, you can call the Pastors phone 704-791-2883 or the churchs phone 704-782-8237. Jackson Park United Methodist Church 715 Mable Ave., Kannapolis. Pastor Laurie Knoespel. Adult Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship at 10:30 a.m. Nursery will be provided during worship service. Kirkwood Presbyterian Church 900 Klondale Ave., Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Dr. Dennis B. Craft. Worship at 11 a.m. in church sanctuary on Sundays. No mask restrictions. Sermon: The Joy of Heaven. McGill Baptist Church 5300 Poplar Tent Road, Concord, in-person services. Pastor: Rev. Steve Ayers. If you have not taken the COVID-19 vaccine, please wear a mask. McGill will stream a worship service Sunday at 10 a.m. on www.facebook.com/mcgillbaptistchurch/ and on YouTube. The services will be live and also available on recording afterwards. Midway United Methodist Church 108 Bethpage Road, Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Craig Allen. Come join us on Sunday morning at 9 a.m. for Sunday School and 10:30 a.m. for worship. Our service is also livestreamed on the web at midwayunitedmethodistchurch.org or facebook.com/midwayUMC. Sermon: We are Witnesses. First Reading: Acts 10:34-43. Second Reading: John 20:1-18. Suggested Hymns: UMH 302, Christ the Lord is Risen Today; UMH 261, Lord of the Dance. Easter Sunrise Service Sermon: The Rumble of Truth. Reading: Matthew 28:1-10. Suggested Hymns: UMH 322, Up from the Grave He Arose; UMH 177, He is Lord! He is Lord! Mt. Mitchell United Methodist Church 6001 Old Salisbury-Concord Road, Kannapolis. Pastor: Joel Locklear. Good Friday Service at 7 p.m. Sunday Sunrise Service at 7 a.m. Sunday School at 9:45 a.m. (Adult and Children classes.) Easter Service at 11 a.m. in person or Facebook. Sermon: I Have Seen the Lord. Scripture: Luke 24:1-12. Multiply Church Concord 150 Warren C. Coleman Blvd. N, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Douglas Witherup. 8:30 a.m. service held at 280 Concord Pkwy S, Suite 15, Concord. Services at 150 Warren C Coleman Blvd N, are Worship and Sermon at 9:30 a.m. and Worship and Sermon at 11:15 a.m. New Gilead Reformed Church, ECO 2400 Old Salisbury-Concord Road. 9:40 a.m. Adult Bible Study. 10 a.m. Sunday School. 11 a.m.Worship in the Sanctuary, also live on Facebook. Oak Grove Baptist Church 200 Sims Parkway, Harrisburg. Pastor: Rev. Franklin D. Watkins. 10 a.m. In-Person Worship Service and Facebook Live and YouTube Live. Sermon: I Want To Know The Power Of Jesus Resurrection. Scripture: Philippians 3:9-10. Second Presbyterian Church 1578 Dale Earnhardt Blvd., Kannapolis. Pastor Sue Black, Minister. Rev. Aaron Price, Assistant Pastor. Sunday school at 10:15 a.m. Worship at 11 a.m. in Sanctuary and on Facebook live. Sermon: The Great Discovery. Scripture: Matthew 28:1-15. St. Johns Reformed Church 901 N. Main St., Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Chris King. Sunday school for all ages9:30 a.m. Worship Service10:30 a.m. Website www.ourstjohns.org. Email/Phone- ourstjohns@gmail.com / 704-932-3656. Easter Sunrise Service (at 7 a.m.) Sermon: The Sacrifice is Accepted. Scripture: John 19:30; Hebrews 10:11-14. Easter Sunday Sermon: He Reaches Down to Meet Our Need. Scripture: John 20:19-31. Information for Sermon topics must be submitted by 10 a.m. on Wednesday. Email your topic to jstamey@independenttribune.com Wednesday, April 5 The Cabarrus Senior Center Photo Club is alive and clicking away. If you like taking photos, come join the members on the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 1:30-3 p.m. at the Cabarrus Senior Center, 331 Corban Ave. SE, Concord, and share your photographic creativity. Whether you are a seasoned photographer or strictly amateur, all are welcome. Thursday, April 6 Epworth UMCs famous hot dogs and taco soup, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1030 Burrage Road NE, Concord. For free delivery, call 704-786-5500. Friday, April 7 The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination. Hot dogs at McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, will be sold along with fried bologna and barbecue sandwiches and desserts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 8 The Piedmont Farmers Market is open from 9 a.m. to noon at 518 Winecoff School Road. It features lots of local produce, meat, flowers and other products. Hot Dogs at Center United Methodist Church at 1119 Union St. S., are offered on the second and fourth Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Dine in and take out. Call-in orders are welcomed at 704-782-1785. Monday, April 10 The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination. Tuesday, April 11 TOPS #437 (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets every Tuesday at 10 a.m. (weigh-in begins at 9:30 a.m.) at Lakeview Baptist Church, 2532 Lane St., Kannapolis. Visitors are welcome. If you need help and encouragement after the death of a spouse, child, family member or friend, you are invited to join us for A GriefShare Support Group at Pitts Baptist Church, 140 Pitts School Road NW, Concord, weekly on Tuesdays through May 30 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. For more information, call Linda Bounds at 704-793-8155. Wednesday, April 12 The Red Cross will have a blood drive from 2:30 to- 7 p.m., at All Saints Episcopal Church, 525 Lake Concord. Book a time to give by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS. Thursday, April 13 Epworth UMCs famous hot dogs and taco soup, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1030 Burrage Road NE, Concord. For free delivery, call 704-786-5500. The Red Cross will have a blood drive at 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Honda Cars of Concord, 7650 Bruton Smith Boulevard. Book a time to give by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS. Friday, April 14 The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination. Hot dogs at McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, will be sold along with fried bologna and barbecue sandwiches and desserts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 15 The Piedmont Farmers Market is open from 9 a.m. to noon at 518 Winecoff School Road. It features lots of local produce, meat, flowers and other products. Hot Dogs at Center United Methodist Church at 1119 Union St. S., are offered on the second and fourth Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Dine in and take out. Call-in orders are welcomed at 704-782-1785. Monday, April 17 The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination. The Red Cross will have a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Charlotte Motor Speedway, 5555 Concord Parkway South. Book a time to give by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS. Tuesday, April 18 TOPS #437 (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets every Tuesday at 10 a.m. (weigh-in begins at 9:30 a.m.) at Lakeview Baptist Church, 2532 Lane St., Kannapolis. Visitors are welcome. If you need help and encouragement after the death of a spouse, child, family member or friend, you are invited to join us for A GriefShare Support Group at Pitts Baptist Church, 140 Pitts School Road NW, Concord, weekly on Tuesdays through May 30 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. For more information, call Linda Bounds at 704-793-8155. Wednesday, April 19 The Cabarrus Senior Center Photo Club is alive and clicking away. If you like taking photos, come join the members on the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 1:30-3 p.m. at the Cabarrus Senior Center, 331 Corban Ave. SE, Concord, and share your photographic creativity. Whether you are a seasoned photographer or strictly amateur, all are welcome. Thursday, April 20 Epworth UMCs famous hot dogs and taco soup, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1030 Burrage Road NE, Concord. For free delivery, call 704-786-5500. Friday, April 21 The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination. Hot dogs at McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, will be sold along with fried bologna and barbecue sandwiches and desserts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 22 The Piedmont Farmers Market is open from 9 a.m. to noon at 518 Winecoff School Road. It features lots of local produce, meat, flowers and other products. Hot Dogs at Center United Methodist Church at 1119 Union St. S., are offered on the second and fourth Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Dine in and take out. Call-in orders are welcomed at 704-782-1785. Got news or events? Does your community group or nonprofit agency have an upcoming event that would be of interest to the public? Email it to mplemmons@independenttribune.com. Telecommunications provider Optus has switched a new tower in West Ulverstone in Tasmania to improve network connectivity, reliability, and reach for the region. The new tower is located at The Quadrant, which Optus claimed is a part of a multi-million-dollar investment to enhance coverage in the region. This new tower in West Ulverstone is situated across the river from the tower we upgraded 18 months ago, highlighting the ongoing work Optus is doing along the North West Coast to provide improved coverage, said Optus territory general manager for Tasmania Peter West. The new tower will provide the North West community with greater mobile competition, increased network capacity and real choice through the Optus network, claimed West. For West Ulverstone locals considering making the switch to Optus, you can do so at our closest retail store in the Rooke Street Mall in Devonport, or visit our website for more information, West said. This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 04 April 2023. The federal government has confirmed it will ban TikTok on state devices over concerns about the app's security, fearing that user data might be exploited by China, reported numerous media outlets. Australia is the last nation to join the "Five Eyes" intelligence alliance to block the app, following similar decisions by the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and New Zealand, reported ABC. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said the effect would come into effect "as soon as practicable" but noted exemptions would be granted on a case-by-case basis. "After receiving advice from intelligence and security agencies, today I authorised the secretary of the Attorney-General's Department to issue a mandatory direction under the Protective Security Policy Framework to prohibit the TikTok app on devices issued by Commonwealth departments and agencies," he said in a statement. ABC also reported that the Victorian and ACT governments they expected the imminent ban. People affected by the ban would still be able to use the app on their personal devices. In the same report, TikTok has denied that it would compromise personal data. Recently, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew made headlines after appearing in a testimony before the US Congress last month, repeatedly "denying the app shares data or has connections with the Chinese Communist Party." However, Shadow Cybersecurity Minister James Patterson has warned that Australian user app data on the app could be accessed by Chinese officials because TikTok is obliged to follow China's national intelligence laws, compelling it to comply with data requests from Beijing. In the past few months, TikTok has faced wave of accusations after it was allegedly found that TikTok staff based in the US and China used the app to spy on American journalists who were writing critical stories against the app to identify their sources, ABC reported. The ACCC's latest Measuring Broadband Australia report covers gaming services for the first time, and the results are "generally good". According to the report, latency to Australian servers for popular online games like Fortnite and League of Legends averaged 15 to 30 milliseconds per test on various NBN fixed-line technologies, so "users generally have a good gaming experience, with minimal stuttering or lag." Distance affects latency, so New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory players saw the lowest latency (averaging 1020ms) for Australian gaming servers because most Australian gaming servers being in Sydney. Average latency increased with distance, reaching over 50 milliseconds in Western Australia. Not surprisingly, "Australians playing online games where the server is located overseas may notice a lag or have a poor gaming experience," according to the report. "While fibre to the premises and fibre to the curb connections generally had the lowest latency, all fixed-line access technologies had relatively low latency for games hosted in Australia. Consumers on fixed wireless connections experienced higher latency than those using fixed-line technologies. This is expected given the nature of fixed wireless technology," said ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey. NBN speed tiers have only a small effect on latency, with an average of 25ms on NBN25, 24ms on NBN50, 23ms on NBN100, and 20ms on NBN250. Curiously, the average for NBN very high speed services was 21ms. "We encourage consumers to consider the cost and quality of the various retail plans available and choose the plan that represents the best value to them," said Brakey. In other findings: * NBN fixed-line broadband retailers continue to meet their advertised download speed claims, even during the busiest hours: on average, 99.1 percent of plan speed across all hours, and 97.7 percent during busy hours. Upload speeds slipped marginally to an average 85.0 percent of plan speed during the busy hours, compared to 85.7 per cent in the previous quarter. (NBN Co does not overprovision upload speeds, as it does with download speeds.) NBN fixed-wireless services delivered some of the highest results seen by the Measuring Broadband Australia program. Uniti Group's superfast networks (mostly FTTP) and delivered on average 101 percent of plan download speed and 89 percent of plan upload speed during busy hours. Two of the top three RSPs for average busy hour download speeds in the report were smaller providers Launtel (103.1 percent) and Exetel (102.9 percent), with Optus taking third place (99.9 percent). "The results of some of the smaller retailers reaffirms that they can provide similar, if not better, performance than the larger telcos which is good for competition," said Brakey. "This also reflects the findings in the recent NBN Wholesale Market Indicators Report, which found that smaller providers were gaining market share from the larger providers." Broadband users can apply to join the Measuring Broadband Australia program here. The upcoming AsiaPacific Regional Internet Governance Forum in Brisbane will focus on emerging technologies and drive discussions on whether the Asia Pacific is ready for the next phase of the Internet. Additionally, the forum will support regional contributions to the 2023 global Internet Governance Forum (IGF), convened by the United Nations in October, in Kyoto, Japan. The Australian domain administrator auDA - which is hosting the forum - said today that the forum at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre from 29-31 August 2023 will be a hybrid format to allow for in-person and remote participation. auDA CEO, Rosemary Sinclair AM said, auDA is proud to bring the APrIGF event to Brisbane in 2023. Sustaining and supporting the multi-stakeholder model of internet governance is a strategic priority for auDA. We recognise it is a shared interest with the Australian internet community and we welcome their active participation in the forum. The Brisbane APrIGF will also strengthen connections between Australian and Asia Pacific multi-stakeholder communities, growing our capabilities and strengthening internet governance in the region. We look forward to working with the APrIGF Multi-Stakeholder Steering Group and Secretariat, supported by dotAsia, to facilitate robust, essential and productive discussion on internet governance in the region. auDA notes that information on the program, registration, fellowship applications, community session suggestions and associated events to take place alongside APrIGF will be made available in the lead up to the forum and will be published on the official 2023 APrIGF website. include_once "/home/jwreview/public_html/$theme/includes/sidebar.php"; ?> The Hollywood Reporter reports the Women of the View are the highest rated daytime talk show on television. Every morning, they crucify Trump and banish MAGA Republicans to re-education camps. I think it's hilarious the three angriest people on television are named Whoopi, Sunny and Joy. Tiger Woods declined the offer to use a cart to favor his back at this week's Masters. He is striking the ball beautifully. During his practice round Monday, Tiger drove fourteen holes without hitting a tree, and had more money deducted from his car insurance bill than if he had he won the tournament. The Department of Transportation had to deal with the bad news of another train wreck Tuesday, the third in a six weeks. This time a freight train going through Montana carrying Coors beer went off the tracks and spilled thousands of gallons of Coors into a river. The fish couldn't tell the difference. New York celebrated Trump Derangement Day Tuesday by shutting down New York and calling out forty thousand NYPD cops to manage angry protestors and placate raucous Trump supporters in the street. The message to Americans was crystal clear. Drink tequila, because tomorrow is overrated. New York's D.A. charged Trump with an expired misdemeanor without specifying the federal crime that resurrected it to a felony. I'm NOT saying Manhattan is a banana republic operating a kangaroo court. But when you go to Manhattan Zoo and see the kangaroos eating bananas you do start to wonder. New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged Trump with defrauding voters in the 2016 election by actions he took in 2017. Bragg added that hush money records to a porn star and Playmate covered an unnamed federal crime. The torn off mattress tag found in Trump's wallet probably seals his conviction. Stormy Daniels was ordered by a federal judge to pay Trump's legal fees for the lawsuit she lost suing him. I certainly don't judge Stormy for being a porn star. While I was unemployed during the pandemic, I agreed to act in a porn movie. I portray the husband who drives off to work in the morning. Hunter Biden's paintings will go on display in an art gallery in the Soho District in New York this week. Hunter's latest painting depicts his father President Biden playing bridge with the Attorney Merrick Garland, FBI Director Chris Wray and New York D.A. Alvin Bragg. The title is Four No Trump. President Biden honored Transgenders, who are four-tenths of one percent of the U.S. population, by declaring Saturday to be Transgender Rights Day in the United States. On the next night, even the Country Music Awards featured drag queens. Next year's winner for best song, Stand by Your Trans. Current Biology reports Beethoven's cause of death was being researched by German geneticists studying the DNA in the locks of his hair. Fine arts are my blind spot. I just hate it when people at parties try to act all intelligent and talk about Beethoven when they haven't seen one of his paintings. NASA on Monday introduced the first four astronauts for the Artemis lunar missions which the space agency will initiate next year. For the first crew they selected a white woman, a black man, a Canadian and a young white guy. It's not just a space crew, that's a family breakfast cereal commercial. House Republicans cited the IRS for sending an agent to a reporter's door the day he testified to Congress. It could be worse. I just got a text from a guy named San Jeep Patel who identified himself as an IRS agent ordering me to pay him $1500 in Wal-Mart gift cards or he will place me under the rest. GET ARGUS' DAILY SMILES TO YOUR INBOX. SIGN UP FOR THE JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. Just click here. Donald Trump rather recklessly traveled to New York in his own airliner Monday to face charges in Manhattan Court Tuesday. Since his arraignment he's moved ahead of President Biden in the polls. So if I were Trump, I'd fly back to Florida in a spy balloon to make sure I wasn't shot down. The New York Police Chief posted twelve thousand New York City cops on the street downtown near the courthouse and uptown near Trump Tower. The cops were shown everywhere. Ironically, Trump was giving New Yorkers more law and order than the last three Democratic Mayors combined. Trump's jury pool is 80% Democratic and the trial judge already sentenced his accountant. The odds of Trump getting a fair trial in New York are the same as a straight white male winning a Tony Award. Maybe when this is all over Trump can get a national battlefield named after him like Custer did. New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg's critics countered Sunday it was Bill Clinton's lying under oath that triggered legal action, not the $850,000 he paid to hush up Paula Jones. It turned out to be a typical womanizer's screw up. Thousands to settle one suit and not one penny to dry clean another one. CNN's Fareed Zakariah warned Democrats that indicting Trump over a six-year-old transaction between two lawyers and not counting it as a campaign contribution only invited future partisan reprisals from Republicans. One thing's clear. Joe Biden's diminished capacity act finally makes sense. Florida Governor DeSantis stood by his likely rival and called Trump's indictment prosecutorial overreach Monday. However Arkansas former governor Asa Hutchinson leveraged Trump's indictment to announce his run for the GOP presidential nomination. He's polling one percent, tied with O'Doul's. The New York Post reported another train crash Monday in Montana when a train load of beer crashed, spilling millions of gallons of Coors Light overboard. The loss of Coors couldn't have come at a worse time during this week's bitter partisanship. The nation could really use a Silver Bullet right now. (COMMENT, BELOW) In an address delivered from the Oval Office on the evening of March 19, 2003, President George W. Bush announced that the United States and its allies had embarked on a military campaign "to disarm Iraq, to free its people, and to defend the world from grave danger." Like the overwhelming majority of Americans at the time, I supported the decision to go to war and put an end to the regime of Saddam Hussein. Two decades later, I remain certain that the decision to overthrow Saddam was correct. That is no longer the popular opinion and hasn't been for a long time. In many quarters, the conventional wisdom long ago took hold that the invasion of Iraq was premised on the falsehood that Saddam was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction, a falsehood that Bush recklessly exploited in his zeal to topple Saddam. "Bush lied; people died" became the brutal shorthand for that view. But that calumny doesn't stand up to scrutiny. As in every war America has ever fought, terrible mistakes were made in Iraq. After removing Saddam from power, the US-led coalition was too slow to put Iraqis in charge of their government, too quick to disband the Iraqi army, and too short-sighted to anticipate the savage insurgency led by Saddam's loyalists and Islamist fighters. Because of those failures the war lasted much longer than it should have and cost far, far too many American and Iraqi lives. But if the Bush administration deserves criticism for the way it governed Iraq after the invasion, the invasion itself was clearly justified. Saddam was a malignant and dangerous dictator who not only ruled Iraq with horrific cruelty but also posed an ongoing threat far beyond his borders. He was a psychopath who had amassed a record of war crimes with few parallels in modern history. During his quarter-century as president of Iraq, he launched unprovoked wars of aggression against neighboring countries, murdered at least 50,000 Kurdish civilians in genocidal attacks, and engaged in torture on a systematic and terrifying scale. He was, in The Washington Post's words, "one of the contemporary world's foremost sponsors of terrorism." He was responsible for two of the largest military conflicts in the last decades of the 20th century the eight-year IranIraq war, in which 1 million people were killed, and the Gulf War triggered by his invasion of Kuwait in 1990. And not only had he long pursued and developed weapons of mass destruction, but he had used them deploying chemical weapons on the battlefield against Iran and to carry out the mass murder of the Kurds. SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. Just click here. include_once "/home/jwreview/public_html/$theme/includes/sidebar.php"; ?> In the wake of the Gulf War, the United States and its allies made strenuous attempts to contain Saddam. Via 16 UN Security Council resolutions, Iraq was subjected to economic sanctions, ordered to dismantle its stockpiles of WMD, and required to submit to UN weapons inspectors who could verify its compliance. US and British aircraft began patrolling "no-fly zones" over northern and southern Iraq. But Saddam thwarted every effort to keep him boxed in. He brazenly obstructed the weapons inspections and found ways to bypass economic sanctions. In 1995, when Saddam's son-in-law defected to the West, inspectors learned that Iraq's WMD programs were far more extensive than they had realized. By 1998 there was a strong consensus in Washington that Saddam was such a menace that he had to be ejected from power. In October 1998, more than two years before Bush was elected president, President Bill Clinton signed the Iraq Liberation Act. Passed by sweeping bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate, the law made it an explicit goal of US policy "to support efforts to remove the regime headed by Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq." In March 1988, Saddam Hussein ordered a chemical-weapons attack on the Kurdish town of Halabja. An estimated 5,000 people were murdered and many thousands more were left permanently injured from the poison gas they inhaled. Saddam doubled down. He expelled the UN's weapons inspectors and refused to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency. President Clinton ordered 70 hours of bombings and cruise missile strikes on Iraqi military and WMD sites. To no effect: Instead Saddam began firing at the US and British planes patrolling the no-fly zones. Among Democrats and Republicans alike, there was a recognition that as long as Saddam remained in power, he would pose an ominous threat. Then-senator Joe Biden said at a Senate hearing in 1998 that "taking this son of a taking Saddam down" was the only way the United States would be able to disarm Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction. But with the 9/11 attacks, US concerns about Saddam grew infinitely more pressing. Terrorism was not a new phenomenon, but terrorism designed to cause mass destruction and bloodshed was. Suddenly it became a matter of intense urgency to keep WMD out of the hands of terrorists. Saddam had not been involved in 9/11. But given his history of using WMD, his many connections with terrorist organizations, and his utter disregard for the rule of law, the Bush administration came to believe that it would be unthinkable to let him remain in power. Congress agreed, voting by lopsided majorities to authorize US military force against Iraq. In November 2002, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a 17th resolution offering Iraq "a final opportunity" not just to disarm but to demonstrate that its stockpiles of biological and chemical weapons had been destroyed. As the world later learned, those stockpiles were (mostly) gone. But the world didn't know it at the time the assessment of virtually every international intelligence agency and observer was that Saddam was hoarding WMD. Even Iraqi military officers were sure there were caches of the illicit weapons. All the while, Saddam refused to provide the Security Council with the required evidence proving that he had disarmed. But if the intelligence agencies were wrong about the existence of WMDs, they were right about Iraq's undiminished ability to produce them. Several months after Saddam was overthrown, David Kay, the chief US weapons investigator in Iraq, confirmed to Congress that the intelligence about WMD stockpiles had been wrong. He also testified that Saddam's covert weapons capacity remained intact. "We have discovered dozens of WMD-related program activities and significant amounts of equipment that Iraq concealed from the United Nations during the inspections that began in late 2002," Kay reported. Weapons inspectors would later conclude that Iraq had all along maintained the ability to produce deadly biological and chemical agents on short notice. In the public mind, the invasion of Iraq was predicated on the existence of WMD stockpiles. When they didn't materialize, the Bush administration's credibility suffered a serious blow. Politics being what it is, the president's foes were quick to attack Bush for having "lied" the country into war. But a broad intelligence failure is not a lie. More important, the supposed weapons stockpiles were never the chief reason for going to war. Bush's primary case for regime change was the undiminished threat posed by Saddam to Iraq's neighboring countries and, through collaboration with terrorists, to the US homeland. Bush "went to war," writes the noted historian Melvyn Leffler in a new history of the Iraq war, not for oil or for democracy "but to remove a murderous dictator who intended to restart his weapons programs, supported suicide missions, and cultivated links with terrorist groups." Were the war's steep costs ultimately justified by its accomplishments? That is a subject of ongoing debate and, like most wars, will likely fuel disagreement for years to come. But the war was undertaken in the first place to remove one of the world's bloodiest and most aggressive tyrants from power, and to prevent another horror like 9/11 from occurring on US soil. Even from the perspective of 20 years, those were legitimate goals. More than legitimate, they were honorable. Jeff Jacoby is a columnist for The Boston Globe, from which this is reprinted with permission." CHARLESTON Two men and a juvenile have been arrested in connection with shots being fired early Monday morning in Charleston. Deputy Chief Joel Shute of the Charleston Police Department said the investigation indicates that the shots were fired "just for fun," and were not part of a fight or someone being targeted. The three individuals were arrested after officers responded to a report of gunshots at approximately 1 a.m. Monday in the 1400 block of Monroe Avenue. The department's press release reported that officers saw a man running from the scene who did not stop for squad cars or officers calling after him. "After running into a densely wooded area, a Charleston K9 was deployed and apprehended a (21-year-old Indiana man). Charleston police and fire personnel canvassed the area and located a handgun in the Town Branch (Creek)," the press release said, adding this man confessed that the firearm was his. The Eastern Illinois University Police Department also assisted at the scene. Police subsequently identified the apartment from which this man had run. The press release said police then searched and located two more suspects, Dushawn Powell and a male juvenile; located another firearm; and obtained witness statements and a confession implicating Powell and the juvenile in the shooting. No one was injured. The Coles County State's Attorney's Office charged Powell, 21, no place of residence on file, on Tuesday with felony reckless discharge of a firearm and with felony aggravated unlawful use of a weapon without a Firearm Owners Identification card. During a hearing on Tuesday, Powell's bond was set at a level at which he would need to post $2,000 in order to be released from the Coles County jail. At Powell's request, Public Defender Duane Deters was appointed to represent him. The court then approved Deters' motion for Powell to reside in Indiana with his mother during the court proceedings. His next hearing is set for April 10. The press release said charges of obstruction of justice and aggravated unlawful use of weapon without a FOID are pending in court against the Indiana man. The juvenile was transported to the juvenile detention center in Danville. Preliminary charges are reviewed by the state's attorney's office. Today in history: April 5 1887: Helen Keller 1951: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg 1976: Howard Hughes 1987: The Tracey Ullman Show 1991:John Tower 2008: Charlton Heston 2016: UCONN 2017: YouTube TV 2018: Donald Trump & Stormy Daniels Federal, state and local law enforcement officers arrested about 70 people, seized 40 pounds of illegal drugs, recovered more than 70 guns and $23,000 in a three-month operation to reduce violent crime in Winston-Salem, authorities said Wednesday. Among the criminal defendants, 35 people are facing federal drug-trafficking charges, said Jason Walsh, the resident agent-in-charge in the Charlotte office of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Walsh talked about the operation at a news conference at the Forsyth County Sheriffs Office. Winston-Salem Police Chief William Penn Jr., Forsyth Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough Jr. and Col. Henry Gray of the sheriffs office also talked about the operation. ATF agents worked with the Winston-Salem police and Forsyth sheriffs deputies in the operation, Walsh said. The U.S. Marshals and the N.C. National Guards Counter Drug Program personnel also participated. Investigators seized 9.4 pounds of methamphetamines, 12.5 pounds of fentanyl, 14.6 pounds of marijuana and 3.5 pounds of cocaine, Walsh said. Among the seized weapons, nine guns were used in 30 violent crimes in and around Winston-Salem. Let this be a reminder, Walsh said. If you think you are going to utilize a firearm in crime, use, possess or sell illegal narcotics, the federal government is here, and we are working in the streets of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. The investigators used the ATFs National Integrated Ballistic Information Network that helps law enforcement officers link evidence found at crime scenes to other shootings, Walsh said. In turn, that information identifies the shooters. ATF agents maintained a low profile as they identified local drug dealers and gathered evidence against them, Walsh said. We are out there every day, even if you dont see us, Walsh said. We will be stronger in the future as we try to fight some of this violent crime. Penn said he knew about the operation three months ago, but he couldnt discuss it publicly at several community forums about local gun violence. During that time, city police officers joined in the operation. Day after day after day, we were taking guns, drugs and folks out of our community who meant us harm, Penn said. I want the community to know that every time you see us out here in the street, doing our best to keep you safe, there is more going on behind the scenes. Kimbrough praised the work of the Forsyth County Drug Task Force, the ATF and the U.S. Marshals. The investigators risk their lives in their work while many local residents are sleeping at night, Kimbrough said. I appreciate the work that you do, Kimbrough said to some task force members who attended the news conference. I dont take it lightly. The sheriffs deputies who worked with the federal agents helped make the operation a successful effort, Gray said. We welcome any future endeavors and a strong commitment in making our community a safer place, Gray said. PHOTOS: Law enforcement agencies crack down on violent crime A Statesville-based manufacturer and supplier of parts for auto racing teams and owners of high-performance vehicles has agreed to a $300,000 settlement over federal allegations that it committed more than 8,300 federal violations related to tampering with emissions-control devices. The infractions by Kooks Custom Headers Inc. whose home webpage is dominated by information about its Greencatted equipment that Removes Harmful Emissions involved the production and sale of what the Environmental Protection Agency classified as aftermarket defeat devices over a 12-month period from October 2018 to October 2019, according to an EPA summary of the March 23 consent agreement. The parts are designed to bypass or incapacitate pollution-control systems, James Pinkney, the EPAs acting chief of public affairs for the Southeast, explained in an email. Emissions-control systems in vehicles play a crucial role in reducing climate-harming pollution as drivers gradually shift to electric cars and trucks. In North Carolina, emissions from the transportation sector are the leading contributor to climate change while carbon dioxide, released into the atmosphere by gas-burning vehicles, is the primary pollutant causing the warming of the planet. Pinkney confirmed that each of the 8,359 violations involves equipment for a separate car or truck. That many typical vehicles with fully functional emissions-control system would produce more than 38,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide in a year. However, higher-horsepower vehicles like most of those driven by Kooks customers burn more fuel than standard vehicles, so they send more carbon dioxide into the air. Fuel-powered vehicles also emit potentially harmful nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide. The company Kooks specializes in exhaust headers, which are custom-made pipe systems that transmit gases from the engine to the exhaust system faster than factory-installed equipment, increasing a vehicles horsepower. The business also builds and sells exhaust systems themselves, as well as other components and accessories. In addition to NASCAR, Kooks has been a supplier to racing teams from the National Hot Rod Association, International Hot Rod Association, National Muscle Car Association, National Mustang Racing Association and Sport Car Club of America, as well as NASA, according to the companys website. Kooks Custom Headers and two other companies, Kooks Industries Inc. and KooksWear LLC, are listed at the same 141 Advantage Place address by the N.C. Secretary of States office. Danielle Kryssing is listed as the registered agent for each company. Kryssing did not respond to multiple voicemail messages left Monday and Tuesday. Some drivers of vehicles with illegal Kooks equipment could end up being legally liable for emissions-control tampering, the EPAs Pinkney said. The Clean Air Act (CAA) prohibits the manufacture, sale and installation of defeat devices and prohibits removal or tampering of emission controls installed on vehicles, he explained. While the CAA does not prohibit purchasing a defeat device or owning a tampered vehicle, if the purchaser installed the defeat device in their vehicle, they may have violated the CAA. A second bill that would significantly expand the states newborn safe surrender law was approved unanimously Tuesday by the N.C. House. Republican-sponsored Senate Bill 20 was recommended by the House Rules and Operations committee. The bill, titled Safe Surrender Infants, cleared the Senate by a 44-0 vote on Feb. 10. An N.C. House bill with a similar objective Republican-sponsored House Bill 125 cleared the House by a 113-0 vote on March 7. The primary difference between the bills is that HB125 says that if a county social services director determines that a surrendered infant was born in another county, the director must notify the other county director to coordinate efforts for the infants future care. SB20 would amend House Bill 275, titled Infant Homicide Prevention Act, which was signed into law by Democratic Gov. Mike Easley in July 2001. Most of SB20s legislation would become law on Oct. 1. The law decriminalizes the parental abandonment of an infant not more than 7 days old who is not a victim of neglect or abuse. While the infant currently can be placed into the temporary custody of a responsible adult, the preference as outlined in the law is an on-duty health-care provider, law-enforcement officer, social services worker and certified emergency medical services worker. The bills remove the option of surrendering to any individual out of concerns that the individual could be connected with human trafficking. There are safe surrender/safe haven laws in every state, Sen. Jim Burgin, R-Lee, said in support of SB20. Its designed to provide a safe alternative for a desperate parent of a newborn who may be tempted to engage in action harmful to the infant. Burgin said that Im not going to say safe surrender is a big problem in North Carolina, but in some cases I dont think we really know. DHHS said as of 2021, 16 infants have been surrendered in North Carolina. That included five in 2020. DHHS said in a statement that SB20 proposes changes to the Safe Surrender laws in line with recommendations from the N.C. Child Fatality Task Force. The law allows the parent to surrender the infant without providing his or her name. The bills would add allowing the person accepting the infant to ask the parent for their identity, the date of birth, and relevant medical history and the parents marital status if applicable. However, the parent is not obligated to provide the information, and all parental information is required to be kept confidential. The 27-year-old Lincoln woman accused of purposefully running over and killing two maintenance workers at an apartment complex has been found incompetent for trial. After a hearing Wednesday, Lancaster County Court Judge Laurie Yardley ruled Taylor Bradley was not mentally competent to stand trial, but said there was a substantial likelihood that she will become competent in the foreseeable future. She ordered Bradley be committed to the Lincoln Regional Center for treatment and set a status hearing at the end of May. At Bradley's first court appearance, held by Zoom last week, Bradley appeared not to understand what was going on and repeatedly screamed over the judge, before a corrections officer muted her microphone and began to walk away from her jail cell. A day later, her public defender filed a motion seeking a competence evaluation of Bradley. Bradley is accused of driving her Subaru into a grassy area near the clubhouse at The Lodge apartments on the afternoon of March 27 and purposely running over two men, who died at the scene. Prosecutors charged her later in the week with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of 45-year-old Ronald E. Gonzalez-Rivas and 42-year-old Christopher J. Karmazin, who were both longtime employees of the company managing The Lodge near Nebraska Parkway and 48th Street. Bradley also was charged with the attempted murder of a third man, Robert Sargent, and with three counts of use of a deadly weapon (the car) to commit a felony. Court records provided few details about what preceded the killings just before 1:30 p.m. Lincoln Police Chief Teresa Ewins described the attack as "purposeful" and said it was carried out with "intent." Officers responding to the scene found Bradley traveling toward them in her damaged sedan on Briarpark Drive and arrested her. A change to how family farms and small businesses are considered in the federal student aid formula has raised concerns among state lawmakers and higher education leaders that Nebraska students could lose out on financial assistance for college. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid better known as FAFSA currently exempts the net worth of those assets as part of a needs analysis formula to determine how much financial assistance students qualify to receive. But an overhaul to the program passed by Congress and signed by former President Donald Trump in December 2020 would remove that exemption beginning in the 2024-25 school year, potentially making it harder for some students to apply for and receive financial aid. If the change stays in place, for example, families with an adjusted gross income of $60,000 or more who fill out the FAFSA would be required to report the net worth of their family farms or businesses with fewer than 100 employees. According to a study by the Iowa Student Aid Commission, a family with that reported level of income is currently expected to contribute a little more than $7,600 to their childs college education every year. If that same familys $1 million farm is considered, as it would be under the change to the formula, the expected family contribution would skyrocket to more than $41,000, potentially making those students ineligible for some federal and state aid programs and more reliant on student loans. Its really going to have some devastating impacts on families, said Ritchie Morrow, financial aid officer for the Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education. Currently, there is no data to show how many students could see their Student Aid Index the piece of the needs assessment formula formerly known as Expected Family Contribution rise dramatically in the coming year. Because families havent been required to report the net worth of their farm or small business, the Coordinating Commission, which administers several financial aid programs and tracks the number of Nebraska students who fill out the FAFSA every year, hasnt compiled that information, Morrow said. But its believed that the change to the formula will disproportionately affect students and families from rural areas of the Cornhusker state, where families may own some farm ground and equipment in addition to running a small business. University of Nebraska President Ted Carter and other administrators of Nebraskas public and private colleges and universities are planning to share their concerns with the federal Education Department, too. At a time when affordable access to higher education has never been more important, the inclusion of family farms and small businesses in the FAFSA calculation has the potential to negatively impact university students who come from rural and farming communities, Carter said. Morrow said a lack of guidance from the U.S. Department of Education about how families should report the net worth of their farm or business already something that is not an absolute science ahead of the December rollout is further complicating the issue. A family farm is not a normal asset, Morrow said. If youve got stocks, you can sell a stock to help pay for a students college education, but you cant sell off part of a family farm. Forty-five state senators led by Education Committee Chairman Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil raised that point in a March 31 letter to the U.S. Department of Education and members of Nebraskas federal delegation asking for the change to be reversed. This unfairly assumes that small businesses and family farms can be used as liquidity to pay for college, the letter states. The Department and Congress should strongly reconsider incorporating family farm and small business assets into the calculation. Both scenarios unfairly assume that these assets are a sign of accumulated wealth. The National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs, of which Morrow is a part, has sent a letter to the department asking for clarification, but has not received any answers, just a promise that the issue would be looked into, he said. Time is running out, Morrow said. If Congress is going to make a change on this, they really need to get the ball rolling. Once you hit a certain time in the calendar, theres not going to be any way for the department to make any changes. Top Journal Star photos for April 2023 Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and state Sen. Suzanne Geist will advance to the general election in what has already become a heated race where public safety and very different characterizations of crime in Lincoln has become a central campaign issue. Gaylor Baird, a Democrat, had a substantial lead in the three-way race with 49%, followed by Geist with 34%. Stan Parker, a Republican and former Husker who founded and runs the Christian ministry MyBridge, trailed with 17% of the vote. Gaylor Baird, who was watching the returns with other Democratic candidates and supporters at the bar 1867, said she was optimistic at the 9 p.m. returns, but noted there were still ballots to be counted. "I'm hopeful and joyful and grateful about where returns are right now," she said. She said the early returns show the truth resonated with voters, and a positive vision of Lincoln her administration has pursued, as opposed to the negative ads from Geist's supporters. "The negativity isnt getting traction because it's not people's experience in Lincoln," she said. Geist, who gathered with supporters at the bar Rosie's, said shes confident she will prevail in the general election. Im excited. I think people of Lincoln have spoken, she said. I believe that the people of Lincoln have seen an uptick in crime and theyre tired of their taxes being raised and theyre ready for a change. Lancaster County Election Commissioner Todd Wiltgen said about 5,500 early vote ballots still need to be counted on Wednesday, along with about 430 provisional ballots, which will be counted later this week. The margin between Geist and Gaylor Baird could be closer in the general election, assuming at least a portion of the votes cast for Parker will now go to Geist. City elections are nonpartisan, meaning no party labels appear on the ballot and the top two vote-getters in the primary advance to the May 2 general election, regardless of party affiliation. But parties do recruit and support candidates and that partisan support is likely to become even more apparent in the coming month. Already, this is the most expensive mayors race in the citys history, with Geist raising well over $1 million and Gaylor Baird more than $975,000. Deep-pocketed Republican donors have also impacted the race. Together Nebraska, a conservative political action committee funded primarily by the Peed family, their business Sandhills Global and U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts family has raised $660,000 and has spent more than $314,000 to oppose Gaylor Baird. The race so far has been marked by ads many sponsored by Together Nebraska attacking Gaylor Bairds handling of discrimination and harassment allegations by seven former and current Lincoln police officers, and focusing on a recent spike in homicides and some other crimes. Gaylor Baird has taken a broader view of crime statistics, pointing out crime last year decreased relative to the previous five years and that the citys violent crime rate is at a 30-year low. Gaylor Baird, who is seeking a second term, has primarily focused on her accomplishments leading up to the primary, including her administrations $211 million investment in streets, leading the city during the pandemic and subsequent economic recovery, and adding both police officers and firefighters. She did strike back at ads sponsored by Together Nebraska claiming Gaylor Baird lives outside Lincoln, and Bold Nebraska, an environmental advocacy group that supports Gaylor Baird, has sent texts pointing out Geists support of legislative bills that would support private schools. Unofficial final results roll in for Lincoln 2023 primary election Lincoln Mayor Candidate Party Votes Suzanne Geist Republican 19,138 Leirion Gaylor Baird (I) Democrat 28,838 Stan Parker Republican 9,945 Lincoln City Council District Candidate Party Votes 1 Taylor Wyatt Republican 5,801 1 James Michael Bowers (I) Democrat 6,196 2 Tom Duden Republican 7,202 2 Bailey Feit Democrat 5,797 2 Thein Chu Democrat 2,144 2 Peter Katt Republican 4,671 3 Elina Newman NP 4,602 3 Justin Carlson Democrat 7,970 4 Kay Siebler Democrat 1,333 4 Maggie Mae Squires Democrat 1,744 4 Brodey B. Weber Democrat 2,102 4 Wayne Reinwald Republican 2,417 Lincoln Airport Authority Candidate Party Votes Chris Stokes Republican 23,704 Chris Hove Republican 17,429 Nathan Janulewicz Democrat 11,863 Vanessa Emlich Democrat 17,632 Sammy Luci Republican 9,150 Lincoln Board of Education District Candidate Party Votes 2 Piyush Srivastav Democrat 5,342 2 Emmy Pollen Republican 4,443 4 Annie Mumgaard (I) Democrat 2,468 4 Alaina Brouillette Republican 1,590 6 Bob Rauner (I) NP 6,562 6 Richard R. Aldag IV Republican 3,223 An environmental consultant put on a strong showing in Tuesdays primary election for the lone open seat on the Lincoln Board of Education. Democrat Piyush Srivastav held about 55% of the vote in unofficial final returns in his race against Republican Emmy Pollen in District 2, which covers portions of south-central and southeast Lincoln. In the two other school board races on the ballot, incumbents Bob Rauner and Annie Mumgaard held comfortable advantages over their Republican challengers. Since the top two candidates advance from each of the officially nonpartisan board races, everyone will move on to the general election, meaning Tuesdays primary is more of an early indicator of how things might shake out next month when voters return to the polls. Srivastav, who heads up an environmental consulting firm, and Pollen, a substitute in Lincoln Public Schools, are vying for a seat that opened when Connie Duncan declined to seek a third four-year term. Srivastav pointed to the message hes shared with people in his district including PTOs and neighborhood associations that is centered around helping students, and not all the distractions in education. Thats been my message that we need to focus on things that make our students smart. I feel thats resonating with everyone who Ive talked to, Srivastav said Tuesday. Ive worked extremely hard to understand all the issues facing the schools. I feel its very important for me to understand all the viewpoints. Mumgaard, a Democrat running for her third term representing north Lincolns District 4, also put on a solid showing Tuesday. Mumgaard, a virtual learning coordinator at the University of Nebraska State Museum, received 60% of the vote in her race against Republican Alaina Brouillette, who does billing at CHI Health. Meanwhile in District 6, Rauner, an independent, controlled about 65% of the votes counted so far in his race against retired state trooper Richard Aldag, a Republican. Rauner, the chief medical officer of OneHealth Nebraska and president of Partnership for a Healthy Lincoln, is running for a second term representing District 6, which covers a slice of east and central Lincoln. Aldag, who also served in the Army National Guard, runs a logistics company and is a partner in a commercial real estate group. There are seven seats on the Lincoln Board of Education, each representing a different district of the city based on geographic location and serving an unpaid four-year term. Voters will return to the polls for the general election May 2. Unofficial final results roll in for Lincoln 2023 primary election Lincoln Mayor Candidate Party Votes Suzanne Geist Republican 19,138 Leirion Gaylor Baird (I) Democrat 28,838 Stan Parker Republican 9,945 Lincoln City Council District Candidate Party Votes 1 Taylor Wyatt Republican 5,801 1 James Michael Bowers (I) Democrat 6,196 2 Tom Duden Republican 7,202 2 Bailey Feit Democrat 5,797 2 Thein Chu Democrat 2,144 2 Peter Katt Republican 4,671 3 Elina Newman NP 4,602 3 Justin Carlson Democrat 7,970 4 Kay Siebler Democrat 1,333 4 Maggie Mae Squires Democrat 1,744 4 Brodey B. Weber Democrat 2,102 4 Wayne Reinwald Republican 2,417 Lincoln Airport Authority Candidate Party Votes Chris Stokes Republican 23,704 Chris Hove Republican 17,429 Nathan Janulewicz Democrat 11,863 Vanessa Emlich Democrat 17,632 Sammy Luci Republican 9,150 Lincoln Board of Education District Candidate Party Votes 2 Piyush Srivastav Democrat 5,342 2 Emmy Pollen Republican 4,443 4 Annie Mumgaard (I) Democrat 2,468 4 Alaina Brouillette Republican 1,590 6 Bob Rauner (I) NP 6,562 6 Richard R. Aldag IV Republican 3,223 SCOTTSBLUFF A former Nebraska State Patrol trooper convicted of sexting with teen girls had been advised to watch his social media interactions, a prosecutor said during sentencing Monday. With good time, Brandon Dolezal, 25, will serve 20-28 years in prison on charges associated with sexting involving two girls under the age of 16, District Judge Travis OGorman said. The offenses allegedly occurred from December 2020 to February 2021 and included video and photos of at least one of the girls, according to court records. At the time of the offenses, Dolezal had been stationed as a trooper in the Panhandle. He served from June 2020 until he was terminated in March 2021, prior to his arrest, after an internal investigation. Before the sentencing, Sandra Allen, an assistant attorney with the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office, argued for Dolezal to get a significant sentence. She said Dolezal used his position as a Nebraska State Patrol trooper to interest teen girls and lure them. The defendant states in his pre-sentence investigation that he was in a position to help people, not harm people through his position with the Nebraska State Patrol, she said. He actually did the opposite of that. He used his position to try to find his victims. After sending Snapchat messages to girls, she said, he would talk to them about his job. He would send them pictures of his car. He would talk to them about his cases, his arrests. All in which to try to get these young victims to become interested in him. He used his position of power and authority to try to find his victims. Allen said he was warned twice by the Nebraska State Patrol about his social media use, though she did not elaborate on those warnings. Dolezals actions not only tarnished the reputation of the Nebraska State Patrol, she said, but also the victims views of law enforcement. Dolezal still faces six counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child in Douglas County. Omaha police arrested Dolezal after a 15-year-old girl had been reported missing in November 2022 and an investigation determined she had left with Dolezal. The girl told investigators that Dolezal had been communicating with her via a social media app. She said that he knew her age and that he had sexually assaulted her. Getting away with murder: Nebraska cold cases Patricia Webb Tina McMenamin Ali Saleh Al-Saidi Gina Bos Ann Marie Kelley Carl Bittner K.K. Kody Christi Nichols Donald Bennett Ernestine Ruschy Eugene McGuire Jay Durnil Mary Heese Gregory Moore Irvin Settje Jason Remsen Jason Vesper Brian Walker Arthur Morley Jay Blockson Jeanne Kassebaum William, Bernice and Barbara Peak Jeffrey Snoddy Joy Blanchard Demetrius Simpson Julie Derrick Leah Rowlands Letha Harley Mary Cabral Mary Cronin Merlin Mosel Mitchell Simon Patrick Vostades Rebecca Williams Richard Chadek Richard Lessley Robert Beaudoin Robert Heelan Rudolfo Flores Russell McKnight Sandy Green Sarah Neal Tyrone Banister Waddell Robinson Charles Hanks Technology enterprise in Tianjin shares opportunities of coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region Xinhua) 10:02, April 05, 2023 This photo taken on April 3, 2023 shows circuit boards produced by Traffic Control Technology Equipment Co., Ltd. in Wuqing District, north China's Tianjin. The Traffic Control Technology Equipment Co., Ltd. in north China's Tianjin is seeing a continuous increase in order volume this year. Inside the factory, dozens of machines are running at full capacity, and rows of circuit boards for the train operation control system are waiting to be delivered after rolling off automatic production lines. Headquartered in Beijing, the enterprise officially went into production in 2020. It has reduced the operation cost by about 30% thanks to the supportive polices provided by the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. (Xinhua/Li Ran) (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) Lawmakers advanced a key piece of Gov. Jim Pillens plan Tuesday to balance out the spread of state funding to Nebraskas public schools. LB583 is the operational piece of Pillens education package, according to state Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue, who introduced the bill on his behalf. The legislation would increase state aid for special education, and will ensure every school district gets at least $1,500 for every student they enroll. The bill advanced through the first round of debate in a 39-3 vote Tuesday following two days of floor discussion. It still needs to pass two more rounds of debate before it is sent to Pillens desk to be signed into law. Omaha area lawmakers generally agree that the lack of state funding for education is a problem, and that it is a major contributor to rising local property taxes. Nebraska is near the bottom of U.S. states in terms of state funding for education, although when combining state and local spending, its in the top half. It is time Nebraska gets behind funding our public schools, Sanders said. Education reform was a pillar of Pillens gubernatorial campaign last year, where he pitched a plan to completely dissolve the existing state school funding formula, and fund schools on a per-pupil basis. Since then, his plan has modified and is partially reflected in LB583. The other portion of the plan, LB681, would establish a $1 billion Education Future Fund with $250 million added in each of the following years to support some of the planned increase in school spending. That bill has not advanced out of its committee. Additionally, Pillen wants to impose a 3% cap on school revenue growth. Initially offered as separate legislation, that cap now is included in a bill that advanced last week as part of Pillens tax relief package. Under LB583, the bill that advanced Tuesday, state support for schools would increase by about $305 million in the first year. One part of the bill would increase state funding for special education so that the combination of state and federal support would cover 80% of costs. Currently, they cover around 40% of costs, with the rest coming from schools general fund budgets. The $1,500 in new foundation aid for every student would primarily affect districts that dont receive equalization aid under the current funding formula. Districts that receive enough equalization aid to account for more than $1,500 per student would not receive the foundation aid; if equalization aid amounts to less than $1,500 per student, the foundation aid would make up the difference. The foundation aid proposal is based on the concern raised by Pillen and some lawmakers that equalization aid is distributed to a minority of school districts even though it makes up the bulk of state funding for education. Currently, only 86 of Nebraskas 244 school districts receive equalization aid. Other districts have relatively large property tax bases compared to their enrollments, so the state aid formula requires them to depend more heavily on local property taxes. Sen. Tom Briese of Albion said his local school district gets only about 6% of its budget from the state, while some urban districts receive more than half their funding from the state. Thats not equitable, Briese said. In fact, thats unconscionable. However, opponents argued that districts receiving equalization aid do so because they have the highest needs and enroll the majority of Nebraskas students. Omaha Sens. Terrell McKinney and Justin Wayne said the bill largely neglects the school districts in the Omaha area, providing only a slight increase to their special education funding even though they have a high number of students in poverty. Wayne said the legislation is an example of quiet racism that he often sees in the Nebraska Legislature disproportionately hurting low-income areas with high populations of people of color and benefiting rural areas with less diversity and income disparity. At the end of the day, we are picking winners and losers instead of just funding kids, Wayne said. Omaha Public Schools opposed LB583 at its public hearing in February. The bill saw support from other education organizations such as the Nebraska Association of School Boards, the Nebraska Council of School Administrators, Millard Public Schools and the Lincoln Board of Education. Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte said investing more money into rural school districts helps with the problems urban districts face. With more funding, he said, rural districts can better retain their students, and thus limit the overcrowding and infrastructure challenges in urban districts. Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha also opposed the bill, arguing that because of the property tax reductions that are proposed in other bills this session, many districts may not be able to use the additional funding in LB583 for school improvements. Instead, she said, they will have to use it to offset the loss in property tax revenue. She repeatedly referred to the funding in the bill as replacement dollars. Lawmakers resisted multiple attempts to amend LB583, including one amendment from Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth that would have increased the number of equalized districts by bringing down property valuations. Though Brandts amendment was based in another bill that had its own public hearing, LB320, opponents contended that it was a last-minute change that would be too large and complex. Several lawmakers argued the amendment would compromise the integrity of the entire package. If we tinker with this, the whole house falls apart, said Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of the Omaha area. After Brandts amendment failed in a 17-29 vote, Wayne, who supported the amendment, said the 17 yes votes suggest LB583 may not have the 33 votes needed to end debate and get to a vote in future rounds. Wayne said he would work to persuade lawmakers to vote against ending a filibuster during the second round of debate unless the Legislature approves other amendments he plans to introduce. Meet the Nebraska state senators making laws in 2023 What will make us finally act? What did you do Monday? I know what I did. I started a home project, and then caught some news blip about a school shooter killing children and teachers before turning a gun on herself. After seeing a bit of this on the news, I shut the TV off and went back to my project. Just another day in the USA. Pretty sad. Now, we have some very smart people in Washington, D.C. Just ask them. Most, if not all, have never had a close loved one shot and killed or, more importantly, one of their children. Yet, here we go again! Guns dont kill; people kill. This is 100% accurate. But drugs dont kill. The people who choose to take them kill or die from overdoses. Its not the drugs fault. So legalize all of them! Heck, to get what used to be an over-the-counter allergy medicine, I now need to have my ID scanned because I might be collecting the drug to make methamphetamine. Just put it back on the counter for sale and forget anyone having to give an ID. And abortion rights. Save the unborn. To heck with the already born. If they die in school at the hands of a gun-toting person, so be it. When will there be some gun law restrictions? When someone with a lot of money and influence loses a loved one to gun violence. A sad fact but true. Randy Clark, Lincoln Problem isnt all the guns I grew up in the 1950s and early 60s. Our fathers fought in the war, and you could buy M1 carbines (the original American assault rifle by todays standards) from a catalog for under $100. We watched Westerns on TV, bought our toy guns and played shoot-em-up outside. We watched Combat, a World War II show, and again bought our toy guns and played shoot-em-up, outside. GI Joe was all the rage. YouTube is filled with toy gun adds of the day. And then came the radical late 1960s, Vietnam, racial riots in our cities, radical groups robbing banks for the cause of the day, with their SMGs and rifles. Then came the 2000s video game shoot-em-up games played on a computer, cell phone toxicity and targeting and bullying, selfies with your 15 minutes of cyberfame all essentially antisocial activities all about me. And unsupervised kids allowed to say anything, fantasize anything and then act out anything with little parental intervention. A great babysitter that computer. And we wonder what happened to todays kids, shooting up schools and such? Must be the guns, nothing wrong with our kids. Really? Go ahead blame the guns, the behaviors will just get worse, mark my words. John M. Stanley, Ceresco The History Channel plans to film episodes of the American Pickers television series in Wisconsin in June. American Pickers is a documentary series that explores the world of antique picking on The History Channel. The show follows skilled pickers in the business as they hunt for Americas most valuable antiques. They are always excited to find historically significant or rare items, in addition to unforgettable characters and their collections. As they hit the back roads from coast to coast, the Pickers are on a mission to recycle and rescue forgotten relics. Along the way, they want to meet characters with amazing stories and fun items. They hope to give historically significant objects a new lease on life while learning a thing or two about Americas past along the way. A few Racine County businesses were featured on the show before. Hippie Toms Serendipity Farm, located at 6404 Marsh Road in the Town of Waterford, was on American Pickers in 2010. Karwowskis Oak Clearing Farm, located at 704 S. Colony Ave. in Yorkville, was featured in 2017. The show is looking for leads for people with unique items, a story to tell and is ready to sell. If interested, send name, phone number, location and description of the collection with photos to americanpickers@cineflix.com or call 646-493-2184. Pickers only pick private collections. Photos: Waterford's Hippie Tom of 'American Pickers' fame through the years, from 2013 to now Hippie Tom's Serendipity Farm open to the public Memorial Day weekend 2022 Leslie Villarreal shops at Hippie Tom's Serendipity Farm in the Town of Waterford 'Hippie Tom' Tom Cerny shows off some of the merchandise available at his shop Hippie Tom Spring Sale Hippie Tom Spring Sale Hippie Tom Spring Sale Hippie Tom Spring Sale Hippie Tom from American Pickers Hippie Tom Spring Sale Hippie Tom Spring Sale Hippie Tom Benefit Fire Benefit Hippie Tom 19.jpg Hippie Tom 24.jpg Hippie Tom 13.jpg Hippie Tom 14.jpg Hippie Tom 16.jpg Hippie Tom 18.jpg Hippie Tom 12.jpg Hippie Tom 11.jpg Hippie Tom 08.jpg Hippie Tom 03.jpg Hippie Tom 07.jpg Hippie Tom 09.jpg Hippie Tom 01.jpg Hippie Tom 10.jpg Hippie Tom RACINE Mayor Cory Mason has earned his second full term as mayor as the majority of Racine voters favored him over challenger Henry Perez. Mason gathered a total of 8,596 votes, according to unofficial election results. Perez received 6,376 votes. Of the 14,972 total votes cast, Perez received 42.6% and Mason received 57.4%, winning by 14.8 percentage points. Mason, a former teachers union staffer and state legislative staffer, served in the state Assembly for 10 years before moving into City Hall. He won a special election for mayor in 2017 after his predecessor resigned, and then was elected to a full four-year term in 2019. Mason, 50, will stay in office for the next four years at a salary of $82,201 a year. He noted he was honored and proud to have won this election by a larger margin than he won his first election. In September 2017, according to unofficial results, Mason won the special election by gathering 38.32% of the vote, with Sandy Weidner not far behind at 33.03% of the vote, a difference of 5.29%. After receiving results at a watch party Tuesday night at The Branch at 1501, 1501 Washington Ave., Mason said he had a deep feeling of gratitude. It has been an extraordinary four years, and I am so deeply honored to have won the trust and confidence of the citizens of Racine to serve as your mayor for another four years, Mason said. Although the mayors office is nonpartisan, Mason is a longtime Democrat who once served as a Democratic state lawmaker. Perez, on the other hand, describes himself as a conservative who supported former Republican President Donald Trump. Mason noted hes worked hard to create safe and healthy neighborhoods, lift up the middle class and build a stronger and better community. A February primary resulted in Mason leading with 43% of the vote, followed by Perez with 30% and a third candidate, Jim DeMatthew, finished out of the running with 27%. Perez, 62, an alderman, was formerly a police officer in Miami, Florida, moved to Racine in 2005 and was elected to the City Council in 2013, serving for the past 10 years. He ran for a seat on the Racine County Board last year but lost. Perez did not return multiple phone calls requesting comment. However, Perez posted to Facebook on Wednesday conceding the race and thanking his supporters. Unfortunately, it was not my time, Perez wrote. I am saddened as to where our city will go as we continue in darkness Please pray for our (Racine City) Council as we continue to make decisions that will affect us within 2 weeks of passing the items. And pray for Cory Mason, too. Perez wrote on Facebook that there may be other opportunities in the future. Lets remember to keep our heads up and moving forward. Mason said he thanks Perez for running because it gave voters a choice, even though it became contentious at times. It gave voters a very clear choice about whether they wanted to move forward with a progressive vision for the future, or a different vision for the future that was different than the path that weve been on, Mason said. Weve made some amazing progress in the last four years. We are going to keep the work going. Theres so much progress to be made and were going to do that together Lets move forward. Racine Mayor Cory Mason's election night watch party, in photos Mason speaks to media Mason speaks to attendees Cory Mason watches for election results Father rubs his eyes Mason rubs his eyes Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice election results on TV Cory and Rebecca Mason Cory and Rebecca Mason Acceptance speech CALEDONIA In the April 4 election, the villages public safety referendum passed, and two new trustees are set to join the Village Board. Nancy Pierce is joining the Village Board after defeating David Rubinson in the competition to fill Tom Weatherstons place as trustee No. 1, a two-year term that comes with a salary of $6,600. Pierce gathered 4,452 votes, and Rubinson received 2,922 votes, according to unofficial results. Anthony Hammes has successfully unseated incumbent Bill Folk for trustee No. 3. Hammes received 4,158 votes and Folk received 3,796 votes. Weatherston ran uncontested to take over as village president, a two-year term with a salary of $11,000. He received 6,769 votes, according to unofficial totals. Holly McManus additionally ran uncontested to keep her seat as Trustee No. 5, receiving 6,563 votes. Trustee No. 1 Pierce won by 1,530 votes. Rubinson, a project manager for a car wash building company, would have been a newcomer to elected office. Pierce credited her win as something that started with her involvement with Leadership Racine; she graduated from the program in 2005. She said that program helped expose her to the county as a whole, and her involvement on the Caledonia Planning Commission the last two years helped bring about an understanding of the village and its governmental process. Pierce is a native of Atlanta, Georgia, and also lived in South Carolina. She moved to Wausau for a job in 1990, moved to Wind Point in 2001 and then to Caledonia in 2019. Pierce, a business consultant, mentioned three main topics in the village that shed like to address: the Interstate 94 business corridor development, the Douglas Avenue business corridor development and the quality of life within the village boundaries. She said shes pleased with the voter turnout as almost 8,000 votes were cast in some Caledonia races and pleased with her winning results. If you look at the numbers, I have to ask, how do I best represent their interest and the village as a whole? she said. Thats a balancing act. Its a combination of my skills and abilities over the course of a lifetime. Being able to say I can serve on committees is a civic responsibility. Rubinson said he definitely plans to run again in the future, but isnt sure when. I think it was a great experience, he said. The results werent what I hoped they would be, but Im sure that Nancy will do a fantastic job as our trustee. He added he thought he and Pierce were on the same page of what they want for the village. I am sure she will do a fantastic job with making the changes that I think need to be done, and I wish her all the best, he said. I thank all the people that believed in me and cast their vote for me, and I hope that I will be able to serve them in the future if I decided to run again. Trustee No. 3 Hammes won by a narrow 362 votes, securing his first elected office position. He has run for Racine Unified School Board and the Wisconsin State Assembly in the past but was not successful. Folk has held his current trustee seat since being appointed in July 2022 after the former occupant Kevin Wanggaard unexpectedly died in April 2022. Folk has served on the Caledonia Planning Commission for the last 17 years and held various positions at a county political organization. Hammes said he hopes to brand Caledonia, adding that it has no particular identity, and its an issue in bringing in new development. Hes additionally hoping to promote high value developments along Interstate 94 and address the issue homeowners are facing regarding the costly assessments from the extensions of sewer and water. Hammes said in a prepared statement that he thanks Folk for a clean and respectful race. I look forward to working with him and I wish him all the best in any and all of his future endeavors, Hammes wrote in the statement. Folk did not return multiple requests for comment before press time Wednesday. Hammes additionally thanked the voters and everyone who helped him secure the win. You know how important this is to me and I will represent all residents equally, without bias, and help Caledonia continue to thrive and grow, he wrote. I look forward to working with everyone on the Village Board. Let the work begin. Lets thrive! Referendum The Caledonia Village Board voted in January to ask voters this election to help determine the future of public safety, and the winning result was chosen by a margin of just 400 votes, according to unofficial tallies. A binding referendum asked voters if they favored exceeding the state imposed levy limit for hiring additional public safety personnel beginning with the 2023 levy, collected in 2024, and on an ongoing basis. The majority of voters supported it, passing the referendum. The yes answer on ballots received 4,812 votes, and the no answer on ballots received 4,412 votes. The village will now be able to add eight police officers and six fire and rescue personnel per an increased tax levy at a cost to taxpayers of $57 per $100,000 worth of property value. The village is to increase the 2023 tax levy, collected in 2024, by 10.179%, which would increase the village levy by $1,781,000 over the past years levy, for a village tax levy of $19,278,645, and on an ongoing basis, include the increase of $1,781,000 for each fiscal year going forward. Personal protective equipment the new staff members require will be included in the deal, according to a prepared statement from the village. In the statement, Village Administrator Kathy Kasper thanked the Caledonia community for supporting the village public safety departments. The addition of these public safety personnel will assist in addressing the villages service demands and ensure the community has the fire and police staff needed in place to continue to meet the needs of our community, Kasper said. We do not take this request for additional tax levy support lightly, and will work diligently to provide the high level of service that our residents and businesses deserve. Photos of Racine County residents voting at the polls, spring Election Day 2023 Caledonia voters Sonya Johnson Maricela Carranza Kelly Glass Caledonia voting Caledonia voting sign Caledonia voters at the polls Caledonia voting line Voting Voting Turning in the ballot Voting Waiting in line Husband and wife election working duo Poll worker Mike Pinter directs voter inside Veteran Terrace on election day April 20203 Poll worker Sherry Coburn hands out a ballot Tuesday during April 2023 election in Burlington Voters cast their ballots in Burlington's Veterans Terrace April 2023 election Republican state Rep. Dan Knodl has won the special election for Wisconsins 8th Senate District, securing a two-thirds GOP majority in the chamber that allows the party to impeach state office holders. Knodl, R-Germantown, defeated Democratic challenger Jodi Habush Sinykin, of Whitefish Bay, in the race for the northern Milwaukee suburb district that had previously been held by longtime Sen. Alberta Darling, according to The Associated Press, which called the race Wednesday morning. With 99% of votes counted, Knodl received 50.9% of votes to Habush Sinykins 49.1%. All election results are unofficial until formally canvassed. Trailing candidates can request recounts if they lose by a margin of less than 1%, but must pay for it if the margin is greater than 0.25%. Thank you to my opponent for running a tough race," Knodl said in a statement issued before the race was called. "Whether you voted for me or my opponent, I intend to resolutely and faithfully represent all of my constituents. Now that the election has been decided, its time to get to work for the people of the 8th Senate District and the people of Wisconsin. Habush Sinykin conceded to Knodl Wednesday. "Unfortunately, we fell just shy of bringing home a victory for progress and fair representation, and I have called Rep. Knodl to concede the race," Habush Sinykin said. With Knodl's victory, Republicans now hold 22 votes in the 33-seat state Senate. A two-thirds vote is needed to override a governors veto, though Republicans are two seats short of a supermajority in the state Assembly. Both chambers need supermajorities in order to successfully override a governors veto. Some Democratic lawmakers have raised concern that, with such narrow margins, Republicans could suspend legislative rules requiring advance notice on a vote if several Democrats are absent from a floor session in an effort to force a veto override. A two-thirds majority gives the Senate enough votes to remove from office a state official who has been impeached by the Assembly which requires 50 votes in that chamber. Under the Wisconsin Constitution, lawmakers can remove a state official for corrupt conduct in office, or for crimes and misdemeanors. Fave 5: Reporter Kimberly Wethal shares her favorite stories of 2022 In the weeks before I joined the Wisconsin State Journal in September, I was told this: Remember that a higher education institution is like their own city. It has its own character and struggles, defined by the students who learn there and the faculty who teach them. I have seen this over and over again, and it was particularly clear when I visited UW-Platteville at Richland a week after the University of Wisconsin System ordered degree-fulfilling classes to cease because of low enrollment. During my visit, I found many of the devastated students to be emotionally invested in their campus community and committed to saving it. It's why Richland Center grieving the loss of its once-vibrant campus is my top story of 2022. UW-Madison has its own slate of issues. There, a growing population is pitted against on- and off-campus housing availability. I wrote about the tactics used to clear returning students out of the dorms to make room for freshmen, and the frenzy that ensued as students put their lives on hold to secure housing for next fall. At Madison Area Technical College, a key issue is how to alleviate barriers their students face just to get into the classroom. Finding adequate child care is one of them I wrote about the efforts to expand future access at the Goodman South Campus and its four rural campuses. Much of my beat is hard news, but some of my favorite stories are features of students who make up the character of campus. I wrote about Kirstan Gimse, the student commencement speaker who's achieving her dream of being a scientist that she saw as unattainable. I'm looking forward to diving deeper into the beat in 2023 and am so grateful for the support of State Journal subscribers that allows me to be one of the few reporters in the state dedicated solely to covering higher education. Half a loaf is better than none. Even a tenth of a loaf looks pretty tasty to Mount Pleasant these days. So it was not surprising last week when the Mount Pleasant Village Board quickly and unanimouslyapproved a proposal by Microsoft Corporation to purchase a 315-acre parcel of land in the Foxconn site to develop a $1 billion data center campus. Microsoft will pay $50 million for the land. Village President David DeGroot called it an incredible opportunity for the village and said, This is an ideal fit for TID5, and could attract additional high-quality growth for our area. We hope thats the case and this is a chance to make some use of the 3,900-acre Foxconn site that was initially expected to be the home of a $10 billion large flat-screen manufacturing plant that was projected to employ 3,000 workers at first and then grow to 13,000 workers over time. Those plans never came to fruition and after breaking ground in June 2018, Foxconn reconsidered its plan for LCD screen manufacturing citing high U.S. labor costs. It reduced its planned investment from $10 billion to $672 million with 1,454 jobs created in January, 2019 just seven months after the groundbreaking hoopla. So, yeah, a $1 billion investment by Microsoft Corporation looks pretty good given the tattered history of dealing with Foxconn. Were not getting giddy over this proposal which still needs approval from the Racine County Board. And were curious just how many jobs Microsoft will be creating so far theyve been mum on that. Scott Schanke, a professor of information technology management at the University of Wisconsin, told Wisconsin Public Radio he expects the data center will likely employ less than 100 people. Still, Schanke called the Microsoft announcement a big win for the state and region. We hope that turns out to be the case. Still, we know that Microsoft along with other technology companies began making cutbacks early this year. Microsoft in January said it was laying off 10,000 employees about 5 percent of its workforce. That makes us a little nervous and we hope the Microsoft proposal gets a good hard look from the Racine County Board before it signs off on this. 1. Yes. Police officers should be the only ones armed in the council chambers. Period. 2. Yes. Such a ban is allowed by state law, and the city council should consider it . 3. No. The possibility of violence is always present, but disarming everyone isnt the answer. 4. No. Its unwise to change the city ordinance based on one unfortunate incident. 5. Unsure. Some steps must be taken, but its hard to say if a gun ban is necessary. Vote View Results LEXINGTON Children and families are invited to the YMCA at Gothenburg Health, the Don Sjogren Community YMCA in Holdrege and the Orthman Community YMCA in Lexington for free Healthy Kids Day events in April. The Healthy Kids Day fun begins from 3-6 p.m. April 19 at the YMCA at Gothenburg Health, 910 20th St. This event will include a Gaga Pit, Nine Square, bounce houses and snacks. It is a free event, and no registration is necessary. Local and state organizations will come together in Gothenburg to promote healthy kids and families. Booths will include the Nebraska State Patrol, Gothenburg Fire, Gothenburg Health, Eastside Animal Hospital, Pony Express Family Dentistry, Gothenburg Eye Care, Gothenburg Discount Pharmacy, GECLC, First State Bank and many others. The Gothenburg Y will host a Family Fun Color Run/Walk April 28 in partnership with the Gothenburg Chamber of Commerce Spring Fling. Register by April 21 for an exclusive T-shirt. Register at the Gothenburg YMCA or on the YMCA app. The Holdrege event takes place from 6-7:30 p.m. April 28 at the Don Sjogren Community YMCA, 1415 Broadway. Free activities include bounce houses, games and community booths. Phelps Memorial Health Center will sponsor a food truck. The YMCA Kids Duck Run in Holdrege encourages kids in grades K-6 to discover their potential and will begin at 6 p.m. Pre-registration is required for the Duck Run. Following Healthy Kids Day, the Y will host a Duck Dive where participants can purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win prizes donated by local businesses. Prizes will be awarded based on ducks selected from the pool. The fun continues at the Orthman Y in Lexington, 1207 N. Grant St., Friday, April 28, with a free meal of burgers, chips and a drink on a first-come, first-serve basis. Activities will include bounce houses, Spider Mountain, vendors and more. The first 200 kids at the event will receive a beach towel, sunglasses and sunblock courtesy of the YMCA. This year, the Orthman YMCA is also partnering with Sixpence on this event. Kids are invited to participate in the 1-mile Color Run at 5:30 p.m. The race is for children ages 4 to grade 8. There is a registration fee for the race, which also includes a T-shirt if registered by April 20. For more information, go to www.ymcaoftheprairie.org or stop by the YMCA at Gothenburg Health in Gothenburg at 910 20th Street, the Othman Community YMCA in Lexington at 1207 N. Grant or the Don Sjogren Community YMCA in Holdrege at 1415 Broadway. KEARNEY It was in the midst of the pandemic when Terri Brushs son, Parker, asked her if she could do anything in the world, what would she do? And I said, Well, I would open a mobile coffee shop, Terri said. Terri had spent 22 years as a daycare provider, and she is currently a site coordinator for the Kearney Community Learning Center after-school program. She had been perusing Pinterest and saw the success of restaurants who offered pick-up or mobile services during the lockdown. Shed always loved visiting coffee shops to see their unique atmospheres, and she missed the connection with other people during the lockdown. It would work really well to have a mobile coffee shop because people were still wanting to get out but not be exposed to other people, Terri explained. Little did Terri know that Parker was doing his own research after his short conversation with his mom. Parker, a business administration major at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, presented his research and his plan for a mobile coffee trailer to Terri. He laid it all out and had everything from the inside of the trailer out what the process would be and presented it to me. How could I say no? Terri explained. That was kind of what I wanted for my kids, to know that you can live your dreams. It doesnt mean that theyre going to be successful, but youve got to try. Parker visited an array of coffee shops to see what their own business could offer, and he found a company in Denver that makes food trucks. By April 2022, the mother and son duo were ready to roll with their mobile coffee truck, Rise Coffee Co. A teacher in Axtell reached out to the Brushes about bringing the coffee truck to the smaller community to sell drinks at the school. Word about Rise Coffee Co. began to spread, and they frequently set up in smaller communities such as Axtell and Minden. They also serve at businesses, such as Kearney Regional Medical Center and Buckle Inc. corporate offices, as well as at community and private events. They post their weekly schedule every Sunday on their Facebook and Instagram pages. Rise Coffee Co. offers a large variety of hot and cold drinks, including lattes, espresso, chai tea, blended drinks, fruit smoothies, hot chocolate, Italian sodas and more. Their most popular drinks include the smores latte and the peach cobbler smoothie. Weve even taken those off the menu, and we still have people asking for it, Terri said about the smores latte. The pair have enjoyed working together, and being a family unit has helped them navigate some of the difficult parts of running a business. Its nice working with family because in some instances, you want to feel comfortable and not necessarily have to tell employees how it is. Having that family mentality, its just like, this is what I need you to do. We can kind of bark at each other, and then we are back on it and rolling, Parker said with a laugh. With one year under their belts, Terri and Parker hope to keep growing and to spread the word about Rise Coffee Co. Connecting with their customers and providing a unique service is what matters most to them. Well be able to visit with people, and were finding out a lot about different people who come driving up. They want this and this and this, and they start opening up to us about their life stories. ... Thats probably one of my favorite parts, Terri said. SIMI VALLEY, Calif. Risking Chinas ire, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy welcomed Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen to a high-level meeting on U.S. soil as a great friend of America on Wednesday in a fraught show of U.S. support. More than a dozen lawmakers, including the Houses third-ranking Democrat, joined Republican McCarthy for the talks at Southern Californias Ronald Reagan Presidential Library against a backdrop of rising tensions between the U.S. and China. The members of Congress rose to their feet to greet the Taiwanese leader at a long table lined with bouquets. The formal trappings of the meeting, and the senior rank of some of the elected officials, in themselves threatened to run afoul of Chinas position that any interaction between U.S. and Taiwanese officials is a challenge to Chinas claim of sovereignty over the island. McCarthy said he wanted Taiwans president to see that this is a bipartisan meeting of members of Congress, not any one political party. We will continue to find ways for the people of America and Taiwan to work together to promote economic freedom, democracy, peace and stability in Asia, the House speaker said. The United States broke off official ties with Taiwan in 1979 while formally establishing diplomatic relations with the Beijing government. The U.S. acknowledges a one-China policy in which Beijing lays claim to Taiwan, but it does not endorse Chinas claim to the island and remains Taiwans key provider of military and defense assistance. For Tsai, it was the most sensitive stop on a weeklong journey meant to shore up alliances with the U.S. and Central America. The U.S. House speaker is second in line of succession to the president. No speaker is known to have met with a Taiwan president on U.S. soil since the U.S. broke off formal diplomatic relations. China reacted to past trips by Taiwanese presidents through the U.S., and to past trips to Taiwan by senior U.S. officials, with shows of military force. The Chinese responded to a visit by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan last August with its largest live-fire drills in decades, including firing a missile over the island. Chinese officials pledged a sharp but unspecified response to the meeting with McCarthy. There was no immediate reaction from China on Wednesday, a holiday there. However, Chinese vessels started a joint patrol and inspection operation in the central and northern waters of the Taiwan Strait, state media announced Wednesday morning. Taiwans Ministry of National Defense said Wednesday evening it also tracked the Chinese Armys Shandong aircraft carrier passing through the Bashi Strait to Taiwans southeast. The Biden administration insists there is nothing provocative about this visit by Tsai, which is the latest of a half-dozen. The first thing to emphasize is that these transits by high-level Taiwanese authorities are nothing new, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters Wednesday during travel in Europe. They are private, they are unofficial, but they are nothing new. Given that, Beijing should not use the transits as an excuse to take any actions, to ratchet up tensions, to further push at changing the status quo, Blinken said. Theres no reason for the Chinese to overreact in any way, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday. Well watch this as closely as we can. The Taiwanese presidents visit to America comes as China, the U.S. and its allies are strengthening their military positions and readiness for any confrontation between the two sides, with Taiwan and its claim to sovereignty a main flashpoint. Confrontation between the U.S. and China, a rising power increasingly seeking to assert its influence abroad under President Xi Jinping, surged with Pelosis visit and again this winter with the cross-U.S. journey of what the U.S. says was a Chinese spy balloon. Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war and have no official relations, though they are linked by billions of dollars in trade and investment. China regularly flies fighter planes and bombers near Taiwan to emphasize its stance that the island is obliged to eventually unite with the mainland, by force if necessary. When President Jimmy Carter formally established diplomatic relations with the Beijing government. Congress responded by writing into law that the U.S. would nonetheless retain close ties with Taiwan. For their part, Taiwanese officials in the United States and Taiwanese presidents on a succession of visits aim for a delicate balance of maintaining warm relations with their powerful American allies, without overstepping their in-between status in the U.S., or unnecessarily provoking China. To that end, no Taiwanese flag flies over the former Taiwan Embassy in Washington. Taiwanese presidents call their stops in the U.S. transits rather than visits. They avoid Washington on their itineraries as well as any public meetings between their top-level officials and those of the U.S. on American soil. On the afternoon of April 1, a man delivered a case of toilet paper to LaRaine Kosinski at the north Wendy's in Grand Island, where she works, and demanded $120.63. Brandon Latimer, posing as a delivery driver, told Kosinski the toilet paper was meant to be delivered to her that day, and the payment was supposed to be collected on delivery. Kosinski knew nothing about it. Hall County Sheriff Rick Conrad then showed up, in uniform, to ask if he could help. Conrad then mentioned there was another delivery for her. Hall County Commissioner Gary Quandt appeared from around the corner with a dozen red roses. "I haven't had flowers like that since my husband passed away," Kosinski said Monday. The three men caught her off-guard. "I didn't even have my hair made up," she said. If she'd known about it in advance, Kosinski would have called in sick. "But I never call in sick, so they'd know I was a liar," she said. Quandt, who came up with the April Fool's idea, likes Kosinski's personality. "She's a really special person," he said. "She's kind to everybody," Quandt said, adding that an encounter with Kosinski makes a person's day. "She's just the neatest lady." Kosinski's son, Steven, died March 9 at the age of 57. "I think we really brought a little sunshine into that woman's life. Glad to see it," said Conrad, who received a big hug from Kosinski and a kiss on his cheek. Wendy's manager Niki Priest says Kosinski is "a wonderful person beautiful inside and out. She's a great asset to the store. People love her. She brings customers in." If Kosinski is not working, some people ask, "Where's LaRaine?" Kosinski works the counter and the drive-thru. She's also the restaurant's "super dishwasher," Priest said. Kosinski tries to treat everybody with respect, adding in "a little jolliness." One customer said he likes to see her "because I put a breath of fresh air into his day." To a lot of people who see her around town, she's the "Wendy's lady." Many might remember her from her time at Econofoods and U Save Foods. She was deli manager at those stores for 18 and a half years. She also cleaned homes for 18 years. She doesn't want her age used in the paper. "I'm old enough to know better, but I'm still young enough to have fun," said Kosinski, who graduated from Grand Island Senior High in 1960. The people at Wendy's think she's been working there 14 years. But it's more like 18. They also think she's younger than she is. Kosinski believes working keeps arthritis and dementia at bay. But she's in good health. After six hours on her feet Monday, she wasn't tired at all. She gives a lot of credit to health products, including those made by company called Balance of Nature. The income helps fund birthday gifts for her eight grandchildren. "A fast $20 is always good for a 5-year-old," she said. Kosinski grew up on a farm near Farwell. "At the age of 5, I was already milking five cows," she said. The Guernseys and Jersey cows were friendly. The Holsteins were a whole different story. The family rented their land from a neighbor. "My folks rented it for $100 a year," she said. She moved with her family to Grand Island in 1948. Kosinski, whose maiden name was Dymek, can still speak Polish. She met her husband, Edward, at a dance in St. Paul. He passed away in 2013 at the age of 73. They had been married for almost 52 years. Kosinski was 5-foot-5 at one time. Now, she stands 4-9. She won't be working at Wendy's much longer. She gave her notice April 3. Her last day will be April 15. After that, she plans to work for a business that makes wigs for cancer patients. It was the second year in a row that Quandt and Conrad collaborated on an April Fool's stunt. They sprung a surprise on a Grand Generation Center employee in 2022. LG CEO Koo Kwang-mo, left, poses with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at the prime minister's office in Warsaw, Poland, last October. Courtesy of LG Group By Sah Dong-seok LG discussed ways to support Busan's potential hosting of World Expo 2030 at a workshop of presidents held last September. After the workshop LG's top executives decided to actively conduct promotional activities at home and abroad, noting that the Expo in Busan would be a nationally important and meaningful event. In October last year, right after the workshop, LG CEO Koo Kwang-mo visited Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and asked for support for Busan's Expo bid. He then expressed his gratitude for the economic cooperation between LG and Poland, saying, "The venue for communication regarding the 'new hope and future' pursued by World Expos will hopefully be created in Busan." LG Electronics CEO Cho Joo-wan speaks at an event held to promote Busan's World Expo 2030 bid in Brazil, March 13. Courtesy of LG Group LG Electronics CEO Cho Joo-wan is also visiting countries around the world as a special envoy of the country's foreign minister to ask for support for World Expo 2030 in Busan. On March 13, he visited Brazil to meet with Rodrigo Pacheco, president of the Brazilian Federal Senate and invited 15 members of the Senate and Chamber of Deputies to the Korean Embassy in Brazil to inform them of the thinking behind hosting World Expo 2030 in Busan. Then Cho flew to Chile the next day and met with Claudia Sanhueza, undersecretary of international economic relations at the Chilean Foreign Ministry, and Sebastian Gomez, director of the ministry's bilateral economic affairs and representative to Korea-Chile FTA negotiations, to ask for Chile's support for Busan's expo bid. He also visited three African nations last year to support Busan's bid for World Expo 2030. LG Electronics displays 160 flags to promote Busan's bid to host the World Expo 2030 at the IFA 2022 in Germany last September. Courtesy of LG Group The 1st District race for Chippewa Falls city council came down to a coin flip to break a tie between two write-in candidates during Tuesdays election. Incumbent 1st District Alderman John Monarski ended up on the right side of the coin. Monarski ended up as a write-in candidate and nearly lost his seat due to an error on his nomination papers. Chippewa Falls City Clerk Bridget Givens said Monarskis name could not be included on ballots due to the error, so he ran as a registered write-in candidate. Because there were no candidates on the ballot for the race, election inspectors hand counted each write-in vote, Givens said. Monarski was a registered write-in candidate, which meant if a voter were to ask if there are any registered write-in candidates, poll workers could provide his name. Monarski received 14 votes. One of those write-in candidates was Heather Pollard, who also received 14 votes. To break a tie, a method that results in a random outcome is utilized, in this case, a coin flip to determine the winner, Givens said. The election inspectors flipped a coin, and John Monarski won the coin flip. In another city election, Chippewa Falls City Alderman Christopher Gilliam, who resigned from his position as 3rd District alderman on March 10, still won reelection Tuesday. Because he put in his bid for reelection before resigning due to a relocation out of the district, his name still appeared on the ballot. Gilliam received 411 votes, official write-in candidate CW King received 10 votes and another seven votes went to non-registered write-ins. Gilliam cant take the 3rd District seat because he no longer lives in that district. They cant legally nominate me. I cant serve in that seat, so the seat is just going to become vacant, he said. Givens said by the time Gilliam had resigned the ballots were already printed and mail-in ballots had been sent out with Gilliams name on them. The most likely thing that will happen to the 3rd District seat now that Gilliam has won is the city council will vote on who they want to serve in his place. Thats what happened with District 5 councilwoman Heather Martell. Basically somebody can apply for it as if its like a job. And then the council can vote on that individual and they come forward for a hearing and whatnot. Then they take a vote on whether or not to appoint that person and since its going to be the beginning of the term, it is possible Bridget (Givens) may run a special election for it, Gilliam said. Im not sure if shell do that or not. It would depend on whether or not more than one person decides theyre interested in it. If only one person or nobody steps forward for that, they wouldnt spend the money to conduct an election. Other results Mayor Greg Hoffman won reelection, receiving 2,738 votes against 71 write-in votes. In the 5th District, Heather Martell won reelection with 258 votes against four write-in votes. In the 7th District, Jason Hiess won reelection with 399 votes against one write-in. All were running unopposed. There were two open positions to fill on the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District school board since two current members are leaving their positions, according to Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District Superintendent Jeff Holmes. There were only two candidates for those open spots: David Martineau and Peggy McKillip. Martineau received 6,679 votes, McKillip received 5,224 votes. There were 95 write-in votes. Voter turnout was high in Chippewa Falls on Tuesday. Givens said the turnout was at 45%. But it wasnt a hotly contested local race. The statewide race for Wisconsin Supreme Court brought people out in the bad weather. Jack Johnson, 55 said he cared deeply about the results of that race. I know that there have been ads all over saying she did this and he did that but Ive looked at Protasiewicz and Kelly closely. I know which way Im voting. I have to do whats right, he said. Janet Protasiewicz defeated Dan Kelly in a race for Wisconsin Supreme Court that could determine the future of abortion rights, election laws and voting rights. Lake Hallie village votes Yes on pair of referendum questions Tuesday Residents voted yes on a pair of referendum questions Tuesday to exceed the Lake Hallie Village levy limit by $810,000. Candidate for Chippewa Falls City County resigns from office due to relocation, but still on April ballot Incumbent city council members and the Mayor of Chippewa Falls are running for reelection on April 4 and before the election the District 3 councilman resigned. Council member fights to bring Safe Haven Baby Box to Chippewa Falls Chippewa Falls may become the first city in Wisconsin to have a Safe Haven Baby Box after th Residents of Viroqua approved the advisory We The People amendment to the United States Constitution, April 4. There were 1,433 votes in support and 145 votes against. The following question was on the ballot: Shall the City of Viroqua, Vernon County, of Viroqua, Wisconsin adopt the following resolution? Resolved, that We the People of the City of Viroqua, seek to restore democracy from the expansion of corporate personhood rights and the corrupting influence of unlimited political contributions and spending. We stand with communities across the country to support passage of an amendment to the United States Constitution stating: 1. Only human beings are endowed with constitutional rights not corporations, unions, non-profits or other artificial entities, and 2. Money is not speech and therefore limiting political contributions and spending is not equivalent to limiting speech. This advisory referendum was the result of a city council vote at a council meeting held on Dec. 13, 2022. The request for the referendum was made by Wisconsin United to Amend. Vernon County meetings General Government Committee meets at 9:30 a.m. April 5th, 2023, in the Vernon County Boardroom and virtually. Human Resources, IT, Buildings & Facilities, Legal / Policy updates; Voucher Approval; Administrator Report; any other business Highway Safety Committee meets on April 5, 2023, at 1:30 pm at Vernon County Sheriffs Office Conference Room and via Teams. Sheriff Torgerson- Report; Luke Yahn- State Patrol; Chief Rick Niedfeldt- Viroqua Police; Phil Hewitt- Highway Dept; Brad Byom- DOT; Dan Kontos- DOT Safety Report; David Hartberg- VMH; Tom Burkhalter- School Issues; Brandon Larson- Emergency Management; - Dave Robinson- Media; confirm next meeting date. LEPC Committee meets at 1 pm April 10th, County Board Room of the Courthouse Annex and via Microsoft TEAMS. Discussion on use of County Vehicle - ACTION ITEM; Review/ Approve By-laws- ACTION ITEM; Review/ Approve State HazMat Contract- ACTION ITEM; Review/ Approve County Wide Hazardous material/Strategic plan- ACTION ITEM; Discussion on repair of FLIR R300 Radiation Meter ACTION ITEM; Discussion on 2024-2026 Vernon Co Integrated Preparedness Plan; Discussion on County Multi Hazard Mitigation Plan; Update on HazMat Call 2019-03; Emergency Management Directors Report; DNR Spill Reporting; Responses Made; Public Health Preparedness Update; Confirm next meeting date. Vernon County Board of Health will meet on March 14th, 2023, at 1 pm in the Vernon County Board Room and remote access via Teams. Formatted: Coroners Report; Public Health Preparedness; WIC Program; Environmental Health Activities and Programs; meeting date VIROQUALeland Mathew Lee Volden, age 97, formerly of Viroqua, WI, passed away Monday, March 27, 2023, at Aase Haugen in Decorah, IA. He was born in Harmony Township, Vernon County, on December 1, 1925 to Ole C. and Delia E. (Hanson) Volden. After graduating from Viroqua High School in 1943, Lee enlisted in the Army Air Corps during World War II, serving as a Radio Operator/Gunner on B-36 and B-24 bombers from 1944-1946. Following his service, Lee earned his pilot license and loved flying airplanes. He worked as a geological land surveyor for Western Geophysical until 1949, before returning to the family farm, near Viroqua. He met Donna Hauser at a dance at the Avalon in La Crosse, and they married at Trinity Lutheran Church on October 18, 1952. Leland purchased the family dairy farm in 1963, where he farmed until 1991. Lee will be remembered as a hardworking farmer who was up before the sun every day and usually worked well past sunset. He was an International Harvester Tractor man who milked a Jersey herd, and raised corn, oats, alfalfa, and tobacco for many years. He enjoyed listening to Paul Harvey and watching Westerns with his family after chores were done. During summer, Lee enjoyed canoe outings on the Kickapoo River with relatives or traveling to airshows, while in Winter he went snowmobiling with neighbors. Leland was a member of the American Legion, belonged to a neighborhood card club, participated in church book clubs, and was a member of a local square dance club. He was a life-long member of Zion Lutheran Church. After his retirement, Leland and Donna moved to a smaller acreage near West Prairie, before going to live at Maplewood Assisted Living in Viroqua and at Aase Hagen in Decorah. When Donna passed in 2018, they had been married for 66 years and raised five children together. Lee truly loved visiting his children and grandchildren whenever possible. Family reunions allowed him to travel to destinations like the Black Hills, Yellowstone, Hawaii, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, and cruise to Alaska. Lee survived cancer, a quadruple heart bypass, and suffered with dementia in later years. Blessed be his memoryMay he rest in peace. Leland is survived by his five children: Mark (Vicki) Volden; Eric Volden, Cindy (David) Legg, Rhonda (Chris) Storlie, and Renae (Kevin) Smith; 14 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. In addition to his parents, Lee was preceded in death by his wife, Donna; and his siblings: Bernice Solberg, Ona Allen, Helen Ramsette, Glen Volden and Donald Volden. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at the Zion Lutheran Church with Pastor Rich McLeer officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in the Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery. Visitation will be on Wednesday, April 5, 2023 from 9:30 a.m. until time of the service at the church. The family suggests that memorials in Lelands name be directed to Zion Lutheran Church or to a charity of your choice. Thorson-Popp Funeral and Cremation Services in Viroqua is entrusted with his services. Online condolences: www.thorsonpopp.com. Over half of registered voters cast their ballot in the La Crosse County spring elections, with a significant portion of voters choosing to vote prior to election day. Of the 72,302 registered voters in the county, 37,652 or 52.1% voted in the nonpartisan election some of the highest voter turnout the county has seen in recent years. With an expensive and highly watched Supreme Court race, experts anticipated high turnout across the state. Wisconsin usually sees less than a million votes cast in off-year spring elections without a presidential primary, according to data from the Wisconsin Elections Commission. There are two outliers: the 2019 April election that saw 1.2 million ballots cast and the 2011 April election that saw 1.5 million. Last April, only 29% of voters participated in the nonpartisan election. In 2020, 42.6% of voters turned out, but there was a presidential primary that influenced turnout. April 2018 was the last local non-partisan election when there was not also a presidential primary occurring. In that election, only 28% of La Crosse county voters participated. Areas in the county that saw the largest percentage of turnout were in the city of La Crosse. Polls at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse saw the highest turnout at about 67% of registered voters. Nearly 35%, about 13,000, of those who voted in the county did so via mailed absentee ballots or in-person early absentee. Early voting numbers for this election nearly doubled those from last years spring election, when only about 6,100 people voted early. County results Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Janet Protasiewicz defeated former Supreme Court Judge Dan Kelly for a seat on the state Supreme Court with 55.5% of the vote giving liberals a court majority for the first time in over a decade. The majority La Crosse County voters supported Protasiewicz for the position on the court. About 64% or 23,961 voters selected Protasiewicz to Kellys 13,287 or 35.6%. Three statewide referenda were on the ballot for voters to weigh in on. Voters in La Crosse county and statewide overwhelmingly supported all three. Two-thirds of voters supported the two measures that expand criteria judges are to consider when setting cash bail and other conditions for releasing someone before trial. Voters also weighed in on an advisory referendum about welfare work requirements. Almost 80% of La Crosse County voters said they think able-bodied, childless adults (should) be required to look for work in order to receive taxpayer-funded welfare benefits. That referendum is nonbinding, meaning the outcome wont change any state policies. Many Wisconsinites already are subject to work requirements as a condition for certain taxpayer-funded benefits like FoodShare assistance. Tomah Area School District voters Tuesday approved a referendum to exceed state-imposed revenue caps by $2.5 million per year for the next four years. The vote was 2,819 in favor and 2,207 against. The referendum replaces a four-year, $1.5 million measure that was approved in 2019. The district has asked the voters to exceed revenue caps since 2016. Superintendent Mike Hanson said the funds will be used to maintain current educational programs for our students, salary and benefits for all staff, along with maintaining school safety and security measures and school facilities. School officials have said passage of the referendum will result in minimal change to the existing mill rate. Operational referendum monies will become part of our overall budget similar to previous years, Hanson said. West Salem voters Tuesday approved a referendum to boost police coverage in the village. The referendum was approved by a margin of 890 to 712, or 55.6% to 44.4%. Voters were asked to increase property taxes by $500,000 per year to fund three new sworn officer positions in the West Salem Police Department. The three positions will be filled by two patrol officers and one investigator. West Salem public safety referendum . Total Vote% Yes 890 55.56% No 712 44.44% Total votes cast 1,602 100% Precincts reporting 1 of 1 We are very thankful of the communitys support and investment into their police department, police chief Kyle Holzhausen said. The addition of these police officers will allow the village to provide 24/7 police protection to the community by providing our residents with the most efficient, effective, and responsible police service possible. The village has a staff of 10 sworn officers seven patrol officers, a school resource officer, a police captain and police chief. Our members are thankful and excited to continue our partnership with our community now and into the future, Holzhausen said. Village administrator Teresa DeLong said the referendum was the only option for increasing police protection. State-imposed revenue limits place a cap on what municipalities can raise through property taxes, and the formula limited the village to a $13,000 increase in 2022. The referendum was projected to increase taxes by $114.11 annually on a $100,000 property. The support for our police department and its work for village residents is incredible, DeLong said. Our residents showed to the village board by their votes yesterday how important a fully staffed and well-trained police department is to the excellent quality of life in West Salem. I am looking forward to this community seeing increased proactive policing here. Students learn best on a full stomach. All too often, the most reliable meals children can access on a daily basis are provided by schools. While everyday costs are settling, they are still far too high for the average western Wisconsin family. High prices at the grocery store, the gas pump and the doctors office force many families to choose what bills to pay and prioritize. Parents work hard and do their best to provide their kids with opportunities for success, but sometimes financial constraints make it difficult to provide a healthy meal. Many students currently participate in the free and reduced lunch program based on family income eligibility, but we can do more to help our working families. We must pass a state budget that includes full funding for school breakfasts and lunches. At a time when government should be helping make it easier for working families, its a no-brainer to ensure that no child ever go hungry in school. This is a commonsense, practical and moral policy that should receive bipartisan support. This policy is also good for our states family farmers. Wisconsin farmers provide nutritious and healthy food every day that kids enjoy, such as milk, yogurt, cheese, fresh fruit and vegetables. These quality, nutritious meals improve student health, reducing the chances of obesity, diabetes and other health conditions. It is essential that we continue to support these producers by fostering stronger connections and providing greater reimbursements for schools that include locally sourced foods for students. Children should never go hungry. It is clear that school breakfasts and lunches enhance the education our kids receive, helping them learn and grow. I applaud Gov. Tony Evers for his efforts to ensure that this becomes a reality and am proud to support school breakfasts and lunches for students across western Wisconsin. MADISON, Wis. (AP) Republican state Rep. Dan Knodl defeated a Democratic attorney to win an open Senate seat in Tuesdays special election, creating a GOP supermajority in the chamber that could be used to impeach Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and other office holders. Knodl defeated Jodi Habush Sinykin in the 8th District race. The seat represents Milwaukees northern suburbs and has leaned red for years. It came open after longtime Republican incumbent Alberta Darling decided to retire in November. Evers called a special election to fill the position. "This campaign has always been about focusing on the issues, like rising prices, crime, and education, and I am incredibly grateful to the voters of the 8th Senate District for placing their trust in me to represent them in the Wisconsin State Senate, Knodl said in a statement Wednesday. Whether you voted for me or my opponent, I intend to resolutely and faithfully represent all of my constituents, he said. Knodls victory gives Senate Republicans 22 votes in the 33-seat chamber. Thats enough to override a gubernatorial veto in that house. A successful override takes a two-thirds vote in the Senate and Assembly, however, and Assembly Republicans remain two seats shy of the 66 they need. Knodls win also gives Senate Republicans enough votes to convict a civil officer, including the governor, other constitutional officers such as the attorney general and judges in impeachment trials. Knodl has said he probably would not support an attempt to impeach Evers. The state constitution says civil officers can be impeached, including the governor, lieutenant governor and judges. A February analysis from the Legislative Reference Bureau concluded that other constitutional officers such as the attorney general and the state schools superintendent can be impeached as well. Knodl has said he's not interested in impeaching Evers, saying he has been able to work with the governor. But he said he wants to impeach Milwaukee judges for being too lenient on criminal defendants. That list could include Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Janet Protasiewicz, he said. She won Tuesday's election to the Supreme Court and will take the seat in August. Knodl also has his sights set on Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chilsholm. Republicans have criticized the Democratic prosecutor for years as too soft on crime. They've called for his job since he acknowledged his office's bail request for Darrell Brooks Jr. was far too low. Chisholm's office requested a judge set bail at $1,000 for Brooks after he allegedly tried to run over his ex-girlfriend with his SUV in November 2021. The judge complied. Brooks posted the money and was released from jail. Days later he drove his SUV through a Christmas parade in Waukesha, a Republican stronghold. Six people were killed and dozens more were hurt. Chisholm has said an assistant prosecutor handling Brooks' initial case never had access to his risk assessment and shouldn't have asked for such a low bail amount. Habush Sinykin, who holds a law degree from Harvard, worked as an attorney for Midwest Environmental Advocates. She was a key litigator in a lawsuit challenging Wisconsin wolf hunters' right to use dogs. An appeals court ultimately rejected MEA's arguments in 2014. She said she's running for the Senate to stop Knodl from winning the seat, saying it's crucial that checks on the Legislature's power remain in place. MADISON, Wis. (AP) The outcome of the race for an open Wisconsin state Senate seat thats been under Republican control for decades was too early to call Tuesday, with only a few hundred votes separating the candidates in a contest that could put the GOP a step closer to being able to override Gov. Tony Evers vetoes or even impeach him. Republican Rep. Dan Knodl held a narrow lead over Democratic attorney Jodi Habush Sinykin. The Associated Press will continue to track the vote count and consider declaring a winner as election officials confirm they have completed their tabulation of all outstanding ballots. The 8th Senate District, which includes Milwaukee's northern suburbs, came open in November after longtime Republican incumbent Alberta Darling chose to retire after serving 30 years in the Senate. Evers called a special election to fill the position to coincide with Tuesday's state Supreme Court election. A Knodl victory would give Republicans the 22nd vote they need to have a supermajority in the Senate, giving the GOP enough votes to override an Evers veto in the Senate. A fully successful override requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers, however, and Assembly Republicans are two seats shy of the 66 they need in that house. But vetoes still wouldn't be safe; if two Democratic Assembly members can't attend a floor session Republicans would have enough votes to override. A Knodl win also would enable Republicans to impeach Democratic rivals in the executive and judicial branches. Fifty votes in the Assembly is enough to trigger an impeachment trial in the Senate. It would take a two-thirds majority vote in that house to convict. The state constitution says civil officers can be impeached, including the governor, lieutenant governor and judges. A February analysis from the Legislative Reference Bureau concluded that other constitutional officers such as the attorney general and the state schools superintendent can be impeached as well. Knodl has said he's not interested in impeaching Evers, saying he has been able to work with the governor. But he said he wants to impeach Milwaukee judges for being too lenient on criminal defendants. That list could include Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Janet Protasiewicz, he said. She won Tuesday's election to the Supreme Court and will take the seat in August. Knodl also has his sights set on Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chilsholm. Republicans have criticized the Democratic prosecutor for years as too soft on crime. They've called for his job since he acknowledged his office's bail request for Darrell Brooks Jr. was far too low. Chisholm's office requested a judge set bail at $1,000 for Brooks after he allegedly tried to run over his ex-girlfriend with his SUV in November 2021. The judge complied. Brooks posted the money and was released from jail. Days later he drove his SUV through a Christmas parade in Waukesha, a Republican stronghold. Six people were killed and dozens more were hurt. Chisholm has said an assistant prosecutor handling Brooks' initial case never had access to his risk assessment and shouldn't have asked for such a low bail amount. Habush Sinykin, who holds a law degree from Harvard, worked as an attorney for Midwest Environmental Advocates. She was a key litigator in a lawsuit challenging Wisconsin wolf hunters' right to use dogs. An appeals court ultimately rejected MEA's arguments in 2014. She said she's running for the Senate to stop Knodl from winning the seat, saying it's crucial that checks on the Legislature's power remain in place. A Russian judge has ruled that American journalist Evan Gershkovich must remain behind bars on espionage charges. The case is part of a Kremlin crackdown on dissent and press freedom during the war in Ukraine. Appearing in public for the first time in weeks, the 31-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter stood in a defendants glass cage in Moscow City Court, wearing blue jeans and a navy blue gingham checked shirt. He paced at times and occasionally smiled as he acknowledged the other journalists in the courtroom. Gershkovich is the first U.S. correspondent since the Cold War to be detained in Russia on spying allegations. Gershkovich, his employer and the U.S. government deny the charges and demand his release. WASHINGTON (AP) The moment was historic a U.S. House speaker meeting Wednesday with the president of Taiwan for a rare visit on American soil, a high-profile encounter designed to boost support for the island government but already drawing blowback from an enraged China. For Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen the meeting with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California was the most sensitive stop on her transit through the U.S. and Central America, a whirlwind diplomatic mission that is delicate, secretive and politically fraught. But for the newly elected House speaker it would signal the start of his foray into foreign affairs. The Republican leader has focused more on domestic politics at home than international concerns abroad. Outspoken, even bellicose, against China, McCarthy chose to send a more measured and diplomatic nod of support to Taiwan with the meeting. Its a very good debut, said Newt Gingrich, the Republican former speaker who led a delegation to Taiwan decades ago and advises McCarthy. I think its a useful thing to communicate to a country thats under enormous pressure that they have real allies, Gingrich said ahead of the meeting. The Taiwanese, he said, will see it as a morale boost. The private meeting between Tsai and McCarthy came against the very public backdrop of heightened U.S. focus on China over its actions at home and abroad, particularly China's potential aggression enforcing its claims over the island of Taiwan. The United States broke off official ties with Taiwan in 1979, when it formally established diplomatic relations with the Beijing government. While the U.S. acknowledges the one-China policy in which Beijing lays claim to the island of Taiwan as territory, the U.S. does not endorse China's claim to the island and remains Taiwans key provider of military and defense assistance. The session with McCarthy, who as House speaker is second in line of succession to the president, was Tsais most high-level U.S. visit during her visit, which also included a stop in New York last week. At that time, she met Friday with three U.S. senators Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., all members of the Senate Armed Services Committee -- and with House Democratic leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. Details on the event Wednesday, which included a bipartisan showing of Republican and Democratic lawmakers, had been closely held, a reminder of the pressures on her island government under the watchful eye of China. It was the first known visit between a House speaker and a Taiwan president on American territory since the U.S. broke off formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, experts said. Its particularly an opportunity to demonstrate how strong the relationship with the United States is, said Bonnie S. Glaser, the managing director of the Indo-Pacific program at the German Marshall Fund. Of course, Congress is part of that," she said. Because the lack of formal diplomatic relations greatly limits any interaction between Taiwan and U.S. leaders, "it becomes even more important that they have meetings with members of Congress. The Chinese government has expressed its displeasure ahead of Tsais meeting with McCarthy, and threatened countermeasures over any contact with the House speaker. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday it will follow the developments and resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Chinese state media announced Wednesday morning that vessels have started conducting a joint patrol and inspection operation in the central and northern waters of the Taiwan Strait. Taiwans Ministry of National Defense said it had also tracked the Peoples Liberation Armys Shandong aircraft carrier passing through the Bashi Strait, to Taiwans southeast. McCarthy, a sandwich shop operator in Bakersfield, California, before working as a congressional aide and being elected to Congress, is not known for vast foreign policy experience. Unlike Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who used her speaker's gavel as a calling card to bring U.S. influence and aid around the globe, McCarthy is focusing his speakership more inward on the domestic needs of Americans. While McCarthy has led congressional delegation trips abroad to Israel, for example, and to Normandy, France, to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II and had expressed interest in visiting Taiwan, he had not yet made plans for his own trip. Pelosi's 2022 Taiwan visit drew fierce rebuke from China with live-fire drills that included firing missiles over the island. In December, China sent planes and ships toward Taiwan in a 24-hour display of force. With the new speaker, it was decided that Tsai and McCarthy would meet in California. McCarthys more cautious foreign policy approach makes sense politically for the new leader as he tries to steer a Republican party that has become more isolationist, and less willing to engage the U.S. abroad as an earlier generation of lawmakers. McCarthy barely won his own position as House speaker in January after a grueling party election that took 15 public ballots to win over his reluctant hard-right colleagues a sizable faction of skeptics who could conceivably vote to oust McCarthy over any wrong turn. Still, McCarthy stood up a new House Select Committee on China, drawing wide-ranging bipartisan support from Democrats, executing a long-running idea of his to drill down on the Chinas rising influence in the U.S. and the world. The venue of the Reagan library and ranch in Simi Valley, near where McCarthy was raised in California's Central Valley, provides an evocative setting for him to try to lead more substantively on the global stage. He's grown up with Reagan Library, Gingrich said. It communicates strength, optimism, deep patriotism and principles that worked. The head of hiring at Tomah Health says workforce issues continue to be a challenge. Not a lot has changed from the year before, said hospital human resources director Brenda Reinert. We are facing similar recruitment challenges for physical therapists and advanced practice providers. Reinert said one difference from 2022 is an increased need for registered nurses. We have always been able to rely on our grow your own program where current employees attend nursing school and move up through the ranks. While we currently have staff in this program, our open positions currently exceed what we can fill internally, said Reinert. She said the RN shortage is new and challenging for the hospital. Reinert made the comments in light of the Wisconsin Hospital Associations 2023 Wisconsin Health Care Workforce Report, which highlighted the impact of a nursing shortage that arrived in Wisconsin for the first time since the early 2000s. The report noted that registered nurses continue to comprise more than half of the hospital workforce, adding that the size of the nursing workforce, the many roles nurses fill and the ability of nurses to bridge other workforce gaps makes a nursing shortage disproportionately impactful on hospitals and health care. Increasing pressure on the states health care workforce driven by retirements and coupled with a demand for health care by an aging population a trend referred to as the silver tsunami has long been cited in WHAs Health Care Workforce Report as a cause for concern as the state seeks to maximize worker availability, longevity and success within the industry. COVID created burnout and fatigue that is occurring with staff across all sections of health care, not just registered nurses, said Reinert. I am also seeing more desire for a work/life balance with staff. They have realized what is important to them in their lives, and while work is very important, their home life and extra-curricular activities are very important, too. The WHA report said the combination of the silver tsunami and a persistent pandemic that created increased hiring gaps in 17 of 17 professions tracked in the workforce report, with four positions registering double-digit vacancy rates. Increases in vacancy rates were especially sharp in nursing and front line technical positions, such as respiratory therapists, surgical technicians and lab technologists. WHA senior vice-president workforce and clinical practice Ann Zenk said while Wisconsins health care workforce is proud to provide top-quality care for Wisconsin and is a safety net for the communities they serve, the hospital safety net is being stretched increasingly thin. As hospital financial pressures rise, workforce challenges increase, and long-term care and public health increasingly struggle to meet their obligations, said Zenk. It is clear hospitals cannot continue to assume the health care, long-term care and public health mantle for the state on an ongoing basis without additional resources and support. Reinert said Tomah Health is looking at what is necessary to have an engaged workforce. Administratively, we are looking to create ways to satisfy some of the things that applicants are looking for whether its that work/life balance, a different structure to a schedule or maybe different types of benefits that were not important two or three years ago, added Reinert. We are always looking at what are we doing for our employees to create that happy and engaged workforce which will deliver the top-notch care that weve been known for. Tomah Health employs just over 425. Reinert said open positions at the hospital are listed on the hospitals webpage at tomahhealth.org. A copy of the full Wisconsin 2023 Health Care Workforce Report is available online at https://www.wha.org/workforce-2023. A $50,000 reward is being offered to anyone who can provide information leading to the discovery of missing Winonan Madeline Jane Kingsburys whereabouts. The reward was announced during a press conference Wednesday, where further details about the case were shared. We believe Maddis disappearance is involuntary, suspicious and we are all concerned for her safety, Winona Police Chief Tom Williams said Wednesday morning. Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Public Information Officer Bonney Bowman said authorities have not identified a suspect or specific person of interest in the investigation. We are examining all possibilities as to what could have happened to Maddi, including hopefully getting her back safely, Bowman said. Were also investigating possible foul play. We are keeping all avenues open at this time. Williams said authorities do not believe there is any threat to the public and that Madelines children are safe. Updated timeline Williams shared an updated timeline of events in the case during the press conference. She said Madeline was last seen Friday morning by the father of her children. The two had dropped off their two children at daycare together shortly after 8 a.m. Madeline then returned to her residence on Kerry Drive in Winona at about 8:15 a.m. Friday. Madeline did not show up to work that day at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, which police said would be out of character for her. The father of Maddis children has spoken to law enforcement and told us that he left the residence in Maddis van around 10 a.m. and, upon returning later in the day, Maddi was not home, Williams shared. Madelines van is described as a 2014 dark blue Chrysler Town and Country minivan. Williams said police believe a van matching the description of Madelines was driven on County Road 12 and Highway 43 in Winona County, before then traveling southbound on Highway 43 through eastern Fillmore County. Later in the day, a van matching the description of Madelines traveled back toward Winona on Highway 43. These potential movements of the van were recorded between 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. After that point, it is believed that the van remained parked in Madelines driveway. Investigators have since searched the van and Madelines residence. Inside Madelines residence, her phone, wallet, ID and the jacket she was wearing earlier in the day, were all found. Concerned family Madelines loved ones, including her sister Megan Kingsbury, were present at the press conference Wednesday. Megan addressed the public on behalf of her family, sharing about her sister and her sisters children, along with her familys appreciation for the work the community and the police department have put into helping find Madeline. Madeline is many things. Shes a mother, sister, daughter, best friend, granddaughter, niece. Its a long list, Megan said. Madeline is a hard working and dedicated mother, as well as a grad student at the U of M and she works for Mayo Clinic. Family is everything to her and shes grown into an impressive and beautiful young woman. Megan shared about the personalities of Madelines five-year-old daughter and two-year-old son. She described Madelines daughter as spunky, goofy, crafty and creative, while also having the same kindness and curiosity about the world that Madeline has. Megan said Madelines son is a chatterbox and loves dancing and rock n roll. She described him as having red hair, dimples and eyes that sparkle. Please help us find Madeline. The children need their mother. We need our daughter, our sister, our aunt, our best friend back. We just want to find her, Megan said. No response Family and friends attempted to contact Madeline throughout the day Friday, but received no response. It was unlike her not to respond, Williams said. Williams said that, with the evidence collected so far, nothing has indicated that Madeline left her home on foot or in another vehicle besides her own van on the day of her disappearance. Police declined to share further information about who could have been driving the van in Winona and Fillmore counties Friday, but they are asking the public to help figure out the whereabouts of the vehicle during that day. Authorities are asking residents and landowners in Winona and eastern Fillmore counties, especially near Highway 43, to be on the lookout for any information that may help in the investigation. In Winona County, the Winona Police Department specifically is asking for assistance from people who live or own land in the city of Winona, Wilson Township and Hillsdale Township. As for Fillmore County, the Fillmore County Sheriffs Office is asking for assistance from residents and landowners in Norway Township, Preble Township, northern Newburg Township, eastern Holt Township and eastern Amherst Township. Additionally, the Houston County Sheriffs Office requested assistance in its search from residents and landowners in the southern portion of Money Creek Township, Yucatan Township and Black Hammer Township. Footage sought People in these areas are being asked to check any cameras on their land for video of a van that matches the description or signs of a disturbance or other suspicious activity, particularly between the hours of 8 a.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday. Even if the footage on the cameras does not show the van or anything out of the ordinary, police are asking for information about the footage and encouraging residents not to delete the videos. The presence of or absence of a vehicle can also assist us in the investigation, Williams said. When checking properties, landowners should search their entire acreage, including wooded lands, outbuildings, vehicles and trails. Residents or landowners who have searched in a particular area can let their local law enforcement know by emailing search@co.winona.mn.us for Winona County or search@co.fillmore.mn.us for Fillmore County. In the email, residents should describe the area and how they searched it. Anything suspicious during this time span in these areas, along with any videos recorded, should be reported to local authorities. Additionally, search efforts for Madeline are ongoing with the help of other law enforcement agencies and volunteers, Williams said. Air and water Williams said search efforts have included people on foot and in vehicles, along with searches being completed via air and water. We are doing everything we can to bring Maddi home. We have spoken with many of her family members and friends and are actively following any developing information, he said. No stone is being left unturned. And we are using every tool at our disposal to find her. Multiple law enforcement agencies are now helping the Winona Police Department with the investigation, including the Winona County Sheriffs Office, Fillmore County Sheriffs Office, Houston County Sheriffs Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Additionally, members of the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crimes Enforcement Team are helping. Anyone with possible information about Madelines whereabouts should call 911 or the Winona Police Department at 507-457-6288 or 507-457-6302. To give a tip about her whereabouts anonymously, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or go to www.crimestoppersmn.org. Fans of local art will have an opportunity to see behind the scenes of creative spaces across southeast Minnesota later this month. The Bluff Country Studio Art Tour will take place April 28-30 at 21 locations, when southeast Minnesotas artists will open the doors to their studios. Participants will be able to see where the art is created as various types of art are created including pottery, paintings, furniture, jewelry, fiber arts and more. Bluff Country Studio Art Tour is the perfect start to spring and summer outings in Minnesota, said tour coordinator Sue Pariseau. The local landscape is just beginning to green, inviting you to explore and connect with the creatives who call this area home. The tours locations are spread through southeast Minnesota with exhibits in Winona, Caledonia, Lanesboro, Spring Grove, Rushford and more. Pariseau said this years tour will feature 8 new artists. If you go What: Bluff Country Studio Art Tour Where: 21 locations in southeast Minnesota When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 28-30 Cost: Free Info: www.bluffcountrystudioarttour.org A lot of people are familiar with going to art festivals and walking from booth to booth and seeing what people have, Pariseau said. This is a little bit better connection. People get to see the places that we work in, which are sometimes very off the beaten path. You can see the full body of our work instead of just the limited amount of things we can bring to an art festival. This is the 22nd tour, which started in 2001 and took a year off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Joleen Emery, an artist from Spring Grove, said this is her first year as part of the tour. Her work uses discarded materials, mainly paper and books, to make large installations. Her studio doubles as a bed and breakfast she runs with her husband. I am always looking for ways to bring people to my retreat center and Spring Grove, she said. Im always looking for ways to share this art form with others. Im not the only person who uses books as their medium but I love teaching people how to do it. Emery said events like the tour can help bring people into communities they might no otherwise visit. It seems, to me, that if youre the kind of person who loves these little weekend events it will be great, Emery said. These are great little towns and communities with so much charm and art. Pariseau said visitors take in the tour many different ways, whether thats going to see specific artists or trying to visit every artist in a town or the whole tour. There are so many wonderful, beautiful places hidden away and off the road that you wouldnt even know theres an artist there, Pariseau said. It lets people see not only the beautiful things that we make, but the beautiful landscape of the area. Joan Porter-Einsman will have one of Winonas three exhibits. Porter-Einsman said this will be her sixth year on the tour. Im usually a painter and I draw. I dont do any repeats; theyre all original art we have on display and a lot are influenced by Winona, said Porter-Einsman. Its just wonderful meeting all the people that come and its a private and casual setting. Porter-Einsman said because of the variety of artists, everyone not only has their own style and ways of presentation but it shows that there are so many ways of doing art. I think its important to keep an open mind as to whats in front of you and to ask questions, Porter-Einsman said. Im also a teacher and I think it teaches people about the arts. Its an education in itself. The Bluff Country Studio Art Tour is free to attend. The 33 participating studios, galleries and shared spaces, in 21 locations, are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, April 28-30. For more information, go to www.bluffcountrystudioarttour.org. The Winona Family YMCA is now offering swim lessons for children with a range of abilities. The YMCAs adaptive swim program allows children with disabilities to connect with others, help them self-regulate and learn basic swim skills, according to a press release from the YMCA. The YMCA is the starting point for many youth to learn about being active and developing healthy habits they will carry with them throughout their lives, the release states. The adaptive swim program is conducted by qualified staff and volunteers who are trained to support and encourage each participant. The volunteers are matched with a child for the entire four-week session, to help build connections and comfort for participants. The program provides motor skill activities, sensory skill activities and aquatic therapy. Learn more and register at www.winonaymca.org/programs/aquatics/group-swim-lessons. For questions or to volunteer, contact Aquatics Director Erin Johnson at ejohnson@winonaymca.org. Financial assistance is available. Learn more at www.winonaymca.org/financial-assistance. The information presented here is subject to change. To have an event appear in this column, email us at newsroom@lakegenevanews.net. Dont miss it! Easter weekend Saturday and Sunday, April 8 & 9. Several Easter egg hunts and special events are happening in the Lake Geneva area this weekend. See story in this weeks Resorter for a full rundown. Walworth County Fur & Feather Swap April 8, 7-10 a.m., Walworth County Fairgrounds, 411 E. Court St., Elkhorn. General admission: $2. Ages 12 and younger enter free. The long-running event connects vendors and buyers of small animals, equipment and crafts. Lunch stand in the heated Activity Center. Proceeds from the swap support the Fur & Feather Sale, which since 1975 has showcased blue ribbon poultry, rabbits and goats from Walworth County youth exhibitors. For updates, visit the Walworth Co. Fur & Feather Facebook page. Lyons Township Fire Departments 16th Annual All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Breakfast April 8, 8 a.m.-noon, Lyons Township Fire Department, 6339 Hospital Road, Lyons. Cost: Donations welcome. This year, the department is asking patrons to give what they can to enjoy the breakfast, which features pancakes, sausages, eggs, coffee milk and juice. There will be no Easter egg hunt this year, but the Easter Bunny will attend to pose for pictures and every child ages 12 and younger will receive a goodie bag. They can also enter to win one of three age group-specific prize baskets. There will also be cash, basket and gun raffles, with winners drawn at noon. Visit the event page on Facebook for more information. Joe Diamond April 8, 8:30-11:30 p.m., Maxwell Mansion, 304 S. Wells St., Lake Geneva. World record holder Diamond, Maxwells official mind reader, gives 10- to 15-minute shows for two to four guests at a time in the Cognac Parlor. All shows complimentary with any drink order. Movie Monday with Black Point Estate Monday, April 10, 2 p.m., Lake Geneva Public Library, 918 W. Main St., Lake Geneva. The free monthly series draws to a close with a screening of The Battle of Algiers. After, Dave Desimone, of the Wisconsin Historical Society, leads a group discussion of the film. Explore Japan Series: Rashomon Wednesday, April 12, 6 p.m., Lake Geneva Public Library. Free screening of the Akira Kurosawa classic, shown in Japanese with English subtitles. Part of the librarys monthlong Explore Japan Series. High School Student Show Thursday-Sunday, April 13-16, Gallery 223, 223 Broad St., Lake Geneva. Area high schools, including Badger, Big Foot, Delavan-Darien, East Troy and Elkhorn, each submitted 10 art pieces created by students. Open house April 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. Special showings April 14-16 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Go to genevalakeartsfoundation.org for more details. Peggy Prilaman Marxen Thursday, April 13, 1 p.m., Aram Public Library, 404 E. Walworth Ave., Delavan. Author visit. First 25 attendees will receive a free copy of Marxens book, which she will also sign. Marxen grew up near Meteor, a town in Sawyer County. For many years, her home lacked indoor plumbing, electricity and a telephone. Marxen shares stories of her familys herd of dairy cows, hunting, fishing and making maple syrup. Live comedy Saturday, April 15, shows at 5 and 7 p.m., The Bottle Shop, 617 W. Main St., Lake Geneva. Tickets: $25 plus tax. Featuring Kimberly Marion, Mike Fountain and Katie Meiners. Ages 21 and older only. Strong language. Call 262-348-9463 for tickets. 2023 Mr. Lake Geneva Pageant April 15, 7 p.m., Badger High School auditorium. Tickets: $25 general admission. Nine well-known local business owners and active communities are up for the title of this years Mr. Lake Geneva. Rounds include a group dance, talent portion, beach wear and evening wear/interview question. In addition to the pageant rounds, each contestant was competing to see who can raise the most funds for their campaign, which counts as 50% of their score. Go to lakesarealifeway.org to purchase tickets or find out more about the Mr. Lake Geneva pageant. Calendar Spring Show Now through April 9, Gallery 223, genevalakeartsfoundation.org. Nearly 100 artworks by talented area artists are featured in various formats, including oil, acrylic and watercolor paintings; pastel drawings; mixed media; jewelry; ceramics; glass works; photographs; prints and cards; and more. Over 150 artists, members of the Geneva Lake Arts Foundation, are in the exhibit. Gallery hours: Friday through Monday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Bingo April 6, doors open 5 p.m., games start 6 p.m., progressive bingo starts 8:30 p.m., Privato Pizza Bistro, 2 W. Geneva St., Williams Bay. Cost: $30 at the door. The Williams Bay Lioness Lions Clubs monthly bingo games occur the first Thursday of each month. Also cash bar, 50/50 raffle baskets. Hoe Down Throw Down April 7, 9 p.m.-2:30 a.m., Thumbs Up, 260 Broad St., Lake Geneva, thumbsuplakegeneva.com. Country dance party with DJ Chex. Stoplight Party April 15, 9 p.m.-2:30 a.m., Thumbs Up, thumbsuplakegeneva.com. Wear green if youre single, yellow if its complicated, red if youre taken. Also free glow-in-the-dark wristbands. Who's playing Elkhorn's DAS Fest USA this year? Red Hot Chilli Pipers Alex Meixner The Gebel Girls Ed Wagner Brass Band Jenny Hundt JFK the Band Copper Box The Happy Players Dirndolls Petty Union Alzheimer's disease strikes women harder than men over two-thirds of those who descend into dementia's devastating twilight are female at birth. That's likely due to biological reasons that remain poorly understood, according to the Alzheimer's Association. One key piece of the enigma: Women lose sexual hormones such as estrogen when they undergo menopause, either naturally through the body's decreased production or by removal of the ovaries via surgery. However, just how the loss of those hormones and the impact of hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, affects dementia risk is also unclear. A new study may have uncovered a piece or two of the puzzle. Women who underwent early (age 40 to 45) or premature (before age 40) menopause or women who began hormone replacement therapy more than five years after menopause had higher levels of tau in their brains, according to the study published Monday in the journal JAMA Neurology. Tau tangles, along with plaques made up of beta-amyloid proteins, are hallmark signs of Alzheimer's disease. "This is the first study showing a delayed use of hormone therapy seems to be associated with increased levels of Alzheimer's disease markers in the brain," said lead author Gillian Coughlan, a research fellow in neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. However, these changes only occurred in women who already had higher levels of beta-amyloid in their brain tissue, Coughlan told CNN. "Most of the associations we saw between menopause and tau protein occurred in the context of high amyloid," Coughlan said. "Now a large portion of the older population do accumulate amyloid as they get older it's not that uncommon." Tau deposits, however, are more uncommon, she said, adding that it takes both tau tangles and beta-amyloid to develop Alzheimer's disease. "Usually if you've a combination of beta-amyloid and tau, then you would typically develop cognitive decline within a few years," Coughlan said. "What we found is women who have early menopause or have a very late use of hormone therapy might be at higher risk, but only if they were already on the Alzheimer's disease continuum, with elevated levels of amyloid," she said. "Women with very low levels of amyloid and early menopause did not have such an association." The study also found that women who began hormone therapy "at the right time, proximal to menopause age, didn't have higher or lower tau proteins in the brain," Coughlan said. "This is good as it means we may still be able to use hormone therapy to treat severe menopausal symptoms." Dr. Richard Isaacson, an Alzheimer's preventive neurologist at the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, considered the scientific paper important. "While it's not the first time a study has shown that early treatment with hormone replacement therapy may be more protective for a women's brain, it did suggest for the first time that greater amounts of tau protein may be associated with later initiation of hormone treatment," said Isaacson, who was not involved in the study. "This study doesn't show that hormone therapy causes Alzheimer's. The researchers didn't look at whether the participants went on to develop symptoms of dementia and we can't be sure of cause and effect in this kind of research," said Sara Imarisio, head of strategic initiatives at Alzheimer's Research UK, in a statement. "Hormone therapy provides important benefits to many women, helping to combat the symptoms that menopause can bring," said Imarisio, who was not involved in the study. "Women who take, or are thinking of taking, hormone therapy should not be put off by these results, and anyone concerned about the effects of this treatment should speak to their doctor." *** Hormone replacement therapy The average age of menopause onset defined as when a woman hasn't had a period for 12 months in a row is 51, although women can naturally go into menopause between the ages of 40 and 58, according to the North American Menopause Society. Symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats can occur years in advance, in what is called perimenopause. Hormone replacement therapy has been a loaded topic for many women since early, misguided results were published in 2002 from a study called the Women's Health Initiative clinical trial. That preliminary analysis found an estrogen and progestin combo the type of HRT prescribed at the time increased the risk of heart disease as well as stroke, blood clots, dementia and breast cancer. The study was halted early due to the dangers. Fallout was dramatic. By the end of the year, hormone therapy use dropped 30% when analyzed by insurance claims. By 2009, hormone therapy claims had dropped more than 70%. Ten years later, the Women's Health Initiative findings were debunked. Because the original analysis looked at women age 65 and older, who were already at greater risk for heart attacks, blood clots and stroke, the initial 2002 results were flawed because they failed to consider a woman's age at the start of replacement therapy. But the damage was done. Even today, many doctors are uncomfortable prescribing the use of hormone therapy, leaving many women to suffer through devastating symptoms without recourse. Current medical guidelines suggest the benefits of hormone therapy for hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal pain and dryness, urinary issues, and bone loss outweigh the risks for women younger than 60 who are within 10 years of the onset of menopause and who have no known or suspected history of breast cancer, blood clots, stroke or other contraindications. It's a different story for women who are older than 60 or who start hormone therapy more than 10 years after the onset of menopause. "The benefit-risk ratio appears less favorable because of the greater absolute risks of coronary heart disease, stroke, venous thromboembolism, and dementia," according to the 2022 hormone therapy position statement of The North American Menopause Society. *** What brain scans show In the new JAMA Neurology study, a team of researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital analyzed brain scans of 193 women and 99 men with normal cognitive function for beta-amyloid and tau pathology. That may sound like a small study, but it isn't, Coughlan said: "When using brain scans to actually look at disease in the brain, this is considered a large sample size." The study found women had more tau buildup in several parts of the brain than men of a similar age, said Tara Spires-Jones, professor of neurodegeneration and deputy director of the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. She wasn't involved in the study. "Further, females had higher tau burden than males when they also have amyloid pathology in the brain," Spires-Jones said in a statement. Women in the new study all used the type of hormone therapy the estrogen and progestin mix that was used by the women in the Women's Health Initiative clinical trial that caused so much controversy, Coughlan said. "If (our study) is replicated, we may have found a potential biological basis for the results of the Women's Health Initiative clinical trial, which found women 65 and above were more likely to develop dementia later in life if they took that one type of hormone therapy," she said. However, today women have many other options for hormone replacement, depending on their individual needs. The study had some limitations most participants were White and the study did not say who then went on to develop dementia, experts said. In addition, there were not enough people in the study with a genetic risk for Alzheimer's, said Dr. Liz Coulthard, an associate professor in dementia neurology at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, who was not involved in the study. "Recently we found out that HRT might have different effects in people at high genetic risk (apoE4 gene positive), but this is not featured here," Coulthard said in a statement. "The results here are scientifically interesting," she added. "But research into the relationship between HRT, menopause and Alzheimer's is beset by multiple small studies, all confounded by the different reasons people are prescribed HRT and accuracy of memory for menopause age and HRT use. "As a result, women are receiving conflicting or poorly justified advice as to whether HRT use may be helpful or not for future brain health," Coulthard said. "A balanced, well-powered trial of HRT over many years is the only way we will really understand whether HRT is harmful to brain health." 10 potential early signs of dementia 10 potential early signs of dementia Memory loss that disrupts daily life Challenges in planning or solving problems Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work, or at leisure Confusion with time or place Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relations New problems with words in speaking or writing Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps Decreased or poor judgment Withdrawal from work or social activities Changes in mood and personality The Lake Geneva City Council will have two new members, according to results of the April 4 spring election. District 2 Linda Frame defeated incumber John Halverson to become the new District 2 alderman for the City of Lake Geneva. Frame received 311 votes, while Halverson obtained 245 votes. There was one write-in vote for the District 2 race. This will be the first time Frame has served on the Lake Geneva City Council. She previously served as the city's harbormaster from 2019 to 2020. Halverson was a member of the city council for about six years. He was first elected in 2017 then re-elected in 2019 and 2021. District 3 Peg Esposito defeated incumbent Richard Hedlund to become the new District 3 alderman. Esposito obtained 372 votes, while Hedlund received 230 votes. There were three write-in votes for the District 3 race. This was a political rematch from the 2021 spring election, in which Hedlund won by three votes. Esposito is a member of the Lake Geneva Park Board of Commissioners and has been involved with the Friends of Hillmoor group. Hedlund had served as city alderman for about nine years. He was appointed to the city council in 2014 to fill out a term left vacant by Sturges Taggart who passed away that September. Hedlund was elected to his first full term in 2015 and re-elected in 2017, 2019 and 2021. Alderwoman Shari Straube, District 1, and Alderman Ken Howell, District 4, ran unopposed during the election. Municipal judge re-elected Municipal Judge Henry Sibbing has been re-elected to another term. Sibbing received 1,407 votes, while his challenger Paul Karkula received 589 votes. There were 10 write-in votes for the municipal judge race. Sibbing has served as Lake Geneva's municipal judge for about 25 years. He previously served as Lake Geneva's city attorney from 1980 to 1996. Karkula has worked as a Cook County, Illinois Circuit Court judge for about 24 years. PRAT Tax referendum fails A non-binding referendum question regarding whether a Premier Resort Area Tax should be established in the City of Lake Geneva failed by about 56 votes. The referendum question received 1,118 "no" votes and 1,062 "yes" votes. City officials placed the referendum question on the ballot to gauge the community's support about whether a Premier Resort Area Tax should be implemented for the City of Lake Geneva. The Premier Resort Area Tax would have placed a sales tax on tourism-related businesses in Lake Geneva. Incumbent re-elected to school board seat Incumbent Niki Ceisel was re-elected to her Town of Linn seat on the Lake Geneva-Genoa City Union High School Board during the April 4 election. Ceisel received 3,018 votes, while challenger Quan Le received 1,607 votes. There were 42 write-in votes for the school board seat. School board members Barbara Krause and Jeffrey Buntrock ran unopposed. Incumbent candidates in the West End fared well on the April 4 spring general election ballot. With 100% of the countys 42 precincts reporting in on the evening of Tuesday, April 4, Walworth County released its unofficial complete summary of uncanvassed election results. In the Town of Geneva, incumbent Supervisor Larry K. Kulick edged out a narrow 35-vote win over challenger and former board supervisor Gene Decker by a 701-666 margin in the Supervisor 2 race. Seven write-in votes were cast. In an unusual election day in the Village of Genoa City, there was only one declared candidate, incumbent Trustee Phillip Traskaski, Jr., for the three board seats up for election on the April 4 spring general election ballot. Incumbent Genoa City Village Board Trustee James Krause filed a notice of non-candidacy, while no candidacy paperwork was returned by incumbent Trustee Duane Gallo. A total of 415 votes were cast for Traskaski, who returns to the board for another 2-year term. There were 26 write-in votes. Genoa City Village Clerk Treasurer Kate Dennis reported that while there were two clear write-in winners on election night, the individuals have not officially accepted the spots at this time (Tuesday, April 11). The top write-in winners have until the end of this week to make a decision on accepting the village board positions. Dennis said if the two board seats being vacated by Krause and Gallo remain unfilled, appointments would be made to fill the seats on Tuesday, April 18 at the village boards reorganization meeting. In the Town of Linn, incumbent Supervisor James Livingston defeated challenger Paul F. Gavin by a 476-256 vote margin. There were two write-in votes cast. In the Town of Lyons, Paul Thomsen outpolled Jim Bayer 525-352 for the Supervisor 2 seat currently held by outgoing incumbent Supervisor William Henningfield. There were five write-in votes. In the Village of Sharon, incumbent Village President Mark A. Ruosch defeated challenger Adam Turnbull by a 219-136 margin. Also in Sharon, incumbent Village Trustees Lawrence Butch Diderich (242), Pam Woodrich (230), and Kelly Schmig (179) outpolled challenger Douglas W. Koehler (160) to retain their three seats on the board. Eight write-in votes were cast. In the Village of Williams Bay, incumbent Trustees James P. DAlessandro and George Vlach competed against challengers Steven Russell and Jack F. Jones in a four-way race for the three seats up for election on the April 4 ballot. Incumbent Williams Bay Trustee Matt Stanek declined to run for re-election. Earning two-year terms on the Williams Bay Village Board were DAlessandro, 761; George Vlach, 715; and Steven Russell, 699. Jones fell short in his bid for a board seat with 386 votes. There were 30 write-in votes cast. Incumbent Williams Bay Municipal Judge Donald F. Robison was re-elected to a two-year term, outpolling challenger Colin Doerge by a 614-412 margin. There were five write-in votes cast. In a contested race for the one seat up for election on the Geneva Joint 4 School District Board of Education (Woods School), incumbent Board President Eric Chapman easily held off challenger Qual Le by a 208-76 margin. Uncontested town races Bloomfield Town Chair (1 seat)Sue Leedle, 247; Write-in, 5. Bloomfield Town Supervisor 1 (1 seat)Tom Sullivan, 249; Write-in, 2. Bloomfield Town Supervisor 2 (1 seat)Frank Oudin, 242; Write-in, 2. Geneva Town Chair (1 seat)Joseph F. Kopecky, 1,268; Write-in, 36. Geneva Town Supervisor 1 (1 seat)Jeff Monroe, 1,257; Write-in, 16. Linn Municipal Judge (1 seat)Peter King, 613; Write-in, 6. Linn Town Chair (1 seat)James Weiss, 623; Write-in, 19. Linn Town Clerk (1 seat)Alyson Morris, 664; Write-in, 3. Linn Town Supervisor 1 (1 seat)Maureen Zimmerman, 612; Write-in, 8. Lyons Town Chair (1 seat)Kevin Batz, 862; Write-in, 8. Lyons Town Clerk (1 seat)Karla Hill, 915; Write-in, 9. Lyons Town Supervisor 1 (1 seat)Monica Schaefer Glowacki, 872; Write-in, 6. Lyons Town Treasurer (1 seat)Rhea CSmith, 882; Write-in, 6. Sharon Town Board Chair (1 seat)Richard Brandl, 252. Sharon Town Board Supervisor 1 (1 seat)Deb Shinkus, 242. Sharon Town Board Supervisor 2 (1 seat)Mary DeYoung, 243; Write-in, 1. Walworth Town Board Chair (1 seat)David J. Rowbotham, 448; Write-in, 10. Walworth Town Supervisor 1 (1 seat)Steve Santeler, 445; Write-in, 5. Walworth Town Supervisor 2 (1 seat)William Pearce, 487; Write-in, 6. Uncontested village races Bloomfield Village President (1 seat)Dan Aronson, 663; Write-in, 16. Bloomfield Village Trustee (2 seats)Natalie Alvarez, 529; Rita Marcinkus, 495; Write-in, 9. Fontana Village President (1 seat)Patrick Kenny, 588; Write-in, 9. Fontana Village Trustee (3 seats)Tom McGreevy, 495; John ONeill, 478; Arvid Petersen, 459; Write-in, 17. Genoa City Village President (1 seat)Ken Parker, 442; Write-in, 9. Walworth Municipal Judge (1 seat)Charles Pat Hubertz, 589; Write-in, 6. Walworth Village President (1 seat)Louise Czaja, 612; Write-in, 20. Walworth Village Trustee (3 seats)Kristi Reierson-McWayne, 543; Merik Fell, 474; Lawrence Gums, 467; Write-in, 9. Williams Bay Village President (1 seat)William B. Duncan, 1005; Write-in, 12. Uncontested school board races Big Foot Union High School Board of Education (Village of Walworth, 1 seat)Kristi Reierson-McWayne, 2,339; Write-in, 25. Big Foot Union High School Board of Education (Village of Fontana, 1 seat)Margaret Labus, 2,346; Write-in, 24. Fontana Joint 8 School District Board of Education (Towns of Walworth and Delavan, 1 seat)Nina Reckamp, 683; Write-in, 5. Genoa City Joint 2 School District Board of Education (Brookwood Schools, 1 seat)Paul Denecker, 694; Write-in, 7. Linn Joint 4 School District Board of Education (Traver School, 2 seats)Daniel Kundert, 184; Andy Schuerr, 134. Linn Joint 6 School District Board of Education (Reek School, 2 seats)Bill Pearce, 284; Madelyn Walters, 235; Write-in, 4. Sharon Joint 11 School District Board of Education (2 seats)Stacy Gallagher, 363; Kurt Norman, 270; Write-in, 3. Walworth Joint 4 School District Board of Education (1 seat)Chad J. Roehl, 953; Write-in, 18. Williams Bay Board of Education (2 seats)Karolyn F. Nelson, 1,037; Dr. Patrick Peyer, 1,009; Write-in, 40. Walworth School operational referendum defeated Electors in the Walworth Joint 1 School District, encompassing 435-student PreK-8 Walworth Elementary School, defeated a proposed 3-year operating referendum by a 725-479 margin. The district sought voter approval on the April 4 ballot to levy in excess of state-mandated property tax revenue limits by $1.4 million in 2023-2024, $1.6 million in 2024-2025 and $1.8 million in 2025-2026 to provide additional funding to support student programs and services, additional funding the district said was critical for supporting students and maintaining staffing levels throughout the school in the face of revenue limits, three years of flat per-pupil state funding, four years of falling state aid to the district, a projected $1 million decrease in general fund revenue in the 2023-2024 school year, and sharply-rising costs for a variety of goods and services including transportation, heating, insurance, equipment and supplies. We are thankful to our community of voters for taking the time to vote on this referendum, said Walworth Joint 1 School District Administrator Phill Klamm. I am appreciative to our Board of Education for their leadership during this process and our staff for their tireless efforts in communicating to our community. My heart is heavy tonight as I know what this referendum means for our 2023-2024 staffing. Frankly, the needs of students and families and the demands placed on schools are not adequately supported financially by current state funding. My hope is that our state legislators will come through for our students, families and schools with the upcoming budget. Our mission is to provide the best education for all students and we will continue our planning for the 2023-2024 school year now that the community has decided on this referendum. Whats next for the district with the referendums defeat? From here we have a staff meeting tomorrow and a Board meeting next week, Klamm said. The administration will continue working on our plans and communication to our stakeholders. Who's playing Elkhorn's DAS Fest USA this year? Red Hot Chilli Pipers Alex Meixner The Gebel Girls Ed Wagner Brass Band Jenny Hundt JFK the Band Copper Box The Happy Players Dirndolls Petty Union BALTIMORE A one-time chief of staff for former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan died Monday after being shot when FBI agents confronted him in a manhunt launched when he failed to show up for trial on corruption charges, his lawyer said. Attorney Joseph Murtha said the FBI confirmed Roy McGrath's death to him. He added that it was not immediately clear if McGrath's wound was self-inflicted or came during an exchange of gunfire with agents. William Brennan, an attorney for McGrath's wife, Laura Bruner, also confirmed the death and said she was "absolutely distraught." According to an earlier email from FBI Supervisory Special Agent Shayne Buchwald in Maryland, McGrath was wounded during "an agent-involved shooting" about 6:30 p.m. in a commercial area on the southwestern outskirts of Knoxville, Tennessee. Buchwald said McGrath was taken to a hospital but did not elaborate. Further details, including how McGrath was wounded and what led up to it, were not immediately released. The shooting was under investigation. "The FBI takes all shooting incidents involving our agents or task force members seriously," said Buchwald, who declined to confirm that McGrath had died. McGrath, 53, was declared a wanted fugitive after his disappearance, and the FBI said he was considered an international flight risk. In a statement, Hogan said he and his wife, Yumi, "are deeply saddened by this tragic situation. We are praying for Mr. McGrath's family and loved ones." Murtha called the death "a tragic ending to the past three weeks of uncertainty" and said his client always maintained his innocence. After McGrath failed to appear at Baltimore's federal courthouse on March 13, Murtha said he believed McGrath, who had moved to Naples, Florida, was planning to fly to Maryland the night before. Instead of beginning jury selection, a judge issued an arrest warrant and dismissed prospective jurors. McGrath was indicted in 2021 on accusations that he fraudulently secured a $233,648 severance payment, equal to one year of salary as the head of Maryland Environmental Service, by falsely telling the agency's board the governor had approved it. He was also accused of fraud and embezzlement connected to roughly $170,000 in expenses. McGrath pleaded not guilty. McGrath resigned just 11 weeks into the job as Hogan's chief of staff in 2020 after the payments became public. If convicted of the federal charges, he would have faced a maximum sentence of 20 years for each of four counts of wire fraud, plus a maximum of 10 years for each of two counts of embezzling funds from an organization receiving more than $10,000 in federal benefits. Welcome back to Late Edition Crime Beat Chronicles, a Lee Enterprises podcast with host Nat Cardona. On this podcast, youll hear true crime stories as told by journalists from regional newspapers across the country. For the next series of episodes, we will be diving into the 1990 cold case murder of Susan Negersmith in Wildwood, New Jersey. Youll hear from reporters, past and present, who covered the case as it has unfolded throughout the years and the many twists and turns along the way. Before we hear from one of the original reporters on the Negersmith case, we need to head down to the Jersey Shore more than 30 years ago. Susan Negersmith was a 20 year-old woman from Carmel, New York. She was visiting Wildwood, New Jersey, on Memorial Day Weekend with friends in 1990. She said goodbye to her friends in the evening of Saturday, May 26, and by the early hours of Sunday morning, Susans partially clothed body was found behind a dumpster near a Wildwood restaurant. Her death was originally ruled accidental, although there were signs of a struggle. An important thing to note about Susan Negersmiths weekend trip with friends to Wildwood: this area is a destination for a debaucherously good time. Tourists flock there in the warm weather months to party hard. Theres a boardwalk packed with restaurants and bars packed with people from all over. Drinking heavily is a main activity. The reputation of the area for all of these things quickly comes into play in the early days of the investigation ... at the expense of solving Susans case in a timely fashion. And for more on that, we are joined by Yvette Craig. She was a reporter at the Press of Atlantic City in the early 90s and closely covered Susan Negersmiths case from day one. Read more about the case CHICAGO A Chicago firefighter died Tuesday after he and two other firefighters were injured battling a predawn house fire on the city's South Side, authorities said. Firefighter Jermaine Pelt, 49, had served with Chicago Fire Department since 2005, Fire Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt said. He is survived by two children, a 6-year-old and an adult daughter he recently walked down the aisle for her wedding. Pelt's daughter was informed of her father's death while on her honeymoon, the commissioner said. Pelt was working a hose line when conditions worsened and all firefighters were told to get outside, Chicago Fire Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt said. The circumstances of Pelt's death remain under investigation, and she said "there was no explosion and Pelt was not trapped inside the building." "It appears that firefighter Pelt went down as crews were being ordered out of the building. A mayday was called and he was quickly found near the hose line and brought out for treatment," Nance-Holt said, shedding tears as she noted that she had known Pelt personally. She said emergency crews "worked feverishly" to give Pelt CPR while he was being transported a hospital, where he later died. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office is investigating Pelt's death, she said. Two other firefighters were also taken to the hospital in stable condition, and Nance-Holt said both of them are fine. The fire is believed to have started in the attic of a home and spread to two adjacent homes sometime before 3:30 a.m. The building where the fire started appeared to have a partial roof collapse, WLS-TV reported. Photos: Tornado collapses northern Illinois theater roof Severe Weather Illinois Severe Weather Illinois Severe Weather Illinois Severe Weather Illinois Severe Weather Illinois Severe Weather Illinois Severe Weather Illinois Severe Weather Illinois Severe Weather Illinois Severe Weather Illinois Severe Weather Illinois Severe Weather Severe Weather Severe Weather Severe Weather Severe Weather Severe Weather Severe Weather Severe Weather Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Janet Protasiewicz defeated conservative Dan Kelly for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court Tuesday, giving liberals a court majority for the first time in 15 years, boosting Democrats bid to toss out Wisconsins near-complete abortion ban and promising to dramatically reshape politics in the battleground state. Protasiewicz will join the court in August as liberals seek to wield their newfound power to rewrite legislative maps that favor Republicans and possibly undo former GOP Gov. Scott Walkers Act 10 legislation, which effectively eliminated collective bargaining for most public employees. Liberals are especially confident about their chances in upcoming cases after the incoming justice was unusually explicit on the campaign trail about the policies she supports. Among them, she favors abortion rights, which were all but eliminated under the states near-complete abortion ban. The moribund state law was re-activated after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion last year. She has expressed her desire to revisit the states Republican-drawn legislative maps, which she called rigged. And she touted marching in Madison against Act 10 and signing Walkers recall petition. Her win has given liberals a two-year window of all-but-guaranteed control of the states highest court, an especially critical role with the 2024 presidential election on its way. Protasiewiczs victory gives liberals their first Wisconsin Supreme Court majority since 2008. I will bring the fairness and impartiality that you have all been waiting for, Protasiewicz told supporters after she won. And I will be part of the solution to make the Wisconsin Supreme Court ... something that you will always feel proud of. The race galvanized Democrats as the impasse between Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and the GOP Legislature often resulted in the conservative-controlled court ruling against Democrats on hot-button issues. While Protasiewicz framed the race as a referendum on abortion policy, Kelly ran a markedly different campaign, hinging his candidacy on defending the rule of law and a pledge to uphold the state and U.S. Constitution. He accused Protasiewicz of appealing to partisan values, though in the general election Kelly also stuck to Republican talking points, calling his opponent soft on crime. Addressing supporters after he lost, Kelly said Wisconsinites chose the rule of Janet over the rule of law. Bitter and clearly emotional, he said, I wish Wisconsin the best of luck because I think its going to need it. He did not call Protasiewicz to concede, he said, because I do not have a worthy opponent to which I can concede. With the stakes so high, the race was decidedly bitter. In their only debate of the election, Protasiewicz called Kelly a threat to democracy while the former justice said the Milwaukee County Circuit judge would steal the legislative authority and use that in the courts. Ad spending Both campaigns and their supporters released an onslaught of ads seeking to paint their opponent as wrong for the high court. Kelly said Protasiewiczs ads focusing on his past work with Republicans and representation of criminal defendants lied about his past. The liberal candidate said conservatives cherry-picked criminal cases she presided over to falsely claim she was soft on crime. Before this election, the most expensive judicial contest in America was one in Illinois that cost just over $15 million. This time around, all sides spent over $45 million on the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, according to a WisPolitics.com tally. Liberals spent slightly more than conservatives, but Protasiewiczs ability to fund her own ads gave her the additional boost of paying lower ad rates only accessible to candidates. Kelly spent $580,000 on ads to Protasiewiczs $10.5 million, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. Fueled largely by out-of-state donations, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin gave Protasiewicz over $8 million in the month and a half leading up to the election. Protasiewicz said she would recuse herself from the organizations cases that come before the court, but conservatives took that as a sign that other liberal groups would play a role in major political lawsuits instead of the Democratic Party. Trump Pleads Not Guilty to 34 (Nearly Identical) Felony Counts April 4, 2023, 2022 (EIRNS)Former U.S. President Donald Trump pled not guilty at his arraignment in Manhattan on 34, nearly identical felony charges related to falsifying business records with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof. This transparently political and legally ridiculous prosecution reminds this writer of the U.S. Constitutions prohibition on bills of attainderdeclarations of guilt outside the judicial process. One might ask, tongue in cheek, whether Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg will be charged with making an illegal campaign contribution to Trumps 2024 re-election campaign, as the absurd charges brought by this DA, who has otherwise downgraded to misdemeanors more than half of the felonies his office has addressed, rely on legal theories that can only be termed novel. As falsifying business records is itself only a misdemeanor, Bragg will have to prove that the falsification was carried out in furtherance of another crime. If that crime is related to campaign finance violations, considering hush money paid to Stormy Daniels and others as in effect being campaign expenses, Bragg stands alone in thinking so. As Jonathan Turley has written, The Justice Department itself declined this prosecution and both the former chair of the Federal Election Commission and various election law experts have thrown shade on the theory. The five-year statute of limitations, for example, would appear to be an insurmountable hurdle. And Bragg will have to convince a court that Trump paid the hush money for the sole purpose of the election, Turley notes. As a married man and television celebrity, Trump had other reasons to try to avoid a scandal. Other cases, including one in Georgia and the issue of classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago, may also result in indictments. This latest display in the use of the justice system for lawfarea result of leaving insufficiently challenged the political prosecution of Lyndon LaRouchemay boost Trumps standing in the eyes of the electorate or, in coordination with other charges, tie him up in judicial proceedings that will possibly brand him a felon. But one thing is for sure: The development is intended to be engrossing, preoccupying. The absurdity of the prosecution can be acknowledged while understanding that there are more effective levers to shift the course of history than opining on the patently political prosecution of the former president. (Alvin Braggs afternoon press conference following the arraignment was not consulted in writing this article, which was also composed before Trumps planned press conference in the evening.) There are a growing number of educational centers trying to reach Afghanistan's girls and women through online classes in their homes. Sofia is an Afghan student taking an online English course. But when the teacher calls on Sofia to read, her computer screen freezes. After a while, her computer comes back to life. "As usual," a fellow student said. Twenty-two-year-old Sofia is one of a growing number of Afghan girls and women learning online to avoid the ruling Talibans restrictions on girls education. Taliban officials have closed girls high schools, and barred women and girls from universities. They also have prevented most women from working at non-governmental organizations. However, one of the biggest changes since the Taliban were first in power from 1996 to 2001 has been the growth of the internet. Almost no one had internet service when the Taliban were forced from power in the weeks following the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. The World Bank estimated that, after nearly 20 years of the Western intervention, 18 percent of the population had internet service. The Taliban administration has permitted girls to study individually at home. It also has not moved to ban the internet, which its officials use to make announcements on social media. But girls and women face many barriers to learning. These include loss of electricity and very slow internet speeds. Computers and Wi-Fi, local wireless internet service, are also very costly in a country where 97 percent of people live in poverty. "For girls in Afghanistan, we have a bad, awful internet problem, Sofia said. Her online school, Rumi Academy, had enrollment of mostly females rise from about 50 students to more than 500 after the Taliban took over in 2021. It has had hundreds of additional applications. But a representative of the school said it cannot enroll them because it does not have enough money for teachers, equipment and internet. Sakina Nazari tried taking an online language class from her home in the west of Kabul for a week after she was forced to leave her university in December. But she stopped attending after many problems. "I couldn't continue," she said. "It's too hard to access internet in Afghanistan and sometimes we have half an hour of power in 24 hours." The company Ookla, based in the American city of Seattle, Washington, measures internet speeds around the world. It said Afghanistan's mobile internet is the slowest of 137 countries. Some Afghans have started calling on SpaceX head Elon Musk to introduce his satellite internet service called Starlink in Afghanistan. Starlink is operating in Ukraine and Iran. Online schools are trying to help Afghanistan's students. Daniel Kalmanson is a spokesperson for the online University of the People based in Pasadena, California. The school has had more than 15,000 applications from Afghan girls and women since the Taliban took over. Kalmanson said students can attend classes at any time that conditions permit. He also said teachers give extensions to students for assignments and tests when they face connection problems. LEARN Afghanistan is a nonprofit group that operates several community-based schools. Some teachers hold their classes online and make lesson plans free in Afghanistan's main languages. Executive director Pashtana Durrani said the group also makes lessons available on radio, which is widely used in rural areas. She has been working with international companies to find ways to solve the problem of poor internet service. "Afghanistan needs to be a country where the internet is accessible, digital devices need to be pumped in," Durrani said. Im Dan Novak. Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by Reuters. Quiz- Afghan Girls Struggle with Internet for Online Classes Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story awful adj. extremely bad or unpleasant enrollment n. the process by which parents send children to schools or young people are able to attend college access v. the be able to gain use of something, usually through a number of steps extension n. an additional period of time to complete a job or task assignment n. a job, task or especially a piece of schoolwork that is given to someone to be done at a later time or in a period of time lesson n. an activity done to learn Former U.S. President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges of reporting false business records. The charges came after an investigation into payments to an adult movie performer during his 2016 presidential campaign. The money was aimed at buying the silence of the performer. Trump sat with his hands folded as he entered the plea: "Not guilty." Trump is the first U.S. president to face criminal charges either in or out of office. He is also a leading candidate for the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential campaign. The indictment accused Trump of intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and then to try to hide it. The indictment listed 34 counts of falsifying business records under New York State law. A count is a separate crime. The 16-page indictment contains new details about a plan to pay off two women who said they had sexual contact with Trump. It also contains information about payment to a Trump Tower doorman who claimed to have a story about a child he said the former president had outside of his marriage. In a statement, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said, The People of the State of New York allege that Donald J. Trump repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal crimes that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election. Todd Blanche is a lawyer for Trump. He told reporters after the hearing, "We're going to fight it. We're going to fight it hard," Falsifying business records in New York on its own is a misdemeanor, or not a serious crime, punishable by no more than one year in prison. But the crime is increased to a felony, a serious crime, punishable by up to four years in prison when done to hide another crime. In this case, the Manhattan district attorney would have to prove that Trump falsified business records with the intent to hide the payments during the 2016 election. Some of the evidence against Trump is in an audio recording made in September 2016 as he and his lawyer discussed how to suppress stories about his affair, government lawyers said. Court documents said Trump can be heard saying, "So what do we got to pay for this?" Michael Cohen, Trumps former lawyer, was one of the witnesses before the grand jury that voted to indict Trump. Cohen said that he made the payment to adult film performer Stormy Daniels to keep her from telling in public about a sexual relationship she said she had with Trump years earlier. Cohen also said Trumps business, called the Trump Organization, repaid the money with Trumps knowledge, and claimed them as legal costs. The supporting document also alleges a catch and kill plan to suppress a story from another adult magazine model, Karen McDougal. Former National Enquirer newspaper publisher David Pecker was another witness before the grand jury. He had earlier said that payments were made to suppress stories that could hurt Trumps 2016 campaign. Trump, who has called the charges political, held his fist in the air as he left Trump Tower for the courthouse. Trump was to return to his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago, on Tuesday evening to give remarks. The indictment and even a conviction would not prevent Trump from running for or winning the presidency in 2024. Im Bryan Lynn. Hai Do wrote this story for VOA Learning English with additional reporting from The Associated Press and Reuters. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story plea n. a defendants statement about the charges against them in a court of law intent n. an aim or plan to do something defraud v. to cheat or trick someone to get money allege v. to state without definite proof or the decision of a jury or court indict v. to officially bring charges against someone or some group in a court of law under the rule of law grand jury n. a jury that looks at evidence to decide if charges should be brought against an person or persons The Tyrannosaurus rex, or T. rex, is a dinosaur that lived from the late Jurassic Period, about 150 million years ago, to the end of the Cretaceous Period, about 65 million years ago. Most artistic representations of the animal show its large, sharp teeth sticking out of its mouth, always visible. The T. rex model of the Jurassic Park movie series is an example. But scientists now say the dino probably did not look like that. Tyrannosaurus rex belongs to a group of meat-eating dinosaurs called theropods. A study published Thursday in the journal Science found the teeth on T. rex and other big theropods were likely covered by thick, scaly lips. Lips are the soft parts that surround the mouth. The scientists found that the dinosaurs teeth did not stick out when its mouth was closed. They added that even in a wide open bite, only a small area of its teeth would show. The research is the latest in a long debate over how dinosaur mouths really looked. Recent images show big teeth extending out of the dinosaurs jaws, even when closed. Some people thought the dinosaurs teeth were just too big to fit in their mouth, said study writer Thomas Cullen. He is a paleontologist at Auburn University in Alabama. When researchers compared skulls from dinosaurs and living reptiles, though, they found this was not the case. Cullen said some large monitor lizards actually have bigger teeth than T. rex compared to their head size, and can still fit them under a set of scaly lips. The scientists also found signs of wear on the surface of the teeth that suggested they were hidden from view. Reptiles without such lip protection, like crocodiles, experience wear on their teeth quickly. But when researchers studied a tooth from Daspletosaurs, a T. rex relative, they found it was in good condition and it did not show similar signs of wear. Thomas Holtz is a dinosaur expert with the University of Maryland. He said with this evidence and other information from the build of the dinosaur, the study makes a good case for lipped tyrannosaurs. The lips would be thin and scaly, he added. The scientist was not involved with the study. It is not the first time the representation of dinosaurs has been called into question. Most of what science learns about dinosaurs comes from their bones. It is harder to get clear answers about soft tissues, like skin. Remains of soft tissues disappear more quickly. Adding lips to artistic representations may make dinosaurs look a little less terrifying, but it also makes them feel more realistic, Mark Witton said. He is a paeloartist at England's University of Portsmouth and another writer of the study. You dont really see a monster, he said. You see an animal. Im Gregory Stachel. Marcia Dunn reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story visible n. able to be seen; exposed to view scale n. one of many small thin plates that cover the bodies of some animals (such as fish or snakes) jaws n. either one of the two bones of the face where teeth grow paleontology n. the science that deals with the fossils of animals and plants that lived very long ago especially in the time of dinosaurs skull n. the structure of bones that form the head and face of a person or animal monster n. a strange or horrible imaginary creature ________________________________________________________________ What do you think of this story? We want to hear from you. We have a new comment system. Here is how it works: Write your comment in the box. Under the box, you can see four images for social media accounts. They are for Disqus, Facebook, Twitter and Google. Click on one image and a box appears. Enter the login for your social media account. Or you may create one on the Disqus system. It is the blue circle with D on it. It is free. Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Our comment policy is here. A migrant who survived a recent fire at a detention center in Mexico says his cries for help went ignored as officials kept his cell door locked. Eduard Caraballo described the March 27 fire to reporters from Reuters. Speaking by phone from the hospital, the 26-year-old told the news agency, "We screamed for them to open the cell door, but no one helped us. Caraballo was held in a cell along with more than 60 other migrants at the detention center in the northern city of Ciudad Juarez. He said that as thick smoke filled the cell, the single door remained locked. Caraballo added that one by one, other migrant detainees began to die. Forty people were killed in the fire. Experts have said it was one of the deadliest migrant disasters in recent years. Caraballo is a migrant from Venezuela. He said he survived the fire by putting water on his clothes, covering his face and moving to the very back of his cell. He said the first thing that happened was the lights went out. "When I saw everything begin to fill with smoke, I worried a lot about my family," he said. "My God, don't let me die," Caraballo said. Caraballo is currently being treated at a hospital in El Paso, Texas. He and his family received humanitarian assistance and permission to enter the United States. Caraballo is receiving oxygen and has been treated for smoke inhalation. The last thing Caraballo remembers is hearing loud screams. He explained that someone finally was able to use a "heavy object" to force open the cell door, and he was saved. "They pulled me by the hand, I think it was a firefighter, and they helped me out, others were already dead," Caraballo said. Mexican officials say they are investigating the fire as a possible murder. Five people were arrested last week in connection with the incident. The investigation is centered on why male migrants held at the center appeared to be left in their cell while the fire burned. Women detainees were safely taken from a neighboring cell. Officials blamed the fire on a migrant believed to have set mattresses on fire to protest an expected deportation. A short video on social media appeared to show men kicking the bars of a locked door as their cell filled with smoke. Three people can be seen walking past without trying to open the door. Officials have said the video is part of their investigation. Like millions of others, Caraballo and his family decided to flee Venezuela's economic and political problems. He said he is looking forward to recovering from his injuries so he can fully reunite with his family and start a new life in the United States. Im Bryan Lynn. The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. __________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story cell n. a small room in a prison or police station where detainees are kept lock v. to close or keep closed using a locking device inhalation n. the action of breathing in air, smoke or gas into your lungs mattress n. the soft part of a bed that is made of a strong cloth and filled with firm material for a person to sleep on ______________________________________________________________________ What do you think of this story? We want to hear from you. We have a new comment system. Here is how it works: Write your comment in the box. Under the box, you can see four images for social media accounts. They are for Disqus, Facebook, Twitter and Google. Click on one image and a box appears. Enter the login for your social media account. Or you may create one on the Disqus system. It is the blue circle with D on it. It is free. Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Our comment policy is here. The private equity-backed practice has been known to demand more than $100,000 in charges or penalties. One patient is fighting back. OGALLALA The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation Districts board of directors held their April board meeting on Monday (April 3) at the Lake McConaughy Visitor and & Water Interpretive Center in Ogallala, Neb. A main topic of discussion was the proposed marina at Lake McConaughy. The Nebraska legislature formed the Statewide Tourism and Recreational Water Access and Resource Sustainability, or STAR WARS, special committee in 2021. During the 2022 legislative session, LB 1023 was passed that had funding for several projects identified by the STAR WARS committee. Within the bill was over $40 million dedicated to improvements at Lake McConaughy, including a new marina. The marina project is being managed by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Natural Resources and Compliance Manager Mike Drain reported to the board that HDR Consulting Firm had identified three potential locations for the new marina, with a possibility of a fourth location based on feedback from the local community, and reviewed those locations with the board. Jeff Fields from the NGPC told the board that a request for proposal should be sent out in the next few months. He described some preliminary details of the plans, which could include 100 boat slips, a restaurant or other concessionaires. He reported that a similar project of adding a marina at Lewis & Clark Lake, which also received funding from the STAR WARS committee, is also in the beginning stages of design. Fields also updated the directors on the new boat ramp project at East Phillips Lake. At their April meeting, NGCP will vote on designating the East Phillips Lake area as a State Recreation Area, making it the 79th SRA in the state of Nebraska. Currently the area is a Wildlife Management Area. Designating it as a SRA will help enhance the amenities and secure proper upkeep of the area. In addition, Fields reported that Midway Lake special use area could also be designated as a SRA. Also at Mondays meeting: The board approved purchase of a 2022 CAT Track Mounted Excavator in the amount of $336,836 from Nebraska Machinery Co., of North Platte subject to legal review of any associated contract documents. A new 10-year services agreement with the Lake McConaughy Lessees, Inc., was given approval by the board of directors. The new agreement is in the amount of $18,000 with a 3% increase each year. Directors gave approval of proposed new leases for Merriweather and Lakeview Acres tenants at Johnson Lake. The new leases would include a 3% annual inflator and a 30-year term, similar to other types of District leases at Johnson Lake. The board voted to award Firefly Landscaping of Loomis the bid to provide mowing services around Johnson Lake and Plum Creek Lake for the next three years. Mike Drain gave an update on the Kingsley Dam maintenance project. He reported that engineers have been waiting for the ice to recede so they can do additional data collection, and they are expected to be back on site early in April. Drain said that work on the riprap is unlikely to take place this summer as the maintenance design is completed. The area needing work is in the vicinity of elevation 3245 feet and lake levels would generally need to be managed above or below a range of elevations in that area until that work is completed. At this time it is not known whether or not traffic on the highway across the dam would be affected as part of the maintenance work. The board approved a bylaw adoption process and established a special committee with representation from both Central and Dawson Public Power District to identify and recommend bylaw amendments. At consolidation, Centrals bylaws will become the bylaws of Platte River Public Power and Irrigation District so starting this process now will enable the districts to cooperatively prepare ahead of the proposed merger date. The committee, which will include several directors, the general managers, stakeholders, and legal counsel for each district, will develop and recommend draft bylaws to the boards for discussion and action. The committee will provide an initial proposal to the boards, which will also be shared with the public on each districts website, for input and feedback from the boards and comment by the public later this spring. Civil Engineer Tyler Thulin reported that Lake McConaughys elevation was at 3231.4 feet on Monday (51.9% of capacity). Inflows are around 950 cubic feet per second (cfs) and releases are about 300 cfs, which is higher due to releasing water to pump into Elwood Reservoir. Snowpack in the North Platte basin is currently at 128% of median average and 105% of median average in the South Platte basin. A hydrocyling period is taking place at the Johnson No. 2 hydroplant so water elevation at Johnson Lake will fluctuate 1-2 feet around one to two times a week until the end of April. A judge has dismissed the criminal case against former Wahoo police officer Sean Vilmont. The 52-year-old Fremont man was arrested in Dodge County in 2021 on two charges of third-degree sexual assault of a child and unlawful intrusion on the allegations of a then-13-year-old girl. In December, District Judge Bryan C. Meismer ruled that state prosecutors couldn't call his teen accuser to testify or use her prior statements at trial because she had failed to comply with discovery, preventing Vilmont from his constitutional right to confront his accuser. In January, the Nebraska Attorney General's Office amended the charge to a single count of unlawful intrusion, alleging that Vilmont had recorded the girl without her knowledge and consent in a place of privacy. In a motion to dismiss that followed, defense attorney Jim McCough argued that without testimony from Vilmont's accuser, the state couldn't prove its case. Assistant Attorney General Corey O'Brien argued he could prove the case through circumstantial evidence. "However, this court disagrees based upon the specific facts in this case as well as this courts prior ruling," District Judge Geoffrey C. Hall wrote in an order last week. He determined that the state was unable to introduce admissible evidence at trial to support its contention that Vilmont had violated the law beyond a reasonable doubt, and he dismissed the case. It since has been sealed. Vilmont had been with the Wahoo Police Department for more than a decade and had been promoted to second-in-command in 2019. He also had worked for the Ashland Police Department. Vilmont was put on paid administrative leave as the Nebraska State Patrol investigated the allegation, and he was terminated Sept. 22, 2021, the day charges were filed in Dodge County. Deborah Hellman (University of Virginia School of Law) has posted DEFINING DISPARATE TREATMENT: A RESEARCH AGENDA FOR OUR TIMES (Indiana Law Review, Forthcoming) on SSRN. Here is the abstract: Both statutory and constitutional law prohibiting discrimination forbid actions taken on the basis of certain traits. But rarely are those traits specifically defined. As a result, courts fill in these definitions and do so with consequential results. The boundaries they draw often determine whether or not a law, policy or action constitutes disparate treatment on the basis of a legally protected trait. As disparate treatment calls for a significantly heavier burden of justification than does disparate impact, the key move putting laws, policies and the acts of individuals into one category or the other happens in this definitional step. Defining disparate treatment also requires a clear understanding of what taking action because of or on the basis of a protected trait entails. While the Supreme Courts 2020 decision in Bostock v. Clayton County took an initial stab at this mechanism question, many ambiguities remain. A clear understanding of disparate treatment requires that we answer both the definition question and the mechanism question. Yet doing so is not easy, a fact that has not been adequately appreciated. To make progress on defining disparate treatment, this Article describes four puzzles, and in so doing develops a research agenda for our times. Highly recommended. Download it while it's hot! 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Furious at U.S. efforts that cut off access to technology to make advanced computer chips, Chinas leaders appear to be struggling to figure out how to retaliate without hurting their own ambitions in telecoms, artificial intelligence and other industries. President Xi Jinpings government sees the chips that are used in everything from phones to kitchen appliances to fighter jets as crucial assets in its strategic rivalry with Washington and efforts to gain wealth and global influence. Chips are the center of a technology war, a Chinese scientist wrote in an official journal in February. China has its own chip foundries, but they supply only low-end processors used in autos and appliances. The U.S. government, starting under then-President Donald Trump, is cutting off access to a growing array of tools to make chips for computer servers, AI and other advanced applications. Japan and the Netherlands have joined in limiting access to technology they say might be used to make weapons. Xi accused Washington in March of trying to block Chinas development with a campaign of containment and suppression. He called on the public to dare to fight. Despite that, Beijing has been slow to retaliate against U.S. companies, possibly to avoid disrupting Chinese industries that assemble most of the worlds smartphones, tablet computers and other consumer electronics. They import more than $300 billion worth of foreign chips every year. The ruling Communist Party is throwing billions of dollars at trying to accelerate chip development and reduce the need for foreign technology. Chinas loudest complaint: It is blocked from buying a machine available only from a Dutch company, ASML, that uses ultraviolet light to etch circuits into silicon chips on a scale measured in nanometers, or billionths of a meter. Without that, Chinese efforts to make transistors faster and more efficient by packing them more closely together on fingernail-size slivers of silicon are stalled. Making processor chips requires some 1,500 steps and technologies owned by U.S., European, Japanese and other suppliers. China wont swallow everything. If damage occurs, we must take action to protect ourselves, the Chinese ambassador to the Netherlands, Tan Jian, told the Dutch newspaper Financieele Dagblad. Im not going to speculate on what that might be, Tan said. It wont just be harsh words. The conflict has prompted warnings the world might decouple, or split into separate spheres with incompatible technology standards that mean computers, smartphones and other products from one region wouldnt work in others. That would raise costs and might slow innovation. The bifurcation in technological and economic systems is deepening, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore said at an economic forum in China last month. This will impose a huge economic cost. Chinese industries will hit a wall in 2025 or 2026 if they cant get next generation chips or the tools to make their own, said Handel Jones, a tech industry consultant. China will start falling behind significantly, said Jones, CEO of International Business Strategies. Beijing might have leverage, though, as the biggest source of batteries for electric vehicles, Jones said. Chinese battery giant CATL supplies U.S. and Europe automakers. Ford Motor Co. plans to use CATL technology in a $3.5 billion battery factory in Michigan. China will strike back, Jones said. What the public might see is China not giving the U.S. batteries for EVs. On Friday, Japan increased pressure on Beijing by joining Washington in imposing controls on exports of chipmaking equipment. The announcement didnt mention China, but the trade minister said Tokyo doesnt want its technology used for military purposes. A Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman, Mao Ning, warned Japan that weaponizing sci-tech and trade issues would hurt others as well as oneself. Hours later, the Chinese government announced an investigation of the biggest U.S. memory chip maker, Micron Technology Inc., a key supplier to Chinese factories. The Cyberspace Administration of China said it would look for national security threats in Microns technology and manufacturing but gave no details. The Chinese military also needs semiconductors for its development of stealth fighter jets, cruise missiles and other weapons. Chinese alarm grew after President Joe Biden in October expanded controls imposed by Trump on chip manufacturing technology. Biden also barred Americans from helping Chinese manufacturers with some processes. To nurture Chinese suppliers, Xis government is stepping up support that industry experts say already amounts to as much as $30 billion a year in research grants and other subsidies. Chinas biggest maker of memory chips, Yangtze Memory Technologies Corp., or YMTC, received a 49 billion yuan ($7 billion) infusion this year from two official funds, according to Tianyancha, a financial information provider. One was the governments main investment vehicle, the China National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, known as the Big Fund. It was founded in 2014 with 139 billion yuan ($21 billion) and has invested in hundreds of companies. The Big Fund launched a second entity, known as the Big Fund II, in 2019 with 200 billion yuan ($30 billion). In January, chip manufacturer Hua Hong Semiconductor said Big Fund II would contribute 1.2 billion yuan ($175 million) for a planned 6.7 billion yuan ($975 million) wafer fabrication facility in eastern Chinas Wuxi. In March, the Cabinet promised tax breaks and other support for the industry. It gave no price tag. The government also has set up integrated circuit talent training bases at 23 universities and six at other schools. Semiconductors are the main battlefield of the current China-U.S. technology war, Junwei Luo, a scientist at the official Institute of Semiconductors, wrote in the February issue of the journal of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Luo called for self-reliance and self-improvement in semiconductors. The scale of spending required is huge. The global industry leader, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp., or TSMC, is in the third year of a three-year, $100 billion plan to expand research and production. Developers including Huawei Technologies Ltd. and VeriSilicon Holdings Co. can design logic chips for smartphones as powerful as those from Intel Corp., Apple Inc., South Koreas Samsung Electronics Co. or Britains Arm Ltd., according to industry researchers. But they cannot be manufactured without the precision technology of TSMC and other foreign foundries. Trump in 2019 crippled Huaweis smartphone brand by blocking it from buying U.S. chips or other technology. American officials say Huawei, Chinas first global tech brand, might facilitate Chinese spying, an accusation the company denies. In 2020, the White House tightened controls, blocking TSMC and others from using U.S. technology to produce chips for Huawei. JOE McDONALD, BEIJING, MDT/AP The Civil Protection Operation Centre (COPC) will conduct a civil protection drill known as Crystal Fish on Saturday, 22 April. The exercise aims to test the preparedness of different COPC teams to respond to various scenarios anticipated as part of the evacuation of low-lying areas in storm surges during the passage of a severe typhoon. The drill was instigated after the passage of Typhoon Hato in 2017. As in previous occasions, different incidents will be simulated to test the joint response capacity of the members of the civil protection structure. The exercise will also rely on the participation of civil protection volunteers and members of the civil protection community liaison mechanism. Given the role of community volunteers in the exercise, the COPC is calling on members of the community to fill 450 vacancies between now and April 18. RM An extraordinary moment in U.S. history is set to soon unfold in a Manhattan courthouse today (Macau time): Former President Donald Trump, who faces multiple election-related investigations, will surrender to face criminal charges stemming from 2016 hush money payments. The booking and arraignment are likely to be relatively brief though hardly routine as Trump is fingerprinted, learns the charges against him and pleads, as expected, not guilty. Trump, who was impeached twice by the U.S. House but was never convicted in the U.S. Senate, will become the first former president to face criminal charges. The nations 45th commander in chief will be escorted from Trump Tower to the courthouse by the Secret Service and may have his mug shot taken. New York police are braced for protests by Trump supporters, who share the Republican former presidents belief that the New York grand jury indictment and three additional pending investigations are politically motivated and intended to weaken his bid to retake the White House in 2024. Trump, a former reality TV star, has been hyping that narrative to his political advantage, saying he raised $8 million in the less than a week since the indictment on claims of a witch hunt. He has assailed the Manhattan district attorney, egged on supporters to protest and claimed without evidence that the judge presiding over the case hates me something his own lawyer has said is not true. Trump is scheduled to return to his Palm Beach, Florida, home, Mar-a-Lago, on Tuesday evening to hold a rally, punctuating his new reality: submitting to the dour demands of the American criminal justice system while projecting an aura of defiance and victimhood at celebratory campaign events. At least 500 prominent supporters have been invited, with some of the most pro-Trump congressional Republicans expected to attend. A conviction would not prevent Trump from running for or winning the presidency in 2024. Inside the Manhattan courtroom, prosecutors led by New Yorks district attorney, Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, are expected to unseal the indictment issued last week by a grand jury. This is when Trump and his defense lawyers will get their first glimpse of the precise allegations against him. The indictment contains multiple charges of falsifying business records, including at least one felony offense, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press last week. After the arraignment, Trump is expected to be released by authorities because the charges against him dont require that bail be set. The investigation is scrutinizing six-figure payments made to porn actor Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Both say they had sexual encounters with the married Trump years before he got into politics. Trump denies having sexual liaisons with either woman and has denied any wrongdoing involving payments. The arraignment will unfold against the backdrop of heavy security in New York, coming more than two years after Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a failed bid to halt the congressional certification of Democrat Joe Bidens win. Though police said they had no intelligence suggesting any violence was likely, they were on high alert for any potential disruptions. While there may be some rabble rousers thinking of coming to our city tomorrow, our message is clear and simple: Control yourselves, Mayor Eric Adams said. He also singled out Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, one of Trumps staunchest supporters in Congress, who is organizing a rally Tuesday at a park across from the courthouse: While youre in town, be on your best behavior, Adams said. Trump pollster John McLaughlin said the former president would approach the day with dignity. He will be a gentleman, McLaughlin said. Hell show strength and hell show dignity and well get through this and win the election. Trump lawyer Joe Tacopina said over the weekend that he hoped the arraignment would be as painless and classy as possible despite its unprecedented nature. But Trump was also defiant. In a post late Monday night on his social media network he lashed out at Biden, suggesting the current president should be facing legal troubles of his own. Despite that, the scene around Trump Tower and the courthouse where Trump will stand before a judge was quiet overnight. There were signs both supporting and decrying the former president stuck to posts, one urging passers-by to donate to help fund Trumps presidential library and another showing a shouting Trump behind bars. The public fascination with the case was evident Monday as national television carried live images of Trumps motorcade from his Mar-a-Lago club to a private, red, white and blue Boeing 757 stenciled with his name. From there, Trump was flown to New York, where cameras followed his motorcade into Manhattan and he spent the night at Trump Tower as he prepared to turn himself in. The former president and his aides are embracing the media circus. After initially being caught off guard when news of the indictment broke Thursday evening, Trump and his team are hoping to use the case to his advantage. Still, they asked the judge in a Monday filing to ban photo and video coverage of the arraignment. Though prosecutors routinely insist that no person is above the law, bringing criminal charges against a former president carries instant logistical complications. New Yorks ability to carry out safe and drama-free courthouse proceedings in a case involving a polarizing ex-president could be an important test case as prosecutors in Atlanta and Washington conduct their own investigations of Trump that could also result in charges. Those investigations concern efforts to undo the 2020 election results as well as the possible mishandling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. Top Republicans, including some of Trumps potential rivals in next years GOP presidential primary, have criticized the case against him. Biden, who has yet to formally announce that hes seeking reelection next year, and other leading Democrats have largely had little to say about it. Prosecutors insist their case against Trump has nothing to do with politics. MICHAEL R. SISAK, ERIC TUCKER & WILL WEISSERT, NEW YORK, MDT/AP Finland joined the NATO military alliance yesterday, dealing a major blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a historic realignment of Europes post-Cold War security landscape triggered by Moscows invasion of Ukraine. The Nordic countrys membership doubles Russias border with the worlds biggest security alliance. Finland had adopted neutrality after its defeat by the Soviets in World War II, but its leaders signaled they wanted to join NATO just months after Moscows invasion of Ukraine sent a shiver of fear through its neighbors. In praising Finlands membership, U.S. President Joe Biden noted it came on the 74th anniversary of the signing of NATOs founding treaty on April 4, 1949. When Putin launched his brutal war of aggression against the people of Ukraine, he thought he could divide Europe and NATO. He was wrong, Biden said. Today, we are more united than ever. And together strengthened by our newest ally, Finland we will continue to preserve transatlantic security, defend every inch of NATO territory, and meet any and all challenges we face. The move is a strategic and political setback for Putin, who has long complained about NATOs expansion toward Russia and partly used that as a justification for the invasion. Im tempted to say this is maybe the one thing that we can thank Mr. Putin for because he once again here precipitated something he claims to want to prevent by Russias aggression, causing many countries to believe that they have to do more to look out for their own defense and to make sure that they can deter possible Russian aggression going forward, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said before accepting the documents that made Finlands membership official. The U.S. State Department is the repository of NATO texts concerning membership. Russia warned it would be forced to take retaliatory measures to address what it called security threats created by Finlands membership. It had also warned it would bolster forces near Finland if NATO sends any additional troops or equipment to what is its 31st member country. The alliance says it poses no threat to Moscow. Alarmed by Moscows invasion of Ukraine last year, Finland, which shares a 1,340 kilometer (832 mile) border with Russia, applied to join in May, setting aside years of military nonalignment to seek protection under the organizations security umbrella. Its a great day for Finland and an important day for NATO, too, said Finnish President Sauli Niinisto. Russia tried to create a sphere around them and, well, we are not a sphere. Im sure that Finns themselves feel more secure, that we are living in a more stable world. Neighboring Sweden, which has avoided military alliances for more than 200 years, has also applied. But objections from NATO members Turkey and Hungary have delayed the process. Niinisto said Finlands membership is not complete without that of Sweden. The persistent efforts for a rapid Swedish membership continue. Earlier, Russias Foreign Ministry said Moscow will be forced to take military-technical and other retaliatory measures to counter the threats to our national security arising from Finlands accession to NATO. It said Finlands move marks a fundamental change in the situation in Northern Europe, which had previously been one of the most stable regions in the world. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Finlands membership reflects the alliances anti-Russian course and warned that Moscow will respond depending on what weapons NATO allies place there. But he also sought to play down the impact, noting that Russia has no territorial disputes with Finland. Its not clear what additional military resources Russia could send to the Finnish border. Moscow has deployed the bulk of its most capable military units to Ukraine. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said no more troops would be sent to Finland unless it asked for help. The country is now protected by what Stoltenberg called NATOs iron-clad security guarantee, under which all member countries vow to come to the defense of any ally that comes under attack. But Stoltenberg refused to rule out the possibility of holding more military exercises there and said that NATO would not allow Russias demands to dictate the organizations decisions. We are constantly assessing our posture, our presence. We have more exercises, we have more presence, also in the Nordic area, he said. Finlands Parliament, meanwhile, said its website was hit with a so-called denial-of-service attack, which made the site hard to use, with many pages not loading and some functions not available. A pro-Russian hacker group known as NoName057 (16) claimed responsibility, saying the attack was retaliation for Finland joining NATO. The claim could not be immediately verified. The hacker group, which has reportedly acted on Moscows orders, has taken party in a slew of cyberattacks on the U.S. and its allies in the past. Finnish public broadcaster YLE said the same group hit the Parliaments site last year. Finlands entry was marked with a flag-raising ceremony at NATO headquarters and a meeting of the alliances foreign ministers. LORNE COOK & MATTHEW LEE, BRUSSELS, MDT/AP A parliamentary committee reported that the government is inclined to restrict access to medically assisted reproduction in only three scenarios. The Medically Assisted Reproduction Technology Bill is under examination by the Second Standing Committee of parliament. A meeting and press conference was held yesterday morning. President of the committee, Chan Chak Mo, told the press conference that the government is likely to restrict the use of the technology to three situations. Assisted reproductive technology is likely to be approved for married or de-facto couples diagnosed with infertility, for the treatment of severe illness in children of a married couple, as well as the existence of severe genetic or other diseases in a married couple. Chan stated that the government was concerned that, without proper restrictions, the technology could easily be used for commercial surrogacy and human trafficking, and that misuse of the technology would have negative consequences for the baby. Chan added that at the meeting, academic research involving embryos was also discussed. The current version of the Bill suggests that only research aimed at preventing, diagnosing, or treating diseases, improving the technology, as well as establishing a stem cell database for transplantation will be considered. Prior approval by the Health Bureau must be obtained for such research. In addition, embryos produced initially for reproductive purposes should not be saved for future research use, and vice versa. AL The Macao Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM) will launch two brand-new postgraduate programs: the Master of Science in Digital Marketing and Analytics, and its corresponding Postgraduate Diploma, in the 2023/2024 academic year. Using English as the teaching medium, the programs will focus on the core areas of marketing and high-end retail management in the context of digital transformation. According to a statement, the program aims to provide technology-based marketing and data analysis education that is interdisciplinary and responsive to new developments in tourism, luxury and other related high-end service businesses. Related French President Emmanuel Macron will have to muster all his diplomatic adeptness and political acumen on a three-day state visit to China where the war in Ukraine will be front and center, along with tough talks on trade. Macron is expected to warn China against sending weapons to Russia and instead ask that the country use its influence to support peace efforts. Beijing claims to hold a neutral stance in the war, but has also stressed its no-limits friendship with Russia. Chinas President Xi Jinping last month met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. A top French official acknowledged that Paris isnt expecting to see a major shift in that position. But France will push for initiatives helping ordinary Ukrainians and for possible avenues toward reaching a halfway solution to the war, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with the French presidencys customary practices. Paris and Beijing may find a point of convergence following Putins recent announcement that his country plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. China, without naming Russia, made clear its opposition to the planned deployment. Macron will also seek to involve China deeper in global discussions on climate-related issues, as things are getting more complicated for him at home. The 45-year-old leader has in recent weeks faced strong opposition among ordinary French citizens and lawmakers to his plan to raise the legal retirement age from 62 to 64. A surge of street protests resulted in a state visit by Britains King Charles III having to be postponed. While Macron is in Beijing, French trade unions on Thursday will stage the 11th round of nationwide demonstrations since January. The visit also comes amid ever-rising tensions between the U.S. and China, the worlds two largest economies. Trade will also be a major focus as Macron has asked European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to join him for a meeting with Xi thats meant to show European unity especially on economic issues. The French president said last month that he took such an initiative because he is attached to European coordination. Last week, von der Leyen warned the European Union must be prepared to develop measures to protect trade and investment that China might exploit for its own security and military purposes. China is both the EUs commercial partner and a rival, Thierry Breton, EU Commissioner for Internal Market, said Monday on French news broadcaster FranceInfo. Breton said the message to Chinese authorities is that they must stop trying to play one country against another. Of course, China still is an important market for many European companies. But the (EU) internal market is a crucial market to China, Breton added. Macron will be accompanied by a delegation of over 50 CEOs including from French energy giant EDF, rail transport manufacturer Alstom and European plane-maker Airbus. The top French official said negotiations were still being held on a potential deal with Airbus that would come on top of Chinas 2019 order for 300 aircraft. Macron, who last traveled to China in 2019 before the COVID-19 crisis, is to start his trip today in Beijing with a speech to the French community. Tomorrow, he will have meetings with the head of the National Peoples Congress, Zhao Leji, and Chinas new No. 2 leader, Premier Li Qiang, in addition to a meeting and a state dinner with Xi in the presence of von der Leyen. On Friday, Macron will head to the southern Chinese metropolis of Guangzhou, where Xis father used to work as provincial governor in the 1980s. The French president will answer questions there from some of the 1,000 Chinese students at Sun Yat-Sen university. He will then meet Xi again for a private dinner and later meet with Chinese investors. SYLVIE CORBET, PARIS, MDT/AP The Encouraged Industry Catalogue in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin was recently released by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). With a total of 185 items, the catalogue mainly focuses on the scientific and technological research and advanced manufacturing industries, as well as Macau-branded industries including traditional Chinese medicine, cultural tourism, conventions and exhibitions, and commercial and trade industries, modern financial industry. In addition to specifying the major industries to promote Macaus economic diversification, it highlights the regulatory alignment with Macau. For instance, the catalogue covers the design, production, and sale of food products, drinks, condiments and health products approved and registered in Macau and produced in the Cooperation Zone, as well as trade brokerage, agencies, and services between the mainland, Macau SAR, Portuguese-speaking countries and other countries in jointly advancing the Belt and Road Initiative. It includes insurance services like personal insurance, reinsurance, mutual insurance, self-insurance, and tariff guarantee insurance. We can provide Hengqin and Macau residents with better medical services and attract more residents from Macau to work and live in Hengqin through launching various types of insurance, which is also an important financial measure to promote the integrated development of the two places, said Fu Yongge, deputy director of the Executive Committee of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. According to the NDRC, the catalogue holds the key to guide investors, help governments manage investment projects, formulate and implement policies for the development of skills, land development and other industries. In the future, Guangdong province and other related departments of the State Council will actively support the encouraged industries in terms of project layout, funding, and other aspects. MDT/NewsGD From fake photos of Donald Trump being arrested by New York City police officers to a chatbot describing a very-much-alive computer scientist as having died tragically, the ability of the new generation of generative artificial intelligence systems to create convincing but fictional text and images is setting off alarms about fraud and misinformation on steroids. Indeed, a group of artificial intelligence researchers and industry figures urged the industry on March 29, 2023, to pause further training of the latest AI technologies or, barring that, for governments to impose a moratorium. These technologies image generators like DALL-E, Midjourney and Stable Diffusion, and text generators like Bard, ChatGPT, Chinchilla and LLaMA are now available to millions of people and dont require technical knowledge to use. Given the potential for widespread harm as technology companies roll out these AI systems and test them on the public, policymakers are faced with the task of determining whether and how to regulate the emerging technology. The Conversation asked three experts on technology policy to explain why regulating AI is such a challenge and why its so important to get it right. To jump ahead to each response, heres a list of each: Human foibles and a moving targetCombining soft and hard approachesFour key questions to ask Human foibles and a moving target The reason to regulate AI is not because the technology is out of control, but because human imagination is out of proportion. Gushing media coverage has fueled irrational beliefs about AIs abilities and consciousness. Such beliefs build on automation bias or the tendency to let your guard down when machines are performing a task. An example is reduced vigilance among pilots when their aircraft is flying on autopilot. Numerous studies in my lab have shown that when a machine, rather than a human, is identified as a source of interaction, it triggers a mental shortcut in the minds of users that we call a machine heuristic. This shortcut is the belief that machines are accurate, objective, unbiased, infallible and so on. It clouds the users judgment and results in the user overly trusting machines. However, simply disabusing people of AIs infallibility is not sufficient, because humans are known to unconsciously assume competence even when the technology doesnt warrant it. Research has also shown that people treat computers as social beings when the machines show even the slightest hint of humanness, such as the use of conversational language. In these cases, people apply social rules of human interaction, such as politeness and reciprocity. So, when computers seem sentient, people tend to trust them, blindly. Regulation is needed to ensure that AI products deserve this trust and dont exploit it. AI poses a unique challenge because, unlike in traditional engineering systems, designers cannot be sure how AI systems will behave. When a traditional automobile was shipped out of the factory, engineers knew exactly how it would function. But with self-driving cars, the engineers can never be sure how it will perform in novel situations. Lately, thousands of people around the world have been marveling at what large generative AI models like GPT-4 and DALL-E 2 produce in response to their prompts. None of the engineers involved in developing these AI models could tell you exactly what the models will produce. To complicate matters, such models change and evolve with more and more interaction. All this means there is plenty of potential for misfires. Therefore, a lot depends on how AI systems are deployed and what provisions for recourse are in place when human sensibilities or welfare are hurt. AI is more of an infrastructure, like a freeway. You can design it to shape human behaviors in the collective, but you will need mechanisms for tackling abuses, such as speeding, and unpredictable occurrences, like accidents. AI developers will also need to be inordinately creative in envisioning ways that the system might behave and try to anticipate potential violations of social standards and responsibilities. This means there is a need for regulatory or governance frameworks that rely on periodic audits and policing of AIs outcomes and products, though I believe that these frameworks should also recognize that the systems designers cannot always be held accountable for mishaps. Combining softi and hard approaches Regulating AI is tricky. To regulate AI well, you must first define AI and understand anticipated AI risks and benefits. Legally defining AI is important to identify what is subject to the law. But AI technologies are still evolving, so it is hard to pin down a stable legal definition. Understanding the risks and benefits of AI is also important. Good regulations should maximize public benefits while minimizing risks. However, AI applications are still emerging, so it is difficult to know or predict what future risks or benefits might be. These kinds of unknowns make emerging technologies like AI extremely difficult to regulate with traditional laws and regulations. Lawmakers are often too slow to adapt to the rapidly changing technological environment. Some new laws are obsolete by the time they are enacted or even introduced. Without new laws, regulators have to use old laws to address new problems. Sometimes this leads to legal barriers for social benefits or legal loopholes for harmful conduct. Soft laws are the alternative to traditional hard law approaches of legislation intended to prevent specific violations. In the soft law approach, a private organization sets rules or standards for industry members. These can change more rapidly than traditional lawmaking. This makes soft laws promising for emerging technologies because they can adapt quickly to new applications and risks. However, soft laws can mean soft enforcement. Megan Doerr, Jennifer Wagner and Schmit propose a third way: Copyleft AI with Trusted Enforcement (CAITE). This approach combines two very different concepts in intellectual property copyleft licensing and patent trolls. Copyleft licensing allows for content to be used, reused or modified easily under the terms of a license for example, open-source software. The CAITE model uses copyleft licenses to require AI users to follow specific ethical guidelines, such as transparent assessments of the impact of bias. In our model, these licenses also transfer the legal right to enforce license violations to a trusted third party. This creates an enforcement entity that exists solely to enforce ethical AI standards and can be funded in part by fines from unethical conduct. This entity is like a patent troll in that it is private rather than governmental and it supports itself by enforcing the legal intellectual property rights that it collects from others. In this case, rather than enforcement for profit, the entity enforces the ethical guidelines defined in the licenses a troll for good. This model is flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of a changing AI environment. It also enables substantial enforcement options like a traditional government regulator. In this way, it combines the best elements of hard and soft law approaches to meet the unique challenges of AI. S. Shyam Sundar, Penn State Cason Schmit, Texas A&M University, MDT/The Conversation Human rights groups yesterday applauded Malaysias move to scrap the mandatory death penalty as a major step forward in the push for the abolition of capital punishment in Southeast Asia. Instead of the death penalty, lawmakers on Monday approved bills to give courts the option of imposing prison sentences of between 30 and 40 years and caning not less than 12 times. Previously, courts had no choice but to mandate hanging as punishment for a range of crimes including murder, drug trafficking, treason, kidnapping and acts of terror. Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch said Malaysias progressive stance could help break the logjam on forward movement towards abolition of the death penalty in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Far too many ASEAN states like to brandish the death penalty as some sort of big stick to scare criminals, but that tactic is not really working. Singapore has gone on an execution spree, Vietnam puts dozens to death every year, and even Myanmar is now executing political prisoners, but crime has hardly diminished, he said. Hopefully, the Malaysia move will signal a step back from the death penalty that will be picked up by other states like Thailand, Laos, Brunei and elsewhere who have not put people to death for some time, he said. Cambodia and the Philippines are the only two countries in the region that abolished the death penalty, although there were calls to revive it in Manila. Myanmar had a de-facto moratorium on the death penalty since 1989, but the countrys military rulers executed four political prisoners last year. Singapore resumed executions by hanging 11 people last year after a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Singapore has come under fire for executions of what critics said were low-level drug smugglers but the government has defended the use of the death penalty as a deterrent. Officials said Singapore had arrested about 6,000 people a year for illegal drugs in the 1990s, but the number has now dropped to about 3,000 people a year. Reports said three studies conducted or commissioned by the government showed that more than seven in 10 people in the city-state supported the death penalty for the most serious crimes such as intentional murder, use of firearms and drug trafficking. Robertson said the Malaysian government should show regional leadership by encouraging others in ASEAN to rethink their continued use of the death penalty. He also urged Malaysia to scrap whipping, which he called feudal anachronism. Malaysian rights groups called on the countrys Senate to swiftly pass the bills so that the king can sign them into law. Once that happens, nearly 850 prisoners on death row who had exhausted all appeals can seek a review of their death sentences, but not their convictions. Most cases were linked to drug trafficking. The review can only be done once. Some 500 others on death row are still going through the appeal process. Dozens of others who are serving natural life sentences can seek to commute them. Charles Hector from the Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture group said it was clear capital punishment had failed to deter crime as the number of killings and drug trafficking cases remained high. He said the removal of imprisonment for natural life, considered by Pope Francis as a secret death penalty, would give prisoners a chance to rehabilitate. MDT/AP * Idle Mopeds The plan to retire pollutant scooters fell short of expectations as govt forecasted over 7,600 applications, yet only 1,800 were received * Kwok-yung Yuen | Universal antiviral medications to prevent future outbreaks * Malaysia | Rights groups welcome move on death penalty * Lawmaker Ron Lam demands that the Transport Bureau investigate the lack of bookable slots for vehicle inspection services * UM to launch six new masters degree including AI, robotics systems * Donald Trump to surrender to history-making criminal charges * The Conversation DOWNLOAD PDF Wednesday, April 5, 2023 edition no. 4222 With barricades surrounding the Manhattan criminal courthouse and plainclothes officers ordered to dress in their full uniforms, it's only human to ponder the wisdom of trying Donald Trump for a nonviolent offense related to buying a porn star's silence. Richard Nixon's tory suggests it is better for the nation to forgive and forget. But that of Jefferson Davis, the Confederacy's president, says it is dangerous to let losers tell the tale. One thing is for sure: Trump has put us on notice he won't go quietly. He told his followers to protest his indictment. They surely didn't hear that as a request for letters to the editor. More likely, his rallying cry evoked images of the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol. That bloody encounter is being investigated by a special counsel appointed by the U.S. attorney general. A Georgia special grand jury may indict Trump. So the waiting and worrying could go on and on, in a nation badly divided by the question of whether Trump was a threat to the republic or could have been its savior. Could President Joe Biden be persuaded to pardon Trump, much as successor Gerald Ford pardoned Nixon after he resigned the presidency? Ford explained that not doing so would have prolonged the national agony. Nixon reluctantly accepted the pardon, which implied he was guilty, wrote his memoirs and cautiously tiptoed into the limelight. The Republican Party was leery of being publicly linked with him. Davis' initial reception by his former countrymen was infinitely more hostile. Union soldiers captured him at the end of the Civil War and threw him into a prison where he was left to rot while federal authorities debated what to do with him. Some wanted him charged as an accomplice of John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. Others considered him responsible for the 13,000 Union soldiers who died in the Confederacy's Andersonville, Georgia, prison. Then an epidemic of profound war weariness rolled across the North. "There has been an almost radical change of opinion as to the best and wisest disposition to be made of (Jefferson Davis) not only in many of the most prominent Republican leaders but also in the loyal public at large since last August," the Chicago Tribune reported in November 1865. Authorities released Davis in 1867 pending trial on charges of treason. Northern luminaries such as New York newspaper editor Horace Greeley signed Davis' $100,000 bail bond. But Frederick Douglass was outraged. "What more could government have done to encourage another treasonable outbreak!" the Black abolitionist wrote. "Mr. Davis has started on his travels, to return no doubt, when ever the farce of a trial may still further disgrace the nation." In fact, the trial was quietly shelved, leaving Davis free to spin the story into a "lost cause." In his two-volume book "The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government," published in 1881, Davis argued that the Civil War was the North's fault and the South was simply fighting for its crinoline and plantation way of life. Enslaved people weren't abused, Davis believed. To the contrary, "you cannot transform the Negro into anything one tenth as useful as slavery enables him to be," he wrote in 1861. Davis died in 1889, unrepentant and not a citizen of the United States. He refused to ask for a pardon, because that would have required he acknowledge he did something wrong by leading the Southern states' rebellion. But the North enabled the narrative of his fabled "lost cause." It dropped a virtual curtain on the Civil War. Behind that curtain, Jim Crow's re-subjugation of Black people and countless deaths by lynching commenced, away from Northern liberals' view. America didn't resume discussing racial problems until the nation's slums exploded in the 1950s and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. marched for civil rights. Now imagine Trump's take on our era, should he get a pass. He would transform his brazen attempt to get Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raff ensperger to throw him 11,780 votes after the 2020 election into this: "It was a perfect phone call." Grossman is a former history professor who writes for The Chicago Tribune and is host of the "Talking Feds" podcast: RGrossman@chicagotribune.com. The U.S. Senate last week passed a resolution, introduced by Montana's Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines, designating the first week of April 2023 as "National Asbestos Awareness Week." The vote was unanimous. That's nice. Don't get us wrong we are heartily in favor of more asbestos awareness. We should all be aware of the deadly fiber that kills 40,000 Americans every year, its victims dying horrible deaths of cancer and suffocation. For instance, in and around tiny Libby, Montana, hundreds of asbestos victims have died, are slowly dying, and due to the disease's latency period, often 40 years or more, are still being diagnosed regularly despite 20 years of heroic clean up eff orts by the Environmental Protection Agency. In past years, we have praised earlier versions of this resolution and expressed the hope that they would lead, at long last, to a ban on importation, manufacture and use of asbestos-containing items. But all of the asbestos awareness resolutions and this is the 18th year of them have not spurred Congress to take action and ban asbestos. Also last week, yet another bill to ban the fiber was introduced by primary sponsor Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon. Nearly 70 other countries have already banned asbestos in the name of humanity. Will Congress rustle up the gumption to take action on the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now bill? We'll see. But based on Congress' ineffectual past performance, if Las Vegas were making book, the ARBAN bill would be a huge underdog. As this is happening, the EPA is ponderously working toward an administrative rulemaking ban that is really not much of a ban at all. It would only apply to one kind of the fiber chrysotile, not to the considerably more deadly tremolite, Libby's proven killer, or to other varieties and to only a handful of uses. Many in Congress including Daines have cited the EPA process as a reason to decline to sign on to a bill banning asbestos, thus avoiding risking the wrath of the chlor-alkali industry, which, in only a handful of its oldest factories, still uses asbestos to make diaphragms that filter water. The industry has pleaded for more time to adjust to a ban, even though its modernized factories no longer use asbestos, and even though the industry has known of the deadly nature of asbestos for a century or more. Sens. Daines and Tester should honor the memory and suffering of their constituents by cosponsoring this bill. If that comes to pass, Sen. Daines will become the first Republican ever to sign on to true asbestos-banning legislation. And he will be a hero to many for that act of political courage. This ban is decades late, but it still could begin to reduce asbestos' grievous and preventable toll. Eighteen years of feel-good resolutions amount to nothing almost an entire generation with no concrete steps taken to stop the exposure that all too often leads to a slow-motion death sentence. Thoughts and prayers won't get it done. Hard-nosed, effective, loophole-free legislation such as ARBAN will. If only Congress can find the gumption. WAR IN UKRAINE BRUSSELS On the eve of a major European Union diplomatic foray into China, the bloc's foreign policy chief on Tuesday lashed out at Beijing for its support of Russia amid the invasion of Ukraine, and called it "a blatant violation" of its United Nations commitments. "There cannot be siding with the aggressor," Josep Borrell said ahead of a trip to Beijing by the EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron. "There is a clear expectation from a permanent member of the (U.N.) Security Council to stand up in defense of international rules-based order and China has a moral duty to contribute to a fair peace." Standing alongside visiting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Borrell was unusually blunt in his condemnation of a nation that has increasingly moved from being an EU partner to being a rival on the global stage. The comments set the stage for two of Europe's preeminent leaders to press the point that EU-China relations will pivot on Beijing's friendship with Russia. Macron and von der Leyen are expected to warn China against sending weapons to Russia during talks with President Xi Jinping on Thursday. Just ahead of the visit, von der Leyen had a phone call with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to coordinate strategy. Even if Beijing says it is neutral in the war, Xi's visit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow two weeks ago had all the visuals and speeches of a meeting among trusted friends. "They agreed on the need to not deploy nuclear arms abroad," Borrell said of the Moscow meeting. "Some days later, Russia deployed tactical weapons, nuclear tactical weapons in Belarus," he added, referring to an announcement by Putin of plans to deploy such weapons. He called the prospect of deploying such weapons in Belarus Putin's "newest nuclear gamble" and said it constituted "a direct threat to European security." Borrell said he was looking for a change of heart in Beijing if relations were not to deteriorate. "We have been clear with China that its position on Russia's atrocities and war crimes will determine the quality of our relations with Beijing," he said. Discussions between Macron, Xi and von der Leyen will mainly focus on trade, the war in Ukraine and climate change. The European officials are expected to underscore the importance of China's role in supporting peace, and to tell Xi that he should engage directly with Zelenskyy following his visit to Moscow last month. NATO BRUSSELS Finland joined the NATO military alliance Tuesday, dealing a major blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a historic realignment of Europe's post-Cold War security landscape triggered by Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The Nordic country's membership doubles Russia's border with the world's biggest security alliance. Finland adopted neutrality after its defeat by the Soviets in World War II, but its leaders signaled they wanted to join NATO after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine sent a shiver of fear through its neighbors. "The era of nonalignment in our history has come to an end a new era begins," President Sauli Niinisto said before his country's blue-and-white flag was raised outside NATO headquarters. A short distance away, outside the security fence, a few dozen people wrapped in flags of their own chanted, "Ukraine needs NATO." In praising Finland's membership, U.S. President Joe Biden noted it came on the 74th anniversary of the signing of NATO's founding treaty on April 4, 1949. "When Putin launched his brutal war of aggression against the people of Ukraine, he thought he could divide Europe and NATO. He was wrong," Biden said in a statement. "Today, we are more united than ever. And together strengthened by our newest ally, Finland we will continue to preserve transatlantic security, defend every inch of NATO territory, and meet any and all challenges we face." The move is a strategic and political setback for Putin, who has long complained about NATO's expansion toward Russia and partly used that as a justification for the invasion. "I'm tempted to say this is maybe the one thing that we can thank Mr. Putin for because he once again here precipitated something he claims to want to prevent by Russia's aggression, causing many countries to believe that they have to do more to look out for their own defense and to make sure that they can deter possible Russian aggression going forward," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said before accepting the documents that made Finland's membership official. The U.S. State Department is the repository of NATO texts concerning membership. Russia warned it would be forced to take "retaliatory measures" to address what it called security threats created by Finland's membership. It had also warned it would bolster forces near Finland if NATO sends any additional troops or equipment to what is its 31st member country. Alarmed by Moscow's invasion of Ukraine last year, Finland, which shares a 832-mile border with Russia, applied to join in May, seeking protection under the organization's security umbrella. A brother from a Catholic order who worked last year for the Madison Diocese was sentenced Wednesday to two years in prison for his sexual involvement with a 17-year-old girl he met while serving a northeastern Dane County parish. Truly I stand here sinful and sorrowful. I acknowledge my mistake, said Rajnal Rehmat, 31, who pleaded guilty in February to child enticement. I am so ashamed of my poor choice. Rehmat was arrested in December after his involvement with the girl, whom he met in a Bible study group he led at the joint parish of St. Olaf-St. Joseph, in DeForest and the town of Bristol, came to light. He had initially faced a sexual assault charge but that was dismissed as part of a plea agreement. Rehmat, originally from Pakistan, is a brother of California-based Canons Regular of Jesus the Lord and was five months into a 2-year contract with the Madison Diocese when he was arrested for incidents with the girl, which happened between Sept. 5 and Oct. 1, according to a criminal complaint. As a result of his conviction, Rehmat is all but certain to be deported once he finishes serving his prison sentence. Assistant District Attorney Annie Jay said that alone was a reason he should not be sentenced to probation, which would essentially be meaningless. Rehmats attorney, state Assistant Public Defender Adam Welch, asked for a six-month jail sentence. Circuit Judge Nicholas McNamara noted the gravity of what Rehmat had done essentially failed his responsibility as an adult and as a leader at church not to become sexually involved with someone still considered a child under the law. While Rehmat has shown glimpses of good character, McNamara said, it was the same character that prevented you from doing the right thing here. And regardless of his occupation, McNamara said, you shouldnt be able to do this to a child and just go home. He said it appeared clear that Rehmat knew early on that every step of this relationship with this child was inappropriate. The girl and her parents did not attend the sentencing hearing. But in a statement filed in court, the girls parents wrote that they believed initially that Rehmat was a very sweet, fun, loveable, kind man, only to later feel a great sense of loss and betrayal at the harm he has caused our child. In a world that has so much chaos and uncertainty, kids need good role models to help them through their journey of life, they wrote. Reggie, you were in that position. Young people looked up to you and trusted you. You used that trust to cause serious harm. The girls parents added that while they are very angry, they forgive Rehmat and are praying for his soul. A criminal complaint states the girl and Rehmat initially texted one another, and despite a warning from the parishs lead pastor not to text with minors, that continued, and their relationship escalated. Welch said the girl was sexually interested in Mr. Rehmat from the moment she met him, and was sexually interested in other clergy as well. Rehmat, he said, should have known better but there was mutual attraction between the two. The girl said, according to the complaint, that there were times when Rehmat indicated their relationship was forbidden, including an instance in an elevator at the Basilica of St. Josaphat in Milwaukee when he told her, Oh, Im a naughty brother. I have my cassock on and am kissing a minor in an elevator, the complaint states. Jay said that despite allegations in recent years concerning sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy, this was not an instance in which there was any allegation the church attempted to cover up that contact. She said the Diocese reported the contact to authorities after learning about it. Court documents also state that Dane County Child Protective Services had received an anonymous tip from a friend of the victim. Educator and former Madison teacher Blair Mosner Feltham will join the Madison School Board after winning Tuesdays election for seat 6, securing about 55% of the vote with nearly all precincts reporting. In addition, incumbent Nicki Vander Meulen, who ran unopposed, was reelected to a third term on seat 7. Mosner Feltham held a steady lead over computer engineer Badri Lankella throughout the evening as totals were reported by the city clerks office, and with nearly 97% of precincts reporting, both candidates agreed to Mosner Felthams victory. She received 48,991 total votes while Lankella had 38,503 total. Im excited to get work, continue serving the young people of Madison. I know theres a lot of work to do right away this time of year. And the goal was to win and be part of that and we did it, Mosner Feltham said. Mosner Feltham is the only new face joining the board this cycle, replacing outgoing board member Chris Gomez Schmidt, who decided not to run for reelection after just one term. There are seven total seats on the board and each board member serves staggered, three-year terms. The seats are district-wide and not determined by geography, and this year seats 6 and 7 were up for grabs. As an educator, Mosner Feltham ran on her experience in the classroom. She started her career in California and previously taught social studies at West High School. Since the start of this school year, she has been the equitable multi-level systems of support coordinator for the Sun Prairie School District. She has two young children who will both be enrolled in the Madison School District in the fall. Lankella touted his experience as a parent and as a member of several committees. He also unsuccessfully ran for Madison City Council in 2019 and made an unsuccessful bid to be appointed to a vacant city council seat in 2020. Im feeling very, very happy with the way the election and the campaign went. It was a very positive campaign from our end, so I was happy with the way it ended up, too, Lankella said. And I honor the publics mandate and congratulate Blair on her win. After first being elected in 2017, Vander Meulen has been a vocal member of the School Board. A lawyer, Vander Meulen says on her website that she is the first openly autistic school board member in the United States, and she often speaks in support of students with disabilities. I am honored to continue to represent the students, teachers and staff of MMSD. I appreciate and thank the voters, Vander Meulen said. Mosner Feltham will be sworn in at the next regular board meeting, on Monday, April 24. She joins a board that has a number of issues in front of it, including the most immediate task of finding a new superintendent to replace Carlton Jenkins once he retires at the end of July, and helping to balance a challenging budget. Because I have so many years of experience working in the schools I feel like I bring a really unique perspective about what a budget line looks like in a classroom and so I look forward to bringing that expertise to the conversation, Mosner Feltham said. The district also is facing staffing shortages, possible policy changes around behavior and cell phone usage, and transparency issues. Lankella said he will continue to fight these issues despite his loss. If not from the school board from another way. Im always there fighting for the community, moving forward I will find different ways to help the community, he said. At a time when school board races are growing more politicized, Madisons School Board election was a relatively quiet race. The candidates participated in a handful of debates and forums, but there werent many fireworks along the campaign trail. Not a lot of money was raised throughout the campaign, according to latest campaign finance records filed with the Madison city clerks office, which is typical of a local election. Madison City Council candidates backed by Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway had a strong showing in Tuesday nights city elections with one candidate winning his race by only two votes. The incoming council will be a major shakeup, with many incumbents refusing to run again and sitting members facing each other because of redistricting. In those races, incumbent Barbara Harrington-McKinney beat sitting council member Matt Phair in the Southwest Sides 20th District. The 10th District, which includes part of the citys South Side, still had one precinct not reporting in a close race between Yannette Figueroa Cole and Sheri Carter. Phair and Figueroa Cole had endorsements from Rhodes-Conway, who handily cruised to reelection over challenger Gloria Reyes on Tuesday night. But other Rhodes-Conway-backed candidates won their contests, including Juliana Bennett, Michael Verveer, MGR Govindarajan, Nikki Conklin, Jael Currie and Noah Lieberman. Lieberman won his race for the South Sides 14th District by only two votes, beating former council member Isadore Knox Jr. Other winners on Tuesday included Amani Latimer Burris, Kristen Slack and Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford, who will be the first openly trans woman elected in Madison. All precincts in races for the 3rd District, 6th District and 18th District were not available by deadline on Tuesday. Full results will be available on madison.com. With housing a big issue, the Realtors Association of South Central Wisconsins Housing Advocacy Fund made rare, perhaps unprecedented, independent expenditures totaling $169,889 in nine council races this spring. All nine council candidates benefiting from the support signed a joint letter opposing such outside spending in local campaigns with their opponents blasting the contributions as well. Although all 20 council districts were on the ballot, only 14 were contested. Council members with no challengers were: District 1, John Duncan; District 5, Regina Vidaver; District 7, Nasra Wehelie; District 11, Bill Tishler; District 13, Ald. Tag Evers; and District 17, Sabrina Madison. Three statewide referendums, including a pair of amendments to the state Constitution that give judges more options for keeping people arrested for violent crimes in custody pending trial and a nonbinding question related to work search requirements for some benefit recipients, cruised to easy victories Tuesday. The Associated Press called all three statewide ballot questions about an hour after polls closed Tuesday. All three secured at least two-thirds of votes cast. The constitutional change, which passed the Legislature in two consecutive sessions as a single measure, came before voters as two questions because they concern related but separate issues: one involves the conditions under which a person may be released from custody, while the second expands the criteria judges may use in setting cash bail. Currently, defendants may be eligible for release under conditions aimed at protecting the public from serious bodily harm. The first question changes that standard to just serious harm. The measure was supported by 66.6% of voters, according to The Associated Press. Under current law, judges may only require cash bail if there is a reasonable basis to believe that the conditions are necessary to assure appearance in court, not to keep defendants from engaging in potential future criminal activity. The second question dramatically expands that authority, allowing a judge to impose cash bail on someone accused of a violent crime based on the totality of the circumstances, including the accuseds previous convictions for a violent crime, the probability that the accused will fail to appear, the need to protect the community from serious harm and prevent witness intimidation, and potential affirmative defenses. The second measure was supported by 67.5% of voters. In preparation for Tuesdays vote, the Republican-controlled Legislature last month passed a bill clarifying 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. 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. The bill has been sent to Evers, who has not indicated whether he plans to sign or veto it. Despite some bipartisan support, some Democrats said the proposed definition is too broad. Both Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates said they supported the constitutional amendment. Another question on the spring ballot asked voters: Shall able-bodied child-less adults be required to look for work in order to receive taxpayer-funded welfare benefits? Despite being the only nonbinding statewide question on the ballot, the measure received support from more than 78% of voters. While nonbinding, legislators may use voters response to advance their political aims, but the vote itself will not change anything. After a first term that saw huge challenges with the COVID-19 pandemic and social justice protests, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway won a decisive victory Tuesday over challenger Gloria Reyes in a spirited race to lead the city for the next four years. It is an honor to have the opportunity to serve the city of Madison for a second term, Rhodes-Conway said. My administration provided honest, competent and steady leadership through a trying time. I am pleased voters have decided to give me another four years. I want to congratulate all the alders, new and old, on their victories tonight I look forward to working with this new council. I am excited to return to the office tomorrow morning and get back to work, she said. Reyes conceded the race. Tonight we congratulate Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway on her victory, Reyes said. This has been a competitive election and I am thankful for the conversation and exchange of ideas. I would like to thank everyone in Madison that supported my campaign and I throughout this journey, I would also like to thank my children, family and campaign team. Madison voters also chose a new City Council and overwhelmingly decided to hold elections for half of the council members every year rather than for all 20 every two years. Rhodes-Conway, who took office by handily beating former Mayor Paul Soglin with 62% of the vote in 2019, faced an energetic Reyes, a consultant and former nonprofit executive, deputy mayor, Madison School Board president and city police officer after they emerged from a three-way primary in February. With all precincts reporting, Rhodes-Conway won a solid victory with 55% of the vote to Reyes 44.3%. Voters also gave more than 80% approval for the binding referendum on staggering council terms. Its the first time in city history two women have squared off for the mayors office in the general election. Sue Bauman became the citys first female mayor in 1997 and Rhodes-Conway the first gay woman to win in 2019. Reyes would have been the first Hispanic mayor. Reyes, while touting her local roots, prioritized economic development, housing, equity and public safety while accusing the mayor of mismanaging the citys finances with budget deficits projected to reach $20 million to $30 million after 2024. She said the coming Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system and Metro Transit redesign may not be fiscally sound in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic or equitable. Rhodes-Conway focused on accomplishments, including advances with long-sought BRT and the transit redesign, low-cost housing, equity, fighting climate change and traffic safety, and voiced a desire to get the job done. But in the later stages of the campaign, as Reyes leveled attacks, the mayor hit back, contending Reyes doesnt understand the fundamentals of finance and transit and accusing the challenger of putting out misinformation. There is a lot of work to be done to meet the needs of our growing city and I am ready to tackle the challenges we face, the mayor said. I am looking forward to using the new TIF district on the South Side to invest in homeownership and economic development; to building the states first purpose-built homeless shelters to better connect homeless people to housing; and to working with the school district to support our young people. I am also looking forward to expanding the Madison CARES program and supporting the countys efforts to build a triage center for folks in crisis. Reyes vowed to stay engaged. Although I will not be your next mayor, I will never stop being a Madisonian, she said. That means I will be involved and continue the fight to create a positive impact on all of our communities. There are issues in Madison that we must be willing to work together to solve. I hope that some of the conversations we have had will help cultivate new ideas and positively impact the city of Madison. I will continue to serve the community that gave me so much. The mayor more than tripled Gloria Reyes fundraising and also outspent her opponent between Feb. 7 and March 20, according to the last campaign finance reports before Tuesday. But both campaigns fell short of the fundraising and spending sums for the same six-week reporting period in the mayoral campaign between Rhodes-Conway and Soglin four years ago. The mayor started the reporting period with $8,382, raised $75,525, spent $54,605 and ended with $29,302 in the bank. She also had $16,905 in incurred obligations and $1,870 in loans. All told, the mayor has raised $114,688 and spent $102,315 from Jan. 1 through March 20. Reyes started the reporting period with $28,803, raised $28,893, spent $36,073 and ended with $16,623 in the bank. Altogether, Reyes has raised $60,162 and spent $43,540 from Jan. 1 through March 20. The primary showed us that we needed to expand our circle, Reyes said. We needed to do a better job getting in touch with residents. Since February, we have taken these facts into consideration and worked hard to make sure we have done this. I have run television ads, radio ads, youtube ads, and targeted social media ads. I have also made sure that I made myself available to the public. The vote turnout today showed us that, although I worked hard, it was not enough, she said. We knew coming into this race that unseating an incumbent was going to be challenging. I am glad that Madison voters turned out in record numbers in this election progressive voices are so critical to the future of our city and our state, Rhodes-Conway said. I will keep defending our democracy and investing in our elections infrastructure. Ballot referendum The binding referendum, placed on the ballot by a council supermajority vote, will create staggered, two-year terms for the 20-member council beginning in 2025. With 97% of precincts in late Tuesday, the referendum was getting 83.2% of the vote. With the referendum approved, candidates for even-numbered council districts will run for a one-year term and those in odd-numbered districts will run for two-year terms in 2025. Beginning in 2026, candidates in even-numbered districts also will run for two-year terms, ensuring half the members will face election each year. A 19-year-old La Crosse man accused of harboring a suspect implicated in a 2022 homicide in La Crosse has avoided additional jail time. Jakob R. Moran pleaded guilty Monday in La Crosse County Circuit Court to a single felony charge of harboring a felon. Judge Ramona Gonzalez sentenced Moran to 12 months probation. Two charges of bail jumping were dismissed. The sentence leaves Morans conviction eligible for expungement if he successfully completes probation. Moran was arrested July 15, 2022, after he was reportedly in the same vehicle with Jackson Greengrass, 18, La Crosse. Greengrass was being sought by law enforcement in connection with the fatal May 22, 2022, shooting of 17-year-old Storm Vondrashek of La Crosse. Greengrass faces felony charges of attempted first-degree intentional homicide and party to a crime of felony murder/battery and misdemeanor charges of possessing a dangerous weapon while younger than 18, intentionally pointing a firearm at a person and obstructing an officer. He reportedly accompanied Vondrashek to the 1900 S. Seventh St. address where the shooting occurred. Prosecutors contend that Greengrass helped trigger an armed confrontation that ended when Sage Hicke, 18, Ontario, shot Vondrashek in the neck. Hicke faces a first-degree intentional homicide charge with a trial set to begin July 31. He is free on a $10,000 cash bond. Greengrass is being held in the La Crosse County Jail on a $20,000 cash bond. His case has a plea hearing set for June 20. Moran spent 27 days in the La Crosse County Jail before posting a $2,000 cash bond. A second person accused of harboring Greengrass, 19-year-old Sarah T. Thesing of La Crescent, Minnesota, has pleaded not guilty. Her case has yet to be resolved, and she is free on a $1,000 signature bond. China, Egypt discuss ways to boost tourism Xinhua) 10:16, April 05, 2023 CAIRO, April 4 (Xinhua) -- A workshop between Egyptian and Chinese tourism companies and tour operators was held in Egypt's capital Cairo on Tuesday to discuss ways to increase tourism between the two countries. Speaking at the workshop, China's Minister of Culture and Tourism Hu Heping said China and Egypt are world-renowned tourist destinations and important sources of tourists to each other. "Both countries have good tourism resources, great potential for cooperation and broad space for development. The current recovery of the global tourism industry is accelerating. China and Egypt have ushered in a great opportunity to deepen tourism exchanges and cooperation," Hu said. The minister added that he hoped to "further strengthen exchanges and cooperation between China and Egypt in the field of tourism and antiquities." For his part, Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Issa said Egypt is looking forward to working with China, expecting rapid growth in tourism and archaeological expertise exchange between the two countries. He added that Egypt appreciates the increase of Chinese excavation missions in Egypt. Both China and Egypt are ancient civilizations with a long history and splendid civilization, which is the foundation for strengthening cultural exchanges and tourism cooperation, said Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang. "We are full of confidence in the prospect of tourism cooperation between the two countries," Liao said, adding that the travel demand accumulated for the past three years will be fully released and the tourism cooperation between China and Egypt will achieve fruitful results. China is a major source of tourists to Egypt, with hundreds of thousands of Chinese tourists visiting the North African country each year before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 to tour its historical sites and enjoy its sunny sandy beaches. "The travel agencies in Egypt are looking forward to establishing contact with Chinese travel agents and more Chinese tourists coming to Egypt," said Sun Guizhen, deputy president of the China Association of Travel Services. Ramez Azmi, the general manager of Avicon Travel, an Egyptian travel agency, said the agency is working to promote its activities and tourist attractions to Chinese tourists. He expected more Chinese tourists to come to Egypt soon thanks to the Chinese government's decision to lift the COVID-19 travel restrictions. "Egypt is the preferable country to visit with its beaches and historical landmarks," he told Xinhua. "I'm going to China soon to make good deals with other companies to bring Chinese tourists to visit Egypt." (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) WARSAW, Poland (AP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy won new pledges of military and economic cooperation Wednesday on a state visit to staunch ally Poland, and he also said that Kyiv's troops battling in the eastern city of Bakhmut could pull out if they face a threat of being encircled by Russian forces. Polish President Andrzej Duda said Warsaw has provided four Soviet-designed MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, with four more in the process of being handed over and another six being prepared. At a news conference with his Polish counterpart, Zelenskyy described the perils in the grinding siege of Bakhmut, which has been all but destroyed by eight months of fighting that also has cost many lives on both sides. "For me, the most important issue is our military, he said. And certainly, if there is a moment of even hotter events and the danger that we may lose personnel due to the encirclement, there will certainly be corresponding correct decisions of the general on the ground. I n a recent interview with The Associated Press, Zelenskyy underscored the importance of defending Bakhmut, saying its fall could allow Russia to rally international support for a deal that could require Ukraine to make unacceptable compromises. During his visit to Warsaw a rare wartime foray out of Ukraine for Zelenskyy both countries sought to forge a tighter relationship in defiance of Russias full-scale war against Kyiv that has reshaped international alliances. Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, said Moscows relations with Washington are in deep crisis as the U.S. has led its allies in supplying aid and weapons to Ukraine. Speaking at a ceremony where he accepted diplomatic credentials from ambassadors of 17 nations, including the U.S., Putin alleged that Washingtons support for the 2014 protests in Kyiv that ousted a pro-Kremlin president led to Russias sending troops into Ukraine. Zelenskyy said at his news conference with Duda that his government would extend a hearty welcome to Polish businesses seeking to help Ukraine's postwar rebuilding, which the World Bank has estimated could cost $411 billion. He met later with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and signed agreements on developing Ukrainian infrastructure that opens a door for hundreds of Polish companies. Poland heaped military honors and praise on Zelenskyy as it welcomed him and his wife on a joint visit, during which they thanked the country for its crucial military support as well as being a haven for Ukrainian refugees. The former Soviet satellite that is now a member of the European Union and NATO feels especially threatened by Russia and has been a leading advocate for aid to Kyiv. Zelenskyy said the countries signed a new defense package for the delivery of Polish weaponry. They will also set up joint manufacturing plants for weapons and ammunition, he said. Morawiecki said Zelenskyy's visit was extremely important because we are shaping the picture of Europe for the future. The Kremlin and Putin, Moscow wanted an end to Ukraine, but today we can see that this war initiates the end of an aggressive Russia, of the Russia that we know, and (marks) a start of a completely new Europe. This is the beginning of a completely new Europe. Earlier, Zelenskyy and Duda said they wanted to leave behind any World War II-era grievances that linger in Ukraine and Poland. There are no taboo topics between us, Duda said. "There are still open wounds in the memory of many people. While Zelenskyy also traveled to the United States, Britain, France and Belgium, the trip to Poland stood out because it was announced in advance and undertaken without the secrecy of past foreign trips. It also was the first time Zelenskyy and first lady Olena Zelenska traveled abroad together since the war began in February 2022, said Marcin Przydacz, head of Dudas foreign policy office. Duda awarded Zelenskyy Polands oldest and highest civilian distinction, The Order of the White Eagle. We have no doubt that your attitude, together with the bravery of the nation, has saved Ukraine, the Polish president told Zelenskyy. At a ceremony in the courtyard of the presidential palace, Duda and the two countries first ladies were dressed in formal attire, while Zelenskyy wore the military-style sweatshirt and khaki trousers that have become his uniform since the invasion. His trips to London, Paris and Brussels in February were part of his push for warplanes and for his country admission to the EU and NATO, and his visit to Washington in December was intended to shore up U.S. support. Zelenskyy traveled through Poland on his previous foreign trips, but until now had not made it his sole destination. The purpose of the journey to Warsaw was primarily to thank a country that has been an international cheerleader for Ukraine, as well as a safe haven for Ukrainian refugees and a transit hub for Ukraine-bound humanitarian aid and weapons. The visit highlighted the central European nation's rising role in a new international security order that has emerged from the war. Poland is seeking to modernize its military by purchasing tanks and other equipment from U.S. and South Korean producers. The United States has also bolstered its military presence in Poland. Zelenskyy also was meeting with Ukrainians who have fled to Poland. More than 1.5 million Ukrainians have registered with the Polish government since the war began. His visit came at a delicate time, with Polish farmers increasingly angry because Ukrainian grain that has entered the country has created a glut, causing prices to fall. The grain is only meant to be stored temporarily before being sent to markets in North Africa and the Middle East. But farmers say the grain is taking up space in silos and entering Polish markets, causing local prices to fall. Romanian and Bulgarian farmers say they face the same problem. Zelenskyy and Morawiecki said they had reached a deal to resolve that problem, though they gave no details. The Polish farmers' anger has been a headache for Morawiecki's government ahead of fall elections, particularly since his conservative ruling party, Law and Justice, gets much of its support in rural areas. Agriculture Minister Henryk Kowalczyk, the focus of the farmers' anger, resigned Wednesday. In Ukraine, the military authorities said Russian forces in the previous 24 hours had launched 47 airstrikes, three missile strikes and 42 attacks from multiple rocket launchers. At least four civilians were killed and 16 others wounded in that period, Zelenskyy's office reported. Also on Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry accused Ukraine and its allies of trying to affect Russian civilian communications satellites and threatened that Moscow could respond in kind. It didnt offer any specifics. This is a flagrant violation of international law. The Russian side has the right to respond in kind. All the necessary opportunities for this are available, it said. A small plane, apparently from Ukraine, crash-landed in a field in the neighboring Russian region of Bryansk, and its pilot was detained, according to Russia's Federal Security Service. Six Magic Valley cities receive Arbor Day Grants The Idaho Nursery and Landscape Association, in cooperation with the Idaho Department of Lands, Avista, Rocky Mountain Power and Idaho Power, has awarded Arbor Day Grants to 37 cities across the state. All cities received $300 grants to celebrate Arbor Day, the last Friday of April each year, according to a news release. The cities in the Magic Valley that applied and received funding: Buhl, Fairfield, Filer, Hollister, Ketchum and Kimberly. Also: The Magic Valley Arts Council is in the final days of registration for artists, sponsors and venues for the 13th annual Art & Soul festival, scheduled for June 9 through July 1 with a grand prize of $15,000. Deadline is Sunday at midnight. Register online at www.magicvalleyartandsoul.com . For more information, contract Melissa Cranke at 208-734-2787 or email melissa@magicvalleyartscouncil.org. The King Fine Arts Center , 2100 Parke Ave. in Burley, will host a free community Easter concert on Sunday, April 16, beginning at 7 p.m. CSI receives $10K grant from Idaho Community Foundation The College of Southern Idaho has received a $10,000 grant from the John William Jackson Philanthropic Fund in the Idaho Community Foundation to support its Registered Nursing Program. The nursing program accepts up to 60 students for each fall and spring semester, according to a CSI news release, and boasts an 81% completion rate. We are extremely grateful for the work and generosity of the John William Jackson Philanthropic Fund and the Idaho Community Foundation, Jayson Lloyd, the schools dean of health sciences and human services, said in the release. The money provided by these organizations and their donors directly supports our Registered Nursing students through scholarships in their final year of study. The John William Jackson fund, established in 2000 within the ICF, has a mission to advance academic scholarship, performing arts, and outdoor sporting for Idaho youth. Times-News The Idaho Legislature had targeted March 24 to wrap up its 2023 session. That day came and went. Theyre still not done, nearly two weeks later, waiting now to see if Gov. Brad Little will sign or veto the last of several bills that passed in a final flurry of business late last week before the Senate and House went into recess until Thursday. Idaho moves to fix US southern border 'disaster' but can't agree on how to do it Idaho shares a border with Canada. But its another border, and one that doesnt physically touch Idaho, that has brought grief for the states Republican congressional delegation and the Legislature. While the new-look Legislature with 39 rookie lawmakers among 105 seats, including seven from the Magic Valley has largely fulfilled Littles designated priorities, including a scholarship program for graduating high school seniors, across-the-board pay increases for teachers, and property tax relief for homeowners, Republican legislators have also further exposed the rift in the states dominant political party through contentious debates on Medicaid funding, immigration reform and school choice, among other issues. The Legislature is expected to adjourn for the year sine die after considering potential vetoes depending on Littles actions in the next few days. Whats happened this session at the Boise statehouse? Whats left to do? How will it all impact you? Heres a look: How much relief for property taxes? The issue: Little prioritized property tax relief during his State of the State address to open the legislative session on Jan. 9, asking the Legislature for $120 million to help homeowners address escalating tax bills. Little prioritized property tax relief during his State of the State address to open the legislative session on Jan. 9, asking the Legislature for $120 million to help homeowners address escalating tax bills. The outcome: After Little vetoed House Bill 292 , which he described as a hodgepodge of policy items intermingled with property tax relief, the Senate quickly presented a simpler version that passed last week and will bring $117 million in relief. The Senate voted 28-7 to override the governors veto; the House 58-12. After Little vetoed House Bill 292 , which he described as a hodgepodge of policy items intermingled with property tax relief, the Senate quickly presented a simpler version that passed last week and will bring $117 million in relief. The Senate voted 28-7 to override the governors veto; the House 58-12. The impact: The proposal is designed to shift a percentage of collected sales tax revenues from the state to counties, which, in turn, would deduct an equal amount among all property tax bills. Homeowners should see relief on their December bills. There is also a mechanism in the bill to use one-time money to pay down existing school bonds and levies, though legislators also eliminated a March election for school districts that has traditionally been used to pass such measures. The remaining election options will be May, August and November. What about funding for public education? The issue: Little highlighted teacher pay and public school funding among his priorities during his State of the State address, and the Legislature largely delivered by passing several K-12 appropriations bills. Public school funding, along with the State Board of Education and support programs like Career and Technical Education, make up the largest portion of the states annual budget. In the Extraordinary Legislative Session last September, the Legislature committed $410 million in annual funding from the states sales tax to the public school income fund and in-demand careers fund. Little highlighted teacher pay and public school funding among his priorities during his State of the State address, and the Legislature largely delivered by passing several K-12 appropriations bills. Public school funding, along with the State Board of Education and support programs like Career and Technical Education, make up the largest portion of the states annual budget. In the Extraordinary Legislative Session last September, the Legislature committed $410 million in annual funding from the states sales tax to the public school income fund and in-demand careers fund. The outcome: The Legislature, through Senate Bill 1205, funded $145 million for teacher raises, calculated at $6,359 per full-time employee. Additionally, House Bill 267, signed last week by Little, will expand the capacity of career technical education in middle and high schools, particularly in rural and remote communities. The legislation is designed to incentivize districts to create programs that prepare students to meet local and regional industry and workforce needs. The Legislature, through Senate Bill 1205, funded $145 million for teacher raises, calculated at $6,359 per full-time employee. Additionally, House Bill 267, signed last week by Little, will expand the capacity of career technical education in middle and high schools, particularly in rural and remote communities. The legislation is designed to incentivize districts to create programs that prepare students to meet local and regional industry and workforce needs. The impact: With nearly $380 million in increased funding for public schools, this years budget one of the largest in state history figures to go a long way toward improving Idahos standing compared with neighboring states both in terms of student performance and teacher retention. How much for Medicaid? The issue: The Legislature is required to present a balanced budget before it can adjourn the session, and Medicaid represented a sticky situation. Some Republicans objected to a ballooning price tag Littles recommendation of $4.7 billion represented a 17% increase from 2022 while supporters in the Legislature pointed to the states obligation to pay its bills or be required to pass a supplemental budget next year to cover outstanding claims. The Legislature is required to present a balanced budget before it can adjourn the session, and Medicaid represented a sticky situation. Some Republicans objected to a ballooning price tag Littles recommendation of $4.7 billion represented a 17% increase from 2022 while supporters in the Legislature pointed to the states obligation to pay its bills or be required to pass a supplemental budget next year to cover outstanding claims. The outcome: The Legislature last week narrowly passed a $4.5 billion budget with about 66% of money coming from federal funding, 40-30 in the House but just 18-17 in the Senate. But it wasnt easy: The budget was twice killed and rewritten, finally with about $150 million shaved off to account for the anticipated removal of low-income adults who will become ineligible for the program through the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Its now sitting on Littles desk for approval. The Legislature last week narrowly passed a $4.5 billion budget with about 66% of money coming from federal funding, 40-30 in the House but just 18-17 in the Senate. But it wasnt easy: The budget was twice killed and rewritten, finally with about $150 million shaved off to account for the anticipated removal of low-income adults who will become ineligible for the program through the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Its now sitting on Littles desk for approval. The impact: The budget would provide funding for five programs including Medicaid expansion, approved in 2018 by Idaho voters, 61% to 39%, for adults earning less than 138% of the federal poverty limit. What about the libraries? The issue: House Bill 314, which seeks to ban harmful or obscene materials from public and school libraries, similar to what is already required of billboards and newspapers, was passed by both chambers. House Bill 314, which seeks to ban harmful or obscene materials from public and school libraries, similar to what is already required of billboards and newspapers, was passed by both chambers. The outcome: The bill defines harmful to minors as representations or descriptions of nudity, sexual conduct, or sexual excitement that is patently offensive to the prevailing standards in the adult community. The bill makes exceptions for materials which possess serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value. It is on Littles desk for consideration. The bill defines harmful to minors as representations or descriptions of nudity, sexual conduct, or sexual excitement that is patently offensive to the prevailing standards in the adult community. The bill makes exceptions for materials which possess serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value. It is on Littles desk for consideration. The impact: The bill allows individuals to sue libraries for up to $2,500 for permitting a minor to access harmful content under the Tort Claims act. Meridian Library Trustee Jeff Kohler has said that with the new restriction in place, the library would be exposed to so much liability he would recommend his board revoke library cards for anyone under 18, and only allow minors to visit the library while accompanied by a parent. OUR VIEW: We can either row together for Idaho, or sink in the sea of anger and fear OUR VIEW: A vote for the R today might not mean what it did only a few years ago. That should be enough to open all of our eyes. Whats left? The Legislature last week passed what would be a first-of-its-kind measure in the U.S. to criminalize helping minors get an abortion without parental consent by creating the crime of abortion trafficking. The bill is on Littles desk. The law, which would bar adults from obtaining abortion pills for a minor or recruiting, harboring or transporting the pregnant minor without the consent of the minors parent or guardian, would be punishable by two to five years in prison. People convicted of the crime could also be sued by the minors parent or guardian. While its all but a foregone conclusion, Little has yet to put pen to paper on the trailer bill to his signature scholarship plan, Idaho Launch, which he had made his top priority of the session. Launch will provide $8,000 to graduating Idaho high school seniors beginning in 2024 to pay up to 80% of tuition at any Idaho-based university or workforce training program. Were almost there in achieving a transformative change for Idaho students, families, and businesses! Little touted in a statement following the Senates passage of House Bill 24 last month. Whats else? Little on Tuesday night signed a bill criminalizing gender-affirming care for transgender youth. The law, which will take effect in January, makes it a felony for any medical practitioner to provide hormones or puberty blockers to transgender and transitioning children, or children with gender dysphoria. Idaho joins growing number of Republican-led states that have moved to restrict transition-related care, including South Dakota and Utah this year. The Idaho Capital Sun reported earlier Tuesday that the governors office had received 14,800 emails and calls in favor of the bill and more than 6,500 calls and emails against it. Beginning July 1, Idaho will become just the fifth state to allow execution by firing squad after the Legislature passed a veto-proof measure last month that provides an alternative to capital punishment if the state cannot obtain lethal-injection drugs. Mississippi, Oklahoma, Utah and South Carolina have laws to allow for firing squad executions, though only three have been carried out in the U.S. in the modern era, 1976 or later all in Utah. While Little signed the bill into law, he emphasized in his transmittal letter that justice can and must be done by minimizing stress on corrections personnel. On party-line votes in both chambers, the Legislature passed a law to remove student IDs as an acceptable form of identification for voting, and Little signed it into law on March 15. Two days later, Babe Vote and March for Our Lives Idaho, two organizations that represent young people in the state, filed a lawsuitarguing that Idaho should be making it easier for younger voters to cast their ballots. The Legislature unanimously voted to support a non-binding resolution against the proposed Lava Ridge Wind Project on public lands near Twin Falls. House Concurrent Resolution 4states that the Legislature considers the concerns of the Magic Valley as justification to support a no-build option for Lava Ridge and asks Little and Attorney General Raul Labrador to review the project and assure that the interests of Idaho are foremost in the final decision. Idaho was one of three states last week to enact legislation that prohibits transgender students from using public school bathrooms that do not match their gender at birth, joining Arkansas and Iowa. The law, signed by Little, takes effect July 1. The Legislature passed a bill to move Idahos presidential primary election from March to May, beginning in 2024. Public education came through the 2023 legislative session much better than anyone had expected. It was not a banner year, but the prospects for Idahos public schools appeared dim at the outset of the session because a number of new anti-education legislators were elected last year. Fortunately, because of their inexperience or overzealousness, they were not able to disable our public school system. Thats the good news. The bad news is that they will redouble their efforts in the 2024 session. A bright spot is the $378.6 million increase in funding for public schools, with $145 million earmarked for increased teacher salaries. That allows for a pay increase of $6,359 per teacher and a minimum statewide starting salary of $47,477. The additional compensation will stem the flow of teachers to other states. What's law and what's next? Legislature nears end of 2023 session. During a session that has spanned 82 work days, already a day longer than in 2022, legislators have thrust Idaho into the national spotlight with a variety of bills. The substantial increase is due in large part to the hard work of Reclaim Idaho, which had qualified an initiative for last Novembers general election ballot that would have raised school funding by $323.5 million. In order to nip the initiative in the bud, Gov. Brad Little called a special legislative session before the election to provide a somewhat larger school funding increase. The session produced a bill raising school funds by $330 million. It provided for repeal of Reclaims initiative, which was expected to receive voter approval. The governor certainly gets a great deal of credit for following up on Reclaims groundwork and getting the Legislature to appropriate the $378.6 million. Going into the legislative session, it was almost a foregone conclusion that legislators would force taxpayers to start paying parents to send their kids to private and religious schools. Outside interests had targeted good legislators who thought taxpayers should only fund public schools, which are run by, and accountable to, the people. Idaho Launch passes senate, will go to governor Gov. Brad Little's efforts to expand the Idaho Launch program to provide funding for higher education or career and technical certificates available to all Idaho students passed the Idaho State Senate on Wednesday. The Idaho Freedom Foundation and a fellow traveler called the Mountain States Policy Center worked hard on a variety of so-called school choice bills. Surprisingly, they failed in their effort to divert public money from public education. After examining how these schemes have played out elsewhere, rural legislators figured school choice would devastate rural school districts while subsidizing people who already send their kids to private or religious schools in our cities. Also, there would be virtually no accountability for how the hand-outs of taxpayer money were spent. Make no mistake though, the school choice people will be back in force next session. The Legislature passed a bill that took a tiny step toward meeting its court-ordered mandate to pay the lions share of the cost of constructing and maintaining public school buildings. In 2005, the Idaho Supreme Court ruled that the Idaho Constitution placed this responsibility directly on the Legislature, not property owners. House Bill 292 will provide $100 million to school districts to pay off bonds and levies. When you consider that the cost of repairing existing school buildings is about $1 billion and that over $1 billion in bonds and levies were on the ballot this March (most bonds failed), it is clear the Legislature has just scratched the surface of fulfilling its constitutional duty. HB 292 also eliminated the March bond election date, which has been the most important time for seeking voter approval of bonding measures. Lets not forget that these measures are only required because the Legislature has refused to honor its constitutional mandate to pay for construction and maintenance of school buildings. The bill provides a dab of property tax relief, but not enough for anyone to really notice. But still, the bill provides a puny start for state funding for school building construction and maintenance, which would provide significant property tax relief. Idahoans must demand more meaningful action next session. Reclaim Idaho volunteers laid the groundwork for public education successes this year. Little stood up for the states education system, with effective support from the chairs of the Legislatures education committees Dave Lent in the Senate and Julie Yamamoto in the House. Idahoans should thank them all for standing up for our kids. By Rio N. Araja PUBLIC Attorneys Office chief Persia Acosta on Tuesday appealed to the Supreme Court to allow the release of an elderly Filipino-American, who was detained for seven years due to questions of his nationality during the tenure of then-Justice chief Leila de Lima. We have already submitted to the High Courts Second Division a memorandum in compliance with its directive, she told the Manila Standard. Last March 13, Senior Associate Justice Marvin Leonen directed Acosta, as counsel of the 73-year-old Walter Manuel Prescott, and Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra to submit their respective memorandum after an oral argument on Prescotts citizenship. The PAO chief said Prescott is a son of a Filipino mother and an American father and was born and raised in the Philippines. In February, the PAO filed a petition for review on certiorari with the Supreme Court in relation to the release of the elderly naturalized Filipino, whom the public attorney claims is actually a Filipino born in the Philippines. ADVERTISEMENT Acosta lamented the injustice over the arrest of Prescott, who is still in detention under PAO custody without committing any criminal offense. WHEREFORE, premises considered, it is respectfully prayed of this Honorable Court that the Decision of the Court of Appeals promulgated on 25 June 2021 and Resolution promulgated on 15 August 2022 be REVERSED and SET ASIDE; that a DECISION be issued REVERSING the DECISION dated 24 May 2019 and the RESOLUTION dated 5 July 2019 of the Regional Trial Court of the City of Manila, Branch 10, and DIRECTING the Bureau of Immigration to permanently RELEASE petitioner Walter Manuel F. Prescott from the detention and for him to be DECLARED as a Filipino citizen, the 35-page PAO petition read. Acosta said Prescott, 73, was born to parents Maria Lourdes Dingcong, a Filipina, and Walter Dewey Prescott, an American, on April 10, 1950 in Manila as shown in his live birth certificate. Petitioner is not an overstaying and undocumented alien. He did not misrepresent factual information to acquire Philippine citizenship, she stressed. Sometime in February 2014, Prescott went to the Department of Foreign Affairs to renew his Philippine passport but was denied. Then-Justice Secretary de Lima canceled Prescotts passport and ordered his arrest. According to PAO, Prescott became a naturalized American citizen in 2006 after working as a permanent employee at the World Bank since 1999 but regained his Filipino citizenship on Nov. 26, 2008, and took his allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines at the Philippine Embassy. In 2010, Prescott retired from the World Bank and returned to the Philippines with his wife Maria Lourdes, who went back to the United States in 2011. On June 6, 2012, Maria Lourdes filed a complaint with the Bureau of Immigration about Prescotts supposed illegal acquisition of his Filipino citizenship. The High Courts Second Division through the clerk of court Teresita Tuazon has summoned Acosta to present Prescott in person on March 13 at 2 p.m. The PAO chief said she will abide by whatever the decision of the Supreme Court would be. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. By Rey E. Requejo The United States on Tuesday assured that Washington is not seeking permanent bases in the Philippines, following the announcement of the locations of the four additional military facilities in the country that may be accessed by US forces under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). In a media briefing in Washington, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh stressed that the new EDCA sites would be for regional readiness and response against threats and disasters. The five current EDCA locations are Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu, and Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro City. Well, this is more about a regional response, regional readiness. This is an arrangement that we have with the Philippines that goes back many years. And it is an investment in our cooperation with the Philippines in order to better for better interoperability, Singh said. ADVERTISEMENT Again, we do not seek permanent basing in the Philippines and this is just one additional aspect that will increase training between our two countries, she added. Nonetheless, despite not seeking permanent bases in the Philippines, the Pentagon official admitted that the additional EDCA sites would mean an increase of rotational force in the region. This is more about supporting combined training, being able to respond to natural disasters, humanitarian disasters in the region but this is really about regional readiness, Singh emphasized. Singh also said the expansion of EDCA sites would make training with Filipino troops more resilient. Singh could not provide details yet as to how many American soldiers would be rotated to the sites and when the deployment and rotation would start. Earlier, the Presidential Communications Office announced that the new EDCA sites, considered suitable and mutually beneficial, would be the Naval Base Camilo Osias in Sta Ana, Cagayan; Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo, Cagayan; Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela; and Balabac Island in Palawan. Department of National Defense officer-in-charge Senior Undersecretary Carlito Galvez Jr. has described the additional sites as strategic choices. According to Galvez, these were collectively decided by the Philippines and the United States, and that construction would begin immediately. Signed in 2014, EDCA grants US troops access to designated Philippine military facilities and allows them to build facilities and pre-position equipment, aircraft, and vessels. Permanent basing is prohibited. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. There were no injuries in a tractor-trailer cab crash Tuesday morning, but the William F. Stone Highway in Fieldale was partially closed to traffic while the vehicle was removed. The 911 Communications Center dispatched the Fieldale Volunteer Fire Company at 3:55 a.m. on Tuesday following a report of a vehicle crash at the 220 bypass on the William F. Stone Highway. When first responders arrived, they discovered a tractor-trailer cab that appeared to have struck a guardrail and came to rest in the roadway on its side, a release stated. The driver was unhurt and was able to get out of the vehicle and wait for responders to arrive, the release stated. The bypass was closed to traffic for approximately one hour while the cab was removed from the highway and the debris was cleared, the release stated. In addition to the Fieldale Volunteer Fire Company, the Fieldale-Collinsville Volunteer Rescue Squad and Virginia State Police responded to the scene. RICHMOND Del. Glenn Davis, R-Virginia Beach, chairman of the House Education Committee, announced Tuesday that he will not seek reelection, becoming the latest prominent lawmaker to forgo running against a fellow incumbent. The legislative map that the Supreme Court of Virginia imposed in late 2021 paired Davis in a district with Del. Barry Knight, R-Virginia Beach, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. Of the 14 chairs of House committees, five are not seeking reelection and one is running for a state Senate seat. Davis, a key proponent of GOP school choice legislation, said in a statement: Unfortunately, the redistricting process created numerous intraparty conflicts across the Commonwealth. He added: While my desire would be to continue serving the citizens of Virginia Beach in the House of Delegates and leading our education agenda, there is no doubt that the City I represent as well as the Hampton Roads Region as a whole, has benefited greatly from having the Chairman of Appropriations as its representative. It is for this reason that I will not be running for reelection to the Virginia House of Delegates.Knight commented on Davis announcement on Facebook, writing: You have my utmost respect for your leadership. You have conducted yourself with dignity and honor. Davis, a member of the Virginia Beach City Council before he was first elected to the legislature in 2013, sought the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor in 2017 and in 2021. In this years legislative session, Davis sponsored a school choice bill backed by the Youngkin administration that stalled in the House committee. The legislation that would have allocated a portion of per-pupil state funding to a savings account for parents to spend on private school tuition or other specified education expenses. The new legislative map has created an upheaval in the General Assembly. No incumbent is seeking a third of the 100 House seats. With Davis announcement two House districts still have two GOP incumbents each.Davis said in his statement that there may be a future opportunity to serve the citizens of the Commonwealth in a different capacity, but there was no announcement of a new post. Separately, Del. Tim Anderson, R-Virginia Beach, announced that he will compete in a three-way primary for the Republican nomination to succeed Sen. John Cosgrove, R-Chesapeake, who has announced his retirement. Anderson had announced earlier that he would not run for reelection to the House after being paired with Del. Rob Bloxom, R-Accomack in a new district. Instead, Anderson said he will jump into the June 20 primary contest in the 19th Senate District, covering parts of Virginia Beach and Chesapeake. Holy Week, the week beginning with Palm Sunday and ending with Easter, is considered by many as the most sacred week in the Christian church year. It commemorates the events leading up to and including the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Not all Christian denominations place the same emphasis on particular days in Holy Week, but several churches in McDowell County commemorate or celebrate at least three or four days during the week. Palm Sunday, which was celebrated last Sunday, marks the day Christians celebrate Jesus triumphant entry into Jerusalem riding on a young donkey, fulfilling an Old Testament prophecy. It is named Palm Sunday because crowds waved palm branches in front of Jesus as he entered Jerusalem. Maundy Thursday is considered a somber day in Holy Week. It commemorates the Last Supper of Christ, which instituted what many in the church refer to as communion. Before the Last Supper, Jesus washed his disciples feet, leading to the practice of foot washing which still exists in many churches. It was on this day that Jesus was arrested by the Sanhedrin, which began the process that would put Jesus on trial and lead to his crucifixion. Some of the churches in McDowell County commemorating Maundy Thursday are: First Baptist Church, 99 N. Main St., Marion: Dinner (with reservation) at 5:15 p.m. (call the church office for a reservation, 652-6030); service at 6 p.m. There will be a readers theater telling of Jesus last supper with his disciples and his arrest. There will be an opportunity for communion during the service and all are welcome to participate. First Presbyterian Church, 79 Academy St., Marion: 6 p.m. Thursday in the church sanctuary. St. Johns Episcopal Church, 289 S. Main St., Marion: 5:30 p.m., an Agape meal will start in the Parish House and proceed afterward to the church for a Maundy Thursday service with foot washing and clearing of the altar. The Agape meal reflects the love of God, the kind of love Christians are called to share with one another. It recalls the meals Jesus shared with his disciples during his ministry and expresses Koinonia, the community, sharing and fellowship enjoyed by the family of Christ. Good Friday Good Friday commemorates the trials of Jesus before Annas, the Sanhedrin, Herod and Pilate and his crucifixion and death at Calvary. Jesus was buried by sundown on this day. Some of the churches holding Good Friday services in McDowell County are: First Baptist Church, First United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church, Mt. Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church and St. Johns Episcopal Church will hold an Ecumenical Community Service at St. Johns Episcopal Church, 289 S. Main St., Marion: Noon Friday in the church sanctuary. The Rev. Dr. Erin Kirby, St. Johns Priest, will deliver the homily, with ministers from each of the other churches participating in other parts of the service. Communion will be celebrated. St. Johns Episcopal Church, 289 S. Main St., Marion: 6 p.m., Good Friday Service. Holy Saturday is the day when Pilate had a seal placed on the tomb of Jesus. His followers werent allowed to visit his tomb on the Sabbath. On Saturday, several churches will hold Easter egg hunts not specifically tied to Holy Week, but celebrated at Easter: First Baptist Church of Nebo, 5360 U.S. Hwy 70 East, Nebo: 10 a.m., Easter egg hunt, including story, and lunch. First Baptist Church of Old Fort, 203 E. Main St., Old Fort: 2-5 p.m., A Spring Eggstravaganza and Egg-cellent Adventure. Activities will be available for children ages preschool to fifth grade, including a bounce house, snacks, crafts, games and children egg hunt (please bring your own Easter basket). Glenwood Baptist Church, 155 Glenwood Baptist Church Road, Marion: 10 a.m., Easter egg hunt with snacks, special Easter story, giant egg hunt, candy and prizes. Grace Community Church, 5182 U.S. 70 West, Marion: 2-3:30 p.m., Easter egg hunt with blow-up house, Go Gos Cinnamon rolls and snow cones. West Marion Baptist Church, 365 Stroud St., Marion: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Easter Trunk Hunt (a trunk-or-treat-style Easter egg hunt). Also, these churches will hold special Easter services on Saturday: Clinchfield Baptist Church, 1150 E. Court St., Marion: 6 p.m., Easter Musical and Drama. Grace Community Church, 5182 U.S. 70 West, Marion: 4 p.m., first of three Easter services. St. Johns Episcopal Church, 289 S. Main St., Marion: 9 a.m., Holy Saturday Service. Easter Sunday, or Resurrection Sunday, is the day Christians celebrate the discovery of the empty tomb and Jesus resurrection from the dead and victory over sin and death. Most of the churches in McDowell County will celebrate Easter in one or more ways. Those include: Addies Chapel United Methodist Church and Clinchfield United Methodist Church (joint service): 7 a.m. at Clinchfield United Methodist Church, 151 Ridge Road, Marion, Easter Sunrise Service. First Free Will Baptist and Rocky Pass Free Will Baptist at Rocky Pass Free Will Baptist Church, 6988 Harmony Grove Road, Marion: 7 a.m., Sunrise Service, followed by breakfast. Addies Chapel United Methodist Church, 201 Ridley St., Marion: 10:30 a.m., Easter service. Clinchfield Baptist Church, 1150 E. Court St., Marion: 11 a.m., Easter Musical and Drama. Cross Memorial Baptist Church, 10 a.m., Community Easter Service held at the Carson House Arbor, 1805 U.S. 70 West, Marion. An Easter egg hunt will follow the service at 11 a.m. Coffee and hot chocolate will be served before the service, and there will be an Easter photo opportunity as well. First Baptist Church, 99 N. Main St., Marion: 9:45 a.m., Sunday school; 11 a.m., worship. The churchs kids choir will perform a piece at the beginning of the service. There will also be an Easter Cross where individuals can bring flowers to place on the cross at the front of the sanctuary. First Baptist Church of Nebo, 5360 U.S. 70 East, Nebo: 7 a.m., Sunrise Service. 11 a.m., Easter Cantata and Lords Supper. First Baptist Church of Old Fort, 203 E. Main St., Old Fort: 7 a.m., Easter Sunrise Service. 11 a.m., Easter Cantata. First Presbyterian Church, 79 Academy St., Marion: 7 a.m., Easter Sunrise Service. 11 a.m. Easter Worship with communion. Glenwood Baptist Church, 155 Glenwood Baptist Church Road, Marion: 7 a.m., Easter Sunrise Service followed by breakfast. 10 a.m., Sunday school. 11 a.m., Easter Worship Service. Grace Community Church, 5182 U.S. 70 West, Marion: two Easter services (both are the same) at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Nebo Crossing, 263 Barnes Road, Marion: 10 a.m., He is Risen Easter Worship, with celebratory music from the churchs worship team and a special choir, sermon by Pastor Bob Ritter and an opportunity to participate in communion. There will also be a full service for elementary-age children at 10 a.m. and nurseries for ages 4 and younger. An Easter egg hunt for children will follow the service. St. Johns Episcopal Church, 289 S. Main St.t, Marion: 6:45 a.m., The Great Vigil or Easter Vigil. 10 a.m., Easter Vigil/Service, followed by a Parish lunch, Easter egg hunts, silent auction and fellowship. The Criminal Investigation Service of Mozambique (Sernic) seized 80 kilograms of drugs and arrested a national, in an operation that reignited the debate about drug trafficking and a possible link to the insurgency in Cabo Delgado. According to the corporation, the seizure of 42 kilograms of cocaine, 34 of amphetamine and four kilograms of heroin (totaling 80 kilograms) of drugs is the result of a three-month investigation into drug transactions in Mecufi. Diligences are underway to neutralize other members, said Noemia Joao, Sernic spokeswoman in Cabo Delgado, assuring that the drugs came from the Comoros Islands and were destined for Nampula province. For the conflict in Cabo Delgado the drug is there and the drug barons are there, noted political analyst Tobias Zacarias, who recalls that Mozambique has already been denounced by the governments of South Africa and the United States as one of the largest drug trafficking hubs for the continent and the world. He notes that the State does not impose itself in all places of the country, and therefore does not have the capacity to control its borders, hence the facilities for drug transactions occurring on the Cabo Delgado coast, including in Nampula and Zambezia. In October 2021, the Mozambican authorities incinerated in Pemba 250 kilos of drugs that had been seized in some of the locations affected by the armed violence that broke out in 2017. Studies by several international organizations had already linked drug trafficking and insurgency in Cabo Delgado, highlighting that Islamic State insurgents are also involved in drug trafficking in northern Mozambique and Tanzania. Angolas Minister of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas goes to Windhoek today Wednesday to exchange experiences with Namibian authorities on the exploitation of natural resources and the fight against fuel trafficking. A technical meeting, for the exchange of experiences, between the Angolan Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas and the Namibian Ministry of Mines and Energy, fills the agenda, with twelve points, with emphasis on the mining cadastre; legislation and fiscal regime for the diamond cutting industry; offshore diamond exploration and research; uranium exploration and research and legislation and fiscal regime for uranium exploration and research, reads a statement from the Angolan government. Diamantino Azevedo will stay two days in Namibias capital, during which he will head the Angolan delegation, which also includes officials from the National Petroleum Institute (INP). The INP will present its set of courses aimed at mining and hydrocarbons, followed by the exchange of experiences between the two countries in the exploration and production of hydrocarbons in reserved areas (such as the Okavango), as well as investment opportunities in mining and hydrocarbon industries, the statement said. The program also includes visits to Namibias Mining Cadastre and Diamond Lapidating Factories and a thematic meeting and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Angola and Namibia in the field of Mineral Resources and Hydrocarbons. According to Luanda, accompanying the minister, Diamantino Azevedo, are the national director of Mineral Resources, the directors general of the National Petroleum Institute and the Regulatory Institute of Petroleum Derivatives, the chairmen of the boards of the National Agency for Mineral Resources, the Geological Institute of Angola, Endiama and Sociedade de Comercializacao de Diamantes de Angola (Sodiam), as well as two directors of the National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANPG) and oil company Sonangol. The President of Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema, on Tuesday expressed his solidarity with Mozambique due to the armed violence in Cabo Delgado, in the north of the country, during a meeting with his Mozambican counterpart in Maputo. We are with you on the issue of northern Mozambique, the situation is worrying, the Zambian President said moments after a meeting with Mozambican head of state Filipe Nyusi at the Presidency of the Republic. Hakainde Hichilema arrived in Mozambique yesterday for a three-day state visit, following an invitation by his Mozambican counterpart. The head of state of Zambia, a country that is part of the Southern African Military Mission supporting Mozambique in the fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado, said he will promote peace and stability when he assumes the rotating chairmanship of the troika of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), reiterating that the body supports and sympathizes with the situation in Cabo Delgado. Stability in one country is stability in another country, in the region and on the continent. We have seen what wars can do, Hichilema stressed. Cabo Delgado province has faced an armed insurgency for five years with some attacks claimed by the extremist group Islamic State. The insurgency has led to a military response since July 2021 with support from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), liberating districts near gas projects, but new waves of attacks have emerged south of the region and in neighboring Nampula province. During the meeting, the two heads of state also talked about, among other issues, the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) process of the armed arm of the Mozambican National Resistance and the monthly presidency of Mozambique at the United Nations Security Council, and discussed the possibility of direct flights between Maputo and Lusaka. This was a unique, formal and official opportunity to deepen our relations of friendship, solidarity and cooperation, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi said, speaking after the meeting with his counterpart. Hakainde Hichilemas visit to Mozambique aims to deepen and consolidate good neighborliness, solidarity and cooperation between the two countries, in addition to serving to exchange views on the African continent and the world, indicates the Mozambican Presidency. This is the first visit that the President of Zambia makes to Mozambique since he took office in 2021. A depot of cooking gas exploded Tuesday in Bimbresso, a village in Cote dIvoire, wounding severely two people. The depot, state-run news agency AIP said, was located at the ground floor of a building, in Songon a sub-prefecture of Abidjan Autonomous District. The blast according to local inhabitants occurred at 8am local time and burned two people thrown on the ground. The bang was so loud you could hear it a few miles away. We thought of a bomb that exploded. The scene was difficult to live with and some residents of the building present at the time are still in shock, one witness identified as Yves Yao told the agency. It is unclear what caused the incident but the Gendarmerie launched a probe to identify causes of the blast. The two injured victims were sent to Cocody Teaching Hospital for treatment. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain When Professor Yan Liu was growing up in Changchun, China, her father wanted her to become a doctor like him. When she chose computer science, "I was a tiny bit disappointed," Xiwen Liu, a retired anesthesiologist, acknowledges. But their worlds collided in 2011, when the elder Liu was diagnosed with prostate cancer. It was a surprise. At 67, he was relatively young, had a healthy lifestyle and had no symptoms. Like many of the 1.2 million men diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, he had surgery to remove tumors in his prostate, but he suffered from incontinence, bleeding and infections for years after the surgery. Nearly 6,000 miles away, at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, Yan Liu felt helpless. "The complications involved with prostate cancer surgery brought my dad significant personal challenges," says Liu, a professor of computer science, electrical and computer engineering and biomedical sciences. "Even with access to the best doctors and hospitals, he experienced pain, slow recovery and long-term side effects." Liu resolved to use her skills to help others like her father. Working on research at the intersection of artificial intelligence and health care for more than a decade, she teamed up in 2016 with Dr. Andrew Hung, a urologist at Keck Medicine of USC, to create AI tools that measure and help improve surgeons' technical skills during the radical prostatectomy procedurethe removal of the entire prostate gland. By harnessing deep learning algorithms, their system learns from past movements to identify specific areas where a surgeon can improve during a robotic surgery. Together, Hung and Liu have since published more than 17 peer-reviewed papers in this field and recently received a $3 million award from the National Institutes of Health to advance their research. They are working on developing an AI-based system to deliver real-time feedback during a procedure and even alert surgeons if they are at risk of erring. Their aim? To shorten the learning curve for surgeons, maximize patient safety and reduce postoperative complications. "AI comes into play to assess the skill of the surgeonto see what parts of the operation they are good at, and what needs to be improved," says Liu, director of the USC Melady Lab, which focuses on machine learning with real-world applications. "It also comes into play during the simulation and learning stage for training new surgeons. "Ultimately, what we want to do is provide real-time assistance to surgeons as they operate," she says. The learning curve Removing the prostate gland through surgery is an option for men whose cancer has not spread. Today, robotically assisted radical prostatectomy constitutes about 85% of the 90,000 such operations performed every year in the United States. To operate using a robotic system, the surgeon makes tiny incisions and manipulates miniaturized instruments from a nearby console, making detailed work less invasive. As with any surgery, however, risk is involved: The surgeon must avoid damaging adjacent tissues and organs. Despite advances in medical technology, up to 40% of patients experience incontinence after the procedure. Decades of research suggests that some hospitals and surgeons have significantly better outcomes than others. Indeed, the procedure has a steep learning curve: Studies say surgeons must perform about 100 radical prostatectomies to start reaching optimal outcomes. Yet surgeons often do not get a good sense of how they are performing. "As surgeons in the operating room, we don't get much immediate feedback in terms of the things we do," says Hung, a leader in innovative surgical simulation technology and the director of the Center for Robotic Simulation and Education at Keck School of Medicine of USC. "Short of a major complication, some of the outcomes after prostate surgery are not apparent until weeks, months or years later." While surgical performance assessment is a critical need, it's not always available, Hung says. "It's simply not scalable to have a perfect surgeon evaluator look at every surgeon's operation and give feedback." How AI can help During robotic surgery, every snip, clamp and stitch generates massive amounts video data and kinematic data tracing the surgeon's movements. AI can analyze this data to give surgeons feedback on instrument moving speed, distances traveled and wrist angulations during the robotic surgery. Using data and expertise from Hung and his group, Liu and her team have developed algorithms that teach the computer to learn as it is fed thousands of these data points. Liu's team uses this data to train the classifier to "understand what it sees," she said. Once training is complete, deep learning models can provide objective evaluations based on learned representations of ideal versus non-ideal technical skills. To test the accuracy of the system, the machine's ratings are compared with the surgeons' ratings of the same surgeries. "Based on this, we can predict whether the patient will have complications after the surgery and the expertise of each participant," Liu says. Using the raw data, Liu and her team determined that machine learning algorithms could predict each participant's level of expertise with 87% accuracy. Eventually, she hopes the system will alert surgeons to potential problems, such as risk of injury to vital organs that could result in long-term complications. "When we move toward the grand challenge goal of AI-assisted surgery, then we need to look at specific segments of the operation," Liu says. "Then we can use this information to predict, based on the current stage of the operation, if there will be any risk factors for the next step so we can provide a timely warning." 'A needle in a haystack' The process has allowed the researchers to identify the parts of the operation that seem most closely tied to outcomes. "It's like a needle in a haystack," Hung says. "How can you find the one needle that drives the outcomes, and what do you focus on in a procedure that's between two and four hours long? AI brings objectivity and also scalability." In a recent study focused on predicting urinary control outcomes, researchers found that algorithms home in on a critical step in the radical prostatectomy: when the clinician must suture a gap between the bladder and the urethra after the prostate is removed. Done properly, this step prevents internal leakage of urine during and after the procedure. If it is incorrectly done, the patient can suffer such complications as incontinence and damage to the bladder. Using AI, researchers found almost all the metrics that predict continence recovery were related to suturing, possibly because, Hung says, "measuring surgeon performance is nicely captured by the suturing task, and it lends itself well to evaluation." But while machine learning can help find the needle in the haystack, it doesn't offer explanationsthat's still in the hands of the human experts. Robots in the OR When Hung and Liu started working together, they were looking at metrics that summarized an entire operation. Now they can analyze performance at the level of individual stitches, narrowing the focus to different levels of suturing. This would allow the system to give surgeons specific, actionable feedback. Their recent research results showed a 20% to 30% improvement in assessing surgical skills when using AI-assisted assessment compared with human graders. "When you're measuring technical skills and you provide that kind of feedback, it's actually meaningful to surgeons," Hung says. "As opposed to telling a surgeon, 'You're just not moving your hands fast enough,' you're actually telling them, 'The way you're holding the needles in this specific suture is incorrect.'" The research is at the investigational stage, meaning the systems are not yet used in any high-stakes evaluations. But how do surgeons feel about a future of AI-assisted robots in the operating room? "When I present this idea to my peers, I definitely get folks in both camps: those who embrace the idea and those who feel threatened," Hung says. "In some cases, surgeons can be resistant to the concept at first. No one really likes being evaluated, least of all by a machine. But once they see the opportunity for evolving their skills and helping their patients, they become curious and open up to the idea." Although their exploration in understanding the "perfect stitch" has focused on urology, it could also be applied to other procedures, including hysterectomies and hernia repairs. "We want to find out how surgeons can evolve more quickly," says Hung. "[Improving] how we teach and train surgeons to do surgery will not cure disease magically, but it can certainly enhance how we anticipate patient outcomes and take better care of our patients." The final step is to prove that such feedback can improve outcomes and use it to train new surgeons. "Our goal is to use AI to help surgeons by detecting potential issues and [offering] warnings and possible suggestions in terms of what type of action the surgeon should take," Liu says. For Liu, the team's progress brings hope that they can improve the lives of people like her father and the approximately 644,000 people who undergo some robotic surgery each year in the United States alone. "In terms of translating AI into practice, I think this project has one of the shortest runways," Liu says. "A very realistic goal that could happen in the next five to 10 years is this AI-assisted robotic surgery, which could improve post-surgery outcomes and recovery." As a patient, father and former clinician, Xiwen Liu welcomes that news. "On nights when a patient would pass away during a surgery, I felt awful, always asking the what-if questions," he says. "Improving health delivery means [everything] to patients, but it could even improve doctors' psychological health, as well. "Somehow, after all these years, our paths of medicine and computer science have crossed. Maybe [my daughter] found the best way to help people and save lives after all." 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 People exposed to higher levels of air pollution before the pandemic had lower antibody responses to COVID-19 vaccines, according to a study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), in collaboration with the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP). In particular, exposure to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) and blank carbon (BC) was associated with about a 10% decrease in IgM and IgG antibody responses in people without prior infection. The findings, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, provide further evidence on the adverse effects of air pollution on the immune system. Air pollution has been linked to adverse health outcomes, including lung cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory disease, and diabetes. Recently, ISGlobal researcher Manolis Kogevinas and his team showed an association between pre-pandemic exposure to air pollution and a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19. "Air pollutants have been shown to affect immune responses," says Kogevinas, "so in this study we wished to determine whether air pollution also affects antibody responses to COVID-19 vaccines." The answer, in a nutshell, is yes. Antibody responses: Slower and lower Kogevinas and his colleagues analyzed data from 927 participants of the GCAT Genomes for Life cohort (aged 40 to 65 years), who answered questionnaires and gave blood samples in the summer of 2020 (right after the first lockdown) and in the spring of 2021 (after the start of COVID-19 vaccination). All had received one or two doses of the main COVID-19 vaccines administered in Spain (made by AstraZeneca, Pfizer or Moderna). The research team measured IgM, IgG and IgA antibodies to five viral antigens (three of them on the Spike protein contained in the vaccine). Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ), black carbon (BC), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) and ozone (O 3 ) was estimated for each participant based on his or her address before the pandemic. "The collaboration of all volunteers in the GCAT cohort, with more than ten years of data, has allowed us to reliably estimate the level of environmental exposure of all participants," says Rafael de Cid, co-author of the study and GCAT|Genomes for Life (IGTP) project director. The results show that in uninfected individuals, pre-pandemic exposure to PM 2.5 , NO 2 and BC was associated with a 5% to 10% reduction in vaccine-induced spike antibodies. The decrease in antibodies was shown both for early IgM responses and late responses measured by IgG. The IgG response after the first dose peaked later in participants exposed to higher air pollution levels, and lower IgG levels persisted for several months after vaccination. Results were similar for the three vaccines. "Air pollution can induce chronic inflammation, which has been associated with a negative effect on vaccine efficacy," explains Carlota Dobano, co-senior author of the study, together with Cathryn Tonne. "Our findings are consistent with evidence that persistent organic pollutants reduce vaccine responses in children," she adds. The fact that previous infections lead to higher vaccine responses could explain why the effect of pollutants was only observed in people without a prior infection. However, the role of long-term exposure to air pollution on hybrid immunity (infection plus vaccination) deserves further investigation, the authors warn. The study did not look at whether the reduction in antibody responses led to an increased risk of breakthrough infections and their severity. "However, our findings add to growing body of evidence on the adverse effects of air pollution even at the relatively low levels observed in Western Europe. They also call for stricter air pollution limits, as recommended by the WHO," says Tonne. This study is part of COVICAT (COVID Cohort in Catalonia), a collaborative inter-institutional project by ISGlobal and IGTP to assess the health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Catalan population and which is now in its third follow-up edition. More information: Long-term exposure to air pollution and COVID-19 vaccine antibody response in a general population cohort (COVICAT Study, Catalonia), Environmental Health Perspectives (2023). DOI: 10.1289/EHP11989 Journal information: Environmental Health Perspectives 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 While antibodies normally help fight off infections, "autoantibodies" contribute to autoimmune diseases by recognizing and attacking a person's own body. Patients with autoimmune diseases have long been known to develop, among other problems, cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes. It has recently been recognized that many healthy people, despite not having any signs or symptoms of an autoimmune disease diagnosis, still have detectable autoantibodies in their blood. Although many of those individuals will not be diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in their lifetime, it is unknown whether the autoantibodies might still cause some problems, such as increasing the risk of the aforementioned cardiovascular events. Antiphospholipid syndrome, also known as APS, is an autoimmune disease in which autoantibodies called "antiphospholipid antibodies" cause dangerous blood clots to form in the body. Patients with this syndrome are, therefore, at a significantly higher risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other events caused by blood clots. However, it has not been deeply investigated how often these antiphospholipid antibodies can be detected in seemingly healthy individuals, and whether they have an impact on future health. A team of Michigan Medicine researchers led by Ray Zuo, M.D., lead author of a paper in JAMA Network Open and assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at Michigan Medicine, and Jason Knight, M.D., Ph.D., co-corresponding author of the paper and an associate professor of medicine at Michigan Medicine, worked in collaboration with James de Lemos, M.D., corresponding author, principal investigator of the Dallas Heart Study, professor, and chief of cardiology at UT Southwestern Medical. They found through their research that various types of antiphospholipid antibodies are not only detectable in some healthy people but may also contribute to the development of future cardiovascular events. For this study, the team analyzed the blood of 2,400 ethnically diverse healthy individuals, which had been previously collected as part of a longitudinal population-based study known as the Dallas Heart Study. Eight different varieties of antiphospholipid antibodies were measured. To the team's surprise, 15% of these healthy individuals had at least one type of antiphospholipid antibody in their blood. The individuals were then followed for an average of eight years, where it was found that positive testing for two of the antiphospholipid antibodies in particular (anti-cardiolipin IgA and anti-2 glycoprotein I IgA) predicted the development of a cardiovascular event such as heart attack, stroke, or death from heart disease. "While we have always wondered how common it is for healthy people to have antiphospholipid antibodies in their blood, a study of the scale needed to answer this question had not been previously performed," said Zuo. "Collaborating with the Dallas Heart Study allowed us to tackle this question in an ethnically diverse healthy population." While it is well known that autoimmune diseases such as lupus are more often diagnosed in Black individuals as compared with their white counterparts, the impact of race and ethnicity on the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies in the general population has not been systematically studied. The team found that the prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies is comparable among Black, white and Hispanic individuals. "Enrollment in APS clinical trials often skews toward white patients, with it sometimes being suggested that antiphospholipid antibodies are simply not as common in other racial and ethnical groups," said Knight. "Our findings certainly dispute that suggestion and point to the need for robust efforts to ensure that all relevant groups are represented in future APS research." The team also examined some potential mechanisms by which the detected antiphospholipid antibodies might be promoting cardiovascular problems. They found an association between the presence of anti-cardiolipin IgA and anti-2 glycoprotein I IgA and an impaired ability for "good cholesterol" such as HDL, to do its job of clearing out bad types of cholesterol. In the laboratory, the researchers also showed that the Dallas Heart blood samples with positive antiphospholipid antibody testing more strongly activated cells called endothelial cells that line blood vessels. If this were to happen in the body, it could allow blood clots to form more easily. Although not a part of this study, recent research by the Michigan Medicine team and others has shown that severe COVID-19 can trigger the production of various antiphospholipid antibodies in some people. "Although we don't know how often such autoantibodies will persist after the COVID infection has cleared, the findings from the Dallas Heart Study probably give us yet another reason to keep an eye on the long-term cardiovascular consequences of COVID-19," said Knight. "Our data suggest that some antiphospholipid antibodies may be important risk-enhancers, and if confirmed by other studies, could inform more personalized approaches for preventing the sometimes deadly events caused by cardiovascular disease," said Zuo. "The goal would be to identify who is at the highest risk and get them on some preventative treatment before something bad actually happens." The Dallas Heart Study is a population-based cohort study, that since 2000, has tracked the health of thousands of people of various races and ethnicities to improve the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of heart disease. "The Dallas heart study is an extraordinary resource at UT Southwestern," said de Lemos. "Heart disease remains the No.1 killer in the U.S. This important collaboration with researchers from Michigan Medicine provided evidence that beyond risk factors that we already know about, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, autoantibodies may also contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease in seemingly healthy people." More information: Yu Zuo et al, Prevalence of Antiphospholipid Antibodies and Association With Incident Cardiovascular Events, JAMA Network Open (2023). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.6530 Journal information: JAMA Network Open 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 Having a full-time job is challenging enough for most peoplebut add in a friend or relative who depends on you for their care, and the workload becomes much heavier and more complex. That's the daily reality for 5.2 million Canadians who find themselves juggling paid employment while helping loved ones who, for various health reasons, need extra help in their daily lives. Yet the plight of unpaid caregivers is often invisible to employers, policy makers and the public, and that's a concern, says University of Alberta researcher Janet Fast. "This needs to be understood as a serious challenge for family caregivers and as a legitimate policy issue," says Fast, a professor in the Department of Human Ecology in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences who studies the economics of aging, and family/friend caregiving. The vast majority of care, 75 to 90%, is and has always been done by family and friends, Fast notes, and those day-in, day-out responsibilities go "over and above" what people would normally do, taking a toll on their health, their social life and their finances, she adds. "If that care disappears we will all face challenges in meeting the needs of everyone. We don't have anywhere close to the infrastructure to provide that amount of care through formal services." To raise awareness of the situation, researchers are analyzing the most recent data from Statistics Canada's General Social Survey on Caregiving and Care Receiving, using a subsample of 4,940 working people aged 19 to 70 who were also providing unpaid care to family and friends. The work is generating infographics co-created by the U of A's Research on Aging, Policies and Practice and its research partners, Caregivers Alberta, the Vanier Institute of the Family and the Canadian Center for Caregiving Excellence. The analyses will support Caregivers Alberta's development of a work and care educational and outreach program for caregivers and their employers, with the ultimate hope of improving the situation, says graduate research assistant Andrew Magnaye, who worked on the survey data along with Fast, U of A social gerontologist Jacquie Eales and Choong Kim, also a graduate research assistant. "We want to help inform employers so they understand what their employees are going through and it gives them more awareness on how to better support them," says Magnaye. The work also helps acknowledge what unpaid caregivers live every day, he adds. "We hope that caregivers can see themselves in the data and research, so they feel like their experience is being spotlighted and so they don't feel like they are doing this in the dark." Based on the analyses and in recognition of National Caregiver Day, here are seven things you need to know about unpaid caregivers who also hold down jobs. One in four Canadians of working age is a caregiver As of 2018, an estimated 5.2 million working people aged 19 to 70 were family caregivers, just over half of them women. Most74% of women and 88% of menworked full time, 30 or more hours a week. On top of their paid jobs, women spent almost four hours more per week on caregiving, at 13.8 hours, than men, at 10 hours. "What that tells us is that family caregiving will challenge every one of us at some point, whether as a caregiver or a care receiver," Fast notes. It also points to a need for more robust workplace policies to give caregivers accommodations, adds Eales. While EI caregiving benefits are available in critical injury and illness or end-of-life circumstances, "they're not adequate for meeting the ongoing needs of many caregivers," she notes. Caregivers may also be unaware of available benefits or be reluctant to tell their bosses about their situations, she adds. "They are worried for their jobs." Most working caregivers are older Almost one in three employed caregivers was aged 50 to 59, followed by 22% aged 40 to 49. "This shows that the vast majority of caregivers are of employment age, making caregiving a current workplace issue, and one that will become more pressing in the future as the demographics of the workforce and the population change," Eales notes. With the fastest-growing age segment in the workforce falling between 55 and 75, "employers should be concerned, because that is their biggest talent pool, the middle managers and the long-term workers who are mentoring people within the organization. These are much more difficult positions to fill if somebody leaves the workforce in their 50s to meet caregiving duties." One in five employed caregivers has low income Twenty percent of caregivers made less than $20,000 per year before taxes, with another 23% making under $40,000 a year. As well, more female than male caregivers made less than $60,000 annually, with the average personal income (before taxes) for women sitting at $51,000, versus $72,000 for men. This suggests that unpaid caregiving affects future financial health along with other worrisome side-effects, says Fast. "Because of the financial, health and social implications of taking on care earlier in life or throughout the life course, those people are going to be the sick, lonely, and poor seniors of tomorrow. They aren't going to be able to save adequately for their own retirement, they're going to be reliant on public pensions and they are going to require more resources from the health-care system." Caregiving hurts job security and productivity, especially for women Women accounted for almost 60% of the 214,000 workers who left the paid labor force in 2018 because of their caregiving responsibilities. They were also more likely to work fewer hours for pay so they could balance their responsibilities between their paid job and their unpaid caregiving, and they missed more days of paid work than their male counterparts. One in two employed caregivers missed partial or full days of work because of caregiving. The data reflect a gender divide, with women more likely to be caregiversand suffering employment consequences, says Fast. "That carries into their retirement income as well." More caregiving means less work-life balance Employed caregivers who provide more hours of care are at risk for poor work-life balance, the U of A analysis showed. Those who provided more than 20 hours of care per week were almost twice as likely to have poor work-life balance and 1.7 times more likely to have to reduce their hours of paid work. They were also twice as likely to have to leave their jobs entirely, compared with people providing fewer than 10 hours of caregiving per week. That work-life imbalance affects "every aspect" of caregivers' well-being, says Eales. "It's a ripple effect that can have a cumulative impact and last for decades," she says, adding that support offered by Caregivers Alberta may help people develop coping strategies. Cancer and mental health issues increase the burden Caring for people with cancer and mental health and addiction issues takes a higher toll on care providers than looking after people with aging-related issues (excluding cognitive conditions). Compared to caregivers looking after loved ones with age-related issues, those caring for people with cancer are 2.5 times more likely to have to reduce their paid work hours, while those caring for someone with mental health and addiction issues are almost twice as likely to have poor work-life balance. "We think it has to do with the intensity of end-of-life care involved with cancer, and the uncertainty of providing care to someone with mental health and addiction issues," when care requirements are likely less predictable and harder to maneuver around job responsibilities, says Eales. Such situations point to the importance of flexible work arrangements, says Fast. "There aren't easy solutions. They are going to be different for various industries and different employers and for different types of employees. But it means policy makers and employers need to be more flexible about how they try to solve problems." Unpaid caregiving doesn't stopeven in residential care The analyses also showed that people caring for someone in assisted living or residential care facilities were almost twice as likely to reduce their work hours than those looking after someone living in the same household. That holds true even when contributing factors like age and hours of care are held constant, and "contradicts a common belief" that unpaid caregiving responsibilities end with the aid of formal care, Kim notes. That's possibly due to the high and complex needs of people living in care facilities, Fast suggests. "People in long-term care are older, sicker and more likely to have advanced dementias, so the need is probably much greater than for care receivers living in the community." Unpaid caregivers continue to support their loved ones in care facilities in various ways, she adds. Instead of preparing a meal or bathing a loved one at home, they're now showing up at the facility at mealtimes to help that person eat or taking them to medical appointments. "It's never been the case that family members have stepped away when someone is placed in long-term care; they just do other things." 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: Schematic model of the effect by the combined inhibition of AURKA and WEE1 in this study. The addition of the WEE1 inhibitor adavosertib would prevent the checkpoint kinase WEE1 with dephosphorylating CDK1 therefore leading to mitotic entry in the presence of DNA damage. When the AURKA inhibitor alisertib is concomitantly added, a failure in cytokinesis including spindle formation and centrosome maturation would in turn lead to mitotic catastrophe and cell death. Credit: Clinical Cancer Research (2019). DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-18-0440 Human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and lung cancer can have disruptive mutations in TP53 and/or CDKN2A tumor suppressor genes, which are associated with poor patient survival. Division Chief of Head and Neck Cancers/Sarcoma at Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital, Barbara Burtness, MD, will join fellow researchers to share new findings, building on a 2019 study published in Clinical Cancer Research at the April American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting in Orlando, FL. Dr. Burtness is co-author of the study, which suggested a combination treatment with adavosertib and alisertib led to antitumor effects. "Head and neck cancers often have undruggable mutations in tumor suppressor genes, and our lab has been focused on exploiting the survival pathways in these cancers to find new drug targets," said Dr. Burtness, who is also a professor of medicine (medical oncology) at Yale Cancer Center. In this study, researchers evaluated treatment with the AURKA inhibitor alisertib (MLN8237) and the WEE1 inhibitor adavosertib (AZD1775), alone, or in combination. The results support further evaluation of combined AURKA and WEE1 inhibition as a novel and effective treatment for patients with HNSCC or lung cancer with elevated AURKA expression. Dr. Burtness said, "We previously showed that when the tumor suppressor p53 is mutated, cells are susceptible to treatment with an inhibitor of Aurora kinase A, and that the combination of the Aurora kinase A inhibitor with a WEE1 inhibitor was synergistic. We have now uncovered a new mechanism for this synergy, demonstrating that Aurora kinase A inhibition impairs replication fork progression, increasing dependence on WEE1 and making WEE1 an important target for combination therapy. We hope to advance this combination into clinical trials." Additional Yale authors include Jong Woo Lee, Wendell Yarbrough, Erica Golemis, Ja Seok Koo, Elizabeth Perry, and Jeffrey Townsend. The research team at Yale Cancer Center collaborated with scientists at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland on the study. Provided by Yale Cancer Center/Smilow Cancer Hospital 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 Access to mobile technology is extremely common in the United States, so much so that it is hard to imagine daily life without it. More than 86% of Americans report using their smartphone as their primary source of obtaining information. Low- and middle-income countries that do not have easy access to digital media face deficits in receiving information, including knowledge related to health. A recent study in Maternal & Child Nutrition by Dongqing Wang, assistant professor in the Department of Global and Community Health, evaluated the access to digital media and devices, such as mobile phones, computers, tablets, social media, and the internet, among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. Using someone else's phone was the primary source of access. Social media usage was low among all participating countries. The findings suggested the potential use of digital mechanisms to deliver health and nutrition interventions to adolescents. In sub-Saharan countries where access to digital devices is low, using digital media to disseminate health information may not be feasible or effective, and may place those without access at further disadvantage. "There is considerable variation in access to digital media and devices across different settings," said Wang. "Limited availability with respect to digital media and devices among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa presents a challenge for providing digital interventions in this particular setting." Wang is a strong proponent of overcoming the barriers associated with inaccessible technologies and recognizes the need for further research on how this can be achieved. "Digital interventions have great potential to contribute to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals by improving health education and reducing inequalities," said Wang. Wang's findings are the result of a multi-country, school-based survey in which adolescents ages 10 through 15 self-reported access to digital media and devices. Participants from Burkina Faso, South Africa, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Tanzania reported rates of mobile phone ownership ranging from 3-40%, demonstrating the considerable variation in access to digital technology. The study also reveals key factors that correlate with access to digital media and devices; greater access occurred in wealthier households, homes with high maternal education, and was more prevalent among adolescent boys compared to girls. More information: Dongqing Wang et al, Access to digital media and devices among adolescents in subSaharan Africa: A multicountry, schoolbased survey, Maternal & Child Nutrition (2023). DOI: 10.1111/mcn.13462 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Lawmakers are more interested in biomedical research than ever, but with limited funds for nondefense spending, experts worry the National Institutes of Health could end up in competition with the new agency the Biden administration wants to build to confront the toughest problems. The administration's vision for a big and bold disease-curing agencythe Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, known as ARPA-His finally coming to fruition at the same time President Joe Biden has relaunched the Cancer Moonshot, which has the goal of slashing the cancer death rate by at least 50% over the next 25 years. Usually, this interest in medical research would be great news for the NIH as the appropriations season begins. But both projects require big financial outlays at a time the Republican-led House is demanding spending cuts in exchange for approval of an increase in the debt limit. The White House has proposed relatively flat funding for the NIH and is seeking a $1 billion increase for the NIH's newer, flashier cousin, ARPA-H. Biden's budget asks for $2.5 billion for ARPA-H for fiscal 2024, a $1 billion, or 66%, increase from funding for the current year. The budget request also includes $46.4 billion in discretionary spending for the NIH, compared with $46.1 billion enacted. That's an increase of less than 0.1%. Requesting a huge percentage increase for ARPA-H while holding the rest of NIH almost flat could set the two agencies up as rivals, said Eric Fatemi, a former staff director of the Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee who handled NIH appropriations. He is currently a principal at Cornerstone Government Affairs. Even Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra is mindful he may have to play peacemaker between the two agencies, according to comments he made at an HHS event commemorating the first anniversary of the launch of ARPA-H. When asked what his first thoughts on ARPA-H were, Becerra said his original concern about the new agency's creation was, "Is NIH going to be OK with this?" Becerra added, "I just want to stay out of the way. I want NIH to be happy as well." GOP demands Over the past eight years, the NIH has received a 57% funding increase even as control of the House and White House seesawed. But there's a long history of presidents lowballing requests for NIH anticipating that Congress would increase the final appropriation. This year's budget climate is very different. Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., promised holdouts during his bid for the gavel that the chamber would write its appropriations bills at the fiscal 2022 topline level, which would be more than $130 billion below the level enacted for the current fiscal year. Reductions to nondefense programs could top 22%. This could mean the NIH would make 5,000 fewer grants, Becerra told House Appropriations ranking member Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., in a letter. Meanwhile, one of the NIH's biggest Republican champions in the Senate, Missouri's Roy Blunt, has retired. And Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole, who backed the agency as the top Republican on the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee, is now leading the panel controlling transportation and housing funding. Cole is still on the full Appropriations Committee, however, and is hopeful Congress will increase NIH funding this year. He blamed Democrats for overspending and putting Republicans in a difficult position when it comes to budget cuts. "Personally, I would hope the NIH can continue to do well. I think it's very important to the country long term and very important to American people in the short term," he said. "I'm not going to be in the business of second-guessing what the new chairman there has to do," he added, referring to Alabama Republican Robert B. Aderholt. "I suspect there'll be a lot of tough calls for him." Aderholt did not respond to requests for comment. The top Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Susan Collins of Maine, was more optimistic. "There is simply no investment that promises greater returns for America than our investment in biomedical research," Collins said in an email. "I expect Congress to continue to prioritize these important investments in FY2024." Senators are currently focusing on topline numbers that each Appropriations subcommittee will get to spend. Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee member Jack Reed, D-R.I., said they are rushing to get their nondefense spending toplines out as soon as possible in hopes the House will follow suit. But there's no real timeline for when the Senate will release the toplines, and the White House and McCarthy do not appear to be getting any closer to a deal on the debt limit. "If Republicans were successful in slashing nondefense as much as they wanted to, there's no way that NIH could escape," Fatemi said. Similar agencies, different roles A big funding push for ARPA-H could become a replacement for other biomedical research funding asks, some worry. "Oftentimes, supporting government funding like ARPA-H or NIH becomes the fodder for members on the Hill to say, 'I'm pro-innovation, I support increased funding here, so all our problems are solved,' but that's a very small piece of the innovation ecosystem," said Nick Shipley, chief advocacy officer at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization. Ellie Dehoney, a senior vice president at the academic research advocacy group Research!America, also worries about the overlap between the two agencies. "One of my concerns is that NIH will essentially partner with ARPA-H and put in funds into joint projects when actually ARPA-H is supposed to have a budget to cover unique projects. So if NIH plays a role, their function bleeds in," Dehoney said. ARPA-H has caught the attention of Capitol Hill, but much of the new agency's mission remains undefined. So far, it has only hired two project managers and announced its basic structure. No decisions about projects or where it will be headquartered have been announced. Its charter says ARPA-H will have a small staff of just 210 people, and much of its mission will be defined by the grants it gives out. Modeled after the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, it aims to make big breakthroughs in cancer research, Alzheimer's and other chronic diseases. The current biomedical research system is largely driven by NIH-supported research, universities and the drug industry. The Biden administration argues this framework makes it difficult to take on ideas that could yield bold breakthroughsbecause they are too expensive, would take too long or run the risk of failing. ARPA-H would fill that gap by conducting the sort of high-risk research that's just so crazy it might just work. "We are part of this ecosystem, and we're here to catalyze it. We're here to add a little bit of rocket fuel to it," ARPA-H Director Renee Wegrzyn said in March at HHS headquarters. There are some areas where the NIH and ARPA-H will overlapthe most obvious being cancer research. The NIH's National Cancer Institute has been working for nearly 90 years running clinical trials on new cancer therapies and has been charged with leading research on Biden's Cancer Moonshot. But when people talk about the aims of ARPA-H, curing cancer often comes up first. A National Cancer Institute spokesperson described ARPA-H and NCI as "complementary," with NCI providing input and technical expertise to help the new agency find project managers. Wegrzyn has said that ARPA-H will not have offices dedicated to the Cancer Moonshot, but the new agency's work could support moonshot goals. In short, both agencies will need money to help reach the White House's goals. "Once we start playing this game where it's either ARPA-H or NIH, then we play into a really counterproductive formula for medical progress. Both are needed," Dehoney said. 2023 CQ-Roll Call, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. 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: Fig. 1 In silico modeling of the celastrol-bound COMMD3/8 complex. Credit: Science Immunology (2023). DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adc9324 We all know that a strong immune system is a definite advantage. Yet, sometimes, the immune system goes awry and attacks the body. This autoimmunity is the cause of various disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, type 1 diabetes, and celiac disease. To fight these diseases, it is crucial to determine the mechanisms underlying their pathogenesis. In a study published in Science Immunology, researchers from Osaka University address this knowledge gap by identifying a protein complex that promotes the progression of rheumatoid arthritis. This complex comprises two proteins, named COMMD3 and COMMD8. The research team also found that celastrol, an extract from the root of a medicinal plant colloquially named the "Thunder God vine," is a potent inhibitor of the COMMD3/8 complex. "We had previously shown that the COMMD3/8 complex potentiates the humoral immune response, yet its role in autoimmune diseases remained unclear," says Kazuhiro Suzuki, senior author. The team generated a mouse model in which the expression of COMMD3 can be switched off. "Deleting COMMD3 results in the degradation of COMMD8 and, consequently, the disappearance of the COMMD3/8 complex," explains Taiichiro Shirai, lead author of the study. The absence of the COMMD3/8 complex led to an impaired humoral immune response. "The number of cells producing antibodies decreased, suggesting that the COMMD3/8 complex has an important role in the autoimmune response," says Shirai. Then, the researchers used a mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis. They repressed COMMD3 expression as soon as the mice exhibited the first symptoms. By doing so, the progression of the disease stopped, indicating that the COMMD3/8 complex promotes the autoimmune response. "Once we had established the importance of the complex in autoimmunity, we set about identifying a compound that could interfere with the formation of the complex," explains Kazuhiro Suzuki. "Our chemical screen identified celastrol as the most potent inhibitor of the COMMD3/8 complex." Fig. 2 Effects of COMMD3/8 complex deficiency (A) and celastrol treatment (B) on the disease progression in a mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis. Credit: Science Immunology (2023). DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adc9324 Celastrol is an active compound from Tripterygium wilfordii, a medicinal herb that is known to have anti-inflammatory properties, though its mechanism of action has not been fully explained. The study showed that celastrol binds to COMMD3 covalently and prevents the formation of the COMMD3/8 complex, thus impairing the antibody response and blocking the progression of rheumatoid arthritis in the mouse model. Because the COMMD3/8 complex is central to the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis, and of the progression of autoimmunity in general, it is a promising therapeutic target for autoimmune conditions, and celastrol is a particularly exciting lead for developing treatments against rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases in the future. More information: Taiichiro Shirai et al, Celastrol suppresses humoral immune responses and autoimmunity by targeting the COMMD3/8 complex, Science Immunology (2023). DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adc9324 Journal information: Science Immunology 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: An overview of the study. Credit: Journal of Clinical Investigation (2023). DOI: 10.1172/JCI165904 Lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), which includes conditions such as pneumonia, has long been the leading cause of death from communicable agents and a leading cause of death in children worldwide. But despite its prevalence, LRTI is tricky for doctors to treat effectively because the current diagnostic approach often fails to conclusively determine whether an infection is present at all, and if so, what pathogen is causing it. Now, in a study published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, a team led by researchers at the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco (CZ Biohub SF), UC San Francisco (UCSF), the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)/Arkansas Children's Research Institute (ACRI) describe a new method for LRTI diagnosis in children with severe respiratory failure. The method applies machine learning to metagenomic sequencing data obtained from lung fluid of intubated children to diagnose pediatric LRTI and to identify its cause with very high accuracy, far exceeding current techniques. Shots in the dark LRTI may be caused by a wide variety of bacterial, viral, or fungal pathogens, but the symptoms of infection appear clinically similar no matter the culprit and are even difficult to distinguish from noninfectious respiratory conditions. Because of the limitations of existing diagnostics, doctors often work under a "fog of war" when it comes to developing an effective treatment plan, said Eran Mick, a bioinformatics scientist at CZ Biohub SF and UCSF and one of the study's lead authors. Current diagnostics often rely on growing bacteria from lung-fluid samples in culture, which is time-consuming and doesn't always correctly identify the bacterial species responsible for the problem. The tests often generate false-negative results or detect incidental microbes that aren't actually causing an illness. "In over half of all cases, the actual microbe causing the infection is not identified," said corresponding author Chaz Langelier, a CZ Biohub SF Investigator and associate professor of medicine in UCSF's Division of Infectious Diseases. "What results is that the treatments given are not necessarily directed at what's causing the problem." Instead, doctors may prescribe a cocktail of broad-spectrum antibiotics in an effort to stop the suspected infection, which contributes to the emergence of bacteria with antibiotic resistance. This practice can also lead to adverse patient outcomes like kidney injury or infection by other harmful bacteria, such as Clostridioides difficile. And it may even be entirely ineffective against the causal pathogen, as in the case of viral infections. "While viruses cause the majority of LRTIs in young children, we know that children with severe LRTI requiring mechanical ventilation support often have co-infections of a virus and bacteria," said cosenior author Peter Mourani, professor of pediatrics in Critical Care Medicine at UAMS and ACRI president. "So even if a virus is detected using commonly employed PCR testing, clinicians often feel compelled to treat for a possible bacterial infection, including when clinical cultures are negative. Most children receive antibiotics prior to specimen collection which may then contribute to false-negative culture results." "Adding to the challenges with diagnosing LRTI is that the true biology of lower respiratory infections is not just about a pathogenic microbe," Langelier said. "It's really a dynamic interplay between the pathogen causing the infection, the patient's immune response, and the lung's normal microbiome." A more holistic approach To better diagnose and treat LRTI in children, the researchers developed a new method that takes into account not only the presence of potential pathogens in the lung but also the patient's immune response, which can indicate whether the body is actually fighting off an infection. The method relies on metagenomic RNA sequencing, which simultaneously reports on the patient's gene expression and on any microbes present, all from a single sample of lung fluid. Metagenomics captures all the genetic sequences present in a samplewhether from the patient, bacteria, or viruses. Those sequences can then be computationally compared to reference databases to quantify gene expression and the abundance of microbes. The researchers then applied machine learning algorithms to the metagenomic data to identify the joint patterns of gene expression and microbe abundance that distinguish actual LRTI from the unharmful presence of microbes that are an inherent part of the lung microbiome. The researchers generated and studied metagenomic data from a cohort of 261 children with acute respiratory failure who had been admitted to one of eight children's hospitals in the U.S. To properly train the machine learning algorithms, a team of clinicians rigorously adjudicated whether each of the children had LRTI, a clear noninfectious cause of respiratory failure, or an uncertain diagnosis. Data from patients characterized as definitely suffering from LRTI and from patients having no evidence of LRTI were used to develop and then test the metagenomic diagnostic. In addition to making a diagnosis, the method also nominates the likeliest causal pathogen for the patients that are classified as infected. The method proved to be incredibly accurate. "It worked better than expected," Langelier said. "Our 'area under the curve,' which is essentially a measure of diagnostic test performance, was above 0.98, on a scale of 0 to 1. That's about as good as one can get with a diagnostic test and is actually better than a similar test that we developed in adults." The concept for this work stemmed from previous research by Langelier, Katrina Kalantar of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), UCSF Professor and SF Biohub President Joe DeRisi, and their colleagues, in which they used metagenomics to effectively diagnose lower respiratory tract infections in critically ill adult patients. A diagnostic for the 21st century "This test would have a big impact clinically," said Alexandra Tsitsiklis, a lead author of the study and a former member of Langelier's lab now at New York Citybased Immunai. "One of the key advantages of a metagenomic diagnostic is the ability to provide an answer in the patients with an uncertain clinical diagnosis." Indeed, the method was able to diagnose LRTI and identify probable pathogens for many of the patients who didn't fall into one of the two definitive clinical diagnosis categories used to train the machine-learning model. In addition, Tsitsiklis said, a test like this could be used to rule out a bacterial infection, so that antibiotics could be avoided for these patients specifically, adding, "This is one of the next steps that would make it even more useful clinically." The researchers are hopeful that following further validation, their diagnostic method will become commonplace in hospital settings. "The way that infectious disease diagnosis works is very primitive. It's the same as it has been for decades and doctors aren't happy with the tools they have. So we hope this is something we can keep working on to get to the point where it's implemented in the hospital," said Mick. "We are trying to set the stage for bringing hospitals into the 21st century." More information: Eran Mick et al, Integrated host/microbe metagenomics enables accurate lower respiratory tract infection diagnosis in critically ill children, Journal of Clinical Investigation (2023). DOI: 10.1172/JCI165904 Journal information: Journal of Clinical Investigation Provided by Chan Zuckerberg Biohub 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: Histopathology of gastrocnemius muscle from patient who died of pseudohypertrophic muscular dystrophy, Duchenne type. Cross section of muscle shows extensive replacement of muscle fibers by adipose cells. Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain In a new study published in The FASEB Journal, investigators demonstrated the potential of a molecule that may help overcome some of the devastating symptoms of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), the most common life-limiting congenital neuromuscular disorder. The agent promotes the activity of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), an important fuel-sensing enzyme that is present in all mammalian cells. Previous research has shown that stimulating AMPK can mitigate the dystrophyor wastingof muscles, but AMPK activators have failed to reach the clinic due to either their lack of potency or toxic off-target effects. In this latest work, scientists utilized a next generation oral AMPK agonist called MK-8722 and showed that when given as a single dose to mice with muscular dystrophy, it triggered signaling pathways associated with improved muscle health. Additional studies are needed to test the chronic administration of such next-generation AMPK activators in dystrophic animals to further examine their safety and effectiveness. "Our work highlights the therapeutic potential of this novel class of AMPK activators in DMD, as well as in other neuromuscular diseases," said lead author Sean Ng, MSc, Ph.D. candidate, of McMaster University, in Canada. "We hope that these findings can be extended to other novel AMPK agonists that are currently being investigated in ongoing clinical trials. If so, repositioning these therapies may pose as a cost-effective and efficacious method for the treatment of DMD regardless of the specific disease-causing mutation." More information: Acute, next-generation AMPK activation initiates a disease-resistant gene expression program in dystrophic skeletal muscle, The FASEB Journal (2023). DOI: 10.1096/fj.202201846RR Journal information: FASEB Journal This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Teens in North America are spending several hours per day on screens, and there's growing concern over how social media may affect their mental health. A new study. published in Psychology of Popular Media, found that limiting screen time to about one hour per day helped anxious teens and young adults feel better about their body image and their appearance. Study lead author Helen Thai, a doctoral student in the Department of Psychology, in collaboration with researchers from Carleton University, recruited a few hundred volunteers between the ages of 17 and 25, all of whom had experienced symptoms of anxiety or depression. Half of the participants were asked to reduce their social media to 60 minutes a day for three weeks, Thai says. The other half continued to use social media with no restrictions, which averaged about three hours per day. The researchers gave the participants surveys at the beginning and end of the study that included statements such as "I'm pretty happy about the way I look," and "I am satisfied with my weight." Among the group that cut social media use, the overall score on body image improved. "The digital world is here to stay," said Thai. So, she says, the question becomes, "how do we adapt to this new world in a way that wouldn't negatively impact or control us?" More information: Helen Thai et al, Reducing social media use improves appearance and weight esteem in youth with emotional distress., Psychology of Popular Media (2023). DOI: 10.1037/ppm0000460. www.apa.org/pubs/journals/rele s/ppm-ppm0000460.pdf 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: In tuberculosis, immune cells congregate around the bacteria in circular formations called granulomas like this one. In this fluorescent microscopy image, the immune system protein IDO is shown pink. The researchers hypothesize that IDO prevents other immune cells from entering the granuloma and killing the bacteria. Credit: : Texas Biomed Texas Biomedical Research Institute scientists have identified a promising way to help fight tuberculosis (TB), a disease that still kills nearly 2 million people annually. The research focuses on a potential host-directed therapy targeting the immune system to bolster the body's ability to control the infection, a method shown to improve cancer treatments. Specifically, the team found that inhibiting a particular enzyme, known as IDOshort for Indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenasehelped nonhuman primates completely eliminate active TB infection. Blocking IDO for four weeks in conjunction with antibiotics led to improved health metrics compared with antibiotics alone. The findings were reported in JCI Insight. "This is exciting," says Texas Biomed Professor Smriti Mehra, Ph.D., who led the study. "We have promising results suggesting an IDO inhibitor could be a host-directed therapy that reduces the length of time and amount of antibiotics that TB patients have to take, especially those with multi-drug resistance." Tuberculosis is still one of the leading causes of death worldwide and among the top two global infectious diseases. Current treatments require patients to take dozens of pills every day for months, sometimes up to a year, to control the bacterial infection. Many of those with TB have a more mild, latent form that reactivates years later after exposure to another illness, such as HIV. The dual infection often proves to be a deadly combination. Bindu Singh, PhD, is a postdoc in Professor Smriti Mehra's lab and first paper author. Credit: Texas Biomed Physicians and patients need better treatment options. Professor Mehra and her collaborators have been interested in IDO for many years. IDO is an immune system protein known to suppress other immune responses. Cancer researchers have explored blocking it to improve cancer treatment, while Professor Mehra and her collaborators were the first to document its role in TB in 2018. In that paper, they found IDO prevents critical immune cells from killing Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb), the bacteria that causes TB. The bacteria are usually found inside circular structures, called granulomas, in the lung. Granulomas are a congregation of immune cells that surround the bacteria. The team detected a large amount of IDO present in the granuloma's intermediate myeloid layer. When they blocked IDO production, it reduced IDO levels in the granuloma and the body was able to kill more bacteria. They hypothesize more immune cells are able to enter the granuloma to do their jobs when there is less IDO present. The JCI Insight paper took that research a step further to determine whether inhibiting IDO enhances TB treatment. The team, which included researchers, veterinarians and pathologists from Texas Biomed and Southwest National Primate Research Center, compared how groups of macaques with active TB infection fared without treatment, with antibiotic treatment, and with antibiotic treatment plus the IDO inhibitor. The inhibitor was given for four weeks, while a lower-than-usual dose of antibiotics was given for 12 weeks. The results showed that the animals given the IDO inhibitor did better than those just with the antibiotic treatment. From left to right: IDO, expressed in green, is high in lung tissue of macaques with untreated TB (1st panel), and those receiving TB antibiotics (2nd panel). IDO is much lower in lung tissue of animals that received both TB antibiotics and an IDO inhibitor (3rd and 4th panels). Red indicates macrophages, which are other important immune cells. Credit: Texas Biomed "The animals given the IDO inhibitor cleared TB completely from the lungs, granulomas and other organs," says Bindu Singh, Ph.D., a postdoctoral research fellow at Texas Biomed and first author of the paper. "Most animals given just antibiotics also controlled the infection well, but still had some bacteria in there." The research team notes the data were not statistically significant, but it does show potential benefits for clearing infection faster than with antibiotics alone, and could be especially helpful for patients with antibiotic-resistant bacteria. "Taking antibiotics for months isn't great for the body, so this is something we are hoping we can advance to reduce the time and high dosage currently required to treat TB," Dr. Singh says. There is still much research to be done before moving to human clinical trials, such as clarifying exactly how the IDO inhibitor helps battle TB, how much IDO blocker to give and for how long. The team is also investigating whether inhibiting IDO prevents latent TB reactivation in the presence of SIV, the nonhuman primate equivalent of HIV. "The leading killer of people with HIV is reactivated TB, so if we could reduce TB reactivation levels, that would be a very important avenue to explore further," Professor Mehra says. More information: Bindu Singh et al, Inhibition of indoleamine dioxygenase leads to better control of tuberculosis adjunctive to chemotherapy, JCI Insight (2023). DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.163101 Journal information: JCI Insight 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: Tasneem Sharma, PhD. Credit: Indiana University In July 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first astronaut to walk on the moon. The Apollo 11 mission lasted about four days. Now more than 50 years later, astronauts are making much longer trips into space and looking ahead to the potential for even lengthier space flights that could keep astronauts in space for months and years at a time. That possibility brings a new physical challenge for astronauts to deal with: vision loss. "When they go on long missions in space that are more than six months, almost 70% of astronauts have something called Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome," said Tasneem Sharma, Ph.D., assistant professor of ophthalmology at Indiana University School of Medicine. "On Earth, gravity is pulling cerebral spinal fluid down from the brain and behind the eye. But in situations in space where there is no gravity, that doesn't happen. There is a fluid shift and a change in pressure of that fluid in the brain. As astronauts spend longer and longer in microgravity, then that fluid increases in the brain and can impact their eyes, changing the focus of the eye as a flattening from the back of the eye happens." Sharma said when that change happens, astronauts' vision changes, too, causing them to need reading glasses or other interventions. Thanks to a grant in 2019 from NASA's Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) program, Sharma has developed a way to test different pressure changes on the back of the eye to study these effects. "I have a human eye model and use donor eyes from human patients," Sharma said. "We put it in a system and mimic that increased pressure at different regions of the eye and see what happens." Sharma first studied biomedical engineering at the University of Texas as an undergraduate student. While doing an internship on corneal tissue engineering, she began learning more about eye research and eventually decided to pursue a Ph.D. at the University of North Texas. She focused on glaucoma, a condition where the nerve connecting the eye to the brain becomes damaged, causing blindness. An early sketch and 3D printed model of Sharma's Translaminar Autonomous System. Credit: Indiana University "The eye is part of the brain and makes up the central nervous system," Sharma said. "We can do a lot of testing with eyes without needing to inject anything in the brain. It's a whole area that allows us the availability of tissue to do a lot of other unique experiments." After earning her Ph.D., Sharma completed post-doctoral programs at the University of Iowa and the University of North Texas. Her work there involved studying donor eyes by cutting the eye in half and keeping the front of the eye alive to test glaucoma therapies. Then, Sharma had a new idea to keep the back of the eye for other studies. "At that time, no one had really been able to take a human retina and keep it alive for long periods yet, because it's a high-energy requiring tissue," Sharma said. "We couldn't really test any therapeutics or do long-term research on it. We were basically discarding the back of the eye when we wanted to do a front of the eye experiment. So, I drew a bunch of diagrams and had a cousin who was a mechanical engineer at the time help make me a 3D design for a pressurized perfused system to keep that part of the eye alive for longer." Creating the model was more difficult than Sharma expected. The back of the eye experiences different pressure than inside the eye, maintain two pressure chambers was challenging to recreate. After hundreds of attempted models over about a year and a half, Sharma finally found one that worked, called the Translaminar Autonomous System. "I was like okay this is a model. I have it. Now what do I do with it?" Sharma said. "I put a description of my model on a NASA webpage I found, and about six months later, I got a phone call from TRISH." Credit: Indiana University TRISH is part of NASA's Human Research Program, focused on researching and developing new approaches to reduce risks of long-duration space exploration missions, including NASA's Journey to Mars. When TRISH discovered Sharma's human eye model, they asked her if it could be used to study Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome. Sharma eventually received a grant from TRISH to study the syndrome in 2019. Soon after, she joined faculty at IU School of Medicine, and her team published their study results in npj Microgravity in October 2022. "Here on Earth, when I'm sitting, I have a different pressure in my brain than when I'm standing or lying down and sleeping," Sharma said. "But in space, there's microgravity, which causes a constant pressure that does not change over time. That is what we tried to mimic with the model, and we found that there are degenerative changes in the eye with that mild, constant intracranial pressure over time. The nerve that connects the eye to the brain also changes shape, and we saw the more we changed the angle of that nerve, the higher the degeneration in the eye." In astronauts, Sharma said NASA has found many of them experience some kind of choroidal folds, retinal folds and other clinical findings in the eyes, but for the most part, their symptoms are mild. "If they are just in low Earth orbit, or on the international space station, these effects do not become significant until astronauts have a mission that is great than six months," Sharma said. "But then if we're talking about a long-term mission, more than 6 months, like the Artemis missions on the lunar surface, or the Mars missions, having significant changes in vision can be a mission critical situation." Sharma is currently in the process of applying for a new grant through NASA to continue the research, hoping to next focus on testing other situations that could impact astronauts' eyes, like how different supplements or antioxidants could help. She could test other environmental conditions like high carbon dioxide and high salt content in the model. In the future, there is even the possibility of doing pre-clinical testing for astronauts in the future, like taking blood or cell samples pre and post flight to generate astronaut stem cells and retinal neurons to test specific therapies or supplements that could work specifically for their biology. Credit: Indiana University "Using stem cells, we've been able to create retinal neurons that we could eventually put in the human eye, then measure the function of the retina and other parts," Sharma said. Her team is also collaborating with Loma Linda University for radiation studies and the lunar Zebro team from the Delft University of Technology in Netherlands to send donor eyes to the moon on a lunar rover to study changes in the eye on various parts of the moon. "There are so many different areas to look at with these experiments," Sharma said. "NASA wants new and fresh ideas as they focus on long-term space exploration. It's an exciting field to be part of." More information: Michael Peng et al, The ex vivo human translaminar autonomous system to study spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome pathogenesis, npj Microgravity (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41526-022-00232-5 , www.nature.com/articles/s41526-022-00232-5 Journal information: Nature This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Representing T1 and T2-weighted images from the four patients receiving pMRI during ECLS treatment. In Patient 3 pMRI showed right hemispheric intracerebral hemorrhage. All other patients did not have signs of hemorrhage or stroke. Acquisition times: T1 (5m35s) and T2 (5m50s). Credit: Critical Care (2023). DOI: 10.1186/s13054-023-04416-7 The neonatology team at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) has conducted the world's first study of children receiving ECMO therapy using the mobile magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The procedure, known as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), involves oxygenating the blood outside the body. The findings of the successful, innovative study of the first four pediatric ECMO patients using the mobile MRI has now been published in Critical Care. Patients who require ECMO therapy beyond a conservative ventilator are critically ill. Reasons may include lung failure, heart failure or infection. Children who require this special procedure can only be treated at a special treatment center such as the Children's ECMO Center of the UKB, where they are closely monitored. Here, both newborns and older children are treated with ECMO therapy. "It is often necessary in this sensitive group of patients, even during ECMO therapy, to have an MRI of the brain to check the relevant structures in the brain. However, transport to a fixed device is unfortunately not possible," says Prof. Sabir. Last August, a grant from the Bill Gates Foundation enabled him to purchase a mobile MRI, which is being used at the UKB for the first time in Germany to clinically test diagnostics on premature and newborn infants. So far, it has only been used for research purposes in London. The mobile MRI has already been in use at the UKB for more than half a year and represents a groundbreaking further optimization of diagnostics for neonatal patients. 25 children have since been scanned in the mobile MRI at the UKBthe youngest weighed only 450 grams, the oldest was already 10 years old. The mobile MRI was used for routine examinations and for further diagnosis of abnormalities, e.g. after asphyxia (oxygen deficiency at birth). To evaluate the image quality of the mobile low-field MRI, a comparison image was taken in the permanently installed normal-field MRI at the UKB for each of the children examined. "We were more than satisfied with the results. Although the image quality of the mobile MRI is not as high-resolution as that of a fixed device, the image data are ideal for emergency diagnostics and, above all, can be retrieved immediately. Among other things, we were able to detect brain hemorrhages, strokes or acute changes, such as the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid, in the children examined so far and initiate the appropriate therapies immediately," says Prof. Sabir. ECMO patients, however, pose a special challenge to the treatment team in connection with MRI diagnostics. "While adults have a tube inserted in the groin area to transport blood during ECMO therapy, children often have access at the neck. The patients have to be moved very carefully and the tube at the neck may only be moved minimally," explains Prof. Sabir. However, reliable diagnostics, for example of brain hemorrhages, is only possible with MRI imaging. The neonatology and pediatric intensive care team was therefore able to demonstrate in four pediatric ECMO patients that imaging using mobile MRI can be performed without any problems. The patients studied were a newborn, a two-year-old, a nine-year-old and a ten-year-old child. One of the children was diagnosed with a major brain hemorrhage using the mobile MRI and was treated immediately. "The new findings prove that the scan can be performed safely. We obtained meaningful MRI images of the brain without changing the position of the neck cannula and without compromising the children's safety status. This represents an immense success for future MRI examinations of newborns and larger children who can only survive through the use of ECMO therapy," said Prof. Andreas Muller, Director of the Department of Neonatology at UKB. More information: Hemmen Sabir et al, Feasibility of bedside portable MRI in neonates and children during ECLS, Critical Care (2023). DOI: 10.1186/s13054-023-04416-7 Journal information: Critical Care WEDNESDAY, April 5, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Tens of thousands of people suing Johnson & Johnson may get some relief after the company announced Tuesday that it will pay $8.9 billion to settle lawsuits that have been going for more than a decade. The settlement would be paid out over 25 years and Johnson & Johnsons LTL Management subsidiary filed for bankruptcy to enable the payment, the company said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The bankruptcy court must first approve the plan, which would settle all current and future claims about the companys talcum powder products, The New York Times reported. It is not an admission of wrongdoing because the claims still are specious and lack scientific merit, Erik Haas, vice president of litigation at J&J, said in a company news release. Resolving this matter through the proposed reorganization plan is both more equitable and more efficient, allows claimants to be compensated in a timely manner and enables the company to remain focused on our commitment to profoundly and positively impact health for humanity, Haas added. Lawyers for nearly 70,000 plaintiffs said the deal was a significant victory for the tens of thousands of women suffering from gynecological cancers caused by J&Js talc-based products, the Times reported. Not all the lawyers have approved of the settlement. Jason Itkin, whose law firm represents 10,000 cases, called the settlement bad for victims and thought it would be blocked in court or not have enough claimants to approve it, the Times reported. Even though $8.9 billion sounds like a lot of money, when you spread it out it comes out to not very much at all for the people who suffered, Itkin said. If the proposed settlement does go forward, it would bring an end to the lawsuits filed by families affected by cancers, including those whose loved ones died of ovarian cancer and mesothelioma. The company plans to stop selling the product globally this year, after announcing in 2020 it would stop selling the products in the United States. It plans to sell a cornstarch alternative, while also splitting its consumer products into a different company it will call Kenvue. This includes brands like Neutrogena and Tylenol. It will be separate from J&Js pharmaceutical and medical divisions. This new plan will provide expeditious, substantial and fair compensation to claimants who cannot afford to wait any longer for a resolution, the plaintiffs lawyers said, according to the Times. More information The American Cancer Society has more on asbestos and cancer risk. SOURCE: The New York Times Proposed amendments to the Montana Constitution are in jeopardy of failing after a handful of Republican defections in the House and Senate, leaving in question whether they'll reach the 100 votes necessary to advance to the 2024 ballot. An amendment must secure the votes of two-thirds of the 150 lawmakers across both chambers in order to pass the Legislature. The measure then goes to voters to decide whether to amend the Constitution. Republicans hold a legislative supermajority with 102 GOP lawmakers 68 in the House and 34 in the Senate. That means Republicans could pass constitutional referenda with no support from minority Democrats. Democrats have largely unified around the position that the state Constitution should not be amended, making the prospect of picking up votes from the minority party unlikely. That makes the GOPs margin razor thin, with only three Republican opposing votes causing referenda to fail. On Monday morning, the House heard several proposed referenda. With the exception of one measure that saw overwhelming bipartisan backing, others saw support ranging from 62 to 66 in favor on an initial vote. Only one bill gained support on its third reading vote Tuesday, while most others slid backward. That means every constitutional amendment would need to pick up every GOP vote and very unlikely Democratic support in order to reach the ballot in 2024. Only one bill carrying a constitutional amendment died Monday, a proposal to give sheriffs the power to nullify federal law enforcement operations in their county. House Bill 372 HB 372 from Rep. Paul Fielder, R-Thompson Falls, would amend the Harvest Heritage clause of the Constitution in an effort to strengthen protections for hunting, fishing and trapping. The new language would include protections of current means and methods and state that hunting, fishing and trapping by citizens would be the preferred means of wildlife management. The bill includes language that hunting, fishing and trapping rights do not diminish private property rights, and an amendment made in the House Judiciary Committee added further language stating that water rights could also not be trumped. The current clause, which was adopted by voters in 2004, states, The opportunity to harvest wild fish and wild game animals is a heritage that shall forever be preserved to the individual citizens of the state and does not create a right to trespass on private property or diminution of other private rights. Fielder believes that language is not strong enough. Thats pretty weak, a heritage compared to a right, he said, adding that practices could be nickeled and dimed away. Fielder and other supporters of the legislation say the bill is necessary to deter citizen initiatives that take away certain practices, such as predator hunting, hunting with hounds or trapping. They point to 2016s unsuccessful Initiative 177 that sought to ban trapping on public lands as an example. The bill saw support from trapping, firearm and some hunting groups, but opposition from animal welfare advocates, trapping opponents and some other hunting and angling groups. Additional opposition from the Montana Stockgrowers Association and the Association of Gallatin Agricultural Irrigators also came as a bit of a surprise, with those groups concerned about adequately protecting private property and water rights. The Stockgrowers have since moved from opposition to having no stance on the bill after the committee amendment. The group previously supported similar legislation in 2021. The irrigators did not immediately respond to a request about its current position on the bill. Democrats spoke against the bill, raising similar concerns as opponents in committee, but also taking a general stand against pushing constitutional amendments. The bill passed on an initial vote of 62-38, losing six GOP votes. By Tuesday HB 372 picked up an another two votes, the only constitutional amendment to gain ground before moving to the Senate. House Bill 551 HB 551 from Rep. Casey Knudsen, R-Malta, proposes allowing concealed firearms to be carried under the Constitution without a permit in Montana. The bill proposes amending the state Constitutions language on the right to bear arms. Currently, the document states that any person may bear arms in defense of home, person and property, but nothing herein contained shall be held to permit the carrying of concealed weapons. HB 551 would strike that language and allow the carrying of a concealed firearm without a permit under the Constitution. Knudsen said the bill would elevate carrying a concealed firearm to the same level as exercising any other constitutional right. The bill again saw opposition from Democrats. Rep. Jill Cohenour, D-East Helena, said the bill would go too far disallowing certain people from carrying concealed firearms or from prohibiting them in certain places. Rep. Denise Baum, D-Billings, also expressed concerns about the ability to limit concealed carry in places such as college campuses, and said she believe the 1972 Constitution had deliberated the issue. But Republicans pushed back, with Rep. Naarah Hastings, R-Billings saying that the bill is needed based on the fact some were suggesting limits could be places on where she could carry concealed for personal protection. HB 551 passed on an initial vote of 65-35 with three Republicans voting with Democrats in opposition. The supporting votes remained at 65 on Tuesday. House Bill 915 Perhaps the most substantial change to the judicial branch proposed in the Legislature so far, eliminating election of Supreme Court justices and shifting to gubernatorial appointments, passed Monday on a 64-36 vote. Support for House Bill 915 slid to 59-39 for the final House vote on Tuesday, meaning the bill would have to pick up Democratic votes along with every Republican in the Senate in order to reach the two-thirds support it needs to reach the ballot in 2024. The bill sponsor, Rep. Bill Mercer, R-Billings, said the current arrangement effectively filters out fully qualified attorneys who refuse to engage in the combat of statewide elections and third-party spending. He listed several cases in which Supreme Court justices have warned of the perception of impropriety due to campaign contributions and expenditures independent of the candidate's campaign. Opponents to the proposal on Monday pointed out the divergence in last years Supreme Court election, when Gov. Greg Gianforte endorsed one candidate and 54% of Montana voters selected the other. Mercer's proposal is also not a complete mirror of the federal appointment system with the U.S. Supreme Court. At the federal level judges are appointed for life; in HB 915, justices would only be appointed for an eight-year term. Several Democrats referenced the elimination of the Judicial Nomination Commission by Republicans last session, noting the ongoing efforts by the majority to reshape the judiciary. We are seeing a slide of power into the governors office for our third branch and I think that should concern us all, Rep. Tom France, D-Missoula said. House Bill 517 On another tight margin, Rep. Mike Hopkins constitutional amendment to wrest power over constitutional rights on campus away from the Montana University System and the Board of Regents of Higher Education passed 66-34 on Monday, and it lost five votes for a final tally of 61-37 on Tuesday. The bill is House Bill 517. Two bills passed by the 2021 Legislature sought to do so, but were struck down by the courts. One allowed concealed carry of firearms on campus and the other was a measure to protect free speech of university groups. Judges found both trod on the constitutional authority of the board of regents to dictate matters on campus. Hopkins, a Republican from Missoula, told the House floor Monday that students who seek to challenge an alleged violation of their rights in court would likely be graduated by the time litigation concluded. With a final tally of 61 supporting votes in the House, the bill would need all 34 Republican Senators and five Democrats in the upper chamber to reach the ballot in 2024. Senate Bill 534 A proposed amendment that would change how Montanas independent redistricting commission operates suffered a setback Monday. Four Republican Senators on Tuesday voted against Senate Bill 534, meaning the bill wont be able to pass with only GOP votes. Democrats adamantly opposed the legislation during a floor debate. The amendment would force the Montana Districting and Apportionment Commission to adopt the legislative district map that splits the fewest cities, towns, counties and communities of interest. It would also bar the commissioners from discussing the political implications of the districts they draw. We want to keep partisan politics out of districting, Sen. Tom McGillvray, the Billings Republican sponsoring the bill, said. Opponents to the bill previously suggested during a committee hearing that as an inherently political process, those considerations wouldnt go anywhere; theyd simply be kept out of the public record. And Democrats on Monday argued that adding the requirement to minimize divisions of localities would put the commission at odds with the federal Voting Rights Act. Sen. Ryan Lynch, D-Butte, pointed to Browning as an example. Prior court rulings have found the Voting Rights Act requires states to preserve majority-minority districts those in which a majority of voters are members of a racial minority in order to protect their rights to select candidates of their choice. In the most recent legislative map finalized earlier this year, the commission determined it had to divide the town of Browning in order to retain two of those majority-minority House districts. I think the reality is that theres a lot of unintended consequences in this, Lynch said. Senate Bill 563 Unlike several other proposed constitutional amendments, one that would establish a mental health trust fund was overwhelmingly supported by the Senate on Monday. Sen. Kenneth Bogner, R-Miles City, noted that Montana has long had one of the highest suicide rates in the country. As someone whos had a middle school classmate, Marines that Ive served with and an extended family member turn to suicide, theyre the ones that affected me, said Bogner, the bills sponsor. That is why Senate Bill 563 is in front of you today, because we need a long-term, stable funding source to address this crisis. His bill wouldnt appropriate any money, but would place on the November ballot a proposal to create the trust within the Constitution, meaning that any money appropriated to it later on cant be taken out except by a two-thirds vote of the Legislature. It would set the size of the trust at $50 million. One of his fellow GOP senators, however, questioned whether it is the most effective way to use state money to address mental health, noting that the original intent of the states coal severance trust fund has evolved over the years. The definition of mental health will change, Sen. Brad Molnar, R-Laurel, said. However the money is going to be allocated, if somebody wants it, it can change. Bogner argued, however, that enshrining the trust in the state Constitution would "demonstrate Montana's dedication to addressing mental health issues." The bill passed 40-10 on Tuesday's vote. Senate Bill 272 A constitutional amendment to give sheriffs the power to nullify federal law enforcement operations in their county died Monday on the Senate floor. The bill sponsor, Sen. Theresa Manzella, R-Hamilton, argued Monday the Constitution does not delegate law enforcement authority to the federal government. A similar proposal from the House died roughly a month ago, when opponents pointed out the bill would quickly collapse under a constitutional challenge in court. The Montana Police Protective Association testified against the bill in committee, arguing it would theoretically put county sheriffs in charge of city police chiefs. The notion of so-called "constitutional sheriffs" is generally held by far-right groups seeking to push back against the federal government. Sen. Shannon O'Brien, D-Missoula, testified against the measure on the Senate floor on Monday, contending the Attorney General is clearly the top law enforcement official in Montana. For the second time in less than a week, lawmakers have killed off Republican Gov. Greg Gianfortes major housing proposal. The bill was the Montana Home Ownership Means Economic Security, or HOMES, Act, dedicating $200 million to expand water and sewer infrastructure around the state in the name of increasing housing supply. Since the beginning of the session, we've been trying to put together a long-term sustainable way to not only affect the original problem when it comes to housing, which is primarily a zoning and permitting problem at the local level, but then also deal with the compacting, compounding factor of the influx of population into the state of Montana, which has obviously added to the problem, said bill sponsor Rep. Mike Hopkins, R-Missoula. People are being priced out of cities and towns around the state as prices dramatically increase in urban areas around Montana. The HOMES Act came out of the work of a commission Gianforte formed to look at the issue. So far this session lawmakers have advanced some proposals aimed at addressing housing through bills like changing zoning requirements for multi-family housing, but HOMES was Gianfortes premier pitch. After an amendment that would have created deed restrictions, the bill was voted down with no debate last week in the House Appropriations Committee. It was later brought back and cleared the committee by a 13-10 margin, again with no debate. But it went down Monday against a transmittal deadline where it would have needed to advance to stay alive on a substantial 30-69 margin. Generally support came from some of the chambers more moderate Republicans and a smattering of Democrats. The bill would have established a $200 million fund to help pay for water and sewer for new housing projects. The states Board of Investments would have been given authority to issue loans from the fund worth up to half the cost of the proposed infrastructure project to developers or local governments. Eligible projects would include demolition or expansion of water, wastewater and stormwater, along with roads and sidewalks to service new or rehabilitated homes. To qualify for a loan, projects would need to meet eligibility requirements, including a minimum density of 10 housing units per acre across the residential development. Loans could also take the form of bond purchases, worth up to 50% of the total bond or security issued by a local government to cover the costs of an infrastructure project. Local governments receiving a loan would need to waive any impact fees associated with the development project. A separate portion of the bill would also create a grant program for municipalities to offset planning costs associated with building out infrastructure. Those grants would be funded by earnings from a $25 million chunk of the larger fund. The Department of Commerce estimated interest on the pot of money would generate about $900,000 each year for that purpose. Last week at a press conference, the governor urged lawmakers to get the bill to his desk. Let's get the HOMES program across the finish line so we can increase the supply of housing and get more Montanans into a home they can afford, Gianforte said. But lawmakers werent falling in line Monday. Rep. Bob Keenan, a Bigfork Republican, rattled off a list of the side effects of growth in Montana. Are we going to have enough schools, teachers, school buses, fire trucks, ambulances, more gas stations, more casinos, dispensaries, liquor stores or bridges in good repair? Keenan asked before continuing with his list. Do we have enough magnesium chloride for the people who don't like slippery roads? Do we have enough bandwidth for cellphones and computers? How many area codes are we going to have in Montana when we fill up all of these houses with people; 406 is pretty cool. We're gonna have more than 406 pretty soon. Let's go back to the bumper sticker. Cows, not condos, Keenan ended. Minority Leader Kim Abbott, of Helena, explained opposition that came from some Democrats. I think it's the wrong approach. I do appreciate the deed restriction that got put on in committee. That helps. But the bottom line is nothing in this bill ensures attainable housing for people and I think that $200 million that we invest should guarantee attainability, Abbott said. Republican Rep. Bill Mercer, of Billings, said he had concerns that there would be enough contractors in the state to make the bill usable. Rep. Tanner Smith, of Kalispell, said he didn't want to see tax dollars used when there's "so much money out there in the private sector that's just waiting for the cost of goods to go down." But Republican Rep. Brad Barker, of Roberts, said he thought density requirements in the bill of 10 units per acre would help ensure affordability in what was built. He also said that since lawmakers are only in session this year, they needed to get the program in place. Rep. Llew Jones, a Conrad Republican, acknowledged the fate of the bill was pretty much sealed" during debate on the floor, but said he thought the concept was innovative and could live on even if the bill died. Sometimes legislation is used as leverage for other policies, and bills with similar titles could be amended later in the session to include pieces of the HOMES Act if needed. Sam Wilson contributed to this story. BILLINGS It was one of those rare fall days when everything clicked. Megan Niklasen had wanted to hike to Iceberg Lake in Glacier National Park all summer, but every time she tried it was closed due to bear activity. Then she received a text alert the trail had reopened. She made plans for an early morning October drive from her home in Great Falls to take a solo hike before snow blanketed the high country. It was the most beautiful, perfect day! she wrote in an email. Niklasens 10-mile trek resulted in an award-winning photo of the lake, first place in the 14th annual Picture Wild Montana contest. Water flow, reflections, clouds and mountain slopes create a visual swirl that enchants the viewer's gaze, wrote Luke Duran, art director at Montana Outdoors magazine and one of two judges for the contest. It's a fantastic photo in perfect focus, excellent exposure and masterful composition. This photo is alive and alert. Surprisingly, Niklasen shot it with her iPhone. I decided to enter the photo contest on a complete whim, she said. It was my favorite one by far, and the hike was very special, so it means a lot to me to have that memory of being in such a spectacular place by myself. Entries Niklasens photo had a lot of competition. This year, 440 people from across the country submitted more than 1,700 photos to the contest, which was also judged by Chris Sawicki, Wild Montana Creative Services manager. The conservation group Wild Montana organizes the annual contest. Earning second place was a shot by professional photographer Kevin League of Helena. While hiking in the Big Belt Mountains with his daughter he took a photo from inside a cave looking out. Often we view wild places under Montanas vast skies and wide panoramas, but this scene reminds us that we can also view the wild almost from within enrobed in mountains with only the trail before us, Duran wrote. League said the closeness of the Big Belts makes them his familys favorite hiking location. We love all of the canyons of the range, he said. Refrigerator and Trout Creek canyons are perennial favorites, but for longer hikes the Gates of the Mountains Wilderness is an underrated gem of an area to explore. Tim Egan, of Dillon, won third place in the contest with his shot of Upper Miner Lake with the ragged peaks of the Beaverhead Mountains reflected in the water. The lake is located southwest of the community of Jackson in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. Egan said he decided to enter the photo at the urging of his son, Andy. I enjoy hiking and taking pictures all over Montana, but the East Pioneer Mountains, Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness area and Big Hole Valley are some of my favorite places, Egan said. Duran praised the photo for its composition, anchored by the spruce trees on the left. Its a gorgeous photo with an inviting color palette of blues, greens and browns, all in perfect balance that expresses the spirit and signature features of Montanas wild places, Duran said. On display The top 20 photos will be featured in the halls of Benifis, a nonprofit health care provider in Great Falls, along with previous Picture Wild Montana photo finalists. The contest was started by the nonprofit conservation group Wild Montana in 2009 to celebrate the states wild places. We created the photo contest as a way for people to collectively celebrate the beauty of public lands in Montana, the relationship we have with wild places, and the profound experiences we can have there, said Ben Gabriel, executive director of Wild Montana. More Niklasen has plans to continue exploring Glacier National Park. Although growing up in Nebraska and living in Iowa after college, she fell in love with the park when she and her husband vacationed there. I have never felt that drawn to a place in my life, she said. I could not quit thinking about Montana and how badly I wanted to live there. In 2021 the couple moved to Great Falls, putting Niklasen on the doorstep of the park. A fan of hiking, she regularly leaves home as early as 3:30 a.m. to beat any crowds. Lucia, her Australian shepherd, accompanies her on the trail when shes not in the park, where dogs are confined to developed areas. I have three trips planned for this coming summer and even scored a reservation at the Sperry Chalet, Niklasen said of Glaciers rustic hike-in lodging facility. Second to that, I love hiking around Choteau where its less busy but very accessible to me. Choteau provides access to the Rocky Mountain Front and the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex 1,577 square miles of wild country including such iconic features as the Chinese Wall, a limestone barricade of rock rising 1,000 feet above the surrounding forest. As a newbie to the state, Niklasen received an introduction to the regions hiking trails by going on Wilderness Walks, volunteer-guided treks of different lengths that Wild Montana organizes across the state. I joined when we moved here so I could meet new people and explore places I normally wouldnt go by myself, she said. I will spend my whole life trying to explore the whole state! 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 Columbus, 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. Valiant Lady (Getty Images) A woman has died onboard a Virgin Voyages cruise ship after falling from her balcony and hitting another passenger. The incident happened at around 9.35pm on Sunday 2 April, shortly after the Valiant Lady departed from Miami, travelling to Roatan, Honduras. Following the tragedy, the ship returned to port. It has since departed again to resume the cruise with some changes to the planned itinerary. It will dock in Cozumel, Mexico, before continuing on to the island of Bimini in the Bahamas. Virgin Voyages said in a statement: This passenger went over their balcony onto a lower deck, and despite receiving immediate medical attention, has passed away. We are deeply saddened by this loss of life and our hearts and thoughts are with this persons loved ones. The Independent understands that the person who was struck by the falling passenger was not seriously injured. The circumstances surrounding the fall are under investigation. Falling from cruise ship balconies is rare, especially into the ocean. According to The Points Guy, one to two people may go overboard each month out of around 2.5 million passengers who cruise during the same timeframe. There were 212 man overboard incidents on cruise ships between 2009 and 2019, based on the Report on Operational Incidents issued by the Cruise Lines International Association. Late last year a passenger managed to survive 15 hours in the water after falling overboard in the Gulf of Mexico. The coast guard that found him said he had a minute and 30 seconds left before we lost him completely. Burke County Smart Start Inc. will sponsor the play A Sick Day for Amos McGee at the City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium on Monday, April 10. Admission will be free for preschoolers, first graders, second graders and their families. The play will be performed by the Resident Touring Company of The Childrens Theatre of Charlotte (www.ctcharlotte.org). The play is based on the award-winning Caldecott book A Sick Day for Amos McGee. A Caldecott honor is bestowed annually to artists or illustrators by the Association for Library Services to Children, a division of the American Library Association. The following are the criteria to receive a Caldecott Award: the artist must be a citizen or resident of the United States; the artwork must exemplify excellence in the artist technique; the artwork must show excellence of pictorial interpretation of the story, theme, or concept; the artwork must delineate plot, theme, characters, setting and mood; and the artist must recognize the child audience. According to the Charlotte Theatre, A Sick Day for Amos is a story about how friends come in all shapes and sizes. Friends who view this play will meet zookeeper Amos McGee and his friends of all types of species. Every day, Amos visits his animal friends at the zoo, running races with the tortoise, caring for a particularly shy penguin, and reading stories to an owl. One day, Amos is too sick to visit his zoo friends but, fortunately, the animals know just what to do. This play is part of the Kindness Project. This play is funded through private dollars with the assistance of The Burke Arts Council, The Rostan Foundation, and other private donors. Burke County Smart Start is grateful to our community partners who have or would like to partner in this project. Our goal is to raise $4,100 to offset the cost of sponsoring the play, which includes the production company, venue, advertising and purchasing enough books to give one copy to each family. If you would like to participate with our agencys fun raiser, any donation would be greatly appreciated. Burke County Smart Start is a local nonprofit agency who invests in the lives of children aged birth to 5 years old in our community through various agencies and programs. Our goal is to provide a theatrical opportunity for all age-appropriate children without cost being a prohibitor, and for each child to receive the award-winning Caldecott book to remember the experience. For more information, visit www.smartstart.kids. 'Miles of individual, wonderful words' I can't say I wasn't warned. A few weeks ago, I wrote about a columnist for the Guardian who suggested that people who own lots of books are smug and middle-class. She is giving her books away. Reader Joseph W. Smith III of Montoursville, Pennsylvania, responded to me right away. "You're gonna get a pile of mail about your recent column," he wrote. "We book-buyers are an opinionated lot." He was right. We are, and I did. Most of you didn't bother taking the columnist to task for her opinion instead, you wrote to tell me why you love your books and why you keep them. Well, OK, Vivian Ramalingam of Roseville, Minnesota, had a swift, tart comment about the columnist ("The person who made that claim is an idiot"), but then she went on. "I own a first edition of a chrestomathy of the works of Cicero, which I bought for a few dollars off the back of a station wagon containing the library of a decommissioned monastery. I am a musicologist, and my MO is to place works of music in their most general contexts, sometimes using the smallest details. People come to my home and remark about my 'large library,' but all I see is miles of individual, wonderful words." Many others also keep books for reference, including Anne Habermehl of Cortland, New York. "As a scholar, I buy books that I want to keep for reference. Apparently [the Guardian columnist] buys books for a light afternoon read." Robert P. Krebs of Pascagoula, Mississippi, keeps books so that he can reread them: "As we age we reread them for new lessons, for the books have not changed: we have." To many readers, books represent more than text; they are reminders of the past. Janie Best of Matthews, North Carolina, wrote, "I still own a book given to me by my first-grade classmates when I was hospitalized with pneumonia, and the bedtime story book given to me by my grandparents." Says Ken Campbell of Citrus Heights, California: "Perhaps the case for a home library is much like the argument for photo albums: Less for the doing than for the memory of having done." (I like that idea a lot.) Some people keep books because they grew up without any, such as Todd McAdam of Cortland, New York, who writes, "I grew up in a situation where I did not have great access to books. So I reread them, and reread them, and reread them. My personal library was invaluable when the pandemic shut down libraries across America. And it's invaluable anytime I just want a comforting, familiar read." And when folks do give away books as we all do it's not done lightly. "I see the books on my shelves much in the same way I see old photographs, a prompt to memory and storytelling," wrote Pia Lopez of Avon, Minnesota. "I am loath to jettison books. When I do, rarely, it's like losing a friend and I try to recall its role in my life and how it changed me. 'Farewell, friend,' I say. 'May you do for another as you have done for me.'" Says Ed Biren of Eagan, Minnesota: "Nothing wrong with surrounding ourselves with books we love and continually adding to our circle of favorite authors." Or, to put it another way, Dick VanWagner of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, says: "Books are our friends, my friends." It might be as simple as that. Al and Pete Simpson will once again join Bob Richard for a free Local Lore Encore talk at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming. The trio has already covered a lot of ground regarding old timers of the Cody area in their past two presentations, but there is still more to tell. The talk will be held on Saturday, April 15, from 10 a.m. to noon in the Center of the Wests Coe Auditorium. This program wraps up with more stories and photographs of those whove left their mark on the community and region. Alan K. Simpson, retired Republican U.S. Senator from Wyoming, is also the longest standing member of the Center of the Wests Board of Trustees, which he joined in 1968, and was chairman of the board from 1999-2011. Peter K. Simpson is a University of Wyoming professor emeritus, former state legislator, and has been on the Centers McCracken Research Library Advisory Board since 1997. The Local Lore series is hosted and coordinated by the Centers McCracken Research Library. On Thursday, April 20, the series continues with its regularly scheduled program, when Bob welcomes award-winning local artist Jeff Rudolph to talk about his artwork. The two will also discuss other local artists. For more information on all Center talks and other events, visit centerofthewest.org/events. PARIS For French authorities, police are protectors ensuring that citizens can peacefully protest President Emmanuel Macron's contentious retirement age increase. For human rights advocates and demonstrators who were clubbed or tear-gassed, officers have overstepped their mission. A man in a Paris protest march lost a testicle to an officer's club, and a police grenade took the thumb of a woman in Rouen. A railroad worker hit by grenade fragments lost an eye. "Where is your humanity?" a woman shouted at officers who knocked an apparently homeless man to the ground in Paris, kicked him and used vulgar language while ordering him to get up and go. The violence adds to anger in the streets and complicates efforts to invite dialogue between the government and labor unions, who are planning an 11th round of nationwide demonstrations Thursday. The protests, which began in January, gained momentum after Macron's decision last month to push a bill to raise the retirement age through the lower house of parliament without a vote. The common French reference to law enforcement officers as "forces of order" has been turned on its head. Now the question is whether police represent force or order. Jarred by the bad publicity, authorities shifted to damage control by offering accolades for security forces. "There is no police violence," Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said last week on RTL radio while condemning "individual acts" of officers who use disproportionate force. "Can't we occasionally thank the forces of order?" The minister said Sunday in an interview with Le Journal du Dimanche that since the start of the protests, 38 officers and gendarmes are being investigated by internal inspection units. Concerns about police brutality reverberated beyond France. Amnesty International, the International Federation of Human Rights and the Council of Europe the continent's main human rights body are among organizations that cited excessive use of force by police during what has been a largely peaceful protest movement. French police are sent into demonstrations with stun grenades and rubber bullets, which are prohibited in most European countries, said Sebastian Roche, an expert on security forces with France's National Center for Scientific Research. Demonstrations and potentially mutilating weapons are a combustible combination, Roche said, because "the temptation will be very big to use these armaments" especially when police come under a cascade of objects hurled at them. The strategy is "at once very violent" and in some aspects illegal, Roche said, citing cases in which demonstrators were detained en masse and released without charges the next morning. Lawyers' and magistrates' associations said such practices are an abuse of the law. Jonas Cardoso, a 20-year-old student, was among more than 100 people detained during a March 23 protest in Paris. "I spent hours in a cell for four people with nine other protesters. I slept on the floor," he told The Associated Press. Cardoso denied any wrongdoing and was released without charges. Worse, Cardoso said, is that violence may beget more violence. "If the government doesn't listen to us, the violence will rise. Our worst fear is that someone will die while protesting," he said. "There are troublemakers, often extreme left, who want to take down the state and kill police and ultimately take over the institutions," Darmanin said after a protest in March that turned especially violent. In one dramatic video posted on social networks, an officer is seen crashing to the ground after being hit with a paving stone. Colleagues dragged him away. Violence by and against police is not limited to Paris, or to protests over Macron's retirement plan. Gendarmes and militants opposed to an artificial water basin recently clashed in rural France. Four people two gendarmes and two protesters were hospitalized in serious condition. According to French policing rules, the use of force "must be absolutely necessary, strictly proportionate and graduated." "Of course, the police response is proportionate," Paris Police Chief Laurent Nunez insisted in a television interview. "Without police, demonstrations wouldn't take place," he said, insisting on their role as guardians of peace. However, some protesters found themselves trapped by police tactics such as encirclement, in which officers surround marchers so police can chase down troublemakers. But protesters stuck inside the police bubble can't escape tear gas fumes. Roche said the latest tensions show that France has "an accumulation of (police) crises that no other European country has." 'Miles of individual, wonderful words' I can't say I wasn't warned. A few weeks ago, I wrote about a columnist for the Guardian who suggested that people who own lots of books are smug and middle-class. She is giving her books away. Reader Joseph W. Smith III of Montoursville, Pennsylvania, responded to me right away. "You're gonna get a pile of mail about your recent column," he wrote. "We ... DES MOINES After several attempts to get a 1982 conviction overturned, the Iowa Court of Appeals has upheld an argument from William Beeman, 64, and a trial has been scheduled. According to court documents, a two-day trial is set for 9 a.m. Nov. 6 in the Muscatine County Courthouse. Beeman is scheduled to appear by phone. A pretrial conference will be held at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 27 in the courthouse to determine admissibility of evidence. The new trial, in which Beeman seeks post-conviction relief, is based on the destruction of biological evidence prior to a 2020 appeal. In the ruling, the appeals court reversed a ruling on a destruction-of-evidence claim. The record discloses that, at least at this point, no one really knows what happened to the evidence or when it disappeared, the judgement reads. The record also indicates the factual underpinnings of this claim are stillbeing developed. So we find evidence of genuine issues of material fact on this claim sufficient to survive summary disposition. We reverse the entry of summary disposition on this claim and remand for further proceedings. Beeman was convicted in 1980 for the murder of Michiel Winkel and has served 42 years of a life sentence. Evidence at the trial included a signed confession. For several years he has attempted to get a new trial, arguing that new evidence will clear him. Appellate courts have rejected that notion. In March 2022, the Iowa Supreme Court declined to take up the case. Muscatine District Court Judge Stuart Werling initially denied a motion to reconsider granting Beeman a new trial in 2020. In court documents, Werling said the evidence from the original trial that was in question was not so favorable to Beeman so as to undermine the confidence in the verdict. The Courts review of all of the evidentiary claims raised by Beeman, taken collectively, do not create a reasonable probability that the outcome of his trial would have been different. Beemans attorneys objected to the DNA evidence in the trial going missing. However, a law requiring such evidence to be kept was only passed in 2005. In resistance to the 2020 motion to reconsider, Muscatine County attorney James Barry and former Muscatine County attorney Alan Ostergren argued any newly discovered evidence would not change the verdict. Beeman is being represented by attorneys from The Exoneration Project, a Chicago-based organization that provides free legal assistance to people who may have been wrongly convicted. Winkel was found dead near the campground just off a walking trail in Wildcat Den State Park. Winkel had been kicked in the head and choked before the murderer inflicted a lethal injury by stabbing her 17 times in the chest. Investigators initially focused on several men who were Winkels friends or boyfriends but eventually focused on Beeman who was a disc jockey at a nightclub Winkel frequented. This little item caught my eye and triggered todays column. A new historical marker was erected [Mar. 8] in Champaign, Illinois, to mark the site where Frederick Douglass spoke in 1869. (The Reconstruction Era: Blog Exploring the World the Civil War Created) The marker is one of 20 to be posted throughout Champaign County for a new African American Heritage Trail. The famous orator had also spoken in Muscatine, I recalled, maybe brought here by Alexander Clark. A story to find and tell! Journal, April 24, 1866: Fred. Douglass lecture in Des Moines was attended by the largest audience ever assembled in that place. He has refused over thirty invitations. He lectures in Moline on Wednesday, in Muscatine on Thursday, and in Davenport on Friday. At Chicago, Dubuque and other places, Mr. Douglass was received by densely-packed houses, and many who were anxious to hear him were compelled to forego that pleasure, on account of not being able to get into the hall. Let us greet this champion of liberty as enthusiastically here as any other place. Admission 50 cents. Tickets at Terrys Music Store. Journal, Apr. 27, 1866: Tremont Hall, one of the largest in the State, was packed to its utmost capacity, and the audience was distinguished for its number of intelligent and influential citizens. All present pronounce it one of the ablest, most eloquent addresses ever delivered in Muscatine, that it would have been worthy of any orator of any country, of any time.Parts of it were witty, parts humorous, parts sarcastic, and all excellent. Above all, no candid person can fail to concede that his argument in behalf of equal rights, for the prevention of future rebellions and future assassinations, is irresistible and unanswerable. We do not hesitate to say that were Mr. Douglass to deliver this lecture to the whole people of Iowa, equal political rights for all men would be demanded almost with unanimity. A glowing commentary, but readers may have wished more reporting of the lecture (Assassination and its Lessons) and less of the handsome introduction by the Hon. Jacob Butler, the banker and businessman who had recently served in the legislature as speaker of the house. Mr. Douglass then spoke for two hours. It would be entirely impossible to convey a correct idea of his address without reporting it in full, and this he requests may not be done. The Davenport Democrat, Apr. 28, 1866: The lecturer proceeded to draw a highly colored picture, of the services and devotion of the negroes in the late war. The substance of his rhetoric may be summed up in the rather sarcastic and time honored phrase of Shermans troopsAnd the colored troops fought nobly. If they made a virtue of necessity, we can not see why they should be made the recipients of our adoration. We must either allow the negro to vote, says Fred, or the people of the South will, and then we will have another rebellion to suppress, with the negroes in the ranks against us, at the same time asking us to give them the elective franchise for a protection against the South and its abuses. This seems to be his plan, willing to unite with them, yet fearing them. Colonization is impracticable, he says, as the Government is not able to transport their natural yeariy increase. They will not fade out, as they will not connect themselves with the whites. We must let them vote because we are strong and they are not.We expect the Radicals will soon follow his lead, endorsing his interpretation of Congress policy in the enfranchisement of the negro, and the disfranchisement of the whites, on the plea of sweet justice. Journal, May 5, 1866: The statement made by a certain newspaper, that Fred. Douglass was entertained while in this city by a distinguished white citizen, whom it names and attempts to ridicule, is wholly untrue. Mr. Douglass was the guest of Alex. Clark, a colored citizen, whom the sheet we have referred to seems disposed to rob him of an honor justly due him. Historian David Blight: Although it can never really be measured, he may also have been, along with Mark Twain, the most widely traveled American public figure of his century. By the 1890s, in sheer miles and countless number of speeches, he had few rivals as a lecturer in the golden age of oratory. It is likely that more Americans heard Douglass speak than any other public figure of his times. Indeed, to see or hear Douglass became a kind of wonder of the American world. (Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, 2019) Journal, May 28, 1895: the old historic Tremont Hall, the cradle of liberty in Muscatine. Ill explain that remarkable encomium in my next column. * * * Faces of Hope: Bob Campagna Remembers the Clark House & 1970s Muscatine. The Art Center exhibit ends April 9. Next time: Tremont Hall reminiscences Daniel G. Clark is a former Muscatine Journal reporter and a student of Iowa history WASHINGTON The horse is symbolic of the American West, but when and how domesticated horses first reached the region has long been a matter of historical debate. A new analysis of horse bones gathered from museums across the Great Plains and northern Rockies has revealed that horses were present in the grasslands by the early 1600s, earlier than many written histories suggest. The timing is significant because it matches up with the oral histories of multiple Indigenous groups that recount their peoples had horses of Spanish descent before Europeans physically arrived in their homelands, perhaps through trading networks. The study, published last week in the journal Science, involved more than 80 co-authors including archaeologists and geneticists, as well as historians and scientists from the Lakota, Comanche and Pawnee nations. Prior genetic research has shown that the ancestors of horses first evolved in North America millions of years ago, before making their way to the central plains of Europe and Asia, where they were domesticated. But those early horse ancestors disappeared from the American archaeological record around 6,000 years ago. In the new study, scientists examined about two dozen sets of horse remains from sites ranging from New Mexico to Idaho to Kansas to establish that horses were ridden and raised by Indigenous groups by the early 1600s. "Almost every aspect of the human-horse relationship is manifest in the skeleton in some way," said University of Colorado at Boulder archaeologist William Taylor, a study author. The study found that the horses were present in the American West and Southwest several decades before the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 when allied Indigenous groups pushed Spanish colonizers out of New Mexico. The retreating armies left behind thousands of horses and livestock, and many historical accounts had inaccurately pinpointed this moment as the entrance of the horse into the cultures of Indigenous groups in North America. "Now we can wave goodbye to the Pueblo Revolt as an explanation for the spread of the horse into the American West," said Oxford University archaeologist Peter Mitchell, who was not involved in the study. But Indigenous groups have long disputed this chronology, as the oral histories of many groups have told of them encountering horses before they met Europeans. Rather than receiving horses directly from retreating Spanish armies, multiple oral histories suggest that Indigenous groups first encountered horses that had run away from Spanish camps, or been traded through tribal networks, said Jimmy Arterberry, a study author and Comanche tribal member and historian in Medicine Park, Oklahoma. "We have always known and said that we came across horses before we came across the Spanish," he said. Yvette Running Horse Collin, a study author who is an evolutionary geneticist at the Center for Anthropobiology and Genomics of Toulouse in France and a member of the Oglala Lakota Nation, said the findings show that the oral traditions of Indigenous peoples, which have often been neglected by outside historians, have unique value to understanding the past. "Our cultures have been so misrepresented for so long," she said. "Too often history has been told around us, without us." The ambitious research collaboration, which was initiated by Lakota scholars, is one step in repairing a longstanding mistrust between Indigenous groups and archaeologists, who in the early and mid- 20th century raided tombs and ceremonial sites for cultural artifacts without consent. The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 which established a process for museums and other institutions that receive federal funds to collaborate with tribes in returning stolen sacred objects was a key early step in establishing some measure of trust and communication, said Carlton Shield Chief Gover, a study author who is a citizen of the Pawnee Nation and an Indiana University archaeologist. "Hopefully seeing new research like this will push more Indigenous people to develop their own archaeological and anthropological expertise," he said. The study also showed that, over time, the genetics of horses in North America switched from being primarily of Spanish origin to a mixture of British and Spanish, reflecting the ascent of different empires. "It means that the shift from a Spanish to a British dominant colonial power can be seen even in the horse genome itself," said Ludovic Orlando, a study author who is an evolutionary geneticist at the Center for Anthropobiology and Genomics of Toulouse. On this version of Hot off the Wire: Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, according to two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter. The Biden administration says the U.S. will send Ukraine about $500 million in ammunition and equipment and spend more than $2 billion to buy an array of munitions, radar and other weapons for that country in the future. Finland has joined the NATO military alliance, dealing a major blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin. About 5,000 white-collar workers at General Motors took the companys buyout offers, which the automaker says is enough to avoid layoffs at this time. U.S. job openings slipped to 9.9 million in February, fewest since May 2021. Tennessee Republican lawmakers have taken the first steps to expel three Democratic members from the GOP-dominant House for their role in a recent gun control protest at the state Capitol. The Food and Drug Administration says it found a host of problems at an Indian manufacturing plant recently linked to contaminated eyedrops. Gleb Karakulov, an officer in Putins secretive personal security service, defected in October. The 35-year-old engineer is one of few Russians to flee and go public who have rank, as well as knowledge of intimate details of Putins life and potentially classified information. Harry Styles, Post Malone, Lizzo, Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, the cast of Ted Lasso and the web series that gave us a kid loving corn are among the nominees for this years Webby Awards. Iowans will have the opportunity to weigh in on changing the state constitution to codify the voting age as 18 not 21 in the 2024 election after the Legislature passed a resolution to amend the constitution on Tuesday. The proposed amendment, Senate Joint Resolution 9, would make no changes to the status quo, but it would change Iowa's constitution to define an "elector," someone eligible to vote, as a citizen and resident of the state who is at least 18 years old. And for primary elections, the amendment would define an elector as someone who will be 18 by the next election. Though 18-year-olds have had the right to vote in Iowa for decades, the state constitution still says citizens age 21 and older have the right to vote under an amendment ratified in 1970. In 1971, the 26th amendment to the U.S. Constitution set the voting age at 18 nationally, overruling Iowa's constitution but the wording has not changed. The bill passed the Legislature last year, meaning it is now eligible to go to a vote for ratification. Iowa constitutional amendments must be passed by two separate general assemblies before going to Iowans for a vote. Reynolds issues disaster proclamation for 6 more counties Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Tuesday issued a disaster proclamation for six more counties after tornado-producing storms tore through Eastern Iowa Friday evening, causing damage in several communities. The additional counties include Appanoose, Davis, Iowa, Jackson, Lucas and Monroe. Reynolds previously signed a disaster relief proclamation on Saturday for 12 counties in Eastern Iowa. The counties include Cedar, Clinton, Delaware, Des Moines, Dubuque, Grundy, Johnson, Keokuk, Linn, Mahaska, Wapello and Washington. The governor's proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of the severe weather. In addition, the proclamation activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program for qualifying residents, along with the Disaster Case Management Program for those counties. The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and temporary housing expenses. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services website. Potential applicants have 45 days to submit a claim. The Disaster Case Management Program provides case managers to work with clients to create a disaster recovery plan and help accessing a service or resource. There are no income eligibility requirements for this program, which closes 180 days from the date of the governor's proclamation. For information, contact your local community action association or visit www.iowacommunityaction.org. AG to highlight opioid prevention program Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird plans to highlight a new program designed to reduce the prevalence of opioid painkillers. Birds office has scheduled for April 11 a joint news conference with St. Anthony Regional Hospital and Goldfinch Health in Carroll to highlight the Billion Pill Pledge, a program launched by the health care company that the AGs office said is designed to support patients through surgery and recovery by implementing and delivering advanced, opioid-minimizing surgery. The goal of the Billion Pill Pledge is to remove 1 billion opioid pills from Americans homes, according to the programs website. Iowa senator files pipeline objection Sen. Sandy Salmon, R-Janesville, filed an objection with the Iowa Utilities Board about companies that want to use eminent domain to force easements to build carbon dioxide pipelines. Iowa law says the proposed services must promote the public convenience and necessity, Salmon wrote the letter filed with the board Tuesday. It is a huge stretch of the imagination to say that the carbon pipeline project promotes public convenience and necessity because it is needed to fight climate change and therefore it is a public necessity. Salmon opposes pipeline projects by Summit Carbon Solutions and Navigator CO2 Ventures. Wolf Carbon Solutions, the third company to propose a pipeline to transport CO2 from Iowa ethanol plants, says it will not need eminent domain because it plans to secure voluntary leases. The Iowa Legislature this year has considered several bills that would restrict CO2 pipeline development, but none of the bills survived funnel deadlines. Photos: The scene ahead of former President Trump's arrest Contaminated water from a fertilizer containment area at an eastern Iowa farm was routinely pumped into a tile drain, which poisoned a pond, creek and more than 50,000 small fish, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Patrick and Tracy Hammes LLC was recently fined $10,000 and ordered to pay an additional $11,339.89 for the fish kill and investigation last year. The company owns a farm northwest of Coggon that was found to be the source of a fish kill in nearby Dry Creek that was reported in September 2022, a DNR administrative order said. Water from the farm which has storage facilities for grain and liquid ammonia fertilizer can wash into drains that link into underground tiling from the surrounding fields. That tiling empties into a small waterway that flows to a pond and then to the creek. The contamination was discovered when someone who rents farmland near the pond paid someone to reconstruct its dam. The farmer wanted to be able to drive his farm equipment on the dam, as a link between the fields. It is likely that frequent discharges entered the pond, where it accumulated over time and/or discharged slowly, Brian Jergenson, a DNR environmental specialist who investigated the incident, concluded. When the pond dam was breached for reconstruction a large amount of chemically impacted water caused the fish kill. A test of the remaining pond water showed ammonia nitrogen concentrations of 490 parts per million, whereas 3 parts per million is typically considered safe for aquatic life. The farm tenant noted a strong chemical smell when the dam was breached and was surprised that he did not see fish in the pond, as the pond had been stocked with fish the year before, according to a DNR order. Another DNR officer who conducted the fish kill investigation noted a more than 6-mile-long stretch of Dry Creek that was largely void of living aquatic life. The officer estimated there were about 50,700 dead fish, along with dead frog tadpoles, leeches and worms. The recent DNR administrative order levied the fine and restitution and ordered the Hammeses to identify all drains at the facility, figure out where they lead and develop procedures to prevent further waterway contaminations. The most and least lucrative college majors in Iowa The most and least lucrative college majors in Iowa CHICAGO (AP) A firefighter died Wednesday after being critically injured while battling a blaze in a high-rise building on Chicago's North Side, authorities said. Lt. Jan Tchoryk, 55, went down on the stairs on the building's 11th floor, Fire Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt told reporters. The blaze was reported before 8 a.m. on the 27th floor of the condo and apartment building in the Gold Coast neighborhood. A medical examiner will determine Tchoryk's cause of death. Tchoryk is the second Chicago firefighter to die this week. Jermaine Pelt, 49, died on Tuesday and two other firefighters were injured while battling a house fire on the citys South Side. Our men and women who are first responders in the city are heroic, outgoing Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Wednesday afternoon at a news conference. They are brave. They, every single day, put their lives on the line for us. They deserve our unending thanks and support, not just on a tragic day like this, but every single day. Three other firefighters were hurt in Wednesdays blaze and taken to hospitals where their conditions were listed as fair to serious, officials said. Two civilians also were taken to hospitals in good condition. Fire officials did not immediately say if they are residents of the building. Fire Department Director Larry Langford said the person who lives in the burning apartment made it out safely. Langford said it was unclear how the fire started. Fire department video showed flames and smoke pouring from a terrace or balcony early Wednesday. By mid-morning, most of the blaze was extinguished, but crews were still addressing hot spots and smoke. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy won new pledges of military and economic cooperation on a state visit to staunch ally Poland, and he also said that Kyivs troops battling in the eastern city of Bakhmut could pull out if they face a threat of being encircled by Russian forces. Polish President Andrzej Duda said Warsaw has provided four Soviet-designed MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, with four more in the process of being handed over and another six being prepared. At a news conference with his Polish counterpart, Zelenskyy described the perils in the grinding siege of Bakhmut, which has been all but destroyed by eight months of fighting that also has cost many lives on both sides. Episode 84: What first looked like a pandemic blip for our nations colleges has turned into a crisis. According to a recent story by Collin Binkley of The Associated Press, undergraduate college enrollment dropped 8% from 2019 to 2022, with declines even after returning to in-person classes. In fact, the enrollment drop rate since 2018 is the steepest on record. Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss why college is the right fit for some students but also why higher education isn't the proper path for an increasing number of high school students. Links to stories discussed during the podcast: Valparaiso intends to sell Georgia OKeeffe painting to fix dorms, by Kalia Richardson, The New York Times Is college worth it? Voters are split, by Monica Pots, FiveThirtyEight About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. With barricades surrounding the Manhattan criminal courthouse and plainclothes officers ordered to dress in their full uniforms, its only human to ponder the wisdom of trying Donald Trump for a nonviolent offense related to buying a porn stars silence. Richard Nixons story suggests it is better for the nation to forgive and forget. But that of Jefferson Davis, the Confederacys president, says it is dangerous to let losers tell the tale. One thing is for sure: Trump has put us on notice he wont go quietly. He told his followers to protest his indictment. They surely didnt hear that as a request for letters to the editor. More likely, his rallying cry evoked images of the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol. That bloody encounter is being investigated by a special counsel appointed by the U.S. attorney general. A Georgia special grand jury may indict Trump. So the waiting and worrying could go on and on, in a nation badly divided by the question of whether Trump was a threat to the republic or could have been its savior. Could President Joe Biden be persuaded to pardon Trump, much as successor Gerald Ford pardoned Nixon after he resigned the presidency? Ford explained that not doing so would have prolonged the national agony. After years of bitter controversy and divisive national debate, I have been advised, and I am compelled to conclude, that many months and perhaps more years will have to pass before Richard Nixon could obtain a fair trial by jury, Ford told the nation in granting a pardon to Nixon. Nixon reluctantly accepted the pardon, which implied he was guilty, wrote his memoirs and cautiously tiptoed into the limelight. The Republican Party was leery of being publicly linked with him. Davis initial reception by his former countrymen was infinitely more hostile. Union soldiers captured him at the end of the Civil War and threw him into a prison where he was left to rot while federal authorities debated what to do with him. Some wanted him charged as an accomplice of John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. Others considered him responsible for the 13,000 Union soldiers who died in the Confederacys Andersonville, Georgia, prison. Then an epidemic of profound war weariness rolled across the North. There has been an almost radical change of opinion as to the best and wisest disposition to be made of (Jefferson Davis) not only in many of the most prominent Republican leaders but also in the loyal public at large since last August, the Chicago Tribune reported in November 1865. Authorities released Davis in 1867 pending trial on charges of treason. Northern luminaries such as New York newspaper editor Horace Greeley signed Davis $100,000 bail bond. But Frederick Douglass was outraged. What more could government have done to encourage another treasonable outbreak! the Black abolitionist wrote. Mr. Davis has started on his travels, to return no doubt, when ever the farce of a trial may still further disgrace the nation. In fact, the trial was quietly shelved, leaving Davis free to spin the story into a lost cause. In his two-volume book The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government, published in 1881, Davis argued that the Civil War was the Norths fault and the South was simply fighting for its crinoline and plantation way of life. Enslaved people werent abused, Davis believed. To the contrary, you cannot transform the Negro into anything one-tenth as useful as slavery enables him to be, he wrote in 1861. Davis died in 1889, unrepentant and not a citizen of the United States. He refused to ask for a pardon, because that would have required he acknowledge he did something wrong by leading the Southern states rebellion. But the North enabled the narrative of his fabled lost cause. It dropped a virtual curtain on the Civil War. Behind that curtain, Jim Crows re-subjugation of Black people and countless deaths by lynching commenced, away from Northern liberals view. America didnt resume discussing racial problems until the nations slums exploded in the 1950s and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. marched for civil rights. Now imagine Trumps take on our era, should he get a pass. He would transform his brazen attempt to get Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to throw him 11,780 votes after the 2020 election into this: It was a perfect phone call. Kenya and Rwanda Tuesday signed an agreement in 10 areas of cooperation to enhance relations. The Memorandum of Understanding will establish mechanisms for effective cooperation in Education, ICT, Gender and Child Development, Youth and Capacity Development for the Public Service. Other areas of cooperation are in Correctional Services, Health, Diplomatic Training, Agriculture and Cooperatives. Addressing a press conference in Kigali, President William Ruto and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame said the two countries had agreed to work together for the benefit of the people. They said Kenya and Rwanda will expand trade and investment as well as help the region in terms of peace and security. President Ruto asked Rwanda to make use of the more efficient Port of Mombasa. He said the facility has also been expanded and modernised to handle more cargo. The President said the Port also offers cargo owners the option to collect goods at the Naivasha Inland Container Depot. This will help to save on time and cost, hence enhancing trade between the two countries. He said Kenya was committed to working with Rwanda in advancing peace and security, trade and investment and the implementation of Agenda 2063. The two leaders agreed that the instability in South Sudan, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo require constant attention. We must take advantage of the existing mechanisms to entrench peace as the foundation of the stability that guarantees shared prosperity, President Ruto added. President Kagame said the new areas of cooperation will bring closer Nairobi and Kigali. He saluted the big Kenyan community that has invested in Rwanda. -PCS The Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has assured the European Union Member States that every shilling from the European Union grant kitty will be prudently managed as support in the fight against drought in the country. Mudavadi says the government through relevant players including the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) will ensure the financial support is channeled to the sole purpose to ensure the vulnerable communities cope with impacts of drought and climate change. As government we will ensure the Ksh 1.7 billion (13 Million Euros) grant by the European Union through the Dryland Climate Action for Community Drought Resilience (DCADR) project are well utilized. This will significantly enhance resilience of our communities to drought and other effects of climate change. said Mudavadi. As government, we will honour our commitment under the grant contract to contribute a further about Ksh 650 million (5 Million Euros) as counterpart-funding to the project. added Mudavadi. The Prime Cabinet Secretary who officially launched the project under the Ministry for East African Community, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and Regional Development emphasized on the need for development partners to continue supporting Kenyas drought-risk management efforts since much has been undertaken by the Kenyan government but there still lies need for external support. Drought can be very dehumanizing and it breeds poverty and there is no dignity in dignity in poverty. We need to pull all resources available at our disposal in fight against drought for us to bring dignity to the lives of our Kenyans hard hit by drought and famine in Arid and Semi-Arid regions (ASAL) and other parts of the country. said Mudavadi as he lauded the European Unions support base towards our drought-risk management efforts in Kenya between 2007 and 2022 to a tune of approximately 65 million Euros translating to about Ksh 7.8 Billion. The continued and consistent support through the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) by the EU for the last 15 years is clear testimony of the confidence you have in the work that the Authority does and the overall trust you have in the Kenyan governments efforts in the fight against drought and its net effects. said Mudavadi. The Prime Cabinet Secretary further outlined the measures being put in place by the government as drought preparedness and response interventions that will positively impact on the food security of the most vulnerable populations in ASAL areas. Stating that impacts and effects of the current prolonged drought would have been much worse were it not for the actions being taken through the support by European Union and other international and local partners. As the European Union, what we are looking at are future innovative programs that will ensure we develop permanent, sustainable approaches to save the livelihoods in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands which are the most vulnerable when it comes to the severe effects of drought. The European Union Ambassador to Kenya Henritte Geiger said in her remarks. The challenges caused by drought have awakened us into the bitter reality. We have to develop mechanisms that will be sustainable and enable us mitigate the challenges brought about by the effects of drought so that we do not find ourselves in such situations unawares. said Rebecca Miano, Cabinet Secretary for Ministry for East African Community, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and Regional Development during the launch. Humanitarian assistance is only a stop-gap measure. Our manifesto recognises that an estimated 2 million households, that is one in six, are food-poor. The vast majority of these are farmers, some of these farmers are in our arid and semi-arid regions. We believe that support to farmers to raise productivity would not only enable them to feed themselves, but also generate a surplus that contributes to national food security and the economy. Said Mudavadi. The Prime Cabinet Secretary pointed out that Kenya is taking proactive action to put in place long-term measures that will address the challenges posed by cyclic droughts. For instance, the government is committed to build 1,000 dams across the country through public-private partnerships to increase food production. In addition, Kenya is joining other global players in the global fight against the planetary crises of climate change, pollution, and loss of nature and biodiversity, which are threatening the well-being and survival of mankind. As a contribution towards reducing greenhouse emissions, stopping and reversing deforestation and, restoring 5.1 million hectares of deforested and degraded landscapes, Kenyas government has an ambitious plan to plant 15 billion trees in the next 10 years. Vulnerable groups such as the elderly will now be paid their stipends ahead of civil servants monthly pay. President William Ruto said the move will cushion and enhance their sense of belonging in the society. He was speaking on Tuesday during the official opening of the Kenya Social Protection Conference at the Kenya School of Government in Lower Kabete. Under the new scheme, the Government has allocated KSh28 Billion to support cash transfer programmes. Such an intervention will address exclusion by increasing the social protection cover of the vulnerable besides, said President Ruto. He noted that this will also support their economic empowerment to enhance resilience. The President told the meeting that social protection is as urgent as is the countrys economic development. It cannot wait until 2030 when we will have achieved our economic vision; we can simultaneously pursue them. He said the drive behind the urgency is that too many people cannot afford a decent living, are vulnerable, marginalised and at the risk of being left behind. Empowering the millions at the bottom of the wealth pyramid will eliminate poverty, reduce inequality and enhance our momentum towards shared prosperity. Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua observed that the Government is investing in people to enable them to participate meaningfully in the economic transformation of Kenya. Council of Governors Chairman Anne Waiguru said there is increasing momentum towards the expansion of social protection in Kenya in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. This is a key step towards eradicating poverty and enhancing prosperity for all, she said. -PCS Jessel Miller, who grew up in a small Canadian town, was drawn to art at a young age. Encouraged by an artistic family and surrounded by a natural environment filled with the grandeur of the northern wilderness, she was energized and consoled by the colors, shapes and movements that permeated her early life. Her father, a physician and mosaic artist, and her mother, a poet, musician and homemaker, supported Jessels interests in art, music and dance, but they were perplexed by her lack of interest in becoming a doctor or scientist. Jessel was conflicted, too, and early on spent considerable effort to follow her parents preferred career path. But it never seemed the right fit. When my mother told me Id be going to school for the first time, I immediately panicked, she said. I was only 4, but I remember it distinctly. But when she told me I could draw and paint when I was there, then I relaxed. I knew Id be safe. Later in life, she came to understand that dyslexia had limited her success in many academic pursuits. But art was different. Art was always something that had come naturally. So even as a child she found creating colorful works of art to be both familiar and comfortable. It also provided joy, not only for her but also for those who experienced her work. The largest and oldest gallery in the Napa Valley Those early experiences seem to have infused her Jessel Gallery in Napa with a palpable atmosphere that speaks to creative freedom and security. Here an eclectic rotating collection of local, national and international artists, musicians and writers congregate, share and sell their creations. Established in 1984, the Jessel Gallery began as three small rooms within the former Hedgeside Whiskey Distillery. Today it has expanded to encompass the entire 6,500-square-foot space, making it the oldest and largest art gallery in the Napa Valley. It looks a bit like an old antique shop from the outside with vines clinging to the side of the building and rows of potted plants. Inside, however, is a maze of rooms, each of which holds various artists works, including her own. There are sitting rooms with cozy couches, an art classroom and passages to outdoor seating. The space is comfortable, animal-friendly, kid-friendly, and there is always a plate mounded high with free cookies that Jessel makes each week. The scene is one that feels like it might be from the distant past, when people slowed down as they enjoyed being immersed in a safe, comfortable space. Or perhaps its more of an aspirational future space, where people might commingle to revel in the healing nature of new shapes, textures and ideas. A path from Canada to Florida to Italy to California When Jessel was about 15 or 16, her family moved to Florida. They hoped to escape from the cold weather and experience a new place, but the young teen was thrown from a familiar environment where shed had friends and excelled in everything from gymnastics and music to art and poetry. Now she found herself adrift. Wed gone from 50 F below to 80 F above, and I felt very alone, she said. But that gave me the opportunity to focus on my painting and my art. While attending Florida State University she briefly studied pre-med before realizing that art was her true path. As a part of her studies, she spent six months studying art in Florence. I really grew up when I was in Italy, she said. I became my own person for the first time. The art education was wonderful, but the most influential part of that experience was that we had to study a museum from top to bottom, and the one I picked had this wonderfully powerful and successful woman as its director. It was the first time Jessel had met a businesswoman who was so confident, stylish and matter-of-fact, a force who leaned in and asked, So, what do you want to know? I went, Oh, my God, thats a woman taking her power, Jessel said. Little did I know at the time that I was also going to be the director of a museum one day. After dropping the transient notion of following her fathers career path, Jessel imagined herself strictly as an artist painting in New York or San Francisco. But meeting this woman in Italy planted a seed that would take root some decade and a half later. Returning home in 1971, she moved to Oakland. In part she wanted to live near her brother, John, whod become a physician in the Bay Area, but she also felt that the area was most conducive to her worldview. It was the early 1970s, and like many young people at that time, she had migrated to the area to seek freedom and self-expression. Once settled, she had her first art show at a now-closed Oakland gallery that she says bombed, with not even a single piece of her art being sold. I was devastated and thought, well, now what am I going to do? she said. But she didnt have much time for self-pity. She needed to survive, so she started working any job she could find to make ends meet aerobics, fashion, graphic design and sketching cute characters on the front of childrens sweaters. There was a long stretch of time when survival took precedence over her art, but driving over the Bay Bridge one day to work, she struck upon an idea that would change her life. The MOMA show I was a portrait artist, but no one knew that, she said. So I thought, if I can paint famous people and get a big show, people can see just how good my work is. Her idea was to paint well-known Bay Area personalities. To achieve her goal, she painted a portrait of the director of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), Henry Hopkins. Once he saw her work, he agreed to a future show at the SFMOMA and began introducing her to the likes of Herb Caen, then-dancer Maya Angelou and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, among others. Unfortunately, by the time the show ran in 1982, Jessels father had passed, but not before hed seen some of the early work. He always believed in me, but I dont think until then that he really believed that I could make a living being an artist, she said. But then, when he saw that work, he said, Yes, I understand now. The show was a success, with many of the paintings selling and her gaining a reputation as a fine portrait artist. But there was something missing. A voice in the back of her head reminded her of her experience in Italy. I knew I needed to have my own place, she said. I needed to do more than just one type of art, and also to represent many of the excellent artists I was meeting and coming to love, who I wanted to share. A Napa Valley gem Finding a few small rooms for lease in the old whiskey distillery on the outskirts of Napa in 1984, she first opened the gallery. She briefly called it the Atlas Peak Gallery and then quickly switched the name to the Jessel Gallery. That same year, she met Gary Miller. The two quickly fell in love and married. Today he is best known locally as one of the most proficient large-pumpkin farmers in the region, often winning competitions for growing behemoth squash the size of small vehicles. Since starting the gallery, Jessel has become a fixture in the Napa Valley art scene, often donating time and resources to worthy causes. She also holds occasional writer salons, showcasing the regions many authors and poets. Over the years, the Jessel Gallery has housed a multitude of artists and helped countless budding creators refine their skills in classes Jessel has taught. We are so lucky to have all this, Jessel said, gesturing around the room from the couch where she was sitting. A family had just entered the space, and two small children were busily examining the fabric on one of Jessels many painted shawls. Although she couldnt hear what they said, apparently they were in a detailed conversation about the object, stroking the fabric with a gentle reverence. Jessel grinned widely. Often we can get bogged down with a world that can feel so heavy and discouraging, but there is also such beauty and joy out there, too, she said. So for as long as I have this space I want to share it with artists and the community. I want this to be a safe space where people can gather, express their gifts and share all that is wonderful with the world. Appellation St. Helena brought back its signature bASH event on Saturday to an enthusiastic crowd of about 300 guests. The 12th annual bASH took place at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena. The event is an annual wine and food pairing competition where the wines from 22 ASH member wineries are paired with savory bites prepared by teams of "rising star" CIA students. Attendees tasted each wine with specially created food bites and then voted for their favorites. The judges were CIA instructors Daniel Kedan and Michelle Mutrux. Proceeds from the evening go to scholarships for students at the CIA and students at St. Helena High School, as well as ongoing support for bASH. Participating wineries were Anomaly Vineyards, Calafia Wines, Charles Krug Winery, Chase Cellars, Ehlers Estate, HALL Wines, Lithology, Mending Wall, Napa de Oro, Pellet Estate, Raymond Vineyards, Revana Estate Vineyard, Rombauer Vineyards, Salvestrin Winery, Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery, St. Helena Winery, Taplin Cellars, The Crane Assembly, Titus Vineyards, Varozza Vineyards, Vineyard 29 and Young Inglewood Vineyards. The professionally judged winners were: First place Team 16 & St. Helena Winery serving Steak Tartare Fritoli, paired with St. Helena Winerys 2017 Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon CIA team: Morgan Plew, Alex Xouris, Paolo "Patxi" Alegrado Second place Team 14 & The Crane Assembly serving Steak Tartare Bites, paired with The Crane Assemblys 2018 G.B. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon CIA team: Michael (Chao) Bishop, James (Taco) Morely, Travis Swailes Third place Team 22 & Vineyard 29 serving Blackened Prawn Ball, paired with Vineyard 29s 2019 CEANDA Cabernet Sauvignon CIA team: Alvin Park, Eun Joo (Audrey) Kim, Lionel Tan Tnee Sue Fourth place Team 18 & Charles Krug Winery serving Savory Stack, paired with Charles Krugs 2022 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc CIA team: Lucas Macleod, Antonio Lipari, Nicole Hernandez People's Choice Winners First place Team 7 & Ehlers Estate, serving Miso Pesto Ravioli, paired with Ehlers Estates 2018 "Portrait" Red Blend CIA team: Emily Flores, Kristen Medrano-Acosta Second place Team 20 & Titus Vineyards, serving Duck Liver Mousse over Shokupan topped with blackberry and Titus Cabernet Gastrique, paired with Titus Vineyards 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon CIA team: Celine Kim, Timothy Chapman, Ean Dalton Third place Team 5 & HALL Wines, serving Suit and Tie Pasta, paired with Halls 2019 Coeur CIA team: Alyssa Rosas, Suraya Ruiz Serhan, Jacob "Teddy" Racca ASH partnered with the Culinary Institute of America and the St. Helena Chamber of Commerce. ASH thanks Sunshine Foods and Le Creuset for their donations and support. The next bASH will take place in April 2024 at the CIA. Vida OLE!, the annual fundraising event benefiting Napa Countys only network of community health centers, will be held May 18-21, highlighted by an auction and dinner at Sullivan Rutherford Estate. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. The weekend of events provides crucial support for the work of OLE Health, which delivers health care to the essential workers who drive the Napa Valleys economic engine. For five decades, OLE Health has been the safety net for our communitys work force, committed to providing the highest-quality health care to everyone regardless of their ability to pay, said Darioush Khaledi, OLE Health Foundation board chair. This weekend celebrates and raises money for this work and the individuals who make Napa Valley a world-class wine region and travel destination. Vida OLE! kicks off on Thursday, May 18 with the invitation-only Visionaries Luncheon at Wappo Hill, hosted by Jean-Charles Boisset and Gina Gallo to honor and recognize OLE Health's supporters over the past 50 years. On Friday, May 19, a series of intimate vintner dinners will be held at wineries such as Darioush and Louis M. Martini. Each will also feature stories from OLE Healths medical directors who serve on the front line caring for our communitys farmworkers, essential workers, senior citizens, children, and other vulnerable populations. On Saturday, May 20, Sullivan Rutherford Estate will host the centerpiece of the weekend, a dinner and auction featuring a three-course dinner designed by the culinary team at Meadowood Napa Valley. The noted auctioneer Fritz Hatton will lead an auction with lots consisting of experiences, getaways, sporting excursions, dinners, rare wines and more. The evening will be punctuated by a performance by the Grammy Award-winning band Ozomatli. Capping the festivities will be a farewell brunch on Sunday, May 21, hosted by Sinegal Estate Winery. Guests will experience a little taste of Paris in the Napa Valley with chef-prepared cuisine inspired by the City of Lights, take part in a friendly game of boule, and enjoy the sounds of French duo Rue Manouche while sipping on Sinegals wines. Proceeds from Vida OLE! will support OLE Healths programs and services, such as its Mobile Health initiative, which provides care for Napa Valleys work force out in the community, including farmworkers, restaurant staff and hospitality workers. Registration ranges from the all-inclusive Weekend Pass at $2,500 per person ($1,850 tax-deductible), to a la carte tickets to the Vida OLE! Dinner and Auction at $1,000 per person ($750 tax-deductible). Table (10 people) sponsorships are available at $15,000. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit olehealth.org/auction. Vida OLE! is sponsored by Dalla Valle Vineyards, Darioush Winery, E&J Gallo, Freemark Abbey, JCB Collection, Sinegal, Sullivan Rutherford Estate, and The Doctors Company. Photos: OLE Health visits Napa homeless camp to distribute care bags OLE Health distributes care bags to residents of the Bowl OLE Health distributes care bags to residents of the Bowl OLE Health distributes care bags to residents of the Bowl OLE Health distributes care bags to residents of the Bowl OLE Health distributes care bags to residents of the Bowl OLE Health distributes care bags to residents of the Bowl OLE Health distributes care bags to residents of the Bowl OLE Health distributes care bags to residents of the Bowl OLE Health distributes care bags to residents of the Bowl OLE Health distributes care bags to residents of the Bowl OLE Health distributes care bags to residents of the Bowl OLE Health distributes care bags to residents of the Bowl OLE Health distributes care bags to residents of the Bowl During the Korean War, when Douglas MacArthur proposed crossing the Yalu River to enter China, his five-star contemporary (and boss) Omar Bradley responded: that would result in "the wrong war, at the wrong place, at the wrong time. More than 70 years later, Bradleys injunction applies to the 25-year battle over the proposed Hunter project. It is the wrong development for St. Helena with more than 50 new multimillionaire luxury homes; it is in the wrong place, given both flooding and fire dangers; and it is definitely the wrong time, when the city has severe financial problems and cant afford major capital improvements. Bradley effectively shut down MacArthurs strategy. Now, the citizens of St. Helena can stop the Hunter project, either through the City Council or via citizen political or legal action. Despite the Planning Commissions misguided approval of Hunter, sending it up to the City Council, there are huge impediments that will block Hunter: practical, policy and political. The only argument in favor of Hunter that Ive heard is that the minor part of the project builds 25 affordable homes. The problem with that view is that it would be both poor governance and bad politics. Building a bunch of low-income homes by clustering them together in one small section of the development violates our zoning rules. It also diverts attention away from the $100 million worth of luxury homes that is the real essence of the plan. That must be the focus of policy discussions. We can easily dismiss the additional suggestion that some granny units in backyards would be used for low-income housing. Its not a serious proposal. St. Helenas officials are rightly concerned with the current and draconian state housing mandates. But we are not alone. Virtually all California cities are unable to comply with the state policy as written; several have already objected. What St. Helena should do, in alliance with the League of California Cities, is to campaign and lobby for a more sensible and practical state housing plan. This should be a political priority for St. Helena leaders. The limited, even amateurish, final environmental impact study of Hunter at least properly recognized one unavoidable problem traffic. All our City Council has to do is accept this finding as valid and the project disappears. But if the City Council wants expanded grounds on which to reject Hunter, there are at least eight significant, insurmountable and broadly popular reasons to kill the plan. Public safety fire. Weve learned that the current open spaces and vineyards in the Hunter region act as firebreaks. Public safety flooding. We know that levees break. That happened this winter in the town of Pajaro. There are informal reports already of weaknesses in our Napa River levee, according to people who've walked in the area. And if the levee fails, the city would be financially responsible for the damage and repairs. We dont have that money. As longtime St. Helenan Maria Villegas told me, "I'm more afraid of floods than fires." Public safety evacuation. There are perhaps 750 St. Helenans in the neighborhoods that include Hunter, with half that number in Vineyard Valley. Residents there have told me theyre terrified of trying to escape in a flood or fire. A recent trial evacuation, they say, wasnt reassuring. All these people would have to rely on an overcrowded Pope Street to leave the city. There isnt an Adams Street bridge over the Napa River, and there is no current plan or funding to build one. Land use. The green space where Hunter would be built is the largest open area in the city. Its become our de facto biggest city park. Infrastructure. We have a challenged and stressed water system now; a huge increase in demand isnt manageable. There is no extension of Adams Street coming, and the area roads would be overwhelmed with increased traffic. Procedural. The Planning Commission didnt evaluate the extensive public (and negative) input. At the least, the City Council should embark on a months-long process of considering citizen complaints. Cultural. Indian artifacts have been found on the site and there might be tribal burial grounds. That could tie up the project for years. Legal. Environmental groups and private citizens could likewise stop the project with lawsuits based on many of the factors discussed here. Political. St. Helenans could unite and put any approval of Hunter on the ballot through a referendum. Ive talked with more than two dozen St. Helenans, and they all agree with one of us, Angela Zivkovic, who told me, This will be a disaster for St. Helena and threatens the safety of St. Helenans. Military strategists tell us that if wars cant be avoided they must be won. The quarter-century Hunter war continues. To win it, we need from both our citizens and leaders conviction and not complacency, fortitude and not fatigue. And then we will gain the inevitable victory. A renewed push to tackle the Bay Areas housing crisis at a regional level is underway, and it could be the solution for cities and counties tapped out of local funds for affordable housing. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. The Bay Area Housing Finance Authority, or BAHFA, was created in 2019 to address the areas housing shortage. Its a first-of-its-kind financing authority in California that has coalesced as advocates and state leaders move to take a more regional approach to combat the states housing affordability problems. A recent report from BAHFA and Enterprise Community Partners found that theres a $7.6 billion gap in public financing that needs to be filled in order to unlock nearly 33,000 new homes in the Bay Area. The organization is currently helping oversee a potential housing bond for the November 2024 election that could bring in $10 billion to $20 billion for affordable housing in the Bay Area, depending on the amount key players decide to pursue. That could mean as much as $2.1 billion for San Jose and $2.4 billion for the rest of Santa Clara County. In the East Bay, that could mean $765 million for Oakland and as much as $2 billion for the rest of Alameda County. While a funding mechanism for a housing bond has not been set, it would likely involve some sort of tax hike. Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin, who is the president of the Association of Bay Area Governments, another group involved in the bond process, argued that a regional measure should be considered because the lack of affordable housing is a regional problem. The measure would help cities that have been unsuccessful in passing their own bonds and could unlock more money than any individual jurisdiction could alone. Homeless people to get permanent housing at former Napa motel Dozens of Napans who are homeless will soon find permanent housing in a former city motel. This is really critical to addressing a lot of challenges in our region: housing affordability, ending homelessness, combating climate change, Arreguin said. I think its a really exciting and unprecedented opportunity for this region to address our housing shortage and to demonstrate leadership to the state around how we can address our housing crisis. But this is not the first time the Bay Area has tried to take a regional approach in tackling whats become a ballooning crisis. In 2017, Bay Area leaders joined together to form the CASA Compact to strategize new policy ideas such as capping rent increases, erecting taller buildings around transit, and passing new tax increases to fund housing. At the time, however, CASA received fierce pushback from cities such as Cupertino, Pleasanton and Los Altos. And polls showed tepid response at the time from many voters in the region toward a tax increase for housing. Today, leaders hope there is more willingness to pay to improve the regions quality of life. In Santa Clara County, a regional bond measure could be a new direction for affordable housing efforts as funds from a county measure passed in 2016, Measure A, start to dwindle. At its inception, the measure was billed by advocates as a funding model that could set an example for counties across the country. Six years later, the $950 million affordable housing bond is almost gone. But its successes show how powerful a regional measure might be. Measure A aimed to aid the construction or preservation of approximately 4,800 affordable homes including housing for the countys most vulnerable populations. It was funded by a property tax increase. Having funded 3,933 units so far, the 10-year bond looks as if it will deliver on that promise. There is $141.7 million left in the fund, which must be allocated by the end of this year in order for the county to meet its goal by 2026, according to Consuelo Hernandez, the director of the countys office of supportive housing. Jennifer Loving, the CEO of the nonprofit Destination: Home, which works to end homelessness in Silicon Valley, called Measure A the most important policy fund to address homelessness and the root causes of homelessness that Santa Clara County has ever had. While the $950 million was never expected to solve homelessness in the county, she said its been catalytic. Hernandez said one of the measures biggest successes has been the countys ability to leverage other money from the state or federal government. For every $1 spent by the county, $4.27 has been used from other funding streams. One example of that is Gov. Gavin Newsoms Project Homekey a pandemic initiative that assisted local governments looking to renovate hotels or vacant apartments for unhoused residents. Were being creative with the resources that are coming from the state and the federal government, Hernandez said. Were really keeping our eye on those goals and any repayment of our loans that are coming in, were recasting that to support new housing. Whatever does come next for funding affordable housing, be it a local or regional measure, Loving said it needs to follow that same philosophy to ensure that housing for extremely low-income residents gets built. This type of housing, which is for those who make 30% or less of the area median income $50,550 for a family of four in Santa Clara County is some of the most difficult to build due to the complexity of financing. In California, 22% of rental households are considered extremely low income, but there is a shortage of 998,510 affordable homes for those renters, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. For a jurisdiction to say the majority of this money is going to go to the people that are most vulnerable and frankly that we keep talking about all the time about needing to do something, Santa Clara County did that, Loving said. They put a lions share of this money and brought other money home to address and ensure thousands of people can get off our streets. We would be looking to the same thing with any future measure. Photos: Former Napa motel becoming housing for the homeless Napa's Valley Lodge Apartments Napa's Valley Lodge Apartments Napa's Valley Lodge Apartments Napa's Valley Lodge Apartments Napa's Valley Lodge Apartments Napa's Valley Lodge Apartments New California data Tuesday dashed educators hopes for a post-COVID rebound in statewide school enrollment. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Although substantially less severe than the past two years of record declines, the number of students enrolled in California public schools fell 39,696 to 5.85 million in 2022-23. That one-year drop of 0.67% is about right from a trend standpoint and brings us more in line with the long-term projections for the rest of the decade and years preceding the pandemic, said Michael Fine, CEO of the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team, or FCMAT, a school finance agency. A decade ago, enrollment statewide was 6.23 million. In 2020-21, the first full academic year of the COVID-19 pandemic, enrollment fell 2.60%; last year it decreased 1.84%. Three years ago, the California Department of Finance projected an 11.4% decline in statewide enrollment by 2031, a loss of 703,000 students from pre-pandemic 2019-20. As for the past two years, the declines varied widely throughout the state, with the biggest drop, of 2.6% 34,000 students in Los Angeles County, followed by 2% in Orange County and 1.7% in the Bay Area. Enrollments grew 0.6% in the Sacramento area, the largest increase of any of the states 10 regions, including 3,000 students in Sacramento County. Enrollments were flat in both the Northern San Joaquin Valley and the Inland Empire, which includes Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Napa school district likely to be impacted by projected state revenue fall-off California is facing a projected $24 billion budget deficit that will likely impact the Napa Valley Unified School District. With declining enrollment, future cuts are expected. Enrollment is based on student registrations on Oct. 5 last year, the first Wednesday in October. The Napa Valley Unified School District, where enrollment has been on the decline since 2015, has seen a slight increase so far this school year, from 16,109 students on Aug. 30 to 16,204 as of March 13, according to spokesperson Julie Bordes. However, that figure remains below the 16,516 reported in March 2022, and district leaders have forecasted a continuing fall-off to below 15,000 students by 2027. Many superintendent and education groups had been optimistic that a return to post-pandemic normalcy, without mask and testing mandates and COVID-19 disruptions, would produce a heartening upsurge in enrollment. But the new normal appears to be a slow decline, a product of many factors, including a declining birth rate and migration from California. Total enrollment this year at elementary, middle and high schools was close to what the Department of Finance had forecast last September, when it projected a decline of 30,000 students and 0.51%. It was only 10,000 students and 0.16% off. Districts also have been counting on the continued phase-in of transitional kindergarten for 4-year-olds to bolster enrollments or at least cushion a decline. And indeed, kindergarten enrollment, which includes TK, rose nearly 26,000 to 496,000, the largest increase in any grade and the highest total among grades. But even there, the news was mixed. In budgeting for this year, the Department of Finance had predicted the average daily attendance of students in TK would be 120,000 students. But as of the first half of the year, it was only 91,000, according to district reports filed with the California Department of Education. Reasons for the lower numbers are myriad, experts say. Some parents simply may not be aware that TK is expanding, experts say, particularly post-pandemic when family engagement at schools may remain low and uncertainties linger. Many families are likely accustomed to their child care or pre-K arrangements, said Bruce Fuller, professor of education and public policy at UC Berkeley. Unless local schools feel ready to expand TK, they may not alert parents to this new, free option for 4-year-olds. Raising awareness of the new program may be the key to boosting enrollment, many suggest, as school districts slowly emerge from the pandemic era. Districts across the state are in different phases of implementation, said Patricia Lozano, executive director of Early Edge California, an advocacy organization. Some have had strong TK and expanded TK programs for a long time, which has made the expansion of these programs easier to ramp up. Other districts are in the earlier phases and may not have the same community awareness about these programs. Beside kindergarten, the only other grades that saw increases were first, seventh and 11th grades. Those with the biggest declines were eighth grade, down 20,600; 10th grade, down 13,300, and second grade, down 9,600. What happened to the 40,000 fewer students will likely remain largely a mystery. Most didnt newly enroll in private schools; private school enrollment rose by about 6,000 students, a bit more than 1%, to 504,600 and is 15,600 above pre-COVID 2019-20. Ron Reynolds, executive director of the California Association of Private Schools, attributes the increases to efforts made by private schools to remain open for in-person instruction during the pandemic. He also thinks that private schools have benefited from labor actions that have resulted in lost classroom time for students. It pains me to think private schools may be benefiting to some extent from the perception that students are being used as pawns in labor disputes, he said. Based on affidavits that parents are supposed to file with the state, many fewer children are attending home schools. Enrollment, as of Feb. 28, had dropped 9,257 students 18% from last year to 43,366 students. The state defines home schools as those filing an affidavit for a private school educating five or fewer students. Many students likely moved with their families from California. Between July 2021 and July 2022, 343,000 people migrated from the state, the largest exodus of any state except for New York. But families have no obligation to report their departure to the school district or the state. Another possibility, hard to prove, is that some families are homeschooling without filing an affidavit with the state as required. Some school districts that check with families that dont return to school in the fall may anecdotally know if the situation exists, but the state doesnt collect data beyond what families provide. The great majority of students who newly enrolled or re-enrolled were low-income children: 84,094 students above the year before. That number is consistent with high rates of chronic absenteeism among low-income students. Some families, living in multi-generation housing, kept children home to avoid COVID-19 last year. The total of low-income students is 3.6 million students this year; they make up 61.5% of California students, up 2 percentage points from 2021-22 but the same proportion as in 2016-17. Steep rise in homeless students The number of homeless students increased sharply by 9% to 187,300 students. And those numbers do not include the end of the COVID-19 moratorium on evictions, which will play out this year. This increase may be a potential rebound after several years of decreasing enrollment for this group of students, according to Angela James, research director at the UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools. The closure of school campuses and competing crises at the height of the pandemic also made it challenging for school staff to identify a student whose family may have been experiencing homelessness. Were talking about a highly mobile and fragile part of the student population, and it became even more so during that period, said James. Additionally, students experiencing homelessness were already considered undercounted prior to the pandemic, according to a 2019 state audit. A potential re-identification of students does not negate the rising housing costs that families are facing at this time, James cautioned. The rapidly escalating rents in California cities must be playing a role, the shortage of housing those things have accelerated post-pandemic, not declined, she said. At this point, the states enrollment data for ethnic and racial groups is incomplete, because Los Angeles Unified failed to record the data for 70,000 students about one in seven students in the district. Thats a big enough number to affect statewide percentages. State officials said the district will be fixing the problem. All five of Californias largest districts lost enrollment this year, led by the 10,000 fewer students in Los Angeles Unified, a drop of 1.8%. Since the start of the pandemic, its enrollment has fallen 50,000 to 388,000. Enrollments fell an additional 1,700 in San Diego and 1,100 in Long Beach, as well as a few hundred in Fresno and Elk Grove. Enrollment is an important factor but only an indirect financial factor for funding purposes. Districts are actually funded on the yearly average of a districts total student average daily attendance, or ADA. With chronic absences tripling statewide to 30% last year, districts have a chance to mitigate further enrollment declines by increasing attendance, although that hasnt happened to a great extent this year. Todays enrollment update is yet another reminder that Californias demographics are changing, and that school districts in many parts of the state should be bracing to serve fewer students over the long term, said Carrie Hahnel, senior associate partner with Bellwether, a national nonprofit that works to improve educational opportunities for underserved students. This is not just a pandemic issue, and state and local leaders cant pretend that enrollments will rebound. District leaders in declining-enrollment areas should be having conversations with community stakeholders now about how to consolidate schools and programs while increasing the quality of what districts are offering to every student, she said. With reports from EdSource writers Karen DSouza, Diana Lambert and Betty Marquez Rosales, and Napa Valley Register city editor Howard Yune. PHOTOS: Napa County Ag Day 2023 A 35-foot gray whale washed up on the shore of a Marin County beach late last month the first such fatality in the Bay Area this year adding to the concern scientists have over the health of the species. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. The whale likely died of injuries after crashing into a boat, according to scientists with the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, who conducted a necropsy last month. The team was alerted to the dead whale found washed up on Bolinas Beach east of Duxbury Point on March 23 likely the same day the whale died, according to a news release from the Marine Mammal Center. The whale's demise is the latest in a concerning trend in recent years, which prompted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 2019 to declare an "unusual mortality event" for the species living and migrating along North America's Pacific Coast, after an alarming number of gray whales began washing up along the shores from Mexico to Alaska. "Gray whales are ocean sentinels due to their adaptability and foraging habits. They have a lot to tell us about the health of the ocean, so to see the species continue to face the added threats of human interaction should concern all of us," Padraig Duignan, director of pathology at the Marine Mammal Center, said in a statement. "This case reinforces the need for us to continue to perform both observational research of live whales as well as necropsy investigations so that this critical data can be shared with key decision-makers to find actionable solutions." The whale found in late March was identified as a 35-foot sub-adult male, meaning it still hadn't reached its full size. The necropsy found bruising and hemorrhaging in the soft tissue on the left side of the whale's head, which officials called signs of blunt force trauma "consistent with vessel collision," the statement said. However, the researchers noted the whale appeared otherwise in normal condition based on the fat stores and blubber layer not malnourished, as has been the case for most of the whales found stranded on beaches in recent years. Scientists are hopeful the dead whale's otherwise good health could be an indicator that the species is doing better compared with recent years, when population numbers have fallen drastically and birth rates have dropped. "It was a relief to see this young male gray whale in such good body condition with a thick layer of blubber and lots of fat and oil," said Moe Flannery, senior collections manager of ornithology and mammalogy at the California Academy of Sciences, which assisted with the necropsy. California cuts short commercial Dungeness crab season California is cutting short the commercial Dungeness crab season to protect humpback whales from becoming entangled in trap and buoy lines. Since this season's first sighting of a gray whale drew headlines Feb. 8, the center has documented at least four other live gray whale sightings in the Bay Area, the statement said. Each year, gray whales migrate from the warm, protected lagoons of Mexico's Baja Peninsula to the cold waters of the Arctic, where they feed for months before returning to the warmer waterways, to mate, give birth and nurse their calves. It's a 12,000-mile round-trip migration that leads through shipping lanes, near fishing or tourist boats and occasionally into jaws of hungry orcas. Gray whales are currently migrating north to their traditional feeding grounds in the Arctic waters, the center said. The bulk of the whales found beached since 2019 have been malnourished, but the other two leading causes of death have been getting entangled in fishing line or trauma after vessel strikes, according to the center. Seven gray whales and three humpbacks were found dead on Bay Area beaches in 2022, according to the center. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife recently decided to prohibit commercial Dungeness crabbing off much of its coast in an effort to protect humpback whales after recording several entanglements last spring. The change will take effect April 15, stretching from the Sonoma and Mendocino county coasts south to the U.S.-Mexico border. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexey Overchuk, Armenian News-NEWS.am has learned from the Prime Minister's office. Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan also participated in the meeting. In his speech, Prime Minister Pashinyan noted as follows: "I must note with satisfaction that we have a high intensity of contacts between the representatives of the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation, but despite this, there is a need for more dynamic contacts, because our agenda is so full that it is not always possible to cover all issues. I am sure that today we will discuss a wide range of issues: economic and political issues, issues related to the regional and international situation. It is always a pleasure for me to meet you and have the opportunity to discuss all these issues. Welcome." The Deputy Prime Minister of Russia said as follows: "Thank you very much: I am also very pleased to meet with you and discuss the issues of our bilateral agenda. First of all, I would like to mention the strategic nature of the relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Armenia. Of course, these are relations that have been built to their current form over the past 30 years, but in fact have a centuries-old history and have more than once faced various challenges, including economic crises, changes in the global trade and economic system. Despite this, we continue to strengthen our cooperation in the economic sphere, and last year we had very good indicators of mutual trade turnover growth. Investments from Russia to Armenia are also in good progress. We are really happy with the success recorded by the economy of Armenia as a part of the large economy of the Eurasian Economic Union and the advantages that the Union provides are certainly visible." The interlocutors discussed issues related to the Armenian-Russian cooperation agenda. Trade and economic relations and other topics of mutual interest were discussed. Let's all stand together and remember the 1.5 million people who lost their lives: Kim Kardashian commemorates the anniversaty of Armenian Genocide The struggle for international recognition of this horrific crime continues. President of Cyprus U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE: The United States is deeply concerned about Azerbaijan's actions What main camera will the iPhone 15 Pro Max get? Valerie Boyer: Turkey has started a new war of aggression in Armenia and Artsakh The Second President of Armenia visited Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex with his wife and son Azerbaijan's decision to set up checkpoints in the Lachin corridor contradicts EUs call to reduce tensions Russian Defense Ministry noted Azerbaijan's unilateral and uncoordinated actions Foreign Minister of Artsakh Meets with Head of the Republicans Group of the French Senate France commemorates 108th Anniversary of 1915 Armenian Genocide: Macron Commemoration ceremony was held in Amsterdam near the monument dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide Mysterious spirals in the sky of Alaska What is it and how does it occur? PACE Rapporteur wants to visit Lachin corridor Trudeau on Armenian Genocide Memorial Day: Canada will continue to promote peace and justice Greece PM on Armenian Genocide: We are against any act that incites discrimination, violence against humanity iPhones set to have a new app: What is it for? European People's Party on Armenian Genocide: We urge Turkey to acknowledge reality of past Italy MP: International organizations access to Karabakh for humanitarian aid should be facilitated Early indicators of autism may be identified in fetal brain scans PACE pays tribute to Armenian Genocide victims with minute of silence (VIDEO) Representation at ECtHR: Armenia will apply to International Court of Justice regarding Lachin checkpoint matter Yeghishe Kirakosyan: Armenia will apply to International Court of Justice regarding Lachin checkpoint issue Levon Aronian: Message of remembering and demanding must be directed towards ourselves Biden: We renew our pledge to never forget Armenian Genocide Google CEO earned $226 million last year, 800 times more than companys average employees earn Armenian Genocide commemoration event held in Istanbul Russia ambassador, embassy military attache lay flowers at Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan (PHOTOS) Peskov on setting up Azerbaijani checkpoint at Lachin corridor: Situation not easy, requires extra effort Greece president: We honor Armenian Genocide victims memory Were creating, living, still here: American Armenian entertainers honor Armenian History Month in LA (PHOTOS) James Webb helps discover small galaxy that produces new stars at high power: Why is this discovery important? Russia calls on Armenia, Azerbaijan to immediately return to existing agreements Armenian Genocide victims honored at PACE chamber courtyard (PHOTOS) Bruno Retailleau on Armenian Genocide victims: They are our victims also Artsakh MFA: Armenian people are again facing threat of new Genocide France senator: We should help Armenia arm itself Karabakh president: Today more than ever we need to turn words into action Greece FM: Preserving Armenian Genocide victims memory is minimum duty of all humanity Sotk gold mine of Armenia inactive for 10th day due to periodic Azerbaijani shooting Colorado declares April 24, 2023 as Armenian Genocide remembrance day Ambassador: France stands with Armenia to commemorate victims of 1915 Genocide (PHOTOS) How to properly protect your iPhone and data from hackers? Karekin II: Azerbaijan's goal is to de-Armenianize, take over Karabakh US Congressman Adam Schiff to introduce bill recognizing Karabakh independence, sovereignty Karabakh MFA: Any proposal to discuss Azerbaijans illegal demands is tantamount to condoning its genocidal policy Karabakh president pays tribute to Armenian Genocide victims Catholicos visits Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan Armenia ex-President Sarkissian: We must be able to move forward without retreating from our identity, history Armenia army General Staff chief: We are doing positional improvement work at Tegh village Nathalie Loiseau: No one should approach risk of new violence against Armenians lightly 108 years after Genocide Armenia MFA: Armenians in Karabakh are facing danger of genocide, ethnic cleansing even today Netherlands ambassador expresses support to Armenians in the words of great poet Hovhannes Tumanyan (VIDEO) Georgia Armenians hold torchlight procession in Tbilisi PM Pashinyan, other state officials visit Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan (PHOTOS) Best Android smartphones worth buying in 2023 Kristina Kvien: No US sanctions against Azerbaijan at the moment MFA: France condemns setting up of Azerbaijani checkpoint at Lachin corridor, demands to reopen corridor Karekin II: Fight for just cause of Armenians, contribute to prevention of genocidal acts and crimes Armenia ex-President Serzh Sargsyan: Bloody scimitar which has now become Bayraktar hangs over our people again Armenia PM: This is best moment to think about past, present, future Armenian Genocide Memorial entrance closed 108 years later: It is Armenian Genocide victims commemoration day State minister: People of Karabakh have right to demand from players to make clear assessments, take steps US 'deeply concerned' by Azerbaijan's checkpoint in Lachin corridor Edmon Marukyan: Peaceful Armenians of Artsakh taken hostage by Azerbaijan Kanaani: Iran's military program is solely defensive Ministry of Defense of Armenia: The Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan has spread disinformation Erdogan: Putin to take part in fuel delivering ceremony to Akkuyu Security Council of the Republic of Artsakh makes a statement Kosovo Serbs boycott local elections An Armenian serviceman was lethally wounded in a position in Sotk Armenians in Great Britain remember Armenian Genocide victims Azerbaijan establishes checkpoint on Lachin-Stepanakert road Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day rally in Berlin Azerbaijan blocks Hakari bridge on Artsakh-Armenia border Faro Palace in Marseille in Armenian tricolor Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates Green Sunday AK Party office in Istanbul attacked Spain shipping Leopard 2 to Ukraine Teenager hit by Toyota car Russian citizens evacuated in Khartoum Turkey represents Iranian interests in Albania US military evacuates diplomats from Sudan Armenian PM Pashinyan visits memorial Fire breaks out in Martuni town The Foreign Ministry of Artsakh: The Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan released another provocative statement Blackout threat at major events in France Malkhas Amoyan two-time European Champion Young men lost in Artsakh found Baku "worries" for Armenia Samvel Gasparyan - two-time European Champion Updated Turkey earthquake death toll Greek City Times: India and Greece conduct exercises Earthquake hits Greece Trump: I have 'very good relationship' with Putin Garik Karapetyan wins third gold medal for Armenia at European Weightlifting Championships Daniel Kotter makes documentary on Eastern Armenia trip How to visit Europe and not go broke NATO delegation arrives in Azerbaijan Facebook bans Armenian Genocide memorial frames Azerbaijanis have just prohibited the entry of Artsakh residents to Artsakh at the blocked section of the Stepanakert-Goris road. Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Minister of State Gurgen Nersisyan wrote about this on Facebook on Tuesday night. "As of December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan has closed and keeps in a state of not being passed the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia, leaving the entire population of Artsakh to rely on humanitarian cargo transportation. Hundreds of Artsakh residents have remained [stranded] in the Republic of Armenia [(RA)] and are not able to return to Artsakh, their place of residence, for almost four months. "Today, Russian peacekeepers tried to transport 27 of our citizens (including children, women and elderly) from the RA city of Goris to Artsakh, but near the city of Shushi on the Goris-Stepanakert highway, the Azerbaijanis prohibited the movement of vehicles in the blocked section of the road. Due to the intervention of Azerbaijanis on the spot, four of our citizens felt ill, the Russian peacekeepers ensured the arrival of an ambulance and the transfer of the said four persons to [Artsakh capital] Stepanakert hospital. And the rest are being returned by the Russian peacekeepers to the city of Goris because the long and persistent negotiations [with the Azerbaijanis] have not yielded any results. "Azerbaijan, which regularly declares that the road connecting Artsakh to Armenia is open, today openly prohibited the entry of Artsakh residents to their place of residence. Azerbaijan shows the completely opposite approach regarding those leaving Artsakh for Armenia, which directly documents their criminal behavior and intention to expel Armenians from Artsakh. "The most convincing facts about the circumstances of the incident will be presented later," added the Minister of State of Artsakh. Byblos Bank Armenia will from now on support Google PayTM, enabling cardholders to take advantage of simple and secure contactless payments and card storage on both Android and Wear OS devices. Cardholders will be able to store both credit and debit cards within Google Wallet and make contactless payments. In addition to payment cards, cardholders will also be able to save and access loyalty cards, boarding passes and event tickets in Google WalletTM. Using Google Pay also makes payments safer with multiple layers of security, adding to the protections already provided by MastercardTM cards issued by Byblos Bank Armenia. This includes industry-standard tokenization, which means when you use your card stored in Google Wallet to pay, transactions are made using a virtual card number (a token). This token is device-specific and associated with a dynamic security code that changes with each transaction, providing an extra layer of protection from fraud. Also, if your phone is ever lost or stolen, you can simply use the Find my device function to instantly lock your device from anywhere, secure it with a new password, or even wipe it clean of your personal information. To start paying with a smartphone using Google Pay, cardholders need to download the free-of-charge Google Wallet app from Google Play Store and add the details of their bank cards to the digital wallet. To pay, just activate the screen or unlock your smartphone with password, graphic key, or biometrics, and bring the device to the contactless payment terminal. Contactless payments using Google Pay are available on smartphones with Android 5.0 or higher and a built-in NFC chip. Contactless payments with an NFC-enabled smartwatch based on Wear OS 2.15 or higher are also enabled. Google Pay and Google Wallet are trademarks of Google LLC. Find more on Byblos Bank Armenia official website. The newly appointed Ambassador of Cuba to Armenia, Oscar Santana Leon, presented his credentials to President Vahagn Khachaturyan. Congratulating the Ambassador on his appointment, Vahagn Khachaturyan wished him success and fruitful work during his diplomatic service. In his speech, the President particularly noted: I am sure that your appointment will have a big role in the development of relations between our countries. We are really friendly countries and the geographic distance doesnt impede the continuation of our friendship. Cuba is a well-known country in the world, its also a unique country, and after 1959, it became even more prominent. We are sure that the achievements you had during these years and have today will be continuous. With your appointment, we will also enhance our joint activities even further. Expressing his gratitude for the reception and congratulations, the newly appointed Ambassador noted: First of all, I want to thank you for this reception and the warm words. Even though our countries are small, we have managed to preserve our friendly relations for many years, and despite the geographic distance, our peoples have quite a lot of commonalities, especially in their warm-heartedness. During the meeting, the sides discussed the opportunities for cooperation between Armenia and Cuba, particularly in the fields of healthcare, advanced technologies, and agriculture. The President presented to the newly appointed Ambassador some details on the regional realities in the South Caucasus. In his speech, Vahagn Khachaturyan touched upon the blockade of the Lachin Humanitarian Corridor by Azerbaijan and the threat of a humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh, resulting from it. During the meeting, both sides attached importance to the cooperation between Armenia and Cuba on international platforms and emphasized the need for joint efforts aimed at making bilateral relations closer. By Mariam Levina Azerbaijan has shamelessly violated the arrangement with the Russian peacekeeping contingent regarding the transfer of women and children from Goris to Stepanakert. This was stated by David Babayan, adviser and representative-at large of the Artsakh president, commentingat the request of Armenian News-NEWS.amon the incident that happened Tuesday, when the Azerbaijani military did not allow a group of children and women going to Artsakh to pass through the Lachin corridor. "There was an arrangement between the Russian peacekeeping contingent and Azerbaijan on relocation. But, in fact, what kind of arrangement can we talk about with Azerbaijan? Azerbaijan, at any convenient moment, forgets about the given promise, Babayan stated. He confirmed that the aforesaid relocation was not allowed by the Azerbaijani military, and not but by the Azerbaijanis calling themselves environmentalists. "That is, its already not about environmentalists at allalbeit you wouldn't call them environmentalists either. A lot has been said and written about it, they have nothing to do with environmental protection; they are military, special services employees, and just criminals who were hired to participate in the blockade [of Artsakh]. Shamelessly, bypassing all the agreements, norms and principles of international law, they did what they did," continued Babayan. The Azerbaijani military have not explained their abovementioned action in any way. "We do what we want, [they say]. All the more so that they operate in a climate of absolute impunity, including from the international community," concluded the adviser to the Artsakh president. Azerbaijani eco-activists blockaded the passage of 27 Artsakh civilians from Armenia to Artsakh. Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan noted this in a statement he issued on Wednesday. The statement reads as follows: On April 4 at about 15:30, 27 civilians, including elderly, children, and people with disabilities, who have been separated from their families for several months, in accordance with the agreement reached with the Russian side and accompanied by Russian peacekeepers, left the city of Goris of the Republic of Armenia for Stepanakert. Despite a prearranged agreement, Azerbaijani government agents posing as "eco-activists" blocked the passage of vehicles of the Russian peacekeeping forces carrying civilians near Shushi - a blocked section of the Goris-Stepanakert highway. As a result, citizens stayed in that area for about 5 hours. After fruitless negotiations between the Russian side and the Azerbaijanis, the vehicles are now returning to Goris. According to obtained facts, some Azerbaijanis even broke into one of the cars. During the negotiations, the well-being of 4 civilians worsened, and 3 of them fainted. Accompanied by Russian peacekeepers, they were taken to the Republican Medical Center of Stepanakert. Other 23 civilians are returning to Goris. From the first day of the 114-day blockade, the Azerbaijani side has announced on various platforms that the road is open for the transportation of civilians and cargo, directly questioning not only the valid claims of the Armenian side but also the positions and statements of many international actors, the reality recorded by the ICJ decision of February 22, 2023. Todays incident proves once again the whole essence of the false and fabricated claims of the Azerbaijani leadership, the behavior of obvious and undisguised lying and misleading the international community. Moreover, by allowing the exit of people from Artsakh in various ways, but prohibiting entry, the Azerbaijani authorities are openly implementing a policy of ethnic cleansing, as Ilham Aliyev once again admitted in his statement on January 10. It has long been obvious that the only reason for the insolent behavior of the Azerbaijani side, the ignorance of the calls of the international community, and the failure to comply with the decision of the International Court of Justice is the created permissiveness, the disdain shown towards the peacekeeping mission and the lack of targeted and practical punitive actions by all interested international actors. At the moment, hundreds of civilians in the city of Goris and other communities of RA are simply deprived of the opportunity to reunite with their families. The Azerbaijani side, taking advantage of the atmosphere of permissiveness, does not cooperate on this matter with the Russian peacekeepers, the International Committee of the Red Cross, or other international institutions. Women with their own bank accounts benefit from having an independent say over how their money gets spent, as well as the ability to receive it, store it, spend it, save it and invest it safely. But as recently as 2011, there was no single source of data that differentiated how women and men access and use financial services. This data gap was a problem because it meant that the world didnt have concrete information on the unique challenges women face accessing or using financial services. Policymakers and financial services providers had no metrics to use to benchmark or develop programs and products to meet womens needs. Measurements became available when the Global Findex team at the World Bank partnered with Gallup to develop the first global-scale survey on financial inclusion. Since its first edition in 2011, the Global Findex survey has produced gender-disaggregated data on financial account access, use across a range of products, and financial wellbeing. Because of the Findex, we know that the gender gap in account access worldwide as of 2021 is six percentage points. We also know that most high-income countries dont have a gender gap at all, and that many developing economies have narrowed or eliminated theirs with programs and products that appeal to women. As Womens History Month draws to a close, we highlight five approaches that are proven to increase financial services access, use and benefits for women, in the hopes that they motivate more economies to pursue them. 1. Government Policies That Tackle Access Constraints One of the Global Findex survey questions asks unbanked adults why they dont have an account. Among the most common answers are that financial services are too expensive, that financial institutions are too far away or that the respondent lacks the necessary documentation to open an account. When we look more closely at the economies that have achieved significant improvements in financial equity over the past decade, we see many benefited from government programs, incentives or fiscal policies that set the conditions for inclusive finance. One example is India. The country eliminated its gender gap in account ownership from about 17 percentage points in 2011 to effectively zero in 2021. Over that period, India more than doubled the total share of adults with an account from about 35% to 78% of the population. The government did this primarily by coordinating programs to provide digital government-issued IDs and to open bank accounts for the countrys unbanked adults. It was able to grow the total account ownership rate in a way that included women in the expansion. Yet, women in India today are 17 percentage points less likely than men to use their account to make or receive a digital payment. The end goal of account ownership is for women to use financial services to achieve development goals, including reduced inequality, better jobs and gender equality. Reaching these goals will require narrowing the gaps in how women use their accounts to save, borrow and make payments. 2. Expanded Access to Mobile Phones Mobile money accounts are basic financial deposit accounts that allow users to store, send and receive money using exclusively their mobile phone. Research in Kenya found that mobile money offers women more financial independence, which highlights the importance of womens access to technology. In sub-Saharan Africa, for example, mobile money providers play a significant role in driving financial inclusion for women. Today, about half of all women in sub-Saharan Africa have a bank account -- up from just 20% a decade ago -- including 30% of women who use a mobile money account. Outside of sub-Saharan Africa, mobile money accounts are also offering women more control over their money. For example, the mobile money account ownership rate in Bangladesh increased to 20% in 2021 from 10% in 2017 and just 2% in 2014. ###Embeddable### 3. Payment Digitalization That Motivates Account Opening Global Findex data show that across all developing economies, one in three adults opened their first account to receive a direct payment from the government or from a private sector employer. Digitalizing government payments, along with a strong consumer protection framework, offers a range of benefits for the government and recipients. Though women are less likely than men to work in the private sector, a higher share of women than men who are private sector employees receive their payments into an account, which makes it easier and safer for women to save money and helps them have more say over how the money is spent. Theres an opportunity to do more. The Global Findex 2021 data estimate that roughly 45 million women with private sector jobs still receive their wages in cash. Digitalizing a share of these payments could give more women formal access to the financial sector and an array of financial services such as auto-deposit savings products. 4. Global Disruptions That Catalyze Behavior Change It was clear within the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic that the resulting mobility restrictions were driving increases in digital adoption of all kinds. Lockdowns forced people to use the internet and mobile devices to work, purchase items they would have previously bought in person, and conduct financial transactions. In 2021, 40% of adults in developing economies who made a retail purchase using a digital payment method -- such as with a debit card, mobile money account or e-wallet, or by using the internet -- did so for the first time after the start of the pandemic. In some countries, social norms related to household spending led to greater digital payment adoption for women. For example, in Mongolia, 26% of women made their first merchant payment during the pandemic (eight points higher than men), and in Thailand, 33% of women made their first digital merchant payment (six points higher than men). 5. Savings Savings allow people to invest in the future and deal with financial challenges that arise. Savings are particularly important for women, given the Global Findex 2021 data showing that women are less financially resilient on average than men. Financial resilience is the ability to access money to deal with a financial emergency such as an accident or an illness. In developing economies, only 50% of women say they could come up with emergency money, compared with 59% of men. Even in high-income countries, women are less likely than men to be resilient. One reason why is that women are more likely to rely on family and friends for financial support in an emergency, and these social sources can be unreliable. In contrast, people who have and use savings are more likely than people who rely on any other source -- including borrowing or extra work -- to access money without difficulty for an emergency. ###Embeddable### Opportunities Remain to Improve Womens Access These five strategies represent important areas of progress for womens access to financial services. Theres still more work to be done. More than half of the worlds 1.4 billion unbanked adults are women. Using these approaches in the right economies through the right policies can help equip more of them with the financial services they need to manage, store, save and invest their money. Congress veteran and former finance minister P Chidambaram, citing World Bank's latest GDP estimate for India, attacked the government and said it is only the Centre who is "boasting" about the economic growth rate in the country. Quoting the latest World Bank report, Chidambaram noted that the five-year average growth during Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government (2019-2024) will be 4.08 per cent - which shows economic trajectory is sequentially declining. "According to the World Bank, the five-year average growth of the Modi government (2019-2024) will be 4.08 per cent Even the sequential annual growth rates after the Corona-affected year show a declining trend The only one boasting about the growth rate is the Government," Chidambaram tweeted. On Tuesday, World Bank in its latest India Development Update report cut India's growth forecast for 2023-24 to 6.3 per cent from earlier 6.6 per cent. India's growth, World Bank, said, is expected to be constrained by slower consumption growth and challenging external conditions. However, the report maintained that India's growth continues to be resilient despite some signs of moderation in growth. It notes that although significant challenges remain in the global environment, India was one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Coming back to Chidambaram, he also tweeted about the ongoing parliament session, where hardly any debate took place. "...Who was responsible for the Budget being passed without debate? It is for the first time in Indian parliamentary history that the Treasury Benches started the din and disruption and forestalled debate," Chidambaram tweeted. In the second leg of the Budget session, both Houses of Parliament were adjourned amid protests by the opposition Parliamentarians on the Adani-Hindenburg issue and of late about Rahul Gandhi's disqualification after he was convicted by a Gujarat court. BJP had been seeking an apology from Rahul Gandhi for his "democracy in India in crisis" remarks in London. (ANI) Beijing has announced a cybersecurity review of Micron Technology, a top-tier US chipmaker, The New York Times reported. The measure, which many industry analysts had expected, is China's most significant stroke of retaliation against Washington over its campaign to sever China's access to high-end chips. When top Chinese officials held receptions for dozens of American and European business executives at back-to-back annual economic forums last week, the intended message was clear: China is open for business. But by week's end, China's fearsome regulators had sent an altogether different signal. China's internet watchdog -- the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) -- said it was conducting a review of Micron's products sold in the country to "safeguard the security of the information infrastructure supply chain." Mao Ning, a Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman, characterised the review as a "normal regulatory measure" focused on products that could affect national security, NYT said. Based in Boise, Idaho, Micron Technology makes memory chips used in phones, computers, data centres, cars and other electronics. According to NYT, it has longstanding ties in China and is an emblem of America's leading position in the global semiconductor industry. But now, Micron has gotten ensnared in China's drive to become self-sufficient in advanced technology. Senator Jim Risch, a Republican from Idaho, criticised China's investigation of Micron, saying it was an attempt to undermine the US position in the semiconductor industry, NYT said. "This move further helps the American people see China for what it is -- an aggressor and a bully that was never interested in true economic partnership," Risch said in a statement. The daily newspaper reported shares of Micron have fallen 9 per cent since the news. Micron said in a statement that its business in China was operating as normal and that it was "cooperating fully" with the authorities. The mixed messages from China reflect the tightrope the country's leaders are walking. According to The New York Times, they are trying to support a struggling economy that only recently reopened after three years of strict pandemic restrictions, while trying to present an unbending political image to an increasingly hostile Washington. According to NYT, at one of last week's fetes for foreign business executives, including Apple's Tim Cook, Li Qiang, China's new premier, pledged that China would continue to "open its doors wider and wider." "China isn't shy about using varied tactics to deal with foreign firms," said Dan Wang, a visiting scholar at Yale Law School and a technology analyst at Gavekal Dragonomics, a research firm. "Sometimes it seems to say: Well if you don't like these carrots, we've got a big stick as well." China's decision to put Micron under review followed sweeping restrictions placed by the US on China's semiconductor industry. According to NYT, those measures, unveiled in October, targeted some of Micron's Chinese competitors. Micron opened its first factory in China in 2007, in Xi'an. NYT said the chipmaker has about 3,000 employees across the country working in customer service, sales and engineering. It has a centre in Shanghai where chips are designed, as well as branch offices in Beijing and Shenzhen. "We are pleased to be a growing part of the China technology industry," a former Micron chairman, Steve Appleton, said in a statement in 2007. But as China's ambitious plan to become a global competitor in technology intensified, Micron fell into the centre of the country's tech competition with the US, the daily newspaper said. In 2018, the US Justice Department began investigating chipmakers from China and Taiwan for allegedly stealing trade secrets from Micron. According to NYT, one of the companies has pleaded guilty, and the case of the other is continuing. In the past two years, Micron has given "very clear signals" of its intention to reduce its exposure to China, said Hui He, head of China semiconductor research for Omdia, a technology research firm. "Micron has been one of the most responsive companies to US government policy," she said, adding that the company has a "relative lack of dependence on China." Micron began reducing the number of Chinese staff and shuttering operations at its Shanghai chip design centre in January 2022. According to the daily newspaper, like many Western chipmakers, Micron has a strong manufacturing presence in Asia, including in Singapore and Taiwan, but it recently announced plans for a USD 100 billion chip plant in New York. President Biden heralded it as "one of the most significant investments in American history." Mainland China accounted for roughly 11 per cent of its sales in 2022, down from roughly half five years earlier, according to company reports. In its latest earnings report in March, Micron warned investors that the Chinese government could "restrict us from participating in the China market or may prevent us from competing effectively with Chinese companies." It also underscored the competitive risks it faced from state-funded Chinese semiconductor competitors. The action against Micron, industry analysts said, appeared aimed at sending a message to US technology policymakers, while also protecting domestic industry. Investors in China welcomed the news, pushing shares of domestic semiconductor firms higher. The analysts said Micron's Chinese clients were likely to transfer orders to Chinese suppliers in an effort to hedge their bets, according to NYT. But the Micron case has sent a warning to foreign businesses and left Micron's future uncertain, said Samm Sacks, a senior fellow at Yale Law School. According to the daily newspaper, she called the cybersecurity review process a "black box." (ANI) Gurugram (Haryana) [India], April 5 (ANI/India PR Distribution): World Laparoscopy Hospital operates branches in Gurugram, India; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; and Orlando, Florida, United States of America. This institution complies with the guidelines set forth in the "Framework for Post-Residency Surgical Education and Training" and holds a Gold-level endorsement from several international organizations, including WALS and ICRS. The hospital has gained global recognition for its commitment to providing advanced and innovative surgical techniques, coupled with exceptional patient care and training programs. World Laparoscopy Hospital has earned a reputation for excellence in laparoscopic and robotic surgery, with a team of highly skilled and experienced surgeons who specialize in minimally invasive procedures. The hospital is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and facilities, allowing for the most advanced laparoscopic and robotic surgeries to be performed with unparalleled precision and accuracy. World Laparoscopy Hospital offers a wide range of laparoscopic and robotic surgery procedures, including bariatric surgery, colorectal surgery, gynaecological surgery, urological surgery, and many others. Patients who undergo laparoscopic and robotic surgery at World Laparoscopy Hospital benefit from reduced pain, shorter recovery times, and lower rates of complications, compared to traditional open surgery. This institute commitment to excellence in laparoscopic and robotic surgery extends beyond patient care. The hospital also offers training programs for medical professionals, providing them with the opportunity to learn and refine their skills in laparoscopic and robotic surgery techniques. This program has attracted medical professionals from around the world, who come to learn from some of the most skilled surgeons in the field. Dr R.K. Mishra, the founder and director of World Laparoscopy Hospital, expressed his pride in the hospital's achievements: "At World Laparoscopy Hospital, we are committed to providing the highest quality of care to our patients, while also advancing the field of laparoscopic and robotic surgery through innovative research and training programs. We are proud to be recognized as a world leader in laparoscopic and robotic surgery, and we remain dedicated to improving the lives of our patients and advancing the field of surgery as a whole." With a team of highly experienced and skilled surgeons, state-of-the-art facilities, and innovative training programs, World Laparoscopy Hospital offers the best laparoscopic and robotic surgery training in the world. World Laparoscopy Hospital's training program offers a comprehensive curriculum that covers a wide range of laparoscopic and robotic surgery techniques, from the basics to the most advanced procedures. The program is designed to provide hands-on training to medical professionals from all over the world, and offers a range of courses, including fellowships, diplomas, and short-term courses. World Laparoscopy Hospital's laparoscopic and robotic surgery training program is unique because it offers a range of training modalities, including virtual reality simulators, live surgeries, and hands-on training on animal models. This allows trainees to gain a comprehensive understanding of the surgical techniques and develop their skills before applying them in real-life scenarios. There are several unique aspects of World Laparoscopy Hospital's training program that make it stand out from other programs: 1. Comprehensive Curriculum: The training program covers a wide range of laparoscopic and robotic surgery techniques, from basic to advanced, providing trainees with a comprehensive understanding of the surgical techniques. 2. Innovative Training Modalities: WORLD LAPAROSCOPY HOSPITAL's training program offers a range of training modalities, including virtual reality simulators, live surgeries, and hands-on training on animal models, allowing trainees to gain practical experience and develop their skills before applying them in real-life scenarios. 3. Experienced Faculty: The training program is led by Dr. R.K. Mishra, a renowned laparoscopic and robotic surgeon with over 30 years of experience in the field. Dr. Mishra is also the founder and director of WORLD LAPAROSCOPY HOSPITAL, and has trained over 10,000 surgeons from around the world. 4. Recognition from Leading Organizations: WORLD LAPAROSCOPY HOSPITAL's laparoscopic and robotic surgery training program has been recognized by leading organizations in the field, such as the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), the European Association of Endoscopic Surgeons (EAES), and the World Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons (WALS), providing trainees with globally recognized certifications. 5. Personalized Training: The training program is tailored to the specific needs and goals of each trainee, ensuring that they receive individualized attention and instruction. The training program is led by Dr R.K. Mishra, a renowned laparoscopic and robotic surgeon with over 30 years of experience in the field. Dr Mishra is also the founder and director of WORLD LAPAROSCOPY HOSPITAL and has trained over 10,000 surgeons from around the world. As World Laparoscopy Hospital continues to lead the way in laparoscopic and robotic surgery training, it remains committed to its mission of advancing surgical techniques, providing the highest quality of care to patients, and training the next generation of surgical professionals. As World Laparoscopy Hospital continues to lead the way in laparoscopic and robotic surgery, it remains committed to its mission of providing the highest quality of care to patients, advancing surgical techniques through research and innovation, and training the next generation of surgical professionals. For more information about World Laparoscopy Hospital and its services, Visit: https://www.laparoscopyhospital.com/ Email: contact@laparoscopyhospital.com Phone: +919811416838 This story has been provided by India PR Distribution. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/India PR Distribution) New Delhi [India], April 5 (ANI/Mediawire): NASSCOM Foundation and Micro Focus now Open Text partnered to provide digital skills training to youth in an effort to prepare them for the ever-changing workforce. The Digital Literacy Livelihood Training Program that started in August last year aimed at enhancing the employability skills and job opportunities for these youth, ultimately improving their quality of life and income, as well as that of their families. Following the success of the first cohort of the project, the initiative was expanded to skill 1000 more individuals from marginalized communities in Bengaluru. The project implemented by technical partner, Mouktik Consulting Services Private Limited has successfully built a skilling and training ecosystem that is geared toward future-ready skills, addressing quality delivery, and leveraging technology's potential to impact the skilling space in India. The project involved training the beneficiaries in cloud-based, multimedia, and interactive learning content. The training consisted of modules focusing on digital literacy and financial literacy, effective communication skills, soft skills, interview preparation, attitude and behavioral as well as training them to work in the retail sector. The goal was to create innovators and entrepreneurs by providing cognitive skill, growth mindset, cultural intelligence, and digital literacy to enable the youth to be job-ready and contribute significantly to the country's economic empowerment. 750 individuals out of 1000 beneficiaries have undergone training in domain-specific skills, and will be provided with job placements as well. Commenting on the collaboration, Nidhi Bhasin, CEO, NASSCOM Foundation said, "We are thrilled to see the positive impact the program has had on the marginalized communities in Bengaluru in the first cohort. The success of the project encouraged us to broaden the initiative's scope, to empower the marginalized youth, women and jobseekers from remote areas of the state and thereby help reduce the talent deficit in the country." Pushpanjali Saikia, CSR India Lead, Micro Focus now Open Text, said that, "We are proud to partner with NASSCOM Foundation for the second time on this project. With the shared goal of empowering the youth, our collaboration has resulted in creating a positive impact on the community by providing essential skills. Through the collaboration the aim is to further develop a skilled workforce to meet the needs of the constantly evolving job market, as well as promote the sharing of knowledge, ideas, and expertise." The Skill India Mission received a significant boost in the recent Union Budget, with a focus on emerging trades. Skill development is a crucial aspect of an individual's education, as it paves the way for employability and defines career paths. 21st-century skills, also known as knowledge-based life skills and career skills, are essential for student success in today's world and for their future careers. India placed a special emphasis on skill development with the launch of the Skill India mission in 2015. Such initiatives are crucial for the majority of India's young population, especially those under the age of 25, who require training and development in new areas of learning. These programs cater to a vast range of IT-based and soft skills development courses, covering various demographic and socio-economic classes. Established in 2001, NASSCOM Foundation has been witness to the transformative power of technology for the last 20 years. Part of the NASSCOM ecosystem, we are the only neutral not-for-profit organization representing the Indian tech Industry. We remain rooted to our core philosophy of TechForGood, where our efforts are focused on unlocking the power of technology by creating access and opportunity for those who need it the most. We work on helping people and institutions transform the way they tackle social and economic challenges through technology. We have three key areas of intervention, Digital Literacy, Skilling and Employability and Women Entrepreneurship. This story has been provided by Mediawire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/Mediawire) Lionsgate locks summer release for 'John Wick' spinoff 'Ballerina' The action drama 'John Wick' is developing its universe by releasing a spin-off movie 'Ballerina.' According to Variety, a US-based media house, the franchise already has four chapters that were loved across the globe. The recent movie from the Keanu Reeves starrer franchise was 'John Wick: Chapter 4' which did an excellent business of USD250 million. As John Wick again gets fondness from the world its eagerly awaited spin-off gets a summer release on June 7, 2024, from Lionsgate. The overwhelming reaction of the audience to the recent John Wick movie has also opened the potential for chapter-5 as Lionsgate Picture Group chair Joe Drake hinted for the same. The official gist of the plot knocks about expanding the John Wick universe by featuring actress, Ana De Armas as a trained assassin in the movie with Keanu. As per Variety, 'Ballerina' is directed by Len Wiseman, written by Shay Hatten and produced by Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee and Chad Stahelski, who directed all four "John Wick" movies. The action film stars Ana De Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, the late Lance Reddick, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Norman Reedus, Ian McShane and Keanu Reeves. In January Ana on 'The Tonight Show' mentioned her experience of shooting in Prague with Keanu Reeves for 'Ballerina.' She stated "We still have one more month to go. And I'm in pain. You know, my body, my back, everything hurts. I'm complaining, I'm sore, I'm bruised. Keanu and I were rehearsing our very difficult stunt scene, and this man is just rolling and throwing me and doing these crazy stunts," she continued. "And I'm like, 'I can't complain anymore.' Because he is doing it. He truly is the best." (ANI) The impasse between the Rajasthan government and doctors, who were on strike for 16 days against the Right to Health bill, ended on Tuesday as both sides came to an agreement. Consensus was reached between doctors and the government on eight demands on the Right to Health (RTH) Bill at a meeting of a doctors' delegation with Chief Secretary Usha Sharma. In the meeting, Principal Secretary, Medical Education, T. Ravikanth and the representatives of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), United Private Clinics' & Hospitals' Association of Rajasthan (UPCHAR) and Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Society (PHNS) discussed and agreed on various points. According to the agreement, private multi-specialty hospitals having less than 50 beds will be kept out of the purview of this law in the first phase of its implementation. The law will also not be binding on those private hospitals that have not taken any concession from the government or any rebate in allotment of land for the hospital. As per the agreement, this law will be implemented in private medical colleges and hospitals, hospitals running on PPP mode, those hospitals that have been allotted land free of cost or on subsidised rates, and hospitals run by a trust that got land on concession or subsidised rates. It was also agreed to consider the regularisation of hospitals functioning in different places in the state as per the 'Kota Model', under which relaxation in building rules will be considered for those hospitals that are functioning in residential premises. Also, police cases and other cases registered during the agitation will be withdrawn. It will be considered to bring a single window system for licenses and other approvals. Similarly, giving fire NOC to private hospitals every five years will be considered. Along with this, it was also agreed that changes in the rules in the Right to Health law would be made in consultation with the representatives of the IMA. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot welcomed the end of this deadlock, saying: "I am happy that finally an agreement has been reached between the government and the doctors and Rajasthan has become the first state in the country to implement Right to Health. "I hope that the doctor-patient relationship will remain the same in future as well." Gehlot said that the state government's objective to bring in the Right to Health bill was that no one should suffer due to lack of treatment, and expressed satisfaction that the doctors fraternity agreed to the proposals put forth by the state government regarding Right to Health. He said that all the people of the state have extended their cooperation to the state government in the favour of the bill and have welcomed this pro-people bill. "Now the doctors agreeing to this important bill is a good sign," he added, expressing hope that all doctors will immediately join their duty and that private and government hospitals will make the Right to Health, and schemes such as the Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Swasthya Bima Yojana and RGHS successful. The Chief Minister expressed confidence that the way private and government hospitals had set an example with excellent management of Covid, they will similarly successfully implement these schemes on the ground and present the 'Rajasthan Model of Public Health'. --IANS arc/vd ( 555 Words) 2023-04-04-22:06:01 (IANS) Dass made the statement in the Assembly on Tuesday while responding to a query by BJP MLA Chakradhar Gogoi. According to the minister, overall 4,58,059 cases are pending various courts in Assam. Of them, Kamrup Metropolitan district has the most pending cases (1,06,850), followed by Nagaon and Dhubri districts with 31,101 and 30,385 pending cases respectively. "With the exception of charges filed for egregious and violent offences, the state administration has decided to withdraw almost one lakh criminal cases where the maximum sentence is three years in prison or a fine, or both," Dass added. He claimed that the decision will help the courts to focus on serious offences and other matters. "Assam State Legal Services Authority (ASLSA) placed a strong emphasis on increasing the number of dispositions in both pre-litigation and pending cases through lok adalats...," Dass asserted. --IANS tdr/sha ( 187 Words) 2023-04-04-22:08:02 (IANS) Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Tuesday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla demanding a debate in the house on Rahul Gandhi's disqualification as an MP after his conviction in a defamation case.A In his letter, Chowdhury quoted the example of BJP's Amreli MP Naranbhai Bhikhabhai Kachhadia, who was not disqualified from his position despite being convicted in a criminal case and sentenced to a three-year jail term, and said that it is "intriguing" Gandhi was disqualified. "There should be a debate in the Parliament as to ascertain the fact that whether our leader Rahul Gandhi has been awarded disproportionate punishment which smacks of cognitive dissonance or equality of law is meted out to all the elected members whosoever," he said in the letter. Chowdhury referred to two conditions that are considered before disqualifying an elected member - the member has to be awarded a conviction for an offence, and has to be sentenced to imprisonment for not less than 2 years. "In my view, the second condition cannot stand the test of the prescribed provision of the Representation of People Act as the sentence of Rahul Gandhi was suspended by the trial court," the Congress leader noted in the letter. --IANS ans/vd ( 222 Words) 2023-04-04-22:10:05 (IANS) "My sincerest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in the tragic avalanche in Sikkim.We are closely monitoring the situation and the teams of NDRF will reach the affected area soon. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured", he said in a tweet. A major avalanche struck the Jawaharlal Nehru road connecting Gangtok with Nathula in Sikkim, leaving at least seven tourists dead and 11 others injured, officials said. --IANS dr/vd ( 106 Words) 2023-04-04-22:22:01 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir administration has announced a Rs 560-crore project under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) to strengthen the existing market infrastructure and create a robust market ecosystem that caters to the needs of all stakeholders. Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Department, Atal Dulloo, emphasized that the proposed project will be segmented into several key areas. "These included market reforms, infrastructure development, institutional and capacity building, branding, digital marketing, and market research information systems. The project aims to achieve its objectives through an investment of Rs 560 crore, which will be spread over a period of five years," he said. The agriculture and allied sectors in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir are poised for significant growth and boost with the launch of a slew of technological advancements and extension programs, he said. These interventions, incentivized through various schemes and projects, have already led to improvements in the quality and quantity of produce in the region. However, the challenge remains in integrating smallholder produce with market systems that are both effective and transparent. This will ensure that farmers receive a fair price for their goods while consumers get good value for their money. "To tackle this issue, Jammu and Kashmir is implementing a project under the Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP) that aims to strengthen the existing market infrastructure and create a robust market ecosystem that caters to the needs of all stakeholders," he said. Dulloo expressed confidence that this project will bring about significant improvements in agriculture and allied sectors in Jammu and Kashmir, providing a boost to the region's economy and benefiting farmers and consumers alike. The project aims to improve the Terms of Trade (ToT) in favour of farmers, improve efficiency and effectiveness of the market ecosystem and minimize the value loss while maximizing societal welfare, Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Department said. The proposed activities or areas of intervention will strengthen the existing agricultural marketing system in J-K, bringing long-term dividends across stakeholders, particularly farmer-producers, he said. "The proposed project also envisages significant growth in agriculture and allied sectors through various activities. The market reforms included implementation of an open auction system, a single license for trading in all mandies, and institutionalization of post-harvest infrastructure with the eNAM network," Dulloo said. He further said, "Infrastructure development will involve converting mandies into value chain parks, creating new mandies and installing composting units. Besides, institutional building and capacity development will focus on the formation of Niche Product Marketing FPOs." The Directorate of Horticulture, Planning and Marketing will be responsible for the on-ground implementation of the project and will serve as the nodal agency for providing unified licensing to potential traders. The government of J-K is set to implement this new project that aims to transform the agriculture sector through a multi-faceted approach. This approach includes market reforms, development of infrastructure, and promotion of institutional building and capacity development of Niche Product Marketing FPOs, he added. Market reforms will bring transparency and fairness in trading practices, genuine prices for produce, increase the number of buyers, and fair competition. This will result in an increase in producers' share in the consumer rupee, he stated. Dulloo further said, infrastructure development will create an efficient and effective market ecosystem, minimize value loss, overcome distress sales, improve logistics, adhere to quality standards, ease of doing business, target unattended geographies, waste to wealth, and minimize environmental pollution. Private entrepreneurs will be responsible for the development of infrastructure, including CA stores, grading lines, mini cold stores, reefer vans and pick-up vans. The Directorate of Horticulture, Planning and Marketing will establish composting units at potential mandies, and also create new mandies in collaboration with the respective District Administrations, he said. The promotion and support of institutional building and capacity development of Niche Product Marketing FPOs will be done in collaboration with allied departments and Agriculture Universities of the UT, he stated. The emphasis will be laid on the branding of agriculture produce to promote marketing and competitive advantage of Niche crops. This will also result in scale economies in input and output marketing, operations, bargaining power, contract farming, better terms of trade (ToT), self-reliance, and confidence, Dulloo said. The project will also include the identification, capacity building, and promotion of Rural Business and Service Hubs (RBSHs) across all districts of J-K. This intervention will provide quality inputs/services, improve logistics in management operations, improve yield and quality produce, technology outreach, extension of improved varieties and machines, and market information, he further stated. The Government of J-K has announced a range of incentives aimed at strengthening the state's market infrastructure. Under the initiative, a 50 per cent capital subsidy will be offered for the establishment of 11 Controlled Atmosphere (CA) stores, each with a capacity of 5000 MT, at a unit cost of Rs 30.00 crore In addition, a 50 per cent per cent subsidy will be provided for the establishment of 12 hi-tech grading lines, 275 portable grading lines, reefer vans, pick-up vans, and mini cold stores. Four mechanized windrow composting units, 16 simple composting units, and four new mandies will also be established at a cost of Rs 49.00 crore, he said. The Institutional Building and Capacity Development component of the project will see 55 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) established with an investment of Rs 11.00 crore, and 35 capacity-building training programs arranged for FPOs, costing Rs. 1.05 crore Additionally, two Agriculture and Branding Centers will be established in each division at a cost of Rs 5.20 crore, Dulloo said. A 50 per cent subsidy will be provided for establishment of 400 Rural Business and Service Hubs, with a ceiling of Rs 15 lakh on each hub. The infrastructure for digital marketing and market intelligence will be established at a cost of Rs 11.30 crore The implementation of these interventions is expected to have a significant impact. The government anticipates that farmers' income will double from 45 per cent to 90 per cent, while the reduction of value loss is expected to be between 20 per cent and 50 per cent, he said. The off-season availability of fruits and vegetables is also expected to improve. Value creation is anticipated to increase by 25 per cent to 75 per cent, and there will be an increase in income, value output, employment, reduced food wastage, and an efficient decision support system, he said Dulloo further stated, "The project will result in several key outputs, including the establishment of 11 CA stores with a capacity of 55,000 MT, 12 hi-tech grading lines, 25 mini cold stores, four new mandies in Samba, Reasi, Kishtwar, and Bandipora, 400 Rural Business and Service Hubs, two Agri Branding centers, and one Market Intelligence Cell. This project is also expected to create 6,000 jobs and 629 enterprises in the next five years." The government of J-K plans to implement a project that aims to transform the agriculture sector through a multi-faceted approach. It will bring transparency and fairness in trading practices, create an efficient and effective market ecosystem, promote institutional building and capacity development of Niche Product Marketing FPOs, and improve digital marketing. (ANI) As National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) revised its books for various classes, including the Class 12 History textbook by omitting the chapters on the Mughal empire, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator from Assam on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to demolish monuments such as Taj Mahal and Qutub Minar. "I urge the Prime Minister to immediately demolish the Taj Mahal and Qutub Minar. In place of these two monuments, the world's most beautiful temples should be built. The architecture of those two temples should be such that no other monuments could be even closer to them," the legislator said. Kurmi further said that he is ready to donate at least his one-and-a-half year's salary for construction of the temples. The latest change would apply to all the schools in the country that follow the syllabus of the NCERT. The NCERT said that the changes will be applicable from the current academic session -- 2023-2024. Notably, in the latest changes in the Class 12 syllabus, the chapters related to the Mughal Empire were omitted from History textbooks by NCERT, while a few poems and paragraphs were also removed from the Hindi book. The "Themes of Indian History-Part II" textbook's chapters on the Mughal Court, monarchs, and their history have been eliminated from the updated curriculum. It is to be mentioned that Rupjyoti Kurmi, four-time MLA and once an ardent critic of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, switched from the Congress to the BJP in June 2021. He earlier won the Mariani assembly seat on Congress ticket. After joining the BJP, Kurmi was re-elected to the Assembly from the same constituency. --IANS tdr/pgh ( 291 Words) 2023-04-04-23:14:01 (IANS) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday expressed his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the tragic avalanche in Sikkim. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar said, "The news of deaths and injuries due to catastrophic avalanche in Sikkim is deeply distressing. Condolences to the bereaved families. Wish the injured a speedy recovery." Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the government is closely monitoring the situation in Sikkim. Shah took to Twitter to condole the loss of lives and assured that the teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) will reach the affected area soon. The minister also prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured in the incident. "My sincerest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in the tragic avalanche in Sikkim. We are closely monitoring the situation and the teams of NDRF will reach the affected area soon. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured," Shah said in a tweet. At least seven tourists were killed and many are feared trapped after an avalanche struck the Gangtok-Nathu La road in Sikkim on Tuesday afternoon, the Army said. The deceased have been identified as Shiva Psd Lamichaney, Ashika Dhakal, Rebya Singh, Bal Singh, Sourav Roy Chaudhary, Pritam Matiy and Muna Shah Shrestra, officials said. "Among the 7 deceased we have identified three as Nepal nationals, and two each were from Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The Bengal victims will be taken in an ambulance, 2 from Uttar Pradesh will be flown while those from Nepal will be taken by road for which the State Social Welfare department is looking into the logistics of taking mortal remains," Gangtok District Collector said. An estimated 20-30 tourists were feared to be trapped under the snow along with five-six vehicles, the Army added. "By 3 pm, 14 persons were rescued and taken to a nearby Army medical facility. However, seven persons succumbed. The other seven persons were administered first aid and returned to Gangtok, the Army said in a statement. The search and rescue operation was halted on Tuesday at 6:00 pm due to inclement weather, the DC notice stated. Further, the search and rescue operation for the avalanche will again start at 8:00 hours on April 5, 2023, to account for missing tourists, the statement reads. (ANI) Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Tuesday emphasised the importance of Kerala's gender budget in promoting gender-sensitive policies and schemes at G20 EMPOWER (Empowerment and Progression of Women's Economic Representation) meeting. Speaking at the G20 EMPOWER meeting, the Minister underlined the increase in the gender budget's share from 11.5 per cent in 2017-18 to 20.9 per cent in 2022-23 in Kerala. She emphasised her state's dedication to women's empowerment and progression in economic representation. She noted that Kerala's progress is deeply rooted in empowering society and, more specifically, women. She provided a historical perspective on women's roles in shaping Kerala's society, detailing the various social and political changes that have occurred since the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These changes have led to a more inclusive and equitable society. The minister cited the Kudumbashree program, launched in 1998, as a key factor in empowering women in Kerala. "As one of the largest networks of women in India, Kudumbashree has successfully promoted entrepreneurship and fostered the devolution of power to Panchayati Raj institutions and communities," she said. The minister stressed the continued Kerala government focus on addressing wages, safety, occupational health, and insurance issues for women in various occupational groups. The importance of the G20 EMPOWER initiative in working towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, she noted. Speaking on occasion, Dr Sangita Reddy, Chair of G20 EMPOWER and Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, emphasised the importance of empowering women in benefiting society and the economy. Dr Reddy highlighted the significant gains made by countries that have successfully closed the gender gap in various sectors, such as education, healthcare, job opportunities, and equal wages. According to her, these countries have experienced a positive ripple effect across all areas of development. "The advantages of having more women on corporate boards, leading to higher growth rates, improved customer sensitivity, and better bottom lines," she stressed. Drawing from her experience at Apollo Hospitals, where 56 per cent of the workforce is female and there is equal board representation, Dr Reddy called for a shift in perspective, stating, "We don't look at women. We look at the best individual for the job." She urged the audience to focus on those women not yet on the stage but who deserve the opportunity to contribute their talents and skills.The G20 EMPOWER initiative will concentrate on three major themes throughout the year: Education (with a special focus on STEM), leadership at all levels (including grassroots), and women entrepreneurship. "The unacceptable prediction from the World Economic Forum that it would take 150 years for women to achieve equal participation in the workforce, asserting that women are not willing to wait," she said. The World Bank's Women, Business and the Law 2022 report served as a sobering reminder that 2.4 billion working-age women lack equal economic opportunities, and 86 countries still impose job restrictions on women. The G20 EMPOWER meeting aims to address these disparities and build a brighter future for women worldwide. Dr MI Sahadulla, Chair, FICCI KESC and Chairman and MD KIMS Hospitals, also spoke on occasion. "Kerala promoted about 135,000 entrepreneurs in the last year, of which about 20 per cent were women," he noted. But, he added, "Of course, we have to catch up and reach that 50 per cent equality level, which we mark as the international benchmark." (ANI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday paid a courtesy call on Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi. During the meeting, the Chief Minister requested the Union Finance Minister to finance an amount of 1,774 crores for the Saung Dam drinking water project under the special assistance of the Government of India for capital expenditure. He said that this project would solve the drinking water problem of Dehradun, according to an official release. The Chief Minister said that in Dehradun city and its suburbs, drinking water is being arranged mainly through tube wells, as a result of which the groundwater level is continuously declining. Due to the increasing population of Dehradun, the demand for drinking water is continuously increasing rapidly, due to which the present drinking water supply system will not be able to meet the future drinking water demand. In view of this problem and to provide continuous drinking water facilities in future, the 'Saung Dam Drinking Water Project' is proposed on Saung river, a tributary of the river Ganga. The total cost of the proposed project is Rs.2021 crore, the release said. The Chief Minister said that with the construction of the project, 150 M.L.D. Drinking water will be available to about 10 lakh population of Dehradun city and its suburban areas through 'Gurutva'. After the construction of the project, the dependence on tube wells for drinking water systems will almost end, due to which there will be a massive reduction in groundwater exploitation, as a result of which there will be an increase in the groundwater level, there will be a reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases and in future new tube wells and operations on them will be reduced. There will also be a massive reduction in maintenance-related expenditures. Apart from this, the construction of the project will create a lake, which will promote tourism in the area, which will generate employment and increase the income of local citizens. The environment will also benefit from the construction of the lake. Another major advantage of this project is post-control, consequent to the project's construction. About 15,000 population of 10 villages of the Dehradun district will be provided protection from the annual flood in Saung River. The project is significant for the water supply of Dehradun city, all necessary technical forest land transfer stage-1 and other necessary approvals related to the project have been received from the concerned departments/ministries. The expenditure (Rs. 247 crores) for the rehabilitation and resettlement of the families affected by the project will be borne by the State Government, an official release said. (ANI) Deepak Boxer, one of the most wanted gangsters in India who was arrested by a special cell team of Delhi police in Mexico, was brought to the national capital on Wednesday morning, officials said. A five-member team of Special Cell Delhi Police landed with the gangster at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport from Mexico this morning. "Our special cell staff have worked extensively and FBI people are also present here who helped us a lot. Along with this Mexican police and external affairs helped us," HGS Dhaliwal, Special Commissioner of Police (CP), Special Cell, said while speaking to the media here. "It was a very important operation for us. The Special Cell of Delhi Police was following him (Gangster Deepak Boxer) for several months. There is no other bigger gangster in Delhi-NCR than him," Special CP Dhaliwal said. "This is a great achievement for the Special Cell," he added. He further said, "This is for the first time when a criminal has been brought back to India from a place like Mexico." "There were multiple teams including the South-West team, New Delhi, Northern range, crime branch and other ranges were involved in the operation. Five officers team have brought him," he added. "He was absconding in many cases including the murder of a builder in Delhi's Civil Lines," Dhaliwal said. Deepak Boxer from Mexico was arrested by a team of Delhi Police's Special Cell with the help of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Tuesday. He is among the most wanted gangsters of Delhi-NCR, who fled the country on a fake passport. He allegedly flew to Mexico in December, last year or January. His arrest came after the sleuths retrieved a passport, which had Boxer's photograph on it but was issued under a different name. The passport holder had taken a flight from Kolkata, according to the police official. The fake passport was made under the name of Ravi Antil from Moradabad and on January 29, he took a flight from Kolkata to Mexico. Boxer had been on the lookout for a builder named Amit Gupta from Delhi's Civil Lines area. In September 2022, taking to Facebook, Boxer claimed responsibility for the builder's murder. Earlier, on August 2022, Gupta was shot several times by unknown assailants in the Burari area of Delhi and died later while receiving treatment. Boxer, who is part of the infamous Gogi gang, had been absconding since then. During its investigation into Gupta's killing, Delhi Police said it was prima facie a case of extortion and murder, and one accused was arrested. Deepak Boxer, who used to run the gang, claimed on Facebook that he killed the Delhi builder and the motive for the murder was not extortion but revenge. According to reports, Deepak Boxer had been leading the Gogi gang after the murder of gangster Jitendra Gogi in Rohini Court. (ANI) Congress leader Brihaspat Singh landed in a soup after a video of him slapping an employee of a cooperative bank went viral. The incident took place on Monday at the premise of the Ramanujganj branch of Zila Sahkari Kendriya Bank. The Congress leader didn't just own up to his act but also raised a number of allegations against the bank employees. He accused the employees of fraudulently siphoning off money in exchange for paddy procurement from the accounts of farmers, claiming that they did not release funds for them and also misbehaved with him. The employees of the cooperative banks, under the Surguja division, submitted a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel demanding action against the ruling party MLA. Speaking to mediapersons, the Ramanujganj MLA said, "The bank employees fraudulently withdrew money from the accounts of farmers and built houses for themselves worth crores. They fraudulently siphoned off money from the accounts of farmers by making bogus signatures and also hid their passbooks." "That's why I got angry and hit them. We will not tolerate injustice with farmers and won't hestitate to break the rules and regulations if such things happen with farmers," he added. The Congress MLA added, "After learning about their fraudulent acts, I reached the bank and tried speaking to the bank officials. However, they misbehaved with me". Responding to the viral video of the incident, the defiant Congress leader said, "The people should make viral the video of a farmer, with a fractured arm, urging the bank employees to release his money for him to foot his medical expenses and the latter thrashing him and throwing him out." On BJP leader Kedar Kashyap seeking his dismissal as an MLA over the incident, Singh hit back alleging, "BJP leader Ramvichar Netam assaulted several government employees and also humiliated them. The BJP should first act against him." (ANI) America's AI-enhanced surveillance at southern border endangers migrants: The Guardian Xinhua) 10:18, April 05, 2023 LONDON, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The AI-enhanced cameras installed in surveillance towers on the southern border of the United States can detect "objects of interest" miles away, which critics say will drive migrants deeper into dangerous desert, The Guardian has reported on Monday. A new map has shown more than 300 existing and 50 proposed surveillance towers along the U.S.-Mexico border, it said, citing the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a non-profit focused on digital privacy, free speech and innovation. The surveillance towers, developed by the tech defense company Anduril, operate day and night and use AI to detect "objects of interest" such as humans or vehicles, it said, noting that the cameras pan 360 degrees and can detect people from 1.7 miles (2.7 km) away. Critics said that the "prevention through deterrence" strategy pursued by several U.S. administrations has driven migration through deserts and mountains, leading thousands of migrants to die or go missing, it said. "The remains of nearly 10,000 migrants have been found by the border patrol in the last 25 years," it said. Surveillance towers in Arizona were significantly correlated with increased deaths of migrants because they took longer routes through the desert to avoid detection, it said, citing a University of Arizona study. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) Congress leader Pramod Tiwari, on Wednesday, moved a suspension of business notice in Rajya Sabha to discuss the need for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe in the Adani issue. The Congress MP gave the suspension of business notice under Rule 267 of Rules of Procedures and Conduct of Business. In the letter addressed to Rajya Sabha Chairman, Pramod Tiwari stated, "That this house do suspend zero hour and other business of the day to discuss the need to constitute a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to investigate into the serious allegations of corporate fraud, corruption, stock-market manipulation and financial management against the Adani group and the government's role in promoting the business interests of the Adani group, including the illegal allocation of coal mines, amending rules and regulations to allow bidding of six airports, negotiations with countries for big-ticket projects, etc". Congress MP Manickam Tagore has also given an adjournment motion notice to discuss "government failure" in constituting a JPC to investigate charges of fraud, corruption and financial mismanagement of the Adani group. Congress Lok Sabha MP Manish Tewari has given an adjournment motion notice to discuss the "reported procurement" of Pegasus-like surveillance equipment by the Government. Other than them, CPI MP P Santosh Kumar has given the Zero Hour Notice in Rajya Sabha demanding the government provide statehood to the Union Territory of Puducherry. AAP MP Raghav Chadha has given a suspension of business notice to discuss "huge losses" incurred by farmers across the country on account of damage to standing crops due to unseasonal rainfall and the need for a special package by the Government of India to compensate the farmers. BJP MP Harnath Singh Yadav has also given a Zero Hour Notice in Rajya Sabha over damage caused to crops due to unseasonal rainfall in Uttar Pradesh and other parts of the country. The ongoing budget session of the Parliament has faced repeated disruptions amid the Opposition's demand for a JPC probe into the Adani issue, and the ruling BJP's demand for an apology from Rahul Gandhi over his remarks in London. (ANI) The Delhi Police has arrested a dreaded sharpshooter belonging to Irfan Chhenu gang from north-east Delhi's Welcome area, police informed on Wednesday. As per the police, the arrested sharpshooter has been identified as Imran alias Rizwan (23). Imran was allegedly an active associate of the Irfan Chhenu alias Chhenu Pehlwan gang, the police said. "A team of North East District has arrested sharpshooter of Irfan Chhenu gang also known as Chhenu Pehlwan gang, armed with a sophisticated semi-automatic pistol, loaded with eight live cartridges near Welcome," Delhi Police said in a statement. As per the police, in a previous case, three members of the Irfan Chhenu gang were arrested, and sophisticated weapons with a large number of ammunition were also recovered. While interrogating the accused from that case, the police got to know about a new gang and the name of another active associate Imran alias Rizwan. Imran has been involved in several crimes including murder and has been out on parole in a murder case. On April 3, the police received secret information regarding the presence of Imran near the garbage dump site, Budh Bazar Nala Road, Welcome. A police team was formed comprising ASI Rajiv Tyagi, ASI Sanjeev, ASI Rajdeep, Head Constable Nitin and Constable Jagdish. The team was under the supervision of Inspector Harish Chandra. The team subsequently laid down a trap to nab the accused at the suspected location. After being rounded up by the police, Imran took out his pistol and entered into a scuffle with the police, But, the police were able to overpower and subsequently arrest him. The police also recovered a sophisticated semi-automatic pistol from him, which was loaded with eight live cartridges. Accordingly, a case vide FIR no. 276/23 dated April 3, under sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act at Welcome Police Station, and further investigation was taken up. During sustained interrogation, Imran admitted being an active associate of Irfan alias Chhenu, the police said. Efforts are on to track the source of the pistol and ammunition, and further investigation is underway in the case, the police said. (ANI) The accused was identified as Azim, a resident of Shastri Park. Azim's neighbour came to the police station to report the matter. He told the police that some saffron-coloured religious small flags had been put up along the street in A Block. Around 12.30 am, his neighbour, Azim, allegedly tore off the religious flags and dumped them in a street drain. A purported video of the incident also went viral on social media. A case under relevant India Penal Code sections was registered in connection with the incident. The incident comes on the heels of clashes in West Bengal and Bihar during Ram Navami celebrations. On Monday, West Bengal Police arrested a 19-year-old biy in conection with the violence during Ram Navami celebrations in West Bengal's Howrah. Arrested from neighbouring Bihar, the youth allegedly brandished a weapon during a Ram Navami procession in Howrah. The accused, identified as Sumit Shaw, was purportedly seen brandishing a weapon in a video now viral on social media. According to the police, the accused is a resident of Salkia in Howrah and had been absconding since the incident. "I can only say that West Bengal police arrested one person. Now after court permission, they will take the arrested man on a transit remand," Munger Superintendent of Police Jagunath Reddy Jalareddy said. TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh claimed that the violence on Ram Navami was a conspiracy by the BJP to trigger unrest in West Bengal. "In the Howrah incident on Ram Navami, a boy was spotted carrying a revolver in the BJP procession. With his arrest, the BJP's plot to incite violence stands exposed. Howrah Police arrested him in Bihar's Munger. The case has been assigned to the CID," the TMC leader said. (ANI) The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Executive Committee on Wednesday issued a statement condemning the recent killing of a Delhi lawyer and said that the investigation into the matter should be conducted in an expedited and fair manner. The Executive Committee of SCBA has unanimously condemned the brutal attack on Advocate Virender Kumar Narwal, who was practising in New Delhi. Advocate Narwal was recently allegedly shot dead by two bike-borne assailants in Delhi's Dwarka area. SCBA also said that if the need arises, a SIT should be constituted to handle the case. "Lawyers have been an integral part of society, and such an attack on lawyers will completely shatter the confidence of the public at large if the people who are meant to protect the rule of law are attacked in such manners, and the culprits are not caught expeditiously. Advocates are otherwise also vulnerable sections of the society having no social security," stated the press statement issued by SCBA. The Executive Committee of SCBA also resolved in the statement that the Advocates Protection Bill, 2021 which is pending its Parliamentary enactment for almost two years, be passed at the earliest, to ensure the safety and security of lawyers while performing their professional obligations fearlessly. "By virtue of bringing in of such an act, certain provisions will come in force for taking care of the interests of the Advocates, be it with providing of Police Protection in certain cases, forming of a Redressal Committee for Advocates at each level of Judiciary, protection of Advocates from Illegal Arrests and Malicious Prosecutions, waiving of bail bonds for Advocates, providing extended protection in cases of privileged communications with clients, providing insurances and financial aids & loans to the Advocates, etc," said the statement. We hope that our demands shall be considered on priority whereby the culprits will be arrested immediately and a pan- India Advocates Protection Act shall soon be passed by the Parliament on priority, SCBA further said. (ANI) Some opposition MPs were also seen wearing black clothes in Lok Sabha. Rajya Sabha was adjourned amid sloganeering by the opposition. The opposition MPs raised slogans on the Adani issue. The opposition has been demanding a joint parliamentary committee on the Adani-Hindenburg issue. Amid the logjam in Parliament due to the BJP and Opposition parties locking horns over the Adani stocks issue, leaders of like-minded opposition parties attended a meeting in Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge's chamber in the Parliament building on Wednesday morning. Taking to Twitter, TMC MP Derek O'Brien said, "Serious, very serious destruction of Parliament happening. MPs from the ruling party shouting slogans, not allowing Parliament to run for a full Session." On Monday, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned soon after Parliament resumed its last leg of the ongoing Budget Session after a four-day break. The last leg of the Budget session began on March 13 and has witnessed repeated adjournments. Parliament has witnessed repeated adjournments over ruckus by the MPs since the commencement of the Budget Session on March 13. The opposition parties and BJP have been at loggerheads over the Adani Stocks issue and Rahul Gandhi's remarks on democracy in the UK. (ANI) The deity of Lord Ganesha was incepted by Shri Dagdusheth Halwai and his wife Lakshmibai way back when they lost their only son to the plague epidemic and hence it is called Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati, the temple authorities said. Every year, the Ganpati festival is celebrated with deep faith and enthusiasm at the temple, not only by Dagdusheth's family but by the entire neighbourhood. Tatyasaheb Godse, then in his early youth, was a zestful participant in the celebrations, they said In later years, when Lokmanya Tilak made Ganpati festival a public celebration to bring people together for the freedom struggle, Dagdusheth Ganpati became the most respected and popular idol in Pune. In 1952, the responsibility of organizing the festival at Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati temple officially fell upon Tatyasaheb and his group of friends. (ANI) Earlier in the day, both houses of the Parliament were adjourned till 2 pm soon after the resumption of the last leg of the ongoing Budget Session after a day's break. Some opposition MPs were also seen wearing black clothes in Lok Sabha. Rajya Sabha was adjourned amid sloganeering by the opposition. The opposition MPs raised slogans on the Adani issue. The opposition has been demanding a joint parliamentary committee on the Adani-Hindenburg issue. Parliament has witnessed repeated adjournments over ruckus by the MPs. The opposition parties and BJP have been at loggerheads over the Adani Stocks issue and Rahul Gandhi's remarks on democracy in the UK. The second leg of the budget session commenced on March 13 and will end on April 6. (ANI) The BJP's Telangana spokesperson NV Subhash on Wednesday condemned the arrest of the party's state chief and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar, calling the BRS government led by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao 'inhuman'. "Is there democracy in the state? The midnight drama of the police and their overaction is highly condemnable. They took away our party chief forcibly without revealing any reason and not even showing any respect to a public representative, who was elected from Karimnagar parliamentary constituency," Subhash said. Calling Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao 'inhuman', he said the former was not allowing people to attend the last rites of their dead as he was drunk on power. He also demanded the immediate release of the BJP's state chief. He said that the BJP's state chief arrived in Karimnagar to attend a family event and a band of police personnel went there and took him into custody. "Our party workers as well as his family members want to know the reason for his arrest," he added. Terming the arrest of the party's state president undemocratic, Subhash alleged that police personnel were behaving like the workers of the ruling party. "CM KCR has stooped to such a level that he, with the help of the police, are preventing his political rivals from attending the last rites of their departed loved ones," he alleged. Also, Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy on Wednesday spoke to Telangana DGP Anjani Kumar and enquired about the arrest of Bandi Sanjay. Sources said Reddy questioned DGP how the police arrested the BJP state president without citing any reason. Earlier, BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh condemned the arrest of Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay, calling it illegal. Chugh said, "I strongly condemn the illegal arrest of Bandi Sanjay Kumar last night. The failure of the police to disclose the reason for the arrest points to the rampant misuse of power in which police have become a tool." (ANI) Assam's Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force (HoFF) Mahendra Kumar Yadav has been removed as Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW) after an RTI query exposed misuse of Tiger Conservation Fund (TCF). A notification issued by the Environment and Forests department of the Assam government on April 1, said that Sandeep Kumar, principal chief conservator of forests (Wildlife and Bio-diversity) cum project director, Assam project on forest and biodiversity conservation society will hold the charge of chief wildlife warden (CWLW) with immediate effect, until further orders. The Assam government has also asked an additional chief secretary of the state to examine the alleged diversion of funds under tiger conservation and other projects during the visit of former President Ram Nath Kovind and his family to Kaziranga in February last year. According to a reply to an RTI query by activist Rohit Choudhury, the chairman of the executive committee of Kaziranga tiger conservation foundation said that an amount of Rs 1,12,60,397 is sanctioned from the fund of Kaziranga tiger conservation foundation to the divisional forest Officer cum deputy director, eastern Assam wildlife division, Kaziranga tiger reserve being payment for arrangement of the visit of former President on 26th & 27th February 2022 as grant in Aid. In the RTI reply, the field director of Kaziranga national park & tiger reserve said that the total expenses incurred by the Kaziranga national park authority on the visit of the former President are Rs 1,64,16,324. According to the RTI reply, "Total amount of funds provided by the office of the principal chief conservator of forests & chief wildlife warden, Assam for the visit of the former President is Rs 51,97,581 with an unspent balance of Rs 41,653." The state forest minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said that additional chief secretary of the Environment and forests department Ravi Shankar Prasad had been directed to look after the allegation. (ANI) The meeting was a part of the party's outreach to the Christian community in Kerala, according to sources. The meeting was organised by the Union Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also meeting the delegation, sources added. Further details are awaited. (ANI) Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Parliament on Wednesday that the groundbreaking ceremony of Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project was held on September 14, 2017, in reply of a question. According to the minister, physical progress of 32.93 per cent in Gujarat and 13.72 per cent in Maharashtra, pertaining to the project, had been achieved till February this year. "Till now, out of total 352 km elevated viaduct, approx. 257 km of piling, 180 km of foundation, 155 km of the pier and 37 km of girder launching have been completed in Gujarat and Dadra & Nagar Haveli," the minister informed the members. The minister in a reply to a question said the total cost of MAHSR project was estimated as Rs 1,08,000 crore in 2015 and also informed the Parliament that an expenditure of Rs 38,506 crore had so far been incurred on MAHSR project. The minister also said in a reply that the execution of the project had been affected due to a delay in land acquisition in the state of Maharashtra and consequent delays in finalisation of contracts as well as adverse impact of Covid-19. In a reply to a question, he said the anticipated cost and timeline could be ascertained only after completion of land acquisition, finalisation of all contracts and associated timelines. (ANI) Governor offered flowers to the portrait of the Jagjivan Ram at a programme held in Durbar Hall in Raj Bhavan. On this occasion, Governor said that Babu Jagjivan Ram was a great freedom fighter, crusader of social justice, an outstanding parliamentarian and a true democrat. He was an able administrator and a gifted orator, served as a union minister for a long time, and championed the cause of the poor and the oppressed classes. Officers and staff members of the Raj Bhawan were also present on the occasion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also paid tributes to Babu Jagjivan Ram on his birth anniversary. Taking to Twitter Prime Minister said," Respectful tribute to former Deputy Prime Minister Babu Jagjivan Ram, who was an active fighter of the freedom struggle, on his birth anniversary. His efforts to connect the deprived sections of the society with the mainstream of development will always remain a source of inspiration." Popularly known as Babuji, Jagjivan Ram was one of India's greatest Dalits icons, who fought for the rights of the underprivileged. Throughout his entire political career in which he was a parliamentarian for record 50 years, Jagjivan Ram strove for a just and egalitarian society. He was Defence Minister during the Indo-Pakistan war in 1971. He also served as a Deputy Prime Minister between 1977 and 1979. During the India Independence movement, he founded the All India Depressed Class League in 1935, which worked towards equality for the 'untouchables'. (ANI) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought responses on a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging a memorandum by the Ministry of Minority Affairs which allows only Central Police Force employees to travel to Saudi Arabia to serve as Officers and Assistants during the Haj 2023 pilgrimage period. The Bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chander Sharma also comprising Justice Subramonium directed all respondents to file their responses in the matter and fixed the matter on May 10 this year for further hearing. A petitioner seeking direction to the Ministry of Minority Affairs to amend the Office Memorandum which was issued on March 20 this year to the extent of giving an opportunity to all Muslim employees of Centre, State and Union territories (UTs). The petition termed it a violation of Article 14 of the Constitution of India and hence unconstitutional. The plea has been moved by Advocate Aslam Ahmed and Advocate Raees Ahmed for the petitioner Aamir Javed. It stated that the present Petition is being filed on the basis that other central or State Government/UTs administration employees are not eligible for any deputation in the Office Memorandum dated 20.03.2023, which earlier was a practice of the Government of India to send male and female members of the Muslim community who are employees of various Government department on deputation for the temporary basis to Consulate General of India, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to render assistance to Haj pilgrims as Coordinators (Admin), Assistant Haj Officers (AHO) and Haj Assistants (HA) for Haj, stated the plea. Advocate Aslam Ahmed stated that Muslim employees working in other states and departments have been prohibited this time from serving in the deputation team for the Haj 2023 period. The PIL petitioner Aamir Javed claimed that he had addressed a communique dated 23 March 2023 to the Minority Affairs Minister and had appealed to the ministry to amend the impugned Office Memorandum/Order and allow the employees of all the States/UTs and departments, for the purpose of applying to the deputation service, in line with the constitutionally guaranteed right. However, no response or assistance was received from the Ministry in this regard, claimed the petitioner. The plea further stated that the operation of the impugned Office Memorandum/Order causes discrimination volte-face between Government employees, at the outset. Speaking in this regard, Delhi High Court Advocate Raees Ahmed, a former member of the Delhi Minority Commission stated that, if the employees are not selected from all the states, the pilgrims will face linguistic problems during the Haj pilgrimage period. Hajis from all the States of India go to perform Haj, and all of them do not know English, Hindi or Urdu and many of the Hajis speak regional states' languages. Therein, it is difficult to ascertain how these regional language-speaking Hajis will be prejudiced, and deeply affected. In fact, the Haj Committee and the Consulate General of India at Jeddah will also face this linguistic problem as well as an inconvenience which in turn will have a domino effect to the millions of pilgrims going from India. (ANI) A unique protest was staged outside a liquor shop during which Hindus recited Hanuman Chalisa, sold milk while the Muslims organised an Iftar. Through the unique mode of protest, the two communities came together to put forward the demand for shifting the liquor shop somewhere else in state capital Bhopal, on Tuesday evening. [{90fa4a01-4a27-44db-9459-f22769b36b2a:intradmin/ANI-20230405041718.jpeg}] The protest was organised in Shahjahanabad area of the state capital. The protestors also offered roses to the liquor shop employees while requesting the owner to remove the shift the shop elsewhere in the city. Locals said there is a temple, a mosque and a gurudwara at a very short distance from the liquor shop. "There were schools and hospitals as well. We have been facing a lot of problems owing to the location of the liquor shop," said a local. "Also, anti-social elemments and trouble-makers routine gather at this liquor store putting us at a grave security risk. This is why we are holding this unique protest today, asking the owner and the local authorities to shift the shop elsewhere," the local added. The protestors also handed a memorandum, addressed to the collector, to the local police station in-charge, requesting him to shift the shop somewhere else. Earlier in the day, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan chaired a cabinet meeting in which he said the state government implemented what had been decided in the new excise policy. CM Chouhan said, "It was decided that as part of the new excise policy, Ahatas (open-air liquor joints) would be closed. I am happy to inform you that the same has been implemented. A total of 2,611 Ahatas across the state have been closed." "Besides, 232 such liquor shops, which used to come within 100 metre radius of religious places, schools etc. have also been removed from there. So I think that we have implemented what we had decided in the excise policy," Chouhan added. (ANI) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday deferred the hearing on alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekar's plea challenging the framing of charges against him in a PMLA case in connection with the AIADMK two leaves symbol case. The trial Court had on October 15, 2022, ordered the framing of charges under Section 3 punishable under Section 4 of the PMLA against Sukesh Chandrasekhar. Sukesh through his Advocate Anant Malik in February month has moved Delhi High Court challenging the trial court order and stating that the trial Court incorrectly, erroneously and without proper application of mind arrived at the conclusion that the charge of an offence under Section 3 of PMLA punishable under Section 4 of PMLA should be framed against the Petitioner. The bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma on Wednesday while deferring the matter for July 31, granted more time to counsel for Sukesh, and sought more time to file their written submissions. Meanwhile, the counsel for ED also informed the bench that they have filed their written submissions today and the same will be placed on record. On October 15, 2022, the trial court ordered for framing of charges and said the Court is of the opinion that there is sufficient material on record to prima facie frame a charge against the accused Sukash for the offence of money laundering under Section 3 of the PMLA punishable under Section 4 of PMLA. According to the prosecution, the accused was arrested by Crime Branch Delhi Police on April 16, 2017, from Hyatt Regency Hotel and cash of Rs.1.30 crores was seized from his possession. Thereafter, the Crime Branch registered FIR under Sections 170/120-B of IPC and Section 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 ( PC Act) against the accused Sukash Chandrashekhar and TTV Dhinakaran on the allegation that the accused Sukash Chandrashekhar took money from TTV Dhinakaran to bribe the ECI officials to get the AIADMK election symbol 'two leaves' for V.K. Sasikala faction. As per the FIR registered by Crime Branch, Delhi Police, the accused Sukesh Chandrashekhar was promised a sum of Rs 50 crores in return for a favourable order from ECI. It is stated that the accused Sukash Chandrashekhar is a known cheat having several involvements in high-profile cheating cases and he was using a Mercedes Benz Car having Member of Parliament printed on both the registration plates. A search of the room of the accused in Hotel Hyatt Regency, R.K. Puram was conducted and Rs 1.30 crores were seized from his room.Further one Mercedes Benz Car and one BMW car were also recovered from the possession of the accused Sukash Chandrashekhar and were seized. It was also stated that on July 14, 2017 charge sheet was filed by Delhi Police under Sections 419, 420, 467, 468, 471, 474, 201, 170, and 120-B of IPC and Section 8 of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act. Subsequently, two supplementary charge sheets were filed against the accused Sukash Chandrashekhar and eight others. On the basis of the FIR filed by the Crime Branch which contains the Scheduled Offences (Section 120B IPC and Section 8 PC Act) ECIR dated 28.04.2017 was recorded by Headquarter Investigation Unit, Directorate of Enforcement and an investigation was initiated. Enquiries under Section 54 of PMLA were made from various agencies and individuals and the information and documents were analyzed and used in an investigation. The accused Sukash Chandrashekhar was arrested under Section 19 of PMLA on April 1, 2022, and ED was granted custody of the accused till April 14, 2022, and presently he is in judicial custody. Statements of various persons under Sections 50 (2) and (3) PMLA were recorded including the accused Sukash Chandrashekhar, said the ED in court. (ANI) Most of the clauses of the third Bodo accord, 2020 have been implemented which include the surrender of 1,615 cadres along with arms and ammunition, setting up of Bodo Kachari Welfare Council and the creation of a separate Welfare of Bodoland Department to deal with matters relating to councils under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution including Bodo Territorial Council (BTC), Ministry of Home Affairs told the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai shared the input while responding to a query from United People's Party Liberal MP Rwngwra Narzary. Asked whether the Minister of Home Affairs will be pleased to state the present status of implementation of the third Bodo Accord, 2020; Rai said, "A Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) was signed between Government of India, Government of Assam and representatives of Bodo Groups on January 27, 2020, to end decades-old Bodo crisis." "Most of the clauses of MoS have been implemented which include the surrender of 1,615 cadres along with arms and ammunition, setting up of Bodo Kachari Welfare Council? establishment of a separate Directorate of Bodo Medium Schools? creation of a separate Welfare of Bodoland Department to deal with matters relating to councils under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution including Bodo Territorial Council (BTC)," the MoS said. "Clause 10.1 of the MoS provides for a Special Development Package of Rs 1,500 crore (Rs 750 crore by the Government of India and Rs 750 crore by the Government of Assam) for undertaking specific projects," said Rai. "Illustrative lists have been appended at Annexure-II, III and IV of MoS which include Central University, North-East Regional Institute of Medical Science and National Institute of Technology," Rai added. The Minister further said that a Joint Monitoring Committee constituted with representatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of Assam, BTC and Bodo organizations, monitors the implementation of MoS on regular basis. (ANI) Taking cognisance of recent violence that broke out between two groups in West Bengal and Bihar during the Ram Navami procession, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued an advisory to all states to ensure the maintenance of law and order in preparation of Hanuman Jayanti. The MHA has also advised through its advisory for peaceful observance of the festival, and monitoring of factors that could disturb communal harmony in society. Hanuman Jayanti would be observed on Thursday, April 6. "The MHA has issued an advisory to all states in preparation for Hanuman Jayanti. The governments are encouraged to ensure the maintenance of law and order, peaceful observance of the festival, and monitoring of any factors that could disturb communal harmony in society," tweeted the Union Home Ministry. The advisory has been sent to the Chief Secretaries and the Director Generals of Police of all States, said sources. The MHA's move followed recent clashes reported from West Bengal and Bihar when Ram Navami processions were taken out. In West Bengal, violence broke out in Howrah last week. Similar clashes were reported in Nalanda's Biharsharif and Sasaram in Rohtas district in Bihar on March 31. The Home Ministry has asked the West Bengal government to submit a report at the earliest on the incident of violence in Howrah, where several vehicles were torched and shops vandalized last week. A total of 10 companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) have been sent to Bihar after violent clashes erupted there during Ram Navami celebrations. Tension prevailed in Bihar even a day after Ram Navami as fresh violence was reported in Rohtas and Nalanda districts on Saturday, the police had said. In Nalanda's Biharsharif, a person was killed and several others injured after clashes broke out between two groups. Six people were injured in a blast in Sasaram town of Rohtas district. Nalanda Police on Sunday said more than 75 people were arrested in raids after the clash. Bihar Police imposed prohibitory orders in Nalanda to maintain law and order in the region. Clashes were first reported in the two districts of Bihar on Friday. (ANI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday requested the Allahabad High Court to decide at the earliest the plea of disqualified Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Mohammad Abdullah Azam Khan seeking a stay of his conviction in a matter related to a protest in 2008. The direction of the bench of justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna came while hearing Mohammad Abdullah Azam Khan's plea. The top court requested the Allahabad HC to hear the matter on April 10 and decide the application for stay as early as possible. Senior advocate Vivek Tankha and advocate Sumeer Sodhi appeared for Abdullah Khan, son of SP leader Azam Khan. Mohammad Abdullah Azam Khan claiming that he was a juvenile as on the date of the incident, has challenged the Allahabad High Court order dated March 17. Khan was disqualified from Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly after he was convicted and sentenced to two-year imprisonment in a 15-year-old case. Abdulla Khan was representing Suar constituency in Rampur district in the Assembly. Khan and his father were convicted by a local court in Uttra Pradesh of allegedly using criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty and other provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in a matter pertaining to a dharna on a state highway in January 2008. Abdullah Azam Khan moved Allahabad High Court against the trial court order seeking suspension of his sentence. On February 13, the trial court convicted Abdullah Khan for offences punishable under Section 353, 341 IPC and 7 Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1932, and sentenced him to undergo two years of simple imprisonment. Subsequent to the February 13, 2023 trial court order convicting Khan, the Assembly Secretariat, Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly on February 15 notified that the Constituency seat of Suar in Rampur district has become vacant. Khan appealed to the Court of Additional Sessions Judge, Rampur against the order of the trial court and also filed an application for a stay of conviction and sentence. However, the Sessions Court dismissed the said application on February 28. After that, Khan approached the High Court against the order. Khan in his petition said that he believes that during the pendency of the Application before the High Court, the by-election to the Rampur Constituency would be announced. Khan said he is concerned that if such an announcement is made and thereafter, the High Court passes a stay order the same would be rendered moot due to the announcement of the by-elections. (ANI) On the occasion of the 43rd foundation day of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually address party MPs in the Parliament on Thursday. BJP has asked all its MPs to remain present in Parliament on April 6. Last year too the party organised a similar event for its MPs in Parliament. April 6 marks the BJP's 43rd foundation day and the party has organised various programmes right from the booth level. "We have close to a year to go before the next general elections and the BJP is on the cusp of creating history by forming a government for the third time in a row. The address by our tallest leader will act as a guiding force and motivate us to give in our best in the years and months to come. We are looking forward to the 'margdarshan' by Modi ji on this auspicious occasion of our foundation day," a senior BJP official told ANI. April 6 is also the last day of the ongoing Budget Session which has been an absolute washout because of the Opposition demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Hindenburg report on Adani group and the BJP has been demanding Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's apology for his remarks on Savarkar and insulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is one of the tallest OBC leaders. Further, the ruling party at the Centre will screen Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech at 10 lakh places across the country on Thursday. At BJP national headquarters in Delhi, party chief JP Nadda will hoist flag in the morning. Following this, he will address the party workers. Then Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech will be played at BJP offices across the country. BJP leaders, office bearers and workers will gather at party offices to listen to PM Modi's speech. "All the workers at the booth level are informed. BJP has also issued a letter to the workers regarding the outline of the programme," a BJP leader told ANI. Sources said the party has planned a week-long social harmony campaign from April 6 till the birth anniversary of Baba Saheb Ambedkar on April 14. (ANI) Various farmers' organisations from the Idukki district organised a march to the Kerala High Court on Wednesday seeking justice on the issue of tusker 'Arikomban', the wild elephant, which roams around the Chinnakkanal and nearby areas in Idukki and has destroyed several human settlements. The organisations are demanding the protection of their life and property, and the immediate capture of the rogue elephant among other demands. The organisations that protested include - Idukki Land Freedom Movement, Athijeevana Porattavedi Idukki, Devikulam Taluk Farmers Forum, Anjunadu Samrakshana Samithi, Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi, and Elephant Action Committee etc. General Convenor of Idukki Land Freedom Movement, Razaq Chooravelil said, "The way the High Court approached this case has caused great concern to the people living in the hilly areas. The practice of giving priority to animals over humans has come from the court. This is a move that affects our fundamental rights to live. This march is demanding that we get justice. It is a mad elephant. Nothing is going to change that. The government also has the power to shoot the elephant. It can also be done." "For a long time, the rights of citizens have been violated and the rights of animals have been protected in forest-related matters. In India, any animal is protected. This is a planned move to turn Kerala completely into a forest," said Binoy Thomas, another leader. On March 30, as many as 10 panchayats in Kerala's Idukki district observed a 12-hour hartal (strike) from 6 am to 6 pm demanding to capture the wild tusker. The 'hartal' was observed at Marayur, Munnar, Devikulam, Kanthalloor, Vattavada, Edamalakkudy, Bisonvalley, Udumbanchola, Santhanpara and Chinnakkanal panchayats. The hartal was staged as a displeasure against the Kerala High Court which constituted a five-member expert committee to advise the court on options other than capturing the tusker 'Arikomban' that has reportedly killed 7 people and destroyed several human settlements. The court also ordered that the Kerala Forest Department attach a radio collar to track the tusker's movements. After the court's order, the joint action council which was leading the local protests to capture the tusker called for a 12-hour panchayat-level hartal. Arikomban, a wild tusker used to stray into human settlements and attack people while on a search for rice (Ari in Malayalam means rice, so the name Arikomban). Following the protests from locals, the district administration had taken unprecedented precautions for the capture of this elephant, as the area of operation is located inside human settlements. Meanwhile, a petition was moved in Kerala High Court on March 23 against capturing Arikomban. The court stayed the mission till March 29 and constituted an expert committee to advise the court on this issue. The people belonging to two tribal colonies residing majorly in these panchayats are the main victims of the tusker's attacks. (ANI) Supreme head of the Indian Orthodox Church, Baselios Marthoma Mathews III on Wednesday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and extended an invite to him to visit their headquarters at Kottayam. Union Minister V Muraleedharan escorted the supreme head of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in Parliament today to meet the Prime Minister at his office inside Parliament. According to sources, the meeting was part of the outreach of the BJP to the Christian community in Kerala. The Union Minister also took to Twitter to post about the "productive meeting." https://twitter.com/VMBJP/status/1643583432767971328 Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, who is visiting the national capital to lead Easter Week celebrations in the Delhi diocese said, "It was my wish to meet the Prime Minister, after I took over as the head of the Church. Now after meeting him, I feel really happy. He inquired about the functioning of the Church and I explained in detail and he was happy to hear about what we were doing." "I extended an invite to the Prime Minister to visit our headquarters the next time he comes to Kerala and he has agreed to do so," Baselios Marthoma Mathews III said. He said the Prime Minister was very much aware of the Church and its various educational and charity institutions. "We have our diocese church in Gujarat and so he knew very well the Church and about the educational and charitable institutions that we are running all over India," Baselios Marthoma Mathews III said. Ahead of the upcoming 2024 general elections, the BJP has planned a huge outreach programme based on PM Modi's Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas programme. Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, however, said there was a discussion on this during his meeting with the prime minister. "... We are happy with the development programmes that the government is doing but at the same time we have some isolated problems from different regions, some attacks against the Christian church etc that is a reality..." he said. The Church head said that there should be deliberation on looking into the issues and resolving issues faced by Christians. Baselioius Marthoma Mathews III, is the present Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan, the religious titles of the supreme head of the Indian Orthodox church, which is also called as the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. The church belongs to the Oriental Orthodox family. (ANI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain the plea filed by Congress-led 14 opposition parties, alleging "arbitrary use" of central probe agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against opposition leaders and seeking a fresh set of guidelines governing the arrest, remand, and bail. After the top court did not show any interest in the petition, Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appearing for opposition parties, sought to withdraw the plea. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said that politicians stand on the same footing as citizens of this country. The top court said that the political leaders don't enjoy immunity and can't claim a higher identity. The court questioned how can there be a different set of procedure for them and said that there can not be guidelines only applying to politicians. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appearing for opposition parties said that from 2013-14 to 2021-22, there is a 600 per cent increase in CBI and ED cases. "A total of 121 political leaders have been probed by ED, of which 95 per cent are from the opposition parties," Singhvi said. For the CBI, out of 124 investigations, over 95 per cent are from opposition parties. This has a chilling effect on the legitimacy of political opposition, Singhvi told the Supreme Court. However, the court was not convinced by the submission and remarked, "Can we say because of these statistics, there should be no investigation or no prosecution?" "Ultimately a political leader is basically a citizen and as citizens, we are all amenable to the same law," the court observed. Senior Advocate Singhvi replied that the parties don't want any pending case in India to be affected by the plea, and they are not here to interfere in the existing investigation. The court said that the statistics in the petition pertain only to politicians. The court asked how can it lay down guidelines on arrest if there is no bodily harm or child sex abuse. The court made it clear to the petitioner that they can come to court in an individual case and the court will consider it. Singhvi told the Supreme Court that mass arrests are a threat to democracy, it is a sign of authoritarianism, and the process becomes the punishment. Where is democracy if these people are fighting cases all the time, Singhvi said. The court observed that the moment the petitioner says democracy the petition is for politicians. The court said that the absence of specific facts to lay down general guidelines would be dangerous. The opposition party have sought from the Supreme Court certain prospectively applicable guidelines governing the arrest, remand, and bail of persons in offences (which may or may not be punishable with imprisonment for above 7 years) not involving serious bodily harm (thereby obviously excluding homicide, rape, terrorism etc.). The 14 Opposition political parties have filed this petition before the Supreme Court of India, in light of the alarming rise in the use of coercive criminal processes against Opposition political leaders and other citizens exercising their fundamental right to dissent and disagree with the present Union Government. The petitioner said that as for arrest and remand, they sought the triple test --whether a person is a flight risk, or whether there is a reasonable apprehension of the tampering of evidence or of the influencing/intimidation of witnesses-- be used by police officers/ED officials and courts alike for the arrest of persons in any cognizable offences except those involving serious bodily violence. The petitioner said that when these conditions are not satisfied, alternatives like interrogation at fixed hours or at most house arrest be used to meet the demands of investigation. As for bail, the Petitioners sought that the principle of 'bail as a rule, jail as exception' be followed by all courts throughout, especially in cases where non-violent offences are alleged, and that bail be denied only where the triple-test is met. The petitioner sought to harmonise the bail provisions of special laws such as PMLA with stringent bail conditions are concerned. The opposition party also sought that if it appears that the trial is unlikely to complete within six months, the accused be released on bail even under special laws unless the conditions in the triple-test are not fulfilled. In conclusion, the petitioners sought these guidelines to fulfil and realise the guarantee of personal liberty entrenched in Article 21 of the Constitution, for all citizens, including those targeted for exercising their right to political dissent and for performing their duties as the political opposition. The opposition parties have said that investigating agencies such as CBI and ED are being increasingly deployed in a selective and targeted manner with a view to completely crush political dissent and upend the fundamental premises of representative democracy. The petition has been drawn and filed by advocate Shadan Farasat, Adv and settled by Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi. They have also given various statistics. The petitioner also said that a clear trend of using ED raids as a tool of harassment, with the action rate on raids i.e. complaints filed pursuant to raids reducing from 93 per cent in 2005-2014, to 29 per cent in 2014-2022. Only 23 convictions under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 ("PMLA") have been secured as of now, even as the number of cases registered by the ED under the PMLA has risen exponentially (from 209 in 2013-14 FY to 981 in 2020-21, and 1,180 in 2021-22), the petitioner said. Between 2004-14, of the 72 political leaders investigated by the CBI, 43 (under 60 per cent) were from the Opposition of the time. Now, this same figure has risen to over 95 per cent. The same pattern is reflected in ED's investigations as well, with the proportion of Opposition leaders from the total number of politicians investigated rising from 54 per cent (before 2014) to 95 per cent (after 2014), the petitioner said. Various parties which have approached the top court include Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Rashtriya Janta Dal, Bharat Rashtra Samiti, All India Trinamool Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, J&K National Conference, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Shiv Sena Uddhav camp, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Janata Dal (United), Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Samajwadi Party (SP). (ANI) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday filed a charge sheet naming Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Mushtaq Ahmed Mir among four in the Al Huda Educational Trust (AHET) terror funding case linked to the Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI). JEI had set up the trust to "mobilise funds to further its anti-India agenda" even after it was banned, said the anti-terror agency in the charge sheet that was filed before a special court in Jammu and Kashmir. Mushtaq Ahmed Mir alias Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar is among the four individuals and entities named in the chargesheet. Others charged in the case are AHET, Md. Amir Shamshi, a 'rukun' (primary member) and chairperson of AHET, and Abdul Hamid Ganai alias Abdul Hamid Fayaz, a resident of Shopian. All four have been charged under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Indian Penal Code, said the NIA. JEI was declared an Unlawful Association in 2019. The NIA, which was subsequently mandated to investigate the continued suspicious activities of the banned terror outfit, had registered a case against JEI in September 2022. "Investigations have revealed that Md Amir Shamshi was responsible for the day-to-day working of AHET, which was formed by JEI with the explicit purpose of mobilising funds to carry on its secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir," said the NIA. "Amir collected funds for JEI, J&K, through the Trust in the form of educational and religious donations. He channelized the funds to his co-accused, Amir-e-Jamaat (Head of JEI J&K) Abdul Hamid Ganai, to further the banned outfit's anti-India agenda." Amir also conspired with Mushtaq Ahmed Mir, originally a resident of Rajouri, said the NIA, adding "Mushtaq sent funds to Amir from Pakistan through Hawala channels." "Amir used these funds to organise propaganda meetings to motivate individuals to engage in secessionist and terror activities," added NIA. (ANI) The Additional District Judge Pratibha Tiwari's court in Uttarakhand's Kotdwar on Wednesday recorded the statements of Abhinav Kashyap, the key witness in Ankita Bhandari murder case. The main accused, Pulkit Arya, Sourav and Ankit were also present in the court during the proceedings. Ankita Bhandari's advocate Ajay Kumar Pant said, "Abhinav Kashyap, termed as the main witness in the case by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), has also given the same statement in the court." Notably, the SIT has made over 90 people as witnesses in the case. The statements of two other witnesses will be recorded in court on April 20. Earlier on January 11, the First Class Judicial Magistrate Court Kotdwar, in Uttarakhand approved the narco and polygraph tests of expelled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader's son Pulkit Arya, the main accused in Ankita Bhandari murder case. In the case, consent was taken from Pulkit Arya on behalf of the Judicial Magistrate through video conferencing, after which the verdict was pronounced. The case pertains to 19-year-old Ankita, whose body was recovered from the Chilla Canal in Rishikesh on September 24. She was reported missing for at least six days before the officials found her body. She worked as a receptionist at a resort run by Pulkit Arya, the son of expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya. Pulkit Arya was arrested for allegedly pushing her into the canal following an altercation. Two more people - Ankit Gupta and Saurabh Bhaskar, have also been arrested in the case. On December 4, the Uttarakhand Police said that the investigation into the Ankita Bhandari murder case is almost complete. The only procedure that remains is the narco tests of the accused, for which they had sought permission from the Kotdwar court to conduct narco and polygraph tests of all three accused. Earlier, the three accused, including expelled BJP leader's son Pulkit Arya refused to undergo narco and polygraph tests, citing that the SIT did not explain why it wanted to conduct narco and polygraph tests after filing the charge sheet. (ANI) In view of the surge in COVID-19 cases in many states of the country, the authorities of Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) said on Wednesday they were fully prepared to deal with any situation. Dr Abhijit Sarma, Superintendent of GMCH told ANI that they are fully prepared to deal with any situation. "The government is very proactive on COVID-19 and the government is monitoring the surge in COVID cases. We have been alerted. GMCH has treated the highest number of COVID cases in the country. We are prepared," Dr Abhijit Sarma said. He further said that 100 beds are currently reserved for COVID-19 patients. "We have set up a COVID Intensive Care Unit. Presently, a few cases of Covid-19 are being reported in the state. Our doctors are well-trained to treat COVID patients," Dr Sarma said. He requested that people wear masks, sanitise their hands and avoid crowded places. A total of 4,435 fresh COVID-19 infections were reported across the country in the last 24 hours, a significant jump from Tuesday's tally of 3,038 cases, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Wednesday. It is the highest single-day rise in the last nearly six months, the ministry said. India's active Covid caseload currently stands at 23,091 with a daily positivity rate of 3.38 per cent, the ministry said The COVID-19 cases in India have seen an upward trend in the past few days with the daily fresh infections ranging between 2,994 on April 1 to 3,824 on April 2 and 3,641 on April 3 and 3038 on April 4. With 2,508 recoveries in the last 24 hours, the total number of recoveries stands at 4,41,79, 712. India's recovery rate currently is at 98.76 per cent, the union ministry further stated. Under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive, India has so far administered 220.65 crore Covid vaccine doses of which 1,979 doses were administered in the last 24 hours. The ministry further stated that the weekly positivity rate currently stands at 2.79 per cent. In the wake of rising COVID-19 cases in India, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday said that Omicron's sub-variant which is circulating in the country has not led to an increase in hospitalisations and there is no need to worry. "We need to remain alert but there is no need to worry. Currently, the sub-variant of Omicron which is circulating in the country hasn't increased hospitalisations," Mandaviya said. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued revised guidelines for Covid in the wake of the surge of cases in the past week across the country. "Antibiotics should not be used unless there is clinical suspicion of bacterial infection. The possibility of coinfection of COVID-19 with other endemic infections must be considered. Systemic corticosteroids are not indicated in mild disease," revised guidelines said. "Seek immediate medical attention if difficulty breathing, High-grade fever/ severe cough, particularly if lasting for more than 5 days. A low threshold is to be kept for those with any of the high-risk features," guidelines discussed and prepared in January said. Additionally, in moderate or severe diseases at high risk of progression, the guidelines recommend, "Consider Remdesivir for up to 5 days (200 mg IV on day 1 followed by 100 mg IV OD for the next 4 days)". (ANI) Congress leader Pawan Khera on Wednesday slammed former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Gulam Nabi Azad and termed him a "ghulam" (servant) of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after Azad said the Congress has no influence among the masses. While talking to ANI, Khera said, "The politician (Ghulam Nabi Azad) who was supported by his party (Congress), given the top posts of the party, is now speaking against that party." "He (Ghulam Nabi Azad) broke the trust of the party. When he left the party he said I am free now, but after listening to his comments in the past two days we think he has become a 'ghulam'," Khera added. Notably, Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday heaped praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In an interview with ANI, he said, "I must give credit to Modi. For what I did to him, he was too generous. As Leader of the Opposition I did not spare him on any issue be it Article 370 or CAA or hijab. I got some Bills totally failed but I must give him the credit that he behaved like a statesman, not taking revenge for that." Azad resigned from Congress over a difference of opinion with Congress leadership mainly Rahul Gandhi. He also led the 'G23' grouping which had demanded reforms in the party including independent internal elections. His critics in Congress had accused Azad of working closely with the BJP to destabilize Congress. Speaking to ANI, he rubbished the allegation calling it immature, stupid and childish. He said, "That is stupid. If G23 was the spokesperson of the BJP, why they are made MPs by Congress? Why have they made them MPs, general secretaries and office bearers? I'm the only one who formed the party. The rest of the people are still there. It is an ill-conceived, immature and childish allegation." After quitting Congress, Azad formed his own political outfit called Democratic Progressive Azad Party in his home state of Jammu & Kashmir and has now penned a book titled 'Azaad: An Autobiography', in which the former Congress veteran wrote on his working relations with Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others. He also highlights incidents, events and Congress mismanagement. Azad said political legacy cannot go by genes. "Nehruji, Rajiv Gandhi, Indira Gandhi could bear the shock, they had endurance, they had public support and respect and their work over a period of time they could rebound. The current Congress leadership has no influence among people, so they have to work 10 times more. If somebody says Indira Gandhi did I will do that, no, it's wrong; legacy cannot go by genes. I'm not talking about Congress party only, I'm talking about every political party." (ANI) "Bandi Sanjay was arrested without following the due procedure. As per the Supreme Court guidelines, if sessions are punishable under 7 years, it is mandatory to give notice to the accused and seek clarification. In this case, it was not done, therefore the arrest is illegal," said Bandi Sanjay's lawyer, Advocate Shyam Sundar Reddy. "We will appeal before the court not to accept the remand report, because he has no connection with these allegations and his name was not mentioned in the FIR. Most probably, he will be granted bail," added advocate Reddy. Telangana BJP president Sanjay was detained post-midnight on Wednesday from his residence in Karimnagar ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state. The police have registered a case under sections 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 4(A), 6 TS Public Examinations (Prevention of Malpractices and 66-D ITA-2000-2008 at the Kamlapur police station of Warangal district. Reportedly, a team of police reached the MP's residence and took him into custody. The arrest triggered tension as Sanjay's supporters and party workers tried to stop the police. Sanjay could be seen being dragged by policemen and was later made to sit inside a police van. PM Modi is scheduled to visit Telangana on April 8 to inaugurate the Vande Bharat Express from Secunderabad to Tirupati and launch several other developmental projects. (ANI) A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala declined to entertain the plea saying a similar matter is pending before the Bombay High Court. "The Bombay High Court is currently seized of the proceedings which now stands to April 24. We are not inclined to entertain this special leave petition," the bench said. "Whether we like it or not, this lies in the democratic arms of the government," said CJI Chandrachud. "Who are we to change the name of a road or a place? It is for the elected executive to decide," he added. On March 24, the apex court declined to entertain a similar plea as the High Court is seized of the matter. In a letter dated March 4, 2020, the Aurangabad divisional commissioner proposed that the city's name be changed to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. Last month, the central government approved the renaming of Maharashtra's Aurangabad and Osmanabad districts as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and Dharashiv, respectively. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis welcomed the decision and said that the state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has "demonstrated" its resolve. "'Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar' of Aurangabad, 'Dharashiv' of Osmanabad! The central government approves the decision of the state government! Hon. Prime Minister Narendra Modiji and Union Minister Hon. Many thanks to Amitbhai Shah! The government under the leadership of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde ji has 'demonstrated'...!" he said in a tweet. (ANI) In a bid to make education accessible to everyone in Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi Adityanath-led government will spend a budget of more than Rs 750 crore on basic, secondary and higher education in the next three months, the state government said in a statement on Wednesday. The Government has also prepared an action plan in this regard. "This amount will be spent on both new and already existing programs in each of these three departments. Many of these programs are sponsored by the Center, and funds will be spent on them after the Central Government releases the budget instalment and the state government gives its consent," the government said. As per the information received, the Basic Education Department has prepared an action plan for budget expenditure of Rs 121 crore on various schemes, while the Higher Education Department has presented an action plan for spending more than Rs 20 crore. On the other hand, the Secondary Education Department has estimated an expenditure of more than 600 crores on the basis of the budget. It is notable that in his second term, CM Yogi has given priority to the process of setting targets and achieving them within a given timeframe. With the beginning of the new financial year, once again all the departments have been instructed to work on a three-month action plan. According to this intention of CM Yogi, all the departments have presented an action plan for the expenditure, keeping in view the various new schemes in the next three months. "The Basic Education Department has provided a plan of action for the budgetary expenditure of more than Rs 121 crore. The Basic Education Department will receive a budget of Rs 510 crore from the Central and State Governments as part of the PM Shri Yojana, according to the information received," the statement said. "Under this, the department has prepared an action plan to spend Rs 76.10 crore in the first three months. There is a plan to upgrade about 14,500 government schools across the country under the National Education Policy 2022 under PM SHRI. Additionally, the schools will be transformed into 'green schools' with solar panels and an efficient waste management system," it read further. In addition, the department will receive Rs 300 crore for building digital infrastructure and libraries for children and adolescents. The department also plans to spend Rs 45 crore on this scheme. According to the plan, the Central government will establish a national library and encourage the states to build the necessary infrastructure so that kids can access it at the ward and panchayat levels. The Secondary Education Department will receive a budget of Rs 390 crores under the PM School for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme. This is a centrally sponsored scheme and the amount will be spent through the approved action plan and allocated budget by the Ministry of School Education and Literacy. Apart from this, a budget of Rs 5 crore has been allocated to the department to reimburse the tuition fees of the second daughter of a parent studying in self-financed schools. The department will allocate Rs 1.39 crore for April on the basis of information provided by the districts after approval of the funds by the government. There is a budget provision of Rs 237 crores on Children and Adolescents Libraries and Digital Infrastructure, on which the department has said that the first installment of the center is likely to be received in June 2023, after which the physical and financial targets of the scheme will be achieved with the approval of the government. Apart from Basic and Secondary, the Higher Education Department has also presented an action plan for budget expenditure for the next three months. Under this, there is a provision of a budget of Rs 2.10 crores for the establishment of 'skill hub'. The department will make arrangements for the purchase of necessary equipment and basic facilities. Through the skill hub, the government will provide vocational education to school drop-out students and conduct short-term certification courses for skill training after school and on weekly holidays. On the other hand, an amount of Rs 2 crore will be spent on quality promotion of higher education. A total of Rs 10 crore will be spent on Chief Minister's Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme, Rs 5 crore on the digital library at the ward level and Rs one crore will be spent on Skill Hub to provide employment-oriented education. Overall, the Higher Education Department will spend Rs 20.1 crore in the next three months. (ANI) The national capital has reported 509 new Covid cases with a sudden jump in the positivity rate at 26.54 per cent, according to a daily bulletin issued by the Delhi Health Department on Wednesday. A total of 4,08,02,157 Covid tests have been conducted so far, it said. It stated further that 424 Covid patients recovered from the virus in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries to 19,83,736. On April 4, Delhi reported 521 Covid cases, however, the positivity rate was 15.64 per cent. Meanwhile, a total of 4,435 fresh COVID-19 infections were reported across the country in the last 24 hours, a significant jump from Tuesday's tally of 3038 cases, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Wednesday. It is the highest single-day rise in the last nearly six months, the ministry said. India's active Covid caseload currently stands at 23,091 with a daily positivity rate of 3.38 per cent, the ministry said. The COVID-19 cases in India have seen an upward trend in the past few days with the daily fresh infections ranging between 2,994 on April 1 to 3,824 on April 2 and 3,641 on April 3 and 3038 on April 4. Notably, the COVID-empowered groups' review meeting was held in Delhi on Wednesday, said official sources. Earlier on Friday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the national capital is fully prepared to handle the spread of coronavirus and added that wearing face masks has not been made mandatory as yet. Kejriwal had said after chairing a meeting of senior officials to review the Covid-19 preparations in the city. Addressing the media here, Kejriwal said that the Delhi government is monitoring the Covid-19 situation and is prepared to face any eventuality. He noted that Delhi has seen an increase in Covid -19 cases in the last 15 days but there is no need to worry now. "There is no need to worry right now but we are taking the necessary steps on time. Till now three deaths have been confirmed, two deaths on Wednesday and one death before that," the CM said adding that these deaths could probably be due to comorbidities and COVID-19 incidentals. Kejriwal's meeting came against the backdrop of a spurt in coronavirus cases in the city over the past two weeks. (ANI) Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has convened a meeting of all concerned departments on April 11 at the Delhi Secretariat to prepare the summer action plan along the lines of the winter action plan. "Environment Minister has stated that a new Summer Action Plan will be developed in the same manner as the Winter Action Plan, in order to protect Delhi people from pollution throughout the summer. To reduce Delhi's pollution, a short-term and long-term action plan will be created and put into practice. On April 11th, a meeting with all involved departments has been scheduled at the Delhi Secretariat. Officers from all the concerned departments, including Environment, DPCC, NDMC, NHAI, DDA, MCD, Delhi Jal Board, Development Department, Transport Department, PWD, Education Department, Forest & Wildlife Department, I&FC, DSIIDC, DTC, DMRC, CPWD, Fire Service, DUSIB, Revenue will be present in the meeting," the press release said. Environment Minister mentioned that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is working on a plan to lower pollution levels in Delhi. "Environment Minister Gopal Rai said that one of the biggest challenges in Delhi is persistent pollution. The Delhi Government led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been working tirelessly to lower Delhi's pollution levels since it was formed. The pollution level inside Delhi is continuously declining due to all those actions," the press release said. He further stated that due to the implementation of the Winter action plan pollution levels have dropped in the capital. "Environment Minister mentioned that due to the government's implementation of the Winter Action Plan, Delhi has seen a consistent decrease in PM 10 and PM 2.5 concentrations throughout the winter. According to the Economic Survey 2022-23, in the good, satisfactory, and moderate categories, Delhi's AQI increased from 109 to 160 days between 2016 and 2021, while the low and extremely poor category's AQI decreased from 217 to 196 days. In addition, between 2016 and 2022, the number of days falling into the severe category declined as well; from 26 in 2016, it was only 6 in 2022," it said. "Minister concluded by stating that after consulting with all the departments, a roadmap for implementing the summer action plan will be prepared. The government will announce the summer action plan based on the recommendations of all the departments, which the government will focus on year-round in an effort to reduce pollution," it added. (ANI) Five people drowned in Chennai's Moovarasampet Pond during Nanganallur 'Dharmalingeshwarar Temple' rituals on Wednesday. The deceased included the priest's sons and volunteers from NGOs who were there to help carry the God's statue. The bodies were sent for autopsy to Chrompet Government Hospital, said Police officials. Near Dharmalingeshwarar Temple in Chennai, Naganallur Moovarasampet Pond has water of over 20 feet in depth. On Wednesday morning as a part of specific rituals, statues were taken inside the pond in which unfortunately 5 people drowned. A preliminary investigation reveals that one person drowned in a pond during rituals and the other 4 were drowned when they tried to save the first person. When people got the message of the incident, they called emergency numbers and the rescue team rushed to the spot and started the rescue operation. 5 were found dead and their bodies were sent to Chrompet Government Hospital for Autopsy. The deceased were identified as Suriya (24) of Nanganallur, Raghvan (22) of Madipakkam, Raghavan (18) of Nanganallur, Yogeshwaran (23) of Kilkattalai and Pranesh (20) of Nanganallur. Chennai Commissioner Shankar Jiwal inspected the spot and rescue operation. While speaking with the Press Shankar Jiwal mentioned, "We are investigating this. It is said that during specific rituals one person slipped and while rescuing one person, others drowned. We are investigating this to know more details. Here people say drowned are priests and devotees. Yet to know more details about who they are. Our first job was to find out whether anybody was still stuck in the water as the pond is deep". Tamil Nadu Rural Industries, Cottage Industries, Small Industries, Slum clearance board Minister T M Anbarasan visited Chrompet Government Hospital and consoled the deceased family. While speaking with the press, the minister said, "This Morning at 9.30 am as a part of Dharmalingeshwarar Temple rituals, the temple statue was brought to nearbyMoovarasampet Pond in which one person slipped in-depth water. Others who tried to save him also drowned. Without proper safety measures rituals were organised, so only this incident happened. CM will help the deceased family for sure. This is a private temple. We are investigating more into this," added the minister. (ANI) The Second G-20 Empower meet commenced on Wednesday in Thiruvananthapuram with the theme 'Women's Empowerment: A win-win for Equity and Economy'. Addressing the delegates, panellists and participants of the two-day Empower meet, Minister of State for Women and Child Development (WCD), Dr Munjapara Mahendrabhai called for working towards creating an ecosystem that nurtures women's entrepreneurship and leadership ensuring greater access to mentoring, capacity-building, and financing to help them scale up their businesses. MoS, in his inaugural address, also urged to focus on promoting women-led development with an emphasis on entrepreneurship, STEM education, and grassroots women's leadership. One of the key areas of focus is women's entrepreneurship, which India sees as vital for achieving gender equality and economic growth. India has already made significant strides in this area with over 230 million women availed of business loans, generating entrepreneurship opportunities at the grassroots of India. MoS also stated how India is empowering women and girls through access to resources, financing, and digital literacy over 257 million Jan Dhan bank accounts were opened for women, increasing access to financial services and promoting digital payments. The country has a strong track record of supporting women leaders in non-conventional sectors, such as the armed forces with around 2091 Women Officers receiving Permanent Commission in the Indian Armed Forces. Going forward, MoS stated that under the G20 Empower, India envisages the creation of a global mentoring and capacity-building platform, establishing a sustainable financing model and setting up an e-marketplace to support and promote women-led businesses. MoS recalled the Prime Minister's exhortation, "Women are the backbone of our society. They play a pivotal role in shaping our future. Empowering them is not only our moral responsibility but also a necessary condition for sustainable development." Speaking about the policy actions in regard to women in India, the Minister of State stated that we must not let half of our population remain under-utilised and underrepresented In his address, Secretary, WCD, Shri Indevar Pandey emphasised that in keeping with the Prime Minister's vision of including women as active agents in the growth story of all G20 nations, India leads by example by focusing on women's issues in the life cycle continuum approach. Secretary, WCD stated how Ayushman Bharat (AB), a flagship scheme of GoI, addresses the healthcare system (covering prevention, promotion, and ambulatory care) at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels by providing free of cost treatment to over 500 million citizens of India, of which, 49.3% of beneficiaries are women. In addition, 82.7 million women have been scanned for breast cancer and 56.6 million women for cervical cancer free of cost. Secretary, WCD also stated that 310 million oxo-biodegradable sanitary products had been provided at 0.012 USD (Rs. 1) through Government Pharmacies (Jan Aushadhi Kendras) promoting menstrual hygiene among women. He further highlighted that building on the overarching spirit of women-led development, the G20 Empower meeting at Thiruvananthapuram brings together some of the top women leaders, scientists, inventors, entrepreneurs, cultural artists and social visionaries from India and around the world. Secretary WCD urged every G 20 delegate guest country and International organisation representatives to go beyond their threshold and exceed their own expectations of their individual contributions towards women's empowerment. He concluded by reaffirming India's commitment towards Women Led Development, by recalling the words of the Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, who, on the 25th Anniversary of the Fourth World Conference of Women stated as follows: "Women numerically constitute half of humanity, but their influence transfuses all dimensions of society, polity, and economy. In India, we recognize the centrality of gender equality and women's empowerment in all aspects of our developmental journey." In her welcome speech, G-20 Empower Chair, Dr Sangeeta Reddy highlighted that 43% of STEM graduates in India are women - which is one of the best in the world. India has one of the world's best community programs in place (with nearly 4 lakh Self Help Group (SHG) members trained as Community Resource Persons (CRPs) (viz. Pashu Sakhi, Krishi Sakhi, Bank Sakhi, Bima Sakhi, Poshan Sakhi etc.), and digitization is bringing about a massive change enabling financial and economic inclusion of women. Having embarked on a unique digital trajectory, India today leads in the deployment of Digital Public Infrastructure, be it the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) based on the principle of interoperability provides frictionless payments, the Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) trinity has enabled financial inclusion, the Direct Benefit Transfer scheme has revolutionised the delivery of welfare schemes. Dr Reddy highlighted the progress made on the Mentorship Platform which envisages support to G20 member women professionals and entrepreneurs to access one-on-one mentorship for professional guidance and the Digital Inclusion Platform which will be an education and upskilling portal. Dr Reddy stated that India's gift to the women of the world will be the digital inclusion and fluency platform available in 121 languages and drawing on content from across countries. The Opening session was preceded by the inauguration of an exhibition by the MoS, WCD. Curated by the National Institute of Fashion Technology, the exhibition highlights women's impact on the economy and traditional enterprises and showcases women's role in conserving Kerala's rich culture. The second G20 Empower meeting under India's presidency underscores the vital role of gender equality and women's economic representation in achieving sustainable development. The two-day meeting will witness panel discussions on various key topics such as 'Advancing Women's Entrepreneurship through Mentoring and Capacity Building, Market Access and Financing, Role of STEM Education and Innovation for Scaling up Businesses, Enabling Leadership at all Levels including Grassroots, Increasing Investment for Quality and Reach of Education, Digital Skilling and Jobs for Future. Empower is the G20 Alliance for the Empowerment and Progression of Women's Economic Representation that endeavours to be the most inclusive and action-driven alliance among businesses and governments to accelerate women's leadership and empowerment across G20 countries. The G20 Empower 2023 under India's presidency aspires to align with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of women-led development agenda. (ANI) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday attended a business meet in Tokyo and invited Japanese investors to the state. The state government received investment intent of over Rs 25,000 crores across green hydrogen and green ammonia, green energy equipment manufacturing, IT/ITeS, logistics, metal ancillary, steel, and metal downstream sectors. Odisha government in association with the Indian Embassy in Japan, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), and the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), hosted the Odisha Business Meet Tokyo 2023. The Chief Minister, Kazuya Nakajo, executive vice-president, JETRO, and senior officials of Odisha government, IPICOL and FICCI were present in the meeting, which was attended by over 200 delegates, representing various industries from across Japan. Odisha Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena welcomed the gathering and shed light on how Odisha has been one of the major breakout states in the country in terms of development, registering impressive GSDP growth rates year-after-year and industrializing at break-neck speed under the leadership of the Chief Minister. Speaking on the occasion, Kazuya Nakajo, Executive Vice-President, JETRO, highlighted the emerging business opportunities between Japan and India. According to a Odisha government presss release, he termed the partnership between the two countries more as a "familial bond" rather than a "business relationship". Nakajo spoke about the various upcoming measures being taken by the Government of India including the creation of large-scale industrial infrastructure across the country and urged his Japanese friends to seriously consider major investments in India. He also highlighted Odisha's strategic location and natural resource advantage as a key to the state being an attractive investment destination for Japanese investors. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Patnaik said that Odisha is one of the fastest-growing economies in India and has consistently grown above the national average in the last decade and a half. "We are fast emerging as a major industrial destination in India because of our natural resource advantage and strategic location. Today, Odisha is ranked among the top states in India in terms of attracting investments and has been accorded the achievers status in the recently released ease of doing business ratings by the Government of India," he said The Chief Minister highlighted how Odisha is becoming the fulcrum of trade and commerce in the Bay of Bengal region and the measures the state government has undertaken to help industries looking to cater to the untapped markets in Eastern and North-Eastern India as well as markets in ASEAN and East Asia region. "As we enter into a new era of industrialization propelled by advancements in technology and a philosophy of sustainability, we require a collaborative effort between the governments, industries and people to ensure consistent growth," he said. Patnaik said Odisha, a state known for its rich culture and tradition, is transforming into a modern industrial hub. "While my government is focused on providing the best-in-class facilitation to all investors coming to Odisha, we are also deeply committed to protecting our rich cultural history. The renovation and restoration of Buddhist pilgrimage sites have been a key agenda of my Government. I am happy to say that we are transforming sites like Dhauli, Udaygiri, Ratnagiri and Lalitgiri. I request all my Japanese friends to visit Odisha and experience the change. Come, Invest in Odisha, Invest in the future. Come, Join the Juggernaut," it said. Mayank Joshi, Deputy Head of Mission, Indian Embassy of Japan, highlighted the ease of doing business reforms carried out by India and its impact in making a robust industrial ecosystem across states. Joshi also praised Odisha for investment promotion and facilitation initiatives taken by the state. "Odisha Business Meet 2023 at Tokyo ended on a successful note with Odisha government receiving investment intents of over Rs 25,000 crore (USD 3.04 billion) in sectors like logistics, metal ancillary, steel, Metal Downstream, Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia, Green Energy Equipment Manufacturing and IT/ITeS. An MoU for collaboration in the skill development sector was also signed between Nihon-Utkal (NITKAL) and IIIT, Bhubaneswar," the release said. During the day, the Chief Minster also met several senior industrialists across sectors for one-to-one meetings to discuss their plans for investments in India and presented the case for Odisha being the best investment destination for them. The release said he met CEOs and top officials from IHI Corporation, TYK Corporation, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Marubeni-Itochu Steel Inc, Krosaki Harima Corporation, ThyssenKrupp, Toyo engineering, JGreen Power Private Limited, JFE Steel Corporation, Fujisoft Inc, ICIJ and Nissin Foods. (ANI) "Admiral R Hari Kumar Chief of Naval Staff and all personnel of Indian Navy pay tribute to Chandaka Govind, Petty Officer, who lost his life whilst undergoing training exercise at Panagarh on 05 Apr 23 and extend heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family," Indian Navy said in a tweet. The Navy had earlier said that Chandaka Govind carried out a para jump from a military transport aircraft and lost his life during free-fall training of Special Forces. (ANI) The Delhi High Court has asked the Minority Affairs Ministry to respond to a plea seeking equal opportunity for Muslim employees in assisting Haj pilgrims instead of only deputing Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel. The petition challenged the ministry's March 20 office memorandum that included only CAPF employees on temporary deputation. The bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad has listed the matter for the next hearing on May 10 and asked the Haj Division of the Union Ministry to present its stance on record. Advocate Aamir Javed had filed a plea seeking an amendment to the office memorandum to provide opportunities to all Muslim employees of the Centre, States, and Union Territories as coordinators (admin), assistant Haj officers, and Haj assistants for Haj-2023. The plea claimed that the current memorandum violates Article 14 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to equality. As per the office memorandum, around 1.4 lakh Indian pilgrims are expected to participate in Haj 2023, with the first flight scheduled for May 21. The annual pilgrimage is expected to take place around the end of June. "The present petition is being filed on the basis that other central or State Government/UTs administration employees are not eligible for any deputation in the Office Memorandum dated March 20, 2023, which earlier was a practice of the Government of India to send male and female members of the Muslim community who are employees of various Government department on deputation for the temporary basis to Consulate General of India, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to render assistance to Haj pilgrims as Coordinators (Admin), Assistant Haj Officers (AHO) and Haj Assistants (HA) for Haj," stated the plea. "The office memorandum states that the work related to Haj is administrative, and only CAPF employees are eligible, while other permanent employees are excluded. This violates the constitutional rights of other employees who want to serve Haj pilgrims," the plea added. The petitioner also mentioned that a letter was sent to Union Minority Affairs Minister Smriti Irani requesting to amend the memorandum on March 22, but no response was received following which the petitioner has filed the plea in court. --IANS spr/vd ( 381 Words) 2023-04-05-20:08:06 (IANS) Bihar's Deputy Chief minister Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday slammed Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his statement of hanging people, behind the recent violence "upside down". "The people of Bihar will make straight those who are claiming to hang people upside down. "Some people come from Gujarat and make statements here. This is the land of Mahatma Buddha. Gandhi became Mahatma Gandhi in Bihar, it is a land of Karpoori Thakur, Lalu Prasad, and Nitish Kumar and it will not tolerate any rioter. The leaders of BJP conspired during the holy month (Ramzan) but now we would not let anyone go scot free. The state government is looking after the matter very seriously," Yadav said. "On the day of Ram Navami, the march was held at 118 places. It was peacefully completed at all the places except in Sasaram and Bihar Sharif. The people of BJP tried to flare up the riots at these two places. Earlier, they had tried to create a fight between Bihar and Tamil Nadu but failed. Now, they were involved in riots. I want to tell them that those who were involved in riots will not go scot free," he added. "We may be in power or not, peace and social harmony will remain in Bihar. They had freaked out after the massive rally of Purnea. The people of Bihar are smart and they understand it very well," the RJD leader said. "I want to appeal to the people of Bihar to not to come under the influence of BJP and rioters. They are misleading the people from the real issues. Amit Shah should tell us whether the Centre would give special status to Bihar or not," he added. --IANS ajk/vd ( 302 Words) 2023-04-05-20:26:03 (IANS) Parliament continued to witness disruptions over the opposition's demand for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the Adani issue with Coastal Aquaculture Authority (Amendment) Bill 2023 introduced in the Lok Sabha amid the din. In the Rajya Sabha, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar rejected 'point of order' raised by Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge on Union Minister Piyush Goyal's demand of an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks in the United Kingdom. Goyal had not named Rahul Gandhi. The Chairman also established a new a new tradition by going completely paperless. He went digital to conduct the business of the House today, marking the beginning of a paperless tradition by the chair of the House. BJD MP Sasmit Patra later lauded the initiative and called it a historic day. The two Houses were first adjourned till 2 pm and then for the day. The Coastal Aquaculture Authority (Amendment) Bill 2023 was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Parshotaam Rupala amid opposition protests. It seeks to amend the Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act 2005 and to fine-tune the operational procedures of the Coastal Aquaculture Authority. It also aims at promoting newer forms of environment-friendly coastal aquaculture and seeks to decriminalise some offences under the Act in order to promote ease of doing business. Dhankar conveyed his decision on the point of order in the post-lunch session in Rajya Sabha. He said that on March 13, Kharge, while responding to the assertions of Leader of the House Piyush Goyal, raised a point of order that there could be no discussion in the Rajya Sabha on or about a Member of the Lok Sabha or anyone who is not a Member of the Rajya Sabha. Referring to Rahul Gandhi, Goyal had demanded an apology for "the shameless way by which a senior leader of the opposition in a foreign country has attacked the democracy of India". Dhankar said Goyal did not name anyone and severely impeached "what he termed the overseas disparaging remarks by a senior leader of the opposition, tainting and tarnishing our Parliament". "The point of order concerning debate/discussion competence of Rajya Sabha, albeit Parliament, the most authentic representative and sanctified platform in our democratic polity, couldn't be more important. In considering this, I am cognizant that we are the largest and mother of all democracies and home to nearly one-sixth of humanity," the Chairman said. Citing various provisions, the Chairman said the constitutional mechanism stipulates no fetters or restrictions upon the freedom of expression privilege of Members of Parliament in the Parliament. "As a matter of fact, this is fortified and enhanced on account of there being immunity from civil or criminal action... Rules 238 and 238A, framed for 'regulating the Procedure and Conduct of the Business' in terms of Article 118(1) of the Constitution, bear contextual relevance....the constitutional 'privilege' of 'freedom of expression' and 'immunity' from any civil or criminal action to Members of Parliament, calls for high degree of care, caution and accountability. This unique freedom privilege comes with heavy obligations," he said. "Breach of this privilege by engaging in reckless trading of allegations or free fall of information, invectives and innuendos or setting afoot pernicious narratives entail serious consequences. The sanctity of the temple of democracy cannot be permitted to be outraged as privilege does not extend to engaging in demeaning Parliament, making disparaging observations tarnishing constitutional institutions or set afloat narratives premised on reckless allegations of untenable fact premise," he said. The Chairman said Piyush Goyal has authenticated the assertions made by him in the Rajya Sabha on March 13 that led to raising of point of order by Kharge. "...Any curtailment or qualification of the constitutional privilege of freedom of expression of a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha will seriously compromise and impede blossoming of democratic values. The democratic ethos, well-cherished and nurtured Parliamentary values persuade me to tilt in favour of sustaining this constitutional right of 'freedom of expression' of a Member of Parliament that cannot suffer any constraint and is subject only on the wisdom of the House and the Chairman," he said. The Chairman also cited B R Ambedkar and said after bestowing earnest consideration he is of the view that there can be no issue or individual beyond the purview of discussion in the Rajya Sabha and "the same is exclusively subject to regulation by the House and the Chairman". "The two precedents relied upon by the Leader of the Opposition have no bearing on the issue being determined herein. Further, the authenticated record made available by the Leader of the House Piyush Goyal, bears out that his demand of apology on the overseas statements made by a senior leader of the opposition is factually premised and does not graduate to making 'allegation of a defamatory or incriminatory nature,'" the Chairman said. "In view of categorical and firm constitutional prescriptions, I cannot persuade myself to sustain the point of order raised by the Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and the same is hereby declined. I would urge the Members to carefully go through my order and if there is anything, you can meet me in my Chamber either today or tomorrow," he added. Members of the opposition kept up their protest over their demands during the Chairman's remarks. "The House has to be in order. If the House cannot be in order even when the Chairman is deciding a point of order, how can things go on?" the Chairman asked before adjourning the House for the day. The second half of budget session has witnessed continuous disruptions over the opposition's demand for a JPC probe into the Adani-Hindenburg row. (ANI) The Delhi Police, in two separate operations, has arrested eight persons and busted two illegal labs involved in the preparation of heroin, an official said on Wednesday, adding heroin valued at Rs 50 crore was also recovered. The arrested individuals have been identified as Roohullah Noori a.k.a Akbar, Siddiq Ansari, Guddu Ansari, Ajay Kumar, Zahid, Rahul, a 17-and-a-half-years-old juvenile and another person whose name has been withheld. The operations were carried out by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police. The raids resulted in the recovery of a total of 8.56 kg heroin. "A raid was conducted in Punjab's Jafrabad area and three men, an Afghan national, Roohullah, Siddiq and Guddu, were nabbed. During searches, around half a kg heroin was recovered from Roohullah, 1.40 gm from Siddiq and 750 gm from Guddu," Ravindra Singh Yadav, Special Commissioner of Police (Crime), said. "They used to convert raw materials into fine quality heroin using various manufacturing items and transported it to different locations in Delhi-NCR and Punjab as guided by the Afghan nationals who operate from Afghanistan," the Special CP said while addressing a press conference. Further, during the investigation, various apparatus such as gas cylinders, filter paper, plain clothes, large vessels, a mixer grinder, and a weighing machine, and other articles used to extract fine quality heroin from the raw materials, were recovered. "They used to receive raw materials from one Ajay in Jafrabad. Later, Ajay, a resident of Badarpur in Delhi was apprehended and questioned," the officer said. Ajay was working on the directions of Rehmatullah, who resides in Afghanistan, and received raw materials in hidden form in parcels sent by these people to his address. "Two mobile phones were recovered from his possession, and various incriminating pictures were also found," the Special CP said. The person who came to take delivery of heroin from Siddiq at Kailash Nagar was identified as Raju (not real name), a resident of Punjab. "Later, Raju was also nabbed who disclosed that he was working on the directions of an Afghan national and received deliveries of heroin near Kailash Nagar in his car," the Special CP said. Raju further delivered heroin to various people in Amritsar, Ludhiana, Chandigarh, among others. In another operation, two men were arrested while a juvenile was apprehended and five kg of heroin was recovered from their possession. Acting on specific intelligence, a raid was carried out and one Mohd. Zahid, a notorious drug dealer, was nabbed. At his instance, the police also busted a lab that was operating in a residential building in Vijay Park, Maujpur. During questioning, Zahid confessed to preparing the recovered heroin at his house with the help of crude/opium poppy top extract and chemicals. Later, the police apprehended a juvenile, a resident of Delhi, who confessed to receiving the illegal heroin on behalf of one Neha, a resident of Aruna Nagar, Majnu Ka Tilla, and giving it to the area's receivers. "It was also learnt that one of the arrested individuals, Rahul, is the son of Asha, a notorious drug trafficker in Delhi, who is in judicial custody. Neha is currently absconding," the officer said. --IANS ssh/prw/pgh ( 536 Words) 2023-04-05-20:34:05 (IANS) The deceased, Raja Kumar, sustained splinter injuries on his head after a high intensity bomb exploded during its making in Sherganj area in Sasaram on April 2. Raja was facing the charges of manufacturing bombs along with five others. All of them were injured in that explosion and admitted in district Sadar hospital, but later referred later to the BHU in Varanasi after their condition turned critical. The police said that Raja, along with his mother, came to Sherganj in Sasaram to meet his aunt. At that time, communal riots broke out in the city. A bomb exploded in a house and he was seriously injured along with five others. After the incident, Bihar DGP R.S. Bhatti claimed that six persons were involved in manufacturing of bombs, and one went off, injuring them. The Sasaram police are now making efforts to find out the actual circumstances of his fatal injury. --IANS ajk/vd ( 195 Words) 2023-04-05-20:50:02 (IANS) The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary H.K. Dwivedi, which was attended virtually by top police officials in the state. It was decided that the three companies of CAPF will be deployed in areas of mixed population in Kolkata, Howrah Police Commissionerate and Chandernagore City Police. Recently, clashes broke out during Ram Navami celebrations in some pockets of Howrah and Hooghly districts. In the meeting it was decided that huge contingents of state police will be deployed to escort the processions on the occasions of Hanuman Jayanti on Thursday. The procession organisers will have to submit the list of volunteers and they will be provided with separate identity cards by the police authorities. Without proper identity cards no volunteer will be allowed to participate in the processions. At the same time, strict restrictions have been imposed over carrying any kind of arms, which even include sticks at the procession. Use of soundboxes and DJs are strictly prohibited. --IANS src/sha ( 219 Words) 2023-04-05-21:16:03 (IANS) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh informed that various government buildings, including the Vidhan Bhavan and the Secretariat Complex, will soon undergo a facelift in the state capital. In a high-level meeting on Wednesday with the senior officials of the State Property Department, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued guidelines in this regard. The government has already made a provision of Rs 50 crore in the first phase for the redevelopment of the Vidhan Bhavan and Secretariat premises. In the meeting with the Chief Minister, the State Property Department informed that the process of site selection for the first phase of work has been completed. The Housing and Urban Planning Department will now proceed with further action. On the other hand, the planning department will select the consultant. The selection process will be completed within the next three months, according to the assurances given. CM Yogi also directed the officers of the State Property Department to take necessary action before construction. In addition to Vidhan Bhawan and Secretariat complex, Lucknow's many outdated government structures will undergo renovations. The budget and action plan for this was also discussed at the meeting. The State Property Department has also completed the process of selection of sites for the construction of new class-2 houses in Old Driver Colony, Dalibagh in Lucknow and class-2 and class-3 new houses in Metropolitan Secretariat Colony. Besides, at both locations, old, dilapidated homes are being demolished. The executive body has also been nominated to carry out the exercise and the process of preparing the estimate along with DPR is also being done. (ANI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday said sealed cover proceedings violate both principles of natural justice and open justice and the constitutional principle of procedural guarantees is equally important, and cannot be turned into a dead letter. It stressed that the sealed cover procedure cannot be introduced to cover harms that could not have been remedied by public interest immunity proceedings. A bench, headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and comprising Justice Hima Kohli said: "It was not intended that the sealed cover procedure shall replace public interest immunity proceedings which constitute an established method for dealing with claims of confidentiality. The sealed cover procedure cannot be introduced to cover harms that could not have been remedied by public interest immunity proceedings." The bench noted that the proceedings, in effect, are conducted ex-parte where counsel for the party claiming disclosure is precluded from accessing a part of the record in the proceedings. However, one crucial difference between the sealed cover procedure and public interest immunity claims is that in the former, the court relies on the material that is disclosed in a sealed cover in the course of the proceedings, as opposed to the latter where the documents are completely removed from the proceedings and both the parties and the adjudicator cannot rely on such material, it added. Chief Justice Chandrachud, who authored the 134-page judgment on behalf of the bench, said: "Sealed cover procedures violate both principles of natural justice and open justice" and stressed that the court should undertake an analysis of the possible procedural modalities that could be used to realise the purpose. The bench noted that while there may be material on serious concerns of national security which cannot be disclosed; the constitutional principle of procedural guarantees is equally important and it cannot be turned into a dead letter. "As the highest constitutional court, it is our responsibility to balance these two considerations when they are in conflict. To safeguard the claimant against a potential injury to procedural guarantees in public interest immunity proceedings, we have recognised a power in the court to appoint an amicus curiae. The appointment of an amicus curiae will balance concerns of confidentiality with the need to preserve public confidence in the objectivity of the justice delivery process," the Chief Justice said. The verdict added that amicus curiae appointed by the court shall be given access to the materials sought to be withheld by the state and the amicus curiae shall be allowed to interact with the applicant and their counsel before the proceedings to ascertain their case to enable them to make effective submissions on the necessity of disclosure. "However, the amicus curiae shall not interact with the applicant or their counsel after the public interest immunity proceeding has begun and the counsel has viewed the document sought to be withheld. The amicus curiae shall, to the best of their ability, represent the interests of the applicant. The amicus curiae would be bound by oath to not disclose or discuss the material with any other person, including the applicant or their counsel," added the bench. The bench said courts could adopt the course of action of redacting the confidential portions of the document and providing a summary of the contents of the document instead of opting for the sealed cover procedure to fairly exclude the document from the proceedings on a successful public interest immunity claim. "The court should undertake an analysis of the possible procedural modalities that could be used to realise the purpose, and the means that are less restrictive of the procedural guarantees must be adopted," it said. The top court made these observations in a verdict quashing the Central government decision not to renew licence of Malayalam news channel, MediaOne. The top court said the government violated the appellant's right to a fair hearing protected under Article 21 of the Constitution by not providing a reasoned order and not disclosing the relevant material and by giving a sealed envelope to the high court only. "The core of the principles of natural justice breathes reasonableness into procedure. The burden is on the claimant to prove that the procedure followed infringes upon the core of procedural guaranteesa, said the bench. The top court judgment came on a plea by the news channel challenging the Kerala High Court's order upholding the Centre's decision to ban its telecast on security grounds. On March 15 last year, the Supreme Court stayed the Centre's ban on the Malayalam TV news channel. The Central government had cited national security grounds to justify the ban. MediaOne had moved the top court after the Kerala High Court upheld the ban imposed on it by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. --IANS ss/vd ( 805 Words) 2023-04-05-22:06:02 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the March 30 notification cancelling, till further orders, the urban local bodies (ULBs) elections in Nagaland. The matter was mentioned before a bench comprising Justices S.K. Kaul and A. Amanullah. Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, representing the petitioners, informed the bench that the elections have been cancelled. Issuing notice to the Election Commissions and the State Election Commission (SEC), the bench, in its order, noted that the the order of this court dated March 14, 2023 had made it clear that any endeavour, either by the Election Commission or the state government, to tinker with the local elections now would be in breach of the orders of the court. "In the meantime, the order dated March 30, 2023 cancelling the election programme is stayed. The reply be filed within a week. List on April 17, 2023". The petitioners - People's Union for Civil liberties and others - filed an application through advocate Satya Mitra, challenging the cancellation of the elections and the petitioners urged the apex court to take contempt action for "disobeying" its March 14 order. On March 30, the SEC had issued a notification which cancelled the election programme notified earlier "till further orders" in view of the repeal of the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2001. The top court was hearing a plea seeking 33 per cent reservation for women in the elections to the local bodies in the state. It had noted in its March 14 order that the SEC counsel had submitted that the elections will be held on May 16. The top court had directed that the election schedule should not be disturbed now and the election process should be completed. The application sought setting aside of the Nagaland Municipal (Repeal) Act, 2023 and also a direction to the Central government that adequate central forces be sent to Nagaland prior to the elections in order to ensure a peaceful election process. "Notice also be issued qua the other prayers as also to the Central Government in view of the prayer made in para D for adequate Central forcec," said the apex court, in its order. --IANS ss/vd ( 371 Words) 2023-04-05-22:46:02 (IANS) United States President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden have extended their wishes on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti. "Jill and I wish a happy and prosperous Mahavir Jayanti to all those observing. Today, we recognize the values of Mahavir Swami and strive to live with peace, truth, and harmony," Biden said in a tweet. Many prominent leaders of India, including prime minister Narendra Modi, took to Twitter to wish people on the occasion of Mahavir Day. "Today is a special day when we recall the noble teachings of Bhagwan Mahavir. He showed the way to build a peaceful, harmonious and prosperous society. Inspired by him, may we always serve others and also bring a positive difference in the lives of the poor and downtrodden," Prime Minister Modi tweeted. Mahavir Jayanti is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir who was given the name of Vardhaman in his childhood. Lord Mahavir was born in 615 BC to a royal family who at the age of 30 decided to renounce sensual pleasures and leave royalty. He practised austerities and meditated for 12 years in a forest to achieve 'Kevala Jnana.' He then propagated the Dharma known as Jainism. The birth anniversary of Mahavira is celebrated with joy and excitement by the Jain community across the globe. Mahavira was the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism who spread peace and harmony through his teachings. The core teachings of Mahavira are non-violence, non-stealing, chastity and non-attachment. Indrabhuti Gautama was the main disciple of Mahavira who wrote his master's teachings for the benefit of the world. (ANI) Former President Donald Trump surrendered on Tuesday at a local court here, making history as the first former holder of the US' highest office to be arrested. He will now face charges stemming from a payoff to a porn star to buy her silence. After he was booked like a common crime suspect -- except he was not handcuffed or paraded around -- he was waiting to be taken before New York State's Acting Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan to be formally charged. Given his status, the arrest took place under the watchful eye of the Secret Service that is charged with protecting former presidents making it an odd scenario. Trump came in a convoy from his Trump Tower penthouse four miles away to the building housing the local courts as his supporters and opponents held separate rallies. He was taken in through a side entrance. Trump became the first former President to be arrested and face a trial in the nation's 246-year history, plunging the US into unchartered legal and political territory. He is also a candidate for next year's presidential election, the leading candidate for the Republican nomination, and only two per cent behind President Joe Biden in an aggregation of polls by RealClear Politics. Trump is facing charges relating to a payoff he allegedly made before the 2016 election through his former lawyer Michael Cohen to porn star Stormy Daniels who claimed to have had an affair with him in 2006. Cohen was convicted in a federal court in connection with the $130,000 payoffs and sentenced to three years. Federal prosecutors declined to prosecute Trump. Cohen is the prime witness in the local New York case. The charges, handed down by a grand jury - a panel of citizens convened to decide if there was a prima facie case - are under seal and will be unsealed shortly in court. Since hush money payments and extra-martial affairs are not illegal, it is likely that the charges will be about bookkeeping irregularities in how they were recorded and if they can be made out to be in violation of campaign finance laws. Some leaks reported by the media have said that Trump will be bludgeoned with over two dozen charges, some of them serious criminal allegations or felonies with a maximum sentence of four years in prison. In a social media post, Trump asked Manhattan prosecutor Alvin Bragg to charge himself for violating the laws against disclosure of a sealed indictment before it is released in court. Trump's lawyers have said that he will fight the charges at the trial that will be months away. Bragg, a Democrat elected prosecutor in a partisan election, is to hold a news conference in the afternoon after Trump is produced before Merchan, whom Trump had personally attacked saying, "He hates me". Trump is scheduled to fly back to his home in Mar-a-Lago in Florida on his private Boeing 757 after his arraignment in court and hold a meeting there later. The city was under a blanket of heavy security with police on the alert. Areas around Trump Towers and the courthouses were barricaded with steel fences and police buses. Screaming protesters trading insults across a barrier were kept apart by police. Trump had warned of "potential death and destruction" after the indictment was announced on Thursday. The protest outside the courthouse was called by a right-wing Republican member of the House of Representatives, Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is known for her extreme rhetoric, drawing a warning from Mayor Eric Adams, ""When you're in town, be on your best behaviour". Greene's speech was drowned out by anti-Trump protesters. So far, the protests have been in a carnival atmosphere with even a dancing semi nude anti-Trump protester shouting foul-mouthed challenges to him. There was no rioting like the attack on Congress in January 2021 by his supporters buying into Trump's claims that President Biden had "stolen" the election. --IANS al/vd ( 669 Words) 2023-04-04-23:18:02 (IANS) China reiterated that the unmanned civilian airship that flew over US territory was purely an "unexpected and isolated event," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, according to the press statement released by the ministry. While responding to a question about the unmanned airship, Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Mao Ning said, "We have made it clear time and again that the unmanned Chinese civilian airship drifting over the US was a purely unexpected and isolated event caused by force majeure." She also stated, "China firmly rejects distortion, hyping up and political manipulation of this unexpected and isolated event." China made it clear that the unmanned airship is a civilian airship that is used for meteorological and other research purposes, the statement read. However, even after asking multiple times about the company that the aircraft belongs to, Mao doesn't respond. These questions came after the United States Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said that America is still assessing the parts that were recovered from the balloon and precautionary steps were taken in time to limit the intelligence value that it would be able to collect. Responding to media queries on whether the balloon was able to transmit intelligence back to China, she added that the US took steps to protect its own military installations from foreign intelligence collection by taking preventive measures. "So, on the balloon itself, right now, the FBI is leading, still assessing the parts that we were able to recover from the balloon. As we mentioned early on when we first started tracking the balloon, we do know that the balloon was able to be manoeuvred and purposely driven along its track but not going to get into specific sites it was able to hover over," the Pentagon Spokeswoman revealed. "But what we did do is take precautionary steps to limit the intelligence value that it would be able to collect and, you know, again, we -- we took steps to protect our own military installations from foreign intelligence collection," Pentagon Spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said during the press briefing. Speaking further, the Pentagon spokesperson said that due to the immediate steps the US took at that point in time, "we were able to prevent transmission of certain aspects of our sites to be transmitted." On transmission back to the PRC and what was able to be transmitted back, she said, "I just don't have further information for you at this time. As of right now, we're still doing an assessment of what exactly the intel was that China was able to gather, but we do know that the steps that we took provided little additive value for what they've been able to collect on from satellites before." The suspected Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon, before being shot down by the US forces was hovering in the nation's airspace for a few days. (ANI) Pakistan Muslim League-N Supremo and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif slammed the supreme court's verdict in the Punjab election delay case and called for the submission of a reference against the three-member SC bench, The Express Tribune reported. While addressing a press conference on Tuesday in London, where Nawaz has been living since 2019, said, "A reference should be filed in the Supreme Judicial Council against these three judges as today's judgement is a charge sheet against them." This comment came after the Supreme Court's three-member bench continued hearing the case and nullified the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) decision to postpone polls in Punjab despite the ruling PDM's demand to constitute a full court in the matter. Earlier, on Tuesday, the three-member bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar announced the verdict on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) petition challenging the ECP's move to postpone Punjab Assembly polls till October, according to The Express Tribune. The apex court announced that general elections of the Punjab Assembly would be held on May 14 as it declared the ECP's decision "unconstitutional". Referring to his disqualification by the top court in 2016, Nawaz said he was ousted from power in a matter of seconds, "whereas all-out efforts are being made to bring [PTI chief] Imran Khan back into power". "By paralysing the state, everything has been destroyed in the love of a 'ladla' (darling) Imran Khan, which is very unfortunate," he added. Earlier, The Nation reported that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government on Saturday held a meeting where they decided that any decision made by the three judges in the case will be unacceptable, reported The Express Tribune. The development further deepens the constitutional and political crisis in Pakistan as the institutions find themselves at loggerheads. At a huddle with allies PDM and PPP, Pakistan's federal government expressed "complete no-confidence" in the three-member bench, as per the news report. They further called upon the court to discontinue the proceedings of the case forthwith. (ANI) The United States is going to hell, said former President Donald Trump in a jibe at Joe Biden's administration while addressing a public gathering on Tuesday night. Addressing supporters from his Mar-a-Lago property, Trump mentioned the Hunter Biden's laptop scandal saying, "The FBI and Department of Justice in collusion with Twitter and Facebook in order not to say anything bad about the Hunter Biden laptop from hell, which exposes the Biden family as criminals and which, according to the pollsters would have made a 17 point difference in the election result, we needed a lot less than that, 16.9, it would have been in our favour because our country is going to hell." The 76-year-old, who has pleaded 'not guilty' to 34 felony counts in a New York court, has also claimed that the Democrats spied on his campaign. "This could happen in America. Never thought it could happen. The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it. From the beginning, the Democrats spied on my campaign. Remember that? They attacked me with an onslaught of fraudulent investigations," Trump said. "Russia, Russia, Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine.Impeachment hoax number one.Impeachment hoax number two.The illegal and unconstitutional raid on Mar a Lago right here.The lying to the Pfizer courts. The FBI and DOJ relentlessly pursuing Republicans, the unconstitutional changes to election laws by not getting approvals from state legislators, the millions of votes illegally stuffed into ballot boxes and all caught on government cameras," he added. Donald Trump, who was in New York for his arraignment, was charged with three pre-election hush-money cases. Trump faces criminal charges for his alleged role in 36 felony criminal charges including the hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign to conceal an alleged affair that he has constantly denied. In the statement, the attorney mentioned three instances of the 'catch and kill' scheme in Donald Trump's indictment. "In one instance, American Media Inc. ("AMI"), paid USD 30,000 to a former Trump Tower doorman, who claimed to have a story about a child TRUMP had out of wedlock," Bragg said in a statement. The attorney also stated that the AMI paid USD 150,000 was paid to the woman who claimed to have a sexual relationship with Trump. And former President asked his lawyer to reimburse AMI in cash. AMI admitted its conduct was unlawful in an agreement with federal prosecutors and made false entries in its business records concerning the true purpose of the USD 150,000 payment."In a third instance - 12 days before the presidential general election - the Special Counsel wired USD 130,000 to an attorney for an adult film actress. The Special Counsel, who has since pleaded guilty and served time in prison for making the illegal campaign contribution, made the payment through a shell corporation funded through a bank in Manhattan," the statement read. Bragg also said during the 2016 election, Trump and others employed a "catch and kill" scheme to identify, purchase, and bury negative information about him and boost his electoral prospects. (ANI) After India outrightly rejected China's attempt to rename places of Arunachal Pradesh, Beijing on Tuesday claimed its "sovereignty" over the region. In a regular press conference, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, "Zangnan (Arunachal Pradesh) is part of China's territory. In accordance with relevant stipulations of the administration of geographical names of the State Council, competent authorities of the Chinese government have standardised the names of some parts of Zangnan. This is within China's sovereign rights." Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Tuesday asserted that Arunachal Pradesh will always be an integral part of India. Bagchi issued the statement after China's Ministry of Civil Affairs came up with the names of 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh, which it referred to as "Zangnan, the southern part of Tibet." In response to media queries regarding China renaming some places in Arunachal Pradesh, Arindam Bagchi in a statement said, "We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has made such an attempt. We reject this outright." He further said, "Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Attempts to assign invented names will not alter this reality." Meanwhile, United States "strongly oppose" China's attempts to advance a claim over Indian territory, Arunachal Pradesh by renaming localities, the White House said on Tuesday. "This is another attempt by the Chinese claim on us, Indian territory. So the United States, as you know, has recognised that territory for a long time and we strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance a territory claim by renaming localities. And so, again, this is something that we have long stood by a few things," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. China released names of 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh in Chinese characters, Tibetan and pinyin according to the rules on geographical names issued by the State Council, China's cabinet, Global Times reported. The ministry announced the names of 11 places on Sunday and also gave precise coordinates, including two residential areas, five mountain peaks, two rivers and two other areas. China's Ministry of Civil Affairs also listed the category of places' names and their subordinate administrative districts, as per the news report. According to the Global Times report, this is the third batch of geographical names announced by the ministry in Arunachal Pradesh. As per the news report, the first batch of the standardized names of six places was issued in 2017, and the second batch of 15 places was released in 2021. In December, last year, the Union government said it has seen reports of China attempting to rename some places in Arunachal Pradesh "in its own language" and asserted that the border state has been and will always be an integral part of India." In response to a media query on reports that China has renamed some places in Arunachal Pradesh in its own language, Bagchi said China had also sought to assign such names in April 2017. "We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has attempted such a renaming of places in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. China had also sought to assign such names in April 2017," Bagchi said. "Arunachal Pradesh has always been, and will always be an integral part of India. Assigning invented names to places in Arunachal Pradesh does not alter this fact," he added. (ANI) The UAE has issued a travel advisory for citizens against travelling to Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania due to the outbreak of Marburg virus, reported Al Arabiya News. "The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has urged the public to be aware of the virus causing Marburg haemorrhagic fever and to avoid travelling to Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea unless it's necessary due to the recent spread of Marburg virus," the Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported on Tuesday. The disease is passed on to people from fruit bats and is from the same virus family responsible for the deadly Ebola. Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania are facing outbreaks of the Marburg virus, a highly infectious and deadly disease similar to Ebola, the World Health Organization (WHO) said earlier. "The Ministry has emphasized that all necessary precautions are being taken in accordance with international health standards to contain the virus in its current geographical scope. The situation in these countries is being closely monitored to determine the global severity of the disease," the health ministry said in a statement. Saudi Arabia and Oman have issued similar warnings as the World Health Organization estimated that the death toll from the outbreak is double what authorities have been reporting. It also called on citizens living in the two African countries to take precautions and follow the relevant health measures to protect themselves against the virus, reported Al Arabiya News. If travel is unavoidable, people should take precautions such as avoiding close contact with patients, touching contaminated surfaces, and refraining from visiting caves and mines, the health ministry's statement said. The Marburg virus disease is a viral haemorrhagic fever that can have a fatality rate of up to 88 per cent, according to the WHO. The virus causes severe fever, often accompanied by bleeding and organ failure. UAE citizens and residents who have travelled back to the country from the affected areas must isolate themselves and seek medical attention at the nearest health facility or emergency department within hospitals, according to the ministry. The UAE health ministry further advised individuals to inform medical staff who have travelled to the affected areas where the Marburg virus disease is spreading, and whether they have been in contact with infected individuals, or exhibit symptoms for up to 21 days. It also urged the public to not circulate unofficial information in regards to the Marburg virus and to only follow preventative measures issued by official platforms, WAM reported. The health ministry also stressed that the UAE's epidemiological surveillance system is very effective and is in constant coordination with other health authorities, WAM added. (ANI) A parliamentary delegation from South Sudan, led by the Speaker of the Transitional National Assembly, Jemma Nunu Kumba, on Wednesday called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Welcoming the delegation to India, the President said India and South Sudan enjoy cordial and friendly relations. She said India is proud to be a major troop contributor to the UN Peace keeping Missions in South Sudan, read a release from Rashtrapati Bhavan. India, in January 2023, deployed a platoon of women peacekeepers in Abyei on the border of Sudan and South Sudan as part of the Indian Battalion in the United Nations Interim Security Force (UNISFA). Murmu added that apart from Peace Missions, Indian soldiers are playing an important humanitarian role, and contributing to furthering relations between the two countries. The President said India is determined to be a reliable development partner for South Sudan. She expressed confidence that the youth of South Sudan would take advantage of the training and capacity building opportunities provided by India's ITEC and ICCR scholarship programmes, added the release. Murmu said South Sudan can benefit from India's experiences in parliamentary democracy in its ongoing political process, including the drafting of a new Constitution. She further said that India would extend its full support to South Sudan in this process. South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011. Since its independence, It has suffered ethnic violence and civil war, ethnic massacres and killings of journalists. The UN Security Council, by its resolution 1990 of June 27, 2011, responded to the urgent situation in Sudan's Abyei region by establishing the UNISFA. The Security Council was deeply concerned by the violence, escalating tensions and population displacement. The operation has been tasked with monitoring the flashpoint border between north and south and facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid, and is authorised to use force in protecting civilians and humanitarian workers in Abyei. UNISFA's establishment came after the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) reached an agreement in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to demilitarise Abyei and let Ethiopian troops monitor the area. (ANI) Bara tribesmen on Tuesday protested against the arrest of a local tribal elder Malak Haji Mashaad Gul by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and demanded his immediate production at a court of law, reported Dawn. Elders of Maaroofkhel, Meergatkhel and Sherkhel tribes from Bara alleged that Gul was picked up from Bara bazaar by CTD sleuths on March 31 in broad daylight without presenting any FIR or citing any reason. The Bara elders threatened to stage a protest and block the main road leading to Torkham if Malak Mashaad Gul was not presented at a court, reported Dawn. They said Malak Mashaad Gul was a respectable elder of Akkakhel tribe and had no criminal record nor was he associated with any proscribed organisation. They raised concern over that CTD had not presented him in any court despite lapse of four days while no charges were so far framed against him, reported Dawn. Speaking on the occasion, those who led the rally, including Haji Jafer Khan Afridi and others, claimed that as part of a plot by land grabbers to halt land distribution, fake cases were filed against committee members to keep them from doing their job of granting everyone their fair share of the property, reported The Nation. "We are peace-loving people," they said, "but the CTD police allegedly kidnapped their elder in a false case to blackmail him, which is an injustice to them." Meanwhile, security in tribal areas has been impacted in the recent wave of terror attacks across the country. Terrorism in Pakistan has been rearing its head again. Over the past few months, the law and order situation in the country, especially in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan has worsened, with terrorist groups executing attacks with near impunity across the country. Since the talks with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) broke down in November, the terrorist group has intensified its attacks, particularly targeting the police in KP and areas bordering Afghanistan. Insurgents in Balochistan have also stepped up their violent activities and formalised a nexus with the outlawed TTP, reported Dawn. (ANI) Chinese authorities protested against traditional Chinese dance show held in the Northern Italian city of Bergamo today, reported geopolitical insights from Italy, Decode 39. According to the Chinese government, "Shen Yun" is the singing, dancing face of "Falun Gong" - which the government describes as a malevolent "anti-society cult" that leads its followers to self-mutilation, suicide and murder. "Shen Yun" has been going around the world for years. The US-based production is scheduled for four replicas at the Donizetti Theatre in the Northern Italian city of Bergamo, from April 5-7, reported Decode 39. Representatives of Chinese diplomacy are pressuring local authorities over it. After protesting the production, as reported by Corriere della Sera, the Chinese Consul-General for Milan Xuefeng Song travelled to Bergamo to meet local Culture Councillor Nadia Ghisalberti. During his visit, the Chinese consul questioned the Italian councillor about the show and expressed dislike for the decision to make it happen, reported Decode 39. Meanwhile, Ghisalberti pointed out, neither the municipality nor the Donizetti Foundation, which oversaw the theatre and rented it out for the event, organised it. Beijing's woes relate to the link between Shen Yun's United States-based production and the Falun Gong religious group. The Chinese government regards it as a dangerous sect and has jailed tens of thousands of followers since the 1990s, leading many believers to become exiled. Chinese authorities might also have disliked the show's subtitle, "China before Communism," reported Decode 39. It is to be noted that wherever Shen Yun goes, the Chinese government follows. In Ecuador and Ireland, Berlin and Stockholm, theatres and local governments have reported receiving letters or visits from Chinese embassies attempting to shut down the dance show. Falun Gong practitioners have become some of the most outspoken opponents of the Beijing government and they have alleged China of harvesting organs from the practitoners of the group. Many practitioners have reported that, while they were in China's extensive network of detention centres and forced labour camps, they were tortured. Evidence indicates that Falun Gong practitioners, Uyghur Muslims, Tibetans and other prisoners have been further subject to forced live organ harvesting. Due to the lack of voluntary organ donors within the country, China has taken extreme measures in order to provide transplants for its nationals and 'organ tourists,' reported Health Europa Quarterly. In June 2019 the China Tribunal, an independent judicial investigation into forced organ transplantation in China released its final judgement. The Tribunal's conclusion, based on an extensive array of evidence and testimony provided by more than 50 witnesses, found that crimes against humanity had been committed against China's Uyghur Muslim and Falun Gong populations. (ANI) The year 2022 was full of misery and fear for the people of Balochistan as the Pakistan government and military continued to abuse human rights in a multitude of ways. A drastic rise in enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killing was recorded throughout the year, according to the Human Rights Council of Balochistan. The Human Rights Council of Balochistan is a non-profit group based in Balochistan, Sweden and France. The group works to shed light on the human rights situation in Balochistan. According to the human rights group, the worsening plight of families of enforced disappearances continued as the dead bodies of their loved ones continued to appear in desolated areas despite continuous protests and demonstrations and assurances from the government. The cruel onslaught against religious minorities continues while the state remains a silent spectator without taking action to curb terrorism. The vicious crackdowns against dissenting voices in Gwadar, Kech, Karachi, Islamabad, and Quetta and framing them in fake cases turned Balochistan into a much darker and more unstable place, according to HRCB. Throughout 2022, police brutality continued in the province. Illegal house raids, framing victims of enforced disappearance in fake cases, killing of victims of enforced disappearance in fake encounters, intimidation, harassment, and use of excessive force on peaceful protests. Abdul Hafeez, a businessman to Pakistan was illegally detained and deported by the UAE. He was framed in a bogus case in Sindh and later the Anti-Terrorism court acquitted him of all the fabricated charges. Other activists were also detained for questioning by UAE officials and later released. The Army and frontier corps continued to forcibly disappear and extra-judicially kill civilians during operations with absolute impunity. In some cases, forces summoned people to camp and later tortured them to death. Under the policy of Collective Punishment arrests of women, children, and elderly people was also recorded in 2022, as per HRCB. The Baloch students continued to face intimidation, harassment, racial profiling, and enforced disappearances in other provinces as well as Balochistan, particularly in educational institutions. The government not only failed to ensure their protection but also appealed against the Islamabad High Court's decision to probe into the racial profiling of Baloch students. The families of victims of enforced disappearances continued their protest demonstrations for the safe release of their loved ones in different cities throughout the year despite police's use of excessive force and booking them on fabricated charges. Despite assurances from the Interior minister and law minister, bullet-riddled dead bodies of victims of enforced disappearance continued to appear in the desolated areas, as per HRCB. (ANI) Ahead of the provincial government's long-delayed operation against outlaws in Pakistan's riverine area, a gang of dacoits once again struck, killing a Station House Officer (SHO) and injuring five others including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), reported Dawn. The outlaws attacked a large police contingent that was engaged in an operation to free hostages in the Kandhkot district's Durrani-Mahar riverine area. Last month, the Sindh cabinet resolved to conduct a grand operation to flush out dacoits from the province's riverine areas with the help of the Pakistan Army, Rangers, and Punjab and Balochistan police. Police sources, cited by Dawn, said that dacoits were using anti-aircraft guns and rocket launchers and other sophisticated weapons to shoot indiscriminately at ill-equipped officers who were deployed to a crime-ridden area to free hostages from kidnappers' groups. They said that the clash led to gunning down of SHO Abdul Latif Mirani and leaving DSP Qalandar Bakhsh Soomro and Constable Mohammad Ishaq alias Bhai Meerani injured. Three passers-by were wounded by bullets and captured in the ferocious gunfire; they were not identified until late at night. Kashmore-Kandhkot SSP Irfan Ali Samo told reporters in front of the Kandhkot Civil Hospital that he sent out a huge police force consisting of cops from 20 different police stations after receiving information that dacoits were moving hostages taken from Kashmore to other locations. He said the incident happened when the heavily armed outlaws of the Sabzoi, Bhayo, and Jagirani gangs attacked a criminal hideout in the Durrani-Mahar riverine area as the group led by DSP Soomro approached it. The SSP said that more police force had been deployed to the area where they had been able to corner the dacoits. He said that the cops had killed around 10-12 dacoits during police operations against notorious gangs. As the operation was still in progress, the SSP refused to provide the identities of the dacoits killed in the operation. The policemen were valiantly battling the gangs and had clearly damaged them, the SSP said, adding that they would soon be able to get rid of them. Locals told Dawn that the Durrani-Mahar area had become a battleground and was echoing with sporadic gunfire. Notably, the dacoits killed a DSP, two SHOs and many constables in an attack on a police contingent in riverine area of Ghotki district last year in November. The cabinet had sanctioned a sum of Rs 2.7 billion to buy military-grade weapons for police to take on criminal gangs operating in the riverine area of the districts Kashmore, Shikarpur and Ghotki, but the plan is yet to be executed, Dawn reported. (ANI) The meeting between Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday has garnered significant interest, especially in view of the heightened focus on the Doklam issue, The Bhutan Live reported. The discussions between the two top leaders were hailed as "warm and productive," and they produced a broad five-point roadmap for advancing India's "time-tested" ties with Bhutan. The Doklam problem was not specifically mentioned, but it is obvious that it is still a crucial area for India's strategic interests. The five-point plan by the two leaders includes cooperation in a variety of areas, such as trade, connectivity, and investment, sustainable trade facilitation measures, new paradigms of cooperation in the energy sector, and cooperation in emerging industries like startups and space travel. According to The Bhutan Live, the projected rail link project, which would be the first train link ever between Assam and Bhutan, between Kokrajhar and Gelephu is also included in the roadmap. India has also agreed to grant an additional standby credit facility at Bhutan's request and to increase its support for the next 13th Five-Year Plan. The relationship between India and Bhutan is seen as "exemplary," being marked by trust, goodwill, and understanding. The foundation of this connection is mutual respect, trust, a thorough understanding, and sensitivity to one another's worries. The intertwined and indivisible nature of India's and Bhutan's security concerns are self-evident, and the two nations have a long history of close talks on issues pertaining to their shared security and interests. The roadmap to which the two leaders agreed is a crucial step in expanding the proven relationship between India and Bhutan. In addition to improving connectivity between the two nations, the proposed rail link project between Kokrajhar and Gelephu will also strengthen commercial and trade ties. Bhutan's socio-economic development will be aided by India's support for the country's upcoming Five Year Plan and the availability of an additional standby credit facility. The discovery of new areas of collaboration, like startups and space, emphasises the expanding breadth and depth of the relationship between India and Bhutan. The exemplary relationship between India and Bhutan is proof of the value of respect, trust, and cooperation. The strategy proposed by PM Modi and King Wangchuck will only serve to deepen the two nations' shared commitment to each other's security and common interests, as per The Bhutan Live. Even as the Doklam issue still remains a point of concern, the discussions between PM Modi and Wangchuck show a commitment to seeking amicable solutions and strengthening the relationship between the two nations. As India and Bhutan continue to strengthen their ties, the two countries will serve as a shining example of the benefits of cooperation and shared respect in international affairs, The Bhutan Live reported. The Bhutan King arrived in Delhi on Monday. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on him on Monday and hosted a dinner, which "involved good discussions and interaction" with the key CEOs of some of the Indian companies. King Jigme Wangchuck also called on President Droupadi Murmu. (ANI) President Joe Biden is scheduled to travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland next week, said The White House on Wednesday. According to a statement from the White House, "President Joseph R Biden Jr will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland from April 11-14." The statement also read, "President Biden will first travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland from April 11-2 to mark the tremendous progress since the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago and to underscore the readiness of the United States to support Northern Ireland's vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities." "The President will then travel to Ireland from April 12-14. He will discuss our close cooperation on the full range of shared global challenges. He will also hold various engagements, including in Dublin, County Louth, and County Mayo, where he will deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people," the statement added. "Additional information about the trip will be forthcoming," the White House statement concluded. In early March, Biden said that he planned to visit Northern Ireland to mark the ensuing anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which the US aided broker a quarter-century ago to bring an end to decades of sectarian violence, reported CNN. On Wednesday, the Irish government said Prime Minister of Ireland, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar "looks forward to the forthcoming official visit of the President of the United States to Ireland." In a statement, Varadkar said, "I am delighted that President Biden will pay a visit to Ireland. It will be a privilege and a special moment to welcome him back as President of the United States," CNN reported. (ANI) Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in response to Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's "Frankenstein monster" comment has said that these remarks reflect the Indian leadership's "unhealthy obsession" with Pakistan. Pakistan's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar made the remarks during a media briefing on Wednesday. In response to a question on her Indian counterpart's remarks on Pakistan's current situation, economy and terrorism, Khar said, "Having failed in their efforts to malign and isolate Pakistan at the diplomatic front, Indian leaders have now assumed the role of armchair pundits. While focusing on Pakistan they very conveniently overlook the developments in their own country where the social fabric is being ripped apart by the rise of an extremist Hindutva ideology." When asked whether Pakistan responded to the Indian letter to Pakistan asking to start negotiations for the review of Indus Water Treaty, Khar said, "I can confirm that Pakistan has responded to the Indian letter on the Indus Waters Treaty. Pakistan remains committed to the implementation of the Treaty in good faith and to ensure its water security." On being asked why Pakistan consistently boycotts the Democracy Summit in spite of being a functional democracy, Khar said, "We have already released a statement. I would like to reiterate that Pakistan as a vibrant democracy is deeply committed to democratic values and generations of Pakistanis have upheld their faith in democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms." In response to the same question, she said, "We have also said that Pakistan has not been part of the summit process that began in 2021, which required countries to make certain national commitments. We believe that the summit process is now at an advanced stage. Therefore, Pakistan would engage bilaterally with the organisers and the co-hosts of the summit to promote and strengthen democratic principles and values, and work towards advancing human rights and fight against corruption." On the statement made by British Home Secretary about Pakistani men, Hina Rabbani Khar said that Pakistan finds these remarks as dangerous, discriminatory, and xenophobic. "Her statement paints a highly misleading picture, signalling the intent to target and treat British Pakistanis differently. In making these uncalled-for remarks, the Home Secretary has erroneously branded criminal behaviour of some individuals as representation of the entire community. She fails to take note of the systemic racism and ghettoisation of communities and omits to recognize the tremendous cultural, economic and political contributions that British Pakistanis continue to make in British society," the Pakistani minister concluded. (ANI) Russian President Vladimir Putin told the newly appointed US Ambassador to Moscow, Lynne Tracy, that the situation in Ukraine was a result of Washington's support for the Maidan protestors in 2014, reported CNN. Putin told Tracy as he accepted her credentials, "Dear Madam Ambassador, I do not want to disturb the gracious atmosphere of the presentation of credentials and I know that you may not agree with me, but I cannot but say that the use of such instruments by the United States in its foreign policy as support for the so-called 'colour revolutions,' support in this regard by the State Department of the coup in Kyiv in 2014, ultimately have led to the current Ukrainian crisis." "[US actions] additionally made a negative impact on the degradation of Russian-American relations." Notably, over 70 people died during the 2014 Maidan protests, which were sparked by former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's decision to scrap a trade deal with the European Union and instead turn toward Russia, according to CNN. Over 50 people were killed and 100 were hurt on the bloodiest day in Kyiv's Maidan, or Independence Square, where protestors said government snipers opened fire on them. Putin said on Wednesday that ties between Russia and the US were at an all-time low. Putin said, "Relations between Russia and the United States, on which global security and stability directly depend, are in a deep crisis unfortunately," adding, "It is based on fundamentally different approaches to the formation of the modern world order," CNN reported. (ANI) A minor girl was allegedly raped and murdered in Karachi's Surjani Town area on Wednesday, ARY News reported. According to the police, the girl's body was found in a manhole near the Surjani Town area. According to details, a six-year-old girl was missing from Karachi's Surjani area on Tuesday. Her body was found in the manhole near her house a day later. The police officials declared the death as an 'accident' after which the girl's body was shifted to the hospital for a medico-legal process. The police surgeon confirmed that the girl was sexually assaulted before she was killed, according to ARY News. The victim's family demanded the immediate arrest of the rapist-cum-murderer. Meanwhile, an FIR has been lodged against unidentified persons. Meanwhile, Nikkei Asia recently reported that a young woman out for an evening walk with a friend was beaten and sexually assaulted at gunpoint by two men in Fatima Jinnah Park, the largest park in the capital. The attack on February 2 sparked an uproar on social media and protests by women's advocacy groups. A rape case in Islamabad and the killing of the alleged assailants by the police have provoked renewed scrutiny of the rights of Pakistani women and flaws in the nation's justice system. Two weeks later, on February 16, the Islamabad police said that both suspects had been killed in an exchange of gunfire when they were stopped at a checkpoint. The victim's lawyer and others criticised what they said were extrajudicial killings, which the police department denies. Experts say the episode highlights the issue of violence against women and the need for overhauling the criminal justice system. In 2021, 5,200 rapes were reported in Pakistan, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP). The conviction rate in rape cases is less than 3 per cent, the activist organisation, War Against Rape says, Nikkei Asia reported. (ANI) Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was on Tuesday able to meet with his lawyers, the paper said. It added that the journalist who has been detained in Russia since last week is in good health, CNN reported. "Evan's lawyers were able to meet with him in prison today. They said Evan's health is good, and he is grateful for the outpouring of support from around the world. We stand with Evan and continue to call for his immediate release," the statement said, according to CNN. Gershkovich was detained by Russian authorities last week on charges of spying, signalling a significant ratcheting of both Moscow's tensions with the United States and its campaign against foreign news media. As per the Wall Street Journal statement, Evan "was doing what journalists do, asking questions and providing an eyewitness account in the region to help keep the world well informed." "His imprisonment is wholly unjustified and an attack on a free press. We are doing everything in our power to bring Evan home safely and will not rest until he is reunited with his family," the statement from Editor-in-Chief Emma Tucker and Publisher Almar Latour said. Representatives from the US Embassy in Moscow haven't been granted consular access to Gershkovich, according to the Journal, CNN reported. As per CNN, the Journal has denied the espionage charge against Gershkovich, describing his arrest as "a vicious affront to a free press" which "should spur outrage in all free people and governments throughout the world." Gershkovich has filed an appeal against his arrest in Russia, CNN reported. He is currently being held in a pre-trial detention centre at Russia's Lefortovo prison until May 29. He faces up to 20 years in prison on espionage charges. The Wall Street Journal has denied the spying accusations against Gershkovich, according to CNN. No date for hearing the appeal has been set. The US on Sunday expressed concern over Russia's detention of US citizen journalist Evan Gershkovich and called for his immediate release. US' concern was expressed by the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a telephonic conversation with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. "Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Secretary Blinken conveyed the United States' grave concern over Russia's unacceptable detention of a US citizen journalist. The Secretary called for his immediate release," according to a readout issued by the US Department of State, attributed to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel. Blinken further urged the Kremlin to immediately release wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Paul Whelan. The Secretary and Foreign Minister Lavrov also discussed the importance of creating an environment that permits diplomatic missions to carry out their work. (ANI) Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen met the speaker of the United States House of Representatives, McCarthy, on Wednesday (local time) in California, The New York Post reported. Notably, this is the first time when Taiwan's President met with a US House speaker on American soil. Both leaders briefly shook the hands after her SUV pulled up to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, northwest of Los Angeles. Taiwan's President met McCarthy despite the threats of retaliation from China. Washington's current "One China" policy acknowledges Beijing's claims but does not endorse it, according to The New York Post. After the meeting, Carthy tweeted, "The friendship between America and the people of Taiwan has never been stronger. It is my honor to welcome President @iingwen to the @Reagan_Library." "Taiwan is a successful democracy, thriving economy, and global leader in health and science. Our cooperation continues to expand through dialogue and exchange," he added. In response to McCarthy's gesture, Tsai said, "Thank you @SpeakerMcCarthy for the warm welcome. It's a pleasure to be back at the @Reagan_Library & enjoying the #California sunshine as we work to strengthen the bond between #Taiwan & the #US." Wednesday's meeting is the second time in eight months Tsai has met with a speaker of the House after McCarthy's predecessor, Nancy Pelosi, visited the island in August, The New York Post reported. The meeting between the two leaders is seen as something China extremely disapproves of and has repeatedly shown opposition to. Ahead of their meeting, China dispatched several maritime vessels near Taiwan's coast. On Wednesday night local time, Beijing sent a "large scale patrol and rescue vessel" to the central and northern Taiwan Strait for a three-day "joint patrol and inspection" operation, China's Fujian Maritime Safety Administration said in a statement. The Defense Department has not sent any additional assets to the Indo-Pacific region in preparation for any aggressive response by China, a Pentagon spokesperson told reporters Wednesday, according to CNN. Earlier in March, the US State Department said that China has 'overreacted' to Taiwan President Tsai's visit to the US. US Department of State Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said that the transits of the Taiwan President are consistent with the longstanding policy of Washington. The statement of Vedant Patel comes after the Chinese spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said that China firmly opposes Tsai Ing-wen's planned "transit" visit to the US to meet US officials and will take resolute countermeasures in such an event, CGTN reported. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday embarked on a 10-day visit to Central America, which will include transit in the US, CNN reported. (ANI) [Source] According to a recent government survey, approximately 1 in 50 Japanese citizens are living as hikikomori, or individuals who isolate themselves from society for extended periods, due to the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Friday, Cabinet Office officials announced the results of a survey conducted in November 2022, which randomly surveyed 30,000 individuals between 10 and 69 years old. The study was the first conducted by the Cabinet Office on a wide range of ages regarding the hikikomori phenomenon. Previous studies focused mainly on younger individuals who isolate themselves by not attending school. However, this latest study revealed that the issues often persist into adulthood. The survey found that one in five hikikomori became socially isolated due to lifestyle changes and health concerns during the pandemic, with six out of 10 social recluses being male. More from NextShark: Japanese inn apologizes for changing communal bathwater only twice a year Of those surveyed between the ages of 15 and 39, 20.8% reported social relation difficulties as the cause of their social isolation, while 18.1% cited the pandemic as the primary reason. The study identified individuals as hikikomori if they had been isolated for at least six months. The results revealed that 21.5% of social hermits between the ages of 15 and 39 had experienced isolation for over six months but less than a year. Meanwhile, 21.9% of those between the ages of 40 and 64 reported isolation for three years or less. More from NextShark: 'Sonic the Hedgehog' creator and former Square Enix employee arrested over insider trading Although Japan did not enforce strict lockdowns during the pandemic, many employers and schools implemented remote strategies to reduce the spread of the virus. A Cabinet Office official noted that it was not uncommon for people to become hikikomori during the pandemic, as many chose to work from home and take online classes. Story continues Efforts are underway in various wards in Japan to reintegrate hikikomori into society. Notably, in Edogawa, over 9,000 people identified themselves as hikikomori in a survey conducted in 2021, including students who had stopped attending school. More from NextShark: Man spends almost $23,000 on realistic costume to fulfill his dream of becoming a wolf Starting in June, the ward intends to organize social events in the metaverse, enabling hikikomori to re-socialize themselves through avatars. Takeshi Saito, the mayor of the ward, has expressed his optimism that these events will benefit some individuals. However, he also acknowledged that the metaverse alone cannot solve the entire problem. We are targeting those who cant leave their rooms and havent been interacting with other people. We want to help them take a step forward, he said. More from NextShark: Japan passes bill making online insults punishable by jail time in wake of 'Terrace House' star's death A view of Disneyland in January 2023. Getty Images Dee Kolafa is a Disneyland fan who first visited the California theme park on opening day in 1955. To celebrate her 100th birthday, Disneyland hosted a private celebration for the centenarian. She met Mickey Mouse while there, and told him that she's five years older than him. A 100-year-old woman who attended Disneyland's opening day in 1955 got a surprise birthday party at the theme park decades later. The Orange County Register reported that Dee Kolafa visited the California theme park with her family on March 29, nearly 70 years after her first trip there, to celebrate her birthday and new status as a centenarian. Disneyland helped to host the festivities. "Well, I was a little surprised myself that I woke up, to tell you the truth," Kolafa joked while speaking to ABC 7. "I didn't know they were gonna do this much. I was just real pleased that they were going to bring me for a celebration." Her grandson Eric Sawyer told the TV station that he wrote a letter to the president of Disneyland, Ken Potrock, simply to share that both Kolafa and the Walt Disney Company turned 100 this year. "I knew my grandma well enough to know that she'd be happy with just a letter, but instead they actually sent gifts from Disney and then a note saying, 'Come and join me.' She was very excited," he said. According to The Orange County Register, Kolafa and her family including her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren spent their day at the park watching Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, riding It's A Small World, and getting a private tour of Walt Disney's apartment on Main Street. They also got to spend time with Potrock and Mickey Mouse, who Kolafa greeted by saying: "I'm older than you, Mickey." "I have come so many times and I've loved it every time," Kolafa told ABC 7 about Disneyland. "I remember just sitting and watching the carousel with a lot of my grandchildren and great-grandchildren on it." Story continues She also noted that Disneyland didn't exist when she was a child. When it opened in 1955, she was already a mother of five. "It sounds hokey, but I think we all should be almost grateful that we live on the same planet as [Walt Disney], who had that much imagination," Kolafa told the Register. And it's clear that she shares some similarities with the Disney founder. As the publication reported, Kolafa's advice for living a long life is simple: have a good attitude. Read the original article on Insider A 14-year-old remembered as a kind and compassionate young man died days after a sand hole collapsed on top of him, Minnesota reports say. Hunter Flaxbeard, of Kellogg, Minnesota, was digging a sand tunnel March 28 when he became buried in the sand, according to KAAL and KFGO. He was taken to a hospital in Rochester, Bring Me The News reported, but he died March 30. Hunters death was ruled an accidental suffocation, Wabasha County Sheriff Rodney Bartsh told the Post Bulletin. An obituary states Hunter was an eighth-grade student at St. Johns Lutheran School in Lake City. David Zabel, the schools principal, said Hunter had a heart of gold, according to KAAL. Hunter was passionate about church, according to the obituary, and was a member of Church of Christ in Plainview. He was full of adventure and new ideas, the obituary states. He loved to sit and have conversations with whoever would engage in his interests. He was very helpful and did his best to please everyone. Hunter was always busy doing something, whether it was inside or outside. Kellogg is about 90 miles southeast of Minneapolis. Teen who lost leg has questions for California driver who fled. Why did you run? 7-year-old dies after hes thrown from ATV driven by intoxicated man, Ohio police say 18-year-old set to play college football falls from parking deck fourth floor, cops say [Source] Police in Japan have arrested two men accused of contaminating a communal container of pickled ginger at a popular beef bowl restaurant chain as part of a prank. On Sept. 29, 2022, Toshihide Oka, 34, recorded Ryu Shimazu, 35, shoveling pickled ginger from a condiment container in a Yoshinoya restaurant in the Suminoe district of Osaka. In the video, which was widely shared on social media, Shimazu can be seen using chopsticks that he had eaten with to take some of the toppings from a container, where customers are supposed to use an attached serving utensil. The video resurfaced in February when a customer notified the chain restaurant about the prank. More from NextShark: NYC repeat offender who hit Asian man with a hammer indicted on hate crime charges Yoshinoya reported the incident to police and temporarily closed to discard all of its ginger and clean its containers. The chain, which operates more than 1,100 restaurants nationwide, is known for its low-priced and quick specialties, including gyudon, a soy sauce-flavored beef and onion bowl accompanied with rice. In a statement, Yoshinoya Holdings Co. said it is a source of great regret that this has become news that calls into question the safety and security of eating out in general. More from NextShark: Japanese crane gamers will soon be able to grab prizes in real claw machines through Android apps Shimazu was arrested on March 9 and Oka was arrested this week on suspicion of obstructing business and destroying property, according to officials. The pair has reportedly admitted to the charges against them. I wanted to make everyone laugh, Shimazu told police. More from NextShark: Adani Group losses swell to $65 billion despite 413-page rebuttal to fraud allegations I asked Shimazu to do something funny. I wanted to show it to everyone because I thought it was funny, Oka was quoted as saying, adding that they had nothing against the restaurant. If the men are convicted, they could face up to three years in prison and a fine of up to 500,000 yen (approximately $3,800) for obstructing business and up to three years imprisonment and a fine of up to 300,000 yen (approximately $2,280) for property destruction. Story continues The arrests come at a time when conveyor belt sushi restaurants are dealing with the aftermath of the sushi terrorism trend, where individuals film themselves purposely tampering with food or utensils. More from NextShark: Prosecutors urge no bail for 'sociopathic' billionaire charged in $1 billion fraud scheme Last month, police arrested three suspects on suspicion of obstructing the operation of a conveyor belt sushi restaurant. Their actions led affected restaurants to deal with customer complaints and conduct additional cleaning. The viral pranks have prompted many of the rotating kaiten-style restaurants to make changes to protect their businesses, such as suspending conveyor belts and installing AI-operated cameras to monitor customer misbehavior. Two juveniles are facing criminal charges after being caught with a gun on the campus at Central Cabarrus High School last week. According to the Concord Police Department, investigators got a tip about a video on social media showing a student with a gun last Friday. After an extensive investigation, police found the two juveniles, and they allegedly had the gun on school property and on a school bus. The juveniles havent been identified because of their age. ALSO READ: Concord nonprofit buys local church to build affordable housing According to CPD, theyre both facing a felony charge for possession of weapons on a campus, and one of the juveniles is also being charged with assault by pointing a gun. Police say the investigation is still open, and theyre working to see if any other students were involved. (WATCH: Cabarrus County student accused of punching bus driver, 84, in the face) A toddler died after his grandmothers dog attacked him, according to Maryland police. The 2-year-old and his siblings spent the day playing with their grandmothers dog Tuesday, April 4, before the attack, Brunswick police chief Kevin Grunwell told McClatchy News. As he and his family were leaving that afternoon, the dog bit him. Police officers and first responders found the boy with life-threatening injuries, Grunwell said. The toddler was then airlifted to the hospital, where he died. The toddler was visiting his grandmothers house to celebrate her birthday with his mom and siblings from Fauquier County, Virginia, according to Grunwell. The mastiff pit bull mix is in quarantine, Grunwell said. An investigation to determine next steps is ongoing. Weve had a devastating incident in Brunswick this evening. Please keep the family and those involved in your thoughts and prayers, Brunswick Mayor Nathan Brown wrote in a Facebook post. Frederick County is about 40 miles northwest of Washington, D.C. Womans young son runs for help as shes mauled to death by Great Danes, PA cops say Dont let me die. Teen mauled by dog is hospitalized after attack, Virginia cops say Three dogs attack 31-year-old woman in her dads backyard, Ohio police say The triple homicide of three teenagers in Florida is not related to a serial killer, according to local authorities. On April 4, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods addressed the three killings which occurred on consecutive days last week in a news conference. Speaking about the murders, Woods described them as being part of an isolated incident that authorities are investigating. The string of deaths began on March 30 when 16-year-old Layla Silvernail became the first victim. In a video posted to the Marion County's Sheriff's Office Facebook page Monday, Woods said the teenager was discovered in the Forest Lakes Park area after being shot. Woods said in a Tuesday press conference that she had died in the hospital. Woods said in the Facebook video that the following morning, deputies reported they discovered the body of an unnamed 17-year-old male who had been fatally shot. The male was found dead on the side of the road only a few miles away from where Silvernail was located the day prior. On April 1, deputies responded to another call. This time to an area that's about a 20-minute drive from the other locations where victims were found, where a 16-year-old female was located inside a vehicle. The vehicle was partially submerged by a body of water and the female had been shot. She was pronounced dead at the scene, Woods said in the Facebook video. The second and third victims identities have not been revealed to the public. There has been an abundance of evidence collected that is being processed, Woods said during the news conference. This is part of the integrity of the case, from digital to forensic evidence. Sometimes its easy to get these particular areas. Sometimes, it takes time. Were having to piece these together. According to Woods, all three victims of the shooting deaths were friends and were together leading up to their deaths. The county sheriff also shared that the murders were potentially related to what he called a hybrid gang, which he said is a wannabe gang. Story continues Woods also underlined that he would not reveal too much information regarding the case in order to avoid compromising it as 15 detectives currently work on the investigation. He also emphasized that despite rumors of a fourth victim circulating on social media, there is none. We are not looking for anyone else at this time. There is no information or no evidence to indicate that we have a fourth victim out there, Woods remarked. Speaking about his outlook on the case, Woods expressed his determination to have it resolved. Were gonna get them. They are going to find them, he added. Theyre going to put the pieces of the puzzle together... Their a**** (are) going to be right over there in that jail. This article was originally published on TODAY.com The Hat Girls, Rachel Bell and Kate Smith, have been designing and making hats and fascinators for Kentucky Derby fans for more than a decade. They are the Official Milliners of the Kentucky Derby Festival and Featured Milliners of the Kentucky Derby with a studio and boutique located at 211 Clover Lane. Here are their tips for finding the perfect topper for your Kentucky Derby outfit: Spend time doing online research before entering a store Rachel Bell, left, and Kate Smith are The Hat Girls, one of three Featured Milliners of 149th Kentucky Derby. Mar. 9, 2023 With so many sizes, colors and styles of Kentucky Derby hats, spend time online looking through different milliners' websites and social media accounts before you head to the shops. "Walking into a boutique or hat shop with hundreds of options is overwhelming for a lot of people," said Bell, co-owner of The Hat Girls. "Browsing online can help you whittle down the type of headwear you'll feel most comfortable wearing. We also offer ideas on our Instagram page for coordinating your hat or fascinator with ideas for dresses, shoes, purses and accessories." You may like: Long dresses or short hems? Bold colors or pastels? Your fashion guide for Derby 2023 Think about if you want a big brim or fancy fascinator Rachel Bell works on a Derby creation in The Hat Girls shop located at 211 Clover Lane in St. Matthews. The Hat Girls are one of three Featured Milliners of 149th Kentucky Derby. Mar. 9, 2023 Smith finds that many women attending the Kentucky Derby for their first time will want to wear a more traditional wide-brim hat. "Where you will be watching the Derby makes a difference to the size of hat you'll wear," she said. "A lot of customers like a smaller fascinator if they know they are going to spend the day in a crowded area as it's easier to maneuver. But really, it's all crowded on Derby Day, which is why after the first year, we find customers don't want to fight with a hat and prefer a fascinator on a headband." You may like: How to nail your 2023 Kentucky Derby outfit with the latest men's fashion trends Order your custom Kentucky Derby hat early Kate Smith works on a Derby creation in The Hat Girls shop located at 211 Clover Lane in St. Matthews. The Hat Girls are one of three Featured Milliners of 149th Kentucky Derby. Mar. 9, 2023 This is a pretty simple task as long as you've done your homework by browsing online ahead of shopping in person. "When you know what style you would like to wear and have an idea of the color(s), you are going to be happiest if you order as earlier as possible," Smith said. "For a custom design, it's never too early to start working with the designer. And the earlier you visit a hat shop or boutique, the better selection you'll find." Story continues The best hats and fascinators sell quickly so it's best to start your search by early April if you are going to the races in May. You may like: Churchill Downs names 3 Featured Milliners for Kentucky Derby 2023. Meet the hat makers Reach features reporter Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: The Hat Girls offer tips to finding your perfect Kentucky Derby hat Four Harvard University students were ordered out of their dorm suites and held at gunpoint by campus police officers early Monday morning, the college newspaper, The Harvard Crimson, reported. The incident was triggered after the Harvard University Police Department department received a false emergency call. Seniors Jarah K. Cotton, Jazmin N. Dunlap, David G. Madzivanyika and Alexandra C. Rene were woken up around 4 a.m. by the sound of armed officers banging on the door. Madzivanyika was going to open when officers came in with guns and yelling orders to freeze and put your hands where I can see them, he told The Boston Globe. I was just thinking, Please, Lord, not today, Madzivanyika said. Its a scary time for anybody to have a gun pointed at them, especially on a college campus. Rene told the news outlet the officers didnt initially explain why they were in the dorm and ordered to put her hands up. From what I know about how harmful the police can be, it was in my best interest to listen to them, she said. So I did. The students were moved to another suite while the officers searched their rooms for about 20 minutes. An officer then explained that they responded to a call falsely indicating that two women in their suite at the Leverett House would be killed. I personally did not know that the Harvard University Police Department could actually enter our rooms with that much force, Dunlap told The Boston Globe. Such false reports are known as swatting, incidents in which a false report is made to law enforcement about a dangerous situation such as bomb threats, active shooters or a hostage crisis, according to ABC News. Such calls have been placed en masse in recent months. Just the fact that call can be made thats unsettling. And then the response, too, is also unsettling, Madzivanyika told The Boston Globe. I appreciate the police trying to do their job that theyre doing. But definitely, more training is required. Story continues Cotton told The Harvard Crimson that being Black made the incident all the more frightening. We were all extremely scared, particularly because my roommates and I are Black students who have been bombarded our whole lives with stories and images portraying how situations such as this had ended up terribly, she wrote. We felt our lives were in danger. We are traumatized. The incident has left the students shaken. It was very frightening, Cotton said. I felt like a criminal. Birukti Tsige, a student asleep in the suite across the hall, was woken up by the banging on the door. She grabbed her phone and started recording the incident, Tsige told The Harvard Crimson. She said she was concerned because the four students in the suite were Black. Harvard administrators emailed students about the raid at 10:20 a.m. on Monday, according to the student newspaper. We all process activities like this mornings differently, wrote Leverett House Interim Resident Dean John Nowak and Faculty Deans Daniel G. Deschler and Eileen E. Reynolds. Please check in with yourself and on each other and let us know if you have any concerns for yourself or your fellow community members. The email offered counseling and mental health resources. Monday evening, the deans also hosted a gathering to discuss the incident. It at least gave students who had become privy to the situation, or who had heard it, the opportunity to hear what actually happened, Cotton told The Harvard Crimson. She expressed her disappointment at the lack of a universitywide response to the incident. Being accosted in your place of residence warrants a universitywide response, warrants the presidents attention, warrants the dean of students attention, warrants an email, at the very least, Cotton said. Keanu Reeves has been playing the titular assassin in the "John Wick" movies since 2014. The most recent film, "John Wick: Chapter 4," follows Wick in a globetrotting fight for his freedom. Here are all four movies, ranked. 4. "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum" (2019) Did anyone pack sun cream? Lionsgate At the bottom of the bunch is "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum." Yes, it has some of the best fights of the whole franchise like Wick killing Ernest with a book or the wild throwing knife battle but the story is a convoluted mess. The High Table (the seemingly all-powerful criminal organization running the world) marked John "excommunicado" at the end of "Chapter 2," so he's on the run from every single assassin who wants to get rich off of the bounty on his head. To stay alive, he goes in search of the leader of the High Table itself to pledge fealty and become a full-fledged assassin again. But by the film's finale, he betrays the High Table to stand with his allies. So what was the point in trekking all the way to the Moroccan desert in the first place? Aside from giving fans that fierce fight with Sofia Al-Azwar (Halle Berry) and her very good dogs, of course. Another thing that becomes painfully obvious is that when the franchise gets bigger, the stories get messier. There are so many contract killers in this world that it's surprising there's anyone left to hire them. The film ends with an irritating cliffhanger where Winston (Ian McShane) shoots John off the Continental roof to stay in the High Table's good books. But this is all rendered pointless in "Chapter 4" since the High Table destroys the hotel anyway. Ugh. 3. "John Wick: Chapter 4" (2023) That's not what he meant when he said "dealer's choice." Lionsgate Yes, "Chapter 4" takes third place. Sorry, but it's true. Obviously, the ending to Wick's story is emotional because he finally frees himself from the High Table after a brutal war in Paris. But the rest of the plot is painful. Bill Skarsgard's Marquis de Gramont is in charge of hunting Wick down once and for all, and he's, unfortunately, a very boring addition to the franchise. Yes, his opulent outfits are great, but they don't make up for the dull writing behind his character. Story continues Thankfully, the berserk action makes up for the tedious villain the Berlin battle, the uphill brawl on the Rue Foyatier steps, and the dragon's breath shotgun scene are all high points that will leave fans euphoric over the violence on screen. Although "Chapter 4" seemingly wraps up John's story and gives him closure, there's definitely an air of, "Yeah, he's not really dead." Don't get us wrong. "Chapter 4" is a thrilling flick for those who love the genre with plenty of references to classic action movies but the story lets it down massively. 2. "John Wick: Chapter 2" (2017) Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the best assassin of them all? Lionsgate After the first film teased the wider world of assassins and the High Table that keeps them in check, "Chapter 2" throws audiences right into the mythology of it all as an old ally comes to John looking to collect a debt. Wick's impossible task is to murder a member of the High Table at her coronation in Rome, and what follows is a vicious display of gun-fu and wild fight scenes. Director Chad Stahelski makes the audience feel every punch, stab, and gunshot, while also exploring just how determined Wick is when it comes to being betrayed. Not only that but most of these battles are set against gorgeous backdrops like the Roman catacombs, the fine art of a museum gala, and an immersive mirrored art exhibition. Beauty and blood in tandem. It also boasts the best climax in the series, as John goes on the run from everyone in New York. 1. "John Wick" (2014) Boom. Lionsgate The original will always be the best movie in the "John Wick" franchise because of how simple-yet-perfect the whole thing is. The opening alone is so well written and directed that it instantly gets audiences invested in Wick's story without needing the extended, gory gun fights although they're definitely cathartic later on. John's wife, Helen (Bridget Moynahan), arranges for a puppy to be sent to her husband after her death, only for a group of gangsters to kill the dog when they break into his house to steal his car. Cue a revenge-driven rampage. It's a motivation that every single audience member can get on board with. (Don't worry, the real puppy is doing just fine!) From there, Stahelski and his co-director David Leitch let Reeves loose in meticulously crafted stunts and fight scenes that feel gritty and brutal. But they never get in the way of showing Wick's grief over both Helen and Daisy the Beagle. If all that wasn't enough, the script also finds time to tease the wonderfully mysterious world of the Continental and the numerous contract killers that all work in the shadows. And the runtime clocks in at an easy 101 minutes, so it doesn't outstay its welcome. Read the original article on Insider The city was still waking up when the slender man in a green jacket showed up at his spot in downtown Manhattan. He barely glanced at the police barricades, the hordes of cameramen, the cops piled up on the street corners. They were here, outside the courthouse at 100 Centre St., for a historic event: the arrest and arraignment of a former president. Abul Kalam Azad was just up the block, getting ready to sell newspapers, candy and lottery tickets. For Azad, one of the citys last newsstand vendors, it was just another Tuesday. Ive seen a lot of things, said Azad, 70, as he placed bags of potato chips outside his stand just after 7 a.m. Almost 45 years. Every day. Same place. Follow live updates on the aftermath of Trumps arrest Azad moved to the U.S. from Bangladesh in 1979 and began working at the newsstand a few months later. He is blind in one eye and is missing three front teeth. The eye he lost to an infection he contracted in his native country. The teeth he lost to a fist thrown by a robber in April 2021. He took my money, my lottery tickets everything, Azad said. Newspapers highlighting former President Donald Trump's arrest and arraignment are among the offerings at Abul Kalam Azad's newstand near New York Criminal Court on April 4, 2023. (Julius Constantine Motal / NBC News) The punch also broke his jawbone, he said, requiring plastic surgery and a steel plate. Still no arrest, Azad added. But Im OK. I feel good. Azad was fully aware that Donald Trump was set to face criminal charges in the building just across the street. But he had no intention of trying to catch a glimpse of the former president. Why would I? Azad said. I have my business to run. By 7:45 a.m., a half-dozen people had stopped by his stand to buy lottery tickets and scratch-off games. All of them were employees of the New York court system or the citys Correction Department. Each one greeted Azad as if he were an old friend, referring to him by his nickname, John. Busy day hey John? one said, nodding toward the groups of reporters and cameramen on the sidewalk. Not for me, he replied. Its not busy at all. Abul Kalam Azad says He woke up around 4 a.m that morning, washed his face, brushed his teeth, ate breakfast. Story continues Azad observes Ramadan, so he made sure to eat before sunrise. Eggs with rice, some fish and vegetables. Then he said his prayers, got dressed and walked to the F train from his home in Briarwood, Queens. About 45 minutes later, he shuffled up to his stand, unlocked the gate and wiped down the counter with a brown napkin. Then he pulled out the potato chips and laid out the newspapers eight copies of the New York Post, four copies of the New York Daily News, one New York Times. Day of the Don, read the cover of the Post. Historic Surrender, blared the headline across the front of the Daily News. A man in a gray skull cap walked up and bought a $2 scratch-off game. Prices and a notice about the refund policy adorn Abul Kalam Azad's newsstand near New York Criminal Court on April 4, 2023. (Julius Constantine Motal / NBC News) If you do the crime, you have to do the time right, John? he said. Roughly 90 minutes later, about 10 men appeared across the street wearing white T-shirts that read Blacks for Trump. A small group of reporters gathered around them. Were going to win the election and then were going to put Hillarys ass in jail, Obamas ass in jail, Oprahs ass in jail, said the ringleader of the group, Maurice Symonette, who lives in South Florida. Symonette walked off, and then a Trump impersonator wearing a dark suit and blond wig popped up on the other side of Centre St. I call him meatball Ron, the impersonator said, referring to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Trump rival. And hes not doing too good. Azad didnt leave his stand to take a look. He was speaking broken Spanish to a construction worker who bought a $1.25 bag of mixed nuts. Throughout the morning, small groups of Trump supporters and counterprotesters milled about in a small park directly across from the courthouse. Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., a Trump supporter best known for lying about his background, walked into the park surrounded by TV cameras, as a woman holding a Trump 24 or Before sign was speaking to a Danish journalist. Bags of chips and pretzels are enclosed in a plastic bag near the fridge at Abul Kalam Azad's newsstand near New York Criminal Court on April 4, 2023. (Julius Constantine Motal / NBC News) My father is a CPA, the woman said. I know Trump isnt a criminal. Back at Azads stand, a woman in sweatpants bought a bottle of sparkling water, and a man smoking a cigarette stopped to ask John how he was doing. Happy to be alive, said Azad, who is married and has two grown children, both of whom served in the Army. His son is getting his Ph.D. to be a research scientist. His daughter is studying to be an accountant. God is good, Azad added. He had triple-bypass surgery in 2018. Since then, his wife and kids have been hounding him to give up the newsstand and take some rest. But Azad cant imagine not being here, chatting with all of his friends in uniform. Business must be booming, a police officer said to him. Nope, he replied, nodding toward the reporters camped out nearby. Theyre cheap. When Trump arrived at the courthouse, a woman wearing a diaper and not much else was giving an interview to a man pretending to be a TV reporter. Up the block, Azad stepped out of his stand, which is about the size of an airplane bathroom, and surveyed the crowd. From this very spot, he has experienced blackouts, protests, 9/11. He has exchanged friendly banter with celebrity lawyers like the late Johnny Cochran and listened to court workers gossip about Martha Stewart following her trial in 2004. Abul Kalam Azad helps a customer at his newsstand on April 4, 2023, near New York Criminal Court. (Julius Constantine Motal / NBC News) Staring out at the throngs of protesters and onlookers on Centre St., Azad shrugged. Black Lives Matter protests many more people than this, he said. By the time Trump left the building, the newspapers had been sold and Azad had filled the cooler with a new round of water bottles. The crowd quickly thinned out. The 70-year-old man, with one eye and a compromised heart, would stay until sundown. I dont make a lot of money, but I love to work, said Azad. Im not going to stay home and die faster. All the judges, police officers everybody is nice to me. They like to see me. And I like to see them. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Shawn and Andrea Brown are the owners of Bruster's Real Ice Cream in Jackson Township. JACKSON TOWNSHIP Jackson Township residents Shawn and Andrea Brown opened Brusters Real Ice Cream last May at 4609 Hills and Dales Road NW. Brusters has nearly 200 independently owned locations in 22 states, Guyana and South Korea. This is the only Stark location. Shawn, a GlenOak High School graduate, and Andrea, a Jackson High School graduate, answered when the opportunity knocked to open an ice cream shop. I stopped in to see the operation and sample a few flavors. Word to the wise, try the Chocolate Peanut Butter Buckeye, which tastes exactly like homemade buckeyes. It reminded me of the ones my mom makes for Christmas. I was also pleased to see so many flavors and options. The shop has 25 to 30 flavors at all times, and there are a few non-dairy and sugar-free options available. The shop, which is open from noon to 9 p.m. daily, offers a walk-up window as well as a drive-thru. DoorDash is available also. Here I caught up with the owners to learn more about their ice cream venture. The Chocolate Peanut Butter Buckeye flavor, shown on the left, is a popular flavor at Bruster's. 1. Why did you decide to get into the ice cream business? Opportunity knocked. While looking for business opportunities, we met a local entrepreneur who introduced us to the Brusters brand. Things fell into place, and we were able to move quickly on building the location and getting started with our exciting new endeavor. Ice cream stands: Seasonal ice cream stands are opening. What to know before you go. 2. What are your most popular items on the menu? Most popular flavors? Does the menu rotate at all? People love our waffle cones and bowls, which we make daily. We have some very popular sundaes that are unique, like our turtle sundae, hot fudge brownie sundae, and our banana split is amazing. Every Thursday is bring-your-own banana and get half off a banana split. Our flavors change very frequently, but some of our staples and most popular are Southern Banana Puddin, Butter Pecan, Chocolate Peanut Butter Buckeye. Story continues We try to encourage our customers to sign up for our Favorite Flavor program, available in our award-winning Sweet Rewards program, so they can get notifications when we make their fave and they can stock up. Customers can check the Brusters app daily for flavors and can order online through the app. Brusters also updates its Facebook and Instagram accounts frequently. Women-owned restaurants: Support these Stark County women-owned restaurants during Women's History Month They make waffle cones daily at Bruster's Real Ice Cream. 3. After almost a year in business, what is the most important thing you have learned? It takes hard work and dedication to run any small business, especially being open seven days a week. We were lucky to find some fabulous employees to help us, which is so important. Our staff, our Bru-Crew, is a fantastic group of bright, hard-working and reliable young people that make this a fun and rewarding experience. Black-owned restaurants: Stark County's 10 best Black-owned restaurants, bakeries, food trucks and carryout spots 4. I see you do custom orders. How does that work? We take custom cake and pie orders, so people can choose their cake flavor, pie crust, ice cream flavors, etc. We decorate and personalize them. We just added mini pies to our menu, which has been fun too. We also have online ordering, which we have several regular customers who love that and have a regular weekly order of several quarts of their favorite flavor. We have also found that DoorDash has been very popular for customers, too. Mia Bleichrodt works the drive-thru window at Bruster's. Her favorite flavor of ice cream is Graham Central Station, a flavor packed full of graham cracker bits and chocolate. 5. Whats your favorite thing about owning an ice cream shop? Introducing Brusters Real Ice Cream to Stark County has been very rewarding. Its more than just ice cream, its the Brusters Experience. Seeing our customers enjoy our delicious high-quality ice cream that is made fresh onsite daily is so wonderful. We also love having the opportunity to help cultivate our young staff, since this is frequently a first job opportunity for them. We have been fortunate to have many great young people in our employ, and we get a lot of compliments on our terrific staff. This article originally appeared on The Repository: 5 questions with the owners of Bruster's Real Ice Cream in Jackson The full indictment against former President Donald Trump was unveiled Tuesday in a Manhattan courtroom, the first act in his ongoing legal peril and a watershed moment for the nation. In typical fashion, a seething Trump appeared before supporters after his arraignment to decry the charges as a witch hunt, declaring he did nothing wrong. Despite his ire, he is now the first American president to be criminally charged and could face trial in the midst of his 2024 campaign for the presidency. Heres what you should know about the charges: Trump was indicted on 34 charges and prosecutors laid out a pattern of buying damaging stories. All 34 felonies are linked to falsified business records in the $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels, but prosecutors laid out a pattern of Trump purchasing the rights to damaging stories about him. The 34 charges relate to the way the payments to Daniels, made by Trumps fixer Michael Cohen, were recorded. Prosecutors have charged Trump with falsifying business records in an attempt to cover up a criminal act, saying they were legal expenses when Cohen hadnt actually done any legal work for him in the time period. Supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump wave signs and flags as the motorcade carrying Trump makes its way back to his Mar-a-Lago Club following his arraignment in New York on April 4, 2023, in West Palm Beach, Florida. Supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump wave signs and flags as the motorcade carrying Trump makes its way back to his Mar-a-Lago Club following his arraignment in New York on April 4, 2023, in West Palm Beach, Florida. The district attorneys office also filed a statement of facts that referenced a pattern of Trump buying damaging stories in an attempt to stop their publication. Those included a $30,000 payment to a former Trump Tower door attendant who claimed Trump fathered a child out of wedlock, and a $150,000 payment the National Enquirer made to Karen McDougal, a Playboy playmate who said she had an affair with him. Trump has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, each charge can carry a maximum sentence of four years, although a judge could sentence the former president to probation instead. Story continues The charges were elevated to felonies. Falsifying business records is typically a misdemeanor offense in New York, but prosecutors convinced the grand jury Trumps behavior was based on an intent to defraud to then commit or conceal a secondary crime, which bumped the charges up to a Class E felony. Paying hush money generally isnt a crime, but falsifying records is. Bragg laid out potential avenues prosecutors will go down during a trial, including arguing Trump aimed to violate state and federal election laws and deceive tax authorities. The approach is novel and it may be difficult for Bragg to win a conviction. Trump was warned against inciting violence. Acting New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan explicitly warned Trump against using his social media accounts to inflame his supporters. The justice said he was worried Trump would incite violence or civil unrest and specifically told him to avoid any language that could jeopardize the rule of law. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks during a press conference following the arraignment. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks during a press conference following the arraignment. Those concerns were prescient. Hours later, Trump railed against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg during a speech at Mar-a-Lago Tuesday night, saying he was a criminal out to get him. He also called Merchan a Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife. Merchan stopped short of issuing a formal gag order during Trumps arraignment. Trump immediately held a rally to rail against the charges. Hours after the arraignment, Trump flew to his Mar-a-Lago resort to decry the state of America and assert his innocence. God bless you all. I never thought anything like this could happen in America, he said, adding that he had only sought to defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it. He went on to attack Bragg, New York Attorney General Letitia James and special counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the U.S. attorney generals investigation into classified documents Trump kept after leaving the White House. Our country is going to hell, he said. Former President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago estate April 4, 2023, in Palm Beach, Fla., after being arraigned earlier in the day in New York City. Former President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago estate April 4, 2023, in Palm Beach, Fla., after being arraigned earlier in the day in New York City. Trump is angry, but he still faces investigations on multiple fronts. Trump was fiery during his speech in Florida on Tuesday night, leaning on a litany of old campaign fodder and attacking the investigations into his behavior as witch hunts orchestrated by Democratic operatives. But the ongoing probes present very real threats to the former president. Prosecutors are still investigating his effort to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia as well as the trove of classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago resort months after he left the White House. Any trial in Manhattan is likely months away, although prosecutors have asked for an expedited schedule. Related... Getty Images An appeals court rejected three companies' request to pause relief for borrowers in the Sweet vs. Cardona lawsuit. Last year, a federal judge signed off on a settlement in the case that would give 200,000 borrowers $6 billion in debt relief. Those borrowers filed a lawsuit in 2019 over stalled borrower defense claims against the schools they attended. After years of stalled student-debt cancellation, thousands of borrowers are finally getting relief. In 2019, the Project on Predatory Student Lending, on behalf of borrowers who believed they were defrauded by the schools they attended, filed a lawsuit now known as Sweet vs. Cardona over stalled borrower defense claims, which are claims borrowers can file to get their debt discharged if they can prove they were defrauded by their school. While the lawsuit was not resolved under former President Donald Trump's Education Sec. Betsy DeVos, President Joe Biden's Education Sec. Miguel Cardona took it on. Cardona agreed to a settlement last summer in the case that would give 200,000 impacted borrowers $6 billion in debt relief. But in January, two for-profit higher-education companies Lincoln Educational Services Corp. and American National University and Everglades College, Inc., a nonprofit, filed notices to place a stay on the relief, arguing they were not given due process to dispute the claims made against them in the settlement. Last week, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the companies' request to pause the relief and now, all borrowers within the settlement can finally move forward with their debt discharges as the appeals process plays out. "Appellants fail to demonstrate a sufficient probability of irreparable harm to warrant a stay of the challenged settlement pending these appeals," the court wrote in its decision. In February, federal Judge William Alsup ruled that the settlement relief could move forward for all borrowers aside from the ones who attended the three schools who requested to pause the relief, saying in his decision that it "breaks a logjam that has vexed several Secretaries and allows the Department to redirect resources to other initiatives. And it gives plaintiffs, who have languished in borrower-defense application limbo, their long-awaited relief." Story continues "Note the relief provided by this settlement (financial and otherwise) will allow plaintiffs to breathe easier, sleep easier, repair their credit scores, take new jobs, enroll in new educational programs, finish their degrees, get married, start families, provide for their children, finance houses and vehicles, and save for retirement," he continued. "It will allow them not only to move on, but also to move up, elevating others in the process." As the Project for Predatory Student Lending detailed on its website, borrowers who submitted a borrower defense claim against one of the schools on this list will receive automatic relief, and the Education Department will notify them of that relief by April 28, 2023. Borrowers who filed a claim against a school not included on that list will receive relief based on the following timeline: Within six months of the settlement agreement for claims submitted on or before December 31, 2017 Within 12 months of the settlement agreement for claims submitted from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2018 Within 18 months of the settlement agreement for claims submitted from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019 Within 24 months of the settlement agreement for claims submitted from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020 Within 30 months of the settlement agreement for claims submitted from January 1, 2021, through June 22, 2022. Read the original article on Business Insider Free People Our team is dedicated to finding and telling you more about the products and deals we love. If you love them too and decide to purchase through the links below, we may receive a commission. Pricing and availability are subject to change. During the spring, the weather can get pretty unpredictable. From mid-morning showers and warm afternoons to breezy evenings, some days it can feel impossible to dress properly. So if there is one staple that every spring wardrobe should have, its got to be a fleece jacket. A fleece jacket is the perfect middle ground between a sweatshirt and a coat. Its lightweight enough that you wont feel bogged down with it on, but its also warm and cozy enough to shield you from cooler nights. Whether you find yourself camping and hiking all season, plan to spend some time hanging by the water or just want to post up in your backyard, bring a fleece jacket along. Youll thank yourself when temps drop, or it starts to sprinkle shop six cute fleece jackets below from brands like The North Face, Patagonia and more. Available in over 10 different shades, Free Peoples Hit The Slopes Fleece Jacket is an amazing style to layer up with this spring, especially if you want to add a pop of color to your look. This jacket has a button-up front and three zippered pockets to hold all of your essentials. This full-zip fleece from The North Face comes in sizes XS to 3XL and has a water-repellent overlay. While you can also snag the Denali Jacket in a more neutral colorway like black or white, this khaki and purple combo just screams spring. Eddie Bauers Cozy Camp Full-Zip Hoodie has a relaxed fit and an adjustable drawstring hood to keep you comfortable. This style is on the lightweight end of the fleece jacket spectrum and is a steal for under $80. Plus, it comes in over 20 vibrant hues to pick from. Cotopaxi is a sustainable brand that prioritizes doing good. In fact, the brand gives 1% of [its] revenue to nonprofits that help communities experiencing poverty. The Abrazo Half-Zip Fleece Jacket is one of our favorite designs that the brand offers and is made of 100% recycled fabric. Patagonias fleeces are iconic at this point, thanks to their recognizable color-blocking, breast pockets and snap plackets. However, this more neutral style will go with pretty much any outfit and is available in sizes XXS to XXL. Its also made with 100% recycled polyester. Available in brown, cream and two additional patterns, Outdoor Voices PrimoFleece 1/4 Zip Hoodie features a kangaroo pocket, a bungee cinch and a cozy hood. Were also big fans of the slightly cropped fit. More from In The Know: Nordstrom has so many cute sneakers on sale these are the 8 pairs worth buying for the spring TikTok is obsessed with these 5 French pharmacy items you can get on Amazon This is the 1 spring shirt trend youre going to see everywhere this season Im a shopping expert, and these are the new Amazon fashion finds worth buying in April The post 6 cute fleece jackets to bring with you everywhere this spring appeared first on In The Know. It was the 2012 school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, that brought Shannon Watts to action. From her Indiana home, the former communications executive and stay-at-home mother of five created a Facebook group for women who supported heightened gun laws. What began as a modest community on the social media platform quickly grew into the political juggernaut Moms Demand Action, the nations largest grassroots gun control group and a primary foe of the National Rifle Association and their allies in Washington, D.C. After fighting in the political trenches for more than a decade, Watts plans to retire this year after a long-fought win: Last year, President Joe Biden signed into law the first new federal gun rules in nearly three decades. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter But the mass shootings havent stopped. On Wednesday, students nationwide marched out of their schools to demand additional gun control measures after a shooter killed six people including three 9-year-olds March 27 at a private Christian elementary school in Nashville. This week, Tennessee House Republicans moved to expel three Democratic state representatives who led a protest on the House Floor in response to the shooting and in solidarity with the hundreds of demonstrators, many of them young people, who packed the Tennessee Capitol. The Nashville shooting has become the latest partisan flashpoint at the center of the countrys divisive political discourse. As students in Nashville and nationwide flood the streets to demand additional gun control measures, Republicans have latched onto the tragedy, which was carried out by a 28-year-old transgender shooter, with anti-trans rhetoric. Nashville students walked out of schools to demand gun safety on April 3. (Getty Images) In an interview with The 74, Watts who now lives in California and whose children are grown said the GOPs response to the Nashville shooting follows a long history of leaning on straw men to avoid an honest dialogue about gun violence. She also offered insight into the power of mom-led advocacy and advice for parents advocating for changes in their own communities. Story continues The interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity. This week its students who are walking out of school and hitting the streets protesting after the recent school shooting in Nashville. But weve been here before. What, if anything, is different this time? What factors have made this shooting in Nashville so politically galvanizing? I think its different every time. Theres this idea that somehow theres going to be a tragedy and everything is going to change overnight. And it didnt happen after Columbine, it didnt happen after the Sandy Hook school shooting, it didnt happen last summer [after mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas]. But that doesnt mean that things arent changing. The system is not set up in this country for overnight change. The system is set up for people to get involved in democracy and that means that you do what I call the unglamorous heavy lifting of grassroots activism, and that forces incremental change. Demonstrators protest at the Tennessee Capitol for stricter gun laws in Nashville, Tennessee, on April 3. (Getty Images) I have seen over the last decade incremental change lead to a revolution. Theres been a seismic shift in American politics. Back in 2012, a quarter of all Democrats in Congress had an A rating from the NRA. Today, not one does. Theyre proud of their Fs. And we had 15 Republicans support the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that passed last summer. So things are changing and I believe that after every national shooting tragedy, when people start to pay attention, youre seeing change. The NRA is incredibly weak. They really didnt have a seat at the table when the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act passed. The fact that we have a 90% track record of stopping the NRAs agenda every year, those things are only enabled by all of the change that has happened and added up over the last decade. When you ask whats different this time, I think its that there are even more people who are filled with rage over this situation, who know we dont have to live like this. We sure as hell shouldnt die like this. The more people who use their voices and vote on this issue, the faster we get to a place where our country isnt run by the gun industry. President Biden signed the first federal gun control measures in nearly three decades yet these shootings keep happening. What do you see were the effects of the law that has been signed, and what more needs to be done to solve the problem? The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was a very important, critical step forward, but it was just one first step on a much longer journey. We need to have background checks on all gun sales at a federal level, we need a Red Flag law, we need to make sure that domestic abusers cant get guns, including stalkers. Theres so much that needs to be done, and weve done it really at a state-by-state level. Related Raising the Red Flag in School Blue states in this country now have pretty strong gun laws, whereas red states dont. Were only as safe as the closest state with the weakest gun laws, so we need much more to happen at a federal level. But in order to do that we have to have a Congress that will make that happen. The idea that shootings were going to stop after the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act passed is not realistic, but I want to be clear that it is meaningful. It takes a multifaceted approach to looking at gun violence as a complex issue. It isnt just mass shootings or school shootings, thats about 1% of the gun violence in this country. Its also domestic violence and gun suicide and community gun violence. You asked whats happened since the law was passed. The fact that we have stepped up background checks through the FBI through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, 119 buyers under the age of 21 have been blocked from gun sales because they were deemed too dangerous to have access to guns. Prosecutions have increased for unlicensed gun sellers. There are new gun trafficking penalties that now have been used in at least 30 cases across the country. Millions of new dollars have flowed into mental health services for children in schools and into community violence intervention programs. President Biden said after the Nashville school shooting that he couldnt do more on the issue without Congress at this point. What is your response to this admission? I think that was a little more nuanced. I think he was basically saying that if we want holistic solutions for gun safety it really does have to be passed by Congress. I also want to be clear that the Biden-Harris administration has done more on this issue than any other administration in our nations history. Right now, the House is controlled by gun lobby lackeys. Theyre not only opposed to passing good gun safety laws, theyre actually attacking federal law enforcement and theyre pushing gun extremists laws that would put us at risk. Just hours after the shooting in Nashville, a House committee scheduled a vote on legislation that would make it easier to buy really dangerous assault weapons that have arm braces. Its the same device that the shooter in Tennessee had. So you know, I want to be clear that were making progress. If youd asked me a year ago that we would have passed the first gun safety bill in 30 years that expanded background checks and funded state Red Flag laws and helps close what we call the boyfriend loophole, I would not have believed you. So it is possible, and I think its inevitable, that our lawmakers at a federal level will eventually take action on this issue because their constituents are demanding it. There was a reason that Mitch McConnell whipped the votes on the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and thats because he saw polling that showed the Republican Party would be decimated if they did not act after Buffalo and Uvalde. That trend, especially when you see shootings like what just happened in Nashville, will only continue. Were seeing more and more gunfire on school grounds in this country and we know why. Its because theres unfettered, easy access to guns. The shooter had access to two AR-style rifles, an AR-style handgun, and a handgun, but a Congresswoman is blaming the trans community for gun violence. People who are trans are much more likely to be the victims of violent crime than the perpetrators. Its the guns. https://t.co/CH6YNGderH Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 27, 2023 The Nashville tragedy was carried out by a person who was reportedly transgender. As such, many Republican lawmakers and pundits have blamed the shooting on the suspects gender identity rather than on guns. In what ways are you working to counter efforts to divert the focus from firearms to other social issues? We see these same straw men after every single shooting tragedy in this country. Republicans always want to make it about anything but what data shows is causing our uniquely American crisis, which is easy access to guns. You know, other nations have mental illness, they have access to video games, they have divorced parents. The reason we have a 26-times higher gun homicide rate is that we give people easy access to guns. You know, the vast majority of mass shootings in this country have been by straight white men. And at no point have they said that that is a crisis, that we should really look at straight white men. Its clear that that is just a way for them to divert attention because what they dont want to talk about is the fact that too many guns and too few gun laws have given us the highest rate of gun homicides and suicides among all high-income countries. Gun politics have long been divisive and youve found yourself the subject of sharp political critiques and, most alarmingly, death threats. Theres evidence of the country growing increasingly divided, and with that an uptick in political violence. In what ways have you experienced this change firsthand? When I started Moms Demand Action, I was sort of living in a bubble. I was a white suburban mom and I got off the sidelines because I was afraid my kids werent safe in their schools. Then when you come to this issue, what you realize is that it is much more complex and much more holistic than that. I was really shocked that we were having rallies and marches in those early days in Indiana and we were surrounded by men who were carrying loaded long guns in public. I was just shocked that that was legal. And in fact, open carry is legal in over 40 states in this country. To me it was a signal that something is very wrong. The more and more we pushed on gun extremists, the more they pushed back by behaving that way and we saw them starting to open carry in stores which is why we started corporate campaigns to change their gun policies. What we were starting to see were the seeds of gun extremism. They felt like a right not utilized and expressed in public was a right they didnt have, and the NRA actually pushed back on this idea. In 2014 they came out and called open carry downright weird, and said it was not something that you do in normal society. And then just days later, they had to change their position because gun extremists in Texas were burning their NRA membership cards. Every state has its own version of the NRA but its often to the right of the NRA and much more extreme. When I lived in Colorado, theyre called the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners. They believe any gun law whatsoever is an infringement on the Second Amendment. So the NRA tends to be pulled to the right by these extremists. I mean, in 1999, the NRA opposed guns in schools and supported closing the background check loophole. And certainly thats a far cry from where they are today. Theyve lost control of their Frankenstein, and gun extremism is now this recruiting tool. Its an organizing principle, its a fundraising tactic all for the right wing. I mean, guns excite the right-wing base about things that have nothing to do with guns. And so it is getting young white men through the door, it is radicalizing them, these groups often play in conspiracy theories. Again, some of those were originated and propagated by the NRA. The goal is to stoke fear, recruit new members and sell guns. Those fringe gun extremists that our volunteers were facing in those early days started showing up at state houses and anytime a statue was being removed and even threatening lawmakers and police officers and fellow citizens. Weve tracked armed demonstrations since 2020 and found that theyre six times more likely to be violent or destructive than demonstrations where people are not armed. It seems pretty intuitive, but the data bears this out. So to answer your question: Yes, I think gun extremism is on the rise and is a very dangerous threat to democracy. THIS is last year's Christmas card from Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles, a Republican who represents the district that Covenant School is in in Nashville. #tnleg pic.twitter.com/IpkLzZs5m5 Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 27, 2023 Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles deleted a recent family Christmas card from social media after you criticized the photo, which featured the lawmaker and his family wielding guns. Republican lawmakers have faced similar criticism in recent years for posting similar family portraits. Why do you think its important to highlight these images? Are you concerned that the attention may ultimately play into their hands? I think its fascinating when these gun extremists back down, like deleting the photo. I think its really important to point out that this is the culture thats killing us. This idea of unfettered access to guns and treating them like toys, like putting them in the hands of children. Both of my grandfathers were World War II veterans. They were responsible gun owners, they had the highest amount of respect for those guns and in a million years would not have posed with them like they were toys as opposed to tools meant to kill things. Its really important that we shine a light. Sunlight is the best disinfectant and thats certainly the case when it comes to gun extremism because people see this behavior. The vast majority of Americans regardless of whether theyre gun owners or not, regardless of whether theyre Republicans or Democrats they support common sense gun laws. And I think that seeing that kind of gun extremism is a turnoff to most Americans and they know thats not who they want making our policies. You began your advocacy after the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012 with a Facebook group. What is it about grassroots, mom-led advocacy based on the idea behind Mothers Against Drunk Driving that makes it a particularly effective gun control advocacy approach? Bigger picture, women are the secret sauce to advocacy in this country and frankly, in the world. If you go back to when women were first allowed to be activists in America, which was Prohibition they [men in power] could never really put that genie back in the bottle. Once women got off the sidelines, they wanted to use their voices on issues that they cared about. We are often given the task of caring for our families and our communities. All the way from Prohibition up to the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, its really been women and mothers forcing change in this country and using the power available to them. We are the majority of the voting population, were the majority of the population period. So when we use our voices and our votes, we can affect change. I often go back to something that feminist author Soraya Chemaly said. She wrote the book Rage Becomes Her and she featured Moms Demand Action in there and she and I had a conversation about this and she said, You know, 80% of the lawmakers in this country are men and men are inherently afraid of their mothers. The lawmakers in this country are either very, very excited to see us show up hundreds or even thousands of us at a time in our red shirts or theyre very, very afraid. So that can be a powerful coalition. Related They Lost Their Kids at Sandy Hook 10 Years Ago. Their Fight is For Life Given your success in taking that Facebook group and turning your advocacy into the size of the organization that you did, Im curious what lessons you learned about American politics and policymaking? What advice do you have for other mothers and other women who are working to inspire change in their own communities? I dont think that men are as afraid to fail in public because thats sort of seen as brave and courageous, where I think women feel like theres blowback when theyre not perfect, or if they fail. If I had waited until I knew everything there was to know about gun violence or organizing, I still wouldnt have started Moms Demand Action. I think its important to birth your ideas into the world. The very worst thing that can happen is that you fail and that you learn from that failure and you try something again. [In 2014, Moms Demand Action merged with Mayors Against Illegal Guns, an advocacy effort by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, to form the nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety.] I had this great reverence for lawmakers before I started Moms Demand Action and I assumed they were very smart and committed and concerned and kind and unfortunately what you learn is that too many of them are not and they really dont want to listen to what you have to say. But if you are an activist who is all of those things concerned, committed, compassionate, curious you would make a great lawmaker. Im very proud of the fact that hundreds of our volunteers have decided to take a leap from not just shaping policy but to actually making it and running for office and winning. In this last electoral cycle, in November, 140 of our volunteers ran for office and won at all levels of government. We have volunteers who are now members of Congress. I think thats a really important lesson, too, which is that women make great lawmakers. After more than a decade in this work, at the end of this year you plan to retire. What motivated that decision and whats next for you? Ive been a full-time volunteer, itll be 11 years at the end of this year, and thats a long time to do this work. But also, Ive asked myself that question because I think its important for a founders role to be finite. I never imagined I would spend the rest of my life doing this work. Im so honored and so proud to have sort of lit the spark, but it really is up to other new and emerging leaders to keep that going. Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, right, talks with Ryane Nickens, founder of the traRon Center, in Washington, D.C. This movement needs to last into perpetuity and so, by stepping back, I think I enable other leaders to step forward. Ill still be a volunteer for Moms Demand Action, Ill just be doing it as a California Moms Demand Action volunteer. We have leaders who are ready to step up inside the organization and outside the organization, and I think thats really exciting. As for me, for whats next, I obviously will always care about this issue and it will be very important to me and I will use my voice in different ways. Something Im really passionate about is empowering women in all different ways, but particularly running for office. I dont have an answer for you on specifically whats next. I will be with Moms Demand Action through the end of the year, I will certainly rest a little bit and Im going to be teaching at USC starting in January and, other than that, Ill figure out whats next when the time comes. Two southbound lanes on I-81, as well as will be closed Wednesday night April 5 near Staunton. Between 8 p.m. and about 11:30 p.m., only the left lane will be open between exits 222 and 221. The on-ramp from route 250 to southbound I-81 will be closed. VDOT contractors will be removing a large overhead sign at mile marker 222.4, according to a notice from the Virginia Department of Transportation Staunton District. Between 11:30 p.m. and 12 midnight, law enforcement will lead a southbound I-81 slow traffic roll starting at exit 227 (Route 612/Verona) and proceeding south past the work zone. The slow traffic roll will create a roughly 15-minute gap in traffic to allow a crane to remove the overhead sign. During the slow traffic roll, the on-ramp to southbound I-81 from exit 225 (Route 262/Woodrow Wilson Parkway) will be briefly closed. The lane and ramp closures should be lifted by 7 a.m. Thursday, according to the VDOT release. This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: I-81 southbound lanes to be limited Wednesday night by Staunton exit Multiple people were killed when a tornado ripped through southeastern Missouri during the early-morning hours of Wednesday, April 5, officials say. The tornado came through Bollinger County at about 3:45 a.m., according to the St. Clair Fire Protection District. Bollinger County is about 120 miles south of St. Louis. The damage is pretty widespread. Its just heartbreaking to see it, Sgt. Clark Parrott with Missouri State Highway Patrol told The Associated Press. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Storm Prediction Center called the twister an EF2 or EF3. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said in a statement multiple people have died and others are injured. The death toll was unclear as of 9:30 a.m. Highway patrol officers are assisting in search and rescue efforts, the governor said. Sen. Eric Schmitt called the news of the tornado tragic. My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of the deceased, he said. My team has already been in touch with the White House and local leaders and stands ready, willing, and able to assist wherever possible. A tornado warning remained in effect Wednesday morning in parts of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. Just absolutely devastating, Missouri-based weather page Hyperlocal Extreme Weather said in a Facebook post. The tornado caused houses to be removed from their foundations, Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team said. Strips of tin roofing were wrapped around the branches of trees that remained standing, the nonprofit organization said. Many other big trees were shredded into kindling or pulled out of the ground by their roots. Its believed the tornado was on the ground for 15-20 miles, National Weather Service meteorologist Justin Gibbs told KMBC. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit against Indiana for its law that banned all gender-affirming care for minors that was signed by the states governor Wednesday, saying the statute violates patient rights. The national and Indiana state branch of the ACLU filed the suit in a federal court after Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) signed the bill that saw his state join at least 12 others that have restricted or banned such care. But the lawsuit filed by the ACLU on behalf of four transgender youth, a doctor and a health care clinic alleges that the new law violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment and federal Medicaid and Affordable Care Act requirements by prohibiting care that would otherwise be authorized and reimbursed by the federal government programs. The 47-page lawsuit asks the court to find the law unconstitutional and asks for it to block the state from enforcing the measures. The bill that blocks people under the age of 18 from accessing hormone therapies, puberty blockers and gender-affirming surgeries in the state was signed just a day after Holcomb criticized the legislation as being as clear as mud. It wasnt part of my agenda, Holcomb told reporters Tuesday. Ive told some people very close to me: This is clear as mud. Theres some vagueness to it. So I want to make sure I completely understand. But after signing the bill on Wednesday, Holcomb said in a statement that gender-affirming surgeries should happen as an adult. Permanent gender-changing surgeries with lifelong impacts and medically prescribed preparation for such a transition should occur as an adult, not as a minor, the statement said. But ACLU leaders said the bill would have devastating effects for minors seeking such care. This law would be devastating to trans youth and their families, causing them serious injuries and forcing those who can to uproot their lives and leave the state to access the gender-affirming care they need, Ken Falk, ACLU of Indiana legal director, said in a statement. An ACLU spokesperson said on Twitter that the Indiana lawsuit was the first of eight different suits the group plans to file on new bans on youth transgender care in the coming weeks. That includes suits in Oklahoma, Kentucky, Tennessee and more. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Dotdash Meredith and Yahoo Inc. may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. She told us that the $28 Amazon set is perfect for vacation People / Instagram / Jaclyn Mastropasqua WhenAdrienne Bailon loves an outfit, she stocks up. While discussing her partnership with Bounty with PEOPLE, the E! News host revealed that she recently bought three colors of the same two-piece lounge set from Amazon, and she's considering snagging a fourth. Bailon debuted the "easy, breezy" look Kelly green pleated pants and a matching button-down shirt on Instagram. She threw the set over a black bikini while visiting Puerto Rico with husband Israel Houghton and their seven-month-old son, Ever. Bailon owns the "lightweight" two-piece set, which is on sale starting at $28, in green, white, and orange, and she's thinking about adding the blue version to her closet, too. "People think 'vacation' and they think you have to be half-naked," the first-time mom shared. "But I was like, 'not my vibes currently.' I wanted to be covered up but I didn't want to be dying of heat, so it was perfect so breathable and easy." Amazon Buy It! Creaion Pleated Pants and Button-Down Shirt Set in Green, $27.66 (orig. $36.88); amazon.com Although the Cheetah Girls star wore the lounge set with a swimsuit, she says you can "dress it up or down," even for dinner out "with a little heel." Thanks to its lightweight fabric and bright color options, this set has all the makings of a go-to summer ensemble, paired with sandals for picnics or sneakers for brunch. Amazon Buy It! Creaion Pleated Pants and Button-Down Shirt Set in Orange, $28.66 (orig. $36.88); amazon.com Bailon also nabbed some vacation essentials for Ever on Amazon prior to their trip, including his swim trunks and reusable swim diapers, which she called "a definite must." In fact, the former co-host of The Real says she buys "everything" at Amazon, going so far as to dub herself an "Amazon-obsessed person," who buys things "in bulk" to limit the amount of packages she receives. Story continues Amazon Buy It! Bulingna Baby Boys Swim Shorts, $4.98$12.98; amazon.com Something else Bailon stocks up on? Bounty paper towels. As a new mom dealing with "3 a.m. milk spills and blowout diaper moments," she leans on the tried-and-true brand, which she has partnered with, for consistent cleanups. "Now, if [Ever] is done eating, he will actually push the bottle away himself," she explained with a laugh. When his bottle inevitably falls on the floor and spills, Bailon says Bounty's absorbent design makes wiping it up easier. Amazon Buy It! Bounty Paper Towels, 8 Rolls, $19.71 (orig. $24.42); amazon.com Bailon welcomed Ever via surrogate in August after struggling to conceive, so she says she "stays in gratitude" that she gets to have the experiences she "prayed for" spills and all. "In the midst of craziness and messes, I'm just so grateful that I get to be on this motherhood journey." Do you love a good deal? Sign up for PEOPLE's Shopping newsletter to stay up to date on the latest sales, plus celebrity fashion, home decor and more. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Thousands of students nationwide walked out of class Wednesday to protest gun violence. The protests came on the same day leaders in Florida criticized the states new permitless carry law, which continues to spark controversy even after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill on Monday. The law allows gun owners to carry concealed guns without a license, background screening or required training. Activists cited polling that shows 60% to 70% of Florida voters are against the new law, but this move was expected as Republicans swept the state in the elections just a few months ago. READ: Teen dies after falling from balcony on spring break trip This will result in more violence in our state, and it will result in our communities and our children being less safe, said Debbie Powell with Giffords Law Center. Activists outside of Orlando City Hall Wednesday called out the reversal of gun safety measures put in place after mass shootings at the Pulse nightclub and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School measures the Republican majority called an infringement of the second amendment. Last week, lawmakers passed a bill allowing some teenagers to buy AR-15s, and allowing gun owners to carry to carry their weapons almost anywhere without a permit. READ: Brush fire causes closure of major Daytona Beach road The activists said they have data showing this will lead to more shootings, as well as polling and police on their side. But state Republicans have been pressing on with their agenda without fearing pushback at the ballot box. READ: Deputies: 4 charged after 15-year-old girl danced at strip club in Orange County The accountability will come next November, Powell said. But that doesnt mean that were not holding them accountable now. The new law goes into effect July 1. Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Artificial intelligence is better than humans at assessing heart ultrasounds, the main test of overall cardiac health, the most rigorous trial yet conducted on the subject found on Wednesday. While previous research has illustrated the potential power of AI models for reading medical scans, the authors of the new US study said it is the first blinded, randomised clinical trial for heart health. "There's a lot of excitement around AI," but rigorous evaluation remains critical, the study's senior author David Ouyang told AFP. This successful trial "really strengthens the argument that now we're ready for primetime," added the cardiologist at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Heart ultrasounds, also known as echocardiograms, are carried out on patients by sonographers, who usually give an initial assessment of the scan before handing it over to a cardiologist. The new study, published in the journal Nature, pitted an AI model against sonographers to see who would give the most accurate initial assessment. Both assessed the ultrasound for what is called left ventricular ejection fraction, which measures the heart's ability to pump blood out to the body in the space of a heartbeat. The test is the main way to measure how well a heart is functioning. It is used to tell if patients have had a heart attack or if they will be able to undertake serious treatments such as implanting a defibrillator. For the study, nearly 3,500 heart ultrasounds were randomly split between sonographers and the AI model. Their assessments were then evaluated by cardiologists, who did not know which ones came from humans and which from the AI model. - 'Exciting' - The cardiologists made a substantial change in more than 27 percent of the sonographer assessments -- and in nearly 17 percent of those done by the AI model, the study found. "The AI was faster, more precise, and indistinguishable by the cardiologists," Ouyang said. There is a "tremendous shortage" of sonographers in the United States and across the world, and this would save them valuable time, he added. Story continues The AI model, called EchoNet-Dynamic, was trained on nearly 145,000 echocardiograms and uses what is called deep learning to process large amounts of data. The researchers are currently applying for the method to be approved by the Federal Drug Administration, and hope to do the same in the European Union and elsewhere soon, Ouyang said. Patricia Pellikka, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in the United States not involved in the research, told AFP the study was "exciting" and that the integration of AI tools will increase efficiency and standardisation. French cardiologist Florian Zores said that the study was well conducted but the technology would not be as useful in France, where cardiologists give the initial assessments of heart ultrasounds. dl/rl Ukrainian Air Force Command spokesperson Yurii Ihnat briefs the press on the consequences of Russia's missile strikes on Ukraine and the work of the Air Force at the Ukraine-Ukrinform Media Center in Kyiv on Nov. 21, 2022. (Photo by Evgen Kotenko/Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images) Russia's supply of long-range, high-precisions missiles has been "nearly" used up, Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said on April 5. While speaking on television, Ihnat said that Russia had used nearly 800 such missiles to attack Ukrainian infrastructure, including strategic points in Ukraine's fuel and energy sectors. According to Ihnat, Russia still possesses such missiles in its reserves and is currently in the process of stockpiling more, but it is more difficult to accumulate missiles now due to the fact that they previously did so over the course of many years. Given the circumstances, Ihnat said, Russia is turning to different means of launching attacks against Ukraine, including guided aircraft bombs and repurposed S-300 air defense missiles. On April 4, Ihnat said that Russia launches up to 20 guided aircraft bombs against Ukraine daily, which can travel a distance of up to 70 kilometers. Russia is deploying them along the front line and other positions in Ukraine with Sukhoi Su-34 and Su-35 fighter jets that are beyond the reach of Ukraine's air defense, Ihnat said. The inaccuracy in their targeting also poses a greater threat to civilians. "This poses a threat to us, and it is imperative that we respond to it urgently," he added. A TikToker uploaded more than two dozen videos about an airline dispute that received a total of over 39 million views. TikTok: @dyanavilla.tv, Dyana Villa A TikToker racked up millions of views with a series of videos documenting a dispute with an airline. Dyana Villa said passengers were told their carry-ons were too large, despite fitting in the rack provided. The airline disputes her account, and viewers are divided on who's in the right. An airline passenger posted an extensive series of TikToks and racked up millions of views after she said she was overcharged for luggage and rejected from a flight for filming the incident. On March 6, TikToker Dyana Villa, whose LinkedIn profile says she's a journalist at Univision, uploaded part one of what became a 25-video series shared over a two-day period, documenting what she said was dispute with Frontier Airlines over the size of a personal item she wished to take onboard. The clips have been circulating in recent weeks and gone hugely viral with almost 40 million views combined. They've also divided viewers some expressed sympathy for Villa, while others questioned Villa's story. Villa began filming while waiting to board a flight In the initial upload, which received over 200,000 views, Villa filmed two passengers, one of whom in a later video said her name was Sandra Romero, placing a bag inside the personal item section of a baggage size-check rack at an airport, beneath a sign that read, "Bags must fit COMPLETELY WITHIN the boxes below." Villa could be heard saying, "Ma'am these bags fit," before the video showed what appeared to be a Frontier Airlines employee, who responded, "They don't fit if you're forcing them down." Three subsequent videos received a further combined 9.7 million views, as Villa continued to film various interactions at the airport. In one video, recorded in Spanish, Villa wrote in an on-screen caption that she had been charged $100 for her carry-on which was deemed too large. She showed herself placing what she said was "one of the suitcases the airline said didn't fit" in the bag checker, where it appeared to fit. Story continues The Frontier Airlines website says that "personal items can be no longer than 14" tall, 18" wide, and 8" long" and they "must fit completely within the personal item portion of the bag sizer." The Frontier Airline policy allows just one personal item per passenger, and places additional charges on extra or larger items. In an email statement to Insider, a representative from Frontier Airlines said one of the passengers in the video had "more than one bag," which was too large to be combined to fit in the personal item box. They said a second passenger was only able to make their bag fit in the sizer by "removing much of its contents." They did not specify which passengers they were referring to. The TikToker said she was not allowed to board the plane A later video showed Romero and Villa saying they had both been told were not allowed to board the plane. Villa said this was because they were filming, while Romero said she had been told there was an issue with her ID. Another video appeared to capture a conversation between Villa and an airline employee, who said Villa was holding up the line by "taking pictures and stuff," and that they were unable to board because the gate had closed. Frontier Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding whether or not the passengers were allowed to board the plane. Following the dispute, Villa launched a petition with the title "STOP FRONTIER AIRLINES FROM OVERCHARGING PASSENGERS." In the description, she wrote the incident took place as she was flying between Washington Reagan National in DC, to Denver International Airport, and then to Salt Lake City International Airport. In the statement to Insider, Frontier Airlines said, "Most customers pay for their bags in advance, in accordance with our policies, and we provide multiple reminders and opportunities to do so at a lower price in advance of departure. Allowing these customers to board without paying would be inequitable to every other customer who was already onboard with paid bags." Frontier Airlines employees receive bonuses for ensuring 'compliance' Villa's two dozen videos about the incident were extremely critical of the airline. In one, Romero described the events as a "very bad experience," and said she felt discriminated against as only "three Hispanic ladies" were told their bags were too large, leading her to have to publicly remove clothing items and throw them away. In another, Villa said she was still trying to receive a full refund for the flight she was not allowed to board. (Frontier did not directly respond to these claims when reached by Insider for comment.) In an upload posted on March 8, Villa said she received many comments from viewers who suggested Frontier Airlines employees received a bonus on each bag they charged for. In response to this claim, the airline wrote in their statement to Insider, "It is simply an incentive for our airport customer service agents to help ensure compliance with our policies and that all customers are treated equally. Thousands of comments reacted to the video series. Many sided with Villa, saying they believed the bags clearly fit inside the personal slot and couldn't understand what the problem was. Some shared their own grievances with airlines over their baggage policies. A number of commenters suggested she report the airline to the US Department of Transportation, which takes consumer complaints relating to flight delays and cancellations, baggage, discrimination, and refunds, among others, according to its website. But others questioned whether there was more to the story. Some observed the bag in the initial video appeared empty, questioning whether the passenger had removed items in order to make it fit. Videos documenting travel disasters frequently go viral on TikTok. Most notably, in December 2022, thousands of flights were canceled over bad weather conditions, and stranded passengers posted clips showing the chaos at airports. TikTok viewers tend to skew critical of airlines. In February a post by Southwest Airlines was widely mocked on the platform as viewers thought the airline was trying to ingratiate itself to potential customers after it canceled thousands of flights on the day after Christmas, causing travel mayhem across the country. Villa, who has 88,000 followers on TikTok where she posts clips of her work as a broadcaster, initially responded to Insider's request for comment, but did not respond to further questions regarding the incident. For more stories like this, check out coverage from Insider's Digital Culture team here. Read the original article on Insider people standing in line at the checkout as airlines make cuts to New York to reduce flight delays this summer Four major United States airlines will cut down on round trip service to New York this summer to curb flight delays. American Airlines, JetBlue, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines are facing a shortage of air traffic controllers. Expect to see flights at LaGuardia Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport reduced by 10 percent this summer. The shortage of controllers made the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration advise all the airlines to conform before it becomes a problem for airline customers. While changes have not been made yet, all the airlines have confirmed that a reduction in flights is in the works since the FAA shortage announcement last month. We need to reduce flying and make sure we can operate what weve got, JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes said in a statement. Photo credit: Joe Raedle FAA Projected Shortage in Early March In March, the FAA projected that the air traffic controller staffing in the New York area would only meet 54 percent of the required levels. By comparison, the national staffing level would be around 81 percent. If airlines dont reduce flights at LaGuardia Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport by roughly 45 percent, customers may experience flight delays this summer. The shortage of FAA staff is not a new issue. In June of last year, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian identified air traffic control as the most strained aviation industry segment. United Airlines executives shared a similar sentiment a few weeks later. The training period for new air traffic controllers, which is three years, is part of the problem. The FAA having to pause training during the pandemic compounded onto the depleted workforce. The FAAs management of air traffic control has come under increased scrutiny, due to several recent near-misses at airports throughout the country. In major cities, like Austin, Boston and New York, planes have narrowly avoided collisions. It remains unclear whether these close calls were the result of air traffic control errors or mistakes made by pilots. Story continues FAA Solution To Controller Shortage The FAA regulator is taking an unusual measure to alleviate congestion caused by the ongoing situation. Airlines will be permitted to idle up to 10 percent of their slots at John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport. At Newark Liberty International Airport, there will be an adjustment on the runway timings between May 15 and Sept. 15. Each takeoff and landing requires one slot or runway timing. Airlines are typically obligated to use them 80 percent of the time. The FAAs waiver will also extend to Washingtons Reagan National airport slots. However, by April 30, airlines will have to request waivers from the FAA. Photo credit: Barry Williams The Outlook On Delays for Summer Travel There are two major issues that passengers are facing with these changes. One of the issues that customers will face is that a reduction in the number of flights will reduce the number of seats available. The second major issue customers will face is the higher impact that may hit less popular travel cities. Airlines have the autonomy to choose which flights they want to cancel. If airlines cancel more flights in smaller cities, those flight cuts will negatively impact the passengers. One solution suggested posed by analyst Conor Cunningham from Melius Research is that airlines could consider consolidating flights to achieve the required reduction in operations. For example, a consolidated flight would consist of replacing two 76-seat regional flights with a single flight on a 150-seat Boeing 737. Photo credit: Frank Augstein While the outlook of summer travel is still up in the air, its not all bad news. Ongoing constraints on capacity, a 30 percent reduction in fuel costs and positive demand commentary are contributing to a positive outlook for the industry. Wall Streets optimistic outlook translates to higher airline revenues and profit margins. RELATED: Flight Delays And Cancellations? These Are 2023s Best and Worst Cities For Long Layovers The Al-Aqsa mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, is a site sacred to both Islam and Judaism in the Old City of Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem that has long been a lightning rod in Israeli-Palestinian relations. On Wednesday, Israeli riot police stormed the mosque to dislodge what it called Palestinian "agitators" who barricaded themselves inside after the last prayers of the day with fireworks, sticks and stones. The clashes at the site, which is the third-holiest in Islam and the holiest in Judaism, came after Jewish radicals called for animals to be sacrificed in the compound to mark the Jewish Passover holiday. - Prophet's night journey - The 14-hectare (35-acre) rectangular esplanade at the southeast corner of the Old City was seized by Israel in the Six-Day War of 1967 along with the rest of east Jerusalem and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community. Israel considers all of Jerusalem as its indivisible capital, but the Palestinians want the eastern sector, which includes the Old City and its sacred sites, as the capital of their future state. Known to Muslims as Al-Haram al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary), the compound houses the Al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock, a famous golden-topped shrine. Believed to be where the Prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven on a winged horse, it is the third-holiest site in Islam after Mecca's Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, both in Saudi Arabia. - Wailing Wall - The compound in its current form was built in the seventh century on the site of the Second Jewish Temple that was destroyed by the Romans around 70 AD. The area is revered by Jews, who come from across the world to pray at the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall, a remnant of the Second Temple that is situated just below the esplanade and is the holiest site where Jews can pray. In Hebrew, the whole area is referred to as Har HaBayit -- the Temple Mount. - Select entry - Story continues Al-Aqsa mosque is administered by Jordan in coordination with the Palestinians but access to the site is controlled by the Israeli security forces. Decades-old convention allows Muslims to enter the mosque compound at all times of day or night, but non-Muslims can only do so at certain times and are banned from praying inside. However, in recent years Israeli police have repeatedly closed access to Al-Aqsa during times of tension and ultra-nationalist Jews, who want to begin building a new temple at the site, have been caught praying inside. - Decades of tensions - The site has long been a tinderbox in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, with tensions often peaking during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. A controversial visit to the mosque compound in September 2000 by Israel's then opposition leader Ariel Sharon was one of the main triggers for the second Palestinian intifada, an uprising that lasted from 2000 to 2005. The day after Sharon's visit, Israeli police shot dead seven Palestinian protesters in clashes. In 2017, the compound was temporarily closed after three Arab Israelis opened fire at police near the mosque, killing two of them, before fleeing into the compound, where they were shot dead by security forces. Two years later, clashes between police and worshippers at the compound left dozens of Palestinians wounded. During Ramadan in 2021, Israeli police stormed Al-Aqsa mosque to end a sit-in by worshippers -- events that led up to an 11-day war between Israel and the Gaza Strip's Islamist rulers Hamas. The compound saw renewed clashes during the spring of 2022 that left hundreds of Palestinians wounded. In January, a visit by Israel's extreme-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also caused tensions. bur-cb/kir Easter Sunday is just a few days away. Do you have everything you need? For many in Idaho, Easter Sunday means dressing up in your finest outfits for pictures, attending a morning church service and then heading out for a big meal. Some will pack local restaurants, but many others will have traditional home-cooked meals. Whether you are making the meal yourself or bringing food to a grandparents home, or perhaps a church potluck, the hustle and bustle of the week can make you forget that one key ingredient or necessary side. And that means a quick trip to a grocery store. However, not all grocery stores will have regular hours on Easter Sunday. Heres the scoop on the big chains. Albertsons Albertsons will be open and operate normal hours on Sunday, a company spokesperson told the Idaho Statesman. You can check hours for your local Albertsons at local.albertsons.com/index. Fred Meyer Fred Meyer will have regular hours on Easter, a company spokesperson said, but the pharmacy will be closed all day. You can check hours at your local Fred Meyer at https://www.fredmeyer.com/stores/grocery/id. WinCo Late-night shoppers and last-minute planners rejoice. WinCo will remain on its regular 24-hour-a-day schedule throughout the Easter weekend. Trader Joes Trader Joes will open at its usual time of 8 a.m. on Sunday, but the grocery store will close at 5 p.m., a company spokesperson said. Typically the store is open until 9 p.m. Whole Foods Market Whole Foods stores in Idaho will be open Sunday. However, hours may be limited and will vary by location, a company spokesman said. He recommended that customers visit wholefoodsmarket.com/stores and select their neighborhood store for updates. Target Whether you have a Target with a large grocery store section or a small one, the result will be the same come Easter Sunday: closed. Guests can expect regular store hours on April 10 and can check Target.com or the Target app for local store information, a Target spokesperson said. Walmart Walmart stores have historically remained open on Easter Sunday and should do so again this year. However, regular hours can vary between stores, so you should check your Walmarts hours before shopping. Donald Trump Jr. sparked outrage on Tuesday for targeting the daughter of the judge overseeing former President Donald Trumps New York hush money case. Because nothing says innocent like threatening a judges family, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) tweeted. Lets be very clear: intimidation and stochastic terror are the core tools of Trump and the fascist movements that support him. They rely on it to skirt consequence and silence others - and each time it works, they grow more brazen. One reason why accountability is so important. Because nothing says innocent like threatening a judges family https://t.co/hk9fyvdflH Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 4, 2023 On Truth Social and Twitter, Trump Jr. had shared a link to an article by the right-wing website Breitbart that prominently featured an image of Judge Juan Merchans daughter. The outlet reported that Merchans daughter worked for Vice President Kamala Harris campaign during the 2019 presidential primaries and headed a digital agency that runs campaigns for progressive candidates, including the Biden-Harris campaign. Donald Trump and his two eldest sons sought to paint that information as evidence of Merchans corruption and bias against the indicted former president, as did many of their supporters on social media. Eric Trump had also written a similar tweet, but it later disappeared from Twitter. Seems relevant yet another connection in this hand picked democrat show trial. The BS never ends folks, Trump Jr. wrote, also quoting the title of the article: Daughter of Judge on Trump Case Worked on Biden-Harris Campaign. Eric Trump had reportedly complained in his since-removed tweet that They are all hand-picked. It is all pre-arranged. This corruption is on a different level. In an all-caps Truth Social screed, Donald Trump accused Merchan of being highly partisan from a family of well known Trump haters. Story continues The former president surrendered at the Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday afternoon, where he was arrested. He faces 34 felony charges that he falsified business records to hide $130,000 in hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels in the final weeks of his 2016 presidential campaign to keep Daniels from coming forward about an alleged affair. Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) also weighed in on Trump Jr.s post about the judges daughter, writing: Make no mistake, Donald Trump is trying to prevent the legal system from pursuing accountability by inciting violence and spreading misinformation. Legal and law enforcement experts raised concerns as well. Frank Figliuzzi, former assistant director of the FBI, said the post contributes to the risk and threat picture and is an indicator of the threat strategy were likely to see moving forward. Donald Trump Jr has tweeted a photo of the NY judges daughter. This contributes to the risk and threat picture and is an indicator of the threat strategy were likely to see moving forward. Frank Figliuzzi (@FrankFigliuzzi1) April 4, 2023 A new low. Trumps son posts a photo of the judges daughter as part of an effort to attack the judge as biased. https://t.co/uQ0hRrWXEE Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) April 4, 2023 Don Jr posting pictures of the Judges daughter on social media just now aint gonna help https://t.co/oNNmGmUoNn Pete Strzok (@petestrzok) April 4, 2023 Several conservative figures also denounced the move, including Lincoln Project adviser Jeff Timmer, Republican political consultant Frank Luntz, former Republican Rep. Joe Walsh of Illinois and conservative attorney George Conway. Kendall Roy Trump is gonna hasten the gag order and land he and his dad behind bars https://t.co/nSNPcj1Us1 Jeff Timmer (@jefftimmer) April 4, 2023 It is not right to post pictures of children of the various participants in this Trump legal case. Someone is going to get killed. https://t.co/5AoS4DpaPp Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) April 4, 2023 Don Jr., like his father, is scum. https://t.co/WcfoWqRcaY George Conway (@gtconway3d) April 4, 2023 During Trumps arraignment, Merchan warned him not to use social media to incite violence. Trump has written threatening social media posts in the weeks leading up to his indictment, spreading conspiracy theories about the process and attacking Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Related... Amazon has found itself in a messy mistake involving Black-owned businesses. For about a year, the retail giant has been giving out small business badges under its commitment to the success of small businesses. This badge identifies products from US-based small business brands, Amazons website states. Its designed to help customers who want to support small businesses while also enjoying the convenience and security of shopping in Amazons store. We follow Gartners definition of small business, which includes businesses that employ fewer than 100 people and have less than $50 million in annual revenues. However, there has been miscategorization for some businesses. According to The Information, Amazon has reportedly given Black-owned small business badges to companies that arent Black-owned. The outlet details that Chomps founded by Pete Maldonado and Rashid Ali is one of the non-Black-owned companies that received the badge. Maldonado also shared that there wasnt much lift in sales with the badge. The miscategorization raises one to question how many actual Black-owned businesses have been overlooked. Additionally, large companies multinational corporations with thousands of employees are also said to have received small business badges. If [Amazon is] not managing this program, theyre being negligent and theyre disadvantaging true small businesses, Avenue7Media CEO Jason Boyce told the outlet. And theyre giving companies that dont need the help an unfair advantage. According to The Information, when it reached out to Amazon for a comment, the company removed some miscategorized badges. However, there are some that have yet to be taken down. People including Stacey Mitchell, a co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, have posed the question of whether Amazon is genuinely dedicated to supporting Black-owned small businesses. Its very much in Amazons interest to try to suggest that in fact theyre supporting small businesses rather than eating their lunch, Mitchell said. Lieutenant-General Serhii Naiev, Commander of the Joint Forces, demonstrated how an anti-aircraft air defence system Avenger works. Ukraine was recently supplied with this air defence system by the US. Source: Naiev on Facebook Quote: "The Avenger anti-aircraft systems are already on combat duty in the northern operational zone. They are able to facilitate the short-range air defence for civilian infrastructure facilities, the defence sector units and are effective against cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, aircraft and helicopters at low altitudes." Details: Naiev added that the air defence can quickly detect and destroy Iran-made Shahed kamikaze drones. He also reported that the operators of these systems had undergone special training in Germany. One of the operators revealed that Avenger is equipped with the Stinger missiles and the Browning large-calibre machine gun. Previously: In January, the US Department of Defence announced that it would provide Ukraine with another USD2.5 billion in military aid. The package includes, among other things, eight Avenger air defence systems. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! (Bloomberg) -- Mexico agreed to buy a fleet of natural gas plants and a wind farm for $6 billion from Spains biggest power company as part of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obradors push to nationalize energy production. Most Read from Bloomberg The deal, announced Tuesday, will make Mexicos state utility the nations biggest power generator and represents a new nationalization, the president said in a video posted on Twitter. The utility, Comision Federal de Electricidad, will gain 8,539 megawatts of energy from 12 gas plants and one wind farm from Iberdrola SA, bringing CFEs share of power generation to more than 55% from 39% now. Iberdrola is relinquishing about 75% of its installed capacity in Mexico, the company said. It will enable AMLO, as the president is called, to achieve one of the biggest goals of his stalled electricity reform by placing much of the electricity sector in state hands and ridding Mexico of a major foreign companys influence. The presidents previous efforts to change the constitution to give CFE more control over the energy market failed to gain congressional approval. We have had some discrepancies but dialogue can do anything dialog and good will, the president said. Iberdrolas shares rose 1.7% on Wednesday as analysts welcomed the reduced exposure to Mexico and said the price was fair. Read More: Mexicos AMLO Puts $22 Billion in Energy Contracts at Risk AMLO said the deal will allow Mexico to maintain prices for consumers as the president seeks to make the country self-sufficient in energy generation. Yet analysts question whether the deal will hurt investment in the energy sector. There are no more gray lines. The attack on Iberdrola since the beginning of this administration has been front and center, John Padilla, managing director of IPD Latin America, said in a phone interview. The question is whats the bilateral and multilateral reaction going be and how will that impact investment going forward in Mexicos electricity sector. Story continues Read More: Barclays Said to Advise Mexico in Iberdrola Nationalization The purchase will be paid for by the National Infrastructure Fund, known as Fonadin, and wont come from public debt, said Finance Minister Rogelio Ramirez de la O. It will also use other public financial entities linked to the government. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals, will be completed in the next six months, the finance minister added. Spains biggest power company gradually has scaled back its Mexico operations after having previously invested tens of billions of dollars in the country. The company has faced significant hurdles under the nationalist president, who has made Iberdrola the main target of his push to remove the influence of foreign energy firms in the electricity sector. AMLO has launched numerous jabs against the Spanish energy giant at his daily morning press conferences, accusing it of mounting a media campaign against him and engaging in unspecified acts of corruption. Iberdrola has faced difficulty getting permits approved for plants, contracts renewed and faced supply issues with CFE. (adds shares) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Amy Schumers interview about why she turned down the role of Barbie, after being sent a pair of shoes, has resurfaced, following the release of the films new trailer. The comedian addressed why she opted not to star in Sonys live-action movie during a March 2022 interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Her comments also came five years after she announced that she was pulling out of the film due to scheduling conflicts. Speaking to THR, she pointed out some of the specific reasons why she dropped out of the gig. They definitely didnt want to do it the way I wanted to do it, the only way I was interested in doing it, Schumer said. Schumer told that publication that her initial plan for the film was for her Barbie character to be an inventor. She noted that the studio then asked her if Barbie could be the inventor of high-heels made out of Jello. From there, Schumer said that it was even clearer their ideas didnt match, as the studio sent her a pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes to celebrate the announcement of her casting. The idea that thats just what every woman must want, right there, I should have gone, Youve got the wrong gal, the Trainwreck star explained. As noted on the brands website, Manolo Blahnik sells a range of shoes, from heels to boots to pumps. However, they can all be a bit pricy, included a pair of heels that cost $1,195. Back in 2017, she first issued a statement about how she was no longer able to commit to Barbie due to her schedule. The film has so much promise, and Sony and Mattel have been great partners. Im bummed, but look forward to seeing Barbie on the big screen, she said. A spokesperson for Sony also issued a statement about Schumers choice, explaining: We respect and support Amys decision. We look forward to bringing Barbie to the world and sharing updates on casting and film-makers soon. Ryan Gosling as Ken and Margot Robbie as Barbie in Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig (Copyright: 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.) In 2019, it was announced that Margot Robbie would be replacing Schumer, with the I, Tonya actor producing and starring in the live-action movie. Story continues Schumers interview with THR about Barbie also resurfaced one day after a new trailer for the Greta Gerwig film was released. The plot follows Barbie, who gets expelled from Barbie Land for being a less-than-perfect doll. She sets off for the human world to find true happiness. Viewers went on to praise the trailer, with many noting that some of the plot was still being kept largely under wraps, and predicting that a major twist in the story is on the cards. The film also announced the cast, which surprised some fans. More specifically, some of the cast updates that fans were not expecting included Dua Lipa, Nicola Coughlan, and Michael Cera. Andrea Johnson said that when she volunteers at a local Kansas City animal shelter, she sees the impact of puppy mills that have proliferated across Missouri. Dogs that are unethically bred will come to the shelter with health and behavioral problems. And many dont survive, she said. Johnson, who lives in Gladstone, doesnt want Missouri lawmakers to pass a bill that she says will protect shops that buy from those facilities. Missouri has had the reputation as the puppy mill capital, Johnson told The Star. We are just coming out from underneath that reputation as the puppy mill capital and were dealing with shelters that are at crisis capacityits galling to see legislation like this in search of a problem. Animal welfare groups fear that legislation passed by the Missouri House this week would weaken local governments abilities to crack down on pet shops that work with large-scale inhumane breeders known as puppy mills. The bill, filed by state Rep. Ben Baker, a Neosho Republican, would ban Missouri cities and counties from passing laws to prohibit pet shops amid a national crackdown on puppy mills. After passing the House on a mostly party-line vote of 96 to 56, the bill now heads to the Senate where lawmakers are considering similar legislation. Its backed by Petland, the largest retail company that sells puppies in the U.S. The company, which is based in Ohio, hired five Missouri lobbyists just after the legislative session began in January. The legislation comes as Missouri leads the nation in the number of problematic puppy breeders and dealers with 26 mills scattered across the state. The Show-Me State has topped an annual list of worst dog breeders in the country for the past decade, according to the Humane Society of the United States. While no Missouri cities appear to be considering bans, states such as Illinois, New York, California and Washington have banned the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in retail pet stores to curtail shops that stock up on animals bred in puppy mills. Story continues Elizabeth Kunzelman, Petlands vice president of legislative and public affairs, said in a statement to The Star that Petland sources all of its puppies from USDA licensed breeders and adheres to local, state and federal regulations. Animal rights activists push retail pet sale bans to eliminate puppy mills. But after passing pet store bans, California, New York, and Illinois are seeing an increase in reports of online scams and pet fraud, Kunzelman said. Unfortunately, puppy mills are doing more business than ever in those states. However, Petland has been cited at its Houston store for violating a local ordinance that prohibits the sale of puppies in pet stores, according to citations obtained by The Star. Baker told lawmakers this week that his bill wouldnt change any current regulations or laws regarding animal care. This just says you cant regulate a pet shop out of business, he said. Baker framed his legislation as a way to protect animals. He said that if cities and counties were able to shut down pet shops, it would allow black market sales of animals to thrive. But animal welfare groups view the legislation as a way to protect the states puppy mills. They say the bill would prevent local governments from enforcing laws or regulations on pet shops, including health ordinances. We see that stripping local control over these entities is going to have a chilling effect on reporting, said Cody Atkinson, the Missouri state director of the Humane Society of the United States. If a city is so petrified at the risk of litigation, they may not run it up the chain. So we just see a potential chilling effect that could bolster our already egregious puppy mill industry. Atkinson pointed directly to concerns about Petlands links to puppy mills and dog breeders. An investigation posted on the Humane Societys website alleges that the store regularly sells sick puppies while deceiving customers into believing the dogs they sell are raised humanely. As part of the investigation, Humane Society investigators went undercover at eight Petland stores in Texas, Florida, Michigan, Georgia, Nevada, Virginia and Kentucky between the fall of 2018 and November 2019. The investigation found sick puppies at all eight stores, including animals with seizures and infections. It also found dead animals mostly puppies and bunnies in freezers at five stores indicating Petland sometimes lets sick and injured animals die in its stores rather than seeking veterinary care. While there are Missouri laws intended to crack down on puppy mills, regulation is lacking, Atkinson said. Bad breeders are often able to deny inspections dozens of times. And if a puppy mill operator is faced with a fine, the operator can usually offset that fine with the sale of a few dogs. It is exorbitantly expensive and difficult to shut down bad actors, he said. State Rep. Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat, told lawmakers this week that puppy mills were the No. 1 reason why Bakers bill exists. She said that while she hopes companies like Petland source their animals from reputable breeders, pet shops that are faced with high demand turn to puppy mills for supply. This bill is trying to make it so that a company like Petland can operate with impunity in any municipality, getting their supply from whomever they would like, she said. Because thats how they stay in business. State Rep. LaDonna Appelbaum, a St. Louis Democrat, became emotional on the House floor this week when talking about her dog. She said she couldnt imagine her dog being forced to be pregnant over and over at one of the states puppy mills. Its a damn fact that this state is cruel to animals, she said. I will be voting no. This article was provided by HappyValley Industry, an Affinity Connection-run website that highlights local tech companies. Read more and sign up for the newsletter at happyvalleyindustry.com. Penn State sports fans may recognize the name Wallace Wally Triplett. A tailback and linebacker for the Nittany Lions, Triplett became the first Black player to start for Penn State on Nov. 17, 1945. According to a recent Penn State press release, Triplett became the first Black player to be drafted by and to play in the NFL when he was selected by the Detroit Lions in the 19th round of the 1949 NFL Draft. Triplett played four seasons in the NFL with the Lions and Chicago Cardinals, interrupted by a two-year stint in the Korean War. As a professional player, Triplett set the leagues single-game record with 294 yards on four kickoff returns, including a 97-yard touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams in 1950, a record that stood for 44 seasons. Tripletts 73.5-yard kickoff return average stands as the NFL single-game record. Penn State benefited from counting such a trailblazer among its talented line of exceptional athletes those many years ago and is benefiting yet again from the Triplett affiliation, so many years later. Thanks to an anonymous donor, who has pledged $2.5 million, the Wally Triplett Brand Academy Endowment will help current Penn State student-athlete entrepreneurs learn tips and tools to be successful. The donors generosity will be matched by the university through the Economic Development Incentive Matching Program. According to Lee Erickson, associate director of economic development and student programs, With the NCAA allowing student athletes to earn proceeds from Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals, its imperative that colleges help their student athletes to understand those new opportunities and support their entrepreneurial interests, no matter what type of business they want to start. Ramping up The Brand Academy is a joint project of Intercollegiate Athletics and Invent Penn State and is in the process of hiring a director, who will later hire a coordinator, for the academy, which will help student-athletes navigate the business space and make informed decisions about where they want to take their brands. Story continues The academy will help student athletes to understand the role their personal brand plays in their entrepreneurial endeavors, as well as the mechanics of starting, running and growing a business, building their negotiation skills and reducing their risk, Erickson said. Wally Triplett Christina Diaz, assistant AD for development and enrichment, further noted that the goal is to support students needs to brand build, and, as always, continue to provide education. We foresee the Brand Academy being an immediate resource for our student athletes navigating the complexities of starting a business, or building and managing a brand. We want to help them in understanding some of the bigger meanings behind words like in perpetuity, exclusivity, etc., Diaz said, adding that educating the student-athletes on legal terminology could prevent them from getting ensnared in licensing agreements that would limit their ability to use their name, image and likeness for years to come. The Brand Academy will also leverage entrepreneurial resources available through the Happy Valley LaunchBox powered by PNC Bank and the Penn State Small Business Development Center. Among the many ideas in the Brand Academy pipeline: developing digital content available on demand, one-on-one mentoring, bringing aboard guest speakers, aiding with networking and even tackling more esoteric topics like non-fungible tokens. A fitting tribute In a Penn State press release, Ayanna McConnell, Wallys granddaughter, remarks upon the academy as being a fitting tribute to her grandfather, who died in 2018. Penn State meant a lot to my granddad because it opened up doors to his success in important ways, McConnell said. I think he would be proud to have his name connected with Penn States efforts to help student athletes to be successful in this way. Erickson said, because of the donation, the program should last many years into the future and plans are to launch this summer. We are also confident that what the students will learn in the Brand Academy will help them with their career post Penn State, whether they launch a business, take a job in corporate America or work with a nonprofit. Thats whats really exciting for us, she said. An inmate who walked away from a work-release job in Anson County on Wednesday morning is back in custody, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety. Stephon J. Easterling was captured roughly eight hours after he went to work on an off-prison job assignment around 10 a.m. and didnt return from a break. He was caught on Leak Street in Rockingham. Correction officials said Easterling will be transferred to a higher-custody prison and will face escape charges. ALSO READ: 2 adults, 1 juvenile arrested in Anson County deadly shooting Easterling was convicted of drug possession, fleeing police, and habitual felon in 2022, and he was projected to be released in February of 2024. NCDPS says witnesses reported that Easterling got into a white Nissan Rogue SUV, which drove off. The department says Easterling is originally from Hamlet, which is in Richmond County. (WATCH: Family hopes to find answers in Anson County mans death) Stephen Snyder, shown here, was fatally shot in 2017 in Topeka by Anthony Darcy, who died last week in prison at age 87. Anthony N. Darcy was 81 years old when he shot Stephen Snyder to death in 2017 in Topeka, saying he was "tired of his (expletive)." Darcy was 87 when he died recently in prison. Darcy died of natural causes March 24 at El Dorado Correctional Facility, said David Thompson, public information officer for the Kansas Department of Corrections. Anthony Darcy had just sold his house to Stephen Snyder Darcy was sentenced in November 2019 to serve 15 years and five months in prison for crimes that included second-degree murder in the May 2017 killing of Stephen Snyder, 36, who was shot to death in front of his 8-year-old son. Darcy shot Snyder outside a house at 3031 S.W. 33rd, which Darcy had just sold to Snyder, Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said at the time. Snyder was letting Darcy remain in the house past the closing date, he said. Snyder and his son arrived at the house at an agreed upon, prescheduled time on May 1, 2017, to take measurements for a new carpet, Kagay said. In a video of an interview with Snyder's son shown at Darcy's preliminary hearing, the boy said Darcy initially acted nice to his father, then "just pulled a gun and shot him." Darcy "fired once into Snyders chest, and twice more as Snyder and his son retreated down the sidewalk and driveway, Kagay said. Darcy was arrested soon afterward at the scene, Kagay said. Darcy was serving 15 years for second-degree murder A charging affidavit filed in the case said Darcy said he killed Snyder because he was tired of his (expletive). On the day Snyder was shot, Darcy called Snyder saying it was OK for him to come over to the house about 6 p.m., according to the affidavit. It said Darcy then called a law enforcement dispatcher at 6:08 p.m. to say he had shot Snyder. Darcy was convicted after a five-day trial in August 2019 of one felony count each of intentional second-degree murder, aggravated assault and the aggravated endangerment of a child. Kansas law defines intentional second-degree murder as murder committed intentionally but not with premeditation. Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Anthony Darcy, convicted of 2017 Topeka murder, dies in prison at 87 Anti-vaccine activist Robert F Kennedy Jr, the son of assassinated presidential candidate Robert Kenedy and nephew of John F Kennedy, has filed to run for president in 2024 as a Democrat. Mr Kennedy, 69, filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission after announcing last month he was considering a run against Joe Biden, according to The Associated Press. His late father was a former New York senator, US attorney general and 1968 presidential candidate, who was shot and killed by Sirhan Sirhan in Los Angeles in June 1968. If it looks like I can raise the money and mobilize enough people to win, Ill jump in the race, Mr Kennedy Jr tweeted last month. If I run, my top priority will be to end the corrupt merger between state and corporate power that has ruined our economy, shattered the middle class, polluted our landscapes and waters, poisoned our children, and robbed us of our values and freedoms. Together we can restore Americas democracy. Mr Kennedy Jrs views on vaccines have been strongly criticised by Dr Anthony Fauci, says who said in 2021 that the inflammatory rhetoric of the conspiracy theorist and others had accelerated violent threats and abuse directed at him and his family. Mr Kennedy Jr leveraged his ties to the political family dynasty to lend his anti-vaccine campaign credibility and to draw fundraisers, recently published The Real Anthony Fauci: Bill Gates, Big Pharma, and the Global War on Democracy and Public Health, in which he accuses the nations medical chief of launching a historic coup detat against Western democracy. And in 2022 he was forced to apologise for referring to Anne Frank during an anti-vax rant comparing vaccine mandates to the Holocaust. Mr Kennedy claimed imposing vaccine passports was similar to Nazi Germany in a speech at an anti-vax protest march in Washington DC in January 2022. Even in Hitlers Germany, you could hide in the attic like Anne Frank did, he told the crowd. Those remarks provoked widespread condemnation. Chinese artist exhibits paintings in honor of Slovenian writer Xinhua) 10:22, April 05, 2023 LJUBLJANA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese artist Wang Huiqin opened here on Tuesday an exhibition of 23 paintings, paying homage to Alma Karlin, a Slovenian writer who embarked on a solo journey around the world, including China, a century ago. Wang Huiqin moved to Slovenia 40 years ago and has since created numerous art works that connect Slovenian and Chinese cultures. She is also a professor at the University of Ljubljana, teaching calligraphy and Chinese art. In 2020, she illustrated a bilingual children's book about Alma Karlin, while recently she created an animated film on Karlin which was shown at the opening of the exhibition. The film, available in both Slovenian and Chinese versions, is set to be showcased at the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany in October. "I have worked on the project involving Alma Karlin since 2019. She was a brave Slovenian woman who went around the world by herself and not enough people know about her," Wang told Xinhua. Zhao Binghui, counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Slovenia, said that the artist has long been active in boosting cultural exchanges between Slovenia and China. "Art and culture are reaching beyond borders, traveling across countries, and connecting hearts," said Zhao, expecting Wang to create more art works and continue to use art to contribute to the exchanges between the two countries. On behalf of Slovenia's President Natasa Pirc Musar, her husband Ales Musar said at the opening that Alma Karlin was one of the first women who traveled the world by herself and that two of her novels took place in China. Her longest travel lasted for 9 years. "We have to remember more often that the connection between Slovenia and China has no burdens from the past ... our connections with China are all beautiful," said Musar. The exhibition will last until June 5. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York mocked Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia after the Republicans appearance at a rally to protest the arraignment of former President Donald Trump ended with her being drowned out by counter-protesters. Welcome to NYC! Ms Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. Where there are still social consequences for shameless bigotry. Welcome to NYC! Where there are still social consequences for shameless bigotry https://t.co/tjE4At3jmK Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 4, 2023 Ms Greene, among the most outspoken far right Republicans in Congress, travelled to heavily-Democratic New York to rally supporters of Mr Trumps supporters outside the courthouse in Manhattan where he was arraigned. It was not the easiest trip. Turnout for Ms Greenes rally was relatively light, with pro-Trump protesters reportedly outnumbered by reporters. Some members of the New York Young Republican Club were on hand for the event, joined, briefly, by Rep George Santos of New York. But it was hard to hear part of Ms Greenes remarks due to noise made by counter-protesters endevouring to drown out her hate speech as it was described this week by New York City mayor Eric Adams. Kind of a fascinating development. The reason you cant hear Marjorie Taylor Greene, and why this whole thing is off the rails, is because a man has been handing out free whistles. I talked to him. Turns out hes a Trump supporter and he had no idea MTG was even here. pic.twitter.com/0RJqdyw7H5 Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) April 4, 2023 Another reason it may have been hard to hear Ms Greene was that Trump supporters reportedly handed out whistles, apparently unaware of the effect the whistling would have on pro-Trump speeches. Story continues Those who could hear Ms Greenes remarks heard her strike out at a range of figures including Mr Adams and argue that charging former leaders for alleged crimes is something that happens in communist countries. Im here to protest and use my voice and take a stand, Ms Greene said during her speech. Every American should take a stand. This is what happens in communist countries not the United States of America. We have to take a stand against the injustice, the corruption, and the communist Democrats. On Tuesday night, Ms Ocasio-Cortez sounded a very different note after Mr Trump posted a picture of the daughter of the judge presiding over his criminal case on social media. Lets be very clear: intimidation and stochastic terror are the core tools of Trump and the fascist movements that support him, Ms Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. They rely on it to skirt consequence and silence others - and each time it works, they grow more brazen. One reason why accountability is so important[.] CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) A top group of NASCAR team owners skipped a meeting with series officials Wednesday with the two sides at an impasse over permanent charters, a key plank in the business model of the stock car series. Fearing the meeting would be hijacked by conversation solely on the charters -- multimillion-dollar guarantees of having a car in NASCARs top Cup Series -- the team owner council told NASCAR it felt talks should be postponed. NASCAR said it planned to hold the meeting anyway, but the teams did not attend, said Curtis Polk, a part owner of 23XI Racing and one of four members of a negotiating committee that is trying to hammer out a new business plan for the nations top racing series. It was evident that if we got the whole group together, that was going to be the only topic that anyone wanted to talk about and that is generally not constructive, said Dave Alpern, president of Joe Gibbs Racing. Alpern, Polk, Jeff Gordon of Hendrick Motorsports and Steve Newmark of RFK Racing are the members of the council representing all teams. The owners went public last October with their frustration over what they consider a broken business model in which racetracks and NASCAR make the bulk of the money and teams are forced to fund their organizations through outside sponsorship. In a telephone interview with The Associated Press, Alpern and Polk said significant progress has been made with NASCAR on many key issues but the two sides have reached a significant impasse on the charters. NASCAR in 2016 adopted a charter system for 36 cars that is as close to a franchise model as possible in a sport that was founded by and independently owned by the France family. The charters give the teams something of value to hold or sell and protect their investment in the sport. The charters are both renewable the current ones expire at the end of the 2024 season and revocable by NASCAR if a team fails to perform over a predetermined length of time. The race teams want the charters to become permanent, and NASCAR apparently is unwilling to even discuss the issue. Story continues It's the foundation that everything else is built upon. If they gave you the moon, but they're able to take it away from you periodically, what good is having the moon? Polk told AP. NASCAR has said it is willing to work with the teams on financial security, and reiterated that commitment Wednesday after no owners showed for the meeting. NASCAR is committed to open and productive dialogue on a regular basis with all industry stakeholders," NASCAR said in a statement. "We remain committed to continuing discussions in the spirit of collaboration and with the shared goal of growing our sport for the benefit of all stakeholders. The breakdown happened after the entire Race Team Alliance held a call Tuesday to discuss topics for the smaller meeting with NASCAR. The RTA is comprised of all 16 teams and teams can have as many representatives as they choose on those calls. When it became apparent on the call with 50-plus participants that permanent charters was the only issue the RTA wanted addressed, the smaller negotiating committee advised NASCAR that its meeting should be delayed. The meetings with NASCAR are limited to one team owner and one executive from each of the 16 chartered teams. Asked what happens next, Polk said we're ready to meet. We want to make a deal. But he reiterated that talks must open on permanent charters. Alpern and Polk declined to discuss specifics on how teams have gained traction with NASCAR during months of negotiations. NASCAR has maintained that teams receive about 40% of industry-wide generated revenue. The financial split from the $8.2 billion media rights deal signed ahead of the 2015 season sends 65% to the tracks, 25% to the teams and 10% to NASCAR, according to the series. There are two major track operators, NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports; NASCAR owns the majority of the venues on the Cup Series schedule, including the crown jewel Daytona International Speedway, and the France family owns NASCAR. Teams have argued they have become full-time fundraisers seeking sponsorship to keep their organizations afloat and the only possible place to make further financial cuts is through layoffs. The teams revealed last October that sponsorship covers 60% to 80% of the budgets for all 16 chartered organizations. Because sponsorship is so vital, teams are desperate for financial relief elsewhere and have asked NASCAR for help to cover baseline costs. NASCAR President Steve Phelps in February told AP that he was confident a resolution could be found. We have said publicly and we will continue to say publicly that we need to have financially healthy race teams, Phelps said then. Financially healthy race teams will put a better product on the racetrack and thats great for the sport overall. The current charter agreement expires at the same time that NASCARs current television deals expire. NASCAR is in an exclusive negotiating window with both Fox Sports and NBC Sports on renewals. The exclusive period expires May 1, Phelps told AP, and NASCAR can explore television rights deals with outside partners after that date. ___ AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Apple is gearing up to open its first retail store in India to the public later this month, roughly two decades after the company began selling products and services in the South Asian nation that has grown to become the second-largest internet market. The iPhone-maker on Wednesday released a picture of the barricade of its first retail store in India, called Apple BKC, situated at Jio World Drive Mall in the country's financial capital of Mumbai. Inspired by the iconic Kaali Peeli taxi art unique to Mumbai, the Apple BKC creative includes colourful interpretations of the decals combined with many Apple products and services that will be available for our customers to discover, Apple said in a statement. Apple also plans to launch its second India store somewhere in New Delhi in the coming quarters. Apple has been aggressively hiring employees for its stores in India in recent months, according to recruitment posts. The company, which launched its online store in India in 2020, had initially planned to debut the first retail outlet in 2021 but delayed those plans after COVID struck. India, the world's second-largest smartphone market, currently contributes little to Apple's topline, but the iPhone maker has said in the past that it's bullish about its prospects in the country. Apple's contract manufacturing partners, Foxconn and Wistron, have ramped up local assembling for iPhone and other Apple gadgets in India in recent quarters. In a report last year, JP Morgan analysts estimated that Apple would expand its manufacturing capacity in India to produce 25% of all iPhones by 2025. If you havent done so yet, Thursday, April 6, is the final day to register to vote in the May elections. It is also the last day a voter can request a change of address in time for Election Day. To confirm your status to vote, go here. Voter registration in Texas is based on your county of residence. By law, voters must register by the 30th day before Election Day. For Fort Worth voters, a slate of municipal positions are on the ballot. There are also a few contests on the ballot for Tarrant County voters to decide. Matthew Graham is shown demonstrating hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation in an April 2020 photo, when he was a New Philadelphia Fire Department lieutenant. He was subsequently promoted to captain. NEW PHILADELPHIA An arbitrator has ordered the reinstatement of a former New Philadelphia fire captain fired last year after being charged with two counts of domestic violence. Matthew E. Graham will be reinstated effective Saturday, according to Fire Chief Jim Parrish. Arbitrator Gregory P. Szuter found that Graham was fired without just cause. He ordered the city to give Graham, 42, back pay and benefits retroactive to his July 8 dismissal. The beginning: Former fire captain sentenced for domestic violence incident On the job: New Phila firefighters teach hands-only CPR The incident for which Graham was fired occurred in May 2022. He was arrested and spent three days in jail. One domestic violence charge was dismissed, and the other was reduced to disorderly conduct. Graham, of Stone Creek, pleaded no contest on July 26 in New Philadelphia Municipal Court. He was placed on probation for a year. He was given a suspended 30-day jail sentence with credit for three days served. He was ordered to continue counseling for mental health and substance abuse, barred from possessing alcohol or drugs of abuse, prohibited from having guns and limited to having peaceful contact with the victim, a family member. New Philadelphia has been ordered to reinstate a former fire captain who was fired in July after being charged with domestic violence. Arbitrator: 'Private family matter' In his March 20 decision, Szuter wrote: "This private family matter has been blown out of proportion enough." He wrote that the Grahams were pursuing family counseling. "The Arbitrator sees prompt remedy as absolutely necessary for the healing of the Graham family and the morale of the Department," wrote Szuter, who is based in Cleveland suburb of North Royalton. He noted that a plea of no contest is not an admission of guilt, but an admission of the truth of the facts alleged. Graham's plea was the result of a plea bargain. "After his termination Capt. Graham testified he reached the decision that it was in the best interest of his family that this episode be put behind them," Szuter wrote. "By accepting a conviction of a minor misdemeanor he was able to save his family ... from the public spectacle of a trial. Of course, this is typical of many plea deals." Story continues Victim did not want to press charges His decision said the purported victim did not file the complaint and did not want to press charges. New Philadelphia Law Director Marvin Fete said in a prepared statement that "While the City does not agree with arbitrators ruling, it will abide by it." He said Graham admitted to the conduct to law enforcement officials who investigated the incident from the Tuscarawas County Sheriffs Office, and admitted to the conduct under oath during a binding arbitration hearing. "The city felt that the conduct admitted to by Mr. Graham was unbecoming of a member of our safety forces, who are charged with protecting members of the public, and terminated Mr. Graham from his employment," Fete wrote. Parrish said the following facts were considered by the city administration and unanimously supported by New Philadelphia City Council and the city's legal team: The city believes it followed and honored the collective bargaining agreement between the city and the firefighters' union regarding the disciplinary process when Graham was placed on paid administrative leave when he was arrested and jailed. Graham had three opportunities in the disciplinary process to explain the context of the events and his side of the story, but chose not to, following the advice of his criminal lawyer. The city offers employees a confidential employee assistance program for personal or family problems. Chief: 'Unfortunate chain of events' "This was an unfortunate chain of events for our City and the New Philadelphia Fire Department that has been going on since May 25, 2022," Parrish wrote. "I respect the Arbitrators decision as well as the rule of law. It is time to move on from this incident and do what the men and women of the New Philadelphia Fire Department do best and that is to serve the public in their time of need with dedication and integrity." Graham was represented at arbitration by International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1501. The union's grievance said the city terminated Graham without conducting an investigation beyond reviewing the report from the sheriff's deputies. "The City failed to wait for resolution of the criminal charges prior to issuance of discipline, as the Fire Chief told Capt. Graham the City would do," Local 1501 wrote in the grievance. "The City failed to identify the specific acts for which discipline was being considered. "The City termination of Capt. Graham fails to adhere to progressive discipline, fails to provide basic due process rights, ignores all circumstances surrounding the allegations, is excessive, and for other reasons lacks just cause. City Auditor Beth Gundy said the amount of back pay and other compensation owed to Graham had not been calculated as of Tuesday. In addition to his dismissal by New Philadelphia, Graham was disciplined by the Division of EMS of the Ohio Department of Public Safety. That reprimand included a $100 fine, three years probation, a background check upon the completion of probation, and court-ordered counseling, according to Carol Morgan, spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Public Safety. The agency certifies firefighters and emergency medical services providers. Reach Nancy at 330-364-8402 or nancy.molnar@timesreporter.com. On Twitter: @nmolnarTR This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: New Philadelphia found to have wrongly fired fire captain over charge Archaeologists excavate inside and outside Little Muck Shelter, in the Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa. Photo: Tim Forssman Where the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers meet, forming the modern border between Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe, lies a hill that hardly stands out from the rest. One could easily pass it without realising its historical significance. It was on and around this hill that what appears to be southern Africas earliest state-level society and urban city, Mapungubwe, appeared around 800 years ago. After nearly a century of research, weve learnt quite a lot about this ancient kingdom and how it arose among early farmer society and its involvement in global trade networks. However, before farmers settled the region, this terrain was the home of hunter-gatherer groups, who have hardly been acknowledged despite, as it seems, their involvement in the rise of Mapungubwe. My team and I have been working in northern South Africa at sites that we believe will help us recognise the roles played by hunter-gatherers during the development of the Mapungubwe state in a bid to generate a more inclusive representation of the regions past. Our primary study site is called Little Muck Shelter. It is in the Mapungubwe National Park and about 4km south of the Limpopo River. The shelter is fairly large with a protected area under a high ceiling and a large open space in front. It also has many paintings on its walls, including elephants, kudu, felines, people, and a stunning set of giraffes. This art was produced by hunter-gatherers and it is generally considered to refer to the spirit-world and the activities of shamans therein. The results from our research shows two things. First, hunter-gatherers lived in the area while the Mapungubwe Kingdom arose. Second, during this time they were part of the economy that assisted with the appearance of elite groups in society, and they had access to this wealth. When combined this tells us that we cannot think about Mapungubwes history without including hunter-gatherer societies. They were present and a part of these significant developments. Story continues Why is this important? One of the foundational developments that took place that led to the rise of the Mapungubwe Kingdom was the accumulation of wealth. It drove the appearance of hierarchies in society and marked prestige. These trade goods were valuable items usually possessed by elite groups. And yet, hunter-gatherers, through exploiting their own skills, were able to obtain related goods at a time when these items were contributing to significant transformations in society. That they had access to wealth during this period likely shows us that their role in local society was valued and they were entrenched in the local economy in a way that weve not previous recognised. Read more: Rock art as African history: what religious images say about identity, survival and change Unearthing evidence of trade We were attracted to Little Muck Shelter because of previous work at the site in the late 1990s that showed intense trade between hunter-gatherers and farmers took place from the shelter. To understand this better, we needed a larger archaeological assemblage to verify, or refine, what we thought might be taking place. We also wanted to more closely examine the depths that dated between AD 900 and 1300, during which the processes leading to Mapungubwe began and ultimately concluded, in order to clearly show a hunter-gatherer presence during this period as well as their participation in local economic networks. To do this, we needed to dig. Archaeological excavations are a slow and meticulous process that involve the careful removal of layers of artefact-bearing deposits with a very strict control of depth and location within an excavation trench. Following this is a lengthy period of analysis that adheres to rigorous protocols to ensure consistency in identifying artefact types, their production techniques or methods, how they were used, and what they were made from. We then piece all this evidence together in our attempt to understand past ways of living. From our results, we were able to trace a hunter-gatherer history that intertwined with the rise of Mapungubwe. Our first and important task was to show that hunter-gatherers were still around when Mapungubwe appeared. To date, weve examined about 15,000 stone tools from a sample of our excavations and identified a set of finished tools that are the same as those produced by hunter-gatherers for millennia before farmer groups appeared. We believe that this consistency in cultural material over such a long span of time clearly shows that hunter-gatherers were living in the shelter when farmers were in the area. We then wanted to look more closely at the trading economy. From the moment farmer groups appeared in the region, during the early first millennium AD, hunter-gatherers shifted their craft activities. Rather than mostly producing goods made from hide, wood and shell, they began making mostly bone implements and did so until the end of the Mapungubwe Kingdom at AD 1300. This suggests that the interactions hunter-gatherers had with farmers from when they first arrived stimulated change in their crafted wares. Why did they change their crafting activities? At the same time that these shifts took place, we recorded the appearance of trade wealth in the form of ceramics and glass beads, initially, and then metal. These goods were never made by hunter-gatherers and are common at farmer settlements, indicating exchange between these two communities. It indicates that hunter-gatherers responded to new market opportunities through emphasising their own skill sets. Our work to identify more evidence that shows a hunter-gatherer involvement in these processes continues. We are trying to find out in what other ways they were involved and whether they themselves developed a more complex society. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. The Conversation is trustworthy news from experts. Try our free newsletters. It was written by: Tim Forssman, University of Mpumalanga. Read more: tim.forssman@ump.ac.za receives funding from the National Research Foundation of South Africa and the Palaeontological Scientific Trust. Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was arrested by Russian authorities last week on espionage charges, becoming the first U.S. journalist to be detained in the country on spying accusations since the Cold War. Both U.S. officials and the Journal have denied the unsubstantiated allegations, and called on Russia to release him. Espionage carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison in Russia. Gershkovich, who has reportedly appealed his detention, met his lawyers Tuesday for the first time. They said Evans health is good, and he is grateful for the outpouring of support from around the world, WSJ editor-in-chief Emma Tucker and Dow Jones CEO and WSJ publisher Almar Latour said in a statement. We stand with Evan and continue to call for his immediate release. His case remains a priority for President Joe Biden, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Tuesday, adding that the charges are ridiculous. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Sunday, demanding that Russia free both Gershkovich as well as fellow imprisoned American Paul Whelan. Blinken and Lavrov also discussed the importance of creating an environment that permits diplomatic missions to carry out their work, Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson at the State Department, said in a statement. Jean-Pierre confirmed the State Department is currently working toward getting Gershkovich designated as wrongfully detained, which would allow the departments Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs to take the lead on the case. CNN on Tuesday reported that process could be complete in the coming days. But, overall, Gershkovichs detention has raised serious questions about Russias objectives as it continues to grow more hostile toward the U.S. Who Is Evan Gershkovich? Gershkovich, 31, was raised in Princeton, New Jersey, by two Jewish Soviet Union refugees in a Russian-speaking home. Story continues After graduating from Bowdoin College in Maine in 2014, where he studied philosophy, Gershkovich spent a year in Thailand as part of a Princeton fellowship. He later moved to New York, where he took a temporary job as a night shift worker at The New York Times foreign desk before securing a full-time news assistant job at the newspaper. He left the Times in 2017 to join The Moscow Times. Nora Biette-Timmons, a deputy editor for Jezebel who went to college with Gershkovich and edited his work on the school newspaper, told HuffPost his move to Russia was very on brand for him. He was always up for a challenge, Biette-Timmons said. Always up for something new, something to give himself an opportunity to better his skills. (Biette-Timmons has previously worked for HuffPost.) In 2020, he started covering Russia and Ukraine for the Agence France-Presse, and then became a correspondent for the Journal a month before Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022. He definitely had a baptism of fire with the Wall Street Journal, and one he handled with absolute aplomb, said Grainne McCarthy, the Journals chief digital editor, International. McCarthy said the reaction to the news of Gershkovichs detention within the Journal was one of absolute shock. Eliot Brown, a reporter based in the Journals London newsroom who is friends with Gershkovich, said the two chatted over text messages the day before he was arrested. Brown reached out to Gershkovich again the following day with the statistics on one of his stories, but later realized that text was never delivered. Maybe the only solace I have in all of this is like, he was not naive, Brown told HuffPost. He knew there were risks, we talked about them, we debated them. Apart from a tenacious reporter, Gershkovich was described by colleagues as funny, outgoing and a big soccer fan, who supported Arsenal and the U.S. mens national team. A group of his friends and colleagues started an ad hoc committee to raise awareness on his case. Biette-Timmons is in charge of the Twitter account @FreeGershkovich sharing updates on his condition, while the group has also created a website, displaying a clock showing how long Gershkovich has been in Russian custody. While this work has been a way for the group to channel their anxiety into something helpful for Gershkovich, Biette-Timmons said the anxiety remains because hes in Russian prison, and thats really scary. What Does Russia Stand To Win From Detaining Gershkovich? Russia arrested Gershkovich, who was accredited by the countrys foreign ministry, on March 29, in Yekaterinburg where he was on assignment. The Federal Security Service accused Gershkovich of trying to get classified information about a Russian-military industrial complex on behalf of the U.S., according to The Associated Press. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters Gershkovich was caught red-handed, without offering any proof to back up that claim. Espionage charges are often the way that authoritarian governments go about these arbitrary arrests, because any evidence to the contrary would be something classified that the public would never see anyway, said Danielle Gilbert, the Edelson fellow in U.S. foreign policy and international security at the John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding at Dartmouth College. Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D), who is experienced in hostage negotiations, has described Gershkovichs targeting as tit for tat for U.S. charges brought against Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov last month. The Justice Department said Cherkasov operated as an illegal agent for the Russian Intelligence Agency, while posing as a Brazilian student at a graduate school in Washington. Cherkasov is currently behind bars in Brazil facing fraud charges, but the U.S. could look to get him extradited, according to the Journal. Russia agreed to release WNBA star Brittney Griner in December in exchange for convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout. Griner spent about nine months in Russian custody after she was arrested when police said they found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage. WNBA star Brittney Griner was detained in Russia for about nine months in 2022. She had been sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison before the U.S. negotiated her release. WNBA star Brittney Griner was detained in Russia for about nine months in 2022. She had been sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison before the U.S. negotiated her release. Earlier last year, the U.S. agreed to free a convicted Russian drug trafficker for former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed. With regards to Gershkovichs case, Gilbert told HuffPost while the timing suggests that it was tit for tat, we still dont have hard evidence to assertively say so. Julia Ioffe, Puck News founding partner and Washington correspondent, reported Gershkovichs detention might also be payback for the arrest warrant issued for Russian President Vladimir Putin by the International Criminal Court for war crimes related to his alleged role in the deportation of Ukrainian children. (The U.S. doesnt recognize the ICCs jurisdiction.) There was a feeling that a Rubicon had been crossed and that all semblance of decency and abiding by international norms had been abandoned by the West, with America leading the charge, Ioffe wrote last week. Overall, though, Gilbert said the most important thing for the U.S. and other governments right now is to find effective ways to deter other countries from pursuing such action against their citizens. Probably that means figuring out a pair of actions that can first get citizens home, and then punish the perpetrators of these wrongful and arbitrary arrests, Gilbert added. What Gershkovichs Arrest Means For The Press In Russia In targeting a foreign journalist, Russia is also sending a message to the international press. While Russia was already a dangerous place to report from for local journalists, it was typically accepted that international correspondents could operate freely for the most part. By detaining the American journalist Evan Gershkovich, Russia has crossed the Rubicon and sent a clear message to foreign correspondents that they will not be spared from the ongoing purge of the independent media in the country, said Gulnoza Said, the coordinator of Committee to Protect Journalists Europe and Central Asia program. Olga Oliker, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, echoed Said, telling HuffPost this is at its core a terrifying signal on press freedom, on the ability for journalists to work in Russia whether they are Russian or western and certainly [Russias] willingness to continue to pick fights with western countries. Many international news organizations have already pulled their reporters from Russia, and others are closely monitoring current developments to assess to what degree they can maintain a presence in the country. Gershkovichs last story for the Journal before his detention, co-written with fellow WSJ reporter Georgi Kantchev, was published on March 28. The report laid out the challenges facing Russias economy amid the continuation of the war and western sanctions. His arrest suggests that whatever were going through with Russia, right now, is [in] no way better than the Cold War, said Liana Fix, a fellow for Europe at the Council of Foreign Relations. And in some ways, perhaps even worse than the Cold War, Fix added. Gilbert added that cases like Gershkovichs unfold in the timeline of months or years. Unfortunately, even with this early attention, I think we need to be prepared for the long haul, Gilbert said. Akbar Shahid Ahmed contributed to this report. By Mayela Armas and Deisy Buitrago CARACAS (Reuters) -The number of people arrested as part of a corruption investigation at Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA has risen to 34, Attorney General Tarek Saab said on Wednesday. Investigations into state companies including PDVSA and metals conglomerate Corporacion Venezolana de Guayana (CVG) have resulted in dozens of arrests over the last several weeks. "We are waging a hard and historic battle against the scourge of corruption," Saab said during a news conference. "We have 34 people detained just in this case." Those arrested are officials and financial operators, he said, adding the case includes people connected to the government's crypto-currency entity. Fifty-one people have been detained overall in the various corruption investigations, he added. The PDVSA investigation prompted the resignation in March of oil minister Tareck El Aissami, long prominent in the government of President Nicolas Maduro. He was replaced by Pedro Rafael Tellechea, who had been named to head PDVSA in January. Asked if El Aissami will be investigated, Saab said he would only speak about those currently under arrest. Last week Maduro suspended a committee created in 2020 to restructure PDVSA, promising a new process to audit its accounts and uncover corruption. Venezuela's need for dollars to shore up its exchange rate and enable government largesse ahead of 2024 elections is among the motives for the crackdown, sources have told Reuters. The arrests of officials from PDVSA are linked to an investigation into heavy losses suffered last year as tankers left the country carrying cargoes that had not been fully paid for, sources have said. PDVSA has accumulated $21.2 billion in unpaid bills, according to documents. Saab repeated a request for authorities in Italy, Spain and the United States to extradite former PDVSA officials, including ex-company president Rafael Ramirez, who the government accuses of involvement in previous corruption. Story continues "The attorney general has the deliberate purpose of diverting attention from the great scandal that's come to light," Ramirez told Reuters, adding allegations against him are false. Italy has repeatedly denied extradition requests for Ramirez. (Reporting by Mayela Armas and Deisy Buitrago in Caracas, additional reporting by Marianna Parraga in Houston; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; editing by Grant McCool) Artemis 2 mission specialist Jeremy Hansen. HOUSTON While witnessing the Apollo 11 launch and moon landing in July 1969, Life Magazine journalist Norman Mailer was so befuddled by events that he renamed himself in his writings. On Monday (April 3), I sympathized with Mailer's choice to call himself Aquarius. I, a Canadian journalist, had the good fortune to attend the ceremony at which NASA announced the crewmembers for its Artemis 2 around-the-moon mission. One of those astronauts, Jeremy Hansen, is a Canadian, and seeing him introduced left me a bit unmoored. When Apollo 11 soared moonbound into the skies on July 16, 1969, there wasn't even a Canadian astronaut program. The robotic Canadarm technology that garnered Canadians seats on NASA space shuttle missions (and beyond) was in its infancy. And Jeremy Hansen wouldn't even be born for nearly seven more years. Related: NASA's Artemis program: Everything you need to know And the world has changed a great deal just since 2009, when Hansen and colleague David Saint-Jacques were announced as astronaut candidates by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). (Other Canadian astronauts have flown to space with NASA or by other means, but here I'm focusing on the CSA ones.) I still recall Hansen and Saint-Jacques being completely surrounded by cameras, mics and bright lights seconds after the reporters were unleashed on them. Realizing that fighting for meaningful quotes was futile, I instead sprinted to a nearby library to file that story. Today, with a smartphone, I can type these words out comfortably in between press events. It's been an especially interesting ride for Hansen since then. He came into the retiring space shuttle program and helped support CSA astronaut Chris Hadfield's journey to space in 2012-2013. No Canadian then flew for six years due to our minority position in the International Space Station (ISS). (Our robotics work is mighty indeed but brings few flight dates at just 2.3% of ISS contributions.) While Saint-Jacques got the nod to fly in 2018-2019, Hansen picked up a significant ground responsibility: nurturing the 2017 astronaut class training schedules for two years, making him the first-ever Canadian to lead a new NASA group. He remained busy with training and mission support, but his wait so far is expected to last an impressive 15 years, assuming Artemis 2 lifts off in late 2024 as currently planned. Story continues Related: Canada joins NASA's Lunar Gateway station project with 'Canadarm3' robotic arm jeremy hansen in a spacesuit under water. he grasps on to a model of the international space station underwater. behind are divers and other space equipment Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen participates in extravehicular activity (spacewalk) training at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory near NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. (Image credit: NASA) 'By an uncertain moon with its grudging light' As much as I love Mailer's writing, prominent parts of "Of A Fire On The Moon" (Little, Brown, and Co., 1970) are deeply misogynistic and racist. One restless night last month, in the hours after I learned I'd be going to Houston to cover the Artemis 2 crew announcement, I cast about for better cultural ground. My scattered internet searches reminded me of the 1911 poem "Ithaka," by Constantine P. Cavafy, which describes the acquisition of wisdom by analogy of a Homeric journey: "Laistrygonians, Cyclops, wild Poseidon you won't encounter them unless you bring them along inside your soul," a translated version reassured me. The following morning, remembering that NASA's Artemis program is named after a Greek deity, I made a query that led me to Amanda Wilcox, chair of the classics department at Williams College in Massachusetts. Related: The immortals behind the stars (op-ed) illustration of the artemis goddess drawing her bow next to a deer. in the far background are greek temples Artemis is the Greek goddess of the moon and hunting and is associated with protecting young girls. (Image credit: rudall30 via iStock/Getty Images Plus) Artemis is the goddess of the hunt, along with being the goddess of the moon, and transitions accompany her. She is associated with an ancient ceremony for adolescent girls just before they become brides, for example. In terms of voyages, Wilcox noted, Artemis and her twin brother Apollo were born to Leto after a strange journey. The twins' father was Zeus, and Zeus' wife Hera was angry at Leto and refused her shelter. Leto eventually found refuge on the island of Delos, which in Greek tradition remained a wandering land until Leto grasped on to a palm tree and gave birth. "I don't know what to make of that in terms of the moon being somewhere we can go to [with Artemis 2], but wandering and then fixity seems really interesting to me," Wilcox told Space.com. I also asked about the sense of the liminal that the moon gives us, as it seems close enough to touch from the ground and yet is literally out of this world to us. It also seems changeless, aside from meteor strikes and occasional "moonquakes." There are some lunar myths that allude to cultural boundaries and transgressions, Wilcox answered. Endymion, the lover of the moon, was so beautiful that Zeus gave him an eternal reward: to be deathless and ageless. The price of the reward, however, is that Endymion must be eternally asleep. Other tellings of the myth have a twist: Zeus may have punished Endymion with sleep since Endymion was also in love with Hera who is, of course, Zeus' wife. Related: 'Moon Knight's' Khonshu and 9 more lunar gods and goddesses from around the world circular illustration of a man holding his son by the hand and bearing his father upon his shoulders. the moon shines overhead Aeneas flees from Troy in this remastered engraving portraying a famous scene from Virgil's "Aeneid." The moon shines overhead as Aeneas bears his father upon his shoulders and leads his son out of the destroyed city. (Image credit: mikroman6 via Moment/Getty Images) In the Roman sphere, uncertainty also can preside for moon tales. Wilcox was recently teaching a passage in Latin about Aeneas' descent to the underworld in Virgil's "Aeneid;" that epic first-century poem is a foundational part of Roman culture attempting to justify its empire-building. "There's a beautiful simile that compares the light, as he [Aeneas] descends towards Hades, 'When but by an uncertain moon with its grudging light,'" Wilcox said, referring to a passage you can see in Latin here on the Perseus Project. The moon, she added, was an excellent wayfinding tool for the ancients in a world with no artificial light beyond torches or similar devices. The moon also may have been a spot where at least some ancients perceived different rules, like the satirical "A True Story" by the second-century Syrian author Lucian of Samosata, whose work survives in ancient Greek despite experts suggesting he preferred Aramaic. The fictional moon voyage brings readers to a "kind of topsy-turvy land" with different rules, such as no women being present at all, Wilcox said. Her remarks made me think about just how much has changed in our society in just the past 50 years, with advances in diversity along with acknowledgment of how we can still do better. 18,861 days It's been a gap of 18,861 days nearly 52 years since any moon crew was named at all. Apollo 17's astronaut trio was announced on Aug. 13, 1971, more than a decade before Canadian astronauts even existed. It's therefore still a shock to me that U.S. President Joe Biden last week talked about Artemis 2 and Canada's moon astronaut at a space museum just a few minutes' drive from me, in Ottawa. My mentors included two Canadian journalists (Lydia Dotto and Peter Calamai) who were young and enthusiastically working on moon mission coverage in the Apollo era and have since passed away; that's how long half a century is. Society has also changed greatly, which is why NASA has promised to take women and people of color to the moon on its Artemis missions. Moreover, the agency is also acknowledging history in other ways. Related: How NASA's Artemis moon landing with astronauts works nicole mann in a spacesuit smiling inside her spacecraft Nicole Mann, the first Native American woman in space, was commander of SpaceX's Crew-5 Crew Dragon mission. (Image credit: SpaceX) For example, NASA's Kennedy Space Center in coastal Florida has noted that it sits upon historical territory of the Ais and Timucuan peoples. The agency also has talked about the enslaved peoples who worked upon the Elliot Sugar Plantation, whose ruins lie within KSC grounds, some 250 years ago. In 2022, NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins completed the first long-duration mission by a Black woman. Her colleague Nicole Mann touched down just weeks ago after becoming the first Native American woman in space. (Mann is a member of the Wailacki of the Round Valley Indian Tribes in northern California.) So, progress has been made recently. But we must remember cultural issues of the early space program. For example, Wernher von Braun, a pioneering rocketeer with key roles in the Apollo program, was previously a rocket engineer for Nazi Germany. Former NASA Administrator James Webb, although officially cleared of direct wrongdoing concerning LGBTQ+ employees, recalls for many individuals an era when folks on the gender spectrum were persecuted for being themselves. (Yes, that still happens today, too.) This was the environment in which the Apollo program was built, an environment in which the Hidden Figures or the Mercury 13 didn't have a chance of flying or acknowledgement. While we have done much to recognize these individuals since, even today, the space industry still grapples with sexual harassment issues and other problems. But just days ago, NASA named two champions for equity and diversity to help address ongoing agency needs. Related: International Women's Day: Female astronauts keep making strides off Earth wally funk in a flight suit with arms outstretched, smiling widely Mercury 13 aviation pioneer Wally Funk, 82, waited 59 years for a spaceflight after the informal astronaut assessment program for women was canceled in 1962. Here, she waves to a crowd after launching on Blue Origin's first crewed flight of the suborbital New Shepard rocket and capsule from Launch Site One near Van Horn, Texas on July 20, 2021. (Image credit: Blue Origin) I say all this not to condemn the space program I adore it, and I am thrilled at how we are trying to get better at including others. For myself, I saw the movie "Apollo 13" in 1996 as a young teenager and began a lifelong obsession with space exploration that keeps me going. Two ginormous posters from the film still adorn my office wall. So believe me, if there was a spot to safely cram another Canadian somewhere in Artemis 2's Orion spacecraft, I'd be riding along. In recent weeks, thinking of this Houston opportunity, I've been lying awake at night thinking about privilege and luck. It was a different world even for Canadian journalists during the Apollo years. Far fewer women participated, for example. Dotto once told me about the reaction of the all-male crew aboard a recovery ship awaiting the return of Skylab 4 in 1974; the sailors told her they were worried that, as a woman on board, she would somehow bring bad luck to their efforts. Related stories: NASA's Artemis program: Everything you need to know Possible Artemis 3 moon landing site spied by NASA spacecraft (photos) What are the Artemis Accords? I'm not a perfect person, but I've been battling to include space in my coverage all the way back to my student newspaper days in the early 2000s, when few reporters around me seemed to be paying attention to the final frontier. Graduating into a journalism industry in severe recession by 2008 was not my best idea. But I'm stubborn and lucky. After 20 years of journalism adventures, mostly as a freelancer, I somehow touched down here as a full-time Space.com staffer merely nine months ago. I'm not sure I'll ever process the near-perfect timing of witnessing the Artemis 2 announcement this week to see a fellow Canadian named to a moon mission. "Keep Ithaka always in your mind," Cavafy's poem reads. "Arriving there is what you're destined for. But don't hurry the journey at all. Better if it lasts for years." If I may make one wish as I continue this journey, it is that more of us can come along to share in space adventures. I'll do my best to help with that. The Steele Bridge is officially reopened with a new name. Its located at Ted Turner Drive in downtown Atlanta. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The bridge which was originally named the Nelson Street Bridge before being renamed after Carrie Steele Logan. Logan founded the nations oldest black orphanage in Atlanta. TRENDING STORIES: She was also an orphan at a young age. Channel 2 Action News was there for the dedication ceremony in her honor this afternoon. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: SYDNEY (Reuters) - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday he would accept an invitation to visit China but has yet to receive one, in a response to speculation that planning for a visit to Beijing was well advanced. South China Morning Post reported on Tuesday, citing anonymous sources, that Beijing had issued an "in principle" invitation to Albanese and his trade minister Don Farrell to visit China. The visit would likely take place in October or November, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first visit by an Australian prime minister, the report said. Albanese said on Wednesday he had checked with his office and confirmed no invitation had been received. The prime minister said he hoped dialogue would continue, pointing to a meeting between Australia's assistant trade minister and his Chinese counterpart at the Bo'ao forum in Hainan province last week. "I have said that if an invitation were to be received then I would accept it and we would work out a timetable for it," Albanese said at a press conference. "There has not been a timetable worked out for it." China has begun easing trade barriers on Australian imports, including coal, as both countries inch towards economic rapprochement more than two years after China first restricted trade in several commodities following spats over investment, trade and the origins of COVID. Albanese said he hoped a long-mooted visit to China by Trade Minister Don Farrell would happen "soon". Farrell and his Chinese counterpart agreed to an in-person meeting following a video conference in February. Albanese also said he would attend the G7 meeting in Tokyo in May. (Reporting by Lewis Jackson; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan) (Bloomberg) -- Australias global reputation could be damaged terribly if an upcoming national vote on including First Nations people in the constitution fails, warned the minister for Indigenous affairs. Most Read from Bloomberg The countrys main opposition party said on Wednesday it would campaign for the no side in a historical vote on Indigenous representation to be held by December, ending hopes of a bipartisan push. Peter Dutton, leader of the center-right Liberal Party, said the Voice referendum wouldnt provide practical outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney said she was determined to make the referendum one of the most unifying moments in the Australian story despite Duttons opposition, in an interview shortly after his announcement. If Australia votes no to recognition of First Nations people in the constitution, I think it will reflect terribly on Australia, not just in the broader international community, but most definitely in our Pacific area, said Burney. I cant imagine how dreadful we would look as a nation. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Labor government won last years election with a promise to hold the referendum on forming a Voice to Parliament to advise lawmakers on issues affecting Indigenous Australians. It will also see the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population recognized in the constitution for the first time. In recent months, Albanese has been holding talks with the Liberal Party in the hopes of getting bipartisan support for the proposal. The opposition was still in support of constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians, Dutton said, but called on Albanese to delay the 2023 vote to form a greater consensus. Story continues We want to make sure that we can get practical outcomes for Indigenous people on the ground, Dutton told reporters in Canberra. Burney said the best way to accomplish that was through embedding the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice in the constitution, describing the current living standard of Indigenous Australians as completely unacceptable in todays world. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. The 37-year-old man who kidnapped and "roughed up" a 4-year-old girl from her familys campsite in Western Australia and kept her for 18 days has been sentenced to more than a decade in jail. A Western Australia court handed down a sentence of 13 years and six months in prison to Terence Darrell Kelly, who the judge says has a personality disorder and injected methamphetamine on the night of the crime, after he pleaded guilty last year to abducting 4-year-old Cleo Smith, The Guardian reported . Ellie Smith woke up on the morning of Oct. 16, 2021 to find that her daughter Cleo was missing along with her sleeping bag from a tent at the Blowholes Campground about 10 hours north of Perth, Australia. A hole had been cut in the familys tent that was higher than Cleo Smith could have reached on her own. PENNSYLVANIA KIDNAPPING SURVIVOR REMEMBERS DRAGGING 'COLD, HEAVY CHAIN' FROM CAPTOR'S DUNGEON DURING RESCUE Terence Darrell Kelly, 37, right, has been sentenced to 13 years and six months in jail for abducting Cleo Smith, left. After 18 days and one of the most extensive searches in Australias history, police located Smith locked inside Kellys home, which was just a few miles from the Smith familys home and an hour south of the campsite. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Kelly told police that he "roughed her up a few times" and got angry at her when she was "getting bossy and asking for chocolate". OHIO CORONER RULES DEATH OF 6-MONTH-OLD KIDNAPPED TWIN 'SUDDEN AND UNEXPLAINED' Cleo Smith, right, is carried inside a friend's house by her mother on Nov. 4, 2021 in Carnarvon, Australia. The 37-year-old convicted kidnapper also said that he would try to tie her up and cover Smiths mouth with sticky tape but failed because "she was a bit of a fighter." Kelly had apparently been following the public search for Smith while trying to prevent the young girl from seeing television reports on her disappearance and even added her mother as a Facebook friend during the search. AMERICANS WHO SURVIVED MATAMOROS CARTEL KIDNAPPING BREAK SILENCE ON 'NIGHTMARE' IN MEXICO Terence Darrell Kelly, left, boards a plane after being taken into custody by members of the Special Operations Group at Carnarvon airport on Nov. 5, 2021 in Carnarvon, Australia. "I wanted to hold onto her but I knew it was wrong," Kelly said. "I wasn't planning on keeping her forever, you know?". Story continues The judge in the case, explained in court that Kelly had a "fantasy of having a little girl he could dress up and play with" and had an obsession with Bratz dolls and creating a fictitious family. Kelly could have been sentenced to 20 years in prison but was shown leniency due to pleading guilty and suffering from what the judge described as "complex personality dysfunction" from a troubled childhood. The judge, Julie Wager, also cited the "adverse impacts" of "colonization" on Australia's aboriginal population of which Kelly is a member. Western Australia Police Commissioner Col Blanch said that although he respected the judges decision, he can understand why many people feel that the sentence is "not enough", the Daily Mail reported. "This is an evil crime," Blanch said. "He committed a heinous crime. A parent's worse nightmare. As I said before, I'm Police Commissioner and I respect the rule of law, but as a father, that's something I could never forgive." Kelly will be eligible for parole after 11 years. Smith's parents say their lives were "ripped apart" by the abduction and anxiety of the 18-day search. "I think the anger always will be there," Ellie Smith told 60 Minutes Australia shortly after the sentence was handed down but also acknowledged she is glad to "have a number to hold with us of how long he is away." "But there is always going to be anger, always, how could there not be?" By Byron Kaye SYDNEY (Reuters) - A regional Australian mayor said he may sue OpenAI if it does not correct ChatGPT's false claims that he had served time in prison for bribery, in what would be the first defamation lawsuit against the automated text service. Brian Hood, who was elected mayor of Hepburn Shire, 120km (75 miles) northwest of Melbourne, last November, became concerned about his reputation when members of the public told him ChatGPT had falsely named him as a guilty party in a foreign bribery scandal involving a subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of Australia in the early 2000s. Hood did work for the subsidiary, Note Printing Australia, but was the person who notified authorities about payment of bribes to foreign officials to win currency printing contracts, and was never charged with a crime, lawyers representing him said. The lawyers said they sent a letter of concern to ChatGPT owner OpenAI on March 21, which gave OpenAI 28 days to fix the errors about their client or face a possible defamation lawsuit. OpenAI, which is based in San Francisco, had not yet responded to Hood's legal letter, the lawyers said. OpenAI did not respond to a Reuters email out of business hours. If Hood sues, it would likely be the first time a person has sued the owner of ChatGPT for claims made by the automated language product which has become wildly popular since its launch last year. Microsoft Corp integrated ChatGPT into its search engine Bing in February. A Microsoft spokesperson was not immediately available for comment. "It would potentially be a landmark moment in the sense that it's applying this defamation law to a new area of artificial intelligence and publication in the IT space," James Naughton, a partner at Hood's lawfirm Gordon Legal, told Reuters. "He's an elected official, his reputation is central to his role," Naughton said. Hood relied on a public record of shining a light on corporate misconduct, "so it makes a difference to him if people in his community are accessing this material". Story continues Australian defamation damages payouts are generally capped around A$400,000 ($269,360). Hood did not know the exact number of people who had accessed the false information about him - a determinant of the payout size - but the nature of the defamatory statements was serious enough that he may claim more than A$200,000, Naughton said. If Hood files a lawsuit, it would accuse ChatGPT of giving users a false sense of accuracy by failing to include footnotes, Naughton said. "It's very difficult for somebody to look behind that to say 'how does the algorithm come up with that answer?'" said Naughton. "It's very opaque." ($1 = 1.4850 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Christopher Cushing) CANBERRA, Australia (AP) Australias main opposition party on Wednesday decided to oppose the governments model for constitutional recognition of Indigenous people in a development that appears to doom the prospects of a successful referendum this year. A referendum has not succeeded in changing Australias Constitution since 1977, and bipartisan support of the major political parties is widely regarded as a prerequisite for success. But lawmakers in the conservative Liberal Party, the second largest after the ruling center-left Labor Party, said they'll oppose the governments proposal to create a so-called Indigenous Voice to Parliament. The Voice would be an elected group charged with advocating Indigenous interests to Parliament, but would not have a vote on laws. Opposition leader Peter Dutton said his lawmakers would prefer Indigenous people were represented by regional and local Voices rather than one in the national capital Canberra. Senior Liberal lawmakers would campaign for a no vote when Australians are expected to decide at a referendum whether to enshrine the Voice in the constitution sometime between October and December, Dutton said. Creating another national body out of Canberra as the prime minister is proposing divides our country, it doesnt unite, and it will not deliver the outcomes on the ground, Dutton told reporters. What I fear with the Voice is that it changes our system of government forever and we end up with no practical net benefit to people in Indigenous communities and that would be the worst of both worlds. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Liberal Party's stance made the constitutional change more difficult to achieve. Yes it will. Of course it will. That's why it is so disappointing that in the (Dutton) press conference today, it was all about politics, Albanese told Australian Broadcasting Corp. It's not about me or Peter Dutton or any other politician. It's about Australia, how we see ourselves, whether we give respect and recognise the fact we share this great island continent of ours with the oldest continuing culture on Earth and whether we have a process where we listen we give a voice to Indigenous Australians, Albanese added. Story continues Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney, the first Indigenous woman to fill the role, stood by the wording of the referendum questions and expressed confidence that the referendum would succeed. We have worked assiduously, we have worked faithfully and we have worked carefully to make sure that the question and the amendments are the ones that are going to provide what is envisaged by the Voice and also be very, very clear in terms of the role of the Parliament, she said. The Nationals party, which was the Liberals junior partner in the last coalition government, announced in November last year that their lawmakers opposed the Voice for reasons including that it would divide the Australian population along racial lines. A poll published in The Australian newspaper on Wednesday found that 54% of respondents supported the Voice proposition and 38% opposed it. The poll was based on a survey of 4,756 voters between Feb. 1 and April 3. It has a less than 3 percentage point margin of error. Many suggest public support needs to be higher for the constitution to change. Indigenous Australians from the Torres Strait archipelago, off the northeast coast, are culturally distinct from the mainland Aboriginal population. The two peoples account for 3.2% of the Australian population, and are the nations most disadvantaged ethnic group. The Voice was originally proposed by a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander advocates in 2017. Changing Australias Constitution has never been easy. Of the 44 referendums held since 1901, only eight have been carried. George Williams, a constitutional lawyer and author of a history book about Australian referendums, said that did not mean bipartisanship was essential for future success. "We havent had a referendum for 20 or so years, the political environment is very different to what its been for a number of past referendums and its also the case of the rusty-on vote of the major parties is much lower than it has been for any prior referendums, he said. Erie police and the Erie County Coroner's Office are investigating as possible drug overdoses the deaths of two people found in a van in the parking lot of a westside grocery store late Tuesday morning. The victims, a 32-year-old woman and a 36-year-old man, were discovered in the van, along with a 39-year-old woman, when Erie Bureau of Police officers were called to the Tops Markets at West 38th and Liberty streets on Tuesday at about 11:30 a.m., Police Chief Dan Spizarny said. The 32-year-old woman was in the driver's seat of the van and the 36-year-old man was in the back seat, Spizarny said. Both were pronounced dead at the scene at noon Tuesday, according to the Coroner's Office. Spiarny said the 39-year-old woman was in the front passenger seat. She was showing signs of life, and Narcan was administered to her before emergency medical crews arrived and took her to Saint Vincent Hospital, the chief said. The Coroner's Office said autopsies will not be performed on the two victims, but toxicology testing will be done. Erie police detectives were notified and are doing a follow-up investigation, Spizarny said Wednesday. The van was towed from the grocery store parking lot and will be searched for evidence, he said. Police are trying to determine when the van arrived at Tops Markets and whether the occupants met up with anyone else while they were there. Spizarny said officers interviewed several grocery store employees on Tuesday, and one of the employees claimed to have seen the van in the store's parking lot late Monday afternoon as the employee was leaving work. Spizarny said police won't know if the deaths were the result of drug overdoses, and what types of drugs might have been involved in the deaths, until investigators can collect more information. He said it is not uncommon for police to find overdose victims in public areas such as parking lots. More: Law enforcement warns of deadly drug batch suspected of killing at least 4 in Erie area Story continues One of the victims in a rash of suspected drug overdoses that Erie police investigated in mid-March was a 38-year-old man who was found dead at a bus stop. Contact Tim Hahn at thahn@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNhahn. This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Authorities probe possible drug overdoses in deaths of 2 at Erie store Betty Johnson has tried to make the best of it at the hotel shes stayed in since being displaced on Christmas. Johnson and her neighbors at Magnolia Senior Apartments were sent to local hotels after a busted pipe flooded the affordable housing complex on Beatties Ford Road. Johnson has juggled two jobs while adapting to life with less space, but now she will be moved again. She is among two dozen Charlotte seniors who will be relocated to a Huntersville hotel this week as repairs continue for Magnolia Senior Apartments. Its another step in the prolonged process that has placed an additional burden on the senior community. Nobody looks at the fact we are seniors, Johnson said. Its not like were in our 30s or 40s. Johnson works for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and part time at a Food Lion in Charlotte. She said she was worried about getting off late and having to drive out to the new hotel. Now I have to come all the way to Huntersville, she said. The move consolidates residents who had been dispersed across several hotels in Charlotte since the closure of the 82-unit complex. It also reduces costs for the stay and allows nonprofits to better service the seniors, said Carol Hardison, executive director of Crisis Assistance Ministry. The seniors will be moved to My Place Hotel-Huntersville where the the average cost per a night will be $70, Hardison said. The hotels average cost is around $120 per a night, she said. This hotel is giving a discount for the cause, she said. They wanted to be a part of a solution. A protracted saga Seniors pay the monthly rent they used to pay at Magnolia to Crisis Assistance Ministry for their hotel stays. Charlotte officials and private donors also have helped cover the difference for the hotel stays, Hardison said. This is planned to be the final move as the nonprofits continue to work to find housing for seniors, she said. Champion House of Care and Be You Be Great, two nonprofits, will help move the seniors to the new location this week. Hardison said the nonprofits were hopeful some seniors would be able to move back into the 82-unit building in April. Story continues But it will take six to eight weeks for seniors to move into first-floor apartments that had the least damage, according to Bill Bolstad, executive director of Mosaic Development Group, which owns the property. Flooring, drywall and electrical repairs were needed for the first floor, he said. Refrigerators also need to be replaced in all units. There is not an estimate on when the building will be fully restored yet. The timing of receiving materials and the full repair of the overall fire system are whats driving that timeline, Bolstad said in an email to the Charlotte Observer. Johnson said she paid $315 to move furniture out of her former apartment last week. She said she now has to pay over $100 per month to keep her belongings in storage. The past few months have been worrisome but Johnson will continue her search for a new home, she said. The buildings closure was not the fault of the residents, and the upheaval felt unfair with everyones lives unstable since Christmas, she said. But living in one hotel around familiar neighbors may ease the stress for some seniors, she said. The brains behind BAO: Shing Tat Chung, Erchen Chang and Wai Ting Chung (BAO London) Before there were bao, there was BAO. Well, thats not strictly true bao has existed in Chinese culture for centuries. But in London, the proliferation of this fluffy steamed bun in London can largely be traced back to BAO, which began life as a street food stand in 2012. Today, founders Erchen Chang, Shing Tat Chung and Wai Ting Chung operate a small empire of Taiwanese small plates, expanding beyond bao to rice, noodles and various sharing dishes. The trio, consisting of married couple Erchen Chang and Shing Tat Chung, and Shings sister, Wai Ting Chung, run three small, but perfectly formed restaurants in Soho, Borough Market and Kings Cross. Each one is designed with specific customers and a story in mind whether its their emblematic lonely man, a single diner who just wants a quiet meal, or the busy commuter looking for a quick bite on his way home. As a result, all of BAOs spaces are warm and welcoming, while being supremely aesthetically pleasing. Given Erchens background in fine arts she and Shing met at University College London in 2010 while studying the subject its easy to understand how paramount good design is to the brand. But this is all secondary to the food it serves, which has earnt them a cult status even beyond London. So devoted are their fans that some get tattoos of Erchens illustrations for the restaurants; one pregnant woman whose water burst in BAO Soho even insisted on finishing her bowl of guinea fowl rice. Erchen, Shing and Wai Ting tell all these stories and more in their first ever cookbook, BAO. The tome goes into intricate detail about why design is such an important part of the restaurant group. It also includes recipes for nearly every dish that appears on their menus including how to make their signature fluffy baos. Theres no room for secrets in the BAO-verse, it seems. The first cookbook from Londons cult favorite restaurant BAO offers a taste of Taiwanese food culture (Phaidon) We sat down with Erchen and Shing to talk about their (fluffy, steamy) rise to the top. Shing, you grew up in your familys restaurant. What was that like? Shing: Yes, my grandparents came to the UK from Hong Kong and my granddad started as a potwasher here and worked his way up. He ended up in Nottingham where he became part of a restaurant. My mum, my uncles, my auntie, they were all in the business. So I grew up surrounded by that and I would live upstairs from the takeaway. Its been my life from pretty much day one. Story continues Erchen, what was your childhood like? Erchen: I didnt come from a restaurant background, so my experience is very different. But I grew up eating very well in Taiwan and food was always something I enjoyed. A lot of my family would comment that I eat really well or Im always the last person to leave the dining table, or that Im the one finishing the food. I think thats what brought us together, because when we were in university, we just loved eating out or cooking, and thats kind of where it started before it started. After you graduated from University College London, how did you come to the decision to open a restaurant? Shing: After graduation, one of the things on our to-do list was to go back to Taiwan. Erchen had been studying here for quite a while, so we said, lets go back to Taiwan for a longer period of time than just a holiday. My sister joined us as well. So all three of us were there, and food is so ingrained in our lives that we had planned to go to Taiwan just for food. We travelled around Taiwan, eating street food and at restaurants we wanted to go to, and it was so completely new to Wai Ting and I at the time, especially having lived in London. We had the classic gua bao, and it blew us away, we had tasted nothing like it. Were really proud that Taiwanese food is now so popular in London and weve been a part of inspiring and feeding people Its weird to think of it now, because its so normal to us and to London, but when we first tried serving it in London, most people were like, What is this? So that classic gua bao is really what connected all three of us and it kickstarted that conversation. I think also, subconsciously, because Id grown up in restaurants even though my parents always wanted me not to work in the business I always dreamed about them. Erchen: Throughout university, we always enjoyed trying to crack certain dishes wed eaten out at home, so when we came back from Taiwan, we said, OK, lets try doing the bao. We tried different recipes, like an old-school one or a really instant one, and then landed on this hybrid that uses tangzhou starter inside our dough. The reaction was, Oh my god, its so nice and fluffy! and we figured we could do a bao pop-up, which is where it all kicked off. It was a very exciting time, where we were a completely blank canvas and could imagine and build this thing that we didnt know at the time would become our future. In the years since BAO opened, bao has become really trendy. How do you feel about that? Shing: Were quite proud, in a way. Its funny because there are other, similar brands popping up all over the world doing the same thing even down to the logo! But its just a little bit off. Half of you is a bit annoyed, but the other half is like, you know, were doing something so good that its being imitated halfway across the world. But were really proud that Taiwanese food is now so popular in London and weve been a part of inspiring and feeding people. One of the things we did think about when we first opened was that everyone knew hirata buns but at the time no one understood what bao was. We used to get pissed off because we were like, You do know that Hirata is actually named after a chef in New York? (The buns were introduced by Masashi Hirata, executive chef of Ippudo restaurant in New York.) And then Wagamama started using the term here. Erchen: Back in 2013, wed have to explain that they arent called hirata buns because thats named after a chef. We were serving gua bao. So get it right guys! Is the open-faced nature of gua bao, so that you can see all the fillings on display, something that helps with your aesthetic? Erchen: Ive never thought about it that way, but I think it does. Some of the buns that are served at BAO Soho (BAO London) Shing: Theres more to play with and more to perfect. Like the way we perfected the classic bao, how you create the layers and what we call the bao centimetre, where you have to make sure theres a centimetre of bun around the braised pork. Its harder than it looks! And then when you put it onto the plate, you have to do it a certain way otherwise the peanuts just fall off and its messy. Erchen: Enclosed bao is great too but you also have a little more restriction in terms of what you can put in it. It cant be too pointy or too hard, and the textures have to be all soft with little variation. So in terms of flavour and food creation, gua bao does have more flexibility. Whats the process between deciding what goes on the menu and what it ends up looking like? Erchen: We always like simplicity. The way we talk about dish development is that it needs to hit three pillars: heritage, innovation and produce. It has to either come from a traditional dish or from a good story through travel, and youve got to use good produce from the UK or ingredients from Taiwan for example, sesame paste, you cant get that specific flavour here. The last thing is innovation, so it has to be a little bit playful but not too much, just 10 per cent to make it just a bit different but not in your face. In terms of aesthetics, we love simplicity but it has to make sense. For example, with the bao centimetre, it gives an impression of being clean around the edges, you know youre eating this pristine, fluffy, cute bun. If its messy with sauce dripping everywhere, its not BAO anymore. It has to be practical. Shing: All of our restaurants have different inspirations and stories, and from there, we think about the dishes and the story we want to tell. Sometimes its based on our own stories while travelling. I always remember sitting in a grill skewer place in Osaka and we had no idea what to order, so we just pointed at stuff or looked at Instagram. I read that there was a one-off ovary skewer, and I pointed it out to the chef but he just laughed, which was a bit weird. Then this lonely man came and sat down and had a chu hai (highball) first and then a beer. The chef gave him an ovary skewer and they were chit-chatting, then he came and presented the last one to us. It was such a perfect moment and it inspired our branch in Borough. Seeing a man dining alone in Taiwan after work inspired BAOs pit stop branch in Borough Market (BAO London) What gives our food the BAO touch is that, its innovative but its not bling bling bling. Its quite humble. It can be a slightly humorous touch, slightly interesting and quite fun, but its a small touch. A small happiness. How do you design your restaurants? Erchen: While we were creating BAO Soho, our first ever restaurant, its so small and only fits 30 people, so we have this bar in the middle so you can watch the bar people making drinks. And we were watching a lot of films by Yasujiro Ozu, and the way he shoots them is from eye level, so with all the plates you can see very clearly how high they are, we were really inspired by that. We wanted plates that can give you that floating-off-the-table aesthetic. And with Soho, everything is perfect and really cute, but with different iterations of the restaurants, our world would change and wed be like, Lets go, not rock and roll, but lets go a bit more gritty! In Borough, were under the bridge, theres this lonely man leaving work, hes so tired and wants to go for a drink and a grilled skewer before going home that vibe, how do we translate it into the venue, what sort of dishes do we serve? Thats where aesthetic feeds in, to give different feelings. Recipe from BAO by Erchen Chang, Shing Tat Chung, Wai Ting Chung (published by Phaidon, 29.95). FALL RIVER A 32-year-old New Bedford man arrested last month while carrying an illegal firearm inside the Funz Trampoline Park in New Bedford was sentenced in Fall River Superior Court to serve up to 15 years in state prison, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced in a press release. Chantra Say pled guilty in Fall River Superior Court on Tuesday to indictments charging him with Carrying an Illegal Firearm-Subsequent Offense with Two Priors, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition with two Prior Crimes Software Violence and Unlawful Possession of a Large Capacity Feeding Device. New Bedford Police officers were dispatched to the trampoline park on March 4 for a report made by a juvenile caller of a male wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt, black ski mask, and blue jeans who had a gun in his pocket. Officers entered the establishment and observed the defendant matching that description. When officers approached the defendant, he turned to a second male and pulled an object wrapped in a plastic bag from his waistband area. He attempted to hand the object to the second male who refused, according to police reports. Officers recognized the item in the bag was shaped like a firearm. The officer grabbed the males shoulders to detain him when the defendant tossed the bag into the garbage can. The firearm was recovered from the trash bin and was confirmed to be a Jimenez 9mm pistol, loaded with 12 rounds of ammunition in a 13-round magazine. The defendant initially provided a false name, but officers were ultimately able to confirm the identity of the male as the defendant with the assistance of the Massachusetts State Police Gang Unit. He has a prior conviction for possession of a firearm and was on probation at the time of his arrest for an Armed Assault with Intent to Murder conviction. "Despite being on probation for a prior shooting, the defendant was walking around in a park for children with a loaded gun. He has a history of convictions for violent offenses and clearly continues to be a significant danger to the community. Im pleased this case was resolved very quickly and that the defendant will be off the street for up to fifteen years," District Attorney Quinn said in the release. The case, which went from arrest to indictment to conviction in just one month, was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Matthew Sylvia. This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford man sentenced for bringing a gun to a trampoline park "Beef" creator Lee Sung Jin, left, with actors Ali Wong and Steven Yeun. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) It all began at a stoplight in Hollywood a few years ago. Lee Sung Jin took a few seconds to start moving when the light turned green. The driver behind him responded with disproportionate rage, honking and cursing maniacally, so Lee decided to follow him across town and onto the 10 which happened to be the direction he was going anyway. I justified it by saying, I'm just going to commute home, Lee recalled. He must have thought, Oh, this lunatic is following me for the whole run of the highway. Thats what made me chuckle in my mind: You never know what someone else is going through or what the true nature of the internal state is. The encounter inspired Beef, a 10-episode series following the ugly aftermath of a road rage incident between two Angelenos from opposite ends of the socioeconomic divide, played by Ali Wong and Steven Yeun. Created by Lee and produced by A24, the studio behind this years Oscar juggernaut Everything Everywhere All at Once, the series defies easy categorization. A twist-filled, darkly comic thriller about class struggle, the lingering scars of childhood, second-generation immigrants and the daily absurdity of life in Los Angeles, it is layered with eclectic cultural references from angsty Y2K rock Hoobastank fans, now is your moment to 16th century Dutch painting and Werner Herzog. In "Beef," Steven Yeun, left, plays Danny, a struggling contractor, and Ali Wong is Amy, an entrepreneur who is trying to sell her company. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) And it all begins in the parking lot of a big-box retailer, where Danny (Yeun), a struggling contractor who seems destined to fail at everything even suicide nearly backs his beat-up pickup truck into a white Mercedes SUV driven by Amy (Wong), a tensely coiled entrepreneur who has a seemingly perfect life. The showdown triggers a mutual quest for revenge that spirals out of control and ultimately reveals how much Amy and Danny actually have in common despite their ferocious antipathy for each other. At the core, whether they know it or not, they're both struggling with the same thing, which is this existential void that feels unfillable, said Lee, who had worked with Yeun in the Netflix animated series Tuca & Bertie and was looking for another way to collaborate. He pitched Yeun his idea for a series exploring the psychological underpinnings of road rage. Story continues Yeun, who recalled an hours-long conversation with Lee that started with antagonistic motorists and eventually led to God, was intrigued by what he called the Spider-Man meme of it all. I am conscious of the idea that when I'm mad at someone, all the projections I put on that person are a weird reflection back at [myself], he said. And that's what usually stops me from engaging further. I'm like, Oh, I'm just telling on myself. Dannys frustrations are not hard to understand: Well into his 30s, he lives in a rundown apartment with his younger, crypto-obsessed brother, Paul (Young Mazino), still holds a torch for his high school girlfriend and has strayed from the church that once provided guidance. He is also determined to make enough money to bring his parents, who were forced to return to South Korea after their motel was shut down by the police, back to the United States. Danny is really trapped in this narrative that everyone's out to get him, said Yeun, in a joint interview with Wong. Both are executive producers on the series. The last straw is this white Mercedes, honking at him for an abnormally long time, flicking him off for doing nothing. Some of the details of Dannys life are drawn from Yeuns experiences as a self-described immigrant latchkey kid with ties to the church. What was difficult for me was facing the shame of Danny, making sure I never abandoned Danny, even though I wanted to judge him, said Yeun, who was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Minari, a very different story about Korean immigrants. "I can also be Danny. And I have also been Danny. I've had these moments in my life that from the outside could be judged as pathetic, gross or ugly. I had to be like, Never bail on Danny. Wongs Amy is more successful by every conceivable metric: She is married to the handsome, doting George (Joseph Lee), has an adorable daughter, June (Remy Holt), lives in a pristine minimalist home and has built her chic plant shop into a major lifestyle brand. But she carries profound but unexpressed resentment over being the family breadwinner while also shouldering much of the parenting burden. She is stuck in a maze of her own creation, said Wong. In a telling moment in the pilot, Amy pulls into the garage and receives a flurry of urgent text messages about her job, child and house. As women, we all have that moment where we're just, like, bombarded. Theres always something, right? But what if theres like 10 things at once? (Like Wong, Amy has Vietnamese and Chinese heritage.) Wongs quietly seething performance as Amy complete with a rictus grin and an armor-like wardrobe of shapeless neutrals marks a departure for her, a comedian known for bawdy stand-up specials including Baby Cobra and Hard Knock Wife and the breezy rom-com "Always Be My Maybe." It required her to masturbate with a gun, do her first on-camera sex scene, memorize long monologues that were to be recited in a single take and shoot action sequences in the wilderness. I felt like Shelley Long in Troop Beverly Hills,' joked Wong, contrasting herself with Yeun, who rose to fame running from zombies on "The Walking Dead." He's used to having blood and dirt kicked in his face at 6 in the morning. Wong drew inspiration from a different but equally fraught form of travel: flying. She recalled a time when, as a struggling stand-up comic early in her career, she was in a rush to catch an early-morning flight home and forgot to take a water bottle out of her luggage. When security pulled her aside for a pat-down, she began weeping not because of the poor TSA agent doing their job but because of everything leading up to that moment. "It was not misplaced anger but misplaced sadness," she said. "When you have a predominantly Asian American cast, which is very rare, all the people get to be people," said Ali Wong, left, with Steven Yeun. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) Because so much of "Beef" is about the assumptions Danny and Amy make about each other, the characters don't actually share that many scenes together yet there's palpable tension between them. Lee likened the writing of their relationship to a musical chord progression that creates longing in the audience. "It's undeniable, once they're together, that their chemistry is electric," he said. Lees own road rage incident involved a middle-aged white man, and hed originally envisioned Yeuns character clashing with a Stanley Tucci type. Early in the development process, he was catching up with Wong, who also starred in Tuca & Bertie. As he listened to her talking about a lot of the harsh truths of life in such a funny, digestible way, Lee had an idea: Maybe it would be more interesting if she played Dannys nemesis? Having two Asian American leads allowed the story to unfold in ways that wouldnt have been possible in a show about a vehicular confrontation with a white man, said Lee. It doesn't remove the race card, but it pivots it in a very interesting way and opened it up. And it allowed me to home in on the main existential themes, while letting the specificities of these people start to organically bring up some Asian American identity [issues]. When you have a predominantly Asian American cast, which is very rare, all the people get to be people, Wong said. So when you reference who your favorite character is, you won't say, Oh, its the Asian one.' While road rage has risen across the country, particularly since the pandemic, the inciting incident in "Beef" may feel especially relatable to Angelenos. Infused with a strong sense of place, both culturally and geographically, Beef captures the city in its many permutations, from the moonlit canyons to the clogged freeways. Parts of the series were filmed in Koreatown, including the nightclub Arena. Shooting on location just adds something to the performances, Lee said, because theres an authenticity to everything. Much of the drama centers in the Valley, from the tony climes of Calabasas, where Amy lives, to Dannys modest corner of Reseda. Its all personal to Lee, who bought a house in the Valley a few years ago and would often find himself running errands at the Home Depot in West Hills. He was struck by the extent to which the store was a hub for the economic divide. You have people from Hidden Hills and Calabasas but also from Reseda and Chatsworth, all descending on the same place to get supplies, but there couldn't be much more of a gulf between their social statuses," Lee said. "Those parking lots feel like a bomb waiting to go off sometimes. Amy and Dannys parking-lot altercation is explosive, but Beef makes it difficult to pick a side and thats the point. I hope that when audiences watch the show, said Wong, it's not going to be a landslide for any one team. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Steven Yeun as Danny in Beef. (Andrew Cooper/Netflix) From the jump, were treated to the 'beef' that consumes the two fiery leads of Netflix's fittingly titled new series Beef. Launching on Netflix this week, the A24-produced series is a riveting black dramedy that starts off as a road rage revenge tale, before swerving into meaty ruminations on generational trauma, class warfare, and the Asian-American immigrant experience. Set in Los Angeles, Beef depicts the life-changing events that occur after a chance altercation between struggling handyman Danny Cho (Steven Yeun) and self-made entrepreneur Amy Lau (Ali Wong). Read more: Everything new on Netflix in April We first meet Danny in total despair. Wracked with guilt over possibly playing a part in his parents loss of their motel, hes trying to rack up the cash required to fly them back from Korea and retire in the US. To do so, he hustles for odd jobs and shady schemes to keep his construction company afloat and support his slacker, crypto-addict kid brother Paul (Young Mazino). Its a lot to juggle for a working class 30-something whos barely keeping some pretty dark thoughts at bay. He finally reaches his breaking point at a home improvement store car park, when after nearly backing his rusty truck into a shiny SUV, the unseen driver proceeds to barrage him with honks and a flip of the bird. This declaration of war sparks a mad car chase through the neat streets of Calabasas, leaving demolished flowerbeds and disrupted suburbia in their trail. The SUV eventually speeds off, but not before Danny memorises the licence plate. Unwilling to move past his road rage, the luckless Danny feels the need for vengeance over his new nemesis later revealed to be Amy. On the surface, Amy should be happy with her lot in life. She lives in a lovely home, is married to the doting George (Joseph Lee), and is about to close the sale of her boutique houseplant business to culture vulture yuppie Jordan Forster (Maria Bello). Ali Wong as Amy in Beef. (Andrew Cooper/Netflix) Like Danny though, Amy also feels the pressures of the world weighing her down. She grits through mother-in-law Fumi (Patti Yasutake) making regular quips at her expense. Shes the sole breadwinner because George wants to sculpt vases for a living, but clearly didnt inherit his artist fathers talents. The massive payday will free her to spend more time with her precocious daughter Junie (Remy Holt), but shes troubled by the gnawing realisation that marital bliss and the white picket fence wont really make her happy. Story continues Read more: Scott Pilgrim anime announced for Netflix So when his truck almost collides with her SUV, she finally unravels to devastating effect, setting up a vendetta that escalates from petty pranks to something more mutually destructive than either and everyone else in their lives, for that matter had thought possible. Their bitter enmity fuels them to only see in each other the symbol of everything wrong in their lives. It also gives them a purpose they sorely lacked during their midlife crises, finally being able to break free from the veneers they put up every day. Steven Yeun as Danny in Beef. (Andrew Cooper/Netflix) The downtrodden Danny often complains that hes sick of smiling. Amys anger and helplessness only deepens whenever the annoyingly positive George insists on taking the high road, admitting that she hates pretending that [she] doesnt hate things. The episode titles named after fragments of existentialist musings from Franz Kafka (I Am A Cage), Sylvia Plath (I Am Inhibited By a Cry), Werner Herzog (The Birds Dont Sing, They Screech in Pain), Joseph Campbell (The Rapture of Being Alive), and more offer minor glimpses into how elusive happiness is for Danny and Amy, even when theyre leading the scoreboard. Read more: Everything we know about Extraction 2 We see them at their most vulnerable as the series progresses, each finding solace in confiding to strangers and silently lamenting their upbringings. Creator Lee Sung Jin, whose writing credits include Silicon Valley, Dave, and the cancelled-too-soon Tuca & Bertie (also starring Yeun and Wong), does a fantastic job highlighting Amy and Dannys dark kinship by drawing distinct parallels between them. Ali Wong as Amy in Beef. (Andrew Cooper/Netflix) Despite their different backgrounds Amy is about to make millions from her venture and lives in an affluent neighbourhood, whereas Danny often resorts to scams and shares a tiny flat with Paul they are a lot alike than either would want to admit. It leaves us wondering if their beef couldve been squashed if they tried to hash it out from the very beginning, instead of bottling their feelings up like their parents before them. Beefs brilliance also owes a lot to Wong and Yeun, for they are marvellous in their portrayals of two stubborn but conflicted individuals. Though their characters become more unlikeable with each episode, they each evoke a pathos that comes from not knowing how to deal with their myriad issues and burdens. Its a career-best performance from Wong, who oscillates between forlorn and frantic whenever Amys calm facade breaks off into torrents of varying emotional degrees. Yeun, whose Danny is constantly put through the wringer, is exceptional as someone whose intentions are pure, but is way too reliant on taking unethical shortcuts to truly do right by his loved ones. Steven Yeun as Danny, Young Mazino as Paul in Beef. (Netflix) A strong supporting cast adds scope and weight to the damage our squabbling leads have caused, but theres little doubt that Beef cooks best when Wong and Yeun share screen time. Just like most Netflix dramas though, Beef suffers from being too long. Chaotic tonal shifts that border on unnecessary absurdism occur towards the series climax. Late flashback sequences add little to our protagonists stories, and B-plots with a few interesting side characters are left undercooked. Read the Indiewire review: Ali Wong and Steven Yeun are knockouts in Netflixs outsized A24 drama (6 min read) Despite those slight shortcomings, the ten-episode series is a boldly original take on the oft-told aphorism: life sucks. Unafraid to plunge into deeper depths to weave a tapestry of two damaged people desperately seeking salvation, Beefs dedication to telling a warts-and-all story makes for some compelling viewing, and should rank high in many best-of lists by 2023s end. Beef is streaming on Netflix from 6 April. A beloved North Carolina bookstore is closing after it received a celebrity Super Bowl shoutout on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. The comedian turned to actors Tom Hanks and Sam Elliott to create an ad for Foggy Pine Books in Boone, a popular mountain tourist destination. The small shop said it was flooded with orders after the 2021 tribute. But now, two years later, Foggy Pine Books announced that April 15 will be its last day in business. I have been incredibly lucky to receive the love, kindness, and support of this wonderful community I call home, business owner Max Ruthless wrote in an April 2 blog post. I couldnt have found better folks to share space with and Im truly grateful for the time weve had together. However, for the sake of my personal health and financial wellbeing, I have to admit that Im no longer capable of sharing my joy and love of books with others in this way. I am sorry to go and I am unable to continue. The store said it had worried about staying afloat before it was featured on Colberts show. The two-minute segment which aired as the COVID-19 pandemic hit several small businesses hard was on TV the same weekend as expensive Super Bowl commercials, McClatchy News reported. These big companies arent the ones who need our support the most right now, Colbert said at the time. Its small businesses out there that have been hurt the most in this pandemic. The high octane video about Foggy Pine Books highlighted the stores ordering options and its location in Western North Carolina. Foggy Pine Books on King Street in Boone, between the Baptist church and the Boone Saloon, Hanks sang during the episode. Story continues As the bookstore prepares to close, it said its offering discounts on books and contacting customers about their orders. After the announcement was posted on social media, several fans expressed their gratitude for the small business and shared their well wishes. Foggy Pines will be missed, perhaps more than you will know, one Instagram user wrote. Such sad news, but wishing you good health and happiness, a nearby business commented on Facebook. Boone, home to Appalachian State University, is roughly 85 miles west of Winston-Salem. Want to buy an Airstream trailer Tom Hanks stayed in while making movies? Heres how Bernard Arnaults wealth just reached staggering new heights. On Tuesday, the French tycoon behind luxury conglomerate LVMH took the top spot on Bloombergs Billionaires Index with a total net worth of $201 billion. Its the first time Arnault has achieved the milestone and makes him just one of three people ever to surpass the $200 billion mark. Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos have also reached, and fallen back from, this threshold, but Arnault is the first non-American to get there. More from Robb Report Last December, the 74-year-olds net worth surpassed Musks for the first time, briefly making him the worlds richest person. Musk, Tesla CEO and Twitter owner, reclaimed the title last month, but just like that, Arnault now holds the title again. As demand for luxury goods remains strong, Arnaults LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton empire continues to hold up better than tech companies. As a result, Bloomberg reports that the tycoons net worth has increased by $39 billion this year alone. Seeing as weve only just entered the second quarter of 2023, it will be interesting to see what may cause Arnaults billions to fluctuate moving forward. LVMHs stock price currently stands at a record high of $186.15 as of April 4. Why? In February, the company announced it would be buying back $1.6 billion of its own shares. Additionally, a record $86.4 billion was posted by the company last year as well, which included revenue surpassing $21.8 billion at Louis Vuitton. Altogether, Arnault owns 75 luxury brands including high-end names such as Dior, Loro Piana, Celine, Bulgari, and Tiffany & Co., which LVMH acquired for $15.8 billion, a deal finalized in 2021. Fund managers, M&A desks, as well as analysts part of a Bloomberg survey are now expecting LVMH to snap up rivals in a tough competitive environment for smaller companies. Given the rough nature of the economy today, its not the only high-profile conglomerate currently in the market for new acquisitions. One recent example is LOreals acquisition of Australian skincare brand Aesop for $2.5 billion. Arnault hasnt shared the names of any smaller brands hed like to buy, but with just over eight months left in 2023, theres still plenty of time. Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. The North Carolina Democratic Party continued to call on Rep. Tricia Cotham to resign Wednesday, calling her decision to leave the party and join the GOP a betrayal. NCDP Chair Anderson Clayton, speaking at a press conference outside the partys downtown Raleigh headquarters with supporters holding resign signs behind her, said that Cothams move to the Republican Party would have repercussions not only for the people of her district, but for the entire state of North Carolina. Reproductive freedoms are on the line. Our public schools are on the line. LGBTQ rights are on the line. Voting rights are on the line, Clayton said. Our future as a state is on the line. Clayton, who was recently elected to lead the states Democratic Party, ousting former two-term chair Bobbie Richardson, said the anger and frustration Democrats feel over Cothams departure from the party isnt about politics or political vendettas. This is about the constituents that trusted Rep. Cotham to champion their values, who are now left with little reassurance that she will do that, Clayton said. North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton denounces Rep. Tricia Cothams defection to the Republican Party on Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at the North Carolina Democratic Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C. Cothams move to the GOP provoked outrage from Democrats, not just throughout North Carolina, but in Washington as well. The White House, in a statement, told McClatchy Wednesday that bedrock American freedoms are at stake in votes the state legislature has taken this session. Republicans in the General Assembly have attempted to force a wide range of extreme policies on the people of the Old North State, including criminalizing doctors and nurses involved with reproductive health care, prioritizing gun industry profits over the fight against violent crime and over childrens lives, and gutting funding for public schools, said Deputy White House Press Secretary Andrew Bates. We sincerely hope that all members of the state house and state senate listen to their conscience instead of politics and put North Carolinians rights and the safety of their communities first. Story continues Democratic leader responds to Cotham During Wednesdays press conference, Cotham, a Mecklenburg legislator who was elected in 2022 and previously served from 2007 to 2016, said that she felt shunned by the House Democratic caucus. Ahead of the start of this years session, she said, some people warned her about the toxicity and nastiness she would encounter within her party. Cotham also said she only attended one caucus meeting this year and brought cookies, treats and snacks, wanting to be a part of the team and help mentor freshman members. Instead, Cotham said, she was labeled a freshman herself and assigned a mentor. House Minority Leader Robert Reives, speaking with reporters before the House session Wednesday, pushed back against Cothams assertions about how she was treated by Democrats, saying that no one in Democratic leadership had told her not to attend caucus meetings and that he had kept in touch with her in recent months. Im not going to get into a tit-for-tat because Im going to say this, shes going to say that, Reives said. What Im going to say is Ive been friends with Tricia for nine years, we have talked to each other over that time, shes reached out during some tough times Ive had here when shes not been here. Elizabeth Goodwin, President of the North Carolina Democratic Women speaks out against the defection of Rep, Tricia Cotham to the Republican Park on Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at the North Carolina Democratic Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C. Reives also addressed criticism from Cotham about tolerance within the party for dissenting views, and said that Democrats are encouraged to vote their conscience. People who you might categorize as having different views in the caucus, especially since Ive been leader, will tell you what we do is, you give your position, you tell us why you have that position, and if thats the position youre going to take it doesnt matter what everybody else is going to do, Reives said. What that helps us do is informs us as a caucus how to move forward. On Tuesday, soon after news of Cothams decision was first reported, Reives said she should resign. McClatchy DC Senior National Security and White House Correspondent Michael Wilner contributed to this report. President John F. Kennedy and first lady Jackie Kennedy, circa 1960. CANTON Jacqueline Kennedy is the rock star of first ladies. Aura, mystique and intense curiosity surround her life and role during the presidency of John F. Kennedy a brief, hopeful, ambitious and ultimately tragic era in American history that continues to fascinate authors, historians and people today. The intrigue, glamour and significance of Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis will be chronicled and honored in a new exhibit opening May 2 at the National First Ladies Library in downtown Canton. More: National First Ladies' Library hires Patty Dowd Schmitz as new CEO and president Running through April 27, 2024, "Beyond Camelot: The Life and Legacy of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis" is being presented by the National First Ladies Library. The exhibit features never-before-seen artifacts donated by Monte Durham, who has served as fashion director for the television show, "Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta" and is owner of Salon Monte in Alexandria, Virginia. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy was photographed in 1961 by Richard Avedon for Harper's Bazaar. Kennedy's life and time as first lady of the United States will be featured in a new exhibit opening May 2 at the National First Ladies Library in downtown Canton. Monte Durham of 'Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta' will be in Canton The exhibit will kick off with a private and exclusive "first look" champagne reception featuring Durham from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on May 1 at the National First Ladies Library, 205 Market Ave. S. Tickets to the event with Durham cost $125, plus fees, and are available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beyond-camelot-first-look-champagne-reception-with-monte-durham-tickets-605028234737. The exhibition will open to the public at 9 a.m. on May 2 with curator-led tours. Monte Durham, of the "Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta" television show, has donated rare and never-seen-before artifacts of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to the National First Ladies Library for a new exhibit at the First Ladies National Historic Site in downtown Canton. Durham will be in Canton for a private event at the First Ladies museum. "Through intimate letters, awe-inspiring reproduction dresses, and vintage ephemera, 'Beyond Camelot: The Life and Legacy of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis' will explore the layers of Jackies life, from her role as a mother to her position as first lady," said a prepared statement from the National First Ladies Library and First Ladies National Historic Site. "Go beyond the White House and learn about Jackies life, from her days as a 'camera girl' to her late career as a book editor at Doubleday. Story continues "Experience Jackie through her number-one fan, Monte Durham, as he shares the intimate stories revealed by his collectibles," the news release said. "Hear tales beyond the history books, from the Mona Lisa loan to the White House kindergarten classroom." "Beyond Camelot: The Life and Legacy of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis" is a new exhibit presented by the National First Ladies Library and opening May 2 in downtown Canton. Jackie's wedding gown is centerpiece of exhibit A centerpiece of the exhibit is a reproduction of Kennedys wedding gown created by a couture wedding dress designer. The original dress is too delicate to display and is currently preserved at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. The dress highlights the contributions of African-American dress designer Ann Lowe, who created Jackies wedding gown, the National First Ladies Library said. More: On Guard: Sword blade outline to be restored at McKinley memorial site in Canton I have loved everything Jackie Kennedy for many years, Durham said in a prepared statement. This is an incredible opportunity to share with the world something so important to me. I have enjoyed collecting Jackie artifacts and memorabilia for many years, and the donation of a substantial portion of my collection to the National First Ladies Library in Canton is a way to keep her memory alive." "Beyond Camelot: The Life and Legacy of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis" is a new exhibit presented by the National First Ladies Library and opening May 2 in downtown Canton. Patty Dowd Schmitz, president and CEO of the First Ladies Library, said the museum is honored to showcase Durham's collection and host the reception. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was an extraordinary woman whose life and legacy extends far beyond her time as first lady," she said in the news release. Reach at ebalint@gannett.com On Twitter @ebalintREP This article originally appeared on The Repository: Jackie Kennedy exhibit coming to First Ladies' Historic Site in Canton Over the course of two days, the Biden administration announced it would give the state more than $690 million for water projects this year. On Tuesday, the United States Environmental Protection Agency said it would send California more than $391 million to improve its drinking water infrastructure this year. On Wednesday, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation said it would allocate $300 million to 24 projects for water delivery, storage and electricity in California. The funding for each comes from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The act injected $6 billion to the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for states, territories and tribal lands to use in 2023, according to the EPA on Tuesday. These funds will enable more communities to access technical assistance, modernize their drinking water infrastructure, and ensure safe drinking water for generations to come, said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. She said in a statement that the technical assistance would bolster water infrastructure, especially in tribal and neglected communities. Then on Wednesday, the Bureau of Reclamation announced nearly $585 million for repairs on water delivery systems throughout the West. That funding will go to 83 projects in 11 states to improve water deliveries, storage and treatment as well as safety and hydro-power generation. Money to fix dilapidated infrastructure in California comes as the state grapples with the effects of recent storms. This winters onslaught of devastating winter storms was just the latest in a long line of weather whiplash in California that has overwhelmed and battered our aging infrastructure, Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., said in a call with reporters, all pointing to the need to continue to invest in our infrastructure. Clean drinking water About $2.2 billion from funds announced Tuesday will directly bolster drinking water systems, with other amounts going to replace pipes and remove contaminants. Story continues Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, said in a statement that the nations water infrastructure has been woefully neglected for decades, leading to a dilapidated, contamination-riddled system. Im happy this funding is on its way to our state and will make sure we see the full benefit of this program, he said. State allocations from the federal drinking fund come from a 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act that requires the EPA to assess public water systems nationwide every four years. The allotments announced Tuesday came from its seventh survey. The assessment identified that drinking water infrastructure needs $625 billion over the next two decades to ensure the nations public health, security, and economic well-being. The seventh survey was the first that queried about lead service lines, according to the EPA, which projected a national total of 9.2 million of them in the U.S. Half of the funding announced Tuesday, $3 billion, will be used to identify and replace lead pipes nationwide. EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said in a statement that this and other allocations advance the Biden administrations goal of removing all lead water pipes and protecting communities from toxic contaminants. About $800 million will address contaminants like PFAS chemicals that have been linked to certain cancers, low birth weights and other health issues. The EPA proposed the first federal limitations on PFAS in drinking water in March. Though the use of PFAS has phased out for the most part across the country, the chemicals do not break down over time and are expensive to remove. California recently passed a set of laws to ban the sale of PFAS in various products, from food containers to car seats to cosmetic products, over the next few years. The state advises strict limitations on PFAS concentrations in water sources. A 2022 California state audit found almost a million Californians lack access to safe drinking water. Yana Garcia, California Secretary for Environmental Protection, said in a statement that Californias drinking water infrastructure needs about $64.7 billion in upgrades. She said federal and state funding for water infrastructure was critical. Although weve made great strides, many California communities continue to lack access to safe, clean, and affordable drinking water, Garcia said in a statement. Yana Garcia, California secretary for Environmental Protection, speaks at a water treatment plant in Keyes, Calif., in 2022. California received more funding in 2023 to support clean water infrastructure. The 2021 infrastructure law, backed by President Joe Biden, will invest over $50 billion in water and wastewater infrastructure over four years across the country, according to the EPA. California lawmakers praised infrastructure investments. Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are delivering historic investments to repair our drinking water infrastructure, Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, said in a statement, ensuring communities in the San Joaquin Valley have access to safe, clean drinking water. Water infrastructure All of the investments come from the White Houses broader promise to address impacts from changes in climate and improve the nations critical structures, facilities and transportation lines. Both Tuesdays and Wednesdays announcement constitute some of several grants given to California and other states for infrastructure and water projects through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. The 2021 act set $8.3 billion for Reclamation over five years for projects to rehabilitate old water delivery systems, bolster dams and complete rural water projects. The Inflation Reduction Act added another $4.6 billion. The projects for Bureau of Reclamation said they were funding Wednesday are all part of the major river basins and regions where the agency operates. Among the projects selected for funding are efforts to increase canal capacity, provide water treatments for tribes, replace equipment for hydropower production and provide necessary maintenance to aging project buildings, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said in a call with reporters from California on Wednesday. These follow on $240 million set aside for projects last year. The next application period for these type of funds is likely to be in October. Half of the 24 California projects are connected to the Central Valley Project. Others include the Klamath Project, Newlands Project, Washoe Project, Colorado River Front Work and Levee System, All-American Canal System and Yuma Project. When we talk about repairing Californias water infrastructure, were talking about much more than just crumbling canals or drying riverbeds, Padilla said. Were talking about protecting the source for drinking water, showers and sinks, and electricity for 40 million Californians. And were talking about a vital resource for agriculture in a region that feeds the nation. US President Joe Biden holds a meeting with his science and technology advisors at the White House on 4 April, 2023 in Washington, DC (Getty Images) US President Joe Biden has warned of the potential dangers that artificial intelligence poses to society, urging tech companies to ensure their AI products are safe before releasing them to the public Speaking to science and technology advisers on Tuesday, President Biden said that AI could help in addressing disease and climate change, but it was also important to address potential risks to society, national security and the economy. Tech companies have a responsibility, in my view, to make sure their products are safe before making them public, he said at the start of a meeting of the Presidents Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). When asked if AI was dangerous, he said, It remains to be seen. It could be. The US president said social media had already illustrated the harm that powerful technologies can do without the right safeguards. Absent safeguards, we see the impact on the mental health and self-images and feelings and hopelessness, especially among young people, he said. He reiterated a call for Congress to pass bipartisan privacy legislation to put limits on personal data that technology companies collect, ban advertising targeted at children, and to prioritize health and safety in product development. Shares of companies that employ AI dropped sharply before President Bidens meeting, although the broader market was also selling off on Tuesday. Shares of AI software company C3.ai were down 24 per cent, more than halving a four-session winning streak of nearly 40 per cent through Monday. Thailand security firm Guardforce AI fell 29 per cent, data analytics firm BigBear.ai was down 16 per cent and conversation intelligence company SoundHound AI was down 13 per cent late on Tuesday. AI is becoming an increasingly contentious topic among regulators and policy makers. The tech ethics group Center for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Policy has asked the US Federal Trade Commission to stop OpenAI from issuing new commercial releases of GPT-4, which has wowed and appalled users with its human-like abilities to generate written responses to requests. Story continues Democratic US Senator Chris Murphy has urged society to pause as it considers the ramifications of AI. Last year the Biden administration released a blueprint Bill of Rights to help ensure users rights are protected as technology companies design and develop AI systems. In Europe, Italy has already blocked OpenAIs ChatGPT due to privacy concerns, while Germany is also reportedly considering a ban of the AI chatbot. In principle, such action is also possible in Germany, the countrys data protection chief told the Handelsblatt newspaper this week. Additional reporting from agencies. Biden NATO (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) President Joe Biden and other top American officials on Tuesday celebrated Finland becoming the 31st member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a move that they characterised as a significant blow to Russian President Vladimir Putins ambitions. In a statement, Mr Biden said Finland and Sweden, which has yet to receive the unanimous assent required to join the alliance are strong democracies with highly capable militaries, who share our values and vision for the world and noted that Finlands bid to join Nato had been ratified faster than any other previous membership addition. The president noted that Mr Putin had hoped to divide Nato when he launched his unprovoked war against Ukraine last year, and said the result had been to unify Nato and Europe even further through Finland and Swedens accession to the alliance. Today, we are more united than ever. And togetherstrengthened by our newest Ally Finlandwe will continue to preserve transatlantic security, defend every inch of NATO territory, and meet any and all challenges we face, he said. Mr Biden also said he looks forward to welcoming the Swedes to the alliance and called on Turkish and Hungarian leaders to drop their opposition to Swedens membership bid and conclude their ratification processes without delay. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also praised the Finns contributions to the alliance in a statement celebrating their addition to Nato. Finland is stronger and safer within the Alliance, and the Alliance is stronger and safer with Finland as its Ally. Finland has a highly capable military and has been an active participant in NATO-led operations; it also shares our values and strong democratic institutions. We are confident Finlands membership will strengthen our collective defense and enhance our ability to respond to security challenges in the Euro-Atlantic area, he said. Nato has helped maintain peace and stability in Europe for over 70 years. It has also played a critical role in promoting stability and the international rules-based order around the world. Finlands membership in the Alliance will advance these shared goals. Story continues Mitch McConnell, the Senates top Republican, called Finlands addition to Nato outstanding news that further strengthens what is already the most successful alliance in the history of the human race. I am happy to welcome Finland to this trans-Atlantic Alliance and I congratulate the Finnish people, President Niinisto, and NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg on this historic occasion, he said. He added that the Finnish people have long been ahead of the curve when it comes to defence commitments, citing Finlands advanced economy, their existing substantial arsenal of sophisticated and interoperable Western arms, and their already-proven commitment to seriously investing in their own defence. The Alliance is significantly stronger than it was yesterday, he said. Artificial intelligence has reached a new level of interest ever since ChatGPT burst into the scene. The AI chatbot with its eerily human-like responses has lit a fire under many tech giants and smaller tech companies that are now rushing to release their rival offerings. US President Joe Biden, however, wants them to be careful and make sure that their products are safe before opening them up to the public. According to AP and Reuters, the president has met up with his science and technology advisors, which include academics and executives from Google and Microsoft, to discuss the "risks and opportunities" of artificial intelligence. While the meeting likely won't culminate in a banning of ChatGPT like what happened in Italy, the president doesn't seem to be convinced that AI is perfectly safe at this point in time. When asked if AI is dangerous, he responded: "It remains to be seen. Could be." He told the group:" "Tech companies have a responsibility, in my view, to make sure their products are safe before making them public...AI can help deal with some very difficult challenges like disease and climate change, but it also has to address the potential risks to our society, to our economy, to our national security." The White House told the news organizations that the president also used the opportunity to discuss "the importance of protecting rights and safety to ensure responsible innovation and appropriate safeguards." Further, he talked about his previous calls on Congress to pass legislation that would protect kids' privacy online. It doesn't sound like policies were made and big changes were planned during the meeting. But Russell Wald from the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence told AP that the president has set "the stage for a national dialogue on the topic by elevating attention to AI." Last year, the Biden administration also released its Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights. It's meant to guide the design and deployment of AI and other automated systems in a way that protects "the American public in the age of artificial intelligence." President Biden will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland next week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, the White House announced Wednesday. Biden will visit Belfast, Northern Ireland, next Tuesday and Wednesday to mark the signing of the accords, which ended the Northern Ireland conflict known as the Troubles. Northern Ireland is still part of the United Kingdom, while Ireland is its own republic. Biden will then travel to Ireland for the remainder of the week to meet with Irish leaders and to deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement. He will make stops in Dublin, County Louth and County Mayo. John Kirby, a White House spokesperson on national security issues, said Biden is scheduled to speak to Irelands parliament in Dublin next Thursday. The president will likely attend a festival in County Mayo on Friday, Kirby said. The president frequently talks about his Irish heritage with great pride and often quotes Irish poet William Butler Yeats. Biden hosted Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar last month at the White House for St. Patricks Day, where the two hinted at a possible Biden visit to Ireland. I promise you that were going to roll out the red carpet and its going to be a visit like no other. Everyones excited about it already, Varadkar said last month at the White House. Were going to have great crowds who would love to see you. In addition to the Good Friday Agreement, Biden during his upcoming trip will likely address a new trade agreement, the Windsor Framework, aimed at allowing goods to flow freely to Northern Ireland from the rest of the United Kingdom. The framework, agreed to last month between British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, was finalized in Windsor near London and ends a dispute that has loomed since the U.K. voted in 2016 to leave the European Union. Updated at 12:29 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Science fiction writer Tianrui Shuofu's fourth full-length work "Guard the Nanshan Park" is being serialized on the literary site qidian.com. It tells how the four-dimensional "angles" take over Earth, leaving the Sichuan Basin as humankind's last shelter and for the giant mecha weapon to be invented for use on the frontline Nanshan Mountain in Chongqing. Each of the writer's previous three books were winners at China's top sci-fi event, the Galaxy Awards. With these successes and a solid fan base that closely follows his work, the 26-year-old has become a leading figure among China's young sci-fi writers. In his latest book, "Tianrui Shuofu", who comes from Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, incorporates elements of super-high-technology and ancient martial arts. Before turning to sci-fi, he wrote fantasy tales, romantic novels and stories about city life. He said writing that crosses boundaries has become a trend for online sci-fi works by young writers. "This is a good thing. Cross-boundary means going beyond limits, which contributes to writing good stories and helps sci-fi reach more readers," he added. His observations are supported by a white paper on the development of China's online sci-fi literature last year, which was published at the 33rd Galaxy Awards ceremony. Compared to traditional sci-fi, the themes and elements used in today's works have been expanded significantly. Popular themes for other online writing such as mecha (ancient martial arts), space farming and time travel have also been incorporated in sci-fi writing. The white paper states that the largest growth has been witnessed in the themes of evolution and super power, future world, and interstellar civilizations. Tianrui Shuofu has crossed another boundary by using real place names. He said this is rarely done for online sci-fi works, as many writers try to avoid offending certain groups of readers. "Some people think sci-fi is a literary genre that solely comprises ideas, but that alone is not enough for a full-length work," he said. "Characters, plots and skills that matter in other forms of writing, such as martial arts novels, romantic fiction and detective stories, are also important in sci-fi, especially for full-length works. After all, a good story keeps readers reading." By staying for several months in the cities he plans to write about, Tianrui Shuofu strives to give his readers a sense of immersion in his work. He lived in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province, to write "We Live in Nanjing", and in Chongqing for "Guard the Nanshan Park". He visited the neighborhoods in which his main characters live, counted the number of bus and subway stops, took pictures of landmarks, and even learned the local dialects. Real-life details in Tianrui Shuofu's novels include numerous references to space engineering, radio communication and other technologies. Although recognized as a hardcore sci-fi writer, he thinks this is just one style of the genre, and he may include more themes in future works. "Many people argue about what constitutes real sci-fi. Some hardcore sci-fi fans look down on soft sci-fi, but that's just killing expansion of the genre in China," he said. "Whether writers use sci-fi elements as the core of their work or just for background should not be a problem. For mainstream, online, hardcore or soft sci-fi, feeling superior or having a divisive mindset is not conducive to building a good environment for Chinese sci-fi." More than 12,000 U.S. troops from all four branches will join thousands of their Philippine counterparts next week as part of the annual Balikatan exercise in and around the island nation, the largest iteration of the annual event in its 38 years. This years exercise, which starts April 11, follows an announcement Monday that Manila will give U.S. forces access to four additional bases, all of which face the South China Sea, with multiple sites in northern Cagayan province less than 400 miles from Taiwan. The new basing agreement has predictably irked China, which has increasingly sought to claim the international waters of the South China Sea as its own. All told, 5,400 Philippine troops will join about 12,200 U.S. personnel in the 17-day Balikatan event, with just more than 100 Australian troops joining in as well, U.S. officials said in a release announcing the exercise. Thats nearly double the 9,000 troops who took part in last years exercise. A return to the Philippines U.S. Indo-Pacific Command officials did not immediately confirm whether any of this years maneuvers would take place on the Philippine bases now accessible to American forces under the deal announced this week. Balikatan will feature the new 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, a stand-in force created to reflect the requirements of an island-hopping fight against the Chinese military. Officials said late last year that the unit will reach initial operational capability by September. The Navy will be steaming in the area with transport dock ships John P. Murtha and Anchorage carrying the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. On the Army side, an infantry brigade will take part in Balikatan, as will combat aviation and air defense artillery brigades. The Air Force is sending its 13th Air Expeditionary Group, which includes fighter, attack, airlift, air control and engineering squadrons. Special forces from all four services will also take part, according to officials. Story continues The countries will operate together on maritime security missions and amphibious operations, as well as live-fire training and airborne operations, according to U.S. officials. Forces will also practice counterterrorism, cyber defense, disaster relief and humanitarian assistance missions. Marine Corps Cpl. Ethan Barker, right, and Staff Sgt. Gilter Rambo, a member of the Philippine military, establish a firing position with an M3A1 multi-rocket weapon system during the annual Balikatan exercise in the Philippines on April 3, 2022. (Cpl. Scott Aubuchon/Marine Corps) While it remains unclear how Beijing will react to the large exercise in what it considers its own backyard, Chinese leaders have already pushed back on stronger ties between the two countries. In a closed-door meeting in Manila with their Philippine counterparts last month, a Chinese Foreign Ministry delegation expressed its strong opposition to an expanded U.S. military presence in the Philippines and warned of its repercussions to regional peace and stability, Philippine officials said. The Chinese Embassy separately warned in a recent statement that the Philippine governments security cooperation with Washington will drag the Philippines into the abyss of geopolitical strife and damage its economic development at the end of the day. The long-seething territorial conflicts have persisted as a major irritant in Philippine-China relations early in the six-year term of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Since Marcos took office last year, his administration has filed at least 77 diplomatic protests against Chinas increasingly assertive actions in the disputed waters, out of more than 200 such protests that have been lodged. The Philippines used to host two of the largest U.S. Navy and Air Force bases outside the American mainland. The bases were shut down in the early 1990s after the Philippine Senate rejected an extension, but American forces later returned for large-scale combat exercises with Filipino troops under a Visiting Forces Agreement. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Three Republican lawmakers in the General Assembly are sponsoring a bill to prohibit abortion in North Carolina, while voter opinion surveys conducted since late summer some from right-wing organizations say most voters oppose an abortion ban. An average of the results of five surveys conducted from August to the beginning of March says nearly 57% of North Carolina voters want to keep abortion legal in some form while nearly 35% want it banned. With last summers U.S. Supreme Court ruling canceling the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that protected American abortion rights for nearly 50 years, Republican leaders in the GOP-majority state legislature have said they plan to tighten North Carolinas abortion laws. Existing law allows abortion on demand through the 20th week of pregnancy. The question for the public: How tight could the new abortion restrictions be? Human Life Protection Act of 2023 would outlaw abortion from the moment of conception The abortion ban bill filed on March 29 may be too strict for the legislatures Republican leaders, as the House speaker and Senate president pro tem have publicly discussed allowing abortion to remain legal during the early weeks to months of pregnancy. House Bill 533 is entitled the Human Life Protection Act of 2023. It would outlaw abortion from the moment of conception unless the pregnancy poses a risk of death or substantial impairment of a major bodily function for the mother. It has no exceptions for rape or incest. Those convicted of providing an abortion would face punishments of at least 12 years in prison, up to a maximum of life without parole. They also would be fined at least $100,000. The bill is sponsored by Republican Reps. Keith Kidwell of Beaufort County, Ben Moss of Richmond County, and Edward Goodwin of Chowan County. As of Tuesday morning, no other anti-abortion bill has been filed this year. What abortion restrictions are politically viable? In a state where Republicans must attract unaffiliated voters to win elections, and often rely on registered Democrats, too, GOP leaders may be reluctant to totally ban abortion. Republicans rank third in North Carolina voter registrations, at 30.3%. The Democrats are at 33.3%, and voters who dont belong to any political party have 35.7% of registrations. Independent voters are the fastest-growing group of voters in the state. Story continues A survey conducted by Elon University said 62% of independent voters would disapprove if abortion were banned. A Meredith College poll in February said 59% want to keep or loosen the current 20-week law. Learn more: NC election laws biased against 2.5M independent voters, and favor Republicans, Democrats The Axios Raleigh news site reported last month that Republican lawmakers in the state House have been debating privately what level of restrictions they will advance. Axios reported the GOP wants a bill that some Democrats would support several from socially conservative communities in past years backed tighter abortion regulations so the state House of Representatives will have enough votes to override a near-certain veto from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. The Republicans have a veto-overriding 30-20 supermajority over the Democrats in the state Senate, and until Tuesday the GOP was one vote short of a supermajority in the House, where the partisan divide was 71-49. The math in the state House changed on Tuesday when it was made public that Democratic Rep. Tricia Cotham of Mecklenburg County is switching to the Republican Party. This gives the GOP a 72-48 veto-proof majority in that chamber. Cotham in 2015 criticized a GOP-passed abortion restriction she said she aborted her first pregnancy because she suffered an incomplete miscarriage and her life was threatened by it. In February, The Assembly magazine reported Cotham said she might support tighter abortion laws but opposed setting it as far down as 13 weeks. State House Speaker Tim Moore has said he supports setting an abortion ban after the sixth week of pregnancy, the Associated Press reported. The AP reported state Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, who is the Republican leader of the Senate, supports putting the ban after the first trimester, or 12th week, of pregnancy. Five surveys conducted between August and March by university researchers and political advocacy groups report that most North Carolina voters want to keep abortion legal, but have differing opinions on when to impose restrictions. The individual poll results vary. Here is the gist of the findings: Between 6% and 12% of voters wanted a total ban. Between 19% and 35% would ban abortion after conception, but would allow exceptions (such as pregnancy from rape or incest, or if the pregnancy threatens the mothers life). One survey said 14% would ban abortion after the fetal heartbeat begins (approximately six weeks). None of the other surveys asked this question. 16% to 18% preferred a ban at 12 weeks; 9% said 15 weeks. 5% to 26% chose a ban at 20 weeks. 22% to 30% said there should be no restrictions. The surveys were conducted by Elon University, Meredith College, the right-wing John Locke Foundation, the right-wing Carolina Partnership for Reform, and by Differentiators Data on behalf of three anti-abortion groups: The N.C. Faith and Freedom Coalition, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life American, and the N.C. Values Coalition. Senior North Carolina reporter Paul Woolverton can be reached at 910-261-4710 and pwoolverton@fayobserver.com. This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Bill filed to ban abortion in NC; polls say voters want legal abortion Bill Gates doesn't think a call to halt advanced development for six months would be easy to enforce. Michael Loccisano/Getty Images Bill Gates said he didn't think a halt on advanced AI development for six months is practical. He told Reuters he didn't think such a pause would help solve challenges in the sector. His comments came a week after an open letter called for a six-month pause on advanced AI development. Two of the biggest names in tech seem to be disagreeing over artificial intelligence, or AI. While Elon Musk called for a six-month pause on the advanced development of AI and to take a step back from a "dangerous race," Bill Gates doesn't think this is the way to go. "I don't think asking one particular group to pause solves the challenges," the Microsoft co-founder told Reuters in an interview Monday. He made the comment a week after Elon Musk and 1,125 others, including AI experts, signed an open letter calling for a six-month pause on advanced development of the tech. The letter, issued by the non-profit Future of Life Institute, has garnered about 9,400 signatures so far. The letter warned "AI systems with human-competitive intelligence can pose profound risks to society and humanity," and added to the ongoing discussion about ethics and other concerns surrounding advanced AI which has come to the fore of public debates since the viral success of generative text bot ChatGPT. But Gates said he didn't think the suggested pause would be easy to enforce. "I don't really understand who they're saying could stop, and would every country in the world agree to stop, and why to stop," he told Reuters. Gates' comments to the news agency also came two weeks after he published a seven-page letter titled "The Age of AI has Begun" on his blog, wherein he said: "The development of AI is as fundamental as the creation of the microprocessor, the personal computer, the Internet, and the mobile phone." In 2019, Microsoft invested $1 billion in ChatGPT creator OpenAI and recently announced plans to invest further into the company, Insider's Grace Kay reported. Story continues Gates, however, isn't the only high-profile voice cautioning about pausing AI development. Last week, billionaire investor Bill Ackman warned that shutting down AI development for six months would allow bad actors six more months to catch up to current technology. "Our enemies are working hard to develop their own OpenAI. It would have been a mistake to delay the Manhattan Project and let the Nazis catch up. I don't think we have a choice," Ackman tweeted on March 31. Bill Gates did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment sent via the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation outside regular business hours. Read the original article on Business Insider Ile Bistro After serving the flavors of West Africa at a popular dinner series in his Hollywood home, chef Tolu Eros Erogbogbo also known as "the Billionaire Chef" has opened Ile Bistro in Culver City food hall Citizen Public Market. Erogbogbo's new counter-seating, build-your-bowl restaurant offers Nigerian cuisine with a California influence, done his way. My goal as a chef, as a culinary entertainer, has always been to put West African cuisine and its culture on the global food map, said Erogbogbo. I traveled the world and realized that you couldn't really find Nigerian food, and even when you did, it wasn't done respectfully; it didn't demonstrate the quality of food that I grew up eating. It always felt very blase, and I thought to myself, Enough is enough. To celebrate and spread the gospel of Nigerian and broader West African cuisine, Erogbogbo mounted a seven-city pop-up tour across America in 2021, landing in Los Angeles, where he began a dinner series run out of his kitchen in Hollywood. Through it all, a few things became clear: Diners loved his jollof rice a Nigerian signature with many going so far as to say they could eat it daily; and Angelenos enjoy meals served in bowls, whether the base be salad, rice or soup. Accordingly, Erogbogbos plan for his first bricks-and-mortar restaurant began to take shape and both jollof rice and bowls would play an integral part. Ile Bistro opened in the Culver City food hall in late March, taking over the former Pizzette stall. The wood-fired oven that once churned out Nancy Silvertons pizzas now roasts chicken, fish, steak and vegetables to be served atop jollof or fried rice with iru, or fermented locust bean, and topped with fried plantains, zobo vinaigrette, carrots, black-eyed peas and more. Pepper soup, available mild or spicy, can be topped with those same meats in addition to noodles, yams, soft egg and more, while desserts include palm-wine popsicles, lemongrass cake and puff-puffs. African beers, wines and wine-based mixed drinks flavored with house-made herb and spice syrups are expected to follow. Much of the menu features spices directly imported for Ile Bistro through Erogbogbos family, vacuum-sealed and overseen by his mother; the pepper soup requires nine spices from Nigeria alone. Story continues We have to fly them in, he said. The spices are pretty much in a first-class ticket at this point. Ile Bistro is open with 12 counter seats plus additional seating in the market Tuesday to Saturday from 4 to 10 p.m., but the chef has much more up his sleeves for Culver City and beyond. Lunch service is expected to launch soon, as is an eventual Sunday service, with details to be announced. Erogbogbo envisions Ile Bistro as the first of a number, and the chef has plans for a range of other restaurant concepts as well. After an appearance at Coachella this month , hell be reprising his dinner series, Ile at Home, as more of a nomadic event with stops across the country. Were doing this for the culture, he says and he wants to spread it everywhere. 9355 Culver Blvd., Suite J, Culver City, instagram.com/ilebistro Dal Milanese Dal Milanese's first U.S. restaurant serves new dishes as well as beloved options from its Milan location, such as the cotoletta alla Milanese: a breaded veal chop with arugula and tomatoes. (Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times) An Italian restaurant from Milan is open in Los Feliz, bringing handmade pastas, specialties such as ossobuco with saffron risotto and an all-Italian wine list to Hillhurst Avenue. Dal Milanese, from restaurateur Luca Guelfi, is operating in the former Purans Restaurant space as the first location to open outside Italy. Its executive chef, Emanuele Gasperini, has relocated to Los Angeles to oversee the U.S. outpost and serve a menu of Dal Milanese favorites such as polenta fries with gorgonzola fondue; truffle-topped, pinched ravioli; taleggio-stuffed fried squash blossoms; and a classic breaded veal chop. There also are new dishes tailored to L.A., including house-made tagliolini with crab and zucchini; linguine with clams and shaved bottarga; and cacio e pepe paccheri with shrimp. While sporting mostly table service in the dining room, countertop seats along the kitchen allow for a view of the chefs making the pastas. Los Angeles is the favorite town of my husband, said Barbara Guelfi, who notes the couple also owns a restaurant in Sardinia. He chooses the place to spend some time, and then when [he gets] bored, why not have his own restaurants? Weve loved L.A. for years and this is our American dream to be here as well, to bring our authentic Italian kitchen. The team intends to change the menu monthly; they also will offer weekly off-menu specials and introduce vegan options. Dal Milanese is open 5:30 to 11 p.m. Monday to Saturday. 2064 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 372-6002, lucaguelficompany.com/dal-milanese-los-angeles Superfine Playa The team behind downtowns Rossoblu and Superfine Pizza has opened a new restaurant on the Westside for wood-grilled meats, fresh pastas and a range of salads, sides and appetizers that source produce from the nearby farmers market. Superfine Playa, from husband-and-wife duo Steve and Dina Samson, is open in Playa Vista. The California-inspired osteria serves dishes such as brick-pressed chicken with black kale, panzanella and thyme jus; casarecce with braised lamb, lemon, egg and mint; grilled meatballs with lemon leaves; swordfish with caponata; Sicilian wedding soup with pecorino dumplings; and a fundraising minestrone that sources vegetables from Playa Vista Farmers Market and donates 10% of its profits to Westside Innovative Schoolhouse and Playa Vista Elementary School. During brunch, lemon ricotta pancakes, shrimp with polenta, frittata Parmesan and other dishes take the spotlight. Chef Mo Marvel, formerly of Rossoblu, is heading the kitchen with chef-owner Steve Samson, whos expected to add his pizzas to the Playa Vista restaurant soon. James Saidy, also formerly of Rossoblu, is curating the wine list with Dina Samson for a program that focuses on family vintners, while Ella Zoller of pop-up bar Honey House designed a cocktail menu rife with takes on classics such as spritzes, palomas and sours. Superfine Playa is open 5-9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; 5-10 p.m. Friday; 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. Saturday; and 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. Sunday. 12746 W. Jefferson Blvd., Suite #2200, Playa Vista, superfineplaya.com Katsu Sando Kitchen & Mini-Mart Chinatowns Katsu Sando has debuted a second and larger location, unveiling not only the same menu of namesake, Japanese-style sandwiches found in Chinatown but also seating, a larger kitchen and a small market section. The new Katsu Sando Kitchen & Mini-Mart, in San Gabriels Mission View Plaza, serves the same menu of comforting yoshoku cuisine such as curries and katsu plates using Korean, pan-Asian and Asian American influences that garnered acclaim and placement on the 2021 L.A. Times 101 Restaurants list . But the additional cooking space will allow for more specials such as chile-dipped katsu sandos, oxtail hiyashi rice, kakigori, yoshoku pastas and other items. Katsu Sando Kitchen & Mini-Mart serves the full menu found in Chinatown, plus pantry items and a baked-goods focus for cookies, puddings and other sweets. (Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times) Were not afraid to be Asian American about it, said co-owner Daniel Son. It's delving into our heritage, which is very important because it feels true to us. Near the register is a pastry case for cookies, roll cakes and goods from a coming pudding program focused on puddings and custards, which will be headed primarily by sous chef Austin Chong. Along the back wall, the pantry shelves currently filled with crackers, cookies and other snacks eventually also will hold house-made condiments for sale, such as jars of jams and chile oils. Son sees the new location as a kind of culmination of his childhood, which he partially spent helping out at his familys South L.A. corner store, now called Slauson Super Mall. Hes hoping to fill his own take on a corner store with Asian and Asian American refrigerated and pantry goods such as an expanded line of onigiri, kimbap, sushi, salads, to-go sandwiches and Katsu Sando bento boxes, and is even exploring the potential for house-made instant-ramen kits. Were going to be very, very careful in curating it, he said. As San Gabriels market menu expands, some of these items will most likely find their way to Chinatowns restaurant as well. Katsu Sando is open in San Gabriel 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday to Sunday, with expanded days and hours of operations to follow. 710 W. Las Tunas Drive, Unit 6, San Gabriel, (626) 545-2266, eatkatsusando.com Isla A popular pop-up just opened a bricks-and-mortar restaurant for wood-fired skewers, seasonal salads and a menu that pulls ingredients from local farms and fishermen. Isla, the second project from Crudo e Nudos Brian Bornemann and Leena Culhane, was always intended to operate as a full-service restaurant ; after a series of pop-ups on the Westside. Isla recently found its permanent home in the former Little Prince space in Santa Monica through a new partnership with Little Prince owner Shane Won Murphy. Now Isla is serving skewers such as duck breast with black-garlic jus and red onion; kanpachi with masago and chive; and trumpet mushrooms with preserved-lemon persillade, plus oven-roasted entrees such as rockfish with cabbage and hazelnut sauce. Wines span Italy, Germany, the California coast and beyond, while the cocktail menu riffs on the favorites previously found at Little Prince. Isla is open Wednesday to Sunday from noon to 11 p.m., with brunch slated to start in early May as is a new cocktail program. 2424 Main St., Santa Monica, isla-la.com The Tasting Kitchen at Ghisallo A March 10 fire at the Tasting Kitchen in Venice isnt stopping owners Bruce Horwitz and Mark Meyuhas from serving their lauded Italian food; they're simply relocating it. While awaiting repairs and a reopening, this week the Tasting Kitchen launched an indefinite pop-up series at sibling spot Ghisallo, a pizza-forward restaurant in Santa Monica open 5-9 p.m. Monday to Thursday. The Tasting Kitchens executive chef, Travis Passerotti, is serving dishes such as tagliarini with shrimp, serrano and lemon; mussels with vermouth broth and peas; and pizzas from Ghisallos executive chef, Stensland "Arnold" Smith. Ghisallos full menu can still be found daily during lunch and on Friday and Saturday evenings, with the restaurant offering to-go pizzas and salads during the Tasting Kitchens pop-up hours. 1622 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 399-4060, thetastingkitchen.com This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. (Bloomberg) -- US State Secretary Antony Blinken and Defense chief Lloyd Austin will meet their Philippine counterparts next week, as Manila vowed to pursue efforts with Washington towards collective defense of the region around the disputed South China Sea. Most Read from Bloomberg The two nations top diplomats and defense chiefs will meet for the first time since 2016 in Washington to tackle key areas of cooperation, the Philippine Foreign Affairs Department said in a statement released Wednesday. It will also be an important opportunity to substantively progress cooperation in key areas across the breadth of the relationship, including identifying concrete initiatives for promoting regional security and countering terrorism and other transnational crimes, the statement said. The Philippine side, which will be led by Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Defense chief Carlito Galvez, will also seek to discuss energy security and trade ties during the meeting. The talks will take place after the US gained greater military access in the Philippines as tensions with China heighten. Galvez, in a separate statement, said the Philippines will continue to work with the US and other like-minded nations towards defending the region after the Southeast Asian country announced four more sites this week under the two nations Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement or EDCA. The sites include a naval base and an airport in Cagayan province and a military camp in Isabela province - all near Taiwan - and Balabac Island in Palawan province facing the South China Sea. Galvez said an accelerated implementation of EDCA will protect the trade route in the disputed waters where the Spratly Islands lie, a group of islands being claimed wholly or partly by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines. Story continues Aside from enhancing our posturing of forces to address both external and internal security threats and challenges, we expect the construction of facilities and infrastructure upgrades to further help us ensure the welfare of our people, he said. The new locations will bring the number of Philippine military sites the US can access to nine, including five existing ones, under the defense agreement signed in 2014. The pact allows the US to rotate its troops for prolonged stays as well as build and operate facilities on those bases in the Southeast Asian country. The US won access to the additional sites in February amid continued tensions with Beijing over Taiwan and the South China Sea. China warned on Tuesday the move would lead to more tensions and less peace and stability in the region with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning saying the US has been strengthening its military deployment in the region in pursuit of selfish interests. (Adds statement from Philippines defense chief.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Roy Blunt says he doesnt miss Congress after 26 years. He cant entirely pull himself away, though. The retired Missouri Republican is joining Husch Blackwell Strategies as chair of a new advisory group, he said in an interview, where he will offer the same kind of counsel that he gave House speakers and Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell for decades. Ive been giving advice for free for a long time. And generally people have been willing to take it and it worked out pretty well, Blunt said this week. In his new role, Blunt will concentrate on offering advice on how to navigate both state and local government. A former member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Blunt has retained his security clearance and is also working on projects with Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines that he declined to elaborate on describing it only as a couple of things she and I have talked about that Im going to be helping her with. Blunts departure from the Hill punctuates a noticeable gap in the GOP's institutional knowledge since the November midterms. The group of recently retired GOP senators ranges from leadership stalwarts like Rob Portman of Ohio, Richard Burr of North Carolina and Blunt to Donald Trump critics like Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Ben Sasse of Nebraska to the old-bull appropriator Richard Shelby of Alabama. They are all taking diverse paths: Portman is a public policy fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, Burr joined lobbying firm DLA Piper and Sasse now leads the University of Florida. Blunt said that he wouldn't anticipate that I would ever register as a lobbyist, but others certainly working with us will. The Show-Me State Republican added that he hasnt fully decided whether to exert ongoing influence within the Republican Party now that he has more political freedom. Blunt, whose steady persona contrasts with Trump's bombastic presence, clearly tired of talking about the former president during his time in Congress though he also stuck by Trump in 2016 and voted to acquit him during two impeachment trials. Story continues Blunt said he doesnt expect to endorse in the 2024 presidential race and insisted Trump isnt on a glide path to the nomination next year: It would be my view that nobody is a prohibitive favorite. He said his party can better compete with Democrats by concentrating on a forward-looking agenda, a view that's out of step with Trumps grievance-fueled campaign. I do think that people are really eager to talk about the importance of getting things done, as opposed to just how angry everybody is, Blunt said. He said he doesnt anticipate being incredibly involved in political activity after leaving the Senate, preferring instead to dispense the advice hes doled out behind the scenes since his first victory in the 1984 race for Missouri secretary of state. Were it not for a close loss to John Boehner in a 2006 leadership race, Blunt might eventually have ascended to the House's top gavel. After losing that contest, Blunt ran for Senate in 2010 and ascended to the No. 4 leadership post. He developed strong ties in both parties during his time in office, serving as a close adviser to McConnell while bonding with Democrats like Debbie Stabenow of Michigan and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. Blunt was replaced last fall by Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), who has already endorsed Trump. Its hard to tell so far, Blunt said of how the delegation anchored by Schmitt and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) is performing in a slowly moving Congress. Im glad to give advice if asked. And glad to let them do the job they were elected to do without advice as well. A genial and dependable legislator, Blunt continued deal-cutting all the way down the stretch, helping clinch last year's Electoral Count Act reform bill and supporting several other bipartisan measures. He will work closely with two longtime top aides within his own group at Husch Blackwell, including former chief of staff Stacy McBride and former deputy chief of staff Richard Eddings. Still, he does not wish he was serving a third Senate term. I loved it right up to the last day there is a time for all things, said Blunt, who as a legislator focused on everything from mental health treatment to cybersecurity. And yet hes not above providing a little bit of his famous free advice for McConnell and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on how to rejuvenate the Senate during the current era of divided government: Stop the big catch-all, end-of-year legislating and start moving smaller bills. We've had too many Congresses now," Blunt said, "where almost everything boils down to what happens at the very end. An bomb threat prompted the evacuation of a dorm on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology early Wednesday morning. Emergency crews responding to a report of a threat at Simmons Hall ordered everyone out of the building, according to school officials. A student told Boston 25 News that fire alarms went off some time around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday morning. Students evacuated and went to different dorms. One student said he noticed a lot of police officers, instead of fire trucks responding. The school sent emails to students, the first one at 2:52 a.m., that stated: Simmons hall has been evacuated following a bomb threat. Emergency responders are on scene and the building is currently being searched. Please stay away from the area. Nearly two hours later, the students received the all-clear with another email coming in from the school at 4:28 a.m. that stated: After a thorough search, police have determined there is no threat to Simmons Hall and the building has been reopened. Students were asked to stay away from the area while crews swept the premises. It was surprising, I mean we thought it was like a cooking accident or something like that, said Lana Van Note, a student at MIT who was evacuated. We had had bomb threats in the past, so it was something that weve seen before, but definitely something you dont want to see, especially in the place that you live. Matthew Leonard, a senior at MIT, added, I heard someone saying the police had been speaking to them because they had received a bomb threat to their room specifically. Obviously, its a very serious thing, its a crime and I dont know how to say it exactly, its not really funny whatever this person is trying to accomplish. Its not proportionate to what they were doing. This comes just days after a hoax call was made to Harvard University in the middle of the night. And last week, more than two dozen schools in Massachusetts received swatting calls. So far, no word on any arrests in these cases. Story continues This threat comes after a hoax call was made to Harvard University on Monday and more than two dozen swatting calls to schools in Massachusetts last week. So far, no word on any arrests in these cases. An investigation into Wednesdays threat remains ongoing. Simmons Hall at #MIT was evacuated around 2:30 am for a reported bomb threat, but after a thorough search, nothing was found. This comes after a hoax call at #Harvard on Monday and more than 2 dozen schools in Massachusetts received swatting calls last week. @boston25 pic.twitter.com/ipRCg0y3KW Kelly Sullivan (@ksullivannews) April 5, 2023 This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW The defence forces of Ukraine, which include the units of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, make tremendous efforts to hold back the Russian offensive on the city of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast. Source: the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine; video published by the team of the Ukrainian news Telegram-channel DeepStateUA Details: The border guards reported repelling a massive Russian assault in an industrial zone of the city. Quote: "The rival concentrated his main efforts on the attempt to breach the defence line in the industrial zone of the city-fortress of Bakhmut. One of the strongholds of the border guards was located there on the line of the main strike of the Russian forces. The fight began in the evening and ended late at night. In the fiercest moment of the fight, our position was simultaneously attacked by six assault units of the Wagner PMC. The Ukrainian defenders were attacking the occupiers from mortars, large-calibre machine guns and sniper rifles. The Wagner recruits who were busting into trenches in the nearby field were attacked with dozens of hand grenades by our defenders. Despite the manpower advantage and active use of artillery, the Russian forces were not successful. Fire damage caused the Russians significant losses they had as many as 29 soldiers killed, and at least 40 were injured." Details: The video published by the DeepStateUA channel shows that the members of the Luhansk border guard unit in Bakhmut are fighting for every house in it. Background: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, confirmed that the situation in the city of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast is the most difficult but the Russians do not control the city. The defence forces of Ukraine are engaging in fierce battles with the occupiers. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! A 13-year-old boy made a joke about his younger friends mother, then that friend told him to shut up, according to local news reports in Pennsylvania. Authorities said the teen responded by shooting his 12-year-old friend to death. Pennsylvania State Police troopers were called to a street in Red Lion at about 8:30 p.m. Saturday, April 1, according to a news release. When they arrived, they found a boy dead of a gunshot wound. The boy was later identified by police as Kain Heiland, WHTM reported. Investigators learned Kain was with two other friends at the time he was killed, according to WHP. One boy was the shooter, and the other was a witness. The witness told police that he and his friends were walking around when the suspected shooter suggested going to his home, WGAL reported. The 13-year-old boy went inside his home, then came back with a gun. At some point after he had the gun, the teenager made a joke about Kains mom, according to court records obtained by WHP. The witness said Kain told his friend to shut up, then he was fatally shot at close range. (Kain) was spending the night at a friends house and a nightmare happened, a family friend said in a GoFundMe. After seeing that Kain wasnt moving, the witness said he and the other boy went to their homes, WHP reported. The witness told his mom what happened, then police were called. Authorities found a .380 shell casing near the boys body, WGAL reported. Investigators interviewed the 13-year-olds father, who said he had a gun safe and a .380 caliber firearm, according to WGAL. He found the gun in his safe by the time he returned home after the shooting. Police have not filed any charges as of April 4, WHTM reported. An investigation is ongoing. Ive seen Kain growing up all these years since he was a baby, Laurel McDonald said on Facebook. Its apparent how loved he was. I cant even fathom the pain that his parents, stepparents and brothers are enduring. Lets shower them in lots of love and support. This should not have happened, no one should have to bury their child, and justice will be served for this tragedy Story continues This 100% shatters my heart, Patti Bream wrote on Facebook. Kain Heiland was one of my former fourth grade students. I still have a soft spot in my heart for his caring and exuberant personality. I struggle to come to grips with the death of a child and pray for his family, his friends, and all of those whose lives he touched. 6-year-old showed gun at recess before shooting his teacher in Virginia, lawsuit says 3-year-old finds loaded pistol and fatally shoots 4-year-old sister, Texas cops say 15-year-old shot dead as teens played video games on snow day, Washington police say Alvin Braggs case against Donald Trump is running into a wall of skepticism including from left-leaning legal experts, liberal pundits and some of Trumps Republican detractors who have otherwise been eager to see him held accountable. A day after the Manhattan district attorney unveiled the history-making charging documents against the former president, some of Braggs natural allies were left scratching their heads and Trump world appeared emboldened by the uncertainties in the case. The post-arraignment hangover was fueled by burning questions about the prosecutions legal theories that Bragg has, for now, left largely unanswered. The concerns were exacerbated by the noticeable absence of support and in some cases pointed skepticism about the case from many of Trumps critics in the legal community and Congress. I believe President Trumps character and conduct make him unfit for office. Even so, I believe the New York prosecutor has stretched to reach felony criminal charges in order to fit a political agenda, said Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who twice voted to convict Trump in impeachment trials that would have rendered him ineligible to run for president. The prosecutors overreach sets a dangerous precedent for criminalizing political opponents and damages the publics faith in our justice system. Youve got to work hard to make President Trump a martyr, added Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), another GOP lawmaker who has been critical of Trump. Congratulations to Manhattan DA, Alvin Bragg, who has managed to do just that. Some wondered why Bragg revived a case he had appeared to leave for dead just months ago. Others questioned the specifics like how Bragg was able to elevate the falsification of business records charges against Trump into felonies, a move that requires evidence that Trump attempted to conceal a second crime. Still others focused on the delay in bringing charges six years after the core underlying conduct and anticipated that Trump will seek to toss the case for exceeding the statute of limitations, despite the assessment of some legal experts that the case is not time-barred. Story continues Bragg left those questions largely unanswered in Tuesdays filings and public comments. When asked why he changed course and charged Trump after having reportedly expressed reservations about aspects of the investigation, Bragg declined in a press conference to offer specifics, saying only that his prosecutors had more evidence made available to the office and the opportunity to meet with additional witnesses. Legal experts who had awaited Braggs charging documents to resolve some of the lingering mysteries about the case remained confounded by some aspects of the prosecution. It is said that if you go after the king, you should not miss, wrote Richard Hasen, a campaign finance law expert at UCLA. In this vein, it is very easy to see this case tossed for legal insufficiency or tied up in the courts well past the 2024 election before it might ever go to trial. It will be a circus that will embolden Trump, especially if he walks. Even Ian Millhiser, the liberal legal commentator for Vox, called the legal theory on which Braggs case is built dubious. The dynamic underscored the extraordinary risk Bragg took in deciding to mount the first-ever criminal prosecution of a former president particularly one who is not shy about stoking outrage at the justice system. Trump did just that in a speech at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday night, attacking not only Bragg but also the judge who will preside over the case, Juan Merchan, and the judges wife. Two former White House officials defended the case Bragg laid out, calling it legally sound and an important case for democracy even as they acknowledged the mixed reviews from legal experts. There are a number of important critiques of the case in the furor and they are worthy of consideration, former Obama White House ethics adviser Norm Eisen and former Nixon-era White House legal counsel John Dean wrote in a CNN op-ed Wednesday morning. But ultimately, they are all wrong. Bragg, a Democrat who colleagues say isnt particularly politically savvy, found himself without a large number of prominent Democratic allies Tuesday. New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Rep. Jamaal Bowman have been vocal supporters, with both elected officials attending a rally in support of the indictment Tuesday. Bowman has also taken to cable TV to advocate for Bragg, saying he has done an exceptional job. And at times Bragg has marshaled the support of surrogates, though mainly regarding non-legal aspects of the case. After Trump called the district attorney an animal last month, Bragg allies such as Rev. Al Sharpton and Rep. Adriano Espaillat came to his defense to ask people to stand with us now to stare down this unprecedented attack on the foundation of our democracy, with Espaillat later holding a rally for him. But Bragg hasnt had a backer with a megaphone the size of Trumps, and the district attorney is relatively limited in the public remarks he can make about an ongoing case an uneven playing field that Trump has used to his advantage. Others in Braggs position have said leaving the politics to election season is the best course of action for an elected district attorney. John Flynn, the district attorney of Erie County, New York, and the president of the National District Attorneys Association, said in a radio interview last month that you have to separate it. Once the election is over and you take over and start the job you have to remove yourself from politics. Once you do that, you can ward off the criticism, he told Buffalo station WBEN. Trump sought to highlight the fissures between his political adversaries and Bragg during his remarks at Mar-a-Lago late Tuesday, but he also appeared to damage his own cause with a fusillade aimed at Merchan just hours after the judge warned Trumps lawyers that their client should not made any statements that incite violate or create civil unrest. Trump amplified attacks he and his allies had previously mounted on social media, accusing Merchan and his family of being Trump-hating antagonists, despite Merchans concerns about Trumps inflammatory rhetoric. And Trumps meandering speech betrayed a rising concern about the acute legal threats he faces outside of Manhattan from a district attorney in Fulton County, Georgia, who is probing Trumps potential violations of Georgia election law, to special counsel Jack Smith, who has scored extraordinary, behind-the-scenes legal victories in recent days to secure testimony from some of Trumps closest allies. While mounting a steady stream of attacks on Bragg, Trump saved his harshest commentary for Smith and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, both of whom appear to be nearing charging decisions about the former president. And he has reason for concern. On Tuesday, a federal appeals court panel tossed Trumps effort to block Smith from bringing a long list of top Trump allies before the grand jury investigating his effort to subvert the 2020 election. That decision followed a similar ruling by Chief U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg to order former vice president Mike Pence to testify to the grand jury. Trump on Wednesday morning called on allies in Congress to defund the FBI and Justice Department to stave off the ongoing probes a virtual impossibility but an indication of Trumps mindset amid the swirling investigations. Stretching from Beijing to Hangzhou, the 2,700-km long Grand Canal boasts a rich 2,500-year history as the sole transportation artery connecting northern and southern China. It is the world's longest canal and was included on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2014. In 2019, the central government issued an outline calling for coordinated economic and social development along the Grand Canal to achieve high-quality development, leading to the formation of the Grand Canal Belt. Various cultural heritage sites on both sides of the riverbank punctuate the 82-kilometer Beijing section of the canal. The uniqueness of the Grand Canal Cultural Belt lies in its cultural diversity. The flowing canal has fostered economic, trade, and exchanges between the north and the south, as well as between China and other countries. Over time, these exchanges have culminated in a diverse Beijing-style canal culture. Photo taken on February, 7, 2023, shows the external facade of the Beijing Grand Canal Museum. [IC photo] The Beijing Grand Canal Museum, or the east building of the Capital Museum, is currently under construction. "The east hall's decoration and electrical installation are underway," said Feng Hao, head of the collection department of the Capital Museum. He also said the museum continues to collect cultural relics related to the Grand Canal and will showcase donated stone sculptures of water animals and Ming Dynasty rubbings. The museum is expected to be completed by the end of this year and open to the public by the end of next year. A boy passes the statue of Guo Shoujing, July 20, 2022. [IC photo] In October 2018, Shichahai Xihai Wetland Park opened to the public, becoming the only urban wetland in the core area of the capital. At the end of the same year, the Guo Shoujing Memorial Hall on the park's north side reopened after a nearly two-year closure. In the first year of its reopening, the hall attracted over 100,000 visitors, making it a popular attraction among Beijing's smaller museums. Following the Beijing section of the Grand Canal, more than 50 heritage sites such as sluice gates, bridges, and ancient ruins have gradually become "cultural pearls" as they undergo meticulous research and restoration. Wanshou Temple, the best-preserved imperial temple from the Ming and Qing dynasties in the Beijing section of the Grand Canal, has been fully restored. The Beijing Art Museum opened within the temple last September and has been aptly dubbed the "Little Forbidden City in West Beijing." Visitors can admire the exquisite calligraphy, paintings, and porcelain displayed inside. Ms. Wang, a local resident, praised the reopened Wanshou Temple, saying, "It's quite an experience to participate in DIY traditional Kesi and tie-dye workshops." Moving away from Wanshou Temple, the Tonghui River is a landmark for historical and cultural tourism along the Beijing section of the Grand Canal. In developing Beijing's sub-center Tongzhou district, the Grand Canal cultural tourism initiative plays a crucial role in the district's construction and development. The Beijing Grand Canal Cultural Tourism Scenic Spot in Tongzhou district aims to become the first 5A-level scenic spot in the capital's eastern region, attracting more citizens and tourists. The three temples and one pagoda complex at the Beijing Grand Canal Cultural Tourism Scenic Spot are full of spring, March 19, 2023. [IC photo] The three temples and one pagoda complex in the north of the scenic spot completed the restoration of cultural relics and upgrading of tourist facilities in September last year and opened to the public. The Randeng Pagoda, with more than 1,400 years of history, has been recently repaired. The renovation not only changed the pagoda's appearance but also added state-of-the-art lighting equipment, enhancing the visitor experience and interactivity. During the Lantern Festival this year, the Randeng Pagoda hosted a three-day light show. The three temples Confucian Temple, Youshengjiao Temple and Ziqing Palace represent Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, respectively. The close proximity of temples representing three different religions is a rare sight throughout the entire country. The Grand Canal has fostered a dynamic flow of culture, giving rise to an open and inclusive atmosphere. During this year's Spring Festival, the Randeng Pagoda Market opened its doors, drawing numerous tourists and offering canal-themed cultural and creative products, intangible cultural heritage exhibits, and specialty snacks. The Grand Canal cruise ship in Tongzhou district, Beijing, starts its first voyage this spring, March 19, 2023. [IC photo] The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism has developed over 10 canal-themed tourist routes in seven districts along the Grand Canal. By coordinating cultural tourism resources through the Grand Canal Cultural Belt in each district, the bureau aims to invigorate cultural tourism consumption. On April 28, 2022, the entire length of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal opened for navigation for the first time in a century. As cities situated on opposite ends of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, Beijing and Hangzhou are connected by this historic waterway. Since 2019, the two cities have established the Beijing-Hangzhou Dialogue Mechanism for China's Grand Canal Cultural Belt. This collaborative effort brings together resources from the government, industry, academia and research institutions, promoting cultural integration and cultural tourism promotion to realize the "Canal Revival" vision. From canal heritage parks and wetland parks to ancient buildings, villages, towns, museums, libraries, and art galleries, the Grand Canal Cultural Belt encompasses both cultural heritage sites scattered along the canal and newly built cultural facilities in urban areas. This blend of old and new fosters the ongoing development of the Grand Canal Cultural Belt, infusing the surrounding areas with more vitality. Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson Chicago mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson at Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen on April 4, 2023. Credit - Alex WroblewskiGetty Images Chicago has elected Brandon Johnson as the citys 57th mayor as residents sought new leadership amid frustrations about crime, housing, and other quality of life concerns. In a major victory for progressive Democrats, Johnson, a former community organizer, was declared the winner of the intraparty election by the Associated Press just about an hour after the polls closed on Tuesday night. We have ushered in a new chapter in the history of our city, Johnson said in a victory speech to his supporters, after earning 51.4% of the more than 500,000 votes cast to narrowly defeat the more conservative Democrat Paul Vallas in their race to lead the nations third-largest city. After nine contenders failed to earn 50% of the vote in Februarys first-round election, the decision for the citys mayor came down to a runoff between Johnson, the Cook County Commissioner and a former teacher who was endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union, and Vallas, former CEO of the Chicago school system who was backed by the police union. Mayor Lori Lightfoot came in third in February, garnering just 16.8% of the vote. Her loss in the first round of the electionthe first for an incumbent mayor in 40 yearssent a strong signal that Chicagoans were unhappy with the direction of the city. Many attributed that loss to the rise in crime under her leadership, which Vallas centered his campaign on. But some residents, like 24-year-old Isabella Salerno, said their concerns about crime do not overshadow the citys other needs, such as better transportation and schools. I think crime is a problem in Chicago, just as it is in any other major city, Salerno told TIME. I would love the crime rate to be lower, but I think investing into communities and providing adequate resources are more efficient in lowering crime rates. Story continues Heres what to know about the new mayor of Chicago. Who is Brandon Johnson? Chicagoans narrowly elected Brandon Johnson, putting the unabashed progressive in charge of a city struggling on numerous fronts. The 47-year-old has advocated for a greater reckoning with how circumstances like unemployment and gun violence impact families and students, positioning himself as a would-be mayor with left-wing ideals. His campaign website discusses his efforts to recognize holidays like Indigenous Peoples Day and his experience helping immigrants facing deportation get legal representation. Johnson, who won his seat as Cook County Commissioner for the 1st District in 2018, has been a longtime community organizer. Under his leadership, Cook Countys Just Housing Ordinancewhich bans housing discrimination based on a persons criminal historypassed. Working with the teachers union, Johnson also took part in the 2019 Chicago Public Schools strike, as educators fought for better wages, increased staffing of social workers and more, while positioning their protest as one that sought greater equity in the city. Johnson has advocated for policies including reduced public transit fares and increasing social services spending, which he would fund by increasing taxes on big businesses. (He has promised not to raise property taxes). His tax plan, which he says would make suburbs, airlines, and ultra-rich pay their fair share would generate $800 million in revenue. It was subject to criticism from business and real estate groups. [Johnson] would increase taxes on hotels and motels that are still struggling to get through the pandemic, reinstate the employee head tax which charges businesses for each job they create within the city, increase taxes on real estate transactions which would stifle affordable housing development and much more, said the the Chicagoland Apartment Association, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association, Illinois Manufacturers Association, and the Illinois Retail Merchants Association in a joint statement. And in a city where crime and public safety are key priorities for nearly half of Chicago voters, the former teacher has also been criticized by residents for his previous support of defunding the police. (Johnson, who was the only candidate during the first round who did not promise to maintain the police departments current budget, later said he would not reduce their funds). Johnson had the support of significant progressive political figures including Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, Rev. Jesse Jackson, in addition to Rep. Jesus Chuy Garcia, who was also previously in the running for mayor. United Working Families, a political organization that supports Black and Latinx candidates, also endorsed Johnson. Who is Paul Vallas? A more moderate Democrat, Vallas, 69, previously served Chicagoans under former Mayor Richard M. Daley, working as the citys budget director. The second-time candidate (Vallas first ran for mayor in 2019) has presented himself as a leader who would be tough on crime by promoting proactive policing, which would bring some 1,100 additional police officers on the streets. He also advocated for an end to the citys foot pursuit policy, which says that officers cannot chase a suspect on foot unless the need to detain the person outweighs the potential dangers of engaging in a pursuit. (That policy was passed last year after a police chase led to the death of two people, including a thirteen-year-old boy, in 2021). Crime is going up and crime will be my number one priority as mayor because public safety is a fundamental human right, Vallas said at a press conference on Monday. Families cannot afford to have to live in fear. Vallas has also voiced his support for violence prevention through programs that would keep schools open during the summer and on Saturdays, and another to help unemployed individuals find work. Chicago mayoral candidate Paul Vallas addresses his supporters after conceding the runoff election to his opponent Brandon Johnson, at his watch party, Tuesday, April 4, 2023. Erin HooleyAP Vallas previously worked as Chicago Public Schools first CEO, where he earned a reputation as an avid supporter of school privatization and establishing charter schools. He also ran school districts in Philadelphia, New Orleans, and Bridgeport, Conn. His campaign received funding from Illinois Federation for Children PAC, a lobbying group founded by former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who served in the Trump Administration. Organizations like Chicagos Fraternal Order of Police endorsed Vallas, which proved controversial given the police departments longstanding reputation of misconduct. Vallas had previously run for governor and lieutenant governor. During this mayoral race, he received the support of Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, former Congressman Bobby Rush, and the Chicago Latino Leadership Council. Vallas told his supporters Tuesday that he called Johnson to concede and offered to help with the transition, saying: Its clear, based on the results tonight, that the city is deeply divided. Brandon Johnson, a progressive county commissioner and teachers union official, won Chicago's mayoral race on a promise to Brandon Johnson, a progressive county commissioner and teachers union official, won Chicago's mayoral race on a promise to "invest in people" as a way to reduce crime and poverty. Overcoming a major fundraising gap, accusations that he would defund the police and public polling that predicted his defeat, progressive Brandon Johnson, a Cook County commissioner and organizer for the Chicago Teachers Union, won a hotly contested race for mayor of Chicago, the nations third-largest city. Johnson, who is a Black leftist and former schoolteacher, defeated former CEO of Chicago Public Schools Paul Vallas, a white technocrat at the conservative edge of the contemporary Democratic coalition. Johnsons victory in one of the starkest ideological proxy battles in the annals of recent municipal politics is a historic achievement for the activist left that is likely to have ripple effects across the county. Its significance for intra-Democratic Party politics is rivaled perhaps only by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezs surprise ouster of then-Rep. Joe Crowley in 2018. That Johnson prevailed amid an uptick in crime and economic uncertainty that has strengthened the hand of the moderate wing of the Democratic Party in the past three years is that much more remarkable. In remarks to supporters on Tuesday night, Johnson extended an olive branch to Vallas voters, promising that he would be their mayor, too. But he made it clear that he will not let that slow his efforts to make Chicago a more equitable and livable city. We will not allow the politics of old to turn us around, Johnson declared. We are building a better, stronger, safer Chicago. Were doing it together, he continued. Its a multicultural, multi-generational movement that has literally captured the imagination of not just the city of Chicago but the rest of the world. Since the start of the runoff, Vallas raised about $13 million to Johnsons $7 million. Even that level of cash would not have been possible for Johnson without the support of the Chicago Teachers Union and other labor organizations that were responsible for 90% of the money he raised over the course of the entire campaign. Story continues Johnsons candidacy was the culmination of a decade of organizing and political institution-building by the CTU. His win over Vallas, a charter school proponent and outspoken critic of CTU, likewise solidifies a leftward shift in education policy that has gained steam over the same period. CTUs influence in politics is absolutely crucial to his victory, said Tom Bowen, a Chicago Democratic consultant who advised Mayor Lori Lightfoots unsuccessful reelection campaign. Vallas, who was endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, the citys main police union, hammered Johnson relentlessly for his sympathy for calls to defund the police in 2020. Johnson interpreted the slogan as a desire to reallocate funding from law enforcement to social programs that attack the root causes of crime. As a mayoral candidate, however, Johnson promised not to cut a dime of police spending and issued dubiously worded denials that he had ever embraced defund the police in the first place. But unlike Vallas, Johnson did not promise to increase police funding or fill the 1,600-person backlog that the Chicago Police Department faces relative to its 2019 staffing levels. He instead proposed redirecting wasteful or unnecessary parts of the police budget to add 200 more detectives to the police force through internal promotion. Johnson also ran on raising taxes on businesses and affluent households to fund a host of social programs that he billed as the surest route to lower crime in the long run. Key parts of his agenda include reopening shuttered mental health clinics, doubling the citys summer jobs program for young people and sparing city taxpayers another property tax hike. The son of a Christian preacher from Elgin, Illinois, Johnson employed soaring oratory to appeal to Chicagoans compassionate ideals. Anyone paying a moments notice to the race knew that Johnson planned to invest in people. If were going to get a better, stronger, safer Chicago, we have to do what safe American cities do, and they invest in people, Johnson said in a televised debate against Vallas on March 8. That message resonated, including among many older and more moderate Black voters who Vallas courted. LaTrell Rush, a resident of the Woodlawn neighborhood on Chicagos South Side, told HuffPost that her priorities for a mayor would be to stop the killing and provide better resources for people with mental illnesses. Paul Im not connecting with his vibes, Rush said. With Brandon, my vibes connect. Arjette James-Wallace, a retired emergency medical technician from West Englewood, walked out of the room when Vallas addressed the congregation of New Beginnings Church on March 26. The churchs pastor, Rev. Corey Brooks, had endorsed Vallas, but James-Wallace backed Johnson, whom she described as the lesser of two evils. James-Wallace liked Johnsons plan to fund mental health clinics and disliked Vallas hysteria about crime, which she said reflected a white racial bias. When it started affecting people not of color, then they want to put it on the news, she said. Other voters supporting Johnson simply did not believe that he would be able to defund the police, even if he wanted to do so. I dont think Brandons going to do that, said Ahmed Hattab, an IT specialist living in northwest Chicagos Belmont-Cragin neighborhood. Its not that easy to do. Hattab blamed what he sees as the excesses of the Black Lives Matter movement for making police afraid to do their jobs. But his 17-year-old daughter, Jenin, who accompanied him to the polls, helped convince her father to support Johnson. Hes the kind of person who starts from the bottom, Hattab said. And he worked with the schools a lot. Johnson is due to succeed Lightfoot, the citys first Black woman mayor and first openly gay mayor. Paul Vallas, center, celebrates a strong showing in the first round of voting on Feb. 28 that enabled him to proceed to a runoff against Johnson on Tuesday. Paul Vallas, center, celebrates a strong showing in the first round of voting on Feb. 28 that enabled him to proceed to a runoff against Johnson on Tuesday. Amid unrelenting criticism from the left and right and public outcry over the crime rate, Lightfoot did not survive the first round of Chicagos instant-runoff elections on Feb. 28. Johnsons rise was likely made possible by a fateful miscalculation that Lightfoot made. The incumbent mayor largely ignored Johnson during the first round, focusing her resources instead on cutting down U.S. Rep. Jesus Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.), who ultimately came in fourth place. In the runoff against Vallas, Johnson consolidated his existing support among largely young and white progressive voters on the citys North Side while adding to his coalition in the majority-Black precincts on the South and West sides where Lightfoot was dominant in February. To achieve the latter, Johnson succeeded in framing the race as a choice between an heir of the Black civil rights movement and a reactionary Republican posing as a lifelong Democrat. He enlisted the support of local Black icons like Cook County Board of Commissioners President Toni Preckwinkle and Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., alongside national Black surrogates like Rev. Al Sharpton and House Democratic Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.). Vallas long trail of impolitic comments on conservative talk shows from his 2009 admission that he was more of a Republican than a Democrat to more recent remarks disparaging former President Barack Obama made Johnsons job easier. And while Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) stayed out of the race, Vallas criticism of Pritzkers management of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted Pritzkers team to take a swipe at Vallas. Johnson and Vallas are both candidates who come from their bases, and theyre both candidates that are flawed, Bowen said. The winner is the one that essentially covered up those flaws best. As hard as the campaign was for Johnson, the challenges that await him in City Hall are perhaps even more formidable. He stands to inherit the same public safety crisis and fiscal challenges as Lightfoot and possibly face even more political opposition. The Chicago City Council, which is expected to be more moderate than Johnson, recently voted to expand its power vis-a-vis the mayor. In addition, the Fraternal Order of Police and major business groups have signaled that they are hostile to Johnsons agenda. Bowen predicted that forces outside of Johnsons control would force him to disappoint his base and govern more from the middle. An odd thing about Chicago politics is that the extreme left hates you and the extreme right hates you, which just automatically forces you to the center, he said. But some of Johnsons allies have already indicated that they are aware of the limitations that Johnson will face once in office. People will have everyone else believe that if Brandon becomes mayor, that, magically, generations of underfunding, generations of segregation, generations of an equitable application of school funding is suddenly going to be over, Stacy Davis Gates, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, told HuffPost in an interview in late March. Thats not going to happen. In that way, Johnsons mayoralty is a starting point rather than an endpoint, she added. Related... Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson is projected to win the Chicago mayoral runoff, replacing Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) as the citys next top executive, according to The Associated Press. Johnson, a progressive, won the election against former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas, a centrist. The pair made it into the Tuesday runoff after they became the two top vote-getters during the initial Feb. 28 election, which included Lightfoot and eight other candidates. This is Johnsons first run for Chicago mayor, and the election comes as voters were forced to choose between two starkly different Democratic challengers. Speaking to supporters just before 10 p.m. local time, Vallas said that even though of course we believe every vote should be counted, I called Brandon Johnson and told him that I absolutely expect him to be the next mayor of Chicago. Those remarks part of a less-than-10 minute speech that notably omitted the words concede or concession drew boos from the crowd before Vallas interjected please, please, please. Its critically, critically important I mean this campaign that I ran to bring the city together would not be a campaign that fulfilled my ambitions if this election is going to divide us more. So its critically important that we use this opportunity to come together, and Ive offered him my full support on his transition, he added. Even before the initial February election, polling had shown that the issue of crime and public safety weighed heavily on Chicago voters in a city thats still grappling with higher levels of crime compared to before the COVID pandemic. Vallas, who placed first during this years initial February election, campaigned as a tough-on-crime candidate who called to have the Chicago police officer staffing increased, have cops on a more regular neighborhood beat and have more of a police presence on Chicago transit. Story continues Meanwhile, Johnson took a more initiatives-oriented approach to the issue of public safety. Though he advocated for the promotion and hiring of 200 more police detectives, he also spoke about doubling youth employment in the city to more than 60,000 summer jobs and creating an Office of Community Safety. Johnson, a former teacher and Chicago Teachers Union organizer, however, had to defend previous comments he made expressing support for the defund the police movement, which was thrust to the spotlight in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, a Black man who died under the knee of a white cop. During the course of the race, the Cook County commissioner argued that he would not defund the police when pressed on his position during debates underscoring how the political landscape over policing has changed in the years since the start of the pandemic. Meanwhile, Vallas was forced to defend his personal politics as Johnson and Lightfoot painted the former CPS executive as a Republican in disguise during the initial February race. Vallas has been targeted for his endorsement from the Fraternal Order of Police, whose president is a supporter of former President Trump, and taken jabs at high-profile Democrats including former President Obama, a former Illinois senator, and President Biden, according to Politico. Vallas has argued hes been a lifelong Democrat and has previously run as a Democrat in past elections, including as former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinns (D) running mate. Updated: 11:02 p.m. ET For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. By Ricardo Brito and Lisandra Paraguassu BRASILIA (Reuters) - A Supreme Court judge backed a government move to crack down on illegal gold mining in Brazil, suspending a legal practice of buyers accepting the origin of the precious metal with paper receipts based on the "good faith" of the seller. The injunction by Justice Gilmar Mendes gave the government 90 days to adopt a new regulatory framework for the gold trade to stop the sale of gold mined illegally from indigenous lands and other environmentally protected areas. "This spurious consortium formed by illegal miners and criminal organizations must be stopped as soon as possible," Mendes said in his ruling late on Tuesday. The decision, which goes into effect immediately but needs approval by the full court, gives support to leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is facing pressure from right-wing politicians to drop a crackdown on wildcat gold miners. The presumption of "good faith" in the gold supply chain since 2013 helped to obscure the true origins of Brazilian gold exports, roughly half of which are now estimated to be mined illegally. The previous government of President Jair Bolsonaro eased environmental protections and encouraged wildcat mining in the Amazon rainforest. A surge in illegal mining on the Yanomami indigenous reservation caused disease and malnutrition that led the Lula government to declare a humanitarian crisis. The government has moved to establish stricter rules for the gold trade, proposing to end the "good faith" practice and new legislation that would require electronic tax receipts for the buying and selling of the metal. Justice Minister Flavio Dino told Reuters on Wednesday that the text for the government's new regulations of the gold industry should be ready next week for Lula's final review. Last week, Brazil's tax authority mandated electronic tax invoices for the trading in gold that is declared a financial asset or a foreign exchange instrument, helping to curb the trade in illegally mined gold when it takes effect on July 3. Story continues In 2021, 54% of Brazil's gold production, or 52.8 tonnes, had clear signs of having illegal origins, according to Instituto Escolhas. The Brazilian Institute of Mining (Ibram), which represents gold mining companies such as AngloGold Ashanti Ltd and Yamana Gold Inc, as well as multinational giants such as Vale, Rio Tinto Ltd and BHP Group Ltd, said 20% of Brazilian gold had no declared origin in 2021, citing data from the National Mining Agency. (Reporting by Ricardo Brito and Lisandra Paraguassu; Writing by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Brad Haynes and Jonathan Oatis) BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) Former President Jair Bolsonaro underwent questioning Wednesday about diamond jewelry gifts when he was in power, as part of an investigation into whether he engaged in any irregularities in bringing the items into Brazil. The case has added to the legal jeopardy already surrounding the far-right politician's time as president. He is also under investigation for any involvement in a rampage by his supporters through the national capital after he left office and for numerous actions during the presidential election campaign he lost last fall. Federal police and prosecutors are investigating whether three sets of jewelry brought into the country from Saudi Arabia were public gifts that Bolsonaro improperly tried to prevent from being incorporated into the presidencys public collection or were private gifts that Bolsonaro tried sneak into Brazil without paying taxes. Brazil requires its citizens arriving by plane from abroad to declare goods worth more than $1,000 and, for any amount above that exemption, pay a tax equal to 50% of their value. The three sets of jewelry would have been exempt from tax had they been a gift from the state of Saudi Arabia to the nation of Brazil, but would not have been Bolsonaros to keep. After Bolsonaro left the Federal Police headquarters in Brazils capital Wednesday, it wasn't know if he answered investigator's questions or exercised his right to stay silent. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing connected to the gifts, and said he never attempted to hide anything. A customs agent seized one of the sets, manufactured by Swiss brand Chopard and reportedly worth some $3 million, at Sao Paulo's international airport in October 2021 when an adviser to the then minister for mines and energy brought it into the country. Documents and video footage published by Brazilian news outlets appear to show supposed emissaries of Bolsonaro making multiple unsuccessful attempts to retrieve the seized jewelry, up until just days before the end of his presidency. A government watchdog ordered Bolsonaro to return the remaining jewelry to the state-owned Caixa Economica Federal bank. He returned one set on March 24. The other was delivered on Tuesday, Bolsonaro's former comunications chief, Fabio Wajngarten, wrote on Twitter. MILWAUKEE (AP) Rowdy Tellez, Brian Anderson and Garrett Mitchell hit consecutive home runs off Max Scherzer in the sixth inning, and Wade Miley earned his 100th career win as the Milwaukee Brewers routed the New York Mets 9-0 on Tuesday night. Anderson and Mitchell also connected for back-to-back homers in the seventh off reliever Brooks Raley. The hot-hitting Anderson, who homered in Monday's 10-0 victory over the Mets as well, had a two-run double in the first against Scherzer (1-1) and finished with six RBIs. I think I just got some mistake pitches over the plate and I was able to put good swings on them, Anderson said. "Obviously, its going to be hard to keep up that pace all year, but its just a good feeling in the clubhouse right now. Anderson and Mitchell became the first pair of teammates to hit back-to-back homers in consecutive innings since Javy Lopez and Andruw Jones of the Atlanta Braves did it on June 13, 1998, against the Montreal Expos. As a team, were clicking from top to bottom with everyone from veterans to rookies, Mitchell said. Miley, who started just eight games for the Chicago Cubs last season due to elbow and shoulder issues, made his season debut for the Brewers. He started 16 games for Milwaukee in 2018, compiling a 5-2 record. The 36-year-old lefty rejoined the Brewers in January when he signed a $4.5 million, one-year deal with a mutual option for 2024. Im so blessed, 13 years to put a uniform on," Miley said. You go through your ups and downs. I had a stretch midpoint in my career where I honestly thought it was over. Miley (1-0) pitched six sharp innings, giving up five hits. He struck out three and didn't walk a batter. He pitched six wonderful innings tonight and he did it just in kind of his style and how he does it, Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. Worked fast, balls going both directions, changing speeds, front-back, in and out. It was really a clinic in pitching. Story continues Three relievers completed an eight-hitter, handing the Mets consecutive shutouts for the first time since June 2021 against Atlanta. The Brewers beat New York for the 17th time in the last 20 games at Milwaukee. Milwaukee tagged Scherzer for eight hits and five runs in 5 1/3 innings. The only other time the three-time Cy Young Award winner gave up three successive homers came in July 2017 with Washington at Arizona when David Peralta, AJ Pollock and Jake Lamb went deep in the first. They came in with a good game plan," Scherzer said. They did a couple things that showed that they were thinking differently today. It was the first time Brewers batters launched three home runs in a row since Aug. 8, 2018, when Jesus Aguilar, Travis Shaw and Eric Thames pulled off the feat against the Padres. TRAINERS ROOM Mets: Placed RHP Tommy Hunter on the 15-day injured list with back spasms and selected RHP Denyi Reyes to the major league roster. Transferred RHP Bryce Montes de Oca to the 60-day IL. Brett Baty, a top 3B prospect, left Triple-A Syracuses game Tuesday afternoon with a right thumb injury that appeared to occur on a swing. Baty finished the plate appearance and drew a walk but was removed in the fourth. He will undergo imaging on Wednesday. Baty had surgery on the same thumb last season after getting hurt while in the majors. Brewers: RHP Adrian Houser (right groin) is expected to throw bullpens on Wednesday and Saturday. LHP Aaron Ashby (left labrum) continues with a light throwing program. UP NEXT LHP David Peterson (0-1, 1.80 ERA) pitches Wednesday afternoon for the Mets in his second career start against Milwaukee. RHP Corbin Burnes (0-1, 7.20) starts for the Brewers in the finale of the three-game series. Burnes is 2-1 with a 3.04 ERA in five career games (four starts) against the Mets. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports The Jets are getting a closer look at one of the top offensive tackle prospects Wednesday. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the Jets are meeting with Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones. Jones is a near-consensus top three player at the position along with Northwesterns Peter Skoronski and Ohio States Paris Johnson Jr. Jones was already a strong contender among the group and was made his name even bigger by having the fastest time in the 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine with a 4.97. Jones has become a very strong possibility at No. 13 for the Jets as the team needs depth and future help at the position and Jones has the looks of a long-term left tackle. Not only that, but the Jets are gearing up for a run once they finally acquire Aaron Rodgers and Jones would help the team make their playoff push this season. Story originally appeared on Jets Wire While Brunswick County has sent out property revaluations, there are various towns that also have to factor in their own taxes. Earlier this year, many Brunswick County residents were surprised when they got their property revaluations in the mail. Many residents have expressed concern about how an increased valuation could impact their property tax bills. County officials have said they plan to maintain a revenue-neutral budget with a significant reduction in the countys tax rate. But what about the countys municipalities? Here are five things you need to know. Who determines the municipal property tax rates? While every resident within county pays county taxes, those that live in one of Brunswicks 19 incorporated areas will also pay municipal property taxes. The governing board for each municipality sets its own tax rate, and that rate can vary significantly throughout the county. What exactly does revenue-neutral mean? A revenue-neutral tax rate is the rate that would continue to bring in the same total amount of tax dollars despite the increased property valuations. With a revenue-neutral budget, an increase in property tax values is offset by a tax rate decrease, which maintains the same revenues as the prior year. More: Facing massive HOA dues, some Brunswick residents fight to change state laws More: Neighbors on busy Brunswick road continue fight against 'frivolous housing' What is the revaluation based on? Property revaluations, or reappraisals, are based on current sales prices and market values, which may vary by area or municipality. Will Brunswicks municipalities adopt revenue-neutral tax rates? Some municipalities have indicated they intend to lower their tax rates to alleviate some of the burden on residents. "Yes, we are looking at all options, but it is our intention to lower the tax rate in Shallotte," said Shallotte Town Manager Mimi O'Sullivan Gaither. "I dont have definitive amounts as of yet since we are still having budget workshops." Like Shallotte, most of the county's municipalities are waiting until they begin to work through their budgets to consider a tax rate. Story continues "A tax rate for the upcoming fiscal year has not been formally proposed, as that will be determined by the Town Council in the upcoming Budget Workshops, and ultimately voted on as part of the approved Budget," Oak Island spokesman Mike Emory said. Most local government units will not finalize their budgets and approve tax rates until May or June. Can I appeal my tax revaluation? The final date to request an appeal for 2023 assessed values will be at 5 p.m. on Monday, April 24. But those who wish to appeal should contact the Brunswick County tax office at 910-253-2829 as soon as possible to file. STAY CONNECTED: Keep up with the areas latest Brunswick County news by signing up for the Brunswick Today newsletter and following us on Facebook and Instagram. This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Brunswick towns grapple with tax rates after county revaluations The main suspect in the trial of nine alleged jihadists accused of taking part in the March 2016 bombings in Brussels denied on Wednesday having any knowledge of the plot. Salah Abdeslam, a 33-year-old Frenchman already jailed over his role in the Paris terror attacks of November 2015, was facing his first day of cross-examination in the Brussels trial. On March 22, 2016, two suicide bombers blew themselves up at the Belgian capital's airport and another one targeted a metro station, killing 32 people and wounding many more. Investigators believe the Islamic State (IS) group cell behind the attacks was linked to the group that carried out the Paris attacks, which left 130 dead. Abdeslam has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for his role in the French massacre. On Wednesday he insisted he had no knowledge of the Belgian plot. "My presence in the dock is unjustified," he told the court. "This is not justice, this is trying to make an example of someone." Abdeslam argued that he could not have taken part in planning the Brussels attacks because, he claimed, they had been planned in the four days between his March 18 arrest and the fatal blasts. "I was not aware of anything," he said. He rejected questions as to whether he had any responsibility in the attacks or any role in a "terrorist group". "I said I had pledged loyalty to IS. But belonging to a terrorist group, I wouldn't define it like that," he said. - 'Man in the hat' - The trial began on December 5 last year, in a specially built high-security courtroom in the disused former headquarters of the NATO military alliance. Wednesday was the first day of questions for the defendants. Abdeslam's childhood friend and fellow accused, 38-year-old Mohamed Abrini, also downplayed his role. Abrini has been identified by prosecutors as the so-called "man in the hat" seen on airport surveillance footage, apparently changing his mind at the last minute and deciding not to detonate his bomb. Story continues Two more attackers, Najim Laachraoui and Ibrahim El Bakraoui, went through with their suicide bombings, and a third, Khalid El Bakraoui, attacked the Maalbeek metro station. Another defendant in the trial, Osama Krayem, a Swedish citizen described in the Paris proceedings as an "experienced fighter" for IS, refused to appear in court. He is accused of accompanying El Bakraoui in the metro but then turning around and getting rid of his explosives. Abrini told the court: "They're trying to pin this all on us. Just like in Paris, they'll convict for what others did." Abrini left Paris on the eve of the attacks, but the French court concluded that he had planned to carry out a suicide bombing there before another last-minute change of heart. He was given a life sentence, with no chance of parole before 22 years served, but did not lodge an appeal. "After 10 months on trial, we were at the end of our tether. Even if I had been sentenced to death I would not have appealed," he told the Belgian court. - 'Too many sins' - Wearing an orange hooded T-shirt under a dark jacket, with close-cropped hair and a full beard, Abrini argued that the defendants appearing in Belgium were "not the tip of the pyramid". "You never caught those pulling the strings, but you have to trot out someone, and that someone is us," he said, accusing the prosecution of pandering to a public thirst for revenge. The defendants' version of the events in the run-up to and day of the attacks will be examined later in the trial, but on Wednesday they were cross-examined about their character and motivations. Asked by the presiding judge Laurence Massart to describe his qualities, Abdeslam said: "I've always tried to do good. It's what I've always done throughout my life." "And your faults?" the judge continued. Abdeslam paused for a moment to reflect, then replied: "I don't know of any." Faced with the same question, Abrini responded that his belief in God was a strength but that he has "millions of faults -- I commit too many sins". The trial continues. aje/dc/rmb/giv Dalia Blass, head of external affairs at BlackRock Inc., center, speaks during a Texas Senate Committee hearing Dalia Blass, head of external affairs at BlackRock Inc., center, speaks during a Texas Senate Committee hearing in Marshall, Texas, on Dec. 15, 2022. The hearing questioning whether investors environmental, social and governance policies are hindering state pension investments. Credit - Dylan HollingsworthBloomberg/Getty Images Its not good for business for lobbyists to cross the legislators theyre meant to sway in a public setting. And yet on March 14, a stream of insurance lobbyists stepped up to the podium at a hearing of the insurance committee of the Texas House of Representatives to oppose the states latest foray into legislation meant to cut the legs out from under Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) efforts. If there are climate-changing weather patterns, insurance companies need the flexibility to factor that in, said Paul Martin, a vice president at the Reinsurance Association of America. The tone was conciliatory, but it was clear that the lobbyists firmly opposed a policy that would ban insurers from using ESG considerations in the state. Can we do our business the way that we do it? asked Lee Ann Alexander of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association. Can we use the tools at hand that are legal, not unfairly discriminatory, and actuarially justified? This hearing tells us a lot about the state of the ESG debate in the U.S. From the outset, corporate leaders viewed the conservative backlash to ESG as a threat to how they conduct business. But executives have been reticent to speak out, fearing the wrath of angry GOP lawmakers. Almost every company and investor that has committed to acting on sustainability, analyzing the risk of environmental and social issues is continuing to do so, says Mindy Luber, president of Ceres, a sustainability nonprofit. Where were seeing some hesitancy, and certainly not across the board, is the willingness to stand up and speak out. Whether, and how quickly, businesses stand up and push back, will shape whether the anti-ESG movement balloons or deflates. If the Texas case is any indicator, the best motivator to get businesses to push back will be the bottom line. Story continues To understand why the ESG backlash is so alarming to businesses, its helpful to look back at the first widely-referenced mention of ESG: a 2004 United Nations report. For decades, business leaders had debated to what degree companies should concern themselves with social matters beyond factors that directly impacted their bottom line. The UN report, endorsed by major banks like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, made the case that in a globalized economy ESG matters would affect financial returns, so therefore financial firms needed to do a better job considering ESG in their operations. Companies that perform better with regard to these issues can increase shareholder value, the report said. At the same time, a wide range of sustainable investment funds began to appear. Some focused on investments that would deliver positive societal outcomessay, minority empowerment. Others focused solely on helping investors avoid risks associated with ESG issuesthink of, say, a company located in a flood zone. By 2020, U.S. investors had placed more than $17 trillion in funds employing ESG strategies, according to analysis from the Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment. Just as importantly, those principles had begun to infiltrate the language and thinking of corporate executives as they sought to consider and adjust for how risks like climate change might affect their business. In the lingo of investors, climate-linked extreme weather poses physical risks to corporate assets while the possibility of new rules and regulations pose so-called transition risks. Both of those amount to a compelling economic case to take environmental concerns seriously. Science and society together drive the economics on this, says Anne Simpson, the global head of sustainability at Franklin Templeton, an investment firm. And those economics are driving some companies to begin to challenge the anti-ESG rhetoric and legislation behind the scenes and, in some cases, in public forums. In Texas, after legislators tried to restrict the insurance industry from using ESG metrics, insurance lobbyists went public with their opposition to the restrictions, arguing that they would be bad for business. Indeed, environmental factors can represent significant risks for insurers and can play into decisions about which policies to issue and what rates to charge. You can think of things that would fall within the description of environmental, social, and governance that might be completely legitimate rating and underwriting considerations, Jon Schnautz of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies told the Texas House insurance committee. State banking associations in deep red parts of the country, including North Dakota and Montana, have pushed back on anti-ESG legislation targeting banks. In Kentucky, the banking trade group went as far as suing the states attorney general over his anti-ESG attempts. The case remains active. National brands have been slower to push back, fearful of blowback, but there are hints that they may be on the precipice of changing. On March 24, a group of hundreds of companies convened by Ceres released a letter calling for policymakers to respect the freedom to invest responsibly and arguing that using ESG considerations is simply good governance. Still, its not surprising that so many others have chosen to remain silent. The political risks of speaking out remain high. Texas, which has a higher GDP than Russia, blocked 10 financial firms from doing business with the state government because of their ESG positions. Moreover, firms can and do continue to implement their ESG-related practices without publicizing it. And investors continue to send hundreds of billions of dollars in new investment to ESG funds despite the backlash and other economic headwinds. The proof is in the pudding: look at how those companies are allocating resources, allocating capital, says John Morton, managing director at Pollination, a climate change investment and advisory firm. I think that tells a pretty compelling story about where they see both financial risk in markets and where they see financial opportunity in the transition to a lower carbon economy. Nonetheless, the backlash will take a greater toll if its allowed to continue to spread unchecked. A Republican bill to restrict pension managers from considering ESG passed both houses of Congress, and failed only thanks to Joe Bidens veto. For those concerned that ESG risks threaten their business, speaking out may soon become the best path to protect the bottomline. In April 2018, China announced the decision to support the southern province of Hainan in developing the whole island into a pilot free trade zone and gradually exploring and steadily promoting the establishment of a free trade port (FTP) with Chinese characteristics. Photo taken on March 14, 2023 shows a busy scene at a container terminal of the Port of Haikou, south China's Hainan province. (People's Daily Online/Yang He) Five years on, the construction of the Hainan FTP has achieved fruitful results and significantly boosted the development of the province. Hainan's GDP expanded 5.3 percent annually on average in the past five years, while the province's trade in goods and services surged 23.4 percent and 17.7 percent each year averagely during the same period. Hainan's total foreign trade accounted for 34.7 percent of its GDP last year, up 15 percentage points in five years. Besides, it's actual use of foreign capital doubled for three consecutive years in 2018, 2019 and 2020, and the five-year total exceeds the sum of the previous 30 years. The Yangpu international container port at Yangpu economic development zone, Hainan province, has opened 40 domestic and international sea routes. Last year, the port handled nearly 1.77 million twenty-foot equivalent units, a year-on-year increase of 34.06 percent. Tourism, modern services, high technology and high-efficiency agriculture with tropical characteristics, which are four leading industries of Hainan province, now make up 70 percent of the province's GDP, up from 53 percent five years ago. In 2022, 13 key industrial parks in the Hainan FTP reported revenue of over 1.8 trillion yuan ($262.05 billion), 31.6 percent more from a year ago. A cruise ship departs from the Phoenix Island in Sanya, south China's Hainan province. (People's Daily Online/Ye Longbin) Hainan has become an engine that forcefully drives consumption. Sales of offshore duty-free shops in the province have exceeded 130 billion yuan in the past five years; the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, a cluster of industries of international medical tourism, has introduced and employed more than 300 types of drugs and medical equipment; six Sino-foreign education joint ventures and projects have been officially approved and kicked off in the Hainan Li'an International Education Innovation Pilot Zone. Over the past five years, Hainan province has vigorously optimized its business environment, making it law-based, internationalized and business-friendly, as well as fair, transparent and expectable, which offers important support for the construction of the Hainan FTP. Hainan has introduced more than 180 policies to optimize its business environment, including exempting tariffs for imported raw materials, transportation vehicles, yachts and self-use production equipment, lowering the income tax rate to 15 percent for eligible companies, capping the personal income tax rate at 15 percent for individuals with high-level and in-demand expertise working in Hainan, and exempting tariff for domestic sales of goods with added value. The province's foreign investment negative list contains only 27 items, the shortest in the country. As Hainan's business environment continues to be optimized, the province has become a hot destination for business entities. It is reported that the number of newly established business entities in the province in the past five years is more than the total of the past three decades. Photo shows the Haikou International Duty Free Shopping Complex in south China's Hainan province. (People's Daily Online/Shi Zhonghua) "Our trade volume increased significantly last year, with more types of products being exported. Our business has been expanded to South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and other countries," said Li Xiaotao, general manager of a foreign trade company in Hainan. Li's company received its first Certificate of Origin under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) on the day that the trade pact went into force on Jan. 1, 2022. Thanks to the certificate, the company enjoyed zero tariff treatment for a batch of aluminum sulfate products exported to Japan. At present, Hainan province is enjoying the dividends from both the RCEP and FTP policies. Last year, the province's trade volume with RCEP members grew 23.7 percent to reach 71.18 billion yuan, accounting for 35.4 percent of Hainan's total foreign trade in the same period. On Jan. 6, the first project for independent customs operations in Hainan province was completed at the Boao airport in Qionghai, Hainan. Projects for independent customs operations are iconic and fundamental projects for the construction of the Hainan FTP. According to an overall plan on the construction of the FTP, before 2025, the province, centering on trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and based on effective supervision, will take systematic steps to advance opening-up process, facilitate the convenient and efficient flow of various factors, achieve early harvest, and initiate independent customs operations throughout Hainan Island in due courses. So far, Hainan has comprehensively kicked off the preparations for independent customs operations. The projects for independent customs operations would turn Hainan province into a region inside the national border but outside the customs territory of China, which will further highlight freedom and facilitation, said Liu Feng, director of the Research Center for Free Trade Port with Chinese Characteristics of Hainan Normal University. According to him, independent customs operations will maximumly optimize the resource allocation for the Hainan FTP. California Gov. Gavin Newsom made a surprise visit to Sarasota Wednesday near the New College of Florida campus, ripping Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during a meeting with students grappling with his conservative higher education experiment. Im crawling out of my skin for you," Newsom said, adding: "I want you to know you're not alone. You matter." Newsom met with two dozen New College students, faculty and community members at the North Sarasota Public Library in a last-minute addition to a trip through Republican-controlled states in the south, where the governor has been criticizing policies he says infringe on people's freedoms. Both Newsom and DeSantis are term limited from running for governor again and are seen as harboring presidential ambitions. DeSantis is expected to announce his 2024 campaign for president soon, while Newsom has demurred and says he supports President Joe Biden. Stay in the conversation on politics: Sign up for the OnPolitics newsletter California Governor Gavin Newsom is in Sarasota this morning meeting with New College of Florida students and faculty. The college has become the epicenter of the culture wars after FL Gov Ron DeSantis initiated a conservative transformation. pic.twitter.com/rbZ7rOhclh Zac Anderson (@zacjanderson) April 5, 2023 Previously: Gov. Ron DeSantis' takeover of New College of Florida puts $29 million in donations at risk California Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Newsom, listen to students from New College of Florida on Wednesday during Newsom's stop at the Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Public Library in Sarasota. DeSantis spokesman Bryan Griffin called Newsom's Sarasota appearance a stunt. "Governor DeSantis is focused on getting Florida's public institutions of higher learning refocused on academics and truth," Griffin said. "Stunts from political opponents don't matter and have no effect." Many of the students said the national focus on their small school has been alarming and frustrating. Adom Neizer-Ashun, a first year student majority in political science, told Newsom that New College has been tagged with misleading stereotypes. DeSantis had described New College as "left of the left." Story continues "I don't know what they think, that we're reading like The Communist Manifesto... but it's just a regular school and I think it's so sad that DeSantis is using the culture war in order to gain political prowess when there's so many others that he could be facing in Florida," Neizer-Ashun said. Newsom's visit to Sarasota shows how DeSantis' New College overhaul has attracted considerable national attention. DeSantis appointed six new conservative board members on Jan. 6 with a mandate to transform Florida's public liberal arts honors college. The governor has talked about making New College more like Hillsdale College, a conservative Christian school in Michigan. DeSantis is visiting Hillsdale College Thursday. While some believe New College has been unfairly characterized as far left, it has long been know as a progressive institution and essentially would be turned upside down if DeSantis is successful in transforming it into a Hillsdale of the south. Such a wholesale ideological reinvention of a public college has few, if any, precedents. California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks to students from New College of Florida about his recent week-long trip across the South, during Newsom's stop on Wednesday at the Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Public Library in Sarasota. The transformation effort has roiled the small school of less than 700 students, leading to large protests on campus as the new board plowed forward with major changes, firing the former president and eliminating the office responsible for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. New College is now center stage in the culture wars between the left and right, and a prime target for Newsom's ongoing feud with DeSantis. Newsom and DeSantis have exchanged barbs for years, dueling over their contrasting approaches to managing the pandemic and other issues. Last year Newsom's re-election campaign ran a television ad in Florida declaring "freedom is under attack in your state." Republican leaders theyre banning books, making it harder to vote, restricting speech in classrooms, even criminalizing women and doctors," Newsom said in the ad. "I urge all of you to join the fight, or join us in California, where we still believe in freedom." DeSantis returned fire at Newsom during a speech in California last month at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. "If you look over the last four years, we've witnessed a great American exodus from states governed by leftist politicians imposing leftist ideology and delivering poor results, and you've seen massive gains in states like Florida, who are governing according to the tried and true principles that President Reagan held dear," DeSantis said. "From the beginning of this state's history, all the way until the last four or five years, people beat a path to California. You didn't beat a path away from California. And yet now, you see the state hemorrhaging population." Asked about DeSantis' comments Wednesday, Newsom said "I don't need to be lectured by Ron DeSantis" and argued that California performs better than Florida on "health, wealth and education." Newsom is touring the country and has raised $10 million for a new political action committee. His stop in Florida is part of a swing through states that are enacting policies widely criticized on the left, including aggressive new abortion restrictions and education legislation aimed at curtailing discussion of LGBTQ issues. Newsom likely would be a leading candidate if Biden decides not to seek re-election, but when asked Wednesday if he is thinking about running for president Newsom said: "No, I want to meet the moment." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Gavin Newsom rips Ron DeSantis during New College of Florida visit After months of protesting the takeover of their school by conservative trustees appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, students and faculty at New College of Florida found an empathetic ear from an unlikely source: California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Im crawling out of my skin for you guys, Newsom told an audience near the Sarasota campus Wednesday. I want you to know youre not alone. You matter, we care. This is the why Im here. Im not your governor. But Im a member of the larger community all bound together. Newsom, who was joined by his wife, Jennifer Newsom, spoke at the Betty Johnson North Sarasota Public Library near the New College campus, a recent battleground in Floridas culture wars. His appearance came weeks after DeSantis criticized Californias approach to the pandemic and education during a speech at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. He did not hold back regarding DeSantis, who in January appointed six high-profile conservatives to the New College board of trustees with a mandate to remake the states public liberal arts honors college. The group included Christopher Rufo, the architect of several education-related bills across the country. One of the boards first actions was to fire President Patricia Okker and replace her with former House Speaker Richard Corcoran, now the schools interim leader. Weakness, Ron DeSantis weakness masquerading as strength, Newsom said. So I want you to know youre on the right side of history. You have something hell never have: moral authority. Bryan Griffin, press secretary for DeSantis, said the Florida governor is focused on getting Floridas public institutions of higher learning refocused on academics and truth. Stunts from political opponents dont matter and have no effect. Newsom, a Democrat, and DeSantis, a Republican, have been taking swipes at each other for the past two years, and both have been mentioned as presidential hopefuls for 2024. Last year, Newsom pledged $100,000 to DeSantis opponent, former Republican governor and Democratic U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist. Newsom also challenged DeSantis to a debate. Story continues The Sarasota appearance was the last stop on Newsoms five-state tour to combat authoritarian leaders, in his newly formed Campaign for Democracy. The event was in partnership with Newtown Alive, a nonprofit celebrating a historic Sarasota Black community. In a press huddle after the event, Newsom denied further political ambitions. He said he would just as soon be ex-governor and a dad, and was taking his sons on a tour of the South during their spring break. I want to meet the moment, he said. I want to be able to look my kids in the eye and say I did everything I could and put it all out in the field. Newsom said he thought Donald Trump would thump DeSantis if the Florida governor ran for president. He also criticized DeSantis other initiatives from flying migrants to Marthas Vineyard to book bans. He also lambasted fellow Democrats for not speaking out against DeSantis attempts to ban an AP course in African-American studies. We have plenty of challenges in the state, and I own every single one of them, Newsom said of California. But the last guy truly the last guy Im interested in the lecture from is Ron DeSantis when it comes to foundational principles that he claims to champion. Newsom asked the New College students how they felt and what they were experiencing, jotting notes while they told him they felt like pawns in a larger political game. Beau Delanne, a first-year history student, told him the schools four-person diversity office that was recently dissolved came into being at the states direction after the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in the summer of 2020. Yoleidy Rosario-Hernandez, the schools chief diversity officer who was fired by Corcoran after the office was disbanded, told the California governor that Floridas actions in the education realm would likely become widespread. I am the first, but theres going to be so much more damage that we need to just be hashtag woke about, Rosario-Hernandez said. If were dumbing down the education and the quality, our kids are going to have such a long-term effect as to how we are as a nation. And thats something we all need to be concerned about. Sociology professor Sarah Hernandez said she visited Argentina and Chile for a conference some years ago and learned sociology was banned from being taught there for several years under a dictatorship. Now, she said, she faces Florida laws that will ban teaching theories that are basic to sociology. Where do I live? Hernandez asked. We left South America, we left Central America, and we are in this country facing challenges that are very similar to that which people were escaping. Newsom, a member of the University of California systems board of regents, later said he recognized the importance of free expression and pluralism but that academic freedom and critical thinking had to be at the forefront. Were not immune from this agenda coming to California higher education, he said. Academia needs to stand up more forcefully and push back against this. This is not inconsequential. Niko Jackson, a second-year student, said he was grateful the California governor was willing to listen. Honestly, its a bit of a reality check that this truly is a national news issue, Jackson said. It feels like the Republican Party has all of this support. ... And then we just have this ragtag team of really awesome students and awesome people who dont have a lot of political power to fight back. While California public school enrollment has dropped for the sixth consecutive year, new data shows the number of students leaving appears to be slowing down. The California Department of Education data, which includes more than 900 school districts and 1,300 charter schools, about 40,000 students left public schools in the 2022-23 school year. That reflects less than 1% of a decline in enrollment across the state, according to data released by the California Department of Education. The 2021-22 school year had a 1.84% decline, and in 2020-21 there was a 2.6% decline which represented 110,000 students and 160,000 students respectively. California experienced the sharpest decline it had seen in the 2020-21 school year. California public schools net enrollment stands at 5,852,544 students, according to the California Department of Education. Department of Education data showed an increase in kindergarten, seventh and 11th grade enrollment. But overall, schools still saw a .67% decline overall, which officials say look more like pre-pandemic trends. The largest drops in enrollment were in second, eighth and 10th grades. Private schools also show decrease Data on whos leaving schools varies across the state. Some California residents move out of state or send their children to private schools. While private schools across the state saw an uptick in enrollment during the pandemic, current data shows a decline in private school enrollment by 3,100 students. California has been going through demographic shifts from urban cores to outlying areas, dramatically altering demand in districts across the state, said California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) President and CEO Myrna Castrejon. It remains to be seen how those shifts will change public education in the long term, which is why we need to give additional support to areas facing declines in the near term so students in those areas do not face further instability. Department of Education officials say they have prioritized ensuring that families are engaged and that schools meet their needs. Story continues Over the last four years, Governor Gavin Newsom, the Legislature, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond have worked together to secure $23.8 billion in programs and initiatives to engage families and students in public schools, address and dismantle barriers to student success, and jumpstart learning recovery, a Department of Education statement said. State officials said detailed information on enrollment data could change in the fall, as there was a 117% increase in students who did not report their ethnicity. We hope that the Legislature and Governor recognize that recovery across the state is uneven and provide the necessary protections for schools to minimize disruptions, Castrejon said. This is a crucial time for public education in California, and it is vital that we find ways to ensure stability for all students. A California man pleaded guilty to the 2016 killing of a Brockton toddler, according to the Plymouth County DA. Timy Jo Griffin, 28, of Long Beach, California was sentenced to 10 years in state prison after pleading guilty Tuesday. Brockton Police received a 911 call for an unresponsive toddler on East Main Street on December 5, 2016. The toddler was flown to Massachusetts General Hospital for treatment and passed away three days later as a result of his injuries. Griffin, an acquaintance of the childs mother, was taking care of the child at the time of the incident, prosecutors said. Physicians that treated the child told investigators that the child suffered extreme retinal hemorrhaging and uncontrollable swelling to the brain after likely being violently shaken or slammed. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW The head of Californias adult parole division is leaving to oversee Los Angeless long-troubled juvenile halls and manage the nations largest juvenile justice system. The L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday night to hire Guillermo Viera Rosa as the countys new chief strategist for juvenile operations. The L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday night to hire Guillermo Viera Rosa, head of Califonias adult parole division, as the countys new chief strategist for juvenile operations. Viera Rosa will join the Los Angeles Probation Department during a time of turmoil. In early March, county leaders ousted the probation department chief, Adolfo Gonzales, following multiple investigations into mismanagement. In one inquiry, the countys Office of Inspector General, which serves as a watchdog for the Board of Supervisors, found that the probation department hastily transferred about 140 youths from a juvenile hall in mid-March to avoid failing a state inspection. Two weeks ago, state regulators warned the department that it could be forced to shutter the countys two juvenile halls due to unsuitable conditions. Areas of concern highlighted by the state included serious understaffing, failure to meet educational programming requirements and excessive use of force and room confinement. The issues noted by the board mirrored the findings of an investigation by the L.A. Times last year uncovering a growing use of lockdowns isolating youths to their rooms and denying them access to programs due to staffing crisis in the juvenile halls. In a March 23 letter to Los Angeles Interim Probation Chief Karen Fletcher, the California Board of State and Community Corrections said a corrective action plan submitted by the county was inadequate to address the ongoing and serious items of noncompliance. The board is scheduled to discuss the matter at its April 13 meeting. If it votes to close the two juvenile halls, the county will have 60 days to vacate the facilities and find new placements for the 380 or so youths under its supervision. Overseeing Californias parole system As the director of the states Division of Adult Parole, Viera Rosa was charged with overseeing the release of people from corrections facilities into supervision in the community. Parole department staff supervise and treat about 38,600 adults on parole and apprehend those who violate their parole provisions. Story continues The states parole hearings have a major bearing on the length of sentences, including whether or not someone will spend the rest of their life in prison. For about 40% of people in Californias prison system, their time served is determined by the states parole hearings. A January report from the Legislative Analysts Office flagged a pair of concerns regarding the system, including broad discretion exercised by the Board of Parole Hearings and inequitable access to effective legal and hearing preparation services for parole candidates. The LAO anticipates the states daily parole population to drop 5% next year due to recent policy changes reducing the length of time people spend on parole. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or CDCR, and Viera Rosa declined to comment about his departure. Viera Rosa will earn an annual salary of $320,000 in his new role, or more than $100,000 more than his state salary, according to public records. CDCR has not yet announced Viera Rosas replacement. Lassen County, which includes the town of Susanville, shown, had the highest rate of population loss 6% between July 2021 and July 2022. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) A prison closed in Lassen County. College campuses welcomed students back in Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz counties, and thousands of new housing units were added in Yolo County. While California's overall population continued to shrink, new census data show that during the pandemic period of the last two years, population swings have affected large and small counties across the state, the result of COVID-19 health protocols, the return of employees to workplaces, new housing construction and various other factors. Several large urban counties including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Santa Barbara have started to rebound from population losses that hit hardest at the beginning of the pandemic. Santa Barbara County is among several large urban counties that have rebounded from the population losses that hit hardest at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times; photo illustration by Jade Cuevas / Los Angeles Times) Meanwhile in rural counties such as Lassen and Yolo, population numbers have fluctuated because of local changes, such as the closing of a prison or construction of new housing. The big takeaway from the latest census data: Californians relocated quite a bit in response to the pandemic and other factors, but many counties are now starting to resettle into the pre-pandemic status quo. Demographic experts say the census data reflect movements of the population during the period when COVID-19 was still a major concern, and they point out that it is possible that the population losses have slowed and urban centers could soon see their populations rebound when numbers for 2022-23 are released. In the 2020-21 census data, urban counties such as Los Angeles and San Francisco showed the biggest percentage losses. But the population loss tapered off the following year in those urban counties in comparison to rural counties. The "waning of the worst days of the pandemic has slowed the exit from major cities" as fear of living in crowded communities has decreased and in-office workers have become more common, said Paul Ong, director of the Center for Neighborhood Knowledge at UCLA. The cities have "once again become appealing to a new generation of young workers," he said, though they still have major issues to address. Story continues Housing, homelessness, infrastructure and safety issues have been "exposed and exacerbated" by the pandemic, and "without correcting these flaws, major cities will continue to depopulate," Ong said. Moving out Here are the 10 counties in California with the highest rate of population loss between July 2021 and July 2022. Lassen: -6% Alpine: -3.64% Plumas: -2.95% Sierra: -2.36% Mono: -2.13% Trinity: -1.74% Del Norte: -1.71% Napa: -1.40% Mendocino: -1.34% San Mateo: -1.34% In Lassen County, Supervisor Jason Ingram attributes much of the recent population loss to the closure of the California Correctional Center in Susanville. Recent population loss in Lassen County was attributed to the closure of the California Correctional Center in Susanville. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) "A big percentage of that would be inmates," who have largely been "cleared out" as the prison closes, he said. Employees of the prison may also be leaving as jobs dry up, contributing to population decrease. "We lost some corrections officers to other states," Ingram said. Moving in On the other end of the spectrum, some of the counties that lost many people in 2020-21 rebounded the following year. Yolo County was the standout. After losing 1.5% of its population in 2020 ranking 10th-most in the state the county topped the list in growth in 2021-22. The Santa Cruz wharf is shown. Santa Cruz County flipped from losing among the most people in 2020-21 to showing top 10 percentage population gains the following reporting period. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Notably, Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara counties flipped from losing among the most people second- and fourth-most, respectively to showing top 10 percentage population gains. "Many counties with large universities saw their populations fully rebound this year as students returned," Christine Hartley, assistant division chief for estimates and projections in the U.S. Census Bureaus population division, said of the census results. Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara have major college campuses. Riverside, Madera, Placer, Yuba and San Benito counties all continued to grow, showing top 10 percentage population gains in both years. Here are the 10 counties in California that gained the most population between July 2021 and July 2022. Yolo: +4.26% Merced: +1.95% Santa Cruz: +1.49% Santa Barbara: +1.46% San Benito: +1.36% Yuba: +1.31% Placer: +1.20% San Luis Obispo: +0.97% Madera: +0.85% Riverside: +0.84% Angel Barajas, a Yolo County supervisor, pointed to several areas of growth, including the south side of Woodland, where developers are "adding a couple of thousand units." Woodland, one of four incorporated cities in the county, is "attracting people from the Bay Area and also the Sacramento region," he said. Yolo County, which includes Davis, grew by 4.26% in 2021-22. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Housing in the county is "affordable in comparison to Bay Area rates," Barajas said, and people can live there and either commute or telecommute to Bay Area jobs. "It's a beautiful county, to be quite honest," he said. The county also is home to UC Davis, perhaps accounting for some of the growth. Overall, California's population loss slowed considerably from the first year of the data set to the second. In 2020-21, the state lost 0.91% of its population. The following year, it lost just 0.29%. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Callum Wilson scored twice for Newcastle (Bradley Collyer/PA) (PA Wire) Callum Wilson made West Ham suffer again as Newcastle strengthened their bid to finish in the top four of the Premier League with a thumping 5-1 win at the London Stadium. Wilson scored twice, early in each half, to take his goal tally to 12 in 13 meetings with the Hammers, meaning only Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen have netted more times against them in the Premier League. Joelinton also scored before Kurt Zouma pulled one back for the hosts, but West Ham fell apart after half-time. Awful mistakes by Nayef Aguerd just 21 seconds into the second half and Lukasz Fabianski gifted further goals to Wilson and substitute Alexander Isak before Joelinton helped himself to number five. The Magpies remain in third place and well on course for a Champions League place for the first time since Sir Bobby Robsons side qualified in 2003. It could have been very different had West Ham taken the lead with just 40 seconds on the clock when Jarrod Bowen sprinted past Dan Burn down the right and his low cross was turned onto his own post by Bruno Guimaraes. However, their bubble was burst when Wilson struck. He had scored in the third minute of the reverse fixture at St James Park in February, but had to wait until the sixth minute in east London. When a corner was only half-cleared Allan Saint-Maximin chipped the ball into the box where Wilson got ahead of Zouma and nodded home. The England international had promised podcast pal Michail Antonio he would dance the Macarena when he scored, and he was as good as his word. Newcastle were dancing with joy again seven minutes later after Joelinton raced onto Fabian Schars through-ball and rounded Fabianski. An offside flag put the celebrations on ice but a VAR review showed Emerson Palmieri, on the far side of the pitch, had played Joelinton on. Yet West Ham halved the lead six minutes before half-time when Nick Pope, who had just received treatment for an injury, missed his attempted punch at Bowens corner and Zouma headed home. But any hopes of a comeback were dashed at the start of the second half when Aguerd got the ball stuck under his feet in the area and was robbed by Jacob Murphy, who squared for Wilson to tap into an empty net. Fabianski made fine saves from Murphy and Saint-Maximin, but he made an almighty mess of clearing Guimaraes ball over the top eight minutes from time, allowing Isak to lob the ball into an empty net, before Joelinton broke clear at the death to complete a comprehensive Toon triumph. With too little pushback on Marjorie Taylor Greene's bonkers ideas, Lesley Stahl normalized the abnormal. (CBS Photo Archive / Getty Images) They didnt listen to me over at CBS, not that Im surprised. The fact is, though, 60 Minutes producers and correspondent Lesley Stahl probably were already at work on Sundays prime-time 14-minute tribute to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene when I wrote here a month ago that we Americans should ignore the extremist Republican congresswoman as much as possible. That we should adapt her bonkers idea of a national divorce a severing of red states from blue to instead quit her. The inordinate attention Greene gets is her oxygen, allowing her to spread the outrageous, divisive messages and far-right conspiracy theories that endear her to white nationalist audiences, and make her a fundraising juggernaut. And now here I am, (sheepishly) feeling like Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part III: Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in. However, they isnt so much Greene and her antics as it is the media. Too many reporters, assignment editors and producers are obsessed about covering attention-addicted, anti-democratic demagogues like the congresswoman and her idol, Donald Trump. Tuesday was a two-fer: Reporters swarmed Manhattan to cover both the arraignment of the former president on criminal charges, and the pro-Trump rally there for which Greene was the self-appointed head cheerleader. Trump is joining some of the most incredible people in history being arrested today, she told Right Side Broadcasting Network. Nelson Mandela was arrested, served time in prison. Jesus! Jesus was arrested and murdered by the Roman government. (Not only did Greene not get any pushback for those idiotic parallels, she got a peck on the cheek afterward from the interviewer for the right-wing network, a man she has been dating.) The Trump Show was back, and the star was sharing the limelight with a real-life Apprentice and successor in waiting. For a while, I thought the media, especially the cable news networks, were repenting of their journalistic sins in 2015 and 2016, when news outlets lavished billions of dollars worth of free air time and countless inches of print on the performative Trump and his hate-mongering. Even Fox News is no longer carrying every Trump rally live and in full. Story continues Or maybe they hadn't seen the light, just that the ratings, clicks and ad dollars werent what they used to be. Whether an indicted Trump reclaims the medias attention on the old scale or not, Greene represents new material and a fresh face for news outlets that thrive on controversy and conflict. Im reminded yet again of what disgraced former CBS chief Les Moonves said back in 2016 about hyper-covering Trump: It may not be good for America, but its damn good for CBS. His successors at the network must be saying the same thing about Greene. Yes, shes a newsmaker, but that doesnt justify the coveted prize of a profile on the venerable 60 Minutes. And it really doesnt justify so lightly challenging a woman who still considers Trump the real president. Just a week before the profile aired, Greene led a tour of the D.C. jail, to visit the defendants there political prisoners, she calls them charged with crimes related to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. In December she said that if shed organized events that day, We would have won Not to mention, it would have been armed. Yet interviewer Stahl didnt ask Greene about the 2020 presidential election or the terrorist assault on the Capitol, even though she and like-minded Republicans are using their House majority to rewrite history on both. Instead, Stahl sympathetically repeated to a stricken-looking Greene some epithets that folks in both parties have used against her. But she didnt follow with examples of the many attacks Greene has dished against others. Later in the piece, Stahl did confront Greene about calling Democrats pedophiles. But when Greene unabashedly owned the statement, Stahl was literally and naively rendered nearly speechless. Wow, she muttered, and rolled her eyes. So predictably emboldened was Greene by the exchange that she tweeted this the next day: Ill say it again: Democrats are the party of pedophiles, linking to a reprehensible video titled The Predator President. It mashed up clips of Biden with children including his poignant encounter with a boy who, like the president, stutters as evidence of the presidents purported depravity. Greene denied to Stahl that she had once liked a social media post suggesting someone fire a bullet into then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosis head. Maybe her staff did it, she claimed. Stahl might have followed up with something more current: like whether Greene takes any responsibility when such attacks encourage an unhinged extremist to pound a hammer into the head of Pelosis husband Paul. But no. Clearly Stahl spent lots of time with Greene. There was video of the two women talking in Washington, at Greenes white-columned manse in Georgia, on the streets in her rural district with Greenes admiring constituents, and even in the gym, where Greene lifted weights. But Stahl apparently didnt spend as much time researching Greenes record. She introduced Greene with the discordant observation that shes known to be smart and fearless, and has a history of believing in conspiracy theories. Stahl said Greene is influencing the direction of Republican policies but didnt say which ones. In fact, Greene (like Trump) reflects a Republican Party that has become policy-phobic. Culture wars are their thing. At least Stahl brought up the looming showdown with President Biden and Democrats in Congress over raising the nations debt limit so the government can pay its bills. Greene reiterated Republicans ransom for their votes big spending cuts and Stahl pushed for specifics. But when Greene replied with the weak party line cut Bidens green-energy programs Stahl failed to note what's been widely reported: One of the biggest beneficiaries so far is a job-creating solar-panel manufacturer in Greenes district. Late Sunday, Greene told the news website Semafor that she liked the 60 Minutes piece. No wonder. If youre trying to normalize the egregiously abnormal, what wasnt to like? @jackiekcalmes This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, leaves St Pauls Cathedral in London. | Daniel Leal, pool photo via Associated Press Buckingham Palace revealed King Charles IIIs coronation invitation on Tuesday with a title change given to his wife, Camilla. For the very first time, instead of the Queen Consort title Camilla was given after Queen Elizabeth IIs death, she is Queen Camilla. Camilla will be crowned alongside King Charles during the ceremony, reports the BBC. It made sense to refer to Her Majesty as the Queen Consort in the early months of His Majestys reign, to distinguish from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, a royal source told CNN. Queen Camilla is the appropriate title to set against King Charles on the invitation. The coronation is an appropriate time to start using Queen Camilla in an official capacity, the source added, per CNN. All former Queen Consorts have been known as Queen plus their first name. The intricate floral invitation included their Majesties arms, the emblematic flowers of the U.K., and a British wildflower meadow and wildlife, according to an Instagram post from the royal family. Invitations for the May 6 coronation event were sent to 2,000 potential guests. Harry revealed in Spare he did not want his father to marry Camilla Before Charles married Camilla, Prince Harry expressed concerns about their relationship. According to his memoir, Spare, Harry and his brother, Prince William, urged their father not to marry Camilla over fears she would become a wicked stepmother. Harry claims that he and William told Charles they would warmly welcome Camilla into the family as long as he did not marry her. Harry says that although he and William approved of Camilla, they did not want Charles to marry her after the death of their mother, Princess Diana, per the Deseret News. There were three of us in this marriage, Diana said in clear reference to Camilla during a 1995 BBC interview with Martin Bashir, per The Washington Post. Diana divorced Charles a year later. Two years later, Diana was killed in a car accident. Story continues Charles and Camilla married in 2005. Due to sensitivities surrounding their relationship, a royal agreement stipulated that Camilla would be given the title princess consort rather than queen consort when Charles took the throne, reports The Washington Post. After decades of being vilified as the other woman, Camilla is at last earning a majority approval from Britons. A YouGov poll from last year showed that 53% of Britons approved of Camilla and believed she would do well as queen consort. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be sidelined during coronation Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, have remained tight-lipped about whether they will attend the kings coronation ceremony. The couple reportedly received an invite to the ceremony in March. But no matter what the pair decides, they are in a lose-lose situation, according to royal experts, per Fox News. Its really lose-lose for the Sussexes unless the rest of the family suddenly decides to do an about-face and embrace them, Christopher Andersen, author of The King, told Fox News. I dont see that happening. There is too much bitterness there. Too many bridges have been burned. So, if Harry and Meghan attend the coronation, they will almost certainly be sidelined and visibly shunned, Anderson continued. If they dont go, it will look as if Harry is turning his back on his birthright, the royal family, and the institution of the monarchy itself. Its really tragic that both sides have allowed things to go so far south, Andersen added. Before agreeing to attend the coronation, the couple asked to have a few demands met. They wanted their children to be involved in the ceremony and asked that their entire family would be included in the balcony appearance. According to royal experts, it is unlikely that all of the couples demands will be met, per the Deseret News. Related Related Prince George will play a significant role in the ceremony Prince George the eldest grandson of King Charles and second in line for the throne with play a public role in the coronation ceremony, reports Newsweek. Nine-year-old George will join eight pages of honor in the ceremony. Three of Camillas grandchildren will also take part. Were all very excited about Prince Georges role in the Coronation, a Kensington Palace spokesperson said in a statement to ABC News. It will be an incredibly special moment. Camilla during the recent state visit taken by the King and Queen to Germany. (Getty Images) Buckingham Palace have released an image of the official invitations to King Charles's coronation on 6 May, in which Camilla is simply referred to as Queen, rather than Queen Consort. Since the death of Queen Elizabeth, there has been a gradual move towards calling her Queen Camilla in the press, despite the late Queen saying it was her "sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort". While in official press releases the palace are still referring to Camilla as Queen Consort for now, the Daily Mail have reported that an aide confirmed to them this was because they were trying to differentiate from Queen Elizabeth, and that after the coronation, the 'consort' part of her title will be dropped. An image of the official invite to King Charles and Queen Camilla's coronation. (Buckingham Palace) "It made sense to refer to Her Majesty as the Queen Consort in the early months of His Majestys reign, to distinguish from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II," the Daily Mail quoted a royal aide as saying. "Queen Camilla is the appropriate title to set against King Charles on the invitation. The Coronation is an appropriate time to start using 'Queen Camilla' in an official capacity. All former Queen Consorts have been known as Queen plus their first name." In light of the news, Yahoo UK explores Camilla's emotive history with royal titles, and how she forged her path from the 'other woman' to becoming Queen. How did Camilla end up as Queen? For a long time, it didn't seem certain or even likely that Camilla would ever be called Queen and Prince Harry has made new claims about how she forged her path to the throne in his memoir, Spare. He has claimed in interviews promoting the book, that she "sacrificed [him] on her personal PR altar" and leaked stories about him to "rehabilitate" her own image. Harry further alleged that she was "dangerous" because of the "relationships she forged with" members of the UK press, which in his view was part of a "long game" to being accepted as Queen. Story continues Since King Charles acceded to the throne, Camilla has been given the official title of Queen Consort, which is the usual title assigned to the female spouse of the monarch. However, The Times newspaper decided to stop referring to her as Camilla, Queen Consort, and instead call her Queen Camilla, or simply 'the Queen' in October 2022, so perhaps eventually others will follow suit. Jack Blackburn, the publication's history correspondent and deputy diary editor, wrote on Twitter at the time that writers at the publication "have been instructed to drop the term Queen Consort" because historically "no Queen has ever had that in their style". Blackburn embellished on the decision, writing in a second tweet that the palace uses Queen Consort when referring to Camilla and that The Times and the palace "are simply having a disagreement over style". Camilla, then the Duchess of Cornwall, arriving at the Christmas Day church service at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, 2021. (Getty Images) Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, were the last three queen consorts before Camilla. Though their titles were Queen Consort, they were simply referred to as Queen or Queen Empress while their husbands reigned. However, Camilla's history with royal titles is far more controversial and complex than her predecessors. Charles and Camilla holding a pen to sign a visitors book in Dunfermline, October 2022. (Getty Images) Duchess of Cornwall After marrying Charles in 2005, Camilla nee Parker Bowles took the title of Duchess of Cornwall. The Duke of Cornwall was another title that belonged to Charles while he was Prince of Wales. Now this title has passed to his son, William, and along with it the Duchy of Cornwall which is worth 1bn and contains more than 128,000 acres of land. Camilla opted to be known as the Duchess of Cornwall after her marriage rather than the Princess of Wales title she was also entitled to out of respect to Diana, the last person to hold that title. Some 25 years after her death, Diana is still beloved by much of the public and it may have been perceived as insensitive if Camilla had chosen to use Diana's title. At the time of Diana's death, Camilla was deeply unpopular with many members of the public: it had been hard for her to shake the reputation of being the 'other woman'. Lady Diana Spencer and Camilla Parker-Bowles at Ludlow Races where Prince Charles is competing in 1980. (Express Newspapers/Archive Photos) Princess Consort Initially, it was suggested by Clarence House that Camilla would, when the time came, use the title of Princess Consort. This was an unprecedented move, that showed the royal households knew that they had to be very careful not to push the public to accept Camilla. However, the concept of a prince consort was a very familiar one, with the Duke of Edinburgh serving in that position for 69 years. The matter was further complicated by the fact that as King, Charles is the supreme governor of the Church of England, and Christian orthodoxy does not accept divorce. Charles and Camilla on their wedding day in 2005. (Getty Images) Queen Consort Last year, the late Queen Elizabeth herself made her feelings on the matter of Camilla's title clear. In a statement marking the Platinum Jubilee, the late Queen said: "When, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes King, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me; and it is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service." This seemed to show how doggedly Camilla had worked to be accepted and fulfil her duties as Duchess of Cornwall and that her commitment had been noted and been taken seriously by the Queen. Queen Elizabeth and Camilla at William and Kate's wedding in April, 2011 at Westminster Abbey (Getty Images) While the mourning period for Queen Elizabeth II is officially over, she may remain for most of the public the only Queen in their mind for quite some time. Strategically, remaining Queen Consort might have been the sensible thing to do, given the long-term controversies that have surrounded Camilla's titles. According to the latest YouGov polls, she still only enjoys a 39% approval rating. Watch: Charles and Camilla's biggest scandals Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, plants a tree during a voluntary tree planting activity in Beijing, capital of China, April 4, 2023. Xi and other leaders, including Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, and Han Zheng, planted trees with local people at a city park in the eastern district of Chaoyang in the spring shower. [Photo/Xinhua] Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday attended a voluntary tree planting activity in Beijing and called for more efforts in afforestation to write a new chapter in building a beautiful China. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while attending the tree planting activity. Xi and other leaders, including Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, and Han Zheng, planted trees with local people at a city park in the eastern district of Chaoyang in the spring shower. It is the 11th year that Xi has participated in the annual tree-planting activity as the general secretary. The leaders' participation in tree planting is to mobilize people across the country to work for a beautiful China, Xi said. While planting saplings of various types of trees, Xi asked the young students around him about their studies, encouraging them to love work and become capable young people with sound moral grounding, intellectual ability, physical vigor, aesthetic sensibility, and work skills. China tops the world in the scale of artificial afforestation, and the planting area is still expanding, Xi said, adding that China and the Chinese people have made notable contributions to greening the Earth and coping with global climate change. Hailing forests as capable of conserving water, creating economic profits, boosting grain production, and serving as a carbon sink, Xi said afforestation would benefit future generations and should be continued consistently. Speaking of the afforestation efforts in Beijing, Xi called for an appropriate proportion of different tree species in line with the biological and ecological chains and advancing afforestation in the whole city. Xi highlighted green development as the country's major development strategy now and for the foreseeable future and called nationwide tree-planting campaigns an active practice to advance afforestation and build a beautiful China. He asked all regions and departments to launch voluntary tree planting campaigns based on local conditions and create favorable conditions for the public to participate in these campaigns. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with young students during a voluntary tree planting activity in Beijing, capital of China, April 4, 2023. Xi and other leaders, including Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, and Han Zheng, planted trees with local people at a city park in the eastern district of Chaoyang in the spring shower. [Photo/Xinhua] Li Qiang plants a tree during a voluntary tree planting activity in Chaoyang District in Beijing, capital of China, April 4, 2023. Party and state leaders Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, and Han Zheng, planted trees with local people at a city park in the eastern district of Chaoyang in the spring shower. [Photo/Xinhua] Zhao Leji plants a tree during a voluntary tree planting activity in Chaoyang District in Beijing, capital of China, April 4, 2023. Party and state leaders Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, and Han Zheng, planted trees with local people at a city park in the eastern district of Chaoyang in the spring shower. [Photo/Xinhua] Wang Huning plants a tree during a voluntary tree planting activity in Chaoyang District in Beijing, capital of China, April 4, 2023. Party and state leaders Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, and Han Zheng, planted trees with local people at a city park in the eastern district of Chaoyang in the spring shower. [Photo/Xinhua] Cai Qi plants a tree during a voluntary tree planting activity in Chaoyang District in Beijing, capital of China, April 4, 2023. Party and state leaders Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, and Han Zheng, planted trees with local people at a city park in the eastern district of Chaoyang in the spring shower. [Photo/Xinhua] Ding Xuexiang plants a tree during a voluntary tree planting activity in Chaoyang District in Beijing, capital of China, April 4, 2023. Party and state leaders Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, and Han Zheng, planted trees with local people at a city park in the eastern district of Chaoyang in the spring shower. [Photo/Xinhua] Li Xi plants a tree during a voluntary tree planting activity in Chaoyang District in Beijing, capital of China, April 4, 2023. Party and state leaders Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, and Han Zheng, planted trees with local people at a city park in the eastern district of Chaoyang in the spring shower. [Photo/Xinhua] Han Zheng plants a tree during a voluntary tree planting activity in Chaoyang District in Beijing, capital of China, April 4, 2023. Party and state leaders Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, and Han Zheng, planted trees with local people at a city park in the eastern district of Chaoyang in the spring shower.[Photo/Xinhua] Red dresses hang outside Brady landfill in honour of missing and murdered indigenous women after the body of Linda Mary Beardy was found Police in the Canadian province of Manitoba have found the body of an indigenous woman in a city landfill, less than a year after remains of another woman were discovered in the same location. The body of Linda Mary Beardy, 33, was recovered from the Brady landfill in Winnipeg on Monday. It is where the remains of Rebecca Contois were found on 16 May. Police said they believe the two deaths are unrelated. Ms Contois, 24, is one of four indigenous women who are believed to have been killed by an alleged serial killer in Winnipeg, who has since been arrested. The bodies of the other three have not yet been found. On Tuesday, Winnipeg police said they found another body - that of Ms Beardy - though there is no evidence to suggest she was a victim of the same alleged killer. "At this time, we have no information to suggest that there are any other victims, or that this investigation is related to any previous incidents," Inspector Shawn Pike told reporters. Indigenous women are 12 times more likely to be murdered or missing than other women in Canada, according to a 2019 report by Canada's Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women inquiry. Police said Ms Beardy is from Lake St Martin First Nation and had been living in Winnipeg. She had not been reported as a missing person. Police said they believe her body was transported to the landfill by a garbage truck, likely a few hours before she was found. Her death, which police have deemed suspicious, is now being investigated by the homicide unit. The recovery of Ms Beardy's body comes amid ongoing pressure on Winnipeg police to search landfills in the city for the remains of the other missing women. The bodies of Morgan Beatrice Harris, 39, Marcedes Myran, 26, and a third unidentified victim, whom First Nations elders have named Buffalo Woman, have yet to be found. All three, along with Ms Contois, are believed to have been killed by Jeremy Skibicki, who has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder. Story continues A feasibility study, funded in part by Canada's federal government, is now under way to determine whether it is possible to search Prairie Green landfill, where the bodies of Ms Harris and Ms Myran are believed to be. Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Cathy Merrick, head of the feasibility study, has called for both Brady landfill and Prairie Green landfill to be shut down and searched further. "It's a dumping ground for people that are killing our First Nation women," Ms Merrick told Canadian news outlet CTV. Red dresses were hung outside Brady landfill on Tuesday after the body of Ms Beardy was found, in honour of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls in Canada. The National Inquiry into Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls found that about 1,200 First Nations women in Canada had been murdered or gone missing between 1980 and 2012. Advocates believe the number is higher. justin trudeau smiling with a canadian flag behind him. he is sitting in a desk chair with a phone in front of him HOUSTON Canada's leader is "geeking out" about the next crewed moon mission. That mission NASA's Artemis 2 lunar flyby, planned for late 2024 features one Canadian astronaut among its four crewmembers: Jeremy Hansen. Hansen got a call from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ahead of the big Artemis 2 crew reveal on Monday (April 3). The conversation, which was posted to Trudeau's YouTube channel on Monday, begins with pleasantries but quickly dives into why the prime minister is so excited about space. "One of the things I've been enjoying geeking out on, over the past while, has been explaining to people why this matters," Trudeau says in the video. "For close to 50 years, none of the people hundreds of people who've gone to space have seen the full circle of the Earth. I mean, we've got beautiful pictures from orbiters and from the ISS [International Space Station], but you don't see the full circle." Related: Why will NASA's Artemis 2 only fly around the moon, not orbit or land? justin trudeau smiling with a canadian flag behind him. he is sitting in a desk chair with a phone in front of him Technically speaking, not all the Apollo astronauts saw Earth exactly as a full circle at all times, because it goes through phases from the moon's perspective. But the politician is simply saying that nobody has left Earth orbit in half a century, which is quite true. Trudeau also correctly added that only 24 people have gone on moon missions and that all were Americans, who were flying as part of NASA's Apollo program, between 1968 and 1972. "This is a big deal that it's a Canadian, and it's you, Jeremy," Trudeau said of Artemis 2. "I just cannot [believe] and people, people get even more excited than they already were when they understand how momentous this is." earth rising over the moon's surface NASA astronauts took this photo of Earth rising from lunar orbit during the Apollo 8 mission on Dec. 24, 1968. Earth is not a full circle in this picture. (Image credit: NASA) Related stories: Canada got its Artemis 2 moon mission seat with 'potato salad' Meet the 4 astronauts flying on NASA's Artemis 2 moon mission Story continues NASA's Artemis 2 moon mission: Everything you need to know Hansen used the opportunity to thank the prime minister for introducing a federal budget last month that included substantial spending on moon projects, including funding a lunar utility vehicle and renewing a Canadian incubator program for companies called the Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP). The seat for Artemis 2 came courtesy of another set of major Trudeau government budgetary announcements in 2019 that brought Canadarm3 to public attention. The robotic arm will service Gateway, the small space station that NASA plans to build in lunar orbit. This big contribution to NASA's Artemis program earned Canada a seat on Artemis 2. "We're really grateful and excited," Hansen said in the video, speaking with Trudeau, referring to the funding support the Canadian Space Agency has received in recent years. "We have a lot a lot more work to do, but that's what we absolutely thrive on," Hansen added. "We love these challenges, and so this is super exciting. You bet on us. You bet on industry. And I'm completely convinced Canada won't let you down." Elizabeth Howell is the co-author of "Why Am I Taller?" (ECW Press, 2022; with Canadian astronaut Dave Williams), a book about space medicine. Follow her on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook. Chatham voter Maryanne Pogge casts her ballot in the 2023 consolidated election on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. In addition to deciding municipal leaders, Sangamon County voters had a host of questions and referendums on their ballots this consolidated election. The issues ranged from adult-use cannabis in Chatham, township consolidation and electric aggregation in Spaulding - measures that saw varying rates of success on April 4. Cannabis in Chatham Vehicle's enter into Chatham along Main Street Thursday Feb. 16, 2023. Chatham voters saw two cannabis-related measures on their ballots, one allowing dispensaries to establish businesses and the other permitting growers, cultivation centers, and transporters to operate within the village. Recreational use of marijuana has been legal in Illinois since in 2020 for people 21 and older, but the village passed an ordinance in 2019 that has prevented the presence of adult-use cannabis business has been in-place ever since. Before 9 p.m., 100% of the 11 voting precincts had been tallied and the advisory questions failed. Slightly more than 1,500 voters cast their ballots on the questions, where neither levied more than 45% of the voter's support. Related: These Springfield-area businesses are thriving in the virtual marijuana marketplace Chatham village president Dave Kimsey previously projected a municipal tax of 3% - which it misses out on due to the ordinance - could levy approximately $200,000 for the village annually instead of this funding going to a bordering municipality. Chatham residents have been required to neighboring communities such as Springfield to acquire cannabis for recreational use, which receives that revenue. Spaulding electric aggregation Through the Illinois Power Agency Act, local governments are permitted to negotiate on the behalf of its constituents for electric package purchases. The process, known as electric or municipal aggregation, is believed by proponents to save taxpayers and municipalities money. According to Plug In Illinois, a program of the Illinois Commerce Commission, several communities in Sangamon County have previously had these programs. The village of Spaulding was one of those and, following the election tally, results indicate it will not return to the village of less than 1,000 residents. Story continues The three small voting precincts northwest of Springfield saw only 136 votes, with 53.7% voting 'no' and 46.3% voting 'yes.' The precinct tally was completed around 9 p.m. on Tuesday, almost two hours after the polls closed on Election Day. Related: Ameren Illinois cites clean energy act, COVID-19, war for electric, gas rate hike request Good Energy LP, a nationwide energy pricing solution with an Illinois office in Peoria, would be the contracted company. Residents are not required to participate, but would have to opt-out. Township questions The consolidated election had three separate votes regarding townships one for Springfield voters and the others for residents of Springfield and Woodside townships. At the heart of these advisory referendums was whether these township areas inside the city limits should remain separate entities or if they should be annexed into Springfield. Voters on the questions overwhelmingly voted 'yes' in the consolidated election, with no vote having less than 75% of the electorate's support. All of the questions are "advisory" votes meaning the results from the April 4 election are non-binding. Springfield and Woodside townships are located within the corporate limits of Springfield with populations of 5,813 and 11,688 respectively as of 2020 U.S. Census Data. Their respective portions within the city limits in the 2010 Census were considerably smaller with only 481 Springfield Township residents living in Springfield and 13 residents of Woodside Township living in the city. More: Township advisory question will go on April 4 ballot; Redpath calls it 'a political stunt' Following years of annexing parcels into the city, Springfield City Council voted last September to make the township question an advisory referendum in the April election. From there, regardless of the vote, Mayor Jim Langfelder said council will request that the Illinois General Assembly close a loophole and dissolve the parcels from township jurisdictions so the city can provide property tax relief to affected residents. The matter was a split vote, where proponents said property owners in these areas were paying taxes but not receiving services. Opponents said townships like Woodside and Springfield townships would lose money due to a smaller tax base. Contact Patrick Keck: 312-549-9340, pkeck@gannett.com, twitter.com/pkeckreporter This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Cannabis, electric aggregation questions fail; township questions pass Cash App creator Bob Lee died on Tuesday, according to MobileCoin, the company he most recently worked at. Courtesy of MobileCoin Bob Lee died after a stabbing on Tuesday morning, NBC Bay Area reports. He created Cash App while working as Square's CTO, before moving on to MobileCoin. "Bob was a force of nature," said MobileCoin CEO Joshua Goldbard. "I will miss him every day." The creator of Cash App and former CTO of Square, Bob Lee, was fatally stabbed in San Francisco early Tuesday morning, according to an NBC Bay Area report. In a statement posted online, the San Francisco Police Department said it responded to a report of a stabbing around 2:35 a.m. on Tuesday without naming the victim. Unnamed sources later confirmed Lee's identity to NBC Bay Area. "The victim was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries," the police department said. "Despite efforts by first responders and medical personnel, the victim succumbed to his injuries." Lee joined Square, the fintech company founded by Jack Dorsey, as its first chief technology officer in 2010. It was there that he created Cash App, the mobile payment app which rivals Venmo. A spokesperson for Square did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment outside of business hours. In 2021, he became the chief product officer of MobileCoin, another fintech company that focuses on privacy by using end-to-end encryption. "Bob was a force of nature," MobileCoin CEO Joshua Goldbard told Insider. "He helped to birth Android and CashApp into our world. Moby was his dream: a privacy-protecting wallet for the 21st century. I will miss him every day." Silicon Valley executives shared their grief and condolences on Twitter after his death was reported Tuesday night. Figma CEO Dylan Field said: "We remained connected over the years and he was an early supporter of Figma. It's so hard to believe he is gone." And the founder of news site TechCrunch, Michael Arrington, described him as "one of the best humans I've ever met." "I'm so glad we were able to spend time together recently. RIP," he added. Read the original article on Business Insider Bob Lee, a technology executive who founded the mobile payment company Cash App and previously worked at Square, died Tuesday after he was stabbed near downtown San Francisco, according to his family and police. San Francisco police said officers responded to a report of a stabbing around 2:35 a.m. Tuesday. The officers found Robert Lee, 43, with apparent stab wounds. He was taken to a hospital and died of his injuries, police said. Police Chief Bill Scott said in a statement Wednesday night that the investigation is in its early stages and he called it a horrific crime. The incident is under investigation by the police departments homicide detail, the department said. Lee had been working as the chief product officer of the cryptocurrency company MobileCoin. He was previously chief technology officer of Square (now known as Block), a financial technology start-up co-founded by the former Twitter chief Jack Dorsey. Lee went on to create Cash App, a money transfer service. Bobby worked harder than anyone and was the smartest person I have ever known. He will be missed by all those that knew him, his father, Richard Lee, said in a Facebook post, which was accompanied by a news article about the stabbing. Thank you to those who have reached out in support. The father and son had been living in Miami since October after moving from California, Richard Lee said in the post. They had grown especially close after Bob Lees mother died in 2019. It wasn't immediately clear why Lee was back in the Bay Area. "I'm so saddened and disheartened to lose my brother," Tim Oliver Lee wrote on Facebook. "He really was the best of us. I was so fortunate to grow up with him, and I feel like I've lost part of myself." In a statement Wednesday, Joshua Goldbard, the founder and CEO of MobileCoin, said Bob Lee passed away yesterday and praised his business acumen. He did not specify Lees cause of death. Bob was a dynamo, a force of nature. Bob was the genuine article, Goldbard said. He was made for the world that is being born right now, he was a child of dreams, and whatever he imagined, no matter how crazy, he made real. Story continues Goldbard said in a Twitter thread that Lee was like a brother to me, and he praised Lee as a brilliant visionary with a kaleidoscopic mind. The World Health Organization confirmed to NBC News on Wednesday that Lee offered his support and expertise during the pandemic, saying in a statement that Bob built a large part of the server for the WHO Covid-19 App. Lee also was an investor in Elon Musks SpaceX venture, as well as other tech firms, such as the social audio app Clubhouse, according to his LinkedIn profile. He used the handle crazybob for his LinkedIn and Twitter pages. Scott, the police chief, offered his condolences Wednesday night to Lee's family and friends. There is no place for this kind of violent crime against anyone in our city, Scott said in the statement. I want to assure everyone that our investigators are working tirelessly to make an arrest and bring justice to Mr. Lee and his loved ones, just as we try to do on every homicide that occurs in our city. The fatal stabbing could intensify scrutiny of public safety issues in San Francisco, where residents and business owners have grown increasingly concerned about violent crimes and thefts. Mayor London Breed has pledged to crack down on crime. San Francisco has had 12 homicides since the beginning of the year, according to data compiled by the police department. In the same period last year, it had 10 homicides. Lees family, friends and colleagues paid tribute to him. Krista Lee called her former husband the most incredible and beautiful human being and said that he was everyones best friend. They had two children, Damien, 17, and Scout, 14. Damien Lee said his father was a down-to-earth person who always listened. He was such a special person in this world. Im so sad that he left us so early, Damien Lee said in a statement. In a statement shared by her mother, Scout Lee said she was "devastated that somebody would be so cruel to take away my father's life." "He was the best man and an even better father, if you ask anyone who knew him theyd always say that he was the best and they would always have some amazing story to share about their experiences with him," she said. "I will forever miss my dad and be shattered by his death because he was not only my father but one of my best friends," she said later in the statement. The former MMA fighter Jake Shields remembered him as a loyal friend. In a response to one of Shields tweets, Musk said he was very sorry to learn of Lees death. Dorsey, the former CEO of Twitter, called Lees death heartbreaking on the social media platform Nostr. Bob was instrumental to Square and Cash App, Dorsey wrote. Joshua Bloch, a friend who worked with Lee at Google in the late 2000s, remembered him as a magnetic person who always had a huge smile on his face and constantly lived life to the fullest. In a phone interview Wednesday, Bloch recalled that Lee was a tech autodidact who could seemingly do anything he wanted, adding, I dont think he realized how special he was. People always say nice things about the dead, Bloch said, but in this case, I would say the exact same things if he were still alive. He was remarkable. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Pratt voice Princess Peach and Mario, respectively, in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." Nintendo; Illumination Entertainment & Universal Pictures; Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images Universal and Illumination's "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" hits theaters on April 5. The film is directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, based on Nintendo's video game franchise. The cast includes Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, and Charlie Day as Luigi. Chris Pratt voices Mario, the mustache-wearing Italian plumber from Brooklyn and protagonist of "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." Chris Pratt voices Mario in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." Nintendo; Illumination Entertainment & Universal Pictures; VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images Pratt's casting, and voice, were the subject of intense backlash from fans. The Marvel star told Gizmodo that he understood the reaction and was "grateful" for the concern. "There's a passionate fan base, and I'm one of the fans. I get it," he said. "Mostly, people don't want something like this to get screwed up." Meanwhile, codirector Horvath told Total Film magazine that picking Pratt to play Mario "made total sense." "He's really good at playing a blue-collar hero with a ton of heart," the filmmaker said. "For the way that Mario is characterised in our film, he's perfect for it." Emmy nominee Anya Taylor-Joy stars as Princess Peach, the ruler of Mushroom Kingdom. Anya Taylor-Joy voices Princess Peach in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." Nintendo; Illumination Entertainment & Universal Pictures; Leon Bennett/FilmMagic Like her character, Taylor-Joy has long, blonde hair. The "Queen's Gambit" star took inspiration from Princess Peach at the LA premiere of "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" by dressing in a Dior pink leather jumpsuit and matching gloves that are reminiscent of an ensemble by her character in the film. "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" star Charlie Day voices Mario's brother, Luigi. Charlie Day voices Luigi in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." Nintendo; Illumination Entertainment & Universal Pictures; Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images After Luigi ends up in Bowser's territory, Mario is tasked with rescuing his younger brother and plumbing business partner. Day channeled his "Super Mario Bros." character by wearing a blue and green outfit for the LA premiere of the film. No one is happier about Jack Black's casting as Bowser than Jack Black. Jack Black voices Bowser in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." Nintendo; Illumination Entertainment & Universal Pictures; Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty Images Bowser is the villain of the film, who steals the Super Star and is set on taking control of Mushroom Kingdom. In the film, Bower's musical side was aided by Black's own talents. The piano ballad that Bower performs in the movie, titled "Peaches," was written and performed by Black. Story continues Throughout the press tour for "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," Black has been channeling Bowser with his outfits. During an appearance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show" in March, he dressed in a head-to-toe Bowser costume. Then, at the LA premiere, he wore a suit that included spikes on the back and flames along the arms and legs. Actor and comedian Keegan-Michael Key voices Mushroom Kingdom resident Toad. Keegan-Michael Key voices Toad in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." Nintendo; Illumination Entertainment & Universal Pictures; Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Mario meets Toad when he enters the Mushroom Kingdom and the two characters team up, along with Princeess Peach, to save Luigi. Seth Rogen stars as Donkey Kong. Seth Rogen voices Donkey Kong in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." Nintendo; Illumination Entertainment & Universal Pictures; VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images Donkey Kong is strong, but also childish and has a lot of room to grow. When asked about the possibility of a Donkey Kong spin-off, Rogen told Collider that he's not sure, but "there's a lot of opportunity there." "Portlandia" and "Saturday Night Live" alum Fred Armisen voices Cranky Kong. Fred Armisen voices Cranky Kong in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." Nintendo; Illumination Entertainment & Universal Pictures; Amanda Edwards/Getty Images Cranky Kong, as his name hints, is the grumpy father of Donkey Kong. He's also the king of The Jungle Kingdom. Voice actor Kevin Michael Richardson plays Kamek, Bowser's advisor and informant. Kevin Michael Richardson voices Kamek in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." Nintendo; Illumination Entertainment & Universal Pictures; Allison Dinner/Invision/AP Kamek is a Koopa sorcerer. "The Walking Dead" star Khary Payton voices the adorable Penguin King. Khary Payton voices Penguin King in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." Nintendo; Illumination Entertainment & Universal Pictures; Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP Penguin King is a fan-favorite character. In the film, he tries to defend his fellow penguins against the formidable Bowser. Payton told Insider that he recorded lines in his closet during the pandemic and didn't know if the character would make the final cut of the movie. Read the original article on Insider The remains of a church and ancient village emerged from the drought-stricken Sau reservoir in Vilanova de Sau, Catalonia (AP) A severe and prolonged drought has taken hold in Spain as wildfires wreaked havoc unseasonably early and reservoirs dried up almost completely, with authorities fearing the dry spell could be the worst the country has faced in decades. The drought has already affected up to six million people with restrictions on water use and evacuations due to widespread wildfires even during springtime. The water level in Sau reservoir, which supplies water to the city and other towns in the northeastern region of Catalonia, has dropped so low that there is already a risk the water will be contaminated by silt. Authorities have ordered the removal of fish from the reservoir with nets to prevent them from dying and rotting in the water, making it unusable for human consumption, BBC reported. View of La Baells reservoir in Berga, Spain at the end of March which is only 25 per cent full. For the past 30 months, there has been very little rain in the region (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) We are trying to transfer the water as quickly as we can, because the quality right now in the winter was good [but] in the spring, it will become really, really bad, and were trying to extract all the fish we can find there, Samuel Reyes, director of the Catalan Water Agency (ACA), told BBC. The reservoir became the most visible symbol of the worst drought this area has seen in living memory after 11th century church of Sant Roma de Sau, which was submerged when the reservoir was created, showed above as water levels went down. Agustin Torrent, a 70-year-old man who has lived nearby his whole life, told BBC, Ive never seen it so empty. Its sad when youve seen [the reservoir] full before. But thats the way it is. Its climate change and anyone who says it doesnt exist, I dont know what you can say to them. Last month, Spain officially entered a period of long-term drought, and the first three months of 2023 show no major signs of change, owing to high temperatures and low rainfall over the past three years. The first available predictions for the summer of 2023 point to a likely situation of temperatures once again above normal, spokesperson for state weather agency Ruben del Campo, said. Story continues Locals in some of the hardest-hit villages have been turning to ceremonial rain prayers, asking God to open the heavens. A procession was held lEspunyola, north of Barcelona where local residents carried a statue of the Our Lady of the Torrents, a virgin historically associated with drought, in Spain. Prayers and hymns were offered to ask for divine intervention in solving the crisis. Globally, 2022 was the hottest and sixth driest year since records began. Last winter was the fifth consecutive year to be declared warm or very warm. This, combined with rainfall for the year being 16 per cent below average, has led to hostile land for farmers as well as record low levels of water in the countrys reservoirs. Although Mr del Campo pointed out that Spain has experienced severe droughts before, he said that this drought is still important. To put it in context, were in a drought, but there have been worse droughts, he said. NEW ORLEANS (AP) A lawsuit that Louisiana and other Republican-leaning states filed challenging figures the Biden administration uses to calculate damages from greenhouse gasses was dismissed Wednesday by a federal appeals court. The unanimous decision by three judges on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans was the latest defeat for states challenging the Biden cost of carbon policy. It leaves the administration to continue using a damage cost estimate of about $51 per ton of carbon dioxide emissions as it develops environmental regulations. That estimate is under review by the administration and could increase. The Biden cost estimate had been used during former President Barack Obama's administration. President Joe Biden restored it on his first day in office after the administration of former President Donald Trump had reduced the figure to about $7 or less per ton. A federal judge in Louisiana had ordered a halt to the administrations approach early last year after the states filed a lawsuit. The states said the policy threatened to drive up energy costs while decreasing state revenues from energy production. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans blocked the judges order and the Supreme Court declined to intervene. On Thursday the appeals court dismissed the case, saying the challenging states had no standing to sue because they had not shown that the regulations caused the economic harms their lawsuit cited. Plaintiffs contemplate harms that are several steps removed from and are not guaranteed by the challenged Executive Order, wrote Judge Jacques Wiener, appointed to the court by former President George H.W. Bush, on behalf of a panel that also included Obama appointee Stephen Higginson and Trump appointee Cory Wilson. The $51 per ton estimate was established in 2016 and used to justify major rules such as the Clean Power Plan former President Barack Obamas signature effort to address climate change by tightening emissions standards from coal-fired power plants and separate rules imposing tougher vehicle emission standards. However, the Clean Power Plan never took effect after being blocked by federal courts. Story continues Now, the administration is reviewing the $51 per ton estimate. The Environmental Protection Agency in September proposed a cost roughly four times higher than the Obama figure. Researchers have said for years that the damage done by every ton of carbon dioxide that comes out of a smokestack or tailpipe far exceeds $51. A study last year in the journal Nature concluded the price should be $185 per ton 3.6 times higher than the U.S. standard. A 2017 report from the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine said current carbon pricing calculations were inadequate. Researchers began calculating damages from carbon emissions in the 1980s and before 2017, the last updates to the modelling were in the early to mid 1990s. The other states whose officials sued are Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Dakota, Texas, West Virginia and Wyoming. ___ Brown reported from Billings, Montana. Associated Press reporter Matthew Daly, in Washington, contributed to this report. Before a crackling fire in Passaic on Wednesday, dozens of Jewish families continued a Passover tradition meant to cleanse their households and their souls. The Jewish community gathered in Third Ward Park for the annual Burning of the Chametz, at which bread and other leavened food was tossed into a firepit. A similar ritual was held Wednesday at the Teaneck Jewish Center. Participants cast away small packages containing morsels of bread, crackers and cereal as a means of ridding their homes of leavened products before the holiday, scheduled to start at sundown on Wednesday. Many also donated their unopened chametz to the needy. So what is chametz? Why is it burned? Here's a look at Passover and the traditions that thousands of North Jersey families will be honoring this week. When is Passover and what does it commemorate? The eight-day holiday (in Israel, it's only seven days) commemorates the liberation of the Hebrews from Egyptian slavery, believed to have occurred about 3,300 years ago. The escape forms the basis of the Book of Exodus in the Bible. Passover begins this year on Wednesday evening and will end on the evening of April 13. So what is chametz? The Israelites fled Egypt in such haste, they didn't have time to wait for their bread dough to rise. As reminder of their sacrifice and ultimate redemption, Jews today abstain from eating leavened bread or other foods made from fermented grain during the holiday. Jews refer to leavened items, which must be discarded from the home before Passover, by the Hebrew term "chametz" (pronounced "HA-metz" and also spelled "chometz.") It includes anything made with grains like wheat, oats, rye barley and spelt. What is biur chametz? Jews often destroy leavened food in a ceremonial burning called "biur chametz." According to Jewish tradition, the burning isn't just a physical ritual but also a symbolic act in which people are encouraged to rid themselves of bad character traits. Hoarding Haggadahs: I can't stop buying Haggadahs for my Seders. Here's why I'm obsessed with collecting them Story continues How is Passover observed? Avi Schwwartz, 2, is held by his father, David Schwartz, as he throws a roll of bread into the fire. Jews came to Third Ward Park, in Passaic, Wednesday morning for the burning of the chametz. Chametz is bread or any levened food, which is forbidden for Jews to have during Passover. Passover starts Wednesday at sundown and lasts until sundown on April 13th. Wednesday, April 5, 2023 The highlight of the holiday are big dinners, known as Seders, which blend religious rituals, song and storytelling. Participants at the Seder, which means "order" in Hebrew, eat symbolic foods including matzo, an unleavened bread made of flour and water. Those at the dinner recite the story of the Exodus from Egypt, following the ancient text known as the Haggadah. Every family may have its own traditions but overall, the Seder is designed to engage children and encourage them to ask questions. What are the symbolic foods on the Seder plate? The Seder plate is the focal point of the night and it sits at the center of the table where everyone can see the divided platter holding the evening's symbolic foods: matzo, a shank bone, a hard-boiled egg, bitter herbs, a vegetable and charoset. The bone, which is the only item on the plate not eaten, is a reminder of the Passover sacrifice; a roasted chicken or lamb shank can be used but vegetarians often substitute a broiled beet. Charoset, a delicious paste made of fruits and nuts, symbolizes the mortar the Jews used when they worked as slaves in Egypt. The egg, which should be roasted and slightly burnt, represents the circle of life and the rebirth of the Jewish people following years of enlsavement. The vegetable, symbolizing spring, can be anything green. Many use parsley, dipped in salt water to symbolize the tears of the slaves. Bitter herbs often romaine lettuce or fresh horseradish recall the bitterness of slavery. More: These are our food editor's favorite Passover dishes, recipes. Enjoy! Why is Passover so important to Jews? Jews burn chametz before Passover at the Teaneck Jewish Center on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. The Exodus was regarded as the "birth" of the Jewish nation and is the oldest continuously observed religious ritual in the world, Jewish scholars say. Its lessons "of struggle and identity continue to form the basis of Jewish consciousness 3,300 years after the event," according to Rabbi Shraga Simmons of Aish.com, a Jewish culture website. The holiday also incorporates themes of freedom, spring renewal, a Jewish homeland, social justice and recognition of people who are oppressed today. Deena Yellin covers religion for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to her work covering how the spiritual intersects with our daily lives, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. Email: yellin@northjersey.com Twitter: @deenayellin This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Passover traditions: Why burn chametz, Sedar plate and more By Luc Cohen, Jack Queen NEW YORK (Reuters) -The Manhattan District Attorney's office on Tuesday unveiled charges against Donald Trump over hush money payments to suppress accounts of his alleged extramarital affairs, becoming the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges. Below is an explanation of the charges he faces and his possible defenses: WHAT IS TRUMP ACCUSED OF DOING? Prosecutors led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged Trump with 34 felony counts for falsifying business records related to a "catch-and-kill" scheme to suppress negative news stories about him ahead of the 2016 election. During the campaign, Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 to for her silence on an affair she says she had with Trump. Trump denies the allegations and the affairs but has admitted to reimbursing Cohen for his payment to Daniels. He has called Bragg's probe a politically motivated "witch hunt" and pleaded not guilty during his first court appearance Tuesday. Taken together, the charges carry a maximum of 136 years in prison under New York law, but any prison sentence following a guilty verdict would almost certainly be far less than that. Trump would almost certainly appeal any conviction. WHAT LAWS DOES THAT VIOLATE? It is against New York state law to make a false entry in a company's records. While falsification of business records on its own is a misdemeanor, meaning it is punishable by a sentence of less than one year, it is considered a felony punishable by up to four years in prison if it is done to conceal or further other crimes. In this case, Bragg said those other crimes include alleged election law violations. Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to federal charges of causing an unlawful campaign contribution and making an excessive campaign contribution tied to the scheme. The U.S. Attorney's office in Manhattan has not charged Trump, who it referred to in its charging document against Cohen as "Individual-1," with any crime. Story continues WHAT COULD TRUMP'S DEFENSE BE? Trump may argue that Cohen acted on his own when paying Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. He may also argue that the purpose of silencing Daniels and McDougal was to spare him and his family the embarrassment of public attention to alleged extramarital affairs, not to help his campaign. While Cohen testified in 2018 that Trump directed him to pay Daniels, Trump has repeatedly called Cohen a "liar" and could attempt to undermine Cohen's credibility by pointing out that he has admitted to perjuring himself before Congress. In an interview with Reuters in December 2018, Trump said the payment to Daniels "wasn't a campaign contribution" and "there was no violation based on what we did." Joseph Tacopina, a lawyer for Trump, has argued in television interviews that Trump was a victim of extortion by Daniels. Trump has also said in a post on his Truth Social platform that the statute of limitations - generally five years in New York - has run out. HOW COULD BRAGG OVERCOME THOSE ARGUMENTS? While Cohen's history of lies could provide fertile ground for Trump's lawyers on cross-examination should he testify at an eventual trial, Cohen has already been sentenced and served time. That could blunt any attempt by Trump to argue that Cohen is falsely implicating him to try to win a lenient sentence, a common argument criminal defendants make against cooperating witnesses. Trump's claim that Daniels was extorting him may not be relevant to the case because the charge focuses on his company's false accounting of the payments as legal expenses. The statute of limitations is unlikely to be an issue, as it does not count time a defendant spends living outside New York state. Trump lived in Washington, D.C., while he was president and has lived in Florida since leaving office in 2021. (Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Additional reporting by Jack QueenEditing by Noeleen Walder, Alistair Bell, Amy Stevens and Lisa Shumaker) Ma Ying-jeou, former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party, on Tuesday visited a cemetery in Chongqing dedicated to General Zhang Zizhong, a senior officer killed during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and paid tribute to fallen heroes during the war. The general was killed while fighting a battle in 1940 at the age of 49, and buried in the cemetery. In front of the general's tomb, Ma observed a moment of silence and bowed three times, together with young people from Taiwan in his delegation, before presenting flowers. When visiting a historic site museum in Chongqing, Ma said that China's resistance war restrained the main force of the Japanese army in the eastern battlefield, which was a great contribution. He said that the Cairo Conference held in 1943 was extremely important, and cited stipulations from the Cairo Declaration that all Chinese territories seized by Japan should be returned to China. During the ongoing trip, Ma has led a group of young people from Taiwan to visit memorial sites and cemeteries -- including the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in the city of Nanjing, as well as a memorial hall dedicated to military officers and soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and a historic site of a ceremony to accept the surrender of Japanese invaders in Hunan Province -- to relive the history of the resistance war. According to Ma's itinerary, when he arrives in Shanghai, he will continue to visit venues in memory of the resistance war. Charlotte has a new planning director. In title, at least. Alyson Craig has worn the interim planning director title for more than a year since the previous director, Taiwo Jaiyeoba, took a job leading the city of Greensboro. Craig has shed the interim tag, the city of Charlotte announced Wednesday. The role is a critical one for Charlotte as it navigates managing the substantial amount of growth across the city, following the vision laid out in the narrowly-adopted 2040 Comprehensive Plan. Alyson Craig was named this week as planning director of the city of Charlotte, removing an interim tag shes had since last year. Craig led the adoption of the Unified Development Ordinance, the development rule book which sets that long-term vision into reality. The UDO was rolled out under Jaiyeoba but a City Council vote happened while Craig was interim director last August. The UDO will go into effect June 1. The UDO, along with the comprehensive plan, will guide Charlottes growth and act as the primary regulatory tools for new development on everything from tree protection to stormwater to sidewalks. The city hasnt had an updated comprehensive plan since 1975. Alyson has been a tremendous asset to the organization since joining the city, Charlotte City Manager Marcus Jones said in a statement. Jones said he looks forward to working with Craig for years to come More on Alyson Craigs background Craig joined the city in 2018 as the planning, design and development deputy director. She previously served as director of the Master of Science in Real Estate program at UNC Charlotte. She also worked for Grubb Properties, a major developer. She was a development and acquisition associate to identify potential office, apartment and mixed-use deals. Craig has a bachelors degree in biology from UNC Chapel Hill. She also has a masters in real estate from UNC Charlotte and a masters in sustainable development and conservation ecology from the University of Georgia. As Charlotte aims to become a more walkable, dense city theres one policy that can undermine those goals: government-mandated parking regulations. Thats the stance of the Parking Reform Network, a national nonprofit out of Portland that works to educate organizations and cities about rethinking rules around vehicle parking. The network published a map last month showing how much land the 50 biggest U.S. cities by population Charlotte included dedicate to parking. The map only focused on each citys center, business district. While Charlotte scored in the middle of the pack at 27th, the map raises questions about the direction the city is headed in terms of building less car-centric neighborhoods. Cities across the country have been eliminating parking requirements, including in Raleigh where mandates for most land uses are no longer required. Proponents of eliminating parking requirements point to the expense that comes with building garages and how much space lots take up. In its newly-adopted development rule book, Charlotte set parking space minimums and maximums for various uses, everything from car washes to restaurants and apartment complexes. A single-family home in a neighborhood zoned district requires one space per unit. For a gas station, one space is required per pump island plus one space per every 1,000 square feet of retail in a neighborhood district. Such minimums largely disappear in denser parts of the city like transit-oriented development districts. Some city leaders argue parking mandates can go against certain long-term goals like creating walkable areas and reducing traffic fatalities. The red outlines on the map show parts of uptown Charlotte that are dedicated to parking. The map was created by the Parking Reform Network, a nonprofit that seeks to educate municipalities about how parking mandates tied to new development and land uses can be a detriment to walkability and create other barriers. Where Charlotte ranks on parking map Arlington, Texas, scored the worst on the Parking Reform Networks list, with 42% of its center city district devoted to parking. San Francisco had the best parking score, with 4% of its center city dedicated to parking. Charlotte has about 18% of its center city area dedicated to parking, according to the network. The network looked at a boundary inside the Interstate 277 loop, from South Caldwell Street up to East Seventh Street and north of North Graham Street. Story continues The group is trying to ask what justifies a prescribed amount of parking, the networks president, Tony Jordan, told The Charlotte Observer. Decisions of how much parking is tied to any given development or land use are best left up to the business owner, developer or property owner. Its mostly saying, what is the right amount of parking? And how little can we get away with? Jordan said. The nonprofit Parking Reform Network published a map last month showing how much land in the top 50 US cities are dedicated to parking lots and parking garages. The study didnt include on-street parking. This comes as some cities eliminate parking mandates with new development. Running counter to other city policies The recently-adopted 2040 Comprehensive Plan lays out how Charlotte wants to grow over the coming decades. One of the goals is creating 10-minute neighborhoods. That means households should have access to essential amenities and services like food, healthcare or a park within a 10-minute walk, bike or transit trip. People living in cities with more parking requirements means the housing supply is more restricted and expensive, Jordan said, because costs for a development increase with parking. Jordan stressed the elimination of parking requirements doesnt mean there wont be places to park. Businesses and companies can decide how much they need. Parking structures also serve to space a city further apart, Jordan said. For visitors who dont want to drive their cars everywhere, walking can become more difficult to get from point A to point B. Its going to degrade your ability to do multiple things without getting in a car, he said. By publishing the map, Jordan hopes to show how much potential cities have if they stop requiring so much parking to be built. Talks of amending the rule book One Charlotte leader is on board with less regulation around parking requirements for new development. Mayor Pro Tem Braxton Winston believes the city should stay out of regulating parking minimums and maximums. The city needs an overall parking plan for managing parking in the right-of-ways. A developer, property owner or business owner can decide how much parking they need on site, Winston said in an interview with The Charlotte Observer. In a tweet on Tuesday, Winston argued requiring a minimum number of parking spaces at places like breweries, bars and nightclubs places people can go to drink alcohol go against the citys goal to eliminate traffic fatalities. We should explore policy to eliminate this counterproductive mandate, the mayor pro tem tweeted. Its common sense that mandating parking mins for establishments where people go to drink alcohol (like breweries, bars, nightclubs, etc) is counterproductive to #VisionZero goals to eliminate traffic fatalities. We should explore policy to eliminate this counterproductive mandate https://t.co/laXbOESYBE Mayor Pro Tem Braxton Winston (He/Him) (@BraxtonWinston) April 4, 2023 Cities are always changing, especially in the more urban and dense parts, Winston said in an interview. He wants to have discussions with the city about a possible amendment to the UDO when it comes to parking requirements. If you try to overly prescribe outcomes, it limits the way places can grow, he said. Police say the accused is a former lover of the bride A newly-married Indian man and his brother have died after a home theatre system they received as a wedding gift exploded. Police said the gift was planted with explosives that went off as soon as it was plugged into power. While the groom died on the spot, his brother succumbed to injuries during treatment. Police said the bomb was allegedly sent by the bride's former lover who was angry at her for marrying another man. The accused, who has been identified as Sarju Markam from the neighbouring state of Madhya Pradesh, was arrested on Tuesday. Since he's in custody, he's not made any statements yet. Four others, including an 18-month-boy, were injured in the explosion, which took place on 3 April at the groom's home in Kabirdham district in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh. Police said Mr Markam, 33, was in a relationship with the 29-year-old woman and was insisting that she become his second wife. But the woman's family refused and arranged her marriage elsewhere. Police said the blast was so strong that the walls and the roof of the room collapsed from its impact. Read more India stories from the BBC: Chicago Mayor-Elect Brandon Johnson vows to invest in mental health treatment to help fight rising crime Former union organiser Brandon Johnson has been elected as Chicago's next mayor in a victory widely seen as a boost for progressive Democrats. Mr Johnson, 47, won the hotly contested race over former Chicago schools CEO Paul Vallas, a fellow Democrat. The election comes as Chicago struggles with crime, a central theme of both candidates' electoral campaigns. Mr Johnson has vowed to invest more on mental health treatment, rather than on additional police and jails. When he takes office next month, Mr Johnson will succeed incumbent Lori Lightfoot, the first black woman and openly gay person to serve as Chicago's mayor. Mr Johnson was backed during the non-partisan election by prominent progressives including Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, who appeared at a rally in the closing days of the campaign. Speaking to supporters on Tuesday night, Mr Johnson vowed to usher in a "new chapter" in Chicago in which residents from all walks of life would be cared for by city officials. "Tonight is the beginning of a Chicago that truly invests in all its people," he added. In his speech, Mr Johnson - who is African-American - said his campaign had been influenced by civil rights leader Martin Luther King, who was assassinated exactly 55 years ago on 4 April, 1968. "Today the dream is alive," he said. "So today we celebrate the revival and the resurrection of the city of Chicago". During the contentious campaign, Mr Johnson and Mr Vallas regularly sparred over ways to address rising crime. The murder rate in Chicago has risen 20% since 2018, while car thefts have risen by 114% in the same period. Other forms of crimes have risen over the five-year period, too. While Mr Vallas promised to hire hundreds of additional officers to fight crime - and was endorsed by the police union - Mr Johnson vowed to invest city funds in intervention methods focused on de-escalating conflict, as well as addressing root causes of crime such as schools, jobs and mental health. Current Mayor Lori Lightfoot - who came in third in the February race - had increasingly come under fire over her handling of Chicago's crime from her political opponents. In a statement on Tuesday, Ms Lightfoot said that Mr Johnson's election was an opportunity for Chicago residents "to come together and recommit ourselves to uniting around our shared present and future" regardless of "ZIP code or neighbourhood, our race or ethnicity, the creator we worship, or who we love." Passengers enjoy the city CHICAGO The mayoral victory on Tuesday of Brandon Johnson, a once little-known progressive and former teacher, over a more moderate veteran of this citys burly political realm injected confidence in the Democratic Partys most liberal wing and may have pointed a way forward for the party on the fraught issue of crime. Johnson, 47, walked back some of his most progressive positions, including budget cuts to Chicagos police force. But he never disavowed the position that, in a city where violence and crime are surging, those in power must take a fundamentally different approach to public safety. Instead of more police on the beat, he called for economic and community development, more social workers and mental health professionals and more detectives to actually solve the crimes that are committed. He may not call that law enforcement activity, but it will be part of the law enforcement system, said Rep. Danny K. Davis, a longtime House Democrat from Chicago who backed Johnson. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times Johnsons victory may be a lesson for other Democrats struggling with the issue under the verbal assault of Republicans. Rep. Delia Ramirez, a newly elected progressive Democrat from Chicagos Northwest Side, was ecstatic. Weve had a police department that had been attempting to do the jobs of social workers, counselors, mediators, you name it, she said. What we havent had is help. Perhaps no issue has divided Democrats more than crime and policing as violence has surged across the country during the coronavirus pandemic, and Republicans have relentlessly made the case that their opponents are soft on criminals. Crime and public safety were the top concerns of Chicago voters, with 57% of Chicagoans and 61% of Black Chicagoans calling the city unsafe, according to a poll done for the conservative Manhattan Institute by Schoen Cooperman Research. The city has experienced a 45% increase in crime compared with the same point last year in several categories, including sexual assault, robbery, burglary and car theft. Murders have fallen from the pandemic-era rise in 2021 and 2022, but the number of murders this year is still almost 50% higher than in 2019. Story continues National Democrats had conceded that they expected those numbers to yield a narrow victory for Johnsons opponent, Paul Vallas, 69, a former Chicago schools chief who centered his campaign on being tough on crime. When people are afraid, they will flock to what they perceive as strength, said Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., who took part in an internet ad for Johnson that criticized Vallas for his stewardship of the Philadelphia school system. As Bill Clinton once said, people will choose strong and wrong over weak and right. We as Democrats need to have a message on crime that meets this moment. Then Johnson won. Boyle cautioned against reading too much into the outcome. Vallas may have lost because so much attention was focused on his missteps running the school systems of Chicago, Philadelphia and New Orleans and on his association with Republicans, whether they were suburban business leaders or the pro-Trump president of the local Fraternal Order of Police. With the power of the Chicago teachers union behind him, Johnson out-organized and out-hustled Vallas, who spent far more money on the campaign. This in many ways came down to Paul Vallas, Boyle said. Analysts also cautioned that Johnsons victory most likely had less to do with ideology than with Johnsons consolidating the Black vote after a divided primary and with Vallas failing to make up for that with a larger-than-expected Hispanic turnout. But liberal activists were not about to squander the triumph of a young progressive voice who exuded optimism over an older, gruffer moderate who relied heavily on the message that more crime required more police officers with fewer restrictions. Leaders of the Democratic left, including Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, endorsed Johnson, lifting him from obscurity to a second-place finish in the first round of voting. And in the end, his appeal in an overwhelmingly Democratic city overcame Vallas efforts to prove his Democratic bona fides with the endorsements of party mainstays, including Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois; Arne Duncan, a secretary of education under former President Barack Obama; and former Rep. Bobby L. Rush, who became an icon on the South Side as a Black Panther. Brandon is representative of todays Chicago its progressive, it leans younger, said Rep. Jan Schakowsky, a Democrat whose north lakeshore district was the core of Johnsons support. This should give heart to people who want to run progressive campaigns around the country, and it should give inspiration to people who believe in diversity, who believe in individual participation in elections. In that sense, the vote in Chicago was more like the mayoral race in Los Angeles than the contest in New York. In Los Angeles, a surge of support for Rick Caruso, the Republican-turned-Democrat, forced a runoff, but the liberal in the race, Karen Bass, ultimately triumphed. In New York, Eric Adams, a former police officer, won on a crime-focused message. But Howard Wolfson, who worked for Michael Bloomberg when he was New Yorks mayor and was involved in the Bloomberg endorsement of Adams, noted that Adams had something that Vallas didnt: He was a victim of police misconduct as a teenager and a criminal justice reformer as a police officer. It was a lot harder to attack him on the issue of policing, Wolfson said of Adams. Vallas, given his own biography, was easier to attack. (STORY CAN END HERE. OPTIONAL MATERIAL FOLLOWS.) One big issue could be affected by Johnsons victory: the imminent choice that the Democratic Party must make between Chicago and Atlanta for its 2024 presidential convention. On the one hand, Chicago will be led by an ebullient voice for change, Schakowsky said. On the other, Republicans are not about to forget the video of Johnson calling for the defunding of the police. Republicans made the label San Francisco Democrats stick after the 1984 convention in that city nominated the ill-fated ticket of Walter Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro, Boyle noted. With Johnson as mayor, I could see us labeled Chicago Democrats, given the crime and violence, he said. Then he added, But I want it in Chicago. c.2023 The New York Times Company A stray chihuahua was captured in Decatur Sunday near Constitution Road and later tested positive for rabies. The dog died while in its cage at a shelter. DeKalb County officials say it is not unusual for the county to report several rabies cases each year as the virus is present all year long in Georgia. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Residents are urged to make sure their pets are up to date for preventative vaccination and should eliminate outdoor feeding stations and access to garbage cans. Anyone who has been bitten or scratched by an animal should seek medical treatment immediately. DeKalb County Animal Control will conduct wild animal trapping if a domestic pet or person has been bitten or scratched. Rabies affects the brain and is usually passed from animal to animal, but can be passed from animals to people. TRENDING STORIES: Vaccinations are effective in protecting humans and pets from the virus. DeKalb County pet owners are responsible for vaccinating pets every year and registering the tag with DeKalb County Animal Control. To report an animal bite, contact them at 404-294-2996 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, or after hours at 404-294-2519. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: BEIJING (Reuters) - China's foreign ministry on Thursday condemned a meeting in California between Taiwan's leader and the U.S. House Speaker as "acts of collusion" and said it would defend its sovereignty, according to the Xinhua news agency. "China firmly opposes and strongly condemns the acts," China's foreign ministry spokesperson said, according to the official state news agency. "In response to the seriously erroneous acts of collusion between the United States and Taiwan, China will take resolute and effective measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity." House Speaker Kevin McCarthy hosted Tsai Ing-wen in California on Wednesday, becoming the most senior U.S. figure to meet a Taiwanese leader on U.S. soil in decades and stressed the need to speed up arms deliveries to Taiwan in the face of increasing threats from China. A separate statement issued by Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress on Thursday, carried by Xinhua, said McCarthy's actions had "seriously broken the commitment made by the United States to China on the Taiwan question." China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, a position the government in Taipei strongly contests. Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing in 1979. (Reporting by Liz Lee; Writing by John Geddie; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Josie Kao) A Tehran newspaper reporting on the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia on March 11. ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images In March, Saudi Arabia and Iran announced they had normalized relations in a deal brokered by China. For the US, the deal is both a wakeup call and a chance to address urgent priorities with diplomacy. Hassan El-Tayyab is legislative director for Middle East policy at the Friends Committee on National Legislation. For decades, the United States has been viewed as the indispensable nation in the Middle East. However, the recent agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, brokered with the help of Chinese mediation, challenges long-standing assumptions about the US role there and signifies an entirely new shift in China's approach to the region. By mediating the Saudi-Iran deal, China has demonstrated its ability to play a constructive role in resolving conflicts impartially rather than relying on arms sales to keep nations in its corner, as the US has done for years. In contrast, the US has for years taken sides and militarily intervened in almost every regional conflict, including in Yemen, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, and Iraq and is far and away the region's largest weapons dealer. Predictably, some US officials and commentators have declared China's breakthrough as an urgent threat to American interests, arguing that the Biden administration's strategic misfires have opened the door to greater Chinese influence. But this deal need not be the catastrophe these critics make it out to be. A more stable region with reduced Saudi-Iran hostilities benefits everyone, including the US. China is presenting a different vision for the region and it is incumbent upon the US to respond. But the way to compete in this new arena is through robust diplomatic engagement. This agreement is both a wakeup call and an opportunity to address urgent priorities, including ending the Yemen war and curbing Iran's nuclear program both of which can only be resolved through diplomacy. Forensic experts at a the site of a funeral that was struck Saudi-led warplanes in Sanaa, Yemen in October 2016. Khaled Abdullah/Reuters The Saudis and their backers in the US have made no secret that extending blanket concessions, including formal American security guarantees, is the only way to bring the Kingdom firmly back into the Western fold and advance Israel's formal integration in the region. Story continues But we shouldn't take the bait, especially when the Kingdom continually subverts US interests by manipulating the global energy market and when the prospects for peaceful resolutions to long standing conflicts are growing. Gifting the Saudis with more military support risks backsliding on the Yemen peace talks and seriously impeding the negotiated solution that is imperative to ending the war. And it's critical to US interests that this war ends. The conflict has created a massive humanitarian crisis and regional instability, has put at risk the lives of tens of thousands of US troops and civilians in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, led to a rise in recruitment by extremist groups like Al Qaeda Arabian Peninsula, and badly damaged America's international reputation. There have been some positive signs for diplomacy in Yemen since the Saudi-Iran deal was announced. These include the opening of Hodeidah port to commercial cargo, a prisoner swap agreement between the warring parties, reports of Iran stopping weapons shipments to the Houthis, and no new cross-border airstrikes or drone attacks. Continued US diplomatic engagement is needed to keep these fragile negotiations on track. Proponents of the traditional American approach in the region are also in a frenzy about the potential breakdown of the counter-Iran coalition, but isolating Iran has been a strategic failure by all accounts. President Joe Biden with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in July 2022. Bandar Algaloud/Reuters Former President Donald Trump's move away from engagement through his catastrophic withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and "maximum pressure" campaign have accelerated volatility in the Middle East and unleashed Iran's nuclear enrichment program, which is inching dangerously close to weapons-grade. The new Iran-Saudi agreement, however, creates new openings for diplomacy alongside regional stakeholders to put Iran's nuclear program back in the box peacefully. It may also pave the way for resolutions to other areas of dispute. Congress and the Biden administration should now take immediate steps along this path and adopt a more neutral posture across the Middle East if it wants to stay relevant in this new moment. Policymakers can start by ending military support and weapons for the Saudi-led war in Yemen and pushing for a diplomatic end to the conflict and humanitarian crisis. The administration can also push for new trust-building measures such as prisoner swaps with Iran and some safeguards agreements for more limits and oversight on Iran's nuclear facilities in exchange for targeted sanctions relief, as it seeks to fully restore the nuclear deal. The Saudi-Iran normalization deal is an end of one era of US-primacy in the Middle East and the start of a new multi-polar reality. Policymakers in the United States have two choices: get on the diplomacy train or watch it leave the station without them. If Washington rejects regional power-sharing and obstructs a world in which other nations have a vested interest in peace, it risks jeopardizing America's own economic and security interests and its international reputation. Now is the time to prioritize and reap the benefits of diplomacy, not reject those who advocate for it. Hassan El-Tayyab is the legislative director for Middle East policy at the Friends Committee on National Legislation. Read the original article on Business Insider (Bloomberg) -- China cannot act as a peace mediator over Russias invasion of Ukraine as Beijings stance would rob Kyiv of its sovereignty, according to Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis. Most Read from Bloomberg Weve already seen that they are aligning themselves, or they want Russia to align to their version of the global order, Landsbergis told Bloomberg TVs Maria Tadeo after a meeting of his NATO counterparts in Brussels. And definitely in that world order, Ukraine is not able to maintain its full sovereignty. European leaders are trying to calibrate their relationship with China as it becomes an increasingly difficult interlocutor, partly given President Xi Jinpings close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. French President Emmanuel Macron said earlier Wednesday that China can play a major role in Ukraine while adding that he opposes moves to decouple from the worlds second-biggest economy, as he pushes Europe to take a more moderate stance toward Beijing than the US is demanding. Moments after Macron landed in China for a three-day visit, he made clear his strategy to appease tensions and find common ground with Beijing on several fronts, starting with Russias invasion of Ukraine. He suggested that China could use its close ties with Russia to push for peace. China sees Russia already as some sort of a satellite. And they currently do not have, but theyre planning to have, Russia exactly where they want it, Landsbergis said. He rejected Chinas proposals for an end to Russias war in Ukraine. Its not a peace plan. Definitely, he said. You cannot have full sovereignty of a country, and loss of territory. Story continues Business Executives Asked about European leaders flying into Beijing with business executives, Landsbergis replied: Our consumers, people in Europe should not have to pay the price for decisions made during business trips to Beijing. Macrons group includes a delegation of executives from large and small French companies. Despite pressure from the US for a tougher stance on China, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is also visiting China this week, has urged the bloc to scale back the risks in dealing with Beijing rather than decouple completely in response to a new era of state security and control. Landsbergis said Lithuania had chosen to decouple from China, but that he understood not all countries could do the same. He added: De-risking cannot be business as usual. Putins announcement that he would station nuclear weapons in Belarus, just days after signing a declaration with Xi, amounts to a slap in the face to China, Landsbergis said in separate remarks. He said the move amounted to Russia pushing back against Chinas attempts to encroach on it as Beijing will soon have Moscow where they want them weak militarily, super weak economically, basically a bankrupt country with no allies whatsoever, Landsbergis said. --With assistance from Courtney McBride and Max Ramsay. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. HONG KONG China on Wednesday threatened retaliation if House Speaker Kevin McCarthy meets with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen as she passes through the United States next week, saying it would be a provocation. Speaking hours later as she left Taiwan, a self-governing island democracy that Beijing claims as its territory, Tsai said external pressure would not deter her government from engaging with the world. Tsais trip comes as Beijing is buoyed by newly established diplomatic ties with Honduras and a historic visit to China by Tsais predecessor. The dueling visits underscore Taiwans increasingly fragile status, as well as the growing tensions between the U.S. and China, which experts told NBC News could make Beijing respond to Tsais U.S. travel more aggressively than in the past. In remarks at an airport outside Taipei before her departure, Tsai said, We are calm and confident, will neither yield nor provoke. Taiwan will firmly walk on the road of freedom and democracy and go into the world, she said. Though the road ahead is rough and steep, we are not alone. Tsai will first stop in New York starting Wednesday on her way to Guatemala and Belize, then make another stop in Los Angeles before returning to Taiwan on April 7. In Los Angeles, she is likely to meet in person with McCarthy and other members of Congress, though it has not been officially confirmed. A spokesperson for Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office objected to any such meeting, which Beijing would view as an expression of support for Taiwan's independence. If she makes contact with U.S. House Speaker McCarthy, it will be another provocation that seriously violates the one-China principle, undermines Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity, and undermines peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, the spokesperson, Zhu Fenglian, said Wednesday at a regular news briefing. We are firmly opposed to this and will take measures to resolutely fight back, she added, without saying what those measures might be. Story continues When Nancy Pelosi, McCarthys predecessor, visited Taiwan last August, China responded with unprecedented live-fire military exercises that surrounded the island. Taiwan said this week there was no sign of any changes to Chinas usual military deployment in the area, which includes sending warplanes toward the island almost daily. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen in Taipei, Taiwan (Chien Chih-Hung / Getty Images file) The U.S. says visits by high-level Taiwanese officials, including Tsai, are routine and in keeping with the long-standing U.S. policy of recognizing Beijing as the sole legal government of China, while maintaining unofficial relations with Taipei. Tsais U.S. travel should not be used by China as a pretext to step up any aggressive activity around the Taiwan Strait, a senior Biden administration official told reporters last week, noting that Tsai has passed through the U.S. six times since taking office in 2016 with minimal response from Beijing. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Wednesday that China had lodged a complaint with the U.S. over her transit plans. Past mistakes cannot justify todays mistakes, the spokesperson, Mao Ning, said at a regular news briefing. U.S.-China relations have only grown more complicated since 2019, when Tsai last visited the U.S., said Lev Nachman, a political scientist and assistant professor at National Chengchi University in Taipei. Things that used to be very small are now very big, he said. So even though this is a totally long-standing practice, I still anticipate that the PRC is going to have some kind of overstated response to what normally would not be that big of a deal," he said, using an acronym to refer to the Peoples Republic of China. Dueling trips and diplomatic shifts The status of Taiwan is among the most sensitive issues in U.S.-China relations, which were already at their lowest point in decades when Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed a planned trip to Beijing last month over a Chinese surveillance balloon that was detected and shot down over U.S. territory. President Joe Biden says he expects to have a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping soon. Ma Ying-jeou, Tsais predecessor, has been in China since Monday, the first former or current Taiwanese president to visit since the Republic of China government fled to the island in 1949 after losing a civil war to Mao Zedongs communist forces. His opposition Kuomintang party favors closer relations with China, which says it seeks peaceful unification with Taiwan but has not ruled out the use of force. The people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are Chinese people and share the same ancestor, Ma said Tuesday in the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing, using an expression that refers to Chinese people in terms of ethnicity, rather than nationality. We deeply hope that both sides of the Taiwan Strait will work together to pursue peace, avoid war and strive to revitalize China, he said in remarks released by his office. Public opinion polls show most people in Taiwan oppose unification with China and do not identify as Chinese. Ma says the purpose of his 12-day visit, which is unofficial, is to make offerings to his ancestors, as well as promote cross-strait student exchanges. Taiwans governing Democratic Progressive Party has criticized the trip as inappropriate given that Ma arrived in China the day after Honduras established diplomatic relations with Beijing, severing its ties with Taipei in the process. The decision leaves Taiwan with just 13 formal diplomatic allies, including Guatemala and Belize. That has raised the stakes for Tsais trip to those two countries, her first diplomatic visits since before the pandemic. But while Honduras switch has been met with disappointment in Taiwan, Nachman said, the islands geopolitical security is far more dependent on its partnerships with the U.S., the European Union, Japan and other international backers with which it has no formal ties. He also noted that Ma, who left office in 2016 with drastically low approval ratings and is no longer a major party figure, was not expected to go to Beijing or meet with any high-profile officials. While the optics of the dueling trips are meaningful, Nachman said, Mas China visit is not going to drastically alter the direction of Taiwanese politics. Ma's travel to China is the first cross-strait visit by a current or former leader of Taiwan in more than 70 years, though he will not visit Beijing and has no current plans to meet Chinese government officials, his spokesman said on March 20. (SAM YEH / AFP via Getty Images) Tsais transit through the U.S. is more significant, said Jessica Chen Weiss, a professor of China and Asia-Pacific studies at Cornell University, and Beijing will be paying close attention to what is said while she is there. While Tsai is widely considered to be reliably pragmatic and measured in her public comments, emphasizing her commitment to maintaining the status quo, the U.S. lawmakers who may meet with her could be more unpredictable. American leaders feel that they need to talk tough in order to signal their commitment and resolve and that that is the way to deter China, Weiss said. The danger, she said, is that some of that tough talk such as references to Taiwan as an independent country or claims that China has a deadline for invasion could provoke Beijing into taking action sooner and might end up creating the very window of opportunity that we are seeking to prevent. Its important for the U.S. to continue to support Taiwans self-defense, Weiss said, as well as to strengthen its own military presence in the Asia-Pacific. But that work can be done steadily, quietly, without the accompanying rhetoric that we increasingly hear from representatives on Capitol Hill, she said. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Flash China firmly opposes the U.S. arrangement for Tsai Ing-wen's "transit" trip to the United States and a meeting between her and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the third highest-ranking official of the U.S. government, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday. Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a daily news briefing, noting that it seriously contravenes the one-China principle and provisions in the three China-U.S. joint communiques and gravely undermines China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. "We urge the United States to abide by the one-China principle and provisions in the three China-U.S. joint communiques, not to allow Tsai Ing-wen's 'transit' trip to the United States, and not to arrange for any meeting or contact between Tsai and U.S. political figures and officials," Mao said. The Chinese side will closely monitor the situation as it develops and resolutely defend the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the spokesperson said. Fu Cong, Chinas Ambassador to the EU, said that statements about "no limits to friendship" between China and Russian are "nothing but rhetoric". Source: The New York Times citing Fu Congs interview; RBC, citing the statement of Dmitry Peskov, Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Details: Fu Cong said China was not on Russias side in the war and that some people deliberately misinterpreted the declaration about no limit friendship between China and Russia, signed on the eve of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to him, as quoted by the NYT, the ties between the countries may not be as limitless as their leaders once claimed. "No limit is nothing but rhetoric," Fu Cong emphasised. Beijing has not condemned the invasion, he said, because it understood Russias claims about a defensive war against NATO encroachment, and because his government believes "the root causes are more complicated" than Western leaders say. Fu Cong insisted the lack of a call was of no great importance, that Mr. Xi was very busy, and that there were frequent lower-level contacts between the two countries. "I know people are focused on the presidential call. The fact that President Xi is not speaking to Zelenskyy does not signify that China is on the side of Russia on the Ukrainian issue," Fu Cong added. Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation, commenting on his words, said that the Kremlin was focused on the "content and spirit of the contacts" that took place between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping in Moscow, and they "fully cover the entire range of issues that are on the joint agenda daytime". Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! The Chinese Embassy in Washington is warning House lawmakers against meeting with Taiwans president in Los Angeles, describing such interactions as serious political provocations. Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), a member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, posted what she said was an email from the Chinese Embassy expressing firm opposition to a meeting hosted by Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen. The email appeared to be sent from Li Xiang, counselor for the congressional section of the Chinese Embassy. It said China strongly opposes all forms of contact of the U.S. officials with the Taiwan authorities, including Speaker McCarthys meeting with Tsai Ing-wen, no matter where the meeting takes place. Li rejected suggestions that Tsais travel through the U.S. is private transit, careful language employed by the Taiwanese government and the White House to avoid labeling the trip as official diplomatic travel. The Taiwan presidents trip included stops in New York last week and Los Angeles on Wednesday. The Hill has reached out to the Chinese Embassy for comment. The Peoples Republic of China, the formal name of the government of the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing, opposes all interactions between foreign governments and the democratic government of Taipei, which refers to itself as the Republic of China. While the U.S. recognizes the PRC as the official government of China, it maintains unofficial ties with Taipei and seeks to support the democratic government negotiating with Beijing over any efforts at reunification from a position of strength. In the email to lawmakers, Li raised warnings over escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait related to the meetings between Tsai and U.S. officials. If the U.S. side truly hopes that the Taiwan Strait remains peaceful and stable, the first and foremost thing for the U.S. to do is oppose and contain Taiwan independence separatist forces, rather than condoning and supporting its leader, the email said. Story continues Hinson later posted a photo to Twitter of a meeting with Tsai at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, where McCarthy hosted lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to meet with the Taiwanese leader. It was an honor to meet with President Tsai today, Hinson tweeted. As the CCP continues their aggression toward Taiwan, as well as their deceptive global trade practices, our relationship and shared commitment to freedom and democracy will only strengthen. The White House has warned Chinese officials publicly and privately to hold off on overreacting or harsh retaliation measures in response to Tsais transit through the U.S. China previously conducted live-fire military drills around the island in response to former Speaker Nancy Pelosis (D-Calif.) trip to Taiwan in August 2022. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. (Bloomberg) -- A Chinese surveillance ship that can track rocket and spacecraft launches was docked at the eastern port of Durban this week, less than two months after South Africa drew the ire of Western nations by holding naval exercises with China and Russia. Most Read from Bloomberg The presence of the Yuan Wang 5, which is now heading west according to data compiled by Bloomberg, has previously raised concern among Chinas geopolitical rivals. In August, India objected when Sri Lanka allowed the ship to dock at its Hambantota port. The docking of the vessel may add to fears that South Africa is moving closer to China and Russia, even though the bulk of its total trade is with Western nations. South Africas biggest single trading partner is China, but its flows with Russia are negligible. We dont think further than our noses about future consequences, Kobus Marais, defense spokesman, for the main opposition Democratic Alliance, said in an interview. Its a concern. Why would she dock, and why is she around? On April 3, the DA criticized a decision to allow Iranian warships to dock in Cape Town. The African National Congress government is actively showing that it no longer acts in the best interest of the country, the DA said in a statement, that warned the nation is risking Western sanctions citing a so-called note verbale that was sent by the US Embassy to South Africa to the countrys parliamentary International Relations Committee. That note warned that entities and individuals that provided services to sanctioned vessels could be subject to the risk of sanctions from the US authorities. South Africas presidency said it didnt track the docking of ships on a day-to-day basis and referred queries to the defense department and state port operator. Neither responded immediately to queries, while the Department of International Relations and Cooperation referred queries to the Department of Transport, which didnt immediately respond. Calls to the Chinese Embassy in South Africa werent answered. Story continues South Africa has courted criticism from the US and its allies for refusing to condemn Russias invasion of Ukraine and holding the naval exercise with several Russian and Chinese vessels off its east coast in February over the first anniversary of the outbreak of the conflict. Pretoria is currently contemplating whether to allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend a BRICS bloc summit that it will host in August. On March 15, South African Defence Minister, Thandi Modise, defended the governments decision to sign a memorandum of understanding with Poly Technologies Inc, a Chinese military trade company. Partnerships with foreign companies would boost South Africas own defense industry, she told lawmakers. (An earlier version of this story corrected the ministers name in the last paragraph.) (Updates with sanctions risk in sixth and seventh paragraphs) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Chris Pratt has been opening up about his mental health before he met his wife, the self-help author Katherine Schwarzenegger. On Tuesdays episode of The Drew Barrymore Show (4 April), the Super Mario Bros Movie voice actor said: I met Katherine now its been five, six years ago. God has a fast-forward button, you know. When its right boom! youre hit. You fall in love, you get married. Now we have two beautiful daughters to add to my family, and it feels really great. He added: There was a moment in my life that I was really struggling and felt really broken. For me, [it was] my own journey finding a higher power and leaning on that and feeling like, Please save me, and feeling saved. And then shortly later, [I met] the woman of my dreams. Pratt continued: Its all about timing. Theres a perfect plan out there for you. And I think you have to have faith. The minute you have faith, it falls into place. The actor explained that he met Schwarzenegger at church. They began dating in 2018 and married the following year. The couple share two daughters, Lyla Maria, two, and Eloise Christina, 10 months. Pratt also shares son Jack, 10, with ex-wife Anna Faris, who is also an actor. Read The Independents two-star review of Pratts latest film, The Super Mario Bros Movie, here. Last week, Pratt said he totally gets the backlash over his casting in the film, with many criticising the decision to have the American star play the iconic Italian character. Chris Pratt admitted he endured a challenging time in his life before meeting his future wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, in a place of worship. The 43-year-old "Guardians of the Galaxy" star chatted with Drew Barrymore on her self-titled talk show about a personal low-point that then turned into the greatest gift of all. "I met Katherine, now its been five, maybe six years ago, and God has a fast-forward button. When it's right boom," he told Barrymore. "You get hit. You fall in love. You get married. Now we have two beautiful daughters to add to my family, and it feels really great." Arnold Schwarzenegger's daughter met Chris in the spring of 2018 and announced their engagement in January 2019. They were married on June 8, 2019 in Montecito, California. KATHERINE SCHWARZENEGGER ON HOW SHE MET HUSBAND CHRIS PRATT: HE DIDNT TRY AND PICK ME UP IN CHURCH' Chris Pratt and wife Katherine Schwarzenegger met at church and have been married since 2019. They have two children together: daughters Lyla, 2, and Eloise, 8 months. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "There was a moment in my life that I was really struggling and felt really broken," the Marvel Cinematic Universe star said. Pratt was previously married to actress Anna Faris for eight years before the couple split in 2017, with a divorce finalized the following year. They share custody of their 10-year-old son Jack. KATHERINE SCHWARZENEGGER PRATT TALKS PARENTING WITH CHRIS PRATT, WANTS TO DO 'EXACTLY' WHAT HER PARENTS DID He added, "For me, my own journey of finding a higher power and leaning on that and feeling like, 'Please save me,' and then feeling saved and then shortly, later meeting, you know, the woman of my dreams and being like, This is, wow, this feels great." Pratt and Schwarzenegger are proud parents to two daughters. They recently added the premiere of his latest film, "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." Pratt "met the woman of his dreams" after relying on faith during a particularly challenging time in his life. When Barrymore admitted she was looking for love, but was hesitant to put herself out there, Pratt offered up a few words of wisdom. "It's all about timing," the "Jurassic World" actor said. "There's a perfect plan out there for you, and I think you just gotta have to have faith. "The minute you have faith, it falls into place." Story continues Barrymore, 48, recalled Chris and Katherine had actually met "at a place of faith." "Yeah we did," Pratt said. "We met at a church." CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER He remembered sitting in the front row when he spotted Katherine for the first time. "You kind of don't want to be like, 'Whoa, who's that?' at church," he said. "But I was kind of sneaking some glances, and I'm wondering, 'Who is that? Anyway, what am I doing? Come on, I'm broken; help me. But who's that?' So we kind of hit it off. We didn't start dating right away, but we met there and then later on, ended up going out." Their connection was "very quick," with Barrymore echoing Pratts earlier confession that "God puts it on fast-forward." "It made sense," he said. "Its like when youre doing a puzzle. And theres a piece, and youre like, Im certain thats the piece. "Like it just fits together." Barrymore remembered Maria Shriver's daughter visiting her show to promote her latest literary work. "When your wife was here, I bonded with her on her book about forgiveness, which I think is such a powerful thing," she said of "The Gift of Forgiveness." Chris told Drew Barrymore that he was in church when he spotted Katherine for the first time. "She wrote this book, and she chronicles several different stories and their own journeys with forgiveness," Pratt detailed. "Theres nothing about it that says you need to do it one way, or you need to do another she was just really looking at people in their forgiveness journeys, and its a fabulous book. Shes great." He joked, "When I screw up, I say, Hey, remember your book?" The July 3, 2020, booking photo of former Brawley police Officer Ricardo Gabriel Valdez at the Brawley Superior Courthouse. (Imperial County Sheriff's Office) For the record: 8:45 p.m. April 5, 2023: An earlier version of this article said the the plaintiff was pulled over while driving. She was contacted at her home. The city of Brawley, Calif., agreed to pay a $1-million settlement to a woman who accused a city police officer of rape after he arrested her on suspicion of driving under the influence, her attorneys announced Wednesday. Former Brawley Police Officer Ricardo Gabriel Valdez drove the woman back to her home in a patrol car, where she allegedly woke up to the officer having sex with her, according to a lawsuit she filed. Valdez left the DUI citation on her bedside when he left, according to the woman's complaint. "This horrible incident has changed my life, and I am glad I can begin to put it behind me," the woman, identified only as Jane Doe, said in a statement provided by her attorneys. "I am discouraged and upset that a police officer took advantage of his badge." In the lawsuit, filed on Jan. 21, 2021, attorneys for the woman called the officer's actions "brazen, malicious, sadistic, offensive to human dignity and cruel." Michael Gibbs, one of the attorneys retained by the city in the suit, said the settlement was reached "to avoid the uncertainty and expense of a jury trial," but the city did not admit liability in the agreement. The woman was contacted by Valdez on June 21, 2020, at her home after police received a call about a driver backing into the frontyard and tree of a home. According to Valdez's report of the incident, obtained by The Times, the officer knocked on her front door, and the woman was so intoxicated at the time she had trouble standing on her own or answering basic questions from police. Jane Doe "did not answer and did not know what happened," Valdez wrote in the report. "It should be noted, [Jane Doe] was unable to keep her balance and kept swaying." Brawley, a city with more than 26,000 residents, is about 30 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border in Imperial County. Story continues According to the complaint, Valdez handcuffed her, put her in his patrol car and "took her into custody for several hours during which time Officer Valdez drove Plaintiff in and around the City of Brawley." Valdez took the woman to a hospital to get her blood drawn for an alcohol level test, then drove her back to her home, where she was raped, according to the complaint. Attorneys for the woman alleged Valdez was wearing his uniform and badge and carried his service weapon into the home, using his authority as a police officer during the incident. In court documents, city officials disputed the allegation that Valdez used his role as a law enforcement officer, stating that according to the woman's account, she was unconscious during the alleged attack. "Taking advantage of a victim's incapacity or unconsciousness is not the same as misusing coercive law enforcement authority to accomplish rape," according to a brief filed by attorneys for the city. "Her level of intoxication was so high that, whatever happened, which was not clear because there were a number of inconsistencies, she didn't respond to him," Gibbs said. Valdez's sperm was found in the woman's home, according to the suit. According to court records, Valdez admitted to having sex with the woman but claimed it had been consensual. Valdez was charged by the Imperial County district attorney on July 7, 2020, with multiple felony counts, including assault by a public officer, sexual battery, rape of an unconscious victim and burglary. According to court records, the charges were dismissed on July 30, 2021. Court records don't explain why the charges were dismissed, but a local newspaper covering the hearing cited Deputy Dist. Atty. Danuta Tuszynska, who told a judge that prosecutors had found "exculpatory information" that "question gravely the credibility of the complaining witness." Gibbs said the city acted immediately after the woman made her allegations, including placing Valdez on administrative leave. Attorneys representing Valdez did not respond to requests for comment. In a statement provided by her attorneys, the woman said she was relieved the case was settled. "This has been horrific in many ways," the statement read. "No amount of settlement can change what I have had to endure these past few years." This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Lord Lawson has died aged 91 (PA) (PA Archive) Whether you agreed or disagreed with him, there was no denying that Nigel Lawson was a big beast of British politics in a way that few of his successors came close to matching with the arguable exceptions of Gordon Brown and George Osborne. He was one of the few Cabinet ministers with the self-confidence to stand up to Margaret Thatcher and his Budgets were genuinely dramatic Parliamentary set-pieces compared with todays insipid pre-briefed statements. The mark he left on London is immense. The Big Bang reforms of 1986 revolutionised the way the City did business and ended once and for all the era of long lunches and the restrictive practices that threatened to turn the Stock Exchange into a quaint backwater on the world stage. The huge influx of foreign money that flooded into London in the wake of Big Bang marked the start of a Golden Age for the capital that made it the pre-eminent global metropolis for the best part of three decades. But there are worrying signs that this reign may be coming to an end. The Citys status as the worlds leading international financial centre is under threat from a rejuvenated New York and the rising capitals of Asia. Brexit a cause that Nigel Lawson enthusiastically backed and the Governments failure to champion London also threaten to undermine its status on the world stage. Without the capital firing on all cylinders the UK economy cannot prosper. London once again needs a Chancellor who recognises that reality. City officials have been puzzled by the large amount of food that's been left around the city, which includes meat and bird feed, in what could be an attempt to lure wildlife. (Credit: City of Mississauga, Getty Images) Piles of meat have been found across the City of Mississauga, which has caused concern from officials over the dangers it could pose to animals and the community. On March 27, a Mississauga local spotted something strange a pile of meat as big as a bowling ball sitting right in Settlers Green Park, located near Glen Erin Drive and Battleford Road. The meat was left there over the weekend, and is believed to have been deliberately placed to feed the wildlife. We have received reports of meat such as meat roasts, ground beef, piles of chicken, pulled pork, and dog food being dumped in the Citys parks and green spaces, said Parathan Mohanarajan, a public education officer with Mississaugas animal services department, in a statement emailed to Yahoo Canada. Feeding wildlife can lead to an increased presence of wildlife and cause them to lose their natural fear of people and they can begin approaching people. The practice of feeding wildlife ultimately does more harm than benefit, as it attracts dangerous animals such as coyotes. With the exception of some birds, Mississauga has a bylaw in place, which makes it illegal to feed wild animals or leave food out to attract them on public or private property. City officials are growing increasingly concerned as this isnt the first time theyve spotted food being left out that could attract animals, which includes near private properties, such as residential buildings and streets. They have also received calls about residents dumping peanuts or other nuts, bird seed and bread. There have always been concerns of members of the public dumping food to attract wildlife in the Citys green spaces, trails, and parks, said Mohanarajan. However, Animal Services has not seen this level of wildlife feeding where large amounts of food are being dumped over a sustained period of time across Mississauga. Leaving out food for animals can also attrack unwanted pests, like rodents, park officials warn. (Courtesy: City of Mississauga) The risk of feeding wildlife Experts say that feeding wildlife could cause a dependency for that animal. They will start to see humans as a source of food, which often leads to dangerous interactions. Story continues Simon Gadbois is an ethologist at Dalhousie University, and has been studying domestic and wild canines (wolves, coyotes, and red foxes) for 30 years. He believes that feeding wildlife is never a good idea. Youre basically inciting coyotes to come close to humans, and the worst thing is to associate humans with food, said Gadbois. If they get too comfortable with humans, they will learn to approach them and that is when we see negative interactions. Mohanarajan says the risk is not only to the wildlife itself, but also to our communities. When wildlife, such as coyotes, begin to see people as sources of food they may start to depend on that source rather than searching for food naturally. In addition, dumping of food across the city can attract wildlife and unwanted pests like rodents and mice, causing concern. Unfortunately, when wildlife becomes food-conditioned, that is usually when we experience the most negative interactions between wildlife and people, said Mohanarajan. Wildlife can also start to gather in large numbers when food is easily available leading to more diseases and may destroy natural habitats. An increase in coyote sightings across the GTA Over the last couple of years, there have been multiple reports of coyotes spotted walking the Greater Toronto Area. In January 2023, a coyote was seen running through downtown Toronto steps from the CN Tower. Only a month later, another coyote was seen walking through the tracks of Union Station just a few blocks from the first sighting. The City of Mississauga has started tracking coyote sightings across the city. Their Interactive Coyote Sightings Map shows the uptick, which could be correlated to food and waste management practices within their city. Gadbois says coyotes are opportunistic animals that will adapt to anything you throw at them. It has a lot to do with waste management, the idea of food. If there is food, they will take advantage of it, said Gadbois. If you have a situation where you see a lot of coyotes that are getting too familiar, make sure there is no food for them to access. That includes garbage, bird feeders, and even fruit trees. The City of Mississauga is asking residents to report any incidents or sightings to Animal Services. They have increased signage across the city, and have stepped up their enforcement to address the concerns. The city wants to remind people not to feed animals. They want to ensure that their wildlife does not suffer as a result of the kindness of their people. The North Carolina Tar Heels 2024 class is ranked No. 1 early in the cycle with four commitments, including three five-star recruits. But lately, the buzz has surrounded five-star prospect Ian Jackson. The New York native is one of the top players in the 2024 class overall and has been committed to North Carolina for a few months now. However, with Rick Pitino taking the St. Johns job, many speculated he could target Jackson in a bid to flip the commitment. Jackson has reassured everyone that hes committed to North Carolina and now hes heading to campus for a visit. Per David Sisk of Rivals, Jackson will use this weekend to visit UNCs campus: Ian Jackson is scheduled to visit North Carolina in the next few days while Cardinal Hayes is out on spring break. That window runs through the rest of the week until April 17. @HeelIllustrated David Sisk (@CoachDavidSisk) April 5, 2023 Jackson is on spring break, allowing him to take a visit to his future college. The recruit has also flirted with the possibility of reclassifying to the 2023 class and is weighing his options at the moment. For now, all we can do is listen to what Jackson says in terms of reclassifying and the Pitino rumors. But it doesnt appear as if the commitment to UNC is in danger. Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions. Story originally appeared on Tarheels Wire Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook said the Sheriffs Office assisted in the arrest of a man who is considered a person of interest in a sexual battery that happened last month in Orange Park. Cook said on a Facebook Live that CCSO assisted the Chatham County Sheriffs Office in the arrest of Kasey Levi Lyons Dyak of Green Cove Springs. Dyak was arrested in connection with a sexual assault that happened in Chatham County, Ga., on June 1, 2019. He is facing the following charges: First-degree burglary False imprisonment Rape Aggravated sodomy Dyak is now in the Clay County Jail and is awaiting extradition to Chatham County. Cook said Dyak is also a person of interest in the sexual battery that happened in the area of Blanding and Blairmore boulevards in Orange Park on March 13. RELATED: Clay County Sheriffs Office releases composite sketch of Orange Park sexual battery suspect Cook asked that anyone who has any information on Dyak that can help aid the investigation into Dyak, call the Clay County Sheriffs Office, Florida, at 904-264-6512. Tips can also be sent via the SaferWatch app. Click here to watch Cooks full video. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Flash This photo taken on March 13, 2023 shows the scenery along the Moscow River in Moscow, Russia. (Xinhua/Cao Yang) Russia will respond with "military-technical and other measures" to address the national security threats arising from Finland's accession to NATO, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. "Specific decisions regarding the buildup of defense capabilities along Russia's northwestern borders will depend on the specific terms on which Finland joins NATO, including the deployment of NATO's military infrastructure and offensive weapons on its territory," said the ministry in a statement. The lines of contact between NATO and Russia have more than doubled, constituting a major shift for Northern Europe, one of the most stable regions in the world, the ministry noted. "Finland's accession to NATO will have a negative effect on the bilateral relations between Russia and Finland," said the statement. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday voiced his concerns over Finland's entry into NATO, adding that it encroaches on Russia's security and interests. "We will take countermeasures to ensure our security in tactical and strategic terms," he told a daily briefing. Finland on Tuesday formally became the 31st member state of NATO. The national flag of Finland was raised and the country's anthem was played for the first time at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday afternoon in a brief ceremony. "The era of military non-alignment in our history has come to an end. A new era begins," Finland's President Sauli Niinisto said at the ceremony. Terence Kelly - Tamati Smith/Getty Images/Getty Images AsiaPac The man who kidnapped four-year-old Cleo Smith while she was camping with her family in Australia kept her in a locked room and beat her when she asked for chocolate. Terence Darrell Kelly, 37, made the admission during his trial for abducting Cleo from a tent as she slept with her family at a popular coastal tourist spot and holding her captive for more than a fortnight in 2021. Details of the childs ordeal were revealed on Wednesday, when he was sentenced to 13 years and six months in jail by a Perth District Court after he pleaded guilty. Her abduction more than 550 miles north of Perth triggered one of Western Australias biggest manhunts in October 2021. Police eventually discovered her imprisoned in a bedroom in Kellys council house in Carnarvon. 'I used sticky tape but it wasn't working' Speaking at Wednesdays sentencing, chief judge Julie Wager said the girl had pleaded to be returned to her parents and was often in tears during her 18 days in captivity. The court heard that Kelly told police after his arrest that he roughed Cleo up a bit a few times and lost his temper when she became bossy and asked for chocolate. In a police interview, he admitted smacking the child but insisted he had not wanted to harm her badly. Cleo Smith On one occasion, he tried unsuccessfully to tie her up. I used sticky tape but it wasnt working, he said. So I thought: I wont tie her up any more with the sticky tape. He said she was a bit of a fighter. Personality disorder On another occasion, Cleo heard her name being mentioned on the radio news and said they were saying her name, the judge revealed. Fearful of neighbours hearing the childs voice, Kelly turned the radio up full volume so that people outside would not hear her. Kelly, who was obsessed with dolls and surrounded himself with Bratz toys at home, had a personality disorder and longed for his own family, the court was told. The judge said he decided to create his own imaginary family as a coping mechanism in an effort to deal with a traumatic childhood. Story continues He had been abandoned by his parents at the age of two and had been using methamphetamine when he abducted the child. Judge Wager said she accepted Kellys drug use and his complex personality had caused him to offend. He will be eligible for parole in 2033. Terence Kelly following his arrest A man has been jailed for 13 years and six months for abducting a four-year-old girl from a remote Western Australia (WA) campsite. Terence Kelly, 37, pleaded guilty last year to taking Cleo Smith from her family's tent in October 2021. After a huge police search, Cleo was found alive 18 days later at Kelly's house, minutes from her own home. Kelly was arrested and later admitted child stealing in a case which attracted global attention. Handing down the sentence at Perth District Court, Chief Judge Julie Wager said the crime displayed "the highest level of seriousness". Kelly will serve more than 11 years before being eligible for parole. The court heard how Kelly kept Cleo at his house for the entire 18 days, in a bedroom with a door modified to be lockable from the outside. He turned up the radio to drown out the noise of Cleo pleading for her mother, the court was told. In an impact statement, Cleo's parents said their lives had been "ripped apart" by the "permanent" trauma of what Kelly had done. They hope their little girl can "lead the best life" in the future, they added. Cleo taken 'in relative silence' The young girl had been staying with her family in a tent at a campsite about an hour's drive north of her home town, Carnarvon, 900 kilometres (559 miles) north of Perth. She was last seen by her mother when she woke in the middle of the night and asked for a glass of water. The next morning, her mother discovered Cleo and her sleeping bag missing, and the tent door open. Police released a photo of Cleo Smith after her rescue Kelly took Cleo from the tent between 02.40 and 04.40 "in relative silence", WA's Director of Public Prosecutions Robert Owen told the court. More than 100 police officers were involved in the investigation. The breakthrough reportedly came when a mobile phone number was traced to a phone tower near the campsite around the time of Cleo's abduction. This led officers to Kelly's locked house in Carnarvon, where she was found inside alone at 01.00 local time. Story continues Video of the rescue showed the young girl identifying herself to officers and smiling. Kelly told police he felt guilty for taking Cleo, and had not been planning to keep her, the sentencing hearing was told. The offender was exposed to severe trauma as a child which had caused him to suffer a neurological impairment, the court heard. He created a "fantasy world" to protect himself from reality, and was also a methamphetamine user. The eastbound side of East Michigan Avenue (U.S. 12) in Clinton is pictured March 30. The outside eastbound lane is closed from Currier Street to Kathy Drive during the installation of a new water main. CLINTON Drivers going through Clinton on Michigan Avenue have had lane closures to navigate due to a construction project taking place along the roadway. The village is in the process of replacing the old water main along the south side of East Michigan Avenue from Currier Street to Kathy Drive before there are more breaks in the pipes. The project began March 20. The outside eastbound lane is closed during construction from Currier Street to Kathy Drive each day. The village is not recommending alternate routes because there are two eastbound lanes on Michigan Avenue. The project cost is $239,272 and will be covered with $167,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds, $30,000 from the villages general fund and $42,000 from its water fund. The project also includes replacing 26 water service lines on the north side of East Michigan Avenue from Jackson Road to just east of Currier Street. It was too costly to replace the water main under Michigan Avenue, so the contractor, Concord Excavating and Grading Inc. of Concord, is installing the water main in the right-of-way along the sidewalk. The cost estimate from OMM Engineering of Grand Rapids to replace the water main under Michigan Avenue was just under $500,000. The old water main will be abandoned in place. The work involves removing the sidewalk and boring a new water main on the north side of East Michigan Avenue from Jackson Road to just east of Currier Street. Once the water main is installed, the water service lines will be replaced. East Michigan Avenue (U.S. 12) in Clinton is pictured March 30 looking west from the Clinton police station. The water main and several service lines are being replaced. Water will be shut off for a few hours for each home as the water service lines are replaced. The contractor will coordinate with homeowners for the replacement of the water service lines. If the replacement goes smoothly, it could only be four hours, village manager Kevin Cornish said. There have been five water main breaks in the last three years. There have been service line breaks in the road in addition to water main breaks. The service lines to the homes are galvanized steel from the 1930s. The water main is cast iron from the 1930s. The new service lines are copper, and the new water main is ductile iron. Story continues We want to replace the old water main and old water service lines before they break. It is very costly to make a repair on U.S. 12. We are trying to proactively address this problem, Cornish said. East Michigan Avenue (U.S. 12) is pictured March 30 looking west toward downtown Clinton. The water main and several service lines are being replaced. The water main on the south side should be completed by the end of the week. The water service lines to the homes should be done in the next one to two weeks, provided the contractor can get into the homes to make the connections. The sidewalk will likely be replaced in late spring. The north side should take a couple of weeks to complete, Cornish said. The village has expanded the project to include 12 water service lines on West Michigan Avenue from Division Street to River Street at a cost of approximately $50,800. That cost will be covered through a $12,888 reduction in the project cost, $21,300 from the villages major road repair fund and $16,612 from its water fund. That work will also be completed by Concord Excavating and Grading sometime in September or October, Cornish said. This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Clinton Michigan Avenue water main, service lines project in process Cameron John Sequeira, 41. The Coconino County Sheriff's Office is hoping for more information on a 13-year-old missing persons case in a Facebook post on Tuesday. Cameron John Sequeira was last seen leaving his home on Blue Bird Circle with his dog in the Forest Lakes area on June 26, 2010. Sequeira and the dog were on foot, according to the Sheriff's Office. The dog reportedly returned to the home two days later without its owner. Thirteen years later, Sequeira remains missing and his case has gone unsolved. He was 32 years old at the time of his disappearance in June of 2010. He went by the nickname "Shorty" because of his height. He was 4-foot-11 inches and 115 pounds, according to a description from the Sheriff's Office. Sequeira had brown eyes and brown hair cut into a mullet-like style with long sideburns. He also had a healed injury to his right eye that left a distinct scar, according to a description from the Sheriff's Office. The Tuesday Facebook post was not the first time the Coconino County Sheriff's Office asked the public for tips related to Sequeira's disappearance. The Sheriff's Office made a similar request in 2019 after they reportedly exhausted all leads related to the case, according to previous reporting by The Arizona Republic. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Sequeira is urged to call the Coconino County Sheriffs Office at 928-774-4523 or 1-800-338-7888 option 5; or Silent Witness at 928-774-6111. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Coconino sheriff looking for man who went missing 13 years ago Columbus City Council agreed Monday to pay a former female "cadet" in a Division of Fire recruiting program $225,000 toward the settlement of a federal sexual harassment and assault lawsuit against a now-retired battalion chief. The woman accused former Columbus Fire Battalion Chief Joe Richard in court documents of ordering her to disrobe in his office and then sexually touching her. She was one of three female cadets who accused Richard of inappropriate behavior and/or potential crimes. Columbus police had categorized its investigation into Richard as a rape investigation, The Dispatch reported in November 2019 after the allegations publicly surfaced. However, Richard was not charged. Richards attorney, Larry James, said previously that Richard denied the allegations, but chose to retire after 34 years with the Division of Fire in order to move on with his life. Under the settlement, Richard has agreed to personally pay another $25,000 to the woman, making the total settlement $250,000, city officials said. The Dispatch isnt identifying the plaintiff in the settlement because the newspapers policy is to not identify alleged victims of sexual assault. The citys fire cadet program had just been launched in April 2019 at the fire divisions training academy on the South Side when Richard began randomly summoning female cadets to his office for private meetings so frequently that trainers wanted to determine why, according to a departmental interview of another firefighter who worked in the program. Like wed be in the middle of a physical fitness out back and hed want to talk to one of them, or we might be in class and hed say send them down to my office, Firefighter Kylie Salvadore said in an administrative report into the incidents. Cadets are paid to be part-time firefighter trainees and potential future recruits, intended to foster greater diversity in the ranks. The only requirements to participate in the two-year internship program was candidates had to be 18 years old or older, have a valid drivers license, and a high-school diploma or GED. Story continues When department higher-ups asked Richard, a recruiting specialist based at the fire academy, what the private meetings were about, they abruptly ended, the report said. The city Public Safety Department deemed the settlement acceptable after evaluating the claims and the risks of additional litigation against the city, Lara Baker-Morrish, chief counsel for the Columbus City Attorney's Office, said during the council meeting. The office isnt aware of any other lawsuits involving the other two women. The city of Columbus does not and will not tolerate sexual harassment in any manner, George Speaks, deputy safety director, said during the council meeting. Swift action was taken to remove Joe Richard from the Training Academy, and a thorough investigation was initiated." Speaks noted that the city refused to provide an attorney for Richard, forcing him to pay for his own defense. In a complaint filed in 2020 in Franklin County Common Pleas Court before it was refiled in federal court, the cadet said Richard coerced her into removing her pants while she wasnt wearing underwear, supposedly to look at an injured knee that was preventing her from exercising with her class. While naked from the waist down, the lawsuit claimed, Richard had her do exercises as he watched and sexually touched her at one point. The woman interpreted comments he made that he could get her kicked out of the program if she failed to follow his orders, the suit alleged. The investigation made clear his actions were unacceptable, Speaks said. On behalf of the Department of Safety, I want to express my deep remorse and apology to the plaintiff. In other action Monday, City Council approved a $375,000 payment to Community Crime Patrol for one year's worth of performing citizen patrols in select neighborhoods, which is the same amount approved for several years. The group has operated for almost three decades, reporting crimes and code violations to authorities. The teams of patrollers will monitor residential neighborhoods in the Hilltop area, Franklinton, Merion Village/German Village Area, Olde Towne East/Franklin Park, Northland/North Linden Area, South Clintonville, Weinland Park and Old North Columbus, and many city parks. In 2015, the city cut CCP funding from $763,000 to $350,000, which was the smallest amount it had received since 2011. Officials said that cut was in part because the organization was sitting on cash in its bank account while the city faced other budget cuts. The City Council on Monday also: Approved allocating $532,489 from the city Department of Recreation and Parks to support Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging programs that help older adults and individuals with disabilities remain safe and independent in their homes. The agency's Housing Assistance Program includes preventative efforts to reduce eviction, displacement, and homelessness for older adults and another program that provides support services to older residents in crisis. Authorized the Recreation and Parks department to accept $2.5 million in federal U.S. Department of Agriculture grant funds through the Ohio Department of Education to provide the 2023 Summer Food Service Program. The program will feed thousands of children at 100-150 sites throughout the Columbus area, serving nearly 100,000 breakfast meals, 150,000 lunch meals, and 20,000 snacks. wbush@gannett.com @ReporterBush This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus pays $225k to settle federal sexual harassment lawsuit U.S. average life expectancies are lowest in the Southeast, highest on the West Coast and the Northeast. But why? (Jeremy Ney / American Inequality) Years of widening economic inequality, compounded by the pandemic and political storm and stress, have given Americans the impression that the country is on the wrong track. Now there's empirical data to show just how far the country has run off the rails: Life expectancies have been falling. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last year that life expectancy at birth fell in 2021 to its lowest level since 1996, a decline of nearly a year on average from 2020. That was after a decline by 1.8 years from 2019 to 2020, producing the worst two-year decline since 1921-23. These figures open a window on a set of pathologies unique to America among developed countries. America is seeing the greatest gap in life expectancy across regions in the last 40 years. Jeremy Ney, American Inequality COVID-19 is the most obvious and convenient culprit, both for the absolute decline in life expectancy and the divergence between the experiences of the U.S. and its economic peers. Most developed countries have begun to recover the longevity losses they experienced during the pandemic; thus far, there's scant evidence that the U.S. is following the trend. The U.S. suffered a greater rise in mortality and premature deaths than its peer countries during the pandemic years of 2019-21, according to the Peterson-Kaiser Family Foundation Health System Tracker. "COVID-19 has erased two decades of life expectancy growth in the U.S., whereas the average life expectancy for comparable countries has decreased only marginally, to 2018 levels," the Health System Tracker found. That may not be surprising. Few developed countries other than the U.S. turned COVID and anti-pandemic options into political issues, converting such proven treatments as vaccines into partisan litmus tests. But COVID is far from the only explanation for America's dismal trend line. The pandemic accounted for about half the decline in life expectancy, according to the CDC. "Unintentional injuries," a category that includes drug overdoses, contributed an additional 16%, followed by heart disease (4.1%), chronic liver disease and cirrhosis (3%) and suicide (2.1%). Story continues Those factors haven't occurred in a vacuum. They're connected to what the CDC called "the social determinants of health" "economic policies and systems, development agendas, social norms, social policies, racism, climate change and political systems." Americans with the shortest life expectancies "tend to have the most poverty, face the most food insecurity, and have less or no access to healthcare," Robert H. Shmerling of Harvard Medical School wrote in October. "Additionally, groups with lower life expectancy tend to have higher-risk jobs that cant be performed virtually, live in more crowded settings, and have less access to vaccination, which increases the risk of becoming sick with or dying of COVID-19." The magnitude and diversity of the problem should prompt Americans to engage in serious soul-searching. There's little evidence of that happening. The most important governing factor is economics, observes Jeremy Ney, an expert in graphically displaying social and economic disparities. "There's a really strong relationship between life expectancy and income," Ney told me. "Income is tied in with a lot of other things, like your ability to afford healthcare, your housing security, your distance from a toxic chemical site, things like that." What's striking about recent figures compiled by Ney are the geographic disparities in longevity. "America is seeing the greatest gap in life expectancy across regions in the last 40 years," Ney says. According to 2020 death records from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the longevity gulf is now 20 years wide ranging from an average life expectancy from birth of 66.8 years in Oglala Lakota County, S.D., to 86.8 years in Summit County, Colo. America's life expectancy (bold blue line) is falling behind its international peers, including all high-income countries (red) and Japan (purple). China's life expectancy (green) outstripped the U.S. in 2020. (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis) The former is entirely within the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation; the latter is a hive of affluent, physically active inhabitants within the state's ski resort belt. That tells only part of the story. The lowest average life expectancies are seen in the states of the Southeast, according to 2020 figures from the CDC: South Carolina, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Louisiana, West Virginia and Mississippi all had average life expectancies from birth of less than 75 years. (The lone state from outside the region in the bottom 10 was New Mexico.) The highest life expectancies were generally in states on the West Coast, the northern Midwest and the Northeast. Hawaii ranks first at 80.7, followed by Washington, Minnesota, California, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, all with average life expectancies of 79 or higher. These geographical disparities aren't artifacts of pure geography or demographics; they're the consequences of policy decisions at the state level. Of the 20 states with the worst life expectancies, eight are among the 12 that have not implemented Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. The consequences of this obstinate Republican-driven resistance to a program whose expense is more than 90% covered by the federal government include closures of rural hospitals and high rates of uninsured residents. The factors contributing to America's decline in life expectancies could point to a decline in its international stature. Although wealthy countries as a group suffered a fall in longevity during the pandemic, the discrepancy between life expectancies in the U.S. and its closest cohorts has been widening for decades. In 1995, U.S. life expectancy was about six months less than those of high-income countries; by 2020 it was about three years, according to the World Bank. In 1995, the U.S. had a commanding lead over China, which was about 5 1/2 years behind the U.S.; China then roared ahead, outstripping the U.S. in 2020, when its average life expectancy clocked in at 78.08 years, compared with America's 77.28. Americans' response to the crisis in life expectancies is, sadly, typical: It's a search for the magic bullet despite some remedies being achievable at ground level. Silicon Valley entrepreneur Sam Altman, for example, says he's sinking $180 million into an effort to increase longevity by 10 years through cellular reprogramming, plasma-inspired therapeutics and autophagy, according to a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal. Leaving aside the moonshot aspects of the venture, even if it succeeds (and that's not the way to bet), any solutions it produces are sure to be out of reach for the vast economically and socially challenged population that would benefit the most from longevity improvements. When one examines the factors exerting the greatest influence on longevity, the issue comes sharply into focus. "Inequality in America is about so much more than income," Ney says. "It's healthcare and housing and education and taxes and race and gender and location. Life-expectancy inequality in America is tied up in all these very different factors. If we want to address these problems and create solutions you have to look across so many of these metrics." At this moment, the quest for solutions appears to be moving in reverse. Consider the Supreme Court's 2022 decision in Dobbs vs. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned nearly half a century of federal safeguards of abortion rights and has opened the door to punitive attacks on women's reproductive health care in dozens of states. Even before Dobbs, health outcomes in Mississippi, the state whose antiabortion statute led to the decision, were "abysmal for both women and children," the dissent by Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan observed. "Mississippi has the highest infant mortality rate in the country, and some of the highest rates for preterm birth, low birthweight, cesarean section, and maternal death," they wrote. "It is approximately 75 times more dangerous for a woman in the state to carry a pregnancy to term than to have an abortion." Probably not coincidentally, Mississippi's life expectancy is the worst in the country. Life expectancy is one of the least understood socioeconomic factors in American demography. We've written often about the folly of trying to address Social Security's fiscal imbalance by raising the retirement age, a "reform" based on the assumption that average life expectancy is a universal constant. This idea, however, entirely overlooks the diversity of factors in longevity rates, and how closely they're tied to all other social and economic conditions. Until we come to grips with that basic truth, there will be no hope of reversing the trend line. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A little after 6 p.m. Tuesday, the Joseph Caleb Center buzzed with excitement. Roughly 1,000 people gathered in the Brownsville auditorium to commemorate the 55th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.s assassination, and from the very onset of festivities, the event resembled a church service. And considering the impassioned speeches that often resembled sermons and the amount of gospel sung, thats essentially what it was. All that you need, the Grammy award-winning gospel singer Tasha Cobbs-Leonard belted out from the stage, singing her song The Moment. It can happen right now. Organized by the Martin Luther King Economic Development Corporation along with Miami Commission Chairwoman Christine King and Miami-Dade County Commissioner Keon Hardemon, the 18th annual Reclaim the Dream Candlelight Memorial Service and Gospel Concert honored the Civil Rights movement martyr with a celebration fit for a king. Cobbs-Leonard blessed the crowd with a melody as did Grammy-nominated gospel artist Reverend Luther Barnes and singer Lisa Powell. Elected officials from County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava to Hardemon to King spoke. The crowd itself praised the Lord with all their hearts as if Easter Sunday came five days early. This is about honoring a great man, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., this is about honoring his legacy, Hardemon said, addressing the crowd. But this is also about honoring you: the people who saw it, that felt it, that experienced what it was to struggle in these United States of America. And yes: We have challenges ahead of us but we have to keep up the fight. Grammy award-winning gospel singer Tasha Cobbs-Leonard sings at the 18th annual Reclaim the Dream Candlelight Memorial Service and Gospel Concert in Miami, Florida, on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. The festivities were a culmination of everything King stood for: faith, fairness and, of course, justice. Amens and hallelujahs often erupted from the crowd. A recitation of the famous I Have a Dream Speech, which is said to have been rehearsed at the Hampton House, drew gasps from the crowd. Even the recent indictment of President Donald Trump managed to come up. Story continues We have come so far but the indictment and arrest of Donald Trump, King said, the audience erupting in applause. He has taken us back so far but we have to stand united. We dont have a choice. And our voice is our vote. Tuesdays scene was far from what happened more than half a century ago. The assassination of King, who was struck down at the age of 39, sent shock waves across Americas Black communities. Uprisings erupted in more than 100 cities over the loss of the man who advocated peaceful protest as the path to racial equality. The resulting riots were a release of the anger from centuries of oppression. Riots, after all, were the language of the unheard, as King put it. To some extent, Dr. King has been a buffer the last few years between the Black community and the white community, a then-26-year-old Jackson said in 1968. The white people do not know it, but the white peoples best friend is dead. One of the most powerful moments of the night came midway through the presentation during the candlelight prayer. Upon entry, everyone had been given flameless candles and at the direction of Pastor Gaston Smith, the crowd raised the candles above their heads as Martha Whisby-Wells launched into This Little Light of Mine, a subtle reminder that even the tiniest acts of kindness could help change a nation. Washington The indictment of former President Donald Trump on charges related to hush money payments made before the 2016 election set in motion a legal process that is expected to run into 2024 and is taking place alongside Trump's third presidential run. Trump surrendered to New York authorities for processing on Tuesday morning and made his first court appearance before New York Judge Juan Merchan, during which he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Manhattan prosecutors accused Trump of unlawfully falsifying business records to hide reimbursements to his former lawyer and "fixer" Michael Cohen, who paid adult film star Stormy Daniels $130,000 before the 2016 election in exchange for her silence about an alleged affair with Trump years earlier. Trump denied having a sexual relationship with Daniels and has repeatedly said he did nothing wrong. Falsifying business records is typically a misdemeanor under New York law, but can be elevated to a felony if done with an "intent to defraud [that] includes an intent to commit another crime or aid or conceal the commission thereof." In the 16-page indictment unsealed Tuesday and an accompanying statement of facts, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg alleged that Trump orchestrated a scheme with others to use hush money payments to suppress damaging stories during his first presidential campaign, and told reporters after Trump's arraignment that the former president's actions were intended to violate state and federal campaign finance law or conceal those violations. Reimbursements to Cohen were also "mischaracterized, for tax purposes," Bragg said in the press conference. New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks after former President Donald Trump appeared at Manhattan Criminal Courthouse on April 4, 2023. / Credit: BRENDAN MCDERMID / REUTERS In addition to the payments to Daniels, prosecutors said Trump allies made payments to two others to conceal negative information: a former Trump Tower doorman who claimed Trump had fathered a child out of wedlock received $30,000; and a former Playboy model who said she had an affair with Trump was paid $150,000. Story continues Trump also denied the affair with the second woman, and the company that paid the former doorman concluded his story was false. The charges against Trump are the culmination of a yearslong investigation by New York prosecutors that appeared to be dormant last year before it ramped up over the past few months. But the legal process in the case of the People of the State of New York vs. Donald J. Trump is just beginning. Here's what comes next: The discovery process During Trump's arraignment, the two parties discussed a schedule for pre-trial proceedings, including when information collected by prosecutors will be turned over to Trump's legal team and potential motions to be filed. According to a transcript of the hearing, Catherine McCaw, an assistant district attorney in Bragg's office, told Merchan that prosecutors believe the "vast majority" of materials will be given to Trump's lawyers within 65 days of his arraignment, or roughly mid-June. Prosecutors expect information to be handed over in three stages, McCaw said: grand jury minutes and exhibits, and notes from witness statements; subpoena compliance, witness materials, police documents and other "odds and ends"; and internal District Attorney's Office emails. They also raised concerns that Trump could disseminate information provided to his lawyers during discovery through social media posts. McCaw told Merchan that prosecutors are working with Trump's attorneys on finalizing the language of a protective order. That order under discussion by the two sides, if signed by the judge, will likely prohibit Trump from using the materials turned over by prosecutors for any purpose except to prepare a defense. It would likely also limit where he can review certain sensitive materials and restrict him from providing materials received through the discovery process to any third party, including the press, or posting them to social media. Former President Donald Trump appears in court for his arraignment, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in New York. / Credit: Seth Wenig / AP Assistant District Attorney Christopher Conroy also suggested public comments from Trump about the proceedings could prompt prosecutors to ask the court to impose more restrictions. "Today we are only seeking a protective order regarding discovery materials," he said, "but we note that the defendant's escalating public comments summing directly at participants at these proceedings and their family members, may also raise concerns about the fair and orderly administration of justice, the risks that pretrial publicity will paint the jury pool and prejudice a fair trial, and individual and public safety concerns." Merchan said he would not issue a gag order and said "such restraints are the most serious and least intolerable on First Amendment rights," heightened by the fact that Trump is a presidential candidate. He urged the two parties to remind witnesses and Trump "to please refrain from making statements that are likely to incite violence." "Please refrain from making comments or engaging in conduct that has the potential to incite violence, create civil unrest, or jeopardize the safety or well-being of any individuals," the judge said. "Also, please do not engage in words or conduct which jeopardizes the rule of law, particularly as it applies to these proceedings in this courtroom." Motions Merchan set an Aug. 8 deadline for Trump to file motions, and prosecutors have until Sept. 19 to respond. He intends to issue decisions on the motions by Dec. 4, which is when the two parties, including Trump, will next meet in court. Motions filed with the New York court are not automatically available to the public, but Todd Blanche, one of Trump's lawyers, previewed at least some of the requests he expects to make, including motions to dismiss the indictment. He also indicated there will be substantive motions addressing the facts of the indictment. Trump's attorneys could also formally request a change of venue. The former president has already questioned the impartiality of the juror pool in Manhattan and whether they are politically biased against him. "Very unfair venue, with some areas that voted 1% Republican," Trump posted on Truth Social hours before his arraignment. "This case should be moved to nearby Staten Island Would be a very fair and secure location for the trial." But Joe Tacopina, one of Trump's lawyers, told ABC's "This Week" on Sunday that there hadn't yet been a discussion about requesting the trial be moved. "It's way too premature to start worrying about venue changes until we really see the indictment and grapple with the legal issues," he said. The trial New York prosecutors want a trial in their case against Trump to take place in January 2024, which McCaw said would give Trump's attorneys "ample time" to prepare. But Blanche said that proposed timeline is "a little bit aggressive" and instead proposed a trial be set for spring 2024, which would be in the heart of the Republican presidential primary process. "The people, and certainly the president, wants this behind him," he said. "But, to sit here and say January of 2024 is good with us when we have not seen a piece of paper yet, is I think patently unfair for us, given everything that I think we know about the case from the media and from witnesses talking, and what we know." Merchan agreed it's "difficult to anticipate" if Trump's lawyers will be ready for a January trial but said the goal is to "move ahead as expeditiously as possible, without undue delay." Cash App founder fatally stabbed in San Francisco Pence wont appeal order to testify in Trump special counsel probe King Charles III's coronation introduces "Queen Camilla" Photo: Joe Raedle (Getty Images) New Florida restrictions on drones manufactured by a foreign country of concern set to take effect this week have left local police, firefighters, and even mosquito control teams scrambling to maintain normal operations and ensure basic safety. A Ron DeSantis-backed ban technically applies to drones manufactured in more than half a dozen countries, but its most clear target is dominant Chinese drone-making giant DJI, whose products are widely used amongst government agencies. Local officials and law enforcement opposed to the ban worry the sudden departure from trusted DJI drones to inferior US-made alternativessome of which spontaneously combustcould unnecessarily put workers safety in jeopardy to score some cheap, tough-on-China political points. Read more In one year and a half, we had five failures of the manufacturers on the [approved] list. DJI, none, Orlando Police Sgt. David Cruz said in an interview with the Miami Herald. Thats going to put us in danger, our officers in danger, and the public in danger, when these drones continue to fall out of the sky. Why does Ron DeSantis want to ban DJI drones? The new drone restrictions stem from a broader DeSantis executive order passed late last year with the state purpose of making it more difficult for hostile foreign powers to do business in Florida. That order bans government agencies from procuring products made by companies based in China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria, and Venezuela. DeSantis, who is widely believed to be eyeing a 2024 presidential run, said these broad restrictions were necessary to prevent China from worming its way into our nations data storage systems. DeSantis used similar language back in February when he proposed a new Digital Bill of Rights that, amongst other things, seeks to ban TikTok in universities and public schools. Those concerns over Chinese espionage sound scary and are hypothetically possible, but so far neither DeSantis or any other lawmakers has come forward with any concrete evidence for their fears. Story continues A Florida-approved, made-in-the-USA drone caught fire in a police car With DJI and other widely used drones out of the picture, government agencies will instead have to turn to more expensive and arguably less practical US-made alternatives included in the states Approved Drone Manufacturer List. The sudden change marks a radical departure for police agencies in particular, which have spent over $200 million on DJI drones in recent years, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Most agencies speaking with the Times confirmed they had already shelved many of their DJI drones but some feared the replacements were unsafe. In one case, a Palm Beach County Sheriff said one of the approved devices caught on fire while it was sitting unplugged in an officers vehicle. The officer reportedly had to frantically pull over and dump the flaming hunk of hardware off on the side of the road. Our drone operators do not want to park these drones in their cars, in their garages, in their homes, Palm Beach County Sheriff Col. Robert Allen said. Weve never had one issue with the DJIs since our inception. Other critics of the ban said its both unnecessary and arbitrary since officers can still user other tech like smartwatches and wearables made in China. Even on the eve of the bans enforcement, agencies still havent shown any proof that DJI drones are transferring sensitive data to China. Its political grandstanding, James Andrew Lewis, a senior researcher at the Center for Strategic & International Studies said in an interview with State Scoop. Grandstanding or not, DeSantis isnt the only lawmaker interested in restricting China-linked drones. In the final days of the Trump administration, the now-indicted former president placed DJI on the Commerce Departments entity list, which prevents the company from buying US products or importing American tech. Not long after, during the Biden Administrations Treasury Department added DJI to its own blacklist which bars US investors from buying or selling stock in the company. That blacklisting was, in part, due to the Biden administrations claim DJI products were used to carry out the Chinese governments surveillance of its persecuted Uighur Muslim minority. The Pentagon made a similar move last year placing DJI on a list of companies it believes have connections to the Chinese military. Weve stated unequivocally that we have had nothing to do with treatment of Uighurs in Xinjiang, DJIs Head of Global Policy Adam Welsh told CNBC in a recent interview. The truth is that weve gone through numerous audits of our firmware and of our products. More from Gizmodo Sign up for Gizmodo's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. The Royal Family will be out in full force to celebrate the coronation of King Charles. (Getty Images) Buckingham Palace has announced Prince George will play an official part in his grandfather's coronation by taking on the role of page of honour at the 6 May ceremony, which will see King Charles officially crowned. Both Charles and Camilla will have four pages each. Camilla's will be her three grandsons Gus and Louis Lopes and Freddy Parker-Bowles alongside her grandnephew Arthur Elliot. Joining George will be Lord Oliver Cholmondeley whose father was a page for Queen Elizabeth Nicholas Barclay and Ralph Tollemache, with all of the three other pages are said to be children of the King's friends. An image of the official invite to King Charles and Queen Camilla's coronation. (Buckingham Palace) The pages will take part in the procession through the nave at Westminster Abbey, and are understood to hold their positions for a couple of years afterwards, which may mean that George also attends his grandfather at other important formal occasions, like the state opening of parliament. George is also the youngest member of the Royal Family to be selected as a page of honour or to have an official role in a ceremony like the coronation at just nine years old. Which other royals are going to the coronation? All the 'working' royals will be in attendance and are believed to be taking part in the procession back to Buckingham Palace after the ceremony though nothing has been officially confirmed. As it stands the working royals are: the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Anne, the Princess Royal and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra. Many of the senior royals were alongside Queen Elizabeth at the thanksgiving service to Prince Philip in March 2022. (Getty Images) It is believed the procession will be far smaller than the one the late Queen enjoyed in 1953. Eugenie and Beatrice, alongside their cousins Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips are expected to be in attendance with other members of the extended family, but it is unlikely they will play an official role in the service. Harry and Meghan confirmed through their spokesperson that they have been invited to the coronation, but have yet to officially confirm whether or not they plan to attend: the coronation service will take place on the same day as their son Archie's fourth birthday. Story continues An official portrait of Charles and Camilla has been released by Buckingham Palace ahead of the coronation. (Hugo Burnand/Buckingham Palace) In a break with tradition, Charles has invited foreign monarchs to his coronation, something which hasn't happened for centuries. Speaking to the Daily Mail a source explained that this rule was instituted because "a coronation is meant to be a monarchs private event with God", but that Charles inviting royals from Scandinavia, Jordan and Oman amongst others was "a good bit of soft power and diplomacy". Will other royals be taking part in the coronation ceremony? The senior royals will make the procession back to Buckingham Palace with the newly crowned King and Queen and George will be acting as a page of honour, however the palace has yet to announce what, if any, other roles the Royal Family will be taking on. George and his sister Charlotte attended the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth, but didn't have a formal role. (Getty Images) The Sunday Times reported some months ago that one section of the ceremony paying homage had been adapted so fewer members of the Royal Family would be taking part in it. William is reported to be the only royal duke who will pay homage to Charles after he is anointed and invested as monarch, meaning that Andrew and Harry wouldn't have an official role in proceedings. He, therefore, could be the only person to kneel and pledge to be the Kings liege man of life and limb, before then touching the crown and kissing the monarchs cheek. Watch: Why Prince Charles admitted to his affair - and how the world reacted U.S. second-largest reservoir sees higher water level since historic low Xinhua) 10:25, April 05, 2023 PAGE, ARIZONA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Lake Powell, the second-largest reservoir in the United States, has seen slight rise in water level after hitting its lowest since its first filling in the 1960s. Lake Powell, located in northern Arizona and stretches up into southern Utah, offers water and power to millions of people in several U.S. states including Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah. The lake is fed by the Colorado River. Warming temperatures and abnormally dry conditions have cut into the river's supplies. The massive reservoir dropped to a historic low of 3,520.46 feet on March 13 as a climate-fueled megadrought continues in the U.S. West, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Lake Powell is down 1.22 feet from one year ago, according to the website of Lake Powell Water Database. Currently the lake is 178.15 feet below Full Pool. Conan John, a captain of Lake Powell Experience which offers lake excursion, told Xinhua water has been low in the last few years, but with the low water levels there is still a lot of Lake Powell that can be seen and viewed by boat. Boat launching has been limited with water levels dropping below original boat ramps use, John said. Visitors to Lake Powell are increasing since COVID-19, he added. Eric Balken, executive director of the environmental advocacy group Glen Canyon Institute, said Lake Powell would likely be "well below" minimum power pool by now if not for the emergency releases. Recently, the reservoir saw more water flow into the lake than out of it, resulting in just under half a foot of rise in water levels. The increase is the first sustained gains the lake has seen since May of last year, according to local television KPNX. The historically high amounts of rain and snow that the U.S. Southwest has received over the past winter may have kickstarted Lake Powell's seasonal uptrend very early, according to KPNX. The U.S. West is in the midst of its worst megadrought in 1,200 years, and the climate crisis has made the drought 42 percent more extreme than it would have been otherwise, according to data of the World Economic Forum. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) Flash Former U.S. President Donald Trump (C) raises his fist as he leaves Trump Tower for his arraignment at the Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, the United States, on April 4, 2023. Former U.S. President Donald Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, the Manhattan district attorney said on Tuesday afternoon. (Xinhua) Former U.S. President Donald Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, the Manhattan district attorney said on Tuesday afternoon. Trump, who was arraigned at the Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City and became the first former U.S. president to be criminally indicted, reportedly pleaded not guilty. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced the indictment after Trump's arraignment, accusing him of "falsifying New York business records in order to conceal damaging information and unlawful activity from American voters before and after the 2016 election." During the election, Trump and others employed a "catch and kill" scheme to identify, purchase, and bury negative information about him and boost his electoral prospects, according to Bragg's office in a press release. Trump then tried to hide this conduct, causing dozens of false entries in business records to conceal criminal activity, including attempts to violate state and federal election laws, the release alleged. The New York State Supreme Court indictment cited three instances of hush-money payments to cover up Trump's alleged affairs. A Republican who held the White House from early 2017 to early 2021 after winning the 2016 race, Trump has denied wrongdoing and stated that the criminal inquiry led by Bragg, a Democrat, is politically motivated. Trump's attorney Todd Blanche, speaking to reporters outside the Manhattan Criminal Court after Trump's departure, revealed that his client is "frustrated" and "upset." "It's not a good day," Blanche said, adding that "you don't expect this to happen ... to somebody who was the president of the United States." Trump is traveling back to his Mar-a-Lago residence in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he will hold an event to address his indictment on Tuesday night, following the court appearance. "Seems so SURREAL -- WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Can't believe this is happening in America. MAGA!" Trump wrote on his social media platform "Truth Social" before arriving at the Manhattan Criminal Court earlier in the day. Republicans have rallied behind Trump, criticizing that the justice system has been weaponized by the Democratic Party for political purposes since Trump, 76, is running for the White House again and is an early frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. "Equal justice under the law, unless you're a Republican running for president," tweeted U.S. Congressman Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican who serves as chairman of the House Republican Study Committee. Democrats, by contrast, are seeking to cast the historic indictment as an accountability move and urging Trump supporters to remain peaceful while protesting. "I believe that Donald Trump will have a fair trial that follows the facts and the law," U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. "There's no place in our justice system for any outside influence or intimidation in the legal process," Schumer, a New York Democrat, added. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Tuesday afternoon that President Joe Biden is aware of his predecessor's arraignment but stressed that it is not the Democrat's "focus." "Of course, this is playing out on many of the networks here on a daily basis for hours and hours, so obviously, he will catch part of the news when he has a moment to catch up on the news of the day, but this is not his focus for today," Jean-Pierre said. In addition to the hush-money payment case, Trump is facing several other criminal investigations at the state and federal levels, including his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss, his handling of classified documents, and his role in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Sixty percent of Americans approve of the indictment of Trump, according to a new CNN poll released on Monday. Support for the indictment fell along party lines, with 94 percent of Democrats approving of the decision to indict Trump, while 79 percent of Republicans disapproved of the move to indict. Besides, about three-quarters of Americans say politics played at least some role in the Trump indictment, including 52 percent who said it played a major role, the CNN poll showed. With a month to go until the coronation, a new photo of the King and Queen Consort has been released The first glimpse of the coronation invitation shows the official use of "Queen Camilla", marking the transition from the title of "Queen Consort". The ornately illustrated invitation, sent to about 2,000 guests, is from "King Charles III and Queen Camilla". Her grandchildren will be among the pages at Westminster Abbey, alongside the King's grandson, Prince George. With a month to go before the coronation, a new official photo of the royal couple has also been released. The invitation for the 6 May coronation, printed on recycled paper, shows the coronation will mark a change in how Camilla is titled. The invitation on recycled paper uses the folklore figure of the 'green man' A royal source suggested that in the initial part of the new reign it made sense to use "Queen Consort" as a way of distinguishing her from the late Queen Elizabeth. But from the coronation it would be an "appropriate time" to officially change to "Queen Camilla". At the coronation service next month, Camilla will be crowned alongside the King, 18 years after the couple married. And it is not much more than a year since the late Queen Elizabeth had addressed what was still the unresolved question of Camilla's future title. The late Queen had given a public endorsement for Camilla, saying she should be called Queen Consort, at a time when there were still suggestions that she would be known as a Princess Consort. Reflecting the King's many years of environmental campaigning, the artwork for the coronation invitation uses the folklore figure of the "green man", with features made from ivy, hawthorn and oak leaves. According to Buckingham Palace it is a symbol of spring and rebirth which celebrates a new reign. The design by illustrator Andrew Jamieson also includes images of the natural world, including wildflowers, birds and insects, as well as national and heraldic emblems. But with the coronation approaching, it is still not clear whether the invitation for Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, is going to be accepted. Story continues A spokesperson for the California-based couple said this week there was no update on whether they were attending. President Joe Biden, who will not be attending, told the King by phone on Tuesday that First Lady Jill Biden would represent the US at the event, the White House has confirmed. "The President also conveyed his desire to meet with the King in the United Kingdom at a future date," a statement added. Last week the King completed his first state visit, receiving a warm welcome in Germany. But the focus is now on preparations for the coronation. Roles have been given to children of friends and relations, with eight "pages of honour" announced to take part in the ceremony. Prince George, son of the Prince and Princess of Wales, has been given a role in his grandfather's coronation This includes Prince George, the nine-year-old son of the Prince and Princess of Wales, and three of the Queen Consort's grandchildren, Gus and Louis Lopes, Freddy Parker Bowles and her great-nephew Arthur Elliot. The new official photograph of the King and Queen Consort was taken last month in the Blue Drawing Room in Buckingham Palace. It follows an announcement by the Cabinet Office of another photo of the King, with public places such as council offices, courts, police stations and schools being invited to apply for a framed photograph of King Charles. But anti-monarchy campaigners criticised the 8m budget for the new pictures, saying that it was a waste of public money at a time of funding pressures. The Cabinet Office would not give a breakdown of the contract for the framed photos, but said details would be "announced in due course". It is also understood that there will be no overall figure for government spending on the coronation until after the event. Johnny Depp's "Jeanne du Barry" will open the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. (Craig Hudson / Associated Press) It looks like Johnny Depp's return to Hollywood after last year's turbulent defamation trail against ex-wife Amber Heard will begin in France. The Cannes Film Festival announced Wednesday that "Jeanne du Barry," starring the divisive "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor, will open this year's lineup. Directed by and starring French actor Maiwenn in the titular role, "Jeanne du Barry" is a historical drama that follows the life of a working-class woman who quickly becomes the lover of King Louis XV, played by Depp. "Jeanne du Barry" will make its world premiere at Cannes on May 16 at the Grand Theatre Lumiere, the festival said. The film, Maiwenn's sixth feature, will also be released in French theaters the same day. Benjamin Lavernhe, Melvil Poupaud, Pierre Richard, Pascal Greggory and India Hair also star. The Cannes premiere comes on Depp's first feature film role after his highly public trial against Heard. In June 2022, Depp won more than $10 million in damages in his defamation case against Heard after a weeks-long trial in Virginia that was broadcast live. The ex-spouses settled their dueling cases in December, but now both face uncertain career stability. Recently Depp voiced a cartoon puffin in the animated TV series "Puffins" and two spin-off projects. The 2020 film "Minamata" was his last feature role. In November he was featured in Rihannas Savage X Fenty Vol. 4 televised fashion show. Heard, on the other hand, most recently appeared in Zack Snyder's cut of "Justice League" in 2021. A month after the Cannes premiere, Depp will play with his rock band, the Hollywood Vampires, onits summer tour of Europe. He will join bandmates Joe Perry, Alice Cooper and Tommy Henriksen. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. NEW YORK (WPIX) Even though former President Donald Trump has been indicted for his alleged role in a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels, its not guaranteed the fiery politician would serve time in jail or prison if hes convicted, experts said. Trump was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records during his arraignment in a Manhattan court Tuesday. Falsifying business records would normally be charged as misdemeanors, charges that would not usually result in prison time. But they were bumped up to felonies because they were done in an effort to commit or conceal other crimes, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said. Each felony count corresponds to one of the 34 documents the grand jury said contained a false statement about the payments, according to Politifact. As felony charges, each count carries a maximum of four years in prison, the New York Post reports, meaning the former president is technically facing a maximum 136-year sentence if convicted on all counts. However, hed likely be sentenced to less, the Associated Press reports. NYPD escorts Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene out of wild NYC Trump rally In similar cases, either a misdemeanor or felony, an average defendant in their 70s with no arrest record typically doesnt see the inside of a jail cell, lawyers told Nexstars WPIX. Despite who he is, for a non-violent E felony with no identifiable victim, a similarly situated defendant would normally not get jail time, criminal defense attorney Michael Mullen said. Arthur Aidala, a defense attorney and former Brooklyn prosecutor, told Insider that while he cant be certain Trump wont face jail time, he doesnt see a scenario where Donald Trump spends one minute in jail. Prosecutors allege Trumps former lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet about her alleged relationship with Trump. The alleged transaction occurred during Trumps presidential campaign in 2016. Story continues Cohen said Trump ordered him to make the payments to Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Cohen said he paid Daniels $130,000 through a shell company and was reimbursed by Trump, who claimed them as legal expenses. Cohen also said he arranged for the publishers of the National Enquirer to pay McDougal $150,000. In exchange, the tabloid allegedly didnt print McDougals story about her alleged sexual encounter with Trump. For his efforts, Cohen said he was paid $360,000 plus a $60,000 bonus, for a total of $420,000. Cohen pleaded guilty to violating federal campaign finance law in connection with the payments. Former President Trump says its surreal ahead of arrest in NYC Bragg said the alleged payment to Daniels constituted a violation of federal and New York campaign and election laws, therefore bumping up the charges from misdemeanors to felonies. But some legal experts say that logic isnt airtight. There are an awful lot of dots here which it takes a bit of imagination to connect, Richard Klein, a Touro Law Center criminal law professor, told the Associated Press. Bragg said the indictment doesnt specify the potential underlying crimes because the law doesnt require it. But given the likelihood of Trumps lawyers challenging it, youd think theyd want to be on much firmer ground than some of this stuff, said Klein, a former New York City public defender. The former president may also argue that the statute of limitations which is five years for most felonies in New York has run out because the hush money payments and Cohens reimbursements happened before then. There were some extensions during the pandemic, and state law also can stop the clock when a potential defendant is continuously outside the state. Trump visited New York rarely over the four years of his presidency and now lives mostly in Florida and New Jersey. His lawyers could question whether the timeout applies to elected officials serving in Washington. This case has some very good issues for the defense to litigate, said Duncan Levin, a New York City defense lawyer and former Manhattan prosecutor. Its not an open-and-shut case by any means. District Attorney Bragg is also looking at who made the payments and how they were accounted for by the Trump Organization. Given the statute of limitations and jurisdiction issues, Mullen called the New York case a bit of an overreach by the district attorneys office. The lawyer also suggested authorities should be focusing on investigations into Trumps involvement with the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol and the classified documents he allegedly kept at his Florida home. From the outside looking in, of all the alleged crimes Trump is potentially facing, [the New York case] seems to be the weakest case and an overreach by the prosecutors, Mullen said. There are so many things to attack about this case. Why did the district attorney sit on this? No one should be above the law. They should investigate Jan. 6 and the Georgia election interference, and the documents at his house. Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing as well as the two alleged extramarital affairs, claimed on his social media platform that he would be arrested on March 21 in connection to the Manhattan district attorneys case, saying it was a political Witch-Hunt, trying to take down the leading candidate, by far, in the Republican Party. However, delays in the grand jury meeting schedule pushed back a vote on whether to recommend charges. The Associated Press and Nexstars Addy Bink contributed to this report. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A court official failed to hold the door for former President Donald Trump just prior to his arraignment in Manhattan on Tuesday, delighting a number of observers who took the action as a sign of disrespect towards the first president ever to be indicted. Mr Trump was walking through a door after a court official on Tuesday, but the court official did not hold the door for him leaving Mr Trump to extend an arm and hold the door open for himself. He did not hold the door open for the person filing into the room after him either. The symbolism was not lost on some viewers of the courtroom action. You can be absolutely sure Trump will have HATED, HATED that. Guess when youre under arrest court staff dont hold doors open for you https://t.co/7SOgBKxEvH Jon Sopel (@jonsopel) April 4, 2023 You can be absolutely sure Trump will have HATED, HATED that, former BBC News US correspondent Jon Sopel tweeted. Guess when youre under arrest court staff dont hold doors open for you. For many who have spent much of the last eight years angry at Mr Trumps politics and personal behaviour, his arraignment on Tuesday was an enjoyable spectacle. Some took the opportunity to demonstrate outside of the courthouse, while others viewed the proceedings on television. Mr Trump is facing 34 felony counts related to his alleged $130,000 hush-money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the buildup to the 2016 presidential election, allegedly to prevent Ms Daniels from discussing their 2006 affair. Despite the charges, Mr Trump on Tuesday experienced better treatment than other, less privileged defendants in New York do: he was not handcuffed or forced to take a mug shot, though he reportedly wanted to take one for campaign purposes. Mr Trump did not, however, seem to get the courtesy of each court official holding the door open for him. Husband came running downstairs to make sure I rewound & appreciated this moment when it happened https://t.co/VbnnVJt64O Sarah Churchwell (@sarahchurchwell) April 4, 2023 Husband came running downstairs to make sure I rewound & appreciated this moment when it happened, academic Sarah Churchwell tweeted. Shoppers, some wearing masks, make their way along Santee Alley in Los Angeles on Dec. 6, 2022. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) The steady unwinding of COVID-19 emergency declarations has ushered in a slate of changes to Los Angeles County's pandemic guidance, including when to mask, quarantine or isolate, as well as the reporting of new infections and outbreaks. The most significant the easing of government-issued masking orders for patients and visitors in healthcare settings took effect Monday in L.A. County. In other California counties, masking orders for doctors and nurses also have expired. The tweaks are the latest reflection of a broad new phase of the pandemic, one characterized more by individual risk assessment and targeted intervention than sweeping measures or restrictions. "With the rescinding of many emergency orders these past weeks, there are questions about which sensible protections remain important to consider," said L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer. "Given the differing risks both by setting and by individual characteristics, the goals of reducing disruptions and taking care of those most vulnerable remain important." Here's a look at the newest rules: What are the new mask rules in healthcare settings? State health officials on Monday lifted the general mask order for everyone in healthcare settings. Hospitals, doctor's offices and other facilities can choose to retain their own requirements. Some counties, such as Orange County, will be as permissive on masks as the state allows. Others are opting for stricter rules. In Los Angeles County and San Francisco, health officials have lifted the masking order for patients and visitors. But new local orders will still require doctors, nurses and other employees to wear masks while providing patient care or working in patient areas at places such as hospitals, clinics, skilled nursing facilities and dialysis centers. Masks also are still required in L.A. County and San Francisco for other personnel, such as janitors, security officers, secretaries and volunteers who work in patient-care areas, as well as those who temporarily enter healthcare settings, such as firefighters, emergency medical technicians and police officers. Story continues Long Beach and Pasadena, which have their own public health departments, are aligning with L.A. County's mask policy for healthcare settings. L.A. County's mask policy will be reassessed in September. Alameda County and Contra Costa County have retained a mask order for staff in skilled nursing facilities. Berkeley, which has its own public health department, is aligning with Alameda County. Santa Clara County lifted a local mask order for everyone in healthcare settings Tuesday, but will implement one again next fall during its annual designated winter respiratory virus period defined as Nov. 1 to March 31. How have mask orders changed for shelters and jails? California has ended the mask order for everyone in shelters and state and local jails and prisons when the COVID-19 community level is medium or high. All of California's counties have for weeks been in the low COVID-19 community level, a category designation by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that indicates the coronavirus is neither spreading rapidly nor causing undue stress on healthcare systems. San Francisco, however, has extended a mask order to personnel in county jail facilities and juvenile halls where people are incarcerated. How long do I need to stay home if I get COVID-19? L.A. County on March 13 released guidance that those infected with the coronavirus should stay home for at least five full days after they test positive or experience their first COVID-19 symptoms. They can leave home after Day 5 if they've been fever-free without medication for 24 hours and their symptoms are either no longer present or are mild and improving, Ferrer said. That guidance, which is identical to that issued by the state of California, is advisory not a formal health order. However, L.A. County retains the authority to issue individual isolation orders. The new guidelines are a notable relaxation of L.A. County's earlier order, which required residents to isolate for 10 days but allowed people to exit after Day 5 if they tested negative. However, county health officials still recommend infected people test negative between Day 5 and Day 10 if they want to leave isolation during that time. "This would reduce the chances of infecting another person with COVID," Ferrer said. Do infected people still need to wear masks while they recover? For the general public, L.A. County has ended its requirement that coronavirus-infected people wear a mask around others for 10 days following a positive test result or the onset of symptoms. Now, that masking period is a strong recommendation, unless an individual tests negative on back-to-back tests taken at least one day apart. But there are stricter mask rules for infected employees returning to worksites. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, also known as Cal/OSHA, says employees must wear masks around other people for 10 days. That requirement would also apply to schoolteachers, who are bound by Cal/OSHA rules. On the other hand, the relaxed county rules mean recovering infected schoolchildren no longer are required to wear masks at school when they're able to return to class though L.A. County recommends they do so for the full 10-day period. What should people do if they've been exposed to an infected person? L.A. County has lifted the requirement that people exposed to the coronavirus wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days in indoor settings or when near people at high risk for severe illness. However, as with other masking guidance, the county still recommends doing so. People who have been exposed to the coronavirus should consider getting tested as soon as possible, Ferrer said. If negative, they should take a follow-up test three to five days after exposure. In smaller enclosed settings such as homes, clinics, waiting rooms and airplanes people are considered to have been exposed to the coronavirus if they shared the same airspace with an infectious individual for 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. In larger indoor venues those greater than 400,000 cubic feet per floor, such as warehouses, large retail stores, open-floor-plan offices, factories and food processing facilities an exposure is defined as being within six feet of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period when they were infectious. Are workplaces required to notify employees of a case at work? Yes. Cal/OSHA requires workplaces to notify employees of coronavirus cases at the workplace, and make testing available at no cost to employees who were exposed to the person with COVID-19. Are schools required to tell students and parents that students were exposed? No. L.A. County strongly recommends but does not require that schools notify students and their parents when students are exposed to a coronavirus-infected person while he or she was infectious. What are the current general masking recommendations? L.A. County ended its recommendation for universal masking in indoor public settings in late January. For the general public, the decision should be based on personal preference, Ferrer said. "People who are elderly, immunocompromised, have underlying health conditions or have many exposures should consider masking in indoor public spaces," she said. "Masking is also recommended for those who have regular or planned contact with someone who's vulnerable." As masks have become less common, some people have questioned or ridiculed those who continue to wear them. Ferrer said that's inappropriate. There could be many reasons people choose to wear masks, she said, such as illness, having a compromised immune system and having family members who are vulnerable. "We could just be somebody who wants to be super careful," Ferrer said. Do COVID outbreaks still need to be reported to the county? Yes. Businesses and facilities in L.A. County need to report clusters of coronavirus cases to the county Department of Public Health within 24 hours. Workplaces, shelters and educational settings need to report three or more linked coronavirus cases that occur within 14 days, or when 5% of workers or residents test positive at settings with 100 or more employees or residents. A linked case refers to people who were present in the same setting during the same time while infectious. Healthcare facilities must file a report when there are two or more linked coronavirus cases among patients four or more days after admission, or there have been three or more linked cases among staff in 14 days. And skilled nursing and community care facilities must notify the county when there is one or more resident cases, or three linked cases among staff in 14 days. Are outbreaks still happening? Yes. As of Wednesday, L.A. County health officials were investigating 126 outbreaks, most of which were in skilled nursing facilities. How is data reporting changing? L.A. County has ceased daily reporting of coronavirus cases and COVID-19 deaths and will instead release those figures weekly, on Thursdays the same day as the California Department of Public Health. However, the county could pivot to more frequent reporting should pandemic trends change, Ferrer said. Data reporting is generally becoming more infrequent as the COVID-19 emergency winds down. Johns Hopkins University shut down its lauded COVID-19 data tracking endeavor last month. The Los Angeles Times is working to simplify its own COVID-19 tracker and is seeking reader input on what that resource should look like. What does wastewater data show? Officials note that case tallies don't provide a complete picture of how the pandemic is playing out, as many infections are detected using at-home tests and not reported to local health departments. Wastewater tracking can help fill in those gaps. Data from L.A. County's sewage plants show coronavirus levels falling to levels of "low concern," significantly down from the peak recorded in the late autumn. For the most recent week's data available, coronavirus levels in wastewater at the county's largest sewage treatment plants were 21% of the autumn and winter peak. Coronavirus levels in L.A. County wastewater have declined since the autumn peak. (Los Angeles County Department of Public Health) Nonetheless, the data show there are frequent fluctuations in coronavirus levels in wastewater, according to Ferrer. "These are likely to continue in the near future because they reflect the reality that COVID-19 continues to circulate amongst those living, working and visiting L.A. County," she said. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Several years ago, Jonathan Dambrot, a partner at KPMG, was helping customers deploy and develop AI systems when he started to notice certain gaps in compliance and security. According to him, no one could explain whether their AI was secure -- or even who was responsible for ensuring that. "Fundamentally, data scientists don't understand the cybersecurity risks of AI and cyber professionals don't understand data science the way they understand other topics in technology," Dambrot told TechCrunch in an email interview. "More awareness of these risks and legislation will be required to ensure these risks are addressed appropriately and that organizations are making decisions on safe and secure AI systems." Dambrot's perception led him to pitch KPMG Studio, KPMG's internal accelerator, on funding and incubating a software startup to solve the challenges around AI security and compliance. Along with two other co-founders, Felix Knoll (a "growth leader" at KPMG Studio) and Paul Spicer (a "product owner" at KPMG), and a team of about 25 developers and data scientists, Dambrot spun out the business -- Cranium. To date, Cranium, which launches out of stealth today, has raised $7 million in venture capital from KPMG and SYN Ventures. "Cranium was built to discover and provide visibility to AI systems at the client level, provide security reporting and monitoring, and create compliance and supply chain visibility reporting," Dambrot continued. "The core product takes a more holistic view of AI security and supply chain risks. It looks to address gaps in other solutions by providing better visibility into AI systems, providing security into core adversarial risks and providing supply chain visibility." To that end, Cranium attempts to map AI pipelines and validate their security, monitoring for outside threats. What threats, you ask? It varies, depending on the customer, Dambrot says. But some of the more common ones involve poisoning (contaminating the data that an AI's trained on) and text-based attacks (tricking AI with malicious instructions). Story continues Cranium makes the claim that, working within an existing machine learning model training and testing environment, it can address these threats head-on. Customers can capture both in-development and deployed AI pipelines, including associated assets involved throughout the AI life cycle. And they can establish an AI security framework, providing their security and data science teams with a foundation for building a security program. "Our intent is to start having a rich repository of telemetry and use our AI models to be able to identify risks proactively across our client base," Dambrot said. "Many of our risks are identified in other frameworks. We want to be a source of this data as we start to see a larger embedded base." That's promising a lot -- particularly at a time when new AI threats are emerging every day. And it's not exactly a brand-new concept. At least one other startup, HiddenLayer, promises to do this, defending models from attacks ostensibly without the need to access any raw data or a vendor's algorithm. Others, like Robust Intelligence, CalypsoAI and Troj.ai, offer a range of products designed to make AI systems more robust. Cranium is starting from behind, without customers or revenue to speak of. The elephant in the room is that its difficult to pin down real-world examples of attacks against AI systems. Research into the topic has exploded, with more than 1,500 papers on AI security published in 2019 on the scientific publishing site Arxiv.org, up from 56 in 2016, according to a study from Adversa. But theres little public reporting on attempts by hackers to, for example, attack commercial facial recognition systems -- assuming such attempts are happening in the first place. For what it's worth, SYN managing partner Jay Leek, an investor in Cranium, thinks there's a future in AI robustness. It goes without saying that of course he would, given he's got a stake in the venture. Still, in his own words: "We've been tracking the AI security market for years and have never felt the timing was right," he told TechCrunch via email. "However, with recent activity around how AI can change the world, Cranium is launching with ideal market conditions and timing. The need to ensure proper governance around AI for security, integrity, biases and misuse has never been more important across all industries. The Cranium platform instills security and trust across the entire AI lifecycle, ensuring enterprises achieve the benefits they hope to get from AI while also managing against unforeseen risks." Cranium currently has around 30 full-time employees. Assuming business picks up, it expects to end the year with around 40 to 50. A crash on U.S. Highway 54 left Jay Drake Murrey, 25, of Nottingham, New Hampshire dead after his vehicle collided head-on with a semi-truck. New Mexico State Police responded to the crash site just north of Carrizozo where they found Murrey dead from his injuries. New Mexico State Police did not release the name of the 55-year-old man who was driving the semi-truck. He was transported to an area hospital for injuries sustained during the crash. His medical condition was not released to the media. Alcohol is not believed to have played a role in the crash. New Mexico State police are investigating the incident. Juan Corral can be reached at JCorral@gannett.com or on twitter at @Juan36Corr. This article originally appeared on Alamogordo Daily News: New Hampshire man dies in crash on U.S. Highway 54 Courtesy of MobileCoin Bob Lee, a pioneer of financial technology who created the mobile payment platform Cash App, was stabbed to death in San Francisco on Tuesday, his family said. He was 43. San Francisco police said in a statement that officers were called regarding a stabbing at around 2:35 a.m. in the citys downtown area, where they discovered a 43-year-old man with stab wounds. He was subsequently taken to a local hospital but died from his injuries. No arrests have been made and this remains an active investigation, police said. Officers did not name the victim, but his family identified him in statements on Facebook. "I just lost my best friend," Rick Lee wrote about his son. "Bobby worked harder than anyone and was the smartest person I have ever known. He will be missed by all those that knew him," he added. "I'm so saddened and disheartened to lose my brother," Tim Oliver Lee wrote. "He really was the best of us. I was so fortunate to grow up with him, and I feel like I've lost part of myself." Joshua Goldbard, the CEO of the payment company MobileCoin, where Lee had been working as chief product officer, also confirmed to BuzzFeed News that Lee had died. Our dear friend and colleague, Bob Lee passed away yesterday at the age of 43, survived by a loving family and collection of close friends and collaborators, Goldbard said in a statement. Bob was a dynamo, a force of nature. Bob was the genuine article, he added. He was made for the world that is being born right now, he was a child of dreams, and whatever he imagined, no matter how crazy, he made real. Lee began working at Google in 2004 as a staff software engineer and was soon working to develop the Android mobile operating system. In 2010, Lee began working as the first chief technology officer at Square, the e-commerce company created by Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey that is now known as Block. It was there that Lee created what is now known as Cash App, which allows users in the US and UK to send money to one another via their mobile phones. Story continues In a podcast interview , Lee said he created the service as a side project because he had been frustrated with how difficult it was to get money out of PayPal and because he believed there was a market for peer-to-peer payments. As a father, he said he also wanted to be able to pay his childrens babysitter without having to stop at an ATM to get cash out. It was a lot of fun. It was a great learning experience, and it was interesting to come in with a fresh perspective and to question assumptions that other people were making, Lee said. The best ideas arent obvious until they are and then theyre very obvious, he said. Lee later joined MobileCoin, first as an investor and adviser, and later as the companys chief product officer. Bob surely had an impact that will last far beyond his short time on earth, Goldbard said. This may sound impressive, but Bobs real resume is the hearts and minds he touched in his time on earth. Bobs legacy is the feeling that you can make a difference if you try, and of course his amazing children. UPDATE Apr. 05, 2023, at 17:32 PM The age-old philosophical question, "who let the dogs out?" has finally been solved. Thanks to the help of Ghost Robotics and the Australian military, soldiers can now control robot dogs with their minds. It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, yet it's happening right now while half the planet focuses on Pedro Pascal's impeccable performance on "Last of Us." CLICK TO GET KURTS CYBERGUY NEWSLETTER WITH QUICK TIPS, TECH REVIEWS, SECURITY ALERTS AND EASY HOW-TOS TO MAKE YOU SMARTER This isn't the first time we've seen robot dogs in action. They've been around for a few years, mainly in the form of Boston Dynamics' famous quadrupedal robots. These incredible machines can run, jump, climb and even dance with impressive agility and lifelike movements. While Boston Dynamics' dogs have primarily been used for research and entertainment purposes, they've also caught the attention of law enforcement agencies worldwide. APPLE'S CRUCIAL NEW IPHONE WARNING ABOUT POTENTIAL HEALTH RISK READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Robot dogs being used by police departments for patrol services. ARE YOU USING THESE EMOJIS CORRECTLY? Police departments in the U.S., Singapore and South Korea have already started using robot dogs in certain situations, such as bomb disposal, search and rescue operations, and crowd control. For instance, South Korea began integrating these mechanical beasts into their police force in 2018. They come equipped with cameras and sensors to detect suspicious behavior. Singapore unleashed the four-legged robot dog onto the public to assist authorities with patrol services. Here at home, these lifeless creatures were employed by the NYPD. The NYPD argued that the robot dog would be used for tasks such as inspecting suspicious packages or investigating hazardous environments and not to replace human officers. Ultimately, the department received harsh criticism and public backlash for its use of an inhuman tool within a police department that has received scrutiny for its police brutality. Story continues U.S. MILITARY JET FLOWN BY AI FOR 17 HOURS; SHOULD YOU BE WORRIED? Some critics worry that they could be used to intimidate and control us or that they could malfunction and cause damage or injury. Another significant worry is the possibility of someone with malicious intentions taking control of the robot dog and using it to cause harm to either the organization or the public. Others question the ethics of using robots in law enforcement, arguing that it could lead to a loss of accountability and human oversight. Now, if things didn't seem complicated enough, let's welcome the Australian military. While the world is toiling away with ChatGPT, Australia has significantly upgraded these metal K-9s. They've figured out a way for soldiers to control robot dogs with their minds. That's right; we're talking about some next-level stuff here. HOW AMAZON'S LATEST FEATURE HELPS PREVENT BUYER'S REMORSE The Australian army is rolling out with robodogs that have the ability to be controlled by the soldiers' minds. Using a high-tech biosensor headset, the robotic brain interface analyzes brainwave readings and feeds them from a person's visual cortex directly into the advanced "robodog." And the best part? It's apparently pretty easy to learn. Sergeant Damian Robinson tested the HoloLens headset and said, "The whole process is not difficult to master, and it's very intuitive and only took a couple of sessions." The Hololens 2 headset, as it's called, is equipped with a Raspberry Pi-based AI decoder that intercepts brain waves and "converts them into helpful directives that are then telepathically transmitted to the autonomous robot dog." Robinson and his fellow soldiers got to try out the mind-reading headsets and robodogs during course training, where they were able to navigate the robodogs through tough terrain and even bad weather on a makeshift battlefield. The secret to controlling the bots? Flickering beacons that act as waypoints are perceived as augmented reality in the headsets. Robinson explains, "You don't have to think anything specific to operate the robot, but you must focus on that flicker. It's more of a visual concentration thing." ROBOTS ARE REPLACING SECURITY GUARDS. SHOULD WE GIVE THEM GUNS? With the Australian military's latest development, it's clear that the possibilities of robotics and artificial intelligence are only continuing to grow. As with any new technology, however, there are certainly concerns about its ethical implications, mainly when using robots in law enforcement. It's essential to balance the benefits of this technology and the potential risks it poses to society to ensure the safety of all of us. Perhaps implementing regulations and guidelines when using robots in law enforcement could ensure accountability and prevent misuse. Additionally, involving diverse voices in developing and deploying these technologies could mitigate potential biases and ensure they serve the greater good. Whatever the case, these safety guardrails will become necessary if government authorities continue to deploy these mechanical beasts in public. For more of my tips, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by clicking the "Free newsletter" link at the top of my website. Copyright 2023 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. In Cyprus's southern coastal city of Limassol, Russian and Ukrainian firms fleeing wartime conditions, and Israeli investors betting on real estate, have driven prices up and local residents out. Eleni Constantinidou is one of them, pregnant when her landlord terminated her lease. Unable to find an affordable place in her home town, the Cypriot was forced to move in with her parents, husband and child in tow. In 2016, it cost her 400 euros ($438) to rent a beachfront apartment in Cyprus's second city where about 176,000 people live. Now, rent is "1,500 euros at a minimum for a two-bedroom apartment", she told AFP. "Nothing is accessible for Cypriots anymore. The owners know this, and they are only looking for foreigners," said Constantinidou, who is in her 30s. By comparison, in the capital Nicosia -- inland and without a Mediterranean view -- a two-bedroom semi-detached ground floor unit can still be rented for around 650 euros a month. But Limassol -- often nicknamed "Moscow on the Med" -- has long been a magnet for Russian speakers. In February 2022, as Moscow began its invasion of Ukraine, fintech companies began pulling out of the two warring countries and neighbouring Belarus. Many settled in Limassol to take advantage of the favourable tax environment in Cyprus, and with the lucrative industry came a new class of moneyed professionals. In May, Russian-language communications company Vestnik Kipra's site counted 3,000 new IT specialists on its roster, a number that has only grown since. As for Ukrainians, Limassol mayor Nicos Nicolaides estimated more than 10,000 moved to Limassol since the war, "which is quite a big number". Dmitri Leonov, who works for a fintech company and relocated to Cyprus from Moscow before the invasion, said the average salary in the sector is 5,000 euros. "So, for them, paying 1,500 euros for rent is not a problem," he told AFP. "It had a quite deep impact on the real estate market." He himself used to pay 1,500 euros for his apartment. Then the landlord said the rent was rising to 2,000 euros. Story continues The young father said he was "very lucky" to find another apartment within his budget, considering "more than 60 people" had applied for it. - 'Way too much!' - Rent in Limassol has surged by 23 percent in a single year, according to Ask WiRe, a Cypriot real estate market analytics startup. By comparison, it says rent in Nicosia went up 14 percent. According to Marios Constantinou, head of property agency QuickLets, that increase has attracted "investors from Israel, who consider Cyprus a very good investment opportunity". The inflow has also caused a surge in sale prices. "We've seen a lot of apartments being constructed to be sold for around half a million to 700,000 euros," Pavlos Loizou, founder of Ask WiRe, told AFP. He points on a map to an apartment in downtown Limassol: 475,000 euros for 100 square metres (about 1,000 square feet). "That's way too much!" Loizou said. Behind such big-money projects are often foreign investors, "notably Israelis", he said. However, this "triangle" of "foreigners selling (land) to foreigners, to develop and sell or rent to foreigners" is nothing new, according to Loizou. Since 2008, developers have barrelled through the island, transforming the Limassol skyline into tower blocks and luxury homes, making it the most modern-looking of Cypriot cities. The island's bloated banks granted developers huge loans without hesitation, a trend that helped push the country to the brink of financial collapse in 2013 following a crisis in neighbouring Greece. "The economic system now is stronger, but it's still dangerous when foreigners take your country for a financial playground," Constantinou said. According to real estate expert Antonis Loizou, 4,123 properties in Cyprus were sold to foreigners in 2022, up from 2,432 in 2020. - Social housing - Before it was scrapped in 2020, Cyprus's "golden passport" scheme granted citizenship to thousands of foreign investors -- many of them from Russia -- in exchange for a 2.5 million euro investment, often a residential property. The scheme has been disbanded for years, but not before it mired the country's political leaders in controversy and left an indelible mark on Limassol's housing market. A $5 million listing of one such residence is set to earn a hefty commission for Florent Gastine, a French real estate agent who traded his life on the French Riviera for Limassol's "booming" market. With a sea view, marble kitchen and a gigantic swimming pool, the same Russian-speaking owner is offering another apartment for rent at 18,000 euros a month. "This is the market price," Gastine told AFP, explaining that the end of the golden passports scheme created a domino effect. Developers built fewer luxury units, which "pushed prices up". The only solution, according to Limassol mayor Nicolaides, is to build social housing. "We don't want Limassol to become a city where only white-collar workers can live," he told AFP. "For Cypriots, it's heartbreaking to think that they can't live where they were born." all/vl/bha/jsa/it Flash Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday talked over phone with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. Li said that China and Vietnam are a community with a shared future of strategic significance and share a special friendship of "comrades and brothers," adding that their good neighborliness is of paramount importance and in line with the interest of both countries. China, Li said, stands ready to work with Vietnam to turn the ambitious blueprint outlined by General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Xi Jinping and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong into reality and jointly push for more practical outcomes in China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperation. Li underscored that the two sides should promote the high-quality synergy of the Belt and Road Initiative with the "Two Corridors, One Economic Belt," and work together to build a system of industrial and supply chains that is stable, smooth, mutually beneficial and win-win. China and Vietnam should continue to take concrete actions in promoting stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific and jointly build a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home of China and ASEAN, Li said. He added that the two sides should stay committed to managing differences through dialogue and consultation, and create together a sound external environment for the development of the two countries. For his part, Pham Minh Chinh said that the Vietnam-China traditional friendship enjoys a long history, and the CPV, the Vietnamese government and people will always remember the tremendous help provided by the CPC, the Chinese government and people for Vietnam's struggle for national independence and liberation and the promotion of national economic and social development. Noting that developing the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership is a top priority in Vietnam's foreign policy, the Vietnamese prime minister said currently, bilateral relations are standing at a new historical starting point and facing important opportunities for development. Vietnam, he said, stands ready to work with China to strengthen political communication and strategic mutual trust, expand practical cooperation in various fields, strengthen friendly exchanges at all levels, properly handle differences, advance communication and coordination in multilateral fields, and advance bilateral relations to a new high. Yana Chornokhova The minister handed over a full list of assistance Prague has already provided to Kyiv to the newly-elected President Peter Pavel, along with an outline of what else the Czech Republic could spare without jeopardizing its own security. Read also: Prague charges former Soviet soldier with espionage The assistance that we are preparing together with the Chief of the General Staff, costs about 600-700 million crowns, Chernokhova said. This isnt financial assistance, this is military equipment that is still in our warehouses, which is unnecessary and which the army can actually send to Ukraine without jeopardizing its own defense capability. Read also: Czech Republic extends ban on issuing visas to Russians According to her, the Ministry of Defense always makes sure that the equipment sent to Ukraine is replaceable. CTK notes the Czech presidents recent statement, that suggested that the Czech Republic has done as much as it could to assist Ukraine militarily. At the same time, he added that the country could help supply Ukraine with more ammunition. Read also: Czech Foreign Affair Minister says Ukraine helping to end Russian imperialism According to Chernokhova, assistance in this area is already taking place. She recalled the creation of a joint Czech-Ukrainian industrial cluster, and incoming supplies from private companies to which the government issues expedited permits. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Dallas salon owner and political activist Shelley Luthers prognosis has not improved with brain scans showing, signs of stroke, after multiple surgeries to repair a ruptured brain aneurysm, her husband Tim Georgeff wrote in a Facebook post Tuesday evening. While its not clear from the post whether Luther suffered a stroke, doctors will continue to monitor her condition for the next seven to ten days to prevent a stroke from happening and repair further blockages, he wrote. If we make it that far, after that everything is unknown, he wrote. Luther hasnt been able to open her eyes without stimulation, however, in a private moment between her and her husband, she was able to open her eyes briefly without prompting, Georgeff wrote. A friend I grew up with called to check on me and told me to never let that moment go. I wont. And my prayer continues, Lord, wake her up, he wrote. On Wednesday, Georgeff took to Luthers public Facebook page to announce friends of the couple had set up a crowdfunding campaign to help them financially while Luther is hospitalized. Georgeff is a professional pianist, and hasnt been able to earn income through performing during Luthers hospitalization. While its somewhat embarrassing, and in no way are we placing our burdens on anyone else, the harsh reality is this situation is long term, and is severely impacting how our lives are going to be moving forward, he wrote. The campaign has raised $12,587 from 170 donors as of 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. Georgeff announced Luthers aneurysm in an afternoon post on April 5 before posting an update later that evening. He thanked well-wishers for their prayers, saying he was overwhelmed by peoples offers of help. Im just living minute to minute waiting for my favorite person to wake up, he said. Luther rose to prominence in 2020 when she was arrested after refusing to close her salon in violation of Gov. Greg Abbotts COVID-19 orders designed to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Story continues She also ran an unsuccessful campaign for a Texas House seat during which she received criticism for a Tweet calling for Chinese students to be banned from Texas universities. She later clarified that her comments were aimed at international students from China rather than Chinese Americans. Former Texas gubernatorial candidate Don Huffines joined Georgeffs call for prayer, sharing his post on Twitter. Luther was an important part of the move to open up Texas, said Warren Norred, an Arlington attorney who represented Luther in 2020. He called her an inspiration to people around the world, and said hes prayerfully optimistic shell make a recovery. A brain aneurysm is a ballooning or bulge of a blood vessel in the brain. Theyre common and often not serious; however, they can become life threatening if they rupture, according to the Mayo Clinic. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. GREEN LAKE - Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly lost his race against Milwaukee County Judge Janet Protasiewicz by 11 percentage points Tuesday but refused to call his opponent to concede, instead choosing to lash out against her in a concession speech to supporters. "I wish that in a circumstance like this, I would be able to concede to a worthy opponent," he said at an event held at the Heidel House Hotel in Green Lake. "But I do not have a worthy opponent to which I can concede." Kelly called Protasiewicz's campaign "deeply deceitful, dishonorable and despicable." Daniel Kelly concedes the race to Janet Protasiewicz in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race during an election night gathering Tuesday at the Heidel House Hotel & Conference Center in Green Lake. Kelly lashed out at Protasiewicz in his speech, calling her "a serial liar" and said he did "not have a worthy opponent." "I say this not because we did not prevail. I do not say this because of the rancid slanders that were launched against me, although that was bad enough. But that is not my concern. My concern is the damage done to the institution of the courts," Kelly said. "My opponent is a serial liar. She's disregarded judicial ethics; she's demeaned the judiciary with her behavior. This is the future that we have to look forward to in Wisconsin." Adding: "I wish Wisconsin the best of luck, because I think its going to need it." Kelly highlighted his commitment to the Constitution and the rule of law, saying Protasiewicz would be only committed to the "rule of Janet." "The people of Wisconsin have chosen the rule of Janet. I respect that decision because it is theirs to make," he said. "I respect the decision that the people of Wisconsin have made, but I think it does not end well." Protasiewicz and others at her campaign event in Milwaukee did not comment on Kelly's comments. Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Dan Kelly attacks Janet Protasiewicz in scathing concession speech What I remember most about that dark early morning of crouching on the prairie is the rhythmic sound of pounding. It was so loud I wondered if someone had put a microphone near the skinny legs of the dozen birds dancing on the turf. As the sun rose above the horizon in southeastern New Mexico, the male lesser prairie chickens continued their ritual performance, each hoping to entice a female. They strutted, leaped in the air with feathers spread, and bowed, but the greatest thrill was watching them puff up the garish, red-orange air sacs on either side of their necks. John Horning Concealed in a blind, we watched late into the morning that spring of 1999, until the last birds members of a rapidly vanishing species flew off. I recalled that wonderful day recently, because in late March, after countless lawsuits and scientific opinions, the lesser prairie chicken in New Mexico, Colorado and eastwards finally got what it so desperately needs federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. The designation, however, comes 25 long years after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service first determined that this magical dancing bird could go the way of the passenger pigeon. In June 1988, the Service did something seemingly mundane, though it had profound consequences. It relegated the lesser prairie chicken to what might be called endangered species purgatory making its protection status warranted but precluded under the Endangered Species Act. Precluded apparently meant, We should list the birds but find it impossible to do that. For subscribers: What ranchers in eastern New Mexico are doing to save an iconic but struggling bird For decades, the Fish and Wildlife Service, under pressure from opponents in Congress and powerful industries, has used this designation to delay Endangered Species Act protections for hundreds of species that need an ecological safety net, including the lesser prairie chicken. The result since 1998 has been predictable: The birds numbers have plummeted. In many parts of the West, it has disappeared entirely. Lesser prairie chickens now number about 30,000, less than 2% of what they were in the 19th century when the birds flourished in the hundreds of thousands. Story continues Controversy around granting Endangered Species Act protection for the lesser prairie chicken has mainly been about oil and gas development. Meaningful protection of this bird, whose habitat covers millions of acres across New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma, would mean restraint from the oil and gas and agricultural industries. Pump jacks and plows are the greatest threats to prairie chicken survival. Kansas Republicans, namely Sen. Roger Marshall and Rep. Tracy Mann, have already pressured the Fish and Wildlife Service to delay the date that the listing takes effect. Texas has also filed a lawsuit to block the listing, and Kansas and Oklahoma are threatening to sue. The long struggle to keep the birds alive is far from over. Fifty years ago, Congress enacted the Endangered Species Act to recognize the importance of endangered and threatened species, citing their esthetic, ecological, educational, historical, recreational and scientific value to the Nation and its people. The Acts vision was remarkable, and Americans are fortunate that the law fought for a half-century ago continues to be fought for today. I am proud that our nation passed this powerful law to protect the diversity of life. But for our nations laws to really mean something, they must be enforced, even when especially when opponents are among the most economically and politically powerful industries. Youd think that identifying a species as endangered meant that there was still time to save it. But the prairie chicken, along with its high-profile distant cousin, the sage grouse, is running out of time. The birds need lots of open space, and the new designation only puts some constraints on existing oil and gas operations, while limiting new development. Later this spring, I intend to return to the prairies near the town of Milnesand, New Mexico, this time with my nine-year-old twins in tow. I can only hope that the birds are still dancing. I also hope that my boys have the opportunity to watch and wonder about why these birds return to woo females at the same place each spring, and what we, as a society, must do to ensure that the dance continues. John Horning is a contributor to Writers on the Range, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. He is the executive director of WildEarth Guardians and lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: A dancing bird finally gets some protection Illustration of a hacker. Bill Hinton via Getty Images A group of international law enforcement agencies, led by the FBI, has seized and shut down one of the largest cybercrime marketplaces on the Internet, it was reported Wednesday. The crackdown, dubbed 'Operation Cookie Monster,' seized Genesis Market, described by Forbes as a dark web hub that "specialized in selling digital identities, offering 'bots' browser fingerprints that had infected victims' devices through malware or account takeovers." These bots would provide access to "fingerprints, cookies, saved logins, and autofill form data," Forbes added, and allowed people to hack corporate data and personal banking accounts. The market is no more, though, as the police action ended with the website's closure by an FBI-helmed law enforcement cooperative. The FBI was assisted mainly by the Dutch National Police, but "logos of other European, Canadian, and Australian police organizations were also emblazoned across the [Genesis] site, along with that of cybersecurity firm Qintel," Reuters reported. The U.K.'s National Crime Agency (NCA), which also played a large part in the operation, said in a press release that Operation Cookie Monster involved 17 countries. It described Genesis as a "go-to service for criminals seeking to defraud victims, having hosted approximately 80 million credentials and digital fingerprints stolen from over two million people." Rob Jones, the NCA's Director General of Threat Leadership, called the website "one of the most significant platforms on the criminal market," adding that "its removal will be a huge blow to criminals across the globe." The operation led to around 120 arrests across the globe of individuals associated with Genesis. The consequences did not end there, though, as the United States is also sanctioning Genesis "for its part in the theft and sale of device credentials and related sensitive information," the U.S. Treasury Department announced. The details of these sanctions remain unclear. Story continues You may also like Most viewers didn't finish Amazon's Lord of the Rings show, report says Why does Trump think attacking his Manhattan judge is a good plan? Jail guards sentenced on cruelty charges after forcing prisoners to listen to 'Baby Shark' on loop COSHOCTON A Conesville man was sentenced Wednesday in Coshocton County Common Pleas Court on charges related to a fatal traffic crash. Dashawn Hale of Conesville was sentenced in Coshocton County Common Pleas Court to 3 to 4.5 years in prison, with the minimum term mandatory, on charges of aggravated vehicular homicide and operating a vehicle impaired, stemming from the death of Kyle Bookless. Dashawn M. Hale, 20, was indicted in August for two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, second-degree felonies, and two counts of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, drug of abuse or a combination, first-degree misdemeanors, from an incident on April 24. He tested positive for marijuana. Hale entered guilty pleas to charges on March 6. In a plea deal, the state agreed to drop one count of aggravated vehicular homicide and one count of operating a vehicle under the influence. The state also agreed to not oppose bond or a pre-sentence investigation and to take no position on sentencing or judicial release. The hearing was presided over by visiting Judge Linton D. Lewis Jr., retired from Perry County Common Pleas Court. Lewis gave Hale an indefinite term of 3 to 4.5 years in prison for the felony charge and six months in jail for the misdemeanor, to be served concurrently. The minimum term is mandatory. Hale was also fined $1,000 for the OVI. He must serve 18 months to 3 years of post release control and his drive's license was suspended for life. The Coshocton County Sheriff's Office said the wreck occurred at the intersection of Ohio 16 and Ohio 83 in Jackson Township. Authorities reported Hale failed to yield the right of way while driving a 2017 Jeep Compass, causing a 2006 Harley-Davidson Motorcycle driven by Kyle Bookless, 48, of Coshocton, to strike the Jeep. Bookless was thrown from the motorcycle and declared dead at the scene. Hale had two passengers in the Jeep and they were all treated for minor injuries at Coshocton Regional Medical Center. Bookless was born in Zanesville and graduated from River View High School in 1992. He served as a firefighter and paramedic with the Newark Fire Department. Hale did not speak on his behalf in court. Defense attorney Marie Seiber said her client was very unlikely to be a repeat offender and had a clean criminal record. She also said while Hale tested positive for THC, an active element in marijuana, there was nothing else to indicate he was impaired or acting impaired at the scene. She asked for the minimum sentence of two years. Story continues "He has shown genuine remorse from the very beginning," Seiber said. "This was a tragic accident." Prosecutor Jason Given read five victim impact statements from members of Bookless' family. Speaking in court were Kelly Fender, the victim's sister, and two friends, Michael Perkins and John Kollar. Fender said the only positive outcome of the tragedy would be if Hale's life changes for the better from this point. She said Bookless was a caring person and he would want something good to come from it. "DaShawn, it's my sincere hope that you wake every morning and give at least a moment to consider that we are still grieving and to consider the magnitude of what you've done not only to my family, but to your own," Fender said. "We'll never get my brother back, but at the end of your sentence you get to come home to your family and have a second chance. Please don't take it for granted." Perkins said he forgave Hale, because it's what Bookless would have wanted and he felt it was the best way to honor his memory. Perkins recalled a conversation he had with Bookless about spiritual beliefs shortly before his death. Perkins said Bookless was a Christian and it gives him peace to know where Bookless is and they will see each other again in heaven. "It's not lost on me that Kyle's death had an impact not only on his family and friends, but also yours," Perkins told Hale. "You'll carry that weight for the rest of your life. Additionally you'll be judged by a much higher power than this courtroom. Don't let this tragedy and a horrible choice define the rest of your life. Instead, find faith in God, repent, find a way to forgive yourself and get to work on finding a way to honor Kyle's memory." Kollar wasn't sure what Bookless would say if he was present. He did know there would be no screaming or hateful words spoken. Bookless would offer words of kindness, reason and wisdom that Hale would be a fool not to follow. "There is simply not enough time to make you understand what has been taken from his family, friends and the entire world," Kollar told Hale. "You are left with an opportunity to continue to make poor decisions and see where that leads or live more like Kyle lived work hard, make better decisions and leave the world a better place than you found it." Leonard Hayhurst is a community content coordinator and general news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune with more than 15 years of local journalism experience and multiple awards from the Ohio Associated Press. He can be reached at 740-295-3417 or llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com. Follow him on Twitter at @llhayhurst. This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Dashawn Hale sentenced in fatal crash Bette Davis, a Hollywood legend whose "raw, unbridled intensity kept her at the top of her profession for 50 years," as Encyclopedia Britannica put it, was born on this day in history, April 5, 1908. "A strong-willed, independent woman with heavy-cast eyes, clipped New England diction and distinctive mannerisms, Bette Davis left an indelible and often parodied mark on cinema history as being one of Hollywood's most important and decorated actresses," says her biography page on Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Born Ruth Elizabeth Davis in Lowell, Massachusetts to parents Ruth and Harlow, Davis was raised primarily by her mother after her parents divorced in 1915. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, APRIL 4, 1973, WORLD TRADE CENTER OPENS IN NYC, CROWNED BY TALLEST TOWERS ON EARTH She later attended Cushing Academy in Massachusetts, where she was voted "best looking" and "best actress" for the class of 1926, notes a 2017 article by Mike Richard published in The Gardner (Massachusetts) News. While at Cushing Academy, Davis began acting in school productions, reportedly to get closer to her crush, fellow student Harmon O. "Ham" Nelson, said Richard. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Actress Bette Davis was born on this day in history, April 5, 1908. Davis and Nelson wed in 1932 in Los Angeles and divorced in 1938. Davis would eventually marry three more times. She had three children. Following high school, Davis enrolled at the Mariarden School of Dancing and John Murray Anderson's Drama School in New York City, said TCM. After several rejections, she made her New York City stage debut in 1928. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, APRIL 3, 1978, 'STAR WARS' SNUBBED FOR BEST PICTURE OSCAR IN FAVOR OF 'ANNIE HALL' In 1929 she made her first Broadway appearances, in "The Earth Between and Broken Dishes," said Britannica. Thanks to a successful run on Broadway, Davis was scouted by Universal Studios and asked to come to Hollywood. Initially, she was signed to a contract with Universal Pictures. In 1931, she made her film debut in the movie "Bad Sister," alongside Hollywood legend Humphrey Bogart. Story continues A year later, Davis made a career breakthrough with the film "The Man Who Played God" and was signed to a long-term contract with Warner Brothers, TCM noted. Davis and Warner Brothers had a "stormy relationship," as the studio was "more accustomed to promoting its tough male stars," said TCM. Bette Davis won the Academy Award for Best Actress two times; she's seen here at the 1939 Academy Awards with actor Spencer Tracy. They won the Best Actor and Best Actress Oscars that year. After making a series of "forgettable" films with Warner Bros., her "career took a dramatic turn when she was lent to RKO to play the slatternly Mildred opposite Leslie Howard in Of Human Bondage (1934), an unsympathetic role that several other actresses had turned down," that site notes. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, MARCH 31, 1943, 'OKLAHOMA!' DEBUTS ON BROADWAY: 'DEEPLY FELT' "The role gave Davis an opportunity to cut loose, with her riveting performance garnering her first substantial critical acclaim," said TCM. Davis also received third place in that year's Academy Awards for Best Actress as a write-in candidate. (At the time, the Academy Awards briefly allowed voters to write in candidates who were not official nominees.) ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, FEB. 7, 1964, BEATLES ARRIVE IN US FOR FIRST TIME, INSPIRE NATIONWIDE MANIA Davis received her first of 10 official Academy Award nominations for Best Actress the following year in 1935, winning the award for her performance in the film "Dangerous." She would go on to win again in 1938. Davis' real-life husband Gary Merrill, who played Bill Sampson, and Bette Davis, as Margo Channing, are seen here in the classic film "All About Eve." Her final Best Actress nomination was for her role as Jane Hudson in the 1962 film "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" Hollywood legend has it that Davis named the Academy Award statuette "Oscar," after her then-husband's middle name. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER "She claimed that, from her observation, the backside of the statuette that of a nude warrior holding a crusaders sword and standing on a reel of film looked like the derriere of her husband and former Cushing Academy classmate Harmon Oscar Nelson," wrote Richard. Throughout her career, Davis appeared in 100 films. In 1977, she became the first woman to receive the American Film Lifetime Achievement Award. Her last significant role was 1987's "The Whales of August." Davis died on Oct. 6, 1989, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, after a battle with breast cancer, notes Biography.com. She was 81. A pilot was flying at 11,000 feet with a plane full of passengers when he noticed something slithering around his seat on April 3, according to multiple reports. I felt something cold against my hip, Rudolph Erasmus told Lowvelder, a local South African news outlet. He figured it was a leaky water bottle, but then he glanced down and made out the head of a snake, according to Lowvelder. The scaly stowaway wasnt just any snake Erasmus thinks it was a Cape cobra, an extremely lethal creature whose venom can kill a person in just 30 minutes, according to the BBC. To be truly honest, its as if my brain did not register what was going on, Erasmus, who was flying a Beechcraft Baron 58, a twin-engined aircraft, with four passengers onboard, told the outlet. After thinking it over for a moment, he decided to alert the passengers to the danger and to the incoming emergency landing, per the BBC. You could hear a needle drop and I think everyone froze for a moment or two, he said. Erasmus made the sudden landing at Welkom Airport, located about 160 miles southwest of Johannesburg, according to GoldFM 104.3, a local radio station. Snake catchers were dispatched to the tarmac to wrangle the fugitive reptile, but it was not immediately found in the plane, the outlet reported. They think it managed to slither its way into another part of the plane. Two airfield workers later said they had seen a snake in the plane before the flight but assumed it had left, BBC reported. The exact type of snake it is wont be confirmed until snake handlers find it again, according to Lowvelder. Oh my goodness this could have been disastrous, Poppy Khosa, the South African Civil Aviation commissioner, told the News24. Great airmanship indeed which saved all lives on board. Such an amazing story and great handling of the situation by the pilot. Bravo to great airmanship. Miracle baby born at Kenyan elephant unit. See photos, video as newborn joins herd 2,000-year-old Roman sanctuary and nearby burial ground uncovered in France These small, hairy creatures like to jump. See three new species found lurking in India It took a second for Andrii Yeger, a deaf Ukrainian, to realise that the waves of energy he felt were coming from a Russian rocket landing near his car. "It all slowed down inside of me... I felt a vibration in my whole body," Yeger told AFP. "I saw people and smoke, I took my phone, read the news and that's when I understood there was an explosion," the 61-year-old said. The deaf community in Ukraine has been facing many challenges during the war, including inaudible air siren alerts, which an organisation hopes to solve with smart watches. Yeger is a volunteer at the Ukrainian Society for the Deaf (UTOG), which has helped many through war's added hardships. "The main issue was the access to information for hearing-impaired people. At the beginning of the war, there was almost nothing for them," UTOG's interim president Tetyana Kornyenko told AFP. Kornyenko said residents evacuating from the southern Kherson and the eastern Donetsk and Lugansk regions near the frontline told the organisation they had struggled at checkpoints. "It was very scary, they could not hear (the orders)," Kornyenko said. Once at the railway stations, "train numbers and platforms were given via loudspeakers, which they couldn't hear," she added. Kyiv and its region counted around 4,000 deaf residents before the war, according to UTOG. Around 700 to 1,000 remain. - Vital device - Those still in the country are made vulnerable to shelling because they cannot hear air sirens alerted over loudspeakers or on phone applications. Olena Mentchenko, 80, said people help her take cover when sirens resonate. "I stayed in a shelter for three days, with nothing to eat, I was hungry," Mentchenko told AFP. "But there were people who could hear in the shelter, they helped me and gave me food." The Ukrainian Society for the Deaf created channels on the messaging platform Telegram to inform people of air raid alerts. It has started translating video statements from officials into sign language, and advocates for the use of technology from smartphones to wearable devices to warn of upcoming strikes and rescue victims. Story continues In January, a smart watch saved a young woman's life after a Russian missile strike on a residential block in Dnipro, which killed 45 people. Deaf people cannot hear rescuers coming, so they cannot shout to guide them, UTOG's interim president explained. The 27-year-old woman was "pulled out from the rubble after she used her smart watch to tell her mother she was alive," Kornyenko said. Since then, the organisation -- which does not have the means to provide watches itself -- has been asking the government to help improve access to the life-saving devices. The watches can cost up to a few hundred dollars and remain a luxury item in a country at war. Yeger has gotten used to feeling missile strikes rather than hearing them. Still, he is wearing the watch he got for his birthday "just in case, after what happened in Dnipro." bur/giv This article was originally published in The Conversation. When President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Math Awareness Week in April 1986, one of the problems he cited was that too few students were devoted to the study of math. Despite the increasing importance of mathematics to the progress of our economy and society, enrollment in mathematics programs has been declining at all levels of the American educational system, Reagan wrote in his proclamation. Nearly 40 years later, the problem that Reagan lamented during the first National Math Awareness Week which has since evolved to become Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month not only remains but has gotten worse. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Whereas 1.63%, or about 16,000, of the nearly 1 million bachelors degrees awarded in the U.S. in the 1985-1986 school year went to math majors, in 2020, just 1.4%, or about 27,000, of the 1.9 million bachelors degrees were awarded in the field of math a small but significant decrease in the proportion. Post-pandemic data suggests the number of students majoring in math in the U.S. is likely to decrease in the future. A key factor is the dramatic decline in math learning that took place during the lockdown. For instance, whereas 34% of eighth graders were proficient in math in 2019, test data shows the percentage dropped to 26% after the pandemic. These declines will undoubtedly affect how much math U.S. students can do at the college level. For instance, in 2022, only 31% of graduating high school seniors were ready for college-level math down from 39% in 2019. These declines will also affect how many U.S. students are able to take advantage of the growing number of high-paying math occupations, such as data scientists and actuaries. Employment in math occupations is projected to increase by 29% in the period from 2021 to 2031. About 30,600 math jobs are expected to open up per year from growth and replacement needs. That exceeds the 27,000 or so math graduates being produced each year and not all math degree holders go into math fields. Shortages will also arise in several other areas, since math is a gateway to many STEM fields. Story continues For all of these reasons and more, as a mathematician who thinks deeply about the importance of math and what it means to our world and even to our existence as human beings I believe this year, and probably for the foreseeable future, educators, policymakers and employers need to take Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month more seriously than ever before. Struggles with mastery Subpar math achievement has been endemic in the U.S. for a long time. Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress shows that no more than 26% of 12th graders have been rated proficient in math since 2005. The pandemic disproportionately affected racially and economically disadvantaged groups. During the lockdown, these groups had less access to the internet and quiet studying spaces than their peers. So securing Wi-Fi and places to study are key parts of the battle to improve math learning. Some people believe math teaching techniques need to be revamped, as they were through the Common Core, a new set of educational standards that stressed alternative ways to solve math problems. Others want a return to more traditional methods. Advocates also argue there is a need for colleges to produce better-prepared teachers. Other observers believe the problem lies with the fixed mindset many students have where failure leads to the conviction that they cant do math and say the solution is to foster a growth mindset by which failure spurs students to try harder. Although all these factors are relevant, none address what in my opinion is a root cause of math underachievement: our nations ambivalent relationship with mathematics. Low visibility Many observers worry about how U.S. children fare in international rankings, even though math anxiety makes many adults in the U.S. steer clear of the subject themselves. Mathematics is not like art or music, which people regularly enjoy all over the country by visiting museums or attending concerts. Its true that there is a National Museum of Mathematics in New York, and some science centers in the U.S. devote exhibit space to mathematics, but these can be geographically inaccessible for many. A 2020 study on media portrayals of math found an overall invisibility of mathematics in popular culture. Other findings were that math is presented as being irrelevant to the real world and of little interest to most people, while mathematicians are stereotyped to be singular geniuses or socially inept nerds, and white and male. Math is tough and typically takes much discipline and perseverance to succeed in. It also calls for a cumulative learning approach you need to master lessons at each level because youre going to need them later. While research in neuroscience shows almost everyones brain is equipped to take up the challenge, many students balk at putting in the effort when they dont score well on tests. The myth that math is just about procedures and memorization can make it easier for students to give up. So can negative opinions about math ability conveyed by peers and parents, such as declarations of not being a math person. A positive experience Heres the good news. A 2017 Pew poll found that despite the bad rap the subject gets, 58% of U.S. adults enjoyed their school math classes. Its members of this legion who would make excellent recruits to help promote Aprils math awareness. The initial charge is simple: Think of something you liked about math a topic, a puzzle, a fun fact and go over it with someone. It could be a child, a student, or just one of the many adults who have left school with a negative view of math. Can something that sounds so simplistic make a difference? Based on my years of experience as a mathematician, I believe it can if nothing else, for the person you talk to. The goal is to stimulate curiosity and convey that mathematics is much more about exhilarating ideas that inform our universe than it is about the school homework-type calculations so many dread. Raising math awareness is a first step toward making sure people possess the basic math skills required not only for employment, but also to understand math-related issues such as gerrymandering or climate change well enough to be an informed and participating citizen. However, its not something that can be done in one month. Given the decline in both math scores and the percentage of students studying math, it may take many years before America realizes the stronger relationship with math that President Reagans proclamation called for during the first National Math Awareness Week in 1986. The Conversation This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Flash Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday talked over phone with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. Li said that under the strategic guidance of the two countries' heads of state, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has maintained a high level of development. China-Russia relations adhere to the principles of non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-targeting of any third party, mutual respect, mutual trust and mutual benefit, which not only promote their own development and rejuvenation, but also uphold international fairness and justice, he said. Li stressed that during Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent successful visit to Russia, he and Russian President Vladimir Putin jointly drew up a new blueprint for the development of bilateral relations, charting a new direction for bilateral cooperation. China is willing to work closely with Russia, he said, adding that the government departments of the two countries should implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and push forward the pragmatic cooperation between China and Russia to achieve new development. For his part, Mishustin said Russia-China relations are based on international law and the principle of pluralism, which is an important factor to ensure global peace and stability, adding that at present, bilateral relations are at the highest level in history, and President Xi's state visit to Russia was a complete success, opening a new chapter in Russia-China relations. Russia cherishes its comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination with China and is willing to strengthen good-neighborly friendship with China, deepen practical cooperation in various fields and push for common development of the two countries, he said. Photo: Dmytro Tyshchenko (Shutterstock) This week, the FBI and a coalition of European police partners took aim at one of the biggest illegal markets on the internet. Genesis, known for selling stolen data to the highest bidder, has officially been dismantled. The crackdown is yet another attempt by the government to disrupt and deter the dark webs worst cybercriminal offenders. On Wednesday, Justice Department officials provided details of their recent operation, dubbed Operation Cookie Monster (like browser cookies, not Chips Ahoy), in which the FBI worked together with an international consortium of foreign cops to go after the markets admins and users. So far, everything we know about Cookie Monster makes it sound like a very big operation. Law enforcement officials in 17 participating countries carried out as many as 200 raids, arresting at least 100 people in connection with the market. Many of the arrestees are said to be people who used the forum to buy stolen data. A number of websites associated with the market have also been seized. Read more That might sound like a whole lot of manpower for a single dark web market but Genesis appears to have caused a whole lot of damage. Indeed, cops say the site is responsible for having pilfered or sold data connected to over 1.5 million computers and as many as 80 million online accounts. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland called the operation unprecedented, and revealed that a whopping 45 FBI field offices participated in the investigation to smash the criminal platform. Our seizure of Genesis Market should serve as a warning to cybercriminals who operate or use these criminal marketplaces: the Justice Department and our international partners will shut down your illegal activities, find you, and bring you to justice, Merrick warned. How Genesis Worked Genesis, which is believed to be located in Russia, offered a number of services to paying web cretins but one of its most popular was the sale of what the site called bots. In this context, bots amount to an aggregate of stolen account information linked to one particular person. Sensitive datalike a persons browser cookies, as well as passwords for social media, banking, and email accountswere sold in packages to allow a criminal to surreptitiously invade and manipulate a persons online life. Cybercriminals used the access provided by bots for a number of different reasonsand sometimes the access could be used to implement more ambitious hacking campaigns targeted at corporate networks, Krebs notes in his write-up. Story continues Check if Your Passwords Were Stolen A cool feature of this recent operation is that the FBI has turned over much of the data seized from the Genesis marketplace to Have I Been Pwned, the well-known search engine for compromised account credentials. Troy Hunt, who runs the website, said that the bureau provided millions of impacted email addresses and passwords to the site so that victims of the incident can discover if they have been exposed. That means thatshould you be curiousyou can do a quick search of the material to see if some dark web jerk was in the process of selling your precious information when the cops came crashing in. The Dark Webs Dark Days Continue The demise of Genesis is only the latest in a string of high-profile police operations that have targeted some of the dark webs hottest marketplaces. Many of these takedowns have been the work of the Biden Justice Department, whichover the past several yearshas developed an increasingly aggressive posture towards cybercrime. Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco was happy enough to point this out Wednesday: The Department of Justice is shining a light on the internets darkest corners in the last year alone, our agents, prosecutors, and partners have dismantled the darknets largest marketplaces, said Monaco, following the Genesis takedown. Each takedown is yet another blow to the cybercrime ecosystem. Last year, authorities notably disrupted the Hydra Marketwhat had been one of the largest offerings of dark web services. Around the same time, cops also went after Besa Mafia, a well-known assassin fraud website. In recent months, the FBI has also undertaken a number of sophisticated operations, including the infiltration and dismantlement of the prominent ransomware gang Hive, as well as the bust of a widely used darknet cryptocurrency mixerChipMixerwhich is alleged to have helped wash some $3 billion in illegal transactions, including some of the loot stolen last year from the Axie Infinity crypto project by North Koreas Lazarus group. The recent take down of the well-known criminal hub BreachedForumslong considered one of the most popular dark web marketplaceswas considered a major blow to the cyber underworld. Of course, while cops are currently kicking butt, conventional wisdom would tend to conclude that this is only a temporary period of adversity for the dark web and that, given due time, new sites will emerge to take the place of the markets that have been taken down. Cybercriminals will always try to find or create an alternative to these platforms, said Yuliya Novikova, with cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, in a statement shared with Gizmodo Wednesday. Another security professional, Adrianus Warmenhoven, of NordVPN, agreed. Unfortunately, when one of these sites is removed, it creates a vacuum that could be quickly filled by others, said Warmenhoven. One of Genesiss main rivals was the 2easy marketplace. This mysteriously stopped operating at the start of this year but is rumored to be planning a return to the fold, he added. Yes, internet crimelike normal crimeis driven by demand, so as long as there is a desire for seedy digital offerings, it stands to reason that websites will be around to offer them. More from Gizmodo Sign up for Gizmodo's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. LAS VEGAS (AP) Sen. Jacky Rosen, a Democrat from Nevada who steered a moderate path during her first term in the chamber, announced Wednesday that she will seek reelection in the perennial battleground state. In a statement, Rosen focused on her efforts to promote bipartisanship and big problems to solve for the country, including lowering costs for the middle class, defending abortion rights, tackling the climate crisis (and) protecting Social Security and Medicare. Rosen's announcement is welcome news for Democrats ahead of a challenging 2024 Senate map. They must defend incumbents not only in red states Montana, Ohio and West Virginia but also in multiple swing states. No Republican challengers have yet announced plans to take on Rosen. She ended 2022 with $4.4 million cash on hand in her campaign accounts, according to Federal Election Commission reports. The November 2024 election will come two years after Rosen's colleague from Nevada, Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, eked out a reelection victory over Republican Adam Laxalt, even though the GOP managed to flip the governor's mansion in the state. Rosen, 65, was a first-term congresswoman from a Las Vegas-area district when she defeated GOP incumbent Sen. Dean Heller in 2018. Before that, she was president of a prominent Jewish synagogue in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson. Democrats in Nevada hold a statewide registration edge over Republicans, 32.2% to 29.7%, though both trail the 38% who aren't affiliated with either party. Rural voters lean heavily Republican, but elections often swing to Democrats with support from ballots cast in the states two biggest population centers, Las Vegas and Reno. Nevada is always a battleground, and this Senate race will be one of the toughest in the country, Rosen said in an online video prepared for her announcement. What happens in Nevada in 2024 could once again decide control of the Senate. Rosens work on Senate committees reflects her states roots, including her role as chair of the Tourism, Trade and Export Promotion subcommittee. Other panel assignments include aging, armed services, health and education, small businesses, and national security and governmental affairs. Story continues Rosen works often together with Cortez Masto, the first Latina from Nevada to be elected to the U.S. Senate. In recent months, Rosen and Cortez Masto have urged the Federal Communications Commission to revise its broadband map of Nevada to correct what they call errors in the depiction of internet availability that results in less funding for areas that lack adequate upload and download speeds. Last week, Rosen joined with Republican Congressman John Thune of South Dakota to introduce a bill aimed at forcing the FCC to wait for updated maps before allocating money. On Monday, Rosen spoke to the state Legislature in Carson City, praising the female-majority Assembly and Senate, and touting federal bipartisan legislation related to STEM education, health and tourism, and investments in rural communities. And so much of our work, my work, was bipartisan, she said. A report last May by the Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University ranked Rosen among the Senate's most bipartisan members. She ranked ninth among 98 senators, behind Republican John Cornyn of Texas and ahead of Democrat Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. Cortez Masto ranked 34th. In the years since Rosen went to Washington, political contests in Nevada have drawn increasingly intense national interest. Mail-in voting was expanded by the Democratic-led state Legislature to every active voter. But counting results in both primary and general election is delayed for several days to let election offices receive postmarked ballots. The 2022 victory by Cortez Masto, who had been considered the most vulnerable Democratic senator up for reelection, helped the party clinch control of the Senate for the next two years of Joe Biden's presidency. She defeated Laxalt by fewer than 8,000 votes out of nearly 1 million ballots cast. ___ Associated Press/Report for America corps member Gabe Stern contributed from Carson City, Nevada. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. WASHINGTON Hours after pleading not guilty to 34 counts of filing false business records in a courtroom in Lower Manhattan, former President Donald Trump maintained his innocence Tuesday before a crowd of supporters at Mar-a-Lago, his estate and private club in Florida. He repeated a host of familiar and inaccurate attacks on his opponents. Heres a fact-check of his remarks. What Was Said Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times From the beginning, the Democrats spied on my campaign, remember that? They attacked me with an onslaught of fraudulent investigations. Russia, Russia, Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine impeachment hoax No. 1, impeachment hoax No. 2, the illegal and unconstitutional raid on Mar-a-Lago right here. This is misleading. This list covers five years worth of grievances that Trump long harbored and largely misconstrues the various investigations into his campaign, administration and conduct. Trump has complained for years that the counterintelligence investigation the FBI opened in July 2016 about Russias interference in the presidential election was an attack on his campaign. He was first impeached in 2019 for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress for soliciting election assistance from Ukraine at the same time he was withholding a White House meeting and nearly $400 million in vital military assistance for the country. He was impeached again in 2021, one week before he left office, for inciting an insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, after he lost the 2020 presidential election. The FBI searched Mar-a-Lago in August for classified documents that Trump was thought to have improperly removed from the White House. The search was not illegal and occurred after the Justice Department obtained a warrant. What Was Said And now this massive election interference at a scale never seen before in our country, beginning with the radical left George Soros-backed prosecutor Alvin Bragg of New York. Story continues This needs context. The links between Alvin L. Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney who has brought the case against Trump, and George Soros, the financier and Democratic megadonor, are real but overstated. (Attacks that portray Soros as a globalist mastermind often veer into antisemitic tropes.) In reality, Soros donated to a liberal group that endorses progressive prosecutors and supports efforts to overhaul the criminal justice system in line with causes that he has publicly supported for years. That group used a significant portion of the money, but not all of it, to support Bragg in his 2021 campaign. A spokesman for Soros said that the two men had never met and that Soros had not given money directly to Braggs campaign. What Was Said That has absolutely nothing to do with openly taking boxes of documents and mostly clothing and other things to my home, which President Obama has done. False. Trump has repeatedly and wrongly compared his handling of classified documents to that of his predecessor. After his presidency, Trump took a trove of classified documents including 18 marked as top secret to Mar-a-Lago. In contrast, the National Archives and Records Administration, which preserves and maintains records after a president leaves office, has said in a statement that former President Barack Obama turned over his documents, classified and unclassified, as required by law. The agency has also said it is not aware of any missing boxes of presidential records from the Obama administration. What Was Said In fact, they seem to have forgotten about his documents entirely, so many, thousands and thousands. Its OK with him. They like to say that Im obstructing, which Im not, because I was working with NARA very nicely until the raid on my home. Biden is obstructing by making it impossible to get the 1,850 boxes. False. Trump is again drawing an inaccurate comparison between his and President Joe Bidens improper handling of classified documents. The Justice Department appointed a special counsel to investigate Bidens handling of documents in January, two months after the initial discovery of classified material at an office he had used at a Washington think tank. So clearly the matter was not forgotten, nor was Biden given an OK. Officials at the National Archives and Records Administration might also disagree with Trumps assertion that he was cooperating very nicely with archivists responsible for storing and accounting for his presidential records. NARA asked Trump to return documents in spring 2021 once it had discovered files were missing and received them only after months of asking. As for Bidens 1,850 boxes, that was referring to a collection of documents he had donated to the University of Delaware in 2012 from his tenure as a senator representing the state from 1973 to 2009. Unlike presidential documents, which must be released to NARA once a president leaves office, documents from members of Congress are not covered by the Presidential Records Act. It is not uncommon for senators and representatives to give such items to research or historical facilities. The university agreed to not give the public access to Bidens documents from his time as senator until two years after he retired from public life. But the FBI did search the collection in February as part of the special counsel investigation and in cooperation with Bidens legal team. The New York Times reported at the time that the material was still being analyzed but did not appear to contain any classified documents. What Was Said I have a Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and family whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris. This needs context. Loren Merchan, the daughter of the judge presiding over the case, is the president and a partner at a digital campaign strategy agency that has done work for many prominent Democrats, including the 2020 campaigns of Biden and Kamala Harris. Earlier Tuesday, Trump argued that Justice Juan M. Merchan should recuse himself because of her work, but experts in judicial ethics agreed that this was not adequate grounds for recusal. Under New York state rules on judicial conduct, a judge should disqualify himself or herself from a case if a relative within the sixth degree had an interest that would be substantially affected by the proceeding. Merchans work on Democratic campaigns does not give her enough of an interest that would qualify, experts said. Political interests are widely shared and thus diffused, said Arthur D. Hellman, a professor emeritus of law at the University of Pittsburgh. If this kind of work by a relative within the sixth degree were enough to require recusal, it would be hard to find any judge who could hear the case. c.2023 The New York Times Company Des Moines police have found a material witness in the shooting at Starts Right Here that killed two teenagers and seriously injured the nonprofit's founder. Police issued a material witness warrant for an 18-year-old Des Moines resident in relation to the shooting. Police believed the witness had information important to the investigation into the deaths of Gionni Dameron and Rashard Carr, and the injury of president William Holmes, who goes by the stage name Will Keeps. As of Thursday, Sgt. Paul Parizek said the witness has been located and he will not be facing charges in relation to the shooting. Prosecutors have charged Preston Walls, 18, and Bravon Tukes, 19, with first-degree murder in the shooting Jan. 23rd at Starts Right Here, 455 S.W. Fifth St., near downtown Des Moines. Police identified Walls as the alleged shooter and Tukes as the alleged driver of the car in which Walls attempted to flee. More: As Starts Right Here reopens, Will Keeps raises money for security guard, metal detectors Starts Right Here is a nonprofit that provides mentorship and classes for at-risk youth. Police allege the shooting was gang-related. More: Starts Right Here shooting linked to teen's killing by Des Moines police, court records say Francesca Block is a breaking news reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at FBlock@registermedia.com or on Twitter at @francescablock3. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines police located witness in Starts Right Here shooting, When he announces his presidential bid in the coming months, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis may have a problem when it comes to luring one key voter bloc: independents. While DeSantis overwhelmingly won his gubernatorial reelection in November, he struggled particularly with independent women voters. A recent Emerson College poll showed that more than 51 percent of Florida independent voters disapproved of his job performance as governor, with more than 61 percent of women disapproving of his leadership. I think independent women rejected a lot of the hardcore Republicanism, said Susan Del Percio, a longtime Republican strategist. Theyre not willing to go there. And his rhetoric has gotten uglier over time, so its become a bigger turnoff. Indeed, DeSantis has carved out a reputation for himself as a darling of the modern conservative movement by pushing a long list of hard-line policies and picking a near-constant stream of public political fights throughout his four years in the Florida governors mansion. He famously bucked federal public health officials in his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, signed into law a controversial measure banning classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity and led an effort to strip Disney of its self-governing district in Central Florida over the companys criticism of that law. And with the states annual legislative session now in full swing, other controversial policies are making their way to DeSantiss desk. On Monday alone, he signed a bill allowing Floridians to carry guns without a state permit, while the Florida Senate approved a six-week abortion ban backed by DeSantis. But as he prepares to launch a bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, he faces the looming possibility that his governing record could come back to haunt him, especially if he makes it through the primary and faces a broader electorate of more moderate and independent voters. Story continues The challenge for DeSantis is that he outflanks [former President] Trump to the right on COVID, colleges and crime and while helpful in a primary, ostensibly those positions could hurt him with independents in a general, Martin Sweet, a political science professor at Purdue University, said. This is the classic poli sci 101 primary paradox. Former Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.) said that while DeSantis has proven that he can govern effectively, theres a risk in moving too far to the right. DeSantis has, in the Republican field, the most compelling governing record, Curbelo said. I think where he is taking too much risk is in trying to out-Trump Trump, and a lot of what hes doing is to prove that hes more conservative than Trump, but that doesnt seem right. Camille Mumford, a communications director at Emerson College who has been involved in some of the analysis of the schools poll, said the results among independents is definitely an issue for his candidacy. Mumford said weakness in the pivotal voting bloc, particularly among women, could potentially cost him the nomination. To be sure, DeSantis has a track record of success with independent voters that he can point to. He won 52 percent of independents voters in the November election, and polling shows that he performs better among independents than Trump. A survey from Quinnipiac University released last week found that 43 percent of independents have a favorable opinion of DeSantis compared to only 32 percent for the former president. Whether that kind of support can translate to a national electorate, however, remains an open question. I think a lot of his support with independents last year came from the pandemic policies. People liked what he did and rewarded him for it, one longtime Republican strategist with deep experience in Florida politics said. But thats also something specific to Florida voters. And Florida voters arent the same as Iowa voters or Virginia voters or whoever else. Doug Heye, a Republican strategist, said theres little reason for DeSantis to worry about his appeal among independents, at least for now. He said that when he enters the 2024 race, his first priority will be winning the GOP primary and hell need to energize the Republican Partys conservative base to do that. Geez, Ron isnt doing great with independents in the general isnt a thought going through Team DeSantis right now, Heye said. If he runs, hell be in a primary first and thats where his focus is and will be. In the meantime, most of what independent voters are hearing about him is coming through the lens of unfriendly media that spends a lot more time talking about book banning and Disney, than, say, job creation in Florida. Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, said that any challenge DeSantis faces with independent voters may not be unique to the Florida governor. The GOP has lurched rightward across the board, he said, making independents hard to reach. And DeSantis may not need broad independent support to win in 2024, Zelizer added. What he will need, however, is the loyalty of the GOP and its voters. The GOP is so far right that to appeal to the party means taking stands that will be tough to sell at a broad level, Zelizer said. The problem is that Trump owns the rest of the space so it will be hard for DeSantis to compete with him. He doesnt necessarily need them in a general election, as Trump showed, but then he has to have total loyalty and enthusiasm from most of the party. Ford OConnell, a Republican strategist, suggested that there may be a playbook for DeSantis should he make it to the 2024 general election, pointing to Glenn Youngkins strategy for winning the Virginia governors mansion in 2021. After playing up his conservative bona fides in the GOP gubernatorial primary, Youngkin homed in on issues like crime, education and the economy in his general election bid, while keeping Trump and his controversial political brand at arms length. Ultimately, he captured the governors mansion in a state that President Biden won by 10 points a year earlier. If youre Ron DeSantis, youre not going to moderate anything when it comes to independents, OConnell said. But you might take a page out of Glenn Youngkins book. Its how you talk about it. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Serhii Bychkov, former Director General of Antonov State Enterprise, has been served with a notice of suspicion of official negligence, due to which the world-famous cargo plane, the AN-225 Mriya was destroyed. Source: Ukraine's National Police and Prosecutor Generals Office of Ukraine on Telegram Details: The investigation believes that Bychkov, despite the warnings of state authorities and knowing for sure about the termination of insurance coverage for the aircraft, did not ensure the relocation of the aircraft to a safe place. As a result, during an air attack by Russian troops on the airport in the settlement of Hostomel, the AN-225 Mriya aircraft burned down. The number of damage caused to the state is more than US$227 million. Destroyed AN-225 Mriya photo from Ukraine's National Police It is also noted that on the eve of Russia's military invasion of Ukraine, the AN-225 Mriya aircraft was in good technical condition, the airfield had enough fuel for the flight, and the crew was ready for departure. Quote: "All this indicates that there were all possibilities to evacuate the aircraft to the airport in Leipzig (Germany). However, the former Director General of Antonov State Enterprise did not issue the relevant order and ignored the reports and proposals of his subordinates." More details: In addition, investigators are checking information on the possibility of evacuation of six more aircraft, including An-124 Ruslan, which were then on the the airport's premises. The suspect is currently in custody without the right for a bail. Background: In March, law enforcement officers detained Bychkov; he was served with a notice of suspicion for his actions obstructing the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The investigation revealed that on the eve of the full-scale invasion, the officials of Hostomel airport refused the National Guard of Ukraine permission to enter the territory of the Hostomel airfield to prepare for its defence. Story continues Mykhailo Kharchenko, the former Deputy CEO, and Oleksandr Netiosov, the former Aviation Security Director, were served with notices of suspicion as well. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Miami University in October (Dispatch photo by Eric Albrecht) Rosemary Pennington is an associate professor and area coordinator of journalism at Miami University, where she serves on university senate. Shes also a proud alum of Minford High School and public universities in Ohio and Indiana. Public education around the country is under assault. School libraries are taking books off shelves, worried they may be sanctioned for lending books that are now banned. Universities in certain states are seeing years of work toward a more equitable environment being dismantled. This assault is well organized and well-funded and its now found its way to Ohio. Ignore 'hysteria.' Freedoms attack on Ohio campuses. My bill will protect them| Cirino Teacher: 'To censor and ban books is to erase whole parts of humanity' Lawmakers have introduced Senate Bill 83 in the Ohio Legislature. This bill as written would fundamentally reshape higher education in Ohio. In doing so, it would cause damage to the culture and the economy of the state. As one colleague has said, Theres something in there to offend everyone. American Historical Association: Unwieldy bill would destroy higher education in Ohio Dr. Rosemary Pennington It truly is a grab-bag of educational mandates. The bill takes aim at academic freedom, the tenure and promotion process, core curricula, the teaching of American history and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts at all levels of an institution. While I find much in the bill troubling, the language around diversity, equity and inclusion gives me the most pause. The bill would ensure that private universities do not require DEI classes of their students, would make it illegal for universities to require DEI training for employees and diversity statements of potential employees, would prohibit an honest discussion social justice issues, or the hiring of employees specifically to work on DEI issues. The passage of such mandates would put the accreditation of many programs in Ohio at risk. A colleague who teaches in Miamis speech pathology and audiology department notes that accreditation for that departments graduate program demands that issues related to DEI are reflected throughout our graduate curriculumin theory and in practice. Story continues There are 14 such programs in that area in Ohio and they are all at risk of losing accreditation if Senate Bill 83 passes. Accreditation matters as it helps recruit students to an institution as it lets them know they will get the education they need to be successful post-graduation. Ohio lawmakers have spent the last year celebrating Intels decision to move to the state, a boon for the economy at a time of economic turmoil. Our View: Unwelcomed in Ohio. Leaders working to make state less attractive, not more What will that potential employer think of a states decision to squash educational DEI efforts as the company has embraced a diversity, equity and inclusion mindset? Universities revise curricula based on the needs of students and employers DEI education is a need that Ohio universities will not be able to meet if SB 83 passes. Ohio universities offer world class educations. We bring skilled, smart, and motivated young adults to this state and then send them out into the workforce. We are also employers who attract scholars who help us better understand our world and teachers who share their skills and expertise with their students. Senate Bill 83 puts this in jeopardy. I urge you to read the bill for yourself and then reach out to your senator and ask them to vote no. A yes vote would put at risk all that the states done to revitalize its economy. Rosemary Pennington is an associate professor and area coordinator of journalism at Miami University, where she serves on university senate. Shes also a proud alum of Minford High School and public universities in Ohio and Indiana. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: What impact would Senate Bill 83 have on Ohios colleges students, economy Former U.S. President Donald Trump waves as he arrives at the Manhattan Criminal Court on April 4, 2023. Kena Betancur/Getty Images Trump's indictment was unsealed Tuesday, revealing he was charged with 34 counts. The indictment didn't clarify the underlying crimes Trump allegedly committed to justify felony charges. Former prosecutors said the 34 counts may have been excessive and one said could be perceived as "piling on." The first-ever indictment of a former US president unveiled Tuesday answered many questions about what crimes Donald Trump is accused of committing. But New York prosecutors left one detail out that legal experts say will surely be raised by the defense: what other, underlying crime is Trump accused of committing that would justify upgrading the charges against him from misdemeanors to felonies? Trump was indicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection to a 2016 hush-money payment to the adult film star Stormy Daniels. Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer and fixer, pleaded guilty in 2018 to several felonies related to the payment, including tax evasion, bank fraud, and campaign finance violations. The Justice Department said Cohen made the payment himself and was later reimbursed "in monthly installments disguised as payments for legal services performed pursuant to a retainer, when in fact no such retainer existed." Cohen said he made the payment at Trump's direction, but Trump has denied knowledge of the transaction and also denies having had an affair with Daniels. To prove that Trump committed felony falsification of business records as opposed to a misdemeanor state prosecutors would need to show that he did so in order to commit or cover up a second crime. In this case, prosecutors did not specify what that crime was. Former prosecutors underwhelmed Mark Bederow, a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor for the Manhattan district attorney's office, told Insider he was underwhelmed by the charging document, calling it "strikingly empty with respect to what crime was being concealed to make what is obviously a time-barred misdemeanor into a felony." Story continues Given the stakes, Bederow said, "not offering an airtight [explanation] this is our theory of why he did it I think that's lacking." Ambrosio Rodriguez, a former prosecutor in the Riverside County district attorney's office in Southern California, echoed that view. "The reality is, these facts are pretty stale," he said of the indictment. "We've known about this since what 2018? Both Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels have been interviewed a million times." "They told their story and there are no surprises here," he added. Rodriguez also told Insider he did not believe the DA's office presented enough facts to sway a jury towards convicting Trump. "I think jurors aren't stupid. And New Yorkers don't like bullshit," Rodriguez said. "It might get to a hung jury, but I don't see it getting to a conviction." Felony falsification cases have been won before, but this one is complicated The national security website Just Security conducted a review of previous cases in New York that centered around felony falsification of records. According to the review, prosecutors have brought such cases more than two dozen times since 2009. Norman Eisen, who helped conduct the review, is a former special counsel to the House Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2020 during Trump's impeachment. He also worked in the Obama White House as a Special Assistant and Special Counsel to the President for Ethics and Government Reform. In a Tuesday opinion piece for The New York Times, Eisen and Karen Friedman Agnifilo, a former Manhattan chief assistant district attorney, argued that Bragg's case was strong, citing similar cases prosecuted in New York. But the cases cited in the New York Time's op-ed and Just Security all show clear intent to defraud. Randall Eliason, a law professor at George Washington University, previously noted that prosecutors could face an additional wrinkle where Trump is concerned. New York's business records statute's "intent to defraud" requirement is "usually defined as intent to deprive a victim of money or property," Eliason wrote, and "it's not clear how concealing a campaign contribution does." "Prosecutors could argue an intent to deprive voters of accurate information," he added, "but it's not clear that would qualify as intent to defraud in NY (it clearly would not under federal law.)" At a news conference after Trump's arraignment Tuesday, Bragg told reporters that his office had evidence of underlying crimes that justified upgrading the charges from misdemeanor to felony status. But he said the indictment didn't specify that "because the law does not so require." He went on to say the underlying alleged crimes could violate state and federal election laws. Jeremy Saland, a criminal defense attorney who previously worked as a Manhattan prosecutor, told Insider that you typically "don't see an indictment solely of falsifying business records." He also questioned why Bragg's office elected not to include the other alleged crimes in the indictment, even if that's not legally required. "This initial stage is a low bar," Saland said. "Why not an article 1800 tax crime, if that's the allegation? Why not an election law violation?" Legal experts also pointed out Trump's penchant for lobbing public attacks at his perceived enemies and his previous inflammatory language aimed toward Bragg and the justice system. Prosecutors highlighted that during the ex-president's arraignment Tuesday, saying that they were concerned his rhetoric on social media and in press releases could intimidate witnesses and jurors in a potential trial. "If I were the prosecution, I would ask for a gag order covering the parties and their attorneys," Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, told Insider. "We know Trump is going to do everything he can to take advantage of this politically he feels Republicans on Capitol Hill see this as a win for them. They're going to say everything they can to make this out to be a witch hunt conducted by unruly prosecutors." Indeed, House Republicans vowed revenge on Trump's behalf and said Tuesday that they would go after Bragg and President Joe Biden in light of Trump's indictment. The 34 counts may seem larger than they are Rahmani told Insider that the 34 counts appear to be slightly inflated, given that "it's all narrowly written and purely stemming from the 11 transactions related to Cohen and the apparent hush money payments." "This isn't some massive RICO conspiracy," he added. Joshua Ritter, a former Los Angeles County prosecutor and partner with El Dabe Ritter Trial Lawyers, told Insider he thought prosecutors may have "overcharged" by bringing 34 counts, and that it could help Trump in the eyes of the public by giving the appearance of "piling on." He also thought Bragg was too dismissive about not disclosing what the alleged underlying crimes were. "If they fall apart then the whole indictment falls apart," he said. Trump's lawyers, for their part, vehemently pushed back on the charges after they were unveiled Tuesday. "The indictment itself is boilerplate," Trump attorney Todd Blanche told reporters. "It's really disappointing. It's sad and we'll fight it." Joe Tacopina, who also represents the former president, doubled down on Blanche's comments and noted that the indictment "doesn't name another crime" to justify felony charges. The Manhattan District Attorney's office declined to comment on the record for this story. Read the original article on Business Insider Police on Monday arrested a 29-year-old man on suspicion of capital murder in connection with a double homicide last month in Denton. Silvester Williams was booked in the killings of Breanna Dunn and Ronald Calvert Jr., who were shot in the head as the victims sat in a vehicle at an apartment complex in the 1300 block of Dallas Drive, authorities said. Dunn, 29, and Calvert, 43, were slain about 10 p.m. on March 23. Denton police did not publicly describe what they allege motivated the killings, but said that evidence showed that Williams and Calvert knew one another. Williams was arrested in Lewisville. The capital murder offense applies because the police allege that Williams caused the death of two people during the same criminal act. A man in Virginia went to the store to grab the morning paper but had some surprising news of his own to tell his wife once he got home. Paul Miller, who lives in Shenandoah County, went out on a Monday morning to buy his usual coffee, newspaper and lottery tickets before coming home and doing some chores, he told lottery officials in an April 5 news release. Miller scratched off the three Crossword Connect 5X tickets after finishing those chores and realized he won $100,000, according to lottery officials. The man said he texted his wife right away that he won the lottery and she answered, You did not! Miller bought his lucky ticket at the Brook Store in Toms Brook, lottery officials said. The odds of winning the top prize are 1 in 1,224,000. Shenandoah County is about 100 miles west of Washington, D.C. If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website. Woman loves suspense of playing lottery. Her jackpot win in NC comes at perfect time Dad buys $1 NC lottery ticket then wakes up six figures richer. A lucky weekend Lottery player lands big win in Virginia then an extra $1 helps him triple it Lottery player thought they won $1,000 while checking ticket then saw the full amount Flash President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides (R) and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez attend a joint press conference at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia, Cyprus, on April 4, 2023. Spain will take an initiative to restart the stalled Cyprus peace negotiations when it takes up the rotating six-month Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) on July 1, the country's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said during his working visit here on Tuesday. (Photo by George Christophorou/Xinhua) Spain will take an initiative to restart the stalled Cyprus peace negotiations when it takes up the rotating six-month Presidency of the Council of the European Union(EU)on July 1, the country's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said during his working visit here on Tuesday. At a joint press conference with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, Sanchez said that Spain's initiative would focus on a solution provided for by numerous United Nations (UN) resolutions and on international law. "Cyprus can rely on us on this issue. We'll take an initiative for the restart of the dialogue between the parties," said Sanchez. Christodoulides said he was pleased with Sanchez's statements and that he looked forward to a positive result, as Spain has a good relationship with Turkiye. He said that they also discussed the Spanish EU Council Presidency's other priorities, which include energy, immigration, the Ukraine crisis, the fiscal crisis EU countries are faced with and the bloc's strategic autonomy. Cyprus was partitioned when Turkiye sent troops to intervene in the island's northern part in 1974 in response to a coup staged by the military rulers of Greece at the time. Several United Nations (UN)-led efforts to negotiate an agreement for the divided island have been inconclusive to date. Prosecutors in New York City have finally laid out the full list of charges against Donald Trump, making him the first former president in US history to be charged with a criminal offence. The mercurial real estate tycoon stands accused of 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection to alleged hush money payments to porn actor and director Stormy Daniels plus two other people. "From August 2015 to December 2017, the defendant orchestrated a scheme with others to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit the defendants electoral prospects," said Manhattan prosecutors in a 13-page "statement of facts" that accompanied the indictment. "In order to execute the unlawful scheme, the participants violated election laws and made and caused false entries in the business records of various entities in New York. The participants also took steps that mischaracterised, for tax purposes, the true nature of the payments made in furtherance of the scheme." But beyond these historic claims, the prosecutors' statement also includes new details about the long-running saga of the president and the porn star. Mr Trump, for his part, pled not guilty to all charges. Here are the six key revelations. Trump wanted media mogul to be his 'eyes and ears' According to the statement of fact, Mr Trump's scheme began with a private meeting at Trump Tower in August 2015, not long after announcing his presidential run. At this meeting, which has been previously reported by US media, Mr Trump and his personal lawyer Michael Cohen allegedly met with news mogul David Pecker, whose company American Media Inc (AMI) was then the owner of a salacious tabloid newspaper called the National Enquirer. Prosecutors now allege that Mr Pecker agreed to be Mr Trump's "eyes and ears", looking out for negative stories about the candidate and alerting Mr Cohen (who is identified in this document only as "Lawyer A") so that he could squash them. Story continues AMI, today known as A360 Media, has since admitted its role in attempting to influence the election as part of a non-prosecution agreement with federal officials. It wasn't just Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal By now most Americans have heard of Stormy Daniels, to whom Mr Cohen has admitted paying $130,000 to squash information about her alleged relationship with Mr Trump back in the Noughties. Some news junkies will be aware that Mr Cohen also admitted to paying $150,000 to former playboy model Karen McDougal, who also allegedly had an affair with Mr Trump. But prosecutors say there was also a third person: a former doorman at Trump Tower, who hoped to sell information to reporters about a child that Mr Trump had allegedly fathered out of wedlock. AMI allegedly paid this doorman $30,000 for exclusive rights to his story and then sat on it as part of the agreement with Mr Trump and Mr Cohen. "When AMI later concluded that the story was not true, the AMI CEO wanted to release the doorman from the agreement," says the statement. "However, Lawyer A instructed the AMI CEO not to release the Doorman until after the presidential election, and the AMI CEO complied with that instruction." Trump 'wanted to renege on payments to Daniels' Not content with killing Ms Daniels' story, prosecutors claim Mr Trump also plotted with Mr Cohen to renege on the agreement and withhold her money. "The Defendant directed Lawyer A to delay making a payment to Woman 2 as long as possible," the statement says. "He instructed Lawyer A that if they could delay the payment until after the election, they could avoid paying altogether, because at that point it would not matter if the story became public." However, pressure then mounted to the point where Trump's team allegedly felt they had no choice but to pay out after all. Cohen and Trump 'discussed their deal in the Oval Office' Perhaps the most eyebrow-raising of the prosecutors' claims is one with relatively little legal import. According to the statement, in February 2017 not long after his inauguration Mr Trump met with Mr Cohen in the Oval Office to confirm their "arrangement". In that most iconic and hallowed chamber of American government, prosecutors allege, amidst all the famous symbols of national prestige the Resolute Desk, the plaster seal in the sealing, the paintings of past leaders the 45th president of the United States agreed with his personal lawyer to pay $35,000 per month for squashing the truth about his sexual indiscretions. Prosecutors also claim that in summer 2017, Mr Trump invited Mr Pecker to dinner at the White House "to thank him for his help". Some of the money came from Trump's own bank account The monthly reimbursements were allegedly disguised as payments for a fictional retainer agreement, adding up to $420,000 over the course of 2017 though much of that was intended to cover income taxes. And from April through December 2017, it was Mr Trump who personally reimbursed Mr Cohen's agreements with Ms Daniels and the others, prosecutors claim. The statement says Mr Trump cut nine checks for Mr Cohen from his personal bank account, personally signing each one and logging them as payments for a fictional retainer agreement rather than compensations for hush money. 'You are making a very big mistake' The statement contains new details about an alleged pressure campaign by Mr Trump and others designed to stop Mr Cohen from pleading guilty back in 2018. In 2019, CNN reported on leaked emails obtained by federal prosecutors from a lawyer named Robert Costello that offered to open a "back channel" for Mr Cohen to Mr Trump, telling him he could "sleep well tonight" because he had "friends in high places". According to New York's investigation, Mr Costello named only as "Lawyer A" also urged Mr Cohen not to cooperate with law enforcement. "The whole objective of this exercise by the [federal prosecutors] is to drain you, emotionally and financially, until you reach a point that you see them as your only means to salvation," Mr Costello allegedly wrote. "You are making a very big mistake if you believe the stories these journalists are writing about you. They want you to cave. They want you to fail. They do not want you to persevere and succeed." Don Lemon reportedly displayed a troubling pattern of misogyny long before his comments about 2024 presidential candidate Nikki Haley temporarily took him off the air. A new expose from Variety accuses the CNN anchor of having a history of inappropriate behavior toward female colleagues that spans over the last two decades. Drawn from the accounts from over a dozen of his former co-workers, the report details Lemon allegedly antagonizing peers (including CNN stars Nancy Grace and Soledad OBrien), belittling female co-anchors on-air, and even reportedly waging a text message harassment campaign against a rival reporter. Don Lemon attends a pre-Grammys celebration in Beverly Hills in February 2023. Don Lemon attends a pre-Grammys celebration in Beverly Hills in February 2023. Lemon came under fire in February after he told CNN viewers former United Nations ambassador Haley was a poor option for the Republican presidential candidate, saying she was no longer in her prime. His comments were condemned by both the left and the right as sexist. Lemon tweeted an apology, calling his remarks inartful and irrelevant, adding that he was committed to doing better going forward. The anchor was pulled from the desk for two days, returning after the network said he received formal training. But according to Variety, the Haley incident was not a one-off, but instead highlighted Lemons history of hostility toward women in the workplace, as well as his ability to evade consequences. Sources recalled Lemon mocking colleague Grace mid-broadcast in 2008, reportedly threatened by her rising star at the network. That was the beginning of when you knew that Don was kind of volatile and didnt say good things about women, a witness to the Grace incident claimed. Others remembered a staff meeting where the newsman, angry that OBrien was set to host CNNs Black in America docuseries, openly questioned her race. Over 30 staffers were in attendance. Don Lemon (center) poses with Don Lemon (center) poses with "CNN This Morning" co-anchors Kaitlan Collins (left) and Poppy Harlow (right) in December 2022. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for CNN) Story continues Though OBrien wasnt at the meeting, she told Variety the incident was on-brand for Lemon, noting, Don has long had a habit of saying idiotic and inaccurate things. A CNN spokesperson told Variety that Lemon denied referencing OBriens race in a derogatory way. Another accusation dating back to 2008 claims tensions between Lemon and Live From co-anchor Kyra Phillips escalated to frightening levels after she landed a coveted on-the-ground assignment in Iraq. Upon her return, she received a pair of threatening text messages from an unknown number, reportedly warning Phillips she crossed the line and would pay for it, sources told Variety. After bringing the threats to CNNs attention, the company allegedly was able to trace the texts back to Lemon. He was subsequently pulled from his job opposite Phillips and moved to weekend broadcasts, according to Variety. The CNN spokesperson told Variety that Don says the alleged incident never occurred and that he was never notified of any investigation. Other accounts say Lemon exhibited diva-like behavior, and was prone to skipping important meetings, showing up late to the newsroom or being otherwise disengaged from work. Sources also said Lemons relationships with higher-ups like Turner Broadcasting Systems CEO Phil Kent and, later, CNN President Jeff Zucker, let him skirt any serious consequences. CNN broadly denied the report in a statement to HuffPost. The Variety story provides no actual proof, and instead relies on anonymous sources and unsubstantiated claims from 10 to 15 years ago, a spokesperson said. CNN is unable to corroborate the alleged accounts. A representative for Lemon told HuffPost that Varietys story was riddled with patently false anecdotes, contains no concrete evidence, and is entirely based on unsourced, unsubstantiated, 15-year-old anonymous gossip. They added, Its amazing and disappointing that Variety would be so reckless. After Zuckers ouster from CNN in 2022, Lemon returned to weekday mornings on CNN This Morning that November. It was his first assignment with female co-anchors since his conflict with Phillips over a decade prior. Lemons comments regarding Haley occurred four months later. Read Varietys full story here. Related... Don Lemon has strongly denied recent accusations lodged against him, which included claims of workplace misogyny and diva-like behaviour. In a new damning report from Variety, several sources alleged he had disrespected CNN co-hosts Nancy Grace on air and broadcaster Soledad OBrien during an editorial meeting, among other things. According to fellow colleagues, Lemon mocked Grace by mimicking her on air. While Grace declined the outlets request for comment, a person close to her confirmed she thinks hes an ass and that he was generally rude, dismissive and really unfamiliar with the [news] content being discussed. Other witnesses spoke about a time he had allegedly argued OBrien wasnt Black in an editorial meeting attended by around 30 additional staffers. He was claimed to have been upset that OBrien was chosen to host CNNs 2008 docuseries Black in America. Don always wanted to be front and center on anything high profile, especially anything involving race, a colleague said. Don Lemon (Getty Images) Addressing the situation herself, OBrien, who wasnt present at the time, told the outlet: Don has long had a habit of saying idiotic and inaccurate things, so it sounds pretty on brand for him. A CNN spokesperson commented on the accusation, saying: Don, Soledad and others have in the past correctly referred to her Afro-Cuban heritage as it is a unique part of her personal story. But Don denies making any related remark in a derogatory way. The report also includes accusations of threatening texts sent by Lemon as well as diva-like behaviour. Responding to the allegations in a statement to Mediaite, a spokesperson for Lemon said: The story, which is riddled with patently false anecdotes and no concrete evidence, is entirely based on unsourced, unsubstantiated, 15-year-old anonymous gossip. Its amazing and disappointing that Variety would be so reckless. In a separate response to Mediaite, a CNN spokesperson said: The Variety story provides no actual proof, and instead relies on anonymous sources and unsubstantiated claims from 10 to 15 years ago. CNN is unable to corroborate the alleged accounts. Story continues The Independent has contacted Lemons representative for further comment. This report comes after Lemons recent inflammatory remarks about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haleys age, saying she wasnt in her prime. After the February incident, the network pulled him from his morning broadcast, and he was made to undergo formal training. Following his later return, Lemon tweeted an apology: I appreciate the opportunity to be back on CNN This Morning today. To my network, my colleagues and our incredible audience Im sorry. Ive heard you, Im learning from you, and Im committed to doing better. See you soon. Malia Obama has entered the nepo baby chat after landing none other than Donald Glover as her mentor. Obama, the 24-year-old daughter of former President Barack Obama, graduated in 2021 from Harvard University, joined the writers room for Glovers series Swarm the following year, and is now directing her first short film for his production company, Gilga. The first thing we did was talk about the fact that she will only get to do this once, Glover told GQ in a cover story published Tuesday. Youre Obamas daughter. So if you make a bad film, it will follow you around. Obama, however, reportedly impressed her colleagues by co-writing Girl, Bye a vital mid-season episode of Swarm and has since been considered a reliable creative at Gilga. Some of her pitches were wild as hell, and they were just so good and so funny, showrunner Janine Nabers recently told Entertainment Tonight. Shes an incredible writer. She brought a lot to the table ... Shes really, really dedicated to her craft. Malia Obama, the elder daughter of former President Barack Obama, graduated from Harvard in 2021 and joined the Malia Obama, the elder daughter of former President Barack Obama, graduated from Harvard in 2021 and joined the "Swarm" writing team in 2022. Glover, who makes music as Childish Gambino, is currently in the process of building the production companys headquarters in Ojai, California. The site, which is set to include editing suites, recording space and overnight housing for creatives, aims to complement Gilgas ethos. Understanding somebody like Malias cachet means something, Fam Udeorji, a longtime collaborator of Glovers and his creative partner at Gilga, told GQ. But we really wanted to make sure she could make what she wanted even if it was a slow process. Glover says he intends to run Gilga like a rich kid that is, disregarding profit motives in favor of quality output. Rich kids dont do shit for money. They do things based on if its gonna make them happy, he told GQ. I realized its the people I was around that mattered. People dont get quality anymore and they need a filter. Gilga is a perfect filter for that shit. Story continues While the details of Obamas short film remain mysterious for now, Glover is attempting to create space for Black artists to make things without the burden of commercial expectations. The Atlanta creator believes this privilege has previously been reserved only for white artists. "Atlanta" creator Donald Glover hopes his production company, Gilga, gives Black artists room to create without fear of failure. Like with Wes Anderson, theres different rules, he told GQ. [He] never makes money. Its not about the money. Its because a certain group of people are like, This is important. And I was like, Are Black people at a point now where they can do that on their own? Glover has lauded Obama before, describing her to Vanity Fair in March 2022 as an amazingly talented person who was focused and working really hard. His comments suggest her directorial debut will be one to watch for. I feel like shes just somebody whos gonna have really good things coming soon, Glover told the outlet. Her writing style is great. Related... Donald Glovers This Is America took 2018 by storm due to its sociopolitical messaging and the variety of popular voices, such as Young Thug and 21 Savage, that appear on the record. The 39-year-old recently revealed that the track was initially planned to be a diss toward Drake. Childish Gambino told GQ that he conceived the idea for the song in 2015 and intended for it to be humorous at first. I told [director] Hiro [Murai] the idea, and hes like, I really want to do that,' the GRAMMY winner said. The idea for the song started as a joke. To be completely honest, This is America that was all we had was that line. More from VIBE.com He continued, saying It started as a Drake diss, to be honest, as like a funny way of doing it. But then I was like, this sh*t sounds kind of hard though. So I was like, let me play with it. Glovers desire to take a jab at Drake stemmed from his 2014 show in Sydney, Australia where he called out the 6 God, Kendrick Lamar, and Schoolboy Q and claimed they were inferior artists to him. There was no true malice to his statement, but rather just the competitive nature of Hip-Hop, as he clarified in an interview with The Breakfast Club. Every rapper should feel that way, Gambino said. I said those rappers in particular cause I feel like theyre the best. I feel like theyre the best. Kendrick, Drake, ScHooboy, I listen to them all the time [] Kendrick is fine with it. Drake is probably not taking it great. As for the iteration of This Is America that actually came out, the record went on to win Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year at the 2019 GRAMMYs. The Awaken, My Love! artist won a plagiarism lawsuit over the hit at the end of last month after being sued by Kidd Wes in 2021. Wes claimed Gambino stole his flow, ripped him off, and infringed upon his copyright. The presiding judge ruled in favor of the Redbone artist, citing that although Wes copyrighted the recorded version of Made In America, he did not protect the actual music itself. Click here to read the full article. Donald Trumps arraignment at the Manhattan Criminal Court was history both for him and the country. Never before has a former president been indicted. He pleaded not guilty to all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, brought by district attorney Alvin Bragg. Outside the court, throngs of journalists and television cameras crowded together, alongside competing protests in favour and against the indictment. The journalists outnumbered the protesters 10 -1. The Independents Richard Hall was along for the ride, amid the chaos as the day unfolded. Sign up to our US newsletter here Mr Trump is the first former US president to appear in court on criminal charges - Reuters Donald Trump made an unprecedented appearance before a New York judge on Tuesday to answer criminal charges, threatening to throw the 2024 White House race into turmoil. Mr Trump is the first former American president to be criminally indicted - a historic development that has propelled the United States into uncharted political waters. Here is what you need to know about Mr Trump's court case. What is Mr Trump charged with? The indictment against Donald Trump has been unsealed and details 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors have accused the former president of directing three different instances of hush money payments to cover up alleged affairs. One payment is a $130,000 sum allegedly made to the former porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, who claims she had an affair with Mr Trump. The money was paid by Michael Cohen, Mr Trumps lawyer and long-time fixer. The story was killed. Two years later, Mr Cohen was jailed for three years on eight counts, including tax fraud and campaign finance violations. Mr Trump has continuously denied he had any sexual contact with Ms Daniels. What were the campaign finance violations? It is alleged the purpose of the hush money payments was to influence the outcome of the 2016 election. The $130,000 payment was way over the $2,700 limit on personal donations. So why is Mr Trump in the dock? According to court filings, the Trump organisation paid Mr Cohen $420,000, which included reimbursing the $130,000 which was paid to Ms Daniels. Mr Trump has denied knowledge of the payment. However, Mr Cohen claims that Mr Trump personally signed a cheque for $35,000. In February 2019, Mr Cohen produced the cheque at a hearing in Congress. He also told legislators he had received 11 cheques from Mr Trump. Is it a misdemeanour or a felony? Falsifying business records is classed as a misdemeanour a minor offence in New York. But doing so to aid or conceal another offence, in this case breaking campaign finance laws is a class E felony. Story continues What does the prosecution have to prove? Prosecutors would have to prove not only that the records were deliberately falsified, but done with the intention of violating campaign finance laws. Could Mr Trump face a potential prison sentence? If convicted of a Class E felony, the former president faces a potential jail term of up to four years. Have other senior politicians been charged with campaign finance violations? John Edwards, who was John Kerrys running mate in 2004, ran for the Oval Office himself in 2008. Three years later he was indicted on six felony charges by a Grand Jury after allegedly soliciting nearly $1 million (800,000) from donors to pay off his pregnant mistress. Although the North Carolina senator was acquitted at the trial, his political career was finished. Donald Trump has called for Republicans in Congress to defund the Department of Justice and the FBI until they come to their senses, less than a day after his arrest. Posting on his social media site, Truth Social, he said: Republicans in Congress should defund the DOJ and FBI until they come to their senses. The Democrats have totally weaponised law enforcement in our country and are viciously using this abuse of power to interfere with our elections! In another post, he described his indictment as morally disgusting and added it had NO MERIT and is not even a case. Mr Trumps comments came after his lawyer, Joe Tacopina, pushed back on claims that the former president was inciting violence against the judge during his speech in Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday evening, when he called Justice Juan Merchen the real criminal. Mr Tacopina told NBC this morning: "No one is suggesting anything should happen to the judge or his family, and President Trump's comments did not, in any way, shape or form, incite violence against the judge or anyone else." Follow the latest news here and catch up on every development in yesterdays court appearance here. 03:10 PM That's all for today Here is a summary of today's stories. Donald Trump has called for Republicans in Congress to defund the Department of Justice and the FBI until they come to their senses", less than a day after his arrest. Mr Trumps lawyer Joe Tacopina claimed the ex-president is "not doing anything to try and incite violence", following the comments Mr Trump made concerning the judge presiding over his case on Tuesday. Trump-backed Republican candidate for Arizona governor in 2022 Kari Lake accused critics of non-stop bullying of the former president. Several members of Donald Trump's family attended his speech at the Mar-a-Lago estate in a show of familial support, but Melania Trump, the former First Lady, was not in the Mar-a-Lago ballroom nor the New York courthouse earlier on Tuesday. Story continues Catch up on all of todays developments below. 02:12 PM Defund the Department of Justice and FBI until they come to their senses says Trump Donald Trump has called for Republicans in Congress to defund the Department of Justice and the FBI until they come to their senses, less than a day after his arraignment hearing. Posting on his social media site, Truth Social, with caps lock on, he said: Republicans in Congress should defund the DOJ and FBI until they come to their senses. The Democrats have totally weaponised law enforcement in our country and are viciously using this abuse of power to interfere with our elections! In another post also uploaded this morning, he described his indictment as morally disgusting and added it had NO MERIT and is not even a case. Donald Trump posting on Truth Social on Wednesday Donald Trump posting on Truth Social on Wednesday Donald Trump posting on Truth Social on Wednesday 01:43 PM The curious Donald Trump lovechild claim hidden in the case against him Did Donald Trump have a secret love child with his housekeeper? Probably not. But his team's handling of that lurid but poorly sourced claim is a surprise admission in the prosecutors' case against the former president, writes Roland Oliphant. It's worth making clear that not even prosecutors are claiming the original story is true. It is entirely unconfirmed, the woman in question denies it, and the only sources ex-wife has described him as the kind of man who claims to have seen Bigfoot. Read the full story here 01:34 PM Trump's lawyers push back on inciting violence claims Donald Trump's lawyer claimed the ex-president is "not doing anything to try and incite violence", following the comments Mr Trump made concerning the judge presiding over his case on Tuesday. During his speech in the Mar-a-Lago ballroom on Tuesday evening, the former leader claimed he had "a Trump-hating judge" in New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan. Mr Trump's lawyer Joe Tacopina told NBC this morning: "No one is suggesting anything should happen to the judge or his family, and President Trump's comments did not, in any way, shape or form, incite violence against the judge or anyone else." 12:45 PM 'TRUMPED UP': New York Post releases front page Today's cover: Trump rips Alvin Bragg after NYC arrest: The criminal is the district attorney https://t.co/yml7eujTJ7 pic.twitter.com/6aIUOXwUIK New York Post (@nypost) April 5, 2023 12:21 PM Pictured: The members of the Trump clan who showed up in support in Mar-a-Lago Several members of Donald Trump's family attended his speech at the Mar-a-Lago estate in a show of familial support, but there were some notable absences. Eric Trump and his wife Lara, Donald Trump Jr. and his fiance Kimberly Guilfoyle, and Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos were all present in the Mar-a-Lago ballroom. Members of the family listen as former President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago estate - Evan Vucci/AP Melania Trump's father, Viktor Knavs, also attended, however Melania herself did not make an appearance. Barron Trump, the couple's 17-year-old son, and the former president's eldest daughter Ivanka Trump also missed the event. 11:51 AM Kremlin refuses to comment on Trump affair The Kremlin said on Wednesday that it would not comment on the indictment of former American president Donald Trump. "We will not comment on this," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said following a question by reporters. "We do not believe we have the right to interfere in the internal affairs of the United States, and the United States is not entitled to interfere in our internal affairs," he said. Mr Trump had expressed admiration for Vladimir Putin and had been accused of trying to create a rapprochement with Moscow during his presidency. He has recently repeated that Russia's offensive in Ukraine would not have taken place if he was still in power. US intelligence services had accused Russia of interference in the 2016 US elections, including with the use of social media, to support Trump's campaign. Russia has denied the allegations. 10:50 AM 'No-nonsense' judge hits Trump where it hurts - his social media From the comfort of his Midtown hotel room, Donald Trump posted to his social media followers on Tuesday morning that the case against him was a politically motivated witch hunt. It was a clear injustice, he wrote, defiantly, THIS IS NOT WHAT AMERICA WAS SUPPOSED TO BE!" Just a few hours later, however, the former president of the United States was on his way to answer 34 felony charges at Manhattans criminal court and facing possible jail time. Read this report from Josie Ensor for a view from inside the Manhattan Criminal Court. 10:31 AM Upcoming key dates in the Trump case So what next for Donald Trump and his lawyers? Prosecutors have said that they expect to produce the bulk of the discovery within the next 65 days following Tuesday's arraignment, CNN reports. The legal team for the former president has a deadline of August 8 to file any motions, with the prosecution to respond by September 19. Mr Trump's next hearing is scheduled for December 4, when Judge Juan Merchan is to rule on the motions. 10:08 AM Kari Lake: It has been a non-stop bullying of President Trump Trump-backed Republican nominee in the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election Kari Lake has accused critics of non-stop bullying of the former president. It has been a non-stop bullying of President Trump. The only crime he committed was beating Hilary Clinton and humiliating Hilary Clinton, the politician once tipped to be Mr Trumps running mate for 2024 told US channel Newsmax. We want President Trump. We want him in the White House. We want him leading this country and getting us back on strong footing on a world stage. Kari Lake greets guests before the start of an event hosted by Trump at Mar-a-Lago - Joe Raedle/Getty Images North America Ms Lake is a high-profile 2020 election denier, and in her own failed election campaign to become Arizona governor described herself as Trump in a dress". She has refused to concede her own defeat. Ms Lake, who appeared to be speaking from the Mar-a-Lago ballroom on Tuesday night, said: I think at the end of the day Americans are going to vote for him in droves, like they did in 2020, but in even bigger numbers and its going to be even harder to cheat him out of this next election. 09:51 AM How strong is the case against Trump and could he go to jail? Donald Trump runs the risk of jail time if he is convicted of falsifying business records to aid his campaign, a legal expert has warned. Manhattan prosecutors have accused the former president of 34 separate felonies linked to hush money payments made on his behalf to block stories about alleged affairs which Mr Trump has denied, writes David Millward. These are felony charges, Kami Chavis, director of the William & Mary Centre for Criminal Justice Policy and Reform, told The Telegraph. In the United States any criminal charges, or acts that subject you to a loss of your liberty is a serious charge." Read more of the legal expert's analysis of the Trump case here. 09:35 AM 'They just handed him the 2024 election': Supporters praise Trump after arrest 09:15 AM Donald Trump carried out 'catch and kill' schemes to bury 'affairs' Donald Trump operated a catch and kill scheme to bury negative stories about himself for more than two years at the time of the 2016 presidential election, a New York court was told. As well as paying off two alleged lovers, including the porn actress Stormy Daniels, Mr Trump arranged for a former Trump Tower doorman to be given $30,000 (24,000) to hush up a story about an illegitimate child, it is claimed. Three people were allegedly paid a total of $310,000 (248,000). The payments began in August 2015, the court heard, and carried on until December 2017, leaving a trail of money and lies, according to district attorney Alvin L Bragg Jr. Read more from Associate Editor Gordon Rayner here. 08:58 AM In pictures: Small group of protestors show up in support of Trump in Los Angeles A protester holds a banner reading 'Trump Won' as about six pro-Trump demonstrators protest in Los Angeles - ETIENNE LAURENT/Shutterstock A protester holds a banner reading 'Destroy Marxism Trump 2024' in Los Angeles - ETIENNE LAURENT/Shutterstock 08:28 AM The Mar-a-Lago merry-go-round where Trump redrew his battle lines Johnny Cashs Ring of Fire played over the loudspeakers as Mr Trump walked out into the brightly-lit ballroom, surrounded by family, donors and fee-paying members of his private club, writes Rozina Sabur. But outside the gilded Mar-a-Lago mansion where his most ardent supporters had gathered the party was just dying down. Mr Trump had been greeted by legions of admirers lining the streets from Palm Beach airport to his beachfront estate after touching down in Florida on his red, white and blue private jet. Read more from The Telegraph's Washington editor's report from Mar-a-Lago here. 08:14 AM On a sad day of spectacle, a nation is left to wonder how it came to this: America reacts to historic Trump arraignment Sad and pathetic not just for Trump, but for the country, lamented chief correspondent Dan Balz on the front page of Wednesdays Washington Post, following the ex-presidents arraignment on Tuesday. From the moment he walked down the golden escalator at Trump Tower on June 16, 2015, Donald Trump has been the man the world could not stop watching. So he was again Tuesday, a day that epitomised the perverse fascination with the former president and the degree to which he has debased the high office he once held. The New York Times front page The Wall Street Journal front page Meanwhile, in the New York Times front page analysis, correspondent Charlie Savage described the case against Mr Trump as risky, though bolstered by the surprise accusation that business records had been falsified in part for a plan to deceive state tax authorities. 06:56 AM The Telegraph View Mr Trump is nothing if not unembarrassable. He is using what many would regard as a tawdry business to boost his profile as he seeks the Republican nomination for another shot at the White House next year. He has raised more money for his campaign since being threatened with arrest and his detractors fear the appearance of a witch-hunt will improve his chances of winning the nomination next spring. But while Mr Trump may have solidified his base vote, independent-minded Americans are likely to be appalled to see a former president facing criminal charges. Read today's The Telegraph View in full: 'The Trump circus returns' 06:51 AM Recapping a day of high drama Washington Editor Rozina Sabur was at Mar-a-Lago, Mr Trump's beachside mansion, last night. Read her report on Mr Trump's choreographed rally-style press conference, here. Trump supporters cheer outside Mar-a-Lago as the former president ends his speech pic.twitter.com/1K2C5126kv Rozina Sabur (@RozinaSabur) April 5, 2023 06:26 AM Trump dominates UK front pages The Times Front Page Metro Front Page Daily Mirror 05:46 AM Today's Telegraph Front Page: 'Trump under arrest' The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph: 'Trump under arrest'#TomorrowsPapersToday Sign up for the Front Page newsletter:https://t.co/x8AV4Oomry pic.twitter.com/FKIlANxnBA The Telegraph (@Telegraph) April 4, 2023 05:33 AM What happens next? Mr Trump's next hearing is set to take place on December 4. The trial is due to be held in Manhattan, where he fared badly in the 2020 presidential election, winning only 22.6 per cent of votes cast. His legal team want the trial shifted to the more conservative borough of Staten Island. If convicted on felony charges of falsifying business records to commit another offence, such as violating campaign finance laws, the former president faces a potential four-year jail term. But experts believe there is no chance, even if convicted on these charges, of Mr Trump being sent to prison. He does not have a criminal record and the alleged offences are non-violent. Read the full explainer by David Millward here Donald Trump appears in court 04:18 AM In case you missed it: These are the charges The indictment against Donald Trump has been unsealed and details 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors have accused the former president of directing three different instances of hush-money payments to cover up alleged affairs. They revealed in court yesterday that one of the allegations is that Mr Trump paid $30,000 to silence a doorman who claimed to have a story about a secret child fathered by the former president. Another payment is a $130,000 sum allegedly made to former porn star Stormy Daniels, who claims she had an affair with Mr Trump. The money was paid by Michael Cohen, Mr Trumps lawyer and long-time fixer. The story was killed. Two years later, Mr Cohen was jailed for three years on eight counts, including tax fraud and campaign finance violations. Mr Trump has continuously denied he had any sexual contact with Ms Daniels. For a helpful explainer on the meaning of the charges and possible penalties, see this story here. You can also read the full indictment document below: 03:43 AM Melania kept a distance Many of Donald Trump's closest allies smiled and waved for the cameras, however some family members did not show up for the party. Melania Trump, the former First Lady, was not in the New York courthouse nor in the Mar-a-Lago ballroom for her husband's speech. Neither were Barron Trump, the couple's 17-year-old son, and Ivanka Trump, Mr Trump's eldest daughter. Donald Jr., Eric and Tiffany Trump celebrated at the event where their father defended the 34 charges he faces after being arrested in New York. Eric Trump travelled with Mr Trump's entourage from Florida for the historic court proceedings but other family members kept a distance. Mrs Trump was last photographed with her husband on Thursday when they hosted a party at Mar-a-Lago: Beautiful evening here at the gorgeous Mar a Lago! Our REAL First Couple enveloped in the love of their friends and most loyal! (Sorry to disappoint, corporate media . Actually not. Screw you! This is a happiness you will never know, sadly). pic.twitter.com/IFsFU41lAd Dr. Gina (@RealDrGina) March 31, 2023 02:56 AM Key takeaway: Trump spoke a lot about the classified documents case Nick Allen writes: One of the biggest takeaways from Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago speech was how much he spoke, not about the Stormy Daniels hush-money case, but another investigation entirely. He devoted much of his time to justifying his actions handling classified documents. Jack Smith, a special counsel appointed by the Justice Department, is looking into whether Mr Trump broke the law when he took documents from the White House to Mar-a-Lago after he left office. In August, FBI agents seized thousands of government records, some marked as highly classified, from Mar-a-Lago. In his speech Mr Trump repeatedly referred to Mr Smith as a "lunatic". He also complained that Mr Smith was "threatening" members of his staff. It suggested that Mr Trump and his legal team believe he could face more legal jeopardy in that case, rather than in the one he has been indicted on in New York. 02:05 AM The show is over Donald Trump leaves no doubt his 25-minute speech was designed to stir up support for his presidential bid. Mr Trump says there is a very dark cloud over our beloved country. He continues: I have no doubt, nevertheless, that we will make America great again. God bless you. And God bless America. Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you. There is jubilation from supporters who stand, clapping. And outside, a crowd of people decked out in Trump won flags, bejeweled baseball caps emblazoned with the ex-presidents name, cheers and blares music as if they were at a party. 01:52 AM Indictment 'ridiculous' Mr Trump is now addressing the 34 criminal charges laid in New York, quipping that they were levelled against him during a quick trip to a city that used to be great. He called the indictment "ridiculous". "They can't beat us through the ballot box so they try to beat us through the law," he says, again blaming the "radical Left" and claiming the charges were an attempt to interfere with his election hopes. He also appears to to be giving the judge who oversaw his arraignment short shrift. Judge Juan Merchan warned Mr Trump against his use of inflammatory rhetoric in court today. Mr Trump tells supporters he had a Trump -hating judge. Trump speech 01:48 AM Trump family in 'hell' Mr Trumps tone shifts as he goes on to discuss his family, Rozina Sabur writes from Mar-a-Lago. I have a great family, he said, discussing his two eldest sons, and then his daughter Ivanka and his youngest son Barron. Theyve put us through hell, Mr Trump says of New York prosecutors. 01:41 AM Rozina Sabur reports from Mar-a-Lago: Mr Trump is discussing one of the other criminal cases facing him - his retention of classified records after leaving the White House. A short distance from where he is speaking is the storage cupboard where some of the classified documents were found. He quips that the case is not as bad as the one facing Joe Biden, and gets some laughs in the room. Mr Biden is also being investigated over storing classified documents after leaving the Vice Presidency. There are regular boos from the crowd at Mar-a-Lago as he lists the cast of characters who he describes as out to get him. The loudest boos were for Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan DA who brought Tuesdays indictment, and Letitia James, the New York attorney general who has pursued cases against Mr Trump. Trump speaks 01:38 AM 'Defiant and prepared to fight' The Telegraph's Rozina Sabur is at Mar-a-Lago watching Mr Trump speak. After a criminal indictment that left an indelible stain on his record, advisers said Mr Trump was determined to end the day with a national address. He did not want to be seen as returning shamefaced to his Florida home, but defiant and prepared to fight, advisers said. This is Mr Trumps opportunity to reframe the day. And a loud crowd of supporters is making themselves heard outside. Trump 01:27 AM Donald Trump takes the stage Donald Trump has just walked to the podium, declaring "we have to save our country" as the crowd shouts "USA". "I never thought anything like this could happen in America," Mr Trump tells supporters gathered at his Mar-a-Lago retreat in Palm Beach, Florida. "The only crime that I've committed has been to fearlessly defend our nation against those who seek to destroy it. Trump 01:19 AM Trump family unites The Trump family was noticeably absent from the New York courtroom but they are joining supporters in the Mar-a-Lago ballroom. Donald Trump Jr., center left, walks with his girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos 01:15 AM Trump's strategy The 45th president of America entered the courtroom with a solemn, slow and deliberate pace. But now expect a return of a fiery Donald Trump. He will be on stage in the ballroom of his mansion, in front of a friendly audience of invited supporters, the centre of attention with free reign to say as he pleases on live television. As correspondent Nick Allen explains, Mr Trump likely considers the criminal charges an opportunity to unite Republicans and add rocket fuel to his campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. 12:58 AM Supporters gather for the Trump show Hundreds of people have been invited to the ballroom of Donald Trump's luxury resort to listen to his speech. Attendees wait for former US President Donald Trump to arrive and deliver remarks at the Mar-a-Lago Club - Bloomberg Trump supporters - Reuters 12:48 AM Motorcade to Mar-a-Lago Donald Trump had just over two hours of private time with aides on board Trump Force One as he prepared the strategy for his speech. He was then driven in a motorcade to Mar-a-Lago. Trump Trump motorcade 12:28 AM Welcome to Wednesday's live blog Hello and welcome to today's live blog. We will be bringing you the latest updates and news on Donald Trump's indictment. The former president has arrived in Florida and is due to make a speech at around 1.15am BST (8.15pm EST). Former President Donald Trump denied his father was arrested in 1927 after a Ku Klux Klan riot, and said he had no idea about Fred Trump's 1976 arrest. Rita Barros/Getty Images and Joe Raedle/Getty Images Trump was arraigned on Tuesday and faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. His father, Fred Trump, was arrested once in 1927 and again in 1976, per archived news reports. The former president has denied Fred Trump's 1927 arrest and said that he was unaware of the second. Former President Donald Trump was indicted on Thursday and arraigned in New York on Tuesday, making him the first US president to be charged with a crime. However, he's not the first person in his family to be arrested, according to archived news reports. His father, Fred Trump, was a real estate mogul who was detained by the police once in 1927 and another time in 1976, per newspaper articles published in those years. Donald Trump wasn't born when the first arrest occurred, but he was 30 and working for his father's firm at the time of the second, The Washington Post's Gillian Brockell reported. 1927 arrest: Ku Klux Klan riot, New York City Fred Trump was arrested in 1927 during a Ku Klux Klan riot in Queens, New York, on Memorial Day, per The New York Times. That day, 1,000 Klansmen marched in Queens to decry the deaths of two Italian fascists in the city, The Times wrote. They'd earlier littered the streets with handbills accusing the police of beating "Native-born Protestant Americans," and called for residents to "take your stand in defense of the fundamental principles of your country." "Liberty and Democracy have been trampled upon when native born Protestant Americans dare to organize to protect one flag, the American flag; one school, the public school, and one language, the English language; also when they march peaceably through the streets in honor of their forefathers," the handbills read, per The Times. The Klansmen were met by some 100 policemen, and both parties clashed in a "free-for-all battle," The Times wrote. When the dust settled, Fred Trump was one of seven men arrested, per The Times. It's unclear in the report what role he played in the riot. "Fred Trump of 175-24 Devonshire Road, Jamaica, was discharged," is all The Times mentioned of his name. Story continues A 2015 report by BoingBoing.net said the New York City police department didn't have records of the arrest, since it did not preserve arrest reports that went back as far as 1927. But in 2016, The Washington Post's Philip Bump identified the former president's father in a 1930 census, which showed that he lived at the same address as the one cited by The Times. In a 2015 interview with the Daily Mail, Trump denied the 1927 report about his father's arrest. "This is ridiculous. He was never arrested. He has nothing to do with this. This never happened," he said. "This is nonsense and it never happened. This never happened. Never took place. He was never arrested, never convicted, never even charged. It's a completely false, ridiculous story. He was never there! It never happened. Never took place." 1976 arrest: Housing code violations, Maryland Fred Trump was also arrested in Maryland for not complying with housing code violations, according to a 1976 report by The Washington Post's Karen DeYoung. Officials arrested Fred Trump after he flew into Prince George's County from New York in September that year, the Post reported. The businessman owned a 504-unit complex in the county called Gregory Estates and was at the property when he was taken into custody, per the outlet. Local authorities said they found the property had broken several regulations, including violations for broken windows, defective rain gutters, and a failure to install fire extinguishers, DeYoung wrote. It was rare for the county to make arrests for building code violations, an inspector supervisor named Joseph Healey told DeYoung at the time. "We probably haven't issued four arrest warrants in the past five years," he said, adding that the county would have worked with owners who made an effort to comply with regulations. But the county housing department's chief inspector, C.H. Bennett, signed the arrest warrant after speaking on the phone a few times with Fred Trump, The Post reported. Fred Trump was eventually released on a $1,000 bond and was free to return to New York, the Post reported. Henry Arrington, the mayor of Seat Pleasant, Maryland, at the time of Fred Trump's arrest, told the Post in a separate 2016 report that he received a call from jail, where the irate businessman was being held. "Come get me out of jail," the businessman said over the phone, per Arrington. Donald Trump told the Post in 2016 that he was unaware of his father's 1976 arrest. The younger Trump now faces 34 low-level felony counts of falsifying business records, filed against him by the Manhattan district attorney's office. He is set to appear in court again on December 4, just two months before the Republican primaries officially kick off the 2024 presidential campaign. Notably, Trump isn't the first US president to be arrested. President Ulysses S. Grant was arrested in 1872 for speeding in a horse-drawn carriage. He was released on a bail worth $500 today. A representative for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider sent outside regular business hours. Read the original article on Business Insider Donald Trump thanked his family for their support in a speech just hours after he was criminally charged in New York - but failed to mention his absent wife Melania. The former first lady seemingly skipped the high-profile event at their Mar-a-Lago estate on Tuesday night, following her notable absence on the indictment trip to New York City. The former president has pleaded not guilty to 34 charges of falsifying business records related to hush money payments made in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election to among others, adult film actress Stormy Daniels for an alleged affair. (AP) Mr Trump turned to his family as he bragged to the audience about his successful real estate business and how banks had not lost even $1 in their dealings with The Trump Organization. He then individually named all of his children, but not his wife. I built a great business with my family, a fantastic business, he told the crowd as he smiled at his family in the front row and pointed at them. Donald Trump Jr., center left, arrives with his fiance, Kimberly Guilfoyle, before former President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago estate hours after being arraigned in New York City, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP) I have a son here who has done a great job, and I have another son here who has done a great joband Tiffany, and Ivanka. And Barron will be great someday. He is tall, he is tall and hes smart. But I have a great family and they have done a fantastic job and we appreciate it very much. They have gone through hell. Eric and Lara Trump arrive before former President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago estate Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP) Mr Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts against him before Judge Juan Merchan shortly after 2.40pm, becoming the first current or former US president ever to be charged with a crime. Mr Trump was flanked by police in court but was not handcuffed or put in a jail cell, and no mugshot was taken. Photo: Andrew Lichtenstein (Getty Images) Florida is on the brink of enacting a bill that would ban abortion at six weeks after the last menstrual periodbefore many people would even realize theyre pregnant. The state Senate passed the bill, which also restricts telehealth access to the abortion pill, on Monday; the House, whose version of the bill doesnt even offer a rape exception, will vote on it this week. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has, of course, vowed to sign the ban into law. As Republicans radically shift the Overton window to the right in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned, I would just like to remind everyone that six-week abortion bans are violent, extreme, and unacceptable. They amount to a total ban on a safe, common health care procedureespecially in a state like Florida, where a pregnant person has to make two in-person doctor visits and endure a 24-hour waiting period in between to access abortion, which Voxs Rachel M. Cohen points out is a challenging logistical burden at 15 weeks and would be nearly impossible at six. And as numerous doctors have pointed outa six-week-old embryo is a clump of cells that is roughly the size of half a TicTac mint. It is not a person. Read more Its worth remembering right now that just a few years ago, many Republican lawmakers and anti-abortion activists regarded six-week bans as being too extreme for their political calculations. In 2018, then-Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) vetoed one such bill, with a handful of Republicans in the legislature opposing it, too. NPR noted that even Ohios Right to Life chapter deemed the so-called fetal heartbeat bill too radical. This flip may very well lead to an abortion ban in North Carolina. With Florida on the brink of passing a six-week ban, that would choke off all access to legal abortion in the South. https://t.co/CsKD8OHS27 Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) April 4, 2023 Almost a year after the fall of Roe v. Wade, nearly a dozen states have totally banned abortion, in most cases without rape exceptions. Florida is about to go from allowing abortion up to 24 weeks, then 15 weeks as of last year (which one Republican lawmaker insisted was generous), to six weeks. To be clear, theres no such thing as an abortion ban that isnt extremeat any point in pregnancy, with any amount of stated exceptions. Theres no such thing as compromise or a moderate stance on whether the state has the authority to invade your body and force you to remain pregnant or give birth. Story continues Yet, as states leap from banning abortion at, say, 24 weeks, to six weeks, or even from conception, its become abundantly clear that they dont care about optics anymore, because they know they dont have to. With every abortion restriction passed while Roe was in tact, and now, in the absence of Roe, the state violence and indignity of forced pregnancy and birth are so normalized that a new six-week ban is hardly making national news at this point. As Jezebels Caitlin Cruz wrote last year, Republicans have been grooming us for years to accept fewer and fewer rights over our own bodies, between the varying bans on trans health care and the rash of 15-week abortion bans that passed prior to the fall of Roe last year. Now, the third largest state in the nation is about to effectively end abortion in the South (especially now that North Carolina, as of this week, has the votes to override the Democratic governors veto on their abortion ban), and the Republican Party and mainstream media are running with it. Pregnant and pregnant-capable Floridians deserve better, to say the least. Advocates in the state have fought it with everything they have: Rape victims have testified before the state House that abortion bans present a second rape. Democratic lawmakers who joined protesters outside the state Senate were arrested on Mondayall while cops routinely turn a blind eye to anti-abortion protesters harassing clinics, or participate in the harassment themselves. Yet, even as Floridians sound the alarm on the bill, were expected to accept it as a post-Roe reality. "The invasive collection of evidence is often referred to as a second rape and all cases are referred to as 'alleged sexual assault.'" -- Riley Moon (they/them), person of the public Alanna Vagianos (@AlannaVagianos) March 16, 2023 Abortion bans derail peoples lives and will inevitably kill people. They render pregnant people more vulnerable to long-term domestic violence and poverty, all while maternal mortality rates soar in states where abortion is banned. They create a climate wherein every pregnancy becomes the object of state surveillance, every pregnancy loss a potential crime scene, and hospitals would rather literally shutter their labor and delivery services than risk criminal liability for doing their jobs. This isnt normalor at least, we shouldnt ever allow it to be. More from Jezebel Sign up for Jezebel's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Polish President Andrzej Duda awarded President Volodymyr Zelensky with the Order of the White Eagle during his visit to Warsaw on April 5, the Polish Press Agency reported. According to the press agency, Zelensky received the award "in recognition of his contributions to deepening the relations between Poland and Ukraine, his efforts towards enhancing security, and his unwavering commitment to human rights." "It is difficult to hide the tears of emotion watching your service to your homeland," Duda told Zelensky, as quoted by the Polish Press Agency. "You have not abandoned either Ukraine or your countrymen. You are an exemplary leader of the state and nation," Duda added. Marcin Przydacz, the head of the Polish President's International Policy Office, said that Zelensky and Duda would discuss "the entire spectrum" of Polish-Ukrainian relations, the Polish Press Agency wrote. "Today there is a need to strengthen this unity because Russian propaganda naturally tries to break our cooperation," Przydacz said, as quoted by the Polish Press agency. Poland has been a transit hub for weapons supplied by allies to Ukraine. On March 27, the Polish Military Counterintelligence Service announced that it had detained a foreigner suspected of spying for Russia. On March 16, Polish Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski confirmed that Warsaw had broken up a Russian espionage network, detaining nine people allegedly preparing sabotage acts and monitoring rail routes to Ukraine. Poland has also supplied Ukraine with substantial aid since the start of the full-scale invasion. On April 3, Poland delivered the first batch of MiG-29 fighter jets that it had pledged to Ukraine. Polish President Andrzej Duda said that his country has already prepared eight more MiG-29 fighter jets to be transferred to Ukraine. Source: Duda in Warsaw, at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reports European Pravda Details: Duda said that four fighter jets have been handed over to the Ukrainian armed forces in recent months. Four more are being delivered now, for a total of eight. "We are ready; I talked to the president about this, to hand over six more, which are now being prepared for this purpose. We assume that they can be handed over quite soon," Duda said. He also added that Poland still has MiGs that have been modernised and are now adapted to NATO standards, primarily in terms of communications, and issues related to the ability to perform, for example, an air patrol mission within NATO. "We will still need these MiGs, but at this point they will be diluted by new aircraft that will be at our disposal... I believe that in the future, we will be able to transfer our entire remaining fleet of MiG-29s, if necessary. In terms of their transfer, we will need the consent of our allies, primarily the United States," the Polish president added. Earlier, Warsaw confirmed that it had handed over a certain number of fighter jets to Ukraine, but did not specify the exact number. Background: On 17 March, at an extraordinary online meeting, the Slovak government decided to transfer 13 MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine. The first four of them have already been sent to Ukraine. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, second from right, walks with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, second from left, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley on Wednesday. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) In Southern California, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday in a show of the strength of relations between Taipei and Washington. On the other side of the world, Tsai's predecessor, Ma Ying-jeou, was in China on his own symbolic sojourn, touting instead the historic ties between Taiwan and the mainland. The simultaneous visits to rival superpowers by Taiwanese presidents past and present underscore the increasing precariousness of peace on the democratically ruled island, and the uncertain path to maintaining it as relations between China, the U.S. and Taiwan have grown strained. Those frictions have raised the stakes for Taiwans presidential election next year, in which Tsai will not be running for reelection and voters are expected to prioritize how to deal with tensions across the Taiwan Strait. As representatives of the island's two main political parties, Tsai and Ma represent opposing approaches to upholding the status quo whether to lean more toward Washington or Beijing, respectively. Ma Ying-jeou and Tsai Ing-wens trips show the world two strategic choices, said Chen Fang-yu, assistant professor of political science at Soochow University in Taiwan. Its the democratic versus autocratic blocs. These two people just selected totally different directions. Former Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou, left, pays respects at his grandfather's tomb in Xiangtan county, in central China's Hunan province, on Saturday. (Cai Yang / Associated Press) Those diverging paths come as Sino-U.S. relations have deteriorated to their lowest level in decades as the two countries vie for the upper hand in technological, economic and political influence. At the center of the growing hostility is Taiwan, which Beijing considers a part of China and has vowed to retake, by force if necessary. The U.S. does not have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan. For decades, Washington has adhered to what is known as the one-China policy, which acknowledges but does not recognize Chinas territorial claim. The U.S. is also obligated to sell Taiwan arms to defend itself, but has not committed to sending military assistance in the event of an attack. Story continues The approach, known as strategic ambiguity, is meant to deter China from launching a military assault and Taiwan from declaring independence. But Beijing's crumbling relationship with both Taipei and Washington has raised the specter of military conflict over the next few years. While a growing segment of Taiwan views the Chinese Communist Party unfavorably and identifies solely as Taiwanese, the vast majority of the island's 23 million people prefer to keep the status quo, over independence from or unification with China. Opinions on how best to do so are deeply divided between Tsai's ruling Democratic Progressive Party, or DPP, and Ma's historically dominant Nationalist Party, also known as the Kuomintang, or KMT. The DPP favors a closer relationship with the U.S. over China, though critics say that could provoke Beijing's ire and doesn't guarantee military assistance. The KMT believes that warmer ties with Beijing are crucial to preserving peace, but its detractors are wary of becoming too cozy with an authoritarian government. Tsai, who won reelection in 2020, espouses a more pro-U.S. international policy that stresses Taiwan's sovereignty. In our efforts to protect our way of life, Taiwan is grateful to have the United States of America by our side, she said Wednesday in a news conference with McCarthy. In 2016, Beijing cut diplomatic contact with Tsai after the then-newly elected president failed to endorse the concept that Taiwan and the mainland are part of one China. A scuffle breaks out between supporters of China and supporters of Taiwan on the arrival of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen at Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) By contrast, Ma, who served as president from 2008 to 2016, publicly reiterated the notion during his trip this week, prompting some criticism from Taiwanese media and the Mainland Affairs Council in Taiwan. Before Ma, whose 12-day tour began March 27, no former or incumbent president had visited the mainland since the KMT lost the civil war in China and fled to Taiwan in 1949. In a historic meeting in 2015, Ma met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Singapore for the first talks between Beijing and Taipei. While a China trip by the former president holds less political sway, Ma's actions could help the party gauge Taiwanese voters' appetite for closer ties with Beijing ahead of next year's election. Though the Tsai administration has deepened its partnership with the U.S., the KMT might try to capitalize on doubts over the U.S. commitment to defending Taiwan, analysts said. With U.S.-China relations moving from engagement to competition, that broadens traditional cross-strait relations to trilateral relations, said Sung Wen-ti, a political scientist with Australia National Universitys Taiwan Studies Program. Taiwan is going to be under constant pressure to choose one side or another. The KMT has also argued that it is better suited to manage relationships with both Beijing and Washington, given the party's friendlier stance toward China and potential unification. While the KMT won a sweeping victory in local elections in November, a growing mistrust of Beijing has weighed on the party's appeal in the last few presidential elections, particularly among young voters. The next Taiwanese president has the potential to reshape cross-strait relations, with implications for military strategy in the broader Asia-Pacific region. As rhetoric on Taiwan has heated up, other countries such as Australia and Japan have grown wary of Beijings aggression and looked to bolster their own defense capabilities. In August, Beijing launched an unprecedented series of military drills around the island, including sending missiles, warplanes and warships, in retaliation after outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) visited Taipei and met with Tsai. Wednesday's meeting between Tsai and McCarthy (R-Bakersfield), at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, came during a U.S. stopover after the Taiwanese leader's 10-day trip through New York, Guatemala and Belize. The arrangement was largely seen as an attempt to make the encounter more palatable than Pelosi's trip and avoid stoking further hostility across the Taiwan Strait. China has threatened to retaliate regardless. Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Mao Ning said Tuesday that China firmly opposed the meeting. On Wednesday, China launched a three-day inspection of cargo and construction ships in the Taiwan Strait, according to the Fujian Maritime Affairs WeChat account. Taiwans Mainland Affairs Council called the operation a violation of maritime practices and an escalation of cross-strait tensions, and is prepared to take countermeasures. Still, China's military response may likely be more restrained than it was in August, analysts said. Actions that exceed those drills could further antagonize Taiwanese people ahead of the presidential election, as well as undermine Chinas attempts to position itself as a stable and reliable diplomatic partner to other countries. "The more ramped-up [Beijing] makes its threats right now, the more salient thats going to become in Taiwanese civil society, said Lev Nachman, a political science professor at National Chengchi University in Taiwan. "That would be a mistake on their end." David Shen of The Times Taipei bureau contributed to this report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Satana Deberry was elected Durham County district attorney in 2018 amid a nationwide wave of progressive prosecutors. Deberry is not a career prosecutor. She spent a few years in criminal defense early in her career, but was executive director of the N.C. Housing Coalition when she was first elected. She promised a culture change in how crimes are prosecuted, a platform she says was shaped by her identity as a Black woman, and coasted to a second term last year. Deberry, 54, spoke with The News & Observer about the new era of Black female leadership in Durham. Durham stands out in this state, but does this time in which so many of the local positions are occupied by Black women feel unique even within Durhams history? Even within Durhams history, I dont think weve ever seen a moment like this. I think there have been intermittently Black women in leadership positions. Certainly there have been Black women in community leadership positions, but in actual political and policy-making positions, not so much. How did this shift come about? There has been over the last century the buildup of Black political and community power in this community for various reasons. One is North Carolina Central. One has been the kind of historic disinvestment in Durham over time. Theres Black Wall Street. And as there was white flight to Wake County and other places like that, there was more opportunity for Black leadership in the schools and local government and community-based organizations. And those are the type of things that build up generation over generation. Sometimes what you see in these type of situations is it seems like something happened overnight that was actually building for a very long time. What were your first impressions of Durham? I first came to Durham in the fall of 1991 (to attend law school at Duke University). It was a very different place then. It was a much smaller city. And I just really loved the atmosphere of Durham. I loved the community. Story continues Is this a place where you felt recruited, encouraged and supported in your leadership journey? What I felt in my leadership journey was safe and not different. One of the things I think that is hard to find for a lot of Black people in general, is just a diversity of Black experience in numbers, and Durham has that. Durham has people from all walks of life doing all types of things. And so it gives you as a Black person, especially as a Black woman, a certain freedom to choose what you want to do. And to not feel like youre always going to be the only person in the room. That not just builds competence but it builds a pipeline of leadership, and accomplishment, and ability, and networks. All of the things that you need to not just eventually run a political campaign and win it, but also rise in the ranks of something like city or county government. Progressive District Attorney Satana Deberry has been elected twice in Durham. Whose shoulders do you feel like you stand on? My grandmothers were huge influences in my success. I grew up in rural North Carolina and my grandmothers were leaders in school, in church. I come from a family of teachers: both my parents were teachers; my grandparents were teachers; my siblings are teachers. And so I feel like I stand more broadly on the shoulders of Black educators in North Carolina. You know, people who were not just educating the next generation of folks, but were also leaders in their community. My personal heroes Barbara Jordan. When I was a little kid I saw her give a speech at the Democratic National Convention nominating Jimmy Carter for president. I remember seeing her stand up there, and she was the first person Id ever seen on television in a position of leadership who looked like my mother and my grandmothers and aunties. And I just followed her career from then on. Do you feel like your identity as a Black woman helps you make inroads or build trust in new ways? Yes. I think Black women are uniquely situated to really understand the criminal legal system and to really be policymakers within it. And the reason I say that is because we are the ones who I think are most likely to be victims of violent crime. We are the parents of Black children. Whenever you see a young Black person who has been killed by the police, the very first person that you hear speak about it, generally, is the mother. And as the Black mother of Black children, I have more invested in a fairer, more just system than almost anybody else. What does this new era of Black female leadership look like day-to-day? Ive had many situations where Ive been the only in the room. I dont have that currently. We dont all politically line up in the same way. We all have different points of view. We all have different ways in which we interpret our policies, the law, how we respond to community. And our personalities are just as different as anybodys. What I think does make a difference, though, is we come in with a understanding of what each other has been through. And we understand that while we all we may not now be the only in the room, that certainly has not been our history. Right? I graduated from law school almost 30 years ago thats crazy and it was it was hard to find another Black woman in any setting. I was decades into my career and still being confused, or asked to bring coffee, or being restricted from using the lawyer entrance or being asked to show my Bar Card, when white male attorneys just had to have a suit. We all have those experiences. And I think what that means is that we just come more respectfully to our spaces. Durham County District Attorney Satana Deberry speaks during a press conference in 2019. Do you still encounter biases, discrimination, stereotypes? Oh, sure. I mean, even since Ive been DA, you know, Ive had sheriffs deputies who didnt know who I was and tried to restrict me from doing certain things in the courthouse. It never stops. It is always a thing. Is there any community among fellow Black women in your position across the country? I have over my first term probably met almost every other Black woman in the country who is an elected prosecutor. You probably say, Wow. There are only 2,200 elected prosecutors period in the United States and less than 1% of those are Black women, so its not a lot of people to meet. And so Ive probably met them all, and built some type of relationship or acquaintanceship with most of them. How do you hope that the world and Durham will be different for the women and girls who will follow in your footsteps? I hope that people are looking at me and at whats happened in Durham and think, Oh, I can do that. Like it doesnt even seem hard to them. I hope there are a bunch of girls out there that they see what were doing and aspire for that for themselves. Or dont! You know, like say, Oh, yeah, I could be DA, but what I really want I want to be is an astronaut. That there are things that they can discard as well as things that they can achieve. This conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity. Repeated infliction of unnecessary pain and suffering to two dogs, resulting in one of their deaths, led to the arrest of an East Naples man on animal cruelty charges. Nickey Cothran, 59, of the 3600 block of Boca Ciega Drive, faces two animal cruelty charges in Henry's death. A March 5 phone call with Humane Society Naples alerted that Cothran brought in two cocker spaniels. Cothran said he wasn't able to care for the dogs and fled, according to a report from the Collier County Sheriff's Office. Set for trial: Trial date set for Naples man accused of beating puppy Buzz Lightyear to death Dentist arrested: Naples dentist charged with 200 child pornography counts, CCSO says Dr. John Morton, chief medical officer at the Naples Humane Society, told authorities both dogs appeared neglected. He also flagged Henry's "very pale gums" and said he began labored and gasping breathing, leading to his death. Henry died before any medical intervention could be performed at the Naples Humane Society, according to the report. Authorities met with Morton on March 7, who provided a summary of the incident. Cothran didn't sign the surrender paperwork. The other dog, Percy, was in need of immediate medical intervention, the report says. Authorities then went to Cothran's address, where he signed the paperwork. "I know they were in bad shape ... I feel bad ... Their care just got away from me," he told authorities, according to the report. A March 10 medical report from Morton said that examination of Henry's body revealed severe matting of his coat. Morton's report added that the flea infestation "numbered in the thousands." He added it's likely Henry wasn't groomed or brushed for a year or longer. Henry also suffered from ear infection and dental disease. Morton also found a hole in Henry's stomach wall. Percy, whose coat was also matted, similar to Henry, suffered from a severe flea infestation, according to the report. Story continues Morton noted a "significant" iron deficiency anemia in Percy's blood. The margins of his ear flaps couldn't be accurately defined, the report says. The report added that Percy will likely require surgery to remove his ear canals. Both eyes had glaucoma, which can cause vision loss and blindness by damaging the optical nerve. Morton noted Percy will have to undergo surgical removal of both eyes. Bond wasn't set before publication. Cothran's arraignment is set May 1. Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Twitter @TomasFRoBeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran and Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews. This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: East Naples man let dogs languish, report indicates; one deaf, blind Charles Powell III, an incumbent city councilman, will be the new mayor of East St. Louis, according to unofficial election returns. Powell defeated Mayor Robert Eastern III, who was running for his second term, and challenger Marie Franklin, in Tuesdays election. Powell received 2,097 votes; Eastern, 1,734; and Franklin, 841, according to unofficial returns. Powell would not agree to an interview with a BND reporter after his election victory. He released a written statement thanking the people of East St. Louis for their vote. I think our city has heard our citizens loud and clear. East St. Louisans want a city government that works for them and a government that provides basic services to its citizens, according to the statement. We deserve better, and I will do everything in my power to deliver a clean city, improved public safety, safe and affordable housing, and a government that is accountable to the people. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity to serve the great citizens of E. St. Louis. The statement also thanked his campaign team and others for their support, including East St. Louis Democratic Central Committee Chairman Michael Collins. Collins said he is elated about the ticket he helped propel to victory. He said the people of East St. Louis were tired of not getting basic services. They spoke loudly and clearly with their vote Tuesday, he said. They want this community cleaned up. They want the derelict structures torn down. Some of them are complaining about raw sewage in their homes, Collins said. They are tired. There are grants available for senior rehabs. But no money has been spent on these areas. Collins said Powells team listened. They heard the citizens complaints. I think the citizens in East St. Louis are going to be more than a little pleased with the change they have ushered in with the new team and its leaders, Collins said. Eastern, in an interview with the BND Wednesday, thanked all the people who supported and encouraged him during his tenure as mayor and during the campaign. Story continues First of all I would like to thank God for allowing me to humbly serve as mayor of the City of Champions. Through him all blessings flow. It was truly a blessing for me to serve as the mayor of the city of East St. Louis, he said. I tried to impact and empower the city and citizens. It was truly an enriching experience for me. It is something I can never take lightly. Eastern said it was a challenging and tumultuous campaign. He said he appreciates the work of his team and candidates on his ticket. Without them this race would not have been as close as it was, Easton said. It shows a testament to their tenacity. It shows the power of the people when you have a small group (5 committeemen) to go up against the Democratic machine of 20 committeemen with more financial resources and more bodies, and to come up short only a few hundred votes says a lot about me, my team members and all of my supporters. As for his plans for the future, Eastern said: I am a resident of the city of East St. Louis. I will continue to work and labor for her , the city if East St. Louis, because I want the best for her, and the citizens. Other results in East St. Louis Incumbent Councilman Tommy Dancy Jr. was apparently defeated in his race for re-election, unofficial returns show. LaVondo Pulley and Courtney Hoffman II won the two seats up for election this year. Pulley received 2,238 votes; Hoffman, 2,010; Dancy, 1,314; DaKeesha Wren, 1,208; Lorenzo Savage Sr., 736; and Paris Grimmett, 540. Treasurer Willie Arnold was the apparent winner in his re-election bid, defeating challenger Shantel Miller, 2,285 to 2,085, according to unofficial returns. Arnold was elected to his first term in April 2019. City Clerk Debra Hamilton Tidwell, who ran unopposed for re-election, said she is looking forward to working with the new administration in East St. Louis. Voters were also asked Tuesday to decide whether the city should no longer be a home rule community. East St. Louis is one of more than 220 home rule communities in Illinois. Residents overwhelmingly said East St. Louis should continue as a home rule community, according to unofficial returns. The vote was 3,367 no and 762 yes. ``A municipality with home rule status can exercise any power and perform any function unless it is specifically prohibited from doing so by state law, according to the Illinois Municipal League. Towns with more than 25,000 population automatically are home rule communities. If a towns population falls below 25,000, it continues under home rule but voters must approve it., according to the leagues website. The estimated population of East St. Louis is about 18,000, down from 27,000 in 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. All of the election results from Tuesday are unofficial. They are not official until local authorities complete their canvass, which must be done by April 25. EatN Park is giving away free cookies to fans showing their Pirates pride on the day of their home opener. The Pirates will host the Chicago White Sox on Friday for their first game at PNC Park this season. RELATED COVERAGE >>> Heres a look at whats new at PNC Park for the 2023 season EatN Park said fans who wear Pirates attire on that day would receive a free black and gold Smiley cookie if they visit one of their restaurants. People in Pirates gear who order takeout or use the drive-through will also be given a cookie. Any form of Pirates gear will qualify visitors for the free cookie. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: Alleged former drug kingpin paroled from prison, living in Fayette County Armstrong County couple dead in murder-suicide Strong to severe thunderstorms expected Wednesday evening; tornado risks possible in some areas VIDEO: I dont let anyone stop me: 8-year-old girl inspires peers to join her wrestling team DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts A red ring of light appears to hang above an Italian town. A red ring of light appears to hang above an Italian town. An enormous, circular halo of eerie red light, which looks like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, recently flashed in the night sky above Italy. The bizarre disk appeared and disappeared within milliseconds, meaning most people likely missed the strange spectacle. But one person, nature photographer Valter Binotto , managed to capture a shot of the luminous halo in the sky above the town of Possagno in northern Italy on March 27. However, the red ring was not actually located above the town. Instead, the massive circle, which was around 224 miles (360 kilometers) in diameter, blinked above central Italy and part of the Adriatic Sea. It was only a forced perspective that made the ring look as if it were hanging above the town. The ring flash is known as an "emission of light and very low-frequency perturbations due to electromagnetic pulse sources," or ELVE for short, according to Spaceweather.com . ELVEs are a rare type of stratospheric/mesospheric perturbations resulting from intense thunderstorm electrification ( SPRITE ). The red rings are created when electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) given off by lightning hit Earth's ionosphere, the ionized part of the upper atmosphere that stretches between 50 and 400 miles (80 and 644 km) above the ground. Related: Bright green laser lines shoot across night sky in Hawaii. What caused them? A map of Italy with the ring's location superimposed on top. Due to their short-lived nature, ELVEs are normally visible only to satellites orbiting Earth and were discovered just in 1990 thanks to cameras onboard NASA's space shuttles. Binotto's new image is likely "the best ever picture of one from the ground," according to Spaceweather.com. Binotto believes that the ELVE was produced by an EMP generated from a large thunderstorm near Ancona, a city around 174 miles (280 km) southeast of Possagno. Normally, lightning bolts do not emit EMPs because they do not carry enough current. But during this storm, an unusually powerful bolt, at least 10 times more powerful than regular lightning bolts, likely generated the electrical shockwave, which then hit the ionosphere, according to Spaceweather.com. When electrons from within the EMP hit the ionosphere, the charged particles excite nitrogen atoms which then give off the reddish glow. Story continues RELATED STORIES Ultra-rare 'rainbow clouds' light up the Arctic Circle like auroras in stunning new photos Rare blood-red arc of light shines in the Scandinavian sky. What is it? Chinese rocket photobombs aurora with spinning orb of light Binotto has photographed hundreds of ELVEs and other types of transient luminous events (TLEs) since he began shooting them in 2019, and this is "one of the biggest structures" he has ever seen, he told Spaceweather.com. Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador, slammed the indictment of former President Donald Trump, suggesting it would now be hypocritical for the U.S. to promote democracy with its foreign policy. "Think what you want about former President Trump and the reasons he's being indicted," tweeted Bukele. "But just imagine if this happened in any other country, where a government arrested the main opposition candidate. The United States ability to use 'democracy' as foreign policy is gone." Trump was arraigned in New York City on Tuesday after being indicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges. According to the indictment, Trump "repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election." The charges stem from a years-long investigation into Trump's alleged hush-money scandal involving porn star Stormy Daniels. In the final weeks of the 2016 campaign, Trump's then-lawyer Michael Cohen sent $130,000 to Daniels to prevent her from disclosing her alleged 2006 affair with Trump, who has denied the affair. Trump subsequently reimbursed Cohen. In 2019, federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York opted not to charge Trump in relation to the payments, and the Federal Election Commission tossed its investigation into the matter two years later. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele delivers a message to the citizens as he celebrates his third year in office at the Legislative Assembly of the Republic of El Salvador building on June 1, 2022 in San Salvador, El Salvador. TRUMP SLAMS BRAGG AFTER PLEADING NOT GUILTY: 'I NEVER THOUGHT ANYTHING LIKE THIS COULD HAPPEN IN AMERICA' However, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, the prosecutor who brought the charges, is alleging that Trump, the 2024 Republican presidential frontrunner, falsified New York business records in order to "conceal damaging information and unlawful activity from American voters before and after the 2016 election." Trump blasted Bragg and the entire prosecution on Tuesday night. Story continues "I never thought anything like this could happen in America. I never thought it could happen," he said. "The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defending our nation from those who seek to destroy it." TRUMP PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO 34 FELONY COUNTS OF FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS LINKED TO 2016 HUSH-MONEY PAYMENTS "A local failed district attorney charging a former President of the United States for the first time in history on a basis that every single pundit and legal analyst said there is no case there's no case," Trump added. "But it's far worse than that, because he knew there was no case." Tuesday wasn't the first time that Bukele has weighed in on the state of America. Last year, the El Salvadorian president, who's been waging a crackdown on organized crime in his own country, told Fox News host Tucker Carlson that he would no longer feel safe living in most modern American cities as violent crime and misguided policies have turned them unrecognizable. "The demise of the U.S. has to come from within. No external enemy can cause this much damage," said Bukele. "When you're watching internal operations here you can see cities that were pristinely beautiful 30 years ago [and] are a wasteland right now." "I mean, I'm from El Salvador, a third-world country in Central America, and I myself see cities here and say I wouldn't live here. That would be unthinkable three decades ago, that a Salvadoran wouldn't want to live in a U.S. main city," he told Carlson, pointing to cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Chicago, and New York, where he said he would fear for his safety. Susan Walsh/AP; Getty Images Bob Lee's peers and industry leaders wrote social media posts mourning the Cash App creator. Jack Dorsey called it "heartbreaking," while Elon Musk lambasted "violent crime in SF." The San Francisco Police Department said an "active investigation" is underway. Tech executives took to social media to pour heartfelt tributes and stunned reactions to the fatal stabbing of Cash App creator Bob Lee on Wednesday. Lee, also the former CTO of Square, died after he was stabbed in San Francisco on Tuesday morning, according to an NBC Bay Area report. The police have yet to identify a subject or announce any arrests related to the incident. Lee's father, Rick Lee, said on Facebook that his son had moved with him to Miami last year. "Bob would give you the shirt off his back," Rick Lee wrote. "He would never look down on anyone and adhered to a strict no-judgment philosophy. Bobby worked harder than anyone and was the smartest person I have ever known. He will be missed by all those that knew him." Lee's brother, Tim Oliver Lee, wrote in a Facebook post that "I was so fortunate to grow up with him, and I feel like I've lost part of myself." Rick Lee and Tim Oliver Lee did not respond to Insider's requests for comment. Block CEO Jack Dorsey, who cofounded Twitter, called Lee's death "heartbreaking." "It's real. Getting calls," Dorsey wrote on Nostr. "Bob was instrumental to Square and Cash App." Lee joined Square, Jack Dorsey's fintech company, as its first CTO in 2010. At the company, the executive created Cash App, a mobile payment platform. In 2021, he became the chief product officer of MobileCoin, another fintech company that uses end-to-end encryption. MobileCoin CEO Joshua Goldbard told Insider that Lee was "a force of nature," and described Lee in a statement as the "quintessential creator, leader, and consummate hacker." "He helped to birth Android and CashApp into our world," Goldbard said. "Moby was his dream: a privacy-protecting wallet for the 21st century. I will miss him every day." Story continues Tommy Sowers, the president of Fly Exclusive, shared photos of his time with Lee. "Over the past 14 years, Bob brought me into his love of building tech, unlocked San Francisco a city he loved, and taught me I had another gear when I wanted to go home to bed at midnight (although Bob had multiple more gears)," Sowers said on LinkedIn. "We shared adventures roaming around the Yucatan and Italy and the simple loving of each other's families and our time together." YCombinator CEO Garry Tan called Lee's death a "huge loss for the tech community and for San Francisco." "We must remember his life and works," Tan said on Twitter. "We know so little about the circumstances and it's too early to speculate what happened yet. That area is filled with cameras so we will find out soon." Garry Tan (@garrytan) April 5, 2023 Renewed calls for safety in San Francisco A view of the San Francisco skyline, showcasing the Golden Gate Bridge and the Salesforce Tower. Dan Kurtzman/Getty Images Lee's death has reignited concern among some tech leaders and others in the industry over the safety of San Francisco. Brooke Jenkins, the San Francisco District Attorney, tweeted on Wednesday that there were no arrests yet, and offered a message of condolence to Lee's family. "We do not tolerate these horrific acts of violence in San Francisco," she tweeted. Brooke Jenkins (@BrookeJenkinsSF) April 5, 2023 The San Francisco police department must conclude its investigation before the DA's office can step in, Randy Quezada, communications director at the San Francisco District Attorney's office, told Insider. "They need to talk to witnesses, gather evidence and then present it to us, and our office really steps in to evaluate the evidence and will then decide on charges," Quezada said. "The investigation is very fresh," he said. "Until there's an arrest, we're standing by." Elon Musk also commented on the tragedy on Twitter. "Very sorry to hear that. Many people I know have been severely assaulted," Musk tweeted. "Violent crime in SF is horrific and even if attackers are caught, they are often released immediately," he added, without citing sources to back up the claim. Former MMA fighter Jake Shields was one of the first people to comment on Lee's death on social media and has since continued to call for justice for the former executive. Read the original article on Business Insider Elon Musk claimed many of his San Francisco friends have been severely assaulted after Cash App founder Bob Lee was stabbed to death in the city on Tuesday. The Twitter CEO offered his condolences to the 43-year-olds grieving friends and called on San Francisco district attorney Brooke Jenkins to take tougher action against violent criminals. Many people I know have been severely assaulted, Mr Musk tweeted. Violent crime in SF is horrific and even if attackers are caught, they are often released immediately. Is the city taking stronger action to incarcerate repeat violent offenders Brooke Jenkins? Mr Lee was found with fatal knife wounds outside a luxury apartment complex at 300 Main St, between Soma and the Financial District, at 2.35am on Tuesday. The San Francisco Police Department said in a statement that first responders treated the father of two at the scene before rushing him to hospital, where he died of his injuries. The city homicide department is investigating, and no details about a suspect have been released. San Francisco is often portrayed as a lawless city by conservative politicians and pundits, where drug use and homelessness fuels violent crime and robberies. Bob Lee, known to his friends as Crazy Bob, was knifed to death in central San Francisco early on Tuesday morning (Twitter / Bob Lee) That narrative led in part to former District Attorney Chesa Boudin being ousted in a recall election in June last year, after he sought to eliminate cash bail and reduce the prison population. Ms Jenkins took over as District Attorney on a platform of balancing criminal justice reform while making stiffer penalties for violent offenders, and won re-election last November, She did not immediately respond to a request by The Independent for comment about Mr Lees murder. Figures from the San Francisco Police Departments crime reports show the situation is much more complicated than often portrayed. In 2022, homicide rates remained flat at 55, exactly the same number as the previous year. Homicides hit a 56-year low in the city in 2019, when 41 people were killed in the city. Story continues Aggravated assault increased in 2022, but was still much lower than in 2016, 2017 and 2018. There have been eight murders in the city in the first two months of 2023, latest figures show. Figures from the San Francisco Police Department show homicide rates remained the same over 2021 and 2022 , while other violent crimes increase (SFPD CompStats) Mr Musk, who according to Forbes is the worlds second wealthiest person, headquartered his companies Tesla and SpaceX in California for years, but has grown increasingly hostile towards the states political leaders in recent years. He shifted the Tesla headquarters to Texas in 2021 and also took up residence in the Lone Star State. Elon Musk has called for San Francisco District Attorney to do more to target repeat violent offenders (Associated Press) In January, Mr Musk urged a federal judge to shift a Tesla shareholder lawsuit against him away from San Francisco as he claimed he wouldnt be able to receive a fair trial. Mr Lee founded the Cash App and was chief technology officer at the Jack Dorsey-led payment giant Square, which was renamed Block. He was chief product officer at crypto payment firm MobileCoin at the time of his death. Its real, Mr Dorsey wrote on his social network Nostr. Getting calls. Heartbreaking. Bob was instrumental to Square and Cash App. STL guy. Elon Musk surrounded by Twitter logos. Getty Images Around 2.6 million people visited the Twitter Blue sales page last month, and 116,000 signed up. Elon Musk announced changes to the subscription in March, including an end to legacy verification. The New York Times, CNN, and The White House have said they wouldn't pay for Twitter Blue. Just over 4% of people who visited the Twitter Blue sales website last month subscribed to the service, according to web traffic data viewed by Bloomberg. It reports that 116,000 people signed up for Twitter Blue in March a monthly subscription of $8 compared to 2.6 million who visited its sales page, based on estimates from Similarweb, which analyzes internet traffic. That's about a 40% increase on The Information's February report that Twitter had 290,000 Blue subscribers globally. But that's still fewer than 1% of Twitter's 500 million monthly users, per Bloomberg. Elon Musk has been taking steps to make Twitter Blue more attractive in recent weeks. On March 23, he announced that Twitter would be removing legacy checkmarks the blue ticks which verify the authenticity of high-profile accounts unless these accounts sign up for Twitter Blue. However, seemingly only The New York Times has seen its checkmark taken away since the April 1 deadline Musk previously set. One of the biggest benefits of Twitter Blue is the ability to attain the checkmark previously reserved for public figures, but its initial rollout led to several trolls impersonating celebrities, leading to a temporary pause. Twitter users have often mocked those who paid for the status, prompting the company to work on a feature that lets Twitter Blue subscribers hide the checkmark, per The Verge. Then on March 28, Musk said that only paying subscribers could vote in polls or appear on users' "For You" feeds. A backlash then prompted him to say accounts that users follow would still appear there. But that hasn't convinced many high-profile accounts, with the likes of CNN, the Los Angeles Times, and even the White House saying it wouldn't pay for the service if Musk took away their checkmarks. Story continues "Verification no longer establishes authority or credibility," said Sara Yasin, managing editor of the Los Angeles Times, per CNN. Last month also saw a consumer protection watchdog in the European Union confirm to Insider that Twitter Blue was breaking rules on unfair business practices by failing to show its full cost to consumers right away. That's because it was advertising prices on the website without a sales tax which Europe requires companies to include. Twitter appears to have since updated this, now displaying the extra 20% before checkout in the UK. Insider contacted Twitter for comment. The company responded with an automated message that didn't address the inquiry. Read the original article on Business Insider Elon Musk is no more worlds richest person after he lost spot in Forbes annual Worlds Billionaires List (AFP via Getty Images) Elon Musk is no longer the worlds richest person after he lost the top spot in Forbess annual Worlds Billionaire List. The tech mogul is now the second-richest billionaire after $39bn of his net worth was knocked off in a year. The Twitter and Tesla chief has been dethroned by Bernard Arnault, the French luxury goods tycoon who is the chief executive of LVMH. Mr Musks net worth fell to $180bn, far behind Mr Arnaults $211bn. The latters net worth increased by $53bn in the past year. Forbes said Mr Musks dethronement was because of his pricey acquisition of Twitter, which had tanked Teslas shares. Last year marked the companys worst year ever on Wall Street, losing $700bn amid investor fears about the impact of Covid in China and Mr Musks controversial takeover of Twitter. Mr Musks Twitter purchase for $44bn was largely funded by selling shares of his electric car company. The value of Teslas shares tumbled by nearly 50 per cent following the announcement of the Twitter takeover. While Tesla made up for much of those losses this year, its current market value remains lower than its value before the takeover of the microblogging site. Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (REUTERS) Mr Musk himself has made light of his at times chaotic finances, saying he had spent $44bn to acquire the worlds largest non-profit. In November, Mr Musk said Twitter was losing $4m a day. Musk has mostly tweeted himself out of the top spot on the rank, Forbes said, alluding to the billionaires several controversial tweets. Mr Arnault, who owns more than 70 luxury brands, had been tailing Mr Musk and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, but outpaced his competitors by making the biggest fortune jump by any billionaire yet. Mr Bezos tumbled to third rank with a net worth of $114bn after losing $57bn, as his e-commerce giants share price fell nearly 40 per cent. The year also saw a significant decline in the number of billionaires. Forbes said the number of billionaires in the world went down by 28, falling to 2,640 from 2,668 last year. Story continues Altogether, the planets billionaires are now worth $12.2tn, a drop of $500bn from $12.7tn in March 2022, it said. Two people who were in the list last year did not find a spot among the top 25 this year. Zhang Yiming, the founder of TikToks parent company Bytedance, dropped from the 25th spot to 26th as his company has struggled with a haircut loan it took from investors. Binance founder Changpeng Zhaos net worth also dropped to the 167th rank from 19th last year amid an extended period of trouble in the crypto market. Still a fan of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore together? Well, his current wife, Emma Heming Willis is, too. The 44-year-old model shared a social media post on her Instagram story on April 5, showing an old black-and-white photo of the former couple. "Yeah. Me too. I liked them together as well," she wrote under the photo, adding the smiling face with hearts emoji. @emmahemingwillis via Instagram The picture was part of a series of throwback photos of Bruce Willis, paying tribute to the actor for his 68th birthday on March 19, which was celebrated earlier this week. Heming Willis also shared a video of the family, including Moore, surprising daughter, Mabel, for her 11th birthday, which was on April 2. She wrote, "Surprise family birthday dinner for Mabel! Mission complete," with a checkmark emoji and tagging Moore, Rumer Willis, Tallulah Willis, Scout LaRue Willis, Jake Miller and Derek Richard Thomas. Bruce Willis, Moore and their three children have seemingly embraced the blended family with Heming Willis, Mabel and Evelyn, both of whom are also daughters to the actor. In December 2022, the "St. Elmo's Fire" actor posted a series of holiday photos featuring the bunch with the caption, "We are FAMILY!! Getting into the holiday spirit!" Heming Willis re-shared a photo from Moore's post to her Instagram story, writing "Happy Holidays from our family to yours!!" She also shared her appreciation for the former couple, posting a throwback red carpet picture of Bruce Willis and Moore. "The love I have for them," she wrote. Throughout the "Die Hard" actor's battle with frontotemporal dementia, which he announced in February, the family has shown massive support. After attending a March benefit for the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, Heming Willis expressed her gratitude in a video on Instagram. Hope was indeed rising in our FTD (frontotemporal dementia) community last night in New York. Thank you for welcoming me @theaftd to my new home." Its not the room I ever dreamed of being in but let me tell you, its a room of fierce love and resilience. Im here to join the cause alongside all of you, she added. Story continues In the first video Moore posted since her ex-husband's diagnosis, she shared a clip showing the family celebrating his birthday. Happy birthday, BW! So glad we could celebrate you today. Love you and love our family. Thank you to everyone for the love and warm wishes we all feel them, she wrote on March 20. Bruce Willis and Moore's daughter Rumer Willis seems to share such a fondness for the whole family, that she hopes her future child ends up a little bit like all of them. In an interview with People, Bruce Willis and Moores daughter Rumer Willis, who is pregnant with her first child, said she hopes her new baby ends up with the "goofiness" of her blended group. Were a family of weirdos, and I love that so much. I really hope that that is engendered in this child, just the silliness and goofiness, Willis, 34, said. Its so fun to be bringing in the first grandkid in our family, especially because were such a huge group at this point. Rumer Willis also shared a little parenting advice that her mom and dad passed down: You have no control over anything, and just have a lot of grace with yourself. This article was originally published on TODAY.com At noon on Wednesday, nearly 150 students streamed out of State College Area High School to protest gun violence as part of a national walkout campaign. Carrying megaphones, homemade signs and backpacks, students gathered to make speeches, call for action and read out the names of 13 schools that have experienced gun violence in 2023, including a North Philadelphia school. Organizers including freshman Sarah Ocampo passed out cards with the contact information for Pennsylvania senators John Fetterman and Bob Casey, urging students to call during the protest and demand stricter gun laws. Seventy four people have been injured or killed by guns in U.S. schools in 2023 alone, according to NPR. School shootings have been on the rise over the past years, with 46 shootings recorded in 2022, contributing to the 377 school shootings recorded since the 1999 Columbine High School shooting in Colorado. Ocampo, founder of the Student Youth Committee, said she received overwhelming support from her classmates while planning the event, along with other State High students from the Centre County For Change committee. I know it probably wasnt an easy decision, but we really do applaud you guys for being out here and showing support and choosing to stand out here for the victims of gun violence, Ocampo told the crowd of students who had skipped out on their lunch or class periods to attend the walkout. The entirely student-led and organized protest continued for an hour, with students doing a lap around the State High building before dispersing and heading back to classes. Principal Laura Tobias said she supported the students right to protest but would defer to the code of conduct if students were marked as tardy or cutting class meaning students could face a two-hour detention if they skipped a class to attend the event. Police officers were also on scene, blocking parking entrances and stationed outside the school, although Tobias could not say how many officers the district had called in to help ensure student safety for the protest. Story continues We want you to have that voice, Tobias said. We understand civil disobedience. We understand what their goal and mission was here today. And so for me, its more about safety, security and keeping them safe. Tobias said there are other ways for student to enact local or national change, including working with the administration to figure out ways to lobby local officials. The administration has worked with student-led groups in the past for similar walkouts. In their minds, theyre doing the right thing to protect themselves in their school, Tobias said. I have to support that because I think everyone in the building believes it too. Senior Nat Pearson holds up a sign she made for State Highs walkout to protest gun violence on Wednesday. Students read aloud the names of the Nashville Covenant School victims and shared their fears over school safety and the trauma caused by lockdowns, including the phony shooting threat against Bellefonte Area High School that put several local districts into lockdown last week. Senior Nat Pearson said the problem of school safety goes far beyond any safety measures the SCASD administration could put in place. I know that I could feel less safe, like I know my teachers care about me, I know that we have a good school, Pearson said. We have plans in place but its terrifying knowing that we had to build these plans. Junior Lily Frank encouraged students to lobby local representatives to support increased gun control policies on both state and congressional levels. Frank, who worked last year on a letter with information about secure firearm storage to all SCASD families, said although things can be done on a local level, the issue surrounding gun violence requires widespread, systematic change. We have a responsibility to invest in mental health and advocate for education on secure gun storage and safety, Frank said. However, that is a Band-Aid solution. In the end, it does require government accountability on a state and national scale. Although walkouts and protests like Wednesdays can help give students hope for change, that feeling doesnt last, Pearson said. Its very empowering to be here and know that you have so many people who believe the same thing, Pearson said. And then immediately Ill go back to my class and Ill sit there and go, Oh, one time we had a lockdown in here we were just sitting in the closet in the room and I was like, I could never see my parents again. justice-statue-federal-court.jpg A bird sits on the head of a statue outside the Alexandria federal court house in Alexandria, Virginia, on March 30, 2022. - Credit: Olivier Douliery/AFP/Getty Images With the indictment of former president Donald Trump on 34 felony counts, our country is in uncharted territory. Never has a former president been indicted for criminal activity, and never has a former president warned of potential death and destruction as a result. Whats more, the indictments stemming from Trumps behavior after an alleged affair with Stormy Daniels may just be the first of many, with the more serious charges still to come, amid alleged crimes including pressuring the Georgia secretary of state to find 11,780 votes, fomenting the January 6 insurrection, and obstructing investigations into the classified documents at Trumps Mar-a-Lago home. Like it or not (and I hate it), the trials of Trump are going to dominate the 2024 election season. More from Rolling Stone Now, its easy to write all of this off as just more politics as usual. Indeed, a recent CNN poll showed that 75 percent of Americans believe politics played a role in the indictments, even as 60 percent approve of them. But this would be a mistake, and play into the hands of the plutocrats, theocrats, and bigots who have undermined our justice system in the first place. Because this is not just a He Said/She Said back-and-forth, with Republicans and Democrats feuding like the former members of Pink Floyd. This is one side ironically, the side that says it stands for law and order repeatedly undermining the rule of law and eroding our democratic institutions. Lets look at the record. First, on Trump. Yes, paying hush money to a sex worker and covering it up via shady bookkeeping is not the same as, you know, fomenting rebellion or cheating in an election. But its not nothing either. The indictments revealed this week show a decades-long pattern of lying and cheating to cover up Donald Trumps sexual misadventures (remember, this is the man who bragged about women letting him grab them by the pussy). This matters, because the guy is again running for president. This isnt partisanship: Its holding a very powerful person accountable for breaking the law. Story continues And how have most Republicans and Fox News personalities responded? By attacking New York DA Alvin Bragg (including with the ultimate antisemitic dogwhistle Soros) and threatening violence and disorder. No one on Fox is saying reasonable things like lets not rush to judgment. Theyre dialing the rage up to 11. But the GOPs contempt for the American justicial system dates back much further. Just look at the Supreme Court. First, the Republican-controlled Senate invented rules out of thin air to deny a hearing President Obamas 2016 nominee to the Court. Then they squashed serious concerns regarding Trumps second pick, Brett Kavanaugh, to ram him onto the Court as well. And then, in 2020, they shamelessly threw out the rules they invented in 2016 to seat Any Coney Barrett a few weeks before the election. And of course, all of these justices were hand-picked by the dark-money-funded theocrat Leonard Leo, rubber stamped by the Trump White House. The result? Roe v. Wade was overturned, thanks to those three shameless justices who all swore that it was settled law and the law of the land in their bogus confirmation hearings. But its not just Roe: this term, the Court is set to gut affirmative action, having already shredded the Voting Rights Act and allowed nationwide voter suppression primarily affecting young people, people of color, and queer people the likes of which our country has never seen before. Not to be outdone by Senate Republicans, the Courts arch-conservatives have made up a brand new doctrine based on absolutely nothing the major questions doctrine to shoot down any administrative action it doesnt like, including, it appears, President Bidens loan forgiveness plan. The entire Supreme Court has been operating under a cloud of illegitimacy, thanks entirely to the actions of the American Far Right. And so it goes throughout the court system, with 226 federal judges nominated by Trump and now serving for life. Many of these judges have caused havoc with ideologically-driven rulings on immigration, Covid, reproductive rights, gun safety regulations, environmental law, and other subjects. Once again, there is no equivalent to this on the Left. Fox News hosts whine about woke college students shouting down a transphobic speaker on campus. But Trump-appointed judges and justices are taking away womens and LGBTQ rights on the basis of ideological preference. Ron DeSantiss goons in Florida are banning Michelangelos David and movies about Rosa Parks. Are these two sides really equivalent? And of course, theres January 6, the ultimate act of violence against America, law, and even the truth itself. Whether about the election or the insurrection itself, the majority of congressional Republicans have repeatedly responded to facts with innuendo, conspiracy theorizing, and pure, seething rage. Is this law and order? Hardly. Whether its defaming the heroic cops who defended the capitol on January 6 or defaming the judges, juries, and district attorneys doing their jobs to dispense justice, todays GOP thinks nothing of denigrating the rule of law if doing so favors the interests of the partys base. Now, Im not saying that the Democratic Party is some progressive utopia. It most definitely is not that. Im just saying that there is no equivalence between what Democrats and Republicans are doing when it comes to the rule of law and our nations judicial system. All this matters on a personal, even spiritual level. I get it: there are good reasons to feel despair, fear, and concern about our nations civic society: the courts, elections, politics. Among other things, Im a rabbi and a longtime queer activist with trans friends who are justifiably worried about their physical safety, knowing the courts dont have their backs, and, in some cases, are abetting the attacks against them. But this isnt happening because of some inexorable moral decline. Its happening because the American Far Right controls the Republican Party and its propaganda arm at Fox News, and it is using these tools to systematically attack our nations institutions so they can desperately preserve the minority rule of white, Christian men and their enablers. And that means that despair isnt reasonable but fucking irresponsible. Giving up means throwing my Black, queer, immigrant, and working class friends under the MAGA bus, as long as I feel like I can still get out of the way (which as a queer rabbi I probably cant anyway). That is not the way I want to live. So I want to invite two seemingly contradictory responses to the shitshow thats about to unfold in the courts. First, feel that fear, disgust, or even despair if thats what youre feeling. But then, remember what got us into this mess, and what we need to do to get out of it: vote these bastards out of office just like young people did in 2022, march against them (peacefully!) in the street, and stomp out ignorance where you find it. The situation may seem dire, but the right response is clear. Best of Rolling Stone Click here to read the full article. Eric Trump has been roasted for falsely claiming that tens and tens of thousands of Americans came out to support his father on the day of his arrest and arraignment. Donald Trumps son made the outlandish claim in an interview on Fox News on Tuesday night, just hours after his father became the first current or former US president to ever face criminal charges. When we got off the plane and you saw tens and tens of thousands of people lining the streets all the way from Palm Beach International airport to Mar-a-Lago waving American flags and Trump 2024 flags, Sean the love is incredible, he told host Sean Hannity. No one has ever seen that kind of love and this is coming off of the day that the 45th president of the United States was indicted and the streets are lined with people literally singing god bless America. In Manhattan, Eric also claimed that every single intersection was closed and that there was an army outside of the courthouse for his fathers arrival before also questioning how many people died because the NYPD was working on securing the area around the courthouse. Erics comments left social media users baffled as in reality there was little in the way of action from Mr Trumps supporters on the historic day. Outside the Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday, protesters were vastly outnumbered by members of the media. The small crowds of Mr Trump supporters who did gather were met by counterprotesters, with some brief clashes but no widescale unrest. MAGA favourites Marjorie Taylor Greene and George Santos held a pro-Trump protest in a park close to the courthouse but were quickly driven out. Over in Florida, the turnout was equally muted with small groups of supporters dotted along parts of his journey from Mar-a-Lago to the airport. Twitter users questioned whether Eric was hallucinating the hugely inflated crowd size or had actually meant to miss the word thousands off his comments. Story continues I think he meant tens and tens of people. Machine Pun Kelly (@KellyScaletta) April 5, 2023 I think he meant tens and tens of people, one person tweeted. Where were they? The camera missed them? All of them? added someone else. Another person joined in: Ive seen bigger crowds for my daughters high school football team. Others took aim at the maths ability of Eric who works for the Trump Organization. No wonder they have so many bankruptcies, none of them are very good with large numbers, one person said. To be fair, numbers and thinking in general arent his strong suits, not that he has any, chimed another. Here I fixed it: pic.twitter.com/0mavnhX5zk EVERYTHING IMPORTANT (@crazynate999) April 5, 2023 In a historic day for America, Mr Trump was charged on Tuesday with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in order to conceal illegal activity connected to his 2016 presidential campaign. The catch and kill campaign allegedly involved Mr Trump and his then-attorney Michael Cohen making hush money payments during the 2016 run to suppress negative information about him by silencing individuals over alleged affairs he had with women . Three specific alleged affairs and hush money payments were mentioned in the charging documents a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels, a $150,000 to former playboy model Karen McDougal and a $30,000 payment to a doorman at Trump Tower who claimed he had information that Mr Trump had fathered a child with a woman while married to Melania Trump. Mr Trump repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election, the charging documents read. Eric Trump made the outlandish claim on Fox News (Fox News) Each of the 34 criminal charges relates to an individual entry in the Trump Organizations business records. Mr Trump surrendered to Manhattan authorities on Tuesday afternoon and was officially arrested on criminal charges. He then appeared in court for his arraignment before Judge Juan Merchan the same judge who sentenced the Trump Organization and its CFO last year. Cutting a glum figure, the former president defiantly pleaded not guilty to all the charges. After flying back to Mar-a-Lago in Florida, he launched into a speech railing against the criminal charges, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the judge in a move that could risk him being placed under a gag order. NEWARK An Etna man received a sentence of 7 to 9 years Tuesday in Licking County Common Pleas Court for the shooting death of his nephew last year in Etna. Dorrian S. Brown, 53, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in connection with the June 8 death of Delmar Berry, 44, in the home of Sherri Pleasant, Brown's girlfriend, at 75 Gala Ave. Initially, Brown was charged with one count of murder. As the result of a negotiated plea agreement, prosecutors amended the charge to voluntary manslaughter, a first-degree felony, and Brown agreed to plead guilty to the amended charge. Prosecuting attorney Cliff Murphy said five shots were fired, with four of them hitting Berry in the chest, arm and back. Brown asked for a six-year sentence, three on the voluntary manslaughter charge and three for a mandatory gun specification. Judge Thomas Marcelain, however, gave him four to six years years on the manslaughter charge. Defense attorney Diane Menashe stated in a memorandum to the court that a confrontation occurred between the two men when Brown came home from work. Berry was angry, drunk and yelling at Brown, Menashe said. Brown went upstairs and got his gun and came back downstairs, where the confrontation continued. Later, Berry said he was going to kill Brown, then lunged at Brown. It was then that Brown grabbed his gun and fired multiple shots, according to Menashe. Brown called 911 and reported he shot someone in self-defense. In a 911 call obtained by The Advocate through a public records request, a man who identified himself as Brown told a dispatcher he and Berry were having a disagreement. "My nephew, he's drunk," Brown told the dispatcher. "He came at me like he was going to kill me. I had to defend myself." Berry was dead when Licking County Sheriff's deputies arrived at the scene. Brown temporarily let Berry and Berrys two daughters stay at his house, Menashe said. The dispute, Murphy said, was that Berry was in the process of moving his wife, Tamu Berry, and children from the East Coast to come live at the Etna residence, but Brown did not want them moving in. The victim, whose wife is in New Jersey, moved here to get away from crime on the East Coast, Murphy said. Story continues According to a memorandum from the prosecuting attorney, Pleasant said the victim told Brown, "You expect me to be out in a month. God is going to punish you." Pleasant said she stepped between the two men to end the argument, and it worked temporarily, with the pair hugging. After Pleasant left the room, Brown said he pushed Berry and the victim threatened to kill Brown. Murphy asked the court to impose more than the minimum sentence because Brown fired five shots while pursuing an unarmed victim who was retreating. kmallett@newarkadvocate.com 740-973-4539 Twitter: @kmallett1958 This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Etna man gets at least 7 years for 2022 shooting death of nephew Macron China - LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty Images Europe must not separate from China, Emmanuel Macron warned on Wednesday as he landed in Beijing for talks with Xi Jinping on trade, diplomacy and the Ukraine conflict. The French presidents comments come at the start of a three-day trip to China alongside European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, who last week said that Europe must de-risk ties with Beijing, notably by limiting Chinese access to sensitive technology. In his speech, Mr Macron cautioned against breaking off trade or diplomatic ties with China despite differences. We must not disassociate ourselves, separate ourselves from China, he said, adding that France would commit proactively to continue to have a commercial relationship with China. Shortly after touching down in Beijing, Mr Macron said: We hear increasingly loud voices expressing strong concern about the future of relations between the West and China that in some form lead to the conclusion that there is an inescapable spiral of mounting tensions. There was also an impression that de-coupling from the Chinese economy was already underway and that the only remaining question was over pace and intensity, he added. Mr Macron said the process of de-risking economies does not mean not doing any business with China as the interests of France were to keep a multipolar world. Strategic autonomy does not mean autarchy, he added. macron china - Liu Bin Mr Macrons first trip to China in four years is set to be dominated by the conflict in Ukraine, with an official from his office telling reporters he would seek to stand firm in talks with his Chinese counterpart, who he and Ms von der Leyen are due to meet on Thursday. Mr Macron made it clear that while China could play a major role in finding a path to peace in the Ukraine war, Europe could not accept it offering Russia military aid. We have decided since the beginning of the conflict to help the victim, and we have also made it very clear that anyone helping the aggressor would be an accomplice in breach of international law, he said. Story continues However, Mr Macron told members of the French community earlier that France would seek to work with China in this shared responsibility for peace and stability in Ukraine. China, with its close relationship with Russia, which has been reaffirmed in recent days, can play a major role, he said, noting Beijings stated opposition to the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine as well as its proposal for peace between Kyiv and Moscow. China's interest isnt to have a lasting war, he said. Mr Macron also mentioned Vladimir Putins plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, which China opposes. Territorial integrity, the sovereignty of nations is part of the Charter of the United Nations, which China affirmed, he said. jean michel jarre - Ludovic Marin/Pool Photo via AP Defending those principles means moving forward together and trying to find a path for peace, he added. Europe's relations with China have soured in recent years first due to a stalled investment pact in 2021 and then Beijing's refusal to condemn Russia over Ukraine. China this year proposed a 12-point peace plan for the Ukraine crisis, which called on both sides to agree to a gradual de-escalation leading to a comprehensive ceasefire. But the plan was largely dismissed by the West due to China's refusal to condemn Russia, and the US and Nato then said China was considering sending arms to Russia, which Beijing has denied. Suspicions deepened after Mr Xi flew to Moscow for hours of closed-door meetings with Putin last month. With Mr Macron facing embarrassing pension protests at home, the trip also offers a chance to land some economic wins as he travels with a 50-strong business delegation, including Airbus, which is negotiating a major plane order, Alstom and nuclear giant EDF. Musician Jean-Michel Jarre - a star in China - and his Chinese girlfriend, the acclaimed actress Gong Li, are also part of the delegation. Eustis police are searching for the person responsible for vandalizing a pride flag hanging at a local couples home. >>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<< Chief Craig Capri says they were alerted to the incident Monday and immediately launched an investigation. READ: Trump speaks to supporters after pleading not guilty to falsifying business records Investigators say someone went onto the couples property on Chelsey Ave. and wrote NO on the flag with a black, permanent marker. Capri says Eustis detectives were back in the neighborhood Tuesday morning canvassing the area for witnesses or security camera video, but they havent been able to find any so far. READ: Sheriff: Shooting deaths of 3 teenagers in rural Marion County connected to hybrid gangs Theyre hopeful someone will come forward and identify the person or people responsible. Capri says he has zero tolerance for these types of crimes and will always take such reports seriously. READ: onePULSE Foundation founder Barbara Poma steps down from organization We will not tolerate any kind of hate in our community, Capri said during a press conference Tuesday. We will only tolerate love. The Chief says his officers have also stepped up patrols in the area to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity as Capri expects whoever was responsible to likely try it again. Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Eva Mendes is looking back at "The Place Beyond the Pines," the movie that brought her and her partner, Ryan Gosling, together for the big screen. On April 4, the actor shared a sweet Instagram post with images from the 2012 crime drama in which she portrayed Romina, the former lover of Gosling's character Luke. Speaking about the time, the actor says it seems like a "lifetime" ago. "Luke & Romina," Mendes began the caption for her post in reference to her and her husband's characters. The actor went on to share that a female friend sent her a photo from the film and reminded her that 10 years had passed since its theatrical debut. "Feels like lifetimes ago," she concluded the post. "This is one of my favorite films ever made," one user wrote in response. "The chemistry between you and Ryan was so real, and it was such a great love story. So much pain and so much beauty all held in the emotions of your face." "Is this where you fell in love?" another replied. "I could feel the passion steaming." Mendes and Gosling's relationship goes back to that time when they starred alongside one another for the project. In 2011, reports emerged that Mendes and Gosling had started dating soon after filming for "The Place Beyond The Pines" had ended. Years later and the two are now parents to two daughters, Esmeralda (born in 2014) and Amada (born in 2016). In 2019, Mendes spoke about how Gosling had opened her mind to becoming a parent in an interview with Women's Health. It was the furthest thing from my mind, she recalled at the time, adding that Ryan Gosling happened... I mean, falling in love with him. Then it made sense for me to have not kids, but his kids. It was very specific to him. This article was originally published on TODAY.com Former President Donald Trump sits at the defense table with his defense team in a Manhattan court, Tuesday, April 4, 2023. AP Photo/Seth Wenig, Pool Many legal experts have said the indictment against Donald Trump is far from a slam dunk. Even some left-leaning publications seem to agree that the case will be tough for prosecutors. Trump was charged by a Manhattan grand jury with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. When the New York "hush-money" indictment against Donald Trump was finally revealed on Tuesday, many legal experts agreed it didn't appear to be an airtight, slam-dunk case from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. And even among left-leaning publications like New York Magazine's Intelligencer, The New Republic, and Vox, there seems to be a growing consensus that the case against the former president is going to be tough for prosecutors to win. Trump was charged by a Manhattan grand jury with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in an indictment related to hush-money payments to two women, including porn star Stormy Daniels, before the 2016 presidential election. In a statement of facts filed alongside the indictment, prosecutors allege that from August 2015 to December 2017, Trump "orchestrated a scheme with others to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit" Trump's "electoral prospects." However, Trump is not being charged with election law violations or conspiracy, and legal experts say the underlying crime that Trump is accused of committing which would justify upgrading the charges against him from misdemeanors to felonies is strikingly missing from the indictment. The Manhattan DA's office declined to comment for this story, instead referring to Bragg's comments on Tuesday after the arraignment in which he told reporters: "These are felony crimes in New York state, no matter who you are. We cannot and will not normalize serious criminal conduct." Columnist Jonathan Chait wrote in an Intelligencer piece that Bragg's prosecution stemmed from his political status and that "we are holding more social and political weight on these charges than they can bear." Story continues "Even if you assume that the public had some important right to know about Trump's affairs, campaign-finance laws are neither designed nor intended to enforce that right," Chait wrote. In a Vox article, senior correspondent Ian Millhiser pointed out that there is "something painfully anticlimactic" about the indictment against Trump. "And there's a very real risk that this indictment will end in an even bigger anticlimax," Millhiser wrote. "It is unclear that the felony statute that Trump is accused of violating actually applies to him." Bragg, the Democratic district attorney, "built his case on an exceedingly uncertain legal theory" and that even if Trump did what Bragg alleges "it's not clear Bragg can legally charge Trump for them" under the charges brought against Trump, Millhiser wrote. The New Republic published a piece headlined "Why Alvin Bragg's Hush-Money Case Against Trump Will Be Tricky to Win" and noted that the more serious falsifying business records in the first degree is a more difficult crime to establish. However, not all outlets were so pessimistic about the case. The Nation's justice correspondent Elie Mystal said in his article that falsifying business records "is what prosecutors get you for when they don't have anything else." But he added that "Bragg's specific casethat Trump falsified business recordsis strong, and, it would appear, is backed up by ample documentary evidence." A New York Times opinion piece by Karen Friedman Agnifilo, a former Manhattan chief assistant district attorney, and Norman Eisen, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, took a much different tone. "We Finally Know the Case Against Trump, and It Is Strong," read its headline. The article went on to say: "With the release of the indictment and accompanying statement of facts, we can now say that there's nothing novel or weak about this case." MSNBC's Joyce Vance called the indictment "strong prosecutorial tradecraft" that leaves openings for prosecutors to justify the felony charges using multiple crimes, including election and tax violations. Meanwhile, the Daily Beast's Shan Wu called the DA's bare-bones indictment a "strategically crafted" document that'll confound Trump's lawyers as they try to poke holes in the case. "In the short run, the spare style of the indictment deprives Trump's legal team of specifics to attack from both factual and legal angles," Wu wrote in praising the possible strategy. Read the original article on Business Insider Former president Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records on Tuesday and has called Manhattan district attorney Alvin Braggs case against him political persecution. Now that the indictment has been unsealed, its not just Trump allies who have raised questions about the strength of Braggs legal argument. Porn actress Stormy Daniels claimed in the final days of the 2016 presidential election that she had previously had a sexual affair with Trump. Trumps former fixer, Michael Cohen, paid Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet about her claims. Braggs investigation centered on whether Trump falsified internal business records to conceal the reimbursement payments to Cohen as legal expenses. From August 2015 to December 2017, the Defendant orchestrated a scheme with others to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit the Defendants electoral prospects, Bragg alleges in a statement of facts. The document adds: In order to execute the unlawful scheme, the participants violated election laws and made and caused false entries in the business records of various entities in New York. The participants also took steps that mischaracterized, for tax purposes, the true nature of the payments made in furtherance of the scheme. Bragg is trying to make the untested legal argument that Trump falsified the records in the service of violating federal campaign-finance law. New York magazines Jonathan Chait writes: The uncomfortable reality is that, while Trump may be a career criminal, he does not deserve to be prosecuted for this particular charge. The legal deficiencies of Alvin Braggs indictment have been thoroughly litigated in the media, he adds. The case converts what would normally be misdemeanor charges of falsifying business records into 34 felony counts by arguing that $130,000 in hush money paid to Stormy Daniels was an illegal campaign expenditure and each record created for it was criminal. Story continues To imagine this particular combination of campaign-finance charges and business-records enforcement as simply the law is wildly naive, he says. He goes on to accuse Bragg of wandering directly into the criminalization of politics. Elected officials ought to be held to the same standard as other Americans. While their standing does not give them license to commit crimes, it also shouldnt expose them to criminal liability that a regular person would never face, he wrote. Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus called the unsealed indictment disturbingly unilluminating in answering the question of whether Trump violated New York law. The theory on which [the indictment] rests is debatable at best, unnervingly flimsy at worst. That is a scary situation when it comes to the first criminal charges ever lodged against a former president, Marcus adds, concluding that any fears she had leading up the indictment about the indictment were in no way allayed by Tuesdays developments. Ahead of the indictments unsealing, the Washington Post editorial board warned last week that there is cause for concern, and caution, ahead. Ian Millhiser, a senior correspondent at Vox, suggested there is something painfully anticlimactic about the indictment. And theres a very real risk that this indictment will end in an even bigger anticlimax. It is unclear that the felony statute that Trump is accused of violating actually applies to him, he adds. But Bragg built his case on an exceedingly uncertain legal theory. Even if Trump did the things hes accused of, its not clear Bragg can legally charge Trump for them, at least under the felony version of New Yorks false records law. For Slate, Mark Joseph Stern says Braggs legal theory is, if not convoluted, a fairly confusing effort to patch together disparate offenses into one alleged crime, carried out over 34 illegal payments. This is not at all the slam-dunk case that so many Democrats wanted. Meanwhile, former Democratic Representative Barney Frank of Massachusetts told Newsmax he believes it was a mistake to bring that indictment. Its totally historic: Good in one way, bad in another, in my judgment, Frank said. I have always disagreed with those who said a president should not be subject to the criminal process either when in office or afterward. Im glad to see that people arent arguing that case, but I think its a bad indictment. I dont think it should have been brought, he added. CNNs Van Jones said he doesnt take joy in the indictment. I dont like the prison system, he said. I dont like what it does to people. I dont like this process. So I dont take any celebration in seeing him looking that way, Jones said of Trump, adding, It doesnt mean accountability is not owed. Van Jones on Trump's arrest: 'He looks sad I don't like the prison system, so I don't like this process doesn't mean that accountability is not owed, but that is a granddad having a very bad day.' pic.twitter.com/exs1tw0Eec philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) April 4, 2023 Republican Trump critics have expressed skepticism about the indictment as well. John Bolton, Trumps former national-security adviser who is considering his own 2024 challenge to Trump, said during an appearance on CNN that as someone who very strongly does not want Donald Trump to get the Republican presidential nomination, Im extraordinarily distressed by the indictment. I think this is even weaker than I feared it would be, he said, and I think its easily subject to being dismissed or a quick acquittal for Trump. There is no basis in the statutory language to say that Trumps behavior forms either a contribution or an expenditure under federal law, he said. Republican Senator Mitt Romney of Utah, for his part, said that while he believes Trumps character and conduct make him unfit for office he believes Bragg has stretched to reach felony criminal charges in order to fit a political agenda. No one is above the law, not even former presidents, but everyone is entitled to equal treatment under the law, he said. The prosecutors overreach sets a dangerous precedent for criminalizing political opponents and damages the publics faith in our justice system. New York Times columnist David French said he was underwhelmed by Braggs case before the indictment. He added: Im still underwhelmed. Its not because of the facts. Its because of the law. More from National Review King Charles III And The Queen Consort Visit Malton In Yorkshire King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort visit Talbot Yard Food Court in Malton, England, on April 5, 2023. Credit - Chris JacksonGetty Images King Charles became Britains monarch at the exact moment his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died in September. But now the new King is about to have his crowning moment of glory as the U.K. prepares for its first coronation in 70 years. The historic moment will see Charles crowned in a ceremony alongside Camilla, who reportedly could drop her Queen Consort title and be known as Queen Camilla after the coronation. The symbolic event will see crowns placed on the heads of King Charles and Camilla, in a service carried out by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury. The coronationknown by the code name Operation Golden Orbis set to be a lavish display of quirky British traditions with some more modern touches. Brits are invited to celebrate across a three-day weekend, where pubs and bars will be allowed to stay open for two additional hours on the day before and the day of the coronation. The ornately illustrated invitations to the coronation were issued on April 4. The invitation for the Coronation of Britain's King Charles III is seen in this handout image April 4, 2023. Buckingham Palace/Reuters While the global population might not be partying in pubs with quite as much vim, major interest in the royal familys latest event is expected around the world. Heres what to know about King Charles coronation and how to watch it. When is Coronation Day? The coronation is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 6, at Westminster Abbey in London. The following day will be marked by lunches and street parties across the nation and a concert at Windsor Castle in the evening. Monday, May 8, will be observed as a public holiday in the U.K. How can I watch Coronation Day Charles ceremony will be televised to British and international audiences. Queen Elizabeth made history when she agreed to have the first-ever televised coronation, which was viewed by an estimated 27 million people in the U.K. alone, in what was one of the first major world events to be broadcast. Story continues Since then, royal engagements have become increasingly documented by the media. Last year, the Accession Council was televised for the first time to showcase Charles, the new sovereign, succeeding the throne. Building on this, the coronation will likely feature on a number of livestreams from international news outlets. Viewers can expect the BBC and BBC America to offer full television coverage of the event, while Sky News will broadcast live via their YouTube channel. A number of other international news outlets are expected to offer live blogs and rolling news coverage. Who is expected to attend? While 2,000 dignitaries are invited to attend King Charles coronation, this is just a quarter of the guests who participated in the crowning of Queen Elizabeth. But Charles reportedly wanted his coronation to be a more stripped back affair with a smaller guest list. Among those expected to attend are members of the royal family, such as Charless three siblings, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward, as well as his son, Prince William, and daughter-in-law Catherine, Princess of Wales. Prince George will have a prominent role in the coronation as a Page of Honor, tending to King Charles alongside Lord Oliver Cholmondeley, Nicholas Barclay, and Ralph Tollemache. Meanwhile, Camilla will be tended to by additional Pages Gus and Louis Lopes, Freddy Parker Bowles, and Arthur Elliot. It is not currently known if his other son, Prince Harry, will attend with Meghan Markle and their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet but the family was extended an invitation. Elsewhere, representatives from the U.K. Houses of Parliament and the Church, as well as prominent politicians from the Commonwealth and around the world will likely be among the attendees. This reportedly includes the U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco, and Japans Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko. U.S. President Joe Biden, who is Irish American and has long held a personal discomfort with the British monarchy, will not attend. Instead, the President told Charles that the First Lady, Jill Biden, will attend the coronation on his behalf, according to the White House. Other world leaders such as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz are likely to be present for the celebration. Charles became king last year. Why is his coronation in 2023? While Charles is already Britains monarch, a suitable amount of time must pass before his official coronation could take place. Queen Elizabeth, for example, was crowned on June 2, 1953, 15 months after her father King George VI died on Feb. 6, 1952. This is typically so a monarch is afforded enough time to mourn the loss of their predecessor, as well as time to plan the large-scale event. Will Charles wear the same crown as Queen Elizabeth? King Charles III will be crowned with St. Edwards Crown, a 17th Century, solid gold headpiece that has been integral to British coronations for over 350 years. It was made for Charles II by the royal goldsmith, Robert Vyner, in 1661 to replace a crown that was melted down in 1649. The distinctive design consists of a solid gold frame set with rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnet, topazes, and tourmalines. The crown has a purple velvet cap with an ermine fur band. The crownwhich was also worn by Queen Elizabeth during her 1953 coronation ceremonyis known for its remarkable weight. It is therefore only used at the exact moment of coronation. In the months leading up to Charles big day, the crown was removed from its home with the other crown jewels in the Tower of London, and subject to modifications. Since the death of Queen Elizabeth, there has been a lot of tension surrounding the crown jewels with renewed calls for some of them to be returned to the former British colonies they hail from. After the coronation, Charles will also wear the Imperial State crown, created for the coronation of King George VI in 1937. Law enforcers have revealed the interception of conversations between Oleh Kulinich, former Head of the Chief Directorate of the Security Service of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, who was detained earlier, and his curator Volodymyr Sivkovych, former Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council. Source: press services of the Security Service of Ukraine and the State Bureau of Investigation Details: These conversations are part of the criminal proceedings completed by the State Bureau of Investigation. After the defendant gets acquainted with the case, they will be submitted to the court. In the course of the investigation, the Security Service of Ukraine officers have found new facts and evidence of Kulinichs illegal activities and served him a notice of suspicion of committing other criminal offences, namely: Absence from a military unit or place of service without leave under martial law (Art. 407 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine); Obtaining weapons and ammunition by a military official with abuse of official position with prior conspiracy by a group of persons under martial law (Art. 410 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine); Storing firearms without a permit required by law (Art. 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), etc. It has been established that Oleh Kulinich was involved in covert cooperation with representatives of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) and was going by the operational alias Kotyhoroshko. On the instructions of the FSB, Volodymyr Sivkovych (former KGB officer) and Andrii Kliuiev, former Head of the Administration of the President of Ukraine, who have been hiding from justice in Moscow since 2014, created a so-called "political office" to monitor the activities of influential Ukrainian politicians, high-ranking officials and law enforcement officers, and to search for agents of influence to control political processes in Ukrainian society. In July 2022, the State Bureau of Investigation served a notice of suspicion of high treason on Volodymyr Sivkovych, as well as three Russian FSB officers of espionage. Story continues It was established that Sivkovych is using his proxies to control a number of companies and enterprises in Ukraine that are used to cover the activities of members of the criminal organisation and to finance people who assist them. The investigation has also established that Kulinich was a trustee of Sivkovych. He actively cooperated with the FSB's "political office" and followed the instructions of his supervisors to infiltrate "his people" into various state and law enforcement agencies, conduct sabotage and reconnaissance activities against Ukraine, espionage, and incite Ukrainian citizens to commit treason. According to the investigation, Kulinich knew in advance about the plans of the Russian armed forces to attack mainland Ukraine from the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, but deliberately concealed this crucial information from his superiors and forbade sending any documentation on this matter to the Security Service of Ukraine. In the first hours of the full-scale invasion, he deliberately blocked any attempts to inform the Security Service of Ukraine leadership and the population about the real situation in the region, failed to take any measures to protect state sovereignty, ordered his personnel to leave the place of service, and later issued service weapons to people who had nothing to do with the Security Service of Ukraine. In addition, Kulinich left the place of permanent deployment himself and left for Kyiv on 24 February. In one of the apartments where he lived, investigators found a cache of weapons and his documents from his time in the USSR KGB. The Security Service of Ukraine has pointed out once again that Vasyl Maliuk, Chief of the Security Service of Ukraine, has investigated the case of Kulinich himself and also developed a special operation to detain him. Quote from Maliuk: "We did our best not only to detain the top state traitor, but also to collect a strong evidence base on which the court will be able to pass a fair verdict. This is a clear message to all those who work for the enemy the Security Service of Ukraine will definitely find you and hold you accountable for your actions, no matter where you are hiding. Every mole will be exposed." Background: Oleh Mykolayovych Kulinich was appointed head of the Main Department of the Security Service of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in October 2020. President Zelenskyy dismissed him from this post in March 2022. On 16 July, Ukrainska Pravda reported that Kulinich had been detained by security forces. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Archaeologists in Poland have discovered ruins of a tenement that was once part of the Warsaw ghetto during the Nazi regime, experts say. The pre-war tenement was built on Gesia Street around the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, archaeologist Micha Grabowski said in an interview with the Polish Press Agency, according to Science in Poland. Experts uncovered the buildings basement, including lower fragments of wall. Grabowski said that although the walls were not well-preserved, they indicate traces of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943 and Germanys destruction of the city. Although the walls have significant damage, the buildings cobblestone courtyard remains in tact, Grabowski said. Archaeologists also uncovered several artifacts that likely belonged to residents of the ghetto, including beer stoppers, cutlery, ashtrays, perfume bottles, medicine bottles, stone tile fragments and old coins. The excavation and research will continue for about two months, according to Grabowski. The Warsaw ghetto and uprising The Warsaw ghetto was established in Polands largest city which was also home to both Poland and Europes largest pre-war Jewish population in 1940 by German authorities, according to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. At its peak, the ghetto was home to about 400,000 Jewish people who lived inside a 10-foot-high barbed wire wall, the museum said. Between 1940 and 1942, one of the buildings on Gesia Street functioned as a detention center known as Gesiowka, experts said. Starting in the summer of 1942, though, officials began mass deportations from Warsaw, transporting Jewish residents to concentration camps. When police and troops arrived at the ghetto on April 19, 1943, to deport the remaining residents, an uprising ensued, according to the museum. The Warsaw ghetto uprising was the largest Jewish uprising during World War II, and it was the first real revolt to German occupation. Within a month, the Germans had decimated the uprising and began setting the ghetto portion of the city ablaze, according to the museum. Story continues At least 7,000 Jewish people died during the uprising. Another 42,000 were deported to forced-labor camps, and another 7,000 were captured by German forces, the museum said. Google Translate was used to translate news articles from Science in Poland. Lost treasures found in toilets of 400-year-old palace in Poland destroyed by Nazis Treasure trove of Jewish silver found near Holocaust ghetto site in Poland. Take a look 700-year-old synagogue found in abandoned cocktail bar in Spain. Take a look inside An ex-cop is among four people accused of running five illicit massage parlors for prostitution in California and Arizona, federal authorities said. The 78-year-old former San Diego vice detective, who left police work in 2002, used his skills and experience to help operate the criminal enterprise, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of California said in a news release. Among other things, he helped the business avoid investigation, conceal evidence and avoid regulatory inspections, prosecutors said. Hes also a former attorney who used his private investigator license to check up on customers and employees, the release said. He and three others ran massage parlors in San Diego and Tempe, Arizona, that were fronts for prostitution, prosecutors said. At one point, he told an employee he was a former cop and warned her not to open (her) mouth about the illicit business, the release said. When one employee objected to providing sexual services to customers, another of the owners told her to leave (her) morals in China, prosecutors said. The defendant a former vice detective who once took an oath to uphold our laws knew more than most that illicit massage businesses cruelly profit by exploiting women for commercial sex, Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division, said in the release. The former detective and thee other owners pleaded guilty Tuesday, April 4, to a laundry list of charges including conspiracy and racketeering, the release said. They face up to 48 years in prison and $1.75 million in fines, prosecutors said. No one is above the law, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said in the release. Im appalled that someone who once took an oath to protect our community could prey on the vulnerable. 18-year-olds joyride on school golf cart erupts in wild clash, California cops say Teen who lost leg has questions for California driver who fled. Why did you run? Baby in a stroller dies after car hits family walking on sidewalk, California cops say Former FBI Director James Comey described Tuesday as "another good day," an apparent reference to the arraignment of former President Donald Trump on felony charges. "Another good day," he tweeted Tuesday evening. Comey was fired in 2017 by President Trump, purportedly for his handling of the investigation into Hillary Clintons use of a private email server. The two had also clashed over the investigation into alleged Russian collusion in the 2016 election and over Comey not publicly stating that Trump was not under investigation. Comey has since been an outspoken critic of the former president, and had celebrated Trump's indictment last week by a Manhattan grand jury. TRUMP PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO 34 FELONY COUNTS OF FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS "Its been a good day," he tweeted Thursday. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Trump pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to 34 counts of falsifying business records, which combined a maximum sentence of 136 years in jail. Trump was at the center of a media scrum as he traveled from Trump Tower to the courthouse in lower Manhattan. FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY REACTS TO TRUMP INDICTMENT President Donald Trump shakes hands with FBI Director James Comey during a reception at the White House on Jan 22, 2017. Trump was fingerprinted and processed, but not handcuffed or made to provide a mugshot. The charges are related to alleged hush money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is alleging that Trump falsified New York business records in order to "conceal damaging information and unlawful activity from American voters before and after the 2016 election." The judge said he would like to move ahead as expeditiously as possible with the case. The next hearing in the case is set for Dec. 4 in the same Lower Manhattan court. The prosecution wants a trial in January 2024 the height of the GOP presidential primary season. Trumps defense wants to delay that as long as possible. Trump has dismissed the charges as a politically motivated witch hunt against him. "I never thought anything like this could happen in America. I never thought it could happen," Trump said Tuesday night. "The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defending our nation from those who seek to destroy it." Fox News Brooke Singman contributed to this report. Italian ex-prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, who dominated politics for decades, was in intensive care on Wednesday for heart problems, a member of his entourage told AFP. The 86-year-old media mogul and senator, who has been in and out of the hospital in recent years, is currently in Milan's San Raffaele Hospital, the source said. Italian news agency Ansa said he was admitted early Wednesday and that his current condition was "stable". Berlusconi, the billionaire leader of the right-wing Forza Italia party, spent four days last month at the same hospital for what Italian news reports called heart issues, before being discharged on March 30. After dominating Italian politics for two decades, the "Cavaliere" as he is widely known in Italy, now appears visibly diminished on the rare occasions he is seen in public. Long gone are the days of his infamous erotic "bunga bunga" parties with young starlets, which he has always insisted were nothing more than elegant dinners. Berlusconi was in hospital for 11 days for Covid-related pneumonia in September 2020, after contracting the virus while on holiday in Sardinia, describing it as "perhaps the most difficult ordeal of my life." The following year, Covid-related complications caused a series of hospital stays. Berlusconi, who served as prime minister three times after entering politics in 1994, had open heart surgery in 2016 and surgery on his intestine three years later. Forza Italia is a member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's coalition government, although the party attracts only about 10 percent of voters. Berlusconi won a seat in Italy's Senate during general elections in September, nine years after he was kicked out from the upper house of parliament after a conviction on tax fraud. ams/ide/jm Italian ex-prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, a dominant player in his nation's politics for decades, was on Wednesday set to spend the night in intensive care after being admitted to a cardiac unit for reported respiratory problems. The 86-year-old media mogul and senator, who has been in and out of the hospital in recent years, was earlier visited by close family members at Milan's San Raffaele Hospital. "He's stable, he's a rock," Berlusconi's brother Paolo told journalists as he left the hospital. "He'll pull through", he said, adding that the magnate's family was feeling "upbeat". Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Berlusconi was in intensive care "because of a problem concerning an unresolved infection. But he is talking". Berlusconi was rushed to hospital after complaining of breathing difficulties, Italian media reported. He was set to stay in overnight, a source told AFP. The billionaire leader of the right-wing Forza Italia party, Berlusconi spent four days last month at the same hospital for what Italian news reports called heart issues, before being discharged last Thursday. "I have already started working again... ready and determined to commit myself, as I have always done, to the country I love", he said in a message posted on social networks Friday. And on Sunday, he posted a photo of himself grinning in front of a vast lawn of tulips in his villa in Arcore, in northern Italy. - 'Forza Silvio!' - After dominating Italian politics for decades, the "Cavaliere" as he is widely known in Italy, now appears physically diminished on the rare occasions he is seen in public. Long gone are the days of his infamous erotic "bunga bunga" parties with young starlets, which he has always insisted were nothing more than elegant dinners. Forza Italia is a member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing coalition government, although the party attracts only about 10 percent of voters. Meloni tweeted her "sincere and affectionate wish for a speedy recovery", while Matteo Salvini, whose League party is also a member of the coalition, tweeted "Forza Silvio, Italy is waiting for you!" Story continues Berlusconi was in hospital for 11 days for Covid-related pneumonia in September 2020, after contracting the virus while on holiday in Sardinia. He described it as "perhaps the most difficult ordeal of my life. The following year, Covid-related complications caused a series of hospital stays. The one-time cruise ship crooner, who served as prime minister three times after entering politics in 1994, had open heart surgery in 2016 and surgery on his intestine three years later. - Friends, showgirls - Berlusconi won a seat in Italy's Senate during general elections in September, nine years after he was kicked out from the upper house of parliament following a conviction for tax fraud. He said he would act as a political fatherly figure to Meloni, but has made headlines instead for his refusal to cut ties with longtime friend Russian President Vladimir Putin. Berlusconi entered politics in 1994 and for millions of Italians he represented a golden age of the Italian economy and the self-made man. He has held a soft spot in many Italians' hearts since then, despite a series of sex scandals and court cases that threatened to tarnish his image. In his most high-profile case, Berlusconi was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2013 for paying for sex with Karima El-Mahroug, known as "Ruby the Heart Stealer". It was later overturned after the judge said there was reasonable doubt that he knew she was underage. He celebrated his latest legal victory in February, when he was acquitted of bribing witnesses to lie about his parties, after arguing that he showered the starlets with money and gifts out of pure generosity. bur-ide/jj By Andrew Goudsward (Reuters) - Three former executives of medical device company Magellan Diagnostics concealed a malfunction in the companys lead-testing devices that caused tests to underestimate the level of lead in people's blood, U.S. prosecutors in Boston said in announcing criminal charges on Wednesday. Amy Winslow, Hossein Maleknia and Reba Daoust misled Magellan customers and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about when they discovered the defect, the extent of the problem and the risks associated with it, prosecutors said. Winslow, the companys former CEO, Maleknia, the former chief operating officer, and Daoust, the former director of quality assurance and regulatory affairs, were indicted in U.S. district court in Massachusetts on charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud a U.S. agency. Attorneys for Winslow and Daoust did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Attorney information for Maleknia was not immediately available. A spokesperson for Meridian BioScience Inc, which purchased Magellan in 2016, said the company has cooperated with the federal investigation that led to the indictment and it expects to pay a fine as part of a corporate resolution with the U.S. Justice Department. That agreement has not been finalized. The company said all devices the malfunction affected have been cleared by the FDA and will remain available for clinical use. Magellan Diagnostics ultimately recalled all three devices in 2021 and resumed distribution last year, according to the FDA. The malfunction affected three of Magellans lead-testing devices, including one that accounted for more than half of all blood lead tests conducted in the U.S. between 2013 and 2017, according to prosecutors. Rachael Rollins, the U.S. attorney in Massachusetts, said the executives endangered the health and lives of incredibly vulnerable victims, including the poor and young children, who are at most at risk of lead exposure. (Reporting by Andrew Goudsward; Editing by David Bario and Josie Kao) TAIPEI (Reuters) -U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will host a meeting in California on Wednesday with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen, part of a sensitive U.S. stopover that has drawn Chinese threats of retaliation. Here are the key issues in Taiwan-U.S., China-U.S. and Taiwan-China relations, why China is so angry about the meeting and what it might do to express its anger: WHY IS CHINA SO ANGRY? Taiwan is a deeply emotive issue for China's ruling Communist Party, and for Chinese President Xi Jinping. The People's Republic of China has claimed Taiwan as its territory since the defeated Republic of China government fled to the island in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong's communists. China has repeatedly called on U.S. officials not to engage with Taiwanese leaders, viewing it as support for Taiwan's desire to be viewed as separate from China. China has never renounced the use of force to bring democratically governed Taiwan under its control, and in 2005 passed a law giving Beijing the legal basis for military action against Taiwan if it secedes or seems about to. HOW WILL CHINA REACT TO THE MEETING? China staged war games around Taiwan last August after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, and has threatened unspecified retaliation if the McCarthy meeting goes ahead. While Taiwanese and U.S. officials have said in the run-up to the McCarthy-Tsai meeting they have not seen any unusual activity from China's military, Taiwan is also on alert for any further Chinese drills. Taiwanese and U.S. officials have also said that by staging the meeting outside of Taiwan it may help tone down China's reaction. Over the past three years or so, China's air force has flown almost daily into the skies near Taiwan, in which Taiwan calls "grey zone" warfare designed to test and wear out its forces. While China's air force has never flown into Taiwan's territorial airspace, it fired missiles high over the island after Pelosi's visit. Story continues WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TAIWAN AND THE UNITED STATES? In 1979, the United States severed official relations with the government in Taipei and instead recognised the government in Beijing. A Taiwan-U.S. defence treaty was terminated at the same time. Post-1979, the U.S. relationship with Taiwan has been governed by the Taiwan Relations Act, which gives a legal basis to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, but does not mandate that the United States come to Taiwan's aid if attacked. While the United States has long followed a policy of "strategic ambiguity" on whether it would intervene militarily to protect Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack, U.S. President Joe Biden has said he would be willing to use force to defend Taiwan. The United States continues to be Taiwan's most important international source of weapons, and Taiwan's contested status is a constant source of friction between Beijing and Washington. WHAT IS TAIWAN'S POSITION AND DIPLOMATIC STATUS? Taiwan's government says that as the People's Republic of China has never ruled the island it has no right to claim sovereignty over it or speak for or represent it on the world stage, and that only Taiwan's people can decide their future. Taiwan's official name continues to be the Republic of China, though these days the government often stylises it as the Republic of China (Taiwan). Only 13 countries now formally recognise Taiwan after Honduras ended ties last month. Taiwan's government says that as the Republic of China is a sovereign country and it has a right to state-to-state ties. WHAT ARE RELATIONS LIKE BETWEEN TAIPEI AND BEIJING? In one word - bad. China views Tsai as a separatist and has rebuffed repeated calls from her for talks. Tsai says she wants peace but that her government will defend Taiwan if it is attacked. She says the Republic of China and People's Republic of China are "not subordinate" to each other. Beijing says Tsai must accept that both China and Taiwan are part of "one China". (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Lincoln Feast.) Chris Hemsworth as Tyler Rake in Extraction 2. (Jasin Boland/Netflix) Putting Mjolnir aside, Thor star Chris Hemsworth is due to once again head to Netflix in Extraction 2, the follow-up to his hugely popular first outing as action star Tyler Rake. Released in 2020, Extraction was directed by stunt-man-turned-director Sam Hargrave and written by Joe Russo, one half of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame directorial duo the Russo Brothers. Based on Andre Parks' graphic novel Ciudad, Extraction saw Hemsworth star as a mercenary-for-hire tasked with the perilous mission of extracting the kidnapped child of an imprisoned crime lord. Read more: Chris Hemsworth opens up about Alzheimer's link Packed with plenty of popcorn explosions, the movie emerged as one of Netflixs most popular original releases and as such, Rake is back for another nail-biting adventure. Wheres he off to this time? Heres everything we know about Extraction 2 ahead of its streaming release. Extraction 2 release date Fans don't have to wait long to find out what happens in Extraction 2: It will be released on Netflix on Friday, 16 June, 2023. Extraction 2 plot Chris Hemsworth as Tyler Rake in Extraction 2. (Jasin Boland/Netflix) Following his last mission which took place largely in Bangladesh, Rake is deployed on a new black-ops adventure that will take him across Europe. After being hired to extract a family from the clutches of a ruthless Georgian gangster, Rake heads inside the brutal prison in which they are being held. However, when he finally reaches them, things dont exactly go to plan, plunging him into an extra level of danger, action and suspense. Read more: Scott Pilgrim anime announced for Netflix Filming for Extraction 2 began in late 2021 and lasted until spring 2022, shooting extensive action sequences across Prague. Part one director Hargrave returns to direct a script once again penned by Joe Russo, with Anthony Russo joining his filmmaking brother for producer duties. Extraction 2 cast Golshifteh Farahani as Nik Khan and Chris Hemsworth as Tyler Rake in Extraction 2. (Jasin Boland/Netflix) Joining Hemsworths Rake is Adam Bessa, who reprises his role from the first film as Yaz, with fellow returning actor and Maleficent: Misstress of Evil player Rayna Campbell as Ruthie. Story continues Golshifteh Farahani also returns, once again playing Rakes mercenary partner Nik Kahn, while Georgian actress and model Tinatin Dalakishvili is also due to make an appearance. Is there a trailer for Extraction 2? Yes. The first teaser trailer for Extraction 2 was released in early April 2022 and you can watch it above. While only lasting two minutes, it gives us a glimpse inside Rake's latest mission and the hands-on action that ensues. Read more: Arnold Schwarzenegger to make TV debut on Netflix The bulk of the teaser follows Hemsworth's Rake as he punches his way through a prison yard. In one continuous shot, we learn about the final moments of the first film that have brought him to where he is today, interspersed with a variety of practical action shots as he fights his way through a crowd of attackers. Shortly afterwards, we see Rake in a snowy landscape shooting down a helicopter. Extraction 2 debuts on Netflix on 16 June, 2023. FLEMINGTON A group wants to bring an "extremely unique" medicinal cannabis dispensary and wellness center targeted for veterans to the county seat. Timory Ridall, of Montgomery, told the Borough Council on March 27 that the group, Four Leaf, wants to bring "the first of its kind" facility to Flemington. Ridall, who said the principals of the group are all women, said the facility would offer a "restorative and peaceful environment" where wellness is an important goal. Nurses will educate clients to empower themselves on choosing the best practices, she said. The group is partnering with a veteran-owned cannabis cultivator and processor to develop products especially suited for veterans who have chronic pain, sleep issues and post-traumatic stress disorder. Christopher Kidd, a retired colonel in the Army Reserves who is a principal in Paratus, a cannabis cultivator in Bordentown, told the Council that he served two tours in Iraq and was "blown up in one." More: Flemington developer changes Liberty Village plan: 'We need to get this project started' More: Flemington official facing drug charges skewered: 'If you ever go near my daughter again' Because of a shoulder injury, he is 80% disabled and has chronic pain and PTSD. "Sleeping for the past 16 years has been a bit of a challenge," he said. Kidd, who lives in Annandale and grew up in Neshanic Station, said he doesn't use cannabis all the time "but when I do, I get phenomenal sleep." "I can get a really, really good night's sleep," he said. His goal is to develop a cannabis "delivery system" that's consistent so people "can rely on it," he said. Christopher Weidling, who said he grew up in Hillsborough and graduated from Immaculata High School, told the Council he has been involved in the financing of the cannabis industry since 2012 and is "incredibly proud" to connect with the group. Story continues He said it was an "extremely unique" concept to offer a medicinal cannabis dispensary and a wellness center under one roof. He said the group was eying a 24,000-square-foot space in Flemington but did not disclose the location. He said the facility would be "branded" for veterans and "will attract veterans not only from Hunterdon County but from all over New Jersey." Council members made no comment on the presentation. Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account. This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ legal weed: Flemington dispensary would target military vets Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, has confirmed that the situation in the city of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast is most complicated. Nevertheless, the Russians do not control the city, and the decision about the withdrawal of the defence forces can only be taken if there's a threat of bigger losses. Source: Zelenskyy at the joint conference with Andrzej Duda, President of Poland, in Poland Quote: "The situation is very difficult there, and every day there is this fluctuation: now, there are enough projectiles, and now, there is a deficit of them. It happens daily. We may have success in some areas of Bakhmut and advance, and then we have no success and return to our positions. But we are in Bakhmut, and the Russians do not control it such is a current situation. General Syrskyi is responsible for the operational situation. Undoubtedly, both for him and for me the most important thing is not to lose personnel. It goes without saying that if the situation gets worse and there will be a threat of losing our personnel due to encirclement, the General will act accordingly." Details: Herewith Zelenskyy stressed: the faster the ammunition from the international partners arrives in Ukraine, the faster the defence forces will change the situation not only in Bakhmut but along the whole frontline. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Donald Trump Donald Trump has unleashed a series of dramatic allegations of bias against Juan Merchan, the judge presiding over his trial in Manhattan. But what are his claims, and do they stand up to scrutiny? On Sunday night, Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social, a micro-blog similar to Twitter: Trump Hating Judge, hand selected by the Soros backed D.A. (he must be changed!). On Tuesday he doubled down: THE HIGHLY PARTISAN JUDGE & HIS FAMILY ARE WELL KNOWN TRUMP HATERS, he wrote [capitals are his]. HE WAS AN UNFAIR DISASTER ON A PREVIOUS TRUMP RELATED CASE, WOULDNT RECUSE, GAVE HORRIBLE JURY INSTRUCTIONS, & IMPOSSIBLE TO DEAL WITH DURING THE WITCH HUNT TRIAL. HIS DAUGHTER WORKED FOR KAMALA & NOW THE BIDEN-HARRIS CAMPAIGN. KANGAROO COURT!!! First things first: there doesnt seem to be much firm evidence that Judge Merchans family harbour a burning personal animus for the former president that could be characterised as hatred. The claim appears to be based on his daughter working for Democrat political campaigns and the judge presiding over another trial last year. Last autumn Judge Merchan presided over the prosecution of the Trump Organisation, Mr Trumps real estate firm, for tax fraud. The trial ended with the company found guilty and hit with fines. He sentenced Allen Weisselberg, the companys chief financial officer and a long-time Trump organisation executive, to five months in jail after he pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme to conceal nearly $1.8 million in compensation from tax authorities. Mr Trump himself was not on trial then, but his claim that the judge was an unfair disaster may be a reference to Judge Merchans refusal to allow defence lawyers to argue their clients were being targeted because they were associated with Mr Trump. I will not allow you in any way to bring up a selective prosecution claim, or claim this is some sort of novel prosecution, Judge Merchan told a pre-trial hearing when a lawyer tried to argue the defendants were being targeted because of their association with Mr Trump, CBS reported at the time. Story continues He later added that he will have very little patience at trial for any questions that are not in a good faith basis. The allegations against Loren Merchan, the judges daughter, first appeared on the far-Right news site Gateway Pundit on Sunday. The site claimed, citing Ms Merchans LinkedIn profile, that in 2019 she worked as Director of Digital Persuasion for Kamala Harris for the People, the now-vice presidents campaign for the White House in 2019. She was also listed as working for Authentic Campaigns, a political consultancy that runs award-winning online programs for progressive campaigns, according to its website. Authentic campaigns lists Kamala Harris for the People as one of its past clients. The Telegraph was not able to immediately verify the authenticity of the LinkedIn page. There is no evidence that Ms Merchans employment has an influence on her fathers legal judgments. But Mr Trump and his family have used the report to claim that the judge was hand-picked by a Democrat conspiracy that also involves Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney. Seems relevant yet another connection in this hand picked democrat show trial. The BS never ends folks, Donald Trump Jr posted with a link to a Breitbart write-up of the story. There is no evidence that the district attorney hand-picked the judge or that it is a Democrat conspiracy. What does Trumps legal team say? Mr Trumps lawyers do not seem to have a problem with the judge. In fact, they seem to have openly contradicted their client. Donald Trump appeared in court in Manhattan on Tuesday - Elizabeth Williams/FR42054 AP Joe Tacopina, a criminal defence attorney retained by Mr Trump, told CNN on Sunday: I have no issue with this judge whatsoever He has a very good reputation. Do I think the judge is biased? Of course not, Mr Tacopina added while speaking to George Stephanopolous on ABC News. Other lawyers who have appeared before the Supreme Court justice describe him as stern but compassionate. Hes a serious jurist, smart and even tempered, Ron Kuby, a long-time defence lawyer in Manhattan, told NBC News. Hes not one of those judges who yells at lawyers, and is characterised as a no-nonsense judge. But hes always in control of the courtroom. (Reuters) - Taiwan and China have engaged for years in competition for diplomatic recognition, but the pendulum has long swung decisively in Beijing's favour. Honduras last month ended its decades-long relationship with Taiwan and said it only recognised China, leaving Taiwan with formal diplomatic relations with just 13 countries. Here are some facts about the diplomatic feud between Taiwan and China: * Following the communist revolution in China in 1949, the defeated Republic of China government fled to Taiwan, insisting that it remained the sole legal representative of the Chinese people. Many non-communist countries continued to maintain ties with Taipei rather than Beijing. * After the People's Republic of China assumed the Chinese seat at the United Nations in 1971, more and more countries began severing official ties with Taiwan. The United States did so in 1979. * Since Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen won election in 2016 the shift to China has accelerated. Taiwan's government says that the Republic of China, which remains the island's official name, is a sovereign country with the right to state-to-state ties and Beijing has no right to speak for it. China says Taiwan is merely one of its provinces and only Beijing can represent the island on the world stage. * Taiwan and China have for years traded accusations about using "dollar diplomacy", dangling generous monetary packages in exchange for recognition, though Taiwan's government says it will no longer do so and that its aid is more appropriate than the flashy infrastructure projects Beijing often proffers. * Taiwan says it values its allies as they often speak in support of Taiwan at the United Nations and other global bodies Taipei is locked out of due to Chinese pressure. Taiwan's Latin America and Caribbean allies are extra important as they give Taiwanese presidents an excuse to "transit" the United States while on state visits, where important meetings with U.S. officials take place. Story continues * The United States has been concerned about countries leaving Taiwan for China, given it is viewed in Washington as Beijing expanding its influence in what is traditionally the U.S. backyards of Latin America and the Pacific. * Taiwan, which has long since thrown off its Cold War authoritarian mantle and become a thriving democracy, has been heartened by growing support from U.S. allies like Japan, Britain, France and the Czech Republic, which has helped soften the blow of losing so many of its former allies. * Some countries have swapped between Taiwan and China more than once, including Liberia and the Central African Republic. The last country to switch back to Taiwan was Saint Lucia in 2007, bucking the trend. * The countries which still maintain ties with Taiwan are: Belize, Guatemala, Paraguay, Haiti, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Tuvalu, Eswatini and the Vatican City. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Alistair Bell) (Reuters) - A Israeli police raid on Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque on Wednesday has triggered a furious reaction from Palestinians across the occupied West Bank and the wider Arab and Muslim world. WHERE AND WHAT IS THE AL-AQSA MOSQUE? The Al-Aqsa lies at the heart of Jerusalem's Old City on a hill known to Jews as Har ha-Bayit, or Temple Mount, and to Muslims internationally as al-Haram al-Sharif, or The Noble Sanctuary. Muslims regard the site as the third holiest in Islam, after Mecca and Medina. Al-Aqsa is the name given to the whole compound and is home to two Muslim holy places: the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, also known as the Qibli Mosque, which was built in the 8th century AD. The compound overlooks the Western Wall, a sacred place of prayer for Jews, for whom the Temple Mount is their most sacred site. Jews believe biblical King Solomon built the first temple there 3,000 years ago. A second temple was razed by the Romans in AD 70. Israel captured the site in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it with the rest of East Jerusalem and adjoining parts of the West Bank in a move not recognized internationally. Jordan, whose ruling Hashemite family has custodianship of the Muslim and Christian sites, appoints members of the Waqf institution which oversees the site. WHY IS AL-AQSA A FLASHPOINT IN THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT? The Al-Aqsa compound has long been a flashpoint for deadly violence over matters of sovereignty and religion in Jerusalem. Under the longstanding "status quo" arrangement governing the area, which Israel says it maintains, non-Muslims can visit but only Muslims are allowed to worship in the mosque compound. Jewish visitors have increasingly prayed more or less openly at the site in defiance of the rules, and Israeli restrictions on Muslim worshippers' access to the site have led to protests and outbreaks of violence. Clashes at the site in 2021 contributed to setting off a 10-day war with Gaza. In 2000, the Israeli politician Ariel Sharon, then opposition leader, led a group of Israeli lawmakers onto the Temple Mount/al-Haram al-Sharif complex. Palestinians protested, and there were violent clashes that quickly escalated into the second Palestinian uprising, also known as the Al-Aqsa Intifada. (Compiled by Raissa Kasolowsky; Editing by Edmund Blair) The families of women murdered by men demonstrated Wednesday in defence of a prominent Turkish anti-femicide campaign group accused of activity against law and morals. Prosecutors had filed a lawsuit in April against We Will Stop Femicide Platform, one of the country's leading feminist organisations. If convicted, it could be shut down. The group has been campaigning against the murder and abuse of women since its foundation in 2010. Protesters gathered alongside the families of murdered women outside Istanbul's main court ahead of the third hearing in the case, unfurling a large banner: "The platform will not stop. Women's murders will stop". "We will defend the rights of everyone whose lives were stolen in this country. And those days are close," group representative Gulsum Kav told reporters. The We will Stop Femicide Platform was founded a year after a high-profile murder case of 18-year-old Munevver Karabulut, whose body had been dumped into a waste container in Istanbul. The grisly murder sparked widespread uproar and repulsion, especially after the suspect managed to evade justice for more than six months. In early days the platform brought attention only to femicide trials, but now they track all types of violence against women as well as LGBTQ individuals and children. The group says 69 women have been killed in Turkey since January this year, after 397 last year and 427 in 2021. Figen Yetiskin, a mother whose daughter was murdered, said the platform supported her in more than a dozen court hearings and provided legal assistance, including hiring a lawyer. "They always stood by me in court. Contrary to its shutdown, I believe that the platform should be bolstered and supported more," she told the court. "They taught me I am a woman and I have rights, they supported me in 16 hearings for the arrest of my daughter's murderer," she said. "They walked together with me and I will walk together with them forever". - 'Make our voice heard' - Story continues Saadet Irem Karlidag told the court the platform gave her family huge support in shedding light on the murder of her aunt. "My aunt was killed in daylight before our eyes. We could make our voice heard thanks to We Will Stop Femicide Platform," she said. "They didn't leave us alone. And today I stand by them. I believe this case is unlawful." The judge adjourned the hearing on Wednesday and it will resume on September 13. The association was a vocal critic of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's decision in 2021 to pull Turkey out of the Istanbul Convention, which requires countries to set up laws aimed at preventing and prosecuting violence against women. Social conservatives in Turkey say the convention promotes homosexuality and threatens traditional family values. "This case is aimed at civil society, and will deeply affect human rights defenders as well as LGBTQ advocates," Polat Yamaner, a lawyer for Turkey's Human Rights Foundation, told the court. "If this unjust case is dropped, I will feel I am a lawyer again on this symbolic day," said another lawyer, Nazan Moroglu, referring to the April 5 marking of Lawyers' Day in Turkey, in comments that received applause from the audience. fo/js Katy Novak helps to lead dozens of people standing in the rain in prayer and song at the memorial crosses near the Sutherland Springs First Baptist Church one week after 26 people were killed. Carolyn Van Houten/The Washington Post via Getty Images The families of the victims of the 2017 shooting in a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, have reached a tentative settlement with the US government of more than $144 million after a judge agreed that the US Air Force should have done more to prevent the shooter from buying guns. The shooting, which was the deadliest in Texas history, at the rural First Baptist Church left 26 people dead and 22 more injured. More than 75 people sued the Department of Justice in 2018 year, alleging that if the Air Force had properly updated the FBI's background check system, the shooter wouldn't have been able to legally buy the gun that he used. No words or amount of money can diminish the immense tragedy of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs, Vanita Gupta, associate attorney general, said in a news release on Wednesday. Todays announcement brings the litigation to a close, ending a painful chapter for the victims of this unthinkable crime. In 2021, US District Judge Xavier Rodriguez ruled that the Air Force was "60% responsible" for the mass shooting. The Sutherland Springs shooter had served in the Air Force from 2010 to 2014, and in 2012 he was court-martialed for assaulting his spouse and their child. He then received a bad conduct discharge. Rodriguez said in 2021 that if the shooter's criminal history had been logged in the database, "it is more likely than not that Kelley would have been deterred from carrying out the Church shooting." The Air Force referred BuzzFeed News to the DOJ statement after a request for comment on Wednesday. This is the highest payout for families of victims of a mass shooting. In 2022, the Justice Department paid $127 million to families of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting victims. The families alleged that the employees of the FBI tip line were negligent with tips regarding that shooter's growing collection of rifles and his desire to shoot up a school. The lawyer for the Sutherland Springs victims' families did not immediately return a request for comment on Wednesday, but he told the New York Times that the families are "heroes." Story continues They have gone through so much pain and loss in the most horrific way," Jamal K. Alsaffar said. "But despite that, these families fought for justice, endured and won two trials against the federal government. More on this Community members and organizations expressed gratitude for Leon Levines philanthropic work in the Charlotte area Wednesday as news of his death spread. Levine, the founder of Family Dollar who gave millions to various causes, was 85. Although he had success in business, Levines greatest legacy may be his charitable work, according to former Bank of America CEO and Levines friend of more than 60 years Hugh McColl. I think hell be remembered as really one of the most generous people that ever lived here, McColl told The Charlotte Observer. ... He and his wife have done wonderful things together. Theyve looked after people who did not have advantages and have been particularly active in trying to help lift people from poverty and make education available to people who otherwise wouldnt get it. UNC Charlotte graduate Kyle Henson, who received a full scholarship through the schools Levine Scholars Program, said Levine always made time to build a personal connection with students in the program. Henson recalled having dinner at Levines Charlotte home and attending Carolina Panthers games in his suite, adding that the scholarship program also provided internship, study abroad and volunteer opportunities. He was really about providing these unique experiences for these young scholars, the 2018 alumnus said. Henson, now attending graduate school in Michigan, said the Levine program was part of what attracted him to UNC Charlotte. Im thankful for Leons contribution to my personal success, he said. In a statement to the Observer, UNC Charlotte Chancellor Sharon Gaber praised Levine and his wife, Sandra, for being stalwart supporters of the school. Through their generosity, hundreds of Levine Scholars have had the opportunity to pursue excellence in the classroom, while giving back to the community around them, she said. UNC Charlotte sends its deepest condolences to Sandra Levine and the entire Levine family as we mourn the passing of a man who helped transform education at our University and has improved the lives of countless Charlotteans. Story continues Levine also worked with K-12 students, such as through Project LIFT, an initiative to improve graduation rates and performance in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. He took a leadership role in that effort, both organizationally and financially, and really was a pillar of that effort, said Anna Spangler Nelson, who invested alongside Levine in the project. In addition to his work in education, Levine was also passionate about health care, McColl noted, including at the Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute. Probably what hes most famous for is the childrens hospital, but the Levine Cancer center has really changed Charlotte, McColl said. ... Getting all that top talent in cancer research here was really due to his generosity. Atrium Health Foundation President Armando Chardiet said in a statement Levine embodied everything that represented good in the world. No matter where you live in our community, you are likely not far from a charitable organization impacted by Leon and Sandras generous support or something that bears the Levine name, Chardiet said. Leons greatest gift is his legacy. The programs and facilities he has supported have truly changed the course of care at Atrium Health. Our teammates and patients will forever feel his imprint on their lives. Levine was the Atrium Health Foundations largest individual donor, the groups statement said. Sue Worrel, who knew Levine for 20 years, told the Observer that Charlottes Shalom Park, a hub for Jewish organizations and the Jewish community, stands out to her as a key part of Levines legacy. He helped bring it to life both from helping to acquire the land to his generosity when it came time to to build the buildings, said Worrel, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte. His support of the project was emblematic of his role in the Jewish community, she added. He has had a hand in assisting or growing and helping to develop dozens of different Jewish institutions, agencies and organizations. That has fundamentally allowed us to become the thriving Jewish community here in the Greater Charlotte region that we are today, Worrel said. None of it would have frankly been possible without him. Rabbi Judy Schindler, director of Queens Universitys Stan Greenspon Holocaust and Social Justice Education Center, said supporting the Jewish community was central to Leons life. Leon knew from experience that growing up as a Jewish minority in North Carolina is not easy, she wrote in a statement to the Observer. He was a leader in building Shalom Park and in building a Charlotte and North Carolina Jewish community that would make our kids proud and be nationally recognized (and we are). Our North Carolina Jewish community, whether in synagogues or on college campuses across our state and especially here in Charlotte, is stronger and more vibrant and beautiful because of Leon. Emily Zimmern and her family first met the Levines through the Jewish community when they moved to Charlotte in the 1980s, but she came to work closely with him through her work at the Levine Museum of the New South. It would be hard to overstate the impact of the Levines on the museum, she said. They really recognized the critical importance of learning from the past, and their transformative gifts really allowed the museum to innovate and try all kinds of new methods to use history as catalysts for engagement and dialogue around some of the regions toughest issues, Zimmern said. At the museum and in his other projects, she added, Levine was determined to give back to the city that supported his business. On Twitter, former Urban League of Central Carolinas CEO Patrick Graham credited Levine with the first large investment of his tenure at the Urban Leagues Urban Youth Empowerment Program. He called after seeing us in (The Charlotte Observer) and (WBTV), Graham wrote. It inspired our Not at-risk, but at-opportunity programs. Rest in Power my brother. You did well! Others also shared remembrances about Levine on Wednesday: Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles Few people have had such a profound impact on Charlotte as Leon Levine. Im thankful to have gotten to know Leon over the years, and my thoughts and prayers are with his wife Sandra and his family. As a leader in philanthropy and business, Leon will be greatly missed. https://t.co/HRgSsXF7VX Mayor Vi Lyles (@CLTMayor) April 5, 2023 Charlotte Hornets We join the Charlotte community in mourning the passing of philanthropist and community leader Leon Levine. https://t.co/itf9TFIsRd Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) April 5, 2023 Charlotte Symphony The CSO is saddened to hear of the passing of Leon Levine who, with his wife Sandra, has been a generous supporter of the Symphony. Leons legacy of philanthropy has touched the lives of so many in our community & will continue to leave a lasting imprint on our city. https://t.co/i5w4nBD8PF Charlotte Symphony (@CLTsymphony) April 5, 2023 Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation We are sadden by the news of the passing of Leon Levine, incredible community leader and philanthropist. The Library has been the recipient of his foundations generosity many times over the years. We send heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.https://t.co/Zeo9KHywF1 Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation (@CMLibFoundation) April 5, 2023 Wingate University President Rhett Brown Few Wingate students have left a greater legacy on the Charlotte region than Mr. Levine, who was one of the most determined people to pass through the Gate. We are proud to call him an alum and grateful for his giving spirit. His legacy will live on through our healthcare graduates and scholarship recipients. Family Dollar founder and North Carolina philanthropist Leon Levine died Wednesday, his foundation confirmed to Channel 9. He was 85. Levine, who shared his fortune with health care, education and community causes in Charlotte, also funded North Carolinas biggest scholarship programs. Levines name marks institutions across the region, and his legacy is one of unflinching generosity across the Carolinas. The philanthropist spent his life giving back to his community. ALSO READ: Leon Levine Foundation donates $1M to Charlottes new Main Library Levine was born in Wadesboro in 1937 and graduated from Rockingham High School in 1955. In 1959, at the age of 22, he opened the first Family Dollar Store along Central Avenue in Charlotte with a $6,000 investment. Levine got the idea after visiting a chain of stores in Tennessee that sold items for under $1. He decided his store would sell everything, from cleaning supplies to clothing for under $2. The discount retailer eventually grew into a Fortune 400 company that was a shopping hub for Americans with limited disposable incomes. That first Central Avenue store still stands today. (PHOTOS: The life and legacy of NCs Leon Levine) Family Dollar founder and North Carolina philanthropist Leon Levine died on April 5, 2023, his foundation confirmed to Channel 9. He was 85. Family Dollar founder and North Carolina philanthropist Leon Levine died on April 5, 2023, his foundation confirmed to Channel 9. He was 85. Family Dollar founder and North Carolina philanthropist Leon Levine died on April 5, 2023, his foundation confirmed to Channel 9. He was 85. Family Dollar founder and North Carolina philanthropist Leon Levine died on April 5, 2023, his foundation confirmed to Channel 9. He was 85. Family Dollar founder and North Carolina philanthropist Leon Levine died on April 5, 2023, his foundation confirmed to Channel 9. He was 85. Family Dollar founder and North Carolina philanthropist Leon Levine died on April 5, 2023, his foundation confirmed to Channel 9. He was 85. Family Dollar founder and North Carolina philanthropist Leon Levine died on April 5, 2023, his foundation confirmed to Channel 9. He was 85. Family Dollar founder and North Carolina philanthropist Leon Levine died on April 5, 2023, his foundation confirmed to Channel 9. He was 85. Family Dollar founder and North Carolina philanthropist Leon Levine died on April 5, 2023, his foundation confirmed to Channel 9. He was 85. Family Dollar founder and North Carolina philanthropist Leon Levine died on April 5, 2023, his foundation confirmed to Channel 9. He was 85. Family Dollar founder and North Carolina philanthropist Leon Levine died on April 5, 2023, his foundation confirmed to Channel 9. He was 85. Charlotte philanthropist Leon Levine died Wednesday at age 85. DAVID T. FOSTER, III dtfoster@charlotteobserver.com In 1980, Levine and his wife, Sandra, established the Leon Levine Foundation, which is now one of the largest foundations in the Southeast. It supports programs and organizations that invest in education, health care, human services and the Jewish faith. Leon Levine Foundation endowment scholarships have been created at a number of universities, including UNC Charlotte. The Levine name is stamped on buildings across the Carolinas, from the Levine Cancer Institute and Levine Childrens Hospital to the Sandra and Leon Levine Jewish Community Center, the Levine Museum of the New South, and the Levine Center for the Arts. The foundation says by 2020, it awarded more than $300 million in grants. Levines fortune grew from a small store on the east side of town, but his footprint far exceeds any dollar amount. Story continues Improved the lives of countless Charlotteans Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said Levine had a profound impact on Charlotte. Im thankful to have gotten to know Leon over the years, and my thoughts and prayers are with his wife Sandra and his family. As a leader in philanthropy and business, Leon will be greatly missed, she said in a statement on Twitter. Few people have had such a profound impact on Charlotte as Leon Levine. Im thankful to have gotten to know Leon over the years, and my thoughts and prayers are with his wife Sandra and his family. As a leader in philanthropy and business, Leon will be greatly missed. https://t.co/HRgSsXF7VX Mayor Vi Lyles (@CLTMayor) April 5, 2023 Channel 9s Evan Donovan spoke to Mark Price, a longtime reporter for McClatchy. While at the Charlotte Observer, he spent years covering Leon Levine. When he created his Leon Levine Foundation, he began actively looking for ways to help. And the end result touched the medical community, the faith community, and countless charities, Price said. He fed people, he sheltered people. The chancellor for UNC Charlotte, where theres a scholarship named after Levine as well as a dorm, released the following statement after his passing: Leon Levine and his wife, Sandra, have been stalwart supporters of UNC Charlotte, Sharon Gaber said. Through their generosity, hundreds of Levine Scholars have had the opportunity to pursue excellence in the classroom, while giving back to the community around them. UNC Charlotte sends its deepest condolences to Sandra Levine and the entire Levine family as we mourn the passing of a man who helped transform education at our University and has improved the lives of countless Charlotteans. According to Atrium Health, Levine had a deep relationship with the health system and has had a tremendous impact on its care delivery programs, including two facilities named for him: Atrium Health Levine Childrens Hospital and Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute. He was the largest individual donor to Atrium Health Foundation, the health system said. Leons passing is a profound loss for the Atrium Health family and beyond, said Eugene A. Woods the CEO of Advocate Health, of which Atrium Health is a part. He dedicated his life to helping others and, through his major investments, he shaped the way we deliver care at Atrium Health, especially in pediatric and cancer care. For decades, his philosophy was not only about transforming care but also lifting up every corner of our community. His tremendous generosity is felt across the Carolinas today and because of him, theres a child taking his first steps, a father walking his daughter down the aisle and a neighbor being the first in their family to graduate from college. His legacy will live on for generations to come through the lives he has touched. ALSO READ: Atrium Health receives $1 million donation to advance research at Levine Cancer Institute Leon embodied everything that represented good in the world. No matter where you live in our community, you are likely not far from a charitable organization impacted by Leon and Sandras generous support or something that bears the Levine name, said Armando Chardiet, the president of Atrium Health Foundation. Leons greatest gift is his legacy. The programs and facilities he has supported have truly changed the course of care at Atrium Health. Our teammates and patients will forever feel his imprint on their lives. At the Ronald McDonald house in Charlotte, families who once lived there were giving back Wednesday in the same room named after one of its biggest donors: Leon Levine. Theres a lot of memories shared in here. Theres a lot of tears shared in here, said Denise Cubbedge, the CEO of Ronald McDonald House of Greater Charlotte. I feel like Leon Levine cultivated a culture of -- were not just a funding partner, but we want the organizations we support to be stronger, she added. Mark Price said it was clear the couples hearts were in their foundation. They would watch the TV stations and they would read the newspaper, and when somebody reported on a problem, Leon and his wife and staff would huddle and find a way to help, Price said. When you got money from the Leon Levine Foundation, it was a stamp of approval that nonprofit leaders wanted, he said. Former Bank of America CEO Hugh McColl, perhaps the most prominent living Charlottean and a friend of Levines for 60 years, told the Charlotte Observer, Hell be remembered as really one of the most generous people that ever lived here. Local organizations and leaders also shared statements about Levines passing: Queens University memorialized Leon Levine, who along with his wife Sandra, funded construction of a theatre and athletics center on the campus. They also supported college access for dozens of students with a scholarship in Sandras name. Mr. Levine leaves behind a deep and lasting legacy that will forever touch the hearts and minds of everyone at Queens University, said Dan Lugo, president of the school. We extend our deepest condolences to the entire Levine family and our friends at The Leon Levine Foundation and hope that they know that their Queens family joins them in mourning and celebrating the incredible legacy of Mr. Levine. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. (WATCH BELOW: UNC Charlotte hosts dance marathon, raises money for Levines Childrens Hospital) Taylen Mosley was found inside the jaws of an alligator in Forida (St. Petersburg Police Department) The family members of a two-year-old boy who was found inside the mouth of an alligator in Florida soon after his mother's death, have broken their silence since the twin tragedies. The body of toddler Taylen Mosley was found inside the reptile last week, a day after his mother was found brutally stabbed to death in their home. An officer found an alligator with the missing child in its mouth near the Dell Holmes Park in St Petersburg on Friday. The officer fired their weapon at the reptile which then dropped the boys body. However, by then the boy had succumbed to his injuries. The boy's mother Pashun Jeffery was found dead in her apartment on 30 March with more than 100 stab wounds. Taylens father, Thomas Mosley, was arrested on Friday night on two charges of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of the boy and his mother. Due to the extremely serious allegations surrounding these tragic losses, our investigation is currently focused on gathering information about the facts and circumstances of the case, as well as our clients mental state, a spokesperson for Sixth Judicial Circuit public defender Sara Mollo said. Mr Mosley, 21, allegedly did throw or place his son into a lake, inflicting mortal wounds that caused the childs death, according to the affidavit. Theo Brickhouse-Sails, who is the great-aunt of Jeffery, said she felt something was wrong when the calls ended up in voicemail. And nobody answered. And just kept going to voicemail, and my gut told me something was wrong, she told WFLA. Ms Brickhouse-Sails drove to St Petersburg and knocked on her great-niece's door, only to find a trail of blood leading from the door to the car outside. "I would have never, in a million years, when this week started, ever thought that something like this would happen, she said. "We were supposed to have taken Taylen Saturday." Ms Brickhouse-Sails said she wants people to remember the mother and son as "two kids who absolutely loved each other". Adjusting without them in life is going to be hard. Ms Brickhouse-Sails said the family is trying to move forward now, and appreciate all the love they have received from people. I feel like the community has wrapped their arms around us, she added. Chicago voters on Tuesday elected far-left activist and teachers-union lobbyist Brandon Johnson to be the next mayor of the nations third-largest city. The Associated Press called the race for Johnson just after 9:30 p.m. in Chicago. With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Johnson won 284,108 votes, or 51.5 percent. He defeated Paul Vallas, a more moderate Democrat, who won 268,115 voters, or 48.6 percent. You know, they said this would never happen, Johnson said during a raucous victory party Tuesday night. To the Chicagoans who did not vote for me, heres what I want you to know that I care about you, that I value you. I want to hear from you. I want to work with you. And Ill be the mayor for you, too, he said. This campaign has always been about building a better, stronger, safer Chicago for all the people of Chicago. Chicago for the People! https://t.co/hmJlDj8M52 Brandon Johnson (@Brandon4Chicago) April 5, 2023 Johnson called Chicago a world-class city with natural beauty that has repeatedly been the conscience of the nation. He said he is part of a multicultural, multigenerational movement that is literally capturing the imagination of not just the city of Chicago, but the rest of the world. Lets take this bold progressive movement around these United States of America, he said. Chicago, we can show the country, we can show the world whats possible when we stand on our values. The race was tight for much of the evening. Vallas had an early lead, but Johnson eventually overtook him, and his margin continued to expand as more precincts reported. Vallas conceded late Tuesday. I called Brandon Johnson a short time ago to congratulate him on winning this election. Its critically important that we all come together now and work collaboratively to move our city forward. I thank my supporters and team, and especially my family. Thank you, Chicago. Paul Vallas (@PaulVallas) April 5, 2023 Johnson, 47, is a Cook County commissioner, a former social studies teacher, and a paid lobbyist for the radical Chicago Teachers Union. He ran as a decidedly far-left activist, and was backed by Bernie Sanders and the Democratic Socialists of America. Story continues Johnson campaigned on promoting racial justice and uplifting the working class. He is an opponent of charter schools. In order to pay for a variety of new social programs, he has called for increased taxes on large corporations, wealthy residents, and suburbanites who visit the city. During his campaign, Johnson promised $1 billion in new spending. In recent years, Chicago has been plagued by rising crime, which has contributed to residents fleeing the city and hollowing out of the downtown area. Crime was a focus of the campaign. While Vallas ran as a law-and-order Democrat who called for hiring hundreds of new police officers, Johnson campaigned on tackling crime by focusing on what he deems to be its root causes: poorly funded schools, not enough good jobs, lack of affordable housing, and insufficient investments in mental-health care. In 2020, Johnson was an outspoken advocate of the defund-the-police movement, saying in a radio interview, I dont look at it as a slogan. Its an actual, real political goal. Johnson has tried to walk that back a bit as the defund movement increasingly became a drag on Democrats. But he still does not want to increase police funding or ramp up hiring. Spending more on policing per capita . . . has been a failure, he said at a news conference. Instead, Johnson prioritized training and promoting new detectives and hiring more social workers to respond to people suffering from mental-health crises. During the campaign, he accused Vallas of being too conservative, and a Republican in disguise. While Vallas won a plurality of votes in the all-party primary in February, Johnson was a surprise second-place finisher, winning about 20 percent of the vote. He advanced to the runoff election by building a coalition of progressive whites and Hispanics, and peeling off enough black voters from incumbent mayor Lori Lightfoot, who came in third in the primary. More from National Review The Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into the fatal police shooting of 17-year-old Dalaneo Martin in Northeast D.C., the U.S. Attorney's Office announced. The probe comes one day after U.S. Park Police (USPP) released body cam footage of the March 18 shooting, which the U.S. Attorney's Office described as "extremely upsetting." "The loss of a life is always tragic but is especially heartbreaking when it involves a child," the U.S. Attorney's Office in D.C. said in a statement. On the morning of March 18, Metropolitan Police received a call of a suspicious vehicle, the USPP said. When officers arrived they determined the car was stolen and called for assistance from U.S. Park Police. When USPP officers arrived, they found Martin asleep in the driver's seat with the ignition punched, USPP said. Body cam footage shows one of the officers jumping into the backseat of the vehicle and yelling, "Police, don't move!" before the car suddenly accelerates with one USPP officer inside and another being dragged outside the vehicle. The body cam footage of the officer inside the car captured him telling Martin to stop while grabbing at him. Martin is seen pushing the officer off, saying, "Get off of me." The officer then pulls out his gun and yells: "Stop man, just let me out. Let me go!" before warning Martin: "Stop! stop or I'll shoot!" The car continues to accelerate and the officer fires several rounds at Martin before the vehicle crashes into a house, footage shows. No one in the home was injured, USPP said. Body cam footage also captured officers rendering aid to Martin, who ultimately died on the scene, USPP said. Martin's mother said Wednesday that the medical examiner told her Martin had been shot six times and that he had died instantly. Both U.S Park Police officers were taken to a local hospital for treatment, according to the USPP. Story continues Police later recovered a gun from inside the vehicle, USPP said. "This pain hurts so bad," Martin's mother said Wednesday at a press conference. "I just want justice for my son. And I need the officer to be locked up. All of them that played a role." Cash App founder fatally stabbed in San Francisco Tornado kills at least 5 in Missouri Pence wont appeal order to testify in Trump special counsel probe Read the full article on Motorious And for good measure, he bought two for himself An anonymous father of six visited Bugattis headquarters in France recently, taking delivery of eight cars. Thats right, the man got two for himself (or maybe one for the wife) and a car for each of his children. Even Jay Leno would admit thats insane. Watch our interview with a car detailer here. Apparently, the unnamed customer not only bought a Bugatti for each kid, they all accompanied him on the trip to Molsheim, France to take delivery. That sounds like a pretty swanky trip to us. The father bought for himself a Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+, a model created to commemorate Bugatti breaking the 300 mph street car speed. With just 30 made, these more aerodynamic versions of the French hypercar are quite collectable. As if that isnt enough, the unnamed father also bought a Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse World Record Edition. If you thought the other model was rare, only 8 of these were ever made. Back in 2013 one of them set the record for the worlds fastest production car, hitting 254.05 mph. It was also the worlds fastest production convertible at the time. So you must be wondering what kind of Bugattis this man bought for his children? Well, since none of them are old enough to drive yet, he went with the Baby II for all six. A tribute to the classic Bugatti Baby, a creation Ettore Bugatti gifted to his youngest son Roland, theyre a 75% scale, fully-electric recreation of the Bugatti Type 35. We think these kids are super lucky. And if you think these smaller cars were cheap, well theyre not as expensive as a Chiron, know they start at $40,000. The man bought 6 of these, but we think it wasnt that much money relative to his financial means. The kids opted to get their Bugatti Baby IIs in different colors: Orange, Yellow, White, Green, Red, and Blue. That makes telling which one belongs to each kid pretty simple. Sign up for the Motorious Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Tanner Cook, who runs the YouTube page "Classified Goons," poses for a photograph. Jeramy Cook A YouTuber was shot in the abdomen while recording a prank video at a Virginia mall on Sunday. His father told Insider that he has received messages telling him that his son deserved to be shot. The father said he had to deal with hate mail while his son was still in a hospital recovering. The father of a 21-year-old YouTube prankster who was shot while recording a practical joke video on Sunday said he has been inundated with abuse online. Jeramy Cook, the father of Tanner Cook of the YouTube page Classified Goons, told Insider that he has received private messages on Facebook from people saying that his son deserved to be shot, as well as a barrage of hate-filled comments. "My son is in the hospital from being shot and we are getting all this hate mail," he said. The elder Cook provided screenshots of private messages he and his family members received in the aftermath of the shooting, one of which included threatening language. The message said: "Your son deserved to be shot because he was harassing and assaulting others in public... Your son is not a victim." "Your son fucked around and found out. There's millions of us out there, you don't mess with us," the person said. Cook also received around two dozen comments suggesting that his son deserved to be shot on a Facebook post he shared on Sunday. The post asked friends and family to pray for his son, who is currently recovering in a hospital from surgery to remove his gallbladder. One comment said: "Sounds like it was self defense and he got what he deserved. He might not be so lucky next time." Several comments referenced the prankster's past videos, accusing the younger Cook of a pattern of harassing strangers for his YouTube content. In some of his YouTube videos, where he has almost 40,000 subscribers, Tanner can be seen going behind the counter at a fast-food restaurant, trailing strangers in stores, and pretending to vomit on Uber drivers. The elder Cook said he agrees that the prank videos could be viewed by some as a "form of harassment," but added that his son is ultimately a "good kid" who wasn't trying to hurt anyone. Story continues He also said that he struggled to understand how people could try to justify shooting somebody for taking a prank badly. "It's just nasty and terrible," he said. Read the original article on Insider The following contains spoilers from the April 4 FBI crossover event. As CBS 3-way FBI crossover event drew to a close, not only did Special Agent Stuart Scola help save thousands of New Yorkers lives (though not with any bomb-defusing skills!), he may have gotten a life partner out of the deal. More from TVLine In the crossovers opening hour (the FBI: International episode), Nina Chase (played by FBIs Shantel Van Santen) got shot while helping the Fly Team storm a house in Italy where some terrorists were holding up. Jubal (Jeremy Sisto) had to race back to New York to continue investigating the looming threat, so he asked Forrester (Luke Kleintank) to stay with hospitalized, pregnant Nina, whose condition was extremely touch-and-go. In the second hour (the FBI episode), Jubal and Isobel (Alana De La Garza) made the difficult but prudent decision to not tell Scola about Nina being shot, seeing as he was busy navigating an already precarious undercover assignment. Alas, in the course of said UC work, Scola got wind of an FBI agent being gunned down in Italy. Forrester, unaware that Jubal was keeping his team in the dark, confirmed Scolas worst fears in a phone call. When Scola learns that Nina was shot. the first thing that goes through his mind is the way that he finds it out is such a betrayal, FBIs John Boyd tells TVLine. Its absolutely not OK. Yet, Jubal and Isobel did have a point. What do Scolas higher-ups have to do, what decision to they have to make, in order to save thousands of lives? recounts Boyd. And thats a tough thing to hear, that its not about you. Still, that made Scolas bosses no less a target for his seething anger. He cant be there [for Nina in Italy], theres nothing he can do, so the only thing he can respond to is the people that kept it from him, says Boyd. That really sets him off. Story continues FBi Scola Nina At the end of the third hour (the FBI: Most Wanted episode) after the planned bombing of the John F. Kennedy International Airport was averted Scola made tracks for Rome and reunited with Nina at her hospital bedside. How do you feel? he asked the stabilized patient. Ive been better. What about the baby? Is he OK? I think so, Nina said, placing Scolas palm on her bump. Felt him kicking. Scola then looked intently at Nina, and with three not-so-little words encapsulated all that he had been feeling, so far away and helpless. I love you. I love you, too, Nina replied back, through tears. A lot. Reflecting on the couples first ILYs, Boyd affirms that Ninas brush with death put them in a situation that is catastrophic, and people grow closer from that. Moving forward, It deepens their relationship a great deal, he adds, and hopefully they make a decision to be together and to love one another. What did you think of the Nina scare, and the crossover as a whole? Best of TVLine Get more from TVLine.com : Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , Newsletter Click here to read the full article. Federal regulators have decided to authorize a second omicron-specific coronavirus vaccine booster shot for people who are at least 65 or have weak immune systems - an effort to provide additional protection to high-risk individuals, according to several officials familiar with the plan. The Food and Drug Administration is expected to announce the step in the next few weeks, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to move quickly to endorse it, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss internal discussions. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. Eligible individuals will be able to receive the dose as long as it is at least four months since their first shot of what's known as the bivalent booster, which targets omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 as well as the original novel coronavirus. The expectation is that consumers will consult with their health-care providers about whether to get the extra booster, the officials said. The FDA's policy change will be "permissive" - people may get the shot but will not be told they should get it, the officials said. It's not clear whether the CDC's vaccine advisory committee would meet to discuss the change before CDC Director Rochelle Walensky makes a final recommendation. Doctors and other experts have expressed mixed views about a second bivalent booster. Some say there is little data to justify it, while others argue it would benefit high-risk individuals who received their first omicron-targeting shot last fall and probably have reduced protection as the effects fade. Some anxious patients have been "really clamoring" for a second omicron booster, said Camille Kotton, clinical director for transplant and immunocompromised host infectious diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. At a recent meeting of the CDC vaccine advisory panel, she said she would support allowing additional booster doses for high-risk groups, especially for the most significantly immunocompromised patients. Story continues Jamie Loehr, a family medicine doctor in Ithaca, N.Y., who is also a member of the vaccine advisory panel, said there is evidence that older people and those with weak immune systems don't produce especially robust responses to vaccines in general, and to the coronavirus vaccine in particular. It would seem reasonable to give them more frequent boosters, he wrote in an email, but he wants to see data before deciding whether he would support a more frequent booster for these groups. John P. Moore, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, said an extra booster could benefit people who are in poor health or have an impaired immune system. But he was skeptical everyone older than 65 needs it. Boosters lead to "a short-term boost against mild infection but protection against severe disease is still pretty robust" because of previous shots, he said. Moore said it is a mistake to think "everyone over a certain age is in the same health bracket," when in fact health status varies widely. He said he is older than 65 and healthy - and "not giving a moment's thought about getting another booster, though I might next winter if infections tick up." Administration officials acknowledge there is not extensive data on the bivalent vaccine, which was first authorized in August. But they said real-world data and smaller studies are consistent with large studies on the original vaccine showing that its protection against symptomatic infection fades after several months. In addition, unpublished data presented at the CDC's vaccine advisory panel meeting in February confirmed earlier real-world reports that bivalent vaccines are providing protection against serious illness - emergency room visits and hospitalizations - in adults, compared with people who received previous doses of the original vaccine and no omicron-targeting dose. Other studies also suggest older people might be better shielded from serious illness with an additional booster, the officials said. They noted they are not advocating the second omicron booster for young people, who might experience rare heart-related side effects. The Wall Street Journal and NPR previously reported that the FDA was considering a second bivalent booster for high-risk groups. Only about 42 percent of people 65 and older have received the first bivalent booster dose, according to the CDC. A second booster will not affect the FDA's plan to move to a once-a-year coronavirus vaccine booster for most Americans - a strategy announced by the agency in January, the officials said. This summer, the agency and its advisers will select a retooled formula for an updated vaccine to be deployed during a campaign planned for next fall. The formula will be based on which coronavirus strain scientists think will be circulating in the fall and winter. In a statement, the FDA said: "We continue to closely monitor the emerging data in the United States and globally, and we will base any decision on additional updated boosters upon those data. Importantly, individuals who have not yet received an updated (bivalent) booster are encouraged to speak with their health care provider and consider receiving one." The updated shot will be free of charge, regardless of someone's insurance coverage, because the government has an ample supply of boosters. Even after the federal supply of vaccines is gone, shots will continue to be free of charge to most people with private and public health insurance. But once federally purchased doses are depleted, uninsured and underinsured adults may have to pay, and privately insured people may need to confirm their provider is in-network, according to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and professor of pediatrics and molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, said he is a strong proponent of making a second omicron-targeting booster available for everyone 50 and older. Michael T. Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, agreed, saying a second booster would provide an additional tool for people who have been conscientious about reducing their risks of contracting covid. An omicron subvariant, XBB.1.5, now accounts for almost 90 percent of the cases in the United States, according to the CDC. - - - The Washington Post's Dan Diamond contributed to this report. Related Content Inside Colombia's most powerful drug trafficking group - and its case for peace Trump indictment follows 50 years of investigation on many fronts How big is Trump's true-believer base? Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents arrested a Delray Beach for allegedly defrauding Pensacola residents while working with a local bank. Johnathan Toriana Coleman Jr., 28, is charged with bank fraud, grand theft and organized fraud after an FDLE investigation uncovered he used his position with a Pensacola-area credit union to provide customer information to a third party that would initiate unauthorized transfers, an FDLE release said. "Agents discovered that Coleman helped defraud 38 account holders out of a total of $357,491," the FDLE news release stated, "and that, within three days of each illegal transfer made by the third party, Coleman received payments from the third party totaling nearly $30,000." In case you missed it: Pensacola contractor Matt Banks indicted for racketeering; faces up to 95 years in prison FDLE agents from the Miami Regional Operations Center and Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputies arrested Coleman Tuesday. Coleman was booked into Palm Beach County Jail Wednesday, but posted his $115,000 bond the same day. He will be extradited to Escambia County, and his case will be tried in the First Judicial Circuit. This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: FDLE: Johnathan Coleman defrauded Pensacola bank accounts of $350,000 Ignatiev/Getty Images FBI agents busted into a Boston hotel room and interrogated the wrong man during a training exercise. The man was a Delta Airlines pilot, not the intended role player, sources told local outlet WBZ News. The agents handcuffed the confused man and questioned him for nearly an hour before realizing their mistake. FBI agents and US Army special operators busted into the wrong hotel room during a training exercise this week, where they handcuffed and interrogated a pilot for nearly an hour before realizing he was the wrong person. At around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, agents from the FBI's Boston office were helping the Defense Department conduct a training exercise at a hotel in the city, the FBI told Insider in a statement. The agents were "mistakenly sent to the wrong room" where they detained an individual who was not the "intended role player." According to CBS Boston, which first reported on the incident, the agents initially banged on the door. When a confused man opened it, they handcuffed him, put him in the shower, and interrogated him for more than 45 minutes. After the agents discovered they had made a mistake, they apologized to the man, who turned out to be a Delta Airlines pilot who was just trying to get some sleep. There were no injuries, the FBI said. A US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) spokesperson told Insider that its members were carrying out "essential military training" that's supposed to "enhance soldiers' skills to operate in realistic and unfamiliar environments." They added that the team "unfortunately" entered the wrong room. Neither USASOC, nor the FBI, revealed how, exactly, the training team was sent to the wrong room and ended up detained someone who was uninvolved with the training. The Boston Police Department was called to the hotel which was named in a police report as the Revere Hotel where they confirmed the incident was just a training exercise, the USASOC spokesperson told Insider. It added that "we'd like to extend our deepest apologies to the individual who was affected by the training exercise." Story continues "Safety is always a priority of the FBI, and our law enforcement partners, and we take these incidents very seriously," the FBI said in its statement. "The Boston Division is reviewing the incident with [the Department of Defense] for further action as deemed appropriate." Delta Airlines told Insider, "We are looking into reports of an alleged incident in Boston that may involve Delta people. We have nothing further to share at this time other than to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of our people." The Revere Hotel did not immediately provide Insider with additional information about what happened. The Department of Defense said it "routinely conducts training exercises with law enforcement agencies" but declined to comment further. Read the original article on Insider Department of Defense agents mistakenly detained a Delta pilot during a training exercise mishap at a hotel in Boston on Tuesday night, authorities and sources said. The DOD agents were conducting a role-playing operation with the assistance of the FBI Boston Division when they broke into the wrong room at the Revere Hotel on Stuart Street around 10 p.m., according to a Boston police report. A Boston Police dispatcher made the call early Wednesday morning. Sir, bear with me on this one. Can you swing by the Revere Hotel, 200 Stuart Street? Security called in saying 45 minutes ago, two Delta pilots had people claiming to be FBI Agents barge into their room and handcuff them to the bathroom. And theyve since left and want to file a report now. In a statement, a spokesperson for FBI Boston said, Based on inaccurate information, they were mistakenly sent to the wrong room and detained an individual, not the intended role player. Boston officers were called to the scene to confirm that the incident was indeed a training exercise, FBI Boston noted. There were no reported injuries during the mishap. A Department of Defense official said the department apologizes to the person affected by the training exercise. The training was meant to enhance soldiers skills to operate in realistic and unfamiliar environments. The training team, unfortunately, entered the wrong room and detained an individual unaffiliated with the exercise, Lt. Col. Mike Burns of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command said in a statement. Sources told 25 Investigates that the agents entered a room that two Delta pilots were staying in, and one pilot was handcuffed in the bathroom for about 45 minutes. After the incident, sources said the pilots went the hotels front desk and had workers called Boston police. Boston 25 News obtained the dispatch call: Sir bear with me on this one. Can you swing by the revere hotel, 200 Stuart Street? Security called in saying 45 minutes ago, two Delta pilots had people claiming to be FBI agents barge into their room and handcuff them to the bathroom. And theyve since left and want to file a report now. Story continues A spokesman for Delta Air Lines said the airline was looking to see if anyone from the airline might have been mistakenly caught up in it. We are looking into reports of an alleged incident in Boston that may involve Delta people, the spokesperson said in a written statement. We have nothing further to share at this time other than to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of our people. Boston Mayor Michele Wu expressed concern Thursday. It is just shocking and quite disturbing to learn that this had happened, Mayor Wu said. Its surprising that a mistake was made that they went to the wrong room. Boston 25 News Security Analyst Dan Linskey explained there is a system in place to make sure errors like this dont occur. Somewhere along the line there should have been a check and balance to make sure that this could not happen, said Linskey. Youve got to have this scenario written, theres got to be a safety officer thats involved in these procedures and their job is to make sure these types of things dont happen, and somebody definitely dropped the ball. The FBI also called safety a priority for the agency and its law enforcement partners. We take these incidents very seriously, the FBI statement added. The Boston Division is reviewing the incident with DOD for further action as deemed appropriate. FBI Boston is reviewing the incident with the Department of Defense. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Federal agents conducting a training exercise at a Boston hotel broke into the wrong room and detained an innocent bystander, the FBI confirmed Wednesday. The FBI said its Boston division was "assisting" the Department of Defense in conducting a training exercise around 10 p.m. Tuesday. "Based on inaccurate information, they were mistakenly sent to the wrong room and detained an individual, not the intended role player," the FBI said in a statement. "Thankfully nobody was injured." According to CBS Boston, the man who was erroneously detained was a Delta Air Lines pilot. Agents handcuffed him, interrogated him and put him in the room's shower, sources told CBS Boston's I-Team. CBS Boston reported the man was handcuffed for more than 45 minutes before the agents realized their mistake. The FBI said that the Boston Police Department was called in to confirm that a training exercise was taking place. "Safety is always a priority of the FBI, and our law enforcement partners, and we take these incidents very seriously," the FBI said. "The Boston Division is reviewing the incident with DOD for further action as deemed appropriate." Millions could lose Medicaid as pandemic protections expire How Wisconsin's new liberal supreme court could rule on abortion rights, redistricting Cash App founder fatally stabbed in San Francisco Actress Nadina Hassan was in a lot of different cliques in high school, having friends in sports, the choir and other groups that may not typically mix in stereotypical portrayals. But over the last 18 months, she has enjoyed an unexpected ride as Queen Bee of a suburban Chicago high school while playing Regina George in the national tour of the musical Mean Girls. Im probably the most unlike my character of anyone, at least I hope so, she said in a telephone interview from Tuscon, Arizona, where the musical was being presented before the production begins its final four stops with a week-long engagement in Sarasota at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall beginning April 11, followed by a week at Artis-Naples April 18-23. Arts Newsletter: Sign up to receive the latest news on the Sarasota area arts scene every Monday Theater, music, dance, art and more: 45-plus arts events to see and hear in April in Sarasota-Manatee area Sarasota gets its shot at Hamilton: Broadway hit headlines Van Wezel season Nadina Hassan, center, as Regina George, with, from left, English Bernhardt, Jasmine Rogers and Morgan Ashley Bryant in a scene from the national tour of the musical "Mean Girls." Regina is the leader of a group of friends known as the Plastics, a trio of young women who determine who is popular, what fashions others should wear and even, in one case, what to say. One of the friends tries to get the phrase Its so fetch (a shortened version of fetching or charming) to catch on. For their own reasons, Regina and her group decide to take a school newcomer, Cady Heron, under their wing, helping elevate her from outcast to popular girl, before Cady and her other friends turn the tables. Cady has just moved to the area with her family after living in Kenya and she isnt used to high school social norms. The musical is based on Tina Feys hit 2004 movie that starred Lindsay Lohan as Cady and Rachel McAdams as Regina. Fey wrote the book to the musical, which features a score by her husband, Jeff Richmond, and lyrics by Neil Benjamin. It is directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw, who also staged this seasons touring production of Disneys Aladdin. Story continues Mean Girls became an instant hit on Broadway when it opened in 2018, and ran for two years before the pandemic forced theaters to shut down. In the show, Regina is aided by her most loyal cohorts, Gretchen Wieners and Karen Smith. Classics and new works: See what's coming to Sarasota's Asolo Rep with its 2023-24 lineup Continuing growth: Troy Quinn adds another five years as music director of Venice Symphony Brendan Ragan: Urbanite Theatre co-founder departing for new position in Chicago area Nadina Hassan, center, and ensemble members from the musical Mean Girls. Hassan initially saw herself more as Gretchen and worked on that material. I never saw myself in this role. I never thought Id get the opportunity to do this. I was shocked but so excited that they saw that in me. Better yet, she said, all three of the Plastics Jasmine Rogers as Gretchen and Morgan Ashley Bryant as Karen are played for the first time by actors of color. English Bernhardt stars as Cady, with Lindsay Heather Pearce and Eric Huffman as her good friends Janis and Damian, and Adante Carter as the romantic interest, Aaron Samuels. It means so much to all three of us, Hassan said of the casting. Its so important. We get messages from young people, older people, people of color who are so touched that we are carrying these iconic characters of pop culture. Hassan said the three actors often talk about a moment in the show where they form a triangle and power walk down the stage and how touched and choked up we get when we do it. Its such a powerful moment for these women of color to be commanding the stage, taking up the presence as rulers of the school. It feels so powerful for us to play something that we didnt get to see as kids. Mean Girls Book by Tina Fey, music by Jeff Richmond, lyrics by Nell Benjamin. Directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw. Runs April 11-16, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Tickets are $47-$122. 941-263-6799; vanwezel.org Follow Jay Handelman on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Contact him at jay.handelman@heraldtribune.com. And please support local journalism by subscribing to the Herald-Tribune. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: High school power cliques upended in Mean Girls musical at Van Wezel WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) In her final speech to New Zealand's Parliament on Wednesday, Jacinda Ardern described in emotional terms how she'd navigated a pandemic and a mass-shooting during her tumultuous five-year tenure as prime minister. She also told humorous anecdotes like how a European leader so admired the striking hair of Ardern's chief-of-staff that he fluffed it like a hairdresser which she joked had helped secure a free-trade deal and how her mother once sent her a uplifting, if somewhat grandiose, message: Remember, even Jesus had people who didnt like him. On a more serious note, she urged lawmakers to take the politics out of climate change. There will always be policy differences," Ardern said during her valedictory address, wearing a traditional Maori cloak called a korowai. "But beneath that, we have what we need to make the progress we must." When Ardern finished speaking after about 35 minutes, she she was greeted with a standing ovation by lawmakers from across the political spectrum and rousing renditions of several Indigenous Maori songs. A global icon of the left and an inspiration to women around the world, Ardern in January stepped down as prime minister, saying, I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It is that simple." But she stayed on as a lawmaker until April to avoid triggering a special election ahead of the nations general elections in October. Later this month, Ardern will begin a new, unpaid role combating online extremism as Special Envoy for the Christchurch Call. It's an initiative she started with French President Emmanuel Macron in May 2019, two months after a white supremacist gunman killed 51 people at two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch. She has also announced she's joining the board of trustees for The Earthshot Prize, an environmental charity started by Britains Prince William. Ardern said she entered politics based on her convictions but got used to her tenure being defined by a different list. Story continues A domestic terror attack. A volcanic eruption. A pandemic. A series of events where I found myself in peoples lives during their most grief-stricken or traumatic moments, she said. Their stories and faces remain etched in my mind, and likely will forever. She also described how she and fiance Clarke Gayford thought they couldn't have children after a failed round of IVF. Rather than process that, I campaigned to become prime minister, she joked. A rather good distraction as far as they go. Imagine my surprise when a couple of months later, I discovered I was pregnant. Ardern became just the second elected world leader to give birth while holding office after she and Gayford had daughter Neve in 2018. Ardern described how she'd approached the COVID-19 pandemic on a scientific basis and how New Zealand had fared best among developed nations when measuring excess mortality. She said she once tried to argue with a lone protester about a false conspiracy theory. But after many of these same experiences, and seeing the rage that often sat behind these conspiracies, I had to accept I was wrong, she said. I could not single-handedly pull someone out of a rabbit hole. Ardern said she worried that during the pandemic, the nation had lost a sense of security, and the ability to engage in robust debate in a respectful way. She also described how she never thought she was meant to have the role of prime minister, and how it came about through a surprising chain of events. While she couldn't control how her tenure would be defined by others, Ardern said, she hoped it had demonstrated something else. That you can be anxious, sensitive, kind and wear your heart on your sleeve, she said. "You can be a mother, or not, you can be an ex-Mormon, or not, you can be a nerd, a crier, a hugger, you can be all of these things, and not only can you be here, you can lead, just like me. BRUSSELS (AP) As Finland joined NATO this week, casting aside a history of military nonalignment, a small but noisy group of Ukraine supporters outside the security fence at the alliances headquarters used a loudspeaker system to chant Ukraine needs NATO, Ukraine in NATO, and Ukraine needs fighter jets. Russias war on Ukraine has driven Finland into NATOs ranks to benefit from its security guarantee that an attack on any one of the now-31 member countries will be met with a response from them all. Sweden, Bosnia, Georgia and most urgently Ukraine, want in, too. At their summit in Lithuania on July 11-12, U.S. President Joe Biden and his counterparts want to offer Ukraine something more, something stronger, in line with President Volodymyr Zelenskyys expectations more than a year into a war that has killed tens of thousands and driven millions from their homes. The question, NATO diplomats say, is: What, exactly? The problem is simple. Most of NATOs bigger member nations believe that a country should not be brought into the fold while it is fighting a war. What Ukraine would join? What would its borders look like? Would Zelenskyy agree to join without the occupied Crimea and Donbas? Some countries, closer to Russias borders and all too aware of their own troubled histories with their giant neighbor, would back Ukraines membership application now. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who walks a wobbly plank as he attempts to speak for 31 allies with diverse positions that only take decisions unanimously, says the equation is simple: There is no point in talking about joining if Russia takes Ukraine. Ukraine will become a member of the alliance, Stoltenberg told reporters on Tuesday. At the same time, we all realize that to make any meaningful progress on this issue, the first step is to ensure that Ukraine prevails as a sovereign, independent nation. According to the organization's estimates, NATO and its allies have delivered close to 150 billion euros ($164 billion) in support to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022. That ranges from financial backing to field assistance including generators, fuel, tents and medical aid. Story continues Some of the members, bilaterally or in groups, have supplied around 65 billion euros' ($71 billion) worth of military equipment: air defense systems, anti-tank weapons, artillery shells and tanks. Poland and Slovakia have even agreed to send Soviet-era jets that Ukrainian pilots are trained on. NATO, as an organization, does not provide weapons to Ukraine. Its a line the 31 allies refuse to cross together. They are wary of being drawn into a wider war with nuclear-armed Russia. Instead, they defend NATOs own borders, to dissuade President Vladimir Putin from expanding his war. The latest thinking is to better use a comprehensive assistance package set up for Ukraine in 2016, years before the war, to help the country provide for its own security and, according to the official description, to implement wide-ranging reforms based on NATO standards, Euro-Atlantic principles and best practices. The idea is to create a fund that could, according to diplomats, total around 500 million euros ($548 million) and would run for about 10 years. Almost 200 million euros is believed to have been pledged so far. The amount seems small in comparison with other support, but it specifically targets reforms to help Ukraine help itself. Stoltenberg has been hesitant about publicly stating a figure or a time frame. Doing so could create expectations in Kyiv that the allies might not ultimately be able to meet. I think we will have a substantial amount of money and also commitment to support for many years, he said, but added: I think Ill be careful going into this specific announcement. Barring any major surprises some unfathomable development in the war, or perhaps its end this package, and an official declaration of some kind appear to be the most that NATO leaders will be able to offer Ukraine when they meet in Vilnius in July. As things stand, Swedens membership bid could have more luck by then. Seeking the same protection as Finland, Sweden also applied to join NATO last May, but its path has been temporarily blocked by Turkey. Publicly, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Sweden must do more to crack down on extremists primarily pro-Kurdish groups. Privately, NATO diplomats think the problem will be solved in a couple of months. Turkey is in campaign mode for May elections. The sense at NATO is that this should all blow over once the elections have been held, in time for the summit. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine (Bloomberg) -- Finlands outgoing Prime Minister Sanna Marin will step down as the leader of her Social Democratic Party and abandon other leadership roles following the loss in parliamentary elections last weekend. Most Read from Bloomberg Marin announced her plan to step down as party chair in September and not seek a seat of Finlands next cabinet. Speaking to reporters in Helsinki on Wednesday, she also declined to consider candidacy in next years presidential election, but plans to return to parliament. These have been exceptionally difficult times, Marin said, ruling out a ministerial role if SDP joins a coalition government. I have to frankly admit that my own resilience and endurance capacity have been put to the test during these years. The 37-year-old millennial leader briefly the worlds youngest prime minister after taking the job in 2019 was defeated in Sundays vote by the pro-business National Coalition opposition group. With the anti-immigration Finns Party also winning stronger support than the Social Democrats, the vote highlighted concerns over a bloated budget and other domestic issues. Marin has been an unprecedented ambassador for her country, boosting its international visibility through her personal appeal as a progressive icon but also as a key figure in Finlands application to join NATO, which culminated in membership on Tuesday. Having added three seats compared to the Social Democrats showing four years earlier, Marin was under no pressure from her party to quit. Still, her stepping aside may make it easier for the party to potentially join a cabinet led by election winner Petteri Orpo, after shed made frequent jabs at Orpo during the campaigning. Story continues As head of a five-party cabinet led solely by women, she became wildly popular among millennials for her outspokenness and relatability. Marin frequently posted selfies and videos of herself exercising on Instagram, posed for Vogue and made global headlines after clips of her partying at a Helsinki nightclub went viral. Read more: Finnish Prime Ministers Stardom Fails to Clinch Election Win Marin is the third female head of government to step down in a short period of time, following in the footsteps of Jacinda Ardern in New Zealand and Nicola Sturgeon in Scotland. When Ardern announced in January she was stepping down as prime minister, saying she didnt have the energy or inspiration to seek re-election, it sparked a wave of global commentary about the abuse and threats female leaders are subjected to. It also put the spotlight on a wave of senior-level women leaving their jobs because of exhaustion. Sturgeon resigned as Scotlands first minister, citing burnout. The past years have been hard, also personally, Marin said, adding that she expects to be able to lead a more peaceful life as rank-and-file member of parliament. Some doors have to close for new ones to open. Marin helped steer Finland through the process of joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, one of the most significant foreign policy shifts in the countrys history. She drew 35,600 votes on Sundays election an 87% increase over her showing four years ago and second only to populist opponent Riikka Purra. National Coalitions leader Orpo, who is set to replace Marin as prime minister, is likely to start the government formation negotiations April 14 after the parliament convenes, he said on Tuesday, hoping to forge the coalition by the June 23 midsummer holiday. Orpo plans to ask all parties elected into parliament to join the first phase of talks on forming a new cabinet for the northernmost euro country. (Updates with details from second paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- With Finland officially in the alliance, NATOs top commander can now work the country into its military plans, which sketch out how to defend the blocs members against an attack. Most Read from Bloomberg But given Finlands extensive capabilities and practice defending its own territory, its unlikely at least for now that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will replicate defense structures on the rest of the eastern flank by stationing allied battle groups in the nation, according to officials familiar with the issue. NATO has already established eight multinational battle groups in Poland and the Baltic nations and more recently in Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania to serve as a tripwire in the case of a Russian attack. Those battle groups will also be able to scale up to brigade size, where and when required. Read More: Finland Joins NATO as Defense Alliance Expands Northward There are currently no plans to deploy a NATO battle group to Finland, a NATO official said, adding that NATOs supreme allied commander constantly assesses threats and could make that recommendation if deemed necessary. A senior US official also said Americans didnt expect to see a battle group in Finland and that the country hasnt made such a request. For years, we have developed our NATO compatibility. There is still considerable work ahead to integrate Finlands defense as part of NATOs common defense, President Sauli Niinisto said at Tuesdays accession ceremony. The Finnish defense forces are facing new demands and challenges to which we must respond. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier that Russia viewed NATO expansion as an encroachment on its security and that it would take countermeasures, according to the state news service Tass. Story continues Allocating Forces General Chris Cavoli, NATOs supreme allied commander for Europe, is currently drafting the alliances regional plans, which are due to be sent to allies this month and which will spell out where countries will need to allocate forces to defend the alliance. Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto wouldnt be drawn on the troop issue, signaling that will be discussed during defense planning. He noted Swedens pivotal role the reason why Finland wants its neighbor allowed in quickly. Its very difficult to make a defense plan for the Nordic countries without Sweden, Haavisto said. If you take Sweden out of the map, there is a hole, and if you look at our food security or maintenance of our economy, Sweden is the route to Finland. Finlands military, which can deploy 280,000 troops in wartime thanks to its conscription-based system, has long trained in defending its territory against attack and already has its own combat-ready battle groups in place, the NATO official said. Whats more likely is that Finland will contribute troops to the other existing battle groups, the official added. The professional force is relatively slim. Finland is bringing a slew of assets to the alliance. In addition to a long tradition of military intelligence with a strong understanding of Russia, the Nordic country has also invested in areas where the alliance needs to step up including artillery and munitions, the NATO official said. Still, Finland will need to invest to get its army and air force in shape to deploy abroad across the alliance, which will require logistics and sustainment forces along with training, the official added. --With assistance from Kati Pohjanpalo. (Updates with Finnish foreign minister from eighth paragraph) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- Finlands election winner, the pro-business National Coalition party, plans to ask all parties elected into parliament to join the first phase of talks on forming a new government for the northernmost euro country. Most Read from Bloomberg Petteri Orpo, who is set to replace Sanna Marin as prime minister, is likely to start the negotiations April 14 after the parliament convenes following Sundays general election, he told reporters in Helsinki on Tuesday. We will start the talks with all other parties and based on those discussions, invite certain parties to continue into the actual negotiations on forming a government and to find a coalition that is genuinely ready for change, Orpo said. The future governments policy program will be based on fostering sustainable economic growth and strengthening public finances, Orpo said. We want to make this a country that leaves no one behind. An indebted country cannot promise that. Asked whether its possible to forge a coalition by the June 23 midsummer holiday, Orpo said he hopes so, but that the priority is to create a functioning cabinet with a good policy program rather than rush into it. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Senior Chinese diplomat co-hosts high-level dialogue cooperation meeting Xinhua) 10:26, April 05, 2023 Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, co-hosts the Third Meeting of China-Indonesia High-level Dialogue Cooperation Mechanism with Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Indonesia's coordinator for cooperation with China and coordinating minister of maritime affairs and investment, in Beijing, capital of China, April 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao) BEIJING, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Tuesday co-hosted the Third Meeting of China-Indonesia High-level Dialogue Cooperation Mechanism with Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Indonesia's Coordinator for Cooperation with China and Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said China is ready to work with Indonesia to strengthen all-round strategic coordination, further deepen the new cooperation pattern covering politics, economy, culture and maritime affairs, and jointly promote the development of the two countries and the prosperity of the region. Noting this year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative, Wang said China is willing to work with Indonesia to advance cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative in the next stage. Wang called on both sides to strengthen cooperation in development financing, green economy and grain security, deepen maritime cooperation, and promote bilateral economic, trade and investment cooperation. China and Indonesia should also strengthen defense and law enforcement cooperation, increase personnel exchanges and deepen strategic mutual trust and people-to-people friendship, Wang added. When talking about the Global Civilization Initiative, Wang said China is ready to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations with Indonesia and encourage the governments, political parties, parliaments, localities and non-governmental forces of the two countries to play a positive role in enriching and improving the content and forms of inter-civilization dialogue. For his part, Luhut said Indonesia regards China as an important strategic partner and is willing to work with China to jointly build the Belt and Road with high quality, actively explore the Global Development Initiative and strengthen the sense of a community with a shared future. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) SOUTH BURLINGTON - First Lady Jill Biden arrived in Vermont on Executive One Foxtrot amid dark skies and rain but inside the hangar of Beta Technologies, her statements were are as luminous as the high gloss airplanes in the background behind her. "What you are doing in this community is the future of our workforce and how we grow our economy from the bottom up and the middle out. These aren't red ideas or blue ideas they're American ideas," she said to an audience of Vermont dignitaries, career and technical program representatives and Beta staff. First Lady Jill Biden waves to the media after getting off of Executive One Foxtrot and landing at Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport on April 5, 2023. Biden and U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona commended Vermont for its investment in career and technical education, providing free community college tuition through the Community College of Vermont, investing in clean energy businesses and electric vehicles. Kyle Clark, Beta CEO, and Gov. Phil Scott were both seen as models of what one can aspire to with a technical education and talked about the stigma surrounding that educational path and the need to break that idea. The first lady and secretary of education were in Vermont for a couple hours at the South Burlington airport promoting the president's Investing in America agenda, of which the Biden Education Pathway is a component. In addition to at least $850 million going toward local infrastructure, biotech and small business in Vermont, Biden said her husband's plan includes free high quality universal Pre-K, provides access to two years of affordable community college with the ability to go on to a four-year later if desired and connects to good-paying jobs in emerging industries. First Lady Jill Biden, center, talks to a couple interns and CEO Kyle Clark of BETA Technologies. She was joined by Governor Phil Scott and U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona on April 5, 2023. 'Investing in education is about investing in America' The two met with a couple of Beta interns, one of which was a high school senior taking college courses in addition to interning at the electric aerospace company. Three students from North Country Career Center in Newport told the guests about developing skills working on electric vehicles. Both Biden and Cardona, in particular, seemed interested to learn from the students and taking those approaches to education back to Washington. Story continues "With dual enrollments, shadowing programs and paid internships, high school students are getting experience and credentials that will give them a jumpstart on college or career," Biden said. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona speaks about the importance of investing in career-focused education before Vermonters at Beta Technologies in South Burlington on April 5, 2023. "Investing in education is about investing in America," Cordona said. He said when we show kids they have a bright future right where the are and they don't have to move and we invest in our communities and in our states, we invest in America. There is an invisible wall between the workforce, higher education institutions and K-12 that has allowed hundreds of thousands of high school students to graduate with no pathway to rewarding careers, Cardona said. In the next four years 70% of jobs will require some form of post-secondary education or credential and that community colleges have a proven track record of providing pathways to great jobs and higher wages, he said. "There's a tsunami of well paying jobs coming. We need to make sure this generation of students is prepared to ride that wave," he said. First Lady Jill Biden addresses the audience inside the BETA Technologies hangar in front of an electric aircraft positioned in the background at Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport on April 5, 2023. She is joined by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, right, to talk about career-focused education and President Biden's Investing in America agenda. Vermont Governor Phil Scott is pictured right. Scott: 'Prioritize progress over politics' Scott described growing up a gear head with his foot in two worlds between his college courses and vocational program and feeling as if he never truly fit in either. He said we need to make real effort to reduce the stigma around career and technical education and trades training because there are great careers for talented, hard-working kids. "Our job is to make these educational paths easy to find, interesting to explore and rewarding to pursue." Scott acknowledged that he, a Republican governor, was aligning with the Democratic president and first lady on these issues and how partisan politics had become polarizing, impeding progress. "In my experience, pure down and dirty partisan politics has never contributed to real solutions, not once," Scott said. "Today is a reminder that we can and we should prioritize progress over politics especially on issues where the majority of Americans agree like the importance of investments in infrastructure, on trades and technical education and on equal economic opportunities from region to region." First Lady Jill Biden talks with BETA Technologies CEO Kyle Clark and a couple of BETA interns as well as Governor Phil Scott as they stand in front of one of BETA's electric aircraft on April 5, 2023. Many of the same ideas were echoed in speeches from Sen. Peter Welch, Rep. Becca Balint, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger and Jane Sanders wife to Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., with previous roles in higher education leadership and a friend of Jill Biden's. Many high school students don't know how to get from earning their diplomas to earning a living, Biden said. "Just look around us right now. The students who are with us today are learning what it takes to design airplanes and maintain electric vehicles." Contact reporter April Barton at abarton@freepressmedia.com or 802-660-1854. Follow her on Twitter @aprildbarton. This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: First Lady Jill Biden and U.S. education secretary visit Vermont U.S. First Lady Jill Biden will attend the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla next month, the White House confirmed. President Joe Biden told King Charles III during a call yesterday that Dr. Biden looks forward to attending on behalf of the United States. Per the White House, during the call, the President emphasized "the strength of the relationship between our countries and the friendship between our peoples." He also "conveyed his desire to meet with the King in the United Kingdom at a future date." No sitting U.S. president has ever attended a coronation, so it makes sense that President Biden will not be in attendance. At the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, too, sent a delegation instead of attending, which was led by George C. Marshall, Army Chief of Staff during World War II, former Secretary of State, and former Secretary of Defense. Christopher Furlong - Getty Images Last year, President Biden and the First Lady attended the funeral of Queen Elizabeth. At the time, the Bidens said in a statement, "Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was more than a monarch. She defined an era. In a world of constant change, she was a steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons, including many who have never known their country without her. An enduring admiration for Queen Elizabeth II united people across the Commonwealth. The seven decades of her history-making reign bore witness to an age of unprecedented human advancement and the forward march of human dignity." You Might Also Like First lady Jill Biden will represent the United States next month in London at the coronation of King Charles III -- and while President Joe Biden won't attend, history shows that it's not a snub of the new monarch. Since the nation's founding on independence from the U.K., no American president has ever attended one of their royal coronations. MORE: Palace releases official coronation invitation with new photo of King Charles III and Queen Camilla As National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby noted on Wednesday: "There is a precedent here for the president not to go, and then you know, President Eisenhower didn't attend Queen Elizabeth's coronation either." PHOTO: President Joe Biden and Jill Biden arrive for the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey on Sept. 19, 2022 in London. (Geoff Pugh/Pool via Getty Images, FILE) Joe Biden did speak with Charles on Tuesday, according to the White House, and congratulated him on the upcoming event while "underscoring the strength of the relationship between our countries and the friendship between our peoples." The president also told the king that he wanted to meet with him in the United Kingdom "at a future date," the White House said. MORE: Queen Elizabeth II's life through the years White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said later Wednesday that Charles extended an invitation for an official state visit, which the president accepted. She declined to provide details on the timing but said it would be in the "near future." "They will see each other again, very soon," she told reporters. "They have a very good relationship." The White House previously said Tuesday that Charles was "very gracious and grateful" to Joe Biden that the first lady would be attending his coronation. Separately, it announced on Wednesday that Joe Biden will travel to Ireland next week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. PHOTO: King Charles III greets locals during a visit to Hamburg, Germany, March 31, 2023. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images, FILE) The Bidens were last in London together for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September. MORE: Queen Elizabeth II's life through the years Charles is scheduled to be crowned on May 6 at Westminster Abbey in the commonwealth's first such ceremony in 70 years. A host of other world leaders and dignitaries are expected to attend. Story continues For the late queen's coronation in June 1953, President Dwight Eisenhower sent a White House delegation in his place. ABC News' Ben Gittleson and Justin Gomez contributed to this report. First lady Jill Biden going to King Charles III's coronation, but presidents never attend originally appeared on abcnews.go.com New Delhi Police in India have arrested five people in connection with the 2019 murder of a woman at a Hindu temple in what they say was a case of ritual human sacrifice. A Shanti Shaw, 64, was beheaded with a machete at the Kamakhya Temple in Assam state's capital Guwahati as an "offering" to the temple goddess, police said. Shaw's decapitated body was found in June 2019, but only identified a month later by her son. She had travelled to the temple with a Hindu "godman" and two other women from another state to attend an annual fair. An October 10, 2021 file photo shows Hindu devotees arriving to offer prayers at the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, India. / Credit: Anuwar Hazarika/NurPhoto/Getty Police had been investigating since then but reported no significant evidence until a special team of the Assam Police managed to identify the alleged killers using technical data linking them to the victim. Guwahati police commissioner Diganta Barah told reporters Tuesday that 12 people were involved in the woman's murder, with five accused of planning the killing. Pradeep Pathak, 52, the primary suspect, stands accused of orchestrating the killing to mark the anniversary of his brother's death. "During investigation, we found this was a case of human sacrifice to please Maa Kamakhya (a Hindu goddess)," said Barah. Pathak's brother died 11 years earlier, and he allegedly wanted to perform a Hindu ritual on the date of his death in memory of his brother, according to the police chief. "The accused apparently believed that the sacrifice would appease the soul of the deceased," said Barah. Pathak and four other suspects between the ages of 50 and 62 were arrested over the past week in two Indian states. Police remain on the lookout for seven of their accomplices, Barah said. Human sacrifices are not unknown in India, where official data show there were more than 100 reported cases between 2014 and 2021. Trump lashes out after pleading not guilty to felony charges Deadly tornado devastates southeast Missouri JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon says current banking crisis is "not yet over" A tornado in Missouri killed at least five people Wednesday morning as storms across the Midwest and South caused widespread destruction Tuesday and early Wednesday. The five deaths were reported in Bollinger County, 50 miles south of St. Louis, where a tornado touched down around 3:30 a.m. Throughout the early morning and continuing now, efforts for search and rescue are underway, said Bollinger County Sheriff Casey A. Graham in a Wednesday morning Facebook post, adding that names would be withheld until their families were notified. Tornadoes on Tuesday evening and early Wednesday were reported from Arkansas to Delaware. NOAAs Storm Prediction Center said that up to 40 million people could be affected by ongoing severe weather Wednesday afternoon. The continued storms could mean more tornadoes and damaging winds for the region, especially in parts of Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. These areas could see winds of up to 70 miles per hour and hail up to 1.5 inches in diameter, NOAA predicted. Many of the areas under warnings on Tuesday and Wednesday were the same that were hit hard by tornadoes and severe weather last week. Storms over the last two weeks, mainly in the South and Midwest, have killed at least 63 people, according to The Associated Press. President Biden declared major disaster areas in the aftermath to provide federal aid to several states. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Liberals finally broke the fever in Wisconsin. Their pick, Janet Protasiewicz, won the most expensive state judicial race in American history, and it's an election with consequences. After more than a decade in the wilderness, Democrats are picturing a future where Republicans dont have an automatic lock on state government in one of the countrys most important swing states. And, importantly, a liberal court is widely expected to knock down an 1840s era abortion ban that's been on the books and only revived after Roe v. Wade fell last summer. Here are five takeaways from the biggest election of 2023 (so far). A new era for Wisconsin Democrats Although Tuesdays election was technically nonpartisan, the biggest winner on Tuesday night was likely the state Democratic Party. Democrats invested bigly into Protasiewiczs campaign they were the single largest contributor and the win is a payoff for the state partys now-formidable organizing machine. Perhaps the biggest impact will be in the states legislative and congressional delegations. Despite the close-to 50/50 makeup of the state, Republicans have a near-supermajority in both legislative chambers, as well as a solid hold on the congressional delegation. Tuesdays election could be the beginning of the end of that. Protasiewicz regularly called the states political maps unfair on the trail, and Democratic-aligned groups are likely itching to bring a case looking to challenge them as illegal political gerrymanders. A win for liberals isn't a panacea there are major questions in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on what role state judiciaries can play in federal redistricting, and Democrats have some geographic challenges as well in the state but it could open the door, at least, for a case. I think it's entirely possible that there might be challenges to the map ahead of 2024, Ben Wikler, the chairman of the state Democratic Party, said before the election. But, he noted, the timeline stretches far beyond that. Protasiewicz is going to be in office in 2031, when the next redistricting process happens. So were talking about the maps through 2041. Story continues WOW oh WOW The counties of Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington collectively known as the WOW counties have been the centerpiece of any Republican victory in Wisconsin for decades. But they brought mostly bad news for Republicans on Tuesday. The counties, which surround Milwaukee, have been emblematic of the shift in the state during the Trump era. They collectively have not voted for a Democrat for president since Lyndon Johnson, but have gradually trended more Democratic over the last decade. On Tuesday, former state Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly was still on track to win all three of those crucial counties. But the margins continue to shrink for Republicans there a bright red, flashing warning side for the GOP ahead of the 2024 elections. Notably, Protasiewicz came dangerously close to outright winning in Ozaukee County, trailing Kelly by roughly five points in a county that Mitt Romney won by roughly 30 points a decade ago. And perhaps even more concerning for Republicans: A special election for a red-leaning state Senate seat in the WOW counties on Tuesday is a nailbiter. Should Jodi Habush Sinykin, the Democratic candidate, eventually pull off the win, it would flip the seat for Democrats and prevent Republicans from picking up a supermajority in the state Senate. Tuesdays election brought even more good news for Democrats elsewhere in the state. Dane County, which is home to Madison, is one of the fastest growing regions. The area saw incredibly high turnout on Tuesday for a spring off-year election and Protasiewicz won the county by a lopsided margin. The area is quickly turning into Democrats mini blue wall in the state. We haven't seen the end of Dobbs' impact on elections yet Protasiewiczs win is a big sign that abortion is still a significant motivating factor for voters to show up albeit in low-turnout, off-year elections and to pull the lever for liberals. Wisconsin has a 19th-century law on the books right now that bans abortion in nearly all circumstances in the state, and providers have stopped performing the procedure. Protasiewiczs campaign and her Democratic allies in the state heavily emphasized this message; roughly a third of the TV ads from her side mentioned abortion, according to data from the ad tracking firm AdImpact. A heavy rotation of ads highlighting the issue means that voters aren't turned off by this message at least not yet. Turnout for the race was also tracking through the roof on Tuesday, and has a chance of setting a record. Protasieiwiczs victory is sending a clear message: don't attack our rights as Wisconsinites, said Sarah Godlewski, the states recently-appointed Democratic secretary of state who hosted rallies on abortion rights in the state. Godlewski argued that Tuesdays results showed that the issue on abortion rights has only gotten stronger as a motivating issue for voters in the state. If anything, we are seeing how the attack on abortion and on reproductive freedom is really only strengthening people's resolve to fight and use their voice and vote, she said. What happened to Republicans electoral advantages? The pre-Trump Republican coalition was reliable. Voters showed up to vote no matter what in the presidential, in midterms, and in off-years. But bigger shifts in the composition of the parties accelerated by Trump indicate that may no longer be true. Liberal judges have now won three of the last four state Supreme Court elections in Wisconsin, and broadly the party has overperformed expectations in the previous two midterms. Suburban voters nationally have gone from solid Republican voters to more than Democratic Party-curious. As a result, Republicans may be losing at least some of their stranglehold in some key swing states. The faithful, traditional Republican who votes in every election, some of those people are the type thats turned away from the party and stayed home, one former Walker aide admitted. In Wisconsin, weve been able to resist that because of a strong state party. Another challenge for Republicans is that the rank-and-file has largely abandoned voting in any way other than in-person on Election Day. At least 435,000 people voted early for this election either via the mail or with in-person absentee voting and that group is expected to lean heavily Democratic. Party officials estimated that Protasiewicz banked at least a 100,000 vote lead from those early voters. That puts Republicans in a major hole well before most of their voters headed to the polls. That is a psychological and financial disadvantage for Republicans the Democratic Party doesn't have to spend last-minute resources to turn voters out, and can use those resources instead to target lower propensity voters. The Wisconsin state GOP has been trying to flip that trend in the state, with a page on their website practically begging for their supporters to vote early. But Tuesdays election shows they still have a long way to go. Big money is here to stay in state elections Spending in Tuesdays election came in truckloads, and it wasnt particularly close. Some $45 million has been spent on the contest as of late last week, according toWisPolitics.com, roughly tripling the previous state judicial race record. Big money in federal races is nothing new, but that has increasingly trickled down into downballot contests. During the midterms, secretaries of state contests saw a record amount of spending, which is now making its way even further down the ballot. It looks like state Supreme Courts are next. The spending in Wisconsin is more than every state Supreme Court election that occurred in 2018 combined, said Douglas Keith, who tracks Supreme Court races for the liberal-leaning Brennan Center for Justice. Keith argued that the increased spending in Wisconsin is a direct response to recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions that have made clear how important state high courts are, noting that the nations top court have punted issues like abortion back to the states. Another test of big spending in state Supreme Court races will likely come this year in Pennsylvania. There, the court has a 4-2 Democratic majority, with one vacant seat. There are primaries in May for a November general election for that vacant seat. And while that race wont determine the majority of the court, it will still likely attract a significant amount of attention given the states role as a perennial swing state. This election makes all past cycles and state Supreme Court elections seem quaint by comparison, Keith said of Wisconsin. I think what this race suggests is that we are really in a new era for judicial elections. Donald Trump went on a wild, fact-free tirade against his political foes on Tuesday in an expected response to the long-awaited criminal indictment that finally was released by prosecutors in Manhattan earlier in the day. In one of the presidents typical rambling addresses, he swiped at any rival he could think of while decrying the Democrats as well as federal and state authorities around the nation as his mortal foes. And in trademark Trump fashion, he did it in a way that likely delighted the closest of his followers but probably left most Americans watching his speech wondering why it has taken so long for the legal system to catch up with him. Completely unprompted, he brought up the investigation into his phone call to a top Georgia elections official asking them to find thousands of votes in his favour, and compared it to his efforts to pressure Ukraines president into becoming something of a political attack dog against the Biden family. It was a surreal moment of American history that ended much faster than most of Mr Trumps long-winded campaign addresses but nevertheless touched upon many of the same themes, including most importantly the former presidents longstanding effort to weaken trust in just about every system in America meant to act as a neutral arbiter of justice or law. And it was chock full of the falsehoods that Mr Trump has long enjoyed weaponising against his enemies, with no regard for the truth. Lets take a look at some of the big ones: The Justice Department isnt investigating Joe Biden over handling of presidential records Angrily assaulting the National Archives and Justice Department over the criminal investigation into his handling of presidential records and classified materials, the former president raged that investigators were only looking into his actions when troves of presidential records had been discovered similarly at the homes of President Joe Biden and former Vice President Mike Pence. Story continues That, of course, is not true. The Justice Department has been in contact and a working relationship with the Biden legal team ever since the first discovery of records at a think tank connected to Mr Biden, and is simply handling that investigation through a separate special counsel. The National Archives is a far-left organisation This one almost deserves to be ignored from the get-go. As part of his criticism of efforts to investigate his handling of presidential records, Mr Trump made the confusing assertion that the US National Archives is a radical left troublemaking organization. The idea that a stuffy library in Washington DC is actually a hotbed of antifa radicals may be entertaining, but is sadly not based in fact. The National Archives merely had the bad luck of picking a fight with Mr Trumps legal team after he, by his own account, apparently allowed or directly ordered his aides to scoop up documents from the White House for transport to Mar-a-Lago as he was all but dragged out of office in January 2021. Federal law enforcement colluded with social media companies to stop Trump in 2020 One of the Trump circles favourite refrains in recent months has been the assertion that he would have won the 2020 election were it not for social media companies suppressing the reach of a story that broke in late 2020 about a laptop owned by Hunter Biden being obtained by far-right activists. At the time, federal officials apparently warned executives at companies like Twitter and Facebook that the story had the hallmarks of a Russian disinformation effort, which ended up not being the case. Republicans have argued that the contents of Hunter Bidens laptop suggest criminal activity by the younger Biden and improper financial connections between the president and foreign countries through his sons business; these claims are not substantiated by any hard proof, however, and were unlikely to sway large amounts of undecided voters in the final days of the election. Still, the idea that there was any collusion between the federal government and social media companies was false: theres no evidence that any federal agency sought to suppress the story for the purpose of hurting Mr Trumps campaign efforts, nor is there proof of any social media companies being coerced or even specifically asked to suppress the story. The FBI raid of Mar-a-Lago was unconstitutional Another false statement made in the course of attacking federal law enforcement for attempting to secure presidential records that were in his possession, Mr Trump argued on Tuesday that the FBI raid of his Mar-a-Lago residence and resort was illegal. On the contrary: a federal judge signed off on the search warrant for his home, and his own attorneys have not actually bothered to argue that the raid was improper in court. Theres also the issue of his attorneys telling the federal government before the raid that all classified materials had been handed over. Virtually everyone thinks this case is bunk As he trashed Alvin Braggs efforts to prosecute him for allegedly falsifying business records as part of his efforts to buy the silence of porn actress Stormy Daniels, Mr Trump incorrectly asserted that even anti-Trump Republicans and Democrats were taking his side. Thats not the case. Many legal experts like former House Judiciary Committee co-counsel Norm Eisen have weighed in on the strength of the case, and disagree with the hand-wringing of a few conservative legal experts over the case. The issue of the cases legal strength is far from settled, one way or the other. One week after Food Network shined a national spotlight on a couple of Boise restaurants, it will go in for another helping. Make that a double. Actually, a triple. Saint Lawrence Gridiron and Tangos Empanadas will be the next local favorites featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. The half-hour episode, Pick-Me-Ups, premieres Friday, April 14, at 10 p.m. Prior to that at 10 p.m. Friday, April 7 Westside Drive-In will appear on Triple D Nation, a spin-off that revisits restaurants from Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. (Confirm the times with your TV provider.) And thats likely not all. Food Network star Guy Fieri rolled into the Treasure Valley in February and filmed at several locations. Boise restaurants Alyonka Russian Cuisine and Taj Mahal already were highlighted in an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives that premiered Friday, March 31. Getting a visit from Triple D, as fans and Fieri call it, is a fun experience and a real shot of publicity. Westside Drive-In was on the show more than a decade ago. Yet its still a marketing boost. Since the first Westside Drive-In episode back in 2009, you simply cant measure the impact its made for us, owner-chef Lou Aaron posted on Facebook this week. The episode from 2009 has been shown many times over the years and every time it airs, we get new visitors. (The gift that keeps on giving!) When Guy came back to Boise (in February) to film more episodes of Diners Drive-Ins and Dives, he called us to get caught up on what weve been doing. He was happy to hear my son and I opened another Westside and since he was already in Boise filming, he decided to do an episode for Triple D Nation at the Parkcenter Westside Drive-In location. He loves to see family businesses thrive and it was great to see him again. THANKS TRIPLE D! A longtime Boise staple, Westside Drive-In is located at 1929 W. State St. and 1113 E. Parkcenter Blvd. The Triple D Nation episode is called All Sorts of Sandwiches. Story continues In advance of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on April 14, Food Network has posted recipes for Tinga Empanadas from Tangos Empanadas and the Gridiron Burger from Saint Lawrence Gridiron. This trip, the episode synopsis says, Guy Fieris picking up handfuls of flavor. In Boise, Idaho, a real deal empanada emporium and a stick-to-your-ribs spot are both servin up off-the-hook burgers and sandwiches. Saint Lawrence Gridiron, 705 W. Bannock St., is a bit of a hidden barbecue gem in downtown Boise. I wrote about its rich, decadent brisket burgers last fall and almost fell into a midday food coma in the process. I finally wrote about that amazing Boise hamburger in the photo I shared last week. (Here's another pic.) https://t.co/KW1ZcqGjxz Michael Deeds (@michaeldeeds) October 4, 2022 Argentinian restaurant Tangos Empanadas has a loyal following in Boise, where its operated at 701 N. Orchard St. since 2006. Fieri visited the expansion location at 46 E. Fairview Ave. in Meridian. Saint Lawrence Gridiron owner Dan Watts says the show will feature his restaurants Gridiron Burger and Monte Cristo (normally a brunch item). Anticipating hungry crowds, Saint Lawrence has reworked the menus to offer the Monte Cristo for both brunch and lunch, and the Gridiron Burger all the time. If everything goes according to plan, this wont be the end of the Gem State blitz on Food Network. When Fieri visited Boise, he posted an Instagram photo of his son, Ryder, and himself filming at Sunshine Spice Cafe, an Afghan eatery at 6911 W. Fairview Ave. And just to give you an appetizer theres reason to believe Fieri hit at least one other place. Apparently, Boise made him hungry. FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. Investigators recovered black boxes from two Army Black Hawk helicopters that crashed last week in Kentucky, killing all nine soldiers aboard, the military announced Tuesday. A U.S. Army aviation safety team from Fort Rucker, Alabama, found the flight data recorders, which are commonly referred to as black boxes in civilian aircraft, from the HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, a news release from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) said. The helicopters crashed near Fort Campbell during a nighttime training exercise on March 29. The recorders have been sent to Fort Rucker for further analysis. Army identifies nine soldiers killed in Fort Campbell crash The duration of the investigation is determined by the thorough analysis of all factors, division spokesman Lt. Col. Tony Hoefler said in the news release. The pilots were using night-vision goggles during the exercise, Army officials said. Brig. Gen. John Lubas, the 101st Airborne deputy commander, has said the accident occurred while the helicopters were flying and not during a medical evacuation drill. The soldiers remains have been taken to Dover Air Force Base, which is home to the Joint Service Mortuary Affairs Office, officials said. Three of the soldiers killed in the crash were posthumously promoted to the next higher grade, officials said: Sgt. Emilie Marie Eve Bolanos, 23, of Austin, Texas; Chief Warrant Officer 3 Zachary Esparza, 36, of Jackson, Missouri; and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Aaron Healy, 32, of Cape Coral, Florida. The others killed were Warrant Officer 1 Jeffery Barnes, 33, of Milton, Florida; Sgt. Isaacjohn Gayo, 27, of Los Angeles, California; Staff Sgt. Joshua C. Gore, 25, of Morehead City, North Carolina; Staff Sgt. Taylor Mitchell, 30, of Mountain Brook, Alabama; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Rusten Smith, 32, of Rolla, Missouri; and Sgt. David Solinas Jr., 23, of Oradell, New Jersey, the Army said. After much buzz, former President Donald Trump was finally arrested and arraigned Tuesday in connection with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. New York prosecutors accuse Trump of paying two women to be quiet about alleged sexual encounters with him and covering up those records so the news wouldnt interfere with his run for president. I guess Democrats care about infidelity now, two and a half decades later but still depending on the president. Especially if he covered it up. Trump pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Its no secret I dont like Trump, but after four years with him as commander in chief and another three complaining about not having the job, its disappointing to see such flimsy charges. Falsifying business records is a misdemeanor, though Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is trying to super-charge them to felonies, albeit the lowest level of felonies in New York. Apr 4, 2023; New York, New York, USA; Former President Donald Trump appears in court for arraignment before Judge Juan Merchan following his surrender to New York authorities at the New York County Criminal Court. Trump appeared in court to answer charges from a grand jury investigation into payments made during the 2016 campaign to bury allegations of extramarital sexual encounters. Mandatory Credit: Seth Wenig-Pool Photo via USA TODAY So, after all this talk about Trump being a savage criminal, the alleged crimes are mere misdemeanors, akin to shoplifting. Does anyone really believe some of the presidents in power havent done worse than petty theft? As secretary of state, Hillary Clinton sent classified information via a makeshift home email server crimes that are also potential felonies. But shes never been indicted. Some people really are above the law. Former Michigan congressman Justin Amash, an avowed libertarian and Trump critic tweeted that he was stunned any prosecutor would move forward with this. Its even flimsier than we were led to believe. Thirty-four stacked counts, bootstrapped to an unstated crime, to manufacture felony charges. Trumps charges probably wont hold up in court, but either way, this indictment could signal something far worse about our justice system. The timing of these arrests, just as Trumps 2024 presidential campaign has started, stinks. And its not the smell of Trumps own hubris. It reeks of leftist corruption, envy, greed and fear. Indicting someone on charges like these is what people do when they are afraid of a political opponent. Story continues Right now, the world is President Joe Bidens oyster: He controls the Justice Department and FBI, Democratic DAs love him, and Congress is split. Trumps opponents have been trying to nail him on something for years. And in a way, who can blame them? Hes a braggadocios, egotistical, tax-evading, bankrupt salesman-turned-president. But we live in the United States, where one is innocent until proven guilty, not the other way around, as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently suggested. Our country cant turn into where political opponents are arrested on some charge just because a prosecutor disagrees with someones ideology or even their tactics unless theyre illegal. We just cant. Trumps not good for the GOP anymore, and maybe he never was. But thats besides the point. Our trusted institutions and justice system is supposed to remain politically neutral, committed to truth, justice, and protecting our nation, regardless of the ideology of who is at the helm. Between the flimsy charges and the suspicious timing, its obvious the indictment is about a vendetta, not to find out the truth. You dont have to be a Trump fan to see it. You just have to love liberty and understand that prosecuting those with differing views to win political battles will be an escalating war. Weaponizing state law to exact retribution on an annoying political rival is a distinguishing factor among countries that are corrupt and authoritative. Americas justice system must let those with differing views live their lives, or nail every politician for the same crime. They cant cherry pick based on party. Thats a much more serious crime. The 26m will be spent on defences in areas vulnerable to flooding Worcestershire, Cumbria and West Yorkshire are among the first areas to receive government funding to improve flood defences. The Frequently Flooded Allowance will provide 26m to improve protection along rivers in the areas. Some communities, including Bewdley, now flood almost annually with climate change cited as a major factor. The government said the funding would be worth 100m and it was investing 5.2bn in flood defences by 2027. "We know only too well the devastating impact that flooding can have on communities and businesses, as we face more extreme weather brought about by climate change," said environment minister Rebecca Pow. "I am determined that we do whatever we can to prevent flooding that affects so many towns and villages across the country." The funding was allocated to areas with 10 or more properties that have been flooded at least twice in the last 10 years. The first round of funding covers 2,300 households and businesses, the government said. Towns along rivers have been particularly affected by flooding brought on by severe storms, such as 2022's Storm Eunice, and more than half of the 53 protection projects are dedicated to managing rivers. Some of the projects will include hard engineering flood defences as well as installing flood doors and barriers for properties, but there will also be natural measures, the government said. There are set to be further announcements of more projects over the coming years. "Increased flooding is just one of the impacts of climate change we are seeing in the UK and around the world," said Caroline Douglass, from the Environment Agency. "Protecting people and communities is our top priority as we look to tackle this challenge. "The funding announced today will help better protect homes and businesses at risk from repeated flood incidents across the country." Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk A new rule takes effect this week that will force several local law enforcement agencies to shelve millions of dollars in drones. The rule bans government agencies from using drones that are made in China. Some Central Florida agencies say grounding the drones is unnecessary and costly. Watch: Whats he doing?: Video shows wrecker service wreck local teachers wheelchair-accessible van The drones in question are made by DJI and manufactured in China. The DJI drones have been used in recent years by governmental agencies across the state of Florida. Watch: Deputies: 4 charged after 15-year-old girl danced at strip club in Orange County Nearly $200 million in taxpayer money has been spent on DJI drones in Florida. Im really sad to say that we have a fleet of 25, of which 19 are DJI, said Lt. Mike Crabb with the Orange County Sheriffs Office. So, we are in process of purchasing more. Watch: Sheriff: Shooting deaths of 3 teenagers in rural Marion County connected to hybrid gangs However, the price to purchase drones on the list of approved manufacturers, most of which are U.S. based, is more expensive. A Seminole County Fire Department spokesperson told Channel 9 they recently replaced their three drones at a cost between $10,000 and $15,000 each. See more in the video above. Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Kaila Nix, a Florida mother, says two of her young children died while in the care of their grandmother, Tracey Nix. Kaila Nix, a Florida mother, says two of her young children died while in the care of their grandmother, Tracey Nix. A grieving woman in Florida wants to see her mother behind bars. Kaila Nix claims two of her young children died while in the care of their grandmother, Tracey Nix. Both died less than a year apart. If Im objective, she needs to go to prison, Kaila told Tampa Bay news channel WFTS. As her daughter, it kills me to say it. As their mother, I demand it. I will fight for them. Tracey, 65, was charged with aggravated manslaughter for the hot car death of her 7-month-old granddaughter Uriel Schock on Nov. 1, 2022, according to a Hardee County Sheriffs Office complaint affidavit obtained in a report by WFTS. Tracey was babysitting Uriel that day and had taken her granddaughter to lunch with friends. Security footage shows Tracey strapping Uriel into the backseat of her SUV after lunch around 1:40 p.m. and driving 10 minutes back to her home in the small town of Wauchula, according to court records obtained by NBC News. When Tracey arrived home, she parked the car with the windows rolled up and went inside to talk to her dog and practice the piano, per NBC. When interviewed by the police later, Tracey said she had just forgotten about her granddaughter, according to the affidavit obtained by WFTS. The outlet also notes that the temperature soared to 90 degrees that day. It was after 4:30 p.m. when it came across [Traceys] head that her granddaughter was still in the car, according to documents obtained by NBC. Upon the realization, Traceys husband took Uriel out of the vehicle and performed CPR while someone called 911, per NBC. Uriel was pronounced dead on the scene. Her autopsy shows no signs of injuries, and her death has been ruled a homicide, NBC reports. The baby girl died 11 months after her 16-month-old brother, Ezra Schock, drowned in a pond while in the care of his grandmother, according to a police affidavit published by WFTS. Story continues Tracey was babysitting the toddler when she fell asleep. Ezra wandered outside and drowned in a nearby pond, the affidavit says. Tracey was not charged in the incident, and Ezras death was ruled accidental. His mother, Kaila, told WFTS that she and her childrens father, Drew Schock, didnt trust (Tracey) at all after Ezra died in her care. We were anxious, but I loved my mother, and I am a daughter that wanted her mom, Kaila told the outlet through tears. When I was told that Ezras death was an accident, some sliver child part of me thought, Ok, good, I get to keep this mom. This grandmother. This person. Regarding Ezras death, the state attorneys office told WFTS in a statement that Florida appellate courts have stated that a one-time lapse of judgment would not establish culpable negligence of the caretaker, noting there was insufficient evidence to establish culpable negligence. Uriels death, however, is factually distinguishable, and charges have been filed, the state attorneys office said. According to Traceys lawyer, if the Florida grandmother is found guilty, she could be sentenced to between 12 to 30 years in prison. Two children now who are no longer here, Drew Schock told WFTS. Somebody has to answer for that. Related... After years of giving Floridas homeowners insurance companies largely what they wanted in an effort to stem rapidly rising premiums and insurer insolvencies, state lawmakers introduced a new approach this week: insurer accountability. Thats the title of a new bill that would increase fines for bad behavior by insurance companies, require them to report more information to the state and follow best practices for handling claims. Property insurance companies would also be prohibited from dropping a policyholder until the repairs on their home have been completed. If theres bad actors out there, were gonna hold them accountable, said the bill sponsor, Sen. Travis Hutson, R-Elkton. Hutson said the bill is meant to bring a healthy balance of oversight to the states insurance market. READ MORE: Trump rips DeSantis, calls Florida legislation a bailout for insurance industry On Wednesday, a Senate committee voted in favor of the bill but not before hearing insurance industry lobbyists and groups speak against it. [We] just want to ensure that were truly going after the bad actors and not the entire insurance industry as a whole, said Carolyn Johnson, a senior director for the Florida Chamber of Commerce, which counts insurance companies among its members. New sheriff in town The legislation is an acknowledgment that insurance companies have received a light touch from state regulators, who routinely approve company rate filings and have advocated for making it harder to sue insurers. The previous Office of Insurance Regulation commissioner, David Altmaier, became an insurance industry lobbyist and joined the board of directors for a Bermuda-based reinsurance company after leaving the post in December. The states elected chief financial officer, Jimmy Patronis, oversees insurance fraud and complaints against insurers while collecting nearly $2 million in campaign contributions from the industry. After a surge in complaints about insurance companies following Hurricane Ian, Patronis office limited the states complaint hotline to just three hours a day, citing limited staffing. Story continues The new Office of Insurance Regulation Commissioner, Mike Yaworsky, is Altmaiers former chief of staff. Hutson said hes interested in holding insurers accountable. Weve got a new sheriff in town ... who really wants to go after these guys, Hutson said of Yaworsky. Some of this language came directly from him, where he said, I need more tools in the toolbox. Under SPB 7050: Insurers would be required to report their claims-handling policies to the state. Fines against insurers would increase from a maximum of $20,000 to $100,000 for nonwillful violations and from a maximum of $200,000 to $1 million for willful violations. Regulators would have broader authority to conduct examinations into insurer conduct. And insurers would be prohibited from paying bonuses to officers and directors while an insurer is impaired or insolvent. Patronis office would get five new positions, and Hutson said he wants to assign more resources to the Office of Insurance Regulation, at Yaworskys suggestion. Changes havent led to lower rates The legislation also targets specific actions by insurers to undermine paying claims. During one of last years special legislative sessions to address the property insurance crisis, lawmakers eliminated the requirement that insurers had to pay the policyholders attorneys fees if the policyholder sues them and wins. It was the latest change by lawmakers to make it harder for homeowners to sue their insurers, after the companies complained that lawsuits were driving up rates. Since then, insurance companies have argued in court that the provision was retroactive, applying to policies that were in force prior to the legislation passing. SPB 7050 clarifies that the provision is not retroactive. It also addresses allegations made by several private adjusters working for insurance companies who said that insurers manipulated their reports to pay homeowners less for their claims. The allegations were reported in a Washington Post story last month. The bill would require insurers to document any changes to an adjusters report and include the name of the person who ordered the changes. The Legislatures recent reforms havent yet led to lower rates. In recent weeks, First Community Insurance Co. requested an overall 44.8% rate increase, Kin Insurance Network asked for an overall 61.5% rate increase and American Strategic Insurance Corp. and ASI Preferred Insurance Corp. are requesting near-20% rate increases. During the rate hearings for First Community Insurance and Kin Insurance, company representatives said recent legislation hasnt yet had a meaningful effect on rates. Under the bill, insurers would be required to calculate in their rate filings the effect of recent legislative changes. Its the biggest irony of a state that calls itself free. A basic tenet of Americas political system one that conservatives, more than liberals, have staunchly defended is that the government closest to the people is best. But the Florida Legislature, egged on by Gov. DeSantis, is poised to further constrain locally elected school boards from making decisions about books, what teachers can say in the classroom and even school bathroom rules. If the Republican-led House and Senate get their way, by the time they are done local education will be a mere arm of state leaders who act like the ideological patrol of Floridas K-12 system. Meanwhile, theres not enough talk about real issues like post-pandemic learning losses and the shortage of teachers. In fact, lawmakers might make the latter even worse with a union-busting bill that could de-certify many teacher unions in charge of negotiating salaries and working conditions. So strong is the Legislatures desire to turn K-12 into a field of culture battles, they are seeking to turn school board races, which are currently nonpartisan, into partisan contests. This would play right into DeSantis hands. Hes said that his goal is to elect candidates of his choosing in 2024 local races, including for the Miami-Dade County School Board. This move would exclude millions of Floridians who arent registered with either major party and who outnumber Republican voters in Miami-Dade from voting for their board member in primaries. The saving grace is that this measure would only go into effect if at least 60% of voters in the state approve it as an amendment to the Florida Constitution. Another bill would relax residency requirements for school board candidates. They would not have to live in the district they want to represent until taking office. This isnt unheard of in Florida. The same requirement applies to sheriffs and other constitutional officers. But it would allow any outsider with money and backing from, say, a powerful governor to run to represent communities they have no connection to. Story continues To be fair, there are some sound proposals making their way forward at the Capitol. Lawmakers want shorter, eight-year term limits for school board members, down from 12 years. Theres a bill to require instruction on the effects of social media on young people and to ban the use of a schools internet for social media, unless its for education purposes. Senate Bill 52 is ready for a Senate vote and also would ban cellphones in class. But lawmakers are too busy fighting gender pronouns, sex education and transgender youth. SB 1674 would make it a second-degree misdemeanor for adults to use a bathroom or changing facility that doesnt align with their sex assigned at birth. The bill also would require districts to come up with disciplinary procedures to deal with students who violate the ban, further stigmatizing trans kids who already are often the target of ridicule. Republican lawmakers want to prohibit teachers and staff from calling students by pronouns that differ from those given to them at birth, even when a parent is OK with it. SB 1320 expands a law that bans instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity known by critics as Dont say gay through the eighth grade. That same bill would also give outsized power to a single person to, at least temporarily, ban books from schools. Districts would be required to pull books that have been challenged while a complaint is being heard. It allows not just parents, but any county resident, to file an objection, likely resulting in blanket attempts by activists to ban books about LGBTQ issues and race. SB 1320 also would take away school boards power to choose textbooks for sexual and reproductive health classes. Instead, that would be up to the Department of Education, which reports to the governor. Current law already requires districts to teach that abstinence is the certain way to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases and about the benefits of monogamous heterosexual marriage. But lawmakers seem to think we still cannot trust the people we elected to run our schools with basic decisions about curriculum. Were not fools. This isnt simply a traditional power grab by Tallahassee. This is an attempt to ensure only certain voices are allowed in public education. Parents and educators who think differently be damned. The Florida Senate voted Tuesday to approve a ban on transgender treatments for children. The bill, SB 254, passed 27-12 in the chamber where Republicans hold a supermajority. Introduced by Republican state Sen. Clay Yarborough, the legislation would prohibit anyone under age 18 from undergoing sex-reassignment surgeries or taking prescription-based cross-sex hormones to treat gender dysphoria. The bill would also make permanent a state rule banning Medicaid from reimbursing people of all ages who undergo the procedures. Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo are backing the bill. Last year, the governor pushed for rules from the Florida Board of Medicine and the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine that prohibit transgender treatments for minors. SB 254 would codify those rules. "This legislation sends a strong message that Florida is a safe place to raise children. As the father of four young boys, I know that childhood is as special as it is short. Florida parents are worried about the radical, prurient agenda that has become pervasive across most forms of media, specifically targeting young children," Yarborough said in a statement announcing the bill last month. KENTUCKY, WEST VIRGINIA ENACT BANS ON TRANSGENDER MEDICAL TREATMENTS FOR MINORS Demonstrators protest in support of rights for transgender youth. "We need to let kids be kids, and our laws need to set appropriate boundaries that respect the rights and responsibilities of parents, while protecting children from the serious health, safety, and welfare consequences of social agendas that are totally inconsistent with how the overwhelming majority of parents want to raise their children," he added. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP SB 254 now heads to the state House, where a similar bill, HB 1421, has been making its way through the legislative process. The House bill is slightly different it would ban private, commercial insurance policies for reimbursing transgender treatments. The Senate bill does not. The House bill would also allow transgender minors who are currently receiving treatment for gender dysphoria to continue taking puberty blockers through the end of the year only. The Senate bill delegates to Florida's medical boards to establish rules governing minor patients who are currently receiving puberty blockers. Story continues Both bills would give state courts temporary emergency jurisdiction in child custody cases where a child in Florida "has been subjected to or is threatened with being subjected to sex-reassignment prescriptions or procedures." BIDEN SAYS TRANSGENDER PEOPLE SHAPE OUR NATIONS SOUL' IN OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION Democrats were united against the bill. State Sen. Shevrin Jones, the state's first Black openly gay lawmaker, raised concerns that bans on transgender treatments have caused some gender dysphoric youths to consider taking their own lives. Acknowledging that he does not believe the bill's sponsors carry "evil intent," Jones argued the bill will do harm. "Theyre committing suicide because of how theyre treated," Jones said. "Do we want to be that type of body where were continuing on pushing, pushing, pushing these young people who may look different and there may not be like your child?" State Sen. Lori Berman, a Democrat from Boynton Beach, said the bill contradicts DeSantis' favorite slogan championing Florida as a "free state," according to local news outlet Florida Politics. "I would say free states dont ban health care," Berman said, noting major medical groups including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychiatric Association, supports transgender medical treatments for gender dysphoric youths. "This bill is wrong on the way it attacks transgender adults, wrong on the way it attacks parents rights to raise their children, and wrong on how it puts medical professionals at risk." PROTESTERS DESCEND ON FLORIDA CAPITOL CRITICIZING DESANTIS, GOP FOR ANTI-TRANS BILL: ERASING TRANS BABIES! Florida State Sen. Shevrin Jones warned that SB 254 could increase the risk that transgender youths contemplate suicide. The Florida bill is the latest legislation offered by conservatives as part of a national movement that opposes transgender medical treatments as unproven and potentially dangerous for children. Those supporting such legislation say gender-confused kids are being encouraged to make life-altering and permanent decisions before they are able to understand the consequences of doing so. Research suggests that regret among transgender individuals who have medically transformed their bodies is rare, but some who have detransitioned, like activist Chloe Cole , have gained prominence in the movement opposing so-called "gender-affirming care" for minors. Advocates for transgender people say that such care is life-saving because untreated trans youth face higher rates of depression and suicide . Opponents counter that the United States is out-of-step with European countries including Sweden, Finland, and the U.K., which have found that the benefits of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones are low compared to the risks and have enacted strict eligibility requirements for minors to receive these treatments. The number of transgender teens under 18 doubled between 2017 and 2020, from .7% to 1.4%, according to UCLA research . The report released last June, based on government health surveys, also found that just under 43% of the 1.6 million people who identify as transgender in the U.S. are between 13 and 25. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Comments are taken directly from the latest Thurston County inspection reports, which are available for each food establishment, at the Thurston County Environmental Health Office and their website. For questions concerning these reports, contact the health office at 360-867-2667. Report restaurant, grocery store, deli or bakery complaints online via the complaint form here: https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/phss/Pages/eh-problem.aspx. Reading inspection scores: Attention should be given to the type of violation (red versus blue) and whether the establishment has a history of red violations or repeat violations. Red violations are those most likely to cause food-borne illness and must be corrected immediately if feasible or according to a compliance schedule established by the health officer. Example: not keeping food at the right temperature. Blue violations relate to the overall cleanliness and condition of operation and must be corrected according to a compliance schedule established by the health officer. Example: a worn floor that needs replacing. If red points exceed 45, the county will require a reinspection within 10 business days. If red points exceed 100 and theres a lack of managerial control, the county will shut down the establishment for at least 72 hours. The establishment may reopen after management and employees complete retraining and demonstrate corrective action during a reinspection. Some common abbreviations: PHF/TCS is potentially hazardous food/time control for safety; RTE is ready to eat; PIC is person in charge; FWC is food worker card; CDI is corrected during inspection. Tacos Gabby 307 Yelm Ave. E., Yelm Mobile Food Unit March 27: 10 red points; 0 blue. Comments: They were cited for improper cold-holding temperatures. Bobs Bar and Grill 108 Yelm Ave. E., Yelm March 27: 5 red points; 10 blue points. Comments: They were cited for improper cold-holding temperatures. The inspector noted inadequate equipment for temperature control. There was a deficiency having to do with properly maintaining and using ware-washing facilities. Story continues Tacos 2 Hermanos 4520 Intelco Loop SE, Lacey Mobile Food Unit March 27: 10 red points; 0 blue. Comments: Foods in a cold hold unit were above 41 degrees rather than at or below that temperature. Farrellis Pizza Yelm 813 Yelm Ave. W., Yelm March 28: 10 red points; 0 blue points. Comments: They were cited for inadequate hand-washing facilitates. Don Garcias Mexican Restaurant 4660 Whitman Lane SE, Lacey March 28: 10 red points; 3 blue points. Comments: Some food worker cards had expired. Eggs were stored above ready-to-eat foods. Some food items were held between 41-45 degrees rather than at or below 41 degrees. Ceviche item on the menu lacked a consumer advisory. Cooked meat was thawing at room temperature. Starbucks Coffee 1301 Cooper Point Road SW, Olympia March 28: 5 red points, 0 blue points. Comments: One jug of milk was held at 43 degrees rather than at or below 41 degrees. The Cove 311 Capitol Way N., Olympia April 3: 40 red points; 0 blue. Comments: Shellfish tags were not available upon request. Clam chowder was observed cooling at a depth of more than 2 inches at 52 degrees. Cooked potatoes and raw fish were observed between 48-50 degrees in the bottom drawer of a prep unit. No violations French startup Forest Admin is launching a cloud-based version of its product. The company helps you create flexible back-end admin panels for operations teams. Essentially, Forest Admin helps development teams spend less time on back office tools so they can focus on the actual product. With the cloud version, companies just have to integrate the service with their own SQL database. After that, they can start using Forest Admin to manage their business. The onboarding is very similar to business intelligence tools, Forest Admin co-founder and CEO Sandro Munda told me. But BI tools mostly fetch data so that it can be transformed, analyzed and compiled into quarterly reports and reused in business planning meetings. Forest Admin is all about interacting with your products data. Companies can also integrate the admin panel with third-party services like Stripe, Mixpanel and Intercom. Forest Admin users can then trigger actions and create workflows with different levels of permission in the company. Unlike other internal tool builders, such as Retool, Forest Admin is focused on admin panels exclusively. It isnt designed to be an all-in-one internal tool builder because sophisticated services also tend to be complex. For instance, a fintech company could use Forest Admin to review and validate documents and make sure it complies with KYC and AML regulation ("know your customer" and "anti-money laundering") Qonto is one of the startups biggest customers, with 2,000 people using Forest Admin. An e-commerce company could also use Forest Admin to refund customers or order an item once again in case its been lost. In addition to centralizing all your data, a tool like Forest Admin also makes it easier to interact with your data. Companies can filter their user base and create segments, update and delete records and more. Currently, Forest Admin customers install a component on their servers. This agent can read your data and makes it accessible through an API. Forest Admin hosts the front-end interface on its own servers. When customers connect to their admin panels, Forest Admin fetches information from the component that is installed on your infrastructure. Story continues With the new cloud version, it greatly lowers the barrier to entry as you dont have to install Forest Admins component on your servers. With the right firewall rules and tunneling software, your database should remain secure. Theres no data duplication, you make changes on your database directly, Munda said. Our goal is really to attract a new segment of customers, he added. Previously, you needed to integrate Forests agent in your own application. If a company is already using high-level cloud services exclusively, they couldnt use Forest Admin before the release of the cloud-based version. Many operations-driven companies already use Forest Admin, such as fintech, marketplace, mobility and healthcare companies. We are close to profitability but it isnt what were aiming for right now, Munda said. And the cloud product should help when it comes to bringing more revenue. A former cop in Alabama was indicted on three counts of capital murder for allegedly killing his pregnant girlfriend and their unborn child that they had reportedly already named. The capital murder charges against former Huntsville Police Officer David McCoy, 29, include one for allegedly shooting dead 26-year-old Courtney Spraggins in her car outside his apartment on Jan. 7, 2022, another for allegedly killing her and her unborn baby, and a third for killing a child under fourteen (also referring to the woman's fetus). Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. The next hearing in the case was scheduled for Thursday. RELATED: Man Charged With Murdering His Moms Suspected Killer Spraggins, who was seven months pregnant and a mother to two children when she died, maintained a long-distance relationship with McCoy until her death in January of 2022, traveling from North Carolina after the pair met on Tinder, according to Law & Crime. McCoy was engaged to another woman who he was scheduled to marry in April when he allegedly shot Spraggins, according to testimony from Special Agent Brittney Hayes with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, according to WGNO. To her knowledge, she said, Spraggins was unaware of McCoy's other relationship. A mugshot of David Mccoy David McCoy Photo: Huntsville Police Department Hayes said in court that McCoy saw Spraggins as a threat to his planned marriage and his livelihood. After kicking his pregnant girlfriend out of his house on Dec. 17, of 2021, Huntsville Police said in a press conference, McCoy eventually told her to return so he could care for her. Instead, prosecutors said, he fatally shot her on Jan. 7 of 2022. Spraggins' car was packed with all of her belongings, WGNO reported, suggesting that she was moving in. The former cop was off-duty at the time of the shooting, police said. He reportedly called his department to inquire whether any reports of shots fired had been lodged, telling dispatchers that he had been roused from sleep by the gunfire of a small-caliber gun, according to the New York Post. He later told dispatchers that the woman had committed suicide, according to WHNT. Story continues When his fellow Huntsville officers arrived at the scene and found the dead woman in her car, the Post reported, McCoy told them that he "[thought he'd] seen her once." He later told investigators that he didn't know her at all. A poilce handout of Heather Mae Kelley McCoy even helped police at the crime scene, according to reporting on a preliminary court hearing by local news station WAAY 31, asking for a pair of gloves and telling officers at the scene that he couldn't find the victim's phone or a murder weapon. Later, investigators would find Spraggins' phone and a gun that wasn't McCoy's service weapon in a closet inside his apartment. Due to 25 attempts at unlocking the dead woman's phone, according to the station, investigators have not yet accessed its contents. Gunshot residue was detected on the former cop's person. After changing his story several times over five hours of questioning, McCoy allegedly admitted that he "did it." Police found adequate evidence to charge McCoy with capital murder that evening. Three days after the shooting, Chief Mark McMurray wrote in a statement, the department announced that McCoy was "no longer a police officer or an employee of the City of Huntsville." McCoy had mail addressed to Spraggins and ultrasound photos of the unborn child in his patrol vehicle, the Post reported. Spraggins had a photo of him in her vehicle, and text messages between the pair helped investigators piece together what led to the alleged shooting. Around the time McCoy kicked Spraggins out of his Alabama apartment, she had sent him a desperate text asking what she was supposed to do, since she had quit her job in North Carolina to be with him. He reportedly told her that "a bullet to the head sounds good to me." Oxy App Spraggins' mother, Kimberley Walter, told Law & Crime that the "red flags" in the couple's relationship were apparent to her long before her daughter was killed. After her visitation with her children, on her way back to North Carolina, she would go to Alabama to spend maybe I am being facetious here 5 seconds with this guy, Walter said. He never spent a lot of time with her ... I was like 'don't go.' Walter alleged that at one point, McCoy took Spraggins into a cornfield with his gun and told her he would die by suicide. The woman moved in with her parents in Maryland after the distressing incident, but was soon convinced to return to Alabama. Spraggins became pregnant earlier in her relationship with McCoy, the mother said, but suffered a miscarriage. The mother-of-two did not have life insurance, according to a GoFundMe initiative organized by the stepmother of her surviving children. Thus far, the fundraiser has raised more than $12,000 toward her burial and funeral service. An-225 Mriya aircraft destroyed by Russian troops at the airport in Gostomel, April 2, 2022 Read also: SBU charges former head of Antonov over destruction of An-225 in Hostomel Investigators say the former head of Antonov failed to properly perform his duties to ensure the preservation of property from Jan. 30 to Feb. 24, 2022, resulting in the AN-225 Mriya transport aircraft not being transported in a timely manner from Hostomel airport its home base near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. The SBU said the aircraft was scheduled to be transported to Leipzig, Germany, as the plane was in a good enough technical condition to make the flight. However, the former head of Antonov did not issue the necessary instruction for its evacuation, which led to the destruction of the Mriya. These criminal actions caused state losses of UAH 8.4 billion ($228 million). Read also: An-225 Mriyas evacuation to Germany was canceled last minute, Bild reports The SBU added that Bychkov had also failed to ensure the timely renewal of the aircrafts insurance contract, causing Antonov to lose over UAH 42 million ($1.1 billion) in compensation payments. The charges were filed under Part 2 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which carries a punishment of up to five years of imprisonment. At the beginning of March, Bychkov, his deputy, and the head of the aviation safety unit were charged with obstructing the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations in protecting and defending the airport. Bychkov and the head of the aviation safety unit were taken into custody, and the former deputy director was declared wanted. All face up to 15 years in prison. The only example of the worlds largest aircraft, the An-225, which was designed in Ukraine, was destroyed by Russian forces on Feb. 27, 2022, during the Russian armys capture of Hostomel. The An-225 Mriya was the worlds largest and most powerful transport aircraft, built by the Kyiv-based Antonov Design Bureau. Read also: Antonov announces another An-225 Mriya is under construction Story continues It was actively used during the coronavirus pandemic, delivering 103 tons of medical supplies from China to Kyiv in April 2020 to fight against the virus. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine A former Clarksville school nurse has been sentenced to more than 24 years in federal prison on child pornography charges. U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis announced on April 3 that Leon B. Hensley, 42, has been sentenced to 293 months in federal prison on 25 counts of attempting to produce child pornography and enticing or coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography He was charged and arrested in May 2021 and pleaded guilty on Sept. 28, 2022. The federal investigation of Leon Burnett Hensley The investigation into Hensley began in 2019 when the Clarksville Police Department received a referral from the Tennessee Department of Children Services advising that Hensely sent an image via text message of a nude female to a minor female in the Clarksville area, asking for her for help by posing in a photo shoot. According to a criminal complaint, Hensley was a nurse at Northeast High School from August 2017 through Nov. 8, 2019. A follow-up investigation and search of his phone led to the discovery of several images depicting the sexual exploitation of children in a folder named "decoy folder" an affidavit said. During a search of his house, numerous electronic devices with images of minor girls unknowingly being recorded using a restroom as well as hospital rooms, airports and tanning beds. There were more than 700 images of students in a private student bathroom were discovered with more than 40 victims, suspected to be students at Northeast High School aged 12 to 18. Due to the enormous amount of images found of his devices, the United States Secret Service assisted with the investigation. This article originally appeared on Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle: Former Clarksville school nurse sentenced for child pornography By Federico Maccioni and Angelo Amante MILAN (Reuters) -Four-times Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, 86, was being treated in intensive care on Wednesday in a cardiac unit at Milan's San Raffaele Hospital after suffering breathing problems. The billionaire media tycoon, who made his fortune from commercial television, has suffered repeated bouts of ill-health in recent years and came out of hospital just last week. "He has been admitted to intensive care because a problem caused by an infection has not been resolved but he is speaking," Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, a long-time ally of Berlusconi, told reporters in Brussels. A source at the San Raffaele hospital confirmed that Berlusconi was being treated in the intensive care section of its cardiothoracic wing and would remain in hospital overnight. Italian media reports said Berlusconi was taken to hospital after complaining of breathing difficulties. His eldest daughter Marina Berlusconi and his brother Paolo Berlusconi visited him during the day, Italy's ANSA news agency reported. Berlusconi's Forza Italia party is part of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing coalition, although he does not have a role in government. 'FORZA SILVIO' Meloni sent a goodwill message on social media. "Sincere and affectionate wishes for a speedy recovery to Silvio Berlusconi," she said, adding "Forza Silvio (Come on, Silvio). Berlusconi built Italy's biggest commercial TV network and gained an international profile as owner of European soccer champions AC Milan before entering politics in 1994 when the previous political class was brought down by a corruption scandal. His health has deteriorated in recent years. He had heart surgery in 2016, has also had prostate cancer, and has been repeatedly admitted to hospital over the past couple of years after contracting COVID-19 in 2020. Berlusconi stepped down as prime minister for the last time in 2011 as Italy came close to a Greek-style debt crisis and weighed down by his own scandals, including his notorious "bunga bunga" parties. Story continues He was returned to the Senate (upper house) of the Italian parliament after a general election last September. Berlusconi has recently stirred controversy with his criticism of Ukraine's President Volodymir Zelenskiy, putting him at odds with Meloni. An Italian court acquitted Berlusconi in February over allegations of paying witnesses to lie in an underage prostitution case that has dogged the former prime minister for more than a decade. Berlusconi was accused of bribing 24 people, mostly young female guests at his "bunga bunga" parties, in a previous trial where he was charged with paying for sex with a 17-year-old Moroccan nightclub dancer. Berlusconi's Fininvest family holding group retains control of the MediaForEurope television business and its shares rose on Wednesday on speculation about potential M&A activity in a post-Berlusconi era. (Additional reporting by Alvise Armellini, writing by Gavin Jones and Keith Weir, editing by Crispian Balmer, Angus MacSwan and Gareth Jones) A former police officer with the city of Miami has admitted in federal court to milking a COVID-19 relief program for small businesses out of more than $40,000 while he was employed with the city. Gregory Dennis, 45, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud on Wednesday in connection with two fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans he submitted to a Small Business Administration (SBA)-approved lender in 2021, court records show. The Broward County resident is scheduled to be sentenced June 13. As part of the deal, Dennis agreed to resign from the Miami Police Department, surrender his Florida Department of Law Enforcement certification and to never work as a police officer again. Miami police told the Miami Herald that Dennis worked for the department since 2013 and had been relieved of duty without pay pending the outcome of the investigation. Dennis, who was charged in March, will also have to forfeit all property and items he bought with the fraudulent loans he received; it is unclear what the money was used for. Miami Police Chief Manuel A. Morales, whose internal affairs department was involved in the investigation, said the department holds its employees to the highest standard. We will not tolerate any violations to state, local and federal laws, Morales told the Herald via a spokesperson. READ MORE: Miami police officer fraudulently acquired over $40,000 in COVID relief, authorities say On March 28, 2021, Dennis submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application claiming to be the only owner of a cleaning service company and falsely representing his business 2020 gross income, the U.S. Attorneys Office Southern District of Florida said in a news release. As a result, investigators say Dennis received a loan of $20,833 from Harvest Small Business Finance, a California-based lender. Dennis then submitted a second fraudulent PPP loan application on April 10, 2021, using the same false IRS form that he used to obtained the first loan. Dennis received an additional loan of $20,833 from the same California-based lender. Story continues READ MORE: Former Miami TD Bank manager gets 10-year sentence for swindling pandemic loan program The FBIs Miami Area Corruption Task Force, which includes task force officers from the Miami Police Departments Internal Affairs Section, and SBAs Office of Inspector General, investigated the case. READ MORE: Florida man gets 6 years for bilking millions in PPP loans. Hell also lose his Lamborghini According to the U.S. Attorneys Office in Miami, federal prosecutors have filed about 150 PPP loan fraud cases in South Florida since Congress approved the CARES Act program in spring 2020 to help businesses struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most have led to convictions with prison sentences ranging from a few months up to 10 years. READ MORE: Florida man faces more than prison for $3 million PPP fraud. Hell lose citizenship South Florida is considered the top region for PPP loan fraud in the nation. Last fall, the Justice Department set up strike forces at U.S. attorneys offices in South Florida, Baltimore and Southern California to target the proliferation of PPP loan scams in those areas as well as in other parts of the country. READ MORE: PPP firms gave selves loans, bought Porsche, $8M home, says report on COVID loan fraud There are thousands of PPP loan fraud cases across the country, costing taxpayers billions of dollars in lost funds guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the CARES Act. The root of the problem, an SBA inspector general found, was the lack of controls over loan applications approved by banks under emergency economic conditions during the pandemic. Miami Herald staff reporters Jay Weaver and Devoun Cetoute contributed to this report. Bob Kroll, the former head of the Minneapolis police union, is now banned from working as a licensed officer in three Minnesota counties for the next 10 years as part of a lawsuit settlement reached on Tuesday. Mr Kroll, an ally of former President Donald Trump, was a well-known pro-police advocate in Minneapolis for years before he burst into the national spotlight following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020. In the aftermath of Mr Floyds killing, protests erupted in Minneapolis and St Paul and were, according to two class action lawsuits, brutally suppressed by members of the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD). According to the ACLU of Minnesota, the settlement with Mr Kroll stems from those two lawsuits. Lt Bob Kroll, head of the Minneapolis police union, shakes hands with Donald Trump during a rally at the Target Center in Minneapolis on 10 October, 2019 (Getty) In a statement given to KSTP on Tuesday, a ACLU of Minnesota Legal Director Teresa Nelson said the organisation hopes the settlement sends the message to other police that mistreatment of people trying to assert their First Amendment rights will not be tolerated. This settlement achieves a much-needed goal: It takes Bob Kroll, a police leader and union head with a long history of racist and inflammatory statements, off the beat and out of police leadership in the Twin Cities metro for a decade, the statement read. The case alleged that his actions as a de facto policymaker led to the use of excessive force against demonstrators. Not only will Mr Kroll not be allowed to serve as a police officer in Hennepin, Ramsey, or Anoka counties for the next decade, but he will also be barred from service on the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training. For Mr Kroll, its a remarkable development in a long tenure in public life in Minneapolis. He first joined MPD in 1989 and rose through the ranks of its union, the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis, until he was elected president in 2015. During Mr Krolls tenure in union leadership, MPD was accused of systematically racist policing and was the frequent target of protests that reached a boiling point with the murder of Mr Floyd. Mr Kroll was also outspoken politically, appearing at a rally with Mr Trump in 2019. In the aftermath of Mr Floyds murder, protesters in Minneapolis burned down a police precinct and demonstrated outside a union hall and outside Mr Krolls home in Twin Cities suburbs calling on him to resign. He eventually announced his retirement effective in January 2021. Mr Kroll was involved in multiple police shootings during his career and reportedly racked up more than 20 internal affairs complaints over his policing conduct. A former Augusta, Kentucky, police officer was sentenced on Wednesday to probation for initiating sexually explicit conversations online with someone he believed to be a 15-year-old girl. He was actually talking to an undercover investigator. Ryan Hill, 30, was sentenced to four years in prison probated for four years. The sentence, handed down by Boone County Circuit Court Judge Richard Brueggemann, follows a recommendation by the commonwealth's attorney's office. Hill must also complete a community-based sex offender treatment program and pay a $1,000 fine. In March 2022, Hill was indicted on one count of prohibited use of electronic communications to procure a minor for sexual activity, court records show. He pleaded guilty on Feb. 9 to an amended charge of unlawful transaction with a minor, according to the documents. In a criminal complaint, a Boone County Sheriff's Office detective said Hill, via the social media platform Whisper, described in detail sexual acts he wanted to perform on the young girl. He asked for nude photographs, though he was told the girl was a sophomore in high school, according to the complaint. "Hill also made the statement that the female was nearly half his age," the complaint states, adding he even admitted during a conversation that he was a police officer. Hill was actually chatting with an undercover task force officer from Minnesota, the sheriff's office said, adding authorities in Minnesota alerted detectives in Boone County to Hill's online activity. Hill was living in Hebron at the time. The conversations occurred between Dec. 24, 2021, and Dec. 27, 2021. At the time, Hill was an officer with the Augusta Police Department. He was one of three Augusta officers assigned to Augusta Independent Schools. He began his assignment at the district in August 2021. He was fired on the same day as his arrest in January 2022. Since he'd only been with the department less than a year, Hill was in a probationary period as detailed in his contract, meaning he could be fired "without cause or recourse," his termination letter reads. Story continues Hill's personnel file shows that he worked as a Kenton County police officer from 2016 to 2020. Before that, Hill was a dispatcher for Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport police. Hill and his lawyer, Jeff Fichner, did not make a statement about the case in court on Wednesday. Fichner has yet to respond to an email and phone call from The Enquirer requesting comment. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Undercover sexting sting leads to probation for former NKY cop A former San Diego police detective and three others pleaded guilty to federal charges on Tuesday to operating massage parlors that offered commercial sex services. Peter Griffin, 78, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to money laundering, wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to facilitate interstate commerce for businesses involving prostitution, and other crimes in San Diego federal court, the Department of Justice said in a news statement. Griffin, a police officer at the San Diego Police Department for 27 years, worked as a detective in the Vice Operations Unit for part of his career, court documents said. His duties as a vice detective included investigating and making arrests associated with illicit massage parlors, court documents said. He then used his insider knowledge to run five massage parlors in California and Arizona, the Department of Justice said. After leaving the San Diego Police Department in 2002, Griffin worked as a private investigator until 2013 when he and a partner started managing a massage business called Genie Oriental Spa in San Diego, court documents said. Griffin managed or owned four other massage parlors and advertised "therapeutic services" on websites known to promote commercial sex, according to court documents. They also advertised on rubmaps.com, a website that provides reviews, locations, and other information on massage parlors that offer commercial sex acts, court documents said. The website no longer has the .com ending and has since changed its address to a server based out of the United States, according to a Google search by CBS News. Griffin used these websites and chat applications to find and hire women to perform these sexual acts, court documents said. Griffin and the others leased apartments to the workers and charged them rent, court documents said. "The defendant a former vice detective who once took an oath to uphold our laws knew more than most that illicit massage businesses cruelly profit by exploiting women for commercial sex," said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division in a news statement. "We are committed to prosecuting the proprietors of these illegal businesses, and to shining a light on those places where sexual exploitation and trafficking persist." Story continues Request for comment to Griffin's attorney was not returned immediately. Griffin faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, the Department of Justice said. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7 in federal court. Trump lashes out after pleading not guilty to felony charges Deadly tornado devastates southeast Missouri JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon says current banking crisis is "not yet over" Former Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) on Wednesday joined Husch Blackwell Strategies, a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm with close ties to the veteran GOP senator. Blunt will lead a newly launched strategic advisory practice at the firm, which is run by Gregg Hartley, Blunts former chief of staff in the House, and Andy Blunt, his son. Blunt will also reunite with Stacy McBride, his chief of staff in the Senate who joined the firm last month. Blunt recently retired from Congress after 26 years in office. He held several prominent roles, chairing the Senate Rules Committee and Senate Republican Policy Committee and serving as the No. 2 Republican in the House. He was a trusted adviser to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). Blunt is the third senator from the 117th Congress to announce a new gig. Former Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) joined lobbying and law firm DLA Piper in a similar advisory role. Former Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) joined the American Enterprise Institute as a public policy fellow. The Missouri Republican, who served on the Senate Intelligence Committee, will maintain his security clearance and continue to advise the intelligence community separate from his role at the firm. Hell also stay on as the recently elected president of the State Historical Society of Missouri. Blunt gained a reputation as a dealmaker and institutionalist. One of his last moves in Congress was passing the Electoral Count Reform Act, a bipartisan measure to clarify lawmakers role in certifying the presidential election and prevent a repeat of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. When Senator Blunt gets people in a room together, great things happen, and I look forward to seeing those results, Neil Bradley, the top lobbyist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said in a press release from Husch Blackwell Strategies. Blunt does not plan on registering to lobby and will focus on advising clients, the firm said. After leaving Congress, senators must wait two years before lobbying their former colleagues. Ex-lawmakers are increasingly choosing to advise clients rather than register to lobby after their lobbying prohibition ends, which keeps their clients hidden from the public. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Fort Worth Police Department is investigating a shooting that resulted in a homicide on Tuesday. Police were dispatched to the 5100 block of Ivy Wood Lane, in south Fort Worth, around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in response to a call about a shooting. When they arrived, officers found a man dead with a gunshot wound. The Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office identified the victim as Jailon Xerion-Harold Freeman, 25. He died from a gunshot wound to the head on a sidewalk outside an apartment building, according to the medical examiner. Detectives learned that Freeman was involved in an argument with someone when that person shot him and fled the scene. Homicide detectives are interviewing a person of interest in reference to this shooting but have not announced an arrest, according to a police spokesperson. This is an ongoing investigation. MArriage_1 - Credit: Courtesy of Christopher Crawford Its Tuesday afternoon in Lower Manhattan and its 68 degrees and sunny. Outside the Office of the City Clerk, daffodils bloom and birds chirp as starry-eyed couples queue in the shade of some scaffolding, awaiting their turn to make one of the biggest commitments of their lives. More from Rolling Stone Tuesday is memorable for another reason, too. Directly across the street from the line for the Marriage Bureau, more than 100 people have taken over the corner, chanting, No one is above the law and We demand justice now. The demonstrators, along with the gaggle of television news crews on the opposite side are awaiting the imminent arrival of Donald Trump at New York County Criminal Court, just one block up the street, where the first U.S. president in history to face criminal charges will soon be fingerprinted, processed, and arraigned on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Daniel Rivera, 50, and his fiancee Jessenia Saavedra, 48, have hitched a ride from Riveras step-brother, who is circling the neighborhood in his car since parking is scarce and too expensive. I said Ill call when we finish, Rivera tells Rolling Stone, looking around at the melee. Hell pick me up here or I dont know. His voice trails off. Rivera met Saavedra who is dressed in a simple white gown and holding a faux floral bouquet when he was a regular at the restaurant where she worked. Id go to pick up the lunch and shes looking at me like, Hey, he says. Every Friday I say, Yo, give me your number, and she said, Nah Im not giving you my number. Im like, Yeah, give me your number. Im gonna call you! Last summer, she finally agreed. As he reminisces about their meet-cute, a limo passes through the intersection, honking, and carrying a passenger in a Trump costume, who waves out the open window to the protesters on the corner, while other people on board whoop and shout. Rivera, originally from Puerto Rico, says he didnt vote in previous elections, but contrary to the attitude on display by New Yorkers across the street, he says he likes Trump. I have no problem with Donald Trump, he says, then qualifies it. My only problem is when hes talking. The mouth. A little crazy. Story continues Right now, though, its their day, and the couple have more important things to think about. They are focused on making it to their appointment and then celebrating. The plan is dinner with family later in the evening, where theyll feast on Chaulafan, a fried rice from Ecuador, Saavedras home country. For Mads Clausen and Soumay Thomsen, the idea of getting married in New York started as a joke. Tourists from Copenhagen, Denmark, theyve always loved New York City, and thought it would be cool to tie the knot on a family trip theyd been planning for 2023. Three months ago, they decided to do it for real. They arrived Thursday to their Airbnb in Harlem and then went to get their marriage license. We saw the press on Friday and we asked, just kidding, Is he coming? says Thomsen, 52. And then they said, Yes, on Tuesday. What [are] the odds? Their appointment for 2:00 even lined up with Trumps planned 2:15 arraignment. What a crazy coincidence, Clausen, 50, says, adding that the mobs of protests and police didnt hamper their arrival. We just took the subway and walked, he says. Its the kind of thing that we wont forget now, Thomsen adds. Neither is a fan of Trump. People at home were calling us and saying, Just stay away from the area, and we said, Ha ha, we are Clausen, already her partner of 13 years, finishes her sentence: In the center of it. A helicopter buzzes overhead as Daniel Arzuaga and Christopher Crawford search for a last-minute witness for their ceremony. Arzuaga wears a polka-dotted blazer and Crawford is in gray with a window-pane plaid pattern. Both wear floral ties.They spot this Rolling Stone reporter, since I have been lingering by the courthouse steps, hoping to meet more couples. Their close friend Yannet Ramirez was going to be their witness, but she forgot her ID card and the three are in a tizzy to get the occasion back on track. We head inside to a common area with vaulted ceilings and wide, round hanging lamps all pretty grand, in a municipal way. They sit down on a sage-colored upholstered bench that runs half the length of the space and wait for their number to be called. Rolling Stone reporter Andrea Marks, Daniel Arzuaga, Christopher Crawford, Yannet Ramirez Tuesday is the one-year anniversary of the day they first met in person. Theyd chatted online, subtly vetting each other, for about two days before then. It was love at first sight, says Arzuaga, 60. Crawford, 31, had arrived in the U.S. from Chile only a month before meeting Arzuaga. Hed decided to move on a whim. I wanted to live a new experience outside of my country, he says. They fell in love over the following months over food and travel. Their first date was to Manolo Tapas, a Spanish restaurant in Washington Heights, and they took trips to Hudson, New York, for biking, hiking, and rock climbing. In September, they moved in together in Mott Haven in the Bronx. The couple didnt even realize the historic event they were joining when they stopped by Crawfords workplace a restaurant in SoHo to pick up his shoes for the occasion and Crawfords boss pointed out the overlap. Both men dislike Trump, but Arzuaga sees some symbolism in the gravity of the occasion. No one is above the law, he says. Marriage is a legal thing, its a contract, something that you should honor and abide by. We made our promises to each other that we have to keep, so we intend on doing that. In a chapel, the couple promise to have and to hold each other as long as they both shall live. They exchange identical gold rings and a kiss in front of the officiant, Ramirez, and this witness. Arzuagas hands shake as he and Crawfold hold a bouquet of white roses, lilies, and hydrangeas between them. Afterward, they pose for pictures. First time at 60, he says. Can you believe it? Best of Rolling Stone Click here to read the full article. A 25-year-old man burst into a preschool in southern Brazil and killed four children with a hatchet-like weapon Wednesday before turning himself in to police, an attack President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva condemned as "monstrous." The attacker, who jumped a wall to get inside, also wounded four other children at the private preschool, known as the Good Shepherd Center, in the city of Blumenau, said police and government officials in the state of Santa Catarina. He then rode a motorcycle to a state police station and handed himself in, police said. Dozens of people gathered outside the preschool, whose external wall is covered in bright paintings of children and butterflies. Emergency workers and police had set up a security cordon, and were only allowing parents inside. One parent outside was Bruno Bridi, the grief-stricken father of five-year-old Bernardo, who was killed. He told journalists how Bernardo and a friend had been hopping like bunnies when he dropped him off at school in the morning. "I just thank God for every moment I spent with my son," he said through tears. Brazilian media carried images of small bodies covered in white sheets on the preschool's playground, and a sobbing mother leaving the building carrying her son, who survived the ordeal. Andre Nazario, whose wife works at the school, said she had described a horrific scene when he spoke with her. "She said that after the guy left, she went to the playground and saw the (victims). She tried to do CPR on one of them, apparently, but it didn't work. She was in a state of shock," he told journalists. The attacker mainly struck his victims in the head, emergency official Diogo de Souza Clarindo told journalists. He killed three boys and one girl, who were between five and seven years old, Clarindo said. The wounded children -- two girls, both aged five, and two boys, ages three and five -- were in stable condition, said the hospital treating them. - 'He went to kill' - Story continues Authorities said the attacker was a Santa Catarina resident with at least four prior arrests, including for stabbing his step-father. He acted alone, police chief Ulisses Gabriel told a news conference, ruling out a "coordinated" attack. A teacher at the preschool, Simone Aparecida Camargo, described hiding several children in a bathroom as the attacker killed his victims on the playground. "He went to the playground to kill," she told news site Metropoles. Blumenau, a normally quiet city of 360,000 people, canceled school and Easter Sunday celebrations, declaring 30 days of mourning. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva condemned the attack. "There is no greater pain than a family that loses children or grandchildren, even more so when it is in an act of violence against innocent and defenseless children," he wrote on Twitter. "My thoughts and prayers are with the victims' families and the community of Blumenau in the face of this monstrous attack." He later held a minute's silence for "the victims of this barbarity" before an event at the presidential palace. - Repeat tragedies - Violent school attacks have been increasing in Brazil in recent years. Last week, a 13-year-old boy killed a teacher in a knife attack at a school in Sao Paulo. A 16-year-old shooter last November also killed four people and wounded more than 10 others in twin attacks on two schools in the southeastern city of Aracruz, in Espirito Santo state. The country's deadliest school shooting left 12 children dead in 2011, when a man opened fire at his former elementary school in the Rio de Janeiro suburb of Realengo, then killed himself. There have also been a series of cases of deadly violence at preschools. In 2017, a guard at a preschool in the southeastern town of Janauba doused a group of children and himself in alcohol and set them on fire, killing nine children and a teacher and leaving around 40 wounded. Authorities said the man, who also died, suffered from "mental problems." In 2021, an 18-year-old man killed three young children and two employees in a knife attack on a preschool in the town of Saudades, Santa Catarina, the same state where Wednesday's attack occurred. bur-jhb/des In the days since a Manhattan grand jury voted to indict former President Donald Trump, experts who monitor extremism have watched to see whether the historic news sparks a protest movement that mirrors the Jan. 6 insurrection. It has not. While hundreds of supporters showed up in Florida on Monday to cheer Trumps short drive to his private jet before today's arraignment, public demonstrations have not descended into civil unrest. At least not yet. A protest in Manhattan on Tuesday morning, where Trump was due to surrender to the district attorney, appeared to feature more reporters than protestors a pattern that has played out across the country in the last couple of weeks. Trump pleaded not guilty in New York today to 34 felony counts in a case that centers on allegations of falsifying business records in connection with thousands of dollars in hush money. In his courtroom remarks during the Manhattan hearing, Judge Juan Manuel Merchan had a stern warning for both sides in the case: Please refrain from making statements that are likely to incite violence or civil unrest, he said. Back in Florida on Tuesday evening, Trump gave a speech railing against the charges, but did not call for widespread protests. More: Why was Donald Trump indicted? Is he under arrest? What you need to know So, why arent extremists who support Trump showing up to support their leader? Extremism experts across the country talked to USA TODAY about four possible reasons: Former President Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower in New York on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. Trump will surrender in Manhattan on Tuesday to face criminal charges stemming from 2016 hush money payments. 1. Trump hasnt told his supporters what to do Last month, when the former president announced (without evidence, and as it turned out, incorrectly) that he would be arrested within days, he called on his supporters to PROTEST PROTEST PROTEST on his Truth social account. Trump supporters worry 'It's a trap': Despite Trump's calls for protests, few efforts emerge But, unlike Jan. 6, when Trump specifically told the assembled crowd to march to the U.S. Capitol after his speech, the former president has been vague this time about what, exactly, he wants his supporters to do. Story continues Trump hasnt given his supporters a target for their ire. He hasnt named a forum for a protest, and thats key to drum up protests, said Brian Hughes, associate director of the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab at American University. In addition to a mobilizing figure, like Trump, you'd need a time and a place a mobilizing time and place to track these kinds of protests, Hughes said. With January 6, there was a very clear time and a very clear place, and a very strong call to action. From Trump, you haven't had any of that. PHOTO 2. Some extremists have fallen out with Trump Back in 2021, Trump was the unquestionable leader of the far-right extremist movement in America. From hardcore white supremacists to followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory, Trump held sway across a remarkable spectrum of the extremist landscape. Thats changed, somewhat. More: Two years since the Jan. 6 insurrection, extremist groups are fragmented, but live on While Trump has moved closer and closer in his rhetoric to far-right extremists, he has also fallen afoul of some groups. Some chapters of the street gang the Proud Boys, notably have soured towards the former president, upset he hasnt done enough to help members of their gang imprisoned for their actions on Jan. 6, said Jared Holt, a senior researcher at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. All the people that got arrested after January 6 Trump really hasn't done anything to support them, Holt said. You know how many Proud Boys channels I've seen in the last couple of years saying ... Well, where was Trump when a bunch of our guys got arrested and did all this stuff thinking they were doing it for him? Other extremists still support the former president, but some of the groups that are organized enough to get people to protest in numbers have, to some extent, moved on. FILE - Rioters at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. Speaker Kevin McCarthys decision to unleash a trove of Jan. 6 Capitol attack footage to Fox News Tucker Carlson has launched a wholesale rewriting of the history of the deadly siege. Carlson aired the first installment of some 41,000 hours of security footage on his prime-time show and promised more Tuesday. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File) ORG XMIT: WX201 3. Extremists are still cowed from Jan. 6 Key extremist groups have seen their leadership decimated by the federal prosecutions of Jan. 6 rioters. More than 1,000 people have been charged in the riot, including some of the countrys most notorious extremist leaders. As USA TODAY reported last month, the countrys far-right activists remain skittish about protesting in large numbers in public. Investigation: After Jan. 6 riot, hundreds of identifiable people remain free. Why? "Jan. 6 prosecutions have had a major deterrent effect," said Colin P. Clarke, Director of Research at The Soufan Group, which monitors domestic extremism. "If you think about 1,000 different people charged as a result of Jan. 6, and then you map out their social networks, that's a lot of the people that would typically be filling this space that aren't." And the criminal charges arent the only fallout from the insurrection and other related protests. The Proud Boys are facing a $22 million lawsuit, which is almost certainly weighing on the group, said Andy Campbell, author of the book We Are Proud Boys: How a Right-Wing Street Gang Ushered in a New Era of American Extremism. The organization itself is clearly feeling the heat. FILE - In this Aug. 2, 2018, file photo, a protesters holds a Q sign waits in line with others to enter a campaign rally with President Donald Trump in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Candidates engaging with the QAnon conspiracy theory are running for seats in state legislatures this year, breathing more oxygen into a once-obscure conspiracy movement that has grown in prominence since adherents won Republican congressional primaries this year. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) ORG XMIT: NYAG602 4. Trumps base thinks hell beat the charges Many Trump supporters simply believe he'll be found not guilty, experts said. That's especially true for QAnon supporters, said Katie McCarthy, an investigative researcher with the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism. More: 'QAnon shaman' leaves prison after Jan. 6 QAnon, a baseless and anti-Semitic conspiracy theory, has always posited that Trump is leading a complicated plan that begins with an initial indictment even his own. For true QAnon believers, everything is now starting to play out, McCarthy said. "They very much have placed their faith in the plan," she said. "They believe that Trump's indictment was supposed to happen. This is just one of the many steps that he's got to take in order to usher in the storm, and finally be able to round up and dismantle all the folks from the deep state." Get up to speed: The week in extremism This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Four reasons extremists may not be protesting Trump indictment By Tassilo Hummel PARIS (Reuters) -France's labour unions will keep up their fight against a planned rise of the legal retirement age, they said on Wednesday, after a meeting with Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne failed to end months of gridlock over a deeply unpopular reform. Wednesday's talks were the first high-stakes meeting between the government of President Emmanuel Macron and union bosses since nationwide protests and strikes against the legislation started in mid-January. The talks, ahead of a new day of walkouts and marches planned for Thursday, lasted about an hour. Union leaders were united in saying the meeting had been a failure. "We decided to put an end to this useless meeting...The prime minister has chosen to send us back to the streets," said Sophie Binet, the newly elected first woman leader of the hardline CGT union, France's second biggest. The government says it is necessary to raise the retirement age to 64 from 62 for most workers to balance the pension budget in years to come. The unions say the money can be found elsewhere. Borne told reporters that she was open to further talks but that she would not backdown on the retirement age. CGT activists hung a banner reading "64, it's no" from the top of the capital's Arc de Triomphe monument. Laurent Berger, head of the more moderate CFDT trade union, the country's largest, called for workers to join en masse Thursday's strikes and street protests. He said the vast majority of people opposed the pension system change and that public opinion was not shifting. The unions' determination to fight it was unwavering, he added. Labour representatives complain they are not being listened to despite weeks of protest marches and unrest against the pension overhaul. "We will not come back to the negotiating table as if nothing had happened", said Cyril Chabanier, president of the CFTC union, reading out a joint statement after the meeting. Story continues Chabanier said the unions told Borne the only way out of the deadlock was for the government to withdraw the reform. Macron's decision to ram through the legislation without a final vote in parliament last month only added to the fury of unions and the wider public. Opponents of the bill will now be waiting for the Constitutional Council to give its verdict on the bill on April 14. The council has the power to strike down the bill - or parts of it - if it considers it breaches the constitution, but it rarely rejects entire bills. (Reporting by Tassilo Hummel and Antony Paone, writing by Silvia Aloisi, editing by Richard Lough) FC French prog rock outfit Franck Carducci and the Fantastic Squad have announced that they will release a brand new live album, The Answer Live, on May 6. The new album was recorded at a show at the De Boerderij venue in Zoetermeer, in September last year. "When the world started to reopen in the summer of 2021, the Fantastic Squad and myself kicked off The Answer Tour," Carducci says. "Being a 100% independent band means we have to take care of gig bookings, tour management, driving, setting up our gear every night, packing up, van loading, promoting, designing visual materials... Oh and occasionally, we also play music and try to entertain y'all at gigs. "When we arrived already tired in the Netherlands to play one of my favourite venues in the world and record this show for a potential release, we knew we weren't gonna be in our very best shape, but we also knew we were gonna give it 200%... because that's what we always do! "This amazing tour can be summarised with a few figures: 8 countries, 62 gigs including 3 in our hometown - Lyon - and 4 in our heart-town - London - 11 festivals, 4 legendary venues, tens of thousands of kilometres driven, and dozens of sleepless nights. Add to that 7692 chocolate bars swallowed (not counting other sweets and treats), 444 focaccias, 315 tandoori chickens, 294 late night kebabs and countless plates of homemade pasta eaten, 83256 litres of tea (and a few other beverages) drunk and, last but not least, thousands of smiles in front of us at the gigs. "We are forever grateful for all the love and support you showed us night after night. YOU are what made it worth all these efforts!" Franck and the band will perform a launch party for the new album at O Totem Live in Lyon in France on May 6. Tickets are available here. Pre-order The Answer Live. A Japan-based global food company has unveiled a 93.4 million takeover deal for the London-founded restaurants business behind The Real Greek and Franco Manca brands. A 14.15p per share cash offer has been made for Fulham Shore, which has 97 branches, notched up record sales of around 100 million in the year to March, and was set up by veteran restaurateur David Page. The offer for the 11-year-old firm, named after Pages fathers love of Fulham FC, represents a premium of approximately 34.8% from the share closing price yesterday. As a just over 13% shareholder of the business Page is in line for around 11.8 million from the sale. The agreed proposal comes from Great Sea Kitchens, a newly-incorporated company set up on behalf of dining giant Toridoll which has 5,500 stores and is behind brands such as Marugame Udon. It is working with private equity firm Capdesia. The bidder thinks Fulham Shore offers authentic, high-quality food and drinks at affordable prices and recognises the significant opportunity to expand the business in the UK, internationally, and through product sales in shops. Page, executive chairman of Fulham Shore, said: Whilst we remain excited about the prospects for the business on a standalone basis, we have been in discussions with both Toridoll and Capdesia and received a proposal that we believe is compelling for all of our stakeholders. He added that directors are unanimously recommending the acquisition to shareholders. Singer Capital Markets and Rothschild are advising Fulham Shore and Peel Hunt is acting for the buyer. Details of the proposal came on the same day that Fulham Shore said the trading momentum and absence of Covid closure periods compared to the last two financial years as well as new store expansion has driven a significant increase in revenue to around 100 million for the year to March 26. The AIM-listed company said: In general, transport hub and tourist locations are performing strongly while restaurants near offices have not yet fully returned to pre-pandemic trading levels. Takaya Awata, chief executive of of Toridoll said together with the strength of these [Fulham Shore] brands and our partnership with restaurant sector specialist fund Capdesia, we have the opportunity to leverage our combined expertise and significant resources to accelerate their growth even further. WASHINGTON (AP) Wander Franco and Harold Ramirez each had two hits including a home run, and the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Washington Nationals 7-2 on Wednesday. The Rays improved to 6-0 and extended the best start in franchise history. They are off to the best start of any team since Baltimore opened 7-0 in 2016 and are the first team to win its first six games by four or more runs since the 1884 St. Louis Maroons won their first 13 by at least four runs. We've got some real serious magic on this team, reliever Ryan Thompson said after closing out the win. I think a lot of us could start to feel it in spring training. It's hard to explain. I just feel like the vibe is just a little unique this year versus what I've felt in the past. Taylor Walls and Randy Arozarena had two hits each for Tampa Bay, which has outscored opponents 44-13. Shane McClanahan (2-0) allowed two runs on five hits and four walks over six innings, allowing at least one baserunner in every inning but the sixth. He struck out six. There's something real nice about when you settle in and cruise a little bit, but it's not as sweet as the ones where you've really got to earn it, McClanahan said. I had to battle and it was a fist fight and kudos to these guys in this locker room for having my back and fighting with me. McClanahan was aided by Arozarena, whose leaping catch on Joey Meneses saved a run in the first. Then Manuel Margot made a diving catch in right with a man on to end the seventh. Victor Robles had two hits for the Nationals, who have lost five of their first six games. We're gonna get better. There's no doubt about that, manager Dave Martinez said. There's a lot of baseball left. Of course, I want to win every day, but I'm not gonna put any onus on the first week of the season. Washington starter Patrick Corbin (0-2) gave up six runs on 10 hits over six innings. The Rays broke open a close game in the sixth. Corbin had retired 11 in a row before Ramirez lined a homer to center with two outs. Margot then singled, stole second and scored when centerfielder Robles lost Walls fly ball in the sun for a double. Walls scored on a single by Jose Siri to make it 6-2. Story continues The Rays took a 3-1 lead in the third when Yandy Diaz singled and Franco followed with a line-drive homer into the Rays bullpen in left center. A single by Michael Chavis scored Meneses to make it 3-2 in the fourth. Washington then loaded the bases with no outs, but McClanahan retired Robles on a short fly to right, and struck out CJ Abrams and Lane Thomas. He reaches back, gets a little bit extra, gets a little bit nastier, knowing the game's on the line right there, manager Kevin Cash said of McClanahan. From that point he went and got two more innings. ... Really, really impressed with Shane. The fourth inning was another example of Washington's struggles with runners in scoring position and they finished the game 3 for 12. We've got to start hitting with guys on base, Martinez said. We had a chance to blow the game open. Bases loaded, not outs and we couldn't get a run So we've got to start driving in runs. BOTH SIDES OF THE PITCH CLOCK Thompson became the first Rays pitcher to record a strikeout via a batter timer violation when strike three was called on Ildemaro Vargas in the ninth. Two batters later the worm turned as a ball was called for Robles when Thompson started to come set before Robles was engaged and the clock was above eight seconds. Robles eventually walked. UP NEXT Rays: RHP Zach Eflin (1-0, 1.80), who allowed one run over five innings in his Rays debut, pitches the opener of a three-game series against visiting Oakland on Friday. Nationals: RHP Josiah Gray (0-1, 9.00), who gave up five runs against the Braves on Saturday, pitches the opener of a four-game series at Colorado. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins and a local firearms business owner have been indicted on federal charges of conspiracy and making false statements to acquire machine guns, the U.S. Attorney's Office for Maryland said Wednesday. A federal grand jury indicted Jenkins, 66, of Thurmont, and Robert Justin Krop, 36, of Frederick, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a news release. Krop is the principal owner and operator of firearms-related businesses in Frederick County, according to the news release. He and his businesses held up to two federal firearms licenses "that allowed Krop and the business, under certain circumstances, to possess and deal in machine guns," according to the news release. Read the full story on the Frederick News-Post website. This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Sheriff Jenkins, Frederick County gun dealer, indicted The Primanti Bros. sandwich has won the title of Coolest Thing Made in PA, and the chain is ready to celebrate. The company came out on top in the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industrys bracket-style contest that began in mid-March with 32 companies. Primanti Bros. will celebrate the title by giving free beer to customers Wednesday at all of their restaurants in Pennsylvania. The Pittsburgh-based chain has a State College location on Hiester Street. Primanti Bros. won Mondays final round with 53% of the vote over Mrs. Ts pierogies. More than 32,000 votes were cast, the Chamber said. Weve known that Primanti Bros. was the Coolest Thing in PA since 1933 but were glad everyone else knows, too, Primanti Bros. CEO Adam Golomb said in a press release. While its an honor to be recognized as a Champion its even more remarkable to consider all of the iconic brands, businesses and stories that were born of our Commonwealth. Pennsylvania is full of cool things and were excited to be counted among them. In the contests first round, Primanti Bros. advanced past York Barbell. Primanti Bros. won its second-round matchup against Crayola crayons. Next was a victory over Martin & Co. guitars, and then a semifinal triumph over the Sheetz MTO. Chamber President and CEO Luke Bernstein offered his congratulations to Primanti Bros. for winning the inaugural Coolest Thing contest. This contest showcased what makes our state great by highlighting products made and manufactured in our Commonwealth and the publics response has blown us away, Bernstein said in a press release. These last three weeks have left no doubt that Pennsylvanians are passionate about their homegrown products. Gather your kilt and longsword, the Scarborough Renaissance Festival returns to North Texas this weekend. Since 1981, the festival has provided North Texans with 16th Century entertainment and fun. From handmade arts and crafts, to full combat joust events, theres a little something for every lad and lass at the Waxahachie camp ground. The 42nd Scarborough Renaissance Festival open this weekend and heres everything you need to know: When does the Scarborough Renaissance Festival open? The festival is only open Saturdays and Sundays over April and May, along with Memorial Day: April: 8-9, 15-16, 22-23 and 29-30. May: 6-7, 13-14, 20-21 and 27-29. The festivals operating hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day its open at 2511 FM 66, Waxahachie. What are the themed weekends at the festival? Every weekend the festival is open, theres a new theme with its own specialty events: April 8-9: Opening weekend and Easter celebration To kickoff the opening weekend, children under 12 years old gain free admission and seniors over 65 receive $10 off tickets. For Easter, there will be a Sunday renaissance service, egg roll and scavenger hunt. April 15-16: Artisans showcase weekend and a royal wedding Shoppers who spend $350 at festival stands and receive two complimentary tickets. Guests can witness the royal wedding between King Henry VIII and Catherine Parr at 1:30 p.m. both days, alongside villagers, peasants and the royal court. April 22-23: Viking and ale weekend Theres an adult and children viking costume contest planned, beer stein holding competition and tug owar event. April 29-30: Live the fantasy weekend This weekend is for fantasy and cosplay fans who want to participate in costume contests and fairy initiation ceremony. April 29 is also Deaf Day at the festival, with special signed performances throughout the day. May 6-7: Celtic weekend This weekend is all about Celtic pride from egg eating and bonniest knees contests, to traditional Irish step and ceili dance performances. Story continues May 13-14: Celebrating chivalry weekend Up to three kids per adult gain free admission to the festival as part of Mothers Day. Patrons can also participate in chivalry lessons and have their vows renewed. May 20-21: Legends of the seas weekend Mermaids, sea creatures and pirates are encouraged to enter the costume contest. A naval enlistment ceremony is set for noon on both days. May 27-29: The last huzzah This weekend closes out the festival with a topsy turvy day, where queens become beggars and villagers become kings. Active and retired military members are encouraged to attend the Memorial Day service on May 29. How much are Scarborough Renaissance Festival tickets? Tickets are now on sale and vary in price for children and adults: Adults: $32 online, $37 at the gate Children (5-12): $14 online, $17 at the gate Children (4 and under): Free admission always Season passes are available for adults at $150 and $34 for children. VIP and other event packages are also available on the festivals website. And fair not, parking costs are included in the adult tickets. What is there to do at the festival? Beyond the themed weekends, patrons have plenty to do and see at the festival. Offerings include: Stage performances Live music Dance courting A sword swallower Archery, ring toss and other games Amusement rides and more Food is another big part of the festival, with pubs and taverns spread out across the camp grounds. Other festival favorites include roasted turkey legs, crab cakes, Scottish eggs, Shepherds pie, meat on a stick and fresh pastries. Public library cards give holders access to a wealth of resources outside of book rentals, but not everyone is aware of the benefits that come with it. A surprised Sacramento Reddit user posted on Monday, discovering that a library card gives holders access to a Coursera account, an online certification website. Which isnt all Sacramento Public Library hosts community events as well as provides useful resources for skill development, streaming, park passes and news access. All Sacramento County residents can sign-up for a full access library card online. In California, library cards are free. Anyone over the age of 17 can apply for a card in Sacramento County; minors will need a parent or guardian to apply. Most libraries across the state offer the same benefits to cardholders. Heres a list of free resources card holders can take advantage of: Of course you can check out books With a library card, you can check out up to 60 items at a time, and they dont all need to be books. Here is a list of the items that can be borrowed, according to the Sacramento Public Library website: Books Board games Video games DVDs Resources for children The Sacramento Public Library hosts monthly events for kids of all ages. With prom season right around the corner, the library is taking donations of formal wear throughout April at libraries throughout the county for a giveaway. Outside of events, the library also provides resources that can help a childs educational development. Below are free resources, accessible to children, at the Sacramento Public Library: Tutoring for kids Borrow artist tools and cameras Resources for children 0 to 5 Resources for adults Through the public library, adults can gain access and receive help to a range of personal development classes. Below are free resources accessible to adults, at the Sacramento Public Library: Story continues Life skills Government resources Books and study guides are available for those preparing to take a citizenship test. Free online certification programs If youre looking to develop a personal skill, you can use any of the learning courses offered at the Sacramento Library that are listed below. Each of the learning programs offers courses in different areas such as: coding, computer skills, graphic design or even excel training. Take your pick from one of the learning modules below. Free passes Looking for a fun activity to do with family and friends? Well your library card can get you into California parks and museums for free. Free newspaper and streaming You can stay up-to-date with current events. Sacramento Library card holders can gain access to a range of ebooks, newspapers and magazines. Below are just some of the media outlets a library cardholder can gain access to: Ebooks, audiobooks, newspapers and magazines National Geographic The New York Times The Sacramento Bee Wall Street Journal Libby app OverDrive App Research tools and journals American Ancestors Britannica Consumer Reports Streaming video and audio 60 Minutes Kanopy streaming platform Quello What do you want to know about life in Sacramento? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email servicejournalists@sacbee.com. A feminist French minister who posed for Playboy told the magazine she backed the right of women to pose nude if they wanted to amid fresh criticism from her cabinet colleagues about her stunt on Wednesday. Marlene Schiappa, currently minister for the social economy and associations, appears in the French edition of Playboy this month which is set to hit shelves on Thursday, although the photos have already leaked to French media. In the shots to accompany the 12-page interview, Schiappa strikes a series of poses -- all fully clothed -- featuring extravagant dresses and outfits in the red, white and blue of the French tricolour. "If some (women) want to pose in a men's magazine and enjoy it, I think that we shouldn't blame them," Schiappa told the magazine. She cited Pamela Anderson as an inspiration after the US glamour model spoke of how posing for Playboy had been "an act of emancipation". "Like the Miss France. If they enjoy winning a beauty contest, I find that great too and we should support them," Schiappa continued. The lengthy interview features several innuendo-laden questions, including "is politics an aphrodisiac?", and delves into the 40-year-old's past as an erotic novelist and author on issues such as the female orgasm. But for the most part it focuses on her work as a women's rights defender within President Emmanuel Macron's government, tackling topics including domestic violence, street harassment and sexual abuse. Some colleagues have been left aghast by the timing of the interview in the middle of a major political crisis for the government which is battling violent protests and strikes over a rise in the retirement age. - 'Sexist stereotypes' - After Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne let it be known she had called media-savvy Schiappa to tell her that the unauthorised shoot was "not at all appropriate", Equalities Minister Isabelle Rome broke cover to condemn the initiative. "I wonder to myself: why would you choose Playboy to try to advance the cause of women when this magazine is a concentration of sexist stereotypes? It's all about the culture of women as objects," she told the Figaro newspaper. Story continues Rome, a former magistrate, said that "when you are a minister, you have responsibilities" while recalling that Playboy's founder Hugh Hefner was accused of sexual assault. The late mogul has been accused by a string of women of rape and predatory behaviour at his Playboy mansion in California, including in last year's docu-series "Secrets of Playboy". Rome's comments raise further doubts about whether Schiappa can remain in government at a time when Macron is said to be considering reshuffling his cabinet. Schiappa was unrepentant about attracting the limelight during her six-year political career which has made her one of the most recognisable ministers in Macron's governments. "It's an advantage, on the contrary," she told the magazine, when asked whether her frankness was a danger in politics. "Because people say that politics has become colourless, that everyone resembles one another... I don't resemble anyone else." cac-ab-adp/imm GAZA, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Israel on early Wednesday carried out intensive airstrikes on military facilities in the Gaza Strip in response to rockets fired from the Palestinian enclave, Palestinian and Israeli sources said. Security sources in Gaza said that the airstrikes targeted two military posts of the armed wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement of Hamas in southwest and central Gaza Strip. The posts suffered severe damage with no injuries reported. Israeli Radio reported that Palestinians fired rockets and mortars from the enclave to southern Israel, causing no injuries but damage to a building. The radio added that the rocket attack happened after clashes broke out between Israeli police and Palestinians at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem and some other neighborhoods in the Old City of Jerusalem. The Palestinians want East Jerusalem, occupied by Israel in 1967, to be the capital of their future Palestinian state, while Israel considers the whole of Jerusalem as its eternal capital. French junior minister Marlene Schiappa, who made headlines this week for a clothed Playboy photoshoot, is at the centre of accusations of alleged misuse of cash from an anti-radicalism fund set up after the beheading of a teacher. Schiappa, whose ministerial brief covers the social economy and associations, spearheaded the creation of a 2.5-million-euro ($2.7 million) fund in her previous job at the interior ministry. It is meant to finance the fight "separatism" after the 2020 killing of history teacher Samuel Paty by an Islamic extremist. But journalists from broadcaster France 2 and weekly Marianne cast doubt last week on the work carried out by a Paris-based charity that was one of the biggest recipients of the public cash. The interior ministry has begun an audit, and Paris prosectors confirmed to AFP that they were examining a complaint filed by an interministerial anti-radicalism committee. Members of Paty's family said Tuesday that they were "especially wounded by recent revelations... about the questionable use of the subsidies... and the lack of controls". "Samuel Paty's name should never and in no way be an instrument for such schemes," they added. Schiappa announced the creation of the "Marianne Fund" -- named for the symbol of the French republic -- in April 2021. It would "finance people and associations who will speak out to promote the values of the republic and to fight against separatist narratives, especially on social media and online platforms", she said at the time. There is no suggestion of any legal wrongdoing on Schiappa's party in the way the funds were used. The suspect beneficiary, an association known as USEPPM, reportedly used some of the money for videos and social media posts that were each seen by fewer than 50 people -- but most of it went to pay two former directors. Cyril Fergon, a lawyer for USEPPM's new management, told AFP that such payouts were against the association's statutes. One of the men who was paid by the group, Mohamed Sifaoui, has warned on Twitter that he will launch legal action against anyone who "defamed" him. Story continues The minister's fully-clothed interview with Playboy earned her a slap on the wrist from Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, who said the interview was not to her "taste". But Schiappa has defended the photoshoot, saying that in France "women are free" to do what they want with their bodies. gd-alh-edy/tgb/sjw/js The war in Ukraine will be front and center during French President Emmanuel Macron three-day state visit to China, as the European leader looks to harness Beijings influence with the Kremlin to accelerate peace efforts. Macron intends to nudge China "towards a shared responsibility for peace" in Ukraine during the state visit. The French president is also push the country not to send lethal weapons to Russia and ask Chinese leader Xi Jinping to use his influence to dissuade Moscow from using nuclear arms. 'The alliance is stronger': Finland joins NATO, Russia warns of 'retaliatory measures'. Ukraine live updates In a speech to French residents of China, Macron expressed hope on Wednesday that Beijing will participate in initiatives that are useful to the Ukrainian people. He'll discuss the war effort with Xi at a meeting on Thursday. In this file photo taken on November 15, 2022, French President Emmanuel Macron (L) meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping prior to their meeting in Nusa Dua on the Indonesian resort island of Bali on the sidelines of the G20 Summit. Macron's visit to China follows a meeting between Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow that ended without a resolution to the conflict. China has sought to position itself as a neutral peace broker in the war, even as it strengthens its alliance with Russia. France has better relations with China than the U.S. and Macron conferred with President Joe Biden prior to his visit. The leaders spoke about their "common desire to engage China to accelerate the end of the war," according to a statement provided by the Elysee. Macron and Biden both agree the war in Ukraine could end "today" if Putin withdrew his forces, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby told reporters. "We have long said that we would welcome China condemning this invasion," Kirby added. "We would welcome China enforcing and implementing the international sanctions to hold Mr. Putin accountable, and to date we haven't seen that. But we still urge China, if they truly want to accelerate an end to the war, to join the rest of the international community in condemning what Mr. Putin is doing." Story continues Despite Macrons efforts, French officials dont expect a major shift in Beijings position. Beijing has called for a cease-fire and came out against the use of nuclear weapons, without naming Russia, after the Kremlin announced plans to store tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. Xi has refused to criticize Putin's invasion of Ukraine, though, and visited Moscow days after an international court issued a warrant for his arrest over alleged war crimes. Russia's alleged attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine and accusations that it is engaged in the forced deportation of children are likely to be topics of discussion during Macron's visit. Trade is expected to be another major focus for the French leader, who invited European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to his meeting with Xi. The move is meant to show European unity on economic issues. The joint meeting comes after von der Leyen warned the European Union last week to establish measures to protect trade and investments thChina could exploit for its own security and military purposes. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Macron, von der Leyen to meet with Xi for talks on Ukraine, trade Ice climbers climb in Little Cottonwood Canyon on Feb. 5, 2016. A Salt Lake woman died Sunday while ice climbing near Indian Canyon in Duchesne County. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News A woman who friends say had a passion for the outdoors is being remembered following her death in a tragic ice climbing accident in Duchesne County. Three people were ice climbing Raven Falls near Indian Canyon on Sunday when "an ice column" gave way, according to the Duchesne County Sheriff's Office. One climber was killed, one was seriously injured after falling 40 feet, and a third escaped injury and was able to get help for the others. The sheriff's office says the 41-year-old climber who was killed pushed another 21-year-old woman out of the way when the ice column fractured, "which probably saved her life. This female was able to climb down the terrain and drive to Duchesne city to contact 911 for help." A 34-year-old man who fell and was injured, was hoisted by a Life Flight helicopter out of the area and to a local hospital. "Unfortunately, the climber that pushed her fellow climber out of the way of the falling ice was trapped underneath two huge blocks of ice and did not survive. Our sincere condolences go out to her family and friends," the sheriff's office stated. The recovery effort for the woman who died took 30 hours, according to the sheriff's office. Although the sheriff's office has not released the woman's name, numerous friends on social media have identified her as Meg O'Neill from Salt Lake City. "We have lost a dear friend, a hero, and our fearless leader," the group Embark Outdoors posted on its Instagram page. "Our Meg was in a terrible accident while ice climbing in Duchesne County. In an act so true to Meg, she made sure the others on the ground were safe before she was killed by falling debris." The goal of the nonprofit Embark Outdoors group is to empower young refugee women through activities such as climbing, hiking, swimming and camping, according to its website. "Most of our girls have known Meg for half their life. She'd been a mentor to them since 7th grade. She was the heart and soul of this program, as you all well know," the group posted Monday. Story continues O'Neill also worked with the Boys and Girls Club, according to friends. "We are not only saddened, but devastated by the news! The impact that Meg has made on not only our youth, but our staff is remarkable and long lasting. We all enjoyed hearing stories of her great adventures and living vicariously through them," one woman posted on social media. The Facebook group For Meg, created just a day ago, already had more than 200 members by Tuesday. Many shared stories of their outdoor adventures with O'Neill, some posting pictures of her ice climbing, while other expressed their shock that she was gone. She was also remembered as a kind, fun and humble woman with a "pure heart." One friend described her as a "force of nature." The occupiers did not rejoice for long Russian forces thought they had downed a Ukrainian spy drone in Russia's Belgorod Oblast near the Ukrainian border, but it soon turned out the drone belonged to Russias FSB security service, local Telegram channel Belgorod Informant reported. Read also: Famous China-linked meme spotted on drone that attacked Dzhankoi during Xis Russia visit The incident happened on March 30, Belgorod Informant said. t.me/belgorod_informant "A patrol spotted an unknown object in the sky, and the commander decided to shoot it down, which was successfully accomplished, the report said. Read also: Unidentified, unmarked drone crashes in Russias Tula Oblast However, a few minutes later, the real owners of the UAV, the Russian Federal Security Service in Belgorod Oblast, showed up at the scene. They stated that the downed drone was a high-tech and expensive device," the report said. Adding injury to insult, the FSB is now demanding that the Russian army pay compensation of RUB 3 million (over $37,500) for its drone. And adding more insult to the previous injury, it turns out the FSB is trying to bilk the army out of at least RUR 1 million the "high-tech" UAV is in fact a Chinese commercial drone, a Raefly VT260. It costs from RUB 800,000 to RUR 2 million ($10,000-25,000). Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine FSO officer defects, condemns Putins war, and spills some secrets about the dictator Russian Federal Protective Service (FSO) captain Gleb Karakulov, who was responsible for Putin's secret communications until October 2022, fled abroad at the end of last year with a trove of information about the dictators habits. Dossier Center published an interview with Karakulov on April 4. The interview was taken at the end of 2022 and published now that the officer and his family are in safety. Karakulov said he could no long live with his conscience due to his job, so he decided to flee and speak out. The former FSO officer has condemned the Kremlins war against Ukraine. Read also: Former Wagner mercenary who fled to Norway to tell about war crimes of Wagner Group I was due to retire in less than two years, Karakulov told Dossier Center. I planned to serve out my time, pay off my mortgage and that would be it; I wouldnt renew my contract. But in February 2022 a criminal war broke out, and I could no longer make compromises with myself. I couldnt remain in the service of this (Russian dictator). Karakulov said Putin was a war criminal. Even though I am not directly involved in the war, it is no longer possible for me to carry out his criminal orders or stay in his service, the former FSO officer said. Karakulov managed to flee from Kazakhstan on the last day of a working trip to that country. His wife and daughter met up with him there, and they all flew together to Istanbul, Turkey. The Russian security services began to search for him in a few hours, but his flight had already departed. Karakulov confirmed several interesting observations about the Russian dictator, saying in particular that Putin doesn't use a cell phone or the Internet. Read also: Norway detains former Wagner commander seeking political asylum media reports In all my years of service, I never once saw him with a mobile phone, Karakulov said. During business trips, if we accompany the prime minister, theres usually another person who travels with us, whos in charge of the Internet a digital office, a laptop, and access to the Web. Story continues dossier.center With Putin, (such a person) isnt needed. Whats the point of the Internet? Ill print it out for you... (Putin) doesnt use the Internet or a mobile phone. Putin receives information only from people close to him, Karakulov said, adding that the Russian dictator lives in an information vacuum. Putin has long been rumored to be terrified of catching the COVID-19 disease, and according to Karakulov, he is still in self-isolation. Read also: Gulagu.net will no longer help Russian soldiers escape abroad We have to observe a strict quarantine for two weeks before any event, even those lasting 15 to 20 minutes, the former FSO officer said. There is a pool of employees who have been cleared who have undergone this two-week quarantine. They are (considered) clean, and can work in the same room as Putin." Read also: Kabaeva and her children live in Putins residence and own largest apartment in Russia Project As is well known, Putin has two adult daughters. What is less well known is that he only refers to them as "those women" for some reason, Karakulov said. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine By Chayut Setboonsarng and Panarat Thepgumpanat BANGKOK (Reuters) - Two generals involved in coups, a pro-cannabis health minister and a businesswoman whose father and aunt fled into exile after being forced from power could be Thailand's next premiers, as political parties finalise their picks for the top job. Thailand holds an election on May 14 and parties have until Friday to name their prime ministerial candidates, one of which will be picked by August in a joint vote of the newly elected parliament and the appointed senate. The election commission said incumbent Prayuth Chan-ocha and his deputy, Prawit Wongsuwan - both former army chiefs from the same military clique - were nominated by their respective parties, as was Anutin Charnvirakul, the health minister who spearheaded Thailand's controversial legalisation of cannabis, and Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit. The election broadly pits political groups backed by the royalist military and Bangkok establishment against an opposition led by the populist Pheu Thai party, which together with its previous incarnations has won every election since 2001. Pheu Thai, controlled by the billionaire Shinawatra family and its business allies, has nominated as prime ministerial candidate political neophyte Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 36, hoping to reignite the electoral base that swept father Thaksin and aunt Yingluck to power before they were toppled by the army. The party on Wednesday nominated two other candidates for PM - party stalwart Chaikasem Nitisiri, and popular real estate magnate Sretta Thavisin, who resigned on Tuesday as chief executive of developer Sansiri Pcl. "We'll definitely have a landslide (victory)," Paetongtarn said while walking into a party forum. Pita Limjaroenrat, another opposition figure, was nominated by his Move Forward party, popular among young voters. Prayuth, 69, has been premier since his 2014 coup against a Pheu Thai government and is the pick for the new United Thai Nation party, even though the constitution allows him to serve just two more years as premier. Story continues His mentor and former junta member Prawit, 77, is running for the ruling Palang Pracharat party and has presented himself as a peacemaker who can straddle the warring camps of Thailand's 18 years of on-off turmoil. Political experts say the generals would have an advantage in the race, having led the junta that appointed the current slate of senators. (This story has been corrected to fix the day in paragraph 6) (Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Martin Petty) One of the world's biggest criminal marketplaces used by online fraudsters to buy passwords has been closed down in a global law enforcement crackdown. Genesis Market sold login details, IP addresses and other data that made up victims' "digital fingerprints". Often costing less than $1, the personal information let fraudsters log into bank and shopping accounts. Law enforcement agencies around the world were part of the co-ordinated raids, including the UK. During a series of raids, the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) arrested 24 people who are suspected users of the site. They include two men aged 34 and 36 in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, who are being held on suspicion of fraud and computer misuse. Law enforcement agencies from 17 countries were involved in the raids, which began at dawn on Tuesday. The operation was led by the FBI in the US and the Dutch National Police, working alongside the NCA in the UK, the Australian Federal Police, and countries across Europe. Globally, 200 searches were carried out and 120 people were arrested. On Wednesday, anyone logging onto the Genesis website saw a message which read: "Operation Cookie Monster. This website has been seized." Genesis Market had 80 million sets of credentials and digital fingerprints up for sale, with the NCA calling it "an enormous enabler of fraud". "For too long criminals have stolen credentials from innocent members of the public," Robert Jones, director general of the National Economic Crime Centre at the NCA, said. "We now want criminals to be afraid that we have their credentials, and they should be," he added. Dutch police have launched a portal on their website, where the public can check whether their data has been compromised. Genesis Market operated on the open web, not just the dark web. Set up in 2017, it was notable for its user-friendly, English-language interface. It was a one-stop shop for login data that enabled online fraud. Users could buy login information, including passwords, and other pieces of a victim's "digital fingerprint", such as their browser history, cookies, autofill form data, IP address and location. Story continues This allowed fraudsters to log in to bank, email and shopping accounts, re-direct deliveries and even change passwords without raising suspicion. Login information on sale included passwords for Facebook, PayPal, Netflix, Amazon, eBay, Uber and Airbnb accounts. Criminals buying the information were even notified by Genesis if the passwords changed. Genesis provided its customers with a purpose-built browser which would use the stolen data to mimic the victim's computer so it looked as if they were accessing their account using their usual device in their usual location. So the access did not trigger any security alerts. Genesis had a user-friendly English-language interface "It was a very sophisticated website, very easy to use, with a wiki [website that can be modified or contributed to by users] telling you how to use it, and accessible on the open web and the dark web," Mr Jones said. "So you didn't need to be a sophisticated cyber actor to get into this. You just needed to be able to use a search engine, and then you could start committing crime." Depending on how much data was available, a victim's information would sell for less than $1, or for hundreds of dollars. While Genesis users were mostly accessing it for fraud, the data on sale could also be used for ransomware attacks - where hackers block access to data and demand payment to release it. The individual's data that led to the 2021 hack of gaming giant Electronic Arts (EA) sold for just $10. Businesses also had their information sold on the website, which facilitated fraud, mobile phone number hacking and ransomware attacks. Will Lyne, head of cyber intelligence at the NCA, said Genesis was "an enormous enabler of fraud" and one of the most significant marketplaces for buying login information. The NCA believes there were about two million victims worldwide with tens of thousands of them in the UK. Many victims would first know something was wrong when they saw fraudulent transactions on their account, or if they were lucky, they got a message saying someone had logged in as them. Tens of thousands of criminals are thought to have been using Genesis, with several hundred users in the UK. They could search for potential victims by country, and see what data was available before they made their purchase. Internet users who want to avoid fraud are advised to keep their computer and phone operating systems up-to-date, to use two-factor authentication (2FA) and strong passwords such as ones involving three random words. They are also being urged to consider using a password manager. Additional reporting by Andre Rhoden-Paul Banner saying 'Get in touch' How have you been affected by what's happened? Have you encountered online fraudsters? You can get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. Opponents of a bill the Georgia House of Representatives passed on the next-to-last day of this years legislative session are warning it could threaten a fund the state uses to pay unemployment compensation. Senate Bill 160, which the Houses Republican majority passed 97-68 along party lines, replaces a state Department of Labor administrative fee that expired at the end of last year using money that otherwise would go into Georgias Unemployment Insurance (UI) Trust Fund. The Senate passed the measure early last month 34-21, with several Democrats supporting it and one Republican voting no. Supporters said the estimated $20 million the fee would raise during each of the next three years is critical to an agency that has been underfunded for years. The legislation is set to expire at the end of 2026. The labor department has lost $12 million to $14 million annually since the Great Recession struck Georgia more than a decade ago, funds it has never recovered, said Bruce Thompson, who was elected state commissioner of labor last fall and took office in January. Then, when the pandemic hit three years ago, a typical annual caseload of 200,000 to 300,000 unemployment claims soared to more than 4 million in one months time, Thompson said. Customer service is just not where I want it to be, he said. We have a federal obligation and a moral obligation to provide these services. The bills opponents arent arguing that the labor department doesnt need the money. Their beef is that the funds would come from an Unemployment Trust Fund already depleted by the demands of the pandemic. UI Trust Fund contributions should not be reduced to compensate for other funding allocations, as this risks the resiliency of a trust fund which already ranks below a majority of states in terms of solvency, Ray Khalfani, senior worker justice policy analyst for the progressive Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, said in a statement March 27 after the House passed the bill. Story continues The state has more than enough resources on hand to both replenish the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund and ensure that the Department of Labor can operate efficiently and at full capacity. House Democrats made the same argument during the floor debate on the bill. This bill presents a false choice, said House Minority Whip Sam Park, D-Lawrenceville. This is a bill that will risk the insolvency of our Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund as a mechanism to simply do what we should be doing to begin with: investing in our Department of Labor to help workforce development and to help unemployed workers get back on their feet. Thompson said the UI Trust Fund is currently only 52% solvent in the wake of the pandemic. Federal pandemic relief didnt help as it should have because the agencys previous administration failed to encumber $102 million in federal aid and had to forfeit the money, he said. But Thompson said other states are facing the same predicament with unemployment funds that have been dramatically reduced by the pandemic. House Industry and Labor Committee Chairman Bill Werkheiser, R-Glennville, who carried Senate Bill 160 in the House, argued during the floor debate that the alternative to not passing the bill would be to not collect any additional money for the UI Trust Fund. He urged his House colleagues not to panic. The skys not falling, he said. Thompson agreed theres time to monitor the trust fund and respond accordingly. Well watch that solvency and see if it goes down, he said. If it does, well address it again. The bill is now in the hands of Gov. Brian Kemp, who has until early next month to sign it or ax it with a veto. Georgias Stacey Abrams will join the faculty at Howard University in Washington, D.C., the next step in her reemergence after the Democrat lost her second bid to be governor of Georgia last year to Republican Brian Kemp. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Howard, one of the nations top historically Black colleges, said it was appointing Abrams as the Ronald W. Walters Endowed Chair for Race and Black Politics beginning in September. Stacey Abrams has proven herself an essential voice and eager participant in protecting American democracy - not just for certain populations, but for everyone with the fundamental right to make their voices heard, Howard President Wayne A. I. Frederick said in a statement. The 49-year-old political activist and lawyer wont be a traditional full-time faculty member, the university says, but she will lecture, invite guest speakers, and host symposiums. Howard says she will work across multiple academic departments to focus on real-world solutions to problems facing Black people and other vulnerable groups. Abrams will still live in Atlanta. We are at an inflection point for American and international democracy, and I look forward to engaging Howard Universitys extraordinary students in a conversation about where they can influence, shape and direct the critical public policy decisions we face, Abrams said in a statement. RELATED STORIES: Abrams next steps have been closely watched since her loss. She was an international election observer in Nigeria in February, has been promoting her childrens book, Staceys Remarkable Books, and announced a tour for an adult book, Rogue Justice beginning in May. Last month. Abrams was named senior counsel at Rewiring America, a group promoting clean energy and electrification. Story continues In January, Abrams left open a return to politics in an interview with Drew Barrymore, saying I will likely run again, and adding, If at first you dont succeed, try try again. If it doesnt work, you try again. Abrams made history in 2018 as the first Black woman to be nominated by a major party for governor of an American state. Her place in politics now is unclear, though. Georgia isnt scheduled to have any major statewide races on the ballot until 2026. Abrams was unchallenged as leader of the state Democratic Party going into the 2022 election, with voters backing her endorsed choices for down-ballot running mates. But while she has lost twice, Georgia now has two Democratic U.S. senators, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. Abrams, a Mississippi native, graduated from Atlantas Spelman College, another top historically Black institution, and has taught there as an adjunct professor. A former Atlanta deputy city attorney, she was also the minority leader of the Georgia House, an entrepreneur who tried her hand at multiple startups and a voting rights activist. A longtime writer who has now published 15 books, Abrams earned $5 million from books and speeches in the years between her pathbreaking 2018 gubernatorial loss and her second run in 2022. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Abrams is filling a chair named for a legendary figure. Waters was a professor of political science at Howard from 1971 to 1996 and later directed the African American Leadership Institute at the University of Maryland. As a youth, he organized a lunch counter sit-in to protest segregation in his hometown of Wichita, Kansas. He later advised the Congressional Black Caucus and was campaign manager for Jesse Jacksons pioneering presidential bids in 1984 and 1988. IN OTHER NEWS: ATLANTA (AP) Georgia's Stacey Abrams will join the faculty at Howard University in Washington, D.C., the next step in her reemergence after the Democrat lost her second bid to be governor of Georgia last year to Republican Brian Kemp. Howard, one of the nation's top historically Black colleges, said it was appointing Abrams as the Ronald W. Walters Endowed Chair for Race and Black Politics beginning in September. Stacey Abrams has proven herself an essential voice and eager participant in protecting American democracy - not just for certain populations, but for everyone with the fundamental right to make their voices heard, Howard President Wayne A. I. Frederick said in a statement. The 49-year-old political activist and lawyer won't be a traditional full-time faculty member, the university says, but she will lecture, invite guest speakers, and host symposiums. Howard says she will work across multiple academic departments to focus on real-world solutions to problems facing Black people and other vulnerable groups. Abrams will still live in Atlanta. We are at an inflection point for American and international democracy, and I look forward to engaging Howard Universitys extraordinary students in a conversation about where they can influence, shape and direct the critical public policy decisions we face, Abrams said in a statement. Abrams' next steps have been closely watched since her loss. She was an international election observer in Nigeria in February, has been promoting her childrens book, Staceys Remarkable Books, and announced a tour for an adult book, Rogue Justice beginning in May. Last month. Abrams was named senior counsel at Rewiring America, a group promoting clean energy and electrification. In January, Abrams left open a return to politics in an interview with Drew Barrymore, saying I will likely run again," and adding, If at first you dont succeed, try try again. If it doesnt work, you try again. Story continues Abrams made history in 2018 as the first Black woman to be nominated by a major party for governor of an American state. Her place in politics now is unclear, though. Georgia isn't scheduled to have any major statewide races on the ballot until 2026. Abrams was unchallenged as leader of the state Democratic Party going into the 2022 election, with voters backing her endorsed choices for down-ballot running mates. But while she has lost twice, Georgia now has two Democratic U.S. senators, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. Abrams, a Mississippi native, graduated from Atlantas Spelman College, another top historically Black institution, and has taught there as an adjunct professor. A former Atlanta deputy city attorney, she was also the minority leader of the Georgia House, an entrepreneur who tried her hand at multiple startups and a voting rights activist. A longtime writer who has now published 15 books, Abrams earned $5 million from books and speeches in the years between her pathbreaking 2018 gubernatorial loss and her second run in 2022. Abrams is filling a chair named for a legendary figure. Waters was a professor of political science at Howard from 1971 to 1996 and later directed the African American Leadership Institute at the University of Maryland. As a youth, he organized a lunch counter sit-in to protest segregation in his hometown of Wichita, Kansas. He later advised the Congressional Black Caucus and was campaign manager for Jesse Jackson's pioneering presidential bids in 1984 and 1988. ANKARA, April 5 (Xinhua) -- A Guinea-Bissau flagged Ukraine-bound commercial ship sank off Turkiye's Mediterranean coast on Wednesday, killing at least three people aboard. All of the 14 crew members on the "Joe 2" vessel that sank off Kumluca district of Antalya province were Syrian nationals, the semi-official Anadolu Agency reported. The vessel was transporting aluminum from the Iskenderun port in Turkiye's southern Hatay province to the Port of Izmail in Ukraine. Five crew members have been saved by the Turkish Coast Guard Command which dispatched a vessel, several boats and two helicopters to the site, according to a statement from the Command. Search and rescue work continues for the missing crew, but a heavy storm negatively affects the rescue efforts, Anadolu said. The Kumluca prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the incident. OpenAIs popular chatbot ChatGPT is facing bans in several European countries (AP) Germany is considering a ban of ChatGPT due to privacy concerns, according to local reports. The countrys data protection chief Ulrich Kelber told the Handelsblatt newspaper that German regulators were communicating with their Italian counterparts after Italy banned the AI chatbot last week. In principle, such action is also possible in Germany, Mr Kelber said. Italy blocked ChatGPT after its data protection authorities concluded that the system does not have a proper legal basis to collect personal information about the people using it. ChatGPT creator OpenAI collects some data in order to help train the artificial intelligence algorithm that generates answers. Italian authorities also accused OpenAI of not performing age verification checks for its ChatGPT users, with young users potentially exposed to unsuitable answers. The Italian Data Protection Authority GPDP said OpenAI had no legal basis to justify the mass collection and storage of personal data for the purpose of training the algorithms underlying the operation of the platform. Other European data regulators are also reportedly in conversation with Italys data protection agency, including watchdogs in France and Ireland. We are following up with the Italian regulator to understand the basis for their action, a spokesperson for Irelands Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) told Reuters. We will coordinate with all EU data protection authorities in relation to this matter. Italy was the first Western country to ban ChatGPT, however the app is also unavailable in countries where many US apps are blocked, such as China, Iran, North Korea and Russia. European consumer organisation BEUC has called for an investigation from the European Union into the risks of ChatGPT and similar chatbots for European consumers. OpenAI did not respond to The Independents request for comment on the ban. The company blocked ChatGPT in Italy following the countrys ban and is no longer processing the data of Italian users. Happy hump day! We've made it to the middle of the week where Monday is well behind us and the weekend is coming closer into view. I'm contemplating if I want to dive into one of my guilty pleasures over the weekend, reality TV. One of my favorite shows is Love is Blind, a Netflix show that rolled out its fourth season in March. Insider has a juicy behind-the-scenes story that I enjoyed. It's about people on TikTok sleuthing for clues on the upcoming Love is Blind finale. You can read it here. But the season came just six months after its third season aired. I'm not sure I have the bandwidth to handle another group of strangers deciding who they want to be engaged to after weeks of knowing each other, especially when the weather is so nice outside. While I figure out my plans for the weekend, let's get into the 10 Things in Tech. If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Insider's app here. Google logo displayed on a phone screen and Bard website displayed on a laptop screen are seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on March 21, 2023. Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images 1. Google contractors say they don't have enough time to verify correct answers from the company's AI chatbot, Bard. Google rushed to get Bard out the door after rival Microsoft invested $10 billion in OpenAI's ChatGPT. Contractors are revealing that it's still rushing Bard by not giving them enough time to vet the chatbot's answers, reports Thomas Maxwell. Bard got off to a less-than-ideal start when it gave an incorrect answer at Google's launch event earlier this year. Google hired a team of contractors to check Bard's answers, to make sure it didn't happen again. Some of the contractors told Insider that they just aren't given enough time to corroborate and check the most accurate answer. Read more about it here. In other news: Jeff Bezos Jeff Bezos.Dave J Hogan/Dave J. Hogan/Getty Images 2. Jeff Bezos lost the most in net worth last year. Don't worry, he's still one of the richest men alive with $114 billion, according to Forbes. But the Amazon founder lost a hefty amount in the last 12 months. Story continues 3. Apple tells corporate retail employees to reapply to their jobs. Apple hasn't announced any mass layoffs yet. But correspondent Hugh Langley reported that some employees are being threatened with layoffs if they can't find a new role at the company. 4. Google CEO said he sticks to fun and creative questions with Google's Bard AI chatbot. Sundar Pichai, Google's CEO, told The New York Times that he learned through trial and error what type of questions to ask Google's AI chatbot. 5. Salesforce is trimming management. People familiar with the matter told Insider that Salesforce is being pressured by activist investors to eliminate a few layers of management. 6. Pausing AI might be a good idea, but companies won't do it. The number of companies who feel the need to keep up with any advancements in AI makes pausing it a pipe dream, writes reporter Emilia David. 7. TikTok is quietly rolling out affiliate commissions for US creators. It looks like creators can secure another bag by making commissions off product promotions in videos, live streams, and on their profiles. 8. Amazon handed out "small business" and "Black-owned business" badges to the wrong sellers. The badges meant to help US companies with less than 100 employees and $50 million in revenue are apparently being given to companies with billion-dollar market caps. Odds and ends: A screenshot of the Tesla "GigaBier" website. A screenshot of the Tesla "GigaBier" website.Tesla 9. $30 Tesla beer, anyone? To commemorate the one-year anniversary of Tesla's German factory, the company is selling beers that are shaped like one of its unreleased vehicles, the cybertruck, for more than $30 each. 10. Russia's alternative to the iPhone is floundering. The AYYA T1 smartphone has sold less than 1,000 units since October 2021. What we're watching today: ICYMI: A 106-year-old Indigenous tattoo artist is Vogue's oldest cover star. She's living proof that there's no age limit on cool. Curated by Asia Martin. (Feedback or tips? Email amartin@insider.com). Edited by Hallam Bullock (tweet @hallam_bullock) in London. Read the original article on Business Insider While former President Donald Trump, the front-runner for the Republican Partys 2024 presidential nomination, was being arraigned on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, Americans were making it clear, once again, theyre not buying what Trump or the GOP are selling. Cable news networks were blaring Trump in court, Trump in a car and Trump at Mar-a-Lago whining about his legal problems. But in Wisconsin, voters were carrying Democratic-backed Milwaukee County Judge Janet Protasiewicz to victory in the race for a state Supreme Court seat, giving liberals control of a court that has leaned conservative for 15 years. Milwaukee Judge Janet Protasiewicz wins on April 4, 2023, a nationally watched judicial election that could result in a more liberal tilt for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. In Chicago, Brandon Johnson, the more progressive of the two Democratic candidates in the citys mayoral race, won. A notable difference in that race was Johnsons opponent, Paul Vallas, focused much of his campaign on a tough law-and-order message often associated with Republicans. It didnt work. Trump pleads not guilty to 34 felonies: Give him same benefit of the doubt he gave Clinton And let's not forget Tennessee On Monday, thousands of students marched to the Tennessee State Capitol calling for more gun control in the wake of last weeks mass shooting at an elementary school in Nashville. Demonstrators protest at the Tennessee Capitol for stricter gun laws in Nashville on April 3, 2023. In last years midterm elections, Republicans dramatically underperformed as voters pushed back on the partys attacks on abortion, voting and LGBTQ rights, as well as its ongoing support of Trump. Tennessee GOP targets LGBTQ: Tennessee Republicans target America's greatest threat: Drag shows. That'll save us! If you start lining these developments up, its not hard to spot a trend. Something's happening here. What it is ain't exactly ... hard to understand After Protasiewiczs sizable victory in Wisconsin, Ben Wikler, the states Democratic Party chair, tweeted: Its an earthquake. And you know what causes earthquakes? Tectonic shifts. Away from the Trump circus, it certainly feels like a shift is happening. Story continues What Trump's arraignment really means: Trump's entire presidency was 'unprecedented.' His arraignment is just plain embarrassing. The go-to Republican scare tactics Socialism is coming! Crime is rampant! The family is under attack! arent working. And when the face of your party becomes the first former president ever indicted, the old party of law and order line falls a bit flat. Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts on April 4, 2023, in New York, a historic moment as the first former president ever to face criminal charges and a dramatic backdrop for the 2024 presidential race as he campaigns again for the White House. Trump's Republican Party offers no hope, only grievances Republican lawmakers spent the day howling about the injustice of the charges against Trump. And Trump spent Tuesday night at his Florida resort delivering an almost tragically whiny, lie-filled speech bemoaning the various criminal investigations hes facing, dragging those listening into his own personal pit of grievance and despair. It was, in theory, a campaign speech, but there was nothing positive, no hope for a brighter tomorrow. Just selfishness and anger, which seem to be the only two things on the GOP menu these days. Ron DeSantis, the Republican Party's No. 2 contender, isn't much better Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is seen as the only person who might pose a threat to Trump in the Republican primary, even though the governor hasnt officially entered the race. What is he going to run on? Well, this week he signed a bill allowing Floridians to carry concealed guns without a permit. And on Monday, the state Senate passed a DeSantis-backed bill to ban abortions after six weeks, before many women even know theyre pregnant. So less gun control and more draconian restrictions on abortions? These are not things majorities of Americans want, another example of the GOP failing to see or care about whats happening around them. Isn't it clear Donald Trump's act has worn thin? Supporters continue to wrap Trump in a warm embrace. But voters rejected him in the 2018 midterms, the 2020 presidential election and, de facto, in the 2022 midterms. Do GOP officials think the fourth times the charm? Do they think all Trump needed to broaden his appeal beyond his slavish base was several dozens of felony charges and a televised airing of grievances? A demonstrator marches near the New York City courthouse where former President Donald Trump was arraigned on April 4, 2023. Wisconsin voters chose Protasiewicz and gave liberals control of the state's Supreme Court because they care about issues like abortion rights, fair elections and Republican gerrymandering. Chicagoans rejected the candidate endorsed by the police union and sided with the candidate who promised a more holistic approach to public safety. Chicago mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson participates in a public safety forum in Chicago on March 14, 2023. Less than a month later, he wins the election. The young people who filled the halls of the Tennessee statehouse werent demanding looser gun laws. They represent a generation fed up with mass shootings and politicians who do the bidding of gun manufacturers. They represent current and future voters whose numbers will only grow. And in the five states that had abortion-related ballot measures in the 2022 midterm elections, voters across the board came down in favor of protecting abortion rights. There seems to be a shift in America Trump got all the attention Tuesday. It was undoubtedly a historic moment. But by nightfall, he was wearily reading conspiratorial nonsense off a teleprompter and babbling woe-is-me claptrap that seemed to bore even the hardcore fans in attendance. Its the same stuff, over and over. Thats todays Republican party: either walking in place or walking backward, ignoring the possibility that, across the country, something has shifted. Ignoring the fact that more and more people are deciding theyd much rather walk forward. Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on Twitter @RexHuppke and Facebook facebook.com/RexIsAJerk More from Rex Huppke: Elon Musk is taking away my blue check mark on Twitter. Who am I if not notable? Would today's GOP try to ban Mister Rogers for being woke? Probably. Blaming Silicon Valley Bank collapse on diversity or 'wokeness' gives away Republican game You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump's indictment comes as Democrats win in Wisconsin, Chicago Gordon Murray Automotive figured out a way to make the T.33 driving experience even more engaging and visceralremove the roof. The legendary designers marque has just unveiled an open-top Spider variant of its eagerly anticipated mid-engine supercar. When its two targa roof panels are removed, the driver and passenger will hear (and feel) the distinct roar of the vehicles naturally aspirated V-12 like never before. More from Robb Report Turning a coupe into a roadster isnt as simple as just chopping off its roof. A lot of work went into maintaining the general look and capabilities of the T.33. The automaker opted for removable carbon-fiber targa panels instead of a power-folding roof to keep the cars weight as low as possible. To accommodate the change, the windshield header has been pushed forward ever so slightly, while the protective roof hoop positioned behind the cars two seats has been equipped with deployable windows. Material has also been added to the cars rocker panels to increase chassis rigidity, but despite all these modifications, the Spider is just 40 pounds heavier than the coupe. Gordon Murray a the T.33 Spider The two-seat cabin remains basically the same. The drivers cockpit still features an analog tachometer along with digital touchscreens that can be used to control the climate control and infotainment systems. The roadsters roof panels take up room in the cars trunk when theyre not in use, but there are two luggage compartments with over six cubic feet of combined space located on either side of the engine to ensure theres always some storage room. Even supercars can be practical. Also untouched is the T.33s mid-mounted 4.0-liter Cosworth-built V-12. The potent mill comes mounted to a six-speed manual transmission that sends all 607 hp and 332 ft lbs of torque to the rear axle. Originally, the coupe was available with an automatic transmission, but due to customer disinterest, the Spider comes exclusively with a manual gearbox. Story continues Inside the T.33 Spider When drawing a car I imagine what its going to feel like to sit in, and how it will feel to drive, Murray said in a statement. So, from the first sketch, I knew that, with its open cockpit and the incredible Cosworth GMA.2 V12 engine right behind you, the T.33 Spider would deliver a truly involving driving experience thats quite unlike anything else. The T.33 Spider will be available for 1.89 million (about $2.36 million). The British marque plans to build just 100 examples of the open-top supercar, half of which are already spoken for, according to Road & Track. Youll need to be fast if you want to get your name down for one because whether its the T.50 or T.33, GMAs supercars sell out quickly. Click here for more photos of the Gordon Murray Automotive T.33 Spider. The Gordon Murray Automotive T.33 Spider in Photos Best of Robb Report Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. This article was originally published in The Texas Tribune. Six years ago, Gov. Greg Abbott riled up a crowd of school choice supporters on the steps of the Texas Capitol, calling on lawmakers to send him a bill that would allow parents to use tax dollars to take their kids out of public schools. I hope and I urge that that law reach my desk, Abbott said, donning a yellow scarf the uniform of school choice advocates to mark National School Choice Week. That never happened, and soon enough, the proposal lost momentum as state leaders realized just how uphill of a battle it was. For the next two legislative sessions, Abbott skipped the Capitol rallies for National School Choice Week and was more muted in his support for the proposals. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter But now, Abbott is pushing harder than ever for school choice as part of a broad focus on parental rights this session, strongly signaling that the issue is his top legislative priority. He has crisscrossed the state speaking at a dozen Parent Empowerment events often at nonpublic schools in more rural communities, laying out why he believes the Legislature should back so-called education savings accounts for every Texas parent. But passage of a school choice measure is anything but a sure bet, as there is little evidence that hes been able to convince rural Republicans in the Texas House who have for years been a reliable firewall to drop their opposition. Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a rally for school choice at the state Capitol on Jan. 24, 2017. ( Laura Skelding/The Texas Tribune) To go all in on such a risky bet is an unusual play by Abbott, a cautious operator whos used to getting his way when it comes to his highest legislative priorities and who tries to avoid waging losing battles. On issues that have split his own party, Abbott is known to withhold wielding his political capital until theres a clear path for victory as was the case with the 2021 passage of permitless carry of handguns, as one example. There does seem to be more emphasis and more of a priority on getting this legislation passed this session, said Shannon Holmes, executive director of the Association of Texas Professional Educators, which opposes Abbott on this issue. Obviously in past sessions bills have been filed and it hasnt been a real focus for Abbott. Story continues School choice generally refers to policies that allow parents to take their kids out of their assigned neighborhood public school and send them to other types of schools, like private or religious, with the help of government funding. The chief school-policy proposal this session is Senate Bill 8, which would create an education savings account with up to $8,000 in taxpayer money per student. The proposal differs from vouchers, which were the previous vehicle for school choice legislative proposals, in that the money would go straight to the parents instead of the school. The Senate Education Committee approved that bill Tuesday. Such proposals have been met with resistance in the House by Democrats and rural Republicans who are protective of the public schools they see as the lifeblood of their close-knit communities. Lawmakers have sought to win them over this time by shielding school districts with fewer than 20,000 students from any funding losses caused by SB 8. Abbott has named education freedom one of seven emergency items for the session and hit the road for it more than any other priority. Since early January, he has spoken at a dozen Parent Empowerment nights across the state, spanning Texas from Corpus Christi to Amarillo. Some advocates for school choice whove previously criticized Abbott for a lack of commitment have taken notice of how far the governor is going now. Luke Macias, the far-right Texas consultant who previously worked for an Abbott primary challenger, said on a recent podcast that Abbotts efforts were incredibly encouraging. I havent seen anything like it, Corey DeAngelis, the national school-choice activist, tweeted last week. This is true leadership. All Republican Governors should be fighting just as hard to empower all families with school choice. Abbotts intense campaigning has anti-school-choice lawmakers on alert. But theyre confident that their coalition in the Legislature will withstand the governors lobbying effort. I think that coalition is holding strong and I think Gov. Abbott knows how unpopular vouchers are in the Texas Legislature, said Rep. James Talarico of Round Rock, one of the Democrats on the House Public Education Committee. Thats why youre seeing the governor putting as much lipstick on this pig as possible. Talarico and other lawmakers hope that the House will send a strong signal on the issue Thursday, when it is scheduled to take up the state budget and consider amendments to it. In 2021, lawmakers approved an amendment that prohibited the use of appropriated money for school choice programs. It passed 115-29, with a majority of Republicans joining Democrats to approve it. The amendment never made it into the final budget, but it served as a key indicator of the Houses appetite for such proposals. The author of that 2021 amendment, Rep. Abel Herrero, D-Robstown, has proposed a similar amendment for the budget debate Thursday. A copy of the amendment released Monday features the support of Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, a key member of House GOP leadership who serves as speaker pro tem. The first stop for any school choice bill in the House would likely be the Public Education Committee, which has a new chair this session, Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Killeen, who has generated considerable intrigue. When House Speaker Dade Phelan. R-Beaumont, appointed Buckley to lead the panel in early February, school choice advocates voiced optimism. But it was unclear why Buckley has been on the record against vouchers and most groups did not explain why they were so hopeful. One pro-school-choice group, the American Federation for Children, remains confident in Buckley. We praised Rep. Buckleys appointment because he has always been a fair-minded guy and has long been committed to providing the best education possible for Texas children, AFC spokesperson Nathan Cunneen wrote in an email. We still believe that. Buckley has repeatedly declined to share his thinking on the matter this session. And he did not attend the second parent empowerment night that Abbott headlined, which was just outside Buckleys district in Central Texas. I look forward to hearing bills that explore a wide range of options that keep parents at the center of their childrens educational opportunities, Buckley said in a statement for this story. In the end, the members of the public education committee will decide which options, if any, make their way to the floor for debate. Of the eight House Republicans that Abbott has appeared with on his parent empowerment tour across the state, four voted for the budget amendment in 2021 that banned state funds for school choice programs. Three opposed the amendment. The eighth Republican was not in the Legislature at the time. The Texas Tribune reached out to all eight House Republicans that Abbott has appeared with and asked if they supported universal education savings accounts. Their offices either did not respond or declined to comment. The Tribune also contacted the offices of nine more House Republicans, all representing rural areas, and they also chose not to comment on Abbotts push. Notably and perhaps strategically the education savings account legislation also contains other school priorities important to some Republican lawmakers, including a provision that would restrict classroom discussion about sexual orientation and gender identity through the 12th grade. Phelan himself has said he is fine with an up-or-down vote on the proposal, but he has noted the historical opposition it has faced in the House. He also was the only one of the so-called Big Three a reference to the governor, the House speaker and the lieutenant governor to not name school choice as priority legislation. As for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the Senates presiding officer, he has long championed school choice and proclaimed in his inaugural address in January that he is all in on it with Abbott. Patrick has also vowed to try to force a special session if lawmakers cannot pass a school choice bill in the regular session. That decision is ultimately up to the governor. Abbotts office did not answer a list of questions for this story, including whether he was prepared to call a special session over the issue. Abbotts evolution Abbotts last push on school choice came in 2017, when the Senate passed an education savings account bill, but it died in the House. The same thing happened in 2015. The issue fell off the radar in the 2019 session, when Abbott and other state leaders decided to prioritize property tax relief and public education funding ahead of what was expected to be a challenging election. Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened. School choice advocates say the pandemic opened parents eyes to what their kids were being taught and spurred frustration with prolonged school closures at the hands of Democrats and teachers unions. They just went too far, and its a perfect storm, said Dave Carney, Abbotts top political adviser. Indeed, it was a natural next step for Abbott, who had spent much of the pandemic fighting to make sure no local entities including schools could mandate COVID-19 safety policies. Parents wanted more control over issues like mask mandates. Then, as the nation endured a racial reckoning after George Floyd was murdered by police in 2020, some parents and politicians started pushing back against conversations and books about race in schools. After the 2021 session, Abbott rekindled some hope for school choice advocates when he signed into law an expansion of an education savings account program for students with disabilities. It was not until his reelection campaign began that he really seized on the issue, introducing a Parental Bill of Rights in January 2022 that offered a host of ideas for giving parents more say over their kids schooling. His most consequential statement, though, came four months later, when he declared during a San Antonio campaign stop that parents should be able to send their children to any public school, charter school or private school with state funding following the student. It was his clearest support yet for a voucher-like plan. And he later acknowledged it was a deliberate move, saying he wanted to make it abundantly clear he not only supported school choice but the strategy to achieve it. The timing of the statement was intriguing. Abbott had already won his primary, but the governor, ever attuned to criticism on his right, was getting flak from some including DeAngelis for endorsing Texas House candidates in primary runoffs that month who allegedly opposed school choice. Like many moments in Abbotts reelection campaign, he bet successfully that soothing his right flank was worth the wrath of the other side. His Democratic challenger, Beto ORourke, assailed Abbott over his comments that funding should follow the student, especially in rural Texas, but lost by 11 percentage points in November. Abbott came off that win believing he had a mandate for the next legislative session to push harder for school choice than ever before. Ive talked about school choice every year that Ive been governor, Abbott said in early March while addressing the Texas Pastor Council in Austin. But not only do we have a better opportunity this session than weve had before, but as I will explain to you, we have a necessity. One factor that Abbott cited, in an explanation that he does not often use publicly, was an extraordinary movement to expand transgenderism in schools in the state of Texas. He accused public school teachers of using their positions to try to cultivate and groom these young kids into being transgender. If Abbott prevails, it could be a legacy-making moment for a third-term governor who occasionally faces questions about what exactly he will be remembered for. It could also bolster him with Republicans if he decides to run for president in 2024, a race that already includes former President Donald Trump. Abbott regularly gets compared to a likely 2024 candidate, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who signed a universal school-choice bill into law Monday, expanding a suite of programs the state already had in place. During a visit to Texas in early March, DeSantis gave a speech to Harris County Republicans in which he wished Texas luck in bringing a big school choice package across the finish line. The rural Republicans Speaking to the pastors, Abbott was frank about the challenge before him, saying it is House Republicans who are holding up our ability to pass school choice and they are coming from rural Texas. Abbott has sought to appeal to rural Republicans by trying to convince them that the policy is popular. Over 80% of Republican primary voters approved a ballot proposition on it last year and it enjoyed nearly as much support in rural Texas. Abbotts office has further broken it down by House district, eager to show individual members that their base voters would have their back. In some settings, Abbott has spoken more harshly about the forces weighing on rural Republicans. These Republicans who say, Listen, I want to support it, but my constituents back home, they just are against it thats wrong! Abbott said. Now, some of their constituents are against it. We call them educrats. The educrats whether they be superintendents or some teachers or primarily the teacher unions theyre against it, but theyre a minority and theyre a minority of voters in that district. Abbotts appearances have put rural Republicans in a tough position politically caught between their historical opposition to vouchers and their desire to please their partys popular leader. The makeup of the legislation which includes anti-woke policies that mimics Floridas infamous dont say gay legislation also muddies the waters for Republicans who are at odds with only the education savings account component of the bill. For the House Republicans who have agreed to introduce Abbott at his school choice tour events, their remarks have been carefully worded and have avoided any specific policy endorsement. One House Republican introduced Abbott at his event last week in Giddings by touting the schooling options that are already available to parents. Here in Texas, parents have great choices for how they choose to educate their children excellent public schools, charter schools, private schools and more freedom to educate their kids at home than any other state in the country, Rep. Stan Gerdes, R-Smithville, said. One of the most interesting lawmaker appearances on Abbotts school choice tour came in Corsicana, where Rep. Cody Harris, R-Palestine, introduced the governor. A member of the House Public Education Committee, Harris has firmly opposed vouchers but has been an Abbott booster on other issues. (His Twitter profile picture is a photo of him talking with the governor.) In his introductory remarks in Corsicana, Harris did not explicitly back Abbott on school choice but found a way to appeal to his rural constituents. [Abbott]s leading the effort to push back on the woke indoctrination of Texas kids that were seeing in urban schools, Harris said. And hes doing that by putting you, the parent, back in the drivers seat. In reality, Abbott himself has rebuffed the notion that such indoctrination is a solely urban trend. He told the pastors it was happening regardless of whether youre in a tiny little town in East Texas or a large urban area. Regardless of whether it is successful, the school choice battle will likely spill over into the 2024 primaries for state House as members will face pressure to explain why they sided with or against Abbott on the issue. Abbotts campaign says it stands ready to help lawmakers who stick out their necks to support his agenda. There should be no question, except if you drink too much, that Abbott doesnt back up your support of him with his political support of you around election time, Carney said. Disclosure: The Association of Texas Professional Educators has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribunes journalism. Find a complete list of them here. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune, a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. A protester holds a placard outside of Trump Tower in New York City on Monday. Former President Trump on Tuesday pleaded not guilty on charges stemming from an alleged hush money cover-up case during an arraignment in Manhattan. (Corey Sipkin / Associated Press) "This seems to be more about the person than about the crime." -Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) The senator's raising the right question. As the legal drama surrounding Donald Trump continues to unfold after he pleaded not guilty to those 34 charges in court in New York on Tuesday, its important that this historic spectacle not overshadow the moral question. The nation can survive the indictment of a former president as long as it happens in pursuit of justice rather than revenge. So lets talk about revenge. Let's talk about what it looks like when a government investigation is "more about the person than about the crime." Our own House Speaker Kevin McCarthy helpfully draws the contrast. Here's what he had to say about the prosecutor in New York: Alvin Bragg has irreparably damaged our country in an attempt to interfere in our presidential election. Oh? When Manhattan Dist. Atty. Bragg described the case on Tuesday, it sounded a lot like business as usual for his office: "At its core, this case today is one with allegations like so many of our white-collar cases. Allegations that someone lied, again and again, to protect their interests and evade the laws to which we are all held accountable." A grand jury considered the evidence and concluded that Trump should be charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, in connection with hush money paid during the 2016 presidential campaign to the porn actress Stormy Daniels. The allegation is that Trump and his company falsely reported the hush money as a payment for legal services, rather than as reimbursement to the lawyer who paid Daniels. Specifically, 11 counts are related to invoices from the lawyer, 11 related to checks from Trump and 12 related to ledger entries. The people bringing these charges sure do seem to focus on the crime more than on the person. But you don't have to look far to find an example of that very real problem Cassidy and McCarthy describe situations in which a government investigation really is "more about the person than about the crime," and is indeed "an attempt to interfere in our presidential election. Story continues Take it from McCarthy, who crowed in 2015 about how House Republicans pulled this off: Everybody thought Hillary Clinton was unbeatable, right? But we put together a Benghazi special committee, a select committee. What are her numbers today? Her numbers are dropping. Why? Because shes untrustable. But no one would have known any of that had happened had we not fought. The Republican-led Select Committee on Benghazi spent two years and nearly $8 million investigating Clinton. Its purpose wasn't subtle. The terrorist attack had already been investigated numerous times. The FBI had decided years before not to file charges. But Trumps unofficial campaign slogan was lock her up. The two-year investigation found no wrongdoing. So House leaders held off on announcing that it was pointless, because they aimed to inflict maximum damage on Clinton's presidential campaign. Republicans voted on this partisan report five months ago, but delayed filing it and completing the committee until after the election, the late Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) said afterward. Ouch. So that's the kind of "weaponizing" that we should be afraid of. Not a district attorney prosecuting crimes. Thomas Paine, the philosopher-founder, once articulated a key difference between society and government. He wrote: for when we suffer, or are exposed to the same miseries by a government, which we might expect in a country without government, our calamity is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means by which we suffer. I can only imagine what he would have said about a branch of government using an investigation to target a political rival. The House Republicans' Benghazi investigation lasted longer than the ones for Watergate and the 9/11 attacks. It lasted longer than the one for the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Republicans could have wrapped up the Benghazi committee in June 2016. They waited until January 2017, using the specter of an ongoing investigation over Clinton like a dark cloud. It was an egregious abuse of power. One Americans would do well in remembering as our young country embarks on new territory: accountability. The fact that no other president has been indicted should not be conflated with all other presidents being innocent of crimes. American exceptionalism doesnt require perfection, just the belief our country is the closest to it. Sometimes that means overlooking a few details like Gerald Ford pardoning Richard Nixon to keep our record without blemish. But now that our young country is at this crossroad, we must, in the words of Sen. Cassidy, decide: Is it about the crime or the person? As much as I dont like President Trump, I think the case against him in New York is about crimes and the pursuit of justice. I hope the same for the other investigations closing in on him. Weaponizing the government to persecute political foes is something Trump would do. Something he wanted to do and tried to do. Something his allies in Congress practiced as well. So we know what it looks like. And watching the case in New York, we know this isn't that. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A gray whale that washed up on the shores of Fox Island in Pierce County this weekend was killed by blunt-force trauma, likely from a vessel strike. The 41-foot-long male gray whale was found just steps away from a residential property on Saturday. It was relocated from the shallows of Fox Island to a remote site on Monday, according to the Cascadia Research Collective. The following day, biologists, primarily with the CRC and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, examined the whale to gather information on the cause of death. The male whales health was also a contributing factor, with malnutrition likely playing a key role in its death, according to CRC biologist John Calambokidis. Its poor nutritional condition likely contributed to both it being in Puget Sound and potentially also made it more vulnerable to the vessel strike, said Calambokidis. The whale was last confirmed alive in the shallow waters of the sound in Mayo Cove on March 27, though it appeared to be in poor condition at that time. The overall number of gray whale deaths in the eastern Northern Pacific has been elevated since 2019 when NOAA Fisheries declared an Unusual Mortality Event. Many of these whales were also found in poor nutritional conditions. There are typically about a half-dozen gray whale strandings in Washington in normal years, according to Calambokidis. Conservative political commentator Matt Walsh, a vocal opponent of transgender rights, is slated to speak at the University of Iowa this month, drawing what the organization hosting him, Young Americans for Freedom at UI, says have been threats against it and harassment. Who is Matt Walsh? Matt Walsh, a conservative news commentator, is scheduled to appear at the University of Iowa on April 19. Walsh hosts the The Matt Walsh Show and writes columns for The Daily Wire, a right-wing media company founded by Ben Shapiro and Jeremy Boreing. He also is featured in What is a Woman? a documentary that purports to explore the logic behind a gender ideology movement that has taken aim at women and children, according to the films description. His views on transgender rights are reflected in the titles of recent clips from his show posted on YouTube, including Trans Activists Only Care About Pronouns, Not Dead Kids and Christian Children Murdered by Trans Mass Shooter, a reference to reports that the person who fatally shot six children and adults at a Nashville, Tennessee, school last month before being killed by police was transgender. Young Americans for Freedom at UI describes 'intense' backlash The Young Americans for Freedom chapter at UI, part of the conservative youth outreach organization Young Americas Foundation, is bringing Walsh to campus in collaboration with that group for a program at the Iowa Memorial Union at 7 p.m. April 19. A question-and-answer session with Walsh will follow. A screening of What is a Woman? will begin at 4:15 p.m. John Piaszynski, vice chair of the Young Americans for Freedom at UI, told the Press-Citizen the chapter has received intense backlash over the event, including threats, and that posters advertising Walsh's appearance have been torn down. Piaszynski said the chapter has reported to UI police one of the threats, made near the site of the March 31 International Transgender Day of Visibility rally in Iowa City. A March 24 tweet by the organization showed an image of a poster for a "Trans Day of Revenge" rally below a torn-down poster for the Walsh event and asked, Who are they planning on taking revenge on? Story continues There's an advertisement for a "Trans Day of Revenge" right below a torn-down poster for our @MattWalshBlog event. Who are they planning on taking revenge on? And what do they mean by "revenge"? @yaf pic.twitter.com/yLxUER6Hth Iowa YAF (@Iowa_YAF) March 24, 2023 Piaszynski said that based on responses received following that tweet, Young Americans for Freedom at UI believes some of the anger and possible vengeance was directed toward it. The University of Iowa senior said the organization also has been communicating regularly with police to ensure the safety of the Walsh event and has filed complaints with Office of Student Accountability regarding posters being removed. The university did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The event comes in the wake of Gov. Kim Reynolds' March 22 signing of bills restricting which public school bathrooms transgender students and adults can use banning Iowa doctors from providing gender-affirming care to transgender children. It also follows bomb threats that forced the evacuation of Coralville's Northwest Junior High School on subsequent days threats school officials believe were linked to a barrage of criticism that began when a national anti-LGBTQ Twitter account attacked the school for having the book "This Book is Gay." The Iowa City school district subsequently pulled the book from shelves for what it said would be a review. Piaszynski said Young Americans for Freedom initially had used Eventbrite, an event management and ticketing website, in connection with Walshs upcoming appearance. He shared an email from Eventbrite Trust and Safety last month notifying the organization it had unpublished the event listing, saying it violated Community Guidelines and Teams of Service, specifically our policy on Hateful, Dangerous, or Violent Content and Events. Other appearances by Walsh spark protests Last October, a sold-out University of Wisconsin-Madison appearance by Walsh sparked extensive vandalism and protests. Walshs appearance at the University of Houston in Texas the same month also was met with protests, KTRK-TV reported. In March, Walsh in a tweet announced he was postponing a scheduled March 31 speech at Washington & Lee University in Nashville, citing "threats against my family and other serious security concerns" in the city, which had just experienced the school shooting. But a Walsh appearance at Stanford University earlier in March was protest-free, The Stanford Daily reported. Piaszynski said 376 tickets have been reserved for the UI event so far. In 2017, Iowa State University agreed to pay a $12,000 settlement to settle a lawsuit filed by a student there who alleged that university policies on sexual harassment and misconduct were unconstitutional and, among other things, interfered with his efforts to organize an ISU chapter of Young Americans for Freedom. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contributed to this article. Paris Barraza covers entertainment, lifestyle and arts at the Iowa City Press-Citizen. Reach her at PBarraza@press-citizen.com or 319-519-9731. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza. This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: UI group sponsoring anti-trans speaker says it has received threats Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 is set to abandon one of the franchises most popular traditions. The film, directed by James Gunn, follows on from the first two Guardians films, as well as other Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) entries such as Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022). Released in 2014, the first Guardians of the Galaxy was a smash hit for Marvel, and drew particular praise from fans for its infectious jukebox soundtrack. In the film, music is played from a mixtape given to Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) by his late mother. The soundtrack, comprising a host of 1970s rock hits such as Moonage Daydream by David Bowie, Hooked on a Feeling by Blue Suede, and Come and Get Your Love by Redbone, was released as an album, and went on to top the Billboard 200 chart. Now, the tracklist for the soundtrack of the forthcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 has been released. However, Marvel fans will remember Pratts character receiving a Microsoft Zune music player at the end of the second Guardians film. As a result, the third film has done away with its distinctive 1970s soundtrack, instead pulling from a variety of musical eras and styles. The #GotGVol3 soundtrack is now live. Listen to the music before seeing the film in theaters on May 5. #GuardiansoftheGalaxyVol3 https://t.co/mQcySprLbx pic.twitter.com/ojvjDG8Y9A James Gunn (@JamesGunn) April 3, 2023 Among the songs to feature will be Creep by Radiohead, Dog Days Are Over by Florence + the Machine, and No Sleep Till Brooklyn by the Beastie Boys. Story continues Gunn addressed the change in a recent interview with Rolling Stone. It was very, very difficult. I felt very uncomfortable picking out songs and making sure that this was the right soundtrack, the filmmaker said. Do I move onto just all 80s songs? Do I use all 90s songs? Or do I do what a Zune would actually have songs from different eras, which is what I ended up doing. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 will be released in UK cinemas on 3 May and on 5 May in the US. A metro Atlanta deputy was arrested after Georgia State Patrol troopers told Channel 2 Action News the deputy hit multiple mailboxes while driving his patrol car under the influence. The Gwinnett County Sheriffs Office said Master Deputy Sheriff Walter Pollock was arrested after driving on Thomspon Mill Road in Walton County and hitting multiple mailboxes Wednesday morning. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] According to officials, after further investigation troopers determined Pollock was on duty under the influence of alcohol. Pollock was arrested at the Gwinnett County courthouse by troopers and charged with DUI, failure to maintain lane, and striking a fixed object. TRENDING STORIES: The sheriffs office said that Pollock has been served with an intent to terminate and was placed on administrative leave. We want our community to know that we hold our employees to the highest standards of professionalism. Pending the criminal investigation our Office of Professional Standards will conduct a full review as we are committed to ensuring that the outcome of the incident is in the publics best interest, the sheriffs office said in a news release Wednesday. Deputies told Channel 2 Action News no bystanders were hurt in the incident. IN OTHER NEWS: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang meets with Indonesia's Coordinator for Cooperation with China and Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan in Beijing, capital of China, April 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Gao Jie) BEIJING, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Wednesday met with Indonesia's Coordinator for Cooperation with China and Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. Qin said this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Indonesia comprehensive strategic partnership, and the first year in building the China-Indonesia community with a shared future, adding bilateral ties are standing at a new historical starting point. China is willing to work with Indonesia to follow the guidance by the two countries' heads of state, further enhance strategic mutual trust and pragmatic cooperation, and join hands in working for modernization and promoting regional development and prosperity, said Qin. Qin pointed out the consistency and stability of China's domestic and foreign policies will inject great certainty and positive energy into regional and global peace and tranquility, and further boost mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Indonesia. He urged efforts to ensure the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway can be opened to traffic as planned, advance construction of such major projects as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Corridor and "Two Countries, Twin Parks," and forge new growth points of cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, smart city and green energy. For his part, Luhut said the country is ready to work with China to deepen cooperation in fields including science and technology, maritime affairs, fishery and medical services, adding Indonesia hopes to join hands with China in promoting South-South cooperation and safeguarding the common interests of developing countries. rejection email Waiting to discover whether or not youre going to be accepted into college is definitely on the short list for most anxiety inducing scenarios. Unfortunately for millions of people every year that stressful situation ends with a rejection letter and the realization that their dream school is just that. Dealing with rejection can be one of the most difficult things anyone has to deal with in their lives but can be especially difficult during a time when your peers are celebrating their acceptances. The good news is being rejected from a school or every school is not the end of your dreams. Many notable people started their journey with the same bump in the road before finding success. Famously Tiny Fey was rejected from Princeton University before eventually playing a Princeton admissions officer in the 2014 film Admission . Even Katie Couric admitted to being devastated when she couldnt attend Smith College like both her sisters. The eventual media mogul ended up studying journalism at Virginia University and it worked out pretty well! The other part that helps is to know you are most certainly not alone. Schools are rejecting applicants at record levels. According to the Harvard Crimson , this year the school accepted just 3.19 percent of its applicants for its class of 2026, the lowest acceptance rate in the school's history. And Harvard is not alone; Princeton, Stanford MIT and the California Institute of Technology were all rated as the most selective schools in the country, accepting only 4% or less of possible applicants. student girl with eyes closed and head in hands crying Dont let any rejection letter be the end of your path to education. Here are some next steps to take once youre ready: First, find out if the school that rejected you has an appeal process. Not all schools do but if yours does it may be worth a shot, even if its a long shot. If you got rejected from your dream school but accepted into others do not let the sting of the bad news not let you enjoy the good. You worked hard during high school and earned those acceptances - celebrate them! Story continues If you find yourself without an acceptance from any school you applied to, this too is not the end. Do some research on community colleges and online schools. These can be great resources to continue your education and may provide the growth that admissions officers are looking for come next semester. More Articles to check out: Ackk! I need to switch my major Top Five: Questions to Ask Your College Counselor Top Five: Organizations to Join for STEAM careers Donald Trump will become the first former president of the United States to be charged with a crime Donald Trump has been indicted in New York for allegedly covering up hush money payments to a porn star during his 2016 presidential campaign and is now facing criminal charges. The former president pleaded not guilty to 34 charges in a brief hearing, before flying back to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The Telegraph takes a look below at what happens next. What happens after the arrest? Following the hearing Mr Trump flew back to Mar-a-Lago to address the nation following his indictment. In a room packed full of his supporters, and members of his family, Mr Trump claimed he was the victim of election interference and lashed out at Alvin Bragg, the New York prosecutor bringing criminal charges against him. "I never thought anything like this could happen in America," Mr Trump said. "The only crime that I've committed has been to fearlessly defend our nation against those who seek to destroy it." When will the next hearing take place? The next hearing is set to take place on December 4. Where will the trial take place? It is due to be held in Manhattan, where he fared badly in the 2020 presidential election, winning only 22.6 per cent of votes cast. His legal team want the trial shifted to the more conservative borough of Staten Island. Could Mr Trump go to jail? If convicted on felony charges of falsifying business records to commit another offence, such as violating campaign finance laws, the former president faces a potential four-year jail term. But experts believe there is no chance, even if convicted on these charges, of Mr Trump being sent to prison. He does not have a criminal record and the alleged offences are non-violent. Is this the end of his legal problems? No. A Grand Jury in Georgia is examining allegations that Mr Trump tried to overturn Joe Bidens 2020 election victory in the state. He was taped asking Brad Raffensperger, Georgias secretary of state, to find the 11,870 votes necessary to reverse the result. Jack Smith, a war crimes investigator, has been appointed special counsel with the task of examining the January 6 insurrection. Story continues The use of fake electors from states which Mr Trump claims he won despite the official results showing otherwise is also under investigation. In addition, the Justice Department is examining his removal of classified documents from the White House to Mar-a-Lago after he left office. If convicted could Mr Trump still run for president? Yes. The constitution does not bar a natural-born citizen over 35 from running for the White House. But there is a qualification. The 14th Amendment, passed after the Civil War, contains a clause barring anyone who engaged in insurrection from office. The vast majority of Harbour Energy's UK onshore staff are based in Aberdeen The UK's largest oil and gas producer has told staff it expects to shed 350 UK onshore jobs, blaming the UK government's windfall tax. Harbour Energy has been carrying out a review of its operations since January, after warning that it was re-assessing its future activity in the UK. The vast majority of its 1,200 UK onshore staff are based in Aberdeen. A statement from the company said it was working hard to mitigate the impact of the workforce reduction. The statement said: "When we announced the review, we said that as a result of the energy profits levy, which results in an effective tax rate of 75% in the UK regardless of the level of oil and gas prices in the market or realised, we have had to reassess our future activity level in the UK," the company said. "At our full year results in March, we explained this would 'lead to a significant reduction in our UK workforce'. "We are working hard to mitigate the impact of this reduction, by for example, a recruitment freeze and opening a voluntary redundancy scheme. These figures do not include UK-based corporate and international roles, which are still being reviewed. "Nor do they include our offshore organisation, where we expect the impact to be significantly lower. We are very conscious of the impact of this news on our people, and we are carrying out the review fairly and with consideration for everyone who is affected." HM Treasury said: "The Energy Profits Levy strikes a balance between funding cost of living support from excess profits while encouraging investment in order to bolster the UK's energy security. "We have been clear that we want to encourage reinvestment of the sector's profits to support the economy, jobs, and our energy security, which is why the more investment a firm makes into the UK, the less tax they will pay." 'Tip of iceberg' Friends of the Earth Scotland's Freya Aitchison said blaming the windfall tax for job cuts was "yet more proof that the oil and gas industry continues to prioritise company profits over the needs of workers and communities". Story continues She said: "To provide workers with a truly secure future, we need to see Government action that delivers a fast and fair transition away from volatile oil and gas to decent green jobs in the renewable industry." Ryan Crighton, policy director at Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce (AGCC), said the organisation's thoughts were with the people who would be out of work - and warned it could become the "tip of a terrifying iceberg" for the north east of Scotland. How does the windfall tax work? Energy firm profits have soared recently, initially due to rising demand after Covid restrictions were lifted, and then because Russia's invasion of Ukraine raised energy prices. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak introduced the 25% Energy Profits Levy when he was chancellor. In the autumn, current Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced it would increase to 35% from January 2023, and run until March 2028. It was previously due to finish at the end of 2025. The levy applies to profits made from extracting UK oil and gas, but not from other activities - such as refining oil and selling petrol and diesel on forecourts. Harbour Energy posted pre-tax profits of $2.5bn (2.1bn) for 2022. However tax - including $1.5bn set aside for the Energy Profits Levy - contributed to the company posting just $8m in post-tax profit. Reduced debt In its earlier annual results, Harbour said that it "delivered materially higher production" and improved margins in 2022. But chief executive Linda Cook said the levy had "disproportionately impacted the UK-focused independent oil and gas companies". She added at the time: "For Harbour, the UK's largest oil and gas producer, it has all but wiped out our profit for the year. This has driven us to reduce our UK investment and staffing levels. "Given the fiscal instability and outlook for investment in the country, it has also reinforced our strategic goal to grow and diversify internationally." In 2022, the company reduced its net debt, excluding certain fees, from $2.3bn to $0.8bn. Harbour distributed $553m to shareholders, while the company proposed a $100m final dividend. A new share buyback plan worth $200m was also revealed. A Jane Doe found naked and decapitated along the Spokane River in Washington nearly 40 years ago has been identified thanks to advances in genetic genealogy, authorities say. The then-unknown womans body was found on Jan. 20, 1984 by two fisherman, according to the Spokane Police Department. Her hands and feet had been dismembered, in addition to her body being decapitated. Rather than calling the unidentified woman found in 1984 "Jane Doe" per usual procedure, the corpse was nicknamed "Millie." According to a police press release, the daughter of one of the detectives investigating the case told him that "no one deserves not to have a name." RELATED: Where Is Billie Lynn Groff? Cold Justice Investigates The Ohio Moms 1977 Disappearance In April of 1998, a human skull was found by a woman walking her dog in a vacant lot near the river and investigators suspected it belonged to Millie, though they were unable to get confirmation for another three years. Then, thanks to advances in DNA testing, the body was exhumed and authorities confirmed the separate remains belonged to the same victim. Forensic drawings and a facial reconstruction based on the skull were made in 2002 to assist with the investigation, and the details "Millie's" case were uploaded to the national missing persons identification system NamUs in 2007. But despite these advances and hundreds of tips, the body's identity remained unknown until this year, detectives said. Ruth Belle Waymire and an artist's sketch of a head Ruth Belle Waymire and a 2002 artist's sketch from the skull found. Photo: City of Spokane Police Department Othram Inc., a company that specializes in working with degraded DNA samples and cross-referencing them with genealogy databases, created a DNA profile from samples taken from the woman's torso in 2021. A relative was found in Spokane and assisted police with their investigation. Police were able to narrow down their search to two sisters found in public records further investigation by Othram revealed that "Millie" must be one of them. Story continues On Feb. 17, 2023, "Millie" was identified as Ruth Belle Waymire, who would have been 24 at the time of her death and 63 next month. A still image of Cold Justice 623 Oklahoma City Police Department Cold Case Unit detectives tracked down Waymire's younger sister, alive and residing in the Midwest, and procured DNA samples to confirm their identification. Born in 1960, Ruth attended Rogers High School, detectives learned. Photos distributed by the Spokane Police Department were taken during her sophomore year there. When their parents divorced, Waymire and her sister moved in with her mother and relatives living in Spokane. But after their mother died, the two sisters grew apart and lost contact. A photo of Trampas D.L. Vaughn Trampas D.L. Vaughn Photo: City of Spokane Police Department At the time of her death, investigators wrote in their release, Waymire was married to her second husband, Trampas D.L. Vaughn, who had been born in Iowa and served prison time there before moving to the Pacific Northwest. Authorities didnt disclose what he served jail time for. They did note, however, that he never reported her missing. He died in Sutter County California in 2017 at the age of 72. Investigators described Waymire as living a vagabond lifestyle, spending time in Wenatchee as well as Spokane, according to the police press release. Oxy App An autopsy carried out at the Spokane County Medical Examiner's Office at the time of her body's discovery determined she had given birth within two years of her death. However, detectives have yet to find records of the woman's child or children. Now, detectives are hopeful that anyone who knew Waymire will reach out to provide further information that could lead police to her killer. Anyone with relevant information is urged to call (509) 456-2233. Here are area restaurants with seven or more priority or critical health code violations, with highlighted links to some original public record reports. Restaurants correct most violations at the time of the original inspection or shortly thereafter. Links to the follow-up inspections show how each establishment has corrected or is working to correct any remaining violations. If an inspection or follow-up report needs clarification, restaurant and grocery store owners can call Joyce Smith at 816-234-4692 or email her at jsmith@kcstar.com. The Star will post appropriate responses in the same online locations as the original report. The Kansas Department of Agriculture cited these operations for seven or more priority health code violations (direct links to the reports are not available). Cozys Cafe, 6740 W. 75th St., Overland Park, had 12 priority violations during a March 30 inspection following a complaint. Cactus Grill, Camelot Court, 11849 Roe Ave., Leawood, had 10 priority violations during a March 28 routine inspection. Sahara Mediterranean, 10150 W. 119th St., Overland Park, had 10 priority violations during a March 29 routine inspection. Minskys Pizza Cafe & Bar, 12627 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, had nine priority violations during a March 27 routine inspection. Indian Hills Country Club, 6847 Tomahawk Road, Mission Hills, had eight priority violations during a March 28 routine inspection. Sawasdee Thai Cuisine, 11838 Quivira Road, Overland Park, had seven priority violations during a March 21 follow-up inspection. For complete Kansas health inspections, click here. The Kansas City Health Department cited these operations for seven or more critical violations: KC Smoke Burger, 1610 W. 39th St., had 11 critical violations during March 30 routine inspection. Waffle House, 4404 N.E. Antioch Road, had seven critical violations during a March 25 routine inspection. It had one critical violation during an April 3 follow-up inspection. For complete Kansas City-area reports, click here. One very stubborn dog is credited with saving a Florida familys home, when it refused to stop barking until someone noticed fire was spreading across their farm. It happened just before noon on Tuesday, April 4, in Westville and the Walton County Sheriffs Office is not shy about saying the dog is a hero. Westville is in the Panhandle, 100 miles northwest of Tallahassee. The Walton County Sheriffs Office communications center received a 911 call from a teenager who stated he was home alone and heard his dog barking, the sheriffs office said in a news release. When he looked outside to see what the dog was barking at, he saw flames coming from a barn housing several fowl. The family lost several animals in the fire, the Walton County Sheriffs Office says. Walton County Fire Rescue and the Liberty Volunteer Fire Department arrived within minutes and found the barn fully engulfed and the fire spreading into the woods. It took half an hour to gain control of the blaze, and firefighters were able to save nearby structures, including the familys home, officials said. Sadly, this family lost several animals in the fire, Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson said in the release. However, if it werent for the dogs guardian instincts and the sons quick action, this situation could have ended much worse. Investigators believe the fire was electrical in origin and started in the barn. Details about the dog, including its name and breed, were not released, much to the frustration of commenters on social media. Its a real life Lassie! Josie Mullin wrote on Facebook. He deserves a cooked steak chopped up with no bone! Donna Wellington posted. Man checks yard to see alligator biting dogs head. He pulled out gun, Florida cops say Watch chihuahua reunite with owners after treading water 40 minutes in Florida bay Odd 100-mph police chase involved man and dog on motorcycle, Louisiana deputies say Hesperia Sheriff's officials said Hung Thieu Mach, 54, has been located. He is safe and has been reunited with his family. No other details were available. Update: Hesperia Sheriff's officials said Hung Thieu Mach, 54, has been located. He is safe and has been reunited with his family. No other details were available. Hesperia Sheriffs Station officials are asking the public for help in searching for a missing man. Hung Thieu Mach, 54, was last seen Monday morning in the 9000 Block of Harvard Avenue in Hesperia, sheriffs officials said. The home is south of Main Street, between Topaz and Maple avenues, and about a half mile east of the California Aqueduct. At around 3 p.m. on Monday, deputies responded to a report of a missing person. They believe Mach left home at 10 a.m. and had not been seen or heard from since. Authorities describe Mach as an Asian man, 5 feet 10 inches, weighing 140 pounds and bald. He was last seen wearing a dark blue suit and dress shoes. Anyone with information about Mach is urged by sheriffs officials to call the Hesperia Sheriffs Station at 760-947-1500. Persons wishing to remain anonymous can contact the We-Tip Hotline at 800-78-CRIME (27463) or at wetip.com. This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Missing Hesperia found, reunited with family Hikers near the top of a Washington mountain discovered an unconscious man on the trail before he died, authorities said. The hikers rushed to perform CPR on the man at about 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 4, near North Bend, the King County Sheriffs Office said. The man, believed to be in his 50s, was nearing the top of the Mount Si Trailhead, which AllTrails describes as a nearly 8-mile out-and-back trek up the mountain. The popular hike, described as challenging, has an elevation gain of over 3,300 feet, the outdoor travel company said. Hikers had passed the man when he was alive, but when they saw him again, he was lying on the ground unconscious, deputies said. They performed CPR on him, and called 911, deputies said. By 6 p.m., he was pronounced dead. Deputies said its not known if he had a medical issue. His body was recovered from the mountain before 1 a.m. Wednesday, April 5. North Bend is about 30 miles southeast of Seattle. How to be prepared while hiking If youre planning to hike, the National Park Service says there are 10 essentials you should take: Navigation: Pack a map, compass and a GPS system. Make sure you study your route beforehand and understand how to use the tools. Sun protection: Sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat can help protect your skin and eyes from UV rays. Insulation: A jacket, hat, gloves, raincoat and thermal underwear can help you be prepared for rapidly changing weather conditions. Illumination: A flashlight, lantern and headlamp can create light if you get stuck in the dark and dont forget to pack extra batteries. First-aid supplies: Its a good idea to have a first-aid kit on hand while hiking. Check the expiration date on items before you pack them. Fire: Matches and a lighter can help start fire to act as an emergency signal in times of need. Repair kit and tools: Duct tape, a knife, screwdriver and scissors can be helpful if items break during your hike or you need assistance. Nutrition: You should pack an extra days worth of food in case something goes wrong. Park officials recommend having salty and easy to digest snacks. Hydration: You should drink water often and before you feel thirsty if youre hiking in hot weather. Keeping your body hydrated is of utmost importance, park officials said. Emergency shelter: Packing a tent, space blanket, tarp and bivy can help you be prepared if severe weather breaks out or your plan takes a turn. Story continues Man holding small child trapped on waterfall ledge as crews rush in, NC rescuers say Lost hiker calls for help with dying phone battery as night falls, Hawaii rescuers say Hikers reach summit after six-hour trek but then get stranded, Hawaii rescuers say GRAND HAVEN After stealing a car and credit cards and resisting arrest, Holland resident Alyssa Aplin has been sentenced to 47 days in jail, reports The Grand Haven Tribune. More: Police identify woman who allegedly stole vehicle, scaled crates to escape More: Alleged car thief at sentencing: 'I should have listened to my attorney' Aplin has already served 133 days for the incident and is serving time for previous charges of larceny and resisting a police officer. She was sentenced Monday, April 3, in Ottawa County's 20th Circuit Court. Deputies responded to Leisure Estates in Holland on reports of a stolen vehicle just after 2 a.m. Nov. 21. The victim's purse, wallet and credit cards were in the vehicle at the time it was taken. At approximately 3:25 a.m., OCSO was informed a female subject Aplin, 25 was attempting to use the stolen credit cards at a gas station on Hayes Street in Grand Haven Township. When deputies arrived, Aplin fled officers in the stolen vehicle and struck a curb, then scaled a 15-foot stack of crates and refused to come down. The victims stolen vehicle and other property were recovered at the scene and returned to her, police said. At the time of the incident, Aplin was awaiting sentencing for a separate home invasion in June 2022. She was charged with one count of armed robbery and two counts of assaulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer for that event and was sentenced to nine months in jail Nov. 28. Subscribe: Receive unlimited digital access to your local news coverage On Monday, Aplin was sentenced to the additional jail time and must pay $2,529.86 in restitution, plus three years of probation. Kayla Tucker of The Grand Haven Tribune contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Holland woman sentenced to jail after vehicle, credit card theft Homicide detectives are investigating after a man was found dead early Wednesday morning in Carmichael, authorities said. A man in his 60s was found around 1 a.m. inside a residence near Garfield and Locust avenues, Sacramento County Sheriffs Office spokesman Sgt. Amar Gandhi said. The man was unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene. One person was detained at the scene, Gandhi said, and detectives are investigating whether the incident began as a dispute that escalated into a physical fight. The exact cause of death was not immediately clear, but the man was not shot, Gandhi said. Detectives remained at the scene Wednesday morning. The victims identity will be released by the Sacramento County Coroners Office after family is notified. LAGOS, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Many civilians were killed in attacks by unidentified gunmen on several villages in central Nigeria's Kogi State on Sunday, a senior official has confirmed. Edward Onoja, deputy governor of the state, who visited the Oganenigu community on Tuesday in the company of heads of security operatives, condemned the attacks on some communities in the state where many people were killed and houses and properties destroyed. Onoja said security forces have been directed to "dominate the area" after their initial response, which put a stop to the attacks, and to go after the fleeing gunmen and ensure that "they pay for their crimes." David Abimaje, a community leader, told reporters that eight people were killed and scores more were wounded in the attacks in the Dekina local government area of the state between Saturday and Sunday. Attacks by armed groups have plagued parts of Nigeria in recent months, resulting in civilian deaths and kidnappings. By Nathan Layne and Rich McKay PALM BEACH, Florida (Reuters) -A subdued former President Donald Trump lashed out on Tuesday at New York prosecutor Alvin Bragg for bringing criminal charges against him and declared himself the victim of election interference without offering evidence. "I never thought anything like this could happen in America," Trump told supporters gathered at his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida. "The only crime that I've committed has been to fearlessly defend our nation against those who seek to destroy it." Earlier, Trump pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan court to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, as prosecutors accused him of orchestrating payments to two women before the 2016 election to suppress publication of their sexual encounters with him. Trump, running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, on Tuesday night in Florida gave a relatively short speech, 25 minutes, compared to his rally speeches that can sometimes last two hours. Despite launching a tirade against prosecutors, he did not call for new protests from his supporters. And while he is expected to return to the campaign trail soon, he gave no details of that. Trump, 76, reached deep into his well of personal grievances to declare himself hounded by political opponents using the legal system against him to try to stop him from winning back the White House in 2024. Trump accused Manhattan District Attorney Bragg of being out to get him "before he knew anything about me." He said the judge in the case, Juan Merchan, is "a Trump-hating judge." But he did not offer any evidence to support his claim that they were taking their actions in order to undermine his White House bid. ATTACKS LEGAL CASES Trump took fresh shots at all the various legal cases against him, from the handling of classified documents that were taken to Mar-a-Lago when Trump moved out of the White House in early 2021, the probe into the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol and the election interference case he is facing in Georgia from the 2020 election. Story continues Trump expressed particular concern about the documents case being investigated by special counsel Jack Smith, who he called a "lunatic" several times. He said the cases amount to an attempt to thwart his third run for the presidency, calling it "massive election interference at a scale never seen." Gathered before him in a gilt-edged ballroom at Mar-a-Lago were a number of combative, diehard Trump backers, including Republican lawmakers Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz, long-time operative Roger Stone, pillow maker Mike Lindell, former U.S. ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell and Trump sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump. Trump's wife, Melania, was not seen in the ballroom. SHOW OF SUPPORT Among the hundreds there was Nathan Mitchell, 18, the incoming president of the Florida Atlantic University's college Republicans club. He said he was there to support a man who represents "the best chance that America has to become great again." Of the accusations brought against Trump, Mitchell said, "It humiliates us all in front of the world." Wearing a black leather biker vest, with a "Born to Ride" patch above the number 45, Alex Gonzalez, 45, who operates a security company in Palm Beach said he was there to show the former president that the people believe in him. "It's all a charade, man, it's all a witch hunt," Gonzalez said of the indictment. "Trump should not be held above the law - if he does something wrong he should be held liable like anybody else. But this is BS and everybody knows it." (Reporting by Nathan Layne and Rich McKay in Palm Beach; Writing by Steve Holland; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Grant McCool) With 78 votes to 37, the North Carolina House of Representatives passed its $29.7 billion budget bill Wednesday in the first step of a two-day vote. The two-year spending plan which proposes pay raises for teachers and long-awaited Medicaid expansion reforms would determine state spending through the next biennium. It includes salary increases for government and state-wide employees, policies that would become law and funding plans for government-sponsored projects. The current House budget proposal calls for roughly $3 billion less in spending than what Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper suggested in earlier budget recommendations, which included mandatory funding to be allocated to public schools, known as the Leandro plan. Last month, the North Carolina Supreme Court ordered a pause on transferring funds through a lower court until the General Assembly could assess how to distribute them. House GOP fail to fund the Leandro plan to meet states constitutional obligation for a sound basic education for all students, Cooper wrote in a tweet Tuesday afternoon. Instead, this budget prioritizes private school vouchers, even over funding early childhood education, competitive teacher pay & building new schools. Overall, Coopers proposed budget recommended $33 billion in spending within the first year and a billion dollar increase the following year. If it passes a second vote Thursday, the House budget bill will next head for the state Senate, which is expected to revisit budget talks after the House and Senates week-long spring break that begins Monday. A look into Wednesdays floor vote Rep. Donny Lambeth, a Republican from Winston-Salem and senior chair on the House Appropriations committee, said during Wednesdays floor vote that the chambers proposed budget would allow for North Carolina to better work with start-ups and high-profile tech companies, including Apple and Toyota. He also spoke of long-awaited mental health reforms, funding to aid classroom safety, school-choice initiatives and anti-bullying campaigns. Story continues This is a fiscally responsible, well-thought out plan that balances the needs of our citizens with the realities that we face, Lambeth said. Legislators debated 26 budget amendments over four hours during Wednesdays session. Many were introduced by Democrats who urged the Republicans to strike portions of their proposal. One of the amendments, raised by Rep. Amber Baker, a Democrat from Winston-Salem, sought to remove a section that would allow the State Board of Education to adopt an education plan and standard course of study for students and educators. It failed with 45 votes to 70. Amendments to fund the 24-hour operation of a Charlotte IMap Center and increase state trooper presence through the district, failed in separate votes. Democratic Rep. Carolyn Logan of Charlotte who introduced both said these centers have been closing early across nine counties, and funding an all-day operation would prevent safety incidents on North Carolina highways. Rep. Brenden Jones, a Tabor City Republican, argued the State Highway Patrol hasnt asked for these measures, and that Logan should reach out to him directly to address the issues further. This is necessary for emergency responders, she said in response. Someone needs to come to me to talk about it because thats what I used to do in Mecklenburg County. Wesley Harris, a Charlotte Democrat, said the proposed budget doesnt match market needs for teacher and state employee pay, doesnt address long-term solutions to transportation issues or offer sustainable solutions to rapid growth in urban areas. That just further drives a greater wedge between the urban and rural divide in the state, he said. Prior to the final vote, Lambeth said legislators should cast a strong vote on the bill, regardless of whether they dont wholly support certain parts of it. We need a strong vote whether you like it or not, he said. Whats included in the House budget bill The House Republicans budget proposal includes a 10.2% average raise for public school teachers over the next two years, and a 9.5% raise for school bus drivers to help improve driver shortages across the state. Some other hard-to-fill roles would get extra raises to incentivize prospective applicants. Most state employees would receive a 7.5% raise over the biennium and retired state employees would see a 2% cost-of-living-adjustment increase to their pensions. The budget also includes $2 billion for water and sewer projects, as well as tax cuts for individuals and businesses. The bill proposes several agency provisions and appointee changes, such as moving the State Bureau of Investigation out of the Department of Public Safety to establish it as an independent agency. There are also provisions to prohibit schools, local governments and universities from requiring the COVID-19 vaccine. A few measures in the budget would block some of Coopers executive orders, such as requiring new trucks to be electric and a state-wide effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions. One of the largest and most-awaited provisions in the budget is Medicaid expansion. The measure, one of Coopers priorities since he took office, was already passed this session as an independent bill. But its enactment, which would extend federally subsidized health care to thousands of North Carolinians, depends on the budgets passage. Queen Elizabeth distributing traditional Maundy money in 2018, an annual Easter celebration of the monarch. (Getty Images) Each spring, Queen Elizabeth would take up residence at Windsor Castle for about a month, in a tradition known as Easter Court. This year, however, the Royal Family will be spending a first, solemn Easter without the late monarch over a weekend that will also mark the second anniversary of Prince Philip's death on Easter Sunday. The last monarch was particularly fond of Windsor Castle in Berkshire, because she spent so much of her childhood there. Its also where she spent most of her weekends, having worked in Buckingham Palace through the week. Despite initially not being keen on living at Windsor, some reports have indicated Charles has come around to the idea. What the new monarch intends to implement as his own version of the royal Easter traditions remains to be seen, but when it came to Christmas he publicly stuck pretty much to what had come to be expected during his mother's reign. Yahoo UK looks back at what the Queen used to do each year for Easter Court, which might indicate what Charles intends to do this year. Maundy Thursday Each year, the Queen attended a service on Maundy Thursday, and over the years travelled to every cathedral in the country for the tradition, this year Charles will do the same, visiting York Minster with Queen Camilla. Maundy Thursday is the Christian celebration marking the day Jesus shared the final passover with his disciples before he was crucified on Good Friday. Read more: Coronavirus: Queen says 'better days will return' as she addresses nation and Commonwealth The Queen and Prince Philip in Rochester, in 1961, the first time the Maundy service was held there. (Getty) The Queen distributed Maundy money on this day, a tradition which dates back to the reign of Charles II in the 1660s, and which Charles will continue. She decided early in her reign to ensure the money went further than London, so used to travel frequently for the service. In 2017, she went to Leicester Cathedral, the final cathedral she had to go to. The coins are legal tender but dont enter circulation, because of their silver content. Story continues According to the Royal Mint: Todays recipients of Royal Maundy are elderly men and women, chosen because of the Christian service they have given to the church and the community. There are as many recipients as there are years in the sovereigns age. So this year, Charles will hand out two purses to each recipient, one red and one white. The red purses will contain two commemorative coins symbolising the traditional gift of food and clothing from the sovereign, and one marking the 75th anniversary of the Windrush generation, and the other the new king's upcoming 75th birthday. The white purses will contain specially-minted Maundy coins. The Queen with the Yeoman of the Guard in Windsor after the 2018 Maundy service. (Getty Images) The Queen and Prince Philip went to Leicester in 2017, the last cathedral they had to visit. (Getty Images) Dine and sleep events One of the events the Queen hosted in Windsor over Easter Court throughout her reign was the dine and sleep nights. Celebrities were invited to have dinner and stay the night in the castle, with previous guests including Tim Peake, Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz. Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter have also attended them in the past. Whether Charles and Camilla will continue this remains to be seen, but Camilla in particular is known to have a circle of celebrity friends. In 2012, they went to York with Princess Beatrice, and Archbishop of York John Sentamu. (Getty Images) Previously, public figures were also invited, including people like the head of Eton College. Bonham Carter once recalled the event she attended in the Radio Times. She said: Its fun! Rachel Weisz was there with James Bond. I stayed in Prince Charless rooms. We had supper and the Queen and Prince Philip gave us a tour. The events usually appear in the Court Circular. Read more: Coronavirus: Queen urges people to play their part in period of 'concern and uncertainty' Helena Bonham Carter, Kenneth Branagh and Zoe Wanamaker speak to the Queen at Windsor Castle. (Getty Images) Easter Sunday his first day off of the year The monarch receives the red box of government papers every day, no matter where in the world they are. The only exceptions to this are Easter Sunday and Christmas Day, so Easter brings one of the two days His Majesty can have a bit of a break. The Queen used to attend the Easter Sunday service at St Georges Chapel, the only public appearance she would have made over the weekend and it is understood that led by King Charles this is likely to continue. The Prince of Wales with the Queen Mother, Princes William and Harry and Princess Margaret on Easter Sunday. (Getty Images) Prince Harry, Mike Tindall, Kate and Prince William attend the Easter Sunday church service at St George's Chapel in 2019. (Getty Images) Afterwards, much like his late mother, there will likely be a private celebration with the family. After attending church, the monarch is usually given a bouquet of flowers from local children who attended the service. Is there an Easter egg hunt? The Queen never took part in an Easter egg hunt, but there are some held at the palaces by the Royal Collections Trust (RCT). They have in the past held egg hunt trails in the Royal Mews in Buckingham Palace and at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. Read more: The Royal Family's most feminist moments The Queen attends Easter Sunday service at St George's Chapel in Windsor last year. (Getty) A monarchs work The monarch doesnt take the month off during Easter Court they continues with much of their work. Charles is also likely to continue with investitures ceremonies, so some people who are receiving honours will get them in Windsor Castle instead of Buckingham Palace. Wisconsin Supreme Court winner Janet Protasiewicz celebrates after beating Dan Kelly Judge Janet Protasiewicz. Good things do sometimes happen. On Tuesday, Milwaukee trial court Judge Janet Protasiewicz won a crucial race to become the next justice on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, giving liberals the majority for the first time in 15 years. Her win opens the door for that court to reverse the states 1849 abortion ban; after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, clinics halted care because of that 19th-century law. Restoring abortion access in Wisconsin would be important for both Midwesterners and those forced to travel to the region due to our current hellscape. (In other happy news, Michigans Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer is set to sign the repeal of the states 1931 abortion ban into law today.) Read more Protasiewicz won by 11 points55 percent to 45 percentover conservative Dan Kelly, a judge who Donald Trump endorsed for a previous run. She campaigned as an unapologetically pro-choice judge in the wake of the Dobbs decision and both reporters and election analysts highlighted the importance of abortion in Tuesdays race. State Attorney General Josh Kaul (D) had already sued to overturn the dusty old abortion ban, but experts expect even more lawsuits, per Bloomberg. Control of the court isnt only important for abortion: Wisconsin is terribly gerrymandered and new maps could be drawn for the state house and Congress, plus its a presidential swing state that could be targeted for false claims of voter fraud in the 2024 presidential election. Democratic state party chairman Ben Wikler told a Washington Post columnist: The GOP machine thought they had broken Wisconsins democracy enough that they could rip away fundamental rights from half the population and never suffer the consequences. Tonight, an enraged electorate proved them wrong. In the state that tips the country, Dobbs, the crowning achievement of the far right, became its undoing. Story continues But Republicans were apparently enraged that Protasiewicz was so clear about her stances, according to Semafors Dave Weigel. He wrote: Republicans here warn that the rule of law might be replaced by the rule of Janet, and that if she wins, hyper-partisan court races will become the norm. My eyes just rolled so far back that theyve fallen out of my skull but Ive retrieved them in order to say: Republicans, who have made the federal court nominations process extremely partisan, now want to complain about state races? Thats rich. Abortion is a winning issue and its super clear in statewide elections like this one as well as the six ballot measure victories in 2022and thats exactly why state lawmakers want to change the rules for citizen referendums and make it harder to vote in general. Protasiewiczs win is almost amazing enough to make us forget that a single North Carolina lawmakers decision to switch parties could lead to that state banning abortion and further decimating access across the Southalmost. More from Jezebel Sign up for Jezebel's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. A screen has been installed on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border to show videos about the war, footage from Bucha and an address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Belarus. Source: Belarusian opposition media Belsat and Zerkalo Details: It has been reported that a huge screen has appeared near the border in Zhytomyr Oblast. What it shows is clearly visible and audible in Belarus. The screen shows fragments from Lukashenko's speech in which he promises to support Russia, footage of the aftermath of strikes on Ukrainian cities from Belarus, and those killed in Bucha. The video also shows white, red and white flags that Ukrainians have hung on the border, and an excerpt from an address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the Belarusians, urging them not to participate in the war. : pic.twitter.com/RAveCnELg1 (@ukrpravda_news) April 5, 2023 According to Belsat, the State Border Committee of the Republic of Belarus has not yet commented on the installation of the screen. But the agency has repeatedly complained earlier that Ukrainians "provoke" Belarusian border guards. For example, they launched drones towards Belarus, hung the white, red and white flag, and sang the national anthem of Ukraine along with other songs. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Peter Szijjarto The invitation to the minister of foreign affairs of Ukraine violates the principle of unity of the allies within NATO, but for the sake of constructiveness, we will participate in the (meeting), Szijjarto wrote. However, Budapest will stop blocking Ukraine's accession to NATO "only on the condition that Hungarians in (the Ukrainian western oblast of) Zakarpattia are restored the rights they enjoyed before 2015," he added. The NATO-Ukraine Commission meeting for foreign ministers took place in Brussels on April 3-4. It was the first such meeting since 2017. Hungary has been blocking the holding of ministerial-level meetings since then, saying it objects to certain Ukrainian legislation on languages. Read also: Ukrainian accession not on NATOs agenda, WSJ reports Kuleba said that he had "frank conversation" at the meeting and expects the Vilnius 2023 NATO summit will be a "chance to correct the mistakes of Bucharest 2008." It was at that summit that Ukraine and Georgia hoped to get Membership Action Plans that would lay the first stones in their paths to becoming full members of the alliance. However, at the April 2-4, 2008 meeting in the Romanian capital NATO failed to give Ukraine and Georgia clear signals that they would be able to join the alliance. Just four months later, Russia attacked Georgia and started to occupy about 20% of its territory. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine A woman was hopeful an ambulance would arrive at any moment for her husband desperately needing oxygen after calling 911 twice. Madelene Smith, of Wayne County, Georgia, was assured an ambulance was on its way by county dispatchers but it never came on April 14, 2021, according to her lawsuit now in federal court. Instead, firefighters, who were unaware of the dire situation, arrived and told her the truth, the lawsuit says. They said an ambulance wasnt coming and directed Smith to take her husband to the nearby hospital immediately, according to the lawsuit. Hugh Max Smith Jr. died at age 49 on April 19, 2021, after suffering a brain injury from a lack of oxygen, a 57-page amended complaint filed March 9 in court says. His death could have been prevented but was caused by the actions and inactions of county officials and first responders, according to Smith. Theres so much hes missed out on since hes been gone, Hugh Max Smiths daughter Arrin Turner told WTOC-TV, which first reported on the wrongful death lawsuit. I got married, he wasnt there. I had a baby, and he wasnt there. This provided and undated photo shows Hugh Max Smith Jr. Smith is suing Wayne County, the Wayne County Ambulance Service, Wayne County Emergency Services Director Richard Johnson, Wayne County Emergency Management Director Donnie Ray, former Wayne County Administrator Ed Jeffords and dispatchers identified as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2. Emily Hancock, an attorney representing the county, its ambulance service, Johnson, Ray and the dispatchers, declined a request for comment from McClatchy News on April 4. Pat OConnor, who represents Jeffords, also declined a request for comment from McClatchy News on April 4. Hancock and attorney Richard Strickland filed a motion to dismiss Smiths amended complaint on March 23, court records show. Jeffords resigned from his position as county administrator on Jan. 11, according to WTOC-TV. He didnt resign over the case, which was filed in Wayne County court on Jan. 12 before it was transferred to federal court, the outlet reported. Story continues The day of the 911 calls Hugh Max Smith began having breathing issues after coming home from work on April 14, 2021, according to the complaint. This led Smith to take her husband to Wayne Memorial Hospitals emergency room, where he was diagnosed with pneumonia after undergoing testing and his oxygen levels were evaluated, the complaint says. He was discharged when his oxygen levels became more stable around 8:30 p.m., according to the complaint, which notes that Smith was told to constantly keep tabs on his breathing. When the couple got home, Hugh Max Smith struggled to breathe again. Smith checked his oxygen levels with an oximeter, which showed it had dropped to the low 80s and then to 79, according to the complaint. A typical oximeter reading for most people is between 95% and 100%, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Smith recognized her husbands life was in danger and called 911 around 10:19 p.m. when her husbands oximeter showed 79, the complaint says. The first 911 dispatcher told Smith EMS would be sent, according to the complaint. Then, her husbands breathing became more rapid as he started sweating and gasping for air, the complaint says. When 18 minutes went by after the 911 call, an ambulance hadnt arrived at the couples home and a sickening feeling began to sink in for Smith, who realized she could have driven him to the hospital herself, according to the complaint. She called 911 again when a second dispatcher answered at 10:37 p.m., the complaint says. They are on the way, this dispatcher told Smith about an ambulance, according to the complaint. Ok well his oxygen [level] is in the 70s Would we be quicker driving? Smith asked in reply, the complaint says. The second dispatcher told Smith the ambulance was on its way and should be there at any time before the call ended, according to the complaint. At this point, Smith continued to wait and watch her husband whose condition was deteriorating before her eyes, the complaint says. Typically, it takes about seven minutes for EMS units to arrive on scene after a 911 call, according to a report published in the National Library of Medicine in July 2017. In rural areas the average response time increases to over 14 minutes. A fire truck arrives to Smiths house and she learns the truth Twenty-five minutes after Smith first called 911, firefighters from the City of Jesup Fire Department arrived in a fire truck, according to the complaint. The firefighters didnt know her husband needed oxygen, didnt have oxygen to give him, were unable to provide him with medical help and said their truck wasnt equipped to transport him to the hospital, the complaint says. Then, one firefighter exclaimed an ambulance is not coming! and told Smith to drive her husband to the emergency room, according to the complaint. Smith rushed over to her husband, helped him from his chair to the car with two firefighters and drove him to the hospital, the complaint says. At least the firefighters arrived and told (Smith) the truth: there was never an ambulance coming to help her, the complaint, which accuses the dispatchers of lying to her, argues. Her husband dies a few days later Hugh Max Smith was admitted to the hospital at 11 p.m. and went into cardiac arrest from a lack of oxygen when his heart stopped, according to the complaint. Doctors and nurses restarted his heart and his oxygen levels rose to 95 but he never awoke, the complaint says. Doctors learned the lack of oxygen caused him to have an anoxic brain injury and he was put on life support and taken to the Mayo Clinic by air on April 15, 2021, the complaint says. There, doctors said his brain function would not return and recommended discontinuation of life support, according to the complaint. Hugh Max Smith died on April 19, 2021, due to anoxic brain injury, cardiac arrest and systolic heart failure, the complaint says. Smith is suing on several counts over his death, including negligence, and demands a trial by jury with her lawsuit. Shes seeking an unspecified amount of damages. 6-year-old showed gun at recess before shooting his teacher in Virginia, lawsuit says Dad of 2 dies in jail from neglect after wife begs staff to check on him, lawsuit says Man who couldnt afford bail dies after losing nearly 100 pounds in jail, lawsuit says Husband died after working on American Horror Story set. Now his widow is suing Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) on Tuesday gave final approval to legislation that classifies the administration of gender-affirming health care to minors as a felony crime, punishable by up to a decade in prison. Under Idaho House Bill 71, any person who knowingly authorizes or provides gender-affirming health care to a patient younger than 18 years old will be guilty of a felony under state law. It will take effect Jan. 1. Idaho is the second state, after Alabama, to enact a felony ban on the administration of puberty blockers, hormone therapies and surgeries to transgender young people. A federal judge last year temporarily blocked the Alabama law from taking effect, pending the outcome of a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of two Alabama families with transgender children. Federal legislation introduced this year would also make it a felony to provide gender-affirming health care to youth. With the addition of Idaho, 13 states have now adopted a law or policy that bars transgender minors from accessing gender-affirming health care, including 10 that have done so this year. Most major medical organizations agree that gender-affirming care for transgender youths and adults is safe, effective and medically necessary. In a letter sent Tuesday to state lawmakers, Little wrote that he recognizes the role society plays in protecting minors from surgeries or treatments that can irreversibly damage their healthy bodies. However, as policymakers we should take great caution whenever we consider allowing the government to interfere with loving parents and their decisions about what is best for their children, he wrote. The passage of House Bill 71, officially titled the Vulnerable Child Protection Act, has been years in the making. Republican state lawmakers have introduced the measure in each of the last three legislative sessions, although earlier drafts of the bill included more severe penalties, including life imprisonment. Story continues Im not going to lie: This has been a long battle over the last few years, but looking back, we can now see Gods good providence through it all, Blaine Conzatti, president of the Idaho Family Policy Center, the conservative Christian group that drafted the legislation, wrote Tuesday in a blog post. Conzatti said thousands of the groups supporters sent emails and made phone calls to Littles office encouraging him to sign the bill. Littles press secretary, Madison Hardy, told the Idaho Capital Sun on Tuesday that the governors office over the last week had been overwhelmed with messages that called for action on the bill. Most of them urged Little to sign the measure into law, she said. The Governors Office regularly receives calls, emails, and letters from constituents about pending legislation throughout the session, Hardy said. House Bill 71 has stimulated more constituent contacts calls, emails, letters than any piece of legislation this year. LGBTQ groups on Tuesday condemned Littles approval of the bill, which they said risked worsening a youth mental health crisis that disproportionately impacts LGBTQ young people. This bill goes against decades of expert guidance on best-practice transgender medical care and allows the government to override personal medical decisions made between patients, their doctors, and their parents, said Kasey Suffredini, vice president of advocacy and government affairs at The Trevor Project, an LGBTQ youth suicide prevention organization. Lawmakers should be prioritizing efforts to protect the health and well-being of Idahos young people not passing laws to isolate trans and nonbinary youth further, Suffredini said. We will continue fighting back against these dangerous efforts, along with our partners and allies on the ground. In a statement on Wednesday, Idaho Democratic Party Chair Rep. Lauren Necochea said Littles action on the bill will harm vulnerable children and teenagers and push families and health care providers out of the state. Governor Little just signed away the rights of loving parents to access the medical care they choose for their children, she said. Necochea added that shes hopeful a successful legal challenge will strike down the new law before it takes effect next year. Nevertheless, this action sends a cruel message to our transgender youth, she said. Its a dark day for Idaho and history will not look kindly on the Republican lawmakers who enacted this legislation. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. This is a breaking news story. Check back to idahostatesman.com for updates. To sign up for breaking news alerts, click here. Idaho physicians who provide gender-affirming care to transgender minors could now face up to 10 years in prison. Republican Gov. Brad Little on Tuesday signed into law House Bill 71, which makes it a felony to provide puberty blockers, hormone therapies and transition-related surgeries to minors. Idaho becomes the 10th state to ban gender-affirming care for youth and young adults, according to the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law. I recognize our society plays a role in protecting minors from surgeries or treatments that can irreversibly damage their healthy bodies, Little said in a Tuesday letter to lawmakers. However, as policymakers we should take great caution whenever we consider allowing the government to interfere with loving parents and their decisions about what is best for their children. GOP lawmakers who supported the ban on gender-affirming care said its harmful to childrens reproductive development, and mental therapy is a safer alternative. This bill is about protecting children, said Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, who crafted the legislation with the Idaho Family Policy Center, a Christian lobbying group. But transgender Idahoans, and their friends and families, told lawmakers that gender-affirming care can be life-saving. Eve Devitt, a 17-year-old transgender girl, in February told a House committee that taking estrogen for the last three years improved her mental health, and that hormone therapy helped save her life. Ive been able to get myself off a cliff that I wasnt sure if I would ever find myself off of, Devitt said. I feel so much better and more complete with myself. The American Medical Association in recent years has opposed state policies restricting gender-affirming care. Forgoing the care can have tragic consequences for transgender people, who report improved mental health and lower rates of suicide after receiving care, said a news release from the trade group. Story continues Idaho doctors offered conflicting opinions about gender-affirming care during the legislative session. Dr. Brandon Mickelsen, a family physician from Pocatello and president of the Idaho Academy of Family Physicians, an 800-member nonprofit advocacy group, urged lawmakers to oppose the bill because it would remove doctors options to care for transgender minors experiencing severe pain. Dr. Rodney Story, a Moscow family physician who supported the bill, told lawmakers that the Idaho Academy of Family Physicians stance on gender-affirming care has caused a rift among members. Many have left the organization, in part because of its stance on transgender health care, Story said. Support for bill split along partisan lines Among lawmakers, support for the bill mostly was split across party lines. Most Republicans backed the legislation, but some said the restrictions went too far. Rep. Lori McCann, R-Lewiston, who ultimately supported the bill, said she was conflicted after speaking with several parents of transgender children. If they were not allowed to have the medications necessary to help them on their journey, it would devastating for them, McCann said during a House debate. If it just said, Lets not allow the surgery, thats an easy decision. Skaug acknowledged during a committee meeting that theres no evidence Idaho doctors are performing transition-related surgeries on minors. Democrats strongly opposed the bill. Transition-related surgeries are not the standard of care in Idaho, Democrats argued, but hormone therapy and puberty blockers help transgender children feel comfortable in their bodies while they weigh a permanent change. This is complex, House Assistant Minority Leader Lauren Necochea, D-Boise, said in the House debate. We need to trust parents and honor their rights to navigate this process and make these decisions for their kids. The parents of gender-diverse kids are loving parents. Senate Democrats proposed amending the bill to ban only surgeries and add an exception for transgender minors who are suicidal, but Republicans rejected the changes. Lawmakers this session also passed a law requiring that public schools maintain separate restrooms for transgender students. Little signed Senate Bill 1100 into law last month. Students can sue their school for $5,000 if they encounter a student using a bathroom that doesnt align with their sex at birth. Idaho Republicans also approved a new law banning local governments from requiring contractors to accommodate transgender individuals by providing separate bathrooms, showers or locker rooms that align with their gender identity. An Idaho bill opening libraries to lawsuits for distributing material considered harmful stumbled before clearing its final hurdle. Idaho Gov. Brad Little on Wednesday vetoed House Bill 314. The legislation would have allowed the guardian of a child who was able to obtain harmful material from a library to claim $2,500 in statutory damages for each instance the material was obtained. Little wrote in a letter to lawmakers that the ability to read is fundamental to a childs success, and he was concerned ambiguity in the bill language would have unintended consequences for libraries and their patrons. This legislation makes sweeping, blanket assumptions on materials that could be determined as harmful to minors in a local library, and it will force one interpretation of that phrase onto all the patrons of the library, the Republican wrote. Little wrote that he supported the intent of the bill, but hes more concerned about harmful content accessible on minors phones and the internet, not in the library. A $2,500 bounty system would increase costs for libraries, which would burden property taxpayers or force libraries to close to children, he wrote. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Jaron Crane, R-Nampa, and Sen. Cindy Carlson, R-Riggins. Seeing as these public school and community libraries are funded by Idaho taxpayer dollars, it is in the best interest of our state that these institutions make a reasonable effort to restrict access to children when it comes to these materials in libraries, Crane told the House State Affairs Committee in February. Its the second consecutive year Republican lawmakers unsuccessfully targeted libraries. Last years House Bill 666, which would have made librarians criminally liable for distributing harmful material, failed to clear the Legislature. According to House Bill 314, harmful material features nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement or sado-masochistic abuse when its lewd or patently offensive to prevailing standards among adults. Story continues Sexual conduct under the law includes depictions of masturbation, homosexuality, sexual intercourse and physical contact with genitals and female breasts. Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, last week said theres no pornography in libraries, and she highlighted the reference to homosexuality in content that would be considered harmful. There are people that are trying to ban books with LGBTQ themes, Wintrow told the Senate. I think thats what this is about. Last week, the House and Senate recessed until Thursday, giving lawmakers an opportunity to address potential vetoes from Little before officially adjourning. Legislators can override a veto with a two-thirds majority vote by each chamber. A recent House vote on the bill was five short of a two-thirds majority, meaning the bill likely wouldnt survive a veto override attempt. SYDNEY, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Research revealed by Australia's University of Queensland (UQ) on Wednesday has found that children with asthma are at a "significantly increased risk" of being diagnosed with anxiety. Researchers from UQ School of Public Health reviewed 9,369 reports, using nearly 20 years of data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, with the health and well-being of 10,000 children having been monitored since 2004. Lead Author and PhD candidate Diana Garcia Sanchez has revealed that four-year-old children with asthma were more likely to develop anxiety between the ages of six and 15 years, in comparison to their non-asthmatic counterparts. "We also found girls with asthma experienced more anxiety than boys in adolescence," said Sanchez. Findings also suggest that medication used in the treatment of asthma is not responsible for the significantly increased risk of developing anxiety. "The children who were not taking asthma medication were 9 percent more likely to develop anxiety than their medicated counterparts," said Sanchez. "Other factors could explain the link between asthma and anxiety, and health professionals and parents should regularly monitor the mental health of children and provide psychological support where appropriate." "This may help identify those most at risk of developing anxiety earlier and improve management of the condition." This study is published in the journal Pediatric Allergy and Immunology. According to the World Health Organization, asthma affected an estimated 262 million people worldwide and was responsible for 455,000 deaths in 2019. Asthma is also the "most common chronic disease among children." What a sad and disappointing day it is for anyone who hoped that Idaho Gov. Brad Little would show courage when it came to protecting transgender rights and adhering to his principles of conservative small government. By signing into law House Bill 71, which criminalizes doctors if they provide gender-affirming care for transgender youth, Little places himself squarely among the extremist Christian nationalist dark money groups that brought the bill forward. You can now put Little in company with people and groups that want everyone to practice their religion, like Blaine Conzatti of the Idaho Family Policy Center, which has ties to such far-right groups as Family Policy Alliance, Focus on the Family, Alliance Defending Freedom and the Family Research Council. Approving a ban on gender-affirming care treatment that is endorsed by the medical profession as life-saving and necessary in some circumstances is the antithesis of so-called conservative small government. House Bill 71 injects the governments judgment into a decision that should be left to families and their doctors, just as the Legislature did with womens reproductive health and is seeking to do with decisions about library books and performances. If Little were to have a transgender family member and his family doesnt think gender-affirming care, such as puberty blockers and hormone treatments, is appropriate, that is his familys choice to make. But if another family comes to a different conclusion, that such gender-affirming care is appropriate and necessary for their child, that choice now becomes illegal under Idaho law. Over the past several weeks, as this bill was debated, we have heard from many parents and doctors about the importance of gender-affirming care. We heard from those who know best because of their firsthand experience. One mom said she provided gender-affirming care for one child, but another child did not need it. Do not take options away from parents who are trying to do right by their children, Jen Blair wrote. You dont belong in these decisions. You dont understand. Stop this bill young people will die if you dont. Story continues One dad of a transgender daughter said gender-affirming care saved his daughters life and he couldnt believe that in a state like Idaho, the government would get involved in such a personal medical decision. In my 30 years of living in Idaho, I never would have guessed that Idaho lawmakers would try to tell me and my wife how to raise our children, or that we or her providers would be imprisoned for performing standard medical care in our case, life-saving care to our child, Michael Devitt wrote. Weve heard from doctors explaining what gender-affirming care is and what it isnt. A group of Idaho medical students said the bill, if passed, would affect their decision on whether to practice medicine in Idaho. Former state Sen. Maryanne Jordan, who has a transgender grandchild, attested to the sensitivity and thought that goes into gender-affirming care decisions. One mom, who is a minister, said shes providing care for her transgender child and should not be considered a criminal. A transgender woman said no child should have to go through what she went through as a child growing up with gender dysphoria. But Little chose not to listen to those voices that are most affected by his decision. Instead, he chose to listen to those who are seeking to score points and win culture war battles for the sake of appearing conservative. Little had an opportunity to veto the bill, a veto that likely would have held up without a supermajority in the Senate. He could have brokered a compromise bill that banned surgeries, which are not being performed in Idaho, but allowed for other gender-affirming care. Little and Idahos Republican legislators have been duped by these far-right organizations that have descended on Idaho to chip away at Idahoans civil liberties. When this editorial board endorsed Little for reelection in November, we did so with the admonition that Little stand up against these forces that have infiltrated Idaho. We have urged him along the way to veto bad legislation. We hope that (Little) can and will stand up against the extremists in his party during his second and possibly final term as governor, we wrote in our endorsement. We continue to believe that Little can cement a legacy as one of Idahos greatest governors, with a little bit of courage, vision and boldness. We had hoped Little would have the courage to stand as a breakwall against these waves of intolerance and control that have crashed on Idahos shores. With House Bill 71 becoming law, it is a sad and disappointing day to report that he didnt. Statesman editorials are the unsigned opinion of the Idaho Statesmans editorial board. Board members are opinion editor Scott McIntosh, opinion writer Bryan Clark, editor Chadd Cripe and newsroom editors Dana Oland and Jim Keyser. The Legislature passed two bills this session limiting the ability of local cities to implement energy conservation and efficiency measures in homes, which could curtail Boises efforts to meet its clean energy goals. Both bills have passed the Legislature, and one has already been signed by Gov. Brad Little. One would remove Boises ability to retain some higher building code standards than the state requires, while the other could limit expansion of the citys downtown geothermal heating system. House Bill 287 prohibits local governments from adopting energy code or energy requirements through any code, ordinance, process, policy, or guidance that differ from state requirements. How does the law affect Boise? It would undo an agreement from 2018 that allows Boise to have stricter energy code standards than the state requires, and would continue to limit municipalities from imposing higher standards than the state. When legislation passed in 2018 limited the ability of cities to make tighter restrictions, lawmakers allowed cities that had already imposed tighter restrictions to keep them. That aspect of the law survived a bill in 2022 that adopted the 2018 International Energy Conservation Codes, which are put together by an international association that updates codes every three years. The new bill would undo the retroactive allowances, forcing Boise to walk back some of its energy conservation measures. The higher standards that until now have been grandfathered in for Boise include higher attic insulation or more efficient windows and wall insulation, enhanced energy efficiency scores and a blower door test, which determines how much air passes through a closed doorway. The changes come as the state is considering cutting much of its energy codes as part of Gov. Brad Littles initiative to have all administrative agencies review their regulations. During debate in the Senate, Sen. Todd Lakey, R-Nampa, said that contractors in the state have encountered more restrictive energy-related requirements than whats allowed under state code, noting that some jurisdictions require high-efficiency furnace equipment and that electric vehicle charging stations be included in new residential construction. He said these provisions are attempts to evade the law capping energy standards. Story continues Weve got jurisdictions adopting more extensive energy-related requirements than our (state energy code), Lakey said. This bill says enough is enough. It doesnt restrict incentives, but it restricts additional requirements. Boise says bill based on false pretense Kathy Griesmyer, Boises director of government affairs, told the Statesman that it is a false pretense that local governments have been evading the energy standard caps. For instance, Boise requires new construction to have higher-voltage circuits in garages to allow residents to charge electric vehicles. Griesmyer said that is an electrical code provision, which is distinct and separate from energy code requirements. At a time when the market is providing more tools and resources both for home builders and for homeowners, its unfortunate that the legislature is rolling back those restrictions, Griesmyer said. She added that the new law would really restrict how we as a local government can respond to meet community needs and interests around energy efficiency in our buildings and homes. Boise residents often ask city officials questions about the citys energy efficiency requirements or recommendations for what they could have in their homes, Griesmyer said. Supporters of the bill and opponents have argued over whether the bill would affect a citys ability to advise residents about recommended energy conservation measures. Griesmyer said the broad language of the bill, which bars energy code guidance that differs from the states code, could affect the citys ability to provide education to the public, she added. While the city is still reviewing what effects the law would have on its green energy initiatives, Griesmyer said the bills could muddy the water on its incentive programs, which reward residents for choosing energy-efficient options. The law could also affect the citys ability to make internal energy policies for city-owned buildings. Boise has a goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050, which the city has concluded would require virtually every housing unit and business to undergo some form of energy efficiency retrofit in the coming decades. The city currently supports energy-saving incentive programs operated by Idaho Power and Intermountain Gas, which offer rebates for customers who install energy-efficient products. The city also offers loans to income-qualified residents who want to make efficiency improvements. The citys major rewrite of its zoning code which has hearings scheduled before the Planning and Zoning Commission later this month also includes incentives for developers to create buildings that use less energy and water than the state would require. Sponsor says bill wont affect incentives In an interview with the Statesman, Lakey said that the bill is meant to target energy-related provisions, whether or not they are in a citys energy code itself. He told the Statesman that he doesnt think the bill would limit energy-related incentives, so long as they are not requirements couched as incentives. He said the rationale behind the law is to give contractors who work across multiple jurisdictions consistency, and that energy codes should only relate to health and safety. He said that individuals are free to ask contractors for more energy efficiency if they choose to. The Idaho Conservation League also opposed the bill. Jonathan Oppenheimer, the groups external relations director, argued at a Senate hearing in March that consumers rely on building and energy codes to ensure that their homes are built to last in ways that save energy and money. He said that homes in Idaho consume 21% of the states energy. By improving efficiency we can conserve energy, protect air quality and save homeowners money, Oppenheimer said at the hearing. Little has already signed House Bill 106, which bans cities from restricting what kinds of energy utilities buildings can hook up to, or requiring that they use a particular kind of energy. Griesmyer said it could limit Boises ability to expand its geothermal heating network downtown. The Idaho Building Code Board plans to review the energy codes this year and present its revisions to legislative committees during next years legislative session, Bob McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the board, told the Statesman by email. Idaho Gov. Brad Little Idaho has made it a crime to provide gender-affirming care to transgender minors. Gov. Brad Little, a Republican, signed House Bill 71 into law Tuesday evening, deeming any such care a felony punishable with up to 10 years in prison. It covers not only surgery but puberty blockers and hormone therapy. It goes into effect next January. In signing this bill, I recognize our society plays a role in protecting minors from surgeries or treatments that can irreversibly damage their healthy bodies, Little said in a letter to legislators, according to the Associated Press. However, as policymakers we should take great caution whenever we consider allowing the government to interfere with loving parents and their decisions about what is best for their children. The bill passed even though genital surgery is almost never performed on minors anyway, and definitely not in Idaho, doctors there say, and that other treatments are endorsed by the American Medical Association and other major health care groups. While the legislation was pending, trans girl Eve Devitt, who is 17, told lawmakers that receiving estrogen was lifesaving, the Idaho Statesman reports. Ive been able to get myself off a cliff that I wasnt sure if I would ever find myself off of, she said. I feel so much better and more complete with myself. The bill was crafted by Rep. Bruce Skaug, a Republican, along with the Idaho Family Policy Center, a Christian right group. The organization lobbied heavily for the measure. So far, weve had nearly 2,500 Idaho residents send emails to Gov. Little through our web-based Action Center, which was promoted through our email newsletter and social media advertisements, the groups president, Blaine Conzatti, told the Idaho Capital Sun Tuesday. Additionally, we launched a nearly $5,000 robocall with an automatic patch-through to the governors phone lines. Another far-right group, the Idaho Freedom Foundation, mobilized support for the bill as well, while Add the Words Idaho, which works for LGBTQ+ rights, encouraged citizens to urge Little to veto it. Ever since it passed the Senate floor, I have fielded several phone calls from parents who are frantic and near hysterics when they call me in tears, terrified for their trans teen and the impacts of this bill and what will happen to them and their family if they dont have access to the medication for their kids, Chelsea Gaona-Lincoln, executive director of Add the Words Idaho, told the Capital Sun. Its terrifying, and its absolutely heartbreaking. Story continues Idaho and Little are no strangers to anti-trans legislation. In 2020, Idaho became the first state to bar trans athletes from competing under their gender identity. That law is temporarily blocked while a court challenge to it proceeds. In late March, Little signed a bill into law barring trans students in public schools from using multi-occupancy restrooms, changing rooms, and other sex-segregated facilities consistent with their gender identity. Last year legislators considered a bill criminalizing gender-affirming care for minors, which would have put doctors at risk of life in prison, but even Republican lawmakers called it government overreach and pulled the bill. But now similar legislation, with a lesser but still harsh penalty, has passed. The Trevor Project, the leading suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ+ young people, was quick to condemn the latest bill. This bill goes against decades of expert guidance on best-practice transgender medical care and allows the government to override personal medical decisions made between patients, their doctors, and their parents, Kasey Suffredini, vice president of advocacy and government affairs at the Trevor Project, said in a press release. The Trevor Projects research found that 60% of trans and nonbinary youth in Idaho seriously considered suicide in the past year, and 27% made an attempt. Trans youth are not inherently prone to suicide risk, but rather placed at heightened risk because of how they are mistreated in society. Lawmakers should be prioritizing efforts to protect the health and well-being of Idahos young people not passing laws to isolate trans and nonbinary youth further. We will continue fighting back against these dangerous efforts, along with our partners and allies on the ground. For young people in Idaho or anywhere else who may be feeling scared or overwhelmed by this news, the Trevor Project has your back. Our counselors are here for you 24/7. Other states that states have outlawed most or all gender-affirming care for trans minors through legislation are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Mississippi, South Dakota Tennessee, Utah, and West Virginia. Florida has put a ban in place through its medical boards and is considering a bill for an even stricter measure. The Alabama and Arkansas bans are temporarily blocked by court action. Bans are pending in several other states. Today Idaho is less than it was yesterday. Less kind. Less welcoming. Less loving. On Tuesday evening, Gov. Brad Little announced that he had signed House Bill 71, which makes it a felony for a doctor to follow the standard of care for transgender children. The law bans surgeries which are not performed on minors in Idaho, no one has documented a single instance of it but it also bans lower-level interventions such as hormone therapy and even puberty blockers, a reversible measure that buys time for counseling. So beginning in January, doctors who follow the recommendations of the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics for treating transgender children are subject to similar sentences (up to 10 years in prison) as someone who commits aggravated battery (up to 15 years) the charge someone would face if they attacked someone with a deadly weapon. The backers of the law say they are doing this out of love, out of a desire to protect children. But they do not even know the children who they are attacking. These children are simply a stand-in for a culture the bills proponents believe is leaving them behind, a culture they want to control using government force. The families of transgender children who actually do love them will soon face a heartbreaking choice: Break the law, deny their child health care or flee Idaho. To throw these families into that impossible position is not love. To attack people this way, to make their lives into a crime, is cruelty. And to say the reason for this cruelty is that youre protecting them that is the worst kind of hypocrisy. Idahos Democrats were unanimous in opposing the bill. They were joined by a handful of particularly brave Republicans: Rep. Matthew Bundy of Mountain Home, Sen. Treg Bernt of Pocatello, Sen. Linda Hartgen of Twin Falls, Sen. Geoff Schroeder of Mountain Home and Sen. Julie VanOrden of Pingree. They knew theyd pay a price for doing the right thing. Theyll face campaign ads accusing them of supporting the mutilation of children and every other kind of lie. Story continues They nonetheless stood up for the rights of parents and children to seek out the kind of health care they judge necessary. These lawmakers remembered that they are supposed to love their neighbors, something the majority forgot. The families of transgender children are the ones who will suffer because of it. Dont expect it to end there. Transgender kids are first because theyre easy targets. Theyre few in number. Theyre subject to societal prejudice. And now Idahos Christian nationalists have waged a campaign to take away their rights and succeeded. Their ambitions will expand. So if you stood on the sidelines for this one, you should ask yourself: Am I next? And you should commit to doing your part of the long, hard work of repealing this cruel law and restoring basic rights and dignity to Idahos transgender children and their families. Bryan Clark is an opinion writer for the Idaho Statesman based in eastern Idaho. Maria Lvova-Belova, the Russian Ombudswoman for Childrens Rights, has claimed publicly that a teenage boy from the temporarily occupied city of Mariupol whom she has "adopted" had been influenced by Ukrainian "propaganda", but in spite of that, he is already calling her "mum". Source: Maria Lvova-Belova, the Russian Presidents Ombudswoman for Childrens Rights, at a joint press conference with Maria Zakharova, official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, on 4 April, as reported by the Russian news outlet Meduza and other Russian media outlets Quote: "I cant say everything is perfect or that we havent had any difficulties. It is hard to react when your child is running after younger children, saying, Im going to eat you up, little Moskal [i.e. Muscovite, a derogatory Ukrainian term for Russians ed.]! But I understand that its not his fault its because of the eight years of propaganda in the territory of Mariupol, the anti-Russian propaganda. But we love each other now. My son has started calling me mum." Details: Lvova-Belova added that Filip turned 16 on 4 April. In Russia, they presented him with a cake, balloons and a mobile phone. According to Lvova-Belova, the boy had not celebrated his birthday for a few years before that. During the press conference, Lvova-Belova said Ukrainian children have to be "worked with", i.e. re-educated. Lvova-Belova claimed that no Ukrainian parents have been searching for their children in Russia; there have been no enquiries. She stated that most of the children had come from childrens homes and Russia is "protecting" them from the bombing allegedly being carried out by Ukraine. She claimed that she could be prosecuted if she sent the children back to their Motherland, to Ukraine. Asked about the risk of travelling abroad after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for her arrest, Lvova-Belova responded, "Look, I have so much work here! What Western countries are you talking about? Its laughable. Im overloaded with work here: Russia is big, and right now special attention has to be paid to the new regions [the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine ed.]." Story continues Background: In August 2022, Maria Lvova-Belova reported that she had become stepmother to a teenager deported from Ukraine. He had been taken to a retreat centre in Moscow Oblast in May with 30 other children from Mariupol. Lvova-Belova has five biological children and custody of 22 children in total. In February 2023, Lvova-Belova spoke about adopting the Ukrainian teenager at a meeting with Vladimir Putin: "Now I know what its like to be the mother of a child from Donbas. It is hard, but we do love each other." In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for President Putin and Childrens Ombudswoman Maria Lvova-Belova because of the deportation of Ukrainian children from the occupied territories of Ukraine to Russia. Lvova-Belova claimed that she did not know exactly what she was being accused of and "has not received any enquiries about children being separated from their parents". On 28 March, Iryna Vereshchuk, Ukraines Deputy Prime Minister, posted an appeal in Russian on her Telegram channel, calling on Russian citizens not to adopt Ukrainian children as it was "illegal and vile". Vereshchuk remarked that the stepparents and officials involved in the "adoption" of Ukrainian children would sooner or later be held accountable for it. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Police in Illinois arrested five suburban Chicago high school students on Tuesday after a report of a student with a gun sent the campus into lockdown for a few hours. The five students were arrested at Highland Park High School on Tuesday morning after a student reported seeing a fellow peer with a gun, police said, according to FOX 32. Officials identified the student who allegedly had a gun with security video showing him and another student leaving the building. After searching the building, two students were arrested, District 113 Superintendent Bruce Law said in a memo to parents. INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL EVACUATED AFTER 21 PEOPLE REPORT INJURIES FROM 'CHEMICAL SPILL' Police in Illinois arrested five suburban Chicago high school students on Tuesday after a report of a student with a gun sent the campus into lockdown for a few hours. The five students were arrested at Highland Park High School on Tuesday morning after a student reported seeing a fellow peer with a gun, police said, according to FOX 32. Officials said that five students in total were arrested. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Officials identified the student who allegedly had a gun with security video showing him and another student leaving the building. Officials said that five students in total were arrested. Other public buildings in Highland Park were also sent into lockdowns during the incident. By Krishna N. Das NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian officials are in contact with foreign authorities and have held meetings in Africa to ensure its drug exports do not suffer, the government said on Wednesday, after Indian-made cough syrups were linked to deaths in Gambia and Uzbekistan. India's drug industry is one of the biggest in the world but its reputation has been shaken after tests conducted by the World Health Organization and other agencies showed toxins in the cough syrups. The tainted products were linked to the deaths of 70 children in Gambia and 19 in Uzbekistan last year. Asked by an Indian lawmaker if the government had assessed the impact of the incidents on medicine exports, the deputy trade and industry minister said that various agencies were working on the matter. "Indian Missions abroad are having regular interactions with the authorities to retain the confidence within the drug regulatory agencies," Anupriya Patel said. "To build confidence and also to ensure continuity of the trade, Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India has led business delegations to African and Commonwealth of Independent States countries and had one-to-one discussions with drug regulating agencies and pharma trade associations assuring them of the quality of Indian generic products." The export council is also conducting workshops and training programmes with Indian exporters on "quality management and to apprise them of the international standards and their compliance", she said. India is the world's largest supplier of generic medicines with a 20% share by volume. More than 3,000 pharmaceutical companies make their products in the country through a network of more than 10,500 manufacturing plants. Between 2014 and 2022, India's pharmaceutical exports more than doubled to $24.6 billion, according to government data. India has pushed back against allegations that cough syrups made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals contained toxins and killed the children in Gambia, disputing findings of the WHO. Story continues Maiden has denied that its drugs were at fault for the deaths, and tests by an Indian government laboratory found no toxins in them. A company director did not immediately answer his phone on Thursday. Indian police, however, have arrested three employees of another company, Marion Biotech, whose cough syrups sold to Uzbekistan had been found contaminated. Marion did not immediately respond to an email and a call seeking comment. (Reporting by Krishna N. Das; Editing by Jacqueline Wong) India does not plan to regulate the growth of AI within the South Asian market, identifying the sector as a "significant and strategic" area for the nation. This stance arrives at a time when numerous voices are calling for increased scrutiny of the rapidly advancing technology. The Ministry of Electronics and IT said in a long written response on Wednesday that it has assessed the ethical concerns and risks of bias and discrimination associated with AI. The ministry said it's implementing necessary policies and infrastructure measures to cultivate a robust AI sector in the country, but does not intend to introduce legislation to regulate its growth. The expansion of AI will have a "kinetic effect" on entrepreneurship and business development in India, the ministry asserted. "AI is a kinetic enabler of the digital economy and innovation ecosystem. Government is harnessing the potential of AI to provide personalized and interactive citizen-centric services through digital public platforms." In spite of the burgeoning interest in artificial intelligence in the U.S. and many developed markets, India has seen a limited number of startups entering the field. A strategic initiative from New Delhi could potentially encourage talented individuals to explore opportunities. India's decision, which impacts the world's second-largest internet market, comes as tech entrepreneurs and academics increasingly call for government intervention in AI. Last week, more than 1,100 signatories, including Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak, signed an open letter urging "all AI labs to immediately pause for at least 6 months the training of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4." Italy recently imposed a temporary ban on OpenAI's ChatGPT, citing concerns that it violated the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). While some U.S. lawmakers have expressed concerns about AI, few are actively pursuing regulation, The New York Times reported last month. KINNAUR, India (AP) The pickup truck jostled away from the roaring Sutlej River and up the steep mountain path flanked by snow-capped Himalayan peaks, some nearly 7,000 meters (22,965 feet) high. The nine passengers, farmers-turned-activists campaigning to prevent more dams from being built, were traveling to the remote Kandar hamlet in India's Kinnaur district. The few-dozen Indigenous residents were forced to relocate after falling boulders destroyed most of their previous homes in 2005. And villagers believe tunneling for dams was to blame, although authorities deny it. Indigenous activists like Buddha Sain Negi, 30, went there to learn more about the continued struggles faced by Kandar. Sitting atop a steep slope overlooking a 19-year-old dam, the activists heard residents speak of ways India's hydroelectric push had upended their lives and led to nearly two decades of protest. Some families took shelter in sheds, and more lives were lost because of falling boulders before they got compensation to build new homes, although it wasn't enough to mend livelihoods. For villagers like Raj Kumari, 48, the fear of that night remains. The farmer said her husband was out when the boulders began rolling down. My daughter said that we'll get left behind and die, and only her father would survive, she said. A favorite initiative of Indian governments, the push for dams has skyrocketed as the nation looks for round-the-clock energy that doesn't spew planet-warming emissions. Hydropower commonly is produced when fast-moving water spins turbines to generate electricity. But natural water systems have been altered by dams in this region that receives little rainfall, and farmers are struggling to irrigate their orchards. Spring waters from melting glaciers they've historically relied on also are drying up with climate change. Farmers found themselves turned into activists fighting against more dams, with thousands protesting last August after a fatal landslide in the district. Carving mountains to build tunnels that funnel river water has made deadly landslides more common a risk scientists and locals have flagged, although authorities say they take precautions. Story continues India's federal ministries for renewable energy and environment didn't respond to an email request for comment. This is a fight for our survival, said Buddha Sain Negi, the activist-farmer. Dam opponents point to other impacts: Thousands of trees, including the rare Chilgoza pine whose nuts are prized and provide valuable income for local communities, are being cut to make way for construction. The Sutlej River is now dry in patches, meaning some families struggle to immerse the ashes of cremated loved ones. And some residents fear thousands of migrant workers, coming to work on the dam, could overwhelm them. The district, home to around 100,000 people, already produces 4,000 megawatts of clean energy the equivalent of four nuclear power plants, said Jiya Lal, a farmer who is part of an advocacy group for environmental justice in the mountains. He said locals here have been asked in the national interest to reconsider their objection to dams. He asked a question echoed across the Himalayas: How much more can be demanded of us? The federal government aims to increase India's electricity output from dams to 70,000 megawatts by 2030 an increase of 50% that could account for 8.5% of India's entire capacity. It also wants to add 18,800 megawatts of pumped-storage dams, which act as giant batteries that store energy by pumping water from one reservoir to another that's elevated then releasing it through turbines to produce power. Only China and the U.S. have more dams than India's over 4,400. The country hopes dams can help solve the clean energy puzzle: How to keep the grid running on renewables when the sun doesnt shine or the wind doesnt blow. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that electricity generated by dams in Himachal Pradesh state would generate profits and jobs. The wealth of water and forest in tribal areas is priceless, he said in October. But recent disasters, including a holy town sinking in January, have resulted in question marks over the focus on dams as a way of ensuring round-the-clock clean power, said Vibhuti Garg, an energy economist at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. About a tenth of India's power comes from the sun or wind, and large dams provide the backbone by allowing it to balance the grid when there are sharp changes in demand, said Ammu Susana Jacob, a scientist at the think tank Center of Study of Science, Technology and Policy. To wean itself off dirty fuels and meet its 2030 goals, India needs to increase its energy storage capacity to 41 gigawatts, according to government estimates. Bhanu Pratap Singh, director of the hydropower company Shree Bhavani Power Project, rued that dams hadnt received the same kind of governmental boosts that solar or wind had, but said this was changing. Delays due to legal challenges of getting land meant that private companies were less keen to build large dams, Singh said. And with rising concerns about the risks of building dams in the fragile mountains, he said that those opposing dams and those building dams needed to be in consistent and transparent dialogue. While dams, unlike battery storage, aren't reliant on expensive imports, they are still costly. Land needed to build them is scarce, and communities are often displaced. Cascading environmental impacts trigger local protests, like the one in Kinnaur, which add to costs. This helps make hydropower more expensive than solar or wind in India. With global battery prices plummeting since 2017 and likely to get cheaper, India is faced with the tricky question of whether it makes sense to lock billions of dollars into new dams when other technologies are getting more viable, said Rahul Walawalkar, who heads the India Energy Storage Alliance, an industry group. The sheer scale of India's energy transition demand for electricity will grow more than anywhere else in the next 20 years means there are limited options if the country wants to restrict imports. It's a necessary risk, Walawalkar said. In Kinnaur, the costs of Indias answer to this question looms large for Shanta Kumar Negi, a local politician who says people in the higher reaches of the mountains buy water to irrigate fields, with dams exacerbating the water crisis triggered by global warming. If I dont fight to stop the wrong being done to us how will I answer my children? he asked. Experts say the ongoing protests in Kinnaur and elsewhere underline the risks of pushing dams without thinking through potential impacts on the environment and the resulting financial costs. In 2019, at least 37 dams were delayed, and there were another 41 where construction hadn't begun for reasons ranging from financial problems to protests, according to a parliamentary report. Signs of tensions over dam construction are visible on the national highway in Kinnaur: There are warnings about loose boulders on mountain walls, and ancient trees are painted with red crosses marking them for felling. The situation reflects Indias siloed approach to building big projects, such as dams, that don't take into account climate realities, said Abinash Mohanty, who heads climate change and sustainability at the global development organization IPE Global. The Himalayas are a more fragile ecosystem than others, disrupted by climate extremes and intense human activities yet whether the environment had reached its tipping point wasnt taken into account. Mohanty compared it to people trying to lift heavier weights than they can handle. Youll either hurt yourself or drop it, he said. Climate change is exacerbating threats. Over a fifth of 177 dams built close to Himalayan glaciers could be at risk of flooding if glacial lakes burst, according to a 2016 study. Five years later, a flood made worse by melting glaciers smashed two dams, killing at least 31 people. Even some dams listed in government documents as designed to pump water to help store power aren't actually doing so. A 25-year-old dam in Gujarat doesn't pump water because of an engineering issue, while a second reservoir is still being built for another 17-year-old dam, according to the India Energy Storage Alliance. India has drafted guidelines for boosting use of pumped-storage dams that suggest doing away with environmental assessments and public hearings for some projects. But Walawalkar of the industry alliance said governments need to be careful about choosing the right locations to build dams. Blanket environmental clearances could be a double-edged sword, he said. ___ Ghosal reported from New Delhi. Follow Aniruddha Ghosal at @aniruddhg1 ___ Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about APs climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. (Reuters) - Rescue teams made final checks on Wednesday for anyone still trapped in an avalanche that swept down on a road in the Indian Himalayan state of Sikkim the day before, killing seven people. Rescue teams pulled 20 survivors from the snow that engulfed the road to the Nathu La pass, between Sikkim and the Chinese region of Tibet, before calling off their search as bad weather closed in and darkness fell on Tuesday evening. "Rescue operations have resumed this morning because we want to make sure that we haven't left anyone behind. We will scour the area properly before we call them off," Tenzing Loden Lepcha, a police official in the northeastern state, told Reuters by telephone. Avalanches have killed at least 120 people in the Indian Himalayas over the past two years. A study in the U.S. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences concluded in 2018 that climate change had increased avalanche risks in the Himalayas. The cause of Tuesday's disaster were not immediately clear. Tourists flock to Sikkim, located below Mount Khangchendzonga, also known as Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world. Nathu La serves is a route for the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in China, considered one of the holiest pilgrimages in Hinduism. (Reporting by Shilpa Jamkhandikar in Mumbai; Editing by Robert Birsel) CANBERRA, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Australia's opposition party has announced it will not support the government's proposal to establish an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Peter Dutton, the leader of the Liberal Party, said after a special meeting on Wednesday that an overwhelming majority of the federal party had decided to oppose it. It is expected that Australians will head to the polls in the second half of 2023 to vote on proposed changes to the constitution that would formally recognize Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the country's founding document and establish the Indigenous Voice. If successful, the voice would advise the federal parliament on issues relating to Indigenous people. Dutton said that the Liberal Party room supported recognition of Indigenous people in the constitution but opposed enshrining the consultative voice, instead calling for a legislated local voice mechanism. He said that a handful of Liberal members could campaign in favor of a yes vote in the referendum but that he would actively join the "no" campaign. The announcement is a blow to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, a strong proponent of the voice, who had called for unity in favor of the referendum. For a referendum to be successful, a simple majority of all voters in addition to a majority in at least four out of six states must vote in favor. According to a poll published by News Corp Australia on Wednesday, more than 50 percent of voters in five out of six states support the proposal. Nationally, 54 percent of 4,756 respondents said they intended to vote yes on the referendum while 38 percent were opposed. Over-65s were the only age group where more than half of respondents said they are against the proposal. When severe weather threatens, you may hear a siren wailing to warn you of danger. But what exactly that siren means, and when it's set off, can vary from county to county in Indiana. Most people call them tornado sirens. However, Shane Booker, executive director of Emergency Management in Hamilton County, says it's important to note that is not actually what they are. "They're actually called outdoor warning sirens," said Booker. "They got their start back in the '40s. Originally, they were air raid sirens and then they were changed to outdoor warning sirens and are now primarily used for tornadoes. They are actually only intended to be heard outside." Another common misconception is that the National Weather Service decides when to set off the sirens. "We don't have any control over what counties do with their sirens," said Kacie Hoover, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Indianapolis. "We send out our watches and warnings and the counties and cities do what they want with the information." In Indiana, each county is responsible for monitoring, maintaining and testing the sirens. The Indiana Department of Homeland Security provides some general guidelines to counties on when to activate those sirens, but the ultimate decision is up to each of the state's 92 counties. "Counties in Indiana can create their own siren coverage plan, per the Indiana rules that are set up," said Casey Kenworthy, public information specialist with IDHS. "If there's a county that doesn't have a siren coverage plan, then they just refer to the general activation standards." What it means when a tornado siren goes off The general activation standards for setting off a siren include when a tornado warning is issued by the NWS or when reliable reports indicate a tornado has touched down, according to planning documents obtained by IDHS. They can also be activated during a severe thunderstorm warning if winds of 75 miles per hour or greater have been confirmed. Story continues Central Indiana under tornado watch Live Updates While most counties will sound sirens for tornado warnings or spotted tornadoes, each county can set off the sirens according to their own local standards as well. Stephanie Sichting, director of Johnson County Emergency Managegment, says nearby counties have tried to come up with a universal sounding system, but that hasn't happened. Because of this, one neighboring county can have their sirens on while the other doesn't. Sichting's office will get calls about people asking about the weather because they can hear Marion County's sirens. The statewide guidelines say sirens should not be sounded just because of a tornado warning in a neighboring county. Sichting said Johnson County will also sound sirens if the county is under a severe thunderstorm warning and then a tornado watch is added onto that warning. in Hamilton County, Booker says sirens can also be activated if the siren owners requests it. Marion County Emergency Management did not respond to multiple requests about their protocol. What to do when you hear a siren When you hear a warning siren, you should go inside and shelter away from windows and check the news or an all-hazards weather radio for further information. The National Weather Service says if you're outside, such as in a vehicle, sheltering in a shed, storage unit or tent is not safe. Instead, you should get down in your car, covering you head with your arms and hands. You can also abandon your vehicle and seek shelter in a low-lying area such as a ravine or a ditch while still covering your self with your hands and arms or a coat or blanket. Booker recommends all homes have an all-hazards weather radio and not to rely just on smartphones. Weather radios are battery operated and can relay important information regarding severe weather and tornadoes. "I've got one here in my office that's my personal radio and its got a solar panel on top, a little mini crank so I can use it as a generator but then it also has a USB port on the back so I can use it to charge my phone," said Booker. "So there's a lot of things it can do not just to serve as a weather radio but if you're out of power for a long period of time, it can help then too." Email IndyStar reporter Justice Amick at jamick@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @JusticeAmick. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: What does a tornado siren mean? It can vary by county Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb Indiana has joined the parade of states banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors but the American Civil Liberties Union is suing to block the ban. Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb signed Senate Bill 480 into law Wednesday, banning surgeries, hormone treatment, and puberty blockers for the purpose of gender transition for anyone under 18. Holcomb had expressed some doubt about the bill just a day earlier, the Associated Press reports. It wasnt part of my agenda, he told reporters Tuesday. Ive told some people very close to me: This is clear as mud. Theres some vagueness to it. So I want to make sure I completely understand. But he has now signed it. Permanent gender-changing surgeries with lifelong impacts and medically prescribed preparation for such a transition should occur as an adult, not as a minor, Holcomb said in a Wednesday statement, according to the AP. Genital surgery is almost never performed on minors, but other transition-related care for youth is endorsed by the American Medical Association and every other major health care group. The law is scheduled to go into effect July 1, but young people already taking medication for transition have until the end of the year to cease the treatment. Unlike a bill signed into law in Idaho Tuesday, the Indiana measure does not subject health care professionals to criminal penalties. It instead provides for discipline by licensing bodies and allows those whove received the care to sue. The ACLU, however, has already sued Indiana over the new law. The national ACLU and its Indiana affiliate are representing four trans youth and their families, plus a doctor and a health care clinic. They filed the suit Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, naming various state officials and members of Indianas medical licensing board as defendants. They seek to block the laws enforcement and have it declared unconstitutional. The suit alleges the law violates the U.S. Constitution on multiple fronts, including the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, says an ACLU press release. In addition, the lawsuit claims that the law violates the federal requirements of the Medicaid Act and the Affordable Care Act, because it prohibits essential medical services that would otherwise be authorized and reimbursed by Medicaid. Story continues This law would be devastating to trans youth and their families, causing them serious injuries and forcing those who can to uproot their lives and leave the state to access the gender-affirming care they need, Ken Falk, ACLU of Indiana legal director, said in the release. Gender-affirming care is lifesaving care for our clients, and theyre terrified of what will happen if this law is allowed to take effect. No child should be cut off from the medical care they need or denied their fundamental right to be themselves but this law would do both. Were suing to stop this cruel and unconstitutional law from taking effect and inflicting further harm on these children and their families. We are honored to fight alongside these plaintiff families and medical providers to challenge this unconstitutional and illegal intrusion into the rights of adolescents, their parents, and the medical providers who care for them, added Chase Strangio, deputy director for transgender justice with the ACLUs LGBTQ & HIV Project. As we have seen across the country, these laws do not stand up when tested in court. This care is well-studied and widely accepted. And we know as trans people who have benefited from this treatment that stripping it away from us only causes harm and does nothing to protect children. The Human Rights Campaign condemned the new law as well. Governor Holcombs decision to sign this gender-affirming care ban into law is about nothing more than prioritizing politics over the well-being of transgender youth in Indiana, said a statement from Cathryn Oakley, HRCs state legislative director and senior counsel. This law will deny critical, age-appropriate medical care to transgender youth, putting their health and well-being at risk. The transgender community is being subjected to a legislative onslaught in states across the country, and it is truly appalling that radical politicians in Indiana are joining in on this harmful campaign that will only make life more difficult for transgender youth and their loved ones. We condemn this heartless attack on transgender youth and urge Governor Holcomb and state lawmakers to reverse course and prioritize the safety of all Hoosiers, including transgender youth. As legislators continue to consider other discriminatory bills, we will continue the fight to ensure that all Hoosiers are treated fairly and equally under the law. Other states that states have outlawed most or all gender-affirming care for trans minors through legislation are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Mississippi, South Dakota Tennessee, Utah, and West Virginia. Florida has put a ban in place through its medical boards and is considering a bill for an even stricter measure. The Alabama and Arkansas bans are temporarily blocked by court action. Bans are pending in several other states. Click here to read the full article. A collective of U.S. companies and manufacturers is attempting to debunk myths about the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) and its efficacy in promoting apparel and textile sourcing in the Americas. The Coalition for Economic Partnerships in the Americas (CEPA) released a paper last week addressing current trends in sourcingnamely, shifts away from Asiaand the opportunities these conditions present for Central American sourcing and investment. Research led by Dr. Sheng Lu, associate professor of Fashion and Apparel Studies at the University of Delaware, highlights what CEPA believes are misconceptions about the trade agreement, which includes Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, along with the Dominican Republic. The paper also provides recommendations for lawmakers on how to create greater opportunities for U.S. brands and retailers. CAFTA-DR has proven beneficial not just for U.S. textile and apparel makers, but for economic development in Central America, which now supports more than 500,000 jobs in the sector. Between 2015 and 2022, Lu reported that apparel products consistently accounted for almost one-quarter of CAFTA-DR members total exports globallya value of $6 billion. As the U.S. continues to look to Central America as an avenue for diversifying sourcing, Lu estimated that an additional $1 billion in apparel exports to the U.S. could create between 75,000 and 84,000 more sewing jobs in CAFTA-DR countries. Trade partners are aligned in their aspirations to increase cross-border cooperation and investment, but lawmakers are divided on the best approach to achieve that goal. While some proposals, such as improving infrastructure and customs facilitation, have broad support, there is a lack of consensus on how to leverage the existing CAFTA-DR rules of origin provisions to boost textile and apparel production and encourage regional investment, Lu wrote. Story continues The paper specifically calls upon the government to improve CAFTA-DR members access to new and varied fibers, yarns, and fabrics and support the efforts to make CAFTA-DRs apparel exports more competitive in the global marketplace. In its current form, the law is designed to bolster business in member countries and protect their industries from foreign dependency or influence, but certain CAFTA-DR provisions, like the yarn-forward rule of origin, are actually working against nearshore producers, the groups research posits. The yarn-forward rules alone are insufficient and have resulted in issues such as the low utilization of CAFTA-DR in U.S. apparel sourcing, Lu wrote. Last year, the CAFTA-DR utilization rate fell to 66.6 percent, down from 74 percent in 2021 and a peak of 87 percent in 2011. The rule stipulates that clothing qualified for preferential duty benefits must generally be made from yarns and fabrics made by CAFTA-DR members. Over the years, the yarn-forward rule has evolved into a patchwork of individual product-specific rules that include some allowances for non-originating yarns and fabrics that are difficult to develop in CAFTA-DR countries. Some U.S. yarn and fabric makers have been able to navigate the rule by providing yarns and fabrics produced domestically, but the predominant sourcing model involves partnering with independent vendors that provide different inputs needed to create a finished garmentand that precludes products from taking advantage of duty-saving benefits. This discourages fashion companies from expanding sourcing from CAFTA-DR members and could lead to sourcing orders being potentially shifted to other regions in the long term, Lu wrote. The short supply mechanism, often described as a loophole in the law, is in fact a legitimate flexibility negotiated in the original CAFTA-DR that has not reached its full potential, he added. The short-supply rule permits the use of textile inputs that are not available to be sourced from CAFTA-DR countries in commercial quantities in a timely manner. It has the potential to become a powerful transitional mechanism to jumpstart more U.S. apparel sourcing from CAFTA-DR and textile investment in the region, Lus research showed. However, the mechanism is drastically underutilized. As of this February, there are only 155 items on CAFTA-DRs short supply list, with just seven added since 2014. Meanwhile, about 30 million types of clothing items are available for sale in the U.S. In other words, although new fashion trends have emerged in the last decade, leading to a transformation of the fashion industry and an increased demand for novel yarns and fabrics, the short supply list has remained virtually unchanged since its inception 15 years ago, Lu wrote. Having a product, like a yarn or fabric, added to the short supply list is an exhaustive process, which explains its underutilization, he added. Meanwhile, expecting CAFTA-DR members to import textiles from the U.S. alone is unrealistic, Lu said. U.S. suppliers cannot accommodate all the demands of a global apparel export market, and the law should be more nuanced, the researcher believes. While it is generally assumed that textile exports to CAFTA-DR nations originate primarily in Asia, the reality is that Mexico owns much more of that market share. Between 2015 and 2021, CAFTA-DR members increasingly imported textiles from within the CAFTA-DR region, jumping 12.5 percent to 21 percent. Meanwhile, China gained just 4.5 percentage points during the same period. Mexicos cotton exports to the region surged by 308 percent throughout the same six years, resulting in the countrys market share of CAFTA-DR imports jumping from about 8 percent to nearly 29 percent. Mexico is not included in CAFTA-DR, and despite the fact that the countrys cotton fabric exports to the region contain a substantial amount of U.S.-grown cotton, items made with the input are excluded from CAFTA-DR duty benefits. By focusing on maximizing the opportunities that already exist in CAFTA-DR, not only can we grow U.S. apparel sourcing from the region, which, in turn grows the market for U.S. textiles, but it also fulfills the Vice Presidents Call to Action to bring more economic opportunity to the region and to help stem the flow of migration, CEPA spokesperson and American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) vice president of trade and customs policy Beth Hughes said. Utilizing the flexibilities already embedded within CAFTA-DR will allow for a greater diversity of U.S. apparel imports from CAFTA-DR and will be a more effective way to support U.S. textile exports to the region, grow jobs and increase investment, she added. Were encouraged to see all facets of the industry meeting to discuss the real needs and challenges so we can take advantage of this opportunity in front of us, Hughes said. We have the same goal in the end. Shortly after 14:30E, a former president of the United States walked into a Manhattan courtroom as a defendant. Donald Trump entered surrounded by his Secret Service detail, wearing his signature blue suit and red tie, and an electric buzz shot through the room. His expression was sombre and his steps seemed heavy and slow as he walked down the courtroom's centre aisle to take his place at the front, where his defence attorneys waited for him. Mr Trump never addressed the press, and gave little away through expressions or body language. I sat five rows directly behind the former president, in a group of journalists watched over by more than a dozen police officers. We were banned from using our phones or laptops in court. When the judge, Juan Merchan, arrived, everyone rose for him, including Mr Trump. Despite the media and political circus happening 15 stories below the courtroom, Judge Merchan presided in an even tone, never raising his voice. The hearing mostly dealt with procedural matters, including deadlines for the lawyers and the next court date, but the weight of its significance was lost on no-one in the room. Though Mr Trump is known for his political pageantry, he spoke only briefly. When the judge read the 34 felony counts brought against him, he replied: "Not guilty." Then at one point, Judge Merchan addressed Mr Trump directly, reminding him that he had a right to be present at all proceedings related to his case. Asked if he understood this, Mr Trump replied: "Yes." The judge then added that if Mr Trump, like any defendant, behaved in an unruly or disruptive manner, he might lose the right to be present at his trial. As they made their arguments, prosecutors mentioned that Mr Trump had made threatening posts on social media, including one that warned of potential "death and destruction" if he was charged. Story continues Donald Trump seen from behind as he leaves court Mr Trump's lawyers said their client was frustrated and upset with the case, which he believed to represent a "great injustice". The judge responded by telling the defence attorneys: "I don't share your view that certain rhetoric and certain language is justified by frustration." Judge Merchan said his warning about further inflammatory rhetoric was a request and not an order, but he would have to take "a closer look" if the issue arose again. The judge brought proceedings to a close after nearly an hour. Mr Trump stood, and was immediately surrounded by his Secret Service detail. The former president spoke quietly to his lawyers, but he was inaudible to the press sitting a few rows behind him. Then he turned and walked down the centre aisle of the courtroom, out the rear door he had first entered. He said nothing to the pack of television cameras outside. His expression was quite serious. The first criminal case involving a US president was under way. A former communications officer in Russian President Vladimir Putins elite secretive security service has defected after deciding he could not work for a "war criminal" following the invasion of Ukraine. Gleb Karakulov boarded a flight to Turkey and fled Russia with his wife and daughter in October, becoming one of the most highly ranked Russians to defect over Putins war in Ukraine. "Our president has become a war criminal," he said in an interview reported by The Associated Press. "Its time to end this war and stop being silent." INSIDE THE RUSSIAN SPY TRIALS AWAITING WSJ JOURNALIST EVAN GERSHKOVICH As a security official involved in ensuring Putins personal safety, Karakulov has unique knowledge of the Kremlin chiefs life, lines of communication, security details and potentially other classified information. Between 2009 and 2022, Karakulov worked as an engineer in a field unit of the presidential communications department of the secretive Federal Protective Service similar to the CIA and was responsible for establishing secure communications for the Russian president and prime minister wherever they traveled. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Putin, who was once thought of as a charismatic individual, has become increasingly paranoid in recent years, and following his invasion of Ukraine, he has turned to even greater measures to ensure his security. According to Karakulov, the increasingly isolated leader refuses to use the internet, does not have a cellphone and apparently refused to fly, preferring to travel via armored train. Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulates security services officers and veterans on Security Agency Worker's Day, via video link at the Kremlin in Moscow, in this picture released Dec. 20, 2022. RUSSIA WARNS NATO AS BELARUS SEES NUCLEAR UPGRADE ON PLANES, MISSILES The Russian defector also said that Putin in October had ordered that the Russian embassy in Kazakhstan be outfitted with a secure communication line, which was the first time Karakulov had been ordered to fulfill such a request. One anonymous official with a security background from a NATO nation said that a defector with the level of insight that Karakulov has holds "a very great level of interest." Story continues "That would be seen as a very serious blow to the president himself because he is extremely keen on his security, and his security is compromised," the official told the AP. The Kremlin has not commented on Karakulovs defection. It is unclear where Karakulov or his family are now located as he and his family have gone underground due to security concerns. Karakulov was originally interviewed by the London-based investigative group The Dossier Center, who provided the AP with more than six hours of footage and verified his position in Putins elite security service. The Associated Press contributed to this report. U.S. intelligence officials are watching for any influence campaigns from Russia or China that are aimed at amplifying existing political divisions or stoking unrest among Americans over the indictment of former President Donald Trump, according to two U.S. officials. Officials have been on alert since the indictment was confirmed last week and so far have not seen significant signs of Russian or Chinese interference in the countrys political discourse beyond the efforts that have become standard, the U.S. officials said. But after Trumps arraignment Tuesday, one of the officials said the intelligence community is watching very closely for any signs of such interference. Intelligence officials are particularly looking for any Chinese or Russian efforts to stir up a response to Trumps indictment and subsequent arraignment, such as protests, this official said. They are more concerned about Russia trying to stir the pot with disinformation, through social media or other outlets, the two officials said. Russia has shown a willingness and the capability to interfere in the U.S. political process, most notably in the 2016 presidential election, and China has increasingly sought to mirror those efforts. A U.S. official said there is continuing talk of Trump in Russian and Chinese hacker channels, including discussion of the indictment. The CIA declined to comment. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the FBI did not respond to requests for comment. Recently pro-Russia Twitter accounts posted false information aimed at fueling fears among residents of East Palestine, Ohio, and stoking political tensions after a large chemical spill from a train. Bret Schafer, who leads a team tracking Russian, Chinese and Iranian information manipulation efforts at the German Marshall Fund, a U.S. foreign policy think tank, said, We havent seen Russia or China, at least through overt channels, amplifying outright disinformation about President Trumps indictment and arrest. However, Schafer said in an email, weve seen the usual opportunism from state-backed actors especially Russian proxies that are framing the event as evidence that American democracy and rule of law is collapsing. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com There will be no Russians at the competition The FEI management discussed the IOC recommendations of March 28 on the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes as individual neutral athletes to compete, said the head of the FEI, Ingmar de Vos. Read also: Poland to bar Russian athletes from attending European Games The FEI Council believes that at this stage, neutrality cannot be adequately defined, as the organization doesnt have the necessary tools to fairly and objectively assess the conditions of participation for individual neutral athletes." Read also: EMPs condemn IOC for admitting Russian athletes to 2024 Olympics Therefore, Russian riders wont be able to take part in the 2024 Paris Olympics qualifications. Read also: Ukraine sues International Fencing Federation for lifting Russian athlete ban On March 30, the Ukrainian government banned Ukrainian athletes from participating in international competitions that admit Russian athletes. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Arif Qazi/Insider A woman asked me to do a story about the mastectomy tattoo she got after having cancer. After a few introductory emails, I realized the text and photo she'd sent were AI-generated. I caught on early, but experts say that as the tech improves, more journalists could be fooled. "Seeing my scarred chest in the mirror was a constant reminder of what I had lost," Kimberly Shaw, 30, told me in an emotional email. She had contacted me through Help a Reporter Out, a service used by journalists to find sources. I cover skincare and had been using the site to find people for a story about concealing acne scars with tattoos. Then I read Shaw's response about her breast-cancer diagnosis: how she knew a mastectomy was the only viable route to recovery, how emotionally painful it was, how she worked carefully with a tattoo artist to find the right design, how it helped her heal. "I felt like I was reclaiming my body, taking back control of something that cancer had taken from me," she told me. Julia Pugachevsky Shaw's experience may not have been relevant to my acne story, but it tapped into the same feelings of empowerment and control I wanted to explore. Thinking she could inspire a powerful new piece, I emailed her back. But after days of back-and-forth conversations, something in Shaw's emails began to feel a little off. After idly wondering to my boyfriend whether she could be a fake, he suggested that I run the emails through a text checker for artificial intelligence. The result was unequivocal: Shaw's emails had been machine-generated. I'd been interviewing an AI the entire time. Just human enough In approaching "Kimberly Shaw," I'd followed standard journalistic protocol. Generally, I start with basic email questions to see if a subject's backstory is a fit for what I'm working on, then ask them to move to a phone interview. My questions were simple: How old was she? When did she have cancer? What was the tattoo of? What was collaborating with the artist like? Would she be comfortable sharing photos? Story continues Shaw replied, answering my questions clearly and concisely. She told me she had cancer two years ago and that she got the tattoo six months after going into remission. It incorporated both a breast-reconstruction design and an intricate lotus. The artist had been patient and collaborative. The only things she omitted were the images I'd asked for and her age. But she did make a request: In exchange for participating, she hoped I would mention her role as the founder of a few websites a couple of Dictionary.com knockoffs and an online-gaming page. Ideally, I could link to them, too. Emotionally open yet untraceable The request wasn't that unusual. A lot of HARO sources are entrepreneurs hoping for a business plug in exchange for an interview often with a link to their personal website, LinkedIn profile, or social handles. I typically decline to include links that aren't relevant to the story, but her asking wasn't odd to me. What was odd was that I couldn't find her elsewhere online. Her company, which she'd said was named SC, was too vague for me to find. Her email didn't come up in Google search results and was a Proton account (meaning encrypted). Her phone number had an 898 area code, which didn't exist, as far as I could tell. She wasn't on LinkedIn, and her websites seemed, well, embarrassing poorly designed spam pages. Still, I didn't want to judge how someone made money, least of all a breast-cancer survivor. Then, she sent her photo. "Kimberly Shaw" wasn't comfortable sending me a photo of her tattoo (or even the original design). But she did send this headshot. Kimberly Shaw/AI Something was wrong but I couldn't exactly say what. Her hair? Her teeth? I messaged my editor to say I was pausing the story. Connecting the pixels Despite these red flags, I felt guilty for feeling suspicious of a cancer survivor, especially one who was being so vulnerable with me. But one night, my boyfriend and I got into his favorite conversation topic of late AI and how it might change all our jobs. I joked about him being overly consumed by ChatGPT-related think pieces, then paused: Actually, there was someone I was talking to who sounded a little robotic. "Why don't you just scan the text?" he said while putting the dishes away. I raced to our bedroom and Googled "AI text checker," which led me to Writer, a free service that shows how human-generated a section of text is with the intention of helping AI users revise generated content to sound more human. A score of 100% indicates a real person likely wrote it; a lower score, say, 40%, shows AI did the bulk of the work. Julia Pugachevsky Then I input some of the answers to my questions. Julia Pugachevsky "No way," my partner said as he paced around the room. To cross-check the app, I tested some of my writing at Insider. Julia Pugachevsky Increasingly confident I'd been fooled, I reopened the headshot and zoomed in. When I knew what I was looking for. I saw glitches everywhere: the off-center ear piercing, the phantom second eyebrow. On closer inspection, "Kimberly" had inconsistent skin texture and what looked like a faint second eyebrow, left, and an oddly placed earring, right. Julia Pugachevsky/Kimberly Shaw Based on this Medium post on deepfake images, I presume it was made in StyleGAN, which splices together different photos to create a nonexistent person. I don't know how many people were combined to make one "Kimberly Shaw." But I'm almost certain none of them know a fraction of their likeness is being used to peddle junk websites and cancer hoaxes. Why was someone trying to fool me? It was clear that whoever was behind "Kimberly Shaw" had been trying to use Insider's platform and our strong rankings on Google to boost the profile of their spam websites. Google has strict policies against spam linking, which make it tough for scammers to reach wide audiences on their own. But having the links included on Insider, which averages about 85 million visits a month, could be worth the trouble even if it meant trying to dupe someone who would likely ask a lot of questions. "For them to go and target a journalist that has these skill sets, the win for them must have been so good," said Jeff Hancock, a professor of communication at Stanford University who's studied how people use deception with technology. Hancock said spam gaming sites like the one I'd been asked to link often collected and sold user data. To play a "free" online game, a user has to first enter their name, email, and phone number, which are then distributed to scammers. As shocking as using cancer to get past my defenses was, Hancock said he believed it was an intentional choice. "Faking cancer is this horrific thing that you would assume most people wouldn't do and that's one of the things they rely on," he said, adding that it's an indicator that "the person on the other side is genuinely criminal." A low-cost learning curve for criminals Scammers have useful tools on their side. Current AI technology "makes it extremely, extremely easy for anyone to create credible AI-generated text, image, video, or even audio," Merve Hickok, the founder of AIethicist.org and a data-science-ethics lecturer at the University of Michigan, said. That could be dangerous for journalists. Trust in media is already near a record low: In a 2022 Gallup poll of Americans, only 7% of respondents said they "have a great deal of trust" in the news. My usual protocol of verifying sources and insisting on a phone interview would have helped me catch the scammer even without my boyfriend's suggestion. But technology is evolving, Hickok said, and scammers may be able to use voice automation and video-generation tools in the very near future. As new technology emerges, scammers will likely adapt, Hancock said. "For the victims, it's a one-off; for the criminal, it's a learning process." That could make it harder for reporters to catch a lie, which could lead to legal liability, reputational damage, and the unintentional spreading of fake news. "It erodes your trust towards your sources, towards what you see, what you hear," Hickok said. "It erodes trust towards journalism, towards institutions ultimately, towards democracy." I'll be more careful from now on but the threat is only growing Once I'd confirmed my source was a fake, I immediately reached out to HARO, which told me it had already banned the account two days prior. A spokesperson said the issue was "top of mind" and that the service was using both technology and human reviewers to identify fake and harmful content. I put together a document about my experience for the entire Insider newsroom. We're sharpening our protocols and becoming more vigilant than ever about researching sources in advance, insisting on phone interviews, and running email communications through a text checker. Even though I caught on before typing a single word of my story, I was disappointed in myself. I knew deep down that the first email was rife with cliches, and I was upset I'd gotten as far as responding. All I can do now, according to Hickok, is stay on top of AI advancements and hope that tools to identify AI dupes are developed as quickly as AI is. Hickok and I also agreed that governments and AI companies should realize how dangerous it is to rush these technologies into the market before considering the consequences a subject on which many tech leaders are already speaking out. Next time, "Kimberly Shaw" might wave to me over video or sound convincingly passionate over the phone. I'm preparing for the day she does. Read the original article on Insider U.S. Army investigators have recovered the flight data records onboard the two Black Hawk helicopters that crashed in Trigg County on March 29, killing all nine soldiers on board the two aircraft. The flight data recorders are commonly referred to as black boxes. The recorders were sent back to Fort Rucker, Alabama, for analysis in the investigation, the Army said. The data recorders could provide more information about what went wrong aboard the aircraft leading up to the crash. We cannot provide a timeline as to when the investigation will be completed, said Lt. Col. Tony Hoefler with the 101st Airborne Division in a statement released Tuesday evening. The duration of the investigation is determined by the thorough analysis of all factors. 3 soldiers receive posthumous promotions The Army recently released the names of the nine soldiers onboard the helicopters. The Army said three of the victims were posthumously promoted to the next highest rank, and theyll be honored at a ceremony with their families at a later date. Cpl. Emilie Marie Eve Bolanos, 23, of Austin, Texas, was promoted to sergeant, according to the Army. Bolanos was a a UH-60 helicopter repairer and UH-60 air crewmember with the Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Zachary Esparza, 36, of Jackson, Missouri, was promoted to chief warrant officer 3, according to the Army. Esparza was an instructor pilot for the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. Warrant Officer 1 Aaron Healy, 32, of Cape Coral, Florida, was promoted to chief warrant officer 2, according to the Army. Healy was an aeromedical evacuation pilot for the 101st Airborne Division. All nine soldiers remains were taken to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, the Army said in a news release. Law enforcement escorts honored the soldiers en route to the base. Kentuckys helicopter crash is far from Fort Campbells first. How common are they? What to know about Fort Campbell. Kentucky military base is home to rare air assault unit Deeply saddened. KY politicians offer condolences after deadly military helicopter crash As the Iowa Legislature begins negotiating the state's budget for the upcoming year, House Democrats are proposing a package to lower child care costs, increase affordable housing assistance and freeze tuition at the state's public universities. "Too many Iowans are still struggling to make ends meet today," said House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights. "Wages simply arent keeping up with the rising costs of health care, child care, utility bills and more." "While we recognize the state Legislature cant control all the ups and downs of the national economy, we can take action to help lower costs for Iowa families and reduce the living expenses for everyday Iowans," Konfrst added. Democrats hold just 36 of the 100 seats in the Iowa House, meaning they lack the power to enact their agenda without Republican support. House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, speaks about House Democrats' proposals to lower costs for Iowans on April 5, 2023. More: Gov. Kim Reynolds signs law reshaping Iowa government, reducing agencies. What it does: Here's what's in the Democrats' plan. Increase child care assistance Democrats' plan would provide a new child care tax credit to families making below $250,000 and give grants to child care centers and businesses that offer child care. And it would increase the threshold for receiving state child care assistance to 200% of the federal poverty level. Currently, benefits begin tapering off at 145% of the federal poverty level. Cap insulin costs House Democrats are proposing to cap the out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $25 per month for every Iowan. Investigate wage theft The plan seeks to prevent wage theft by preventing companies from not paying overtime or failing to pay employees for all hours worked. The labor commissioner would be required to place a high priority on investigating wage theft and could open an investigation without a formal complaint. More: Bill to limit Iowa auditor could leave $12B in funding unchecked, nonpartisan agency says Affordable housing and utilities Democrats propose a new tax credit program for affordable housing, funded with $15 million in state money. They say that could unlock an additional $23 million in federal funds. Story continues Democrats also want to expand tax-free savings accounts for first-time home buyers and provide households making $109,000 or less with grants for home improvement projects. Their plan would also renew the Iowa Solar Tax Credit program and require utilities to help homeowners with weatherization costs. Freeze tuition at state universities and community colleges Democrats are proposing a tuition freeze at the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, the University of Northern Iowa and the state's community colleges. Tuition at the state's three public universities increased 4.25% last year. More: Can Iowa's new laws targeting transgender kids survive potential lawsuits? What we found Budget process underway at Iowa Capitol Republicans, who control majorities in the Iowa House and Senate, are beginning the process of drafting the state's budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1. Senate Republicans are seeking to spend a total of $8.486 billion next year, or a 3.3% increase in spending over the current fiscal year. The Senate has not released budget targets for individual departments and agencies and has begun moving bills through the committee process without any numbers in them. "This budget target ensures the tax cuts implemented last year are sustainable," Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, R-Grimes, said in a March 16 statement. "Iowa has increased funding for K-12 schools every year, it has an ongoing surplus, and incomes taxes are falling every year for Iowans, including the elimination of the tax on retirement income this year." House Republicans have a spending target of $8.579 billion, or about $92.5 million higher than the Senate. House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, said that accounts for some spending the Legislature has already enacted, like a 3% increase in K-12 public school spending, and leaves room for other priorities like workforce grants, nursing home reimbursements and mental health spending. Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: House Democrats want to cap Iowa insulin costs, freeze college tuition China, Tanzania remember deceased Chinese experts assisting Tanzania Xinhua) 10:27, April 05, 2023 Tanzanian Deputy Minister for Works and Transport Atupele Mwakibete speaks during a memorial ceremony at the Chinese experts' cemetery at Pugu on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on April 3, 2023. Tanzanian senior government officials on Monday joined the Chinese community living in the country at the Tomb-Sweeping Day memorial ceremony for Chinese experts who died during the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway and the implementation of other China-Tanzania cooperation projects. (Photo by Herman Emmanuel/Xinhua) DAR ES SALAAM, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian senior government officials on Monday joined the Chinese community living in the country at the Tomb-Sweeping Day memorial ceremony for Chinese experts who died during the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway and the implementation of other China-Tanzania cooperation projects. The somber ceremony was held at the Chinese experts' cemetery at Pugu on the outskirts of the commercial hub of Dar es Salaam. Speaking after observing a minute of silence in respect of the deceased Chinese experts, Deputy Minister for Works and Transport Atupele Mwakibete said the construction of the 1,860-kilometer railway line from Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania to New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia was very challenging. Mwakibete said the construction of the railway line required heroism and ingenuity by both the Chinese people, represented by their great engineers and workers, and the Tanzanian and Zambian peoples, who joined the Chinese for the construction of this railway line which passes through difficult terrain. "It is clear as we are looking back at this most tremendous mammoth engineering project achievement, that was ever performed by China in Africa in the 1970s, we should not forget to remember also those who died for its accomplishment," Mwakibete added. Suo Peng, charge d' Affaires ad Interim of the Chinese embassy in Tanzania, said more than 50,000 Chinese engineers and workers participated in the construction of the railway with their sweat, blood and lives, which symbolizes the everlasting friendship between China and Africa. "The construction of the railway has vividly explained the true meaning of the statement that 'China and Africa have always been a community with a shared future,'" said Suo. "Let us also commit to upholding the values that they (Chinese experts) have taught us and to pass on their legacy to future generations," said Bruno Ching'andu, Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority managing director and chief executive officer. The Chinese Embassy in Tanzania was joined by representatives of the Chinese military expert team and medical team, Chinese students in Tanzania, and Chinese institutions and enterprises as well as representatives from the Tanzanian government who braved the morning drizzle and placed wreaths on the graves of the Chinese experts. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) HANOI, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's rice exports surged 30.2 percent to 952 million U.S. dollars in the first quarter, its highest level in the past 12 years, due mainly to significant gains in prices and expanded demand, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Vietnam recorded a 19.3 percent year-on-year increase in its rice shipments in the January-March period to 1.8 million tons, the General Statistics Office reported. The average export price in the January-March period is estimated at 531 U.S. dollars per ton, up 9.2 percent from a year before, said the Ministry of Industry and Trade, surpassing Thai prices by 15-27 dollars and Indian ones by 40-50 dollars. Data compiled by the Vietnam Food Association showed Vietnamese rice export prices have been on a rising trend since late last year. Prices of Vietnam's 5-percent broken rice quoted at 468-472 dollars per ton as of the end of March, up 5.6 percent from February, while premium-grade jasmine rice rose about 2 percent to 548-552 U.S. dollars per ton. As buyers from the Philippines, China and Africa continue building up their inventories, Vietnam's rice exports are expected to grow further this year. Persistent global uncertainty has prompted buyers into importing more rice to bump up their stockpiles, which in turn has driven the prices up, said Nguyen Ngoc Nam, chairman of the food association. The picture on the demand side remains highly positive as the Philippines, Vietnam's largest rice export market last year, is forecast to import about 2.8 million tons of rice from Vietnam to shore up its reserve, which has dwindled due to unfavorable weather conditions and rising fertilizer prices. Under a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Union (EU), the EU has offered access to Vietnamese rice exports via tariff rate quotas of 80,000 tons this year. Besides, Indonesia's new plan to import 2 million tons of rice to ensure food supply, coupled with tight supply caused by India's ban on broken rice exports and a 20-percent tax levy on white rice varieties, would give Vietnam's rice exports a boost, authorities told local traders. Vietnam aims at a 16-percent growth in 2023 rice export earnings to 4 billion dollars from shipments of 7 million tons. Iran has named an ambassador to the United Arab Emirates nearly eight years after his predecessor left, as a thaw in relations with the Gulf Arab states picks up pace. "After some eight years, the foreign ministry has named Reza Ameri as the Islamic Republic of Iran's new ambassador to the United Arab Emirates," Iran's official IRNA news agency reported late Tuesday. The move comes after Iran welcomed an Emirati ambassador last September ending a six-year absence. The UAE had cut the level of its diplomatic representation after neighbouring Saudi Arabia severed ties in 2016 following the ransacking of its diplomatic missions in Iran by protesters angered by its execution of a leading Shiite cleric. After several of its Gulf allies led the way, Riyadh restored diplomatic relations with Tehran last month in a fence-mending deal brokered by Beijing. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has accepted an invitation to Riyadh from Saudi Arabia's King Salman, First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber confirmed on Monday. Iran and the United Arab Emirates have long had close economic ties which continued even during the diplomatic chill. A veteran diplomat who served most recently as director general of the foreign ministry's diaspora affairs department, Ameri's career had previously taken him to Algeria, Sudan and Eritrea. ap/jri/kir/fz A web of lies The retrospective article Iraq WMD failures shadow US intelligence (Herald, March 6) attributes the wrong assertions of Iraq weapons of mass destruction (WMD) on which the invasion of Iraq was based to a failure of U.S. intelligence agencies. The truth is that the George W. Bush administration deliberately cherry-picked the intelligence and spun a web of lies that led our country into war. The smoking gun that revealed the truth was the Downing Street memo, a secret British memo that showed the real goal of President Bush was to overthrow Iraqi President Saddam Hussein a decision he made at least nine months before launching his unauthorized criminal invasion and he was determined to ensure that U.S. intelligence data supported his policy. The memo to Prime Minister Tony Blair reported on a July 23, 2002, meeting in Washington DC of Britains MI6 intelligence service chief, Sir Richard Dearlove. The visit took place while the Bush administration was declaring to the American public that no decision had been made to go to war, while all their actions focused on preparing for war. The memo stated: the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. The sad result of the web of lies was thousands of American casualties, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi casualties, and an Iraq with one of the most corrupt governments in the world. Jim Stoffels, Richland Lets reconsider CRT in this light Last Aug. 30, the Tri-City Herald published an article about how the Kennewick School Board released a policy to deny having to teach critical race theory in their curricula. The reasoning behind this policy lay in their belief that critical race theory would teach students that white Americans are inherently oppressive and that American society is systematically racist. I think this is very problematic because this decision by the school board was based on false information. Critical race theory does not explicitly teach such a concept. Its sole, objective purpose is to identify elements of systematic racism in Americas socioeconomic structure. This involves teaching students that Americas history featured a lot of racism, and the fact that racism has been built into systems that we see in contemporary times. This does not mean that America itself, as a country, and the ideals that acted as its foundation were inherently racist. Nor does it mean that Americans, as a whole, are defined by that racism. Critical race theory can be taught without passing on those concepts to youths. Story continues Bruce Bond, Pasco Thanks to RSD staff for parent aid Thank you, Dr. Shelley Redinger and the Richland School District staff who saw the need and brought parent education to us. Asking is Caring helps parents see warning signs of suicide ideation, role plays talking with kids with suicide ideation and provides suggestions for prevention, presented by district parents with first-hand experience with mental distress in their own families. Hidden in Plain Sight helps identify indicators of teen drug use, mental health concerns and unhealthy relationships. RSD staff understand parents need help navigating todays reality in raising kids. Thank you, teachers, paras, and support staff doing your best every day. I see what time teachers post grades on Canvas. You work late and weekends, besides the classroom. True board Leadership would support ALL these people. Recent statements by Audra Byrd created a culture of fear. Threats to be silent or lose your job? Abuse of power! Fear of retaliation impacts employee morale! Thats not good. Teachers and staff need our support, mentally and emotionally, for dealing with our kids, and now, power hungry, vengeful adults. Teachers and staff, thank you for what you do. Lastly, thank you Rick Jansons for your calm, thoughtful statements. Ricks approach to every item before the board puts students first. Be like Rick! Phylliss Baxter, Richland Andy McBrine starred for Ireland (Lorraine OSullivan/PA) (PA Archive) Irelands top order folded in quick time on the second evening of their Test against Bangladesh, leaving an uphill battle for the visitors. The hosts posted a first-innings lead worth 155 in Dhaka as centurion Mushfiqur Rahim and captain Shakib Al Hasans 159-run stand guided Bangladesh to 369 all out. Off-spinner Andy McBrine had a day to remember as he claimed figures of six for 118 a new national record with the Tigers losing their last five wickets for just 38. 6 - 118 What a day for Andy McBrine The best ever figures for Ireland in a men's Test match innings.#BackingGreen #BANvIRE pic.twitter.com/5ypdyMtqeh Cricket Ireland (@cricketireland) April 5, 2023 But things nosedived in the closing minutes as they slumped to 13 for four inside seven overs. They reached stumps on 27 without further loss but serious damage has already been done in what is their first Test outing in almost four years. Bangladesh were ruthless in their brief spell in the field, subjecting their opponents to trial by spin and coming back with a damning verdict. Shakib, a proven match-winner across all formats and continents, needed just four deliveries to open his account as an arm ball skidded through and trapped James McCollum lbw. Fellow left-arm spinner Taijul Islam followed suit in his second over, finding enough turn and bounce to unpick the defence of Murray Commins and win another leg before decision to leave both openers in the pavilion with just seven scored. Ireland skipper Andy Balbirnie was next to fall, punching at Taijul but getting his angles wrong as the ball zipped through and flicked his off stump. Curtis Campher then completed the collapse, caught behind off a tiny feather edge from Shakib, sent on his way by DRS after failing to believe he had made contact. Story continues Harry Tector and PJ Moor stopped the bleeding by closing out the next 10 overs but will need to chip away at a deficit of 128 to keep their team alive on day three. The day started with Mark Adair dismissing Mominul Haque but Bangladesh saw their class acts in the middle order live up to their billing. Shakib hit 14 boundaries in a lively 87 before being caught behind off McBrine but Mushfiqur pushed on as he made 126 from 166 deliveries, a record fourth century at the Sher-e-Bangla national stadium. McBrine also swept away the tail, while Ben White ended attacking cameos from Litton Das (43) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (55) to claim two wickets on what was not only his Test debut but his first-class bow as well. A run-rate of 4.58 over the course of the innings spoke volumes for Bangladeshs intent and they matched that hunger with the ball in the final hour. (Bloomberg) -- Israeli fighter jets struck Hamas weapons manufacturing and storage sites in the central Gaza Strip Wednesday after a barrage of rockets and mortars from Gaza were fired at southern Israel as part of escalating violence. Most Read from Bloomberg The rise in tensions coincide with the Jewish Passover holiday, overlapping with the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, and follows clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, a flashpoint. Israels Court Plan Is in Trouble as Pressure Rises on Netanyahu Just before the rockets flew toward the Israeli city of Sderot and were shot down by Israel Hamas had denounced the Israeli police action at Al-Aqsa. It had earlier urged Palestinians to go to the holy site and barricade themselves in to prevent Jews who might seek to enter as part of Passover observance. Israel is acting to maintain the status quo and calm the situation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. He blamed Islamic extremists for the Al-Aqsa violence. The Israeli police said in a statement that its forces had gone to the compound after masked men locked themselves inside with crude weapons. When they tried to remove the men, stones and fireworks were thrown and they went in forcibly. Violence has no place in a holy site and during a holy season, the US Office of Palestinian Affairs said in a statement, adding it was alarmed by the shocking scenes in Al Aqsa Mosque and rockets launched from Gaza toward Israel, and called for restraint. Gaza is run by Hamas whereas the West Bank is presided over by the Palestinian Authority, which also condemned Israels police action. The new right-wing Israeli government includes ministers who favor greater Jewish presence atop the holy site. Story continues For weeks, fears have grown that once Passover and Ramadan overlap, violence would flare. What is happening in Jerusalem is a major crime against worshipers, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said in a statement. The fresh confrontation coincides with an escalation in Israels shadow war with its main regional enemy Iran, which supports militant groups committed to Israels destruction like Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon and Islamic Jihad in the Palestinian territories. Iranian state TV reported on Wednesday that Tehran shot down a suspicious drone near a military facility in the central province of Isfahan but gave no further details. Iran blamed Israel for a similar attack in the same province in February. On Monday Israel said it shot down an unidentified aircraft that crossed in to the country from Syria, where Israel has been for years conducting attacks against Iran and Hezbollah. Tehran boosted its military and security presence in Syria to defend its main Arab ally President Bashar Al Assad, who faced a popular uprising in 2011 that then turned into a brutal war with opposition forces backed by the West and regional states. --With assistance from Fadwa Hodali. (Adds Netanyahu statement in fourth paragraph, US statement in sixth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Violence broke out at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City overnight after Israeli police stormed the sensitive compound, fueling fear that already-high tension in the heart of the Middle East could erupt again into conflict during a sensitive holiday season. What's behind the escalating violence and protests in Israel? Al-Aqsa is one of the holiest sites in Islam and shares a hilltop with the Temple Mount, the holiest site for Jews. Palestinians consider the site a national symbol, and the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli security forces was a major catalyst for 11 days of violent clashes in 2021. In response to the raid, a series of rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip, which is run by the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Israel then said it had conducted airstrikes targeting Hamas weapons storage and manufacturing sites. Palestinians perform morning prayers by the Al-Asbat Gate as Israeli police again raided the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in East Jerusalem on April 05, 2023. / Credit: Mostafa Alkharouf / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Since the holy Muslim month of Ramadan began on March 22, some Palestinian worshippers have been trying to stay overnight inside Al-Aqsa, which is typically permitted only during the final 10 days of the festive period, The Associated Press reported. Israeli police have entered the site daily to evict the worshippers, the AP said. After tens of thousands of people attended prayers at Al-Aqsa Tuesday evening, Israeli officials said they were forced to enter the compound when hundreds of Palestinian "agitators" barricaded themselves inside the mosque armed with fireworks and stones. Videos posted online appeared to show police storming the compound, beating Palestinians with batons and rifle butts and restraining dozens of worshipers, and Palestinians taking aim at police with fireworks. Police said rocks had also been thrown at the officers. "The youths were afraid and started closing the doors," Talab Abu Eisha, who was there at the time of the raid, told the AP. "It was an unprecedented scene of violence in terms of police brutality." "After many and prolonged attempts to get them out by talking to no avail, police forces were forced to enter the compound in order to get them out," the Israeli police said. Story continues Police dispersed Palestinians outside the mosque with rubber bullets and stun grenades. The Palestinian Red Crescent said at least 50 Palestinians were injured in the raid. The police said 350 people were arrested, and one officer was injured in the leg. Israeli police detain a Palestinian man at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound following clashes that erupted during the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadan in Jerusalem, April 5, 2023. / Credit: AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP/Getty The violence at the mosque triggered calls for mass protests by Hamas militants in Gaza. Palestinian civil affairs minister Hussein al-Sheikh said the "the level of brutality requires urgent Palestinian, Arab and international action," according to the AFP news agency. Muslim-majority states quickly issued statements condemning the raid, including Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Iran. The Arab League called an emergency meeting later on Wednesday. Tensions have soared in the region since Israel's new far-right, ultra-nationalist government coalition took power late last year under returning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel's police are now overseen by one of the most radical members of Netanyahu's cabinet, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who was previously convicted of inciting racism and supporting a terrorist organization. Palestinians sort through the aftermath of a raid by Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem on April 5, 2023. / Credit: Mahmoud Illean / AP Al-Aqsa is managed by an Islamic endowment called the Waqf as part of a long-standing agreement under which Muslims are allowed to pray at the site but Jews and Christians are not. The Waqf called the raid a "flagrant violation of the identity and function of the mosque as a place of worship for Muslims." Netanyahu has said he is committed to maintaining the status quo at the sensitive site. Cash App founder fatally stabbed in San Francisco Tornado kills at least 5 in Missouri Pence wont appeal order to testify in Trump special counsel probe By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Sinan Abu Mayzer GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli police clashed with Palestinians at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque a second time on Wednesday, witnesses said, hours after the arrest and removal of more than 350 people in a police raid at the compound and despite a U.S. appeal to ease tensions. The confrontations, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and on the eve of the Jewish Passover holiday, triggered a cross-border exchange of fire in Gaza and stoked fears of further violence. In the second instance, late at night, police entered the compound and tried to evacuate worshippers, using stun grenades and firing rubber bullets, said staff of the Waqf, the Jordanian-appointed Islamic organisation managing the complex. Worshippers threw objects at police, witnesses said. The Palestinian Red Crescent said six people were injured. In a statement, police said dozens of youngsters brought rocks and firecrackers into the mosque and had tried to barricade themselves inside. The Waqf, however, said police entered the mosque before prayers were over. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said: Israels raid into Al-Aqsa mosque, its assault on worshippers, is a slap to recent U.S. efforts which tried to create calm and stability during the month of Ramadan. Less than 24 hours earlier, police raided the mosque to try to remove what they said were masked agitators who locked themselves inside after attempts to remove them by dialogue failed. The Palestinian Red Crescent said 12 Palestinians were injured in the earlier clash, including from rubber-tipped bullets and beatings. Israeli police said two officers were injured. White House national security spokesman John Kirby voiced concern about the violence at the mosque and said it was imperative that Israelis and Palestinians de-escalate tensions. VIOLENCE SPREADS TO GAZA BORDER Palestinian militants fired at least nine rockets from Gaza into Israel after the first clash, drawing air strikes which Israel said targeted weapon production sites for the Islamist group Hamas that controls the blockaded coastal enclave. Story continues No casualties were reported on either side of the Gaza border. Hamas did not claim responsibility for the rocket attacks but said they were a response to the raid on Al-Aqsa, where clashes in 2021 set off a 10-day war with Gaza. Just before the second Al-Aqsa clash, two more rockets were fired from Gaza. The Israeli military said one fell short and the other in an open space "We are not interested in an escalation but we are ready for any scenario," Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said earlier in the day. Al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem's Old City is Islam's third holiest site where tens of thousands pray during Ramadan. It is also Judaism's most sacred site, revered as Temple Mount, a vestige of the two biblical Jewish temples. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed the situation on "extremists" who barricaded themselves inside the mosque with weapons, stones and fireworks. "Israel is committed to maintaining freedom of worship, free access to all religions and the status quo on the Temple Mount and will not allow violent extremists to change that," he said in a statement. Under a longstanding "status quo" arrangement governing the compound, non-Muslims can visit but only Muslims may worship. Some Jewish visitors have increasingly prayed there despite that arrangement. The Waqf described the police actions as a "flagrant assault on the identity and the function of the mosque as a place of worship for Muslims alone". UN ALSO CALLS FOR EASING OF TENSIONS "Leaders on all sides must act responsibly and refrain from steps that could escalate tensions," said the U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland. The Arab League held an emergency meeting after which it condemned the raid and said it endangered regional stability. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and China asked the 15-member United Nations Security Council to discuss the situation behind closed doors on Thursday, said diplomats. The UAE's foreign ministry also said "worshippers should not barricade themselves inside the mosque and places of worship with weapons and explosives". Jordan and Egypt, both involved in U.S.-backed efforts to de-escalate Israel-Palestinian tensions, condemned the incident, as did Turkey. Saudi Arabia, with which Israel hopes to normalise ties, said Israel's "storming" of Al-Aqsa undermined peace efforts. The Palestinian foreign ministry said: "Israel's aggression against the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound is an egregious assault on the basic right of Palestinians to worship freely in their holy site." In Gaza, thousands rallied in protest. With Israel still reeling from weeks of protests over Netanyahu's plans to rein in the powers of the Supreme Court, the incident added to an already fevered political atmosphere. Far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for a harsh response. "Hamas rockets require more than blasting dunes and empty sites. It's time to rip heads off in Gaza," he said in a tweet. In the West Bank town of Beit Ummar, Palestinian protesters burned tyres and threw rocks and explosive devices at Israeli soldiers, one of whom was shot and wounded, the military said. (Reporting by Sinan Abu Mayzer, Ammar Awad, Nidal al-Mughrabi, Ali Sawafta, Maayan Lubell; Additional reporting by Alaa Swilam, Nisreen Salem, Daren Butler, Aidan Lewis and Michelle Nichols; Writing by Henriette Chacar and James Mackenzie; Editing by Howard Goller) Israel Palestinians (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press All rights reserved) Israeli police stormed into the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalems Old City early Wednesday, firing stun grenades at Palestinian youths who hurled firecrackers at them in a burst of violence during a sensitive holiday season. Gaza militants responded with rocket fire on southern Israel, prompting repeated Israeli airstrikes. The fighting, coming as Muslims mark the holiday month of Ramadan and Jews prepare to begin the Passover festival on Wednesday evening, raised fears of a wider conflagration. Similar clashes two years ago erupted into an 11-day war between Israel and the ruling Hamas militant group in Gaza. The Israeli military said one soldier was shot in a separate incident in the occupied West Bank. The mosque sits on a sensitive hilltop compound holy to both Jews and Muslims. Al-Aqsa is the third-holiest site in Islam and is typically packed with worshippers during Ramadan. The spot, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, is also the holiest site in Judaism, who revere it as the location of the biblical Jewish temples. The conflicting claims fuel constant tensions that have spilled over to violence numerous times in the past. The official Palestinian news agency Wafa said that dozens of worshippers who were spending the night praying were injured in the police raid. Israeli police said they moved in after several law-breaking youths and masked agitators brought fireworks, sticks and stones and barricaded themselves into the mosque. Police said the youths chanted violent slogans and locked the front doors. After many and prolonged attempts to get them out by talking to no avail, police forces were forced to enter the compound in order to get them out, police said. Video released by police showed the repeated explosions of fireworks inside the mosque. One amateur video taken by Palestinians showed police scuffling with people and beating them with clubs and rifle butts as a womans voice could be heard shouting, Oh God. Oh God. Story continues Outside the gate, police dispersed groups of youths with stun grenades and rubber bullets. Police said one officer was injured in the leg, while some 350 people were arrested. They released images of fireworks and at least one large stone that appeared to have been hurled. Talab Abu Eisha, 49, said more than 400 men, women and children were praying at Al-Aqsa when the police encircled the mosque. The youths were afraid and started closing the doors, he said, adding that police forces stormed the eastern corner, beating and arresting men there. It was an unprecedented scene of violence in terms of police brutality and intention to hurt the youths, he said, denying police claims that young men were hiding fireworks and rocks. He added that the police prevented all men under 50 years old from passing through the Old Citys gates leading to the compound for the dawn prayers Wednesday morning. Palestinian militants responded by firing a barrage of rockets from Gaza into southern Israel, setting off air raid sirens in the region as residents were preparing for the beginning of the weeklong Passover holiday. The Israeli military said a total of five rockets were fired, and all were intercepted. Hours later, Israel responded with an airstrike in Gaza on what it said were weapons manufacturing and storage sites belonging to the Islamic militant group Hamas. More rocket fire and airstrikes continued after sunrise. Tensions have been steadily rising since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus new far-right government took office late last year. The government is dominated by religious and ultranationalist hard-liners, and the overlap of the Jewish and Muslim holidays when tens of thousands of worshippers make their way to contested Jerusalem has raised fears of violence. The police force is overseen by Itamar Ben-Gvir, an ultranationalist with a history of violent rhetoric and actions against Palestinians. In Gaza, Hamas called for large protests and people started gathering in the streets, with calls to head for the heavily guarded Gaza-Israel frontier for more violent demonstrations. The Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad also called for Palestinian residents of Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Israel to gather around Al-Aqsa Mosque and confront Israeli forces. Ziyad al-Nakhala, leader of Islamic Jihad, said the situation at Al-Aqsa was a serious threat. He said that Palestinians must be prepared for the inevitable confrontation in the coming days. In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian leadership condemned the attack on the worshippers. The spokesman of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, warned Israel that such a move exceeds all red lines and will lead to a large explosion. The government of Jordan, which serves as the custodian of the mosque, condemned the Israeli raid in the strongest terms. The Foreign Ministry warned of the consequences of this dangerous escalation and held Israel responsible for the safety of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque. As violence was unfolding in Jerusalem, the Israeli military reported fighting in a Palestinian town in the occupied West Bank. It said residents of Beit Umar, near the volatile city of Hebron, burned tires, hurled rocks and explosives at soldiers. It said one soldier was shot by armed suspects, who managed to flee. Earlier on Tuesday, a Palestinian suspect stabbed two Israelis near an army base south of Tel Aviv, police said, in the latest incident in a yearlong spate of violence that shows no sign of abating. The Magen David Adom paramedic service said first responders treated two men for serious and light stab wounds in the incident on a highway near the Tzrifin military base. The men were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Israeli media identified the two victims as soldiers. Police said that civilians at the scene apprehended the suspected attacker, who was taken into police custody for questioning. Israeli-Palestinian violence has surged over the last year, as the Israeli military has carried out near-nightly raids on Palestinian cities, towns and villages and as Palestinians have staged numerous attacks against Israelis. At least 88 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire this year, according to an Associated Press tally. Palestinian attacks against Israelis have killed 15 people in the same period. Israel says most of the Palestinians killed were militants. But stone-throwing youths and bystanders uninvolved in violence were also among the dead. All but one of the Israeli dead were civilians. Giorgia Meloni at a news conference makes a gesture for "stop" Andiamoci piano The way history is repeating itself in Italy is a bit on the nose as of late, with the current government trying to revive laws put in place a century ago during the fascist regime and abolished with the countrys liberation. On February 11, 1923, the fascist government led by Benito Mussolini passed a law that became central to its linguistic reclamation project, a plan to preserve and protect the Italian language, and Italys culture, from foreign influence. The law, which aimed to dissuade people from using foreign wordsor barbarismi, barbarisms, in line with the governments revival of ancient Roman loreimposed a hefty tax on anyone using foreign words on commercial signs. Read more Just over 100 years later, on March 31, 2023, Italys far-right Brothers of Italy (Fratelli dItalia) party, led by prime minister Giorgia Meloni, proposed a law that would dictate the guidelines for the promotion and protection of the Italian language. Meloni and her party, which displays proudly in its logo a flame in the colors of the Italian flag, once a symbol Italys neo-fascist party, insistently reject the label of fascist. Yet this latest proposal loudly carries the echo of the so-called Ventennio, Italys two decades of fascist reign. Most notably, their eight-article proposal includes imposing a fine of up to 100,000 ($108,000) on the use of foresterismi, or foreign words that have Italian translations, in official and public-facing communications. This includes names or acronyms used for professional rolessay, manager, or CEO. Sounds familiaror, rather, suona familiaredoesnt it? Made in Italy Although the current Italian government thinks all foreign words presents a threat to Italian, its especially concerned about English ones. According to the proposal, the use of English in Italian professional communication has increased by 773% since 2000 (the methodology doesnt discuss the raw numbers); words such as look, business, and fashion are used as much as 1% to 2% of the time. Among the roughly 800,000 words in the typical Italian dictionary, there are around 9,000 anglicisms, or 1.1% of the total. Story continues That, says the government, is too many: Its an Anglomania emergency. Whoever speaks only Italian today risks the failing of incommunicability, reads the proposal. This is demeaning to the Italian language, it adds, especially because the UK is no longer in the European Union. The proposal also establishes a committee for the safeguard, promotion, and appreciation of Italian language, although Italy already has such an institution, the Accademia della Crusca (known as La Crusca), which has been the ultimate authority in all matters of Italian language since 1538. However, Melonis government doesnt seem to have consulted with the body, just like the fascist government of a century ago disempowered La Crusca (link in Italian) by creating a commission for the Italian-ness (italianita) of the language. The academy thinks the new proposal is so outlandish that it risks making bonafide efforts to preserve Italian look ridiculous, too. The ministry of silly talks Indeed, the proposal is ridiculous, especially coming from the very government that created a ministry named Made in Italy. In English! Fascist initiatives to preserve Italian-ness quickly fell into ridiculousness, too. The first 1923 law took the lead from legislation in the late 19th century that double taxed businesses using foreign words, because it assumed they made more money. But the intent was not, as with its precedent, to make money for the government. It was to discourage the use of foreign words, starting with public-facing commercial communication. With time, however, the bans became more serious, and speaking in foreign languagesparticularly English and Frenchwas akin to treason. In 1940, the punishment was up to six months in jail for the use of foreign words. Nouns were created to replace words including sandwich (tramezzino), cashmere (casimiro), croissant (cornetto), hip-hip hooray (eja eja alala), and panorama (tuttochesivede). Foreign names were translated into Italian, for instance Buenos Aires (Buonaria), Louis Armstrong (Luigi Braccioforte), and George Washington (Giorgio Vosingtone). Existing Italian words were changed because they sounded foreign, so ananas (pineapple) became ananasso, and the famous entertainer Wanda Osiris became Vanda Osiri. The foolishness didnt end there. Insalata Russa (Russian salad), an Italian-style coleslaw, was renamed insalata tricolore (tricolor salad), and the wrench, known in Italian as chiave inglese (English key), became a chiavemorsa. More than a laughing matter But if its absurd and ridiculous, the approach isnt funny. Normalizing absurdity, and feeling no embarrassment in taking laughable actions, is a common trait among authoritarians. Fascism showed it well: Italians read in the news that Mussolini was capable of all sorts of superhuman feats, such as swimming faster than boats, or harvesting entire fields alone in a matter of hours. More recent examples abound (podcast link in Italian). Think of Venezuelas Nicolas Maduro, hosting a daily salsa dancing show as his country suffered unrest; Belaruss Alexander Lukashenko, carrying watermelons to meet with Steven Seagal; Ukraines Viktor Yanukovych, who would use made-up words; Turkmenistans Saparmurat Niyazov, who changed the names of the month; Ecuadors Abdala Bucaram, who dressed like Batman to talk to voters; or Muammar Qaddafi, who killed flies with a golden swatter. Behind the surreal nature of authoritarian idiosyncrasies is the belief that the ruled people will stop having a perception of the ridiculous, trusting the value of their leaders regardless of whether what they do makes any sense. With its decision, Italys government is following fascist footsteps not only in the autarchic belief that the country must protect itself against foreign influence, but also in asking its citizens to follow absurd rules. It isnt just making itself the laughing stock of the world. Its trying to tell its citizens that it doesnt matter what a rational observer might see from outsidetheir government knows best. More from Quartz Sign up for Quartz's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Prosecutor Jack Smith listens as Hashim Thaci, not pictured, makes his first courtroom appearance before a judge at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers court in The Hague, Netherlands, Nov. 9, 2020. Jerry Lampen/Pool Photo via AP Special Counsel Jack Smith is investigating a December 2020 meeting at the Trump White House, per CNN. At the meeting, participants, including Sidney Powell, discussed a plan to seize voting machines. Smith is investigating Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The special counsel investigating Donald Trump's efforts to overturn his election loss has turned his attention to a White House meeting where the former president and a pair of notorious conspiracy theorists discussed a plan to seize voting machines, sources told CNN. Federal prosecutor Jack Smith was last November appointed as special counsel to lead the Department of Justice's investigations into two separate, potentially criminal matters, one concerning Trump's handling of classified documents and the other his efforts to cling to power following the 2020 election. Of particular interest to Smith is a December 18, 2020 meeting at the White House where Trump was joined by attorney Sidney Powell, who was falsely claiming that electronic voting machines were hacked by foreign adversaries, sources told CNN. Powell was sanctioned last year for filing a string of frivolous lawsuits claiming election fraud. Powell was joined at the meeting by Mike Flynn, a retired three-star general who has falsely claimed COVID-19 was created to help Democrats steal the 2020 election. Trump had pardoned Flynn his first national security adviser, convicted of lying to the FBI about his contact with a Russian diplomat less than two weeks earlier. Flynn, prior to the meeting, had for weeks been pushing the idea of seizing voting machines, arguing that Trump could unilaterally demand it be done. "He could immediately, on his order, seize every single one of these machines," he told right-wing media outlet Newsmax the day before the White House meeting, arguing that Trump could declare martial law and order a re-do of the 2020 election. The December 18 meeting devolved into a shouting match between Trump's allies and White House lawyers, according to reports, with the latter informing the former president that the proposal would not be legal. Story continues They were not the only ones counseling the former president that voting-machine scheme was unwise. According to CNN, citing sources familiar with Smith's investigation, two former Trump officials, widely seen as staunch conservatives and loyal allies of the ex-president, were asked about the plan during their appearances before a grand jury. Ken Cuccinelli, who in 2020 was serving as the acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, is said to have testified that he "made clear at all times" that DHS lacked the authority to seizing voting machines. Appearing earlier before investigators with the House January 6 select committee, Cuccinelli had said he was contacted by Rudy Giuliani Trump's personal attorney and another participant in the December 2020 meeting and asked if DHS had the authority to pursue the Powell-Flynn plan. "And I told him: We don't have any authority to grab these machines," Cuccinelli said, according to a transcript of his deposition. Chad Wolf, who served as acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, was also asked about the plan, per CNN. Robert O'Brien, Trump's national security adviser from 2019 to 2021, has also been asked about the scheme and his participation in the Powell-Flynn meeting, which he participated in via phone. O'Brien told prosecutors that he "had made clear there was no evidence of foreign interference affecting voting machines," according to the outlet. Indeed, days after the 2020 election, the nation's top election security officials issued a statement via the federal Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency attesting that there was "no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised." Trump, meanwhile, has responded to the investigation of his post-election actions with a string of personal attacks. In a speech on Tuesday following his arraignment in New York on felony charges of falsifying business records, he described Smith as a "lunatic" and bizarrely claimed that the special counsel had changed his legal name. Have a news tip? Email this reporter: cdavis@insider.com Read the original article on Business Insider Janet Protasiewicz. AP Photo/Morry Gash Janet Protasiewicz was elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Tuesday, The Associated Press and NBC News project, defeating Daniel Kelly. Seats on the Wisconsin Supreme Court are officially nonpartisan, but Protasiewicz, a liberal Milwaukee County judge, was backed by Democrats and abortion rights groups, while Kelly, a conservative former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice, was endorsed by Republicans and anti-abortion organizations. This was the most expensive judicial election in U.S. history, with the candidates, political parties, and outside organizations spending more than $40 million on the race. Since 2008, Wisconsin's high court has been controlled by conservatives, and Protasiewicz's win gives the liberal faction a one-vote majority. In the next few years, the court will likely consider cases on Wisconsin's state abortion ban and heavily gerrymandered legislative maps drawn by Republicans. Protasiewicz, who spoke about her support of abortion rights during the campaign, will serve a 10-year term, succeeding conservative Justice Patience Roggensack. She told The New York Times in an interview earlier Tuesday that she was open about her position on abortion because "rather than reading between the lines and having to do your sleuthing around like I think people have to do with [Kelly], I think I would rather just let people know what my values are. We'll see tonight if the electorate appreciates that candor or not." You may also like Most viewers didn't finish Amazon's Lord of the Rings show, report says Why does Trump think attacking his Manhattan judge is a good plan? Tennessee House GOP moves to expel 3 Democrats over 'disorderly' gun reform protest UNITED NATIONS, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Sima Bahous, UN undersecretary-general and executive director of UN Women, on Wednesday condemned the Taliban's decision to ban Afghan women from working with the United Nations in Afghanistan. "We stand in full solidarity with our colleagues, and all women who every day put their lives at risk to serve their country and we salute their dedication, professionalism, and bravery. We re-assert their inalienable, fundamental human rights as enshrined in the UN Charter," said Bahous in a statement. "We will not replace our female workforce with men," she said, adding that UN Women is determined to continue in every way possible to deliver vital services and support, so no woman or girl will be left out or left behind. Afghanistan is in a humanitarian crisis with 28.3 million people, two-thirds of the population, needing humanitarian assistance to survive. Almost a quarter of households in Afghanistan are female-headed, she noted. The removal of skilled women aid workers decreases access by women and girls to critical life-saving services, and increases their risks when they have to seek assistance from men instead, said Bahous. The de facto authorities' denial of women's and girls' rights to education and to engagement in society and the economy of Afghanistan is a self-inflicted wound on the country. This damage to future recovery and resilience deepens with every woman and girl whose horizons have been forcibly shrunk to her home's four walls, she said. UN Women joins UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in calling on the Taliban to immediately revoke this latest decision and reverse all measures that restrict women's and girls' rights to work, education and freedom of movement, she said. UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said Wednesday that the world body is instructing all its Afghan national staff -- men and women -- not to report to the office for now. In addition, UN national female staff in Afghanistan will not see their posts to be backfilled by men. Ramiz Alakbarov, the UN secretary-general's deputy special representative for Afghanistan, said the Afghan UN national staff -- Afghan men and women -- are in solidarity. "We will not have a situation where we are going to work with all-men teams. So our national staff will report to the office together," he told a press briefing at UN Headquarters in New York via a video link. Alakbarov said the United Nations is working to create the normal conditions so that the Afghan UN national staff could return to work. He said everybody will be paid even when they have to stay home. The United Nations has about 3,900 staff in Afghanistan, approximately 3,300 of them are nationals. Of those, there are about 400 women nationals and 200 women internationals. By Tim Kelly, Yukiko Toyoda and Sakura Murakami TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan on Wednesday said it plans to offer countries financial assistance to help them bolster their defences, marking its first unambiguous departure from rules that forbid the use of international aid for military purposes. Japan's Overseas Security Assistance (OSA) will be managed separately from the Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) programme that for decades has funded roads, dams and other civilian infrastructure, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a regular news conference. "By enhancing their security and deterrence capabilities, OSA aims to deepen our security cooperation with the countries, to create a desirable security environment for Japan," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. The change comes as Japan undertakes its biggest military build-up since World War Two in a marked shift away the pacifism that is set out in its constitution and has dominated its political discourse for decades. Any aid under the new arrangement will not be used to buy lethal weapons that recipients could use in conflicts with other countries in accordance with three principles that govern arms exports, the foreign ministry said. Specific projects are expected to include satellite communication and radio systems for maritime surveillance, and preparations are underway for the first aid to be finalised within this fiscal year, the ministry said. The first recipients will likely be the Philippines, Malaysia, Bangladesh, or Fiji. The foreign ministry opened a bid on Wednesday to start an OSA feasibility study in those countries, with an eye on strengthening their maritime security. Japan is considering providing radars to the Philippines to help it monitor Chinese activity in the contested South China Sea, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Monday. In principle, only developing countries will be eligible for the aid given that it will be provided as grants, according to the foreign ministry. Story continues The decision to expand the scope of international aid to military-related projects follows Japan's announcement in December of a doubling of defence spending in five years as it looks to counter China's growing military might. Following on from the overhaul of its military strategy, there is growing momentum over the easing of Japan's arms export ban. The ruling coalition is looking to start working-level discussions in late April over loosening the current arms export restrictions, according to broadcaster TBS, in line with similar suggestions made under the new strategy. Japan has also been increasing its contacts with developing nations in an effort to counter China. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced a $75 billion investment across the Indo-Pacific in March as he seeks to forge stronger ties with South and Southeast Asia. (Reporting by Tim Kelly, Yukiko Toyoda, Sakura Murakami, and Chang-Ran Kim; Editing by Tom Hogue, Christian Schmollinger and Raju Gopalakrishnan) Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush on Tuesday told South Carolina lawmakers they need to keep pushing to give parents more freedom to choose where their child goes to school. Bush, who ran unsuccessfully for president in 2016, met with the S.C. House RepublicanCaucus to discuss school choice and share what he describes as success stories in programs around the country. In Florida, I had the chance to implement many of the things that yall are considering right now and it looks pretty good, Bush told the room of lawmakers. The world gets better when parents are making more choices, and theres lessons along the way to make sure its done right with accountability. Policymakers in both the South Carolina House and Senate have passed several bills this year that they say aims to give parents the freedom in choosing where their child goes to school. Last week, the House passed H. 3843, a proposal by House education Chairwoman Shannon Erickson, R-Beaufort, that would allow parents to enroll their children in any public school statewide, regardless of zoning. In January, the Senate likewise passed two bills advancing school choice. One measure would allow 15,000 students to get $6,000 in state money to cover private school tuition and other costs, including transportation, internet and books. Another Senate proposal expands a program already in place, called Academic Choice in Education, which provides an income tax credit for those who contribute to a scholarship fund that provides grants for students to attend private schools or to get home school instruction. On Tuesday, Bush told lawmakers that empowering parents to make choices regarding their childs education places South Carolina one step closer in achieving education reform. All of the arguments that the world is coming to end, and kids that cant learn are going to be left behind ... the exact opposite has happened in Florida, Bush said. Public schools are better because parents can choose private schools. Story continues Although school choice has been around for nearly 150 years, Wisconsin became the first state to adopt such a program in 1991, offering private school vouchers to lower-income students. For decades, red states like South Carolina have been resistant to school choice or voucher programs, arguing that public money shouldnt go to private schools without any accountability. Last year, the House and Senate, energized by a wave of frustration over pandemic-era education policies, passed companion bills to establish a scholarship fund that select parents could tap for their childrens educational expenses, including private school tuition. But because of timing they were brought up on the last day of session at the end of the day _ the measures died Fifteen states, including Florida, currently offer some sort of school voucher program. Five of these voucher programs are limited to special needs students only. Advocates, however, expect to see the number of voucher states to increase as more school choice legislation is passed. Critics of school choice have routinely argued that such programs are unfair as they pull money away from public education and also creates an opportunity for overcrowding at premier schools. Bush, who currently serves as chairman of the board of directors for ExcelinEd a nonprofit organization that claims to transform education by working with state leaders to enhance opportunities for children told lawmakers not to be afraid to go against the status quo. As governor I learned that there are great teachers stuck in bad systems all across the state of Florida, Im sure its the same (in South Carolina), Bush said. I hope that you guys stay the course and pass meaningful legislation, Bush said. Jeremy Renner was convinced he would die and wrote his family a goodbye note during his horrific snowplough accident earlier this year. On New Years Day, the Avengers star was rushed to hospital after being crushed by a large plough outside his home in Nevada. At the time, he was attempting to save his nephew from being hit by the vehicle. Renner sustained blunt chest trauma and later revealed he broke more than 30 bones in the accident. He also suffered a collapsed lung and had his liver pierced by a shattered rib. The actor, who is currently learning to walk again, has now taken part in his first interview since the accident with Diane Sawyer for ABC News. In a teaser for the interview, which will air in full on Thursday (6 April), Renner said that he had remained awake and in pain throughout the accident. If I was there on my own, it would have been a horrible way to die. And surely I would have. Surely, he said. But I wasnt alone, it was my nephew, sweet Alex, and the rest of the cavalry came. The Hawkeye actor explained that he was so sure his death was imminent, he wrote down his last words in his phone for his family to find. So Im writing down notes on my phone, and last words to my family, Renner recalled, before tearing up and telling Sawyer: Sorry. .@ABC EXCLUSIVE: First look at @DianeSawyers interview with @JeremyRenner, as the actor opens up for the first time about his near-fatal snowplow accident. Watch Thursday, April 6, on ABC and the next day on @Hulu. https://t.co/3T71flHNnD pic.twitter.com/VDD6ceY5yA Good Morning America (@GMA) April 5, 2023 The interview will also see Sawyer in conversation with Renners nephew Alex, who admitted that he had thought his uncle had died upon seeing the accident. I just perfectly see him in a pool of blood coming from his head. I ran up to him, I didnt think he was alive. Renner told Sawyer: Ive lost a lot of flesh and bone but I have been refueled and refilled with love and titanium. New Jersey just became the latest state to serve as a safe haven for trans people seeking gender-affirming care. Democratic governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order securing a persons right to gender-affirming care on Tuesday. The order directs all state agencies to protect people in New Jersey from being persecuted for obtaining or providing transition-related care, and reinforces anti-discrimination protections for trans people, including for incarcerated people. The order also forbids state departments from complying with investigations and subpoenas from other states that seek to prosecute those who travel to New Jersey to obtain gender-affirming care. In a press release, Murphy emphasized the importance of the order given the wave of anti-trans bills in states nationwide. As leaders, our greatest responsibility is ensuring that every person we represent, regardless of their gender identity or gender expression, is entitled to respect, fairness, and freedom, the governor stated. We will continue to uphold these principles in New Jersey and support every persons right to live freely and authentically by making our state a safe haven for those seeking or providing gender-affirming health care. New Jersey-based trans youth activist Rebekah Bruesehoff said in the press release that the order gives [her] hope. I have always been grateful to live in New Jersey, but I am especially proud now to see my state take action that will protect and support not only me but my friends in states across the country, Bruesehoff said. Transgender kids and teens like me just want to live our lives and be ourselves. ST PAUL, MINNESOTA - JUNE 03: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) Minnesotas Governor Just Made the State a Refuge for Gender-Affirming Care Tim Walzs order prohibits the state from helping other states prosecute people seeking transition care. New Jersey is at least the third state in the U.S. to establish refugee protections for trans people. California became the first, when governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law protecting the right to gender-affirming care in September; it took effect on January 1. Minnesotas governor also signed an executive order establishing these protections in March. Last May, lawmakers in 19 states pledged to introduce safe haven legislation, though not all of them have since introduced bills. Story continues Legislation and executive orders such as these are an ever-growing necessity as Republican-dominated states continue to pass measures to ban gender-affirming care for youth, or otherwise make it nearly impossible to access. This year, at least 131 such bills have been introduced in state legislatures around the country. Twelve states have actually enacted those bans, with three additional states taking steps to restrict care without writing it into state law, according to the Movement Advancement Project. Get the best of whats queer. Sign up for Thems weekly newsletter here. Originally Appeared on them. The Passover Seder plate, as shown in this March 8th, 2007 photo, is a special plate containing symbolic foods used by Jews during the Passover Seder. The items include (from top center): horseradish; a shank bone; a mixture of fruit, wine and nuts called haroset; lettuce, parsley and an egg. | Dan Goodman, Associated Press This year, as in all years, the Jewish community will reflect on the themes of freedom and perseverance as they celebrate Passover, which begins Wednesday night. What makes this year unique is that some Jews will be thinking specifically about how those themes play into the story of Evan Gershkovich, a Jewish journalist for The Wall Street Journal who was arrested and accused of espionage last week. Gershkovich, who is American, is currently behind bars as the Russian officials consider his case, according to The Associated Press. The Biden administration has spoken out in his support and denied the spying allegations but its not yet clear whether the Russian government will agree to a prisoner swap or how soon such a swap could take place if they do. In recognition of Gershkovichs uncertain future, some of his colleagues at the Journal have called on Jews to set a place at their Passover Seder tables for him and to call for his release, The Forward reported. Please consider setting an extra setting at your Passover Seder for #EvanGershkovich, my @WSJ colleague who is being held hostage by Russia. #IStandWithEvan #FreeEvan #FreeEvanGershkovich #JournalismIsNotACrime Shayndi Raice (@Shayndi) April 1, 2023 This plea was retweeted by the former chief rabbi of Moscow, who called it a worthy endeavor, The Forward reported. Story continues But Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt also noted that Gershkovich is far from the only person in need of prayers and action this Passover. Evan is not the only political prisoner in Russia and Byelorussia. Thousands of people are being held in prisons in Russia and Byelorussia, among them Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Kara Murza, Ilya Yashin and others, many, who are of Jewish descent, he tweeted. Rabbi Goldschmidt added, We should remember all of them when we celebrate freedom at the Seder table Wednesday evening. Although its common for Passover celebrations to adjust a bit each year to reflect current events, Jews often focus whatever changes they make to their familys table on developments closer to home, like the death of a loved one. For example, Jewish families may choose to leave an empty spot at their Passover Seder table for a grandparent or parent who has recently passed away, as Rabbi Joe Ozarowski noted in a blog about the holiday for JCFS Chicago. The Seder and Passover festival is an ideal time to share these memories (of lost loved ones). Just as we share communal memories of slavery and freedom, so too we can share our own family and individual stories, he wrote. Related Passover, which lasts for eight days, is the most celebrated Jewish holiday, according to Religion News Service. More than 70% of Jews take part in at least one Passover Seder each year with family members, friends and/or members of their faith community. Seder guests take turns telling the story of the (biblical) Exodus and the Israelites new relationship with God based on the law given to Moses on Mount Sinai, Religion News Service reported. JK Rowling has led the backlash against the decision to spare a child rapist from jail time due to the fact that he is under 25. On Monday (3 April), Sean Hogg, now-21, was sentenced to 270 hours of community service for raping a 13-year-old girl in a park when he was 17. After Hogg was found guilty by a jury at the High Court in Glasgow, Judge Lord Lake said that he had to take Hoggs age into account. This offence, if committed by an adult over 25, [would] attract a sentence of four or five years, the judge said during sentencing. I dont consider that appropriate and dont intend to send you to prison. You are a first offender with no previous history of prison: you are 21 and were 17 at the time. Prison does not lead me to believe this will contribute to your rehabilitation. Hogg was also put on the sex offenders register for three years. Responding to the news on Twitter, Rowling, who alleged she was a domestic abuse and sexual assault survivor in 2020, wrote: Progressive Scotland 2023, where a man gets no jail time for raping a 13-year-old girl in a park. Young Scottish men are effectively being told first times free. Progressive Scotland 2023, where a man gets no jail time for raping a 13-year-old girl in a park. Young Scottish men are effectively being told first times free. https://t.co/iHeV1xZYyy J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 4, 2023 The Times reports that new guidelines introduced in Scotland last year suggest that the brain has not fully developed until the age of 26 and there should be leniency against prison for younger suspects. Thomas Ross KC, a leading criminal defence lawyer, told the BBC: It is an extraordinary sentence. I have been working in the High Court for around 20 years and I have never seen anybody avoid prison for rape until yesterday. Story continues Rape Crisis Scotland said it was extremely concerned about the sentencing. We are shocked that the perpetrator of the rape of a 13-year-old girl has not received a custodial sentence, the group said in a statement. Given the gravity of this crime and the fact it was tried at the high court, this sentence appears to us to be worryingly lenient. Our thoughts are with the survivor of this crime. The author who moved to Edinburgh in 1993 spoke more about her experience of domestic abuse in the first episode of a new podcast, The Witch Trials of JK Rowling. Rowling claimed that her marriage to ex-husband Jorge Arantes became very violent and very controlling. She said she didnt have a key to my own front door because hes got control of the front door and alleged that whenever she did leave the house and returned, he would look through her handbag. Rowling also described sneaking the manuscript for Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone out of her house a few pages at a time as she feared Arantes would burn it. Following Rowlings 2020 allegations, Arantes admitted to The Sun that he slapped her but denied any sustained abuse. He added that he was not sorry for slapping her. Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673) 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 The national domestic abuse helpline offers support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated mens advice line on 0808 8010 327. Those in the US can call the domestic violence hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org Ex-national security adviser John Bolton on Tuesday blasted the charges filed against his ex-boss, former President Trump, saying the indictment was even weaker than I feared it would be. Speaking as someone who very strongly does not want Donald Trump to get the Republican presidential nomination, Im extraordinarily distressed by this document, Bolton said on CNN. I think this is even weaker than I feared it would be. Bolton, who served as Trumps national security adviser from 2018 to 2019 before later emerging as a vocal critic of the former president, slammed the charges filed by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Tuesday after Trump appeared in court for his arraignment. The former president was charged with 34 felony counts including falsifying business records. The case laid out in the New York indictment of Trump details an alleged scheme devised by the former president, his lawyer and the parent company of the tabloid National Enquirer to pay for and kill stories that could have been damaging to then-candidate Trump ahead of the 2016 election. But Bolton said the indictment was weak, arguing it would be subject to dismissal. I think its easily subject to being dismissed or a quick acquittal for Trump, Bolton said. The argument that the case being built by Bragg is weak is one that Trump also spun after leaving Manhattan court on Tuesday, saying on his Truth Social platform that the hearing was shocking to many in that they had no surprises, and therefore, no case. Other top Republican lawmakers, including Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), publicly criticized the indictment of Trump on Tuesday. Bolton fell out with Trump after leaving his administration, particularly disagreeing with the former presidents claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him. Bolton has said that he is considering a 2024 White House bid of his own. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. a bottle of Johnson & Johnson baby powder Justin Sullivan / Staff/ Getty Images Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay $8.9 billion to tens of thousands of people who alleged the company's talcum powder caused cancer, The New York Times reports. Lawyers for some of the plaintiffs called the proposed settlement a "significant victory" in a case that has been ongoing for over a decade. The company would pay out the proposed settlement over 25 years through a subsidiary, LTL Management, which filed for bankruptcy protection on Tuesday to enable the $8.9 billion payout, Johnson & Johnson said in a court filing. If the bankruptcy court approves it, "the agreement will resolve all current and future claims involving Johnson & Johnson products that contain talc, such as baby powder," the Times summarizes. The company will also need to convince enough claimants to approve the settlement plan. An earlier bankruptcy filing that included a $2 billion settlement was dismissed by a U.S. appeals court earlier this year. In a statement by lawyers representing nearly 70,000 plaintiffs, the "landmark" settlement was described as a "significant victory for the tens of thousands of women suffering from gynecological cancers caused by J.&J.'s talc-based products." But other lawyers representing claimants opposed the settlement, "though they acknowledged that approval by the court would apply to all plaintiffs," the Times writes. For example, Jason Itkin, whose law firm is representing 10,000 claimants who say the talc-based powders caused their ovarian cancer, said the settlement is "bad for victims" and will likely be blocked in court. "Even though $8.9 billion sounds like a lot of money, when you spread it out it comes out to not very much at all for the people who suffered," he said. You may also like Most viewers didn't finish Amazon's Lord of the Rings show, report says Why does Trump think attacking his Manhattan judge is a good plan? Jail guards sentenced on cruelty charges after forcing prisoners to listen to 'Baby Shark' on loop This is Johnsons baby powder on display in a market in Pittsburgh on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023. On April 4, 2023, the company offered to pay $8.9 billion in settlement to thousands of cases claiming the companys baby powder caused cancer. | Gene J. Puskar, Associated Press Late Tuesday, Johnson & Johnson offered more than quadruple the amount of its original $2 billion settlement to tens of thousands of lawsuits. The grand total of $8.9 billion in the settlement would be distributed to the 60,000 current lawsuit plaintiffs as well as any future ones if the court approves the proposal, per the company. The diverse health care product company has been under scrutiny for its baby powder for years, with claimants arguing that asbestos in the talcum-based powder led to ovarian and other lesser-known cancers. The subsidiary of J&J called LTL Management was created for the express purpose of paying out any settlements. Filing for bankruptcy, the company is working to get approval to pay the amount over the course of 25 years. But none of this, said the company, is an admission of wrongdoing a standing it has maintained despite evidence of asbestos in the product, which the company claimed were data outliers. The company continues to believe that these claims are specious and lack scientific merit, wrote Erik Haas, J&Js worldwide vice president of litigation. He said that resolving the cases this way is more equitable and efficient, allowing the money to be distributed more evenly while the company focuses on its core mission statement. A large group of plaintiffs law firms gave their support for the proposed settlement, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. This settlement is a testament to the tens of thousands of women who have battled both cancer and the court system to achieve justice for themselves, Alicia ONeill of Watts Guerra LLC told the Journal. She said that her law firm represents 70,000 plaintiffs. These strong women have ensured that no other woman will be exposed to this unnecessary danger. They deserve compensation and closure. Despite the claims from J&J of the safety of the baby powder, the company plans to discontinue the product globally in 2023 and replace the talcum-based product with a cornstarch-based one. Related US pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday proposed an $8.9 billion settlement to resolve years-old lawsuits claiming that its talcum powder products caused cancer. The New Jersey-based company said the proposed settlement, which still needs the approval of a bankruptcy court, "will equitably and efficiently resolve all claims arising from cosmetic talc litigation." If approved by the court and a majority of the plaintiffs, the $8.9 billion payout would be one of the largest product liability settlements ever in the United States, ranking alongside those entered into by tobacco companies and, more recently, opioid manufacturers. J&J has been facing thousands of lawsuits over talcum powder containing traces of asbestos blamed for causing ovarian cancer. The firm has never admitted wrongdoing but stopped selling its talc-based baby powder in the United States and Canada in May 2020. "The company continues to believe that these claims are specious and lack scientific merit," Erik Haas, J&J's vice president of litigation, said in a statement. J&J said the $8.9 billion would be paid to the tens of thousands of claimants over 25 years through a J&J subsidiary, LTL Management LLC, which was set up to address the claims and has filed for bankruptcy protection. It said that LTL has "secured commitments from over 60,000 current claimants to support a global resolution on these terms." A previous settlement involving LTL was rejected by an appellate court and a bankruptcy court will now have to approve the new LTL bankruptcy filing and settlement. J&J had previously proposed a settlement of $2 billion in response to the allegations that its cosmetic talc caused gynecological cancers. The company said the newly proposed settlement is not "an admission of wrongdoing, nor an indication that the company has changed its longstanding position that its talcum powder products are safe." "Nonetheless, resolving this matter as quickly and efficiently as possible is in the best interests of the company and all stakeholders," J&J said. According to Haas, the settlement "allows claimants to be compensated in a timely manner, and enables the company to remain focused on our commitment to profoundly and positively impact health for humanity." cl/md BUDAPEST, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Air China Flight CA435 from Chongqing arrived at Budapest Airport early on Wednesday carrying the first group of Chinese tourists since the COVID-19 lockdown. The 17-strong group was welcomed by a special ceremony and gifts were handed over by a group of young Hungarians dressed in national folk costumes. Hungarian government officials and representatives of the Chinese Embassy were also in attendance. "I am very interested in European culture, I immediately signed up for the tour," Li Man, 61, from Shanghai said. He said he wanted to visit the places where the famous composer Franz Liszt lived. Zhang Di, 56, also from Shanghai, said she was looking to attend an opera performance during her stay. She also recalled the name of Sandor Petofi, Hungary's national poet who lived in the 19th century and whom she had known since her youth. She said she was also looking forward to seeing the Hungarian capital's iconic Chain Bridge, the New York Cafe in the heart of the city, and the wineries in the countryside. Yang Chao, charge d'affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Hungary, said the group's arrival marked the resumption of tourism between the two countries. Tourism, he said, is key to promoting people-to-people exchanges and helps deepen the friendly ties between the two countries. Speaking on behalf of the Hungarian Tourism Agency, Deputy Chief Executive Officer Zsofia Jakab said that with the return of tourists from China, Hungary's tourism industry expects rising numbers in 2023, approaching those registered in the pre-pandemic record year of 2019. "If everything goes well, we might even get close to our record 42 million guest nights of 2019," she told Xinhua. Jakab said that despite the long distance between the two countries, China has been among the top countries of origin for tourist arrivals in Hungary. She said that Chinese tourists in increasing numbers choose Hungary as their destination of choice in Europe. In previous years, tourist groups from China typically spent 2-3 days in Hungary, mostly in Budapest, but the current trend for them is to stay longer, eight to ten days, and to visit attractions in the countryside as well, she said. TODAY with Hoda & Jenna is broadcasting two shows from New Orleans, Louisiana, Monday, May 1, (Sponsored by New Orleans & Company). Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager will help celebrate the kick off of The 2023 Jazz Fest in front of a live audience. Fans are encouraged to join the outdoor audience in New Orleans. Details below: Location: Jackson Square Time: 8:00 a.m ET/ 7:00 a.m. CT. audience arrival 10 a.m ET/ 9:00 a.m. CT first show (live) 11:30 a.m. ET/ 10:30 a.m. CT second show (taping) Please be advised: All audience joining the outdoor space will be required to go through a security screening. Fans are encouraged to bring posters. This article was originally published on TODAY.com Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) tried his hardest to appear esteemed in front of reporters Tuesday only to be heckled for his fabricated past. The lying lawmaker joined extremist Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) rallying in Lower Manhattan to support former President Donald Trump ahead of his arraignment when he was confronted by dozens of journalists and a Daily Show correspondent. Santos, who is under investigation for falsehoods about his heritage, education and work history while campaigning for office, had just finished berating reporters while claiming he supported the rule of law when a familiar voice interrupted. George, are you finally bringing legitimacy to this process? Klepper asked, per footage posted on Twitter. George, we wanna hear about your volleyball career. George! George! George, speak up! We wanna hear the legitimacy youre bringing to the process! Santos appeared not to mind the swarm of attention, chiding the group of journalists: Is this how the media behaves? He continued speaking until someone on his team announced: Thats enough! Clearly, it wasnt for Klepper. George, are you worried that this is becoming a circus? Klepper yelled. George, talk about your time running a circus! George, thank you for your service! The embattled House member has famously been caught in an epic web of lies, falsely claiming he was a descendant of Holocaust survivors from Ukraine, that his mother died on 9/11 and that he was a Baruch College volleyball star who slayed. Santos told reporters Tuesday that this isnt about me and that he was there to support the president of the United States whos been unfairly attacked by our DA. Klepper was there to remind him of his legacy. Tell us about your volleyball career, we need to know, said Klepper as Santos started walking away, per footage posted on Twitter. Have you recently got a law degree, is that why youre here? Are you bringing legitimacy to this process, finally? Are you? Story continues Talk to me about your law degrees which law degrees have you got that youre bringing here to this? Klepper continued. As first president of the United States, do you feel that you can actually handle the jurisprudence thats going on? George, George, Klepper reiterated, talk to me about your volleyball, George. Santos departed the courthouse throng soon afterward, telling a reporter the scene was too chaotic and he felt threatened. Related... A Johnson County judge on Tuesday ordered Kansas Democratic Party chair Jeanna Repass to pay $3,226 to her former campaign manager, who sued in February alleging $4,000 in unpaid wages. The former campaign manager, Nicole Aghaaliandastjerdi, sued in Johnson County Small Claims Court in February against Repass and her 2022 Kansas secretary of state campaign. Aghaaliandastjerdi filed her lawsuit the same day Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids and other top Democrats issued an endorsement of Repass to lead their party. At the end of a Tuesday trial, Judge Robert Scott issued a judgment that Repass must pay most but not all that had been sought by Aghaaliandastjerdi. The court record describing the judgment doesnt provide any reasons for Scotts decision. Aghaaliandastjerdi had alleged in her lawsuit that she agreed in writing not to cash her final paycheck until September. When she went to cash the check, the lawsuit alleged, Repass had canceled payment. Repass had disputed Aghaaliandastjerdis claims. Ms. Repass canceled my last paycheck and thought she could get away with it and no one would ever know. She underestimated a regular person advocating for themself, whose only resource was the truth, Aghaaliandastjerdi said in a statement. Im grateful the judge saw beyond her persona and lofty speeches and ruled according to the law. Today, regular, hardworking people won. Repass said she will pay the amount and has no plans to appeal. Repass disputed Aghaaliandastjerdis contention that her last paycheck had been canceled, but said the campaigns bank account information had to be changed after Aghaaliandastjerdi departed. Repass said the situation could have been avoided if Aghaaliandastjerdi had sent an invoice to the campaign. I am pleased that the judge did not rule in favor of Nicole for $4,000, that he agreed thats not what we owed her, which was my contention all along. And Im happy to pay the settlement and move forward, Repass said. Story continues The lawsuit was filed amid a contentious fight to lead the Kansas Democratic Party. Repass opponent was Lynn Rogers, a former state treasurer and Kellys first lieutenant governor. The contest was intense, with supporters of the two candidates trading attacks and allegations over social media. In late February, Democrats elected Repass their new chair in a 122-107 vote. The Stars Katie Bernard contributed reporting Missouri Republicans are pushing a proposal to give local sheriffs sweeping power, including over federal investigations in their counties, just weeks after a federal judge struck down a state law that tried to nullify some federal gun laws. The proposed constitutional amendment would enshrine the office of county sheriff in the Missouri Constitution, and require the sheriff to oversee all federal and state investigations in their particular county. It would require all counties that currently have sheriffs to maintain the position as an elected office. Although the amendment was introduced in early February, GOP senators didnt act on the measure at all until late March. Then on Wednesday, the Missouri Senate General Laws Committee held a hearing. The sudden movement on the amendment, in the final weeks of the annual session, comes after U.S. District Court Judge Brian Wimes ruled on March 7 that the Missouri Second Amendment Preservation Act violates the U.S. Constitutions Supremacy Clause, which ensures federal law trumps state law. The state law declared certain federal gun laws invalid if they dont have a state-level equivalent. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a Republican, has said the state will appeal the decision. What weve been witnessing across the country is a weaponization of our legal system, freshman state Sen. Jill Carter, a Granby Republican who filed the amendment, said Wednesday during a news conference about the legislation. Carter didnt directly link her measure to the federal court decision, but said her proposal would ensure that sheriffs have the power to stand in the gap against the federal government and any overreach between the federal government and the state. But critics of the proposed amendment say it will almost certainly run into legal trouble if enacted under the same grounds that undercut the Second Amendment Preservation Act. The federal Supremacy Clause establishes that federal law supersedes state law. Story continues Im not sure in what world we would be living in if the local sheriff could oversee an investigation by a federal agency, said Michael Wolff, a former Missouri Supreme Court judge from 1998 to 2011 who served two years as chief justice. I think a civics class would be in order. When asked how the court ruling would affect the legislations legal standing, state Sen. Bill Eigel, a Weldon Spring Republican and likely candidate for governor, told reporters he was prepared to have those conversations and win those fights. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, whose term ends in 2025, is the former sheriff of Polk County. The proposed amendment fits squarely within the national right-wing constitutional sheriff movement, which views sheriffs as a key backstop against perceived encroachments on liberty and constitutional freedoms. Constitutional sheriffs may refuse to enforce laws they believe are unconstitutional, and the movement has accelerated in recent years amid anger over pandemic restrictions, unfounded fears of federal gun confiscations and baseless election conspiracy theories. In Kansas, Johnson County Sheriff Calvin Hayden, a Republican, has been conducting a long-running investigation into elections. No charges have been filed and he has acknowledged he lacks probable cause to bring cases. Hayden last year spoke about the investigation at a convention of the Constitutional Sheriffs & Peace Officers Association, a constitutional sheriffs group, in Las Vegas. In November, Kansas voters approved a constitutional amendment that requires counties to maintain a sheriff as an elected position. It doesnt apply to the one county in Kansas without a sheriff, Riley County. It prohibits county governments from having an appointed sheriff or eliminating the position of sheriff altogether. The amendment sailed through, with 61% of voters approving. Representatives from several Missouri sheriffs offices, including Cass County, Hickory County and Osage County, attended Wednesdays news conference in support of the legislation. The men and women that are sheriffs across our state understand the importance of having us be moved to a constitutional position, Osage County Sheriff Michael Bonham said Wednesday. Therefore we are able to stand in the gap as the only elected law enforcement official in the state. Bonham pointed to concerns about the FBI planning to conduct audits of police agencies concealed carry weapons permits in 2022. Then-Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt blasted the FBI for the planned audit at the time. Schmitt is now in the U.S. Senate. But the FBI told The Star in 2022 that the Missouri audit was a routine inspection that Missouri had undergone multiple times and would not involve access to lists of state-approved concealed carry holders. Missouri Democrats told The Star that the Republican-led proposal would give county sheriffs vast and unwarranted levels of power. The primary duties of sheriffs are to enforce the law and maintain the county jail. Sheriffs dont get to decide what the law is and unilaterally determine who is guilty of violating itAnd sheriffs dont get to violate the U.S. Constitution and take control of federal investigations in their jurisdictions, House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, a Springfield Democrat, said in a statement. If you want to turn Missouri counties into dictatorships controlled by the local sheriff, (this legislation) is exactly how you do it. Former President Donald Trump speaks to his supporters at the Mar-a-Lago Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Joe Raedle/Getty Images Donald Trump verbally attacked the family of the judge presiding over his indictment in New York. Trump said Judge Juan Merchan and his family were "Trump-hating" on Tuesday evening. Hours before, the judge warned him not to make remarks that could jeopardize the safety of others. Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday verbally attacked the family of the judge overseeing his indictment in Manhattan, hours after the judge warned him not to make remarks that could endanger others. "This is where we are right now. I have a Trump-hating judge, with a Trump-hating wife and family, whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris and now receives money from the Biden-Harris campaign," Trump said, referring to Judge Juan Merchan. Trump did not provide substantiation for the claims he made about Merchan and his family. The former president was speaking to his supporters at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, in his first public remarks after he was arraigned in New York. Trump faces 34 felony charges of falsifying business records, brought against him by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office. Trump has pleaded not guilty. Trump's comments blasting Merchan came six hours after Merchan warned the former president not to make comments that "jeopardize the safety or well-being of any individuals." "Please refrain from making comments or engaging in conduct that has the potential to incite violence, create civil unrest, or jeopardize the safety or well-being of any individuals," Merchan told Trump's lawyers. The judge issued this warning to both sides, asking prosecutors to remind their witnesses not to make inflammatory public statements. Merchan told Trump's defense team to do the same with Trump and "anybody else you need to." That didn't stop Trump from slamming Merchan and his family hours later. The former president on Tuesday evening recalled how Merchan presided over the criminal trial of the Trump Organization, in which Allen Weisselberg, the company's former CFO, pleaded guilty to financial crimes and testified against his company. Story continues "What the prosecutors and judges did to that man, I will never forget, because it is right out of the old Soviet Union," Trump said to his supporters on Tuesday. Trump's public attacks on his critics, political opponents, or people he doesn't like have often included insults or criticism of his targets' family members. He recently singled out Bragg's wife in a Truth Social post on Monday, saying that the prosecutor's partner was a "Trump hating wife" in a similar fashion to how he attacked Merchan's family. Trump has also repeatedly attacked Elaine Chao, the wife of Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, calling her the racist nickname "Coco Chow." Chao served four years in Trump's cabinet as the Secretary of Transportation. And when he sparred with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the run-up to the 2016 election, Trump was embroiled in controversy for calling Cruz's wife, Heidi, "ugly" and posting remarks about her appearance on social media. A spokesperson for the New York state court declined to comment. Representatives for Trump and the Manhattan district attorney's office did not immediately respond to Insider's requests sent outside regular business hours. April 5, 2023: This story was updated to reflect the New York state court's response. Read the original article on Business Insider Judy Farrell, who portrayed Nurse Able on M*A*S*H opposite her then-husband Mike Farrell and later served as a writer on the ABC soap opera Port Charles, has died. She was 84. Farrell died Sunday at West Hills Hospital and Medical Center of complications from a recent stroke, her son, Michael, told The Hollywood Reporter. More from The Hollywood Reporter Farrell also appeared on such other shows as Judd for the Defense, Get Smart, Medical Center, Quincy M.E., Emergency!, Room 222, The Partridge Family, Benson and Fame, for which she also wrote an episode. From 1976-83, the Oklahoma native showed up on eight installments of M*A*S*H. Her first one was 1976s Out of Sight, Out of Mind, where Hawkeye (Alan Alda) attempts to fix a gas stove in the nurses tent and it blows up, rendering him temporarily blind. Alan decided to make it so he really couldnt see, she told THR in 2018 in an oral history of the CBS series. I ended up being the nurse who led him around, except I was always bumping him into stuff because I didnt know how to lead a blind person around. At one point, Alan turned to me and said, Do your children trust you?' Farrell also appeared on the series finale, Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen, which attracted a mind-blowing 105 million-plus viewers in the U.S. on Feb. 28, 1983. Her big-screen resume included J.W. Coop (1971), Neil Simons Chapter Two (1979) and Long-Term Relationship (2006), and she wrote for the General Hospital spinoff Port Charles from 1998-2003. Then known as Judy Hayden, she met Mike Farrell in a musical-comedy class at UCLA, and they were married from 1963 until their 1983 divorce. (He joined M*A*S*H at the start of its fourth season in 1975 as Captain B.J. Hunnicutt and in 1984 married actress Shelley Fabares.) Story continues Survivors include her second husband, Joe Bratcher (they married in 1985), and her children, Michael and Erin. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Click here to read the full article. Then-L.A. City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, second from right, leaves the federal courthouse on March 27 in Los Angeles. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) A jury convicted ex-Los Angeles Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas last week of seven federal corruption charges, including bribery, conspiracy and honest services fraud. The foreperson of the jury, Kirsi Kilpelainen, talked to The Times about how the panel reached its split verdict finding Ridley-Thomas guilty of seven out of the 19 counts. This conversation has been edited and condensed. Why talk to the media? Everybody's so invested in this and wondering what's happened. If you don't get any closure, I just feel like it's even harder to process. Whatever I can do for the people that are mourning the verdict. Even though I firmly believe he was guilty I feel bad for all of his supporters and his family and everybody that was thinking he was doing good things in politics, which I also believe he was doing good things in politics and helping underserved communities. If I were his supporters, I would want to know more about what happened. How do you explain what you ultimately convicted him on to your friends and family? Succinctly how I explain it is: He asked Marilyn Flynn to do something for him. And in exchange, he voted yes on a county contract that would get money coming into her school. My friends were more curious about the $100,000 but it didn't really come down to whether the donation was legal or illegal. It's the fact that he routed it [through USC]. And they tried to make it look like it was just a donation to the university, but there was an email giving further instructions. And we knew that he was behind the routing of the $100,000. Is it fair to say that the basis of the conviction is a relatively narrow part of the case? How did you arrive at that? Yes a small part of the timeline. We considered everything, but we had a couple of key things that we kept coming back to. In reviewing the entire case, everybody right off the bat was like, well, this seems fishy. This seems dishonest. This seems like he's not being transparent he might be breaking policies. But did he do something that was illegal according to the instructions we were given? And can we prove it beyond a reasonable doubt? Story continues To be clear, you viewed the moving of $100,000 from Mark Ridley-Thomas' political campaign, through USC, then to his son's nonprofit, as the bribe and not the $100,000 sum in itself? Yes, the funneling. Because the public-facing appearance and the private-facing appearance of the transaction diverged? It was the $100,000 moving through USC combined with the email where he tells the USC dean to "act with dispatch" and send the money out which differed from what the official statement was about the donation. It was also the exchange for the vote it's not just the $100,000 donation it is [Ridley-Thomas and the USC dean] doing something for each other. And by "exchange," you mean? The instructions stated that we didn't have to find that they had any express or specific agreement but an understanding. We used the timeline to help establish there was an understanding between them. Did anyone have a hard time grasping that concept? That it wasn't the money itself but the movement of it? No. I think some of Mark Ridley-Thomas friends and family that were asking me questions after had a hard time comprehending, but not the jurors. It sounds like pretty early on, you had ruled out the admission and scholarship that Sebastian Ridley-Thomas received, and it really came down to the $100,000 and the professorship. Is that accurate? With the professorship we were always a little bit mixed. We could see it both ways. What I think kind of finally made everybody rethink that was part of the bribe was that there was just too much phone communication, and we didn't know what happened. The government did try to make it seem like, 'Two minutes later he called Marilyn Flynn about this' but we couldn't be sure beyond a reasonable doubt. They could have been talking about something else we didn't know. But with the $100,000, everybody was pretty unanimous right from the beginning. When you went into the jury room, how did you begin? We read the full jury instructions together, even though the judge had read it, but we read through them together. The conspiracy charge was first in the packet. I was reading it out loud to everybody. And they were following along. We moved on to the next one, which was bribery, and just started talking. We were really careful to always just read the instructions. Once we got to where it says the government has to prove the following elements: One, two, three, four we would take preliminary votes on [the required criteria] or discuss, you know, the ones that the court agreed were already satisfied. And mark those off. Pretty fast into discussing the bribery charge, we knew we would have to re-create the timeline. How did you go about making a timeline? We had somebody writing on the board. There's a couple of big whiteboards in the jury room. That turned into reading all the evidence together, building our own timeline, with every email or phone record that we had. We just wanted to be sure that it fairly represented both sides. Things kept getting added as we would read through the emails. If anybody said they thought it was important, we would just add it. If anybody had a question, we would ask it [to the judge]. That was probably the first time you were able to see the emails in person, right? We were all taking notes during trial. I had written emails, word for word, thinking, Oh, my gosh, I think that's gonna come into play. And we had no idea that they would wheel in the cart with all those files and evidence. There was a lot of testimony about a July 2017 letter: a confidential message that Dean Marilyn Flynn had written to Ridley-Thomas, then hand-delivered to his office. Did you view it as how the government had framed it as the blueprint of the conspiracy? How did it factor into your deliberations? We talked about it a lot. But most of the jury thought that the USC admission and the scholarship werent part of the bribe or the scheme. We read the whole thing. We considered it. It was obviously on the timeline, surrounded by a bunch of other events that were in evidence, but we just kept coming back to: is it illegal? Maybe that's not something that they wouldn't normally hand-deliver. But that doesn't mean that anything in the letter or anything to do with the process was illegal. We still wanted to find evidence of them actually taking action on what was in the letter. You mentioned that a lot of people on the jury didn't view the admission and the scholarship as necessarily part of the overall conspiracy. Yes. And that was because, Sebastian was qualified for those, or was it just that it seemed consistent with how USC operated? We just decided that USC had some kind of VIP program, and how were we to know that Sebastian wasn't a part of that. How did sexual harassment allegations against Sebastian and his medical issues come into the analysis? There were two radically different narratives being put forth. The government is saying the sexual harassment investigation prompted his resignation, and he claimed he was sick as part of his and his father's cover story. The defense is saying he was actually sick, and thats why he had to resign. How did you make sense of that? We obviously discussed that. It was on the timeline. But we kind of all decided that it didn't really matter why he resigned; what mattered was, what was his father's involvement? Were there ever any disagreements? And if there were, how did you handle them? Yes, of course, there were disagreements. I wouldn't ever say there was any disagreement where people were heated or upset we just weren't agreeing. I just don't want disagreement to come up with a negative connotation. We weren't yelling or upset. Most of the time, if there was a disagreement, we would come back to that. We weren't allowed to talk about the case, obviously, during court proceedings. So we didn't really talk. Even on the first day, we didn't know each other's names. We folded a piece of paper in half and made a little tent so that everybody could address each other with our names because we didn't have any idea. That was really the first day that we had to start to learn to communicate with each other. One of the jurors had a service dog with her in court. What was the dog's name? What was it like having the dog in the jury room? His name was Homer. He was really well-behaved. A couple people were saying, Oh, it makes me miss my dog. He just lay in the corner under the whiteboard when we were in there. A lot of the defense took issue with the FBI agent and his statements about which documents he reviewed and a misstatement about the sexual harassment investigation into Sebastian Ridley-Thomas. What did you make of that? We used elements of the timeline that the FBI agent was questioned on to build our timeline, but we made sure that it was backed up by the evidence and the phone logs. Most of everything he was testifying on were documents and we had the documents. After you finished the timeline, what happened next? Making the timeline was ongoing. We were still adding things until the last day. But once we had the bulk of it done, we were working on the bribery charge. How did you evaluate the bribery charge? We were discussing bribery related to each of the events: the admission, the scholarship, the professorship and the $100,000 donation and discussing each word and just being really careful about dissecting the sentences [in the jury instructions] because we don't do this all the time. We were really being conscious of when a sentence said, "this and this had to be true." And sometimes it was "this or this." We would read through one of the numbers [of the elements required to prove bribery] and look at the evidence and timeline, take a preliminary vote of who thought yes, maybe or no. And then we would just ask to hear from each other. If there were many no's, and one yes, we would say "Oh, can we hear why you think yes?" We never came to any exact conclusions or opened the verdict folder until the very last day, when everyone was sure they understood what they were voting on. We discussed the bribery count for a long time probably two full days. There was a definition of a word on the next page it said that the defendant had to act corruptly. Note: The jury instruction said: "An act is done 'corruptly' if it is performed voluntarily, deliberately, and dishonestly, for the purpose of either accomplishing an unlawful end or result or of accomplishing some otherwise lawful end or lawful result by an unlawful method or means." We sent a note to ask the judge if unlawful meant illegal. I know sometimes unlawful equals illegal, but I know sometimes it doesn't equal illegal, it means that there's not a law saying that is illegal. And so we wanted to clarify that from the court's perspective, did that mean something illegal? The confusion was that it added something else illegal to the charge besides bribery. If he committed bribery, that's illegal/unlawful. But there was this extra paragraph where it seemed there had to be bribery plus something else for it to be illegal. So we moved onto the honest services fraud charges, and when we had guilty verdicts on five of those, we knew that was something unlawful that satisfied the paragraph that said there had to be unlawful means. So it wasn't that you were confused. The reason I don't want to say we were confused is because we didn't know any different. The reason I don't like the word confused is that a lot of the reports being written were trying to say, "Oh, yeah, the poor jury was confused on their verdict." And no, we were not. We were very sure by the end of what our verdict was. They were trying to make it seem like we were confused about the whole process, and we were not. We were very sure of what we decided, and which counts of honest services wire fraud we decided to say guilty and not guilty. It seems like people are using "confused" out of context to try to invalidate what the jury did. That's the part I don't like. We were all very unanimous by the end. When the verdict was read, you were all generally sitting toward the defendant and his lawyers. How was that? When we sent out the note that said we had a unanimous verdict, we didn't know how long it would take everybody to gather [in the courtroom]. Would we have five minutes? An hour? So we were all like, Who do we look at? What do we do? This is much more uncomfortable than the other times we've walked into the courtroom. I think most jurors decided to turn their chairs toward the judge and just avoid looking. How did you feel afterward? After we were done deliberating, we hadn't filled out the verdict folder but we had our final votes on everything. We knew that there was some guilty. We didn't tell them that we were finished, and we asked to go outside for 15 minutes. It didn't feel good I think the weight of it all feels horrible. Even though we're very sure of the decisions, it still like does not make you feel good to actually do that. On the last day, we were just going to get some fresh air and make sure that everybody was very confident and that nobody had anything that they wanted to change about the whole case before we came back in and filled out the verdict folder. Some people were saying that they felt sick to their stomach. They couldn't catch a full breath. When you actually finalize the vote we're asked not to consider what's going to happen to him, and we didn't. But I think we had a hard time as a group processing that we were to just fill this out. And that's it. So that's why we decided to go outside and just take a little break from what we had been doing. Because all of a sudden, it was over. And there was no more discussion of maybe he didn't do it. He did. It doesn't feel great. I think people just assume like, oh, yeah, guilty, you know, what a big win for fighting corruption. But even if that's the case, it's not fun. Somebody's guilty. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The Justice Department announced a $144.5 million settlement on Wednesday with victims of a 2017 mass shooting at a church in Texas that left 26 people dead and 22 injured. The agreement in principle, which still needs court approval, is aimed at resolving civil lawsuits stemming from the attack carried out by a former member of the US Air Force, the department said in a statement. A federal district court judge ruled in July 2021 that the government was partly liable because the air force failed to enter information into the FBI's background check system that would have prevented the assailant from buying a gun. Devin Kelley, who killed himself after carrying out the attack at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, had a conviction for domestic violence on his record and had been court-martialed. The Texas judge who heard the case ordered the government to pay more than $230 million to victims of the attack but the Justice Department appealed the ruling. The Justice Department said the tentative settlement resolves claims by the more than 75 plaintiffs who had accused the air force of negligence. "No words or amount of money can diminish the immense tragedy of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs," associate attorney general Vanita Gupta said. "Today's announcement brings the litigation to a close, ending a painful chapter for the victims of this unthinkable crime," Gupta said. The Justice Department has previously reached large monetary settlements with victims of mass shootings. A total of $127.5 million was awarded in March 2022 to survivors and relatives of victims of the 2018 mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida. In October 2021, the Justice Department reached an $88 million settlement with victims of a 2015 shooting by a white supremacist at a Black church in Charleston, South Carolina. cl/tjj A Kansas couple were arrested after a search warrant led authorities to seize thousands of pills believed to be fentanyl along with guns and stolen property at a Salina home Tuesday. The Salina Police Department named the man and woman arrested as 36-year-old Gregory Walburn and 28-year-old Chelsea Walburn, both of Salina, according to a news release. SWAT officers and detectives from the Salina Police Department along with agents from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation served a search warrant at 827 Mike Drive during an investigation into the possible distribution of fentanyl pills, according to the release. Authorities seized over 5,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills thought to be fentanyl, half an ounce of methamphetamine, two handguns, ammo and property believed to be stolen, according to the release. Both were arrested on suspicion of six counts of aggravated endangering of a child, distribution of opiates, possession of opiates, two counts of Kansas tax stamp violation, possession of methamphetamine, criminal possession of a firearm and possession of stolen property, according to the news release. A Kansas City man who disappeared from his home and family roughly 32 years ago was identified as a 71-year-old whose body was found in a burning car in Lebanon, Missouri in March. Stephen Winn, who resided with his wife and children in Kansas City until 1991, was identified through DNA testing, the Lebanon police said in a statement Tuesday. His death is believed to be self-inflicted, according to police. Police in Lebanon, a city of about 15,000 residents roughly 176 miles southeast of Kansas City, began investigating after Winn was found dead March 19. Firefighters were called to a reported vehicle burning in a parking lot. They came upon a 1979 Chrysler New Yorker that was burning. The fire was put out, Winn was found dead, and an autopsy was ordered to determine the cause and identify him. Along with DNA evidence, investigators conducted interviews that led them to conclude Winn had assumed the identity of his former wife and later taken on another alias. It was not immediately clear why. Police investigators also traced Winn to an address in Camdenton, Missouri, where documents were discovered that also led them to believe he died by suicide. As of Tuesday, police said they continued to await the full results of the autopsy. BUDAPEST, April 5 (Xinhua) -- The government of Hungary does not want the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to become an anti-China bloc, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Wednesday at the close of a NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels. Instead of rivalry, mutually beneficial cooperation is needed, he said. According to Szijjarto, the relationship between NATO and China should not be described as military in nature. "We don't want NATO to become an anti-China bloc. We don't see the meaning of rivalry, we don't see the logic of it, and we don't see what good could come out of it," he said. Instead of rivalry, Hungary's government is interested in mutually beneficial cooperation, which he said was not only possible but also necessary, especially in the context of the automotive revolution. He recalled the example of European car manufacturers, who have become "completely dependent on South Korean and Chinese electric vehicle batteries". "All those who are calling for the separation of the Chinese and European economies risk giving a huge blow to the European economy," he said. Without the Sino-European cooperation, there is no new European automotive industry and no successful European environmental protection either, he warned. Szijjarto also tackled China's peace plan for Ukraine, which he believed could be a suitable starting point for international negotiations. "We want peace talks to start as soon as possible, because the sooner there is a ceasefire, the more lives we can save in Ukraine," he said. A police officer writes a ticket. (iStockphoto/Getty Images) A 21-year veteran of the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department filed a lawsuit last month against the agency, alleging that he was forced to meet illegal ticket quotas and target minority communities. The complaint came months after the Department of Justice announced an investigation into the police departments employment practices and alleged discrimination against Black officers. Edward Williams, a white man, alleges that over the last seven years the department has threatened to demote officers to the overnight shift if they didnt fulfill ticket quotas. When I first was contacted in regards to this matter I had to look into it, because I didnt know that ticket quotas were not legal, Gerald Gray, Williamss attorney, told Yahoo News. Ticket quotas have been illegal in Missouri since August 2016. The law states: No political subdivision or law enforcement agency shall have a policy requiring or encouraging an employee to issue a certain number of citations for traffic violations on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, or other quota basis. But even with these laws in place, theres either subtle or overt ticket quotas that are occurring all the time, Jay Beeber, director of policy and research at the National Motorists Association, told Yahoo News. Demonstrators at police headquarters in downtown Kansas City, Mo., in June 2020 protest the death of George Floyd. (Charlie Riedel/AP) According to Williamss lawsuit, KCPD sergeants ranked officers by their ticket counts, and reprimanded officers with low ticket numbers by taking away their duties and benefits and giving them unsatisfactory marks on evaluations. While ticket quotas are illegal in several states, Beeber says, they still exist behind closed doors because of the revenue they bring in. There are lots of examples around the country where a lot of [cities] budget comes from tickets, and so for their officers, thats their main job, Beeber said. In 2016, Kansas City police wrote approximately 18,000 traffic tickets each month. From 2021 to 2022, Kansas Citys budget included $6.6 million from traffic violations. The Kansas City Star reported that a drop of 25% would cost the city more than $1.6 million in revenue. Story continues Other cities also use ticketing to fund their budgets. For instance, in Chicago, ticketing brought in nearly $264 million in 2016, adding up to about 7% of the citys operating budget. And experts say ticket quotas hit marginalized communities the hardest. They are creating a huge financial burden in these communities, Beeber said. In Missouri, Black people make up only 11% of the population but they are subjected to more than 42% of traffic stops. In contrast, white people in Missouri make up 80% of the states population and account for less than 25% of all traffic stops, Tom Bastian, deputy director for communications for the ACLU of Missouri, told Yahoo News. According to legal experts, Missourians have been concerned with bias in traffic enforcement for decades. In 2000, the state passed a law that created the annual Vehicle Stops Report to track disparities in who is pulled over by police. In 2021, a report found that Black drivers were pulled over at a higher rate than white drivers. Part of that is a socioeconomic thing; those neighborhoods tend to be poor, Benjamin Easter, a Kansas City criminal defense lawyer, told Yahoo News. And so people are going to have cars with more things wrong with them. Theyre going to have more registration issues with their car, etc. Officers deploy to confront protesters demanding police reforms who have gathered outside Kansas City police headquarters in July 2020. (Charlie Riedel/AP) But Easter says the root of the problem is that police in Kansas City arent accountable to the local residents. While most cities control their police departments, the KCPD is run by a five-member board of police commissioners, four of whom are appointed by the Missouri governor and one of whom is the mayor. This is just another strong case [for] why we need local control of the police here in Kansas City. The police chief and the local police are appointed by the state committee rather than a local entity, Easter said. Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves denied Williamss allegations in a statement released on March 22. Our department is dedicated to policing that is both equitable and fair in all aspects of our duties. We do not direct enforcement activities based on demographics. We do direct traffic enforcement in high crash locations as well as citizen traffic complaint locations, Graves said. I find these allegations very concerning and will immediately ensure the Traffic Division is reminded to operate and enforce laws appropriately. But legal experts say ticket quotas are not uncommon in the U.S, and they doubt things will change anytime soon. I personally have a hard time believing that [illegal ticket quotas are] going to stop without some drastic change in leadership at the Kansas City Police Department, Spencer Webster, a local attorney, told Yahoo News. Williams is requesting a trial by jury and seeking multiple damages. WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The criminal case against former President Donald Trump, unveiled on Tuesday, rests not just on his high-profile alleged affair with porn star Stormy Daniels but also on a separate liaison with Playboy model Karen McDougal. A 52-year-old former model and actress from Indiana, McDougal was a Playboy magazine Playmate of the Year in the late 1990s. She has said she had an affair with Trump in 2006 and 2007. Trump has denied having a sexual relationship with her. American Media Inc (AMI), corporate parent of the National Enquirer, has acknowledged paying McDougal $150,000 for the rights to her story to prevent her from going public with it ahead of the 2016 presidential election - a practice known in the publishing industry as "catch and kill." AMI admitted to the arrangement in a non-prosecution agreement with the Manhattan District Attorney's office in 2018. Prosecutors said in a charging document on Tuesday that Trump did not want the woman's story to become public "because he was concerned about the effect it could have on his candidacy." They said Trump, his lawyer Michael Cohen and AMI former chief executive David Pecker, a longtime friend of Trump, agreed that Trump would reimburse AMI. But Pecker ultimately opted not to seek repayment after talking with a company lawyer. The U.S. Federal Election Commission ruled in 2021 that AMI's payment to McDougal amounted to an illegal campaign contribution that benefited Trump, and fined its successor company $187,500. Pecker has testified before the Manhattan grand jury that investigated the case and indicted Trump. McDougal later sued AMI and reached an agreement that allowed her to discuss her relationship with Trump. ONE OF TWO The transaction is one of two involving alleged affairs that are at the heart of the criminal case against Trump. The other involves porn star Stormy Daniels, who received $130,000 from Trump's lawyer Cohen shortly before the 2016 election as well. Story continues Daniels and Cohen both say the payment was to buy her silence about a 2006 affair with Trump. Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to federal campaign-finance charges related to his payments to Daniels. Trump has denied having had sexual relationships with either woman, but has acknowledged reimbursing Cohen. (Reporting by David Morgan; editing by Andy Sullivan, Kieran Murray and Stephen Coates) Kaulig Racing will have to live with most of NASCARs original penalty. The National Motorsports Appeals Panel ruled Wednesday that Kaulig Racing had indeed illegally modified a single-source vendor supplied part (hood louvers) on the 31 car agreeing with NASCAR when the sanctioning body doled out the penalty last month. But the appeals panel also amended the consequences that NASCAR announced in accordance with the L2 infraction. The new penalty for the 31 team (driven by Justin Haley) is the following: $100,000 fine and four-race suspension for crew chief Trent Owens (unchanged from NASCARs original ruling) Loss of 75 NASCAR Cup Series team owner and driver points (reduced from NASCARs original 100 owner/driver points deduction) Loss of 10 NASCAR Cup Series team owner and driver playoff points (unchanged from NASCARs original ruling) This deduction, even with its amendment, keeps Haley in last place in driver points. Notably, this decision comes a week after Hendrick Motorsports saw its points penalties rescinded for the same infraction. In the Hendrick case, the 100 driver points that NASCAR initially took away from each of the three penalized HMS Cup teams were restored and that shot the No. 5 team (Kyle Larson), the No. 24 team (William Byron) and the No. 48 team (Alex Bowman) back up near the top of the Cup Series points standings. That appeal result irked drivers and crew chiefs and others throughout the garage area. Drivers said it essentially rendered one of NASCARs biggest offseason emphases dont modify single-source supplier parts ineffectual. Its also worth noting that the difference in ruling, some might say, reflects an unwritten double-standard in the NASCAR Cup Series. More money, more lawyers, better lawyers, Kyle Busch told reporters last week at Richmond Raceway in response to the HMS appeals result. Like in HMSs appeals decision announcement, the National Motorsports Appeals Panel did not provide justification for its decision on Kaulig Racings appeal on Wednesday. Story continues The only difference between the Hendrick and Kaulig appeals were the NMAP members on hand. On Wednesday, those were Hunter Nickell, Shawna Robinson and Steve York. Mar 4, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Justin Haley (31) during practice at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports Kaulig Racing president speaks out on NASCAR penalties Kaulig Racing president Chris Rice addressed the penalties that the appeals panel upheld on FS1s Race Hub show Wednesday evening. Its disheartening, Rice said. He added, You know what goes on in the garage. You know what happens. With single-source suppliers and knowing all the rules (around them) and different things, its really tough nowadays. Im not gonna lie: I stand behind my guys. I stand behind everyone at Kaulig Racing that we upheld the rules, and we did what we know is legal. Rice added that out of respect for the process he didnt want to get into what he and his team argued during Wednesdays appeal. That said, Rice explained that he was in communication with Jeff Gordon, Vice Chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, this week to exchange notes on how HMS got its favorable ruling last week. Rice also added that all three of the penalties not just the points penalties are devastating to a race team like Kaulig, which just established its Cup program last year. The $100,000 fine to a budget is also something thats pretty tough, Rice said. I do understand that we want tough penalties when the crime (warrants it). I do understand that. And I do respect that. But when you look at everything that has gone down over the last couple weeks, you just kind of go, Man that is disheartening that Kaulig Racing is sitting here in this position. Kaulig Racing has the chance to make one last appeal to the final appeals officer, which in this case is Langley Speedway promotor Bill Mullis. Rice indicated that the race team will likely take advantage of that opportunity. Well make an announcement in the morning, but I think you can tell from my feelings and where Im sitting at that you know that well probably continue on the path of trying to fight this, Rice said. He then added, I owe it to everybody at Kaulig Racing, man. Cakes and hot weather can be a tricky combo, but our expert tips will ensure it stays fresh all night. Choosing your wedding cake is one of the most exciting parts of wedding planning. Not only do you and your partner get to select the perfect cake flavor to share with your guests, but you also get to choose the ideal design to match the overall aesthetic or theme of your wedding. The wedding cake truly becomes the star of the show at many receptions! The only problem? Wedding cakes are fragile, and because one of the main ingredients for many wedding cakes is butter, they can easily be affected by heat. If youre planning a summer wedding and hosting your party outside, there are a few key details that should be considered to keep your wedding cake in tip-top shape. Summer heat can't be controlled, but you can control how you manage it, says Lindsey Johnson, cake artist and owner of Lady in the Wild West. Lindsey Johnson is a cake artist and the owner of Lady in the Wild West based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Below, find expert tips and tricks to keep your wedding cake looking great at an outdoor summer wedding. Related:Wedding Experts on the One Cake Theyll Never Forget Communicate With Your Vendors As youre selecting the perfect wedding cake flavor and design, be sure your wedding planner and other key vendors are included in the discussion. The timing of summer weddings is often dependent on temperature and location, and youll want to work the delivery of your cake into the ideal time slot. My most valued advice for couples is to communicate with the event planner, venue, photographer, and the cake artist to ensure the best possible situation for the wedding cake, says Johnson. The best course of action may be to have your cake delivered after your ceremony. While romantic, the idea of the cake being displayed on a cake table for hours in the summer sun isn't realistic, says Johnson. Note the warmest part of the day and plan your delivery around it. Discuss this with your event planner and the venue. Story continues Check with your venue to see if there is a refrigeration option on site. If theres room, you may be able to have your cake delivered earlier in the day and store it until its time to put it on display at your reception. Cakes take up a lot of space and need height, adds Johnson. Ask your cake artist how much space is needed for storage. Discuss Your Display Letting your cake sit out in the summer sun is not the best option, so location matters when it comes to where youll display your big day sweet. If you can find it, shade will assist with keeping a cake cool. A light breeze will also help to circulate cool air. If youre having a tented wedding, be sure to keep the type of tent in mind. A white tent may assist in keeping your cake cool, but a clear top tent will not. They tend to create a greenhouse effect and will melt your cake even faster, adds Johnson. Pick the Perfect Frosting Once the cake flavor has been decided, youll choose the ideal filling and frosting too. But there are a few options that will fare better in the heat than others. Traditional American Buttercream is made with butter as the base, but butter melts at 90 F to 95 F. Johnson says she adds vegetable shortening to the final outer coating, which has a higher melting point at 115 F. This can help to maintain stability without sacrificing flavor. If you want an all-chocolate cake, chocolate ganache is a great option for an outer coating because cocoa solids are better at withstanding heat. Johnson also suggests Italian Buttercream, which starts by cooking egg whites at a high temperature, for another delicious and sturdy option. Fondant is lower in fat and has stabilizing ingredients, therefore it can withstand summer heat, but I do not recommend fondant for humid locations, adds Johnson. In hot humid weather, fondant will melt. Discuss these options with your cake artist before you select your design. Consider Design The skys the limit when it comes to wedding cake designs, but thats not always the case if youre hosting an outdoor wedding in the summer sun. Johnsons advice for designs and decor is that less is more. Cakes become fragile in the summer heat, and heavy decorations can make them even more fragile. For example, large buttercream flowers or sugar flowers can melt, fall off, or weigh a cake down, she says. Instead, opt for natural decor like fresh wildflowers and greens, berries, or dried pressed flowers and herbs. Focus more on textures, marbling, or abstract painted scenes. Plan With Your Photographer Even with putting plans in place to keep your cake looking fresh and beautiful at a summertime wedding, youll want photos of it to be captured as soon as its delivered. Capture the cake in its full glory, the sooner the better, says Johnson. Be sure to let your photographer know when the cake will arrive so theyre ready to photograph it with the ideal backdrop. Up Next:33 Summer Wedding Cakes That We Can't Get Enough Of Gov. Brian Kemp exercised his veto pen Tuesday less than a week after the General Assembly adjourned for the year. Kemp vetoed House Bill 319, which prohibits the University System of Georgia Board of Regents from raising tuition or fees more than 3% without the approval of the legislature. The Georgia House of Representatives and state Senate each passed the measure unanimously last Wednesday, the final day of the 2023 legislative session. In his veto message, Kemp called the bill unconstitutional. The Georgia Constitution makes plain the authority to govern, control, and manage the University System and all system institutions is vested in the Board of Regents, the governor wrote. Because of the constitutional reservation of authority in the Board of Regents, the legislation cannot be adopted without the approval of Georgians through exercise of their franchise. Tuesdays veto was the first of Kemps second four-year term as governor, which began in January. Georgia governors typically dont issue vetoes until near the end of the period of 40 calendar days they have following the end of each General Assembly session to act on the bills lawmakers pass each year. However, there are exceptions, notably the late-March veto then-Gov. Nathan Deal issued in 2016 rejecting a controversial religious freedom bill civil rights advocates and business leaders opposed as potentially discriminating against Georgias LGBTQ community. The provision in the legislation concerning tuition and fees in House Bill 319 was a small part of a broader bill aimed at abolishing the Georgia Student Financing Commission, which is no longer needed, said state Rep. Chuck Martin, R-Alpharetta, chairman of the House Higher Education Commission and the bills sponsor. The Senate amended the bill last Wednesday to add the tuition provision, Martin said. I respect the governors decision, he said. We can do [the rest of the bill] next year. The Board of Regents has held the line on tuition recently, voting five times in the last seven years not to raise tuition at most of the university systems 26 institutions. At a campaign rally in Iowa in 2016, then presidential candidate Donald Trump said the following: I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldnt lose voters. That theory, said in typical Trump bravado about his loyal supporters, is now getting a real-time test. No, he did not shoot anybody. But Trump does face felony charges of falsifying business records. And Trump may soon face allegations about obstruction of justice over how he handled presidential records, as well as his alleged interference with the 2020 presidential balloting in Georgia. That said, who might be Trump fan boy No. 1? None other than House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. The Bakersfield Republican worked Tuesday to deflect any focus on the fraud case brought in New York. Instead, McCarthy made the district attorney who filed the charges the issue. Alvin Bragg is attempting to interfere in our democratic process by invoking federal law to bring politicized charges against President Trump, McCarthy said in the start of a Twitter post made a short while after Trump was arraigned in state court. Alvin Bragg is attempting to interfere in our democratic process by invoking federal law to bring politicized charges against President Trump, admittedly using federal funds, while at the same time arguing that the peoples representatives in Congress lack jurisdiction to Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) April 4, 2023 McCarthy ends his posting with this threat: Braggs weaponization of the federal justice process will be held accountable by Congress. The words used by McCarthy are important. As House speaker, he is behind only the vice president in the line of succession to the presidency. He is also the Houses top Republican, and those members take their clues from him. Lets analyze his tweet: Alvin Bragg is attempting to interfere in our democratic process... Story continues Actually, Bragg is upholding democracy by showing that no citizen from the average person to a former president of the United States is above the law. Bragg made it clear in his news conference after Trumps arraignment that this is a case involving the white-collar crime of fraud, which the Manhattan district attorney gets a lot of practice prosecuting, given it is the nations financial center. That office knows fraud when it sees it. ... by invoking federal law to bring politicized charges against President Trump... The possibility of Trump working to undermine election integrity should matter to voters across the political spectrum. If he tried to cover up an affair with a porn star to better his chances with voters and paid that actor $130,000 to keep quiet that bears legal scrutiny. ... while at the same time arguing that the peoples representatives in Congress lack jurisdiction to investigate this farce. There are instances when the federal government can supersede a state agency, like when civil rights are being violated. But there is no role for Congress in a local criminal prosecution. McCarthy knows better. Braggs weaponization of the federal justice process will be held accountable by Congress. The speakers powerful role in U.S. government is clear. Bragg is a local prosecutor. Who really is doing the weaponizing right now? What McCarthy should do One wonders if McCarthy and the other outspoken Trump backers in the House Ohios Jim Jordan, Georgias Marjorie Taylor Greene, Colorados Lauren Boebert, Floridas Matt Gaetz could ever see anything possibly wrong in Trump. If he really did shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and got arrested, would they say it was a political prosecution? One wonders. The bottom line is this: Bragg is a local prosecutor trying a fraud case; the defendant happens to be the former president. Bragg plans to treat Trump like any other suspect of white-collar crime, as well he should. McCarthy and the other Trump acolytes in the House are just venting their sound and fury, signifying nothing. They have not seen the evidence. They have not interviewed the witnesses. They are not on the prosecution team. There is a word for those who would bend elections to their personal will: Dictator. Example: Vladimir Putin. Interesting how Trump was fascinated by the Russian leader. It would have been so much simpler for Bragg not to bring this case. Just ignore it, move on to the next no-name suspect. But he is trying to uphold the law and do the right thing. Thats what McCarthy should do as well. Jacky Tan began his adventure to find the worlds best Kentucky Fried Chicken in 2005 (Collect/PA Real Life) On an 18-year quest spanning 24 countries and five continents a fast food lover hunting for the best KFC in the world has decided the finest finger-lickin good chicken is in Mongolia. Jacky Tan, a 41-year-old marketing consultant from Singapore, began his adventure to find the worlds best Kentucky Fried Chicken in 2005 after finding the Original Recipe tasted different abroad. Since then, he has taken every opportunity to try the deep-fried delicacy while traveling for work or with his wife Michelle, a 41-year-old assistant who he often has to persuade to take a reluctant detour from their holiday. Even on the couples honeymoon, Jacky managed to visit a KFC in Barcelona, but Spain had the worst he has tried, closely followed by Hong Kong and Australia. Jacky makes the same order in every country and has developed a ranking he has dubbed TaF-CA, an acronym for taste, freshness, crispiness and aroma the four key criteria he uses to evaluate each KFC. Asked why the quest means so much to him, Jacky said: I dont come from a very rich family, so I would have to save up to afford a KFC. So for me, its really a luxury. Now of course, I have my own income. I cant say exactly how many KFCs I have had, but definitely more than 1,000. While there are many strong contenders, Jackys research found Mongolia stood out from the rest, where he said he had to queue for an hour but the deep-fried poultry was unique. I visited the KFC in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in 2013 during a business trip with my colleagues, Jacky said. It had just opened and there were loads of people queuing so we had to wait for an hour. But the wait was totally worth it. I rank the chicken based on taste, freshness, crispiness and aroma, and the Mongolian fried chicken hit all of these indicators. Its very unique. I was totally impressed. (PA Real Life) After Mongolia, the next best chicken on Jackys list is more than 7,000 miles away in Cape Town International Airports departure terminal, which offers more than a good meal. Story continues The KFC in South Africa has a really nice view of Table Mountain, so they have one of the best spots. Their chicken also hit all the right notes but it still wasnt quite as good as Mongolia, he said. Completing Jackys top 10 are Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Chile, the Philippines and South Korea. Trying KFC across the world is not always easy for Jacky and one of the first hurdles is convincing his wife, who does not share the same enthusiasm. Sometimes its difficult to get my wifes approval because she says, how come you are doing this, were in another country, we should try something different rather than just getting a KFC, he said. When I spot a KFC from far away, shes like, oh no, dont do this, but Ill just keep talking about it and then towards the end of our trip, shell be like, OK, just go try it. (PA Real Life) I dont go looking for the KFCs but if I see one along the way then I want to try it. Ive travelled to 38 countries but not every one had a KFC. For example, when I visited Fiji in 2017, they told me that KFC had left the country, so its not always easy. To make sure his TaF-CA ranking is valid, Jacky has adopted a consistent approach when ordering KFC. So that the ranking is fair, I always order the Original Recipe chicken, two or four pieces if Im hungry, he said. If the chicken doesnt make it past my first criteria, taste because its too salty or bland, for example then I dont really bother with the rest. The UK did not impress Jackys experienced palate, ranking 21st, ahead of only Australia, Hong Kong and Spain. He said: I visited a KFC near Piccadilly Circus a long time ago and it wasnt necessarily bad, it just didnt really make an impression on me. I do remember the one in Spain though, because it was too dry and totally bland, like eating rubber. The best thing there was probably the soft drink. The US, where KFC is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, also failed to impress Jacky, who places it in 19th behind France and Bolivia. While he has certainly tried more KFCs than most people, there are still plenty of places to be discovered given the fast-food chain has more than 25,000 outlets in 145 countries. Sometimes Jacky spots a KFC at the wrong time after having already eaten, but this does not necessarily stop him from giving it a try. He said: There are times when I was already too full, like in South Korea, for example, so I had to take the KFC back to our hotel. I rank South Korea in 10th, because there is a lot of fried chicken there and so its difficult for the KFC to stand out. Jacky appreciates that not everybody will agree with his world ranking and says there are many other factors to take into account. He said: Though I ranked based on taste, freshness, crispiness, and aroma, the ranking was based on my opinion at the time when I was trying the food! The one that I ranked the lowest might not be indicative of the KFC standard in the country or that restaurant. I also often review my list. That is why Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore rankings are not always consistent. Jackys full global KFC ranking is as follows: 1. Mongolia 2. South Africa 3. Sri Lanka 4. Indonesia 5. Malaysia 6. Thailand 7. Singapore 8. Chile 9. The Philippines 10. South Korea 11. Vietnam 12. China 13. Japan 14. Peru 15. Taiwan 16. Italy 17. Bolivia 18. France 19. USA 20. Germany 21. United Kingdom 22. Australia 23. Hong Kong 24. Spain Downtown Juneau, Alaska, and book cover A childrens book illustrator who lives in Juneau, Alaska, is accused of leaving notes around the capital city suggesting transgender people would shoot children, and now hes been arrested and charged with second-degree terroristic threatening. The notes, the size of a business card, include images of the transgender flag and an assault rifle with the text Feeling cute. Might shoot some children, the Anchorage Daily News reports. They were found over the past few days at a Juneau supermarket, the State Office Building, and a Costco store. Juneau police arrested Mitchell Watley, 47, on Sunday, after reviewing security camera footage from one of the sites that police said showed him posting a note. Watley told police he was in fear because of the recent school shooting in Nashville, in which the shooter, now dead, was said to have been transgender. Watley has illustrated several childrens books, including the popular title I Would Tuck You In. The charge of second-degree terroristic threatening is a Class C felony and carries a sentence of up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $50,000. Some parents removed their children from school after the first notes were found Friday, the Daily News reports. Schools took additional security measures, such as posting police officers on campuses over the weekend. At a court hearing Monday, to which Watley phoned in from jail, Assistant District Attorney Rexene Finley said he posed a threat to both children and trans people. We have the right to live free of violence and free of fear, she said, according to the Daily News. Friday was Transgender Day of Visibility. Finley and Judge Kirsten Swanson agreed that Watley could be released on bond as he awaits trial and that he would be electronically monitored. He is barred from areas with concentrations of children. Baby powder Credit - Getty Images Johnson & Johnson is willing to pay almost $9 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits alleging that its talcum powder caused cancers, the company announced Apr. 4. The proposal is the latest chapter in a long-running saga related to the companys use of talca naturally occurring mineral that has been linked to cancerin its baby powder. Johnson & Johnson stopped selling baby powder containing talc in North America in 2020, and last year announced plans to discontinue global use of the mineral and sell only a cornstarch-based baby powder formula. At the time, Johnson & Johnson representatives said in a company statement that the shift was a commercial decision to meet the needs of our consumers, customers and evolving global trends. In an Apr. 4 statement, the company maintained its longstanding position that its talcum powder products are safe. Talc is not banned in the U.S., but today, many baby powder brands instead use cornstarch, which is used as an absorbent in cosmetics. While cornstarch is likely a safer choice than talc, some experts say it still comes with health risks. Heres what to know. The health risks of talc-containing and cornstarch-based baby powder Just as parents use baby powder to keep their infants skin dry and free of rashes, some adults apply the product to their genitals, inner thighs, feet, or other parts of the body to absorb moisture and prevent chafing or skin irritation. Some studies suggest that applying talc to the genital area may increase the risk of ovarian cancer. But other research, including a large study published in 2020, does not support that conclusion. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) considers using talc-based baby powders around the genitals possibly carcinogenic. There is stronger evidence that the use of talc tainted by asbestosanother mineral that is often found near talc in the earthis linked to cancers including mesothelioma, which affects tissue that lines internal organs. Since asbestos exposure is linked to lung cancer, inhaling asbestos-contaminated talc may also increase the risk of that disease. IARC considers talc tainted with asbestos a known human carcinogen. (J&J has long maintained that its baby powders do not contain asbestos, despite reporting to the contrary.) Story continues Over time, inhaling talceven the kind free of asbestoscan also contribute to respiratory issues including coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing, says Dr. Stanley Spinner, chief medical officer at Texas Childrens Pediatrics and Texas Childrens Urgent Care. Babies are at particular risk, he says, but respiratory issues are sometimes reported among adults as well. People who work in environments where they regularly inhale talc may be at risk of serious lung damage or cancer, research suggests. Breathing in cornstarch baby powder may also cause lung issues over time, Spinner says. Thats again primarily a concern for babies, given their smaller airways, but the risk among adults is likely not zero either, he says. Anything that you inhale can irritate the lungs, agrees Dr. Peily Soong, a pediatrician at Childrens of Alabama. Do experts recommend using any kind of baby powder? The American Academy of Pediatrics has long recommended against the use of baby powders that contain talc, because of both inhalation concerns and potential cancer risks. But what about cornstarch baby powder? If you have to choose between the two, cornstarch baby powder is likely the better option, Spinner says. But in general its better to avoid all of them due to respiratory concerns. Soong also does not recommend baby powder, even if its cornstarch-based, and says its usually not necessary anyway. If diaper rash is a concern, Soong recommends using a petroleum-based ointment, changing your baby frequency, and sometimes letting them go without a diaper at home. If a parent is determined to use any amount of baby powder, Spinner says they should put a little bit on their hand and very carefully apply it to the skin to minimize the risk of it getting into the air and being inhaled. King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, pose for a photo in Buckingham Palace ahead of the coronation. Buckingham Palace/Hugo Burnand/Reuters Camilla, Queen Consort will be referred to as Queen Camilla after the coronation. The king's coronation invitation and a palace source have confirmed the title change. A palace source told The Guardian that Camilla will drop the "consort" part of her title. Camilla, Queen Consort, is due to drop the "consort" part of her title and will be referred to as Queen Camilla following the coronation, Buckingham Palace has confirmed. King Charles III and Camilla are due to be officially crowned at a coronation ceremony at London's Westminster Abbey on May 6. In the invitation for the ceremony, which was released as part of a press release on Tuesday, Camilla is referred to as Queen Camilla. Speaking to The Guardian, a Buckingham Palace source said the new title will be used on an official basis after the coronation. "It made sense to refer to Her Majesty as the queen consort in the early months of His Majesty's reign, to distinguish from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II," the palace source said. "'Queen Camilla' is the appropriate title to set against 'King Charles' on the invitation. The coronation is an appropriate time to start using 'Queen Camilla' in an official capacity. All former queen consorts have been known as 'Queen' plus their first name," they added. The royal website will be updated after the coronation to reflect the title change, the palace told The Guardian. The title of Queen typically refers to the reigning monarch, while Queen Consort is the official title for the wife or companion of a monarch, Insider previously reported. As the palace source said, most consorts have dropped the "consort" part of the title in recent years. For example, Queen Elizabeth II's mother was known as Queen Elizabeth and her title was changed to the Queen Mother when Elizabeth II ascended the throne in 1952. Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Camilla was originally supposed to be titled Princess Consort Camilla became queen consort upon the death of Queen Elizabeth and the accession of her husband, Charles, on September 8, 2022. Story continues The late Queen Elizabeth announced her wish for Camilla to be given the title during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations in February 2022. "When, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes King, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support you have given me; and it is my sincere wish that, when the time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service," the late monarch wrote in a statement. However, the word "queen" was originally not planned to be part of Camilla's title. Queen Elizabeth's endorsement of Camilla contradicted a previous statement made by the royal household in 2005 that said Camilla's title would change to "princess consort" when Charles became king, according to People. Royal commentator Kinsey Schofield previously told Insider that Queen Elizabeth II announced the title change to encourage the public to support the couple, who were associated with controversy in the past. Charles and Camilla were criticized in the press for having an affair in the 1980s while Charles was married to the late Princess Diana. Public scrutiny of their relationship reignited in 2020 when their affair was portrayed in the fourth season of Netflix's historical drama series "The Crown." "I fear there would have been a real and ugly debate had the Queen not addressed this," Schofield, founder of the royal blog, To Di For Daily, previously told Insider. "They are cutting the debate off before it even begins, which is a brilliant strategy," she added. Schofield added that ensuring Camilla is titled queen, not princess, shows that the future king is "not less than" and therefore ensures "the future of the monarchy." Read the original article on Insider London An image of the invitation for King Charles III's upcoming coronation ceremony has been released, and it confirms that the monarch's wife will soon be known as queen, rather than the current "queen consort." The invitation, designed by manuscript illuminator Andrew Jamieson, will be printed on recycled paper. It features a "Green Man" figure from folklore which generally symbolizes spring and rebirth. An image of the invitation to the coronation of King Charles III and his wife The invitations have not yet been sent out, but the image released by Buckingham Palace immediately drew attention for referring to Charles' wife as "Queen Camilla," dropping the "consort." The title change will take effect after the May 6 coronation ceremony, where both king and queen will be formally crowned in London. King Charles III's coronation: What to know about plans for the ceremony A royal source told CBS News partner network BBC News that while it made sense during the early part of King Charles' reign to refer Camilla as queen consort, to distinguish her from the late Queen Elizabeth II, Charles' mother, the coronation would mark an "appropriate time" to formally refer to her simply as "queen." Invitations will be sent to more than 2,000 guests. At the coronation ceremony in London's ancient Westminster Abbey, King Charles will have four "pages of honor," one of whom will be his grandson, Prince George, the first child of the Prince of Wales, Prince William, the palace confirmed this week. Camilla will also have four pages, including her grandsons. A spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan told the BBC this week that there was no update on whether they would be attending the event. The White House said in a statement on Tuesday that President Joe Biden "congratulated the King on his upcoming Coronation and informed him that First Lady Jill Biden looks forward to attending on behalf of the United States." Mr. Biden will be in Northern Ireland about a month before the coronation ceremony, and he has "conveyed his desire to meet with the King in the United Kingdom at a future date," the White House said. Story continues Cash App founder fatally stabbed in San Francisco Tornado kills at least 5 in Missouri Pence wont appeal order to testify in Trump special counsel probe Queen Camilla was officially identified with her new title for the first time on the invitation for King Charles III coronation. Camilla was designated "queen consort" when Charles ascended the throne following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September. Buckingham Palace released the invitations for the monarchs May 6 coronation Tuesday along with a new portrait of Their Majesties. Her new title will take into effect after the coronation. PRINCE HARRY IN LONDON: PRINCE WILLIAM, KING CHARLES HAVE ZERO PLANS TO GIVE ROYAL WARM RECEPTION: EXPERTS King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla pose for royal portrait. Camilla will be crowned alongside her husband at London's Westminster Abbey. The Palace hasn't revealed the guest list, but said that "2,000 guests" will form the congregation. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP In February 2022, several months before her death, the late queen marked the 70th anniversary of her rule with support for Camilla. At the time, the monarch expressed her "sincere wish" that Charles wife should be known as "Queen Consort" when her son succeeds her. PRINCE HARRY MAKES COURT APPEARANCE IN CASE AGAINST BRITISH TABLOIDS King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla "will each be attended by four Pages of Honour" who fill form "part of the procession through the Nave of Westminster Abbey." The Kings Pages of Honour will include His Royal Highness Prince George of Wales, Prince William's eldest son. Prince George is second in line to the throne behind his father, the Prince of Wales. Lord Oliver Cholmondeley, Master Nicholas Barclay and Master Ralph Tollemache will also be included in the King's Pages of Honour. The Queen Consorts Pages of Honour will be Her Majestys grandsons, Master Gus and Master Louis Lopes, and Master Freddy Parker Bowles, in addition to her great-nephew, Master Arthur Elliot. KING CHARLES DENIED BY HARRY STYLES, ADELE, ELTON JOHN FOR CORONATION CONCERT: EXPERTS REVEAL WHY The invitation for the Coronation was designed by Andrew Jamieson, a heraldic artist and manuscript illuminator. Mr Jamieson is a Brother of the Art Workers Guild, of which The King is an Honorary Member. Story continues Prince William's eldest son, Prince George, will serve as a Page of Honour at the coronation. The palace previously shared that the featured roles for members of the king and queens family are part of a ceremony that "will reflect the monarchs role today and look toward the future while being rooted in long-standing traditions and pageantry." CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER It took years for many in Britain to forgive Charles, whose admitted infidelity and long-time links to Camilla torpedoed his marriage to Princess Diana, known as "the Peoples Princess." The glamorous young mother of Princes William and Harry died in a Paris car crash in 1997, five years after her messy, public split from Charles. She was 36. When Camilla, 75, married Charles in 2005, it was widely assumed she would not be known as queen when Charles, 74, acceded to the throne. However, Elizabeth's words set the record straight on her daughter-in-law, who was initially shunned by Diana's supporters. It's unclear if Prince Harry and Meghan Markle plan on attending the coronation. In January, Harry accused his stepmother of leaking private conversations to the media to burnish her own reputation. The accusation was published in his explosive memoir, "Spare." While it's still unclear if they will attend, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were extended an invitation to the coronation, according to the Sunday Times. King Charles's coronation invitation King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla's coronation invitations have been released, here are all the hidden details you may have missed! King Charles and Queen Camilla's coronation is fast approaching and set to take place next month. Ahead of the event, their impressively detailed invitations have been released to the public. In other royal news, Sarah Ferguson gets in trouble with Princess Beatrice and Eugenie over this innocent gesture. The Royal Family website has just released a first look at King Charles's coronation invitations. The highly decorated and beautiful invitation feature several unique details that pay homage to the King and Queen's new role as leaders of the British monarchy. King Charles' invitation The illustrations on this invitation are all filled with meaning, but while some are pretty typical, others are a bit more quirky. At the bottom of the invitation, there is a green face surrounded by flowers. This is the 'Green Man' a magical folklore symbol that celebrates a new beginning in nature. The royal family website explained, "Central to the design is the motif of the Green Man, an ancient figure from British folklore, symbolic of spring and rebirth, to celebrate the new reign. The shape of the Green Man, crowned in natural foliage, is formed of leaves of oak, ivy and hawthorn, and the emblematic flowers of the United Kingdom." One fan account for the royals said that this was a 'powerful symbol' to include. "King Charles has included the Green Man in the Coronation invitation! The Green Man is the spirit of Spring in ancient mythology, of rebirth and also of decay, in that nothing lasts forever and we always return to nature, from whence we came. This is a powerful symbol," said the fan. This mythical figure is perhaps another reminder of the King's commitment to ending climate change and creating a better environment for future better generations. The inclusion of this image is a clear depiction of the future the King is hoping to create. Story continues King Charles While the green man image looked toward the future, many of the images in the invitation looked toward the past. The coat of arms on either side of the invite are for the house of Mountbatten-Windsor, and Shand, highlighting the unification of two houses in the monarchy. The flowers of the four nations of the UK were also highlighted with thistles for Scotland, daffodils for Wales, roses for England, and shamrock for Northern Ireland. Fruits, insects, and animals that are local to the UK were also depicted on the invitation, with strawberries, a bumble bee, and a robin all taking center stage in the invitation. Many of the flowers in the piece were also shown in groups of three. This was to highlight that the King will be Charles III, the third of his name. Royal The invitation was designed by Andrew Jamieson, according to the Royal Family, the creator is, 'a heraldic artist and manuscript illuminator whose work is inspired by the chivalric themes of Arthurian legend. Mr Jamieson is a Brother of the Art Workers Guild, of which The King is an Honorary Member'. It was also reported that the the work was painted in watercolors and gouache and will be printed on recycled card to send to invitees to the event. Kirk Myers-Hill, the founder and CEO of Abounding Prosperity Inc. and president of Dallas Southern Pride, has died. Myers-Hill died Tuesday, according to Abounding Prosperity Inc. staff. Mr. Myers-Hill founded AP, Inc. in 2005 and was a tireless advocate for the health and wellness of the Black family, particularly Black LGBTQ+ community members in Dallas, the nonprofit organization said in a social media post. His contributions to the community will be deeply missed. The community leader was found unresponsive in his office in the 2300 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard on Tuesday. The Dallas Police Department said officers were dispatched to that location around 9:30 a.m. Myers-Hill died at the scene, and officials said they are investigating the case as an unexplained death. Auntjuan Wiley with AIDS Walk South Dallas told Star-Telegram media partner WFAA-TV that Myers-Hills death is a blow to the community. There definitely will be a void, he said. There definitely will be a void, especially here in South Dallas. All of the Abounding Prosperity offices are closed until further notice, the organization announced on social media. Artists concept of JUICE spacecraft at Jupiter Artists concept of JUICE spacecraft at Jupiter (not to scale). More than a decade after the mission was announced, JUICE is finally ready for its much-anticipated journey to Jupiter. Packed with 10 instruments, its one of the most advanced probes ever sent to the outer solar system. Heres your guide to the European Space Agencys historic mission, set to launch on April 13. NASAs Juno spacecraft has been exploring Jupiter for the past seven years, but the mission is set to expire in 2025. The space agencys Lucy probe is currently en route to Jupiters orbit, but it wont investigate the gas giant and will instead focus on the Trojan asteroids. As a result, theres going to be a gap when it comes to our on-the-scene investigations of Jupiter and its intriguing moons, but NASAs Europa Clipper and ESAs JUICE will soon be on their way, the latter probe launching next week. Read more JUICE is fundamentally a moon mission Artists conception of JUICE flying past Ganymede. JUICE, short for JUpiter ICy moons Explorer, is headed for Jupiter, but the spacecraft will focus its observations on three of the gas giants many moons: Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system, hosts more than 70 natural satellites, but these three Galilean moons are thought to hold immense amounts of subsurface water hidden beneath thick layers of ice (Io is the fourth Galilean moon, but its an inhospitable volcanic hellhole). JUICE, an international collaboration headed by the European Space Agency, will spend three to four years at Jupiter, performing flybys and making detailed observations of the three icy moons and their immediate surroundings. The probe will launch atop a trusty rocket An Ariane 5 rocket blasting off on July 30, 2021. An Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket has been entrusted with launching the $1.6 billion probe. Blastoff is set for 8:15 a.m. ET on April 13 from Europes Spaceport in French Guiana. The mission, known as VA260, will be Arianespaces 30th scientific mission and the 116th launch of Ariane 5 overall, according to the company. JUICE will be Europes first mission to the Jovian system. Once freed from the rockets payload fairing and Earths gravitational field, the 6-metric-ton JUICE will race away at speeds reaching 1.6 miles per second (2.5 kilometers per second). Story continues JUICE will attempt an untested gravitational assist Juices journey to Jupiter JUICE will reach Jupiter in 2031 following an eight-year journey, but to get there itll need to receive four gravity boosts from Earth and Venus. Excitingly, the spacecrafts flyby of the Earth-Moon system, a maneuver known as a Lunar-Earth gravity assist (LEGA), has never been attempted before. As ESA explains, JUICE will first get a gravitational assist from the Moon and then a second from Earth some 1.5 days later, in a maneuver meant to save a significant amount of propellant. The search for potentially habitable conditions is key Ice-covered Europa, as imaged by the Galileo probe. Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto are all suspected of containing subsurface oceans capped in an icy crust. JUICE will evaluate the trio for potential signs of habitability, given the assumed presence of liquid water. Indeed, and as ESA makes clear, the overarching question of the mission is whether gas giants can harbor habitable conditions and spawn primitive life. In addition to its astrobiological duties, JUICE will seek to answer questions about planetary formation and the solar system in general. More conceptually, the spacecraft will evaluate the wider Jupiter system as an archetype for gas giants across the Universe, according to ESA. Itll be the first spacecraft to orbit a moon in the outer solar system A view of Ganymede, as imaged by the Juno probe. JUICE is scheduled to perform 35 Jovian moon flybys, but the mission will end with the spacecraft settling into a circular orbit around Ganymede, where it will work for an estimated six months and come as close as 311 miles (500 km) to its surface. By doing so, Juice will be the first spacecraft to ever orbit a moon in the outer Solar System, ESA claims. The space agency chose a good target, as Ganymede, the biggest moon in the solar system, is the only known moon to exhibit its own magnetic field, which causes it to interact with the Jovian environment in unique ways. The probe features the largest solar array sent to deep space An engineer working on JUICEs solar panels. ESA approved the JUICE mission in 2012 as part of its Cosmic Vision science program. Airbus Defence and Space built the probe, which features an 8.2-foot-long (2.5-meter) high gain antenna and 10 solar panels. When unfurled, the solar panels will total 915 square feet (85 square meters) in size, making it the largest array to ever be deployed for an interplanetary mission, according to ESA. The panels, even when so far from the Sun, will power the probe and its instruments with 850 Watts of power. The probe will have a distinctive shape Image: ESA/ATG Medialab The 10 carbon fiber-reinforced honeycomb panels will unfold once JUICE gets to space, and when they do, theyll create two cross-like shapes, one on each side of the probe. The two solar arrays will deploy some 50 minutes after launch, in a process that should take about one minute. The medium-gain antenna, which will emerge 16 hours into the mission, will be used during the flybys of the moons and also link the probe to controllers on Earth when the spacecrafts larger antenna is being leveraged as a sunshield. JUICE is fully loaded for interplanetary action Graphic: ESA/ATG The 10 instruments coming along for the ride comprise the most powerful remote sensing, geophysical and in situ [sensors for gathering data in JUICEs immediate environment] payload complement ever flown to the outer Solar System, ESA claims. Both NASA and Japans space agency contributed to this diverse suite of tools. Specific capabilities include optical and spectral imaging, sensors for exploring the moons surface and subsurface features, and instruments for measuring magnetic fields and radio and plasma waves. JUICE is fully loaded for interplanetary action A Juno view of Jupiter with Ganymede casting a dark shadow on its upper atmosphere. Juices cameras will capture exquisite details of the moons features, as well as identify the ices and minerals on their surfaces, writes ESA in its press kit. Other instruments will sound the subsurface and interior of the moons to better understand the location and nature of their buried oceans. The tenuous atmosphere around the moons will also be explored. JUICE is also traveling with a science experiment that leverages the probes communication system with ground-based telescopes on Earth, which will help controllers to determine the spacecrafts position and velocity. A special plaque is coming along for the ride The plaque as it appears on JUICE. Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei was the first scientist to view Jupiter and its four largest moons through a telescope, which he did in 1610. In honor of the famed astronomer, ESA has prepared a commemorative plaque featuring imagery of Galileis first observations of Jupiter, as recorded in his Sidereus Nuncius manuscript (see below). Image: INAFIstituto Nazionale di Astrofisica JUICE will complement another planned journey to Jupiter Artists conception of Europa Clipper. Jupiter is very hot right now, as JUICE is one of three planned missions to the gas giant, including Lucy. NASAs Europa Clipper is set to launch in October 2024, but as NASA program scientist Curt Niebur explained in a statement in 2017, the two missions will complement each other. The missions are like close members of the same family. Together they will explore the entire Jovian system, he explained. Clipper is focused on Europa and determining its habitability. JUICE is looking for a broader understanding how the entire group of Galilean satellites formed and evolved. Europa Clipper is expected to arrive at Jupiter in April 2030. For more spaceflight in your life, follow us on Twitter and bookmark Gizmodos dedicated Spaceflight page. More from Gizmodo Sign up for Gizmodo's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's multiple weddings will take the spotlight in an upcoming Hulu special. (Jordan Strauss / Invision/Associated Press) Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker are taking the next step in their relationship: starring in a new special for Hulu. On Tuesday the streaming platform announced "'Til Death Do Us Part: Kourtney & Travis." In the special, the "Kardashians" star and the Blink-182 rocker will relive their various nuptials, including the lavish May 2022 ceremony in Portofino, Italy. "This is our personal archive footage that we are sharing with the world," Kardashian says in the trailer. Months after their October 2021 engagement, Kardashian, 43, and Barker, 47, first tied the knot at a Las Vegas chapel in April 2022. In May they made their marriage legal with a courthouse wedding in Santa Barbara. A week later came the big one in Portofino. Kardashian, Barker and their loved ones descended on the Italian coast. The couple said their "I do's" in front of friends and family including Kourtney's "Kardashians" co-stars Kim and Khloe Kardashian and Kris, Kendall and Kylie Jenner. The upcoming Hulu special will provide an "inside look at the wedding of the year," including how the ceremony's gothic-glam feel came together with help from designer Domenico Dolce (half of luxury brand Dolce & Gabbana). "Our wedding felt like time didn't exist and it just felt perfect," the bride tells Barker in the trailer. In an Instagram post shared Tuesday, she reflected on the one-year anniversary of her Vegas wedding to Barker. "It was one of the best nights of our lives, dreaming of a lifetime filled with fun adventures together," she wrote. "'Til Death Do Us Part" premieres April 13 on Hulu, a month before "The Kardashians" returns to the stream for Season 3 in May. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The Kremlin has a problem generating "military manpower," however, it also fears a new wave of mobilisation in Russia due to the current mood of the population. Source: CNN, citing Western officials Quote: "[Russia has ed.] acknowledged that they needed 400,000 more troops and that's not just for the conflict [in Ukraine ed.], but also to fulfil new formations, which are going to be put on the new border with NATO and Finland. How they generate that is unclear at the moment." Details: According to CNN sources, Russia has problems with the formation of a "trained military force". The aggressor is not making efforts to launch the second wave of mobilisation and has difficulties in training people. Quote: "Whether the population can sustain another round of mobilisation and whether the Kremlin actually wants to test the population's resilience to that it is unclear at the moment, but the fact they haven't done [they did not start the second wave of mobilisation ed.] would indicate to us that they have some concerns about that." Background: In late March, the Kremlin once again assured fellow Russians that it was not planning a second wave of mobilisation, as there were allegedly enough volunteers who had been drafted earlier. On 13 September last year, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov also stated that there would be no mobilisation in Russia. However, it actually began on 21 September. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, at least 300,000 people joined the ranks of the Russian Armed Forces during the "first wave." In late October, Putin announced that "partial mobilisation" was over. However, according to the General Staff of Ukraines Armed Forces, Russia continues to draft people in a covert mode, despite official statements about the draft being over. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! A Kentucky sheriff is consulting with a security specialist to develop a policy on securing personal weapons after a high school student stole a school resource officers personal gun from his vehicle and kept it while being held at the sheriffs office. On March 28, a Leslie County high school student had a confrontation with a teacher and was being transported to the sheriffs office so his guardian could pick him up, Leslie County Sheriff Bill Collett said. The school resource officer who was transporting him stopped to help another school resource officer who was being assaulted by some juveniles in an unrelated incident. While the school resource officer was providing assistance to his colleague, the high school student, who was in the back seat, stole the weapon from a first aid bag that was in the cargo area of the SUV, Collett said. The student kept the gun concealed for nearly two hours while he was at the sheriffs office waiting for his foster parent to pick him up. The student still had the gun when his guardian later took him to a childrens center facility where he handed the gun to staff members, Collett said. The pistol was not fired and no one was injured, Collett said. The sheriffs office does not have a policy on how officers should secure personal weapons, but is developing one. Leslie County Superintendent Brett Wilson said school and district administrators were made aware that the student had allegedly stolen a weapon from a Leslie County Sheriff Office school resource officers vehicle, while the student was being transported to the Sheriffs office. This incident did not occur on any of our school properties. At no time were any of our students threatened or endangered. The safety of our students and staff is our top priority, Wilson said. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that a solution to the problem of exporting Ukrainian grain to the European Union, which Polish farmers had complained about, has been found during talks with the Polish leadership on Wednesday, 5 April. Source: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a press conference in Warsaw with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki Quote: "We discussed the issues regarding Polish and Ukrainian farmers. We found a solution." Details: Zelenskyy did not specify which way out he was talking about, but added that "we will finally resolve all issues in the coming days and weeks". "Because there cannot be any questions or difficulties between such close partners and real friends as Poland and Ukraine," Zelenskyy emphasised. Ukraine exports a significant part of its grain through the land border with Poland due to the full-scale Russian invasion and the difficulty of exporting by sea. The grain was supposed to go through Poland in transit to other countries, but it remains in the country and is sold there. This has caused discontent among farmers from Poland and several other countries, who have demanded that the authorities solve the problem. Background: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Poland on 5 April, and Polish farmers threatened to disrupt his visit. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps are nearing agreement on the requirements and cost of the Landing Ship Medium program, formerly called the Light Amphibious Warship, after the services previously diverged in their visions for this program, officials said. The capability development document for the program has been drafted and is working its way through the approval process now, Brig. Gen. Marcus Annibale, the director of expeditionary warfare on the chief of naval operations staff, said Tuesday at the Navy Leagues annual Sea Air Space conference. Annibale called this a chief procurement goal for his office, which would serve as a key maneuverability capability for a Marine littoral regiment or stand-in forces operating in the Pacific. Hes aiming to award a contract and get the LSM program into construction in fiscal 2025. The Marines originally envisioned a vessel that would each carry about 75 Marines and their gear, would resemble a commercial vessel and could beach itself for shore-to-shore operations. The service was looking to buy 35 units for about $100 million to $130 million apiece starting in FY22. The Navy which must manage and buy this shipbuilding program despite it being a Marine Corps priority postponed the start of the program to FY23 and then to FY25, at first citing a too-tight shipbuilding budget and then citing a need to reconsider the survivability and lethality of the ship, which would support Marine Corps operations but be crewed by Navy sailors. Amid this debate over requirements, the cost ballooned to perhaps $350 million a copy. Vice Adm. Scott Conn, the deputy chief of naval operations for warfighting requirements and capabilities, said during the same panel discussion that there had been a healthy friction over the requirements and cost of the ship but that there is no daylight between us on the importance of getting this small ship out to the fleet. Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl, the deputy commandant of the Marine Corps for combat development and integration, said during the panel discussion that his office, working with Conns and Annibales teams and the Program Executive Office for Ships, found some pretty good middle ground on recoverability and vulnerability additions were going to put into the medium landing ship, LSM, that I think are going to be very helpful. Story continues A very large part of the concept initially was, low cost, large numbers, hide in plain sight. We did not want to look like a military vessel. Were talking about the most traversed maritime lanes in the world; we needed to look and sound like other vessels, to make it a little more difficult for China or other adversaries to detect Marines on these ships. Though the discussions with the Navy and the Office of the Secretary of Defense had previously led to much greater requirements for capability and survivability, and therefore much greater cost, were coming back around to the size and correspondently the cost where we initially had our sights, Heckl said. Conn acknowledged that this back-and-forth delayed the program and it will be late to need. The Marines specialized stand-in force unit, the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, is on track to hit initial operational capability in September, years ahead of the 2028 first delivery of the LSMs theyll operate from. Still, Annibale said his directorate is working to ensure the program can move quickly from here, awarding a contract in FY25 and preparing industry to hit the ground running. The Navy awarded five concept design study contracts for the program to begin a dialogue with builders, though the detail design and construction contract will be open to any company. Annibale said PEO Ships commander Rear Adm. Tom Anderson will host an industry engagement day after the capability development document is signed. He hopes this will be a chance for the Navy and Marines to explain what they want to do with this ship and why, which may inspire better ideas from engineers than will the thick stack of paper outlining the formal requirements. Maj. Gen. Roger Turner, the director of the operations directorate at the Marines Plans, Policies and Operations, explained during the discussion the need for the Landing Ship Medium. The laydown of forces in the Indo-Pacific is vastly different today than just a few years ago; the service is currently conducting or recently held major exercises in the Philippines and Japan, respectively; Marines have rotated into Australia for the Marine Rotational Force-Darwin six-month deployment; for the first time in 22 years, the Southern California-based Marine expeditionary unit spent its entire deployment in the Pacific instead of passing through en route to the Middle East; and Marines are focused on areas like Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste and the South China Sea. To support all this movement to and from Pacific islands, the service needs traditional amphibious warships, and it needs the Landing Ship Medium a requirement that will be filled in part by a surrogate stern landing vessel until the LSM program delivers to the fleet. Turner said the change in laydown is partly due to strategy but also drive by the bad behavior of the [Peoples Republic of China] in that they are basically frightening everybody in the region with their behavior and the like. So the allies and the partners are thirsty for American security partners, and theyre looking to build trust and capabilities integrated with our capabilities and for smaller navies that spend their time operating in and out of archipelagos, the LSM program is just what the Marines need to do this job, he said. Today it sits vacant and nearly forgotten on a side street near downtown Wichita Falls. Soon it will have a new life. The old Gibson's Discount Center near downtown Wichita Falls will become a self-storage facility. In its heyday the wide storefront with boarded windows was a beehive of retail activity, a must-stop location for families to inhale the unique aroma of caramel and popcorn and buy everything from screws and bolts to dresses and shoes. The original site of Gibsons Discount Center at 601 12th Street, now owned by a Garland company, will undergo a $1.4 million overhaul to become a self-storage facility. A rusting sign on 12th Street is the last memento of the Gibson's Discount Centers presence in Wichita Falls. W.A. Streich, a former farmer and grocer, became associated with the Abilene-based Gibson family business interests in the 1930s and came to Wichita Falls in 1946 to operate Gibson Wholesale, which moved into the 12th Street location in1950 and then converted to a retail discount operation in 1959. More: New construction on northside to include luxury RV park The original downtown store encompassed about 28,000 square feet and had a large parking lot across 12th Street. A huge signed proclaimed Gibsons was the place where you buy the best for less. Business boomed for the chain and the Streich family franchise operations later opened a second store on Kell Boulevard and stores in Burkburnett, Vernon and Bowie in Texas and Lawton, Duncan and Frederick in Oklahoma. More: Plans for old rail cars sidetracked for now The Gibsons chain grew to 684 stores nationwide. Legend has it that in 1961, Herb Gibson, Jr. declined to give a franchise to Arkansas businessman Sam Walton, who responded by opening his own discount retail chain. The Gibson's company began a slow decline in the late 1970s as franchisees left the group. The chain sold in 1984. Both Wichita Falls stores shut down in early 1994, with management citing changing market conditions, location and physical conditions that have created unprofitable results. The local operations manager attributed the closing in part to the arrival of Walmart and Sams Club in Wichita Falls stores owned by the man who had been denied a Gibsons franchise three decades earlier. Story continues Our buildings are older and not the size of the newer discount retailers, operations manager Mark Henry said at the time. We cant carry as wide a selection of merchandise, and down the line that had an effect. Gibsons had a generous profit-sharing plan and all 115 local employees were fully vested when the stores closed. The Streich family operated its Kell Boulevard location as Bargain Depot for a couple of years. It later became Denim & Diamonds nightclub and now houses retail stores and a fitness gym. ServiceMaster operated out of the downtown building for several years before moving to a different location. The Gibsons chain ceased to operate in 2003. Four independently owned stores still carry the name, including one in Kerrville, Texas and one in Weatherford, Texas. The old downtown location will become the second major downtown retail location to shift to storage. The Sears building on Lamar Avenue, which encompasses a city block, converted in 2014. This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Landmark old store in downtown Wichita Falls becoming self storage The implications of Good Samaritan laws vary on a state-by-state basis, though all 50 states and the District of Columbia have legislation protecting bystanders who jump in to help in an emergency. If you see someone experiencing an emergency, first call 911. Then, if you can safely do so, administer first aid until paramedics arrive. Kennewick Police Sgt. Chris Littrell says anyone at the scene of an emergency should take three steps: be a great witness, call 911 and administer basic aid, if possible. If a civil lawsuit is filed against someone who took those three steps in an emergency, it is likely a judge will cite the Good Samaritan law as a reason not to pursue civil liability. The original Good Samaritan The origin of a Good Samaritan comes from the Bible, a story told by Jesus in Luke Chapter 10. There was much conflict between the Jews and the Samaritans. Jesus story starts with a traveling Jew, who is robbed and beaten. Several people, believed to be objectively good people, including a priest, pass by the injured man and do not help him. The man who finally helps him is a Samaritan, who chose to help someone in need before worrying about repercussions. The characterization of a Good Samaritan has generally stayed the same, meaning someone who sees another person in need and tries to help, thinking about that persons needs before their own. Many states have Good Samaritan laws, which protect people acting in this way from legal implications if something does wrong. The hope is that by removing the need to worry about your own potential liability, people will be more eager to assist those around them. SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 29: In this photo illustration, a package of Narcan (Naloxone HCI) nasal spray is displayed on March 29, 2023 in San Francisco, California. The FDA announced plans to make opioid reversal drug Narcan available for over-the-counter purchases as drug fatality rates continue to skyrocket across the United States. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Washingtons law Washington states Good Samaritan law protects anyone who provides first aid or transportation during an emergency without expecting to be paid, from civil damages. That means that medical professionals still have a higher standard of care in their professions, but bystanders wont be found negligent for attempting basic help. Story continues This can be especially crucial in certain emergencies, like cardiac arrest. While automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are becoming more readily accessible, the devices can only save lives if they are used. If people are too hesitant because of the possible risks, the chance to save a life following sudden cardiac arrest could be missed entirely. Sudden cardiac arrest is one of many emergency situations in which time is of the essence. If passersby do not act quickly and reasonably, it could cost a life. Victims of sudden cardiac arrest have only one hope rapid CPR, ideally in conjunction with an AED, the CPR Seattle website says. CPR given poorly is better than no CPR at all, but CPR given by a trained, confident and quick-responding rescuer, along with an AED, is often the only way to save someones life. Car crash. Stock image of a car crash. A good Samaritan chased down a DUI suspect and pinned him to the ground as he attempted to flee a car crash scene in a video that has since gone viral. The law also comes into play during imminent emergency situations, like a car crash. If a car crashes and catches fire with two people inside, and a bystander came to pull both people out, the bystander would be protected from liability if the occupants were somehow injured by moving them. Since there is assumed injury to the people inside, plus continued pending danger from the fire, most logical bystanders would opt to get the person out of the car. The key in Good Samaritan law protections is acting reasonably. If a bystander acted reasonably in response to an active emergency, they are protected from potential civil liability. The exception in Washingtons Good Samaritan law is gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct, meaning purposefully ignoring the risk of a situation and acting anyway. Both circumstances have greater legal weight than ordinary negligence, which Good Samaritans are protected from. They can include acting with ulterior motives, like fame and recognition, or purposeful harm. Washington law also requires consent from conscious victims. If the bystander is told to stop, Good Samaritan laws no longer apply. Overdose and volunteering In the last 20 years, the prevalence of drug overdoses has been considered in conversations around Good Samaritan laws. Washington state amended its law in 2010. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports drug overdose as a leading cause of injury death in the United States, with numbers increasing more than eight times since 1999. About 82% of overdose deaths in 2019-2020 included opioids. In Washington, overdose is a leading cause of death. The Washington State Department of Health reports two people die of opioid overdose in the state every day. Since an opioid overdose can last hours before death, researchers studied why overdoses werent being reported. Medical help can reverse the effects of an overdose, if administered in time. The research suggested people were hesitant to report an overdose because of the possible criminal implications, particularly once police arrive. Katie Busch, left, an EMT with American Medical Response, helps River View High sophomore Andrew Miles and Gracie Boyd practice a compression-only technique during a CPR challenge event at the school in Finley in 2019. In response, Washington state expanded its Good Samaritan law to protect people overdosing and anyone who tries to help them. That way, people can call 911 about a drug overdose without fear of drug possession charges. If people are using drugs recreationally and someone overdoses, people wont have to worry about getting their friends or themselves in trouble by calling for help. Police may show up, but they cannot arrest anyone or investigate the drug use unless theres an intent to distribute the drug. The updated law also allowed for people likely to experience or witness an overdose to legally carry naloxone, a nasal spray that can reverse overdose effects, increasing the chance of bystanders saving someones life. It regulates heart patterns long enough for first responders to arrive. Littrell told the Herald that he has seen family members of addicts carry Narcan, a brand of naloxone. It is one thing people can do when a loved one suffers from drug use disorders. In 2021, Washington expanded the bill again to include volunteers assisting in the aftermath of a natural disaster or related emergency. Other Good Samaritan laws The Aviation Medical Assistance Act of 1998 protects all plane passengers acting as Good Samaritans. That way, even while in federal airspace, those experiencing a medical emergency can receive help and bystanders can feel safe offering help. The Federal Aviation Administration requires first aid kits on all flights and many also have AEDs. Airline staff undergoes emergency training as well, but in the scenario a bystander can provide additional aid, they are also protected. Interestingly, many states first introduced the law to protect healthcare providers acting as Good Samaritans in emergency situations, using their medical expertise in emergencies without expectation of pay. Archivo. Nowadays, physicians often cannot be considered Good Samaritans if they have an existing relationship with the person experiencing an emergency or if they receive pay for the assistance. If there is no duty to treat, a medical professional could receive protections under Good Samaritan law. Medical professionals have a duty to treat patients while on the job. Depending on state code, the parameters of this duty will vary. The Good Samaritan law may protect them when acting outside of that duty. Many college campuses operate under a complicated mix of federal laws, state laws and campus policies. While federal and state Good Samaritan laws exist, college campuses have enacted their own protections, sometimes with even more specific parameters. At Washington State University, students have increased protections when reporting as a Good Samaritan. If a student sees anyone, a friend or a stranger, who appears to be under the influence and needs medical help, they can report it to campus police, local police, school staff or medical professionals. Students are promised neither the person reporting or the intoxicated individual will be disciplined. Negligence laws Fewer states have included sibling negligence laws, aka Duty to Rescue laws, which require people of able body and mind to offer assistance during an emergency. That is a step beyond Good Samaritan laws as they legally require passersby to help in some way. These laws are in place in Vermont, Minnesota and Rhode Island, where the gross misdemeanor can come with a possible fine. In Washington state, only first responders have some duty to provide assistance. This was expanded to all law enforcement officers in 2019. However, Washington does have a failure to summon assistance statute. A person can be charged with failure to summon assistance if they witnessed a crime against another person, who was seriously hurt and needs help, but do not call for emergency help. There must be no threat to the persons safety for the charge to be valid. Both Good Samaritan laws and negligence laws protect bystanders whether or not they successfully save the victim. French far-right leader Marine Le Pen would beat Emmanuel Macron if the presidential election of last year were repeated now, a shock poll suggested Wednesday on the eve of fresh protests against the government's pension reform. The survey from the Elabe group for the BFM TV channel indicated Le Pen would score 55 percent and President Macron 45 percent if they faced each other in a run-off vote. Last April, Macron defeated Le Pen by a margin of 58.5 percent to 41.5 percent to become the first French president to win a second term in two decades. "Emmanuel Macron would struggle to retain his electorate, only seven out of 10 would vote for him again under this hypothesis," Bernard Sananes, head of Elabe, told BFM. "And the blocking vote (against the far-right) would be much lower." He said Le Pen's gains were "spectacular" and "she would progress in all electoral categories." Sananes stressed that the polling was hypothetical and the results should not be over-interpreted, given that the next presidential election is four years away and Macron will be ineligible to run again. But the results give a snapshot of changing dynamics in French politics, with Le Pen widely seen as the biggest winner from months of protests over Macron's unpopular bid to raise the retirement age to 64 from 62 currently. Far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon, who has backed protesters and strikers, has lost support, the Elabe poll and another on Monday by the Ifop-Fiducial survey group suggested. The Ifop-Fiducial survey group also found a sharp increase in support for Le Pen, who has made clear she intends to stand for president for a fourth time in 2027. Politicians across the spectrum have repeatedly warned in recent months that the 54-year-old stands to gain from the turmoil sweeping the country, as well as longstanding concerns about crime and immigration. Le Pen has kept a relatively low-profile during huge protests and strikes, keeping her public statements to a minimum and maintaining discipline among her 88 MPs in parliament who form the largest single opposition group. Story continues "At least I've succeeded in winning over my political opponents," Le Pen quipped to AFP in an interview last month. "They seem to spend their lives telling everyone that I will be the next president." The prospect of the far-right leader succeeding Macron at the next election in 2027 is said by allies to gnaw at the 45-year-old president. "It's the issue that haunts Emmanuel," a senior lawmaker who knows the president well told AFP recently. adp/sjw/pvh At least five people have been killed after a large tornado tore through rural Missouri in the middle of the night. The twister struck in Bollinger County, 50 miles south of St Louis, at around 3.30am, authorities said. Emergency crews began searching with flashlights in the darkness for survivors after a number of homes were obliterated and trees uprooted. The damage is pretty widespread. Its just heartbreaking to see it, Sgt. Clark Parrott of the Missouri State Highway Patrol told The Associated Press. The townships of Grassy and Glenallen were particularly affected, Bollinger County Sheriff Casey Graham wrote in a Facebook post. Throughout the early morning and continuing now, efforts for search and rescue are underway, he wrote. Its with great regret that I can confirm five fatalities; names will be withheld until we are sure all family members have been notified. He added: Please understand the scope of this operation. I know everyone wants updates and news of what happened. As your Sheriff, I am focused on ensuring those who still need help are receiving it, and we account for all our citizens. I will update you when I can. Justin Gibbs, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Paducah, Kentucky, told the AP that the tornado remained on the ground for roughly 15 minutes, traveling an estimated 15-20 miles. Larry Welker, Bollinger Countys public administrator, said the twister traveled along route 34 into Glen Allen, a village of slightly more than 100 people, and that he hasnt been able to inspect the damage firsthand because law enforcement were restricting access to the area. Im getting reports that it was pretty bad, Welker told AP. He described it as a rural area, where residents mostly farmed, cut timber or worked construction jobs. There was several trailers there, and I understand that there is still people missing, he said. Residents clean up after a tornado touched downon April 5, 2023 in Glenallen, Missouri. At least five people have been killed and multiple others injured (Getty Images) Missouri Governor Mike Parson said that he would join emergency personnel on the ground in Bollinger County to further assess damage and learn what resources are needed for recovery. Story continues The severe storm system is the latest in a wave of extreme weather that has threatened tens of millions of people in recent days. Warnings were issued on Tuesday in central states including Missouri and Arkansas over potentially powerful tornadoes, softball-sized hail and strong winds. Large parts of the Midwest and South remained under storm warnings and watches on Wednesday. Nighttime storms and tornadoes can be particularly dangerous since most people are asleep. Missouri State Emergency Management Agency issued a detailed warning for residents to take extra precautions and remain alert on Tuesday. Last week, a powerful storm system, which reportedly spawned dozens of tornadoes, left 32 people dead and destroyed buildings in 11 states including Arkansas, Iowa, and Missouri. Several legal experts familiar with the New York criminal justice system say there were "no surprises" in the charges brought against former President Donald Trump Tuesday by the Manhattan district attorney -- but that the expansive nature of the so-called "catch-and-kill" scheme alleged by prosecutors is notable. Appearing in a Manhattan courtroom Tuesday, Trump entered a plea of not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment made in the final days of the 2016 presidential race. Prosecutors allege that Trump engaged in a "scheme" to boost his 2016 election chances through a series of hush money payments made by others to help his campaign, and then "repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records" to conceal that criminal conduct. MORE: Trump indictment live updates "The theory of the prosecution is exactly as we expected," Michael Bachner, former assistant district attorney in the Rackets Bureau of the Manhattan district attorney's office, told ABC News. "There was a scheme to bury stories through this catch and kill process in order to help Donald Trump get elected, and that these payments were in the campaign contributions which were improperly buried." "The surprise here is that there were no surprises; at least no surprises that there was a more serious crime being charged," echoed Marc Scholl, who was a prosecutor in the Manhattan district attorney's office for nearly 40 years before entering private practice. Prosecutors said the "catch and kill" efforts began in 2015 with an agreement with the CEO of National Enquirer publisher AMI to suppress damaging information, and included payments to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, two women who claimed to have had long-denied affairs with Trump, as well as a former Trump Tower doorman who claimed to have a story about a child Trump had out of wedlock, which was untrue. "Most people thought it was about Stormy Daniels," Jerry Saland, a former assistant district attorney in the Manhattan DA's office, told ABC News. "Here, however, we see it's also about McDougal, as well as a doorman." Story continues PHOTO: Former President Donald Trump arrives at court, April 4, 2023, in New York. (Mary Altaffer/AP) Lance Fletcher, another former assistant district attorney at the Manhattan DA's office, said the alleged use of shell companies and recordings of conversations between Trump and his former attorney, Michael Cohen, appear to show that Trump was aware that the payments were "improper." Fletcher, however said that prosecutors face a number of hurdles. "Was Trump's intention truly to defraud or was he relying on bad legal advice? If the money came from his personal account, was this money used to solve a personal problem?" Fletcher asked. Fletcher also said that the 16-page indictment "discusses an intent to defraud, and an intent to commit another crime, but does not specify what that other crime is." "This is an important issue because the intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime is what bumps this up from a misdemeanor to a felony, and from a two-year statute of limitations to a five-year statute of limitations, also a one-year maximum jail sentence to a four-year sentence," he said. MORE: Prosecutors detail Trump's alleged hush money 'scheme' to influence 2016 election Scholl agreed that neither the indictment nor the accompanying statement of facts released by prosecutors cites which specific election laws were violated -- even though the statement of facts talks at length about how the alleged catch and kill scheme was used to influence the 2016 election. "The statement of facts document is an oddity," Scholl said, questioning why it was not part of the indictment as a conspiracy count. Scholl did, however, say that the district attorney doesn't have to prove anything that's in the statement of facts -- just what's in the indictment. Asked by reporters following Trump's arraignment what other crimes Trump allegedly committed by falsifying the business records, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the indictment doesn't specify those details "because the law does not so require." But Bragg highlighted several laws he said are potentially applicable to the case, including New York state election law that makes it a crime to conspire to promote a candidacy by unlawful means; laws that prohibit false statements, including statements that were planned to be made to tax authorities; and federal election contribution limits. Bachner said he expects Trump's defense team to file motions to dismiss the indictment, including by citing statutes of limitations and by claiming that the payments were made for personal purposes, with no intent to interfere with the election. But Bachner and other legal experts say the timing of the payments -- as well as the timing of meetings related to the payments detailed in the prosecutors' statement of facts -- appear to show that the purpose was campaign-related and not for Trump's personal reasons. PHOTO: Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks during a press conference, Apr. 4, 2023 in New York City. (Kena Betancur/Getty Images) Prosecutors, for example, said in the statement of facts that after Trump was elected, he invited the National Enquirer's owner to the White House for a dinner to "thank him for his help during the campaign." "These illegal and undisclosed campaign expenditures undermined accountability and denied voters complete and accurate information about how Trump raised and spent money during the 2016 presidential election," said Saurav Ghosh, a former enforcement attorney at the Federal Election Commission and now director of Federal Campaign Finance Reform at the watchdog group Campaign Legal Center. "While Trump, like any criminal defendant, is entitled to due process of law, it is vital that laws be enforced and that meaningful consequences be imposed when they are broken -- regardless of who the defendant is or how much power or influence they wield," Gosh said. What legal experts say about Donald Trump's indictment originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Leon Levine, the Family Dollar Store founder who shared his fortune with health care, education and community causes in Charlotte and beyond, died Wednesday. He was 85. Levines name marks institutions across the region. The self-made man who never finished college started one of North Carolinas biggest scholarship programs. The creator of one of the Southeasts biggest foundations combed The Charlotte Observer for troubled charities to help. The Leon Levine Foundation has granted more than $450 million, with more than half the total awarded since 2008. The figure doesnt include gifts by Levine and his wife, Sandra. The depth and breadth of Leon Levines generosity has transformed our philanthropic landscape, retired Foundation For The Carolinas President and CEO Michael Marsicano said in a statement. Imagine a legacy that reaches virtually every citizen in our community with generosity. This is the legacy of Leon Levine. Family Dollar founder Leon Levine remembered in Charlotte for philanthropic legacy The Southeastern Council of Foundations ranked the Levine foundation the 21st-largest by assets in the region in 2017 with $534.5 million. The foundations current assets total about $700 million. That seems likely to grow: In a 2009 Observer interview, Levine said the foundation would receive the couples wealth when they passed. A teena ge businessman Levine was born in Wadesboro, the youngest of four children whose father died when he was 12. He began helping his mother and brother Sherman run The Hub, the family department store in Rockingham. I learned a lot about business and people in that store, he said in a 2009 Observer interview. You quickly learned the customer is the most important person. Sherman and Leon, then 19, bought a chenille bedspread factory in Wingate in 1956 but it struggled because of its small size. Levine took classes at Wingate College in mornings and ran the factory in the afternoons. At 22, Levine used $6,000 to open the first Family Dollar Store on Charlottes Central Avenue in 1959. He had first visited a chain of stores in Tennessee that sold items under $1, according to the foundations website. Levine decided his store would sell everything cleaning supplies, clothing, household goods for $2 or less. Story continues A second store opened by 1960. The company began selling shares in 1970. A year later, its 100th store opened, in Brevard; its 1,000th in 1985. By 2019, more than 8,000 stores were operating. The chains competitive niche: small stores in neighborhoods, within easy reach of their lower-income customers. Most items are still priced below $10. Levine found store locations by checking supermarket parking lots for fresh oil stains a signal that neighbors drove old, leaking cars. Motor oil was a bestseller. The late 50s and 60s were the era of mall building. Leon Levine was something of a contrarian to that. He did not go into the malls, he stayed in the neighborhoods, community historian Tom Hanchett told The Observer in 2018. He had brilliant foresight. Levines first wife, Barbara, died of breast cancer in 1966. Levines daughter from that marriage, Mindy, died at 25 in 1987. He married Sandra Levine in 1978. Leon and Sandra Levine donated $1 million to the Critical Needs Response Fund to deal with the citys emergency charity needs in December 2008. Honoring customers The foundation was created in 1980. By 2019, health care had gotten 31% of its grants, followed by education, Jewish values, human services and community causes. Tom Lawrence, the foundations president, said in a 2020 Observer interview that he believed Levine viewed the foundation as a way to honor the discount retail customers who had built Family Dollar. When he was in business, one of his focuses was on buying his inventory he was one of the great negotiators of his time, Lawrence said. The benefit of that was not just to the bottom line but to benefit the customers, to give back. Theres a lot of visibility with larger named organizations around the Charlotte area, but what gets lost is that literally hundreds of groups have been funded by his foundation, Lawrence said. The vast majority of grants were given to causes that just needed operating funds. Levine and his wife remained deeply involved in the foundation well into his 80s. They love the work and the foundation he has called it his second career, Lawrence said. The first decades of his life was about building a business and making money; now its philanthropy. Both are board members, and not a grant goes through this process without his having reviewed it, with me and the board, and his signing off on it, even the small ones. In 1980, the couple donated $1 million toward the creation of Shalom Park and in 1997 gave an additional $2.5 million. The giving continued: In 1991, they gave $10 million to help build the Levine Science Research Center at Duke University. Were not on an ego trip, Levine told The Observer in 2009. These people want our name up there because it helps them raise more money. When the Museum of the New South raised $8.2 million in its 1998 capital campaign, it was renamed the Levine Museum of the New South in honor of the couples $1 million donation. In 2002, in honor of the late Barbara Levine, the foundation gave $1.1 million for an endowment fund to advance breast cancer genomics research. In 2003, the foundations $5 million created a scholarship fund at Central Piedmont Community College and its $10 million donation helped create the Levine Childrens Hospital at Carolinas Medical Center. In 2009, following a deep recession, the foundation worked with Foundation for the Carolinas and others to create the Critical Need Response Fund, which distributed nearly $7.6 million. It also awarded $7.4 million to UNC Charlotte to begin the Levine Scholars Program. It was the largest individual academic gift in the universitys history and in scope rivaled the venerable Morehead-Cain scholarships at UNC Chapel Hill. The Levines added $12.9 million in 2014 to extend the program. Leon Levine announces the expansion of the Levine Scholars Program at UNC Charlotte Wednesday morning on Oct. 29, 2014. An additional $8 million went to Queens University of Charlotte for a wellness and recreation center. In 2010, the foundation invested $10 million in Project L.I.F.T., a public-private partnership that works with schools in west Charlotte. The foundation gave $15 million that year for the Levine Center for the Arts cultural campus of museums and theaters in uptown Charlotte. It gave $20 million to Carolinas HealthCare System, now Atrium Health, for the Levine Cancer Institute. At the time it was the largest gift ever to a Charlotte institution. In 2016, the foundation awarded $25 million to Carolinas HealthCare for a second building at the Levine Cancer Institute. Levines impact reached well beyond Charlotte, with donations of nearly $70 million going to groups outside of Mecklenburg County. The foundation gave $5 million to Appalachian State, for example, $2.5 million to Campbell University and $1 million to Richmond Community College. In 2002, the Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest Americans estimated the familys net worth at $800 million. In 2022, the Levines were no longer listed. Family ties frayed Family ties sometimes splintered. In 1987, days after a disappointing earnings year, Levine announced that two relatives, cousin and company president Lewis Levine and Leon Levines son Howard, a senior vice president, had left the company. Lewis Levine later said hed been fired, while Howard Levine said he was pushed out, adding at the time that he and his father dont have a personal relationship. The younger Levine started a discount womens clothing chain in Philadelphia. By 1996, he had reconciled with his father and returned to Family Dollar. Howard Levine was named president and chief operating officer in 1997 and took over as CEO in 1998. Leon Levine retired as chairman of the discount chain in 2003. Dollar Tree bought Family Dollar in 2015 for $8.5 billion and a few months later Howard Levine stepped down as CEO, ending nearly 50 years of family ties. Three years after the acquisition, Dollar Tree closed the chains Matthews headquarters in favor of a consolidated site in Chesapeake, Va. Hugh McColl unveils the Sandra and Leon Levine Medal for Life in Sept. 21, 2010. The Sandra and Leon Levine Medal for Life will be awarded to individuals whose actions call forth the best in human nature and inspire us all to reach our highest potential. Editors note: Bruce Henderson, who reported and wrote this story, is a retired Observer reporter. The owner of a non-emergency medical transportation company in New Mexico is accused of harassing female workers, according to a federal lawsuit. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, management at Sandia Transportation LLC harassed female employees for three reasons: because of their sex, because they were lesbians, or because they did not fit managements idea of femininity. Sandias owner also said he didnt believe women should be in the workplace, officials said in an April 3 news release. Officials did not name the owner of the company in the release. Sandia Transportation did not immediately respond to McClatchy News request for comment. During the alleged harassment, the companys owner called a group of four female workers (expletive) lesbians and individually told them women like [them] would be killed in [his] country, officials said in the release. Information about the owners country of origin was not included in the release. He often referred to women as fat ugly (expletive), dumb, stupid, lazy, and ignorant, and he frequently told everyone, i hate .. dealing with women! officials said in the release. Hes accused of announcing to the office All the lesbians are fired! on March 24, 2017, officials said in the release. The EEOC filed the suit Friday, March 31, after the agency was unable to reach a settlement agreement, the release said. The lawsuit not only seeks compensatory and punitive damages for the four women, but to prevent future discrimination through injunctive relief. The harassment created a hostile work environment, according to Melinda Caraballo, deputy director of the EEOCs Phoenix District Office. Mary Jo ONeill, the Phoenix Districts regional attorney, said Sandias actions violated federal law and would encourage more harassment. An owner telling employees that people like them are killed in his former country invokes a fear of violence for lesbian employees in the workplace, ONeill said in the release. Story continues Supervisor harassed female auto technician and gave her demeaning jobs, feds say Property owner treated female workers as objects for sexual gratification, feds say Transgender cook was harassed almost daily and asked about his genitals, officials say Vote no on Regional Fire Authority/Prop. 1 Please vote NO on Olympia/Tumwater Proposition 1 in April. It would require the biggest tax increase in the history of either Olympia or Tumwater. And the seven-year Strategic Plan for the RFA provides no new firefighters, fire engines, aid cars, or fire stations. The RFAs Fire Benefit Fee also charges the smallest homes at a higher rate than the largest homes. Nearly all of the $10.5 million initial Fire Benefit Charge goes for duplicative administrative expenses and for pay raises for existing highly paid employees. Most voters do not follow the smaller agencies, like the Port or PUD, and the RFA will be in the same boat. The Pro campaign has financial support from the firefighter unions (RFAs huge salary increases), and Prop. 1 is supported by the city councils because they want to free up revenue by shifting the cost of the fire departments to a new taxing authority. We have excellent fire departments, accountable to voters through the City Councils we elect. If it aint broke, dont fix it! Mark Mahaffey, Olympia Downtown Olympia is better, but camps are not Downtown Olympia is better, as described in the March 26 editorial. But the tent cities are not. The one at Interstate 5 and Sleater Kinney Road is an eyesore and getting worse. The governor said the state was going to clean up, especially along I-5. As a minimum, either the state, county, or city needs to provide dumpsters for all the trash. Dumpster service needs to be daily, weekly, or whatever it takes to clean up the areas. I know theres a problem with housing. As an example, waiting for the Days Inn to be cleaned up and sanitized. But dumpsters sure would help in the meantime. Larry Taylor, Olympia Parents should be concerned about HB 1564 As a survivor and mother of a survivor living in Washington, I know survivors are inadequately supported. I also understand the reluctance to report sexual assaults, as is demonstrated by the 70% of survivors across the country who choose not to. Story continues Lets be clear: The choice of whether or not to report belongs entirely to the survivor. This does not change the fact that ALL survivors deserve care and support, regardless of the decision that they make. A bipartisan coalition of Washington legislators is attempting to ban over-the-counter, self-collection sexual assault kits through House Bill 1564, rather than trying to understand why assaults go unreported and why so many seek alternative methods of care. This bills passage will leave only the option for examination by SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) nurses, of which there is a shortage, or in some places, none at all. HB 1564 includes no funding to hire more qualified nurse examiners. The presence of these kits at universities provides encouragement to collect and report. They normalize that sexual assault shouldnt be tolerated. These legislators are using political power and seeking to establish control over a vulnerable group of people, under the guise of protecting them. If legislators wanted to support survivors, they would consider legal protections for self-collection. That is what it means to support survivors. It means supporting their choice. I stand against HB 1564 because I want my daughters to be supported if something terrible happens. Debra Chamberlin, Olympia A makeshift memorial is seen at The Covenant School in Nashville on March 29. (Wade Payne / Associated Press) To the editor: Are children not more important than at least some of our freedoms? The people who wrote the Constitution were careful to include specific protections, including the right to free speech and to keep and bear arms in support of a "well-regulated militia." ("Even as mass shootings multiply, federal judges are erasing gun safety laws," Opinion, March 31) Our Constitution includes nothing about the protection of children. Perhaps the framers thought that no such mention was needed, since the need to care for children is self-evident. Yet, the bearing and use of firearms causes the avoidable deaths of children every year. Perhaps the gentlemen in Philadelphia more than 200 years ago never considered the possibility of wicked or insane people murdering children in schools. Such a horror was unimaginable. Wicked acts tend to be illegal; insanity is not. Therefore, if everyone gets to have firearms, some children will be slaughtered. We cannot un-kill children whose lives are ended by armed lunatics. But we can and must prevent some people from bearing arms, no matter what some think the Constitution requires. It is shameful that some now say, "I wish I lived in a nation where citizens cared more about their children than they do about their firearms." Jim Blackburn, Palm Desert .. To the editor: What does the U.S. Constitution have in common with the Bible? Answer: Both are antiquated and open to abuse and misinterpretation. Today, they allow for ridiculous interpretations that fit absurd prejudices conveniently at the expense of hapless victims. If pro-gun judges continue to reign, their biased interpretation of the Constitution will continue to enable mass shootings to no end. This must stop. Armando Cepeda, Anaheim .. To the editor: How interesting that some Supreme Court justices have decided that the gun laws of the 1700s and 1800s must determine their rulings on gun safety laws now. My prediction is that birth control will be banned next since it didn't exist in the 1700s and 1800s. And, since women did not have rights back then, those rights can be erased. Story continues Susan Barrett, Los Alamitos .. To the editor: A letter writer misleadingly describes the things that he feels make the AR-15 unsafe for civilian use. The truth is, all guns are designed to kill; this is not exclusive to the AR-15. Most modern rifle bullets have a necked-down cartridge to increase speed at the expense of mass. All bullets create a shock wave on contact. There are much more powerful hunting calibers designed to kill very large game animals. I don't think the AR-15 is the monster of the gun world. People are the real monsters. Knowledge is key. Robert Jaroszewski, San Marcos, Texas This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Former President Trump sits at the defense table with his lawyers in a Manhattan courtroom Tuesday. (Seth Wenig / Associated Press) To the editor: I get tired of hearing the term "politically motivated" from many Republicans regarding former President Trump's alleged criminal activity in hush money payouts, as if saying that makes the investigations inappropriate or wrong. ("How Kevin McCarthys Bakersfield is reacting to Trumps indictment," April 3) I dont recall that term being used regarding the Trump University settlement of $25 million in 2017 from an investigation that started in 2010. Nor was it used for the misuse of Donald J. Trump Foundation funds, resulting in a $2-million settlement in 2019. Would justice be better served if Trump were just a New York real estate investor? If the Republicans used that term "politically motivated" in the investigation of President Nixon's role in the Watergate break-in and cover-up, it certainly didn't stick after the country learned the facts. And here's a thought: What if these "politically motivated" investigations give candidates second thoughts on running for office? It might discourage the criminally minded from seeking office, realizing their past actions would be dug up. That would be the best outcome of "politically motivated" investigations. Steve Latshaw, West Hills .. To the editor: According to Greg Perrone, president of the Greater Bakersfield Republican Assembly, "The left has a batting average of zero against Donald Trump." Who wants to tell him that the left is batting .750 (three for four) in elections (2018, 2020 and 2022) against Trump? George W. Serbia, Irvine .. To the editor: As a retired deputy district attorney for Los Angeles, I get really upset when bad legal information is put out to the public. In the article reporting the reaction in Bakersfield to the Trump indictment, Perrone is quoted as saying, "The law says innocent until proven guilty." This is not the law. You are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The presumption does not make you innocent. I was a deputy DA for 37 years; before then, I was a deputy city attorney for Los Angeles. I saw people get into trouble because of their mistaken assumptions about the law. Richard Lowenstein, Tarzana This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Janet Protasiewicz may have just won a seat on the Wisconsin state Supreme Court, flipping the ideological balance of the court to the benchs liberal bloc for the first time in 15 years. But if a newly elected Republican state senator gets his way, that could all come crashing down. A GOP win in another Wisconsin race this week the state Senate's 8th District gave Republicans a supermajority in the chamber. With that power, Republicans there will have the ability to pursue removal proceedings of certain elected officials if the Assembly votes to impeach them. In the closing days of his campaign, Republican Assemblyman Dan Knodl, who won that exurban state Senate district outside Milwaukee, said that he would consider impeaching Protasiewicz from her current position as a judge on the Milwaukee County Circuit Court. Now, with Protasiewiczs victory Tuesday, the comments quickly spurred concerns among Democrats in the state that Republicans in the Legislature would make a move against Protasiewicz's seat in the Supreme Court. In an interview last week with WISN-TV, Knodl said that a Republican supermajority in the state Senate would give the party more authority in the areas of oversight and accountability of elected officials and appointed officials. If there are some that are out there that are corrupt, that are failing at their tasks, then we have the opportunity to hold them accountable up to impeachment, Knodl said. Janet Protasiewicz is a Circuit Court judge right now in Milwaukee, and she has failed, he continued. Asked whether he would support impeaching her, Knodl replied, I certainly would consider it. It remains unclear whether Knodl was referring only to her position on the Milwaukee Circuit Court, or whether he would also consider impeaching her if she won the Supreme Court race. Spokespersons in Knodls state Assembly office and state Senate campaign did not respond to questions from NBC News. Sen.-elect Dan Knodl (Dan Knodl via Facebook) Democrats, however, have expressed concerns that the remarks as well as similar threats from other state Republicans foretell a GOP strategy of trying to impeach statewide elected officials, including Protasiewicz, with their new Senate supermajority. Story continues Theres going to be a supermajority in the state Senate that will allow the legislators in control of the state Senate to do what they were threatening back in November, which is to start impeachment proceedings, Jodi Habush Sinykin, who lost to Knodl on Tuesday, said in an interview with WISN-TV before the election. Knodl one of 15 Wisconsin GOP state lawmakers who urged then-Vice President Mike Pence to refuse to certify the 2020 presidential election results narrowly won election, The Associated Press projected Wednesday morning. The seat had been left vacant after Republican incumbent Alberta Darling retired in November. Because her retirement took place after Election Day, Evers scheduled a special election. Knodls win gave Republicans 22 votes in the Senate an amount equivalent to a two-thirds majority in the chamber of 33 seats. This affords the party the ability to override vetoes from the governor, if the state Assembly also votes to do so, as well as to convict and remove officials in impeachment trials. Under the Wisconsin Constitution, the state Assembly can impeach with a simple majority all civil officers of this state for corrupt conduct in office, or for crimes and misdemeanors. The Wisconsin Supreme Court has previously ruled that those civil officers include the governor, lieutenant governor and judges. Republicans currently hold 64 of the 99 seats in the lower chamber. If the Assembly votes to impeach, the Senate can then remove that official from office with a two-thirds majority. A spokesperson for Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who would have to approve such proceedings in that chamber, did not immediately respond to questions from NBC News. A spokesperson for the Wisconsin Republican Party referred NBC News to recent comments from another GOP state senator who indicated that the Senate would not advance any prospective impeachment proceedings against Protasiewicz. While the state Supreme Court and its members are both technically nonpartisan, the race between Protasiewicz, a liberal, and Dan Kelly, her conservative opponent, took on a bitter and especially partisan tone. Throughout her campaign, Protasiewicz made it clear that her positions on many issues most prominently abortions rights aligned with those of the Democratic Party. She was endorsed by the Democratic abortion rights group Emilys List, Hillary Clinton, former Attorney General Eric Holder and several other prominent Democrats. She faced relentless criticism from Kelly and Republican officials in the state for having so prominently telegraphed her positions on political issues like abortion and the states gerrymandered legislative maps, as well as other hot-button topics the state Supreme Court is all but certain to decide in the coming years. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Judge Janet Protasiewicz, a liberal, won a heated race for an open Wisconsin Supreme Court seat on Tuesday, shifting the balance of power on the states high court from conservatives to liberals for the first time since at least 2008. Although Wisconsins judicial races are officially nonpartisan, Protasiewiczs victory over former Supreme Court Justice Daniel Kelly, a conservative, in the most expensive judicial race in U.S. history, is a game-changer for the states embattled Democrats. Without saying exactly how she would rule, Protasiewicz, a Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge, ran as a supporter of abortion rights and opponent of Wisconsin Republicans gerrymandered state legislative and congressional maps, which she called unfair. I believe in something that is universal to Wisconsinites all across our state, and that is that everyone should get a fair shot to demand justice and not feel like the thumb is on the scale against them, Protasiewicz told supporters in Milwaukee at a victory party on Tuesday night. In remarks to supporters, Kelly acknowledged his loss but did not extend his best wishes to Protasiewicz. It brings me no joy to say this: I wish that in a circumstance like this, I would be able to concede to a worthy opponent, he said. But I do not have a worthy opponent to which I can concede. The new 4-3 liberal majority on the court is expected to strike down a state-level abortion ban that took effect after the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning the federal right to an abortion in June. That law, which dates to 1849, makes performing an abortion a felony punishable by as much as six years in prison. Assuming that Democrats and their allies challenge the states maps once again, a majority-liberal court would likely be sympathetic to throwing those maps out as well. Referring to the latter possibility, Wisconsin Democratic strategist Joe Zepecki told HuffPost in March that a prospective Protasiewicz win represented an opportunity to have an opportunity. Story continues With that in mind, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin put the full weight of its infrastructure behind Protasiewiczs campaign. The state partys efforts included the direct transfer of $8 million to Protasiewiczs campaign. The transparent way in which Wisconsin Democrats treated the race as a contest over liberal priorities and political power prompted Kelly and his conservative allies to accuse Protasiewicz of judicial activism that would tailor judicial rulings to her preferred policy outcomes. Democrats have pretty much tipped their hand that they see this as a policy-making opportunity, Ben Voelkel, a spokesperson for Kellys campaign, told HuffPost. Thats a complete misattribution of the role of the judiciary. But Protasiewicz, who has promised to recuse herself from cases involving the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, insisted that Kelly was the candidate with the worrisome partisan bias. She noted, in particular, the paid work he had done representing the Republican Party of Wisconsin at a time when it was exploring ways to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election. The partys former chairman testified to Congress that he even consulted Kelly about a plan to appoint an alternative slate of electors that would have voted to overturn President Joe Bidens victory. Kelly said he was only asked if he knew about the plan and replied that he didnt. But in an effort to turn out his base in the closing stretch of the campaign, Kelly appeared at events with Scott Presler, a diehard Donald Trump supporter who attended the Stop the Steal rally on Jan. 6, 2021, that spilled into the U.S. Capitol riot shortly after. I dont think he believes in a representative democracy, Protasiewicz told HuffPost in a late March interview in Milwaukee. To shift the terms of the debate away from abortion rights, Kelly and the outside groups backing him seized on Protsaiewiczs public safety record, arguing that she had sentenced violent criminals too lightly. Based on conversations HuffPost had with a number of voters in the city of Milwaukee and its surrounding suburbs, that message got through even to some solid Democrats. Less than two weeks before Election Day, Neal Bryant, a production supervisor at a rodenticide plant and lifelong Democrat, told HuffPost that he needed to do more research about the judicial race. Former Justice Daniel Kelly, a conservative running against Protasiewicz, accused Protasiewicz of prioritizing ideology over the rule of law. Former Justice Daniel Kelly, a conservative running against Protasiewicz, accused Protasiewicz of prioritizing ideology over the rule of law. She let a lot of inmates free that committed a lot of rape and sexual assault, said Bryant, describing his dilemma between bites of breakfast at a diner on Milwaukees predominantly Black North Side. And the other one, hes against womens right to an abortion. In a pitch to Wisconsins right-wing base voters, Kelly also claimed that a liberal majority on the state Supreme Court risked endangering more than a decades worth of conservative reforms from permissive gun rights laws to reductions in union rights and strict voter ID laws. Jeff and Karen Grossman, conservative former Illinois residents who work at a Lutheran church in the Milwaukee suburb of Mequon, worried that a Protasiewicz win would open the door to Democratic hegemony in the Badger State. Im not saying that Republicans are perfect, either, Jeff Grossman told HuffPost after the couple cast their ballots for Kelly in late March.But I fear that the state of Wisconsin gets to look like the state of Illinois where the voters dont have a right anymore. They dont have a say. In the end though, liberal and moderate voters concerns about abortion rights and the fair administration of elections took precedence, driving turnout in an off-season, off-year race, and helping Democrats maintain the gains they have made in recent years with formerly Republican voters in the Milwaukee suburbs. HuffPost spoke to a former corporate executive in Mequon, who declined to provide her name, because she had had tensions with conservative neighbors over her political views. In 2020, someone pulled a Biden yard sign off of her familys front lawn. A fiscal conservative, the Mequon voter had previously supported former Republican Gov. Scott Walker because she liked his anti-union stuff. But since Trumps election in 2016, she told HuffPost, shes been all in on the Democrats. Some of her neighbors opposition to wearing masks and getting the COVID-19 vaccines pushed her further still from the GOP. Im a big believer in human dignity and gay rights, womens rights, she added, summarizing her liberal positions on social issues. Janet Protasiewicz, a judge on the Milwaukee County Circuit Court, has won a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, NBC News projects, giving liberals their first majority on the states highest court in 15 years. Protasiewicz defeated conservative Dan Kelly, a former state Supreme Court justice, on Tuesday in what became the most expensive state Supreme Court race in U.S. history and one of the most closely watched elections of 2023. Protasiewiczs victory will allow the courts new liberal majority to determine the future of several pivotal issues the bench is likely to decide in the coming years, including abortion rights, the states gerrymandered legislative maps and election administration including, possibly, the outcome of the 2024 presidential race in the battleground state. With 85% of the expected vote counted, Protasiewicz had the support of 55% percent of voters, while Kelly had 45% percent. Conservative-leaning justices hold a 4-3 majority on the court. Protasiewicz will fill the seat being vacated by retiring conservative Justice Patience Roggensack, giving liberals the majority for the first time since 2008. Protasiewicz was elected to a 10-year term. Throughout her campaign, Protasiewicz made it clear that her positions on many issues most prominently abortions rights aligned with those of the Democratic Party. She was endorsed by the Democratic abortion rights group Emilys List, Hillary Clinton, former Attorney General Eric Holder and several other prominent Democrats. Democrats in the state, and nationally, described the race as the most important one in the country this year, and they focused their messaging on emphasizing abortion rights and fair elections extending a strategy the national party used last year to fend off a red wave in the House and keep the Senate. The win by Protasiewicz suggests that the strategy continues to pay off for the party a data point national Democrats will be all but certain to rely on heading into next years presidential election. Story continues State Democrats and abortion rights groups lauded her win in the moments after NBC News called the race for her. Ben Wikler, the chair of the state Democratic Party, tweeted that the race was "a release valve for twelve years of Democratic rage in Wisconsin about Republicans rigging our state and smashing our democracy." Laphonza Butler, the president of Emily's List, a group that works to elect Democratic women who support abortion rights, said in a statement to NBC News that Protasiewiczs win "will change the lives of Wisconsinites for years to come and give the state the opportunity to become a beacon of reproductive health care access." Another significant factor was that the Protasiewicz campaign, as well as groups supporting it, widely outspent Kellys campaign and groups supporting it. In her victory speech from Milwaukee, Protasiewicz praised voters for having chosen to reject partisan extremism in this state and said, Our democracy will always prevail. Too many have tried to overturn the will of the people, she added in a veiled reference to attacks she made against Kelly during the campaign for his ties to a plot to overturn the 2020 election results in the state. Todays results show that Wisconsinites believe in democracy and the democratic process, she said. Kelly, who lost his seat on the state Supreme Court in 2020 to liberal Jill Karofsky, faced relentless attacks from Protasiewicz and allied groups for having advised Republicans on legal efforts to overturn the 2020 race through the use of fake electors. Kelly, in a blistering speech to supporters in the small town of Green Lake, acknowledged his loss but slammed Protasiewicz for having run what he called "the mostly deeply deceitful, dishonorable, despicable campaign Ive ever seen run for the courts." The people of Wisconsin have chosen the rule of Janet. I respect that decision because it is theirs to make," Kelly said. I wish I would be able to concede to a worthy opponent," he added, "but I do not have a worthy opponent to which I can concede." He ended his remarks with another jab, saying he wished Wisconsin luck, "because I think it's going to need it." In a deposition to the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, former Wisconsin GOP chairman Andrew Hitt said he and Kelly had pretty extensive conversations about the plan, and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported last month that the Republican Party at the state and national levels had paid Kelly $120,000 to advise them on election integrity issues. Kelly repeatedly hit back against the accusations and denied any involvement in the matter. At the center of the race, however, was abortion rights. The state Supreme Court is widely expected to decide the fate of the states restrictive 1849 abortion law in the near term. Several of Protasiewiczs television advertisements emphasized her support for abortion rights and slammed extremists on the other side. Kelly, who refrained from saying how he would rule in such a case, was endorsed by three groups that oppose abortion rights, and he provided counsel to another Wisconsin group that opposes abortion rights. The state Supreme Court is also likely to hear various challenges to existing election laws, as well as cases that might relate to recounts, absentee ballots and other facets of election administration that could have material impacts on the outcomes of close elections in the perpetual battleground state including the 2024 presidential election. For example, in a 4-3 decision last year, the state Supreme Court deemed all ballot drop boxes outside of election clerks offices illegal a setback for Democrats, who had advocated to preserve one of the more lenient rules about the boxes that arose during the coronavirus pandemic. Two years earlier, the court, in another 4-3 vote, narrowly upheld the 2020 election results in the state. Court watchers predict similar cases in the future. Other issues that could make it before the court in the coming years are challenges to Act 10, a law enacted by then-Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, that eliminated collective bargaining for most public workers. It could also hear cases about redrawn legislative maps (the current map, which experts have said is one of the most gerrymandered in the country, was approved by the current state Supreme Court last year). As is the case in many states, in Wisconsin, if the governor and the Legislature cannot agree on legislative maps, the issue falls to the state Supreme Court. Protasiewicz made her stance clear, saying at a debate: I think the map issue is really kind of easy, actually. I dont think anybody thinks both maps are fair. Meanwhile, Wisconsin voters Tuesday also approved a constitutional amendment that could make it more difficult for suspects in violent crimes to be released from jail on bail. Protasiewicz and Kelly had supported the proposed amendment. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Liberals flipped the ideological makeup of Wisconsin's Supreme Court on Tuesday. Janet Protasiewiczs win in a high-stakes race for an open court seat means the new 4-3 majority is much more likely to strike down a controversial 19th century abortion ban there. Protasiewicz, a liberal judge from Milwaukee County, won her race, 56.9% to 43.1%, when the Associated Press called the race at 9:53 pm. She defeated conservative former state Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly. The court is technically nonpartisan, but now has a 4-3 liberal majority through at least 2025. The race between Kelly and Protasiewicz was a bitter one, with TV ads ripping apart the judges and the lone general election debate between the two turning fairly acrimonious, at least for a normally stoic judicial contest. Kelly acknowledged his loss on Tuesday evening, but savaged the now-justice elect in his concession speech. "I wish in circumstances like this, I would be able to concede to a worthy opponent, but I do not have a worthy opponent," he said, calling Protasiewicz' campaign "beneath contempt" that launched "rancid slanders." He said she would damage the integrity of the court. Protasiewicz struck a more optimistic tone. "It means that our democracy will always prevail," she said at her victory night party. "Too many have tried to overturn the will of the people. Todays result shows that Wisconsinites believe in democracy and the democratic process." The race was the most expensive state judicial race in American history. As of late last week, over $45 million has been spent on the contest, according to WisPolitics.com. That is roughly three times the previous record. The election will have wide-sweeping effects on the state, including, in the nearest-term, access to abortion in Wisconsin. The state has a 1840s law on the books that bans abortion in nearly all instances in the state. State Attorney General Josh Kaul, a Democrat, has brought a lawsuit challenging that law in state court that is widely expected to eventually land in front of the state Supreme Court. Story continues But in the interim, abortion providers have stopped performing the procedure in the state. That was an animating factor for Protasiewiczs campaign, whose advertising regularly spoke about abortion rights. On the trail, she has repeatedly said my personal value is that a woman has a right to choose, while stressing that she is merely speaking about her values and not prejudging any particular court case. The race court could have a significant impact on election laws in the state, which has regularly ruled on contentious election issues since the 2020 election. Perhaps most notably, the state Supreme Court turned away then-President Donald Trumps attempts to throw out the 2020 election results in the state. Its 4-to-3 vote came only after Justice Brian Hagedorn, a conservative who sometimes served as a swing vote, joined the liberal bloc to reject the case. Protasiewiczs win also makes Democrats much more likely to bring challenges to the states congressional and legislative lines. Republicans have near-supermajorities in both legislative chambers and a 6-2 split of the congressional delegation in a state that routinely votes close to 50-50 on a statewide level. Similarly to her comments about values on abortion, Protasiewicz has said that it is clear the maps in the state are unfair. Wisconsin has probably the most gerrymandered maps in the entire country, she said in an interview with POLITICO in February. I anticipate that it's possible that some type of litigation in regard to fair maps could come before the Supreme Court. Judge Janet Protasiewicz put abortion rights at the centre of her campaign Liberals have won their first majority on Wisconsin's highest court in 15 years after the most expensive race to elect a judge in US history. Janet Protasiewicz's victory could prove pivotal in votes on abortion rights and election matters in the Midwestern battleground state. The Milwaukee County circuit court judge beat conservative candidate Justice Daniel Kelly. The Wisconsin Supreme Court election is meant to be non-partisan. But Judge Protasiewicz put "a woman's freedom to make her own decision on abortion" - a Democratic party priority - at the centre of her campaign. Meanwhile Justice Daniel Kelly - a former Wisconsin Supreme Court jurist who previously worked for Republicans - had support from the state's leading anti-abortion group. Daniel Kelly was the conservative candidate Liberals will now have 4-3 control of the court. Wisconsin is one of 14 US states to directly elect its Supreme Court justices, and winners get 10-year terms. More than $42.3m (34m) had been spent as of Monday, almost tripling the previous record of $15.2m for spending on a US judicial race. Republicans portrayed Judge Protasiewicz as soft on crime, while Democrats asserted that victory for Justice Kelly could have endangered democracy itself in Wisconsin. Wisconsin's Supreme Court came within one vote of overturning President Joe Biden's win in the state in 2020. Lindsie Chrisley is sharing an update on how her dad, Todd Chrisley, and stepmom, Julie Chrisley, are doing since they reported to prison in January. The reality stars, who rose to fame on the show "Chrisley Knows Best," were found guilty of fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to defraud the United States last June. Todd and Julie were sentenced in November to 12 years and seven years in prison, respectively. In the latest episode of her podcast, The Southern Tea, Lindsie Chrisley shared an update on her father's condition following a recent visit to the Florida prison. I couldnt stop telling him how great he looked. He looks very, very good, she recalled, speaking to guest Justin Paperny. I said, Even your hair looks better a little bit longer and a little bit grayer. His nails arent completely bitten off. The 33-year-old said she initially wasn't sure how other prisoners would respond to her parents' presence, being that they're public figures. One of my biggest concerns was the access to televisions ... like, do you think people have seen 'Chrisley Knows Best' that are serving time in these camps? I know the answer now is yes, she said. She said both Chrisleys received a warm welcome from fellow inmates. My parents were welcomed with open arms. I feel so blessed with that because I have heard of other people reporting and that not being the case," she said. While chatting about her visit with her father, Chrisley said she was reassured to see that he "is in such a better place." "His spirits are great. He is really just embracing the process there, making the best of the process there with the people that are also there serving time with him. Hes made great friends. He talks about his friends there," she said. Chrisley spoke to guest Paperny, a prison consultant, about the less-than-ideal conditions in some facilities. Chrisley said her parents are lucky and have never complained about conditions in their individual facilities. Story continues "My dad never surrendered himself to the federal prison camp in Pensacola thinking that he was going to a Taj Mahal ... he was very aware and very prepared, as much as you can be prepared," she said. The reality star said that her father grew up "very middle class" and said it "wasn't (hard) to go back to his roots." Chrisley said it's been a difficult time for her and her siblings, but explained that everyone has tried to maintain a positive outlook for their parents' sake. You want to be strong and tell them everythings going to be fine, even though youre questioning if everythings going to be fine, she said. Still, she did acknowledge that she worries about her parents' mental state while they serve their sentences. In one of my first emails to my dad, I asked him because they were both very active in therapy and talked about that on their podcast and shared with their listeners their journey with therapy and that whole process, she said. I asked him, Are there any mental health services that you have access to? And I cant get a direct answer from him. This article was originally published on TODAY.com Reid Hoffman said Elon Musk has an "it's only great if I do it" business mentality. Noah Berger and Hannibal Hanschk via Associated Press LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman told CNBC the call for an AI slow down is a "mistaken effort." Hoffman said some people are issuing the warning in order to catch up with the technology. He said Elon Musk has an "it's only great if I do it" mentality when it comes to ChatGPT. LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman called Elon Musk and other tech executives' call to slow down AI advances a "mistaken effort" during an interview on CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Wednesday. Hoffman said that while he thinks some of the calls to slow down the development of AI chatbots like ChatGPT are "well intentioned" inasmuch as it is important to protect against the "downsides" of the technology, he believes some of the executives are acting out of self-interest. "I think some of it's a little bit less well intentioned, like 'Everyone else slow down, so I can speed up,'' Hoffman said. "It's overall, I think, broadly a mistaken effort because actually I think everything we've seen so far in terms of development is the best ways to get safety is through larger scale models they actually train to align better with human interests, and so the call to slow down is actually, in fact, less safe." Last month, Musk, as well as other tech titans like Steve Wozniak, signed an open letter calling for a pause on AI development and warning that AI systems like OpenAI's GPT-4 pose a potential risk to humanity. Both Musk and Hoffman helped found OpenAI in 2015, but Musk left the company's board of directors in 2018 and has been critical of the company ever since. Hoffman left OpenAI's board last month, citing a conflict of interest due to his desire to invest in companies that would use OpenAI's software. At the time, Hoffman said organizations that use large language models, including OpenAI's technology, could become "future trillion-dollar companies." Hoffman, who is a PayPal Mafia member and a longtime friend of Musk, said that while he believes Musk's reasoning for signing the open letter is "well intentioned," it's also indicative of the Tesla CEO's overall mentality as a businessman. Story continues "Elon tends to have a 'I must build it with my own hands'" approach, Hoffman said. "You look at what amazing stuff he's done with SpaceX and Tesla, and it has the kind of 'It's only great if I do it.'" Meanwhile, Hoffman said OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is more interested in getting "a bunch of people involved" and having a more distributed company governance. Despite his longtime friendship with Musk, Hoffman said he's "much more on the path that OpenAI has gone" when it comes to developing the technology. Spokespeople for Musk, Hoffman, and OpenAI did not respond to a request for comment ahead of publication. Do you work in tech or have insight to share? Reach out to the reporter from a non-work email at gkay@insider.com Read the original article on Business Insider A missing persons unit disbanded last year by the Kansas City Police Department is being started up again after community leaders raised concerns, according to Police Chief Stacey Graves. The revived unit will initially have seven detectives and one sergeant supervisor dedicated to investigating missing persons cases. Graves made the announcement at a meeting of the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners last week. The move comes as the police department has faced criticism from Black leaders who say police are not taking missing persons reports seriously enough in their communities. Those concerns gained urgency last year, when a Black woman from Kansas City escaped captivity at a mans home in Excelsior Springs not long after the police had publicly dismissed reports of Black women going missing. Then last month, the police department faced questions about two separate cases in which they did not alert the public about missing teenagers who were later found dead. Graves said during the police board meeting the department is continuing to find ways to listen and be responsive to the concerns of the community. We have listened to our communitys concern for those who go missing in our city, Graves said later last week. Bringing back the missing persons squad will better serve all people in our city. This is us listening and responding to the community as a whole, and responding to staffing realities and making the best use of the people we have in investigations so that missing persons detectives can focus on and specialize in finding missing persons, Graves said. The staffing change will go into effect Sunday, April 16. Missing persons unit disbanded under Rick Smith The missing persons unit was disbanded last year by then-Kansas City Police Chief Rick Smith, who said he reassigned those detectives to investigate homicide and assaults. At the time, speaking to a meeting of the South Kansas City Alliance, Smith said: We used to have a missing person cold case squad... and just two weeks ago I disbanded that and put them back into regular homicide and regular assault squad because we dont have enough detectives, according to a video clip posted by FOX4. Story continues He also reassigned missing persons investigations to other detectives, adding to their responsibilities. Former Kansas City Police Chief Rick Smith is pictured in a file photo. On Tuesday, Sgt. Jacob Becchina, a police spokesman, said the unit Smith disbanded was a missing persons squad. And that is the unit now being reformed. Each year the department receives hundreds of juvenile and adult missing persons reports, Becchina said. Damon Daniel, president of the AdHoc Group Against Crime, applauded Graves for the move and said she has taken the right foot forward to re-establish the missing persons squad. AdHoc is one of several community groups the police department has partnered with to investigate missing persons. Some of that includes working directly with families, producing fliers and helping with searches. It is my hope that communications with families of missing persons improves with the reactivated division, Daniel said. One recurring issue that we hear from families that have reported a loved one missing is updates on the status of the investigation. Even if there are no changes, people simply want to know that someone, especially the enforcement agency that has been equipped with the most tools, is also concerned about their loved ones disappearance. A phone call to say no changes, we are doing what we can will at least give some level of comfort, he said. Damon Daniel, president of AdHoc, poses for a portrait on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, in Kansas City. Criticisms of KCPD investigations Community activists have long complained that police are not responsive or seem indifferent to families trying to report a missing relative or loved one. That includes cases in which police could have circulated a flier to the public about a missing teen, as they do in many cases, but chose not to. Most recently, police did not alert the public about the disappearance of Oscar Cabral, 18, when his family reported him missing on March 18. Five days later, his body was found near the heavily wooded trails inside Swope Park. His death is being investigated as a homicide. Two weeks before, police found the body of 13-year-old Jayden Robker in a pond near his Northland home. In that case, police had delayed four days before alerting the public, later explaining that they had difficulty obtaining a current photo from the family. Jayden Robker, 13, was reported missing from the Lakeview Terrace neighborhood in February. Police waited four days to alert the public, later explaining they had difficulty obtaining a recent photo. Michele Watley, founder of Shirleys Kitchen Cabinet, has led public discussions about missing persons and violence against Black women. She said the relaunch of the squad is an opportunity for the police to demonstrate transparency and accountability. But it leads to more questions, Watley said. What does it look like to have it? What does that mean for not only missing persons cases overall but how does this directly address the issue of the disproportionate rate of Black people particularly, Black women who go missing whose cases go either unsolved or not given the same attention and resources as others? The announcement doesnt directly answer that, she said. Advocates for missing persons have said the police department does not follow best practices in those cases. The police department does not maintain a list of active missing person cases that is accessible to the public. It does not require the missing persons unit to file monthly reports tracking which cases are being closed or going unsolved, and it does not track the demographics of missing persons. Family and friends of Kansas Citys Oscar E. Cabral circulated fliers after he went missing in March 2023. His body was found near Swope Park on March 23. As a result, those who provide support to families of the missing say its nearly impossible to know what resources police are using to search for specific missing persons, or whether Black and brown communities are being disproportionately affected. In Kansas City, it is left to detectives to decide whether individual cases are worth pursuing, based on whether that person is in immediate danger or might harm themselves, police say. Many advocates who study the best practices in the field say every department should have strategies for alerting community members of missing persons and communicating with them during a search. Another example: Watley said the police departments website showing missing persons cases has not been updated. And if the department is seeking trust or community they have to remember that trust is gained through transparency, Watley said. So I think thats the common thread that the department has to focus on and maybe prioritize and deal with these issues. Donald Trump makes statements at his Mar-a-Lago estate after being arraigned in New York City, on April 04, 2023, in Palm Beach, Florida. Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Trump delivered a defiant speech in Mar-a-Lago after his arraignment in New York on Tuesday. The campaign-style event was held in an extravagant ballroom bursting with people. Trump allies like Roger Stone, Mike Lindell, Kari Lake, and Marjorie Taylor Greene were there. Former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence was teeming with supporters as he gave a defiant speech just hours after his arraignment in New York. This, in contrast to the small group of supporters that showed up for him in New York, where the pro-Trump crowd was far outnumbered by anti-Trump protesters. Trump was very much on home ground in Florida surrounded by allies and staunch supporters at a campaign-style event held in Mar-a-Lago's gilded ballroom. There, he launched into a rambling speech about the various investigations he's facing, while verbally attacking Judge Juan Merchan, who is presiding over his case in Manhattan. Biker group Born to Ride 45 attended Trump's Mar-a-Lago speech after his arraignment. Kimberly Leonard/Insider "The only crime that I've committed is to fiercely defend our nation," Trump said in his speech. As he climbed up to the stage to deliver his speech, Trump was greeted by loud applause and triumphant chants of "U-S-A," according to a tweet posted by the far-right political figure, Laura Loomer. GOP lawmakers like Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz and Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene made it down to Mar-a-Lago to cheer Trump on. Greene who earlier on Tuesday gave a short 10-minute speech at a mini pro-Trump protest in New York tweeted about the Mar-a-Lago event. She said it was "great" to be around "so many American patriots at Mar-a-Lago." Marjorie Taylor Greene (@mtgreenee) April 5, 2023 Gaetz did an interview with Fox News from inside the ballroom, saying he thought there was a "renewed spirit" and "energy" in the Trump 2024 campaign. Story continues Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) April 5, 2023 Insider's politics correspondent Kimberly Leonard, who was in the ballroom at Mar-a-Lago, tweeted that crowds cheered when Kari Lake, the Trump-backed Republican who was defeated in the Arizona race for governor in November, entered the room. Leonard also tweeted that Trump supporters mingled in the lively event as songs like "Candle in the Wind" by Elton John and "Live Like You Were Dying" by Tim McGraw played. Around 500 to 700 people were packed into the room's standing area, per Leonard's reporting from Mar-a-Lago. Also at the event were diehard Trump allies like Roger Stone and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, a staunch Trump ally, took interviews from the media at Mar-a-Lago. Kimberly Leonard/Insider Lindell told Leonard in an interview that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis who is slated to become Trump's main rival for the 2024 GOP nomination, should he choose to run should "just endorse Trump tomorrow morning" and give up the fight. Trump on Tuesday was arrested in New York, and later in a Manhattan courtroom pleaded not guilty to 34 low-level felony charges. The charges were filed against him by the Manhattan district attorney's office in connection with a yearslong investigation into hush money payment made to the adult film actress, Stormy Daniels. Trump is set to appear in court again on December 4, just two months before the GOP primaries begin. Trump supporters cheered the former president along as he gave his campaign-style speech at Mar-a-Lago. Kimberly Leonard/Insider Read the original article on Business Insider Tom Kuhn announced he will step down from his position as president and CEO of the Edison Electric Institute after leading the utility company trade association for more than 30 years. Hell stay on until the end of the year. The group aims to have a new CEO in place by then. Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck hired Jonathan Towers as a policy director. Towers comes from the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, where he served as staff director and was Republicans lead negotiator on the PACT Act. DLA Piper hired Rachel Portman as a policy adviser in the firms health policy strategic consulting practice. Portman previously served as deputy health policy director for the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee under Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), who joined DLA Piper in February. David Cleary, another former Burr aide, joined the firm last month. Americas Health Insurance Plans hired Sohini Gupta as executive vice President of government affairs and innovations and Robert Traynham as executive vice president of public affairs and strategic initiatives. Gupta most recently led government affairs at Global Medical Response, while Traynham did public affairs at Meta. Fred Clark rejoined Cornerstone Government Affairs as a senior consultant. Clark most recently served as Republican chief counsel on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee. He worked at Cornerstone for a decade before taking on the committee role. Madeleine Russak joined the Signal Group as a vice president. Russak most recently was communications director for Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and previously served as deputy communications director for Democrats on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. The Independent Community Bankers of America brought on Sam Mayper as vice president of congressional relations. Mayper comes from the American Bankers Association, where he was a senior legislative manager. He previously was a legislative assistant to former Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.). Lobbying World documents the top lobbying hires in the nations capital every week. Send tips to Karl at kevers@thehill.com. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Nine-year-old Cesar Paredes enters the bullring impeccably dressed in his traditional Venezuelan bullfighter's suit, pink cape neatly folded over one arm, to the ovation of an enthusiastic crowd. He may be small, but he has big dreams of becoming a matador. Paredes is one of 17 children aged six to 14 -- one of them a girl -- learning the tricks of the bullfighting trade at a torero school in Merida, a city in the Venezuelan Andes where the tradition persists despite protests by animal rights campaigners. One day "I want to leave (the ring) through the big door as a great bullfighter," the boy told AFP. It is in Cesar's blood: his older brother is a bullfighter and their pursuit is encouraged by their mother, an avid fan of the controversial pastime. Bullfighting is an income generator for Merida, with continued high attendance despite a long-running economic crisis that has severely diluted Venezuelans' purchasing power and caused a mass exodus. - 'Look brave' - Cesar and his classmates are taken through their paces by retired torero Mauro Pereira, 73, who gives three-hour classes outside of school time. The pupils learn the correct posture and how to extend their arms as they swish the cape in the direction of the bull. They take turns playing the animal, pretending to charge with fake horns. The children also learn how to "look brave" as they confront the bull, and how to bend their knees in a fall in order to get up again quickly and avoid being trampled. "We can't hesitate, we have to be determined and also have to show respect," said Leonardo Rangel, a 14-year-old among Pereira's pupils. "When you start, you don't win... from the get-go. It happens step by step. You have to practice to be good," he told AFP. - 'We want to fight' - In February, Pereira's pupils attended an inter-school bullfighting contest in Merida. But they had to leave disappointed. An order from a local court prohibited minors from taking part in the event, or even being near bullfights in which older trainee matadors participated. Story continues "The children shouted 'We want to fight!', but they would not let them," lamented Maritza Arias, Cesar's mother. "It was very painful to have them removed from the stands." The boy was allowed only to take part in a presentation of matador skills, without a bull anywhere near. "I am very proud to see my children in this, when things go well it becomes a discipline, it is art for me," says Arias, 47. - 'Killing of a living being' - But just as the love for bullfighting endures in parts of Venezuela, so does opposition to it. Parliament is examining a law against animal abuse that could outlaw the practice. As the law currently stands, it is up to municipalities to regulate events involving animals. Cities like Caracas and Maracaibo have banned bullfighting. "I criticize those who go to a bullring to witness the killing of a living being," said Johan Sanchez, co-director of the Napda Foundation which campaigns against the practice. "We have to educate future generations to save" the bulls, he added. But for Pereira, bullfighting is part of "a culture thousands of years old." "The fighting bull was created to die with honor and bravery in a bullring," he argued. Seven countries apart from Venezuela still allow bullfighting: France, Spain, Portugal, Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador and Peru, sometimes with restrictions. str-jt/mbj/mlr/md/sco Some residents from across the metro-east will get new leaders in local offices, based on unofficial election results from Tuesday night. But some races are still too close to call and one is even tied. In previous years, some election night results have flipped after mail-in ballots were counted. Election authorities can accept mail-in ballots for two weeks after an election, which would be April 18. Also, the results are not finalized until local authorities complete their canvass, which must be done by April 25. To see complete, unofficial election results of contested races from Tuesday in the metro-east, go to bnd.com. Here are some highlights from Tuesday night: Challenger Charles Powell III has the lead over East St. Louis Mayor Robert Eastern III, 2,097 to 1,734. Marie Franklin, the third place finisher, had 841 votes. The voter turnout in East St. Louis was 31% Former Belleville Alderwoman Lillian Schneider, with 157 votes, holds a seven-vote lead over Kurt Daesch, who had 150 votes, for the Ward 1 seat in Belleville. The seat is open because Ward 1 Alderman Joe Hazel, who has a pending aggravated driving under the influence charge, did not run for reelection. In 2019, an incumbent alderman, Andy Gaa, had a seven-vote lead on election night but after mail-in ballots were counted, he lost by three votes (313-310) to Chris Rothweiler in Ward 6. On Tuesday, Rothweiler was unopposed and won reelection. The voter turnout in St. Clair County was 11%. In Freeburg School District 70, six candidates ran for school board in the district. School Principal Ryan Wittenauer resigned effective at the end of the school year and wrote in his resignation letter last week that some people terrorize our school community and he could no longer work in Freeburg because of the unfounded attacks, bullying, and professional accusations lodged against Freeburg School District 70 administrators. One incumbent, John Lawson, is trailing while another, James Jamie R. Smith, holds the lead in his race. Story continues This school board race had two sections: In one category, two candidates were to be selected and in another, only one candidate will be voted in. In the two-candidate category, challengers Amber Trout had 936 votes and David Stein had 731 votes while Lawson had 542. In the other category, Smith leads with 674 votes while challengers Danita Duecker had 306 and William Bill May had 240. In school referendums, Edwardsville voters gave an enthusiastic thumbs up to a $100 million bond issue plan for building and security improvements. The vote was 4,511 in favor and 2,481 against. In Freeburg School District 77, voters rejected a $10 million bond issue proposal for a new high school gym. There were 1,324 no votes and 815 yes votes. And in Aviston School District 21, voters in six precincts are tied at 428-428 in election-night votes on whether the maximum annual tax rate should be increased and established at 1.17% on taxable property instead of the present rate of 0.92%. The school district has precincts in Clinton and Madison counties, where officials can collect mail-in ballots until April 18. Thats remarkable, was Aviston District 21 Superintendent Phil Hamils reaction to the current tie vote. Most of the precincts for this school district are in Clinton County, where County Clerk Vicky Albers said Wednesday there were 48 mail-in ballots sent to Clinton County residents in the school district that have not yet been returned. An extensive collection of Kentucky Derby glassware, including one that inspired Churchill Downs to make the now popular collectible mint julep cups, will go on auction in April. Even people who dont care for the syrupy bourbon and mint cocktail often collect the colorful glasses, which are sold today online, at the Louisville racetrack and in Kroger stores. But that wasnt always the case. Older cups can be hard to find and expensive to acquire. Longtime equine veterinarian Dr. Merritt William Marrs, a colorful Lexington native who worked for the late Buckram Oak Farm owner Mahmoud Fustok, collected about 500 glasses altogether, at least one from each year. Marrs died in January in California and his collection will be auctioned by Caswell Prewitt, beginning April 10. Longtime Thoroughbred racehorse owner and California bloodstock agent Rollin Baugh remembered Marrs as a man with hundreds of dear friends around the world and a zest for hospitality. Marrs did indeed like mint juleps, Baugh said. He would have them. Not every day but he would have them. He was a highly respected international veterinarian and theres no bigger race than the Kentucky Derby, Baugh said. He was one of the most prominent racetrack veterinarians at both Churchill Downs and Keeneland. Baugh recalled seeing his friends valuable Derby glass collection in his home. Its probably unique. Many people have a lot of Derby glasses but he had more than anyone, Baugh said. About 500 Derby glasses, including mint julep cups, shot glasses and other barware, will be auctioned by Caswell Prewitt. Dr. Merritt Marrs, a longtime equine veterinarian and Lexington native, collected hundreds of Kentucky Derby glasses over the years. His estate will auction them off through Caswell Prewitt beginning April 10. He loved the Derby, said Karen Nielsen, Marrs fiance and the executor of his estate. Nielsen said Marrs enjoyed collecting many things, including art, some of which will be sent to Lexington gallery owner Greg Ladd and Cross Gate Gallery for the 2023 Sporting Art Auction, she said. Whats in the Kentucky Derby glass collection? Marrs Derby glass collection includes a 1938 Churchill Downs glass that actually pre-dates the popular julep cups. A 1938 Churchill Downs water glass is one of the rare Kentucky Derby collectibles that will be auctioned by Caswell Prewitt. Dr. Merritt Marrs, a Kentucky native and equine veterinarian collected hundreds over the years. Col. Matt Winn, who helped save the Derby by switching to parimutuel betting after bookmaking was outlawed in Kentucky in 1908, was a partner in ownership of the track and worked to build the race into a national phenomenon. Story continues In 1938, according to Dave Diederich of Caswell Prewitt, Winn noticed fans at the Derby were taking home the racetracks water glasses as souvenirs. A rare Kentucky Derby glass from 1940 will be among the items auctioned by Caswell Prewitt, beginning April 10. A 1950 aluminum mint julep glass made for the Kentucky Derby will be auctioned by Caswell Prewitt. This guy was like the P.T. Barnum of Churchill Downs and the Derby was his baby. So in 1939 Churchill Downs did the first julep glass and Dr. Merritt Marrs collected them all, up to 2022, Diederich said. The early glasses are extremely valuable and several are expected to sell for five figures, he said. Rare glasses in the collection include: 1940 version of a Derby glass that is one of only 800 made. According to Nielsen, Marrs had insured this glass 20 years ago for $14,500. Caswell Prewitt will auction off several rare Kentucky Derby mint julep cups include these aluminum versions. Aluminum versions made in 1941 to eliminate broken glass. Beetleware (an early plastic) versions made during World War II. Rare Beetleware (an early plastic) Kentucky Derby mint julep cups, made during World War II, are part of the Caswell Prewitt auction. Unofficial Derby glasses made by sponsors such as Buick, with advertising on it. Diederich said the collection also includes a wide variety of shot glasses and other barware also made as Kentucky Derby collectibles. How to bid on a Kentucky Derby julep cup You can view the catalog at auctions.caswellprewittrealty.com beginning April 6. The online auction opens April 10 and will start to close with lot 1 at 6 p.m. April 30. The 149th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 6 in Louisville. (Brain Tumour Research / SWNS) A lorry driver who forgot how to drive was shocked to discover that he had a brain tumour. Mark O'Meara, 47, was driving down the M27 when he suddenly lost sensation in the right side of his body. The trucker immediately pulled over called 999, and thought he was having a stroke, and was blue-lighted to Southampton General Hospital. An MRI scan revealed a "broad bean-sized" lesion on his brain, thought to be a glioma, and Mark was forced to hand in his driving license. The keen runner from Andover, Hampshire, said: "I thought I was having a stroke or had a trapped nerve as I suddenly lost sensation on the right side of my body and had a funny turn. I forgot how to do everything, including how to drive. He added: My diagnosis has meant I am not able to drive and Ive been signed off long-term sick but I have still been able to run. I've been an ultra-runner for some time now and thankfully the amazing neuro team in Southampton were happy for me to keep running. I used to run 50 miles a week and went to the gym every day and Ive carried that on as best I can since I was told about my brain tumour. A screenshot of the route Mark will take on (Brain Tumour Research / SWNS) Doctors think the lesion in his brain is a glioma - a brain tumour which starts in glial cells, which are the supporting cells of the brain and the spinal cord. At a follow-up scan in December, doctors saw no change and while he has regained mobility in his right arm and leg, he is having surgery today. He was due to take on a planned 200-mile running feat in South Wales to raise money for Brain Tumour Research, which he has postponed. Mark has so far raised 1,000 for the charity. Speaking before his surgery, Mark said: My diagnosis has made me stop and realise there is more to life than work. I found myself working long days, starting early in the morning and finishing late. Mark will run 200 miles across South Wales to raise money for Brain Tumour Research (Brain Tumour Research / SWNS) "In a way, its been the best thing to happen to me to make me realise what is important. Mel Tiley, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: Were so grateful to Mark for sharing his story so far, and for taking on this incredible running challenge whilst waiting for surgery. He is an inspiration to brain tumour patients everywhere. Story continues His story reminds us that brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age and they kill more men under 70 than prostate cancer. "We have to raise the awareness and funds to research this disease if we are to find a cure to stop this from ruining the lives of families. SWNS As a Navy admiral, I helped lead one of the most powerful militaries in the world. Today, our nation is fighting an urgent battle here at home an overdose epidemic in which illicit fentanyl is killing 70,000 Americans a year. Thats more people than we lost in combat during the Vietnam War and since. We desperately need new weapons to fight this scourge, including medical treatments not just to reverse overdoses but also to prevent them in the first place. One promising area of research involves the use of monoclonal antibodies, the same technology being used to treat COVID-19 and other diseases. Monoclonal antibodies are different from current treatment or emergency response options. Rather than displacing opioid molecules from opioid receptors in the brain to reverse an ongoing overdose, they bind to fentanyl molecules in the bloodstream before the drug can even reach the brain. They essentially render fentanyl useless before it can kill someone. This and other fresh approaches are urgently needed because Americas opioid crisis has now largely become a fentanyl crisis. A synthetic opioid that is at least 50 times more potent than morphine, fentanyl is both exceedingly addictive and extraordinarily dangerous. Just a few milligrams of it is enough to kill. Opinions in your inbox: Get exclusive access to our columnists and the best of our columns Just as I once was on the front lines of American conflicts around the world, my family and I are now on the front lines of our nations battle with fentanyl. My wife, Mary, and I lost our son Jonathan in September 2017. We had been with him only days before, moving him in to start school at the University of Denver. James Sandy Winnefeld and his wife, Mary, helping son Jonathan move into the University of Denver for his freshman year in 2017. We knew that Jonathan had struggled with addiction. That fall, though, our family was feeling optimistic. He had successfully completed an in-patient rehabilitation program and was doing very well after 15 months. He had received his EMT certification and was excited about college. Story continues What we didnt know was that an open-air drug market close to Jonathans school would deal a critical blow to his recovery. He was walking by one evening, and someone offered him drugs. The pull of addiction was just too powerful. He died of an accidental overdose of heroin laced with fentanyl. Today, fentanyl is the leading killer of Americans ages 18 to 45. The Drug Enforcement Administration recently reported that last year alone, their agents seized enough fentanyl to kill every American. We must fight back: Fentanyl crisis is an international attack on America Opioid crisis hits home. Mine.: I've learned some things that might help others cope with this affliction The fentanyl is typically manufactured abroad and smuggled into the United States, creating a cash-fueled, fertile breeding ground for criminal organizations and foreign adversaries to exploit. Fentanyl is finding its way into counterfeit pills and recreational drugs, and it can kill the first time someone, often unwittingly, uses it. We need a relentless effort to combat both the supply and the demand sides of this epidemic. Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. Invest in new overdose-prevention medications In his recent State of the Union address, President Joe Biden recommitted to efforts to disrupt the trafficking, distribution and sale of fentanyl in this country. On the demand side, he also advocated for the continued expansion of harm reduction and treatment strategies for Americans struggling with addiction, including making the overdose-reversal medication naloxone (Narcan) and the addiction treatments buprenorphine and methadone more accessible. Opioid addiction is a disease: We cut red tape so doctors can finally treat it effectively. I lost a child to opioids: Compassion, not criminalization, could spare others my grief Just last week, the Food and Drug Administration approved selling the nasal spray Narcan over the counter, which was long overdue but wont help those who overdose when theyre alone. Even so, it's among the useful and important steps. The demand side, however, is ripe for significant advancements. Monoclonal antibodies, administered by infusion or injection, are a potentially valuable addition to the treatment toolkit for opioid addiction. James Sandy Winnefeld, a retired Navy admiral, was vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2011 to 2015. He is co-chair of SAFE Project, a nonprofit organization working to end the opioid epidemic, and served on the U.S. Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking. One study by a small North Carolina company found that a single administration of anti-fentanyl monoclonal antibodies prevented life-threatening, fentanyl-induced respiratory depression in non-human primates for at least three weeks. These results suggest that the treatment could be effective in people as well, and studies in humans could begin this spring. The National Institute on Drug Abuse is also helping to fund a Boston-based companys pursuit of a treatment that can remove methamphetamine and fentanyl from the bloodstream. Human safety studies on the intravenous drug could potentially start this summer. Several obstacles remain. The stigma of drug abuse makes it hard to raise venture capital for new treatments. Authorization by the FDA, if it comes at all, can take years. The costs of treatment could be substantial. And any approach involving infusions or injections requires a patient who is ready to try to change. The Winnefeld family from left: son Jon, Navy Admiral Sandy, wife Mary and son James III, known as "LJ." It was LJ's first day at the U.S. Naval Academy in June 2014. I am confident that Jonathan would have willingly accepted such a preventive treatment approach and that it could have saved his life. Fentanyl is a particularly insidious foe. To combat it, our nation needs a multifaceted approach. By investing in research on and accelerating the fielding of new overdose-prevention medications, we can save lives and reduce the staggering carnage. James Sandy Winnefeld, a retired Navy admiral, was vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2011 to 2015. He is co-chair of SAFE Project, a nonprofit organization working to end the opioid epidemic, and served on the U.S. Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking. You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fentanyl killed my son: US needs more than Narcan to fight opioids KFC on Wednesday condemned a racist message that was apparently put on the sign of one of its Lubbock restaurants the day before and confirmed it's working with police to find who is responsible. Overnight on April 4, the sign at the KFC in the 1200 block of 50th Street in Lubbock was vandalized with "an appalling message," reads a statement released on behalf of the chain. Lubbock police confirmed to the Avalanche-Journal that it received a report about the incident, but more information was not immediately available as the investigation is ongoing. "Hate has no place at any KFC," reads the statement on behalf of KFC. "When the employees arrived to open the restaurant, they discovered the sign had been vandalized overnight. The team immediately removed the message by 10:45 a.m. and contacted local law enforcement." The local chain displayed a sign on its door, with a statement explaining the situation and the company's actions. The company wants to work with the community and police to learn how this act occurred in hopes that it will aid law enforcement in bringing those responsible to justice, the statement reads. The local restaurant team is working to provide law enforcement with all relevant information so that it can fully investigate this matter. "We are actively seeking surveillance footage and information and would ask for your help in encouraging any individual in the community with information to contact the Lubbock Police Department," the statement continues. "This act of hate is felt heavily by the restaurant team and we ask for kindness and understanding as they continue to navigate the situation." KFC released a statement condemning the vandalism. "Overnight on April 4, the sign at a local KFC restaurant was vandalized with an appalling message," the KFC statement reads. " This is an act of hate through vandalism. After discovering the sign had been vandalized and the letters had been changed overnight, the local restaurant team immediately changed the sign and contacted the police. Hate has no place at any KFC. This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Lubbock KFC condemns racist vandalism on sign, working with police Claudia Oprya, 25, says she wonOt change her surname when she gets married (Claudia Oprya / SWNS) A woman claims she has been flooded with abuse after announcing she is keeping her surname when she gets married. Claudia Oprya, 25, is tying the knot with partner Nick whose surname is not being revealed later this year. She is proud of her Russian surname and has agreed with Nick, 29, that she will keep it which he is absolutely fine with. But Claudia, a wedding planner, from Sydney, Australia, says she has been targeted by trolls after posting a TikTok on the topic. She says the hate doesn't bother her but questioned the reasons behind as it's 2023. Claudia said: Most of my friends have taken their husbands surnames, and thats absolutely fine. Its just not for me. People online, though mostly other women have been really sh*tty about it. Ive had women say things like, youre keeping your man on a tight leash and the fact that their partners wouldnt have married them if they hadnt taken their name. People have even been calling for our divorce, all because I want my names legacy to continue. Its just cruel. Claudia says shes the last person in her family to carry her Russian surname. Wanting to keep her family name alive, as well as empower myself as a woman, Claudia has decided she wont be taking her fiances last name after they tie the knot. She said: Weve been taking the surnames of our husbands, dads and grandads for far too long. Its time for women to create their own names and identities. My family are from Russia, where feminism is practically unheard of. My gran, who was just the coolest woman, taught me to always be unapologetically myself, and to never rely on a man to get what I want. Im proud of my surname. My grandparents and mum fled to Australia from the communist regime, they forged lives for themselves in the real world and Im lucky enough to still carry their name. Claudia with her grandmother Galina (Claudia Oprya / SWNS) Despite feeling empowered in her decision to keep her name and to give her future children double-barreled surnames Claudia says shes been flooded with negative comments from people online. Story continues She said: I discussed this with my partner, and he was absolutely fine with it. Hes never even called it into question. Im a feather ruffler, and I always have been. But this shouldnt be a controversial decision. Internalised misogyny is so ingrained in us, it really offends people when someone dares to suggest women have their own identities. Yes, there may have been rules about taking a mans surname centuries ago - but theyre made to be broken. This is 2023, marriage doesnt mean a man is taking ownership of you anymore. SWNS BEIJING (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed in a telephone call ahead of a visit to Beijing by Macron to engage China to hasten the end of the war in Ukraine, the Elysee Palace said on Wednesday. "The two leaders have mentioned their joint willingness to engage China to accelerate the end of the war in Ukraine and take part in building sustainable peace in the region," Macron's office said in a statement. The Elysee said Macron and Biden both hoped China could contribute to solidarity efforts between the global north and global south and build a joint agenda for the climate and biodiversity. It did not elaborate. Macron is visiting China from Wednesday to Friday. Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to hold talks with him to chart a course for bilateral relations, the Chinese foreign ministry said earlier. (Reporting by Michel Rose; Editing by Himani Sarkar, Robert Birsel) Mr Xi welcomed Mr Macron and Ms von der Leyen in Beijing As Emmanuel Macron and Ursula von der Leyen meet Xi Jinping, they are sending a message of unity - even as China seeks to exploit potential cracks in Europe's alliances. The French president and the head of the European Commission flew into Beijing on Wednesday and were welcomed by the Chinese president on Thursday. Their joint trip is the latest in a noticeable push from European leaders to engage with China, which has seen German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez paying visits in recent months. Like them, Mr Macron and Ms von der Leyen are pressing Mr Xi on taking further steps to halt the Ukraine war, while also finessing the increasingly fraught trade relationship between the European Union and China, its biggest trading partner. European watchers expect them to work as a tag team on the Chinese. With his attempts at engaging Vladimir Putin, the French president is likely to play the good cop. An Elysee Palace spokesman told reporters that Mr Macron found "points of convergence with Chinese proposals" on ending the war. Meanwhile, some have called Ms von der Leyen the "bad cop from Brussels", given her strong relationship with US President Joe Biden and vocal support for Nato's position. Days before her arrival, Ms von der Leyen gave a strongly-worded speech criticising Mr Xi for maintaining his friendship with Mr Putin. In a reference to China's 12-point peace plan, she stressed that any plan consolidating Russian annexations was "simply not viable". She also pushed the concept of "de-risking", a more moderate version of the US idea of decoupling from China, where Europe would talk tougher in diplomacy, diversify its trade sources, and protect its trade and technology. Together, the leaders represent two "fairly different strands of European thinking on China", said Dr Andrew Small, a senior fellow with think-tank the German Marshall Fund. "One is on China deepening support for Putin on the war, especially on the question of lethal aid. They will want to say at a minimum that it will be damaging to the entire relationship with Europe." Story continues But with Mr Macron coming with a large delegation including business leaders, "there is also the commercial and economic relationship that continues even in the middle of this the message is that Europe and France still want to do business". Crucially, Ms von der Leyen is in China at Mr Macron's invitation. This would provide reassurance that they would hold the line, noted Dr Small, not only to EU member states sceptical of Mr Macron's approach to Russia and China, but also to the Americans who would be watching closely. The US has yet to meet the Chinese leadership since Secretary of State Antony Blinken's much-anticipated trip to Beijing was called off during the spy balloon row. This trip may be the closest the Americans get to facetime with Mr Xi for now, and just before leaving France Mr Macron spoke to Joe Biden where they discussed plans to engage China. Mr Macron and Ms von der Leyen's show of unity is also an attempt to put paid to any Chinese hopes of exploiting differences within Europe. Some observers believe this is one goal of Beijing as it tries to woo parts of Europe away from the US orbit. But with member states maintaining relationships of varying degrees of closeness to China, the EU has yet to come up with a clear consensus on how to handle Beijing. Some, like France and Germany, are more keen to preserve trade ties while others, particularly former Soviet bloc states nervous about Russia looking to claim other territories after Ukraine, will want to go harder on China. The danger is that China may be emboldened to use its relationship with Russia as leverage over Europe, warn observers. Rather than just follow the US and Nato's lead, Europe must clearly draw their own red line and lay out the consequences of China overstepping it, said Janka Oertel, director of the Asia programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations. "The Chinese really need to understand what the stakes are. This is an opportunity for Europeans to say, 'This is your problem, you could have stayed away like in 2014 [during Russia's annexation of Crimea], but you chose not to - so you own this'," said Dr Oertel. Mr Macron last visited Mr Xi in Beijing in 2019 before the Covid pandemic So how would China likely respond? Ms von der Leyen would be greeted with wariness. Her speech last week needled the Chinese, eliciting a swift retort from their ambassador to the EU, Fu Cong, who said it contained "a lot of misrepresentations and misinterpretations" and it "deliberately distorted Chinese positions". China would not be keen on her concept of "de-risking", but it may have no choice but to accept it, say experts. In any case, it may be hard for China to protest given its own efforts to become more economically self-sufficient, with Mr Xi championing his own "dual circulation" strategy. "The Chinese also do not want to be caught in a situation where they are too dependent on the US or the Russians," said Reuben Wong, an associate professor in political science who studies Asia-Europe relations at the National University of Singapore. Stoked by the war, the growing unity among Western allies - underscored by Finland joining Nato on Tuesday - represents a "serious development in foreign relations" for China, leaving "very little room for them to take an unyielding position", said Wu Qiang, a Beijing-based independent political consultant. Increasingly, he noted, the only route Beijing could take is to be more co-operative in working out, such as lifting trade sanctions. A recent Chinese move to block imports to Lithuania, over its decision to allow Taiwan to open a de facto embassy, did not go down well with the Europeans, who in response developed their own tools to block what they see as economic coercion. But the biggest sticking point will be the Ukraine war. Keen on burnishing his credentials as an interlocutor, Mr Macron has favoured personal talks with key players. But the opacity of the Chinese leadership has meant there is little available evidence Mr Xi can be easily influenced with such an approach. Mr Macron is also mounting his Chinese campaign right after Mr Xi's visit to Russia where, publicly at least, the two countries made it clear to the rest of the world that their "friendship with no limits" was still very much intact. This could mean his visit to China "may end up like his visit to Russia and talks with Putin, where it has proven to be largely fruitless", said Dr Wu. "In the past month, we have also seen a high wind of foreign diplomacy from China, representing its return to the global stage. Under these circumstances China is confidently asserting its stance, so it will not easily change." But others believe this is precisely why China may be keen on working with Mr Macron to end the war Russia started - taking advantage of an opportunity to show the world it can do what the Americans have failed to accomplish so far. In recent weeks it has promoted itself as an alternative peace broker, releasing concept papers and surprising the world with its hand in an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran. "When the Ukraine war eventually ends, China wants to be at the table this time it would be seen as a peacemaker. So this would really raise their profile in international diplomacy," said Dr Wong. As the war continues to exact a toll on the global economy, and Chinese exports continue to shrink, "it is in Beijing's interests to start fine-tuning their message to the Russians", he added. It will no doubt be the goal foremost in Mr Macron and Ms von der Leyen's minds, as they walk down the red carpet laid out for them in Beijing. Madeleine McCann's parents have issued a statement after a Polish woman claiming to be the missing British girl received the results of a DNA test apparently proving that she is not. The Polish woman , Julia Faustyna, who also goes by Julia Wendlet, had been claiming for weeks on Instagram and TikTok that she may be McCann, who disappeared at age 3, but DNA test results apparently show that she is not British at all. "There isnt anything to report at this time. If and when there is, it will come from The Metropolitan Police," a family spokesperson told The New York Post. Faustyna amassed tens of thousands of followers many of whom were critical of her claims on her Instagram account, @iammadeleinemccann. She and Fia Johansson, a psychic social media star who offered to represent Faustyna as her spokesperson, even appeared on Dr. Phil together last month, but Johansson says it was never about internet fame. Polish woman Julia Faustyna claimed she was Madeleine McCann, a British girl who went missing from Portugal 16 years ago. "The test results revealed that she is 100% of Polish heart, with negligible influence from Lithuania and Russia," Johansson said in a Tuesday statement posted to Instagram. "The DNA test results did not show any connection to British or even German roots." "She truly believed what she was saying, and with so many questions about her childhood it is easy to understand where she was coming from," Johansson continued. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP BRITISH GIRL MADELEINE MCCANN STILL MISSING AFTER 15 YEARS Faustyna's account began posting photos in February. The Polish woman said she has a spot in her right eye and a beauty mark on her cheek that resemble McCann's. She also claimed that details of her childhood do not add up, leading her to believe that she was abducted as a toddler. Madeleine's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, along with their three children Madeleine and twins Sean and Amelie were on vacation in Praia da Luz, Portugal, when Madeleine was taken from her bed on May 3, 2007. Faustyna has apparently reunited with her father following the DNA test results, according to Johansson, and McCann is still missing. The missing girl's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, along with their three children Madeleine and twins Sean and Amelie were on vacation in Praia da Luz, Portugal, when Madeleine was taken from her bed on May 3, 2007. The family was staying in a ground-floor apartment. Story continues MADELEINE MCCANN ABDUCTION SUSPECT CLAIMS TO HAVE ALIBI: REPORT "Due to an active police investigation, Gerry and Kate are not issuing any statements or giving interviews unless requested by The Metropolitan Police ," a spokesperson for the Official Find Madeleine Campaign previously told Fox News Digital in a statement. An undated photo of Madeleine McCann smiling. McCann went missing on vacation with her parents in 2007. The Metropolitan Police of London told Fox News Digital that they have no new comment on the investigation. In 2020, German police named convicted child abuser and drug dealer Christian Brueckner, 45, as a suspect in the 3-year-old's disappearance, though Brueckner, a German citizen, continues to deny involvement in the case. Brueckner is currently serving time in a German prison for drug crimes. He also has a pending seven-year sentence connected to the 2005 rape of a 72-year-old American woman in Praia da Luz. In 2020, German police named convicted child abuser and drug dealer Christian Brueckner, 45, as a suspect in the 3-year-old's disappearance, though Brueckner, a German citizen, continues to deny involvement in the case. "We continue to support colleagues in Germany with their investigation," the Met Police said. McCann's family is accepting donations for the search for Madeleine through their website, findmadeleine.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Celebrities from across the world of TV, film and music have reacted as former US president Donald Trump was arrested and arraigned in court. On Tuesday evening (4 April), Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts against him, before Judge Juan Merchan at a Lower Manhattan courthouse. The felony charges relate to falsified business records surrounding a hush money payment made to adult film actor Stormy Daniels. Trump is now the first US president to ever face criminal charges. Following his appearance in court, he lashed out at the judges family, and branded District Attorney Alvin Bragg a criminal. You can follow the latest updates on Trumps legal battle here. Among the celebrities to react to the development were late night TV host Jimmy Kimmel, Star Wars actor Mark Hamill, filmmaker Rob Reiner and actor Whoopi Goldberg. M-aking A-rraignments G-reat A-gain, Hamill wrote on Twitter, sharing a satirical music video from YouTube creator Randy Rainbow. Responding to Trumps attack on the family of Judge Merchan, Hamill wrote: When you have the facts on your side, argue the facts. When you have the law on your side, argue the law. When you have neither, target the judges family. "When you have the facts on your side, argue the facts. When you have the law on your side, argue the law." When you have neither, target the judge's family. https://t.co/hxGhu1SbEm Mark Hamill (@MarkHamill) April 4, 2023 Reiner simply wrote: Trump = F***ed. Speaking on The View, Goldberg described the occasion as sad, prompting a debate among her co-stars. Its the first time in any of our lifetimes, and I dont think any of us could have really imagined this, the Sister Act star added. Kimmel shared a photo of Jared Kuschner, Trumps son-in-law and former aide, alongside the caption: When all your dads end up in jail. Story continues When all your dads end up in jail. pic.twitter.com/jNmiVj85gH Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) April 4, 2023 Community star Yvette Nicole Brown, meanwhile, shared images of Trump in court, claiming that he had the look of an unrepentant criminal who has finally found out. All the social media shenanigans @realDonaldTrump has been up to are being read into the official record too. They are not playing with him! You love to see it! she added. In a separate tweet, Brown wrote: You know what @realDonaldTrump? With your long overdue indictment and arrest (first of MANY!) you have FINALLY made good on your promise. Watching your #PerpWalk has truly Made America Great Again. Mohd Ismail's parents and siblings were among 11 family members killed in Malyana The recent order of a trial court in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, setting free 41 Hindu men accused of religious violence against Muslims 36 years ago, has plunged the survivors and families of victims into despair. The violence on 23 May 1987 in Malyana village on the outskirts of Meerut town, in which 72 Muslims were massacred, allegedly by local Hindus and members of the state's armed police force, has been described as a "blot on Indian democracy". And critics say Friday's sessions court order is "a travesty of justice". Vibhuti Narain Rai, a former director general of the Uttar Pradesh police, described it as a "total failure on the part of the state". "The victims have been miserably failed by all the stakeholders - the police, the political leadership, a partisan press, and now the judiciary," he told the BBC. Mr Rai, along with senior journalist Qurban Ali who'd extensively covered the riots, and a couple of survivors of the massacre, had petitioned the Allahabad high court in 2021 complaining about the slow pace of the proceedings. "The investigation had been faulty from the start and the trial was pending for three-and-a-half decades so we petitioned the high court to order a fresh investigation, hold a fair trial and pay compensation to the victims," Mr Rai said. Mr Ali said one of their demands was to revisit the role of the police in the carnage. Survivors allege that the violence was started by members of the state's Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) - a police force created to deal with insurgencies and religious and caste conflicts. Civil liberties organisations, including Amnesty International, have documented the PAC's involvement in the Malyana riots. Mr Ali also points out that "post-mortem reports submitted in court of at least 36 bodies show bullet wounds" - at a time when villagers had no access to guns. The BBC reached out to the PAC for their response to allegations of involvement in the Malyana violence. A senior official said he was "not competent enough to talk about the case". An email has also been sent to the head of the force. Story continues In the complaint registered by police after the killings, only 93 local Hindus were named as accused - 23 died during the trial and 31 "could not be traced". Defence lawyer Chhotey Lal Bansal told the BBC that the prosecution case fell through because the main witness said he had "named the accused under police pressure" and that "police had included names of four people who had died seven-eight years before the carnage and one man who was gravely ill and in hospital". "What happened to Malyana's Muslims was very painful and was highly condemnable. But my clients were also victims, living under threat of prosecution for 36 years," he said. "Both the defence and the prosecution repeatedly blamed the police and the PAC for the killings, but their names were not included," he added. The 26-page judgement has distressing details of violence narrated in court - a young man killed when a bullet pierced his neck, a father cut into pieces with swords, a five-year-old thrown into a fire. So the judgement has shocked the survivors of the violence and members of victim's families. Vakeel Ahmed Siddiqui, who carries scars from two bullet wounds, says "gloom has descended on the community in Malyana". "I know all those who died and all those who killed," he tells me, adding that he weeps every time he talks about 23 May 1987. For some days, he says, anti-Muslim rumours had been swirling around in their village and attempts were being made to create animosity between the two communities. "Meerut had been a powder keg for years and had seen riots, but we didn't think there would be any violence in our village. But on that day, PAC personnel arrived in three vehicles and surrounded Muslim areas, shutting down all exit routes," he says. "Some entered Muslim homes and others took position on rooftops of Hindu homes. Bullets were raining from all sides," he says. Mohammad Ismail's grandfather Mohammad Ali with one of his grandchildren Mr Siddiqui was among a handful of witnesses who was called to testify in court. "I gave evidence over a year, I told them about the PAC's role, identified the men and the weapons they were carrying." The judgement, he says, has "disappointed everyone" in Malyana. "I think there was enough evidence to pin the guilt. We must find out where we went wrong. When Malyana was set on fire, the smoke was seen by the entire world. How could the court not see it?" he asks. Mohammad Ismail lost 11 members of his family in the massacre, including his grandfather, parents, seven younger siblings and a cousin. The oldest victim, his grandfather, was around 85; the youngest was his sister, a toddler. He survived because he was travelling. News of the killings reached Mohd Ismail the day after, but he could visit his village only "four-five days later because Meerut was sealed and a curfew was imposed". What he saw on his return, he says, still haunts him. "Our house was burnt, the walls were splattered with blood. Some of my Muslim neighbours who had survived had been moved to a nearby madrassa [a religious school." Mohd Ismail says even though riots were being reported from other parts of Meerut, his family didn't think that they would be targeted. "We had no animosity with anyone, so we were not worried." Mr Ali, the journalist, told me that when he visited the village two days after the massacre, he found a place that was "devastated it looked haunted". "Most Muslim residents had either died or were in hospital being treated for injuries, including bullets wounds, or run away." The violence in Malyana that summer, he said, was not an isolated incident. Religious tensions had begun in Meerut weeks earlier after riots broke out on 14 April during a religious procession. A dozen people, including Hindus and Muslims, were killed and a curfew was imposed, but tensions remained and riots continued to break out sporadically over the next several weeks. According to official records, 174 people were killed - but unofficial reports say more than 350 people died and property worth billions of rupees was destroyed. Initially, Mr Rai says, "both sides suffered casualties, but it later became organised violence against Muslims by the police and PAC". On 22 May, a day before the Malyana massacre, PAC personnel had descended on Hashimpura, a Muslim-dominated locality just 6km away. They took away 48 men - 42 were shot dead and their bodies were thrown into a river and a canal. Six survived and lived to tell the tale. Photojournalist Praveen Jain, who was beaten up and told to leave by the police, hid in the bushes and took pictures of Muslim men being assaulted and being marched through the streets. "When I left, I didn't know that they were going to be killed," he told the BBC. In 2018, the Delhi high court convicted 26 former PAC personnel for abducting and killing Muslims in Hashimpura and sentenced them to life imprisonment. Sharat Pradhan, a senior journalist in the state capital Lucknow, remembers the PAC being widely criticised for being "communal and anti-Muslim". "Most of its personnel came from Hindu backgrounds and - unlike in the army - they were not trained in secularism." Mr Pradhan says the fact that justice was delivered in the Hashimpura massacre was mostly due to the efforts of Mr Rai who in 1987 was the superintendent of police in Ghaziabad where the bodies of the murdered men - and a survivor - had turned up. Mr Ali says he hopes that some day, justice will also be delivered in the Malyana case. "We are going to challenge the decision in the high court. We won't give up," he tells me. "This is a case where justice is not just delayed, it's also been denied." BBC News India is now on YouTube. Click here to subscribe and watch our documentaries, explainers and features. Read more India stories from the BBC: A man is dead after a fire in Union City early Wednesday. Around 3:20 a.m. Union City crews were called to an address on Greenville Pike to reports of a fire with someone possibly trapped inside the home. When fire crews arrived on the scene they found the house engulfed in flames, according to a media release. Due to the intensity of the fire, crews could not enter the home and had to try and contain the fire from the outside. >> 1 dead after crash in Champaign County After the fire was extinguished crews entered the home to find a man approximately 60 years old dead. The man was around five feet away from a doorway. Because of burn injuries, crews said DNA and dental records will be needed to identify the man. The cause of the fire is still under investigation by local fire officials and the Indiana State Fire Marshal but no foul play is expected, according to a release. We will update this story as more information becomes available. A Chandler woman says her husband saved her life when a neighbor armed with a rifle opened fire as they drove to collect their mail. When she looked up, the Arizona woman saw her 58-year-old husband who pushed her head down to avoid the gunfire had been shot numerous times and died, police told KNXV. Officers arrested Channing Vanderbilt, 31, on charges including murder and aggravated assault in the 4:47 p.m. shooting Monday, April 3, Chandler police said in a news release. Vanderbilt, who lives nearby, posed as a bystander when police arrived, The Arizona Republic reported. He denied shooting anyone and told police someone planted a rifle in his pickup truck. He also told police he had picked up some of the bullet casing as souvenirs, according to the newspaper. The woman told officers Vanderbilt began firing a rifle as she and her husband drove up to a shared neighborhood mailbox to collect their mail, police said. Police told KNXV the attack was unprovoked. After seeing her husband had been shot, police said, the woman called 911 and identified Vanderbilt to officers as the gunman. Police said they had earlier responded to a report that someone had shot a cinder block wall in the vicinity. They are investigating to determine whether the incidents are related. Chandler is a city of 280,000 people about 20 miles southeast of Phoenix. Ex-cop helped run string of massage parlor brothels in California, feds say 18-year-olds joyride on school golf cart erupts in wild clash, California cops say Teen who lost leg has questions for California driver who fled. Why did you run? A Texas man is accused of exposing and pleasuring himself to a busload of teenage girls, San Antonio police say. The teens were riding in a school bus near Interstate Highway 35 after 1 p.m. on March 28 when they noticed a man driving by the bus had exposed himself and then proceeded to sexually gratify himself, San Antonio police said in a news release. At the same time, several students received a graphic picture on their phones, sent via AirDrop, the release said. The girls, who were returning from a sporting event, were all between 17 and 18 years old, KSAT reported. The man drove away, but some of the victims were able to provide police with very unique details of the (suspects) vehicle, the release said. Special Victims Unit investigators found the suspect, a 27-year-old man, and interviewed him, police said. He denied committing the crime but he did admit that he was the only person that would be driving the vehicle at the time of the offense, the release said. Officers arrested the man on five counts of indecent exposure. 15-year-old twins sexually assaulted by older sisters boyfriend, Pennsylvania cops say 6-year-old tests positive for STDs after men raped her in Arkansas hotel room, feds say Three stabbed after neighbor flirts with mans wife at family gathering, Texas cops say [Source] A half-eaten burrito led to the arrest of a man believed to be responsible for firebombing the office of an anti-abortion group in Madison, Wisconsin, authorities announced last week. Hridindu Sankar Roychowdhury, 29, was charged with one count of attempting to cause damage by means of fire or an explosive for the incident, which took place at Wisconsin Family Actions headquarters last Mothers Day, May 8, 2022. Police responded at around 6 a.m. to a fire that broke out at the Madison-based building. Inside, they found suspicious items, including a disposable lighter and two mason jars one broken and another containing a clear fluid that smelled like an accelerant. Meanwhile, the outside of the building was spray-painted with If abortions arent safe then you arent either. Another wall was painted with a large encircled A and 1312. More from NextShark: Cathay Bank Foundation donates $1 MILLION to help fight anti-Asian hate Last month, police identified Roychowdhury as a possible suspect and matched his DNA from a leftover burrito he had thrown in a public trash can to the crime scene. Roychowdhury, who lives in Madison, was arrested in Boston last Tuesday. If convicted, he faces between five to 20 years in prison. More from NextShark: First-ever Hmong male news anchor in US almost brought to tears on his debut by surprise video message Violence is never an acceptable way for anyone to express their views or their disagreement, Robert R. Wells, assistant director of the FBIs Counterterrorism Division, said in a statement. Todays arrest demonstrates the FBIs commitment to vigorously pursue those responsible for this dangerous attack and others across the country, and to hold them accountable for their criminal actions. Wisconsin Family Action, who blamed the attack on a leftist anarchist group, is a nonprofit that defends Gods plan for marriage, family, life and religious freedom. No one was in the office at the time of the attack. Story continues More from NextShark: Kung Fu Vagina Parody Sparks Outrage Over Mountain of Cringey Asian Stereotypes The incident came about a week after a draft opinion suggesting that the Supreme Court would overturn Roe v. Wade had leaked. The court officially made that call in June, bringing back Wisconsins abortion ban. Twitter account Antifa Watch has shared social media posts allegedly made by Roychowdhury. In them, he identified himself as a graduate research assistant at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) and made statements such as Im an anarchist now and I hope to see this country burn. UW-Madisons May 2022 commencement announcement reportedly listed Roychowdhurdy as a doctoral candidate. A UW-Madison spokesperson confirmed that he received a doctorate in biochemistry but that he is no longer attached to the institution. The individual that you reference received a PhD in biochemistry from UW-Madison in May 2022. He is no longer affiliated with the university, the spokesperson told Fox News. A 43-year-old was found guilty on Tuesday of murdering a 21-year-old Charlotte woman in 2018. The jury deliberated for four hours before convicting Richard Henry Jordan, Jr. A judge sentenced Jordan to life in prison for murdering Alexus Alize Fraley, according to a news release by the Mecklenburg District Attorneys Office. Alexus Fraley was reported missing on April 13, police said. Fraleys body was found on Dixie River Road in April of 2018 after she had been missing for nearly two weeks, according to reporting at the time by the Observer. Fraley was a mother to two children a one-year-old, and a two-year-old. Alexus was a fun and loving person who lived each day to the fullest. Her loving and free-spirited personality allowed all her family, friends and any child in her presence to flock to her, her obituary read. Police at the time said Jordan and Fraley knew one another, but did not say how. Jordan and Ashley Helms, his co-defendant, were both charged with murder and kidnapping in the case. Helms was additionally charged with conspiracy to commit murder, the Observer previously reported, citing police records. Helms charges are still pending, according to the District Attorneys office. Jordan was found guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree kidnapping, and concealing a death. Janeecia Mason was walking with another prostitute near an industrial area in Dallas on a Friday night last month when she got into a Chevy Monte Carlo with dark window tint. Joseph Aparicio was driving the red car and at some point shot her to death, according to the arrest warrant affidavit supporting his booking on suspicion of murder. Four days after Aparicio picked Mason up, he dragged the 19-year-olds body from another vehicle and dumped her on March 21 onto the bank of the Trinity River in Fort Worth, according to the affidavit. A person reported on March 23 finding a woman who was dead at the river bank at 350 Precinct Line Road. Mason was naked and lying in a bed of rocks. No clothing or personal items were found in the vicinity. The area in which Mason was left is isolated, and it did not appear to detectives that she died there. Marks and impressions in the dirt between the victims body and the gravel strip near the edge of the road suggested someone had dragged her there. Mason had been reported missing, and Fort Worth homicide unit detectives, including Michael Sones, who wrote the account in the affidavit, talked with her mother. Investigators learned that Mason may have been working as a prostitute and, after Masons disappearance, her mother obtained bags from the hotel where Mason had been sleeping. The detectives learned of Masons exact location on March 17 from data that AT&T, her cellphone service provider, submitted in response to a search warrant. The detectives reviewed surveillance camera video from businesses near that location at Walnut Hill Lane and Shady Drive and found a Monte Carlo and two of the digits on its license plate. Limiting a records search to all red Monte Carlos with the those consecutive digits that are registered in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, the detectives found a vehicle in Haltom City. The name of its registered owner is redacted in the affidavit, although the address on Kinman Street of the registered owner is connected to where Aparicio, who is 29, lives, according to the affidavit. Story continues I believe Joseph transported Janeecia in his Jeep Patriot from his home ... to the body dump location in the 350 block of Precinct Line Road, under the bridge over the Trinity River there, Sones wrote. His Jeep can then be seen returning to his residence afterward. Detectives appear to have interviewed Aparicio. The contents of his statements are not included in the affidavit. Aparicio ended the discussion, according to the affidavit. Aparicio said he drove the Monte Carlo on March 17 in the Dallas area. The affidavit does not refer to a gun or to shell casings that would indicate where Mason was shot. A second search warrant yielded in the front passenger area of the Monte Carlo a swab that tested positive for presumptive blood. In Aparicios bedroom, police said they found clothing similar to the items that Mason was pictured wearing on March 17. My sweet daughters untimely death has left the family with broken hearts and mere devastation as we continue to search for answers and closure, Masons mother, Barbara Taylor, wrote on a GoFundMe page. At the tender age of 19 ... God called her home. Mason graduated last year from Trinity High School in Euless, where a balloon release was held in her honor Thursday. Her funeral was held Saturday in Shreveport, Louisiana, where she previously lived. NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. Drones, robots and other uncrewed technologies will play an increasingly vital role in U.S. Marine Corps operations, according to the leader of the services acquisition command. Brig. Gen. David Walsh of Marine Corps Systems Command laid out the prospective uses of drones and robots April 4 at the Navy Leagues Sea-Air-Space conference in National Harbor, Maryland. He also detailed the tripwires, technical or otherwise, that could hamper effectiveness in the field. The Corps experimentation with systems that require no crew comes as part of an ambitious revamp of the service. Called Force Design 2030, the plan seeks to make Marines nimbler and less detectable in contested areas. A Force Design document from 2022 mentions the Long Range Unmanned Surface Vessel and swarming unmanned aircraft systems, among others, as an example. It also calls for drone capabilities to expand and increase dramatically. Everything from what were doing with LRUSV, were starting to experiment with those types of platforms, from small to large, Walsh said. They can move supplies and people and weapons around the battlefield, especially in dispersed or treacherous conditions in the Indo-Pacific, he said. Heres how the Marine Corps may use uncrewed technology, according to Walsh: A persistent sensor Uncrewed systems will be a persistent sensor on battlefields of the future, Walsh said, capable of spying in places too distant or too chaotic to explore. Part of our role as a stand-in force is to do reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance, he said, referring to the concept of Marines constantly positioned close to an adversary. So, this is persistent eyes on the battlefield, on the shipping lanes, on the sea lanes, that allow us to identify targets, maintain custody of those targets and act accordingly. Logistics The Marine Corps logistics system is especially in need of modernization, Commandant Gen. David Berger has said. Story continues The Corps last month published an updated logistics doctrine for the first time since 1997, in an effort to adapt to an increasingly contested environment. Drones will be a part of the Corps new logistics strategy, according to the doctrine. Walsh said Tuesday that there is a huge opportunity for machines when it comes to shuttling resources. Marine Corps wants to test out partner drones, new MQ-9 Reaper payloads Can you hear me now? Uncrewed tech could also serve as a communications relay, a means to boost signals and link far-flung Marines who would otherwise be disconnected and at risk of attack. Again, as were spread out in smaller units extending out communications lines and maintaining communications, sharing data that we get from those sensors to somebody that can have an effect on target is really, really important, Walsh said. Electronic warfare Uncrewed systems of course can play a role in effects, fires, all-domain fires, Walsh said. U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. David Walsh, the leader of Marine Corps Systems Command, takes note during a discussion at the Sea-Air-Space conference in National Harbor, Maryland, on April 4, 2023. (Colin Demarest/C4ISRNET) Autonomous or remotely piloted vehicles could also be quickly jeopardized by foreign jamming or hacking, Walsh warned. Such invisible attacks would leave them ripe for interdiction. Operating in that contested EW environment, that contested spectrum, we have to be able to maintain control of those platforms and also be able to share the information those platforms are gathering, Walsh said. We have concerns about cybersecurity, especially looking at some of the commercial platforms. Both China and Russia are thought capable of interfering with U.S. networks and electronics. And given the heightened importance of cyber operations in a potential conflict, the Corps has emphasized the need to recruit and retain Marines with cyber skills. Power supply Ensuring uncrewed tech has enough power to keep going will be critical. And the matter is only complicated by the way Marines expect to fight in the future: in smaller groups, jumping from island to island, under constant threat. Downing of MQ-9 Reaper is latest US drone lost in contested zone We have concerns about power and energy. We need to fuel and power these systems somehow, Walsh said. Getting fuel, getting power, getting electricity to keep these things flying or operating is a challenge for us. The Corps this year published its Installation and Logistics 2030 strategy, which examines supply chains under fire. In remarks accompanying the report, Lt. Gen. Edward Banta, deputy commandant for installations and logistics, described the U.S. as having been spoiled by two decades of conducting strategic and operational logistics in a permissive environment. The development process Uncrewed systems are a fast-moving technology, which means nailing down the best of the best and getting it to those who need it is difficult, Walsh said. The acquisition, keeping up with that, to ensure our Marines are able to take advantage of the cutting-edge technology, is always a challenge, he said. So as we look at those challenges, bringing the best of what industry has to the hands of our Marines, we want to be as agile as we can, particularly around capabilities, not so much platforms. Three Marines prevented a potential stabbing at a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Virginia, authorities said. Deputies with the Stafford County Sheriffs Office were called to the fast-food location in Stafford on Saturday around 1:40 p.m. Witnesses told them that a man was approached by two other people, which soon turned into a dispute. The two males assaulted the victim and one pulled out a knife, authorities said. US MILITARY INVESTIGATING DEATH OF CALIFORNIA MARINE FOUND DEAD IN BARRACKS: REPORT This knife was broken in half by Marines who prevented a potential stabbing at a Virginia Chick-fil-A restaurant, authorities said. "Three nearby Marines quickly jumped into action and attempted to separate the parties," the sheriff's office said in a Tuesday Facebook post. "One of them broke the knife in half to prevent further harm, and the two suspects quickly fled." No one was stabbed, but the victim said his phone was stolen. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Authorities searched the area and tracked down the two suspects, ages 17 and 14, at a CVS parking lot where they were arrested. They were taken to the Juvenile Detention Center. The sheriff's office credited the Marines with averting a possible deadly outcome. "Thank you to the hero Marines who stepped up in order to protect the victim. Without you, this altercation could have been a lot worse," the sheriffs office said. Judge Merryday Requests Military Case Returned NEWS PROVIDED BY April 5, 2023 TAMPA, Fla., April 5, 2023 / Christian Newswire / -- Federal Judge Steven Merryday has asked the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals to send the Marine case, Colonel Financial Management Officer, et. al., v Lloyd Austin, back to him since the Department of Defense (DOD) COVID shot mandate has been rescinded. Liberty Counsel was pursuing to convert the classwide preliminary injunction to a permanent injunction for the U.S. Marines. However, Judge Merryday will moot the case but he still retains jurisdiction over the case so Liberty Counsel can file for attorney's fees and costs. Judge Merryday wrote, "The challenged and preliminarily enjoined mandate no longer exists, and the issue unifying the injunctive class no longer exists. . . . an order by the district court (barring some unforeseen event) will grant the defendants' motions (Doc. 200 in 8:21-cv-2429 and Doc. 275 in 8:22-cv-1275) to dissolve the preliminary injunctions, to de-certify the class of Marines, and to dismiss the complaints as moot." The DOD officially rescinded the August 24, 2021 and November 30, 2021 memoranda mandating that members of the Armed Forces and members of the National Guard and the Ready Reserves receive the COVID-19 shot. This action comes after thousands of service members have been denied religious accommodation requests (RAR) from the unlawful federal COVID shot mandate. Many service members have been punished, demoted and discharged as a result. Judge Merryday is retaining jurisdiction to consider a motion for attorney's fees and costs. That motion will be filed when the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals sends the case back to Judge Merryday. Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, "The COVID shot mandate is dead. The Marines can no longer be forced to take this jab that conflicts with their religious convictions. Our classwide injunction stopped the Department of Defense from violating the rights of the Marines and now the mandate has been rescinded. We stand ready to defend our defenders of freedom if any religious discrimination occurs in the future. In the meantime, we will soon return to court to press our claim for attorney's fees and costs." Liberty Counsel provides broadcast quality TV interviews via Hi-Def Skype and LTN at no cost. SOURCE Liberty Counsel CONTACT: Mat Staver, 407-875-1776, Liberty@LC.org The Marine Corps recently published an update to its water escape training policy aimed at closing loopholes that had left too many Marines unprepared for a water emergency. And theyre asking to spend more than $13 million on new trainers to help them keep up with the increased volume. A Marine Corps bulletin released in March provides an interim update to the Corps service-level underwater egress training policy. It comes ahead of a broader overhaul to the Marine Corps Water Survival Training Program, expected within a year. The document states that Lt. Gen Kevin Iiams, commanding general of Marine Corps Training and Education Command, assembled an operational planning team in fall 2021 to discuss possible changes to the water survival and underwater egress training requirements. Early in the problem-framing effort, the (planning team) determined that there was a lack of clear, service-level guidance regarding (underwater egress training) standards, the bulletin continues. The Marine Corps has a swimming problem. Is there a plan to fix it? The primary change in the document is to ensure that exceptions to the egress training requirement for Marines and sailors participating in helicopter or MV-22 Osprey flights over water, or waterborne amphibious vehicle operations, are exceedingly rare and difficult to obtain, which has not always been the case in the past. The new bulletin supersedes a 2018 underwater egress training update that created more rigorous requirements in the wake of a fatal Osprey crash, but left room for frequent waivers. It also only required egress training for troops with jobs related to amphibious vehicle and aircraft ops, not for passengers. Waivers should be used sparingly and only after all other options to qualify service members have been exhausted, the new bulletin states. The new guidance comes the same month the Defense Department released its fiscal 2024 budget request. In an accompanying justification document, the Marine Corps said it planned to allot $13.88 million to replace Underwater Egress Training equipment that is obsolete. Story continues The (underwater egress training) currently replicate vehicles that are no longer in service in the USMC and must be redesigned to replicate vehicles that are currently in use, the document states. The recent loss of life in Amphibious Assault Vehicles, coupled with the introduction of the new Amphibious Combat Vehicle has created a new enterprise level priority for Underwater Egress Training. The intent of this training is to improve the likelihood of survivability in a catastrophic, waterborne event. Per the new guidance, underwater egress training for troops who require it must now be completed before they begin any training event involving amphibious vehicles or shipping, according to the document. Marines and sailors must also get underwater egress training-qualified before deploying as part of the unit deployment program to Japan or becoming part of a shipboard Marine expeditionary unit. The training is intensive: It includes eight hours of classroom instruction and practical application; pool drills and familiarization with a breathing regulator; and mastery of fundamentals in the Shallow Water Egress Trainer or Modular Amphibious Egress Trainer, both designed to simulate the chaos and disorientation of escaping from a vehicle or helicopter thats taking on water. Once complete, the qualification is good for four years. In addition to these required evolutions, the Corps is emphasizing real-world practice and refresh sessions. Frequent rehearsals must be conducted whenever practicable on actual amphibious vehicles and aircraft, the bulletin states. UET successand increased probability of surviving a mishapis achieved through rigorous integrated rehearsals in the (Fleet Marine Force). To begin underwater egress training, Marines have to have a current water survival training program qualification, or swim qual. Waivers will be extremely difficult to come by. Commanders at the O-6 level can push back underwater egress training qualification if deployment schedules change, but must notify the first general officer in their chain of command. Only a general officer can waive underwater egress training requirements entirely for individual troops or units. Unit waivers apply to every member of the unit and are only appropriate when unforeseeable circumstances force a unit to conduct amphibious operations on short notice, the bulletin states. Troops who refuse underwater egress training and thus cannot adequately discharge their assigned duties may face the full range of administrative actions available, according to the document. Egress training, as has been the case in the past, will take place at the major Marine Corps bases: Camp Pendleton, California; Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; Marine Corps Base Hawaii; and Camp Butler, Okinawa, Japan. If there are not enough training seats to meet the operational units requirements, commanders need to communicate that to Training and Education Command, the document states. Thats a point of concern for Walt Yates, a retired Marine colonel who was the Marines acquisition program manager for training systems before his retirement in 2018. Yates told Marine Corps Times he was happy to see the release of the bulletin, with its emphasis on consistent egress training for all Marines. In April 2021, half a year before Iiams assembled his operational planning team, Yates wrote for Task & Purpose that the July 2020 amphibious assault vehicle sinking disaster that left nine troops dead represented a failure of training. Only two of the 13 passengers onboard the mishap amphibious assault vehicle, he noted, had completed underwater egress training, and even they had only trained in the shallow-water dunker chair. In February 2022, the Marines published a policy update requiring more troops to conduct the deep-water egress training as well as the shallow. Based on his experiences, Yates says he suspects the four training locations wont be able to meet the demand for qualifications operating a standard eight hours per day during the week. If you dont have enough contractor hours of labor and maintenance to keep [the trainers] operating, thats an easily solved problem, he said, adding he estimated it would cost about $1.5 million to increase hours and staffing for the trainers. But, he said, its not clear yet how the Marines plan to resource the work and facility maintenance hours required to handle the increased volume. Thats the only weakness I see in the plan is, you havent said anything about what your budget is going to look like, Yates said. Are you going to keep underfunding this year after year based on what the program office cost estimate is? The investigation into the amphibious assault vehicle disaster found that Marines in the vehicle that sank had missed out on egress training due to a closed swimming pool. While Yates concerns are merely based on informed speculation, Training and Education Command officials did not respond to questions about the new training and associated costs. The egress training update follows an announcement in the Marines Training and Education 2030 planning document, released in January, that All Marines should expect the standards to be elevated and require additional training in the water. Water training has long been a sticking point for the Marine Corps: an exclusive Marine Corps Times report from October 2022 revealed major concerns at multiple levels within the force about shortfalls in the frequency and thoroughness of water survival training and a troubling lack of swimming proficiency among Marines. Markynn West was forced to act in self defense when he shot and killed Jin Shin in August, his attorney Lesa Pamplin said in an interview four days after the murder charge against West was dismissed by prosecutors. Fort Worth police arrested West in December, and authorities later filed murder charges against three other men in the case. A grand jury indicted West but did not hand up murder indictments against the other three defendants. The Tarrant County District Attorneys Office on Friday announced that it dropped the charge against West because he was defending himself and others. Police had alleged that Shin was killed after a group of people surrounded him and he was assaulted and prevented access to his vehicle following a minor traffic accident. Pamplin said thats not an accurate depiction of what happened and that Shin was intoxicated and threatening to the people at the accident scene. Pamplin said that Shin was the first one to shoot after he and West both retrieved handguns from their vehicles. In 911 call audio obtained by the Star-Telegram, a woman who made one of the calls told dispatchers that Shin was drunk, had a gun and was shooting at the group. Surveillance video released by Pamplin shows Shin point his gun at people standing around him while West approaches with his own gun and multiple shots are heard. Its unclear from the video whether Shin fired first. Police previously said in arrest warrant affidavits that Shin kept his gun aimed toward the ground. The Star-Telegram has requested a copy of the toxicology report from Shins autopsy. Star-Telegram media partner WFAA-TV reported, according to a source close to the investigation, that Shin had an elevated blood-alcohol level.. Fort Worth police declined to comment on the toxicology report or whether their investigation found that Shin fired his gun, citing this trial being active. While no murder charges are pending, two defendants, Keeton Sheppard and Quamon White, were indicted on charges of assault causing bodily injury to Shin during the incident. Story continues Pamplin said she believes the accusation made against West was the result of an overzealous district attorneys office eager to file charges. She blamed it on pressure from the Asian-American community in Dallas, where Shin lived, for Fort Wort police and the Tarrant County District Attorneys Office to take action. It was a pressure campaign put on to smear my client, Pamplin said. That community wanted a hate crime and so they tried to give them a hate crime. West, 29, was arrested before new District Attorney Phil Sorrells took office in January. Pamplin said West lost his job and sold his car to pay bills. She said thats because of the information released by law enforcement. Hes been portrayed as a villain, Pamplin said. Hes been portrayed as a bad guy. When in actuality he saved some womens life that night. A GoFundMe for West has been set up by one of his cousins to raise money for legal expenses and lost wages. Kynn has been a pillar of our family, supporting his mother and brother financially even during this case, his cousin Kendra Richardson wrote in the GoFundMe description. He has spent thousands of dollars on lawyer fees, court fees, and has had to sell his car to continue to support himself and his family. Pamplin said West didnt want to shoot Shin but felt that he needed to in self defense. You dont want to take anybodys life, but he had to act, Pamplin said. Hes not going around saying anything about the guy (Shin.) We have kept quiet until now. He just wants people to know that hes vindicated. Kerri Mejia, Shins sister, said the family has more questions about the murder charges being dropped than they did before now that videos and 911 audio have been released. She said the family is concerned that videos might have been deceptively cut and that not enough context is available with the 911 calls, such as the times they were made. A family friend told the Star-Telegram in August that all that Shins family and friends wanted was justice. Some in the Asian-American community in Dallas, including Shins family and friends, held events to raise awareness, demanding more transparency from law enforcement and arrests of anybody who illegally attacked or killed Shin. Shin has been celebrated since his death as a uniter of different communities. He has been described as a kind person who went out of his way to help those in need. He was seen as a mentor with a philanthropic heart and an advocate for the Asian-American community. In an update last week to a GoFundMe raising money to cover the costs of Shins funeral, legal fees of the family and other expenses, the family wrote that they dont agree with the decision to drop charges. I know justice my family and his loved ones wanted will not occur in court, but I do hope those individuals know their wrongdoing and I believe God will see that through on their Day, the update reads. I honestly dont know what to say other than Im sorry to my brother this is how it turned out, and for anyone that loved/cared about him. MIAMI (AP) The Miami Marlins placed veteran pitcher Johnny Cueto on the 15-day injured list because of right bicep tightness. Cuetos debut with the Marlins ended in the second inning after he allowed a three-run homer to Minnesota Twins slugger Joey Gallo on Monday. The 37-year-old Cueto said he had experienced discomfort in his bicep since spring training but attempted to pitch through it. The results of an imaging test Cueto took Tuesday appeared promising, said Marlins manager Skip Schumaker. Positive stuff with not much inflammation at all in the bicep which was the concern, Schumaker said. We just want him to be ready. I think him being built up the right way has been the challenge. Cueto signed an $8.5 million, one-year free agent deal with Miami in January that includes a club option for 2024. The Marlins also placed infielder Joey Wendle (strained right intercostal) on the 10-day injured list and promoted left-handed pitchers Daniel Castano and Braxton Garrett and infielder-outfielder Garrett Hampson from Triple-A Jacksonville. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Marylands Attorney General on Wednesday released a report accusing Catholic priests and others at the Archdiocese of Baltimore of decades of sexual abuse against more than 600 children, following a multi-year grand jury investigation. The incontrovertible history uncovered by this investigation is one of pervasive and persistent abuse by priests and other Archdiocese personnel, a 463-page redacted report, released by Attorney General Anthony Brown, said. It is also a history of repeated dismissal or cover up of that abuse by the Catholic Church hierarchy. Investigators interviewed hundreds of victims and witnesses whose stories reveal themes and behaviors typical of adults who sexually abuse children, and of those who enable abuse by concealing it, according to the report. What was consistent throughout was the absolute authority and power these abusive priests and church leadership held over victims, their families, and their communities, it continued. The investigation found more than 600 children were abused by 156 people but determined the actual number is likely far higher. Many of the accused are now dead and no longer able to be prosecuted, notes the report which focuses mainly on alleged abuse from the 1940s through 2002. The investigators said they hope exposing the issues will bring accountability in the absence of criminal justice. The report names 146 abusers including priests, deacons, sisters and other personnel and redacted the names of an additional 10. The staggering pervasiveness of the abuse itself underscores the culpability of the Church hierarchy, the report reads. The sheer number of abusers and victims, the depravity of the abusers conduct, and the frequency with which known abusers were given the opportunity to continue preying upon children are astonishing. Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori in a statement called the report a sad and painful reminder of the tremendous harm caused to innocent children and young people by some ministers of the Church and called the documented abuse shocking and soul searing. Story continues It is difficult for most to imagine that such evil acts could have actually occurred. For victim-survivors everywhere, they know the hard truth: These evil acts did occur, Lori said, apologizing on behalf of the Archdiocese. To all survivors, I offer my most earnest apology on behalf of the Archdiocese and pledge my continued solidarity and support for your healing. We hear you. We believe you and your courageous voices have made a difference, he added. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Maryland lawmakers passed a Safe Harbor bill this week that will protect trafficked children from being charged with certain crimes. The bill, which was approved by the Maryland General Assembly on Tuesday, will prevent law enforcement authorities from arresting and charging child victims of sex trafficking or human trafficking with crimes they may have committed as a result of being victims. These crimes can include trespassing, theft, prostitution, possession of a fraudulent government identification and driving without a license, as well as other violations, according to the bill. The law will also require law enforcement authorities to inform local child welfare agencies if they believe a child was being trafficked. It will also require that authorities release the child to either the childs parents or guardians, unless they believe the child may be endangered by their parents or guardians. If the latter is the case, they will release the child to a welfare agency instead. The bill now heads to Maryland Gov. Wes Moores (D) desk, where he plans to sign the bill into law, according to The Washington Post. If signed, the new law will be enacted on Oct. 1. The Hill reached out to the governors office for comment. According to Shared Hope International, an advocacy group aiming to end sex trafficking, Maryland will be joining 27 states and Washington D.C. in enacting some form of Safe Harbor law, which the group defines as laws designed to reduce the criminalization of child and youth sex trafficking victims. The group gave Maryland an F grade on the states policies on child trafficking victims in 2022, saying that there are gaps in areas including non-criminalization for prostitution offenses, expanded non-criminalization, juvenile court jurisdiction and non-familial trafficking cases. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. As the state's public health emergency inches closer to its expiration next month, a group of public health advocates, health care workers and patients is pressing state officials and the health care industry to maintain the masking requirement in place for hospitals, clinics, physician and dentist offices, nursing homes, and for home health care services. Gov. Maura Healey announced last month that she will end the state's public health emergency - which in 2021 effectively took the place of an earlier COVID-19 state of emergency - on May 11, the same day a federal public health emergency ends. That will end six state public health emergency orders, one of which requires Bay Staters to wear masks in some health care and congregate care settings. The Massachusetts Coalition for Health Equity is collecting signatures (more than 740 so far) on an open letter that urges the Department of Public Health, local boards of health, and health care institutions to keep masking requirements in place for all health care settings and to provide free masks, ideally N95s, to everyone in those settings. "Clinics and hospitals are sites for COVID-19 patient care, so even when transmission rates are low, they will remain among the most likely locations to encounter people infected with COVID-19 (as well as people who are vulnerable to severe disease or death from COVID-19). Contagion in healthcare settings is already a problem even in well-equipped US academic medical centers. In January 2022, over 3,000 people weekly became infected with COVID-19 in US hospitals, including 4,734 in just one day, according to an analysis of federal data," the coalition wrote in the open letter. "Removing masks in healthcare puts both patients and healthcare workers at risk, which could place even more strain on the healthcare system amidst severe staffing shortages." The coalition plans a press conference at noon Wednesday with public health experts, physicians, people with disabilities, people at high risk for COVID-19, and community leaders. Some participants are expected to say that the elimination of the state's masking order "will place vulnerable people at risk by exposing them to COVID in the very settings they receive vital services, and discourage them from seeking care," the coalition said This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Massachusetts Coalition for Health Equity presses to keep masks in some settings House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Wednesday said his meeting with Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen provided greater peace and stability for the world, even as China has lodged objections and warned of escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait. McCarthy spoke to reporters following a meeting with Tsai at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Los Angeles, which was attended by more than a dozen Democratic and Republican lawmakers. The Speaker said the bipartisan delegation underscored Congressional unity in supporting Taiwans ability to defend its democratic government against threats from the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing to overtake the island. I felt our meeting today provided a greater peace and stability for the world. Americas support for the people of Taiwan will remain resolute, unwavering and bipartisan, the Speaker said, adding that his message to Beijing is that theres no need for retaliation. Chinese officials have blasted McCarthys meeting with Tsai, warning of countermeasures and consequences. Its embassy in Washington sent an email to lawmakers warning that such meetings signal a serious political provocations. China has also responded angrily to reports that McCarthy is planning to visit Taiwan, like his predecessor former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) did last year. McCarthy said Wednesday that while he has no plans to travel to Taiwan, he would not be intimidated from making the trip. That doesnt mean I will not go, he said. I am the Speaker of the House. There is no place that China is going to tell me where I can go or who I can speak to, whether you be foe or whether you be friend. Tsai visited Los Angeles from Tuesday to Wednesday in what is being described as a transit for the Taiwanese leader back to Taiwan and from official diplomatic summits in Guatemala and Belize. The careful language provides a thin cover for Tsai to hold senior meetings with U.S. officials without appearing to violate the principles of Washingtons unofficial relations with Taiwan. Story continues Speaking alongside McCarthy after their meeting, Tsai said to preserve peace, we must be strong, and we are stronger when we are together, according to Reuters. It is no secret that today the peace we have maintained and the democracy which we have worked hard to build are facing unprecedented challenges, she said. We once again find ourselves in a world where democracy is under threat and the urgency of keeping the beacon of freedom shining cannot be understated. McCarthy said that lawmakers spoke with Tsai about speeding up delivery of weapons to Taiwan that the Biden administration says are delayed by a number of factors coming to a head dormant manufacturing lines, supply chain issues leftover from the COVID-19 pandemic, among others. The speaker also said that there were conversations about building more trade ties between the U.S. and Taiwan. That is what were doing today. So when you look back on history, in a critical time around the world what did your lawmakers do? They stood up. They built relationships to friend and foe. They deterred the ability for one to foster war against the other, the speaker said. The Taiwanese leader also reportedly met with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and a bipartisan group of senators in New York last week. Still, the California meeting marks a historic moment in how the U.S. is shifting its policy toward Taiwan, with the Biden administration and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle raising alarm and working to bolster support to the island to help it deter, and prepare against, a possible invasion by China. McCarthy became the most senior-elected U.S. official to meet with Tsai on U.S. soil, a distinction that Chinese officials have railed against. China firmly opposes the U.S.s arrangement for Tsai Ing-wens transit trip to the US and a meeting between her and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the third highest-ranking official of the U.S. government, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said on Tuesday. Some analysts have suggested that McCarthys meeting in California provided a compromise to traveling to Taiwan to avoid escalating higher tensions with China. Beijing carried out live-fire military exercises around the island in retaliation for a visit in August by Pelosi, who issued an endorsement for McCarthys meeting with Tsai. Todays meeting between President Tsai of Taiwan and Speaker McCarthy is to be commended for its leadership, its bipartisan participation and its distinguished and historic venue, she said in a statement. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Simi Valley, California House Speaker Kevin McCarthy hosted a meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen and a bipartisan group of lawmakers in California on Wednesday in a high-stakes show of support that drew condemnation from China before it even began. The meeting came amid an increasingly fraught relationship between the U.S. and China over the status of Taiwan, China's ties to Russia and other national security issues. China opposed the meeting and vowed "resolute countermeasures" if it took place. The Taiwanese Defense Ministry said the Chinese military sailed an aircraft carrier off the coast of Taiwan for military exercises on Wednesday. Several Democratic and Republican lawmakers joined the meeting with Tsai at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, including GOP Rep. Mike Gallagher, chairman of the House select committee on competition with the Chinese Communist Party. "I believe our bond is stronger now than at any time or point in my life," McCarthy said after the meeting, calling Tsai "a great champion" of the bond between the U.S. and Taiwan while standing in front of the plane used by Reagan as Air Force One. Tsai thanked McCarthy and the group of bipartisan congressional delegation for meeting with her, saying their "presence and unwavering support reassure the people of Taiwan that we are not isolated, and we are not alone." She said she reiterated Taiwan's commitment to "defending the peaceful status quo, where the people of Taiwan may continue to thrive in a free and open society." Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen) speaks as Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy looks on at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library after making statements to the press on April 5, 2023, in Simi Valley, California. / Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images China's foreign ministry said in a statement following the meeting, "In response to the seriously erroneous acts of collusion between the United States and Taiwan, China will take resolute and effective measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," the Agence France-Presse reported. China has considered Taiwan a breakaway province since 1949, when communists took over the Chinese mainland and their opponents fled to Taiwan, establishing a democratic government in exile. The U.S. recognized the government in Taipei as the legitimate rulers of China until 1978, when Washington formally shifted recognition to Beijing and cut formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Story continues Since then, the U.S. has maintained a policy of "strategic ambiguity" over the status of Taiwan, declining to formally commit to intervening militarily if China invaded while providing the government in Taiwan with billions of dollars in military aid. President Biden raised eyebrows last year when he told "60 Minutes" the U.S. would send troops to help defend Taiwan "if in fact there was an unprecedented attack" by China, while stressing that the island "makes their own judgments about their independence." The White House denied the statement represented a change in U.S. policy. Tsai has made it clear Taiwan is an independent entity, and the visit with McCarthy comes at the end of a high-profile diplomatic trip to the U.S. to bolster support for the island. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday in Brussels that Beijing should not use Tsai's visit "as an excuse to take any actions to ratchet up tensions, to further push at changing the status quo," noting that trips by Taiwanese leaders to the U.S. are "nothing new." McCarthy's predecessor, Nancy Pelosi, visited Taiwan last year, a move that prompted an angry reaction from Beijing. Soon after, China's People's Liberation Army staged military exercises, and, for the first time, fired ballistic missiles over Taiwan. U.S.-China tensions have also increased as China declines to rule out military assistance to Russia, and after the Chinese spy balloon incident. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Beijing against using Tsai's visit "as an excuse to take any actions to ratchet up tensions, to further push at changing the status quo." Haley Ott contributed to this report. Cash App founder fatally stabbed in San Francisco Tornado kills at least 5 in Missouri Pence wont appeal order to testify in Trump special counsel probe House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen declared the relationship between the United States and Taiwan is strong amid "unprecedented" challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. McCarthy, R-Calif., and Tsai met at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California on Wednesday, along with a group of bipartisan lawmakers. "Today, Im honored to meet with Taiwans President Tsai as she transits the United States," McCarthy said, adding that their discussion took place "fittingly" at the library, which highlights Reagans belief in "democracy and commitment to the ideals of peace and freedom." CHINESE EMBASSY SENDS THREATENING LETTER TO CONGRESS OVER TAIWAN MEETING, WARNS IT WILL NOT SIT IDLY BY "Those values have always served as the bedrock of our friendship with the people of Taiwan and they are more important now than ever before," McCarthy said. "I believe our bond is stronger now than at any time or point in my lifetime," he added, noting that Tsai is a "great champion of that bond." READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., conducts a news conference in the U.S. Capitols Statuary Hall on Thursday, January 12, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) The speaker of the House said the United States "will honor our obligations and reiterate our commitment to our shared values behind which all Americans are united." McCarthy met with Tsai and a bipartisan group of lawmakers. Tsai thanked McCarthy and the Republican and Democratic lawmakers who attended the meeting. "Their presence and unwavering support reassure the people of Taiwan that we are not isolated and we are not alone," Tsai said. US SAYS CHINA HAS NO REASON TO STEP UP AGGRESSIVE ACTIVITY DUE TO TAIWANS STOPOVERS IN THE US Pointing to the regional challenges, Tsai said "it is no secret" that the "peace that we have maintained and the democracy which we have worked hard to build are facing unprecedented challenges." Tsai, in the meeting, reiterated Taiwans commitment to "defending the peaceful status quo, where the people of Taiwan may continue to thrive in a free and open society." Story continues "I also highlighted a belief which President Reagan championed, that to preserve peace, we must be strong," Tsai said. "I would like to add that we are stronger when we are together." Tsai also thanked members of Congress for their proposed initiatives that have "helped to make Taiwan and our partnership stronger." "Specifically, initiatives in the realm of enhancing Taiwan's self-defense capabilities, fostering robust trade and economic ties between us, and supporting Taiwan's meaningful participation in the international community, and also to seek out our shared interests in peace and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific," Tsai said. US DEFENDS SENDING AIRCRAFT THROUGH TAIWAN STRAIT AS CHINA GROWS INCREASINGLY AGGRESSIVE The meeting Wednesday came after The Chinese Embassy wrote a threatening email to McCarthy and other members of Congress who planned to meet with Tsai Wednesday. Li Xiang, the embassy's liaison to Congress, wrote a nearly four-page email warning U.S. lawmakers that China views the meeting as a "blatant provocation." "I have to point out that China will not sit idly by in the face of a blatant provocation and will most likely take necessary and resolute actions in response to the unwanted situation. Let's work together to prevent such a thing from happening," Li wrote, according to a copy of the email obtained by PunchBowl News. McCarthy's meeting with Tsai came months after former House Speaker Pelosi visited Taiwan, which, according to the Chinese Embassy, "triggered a serious crisis in the China-U.S. relationship." "Lessons should be learned," the letter read. Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), center left, poses for photographs after receiving the Order of Propitious Clouds with Special Grand Cordon, Taiwans highest civilian honor, from Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen, center right, at the president's office. China shut down communications with the United States military after Pelosi visited Taiwan last year. That visit prompted increased aggression by China in the South China Sea and led experts to predict a Chinese invasion of Taiwan by 2024. China sent a specific warning to McCarthy on Tuesday regarding the meeting, alleging it would break the "One China" policy. MCCARTHYS CHINA MISSION: GIVE BIDEN A BACKBONE, EMPOWER HIM TO TACKLE THE CCP THREAT "If Speaker McCarthy ignores the international communitys broad support for the one-China principle, refuses to draw lessons from others mistakes, and insists on playing the 'Taiwan card,' it will undoubtedly further damage China-US relations, and even strengthen the strong determination of the Chinese people to unite and fight for national reunification," a spokesperson for China's consulate in Los Angeles wrote. The "One China" policy, adopted by the U.S. and other countries, stipulates that the government of Beijing is the sole legitimate government of China. Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen gathered alongside a bipartisan group of House lawmakers Wednesday outside of Los Angeles, projecting a united democratic front that brushed aside stern warnings from China that the meeting not go forward. The high-profile confab, which occurred at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, marks a concrete step in furtherance of one of McCarthys top priorities: pushing back on the influence of China. McCarthy becomes the highest U.S. official to meet with Taiwans leader on domestic soil since the U.S. established formal diplomatic ties with China in 1979. I believe our bond is stronger now than at any time or point in my lifetime, McCarthy said at a joint press conference with Tsai. Today was a bipartisan meeting Republicans and Democrats united together in a place that symbolizes the freedom and the commitment and the bond thats only become stronger with the president with us today. The speaker later added at a press conference alongside members from both parties: "We live in a decisive moment in history and must act with urgency. Tensions in the world are at this highest point since the end of the Cold War, as authoritarian leaders seek to use violence and fear to provoke needless conflict." McCarthy called for continued arms sales to the island, further economic cooperation and the promotion of "our shared values on the world stage." He reiterated multiple times the desire to avoid any sort of conflict between China and Taiwan. "It is not our intention to escalate" tensions with China, McCarthy said of Wednesday's meeting. "There's no need for retaliation. ... There is no place that China is going to tell me where I can go or who I can speak to whether you be foe or whether you be friend." McCarthy said he had no "current plans" to visit the island, "but that doesn't mean I will not go," adding he would travel to Taiwan with members of both parties if he goes. He also declined to answer whether he would invite Tsai to address the Congress. Story continues Tsai shook hands with McCarthy upon arriving shortly after 10 a.m. local time. She met with the speaker, then approximately a dozen and a half Republican and Democratic lawmakers. McCarthy went around the room introducing Tsai to every member. The Taiwanese president thanked the House members for coming together in support of her countrys freedom. Their presence and unwavering support reassure the people of Taiwan that we are not isolated and we are not alone, Tsai said. In the discussion with congressional leaders this morning, I reiterated Taiwan's commitment to defending the peaceful status quo where the people of Taiwan may continue to thrive in a free and open society. Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), chair of the House Democratic Caucus, was the highest-ranking member of his party in attendance. Others present included Reps. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), the leaders of the House panel aimed at countering the influence of China. "We are not afraid," Gallagher said afterward. "We support our friends in Taiwan. We're going to keep saying that whenever we have the opportunity, and we're going to turn those words into action this Congress bipartisan action because Taiwan is a small, but very bright candle burning at the edge of a vast authoritarian darkness." Video from the scene showed an airplane hoisting a banner that read One China! Taiwan is part of China! as the president arrived, flanked by protesters along the street spanning the full spectrum of views on Taiwans status. The visit came even as China has threatened consequences if it went forward. Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), who participated in the meeting, posted a message from a Chinese official to her office that read in part: China will not sit idly by in the face of a blatant provocation and will most likely take necessary and resolute actions in response to the unwanted situation. The White House reiterated on Wednesday that China shouldn't take Tsais California layover as a provocation. After then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosis visit to the island in August , Beijing responded with a muscular show of military exercises around the island. There is no reason for [Beijing] to overreact, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Wednesday. Tsais presence in California is not uncommon, it's not official and there's no reason for them to react in any sort of an aggressive manner because she's not meeting with any administration officials, Kirby said. Pelosi issued a remarkable statement praising the McCarthy-Tsai meeting "for its leadership, its bipartisan participation and its distinguished and historic venue." Beijing indicated it was readying a military show of force in response to Tsais meeting with McCarthy by deploying 14 military aircraft and three naval vessels around the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, the islands defense ministry said in a statement . That deployment not only poses a real threat to our national security, but also undermines the status quo of regional security and stability, the ministry said in a separate statement . China views the self-governing island of Taiwan as part of its territory and has ratcheted up tough talk in recent months about bringing it back under its control including by force. The meeting with McCarthy marks the end of a weeklong trip to North America and Central America in which Tsai met with other U.S. lawmakers, as well. She saw House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries while in New York last week, as well as a bipartisan trio of senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.). Phelim Kine contributed to this report. Ma Ying-jeou pays tribute to martyrs during war of resistance against Japanese aggression Xinhua) 10:49, April 05, 2023 CHONGQING, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Ma Ying-jeou, former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party, on Tuesday visited a cemetery in Chongqing dedicated to General Zhang Zizhong, a senior officer killed during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and paid tribute to fallen heroes during the war. The general was killed while fighting a battle in 1940 at the age of 49, and buried in the cemetery. In front of the general's tomb, Ma observed a moment of silence and bowed three times, together with young people from Taiwan in his delegation, before presenting flowers. When visiting a historic site museum in Chongqing, Ma said that China's resistance war restrained the main force of the Japanese army in the eastern battlefield, which was a great contribution. He said that the Cairo Conference held in 1943 was extremely important, and cited stipulations from the Cairo Declaration that all Chinese territories seized by Japan should be returned to China. During the ongoing trip, Ma has led a group of young people from Taiwan to visit memorial sites and cemeteries -- including the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in the city of Nanjing, as well as a memorial hall dedicated to military officers and soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and a historic site of a ceremony to accept the surrender of Japanese invaders in Hunan Province -- to relive the history of the resistance war. According to Ma's itinerary, when he arrives in Shanghai, he will continue to visit venues in memory of the resistance war. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) (CNN) Johnson & Johnson is trying once again to use the bankruptcy courts to settle tens of thousands of cases that claim its talc products cause cancer. The pharmaceutical company is now willing to pay $8.9 billion to plaintiffs over 25 years. For a second time, a J&J subsidiary called LTL on Tuesday filed for bankruptcy a strategy the company said could "equitably and efficiently resolve all claims arising from cosmetic talc litigation" in North America, according to a regulatory filing. A previous attempt to use Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to resolve the talc cases was rejected by an appellate court, which ruled the company couldn't go bankrupt because it wasn't in financial distress. This time, J&J's LTL spinoff upped the offer by $6.9 billion over the initial $2 billion settlement. The company says it has secured commitments from over 60,000 current claimants against J&J to support the resolution. The company says the settlement does not constitute an admission of wrongdoing. Johnson & Johnson has long held that talcum powder products are safe to use. Although J&J claims it has won the majority of its talc lawsuits, juries have awarded some customers billions of dollars in damages, siding with claimants' arguments that the company's talc products caused their cancer. "The company continues to believe that these claims are specious and lack scientific merit," said Erik Haas, Johnson & Johnson's worldwide vice president of litigation, in a statement. "However, as the bankruptcy court recognized, resolving these cases in the tort system would take decades and impose significant costs on LTL and the system." Haas said resolving the claims through bankruptcy benefits both the company and the claimants, because it will get money to claimants faster and gives J&J the ability to end substantially all litigation related to talc suits in North America. Attorneys representing thousands of claimants basted the proposed bankruptcy. "This sham deal does not even pay for most victims' medical bills," says Jason Itkin, founding partner of the Houston-based personal injury law firm Arnold & Itkin LLP. "Medical costs alone can range from $140,000 to more than $1.4 million per victim for ovarian cancer cases. The costs for mesothelioma are even higher." This story was first published on CNN.com, "Johnson & Johnson is again trying to use bankruptcy to settle talc cases for $8.9 billion." Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and his top deputies stayed silent Tuesday as former President Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts, signaling how far they have diverged from their former ally. Many Republican senators blame Trump for the loss of the Senate majority and the disappointing performance of Senate Republicans last year. There are also big doubts about Trumps ability to win the general election in 2024, especially as he faces the prospect of additional charges from the Department of Justice and the Fulton County district attorney. His arraignment Tuesday only adds to the political baggage of the GOP presidential front-runner. McConnell, who hasnt spoken to Trump since December of 2020, didnt make any statement in response to the former presidents arrest Tuesday. He didnt say anything when news of Trumps indictment broke Thursday, either. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., stayed silent as former President Trump plead not guilty to 34 felony counts. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) Instead, he put out a statement welcoming Finlands accession to NATO, something he has championed since last year. Al Cross, a professor of journalism at the University of Kentucky and a longtime commentator on McConnells career, said McConnell doesnt feel the same pressure as other Republicans to rally around Trump. Mitch McConnell does not feel pressure in the same way that other human beings do. He has steeled himself to resist the typical politicians urge to talk and its paid off for him, you dont get in trouble for something you didnt say, he said. His strategy with Trump has been to not come close to that kryptonite and let other people do the talking and work behind the scenes. Cross speculated that McConnell doesnt want to put himself out on a limb by defending Trump when the former president is facing additional possible indictments. 5 quick takeaways from Trumps arraignment Story continues There will be other shoes to drop and I expect Mitch McConnell knows more about Donald Trumps situation than we do, he added. He is one of the most influential and best-informed people in the country and has all kinds of sources of information and he probably sees other things coming. Scott Jennings, a Republican strategist who has advised McConnells past campaigns, noted the Senate GOP leader is sticking to his strategy of staying clear of Trump, who has attacked him repeatedly over the past two years. Hes sort of not mentioned Trump at all since December of 2020. Hes pretty much taken a Im-going-to-ignore-this-guy approach. So, I think this is just a continuation of that, he said. All of this circus today reinforces a larger dynamic the American people want anything but a Trump/Biden rematch in 24, he added. McConnell is trying to lessen the former presidents political influence in GOP politics. He told reporters in February that were focusing now to try to get the very most electable candidate[s] nominated in West Virginia, Montana, Ohio and Pennsylvania. McConnells cautious handling of Trumps indictment contrasts starkly from Speaker Kevin McCarthys (R-Calif.) reaction. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., talks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington, March 30, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) McCarthy tweeted on Tuesday that Bragg is attempting to interfere in our democratic process by invoking federal law to bring politicized charges against President Trump, admittedly using federal funds, while at the same time arguing that the peoples representatives in Congress lack jurisdiction to investigate this farce. Not so. Braggs weaponization of the federal justice process will be held accountable by Congress. Even Trumps biggest critic in the Senate GOP conference, Sen. Mitt Romney (Utah), called out Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. No one is above the law, not even former presidents, but everyone is entitled to equal treatment under the law. The prosecutors overreach sets a dangerous precedent for criminalizing political opponents and damages the publics faith in our justice system, Romney warned. Senate Republicans are split over whether Congress should step into the legal battle by investigating Bragg and potentially withhold any federal grants that support his office. Sen. John Cornyn (Texas), an adviser to the Senate Republican leadership team, told reporters last month that he thought House Republicans should stay focused on the agenda that got them elected to the majority last year instead of wading into battle with Bragg. Thune pans Trump indictment as political agenda run amok But Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), a newly promoted counselor to the Senate GOP leadership team, said in a statement Tuesday that politics should never tip the scales of justice, and Congress has every right to demand answers and accountability from the Manhattan D.A.s office. One Republican strategist who requested anonymity because he expects to work for one of Trumps primary rivals said the indictment might help Trump in the short term by fueling his fundraising and spurring Republicans to rally his defense but predicted it will hurt him politically over the long term. Short term, what weve seen will continue, theyre going to rally around the president because it feels political, the strategist said, noting that Bragg was elected in an overwhelmingly Democratic jurisdiction and backed by Color of Change PAC, which accepted funding from billionaire George Soros. But the strategist thinks the charges will begin to weigh on Trump as the case drags on and people become more familiar with the details. As the 34 counts come out and people get more into the details and see what happens in Georgia and what happens on the federal level. Theres a chance to weigh the [former] president down in the muck of legal charges and in the long term becomes very detrimental, the source added. The strategist said McConnell can sit back and wait before he weighs in to see how the charges against Trump fair in court and in the court of public opinion. McConnell initially sidestepped questions about Trumps claims about widespread fraud in the 2020 election by telling reporters that he would let the legal system sort them out. The courts are here to apply the laws [and] resolve disputes, he remarked in November of 2020 before later coming out strongly against Trumps claims after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A Valley Metro light-rail train is pictured on Aug. 14, 2019, in Phoenix. Heres something to contemplate next time youre late for work and cruising along the freeway at a speedy 7 miles an hour. It could be worse. In fact, it soon may be far worse for us all, thanks to the meddling busybodies in the Arizona Legislature. Legislature wants its own transportation plan It seems the far-right crowd that runs the place despises light rail. So much so that theyre willing to block Maricopa County voters from deciding whether they want to continue funding a locally approved plan to expand the Valleys freeways, arterial streets, buses and yes, those hated light-rail trains. Apparently, these Republican legislators know better than the Valleys mayors, tribal leaders and county leaders, who unanimously approved a regional transportation plan that was at least five years in the making. Apparently, they know better than the Valleys business leaders who warn that failure to continue funding a well-balanced transportation system in this, the fastest growing county in the country, will stifle economic growth and chase away good jobs. And they absolutely think they know better than the countys voters who in 1985 and again in 2004 approved the half-cent sales tax that built Loop 101, 202, 303, an expanded bus system and yes, those danged choo-choos. Bill prohibits any cash for light rail expansion On Monday, the House Appropriations Committee approved a bill to authorize a public vote to extend the countys transportation tax but only on the condition that not so much as a penny of the money be used to expand light rail. Even then, the bills sponsor warned that it may not pass the Republican-controlled Legislature. This is on life support, House Appropriations Chairman David Livingston, R-Peoria, warned the Maricopa Association of Governments and others who oppose Senate Bill 1122. The current tax expires in December 2025 and unlike every other county in the state, Maricopa cannot ask voters to extend it without the Legislatures approval. Story continues The MAG plan was approved by the Legislature last year only to be vetoed by then-Gov. Doug Ducey, who breaks out in hives at the mere mention of taxes even just an extension of one we already pay. We can't build freeways wide enough for this Now we have a new Legislature, one that views the business community with suspicion and dances to the tune of the far right and the Arizona Free Enterprise Club people who apparently are willing to forgo both the billions of dollars in matching federal funds and the economic development that has popped up along the light rail lines. They see light rail as wildly expensive and lightly used in the wake of COVID-19 and increased telecommuting, ignoring the fact that a transportation plan isnt about whats happening now but about what will be happening in 2050. No more peas and guac? Lawmakers dislike freeway sign messages They just want to build freeways, never mind that they wont be able to build them fast enough or wide enough to handle the explosive growth thats headed our way in the next 25 years. Or that their plan might not pass in Phoenix and Tempe, where the roads already are built. Livingstons bill would put 39% of the revenue toward mass transit as long as it doesnt run on a rail. Other Republicans want to slash bus service as well. Without rail, the plan could fail at the ballot The cities, meanwhile, prefer their own regionally approved plan, one developed after hundreds of public meetings and untold hours of negotiation. It calls for 40.4% of the funds to go to mass transit, with up to 14% for light rail expansion. Count Marty Shultz, a longtime mover and shaker who worked on both the original 1985 transportation plan and the 2004 expansion, among those worried about the stalemate. So much so that hes come out of retirement to try to convince the Legislature to put MAGs plan on the ballot. Shultz believes any balanced plan must include an expansion of light rail in order to pass. Failure at the ballot box, he warns, would put a serious crimp in our economy. Im fearful were going to lose momentum and lose strategic opportunities in Arizona if we dont continue to invest in the transportation system, he told me. Shouldn't light rail's future be up to voters? Theres good reason to feel that way. The Wall Street Journal reported this week that the battle over the tax could threaten the expansion of a massive semiconductor manufacturing campus under construction in north Phoenix. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. choose Phoenix in part because of the (Proposition 400-funded) Loop 303. Its first factory is set to open next year, and the company already has announced plans to open a second plant in 2026, with more possibly to come. Dont, however, look for that to impress our far-right freedom folk, who seem to embrace a my way or the highway (with each in his own car) approach to, well, everything. I get why the Republicans dont like light rail. Its expensive and their constituents dont use it. But Maricopa County voters approved it. Shouldnt it be our call whether to continue it? Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter at @LaurieRoberts. Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Republican war on light rail could leave Maricopa County with a mess Braswell Family Farms donated and delivered the cooked and dyed eggs for the annual event. Maryna Auramchuk / Getty Images https://www.foodandwine.com/holidays-events/easter/easter-brunch Here's a sneak peek at the 46th annual commemorative egg to be presented to @FLOTUS by the American Egg Board. The real hen egg is hand-painted with images of children reading together outdoors and opens up to reveal a small bunny egg inside. pic.twitter.com/KPTw0GmKNH Easter Egg Roll Info (@EasterEggRoll) April 2, 2023 This years Easter Egg Roll will take place on Monday, April 10, and Braswell Family Farms, a Nashville, North Carolina egg producer, will be supplying a whopping 30,000 dyed Easter eggs for the event. This is the second year that Braswell Family Farms has donated the most essential ingredient, although last year, they only(!) had to deliver 18,000 eggs. "We've been providing [White House Easter Egg Roll eggs] on and off since 1997," Trey Braswell, the fourth-generation president of Braswell Family Farms, told Food & Wine. "Prior to COVID, we produced the eggs and took them to a D.C. caterer and they handled it from there, with the hard-cooking and the dying. But when the American Egg Board was trying to choose a supplier for last year, we threw our name in the hat. They said 'We need to go ahead and tell you, not only will you donate the eggs, but youve got to figure out how to cook and dye them too.'" Related:How to Dye Easter Eggs with Ingredients You Already Have in Your Kitchen Braswell joked that his sales and marketing team "would rather ask forgiveness than permission," so they agreed to those terms, and just hoped they'd be able to meet that pastel-colored challenge. Braswell Family Farms found a way to deliver, by partnering with The Stock Pot in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to hard-boil and dye the eggs in their commercial kitchen. All 30,000 eggs were transported to Winston-Salem in late March, and over the course of seven busy days, they were cooked, dyed, and securely packaged. Story continues Andrew McMillan "It's almost like the Olympic Torch Run," Braswell said. "The eggs go to so many places." After the Stock Pot packs the eggs up, Braswell Family Farms will collect them and take them to a chilled storage facility in Virginia, before theyre delivered to the White House at the end of this week. In addition to the sheer volume of eggs, part of the challenge was ensuring that they could be dyed the correct colors. Braswell said that the White House selects five colors every year, and they send a Pantone color code so the eggs can be dyed exactly the shade that has been chosen. "They're very particular about it," he adds. Andrew McMillan After the event ends and the eggs have been sufficiently rolled, they will be packed up again and composted. "There's a company that handles food waste and converts it to compost which can be applied to crops and vegetables," Braswell explained. "It's very sustainable, and I do love that theyre not just tossing those eggs in a dumpster behind the White House." Related:Our 35 Best Easter Brunch Recipes Braswell takes a tremendous amount of pride in the farms contribution to the event, because he knows first-hand what an exciting day it can be for every kid who attends. "I was five or six years old and George Bush Senior was in the White House," he said. "I remember going up there and it was just a perfect spring day. The lawn was beautifully manicured, and it felt like you could've just rolled around on the grass. There were lots of kids, lots of families, and lots of joy. President Bush came out and waved, and I cant remember if he spoke or not, but as a boy, it was incredible to be that close to the President." Andrew McMillan Braswell and his own family won't be attending this year because theyre hosting four (yes, four) Easter egg hunts at home for their children and their friends. "It's still really neat to know that on Easter Monday, that our eggs will be there in Washington, D.C., and there are kids having that same experience I had," he said. Hopefully someone raises at least one perfectly-dyed egg as a little nod to Rutherford B. Hayes, too. For more Food & Wine news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Food & Wine. Canadian TV personality Melissa Grelo is sharing her impressive fitness transformation (Photo via Instagram/ @melissagrelo) Melissa Grelo's hard work is paying off. The "CP24 Breakfast" co-host, 45, took to Instagram to share details of her "amazing" fitness journey with her 145,000 followers. Grelo marked her progress over the past two years with compiled clips of herself breaking a sweat alongside a motivational audio clip and on-screen text by Beyonce. "Stay focused. Don't talk about what you're gonna do. Don't just dream about what you're gonna do. Don't criticize somebody else for what they're not doing. You be it be about it," the text reads. "Be about that action and go do it." "Keep your eye on your intention. Don't let any outside distractions or your own insecurities stop you from your goals," the audio clip continues. "Embrace that struggle. Surviving that struggle will strengthen you. Look how far you've come and how much you've contributed. Forget the doubt. Keep investing. Keep betting on yourself." The Canadian TV personality included an inspirational caption alongside her video acknowledging her hard work. "I've always enjoyed working and moving my body. As a farm kid, it's in my DNA. But, if you've been part of my community here for a while then you know that over the pandemic, my focus shifted from fitness to overall wellness, especially mental health, and increasing my healthspan the length and quality of my life," she penned. "April marks the two-year anniversary of working with @suzangalluzzo, an amazing journey..." Grelo added that she is "very proud" of how much she has learned about the human body amid her fitness journey. "At 45, I'm in a better state of mental and physical health than I was 20 years ago," she shared. "No, we can't control everything that life throws at us, but keeping myself fit, keeping my soul fulfilled with friends and family and having as much fun as possible along the way is the blueprint that works for me." Story continues In the comments, fans left encouraging messages and applauded Grelo on her progress. "Yes, this kind of energy!" one Instagram user wrote, while another added, "You are an inspiration." "Such a strong woman. You are inspiring," someone else commented. "Thank you for sharing your journey. What an inspiration," a fan echoed. One person wrote: "Your hard work and determination have paid off. You look amazing!" In December, Grelo garnered praise for her appearance after sharing a set of vacation photos posing in a strappy, black and white patterned dress. "Goodbye, 2022. Hello, 2023! Wishing you and yours health and happiness," she captioned the post. "You look amazing!! literally glowing in that dress. Love it," a fan commented on the photos. Another wrote: "Beautiful outfit and I love your hair." "So stunning!" someone added. An Instagram user commented: "You're always stunning!" Let us know what you think by commenting below and tweeting @YahooStyleCA! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. MUNCIE, Ind. A Muncie man charged with killing his cousin will be examined by mental health professionals, Delaware Circuit Court 4 Judge John Feick ruled Wednesday. Kenneth Ray Burden, 55, is charged with murder in the January 2022 slaying of 52-year-old Timothy Lee Hahn. Emergency vehicles on Jan. 23, 2022, were in the 1500 block of South Rochester Avenue, between Eighth and Ninth streets, in the wake of what proved to be a fatal shooting. A witness told police the men arrived at the same home, in the 1500 block of South Rochester Avenue, a few minutes apart. Hahn reportedly shoved Burden off a porch, authorities said, and a short time later, Burden allegedly shot Hahn in the chest with a handgun. Emergency personnel found the victim outside and tried to resuscitate him. He was declared dead after being placed in an ambulance. More: Report: Shooting victim, gunman were cousins, had been feuding Another witness told investigators Hahn and Burden were cousins and had been feuding in the weeks before the homicide. Burden's attorney, Grey Harris of Noblesville, in a recent motion said his interactions with his client left him concerned about "the defendant's psychiatric ability to understand the proceedings and assist in the preparation of a defense." Harris said he also had concerns about Burden's "ability at the time of the alleged incident to understand the wrongfulness of his alleged acts." According to Deputy Prosecutor Doug Mawhorr, Judge Feick on Wednesday said he would appoint a local psychiatrist and psychologist to examine Burden. They will presumably issue opinions on his competency to stand trial. The Muncie man's trial is set to begin on June 26. In Indiana, a murder conviction carries a standard 55-year prison term. Burden continues to be held without bond in the Delaware County jail. Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Muncie murder defendant to be examined by mental health professionals President Joe Biden may be staying quiet on his predecessors arraignment Tuesday, but the types of people who took to the streets in January 2017 to protest President Donald Trump are finally getting what theyve desperately wanted: an arrest. After years of getting lock her up yelled at us, I plan to spend the day the same way I assume my old boss and campaign buddies will enjoying the freedom that generally comes with not committing crimes, said Jess McIntosh, a Democratic strategist who worked on Hillary Clintons 2016 campaign, when Trump supporters frequently called for the Democratic nominee to be imprisoned. Officially, the Democratic Party is taking a subdued or even somber tone on Trumps indictment. Biden and the White House have largely ignored it. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., one of Trump's most famous antagonists, lamented last Friday on MSNBC that the first indictment of an ex-president in U.S. history was a "tragic" but "necessary" step. Yes, we should celebrate the fact that America has a rule of law, but I've represented defendants going into this thing and it's horrific. There's a human element here that shouldn't be lost," said Neal Katyal, who was acting solicitor general during Barack Obamas presidency. "This is not a time to further divide," Rep. Mike Levin, D-Calif., told a local TV outlet, adding that this "sad day ... is not a time to celebrate." Democrats are trying to avoid further politicizing an already fraught legal case and let Trump soak up the harsh glare of the media spotlight. But many progressives can't contain their glee. "Nice capstone to the best day Ive had in 7+ years," tweeted Democratic strategist Rachel Bitecofer, along with a photo of a rainbow. After being disappointed by earlier efforts to hold Trump accountable for the myriad crimes his critics and detractors are sure he committed, those same people are excited to see him face criminal charges for the first time in a long public career that has had plenty of legal challenges, but none that came with a risk of prison time. Story continues On social media and in group chats, liberals gloated and wished each other a Merry Arrestmas." They shared memes about Stormy Daniels and gold-plated Trump-brand handcuffs, instructions on performing Trumps dance moves to celebrate, and drink recipes to wash it down, such as a lock him up lager and a white Russian beneath a thin orange skin and fake gold leaf garnish. An artist sold prints of an oil painting of a dozen middle fingers pointed at Trump Tower titled, Arrestmas in NY. A liberal group sold convict 45 and indictment se45on shirts, referring to Trumps status as the 45th president. Finally the man is being held accountable, tweeted Ed Krassenstein, one of the twin brothers who skyrocketed to resistance fame by replying to Trumps tweets, before being banned from the platform for allegedly operating fake accounts, then let back on by new owner Elon Musk. His hair looks extra bleached blonde today. Others lionized Bragg in memes, much the same way they portrayed special counsel Robert Mueller before ultimately being disappointed by the outcome of his investigation into potential ties between Russia and Trumps 2016 campaign. Trump finally got indicted! tweeted Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., dubbed the Queen of the Resistance for her early and aggressive advocacy for Trumps impeachment. I predicted he would and I predicted that Stormy Daniels would get him! Sometimes justice works! There were few watch parties or organized in-person gatherings that accompanied major Trump-focused congressional hearings in the pre-Covid era. But some left-leaning podcasts hosted virtual watch parties where hosts and listeners basked in their collective schadenfreude while discussing the even bigger cases they hope are coming down the pike for Trump. The former presidents estranged niece, Mary Trump, a psychotherapist who has written a critical book about her uncles psychology, called the indictment awesome. A lot of people have asked me how Im feeling today, Mary Trump said on Twitter. Right now all I can say is that Im focused on how f------ awesome it is that the first accountability domino is about to fall! #HappyIndictmentDay! NAACP President Derrick Johnson told NBC News that people excited to see Trump in legal trouble should be careful not to politicize the case or judge the former president before a trial. The worst thing in the world we could do in this moment is to politicize a legal matter, Johnson said. People who are celebrating probably are celebrating the fact that he is not being treated differently, that he is not above the law, and that we have a system in place for people who have committed crime," Johnson said. "But at the same time, we also have a system where you are innocent until proven guilty. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Major tech organizations are racing to ship generative AI tools. And yet, a few companies have remained silent, including Apple and Meta. Today, the organization led by Mark Zuckerberg said that it aims to use generative AI in creating ads for different companies by the end of the year. In an interview with Nikkei Asia, Meta's CTO Andrew Bosworth, said the company expects to ship tools to create ads with AI that help a company make different images for different audiences. "[I] expect we'll start seeing some of them [commercialization of the tech] this year. We just created a new team, the generative AI team, a couple of months ago; they are very busy. It's probably the area that I'm spending the most time [in], as well as Mark Zuckerberg and [Chief Product Officer] Chris Cox," Bosworth told the publication. In February, Zuckerberg announced a new team focusing on AI tools under CPO Chris Cox. The announcement noted that the company is experimenting with AI-powered chat on WhatsApp and Messenger along with filters for Instagram. While Meta's metaverse efforts haven't panned out as expected, it still seems to be pushing on the idea of creating virtual worlds through generative AI. Bosworth told Nikkei that large language models (LLMs) like OpenAI's GPT-4 and Google's PaLM will help with 3D model creation as you'll just have to describe them. "So previously, if I wanted to create a 3D world, I needed to learn a lot of computer graphics and programming. In the future, you might be able to just describe the world you want to create and have the large language model generate that world for you. And so it makes things like content creation much more accessible to more people," he said. While metaverse creation is on the company's long-term plan, generating more ad revenue is probably the need of the hour. After Apple implemented its App Tracking Transparency feature in 2021, Meta was affected badly. Early last year, the social media company said that this change would cost them $10 billion in 2022. Story continues In February, during the Q4 2022 investors call, Zuckerberg said that Our management theme for 2023 is the Year of Efficiency and were focused on becoming a stronger and more nimble organization. So the company would want to find more avenues for earning money and generative AI seems to be its next bet. During the call, Meta also highlighted that despite the $1 billion annual revenue rate, Reels are not generating enough money. Meta is not the only company experimenting with generative ads though. Omneky, which presented at TechCrunch Disrupt last year, was using OpenAIs DALLE-2 and GPT-3 to create campaigns. Movio, which is backed by IDG, Sequoia Capital China and Baidu Ventures, is using generative AI to create marketing videos. AMLO has called for greater state control of key Mexican industries, despite strong American opposition. The Mexican government agreed to purchase 13 power plants from the Spanish energy company Iberdrola for $6 billion on Tuesday (April 4), giving its state-owned power company, Commission Federal de Electricidad (CFE), majority control over the countrys electricity market. Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopes Obrador (AMLO) called the decision part of a new nationalization of some of the countrys major industries, including mineral and oil production, according to Reuters. Read more The acquisition of the power plants will give CFE control of more than 56% of Mexicos total productionup from approximately 40%, and surpassing AMLOs previously stated goal of 54%. The US and Canada have strongly opposed AMLOs actions, and have threatened a trade war if Mexico continues to roll back access for international corporations in Mexicos power and oil markets. Iberdrola said the power plants would be taken over by CFE within five months as it looks to reduce its operations in Mexican energy markets. The companys CEO, Ignacio Galan, said that the deal was a win-win. That energy policy has moved us to look for a situation thats good for the people of Mexico, and at the same time, that complies with the interests of our shareholders, Galan said after a joint appearance with AMLO announcing the deal. AMLO has repeatedly compared Iberdolas power over Mexican resources to Spanish conquistadors of the 16th century, even threatening to pause diplomatic relations with Spain over perceived neo-colonial actions by foreign energy firms. AMLO invokes the history of the Mexican Revolution Less than a month ago, more than 500,000 people flooded Mexico City to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the nationalization of the oil industry by president Lazaro Cardenas del Rio in the aftermath of the Mexican Revolution. Story continues AMLO addressed the crowd, promising to carry on Cardenass legacy, specifically highlighting his decision to nationalize the countrys energy and mining sectors, including Mexicos burgeoning lithium reserves in the Sonora desert. Mexico is an independent and free country, not a colony or a protectorate of the United States, AMLO said in a forceful rebuke of American influence in the countrys economy. Cooperation? Yes. Submission? No. Long live the oil expropriation. This type of populist rhetoric has been a major part of AMLOs strategy throughout his presidency. Since his election in 2018, AMLO has sharply criticized foreign business interests in Mexicospecifically those of American companies, portraying its northern neighbor as a threat to Mexicos economic sovereignty. What is the American position? Tensions have risen between the US and Mexico surrounding AMLOs increasingly isolationist actions. According to a Reuters report, the Biden administration plans to give the Mexican government an ultimatum in the coming weeks, asking Mexico to open its energy markets to American companies or face trade tariffs. Specifically, the US will request an independent dispute settlement panel under the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA), the trade deal that succeeded NAFTA in 2020. In the energy sector, the Biden administration has accused AMLO of favoring state oil company Petrleos Mexicanosas well as the CFE power utilityand discriminating against US companies, a perceived violation of the USMCA. The US has also been involved in a trade dispute with Mexico on the import of genetically-modified corn after AMLO called for a ban on all genetically modified agricultural products, citing health risks. The USwhich exports 17 million tons of mostly genetically modified corn to Mexico annuallyaccused Mexico of violating the USMCA and threatened trade retaliation if Mexico stopped allowing farmers to buy its corn. AMLO has been unapologetic on both fronts, describing a vision of a self-sufficient Mexico in his 2019 inauguration speech. He has repeatedly declared Americas economic and political dominance as modern-day imperialism, endearing him to his left-wing political base and giving him the second-highest approval rating of any world leader. Related stories: Tesla is the latest American manufacturer to invest in Mexico Mexico softens its ban on genetically modified corn after pressure from the US The world needs lithium more than ever, and Latin America knows it More from Quartz Sign up for Quartz's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. By Brendan O'Boyle MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Wednesday said he does not agree with the criminal charges brought against former U.S. President Donald Trump. "Supposedly legal issues should not be used for electoral, political purposes," Lopez Obrador told a regular news conference. "That's why I don't agree with what they are doing to ex-President Trump." Trump was charged on Tuesday with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a historic case over allegations he orchestrated hush-money payments to two women before the 2016 U.S. election to suppress publication of their sexual encounters with him. Trump, the first sitting or former U.S. president to face criminal charges, pleaded not guilty. Leftist populist Lopez Obrador compared Trump's case to the December ouster of former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo, who was removed from office and arrested after trying to dissolve congress. "It should be the people who decide," said Lopez Obrador, who said he could not say whether Trump was guilty or not. Lopez Obrador, who took office in 2018, developed a friendly working relationship with then-counterpart Trump, despite the U.S. president launching his election campaign in 2015 by calling Mexicans rapists and drug runners and promising to make Mexico pay for a border wall. Lopez Obrador in November publicly called for Twitter to reinstate Trump's then-banned account on the social media platform. Lopez Obrador's motivations for defending Trump may be personal. Beginning in 2004, Lopez Obrador, then the mayor of Mexico City and the frontrunner for Mexico's presidential election in 2006, was the subject of a judicial process that he said was a political plot by Mexico's then-President Vicente Fox. The federal government's ultimately unsuccessful effort to put Lopez Obrador on trial for charges of contempt of court threatened to keep him from running for president. Lopez Obrador went on to lose the 2006 and 2012 presidential election - results he did not accept, alleging massive voter fraud. (Reporting by Brendan O'Boyle; Editing by Anthony Esposito, Jonathan Oatis Mark Porter and Marguerita Choy) Miamis historic preservation board late Tuesday set the wheels in motion towards designation of a big piece of a major prehistoric archaeological site in Brickell as a protected landmark, but in a compromise with the property owners, the Related Group, held back on action on a portion where the prominent developer plans to build a pair of skyscrapers. The two 8-0 votes by the preservation board came after a confusing and sometimes heated five-hour hearing that one archaeologist who helped city staff draw up a proposal for historic designation of the Related property, University of Miami professor William Pestle, described as chaos. The votes appeared to provide the city preservation board something that residents, activists and independent experts had been clamoring for: greater and more direct authority over what Related does at the site of whats quickly come to be considered the most significant local archaeological discovery since the Miami Circle in 1998. The votes also remove, at least for now, the suggested threat from Related founder and Chairman Jorge Perez of what one preservation board member, Luis Prieto y Munoz, called protracted litigation against the city had it effectively delayed the companys development plans by moving ahead with a proposal to designate the entire property. The discoveries at the site have prompted intensive public interest, with more than 50 people lining up to speak at the hearing, most of them in support of historically significant designation. An overflow crowd filled the commission chambers at Miami City Hall and a tent set up outside the building entrance. Related and Perez also had supporters at the hearing, including several other developers and building industry officials who touted the developers sense of responsibility and quality of work. One archaeologist said the ongoing excavation at the site, which has uncovered extensive evidence of indigenous occupation going back thousands of years, is the largest in Florida history. Independent experts say stone projectile points found at the site that are around 7,000 years old suggest the site has seen human occupation for that long, although Relateds chief consulting archaeologist, Robert Carr, disputed that conclusion at Tuesdays hearing. Carr speculated the stone artifacts were collected by people who occupied the spot much later. Story continues What every expert agreed on is that most of the thousands of artifacts and animal and human remains on the site represent an unusually rich and well-preserved trove dating to the peak of occupation by a substantial Tequesta indigenous town some 2,500 years ago. An archaeological team works at the site of a planned Related Group residential tower complex on the Miami River in Brickell. A 16-month excavation has unearthed a remarkable trove of prehistoric indigenous finds, including artifacts dating back to the dawn of human civilization 7,000 years ago. But how far the city boards authority will reach and what tangible preservation results will come from its actions on Tuesday remains far from settled. Several board members said their goal was to pave the way for a broad and legally enforceable agreement with Related that could entail preservation of some portions of the site, ensure public exhibit of archaeological finds and help fund research into the discoveries. The board opted to move ahead with formal consideration of designation as a protected archaeological site for a parcel at 444 Brickell, where an office building that houses the Capital Grille restaurants and 10 stories of offices still stands. Related plans to eventually demolish the building and erect a tower on the parcel, which archaeologists say is likely to uncover a rich trove of ancient indigenous artifacts and relics. The Tuesday vote means historic preservation staffers will now prepare an in-depth analysis of the merits of legal protection for that portion of the site for a second and final board vote around July. Designation would give the preservation board authority to review, approve or modify Relateds development plans for that parcel to protect or highlight its archaeological and historical importance. Because its development plans for the parcel are not imminent, Related did not raise immediate or substantial objections to the designation process on that site. But Related, Perez and their attorneys from Greenberg Traurig claimed that initiating designation consideration for the second parcel, the former site of a demolished federal complex at 777 SE Fifth Street, would entail permitting and construction delays and cause problems with financial partners, investors and lenders that could cost the developer hundreds of millions of dollars. Perez also said that 18 months of painstaking archaeological work on the site has cost Related $20 million to date. Related has building permits for the first phase, an apartment tower, for which the company has taken out a $164 million construction loan. Crews have begun foundation work on a portion of the 777 parcel, where archaeological excavation has been finished. Excavation continues on the north half of the parcel on the Miami River where Related plans to build an ultra-luxury condo called Baccarat Residences. The board agreed to withdraw a proposal for designation of the 777 property, but as a condition of doing so required Related to submit a preservation action plan for review within six months of completion of archaeological work on the tract. Its unclear what the plan would contain, but Related representatives suggested it could range from on-site exhibition of artifacts and other historic elements in the buildings and along a planned riverwalk and other open spaces. Doing the right thing for this community remains my highest priority, Perez told the board, even as he complained testily that misinformed or malintended individuals had been making unfounded claims about the firms handling of the archaeological project. The board condition requires Related to consult stakeholders such as Native American tribes and independent archaeologists on its action plan. The developers already approved master plan for the properties also includes a planned walkway that would link the site to the Miami Circle National Historic Landmark at the mouth of the river under the Brickell Avenue bridge. At the hearing, a presentation prepared by independent archaeologists and the city preservation office concluded the entire site meets several of the legal criteria for designation as a protected historic and archaeological landmark, not least because of its antiquity. Given the financial and political stakes involved, the board was never likely to stop all development on the site, which sits just west of the Brickell Bridge and which Related bought for $104 million in 2013. But several Native Americans at the hearing called both the development and archaeological excavation, which unearthed partial human remains, a desecration of an ancient burial ground and demanded all work stop. Under state law, human remains at archaeological sites are removed and reburied under supervision of designated Florida tribes, including the Seminoles. Related has been largely silent on the findings and the massive excavation thats been in progress for about a year and a half, and has consistently declined requests from Miami Herald reporters for comment or interviews. But the company has complied with all state and local regulations requiring archaeological excavation, preservation and documentation of findings, city officials say. The excavation has been going on under the public radar. Neither Related nor the city of Miamis preservation program, which oversees the excavation, sought to publicize the dramatic discoveries at the site. Because its long been designated as an archaeological zone, Related was required by law to investigate the site and hire archaeologists to conduct a methodical excavation once evidence of prehistoric settlement was found. (CNN) L'Oreal is buying Australian brand Aesop in a deal that values it at $2.5 billion, in the biggest brand acquisition ever made by the French beauty giant. The sale was announced Monday by Aesop's parent, Brazilian firm Natura & Co, which also owns The Body Shop and Avon. It brings Aesop, which is known for its luxury skin and body care products, under the same umbrella as brands such as Garnier and Maybelline. The deal would be L'Oreal's largest acquisition of another brand on record, followed by its $1.7 billion purchase of YSL Beaute in 2008, according to data from Dealogic. Natura & Co bills itself as Brazil's largest beauty and cosmetics company, operating in more than 100 countries. In a statement Monday, the firm's CEO Fabio Barbosa said the divestment of Aesop would help it reduce debt and hone in on other paths for growth. "With a strengthened financial structure and a deleveraged balance sheet, Natura & Co, exercising strict financial discipline, will be able to sharpen its focus on its strategic priorities, notably our investment plan in Latin America," he said. Aesop was founded in Melbourne, Australia in 1987. Natura picked up a 65% stake in the company in 2012, and formally acquired it in 2016. Since then, Aesop's sales have skyrocketed nearly 20 times from $28 million in 2012 to $537 million in 2022, according to Natura. Over the past year, Aesop posted double-digit growth in revenue. The company sells its products, which include exfoliating hand wash, scented body lotions and incense kits, in 29 markets. The brand is hoping to push further into mainland China especially, where it opened its first brick-and-mortar stores last year. "Aesop taps into all of today's ascending currents," L'Oreal CEO Nicolas Hieronimus said in the statement. "L'Oreal will contribute to unleash its massive growth potential, notably in China and travel retail." The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of this year. Allison Morris and Darragh MacIntyre conducted a series of interviews in Mauritius for the three-part documentary, Murder In Paradise One of the men cleared of murdering Michaela McAreavey in Mauritius in 2011 has spoken about the killing in a new BBC documentary. Sandip Moneea, a former worker at the luxury hotel where the County Tyrone woman died on honeymoon, denied any involvement in her murder. In Murder in Paradise, it was put to Mr Moneea that some police still regard him as a suspect in the case. Mr Moneea replied: "I don't know why they come and harass me. "They don't have the right," he added. Mrs McAreavey, the 27-year-old daughter of former Tyrone GAA manager Mickey Harte, was found strangled in a bath, 12 days after her marriage to John McAreavey. After a seven-week trial in 2012, hotel workers Sandip Moneea and co-worker Avinash Treebhoowoon were found not guilty of her murder. Sandip Moneea denies any involvement in the murder Mr Moneea was asked directly if he had anything to do with the murder. "No, no. Honestly I have nothing to do [with it]," he said. "I'm sad. I'm very sad. A young person, a young couple come in my country, in my hotel where I work and she is dead." Asked what he thinks happened to her, he said: "It's difficult for me to say something because really I was not there." The prime minister of Mauritius at the time of the murder was Dr Navin Ramgoolam. He denied putting undue pressure on the police to try to secure a conviction to protect the island's tourism industry. Dr Navin Ramgoolam was prime minister in 2011 "It's all rubbish," Dr Ramgoolam told the documentary team. "I can't give instructions to the commissioner of police, but I can give him some indications that this is an important case, he must make sure that we get the guilty person. "That's ok. What's wrong with that?" One of the two men who went on trial for the murder in 2012, Avinash Treebhoowoon, made a confession while in custody but later insisted it was a result of being beaten by police. A former deputy commissioner of police in Mauritius, Heman Jangi, told the documentary: "There may be some cases where police have used torture or something like that. "But in this particular case, I can assure you 100% no police brutality had been used." Story continues The attorney general in Mauritius, Maneesh Gobin, insisted the authorities on the island have not given up on the case. "As time goes by, it becomes more and more difficult, of course, but justice has to be done and must also be seen to be done," Mr Gobin said. John McAreavey said new evidence was needed for any case to proceed Developments in the case are being watched closely by the family of Michaela McAreavey. Her brother, Mark Harte, told the documentary: "To my last day, this campaign will be pursued in search of justice for Michaela in whatever form that comes." He recently held talks in Dublin with the Irish minister for foreign affairs, Micheal Martin. Also at the meeting were John McAreavey and his sister Claire McAreavey, who is a lawyer. A welcome meeting with Tanaiste @MichealMartinTD this evening in Dublin. Thankful to have his support as we continue to pursue justice for Michaela. Having worked with @dfatirl for over a decade now, they do fantastic work, and we are very appreciative of their support. pic.twitter.com/HvPMtRI6FF John McAreavey (@john_mcareavey) March 9, 2023 Family members went to Mauritius in April 2017 and offered a reward of 2m Mauritian rupees (44,000) for information. Mr McAreavey said: "Ultimately we need fresh and compelling new evidence in order to proceed." In the three-part series Darragh MacIntyre and Allison Morris conducted a series of interviews in examining what happened during the trial in 2012. They also examine events since, including the death of a witness in the case, Raj Theekoy. Lawyers who represented the two accused men in the 2012 trial are also interviewed. The documentary team was given access to original case files and some crime scene reconstruction photos. Murder In Paradise will be shown on Monday 10 April at 10.30 BST on BBC One NI. The full series will be available on the BBC iPlayer. An eight-part podcast series entitled Assume Nothing: Murder In Paradise begins on BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Sounds on Saturday 29 April. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Wednesday signed a bill repealing a near-century-old law that made it a four-year felony to assist in an abortion. In signing the legislation, Michigans Democratic governor called it "long overdue." Roe v. Wade had made the 1931 law null and void until the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark decision in June. "When Roe was overturned, a right afforded to Americans for nearly 50 years was stripped away," Whitmer said. "It horrified me to think that my daughters would have fewer rights than I did growing up. So, while other states were restricting access, we took steps to protect reproductive freedom." KANSAS LEGISLATURE APPROVES BORN-ALIVE INFANTS PROTECTION BILL Courts blocked the ban from taking effect and voters overwhelmingly approved a proposal to enshrine abortion rights in the states constitution. Whitmer's signature Wednesday eliminated the possibility of the 1931 ban from ever being enforced in the future. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signing a repeal of the state's 1931 abortion ban. State lawmakers voted last month to send a repeal of the abortion ban to the governor. Republicans largely opposed the bill, speaking out ahead of the vote on the legality of abortion as a whole. Whitmers signature marks another victory for abortion rights supporters in Michigan, who joined California and Vermont last November in enshrining abortion rights in their states constitution. Kentucky a solidly red state rejected a ballot measure aimed at denying any state constitutional protections for abortion. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has pushed for a six-week ban in his state, is scheduled to appear in Michigan on Thursday to speak at a Midland County GOP event before heading to southern Michigan to speak at Hillsdale College. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Weather watchers are warning that a "powerful low-pressure system" is headed Wednesday toward Michigan, bringing with it the potential for thunderstorms, ping-pong ball-sized hail and deadly tornadoes violent, funnel-shaped columns as warm and cold air collide. A tornado watch, in effect in Michigan until 4 p.m., is something to take seriously, especially after so much storm destruction in the past few days. Between 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., forecasters add, there's another good chance for high winds, hail and twisters. "Whenever we talk about tornadoes, it's nothing to fool around with," National Weather Service meteorologist Alex Manion said early Wednesday, emphasizing the dangers twisters pose. Not only are tornadoes violent, but on average, you often only get 10 to 15 minutes to seek shelter from one. "They are always a threat." Front page of the Lansing State Journal from June 9, 1953. If a twister does touch down, forecasters add, they pray it is nothing like the rare one that hit Flint in the summer of 1953, the worst on record in Michigan and one of the worst in the nation. It hit on June 8, resulting in 116 deaths and 844 injuries, according to the weather service. That tornado rated as an F5, the most intense stood as the worst ever with more than 100 fatalities, until 2011, when a catastrophic, mile-wide tornado leveled about a third of Joplin, Missouri, and killed at least 161 people, destroying about 4,500 homes and businesses, and caused an estimated $3 billion in damage. And what made it even worse, is it followed another deadly tornado that touched down in May. 15 tornadoes a year Last Friday, tornadoes tore across Midwestern and Southern states, killing at least 32 people and injuring more and leaving communities in shambles and without power as governors declared a state of emergency, sought federal aid, and called out the National Guard. More: Severe weather Wednesday could bring tornadoes, hail, damaging winds to metro Detroit More: Final Michigan State shooting victim released from Sparrow Hospital Story continues If that weren't bad enough, the National Weather Service said, more tornadoes were reported on Monday evening again throughout the Midwest, including Iowa, Illinois and Missouri, and with the potential for more in Arkansas and Texas. Michigan averages about 15 tornadoes a year, according to the state's emergency preparedness program. But it's still especially difficult to predict exactly where a tornado, which can spin at more than 200 mph, will hit. That's why disaster preparedness experts say it's essential to heed alerts. The Flint tornado was so devastating that the Lansing State Journal ran a two-line head across its front page, with a report that noted "mangled bodies of 113 victims were scattered over the city's outskirts" and the "National Guard armory was converted into an emergency morgue during the night." Like an atomic bomb The day after the Flint tornado touched down, Free Press writer Jerome Hansen compared the storm's aftermath in a personal essay to the destruction he also witnessed from the atomic bomb detonation in Nagasaki, Japan. He said the devastation was "like a scene from Dante's 'Inferno.' " He wrote that he was one of the first American troops to see the atomic bomb devastation. And what he witnessed in Flint, he said, was "strikingly similar," with everything in the twister's path "completely leveled" with "nothing standing as far as the eye could see." "Houses flattened. Trees uprooted," Hansen observed. "Cars looking as if a gigantic hand had pressed them down. Drainage ditches on both sides of the road, six feet deep and filled with debris. Lumber, bricks, and glass that a few hours ago were brand-new homes." "Maybe you won't believe this," he added as if he almost didn't. "But I saw a car three feet high. That's right, three feet high. Simply squished into the group by the unbelievable force of the tornado. Further down the road was another car. A huge tree sprouted through the steel top." Better weather prediction Another report, a few days later on the front page of the Port Huron Times Herald, noted that a piece of paper the birth certificate of an 8-year-old girl who was killed in the tornado was blown 60 miles away to Lake Shore by the awesome force of the storm's winds. President Dwight Eisenhower flew over Flint, the Free Press reported, to inspect the damage. And more than the physical destruction, the Free Press reported, thousands of Michiganders mourned the loss of loved ones at funerals and burials. Two-thousand people attended one outdoor Mass alone the Saturday after the tornado struck. Those in attendance included people in bandages and casts, hurt in the storm. Over the years, forecasters and disaster management officials developed better weather prediction and early warning systems. A tornado watch means atmospheric conditions are ripe for a twister and you should be close enough to a shelter or sturdy building if one is approaching. Stay alert, keep an eye on the sky, and stay tuned to the radio or television for information. A tornado warning means a twister has been sighted or indicated by weather radar and you should take shelter. Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan's worst tornado hit Flint in 1953 Google shares a little peek into where people are looking to travel this summer. Alexander Spatari/Getty Images If you're trying to book the most popular travel destination for your summer getaway, Google is here to help. The search engine used its Google Flights data to see where travelers are hoping to go this summer. The top query for summer 2023 specifically, June through August is London, followed by Cancun, Mexico; Paris; Orlando, Florida; Rome; and New York City. Alexander Spatari/Getty Images Of the top 20 most-searched destinations, European cities are trending, with Rome, Barcelona, and Dublin all making the list as well. Tokyo also made the cut, following Japan's reopening last October. As domestic destinations go, beyond Orlando and NYC, summer vacationers are searching for Los Angeles, Seattle, Miami, Chicago, Boston, and San Francisco. American travelers are leaning into solo travel, as searches for solo travel destinations, solo cruises, and solo travel for women are all up. (Searches for "solo travel destinations," for example, spiked by more than 120 percent in the U.S. over the past year.) The most-searched-for solo travel destinations include Japan, New Orleans, Iceland, Mexico City, and Italy. And for couples, the most-searched romantic locales are Jamaica; Bora Bora; Turks and Caicos; the Maldives; and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Unsurprisingly, Google found there's an all-time high for searches around passports ahead of summer travel. (The U.S. State Department is currently processing 500,000 passports a week and most recent estimates say passport processing time is currently 10 to 13 weeks.) For more Travel & Leisure news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Travel & Leisure. The Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge in Dorset. (PA) A barge docked off the Dorset coast will hold around 500 asylum seekers for at least 18 months, the government has confirmed. On Wednesday, the Home Office said basic and functional accommodation would be provided on the Bibby Stockholm vessel along with 24-hour security. Human rights campaigners have condemned the announcement, and the local Tory council has said it has serious reservations about the plan. But Rishi Sunak has defended the use of the barge, insisting it would save taxpayers money. Read more: Government facing growing legal threats over asylum seeker barge housing plans The Portland Harbour area in Dorset. (PA) Images show the grey and red exterior of the Bibby Stockholm, which is docked at Portland Port. They reveal how the three-storey vessel looks inside, with a dining hall, kitchen and games area complete with pool table. There also appears to be a bar on the floating accommodation, as well as gym facilities. The photos provide a glimpse inside one of the 222 bedrooms on board with one image showing a shower room. The barge can house up to 506 people. (PA) The dining facilities on board the Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge. (PA) Dining facilities on the vessel. (PA) The Home Office has not set out the cost of the lease agreement with Bibby Marine, but estimates have put the overall price of the charter and the berthing at more than 20,000 a day. Sunak said: We are spending, as a country, 6m a day housing illegal asylum seekers in hotels that cant be right. Ive committed to reducing that number, moving asylum seekers out of hotels and that means we need to find alternative sites, including barges like the one weve brought forward today." Read more: Councils to be paid 3,500 per migrant to house them on barges A relaxation room with a pool table. (PA) A bar area on the barge. (PA) Tory-run Dorset Council and local Conservative MP Richard Drax are considering launching legal action to prevent the barge being docked near the seaside resort of Weymouth. In a statement, the council said: Dorset Councils position has not changed. We still have serious reservations about the appropriateness of Portland Port in this scenario and we remain opposed to the proposals. Story continues It added: There are a number of questions which the home secretarys announcement does not address, we will continue to press the Home Office for answers and await further information. A gym inside the barge. (PA) One of the 222 bedrooms on the barge. (PA) A photo shows a shower room. (PA) Human rights organisations have criticised the cruelty of confining hundreds of vulnerable people on a barge, as they blamed the government for creating the backlog of asylum claims. Amnesty International UKs refugee and migrant rights director Steve Valdez-Symonds said all plans to hold migrants in former military barracks and boats should be abandoned. He said: "Confining hundreds of people in isolation on a barge is just more of the political theatre that the government has created to obscure its gross mismanagement of the asylum system." The Refugee Council added the barge would be completely inadequate to house vulnerable people who have come to our country in search of safety having fled beatings and death threats in countries such as Afghanistan and Iran. Francisco Rojche left his Guatemalan town, its dirt roads and sugarcane plantations in search of better opportunities in the United States. But the dream died with him when a fire broke out in the Mexican immigration center where he was detained. Rojche was one of 40 migrants who perished in the blaze that broke out on March 27 in Ciudad Juarez near the US border. The 21-year-old had left his home in Siete Vueltas a week earlier with his cousin Miguel, a 37-year-old father of six who also died. Like many other young Guatemalans, they had left their hometown and families because of a lack of jobs, Rojche's father Manuel Rojche told AFP. "They get it into their heads that to have a better future they need to risk their lives and go to the United States," the 47-year-old construction worker said. Francisco Rojche, one of five siblings, dreamed of buying land and building a house, his father said -- an unattainable goal for him in Guatemala, where 59 percent of people live in poverty. In Guatemala, "you work a lot and earn little," the grieving father said in his simple home made of cement blocks. The family created a small altar with a photograph of their son and his cousin, along with flowers and candles. Emanuel Tzina, a cousin of both victims, voiced dismay that they died while in the custody of the Mexican authorities. "It hurts us a lot. It makes us angry... knowing that it happened under the protection of the Mexican government," the 35-year-old said. Eighteen of the 40 dead were Guatemalan, reflecting the significant flow of people who leave the Central American nation heading to the US border through Mexico. - 'No life' - Five people have been arrested as part of a homicide investigation, including a migrant accused of starting the March 27 fire, three immigration officials and a private security guard. Mexican authorities have accused the people in charge of the facility of doing nothing to evacuate the migrants, including 26-year-old Orlando Jose Maldonado. Story continues The Venezuelan had survived the perilous journey through the Darien jungle between Panama and Colombia after leaving his hometown in October. The father of a seven-year-old boy was one of nearly seven million Venezuelans who have left their crisis-wracked country over the past decade. The last time his family heard from him was the day before the fire. "There wasn't a day since he left that he didn't call me," said his mother Aide Perez, 62, sitting next to two photos of Nando, as she affectionately called her son. Before she received the news of his death, she had called his cellphone daily, hoping in vain for an answer. "He said that he wanted to give his son a good future," she said. The victim's father Orlando Genaro Maldonado, 65, asked why, as he describes it, the men were "practically murdered." "Most of those who leave here go to work and look for a different future, because in reality we have no life in this country," he said. str-bur/axm-dr/md/sco WASHINGTON Federal prosecutors investigating former President Donald Trumps actions leading up to and during his mobs assault on the Capitol will get access to key evidence after his former vice president decided not to pursue an appeal to avoid testifying. Mike Pence aide Devin OMalley said that a judges ruling had agreed with him on the key issue that Pence had objected to regarding his role on Jan. 6 itself as presiding officer of the Senate. Having vindicated that principle of the Constitution, Vice President Pence will not appeal the judges ruling and will comply with the subpoena as required by law, OMalley said. Pence had originally said he would take his battle to quash the grand jury subpoena to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary. But a week ago, he said that he was pleased that James Boasberg, the chief judge of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., had agreed with his argument that the speech and debate clause in the Constitution applied to him in his role as president of the Senate. Prosecutors main interest in Pences testimony, though, is not in his dealings with members of Congress. Rather, it is in his interactions and conversations with Trump and his aides, who had been pushing him for weeks to use his role as presiding officer at the election certification ceremony on Jan. 6, 2021, to award Trump a second term, even though he had lost his re-election bid to Democrat Joe Biden two months earlier. Trump attempted to claim executive privilege to prevent Pence from revealing that information, but Boasberg rejected that argument in his still-sealed ruling. It is unclear whether Trump will appeal Boasbergs ruling to keep Pence from testifying. Trumps staff did not immediately respond to a HuffPost query, but his lawyers a week ago filed a similar appeal in an attempt to prevent other senior White House aides, including former chief of staff Mark Meadows, from having to answer questions before the grand jury. That appeal was denied Tuesday. Story continues Norm Eisen, a former White House lawyer in the Obama administration who worked with House leaders on Trumps first impeachment for extorting Ukraine, said Pences testimony would be of the utmost importance to special counsel Jack Smith. He is a critical firsthand witness to Trumps statements as the attempted coup evolved, Eisen said. The most important testimony that Pence has to offer begins on Dec. 5, when Trump first raised the idea of challenging the Electoral College with him, and rolls through the remainder of that month and into Jan. 6 itself. While Boasbergs ruling, according to Pence and others, says Pence is not required to reveal his interactions with members of Congress, it does not shield him from discussing Trump and other executive branch officials. Pence will likely be required to testify about everything outside his official duties in Congress on the 6th, so all of those conversations will likely be up for grabs, Eisen said. Trump and his inner circle began planning to use fraudulent slates of Trump electors well before the Electoral College met on Dec. 14, 2020, to ratify Bidens victory. Indeed, that very morning, senior Trump White House adviser Stephen Miller appeared on Fox News and boasted of how pro-Trump slates of alternate electors were being chosen as he spoke so that Congress would have competing slates from key states, handing Trumps allies the opportunity to give him a second term. Trump and his aides began pressuring Pence to go along with the scheme in early December and ramped up their efforts after Christmas, according to former Pence advisers, and testimony revealed at the House Jan. 6 committee hearings. The pressure campaign culminated in Trumps Jan. 6 pre-insurrection speech near the White House, where he again called on Pence to do as he had demanded, even though Pence had already told Trump that he had no constitutional authority to do so. That afternoon, Trump attacked Pence for not having the courage to do what Trump wanted, and his mob responded by storming into the Capitol en masse. Four of Trumps followers died on Jan. 6, as did five police officers in the following days and weeks. Another 140 officers were injured, and the Justice Department is prosecuting over a thousand rioters, with at least hundreds more cases expected. Despite this, Trump is running for the presidency again and is currently leading his rivals for the GOP nomination in polls. And while he initially denounced those who committed violence on Jan. 6, he has more recently embraced their actions and has promised to pardon them if elected. At a recent rally, he even featured a recording of Jan. 6 detainees the vast majority charged with assaulting police officers singing The Star-Spangled Banner interspersed with Trumps reading of the Pledge of Allegiance. Related... WASHINGTON Former Vice President Mike Pence will not appeal a judge's order for grand jury testimony as part of a special counsel's investigation into Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election, a spokesperson said Wednesday. Pence's decision weighed heavily on the court's decision last month to shield him from answering some questions under the Constitution's speech-and-debate clause in his role as president of the Senate. "Having vindicated that principle of the Constitution, Vice President Pence will not appeal the Judges ruling and will comply with the subpoena as required by law," spokesman Devin O'Malley said. Pence's testimony about Jan. 6 riot could be damaging to Trump Former Vice President Mike Pence gives remarks at the Calvin Coolidge Foundation's conference at the Library of Congress on Feb.16. Former President Donald Trump could still appeal the decision by invoking an executive privilege claim in an attempt to guard his conversations with Pence in the run-up to the Capitol attack in which he appealed for the vice president to help block the certification of President Joe Biden's election. Pence's account of those conversations could be potentially damaging to his former boss. Pence was key to Trump's strategy to block Biden's election. 'Firsts matter': Why Donald Trump's arrest in New York is such a political earthquake Trump's New York case: Trump lawyers blast DA Alvin Bragg's case, but legal experts say they'll regret it. Here's why The strategy mapped out by Trump lawyer John Eastman called for Pence, in his role as president of the Senate, to reject electors from seven contested states that Biden won. Pence could then either accept alternate electors who supported Trump or send the contest to the House, where a majority of state delegations supported Trump. Pence refused to participate. He fled the Senate chamber ahead of a mob that erected a gallows outside the Capitol and chanted, Hang Mike Pence. Last month, Pence described the subpoena as "unprecedented" and "unconstitutional." "Let me be clear, I have nothing to hide. I have a Constitution to uphold," Pence told Greta Van Susteren on Newsmax cable network at the time. Story continues Judge rules Pence must testify: Former VP Pence must testify about conversations with Trump before Jan. 6, federal judge says 'I have nothing to hide': Mike Pence says of Justice Department investigation of Trump Pence on Trump and Jan. 6: Pence says history will hold Trump 'accountable' for Jan. 6, rebukes him for endangering his family Pence's decision comes day after Trump was arrested in New York The decision comes a day after Trump appeared in a Manhattan court in a separate criminal case, pleading not guilty to 34 felony counts, which stem from the alleged falsification of business records in disguising hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the final weeks of the 2016 campaign to silence her about an affair years before. The prospect of testimony could pose political challenges for Pence. As the former vice president considers a presidential campaign in 2024, Trump and allies still criticize him for not throwing out electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021. Some anti-Trump Republicans, meanwhile, say he has exhibited too much fealty to Trump throughout their time together. He did his constitutional duty on January 6, when some would say it was not in his political interests, Pence adviser Marc Short said Wednesday. Trump speech after arrest: Hours after arrest, Donald Trump attacks Manhattan district attorney in Mar-a-Lago speech This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mike Pence will not appeal subpoena in special counsel Trump probe Former Vice President Mike Pence. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Pence will not fight a court ruling ordering him to testify before a grand jury about Trump efforts to overturn the 2020 election. A federal judge ruled last month that Pence must testify about conversations he had with Trump leading up to January 6, 2021. Pence "will comply with the subpoena as required by law," his spokesperson told CNN this week. Former Vice President Mike Pence is poised to appear before a federal grand jury investigating former President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, CNN reported Wednesday. A spokesperson for Pence said on Wednesday that the ex-vice president will not appeal a federal judge's ruling requiring him to testify to the grand jury, according to CNN. The special counsel Jack Smith who's spearheading the Justice Department's ongoing investigations involving Trump subpoenaed Pence earlier this year to testify in connection to the Capitol riot probe. But Trump's legal team challenged the subpoena shortly after, arguing that Trump's conversations with Pence were protected by executive privilege and arguing that Trump had the right to keep some communications confidential. US District Judge James Boasberg rejected the Trump team's arguments in a sealed order handed down last month. But he ruled that Pence could decline to answer questions related to his oversight of Congress' joint session on January 6, 2021, that was set to certify Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election. Pence's legal team had argued that since he acted as president of the Senate on January 6, he is protected by the Constitution's "speech and debate clause," which shields members of Congress from testifying about their work. "Vice President Mike Pence swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution, and his claim that the Biden Special Counsel's unprecedented subpoena was unconstitutional under the Speech or Debate Clause was an important one made to preserve the Separation of Powers outlined by our Founders," Pence spokesman Devin O'Malley said in a statement Wednesday, per CNN. Story continues "Having vindicated that principle of the Constitution, Vice President Pence will not appeal the Judge's ruling and will comply with the subpoena as required by law," O'Malley added. Trump pressured Pence, both publicly and privately, to assist in his efforts to overturn Biden's 2020 election victory. Ultimately, the vice president declined to participate, saying in a letter in January 2021 that he did not have the "unilateral authority" to reject some states' electoral votes and nullify Biden's win. Trump lashed out at Pence afterward, tweeting that the vice president did not have the "courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution." Trump sent the tweet out as his supporters were storming the US Capitol in a deadly attempt to block Congress from certifying Biden's victory. One Reuters photographer who was on the scene said he overheard at least three Trump supporters say they wanted to execute Pence, who was rushed out of the Senate chamber by his security detail shortly after the pro-Trump mob began laying siege to the building. Trump supporters could be heard chanting that they wanted to "hang Mike Pence" during the Capitol riot, according to video footage. Cassidy Hutchinson, an aide to Trump's chief of staff Mark Meadows, also later testified to Congress that Meadows told her Trump told him he believed Pence deserved the chants. Hutchinson testified to the House select committee investigating the January 6 riot that the White House counsel, Pat Cipollone, told Meadows they needed to act after the mob began calling for Pence to be hung. "I remember Pat saying something to the effect of, 'Mark, we need to do something more. They're literally calling for the vice president to be effing hung,'" Hutchinson testified. "Mark had responded something to the effect of, 'You heard him, Pat. He thinks Mike deserves it. He doesn't think they're doing anything wrong,'" Hutchinson told lawmakers. Read the original article on Business Insider A 35-year-old Millport man died Tuesday morning in a single-vehicle crash in Pickens County. Alabama troopers said Trent F. Graham was killed when the 2014 Toyota Corolla he was driving left the road and hit a tree. Graham was pronounced dead at the scence. The crash occurred at 6:45 a.m. on Pickens County 74, about 10 miles east of the Mississippi state line. Graham was not wearing a seat belt, troopers said. Troopers with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agencys Highway Patrol Division are conducting an investigation into the crash. This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Millport man killed in single-vehicle crash in Pickens County Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 5) Fourteen Filipinos landed in Forbes Magazines 2023 Worlds Billionaires List, with real estate magnate Manny Villar still the wealthiest with a fortune estimated at $8.6 billion. Villars empire is anchored on the property and retail marketsVista Land & Lifescapes, VistaREIT, Vistamalls, AllHome, and AllDay Marts According to Forbes, the former lawmakers biggest asset is his stake in Golden MV Holdings, a developer of mass housing projects and memorial parks. Ports tycoon Enrique Razon Jr., who chairs International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI), comes second with a net worth of $7.3 billion. ICTSIs operations cover Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, Africa, and America. Aside from holding the countrys biggest port operator, Razon also gains from his hospitality firm Bloomberry Resorts, and business in water utilities and renewable energy through Prime Infrastructure Capital. Ramon Ang, president of San Miguel Corporation (SMC), one of the Philippines major conglomerates, followed in third spot with a $3.4 billion net worth. Forbes said SMC dominates the food and beverages market while gaining more momentum in power and infrastructure sectors. Tied at fourth spot are Henry Sy Jr. and Andrew Tan with $2.5 billion net worth. Sy is a co-vice chairman of SM Investments, a conglomerate founded by his late father Henry Sy Sr. As the eldest son of the founder, he also serves as chairman of SM Prime, the group's property arm with interests in malls, residences, offices, hotels, and convention centers. Meanwhile, Tan leads Alliance Global, which has cemented its presence in food and beverage, gaming and real estate. Alliance Global runs Emperador, the world's largest brandy company by sales volume The remaining Filipino billionaires in Forbes list include the following: Hans Sy ($2.4 billion) Herbert Sy ($2.4 billion) Lucio Tan ($2.4 billion) Harley Sy ($2.2 billion) Teresita Sy-Coson ($2.2 billion) Elizabeth Sy ($1.9 billion) Lance Gokongwei ($1.4 billion) Tony Tan Caktiong ($1.2 billion) Inigo Zobel ($1 billion) When the chairman of the Missouri Commission on Human Rights spoke last week against adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the states non-discrimination law, the remarks provoked outrage among Democrats and LGBTQ advocates. But the comments from the chairman, Timothy Faber, have also turned a spotlight on the commission itself, which lawyers and employment discrimination experts say is a broken agency unable to effectively respond to allegations of discrimination. The 11-member commission has only four members currently, blocking the panel from taking votes. Its professional staff continue to conduct investigations and process paperwork, but lawyers and court documents paint a picture of a beleaguered agency where paperwork isnt always turned around on time and investigations are often a cursory exercise. They couldnt treat my clients any worse than they currently do, said Gene Graham, a Kansas City area attorney who specializes in employment discrimination and suggested the commission tries to please the business community at the expense of victims of discrimination. Im very contemptuous of that agency and the political agenda that seems to be in control down there, which is to throw a wrench into every case and do everything you can to create hurdles for victims of discrimination to have to jump over just to get a little justice. In Missouri, individuals who believe they have been discriminated against must take their complaints to the commission before they can sue in state court. That kicks off an investigative process that, at least theoretically, holds out the possibility that the commission will eventually find probable cause that discrimination occurred or that it will serve as a mediator to help both sides reach a settlement. The reality is that the commission rarely determines discrimination occurred. It found probable cause of discrimination in just five cases in the 2022 budget year, despite receiving more than 1,000 complaints, according to statistics included in the Missouri Department of Labors annual report. An additional 11 cases were closed after a negotiated settlement was reached. Story continues The Missouri Commission on Human Rights has been in place for decades, with a focus on discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations. The governor appoints its members, which are confirmed by the state Senate. No more than six members can be from a single political party. Complaints of backlogs are nothing new reports of problems can be found at least as early as 1990. But the episode involving Faber has only confirmed for some attorneys and others familiar with Missouri employment law that the commissions credibility is at a low point. When Faber testified at a Senate hearing last week, he initially didnt identify himself as the commission chair, and instead said he was speaking on behalf of the Missouri Baptist Convention, which represents Southern Baptist churches. He said the bill cannot be separated from religion, and particularly religious liberty. He also warned that expanding protections to sexual orientation and gender identity would add to the commissions workload and exacerbate its backlog. Missouri Senate Democrats on Monday sent Republican Gov. Mike Parson, who appointed Faber, a letter requesting Fabers removal. The letter says Fabers position is in direct contradiction to the mission of the commission. The commission didnt respond to questions on Tuesday. Parson spokeswoman Kelli Jones, in response to questions, urged members of the public to apply for a commission appointment echoing comments she initially provided The Star last week after Fabers comments. We would like to make more appointments to the commission, which would restore their quorum and allow them to resume their duties, Jones said. The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which examines alleged violations of federal anti-discrimination law in employment, has spectacular mediators that it uses to try to resolve cases early, said Alan Rupe, an attorney who practices in both Missouri and Kansas. And that doesnt seem to be the case with the Missouri agency. Still, Rupe said thats been the situation in Missouri for many years. Over the past decade, the percentage of cases that result in a probable cause determination by the commission has always been miniscule, usually hovering around 1 to 2%. But the total number of probable cause determinations used to be much larger than it is today. Probable cause is a legal term meaning theres reasonable grounds to believe something occurred. In 2013, 33 probable cause findings were made, compared to zero in 2020, for instance. No probable cause findings are listed for 2021, either. Some lawyers suggested a 2017 change to the states anti-discrimination law has contributed to the commissions difficulty bringing cases by raising the legal standards related to proving discrimination. Complaints often end with lawyers for accusers requesting right to sue letters as soon as possible typically 180 days after a complaint is filed. The commission is required to provide the letters, which allow those who say they have been discriminated against to file lawsuits in state court. Nearly half of the more than 1,100 complaints filed during the 2022 budget year ended with right-to-sue letters. The commission is housed within the department. For claims that have any merit, it may very well just function as a youve got to do this and then you just have to wait, said Rigel Oliveri, a University of Missouri School of Law professor who teaches on employment discrimination, said of the commission process. The all-important right-to-sue letter Some lawyers say the commission has problems even meeting its obligation to issue right-to-sue letters. A lawsuit filed in Jackson County Circuit Court in late February alleges the Missouri Commission on Human Rights itself violated the states human rights law last year, which prohibits aiding and abetting discrimination. The plaintiff, Kansas City resident Mary McClendon, originally filed a charge of discrimination against a former employer in February 2021 and requested a right-to-sue letter that September. In May 2022, McClendon filed a petition for a writ of mandamus essentially asking the court to order the commission to provide a letter. A judge issued a writ on June 14, 2022, but McClendon alleges the commission still didnt provide one for more than three weeks and only did so after her lawyers filed a motion for a show cause order, asking the commission to explain why it hadnt complied. In total, 507 days passed between McClendon first filed the charge of discrimination and when she received her right-to-sue letter. Plaintiff was forced to borrow money, and incurred interest on these loans, McClendons complaint says. Plaintiff likewise was forced to deal with a traumatic, difficult event in her life for nearly a year longer that she would have been absent the actions of Defendant. A search of Missouri court records shows a handful of lawsuits in recent years asking judges to order the commission to produce right-to-sue letters. And attorneys who practice employment law say they have sometimes encountered difficulties obtaining them. Weve had some issues ourselves with rights to sue, said Dennis Egan, a Kansas City-based lawyer with decades of experience in employment law. So lawyers have to go in and try to right things. Marcia McCormick, a Saint Louis University School of Law professor who teaches on employment discrimination, said problems providing the letters, which she called an administrative task, suggests something so much more fundamentally broken than the investigation process isnt working. It sounds like bigger dysfunction than a backlog, McCormick said. Commission lacks resources The Missouri Commission on Human Rights has a roughly $1.5 million annual budget, with funding split about equally between state and federal sources. It is budgeted for about 26 full-time equivalent positions, including 15 human rights officers, but its unclear how many employees are currently on staff. Daniel Doyle and Robert Bruce, attorneys for McClendon, in a joint interview faulted a lack of resources for the commission to conduct investigations. They dont have the horses to do the work, Bruce said. These arent bad people, theyre not bad people at all They are very wonderful human beings. But being their friend doesnt get you anywhere. I dont think they have the ability to do their job, that theyre absolutely just overwhelmed. State Rep. Doug Mann, a Columbia Democrat, works with the Missouri Commission on Human Rights in his private practice as a civil rights attorney. Over the last few months, hes seen a steep decline in right to sue letters and investigations, he said. Mann said this decline has a lot to do with the commissions lack of staff and funding. The work the commission does is crucial and the state needs to do a better job to attract employees, he said. We as a state need to put a lot more emphasis on protecting human rights of all protected classes, Mann said. They need to be able to pay their workers competitive wages. Its a tough job going through and investigating these terrible instances of discrimination. The Stars Kacen Bayless contributed reporting Relatives of the mother of a 6-year-old boy who went missing in Everman told police the boy was potentially being abused, according to a search warrant for the familys home. Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez was officially reported missing March 20, but according to some relatives reports to Everman police, they have not seen Noel in about a year. Texas Child Protective Services received an anonymous tip about Noels disappearance on March 20 and authorities went to a property on Wisteria Drive, where the family had been living for several years. Cindy Rodriguez-Singh, her husband and their seven children, including Noel, lived partly in a converted shed in the back yard and partly inside the house, which is owned by Charles Parson. Police in Everman, Texas, are searching for any leads to help them find 6-year-old Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez, who hasnt been seen since November. Police said at a news conference on Sunday, March 26, that Noels mother left the country with her husband and other children. Rodriguez-Singh, who is Noels mom, told police on March 20 that the boy was living with his biological father in Mexico, authorities have said. On March 23, police said, they talked with the father and found out this was not true. On March 24, police returned to the house, but the family had disappeared. According to police, Noels mother and stepfather had obtained travel visas for themselves and the children except for Noel and, on March 22, they boarded a flight from DFW Airport to India with a connecting flight in Turkey. Police have not been able to contact the family, and investigators have found no physical evidence of Noels whereabouts. After previously searching the property with the owners consent, on March 30, police obtained a search warrant to look for specific items in the shed as evidence of child endangerment and abandonment. According to the search warrant, Parson told police that Rodriguez-Singh lived primarily in the shed, and Noel and some of her other children stayed mostly inside his house. Parson said he had not seen Noel since around Thanksgiving. Rodriguez-Singh also told Parson that Noel was living with relatives in Mexico and he had no reason to doubt the story, he said. According to a copy of the search warrant obtained by the Star-Telegram, in which the childs name is redacted, relatives told police that Rodriguez-Singh previously made concerning comments about Noel and assaulted the child. During a visit with one family member, Rodriguez-Singh told the relative not to give Noel any water because she did not want to clean up after him if he had a dirty diaper, the warrant states. Story continues The relatives wife gave Noel water anyway and Rodriguez-Singh found out, the search warrant says. The relative saw Rodriguez-Singh hitting Noel with her car keys attached to a lanyard, he told police. The relative confronted Rodriguez-Singh, and she left the house with the child, he said. The relative said he had not seen Rodriguez-Singh or her kids since then. According to the warrant, a relative said that Rodriguez-Singh told her mother she had sold Noel to someone at a Fiesta Market store. She did not say when the supposed transaction took place but said that the woman she sold Noel to threatened to report her to CPS if she tried to get Noel back, the warrant states. Rodriguez-Singh first applied for passports for her children in November, according to the warrant. She did not apply for a passport for Noel. She also did not take him to a scheduled medical appointment in October, the warrant states. Everman Police Chief Craig Spencer said at a press conference that police have not ruled out any possibilities about where the boy may be or what might have happened to him. Noel has a chronic lung disease and needs to be treated regularly, as well as the eye condition esotropia, a speech delay and several other undiagnosed illnesses, according to police. On March 31, authorities filed felony charges of abandonment and endangerment of a child against Rodriguez-Singh and her husband, Arshdeep Singh. Police, who are working with the FBI and Homeland Security, say they are trying to extradite the couple from India to the U.S. The shed identified as the last known residence of Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez, 6, built behind a home in Everman, Texas, on Tuesday, March 26, 2023. Noel has not been seen since November 2022, and police thoroughly searched the home during their investigation. The search warrant included a list of items police were looking for related to investigation and the abandonment/endangerment charges, including medical and financial records, any evidence of physical injuries or abuse, photos, and electronic devices such as phones and computers. The warrant alleges that Rodriguez-Singh abandoned and endangered Noel by concealing his whereabouts and fleeing the country with no apparent intent to return. The mother of a High Point University student said the school did not take seriously an antisemitic incident involving her son until she reported it to news outlets. Jill Moskowitz said someone drew a Swastika on the door of her sons dorm room sometime between midnight on March 18 and noon the next day. Until she reached out to news media on Tuesday more than two weeks later no one from the school indicated they would try to find out who did it, she said. Its unacceptable, Moskowitz said in a phone interview from her home in New Jersey. He was targeted because hes Jewish. Its bullying, plain and simple, and it shouldnt be tolerated. Moskowitz said that as her son was choosing a university, he never considered whether he would feel welcome based on his religious faith. Since hes been at High Point University, she said, he never had any issues until recently. But now, she said, she wonders if the private, United Methodist-affiliated school has been slow to respond because she and her family arent Christian. We proudly shout it from the mountaintop: High Point University is a God, family and country school, a post on the Universitys blog reads. HPU celebrates the fundamentals that made this country great. Moskowitz said, They are very focused on that. Jews are a minority at the school, and I think minorities dont get accounted for. Incident reported to RA Moskowitz said that on the afternoon of March 19, her son noticed the Swastika crookedly scrawled on a dry-erase board mounted to the door of his suite. His name and those of his three roommates are all on name tags on the door. Moskowitzs son took a photo of the symbol and went to report it to his resident advisor, who his mother said told him, It was probably just a drunken prank. Let me know if it happens again. Disappointed that the RA wasnt more interested, Moskowitz said, her son reported the incident to Amy Epstein, the universitys Jewish Life Coordinator, who was supportive and who immediately filed a report with the schools Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs. Story continues Epstein could not be reached for comment for this story. A few days later, Moskowitz said, someone posted on High Point Universitys Yik Yak, an anonymous online chat platform, that they (expletive) hate her son, calling him by name. Moskowitz said her son doesnt know who posted the remark. In its community guardrails, Yik Yak says such posts are not allowed. Moskowitz said it was more than a week after the Swastika incident when her son told her about it, saying he didnt want to upset her. By then, no one at the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs had been in contact with him, she said. Absolutely not ignoring you Moskowitz contacted the office herself on March 27. She also asked for advice on a private Facebook page for the parents of High Point University students that includes members who work for the school and offer answers to questions. One of those members, identified as a concierge or school liaison, responded privately, saying they would file a report with Diversity and Multicultural Affairs. By Thursday, when Moskowitz had received no response from the office, she reached out to the concierge again. On March 31, Dr. Sherrell Fuller, senior director of the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, emailed Moskowitz, saying, I want to reach out once more to let you know that I was absolutely not ignoring you and minimizing the importance of everything that has happened to [your son]. High Point University in High Point, NC Fuller said in the email he had faith in Epsteins ability to investigate and deal with bias issues involving antisemitism and added, By no means was I not taking this seriously. Fuller told Moskowitz in the message that he, Epstein and the vice president of student life would discuss how to move forward with diversity training and conduct procedures. Moskowitz responded to the email the same day, saying she wants to see the person who drew the Swastika on her sons door be held accountable. As a university, this reflects on you, she wrote to Fuller. Something must be done. Emails and promises to educate do absolutely NOTHING to solve this problem. I am one voice but you have a much bigger platform. DO SOMETHING!!!!!!!! Fuller could not immediately be reached for comment. A call from university president On Tuesday, after she reached out to several news outlets, Moskowitz said she received a call from High Point University President Dr. Nido Qubein, who told her he had been away from campus and had only just learned of the incident. Moskowitz said he told her that campus police were investigating, but that because her sons room is in a corner, footage from cameras in the halls didnt offer clear images of anyone approaching. She said he called her a second time Tuesday afternoon to apologize and say the school had not handled the situation properly. Qubein did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but the school shared an email he sent to the university community that said: Dear HPU Family, As weve stated before publicly and on many occasions, HPU abhors antisemitism, racism and bias in any form and will not tolerate it under any circumstances. You are urged to report any occurrences using the bias incident report form through the Office of Student Life. We will continue to work together to actively create an environment of inclusivity where every member of our community feels safe, welcomed, respected, and appreciated. Im saddened today and am writing to share my condemnation of an antisemitic symbol that was drawn on a residence hall dorm room recently. We share our deepest apology to the student and the family who were impacted by this incident. This behavior does not align with our universitys God, family, and country values. We have an active investigation regarding this incident, and the responsible person or persons will be held accountable based on HPUs Student Guide to Campus Life, which could include expulsion. HPU stands for equality, civility, and respect towards all. We are all Gods children, deserving of each others acceptance and inclusion. And on the campus of High Point University, we want to live in a way that demonstrates the institutions beliefs and values. We continue to cultivate an atmosphere where every member of our family feels at home here. And I trust you will join me in working to always ensure that our campus is a safe and welcoming home for every student, every faculty and staff member, and every visitor to High Point University. May God fill us with wisdom, empathy, patience, and love so that we can live respectfully and peacefully with one another. Antisemitism on the rise nationally Moskowitz said her son had been contacted by campus police Tuesday afternoon, the first time since the incident began. Moskowitz said she hopes the school takes action against the person who drew the Swastika and addresses the Yik Yak remark. She said the resident adviser who dismissed her sons report also should face consequences. The American Jewish Committee issued a report in February saying its poll last fall of more than 1,500 Jewish Americans show antisemitism is on the rise nationally. The FBIs updated report on 2021 hate crimes, released in March, found antisemitic crimes had increased nearly 20% over the previous year and represented the majority of religious-based hate crimes. L-R: Janelle Monae, Bob Dylan and Lil Nas X (Getty) The Independent is proud to announce an exclusive new partnership with Montreux Jazz Festival 2023. The news comes as the festival announces this years lineup, which includes Bob Dylan, Lil Nas X, Sam Smith, Lionel Richie, Janelle Monae, Christine and the Queens, Mark Ronson and Wet Leg. The festival organisers have curated an eclectic, free-flowing programme for the 250,000 guests that come to Geneva each year. With artists invited to perform with full creative freedom, music lovers can enjoy the sound from the jazz festivals two main venues. Auditorium Stravinski offers a prestigious line-up of different generations of renowned musicians, while the Montreux Jazz Lab has a longstanding history of hosting the brightest talents before they explode into global icons (think Kendrick Lamar, Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa). The Independent will publish interviews, announcements, festival exclusives and commercial support from the two weeks of unforgettable performances. It will be the only news partner in the UK and US to do so. The Independents Culture & Lifestyle News Editor, Roisin OConnor, said: Montreux Jazz Festival is one of the most prestigious and storied festivals in the world, set in one of the most picturesque locations. I am thrilled that The Independent is partnering with organisers this year, becoming part of such a proud cultural landmark. Their 2023 lineup is just the latest evidence of Montreuxs status, both as a heritage festival respected by musicians the world over, and as an event that has its finger on the pulse of future talent. We simply cant wait to celebrate this year with them. Elton John performing at the 53rd annual Montreux Jazz Festival (' KEYSTONE/ VALENTIN FLAURAUD) Mathieu Jaton, CEO of Montreux Jazz Festival, commented: Like Montreux Jazz Festival, The Independent is a prestigious brand recognised and respected internationally, making this such a special partnership full of opportunities. We look forward to working with them during the incredible 2023 edition of the festival and beyond. Presale tickets available 5 April from 2pm GMT, and general sale 6 April from11am GMT. Tickets will be available for purchase from www.montreuzjazzfestival.com Indian electric mobility startup Magenta Mobility has closed a $22 million Series A1 round, comprising $11 million each from Morgan Stanley India Infrastructure and BP Ventures. Magenta will use the all-equity investment to boost its existing logistics and last-mile delivery fleet operations. The Navi Mumbai-headquartered startup has a fleet of 800 three-wheeled electric cargo trucks with which it delivers goods in seven cities across the country: Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Mysuru, Hyderabad, Gurugram and Noida. Magenta aims to use the funding to expand into eight new cities in the next two years and grow its fleet to 4,000 three- and four-wheeled EVs in the next year. The company partners with local and global OEMs to build its fleet including Tata Motors, Mahindra, Piago, Omega Seiki and Euler. Magenta currently has about 35 customers, including e-commerce and grocery delivery companies such as Flipkart, BigBasket, Udaan and Amazon. The startup has also started handling deliveries of food, grains and water and mattresses as commercial EV adoption gains steam in the country. Magenta says it has conducted nearly 70 million deliveries covering 6.4 million kilometers, of which 60% have come from e-commerce. Maxson Lewis, Magenta's founder and managing director, wouldn't share details about the company's revenues, but said the startup has seen 5x growth every year. The firm has a team of 200 members in offices across four cities. The investment from BP Ventures is more than just a financial partnership. BP brings access to its network of strategic partners, as well as a wealth of knowledge collected from its 14 previous mobility investments and $27 million invested in India to date. Magenta is the venture firm's second investment in the country, following EV ride-hailing startup BluSmart last year. The partnership also gives Magenta access to Jio-BP, the joint venture between BP and India's Reliance Industries, as the exclusive EV charging partner for the startup's fleet. Jio-BP has a number of large EV charging hubs as well as hundreds of public charging points in various cities and major highways across the country. The startup will also be able to leverage BP Ventures' network to grow its strategic partnerships. Story continues First-mover advantage India has become a fast-growing EV market, with 2.64 million EVs registered as of March 15, per government data produced in the parliament last week. Although the market is largely dominated by electric two-wheelers, the country has over 1.39 million electric three-wheelers. The ongoing growth of e-commerce in the country and New Delhi's aim to reduce India's carbon footprint by 33%35% by 2030 below 2005 levels are expected to boost demand for e-mobility. "The pace of growth for electric vehicles in India, especially in 'last mile' delivery, is extraordinary and is playing a major role in decarbonizing cities. We're very proud to make BP's first venture-led entry into India's last-mile delivery market and our second in the Indian mobility sector," said Gareth Burns, vice president of BP Ventures, in a prepared statement. Lewis founded Magenta Mobility in February 2018 after spending five years in the automobile industry, 15 years in the electricity sector, and years at multinational firms including Bosch and Accenture. The startup initially kicked off its journey to solve the problem of EV charging, as the market lacked an electric mobility ecosystem. The early move into the space helped Magenta Mobility gain some attention and attract seed funding from Indian government's Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) after it was noticed by the Prime Minister's office in 2018, Lewis said. However, as the ecosystem has burgeoned with the addition of scores of new players joining the market, Magenta Mobility has moved beyond merely offering charging infrastructure and started handling last-mile mobility using an all-EV fleet. "We were always aware that we wanted to focus on the last-mile mobility, wherein we built up this charging infrastructure as a captive service. Effectively, our charging infrastructure is getting utilized by our last-mile mobility," Lewis said. In its plan to build an electric last-mile delivery ecosystem, Magenta has raised a total of $33.7 million, with LetsVenture, JITO Angel Network and Indian-American philanthropist Dr. Kiran Patel among its investors. Need some travel inspiration as you plan your summer trips? According to Google Flights, many Americans want to hop across the pond to Europe this summer. The flight search engine analyzed search data between Dec. 22 and March 22 to find out which destinations were most popular for travel during June and August. Topping the list this year is London, followed by Cancun, Paris, Orlando and Rome. Last summer, Orlando, Cancun, Las Vegas, London and New York scored the top-five spots, proving that Americans are ready to resume international travel. Book your ticket now: The 10 most popular European cities for US travelers From Iceland to Tanzania: Here are the 10 best travel tours for women in 2023 and 2024 The River Thames, England Other international cities that made this year's list but not 2022's include Tokyo (now that Japan has reopened its borders), Barcelona and Dublin. Additionally, searches for passports "recently hit an all-time high in the U.S.," according to the search engine. However, passport wait times are still up it will take 10-13 weeks for routine service and seven to nine weeks for expedited service. Another popular travel trend that Google noticed is "solo travel for women" and "solo cruises," both of which more than doubled in the last year in the U.S. Solo travelers are searching destinations like Japan, New Orleans, Iceland, Mexico City and Italy the most. Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at kwong@usatoday.com This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Summer 2023 most popular travel destinations Mountain lions are a natural part of the ecology in Colorado, so they get closer to people than you might expect on occasion, CBS Colorado's Jack Lowenstein observes. Carolyn Andrews shared Ring doorbell video with CBS Colorado of one incident such from April 1, when a group of mountain lions was seen walking through her neighborhood at night. She lives in Silverthorne, some 67 miles west of Denver. Mountain lions in Silverthorne / Credit: CAROLYN ANDREWS In the video, five of the big cats are seen prowling her neighborhood close to 11 o'clock during what seemed to be a calm, cool end of the day. But this video is also a reminder about the importance of pet owners being vigilant in mountain towns. Colorado Parks & Wildlife urges community members to avoid leaving their pets outdoors overnight. The neighborhood mountain lions are also a good reminder for parents to take care of small children at night, when encounters like that one might also be possible. This happened to be an encounter from afar that could be enjoyed as a sight to see when nature comes close to home, but not too close. You can learn more about mountain lions in the state by visiting Colorado Parks & Wildlife's website. Highlights from Jacinda Ardern's final speech to New Zealand's Parliament as prime minister The Resurrection of Notre Dame | Sunday on 60 Minutes Sportswashing | Sunday on 60 Minutes Kristofer Hagglund, dean of the MU School of Health Professions, on Tuesday announce a a name change to the MU College of Health Sciences, with a $5 million renovation to Clark Hall. The announcement came during his State of the School address at the State Historical Society of Missouri. The University of Missouri School of Health Professions next school year will become the MU College of Health Sciences, paired with a $5 million renovation to Clark Hall, said Dean Kristofer Hagglund. "It recognizes the significant changes we have made over the years," Hagglund said of the name change. Hagglund made the announcement Tuesday during a "State of the School" speech in the State Historical Society of Missouri. The school is located in the connected Lewis and Clark halls at Providence Road and Rollins Street. The renovation will include an accessible and attractive entrance at the main level off Providence, where until recently passing motorists had a view of a dumpster. "More than 30,000 cars pass Clark Hall on Providence Road every day," Hagglund said. The buildings were constructed in the presidential administration of Lyndon Johnson, Hagglund said after the event. "It's nice to have this opportunity to have a major renovation," he said. During his presentation, he showed illustrations of classrooms, to be named for the late donor Nancy Toedebusch Fay, who graduated from MU in 1969 with a degree in medical technology. There were also illustrations of what a student lounge and a conference room would look like in the renovated building. Established in 1978, the School of Health Professions became independent of the MU School of Medicine in 2000. The health science major has surpassed biology as the most popular major at MU since 2017, graduating 578 students in 2019. The school has received $1.89 million from donors so far this year, Hagglund said. The school had $5.65 million in research spending and $7.8 million in research awards in 2022. U.S Surgeon General Vivek Murthy will speak for the final graduation from the School of Health Professions in May, Hagglund said. Enrollment has grown from 629 in 2000 to 3,501 in 2022. "We're poised for enrollment growth to top out at 3,700," Hagglund told the room full of faculty. "I know that makes some of you nervous." Story continues More faculty will be hired, he said. "We are dedicated to giving everyone a chance to learn," Hagglund said. Hagglund began his talk by giving credit to the faculty in attendance. "You make a difference," he said. Roger McKinney is the Tribune's education reporter. You can reach him at rmckinney@columbiatribune.com or 573-815-1719. He's on Twitter at @rmckinney9. This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: $5 million renovation to Clark Hall paired with name change A Chick-fil-A restaurant drive-thru in Georgia became the scene of a deadly incident on Wednesday when two people died in an apparent murder-suicide. The shooting unfolded outside Truetts Chick-fil-A in Rome at around 7am on Wednesday morning, according to Rome Police Department. Police said Anthony Wayne, 56, shot and killed Cassie Lashae Davis, 39, before turning the gun on himself. The pair had been in some sort of relationship in the past. Police were initially called to the scene of what was described as a vehicular crash as Davis car continued to move forward after the shooting, giving the impression of an accident, reported Rome News-Tribune. Prior to arrival, officers received more information that the incident was a shooting rather than an accident, police said. Officers then arrived at the fast-food branch to find the brutal scene. Assistant Police Chief Debbie Burnett said that one of the individuals was found inside a large silver SUV on Shorter Avenue while the other was found outside a vehicle near the drive-thru pickup station. Both Wayne and Davis were pronounced dead at the scene. The initial investigation indicates that Wayne shot Davis and then shot himself in an apparent murder-suicide, she said. Davis had been shot three times with a revolver, according to the local coroner. The police chief added that the indicent is not believed to have any connection to the Chick-fil-A restaurant. The incident is not related to Chick-fil-A but rather occurred on the property of the restaurant, she said. If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, the Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you. Exposing students to the arts is considered part of a well-rounded education. Often when money gets tight those programs are among the first to face cuts. Urban school districts can have a tough time keeping art programs going even in good budgetary times. A foundation called The Boston Music Project is filling the void and filling many schools with the sound of music. Students line up outside the Josiah Quincy Elementary School an hour and a half before the first bell rings to learn how to play an instrument. 170 students participate in the program which represents about a third of the schools total enrollment. 4th grader Jay Lung plays the cello and doesnt mind getting up early to get to school to practice. He told Boston 25 hes been coming to school early since K-1 and added confidently that now Im pretty good. We want to ensure that every single child in Boston has the opportunity to make music regardless of any financial limitations, said Chris Schroeder of the Boston Music Project. The program has now expanded to 15 sites across the city serving 1,100 students. The classes are run by professional musicians and teachers. Schroeder created this program when he realized how few students in Boston were getting exposed to something that enriched his life. We were working with Boston Public Schools and we had identified 51 out of 125 schools that didnt have a music teacher, said Schroeder said. The work that were doing is trying to open a door, trying to create opportunities for young people all throughout the city, regardless of the town, regardless of the spaces they have, regardless of their communities, to experience the transformative joy and power that music education provides. Cynthia Soo Hoo is the principal of the Quincy School. As educators, we dont want to focus on just academics. We want to look at the whole child. She loves seeing the kids so enthusiastic about music and says that carries over to the classrooms. They are more focused on their work and we see that as a positive benefit to the students who are participating in the program in the morning. Story continues 3rd grader Briella Baptiste is mastering the bass and dreaming big in the process. Id like to play bass with my friend Willow and she plays bass too and we could make a career together. . .blues, jazz, rock. Thats music to Schroeders ear, but he says thats actually not the goal of this program. Not every child that leaves the Boston Music Project is going to aspire to be a professional musician and thats OK. The goal for us is creating this transformative experience for a young person here in this community, where they can express themselves freely. In all, the Quincy School now has seven orchestras practicing before school starts. The Orchestra made up of 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders has been selected to play the National Anthem before a Red Sox game at Fenway Park on May 14th. More information about joining the program and supporting it is available at https://www.bostonmusicproject.org/ This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW (CNN) Hugh Jackman has revealed he is undergoing skin cancer tests following a medical check up, and urged his fans to protect themselves in the sun. In a video message posted to his Instagram account, the Australian actor, who had a plaster on his nose, said hes awaiting the results of skin cancer tests after his doctor spotted irregularities that could be or could not be basal cell [carcinoma]. Jackman has received treatment for basal cell carcinoma several times, and in 2013, revealed he had a cancerous growth removed from his nose. Just to remind you, basal cell, in the world of skin cancers, is the least dangerous of them all, said the X-Men star, who has famously portrayed the character of Wolverine since 2000. He added that he will receive his results in the coming days. Basal cell carcinoma of the skin is one of the most common cancers in the US and treatment can be highly effective when the cancer is detected early. The cancer starts in the top layer of the skin, and is associated with sun exposure, according to the American Cancer Society. However, if I can just take this opportunity to remind you, summer is coming, added the 54-year-old actor, who has also starred in Les Miserables and The Greatest Showman. For those of us here in the Northern Hemisphere, please wear sunscreen. It is just not worth it. No matter how much you want a tan. Trust me. Referring to the cancer scare, Jackman pointed to his face and explained stuff that happened 25 years ago [that] is coming out now. In a 2015 interview with People magazine, the actor said: I never wore sunscreen growing up so I was a prime candidate for it. Put some sunscreen on, Jackman said in the video this week. Youll still have an incredible time out there, all right. Please be safe. This story was first published on CNN.com, Hugh Jackman undergoes skin cancer tests and encourages sun safety" Minion characters pose on the yellow carpet arrivals area at the American premiere of the animated film "Despicable Me 2" at Universal CityWalk and Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California June 22, 2013. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok Los Angeles schools accepted a donation valued at nearly $600,000 worth of Beanie Babies. In December, the district received nearly 75,000 of the Despicable Me-themed toys. The donation was routed through the nonprofit Shelter Partnership, from an unknown third party. In the beginning of December, officials from the Los Angeles Unified School District accepted an unusual donation from a nonprofit that typically serves homeless shelters and food banks: Beanie Babies themed after the Despicable Me franchise. Nearly 75,000 of them. The mysterious arrival of the stuffed animals was three years in the making, beginning when 11 semi-trucks-worth of the toys arrived at a warehouse for the nonprofit, Shelter Partnership. Over that time, the donor's identity has remained a secret. And the school district is still not sure what it will even do with the beanie babies. While the toys may engage some Los Angeles students, there aren't enough to go around: there are 519,586 students enrolled in LAUSD schools, according to district statistics from the 2021-2022 school year, with more than 275,000 in pre-Kindergarten through sixth grade alone. They're also not worth that much, by Beanie Baby standards. The popular 90s toys made the Ty company's founder, Ty Warner, a billionaire. In 1997, eBay had auctioned off $500 million worth of the plush toys, accounting for more than 6% of the site's total sales. But none of the donated items are worth the $24,000-a-piece price tag that some of the classic toys demand at auction at best, the Minion Beanie Babies can fetch around $13 on resale sites. Jennifer Marquez, senior director of product donations for Shelter Partnership, told local news outlet LAist that the nonprofit had received a call from a Chicago-based in 2020 asking if they'd accept 600 shipping pallets enough to fill 11 semi-trucks of the toys. Shelter Partnership is a nonprofit that generally serves homeless shelters and food banks with donations from different manufacturers, movie studios, and other groups that have surplus items they'd like to donate. Story continues "A company might have something that is out of season or maybe something's going to expire in six months or they just have too much in stock and they turn to Shelter Partnership," Marquez told LAist. Representatives from Shelter Partnership did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment. Slowly, as they were distributed by Shelter Partnership, the toys dwindled from the 600 pallets-worth of toys to the 70 pallets that were accepted by LAUSD in December of last year. The nearly 75,000 toys are valued at nearly $600,0000, according to internal documents from LAUSD that were shared with Insider. A Los Angeles Unified spokesperson told Insider in an emailed statement that the donated items will be used by schools to "support their student programs." "Items are donated to schools until inventory is exhausted," the spokesperson added, but did not answer questions regarding how the toys would be divided among LAUSD students or whether these types of bulk donations are typical for the district to receive. It remains unclear whether any of the toys have been distributed to students so far or if they will be stored for undetermined future use. Read the original article on Insider CHICAGO Brandon Johnson, a county commissioner and former teachers union organizer, was elected mayor of Chicago on Tuesday. Johnson takes office next month facing challenges to bring together a city divided by race and a view on how best to quell persistent crime, a subject that loomed over the months-long campaign and set him apart from moderate rival Paul Vallas, who has called for swelling the streets with police. With all but a handful of precincts reporting but a sizable number of mail ballots left to count Johnson led Vallas, 51 percent to 49 percent. "Today, we celebrate the revival and the resurrection of the city of Chicago," Johnson told supporters in his victory speech Tuesday night at a hotel on the city's Near South Side. "It is time for Chicago to come alive. Come alive, Chicago." Johnsons victory signals a shift to the left from the already progressive governance of Mayor Lori Lightfoots administration. Lightfoot was ousted in the first round of the election, finishing third in a field of nine candidates. Vallas, the only white candidate, came in first in the Feb. 28 election, receiving 33 percent of the vote, followed by Johnson, who is Black, at 22 percent and Lightfoot at 17 percent. Coming out of the first round of voting ahead, Vallas led most of the polling before the runoff, but Johnson closed fast. Vallas conceded defeat, but added in a speech to supporters: "It's clear based on the results tonight that the city is deeply divided." The outcome of the Chicago mayors race has been closely watched as Democrats across the country try to grapple with messaging over crime. Two years ago in New York, Eric Adams won his partys nomination and, later, the general election running to the right of his fellow Democrats on criminal justice issues. Johnson, 47, has already steered his campaign to the Democratic middle after the first round of the campaign, in which he built a progressive base supported by the citys Democratic Socialist City Council members. Story continues Early in the campaign, videos emerged of a 2020 interview in which Johnson described defunding the police as an actual, real political goal. The comments followed him throughout the campaign. He initially pivoted from answering to them and later said he would not defund the police if he were elected but would fund a more holistic approach to public safety. His campaign hammered on Vallas, who voters have long known as a Democrat but who in recent years had aligned himself with conservatives. In this years mayoral contest, Vallas latched on to voters concerns about crime. The message resonated even though violent crime numbers are on the decline. Lightfoot acknowledged that it has been difficult to change perceptions, and Vallas exploited that with stark ads addressing violence. Johnson and Vallas also were embraced by powerful unions, which helped fuel their base but also raised concerns among moderate Democrats about how they would lead. Vallas was endorsed by the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, and Johnson was backed by the Chicago Teachers Union, for which he also worked. The CTU also funded Johnsons campaign, donating more than $2.5 million to the effort. "Make no mistake about it: Chicago is a union town," Johnson said in his victory speech Tuesday night. "Tonight, Chicago chose hope over fear," added Stacy Davis Gates, the president of the Chicago Teachers Union. "I aint never seen a city silence a dog whistle." Johnson will take office facing a City Council thats already more independent than the one Lightfoot has worked with for the past four years. In recent weeks, the City Council has pushed ahead with an effort to name its own committee chairs. Its a task that the new mayor has always had control of, in part to reward loyal council members who can help carry the mayors legislative efforts. But before he is sworn in next month and confronts the reality of governing, Johnson is already seeking to take his message national. "Lets take this bold progressive movement around these United States of America," he said in his victory speech. "Chicago, we can show the country, we can show the world what's possible when we stand on our values as one people." CORRECTION: A previous version of this report wrongly attributed a quote spoken by Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates to Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson. A registered sex offender living in Nampa was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison following a plea agreement on a felony charge of sexual exploitation of a minor. Troy Groene, 48, also was ordered by U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill to pay $200,000 in restitution to his victims. As part of his sentence, Groene will remain under supervised release the rest of his life after his federal prison term, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho. Nampa police arrested Groene in late 2020 on suspicion of two felony counts of sexual battery of a minor 16 or 17 years of age. Through a search warrant, police seized explicit videos from Groenes cellphone and cloud account that he made of a 16-year-old girl, as well as of another 17-year-old female victim, the release said. In addition, two other 17-year-old girls disclosed to police during their investigation that Groene had made sexually explicit videos of them during prior incidents. Groene previously was sentenced to 10 years in Idaho prison for sexual battery of a minor 16 or 17 years of age, court records showed. He was made to register as a sex offender related to a plea agreement on the 2005 felony charge. Several of Groenes victims appeared in court during his federal sentencing, according to the news release. Winmill labeled Groene a sexual predator, and commended his victims as brave and heroes, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill. I agree with the court that the victims in this case are heroes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho Josh Hurwit said in a statement. We should recognize the importance of creating spaces where victims like the brave young women in this case feel safe to report any form of sexual abuse or sexual exploitation. And we must rededicate ourselves to supporting the victims of these reprehensible crimes. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The federal case against Groene was brought as part of a national initiative launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2006 called Project Safe Childhood to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) conducts searches in the departments of the Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration on 5 April. Source: press service of the Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration; press service of NABU Quote: "Today, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine is indeed conducting investigative measures in some structural units of the Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration specifically, in the office of its leadership and in the Department of Agricultural and Industrial Development." Details: The Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration assured the public that it fully cooperates with NABU and provides the investigators with all requested documents and necessary information. Updated: NABU confirmed that under the procedural guidance of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutors Office, the investigators are conducting searches in the Kharkiv Oblast Military and Civilian Administration. The investigative actions are authorised and are being carried out in accordance with the law. Vita Kovalska, Deputy Head of the Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration, said that her workplace was searched as part of the investigation. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! A more recent photo of Avery, left, and the portrait of them, painted by an unknown fan from the 2017 National Geographic cover photo by Robin Hammond, which is on display in the Jackson household. (Photos courtesy of Debi Jackson) It was just six years ago when pink-haired, earnest-faced 9-year-old Avery Jackson made history by becoming the first transgender person to grace the cover of National Geographic magazine not only with the now-iconic photo, but a powerful quote: "The best thing about being a girl is, now I don't have to pretend to be a boy." But in many ways, the cover feels like it's from a much more distant time. Avery's participation in that special "Gender Revolution" issue inspired a range of reactions, from letters of heartfelt thanks to a frightening doxxing incident for the family. But today's national rhetoric which has both given rise to and been fueled by the anti-trans bills proposed in 44 states in just 2023 alone (with 11 passing laws) is "a lot scarier now," says Averys mom, Debi Jackson. Debi spoke with Yahoo Life on the heels of International Transgender Day of Visibility and in the midst of a push in her own state of Missouri to ban gender-affirming care for trans youth to look back at that issue, recently shared by National Geographic on Instagram. The shoot, by photographer Robin Hammond, took place in the family's Kansas City, Mo., home, and "was fun," recalls Debi, who remembers everyone "moving from room to room and window to window to try to catch just the right light," as it was stormy outside, and the magazine's photographers, according to Debi, only wanted to use natural light. "They had Nerf guns out and, in between takes they were having a Nerf battle and having a great time," she says. "Robin was wonderful to work with absolutely great at working with kids." Hammond and Debi have remained friends and still email each other from time to time. They also have each other's backs when necessary on social media, like recently when Hammond was pilloried by trolls after being tagged in the magazine's reminiscing post. Story continues "Of course, I wish we didn't live in the world where one would receive hateful and threatening messages for posting an image of a trans kid on social media," Hammond tells Yahoo Life. "But those comments have zero impact on me other than reminding me how much work there is to do for us to reach a place where we can respect people who are different to ourselves." Hammond remembers Avery, now 15 (and opting to not take part in this story), being "a confident 9-year-old" who "made fun of me for my [New Zealand] accent." Now, looking back, he adds, "I feel extremely privileged to have made that photo," noting that it helped others validate themselves, and has "meant a lot" to queer folks around the world. "One young gay man from Colombia I was talking to last week told me how he purchased a copy and carried it with him for months. He used it to help his own family understand who he was and the community he was part of," Hammond says, adding that still, years later, he regularly hears such stories about the importance of seeing Avery on the cover. "That is an extremely powerful thing for a young person who may feel alone in their experience. Being a part of that is what has affected me most and made this so gratifying." How the cover photo came to be Debi had already become an activist who had been in the public eye for several years, starting with a 2014 LGBTQ-advocacy speech supporting Avery, in which the mom identified as a "conservative, Southern Baptist, Republican from Alabama," prompting Avery's own video for a separate campaign. That's how National Geographic editors wound up reaching out to the family. She says she didn't know that Avery's photo had been chosen for the subscribers cover (a different image appeared on newsstands) until she received a call from the magazine as it went to press in late 2016. "I was actually happy that it was going to be on the subscriber version because my family, who was not supportive, was not a subscriber, and I was like, 'They're never going to know, because they won't see it,'" Debi recalls. "Unbeknownst to me, my grandmother was a subscriber and saw it and called my parents and was like, 'Oh my gosh, you didn't tell me, this is amazing news! Look, how beautiful Avery is!" That, followed by the avalanche of national media coverage, is how Debi's parents and siblings found out about the cover. They remain unsupportive. "We haven't spoken in the years since that," she says. "My grandmother was amazing and till the day she passed away, kept trying to work on the rest of the family to get them to be accepting." But, adds Debi, "That's what chosen families are for." She remembers agreeing to let Avery take part in the issue and Avery wanting to because "we were at a great place in our country," she says. "We had had four years of the Obama administration. We had seen so many strides trans people were mentioned in speeches by the attorney general, they were welcomed and supported through the Department of Education and everyone fully was expecting Hillary [Clinton] to win that election," she continues. "So, we knew the issue would be coming out right before we headed into yet another super-affirming administration, and it seemed like serendipity, and it was actually really exciting. Like, wow, this is going to push our progress even further. The anxiety [around the cover photo] was about my own personal family, but not for the rest of the world. We thought: 'This is what's needed. This is going to be so important.'" As a reminder of the context back then, Debi says, the cover photo "was a very big deal for the trans community as a whole, worldwide, to have that kind of visibility. We had had Laverne Cox on Time magazine Janet Mock had a book out my video was out there, and a couple of other parents had some videos that went viral. But there still wasn't a huge emphasis on transness and trans kids at that point in time So, there was this great clamor of, 'Wow, this is representation, there's a whole issue about this!'" Soon after, the related documentary that Katie Couric made came out, "and there really was a moment of visibility and it seemed so positive. People were hungry to learn about it." Reactions to the cover Avery "thought it was pretty cool," even without fully understanding, at 9, the international impact of the magazine. In fact, recalls Debi, the cover star declared, "'It's not my cover, it's the trans people's cover. That's for everyone.' And I think that's exemplary Avery's been out there publicly, but it was never an 'I want to be the face of the trans community,' it was, 'I'm proud of who I am. I have this great, supportive family and I wish every kid had it. So, I want other people to know: It's OK to love your kid.'" Debi thought the image "nailed it," and "was just full of sass and personality," although she was even more struck by seeing her child's quote, which Avery had told Hammond when she was out of the room. "I didn't know until I read it on the cover, and was like, oh my gosh, that's so incredible and it resonated with so many people," she says. "They would send me messages, like, 'I've been trying to explain how I feel for 50 years and your kid's just said it in one sentence." Although she's saved multiple versions of the magazine that they "intend to get framed at some point," for now what they've got on display at home is a portrait painted from the photo, gifted to them through the mail by a fan whose name they do not know. The note, Debi recalls, just said something along the lines of, "You don't know me, I'm a trans woman. Painting was one of my outlets so I didn't have to think about gender and your child has inspired me I'm transitioning because of [Avery]." Now, all these years later, Avery's response to the photo and its impact specifically to being doxxed, targeted by hate and being cut off by extended family has become more complex. It even made Avery worried about adopting they/them pronouns about a year ago, in the midst of "course correcting" and figuring out their identity is nonbinary. Debi recalls them worrying, "Is that going to hurt other trans kids? Because people are not going to want to believe them?" but she assured them that such openness could only help. Still, the years of "hateful backlash" after the magazine cover "caused them to be kind of angry at the exposure and what had happened. They were filled with all kinds stress and anxiety over that," Debi says. The vicious sentiments, she believes, have led to what she refers to as "faux outrage," noting that when the cover photo was so recently shared, "people who were not paying attention even two years ago have now been primed to be angry and full of hate But the sun has still risen and set every single day. The world has been going along just fine until this amplification of rage and hate and rhetoric." Because of that, and the unending stream of anti-trans legislation around the country, including right in Missouri, Avery has taken a step back from public life; Debi and her husband, meanwhile, have been testifying before the state legislature against the proposed anti-trans bill. Still, Debi says, Avery does not regret that cover, and is proud of what it did. "We have all the letters from people, we have the portrait hanging here. We know that it did some really positive things and made a huge difference in so many people's lives," she says. "And they're happy about that. They're happy to have been part of that." Wellness, parenting, body image and more: Get to know the who behind the hoo with Yahoo Life's newsletter. Sign up here. Swedish and Finnish tanks during a military exercise called "Cold Response 2022," which gathered around 30,000 troops from NATO member countries plus Finland and Sweden in Evenes, Norway, March 22, 2022. REUTERS/Yves Herman Finland, Russia's neighbor, became a member of the NATO military alliance on Tuesday. It brings hundreds of tanks, 62 fighter jets, and lots of artillery and soldiers with it. Finland's strong military and its decision to join NATO were in part motivated by Russian actions. Finland is now a member of NATO, giving the alliance a new military partner that has hundreds of tanks and jets, and a history of fighting Russia. Finland officially became a member of the military alliance on Tuesday, strongly motivated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The move more than doubled Russia's direct border with NATO countries. This proximity, and Finland's own history of fighting Russia, has been a big factor in how Finland has developed its military, and in the size of the arsenal that it now brings to the alliance. That arsenal includes around 650 tanks, Reuters reported. The International Institute for Strategic Studies said in its latest assessment that Finland has at least 800 armored vehicles, including 200 tanks. It also has 107 combat-capable jets, according to the latest assessment by the IISS, including 62 fighter jets. Finland claims to have what it calls "Western Europe's strongest artillery," made up of around 1,500 weapons that include 700 howitzers and cannon, 700 mortars and around 100 rocket launchers, according to Reuters. The country has dozens of training aircraft and surveillance radars, at least 650 anti-aircraft missiles, an undisclosed number of drones, anti-aircraft cannon and tanks, multiple types of vessels for its navy, and lots of transport vehicles, along with other equipment, Reuters reported. Finland is also currently boosting its weapons stocks, by adding more missiles, a new anti-aircraft system, and more drones, Reuters reported. Reservists from Finland's Karelia Brigade during a local defence exercise in Taipalsaari, Finland, in March 2022. Lehtikuva/Lauri Heino via REUTERS Every Finnish person aged between 18 and 60 is also liable for military service, as the country's constitution says that every citizen is obligated to participate in its national defence. Story continues Finland says it trains around 21,000 new conscripts every year. And the country has a wartime fighting reserve force of 280,000 soldiers, and almost 900,000 people that can be mobilized, according to Reuters. Finland said even before it joined the alliance that its defense forces "already meet NATO's military criteria: we have a strong national defence of our own and are adapted with the armed forces of different NATO countries." Finland becoming part of NATO is seen as a nightmare for Russia, which considers the alliance a key threat. Russian President Vladimir Putin partly justified his invasion of Ukraine by saying that he wanted to stop NATO expanding eastwards, but instead his invasion prompted Finland to abandon decades of neutrality to seek NATO membership. Alexander Stubb, Finland's former prime minister, told Axios that Russia's threats over it joining NATO can be dismissed due to the strength of Finland's military. "When you have military like ours, you really don't have that much to worry about," he said. "And Russia knows that." Read the original article on Business Insider Nearly 200 United Methodist churches in Georgia filed a lawsuit last week against their own denomination's regional body after they were temporarily halted from disaffiliating, marking another escalation in tensions among mainline Protestants over issues of sexuality and church authority. The lawsuit filed by 186 Methodist churches in the UMC North Georgia Conference is the latest step in the contentious schism fracturing the second-largest Protestant denomination in the U.S. in recent years as generally conservative local congregations seek to break away from the liberal mainline denomination, according to UM News. Leaders of the conference acted "wrongfully, in bad faith, and beyond the limits of their power" to deny the churches "the right to vote on withdrawal from the UMC with their property intact," according to the lawsuit. The Wesleyan Covenant Association (WCA) of North Georgia, which advocates for such breakaway congregations, issued a statement expressing a "heavy heart" in the wake of the lawsuit. "We recognize that taking legal action against the UMC is a drastic step," they said. "Be assured that every possible option has been explored to avoid this moment." LAWYER REPRESENTING METHODIST CHURCHES TRYING TO LEAVE SAYS CONTENTIOUS SPLIT IS ABOUT POWER AND MONEY More than 2,000 U.S. churches have disaffiliated from the UMC since 2019, when the UMC General Conference voted 438-384 to uphold the churchs ban on ordaining LGBTQ clergy and officiating at or hosting same-sex marriages. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Many of the conservative congregations that have sought to break off claim the vote was simply disregarded by liberal UMC leaders who chose to commission gay clergy and officiate same-sex weddings anyway, according traditionalist members of the Methodist clergy who spoke to Fox News Digital last June. UNITED METHODIST SPLIT GROWS MORE CONTENTIOUS AS GEORGIA CONFERENCE BLOCKS CONSERVATIVE CHURCHES FROM EXITING Story continues The lawsuit comes months after the North Georgia Conference cited "misinformation" for its decision to "pause" any further disaffiliation efforts from congregations attempting to leave the denomination, according to a Dec. 28 email sent to member churches. The conference claimed the pause "will allow churches to gain more information about the real, rather than the false or hypothetical, future of our church." North Georgia Conference Bishop Robin Dease said in a statement that her "heart aches" over the lawsuit and claimed "information presented to members of local churches about disaffiliation has been outside the bounds of normal and acceptable civil discourse." Rev. Cynthia Good, pastor at Calvary United Methodist Church in Arlington, Mass., speaks to her church during Sunday services Jan. 5, 2020. In 2019, the General Conference also approved Paragraph 2553 of the Book of Discipline, which allows UMC churches to leave with their church buildings and property if they obtain the approval of two-thirds of their congregation and their regional governing body. The North Georgia Conference was one of several that paused that disaffiliation process until next year, by which time the disaffiliation clause in the Book of Discipline will have expired and the rules for leaving subject to change. "The United Methodist Church website specifically states that when General Conference 2024 meets Paragraph 2553 will not exist and therefore, it is not possible to extend a provision that does not exist," the lawsuit says. Dan Dalton, an attorney who is representing multiple congregations facing legal hurdles in their attempts to leave the denomination, recently told Fox News Digital that the denominational squabble is mostly about power and money. As the UMC hemorrhages congregations, the UMC's General Conference is slated to receive its lowest budget in nearly 40 years, according to UM News . "The conferences don't have it, but the local churches do have it," Dalton said of Methodist money. "The conferences are seeing their churches that were providing apportionments are leaving, and the churches that don't pay apportionments to the conferences are staying. So they're seeing that their ability to survive is declining." "I think that's why they're clamping down on this whole thing, and it really all comes down to money," claimed Dalton, who pushed back against those who would present the Methodist split as solely over sexuality. METHODIST LEADERS SAY REBELLION AND DYSFUNCTION OVER LGBT ISSUES SPLITTING DENOMINATION An LGBTQ+ flag flies over Union United Methodist Church in the South End of Boston Jan. 5, 2020. Jeff Jernigan, a lay member at McEachern Memorial United Methodist Church in Powder Springs, Georgia, told Fox News Digital that while the split among the Methodists began as a theological dispute over sexuality, the issues have grown "much deeper" because denominational leaders "pick and choose" which portions of their Book of Discipline they want to enforce. NEARLY ONE-THIRD OF CHURCHES SPLIT FROM REGIONAL METHODIST CHURCH BODY AMID ONGOING SCHISM ABOUT SEXUALITY "It's just unbelievable that folks would take an oath in front of God and all of us to follow the Book of Discipline, and then just arbitrarily choose not to in certain circumstances. And then, in other ones, where they want to follow it, they enforce it with much rigor." Jernigan, whose church is one of those involved in the lawsuit, acknowledged that the legal battles within the denomination are not a good look for either Methodists or Christianity but claimed denominational leaders have left churches no recourse but to appeal to the government. The First United Methodist Church in Little Rock, Ark., displays a rainbow decoration. "It's horrible that we have to take our disputes to the secular court, but when there is no justice in the church process, we are left with no other choice," he said. "It's like when Paul wrote that Christian citizens shouldn't sue each other, but then when he was denied justice in the Jewish courts, he appealed to Rome because there was no justice in the religious [legal] process." "It's just heartbreaking that we're faced with this situation now. They won't even let us vote [to leave]. That's not only un-Christian, it's un-American that they would disenfranchise us. All we're asking for is a right to vote, which is what this process allows. Just let us vote, that's all we want." Despite the contention, Jernigan said he's "more excited about the future of the Wesleyan movement than I ever have been in my life." "We have the new wineskins that are emerging from this with the Global Methodist Church and other expressions that are vital, active, healthy and have moved past this kind of inept leadership," he said. The exterior of Foundry United Methodist Church with colors of the Pride and Progress flags June 25, 2020, in Washington, D.C. Many of the congregations that have successfully departed the UMC have either remained independent or joined the conservative Global Methodist Church, which launched May 1, 2022, as a traditionalist alternative for Methodist churches around the world. "Even though this is extremely painful, where we are at the moment, I think God's got some great things in store for the Wesleyan movement," Jernigan added. NEW YORK Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie has admitted in the past that he gives the referees a hard time in any game that he plays in, especially when he fouls like he drew contact and wasnt rewarded with free-throws. Dinwiddie drives to the rim as much as any other player in the league so it makes sense that he is usually in a situation to complain about the officiating. Why would I change my opinion? Dinwiddie said after dropping 30 points and six assists in Tuesdays 107-102 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Dinwiddie had a three-point attempt with 8.1 seconds left that was blocked by Minnesotas Anthony Edwards. However, it looked like there was some contact on the play as it looked like Edwards touched Dinwiddies elbow. He (Edwards) hit me on the elbow, Dinwiddie explained. I mean, you saw it. Im just saying, its the story of what I kind of have talked about. Dinwiddie has said in the past how players like him, not high-profile players, struggle to get consistent officiating from the officials. Despite how much he drove to the rim, Dinwiddie earned only two free-throws so one can imagine how frustrated he is in games like this that are decided by just a few points. But, they (the refs) definitely missed one. Well, several actually. We all saw the replays. HOW DO YOU MISS THIS CALL pic.twitter.com/a9MJSWjUA5 Brooklyn Netcast (@BrooklynNetcast) April 5, 2023 Related NBA Twitter reacts to Nets' disappointing loss to the Timberwolves Player grades: Mikal Bridges scores 24 as T-Wolves beat Nets 107-102 Story originally appeared on Nets Wire The writer with her daughter. Veronica I. Arreola When I was in college, I had a dream of studying abroad in Australia but couldn't afford it. As my daughter grew up, I frequently reminded her about the importance of studying abroad. Now she's studying in Spain, and I get to watch her live out my dream. As a daughter of an immigrant, I was raised to use my intellect and forge a path out of my working-class suburb. The expectation was that I would go to college. While I met that expectation, I had a dream of my own: studying abroad in Australia. As a biology major who was conducting marine-biology research, I had the goal of getting to the Great Barrier Reef. During my sophomore year, I found my way to the study-abroad office. Unfortunately, I was told just how expensive studying abroad would be and realized I couldn't afford it. There didn't seem to be any path forward for me, so I gave up on my dream. But from a young age, I started ingraining the merits of studying abroad in my daughter. Finally, after nearly two decades, I'm watching my daughter live out my study-abroad dreams. I raised my daughter with the expectation that she would study abroad After college, I stayed at my university to work full time as an advisor, helping students plan out their study-abroad semesters. So in our house, travel was always a popular topic. I would frequently say to my daughter, "When you go to college and study abroad " At first, she didn't flinch. She went to an elementary school where the parents talked about Ivy League schools from an early age. Of course, I didn't want my daughter to miss out, but I wanted her to study abroad because I knew it could be a transformative experience. I also knew that it could be one of the most affordable times to travel in your life. I also wanted my daughter to have the full college experience one I never got to have. As she got older, my daughter grew skeptical of studying abroad. In her senior year of high school, she said she might not want to take a semester away from her college and studies just to travel. Instead, she wanted to get through college as quickly as possible. Story continues I tried to explain to her that college was going to be a very short period in her life. I also told her that while her main job would be to study, she should take the opportunity to explore the world and herself inside it. I didn't let up. As she was preparing to go to college, I kept up the study-abroad talk. "When you get to campus, don't forget to get to the study-abroad office by Thanksgiving," I said. "You are going to want to make a plan early." In 2021, she enrolled in a great college and went straight to the study-abroad office. Thankfully, she listened to me, and she's studying abroad in Spain After preparing her for so many years for this experience, I was surprised to find myself nervous about her departure. I wondered whether she would make her connecting flight or whether she would struggle in a country where she didn't speak the language. I worried she would get hurt over there and I wouldn't have a way to get to her. I was also afraid that she would be homesick, hate the experience, and blame me for encouraging this adventure. But this spring semester, my daughter finally took off to Spain with her best friend. While they're not in the same city, they're in the same country. Once she was safely in her apartment, I relaxed. When I saw her posting photos from her adventures, I calmed down even more. Now as I watch her live out my college dream, I feel a great sense of pride I just got back from visiting her in Spain. We took the train everywhere, and she rarely looked at her phone. After just two months in her new city, she knew where we were headed, and I just followed her. I knew that one day our roles would flip, but her studies abroad accelerated that move and it was great. College is supposed to launch you into adulthood, and adding studying abroad to her curriculum appears to have added rocket fuel to that launch. Read the original article on Insider Bear, a retired Newark Police K-9, recently died. NEWARK The Newark Police Department is mourning the loss of one of its own after Bear, a K-9 with the force for seven years, recently died. Bear, whose original name was Iago den oude Belg, joined the Newark police in 2012 and was the partner for officer Jon Purtee until 2019. "NPD was so hesitant to buy an older dog. He was 3 years old when he came to us, but this guy, this guy was special," said Purtee, noting that the department found Bear in Canada. Bear died March 25 after developing problems with his hips and spine, Purtee said. Purtee said Bear was an excellent competitor in ring sports, and his high speed was an initial challenge. Bear, however, quickly became a perfect fit for the department, participating in many criminal apprehensions and drug busts. Bear competed in the Rastin Challenge, an event honoring first responders, in Mount Vernon in 2019. He took gold in the obstacle course and bronze in narcotics at the age of 10. Bear spent his retirement with Purtee's family while Newark Police broke in a new partner, Xudo, with Purtee. Bear, however, was one of a kind, Purtee said. "K-9 handlers share a special, unique bond that's like no other," he said. "When you rely on your partner in very stressful situations, it builds this relationship that is hard to explain. I would compare it to losing a parent or spouse." ksnyder@newarkadvocate.com 740-973-4541 Twitter: @newark_sports This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Newark Police celebrates life of Bear, a retired K-9 who recently died Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 4) Binibining Pilipinas International 2022 Nicole Borromeo is ready to showcase the artistry of being a Filipino as she represents the country in the international pageant this October. The countrys Miss International 2023 representative said she hopes to feature herself and her diverse experiences in being a Filipino on the stage. In terms of style, Im bringing Nicole Borromeo on stage. Im hoping to showcase who I am, my experiences, and the artistry of being a Filipino. Its more diverse than you think, its experiences-built, Borromeo told CNN Philippines The Final Word. The 22-year-old stunner from Cebu shared that preparations for the pageant are now in full swing, and she is confident in the team supporting her. To be honest with you, Im just going to be putting my best foot forward throughout the whole journey. I dont want to be pressuring myself too much through this but Im really, really confident in my team, Borromeo said. Borromeo also thanked her fans for their overwhelming support. It gives me strength and Im going to make you guys really proud. Or at least, I hope to, she said. The Miss International 2023 pageant will again take place in Japan on Oct. 26, the pageant organization announced. Borromeo will vie for the country's seventh Miss International crown after Kylie Verzosas win in 2016. PROVIDENCE Despite lawmakers' hotly debated and highly controversial moves to reduce the number of guns on the street, Rhode Island is still "inundated with guns ... and we are seeing them in every corner of the state, both rural and urban." So begins Attorney General Peter Neronha's once-a-year rundown on gun crimes across the state, a data-heavy report that sets the stage for what promises to be an hours-long State House hearing April 17 on more than two-dozen gun bills put in by lawmakers on both sides of the divide, including this year's latest effort to ban "assault weapons." In the report released Monday, Neronha acknowledges lawmakers' giving state prosecutors more tools to remove firearms from criminals, including drug traffickers with large stashes of guns, cocaine and fentanyl; banning ghost guns assembled from components purchased online; and placing a 10-round limit on high-capacity firearms magazines. The headlines appear periodically an arrest here, an arrest there, including the August indictment of two men in the drive-by shooting death of a 24-year-old woman as she stood on a Providence street talking to a friend. More: A new assault weapon ban will be introduced this session. Will it finally pass? File photo from 2013 of semi-automatic rifles on display for a purchase in a Rhode Island shop. What does the report tell us about gun crime in Rhode Island? Neronha's report spells out the volume in 2022: 66 cases involving the manufacture and/or possession of ghost guns with no serial numbers including 3D-printed firearms "sought out more and more by those who are otherwise prohibited from lawfully possessing guns in Rhode Island," the report says. More than 100 criminal cases where police seized magazines capable of firing anywhere from 16 to 30-plus rounds of bullets, including one that in June resulted in a 23-year prison sentence for a Providence man who committed "an armed assault on a Providence police officer and a robbery with a ghost gun and a 27-round large capacity magazine." 11 cases against "straw purchasers" who obtained one or more firearms for someone prohibited from buying or possessing a firearm. Story continues Ghost-gun components that federal agents and prosecutors say were recovered from the car of a Providence man accused of trafficking ghost guns to the Dominican Republic. More: What are ghost guns? Police say they pose a growing threat in Rhode Island. Among the stark pictures Neronha painted of life behind the curtains in some corners of Rhode Island: In October 2022, a West Warwick couple were charged after an investigation into alleged firearms and ghost-gun manufacturing. Seized were 37 firearms including 3 machine guns, 5 ghost guns, 23 ghost gun kits, 1 pistol with an obliterated serial number, 16 silencers and suppressors, tools to manufacture firearms, about 223 assorted magazines, 3 body armor vests, assorted holsters and tactical gear and hundreds of rounds of various calibers of ammunition, according to the report. Report meant to prove 'aggressive enforcement' of RI's gun laws Lawmakers directed the attorney general's office to produce the annual reports to address the argument each year by gun-rights advocates that Rhode Island does not need more gun laws but rather needs to enforce the laws already on its books. The report is meant to demonstrate that the attorney general's office is engaged in "aggressive enforcement" of Rhode Island's existing gun laws, citing case after case: "A Providence man sentenced to 45 years with 37 years to serve for possessing an illegal handgun and leading police on a vehicle chase through Pawtucket and Providence; "A double life sentence for the perpetrator of the 2020 New Years day murder of a 54-year-old Pawtucket woman; "A 45-year sentence with 25 years to serve for a Providence man for shooting and seriously injuring a 26-year-old with an illegal gun." In 2022, the report notes: four defendants were each sentenced to serve at least 10 years in prison for a May 2021 Providence shootout that wounded nine people. Investigators seized an arsenal, including over 500 rounds of ammunition and four magazines with capacities above 30 rounds. When asked for his takeaways from Neronha's latest report, House Minority Leader and vocal gun-rights advocate Rep. Michael Chippendale told The Journal: "This is an extremely complex report ... that will require study and research. "Each of those case numbers reported has to be researched so that the criminal past of the individual offender can be determined in order to delineate the repeat offenders from the one-time offenders. There needs to also be a thoughtful interpretation of all of the various data to determine ... any consistencies or trends." More stats from the report: During 2022, 547 gun-related cases were filed, the vast majority (486) of them in Providence County. Of the 416 cases that were wrapped up last year by trial, plea or dismissal, 192 resulted in prison sentences. Of those who were sentenced to prison, 11 were sentenced to terms over 10 years, 43 were sentenced to terms between 5 and 10 years, others received lighter sentences and 96 received suspended sentences. There were 383 gun-related cases still pending as of Dec. 31, 2022, including cases that dated to previous years. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Rhode Island gun crime report: Number of guns seized, arrests, trials Meredith Schroeder, young sister of Tara Baker, speaks at a memorial service for her sister on the UGA campus on Jan. 20, 2021. A bill known as the Coleman-Baker Act that creates a cold case unit within the Georgia Bureau of Investigation recently was passed by the Georgia General Assembly and only awaits a signature from Gov. Brian Kemp to become law. Cameron Harrelson, creator and host of Classic City Crime Podcast, said Monday he expects the governor to sign the bill. The bill is named in honor of Tara Baker, slain Jan. 19, 2001, in Athens, and Rhonda Sue Coleman, 18, slain May 17, 1990, in Hazelhurst. Both killings remain unsolved and lie in the realm known as cold cases. Harrelson recalled that many years ago before Kemp became governor that he and his wife, Marty, pledged money to a reward fund established in the Baker case. Baker was a University of Georgia law school student at the time of her death. Cold Case: 'He didn't have a family but us': Former UGA police reflects on solving baby's murder Crime Podcast: New Classic City Crime Podcast to examine slaying of Athens couple in 1994 Cameron Harrelson, known on his podcast as Cameron Jay, with Kelsey Bryant, the daughter of a slain couple. They worked together on a recent podcast on her parent's unsolved murders. While we hope this bill will affect change in Taras case. Its also a great way to honor her memory because she was a fierce advocate for justice and a champion of the underprivileged, Harrelson said. Harrelson has supported the Baker family in pushing for the bill. It was never expected that the podcast would become a position of advocacy, but when I met the Baker family, I knew we had to do something to preserve Taras memory, he said. Harrelson also expressed gratitude to state Rep. Houston Gaines, R-Athens, who championed and carried this bill across the finish line. We owe him a debt of gratitude. The bill provides for a $5.4 million fund to establish the cold case unit within the GBI. The GBI currently has a cold case unit that is manned by volunteer retired agents. Gaines said Monday that he met with the Baker and Coleman families when they visited the Capitol. Their stories inspired me to get involved in this issue and make sure we provide justice for cold case victims families, he said. Story continues The federal government passed a bi-partisan legislation last year on this topic and I felt like Georgia needed to do the same. Im very happy we were able to get bi-partisan support to get the bill over the finish line, Gaines said expressing gratitude to people like Harrelson, who brought this issue to front and center with his podcasts. Besides the cold case unit, the bill creates a requirement for jurisdictions across the state to provide an accurate count of their unsolved homicide cases. The bill also provides for families to receive a timely death certificate, Gaines said. Harrelson also noted that the Baker family was denied a death certificate for a decade, as law enforcement claimed that naming cause of death would hinder the investigation. This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Bill inspired by cold case in Athens heads to governor's office Generative AI could lead to the widespread automation of jobs, new research found. sorbetto/Getty Images Generative AI could lead to the widespread automation of jobs, new research found. But blue-collar roles in manufacturing and construction face minimal influence, data indicates. Here's why some industries will likely be more affected than others by the technology. Rapid advances in artificial intelligence are stoking employee concerns about the automation of jobs. Generative AI, a type of AI capable of generating text and other content in response to user prompts, has exploded in popularity in recent months following the launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT. Some companies have already tapped the chatbot to take on content-producing roles. A recent report from Goldman Sachs found the tech could significantly disrupt the labor market, with it affecting about 300 million full-time jobs or 18% of work. Another recent study, from OpenAI with the University of Pennsylvania, found OpenAI's AI chatbot ChatGPT could affect around 80% of jobs in the US. White-collar roles could be among the worst hit, the study also found. While the studies predicted advances in AI tech could also improve labor productivity and create jobs, they said some industries would likely be more affected than others. Legal services The legal industry has been cited in multiple studies as one of the industries most exposed to automation. A study released in March by researchers at Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania, and New York University, estimated that legal was the industry most likely influenced by AI tech like ChatGPT. The researchers used a benchmark that matched specific work tasks with AI capabilities to calculate the results. Manav Raj, one of the authors of the study and an assistant professor of management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, told Insider this was because the industry was made up of a relatively small number of occupations already exposed to automation, such as legal assistants. The report from Goldman Sachs, which relies on an analysis of data on occupational tasks in the US and Europe, also highlighted legal workers as especially at risk from the new tech. Story continues University education and research Education was one of the first areas to witness some of the effects of ChatGPT, and institutions, especially those in higher education, are scrambling to deal with the consequences of the technology. The study led by Princeton University, which was authored by Raj, Ed Felten, and Robert Seamans, identified postsecondary teachers as some of the workers highly exposed to large language models. Professors across a variety of subjects made up eight of the top 10 affected occupations, while junior colleges were ranked the 17th most likely sector to be influenced. Raj said this was because AI chatbots tended to be very good at research tasks such as identifying patterns and writing reports. The research from Goldman Sachs, which was written by Joseph Briggs and Devesh Kodnani, estimated almost 30% of work tasks in education instruction and library services in the US and Europe could be automated. Administration Administrative roles have particularly high exposure to automation, Goldman researchers found. They estimated that about 46% of work tasks in the sector could be automated. Wharton's Raj said that sectors like administration, where there's a "relatively high prevalence of white-collar roles, tended to be more exposed" to advanced AI technology. But the effect of AI on the labor market will be "multifaceted," Raj said, in some cases complementing human work. Finance Banks are already incorporating AI tech into their day-to-day business operations. More than half of banks say they've used the tech for revenue generation, according to the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance and the World Economic Forum. Financial quantitative analysts were also identified in a study led by OpenAI and the University of Pennsylvania as one of the occupations highly exposed to advanced AI technology. Tech AI chatbots like ChatGPT have excelled at writing code. The new programs can analyze numbers and produce code, often at a faster rate than humans can. The study led by Princeton University ranked software publishers as the 11th most likely sector to be affected by tech like ChatGPT, something Raj put down to the chatbot's impressive coding abilities. The Goldman researchers estimated that about 29% of computing and mathematical tasks in the US and Europe could be automated. Construction Sectors with a high number of blue-collar roles, such as construction, scored relatively low on Goldman Sachs' report. In the US and Europe, the researchers estimated less than 10% of work tasks in the sector were exposed to automation. Construction and related workers were also ranked some of the least influenced occupations on the list compiled by researchers at Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania, and New York University. Trade workers Trade workers are also projected to be relatively untouched by the tech. Trade work requires practical, hands-on experience and specialized training, and many of the tasks involve manual labor. Craft and related trade workers had the lowest share of industry employment exposed to automation in Europe, Goldman Sachs found. The researchers estimated that only 4% of the industry was exposed to automation by AI in the region. Read the original article on Business Insider A man died following a shooting early Tuesday in Kansas City, according to police. Officers responded just before 1 a.m. to an apartment building in the 6400 block of Manchester Avenue, where they found a man suffering from apparent gunshot wounds, said Officer Donna Drake, a spokeswoman with the Kansas City Police Department, in a news release. Emergency medical crews declared the man dead at the scene. This was the 43rd homicide in Kansas City this year, according to data tracked by The Star, which includes fatal police shootings. There were 37 killings at this time last year. Police urge anyone with information to call the homicide unit at 816-234-5043 or the anonymous TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477. A reward of up to $25,000 is available for information leading to an arrest. Russian President Vladimir Putin (AP) A protection officer for Vladimir Putin has defected and labelled the Russian president a paranoid war criminal. Gleb Karakulov, 35, had served as an engineer in the Federal Guard Service (FSO) presidential communications unit and said he has fled Russia over the war in Ukraine. Mr Karakulov escaped to safety via Istanbul while on a business trip to Kazakhstan in October 2022 after accompanying president Putin on more than 180 trips over the past 13 years. It is unclear where the 35-year-old is now. Russian President Vladimir Putin (AP) Mr Karakulovs wife and daughter also escaped separately via Kazakhstan and Istanbul. The former FSO officer claims president Putin opts to stay in his bunker rather than make trips because he is so paranoid about an assassination attempt. The Russian president also allegedly travels with a 2.5 meter high box to prevent his secret talks from leaking and Western bugging. He also claimed that the Russian president is isolating for a fourth year in a row, out of fear of becoming infected with Covid-19, and staff can only work in the same room as Putin once they have been in isolation for two weeks. President Putin does not use a mobile phone or the internet, meaning his knowledge of events is filtered via the secret services - and what he watches on state-controlled Russian TV, according to Mr Karakulov. Speaking about the war in Ukraine, Mr Karakulov issued an appeal to officers to come forward with evidence about Putin as a war criminal, saying the war is beyond the pale and defies reason. Gleb Karakulov, 35 (Khodorkovsky live/east2west news) How many nameless victims of this war are there, how many of them are children? How many more such victims are required before you stop putting up with it? he said. What is happening now in Ukraine, all this destruction, this war of aggression, terrorism, and genocide of the Ukrainian people - there is no other word for it - all this is a criminal offence. Our president has become a war criminal. The former FSO officer said he is unaware of Mr Putins alleged relationship with gymnast Alina Kabaeva, 39, and their young children, but confirmed the Russian president has a 1billion cliff-top palace at Gelendzhik on the Black Sea, and a private yacht Scheherazade, that president Putin is alleged to have funnelled millions in illicit funds into, as earlier revealed by Russias independent media. Responding to rumours of the Russian president being terminally ill, Mr Karakulov said he is unaware of any credible information that Mr Putin has or has had cancer in the past, claiming it is not something discussed amongst his colleagues. If he has any health issues, they must be due to his age. Well, he probably does have them. But it is nothing too serious, I guess, Mr Karakulov said. A high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel who is alleged to have worked closely with Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was extradited to the United States to face international drug trafficking and firearms charges, prosecutors announced Tuesday. Prosecutors charged 42-year-old Jorge Ivan Gastelum Avila, also known as "Cholo Ivan," with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine as well as over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana "intending and knowing that those substances would be imported into the United States." Gastelum Avila was also charged with knowingly and intentionally using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm, including a destructive device, during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, prosecutors said. Gastelum Avila was arrested in January 2016 alongside his boss, infamous drug lord Joaquin Guzman Loera, widely known as El Chapo, in Sinaloa, Mexico, as they attempted to flee authorities, prosecutors said. At the time of his arrest, Gastelum Avila was working closely with El Chapo as a lead sicario, or assassin, for the Sinaloa Cartel, court documents allege. The documents claim that between Aug. 2009 and Jan. 2016, Gastelum Avila served as a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel, headed by El Chapo and Ismael Zambada Garcia, also known as "El Mayo." Gastelum Avila worked as the "plaza boss" for the city of Guamuchil, where he supervised at least 200 armed men and was in charge of the drug-trafficking activities within the city and the surrounding area, prosecutors said. Since his arrest, Gastelum Avila had remained in Mexican custody until he was extradited to the U.S. on April 1. Ivan Gastelum aka Guzman was extradited to the U.S in Jan. 2017 and two years later was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of drug trafficking, money laundering and weapons charges. Gastelum Avila now faces up to life in prison for the drug conspiracy charge and a mandatory consecutive sentence of 30 years for the firearms offense, prosecutors said. Story continues The head of the Drug Enforcement Administration has credited the Sinaloa Cartel as one of two Mexican cartels behind the influx of fentanyl in the U.S. that's killing tens of thousands of Americans. "What we see happening at DEA is essentially that there are two cartels in Mexico, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, that are killing Americans with fentanyl at catastrophic and record rates like we have never seen before," DEA Administrator Anne Milgram told "CBS Mornings" in 2022. "Those cartels are acting with calculated, deliberate treachery to get fentanyl to the United States and to get people to buy it through fake pills, by hiding it in other drugs, any means that they can take in order to drive addiction and to make money," she added. Wall Street Journal reporter meets with attorneys for first time since arrest in Russia Suspect drives stolen box truck onto Houston airport tarmac during pursuit Cruise ship passenger dies in fall Three Marines stopped a knife attack at a Virginia Chick-fil-A, with one going so far as to snap the knife in half, according to the Stafford County Sheriffs Office. Identities of the three hero Marines have not been released, but investigators say its clear they prevented a stabbing. It happened about 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 1, at the Chick-fil-A on Dunn Drive in North Stafford, the sheriffs office said in an April 3 news release. Stafford is about 65 miles north of Richmond. Witnesses advised one male was approached by two others. The three got into a brief argument before a physical altercation ensued. As the two males assaulted the victim, one of the two males pulled out a knife, the sheriffs office said. Three nearby Marines quickly jumped into action and attempted to separate the parties. One of them broke the knife in half to prevent further harm, and the two suspects quickly fled. No one was stabbed, but the suspects got away with the victims cell phone, officials said. Deputies canvassed the area and found two males one 17 and the other 14 who fit descriptions of the suspects. One was found with the stolen phone, officials said. The 17-year-old was arrested and charged with assault and battery, robbery and attempted felony wounding, officials said. The 14-year-old was taken to a juvenile detention center and charged with assault and battery and robbery, officials said. Thank you to the hero Marines who stepped up in order to protect the victim. Without you, this altercation could have been a lot worse, the sheriffs office wrote. Two girls found drifting alone in boat after adults vanished in Florida lake, cops say McDonalds worker with knife robs customer in diners restroom, West Virginia cops say Video shows boaters being pulled from ocean after vessel stalls miles off Outer Banks Chick-fil-A brings back old favorite after a six-year hiatus. When can you get it? Chick-fil-A changes mind, decides to keep beloved menu item after customer outcry More than a year after a 72-year-old landlord was found shot to death, a second person has been charged with murder, according to police in Missouri. Officers with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department were called to a St. Louis street at about 11 a.m. March 8, 2022. When they arrived, they found Michael Kelly suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in a pickup truck, according to a news release. Police said Kelly, of St. Ann, was pronounced dead at the scene. One week later, authorities announced they arrested James Cody, 27, on charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the shooting. Now Codys girlfriend has been accused of helping kill their landlord, who had crashed into his real estate office after being shot, KSDK reported. Deseray Rabb, 27, was recently arrested on charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action, according to a news release from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Police said Rabb rented the Nissan sedan that was seen following Kellys truck before he was shot, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. In the video, Cody was seen approaching Kellys truck before the truck was struck by gunfire. Rabb told police she drove the rental car, KSDK reported, and Cody said he shot their landlord. The couple was involved in an ongoing dispute over unpaid rent prior to the fatal shooting, according to court records obtained by the Post-Dispatch. Codys trial is scheduled to begin April 17, KMOV reported. Man hired to do odd jobs runs over and kills 85-year-old boss, Arizona deputies say Man uses shotgun to kill girlfriend, Oklahoma cops say. Her body was found days later Husband kills man he suspected was in a relationship with his wife, Minnesota cops say Police outside Mr Murrell's home in Glasgow - Andrew Milligan/PA Wire/Andrew Milligan/PA Wire Nicola Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell, the former Scottish National Party (SNP) chief executive, has been arrested following an investigation into the party's finances. Detectives sealed off Mr Murrell's Glasgow home to search the property and have also visited the SNP's headquarters in Edinburgh. Police Scotland said a 58-year-old man is being held in custody in connection with an investigation into the funding and finances of the party. Eyewitnesses told The Telegraph that Ms Sturgeon was not at her property on the outskirts of Glasgow when police arrived on Wednesday morning. The former First Minister was seen leaving her home in a black coloured Volvo. Six officers are standing guard outside the home which has been taped off by officers and an evidence tent has been erected in a front garden. Nicola Sturgeon with Peter Murrell It comes as Police Scotland investigate the spending of about 600,000 which was earmarked for Scottish independence campaigning. A police spokesperson said: "The man is in custody and is being questioned by Police Scotland detectives. Officers are also carrying out searches at a number of addresses as part of the investigation." A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. The arrest comes after Ms Sturgeon's time as first minister formally came to an end last week, as she was succeeded by Humza Yousaf as SNP leader. Mr Yousaf said he was committed to ensuring the SNP is transparent following Mr Murrell's arrest. Humza Yousaf - 'we want to be transparent' Mr Yousaf said he has no role with party finances - Getty Images/Getty Images He said: "I won't comment on a live police investigation. "Of course, as party leader, I will know the financial state and health of the party. "As I've already made clear, one of the first things I did was talking to our party lawyers around about the current live police investigation. "I've never been an office bearer in the party, I've not had a role in the party finances." He added: "There's an opportunity with new leadership to make sure we're being transparent." Story continues Police enter SNP headquarters - Iain Masterton/Alamy Live News/Iain Masterton/Alamy Live News He said the party's national executive committee had agreed to a review of governance and transparency. Asked if the arrest would hurt the SNP in the polls or at a potential by-election, he said: "It certainly doesn't do us any good. "People will have questions, there will be come concerns. Our party membership will have concerns too. What I can commit to as party leader is that we want to be absolutely transparent." Mr Murrell, 58, who married Ms Sturgeon in 2010, stepped down as the SNP's chief executive during the recent leadership campaign. They married in 2010 in Glasgow, while Ms Sturgeon was deputy leader of the party and serving as the Scottish Government's health secretary. Mr Murrell and Ms Sturgeon married in 2010 - Danny Lawson/PA Wire/Danny Lawson/PA Wire During Mr Murrell's 20-year stint at the helm of the party, Ms Sturgeon - who is six years his junior - rose through the ranks after first being elected to the Scottish Parliament in 1999. She unsuccessfully stood for leader in 2004, before agreeing to a joint ticket with Mr Salmond, standing as his deputy. In a statement, the SNP said: "Clearly it would not be appropriate to comment on any live police investigation but the SNP have been co-operating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so. "At its meeting on Saturday, the governing body of the SNP, the NEC, agreed to a review of governance and transparency - that will be taken forward in the coming weeks." Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 4) Pensioners covered by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) will receive their payments on Wednesday, three days ahead of the regular schedule, according to the state pension fund. In a statement on Tuesday, the GSIS said its 562,000 members will receive their pensions early in observance of this year's Holy Week. "Our pensioners will receive their pension on April 5 instead of the usual e-crediting on the eighth of every month. We know that our retirees need their pension early as most commercial establishments will be closed during the holy week," GSIS President and General Manager Wick Veloso said. "Semana Santa is one of the most important religious occasions in our country and we want our pensioners to prepare for it without having to worry about their necessities," he added. Veloso also explained that the GSIS is aware of the need for the pensions to be released earlier, given that government offices, including the GSIS, will be closed from the afternoon of April 5 until April 10. Malacanang earlier declared April 10, Monday, a regular holiday in celebration of the Day of Valor, originally observed every April 9. Pension payments are made electronically by GSIS using the Unified Multi-Purpose ID (UMID) or temporary electronic card (eCard) that is provided by the Land Bank of the Philippines or the Union Bank of the Philippines. Pensioners may withdraw cash from automated teller (ATM) machines. The GSIS said its pensioners and members may still use its GSIS Touch Mobile app to check their records, apply for loans and claims, or schedule their Annual Pensioners Information Revalidation. Nintendo has been repairing Switch players' Joy-Con "drift" issues for free, even if they're no longer under warranty, in North America since 2019. Over the past years, it has launched the same program in France and Latin America. Now, the gaming giant has expanded its free unlimited repair service for drifting Joy-Cons to the European Economic Area (EEA), UK and Switzerland "until further notice." On its UK website (as first seen by Nintendo Life), the company said it's offering repairs in those areas "for responsiveness syndrome relating to control sticks." Further, it will fix the known problem for users even if it's "caused by wear and tear." Switch players in Europe are already pretty well-protected with a warranty that lasts for 24 months instead of merely 12. When the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) urged an investigation into the Joy-Con drift issue back in 2021, it said 88 percent of the 25,000 complaints it received were from people whose controllers showed symptoms of the problem within the first two years. That means the standard warranty in Europe would be able to cover most people's repairs. But now players can get Nintendo to fix their controllers for free, even after their warranty is over. While the BEUC called this development a "tangible win for consumers," it also believes it's a "short-term fix." In the end, Nintendo will still be allowed to sell a product with a known defect that leads to early failure, the group said, and that's something it hopes would be banned in Europe. The Joy-Con drift, characterized by the Switch detecting movement even though the player isn't touching the controllers' analog sticks, has been a consistent source of frustration for gamers for a long time now. Nintendo has had to face lawsuits accusing it of selling Joy-Con while knowing that they're "defective." And while company president Shuntaro Furukawa acknowledged the problem and apologized for it back in 2020, it remains an issue that plagues fans to this day. Book objections: Learn full context before acting rashly Recently, I watched an interview with a father opposed to the teaching of Mark Twains novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He objected to this American classic because it contains characters, including Huck, who use the culturally offensive N word. What surprised me most wasnt the fathers objection, but the fact hed never read the novel, a staple of American literature since the 1880s. This fathers uninformed reaction exemplifies how ignorance about an issue leads to counterproductive behavior that has a negative impact on educational quality. The father, who knew nothing about the story or its purpose to the curriculum, decided that Huck Finn is inappropriate because of a single, offensive word. What this individual didnt know or take the time to learn is that Twain wasnt a racist. However, in order to create an atmosphere of verisimilitude that is, an appearance of real life he gave racist characters a realistic vocabulary accurate for that period. Huck, a product of a segregated culture and son of an abusive drunk, inherited the biases and language of the antebellum South. Nevertheless, he befriended an escaped slave, offering to help him locate his family while dodging bounty hunters and other predatory adults as they traveled down the Mississippi River on a raft. Because the father mentioned above had not read the text, he couldnt begin to comprehend its value and importance to students learning about the dark undercurrents of Americas racist history. Therefore, he joined a raucous group of equally naive parents screaming for the books removal from the schools curriculum. They didnt care about the books relevancy to the course. Ignorance leads to fear, and fear produces paranoid reactions that undermine intellectual and emotional growth. Socrates advises: Know thyself." This includes taking care to use discernment before acting rashly. Story continues Cray Little, Vero Beach Residents concerned about the 80 books that were removed last month from district school media centers attend the Martin County School Board meeting, Tuesday, March 21, 2023, at 500 SE Ocean Blvd in Stuart. Pulitzer Prize winner Toni Morrison and best-selling young-adult novelist Jodi Picoult are some of the writers whose works were removed from the Martin County School District's middle and high schools. Book banning, burning not occurring In the K-12 public school community, it is illegal to have books containing pictures or descriptions of graphic rape, incest, pedophilia, bestiality, oral sex, anal sex or any other pornography in the hands of unaccompanied minor students. Unfortunately, some media center specialists and teachers with classroom libraries have not vetted books, or worse, they make every excuse to rationalize having them because they want this material to influence children. It is why, to protect children, laws and rules have been developed over the past few years. These books only belong in the adult section of the public library and available for purchase at stores.Banning is not being able to have access to something. Book burning is absolutely not happening by parents, grandparents and community members in Florida or across the country.The part of the Florida obscenity statute, 847.012, where material harmful to minors is defined, has been law for many more years then the current legislation. However, in many instances, it wasnt being followed in our schools. Now that these books have been discovered in the schools, and, are knowingly available to children, they are being challenged to be permanently removed from school libraries and classrooms because they violate state statutes and Florida education standards. As it always has been, it is our job as adults to protect children and follow the law.True history is not being removed. Its the pornographic content that is being challenged! Misinformation is rampant. If you cannot read passages from these books in a public meeting, publish excerpts in the news, or read them on the radio, then they do not belong in the hands of minor children. Jennifer Pippin, Sebastian, chairs Moms for Liberty in Indian River County. Satire: Why not thank DeSantis for efforts to root out wokeness? The recent criticism of Gov. Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump and the DeSantis de-WOKEing policies in the Free State of Florida have been completely misunderstood and completely misrepresented by the media. Take, for example, the corporate guidance DeSantis provided the Walt Disney Co. Without DeSantis help, Disney would have surely gone down the rabbit hole of its own woke corporate culture by continuing to listen to its own misguided employees' extreme woke points of view. DeSantis saved Disney from becoming a woke hellhole. Does he get a thank you, a "great job, Gov.," or a "keep up the good work"? He does not. Instead, he gets painful references about his fascist tendencies. Stemming the woke tide in the Free State of Florida is a full-time job. Woke violations are rising across the state at an alarming rate. Every day, new woke voices are heard from and need to be put down. To meet this ever-expanding tide of wokeness, DeSantis has assembled a task force of retired third-grade school teachers to ensure compliance. The operation code name: WOKE-B-GONE is primarily an enforcement tool used to get citizens of the Free State of Florida thinking the right way and, providing the citizens of the Free State of Florida comply, violence will not be necessary. Recently, I hear DeSantis declared this about the Free State of Florida: In the Free State of Florida, the past is the present and the future. Hard to disagree with that. Chris Christensen, Palm City Parishioners participate in a community vigil at Belmont United Methodist Church in the aftermath of the school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee. Time to unite to stop mass school shootings Grandparents, students and parents (who have time) lets unite! Lets pursue reasonable gun legislation! Who believes anyone should have a gun designed solely to destroy life not for food, not for sport but to maim and destroy? And why would anyone use an assault rifle to kill for food? Its beginning to feel like were becoming the world of Mad Max. And why do legislators feel just about anyone should have a gun? Is it just to get the gun lobbys campaign contributions for election/re-election? Students, like the Parkland students, had the energy to go for it, but apparently lacked the numbers needed to convince our state government. Lets write letters and protest: Why not all students high school, college? Why not grandparents? Why not parents of young children? Why not first-responders? And why not people who simply care? Grandparents can write letters to legislators and governors. Students and parents can do not only that, but they can also march and make their voices heard (so can physically active grandparents). Vote! Why do we keep voting for politicians whose response is Second Amendment when asked about gun legislation? The Second Amendment is often quoted as an excuse, but how often is it read? (Article II: 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.) Does this mean all people who own guns are considered a part of a well-regulated militia? Wouldnt "well-regulated" imply some kind of legislation? How many more tears will we shed when we learn of yet another mass shooting of young children? Havent we had enough? Anne Brakman, Vero Beach Public, school safety: Florida Legislature an embarrassment How can our legislators look in the mirror today and claim to protect children? Blindly following the anti-woke agenda, they reduce what children learn in school, exclude marginal groups and sic angry parents on teachers if they object to a movie about Ruby Bridges, a history lesson about Rosa Parks or a Renaissance statue of David. But they continue to ignore and indeed compound the greatest threat to children: guns. More children die from guns here than from other causes. One mother on the radio the other day said she takes a picture of her children every day when they leave for school. Think on that. Through permit-less carry, allowing untrained individuals and those who can evade federal background checks to evade checks in Florida to buy a gun is madness. Devotion to the gun violence ideology of the National Rifle Association and the right-wing gun groups is sickening. The Second Amendment is not the capstone of the U.S. Constitution. But under gun lobby indoctrination, money and the fear-inducing rhetoric of those promoting gun rights above all else (including common sense), it seems as if we all need to live in fear of being shot while going about our daily business. Legislators don't, because they dont allow guns where they work. They even have the nerve to insult the dead children at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas by proposing to drop the age back to 18 to purchase assault rifles. Shame on them; that law was fought for with the blood of children. Their answer allow 8 of 12 jurors to issue a death sentence is a joke. They should do something to prevent the coldblooded murders in the first place. At some point, it becomes too obvious to ignore: Guns need to be restricted. Mary-Win OBrien, Stuart FDIC's extra-generous bank bailouts to cost us all I don't know about the rest of you, but I am infuriated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. plan to bail out the depositors of two recently failed banks with more money than their insurance covers ($250,000) at a cost of $20 billion. Here's what your newspaper article said about what it called the largest "impact in FDIC history": "(The FDIC) plans to recoup those funds ($20 billion) through a levy on banks that will likely be passed on to consumers. "Late Sunday, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said that resolving the two banks, including reimbursing depositors, would cost its insurance fund $20 billion, the largest such impact in its history. It plans to recoup those funds through a levy on banks that will likely be passed on to consumers." When was the last time anyone had their insurance company pay more money than they had for coverage? And if this is not insulting enough, the costs for this bailout will eventually be borne by bank depositors: That's you and me! Are you outraged yet? Donna J. Clasen, Palm City Children's Home Society's contributions not well understood While many of us love the Childrens Home Society of Florida for its longtime work in foster care and adoption, few understand the true impact of the organization and how it has affected us all. After opening its doors in 1902, Childrens Home Society of Florida played a key role in drafting national child labor and compulsory education laws the very laws that allow our own children the right to go to school. Even a century ago, the organizations leaders understood the importance of blending single-child focus with large-scale, societal change that comes through collaboration, commitment and innovation. Its exactly what were seeing at Dodgertown Elementary, our regions only Community Partnership School. Through a long-term partnership among Childrens Home Society of Florida, Indian River State College, the School District of Indian River County and Treasure Coast Community Health, students attending this school in the heart of Gifford benefit from comprehensive services and support to help address challenges that could interfere with their ability to focus in the classroom. Because of this collaboration, students and families at Dodgertown Elementary have onsite access to health, dental and vision care; counseling; food pantries and clothing closets; and dozens of after-school and leadership opportunities. What must not be lost is the secret to success: community support. We wouldnt have this transformational initiative in our area if werent for the investment of 100 Women Strong, our Florida Legislature including the fierce advocacy of Rep. Dana Trabulsy and the dedication of countless entities, groups and individuals who believe in the potential of our kids. Please join me in asking our Legislature to invest in our children through an $11 million allocation to sustain and expand Community Partnership Schools. To learn more, visit chsfl.org/advocate. Crystal Morris, Port St. Lucie, is co-chair for Childrens Home Society of Floridas board of directors serving the Treasure Coast. Good health care news for a change I had an excellent experience at Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital's Scully Endoscopy Center. The entire staff, from the receptionist to the nurses and doctors were exceptionally friendly and extremely competent, and the facility was first class. We moved to Vero Beach a year ago for the fabulous winter weather. Several of our neighbors warned us about how bad the Indian River hospital had become. Well, after today, I have nothing but praise for the superior care that I received there. It's nice to be able to write a positive letter, rather than complaining. Richard Sheehan, Vero Beach This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: No book banning, burning; schools attacked; DeSantis, woke; FDIC wrong COSHOCTON Officials are still getting their ducks in the row regarding programming to be funded from the OneOhio settlement related to the opioid crisis. The first payment of more than $8.6 million to local governments was made last summer with entities to receive more money over the next 18 years. While Ohio Attorney General in 2017, Gov. Mike DeWine made Ohio one of the first in the nation to sue drug makers and distributors for their role in flooding the market with massive amounts of highly-addictive opioids. Coshocton is part of Region 12 for funding distribution and programming. It also contains Muskingum, Guernsey, Perry, Morgan, Noble, Monroe and Washington counties. Mayor Don Mason of Zanesville is the Region 12 representative to the state level. Leondra Davis, family dependency treatment court coordinator for Coshocton Juvenile Court, is the public sector representative for Coshocton County to Region 12 and recently gave a meeting report to Coshocton County Commissioners. The county is represented by Commissioner Dane Shryock and the City of Coshocton is represented by Safety Service Director Max Crown. Davis has volunteered for a new grant subcommittee that will establish what requests for proposals need to contain, how scoring of requests will be be done and determining who is eligible to apply for funding for projects. The committee features the five member executive board and four other Region 12 members. "We're starting from the ground up, so we're really building what this is going to look like," Davis said. "What was briefly discussed was how can we best allocate these monies in our region and how we can partner with those close to us so everyone gets a little piece." Davis knows there are many programs and entities out there now dealing with drug and alcohol issues. The idea is to find out how they can help those entities or fill in the gaps to do what the money was earmarked for battle addiction in Ohio. She knows no matter what will be decided there will be backend problems, like having enough proper personnel. Story continues "We want to solve the problem," Davis said. "We really need to look at who we are putting on those front lines to really address those issues and how they're treating the people with these issues. As a region, once we understand better how we want this money to flow to the public, things like that will be much easier to figure out." Davis said she's been informed that the OneOhio Foundation, the state level organization, has filed for 501c3 non-profit status. A chief financial officer has been hired and other employees should be interviewed for hiring in May. Mason said, per Davis, the main element slowing down disbursements is a meticulous attention to details regarding proper flow and checks and balances. "Once money gets disbursed, we know exactly who it's going to, whose hands are touching it and how things will be decided," Davis said over the oversight. "It will be a long process where we'll see money come through to our region." The next Region 12 meeting will be May 12 in Guernsey County. Davis said everyone has been encouraged to appoint alternates by sector and county to attend meetings if the primary representative isn't available. Leonard Hayhurst is a community content coordinator and general news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune with more than 15 years of local journalism experience and multiple awards from the Ohio Associated Press. He can be reached at 740-295-3417 or llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com. Follow him on Twitter at @llhayhurst. This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: No decision on how settlement funds will be distributed There is no doubt that The Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has been wrongfully detained by Russian authorities, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday. Blinken said he told Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov over the weekend that the U.S. was gravely concerned about the detention and called for Gershkovich's immediate release. In my own mind, theres no doubt that hes being wrongfully detained by Russia, which is exactly what I said to Foreign Minister Lavrov, Blinken said at a news conference in Brussels, the Belgian capital, where he was attending a meeting of NATO foreign ministers. There is no higher priority than the safety and security of American citizens around the world, and that includes those who may be wrongfully detained, held hostage, otherwise kept from coming home, being with our families, he added. Gershkovich, who has been held in Russia on espionage charges since last week, met with lawyers for the first time Tuesday, the Journal reported. The newspaper added that the U.S. government was preparing to officially declare Gershkovich, 31, as wrongfully detained. The designation would initiate U.S. government agencies to work collaboratively inside and outside the government to develop a strategy to secure individuals release, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a news briefing Tuesday. This is a case that is a priority for this president, Jean-Pierre said. She added that the State Department had been attempting to secure consular access to Gershkovich since they were informed of his arrest. Evan is not a spy, Jean-Pierre added. Evan has never worked for the U.S. government. And he is an independent journalist employed by The Wall Street Journal. Russias domestic intelligence service, the FSB, said Thursday that Gershkovich was arrested on suspicion of espionage in the interests of the American government. A Moscow court ordered his pre-trial detention until at least May 29. Story continues Gershkovich denied the charges and has filed an appeal against his arrest, Russias state news agency Tass reported. The Journal has also vehemently denied the charges. Image: Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre Briefs The White House Media (Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images) We are encouraged that Evans lawyers ... were able to meet with him in prison today, the Journals editor-in-chief, Emma Tucker, wrote Tuesday in an email to the newsroom. Evans health is good, and he is grateful for the outpouring of support from around the world. We continue to call for his immediate release. Tucker added that Gershkovichs family is relieved to know we finally have contact with Evan. The legal avenue is one of several avenues we are working to advocate for Evans release. We continue to work with the White House, State Department and relevant U.S. government officials to secure Evans release, Tucker said. Washington and Moscow conducted a high-profile prisoner exchange in December in which WNBA star Brittney Griner returned home to the U.S., but the Kremlin has suggested that any talks on Gershkovich will have to wait for criminal proceedings to play out. Expressing concern for Gershkovich over the weekend, Griner herself urged the Biden administration to use every tool possible to secure the release of the American journalist. Russias ambassador to the U.S., Anatoly Antonov, was summoned to the State Department on Thursday to discuss Gershkovich's detention, a spokesperson confirmed to NBC News. Antonov met with Under Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, the spokesperson said, declining to provide further details about the private diplomatic discussion. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged his Russian counterpart, in a rare phone since the Ukraine war, to immediately release Gershkovich, who was detained last week, as well as another imprisoned American, Paul Whelan, the State Department said Sunday, April 2. (Alexander Zemlianichenko / AP) Independent Russian journalists published an open letter Tuesday in solidarity with Gershkovich, labeling the case against him preposterous and unjust and demanding his release. The letter was published on the Russian-language independent news outlet Meduza, which was made illegal in Russia in January but has continued to work outside the country. Evan Gershkovichs reputation as a reporter is stellar, and his work has always met the highest journalistic standards, the letter said. The FSBs reputation, on the contrary, has been destroyed over the years by its own agents. There is no reason for society to trust these 'professionals,' it added. The letter added that Gershkovichs case was similar to that of a Russian former investigative journalist, Ivan Safronov, who was arrested and charged with treason in 2020 without any evidence presented publicly. Safronov was sentenced to 22 years in September, according to the publication. We, independent Russian journalists and representatives of civil society, support our foreign colleagues who take upon themselves the great risks of working in Russia," the letter said. "We demand that our colleague Evan Gershkovich be set free immediately. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that he has no doubt Russia has wrongfully detained a Wall Street Journal reporter arrested last week on espionage charges. Blinken said the legal process to formally determine Evan Gershkovich's detention would be completed soon, elevating his case with the Biden administration. "Ill let that process play out," Blinken said at NATO headquarters in Brussels. In my mind, there is no doubt that he is being wrongfully detained by Russia." On Sunday, Blinken had a rare phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and urged Moscow to immediately release Gershkovich and fellow American Paul Whelan, who has been held since 2018. Whelan was sentenced to 16 years in prison; Gershkovich is being held pending trial. Russian lawyers for Gershkovich, the son of Soviet immigrants, have appealed his arrest, and the Journal has adamantly denied Moscow's spy claims. US CONDEMNS DETENTION: Wall Street Journal held in Russia; Finland receives Turkey endorsement to join NATO: Updates Developments: White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby confirmed that Russian ambassador Anatoly Antonov was summoned to the State Department on Thursday, the day Gershkovich was arrested. A 13-year-old Russian girl sent to an orphanage after drawing an antiwar sketch at school has left the facility and rejoined her estranged mother, the Kremlin said. Maria Moskalyova was taken away from her father, who was convicted of discrediting the Russian military and sentenced to two years in prison. The parents had long been separated. 94% of Ukrainians hold negative views of the Russian Federation, according to a sociological survey by the Ukrainian Razumkov Center. Even among Ukrainians who communicate primarily in Russian, 88% had negative views of Ukraine's neighbor. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, right, welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they meet in Warsaw on April 5, 2023. Kyiv may be willing to negotiate over Crimea, Ukrainian official says Ukraine may be willing to negotiate the fate of Russian-occupied Crimea if its forces are victorious in the spring counteroffensive that's expected in the coming weeks, a high-ranking Ukrainian official said, according to the Financial Times. Story continues If we will succeed in achieving our strategic goals on the battlefield and when we will be on the administrative border with Crimea, we are ready to open [a] diplomatic page to discuss this issue, Andriy Sybiha, deputy head of President Volodymyr Zelenskyys office, told the British newspaper. Zelenskyy has maintained his country will recapture Crimea, a peninsula illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014, as part of his promise to liberate all occupied Ukrainian territory. Sybiha did not discount doing so by military means, but his remarks provide a rare sign Kyiv may be open to negotiation, which Zelenskyy has hinted at regarding Crimea. However, after the Kremlin claimed annexing four Ukrainian provinces in September, Zelenskyy signed a decree declaring it was "impossible'' to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin. China downplays ties to Russia as Macron makes pitch to Xi French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping as a Chinese diplomat downplayed the growing ties between his country and Russia. Macron said he wants to engage China toward a shared responsibility for peace and stability in Ukraine and elsewhere. Topics of discussion could include condemnation of nuclear arms, support for the protection of civilian infrastructure and rejection of the abduction of children. Macron spoke with President Joe Biden ahead of the trip about their "common desire to engage China to accelerate the end of the war," the French government said. Kirby said that given the Chinese relationship with Russia, "We'd like to see them put more pressure on Mr. Putin to end this war. And if they really do believe in a peace, a sustainable peace, then they can do that." Meanwhile, Chinas ambassador to the European Union dismissed Russia and Chinas much-discussed declaration of a no limits friendship. Fu Cong told The New York Times that China was not on Russias side in the war, had not provided military assistance to Russia and had not recognized its annexation of Crimea, the Donbas and other Ukrainian land. "'No limit is nothing but rhetoric," he told The Times. Putin accuses West of aiding Ukrainian sabotage Western intelligence agencies have provided support for Ukraine's acts of sabotage, Putin told members of his Security Council on Wednesday, urging his officials to confront them harshly and effectively.'' Putin focused on shelling and terror attacks on the four Ukrainian provinces the Kremlin illegally annexed in September, where several Moscow-appointed officials have been killed and wounded in bombings and other surprise attacks. There are reasons to believe that the capabilities of third countries, Western special services, have been involved in preparation of acts of sabotage and terror attacks, Putin said, without providing evidence. Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. has provided Ukrainian forces information since the early days of the war to help them defend their country and regain territory taken during the Russian invasion. He declined to give details but added: "We do not enable nor do we encourage the Ukrainians to strike outside of Ukraine." Zelenskyy gets deals, award on trip to Poland, but concedes danger in Bakhmut Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a productive state visit to Poland on Wednesday, getting new pledges of military and economic cooperation and even an award. Zelenskyy said his country would extend a hearty welcome to Polish companies seeking to contribute to Ukraine's postwar reconstruction, and he signed agreements for infrastructure development that would provide opportunities for Polish businesses. His Polish counterpart, President Andrzej Duda, said Warsaw is working on delivering 10 Soviet-designed MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, in addition to the four it has already handed over. Duda also presented Zelenskyy with Poland's highest state award, the Order of the White Eagle. But during a joint news conference with Duda, Zelenskyy also conceded the possibility of pulling his troops out of the eastern city of Bakhmut, the site of fierce fighting over eight months as Russian forces attempt to close off all access roads. "If there is a moment of even hotter events and the danger that we may lose personnel due to the encirclement, there will certainly be corresponding correct decisions of the general on the ground, he said. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine Russia war live updates: Blinken defends WSJ reporter Justice Juan Merchan has been an acting New York State Supreme Court justice since 2009 and is no stranger to complex or high-profile cases The judge overseeing the first-ever criminal case against a former US president is described by colleagues as stern, smart and even-tempered. Justice Juan Merchan, 60, also began his career in the very office bringing the charges against Donald Trump: the Manhattan District Attorney. Born in Colombia, Justice Merchan has been an acting New York State Supreme Court justice since 2009 and is no stranger to complex or high-profile cases. He is also well-versed in Mr Trumps legal woes and those of his former campaign and White House adviser Steve Bannon. It was Justice Merchan who presided over a prosecution last year of Mr Trumps company on tax fraud charges, which led to a conviction and $1.61 million penalty. Justice Merchan also sentenced one of the Trump Organizations longtime executives, Allen Weisselberg, to five months in jail after he pleaded guilty in the case. A detail of a copy of an order by Justice Juan Merchan - Mary Altaffer/AP Mr Trump himself was not charged in that case, but the ex-president has used it to claim the judge hates him. The former president claimed on his Truth Social platform that the judge had treated my companies viciously in the previous case. Lawyers who have appeared before the Supreme Court justice describe him as stern but compassionate. Hes a serious jurist, smart and even tempered, Ron Kuby, a longtime defence lawyer in Manhattan, told NBC News. Hes not one of those judges who yells at lawyers, and is characterised as a no-nonsense judge. But hes always in control of the courtroom. Justice Merchan came to the US from Colombia aged six, growing up in modest circumstances in New York Citys borough of Queens. The first in his family to go to college, he reportedly began working at the age of nine, carrying shopping bags for tips, and carried on working side jobs alongside his studies to fund his education. His first job after law school came in 1994, working as an assistant district attorney in Manhattan. He then did stints in New Yorks Court of Claims, which hears cases against the state and its agencies, and the family court in the Bronx. Justice Merchan will preside over Mr Trumps arraignment on Tuesday and likely oversee any subsequent trial. He is also presiding over a criminal case involving Mr Bannon, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering, conspiracy and fraud related to a non-profit that raised funds for building a US-Mexico border wall. A narrative shared across blogs and social media alleges that White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was involved in a drunk-driving accident that has since been covered up. This is unproven ; police in Washington confirmed they have received no report of any such incident, pictures used to illustrate the online claim are entirely unrelated, and the White House told AFP the story is false. White House silent following drunk driving accident, says the headline on an April 3, 2023 article from Canyon News, a blog site that appears to focus on the US state of California. The article claims that on March 26, US President Joe Bidens press secretary rear-ended another vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. It further claims that Jean-Pierre was seen slurring her speech and having difficulty standing up straight, but that the police in Washington did not arrest her or release body-camera footage. Screenshot from canyon-news.com taken April 4, 2023 Similar allegations spread in posts on other websites and platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. On TikTok, several videos racked up tens or hundreds of thousands of views. The posts spread as US media attention homed in on the indictment and April 4 arraignment of former president Donald Trump, with many posts arguing that Jean-Pierre was skirting the law. "Apparently the term 'Nobody's Above the Law' doesn't apply to the Biden White House Press Secretary," one April 3 tweet says. But the story is fiction, the White House said. Its fabricated, White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in an April 4 email to AFP. Alaina Gertz, a public affairs specialist for the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, added in an email: MPD does not have any reports for this occurring. AFP found no news coverage corroborating the claims of the alleged crash involving Jean-Pierre. The Canyon News article credited the story to a March 27 Facebook post from a user who in turn cited an anonymous Twitter account called iSource News." The account posted a thread purporting to break the news of the wreck on March 26 -- the earliest iteration of the claim AFP found. Story continues "KARINE JEAN-PIERRE INVOLVED IN REAR-ENDER," the account wrote in the first of seven tweets. Screenshot from Twitter taken April 4, 2023 The account cited unnamed sources and offered no evidence to back the claims. A photo used in the thread was unrelated, a reverse image search revealed. The picture, which shows a police cruiser, was taken from body-camera footage of a September 2022 accident in which a freight train in the state of Colorado crashed into a police vehicle parked on its tracks, injuring a woman handcuffed inside. The same image appeared in several news reports from the time. Another photo shared in separate posts, which was described by the Canyon News as a shot of DC police at the scene of (the) drunk driving accident, was taken from footage of the January killing by police in Tennessee of Tyre Nichols. AFP debunked other misinformation about Jean-Pierre here. The scammers who claim they are with the Washington County Sheriff's Office are back. This time they are claiming they are a Lt. Brad Johnson and telling folks they must pay $1,000 because they missed jury duty, according to a Facebook post by the real sheriff's office. More Maryland news: Peace Corps ties inspire Maryland native tapped by Wes Moore as first secretary of service Sgt. Carly Hose says the sheriff's office would never call anyone and tell them they have to pay money because they missed jury duty or because there's a warrant for them. Warrants and jury duty go through the court system. And there is no Brad Johnson at the sheriff's office, said Hose, spokesperson for the office. The sheriff's office deals with these scams periodically, whether it's a caller making up an officer's name or using the name of a real officer they found on the sheriff's office website, Hose said. The bottom line is to be wary of any unsolicited calls from someone claiming to be with law enforcement, saying they are collecting money, Hose said. "That's going to be a huge red flag," she said. State prison near Hagerstown: Two of five Maryland prison inmates plead to assaulting correctional officers Sometimes scammers spoof the sheriff's office phone number so the caller ID shows the sheriff's number, Hose said. If people doubt the validity of a caller asking for money, hang up and call the legitimate number for that law enforcement agency or business to check, she said. For the sheriff's office, that is 240-313-2170. That's also the number to call if people have become the victim of a scam claiming to involve the sheriff's office, Hose said. As of Wednesday morning, Hose said she was unaware of anyone being victimized by the current scam involving the faux lieutenant. The sheriff's office had been contacted by residents receiving these scam calls. "This is so frustrating. What's really irritating about this is the scammers are preying upon that shock value with people," making them concerned they have a warrant and could go to jail, she said. Story continues These scams affect people of all demographics, Hose said. Scammer warning signs to watch out for, according to Hose, include: Unsolicited callers asking for money. Law enforcement does not call, email or text people asking for money if they missed jury duty or have a warrant Callers asking for payment via gift cards Spoofed numbers. When in doubt, hang up and call the legitimate number. This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Latest scam claims callers must pay because they missed jury duty What the American nation experienced this week was not so much the indictment of a former president of the United States, but the deconstruction of a nation. In the past, Donald Trump has been a larger-than-life personality with a reputation as being a high-risk businessman with as much failure as success. He made himself a media personality with his books, cameo film appearances and his own television show. Yet his single term as president of the United States was filled with serious setbacks in international diplomacy, environmental protection, legal and economic issues, among others, and he was defeated by a large popular vote margin in 2020. The former president has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records. What makes this case of note is that at the heart of it is money specifically money from a company whose CEO was allegedly using its assets for purposes other than business hush money payments to two women whose allegations would have been detrimental to his bid to be Americas chief executive. Thus, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is prosecuting the former president for serious business fraud and misappropriation of company funds. Now some historical perspective. First, contrary to many news media reports, Trump is not the first American chief executive to be indicted. On March 1, 1974, Special Prosecutor Leon Jaworski received a report from prosecutors to Congress that a federal grand jury had returned an indictment of then-President Richard Nixon for his involvement in the Watergate scandal. However, it was circumvented when Jaworski declined to pursue it and President Gerald Ford provided Nixon with a blanket pardon. Also, actions by candidates to thwart potential scandal prior to a presidential election are not unique. Weeks before Election Day 1988, GOP presidential nominee George H. W. Bush was confronted with the failure of Silverado Savings and Loan, a financial institution whose chief financial officer was his son, Neil Mallon Bush. The then-vice president made phone calls to Treasury Department officials and banking regulators to stall the banks closure for 45 days, until after the election. Story continues Candidates attempting to tamp down potential sex scandals before a presidential election are not unique, either. Multiple past U.S. presidents have had extramarital affairs: James Garfield, Franklin Roosevelt, John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and Bill Clinton, to name but a few. However, none match the mess created in 1920 by the longtime tryst between Warren Harding and Carrie Phillips, the latter of whom successfully blackmailed the Republican Party. So what makes the case of Trump different? It goes to the heart of government in several ways: The first is the framers charge to the American people not only to hold their public servants accountable for their actions, but also to use their intellect rather than their emotions in choosing leaders. The second is that a nefarious man who has used his own business funds for personal reasons is likely to do the same if elevated to public office. The third is the nature of political parties in this specific case, a party that would elect a known white-collar criminal to high office rather than lose an election. The fourth pertains to the quality of leadership expected not only of the person elected to office, but of those who have helped elect that person. That Trump remains a powerful political figure is proof positive that Americans live in an era when political party affiliation is of greater importance than the rule of law or quality of governance. Keeping a bad government that bears our partys label in power is more acceptable than holding its leaders accountable for their unconstitutional actions and removing them. It has often been said that a country gets the leaders it deserves. Therefore, if we truly believe we deserve better, then it is we the people who must make the concerted effort to elect better officials and then hold them accountable to their promises. And so, I applaud DA Bragg for doing the latter. Michael J C Taylor is an author and historian with a double Bachelor of Arts in history and political science from Rockhurst College and an interdisciplinary doctorate in history and political science from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He lives in Overland Park. Louis Gaskin The former wife of a man whom "ninja killer" Louis Gaskin tried to kill three decades ago is opposed to Gaskin's execution next week for killing a Palm Coast couple and also hopes the planned execution will not in any way help Gov. Ron DeSantis' presidential ambitions. Noreen Rector is the ex-wife of Joe Rector, whom Gaskin shot on Dec. 20, 1989. Earlier that night, Gaskin shot and killed Robert and Georgette Sturmfels, who, like the Rectors, lived in Palm Coast's R Section. "I would be satisfied if Louis remained in prison, without the possibility of release. I dont believe the death penalty serves any purpose," she said in a statement provided to the News-Journal Wednesday. "What will really bother me is if this might, in some way, advance FL Gov. DeSantis in his presidential quest. I find him and his views highly offensive and divisive." Ex-husband Joe Rector could not be reached for this story but told an Orlando television station that he supports the execution. "I think he should die for what he did, he told WESH last month. DeSantis last month signed a death warrant for Gaskin, who is scheduled to be executed April 12. Gaskin would be the second Florida inmate executed this year. Since signing Gaskin's death warrant, DeSantis has signed a warrant for the execution of a third death row inmate. The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday rejected legal arguments from Gaskin's attorneys to halt the execution. What happened that night?: With his execution looming, Louis Gaskin describes attack on second Palm Coast couple Noreen Rector's statement makes clear the trauma caused by the attack. "It took me a long time to come to grips with what happened that night. Im sure I had PTSD from fear, the terror of the phone lines being cut, the gunshot through the window, having to run outside and drive to the hospital while shots were being fired at us, sharing what we thought would be our last words, just trying to figure out what the hell had just happened to us," she wrote. Story continues "But to me, what came next was equally traumatic. We were treated terribly by the Flagler County Sheriff's Department. I dont want to go deeply into it here, but instead of being treated as victims, until Louis Gaskin was caught 10 days later, we were treated as suspects. Imagine, how frightening it was to not know who attacked us, and having the agency responsible for the investigation and our protection treating us like the suspect. Just to be clear, it was the Bunnell Police Department that broke the case," she continued. When asked to elaborate about the sheriff's office, she said she did not want to go into details, but wrote: "Basically, because we had three motorcycles in the garage and my husband had long hair, their thoughts were it was some sort of drug deal gone bad." Noreen Rector "After the trial, conviction and sentence, time and therapy helped heal my wounds. My husband was not as lucky. He developed Hepatitis C years later, from blood he received because of his injuries. The therapy for this illness was months of intensive chemo-like treatments." Noreen Rector's statement continued: "So here I am, 33 years later being asked by the Governors office if I want to witness the execution (really?). And by reporters how I feel about the death warrant being signed. Consequently, I have had to reflect, relive, remember all that has happened since that night. His signing this death warrant is not doing me any favor, it has only stirred up painful memories and has victimized me again. In my mind, if Gov. DeSantis was serious about law and order, he would be supporting gun control, not attacking the LGBT communities, banning books and rewriting history to make him and his followers feel good. He should be focused on climate change and protecting FL resources. Good luck my Florida friends, and RIP Louis." The News-Journal has requested a response from DeSantis' office. Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly was not involved in the case and no one who worked at the sheriff's office at that time is still employed by the agency. The main investigator has retired. Robert McCarthy, the sheriff at the time, died in 2006. Staly provided the following statement to The News-Journal: While I was not sheriff when this horrendous crime occurred over 20 years ago, what I can say is today the Flagler County Sheriffs Office is a very different, modern and professional sheriffs office and we put victims first and support them with our victim advocates while our detectives work the cases with compassion and determination to solve the case." This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Louis Gaskin victim speaks out against DeSantis and the death penalty Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 4) The latest Ulat ng Bayan survey by Pulse Asia said about 45% of Filipinos see no need to change the Constitution now, with some saying it should not be changed at all. "While 45% of Filipino adults are against proposals to amend the 1987 Philippine Constitution now, 41% have a contrary opinion on the matter. In particular, 31% of Filipino adults do not see the need for charter change now nor at any other time in the future while 14% are against charter change now but are open to it sometime in the future. The rest of the countrys adult population (14%) is ambivalent on the matter," the survey said. There was a decrease from those who answered no in the latest poll from a similar survey done in September 2022, where 56% of respondents said no amendments should be done. In September, 31% said changes should be made, while only 13% said they didn't know. The March 2023 nationwide survey on charter change was released Tuesday. The survey was conducted from March 15 to 19 with 1,200 adults as respondents. The pollster also asked respondents if they were aware there were proposals to change the Constitution, and 47% said they knew about it even before the survey. Respondents from the National Capital Region had the highest number of affirmative answers, followed by Mindanao, balance Luzon (areas in Luzon excluding NCR), and Visayas. Meanwhile, 53% said they only became aware of the proposals during the survey. Majority of those polled (79%) said they knew little or had no knowledge of the Constitution. RELATED: House leader: Charter change to cost 9.5 billion Most of those polled also felt strongly against seven proposed amendments: - lifting the prohibition on foreign ownership of communications companies (53%) - lifting the prohibition on foreign ownership of utilities like electricity (55%) - extending the terms of office of national and local elective officials (56%) - allowing foreign individuals and companies equal ownership in mass media and advertising (57%) - removing limits on shares of stocks in Philippine corporations that may be owned by foreign individuals and companies (67%) - allowing foreign individuals and companies to own residential and industrial lands (72%) - allowing foreign individuals and companies to utilize Philippine national resources (76%) At least 11 bills and resolutions relating to charter change were filed in the 19th Congress. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has said that changes to the Constitution were not among his priorities. Both houses of Congress have begun committee hearings on constitutional amendment proposals. Senator Robin Padilla, who chairs the committee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes and the proponent of charter change in the Senate, said he would not ask the president for help in pushing for amending the Constitution. North Carolina state Rep. Tricia Cotham announced Wednesday morning that she is changing political parties just three months after taking office giving Republicans a precious veto-proof majority it can use to thwart Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. That could have massive ramifications in a state where the legislature and governor frequently clash particularly on the issue of abortion. Once a pro-choice Democrat, Cotham said she is now open to restricting abortion care in her home state. This has been something I have considered for a very long time. I have seen the Democratic Party change tremendously. When I came here and when I campaigned to be here, I really believed I could make change in the Democratic Party, Cotham, who was first appointed to fill a vacant seat in 2008, said during a Wednesday press conference with Republican leaders in Raleigh. I realized on day one I was not welcomed and that they did not want me here. And that was very hard and I still kept trying, Cotham added. The news of her decision was first reported by Axios Raleigh on Tuesday. Cotham did not immediately respond to HuffPosts request for comment. The move is already sending shockwaves through Democrats who had a fragile upper hand on safeguarding abortion rights in the state. North Carolina has been a critical safe haven in a post-Roe v. Wade landscape, but now pro-choice Coopers threat to veto any restriction that gets to his desk has essentially been rendered useless. North Carolina state Rep. Tricia Cotham announces she is switching affiliation to the Republican Party at a news conference with GOP leadership on Wednesday, April 5. North Carolina state Rep. Tricia Cotham announces she is switching affiliation to the Republican Party at a news conference with GOP leadership on Wednesday, April 5. Currently, abortion is available through 20 weeks of pregnancy in North Carolina. Since federal abortion protections were repealed last year, around a dozen states in the South and Midwest have enacted near-total bans on abortion, forcing North Carolina to receive an influx in patients traveling out of state for care. The Tar Heel State has seen a 37% increase in abortions since Roe fell the biggest percentage increase in any state. Story continues Before Cothams switch, Republicans had a supermajority in the Senate, controlling 30 of the 50 seats, and a majority in the House. Cothams decision gives Republicans in the House a supermajority, 72 of the 120 seats, allowing state GOP leaders to push through abortion restrictions and eliminating any need to compromise. Cotham has been a pro-choice advocate throughout her tenure in the North Carolina legislature. When Roe fell last year, she said she would fight to codify Roe and continue my strong record of defending the right to choose. She made good on that promise in January when she co-sponsored a bill to codify abortion protections alongside her then-fellow Democratic colleagues. Now, more than ever we need leaders who will be unwavering and unapologetic in their support of abortion rights. Ill fight to codify Roe in the #ncga and continue my strong record of defending the right to choose.#ncpol#WomensRights#SCOTUS#Mecklenburg Tricia Cotham (@triciacotham) May 3, 2022 Now, Cotham is saying the opposite, telling local outlet WBTV shes open to passing abortion restrictions. House Speaker Tim Moore (R) told the outlet that Republicans are eyeing a 12-week abortion ban with their new veto-proof majority power. The spot that most North Carolinians, in terms of the consensus, is somewhere down closer to the 12-week range. Personally, I support the heartbeat bill, but it appears the votes just arent there for that, Moore said, referring to a six-week abortion ban. Moore suggested during the Wednesday press conference that hes had discussions with other North Carolina Democrats about switching party affiliations. Cooper called Cothams decision disappointing. Rep. Cothams votes on womens reproductive freedom, election laws, LGBTQ rights and strong public schools will determine the direction of the state we love, he said in a statement. Its hard to believe she would abandon these long held principles and she should still vote the way she has always said she would vote when these issues arise, regardless of party affiliation. Several other top Democrats in the state are calling for Cotham to immediately resign, including Democratic House minority leader Rep. Robert Reives and state Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton. This is deceit of the highest order, Jane Whitley, the Mecklenburg County Democratic Party Chair, said in a statement also calling for Cotham to step down. North Carolinas current legislative session ends in August, giving Republicans ample time to introduce new legislation around abortion. North Carolina state Rep. Tricia Cotham. AP Photo/Gerry Broome A North Carolina lawmaker switched parties in what is a stunning turn of events in the state's politics. State Rep. Tricia Cotham, formerly a Charlotte-area Democrat, on Wednesday announced her move to the GOP. The flip gives Republicans a legislative supermajority, meaning they can override the Democratic governor's vetoes. A North Carolina state representative who was elected as a Democrat announced her switch to the Republican Party, which gives the GOP a supermajority in the state legislature and allows them to override vetoes from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. State Rep. Tricia Cotham, a Mecklenburg County lawmaker who served in the North Carolina House of Representatives from 2007 to 2017 and again beginning in 2023 after an unsuccessful congressional bid in 2016, blasted her former party while a group of legislative Republicans stood behind her at a Wednesday press conference. "The party wants to villainize anyone who has free thought, free judgment, has solutions and wants to get to work to better our state," Cotham said. "Not just sit in a meeting and have a workshop after a workshop, but really work with individuals to get things done, because that's what real public servants do." Such a dramatic move by Cotham will empower the GOP to pass a swath of conservative-oriented legislation over the objection of Gov. Cooper if the party remains united on all of its votes. Cooper, a former state legislator who also served as the state's attorney general for 16 years, is a moderate but has clashed with North Carolina Republicans on issues including abortion policy, voting rights, gun rights, and appointment powers. Republicans already have a supermajority in the state Senate, where they control 30 of the 50 seats. But after the 2022 elections, the GOP came one vote shy of a supermajority in the lower chamber, controlling 71 out of 120 seats, while Democrats currently maintain 49 seats. The news of the impending party switch was first reported by Axios Raleigh on Tuesday. Story continues The North Carolina Democratic Party upon hearing the news on Tuesday called on their onetime caucus member to resign. "This is deceit of the highest order. Rep. Cotham's decision is a betrayal to the people of HD-112 with repercussions not only for her district, but for our entire state," the party said in a statement. "If she can no longer represent the values her constituents entrusted her to champion, she should resign, now." Cooper in a Tuesday statement expressed dismay at Cotham's decision. "This is a disappointing decision. Rep. Cotham's votes on women's reproductive freedom, election laws, LGBTQ rights and strong public schools will determine the direction of the state we love," the governor said. "It's hard to believe she would abandon these long held principles and she should still vote the way she has always said she would vote when these issues arise, regardless of party affiliation." In 2016, Cooper narrowly defeated then-Republican Gov. Pat McCrory and in 2020 beat then-Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, giving Democrats a continued foothold in a state that had once been favorable to them. But despite North Carolina's increasingly diverse population and its penchant for close statewide contests, Republicans have dominated state legislative races since seizing control of the General Assembly in the 2010 elections. Upon assuming power in 2011, legislative Republicans set out to redraw districts that would protect their newly-robust majorities, affording them an outsized number of seats relative to their party registration and statewide electoral performances. As a result, redistricting in the state has been a highly contentious affair, with multiple lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of districts across the state. And while Republicans in Raleigh have pursued a raft of conservative legislation over the past decade, their push hit a roadblock when Cooper bested McCrory. As of March 2023, Cooper had issued 75 vetoes more than all previous North Carolina governors combined since taking office six years ago, according to The Assembly NC. From 2005 to 2009, Jerry Meek, whom Cotham married in late 2008, was the chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party. According to the North Carolina political blog Watauga Watch, Cotham and Meek are no longer married. Cotham's mother, Pat Cotham, is an at-large member of the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners. State Rep. Cotham's office has not yet responded to Insider's request for comment. Read the original article on Business Insider By Hyonhee Shin SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korea accused the U.S. and South Korea of escalating tensions to the brink of nuclear war through their joint military drills, vowing to respond with "offensive action", state media KCNA reported on Thursday. KCNA released a commentary by Choe Ju Hyon, whom it called an international security analyst, criticising the exercises as "a trigger for driving the situation on the Korean peninsula to the point of explosion". "The reckless military confrontational hysteria of the U.S. and its followers against the DPRK is driving the situation on the Korean peninsula to an irreversible catastrophe ... to the brink of a nuclear war," the article said. It was using the acronym of North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. U.S. and South Korean forces have been conducting a series of annual springtime exercises since March, including air and sea drills involving a U.S. aircraft carrier and B-1B and B-52 bombers, and their first large-scale amphibious landing drills in five years. The commentary singled out the aircraft carrier's participation as aimed at stoking confrontation, saying Pyongyang will respond to the drills by exercising its war deterrence through "offensive action". "The drills have turned the Korean peninsula into a huge powder magazine which can be detonated any moment," it added. North Korea has reacted furiously to the exercises, calling them a rehearsal for invasion. It has been ramping up its military activity in recent weeks, unveiling new, smaller nuclear warheads, firing an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking anywhere in the U.S. and testing what it called a nuclear-capable underwater attack drone. South Korea's nuclear envoy held talks with his U.S. and Japanese counterparts and condemned those tests, saying the North will pay the price for its provocations, Seoul's foreign ministry said following their meetings in Seoul on Thursday. Story continues The envoys agreed to step up efforts to stem the North's illegal cyber activities including theft of virtual currencies and hacking, it added. Japan's nuclear envoy also "strongly condemned" North Korea's "unprecedented frequency and manner" of ballistic missile launches as a serious and imminent threat to regional security, Japan's foreign ministry said. In a separate KCNA dispatch, Han Tae Song, permanent representative at North Korea's diplomatic mission in Geneva, strongly denounced an annual resolution adopted this week by the U.N. Human Rights Council on the country's rights situation. Pyongyang has long rejected international criticism of its human rights as a U.S.-led plot to overthrow its regime. Han called the resolution an "intolerable act of political provocation and hostility" and "the most heavily politicised document of fraud". South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has called for raising awareness over Pyongyang's rights abuses. In its first publicly released report on the situation last week, Seoul's Unification Ministry said North Korea executes its citizens for drugs, sharing South Korean media and religious activities. The ministry which handles inter-Korea affairs on Thursday criticised North Korea for using South Korean assets at a now-closed joint factory park in the North. North Korean state media photos published on Wednesday showed a South Korean bus, used to transport workers before the North unilaterally shut the park in 2016, running in Pyongyang. The ministry said it tried to warn against using the factory equipment without approval via a border hotline, but the North refused to take its message. (Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Additional reporting by Kantaro Komiya in Tokyo and Soo-hyang Choi in Seoul; Editing by Richard Chang, Lincoln Feast and Nick Macfie) It wont be anything like Christmas, but weather experts say the Rock Hill region is in for another holiday weekend with nasty weather. The dreaded cold air wedge, a weather phenomenon of the Carolinas that produces chilly and wet conditions, is forecast to develop Friday and continue through Easter Sunday. National Weather Service meteorologist Justin Lane said Rock Hill-region residents and the rest of the Carolinas could be looking at temperatures more like late winter. This weekend certainly wont rival Christmas 2022 in the Rock Hill area, when temperatures dropped into single digits, causing water lines to burst. But Lane said Easter weekend daytime temperatures, especially Saturday and Sunday, could be more than 10 degrees below seasonal averages. The average high for this weekend in Rock Hill is 71 degrees. The big cool down could come as quite a shock, with temperatures predicted to reach the 80s the next few days. Temperatures will make a sudden about-face from well-above-normal to 5-10 degrees below normal, from Friday through the weekend, Lane said. Those (forecasted) temperatures could even prove too warm, depending on precipitation occurrence. A cold front is forecast to sag through the Rock Hill area late Thursday and become stationary across the South Carolina Midstate. Meanwhile, strong high pressure is forecast to move into the Mid-Atlantic, sending a clockwise flow of chilly, moist air into the Piedmont from the Atlantic. The cold, heavy air is predicted to become blocked by the mountains and become stuck. The result: A couple days of low clouds and possible precipitation. Temperatures are only expected to be near 60 degrees for highs on Friday and Easter Sunday, with 50s forecast for highs on Saturday. Will the chilly air be accompanied by rain? Thats a big concern for people who are sponsoring Easter egg hunts and spring festivals this weekend, and Lane doesnt have a solid answer. He said the rainfall forecast for the weekend is about as clear as mud, with the various computer models unable to agree. Story continues Lane said rainfall chances for the weekend will depend on how far south the front sags, and whether weak areas of low pressure develop and move eastward along the front. Conditions are predicted to improve by Monday, forecasters say. Steve Lyttle on Twitter: @slyttle When authorities in southwest Missouri found a body inside a burning car last month, they also discovered a charred piece of paper. And the words on that paper would ultimately lead them to the Lake of the Ozarks and answers to a three decades old mystery in Kansas City: what ever happened to Stephen Winn? The investigation of his disappearance had long gone cold, leaving a family wondering since August 1991 what had become of their dad, son and brother. Police and fire crews in Lebanon, Missouri, responded to the car fire just before 2:30 a.m. March 19. The 1979 Chrysler New Yorker had pulled into the parking lot behind the abandoned Marys Budget Inn around 1:30 a.m., authorities learned later. Inside the Chrysler, officers found personal belongings, items of womens clothing and wads of blackened and singed paper. The biggest clue: four still legible words, Property of Khristine Bechard. It was just another document that was burned, said Lebanon Police Detective Sgt. Kacie Springer, referring to the piece of paper with those four words. Couldnt identify what that document was. On Tuesday, Lebanon police issued a news release saying the body, which had been found in the front passenger seat, had been identified and that the death appeared to have been self-inflicted. The department is still waiting on formal autopsy results. We did locate a handgun, magazine and a spent casing in the vehicle, Springer told The Star on Wednesday. Police initially had little to go on. We didnt know who the vehicle belonged to, because the VIN numbers had been removed, Springer said. So, we took that information (the words found on the piece of paper) and located that a Khristine Bechard owned a 1979 Chrysler New Yorker and lived in Camdenton. That detail sent the investigation to a two-bedroom house roughly 25 miles to the north of Lebanon. Inside that home, where mounds of belongings were left behind, authorities would find answers to so many of their questions, such as how the fire likely started, who Khristine Bechard really was and what was left behind in Kansas City so many years ago. Story continues Khristine Bechard, authorities would eventually learn, used to go by Stephen Winn. For a time, after disappearing from Kansas City, she also went by Khristine Winn, using her former wifes name. She lived as a female, Springer said. She lived a very private life. All the neighbors knew her as her. A new identity Springer asked Camden County deputies to go to the home where Khristine Bechard had lived. She and her late husband Robert who according to his obituary died in 2012 had lived there many years, Springer said. The deputies advised me that she had sold the residence on the Wednesday prior, so the 15th, and left in that vehicle, Springer said. She sold the residence to someone local in Camdenton. She left a bunch of items behind, she was kind of a hoarder. Left a bunch of items behind and only took the essentials. While deputies went to the home, Springer said she continued her investigation and did some research with the Missouri Information Analysis Center. They were able to tell me that there was a past name of Winn, Khristine Winn, Springer said. They also provided the childrens information that they were able to find. And I contacted the first person on the list. That person advised me that Khristine Winn had passed away in 2018. That was kind of when we put two and two together. The detective sergeant then received a call from Khristine Winns granddaughter and during the conversation Springer said she asked her a question. I just asked if Grandma knew anybody who had cross dressed or was transgender, Springer said, and was told that she didnt know but her grandfather who went missing 30 plus years ago used to cross dress. Thats what led police to put some of the final pieces together regarding who was found inside the Chrysler last month. After more investigation and reviewing test results, police issued a news release Tuesday, a little more than two weeks after authorities responded to the car fire. On April 2, 2023, it was confirmed through DNA analysis that the deceased person in this investigation is identified as 71-year-old Stephen E. Winn, the release said. Through the course of this investigation it was revealed that in 1991, Stephen Winn resided with his wife, Khristine Winn, and their children in Kansas City, Missouri, when he went missing. Over the next 32 years his family did not have any contact with him, and he was later declared deceased. The release went on to say that while investigating the body in the burned car, it led police to a Khristine Bechard, who had previously used the alias of Khristine Winn. ... After conducting additional interviews, it was determined that when Stephen Winn left his family in 1991, he assumed Khristine Winns identity and later married and lived under the alias of Khristine Bechard. A house full of memories, clues What wasnt in the release is the personal story. While Springer was trying to unravel the mystery of who was found inside the Chrysler, she stumbled into the 1991 mystery of what happened to Stephen Winn. And that answer is something his family is still processing, she said. The Winns had seven boys, the first when they were just teenagers, the detective sergeant discovered in her investigation. Several of them believed that (their father) was still alive, Springer said. It was their mother who actually filed for the death certificate. Many of his other family believed that he could have possibly still been around. They just hadnt heard from him. Its just kind of a sad situation. ... He didnt reach out to anybody. But investigators found evidence that Bechard may have thought about reaching out. At least in theory. Inside the Camdenton home, tucked in a manila envelope, were two letters that Bechard had written. One was to her mother, and another to one of the seven boys she had with Khristine. On the outside of the envelope, written in pen, it said: Letters I wrote and will never send. Also inside the home were belongings from her life, including some from her days in Kansas City, including trophies her boys had won. According to witnesses that weve talked to in the neighborhood, she talked about her children, Springer said. How many there were, knew their names, just hadnt had contact with them. The detective sergeant also spoke to Robert Bechards children. They advised me that their dad kind of kept her pretty protected, Springer said. And that they had not seen her since the funeral in 2012. Robert was a lot older than she was, Springer said. In fact, some 20 plus years older than she was. Im assuming they lived a pretty normal life. The Bechards were in a relationship within six months of the time Stephen Winn left Kansas City. If not before, but I havent been able to confirm that, Springer said. Because Khristine Bechard had left so many items in her Camdenton home, the new owners allowed her family to go through and select anything that they wanted to. Springers investigation continues, though she said at this point nothing appears suspicious. Inside the home, authorities found a document with several different thoughts that this person was having. Almost like a specific plan that she was going to carry out. Like one of them said, 9 mm, Springer said. Another said, box matches. Just little jargon thoughts all over the document. What Springer still doesnt know is what happened in the days right after the sale of the house and why Bechard ended up in Lebanon. To the people she sold her house to, Bechard said it was just time to move on, Springer said. She said that she was planning on moving back to Kansas City, Springer said, to see her boys. 988 is the suicide and crisis lifeline. It provides 24/7, free and confidential support. Trans Lifeline is a crisis support hotline created by and for trans people. You can contact the hotline at 877-565-8860. NPR president and CEO John Lansing fired back at Twitter on Wednesday after the social media platform labeled the news organization as state-affiliated media. We were disturbed to see last night that Twitter has labeled NPR as state-affiliated media, a description that, per Twitters own guidelines, does not apply to NPR, Lansing said in a statement posted to Twitter. Twitters guidelines define state-affiliated media as outlets where the state exercises control over editorial content through financial resources, direct or indirect political pressures, and/or control over production and distribution. For instance, Russian state-owned news agency TASS is labeled as Russia state-affiliated media, and Chinas official state news agency Xinhua is labeled as China state-affiliated media. However, Twitter also notes that state-financed media organizations with editorial independence, like the BBC in the UK are not considered state-affiliated media. The social media company does not recommend or amplify accounts with the state-affiliated media label to users, according to its guidelines. NPR and our Member stations are supported by millions of listeners who depend on us for the independent, fact-based journalism we provide, Lansing added on Wednesday. NPR stands for freedom of speech and holding the powerful accountable. It is unacceptable for Twitter to label us this way. A vigorous, vibrant free press is essential to the health of our democracy. When questioned about the label during the daily press briefing, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she wouldnt comment on Twitters rules, but came to NPRs aid. Social media companies make their own independent decisions about content rules, so I wont comment on Twitters rules, Jean-Pierre, adding more broadly, Ill say theres no doubt of the independence of NPRs journalists. NPR journalists work diligently to hold public officials accountable and inform the American people, she continued. The hard-hitting independence nature of their coverage speaks for itself. And so, Ill leave it there. Steff Danielle Thomas contributed to this report. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. NPR is not happy about a new Twitter label branding it as "US state-affiliated media." (Gregory Bull / Associated Press) National Public Radio has been caught up in the Twitter verification-system overhaul and some new company-administered labels that have riled users of the social media platform since Tesla and SpaceX honcho Elon Musk took over the platform last fall. NPR was wrongly labeled Tuesday as "US state-affiliated media" on the social network, according to its chief executive and correspondents a move that contradicts Twitter's previously held definition of the term. The label now appears on NPR's primary Twitter bio and all of the tweets from NPRs primary Twitter account, similar to missives from the accounts of foreign outlets, including the network RT (formerly Russia Today) and Sputnik radio, owned and operated by the Russian government, and Chinas Xinhua News Agency, which is similarly state-run. Independent nonprofit NPR, in contrast, gets a minuscule amount of its funding from government grants and retains editorial independence. The move comes after the social media giant ended its legacy verification system on Saturday, offering blue-check verification to anyone who pays $8 a month for a Twitter Blue badge. News organizations including the Los Angeles Times, Washington Post and New York Times have declined to pay for the fee-based service because the blue check marks no longer represent authority and expertise on the platform. Meanwhile, Twitter's policy now defines "state-affiliated" media on the platform as "outlets where the state exercises control over editorial content through financial resources, direct or indirect political pressures, and/or control over production and distribution." But in an earlier iteration, the company's own policy separately labeled NPR as well as the BBC in the U.K. as "state-financed media organizations with editorial independence" instead. Yesterday, @elonmusks Twitter labeled NPR state-affiliated media, even though the companys own policy stated the organization shouldnt be labeled as such because it has editorial independence (left). Hours later, Twitter removed the reference to NPR in the policy (right). pic.twitter.com/cAXoXYFQ2G David Gura (@davidgura) April 5, 2023 However, on Tuesday, Twitter removed the reference to NPR in the state-financed media explanation. It used only the BBC as an example, according to NPR correspondent David Gura, who tweeted out screenshots of the past and present label definitions. Story continues Musk, who took ownership of Twitter in October, shared a portion the company's policy regarding state-affiliated media on Tuesday in a reply to a user who applauded the label being placed on NPR's account. Seems accurate, Musk wrote. But, in a statement posted Wednesday on Twitter, NPR President and Chief Executive John Lansing objected to the nomenclature. He said he was "disturbed" to see NPR labeled as "state-affiliated media" when the term does not apply to the organization, per Twitter's earlier guidelines. "NPR and our Member stations are supported by millions of listeners who depend on us for the independent, fact-based journalism we provide," Lansing said. "NPR stands for freedom of speech and holding the powerful accountable. It is unacceptable for Twitter to label us this way. A vigorous, vibrant free press is essential to the health of our democracy." NPR stands for freedom of speech & holding the powerful accountable. A vigorous, vibrant free press is essential to the health of our democracy. My full statement on the recent inaccurate Twitter label below: pic.twitter.com/kdusUNtNUo John Lansing (@johnlansing) April 5, 2023 NPR is funded by "significantly different but interrelated ways," according to its website. The independent, nonprofit media organization is also a membership organization that separately licenses and operates public radio stations across the U.S. Its two largest funding sources are corporate sponsorships and fees paid by NPR Member organizations. It also receives institutional grants, individual contributions and fees paid by users of the Public Radio Satellite System, as well as donations from listeners, as seen in the member stations' ubiquitous membership fundraising drives throughout the year. On average, it receives less than 1% of its annual operating budget from grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and federal departments and agencies, NPR said. "NPR is not state affiliated media. It is public media," tweeted New York Times podcast host and former NPR host Lulu Garcia-Navarro. "The NYT is not propaganda. It is the most robust news organization in the English speaking world. The bias as to who is being targeted on this site by its leadership is so very clear. And its not a small thing." "Labeling @NPR state-affiliated media is wholly inaccurate and untruthful," NPR journalist Ashley Westerman added. "NPR gets LESS THAN 2% of its funding from grants through the federal government. NPRs newsroom is an absolutely free and independent newsroom; always has been. This label is a LIE and an insult." "So now the Chief Twit has decided to slap a label on NPR as 'US state-affiliated media,' proving that he knows nothing about @NPR or what that phrase actually means," NPR's TV critic and media analyst Eric Deggans tweeted. "Really wish he would stop picking pointless rhetorical fights in this space and actually improve things." This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Aron Stevens found his passion again, working with the NWA, under the direction of Billy Corgan, who is also the frontman of the eclectic rock group Smashing Pumpkins. Formerly Damien Sandow in WWE, Stevens and his NWA cohorts/teammates are gearing for a special three days in Chicago from April 7-9. He enjoys the talent, the staff and the leadership in the NWA. My video interview with Aron Stevens as we discuss the state of pro wrestling today, the NWA direction, his coaches/trainers, what hes doing and more. A booker with Championship Wrestling from Hollywood, Stevens also helps behind the scenes in the NWA, while taking a managerial role on camera with Blunt Force Trauma. An experienced pro wrestler/talent, Stevens is a student of the game, embracing ring psychology -- something he learned from Arn Anderson, Danny Davis, Killer Kowalski, Dr. Tom Prichard, William Regal, Hustler Rip Rogers, Sgt. Slaughter and Al Snow to name a few. What a learning tree. A silky smooth style in the ring and with his attire, Stevens is very good on mic, too, very good at entertaining and irritating the crowd. Away from that ring, he is a podcaster, a scholar and part of three WrestleManias (29, 30, 31). He will appear on the TV show Heels, starring Stephen Amell. Stevens respects Corgan and is a big fan of NWA Director of Talent Relations Pat Kenney (ECW alum Simon Diamond) -- the work Kenney does with the NWA. NWA Powerrr and NWA USA -- two weekly broadcasts -- are available for free on the NWA YouTube Channel, and six annual pay-per-views can be purchased on the FITE TV streaming platform. Twitter: https://twitter.com/ NWA YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nwa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NWA NWA 312 helping families, victims The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and Madame Zuzus are partnering together to raise money for the families and victims of the July 4th mass shooting with a series of professional wrestling shows centered around the pay-per-view titled NWA 312. Story continues NWA 312 events April 7-9 in Chicago will raise money for the families and victims of the July 4th mass shooting via the Highland Park Community Foundation. The events begin at Madame Zuzus with a book signing on Thursday, April 6 followed by professional wrestling at Studio One on Friday, April 7 and Saturday, April 8. The Highland Park Community Foundation is a non-profit organization that supports local programs and initiatives, which includes a special fund for the victims and families impacted by the July 4th shooting. NWA 312 will feature some of the best wrestlers in the NWA, including NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Tyrus, NWA National Champion Cyon, NWA Womens World Champion Kamille and many more. Madame Zuzus, a local plant-based tea shop and community space, has already hosted a recent concert to raise funds for the victims of the shooting and is looking forward to this next event to support these families and help the community heal. This is a very important cause for me. This neighborhood is my home and I want to do whatever I can to help out, said Billy Corgan, NWA President and co-owner of Madame Zuzus. NWA 312 will showcase some of the best professional wrestling talent in the world, and we hope that fans will come out to support the Highland Park Community Foundation. Corgan added, This event is about helping this community heal after a devastating tragedy. Thats why we chose Studio One as the location for NWA 312. Its right along the July 4th parade route and that was important to us. Im from Chicago and we could have had this event anywhere in the city, but I want to make sure the people from the neighborhood get to enjoy the shows. Festivities will kick off with a meet and greet event at Madame Zuzus on Thursday April 6 which will include a book signing with NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion and FOX News personality Tyrus with his New York Times best seller Just Tyrus as well as legendary womens wrestler Madusa with her soon to be released book The Woman Who Would Be King: The MADUSA Story. Other NWA talents will also be on hand to meet with fans. Madame Zuzus is at 1876 1st St, Highland Park, Illinois 60035 and the event is scheduled to run from 7-9 p.m. Aron Stevens of the NWA is WWE alum Damien Sandow. NWA 312 will be a live professional wrestling pay-per-view with the broadcast available through FITE TV. The PPV can be purchased by wrestling fans anywhere in the world for just $24.99. The PPV is scheduled to start with a FREE pre show wrestling event at 8 p.m. CST and will be broadcast live on the NWA YouTube Channel. The PPV is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. CST. The NWA will be continuing the fun on April 8th with two separate television tapings for the weekly broadcasts of NWA Powerrr and NWA USA. The tapings will also be at Studio One and will be featured as regular broadcasts on the NWA YouTube Channel. For a full list of the wrestling card and times, visit nationalwrestlingalliance.com. Studio One in Highland Park is a versatile event space that is suitable for a wide range of events, including concerts, parties, corporate events, and weddings. This event will be the first time professional wrestling will be held in the space. Studio One is located 1799 Green Bay Rd, Highland Park, IL 60035. Tickets and VIP packages for the meet and greet, NWA 312 and the NWA Powerrr and NWA USA television tapings can be purchased at NWATIX.com. A portion of the proceeds from VIP packages as well as tickets to the book signing will go directly to the Highland Park Foundation. For more information on NWA 312, visit the National Wrestling Alliance website at: www.nationalwrestlingalliance.com. Card and information subject to change. About the National Wrestling Alliance Founded in 1948, the National Wrestling Alliance is one of the oldest and most prestigious professional wrestling brands in the world. In 2017, international recording artist William Patrick Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) purchased the NWA with the intention of reinventing the brand for the modern era whilst honoring the legacy of its heyday in the 1980s. Beginning with the critically-acclaimed Ten Pounds Of Gold docu-series, the NWA has since expanded its programming to include two weekly broadcasts (NWA Powerrr & NWA USA) which are available for free on the NWA YouTube Channel and 6 annual pay-per-views which can be purchase on the FITE TV streaming platform. My Pro Wrestling Talk on the Web and Social Media http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/fighting/ Twitter: @jimmyv3 YouTube: jim varsallone (jimmyv3 channel) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProWrestlingSouthFlorida/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WWE-WrestleMania-28-Miami-241160769255279/ [Source] The man who attacked and killed 61-year-old Yao Pan Ma two years ago has been sentenced to 22 years in prison, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced on Friday. Jarrod Powell, 51, pled guilty in January to manslaughter in the first degree as a hate crime in connection with the incident. After his prison term, he will face five years of supervised release. Ma was collecting cans on Third Avenue and East 125th St. at around 8:15 p.m. on April 23, 2021, when Powell struck him from behind and knocked him to the ground. As he lay helpless on the concrete, Powell repeatedly stomped on and kicked his head, face and neck. The brutal assault, which was caught on video, resulted in Ma being on life support for the next eight months. He succumbed to his injuries on Dec. 31, 2021. More from NextShark: Teen Raises $7,500, Donates 11,000 Masks to Texas Hospital to Fight Hate Towards Asians If you have any info regarding Friday nights horrific attack, at E. 125 and 3rd Ave, you are urged to call or DM @NYPDTips 1-800-577-TIPS. pic.twitter.com/wNrCAuEdeu NYPD Hate Crimes (@NYPDHateCrimes) April 24, 2021 More from NextShark: China 'fully able' to invade Taiwan by 2025, Taipei defense chief says amid worst tensions in 40 years Ma was one of the many Asian victims of pandemic-era violence that catalyzed the movement against anti-Asian hate. Less than two months after his death, 62-year-old GuiYing Ma died also due to brain injuries after being bashed in the head with a rock by 33-year-old Elisaul Perez. Between their deaths, 40-year-old Michelle Go and 35-year-old Christina Yuna Lee were also killed. Go was shoved in front of an oncoming Times Square station subway train by suspect Simon Martial, while Lee was stabbed in her Chinatown apartment by suspect Assamad Nash. Story continues More from NextShark: Westminster park renamed after Tony Lam, the first Vietnamese American to win political office As per his plea, Powell targeted Ma because he was Asian. Mr. Mas death was the result of a despicable racially motivated attack, Bragg said during Fridays announcement. His family endured an agonizing eight months in the hospital while the devoted husband and father of two remained in a vegetative state, before succumbing to his injuries on Dec. 31, 2021. Bragg, who himself has faced criticism over lenient criminal justice policies, vowed to keep the city safe for everyone. More from NextShark: Long-lost Korean twins who reunited after 36 years team up on Amazing Race to spend time together A Florida biker with a dog as his passenger led Louisiana deputies on a bizarre chase that reached speeds of 100 mph as he looped through two parishes, according to the Natchitoches Parish Sheriffs Office. It happened just before noon Tuesday, April 4, near Robeline and ended with the biker and his dog under arrest, the sheriffs office said in a news release. Robeline is about 70 miles south of Shreveport. Identities of the man and dog have not been released, but the biker wore a superhero shirt and had a beard and hair like Thor, a surveillance photo shows. If you were traveling or live on La. Hwy 6 West in Natchitoches Parish around lunch time and saw a motorcyclist and his dog running from the police, this is what happened, the sheriffs office said in its release. The Sabine Parish Sheriffs Office contacted NATCOM 911 Center requesting assistance ... in pursuit of a motorcycle. ... Natchitoches Parish Sheriffs Deputies joined in as the pursuit continued eastbound through Robeline, Hagewood, then the I-49 corridor to near Parc Natchitoches. The motorcyclist and his passenger, a dog, then turned traveling westbound at speeds near 100 mph back through the Hagewood community then Robeline. Investigators have not said how the biker was stopped, but he and the dog were taken into custody without incident and nobody got hurt. Details of charges have also not been released. The Many Police Department in Sabine Parish reports the motorcyclist is from Florida and was traveling from New Mexico to Mississippi. He became a wanted by Many police after an incident at a local business, officials said. The dog is fine, the Natchitoches Parish Sheriffs Office reported. Sabine Parish Sheriffs deputies have dropped the dog off at Sabine Humane Society for safekeeping until the offender is released. A Sabine Parish deputy has offered to foster the small dog if needed, Many police said. Skunk gets into standoff with deputy after crawling into BMW, Florida cops say Driver dies in predawn crash that left 5 dead cows strewn across Florida road, cops say Dont bite me. Video shows Florida deputy trying to separate dueling hawk and snake Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 5) The results of the 2022 Bar examinations will be released next Friday, April 14, the Supreme Court (SC) announced on Wednesday. The high tribunal said the list of Bar passers will be uploaded on its official website after a special en banc session. The said results will also include the announcement of the successful Bar passers who garnered the 30 highest total averages, as well as the law schools which obtained the five highest Bar passers' percentages, read the SC notice. Successful examinees were also advised to await further details on the clearance procedure, as well as on their oath-taking and roll-signing on May 2. The Bar candidates who were conditionally admitted to take the 2022 Bar Examinations and have passed the same shall be allowed to join the Oath-Taking Ceremony after they have submitted the requisite documents within the period previously given to them to accomplish the same, the SC said. The 2022 exams for aspiring lawyers took place on Nov. 9, 13, 16, and 20 last year. students getting on a yellow school bus Gregory Pierce was driving his bus route in Sheffield, Vermont one January morning when a student got on and told him her classmate had moved in down the road with her grandmother after the familys home burned down. Concerned, Pierce took down the classmates name and passed it on to the Kingdom East School Districts homeless liaison, Lori Robinson, who said the family absolutely qualified for services like transportation help and nutritional assistance. Its a scenario Superintendent Jennifer Botzojorns has seen play out repeatedly. Her bus drivers, many of whom have been in their roles for over a decade, frequently function as the eyes and ears of the rural district, helping schools support students who may otherwise slip through the cracks. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter They really know their routes and they know the kids, so they can see if suddenly kids [are missing] a winter coat when they had one in the past or theres no car in the driveway, Botzojorns said. Its this hidden relationship thats really important. As the only adults in the school system who actually see students homes each day, bus drivers have a unique vantage point on housing instabilities, advocates and practitioners say. For Pierce, whos shared several tips with Robinson, helping students begins with getting to know them. Now youre part of our family, he tells students when they start riding his bus, part of a specialty transportation service the district contracts with to transport students experiencing homelessness. Greg Pierce, based in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, provides school transportation services for unhoused students and those with special needs. Seen in his van on Monday, April 3. (Glenn Russell/VTDigger) He and his wife purchase gifts for students on their birthdays. Before the holiday, they bought grocery cards and 12-pound hams for each family, he said. Over time, many of the young people have come to lean on him, which he attributes to being a caring adult who is less of an authority figure than their teachers. The students Pierce drives are already dealing with homelessness, but they are also the ones who are most likely to know other students facing the same hardship. Story continues The students tell us a lot, Pierce said. If you want to know whos homeless and whos not, you need to talk to the students, youve got to get a good rapport with them. U.S. schools identified over a million students 2.2% of all learners as homeless in 2020-21, the most recent school year for which data are available, according to a 2022 report. But even those figures undercount the issue as thousands of districts reported zero homelessness, a telltale sign they are failing to identify youth in need of help. Students experiencing homelessness have lower overall attendance, standardized test scores and high school graduation rates than any other peer group. The limited data that exist suggest roughly the same share of youth in rural areas like Vermont experience homelessness as in urban areas, but with far less of a social support system. Related Homelessness Threatens Rural Students Amid Affordable Housing Crunch Vermont has the second-highest per capita rate of homelessness in the nation, lower only than Californias, according to a December 2022 report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. At the same time, the Green Mountain state provides temporary shelter to a higher share of its residents without homes than any other state, with 98% safely indoors on a point-in-time count from last year. Weve got a brutal [housing] affordability crisis in Vermont right now, U.S. Sen. Peter Welch told The 74 in an email. The legislator said he is proud of his states efforts to shelter homeless families, but hopes school staff can also be part of longer-term solutions. Once the Kingdom East school district knows a student is experiencing homelessness, its transportation staff continues to play a key role in supporting the child. If theyre living at a shelter or motel, the busing director alters the routes so that the student is the first pickup and last dropoff to avoid outing them as homeless to their peers. At the end of the day, district guidance counselors hand off backpacks full of clothes and food to bus drivers who discreetly give them to children in need when they step off. Theyre backpacks and people dont think anything of it, transportation manager Darlene Jewell said. Kara Lufkin, the homeless liaison for the St. Johnsbury school system, which neighbors Kingdom East, uses MV Learning, a Michigan-based company that trains school staff on how to spot the signs of homelessness. The company provided training videos to her districts transportation fleet. Its really just an awareness of what are some things to look for that could potentially mean a student was homeless, she said. Greg Pierce drives Route 5 in St. Johnsbury Center, Vermont, on Monday, April 3. School Street in St. Johnsbury. (Glenn Russell/VTDigger) Federal law requires all school staff who serve homeless youth to be trained in the possible signs of homelessness. The policy does not explicitly name bus drivers, or any other role, but since bus drivers would serve students experiencing homelessness, wed expect those drivers to be included in the professional development sessions, said Jan Moore, director of technical assistance at the National Center for Homeless Education. However, oversight is lax and many transportation staff never receive the training meaning their schools miss a key opportunity to support their most vulnerable students. There are disparities across the board in how, if or when training is occurring, said Karen Roy, an advisor for MV Learning. We want to make sure everybody is trained in recognizing what some of those red flags might be so that kids are identified. Because if we dont identify them, we cant begin to serve them. Roy said the drivers who do receive training come out of her sessions often connecting the dots retrospectively on past interactions theyve had with students. One bus driver in a rural district in northern Michigan, for example, saw two children leave for school directly from a barn in the morning, she said. He didnt really think about it until he had the training. And then he said, Hey, these kids are likely homeless, theyre not living in a safe place. So he referred them to the liaison. Schools are required under the law to make sure students experiencing homelessness have equal access to education which often means providing them with food, clothing, transportation and more. Lexi Higgins runs a program called Busing on the Lookout that trains bus drivers on how to recognize and report human trafficking, an issue she said is incredibly linked to homelessness because most youth victims of trafficking are housing insecure when theyre recruited. Her company has trained drivers from over 2,000 districts. [Bus drivers] are sometimes forgotten when were talking about education professionals because theyre not on the school campus, Higgins said. But they really are playing an incredibly important role and have some unique skills based on their job to be able to flag threats to the safety of the students that theyre seeing every day. Related I Lived In a Shelter As a Child. Schools Must Better Understand Homeless Youth Pierce, the East Kingdom driver, suspects such training sessions will prove to be a fruitful strategy. The drivers are the centerpoint for a lot of this, he said. Ill bet well find a lot more people who need help. Lori Robinson, the Kingdom East School Districts homeless liaison, in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, on Monday, April 3. (Glenn Russell/VTDigger) Lufkin and Robinson, the homeless liaisons from the neighboring Vermont districts, recently tag-teamed to help a student after a bus driver sounded the alarm. Robinson had lost touch with a family on her caseload, but learned through transportation staff that the student was getting on and off the bus at different locations each day. When she got back in contact, she found out they were fleeing a domestic abuse situation. When the family found an apartment a town over, she connected them to Lufkin. The bus drivers tip, Robinson said, was the first hint that I had that anything was wrong. Benchmark oil prices have increased more than 20 per cent above a recent low point in mid-March. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File) Soaring oil prices on the heels of this week's announcement by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its partners sent analysts scrambling to hike their estimates for the rest of 2023. The surprise plan to cut production has lifted the price of U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) (CL=F) more than 20 per cent above its recent low point in mid-March. The cuts consist of a voluntary 1.157 million barrels per day reduction set to take effect in May. Russia is extending its reduction of 500,000 barrels per day for the rest of the year. The move by OPEC+ to firm up prices comes as China attempts to catch up to the state of post-COVID reopening in North America and Europe, according to Andrew Botterill, Canada's national leader of energy and chemicals at Deloitte. "Economies are waking up," he told Yahoo Finance Canada. "The world is pretty confident in firm [oil] demand, at least in the short term." Deloitte's latest energy, oil, and gas price forecast, released on Wednesday, calls for the price of WTI to average US$75 per barrel in 2023. "You could see some upward pressure on that," Botterill said on Monday. "We could see it in the US$80 to US$85 range." RBC Capital Markets analyst Michael Tran also boosted his WTI estimate following the OPEC+ announcement. He now sees a barrel averaging US$84.50 this year, an increase from the US$81.25 he called for on March 29. "Never have we revised our WTI forecast twice in two weeks," he wrote in a note to clients. "Major oil benchmarks have both plunged by over 17 per cent, and rallied by over 20 per cent during the past 30 days. Try building a model that predicts that price action." Revisions were evident on Wall Street as well. Goldman Sachs Commodities Research analysts increased their forecasts for European Brent by US$5 per barrel to US$95 (vs. US$90 previously) for December 2023, and to US$100 (vs. US$97) for December 2024. Story continues "The surprise cut is consistent with the new OPEC+ doctrine to act preemptively because they can without significant losses in market share," wrote researchers led by Dean Struyven in a note to investors. Analysts at Capital Economics also raised their 2023 price for Brent to US$90 per barrel, from US$85 previously. Despite the burst of bullishness, RBC's Tran cautions that "investor sentiment remains fleeting." "The greater the passage of time without further macro contagion, the more comfortable the market becomes that oil prices can trend higher," he wrote. "However, being bullish is different from deploying risk." Jeff Lagerquist is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jefflagerquist. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. A federal judge has denied a request from the only woman on Idaho death row, who sought to be resentenced based on claims she had inadequate legal representation when she was on trial for three murders 30 years ago. Robin Row, 65, was convicted by a jury in 1993 on three counts of felony first-degree murder after setting her familys Ada County home ablaze, killing her husband and two young children. In a federal appeal, Rows attorneys with the nonprofit Federal Defender Services of Idaho argued that evidence of their clients traumatic brain injury was never introduced during her sentencing, illustrating ineffective legal counsel. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill dismissed Rows case Friday. Winmill issued an earlier decision in fall 2021 that her sentencing should be returned to a jury. But in May 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that unless evidence of ineffective legal counsel is first presented at the state level, it cannot later be grounds for a federal appeal. Winmill wrote last week that he issued his ruling with great reluctance following the Supreme Court decision. Under the current state of the law, the court can do nothing to provide a remedy to (the) petitioner, Winmill wrote. This is a direct consequence of Idahos shortsighted and sometimes inadequate system of expedited justice for death penalty cases and the Supreme Courts recent ruling. Rows attorneys said in a statement Tuesday they will appeal Winmills ruling to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, which oversees federal cases from Idaho. The U.S. District Court of Idahos hands were tied, due to a superseding change in law that prevented it from considering the ineffectiveness of prior counsel, Deborah Czuba, supervising attorney for the nonprofits unit that specializes in death penalty cases, said in a written statement. While doing so, the court recognized that Ms. Row has suffered a clear violation of her constitutional rights. Story continues Attorneys representing Row appealed her initial conviction in March 1993. Since that time, Row has been housed at the states Womens Correctional Center in Pocatello, instead of at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution outside of Kuna, with the rest of the states death row inmates all men. Row sentenced to death by prior law, now ruled unconstitutional After Rows conviction, a 4th District Court judge sentenced her to death under a prior state law. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2002 later found the Idaho law unconstitutional under the Sixth Amendment. Only a jury may sentence a prisoner to death, the court ruled in a 7-2 decision, and Idaho passed a law the next year to grant that authority to juries alone. A subsequent 2004 U.S. Supreme Court ruling by a 5-4 decision did not overturn past cases where a judge handed down a death sentence. She was not sentenced to death by a jury, as would be constitutionally required today, but rather a single judge, Czuba said. She since has had multiple health issues that make it difficult for her to walk and sometimes lead to confusion. She has been a model inmate who is well liked by staff at the prison. Row also had two prior children who each died under suspicious circumstances, but she was never prosecuted for any crimes involving their deaths. Her 15-month-old daughter was thought to have died of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, in New Hampshire in 1977, and a 6-year-old son died in Northern California in a cabin fire in 1980. Row is the second-ever woman to receive the death penalty in Idaho. The first was Karla Windsor in 1984. A year later, the Idaho Supreme Court threw out Windsors death sentence, and a federal judge resentenced her to life in prison with the chance of parole after 10 years. Windsor was later released from Idaho prison in December 2004. Including Row, Idaho has eight prisoners on death row. The Idaho Legislature recently passed a new law, which Gov. Brad Little signed, that mandates the state prisons system execute death row inmates by firing squad if lethal injection drugs are unavailable. The law takes effect July 1. Hi there, OnPolitics readers. Donald Trump became a historic first as the only former president to face criminal charges following his indictment by a Manhattan grand jury. His arraignment and plea of not guilty to 34 felony charges of falsifying business records in connection to hush money payments yesterday further contributed to this unprecedented moment. But now what? As Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page reports: For all the uncertainties, a new chapter has opened in American politics and law. What this means for 2024: Trumps indictment boosted him in national polls among Republican voters and prompted most of his potential rivals to rally behind him, outraged at the charges against Trump. The possibility of more indictments: The New York grand jurys indictment is not the only charges Trump faces. Two investigations seem to be reaching their conclusion: His alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia and his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Whats next?: Trumps arraignment kicked off a legal process that could eventually result in a trial, but because of the unprecedented nature of this case theres no certainty. Legal experts say Trumps legal team is likely to file several pre-trial motions in attempts to delay the case or dismiss it outright. A new chapter in American politics: Why Donald Trump's arrest in New York is such a political earthquake Takeaways: Donald Trump was arrested Tuesday. What you need to know about the arraignment and charges For subscribers: Why Donald Trump's arrest may help his presidential campaign in the 2024 Iowa caucuses Get newsletter in your inbox: Don't miss our politics coverage. Sign up for OnPolitics. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: OnPolitics: Trump reaches another first, does it mark a new chapter? The Marathon station at I-71 and Frank Road was selling gas at $3.51 per gallon Tuesday afternoon. The decision by OPEC+ countries to cut oil production will likely mean higher fuel prices in Ohio this spring. Sunday's decision by Saudi Arabia and other big oil producing-countries to cut output sent the price of a barrel of oil jumping this week, a price increase that figures to make its way to gas pumps soon. Gasoline prices already are up 20 cents per gallon in Ohio over the past week, even before the announcement by OPEC+ countries, and comes at a time when prices tend to move higher as the summer driving season approaches. Gas prices: See a history of Ohio's gas prices What happened with oil prices? The OPEC+ countries announced on Sunday production cuts of more than 1 million barrels of crude per day, and that sent oil prices jumping nearly $5 a barrel on Monday and another dollar on Tuesday to push prices back to more than $80 a barrel. The cut are expected to start in May and continue through the rest of the year. The move caught oil analysts by surprise. So what will happen with prices at the pump? Prices in Ohio average $3.42 per gallon as of Monday, up 20 cents over the past week, according to AAA. In the Columbus area, prices averaged $3.45, an increase of 27 cents from a week ago. Prices typically head higher in the spring as demand rises, refineries shut down for maintenance and production begins of more expensive, summer blends of fuel. Our experts are projecting we will see gas prices increases as a result of this," Ohio AAA said. "We are getting ready to head into what is expected to be a very busy travel season. Tight supply and high demand will likely drive up gas prices. AAA said it couldn't predict how much of an increase drivers will see or when it will show up at the pump. In the case of Ohio, there's added pressure from a key refinery in the Toledo area has been closed since last fall when there was an explosion that killed two workers. Cenovus Energy, which recently took full ownership of the bp-Husky Toledo Refinery, expects the refinery to resume full production this spring. Is there any good news? At this time a year ago, prices were nearly $4 a gallon and on their way to a $5.06 a gallon as Russia's invasion of Ukraine upset oil markets. Story continues Even with the expected increase in gasoline prices from the move by the OPEC+ countries, drivers should expect to pay $1.25 to $1.50 less per gallon this spring compared with last year's peak, according to Tom Kloza, oil analyst and a founder of the Oil Price Information Service. Without OPEC+'s action, the price drop might have been $1.50 to $1.60 per gallon, he said. Will the higher price stick? An expected slowdown in the U.S. economy could make it harder for the price increase to stick since recessions normally hurt demand for fuel, and the OPEC+ countries may be fearful of a significant drop in prices. The action by the OPEC+ countries could firm up prices for now, but whether those prices hold is hard to say, Kloza said. Oil prices hit $120 a barrel last summer only to fall to $73 last month. Other analysts say this move could be the start of a push that could take oil prices back toward $100 a barrel, helped by the reopening of the Chinese economy from the pandemic that help demand for oil. mawilliams@dispatch.com @BizMarkWilliams This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: What OPEC+ oil cuts mean for Ohio's spring gas prices A global police operation has shut down one of the world's largest online marketplaces where cybercriminals can buy stolen identities and passwords, law enforcement agencies said on Wednesday. Dubbed "Operation Cookie Monster", the swoop targeted Genesis Market, which sold hackers the identities of over two million people for as little as $0.70, they said. Police arrested 119 people in an international operation led by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Dutch police and involving law enforcement in 17 countries, with 208 raids worldwide. The website was based in Russia, according to the US Treasury, which said it had imposed sanctions against Genesis Market. The "unprecedented law enforcement operation" had taken down "one of the most dangerous marketplaces selling stolen account credentials to hackers worldwide", EU police agency Europol said. People trying to access Genesis Market on Wednesday saw a screen saying, "This website has been seized" and "Operation Cookie Monster", along with a picture of a person in an FBI hoodie in front of a computer. A cookie is a piece of computer data that makes it easier to reopen web pages. Cookie Monster is a blue, furry character from the US children's television series "Sesame Street". - 'Huge blow' - Suspects were targeted in countries including Australia, Britain, Canada, the United States and more than 10 countries in Europe. Britain's National Crime Agency said police had arrested 24 people there over Genesis Market. "Its removal will be a huge blow to criminals across the globe," said Rob Jones, the NCA's Director General of Threat Leadership. Europol said the site offered "bots" for sale that had infected victims' devices through malware or other methods, attracting criminals through "accessibility and cheap prices". Prices for bots ranged from as little as $0.70 to several hundred dollars in the case of valuable bank account information, Europol said. "Upon purchase of such a bot, criminals would get access to all the data harvested by it such as fingerprints, cookies, saved logins and autofill form data," it said. Story continues Unlike so-called "dark web" services, Genesis was available on the open web "although obscured from law enforcement behind an invitation-only veil", the agency said. Another 17 people were arrested in the Netherlands, where Dutch police launched a portal so people could check whether their details were on the site. - 'Most dangerous' - Ruben van Well, Dutch police cybercrime team leader based in Rotterdam, said Genesis was "one of the most dangerous" sites aiding hackers. "For example, it was possible to order and pay for things in web shops in the name of victims or, in certain cases, even to plunder entire bank, crypto or investment accounts," Van Well said. He gave the example of a 71-year-old man who lost almost 70,000 euros from his investment account, with items ordered from web shops in his name. "The victim told us he felt like he was treading water in a massive swimming pool with no idea how to get out," Van Well said. French police said officers had arrested three men on Tuesday in France near Paris and Lyon. "They were three major clients of the platform, who had bought several hundred bots, representing several thousand accesses," added the officer, a specialist in cybercrime. Investigators in Germany searched 62 properties connected to 58 suspects and seized several electronic data devices, the BKA federal police and prosecutors in Frankfurt said in a joint statement. The US Treasury Department said in a statement Genesis was believed to be located in Russia. "This action was coordinated with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and international partners from a dozen countries," it added. jhe/dk/jj President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints smiles upon greeting fellow leaders before the Sunday afternoon session of the 193rd Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Sunday, April 2, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Tami Pyfers phone started blowing up as President Russell M. Nelson spoke in the Sunday morning session of general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Nelsons talk on decreasing contention is right up Pyfers alley as she works to increase the dignity in political speech. Pyfer is the chief of staff and director of operations for UNITE, the national organization behind The Dignity Index. President Nelson focused his talk on decreasing contention. Civility and decency seem to have disappeared during this era of polarization and passionate disagreements. Vulgarity, fault-finding and evil speaking of others are all too common. President Nelson continued: I am greatly concerned that so many people seem to believe that it is completely acceptable to condemn, malign and vilify anyone who does not agree with them. Anger never persuades. Hostility builds no one. Contention never leads to inspired solutions. The Dignity Index is one organization that, at its heart, is all about learning how to talk about issues without devolving into personal attacks. Donna Hicks, who wrote Dignity: Its Essential Role in Resolving Conflict, says that dignity is the glue that holds all our relationships together, and is the mutual recognition of the desire to be seen, heard, listened to, and treated fairly; to be recognized, understood, and to feel safe in the world. The Dignity Index ranks political speech on a scale of 1-8, with one being the lowest. On the positive side, level 6 finds speech indicating a desire to talk with people who have differing views. Level 7 wants to fully engage with the other side and level 8 says I can see myself in every human being. Everyone has inherent worth. Yes, even those guys. On the other hand, level 3 attacks the other sides moral character: Were good, theyre bad. Level 2 accuses the other side of not just being bad, but of promoting evil. Finally, level 1 is both a feeling that the other side is less than human and it calls for violence. For example, writing or saying something like They are destroying everything we value. It is our moral duty to destroy them first. It is contempt in action. Story continues Arthur Brooks also speaks and writes on contempt. Contempt, he says, is the combination of anger and disgust and in the words of 19th-century philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, contempt is the unsullied conviction of the worthlessness of another. Manifestations of contempt can look like sarcasm, sneering, hostile humor, bullying, recrimination and eye-rolling. Can you remember the last time you rolled your eyes at something they said? I can, and it wasnt that long ago. Im a work in progress. Related Brooks wrote in The New York Times in 2019 that America suffers from motive attribution asymmetry, or the notion that your ideology is based in love while your opponents is based in hate. Researchers found almost a decade ago that the average Republican and the average Democrat today suffer from a level of motive attribution asymmetry that is comparable with that of Palestinians and Israelis. When Brooks spoke at BYU graduation in 2019, he quoted the words of President Nelson. Then-Elder Nelson gave a 2002 general conference talk titled Blessed Are the Peacemakers. He said, Hatred among brothers and neighbors has now reduced sacred cities to sites of sorrow. Further, he said, We should be personal peacemakers, a message he echoed on Sunday, more than 20 years later. Of course, one of the major questions is how. How do we decrease contempt and contention and increase peacemaking? President Nelson says charity, the pure love of Christ, is the answer. So does Brooks. The next question, for me at least, is how do you move from feeling contempt and disgust to feeling charity? That can feel like a pretty big leap. One step is to change how we speak to and about others, as advocated for and modeled by the Dignity Index. Another is to turn toward the person (or group or nation) that we are in conflict with. Its about humanizing the other person, and as Chad Ford says, it is choosing we over me. Ford is the author of Dangerous Love: Transforming Fear and Conflict at Home, at Work and in the World and a professor of intercultural peacebuilding at BYU-Hawaii. Related Additionally, Ford is a senior consultant and facilitator for the Arbinger Institute and an international conflict mediator. Ford recommends three principles to cultivate dangerous love. The first is seeing people as people. As mentioned by Hicks, everyone needs to feel seen and heard. The second principle is to turn first. Turn toward people with whom you disagree get intensely curious about them. When disagreements arise, ask yourself, What dont I understand? Keep asking that question. Third, invite collaborative problem-solving. Ford says that in conflict, we typically want to be right. We want validation that our way is the way. Rather, he says we need to seek for solutions that put we over me. For Pyfer, this past weekends general conference brought several messages of peacemaking and unity. But when President Nelson spoke, she cried. I wanted to shout yes! yes! yes! she said. It was this beautiful convergence of my religious beliefs, my spiritual work and my professional life a validation of this work on dignity and unity that Ive poured my heart and soul into these past few years. More than anything, these words were like a huge ray of hope which I think we all need right now. I am so grateful. Holly Richardson is the editor of Utah Policy and a member of the advisory council for The Dignity Index. Eliza Anderson, Deseret News My baseline is not calm. Yours likely isnt either. We, the hypervigilant, are always on guard, waiting and preparing for something to happen that will justify our elevated threat-assessment skills. We dont expect a bear attack, but instead something more internal: a threat to our belonging, or as Lisa Diamond puts it, our social safety. What happens if our sense of belonging is yanked away or if it was never there to begin with? How do we cope with social rejection? I dont think any of us would be shocked to learn that belonging is good. But Diamond, a professor of developmental psychology at the University of Utah with a doctorate degree in human development, takes it further than simply good. If you dont have anyone in your life that makes you feel like you matter, thats an emergency, she said. This need to belong may explain a lot of tensions dominating the news today, from political tribalism to school violence and the declining mental health of Americas youth. Belonging is not just good. Its not just a happiness boost. It is vital to survival. Diamond spoke to the Deseret News/KSL Editorial Board recently about the human need for belonging. Because humans evolved in such a dangerous, adverse environment, our baseline status, actually, is watchful, weary and somewhat afraid, until we get into the social group that protects us, she said. And then were like, OK, here Im OK. Calm is not our default, but belonging is what we crave. Related In 1995, two researchers, Roy Baumeister and Mark Leary, wrote a paper titled The Need to Belong: Desire for Interpersonal Attachments as a Fundamental Human Motivation. It has been cited more than 30,000 times. Why so much attention? In an interview with the authors in 2021, published in Educational Psychology Review, both expressed their surprise at how many people had found their research impactful. I do not regard this paper as a brilliant new idea Baumeister said. At best, we took an idea that had been in the background and moved it into the foreground. Story continues In their original paper Baumeister and Leary argue that belonging is not just a want, but a fundamental need. When there is a lack of belonging, they find that people suffer higher levels of mental and physical illness and are relatively highly prone to a broad range of behavioral problems, ranging from traffic accidents to criminality to suicide. Their findings resonate with Diamonds assertion: lack of belonging is an emergency that cannot afford to be left in the background. What does social rejection feel like? During his later research on belonging, Baumeister studied the connection between social rejection and emotional distress, the interview states. He was surprised to find that emotional distress was not the immediate product of rejection. Enter, emotional numbness. As Baumeister explained in the interview, when an animal is injured, its body will likely react with immediate numbness to give the animal time to escape the danger before pain sets in and slows it. When an animal is rejected or excluded, research has found that the animal reacts in the same way with numbness first. Intrigued, Baumeister and a colleague ran a study on humans and found that when we are rejected, we also show a loss of sensitivity to pain as reported in the interview. According to the Berkley Well-Being Institute, feeling emotional numbness often leads to an inability to understand or express our feelings, leading to further disconnect and isolation. In a numb state, we can sometimes feel particularly intense emotions, such as rage or anger, without being able to access other emotions. Being aware of our responses to lack of belonging can help us feel self-compassion and understanding after experiencing social rejection. Exclusion and rejection are an ongoing, inevitable part of social life, Leary said in the interview, and the more we understand about it, the better we can cope in those situations. Related How do we reestablish belonging? I asked Diamond what someone could do if they found themselves in a situation where they were feeling social unsafety, or lack of belonging. Her response was that we each need to ask ourselves this question: Who are the people that give you that feeling that you matter? Once weve identified that person, a sister, a spouse, a neighbor, we need to prioritize that relationship and let them know theyre someone who helps us feel belonging. Then on bad days when we feel that lack of belonging, we can turn to them to find it. Diamond calls this kind of one-on-one interaction a connection intervention. If you dont have a person who makes you feel like you matter, Diamond suggests turning to resources like therapy for help. A lack of belonging should not be treated as trivial. Humans have always needed the protection of other people; not just laughter and smiles, but Im going to grab your arm if you fall. Im going to pull you back up. Diamond also points to mindfulness as a way to help our brains unclench from hypervigilance. For those of us who are poor relaxers, she recommends finding or creating a space that is safe, calm and removed from distractions to practice mindfulness. Belonging is not something we can afford to ignore. As the interview with Baumeister and Leary emphasizes, Research on belonging now has an important role to play in addressing some of societys most complex challenges, such as loneliness, caring for an aging population, various forms of social and political tribalism, and school violence, all of which are rooted partly in a desire to belong. It starts on an individual level. It starts in homes and small communities. If we can each help someone else feel that they belong, our own sense of belonging will be strengthened, too. This is really about the way humans have always lived, says Diamond, in small groups looking in each others eyes and taking care of each other. Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin, who lost a general election at the weekend, said Wednesday that she would step down as Social Democratic Party leader and dismissed notions of any international postings. "I have come to the conclusion that I will not seek to continue as SDP leader at the forthcoming party conference in September," Marin told reporters in Helsinki. The 37-year-old said she would continue as a lawmaker, despite speculation that she could be in the running for a top job at an international agency. "I have not been offered any international posts. I will continue my work as a member of parliament," Marin said. She will submit her government's resignation on Thursday, acknowledging that her term as prime minister had taken a toll. "My own endurance has been tested at times during these years," she said. Hoping to live "a little calmer life," she also said she would not seek the presidency when current head of state Sauli Niinisto's second and final term ends next year. But Marin intends to lead the SDP's negotiations with the National Coalition Party, which won Sunday's legislative election in a close race, in the coming talks on forming a new government. The biggest party in parliament traditionally gets the first chance to form a government, which means conservative leader Petteri Orpo will have to decide whether to build a coalition with the SDP or the far-right Finns Party, which came in second. But Marin said she did not expect to be a cabinet member in the next government even if it includes her Social Democrats. "I don't think it's likely that I would be in that line-up of ministers myself," she said. - Election defeat - After basking in the spotlight of European politics, Marin failed to turn her exceptional popularity into enough seats in parliament for her Social Democratic Party to remain in power. The SDP came in third place in the elections with 43 seats, behind the conservative National Coalition with 48 seats and the far-right Finns Party with 46. Story continues "Now that the election result was like this, I believe that I also have the opportunity to reflect on my own life and turn a new page," she said. Marin, who became the world's youngest prime minister in 2019 at the age of 34, was Finland's most popular prime minister in decades, according to polls, but her reputation in the Nordic country has been polarising. While some view her as a strong leader who deftly navigated the Covid-19 pandemic and the NATO membership process, others see rising public debt on her watch and backlash over video clips of her partying as signs of inexperience. The centre-right National Coalition Party focused its winning campaign on the economy, accusing the government of financial irresponsibly. Marin meanwhile defended her track record and accused the National Coalition of wanting to "take from the poor to give to the rich." ehu/jll/js NATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland The militarys habit of labeling too much information as classified hinders cooperation with allies, Marine generals said Monday. Marine Commandant Gen. David Berger, speaking at a panel at the Navy Leagues Sea-Air-Space in National Harbor, Maryland, stressed the importance of collaborating with other countries. Sometimes we get in our own way, by over-classifying, over-compartmentalizing, he said. And yet we say our strategy is underpinned by allies and partners. You cant have it both ways. Partnerships are less formal relationships than alliances and dont involve a treaty, according to a Defense Department definition. Unbelievably ridiculous: Four-star general seeks to clean up Pentagons classification process Berger said that top leaders within the DoD have worked to adjust classification policies to make it easier for services to train alongside other nations. At a separate panel Monday at the Sea-Air-Space conference, the one-star general in charge of strategy and plans for the services plans, policies and operations department raised a similar point about classification. We want to have the greatest combination of naval power that the world has ever seen, Brig. Gen. Simon Doran said. And the way we need to do that is we need to work to the greatest extent possible to reduce the classification of as much information so that we can share more with our allies and partners. The over-classification problem isnt new, nor is it unique to the Marine Corps. The Project On Government Oversight found in 2019 that the Pentagon long inclined toward secrecy increased its withholding of documents from journalists during the Trump Administration. The Project on Government Oversight, an independent watchdog, termed that tendency a war on transparency. The Marine leaders comments echo what the deputy chief of U.S. Space Command said in January. Lt. Gen. John Shaw said over-classification had recently prevented the command from sharing information with U.S. partners, as C4ISRNET reported In 2020, nine four-star regional commanders wrote an internal memo asking intelligence agencies to declassify more information about pernicious conduct by China and Russia so the United States could sway support of American allies against them, Politico reported. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 5) Interior Sec. Benhur Abalos said he will recommend one particular officer who can replace Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. who retires this month If Im going to be asked kung sino ang gusto ko (who I want), Ive got someone in mind, Abalos told CNN Philippines The Source on Wednesday without naming the person. The interior and local government secretary usually submits a list of recommendations for PNP chief to the president. Abalos listed three qualities for the next PNP chief as the government intensifies efforts against illegal drugs. He said the PNP leader should be brave, should not be dazzled by money, and should have good police work. Azurin will retire this April. The change-of-command ceremony and retirement honors were set for April 24, which coincides with his birthday. Azurin was named PNP chief in August 2022, replacing then officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao. Overland Park police were asking the public for help Tuesday to locate a dog that bit someone in the citys Antioch neighborhood. Police said in a news release that the dog, a medium-to-large-sized boxer breed, bit someone on Sunday around 8 p.m. near 71st and Glenwood streets. The person who was bitten had minor injuries, police said. The dog was further described as auburn in color with white patches. Police said the dog was being walked by a stocky, middle-aged white man. Two other dogs were also being walked at the time. Overland Park police were asking that anyone with information contact the department at 913-895-6300. The Jewish holiday of Passover begins today, and temples around the island plan to celebrate with food, prayer and community. The holiday, which commemorates the Jewish people's exodus from ancient Egypt, continues through April 13 and includes special prayer services and ceremonial dinners, called seders. Temple Emanu-El of Palm Beach, at 190 N. County Road, will mark the holiday with Passover services on Thursday and Friday and a second-night seder and sing-along on Thursday. New Synagogue Family Engagement director Emily Aronoff, right, and Rabbi Barak Bar-Chaim, left, lead the congregation's Passover Story and Song on Sunday. Rabbi Michael Resnick said the holiday is an important one not just because of its historical significance, but also because of the 'beautiful' interpretations which have been added to it over the years. Related: 'Standing together': Public officials condemn hatred and bigotry at antisemitism summit in Palm Beach "Passover has become a holiday of freedom, not simply political freedom, but one that celebrates freedom from anything both personal or interpersonal that keeps us stuck in the same place," Resnick said. "Whether is be our fears, anxieties, destructive habits or numbing routines, the idea of metaphorically leaving Egypt for a new-found freedom is something everyone can relate to." Rabbi Zalman Levitin of Chabad Palm Beach Island, at 361 S. County Road, agreed that celebrating freedom is a key focus of Passover. One of the holiday's central themes is commemorating the Jews leaving Egypt after 210 years of enslavement, he said, while another is a more modern interpretation. Publix customer Barry Schulman, left, of West Palm Beach, stops by the The "Passover at Publix" matzah table attended by Mendy Schochet and Eliza Tizabgar of Chabad House on Friday. "Egypt is not only a geographical location," he said. "It's a mindset. We all have slaveries that hold us back from being free. Some of them are externally imposed limitations, and then there are the self-imposed slaveries, too, of addiction, negative mindsets and unhappiness. The story of Passover reminds us that then, and now, it is only with G-d's hand that we can achieve true freedom. And this is what we affirm at the seder table. We acknowledge the bitterness of being enslaved, but we also celebrate the power to be free." Story continues Chabad Palm Beach is marking the holiday with a variety of activities that began Tuesday and conclude Saturday. New Synagogue began its holiday celebrations early with a special Passover event Sunday that coincided with the reopening of its newly renovated space. The temple, at 235 Sunrise Ave., closed last summer for a major renovation and expansion project. Going forward, Rabbi Barak Bar Chaim said, all services and programs, unless noted, will be held in person for Shabbat and holiday services, starting with Sunday's "Passover Story and Song" event. Palm Beach Synagogue hosted a Glow in the Dark Model Seder on Sunday. More than 100 children donned glow-up gear and Let My People GLOW T-shirts as part of the event. "Passover signifies the birth of the independent Nation of Israel," he said. "It occurs during the spring, symbolizing the ideas of rebirth and rejuvenation. It is therefore incredibly fitting that we reopen our newly decorated sanctuary for services on Passover." Palm Beach Synagogue, at 120 N. County Road, will host a pair of of communal seders to commemorate Passover, and both will feature a sign-language interpreter for the first time. After a congregant asked Rabbi Moshe Scheiner if that accommodation could be made as part of the temple's Project Connect program for children with special needs and their families, Scheiner said he happily made the arrangements. "It will be so fitting and appropriate," he said. "The whole idea of Passover is freedom. People with special needs have limitations. The whole message of Passover is that regardless of your physical circumstances, you can choose to be free internally and rise above it. There were Jews who conducted Passover seders in concentration camps. We don't just see Judaism as a physical state." Passover events Passover ends April 13. Here are ways to learn about events at local temples: Temple Emanu-El, www.tepb.org, 561-832-0804 The Chabad House, www.palmbeachjewish.com, 561-659-3884 New Synagogue, www.newsynagogue.org, 561-514-4064 Palm Beach Synagogue, www.palmbeachsynagogue.org, 561-838-9002 Jodie Wagner is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at jwagner@pbdailynews.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Palm Beach temples to mark Passover beginning today Some parents say that red dye No. 3 in foods causes behavioral problems in their kids. (Illustration: Celina Pereira; Photos: Getty Images) Red dye No. 3 found in gummies, ice cream cones, frostings, toaster pastries and more is under fire in California, where lawmakers have introduced a first-of-its-kind bill that would ban the synthetic food coloring, along with four other potentially harmful chemicals frequently found in processed foods. If the bill passes, items like fruit cups, chewy candies, Skittles and Peeps would no longer be able to be sold in the state. The bill is being applauded by some parents who say red food dye No. 3 has already been banned from their own households. One is father of three Matt Parks, who tells Yahoo Life that he and his wife try to do their best to keep their children from having red dye No. 3. "We very strictly limit the amount of red dye that our kids have," he says, noting that they're especially cautious with their younger daughter. "We have noticed that when she has red food dye, her ability to regulate emotions becomes impaired," he says. "She's very easily agitated and upset far more than normal. It's gotten to the point where even she notices the change." Parks says he has ADHD and notices that, when he has products with red dye No. 3, he feels more irritable and agitated. "It's not a cause of those symptoms, but it does seem to be a trigger," he says. Father of two AJ Yarwood also says his family tries to avoid red dye No. 3. "When our children consume products containing red dye No. 3, they tend to become more hyperactive and have difficulty focusing," he tells Yahoo Life. "This can be especially challenging for our daughter, who already struggles with attention issues." Yarwood says his family has come up with a list of common products with the dye to avoid, noting that the list keeps growing. "It's frustrating to know that this dye is banned from cosmetics due to its harmful effects, yet it's still used in everyday foods for everyone to ingest," he says. Story continues Carrie Conrad, a mother of three, says her kids may have red food dye one or two times a year at birthday parties, noting that "every time we do, we regret it." Conrad said her children most recently had the dye in pink cotton candy at a Renaissance festival, and it didn't end well. "My kids lose control over themselves," she says. "There's screaming, running, rebelling. The kids are unable to connect or register any safety rules. It's pure chaos." It's important to note that the claims about red dye No. 3 aren't just anecdotal. The chemical has been linked to behavioral issues in kids. Jamie Alan, an associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University, tells Yahoo Life that studies on red dye No. 3 are limited and only show an association not that red dye No. 3 actually causes certain health issues or behaviors. But Alan says it's important to consider this: "Red dye offers no nutritional or positive impacts on health. There is only potential harm, although the jury is out on the amount of type of harm it may or may not cause." Alan adds: "From a health standpoint, I can see benefits" to banning the dye in foods. Dr. Daniel Ganjian, a pediatrician at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., tells Yahoo Life that he "loves" the idea of banning red food dye. "Parents are realizing that these food labels are getting longer, and they have a right to know what effect these foods may have on their children," he says. Ganjian also acknowledges that data on red dye No. 3 is limited but points out that the data surrounding this ingredient is unlikely to become more robust. "It's not ethical to get kids and expose them to red dye for the science of it when animal studies show it could harm them," he says. Ganjian says he's seen kids act out after having candies with red dye No. 3. "It's not just the sugar," he says. "It's just better not to have this ingredient." If passed, Assembly Bill 418 would ban red dye No. 3, titanium dioxide, potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil and propylparaben from the manufacturing, distribution or sale of foods in California. So what can parents do in the meantime? If you're able to, Alan recommends doing your best to avoid red dye No. 3, either by choosing dye-free foods or ones that use more natural coloring, such as beet extract. "I am concerned about parents who cannot easily access foods that are dye-free," she says. "If your only options for food are foods that contain dye, then by all means feed your children." Wellness, parenting, body image and more: Get to know the who behind the hoo with Yahoo Life's newsletter. Sign up here. North Carolina Rep. Tricia Cotham has drawn national attention since defecting from the Democratic party Wednesday to join the states Republican majority. But shes far from the first politician to change political affiliation mid-cycle. Ballotpedia a nonprofit, nonpartisan, online encyclopedia of United States politics records 168 state lawmakers across the country as having changed political parties since 1994, including 48 senators and 120 representatives. That precedent hasnt stopped Democrats from labeling what Cotham did as deceit of the highest order. Many from her former party view Cothams new Republican allegiance as an acute crisis. The move gives Republicans a supermajority in both legislative chambers and may have stripped Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, of his ability to successfully veto bills to which the party objects. It is a betrayal to the people of Mecklenburg County, with repercussions not only for the people of her district, but for the entire state of North Carolina, said Anderson Clayton, the newly elected chair of North Carolinas Democratic Party, during a news conference Wednesday. Republicans meanwhile celebrated their new addition: the 72nd Republican in the North Carolina House. We are thrilled to have Rep. Cotham join the Republican Party to advance solutions for North Carolina families, said Michael Whatley, chairman of the NC GOP. This announcement continues to reflect that the Democratic Party is too radical for North Carolina. The values of the Republican Party align with voters, and the People of Mecklenburg County should be proud to have her representation in Raleigh. How does Cothams shift compare to previous party changers? Party crashers Cothams move to the Republican party is unusual in todays political climate, but it used to be more common, according to Chris Cooper, a political science professor at Western Carolina University. We use to have more party switchers in North Carolina as the south moved from solidly Democrat to solidly Republican, he said. Story continues Cooper thought back to people like U.S. Sens. Jesse Helms, of North Carolina, and Strom Thurmond, of South Carolina. Both originally were Democrats. Clearly, neither one is known for their liberal positions, Cooper said, with a chuckle. We used to see it more often. Whats unusual here is that the parties are almost perfectly sorted, so its just not the case that people are mismatched anymore. Is this the biggest coup in North Carolina political history? Cooper said no. But he said it ranks near the top. IHOP bribe The most notable party change in North Carolinas history was state Rep. Michael Deckers. It resulted in two prison sentences: Deckers and then-House Speaker Jim Blacks. In 2003, Decker announced he planned to change his affiliation from Republican to Democrat. In the prior years elections, Black, a Democrat, was about to lose his power when voters elected 61 Republicans and 59 Democrats to the House. Black and Decker met at an IHOP to discuss a $50,000 bribe and Decker agreed to change his party and help reelect Black as speaker. At another IHOP visit, the money changed hands. Deckers move allowed Black to regain his authority over the House and for Democrats to maintain power. Decker would serve 10 terms total in the North Carolina House representing an area around Forsyth County before news broke of the bribe. His political career was cut short when he pleaded guilty to corruption in 2006, The News & Observer previously reported. Black took an Alford plea, which means he didnt admit guilt, but felt a plea deal was in his best interest considering the evidence against him. Both served prison time, though Blacks sentence stemmed from other crimes. Republican rage In the 1970s, Republicans were dealt back-to-back blows when Rep. Carolyn Mathis, a Republican from Charlotte, and Rep. Ralph Ledford, a Republican from Hendersonville, switched parties just two sessions apart. Mathis went first, becoming a Democrat, following by Ledford. The Associated Press covered Ledfords switch and said former Republican Party Chairman Jack Lee immediately called for Ledfords resignation, while others called his decision political suicide. Ledford left Republicans with only 14 representatives in the House and five in the Senate. He has since unsuccessfully tried to run for offices, including Congress, in both North Carolina and South Carolina. Mathis constituents reelected her to another term. Moving to independent More recently, Rep. Paul Tine, of Kitty Hawk, changed his political affiliation from Democrat to Independent in 2015, The News & Observer previously reported. Tines constituents elected him as a Democrat in 2013 to represent Beaufort, Dare, Hyde and Washington. He was reelected in 2014 and in the middle of his term announced his decision to become an Independent. He also chose to caucus with Republicans. He said then he felt the switch would help him better serve his constituents. He left Democrats with 45 seats in the House and did not seek reelection. Cothams change Its not yet clear the impact Cothams change will have on North Carolina Democrats. She declined to identify where she stands on several policy issues during a Wednesday morning news conference. Clayton said Cothams decision put reproductive freedoms, public schools, LGBTQ rights, voting issues and the future of the state on the line. This is about the issues, Clayton said. Its not about the politics of this. It is about the issues that impact our friends, our families, our neighbors, our loved ones the people that matter to us in the state that we care about right now. Cooper, who is no relation of Gov. Roy Cooper, said he does not consider Cotham a conservative Democrat, but he would have called her a moderate. She ran on Democratic platforms and has stood strongly for abortion rights. While lawmakers in 2015 debated forcing a woman to wait 72-hours before getting an abortion, Cotham spoke on the House floor, saying shed previously had an abortion. After, Cotham told Time Magazine that people flipped her off, swerved their cars toward her and a Republican colleague came up to her and called her a baby-killer. On Wednesday, Cotham said she became a Republican because her old party left her feeling isolated and bullied by its members. She did not mention any policy conflicts. Lets say Tricia Cothams voting patterns dont change, Cooper, the professor, said. Then essentially, nothing has changed in terms of Gov. Coopers veto. If her stances on policies do change, Republicans no longer need a single Democrat to vote with them to override a veto. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) A Democratic state lawmaker in North Carolina announced Wednesday that she is jumping to the Republican Party, giving the GOP veto-proof majorities in both the state's legislative chambers that should make it easier to enact conservative policies over the opposition of Gov. Roy Cooper. Whether the switch by Charlotte-area Rep. Tricia Cotham will soon result in further abortion restrictions in the nation's ninth-most populous state remains unclear, given her support for abortion rights during her earlier stint in the General Assembly. I am still the same person, and I am going to do what I believe is right and follow my conscience, Cotham said in a news conference at state GOP headquarters at which she announced she would soon switch her party registration. "The party that best represents me and my principles and whats best for North Carolina is the Republican Party," she added. Cotham's switch means Republicans now hold the 72 seats required in the 120-seat House to hold a veto-proof majority. Republicans already held the 30 Senate seats necessary to override vetoes. Until Wednesday, Republicans were one seat shy of a similar advantage in the House following gains during the November elections. Cooper, a Democrat who is term-limited from seeking reelection in 2024, made blocking veto-proof majorities a top priority in last fall's campaigns. Angry Democrats said Cotham should resign, because the voters in her liberal-leaning district expected her to support the party's agenda. Cothams decision is a deceit of the highest order. It is a betrayal to the people of Mecklenburg County with repercussions not only for the people of her district but for the entire state of North Carolina," state Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton said in a news conference at which activists held RESIGN signs. Before Wednesday, House Speaker Tim Moore argued that Republicans held a working supermajority in his chamber since the new two-year session, with a few Democrats like Cotham joining GOP legislators in advancing high-profile issues. Story continues Now, Moore said Wednesday, "we have an outright supermajority. It makes it a little bit easier, by the way. Cotham, a former teacher and assistant principal who served in the House for nearly 10 years through 2016 before returning in January, switched because, she said, the Democratic Party and her Democratic colleagues were no longer willing to accept different viewpoints. Cotham, 44, has significant Democratic roots. Her mother, Pat, serves on the Mecklenburg County commission and has been a Democratic National Committee member. Her ex-husband is a former chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party. The "modern-day Democratic Party has become unrecognizable to me, Cotham said. If you dont do exactly what the Democrats want you to do, they will try to bully you. They will try to cast you aside. Cotham said the turning point for her to consider a switch came when people started criticizing her for using the American flag and praying-hands emojis on social media and on her vehicles. Its been very clear to me this was about control on Day One at the legislature, she said. They picked the wrong chick for that. House Minority Leader Robert Reives said later Wednesday that Cotham's allegations of mistreatment within the Democratic Party just didn't happen. Top Republicans welcomed Cotham to the fold after working with her for several years. I told her wed always have your back because were friends first, said Rep. Jason Saine, a Lincoln County Republican. Moore already appointed Cotham this year to co-chair the House K-12 education committee, making her one of the few Democrats to hold top committee posts. The speaker declined to get into specifics about what legislation he thinks can now succeed with Cothams switch. But House Republicans have this year revived previously vetoed measures that would force sheriffs to cooperate with federal immigration agents and block the counting of mailed absentee ballots received after Election Day. Republicans also are interested in further abortion restrictions following last years U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. North Carolina bans nearly all abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, and Republicans have been meeting privately to discuss two options. One would prohibit abortions after the first trimester 12 or 13 weeks of pregnancy with new exceptions for rape and incest. Another would ban them once an ultrasound first detects fetal cardiac activity, typically about six weeks after fertilization. In 2015, Cotham spoke out in House floor debate against a bill that extended the waiting period before someone can receive an abortion in North Carolina from 24 hours to 72 hours, saying it was about perpetuating shame and about politicians wanting to play doctor. She has also been a supporter of LGBTQ rights. Im not going to be pigeonholed into any one particular issue, she said Wednesday, not addressing a specific topic. "And I made that very clear in our conversations that there are just some things Im not changing on. That result may require Moore to count on remaining moderate Democrats to complete overrides. Democratic activists said Cotham still owes it to the public to speak out clearly on critical issues. Hurt voters deserve to know right now where she stands on abortion access in this state," said Cameron Pruette with the LGBTQ Democrats of Mecklenburg County. "Will she protect trans kids? Cooper's office didn't provide a statement Wednesday, referring instead to one released Tuesday. While it quoted the governor as saying her decision was disappointing, he expressed hope in Cotham's future voting. She should still vote the way she has always said she would vote when these issues arise, regardless of party affiliation, Cooper said. Last week, the legislature overrode a Cooper veto for the first time since 2018 when it enacted, over his objections, a bill eliminating the states pistol permit purchase system. Cotham was one of three House Democrats who were absent last week during the override votes on the gun bill. The absences meant Republicans were able to meet, on their own, the necessary three-fifths threshold. Hand holding technology. Illustrated/Getty Images Artificially intelligent chatbots and image generators broke through into the popular imagination with the release of OpenAI's ChatGPT-3.5. The recently released GPT-4 is even better at mimicking humanity and answering its questions. But while many people see this new generation of AI as a fun way to generate poetry or images of Pope Francis in a fashionable papal puffer jacket, Microsoft founder Bill Gates recently called it the first shot in a new revolution "as fundamental as the creation of the microprocessor, the personal computer, the Internet, and the mobile phone," that will change the way people work, learn, travel, get health care, and communicate with each other." A group of AI luminaries, computer scientists, and tech industry notables warned in an April 29 open letter that maybe we're moving too fast with artificial intelligence, with too few guardrails. The thousand or so motley signatories of the letter, organized by the nonprofit Future of Life Institute, include OpenAI cofounder Elon Musk, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio, Stability AI CEO Emad Mostaque, AI researchers Stuart Russell and Gary Marcus, and Rachel Bronson, president of the Doomsday Clock-setting Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. "Recent months have seen AI labs locked in an out-of-control race to develop and deploy ever more powerful digital minds that no one not even their creators can understand, predict, or reliably control," the letter cautions. AI systems with "human-competitive intelligence can pose profound risks to society and humanity," and if AI labs won't agree to "immediately pause for at least 6 months the training of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4," then "governments should step in and institute a moratorium." AI leaders warning that they may be creating an existential Frankenstein's monster is jarring, as is the fact that they want governments to stop them. Is the largely unregulated AI juggernaut really putting humanity at risk? Story continues What are the commentators saying? "I think it's very reasonable for people to be worrying about these issues now, even though it's not going to happen in the next year or two," Geoffrey Hinton, known as the "godfather of artificial intelligence," told CBS News. The advances in AI are comparable to "the Industrial Revolution, or electricity ... or maybe the wheel." But when asked how likely it is AI will wipe out humanity, he said, "It's not inconceivable, that's all I'll say." "It's not often that Hinton, Musk, and I are even in partial agreement," Gary Marcus writes at his Road to AI We Can Trust substack. "Is AI going to kill us all? I don't know, and you don't either." But "my scenarios for doom are perhaps not the same as Hinton's or Musk's," which focus on the dangers of sentient artificial "superintelligence" in which "computers rapidly and radically self-improve themselves," he said. The bigger near-term concern is the "mediocre AI" we already have, widely accessible and just smart enough to cause mass death and chaos in the hands of "criminals, including terrorists" after all, "a single idiot with the nuclear codes could destroy the world." Just to be "alarmist for a second," what if these profound AI-generated changes are "like when they were building the atomic bomb or biological weapons or something else super dangerous," with no "kind of regulatory framework" to steer or limit it, Emily Bazelon said on Slate's Political Gabfest. "There's a survey going on of people who work in labs developing AI, and the median answer they gave for how likely it is that this could drive humans, I don't know, out of life entirely was 10 percent. That's not zero. And I don't see the world preparing for it." "A pause is a good idea, but the letter is vague and doesn't take the regulatory problems seriously," James Grimmelmann, a Cornell University professor of digital and information law, tells The Associated Press. "It is also deeply hypocritical for Elon Musk to sign on given how hard Tesla has fought against accountability for the defective AI in its self-driving cars." What's next for AI and humanity? The AI letter signatories, including Musk, say they want a moratorium until industry and government can develop "robust AI governance systems" with "new and capable regulatory authorities dedicated to AI," at a minimum. "A number of governments are already working to regulate high-risk AI tools," AP reports. The approach outlined by the United Kingdom on Wednesday said it "will avoid heavy-handed legislation which could stifle innovation," focusing instead on "practical guidance" and broad principles. The European Union is working to pass more detailed rules, with a liability cudgel, but the EU's 2021 proposal "still has not been adopted into law," The Washington Post notes. "Some U.S. lawmakers have called for new regulations on AI and its development, but no substantive proposals have advanced through the legislature." The public isn't overly concerned about AI, which "certainly pales into insignificance compared to the other things that they are worried about like the prospect of armed conflict, or even the impact of climate change," James Frayne at British pollster Public First tells Politico. "One assumes that at some point there will be an event which shocks them, and shakes them, and makes them think very differently about AI," he added. And "at that point there will be great demands for the government to make sure that they're all over this in terms of regulation. They will expect the government to not only move very quickly, but to have made significant progress already." "At the dawn of every profound development in technology, you can count on the profoundly stupid, too," Shira Ovide writes at the Post. But consumers and AI labs aren't powerless, we can learn that "just because you can apply AI to some task, it doesn't mean that you should." It's important to remember that AI and its affiliated technologies "are tools and not magic," she adds. "They're not appropriate for everything. Hammers are great, too, but we don't use them to cook lasagna." You may also like Most viewers didn't finish Amazon's Lord of the Rings show, report says Why does Trump think attacking his Manhattan judge is a good plan? Jail guards sentenced on cruelty charges after forcing prisoners to listen to 'Baby Shark' on loop PANAMA CITY BEACH With March in the city's rear-view mirror, residents and tourists can go back to enjoying the beach without worrying about a list of spring break-related rules. As of April 1 in Panama City Beach, a few city bans lasting the month of March have expired. Specifically, they are drinking alcohol on the sandy beach, having alcohol in commercial parking lots, and selling alcohol after 2 a.m. The ordinances were put in place to control crowds of rowdy spring breakers who used to flock to the Beach every year for spring break. As of April 1 in Panama City Beach, a few city bans lasting the month of March have expired. They are drinking alcohol on the sandy beach, having alcohol in commercial parking lots and selling alcohol after 2 a.m. "I'm in favor of being able to have a beer, a wine cooler or something when you're sitting on the beach, especially in the hot summer," Councilmember Mary Coburn said. "(However), we want to ensure that our residents and our guests are safe and have a good time when they're visiting here, and these spring break ordinances that we have just give law enforcement another tool." Public safety: Panama City Beach Police Department arrests more than 480 so far this spring break season Curving chaos: Panama City Beach police say weekend was a success despite fears of spring break chaos Coburn noted that even though the listed spring break ordinances have expired, local law enforcement and code enforcement officers, along with the city's beach safety team, will continue working together to make sure the city has a fun and safe summer. "We're really blessed to have the most beautiful beaches in the world," she said. "I've traveled a lot, and I have not seen any beaches more beautiful than ours. ... We're very blessed to have that and to be able to share that with other people." Coburn also urged beachgoers to always follow the city's beach flag warning system. It still is illegal in Panama City Beach to get in the Gulf of Mexico during times of double-red flags. Violators can be fined up to $500, with a 50% discount given to those who pay within 20 days of receiving the tickets. Common flag colors used in beach flag warning systems include a green flag for low hazard conditions, a yellow flag for medium hazard conditions, one red flag for high hazard conditions, and two red flags for very dangerous conditions. Story continues Panama City Beach never flies green flags, however, because officials say beachgoers should always be cautious anytime they enter the gulf. "I would just encourage everyone to obey the flag system so they do not put themselves at risk, or they do not put our personal at risk saving them when they go out in a double-red flag," Coburn said. This article originally appeared on The News Herald: PCB's March ordinances expire; alcohol once again allowed on beach LAKELAND More than 20 members of the Polk Ecumenical Action Council for Empowerment presented their argument Monday for why Lakeland should become the first city in Polk County to offer pre-arrest diversion for minor traffic offenses. Speaking to city commissioners, Debbie Jeffers, representing First Missionary Baptist Church in Winter Haven, shared the story of a man who was pulled over then arrested for driving with a suspended license because of cumulative unpaid traffic fines. Jeffers said the man spent a day in jail and paid thousands of dollars in fees he had to borrow from family members. "Was his poverty a reason or rational to be arrested?" she said. "Is this the only way we can take care of restitution?" PEACE, an organization representing 28 religious congregations across Polk, asked Lakeland commissioners to encourage Police Chief Sam Taylor to offer pre-arrest diversion for "victimless" driving offenses, such as driving with a suspended license for unpaid parking tickets. "These people are not a threat to our community," said Jhoanna Lunetta, a PEACE board member. "We just need LPD to make a minor change in the process so that these people are not branded for life with a criminal record." Kristen Hathcock, a PEACE member who identified herself as a consulting criminal justice researcher, said when an individual is arrested for a minor traffic infraction, taxpayers' money funds both the prosecution and defense if the individual utilizes their right to a public defender. On Harden Boulevard Lakeland OKs revised plans for self-storage facility despite outcry In Munn Park Lakeland nonprofit asks city to reconsider limiting homeless feedings Father calls it "harassment" Lakeland Police bans autistic homeless man from Munn Park "Each one of these arrests means huge costs at the taxpayers' expense," she said. A pre-arrest diversion program was implemented by the State Attorney's Office for the 10th Judicial Circuit in 2019. The policy allows law enforcement to withhold arrests for first-time, non-violent misdemeanors and instead order alleged violators into a program of classes or community service, allowing them to avoid arrest records. Story continues City Manager Shawn Sherrouse said there is a specific list of misdemeanor offenses for which the State Attorney's Office allows pre-arrest diversion. It includes writing a worthless check, petty theft, possession of cannabis or cannabis resin, possession of drug paraphernalia and illegal dumping. The list of eligible offenses was last negotiated in 2019, Sherrouse said. He said Florida law requires law enforcement to have an agreement that spells out what infractions are eligible. Lakeland Police Chief Sam Taylor does not have the sole authority to expand on what misdemeanors, traffic or otherwise, are eligible for pre-arrest diversion, Sherrouse said. "If that's the basis, we really need to go to the State Attorney's level for expansion," Mayor Bill Mutz said. Lunetta said PEACE has had three meetings with Taylor to discuss their interest in expanding pre-arrest diversion program before he declined additional conversations. "The latest requests made by PEACE fall outside the guidelines of the existing approved program and our agencys authority to modify," LPD spokewoman Robin Tillett wrote in an email Tuesday. Municipal utilities Florida bills could impact how much Lakeland Electric contributes to city budget Some commissioners are starting to ask Does Downtown Lakeland have too many bars? In an emailed statement on Tuesday, Taylor indicated that he is not in favor of working to expand the pre-arrest diversion program for traffic infractions. "I am not advocating for an expanded diversion program to include crimes of knowingly driving with a suspended or revoked license. Over my career, Ive witnessed too many traffic crashes where lives were lost, and families were forever impacted by persons who chose not to maintain a valid drivers license. I cannot see how the requested changes make our community safer," he said. The Florida Department of Motor Vehicles states that local law enforcement agencies can add minor traffic infractions to the list of those eligible for pre-arrest diversion at their discretion, Lunetta said. The city manager said if PEACE has new questions or requests for information, Lakeland will be glad to respond. "We have an opportunity for communication to take place" Mutz said. The mayor asked city staff to find out what the state attorney might be willing to include in the pre-arrest diversion program, and then discuss how Lakeland Police Department can implement those changes. Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on Twitter @SaraWalshFl. This article originally appeared on The Ledger: PEACE: Lakeland should offer pre-arrest diversion for traffic offenses A composite image showing Pearl (left) and Sa Ra Garvey, on an episode of their podcast "The Pregrame." The two seemed to have a positive relationship when working together. JustPearlyThings/YouTube Podcaster and commentator Sa Ra Garvey cut ties with anti-feminist creator Pearl. He accused her of having a "colonialist" mindset, and not paying her Black co-hosts appropriately. Pearl told Insider his statements are "defamatory" and she may be suing him. Anti-feminist podcaster Pearl says she may sue her former co-host Sa Ra Garvey after he dramatically cut ties with her last week. In a 20-minute video posted on Friday, Garvey alleged that Pearl underpays the Black creators on her podcast "The Pregame," and has a "colonialist" mindset. He compared her content business to a "plantation." In a message to Insider, Pearl described Garvey's claims about how she pays people as "defamatory and false" and suggested she intends to pursue legal action against him. She said Garvey has "had an agenda against me for months." The claim and Pearl's response shines a light on a contentious part of the creator economy, where people often work outside of normal employee-employer relationships. Hannah Pearl Davis, who is known as just Pearl to her audience, is a prominent but controversial creator whose reach has boomed in recent months, as detailed in a recent profile by Insider. Garvey, who is British, said in the video that he and Davis decided to make a podcast together when she moved to London from Chicago. He said he agreed because she was making content similar to that of the controversial dating YouTuber Kevin Samuels, who he admired, and who died last year. Garvey said that death left "a vacuum within the manosphere space" for Davis to fill. He said he used to work for Davis on a pay-per-appearance basis, but had recently been offered a different arrangement. He said Davis proposed that he work 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. days in exchange for 30% of the videos' ad revenue, but no fixed salary. He said he considered the offer too little. He did not provide any proof of the arrangement. He did not respond to Insider's requests for comment, but in a subsequent interview with YouTuber Anton Daniels he alluded to sharing more information soon. Story continues Garvey said he considered the figure too low, and further alleged that Davis offered other Black creators less, though he didn't provide evidence of those claims. "I may be a lot of things, but I'm not an idiot," Garvey said, characterizing the contracts. "Pearl has people working on her, quote unquote, plantation for absolute pittance." Davis told Insider that Garvey's statements about her employees' contracts were "defamatory and false," and that Garvey "made assumptions based on of little information." She declined to share any details herself, citing the privacy of the people concerned. "We do not take defamation lightly and we will be pursuing this to the fullest extent of the law," she said. "Due to that I may have to wait on my video." Davis said she would not share information about the contracts "as that is private information of my employees." "However this will be shown in court and it will be easy to prove that this it is false," she said. Davis also appeared on Daniels' podcast. She said she couldn't offer salaries because he company is expensive to run and "cash poor." "It's fine if you don't want to do that kind of deal, it's not for everybody," she said. "And if you don't want to do that, that's fine. He's more than welcome to go start something on his own. My question is why haven't you?" Davis also told Insider she would be issuing a public statement soon. In his video, Garvey also took issue with Davis's recent interview with white supremacist Nick Fuentes, claiming she was over-friendly with him, "laughed with him," and seemed to "agree with a lot of his points." Davis apologized for the interview in a video last Monday after backlash from several Black creators, saying she was not educated on the topics Fuentes brought up. "I just really like to give people the benefit of the doubt when I interview them, I don't go into interviews trying to interrogate someone. I just more try to listen and see where they're coming from," she said. "In hindsight that wasn't smart." Read the original article on Insider Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) offered rare praise for Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Wednesday after he met with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen in California. Pelosi who had a notoriously bitter relationship with McCarthy during her tenure as Speaker when he was minority leader said the GOP leaders meeting with Tsai should be commended. Todays meeting between President Tsai of Taiwan and Speaker McCarthy is to be commended for its leadership, its bipartisan participation and its distinguished and historic venue, Pelosi said in a statement. McCarthy hosted a meeting with Tsai at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California on Wednesday along with more than a dozen lawmakers from both parties, including Reps. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), the chair and ranking member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (Calif.) also attended. McCarthy is now the most senior elected U.S. official to meet with Tsai on U.S. soil. Chinese officials adamantly rejected the meeting between the two, warning that countermeasures and consequences could follow. On Wednesday, the Chinese Embassy in Washington warned House lawmakers against meeting with Tsai, calling the interactions serious political provocations. Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), who was in California for the meeting, shared screenshots of the email on Twitter Wednesday. I felt our meeting today provided a greater peace and stability for the world. Americas support for the people of Taiwan will remain resolute, unwavering and bipartisan, McCarthy said after the event, adding theres no need for retaliation. Pelosi went to Taiwan in August despite warnings from China against doing so; her high-profile visit ratcheted up tensions between Washington and Beijing, which views Taiwan as a province of China that cannot conduct its own diplomacy. After the visit, McCarthy criticized Pelosi for not including any Republicans in the congressional delegation. Pelosi invited Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), the then-ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, but he was unable to attend. Story continues House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said he met with Tsai during a transit through New York City last week. We had a very productive conversation about the mutual security and economic interests between America and Taiwan. We also discussed our shared commitment to democracy and freedom. I wish President Tsai a safe return as she transits through California and travels back to Taiwan, he said in a statement on Wednesday. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 5) The Bureau of Immigration (BI) expressed alarm on Wednesday over the physical abuse experienced by the latest batch of repatriated human trafficking victims from neighboring countries in Southeast Asia. Seven victims arrived in Manila last Monday after working for a year in Mae Sot, Thailand as crypto currency scammers. The victims recounted how they were starved, electrocuted, and beaten with PVC pipes for not reaching their quota of investors in the pseudo-investment scheme, the BI said in a statement. The bureau said that the victims posed as tourists when they left the country last year. Moreover, three other Filipinos were also repatriated last April 1 from Phnom Penh, Cambodia after being recruited by a syndicate to work as customer service representatives in a bogus shopping website. According to the victims, their employers deceive their clients through a social messaging app where they will encourage them to invest more in their site but would not allow them to withdraw their investment after the first two successful payouts, the BI said. One of the victims recalled that she was sold to a different company to work as a love scammer without being compensated, the BI said. Meanwhile, the two others, who were a couple, managed to escape from their employers and were assisted by the Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh. The BI warned the public to only transact with legitimate working agencies for career opportunities abroad. The bureau earlier said that it has recorded some 6,000 suspected victims of human trafficking, illegal recruitment, and misrepresentation for the first two months of 2023. (Getty Images) Former vice president Mike Pence will not appeal a court ruling compelling him to heed a subpoena to testify before the federal grand jury investigating former president Donald Trumps actions leading up to the January 6 attack on the Capitol. A spokesperson for Mr Pence, Devin OMalley, said in a statement that the ex-vice president wouldnt seek to overturn a ruling from US District Judge James Boasberg, the chief judge of the US District Court for the District of Columbia, who earlier this week held that Mr Pence must give evidence about his interactions with Mr Trump because Judge Boasberg also found that Mr Pence could not be forced to testify about actions he took in his ceremonial role of President of the Senate when he presided over Congress certification of the 2020 presidential election. Mr Pence had sought to preclude his appearance before the grand jury on the grounds that testimony about his Congressional role could not be compelled because of a provision of the US Constitution that protects members of Congress from being questioned about their official duties. Attorneys for Mr Trump had also argued that executive privilege a legal doctrine that protects deliberations between and among a president and his advisers also precluded Mr Pence from giving evidence about his interactions with Mr Trump and his aides, but Judge Boasberg rejected those arguments in his opinion, which remains sealed but has been reported on by multiple news outlets. The Courts landmark and historic ruling affirmed for the first time in history that the Speech or Debate Clause extends to the Vice President of the United States, Mr OMalley said. Having vindicated that principle of the Constitution, Vice President Pence will not appeal the Judges ruling and will comply with the subpoena as required by law. Mr Pences decision not to appeal the courts ruling means he could soon be answering questions from grand jurors and federal prosecutors under the supervision of Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the Justice Department probe into the worst attack on the Capitol since 1814. The former vice presidents testimony could add to the legal peril Mr Trump may face from Mr Smith, who is also supervising a separate federal probe into the ex-presidents alleged unlawful retention of classified documents at his Palm Beach, Florida residence, as well as his alleged obstruction of that investigation. Mr Trump is also facing a separate investigation into his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia led by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, and he is currently under indictment in his home state of New York, where on Tuesday he was arraigned on 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with a hush money scheme to keep negative stories about him from surfacing before the 2016 election. Former Vice President Pence will not appeal a ruling requiring him to testify in front of a grand jury about the events surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol, aides said Tuesday. A federal judge last week ruled that Pence had to provide testimony about former President Trumps efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, though the judge said Pence would not be compelled to testify about his role in Congress. Pences team had argued he was protected under the Constitutions Speech and Debate Clause in his role as president of the Senate during the events of Jan. 6. The Courts landmark and historic ruling affirmed for the first time in history that the Speech or Debate Clause extends to the Vice President of the United States, Pence aide Devin OMalley said in a statement. Having vindicated that principle of the Constitution, Vice President Pence will not appeal the Judges ruling and will comply with the subpoena as required by law. Special counsel Jack Smith earlier this year subpoenaed Pence for testimony as part of his investigation into Trumps conduct around the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Pence and his team had argued that serving as the former president of the Senate essentially made him a member of the legislative branch on the day of the riots, and he would therefore be shielded from the subpoena under the speech and debate clause of the Constitution. While Pences team felt the judges ruling last week was too narrowly applied, the former vice president had been clear he was challenging the subpoena on constitutional grounds. The ruling will allow Pence to testify about some of Trumps conduct leading up to Jan. 6 without having to divulge details about what happened on the actual day. His testimony could happen sometime in the next month, though the exact timing is still to be determined. Pence, who is weighing whether to challenge Trump for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, could be a crucial witness for Smith as he gathers information about Trumps actions around Jan. 6. Story continues The former vice president in his memoir detailed some of the conversations he had with Trump in the weeks leading up to that day, writing about how the former president repeatedly pressured him to consider rejecting the 2020 election results. Pence ultimately certified the results, saying that the constitution did not give him the unilateral power to overturn the will of the people. The judges ruling about Pences testimony is separate from an effort by Trump to shield Pence from testifying on executive privilege grounds. A federal judge late last month rejected those privilege claims, though Trump and his legal team could still appeal that ruling. Smith is overseeing two concurrent probes into Trump: One focused on the events of Jan. 6, and the other looking at whether Trump mishandled classified documents upon leaving the White House. Updated at 3:50 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. (Bloomberg) -- Former Vice President Mike Pence wont appeal a judges order to testify before a grand jury considering evidence in a special counsels probe into efforts by Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 presidential election, according to his spokesman Devin OMalley. Most Read from Bloomberg Former President Trump could still appeal the part of the judges ruling that rejected his separate challenge to Pences testimony on executive privilege grounds, potentially delaying a date for Pences appearance at court. In a statement on Wednesday, OMalley wrote that Pence would no longer fight the subpoena for his testimony, expressing satisfaction with the judges handling of the novel legislative privilege theory that Pence had pressed. The decision was reported earlier by the New York Times. The Courts landmark and historic ruling affirmed for the first time in history that the Speech or Debate Clause extends to the Vice President of the United States, OMalley wrote. Having vindicated that principle of the Constitution, Vice President Pence will not appeal the Judges ruling and will comply with the subpoena as required by law. Prosecutors are likely to ask Pence about his conversations with Trump leading up to January 6, particularly around Trumps demands that Pence refuse to certify the election and about whether Trump worked to instigate the attack on the US Capitol. In the weeks lbefore the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by thousands of Trumps supporters, Pence had rebuffed a pressure campaign from Trump and some of his legal advisers to take steps to delay or stop Congress from certifying President Joe Bidens win, according to accounts from former Pence aides who testified in the congressional investigation. The day before Congress met, Pence announced he would not try to block the certification. Story continues Pence had challenged the subpoena from Special Counsel Jack Smiths office, arguing that because of the unique role the vice president plays in presiding over the Senate, he should be covered by a legal privilege in the Constitution that protects members of the legislative branch against being forced to testify about their official activities. A federal judge in Washington handed down a ruling late last month that directed Pence to testify, but carved out certain subjects that he could decline to testify about related to his role presiding over Congresss certification of the 2020 election results on Jan. 6, 2021. The order from Chief Judge James Boasberg is sealed, but Pence discussed it in an interview with Newsmax last month. He said at the time that he was pleased that the court accepted our argument, but demurred when asked if he would appeal. He said that his team was reviewing the precise contours of what the judge concluded he still had to answer questions about. I have nothing to hide, Pence said in the Newsmax interview. I have a Constitution to uphold. I upheld the Constitution on Jan. 6, I believe we did our duty that day under the Constitution of the United States. And in this matter, I thought it was important that we stand on that constitutional principle again. Pence said in that interview it was up to Trumps camp to decide if they would appeal over the judges order on the executive privilege issue. A spokesperson for Smiths office declined to comment. A Trump representative didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. A coalition of media outlets have petitioned Boasberg to unseal documents related to the fight over Pences testimony, arguing that Pences repeated public comments about the proceedings should pierce the normal grand jury secrecy rules. (Bloomberg News is a member of the coalition.) The government is due to file a response later this month. Trump has lost a string of privilege fights with Smiths office over grand jury subpoenas in the Jan. 6 investigation and a separate probe related to the handling of classified documents after Trump left the White House. In recent weeks prosecutors have successfully defended subpoenas to Trump lawyer Evan Corcoran and former White House advisers, Bloomberg has reported. (Updates with examples of what Pence is likely to be asked to testify about from fifth paragraph) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. WASHINGTON (AP) A spokesman for Mike Pence said Wednesday that the former vice president will not appeal a judge's order compelling him to testify in the Justice Department's investigation into efforts by Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The decision sets up a possible appearance by Pence in the coming weeks before a federal grand jury scrutinizing attempts by the former president and supporters before the riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, to undo Democrat Joe Bidens victory. Multiple Trump administration officials have testified in that investigation, as well as in a separate inquiry examining Trump's possession of classified documents, but Pence would be the highest-profile witness to answer questions before a grand jury. His closed-door testimony could offer investigators a firsthand account of Trump's state of mind in the pivotal weeks after he lost to Biden and further expose the rift in their relationship since the end of their administration. The strain could grow as Pence approaches a likely 2024 run for the presidency and a challenge to Trump, who already is in the race for the Republican nomination. After Pence was subpoenaed months ago by the Justice Department's special counsel, lawyers for Trump objected on executive privilege grounds. But a federal judge in Washington last week rejected those arguments, forcing Pence to testify. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg did give Pence a win by accepting arguments from Pence's lawyers that, for constitutional reasons, he could not be questioned about his actions on Jan. 6. They had argued that because Pence was serving in his capacity as president of the Senate that day, he was protected from being forced to testify under the Constitutions speech or debate clause, which is intended to protect members of Congress from questioning about official legislative acts. Having vindicated that principle of the Constitution, Vice President Pence will not appeal the judges ruling and will comply with the subpoena as required by law, Pence spokesman Devin O'Malley said in a statement Wednesday. Story continues The Trump team could still appeal the executive privilege ruling from Boasberg. The Jan. 6 and classified records investigations are being led by Jack Smith, a former war crimes prosecutor who was named by the Justice Department in November to serve as special counsel. It is not clear when the investigations might end or whether anyone will be charged. Pence has spoken extensively about Trumps pressure campaign urging him to reject Bidens victory in the days leading up to Jan. 6, including in his book, So Help Me God. Pence, as vice president, had a ceremonial role overseeing Congress' counting of the Electoral College vote, but did not have the power to affect the results, despite Trumps contention otherwise. Pence has said that Trump endangered his family and everyone else who was at the Capitol that day and history will hold him accountable. For four years, we had a close working relationship. It did not end well, Pence wrote, summing up their time in the White House. ___ Colvin reported from New York. Florida's Secretary of State Cord Byrd is asking a judge to transfer part of the lawsuit over the removal of Pensacola's Confederate monument to Leon County. Byrd's office filed the motion Friday in Escambia County Circuit Court. It was the latest development in the case that has been pending since the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sent the case back to state courts in May of last year. The case is moving forward as Florida lawmakers are considering passing legislation aimed a protecting Confederate and other monuments and memorials. Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd is seeking to relocate his involvement the lawsuit of Pensacola's Confederate monument to Leon County. Looking for protection: Republican lawmakers push forward bill to protect Confederate, other monuments City loses appeal: Could the Pensacola Confederate monument come back? Federal ruling may make it possible. The Ladies Memorial Association, the Stephen Mallory Camp 1315 Sons of Confederate Veterans, Save Southern Heritage, Inc. Florida Chapter, and others sued Pensacola in state court after the City Council voted to remove the monument in July 2020. The city had the case removed to federal court, where a federal judge ruled the group lacked standing to sue the city clearing the way for the city to remove the monument in October 2020. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in May 2022 that the federal court that cleared the way for the monument's removal lacked the jurisdiction to make the ruling, and it sent the case back to state court. There was no activity in the case since October when Save South Heritage and the other plaintiffs filed a motion to have the case moved back under Escambia County Circuit Court Judge Gary Bergosh. Bergosh originally issued a temporary restraining order in July 2020 that blocked the monument's removal until the case was transferred to federal court. On March 23 of this year, Escambia County Circuit Court Judge Jennifer Frydrychowicz, who was assigned the case when it was sent back to state courts, denied the motion to change judges. The Florida Secretary of State was named a defendant along with the city of Pensacola in the lawsuit in 2020. Story continues Monument removed: Pensacola begins removal of Confederate monument Monday The complaint had two counts against the state that alleged it "abdicated its duty" to protect and preserve the North Hill Preservation District and the state's historic resources by intervening to stop the city. The Secretary of State's motion filed on Friday asked the court to either dismiss the two counts in the case to allow the plaintiffs to refile in Leon County or transfer the two counts to Leon County, citing Florida law that allows a case to be moved to the "home venue" of a state agency. As of Tuesday, no ruling had been made on the motion, but the filings show the lawsuit over Pensacola's Confederate monument and whether it should be restored remains active. This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola Confederate monument lawsuit could go to Tallahassee court State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden announced Wednesday that a grand jury indicted former Pensacola contractor Matt Banks on four felony counts related to scamming clients out of money. Banks is now charged with racketeering, aggravated white collar crime, organized fraud and tampering with evidence, according to Bowden Madden. The first three charges are first-degree felonies punishable up to 30 years in prison each, and the final charge is a third-degree felony punishable up to five years in prison. "Today, the Defendant, in this case, has been charged and will be brought to justice for exploiting innocent victims who were trying to improve their lives for his personal gain," Bowden Madden said in a statement. "We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold the defendant accountable for taking advantage of people by stealing their money and diminishing their trust in businesses." Assist. State Attorney Russ Edgar offers a few details following the announced felony indictments of Matthew Banks during a press conference on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. Banks' scams: Dozens of people allege Escambia contractor took their money but never fixed their homes Legislators involved: After Matt Banks furor, Sen. Broxson seeks to streamline contractor complaint process According to the release, the grand jury's indictment alleges that Banks "engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity, stole over $5 million in funds, materials and services from more than 150 victims" between May 15, 2019, and Dec. 1, 2022. Assistant State Attorney Russell Edgar said the indictment also outlines that Banks allegedly stole payroll from employees and forged building permit applications. Russell said during the press conference that Banks "conducted Banks Construction LLC in an unlawful manner by committing instances of theft of money and funds from homeowners and business owners, by committing theft of payroll monies from his employees ... forgery of building applications, workers compensation fraud and insurance fraud." Banks has been the center of attention regarding contractor scams in the greater Escambia and Santa Rosa area for nearly a year after Gulf Breeze woman Jennifer Anderson, one of Banks' most outspoken critics, said his construction company took $40,000 for a kitchen remodel, demolished the kitchen and never returned. Story continues Anderson's experience led her to identify over 100 people throughout Escambia and Santa Rosa counties who had hired Banks Construction for remodels but were allegedly scammed out of their money. Eventually, this led to an investigation by the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement, an arm of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Santa Rosa County's Building Code Board of Adjustments and Appeals later revoked Banks' license to contract within the county on Aug. 10, 2022, after they unanimously found him guilty of violating two Florida statutes while working on Anderson's home. One day later, Escambia County's Contractor Competency Board revoked Banks' contractor license and issued a $62,000 restitution order for failing to complete home repairs for customers Jennifer and Eugene Stone. Assist. State Attorney Russ Edgar offers a few details following the announced felony indictments of Matthew Banks during a press conference on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. Banks' SRC license revoked: Contractor Matt Banks' Escambia County license revoked for failure to pay restitution Banks under fire: Dozens of people allege Escambia contractor took their money but never fixed their homes Over the course of several months and many competency board hearings, Banks racked up a restitution bill well into the millions of dollars, which led to his declaration of bankruptcy in August. However, the Northern District of Florida bankruptcy court dismissed the case on Sept. 14, 2022, after Banks filed a voluntary dismissal of the case. While Banks is not personally bankrupt, his company, Banks Construction LLC, is currently filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, according to court records. In the midst of losing his license, accumulating a massive restitution bill and undergoing bankruptcy, the Pensacola Police Department issued a warrant for his arrest on a third-degree felony charge of a contractor failing to provide a refund. Okaloosa County Sheriff's deputies found Banks August 10, 2022, and he was released just 40 minutes after intake on $2,500 bond. The State Attorney's Office filed the case Sept. 2, 2022, stemming from his arrest; however, Bank's charge was changed to a third-degree felony fraud charge. Russell said the original fraud charge will be absorbed into the new charges. Ginger Madden, the state attorney for the first judicial circuit of Florida, announces the indictment of Matthew Banks on four first-degree felonies and one third-degree felony during a press conference on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. In conjunction with FDACS, the Escambia County Sheriff's Office, Pensacola Police Department, Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Florida Department of Financial Services, Bureau of Insurance Fraud helped investigate the case. Banks was booked into Escambia County Jail at 12:45 p.m. Wednesday after Bowden Madden said his attorney agreed for Banks to turn himself in for the new charges, but posted his $155,000 bond just nine minutes later. The State Attorney said Banks is still under investigation. Russell also said Banks' brother-in-law and former contractor Jesse LaCoste is under investigation for his alleged poor business dealings, but Russell said he could not comment on the investigation. Like Banks, LaCoste had his contractor license revoked in the wake of numerous complaints he had taken payment for home remodel projects he never completed. He was arrested on larceny charges in January and released on $130,000 bond. This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Matt Banks charged with racketeering, multiple felonies after indictment Seattle Police arrested a man in connection with a stabbing with a machete near the University of Washington campus Tuesday night. According to a UW advisory, the attack happened shortly after 9 p.m. near 19th Avenue Northeast just north of Northeast 45th Street. There may have been an argument leading up to the stabbing. The victim was treated at the scene before being taken to Harborview Medical Center. Police quickly found the machete in a nearby yard, so they did not believe there was a threat to the community while they searched for the suspect. Seattle Police found the suspect and took him into custody, the advisory said. Petteri Orpo JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty Images On Sunday, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin's government met the same fate as many that steered their countries through the COVID-19 crisis her coalition was deposed and is set to be replaced by Finland's center-right National Coalition Party (NCP), whose leader, Petteri Orpo, will likely become prime minister. Finland's system of proportional representation means that none of the three leading parties in the election captured anything close to a majority in the 200-seat parliament, so Orpo will need to put together a coalition in order to form a government. This coalition could even include Marin's Social Democratic Party (SDP), which came in third place with 19.9 percent of the vote behind the NCP's 20.8 percent, or the nationalist Finns Party's 20.1 percent. Such negotiations can take weeks. A party loyalist rises Orpo cuts an entirely different figure than Marin, who was one of the youngest national executives in the world when she became prime minister in 2019 at age 34. In contrast to Marin, who built an international following as a feminist and millennial leader, Orpo is largely unknown outside of Finland. Marin had made international headlines for her social life, including a video in which she and some friends were seen drinking and dancing late at night. A government inquiry cleared her of any wrongdoing in the incident, and supporters argued that sexist double standards were being applied to Marin. The 53-year-old Orpo hails from rural Southwest Finland, was an economics major in college, and completed a master's degree in political science. A student union leader in his university days, Orpo got involved in politics as the executive director of the Southwest Finland National Coalition Party, and then as an advisor to Ville Itala, then-Minister of the Interior and Chairman of the NCP. He was first elected to Finland's parliament in 2007 as a member of the NCP and later served in a number of ministerial roles. According to his website, Orpo had "a happy childhood" and is now married with two children and two dogs Story continues Dramatic changes in policy might be unlikely. Finnish political analyst Mikko Poutanen argues that "he is perhaps not as conservative as the party profile would suggest." Spending concerns take center stage It was Orpo's message about fiscal responsibility that appears to have vaulted his party into a narrow lead in the results. Orpo has been a vocal opponent of the Marin government's spending priorities, and believes the country must try to tackle the national debt. "The outlook is very bad," he told Agence France-Presse. "Our public finances will plummet and this will lead to the erosion of the foundations of our welfare society." Like many center-right parties in Europe, Orpo and the NCP remain relatively moderate on social issues. That could spell trouble for Orpo's efforts to form a coalition with the Finns Party, the right-wing populist party which came in 2nd. According to Daily Finland, there are "major disagreements" between the two parties on issues like "immigration, climate change issues, and European Union policies." Support for joining NATO as Russia worries worsen The new government will take office amidst a momentous change in the country's foreign policy. On Tuesday, Finland officially joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), abandoning the country's longstanding policy of official neutrality. Orpo was long a supporter of Finland joining NATO, another way that he and the NCP distinguished itself from European populist parties that have courted and received assistance from Vladimir Putin and pushed back against efforts to reinforce Ukraine. As Orpo wrote last September following Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine, "We believe that Finland's as well as Sweden's NATO membership would improve not just our own security but the overall defence of Europe." You may also like Most viewers didn't finish Amazon's Lord of the Rings show, report says Why does Trump think attacking his Manhattan judge is a good plan? Jail guards sentenced on cruelty charges after forcing prisoners to listen to 'Baby Shark' on loop Several social media posts claim that the Philippines issued an arrest warrant for Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates in connection with deaths from Covid-19 vaccines. This claim is false. The Supreme Court of the Philippines told AFP Fact Check that no such arrest warrant has been issued for Gates. The posts also link to an article that makes a number of additional false claims. BREAKING NEWS: Bill Gates arrest warrant issued in Philippines for Premeditated Murder for his Vaccination Program. Excess deaths have spiked in the aftermath of the vaccination drive in the Philippines with thousands of citizens dying unnecessarily and many more injured (sic), reads a tweet from March 5, 2023. Screenshots of the false Twitter thread, taken on March 7, 2023 The tweet links to an article published by the US-based site News Punch, which has a reputation for sharing false information. The News Punch article makes several claims, including that "hundreds of thousands of citizens" died following the roll-out of the vaccine drive in the Philippines. Additionally, the article also claims that the Philippines "banned" Gates from entering the country and requested that Interpol issue an arrest notice for the Microsoft co-founder. The court which allegedly made that request is referred to in the article as the Heinous Crimes Court, located in the country's capital, Manila. The article also claims that the Philippines halted a UN agency tetanus vaccine program after discovering it was "laced with an abortion drug." The claims were repeated in Dutch on the website Frontnieuws, which AFP Fact Check has previously debunked here and here, and shared hundreds of times on Twitter and Facebook. They also circulated in German, French, Portuguese and Spanish social media posts with thousands of shares. Misinformation peddlers frequently target Gates online, particularly with Covid-19 conspiracy theories. AFP Fact Check has debunked a number of those claims, including here and here. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has played a significant role in the global response to the Covid-19 pandemic, including in vaccine development. Story continues The Covid-19 pandemic claimed more than 6.8 million lives between January 2020 and March 2023, according to the World Health Organizations (WHO) dashboard. But the claim that the Philippines issued an arrest warrant for Gates for "premeditated murder" over helping to develop a Covid-19 vaccine is false. No such court The Philippine court that allegedly issued an arrest warrant for Gates, mentioned by both Frontnieuws and News Punch, does not exist. There's no such court named Major Crime Court or Heinous Crimes Court in the Philippines, Philippine Supreme Court representative Attorney Brian Hosaka told AFP Fact Check on March 8, 2023, further describing the false claims as ridiculous." The Supreme Court of the Philippines also told AFP Fact Check that the Regional Trial Courts (RTCs) in the capital Manila and its suburbs have not issued an arrest warrant for Gates. We would like to inform you that upon verification by the Office of the Court Administrator with the RTCs in (Metro Manila cities) the cities of Manila, Quezon City, Makati, Pasig, Pasay, Paranaque, Las Pinas, Muntinlupa, Marikina, Malabon, Taguig, Valenzuela and Navotas, there is no case pending before them and there is no warrant of arrest issued against Bill Gates, read the email. The Supreme Court added that the country had abolished its heinous crime courts on August 24, 2004. According to a 2006 senate report, these courts were abolished because of relatively low caseloads and for putting judges at risk of being easily identified by vindictive litigants. Ten judges were killed from 1999 to 2006 while under the performance of their official duties, reads the senate document. Heinous crimes are now tried by various regional trial courts. No ban The Philippines Bureau of Immigration told AFP Fact Check that Gates has not been banned from entering the country, as claimed. And since there is no arrest warrant for him, the Philippines has not requested that Interpol issue a red notice for his arrest. A red notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action, the Interpol website explains. On March 31, 2023, Gates was not on Interpols red notice list (archived here). Unsupported figures The article shared in the post falsely claims Gates was wanted in connection with hundreds of thousands of deaths from the Covid-19 vaccine, but there is no source for this figure, nor is it supported by official data. This Philippines Food and Drug Administration report (archived here) shows that more than 170 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines were administered in the country from March 2021 to January 31, 2023. In the same period, nearly 2,800 people who had been vaccinated died but this does not mean the vaccine was the cause. The reports of fatal outcome do not necessarily mean that the vaccine caused the events. Underlying conditions or pre-existing medical conditions causing fatal events are usually coincidental on the use of the vaccine, reads the report. The Philippines FDA said that its figures are taken from a national database that includes reports from various epidemiology surveillance units (ESUs) of the Department of Health (DOH), vaccination sites, hospitals, patients/consumers, and EUA holders. No 'spike' in deaths from vaccine The Philippines started vaccinations against Covid-19 in March 2021, and the false claims said that excess deaths spiked after that. However, Philippines statistics on Our World In Data (archived here) show that in April 2021, there was a peak in daily confirmed deaths from Covid-19, not from the vaccine against the virus. Data from the Philippines Statistics Authority (archived here) echoed that Covid-19, not vaccines, was a leading cause of death in 2021, with the most cases registered in September 2021. Deaths due to Covid-19 virus identified and Covid-19 virus not identified, when combined, accounted for 112,772 or 12.8 percent of total deaths, making it the second leading cause of death in 2021, read the statistics authoritys report. It added that the leading cause of death was heart disease. More than 66,000 people have died from Covid-19 in the Philippines, according to this archive of the WHO dashboard. Tetanus vaccines in the Philippines The false claims also state that the Philippines halted a UNICEF tetanus vaccination programme in 1995. This is misleading. Media reports from 1995 (archived here) from the Inter Press Service show that a Manila judge issued a temporary restraining order against the tetanus vaccination programme. This decision came as fears spread that the vaccine contained a hormone that possibly caused miscarriages and led to involuntary sterilisation. However, the programme resumed, and in 2017, the Philippines DOH and UNICEF announced that after a 30-year campaign, the country had reached Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination (MNTE) status". This status means there was less than one case of neonatal tetanus per 1,000 live births in every province or city every year (archived here). The WHO says nearly all cases of tetanus which causes painful muscle contractions occur in people who have never been vaccinated (archived here). A pilot was mistakenly detained by federal agents during a botched military training exercise in Massachusetts, officials said. The Department of Defense was conducting a late-night exercise at a Boston hotel with the assistance of the FBI on April 4 when things went awry, Kristen Setera, a spokeswoman for the FBIs Boston division, told McClatchy News. Based on inaccurate information, they were mistakenly sent to the wrong room and detained an individual, not the intended role player, Setera said in an emailed statement. The individual in the hotel room, an airline pilot who had been sleeping, woke up to banging on the door, according to WBZ. When he opened it, agents handcuffed him and subjected him to interrogation for almost an hour. As part of a mock investigation, agents put the pilot, a man in his 30s, in the rooms shower, the outlet reported. After about 45 minutes, they recognized their mistake. Thankfully nobody was injured, Setera said. The Boston Police Department was called to the scene and confirmed the existence of a military training exercise, Setera said. The man is employed by Delta Airlines, according to WHDH. We are looking into reports of an alleged incident in Boston that may involve Delta people, a spokesperson for Delta told the Boston Herald. We have nothing further to share at this time other than to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of our people. McClatchy News reached out to the Department of Defense for comment and is awaiting a response. Safety is always a priority of the FBI, and our law enforcement partners, and we take these incidents very seriously, Setera said. The Boston Division is reviewing the incident with DOD for further action as deemed appropriate. School nurse took 700 secret photos of Tennessee students using the bathroom, feds say 2-year-old dies after hes attacked by dog while visiting family, Maryland cops say Golfer rescues driver after car plunges into canal during tournament, CA officials say Iran says ICJ ruling "historic defeat" for U.S. Xinhua) 10:53, April 05, 2023 TEHRAN, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Iran said on Tuesday the recent ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against U.S. freezing of Iran's assets was a "historic defeat" for Washington. The ICJ ruling confirmed Iran's legitimacy on the issue, semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted Iranian government spokesman Ali Bahadori Jahromi as saying at a weekly press conference on Tuesday. On March 30, the ICJ ruled that the United States had "illegally allowed its courts to freeze Iranian companies' assets" and ordered Washington to pay compensation to Iran, the amount of which will be determined later. During the press conference on Tuesday, Jahromi also accused the U.S. of being accustomed to violating international laws. In 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Iranian assets of close to 2 billion U.S. dollars frozen in the U.S. must be paid to American families of the victims of the bombing of a U.S. Marine Corps barracks in Beirut in 1983 as well as other attacks blamed on Iran. Tehran has repeatedly and vigorously rejected all claims about its involvement in the Beirut bombing and other similar allegations. The case before the ICJ was initially brought by Tehran in 2016 against the U.S. breach of a 1955 friendship treaty by allowing its courts to freeze Iranian companies' assets. Washington pulled out of the treaty in 2018. However, the ICJ ruled that the accord was in place at the time of the Iranian assets' freezing. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 5) President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed officers-in-charge (OIC) of the newly-created provinces of Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur, putting an end to the "confusion" over the local authority in those areas. Malacanang said Marcos designated on Tuesday Abdulraof Macacua, Bangsamoro's senior minister, as the OIC of Maguindanao del Norte, while Bai Mariam Mangudadatu, the governor of Maguindanao before it was split, was the OIC of Maguindanao del Sur. Only Macacua was sworn in, according to the Presidential Communications Office on Wednesday, which shared photos of the Bangsamoro official taking the oath before Marcos. Abdulraof Macacua, Senior Minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, takes his oath as the appointed officer-in-charge of Maguindanao del Norte before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. "President Marcos chose Mr. Macacua to lead Maguindanao del Norte as OIC as it organizes itself into a newly created province of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)," the PCO said. As OIC, Macacua is tasked by the chief executive to "maintain peace and stability in the region." "With the appointment of an OIC in Maguindanao del Norte, the Marcos administration expressed assurance that the province has an able and competent leader while still under the chief executives administration and guidance," Malacanang added. For the Offices of the Vice Governor, Marcos chose Bai Fatima Ainee Limbona Sinsuat as OIC in Maguindanao del Norte and Datu Nathaniel Sangacala Midtimbang as OIC in Manguindanao del Sur. They have yet to take their oaths, the PCO said. Malacanang said local chief executives in Maguindanao del Norte have previously called on Marcos to appoint an OIC in the newly-created province to put an end to the "ongoing crisis that they said created confusion among provincial employees and residents." "Installing an OIC or an acting governor, they said, would end the confusion among local leaders and residents who wondered who to take orders from and whom to report to a few months after conducting the plebiscite," it added. The plebiscite in September last year ratified the Duterte-approved Republic Act 11550 dividing the province of Maguindanao. The division aims to help local officials "focus better" on addressing the needs of their constituents. More than 99% of those who took part in the plebiscite voted in favor of the split. In October last year, Mangudadatu, who won the gubernatorial seat in the May 2022 elections, assumed the leadership of Maguindanao del Sur, while Sinsuat, who won the vice governor position, took Maguindanao del Norte under her wing. According to the 2015 census, Maguindanao has a population of 1,173,933. PKN Orlen no longer has oil contracts with Russian Tatneft Oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline were halted a day after Poland delivered its first Leopard tanks to Ukraine in February 2023. Read also: Poland seeks compensation from Russia over disrupted oil supply Obajtek said that there are currently no existing oil contracts with Russia, as the Rosneft contract was not renewed after its January expiry, the Tatneft agreement was terminated when the oil flow stopped, and Poland ended these contracts without any penalties. Poland has been actively diversifying its oil supply sources, with the share of Russian oil in the countrys balance dropping from almost 100% in 2015 to 60% in 2021. Read also: Ukrainian, Polish oil companies announce partnership agreement The company had already abandoned importing Russian oil by sea well before the start of Russias full-scale war against Ukraine, and thus much earlier than when the European Union imposed sanctions. At present, PKN Orlen sources its oil from the North Sea deposits, countries in West Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, as well as the Persian and Mexican Gulf. The oil company Saudi Aramco is an important partner of the concern, with whom PKN Orlen has entered into a strategic contract for the supply of crude oil in 2022. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Poland on April 5, 2023 Zelenskyy said that Ukraine and Poland agreed on a new security assistance package, adding that it involves cooperation between the militaries of the two countries as opposed to simply one-way military aid. Read also: Polands PKN Orlen ends final Russian oil contract penalty-free, CEO confirms "Today we are signing a document on the supply of Polish Rosomak armored personnel carriers, Rak self-propelled mortars, air defense systems, in particular the very effective Piorun, ... MiG (fighter jets), and other weapons," Zelenskyy said. Polish news outlet TVP Info reported that Zelenskyy and Morawiecki signed agreements on the supply of Polish military equipment to Ukraine, cooperation between strategic defense enterprises, and Poland's participation in the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. Read also: Zelenskyy and Polands Duda agree on big new package of military aid for Ukraine On April 5, Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Warsaw at the invitation of Polish President Andrzej Duda. This was Zelenskyys third trip abroad since Russias invasion, and the first official visit he made together with First Lady Olena Zelenska. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Members of the Manchester Police Department and officials from the New Hampshire Attorney Generals office are investigating after a man was found shot to death Tuesday night. Rodney Yancy was found dead inside a multi-family home on Bell Street. Yancys death was declared a homicide following an autopsy Wednesday. Earlier in the evening, police announced the area near Valley and Union Streets was closed while police investigated a shooting in the area. All parties involved have been identified and there is no threat to the public, according to Manchester PD. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW A Miami-Dade man walked into a jail on Monday, wanting to turn himself in. Police didnt know why he was turning himself in until they checked his home a day later. Alex Telemaque, 33, was arrested Tuesday and is now charged with two counts of second-degree murder. Miami-Dade police responded to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on Monday when Telemaque became belligerent and hostile to people in the main lobby, according to an arrest report. They transported him to a mental health facility, where he told a psychiatrist to call the police and report that he had cut his hands. Then, police say, Telemaque told the medical professional that he killed a man and left the mans body inside his apartment. When Miami-Dade police and fire rescue entered the dwelling, they discovered the bodies of a man at the entryway and a woman in the bedroom, according to the arrest report. Their injuries appeared to be caused by a knife attack. Police identified the bodies as Telemaques parents. A gray 2017 Toyota Corolla with bloodstains all over was found in the jails parking lot, police say. It was registered to Telemaques mother. Telemaque was taken to the homicide bureau but refused to talk to detectives. No weapons had been located as of Tuesday, according to the arrest report. Property records list Roselene Telemaque, 66, as the owner of the apartment in northeast MIami-Dade County, near Northeast 191st Street. According to public records, Roselene was married to Arioste Telemaque, 76. Telemaque is being held without bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. A camera being used during trials of facial recognition technology at New Scotland Yard in 2020 (Stefan Rousseau/PA) (PA Wire) Police use of facial recognition technology is a form of mass surveillance that turns us into walking ID cards and should be banned, campaigners have said. The Metropolitan Police, Britains largest force, welcomed a research report published on Wednesday that found there were minimal discrepancies for race and sex when the technology is used at certain settings. It was also found to correctly identify between identical twins. But human rights groups Liberty and Big Brother Watch have said the technology is oppressive and has no place in a democracy. The research, carried out by the National Physical Laboratory, was commissioned by the Met and South Wales Police in late 2021 following fierce public debate about police use of the technology. Director of intelligence for the Met Lindsey Chiswick said: This is a significant report for policing as it is the first time we have had independent scientific evidence to advise us on the accuracy and any demographic differences of our facial recognition technology. We know that at the setting we have been using it, the performance is the same across race and gender and the chance of a false match is just one in 6,000 people who pass the camera. All matches are manually reviewed by an officer. If the officer thinks it is a match, a conversation will follow to check. We understand the concerns raised by some groups and individuals about emerging technology and the potential for bias. We have listened to these voices. This research means we better understand the performance of our algorithm. We understand how we can operate to ensure the performance across race and gender is equal. But human rights groups hit out at use of the technology, which has been found to be less accurate for black people at different settings, and less accurate for young people under the age of 20. Katy Watts, lawyer at Liberty, said: We should all be able to live our lives without the threat of being watched, tracked and monitored by the police. Story continues Live facial recognition is suspicionless mass surveillance that turns us into walking ID cards Madeleine Stone, Big Brother Watch Facial recognition technology is a discriminatory and oppressive surveillance tool that completely undermines this basic right. This report tells us nothing new we know that this technology violates our rights and threatens our liberties, and we are deeply concerned to see the Met Police ramp up its use of live facial recognition. The expansion of mass surveillance tools has no place on the streets of a rights-respecting democracy. She said the technology sows division and will be disproportionately used on communities of colour. A recent review by Baroness Louise Casey found that the Metropolitan Police is institutionally racist, misogynist and homophobic. Ms Watts added: Its impossible to regulate for the dangers created by a technology that is oppressive by design. The safest, and only, thing to do with facial recognition is ban it. Liberty was among 14 campaign groups including Big Brother Watch and Black Lives Matter UK who wrote to Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley when he began the job in September demanding an end to police use of the system. Madeleine Stone, legal and policy officer from Big Brother Watch, said: Live facial recognition is suspicionless mass surveillance that turns us into walking ID cards, subjecting innocent people to biometric police identity checks. This Orwellian technology may be used in China and Russia but has no place in British policing. This report confirms that live facial recognition does have significant race and sex biases, but says that police can use settings to mitigate them. Given repeated findings of institutional racism and sexism within the police, forces should not be using such discriminatory technology at all. False identifications during Met use of the technology include a 14-year-old black schoolboy in uniform, and a French exchange student who had only been in the country for a few days. Ms Stone added: One in 6,000 people being wrongly flagged by facial recognition is nothing to boast about, particularly at deployments in large cities where tens of thousands of people are scanned per day. If rolled out across the UK, this could mean tens of thousands of us will be wrongly flagged as criminals and forced to prove our innocence. Live facial recognition is not referenced in a single UK law, has never been debated in Parliament, and is one of the most privacy-intrusive tools ever used in British policing. Parliament should urgently stop police from using this dangerously authoritarian surveillance tech. Update: Police Tuesday evening announced the man's arrest. "Detroit Police officers have arrested Kenneth Davis Jr., who was wanted for the sexual assaults of two women. Thank you to our community activists and residents for their support," the department announced. Police are on the hunt for a suspect in the March 26 rape of an 80-year-old Detroit woman, and they believe he attacked another woman Monday. Detroit Police Chief James White on Tuesday identified the suspect as Kenneth Davis Jr. He has not been located or charged. Police released a photograph of the man and asked for help finding him. Kenneth Davis Jr. More: As community searches for man suspected of raping 80-year-old woman, they say 'Somebody knows something' "If he is watching, it is my request that he turns himself in," White said Tuesday during a news conference at Detroit Public Safety Headquarters. "We will pursue him relentlessly, and hour by hour, until we get him off the street," White said. "We don't want him to strike again." A little over a week after the 80-year-old woman was dragged outside of her northwest Detroit home on Memorial Street and sexually assaulted, police believe the same attacker raped a 64-year-old woman about a mile away on Monday, near Grand River Avenue and Ferguson Street. "This heinous act has really rocked the community," White said during Tuesday's news conference. Dozens of community members, including White himself canvassed the area after the first incident, handing out flyers with a sketch of the suspect and vowing to bring the attacker to justice. White thanked the community, as well as his Special Victims Unit officers working the case. "They have worked tirelessly, tirelessly on this case. The detectives in that unit take all these cases seriously. But I will tell you that there has been a number of sleepless nights working this case," White said. White urged those who know Davis Jr.'s location to contact police. He also warned the community not to engage with the suspect. Story continues "We do not want anyone out there trying to make a citizen's arrest or to stop him or engage with him in any way. Leave that to us," he said. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-SPEAKUP. Andrea Sahouri covers criminal justice for the Detroit Free Press. She can be contacted at 313-264-0442, asahouri@freepress.com or on Twitter @andreamsahouri. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit police arrest suspect in rape of 2 women, ages 80 and 64 Kansas City police are seeking the publics help to locate a 68-year-old blind man who was last seen on Tuesday. Norman Perea, 68, left his home around 12:30 p.m. in the 3800 block of North Lister Avenue before disappearing, according to Officer Donna Drake, a spokeswoman for the Kansas City Police Department. Perea is blind and requires a walker to move around. His family is concerned about his well being. He stands about 6 feet tall and weighs 180 pounds. Anyone with information about his location can contact the police departments missing persons unit at 816-234-5220. Genesis Market has now been shut down by the FBI and carries this banner - NCA/FBI Police have cracked a criminal website selling two million people's online identities for as little as 56 pence. Genesis Market, an easily accessible site found on Google, traded 80 million passwords and logins, which criminals used to steal millions of pounds. Fraudsters purchased "bots" that contained victims' logins for Facebook, Amazon, PayPal, Netflix and their banks, which were updated in real-time whenever the individuals attempted to change their passwords. The website was shut down on Tuesday night in a major sting operation between 17 national police agencies, including the FBI and Britain's National Crime Agency (NCA), with 120 arrests made so far. BREAKING An international operation involving the National Crime Agency has taken down one of the biggest online marketplaces selling stolen credentials to criminals worldwide. FULL STORY https://t.co/Owo1p2A2ku pic.twitter.com/nHuKI9kXxc National Crime Agency (NCA) (@NCA_UK) April 5, 2023 The NCA estimates that there are "tens of thousands" of victims in the UK and "hundreds" of British criminals who were using the website. The site even mimicked victims' browsers, managing to evade security checks on social media and shopping sites. This "allowed the criminals to essentially masquerade as the victim" and "socially engineer them for further offences" through mapping friends, family and personal circumstances, the NCA said. 'Genesis Market is an enormous enabler of fraud' Will Lyne, the NCA's head of cyber intelligence, said: "Genesis Market is one of the top criminal access marketplaces anywhere in the world. "Genesis Market is an enormous enabler of fraud and a range of other criminal activity online by facilitating that initial access to victims, which is a critical part of the business model in a whole range of nefarious activity." Story continues A total of 31 dawn raids carried out on Tuesday and Wednesday saw 24 users of the site arrested in the UK under the Computer Misuse Act and for fraud offences, including two men aged 34 and 36 in Grimsby, Lincolnshire. In total, there were around 120 arrests, over 200 searches and close to 100 preventative actions carried out across the globe. The website now carries the FBI logo and the message "this website has been seized" in "operation cookie monster", the name of the probe. An investigation to find the ringleaders of the site is ongoing. 'Very, very easy' for anyone to access The price per "bot" would range from as little as $0.70 (56p), up to several hundreds of dollars depending on the amount and the nature of data stolen. Rob Jones, the director-general of the National Economic Crime Centre, said it was "very, very easy" for anyone to access Genesis Market to commit crime. "This is the problem for us in the online world - you don't need to know a criminal to start," he said. "So you can completely self-start and go looking for this and get everything you need to perpetrate a crime - that is why this is so damaging." Millions of pounds stolen Asked how much money may have been stolen, Mr Jones added: "If you look at 80 million credentials and two million victims worldwide and do the maths, there are millions of pounds available to the criminals who are involved in this." The activities carried out by the website included ransomware attacks where hackers block access to data and demand payment to release it; sim-swapping, where mobile phone numbers are hijacked; and the theft of source codes from companies. NCA investigators have already set up spoof distributed denial-of-service sites, which bring down servers by flooding them with requests, to harvest the details of criminals. They may use similar tactics to target fraud sites. Members of the public can check whether their details were listed on Genesis Market by using the Dutch police site's "check your hack" tool. It comes after the Met police smashed iSpoof last year, a global online fraud shop selling tools that allowed criminals to carry out phone scams on hundreds of thousands of unsuspecting victims, though it had fewer victims and was harder to access via the dark web. Two teens are facing charges after the pair allegedly led police on a chase with a stolen and rammed cruiser in their attempt to get away. Mansfield police received a call for a stolen car at Eastons Avalon Apartment Complex on Robert Drive shortly after midnight Wednesday. A Mansfield officer responded to the call and immediately found the alleged stolen car pulled to the side of the roadway on Eastman Street. Officer Martell attempted to conduct a felony traffic stop but the vehicle began to speed away. Officer Martell eventually found the vehicle again, this time on Mill Street, and again tried to stop it. The car turned around toward Mansfield, where it was eventually spotted by a second responding officer. The second officer, Sergeant Schepis, followed the car onto Essex Street and eventually into a cul-de-sac neighborhood. With nowhere else to go, the operator of the alleged stolen car rammed Schepis police cruiser then stopped to allow his passenger out of the vehicle. While police began to chase the passenger into the woods, the operator of the car sped off. At 12:37 a.m. the passenger, a 14-year-old Brockteen resident, was found in the woods and taken into custody. At 1:30 a.m. another officer, Sorge, located the stolen car in the parking lot of Cumberland Farms on Chauncey Street. Sorge attempted another traffic stop but the vehicle raced away at over 100 miles per hour on Route 106 toward Easton. Around 15 minutes later, Easton Police found the car near the apartment complex it was originally stolen from. The driver again fled. Sergeant Schepis had officers deploy a Stop Stick a device that would puncture the cars tires. The stolen car successfully deployed the device at the intersection of East and Eastman Streets. The driver abandoned the slowing vehicle on Franklin Street, fleeing into a front yard. At approximately 2:27 p.m., Officers found the suspect, 19-year-old Duron Colton of New Bedford, hiding in a yard on Potash Road. The suspect had a knife in his hand, police say. Eventually, he dropped the weapon and police were able to take him into custody. Story continues We are thankful that there were no serious injuries as a result of the reckless and negligent actions on the part of the suspects and their complete disregard for the safety and well-being of the citizens and first responders of these communities. We also thank Sgt Schepis and his midnight team of officers as they brought a very dynamic and dangerous situation lasting nearly two hours, to a safe and successful conclusion for all involved. Lastly, we thank our law enforcement partners from Easton, Foxboro, and Norton Police Departments as well as SEMRECC and the Massachusetts State Police for their quick and professional response, the Mansfield Police Department said in a statement. The 14-year-old Brockton teen will be arraigned in Taunton Juvenile Court on charges of receiving a stolen motor vehicle, conspiracy to receive motor vehicle, and disorderly conduct. Culton is facing charges including receiving a stolen motor vehicle, malicious destruction to property over $1200.00, reckless endangerment of a child, assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault with a dangerous weapon, resisting arrest, disorderly person, operating with a suspended license, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, failure to stop for police (3 counts), leaving the scene of a property damage accident, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, speeding and marked lanes violations. He will be arraigned in Attleboro District Court. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW WARSAW (Reuters) - Polish Agriculture Minister Henryk Kowalczyk resigned from his post on Wednesday amid rising anger among farmers over the impact of Ukrainian grain imports on prices. Kowalczyk said he decided to quit the position due to the European Commission's decision to extend duty free imports for Ukrainain grain until June 2024. Polish farmers had called for the introduction of tariffs. "As it is clear that this demand will not be met by the European Commission at this point, I decided to resign from the post of agriculture minister," Kowalczk said. Logistical bottlenecks mean large quantities of Ukrainian grains, which are cheaper than those produced in the European Union have ended up in Central European states, hitting prices and sales of local farmers and creating a headache for Poland's ruling nationalists law and Justice (PiS) in an election year. The prime ministers of five states including Poland wrote to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday to demand action on Ukrainian agricultural imports. They said tariffs may have to be reintroduced if the influx of grain and other products from Ukraine cannot be stopped by other means. (Reporting by Alan Charlish and Pawel Florkiewicz, Editing by Angus MacSwan) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 5) President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the creation of a special task force to ensure peace and order in Negros Island amid cases of violence in the area, including last months Pamplona massacre. There is a need to create a Special Task Force to prevent the spread and escalation of violence elsewhere in the Philippines, and to preserve peace and order in Negros Island, with due regard to the fundamental civil and political rights of the people, Marcos said in Administrative Order (AO) No. 6 dated April 3 and uploaded a day later. The President cited the March 4 killings in the town of Pamplona, where several armed men fatally shot Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and eight civilians, and wounded 17 other people. Similar violent incidents have occurred in the past, and at present, threats to safety and security cut across different sectors and affect various stakeholders in Negros Island, the AO read. The new group, called the Special Task Force DEGAMO, will be led by the Interior Secretary, with the heads of the Justice department and the Defense departments as vice-chairpersons. The chiefs of the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the National Bureau of Investigation will act as task force commanders. The spokesperson will be the head of PNP's Public Information Office. The AO also states that task force members may designate an alternate to represent their respective offices in their absence and to decide for and on their behalf. According to the directive, the group shall coordinate the efforts of concerned government agencies to ensure a whole-of-government approach in the prevention, investigation, prosecution and punishment of violence in Negros Island. It is also tasked to intensify the campaign against private armed groups and loose firearms, as well as to perform similar actions as may be directed by the President. The task force may request assistance from other government offices, including local government units, Marcos said. Polish Agriculture Minister Henryk Kowalczyk resigned from his post I have resigned from the position of Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Kowalczyk said. The leadership of Polands ruling PiS or Law and Justice party decided that Kowalczyk should fall on his sword as he had failed to deal with a crisis arising from an influx of Ukrainian grain exports to Poland, Polish media said. Due to the effects of Russias blockade of Ukrainian ports, Ukraine has exported a significant portion of last years grain harvest through its land border with Poland. The grain was supposed to transit through Poland to other countries, but some of it has remained in the country and is being sold there pushing down prices for grain and depriving Polish farmers of profits. Read also: Ukrainian farmers ask Poland to build wide-gauge railway track to Gdansk port Polish farmers demanded a response from the Ministry of Agriculture and the resignation of the minister. Kowalczyk had tried to calm them, but, Polish media have reported that his recent statements had angered protesters even more, rather than pacifying them. Earlier, it was reported that leaders of five central and eastern European countries had called on the European Commission to take action regarding the surplus of grain and other food products from Ukraine that have accumulated on their territories. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at his Mar-a-Lago estate hours after being arraigned in New York City, in Palm Beach, Fla., on April 4, 2023. Former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at his Mar-a-Lago estate hours after being arraigned in New York City, in Palm Beach, Fla., on April 4, 2023. Credit - Rebecca BlackwellAP For a brief moment when Donald Trump glided through the crowd at Mar-a-Lago and ascended to a podium flanked by American flags before a cheering crowd, it seemed like the beginning of a successful campaign event. But almost as soon as he started to speak, the former President threw himself a pity party. Trump called his indictment on 34 felony charges related to alleged hush-money payments to a former porn star a massive election interference at a scale never seen before in our country. He attacked Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and painted himself as the victim of a vast conspiracy. The only crime that Ive committed, he said, is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it. From there, his speechthe first public response to the historic arraignment earlier Tuesdaydevolved into a litany of lies about the 2020 election. Cable news channels cut the feed. Applause grew thinner and thinner. Read More: The Trump Indictment Marks a Volatile New Chapter In American Politics. Trump has been delivering versions of this gripefest for years now, a diatribe that has grown more and more bitter over the course of two impeachments, an insurrection, and countless other scandals that critics claimed would derail his political career. How much appetite does the American public have for a presidential candidate determined to litigate old grievances as new legal challenges loom? So far, the indictment appears to have rallied Republicans around the former President. The GOPs dwindling number of Trump critics, like Sen. Mitt Romney, trashed the case brought by Bragg. I believe the New York prosecutor has stretched to reach felony criminal charges in order to fit a political agenda, Romney said. Even his 2024 rivals mostly leapt to his defense. Story continues Polling shows that the indictment may have given Trump a boost with voters as well. A Yahoo! News-YouGov poll taken immediately after the indictment found a surge in support for Trump, with 57% of respondents saying they would vote for the former President over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, his perceived top rival, who drew 31%. As recently as February, DeSantis led Trump in a head-to-head matchup in the same poll. In the new survey, Trump held leads among independents, Evangelical Christians, and voters of all ages and education levels. Another poll released April 3 by Reuters/Ipsos also found that Trump had widened his lead since the indictment, with 48% of Republicans saying they want Trump as their nominee, up from 44% earlier in March. Support for DeSantis dropped to 19% in the wake of the charges, down from 30% in March. Read More: The HistoricAnd Entirely PredictableIndictment of Donald Trump. While the unsealing of the grand jury indictment on Tuesday was the clearest indication of the evidence Manhattan prosecutors intend to present against Trump, it appears to have little chance of persuading GOP primary voters that his behavior is politically disqualifying. A CNN poll released on the eve of the arraignment found that most Republicans dont believe what Trump did was illegaland a significant minority dont even believe it was wrong. More than 1 in 5 Republicans say that Trumps alleged crimes of falsifying business records to hide hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels in the weeks before the 2016 election to cover up an alleged affair (which Trump has denied)were not wrong at all, according to the CNN poll. Another 50% of Republicans said the payments were unethical but not illegal, the poll found, while only 8% said he did anything illegal. Trumps speech after the arraignment, like most of his public comments, was designed to animate his base. He knows the more hes attacked, the more loyal they become. This witch hunt, like all the others, will only BACKFIRE on Biden! Trump said in a statement published shortly before his speech. How fitting that I should return home to be LEADING in the polls! Read More: Trumps Indictment Drama Showcased His Rivals Weakness. But Trumps base isnt getting bigger. And Americans overall seem to support the indictment, according to the CNN poll, with 60% approving of the decision to indict Trump, including a significant majority of Independent voters and majorities across age, gender, race, and education. At the same time, the survey found that a majority of Americans think the indictment is a political maneuver, with 76% saying that politics played a role. The respondents were effectively split on whether they thought the indictment was good or bad for democracy. Which may make the unprecedented case another tired Trumpian Rorschach test: a scandal that is disqualifying only to the people who had already disqualified Trump, but energizing for the people who see him as the leader of the Republican Party. His indictmentand even, perhaps, a potential conviction down the linemight be yet another scandal that ends in a stalemate. A split image of adult actress Stormy Daniels (left) and former President Donald Trump (right). Ethan Miller/Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Searches for "Stormy Daniels" surged on Pornhub the day Donald Trump was arraigned. The alleged hush-money case around the porn star appears to be reminding people of her work. Pornhub says more than 650,000 people searched her name on the site on Tuesday. Tuesday was a good day for adult film actress Stormy Daniels on Pornhub, with fans searching her name on the site more than 650,000 times. This was, of course, the same day that former President Donald Trump was arraigned on felony charges centering around an alleged hush-money payment made to Daniels in 2016 in order to buy her silence over a claimed affair. Trump denies the affair and the charges. The case has kept the spotlight on Daniels, and has reminded a vast number of Pornhub users of her oeuvre. Data shared in an insights post on the website shows that as news of the Trump indictment broke, searches for "Stormy Daniels" rose steeply, peaking at 631,254 last Friday. But her popularity grew even more on the day of the arraignment, reaching a record of 662,319, Pornhub says. Search traffic for "Stormy Daniels" also grew on March 21, the day that Trump inaccurately predicted he was to be arrested. An earlier insights post said that people searched for her 467,078 times that day, up from general numbers in the low thousands. Daniels who appears to be relishing the attention around the case spent the Sunday before that tweeting up a storm about the situation. And on the day of the arraignment she launched a zinger at Trump, after a detractor aimed a crude insult at her online. "It's definitely more fun being under my sexy man instead of under arrest," she wrote on Twitter. While the case has provided something of a boost to Trump's polling numbers and donations, Daniels whose real name is Stephanie Clifford also appears to be finding it a lucrative moment. On Friday, she tweeted that orders for "#TeamStormy" merchandise were pouring in, thanking her followers for the support. Read the original article on Business Insider LONDON (Reuters) - Britain has set out plans to simplify and speed up post-Brexit border checks after repeated delays that the government previously blamed on the COVID-19 pandemic and then the war in Ukraine. The new model announced on Wednesday will be backed by more than 1 billion pounds ($1.25 billion) in spending and will cut the need for physical checks "for many types of goods", a government statement said, adding that required checks will take place away from ports to prevent delays at the border. Britain, which left the EU's single market in January 2021, has delayed full implementation of border controls on several occasions because of worries about port disruption and COVID-19, and more recently the risk of adding to a cost-of-living crisis. "The Border Target Operating Model ... sets out a new model for importing goods into the UK from countries inside and outside the EU (the European Union)," the government said in the introduction to the draft proposals. "It will move us closer to our goal of creating the most effective border in the world, by introducing an improved regime of sanitary, phytosanitary and security controls on imports." The government proposals include a new "single trade window" under which traders need only submit information once and in one place, which is expected to be fully operational by 2027. Arrangements for goods moving into Northern Ireland from Great Britain will follow the deal Prime Minister Rishi Sunak struck with the EU in February on post-Brexit trade rules for the region, the government said. It added that none of the additional checks or controls set out in the new model will apply to imports into Northern Ireland from the EU, providing Northern Ireland traders with full access to the single market. The government said it will continue to work with traders, ports, port health officials, logistics, transport and technology companies on implementation of the new model. Story continues It plans to publish the final version by the end of the year after the six-week engagement period. ($1 = 0.8024 pounds) (Reporting by Sarah Young; Writing by Muvija M; Editing by Paul Sandle and David Goodman) An old clip of French police officers clashing with demonstrators has resurfaced online in posts that misleadingly link it to the pension protest turmoil in France in 2023. The footage has actually circulated in reports about police clashing with French firefighters in the capital Paris in 2020 after they took to the streets to demand better working conditions. "The world is going wild right now!" reads the caption to the 24-second clip which shows riot police officers hitting protesters with batons. It was shared by David Oneeglio -- an Australia-based social media user who has a history of posting misinformation -- to his 61,000 subscribers on Telegram on March 30. The clip has been viewed more than 10,000 times alongside the misleading claim. "French cops Vs the fire fighters," the caption adds. A screenshot of the misleading post, captured on April 5, 2023 The post circulated online as clashes erupted in France between protesters and police as tens of thousands took to the streets to show their anger against President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform that has sparked a major domestic crisis. Protests and strikes called by unions against the law -- which includes raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 -- have turned into a major challenge to Macron who won a second term in elections last year and presents the biggest crisis of his second mandate. The clip has also been shared more than 6,300 times in posts by social media users from Australia, the US, the UK, Germany and China. The clip, however, has been taken from old footage of a demonstration in Paris. Old clash It corresponds to the opening sequence of a longer video previously published on YouTube on January 28, 2020 by the French news organisation Horz-Zone Press. Its caption says, "Charge of CRS against charge of FIREMEN on the sidelines of the firefighters' demonstration in Paris - 28 Jan. 2020." The CRS is a special mobile French police force. Horz-Zone Press also shared the footage on Twitter on the same day. At the time, thousands of French firefighters took to the streets of Paris in a pyrotechnic protest to demand better working conditions, igniting flares and even setting their fireproof jackets alight. Story continues There were clashes with security forces as some firefighters threw projectiles and police responded with tear gas, AFP reported. Below is a screenshot comparison of the clip in the misleading posts (left) and its corresponding frame from the 2020 footage: The location of the footage corresponds to this Google Street View imagery of a neighbourhood in Paris, as shown below: A screenshot of the same location on Google Street View. French broadcaster BFMTV and newspaper 20 Minutes France reported that firefighters took part in the France pension protests in 2023. But Eric Brocardi, spokesman for the National Federation of Fire Fighters of France, told AFP on March 31, 2023 there were no recent reports of violent clashes between firefighters and police officers. The same clip was previously misrepresented as a protest against Covid-19 measures in Paris. Take your tuber game to the next level with these spuds. Meredith Food Studio Is there a better ingredient than the humble potato? All signs point to no. Carb sustenance and goodness aside, its versatility is unrivaledfry it, scallop it, bake it, glue googly eyes on it and call it a pet. Of course, its most ubiquitous preparation is mashed, served during holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, or moments when a starch and a spoon is simply the only remedy to the stresses and chaos of a trying work day. Dominik Klier, co-founder of Munichs Caspar Plautz, a legendary food stall dedicated to all things potatoes, agrees. Mashed potatoes are a wonderful side because theyre not only comforting and warming, but also very versatile, he says. They go well with almost any kind of meat, fish, and veggie. His potato-exclusive stall, as part of the German citys must-visit Viktualienmarkt (Victuals Market), is one of dozens that specializes in single ingredients or specific food categories. Shop owners must go through a notoriously rigorous application and permitting process to sell both products and prepared dishes, so Klier is a certified expert when it comes to all things tubers. Perhaps one of the most awe-inspiring parts of his booth (aside from innovatively prepared dishes like a beef shoulder-stuffed sweet potato) is his rows of unfamiliar potato varieties, both big and small, long and round, brown and colorful. There are now over 5,000 potato types in the world, and he proudly sells a rotating assortment at any given moment, dictated by access and seasonality. Since Americans tend to be creatures of habit and dont stray far from a Yukon Gold, Idaho, or Russet, we tasked Klier with providing potato alternatives that are perfect for mashing. Here are his top five recommendations. 5 Best Potatoes for Mashing, According to Expert Dominik Klier Andean Sunside Origin: Peru, but bred in the Netherlands Size: Small to medium Shape: Round, oval Appearance: Yellow skin and a deep yellow, mango-colored flesh Story continues This is a potato with a super fine texture and is the perfect choice for a creamy and smooth mash. The slightly sweet taste reminds me of almonds or marzipan and the Andean Sunside goes very well with fine meat cuts, grilled fish, or asparagus. Ackersegen Origin: Germany Size: Small to medium Shape: Round, oval Appearance: Brown or yellow skin and a bright yellow flesh It has an old-fashioned name and is a real classic German potato type for puree. Earthy and rich in flavor, its delicate texture is perfect for a subtle and tasty potato mash. Its also a perfect side for stews and fried sausages. Institut de Beauvais Origin: France Size: Medium to large Shape: Round, oval Appearance: Beige skin and pale yellow to white flesh A rarity from France, this potato has a really elegant snow white flesh and an aromatic buttery flavor. The reason for its smooth puree is the high amount of starch. An Institut de Beauvais mash fits perfectly with French cheese for an aligot, fish, or roasted fennel. Laura Origin: Austria Size: Medium to large Shape: Oval Appearance: Red skin and golden brown flesh This is a half waxy, half floury potato with a rich and nutty taste, making it the best choice for a more rustic mash. Laura is a wonderful option for cold Bavarian mashed potato (Erdapfel Kas) with sour cream and chives Violetta Origin: South America Size: Medium Shape: Long, oval Appearance: Indigo skin and deep purple flesh It has a strong chestnutty aroma and a smooth consistency. It goes along perfectly with deer, boar, mushrooms, or pickled veggies. What to Look for When Picking a Perfect Potato for Mashing While we strongly encourage a trip to your local farmers market to shop for less mainstream potato varieties, some of the aforementioned recommendations may be hard to come by in the U.S. If thats the case, Klier has a couple of tips to find the perfect potato for mashing. Go big: Size matters, so its best to avoid smaller potatoes that wont yield the silky-smooth texture we love and crave. The starch in the potato is what makes the puree creamy, confirms Klier. The more starch, the smoother the mash, so go for the big ones with the higher amount of potato flour. Buy local and consider terroir: Despite the joy of stumbling across new international spuds, Klier advises shoppers to buy local and support nearby farmers. Its the same with potatoes and wine, he argues. The terroir counts. Local farmers will know which types of potatoes grow best in the ground. These farmers can also speak to flavor profiles, texture, and seasonality to help find the perfect potato for any dish. How to Make the Best Mashed Potatoes There are thousands of mashed potato recipes online, both traditional and contemporary, that tout themselves as the best. Mashed potatoes can remind you of your childhood and still be an elaborate side dish, says Klier. Its humble and very elegant at the same time. But the potato pro has a few general ideas to consider. The good thing about mashed potatoes is that you can be really creative, he says. Of course, the more butter, the better. Butter is always a good idea, as well as milk, cream, and nutmeg, he says. You could also use some good homemade stock to get a smooth texture. Klier is also a fan of drawing inspiration from flavors around the globe. Maybe use some dashi and shichimi togarashi to create a Japanese flavor, he advises. Use good olive oil, some capers, and olives for a Mediterranean-style puree. Paying homage to his roots, Klier even suggests a cold variety, just in time for the warmer temperatures of summer. You can also make some Bavarian-style mashed potatoes. Just mash some cold potatoes and mix them with sour cream, chives, cumin, and melted onions. No matter how you peel it, one thing is clear: The potato will always be a staple in any type of cuisine. Broaden your horizons and experiment with varieties youve never tried before. Its an ingredient that is, frankly, difficult to mess up. As the trial of a woman charged in three killings in what prosecutors say was a doomsday-focused plot began Monday, attorneys asked potential jurors if they would have trouble being impartial after viewing autopsy photos of children. This is a case that deals with murder. This is a case where two of the alleged victims are underage children, prosecutor Rob Wood told the panel of potential jurors, warning them that some of the evidence would be emotionally charged. RELATED: Lori Vallow Won't Face The Death Penalty If Convicted In Kids' Murders, Judge Rules Prosecutors charged Lori Vallow Daybell and her husband, Chad Daybell, with conspiracy, murder and grand theft in connection with the deaths of Vallow Daybells two youngest children: 7-year-old Joshua JJ Vallow and big sister Tylee Ryan, who was last seen a few days before her 17th birthday in 2019. Prosecutors also have charged the couple in connection with the October 2019 death of Chad Daybells late wife, Tammy Daybell. Lori Vallow Daybell sits in a police car. Lori Vallow Daybell Photo: Tony Blakeslee/East Idaho News via AP, Pool, File The investigation garnered worldwide attention and was closely followed in the rural eastern Idaho community where the bodies of the children were found buried in Chad Daybells yard. As a result, Seventh District Judge Steven Boyce moved the trial more than 200 miles (320 kilometers) east to the city of Boise. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty, but only Vallow Daybells trial begins Monday. The cases have been severed, and Chad Daybells trial is still months away. Vallow Daybell faces up to life in prison if convicted. It isnt necessarily easy to look at, Wood said of the autopsy photos. One potential juror said she had two elementary school-aged children, and she believed it would be difficult for her to look at that sort of evidence. Still, she said, she would try to put her feelings aside and remain impartial if selected for the jury. Story continues Another member of the prosecution team, Rachel Smith, asked the potential jurors if they could convict someone of conspiring to commit a crime even if they didnt take part in every part of the crime itself. Joshua Vallow and Tylee Ryan These undated photos released by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children show missing person, Joshua Vallow, 7, left, and Tylee Ryan, 17. They were last seen on Sept. 23, 2019 in Rexburg, Idaho. Photo: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children via AP The driver of the getaway car is as guilty as the bank robber. Does that make sense to everyone? Smith asked. Yes, the panel of potential jurors agreed. Authorities summoned 1,800 potential jurors to the courthouse in late March, requiring each of them to complete a 20-page questionnaire in hopes of winnowing out anyone unable to fairly try the case. On Monday morning, defense attorneys and prosecutors began questioning the remaining jury pool members in an effort to pick 12 jurors and six alternates to hear the case. Jury selection could take a few days, and the trial itself could take up to eight weeks. A line to enter the Ada County Courthouse stretched outside the building before proceedings began Monday. Four other trials were also being held at the courthouse, and jurors stood alongside news reporters as they all waited to pass through metal detectors and security screening. New police photo of Lori Vallow Daybell Court administrators have anticipated a lot of interest in the case, setting up a special parking area for TV news trucks and cordoning off an area in front of the building for photographers and others. Idaho law, like most states, seeks to shield jurors identities. Roughly 42 journalists and other onlookers were seated in a separate room to watch the jury selection process through a video streaming system, the cameras positioned to show Vallow Daybell and her defense attorneys Jim Archibald and John Thomas; the prosecutors Rob Wood, Lindsey Blake and Rachel Smith; and 7th District Judge Steven Boyle. Vallow Daybell sat between her defense team. She leaned forward to listen to the questions posed to the jury pool. She occasionally appeared to take notes as the potential jurors spoke. One potential juror said she watched several seasons of the fictional television crime show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, which focuses on how forensic experts and crime scene investigators solve often gruesome crimes. Smith asked if her avid CSI-watching would affect her feelings about the evidence from experts and crime lab technicians during the case. You may not know exactly how they died, Smith said about the victims in the case. Would anything in that make it difficult for you to sit in judgment on a case? No, the potential juror said. Prosecutors say the Daybells espoused strange doomsday-focused beliefs to further their alleged plan to kill the kids and Tammy Daybell to collect life insurance money and the childrens social security and survivor benefits. Oxy App Police documents detailed interviews with family members and friends who said the couple led a group that met to pray, believing they could drive out evil spirits and seek revelations from beyond the spiritual veil. Vallow Daybells close friend Melanie Gibb told investigators that the couple believed people became zombies when they were possessed by evil spirits. The group would spend time praying to get rid of the zombies and believed, if they were successful, the possessed person would physically die, freeing their trapped soul from limbo. Vallow Daybell called JJ and Tylee zombies several times before they died, Gibb told investigators. Idaho law enforcement officers started investigating the couple in November 2019 after extended family members reported the children were missing. During that period, police say the couple lied about the childrens whereabouts. The childrens bodies were found buried on Chad Daybells property in rural Idaho. The couple married two weeks after Chad Daybells previous wife died unexpectedly. Tammy Daybells death was initially reported as resulting from natural causes, but investigators had her body exhumed after suspicions grew when Chad Daybell quickly remarried. US President Joe Biden will begin a four-day trip to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in Belfast on 11 April, the White House has confirmed. President Biden is travelling to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. He will also hold various engagements in Dublin, County Louth, and County Mayo. Mr Biden is also expected to meet Irish President Michael D Higgins. In a statement, the White House said the President will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland from 11-14 April adding that the trip would mark "the tremendous progress since the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago". Irish broadcaster RTE has reported the official visit may include government receptions for President Biden at Farmleigh House and Dublin Castle. It is also believed the US president will attend the Irish presidential residence, Aras an Uachtarain, to meet Michael D Higgins. White House spokesperson John Kirby said it was expected that President Biden would address the Oireachtas (Irish parliament) on Thursday. He will become the fourth US president to do so, following President John F Kennedy on 28 June 1963, President Ronald Reagan on 4 June 1984 and President Bill Clinton on 1 December 1995. It has also been confirmed that President Biden will be in County Mayo on Friday, where he will speak at an event outside St Muredach's Cathedral, Ballina. 'Celebrating significant milestone' Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar said he was "delighted" that President Biden would be visiting Ireland. "When we spoke recently in the White House, President Biden was clear that in celebrating the Good Friday Agreement, we should be looking ahead, not backwards," he said. He said the involvement of the United States and of President Biden personally had been "essential to the peace process in Ireland". "From its earliest uncertain beginnings to the making of the Good Friday Agreement, in good days and bad, the US has always been at our side," said Mr Varadkar. Story continues "So it's fitting that President Biden will be here to mark this significant milestone with us." Timeline of previous presidential visits President John F Kennedy visited Ireland in June 1963, including a trip to his family's ancestral home in County Wexford. Mr Kennedy referred to this visit as "the best four days of his life'" and it occurred five months before his assassination. In June 1984, President Ronald Reagan travelled to Ireland, and gave a speech in the village of Ballyporeen in County Tipperary, his ancestral home. In November 1995, President Bill Clinton travelled to Belfast, Londonderry, Armagh and Omagh, becoming the first US president to visit Northern Ireland. Mr Clinton would return to Northern Ireland again on 3 September 1998, five months after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement and just a month after the Omagh bombing. Mr Clinton gave his sympathies to the bereaved families and called for a new peace to be built following the agreement. He also visited Armagh for a special Gathering for Peace on the Mall, where thousands turned out to hear them speak. In 2000, nearing the end of his time as president, Mr Clinton once more returned to Northern Ireland as part of his farewell tour. In April 2003, President George W Bush visited Northern Ireland to hold talks over the political process in the country and the war in Iraq. In June 2008, Mr Bush made a one-day stop in Northern Ireland during his European farewell trip as his presidency came to an end. The president was welcomed at Stormont Castle by then first and deputy first ministers Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness. In May 2011, President Barack Obama visited Ireland, including a stop at Moneygall in County Offaly where his great-great-great-grandfather came from. President Obama arrived in Northern Ireland in June 2013 to attended the G8 summit, which was being held County Fermanagh. He also spoke to an audience at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast, saying the road to a lasting peace in Northern Ireland was "as urgent now as it has ever been". For more on US presidential visits to Northern Ireland click here. 'Deep, historic ties' In 2016, Joe Biden visited the Republic of Ireland during his time as vice president, and went on a tour of his ancestral home in County Mayo. Last week, the president said he still planned to visit Northern Ireland despite MI5's decision to increase the terrorism threat level to "severe". During next week's visit the president will hold various engagements in the Republic of Ireland, including those in Dublin, County Louth and County Mayo, where he will "deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people." Good Friday Agreement anniversary Former US President Bill Clinton, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern are among those expected to visit Northern Ireland for commemorative events. Both Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University (UU) are hosting events to mark the anniversary Large, silent video portraits of the 14 politicians who negotiated the peace deal will be displayed at UU's Belfast campus from 15 to 20 April. The university is also launching a new leadership programme, a tourism summit and an education project. Further details of President Biden's trip have yet to be released. Year '98 branding header Want to know more about the 1998 agreement? Declan Harvey and Tara Mills explore the text of the Good Friday Agreement, scrutinising the deal's wording and hearing from some of the people who helped get it across the line. Click here to listen on BBC Sounds. Taura Brown, 44, fought eviction from her tiny home (actual home not pictured) for two years before being removed from the property. But, Brown says she's not done fighting to live in the affordable housing despite her appeal being denied. Jeremy Poland/Getty Images On Tuesday, Detroit bailiffs arrived at Taura Brown's tiny home to evict her after a years-long battle. They were met with about 30 protesters attempting to stop the eviction of Brown, who had been homeless. The CCSS argues that Brown was improperly using the low-income housing as a second residence. Detroit bailiffs were met with a blockade of about 30 protesters when they were sent to evict a woman living in a tiny home after a two-year battle over the property. On Tuesday morning, 44-year-old Taura Brown was removed from her home on Detroit's west side on orders from the 36th District Court, but not before protesters and officials clashed, according to The Detroit News. Per the report, 30 people from the Detroit Eviction Defense, an activist group made up of landlords, retired attorneys, and rental tenant, linked arms to block Brown's door and stop her eviction. The physical clash between protesters and bailiffs was caught on camera, and the video went viral on Twitter. Eventually, bailiffs were able to enter the home, and remove Brown and her belongings despite the protests. The legal battle has gone on since Cass Community Social Services (CCSS) decided against renewing Brown's lease at the tiny home in early 2021. Brown had lived in the home since December 2019, but by January 2021, CCSS, which oversees the Tiny Homes Detroit initiative, argued that she was using the low-income housing as a second home. According to the official CCSS site, the Tiny Homes Detroit program consists of 25 homes available to those who qualify as "low-income," and residents have the opportunity to own their tiny home after paying rent for seven years. CCSS alleged that Brown didn't live at the home more than 50% of the time and claimed to have found her name on another lease in Detroit, The Detroit News reported. Brown, who was previously homeless, asserts that nothing in her lease specifies how much time she has to be at the home. Story continues "Obviously (eviction) doesn't feel good. However, like I said I'm feeling confident about fighting back. We're not done. We're just getting started," Brown told Detroit's 7 Action News. She said she worked at an apartment complex, where her then-boyfriend lived. Her appeal of the eviction to Wayne County Circuit Court was denied in October 2022, and on March 22, Brown was ordered to vacate the home within 10 days. Sammie Lewis of the Detroit Eviction Defense then organized members of the group to protest when law enforcement arrived at Brown's door, according to local reports. "This has been an over two-year-long battle and it's just extremely frustrating, heartbreaking. I feel just really angry at this point because this shouldn't have happened," Lewis told 7 Action News. "Housing is a human right. Everybody deserves the right to have a safe and secure house." The Detroit Eviction Defense group is a coalition of tenants, homeowners, and other advocates fighting against evictions and home foreclosures in the Detroit Metropolitan area. Insider reached out to the Rev. Faith Fowler, executive director of CCSS, for a statement, but didn't immediately receive a response. Fowler provided 7 Action News with a longer statement on Brown's eviction. "Sadly, Ms. Brown has chosen from the beginning to make another residence her primary home, violating both the spirit and the conditions of the Tiny Homes program," the statement read. "Her refusal to surrender the tiny house after her lease was not renewed in January of 2021 has deprived other low-income people the opportunity to live in, and eventually, own the home. Additionally, many people have suffered from her misinformation and slanderous attacks including her neighbors, CCSS staff members and myself." There were no arrests at the scene. Brown is staying with members of the Eviction Defense group for now, the News reported. Read the original article on Business Insider LONDON (AP) Prince Harry is expected to testify in a London courtroom in June in one of his phone hacking lawsuits against British tabloids, lawyers said Wednesday. A trial in a case involving the Duke of Sussex and three others against the publisher of The Mirror is due to start May 9 in the High Court and last six to seven weeks. While the trial begins three days after the coronation of his father, King Charles III, Harry is is not expected to take the witness stand until early or mid-June, according to a preliminary schedule of witnesses. It's not clear if Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, will attend the coronation. Harry's testimony will be the second time he's been in the High Court in three months after his surprise appearance last week in a similar case. Harry sat through parts of three days of hearings to see if the phone hacking suit he brought with Elton John, actresses Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost, and others survives a legal challenge by the publisher of The Daily Mail. His presence in court for the dense legal arguments indicated the importance of the case to Harry in his broader battle against the British press. He has several lawsuits against the news media and has said he wants to reform the tabloid press as part of his life's work. British tabloid publishers have paid hundreds of millions of dollars to settle claims dating back well over a decade that journalists and private investigators hired by them hacked the voicemails of celebrities, politicians and others in the public eye. The case against Mirror Group Newspapers alleges that Harry's voicemail messages were intercepted. The Mirror publisher is contesting the claims and argues they were brought too late. The May trial is a test case by four claimants against the Mirror out of a larger group of well-known people who sued the publisher. Other claimants are Coronation Street actress Nikki Sanderson, comedian Paul Whitehouses ex-wife, Fiona Wightman, and actor Michael Turner. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 5) Ex-army reservist Marvin Miranda will formally be named as co-accused in the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo after other suspects claimed that he played an indispensable part in the assassination, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Wednesday. The DOJ said state prosecutors found that Miranda conspired in the crime that killed nine people, including Degamo, and wounded 17 others on March 4 in Pamplona town. In effect, the state prosecutors would be amending the informations previously filed in court to include Miranda as one of the accused, the department said in a statement. The DOJ said charges were recommended for Miranda and six others in relation to the massacre. These cases are for nine counts of murder, 13 counts of frustrated murder for the victims with fatal injuries, and four counts of attempted murder for those with non-fatal injuries. The DOJ said these will be tried jointly with previous cases filed by the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor of Negros Oriental against other accused people. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier tagged Miranda as one of the masterminds in the killing of Degamo, along with Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. whom the DOJ chief said appears to be the orchestrator. READ: Remulla: Rep. Teves appears to be main mastermind behind Degamo killing Remulla said Teves funded the planning and the firearms used for the murder, while Miranda tagged as the lawmakers former bagman recruited the gunmen. Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. also earlier told reporters that 11 suspects under the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation said Miranda received instructions from someone known to them as boss idol, big boss, and kalbo [bald]. Upon clarification from reporters, Remulla said Teves was the person who instructed Miranda. The ex-army reservist was arrested on March 27 in Antique where authorities said he was in hiding, and was presented for inquest proceedings before state prosecutors on April 3, the DOJ said. Meanwhile, Teves remains abroad after leaving for the United States on Feb. 28, citing the need for medical treatment. His travel authority from the House of Representatives had lapsed. The case is 99% finished, the DOJ quoted Remulla as saying after Mirandas arrest. I can tell you that it is only a matter of time before we can put this to bed. RELATED: Remulla on Degamo assassination: Case closed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are faced with a decision that could further deepen tensions within the British royal family. Its still unclear whether the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will travel across the pond in May for King Charles coronation. But no matter what the couple ultimately decides, several royal experts agreed its a "lose-lose" situation. "It's really lose-lose for the Sussexes unless the rest of the family suddenly decides to do an about-face and embrace them," Christopher Andersen, author of "The King," told Fox News Digital. "I don't see that happening. There is too much bitterness there. Too many bridges have been burned." The Duke and Duchess of Sussex last put on a united front in the U.K. following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 8. "So, if Harry and Meghan attend the coronation, they will almost certainly be sidelined and visibly shunned," he shared. "If they don't go, it will look as if Harry is turning his back on his birthright, the royal family, and the institution of the monarchy itself." "It's really tragic that both sides have allowed things to go so far south," Andersen added. Royal public relations expert Edward Coram-James recently told GB News the couple may be faced with "a cold shoulder" from several senior royals. If the couple were to attend the coronation at London's Westminster Abbey, it would be the first meeting between the king and his younger son following the publication of Harry's bestselling memoir "Spare." READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP KING CHARLES 'WAS NEVER EXPECTING TO SEE' PRINCE HARRY, EXPERTS CLAIM: 'STARK EXAMPLE OF CONSEQUENCE' Prince Harry's memoir Spare went on sale Jan. 10. A day later, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were asked to vacate Frogmore Cottage, their U.K. home. "In a universe in which the damage already caused by the rift is still recoverable from, at least in part, a no-show would be the fatal, irreversible blow, both in the public perception as well, potentially, as within the family itself," warned Coram-James. "It risks drawing out the conflict over the long term." On March 5, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed that Harry received "email correspondence" from the kings office about the coronation. Buckingham Palace didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Story continues "An immediate decision on whether the duke and duchess will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time," the couples office said in a statement. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey on Sept. 19, 2022, in London. Speculation about whether the Sussexes would be invited to the coronation has raged since the release of Harrys tell-all, which contained damning allegations of intrigue behind the palace walls. The disclosures, including details of private conversations with his father and brother, Prince William, fanned tensions between Harry and his family that became public when he and his wife moved to North America in 2020. Kinsey Schofield, the host of the "To Di For Daily" podcast, told Fox News Digital that she wouldnt be surprised if the Sussexes put on a brave face in the U.K. for the historic ceremony. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER Meghan Markle, an American actress, became the Duchess of Sussex when she married Britain's Prince Harry in 2018. "Im confident that Harry and Meghan are savvy enough to know that their connection to the royal family is their brands strongest selling point, so they have got to suck it up and nurture that element no matter how bruised their egos are," Schofield explained. "I initially wondered if Meghan would stay at home in California," she shared. "But then we saw clearly orchestrated paparazzi photos throughout Los Angeles that let us know Meghan was ready to be front and center again after taking a backseat for Harry's Spare spree." "If Harry and Meghan were not to attend the coronation a long shot there would undoubtedly be relief felt by senior members of the royal family," Schofield continued. "Harry's family does not trust the couple and is visibly uncomfortable when they are near. It would be Harry and Meghan's brand that would take the biggest hit... not their relationship with their family." The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced in 2020 they were stepping back as senior royals. They now reside in California with their son Prince Archie and their daughter Princess Lilibet. Schofield noted that the pair wouldnt be the only ones keeping things civil in the public eye. "I've recently heard that if they attend, the king would seat them near someone he loves, like Prince Edward," said Schofield. "They would likely not make much contact with the Prince and Princess of Wales Time heals all wounds, but Prince William might need another decade or two." Royal commentator Duncan Larcombe pointed out to Fox News Digital that by being candid in his memoir, Harry has opened himself up to facing more scrutiny from the press. PRINCE HARRY IN LONDON: PRINCE WILLIAM, KING CHARLES HAVE ZERO PLANS TO GIVE ROYAL 'WARM RECEPTION': EXPERTS King Charles' coronation is taking place on May 6 at London's Westminster Abbey. "Relations are so bad and emotions are running so high on both sides," Larcombe claimed. "This is why every little detail of this coronation takes on extra significance because people will want to keep knowing what's happening with Harry and Meghan behind closed doors of the palace They've added intrigue. All the current situation does is add to the intrigue of what's actually going on. Has there been any improvements? Have things gotten even worse? Harry inadvertently started his own kind of soap opera." Harry's book included allegations that members of the royal family regularly feed the press unflattering information about other members of the House of Windsor in exchange for positive coverage of themselves. The prince, 38, singled out Camilla, the queen consort, accusing her of leaking private conversations to the media as she sought to rehabilitate her image after marrying Charles, 74. Camilla was once reviled for her long-term affair with the king, which contributed to the breakdown of his marriage to the late Prince Diana, Harry and Williams mother. In "Spare," Prince Harry singled out his stepmother Camilla, the queen consort. The acrimony between Harry and his family once again spilled into public view when the Sussexes recently acknowledged they were asked to vacate their home in Britain. Frogmore Cottage, on the grounds of Windsor Castle west of London, was the couples main residence before they gave up royal duties and moved to Montecito, a wealthy enclave in Southern California. Like Andersen, royal expert Hilary Fordwich also told Fox News Digital that the dilemma the Sussexes face is a "lose-lose situation." PRINCE HARRY CLAIMS HE WAS 'DEPRIVED' OF TEENAGE YEARS DUE TO PUBLISHER'S 'UNLAWFUL' ACTIONS IN UK LAWSUIT Several royal experts believe that Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton will keep their distance from the Sussexes during coronation weekend. "On the one hand, if they do accept their invitation, the likelihood of being booed by the British public is highly likely," Fordwich explained, adding that recent polls "have shown how disgruntled and perhaps disgusted the public is with them." Fordwich also said it's likely the couple will be met with a "frosty" reception "from hard-working senior royals and the extended royal family." "On the other hand, if they dont accept and use the plausible out of the coronation falling on the same day as their son Prince Archies 4th birthday, then they are losing their relevance and money-making potential," she claimed. "So, the likelihood [Harry] will attend the coronation, the most important day in his fathers life, is high." Last week, Harry made a surprise appearance at London's High Court for a four-day hearing in a case against Associated Newspapers. The company, which produces British publications like the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, is accused of invading the privacy of notable figures like the prince, as well as Elizabeth Hurley, Sadie Frost and Elton John, among others. Fordwich said Harry may have been "testing the waters" with his recent visit, which would help the couple make a final decision. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams is adamant that the Sussexes wont miss out on attending the coronation. PRINCE HARRY, MEGHAN MARKLE'S EVICTION 'TIP OF THE ICEBERG' IN KING CHARLES' PLANS TO SLIM MONARCHY: REPORT Prince Harry said criticism of his memoir "Spare" won't make him silent because speaking out has helped him deal with trauma. "The event will be huge and a superb spectacle," he told Fox News Digital. "The [couples] activities will indeed be much publicized before the coronation. As it happened during the queens Platinum Jubilee, they will largely be a sideshow during the ceremony and the celebrations following it." Fitzwilliams pointed out that Harry is expected to make another court appearance for his lawsuit against the Daily Mirror newspaper on May 9. While recently taking part in a live-streamed conversation with Dr. Gabor Mate, Harry said he urged other members of the royal family to seek therapy. He also said criticism of "Spare" won't make him silent because speaking out has helped him deal with the trauma in his life. "The more they criticize, the more they comment, the more I feel the need to share," Harry said. "I found a way to be able to look around, and firstly ignore, the criticisms and the abuse." Prince Harry - JULIAN SIMMONDS The Duke of Sussex will return to the High Court in June as he takes Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) to court over allegations of phone hacking. Prince Harry is expected to give evidence in person at the trial, which will pitch him directly against former Mirror editor Piers Morgan, who has become one of the Sussexes most vocal critics. He is one of a number of high-profile figures bringing damages claims against the newspaper group over alleged unlawful information gathering at its titles. The trial of four representative cases is due to begin on May 9 - the first working day after the Coronation - and to last for six to seven weeks. A draft timetable suggests the Duke will enter the witness box in early or mid June. Evidence in his claim is expected to take three days, including opening statements, his time in the witness box, when he will be cross-examined, and MGNs witnesses. All evidence to be given in person The Duke has not yet publicly confirmed whether he will return to the UK for his fathers Coronation. At a preliminary hearing on Wednesday, Julian Santos, for the claimants, confirmed that all the witnesses on their side would give evidence in person. The claimants are not applying for any of their witnesses to give evidence via video link, he told Mr Justice Fancourt. The case will mark the Dukes second visit to the High Court within three months after he made a surprise appearance at a preliminary hearing in his separate claim against Associated Newspapers Limited the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday - last week. Harry, Sir Elton John, Baroness Lawrence and others are suing Associated Newspapers for allegedly stealing private details. The publisher has applied to have the claims dismissed without a trial on two grounds but after a four-day hearing the judge said his decision would be handed down at a later date. MGN argues claims brought too late The four representative claimants against MGN were selected last month from a wider pool of high profile figures to go to trial. Story continues The others are former Coronation Street actress Nikki Sanderson, comedian Paul Whitehouses ex-wife Fiona Wightman and actor Michael Turner. MGN is contesting the claims, arguing that some have been brought too late. MGN publisher of titles including The Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Sunday People has previously settled a number of claims against it in relation to unlawful information gathering, as has News Group Newspapers (NGN) publisher of the now-defunct News Of The World and The Sun in a separate ongoing legal action. Mr Morgan, who was editor of the Daily Mirror from 1996 until 2004, has become known for his public outbursts against the Sussexes. He was forced to resign as a host of Good Morning Britain after he refused to publicly apologise for telling viewers in March 2021 that he didnt believe a word of what the Duchess of Sussex had told US chat show host Oprah Winfrey in a televised interview. He is widely expected to be dragged into the case, although he has always strongly denied any knowledge of phone hacking. An AI generated photo of Google executive Rob Leathern When people start complaining that your tech company is ruining the world, you hire a guy like Rob Leathern. He joined Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, just as the Cambridge Analytica scandal convinced the public that Facebook was an existential threat to democracy. During the 2020 election and coronavirus pandemic outbreak, Leathern led efforts to address privacy, misinformation, and other problems in Facebooks advertising system. Right after the election, Google poached him, bringing Leathern on as vice president in charge of products related to privacy and securityjust as regulators embarked a years-long effort to ramp up scrutiny on the search giant. Now after two years at Google, Leathern is out. He tweeted that Friday was his last day at the company. Leathern agreed to hop on the phone with Gizmodo, and while he didnt explain why he left Google or where hes going next, he did have a lot to say about one topic: these days, the public face of big problems at big tech wants to talk about artificial intelligence. Read more Leatherns background gives him unusual insight on what must happen as the world wraps its mind around tools like ChatGPT and how businesses like OpenAI grow exponentially. In the early 2010s, blind optimism and fast money in Silicon Valley shielded the tech giants from critics. Things are different now. Almost as fast as AI chatbots captured the publics attention, we started talking about whether the technology will destroy us all. In the immediate future, companies like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft need to ramp up programs that allow them to say we hear your concerns, but dont worry, weve got it all under control. Leathern knows how to run that kind of operation. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity. Thomas Germain: Looking at the last few years of your career, youve been someone who jumped from company to company addressing some of the biggest societal issues in the tech world. How do you see the moment were living through with AI? Story continues Rob Leathern: Yeah. I joined Facebook to work on integrity stuff in 2017, and it kind of reminds me of the situation we were in then. AI sort of feels like social media did in 2015 or 2016, there was an opportunity to build a bunch of systems to address big problems, but no one was necessarily doing it yet. I think were at that same kind of inflection point, but were moving even more rapidly. I mean, these tools, by their very nature, have so many more feedback loops embedded in them. The pace of change is insane, so this is the right time to be thinking about this stuff. TG: So I know youre not a technical expert on AI, but as a tech insider, do you have any thoughts on exactly how far past the Rubicon we are? RL: I think there are people better positioned to answer that question than me, but what I can say is theres an incredible amount of momentum that creates pressure for folks on both sides, and the incentive to move quickly worries me. Theres a lot of pressure for companies to keep making advances, figure out how to train the next model, or reach the next milestone. Then what Ive seen from my work on privacy over the last six years is theres pressure on the other side of the coin as well. Regulators are competing with each other too, and everybody wants to be seen as pushing back on these advances. In other words, there are competing incentives in every direction to move faster and less carefully than you might otherwise. At the same time, some companies also have pressure to hold some things back more than they might like to. TG: Right, theres some real tension there. OpenAI has an incentive to move as fast as possible to prove its a leader. Older players like Google and Microsoft have demonstrated that theyre keeping up, but they have more of a responsibility to be seen as moving carefully and methodically. RL: Yeah, its going to be really interesting to watch those dynamics play out. The bigger companies are under more scrutiny, so they have to move slower and have checks and balances in place. In some cases, thats going to lead to talented folks getting frustrated and wanting to leave. Really, its the spillover effect of the past challenges theyve had around issues like privacy and security, and the regulations that came out of it. That has a huge impact on their agility. TG: How do companies working on AI balance moving quickly and moving responsibly? RL: Were at this transition point where, you know, AI ethics researchers whove been writing white papers have been doing great work. But maybe now is the time to transition to folks who have more hands-on experience with safety, integrity, and trust. This is going to touch a lot of different areas. It can be things as seemingly small as monitoring the identities of developers in the API ecosystem [the systems that let outside companies access a tech companys products]. That was one thing that came out of the Cambridge Analytica issue at Facebook, for example. You need to start getting those folks in place, and my supposition is that not theyre not quite there yet when it comes to AI at most of these big tech companies. TG: Looking at the conversation around AI, it seems like were having this conversation much, much earlier in the process than we did with social media ten years ago. Is that because weve learned some lessons, or is it because the technology is moving so fast? RL: I think its a bit of both, and its not just the speed, but the accessibility of these systems. The fact that so many people have played with MidJourney or ChatGPT gives people a sense of both what the upsides and the downsides of the technology could be. I do think weve learned some lessons from the past, as well. and weve seen various companies create mechanisms to address these concerns. A whole generation of engineers, product managers, designers, and data scientists work on these societal problems in the context of social networks, whether its privacy, content moderation, misinformation or what have you. TG: Like with so many of these issues, somebut not allof the concerns about AI are vague and hypothetical. What are the big things youre worried about? RL: Well everyone is so focused on the big changes, but I think its interesting to look at some of whats going to happen on the micro scale. I think the problems are going to be a lot more subtle than were used to. Take the other side of deep fakes. Weve heard about water marketing content from ChatGPT or image generators, but what are you going to prove that a picture you took is a real photo. Tagging pictures with location and some kind of personal identifier is one solution, but then youre creating these new signals that can pose privacy issues. Another non-obvious concern is that anyone can use the free versions of these tools, but the paid and more powerful versions are less accessible. AI could potentially be problematic from an equity perspective, creating yet another way for wealthy folks to have an advantage. That will play out with individuals, but also with businesses on the client side. This technology is going to further separate the haves and have nots. TG: Given the nature of this technology, its hard to imagine what regulators can even do about it. The business friendly government in the United States, for example, is not about to ban this technology. Is it too late? RL: Well, there are requirements that you could think of that governments can put in place. Maybe you have to register your technology, for example, if youre using more than x number of GPUs or whatever the right metric is. But youre still going to have people who are running their unlicensed technology in a basement, and whatever scheme we come up foreign governments arent going to care. I think to a certain extent the toothpaste is out of the tube, and its going to be hard to put it back in there. TG: Ive been reporting on privacy for the better part of a decade. In that arena, it feels like just in the past year regulators and lawmakers are truly grasping the digital economy for the first time. AI is an even bigger problem to wrap your heads around. Are you hopeful about the ability to regulate this space? The prospects feel pretty abysmal. RL: Were in for a very challenging time. I think well end up with a patchwork of regulations that are just copy and pasted from other things that dont play well with each other. But people are more attuned to the facts of this situation. I dont think the right answer is to make some blanked statement that we need to slow things down, because again, less well-intentioned actors like China are going to move ahead. One interesting lesson that comes from working on privacy and security is that in the early days, you have folks that see just how bad the gaps are, and they fall on the side of shutting things down. But to be effective in these roles, you need to have an appreciation for both downside risk as well as the upside potential. I used to say you need to be kind of an optimistic pessimist. Theres an opportunity to create rules, policies, and implementations that can actually allow the good stuff to flower while still reducing the harms. TG: Thats a pretty industry-friendly perspective, but youve got a point. Our government is not about to shut down OpenAI. The only hope is a solution that works within the system. RL: Right. If you take the shut it all down approach, well, among other things its just not going to happen. You need the adversarial folks, but you need optimists in your portfolio as well. And look, the other thing that also is true is its really hard, right? Because youre creating stuff that hasnt existed before. There arent always great analogs to something like how do I make a given tool private? And like I used to say when I was speaking on behalf of Facebook, youd be truly amazed at how innovative the bad guys could be. They do incident reviews too. They share knowledge and data. Its going to be an incredibly adversarial space. TG: I want to ask you about a completely different topic if youll indulge me, and thats TikTok. What Ive been saying in my reporting is a lot of concerns are overblown, and discussions about banning TikTok or ByteDance seem like a useless exercise given how leaky advertising technology is. But youve got perspective from inside the tech business. Am I wrong? RL: Your take accords with my feelings about this. Look, its important to, you know, ask questions about the ownership and the structure of these organizations. But I agree, the idea of a ban isnt going to have all the benefits that some people presume it would. Companies like TikTok need to have a better story, and a better reality, about ownership and control, and where peoples data is going, and what the oversights and controls are. But banning it doesnt sound like the right solution. TG: On the other hand, you hear TikTok going on and on about this Project Texas, where they plan on housing all the data on servers in the US. And sure, its a fine idea, you might as well. But talking about the physical location of a server as though that should reassure anyone seems ridiculous. Does that feel meaningful to you? RL: These systems are complicated, and saying oh its all on server X versus server Y doesnt matter. What would be more reassuring is the additional oversight, but then again, those things are pretty challenging to set up too. People are looking for a level of certainty on this issue thats hard to come by. In fact, any certainty we do get may just be hallucinatory. Want to know more about AI, chatbots, and the future of machine learning? Check out our full coverage of artificial intelligence, or browse our guides to The Best Free AI Art Generators and Everything We Know About OpenAIs ChatGPT. More from Gizmodo Sign up for Gizmodo's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. In a generational breakthrough for organized labor and the Democratic Partys left flank, former teachers union organizer Brandon Johnson was elected mayor of Chicago on Tuesday night. The progressive Cook County commissioner was declared the winner over his moderate rival, former Chicago Public Schools CEO and school choice advocate Paul Vallas, with 91 percent of ballots counted on Election Night. The six-week runoff campaign, pitting a charismatic K12 activist against a veteran education reformer, highlighted critical challenges facing the nations fourth-largest school district. Related Competing K12 Visions Collide in Chicago Mayors Race It also appears to have been the citys closest election in living memory. Local officials will spend the coming days tallying mail-in ballots that are expected to pad Johnsons victory margin, but the candidates were separated by just 2.8 percent of the vote on Wednesday afternoon; by comparison, incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot enjoyed a nearly 50-point lead in her 2019 win. Flanked by Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates, the mayor-elect addressed a crowd of ecstatic supporters after Vallass concession. Make no mistake about it: Chicago is a union town, Johnson announced. The results delivered an unmistakable triumph to a teachers union movement that spent much of the last decade marshaling its influence within both the American education policy debate and the institutional levers of the Democratic Party. Even while absorbing setbacks in statehouses and the courts most notably the Supreme Courts 2018 Janus v. AFSCME decision, which effectively ended public sector unions powers to raise funds from non-members educators have led successful drives to increase school funding and improve working conditions. Brad Marianno, a professor of educational policy and leadership at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, wrote in an email that Johnsons election was a capstone victory for the movement and added that other teachers unions around the country were likely taking notes on the successes achieved in Chicago. Story continues CTU has been writing the progressive union playbook for a while and now has completed a new chapter on how to expand the reach of progressive teachers unionism into the highest elected office in one of Americas largest cities, he observed. Related Between Victory in West Virginia and (Likely) Defeat Before the Supreme Court, Teachers Unions Find Themselves at Historic Crossroads The race to become the citys next mayor was reset after a February primary that shockingly eliminated Lightfoot, whose popularity had dwindled after four years of often-truculent relations with the CTU and other local heavyweights. With no candidate finishing over 50 percent, Johnson and Vallas advanced to an ideologically supercharged second round. While Johnson emerged from near-anonymity after Gates declined to make a run herself, Vallas has played a marquee role in Chicagos three-decade municipal drama over school governance. He was appointed to lead CPS in 1995, following years of chronic underperformance and a controversial district takeover spearheaded by then-Mayor Richard M. Daley. His tenure was marked by new academic offerings, tough accountability initiatives, and slowly climbing test scores. While Vallas followed his six-year stint with similar postings in Philadelphia and New Orleans, Chicago Public Schools kept on the reform track under his successor, future U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan. The following decade-plus saw even greater academic gains, but also top-down decisions including dozens of school closures in 2013 that alienated families and provoked a teacher-led revolt. Related As Chicago Prepares to Close Additional Schools, New Report Shows the Shuttering of 49 Campuses in 2013 Led to Lower Test Scores Johnson, a former social studies teacher, became a protegee of then-CTU President Karen Lewis and eventually served as the organizations political director. After a turbulent decade that saw bitter negotiations with city leaders and prolonged work stoppages in 2012, 2019 and 2022, the union has succeeded in placing one of their own in City Hall. American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, who rallied for Johnson in the races closing weeks, said in a statement that his election represented a transformational moment in Chicagos education politics. On education, the contrast was clear: Johnson wants to ensure parents have a say, teachers can teach and students can learn, without the intrusion of those who measure their success by closing schools rather than strengthening them, Weingarten wrote. Ironically, however, Johnson will inherit a mayors office whose power over the district has begun to ebb as a result of the CTUs own success. Nearly three years of mayoral control will come to an end beginning next year, when the city will begin electing members of a 21-seat school board that the union lobbied for in Springfield. By the end of Johnsons first term, major decisions about school finance and policy will be substantially out of his hands. Related How Teachers Union Politics Are Shaping the Chicago Mayors Race Those decisions will be crucial to the future of Chicago Public Schools particularly given an enrollment crisis that has seen the district shrink by more than 100,000 students since Vallass days as CEO. The resultant decline in state funding, along with significant costs associated with spiraling pension debts, will impose an unenviable fiscal crunch on the next administration. In just a year, Johnson faces the prospect of negotiations with none other than the CTU after their current contract expires. Although some have projected that the new mayors close ties will ease future bargaining rounds Who better to deliver bad news to friends, than a friend? Johnson himself has asked he will also be faced with tough calls like whether to further downsize the districts under-enrolled school campuses. Michael Hartney, a political scientist at Boston College who has closely studied teachers unions and public administration, said that the CTUs organizing muscle had given Johnson a clear advantage on Tuesday. Now, he added, the difficult work begins. Until the citys school system reverts to an elected school board, Johnson will need to decide whether to select a new school superintendent, and he may have to negotiate a contract with his former employer, Hartney said. And while the mayor-elect is sure to be sympathetic to the unions priorities, certain fiscal realities loom large for the citys school system. The Wisconsin supreme court will have a liberal majority for the first time in 15 years after Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge Janet Protasiewicz defeated her conservative opponent, former state supreme court judge Dan Kelly, to win a seat on the states highest court. With more than 95 percent of the vote counted, Protasiewicz won 55.5 percent to 44.5 percent, drawing an end to what proved to be the most expensive state supreme court race in U.S. history with $42 million spent, per the Associated Press. Protasiewicz, who was elected to a ten-year term, will replace retiring conservative Justice Patience Roggensack, clinching a 4-3 liberal majority on the court for at least the next two years. Protasiewiczs win could have major implications for abortion in the state, as the court is likely to decide a pending challenge the states 1849 law banning abortion. The race could also be influential for other issues, including election laws and redistricting ahead of the 2024 presidential race. Ben Wikler, the chair of the state Democratic Party, wrote in a tweet that the race was a release valve for twelve years of Democratic rage in Wisconsin about Republicans rigging our state and smashing our democracy. Protasiewicz, whose campaign and supporters far outspent Kellys campaign and supporters, celebrated her win in a victory speech on Tuesday evening, saying voters had chosen to reject partisan extremism in this state and said, Our democracy will always prevail. Too many have tried to overturn the will of the people, she said, taking a shot at Kelly, whom she attacked repeatedly throughout the race for having advised Republicans on legal efforts to overturn the 2020 race via fake electors. Todays results show that Wisconsinites believe in democracy and the democratic process, she said. Kelly conceded the race on Wednesday but claimed his opponent had run the mostly deeply deceitful, dishonorable, despicable campaign Ive ever seen run for the courts. Story continues The people of Wisconsin have chosen the rule of Janet. I respect that decision because it is theirs to make, said Kelly, who lost his seat on the state Supreme Court in 2020 to liberal Jill Karofsky. I wish I would be able to concede to a worthy opponent, he added, but I do not have a worthy opponent to which I can concede. More from National Review MUNCIE, Ind. Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman says the six-year sentence a Muncie man received for being a habitual offender must be served in prison. Delaware Circuit Court 2 Judge Kimberly Dowling recently sentenced Joshua Lee Ireland to nine years including six years as the habitual offender penalty on electronic home detention, followed by three years on probation. The 42-year-old Muncie man had pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of meth and being a habitual offender. In the wake of the sentencing hearing, Hoffman issued a statement saying he "vehemently" disagreed with the handling of Ireland's case, calling the defendant "a career criminal who belongs in prison." Hoffman this week filed a motion "to correct erroneous sentence," asking Dowling to resentence Ireland." "The sentence imposed for a habitual offender enhancement cannot be served as a direct commitment to home detention," the prosecutor wrote, noting earlier court rulings. "It must be served as an executed sentence to the Indiana Department of Correction." More: Habitual offender from Muncie sentenced to 9 years on home detention Hoffman called the order imposing home detention for Ireland "an illegal order." Dowling on Wednesday gave public defender Brandon Murphy two weeks to respond to Hoffman's motion. Ireland's robbery conviction stemmed from a 2018 armed home invasion on Muncie's south side. Under the terms of a plea agreement, eight other charges two counts each of armed robbery and theft, and single counts of dealing in a narcotic drug, dealing in marijuana, domestic battery and possession of paraphernalia were dismissed. The Muncie man's earlier criminal record included more than 10 convictions, including two for burglary. Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Habitual offender must be sentenced to prison, prosecutor contends Opening arguments were heard Monday in the trial of Jeffrey J. "James" Exon, 45, who faces criminal charges linked to the death of his 2-year-old daughter. Jeffrey J. "James" Exon's 2-year-old daughter, Aurora Exon, died of malnutrition due to neglect by her father at a time when he was "intoxicated and passed out in his bed for days on end," prosecutor Bethany Lee said Tuesday. She asked a five-man, nine-woman Shawnee County District Court jury to convict James Exon of crimes that included first-degree murder. James Exon "did not murder his daughter," defense attorney James Spies replied. He suggested Aurora Exon's death had something to do with her having received inadequate pediatric care beginning long before she died. A reasonable pediatrician would have hospitalized Aurora after seeing the extent of her "failure to thrive," but Aurora Exon's did not, Spies said. Girl's mother living situation wasn't conducive to taking care of her Lee and Spies made opening arguments late Tuesday morning during the second day of Exon's trial. Jurors began hearing testimony from witnesses for the prosecution after closing arguments ended about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. Exon faces charges of one count each of aggravated child endangerment, first-degree murder in the commission of a felony, reckless but unintentional second-degree murder and failure by a parent to report the death of a child. Kansas law defines first-degree felony murder as homicide resulting from the commission, attempt to commit or escape from an inherently dangerous felony. Aurora Exon died as a result of her father's having committed aggravated child endangerment, Lee said. At the time of her death, James Exon had custody of Aurora Exon and her older brother, 4-year-old Theodore "Teddy" Exon, who was attending preschool at Sheldon Child Development Center Head Start. Teddy Exon survives. Seonaid Nichols, the mother of Teddy and Aurora Exon, testified at James Exon's preliminary hearing that she had agreed to let James Exon have custody of their two children because her living situation at the time wasn't conducive to her taking care of them. Story continues Five empty liquor bottles were seized from Jeffrey Exon's bedroom Aurora Exon, 2, was found to be deceased after James Exon on Jan. 5, 2021, called law enforcement officers and rescue workers to their home at 3501 S.W. 10th Ave. Aurora Exon had last been seen alive Dec. 26, 2020, Lee said. Shawnee County District Coroner Altaf Hossain testified at James Exon's preliminary hearing in June 2021 that Aurora Exon died of malnutrition, which was due to the negligence of her father. Hossain will testify at James Exon's trial that Aurora Exon died two to five days before police were called to her home, Lee said. Five empty liquor bottles were seized from James Exon's bedroom at his home, Topeka police Detective Jason Judd testified at Exon's preliminary hearing. But Spies stressed to jurors Tuesday that during James Exon's trial, they will hear all about the medical care Aurora Exon received during her life. While James Exon was "not a perfect parent," he "did what any reasonable and loving father would do," including taking Aurora Exon to her scheduled medical appointments that were scheduled to take place when he was caring for her, Spies said. The one time Aurora Exon missed an appointment, she was nine to 12 months old and lived with her mother, Spies said. Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Topekan Jeffrey J. Exon did not murder daughter, defense attorney says U.S. President Donald Trump delivers a televised address to the nation from his desk in the Oval Office. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts The Manhattan DA alleged that Donald Trump and Michael Cohen met in the White House to discuss his repayments. The pair allegedly met to confirm a repayment agreement that would reimburse Cohen for his $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels. Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 criminal counts of falsifying business records. Then-President Donald Trump and Michael Cohen met in the White House Oval Office to discuss how the lawyer would be reimbursed after he paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels $130,000, according to a statement of facts released by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Trump was formally arraigned in Manhattan on Tuesday related to an investigation into hush-money payments made ahead of the 2016 election. Trump is the first president to ever face criminal charges. He has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records. According to the document, released on Tuesday, the Chief Financial Officer for the Trump Organization agreed to repay Cohen, referred to as "Lawyer A," agreed to repay Cohen $420,000 in installments of $35,000 over 12 months. Trump and Cohen then met in the Oval Office at some point in February 2017 to confirm this payment arrangement, the DA said in the documents. The documents do not specify whether or not Trump knew about what he was reimbursing Cohen for. "Each month, Lawyer A was to send an invoice to the Defendant through Trump Organization employees, falsely requesting payment of $35,000 for legal services rendered in a given month of 2017 pursuant to a retainer agreement," the statement of facts reads. "At no point did Lawyer A have a retainer agreement with the Defendant or the Trump Organization." The $420,000 amount would cover the $130,000 payment to Daniels and another reimbursement fee of $50,000, according to the DA. The amount was then doubled to $360,000 by the Trump Organization CFO to "characterize the payment as income on his tax returns" and the CFO also added an additional $60,000 as a supplemental year-end bonus," the DA said in the statement of facts. Read the original article on Business Insider Donald Trump sits in the courtroom during his arraignment at the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse on April 4. Andrew Kelly / Getty Images Donald Trump helped illegally reimburse his former lawyer Michael Cohen for hush money payments made ahead of the 2016 election, then confirmed their arrangement in a conversation in the Oval Office in 2017, according to new documents released by prosecutors to lay out the alleged scheme. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr. revealed the allegations on Tuesday in a statement of facts his office released as the 34-count indictment against Trump was unsealed following the former president's historic arraignment. The document provides a play-by-play of how Trump allegedly hid three payments of hush money one to adult film star Stormy Daniels, another to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, and a third to a Trump Tower door attendant with falsified invoices, general ledger entries, and checks. According to prosecutors, these payments were orchestrated after "identifying and purchasing" negative information about Trump in order to suppress its publication and benefit his 2016 electoral prospects. In doing so, those involved in the scheme violated election laws, falsified business records, and mischaracterized for tax purposes the true nature of the payments, the indictment states. Prosecutors say that in August 2015, Trump and Cohen met with David Pecker, then-CEO of American Media, which that owns several tabloids, including the National Enquirer, to head off potential negative news stories during the presidential campaign. The practice, called "catch and kill," isn't uncommon, but according to the New Yorker, American Media was especially keen to do it because Pecker was personal friends with Trump. The media company's first "catch and kill" involved a Trump Tower door attendant who was trying to sell a story of a child Trump allegedly fathered out of wedlock. American Media paid the door attendant $30,000 for rights to the story which later proved to be bogus and then never ran it. The second "catch and kill" was about McDougal, who claimed to have an affair with Trump while he was married in the early 2000s. According to prosecutors, American Media paid McDougal $150,000 to not go public with the story. Story continues In a recorded conversation in September 2016, Cohen allegedly told Trump he would open a company for the wire transfer to McDougal and said that he had spoken to the CFO of the Trump Organization about how to set the whole thing up." So what do we got to pay for this?" Trump asked, according to the district attorney's office. "One fifty? he added before suggesting paying with cash. Prosecutors allege Cohen disagreed and that Trump then suggested paying by check. After the Access Hollywood tape in which Trump told host Billy Bush he grabs women "by the pussy" became public in October 2016, prosecutors say American Media's editor-in-chief connected Daniels's lawyer with Cohen to secure her silence. However, Trump allegedly did not want to make the $130,000 payment himself, so Cohen agreed to do it on his behalf. According to prosecutors, the men delayed paying Daniels until October 2016, when Cohen opened a bank account in Manhattan for a shell company named Essential Consultants LLC. Cohen then transferred $131,000 from his personal home equity line of credit into the account before wiring the $130,000 to Daniels' attorney as a hush payment. After the 2016 election, Trump repaid Cohen through monthly payments that prosecutors allege were disguised as payments for legal services. After Trump won the election, American Media released the Trump Tower door attendant and McDougal from their nondisclosure agreements. Before and after Trump's inauguration, prosecutors say he met with Pecker privately to thank him for killing the stories about the door attendant and McDougal. In January 2017, the Trump Organization's CFO agreed to pay back Cohen through monthly payments throughout the year as part of a "retainer agreement" the prosecutors say was bogus. A year later, Trump and Cohen allegedly met in the Oval Office to confirm the repayment agreement. In February 2017, Cohen emailed an invoice requesting payment that the Trump Organization approved and sent to accounts payable with the instructions Post to legal expenses. Put retainer for the months of January and February 2017 in the description. Prosecutors say Cohen did this 10 more times, with each invoice falsely stating that it was for a retainer agreement. Trump also allegedly paid Cohen personally for nine payments, with the checks including false statements. "In total, 34 false entries were made in New York business records to conceal the initial covert $130,000 payment," Bragg's office said in a statement. "Further, participants in the scheme took steps that mischaracterized, for tax purposes, the true nature of the reimbursements." In August 2018, the FBI served a search warrant at Cohen's home and offices, after which prosecutors say Trump told him during a phone call to "stay strong." Cohen eventually pleaded guilty to eight criminal charges, including tax evasion and making false statements to a financial institution. In September 2018, American Media entered a non-prosecution agreement in exchange for cooperating with the investigation. More on this A 28-year-old from Kansas City is facing second-degree murder and armed criminal action charges after fatally shooting a man inside a hotel room, according to the Jackson County Prosecutors Office. Makail Rogers is accused of killing Carl Stewart Tuesday after the two checked into a hotel room at the Days Inn & Suites by Wyndam at 8601 Hillcrest Road, according to documents filed in Jackson County Circuit Court. Rogers charges follow an alleged shootout between him and officers, in which police claim Rogers attempted to flee after killing the victim. Kansas City Police Department spokeswoman Donna Drake said no one was injured during the police shootout. The morning Stewart was found, a witness at the hotel told detectives that, just before 5 a.m. Tuesday, he heard a disturbance coming from room 102. After someone inside told him to open the door, he found two men struggling inside. The witness recognized them as having checked in together the night before. The witness shut the door, heard gunshots, and called 911, court documents indicate. Officers entered the room and found Stewart lying face-down on a mattress that had been removed from the box spring. They noted the victim had wounds on the back of his neck and front of his body. First-responders declared Stewart dead at the scene. Video surveillance captures Rogers falling out of the rooms window before firing into the victims vehicle and rummaging around inside, prosecutors say. Rogers does not appear to take anything before attempting to enter the room again several times. He is last seen exiting a side door of the hotel, where officers began to pursue him on foot. In his interview with police, Rogers said he had rented a hotel room for himself and Stewart around 10 p.m. that evening. He claimed he awoke to the victim man-handling him in a sexual nature at gunpoint. According to prosecutors, Rogers told detectives Stewart fired four shots while standing over him, missing each time. Rogers said he was able to disarm Stewart before grabbing hold of the gun and firing several shots and leaving the room. On his way out, Rogers said he encountered police and did not fire, but complied with their orders to lie on the ground. He said he didnt remember if police fired at him because he was out of it. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 4) The Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) will offer free rides for veterans and a companion in commemoration of the upcoming Day of Valor, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced on Tuesday. The DOTr said free rides are offered on April 5 and from April 10 to 12. MRT-3 will suspend its operations from April 6 to 9 due to its annual line maintenance during Holy Week. Bilang pagdiriwang ng Philippine Veterans' Week at Araw ng Kagitingan, maghahandog ang MRT-3 ng libreng sakay para sa mga beterano, the agency said. [Translation: In celebration of Philippine Veterans Week and the Day of Valor, MRT-3 is offering free rides to military veterans.] The first trip of MRT-3 begins at North Avenue at 4:36 a.m. and at Taft Avenue at 5:18 a.m. while the last trip is at 9:30 p.m. and 10:11 p.m. at North Avenue and Taft Avenue, respectively. NEW YORK Hundreds of demonstrators gathered Tuesday outside the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse where former President Trump pleaded not guilty to a 34-count felony brought by New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D). As helicopters whirred loudly above the courthouse in a city where large protest movements and highly coordinated police responses are a regular occurrence, the demonstrations alternated in tone between explicitly angry and theatrically revelrous. While protesting Trump supporters snipped frequently at counter-protesters endorsing the indictment and vice versa, the situation remained peaceful. Despite Trumps call for protests on his behalf ahead of the arraignment, which echoed his tone ahead of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, Tuesdays rallies were marked not so much by hostility as boisterousness and flare. Former President Trump supporters sit outside the courthouse in lower Manhattan on April 4. (Tobias Burns/The Hill) It shocks me, the level of participation here, and it feels quite friendly at the moment, Josh Baines, a tourist from the United Kingdom in New York on vacation, remarked to The Hill. People have very, very set opinions around this, but it feels good-natured not a bad thing. These arent protests based on anger about something thats been inflicted upon them, he added. Theres a president being arraigned and indicted, and so these are really [expressions of] a political position. Various protesters came covered in body paint, wielding musical instruments to perform songs, dressed as Trump in orange prison uniforms, bearing handcuffed effigies of the former president, and holding signs calling for his freedom. Theyre persecuting [Trump] for a very, very minor offense that very rarely gets to this level of adjudication, demonstrator Bennett Weiss told The Hill. Im not a Trump supporter nor am I a Biden supporter, but I do support some sense of decency of the law. Dueling chants of USA! USA! from Trump supporters and Lock him up! Lock him up! from supporters of the legal actions against him broke out on multiple occasions. Story continues Anti-Trump protesters gather outside the courthouse in lower Manhattan on April 4. (Tobias Burns/The Hill) Cameras and recording devices were everywhere in the crowd, which was itself girded by satellite trucks and camera set-ups from members of the media. Many protesters who came to express an opinion also came prepared to film the reactions of other protesters they seemed keen to agitate. Im here for the show and Im trying to enjoy it, said event planner Gregory Williams who was seated in a folding chair beside a life-size cut-out of Hillary Clinton. Im realistic about what I think is going to happen, but Im trying to enjoy it rather than get mad and frustrated with the system and all that kind of stuff. Such media-savvy is perhaps befitting in response to a president who rose to prominence on reality television and built a successful presidential campaign not on a political track record but on a personal brand. I think the nature of the relationship between politics and media is at an all-time low and an all-time high, actor Michael Rapaport who attended the protests in support of the indictment told The Hill in an interview that he himself was recording and broadcasting to followers. You can control the narrative, which is great. But theres so much information, misinformation, false information. Theres pros and cons to it. I support the indictment of Trump. I like the protest. I like that its peaceful. This is not January 6, this is not an insurrectionist day, he said. Dont give hush money, and you wont get indicted. The protest swelled to a climax with the arrival of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), a vociferous and dedicated supporter of Donald Trump who came to Collect Pond Park across from the courthouse with an entourage and was immediately swarmed by Trump supporters. Every American should take a stand, Greene said. Im here as a representative and a member of Congress to take a stand using my First Amendment rights to speak out against this. This should never happen in America, ever. And every single American should be concerned. But she only stayed for a moment and was not widely heard by the crowd due to the coordinated efforts of counter-protesters who blew whistles to drown out her speech. New York City Council member Chi Osse was among them and posted a video of himself blowing two whistles at once as Greene spoke. [Marjorie Taylor Greene] came to NYC to spread hate and defend treason, he wrote online. Protest organizer Vish Burra responded calling Osse a groomer and a liar. NYPD community affairs officers told The Hill at various points during the protests they thought the conditions were fairly calm. NYPD faced criticism and accusations of aggression for its protest response methods during the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 following the killing of George Floyd. Despite the theatrics, protesters on both sides expressed serious concerns both about the legal situation facing the former president and about the state of American politics in general. I think American democracy is slipping away, Jennifer Fisher, a 63-year-old counter-protester, told The Hill during the demonstration. I think we need to defend democracy if we want to keep it. We are outraged today. You got criminals coming out on the streets. You have your murderers in the subway, but weve got to go after Donald Trump for an alleged affair with a porn star? Ridiculous, Trump supporter Dion Cini, a resident of Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, said during a demonstration outside the Manhattan Criminal Court Tuesday morning. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. An attorney for a Colorado woman accused of stabbing her 11-year-old stepson 18 times before shooting him in the head and eventually dumping his body in Florida while claiming the boy had gone missing cited a "major psychotic crack" Monday in justifying why she changed her plea to not guilty by reason of insanity. Letecia Stauch is accused of killing 11-year-old Gannon Stauch in his bedroom a few hours before reporting him missing Jan. 27, 2020, while his father was on a National Guard deployment. Her arrest affidavit cites internet searches suggesting she was unhappy in her marriage and resentful of being treated like an unpaid babysitter. At the start of her trial Monday, a prosecutor told jurors Letecia Stauch knew "she could determine right from wrong." "Gannon suffered 18 stab wounds to his body, his chest, his back, his head, and most importantly, his arms and his hands. Why is that important? He was fighting for his life. And those were defensive wounds," District Attorney Michael Allen said, according to WPDE. LAS VEGAS MASS SHOOTER WHO FIRED ONTO COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL ANGRY WITH CASINOS, NEW FBI DOCUMENTS REVEAL "She carried out actions to kill and put his body in a suitcase and hide it to hide evidence of what she did, to give numerous stories to investigators, to manipulate the course of the investigation, and finally to discard Gannon inside that suitcase, off a Florida bridge like garbage." READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Defense lawyer Will Cook told the jury of 11 men and seven women Monday that Stauch suffered a "major psychotic crack" as a result of past abuse when she was a child. Cook said she was physically, emotionally and sexually abused at the hands of her mothers boyfriends beginning at the age of 3 or 4, KMGH-TV reported. "She witnessed her mother get abused until eventually the abuse her mother endured was transferred onto her," Cook said. "It started as physical beatings and turned into sexual assault later." The attorney claimed she slipped into a "dissociative" state and "broke," believing she "was killing the demons in her life, in the dark depths of her childhood." Story continues COLORADO BOY ATTACKED BY SHARK ON CANCUN SPRING BREAK VACATION After allegedly stabbing the boy repeatedly, Stauch then grabbed a handgun and fired three times at Gannon, striking him once in the head, prosecutors said Monday, according to KUSA. "She gathered his bloody and broken body and stuffed him into a suitcase and stored his body in the basement storage room," Allen said. The district attorney said Stauch then took the suitcase containing her stepson's body, loaded it into a rented vehicle and took it with her as she traveled to her hometown in South Carolina. Stauch allegedly tossed the suitcase off a bridge in the Florida Panhandle, Allen said, where a bridge worker discovered the body about six weeks later. Authorities spent weeks searching for 11-year-old Gannon Stauch before his stepmother was arrested and his body was found in Florida. Initially, authorities said they responded after Stauch said Gannon had not returned from playing with a friend. But she did not provide the names of any friends he may have been with or their parents. Within days, she concocted a variety of stories to mislead them, including that a man she hired to repair a carpet raped her and then abducted Gannon, investigators say. More than 200 volunteers conducted searches for the boy in the area where the family lived near Colorado Springs as authorities investigated. About two weeks after Gannon disappeared, searchers found a piece of particle board with Gannon's blood on it in a rural area nearby. Presuming the boy to be dead, authorities arrested Stauch in Myrtle Beach March 2, 2022. Gannon's remains were found later that month in the small city of Pace in northwestern Florida. Gannon Stauch was allegedly killed by his stepmother in January 2020. In his opening, Allen said the boy, who was born premature, "proved to be a fighter," reportedly prompting his mother, Landon Hiott, to run from the courtroom overcome with emotion. Stauch was charged with first-degree murder, tampering with a deceased human body and tampering with physical evidence. After her arrest, she was also accused of trying to escape from jail. Court documents allege she asked a fellow inmate to help her get out, explaining she planned to use a broom handle to break the window in her cell and that she had already measured herself to make sure she could fit through. The Associated Press contributed to this report. JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) A children's book illustrator from Alaska known for drawing mother-baby animal pairs like sea otters and wolves was dropped by his publisher this week after authorities allege he posted transphobic notes threatening children. Mitchell Thomas Watley, 47, will have a preliminary hearing April 11 in Juneau on a single count of terroristic threatening for allegedly placing notes in businesses that included an assault rifle superimposed over the transgender flag. The text on the notes read: Feeling Cute Might Shoot Some Children. The notes were found during a period of heightened rhetoric and laws targeting transgender people across the country and came just days after a shooting at a Christian school in Nashville that left six dead. Social media accounts and other sources indicate that the shooter identified as a man; police said the shooter was assigned female at birth but used male pronouns on a social media profile. After the Nashville shooting, a false and baseless online narrative emerged that claimed there's been a rise in transgender or nonbinary mass shooters in recent years. Some pundits and political influencers on social media went further, falsely suggesting that movements for trans rights are radicalizing activists into terrorists. Court documents show that Watley referenced the Nashville shooting suspect after his arrest. Watley, who lives in the small coastal city of Juneau 575 miles (923 kilometers) southeast of Anchorage had his $10,000 bail paid by his wife, according to online records. Officers spoke to Mitchell, who said (in essence) that he was in fear of the recent transgender school shooter and took it upon himself to print out and distribute these leaflets, the criminal complaint said. Online records didnt list an attorney for Watley. A man who didnt identify himself answered the door at the couples home and said there would be no comment. In Juneau, booksellers removed the books Watley illustrated for his wife, Sarah Asper-Smith. Their publisher, Sasquatch Books, owned by Penguin Random House, said Wednesday it has ended its publishing relationship with Watley and will discontinue selling their books. Story continues Watley is best known as the illustrator for three childrens books written by his wife, including I Would Tuck You In and You Are Home With Me. The books for children ages 1 to 5 feature mother animals snuggling their young and trying to make them feel safe with loving, affirmative statements like wherever you may be, you will always have a home with me. Juneau merchants began removing Asper-Smiths books from their shelves this week, but only the ones with illustrations by her husband. She does not face charges. Pat Race with Alaska Robotics Gallery, a downtown Juneau store, said the shop has hosted gallery shows and book releases for Watley and carried his artwork for years. Whatever the motivation, we feel Mitchs actions were not consistent with our values or the values of our community," he said in a statement on social media. In that light, weve decided to pull all of Mitchs books and artwork from our shelves. Christy NaMee Eriksen, who owns Kindred Post, a store in downtown Juneau, has also removed the books. Eriksen said in a social media post the actions that Watley is accused of are terrifying and transphobic." We have little patience for acts of disrespect, and we have no tolerance for hatred against marginalized groups," Eriksen said. Members of the trans community are our community. Tori Weaver, a co-owner of Rainy Retreat Books in downtown Juneau, said the retailer pulled Watleys books, which she said were incredibly popular, particularly during the busy summer tourism months. We dont want to alienate any of our customers, she said. The first of several notes was found in a grocery store Friday, which was International Day of Transgender Visibility. That discovery prompted Juneau schools to increase security, and some parents kept their children home. Another was found at the Alaska State Office Building. The last notes were found Sunday at a Costco, and police used the store's surveillance video to track the man who left the notes to his vehicle. Vehicle registration records led them to Watley, who was arrested Sunday, authorities said. The incident also came as lawmakers across the country consider bills limiting the rights of transgender people, including in Alaska where a bill from Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy has garnered significant attention. It would require parental permission before a student can use a different name or pronoun in school records; that sex ed classes require parental notice and permission and that schools must provide for locker rooms or restrooms based on biological sex or access to single-occupant facilities. The bill remains in its first committee in the House. Senate leaders in a bipartisan majority of nine Democrats and eight Republicans have already indicated the bill isnt expected to advance on their side. The anti-trans rhetoric around the country has had an effect on hate crimes or attempted hate crimes like this one, said Caitlin Shortell, an Anchorage civil rights attorney and board member of Identity Inc., which offers community services and focused health care to the LGBTQ+ community. She said transgender people rarely commit mass shootings and are more likely to be victims of violence. And weve seen nationwide, and in Alaska, initiatives to discriminate against trans people in the name of protecting children, and I link this to attempted crimes like the one that we averted in Juneau, Shortell said. An LGBTQ leader in Juneau said this situation is a direct consequence of a national environment that is being directed by political and media leaders to target and dehumanize trans people. The expected result is death, said Emily Mesch, chair of SEAGLA, the Southeast Alaska LGBTQ Alliance. Theyre expecting that violence will come upon the trans community and some of us will die, and in exchange, some of them will get a couple thousand more votes, Mesch said. And thats the deal with the devil thats being made, the environment and the dialogue that is happening on the national level. ___ Thiessen reported from Anchorage. AP Writer Claire Rush contributed from Portland, Oregon. (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin told the new U.S. and EU ambassadors in blunt language on Wednesday that their countries were responsible for a dramatic deterioration in relations since Russia sent its armed forces into Ukraine last year. The ambassadors were among 17 who presented their diplomatic credentials to Putin at a televised ceremony in the Kremlin. Putin told new U.S. Ambassador Lynne Tracy that U.S. support for a revolution in Ukraine in 2014 had led to the current situation where Russia and Ukraine were in conflict. He said relations were in "a deep crisis" that was "based on fundamentally different approaches to the formation of the modern world order". "Dear Madam Ambassador, I know you may not agree, but I cannot but say that the United States' use ... of such tools as support for the so-called 'colour revolutions', support in this regard for the coup in Kyiv in 2014, ultimately led to today's Ukrainian crisis," Putin said. Speaking separately, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow needed to maintain relations with Washington even though American supplies of weapons to Ukraine meant "we are really in a hot phase of the war". Lavrov told state television that Russia had not yet lost hope that the United States "will wake up to reason (and) will resume some kind of dialogue". Russia responded to a 2014 uprising in Kyiv that drove out a pro-Russian president by seizing the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine and backing an armed separatist movement that took control of territory in the country's east. Putin took a similar line with the new EU ambassador, Roland Galharague, telling him "the European Union initiated a geopolitical confrontation with Russia". Nikolai Patrushev, a close Putin ally who chairs Russia's Security Council, told Tass news agency that "with the assistance of the U.S. and its allies, Kiev is intensifying its terrorist activity" in four regions of Ukraine that Moscow said last year it was formally annexing. Story continues Russia says it was forced to intervene in Ukraine to stem Western interference that was becoming a threat to its security. The West and Kyiv dismissed this as a baseless pretext for a war of conquest. Putin also urged Denmark to support Russia's proposal to establish an independent international commission to investigate the blasts last September that ruptured the Nord Stream undersea pipelines bringing gas from Russia to Germany. In his opening remarks, Putin said Russia was open to constructive partnership with every country and would not isolate itself. Relations between Russia and the West were already badly strained before it began what it calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine, but have plunged even further since then. (Writing by Kevin Liffey, David Ljunggren and Jake Cordell; editing by Nick Macfie and Mark Heinrich) Russian dictator Vladimir Putin gathered the leaders of the annexed regions of Ukraine and told them that it is necessary to fight "neo-Nazi propaganda" and crime on the territory of Ukraine. Source: Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency RIA Novosti Quote: "The enemy uses its unfinished underground to intimidate people, including various kinds of neo-Nazis and other radical groups. Here we must act harshly and effectively. There must be control over the situation." Details: According to the dictator, crime reigns in the occupation, and he is worried that ammunition from the contact line will be exported to the territory of Russia. Putin also wants to integrate the occupied areas into Russia's legal space. He said involving the local population in this process (law enforcement in the occupation) is necessary, but they should be "proven professionals". He ordered the creation of Russian secret services in the occupied territories by 1 June. The dictator believes that "the potential of third countries" is involved in the preparation of "terrorist attacks" (probably as Putin calls the killing of collaborators - ed.). The Russian president told the main collaborators that it is necessary to "strictly stop the propaganda of neo-Nazis and their patrons, to expose lies and falsification of facts". Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a televised meeting with officials on Wednesday that there was reason to believe Western intelligence agencies were involved in what he said were sabotage and terrorist acts carried out by Ukraine. In a meeting of the Kremlin's Security Council with the heads of the four Ukrainian regions that Moscow said it had annexed last year, Putin accused Ukraine of committing crimes against Russian administrators, security personnel, journalists and teachers with the help of Western intelligence services. Russia frequently accuses Ukraine of killing civilians with shelling in parts of Ukraine that Russia controls, and in Russian border regions close to Ukraine. "There is every reason to say that the resources of third countries, Western intelligence services, are engaged in the preparation of such sabotage and acts of terrorism," Putin said. Putin was speaking three days after the Russian military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, whose real name is Maxim Fomin, was killed in a bombing in St Petersburg, for which Russian officials have blamed Ukraine. (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Quavo. Getty/Christopher Polk/Variety Quavo has confirmed to Insider that he is to release a solo album dedicated to the late Takeoff. "Rocket Power" will drop this summer. "I'm fueled by the rocket," Quavo told Insider. Quavo has confirmed to Insider that he is to release a solo album titled "Rocket Power" dedicated to his late nephew and fellow Migos star, Takeoff, this summer. Takeoff, full name Kirshnik Khari Ball, was shot and killed in Houston, Texas, in November. He was 28 years old. The late rapper was often referred to as "The Rocket" by his fans, and in 2018, released his only solo album, "The Last Rocket." "I'm fueled by the rocket," Quavo, whose only previous solo album, "Quavo Huncho," released in 2018, told Insider. The 32-year-old rapper did not give an official release date for "Rocket Power." Quavo and Takeoff of Migos onstage during the 2022 ONE MusicFest in Atlanta, Georgia. Getty/Aaron Thornton Since Takeoff's passing, Quavo has released three tracks "Without You," "Greatness," and "Honey Bun" all of which have been dedicated to Takeoff. Quavo dropped "Honey Bun," and its accompanying video on Friday, using the hashtag "ForTake." "I don't wanna hear no sorry for my loss," Quavo raps on the track, alluding to the death of his Migos bandmate. On "Honey Bun," Quavo also raps about the black mask he was been wearing in his music videos and at shows since Takeoff's death. "How can I com outside, without no mask on? / They wanna see my emotions, I ain't smilin' at all," he raps. Asked about the mask, which covers the right half of his face, Quavo told Insider: "It represents the loss of my other half. Whenever I perform I want to show that he's always with me." It is unclear whether "Without You," "Greatness," or "Honey Bun" will feature on "Rocket Power." Takeoff was shot dead outside of a Houston bowling alley in the early hours of November 1, 2022. Police said the shooting stemmed from an argument over a "lucrative dice game" in which the rapper was not involved and that he was an "innocent bystander." In December, Patrick Xavier Clark, 33, was charged with the murder in connection to the Takeoff's death, while Cameron Joshua, 22, was charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon. Clark was released from Harris County jail in January after posting $1 million bail but remains under house arrest. Read the original article on Insider Human evolution is typically depicted with a progressive whitening of the skin, despite a lack of evidence to support it. Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov/Wikimedia Commons Systemic racism and sexism have permeated civilization since the rise of agriculture, when people started living in one place for a long time. Early Western scientists, such as Aristotle in ancient Greece, were indoctrinated with the ethnocentric and misogynistic narratives that permeated their society. More than 2,000 years after Aristotles writings, English naturalist Charles Darwin also extrapolated the sexist and racist narratives he heard and read in his youth to the natural world. Darwin presented his biased views as scientific facts, such as in his 1871 book The Descent of Man, where he described his belief that men are evolutionarily superior to women, Europeans superior to non-Europeans and hierarchical civilizations superior to small egalitarian societies. In that book, which continues to be studied in schools and natural history museums, he considered the hideous ornaments and the equally hideous music admired by most savages to be not so highly developed as in certain animals, for instance, in birds, and compared the appearance of Africans to the New World monkey Pithecia satanas. The Descent of Man was published during a moment of societal turmoil in continental Europe. In France, the working class Paris Commune took to the streets asking for radical social change, including the overturning of societal hierarchies. Darwins claims that the subjugation of the poor, non-Europeans and women was the natural result of evolutionary progress were music to the ears of the elites and those in power within academia. Science historian Janet Browne wrote that Darwins meteoric rise within Victorian society did not occur despite his racist and sexist writings but in great part because of them. It is not coincidence that Darwin had a state funeral in Westminster Abbey, an honor emblematic of English power, and was publicly commemorated as a symbol of English success in conquering nature and civilizing the globe during Victorias long reign. Story continues Despite the significant societal changes that have occurred in the last 150 years, sexist and racist narratives are still common in science, medicine and education. As a teacher and researcher at Howard University, I am interested in combining my main fields of study, biology and anthropology, to discuss broader societal issues. In research I recently published with my colleague Fatimah Jackson and three medical students at Howard University, we show how racist and sexist narratives are not a thing of the past: They are still present in scientific papers, textbooks, museums and educational materials. From museums to scientific papers One example of how biased narratives are still present in science today is the numerous depictions of human evolution as a linear trend from darker and more primitive human beings to more evolved ones with a lighter skin tone. Natural history museums, websites and UNESCO heritage sites have all shown this trend. The fact that such depictions are not scientifically accurate does not discourage their continued circulation. Roughly 11% of people living today are white, or European descendants. Images showing a linear progression to whiteness do not accurately represent either human evolution or what living humans look like today, as a whole. Furthermore, there is no scientific evidence supporting a progressive skin whitening. Lighter skin pigmentation chiefly evolved within just a few groups that migrated to non-African regions with high or low latitudes, such as the northern regions of America, Europe and Asia. Sexist narratives also still permeate academia. For example, in a 2021 paper on a famous early human fossil found in the Sierra de Atapuerca archaeological site in Spain, researchers examined the canine teeth of the remains and found that it was actually that of a girl between 9 and 11 years old. It was previously believed that the fossil was a boy due to a popular 2002 book by one of the authors of that paper, paleoanthropologist Jose Maria Bermudez de Castro. What is particularly telling is that the study authors recognized that there was no scientific reason for the fossil remains to have been designated as a male in the first place. The decision, they wrote, arose randomly. But these choices are not truly random. Depictions of human evolution frequently only show men. In the few cases where women are depicted, they tend to be shown as passive mothers, not as active inventors, cave painters or food gatherers, despite available anthropological data showing that pre-historical women were all those things. Another example of sexist narratives in science is how researchers continue to discuss the puzzling evolution of the female orgasm. Darwin constructed narratives about how women were evolutionarily coy and sexually passive, even though he acknowledged that females actively select their sexual partners in most mammalian species. As a Victorian, it was difficult for him to accept that women could play an active part in choosing a partner, so he argued that such roles only applied to women in early human evolution. According to Darwin, men later began to sexually select women. Sexist narratives about women being more coy and less sexual, including the idea of the female orgasm as an evolutionary puzzle, are contradicted by a wide range of evidence. For instance, women are the ones who actually more frequently experience multiple orgasms as well as more complex, elaborate and intense orgasms on average, compared to men. Women are not biologically less sexual, but sexist stereotypes were accepted as scientific fact. The vicious cycle of systemic racism and sexism Educational materials, including textbooks and anatomical atlases used by science and medical students, play a crucial role in perpetuating biased narratives. For example, the 2017 edition of Netter Atlas of Human Anatomy, commonly used by medical students and clinical professionals, includes about 180 figures that show skin color. Of those, the vast majority show male individuals with white skin, and only two show individuals with darker skin. This perpetuates the depiction of white men as the anatomical prototype of the human species and fails to display the full anatomical diversity of people. Authors of teaching materials for children also replicate the biases in scientific publications, museums and textbooks. For example, the cover of a 2016 coloring book entitled The Evolution of Living Things shows human evolution as a linear trend from darker "primitive creatures to a civilized Western man. Indoctrination comes full circle when the children using such books become scientists, journalists, museum curators, politicians, authors or illustrators. One of the key characteristics of systemic racism and sexism is that it is unconsciously perpetuated by people who often dont realize that the narratives and choices they make are biased. Academics can address long-standing racist, sexist and Western-centric biases by being both more alert and proactive in detecting and correcting these influences in their work. Allowing inaccurate narratives to continue to circulate in science, medicine, education and the media perpetuates not only these narratives in future generations, but also the discrimination, oppression and atrocities that have been justified by them in the past. This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. If you found it interesting, you could subscribe to our weekly newsletter. It was written by: Rui Diogo, Howard University. Read more: Rui Diogo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. About 50 pro-Trump supporters rallied in Laguna Hills on Tuesday afternoon. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) In the wake of former President Trump's historic indictment in a New York court on Tuesday, reactions from residents of Southern California echoed the wide political rift apparent elsewhere in the nation with some raging and many rejoicing. On Tuesday afternoon, Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts. He became the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges after an investigation that initially focused on a $130,000 payment made by his former attorney Michael D. Cohen to adult film actor Stormy Daniels. That payment was allegedly made to prevent Daniels from publicly disclosing an affair she had with him while Trump was campaigning for president. At rush hour, seven people appeared outside the Federal Building in West L.A. They held signs and screamed at passing traffic about the indictment and supposed misdeeds committed by President Biden. One used a megaphone to say: We are all one nation under God, not one nation under Joe Biden. Another then yelled: If we lose this country, well have nowhere else to go. Several vehicles honked as they passed along Wilshire Boulevard; it was unclear if drivers were depressing their horns in support or disgust. In the Orange County city of Laguna Hills, about 50 gathered outside an In-N-Out Burger, waving Trump flags and yelling, Free Trump! and USA! They sang along to God Bless the USA and Macho Man playing from a speaker. Rally attendee J.R. Olvera said the indictment was ridiculous and blamed the news media for covering up the truth about a stolen 2020 election. America is being destroyed right now, he said. We want to preserve America. Marilyn Fischer, 77, of Laguna Woods stood among the crowd holding a Wanted for president poster with Trumps photo. She was motivated to come out to show her support for the former president because she said hes being targeted unfairly. They want to get rid of Trump any way they can. Its a lot of lies, she said. Story continues They were sentiments echoed earlier in the day by Mike Bordas, who was walking his fox terrier mix, Murray, behind Grand Central Market. He said he was outraged authorities continued to target a great person like the president." Elsewhere, residents greeted the news with hope and satisfaction. Raquel and Ignacio Delgadillo, on their way to the Broad Museum with their daughter, paused to absorb the news after Trumps courthouse appearance. The couple, from South Los Angeles, applauded Tuesdays developments, yet Raquel Delgadillo, an IT employee at a credit union, said she wouldn't be fully satisfied until Jan. 6 crimes are included with all the other crimes." I think it will hold more weight when they add everything together. These are situations that speak to his character. All of them should be taken into account, she said. Ignacio Delgadillo agreed, saying: The country needs to move on. The sooner he is held accountable, the sooner we can do that. Taking a break from jury duty and strolling along Spring Street in downtown L.A. to find food, Kate Gill said she was gratified to hear the former president was being held accountable. Trump was a terrible president and a terrible thing to happen to our country. Im glad hes gone from office, she said. The Silver Lake resident, who works in creative development in the television industry, is hoping more charges will emerge against him, such as those involving the Jan. 6 insurrection. Its finally catching up to him," she said. "People have been waiting for action and they have been so patient. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A little-noticed event in late 2022 destabilized a pillar of contemporary American K-12 education, namely that all schools considered part of the public system must be secular. Last December, the attorney general of Oklahoma issued an advisory opinion stating that, due to recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions, the state could no longer prohibit faith-based groups from operating charter schools. Catholic leaders seized the opportunity and applied to do just that; the states virtual charter board may vote on their application as early as next week. Not long after, in Arizona, one of the nations most successful charter operators announced it was launching an initiative to start faith-based classical schools. Though technically part of the private-school sector, these schools would be based on the organizations charter-school model and would access public funding available via a new state program that gives education dollars directly to families. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Though the efforts are distinct the Arizona case brings faith-based education and public schooling closer while the Oklahoma case merges them they are, in a sense, the logical conclusion of 30 years of choice-based reform. Backers and detractors, however, see logical conclusion very differently. Opponents might say they suspected choice advocates were fighting from day one to raze the wall separating church and state. Proponents might say this is an obvious, sensible consequence of American pluralism: Given the nations long history of faith-based nonprofits, once government engaged civil society in school operations via chartering, it was inevitable that religious groups would want to participate. Related OKs Endorsement of Religious Charter Schools Could Alter Landscape for Choice Like so much today, this issue divides observers along political lines. Indeed, the idea deeply troubles many progressives. But those on the political left might consider whether they could support faith-based charters, even if just as a pilot program. Story continues Part of this consideration should be strictly pragmatic, as it pertains to keeping families engaged with the public school system. Opinion on public education is souring, with Americans now giving lower grades to schools both locally and nationally than before the pandemic. Today, only about one in five give the nations schools an A or B; only 21 percent of non-parents think American K-12 education is headed in the right direction. In 2022, Gallup found public satisfaction with K-12 schools was at its lowest level in more than 20 years. Consequently, private school choice is on the march. Half or more of Americans support universal vouchers, tax-credit scholarships, and homeschooling. One survey found between two-thirds and three-quarters of adults support education savings accounts, vouchers, and charter schools when provided definitions. Today, there are about 75 state-level private school choice programs and new programs have recently been passed in Arkansas, Florida, Oklahoma, Iowa, and Utah, with progress in Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, and Texas. These policies are being fueled by a growing array of options. Today, we have private schools, magnets, charters, pods, hubs, various homeschooling models, online schools, hybrid homeschooling, microschools, dual enrollment offerings, tutoring, and more. Those concerned about the diaspora from traditional public education should appreciate that growing and diversifying options inside of the public system may be the best, if not only, way to respond to families interest in choice while preserving key elements of public schooling, like transparency, accountability, and a degree of democratic control. Related Florida Just Became the Nations Biggest School Choice Laboratory The other consideration is more philosophical. Our current politics seem oblivious to the fact that one of the greatest challenges of American governing is figuring out how 330 million people with vastly different histories, traditions, and priorities can live together peacefully. The solution is not erasing our differences or discouraging the flourishing of diverse ways of life. Instead, we animate American e pluribus unum out of many, one by building systems that, first, allow different communities to be themselves and, second, help those different communities contribute to a broader common good. Faith-based chartering could fit this mold. It would invite faith-based groups to participate in school operation alongside secular nonprofits. It wouldnt force anyone to attend a faith-based charter, but it would respect families eager to give those schools a try. Importantly, it would make such schools, in exchange for public dollars, follow public rules related to finances, operations, safety, and achievement. In total, then, it would contribute to a diversified set of schools that collectively work to serve all students. What does a faith-based charter look like? Faith-based charters do not yet exist. But the idea has percolated for 20 years, with some writers suggesting how it might be possible and why it is worth pursuing. That conversation, however, never went far because the explicit language of state charter laws and federal education programs made clear that charters had to be secular. Moreover, a mountain of jurisprudence since the middle of the 20th century seemed to close the door on the concept: The U.S. Supreme Court held that public schools, as creatures of the state, could not be religious. Despite all that, the idea has had legs because it seems to make sense on a few dimensions. For example, dozens of state programs enable families to use public dollars to choose private faith-based schools. Why wouldnt we allow some faith-based charters? Since those publicly funded private faith-based schools are free from most regulation, shouldnt we support publicly funded faith-based schools that are subject to more oversight? Moreover, if a brand-new nonprofit with no experience running schools is eligible to run a charter, shouldnt a centuries-old faith-based nonprofit with enormous experience running high-quality schools be eligible? If every other nonprofit is allowed to run a charter, isnt it anti-religious discrimination to exclude faith-based nonprofits? What would a faith-based charter look like? A faith-associated nonprofit would apply to a charter authorizer. It would complete the same application as other interested operators, explaining its proposed curriculum, staffing, transportation plan, calendar, governance, and so on. It would explain how its school would meet various state requirements, for instance related to building codes and safety. It would develop student-performance indicators so the authorizer could hold the school accountable for results. If the application were approved, the school would secure a facility, hire staff, purchase books, and recruit students. It would have to meet operational, financial, and governance milestones prior to opening. Once operational, it would be subject to regular performance monitoring by its authorizer. If it failed to live up to its side of the contract, its charter would be revoked. Its primary difference from other charter schools would be its use of faith elements, for instance readings from its texts or teaching good behavior with reference to faith principles. As a public school, it could not discriminate against prospective students: Like all charters it would be open enrollment. History repeating itself? The idea of faith-based chartering may be jarring to those only familiar with public schooling over the last half century. But zooming out, we can see that America has frequently reconsidered the role that government and civil society play in schooling. We can also see that the states relationship with faith communities has been frequently redefined in education. Though the history is complicated, we can think of four distinct eras. In the colonial days and first decades of the republic, America had no system of public education to speak of. To the extent kids received formal schooling, it was generally through tutors, boarding schools, small town schools, or religious schools. The governments role was miniscule by todays standards, and the role of civil society, including faith-based groups, was substantial. The mid-19th century advent of common schools expanded the role of government. School boards would tax, hire teachers, purchase supplies, and more. Though these schools were public, they were seldom secular. Teachers often led prayers, and readings from the Bible were common. Interestingly, much of the resistance to this system came from minority religious communities that disapproved of how faith was taught; the debate was frequently about which Bible and prayers, not whether Bible and prayers. Indeed, the sense that many of these schools were unfriendly to religious minorities led to the growth of faith-based private schools, most notably Catholic schools. Therefore, this second era can be understood as one of marked growth for religiously tinged government-run public schools and faith-based private schools. By the middle of the 20th century, Supreme Court rulings were separating faith and government in education. Prayers and Bible-reading were prohibited in public schools, and faith-based private schools were prevented from receiving most direct public support. We can think of the second half of the 20th century as bifurcating K-12: in this third era, public schools were almost always run by the government and had to be secular; faith-based schools were private and ineligible for direct state aid. The fourth era began in the early 1990s with two policy reforms. First, chartering enabled nonprofits to run public schools. The implications were profound. No longer did public school mean government-run school. A chartered public school would be operated by a non-government body but function within a system of public accountability and funding. The public system would now comprise an array of operators. Second, private school choice programs, like vouchers, enabled families to direct public dollars to secular and faith-based private schools (vouchers were deemed constitutional in 2002). Related For Maverick Polly Williams, the Mother of School Choice, The Point Was Always to Empower Parents and Improve Education for Black Children These two reforms can be seen as leading in the same direction: more families had more ability to choose from among more types of schools. Seen another way, they produced a peculiar outcome: We now have some largely autonomous, nonprofit-run, government-funded schools we call public and some largely autonomous, nonprofit-run, government-funded schools we call private. The former are charters; the latter can be faith-based schools supported by voucher-style programs. In practice, this means a Montessori, project-based-learning, or classical-education organization could run a school in either category. A faith-based group, however, can only be found in the latter. To put a fine point on it, a faith-based school can receive substantial public funding (e.g., via vouchers) while remaining free of most government oversight, but it cant join the charter sector and accept more public accountability. In theory, we could make this system more coherent. We could require all government-run public schools to remain wholly secular while allowing all nonprofit-run schools that submit to public accountability to receive public funding. All nonprofit-run schools that wanted to remain free of most regulation could stay in the private sector and forgo public dollars. As recently as 10 years ago, this kind of fundamental shift wouldve faced two obstacles one popular, one legal. First, there was little appetite for big change; public opinion supported local public schools, and most families participated in that traditional system. As recently as 2016, 70 percent of parents gave their local public schools an A or B; that year, the federal government reported only 10 percent of K-12 students were in private schools. But that system has fragmented thanks to school-choice programs, new models of education delivery, and the Covid era. EdChoice estimates that only 64 percent of students today attend their assigned traditional public schools. The rest are choosing another district school, a charter school, a private school, a magnet school, an online school, a homeschool, or something else. Families are increasingly accustomed to finding options tailored to their kids needs. Fewer families see the neighborhood public school as the best, much less the only, option. Second, the language of education programs was based on a constitutional interpretation that kept faith entirely out of the public system. Since the First Amendment was understood to require that government functions remain secular, and since the provision of public education was a government function, faith-based schools were deemed ineligible to be part of the public system. Hence the requirement that charter schools, which are public schools, remain secular. But this is no longer an obvious legal conclusion. In short, public opinion changed in ways that make faith-based charters a policy possibility, and the Supreme Courts jurisprudence changed in ways that make faith-based charters a legal possibility. Supreme Court precedent Missouri provided grants to nonprofits wanting to resurface their playgrounds. State policy, however, prevented religious entities from accessing those funds. The Court, in Trinity Lutheran v. Comer (2017), ruled that prohibiting a faith-based group from enjoying a public benefit simply because it is faith-based is unconstitutional. Three years later, the Court expanded the doctrine in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020), declaring unconstitutional that states policy of prohibiting faith-based schools from participating in a school-choice program. A third decision would do even more to boost the prospects of faith-based charters. Related Supreme Court Sides With Preschool in Church/State Funding Dispute, Limits Decision to Playground Because Maine is a sparsely populated rural state, some of its school districts dont have high schools. For generations, the state provided funds to students in those districts so they could pay to attend a high school elsewhere. Maine permitted just about all schools to participatepublic schools, private schools, schools in other states, even schools in other countries. But one type of school was ineligible: faith-based schools. Maine justified its policy by saying it was funding other schools to essentially function as Maine public high schools, and since public schools must be secular, all participating schools must be secular. In Carson v. Makin (2022), the Court disagreed: Once the government makes a benefit available, it cant declare faith-based groups ineligible simply because they are faith-based. Addressing those charging that the Court was forcing states to fund religious groups, Chief Justice Roberts Espinoza decision explained that Montana didnt have to create a program that funded nongovernmental organizations. But once the state did so, it couldnt single out faith-based groups for exclusion. The same logic applies in Trinity Lutheran and Carson: states dont have to create programs for nonprofits to resurface playgrounds or for students to attend out-of-district high schools, but once they do, they cant single out faith-based groups for exclusion. We should expect a Roberts opinion ruling that states arent obligated to allow charter schools, but once they do, they cant single out faith-based groups for exclusion. A looming decision for progressives Opponents of faith-based charters have one major legal argument remaining. There is a grey area between direct government action and government support of varied nonprofits. That is, government activity must be secular while government benefits must be accessible to faith-based organizations. But what happens when the two concepts are mixed when governments enlist nonprofits to carry out government functions? Since its a government-related activity must the performing entity be secular? Or since the organization is a nongovernment body must the government allow it to be faith-based? This is the state action doctrine. In short, if the nonprofit is clearly carrying out a government function and/or is controlled by the government, then its actions can be attributable to the government, meaning it functions as a state actor and must be secular. Opponents of faith-based charters will argue that public schooling is a government activity and that states use chartering to enlist nongovernmental bodies to carry out this state duty. Proponents will argue that education is not solely a government function (nongovernmental bodies have run schools for eons), that chartering was created to enable nonprofits to operate schools different than government-run public schools, and that faith-based colleges arent considered state actors even when they receive government aid. University of Notre Dame professor Nicole Stelle Garnett has ably made this very case. Though the specific question of whether charter schools can be faith-based has not yet been litigated, a federal appeals court recently considered in a school-uniform case whether charters are state actors. The majority held that a North Carolina charter is a state actor, though several judges dissented. The Supreme Court is considering whether to take up the schools appeal. Further complicating matters, in February, the new Oklahoma attorney general withdrew his predecessors advice on faith-based charters. The Governor, Kevin Stitt immediately replied, arguing that the first advisory opinion supporting faith-based charters was correct. And at the national level, choice advocates are not of one mind when it comes to expanding the charter tent to include faith-based groups. Obviously, this issue remains in flux politically and legally. But never in the 30-year history of chartering has the approval of a faith-based charter school seemed so possible. Hence the dilemma for Americas political left. Since the advent of school choice in the early 1990s, the default position for many progressives has been opposition. Standing up for public education, many believed, meant standing against school choice. Even Democrats Bill Clinton-era openness to charter schools has waned; today, only 38 percent of Democrats support charters. Even putting aside moral and philosophical questions, the lefts opposition increasingly appears politically imprudent. Families are experimenting with and appreciating educational alternatives, and states are creating programs that advance school choice. Its not inconceivable that five years from now there will be more than 100 state-level choice programs supporting millions of students in private schools, homeschools, and other options outside of the public system. The lefts strategy could be to simply vote no as this wave swells. An alternative is to support more school options and increased parental power inside a public system of transparency and accountability. That would mean sitting down atnot walking away fromthe negotiating table on the issue of faith-based charters. When the Supreme Court eventually rules that states with charter school laws must permit faith-based charters, the left will be glad that they had a hand in crafting those programs instead of standing on the sidelines. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 5) The ship loaded with equipment and supplies sent by Seoul to aid in the Oriental Mindoro oil spill clean-up efforts arrived in Manila on Wednesday, the South Korean Embassy said. The vessel unloaded 20 tons of sorbent pads and snares, 1,000 meters of solid flotation curtain boom, and 2,000 sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) as part of the Korean governments assistance to address the oil spill. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) welcomed the aid supplies, describing every item much needed. The supplies will be sent to the affected region promptly, the embassy said. On March 28, four experts from the Korea Coast Guard (KCG) Emergency Response Team and the consul and staff of the Korean Embassy joined forces and provided technical support in running response equipment in coordination with the PCG. The embassy said the Korean team shared expertise to address the oil spill during a five-day operation in affected areas in Mindoro, South Korea will continue to stand together with the Philippines based on decades-long partnership, it added, as the two countries mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year. MT Princess Empress was loaded with around 900,000 liters of industrial oil when it sank off Naujan town in Oriental Mindoro on Feb. 28. A month since then, the PCG reported that the sunken tanker is estimated to have already released close to half of the oil it carried. As of April 5, the leakage has affected at least 178,000 individuals in 187 barangays. President Biden's former executive assistant from his time as vice president testified before Congress on Tuesday that classified documents were spread out across three different locations in the nation's capital, then "remained accessible" to Penn Biden center employees when they were transported there, according to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer. Kathy Chung, who joined Biden's staff in 2012 and stayed in the role through the end of the Obama administration, sat down for a transcribed interview with the committee about classified documents that the president's attorney say were first found at the Penn Biden Center on Nov. 2, 2022. Another tranche of classified documents were later located at the president's home in Wilmington, Delaware. Rep. Comer, R-Ky., said that Chung "provided startling information that undermines the Biden White Houses narrative on the matter." "Today we learned that when Joe Biden left the vice presidency, boxes containing classified documents, vice presidential records, and other items were stored in three different locations around the Washington, D.C. area, including an office near the White House, an office in Chinatown, and eventually the Penn Biden Center," Rep. Comer said in a statement. "At some point, the boxes containing classified materials were transported by personal vehicles to an office location. The boxes were not in a locked closet at the Penn Biden Center and remained accessible to Penn Biden employees as well as potentially others with access to the office space. We need to find out who had access to these documents." President Joe Biden departs the White House on January 19, 2023 in Washington, DC. Comer went on to dispute the White House's timeline, claiming that "then-White House Counsel Dana Remus tasked Kathy Chung with retrieving these boxes from the Penn Biden Center as early as May 2022." READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "This story does not begin in November 2022, as represented by President Bidens attorney," Comer said. Remus did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. Story continues BIDEN HAS NO COMMENT ON TRUMP INDICTMENT Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, appeared to dispute Comer's characterization of Chung's testimony, saying that she wasn't aware of classified documents at the Penn Biden Center until the president's attorneys found them there last November. "Ms. Chung has cooperated with Committee Republicans every step of the wayproviding materials to investigators, voluntarily sitting for an interview, and working in good faith with Congress," Rep. Raskin said in a statement. "She repeatedly explained that she was unaware that there were alleged classified documents at the Penn Biden Center until November 2022, when the documents were first discovered by counsel for President Biden." An empty Secret Service guard shack located outside the access road leading to President Joe Biden's private residence in Wilmington, Delaware on Friday, April 19, 2019. Chung who was recommended to the president in 2012 by his son, Hunter Biden now works as the Pentagon's deputy director of protocol. MAR-A-LAGO STAFFERS SUBPOENAED FOR TRUMP CLASSIFIED DOCUMENT INVESTIGATION Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Robert Hur, a veteran federal prosecutor, as a special counsel to investigate Biden's handling of classified documents. Separately, a federal investigation is underway into former President Trump's handling of classified documents after an FBI raid at his Mar-a-Lago home last August. Secret Service agents connected to the former president are expected to testify before a Washington, D.C., grand jury later this week. A police officer speaks with a woman outside former U.S. President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home after Trump said that FBI agents raided it, in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., August 8, 2022. Comer said that Republicans will follow up with other "persons of interest" in their investigation, while Raskin accused Republicans of turning a "blind eye to Trumps egregious misconduct" and creating a "mirage of fake evidence for their empty attacks" on Biden. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday about Chung's testimony. LONDON (AP) The husband of former Scottish first minister and Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon was released from police custody Wednesday evening without being charged after his arrest in a party finance probe, British media reported. Police Scotland did not identify Peter Murrell as the 58-year-old man arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party." However, Britains Press Association, the BBC and others reported it was Murrell. Scottish police have been investigating how 600,000 pounds ($750,000) earmarked for a Scottish independence campaign was spent. Murrell resigned March 18 as the partys chief executive as a bitter contest to replace Sturgeon was unfolding against the backdrop of the police investigation and a controversy about the partys declining membership. He held the position for more than 20 years. In a Wednesday night update, police said the man arrested in the morning was questioned by detectives and released without charge pending further investigation. The police force said officers searched a number of locations as part of the probe and would send a report to Scottish prosecutors. Sturgeon, 52, said in a statement to the BBC and British TV channel Sky News that she had no prior knowledge of Police Scotlands action or intentions when Murrell was arrested. She plans to cooperate with police if required, her spokesperson said. The SNP said it had been cooperating fully in the investigation and would continue to do so but that it was inappropriate to comment further. Sturgeon abruptly announced her resignation in February after eight years as party leader and first minister of Scotlands semi-autonomous government. Sturgeon said at that time that serving well was knowing when to make way for someone else. In my head and in my heart I know that time is now, she said. That its right for me, for my party and my country. Story continues Deputy Scottish Labour leader Jackie Baillie said the arrest was deeply concerning" and called on Sturgeon and her successor, Humza Yousaf, to "urgently state what they knew and when. Yousaf said he had not had a role in party finances and vowed to be transparent under his leadership. The investigation could further harm the SNP's political fortunes, which saw its poll numbers droop during the acrimonious election to replace Sturgeon. It certainly doesnt do us any good," Yousaf said when asked if Murrell's arrest would hurt the party. People will have questions, there will be some concerns. Our party membership will have concerns too." John Curtice, a politics professor at the University of Strathclyde, said the impact of the arrest on the party and Sturgeon's legacy would depend on whether prosecutors file charges. But it's already dealt a setback to her successor, who just took office last week. As of today, there's no Yousaf bounce. It's the opposite it's gone down, Curtice said. This doesn't make it easier for him to start off on the front foot, and he probably needs to start off on the front foot. Her husband's arrest undoubtedly refueled speculation on the reason Sturgeon unexpectedly resigned, but it's not known what she was aware of when she stepped down, Curtice said. Yousaf said he did not believe the investigation into party finances had caused Sturgeon to resign. I believe her very much when she says how exhausted she was," Yousaf said. I think anybody who watched her over the course of the pandemic during those daily briefings, day after day, I think anybody could understand how exhausting that is. Sturgeon had led Scotland since 2014, when Scots voted to remain part of the United Kingdom. While the referendum was billed as a once-in-a-generation decision on independence, Sturgeon and her party had pushed for a new vote, arguing that Britains departure from the European Union had changed the ground rules. The Scottish government wants to hold a referendum next October with the question Should Scotland be an independent country? The U.K. government in London refuses to approve a vote, saying the question was settled in a 2014 referendum that saw Scottish voters reject independence by a margin of 55% to 45%. Murrell's resignation came just before his wife left office and as three members of Scottish Parliament fought a bruising contest to replace her. The SNP had publicly denied a newspaper report that its membership had plunged from more than 100,000 to just over 70,000 in the past year, before admitting it was true. Murrell accepted responsibility and quit, saying that while there was no intent to mislead, I accept that this has been the outcome. Police cars were parked outside the couple's Glasgow home Wednesday and a blue tent had been erected by officers in front of the house. Officers were also stationed outside the SNP headquarters in Edinburgh and several police vans were parked near the building. The presence of police at both locations created a bad image for the party, as well as Sturgeon and her husband, Curtice said. Perhaps the money given to the party for one purpose was used for another, he said. Its probably not the worlds biggest crime but its not a good look if it gets pursued further. Wisconsin state Rep. Dan Knodl (R) won Tuesdays special election for an open state Senate seat, handing Republicans a supermajority in the upper chamber and the necessary votes to impeach state officials. Knodl defeated Democratic attorney Jodi Habush Sinykin by just under 2 points in the race to represent Milwaukees northern suburbs, according to The Associated Press. This campaign has always been about focusing on the issues, like rising prices, crime, and education, and I am incredibly grateful to the voters of the 8th Senate District for placing their trust in me to represent them in the Wisconsin State Senate, Knodl said in a Facebook post early Wednesday morning. Whether you voted for me or my opponent, I intend to resolutely and faithfully represent all of my constituents, he added. Now that the election has been decided, its time to get to work for the people of the 8th Senate District and the people of Wisconsin. The Republican candidates win coincided with that of Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Janet Protasiewicz in the states high-profile Supreme Court race, giving the bench a liberal tilt for the first time in 15 years. The newly constituted liberal majority may have the opportunity to rule on legal challenges to the Wisconsins legislative maps, as well as the states hotly contested 1849 abortion ban. However, Knodl said last month that he certainly would consider supporting efforts to impeach Protasiewicz. The judges, the circuit court judges, I think, have failed the community by releasing or not having a high enough bail on these criminals, the perpetrators. And so, they need to be looked at. And Janet Protasiewicz is a circuit court judge right now in Milwaukee, and she has failed, he said in an interview on WISNs Upfront. Knodl was one of several dozen state lawmakers who signed onto a letter in 2020 calling for Vice President Pence to reject the certification of the election on Jan. 6, 2021. Story continues In a recent interview with Wisconsin Public Radio, Knodl claimed there were abnormalities in the 2020 election but emphasized that he does not deny the outcome of the election. Democrats attempted unsuccessfully to meddle in the Republican primary for the special election, boosting Knodls far-right opponent state Rep. Janel Brandtjen, according to The New York Times. However, Knodl ultimately defeated Brandtjen by about 25 points in the February primary. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. HELENA, Mont. (AP) Republican state lawmakers in Montana are advancing legislation that would alter next years U.S. Senate primary in an apparent bid to thwart the reelection of Sen. Jon Tester, one of several Democrats on the ballot in GOP-leaning states. The measure would allow the top two candidates in the primary, no matter their party, to win slots on the 2024 general election ballot. Its now before House lawmakers after passing in the Senate by a 27-23 vote on Tuesday. Seven Republicans joined all of the chambers Democrats in voting against the measure. In January Tester announced his bid for a fourth term in a seat that Republicans are eager to recapture after more than two decades. He's the last remaining Democrat to hold a statewide political office in Montana after the GOP dominated recent elections. Democrats in the U.S. Senate hold a 51-49 majority heading into the election. They will be defending 23 seats, including three held by independents who caucus with Democrats. Republicans will be defending just 10 seats. I think we all know what this is about, Senate Minority Leader Pat Flowers said Monday as Montana lawmakers debated whether to alter the primary. This is just brazen partisanship targeting a single race. This isnt fair. This isnt what Montanans want. They dont want one-party rule, they want us to have fair elections and this bill is not that. By allowing only two candidates to advance, it could keep third parties off the general election ballot. Past races for Testers seat were close enough that the absence of third party candidates hypothetically could have tipped the balance in favor of Republicans. I think the only reason you need to be scared of it is if you dont think your guy can win, said Republican Sen. Carl Glimm. The primary format for other offices, including election to the U.S. House, would not be changed. If the bill passes, it would only affect the 2024 U.S. Senate race. The sponsor, Republican Sen. Greg Hertz, said that would give the 2025 legislature the opportunity to review the results of this election. How did it work? How did our voters like it? and whether the top-two primary should be expanded to other races. Later this month, a team of scientists will depart North Carolinas coast and follow white sharks as they summer in northern waters. The research expedition, run by nonprofit Ocearch, hopes to collect samples from white sharks to answer questions about where and when they mate. The researchers plan to gather blood samples to measure hormone levels, ultrasound data to evaluate the reproductive status of female sharks, and data about the presence of seminal fluid and mating wounds. The research group tags every white shark it takes samples from in order to track the animal for years to come. Ocearch has tagged 437 animals already, according to its website. Seeing the adults off the Outer Banks region is challenging, as they are spread out and ocean conditions can be rough, said chief scientist Bob Hueter. But we need data and samples from this part of the population to put the last pieces of the Western North Atlantic white shark puzzle into place. This trip is the latest expedition in the Western North Atlantic White Shark Study, the most comprehensive study of white sharks in the world, according to the organization. Through its various trips, the team has studied 88 sharks in the North Atlantic and hopes to reach its goal of 100 sharks by the end of this years trip. The Outer Banks are the ideal place to track these animals, as data shows the sharks stop near the coast between April and June each year to load up on food before continuing their spring migration north. Expedition Northbound will depart from Wrightsville Beach on April 17 and will return on May 4. Ahead of The Randox Grand National, The Jockey Club has partnered with coveted British designer Richard Quinn to transform the racing silks of previous Grand National Winners into three high fashion couture looks, which will be auctioned off for charity during Ladies Day (Terry Donnelly/PA) Richard Quinn a designer known for his love of florals and latex has created a new capsule collection inspired by Grand National-winning jockey silks. Quinn teamed up with The Jockey Club for the collection, channelling the colours of Minella Times, Red Rum and Aldaniti. The collection was created to celebrate Ladies Day at The Randox Grand National, and the outfits will be auctioned off at The Style Awards during Aintree Ladies Day on April 14. Irish jockey Rachael Blackmore the first woman to win the Grand National models one of the outfits, alongside soprano Laura Wright who will sing the national anthem on Grand National Day and boxer Natasha Jonas. The trio are pictured in recognisable locations across Aintree Racecourse, ranging from McCoys Museum to the 1750 hospitality suite overlooking the track. Quinn who won the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design in 2018, and has since become a highlight on the London Fashion Week calendar said the collaboration brings together my love of British heritage with my passion for mastering unique patterns. The 33-year-old said: Tying inspiration from the jockeys silks with 70s, 80s and 2000s haute couture allowed me to be fluid with my designs. Although a capsule collection focused on horseracings history, each is timeless in its own right. Quinn is known for his use of bold patterns he makes all of his prints in-house in South London and thats very much reflected in the three looks. The outfits also channel his signature exaggerated silhouettes one look has a voluminous green and yellow coat draped over a green bodysuit with built-in gloves, while another has a dramatic cape attached to a slim-fitting jumpsuit. Blackmore who donned the yellow and green outfit said: These designs do a great job of capturing the vibrant colours you see at Aintree throughout the Randox Grand National Festival, which help to make it such a special three days. Story continues Wrights jumpsuit was inspired by the colours of Red Rum, the only three-time winner of the Grand National, having won in 1973, 1974 and 1977. The retro silhouette was a nod to the 70s, complete with bell sleeves and flared trousers. Wright will wear the look when she performs the national anthem at the Grand National on April 15, and later the proceeds from all outfits will go to the Alder Hey Childrens Hospital in Liverpool. Jonas who will judge this years Ladies Day Style Awards wore a cocktail dress in Aldanitis blue and white colours, inspired by the glamour of the 1980s. She said: As a boxer who is used to spending so much time in the gym this is a very different look for me, but what Richard Quinn has done is incredible. Its been an honour to wear one of his dresses for this photo shoot and as someone who is local to the area its extra special to be able to do this for Alder Hey. Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. "We must complete our recovery from the embers of dead empires in a way that does not plunge us back into new forms of domination and oppression." - Martin Kimani, Kenya's UN Ambassador (Feb. 22, 2022) Since March 2022, there has been a recurrent phenomenon in the corridors of Brussels: Whenever Western Europeans feel cornered by Poles or Balts who criticize their responses to Russias full-scale war, they divert to talking about the Global South. Mentioning the apparent indifference of India, Brazil, Indonesia, and countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to Ukraine has become Western Europeans go-to. First of all, mentioning the Global South redirects attention toward the region that has been France, Spain, and Italys favorite security concern for many years. Second, it directs attention to the global sins of the West, such as the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, which is an evergreen topic in places like Brussels. Third, for many reasons, it removes Central Europeans halo of geopolitical righteousness and moral superiority, due in part to their support for events such as the 2003 invasion of Iraq. These debates in Brussels point to a larger problem. While, since the beginning of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the West is more united than ever before, Russia is far from isolated: China has, in many respects, taken Russias side, and several countries in the Global South are sitting on the fence when it comes to condemning Russias brutal aggression. There is even talk of the resurgence of the Non-Aligned Movement. I propose to tackle the problem in three steps. First, by trying to understand a non-Western perspective on the war. Second, by developing a counter-narrative. And third, by outlining next steps. As Ukraine looks West, Russia wins over Africa Since its independence, Ukraines diplomatic efforts have focused primarily on looking West. Meanwhile, Russia has set its sights all over the world. While the Euro-Atlantic world has been firm in its support of Ukraine, condemning Russias all-out war, the African continent, home to 54 countries a Kyiv IndependentAlexander Khrebet Story continues Russias full-scale war as seen by the Global South What are the key arguments of the states that refuse to take sides? First, in many states that comprise the Global South, the Wests response to Russias full-scale war is considered hypocritical. This refers back to the Wests colonial and imperial past, but also more immediately to cases of Western intervention in the Global South, such as the NATO-led military intervention in Libya in 2011, the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, and the alleged indifference of the West to conflicts in the South, like those in Yemen and Ethiopias Tigray region. The familiar Russian rhetoric about it having gotten up from its knees and waging a so-called anti-imperial war against a condescending Collective West does catch on in the South. Second, the hypocrisy accusation also applies to the way that Europe has dealt with refugees. The argument goes that, while an influx of largely non-white, non-Christian refugees in 2015 and 2016 strengthened xenophobic populism and destabilization in many states in Europe, millions of white and Christian Ukrainians were welcomed with open arms. Third, many countries in the Global South have become dependent on Russian arms and food exports, or Chinese investment and technology, which makes them much less receptive to Western attempts to mobilize them against Russia. India is a first-class example with its longstanding history of Soviet and Russian ties. Many states in Sub-Saharan Africa are by now strongly dependent on China. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba meets with Senegal's Economy, Planning, and Cooperation Minister Oulimata Sarr on Oct. 3, 2022, in Senegal to discuss further cooperation between the two nations. Toward a Western response The West, including Ukraine, should, first of all, treat these arguments seriously and respectfully and not brush them aside without deeper reflection. Second, one of the primary goals should be to counter the East-West proxy war narrative that the Kremlin is spinning and which catches on with some actors in the Global South. The message instead needs to be that Ukraine is fighting an anti-colonial and anti-imperial war both for its own survival and for global principles and that the West is supporting Ukraines efforts to do so. Of course, Western Europe and the U.S. must come to terms with their own legacies of colonialism and imperialism. While these attempts have been undertaken in the West for decades, Russia and China are new culprits. The quote by Kenyas UN Ambassador at the beginning of this article shows that this is also seen by representatives of the Global South. Third, Ukraine itself must keep trying harder to convince the Global South. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kulebas trip across Africa in October 2022 and plans for a second trip to the continent in the summer for a Ukraine-Africa summit are excellent examples. Central Europeans also have an important role in communicating with the Global South. Both Ukraine and many states in Central Europe do not have the same history of colonization in the Global South. Czechs and Slovaks, for example, have been colonized themselves first by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, then by Nazi Germany, then later by the Soviet Union. Fourth, accusing Europeans of hypocrisy about refugees is disregarding a couple of important differences between 2015 and 2022: Of the Ukrainians in the EU, over 80% are women and children, whereas refugees from other parts of the world since 2015 are predominantly young men. In the eyes of the receiving population, this makes a difference. As perceived by the public, the cause for flight in 2022 was clearly Russia's war and immediate personal danger, whereas other refugees are often seen as partly motivated by economic factors. And, of course, culture matters. For many Central Europeans, civilians from a neighboring country with a language that is not too dissimilar are received differently than those from halfway across the planet. While this shouldn't matter, in combination with other factors, it does as it would in many places around the world. Batu Kutelia: Lessons from Georgia of geopolitical procrastination Editors Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. Feb. 24, 2022, was the date that Russia launched a decisive offensive against the free world. This war has caused a far-reaching domino effect Kyiv IndependentBatu Kutelia Fifth, while references to wars in the South are justified, the differences between the 2003 invasion of Iraq and Russias war against Ukraine, for example, must be emphasized. While the 2003 "war of choice" was a huge mistake and a clear violation of international law, comparing Ukraine to Iraq is wrongly comparing Zelensky to Saddam. War crimes were not a systemic element of the U.S.-led invasion. The U.S. personnel responsible for the events at Abu Ghraib did not get medals as the Russian units that attacked Bucha and Irpin did. No territories were annexed. And as much as the West got criticized in 2011 for its armed removal of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya on the grounds of Responsibility to Protect, it was also heavily criticized in the Middle East for not having intervened against Bashar Al-Assad in Syria. As for the wars in places like Yemen and Tigray, these are not wars of annihilation by one country against its neighbor like Russias full-scale war. If the Global South were as united about who the aggressor is and what to do as the West is about Russias war, the West would likely get involved with more than just mediation attempts and votes in the UN General Assembly. Most importantly, the global implications of Russias aggression against Ukraine must be emphasized time and time again. If Russia wins or at least appears to have made territorial gains, the world will become a much more dangerous place, especially in the Global South. What the Kremlin and the Chinese Communist Party define as a multipolar world is a world in which great powers can do whatever they want in their spheres of influence borders can be changed by force and universal human rights completely lose their meaning. This cannot be in the interest of any country besides authoritarian great powers. Finally, the West must more effectively tackle states in the Global Souths dependencies on Russia and China for energy, security, food, and infrastructure investments. Ukraines grain export deal with Russia is a constructive example. It must be understood that the conditionality of good governance, the rule of law, and universal human rights to which all UN members have committed themselves, are indispensable to those efforts and not condescension by the West. Next steps Ukraine must win the war and its allies must support its efforts more effectively. A Ukrainian victory and a clear Russian defeat will help to convince countries in the Global South that to stand with Ukraine is to be on the right side of history. Neither Ukraine nor NATO member states should confuse the Wests unity with the international mood regarding Russias full-scale war. We should clearly own up to past mistakes while insisting on the uniquely criminal and dangerous character of Russias war. Respectful communication must go hand in hand with concrete efforts to address the material issues and dependencies of the Global South. Ukraine and Central European states have special credibility here. They should take a leading role in communicating with the Global South, reiterating the fatal global impacts of anything Putin could present as a success. Keeping these rules in mind will go a long way in addressing the situation in a constructive way. It will also help Central Europeans to stand their ground in those Brussels debates. BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania's lower house of parliament on Wednesday struck down a legal amendment that would have decriminalised some abuse of power cases, a move that six years ago triggered huge street protests against corruption. Romania is one of the European Union's most corrupt states, according to Transparency International, and Brussels kept its justice system under special monitoring since it joined the EU in 2007. The Commission recommended lifting the monitoring mechanism late last year. The amendment introduced a provision stating that abuse of office offences which cause financial damage of less than 250,000 lei ($55,380) should no longer be punishable. A similar move approved by a leftist government by emergency decree six years ago triggered the European Union state's largest street protests in three decades that did not die down until the decree was rescinded. Senators have said the abuse of power financial threshold was needed to get the criminal code in line with constitutional court rulings. The court has said abuse of office crimes should have a minimum threshold without stating a specific level. But the lower house eliminated the proposed threshold altogether, leaving open the possibility that future abuse of power cases could be challenged at the constitutional court. Investigations by anti-corruption prosecutors have exposed conflict of interest, abuse of power, fraud and awarding of state contracts in exchange for bribes across political parties. (Reporting by Luiza Ilie; Editing by Nick Macfie) Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) could head into the GOP presidential primary against Donald Trump with a shiny new conservative credential: destroyer of public-sector labor unions. Republicans in the Sunshine State are moving ahead with legislation designed to make it harder for government employee unions to collect dues and, well, to exist at all. The bill cleared the GOP-dominated state Senate in Tallahassee last week, despite several Republican lawmakers joining their Democratic colleagues and voting against it. The bill has not yet passed the state House, which is also under solid GOP command, and it must make it through committee before reaching the House floor. DeSantis, whos leading a broad attack on what he claims is wokeism in education, has publicly backed the bill as it relates to teachers unions. Unions and their Democratic allies have managed to keep the grab bag of anti-labor provisions at bay for several years. But now they are alarmed and furious at the legislations advance. Adding to their fury is the fact that Senate Republicans included a carveout to the bill that protects unions representing police, firefighters and corrections officers that is, unions more likely to politically support Republicans. In its current form, the bill would affect teachers, school support staff, bus drivers, janitors and sanitation workers, parks and library employees and others across the public sector whose unions tend to support Democrats. The goal of the bill is to eliminate collective bargaining for public-sector workers who the governor doesnt like, said Rich Templin, director of politics and public policy at the Florida AFL-CIO labor federation. Nobody thats directly involved has asked for this. This is another in a very long line of policies being advanced solely for the governors run for the White House. Unions are right to find the mechanics of the bill troubling. The main provision would bar unions representing teachers and other public-sector workers from deducting dues through workers paychecks. Thats the primary way workers pay their union dues now. They also use it to pay health insurance premiums, gym memberships and a slew of other deductions that employers allow. Ending it would force unions to create new dues-collection mechanisms, like setting workers up for ACH transfers through their banks. Story continues The goal of the bill is to eliminate collective bargaining for public-sector workers who the governor doesnt like.Rich Templin, Florida AFL-CIO Republicans have pursued bans on paycheck dues deduction in several states in recent years, casting it as paycheck protection for workers teachers, in particular against rapacious unions. They succeeded in Wisconsin, Michigan, Alabama and Indiana. A federal judge recently blocked the Indiana law from taking effect after teachers unions sued on the grounds the law violated their constitutional right to freedom of association. The loss of dues checkoff, as paycheck deductions are known, is not necessarily calamitous for a union. But as an organizer once wrote in the publication Labor Notes, it creates a new layer of convincing when trying to sign a worker up for the union, even one who supports the cause: Not only must the member or staff organizer move the worker into action, but we also have to convince them to give us their damn bank info! What sets the Florida legislation apart is how the dues-deduction ban could work in tandem with a second anti-union provision. Florida has long been a right-to-work state where no worker can be required to pay fees to a union, even if they enjoy the benefits of a union contract. (The entire U.S. public sector is now right to work, courtesy of a 2018 Supreme Court ruling.) But in 2018, under then-Gov. Rick Scott, Republicans added another challenge for the states teachers unions: If the number of dues-paying members in a bargaining unit fell below 50%, a process would begin whereby the union could be decertified, or purged and its contract nullified. As part of their new proposal, Republicans would apply that decertification threshold to public-sector unions writ large, and raise it from 50% to 60%. So as unions lost members due to the payroll deduction ban, they could more easily fall in danger of being decertified unless they represent cops, firefighters or corrections officers. Its pretty clear this is political retribution, said Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association, a union with more than 150,000 members. Of the unions carved out, Spar said, I have a lot of friends in those unions, but those unions have supported Gov. DeSantis. HuffPost asked Republican state Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, sponsor of the bill, what the logic was for including a carveout for certain unions that happen to lean conservative. A spokesperson pointed to a Senate committee hearing in which Ingoglia said cops and firefighters are putting their lives on the line every day. They may go to work and not know if theyre coming home that night, Ingoglia said March 16. So if youre getting rid of payroll deduction, then youre forcing a face-to-face conversation with the employees and their union representatives I would have a hard time telling law enforcement who worked an overnight from 12 to 8 that she or he would have to not get any sleep and meet their union representative at 11 a.m. to give them their check. HuffPost asked a follow-up question: If this bill is really about protecting workers paychecks, dont our heroes deserve the same protections that other workers are afforded under the bill? The spokesperson did not respond. DeSantis has promoted the anti-union legislation as it relates to teachers unions. His office would not say whether he supports a carveout for unions representing police and firefighters. DeSantis has promoted the anti-union legislation as it relates to teachers unions. His office would not say whether he supports a carveout for unions representing police and firefighters. A spokesperson for DeSantis would not say whether the governor supports the carveout for cops and firefighters, recommending HuffPost steer questions to the bills backers in the legislature. In a press conference where he promoted paycheck protection, DeSantis spoke of it solely in relation to teachers unions. Since this legislation is still subject to the legislative process (and therefore different iterations), the governor will decide on the merits of the bill in final form if and when it passes and is delivered to the governors office, said the spokesperson, Jeremy T. Redfern. It is not clear how the legislations backers arrived specifically at 60% as an appropriate threshold below which a union would have to apply for recertification with the state. After all, there is a certain logic to the current 50% marker, above which the dues-paying members represent a majority. Spar, of the FEA, said he believes he knows how 60% was chosen. We know he [DeSantis] had his staff call around the state to find out where all the teachers unions were in membership, and he found out they all were over 50%, with many in the upper 50s and quite a few over 60%, Spar said. So why set a threshold of 50? Warring with teachers unions is nothing new for Republican luminaries. Former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie were celebrated on the right for their attacks on public-sector unions, though neither managed to ride their anti-union record to the GOP presidential nomination. But in the case of Florida, labor leaders believe the push to kill dues checkoff is wrapped up in DeSantis crusade against what he calls woke ideology in schools. He has banned woke textbooks, warred with the College Board over African American studies and attacked diversity, education and inclusion initiatives in higher education. Spar said teachers unions are in the crosshairs because the governor views them as a line of defense against his education agenda, including at the university level. The governor has made it clear if he doesnt like you he comes after you, whether youre Disney, [prosecutor] Andrew Warren, school board members or the College Board, Spar said. The real reason were dealing with this bill is because teachers and staff and professors are people who will band together and speak up on behalf of kids and communities and families. The governor has made it clear if he doesnt like you he comes after you.Andrew Spar, president of Florida Education Association Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, called the Florida legislation a noxious attack on collective bargaining rights in an email to HuffPost. Weingarten is so concerned about the bill and DeSantis education agenda in general that she traveled to a union rally in Miami on Saturday. She said DeSantis is issuing authoritarian edicts. We have all watched Gov. DeSantis abandon the conservative notion of limited government, but in this session, he appears fixated on stripping away freedoms and silencing those who have raised doubts about his policies, Weingarten said of the bill. Templin, of the Florida AFL-CIO, said unions are trying to mobilize against the bill to prevent its passage in the House. But they are already discussing ways they would try to deal with the new system if the bill is signed and survives the nearly inevitable court challenges. Unions may end up sharing resources to create new systems for dues collection if they can no longer deduct them directly from workers paychecks. But Templin said other facets of the legislation would be problematic as well, including a requirement for a new annual audit that unions would have to perform. According to Templin, some local unions are so small that the audit would be an unreasonable burden to staff. Spar said that Florida Republicans may talk a lot about eliminating red tape and cumbersome regulations, but they appear happy to create more for the unions they dont like. This is an incredible amount of government overreach and intrusion, he said. Were private, democratic organizations ... Theyre basically saying that teachers and staff and others cant make their own decisions and they need big government to make decisions for them. (Bloomberg) -- Representative Thomas Massie became the first congressional Republican since Donald Trumps arraignment to formally endorse Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for president. Most Read from Bloomberg The Kentucky libertarian didnt mention the former president in his Wednesday endorsement but said the US needs a leader who respects the Constitution. America needs a leader who is decisive, respects the Constitution, understands policy, puts family first, and leads by inspiring, Massie said in a statement. Thats why Im endorsing Ron DeSantis for president. DeSantis hasnt yet announced his 2024 candidacy for president but is expected to be a fierce competitor to Trump, who pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 34 felony criminal counts. The indictment alleges Trump used hush money to bury damaging information about an affair with a former porn star and boost his electoral prospects in 2016. Another conservative, Chip Roy of Texas, last month became the first House Republican to endorse DeSantis. Massie is often considered a contrarian who courts controversy, including within his party. His DeSantis endorsement comes as most Republicans decry the charges against Trump. In 2020, Trump denounced Massie as a third-rate Grandstander who should be thrown out of the GOP after Massie sought to stall a $2.2 trillion coronavirus aid package. But Massie last year won Trumps backing, with the former president calling him a Conservative warrior and defender of the Constitution. Massie said hes called DeSantis a friend for over a decade, served six years with him in the House, and I witnessed Ron fight for economic freedom, personal liberty, fiscal responsibility and constitutionally limited government. Story continues If we make the right choices, Americas best days are in front of us, Massie said. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 5) The joint task force formed to investigate the killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo may file the complaints against the alleged masterminds in a few weeks, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Wednesday. Lets see, probably in a week or two, DILG Sec. Benhur Abalos told CNN Philippines The Source. On March 27, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said complaints may be filed that week against Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves, who he said appears to have orchestrated the crime. https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/3/27/more-complaints-vs-Degamo-slay-suspects.html READ: Remulla on Degamo assassination: Case closed So far, murder and other complaints were filed against the 11 arrested suspects. Meanwhile, state prosecutors will formally include as co-accused in the case ex-army reservist Marvin Miranda, whom they claim worked with Teves to kill the governor. Abalos said authorities are now focused on catching other alleged masterminds. More pieces of evidence are also being gathered to make sure these are "airtight" once the case is heard before the court, he added. Ang ebidensyang dapat ilatag mo should be really airtight and stand not only yung probable cause sa fiscal dahil hanggang fiscal ka lang non, he noted. [Translation: The evidence you should present should be really airtight and can stand not only the probable cause in the fiscal because otherwise you cannot pass through the fiscal.] If proven that Teves is guilty of the crime, Abalos said international police may be tapped or the lawmakers passport may be revoked if he still refuses to return to the Philippines. Teves flew to the United States late-February for medical purposes. While his travel authority expired on March 9, the embattled lawmaker refuses to return to the country, citing security concerns. In Jordan, a sumptuous dish that has its roots in an ancient war has evolved over the centuries to be widely cherished as a symbol of peace and hospitality. Mansaf -- the kingdom's national dish of lamb cooked in dried yogurt, served with rice and nuts -- is "the king of the Jordanian table", says Ashraf Al-Mubaideen, 47, who runs a traditional restaurant in Amman. "If you want to honour your guest, there's nothing finer than mansaf," agrees his business partner Tamer al-Majali, 42, about the custom of greeting guests with huge platters piled high. Mansaf was inscribed on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage late last year, highlighting the "deep sense of identity and social cohesion" it evokes. Long before it became a symbol of peace -- traditionally shared to mark the end of tribal feuds -- mansaf was born on the eve of battle, according to one version of history. In the 9th century BC, King Mesha of the Moab Kingdom -- located on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea -- wanted to test his people's loyalty in a war against the Kingdom of Israel, said historian George Tareef. "The king knew that the Torah forbade Jews from eating meat cooked with milk," and so he instructed his people to cook a rudimentary version of the non-kosher dish ahead of battle, said Tareef. In modern-day Amman, Mubaideen and Majali's restaurant is called "Manasef Moab", a nod to the dish's ancient origins. - 'Authenticity and heritage' - Jordan's most popular dish -- regularly served at wedding banquets and in households for large families -- bears little resemblance to Mesha's culinary allegiance tests. The dish underwent thousands of years of "evolution as a result of economic and agricultural conditions", according to researcher Hassan Mubaideen. In an Amman restaurant, the 58-year-old academic -- donning a red keffiyeh scarf and tucking into a plate of mansaf -- said rice came to replace bread and cracked wheat, as a way to feed more people with less, though shows of generosity remain integral. Story continues "There are special rituals and hospitality protocols linked to the meal -- like how you greet guests, in what order you serve them, where the head of the animal goes, and how you say goodbye," Mubaideen told AFP. Large platters are traditionally shared between around a dozen people, using only the right hand, while the left is placed behind the back. Customs have changed, and individual plates and utensils are now often used, as younger generations adopt the age-old tradition. Sharing mansaf with her classmates, 14-year-old school pupil Zeina Elyan expressed pride in the symbol of "Jordan's ancient heritage" and the health benefits of the dish's whole foods. Her teacher, Duha Saleh, 31, said she brought her students to the restaurant to teach them "the social culture" behind the dish, and the inherited values of generosity and hospitality. "There's a pleasure to it," she said, "in how it connects us to who we are, our authenticity and our heritage." msh/bha/dv/fz/kir Right-wing media mogul Rupert Murdoch and Fox News leadership must testify in an upcoming defamation trial against the network if Dominion Voting Systems subpoenas them, according to a ruling from the Delaware judge overseeing the case. Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis said he will not stand in the way of potential subpoenas for Murdoch and his son and Fox Corporation CEO Lachlan Murdoch, board of directors Paul Ryan and other executives, who must appear at the courthouse if summoned. They are relevant to the case, Judge Davis said during a hearing on 5 April, according to CNN. If Dominion wants to bring them live, they need to issue a trial subpoena, and I would not quash it, he added. Both parties have made these witnesses very relevant. A ruling in Delaware Superior Court on 31 March granted Dominion a partial victory in its motion for summary judgment in the blockbuster $1.6bn lawsuit against the network, which the judge determined broadcast false statements about the voting machine company and conspiracy theories surrounding Donald Trumps loss in the 2020 presidential election. Both sides sought a pretrial ruling to declare them the winner and avoid a high-profile trial. Jury selection is scheduled to begin on 13 April. In a partial ruling in Dominions favour last week, the court determined that statements made on Fox News were presented as statements of fact, not statements of opinion, for which Fox News is responsible. But the court left open whether a jury would find its parent company Fox Corporation responsible. The court also determined that Dominion is entitled to summary judgment for its defamation claims, but it will be up to the jury to determine whether actual malice is involved, the legal standard established by the US Supreme Court in defamation cases involving public figures alleged to have knowingly presented false claims or made them with reckless disregard for the truth. Fox has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and argued that statements on air were protected by the First Amendment and, because they were supported by the former president in his spurious efforts to overturn election results, those claims were newsworthy. Story continues The Murdochs already provided sworn depositions in the case, with court documents exposing a series of revelations about the inner workings of the network and communications among its top executives, producers and on-air personalities. Rupert Murdoch conceded that several of the networks top stars including Sean Hannity, Maria Bartiromo, Lou Dobbs and Jeanine Pirro endorsed at times this false notion of a stolen election, claims that the former president and his allies continue to amplify as he seeks re-election to office in 2024. He also did not deny discussing the Trump campaign with Jared Kushner; I was trying to help Mr Kushner ... Hes a friend of mine, he said. This is a developing story Russian officials are looking for ways to plug gaps in their budget while planning a prolonged war against Ukraine. Source: UK Defence Intelligence, as reported by European Pravda Details: One such way is to issue a portion of Russia's sovereign debt in foreign currency. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin announced such a possibility on 28 September. "The move is almost certainly an indication that Russia anticipates external financial support from foreign states it deems friendly. Once the development is completed, investors from other countries will be able to purchase Russias sovereign debt and therefore finance some of Russias future budget shortfalls. Such investors would be indirectly financing Russias invasion of Ukraine," UK Defence Intelligence noted. "In recent months, Russias own banks have been the main entities purchasing Russian state debt. However, they are unlikely to have the capacity to fully fund anticipated future budget deficits. Russian officials likely see external debt issuance as one way to plug gaps in Russias finances as they plan for a long war in Ukraine. However, it remains unclear whether Russia will succeed in implementing the measures." Background: Earlier, UK Defence Intelligence suggested that Russia is likely working on creating new private military companies (PMCs) that could become an alternative to the Wagner Group PMC in the war against Ukraine. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! The Russian occupiers are planning to send almost 2,000 of their troops from Belarus to Russia in order to involve them later in hostilities in the east of Ukraine. Source: Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, at a briefing Quote: "We know that measures of withdrawing part of the Russian military from Belarus to Russian territory have begun. We previously reported that there are about 4,000 Russian troops on the territory of Belarus. But their number will decrease even more after the measures that have now started. According to the information that we have, about 2,000 soldiers will leave Belarus, whom Russia plans to involve in hostilities in the east of Ukraine in the future to strengthen its group." Details: According to the spokesperson for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, nothing has changed in the actions of those units of the Belarusian army that strengthen the border with Ukraine, and they are at a certain distance from the Ukrainian border. Demchenko added that the border should be prepared for the development of any situation: "We understand the treachery of the enemy. Therefore, from our side, as before, both boundary lines and border lines are being strengthened." Demchenko explained that the fortification is necessary so that all components of the defence forces have all the opportunities to repel any attack from this front or counter any provocations in this area. Background: Alexander Lukashenko, the self-proclaimed President of Belarus, has ordered a combat readiness check of the Armed Forces of Belarus. In his address to the Belarusian people, Lukashenko said that NATO countries are preparing for an invasion of Belarusian territory. The self-proclaimed president of Belarus stated during his message to the Belarusian people that the Russian troops on the territory of the country are subordinate to him, not the president of the Russian Federation. In general, Lukashenko devoted the lion's share of his message not to Belarus but to the Russian war against Ukraine; he repeatedly emphasised the need for negotiations between Zelenskyy and Putin and was also a little frightened by nuclear weapons and the fact that Russia has allegedly not yet deployed its war machine to full power. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Troops of Belarus Currently, there is a rotation of Russian military (personnel), said Demchenko. Read also: Russian casualties pass 220k, Danilov on Belarus nukes, US optimistic on counteroffensive We know that they have begun to withdraw some of the Russian units to the territory of Russia from Belarus after their training was complete. Demchenko noted that as many as 4,000 Russian soldiers were stationed on the territory of Belarus. Now their number will decrease, he added. Read also: Four Russian An-124 Ruslan planes spotted coming to Belarus According to our information, about 2,000 Russian soldiers will leave Belarus, and will be involved in military operations in eastern Ukraine in the future. On April 3, Belarus began a snap inspection of its armed forces combat readiness. Read also: Lukashenko expects Russian governors will succeed him in Belarus, says Levin Earlier on April 3, the commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Serhiy Nayev, said that Ukraine is monitoring the movement of military equipment in Belarus, prepared to respond to any hostile acts. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine On 5 April, Russian forces deployed artillery to shell central Beryslav, injuring one civilian and striking public utility facilities in the city of Kherson. Source: Kherson Oblast Military Administration; Volodymyr Litvinov, Head of Beryslav District State Administration, on Telegram Details: Russian occupation forces shelled the central district of the city of Beryslav, damaging the premises of a shop. One civilian was injured and has been taken to the hospital. Russian forces also struck two public utility facilities in Kherson. There were no casualties. A wall in one of the facilities that were attacked, as well as the tarmac around it, have been damaged, and several windows have been shattered. Administrative premises at the other facility have also been damaged. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Those mobilized to the Russian army wait for departure on the station platform in occupied Sevastopol, November 2022 Read also: Belarusian volunteer and former Tornado battalion member, Danylo Modzhakhed Liashuk, killed on frontline CNNs sources note that Russia has recently extended the usual semi-annual military draft and widened the range of eligible ages. However, it is not yet clear whether the population will be able to withstand another wave of mobilization and whether the Kremlin actually wants to test the population's resilience to that. Russia has acknowledged that they needed 400,000 more troops and that's not just for the conflict (in Ukraine), but also to fulfil new formations which are going to be put on the new border with NATO and Finland, the officials stated. How they generate that is unclear at the moment. According to the officials, Russia is experiencing difficulties with military personnel training. Read also: Ukrainian troops to begin M1 Abrams training soon We've seen Russian units been trained in Belarus, we've seen other Russian localized forces being pushed straight into the front with no training whatsoever, they said. Read also: Leading digital comms firm trashes millions of dollars worth of equipment on leaving Russia Earlier, UK intelligence reported that Russia is unlikely to be able to mobilize 400,000 men. They said that Moscow supposedly chose to draft them as volunteers to minimize internal dissent. In September 2022, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin announced a "partial mobilization" in Russia, drafting 318,000 people into military service by November. Read also: UK blocks address by Russian childrens rights ombudsman, a wanted war-crimes suspect, to UN Security Council Russian independent media reports suggested that the Russian authorities mobilized as many as 520,000 men for the war against Ukraine since September 2022, despite official claims. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine The Russian occupiers reported that the building of the Ministry of Defence of Russia in the centre of Moscow caught fire due to the ignition of a kettle. Source: Kremlin-aligned news outlet TASS Details: The emergency services of Russia said that the fire in the building of the Ministry of Defence in the centre of Moscow started due to the ignition of a kettle. On the evening of 5 April, a fire broke out on the third floor of one of the buildings on the territory of the Ministry of Defence on Znamenka Street. It was assigned the second, increased difficulty number out of five available. Later, it was extinguished. Initially, the cause of the fire in the Ministry of Defene building was called a "power grid emergency". Background: On 5 April, a fire broke out in the Defence Ministry building on Znamenka Street in the centre of Moscow. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! A senior Russian official, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on war crimes charges, is set to virtually attend an informal UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday. Ukraine accuses Russia of having abducted and forcibly deported more than 16,000 children since it began its invasion more than a year ago. The ICC last month issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin as well as his commissioner for children's rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, over the matter. Russia, which holds the rotating Security Council presidency for the month of April, organized the Wednesday briefing by Lvova-Belova to provide "objective information on the situation of children in the conflict zone" in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine and the measures taken to "evacuate the children from danger." The United Kingdom expressed outrage that Lvova-Belova would be attending the meeting, saying that "if she wants to give an account of her actions, she can do so in The Hague." The UK statement added that its delegation had successfully blocked the upcoming meeting from being broadcast on the UN's web page. This type of informal meeting, which can be organized by any member of the Council, is held at UN headquarters but not in the Security Council chamber. Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vasily Nebenzia, recently said that the meeting on Wednesday had been planned "long before" the ICC issued its arrest warrants on March 17. On Tuesday, Lvova-Belova told a press conference in Moscow that she was ready to send deported children back to Ukraine if their families requested it. According to a report from her office published on Tuesday, 16 children from nine families have been reunited with their relatives living in Ukraine or elsewhere since March 29. She, however, refused to publish a complete list of Ukrainian children brought to Russia. abd/ube/des/md United Nations At an informal meeting boycotted by the U.S. and Britain's ambassadors and labelled an abuse of Russia's power as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council by over four dozen countries, Moscow's Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights asserted Wednesday that Russia's only motivation in removing children from Ukraine was to evacuate them from a dangerous war zone. Maria Lvova-Belova, who gave the briefing remotely, is among the Russian officials, along with President Vladimir Putin, for whom an international court issued arrest warrants last month over the alleged forced deportation of Ukrainian children. She told the Security Council members who did attend the meeting that there had been an "emergency character" to Russia's actions, claiming it was necessary to "move these children from under shelling and move them to safe areas." Her claims contrasted starkly with evidence the International Criminal Court has received about the forced removal of children and infants from Ukraine. CBS News correspondent Chris Livesay spoke with Ukrainian children last year who were among the thousands allegedly taken from their country into Russia or Russian-occupied territory. The boys CBS News met were rescued and had made their way back to Ukraine, but many others remain separated from their families. Livesay presented his report to the U.N. as it heard evidence. "If she wants to give an account of her actions, she can do so in the Hague," the U.K. Mission to the U.N. said in a statement, adding that "their briefer, Maria Lvova-Belova, is subject to an international arrest warrant from the ICC for her alleged responsibility in the war crimes of unlawful deportation and unlawful transfer of these children." U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters before the meeting that Washington was firmly opposed to "a woman who has been charged with war crimes, who has been involved in deporting and removal of children from their homes to Russia," being given any platform to defend the actions. Story continues Russia convened the meeting just days after it took over the rotating monthly presidency of the Security Council. Ukraine and the U.S. had warned that handing Russia the gavel to chair the council, the U.N.'s most powerful body, would provide President Vladimir Putin's regime a greater platform to spread disinformation at a pivotal moment in his war against civilians in Ukraine. "We strongly are opposed to that," said Thomas-Greenfield. "And that's why we've joined the U.K. in blocking UN WebTV from being used to allow her to have an international podium to spread disinformation and to try to defend her horrible actions that are taking place in Ukraine." Thomas-Greenfield, who did not attend the meeting, said, "We will have an expert sitting in the chair who has been instructed to walk out when the briefer that we've objected to is speaking." The ICC has received evidence that at least 6,000 Ukrainian children have been taken to camps and other facilities in Russia and Russian-occupied territory and subjected to pro-Russian re-education. They have in many cases been denied any contact with their families, according to a report from the Conflict Observatory, a research group that monitors alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine. Ukraine's government puts the figure much higher, claiming to have documented 14,700 cases of children being deported, among some 100,000 who have been moved into Russia or Russian-occupied territory. The ICC said in a statement in March, when it announced an international arrest warrant for Putin, that the Russian leader was "allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of (children) and that of unlawful transfer of (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation." Russia's U.N Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia complained about the U.S. and other nations boycotting the meeting on Wednesday, saying: "You know you're not interested. Of course, it's not very pleasant for you to hear this and compromise your narrative. You don't need the truth." Britain's ambassador James Kariuki said the fact that Russia had invited someone to address the council who had been indicted by the ICC, "speaks for itself." Taiwan's president meets with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in U.S. How mindfulness therapy may help with migraines Taiwan's president to meet with House Speaker as President Biden condemns antisemitism (CNN) Four people were found dead near a hotel in Cancun on Monday, according to Mexican officials, the latest bout of violence in the popular tourist destination. Two people have been arrested for their possible involvement in the deaths of four people, according to the attorney general of the state of Quintana Roo. All of the deceased are Mexicans, said Jose Pablo Mathey Cruz, the secretary of public security of Benito Juarez, the municipality where Cancun is located. He said the suspects are allegedly engaged in the sale and distribution of narcotics, adding that footage from local security cameras and the joint work of local authorities helped lead to their arrest. The prosecutors office confirmed earlier on Monday that three people had been found dead and an investigation was opened. Later, the office said they found a fourth body. Polo Gallegos, a tourist who was in the area at the time of the shooting, told CNN en Espanol that he heard shots while at a nearby gym at around 10 a.m. local time. We heard the shots and they hid all of us in an office and they kept us there until the incident was over. Everyone kept us there until they secured the area, and right now there are police, the Navy, everyone, everyone in the beach area and its very uncomfortable for us, he said. The security situation in Cancun has deteriorated in recent years. In 2021, the Mexican government said the National Guard would permanently deploy to Cancun and its surrounding area following a rise in violence there linked to organized crime, Reuters reported. There have been a series of violent incidents around the Caribbean coastal area. In early 2022, two people died after shots were fired in a hotel at Playa del Carmen, according to CNN en Espanol. There were shootings reported in late 2021 in the tourist areas of Puerto Morelos and Cancun. The State Department advises travelers to exercise increased caution due to crime and kidnapping in the state of Quintana Roo. The advisory says that violence and criminal activity may occur anywhere, including in popular tourist destinations. Travelers should maintain a high level of situational awareness, avoid areas where illicit activities occur, and promptly depart from potentially dangerous situations, the advisory warns. This story was first published on CNN.com, 4 people found dead near a hotel in Cancun" Children He described the case of 17-year-old Bohdan Yerokhin from Mariupol, who was kidnapped and forcibly taken to Donetsk, and then placed with a foster family in Russia, while his sister remained in Ukraine. Read also: Russia abducted over 19,500 Ukrainian children from occupied territories, Reintegration Ministry says It should be noted that this young man is a citizen of Ukraine. Therefore, his forcible displacement to the territory of the aggressor country is not a rescue, as (war-crimes suspect and Russian Childrens Rights Ombudsman) Lvova-Belova points out, but a crime, Lubinets said. He said boy attempted to return to Ukraine by himself, but was stopped by Russian special services in Belarus and sent back to Russia. Lvova-Belova herself reported the case, Lubinets said. Read also: Russia does not intend to return abducted Ukrainian children Canadian intelligence This story is another public acknowledgement of the war crimes committed the abduction of Ukrainian children! the Ukrainian official said. Im confident that there will be just punishment for this! Were working towards this, and in regard to the above-mentioned fact and similar cases, we will be turning to competent authorities! Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine The Russians shelled the residential sector of Oleksiyivka-Druzhkivka The Russians struck the settlement at around 11:00 a.m., targeting a residential area with cluster munitions. Read also: Russian forces shell residential areas in Donetsk Oblast, leaving three civilians dead and 18 wounded Emergency services are currently working to neutralize unexploded ordnance at the site of the impact. /Telegram /Telegram /Telegram Russian occupiers regularly shell the front-line settlements of Donetsk Oblast. Over the past day, they have killed four civilians and injured 11 others. Read also: Russian air strike damages residential high-rise in Avdiivka Meanwhile, on April 4, the invaders announced the forced evacuation of children from 21 settlements in the Russian-occupied part of the oblast. The International Criminal Court recently announced that it was opening two war crimes cases against Russia, one of which concerns illegal attacks on civilian infrastructure, and the other on the forced deportation of children from Ukraine. Read also: International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant against Russian dictator Putin Russia claims to have annexed Ukraines Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson oblasts, but it does not have complete control over any of them. It lost control of the city of Kherson the only major Ukrainian regional center it managed to capture in its full-scale invasion in early November last year, and has so far been forced to retreat from small parts of Zhytomyr Oblast, and parts of Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy Kharkiv, Luhansk and Kherson oblasts. About 18% of Ukraines internationally recognized territory remains under Russian occupation including Ukraines Crimea and the parts of the Donbas that were invaded by Russia in 2014. The Kremlin falsely declared it had annexed Ukraines Crimean Peninsula in 2014 but this claim has only been recognized by a handful of the worlds rogue and pariah states. Read also: Russian military, occupation authorities in Crimea selling up, moving out amid fears of losing control of peninsula Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Russian invaders are intimidating local residents of the occupied town of Melitopol with deportation to Russia and a counteroffensive by the Defence Forces of Ukraine. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Quote: "The Russian occupiers continue to exert psychological pressure on the local population of Melitopol (Zaporizhzhia Oblast) through the distribution of leaflets calling [for their evacuation] to Russia. Russian forces are intimidating people with the alleged offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine." Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Sacramento residents are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the white rhino at the Sacramento Zoo. Last November, the zoo announced big changes to its facilities, one being the arrival of the white rhinoceros to the Sacramento Zoo grounds. The zoo also announced its relocation to Elk Grove, which will focus on caring for rare and endangered species. Buzz surrounding the rhinos arrival this week has started online. One Reddit user posted on the Sacramento forum a photo promoting the arrival of the rhino at the Sacramento Zoo. Comments from excited residents filled the comment section. Heres what we know so far: White rhino homecoming Its still unknown when exactly the rhino will make its way to the Sacramento Zoo. The zoos facilitates team is currently working to get the new habitat ready, where the rhino will be living, said Andrea Haverland Community Engagement Coordinator at the Sacramento Zoo, in an email to The Bee. As soon as the facility is done, the zoo plans to welcome the rhino, which will be sometime later this year, Haverland said. This will be the first time the Sacramento Zoo welcomes a white rhinoceros to its grounds. Progress on the facility is going well, Haverland said. Whats happening to the white rhino The white rhinoceros is classified as near threatened, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature, a wilderness preservation organization. Rampant poaching of the rhinos horn has led to the animals low population numbers, according to WWF. There are around 18,000 registered rhinos in protected areas and private game reserves. What do you want to know about life in Sacramento? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email servicejournalists@sacbee.com. Three celebrity chefs will host the Saint Martins University Gala this fall: Tom Douglas, Thierry Rautureau, and Dario Cecchini. The gala is Saint Martins annual fundraiser for student scholarships. In 2022, it raised more than $3 million. Douglas is a long-time Seattle chef and restaurateur, as well as an author and radio talk show host. He won the 1994 James Beard Award for Best Northwest Chef and the 2012 James Beard Award for Best Restaurateur. Rautureau was named the winner of the James Beard Award for Best Northwest Chef in 1998 and awarded the Chevalier de lOrdre Du Merite Agricole by the French government. Cecchini is a leading contemporary Italian butcher who was featured in the documentary series Chefs Table on Netflix in 2019. The Saint Martins University Gala is the perfect combination of our Benedictine value for hospitality and the Saint Martins communitys passion for supporting our students, said Vice President of Institutional Advancement Shad Hanselman. The gala will be on Saturday, Nov. 4, in the Marcus Pavilion on Saint Martins campus in Lacey. The black-tie affair features a live auction, a five-course gourmet dinner, and on-stage cooking demonstrations by the celebrity chefs. Learn more about the gala on the Saint Martins website or by contacting the Saint Martins University Office of Institutional Advancement at 360-438-4366 or gala@stmartin.edu. A 62-year-old Sarasota man has been convicted and sentenced to life in prison for molesting a 21-year-old disabled and autistic woman in January 2022, according to a Sarasota County Sheriff's Office news release. Frank Szakacs was found guilty of burglary of a conveyance with battery, battery, and lewd or lascivious molestation upon a disabled person on March 30 in the 12th Judicial Circuit Court, the news release states. Law enforcement was called in January 2022 to a store parking lot on the 1800 block of Stickney Point Road in Sarasota. Previous reporting by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune stated the mother went into the store while her daughter, the victim, stayed in the car. A probable cause affidavit in the case stated that the victim was medically diagnosed with autism and was non-verbal with a learning disability. More court news: Sarasota attorney suspended 3 years for avoiding being served summons, malpractice suit Midnight heist of rare horse: Minnesota woman's bizarre fight with Florida circus owner When the mother returned to the car 10 minutes later, she found Szakacs, then 61, inside the car and on top of her daughter. The mother attempted to pull Szakacs off her daughter but was met with agitation. When the mother was finally able to pull him off, her daughter responded "hurt, hurt, hurt" when she was asked if she was OK, according to the previous story. She then indicated to her mother where she had been hurt, the report states. Interviews with a witness, who was a friend of Szakacs, confirmed that Szakacs walked up to the car, entered the passenger side where the victim was, and sexually assaulted her, according to the affidavit. Szakacs left on foot but was located by a patrol deputy in a wooded area nearby and was arrested. At the time, Szakacs was homeless, according to the affidavit. Szakacs has a history of sexual assault, rape, robbery, and armed robbery and failed to register as a sex offender, according to the news release. Gabriela Szymanowska covers the legal system for the Herald-Tribune in partnership with Report for America. You can support her work with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America. Contact Gabriela Szymanowska at gszymanowska@gannett.com, or on Twitter. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota sheriff: Man sentenced to life for molesting disabled woman Occupants are already preparing for the operation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to liberate Ukrainian Crimea The photos were taken in mid-March, depicting trenchworks near the city of Yevpatoria, snaking towards Zaozerne. Since Ukraines Armed Forces possess little to no amphibious landing capability, its unclear how sound was the decision to dig trenches on a coast so far removed from mainland Ukraine. Read also: Ukrainians improve tactical position in Donbas, Russians fearing counteroffensive Images of the same area form early March showed trenches mere 3.5 kilometers long, suggesting the digging was done recently. Read also: Zelenskyy meets with Trump-era top diplomat Mike Pompeo and U.S. business leaders On March 6, Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said that the ministry had developed an algorithm to restore lawful order in Donbas and Crimea once those regions are liberated from Russian occupation. At the end of January, the former commander of U.S. forces in Europe, Gen. Ben Hodges, said that the fight for Crimea would become a key point in Russias war against Ukraine, and predicted that Ukraine could create the conditions for the final liberation of the peninsula in the next few months. Read also: The 12 steps to de-occupy Crimea Ukraines Security Council According to Ukrainian intelligence, the Russian military is already bracing for a Ukrainian push into Crimea. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine South Carolina U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham says he will continue to support Donald Trump following his criminal indictment but said defunding the police or FBI, as the former president said in response to his criminal charges, is not the way to go. At a news conference Wednesday, Graham, R-S.C., told reporters that Trumps indictment will do nothing other than help the former president secure reelection in his bid for the presidency. After pleading not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, urging Republican members of Congress to defund the U.S. Department of Justice and FBI until they come to their senses, adding that Democrats had weaponized law enforcement agencies. Graham, a leader of Trumps presidential campaign in South Carolina and a Trump ally, said Wednesday that while the charges against the former president are baseless, defunding the FBI isnt the solution. As frustrated as (Trump) has a right to be for what the FBI has done, terrorism lurks out there, and taking your guard down for one moment could be very dangerous for the public, Graham told reporters. I understand his frustration, but defunding the police is not the right answer. Gov. Henry McMaster, another leader enlisted in helping Trump to secure the 2024 Republican primary in South Carolina, said that after four years as a U.S. attorney and eight years as attorney general, hes never seen a prosecutor behave so outlandishly, referring to Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney responsible for bringing charges against Trump. Ive never seen such outrageous conduct as that at this prosecutor, said McMaster in a statement read by Graham. All this does is shake the publics confidence in our justice system. On Tuesday, while speaking with Fox News Sean Hannity, Graham urged Trump supporters to send money in support of Trumps defense, though Trump touted that he has a lot of cash during a speech at his Florida Mar-a-Largo estate. Story continues Graham defended his request Wednesday. Trump has spent millions of dollars defending against every kind of lawsuit on demand, all kinds of criminal investigations, and I think from a Republican point of view, that if you believe in President Trump, you should take some of the burden off of him by donating money, Graham said. Critics are trying to drain the guy dry, he added. Still, Graham maintains that Trumps indictment will strengthen his reelection presidential campaign. From a campaign point of view, the actions of the New York Manhattan district attorney have enormously helped President Trump in South Carolina, Graham said. We see it in the polling and we see it in the giving. South Carolina teachers and other school district personnel are on their way to having a benefit that other state employees already have: paid parental leave. The House unanimously passed a plan Wednesday to require school districts to have paid parental leave for school district employees. School districts would have to provide up to six weeks of paid parental leave for school employees who give birth. A school employee who is a co-parent would be eligible for up to two weeks of paid leave. The bill also calls for six weeks of paid leave for the adoption of a child for the primary parent. Two weeks of paid leave would be allowed for the co-parent of an adopted child and when a foster child is placed in someones care. Last year, lawmakers adopted the same policy for state employees but did not include teachers because they are employees of individual school districts. Rock Hill Schools, Spartanburg 5, Spartanburg 6, Florence 2 and Florence 1, already have paid parental leave policies. The policy is seen as a way to recruit and retain teachers as the state faces a growing teacher shortage. Because substitute teacher pay rates vary from district to district, providing paid leave would cost districts anywhere from $2,400 to $8,000 per occurrence, if an employee takes a maximum of 12 weeks off allowed under the Family Medical Leave Act, according to the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office. Ashley Lidow, the director of policy and government relations for the Womens Rights Empowerment Network, said approving paid family leave improves outcomes for children by allowing parents time to take their children to early doctor checkups and to get their vaccinations. It also allows both parents to bond with their children and decreases postpartum depression, Lidow said. That attachment not only benefits them, but it benefits their children in the long run, Lidow said. It provides more support for the entire family. When both parents have access to paid parental leave, the partner is able to support the birthing person and it decreases stress on the family and decreases their likelihood of needing any public assistance in the future. Nikki Haley has raised more than $11 million since launching her 2024 White House bid in mid-February, her campaign announced Wednesday. Her campaign received more than 70,000 individual donations, with 67,000 of the contributions being $200 or less. She ended the quarter, which ran from Jan. 1 through March 31, with $7.8 million cash on hand. Haleys campaign said her top fundraising states were South Carolina, Florida and Texas. In just six weeks, Nikki Haleys massive fundraising and active retail campaigning in early voting states makes her a force to be reckoned with, Haleys campaign manager Betsy Ankney said. Haleys campaign did not release fundraising totals the first week as is traditional for campaigns, which political analysts thought may be a potentially troubling sign. The former South Carolina governors haul is more than the $9.5 million raised by former president Donald Trump in the first month-and-a-half of his 2024 campaign, and is more than was raised by nearly all 2016 Republican presidential candidates in their first quarters. Trump, however, has raised about $8 million since he was indicted Thursday in New York in a hush money case, as his campaign has seen a spike in interest and media attention. Haley still sits in single digits in national polls, trailing Trumps 47% and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis 33% in the latest Quinnipiac University poll of Republican voters. On the campaign trial, Haley has said her poll numbers will increase as the year and campaign go on. As Nikki said in her announcement speech in Charleston on Feb. 15, Ive been underestimated before. Thats always fun, Ankney said. So far only Trump, Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy have announced campaigns for the GOP nomination. Since kicking off her campaign, Haley has made several visits to Iowa and New Hampshire, two other early voting states in the presidential campaign order. She also visited the Southern border earlier this week. Haley is scheduled to hold a rally in Lexington County Thursday, her third rally in the South Carolina, which holds the first-in-the-South GOP primary. (CNN) An anticipated meeting between Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California this week has sparked concerns of a repeat of the pressure campaign China launched last year when then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei. At that time, Beijing encircled the island democracy with unprecedented military drills firing multiple missiles into its surrounding waters and sending dozens of warplanes speeding across a sensitive median line dividing the Taiwan Strait. It also cut off contact with the United States over a number of issues from military matters to combating climate change, in retaliation for what it viewed as a violation of its sovereignty. This time, Beijing has already threatened to resolutely fight back if a Tsai-McCarthy meeting goes ahead. It also slammed Washington for allowing Tsai to stopover in the US while en route to and from official visits in Central America, warning it could lead to serious confrontation between the two powers. A defiant Tsai staked out her own ground, pledging as she took off on her 10-day trip not to let external pressure stop Taiwan from connecting with the world and like-minded democracies. But the optics of the meeting, taking place in California and not Taiwan, and its timing at a particularly thorny moment in Chinas foreign relations and ahead of a presidential election in Taiwan that could reset the tone of its relationship with Beijing may see Beijing tread more carefully this time, or at least not escalate further, analysts say. This puts the burden on China not to overreact, because any overreaction is only going to push China further away from the world, said Yun Sun, director of the China Program at the Stimson Center think tank in Washington. That doesnt mean, however, that Beijing wont be closely watching Tsais movements as it calibrates its response and decides how much military might to flex over her meeting with an American lawmaker on American soil. The opacity of Chinas system and the potential for competing interests within its vast bureaucracy also make it difficult to accurately predict its response. Every time Taiwan does anything that China doesnt like, the Chinese react with their own military coercion, Sun said. But in the current situation, they have to consider the consequences of overreaction, she added. Rising pressure The expected meeting, which McCarthys office announced earlier this week would take place on Wednesday, also comes at a precarious moment in US-China relations. Washington and Beijing are struggling to stabilize their communication amid flaring tensions over issues from a downed suspected Chinese surveillance balloon to semiconductor supply chains raising the stakes of potential damage to that relationship if Beijing lashes out as it did when Tsai met Pelosi. Taiwan is still feeling the fallout of that response last August, with Chinese military forces now regularly making incursions over what had previously been an informal but largely respected border of control between Beijing and Taipei in the Taiwan Strait. Taiwans official Central News Agency also reported Monday that Tsai would meet with McCarthy, citing Tsais presidential office. But a meeting between Tsai and the leader of the Republican majority in the US House of Representatives, who ranks second in line to the Presidency, would mark another symbolic moment for Taiwan and the US, which only maintain unofficial ties. For Tsai, who is entering the final year of her two-term presidency, its clearly a capstone event, according to Wen-Ti Sung, a political scientist at the Australian National Universitys Taiwan Studies Program. She has this image as the Taiwanese president who has taken US-Taiwan relations to new heights, and who has been able to give Taiwan almost unprecedented international visibility, he said. That increased visibility and enhanced cooperation with the US has followed Chinas mounting pressure on the island, which sits fewer than 110 miles (177 kilometers) from the mainland coast. Chinas Communist Party claims the self-governing island democracy as its own despite never having controlled it, and has vowed to take the island, by force if necessary. The party has undertaken a sweeping expansion of its military capabilities over the past decade under leader Xi Jinping and ramped up its pervasive economic, diplomatic and military pressure on Taiwan. Thats driven concerns, among some in Washington, that Beijing is preparing for an invasion, though Chinas official language still suggests that scenario is not its preferred option for achieving the claimed goal of reunification. It is those pressures and how to support Taiwan against unilateral actions by Beijing that are likely to be on the table when Tsai, McCarthy and a bipartisan group of US lawmakers sit down on Wednesday. Congress has been a pillar of increasing American support for Taiwan in recent years. Lawmakers regularly visit the island and drive bipartisan legislation enhancing support and cooperation. While the US switched its diplomatic relations to Beijing decades ago, it maintains unofficial ties with Taiwan and is bound by law to provide the democratic island with the means to defend itself. Under Washingtons longstanding One China policy, the US acknowledges Chinas position that Taiwan is part of China, but has never officially recognized Beijings claim to the island of 23 million. Though McCarthy does not have Pelosis decades-long record of advocacy regarding China, the California Republican is now a leading voice pushing for closer scrutiny of Beijing, and meeting Tsai could help him to burnish that image. Last month, McCarthy told reporters that meeting Tsai in the US would not impact whether he travels to Taiwan in the future something he had earlier said he wanted to do. Beijing watching A meeting in California, on US soil, is widely seen as less likely to provoke Beijing than a McCarthy visit to Taiwan. Pelosis trip the first from a lawmaker of that rank to the island in 25 years generated a fever pitch of nationalist and anti-US rhetoric in mainland China. This time, so far, domestic conversation in Chinas heavily controlled media sphere has been significantly muted. But the stakes remain high including for Beijing itself over how it responds, analysts say. As Taiwan prepares for a presidential election in January, a fierce response could push voters away from Taiwans main opposition party Kuomintang (KMT), widely seen as more friendly toward Beijing. It could also jar with another high profile trip happening now: a tour of mainland China from former Taiwan president and senior KMT member Ma Ying-jeou, the first visit from a current or former Taiwan leader since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949. Mas tour is a once in a half a century opportunity to send a conciliatory message between the two sides, Beijing shouldnt want to tank that, said Sung, the political scientist. China is also acutely aware that its actions toward Taiwan are under a significantly brighter global spotlight following the invasion of Ukraine by Russian President Vladimir Putin, a close diplomatic partner of Xi. Putins rhetoric over Ukraine has echoes of how Xi speaks of Taiwan. Beijing has recently sought to position itself as an agent of peace in that conflict especially as it aims to repair frayed ties with Europe. This week, as Tsai is expected to meet with McCarthy, French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will head to China an important opportunity that Xi may not want to overshadow with military posturing. An aggressive response also risks stoking confrontation with the US, not yet six months after Xi and US President Joe Biden called to enhance communication during a face-to-face meeting in Bali. (A less overtly aggressive response) would imply that Beijing does not wish to escalate tension with the US to a level that can risk getting out of hand, said Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute in London. A reset in US-China ties is not on the agenda, but an easing of tension is not beyond the realm of possibility. This story was first published on CNN.com, Beijing promised to fight back over Taiwan leaders US visit. But this time it has more to lose" South Carolina has among the highest utility bills in the U.S., a new report shows. According to the report from move.org, the Palmetto State ranks ninth among states with the highest utility bills in 2023. Much of that cost in South Carolina comes from electricity use. However, there are steps residents can take to reduce their monthly energy bills. Utility bills have risen across the board in the U.S. over the past year. Within the last 12 months, electricity costs jumped 12.9%, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index. Also, the natural gas price index increased 14.3%, the data shows. SC utility costs And yet, even among high nationwide utility bill spending, South Carolina stands out. South Carolinians spend an average of $418.23 a month on utilities, the report states. South Carolina residents spend an average of $138.16 a month on electricity alone. Like a few other states in our top 10, South Carolina has a hot climate that necessitates a lot of air conditioning, which contributes to these hefty bills, the report states. Ranking methodology The report used average electricity consumption statistics and pricing information from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. For natural gas bill costs, the report pulled the average rate per 1,000 cubic feet for 2021 from the U.S. Energy Information Administration and assumed each household used 168 cubic feet a day. How to save on SC electricity bills Here are several steps residents can take to potentially lower their electricity bills on their own during the spring and summer, according to Dominion Energy. Adjust your thermostat to 78 degrees or higher when temperatures begin to rise. Set it even higher at 80 degrees to 83 degrees while away from home. Check air filters monthly and change them when theyre dirty. Periodically check home ductwork for leaks and tears. Upgrade your attic insulation to a minimum of R-28 (12-14 inches), which can help save on heating and cooling costs. Caulk, seal and weather strip around all seams, cracks and openings to protect against drafts. Set your electric water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit and inspect the unit for leaks periodically. Replace traditional incandescent light bulbs with LEDs, which are far more efficient. Install a door sweep to seal the gap between the bottom of your door and the ground to prevent unconditioned air from entering and conditioned air from leaving your home. Story continues Helpful cost reduction programs There are federal tax rebates you can potentially get by installing federally-qualified, energy efficient air conditioners, electric furnaces and water heaters. For details on these programs, click here. Weatherization assistance for low-income families, the elderly and people with disabilities with children is available through the Weather Assistance Program. WAP is coordinated through community action agencies that are responsible for each of South Carolinas 46 counties. For general information, call the Governors Office of Economic Opportunity at 803-734-0662. Qualified households can get assistance with utility bills through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. The program is administered by the Governors Office of Economic Opportunity in coordination with community action agencies. For general information, contact the Governors Office of Economic Opportunity at 803-734-0662. Top 10 states with highest average monthly utility bills The Apple TV+ series Schmigadoon! takes a darker turn for Season 2, putting Melissa (Cecily Strong) and Joel (Keegan-Michael Key) in Schmicago, based on musicals from the 1960s and 1970s. I've always known that I wanted to move through the different eras for different seasons, co-creator Cinco Paul told Yahoo Canada. So then I started to look at the musicals and thought, what is the journey for Josh and Melissa this season? Because I didn't want it to be about the relationship, I wanted them to be a team now. Last season was about love but this season is going to be about happiness, because there was very little happiness to be found in any of these ['60s and '70s] shows. They're trying to find joy in a world that has no happy endings, and that's the world that you and I live in. So there was a lot that resonated there with me and with everybody else who was working on the show. Episode 5. Keegan-Michael Key and Cecily Strong in "Schmigadoon!," now streaming on Apple TV+. What is 'Schmigadoon!' Season 2 about? Back with its impressive cast, including Cecily Strong, Keegan-Michael Key, Ariana DeBose, Dove Cameron, Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Jane Krakowski, Aaron Tveit, Ann Harada, Patrick Page and Jaime Camil, Schmigadoon! begins with Josh and Melissa returning to New York. The couple are newly married but are facing one upsetting issue, they haven't been able to conceive a child. Then they have the idea to go back to the town of Schmigadoon, where everything and everyone is happy. But things take a turn when they don't go back to Schmigadoon, they end up in Schmicago, filled with crooks, showgirls and greedy villains. There's nothing idyllic about Schmicago at all, but now they're trapped, and they have to find their happy ending in order to leave. "I liked the story arc of somebody that's maybe not feeling so great about themselves at the moment, for whatever reason, it's something that everyone can relate to," Strong told Yahoo Canada. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 21: (L-R) Ann Harada, Keegan-Michael Key, Cecily Strong, Cinco Paul, Dove Cameron, Aaron Tveit, Jane Krakowski and Jaime Camil attend the photo call for Apple TV+'s "Schmigadoon!" Season 2 at Park Lane Hotel on March 21, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage) If you're not really a fan of musicals, you may be temped to write off Schmigadoon! as something that's just not your taste, but that certainly may not be the case. Season 2, in particular, really amps up the comedy in a way that can appeal to a musical averse audience. Story continues For Paul, he learned in Season 1 that he very much likes to stick to the script, but with impressively talented comedians and improvisers in the cast, primarily Strong and Key, he did give them some room to give scenes their own spin. I think if it were up to Keegan and I, I mean, we'd improvise half of the show, Strong said. I think what's nice is we have a good relationship with Cinco and we love what he writes. So we try to stick to the script as much as possible, but he's very open if we have some suggestions. Not that they'll use them all, and they're not wrong for maybe not using all of them, but we can't help ourselves and we'll just keep going. We called ourselves the button twins, we will have 18 different endings. The other thing is, within the confines of this really fantastic writing, we would find little things we could do, Key added. I do an impersonation of Patrick Page and so within the lines, if I had an opportunity to do a line in Patrick's voice, I would do that. [My] acting technique is, can I make [Cecily Strong] laugh? Dove Cameron, Ariana DeBose and Cecily Strong in "Schmigadoon!," now streaming on Apple TV+. 'We're bringing the camera on stage with us' But of course, we can't talk about this series without mentioning the musical numbers in the show, which are bigger, bolder, funnier and sexier than Season 1. The original songs also very much fit the mold of a '60s or '70s musical. I wanted the songs to sound authentic, Paul said. I wanted them to have the same instrumentation that the originals had. I want the songs to feel like, 'oh this is a Stephen Sondheim song I've never heard before.' Or 'oh this is a Stephen Schwartz song that must have been cut from Pippin,' or something, which I call the highest level of parody or satire you can get. Continuing from Season 1, the musical numbers are filmed with the actors singing live as much as possible, because Paul wanted to prevent any evidence of pre-recording that could take the audience out of the moment. I don't know if this is just because I'm a glutton for punishment, but if somebody asks me to lip sync to something that's already been perfected, and I pre-recorded, I feel like I'm cheating, Dove Cameroon said. There's something about it where I'm like, but I could do it live. We're going to take all of these incredibly talented people, showcase the best of their abilities, and do it live and let the audience see. In stage performances, you don't actually get to see the twinkle in the eye if you're further than row three. ... So it's just really intimate, and it's really, really fabulous for that reason. I think the result is there's just a seamlessness to the way that it's being told, Aaron Tveit added. I almost feel like we're bringing the camera on stage with us. The audience is getting to see kind of what we see, which is really incredible. Jane Krakowski in "Schmigadoon!," now streaming on Apple TV+. Jane Krakowski has a particularly impressive number called "Bells and Whistles" that has her doing impeccable tricks as lawyer Bobbie Flanagan, based on the Chicago character Billy Flynn. I was particularly excited because the musicals of the 60s and 70s are my favourite musicals and the ones that had the largest influence on me, Krakowski said. I was beyond thrilled when I saw that I was going to be Bobby Flanagan, it's an incredibly custom-written role for me. I literally got to put in all the bells and whistles of anything I've learned how to do throughout my career. It demanded it and I was thrilled to step up to the plate to fulfill it with the special skills on my resume. ... It was a bit like getting as much as we could before they pulled the plug on filming that day. Dove Cameron in "Schmigadoon!," now streaming on Apple TV+. Cameron also has a Liza Minnelli in Cabaret-inspired number, called "Kaput," which is another highlight of Season 2. It started out pretty grand from the jump. ... They told me it was going to be lots of chair'ography and I was going to have to learn a couple of hat tricks, and I was going to be nearly naked. And I was prepped from the jump, Cameron said. I was definitely nervous about the whole thing, but thankfully, we got to shoot it at the very end and got some good rehearsal time. I am by no means a dancer like Liza, I was never going to get anywhere close to that. But I think the thing that I find so fascinating about Liza on stage is she just has so much work in the eyes. There's such a sense of humour in the eyes and a sense of wonderment. She's really looking at every member of the audience as though they were either her best friend or her lover, or target or something. There's an intrigue that she has and I think that was something that I wanted to do. Aaron Tveit and Keegan-Michael Key in "Schmigadoon!," now streaming on Apple TV+. The comedy also extends into the musical numbers, primarily with one called "Everybodys Gotta Get Naked," with Tveit and Key channelling the hippie era of musicals. One of the things I've learned on this show is that the best choice at every moment is always the most ridiculous choice," Tveit said. "So that number just kind of personifies that." "If you think, oh I don't know what to do here. It's like, well what's the craziest thing that I could try to do? Or the silliest thing that I could try to do. And I think we all did that for that entire number. Jane Krakowski, Jaime Camil, Dove Cameron and Alan Cumming in "Schmigadoon!," now streaming on Apple TV+. What musicals could be next? Following an impressive second season, the next question is, where could Schmigadoon! go next? The cast and crew have a few ideas. I do feel bad, I really wanted to do a parody of The Wiz in this season, and I couldn't figure out how to get it in there, Paul said. Ease On Down the Road was a song that was on my playlist and I targeted. But beyond this, I'm such a huge Stephen Sondheim fan that I would love to do Sunday in the Park with George and Merrily We Roll Along, and Into the Woods. ... We'll see what happens. Krakowski echoed Paul's feelings about something Sondheim-related in the future. Wth the loss of Stephen Sondheim, I feel that we could do an entire season just honouring Mr. Sondheim, Krakowski said. I know Sweeney Todd is one of his Cinco's favourite musicals, and my favourite musicals are both written by Stephen Sondheim, which are Gypsy and Sunday in the Park with George. I would love to hit the [musicals] that I feel changed me musically when they came out, in the history of musical theatre, like Rent and Spring Awakening and Hamilton." For Ann Harada, she wouldn't be opposed to stepping back into her Les Miserables shoes for the series, in the future. We talked about this all the time, if there was a Season 3, it would have to be for musicals of the 80s and 90s," Harada said. "I would be so down to be in [Les Miserables] again, or [The Phantom of the Opera] or Cats, or any of those kinds of [big shows]. A former high school nurse secretly took over 700 photos of dozens of female students using a hidden camera in a private bathroom in his nurses station, federal officials said. Now the former Northeast High School nurse in Clarksville, Tennessee, is headed to prison after pleading guilty to 25 counts related to child pornography crimes in September, according to prosecutors. Leon B. Hensley, 42, was sentenced to 24 years and four months in prison on April 3, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Tennessee announced in a news release. The sentence stems from Hensleys arrest in May 2021 after law enforcement learned he texted a nude photo of a woman to a female child in Clarksville whom he asked to pose for him in a photo shoot, according to prosecutors and court documents. Further investigation revealed he had hundreds of files of child pornography on his electronic devices, including on his phone, a small camera and an SD card, according to court documents. Mr. Hensley violated unsuspecting students by unlawfully invading their privacy by using his position of trust as a school administrator to exploit them, Rana Saoud, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Nashville, said in a statement. Hensleys attorney Dumaka Shabazz declined a request for comment from McClatchy News on April 5. Hensley was also found to have images of women in hospital rooms, airports, tanning beds and upskirt videos of both adults and minor females, prosecutors said. More on the case The Clarksville Police Department began investigating Hensley after receiving a report about him sending a photo of a nude woman to a minor in 2019, according to an affidavit filed in federal court. He worked at NEHS as the school nurse from August 2017 until November 2019, when he was fired due to the police investigation, during which he admitted to messaging the minor, the affidavit says. After Hensley allowed officers to search his cell phone, they found a folder named decoy folder with images involving the sexual exploitation of postpubescent minor children, according to the affidavit. Story continues The folder contained additional folders, including one titled NEHS, which investigators believe stands for Northeast High School, the affidavit says. The search of the folders on Hensleys phone revealed he had nude photos of five female Northeast High School students who were unaware he had the images, according to the affidavit. Two students thought they were sending the photos of themselves to another high school student while the three other students thought they sent the images to a modeling agency, the affidavit says. After Hensleys phone was searched, detectives executed a search warrant of his home and seized his electronic devices, including a small, black video camera, according to the affidavit. These devices were turned over to special agent Matthew Stephenson of the United States Secret Service in Nashville. Hidden camera in school bathroom Investigators learned Hensley had over 700 files of images of over 40 female students, ranging from ages 12 to 18, using a private bathroom in his nursing station that he captured with the small video camera, according to the affidavit. The camera capturing the students undressed was placed directly across and in front of the toilet seat, at toilet seat level, the affidavit says. Additional images taken of seemingly unaware victims Over 200 other images on Hensleys devices showed minor females in hospital exam rooms, pre-operation or post-operation rooms, and naked women in tanning beds that appeared to be taken without them knowing, according to the affidavit. Seven of those image files were taken at Tennova Hospital in Clarksville, where Hensley previously worked before becoming the school nurse at Northeast High School, the affidavit says. One of the image files is a 13-second video, which appears to be recorded by a person wearing a camera, and shows a minor female, according to the affidavit. The person appears to lift up a bed sheet covering the minor and their genital area is seen, the affidavit says. HSI, the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI and Clarksville police jointly investigated Hensley, prosecutors said. Clarksville is about 50 miles northwest of Nashville. Nurse practitioner prescribed pills to have sex with women, promote TV show, feds say Health facility worker helps teen run away, then sexually assaults them, NC cops say Childrens museum director distributed child pornography while at museum, feds say Brighton Police and the New York State Troopers responded to Brighton High School last week after a NYS Trooper's barrack received notification that there was a threat of an active shooter at the high school. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer is calling on the Federal Bureau of Investigation to investigate an uptick in "swatting" calls, which in recent weeks have targeted schools from the Rochester area to Westchester County with fake threats of violence. Schumer promised to dedicate $10 million to the effort in the upcoming federal budget. In a single day last week, law enforcement responded to 36 false reports of mass shootings involving 226 schools across the state, Schumer said. Almost all of the schools received the same phone call, and many went into lockdown as police searched the building. Schools in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Ohio were also targeted. "Imagine the horror when a parent hears there might be an active shooter in the school," Schumer said at a press conference Wednesday. "Imagine the horror of the students. It's traumatizing. And even though it's soon discovered as a false alarm, the trauma doesn't go away." At the press conference Wednesday, Schumer announced a three-point plan to address an "unprecedented wave" of swatting incidents: An "all hands on deck" FBI investigation into the recent spat of swatting calls in New York; $10 million for a "cyberswat team" at the FBI solely focused on chasing down swatting calls. Schumer said he has directed the FBI to start mobilizing these resources, confident that the legislation will pass in next year's federal budget; Data collection on swatting calls to identify trends and patterns across the country that could aid investigators. Schumer said engaging federal support is crucial as tracing the source of these threats often leads investigators across state lines or even overseas. On Tuesday, the Spencerport school district was hit with a false bomb threat. But schools are empty with students out on spring break, leading law enforcement to believe the call came from out of the area. At least a dozen Westchester County school districts and one in Putnam County received swatting calls last week, including Yonkers, Pleasantville, Chappaqua and Putnam Valley. Story continues A series of false bomb threats in Hilton last month came from a Russian email address and was routed through international servers. More: 'This has clearly been a hoax.' Bomb threats against Hilton schools deemed not credible by police The false alarms also divert emergency services, often for hours at a time, and cost thousands of dollars in local resources, Schumer said. "After reports that these incidents are on the rise, we have to do a lot more," he said. Kayla Canne reports on community justice and safety efforts for the Democrat and Chronicle. Get in touch at kcanne@gannett.com or on Twitter @kaylacanne. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Schumer announces plan to address uptick in swatting incidents Moacir Elias Santos and Cicero Moraes For decades, scientists have been putting digital faces to the fossilized remains of ancient peopleboth famous and unknown. A new study pieces together the face of a 35,000-year-old man, whose remains were discovered in Egypt's Nile Valley in 1980. This digital approximation revealed a surprisingly robust jaw (compared to modern humans) and a detailed portrait of a unique era of human history. Around 35,000 years ago, a man of African ancestry died in what is now Egypt. Predating the first known pharaoh by 32 millennia, no one knows who this man was or what kind of society he lived in. The only archaeological clue was the ax found beside him when his bones were uncovered more than four decades ago at Nazlet Khater 2, an archaeological site in Egypts Nile Valley. Although the details of his life are lost to time, his death is one of the most consequential moments in archaeology. Thats because this man, who stood 5 foot 3 inches tall and was between the ages of 17 and 29, is the oldest known Homo sapiens skeleton in Egypt, and one the oldest in the world. And, crucially, his skull is remarkably intact. Now, 43 years after its initial discovery, Brazilian scientists have used a process known as photogrammetry to digitally recreate what this ancient man might have looked like. Their preprint study was published (in Portuguese) in late March. "The skeleton has most of the bones preserved, although there have been some losses," co-author and archeologist Moacir Elias Santos told Live Science. "But the main structure for facial approximation, the skull, was well preserved." By piecing together detailed images of the skeleton, scientists created two composite images: one black-and-white image in a neutral state and another in a more life-like rendering with facial hair and curly locks. The researchers discovered that the skull itself had a mostly modern structure, though the jaw was much more robust than whats typically found in modern Homo sapiens, a possible genetic leftover from our Great Ape ancestors. Story continues The practice of photogrammetry in archaeology is decades old, but recent technological developments have made the technique more affordable, ubiquitous, and accurate. At its most basic, photogrammetry creates 3D renderings from 2D images and uses feature matching to capture an artifact, burial site, or (in this case) a skull from every angle. Over the past several years, scientists have rendered many digital recreations derived from human fossils. In 2016, the University of Glasgow recreated Scotlands legendary king Robert the Bruce using a cast of the original skull and some population statistics to fill in the blanks (a 14th century Scottish king likely had red hair and brown eyes, for example.) Other studies have also digitally recreated famous faces found in the same region as this 35,000-year-old specimen. In 2021, scientists from the Face Lab at Liverpool John Moores University in the United Kingdom recreated the face of Ramses II, arguably ancient Egypts most famous pharaoh, who reigned from 1279 to 1213 BCE. Using a collection of CT scan data, Ramses II, who died around the age of 90, was even de-aged to when he was about 45 years old. The Brazilian scientists admit that their digital recreation is only an approximation, but the because of the sheer age of the skeleton (dating back to the tail end of the Paleolithic era), this facial facsimile not only puts a face to a little-known era of human history, but also helps scientists understand an important chapter in human evolution. You Might Also Like Seamus Power made a hole-in-one on consecutive holes in the par-three contest at the Masters (Matt Slocum/AP) (AP) Irelands Seamus Power amazingly made back-to-back holes-in-one during the par-three contest ahead of the 87th Masters. Power span his tee shot on the eighth back into the hole for an ace and amazingly repeated the feat just moments later on the last on the newly renovated layout at Augusta National. The world number 34 is the third player to make consecutive aces in the traditional curtain-raiser, joining Claude Harmon (1968) and Toshi Izawa (2002). Seamus Power finishes ace-ace. Back-to-back holes-in-one! On No. 8: pic.twitter.com/M1Vdn2NNHe Golf Central (@GolfCentral) April 5, 2023 Defending champion Scottie Scheffler also made a hole-in-one in bizarre circumstances, the world number ones tee shot on the ninth plunging straight into the cup after he and playing partners Tom Kim and Sam Burns had teed off simultaneously. Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watsons hole-in-one on the fourth and one from Tom Hoge on the eighth took the total number of aces in the contests history to 107. Since the event started in 1960, nobody has ever become par-three and Masters champion in the same week. RICHMOND, Ind. A second suspect was charged Tuesday in an investigation of the theft of more than $150,000 from the bank accounts of a Wayne County cemetery. Cambridge City resident Dustin L. Taylor, 43, is charged with theft a Level 5 felony carrying up to six years in prison in Wayne Superior Court 2. Last week, Taylor's wife, 43-year-old Trisha C. Taylor, was also charged with theft. Indiana State Police said Trisha Taylor was president of the board overseeing operations of the Lutheran Cemetery in Pershing also known as East Germantown just east of Cambridge City along U.S. 40. More: Wayne County woman charged with stealing $150K in cemetery funds Another board member told state police last September that the cemetery did not have enough money to pay $8,000 in fees owed to a contractor who had performed maintenance there. In 2014 the year before Trisha Taylor became the cemetery board's president the cemetery's bank accounts held a total of nearly $280,000, according to an ISP report. The report also indicated financial records showed Trisha Taylor over a three-year period ending in January 2022 wrote checks on cemetery accounts, to herself and her husband, for a total of $117,751. Dustin Taylor was identified on documents as the cemetery's superintendent. The report concluded the Taylors "received well over $150,000 of the cemetery's money, Investigators said Trisha Taylor eventually closed the cemetery's bank accounts and also filed paperwork with state government to dissolve the cemetery board. Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Second person charged in theft of Wayne County cemetery's funds Hillary Clinton, former secretary of State and former Democratic presidential nominee, was seen enjoying a lavish night out in New York City, just hours after her 2016 opponent, former President Donald Trump, faced criminal charges just blocks away. Clinton, who lost to Trump in the 2016 presidential election, was the honoree Tuesday at a dinner in the city's high-scale, private Lotos Club. TRUMP SLAMS BRAGG AFTER PLEADING NOT GUILTY: I NEVER THOUGHT ANYTHING LIKE THIS COULD HAPPEN IN AMERICA' Hillary Clinton enjoyed a lavish night out in New York City Tuesday. Hillary Clinton was honored at an event Tuesday, just blocks from Trump Tower. Clinton was spotted with guests at the East 66th Street event. NANCY PELOSI STRUGGLES TO RECOVER AFTER ACCIDENTALLY REFERRING TO HILLARY CLINTON AS PRESIDENT Hillary Clinton enjoyed a night at the Lotos Club. Hillary Clinton out in New York Tuesday. Clinton was all smiles as she exited the black-tie dinner. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Hillary Clinton was defeated by Trump in the 2016 presidential election. Hillary Clinton was honored at New York City's Lotos Club. Trump, who is running in the 2024 presidential election, was indicted Thursday on charges stemming from alleged hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Trump was arraigned in New York City Tuesday, making him the first president in American history to face criminal charges. While speaking Tuesday night in his first speech following the arraignment, Trump called out Clinton and claimed that nothing happened after she allegedly "got rid of 33,000 emails." "Our justice system has become lawless," Trump told the crowd. "Theyre using it now, in addition to everything else, to win elections." Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report. No crystal ball was needed to predict that survivors of Trevor Seever would be awarded a hefty sum in his maddeningly unnecessary death. The $7.5 million settlement announced Tuesday is an entirely unsurprising result of bad police work. Its another example of the price paid when an officer needlessly guns down an unarmed person desperately trying to get away. Remember that Evin Yadegars survivors accepted $7 million after the Modesto woman, suffering a mental crisis, was shot and killed in 2017 by a Stanislaus County deputy sheriff while trying to get away from him and others. Carmen Spencer Mendezs loved ones were awarded $2.1 million after the 15-year-old (who was armed) was shot and killed while fleeing a Ceres police officer. Stephon Clarks family received a combined $4.1 million in two settlements one for his children, the other for his parents after the unarmed Sacramento man was shot and killed by police there in 2018. The list goes on and will continue as long as nothing changes in the culture and training of law enforcement officers. In each case, government agencies would not agree to a deal of such magnitude unless they feared that a civil jury could award substantially more if the lawsuit were to proceed to trial. In other words, each agency paid up rather than defend officers poor judgment. None was a righteous shooting. Before each officer began firing, he had an array of possible reactions at his disposal. Each tragically resorted to the most lethal and most final, and people they were sworn to protect ended up in the morgue. Taxpayers end up footing the bill. Yes, insurance typically covers some of the payout, but who pays insurance premiums? Taxpayers. Others costs emotional suffering, and loss of trust in cops are longer lasting, harder to calculate and surely more damaging. I dont feel like itll ever be done, from the perspective of the mother, Darlene (Ruiz), Modesto Mayor Sue Zwahlen told Bee editors in a private meeting March 27, after the settlement was reached but before the amount was announced. Story continues The family will live with this and carry on, but the grief is never done. It just evolves, the mayor said, in a quiet voice. Individual accountability on the part of officer is never ensured. Justin Wall, the deputy who killed Yadegar, was acquitted at trial in San Joaquin County. Former District Attorney Birgit Fladager declined to prosecute Ross Bays, the Ceres officer who shot Mendez in the back. Modesto police fired Joseph Lamantia relatively quickly after he killed Seever, and Lamantias preliminary hearing on criminal charges should conclude this month. Meanwhile, Modesto clings to indications that change is possible. Zwahlen began promoting police reform almost upon her election three years ago. Other Modesto City Council members got behind the effort, called Forward Together, and expect soon to hire an independent police auditor who will work with a nine-member citizens oversight committee. Police Chief Brandon Gillespie appears committed to the process. Its a decent start. But much remains to be done. The working group laying the foundation for Forward Together failed to reach consensus on important department policy changes precisely because of opposition raised by representatives of police or their union. A long list of disagreements includes additional training to help police avoid racial bias, civil rights training for officers, know your rights training for the community, reducing arrests of Latino youth, improving mental health treatment for officers, drug testing for officers after a critical incident, banning on-duty political activity, clarifying standards for use-of-pain compliance, specifically prohibiting carotid holds, requiring officers to call for assistance when they might use lethal force, and requiring that officers stop shooting as soon as possible after they start. All have merit and must be pursued. Modesto will know that Forward Together is succeeding only when officers stop seeing people as threats to neutralize rather than brothers and sisters in need. Selena Gomez is seen filming Only Murders in the Building on March 17 in Queens, New York City. Gotham / GC Images Looks like Selena Gomez is in her Eras Tour merch era. The star was recently spotted paying tribute to her bestie through her wardrobe. On Monday, Gomez was captured wearing black leggings from Taylor Swifts Eras Tour in New York while on set for the upcoming Season 3 of Only Murders in the Building . Selena Gomez is seen filming Only Murders in the Building on April 4 in Washington Heights, New York City. Gotham / GC Images Her outfit choice comes a few days after she attended night two of Swifts tour stop in Arlington, Texas. Gomez, who is from Texas, took her 9-year-old sister Gracie as a guest. While performing the song 22 off her Red album, Swift even stopped midperformance to give Gracie her hat . Taylor Swift performs onstage on the first night of her Eras Tour in Arlington, Texas, on March 31. Suzanne Cordeiro / AFP via Getty Images Of course, as true fans, both Gomez and Gracie dressed up in clothes from different Swiftian eras. Gomez wore a cardigan to channel Folklore , while Gracie wore a purple dress to give Speak Now energy. Following the concert, Gomez shared her experience at the ethereal concert on her Instagram while expressing her pride for Swift. Thank you bestie for having me and my sissy transport into your mystical, euphoric and special world, Gomez wrote. Proud to know you! love you forever and always. This was far from the first time Gomez expressed her admiration for Swift. Just last week at the iHeartRadio Music Awards , Gomez celebrated Swift receiving the Innovator Award. Shes a role model, Gomez said at the awards show. I dont think thats something you sign up for; I just think its something you inherently have inside of you, and I think thats Taylor. While it doesnt seem that Gomezs Eras merch on the set of Only Murders was an outfit for the show, last month she was spotted in a notable look that really appears to be a costume. Martin Short, Selena Gomez, and Steve Martin on the film set for Only Murders in the Building in New York City, March 21, 2023. Jose Perez / GC Images On March 21, paparazzi captured photos of Gomez wearing a wedding dress and veil while filming the Emmy-nominated show alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short. In the series she plays Mabel, an artist who cohosts a true crime podcast with Martin and Shorts characters about solving the murders in their Upper West Side complex. Story continues Theres still no release date for the third season, which added Paul Rudd and Meryl Streep to the cast. Maybe Swift will join too? Lets hope. More like this (CNN) Former US President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony criminal charges of falsifying business records in Manhattan criminal court Tuesday afternoon. The indictment against Trump alleges that the former president sought to undermine the integrity of the 2016 election. Prosecutors alleged Trump was part of an unlawful plan to suppress negative information, including an illegal payment of $130,000 that was ordered by the defendant to suppress the negative information that would hurt his campaign. The reason Trump committed the crime of falsifying business records was in part to promote his candidacy, the indictment alleges. The former presidents voice was measured in the courtroom. He walked in slowly scanning the reporters in the courtroom and looked at the judge when he was speaking. Trump had arrived at the Manhattan district attorneys office earlier Tuesday afternoon, where he was placed under arrest and in police custody before the arraignment. The arraignment in the Manhattan courtroom Tuesday represented a surreal and historic moment in US history. A judge said Monday night that news outlets were not allowed to broadcast the proceedings, rejecting a request from several media organizations, including CNN. Five still photographers, however, will be allowed to take pictures of Trump and the courtroom before the hearing begins. The indictment returned last week by a grand jury against Trump will provide the public and Trumps legal team with the first details about the specific charges he will face. The investigation stemmed from a hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. It remains to be seen whether Trump will speak in New York. Chris Kise, one of Trumps lawyers, said he expects the former president to speak to the cameras in the hallway outside of the courtroom before and after his arraignment, and multiple people familiar with Trumps thinking tell CNN that he has weighed saying something while still in Manhattan. Advisers have warned him, however, that any unplanned remarks put him at high risk of hurting his case. Trump is slated to fly back to Florida following his court appearance and will hold an event at Mar-a-Lago Tuesday evening that gives the 2024 Republican presidential hopeful a chance to respond to the charges. While Trumps comments will signal how he intends to fight the charges against him in the political arena, the former president is also preparing for the fight in court: He added a new attorney, Todd Blanche, to serve as lead counsel on his defense team on Monday. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs indictment marks the first criminal charges against Trump, but its not the only potential legal trouble in front of the former president: Special counsel Jack Smith is still moving forward with an investigation into Trumps role in the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and the handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. And a Fulton County special grand jury has completed its investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia. Trump arrived in New York on Monday afternoon, flying up on his jet from Palm Beach. He stayed overnight in Trump Tower, 4 miles north to the courthouse in downtown Manhattan on Tuesday afternoon. Law enforcement in New York and the US Secret Service have been planning for the prospect of Trumps appearance at the courthouse for weeks. This story was first published on CNN.com, Donald Trump pleads not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records" Roughly 120,000 Americans with disabilities are earning less than the minimum wage, and half of those are earning less than $3.50 an hour, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office. Not only is this legal, but the employers received a certificate from the government to do it. Paying a subminimum wage for people with disabilities has been legal since 1938, but has become less common in recent years as states have tried to ban or limit the practice. Now, Senator Bob Casey, D-PA, has reintroduced a bill to end the subminimum wage nationwide. Employers can pay their disabled workers a subminimum wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act if they obtain a 14(c) certificate from the federal government. The certificate allows a business to pay employees less than minimum wage if their productivity is less than a normal workers. Forty-five employers in Pennsylvania have a certificate to pay their workers less than minimum wage, according to the Department of Labor, and these businesses have 3,567 employees. Most employers that pay a subminimum wage hire people with intellectual disabilities to work in sheltered workshops, doing menial tasks under heavy supervision. Advocates for sheltered workshops argue that their employees couldnt be hired anywhere that pays minimum wage. Steve Pennington, director of the Pennsylvania Client Assistance Program, said sheltered workshops are not just underpaying their employees but also prevent them from developing skills to work elsewhere. In a workshop, employees are doing the same repetitive, menial tasks every day often things like sorting hangers, counting screws, stuffing envelopes or packaging products and dont get to interact with non-disabled people, Pennington said. The idea that a competitive, integrated workplace is better for peoples development than a sheltered workshop has shaped Pennsylvanias policy in recent years, Pennington said. The number of Pennsylvanians earning a subminimum wage has declined by almost 10,000 people since 2014. Story continues Under Caseys bill, states would receive funding and have a 5-year transition period to get that number down to zero. BARC Developmental Services, a business with sheltered workshops in Quakertown and Warminster, would be forced out of business if Caseys bill passed, according to its executive director Mary Sautter. Like most sheltered workshops, BARC contracts with businesses to fill menial tasks like sorting or packaging objects, and it wouldnt be able to get those contracts if it had to pay its workers a minimum wage, Sautter said. Shes contacted Caseys office to ask him to withdraw his bill. Skills of Central PA, a Centre County-based group that runs four sheltered workshops with 150 employees, would likely lose its contracts if it had to pay minimum wage, according to vice president Mary Kay Fultz. The businesses would probably go back to doing the work themselves, Fultz said, and she doubted that they would be willing to hire Skills employees. Unlike BARC, Fultz said Skills would not close if it lost its contracts, but would transition to finding activities and volunteer work for its employees. About 20 of BARCs 129 subminimum wage employees earn somewhere from $3.50 to $8 per hour, according to Scott Kulp, BARCs director of vocational and developmental programs. BARC also has employees earning just $10 per week, based on their productivity. The top three executives at BARC, including Sautter and Kulp, all made more than $100,000 in 2020, according to tax documents. Wages at Skills are also based on productivity how many pieces of work an employee can complete and the average wage last year was $5.27 per hour, Fultz said. We strive to help each of the folks that we serve become as productive as they possibly can, but realizing that, with very few exceptions, theyre not going to be able to work anywhere near whats considered standard for individuals who dont have a disability, Kulp said. BARC and Skills have programs to match people with intellectual disabilities with minimum wage jobs in the community, but those workplaces are usually not willing to schedule employees with intellectual disabilities for more than 15 hours per week, Sautter said. Fultz said Skills former employees have also struggled to get hours when they find a minimum wage job. Often, Sautter said, these people end up coming back to the workshop for the rest of the week so they can work full time. If not for BARCs subminimum wage jobs, its employees may be sitting at home unengaged, and potentially a family member has to now quit their job or work less because they have to care for that person, Sautter argued. But Pennington said workshop programs like BARCs are just a short-term solution to the problems of people with intellectual disabilities and their families, and they dont develop skills that they would in a minimum wage job with an integrated workforce. Whats more important, Pennington said, Providing daycare and, within that, the opportunity to make $1 an hour sorting hangers or putting screws in boxes? Or the opportunity to develop real-life skills and becoming independent? Casey has been introducing a bill to end the minimum wage for years, usually with bipartisan cosponsors in both houses of Congress, but the bill has never gained traction. Even if the bill doesnt pass, the number of people with disabilities making subminimum wage has been declining for years, and will likely continue to decline. From 2010 to 2019, the number of employers paying subminimum wages to people with disabilities dropped from 3,100 to less than 1,600, the GAO report found. Last year, the Department of Education created a grant to 14 states to help them phase out the subminimum wage, awarding Pennsylvania $13 million over five years. Pennington, who serves on the advisory committee for the grant in Pennsylvania, said the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation will begin implementing the grant in the next fiscal year. Its easy to look at a person with an intellectual disability and say, That person cant do anything, Pennington said. But thats more opinion than fact. The Degler News Service in Washington, D.C. is part of the journalism department in Penn States Bellisario College of Communications. The Florida House and Senate are positioned to begin negotiations on a record state budget, after the House on Tuesday unanimously passed a $113 billion proposal. The House vote came after the Senate on Monday approved its $113.7 billion spending plan for the fiscal year that will start July 1. The two chambers will need to reach agreement on a final budget before the scheduled May 5 end of the annual legislative session. Members, we have a lot of work left to do before we can land the final budget, House Appropriations Chairman Tom Leek, R-Ormond Beach, told the House after Tuesdays vote. The first step in negotiations will involve House and Senate leaders reaching agreement on what are known as allocations overall amounts designated for different areas of the budget, such as education and health and human services. Conference-committee members then will negotiate differences in spending details. Theres a lot of similarities [in the budget proposals]. But there are some differences, House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, said Tuesday. So, we have to go through the allocation process. I see a place to land, but you know it can get bumpy. Democrats agree now but not necessarily later Lawmakers are flush with cash, in part because of higher-than-expected tax revenues. But House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, said Tuesdays unanimous vote wasnt a sign Democrats agreed with every element of the House spending plan. We all have to do the best that we can to provide for our communities and make sure that critical resources reach them, that theres funding for the arts and the environment and so many different things, Driskell said. As examples of issues that will be in play during negotiations, the Senate has proposed a 3% across-the-board pay increase for state employees, while the House has proposed 6% raises. Also, the House does not want to fund the business-recruitment agency Enterprise Florida and the tourism-marketing agency Visit Florida. The Senate, for instance, wants to spend $80 million on Visit Florida, an increase of $30 million from the current year. Story continues The Senate also would provide $75 million for the Job Growth Grant Fund, which Gov. Ron DeSantis can tap for regional infrastructure projects and workforce-training programs. The House has proposed spending $25 million on the program, while DeSantis has asked for $100 million. Far apart on funding for state guard Meanwhile, in one of DeSantis priorities, the House has proposed spending $107.9 million on the recently revived Florida State Guard. The money would allow the state guards ranks to jump from 400 to 1,500, while adding aviation and maritime components. The House offer is about $13 million more than DeSantis has requested. The state guard is funded at $10 million this year, and the Senate spending plan does not include an increase. Inactive since 1947, DeSantis made reviving the civilian guard a priority in 2022 to assist the Florida National Guard during emergencies. On Monday, House Energy, Communications & Cybersecurity Chairman Mike Giallombardo, R-Cape Coral, said more than 3,600 people have applied to be members of the state guard, with about 465 identified as good candidates. A stand-alone bill (HB 1285) on the state guard was the only issue that drew opposition from House Democrats on Tuesday. My concern is were increasing the number, we have vague language [on the state guards duties backing up the Florida National Guard], and were increasing the ability for the guard to interact with Floridians without having an established framework already in place, Rep. Ashley Gantt, D-Miami, said. Democrats concerned about school vouchers While they voted for the budget proposal, Democrats also called for added oversight of school vouchers, additional funding in areas such as the arts, child-care services and the environment and expanding eligibility for Medicaid coverage. They unsuccessfully tried Monday to remove $12 million that Republicans plan to provide for transporting migrants to sanctuary areas of the country. Rep. Robin Bartleman, a Weston Democrat who is an educator, raised concerns about a recently signed law (HB 1) that expands voucher programs. When we talk about how many people we think are going to take advantage of this, I dont want to underestimate the fact that 300,000 people have the potential to do so, Bartleman said. Rep. Bruce Antone, D-Orlando, expressed concerns that legislation accompanying the vouchers doesnt include ways to ensure those students will get a good quality education. Antone also voiced a need for the budget to include more funding for urban communities. I like the fact that were investing in our infrastructure, roads, highways, bridges, what have you, Antone said. But weve got to put that same energy into those inner-city and urban communities. Theyve been neglected for so long. More than a half-dozen students at an elementary school in Orange, Massachusetts, were transported to hospitals after they either ate or touched a spicy gum product that was brought to school by a classmate, according to officials. Superintendent of Schools Elizabeth Teahan-Zielinski said in a message to parents that one student at the Dexter Park Innovation School who purchased the spicy gum product online offered it to other students during recess on Tuesday. According to Teahan-Zielinski, the gum product contained levels of pepper that caused digestive issues, including burning of the mouth and esophagus, for the students who consumed it. MASSACHUSETS HIGH SCHOOL SOLIDIFIES STATE TITLE WITH HELP FROM TRANSGENDER GIRL, POLICY PUT UNDER MICROSCOPE The fear of speaking freely is not isolated to conservative professors, the FIRE survey found, with 40% of liberal faculty also fearing retribution if they say something unfavorable. Students who touched the spicy gum but did not ingest it suffered immediate skin reactions, including eye irritation if they rubbed their eyes after touching it. The Orange Fire Rescue Emergency Medical Services Department said its ambulances and additional ambulances from surrounding areas rushed six Dexter Park students to Athol Hospital and Heywood Hospital in Gardner. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Multiple other students were transported to area hospitals by their parents or guardians. SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT CANDIDATE SAYS JOB OFFER WAS RESCINDED AFTER CALLING TWO FEMALES LADIES IN EMAIL "Appropriate action was taken to ensure the safety of our students," Teahan-Zielinski said in her message. "The situation is still an active investigation with safety personnel as well as the schools own investigation. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken upon the completion of the investigation." Teahan-Zielinski also urged parents and guardians to talk with their children about bringing candy to school or accepting candy from their classmates. These items are prohibited as part of the school districts wellness policy because it is difficult for students to understand that some products may contain ingredients others are allergic to or are created to cause physical distress. [Source] The Chinatown Merchants Association in San Francisco is calling on donations to replace the iconic red lanterns that were destroyed during the recent storms. The red lanterns, which were put up by the association over a decade ago, have become a symbol of Chinatown that has drawn many tourists. In partnership with the nonprofit BeChinatown, the Chinatown Merchants Association launched a GoFundMe page in hopes of getting new lanterns to set up before the summer. Jenny Chan, the associate director of the association, wrote: The hail and wind from the atmospheric river in San Francisco have left the famous lanterns on Grant Ave. in shreds. The red lanterns have become just as important as the dragon gate. The small businesses and residents of Chinatown love the red lanterns as they make the area unique and beautiful. More from NextShark: Chinese father makes 11-year-old daughter pick lotus roots in the heat to teach her value of education The lanterns previously provided a sense of security for those who reside and work in Chinatown. As residents have long voiced concern for their safety amid the anti-Asian hate crimes, the lanterns had provided the dark streets with much-needed illumination at night. More from NextShark: COVID-19 most likely resulted from Chinese lab leak, new intel report says Many of our merchants in the association are immigrants, and their stores are all they have, Chan said. The lanterns allow more lighting so the security cameras can better capture footage at night and serve as a safety measure for an underserved minority community. According to Chan, a strand of lanterns costs roughly $1,000, with each lantern costing about $150. San Franciscos Chinatown will reportedly need to replace three blocks worth of lights. Chan expressed hopes that people will consider adopting a lantern. More from NextShark: Man Arrested for Destroying $10K Sacred Statues at Lao Temple in Arkansas The red lanterns are a symbol of love and hope, and actually, prosperity, Eva Lee, the Chinatown Merchants Association board of director, told ABC7 News. Story continues "Everyone knows these iconic red lanterns, so if they would like, they can go to GoFundMe and make a donation. We would be very happy, and were working out details for a raffle prize, and they can look at our website for more details." Chan also noted that donors have the chance to win a community dinner with Chef Martin Yan and Miss California. The fundraiser has received $9,111 of its $10,000 goal as of this writing. More from NextShark: Buddhist Temple Set on Fire, Vandalized in LAs Little Tokyo Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. In his first budget proposal as governor, Democrat Josh Shapiro aims to resolve a longstanding fiscal conundrum: funding the Pennsylvania State Police without taking money away from bridge and road repairs. At the moment, $900 million of the agencys roughly $1.4 billion budget comes from the states General Fund, while the rest comes from the states Motor License Fund, which receives money from the states gas tax and is primarily meant to be used for infrastructure spending. Shapiro would end those transfers by creating a new restricted bank account for state police. Unlike the General Fund the states main account, which can use the billions of dollars it receives from sales and income tax payments each year for any purpose this new police account wouldnt be subject to annual budget negotiations between the governor and legislature. Instead, by law, a set amount of tax revenue would automatically be allocated to it each year without debate. The pledge Ive made to our state troopers is that that money would be set aside and walled off only for law enforcement, meaning it couldnt be used for any other purpose, Shapiro said recently in Erie. Weve got to make sure those dollars first go to meeting our law enforcement needs. Shapiros plan has the support of legislative Democrats, who see another possible upside: Creating such an account would mean the legislature and Shapiro would need to pass a law, which could also include provisions like a long-sought requirement for state and local police to collect racial data from traffic stops. As Spotlight PA previously reported, state police stopped collecting such data for nearly a decade, leaving observers unable to check for racial bias. State Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Philadelphia, chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, said such a requirement, crafted in partnership with state police, is an option. Story continues Weve seen more progress when weve worked together as opposed to using threats of the purse, Bullock said. But some GOP lawmakers have criticized the effort to create a state police fund, arguing this style of autopilot budgeting makes state finances less flexible and more opaque. A so-called special fund like the one Shapiro is proposing is far from a novel idea. Past legislatures have created more than 150 similar accounts, which are financed through taxes, fines or fees. That money is then channeled to specific uses, such as providing grants to drain mine runoff or funding operating budgets for state regulatory agencies. On average, these funds account for about 3 in every 10 state dollars spent every year. Last year, they amounted to more than $20 billion. Shapiro and the plans supporters, including the state troopers union, argue that a dedicated revenue stream will keep state police funding stable. Policy analysts have noted that the certainty of such funding models has drawn states to increasingly turn to dedicated funds to pay for public programs. A 2019 report by the Urban Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, looked at six states budgeting and found that the amount of restricted state spending increased from 2000 to 2015. The report also noted one of the biggest drawbacks to this budgeting technique: It essentially privileges restricted funds over other spending priorities. Considered in isolation, each tax or spending restriction may have some merit by locking in important commitments, the report said. But together, they create a block of preexisting priorities against which residual options, those that lack such protections, must compete. GOP legislators have echoed this concern, arguing the use of restricted funds allows for less legislative oversight year over year while reducing the amount of flexible money lawmakers have to set their priorities. At what point do we just say, All right, were done appropriating Well just put it all on autopilot. Human services get 40% of the budget, education gets 40% of the budget, the rest of you fight over the 20%, state Rep. Seth Grove, R-York, the ranking Republican of his chambers Appropriations Committee, said during a news briefing in March. And I dont think thats the trajectory we want to go. Pennsylvania has used its gas tax to fund state police for decades. But a big gas tax hike in 2013 approved by former Republican Gov. Tom Corbett as a way to increase funding for repairs to the states crumbling infrastructure spotlighted those growing transfers as a barrier to the commonwealth catching up on decades of deferred maintenance. Pennsylvania has used its gas tax to fund state police for decades. But a big gas tax hike in 2013 approved by former Republican Gov. Tom Corbett as a way to increase funding for repairs to the states crumbling infrastructure spotlighted those growing transfers as a barrier to the commonwealth catching up on decades of deferred maintenance. The General Assembly placed a cap on the amount of Motor License Fund money that can be used annually to fund state police in 2016, aiming to get it to $500 million by 2026. While the legislature has hit that number, it has struggled to further cut the transfers despite proposals from lawmakers in both major parties. Shapiros predecessor, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, wanted to free up the road and bridge money by replacing it with a fee on every municipality that didnt have its own police department and relied solely on state police. However, Republicans, who then controlled both chambers of the General Assembly, repeatedly rejected that plan, arguing it forced rural townships and boroughs to effectively be taxed twice for state police coverage. The General Assembly is now split between the Democratic-controlled House and the Republican-controlled Senate. Despite holding a little more legislative leverage, Shapiro took a different tack in his March budget address. Shapiros proposed budget would wind down Motor License Fund transfers over the next five years, preserving $1.5 billion in gas tax revenue for road and bridge repairs over the course of that period. But it also would require some clever accounting and new revenue from a yet-to-be-determined source. This year, his plan asks the General Assembly to transfer about $1 billion in existing sales tax revenue on vehicles; liquor; e-cigarettes and other tobacco products; and $400 million from the Motor License Fund into the new special restricted account, known as the Public Safety and Protection Fund. Going forward, transfers from the Motor License Fund would continue to decrease until they reach zero by the 2027-28 fiscal year. The Shapiro administration hasnt specified how it would replace that money, instead saying the source is up for negotiation during budget talks. Shapiros budget includes a proposed 20% tax on recreational marijuana, with sales starting Jan. 1, 2025, and revenues heading to the General Fund. At least one bipartisan marijuana legalization proposal has suggested using cannabis tax revenue to fund law enforcement. A Shapiro spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on marijuana revenues. Richard Auxier, a tax policy analyst at the Urban Institute, told Spotlight PA that dedicated funding streams like the proposed state police one are often seen by policymakers as a way to build consensus on tricky topics. For instance, Auxier said, its common to see tax revenue from cannabis, gambling or cigarettes routed to a more politically popular topic like education. But once a dedicated funding stream is created, Auxier said, You are no longer just making a policy decision about your cigarette tax, about your cannabis tax, about your gambling policies. Youre making decisions about all the programs youve tied to them when you go to make those changes. And while dedicated funding is often meant to simplify the politics of a policy choice, sometimes that can backfire, Auxier said. For instance, if a tax funding policing has poorer-than-expected returns in any given year, the agency will be underfunded, forcing a tough decision on lawmakers: allow public safety to be low on cash or shift money from another program to cover the budget gap. Regardless of the funding source, state House Appropriations Committee Chair Jordan Harris, D-Philadelphia, said it is necessary to free up state dollars to chase matching federal funding approved in the 2021 infrastructure law. The law earmarked billions for infrastructure projects, but to apply for those dollars, state and local governments must cover at least 20% of project costs in most cases. In cities like mine, in Philadelphia and other places across the commonwealth, there are roads and bridges that need work, Harris told Spotlight PA. Imagine us leaving and imagine the citizens knowing that we left or could possibly leave hundreds of millions of dollars, if not more, in federal resources on the table. He also argued it would bring predictability to state police funding, something that the Pennsylvania State Police Troopers Association, the labor union that represents the states 4,400 troopers, also supports. There are always concerns when projecting revenues over the long term, but were confident this governor will deliver on his bold plan to strengthen the Pennsylvania State Police, the association said in a statement. WHILE YOURE HERE ... If you learned something from this story, pay it forward and become a member of Spotlight PA so someone else can in the future at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. Police are investigating after two people were killed in an apparent murder-suicide at an Atlanta-area Chick-fil-A, police and multiple news outlets report. It happened at about 7 a.m. Wednesday, April 5, near the Truetts Chick-fil-A in Rome, Georgia, police said in a news release. Investigators said a man shot a woman before turning the gun on himself. The victims were identified as a 56-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman, who police said were in a domestic relationship. Both died at the scene. Prior to arrival, officers received more information that the incident was a shooting rather than an accident, police said. The shooting allegedly unfolded in the restaurants drive-thru lanes, according to The Rome News-Tribune and Coosa Valley News. Investigators said the man shot the woman while she was in her car, then shot himself. No other injuries were reported. A Chick-fil-A manager called the incident horrific and said the restaurant would close for the rest of the day. Additional information wasnt immediately available. Rome is about 70 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800 273-8255 or text the Crisis Text Line at 741741. Shoot them. Chipotle order turns chaotic after duo demands more cheese, Ohio cops say Irate woman shoves registers off counter in Wingstop rampage, Texas video shows Fight at hookah lounge takes deadly turn in parking lot, North Carolina cops say A search of Nashville school shooter Audrey Hales home has led to the seizure of a series of items by the police, including a suicide note, shotgun and old yearbooks from the elementary school where they shot dead six people. Hale, who was initially identified by the police by their birth name and who identified as transgender man Aiden, allegedly entered The Covenant School on 27 March and opened fire on students and staff, killing six people, three of whom were nine-year-old children. Police said on Monday that the 28-year-old planned the attack months in advance and is believed to have acted totally alone. Also on Monday, police conducted searches at Hales home and seized 47 items in total, reported the Daily Beast. The warrant said the seizures included five yearbooks from The Covenant School and a school photo. According to the police, Hale attended the religious school as a child and resentment toward teachers may have driven the shooting. A police spokesperson told The Daily Beast that an exact motive for the shooting has not been revealed. A Browning shotgun and miscellaneous firearm accessories in a shoe box, both of which were in a closet, as well as a Winchester shotgun resting next to a desk, have also been seized. Police said Hale legally purchased seven guns in total, but used three two assault rifles and a handgun to fire 152 rounds during the attack. The seizures also included two dozen writings, including Hales memoirs and journals. Three folders and nine journals allegedly filled with writings about school shootings and firearms courses that were stowed under Hales bed were also seized. Other seized items included home videos from the basement, targets and ammo boxes from a closet, as well as multiple electronics, car keys, healthcare cards, a psych folder, and a resume. In the collective writings by Hale found in her vehicle in the school parking lot, and others later found in the bedroom of her home, she documented, in journals, her planning over a period of months to commit mass murder at the Covenant School, police had said in a statement. The Nashville attack is the deadliest school shooting since the shooting at Uvalde in Texas last May, in which 21 people, including 19 children, were killed. The shooting deaths of two 16-year-old girls and a 17-year-old boy may be tied to a "hybrid" or "wannabe gang," a Florida sheriff said Tuesday. Officers found 16-year-old Layla Silvernail suffering from a gunshot wound on the side of the road in Ocklawaha on Thursday night, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said Tuesday. She was rushed to a hospital in critical condition and later succumbed to her injuries. The next morning, deputies found a 17-year-old male's body beside the road a few miles from where Silvernail's body was discovered, Woods said. He'd also suffered a fatal gunshot wound. On Saturday, deputies responded to a report that Silvernail's vehicle had been found partially submerged in a body of water, Woods said. The third victim, a 16-year-old girl, was found inside. She'd also been shot. Officials have not yet publicly identified the victims found on Friday or Saturday. "My Major Crimes detectives are working around the clock continuing their homicide investigation and diligently following up on every potential lead," Woods said. "We are devastated for the families of these three teens, and we are dedicated to bringing whoever is responsible for these heinous acts to justice." Woods on Tuesday dismissed rumors that a serial killer was involved in the shootings and that there had been a fourth victim. "That is far from the truth," he said. "Now I have the facts of what we know right now and I can give you that assurance." The shootings were an isolated incident, Woods said. The victims were friends and were together leading up to the shootings. Investigators have identified several persons of interest, CBS affiliate WGFL-TV reported. U.S. job growth slows in March, unemployment rate remains relatively steady White House report on chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal places blame on Trump administration Israeli forces strike targets in Lebanon and Gaza as violence escalates Canadian influencer Siera Bearchell flaunted her body while working with Bikini Village. (Photo via Instagram/@sierabearchell) Siera Bearchell is advocating for inclusivity. On Tuesday, the 30-year-old former Miss Universe Canada took to Instagram with a video featuring footage of herself modelling swimsuits while she was in the third trimester of her pregnancy. In the clip, the Saskatchewan-native noted in on-screen text that she collaborated with Bikini Village while she was eight months pregnant with her daughter, whom she welcomed earlier this year. Bearchell paired the post with a caption praising the Canadian swimwear brand for working with her during her pregnancy and helping represent different "shapes and stages of life." "Eight months ago," she penned to her more than 170,000 followers. "I absolutely love that [Bikini Village] was open to working with me during this stage of my life because you hardly ever see pregnant women in swimsuit campaigns. "I know it's not relatable for every single person, but I think it's helpful to see different shapes and stages of life represented. Even if it doesn't apply to you at that moment or phase in your own life. I wish I would have seen more of this growing up!" In the comments, fans met Bearchell's Instagram Reel with supportive messages. "Couldn't love this more," one person commented, while another added, "You're gorgeous!" "You're glowing in all of these! Thank you for sharing. Representation is so important!" an Instagram user shared. "Omg, you are stunning," someone else wrote. "Pregnancy looked amazing on you!" a fan chimed in. In a separate Instagram post earlier this week, Bearchell doubled down and applauded Bikini Village for not only working with her during her pregnancy, but sharing photos of her baby bump on the brand's official website. "I've been working with [Bikini Village] for two years now and I love that they worked with me when I was eight months pregnant and shared those photos to their website," Bearchell wrote. "Speaking of, they've featured these photos and more right on their website!" Story continues Fans also spread the love on that post, with many noting Bearchell's beauty. "Stunning, wow," one person commented. "So, so cute. I love them all," another chimed in. "OK, wow," someone added, along with three flame emojis. "Hot mama alert." Let us know what you think by commenting below and tweeting @YahooStyleCA! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. A traveling exhibit of several accidental mummies sparked concerns after Mexican officials spotted signs of life on one mummy, experts said. The Mummies of Guanajuato are a unique collection of mummies from the 1800s, the Associated Press reported. The deceased were accidentally mummified after being buried in crypts in dry, mineral-rich soil of Guanajuato, Mexico, the outlet reported. No one knows why the bodies mummified instead of disintegrating. Some attribute it to the local climate while others believe the crypts caused it, the Associated Press reported. The mummies were discovered in 1865 by surprised cemetery workers who were removing the remains of people whose relatives couldnt afford to pay graveyard fees, National Geographic reported. The Mummies of Guanajuato, as they became known, are now on display at the Museo de las Momias de Guanajuato, according to the museum website. Most recently, some of the mummies were part of a traveling exhibit and on display at a tourism convention in Mexico City from March 26 to 29, the Guanajuato government said in a new release. During the first day of the convention, over 5,000 people visited the mummies. Mexicos National Institute of Anthropology and History expressed concerns about this exhibition, according to a March 31 statement. The institute said it was not alerted about the display and did not authorize or advise on the transportation, handling or presentation conditions of the mummies. Experts saw photos of the display and spotted signs of possible fungal growths on one mummy, the institute said in its statement. The signs of life worried experts because of the possible biohazard concerns yet lack of safeguards and the danger of damage to the fragile mummies. The municipal president of Guanajuato, Alejandro Navarro, said in a release that the mummies were transported under strict protocols and in adherence with expert recommendations. Mexicos National Institute of Anthropology and History asked Guanajuato officials to allow the institute to analyze the mummies and collaborate in management of the remains. Story continues Mexico City is about 220 miles southeast of the mummies usual museum display in Guanajuato. Google Translate was used to translate the website of the Museo de las Momias de Guanajuato and news releases from the Guanajuato government and Mexicos National Institute of Anthropology and History. 2,000-year-old Roman sanctuary and nearby burial ground uncovered in France 3,000-year-old severed hands found buried in pharaohs courtyard, archaeologists say Melting permafrost reveals bodies of ancient Mongolians and their diets, study says The bleats and human voices have fallen away in an abattoir in southern France, leaving a line of lambs crowding forward to the sound of clanging metal. As each young sheep passes through the black tarp that shields the slaughtering room from view, it is stunned by a claw that sends an electric current through its skull. One of the largest sheep abattoirs in France, Sisteron kills 350 animals per hour as it operates at full speed, ahead of the feast days of the three major monotheist religions -- Christianity, Islam and Judaism -- which all fall in April this year. AFP journalists were granted access to the slaughtering procedure, at a time when the wider industry has faced waves of criticism from activists working undercover to capture videos of animals being mistreated. The production line at Sisteron in southeast France, renowned for its quality lamb, an abattoir worker uses a frequently sharpened blade to bleed a lamb while another hangs the animal by its back legs. Within ten minutes, it will be in a fridge after the first butchering steps. "The lambs have to be in the shops by Thursday" ahead of Easter weekend, sheep farmer and abattoir chief Guillaume Garcin says. Garcin insists that his business is "hyper-vigilant about animal welfare", calling it a "moral" duty that pushes him beyond regulatory requirements. Nevertheless, around a quarter of the lambs killed here are meant for the halal market. Kosher and halal practices are often contested by animal rights advocates, as the animals cannot be stunned for the ritual slaughter -- something allowed for with an exception in French law. Garcin says that the abattoir simply "can't give up 25 percent" of its business. - 'No shouting, no-one's angry' - At the ramp where lambs are unloaded, signs warn that the process is watched over by CCTV. Past cases of mistreatment have drawn written reprimands and "it doesn't happen anymore," Garcin says. Video surveillance has even been added inside the slaughterhouse, although a political push to make it compulsory across France came to nothing. Story continues "We shouldn't be afraid to show that there can be good things here too," Garcin says, as images that have escaped from abattoirs in recent years have mostly come from animal rights activists. "There's no shouting, no-one's angry, we keep an eye on things," says Christophe Chavagnac, head of the Alpes Provence Agneaux company that brings most of the meat slaughtered in Sisteron to market -- while adding that, "in any case, things end the same way." Garcin whistles to urge the 10 lambs he has brought out of his truck into one of the large pens carpeted with straw and fitted with drinking troughs. Where ten years ago workers might have used sticks to shove animals into line, these days they use their hands to guide them into the narrow concrete passage towards the slaughter room. "Off they go," Garcin sighs, adding that "it's not the happiest time of year". Every part of the lambs -- including their heads, which are cut off and hung on a separate rail -- goes to clothing or food for humans and pets. "You can see that the animals are respected right to the end," Garcin said. myl/tgb/sjw/giv For six years, photographer and producer Will Jenkins, known artistically as Sir Will, has vied for a residency at the McColl Center. This year, he finally made it happen. Hes also the only local artist-in-residence at the McColl Center for the current winter/spring season. Jenkins, 37, said his work, a combination of photography, video and mixed media, is influenced by Southern style and culture, especially in the Black community. I never considered myself an artist or a creative fully until about three or four years ago, he said. Alongside his full-time photography and video production work, Jenkins held discussions with McColl Center President Alli Celebron-Brown and other other local artists, and worked to define and discover his creative identity. Jenkins taught workshops and held online courses through the McColl Center, and every year, hed apply to a residency program. To be considered an artist, I felt like I needed a residency to find myself, he said. But it turns out, I had to define myself first and then I finally got in. Local artist Will Sir Will is also co-owner of BlkMrkClt with fellow artist Dammit Wesley. The gallery and studio space is in Camp North End. Since January, he has walked the halls of the contemporary arts hub uptown with Polish artist Zuzanna Dyrda, Atlanta-based Shanequa Gay, and Tadeo Muleiro, an Argentine artist. For the residency, which ends in mid-April, Jenkins has partnered with Atrium Health to capture the journeys of rehabilitating hospital patients and the healing process. In search of opportunity Growing up, Jenkins split time between Clarksville, Tennessee, a town northwest of Nashville near the Kentucky state line, and Dalzell, S.C., a town of about 3,000 people about 45 miles east of Columbia. In Dalzell, where Jenkins attended high school, theres no stop lights, the only restaurant is called the Chicken Shack, and it was a big deal, years ago, when we got a Family Dollar, he said. Its that small. Everybody knows each other. In one of his photographs, titled U Hungry, two subjects in cotton sweat suits share a dreamy moment at the corner of the Chicken Shack its sign, including a partial phone number, is half-hidden by the restaurants fading, kelly-green cinder-block walls. Story continues Opportunity was as scarce as restaurants in Dalzell, and Jenkins watched his parents struggle financially. Times were tough for us, he said. His mother held down jobs at a law firm and a daycare while his dad worked for his grandfather at a used-car shop until he landed a gig at the Caterpillar factory in neighboring Sumter, South Carolina. Seeing them work so many jobs to support a family of four I wanted to do something more,Jenkins said. I moved out at 17 with a goal never to go back home. To be considered an artist, I felt like I needed a residency to find myself. But it turns out, I had to define myself first and then I finally got in, Will Sir Will Jenkins said. A fresh start In 2003, he set off for Winthrop University in Rock Hill. Its one of the farthest places (in South Carolina) you can go to get close to Charlotte, without paying out-of-state fees, he said. He began studying computer science, eventually switching to the business track, and graduated in 2007. After college, he worked for a couple of years at Best Buy and managed a Sprint store in a Rock Hill mall before returning to Winthrop for a degree in integrated marketing communications. Thats where he fine-tuned his video and photography skills. As part of those studies, he worked closely with the art department, which exposed him to other art forms and practices. He also dabbled in other creative fields, even hosting a radio show called Random Talk. While at Winthrop, he met Dammit Wesley, a fellow Charlotte creative. The two co-created a now-defunct YouTube channel for music videos. Years later, in 2017, the pair would open BlkMrktClt, a gallery and studio space for photographers and creatives of color, in Camp North End. Once living on his own in Charlotte, Jenkins promoted his photography and video production business, Simplisticphobia, at various clubs and events. An encounter with Davita Galloway at a music-industry event changed Jenkins trajectory. Shes co-founder of Dupp & Swat event space for creatives, also at Camp North End. She had blue hair, and I thought, She must be somebody, Jenkins said. Everybody knows her, and she invited us to the studio to meet other Black creatives doing shows. He began attending art shows, engaging with other artists of color in Charlotte and considering his own path and purpose. More importantly, Jenkins started seeing people who looked like him pursuing creative paths in ways he had never seen. I started meeting these Black people in Charlotte who were doing art-related things, he said. I had been to museums and nothing really interested me. But these were people that I could actually talk to that look like me that was the awakening moment. During his McColl Center residency, Will Jenkins partnered with Atrium Health to capture the journeys of rehabilitating patients and the healing process. Several years ago, he produced the Create Happy Project, a documentary focusing on mental health and creatives of color, and following the creation of Charlottes Black Lives Matter mural, he produced a video project that introduced all of the muralists. He has also exhibited original work in Durham and Atlanta, and all across Charlotte, including the Elder Gallery of Contemporary Art, Mint Museum and Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Art + Culture. A time of rediscovery Several years ago, Jenkins started thinking of ways to chart other creative paths not just photographing events and producing videos, but capturing the spirit of authentic Black culture around him. What if, he thought, instead of staging shoots with subjects or models, he started using his camera more organically? I started taking a lot of pictures at our events, or just when we were going out just because, Jenkins said. I started capturing people naturally. A lot of art is about showing some type of pain or its completely abstract. All of that isnt me, he said. I create beautiful, lifestyle, conversational-type portraits of Black people, especially Black women. And theres not a lot of room for a lot of people like that in the fine art world. Will Sir Will Jenkins has exhibited original work in Durham and Atlanta, and across Charlotte, including at the Elder Gallery of Contemporary Art, the Mint Museum and the Center center. More arts coverage Want to see more stories like this? Sign up here for our free Inside Charlotte Arts newsletter: charlotteobserver.com/newsletters. And you can join our Facebook group, Inside Charlotte Arts, by going here: facebook.com/groups/insidecharlottearts. Long-serving Sky Deutschland exec Quirin Schmidt is moving to Gaumont as an executive producer in April. Schmidt helped build Skys in-house production division in Germany, where he was oversaw three seasons of the German-Austrian crime series Der Pass, dramedy Ich Und Die Anderen and mystery series Hausen. More from Deadline He has an existing relationship with Gaumonts President in Germany, producer Sabine de Mardt, and producer Andreas Bareiss through Sky Original comedy series Die Wespe (The Wasp). In his new role at Gaumont, Schmidt be responsible for developing and producing films and series. Quirin is a great asset to our company, said de Mardt. Not least our collaboration on Die Wespe showed us that he is exactly the right executive producer for our team. We are convinced that Quirin, with his creativity, his flair for extraordinary stories and his broad network in the industry, will contribute significantly to realizing our ambitious goals and setting new milestones together. Schmidt said: Especially at a time when our industry is facing new tasks and challenges, I couldnt ask for a more exciting environment to work with colleagues to tell stories that are meaningful and challenge and entertain our audience in a positive way. Elke Walthelm, Executive President Content at Sky Germany, said: We at Sky Germany are proud of the success and influence Quirin Schmidt has had on our in-house productions as executive producer. We are sure that he will realize impressive projects in his new position at Gaumont. We wholeheartedly wish him all the best and look forward to following his future productions. Story continues Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. A 48-year-old man was taken into custody after being accused of falling asleep behind the wheel, hitting a curb and bus stop, and killing a pedestrian, Nevada police told news outlets. Officers were dispatched at about 5:30 a.m. on reports of a hit-and-run crash, according to an April 2 news release by the Henderson Police Department. Devon Cordova was driving when he fell asleep at the wheel, hit a bus stop and struck Angel Rodriguez-Perez, killing him, police told KVVU. Rodriguez-Perez was 55, news outlets reported. Cordova is accused of leaving the scene in his pickup truck and parking it at a nearby diner, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The car had two flat tires, was missing its front grill and had pieces of the bus stop on its windshield, according to a police report obtained by the outlet. Video footage showed Cordova getting out of his truck, according to KSNV. After police found the empty truck, they went to meet with the registered owner, Cordovas father. Cordovas father told officers that his son lived across the street and that the car was his sons, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Cordova was arrested and faces charges including reckless driving with death and failure to stop at the scene. He was booked into the Henderson Detention Center, police said. His next hearing is April 27 and he is out on a $29,000 bond, according to FOX 5. McClatchy News reached out to police on April 5 for more information and was awaiting a response. Henderson is about 15 miles southeast of Las Vegas. Teen driver didnt stop after hitting 70-year-old women on street, Georgia police say 18-year-olds joyride on school golf cart erupts in wild clash, California cops say Ill passenger exits rideshare along highway, then dies in hit-and-run, Colorado cops say The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors has lowered the cap on how much money an individual can donate to campaigns for county offices. I think we need to strive to get big money out of politics and reduce special interest influence, Supervisor Jimmy Paulding said at Tuesdays meeting. We have a unique opportunity to do that now. In November 2020, the board voted 3-1 to set the cap for individual contributions at $25,000 after hundreds of residents urged the board to pick a lower limit. On Tuesday, the new liberal board majority voted 3-2 to throw out the countys $25,000 cap and default to the states $5,500 limit on individual donations. The cap applies to 10 county offices, including the five Board of Supervisor seats, the sheriff and district attorney. San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Jimmy Paulding listens to public comment Feb. 7, 2023. David Middlecamp/dmiddlecamp@thetribunenews.com Why did supervisors limit individual donations to campaigns? In November 2020, the county didnt have a limit on how much an individual person, business or political action committee could donate to a campaign. Back then, donors could give unlimited amounts of money to their chosen candidate, according to Assistant County Counsel Jon Ansolabehere. In 2019, the State Legislature passed AB 571, which at the time limited individual campaign donations to $4,700. The county had until the end of 2020 to set its own limit or default to the states limit, Ansolabehere said. The state cap increases each year, and the limit is now set at $5,500 per individual donation, according to Ansolabehere. The League of Womens Voters Second Vice President Ed Cabrera urged the board to throw out the $25,000 cap and revert to the lower state limit. Large donations distort our political process and undermine fair representation (and) may contribute to public mistrust of government institutions and to voter apathy, Cabrera said. The League of Women Voters wants to shift the political spotlight away from how much money a candidate can raise, and instead highlight the candidates qualifications, Cabrera said. Story continues Reducing the influence of big money makes our elections fair, Cabrera said. Our elections should work so that everyday Americans can run for office, and every American can know that their elected officials are working for them and not for the people who financed their campaigns with large donations. Paulding agreed with Cabrera and voted in favor of the $5,500 limit. He said a lower cap could reduce the influence of large donors with special interests over local candidates. The average person doesnt have $25,000 to write a check, Paulding said. A lower cap also could amplify the meaning of smaller donations made by the average citizen, Paulding said. He noted that when he ran for office in 2022, his average donation was less than $300 per individual. Thats representative democracy, Paulding said. Will limiting individual donations actually reduce money in local campaigns? Some supervisors questioned if limiting individual donations would reduce funding funneled into local campaigns. Ortiz-Legg voted to return to the states $5,500 cap but criticized the laws limitations. Money in politics is what makes people get elected, Ortiz-Legg said. I think its completely short-sided to think bringing this down to $5,500 is going to take money out of politics. Candidates use donations to advertise their platform to voters, which is an expensive task, she said. Todays voter is really hard to reach, Ortiz-Legg said. Incumbents can rely on name-recognition to reach voters. Challengers, however, need to spend more money to introduce themselves to the electorate, she said. Limiting individual donations could make it harder for challengers to defeat incumbents. It does take money to win seats, she said. Ortiz-Legg would have preferred that the county set its own $10,000 limit on individual donations, and she tasked a hearing officer with enforcement of the cap rather than the SLO County District Attorneys Office to avoid conflict of interest, she said. San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg listens to public comment Feb. 7, 2023. David Middlecamp/dmiddlecamp@thetribunenews.com Supervisors Debbie Arnold and John Peschong preferred the $25,000 cap and voted against setting a lower limit. According to Arnold and Peschong, limiting individual donations wont reduce money spent on campaigning. It will simply change where donors spend their money. Some political action committees must report their donors to the Fair Political Practices Commission. This includes general purpose committees, which receive contributions for political purposes such as donating to a candidate. Independent expenditure committees, however, dont have to report their donors they only have to report what they spend money on. These committees form for political purposes but dont donate directly to candidates or coordinate with candidates, according to the Fair Political Practices Commission. When the county lowers the cap on individual donations, Arnold said she expects donors to camouflage their money by donating to independent expenditure committees instead. Were making it less transparent, Arnold said. Peschong also expects donors to funnel more money into independent expenditure committees. I completely believe that there will be unlimited dark money in the races, Peschong said. Paulding explained that federal law regulates independent expenditure committees, not local or state law. We cant do anything about that, Paulding said. But what we can do is we can address how much individual people, businesses, political action committees who live in this community can influence our local supervisors and elected officials. Gibson agreed. This is not going to solve the influence of money in campaigns unilaterally, Gibson said. But we have to step up. The supervisors did agree on one thing: Small donations are more common than large donations in SLO County campaigns. Peschong noted that his average donation during his 2020 campaign was $74. These are grassroots offices, and these are grassroots-supported campaigns, he said. So if you have a $25,000 or $5,500 (cap), I dont believe it really matters. By that argument, our reversion to the state cap of $5,500 is going to have minimal effect on the funding of individual campaigns, Gibson. Who enforces the campaign finance cap? Under the local limit, the SLO County District Attorneys Office was responsible for enforcing the $25,000 cap, Ansolabehere said at the meeting. Now that the county reverted to the state limit, the California Fair Political Practices Commission will enforce the cap. Paulding said he preferred that enforcement was handed over to the commission to avoid conflict of interest. I just dont think that somebody who has as much influence as they do in our community, has relationships with elected officials, should be responsible for that, Paulding said. Gibson went a step further and called District Attorney Dan Dow notably partisan, highlighting that the California Supreme Court ruled to remove the SLO County DAs Office from prosecuting Tianna Arata and six other Black Lives Matter activists for charges they incurred at a 2020 protest. Dow also donated $25,000 from his Dan Dow for District Attorney 2022 campaign account to Back the Badge, a political action committee that circulated advertisements labeling Gibson as pro-crime during the 2022 election. SLO County District Attorney Dan Dow speaks at the Veterans Day celebration held at Los Osos Valley Memorial Park, Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. Laura Dickinson/ldickinson@thetribunenews.com Peschong defended Dow. I do not believe you can question Dan Dows integrity and honesty, Peschong said. They run a very tight ship there. Paulding noted, however, that Peschong may not trust the next district attorney, and that Fair Political Practices Commission enforcement prevents future conflict of interest. It could be a different district attorney in the future, Paulding said. That person could become partisan. The plane's pilot said that the snake had been spotted under the aircraft before the wild flight Getty A pilot in South Africa got the surprise of his life when he found a lethal "voyager" on one of his flights. Pilot Rudolph Erasmus told the BBC that on a recent private plane flight between South African cities Bloemfontein and Pretoria at about 11,000 feet in the air he felt something cool crawling up his shirt. At first, the pilot assumed water had spilled onto his shirt from a leaking water bottle but discovered the source of the feeling to be something far freakier. "As I turned to the left and looked down, I saw the cobra [...] receding its head backwards underneath the seat," Erasmus told the outlet. "To be truly honest, it's as if my brain did not register what was going on." The snake Erasmus found himself sharing the cockpit with was a venomous Cape cobra a snake with a bite that can kill someone in as quickly as 30 minutes, according to the University of San Diego. Related:Snake Handler in South Texas Dies After Being Bitten by a Rattlesnake Erasmus told the BBC that he didn't want to cause panic among the four passengers in the private plane, a Beechcraft Baron 58, so he opted to keep it light at first, telling them that there was "an extra unwanted voyager" onboard before later breaking the severity of the news. "I did inform the passengers: 'Listen, the snake is inside the aircraft, it's underneath my seat, so let's try and get down to the ground as soon as we can,'" he said. "You could hear a needle drop, and I think everyone froze for a moment or two." After finding the deadly reptile and informing his passengers, Erasmus made an emergency landing in the South African city of Welkom, which is located about 202 miles away from the flight's destination, Pretoria. All aboard made it safely out. Erasmus was lauded by Poppy Khosa, a South African civil aviation commissioner, for his quick thinking and "great airmanship," which "saved all lives on board," per South Africa's News 24. Story continues RELATED Video: Florida Homeowner Calls Snake Catchers for Help After 'Huge' Boa Constrictor Slithers into Yard Erasmus added to the BBC that he wanted to credit "my passengers that remained calm as well." The Cape cobra that ended up on Erasmus' flight was spotted by two pilots in the Worcester flying club at the airport before Erasmus' plane took off, per the BBC. The pilots saw the snake slithering underneath Erasmus' plane and tried to "grab it" but were unsuccessful. Erasmus said he had also looked for the creature before taking flight. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "Unfortunately, it was not there, so we all then safely assumed that it must have crawled out overnight or earlier that morning, which was on Monday," he told the outlet. As for the snake, it is still at large. Erasmus told the BBC that engineers stripped the plane after he completed his emergency landing, but no one has found the Cape cobra stowaway. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. The Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have shared some specifics of their hunt for Russian occupiers near the town of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast. Source: Special Operations Forces press service Quote: "More than 10 occupiers have been killed as a result of work by Ukrainian sniper pairs in the area of Bakhmut over the last few days." Details: The Special Forces have noted that the Russian occupiers are trying to advance and assault the positions of the Defence Forces on the Bakhmut front at night. In their turn, the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces are constantly monitoring, detecting and destroying Russian manpower from different ranges and with different calibres. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Nebraska has been a place the Sooners havent recruited often. With Brent Venables returning, theyve opened their recruiting borders to every state, leaving no stone unturned. In each of the last two recruiting classes, the Sooners have signed a player from the state of Nebraska, Kaden Helms in 2022, and Kade McIntrye in 2023. McIntyre will join the Sooners this summer. In the 2024 class, Oklahoma has locked in on another Nebraskan, three-star receiver Isaiah McMorris. Parker Thune of OUInsider logged a crystal ball in OUs favor last week. Now Kansas State recruiting insider for 247Sports, Ryan Wallace, believes McMorris will eventually commit to OU. Emmett Jones has covered a lot of ground in just a few months. He has Oklahoma peaking at the right time for a talented and dynamic playmaker from Bellevue, Nebraska. McMorris is a quick wide receiver that displays a lot of juice in the slot or on the outside. Hes a yards after catch monster that is equally adept at running away from players as he is at making players miss. He can take a wide receiver screen to the house or blow by the secondary to win deep. In short, McMorris looks like a perfect fit for the things Jeff Lebby asks his wide receivers to do. Isaiah McMorris Recruiting Profile Projections Film Hudl Rating Stars Overall Position State ESPN Rivals 3 76 3 247Sports 3 54 4 247 Composite 3 492 72 3 On3 Recruiting 3 30 3 On3 Industry 3 392 30 3 Vitals Hometown Bellevue, Neb. Projected Position Wide Receiver Height 6-0 Weight 168 lbs Recruitment Offered Jan. 31, 2023 Unofficial Visit March 30, 2023 Notable Offers Per 247Sports Oklahoma Nebraska Penn State Iowa Kansas Kansas State Minnesota Missouri Texas Tech Twitter [lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1367] Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant. Story originally appeared on Sooners Wire SEOUL, South Korea (AP) South Korea this month will begin weekly tests of sewage produced by its major cities and towns to track the spread of COVID-19 and identify future waves. Officials at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Wednesday that wastewater surveillance will potentially provide a cheaper and more sustainable tool in the countrys pandemic response. They say it could also improve the detection of other outbreaks, such as influenza, norovirus or drug-resistant bacteria. According to the plans, health workers will conduct tests on sewage samples collected from 64 wastewater facilities nationwide at least once a week and regularly release analyses of the test results on its website. KDCA said its recent trial runs with cities and provincial governments showed that the levels of pathogens found in sewage samples largely aligned with infection trends in those areas, confirming the value of testing water released from faucets, toilets and bathtubs. Similar tests have also been adopted in the United States. South Korea had maintained a stringent COVID-19 response based on aggressive testing, contact tracing and quarantines during the earlier part of the pandemic, but has eased most of its virus controls since last year as the omicron variants surge rendered those containment strategies irrelevant. Government officials are also eager to revive a devastated service sector economy and attract more tourists. Their plans for wastewater testing are also an extension of their bend-but-not-break approach with COVID-19 that tolerates the coronavirus spread among the broader population while concentrating medical resources to protect priority groups. Lee Sang-won, KDCAs director of epidemiologic research, said wastewater surveillance could help the countrys transition toward a more affordable virus monitoring regime. South Korea's current system is still aimed at tracking every COVID-19 case by requiring hospitals to report all positive tests, an approach Lee described as expensive and laborious. He said health officials are considering an eventual switch to sample-based surveillance, like they do with influenza monitoring, where only a certain number of designated hospitals register their cases. When that (transition) comes, we believe wastewater surveillance will function as a very effective tool for providing complementary information on virus trends, Lee said during a briefing. Another strength is that we can monitor various pathogens other than COVID-19. While coronaviruses causing COVID-19 dont likely survive in water for long, Lee said the countrys genetic testing methods would also be able to detect fragments of dead viruses. (Bloomberg) -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is set to speak in front of a joint session of the US Congress in late April when he visits Washington, his office confirmed after Bloomberg reported the address would take place. Most Read from Bloomberg The leader will travel to Washington for a state visit and state dinner on April 26 hosted by President Joe Biden. A bipartisan group of US lawmakers met Yoon in Seoul on Wednesday. They informed him that a formal invitation from congressional leaders will be forthcoming. The delegation also met with South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and toured a Samsung facility on Tuesday. They also visited the Demilitarized Zone buffer that divides the two Koreas. The speech before the Congress is set to take place on April 27, they said. Yoons office confirmed he had accepted the invitation from the American lawmakers to deliver the speech. The speech is expected to address a range of issues of mutual interest between the US and South Korea, including economic cooperation, regional security, and North Koreas nuclear program. The April speech in Congress will be the first by a South Korean president in ten years. Yoons visit is an effort to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the US-South Korea alliance, which both sides have repeatedly said is critical to advancing peace, stability, and prosperity for the two countries, the Indo-Pacific region, and around the world. The Biden administration has been courting South Korea, in an effort to move it away from Beijing. Seoul for years has tried to strike a delicate balance between its biggest trading partner, China and its main military ally, the US. Story continues Yoon came to office last May, pledging to take a tough line on China and has since stepped up security cooperation with Washington. But his administration has not offered its full-throated support for Bidens initiative to curb exports of semiconductor technology to China. South Korean companies won a one-year reprieve from sweeping US export controls unveiled in October that prevent semiconductor firms from bringing in equipment for their advanced facilities in China. Without a license extension, it is unclear how major South Korean chipmakers Samsung Electronics Co. and SK Hynix Inc. would proceed both depend on Beijing as a key market and a manufacturing site for their memory chips. The White House has been trying to incentivize South Korean companies to invest in the US through subsidies, though the money comes with strings attached that prohibit firms from significantly expanding in China. --With assistance from Jeong-Ho Lee. (Adds confirmation from South Korean presidential office) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. South Africa: Withdrawal of Electricity State of Disaster will not affect ongoing work to resolve load shedding Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, says the withdrawal of the National State of Disaster on Electricity will have no impact on the ministrys work going forward. Government formally withdrew the State of Disaster and its regulations on Wednesday. The Minister of Electricity continues to be seized with that responsibility of reducing the severity of load shedding and its regularity. Thats why we have done extensive visits to the power stations of Eskom. We have got a better understanding at the granular level of what it takes for us to be able to respond comprehensively. [The State of Disaster and the Electricity Ministry] were meant to help us accelerate our efforts to deliver, in accordance with the Energy Action Plan. The Minister of Electricity continues to execute and prosecute those responsibilities as determined by the President, Ramokgopa said. He assured South Africans that the withdrawal of the National State of Disaster will not stop governments plans to procure new electricity generation particularly from renewable energy sources. The fact that we are terminating the State of Disaster does not degrade our ability to accelerate the delivery of new generation. We can draw from the provisions of the Infrastructure Development Act. We designate those strategic integrated projects and we are able roll them [out]. What we know from an Eskom point of view is that the PFMA [Public Finance Management Act] does make provision If there are issues around emergencies and if as a result of inaction, we are likely to see loss of life, harm to the environment. The PFMA does provide for us to use provisions on procurement on an emergency basis. There are provisions that allow for deviations and [some of] those deviations address for example harm to critical infrastructure. Those provisions from a procurement point of view are made possible in the PFMA and therefore, the termination of the State of Disaster has no impact on that, Ramokgopa said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2023-04-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Feature: Chinese, Egyptian folk musicians wow audiences under pyramids Xinhua) 10:57, April 05, 2023 CAIRO, April 4 (Xinhua) -- On a breezy Monday night in Egypt's Giza, artists from China and Egypt staged a folk music concert against the backdrop of the Grand Pyramids and Sphinx lit-up in silver, enchanting hundreds of audiences with beautiful melodies. Banners reading "let the China-Egypt friendship flow forward like the Nile River" were seen at the venue of the China-Egypt folk concert, welcoming guests to such a unique show co-sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, and the Chinese Embassy in Egypt. The event was attended by Chinese Minister of Culture and Tourism Hu Heping, Egyptian Minister of Culture Neveen Al-Kilany, Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Issa, Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang, and some other 600 people from both countries. The repertoire played by musicians from the China National Traditional Orchestra features classics and innovative works of traditional Chinese music, such as erhu unison "Horse Racing", huagudeng big gongs and drums performance "Umbrella and Orchid," and chamber music "Dunhuang." Chinese and Arab artists also jointly presented "Impression of Roses", in which the Chinese pipa was played in an ensemble with the Arabian oud as a tribute to the instruments' same origin, creating breathtaking melodies that wowed the audiences. "I am interested in Chinese culture, especially classical music. It was a great surprise for me to know that this concert will be held in Egypt," Fatma Essam, a housewife from Cairo, told Xinhua. "What impressed me the most was the joint performance of musicians from the two countries, the music was wonderfully played, conveying to us an important message that music is a common language between all peoples and cultures," she said, adding she took notice of very similar musical instruments during the performance. "I hope that similar concerts will be organized in the future. Chinese music is beautiful and rich in authentic melodies, and it is a way to bring us closer to Chinese culture and the Chinese people," she said. As the spectacular concert went on, four Egyptian girls brought to audience a song that they had sung at this year's China Central Television Spring Festival Gala staged in Beijing, to the accompaniment of the Chinese folk music, which won prolonged applause from the spectators. Liu Sirui, a Chinese college student studying in Cairo attended the concert with her Egyptian and Chinese friends. She told Xinhua that the show is joyful and "the harmony is super." "Today's show illustrates the convergence of the Egyptian and Chinese civilizations through music. The friendly atmosphere reflects the solid friendship between peoples from both countries throughout history," she added. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) An altered photo has been repeatedly shared in online posts that falsely claim it shows South Korea's opposition leader Lee Jae-myung holding up a sign with a caricature of President Yoon Suk Yeol, accusing him of "kowtowing to Japan". Although Lee did criticise Yoon's meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo in March 2023, the original image shows him holding a sign that opposed the government's plan to raise the limit on weekly working hours for South Korean workers. The sign seen in the doctored image corresponds to actual placards held by South Korean protesters who attended rallies in March to criticise the Yoon administration's decision to compensate Koreans enslaved by Japanese companies during World War II. "Lee Jae-myung holds up this sign to insult President Yoon. When will (Lee) go to jail," reads the Korean-language claim shared here on Facebook on April 3, 2023. The image purports to show Lee holding up a placard that reads: "Traitorous act, kowtowing to Japan. (Yoon) doesn't deserve to be president." White text superimposed on the image reads: "Devil-like man, how dare he talk about what anyone deserves." Screenshot of the misleading post shared on Facebook. Captured April 4, 2023. The image was shared online after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held talks in Tokyo in March, pledging to renew diplomacy after years of tension between the two countries. Lee, who heads the country's leading opposition Democratic Party after narrowly losing to Yoon in the country's presidential election in 2022, publicly criticised the meeting, calling it "the most embarrassing moment in South Korea's diplomatic history". Comments on the misleading posts indicated some users believed the image genuinely shows Lee holding up a sign attacking Yoon. One user wrote: "Ok, but you (Lee) also don't deserve (to be president)." "See how low class their propaganda is," another wrote. The altered image was also shared on Facebook here and here, as well as here on Naver Band, a popular South Korean forum. Story continues Opposition social media campaign Through a search using the keyword "Newsis" seen in the photo's bottom-right corner, AFP found the original photo was published in a report by South Korean news organisation Newsis on March 27 about a social media campaign launched by the Democratic Party opposing the government's plan to raise maximum weekly working hours from 52 to 69. The photo shows Lee holding up a sign that reads: "Society of overwork -- out! 69-hour workweek -- stop! 4.5-day work week -- go! Lee Jae-myung." The image's caption reads: "Photo of Democratic Party Chairman Lee Jae-myung taking part in a campaign to promote the 4.5-day workweek plan, posted to his Facebook account on the 27th." Below is a screenshot comparison of the doctored image shared in the misleading posts (left) and the original image published by Newsis (right): Screenshot comparison of the doctored image shared in the misleading posts (left) and the original image published by Newsis (right) The campaign refers to the Democratic Party's criticism of the government's plan in March to raise the country's weekly working hour cap from 52 to 69. Yoon's government later backtracked on the plan after receiving strong backlash from young workers and labour unions. Lee's party said the government's plan "forced an excessive workload on citizens" and launched a social media campaign to promote an alternative plan of reducing the workweek to four-and-a-half days. South Korean workers clock up some of the longest working hours in the world -- an average of 1,915 annually per employee -- the fourth highest among countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), according to data from 2021. Identical images of Lee holding the 4.5-day workweek sign were posted on his official Facebook and Twitter accounts, alongside descriptions promoting the party's social media campaign to reduce working hours in South Korea. The image was also used as a thumbnail for a video posted on Lee's YouTube account, showing him chairing a party meeting to discuss the 4.5-day workweek plan. The same photo was also published in multiple local media reports, including here and here. Protest sign The sign in the doctored photo corresponds to actual placards used by South Korean protestors criticising the Yoon administration's move to compensate Koreans enslaved by Japanese companies during World War II using taxpayers' money. The Yoon government said the decision was aimed at breaking "a vicious cycle" in South Korea's relations with Japan, which soured after Tokyo imposed export curbs on South Korea in 2019 following a South Korean Supreme Court decision mandating payment from Japanese firms to Korean forced labourers. According to local media reports here and here, the announcement drew protesters to the streets of Busan on March 7, where people held up the same signs seen in the misleading posts that claimed Yoon had "no right to be president" following the announcement. A higher-resolution version of the image was also used as a thumbnail in this YouTube video, posted by a channel critical of Yoon's dealings with Japan. Below is a screenshot comparison of a close-up of the sign in the doctored image shared in the misleading posts (left) and a corresponding image published as a thumbnail on the YouTube channel (right): Screenshot comparison of a close-up of the sign in the doctored image shared in the misleading posts (left) and a corresponding image published as a thumbnail on a YouTube channel (right) Before and after Yoon's visit to Japan on March 23, Lee took part in three separate protests on March 12, 18, and 25 criticising the compensation plan and Yoon's meeting with Kishida. Photos of Lee at the protest show the signs he held up at each of the protests were different from the placard seen in the doctored image. The placards Lee held in the photos criticised the Yoon government for its "humiliating diplomacy" with Japan and its "shameful solution to the forced labour issue," as well as calling for "historical justice", but none of them claimed Yoon did not deserve to be president. The parents of a 3-month-old baby boy have been arrested and charged with his murder. Logan Hutchings and Sophia Kelly, both 21 and of Pinckneyville, were charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the childs death Tuesday, Illinois State Police announced. On June 12, 2022, state police were contacted by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and Pinckneyville Police to investigate the injuries sustained by the infant. The boy had been admitted to a St. Louis hospital with a skull fracture and multiple fractures to his ribs. The baby died two days later. Hutchings and Kelly were taken into custody by state police agents and transported to the Washington County Jail on $1 million bond. State police investigators were assisted by DCFS, ISP Crime Scene Services, Pinckneyville Police Department, Washington County Sheriffs Department and the Appellate Prosecutors Office. Almost a decade into their successful Puyallup restaurant, the owners of Bourbon Street Creole Kitchen & Bar in Puyallup will expand to Tacoma with a new concept. The de Alwis family plans to open Chez Lafayette, a Southern-inspired brasserie, this summer at 1101 Tacoma Ave. South. It replaces 3uilt, which closed at the end of last year, preceded also by Tower Bar & Grill. In a small space next door with a separate entrance, they will operate a coffee and retail wine shop called Cafe au Lait. Imagine beignets, baguettes, sandwiches, coffee and beaujolais, said Mikey de Alwis, who is spearheading the teams second restaurant. He anticipates creating a rustic vibe thats very clean but polished with a menu of French brasserie classics crossed with that Southern element, he explained, pointing to dishes like charbroiled oysters and Chateaubriand with Cajun spices, plus a special Sunday jazz brunch. Chez Lafayette, a French brasserie with Cajun-Creole leanings, will open at 1101 Tacoma Avenue South in 2023. The early 20th-century building reminded the owners of Puyallups Bourbon Street of shotgun houses in New Orleans. Per his years of experience honing the bar program at Bourbon Street, now one of the South Sounds go-to cocktail destinations, the drinks will also shine at Chez Lafayette. One of the biggest changes from the spaces former self will be installing a full bar in the front of the restaurant, visible right as you walk in the door. De Alwis envisions tying in some aesthetic themes of their first restaurant, particularly vintage Craftsman five-panel doors underneath the bar-top. With oversized windows that provide an unexpected view of downtown Tacoma and tons of natural light, the space reminded him and his father of shotgun houses in New Orleans. Its got that same feeling, said the elder Mike de Alwis, whose time in The Big Easy inspired him to open Bourbon Street in 2013. Built in 1919, its long and relatively narrow but somehow still spacious at about 2,700 square feet. The rest of the two-story building, on the corner of 11th Street near the Pierce County Courthouse, is occupied by law firms. Mikey de Alwis intends to add banquette seating along each wall, painting up to the high ceiling a peachy hue with white-linen trim and flowing curtains. The kitchen will also be upgraded and expanded. Story continues Mikey de Alwis has honed the bar program at his familys first restaurant in Puyallup. The admittedly awkward back room, which faces east toward Commencement Bay, was the bar a very short one, with room for just four stools. De Alwis will split the room, adding a portion of it to the kitchen and reserving the rest for an intimate, library-style bar with its own identity. It will also allow for private dining, he said. His brother, Jehan de Alwis will consult on menu development. He previously led the kitchen at Bourbon Street before moving to London three years ago, currently working at the Michelin-starred Luca. Bourbon Street executive chef Jacob Thacker will then jump into the day-to-day of the new Tacoma restaurant. The restaurant will join a spate of ambitious culinary investments in downtown Tacoma, including the few-month-old APIZZA Little Italy and Indita Mia, the recently opened Jin Jin Matcha, and the forthcoming Amor Wine & Tapas and West 122. CHEZ LAFAYETTE - TACOMA 1101 Tacoma Ave. S, Tacoma Details: French-Creole inspired brasserie with full bar, serving lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch; target opening Summer 2023 SpaceXs first orbital Starship stacked atop its massive Super Heavy Booster at the companys Starbase facility near Boca Chica Village in South Texas on 10 February, 2022 (Getty Images) SpaceX is planning to launch its giant Starship rocket as early as Monday, according to a flight notice. The 120-metre tall rocket is the centrepiece of Elon Musks plans to colonise Mars, with deals already in place with Nasa to use it to shuttle astronauts to the Moon. Before it can transport any crew or cargo, the biggest rocket ever built must first complete an orbital flight test that will see it lift off from SpaceXs Starbase facility in Texas, before splashing down off the coast of Hawaii. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) posted a planning notice this week stating that the expected launch date is 10 April, with backup dates on 11 and 12 April. The FAA has not made a licence determination for the SpaceX Starship Super Heavy operation, and the FAAs Command Center planning notice should not be interpreted as an indicator that a determination to issue a licence has been made or is forthcoming, the agency said in a statement. The FAA told The Independent that a decision would be made once it is satisfied that SpaceX meets all the necessary safety and regulatory requirements. The evaluation process involves various components, including reviews on policy, payload, airspace integration, financial responsibility and environmental impacts. Most of these aspects are formalities for SpaceX, though it is understood that an environmental compliance review could delay the granting of the licence. SpaceX does not comment on the testing schedule of its Starship rocket. SpaceX has already completed a high-altitude flight test for an earlier Starship prototype, though many of the tests ended in explosions. Mr Musk said last month that there was hopefully above a 50 per cent chance of his companys rocket reaching orbit. I am not saying it will get to orbit, but I am guaranteeing excitement, he told the Morgan Stanley 2023 Technology, Media and Telecommunications conference. It wont be boring. He added that Starship represented the key to expanding life beyond Earth. Less than one week after Spanish television actor Ana Obregon sparked criticism for welcoming a baby via surrogacy in the United States, Obregon has now said the infant is actually the daughter of her late son. The 68-year-old actor told Hola! magazine on 5 April that the baby was fathered by her son Aless Lequio Garcia, who died from cancer in 2020 aged 27. This girl isnt my daughter, shes my granddaughter, she told the outlet. This was Alesss final wish, to bring a child of his own into the world. Prior to his death in 2020, doctors reportedly encouraged her son to preserve samples of his sperm before beginning cancer treatment, as he had expressed a desire before dying to have a child. The samples were frozen and stored in New York, she said. On Wednesday, Obregon posed with her granddaughter named Ana Sandra for the cover of Hola! magazine. The Spanish TV star revealed that the infant was conceived in June 2022 and born on 20 March 2023 in Miami, Florida. She will be registered at the Spanish consulate before they fly to Madrid. In an Instagram post, Obregon shared a photo of the cover along with a message to her late son, Aless, in the caption. My Aless, I swore I would save you from cancer and I failed you. I promised you Id bring your daughter into the world and here she is in my arms, she said, per Instagrams translation. I swear I will take care of her with the infinite love I have to give and you will help me from heaven, Obregon added. You are the love of my life in heaven and your daughter is the love of my life on earth. Ana Obregon was the centre of a fierce debate last week when it was reported that she had welcomed a baby via surrogacy, which is prohibited in Spain. After the actor was pictured on the cover of Hola! magazine with the newborn outside a Miami hospital, Obregon confirmed the baby news in an Instagram post on 29 March. Story continues A light full of love came into my darkness. I will never be alone again, she captioned the post. I AM ALIVE AGAIN. Initial reports about the baby quickly gained the attention of Spanish government officials, sparking criticism from the leftist coalition government who denounced surrogacy. Equality Minister Irene Montero of the leftist United We Can coalition partner said surrogate pregnancies were a form of violence against women. Surrogacy is a practice that is not legal in Spain, she said, per The Guardian. It is legally recognised in our country as a form of violence against women. Fellow left-wing politicians and members of Spains socialist party agreed that surrogacy is a womens rights issue and a form of exploitation of womens bodies. Presidency Minister Felix Bolanos told the BBC: Womens bodies should not be bought nor rented to satisfy anyones desires. In Spain, all forms of surrogacy including altruistic surrogacy, where there is no exchange of money or compensation are prohibited. Although the practice is illegal in Spain, people choose to go abroad to have children via surrogacy are not penalised and parentage after surrogacy is only recognised through legal adoption. Earlier this year, Spain imposed tighter restrictions on surrogacy in a sweeping law that expanded abortion rights. The law classified surrogacy as a form of reproductive violence against women. Last year, the country also passed legislation to ban advertisements for surrogacy. Additional reporting by the AP. The UK has blocked Russian Childrens Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova from speaking at an informal meeting of the UN Security Council regarding the forced deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. Source: The New York Times; UK Mission to the UN on Twitter Quote from the UK Representative in the UN Security Council: "If she wants to give an account of her actions, she can do so in The Hague." Details: The UK Mission to the UN said it had blocked the broadcast because Russia had planned to give the podium to Lvova-Belova. Earlier, the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for the arrest of Lvova-Belova, as well as Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a note describing the meeting, distributed by the Russian delegation, it is said that its purpose is allegedly to dispel the "deliberately distorted narrative" by the Western media and some other countries about Russia's actions against Ukrainian children. Russia denies allegations of forced removal and abduction, saying it evacuated the children for their safety and protection. The UK has insisted that there was no record of the virtual meeting claimed by Russia, and also stated that there was no UN representative at the meeting. If Maria Lvova-Belova wants to give an account of her actions, she can do so in the Hague. 3/3 UK at the UN (@UKUN_NewYork) April 4, 2023 Background: On 17 March, Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Presidential Childrens Rights Commissioner of the Russian Federation. Putin and Lvova-Belova are suspected of committing the war crime of illegal deportation and transfer of children from the occupied territories of Ukraine to the Russian Federation, which has been taking place at least since 24 February 2022. According to Lvova-Belova, as of October 2022 alone, up to 2,000 orphans from social institutions were brought to the Russian Federation, and 350 children from Donbas have already been placed in "foster" families in 16 regions of the Russian Federation. The Ukrainian side has recorded the deportation of 16,221 children. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Spring break season is here, and its expected to be a busy weekend for travelers. The Federal Aviation Administration says Thursday will be the busiest travel day across the country, even in Charlotte. An estimated 170,000 people are expected to travel through Charlotte Douglas International Airport Thursday through Monday in addition to the 53,000 daily passengers connecting through Charlotte. The busiest local travel days will be Thursday, Friday and Monday, so there will be additional staff in the lobby to guide and assist travelers, according to airport officials. But there will also likely be longer lines and longer wait times to go through security because of current ongoing construction,The Charlotte Observer previously reported. So not only will it be busy getting to and from the airport, itll also be a little bit different to navigate inside, too. Heres what you need to know if you plan on flying through Charlotte for spring break. Airport parking There are more than 21,000 parking spaces at the airport for drivers to leave their cars for up to 30 days. You can either get a spot on a first-come, first-served basis or pre-book on the airport website or mobile app. Booking online is cheaper and allows you to change any plans if needed. There are nine lots to choose from, including the newly opened Express Deck Self-Park Deck for arrivals. Customers can book online at parkCLT.com and on the CLT Airport app. Theyll pay a daily maximum of $16, and airport officials said the price may be lower the farther out you book. Security and construction Construction is still going on for the Terminal Lobby Expansion at security Checkpoint B, formerly used for security, is closed. TSA has moved to other checkpoints and will open additional lanes based on daily passenger projections. Airport officials suggest getting there at least two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international flights. You can also check security wait times online or on the airport app. Story continues The Airport Information Desk moved across from Door 1 near the closed Checkpoint B area. There is also a new exit lane for Checkpoint A. New ticket counters for Delta, Air Canada, JetBlue, Contour, Frontier, Southwest and United Airlines also moved to new spots on the terminal lobbys west side. Delayed or canceled flights The Charlotte airport app has 48-hour flight tracking with status updates so you can check for any delays or cancellations. The Department of Transportation also launched a customer service dashboard that outlines policies on controllable cancellations and delays. On the agencys website, travelers can check what accommodations each airline offers in specific circumstances, like refunds, vouchers, and complimentary transportation. Nearly two years ago, Aimy Steele started the New North Carolina Project, a group modeled on Georgia Democrat Stacey Abram's voter registration work and the New Georgia Project efforts that helped transformed the state into a purple swing state. The goal was simple: register thousands of potential voters of color before the 2022 midterm elections. But earlier this year, the decision was made to lay off the entire 20-member staff of the New North Carolina Project, including herself. Now a team of five volunteers staff the organization. The main reason for the layoffs? Finances. Stay in the conversation: Sign up for the OnPolitics newsletter "When you're raising and also spending and trying to keep people employed as a small business owner, it is challenging," Steele said. North Carolina is trending towards becoming a purple state, yet it has not reached the same status that Georgia has in swaying congressional and presidential elections. Efforts like the New North Carolina Project hope to change that. But without the money to pay staffers, the work becomes limited. Fundraising hampers voter engagement work Steele said the organization started in 2022 with less than $1 million n the bank. By the end of the election cycle, the group had knocked on more than 60,000 doors, made 136,000 phone calls, and texted 2.2 million numbers. But without continuous financing, the New North Carolina Project had to make a tough decision on layoffs. "The way political infrastructures are funded these days, it really just only matters to certain funders that they fund right before an election and that's not sustainable," Steele said. Unlike Georgia, North Carolina doesn't have its own Atlanta a metropolitan area that includes high-income Black and brown residents who can invest in get-out-the-vote work. Charlotte is the largest urban area in North Carolina, with more than 1.35 million residents, according to the 2020 Census. White residents make up nearly 40% of the population, Black residents are 35% of the city, followed by Hispanics at 15% and Asian Americans at 6.5%. Story continues In comparison, the Atlanta metropolitan area has more than 6.1 million residents and is the ninth-largest metro area in the U.S. White residents make up more than 38% of the population, Black residents make up 36% followed by Hispanics at 13% and Asian Americans at 8%. A sign directs voters at Bank of America Stadium on Nov. 5, 2022, in Charlotte, North Carolina. It marked the last day for early voting in the state before Election Day on Nov. 8. Voters of color need more engagement Democrat Cheri Beasley narrowly lost her North Carolina Senate bid to Republican Ted Budd last year by less than 4 percentage points. A poll from HIT strategies and Black to the Future Action Fund last month found 22% of Black North Carolinians didn't vote last year. If they had, it could have swayed the election in Beasley's favor. Voters said a main reason for not casting a ballot is because they didn't know enough about the candidates. Poll: Gun control legislation, white supremacy and economy top priorities for Black voters Beasley told USA TODAY that while on the campaign trail, people told her they didn't vote because candidates weren't coming to their communities or addressing their needs. But Beasley also said the other reason why Black and brown voters didn't vote is because of legislation that limits access to the ballot, like voter identification laws and attempts to cut early voting days. Voting access: America's fierce debate over voting access intensifies as midterm elections loom "All of that is important to think about why voters need to have information but also that voting and voter legislation and voting rules have to be transparent," said Beasley. "We need transparency in voter access and information. And transparency doesn't lead to fraud. It leads to voter greater participation." It's why Beasley is pushing back against gerrymandering and laws that limit voting. RALEIGH, NC - MAY 17: North Carolina Democratic Senate candidate Cheri Beasley speaks to a crowd during an election night event on May 17, 2022 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Beasley, a former North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice, won the Democratic midterm primary election and will face off against Republican primary winner Rep. Ted Budd. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775813245 ORIG FILE ID: 1240734903 Political parties let down voters of color in North Carolina Kay Brown, a former New North Carolina Project employee and current Greensboro NAACP president, said more lawmakers will need to prove their commitments to voters in order to help change the political landscape in North Carolina. "People need to see that they're fighting for them. So it's not just that Black and brown people just don't show up because they don't care," Brown said. "For those folks, there has also been a history of both parties failing them." North Carolina's Supreme Court has been embroiled in a legal battle over whether the state's voter ID law is racially discriminatory. The high court ruled in December that the 2018 law was racially discriminatory, but in February the Republican-majority court decided to rehear the case. Democrats have a problem with Black male voters: VP Kamala Harris is quietly trying to fix it Expanding Medicaid A key victory advocates pointed to as something that helps people of color in North Carolina: the expansion of Medicaid. After Republicans dropped their decade-long opposition, North Carolina last month became the 40th state to expand Medicaid. The expansion will help hundreds of thousands of low-income residents, but it took years of organizing for the expansion to happen. People of color disproportionately face high rates of poverty in North Carolina. A study released in 2020, showed Native Americans had a 26% poverty rate, Black Americans and Hispanics/Latinos both had a 22% poverty rate. White residents had a 9% poverty rate and Asian Americans were at 8%. "This Medicaid expansion win is an example of being invested in a long game and understanding that it's not going to happen in one cycle," said Dreama Caldwell, executive co-director of Down Home North Carolina, a civic engagement group that focuses on rural voters. Advocates worked for years to fight opposition to this issue in the state. "Communities of color don't want you to parachute in for elections and parachute out, she said. ''And so relationship building is important to the work that we do." Change doesn't happen overnight Brown points out that the work Abrams did in Georgia took years of organizing before gaining national media attention. "It wasn't just the organization came one day and then there was a Stacey Abrams and that was it," Brown said. "There were years of work and years of building. There were years of infrastructure that was there." That same time to develop organizing is needed in North Carolina, advocates said. "We're making good headway cycle after cycle," said Todd Zimmer, executive co-director of Down Home North Carolina. "We do need to continue to grow the work of organizations like ours, like Down Home, to close that gap. But there's really phenomenal and growing and increasingly sophisticated infrastructure in this state, a lot of it Black lead." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why North Carolina struggles with voter efforts when Georgia succeeded On the day former President Donald Trump was arraigned in a New York City courtroom, Gov. Ron DeSantis spent time with puppies across the street from the governors mansion in Tallahassee. DeSantis attended a pet adoption event hosted by the Republican Party of Florida late on Tuesday afternoon. He was accompanied by his wife, First Lady Casey DeSantis, and their three children, Madison, Mason and Mamie. The governor kept a low profile and the press away. At the outdoor event featuring an ice cream truck, dozens of puppies and face-painting for kids, his political team asked three reporters to leave, saying the event was closed to the press. Before attending the pet adoption event, the governor made no public appearances. He held meetings with legislative staff at his office in the state Capitol, where the legislative session is taking place. He also appointed Knute Nathe to the Pasco County Court. The low-key approach Tuesday underscores the potential political landmines facing a politician widely regarded as Trumps chief competition for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, whose remarks about the former presidents legal troubles receive close scrutiny. RELATED CONTENT: Records, not hush money, key to Trump charges. Making case in court poses challenges Staying silent and focusing on his job is the politically wise approach, some Republican strategists say. In the middle of the legislative session, its smart for him to do his job, said Anthony Pedicini, a GOP strategist in Florida. And his job doesnt have anything to do with what the Manhattan DA is doing. His normally active Facebook accounts were absent of any posts by Tuesday evening, and on Twitter, an account run by his political team only posted about the pet adoption event. Even communication aides who are usually abuzz on social media were quiet about the days news and made no mention of the former presidents arraignment. While DeSantis was mum on Tuesday about Trumps legal troubles, he did come out in support of the former president soon after the indictment was announced last week. The governor called the case the weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda. Story continues READ FOR YOURSELF: Heres what Trumps newly unsealed indictment says DeSantis has not commented on the specific charges against Trump, who is facing 34 felony charges in connection to a hush money payment made to a porn star during the 2016 presidential election. Trump is the first former president to face criminal charges. Shift in tone DeSantis has spent most of this year making headlines both nationally and in the state. In recent weeks, the governor has also embarked on a book tour across the country that has seen him delivering closely watched speeches in many key political battlegrounds. Some veteran politicians said that given Trumps still strong support within the party, DeSantis had few other options. Making news of any kind could be seen as a distraction from what Republican voters perceive as a major injustice, they say. Its the wisest political strategy, said David Jolly, a former Republican congressman. Its also the only available political strategy. DeSantis wasnt the only marquee politician keeping his head down amid the arraignment. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre acknowledged that Biden would likely catch up on the news coverage at some point, but she said that Trumps case was not a focus for the president. Its an ongoing case, so were just not going to comment, on the case specifically itself, Jean-Pierre said. The presidents going to focus on the American people, like he does every day. This is not something that is a focus for him. READ MORE: Un-American: DeSantis, Florida GOP rally in support of Trump after indictment In a way, DeSantis tried to do just that on Tuesday. His wife, First Lady Casey DeSantis, hosted a press event at the governors mansion with the head of the state Department of Business and Professional Regulation and several animal rescue groups, to promote pet adoptions in an effort to reduce euthanasia rates at animal shelters across the state. We are bringing together some of the smart people in the world of pets to help our four-legged friends, the first lady said before inviting about two dozen people at the public event to attend the pet adoption event that was handled by the political team and closed to the press. The governor and his family do not have a pet of their own. But the first lady joked that the kids had shown interest in an eight-week-old, dark gray Catahoula Leopard puppy named Rose. DeSantis defense of Trump DeSantis has defended Trump from the indictment ahead of Tuesdays arraignment, arguing that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg had unfairly targeted a leading Republican while ignoring violent crimes against average people. He linked his criticism of Bragg to highlight his own effort last year to remove a Democratic prosecutor from office, Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren, saying that liberal prosecutors must be reined in. A federal judge ruled that DeSantis violated the states Constitution when he removed Warren from office, but said the suspension could not be overturned by a federal court. As a result, the judge, Robert L. Hinkle of the U.S. District Court of Tallahassee, said the court could not reinstate Warren to his elected office. DeSantis forceful pushback against Bragg marked a minor shift in tone for DeSantis in response to Trumps indictment. In March, when reports first emerged that the former president faces the prospect of a criminal indictment, the governor blasted the district attorney for a politically motivated prosecution but also highlighted the lurid nature of the charges. Look, I dont know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair, DeSantis said. I cant speak to that. His initial response received pushback from some Trump loyalists, including one of the former presidents sons, that it was insufficiently supportive. By last week, the governor had removed any mention of hush money from his comments about the charges. DeSantis has not formally declared that he will seek the presidency next year, although he is widely expected to launch a campaign after the state legislative session ends. Early hypothetical polls of the 2024 GOP primary show him receiving the second most support of all potential candidates, trailing only Trump. But many recent surveys show the former president, bolstered by concern of the indictment, gaining ground with Republican voters. A Fox News poll released last week found Trump receiving 54% support from GOP voters, up 11 percentage points from February. DeSantis had slipped four points since February, from 28% to 24%. Tuberculosis may be considered a disease of the past, conquered by modern medicine. But its still with us. Stanislaus County had 15 new cases of active TB in 2022, which was a 50% increase over the previous year, the county Health Services Agency said in a recent news release. The number of active TB cases is only the tip of the iceberg, the news release says. For every person with active TB disease, many more will have latent TB infection. People with a latent infection do not have symptoms and are not infectious, but it can progress to active TB disease if they are not treated. An estimated 10% of asymptomatic cases will develop the active disease. Those with active tuberculosis in their lungs can spread the disease person-to-person by coughing the germs into the air, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC recommends treating latent TB infection with a short-course medication regimen taking three to four months. Dr. Thea Papasozomenos, public health officer for Stanislaus County, timed the news release with World TB Day to urge residents to be aware of tuberculosis. She said many people diagnosed with latent TB are not interested in getting treatment, but its vitally important for controlling the disease. Almost 9 in 10 cases of active TB in California progressed from a latent infection, the news release said. The strategy for control of tuberculosis includes treating active disease and screening and treatment of those with latent infections. Who should be tested? People who were close contacts of someone with tuberculosis. Those who came from a region where TB is common, such as Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. People living or working in higher risk environments including correctional facilities, shelters and care facilities. Certain healthcare workers who may be exposed to patients with TB. Children and adolescents living with adults at increased risk of infection. For more information, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has an online education page on tuberculosis. What do you want to know about life in Modesto? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email servicejournalists@modbee.com. Starbucks has fired a longtime union organiser in Buffalo just two days after former CEO Howard Schultz appeared before a Senate committee to deny that the corporation is engaging in illegal union-busting activity. Lexi Rizzo, who worked for seven years as a shift supervisor at one of the first Starbucks stores to successfully unionise, was one of three union organisers fired in another apparent crackdown on labour activity at the coffee giant. Ms Rizzo has served on the unions organising committee since its outset in August 2021. Ms Rizzo said after her firing that she was heartbroken. Im absolutely heartbroken, Ms Rizzo, who was dismissed on March 31, told CNBC. It wasnt just a job for me. It was like my family. It was like losing everything. Ive been there since I was 17 years old. Its like my entire support system, and I think that they knew that. Ms Rizzo said that she was purportedly fired for tardiness, a reason union organisers say is often given for the arbitrary dismissal of organisers. Ms Rizzo was allegedly late to work four times, including two times when she was late by one minute. The union, Starbucks Workers United, says the firing is retaliation for Ms Rizzos organising activities. If it is true that Starbucks fired Ms Rizzo because of her organising, it would not be the first time the company has violated labour law by firing an organiser. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) administrative law judge last month ordered Starbucks to rehire and give backpay to seven other improperly fired workers in Buffalo and re-open a unionised store in the area that it had closed. Corporate conduct like that has won Starbucks the ire of leading progressives like Sen Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who called Mr Schultz, the three-time CEO and face of the company, to testify before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) about the companys anti-union tactics. Mr Schultz was grilled by Democrats on the committee including Mr Sanders and Sen Ed Markey of Massachusetts, but recieved much more sympathetic treatment from Republicans like Sen Rand Paul of Kentucky and Sen Mitt Romney of Utah who heralded Starbucks commercial success. Mr Schultz, for his part, denied the union-busting allegations drew the ire of workers by claiming that Starbucks has not broken the law despite its numerous labour law violations. But despite the negative press generated by Mr Schultzs appearance in the Senate and the companys union-busting tactics more broadly, some observers believe that the tactics have worked to slow the unions momentum with the rate at which stores have filed for union elections having slowed since an initial burst last spring. Grounded's new camper van will be fully electric. Grounded A SpaceX alum-founded startup has created what it says is the world's first customizable, smart, and electric RV. The Grounded G1, based on the Ford E-Transit, has a modular interior. The RV can either be purchased for $125,000 or rented for at least one year for $2,300 a month. A newcomer in the RV industry founded by former Tesla and SpaceX engineers is already promising a product most legacy RV makers have yet to deliver to the US' market: a fully electric modular camper van. Grounded Most electric RVs like Winnebago's eRV2 camper van and Airstream's eStream trailer are currently in their concept phase. Winnebago Source: Insider, Insider Compared to these legacy companies, Grounded is an infant. It was founded in August 2022 by Sam Shapiro, a former SpaceX employee who spent four months remote working and traveling around the US in his own camper van. Grounded, Anna May Photography Source: Grounded Despite the startup's young age, it's already on the cusp of delivering its first few electric RVs, which are based on Ford's E-Transit with a range of 108 miles. Ford E Transit Ford It's the same platform Winnebago is using for its concept eRV2. Winnebago's concept electric camper van, the eRV2. Winnebago Source: Insider In November, Grounded began manufacturing in Detroit. And in a few weeks, the first three customer vehicles will be shipped to Simple Campers, a camper van rental company in California. Grounded The tiny home on wheels, called the Grounded G1, can also be yours for $125,000. Grounded But if you're not ready to pay that upfront, Grounded has a one-year, $2,300 per month "subscription" model similar to a long-term rental or lease on a car. Grounded "Our company mission is to give people the freedom to live and work anywhere sustainably integrated within nature," Shapiro said. "We think offering a subscription and opening up accessibility is a strong way to drive that mission forward." Grounded Paying over $2,000 a month for a tiny mobile home could be a lot for people who are used to paying that same amount for a one-bedroom apartment. Grounded But the G1 has a queen bed. So if you're comfortable with sharing this bed, you could split this monthly "subscription" with another traveler. Story continues Grounded Like any fully converted camper van, the G1 also has seating by a pull-out table, a kitchenette, and a dry-flush toilet. Grounded Storage can be found overhead or in the "garage" shown below. However, showers will have to be taken outdoors. Grounded Its electronics and appliances like the battery, lights, and temperature can be controlled and monitored remotely using Grounded app. Grounded To power all of this while staying off-grid, the van has 640 watts of solar power and a separate battery system. The solar panels can also charge the vehicle and home's batteries. Grounded Source: Grounded But if you aren't in love with the current arrangement, the interior can be adjusted to fit your needs. Grounded By using a modular system, components like the bed and dining area can be easily doubled, moved, or removed depending on your needs. Grounded So if you need an extra bed, seating, room for a TV, or more storage, Grounded can "refit" the van accordingly. Grounded According to Shapiro, this modular approach, the app, and the purchase and rental options set Grounded's camper van apart from the other electric RVs we could soon see flooding the market. Grounded For now, the startup is focusing on this camper van, raising money, and increasing manufacturing speeds. The goal is for four customers to receive their vans in four to eight weeks after ordering. Grounded "We are being very intentional about shipping quickly and continuing to evolve the product rather than being a company that raises millions of dollars and spends years in research and development before ever shipping a product," Shapiro said Grounded But in the future, you could see Grounded take what Shapiro calls a "platform agnostic" approach to manufacturing by implementing its modular interior into other electric vans. Grounded In July, it will begin building out the second generation of its camper van with a 250-mile range. Grounded And in early 2025, Grounded's next model a trailer RV will be ready to ship. Grounded Read the original article on Business Insider One of Wellos organizational values is shared risk, work and celebration. This means we grow trust by sharing in the work and risks associated with driving just opportunities to health, and also celebrate the resulting successes. This celebration is important to maintain and build momentum locally, as well as shine a bright spot on northeastern Wisconsin for our collaboration, innovation and drive to explore the possible. We have been fortunate enough to have our work celebrated at the state and national level multiple times, including a 2021 Robert Wood Johnson Foundations Culture of Health Prize finalist designation. Here are the most recent and upcoming ways in which Wellos work, in partnership with our community, was celebrated beyond northeastern Wisconsin. Toward One Wisconsin state conference The Toward One Wisconsin: A Conference on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, or T1W as its called, brings together leaders, professionals and advocates from a broad range of sectors, including private business, nonprofit, government, health and education, to empower and employ the full talent of all who live here in Wisconsin. This years conference will take place April 25-26 in Appleton. Wello and its community partners at Community Services Agency Inc., We All Rise: African American Resource Center, and Prevea will be part of a panel session called Co-Creating Well-Being Through Community-Centered, Innovative Approaches. This session will highlight our Brown County RISE project as an example of how to rethink how health equity work can be intentionally co-created and led by communities most impacted in an issue to positively impact overall well-being. The panel format will allow for a deeper dive into the importance of intentionality in how health equity work is developed, decided upon, approached and completed. This will be the second time Wello presents at Toward One Wisconsin. The first was in 2021, highlighting our communitys collective signing on to the Wisconsin Public Health Associations Racism is a Public Health Crisis declaration. Story continues Public Health Institute highlight The same Brown County RISE project was also featured by the Public Health Institute. This national organizations mission is to advance well-being and health equity with communities around the world. PHI and its programs improve health, equity and wellness by discovering new research, strengthening key partnerships and programs, and advancing sound public health policies. The feature on the PHI website puts our community work on a website that has national and global reach for all to see the innovative and impactful work we are doing here locally. We also received national attention by being featured in a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention newsletter last December. National League of Cities The National League of Cities is an organization of city, town and village leaders focused on improving the quality of life for their current and future constituents. NLC highlighted Wello as one of six communities nationally that is holistically measuring resident well-being to spark local action to address barriers to health. As a result, the city of Green Bay and Wello were panelists during a 2022 NLC conference. Wello and the city of Green Bay again have been asked by the NLC to share experiences, learnings, and methods this month during a small group convening with six mayors from the Metro-Atlanta Cities Wellbeing Initiative. This will allow us to showcase how Wellos Community Health and Well-Being survey can spark local change and shine a light on the innovative approaches northeastern Wisconsin is taking to ensure all their residents have the opportunity to be well and thrive. Amplifying the local wins at a national level acts to accelerate our work and increase the resources we are able to secure to continue innovating, spreading and scaling what works. We hope that these examples make you as proud to live in a community devoted to this work as we are proud of the privilege to work to make visions a reality. Mario Gonzalez is the communications and marketing manager for Wello. Wello's purpose is to co-create community conditions that are fair and just to drive high levels of health and well-being for all. Share your thoughts, questions and topic suggestions by emailing hello@wello.org. This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Recognition helps Wello shine spotlight on local well-being efforts State Rep. Dave Dobos Dave Dobos, a state representative since January and a longtime Republican politician from Columbus' Hilltop who once served as Columbus City School Board president, never graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as he has publicly claimed for decades. The claim of holding an MIT degree has been repeated by Dobos often dating back some 30 years, in everything from political campaigns to casual conversations. An MIT spokesperson, Sarah McDonnell, said that Dobos' claims of holding a degree from the prestigious research institution in Cambridge, Massachusetts, are incorrect. Dobos attended MIT as an undergraduate student in economics from September 1973 August 1977; February 1978 January 1979; and February 1980 May 1980, McDonnell said in an email to The Dispatch. No MIT degrees were conferred. Dobos, 68, has claimed publicly to be an MIT graduate at least since the early 1990s, when he ran for the Columbus Board of Education, and continued the claim consistently through the years up to the present. Even up until early Tuesday, his official state website biography as a member of the Ohio House, a seat to which he was elected last November, said he was an MIT graduate. "A graduate of West High School and MIT, Dobos used his education and training to start a small business," his state website said earlier Tuesday. But later Tuesday afternoon after news of his false claim was first reported by Cleveland.com the wording had been changed to say only that Dobos had "attended" MIT. However, his campaign website continued to say he graduated from MIT as did dozens of news stories dating back decades. A call left with Dobos' office was not immediately returned. Dobos defeated Democrat Russell Harris, a longtime government relations consultant and lobbyist for the Ohio Education Association, 53% to 47% in the race for Ohio's new 10th House District, which includes most of southern Columbus. The latest revelation follows Dobos failing to correctly report his campaign finances last year. Story continues Dobos said he was in "error" when he did not include on his July campaign financial report two creditors who claim he owes them $1.3 million as the result of a decade-old business dispute. In the lawsuit, former business associates accused Dobos of using their name and money to obtain credit and create companies that they claim defrauded them of more than $25,000. The lawsuit accused Dobos of covering up his dealings and using their money for personal purposes. In March 2014, Delaware County Common Pleas Judge W. Duncan Whitney ordered Dobos to pay nearly $329,673, plus interest, as well as $989,018.58 in punitive damages. Dobos filed for bankruptcy, but a federal judge in October 2014 ruled that Dobos still had to pay the full $1.3 million. In March 2015, Dobos asked a Delaware County court to keep him from having to pay, but Judge David Gormley denied the request. The Ohio General Assembly's Joint Legislative Ethics Committee contacted Dobos last year after a letter to the Office of the Legislative Inspector General claimed Dobos failed to disclose on his financial report the $1.3 million that a Delaware County Common Pleas judge ordered he pay. Dobos then filed an addendum acknowledging the debt. Dobos was first elected to the Columbus City school board in 1993. He left the board of Ohio's largest school district at the end of 2001, after having served a stint as president. wbush@gannett.com @ReporterBush This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: State Rep. Dave Dobos never got MIT diploma as he's claimed for years A Maine woman is recovering after she was attacked by a bull this past weekend, according to police. Farmington Police received a call for a 43-year-old woman that was injured by a cow in Farmington on Friday afternoon. Police, EMS and Animal Control responded to Whistle Stop Trail in West Farmington shortly after 3 p.m. to find the woman. The woman told police she was preparing for a jog along the trail when she was charged at by the bull. The bovine lifted the woman up in the air by its horns before she was able to scramble to the nearby treeline. The woman suffered a small laceration that needed stitches. EMS was able to treat her at the scene and she was able to avoid being transported by ambulance. The owner of the loose bull was contacted and arrived at the scene to corral the bovine and a large pig tagging along with the bull. The identity of the owner has not been released pending possible charges. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Stephen Colbert on Tuesday celebrated former President Donald Trumps arrest and first appearance in court as a criminal defendant. Once he finally arrived downtown at the courthouse, we heard these immortal words: This moment at 1:24 p.m. Eastern time, Donald J. Trump is under arrest, said Colbert, using a CNN clip. I know. It feels good, but remember, he is innocent until proven so, so guilty. At that point, of course, he was read his Miranda rights, Colbert continued. Then, he claimed that Miranda wasnt even his type, asked her to sign an NDA and got indicted again. Colbert then played footage of the moment that Trump, who pleaded not guilty to charges involving a $130,000 hush-money payoff to porn actor Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election, walked into court and nobody held the door as it closed behind him. Wow, thats kind of special, said Colbert. Its not often you see a door hitting an ass on the way in. Colbert noted that pundits had predicted an angry MAGA mob would overwhelm the city protesting Trumps arrest. But that didnt happen, he said, pointing to an Intelligencer article that reported there were so few pro-Trump protesters that reporters had to line up to talk to them. Its never a good sign when there are fewer people at your current rally than are in prison for your last one, joked Colbert. Related... Adult films actress Stormy Daniels. Phillip Faraone/Getty Images Stormy Daniels celebrated former President Donald Trump's arrest on Tuesday. Replying to a derogatory tweet aimed at her, the adult film actress mocked Trump. "It's definitely more fun being under my sexy man instead of under arrest," she wrote in her tweet. Stormy Daniels took to Twitter to celebrate after former President Donald Trump was formally charged in New York on Tuesday. The adult film actress who was a central figure in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's investigation into a hush money payment made to her also made a point to hit back at her critics. One of Daniels' Tuesday tweets was a zinger that mocked Trump's legal woes, in response to a sexualized insult aimed at her. "It's definitely more fun being under my sexy man instead of under arrest," she wrote. Daniels was likely referring to her husband, fellow porn actor Barrett Blade. This was not the first occasion where Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, has reacted triumphantly to Trump's legal troubles. In an interview with The Times of London on Friday, she said that she was "fully aware of the insanity" that a porn star was behind Trump's criminal charges. "But it's also poetic; this pussy grabbed back," she told The Times of London. This appeared to be a reference to the 2005 "Access Hollywood" tape, where Trump was heard boasting about groping women and uttering the phrase "grab 'em by the pussy." And after Trump was indicted on Thursday, Daniels tweeted jubilantly that orders for her #teamstormy merchandise were "pouring in." In March, Daniels also engaged in another Twitter feud with her critics, one of whom accused her of being obsessed with Trump. Daniels responded to the Twitter user, saying that Trump was the one who was obsessed with her. Story continues "He probably watches my movies on repeat which may be why he has so many typos. (Slippery fingers from lube and KFC)," per her tweet on March 19. Trump on Tuesday was arrested in New York, and later in a Manhattan courtroom pleaded not guilty to 34 low-level felony charges. The charges were filed against him by the Manhattan district attorney's office in connection with a lengthy investigation into a hush money payment made to Daniels. Daniels says she had an affair with Trump in 2006, a year after he married Melania Trump. Donald Trump has denied the affair. Representatives for Trump and Daniels did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment sent outside regular business hours. Read the original article on Business Insider (Bloomberg) -- At roughly the same time that former President Donald Trump plead not guilty to criminal charges Tuesday afternoon in a Manhattan courtroom, he notched a win in a federal appeals court in California against the adult film star at the heart of the New York indictment. Most Read from Bloomberg The US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit issued a six-page order directing Stormy Daniels to pay nearly $122,000 in legal fees to Trumps attorneys. That sum is in addition to the more than $293,000 that Daniels had been ordered to pay after losing a libel case against the former president in federal district court and $245,000 for unsuccessfully pursuing an earlier appeal. The New York and California cases arent directly related, but the timing was striking since they involve the same underlying events: Daniels claim that she had an affair with Trump which he has denied and efforts by Trumps former longtime lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen to stop her story from becoming public ahead of the 2016 presidential election by orchestrating a $130,000 hush-money payment. Trump pleaded not guilty on Tuesday in Manhattan state court to a 34-count indictment that accuses him of falsifying business records in order to hide reimbursement payments to Cohen and influence the election. The Manhattan district attorneys office has alleged that Trump falsified records to further other crimes, including violating state and federal election laws. Prosecutor Chris Conroy told the New York judge during Tuesdays arraignment that Daniels might be a witness in the case as it moves forward. The California case dates back to 2018. Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, had sued Trump over a tweet in which he accused her of a total con job after she said shed been threatened in order to keep quiet about her claim of having an affair. A judge ruled in late 2018 that Trumps tweet was rhetorical hyperbole protected under the First Amendment, and then ordered Daniels to pay nearly $292,000 in legal fees plus a $1,000 sanction. Story continues Daniels appealed, and after losing the first round, in March 2022 was ordered to pay more than $245,000 in fees. The 9th Circuit then rejected Daniels appeal of the district judges original attorney fee award, finding she had waited too long to present it. Daniels had acknowledged she was responsible for paying fees as the losing party, but argued the fee request by Trumps lawyers for $128,000 was excessive. A special commissioner tasked with evaluating Trumps request denied part of it because the lawyers hadnt submitted an itemized task log, but approved the bulk of it. Daniels attorneys didnt immediately return a request for comment. Trumps attorney Harmeet Dhillon provided a statement saying that they were gratified that the 9th Circuit awarded the vast majority of fees incurred in the final stage of this litigation that never should have taken a moment of the courts time. In total, the court awarded our client over $600,000 in fees in this dispute that Ms. Clifford initiated. We are glad to have brought this matter to a successful conclusion for our client. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Stormy Daniels has been ordered to pay Donald Trump $120,000 on the same day that the former president was charged in connection to a $130,000 payment to her. In a California courtroom 3,000 miles from Manhattan Criminal Court where Mr Trump was arraigned on 34 felony charges on Tuesday, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the adult film star to pay more than $121,000 for his legal fees. The fees come on top of the more than $500,000 she was previously ordered to pay Mr Trump. This comes after Ms Daniels lost a defamation lawsuit against the former president back in 2018 after he branded her claims that she was threatened by an unidentified man in a parking lot over their alleged affair a total con job. That year, District Judge S. James Otero sided with Mr Trump in the civil lawsuit claiming that his comments had been protected by the First Amendment. On Tuesday, the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals once again sided with the former president ruling that Ms Daniels must pay the legal fees after Mr Trumps attorneys reasonably spent more than 183 hours on the case. Ms Daniels appeared undeterred by the ruling giving a spicy response to a Twitter user who asked her: How much do you owe Donald ? Hundreds of thousands, right? Gotta wonder if your husband dreams of all the real hot, sexy women he could have had. He doesnt have to dream about it. Hes done over 5k sex scenes with some of the sexiest women on earth, Ms Daniels fired back. She has previously said that she will go to jail before I pay a penny to the former president. The ruling in California marked a minor legal victory for Mr Trump on the same day that his alleged affair with Ms Daniels helped land him with a staggering 34 felony charges. Students at several Charlotte-area schools walked out of class on Wednesday to protest gun violence. At noon, local students joined the nationwide movement demanding legislative action on gun violence. Students across our area got up and walked out of class in hopes that they will be seen and heard. ALSO READ: CMS math teacher cultivates students to be college, career ready At Trinity Episcopal School in Uptown, students ages 10 to 14 marched with a clear message. Im 14 years old, Im in the eighth grade and I am angry, said Tessa Fulcher. Other students fought back emotions. Innocent people are dying, Monica Martinez said while fighting tears. These students are just a few years older than the three 9-year-old students killed at a school in Nashville, last week. This cant keep happening, said Hayes Bowman. Gun violence has become the top cause of death among children, according to the New England Journal of Medicine. READ MORE: CMS gets $2.8M grant to bolster safety in schools The students in Uptown read aloud the names of 96 schools that have experience shootings. Remember how easily one of those names could have been Trinity, said Austin Redmond, a student at the school. Chopper 9 Skyzoom flew over similar protests at North Mecklenburg High School and Garinger High School where students left class to push back against school shootings. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools sent Channel 9 a statement about the planned protests. We have been made aware of a planned walkout to protest gun violence tomorrow morning at Garinger High School. Safety and security measures are in place to ensure the walkout is without incident, officials said. At Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, our top priority is to support the academic and social-emotional needs of our students while maintaining a safe and orderly learning environment for all. (WATCH BELOW: CMS leaders concerned about funding security in proposed budget) Austin Redmond walked out of his school Wednesday even though classes were still in session. The 14-year-old believes with every extra step he can take against gun violence, people will get the message. Its important to always push, said Austin, an eighth-grader at uptown Charlottes Trinity Episcopal School. There hasnt been enough done about gun violence. If enough people retaliate and protest then maybe something will finally be done. Dozens of Trinitys fifth- through eighth-grade students took part in a national student walkout over gun violence following the deadly shooting of six people at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, last week, including three students. Students from across the state and country were expected to participate in Students Demand Action walkouts, calling on lawmakers to take action on gun safety. Killing children has become way too repetitive to make it almost normalized, Austin said. It needs to stop right now. Students led Trinitys walkout and delivered speeches. Tessa Fulcher, 14, hopes both resonate because students are going to school fearing they might get killed each day. Its really important that we make our voices heard because we are the future, the eighth-grader said. Trinity Episcopal School students hold signs during a walk out on Wednesday to demand action on gun violence and gun safety. Trinity stands out For Austin, Tessa and about 45 other Trinity eighth-graders, their call for action didnt end Wednesday. Trinity is sending them to Washington, D.C., in May to lobby lawmakers and policy think tanks, among other groups. Students have spent the entire year researching community issues like gun safety, meeting with local groups and officials, and coming up with issues they want to advocate for, Trinity spokesman Chris Miller told The Charlotte Observer. Service learning is a cornerstone of a Trinity education, Miller said. We see the walkout as an extension of that service learning as students use their voices. Students have been studying different issues surrounding gun violence, such as background checks and permitless carry states. Theyll take what theyve learned, go to Washington, D.C., and argue with politicians, Austin said. Story continues Well be meeting with different politicians who agree and disagree with the bill that well be supporting, Austin said. Theyll talk to us. Its just a great experience to learn how to advocate for ourselves. Ive had enough Tessa said the class chose gun violence and safety because of so many school shootings. So far this year, there have been at least 39 incidents of gunfire on school grounds, resulting in 17 deaths and 30 injuries nationally, according to Every Town for Gun Safety. (Its become) sort of a thing that you shrug off and oh well, thats sad, Tessa said. Time and time again and Ive had enough. Trinity, a small, private K-8 Christian school with an enrollment of 440, similar to the size of The Covenant School, keeps its safety and security measures confidential. Miller said school leaders assess security throughout the year, not only in times such as these. A Trinity Episcopal School student holds a sign speaking to their feelings during a fifth through eighth grade student walk out on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. The students held the walk out to demand action on gun violence and gun safety. CMS encourages talk Students Demand Action is a national initiative that began in 2016 as a pilot program, according to its website. It started within two weeks of the Parkland, Florida, shooting where a gunman shot and killed 17 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Students Demand Action has more than 600 groups across the country, including North Carolina, and active volunteers in every state. Advocates called for the walk out Wednesday to demand action on gun safety. Vicki Grooms, a spokeswoman with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, told the Observer the district was aware of talks about a national student walkout over gun control, and acknowledged a planned walkout at Garinger High. Safety and security measures were put in place to ensure the walkout was without incident, Grooms said. Grooms said the district supports students who want to advocate for causes that are important to them, and school officials try to work with students to find creative ways to do so while at school. District officials said they encourage students to have conversations with their families about how they may be feeling about recent acts of violence in schools, and the importance of expressing themselves in appropriate ways at school. We do not have to live this way Last month, North Carolinas Republican-controlled legislature overrode Gov. Roy Coopers veto of a bill that eliminates the longstanding permit system requiring sheriffs to perform character evaluations and criminal history checks of pistol applicants. Cooper and Democratic lawmakers warn that the plan allows a greater number of dangerous people to obtain weapons through private sales, which do not require a background check, and limits law enforcements ability to prevent them from committing violent crimes. CMS board member Jennifer De La Jara, during a school board meeting Tuesday, called the decision to make accessing firearms easier unconscionable on the heels of what happened in Nashville. De La Jara was in East Mecklenburg High School on Monday when there was a lockdown and a fear of a potential firearm. I could see the parents banging on the doors of the building and my own kids texting wondering what was going on, De La Jara said, breaking down in tears. We do not have to live this way. Less than a day after House Bill 71 was signed into law, the American Civil Liberties Union said it plans to sue to block Idahos new prohibition on gender-affirming care for transgender minors. The law makes it a felony to provide puberty blockers, hormone therapies and transition-related surgeries to minors. Leo Morales, ACLU of Idaho executive director, on Wednesday called the bill discriminatory and said the group is looking for people who will be affected. For any individuals directly impacted, we seek partnership as we challenge this law in court, Morales said in a news release. We will sue to stop this harmful and unconstitutional law. Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed the legislation Tuesday night. The Republican said society should protect minors from surgeries or treatments that can irreversibly damage their healthy bodies, but policymakers should take great caution when interfering with parents decisions. Republican Attorney General Raul Labrador on Tuesday expressed support for the law and said his office is prepared to defend it in court. Some critics suggest this bill is unconstitutional, Labrador said on Twitter. It is not. Last month, four families filed a federal lawsuit challenging Floridas ban on puberty blockers and gender-affirming surgeries for minors. The lawsuit claims that Floridas prohibition unfairly targets transgender minors and violates the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution, The Associated Press reported. The seventh season of Summer House is in full swing, and returners Lindsay Hubbard, Carl Radke, Kyle Cooke, Danielle Olivera, Mya Allen, Paige DeSorbo, and Ciara Miller were joined in the Hamptons by new additions Samantha Feher, Gabby Prescod, and Chris Leoni. As the summer has been progressing, the aforementioned cast members have received a few visits from some memorable guests. Spending time with the cast are Winter House alums Kory Keefer and Andrea Denver (the latter was also on Summer House Season 6), and Paiges boyfriend, Southern Charms Craig Conover. Craig and Kory visited the Hamptons crew on the April 3 episode, and the latter visitor is actually now in a relationship with one of the housemates. Find out everything you need to know about Kory by scrolling below! Who is Kory Keefer? Heres your refresher on his Winter House experience. Kory (and his pearl necklace!) joined the cast of Winter House for Season 2. He was linked to the group through his long-standing friendship with Craig, which began when the two were fraternity brothers at the College of Charleston. Screen grab of Carl Radke and Kyle Cooke During his time in Stowe, Vermont, Kory had a romance with fellow newbie Jessica Stocker. The two began hooking up a few days into the trip, and Jessica hoped they would be exclusively dating by the time they were getting ready to leave the house. Kory wasnt on the same page as the real estate agent and told her he didnt want to be exclusive before they left. On a December episode of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Jessica confirmed that the two were no longer dating. As a result, heading into the summer, Kory was single and ready to mingle. Daily Dish Winter House Jessica Stocker Kory Keefer What is Korys job? Hes a gym owner. The Winter Housemate owns CORE24, a gym with locations in Greenville and Seneca, South Carolina. Korys parents owned the Seneca gym location, and Kory decided to take it over and put his own spin on the space after he graduated from college and wasnt sure what path to take. Story continues The gym did well enough that Kory and his family were eventually able to move to a bigger, 14,000-square-foot space, and ultimately expand to another location. Kory is in a relationship with Summer House's Samantha Feher. As previously mentioned, Kory and Craig came to the summer hotspot in time for Kyle's 40th birthday. Though Kory piqued both Sam and Ciara's interests (he briefly had a connection with the latter cast member on Winter House), he's now currently in a relationship with the Feher Agency founder. "Kory's my boyfriend," Sam confirmed during a chat with Page Six in April 2023. "And that is so weird, I haven't had a boyfriend in so long... Kory and I made it official a little while ago, and [we've] just been enjoying being in a relationship." Sam said that, when Craig and Kory appeared on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen back in November 2022, she was in the audience, and the two were already dating. She went on to describe their relationship as, "unexpected, sexy, for sure, and easy," and she also revealed that the two love to hang out with Craig and Paige. "It's just really fun for the four of us to be around each other," she added. "Like, we're all kind of obsessed with each other, so it's a good time." Watch Summer House on Bravo Mondays at 9/8c and next day on Peacock. Catch up on the Bravo app. Sushi In Japan, table manners are no laughing matter - and failure to use separate chopsticks to add toppings to ones dish is considered deeply shocking. In this case, however, it may even be criminal. Japanese police have arrested two men for using their chopsticks to remove pickled ginger from a container destined for all diners in the latest act of sushi terrorism - a term coined for what is seen as a heinous breach of etiquette. The arrests of Toshihide Oka, 34, and Ryu Shimazu, 35, in Osaka came amid attempts to stem a wave of bad behaviour among clientele that began early this year at popular chain restaurants. Social media is awash with cases of flagrant rule-breaking. Mr Oka and Mr Shimazu are accused of obstructing business after they used their chopsticks to eat pickled ginger from a communal container at a restaurant run by the gyudon (beef bowl) chain Yoshinoya back in September, said police. The men are also accused of destroying property by contaminating the container and ginger with their utensils. 'I wanted to make people laugh' Police tracked down the pair after they posted their prank on social media. The video appears to show a man, believed to be Shimazu, repeatedly shovelling pickled ginger a gyudon staple into his mouth. I wanted to make people laugh, Mr Oka told police, according to the Kyodo news agency. I asked [Mr Shimazu] to do something funny, and he suddenly ate it. I shared it on social media because it was so funny. I wanted everyone to see it. The newspaper said both men had confessed to the allegations. 'Truly regrettable' incident The arrests come a week after a man was indicted for licking the top of a communal soy sauce bottle at a revolving sushi restaurant in February. Two other people have been arrested in connection with the incident. The 21-year-old reportedly said he had been egged on by viewing other media posts of sushi terrorism, including one of a teenager who licked the rim of a teacup before placing it back on a shelf and then wiped saliva on a passing plate of sushi. Story continues In the latest case, the Yoshinoya restaurant chain - which operates about 1,000 restaurants in Japan - reported the chopstick incident to police after it became aware of the video in February. It was forced to temporarily close the outlet in Osaka, replace the pickled ginger and disinfect all its containers. It is truly regrettable that this news has caused discomfort and anxiety among customers and has called into question the safety and security of eating out in general, said a spokesman for the firm. We sincerely hope this will not happen again. Detectives arrested a suspect Tuesday in connection with a deadly shooting last week in Sacramentos Colonial Manor neighborhood, police said. Officers responded around 11:20 p.m. Friday after a man was shot in the 4400 block of 71st Street, the Sacramento Police Department said in a news release. Detectives identified Miguel Gamboa, 32, as a suspect in the shooting and arrested Gamboa on Tuesday, the Police Department said in a social media post Wednesday. The victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene by Sacramento Fire Department personnel, was a 29-year-old man, police said. His identity will be released by the Sacramento County Coroners Office pending notification of family. Gamboa was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail downtown on a homicide charge. He is ineligible for bail and scheduled to appear in Sacramento Superior Court on Thursday. The US justice department has reached a tentative $144.5m (116m) deal with victims and relatives of those killed in a 2017 mass shooting in Texas. The massacre at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs left 26 dead. The settlement marks the end of a legal battle after victims sued the US Air Force for not reporting the gunman's history of violence to the FBI. That history should have prevented the shooter, a former airman, from legally purchasing the guns used in the attack. Victims of the shooting ranged from five to 72 years old. Sutherland Springs resident Stephen Willeford told the BBC his small, rural community remains devastated by the tragedy, five years on. "We will always miss those that we lost that day," he said. Mr Willeford confronted the attacker, grabbing his own rifle and running barefoot from his house to the church when he heard gunfire. "When you hear the shots, you can't take time to put shoes on when you know each shot may cost someone their life," he said. Mr Willeford exchanged fire with the gunman, who then escaped in a truck from the scene. The suspect died by suicide later that day. In July 2021, US District Judge Xavier Rodriguez found that Air Force officials had failed to submit key documents - including a 2012 conviction for domestic assault - about the gunman, to the national firearms background check system. Katy Novak helps to lead dozens of people standing in the rain in prayer and song at the memorial crosses near the Sutherland Springs First Baptist Church one week after 26 people were killed inside in Sutherland Springs, Texas on November 12, 2017 That conviction should have barred the suspect from buying the semiautomatic rifle used in the attack from a licenced gun dealer. The omission, Judge Rodriguez ruled, rendered the military branch 60% responsible for the attack. The judge said in 2021 that if the government had done its job and inputted the suspect's history into the database, "it is more likely than not" that he would have been deterred from carrying out the church shooting. The judge later ordered the government to pay more than $230m in damages. But in January of this year, the justice department appealed, arguing that it should not be held more culpable than the shooter. Story continues Several prominent gun-control advocacy groups lobbied the Biden administration, asking the justice department to drop its appeal. "The Sutherland Springs families are heroes," Jamal Alsaffar, a lawyer for the victims' families said on Wednesday. "They have gone through so much pain and loss in the most horrific way. But despite that, these families fought for justice, endured and won two trials against the federal government." The settlement, described as an "agreement in principle" by the US government, still needs the approval of the judge, who is expected to agree. It will resolve claims by more than 75 plaintiffs, the justice department said. "Today's announcement brings the litigation to a close, ending a painful chapter for the victims of this unthinkable crime," said associate attorney general Vanita Gupta in a statement. Video filmed by Angelica Casas and produced by Chelsea Bailey Victims of a mass shooting that killed 26 people at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, in 2017 have reached a "tentative settlement" with the federal government for $144.5 million after years of pending civil suits, authorities confirmed on Wednesday. The agreement, which the U.S. Department of Justice announced in a news release and which CBS News independently confirmed, came in response to a series of legal claims accusing federal officials of negligence and alleging they could have prevented the Sutherland Springs shooting but failed to do so. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland's office still needs to approve the settlement amount before it is completely finalized. More than 75 plaintiffs involved in the settlement must also secure "the required court approvals," according to the Justice Department, which said it has approved "an agreement in principle" to settle the cases. "No words or amount of money can diminish the immense tragedy of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs," said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta in a statement included in the Justice Department's release. "Today's announcement brings the litigation to a close, ending a painful chapter for the victims of this unthinkable crime." The mass shooting at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs happened on Nov. 5, 2017. In addition to the 26 people who were fatally shot, another 22 were wounded when the gunman, Devin Patrick Kelley, of New Braunfels, Texas, opened fire inside the church building. He was later found dead in his car from a gunshot wound, authorities said at the time. Jessica Mires leaves flowers on crosses for the victims of the mass shooting that killed 26 people at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, on Nov. 9, 2017. / Credit: AFP/Getty The shooter was 26 years old and a former U.S. Air Force member who served from 2010 to 2014, a spokesperson for the Air Force confirmed after the massacre, citing records confirming that Kelley had previously served in logistics readiness in New Mexico prior to his discharge. In 2012, he was court-martialed for two counts of assault on his wife and assault on their child, and received a bad conduct discharge and confinement for 12 months. Story continues Lawsuits brought in the wake of the Sutherland Springs shooting hinge on a federal judge's previous ruling that found the U.S. government was liable for the attack, because the Air Force failed to report the shooter's criminal background to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which would have prevented him from buying guns from a federally licensed dealer. That ruling, which came out of a district court in Texas in early 2022, ordered the U.S. to pay $230 million to victims of the shooting in Sutherland Springs, a ruling that was contested by the federal government. This agreement would end the government's appeal once it is formally approved. "The Sutherland Springs families are heroes. The country owes them a debt of gratitude," said Jamal Alsaffar, the lead trial attorney for the plaintiffs, in a statement to CBS News. "They have gone through so much pain and loss in the most horrific way. But despite that, these families fought for justice, endured and won two trials against the Federal Government, and made this country safer as a result." Alsaffar cautioned that the settlement as it stands "is not final," and urged the Justice Department "to act quickly to bring some closure to these families." "It's the least they deserve," he said. Trump lashes out after pleading not guilty to felony charges Deadly tornado devastates southeast Missouri JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon says current banking crisis is "not yet over" Democratic State Rep. Tricia Cotham joined House and Senate GOP leaders at the North Carolina GOP headquarters Wednesday morning to announce that she is switching parties to become a member of the House Republican caucus. News of Cothams decision provoked divergent reactions from each party, with Republicans celebrating the move and Democrats calling for her resignation and accusing her of betraying her constituents. Several GOP leaders and high-ranking lawmakers attended Wednesdays press conference to welcome Cotham to the party. House Speaker Tim Moore, who has worked with Cotham in the House since she was first appointed to fill a vacant seat in 2007, said he was very proud to join his newest Republican colleague. Even when I was in the minority, and Rep. Cotham was in the majority, she was always one of the most bipartisan members who would work with us a great deal, Moore said. Moore said that in conversations with Cotham over the last few weeks he got a sense she was unhappy and felt that she had to vote against her conscience more than once. Moore and other GOP leaders repeatedly stressed that they thought Cothams decision to switch parties showed that the Democratic Party had become intolerant of dissenting views and members who voted with the GOP. And by the way, shes not the only Democrat weve had great conversations with, Moore said, suggesting that he has spoken with other Democrats about potentially switching parties. We understand that having a big tent with ideas across the spectrum is what makes not just a party healthy, but its what makes governing effective, because North Carolina is that way, Moore said. N.C. State Rep. Tricia Cotham gets a hug from N.C. Senate leader Phil Berger as N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore, left, looks on during a press conference Wednesday, April 5, 2023, announcing Rep. Cotham is switching parties to become a member of the House Republican caucus. Why Cotham says she decided to switch parties GOP lawmakers and staffers applauded as Moore welcomed Cotham to the lectern. I am a single mom of two amazing sons; a teacher; a small business owner; a woman with strong faith; a national championship basketball coach; and a public servant, Cotham said at the beginning of her speech. Story continues Today, I add Republican to that list, she said, to loud cheers. Cotham said there were many reasons for her decision to switch parties, and that she didnt make the decision overnight, but that it was something she thought about over several months, particularly after the legislature returned for its long session in January. What she perceived as increasing hostility from her colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus alarmed her, Cotham said. And on social media she encountered vicious attacks over her votes and stances this session. Cotham, along with a handful of other more moderate House Democrats, has voted with Republicans on multiple bills this year. As long as I have been a Democrat, the Democrats have tried to be a big tent. But this now, where we are, the modern-day Democratic Party has become unrecognizable to me, and to so many others throughout the state and the country, Cotham said. The party wants to villainize who has free thought, free judgment, has solutions, who wants to get to work to better our state, not just sit in a meeting and have a workshop after a workshop. Watch Cothams full statement here: Cothams party switch will have major ramifications for state politics. Republicans now have a supermajority in both chambers, which will make it next to impossible for Democrats to uphold Democratic Gov. Roy Coopers vetoes going forward. House Republicans now control 72 of the chambers 120 seats the exact number needed to override vetoes when all members are voting. Republicans came out of Novembers election winning an outright supermajority in the Senate, but fell one seat short in the House, which is what makes Cothams decision so consequential. N.C. State Rep. Tricia Cotham, center, is applauded by N.C. House and Senate leaders as she comes to the podium to speak during a press conference Wednesday, April 5, 2023. The press conference was to announce Rep. Cotham is switching parties to become a member of the House Republican caucus. GOP and Democrats react to Cothams move Ahead of the presser, the party released statements from Chairman Michael Whatley, and the states U.S senators, Thom Tillis and Ted Budd, celebrating Cothams change. Whatley said the party was thrilled to have Cotham join Republicans to advance solutions for North Carolina families. This announcement continues to reflect that the Democratic Party is too radical for North Carolina, Whatley said. The values of the Republican Party align with voters, and the people of Mecklenburg County should be proud to have her representation in Raleigh. Tillis, who formerly served as the states House speaker, said he and Cotham joined the chamber together in 2007. She is a no-nonsense legislator who works hard to make a positive difference for all North Carolinians, Tillis said, adding that shes a welcome addition to the caucus. Budd said that Democrats extreme agenda is hurting North Carolina families causing its voters to leave. Far left Democrats will only fight for a radical, woke agenda not for good, hardworking people, Budd said. Rep. Cothams historic announcement highlights that Republicans are the only party focused on the bottom line for taxpayers here at home. Tuesday, Cooper issued a statement on the Cotham news: This is a disappointing decision. Rep. Cothams votes on womens reproductive freedom, election laws, LGBTQ rights and strong public schools will determine the direction of the state we love. Its hard to believe she would abandon these long held principles and she should still vote the way she has always said she would vote when these issues arise, regardless of party affiliation. House Minority Leader Robert Reives, acknowledging Cothams decision on Tuesday, called on her to resign. Reives said Cotham had campaigned as a Democrat and someone who supported abortion rights, health care, public education, gun safety and civil rights, and that voters in her district elected her to serve as that person and overwhelmingly supported Democratic candidates up and down the ballot. Now, just a few months later, Rep. Cotham is changing parties. That is not the person that was presented to the voters of House District 112. That is not the person those constituents campaigned for in a hard primary, and who they championed in a general election in a 60% Democratic district, Reives said in a statement. Those constituents deserved to know what values were most important to their elected representative. Cotham was joined Wednesday by several from North Carolinas Republican leadership, including Moore, Senate leader Phil Berger and House majority leader John Bell. U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop, a Charlotte Republican, also attended. Flanked by N.C. Republican House and Senate leaders, N.C. State Rep. Tricia Cotham speaks during a press conference at the N.C. GOP headquarters in Raleigh, N.C. Wednesday, April 5, 2023. The press conference was to announce Rep. Cotham is switching parties to become a member of the House Republican caucus. GOP secures supermajority to advance agenda Republicans set their sights on a supermajority during last years election and vowed to win total legislative control. They planned to resurrect bills Cooper had vetoed in the past and pursue an agenda that Democrats wouldnt be able to block. Among other things, that has included bills to increase penalties for rioting, to require sheriffs to cooperate with ICE, and most recently, to repeal the states permit law for buying handguns. That last bill, Senate Bill 41, was a package of gun rights measures. The inclusion of the repeal of the pistol purchase permit law which had been a priority for Republicans, and which was strongly opposed by Democrats made the bill a key issue for both parties to battle over early in the session. The bill passed both chambers, but was vetoed by Cooper. The governors decision was met by a promise from Republicans to hold swift override votes, and within three days the legislature had successfully circumvented Cooper, completing its first veto override since 2018. House Republicans success came down to absences from three Democrats: Cotham, who said she had a previously scheduled medical appointment related to her recovery from long COVID, as well as Reps. Michael Wray (whose office said he had a family emergency) and Cecil Brockman (whose office said he had been in urgent care during the vote). Jeff Kolkey, Rockford Register Star reporter, poses for a photo on Monday, April 3, 2023, at Rockford Casino, A Hard Rock Opening Act. Kolkey was among the first to play the casino's new live blackjack tables. Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and Rockford legend Rick Nielsen won the first hand of blackjack ever dealt at the Rockford Casino on a remarkable hand, but at my table, a little ways away, carnage ensued. I was sitting at a table that included state Sen. Dave Syverson, his wife, Lori, and WIFR-23 news anchor Mike Garrigan. We were among the invited guests Monday night to what was an Illinois Gaming Board-monitored test of new table games at the Hard Rock Opening Act. Hey, it's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it. Hard Rock Casino Rockford President Geno Iafrate said that since the day the temporary casino opened, the No. 1 most requested additional amenity has been table games. Well, starting Wednesday, the Rockford Casino is offering live blackjack, Ultimate Texas Hold 'Em and Three Card Poker. "This is a big step," Iafrate said. "I think it's exciting to get it open here because we are going to have a big table game operation at the big joint. Being able to start getting experienced dealers through here and an experienced table game operation on a smaller scale, we'll be able to just scale it up when we move it down the street." More: Live blackjack could be in cards for temporary Rockford Casino The addition of live table games resulted in more than 20 new jobs at the Rockford Casino, bringing the current count to about 300. On Monday night, the players waited for Nielsen to have the honor of the inaugural hand before Hard Rock allowed cards to fly. Nielsen was dealt a pair of 10s with the dealer showing a four and flipping a face card for 14. The dealer took two more cards and ultimately busted. A crowd that gathered around the rock star unleashed a raucous cheer. Finally, we could play. Only problem was we couldn't win a hand at our table. The first two hands dealt, the dealer hit 21. "He almost cleaned us out," Syverson said. No matter what was dealt, the dealer seemed to have the table beat. Even a blackjack on one hand was a mere push. We must have lost the first three or four consecutive hands of the night and my meager chip stack was disappearing fast. Story continues I lost $10 on a Q-5 when the dealer dealt himself 2-5-2-2 and then binked a 10 for 21. Garrigan who as a blackjack player is an excellent poker player busted out, losing when he placed what looked like $30 or $40 on a single bet. Being a novice blackjack player myself, I frequently asked Syverson for advice. I realized that I didn't know what hand motions to use to signal whether I wanted another card or to stand pat. Just saying "stay" or "hit me" wasn't good enough, we had to use the hand signals. When I pointed out that a card had a bent corner, and tapped it to demonstrate, the dealer was apoplectic. He snapped at me not to touch the cards. He told his supervisor all about it, the bent card and, accusingly, how I had dared touch it. Sorry, we touch cards all the time when we play poker, my favorite casino game, and we throw the dice in craps, another favorite. Blackjack is foreign territory for me. But I soon felt I was learning the ropes and was having fun. I was playing $50, what the Rockford Register Star was willing to reimburse if I lost. And, even though it seemed a long shot, we had chosen to donate any winnings to the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, a friend of the newspaper and an organization that supports numerous good causes in the Rockford region. That fifty bucks, which started as a stack of 10 brand-new, red, $5 chips was nearly gone. There was a $10 minimum bet. I may have won one or two hands at most in the first twenty minutes and in my head was drafting the version of this story in which I had to explain losing at record speed and failing to make any money for my chosen cause. But then, after 30 minutes of playing, things changed. I won a hand here and there. I was up, I was down and then I was up again. And once I was up past $50, I put the profit chips in my pocket. I kept $50 on the table, but anytime I made more than that, I put the profit in my pocket. There were tough decisions all the time. Do you stay or take a hit with 15 and the dealer showing a King? I still don't know the correct answer, but trying to figure it out was fun. I split on 7-7, putting down a second $10 bet, and won on both when the dealer busted. It started to feel like there were a lot of chips in my pocket. When my stomach eventually started growling, I dug the chips out of my pocket and stacked them on the table. There was $140 there. Not too shabby: That's my $50 back for me, a $5 tip for the dealers and $85 for the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois. Playing blackjack at a casino in Rockford was a moment Syverson had worked toward for two decades, believing in its power to attract tourism, create jobs and produce tax revenue for state and local governments. "Seeing all the people coming here and having fun, knowing the impact it's having on the economy, it's truly doing everything we anticipated and more," Syverson said. Jeff Kolkey can be reached at (815) 987-1374, via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on Twitter @jeffkolkey. This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Hard Rock Casino Rockford now has table games, including blackjack Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen reportedly was briefed by senior security officials Tuesday on a "regional situation" ahead of her scheduled meeting with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. In a video conference in Belize, Tsai on Tuesday "listened to a briefing on the overall regional situation," her office said in a statement, according to Reuters. "The president asked relevant units to continue to grasp the surrounding situation, and to enable the visiting delegation to continue to grasp the situation in real time," the statement said. The statement said those on the call included National Security Council secretary-general Wellington Koo and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, both of whom are traveling with the president, as well as National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen, who has remained in the capital of Taipei, according to Reuters. CHINA WARNS HOUSE SPEAKER MCCARTHY DON'T 'REPEAT DISASTROUS PAST MISTAKES' BY MEETING TAIWAN PRESIDENT: REPORT Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen attends a video call with senior members of government and security officials in Taipei, during her trip to Belize. Meanwhile, China reportedly sent an aircraft carrier group to the waters off Taiwan's southeast coast Wednesday the same day as Tsai's meeting with McCarthy. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP In a statement Wednesday, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense said the Chinese Communist Navy's Shandong fleet has crossed the Bashi Channel and passed through the southeast waters of Taiwan to start its first voyage training in the Western Pacific. "The CCPs continuous dispatch of aircraft and ships to harass the sea and airspace around Taiwan not only poses a real threat to our national security, but also undermines the status quo of regional security and stability. Such behavior is definitely not what a responsible modern country should behave," the statement said. The ministry added "external pressure will not hinder our determination to go global," and Taiwan's military will continue to closely monitor the military dynamics around the Taiwan Strait, and uphold the principle of "not escalating conflicts and not causing disputes" to deal with any challenges. It said Taiwan was confident "in defending national security." Story continues CHINESE EMBASSY SENDS THREATENING LETTER TO CONGRESS OVER TAIWAN MEETING, WARNING IT WILL NOT SIT IDLY BY On the call Tuesday, Tsai also "expressed her gratitude" to colleagues who remained at their posts back in Taiwan to ensure national security over the holiday weekend. Afterward, Tsai flew to Los Angeles, where the Taiwanese president landed Tuesday night and "was welcomed on the plane by Representative to the US Bi-khim Hsiao and American Institute in Taiwan Chairperson Laura Rosenberger, and after alighting from the plane was received by Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles Amino C.Y. Chi," her office said. "The president and her delegation were then driven to her hotel, where they were greeted by an enthusiastic crowd at the entrance." McCarthy's office confirmed Monday that the third most senior U.S. government official will be hosting a bipartisan meeting with Tsai at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, on Wednesday. China has repeatedly threatened unspecified retaliation if the meeting takes place. Taiwan Ministry of National Defense image of Chinese Communist Party's Shandong aircraft carrier formation. Pro- and anti-Taiwan demonstrators gathered Tuesday night, local time, outside a downtown Los Angeles hotel in anticipation of Tsai's arrival. Her supporters lined a red carpet leading to the hotel's entrance, banging drums, chanting and holding Taiwanese flags and photos of the president, according to The Associated Press. A smaller group demonstrating in favor of China gathered nearby on the sidewalk, at times chanting "One China." The Associated Press contributed to this report. TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen met with senior security officials on Tuesday to discuss the "regional situation" ahead of her meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California, which China has demanded not take place. China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has threatened unspecified retaliation if the get-together, scheduled for Wednesday, happens. After then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei in August, China staged war games around Taiwan. Taiwan's presidential office said that Tsai held the video conference from Belize, her last stop on a Central American trip before going to Los Angeles. Tsai "listened to a briefing on the overall regional situation", her office said in a statement. "The president asked relevant units to continue to grasp the surrounding situation, and to enable the visiting delegation to continue to grasp the situation in real time," it added, referring to keeping Tsai and her team updated while they are overseas. Tsai "expressed her gratitude" to colleagues who are sticking to their posts to ensure national security during a long weekend holiday this week, the office said. Officials on the call included National Security Council secretary-general Wellington Koo and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, who are with the president, as well as National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen, who has remained in Taipei, the statement added. The president arrived in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening and is due to return to Taipei on Friday. Writing on her Facebook page upon arriving in Los Angeles, Tsai said her team would have several events "to continue to fight for Taiwan's diplomacy". She did not elaborate. Taiwan has no far not reported any unusual Chinese military movements ahead of the McCarthy meeting. Chinese state media on Wednesday said a ship operated by the Maritime Safety Administration of Fujian province, which faces Taiwan, was leading a patrol in the central and northern parts of the Taiwan Strait, though it did not give details. The Haixun 06 is designed as a maritime administrative law enforcement ship to carry out inspections and help with search and rescue missions, according to previous Chinese state media reports. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Additional reporting by Ryan Woo in Beijing; Editing by Gerry Doyle) By Michael Martina and David Brunnstrom SIMI VALLEY, California (Reuters) - U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy hosted Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in California on Wednesday, becoming the most senior U.S. figure to meet a Taiwanese leader on U.S. soil in decades and stressed the need to accelerate arms deliveries to Taiwan in the face of rising threats from China. McCarthy - the third highest ranking official in the U.S. leadership hierarchy - and other Republican and Democratic lawmakers met Tsai at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California despite threats of retaliation from China, which claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own. A China foreign ministry spokesperson quickly denounced the meeting, accusing the United States of colluding with separatists seeking "Taiwan independence" and saying that it has been breaching its commitments over the island. China considers Taiwan as a breakaway province and has vowed to bring the island under its control by force if necessary. Maritime authorities in China's Fujian province launched a three-day special patrol and inspection operation in the Taiwan Strait that includes moves to board ships. Taiwan said it had lodged a strong protest with China about the move. Tsai thanked the U.S. Congress for standing by Taiwan when democracy was under threat and cited former U.S. President Reagan saying that "to preserve peace, we must be strong." The meeting came at a time of deteriorating U.S.-Chinese relations - the worst since the countries established diplomatic relations in 1979, according to many analysts. Concerns are rising among Western officials that China, which staged war games around the island last August following a visit by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, could attempt to take Taiwan by force in the coming years. On Wednesday, Taiwan's defense ministry said a Chinese aircraft carrier group was in the waters off the island's southeast coast ahead of the meeting between Tsai and McCarthy. Story continues ARMS SALES While Washington has no official relations with Taiwan, it is bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself and has stepped up interactions with Taipei in recent years as Beijing's pressure on the island has increased. Standing with Tsai in front of a blue-and-white Boeing aircraft that Reagan flew on as president in the 1980s, McCarthy called the friendship between the people of Taiwan and America "a matter of profound importance to the free world." Speaking at a later news conference alongside Republican and Democratic lawmakers who took part in the meeting with Tsai, McCarthy said they had discussed how to speed up weapons deliveries to Taiwan. "We must continue the arms sales to Taiwan and make sure such sales reach Taiwan on a very timely basis," he said, adding that he believed there was bipartisan agreement on this. "Second, we must strengthen our economic cooperation, particularly with trade and technology." Mike Gallagher, Republican chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, said after the meeting he would like to look for ways get Harpoon anti-ship missiles to Taiwan ahead of those scheduled to go to Saudi Arabia. U.S. officials say weapons such as the Harpoon missile are far more important for Taiwan's defense than the heavy weaponry, including tanks and aircraft, that the island's military has traditionally purchased from the United States. At a news conference in Brussels, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said there was nothing new in Tsai's transits and such stops were "private" and "unofficial." "Beijing should not use the transit as an excuse to take any actions to ratchet up tensions, to further push it changing the status quo," he said. Supporters waving Taiwanese flags and pro-Taiwan and Hong Kong banners chanted "Jiayou Taiwan" - the equivalent of "Go Taiwan" - outside the Reagan Library. A small plane flew overhead towing a pro-Beijing banner saying "One China! Taiwan is part of China!" China repeatedly warned against the meeting between McCarthy and Tsai, who is on her first U.S. stopover since 2019, although some analysts expect its reaction to be more moderate than that to Pelosi's Taipei visit. February saw the dramatic shooting down of a Chinese spy balloon that drifted over U.S. territory and Xu Xueyuan, charge daffaires at China's Washington embassy, said last week McCarthy meeting Tsai "could lead to another serious confrontation in the China-U.S. relationship." The California meeting was seen as a potentially less provocative alternative to McCarthy visiting Taiwan, something he has said he hopes to do. McCarthy said he had no current plans to go to Taiwan, but this did not mean he would not, and China could not tell him where he could go or who he could meet. China has yet to comment on the carrier group, whose appearance also coincided with the arrival in Beijing of French President Emmanuel Macron. It has sailed its carriers near Taiwan before and at similarly sensitive times. In March last year, the Shandong sailed through the Taiwan Strait hours before the Chinese and U.S. presidents were due to talk. Tsai transited through New York last week en route to Central America to visit two of Taiwan's few remaining diplomatic partners, Guatemala and Belize. (Reporting by Michael Martina and David Brunnstrom; additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei, Simon Lewis in Brussels and Eric Beech and Kanishka Singh in Washington; editing by Don Durfee, Lincoln Feast, Mark Heinrich, Chizu Nomiyama, Josie Kao and Sandra Maler) Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif, on Wednesday in a rare stop on U.S. soil, despite threats of retaliation by China. Tsai met with McCarthy at the Ronald Regan Presidential Library, marking the most sensitive stop on her transit through the U.S. and Central America amid growing tensions between Washington and Beijing. Smart analysis delivered to your inbox: Sign up for the OnPolitics newsletter McCarthy, Tsai meeting draws Chinese threats China threatened resolute countermeasures last week and again Monday over Tsai and McCarthys meeting, condemning the Taiwanese leaders stops in the U.S. on her 10-day trip, and demanded that no U.S. officials meet with her. Beijing will closely follow the developments and resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said during a daily news briefing Tuesday. China has repeatedly laid claim to Taiwan, despite Taiwan maintaining its own democratic system of government since the two split after a 1949 civil war. Taiwans Ministry of Foreign Affairs pushed back on Chinas claims to the island, calling its recent criticism increasingly absurd. Taiwan, the Republic of China, is a sovereign country, and has the right to make its own determination in developing relations with other countries in the world, it said in a statement. It does not accept interference or suppression by any country for any reason, and will not limit itself because of intimidation or interference. More: China spy balloon gathered information from multiple military sites despite attempts to block it, report says The longstanding one China policy maintained by the U.S. acknowledges Beijings claim of Taiwan as their territory but doesnt endorse the claim. The U.S. remains an important military and other defense assistance provider for Taiwan. No reason to 'overreact' over McCarthy-Tsai meeting In response to Beijings reaction over Tsais visit, Biden administration officials have emphasized that Tsai's transits through the U.S. are not unusual, noting that Tsai and her predecessors have made similar stops in the past. Story continues This is not uncommon. Its not official. And theres no reason for them to react in any sort of aggressive manner because of it, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby told reporters Wednesday. Tsais not meeting with any administration officials, nothings changed about our policies with respect to Taiwan. And again, no reason for them to overreact, Kirby added. Tsais visit with McCarthy marks the first known visit between a House speaker and a Taiwan leader on American territory since the U.S. broke off formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1979. More: Secretary of State Blinken still wants to visit China amid tensions between U.S., Beijing The high-profile meeting signals American support of the island, especially as McCarthy has maintained a hardline stance against China. The Taiwanese president also drew Beijings attention during another U.S. stopover during the 10-day diplomatic trip. She met with three U.S. senators Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz in New York. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: McCarthy, Tsai meet in rare visit, drawing threats from China For the first time in U.S. history, a former president surrendered to law enforcement and was placed under arrest. Donald Trump's arraignment Tuesday thrust the U.S. criminal justice system into dramatically new territory, testing the durability of courtroom rules and legal procedures that apply to all Americans this time, the 45th chief executive of the nation. Stay in the conversation on politics: Sign up for the OnPolitics newsletter Former President Donald Trump arrives in court for his arraignment on Tuesday in New York. Here are takeaways from Trump's arrest: 34 counts In an indictment unsealed Tuesday, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged Trump with 34 felony counts for falsifying New York business records through a "catch and kill" scheme designed to conceal damaging information and unlawful activity before the 2016 election. Trump, appearing before Judge Juan Merchan, pleaded not guilty to each of the counts. The crux of the case centers on $130,000 in hush money payments that Trump's then-fixer Michael Cohen made to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Prosecutors also outlined a $30,000 payment to a former Trump Tower doorman who claimed to have a story about a child Trump had out of wedlock." And they referenced a separate $150,000 payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal to silence her about an alleged affair prior to the 2016 election. Prosecutors said the latter two payments were facilitated by American Media Inc., which owns and operates the National Enquirer tabloid. Flanked by attorneys, former U.S. President Donald Trump appears in the courtroom for his arraignment proceeding at Manhattan Criminal Court on April 4, 2023, in New York City. There's no state law that prohibits hush money payments. But Bragg said Trump falsified business records by concealing monthly reimbursement payments he made to Cohen as checks for legal services. By itself, falsifying business records is a misdemeanor under New York law. Bragg charged Trump with more serious felony counts by arguing the records were falsified to cover up other crimes. "Why did Donald Trump repeatedly make these false statements?" Bragg said. "The evidence will show that he did so to cover up crimes relating to the 2016 election." Story continues Although the indictment doesn't specify which additional crimes, Bragg said Trump violated New York election law and federal campaign finance law. Trump defiant in Mar-a-Lago speech Hours after leaving the New York City court, Trump returned to his resort in Palm Beach, Florida, where he delivered a speech listing multiple grievances from Tuesday's arrest and last year's FBI search at Mar-a-Lago over classified records to President Joe Biden's son and losing the 2020 election. "This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election and it should be dropped immediately," he said. Romney, other Trump critics skeptical of Bragg's case Even some of Trump's biggest critics were quick to question whether Bragg presented enough new information to warrant the charges. I believe President Trumps character and conduct make him unfit for office," Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who voted to remove Trump from office during the ex-president's second impeachment trial, said in a statement. "Even so, I believe the New York prosecutor has stretched to reach felony criminal charges in order to fit a political agenda." Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, speaks to reporters in the Senate subway on his way to a vote at the Capitol on March 14. John Bolton, Trump's former national security adviser-turned-critic, questioned whether Trump's hush payments represented a campaign contribution or expenditure under federal law. "Speaking as someone who very strongly does not want Donald Trump to get the Republican presidential nomination, I'm extraordinarily distressed by this document," Bolton said in an interview on CNN. "I think this is even weaker than I feared it would be. And I think it's easily subject to being quickly dismissed." All eyes on Alvin Bragg Bragg will arguably be as much the center of attention in this case as Trump. "We cannot and will not normalize serious criminal conduct," he said, defending bringing the case forward at a news conference after Trump appeared in court. The district attorney said a "trail of money and lies exposes a pattern" that violates New Yorks basic and fundamental business laws. For Republicans, Bragg will be a lightning rod for their assertions that this case is at best a campaign promise and at worse political persecution. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg discusses charges filed against former President Donald Trump on Tuesday in New York City. Nation: Who is Alvin Bragg? Meet the attorney who will become the first prosecutor to charge a former president More: Read the indictment. Donald Trump charged with crimes in New York. During the 2021 campaign for Manhattan district attorney, for instance, Bragg reportedly reminded voters that he sued the Trump administration more than a hundred times in his old job as assistant New York attorney general. Democrats, meanwhile, have largely emphasized how the justice system needs to play out without prejudice or favor. Others have called attention to how Bragg, who is Black, has faced a barrage of death threats and racist email messages since the indictment was handed down by a grand jury. A courthouse circus amplified by members of Congress Hours before Trump arrived to turn himself in, throngs of foes and fans had assembled at small a park near the courthouse. Protesters display a banner criticizing former President Donald Trump outside the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse in New York City on Tuesday. Among them were two polarizing Republican lawmakers, Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, of Georgia, and George Santos, of New York, who joined the pro-Trump side that was waving flags and blowing whistles. The government has been weaponized against him, Greene said. I'm here to protest and use my voice to take a stand. Every American should take a stand. Politics: Marjorie Taylor Greene compares Trump to Jesus before his arrest and arraignment in New York More: New York City Mayor Eric Adams warns Marjorie Taylor Greene, others ahead of Trump arraignment Later, Greene compared Trump to Jesus and Nelson Mandela in an interview with Right Side Broadcasting. Among the anti-Trump demonstrators was Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York, who shouted at Greenes vehicle when it departed. Get your hateful rhetoric out of New York City, Bowman said via Twitter. Democracy is all about love. Get your hateful rhetoric out of New York City! Democracy is all about love. pic.twitter.com/KJapRoWyzt Jamaal Bowman Ed.D (@JamaalBowmanNY) April 4, 2023 The White House keeps quiet Tuesday's circus-like atmosphere provided a striking split screen: a former president under arrest and President Joe Biden trying his best to act like he's not paying attention. As Trump walked out of his vehicle to surrender at the Manhattan courthouse, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was in the middle of a press briefing, declining to comment to question after question about the Trump case. President Joe Biden has remained relatively quiet about the arraignment of former President Donald Trump. "Obviously, he (Biden) will catch part of the news when he has a moment to catch up on the news of the day, Jean-Pierre said at her daily briefing. But this is not his focus for today. More: With 2024 looming, how long can President Biden stay silent on Trump's indictment? Jean-Pierre cited the ongoing nature of the case in declining comment. Biden ignored questions shouted by reporters about Trump's case after declining comment last week. Anything Biden says could be used by Republicans to reinforce their case of a politically biased government and justice system. But Biden's strategy of silence will be tested if Biden formally announces a 2024 reelection bid, which he's widely expected to do. If Biden remains silent, then Trump's claims of a rigged justice system almost certain to ramp up heading into 2024 would go unchallenged by the likely Democratic standard-bearer. How long can Biden stay quiet on such a significant case especially one with direct implications for his own political future? No mugshot, but Trump fakes one to raise money Heading into the proceedings, it was unclear whether Trump would be held to the same standards as other defendants by getting fingerprinted and photographed for a mug shot. In the end, Trump was required to provide fingerprints but was not subjected to a mug shot or handcuffs. A person familiar with the matter said the decision was ultimately made by Bragg's office. Former President Donald Trump arrives at court in New York on Tuesday. That didn't stop the Trump campaign from creating its own Trump mug shot to raise money, however. Within minutes of the former president being processed his 2024 campaign team put out its own "mugshot" with a picture of Trump over a not guilty banner in a fundraising email. Politics: After arrest what's next legally and politically for the former president? Trump has used his indictment to rally Republicans, with even some of his potential Republican opponents accusing law enforcement of being weaponized against Trump. Campaign officials said Trump had $10 million in donations since the indictment last week. The judge also did not order a gag order, meaning the former president can speak freely about the case without concern about repercussions in court. Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison and Phillip M. Bailey @phillipmbailey This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump was arrested today. Here are the key takeaways. Afghanistan's Taliban rulers banned female Afghan employees of the United Nations from working in the country Tuesday, putting millions of vulnerable households that rely on the global body's humanitarian operations at additional risk as the hardliners continue their systematic obliteration of women's rights. "Our colleagues on the ground at the U.N. mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, received word of an order by the de facto authorities that bans female national staff members of the United Nations from working," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the U.N. Secretary-General, said Tuesday. "We are still looking into how this development would affect our operations in the country and we expect more meetings with the de facto authorities tomorrow in Kabul in which we are trying to seek some clarity." The U.N. asked all Afghan staff to halt work for two days, to give it time to communicate with the Taliban and seek clarity on the new ruling, U.N. sources told CBS News correspondent Pamela Falk. 6 killed in latest attack targeting Afghanistan's Taliban regime Dujarric, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' spokesman, said the U.N. chief would consider such a ban "unacceptable and frankly inconceivable," and in a tweet the U.N. chief said himself that it would "inevitably undermine our ability to deliver life-saving aid to the people who need it." Taliban representatives did not immediately respond to CBS News' request for comment on the matter. Barring women from working for the United Nations was just the latest move by the Taliban undermining humanitarian organizations' capacity to carry out vital aid work in the country, which was plunged into a grave humanitarian crisis after the hardline Islamic group retook control in the summer of 2021. It will also have a significant impact on the U.N. staff themselves, who are part of the dwindling female workforce in the country. The circumstances in Afghanistan have been called the world's most severe humanitarian crisis, with 28.3 million people in need of aid to survive. But the U.N. Office for Coordination of humanitarian affairs says less than 5% of the funding required to meet the immediate needs of Afghans has been donated, making it the world's lowest-funded aid operation. Story continues Of the 28.3 million people in need, 23% are women and 54 % are children, and given the strict rules under the Taliban on gender segregation, female aid workers have played a crucial role in reaching vulnerable, female-headed households. Falk said Dujarric told journalists at U.N. Headquarters on Tuesday that the global body's aid agencies in Afghanistan "cannot do it without women," calling them "the backbone of our humanitarian operations there." He said that of the nearly 4,000 U.N. staff in Afghanistan, about 3,300 are Afghan nationals, though he couldn't say specifically how many were women. Internally displaced Afghan women stand in line to identify themselves and get cash as they return home, at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camp on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, in a July 28, 2022 file photo. / Credit: WAKIL KOHSAR/AFP/Getty The "Taliban decision to ban Afghan women U.N. staff from working is another gross violation of their fundamental rights to non-disc, is against UN Charter & will seriously impact essential services for Afghans. I urge Taliban to reserve the decision immediately." U.N. Special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan Richard Bennett urged the Taliban to "reverse the decision immediately," saying in a tweet that the move was a violation of the U.N. charter and would "seriously impact essential services for Afghans." TB decision to ban #Afghanwomen UN staff from working is another gross violation of their fundamental right to non-disc, is against UN Charter & will seriously impact essential services for#Afghans. Women staff are essential. I urge #Taliban to reverse the decision immediately. UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett (@SR_Afghanistan) April 4, 2023 Since taking power back in August 2021, the Taliban government has methodically reimposed the severe restrictions on women and girls that it enforced during its previous reign, which ended with the U.S.-led invasion in 2001. Last year the Taliban banned women from working in non-governmental organizations and barred girls from attending universities and even secondary schools after the age of about 12. Regional political analyst Torek Farhadi told CBS News on Wednesday that the ban on women working for the U.N. likely came straight from the Taliban's supreme leader, who "wants to concentrate power and weaken elements of the Taliban which would want to get closer to the world community." "The Taliban is becoming a reclusive and dictatorial movement as time passes - exactly the opposite of what they had promised the world" when it signed the political agreement with the U.S. that led to American forces pulling out of the country, Farhadi said. "The most extreme elements, including its top leadership, are not interested in connecting with the world community. This particular decision hurts the poor the most in Afghanistan; those who have no voice and have the most to lose." Activists and politicians called Wednesday on the U.N. Secretary-General to do more than issue further statements condemning the Taliban's crackdown on women's rights. The crisis in Afghanistan is among the world's worst, and the Taliban's actions repeatedly violate UN mandates on human rights, gender equality, and access to education (Res. 1325, 1820, 1889). As UN Secretary-General, you have the power to make a real difference beyond words & https://t.co/BauthP0TLf Mariam Solaimankhil (@Mariamistan) April 4, 2023 "The crisis in Afghanistan is among the world's worst as U.N. Secretary-General, you have the power to make real difference beyond words & condemnation. We urge you to take decisive action," said Mariam Solimankhail, a former member of Afghanistan's parliament who was forced out of the job under the Taliban. "Mr. Secretary General, it is time that the U.N. Security Council unites under your leadership & look at the Human Rights crisis beyond just statements. I urge you to convene a meeting and listen to the women as they have specific recommendations about their country," said Fawzia Koofi, another female former parliamentarian. Trump lashes out after pleading not guilty to felony charges Deadly tornado devastates southeast Missouri JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon says current banking crisis is "not yet over" The Taliban are banning Afghan women from working for the United Nations in the country, the latest curtailment of womens rights since the group took over Afghanistan in 2021. Stephane Dujarric, a spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said in a statement on Wednesday that Guterres strongly condemns the Talibans decision, which violates inalienable fundamental human rights and Afghanistans obligations under international law. Dujarric said the move also infringes on the principle of non-discrimination, a core tenet of the U.N. Charter. Female staff members are essential for the United Nations operations, including in the delivery of life-saving assistance, he said. The enforcement of this decision will harm the Afghan people, millions of whom are in need of this assistance. Dujarric said Guterres is calling on the Taliban to reverse their decision and all of the measures they have taken to restrict women and girls rights to work, education and movement. The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan tweeted that it would like to remind de facto authorities that its entities cannot operate in the country and provide life-saving assistance without female staff members. The Taliban have majorly rolled back womens rights since they took over the country from the previous Afghan government as the U.S. withdrew its troops. The government has since banned girls and women from attending secondary and higher education, prohibited women from working for international nongovernmental organizations and ordered women to essentially be completely covered in public. The U.N. said last month that Afghanistan had become the most repressive country for women in the world. CBS News reported that 28.3 million people are in need of aid to survive amid a humanitarian crisis that has hit the nation in the wake of the previous governments collapse. Much of the international aid going to Afghanistan stopped almost overnight as the Taliban took over in August 2021. Women have been critical in getting aid to households led by women because of the Talibans gender segregation rules, CBS reported. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A Target employee turned himself in after he was caught stealing thousands of dollars from store cash registers in Connecticut, authorities said. The worker stole about $13,500 in cash from Target between December and January, an investigation revealed, according to an April 5 news release from the South Windsor Police Department. The location of the store he worked at wasnt specified. The man, 23, of East Hartford, was arrested on a charge of second-degree larceny on April 5, police said. He turned himself in to police headquarters where he was processed and released on a $15,000 bond, according to authorities. Hes due in Manchester Superior court on April 19, the release said. Other instances of store employees stealing cash from where they worked have made headlines over the past several months. In Illinois, a Walmart night manager stole $135,988 in cash from a store in Joliet and left her shift with the stolen money in a shopping bag in late November, McClatchy News previously reported. The employee was arrested months later on March 7. In New Jersey, Walmart discovered an employee stole nearly $200,000 in cash at least 15 separate times from the store in Mansfield Township and was arrested in September, McClatchy News previously reported. Home Depot worker had $80K worth of stolen merchandise at their home, CA officials say FedEx worker caught with $34,000 in stolen items in his truck, South Carolina cops say Walmart worker stole from registers 3 times a week, pocketing $20,000, Texas cops say Police are warning the public to beware of a fake tattoo studio on the South Shore that has scammed at least a dozen people out of their money. In recent days, victims have forwarded Cash App payments to ktd_tattoo_studio on Instagram and Tik Tok for tattoo services at 514 South Street in Quincy, but they have been ripped off without receiving any tattoo work, according to the Quincy Police Department. This studio seems to be a scam, and the tattoo company does not exist. We already have a dozen people who were scammed by this page, the department warned. Police also urged the public to refrain from sharing money or personal information with strangers online or over the phone. An investigation into ktd_tattoo_studio remains ongoing. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Warning: Judgement Day is fast approaching. The day in which federal and state income tax returns are due, that is. Taxes are typically due each year on April 15, but the IRS in January pushed back the deadline back a few days to April 18. If you've already filed your taxes, congratulations. You can check the status of your Ohio refund on the state department of taxation website, and federal refund using the IRS website. If you haven't filed, here's what you need to know: What happens if you don't file by April 18? If unable to file your taxes by the deadline, file an extension by submitting Form 4868 with the IRS online or by mail. The tax extension gives you more time to file, but not for money owed to the IRS. Those in disaster areas designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency may automatically qualify for an extension and do not need to file for one or call the IRS. To check if your area is included, visit the IRS webpage on tax relief in disaster situations. When are state taxes due? In most places, state income taxes are due on the same day as federal taxes. Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana all adhere to the federal government's April 18 deadline. Delaying on taxes? Here's what happens if you don't pay on time. What happens if you don't file taxes? If you don't file your federal tax return by April 18 or receive a six-month extension, you'll receive a notice or letter from the IRS. The agency may assess a "failure to file penalty," which is calculated based on how late you file your tax return and the amount of taxes you owe. The IRS may be able to remove or reduce the penalty if you're able to show reasonable cause on why you weren't able to meet your tax obligations. What about a local tax return? Ohioans who now primarily work from home but pay taxes to the city where they used to spend their day at the office can seek to have that money returned to them. In the case of filing a Columbus tax return, workers seeking a refund will have to document their work schedule, including showing when they were away for holidays, vacation and illness, and showing the days they worked from home and the days they worked at the office. Story continues The Columbus income tax return form includes a requirement that workers claiming a refund must get each employer to sign and certify the claim. That includes the name of the employer, an official's signature and title. Other cities have different rules and can be further complicated if spouses work in different cities. The biggest savings will be for those who live in townships; the tax refund for others could be marginal. Dispatch reporter Mark Williams contributed to this report. Monroe Trombly covers the workplace and environmental issues. mtrombly@dispatch.com @monroetrombly This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: When are taxes due in 2023? Here's what to know about Tax Day Brandon Johnson secured the Chicago mayors office on Tuesday, a big win for the citys teacher union, which backed the progressive against his more centrist opponent. The Democrat vs. Democrat runoff election was dominated by crime issues rather than schools, but Johnson is a former teacher and organizer for the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), giving him experience in education though also prompting criticism that he may have too close of a relationship with the CTU. Today, Chicago has spoken, CTU President Stacy Davis Gates said. Chicago has said yes to hope; yes to investment in people; yes to housing the unhoused; and yes to supporting young people with fully-funded schools. It is a new day in our city. On his campaign website, Johnson laid out a 12 points to education justice plan that tackles mental health and funding of the massive Chicago Public Schools (CPS) system, which, starting next year, will be partially controlled by an elected school board. Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson celebrates with supporters after defeating Paul Vallas after the mayoral runoff election late Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty) One of the big policies Johnson ran on was changing the current student-based budgeting that he believes has devastated CPS to a need-based system. He wants to make it so schools are fully funded regardless of how many students are enrolled and doesnt believe in closing schools that have an under-enrollment problem. Smaller schools can serve as the perfect incubators for the Sustainable Community School model, as well as pilot programs in mentoring, community outreach and partnerships to provide additional support for families and students, his website says. His staunch stance on school enrollment comes at a time when a moratorium on closing schools is about to end and CPS has seen a drop in student enrollment. Brandon Johnson wins Chicago mayors race The mayor-elect also wants to make schools more environmentally friendly, make public transit free for CPS students and enhance the pipeline for students to get a career and technical education. Story continues Johnsons approach to education is very different from what his opponent, Paul Vallas, had in mind for the system, which included more charter schools and putting police in schools to deter shootings. Johnsons victory is seen as a major win for progressives, especially the multiple teachers unions that endorsed him. Public records show the CTU gave Johnson between $83,000 and $103,000 a year, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Along with money, the CTU said it organized hundreds of volunteers to make phone calls, send text messages, and knock on over half-a-million doors after endorsing Johnson. The CTU is very active in local politics and has courted controversy before, including getting pushback during the COVID-19 pandemic when teachers refused to go back to the classrooms while other schools were opening for in-person learning. Johnsons closeness with the CTU raised concerns by critics, though has pledged to no longer be a member of it when he is inaugurated on May 15. Hes going to do what the union wants to be done, Gery Chico, the head of Chicagos school board when Vallas was CEO of Chicago Public Schools, told The New York Times. In response to a question about where he and the union might disagree, Johnson told the New York outlet he will have to have hard conversations with old friends. My responsibility is to the entire city of Chicago if elected mayor, Johnson told the Times. And look, Im getting new friends every single day. And I have a bunch of old friends that we will have to have hard conversations with. A big test with the union is fast approaching: Contract negotiations between the city and CTU will have to begin soon as the current contract is up in 2024. Make no mistake about it, Johnson said during his victory speech Tuesday night, Chicago is a union town, adding that schools have the resources to meet the needs of every child. At the same time, Johnson is facing a new era where the mayor will soon have far less control over the CPS. In 2024, a 21-person school board will take control of CPS, with 11 individuals appointed by the mayor and 10 elected by the people. In 2026, the people will vote to replace the 11 appointed by the mayor so the school board controlling the CPS will be fully elected by 2027. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Tech executive Bob Lee, who founded the mobile payment service Cash App, was killed in a stabbing in San Francisco, according to authorities and media reports. Police responded about 2:35 a.m. Tuesday to a report of a stabbing on Main Street in the Rincon Hill neighborhood, near the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, the San Francisco Police Department said in a news release. Officers found a 43-year-old man suffering from stab wounds and administered aid. After paramedics were called to the scene, the man was taken to a hospital, where he died, police said. The attack is under investigation, and no arrests have been made. The Police Department declined to provide further information, citing the ongoing investigation, but multiple news outlets have reported that Lee, who was chief product officer at cryptocurrency startup MobileCoin, was the victim. The killing reignited concerns from some high-profile figures over public safety in San Francisco, where a progressive district attorney who had become a lightning rod for controversies over crime and homelessness was recalled by voters last year. His replacement, Brooke Jenkins, said upon her appointment that San Francisco was "at a tipping point." "I want to extend my sincerest condolences to Mr. Lees family members & loved ones for his loss," Jenkins tweeted Wednesday. "We do not tolerate these horrific acts of violence in San Francisco." Reactions from the tech world included Twitter Chief Executive Elon Musk, who expressed condolences to a friend of Lee's and asked Jenkins whether the city is "taking stronger action to incarcerate repeat violent offenders," though it was unclear whether the person who attacked Lee has a criminal history. "Violent crime in SF is horrific and even if attackers are caught, they are often released immediately," Musk tweeted. Later Wednesday, Jenkins updated her statement on Twitter, saying that "holding violent/repeat offenders accountable is a top priority for my administration." Story continues "No one who commits a violent crime, or who's a repeat offender are receiving overly lenient plea deals," Jenkins said. Lee's friend, mixed-martial artist Jake Shields, wrote on Twitter that Lee "was in the 'good' part of the city" when he was stabbed, on a block near luxury condominium complexes and many office buildings, including Salesforce Tower and Google's offices. Though public concerns over crime have gripped San Francisco in recent years, adding fuel to last year's district attorney recall campaign and pushing top officials to adopt more law-and-order stances, overall violent crime fell 13.6% from 2019 to 2022, and from 6,152 to 5,315 incidents, according to police statistics. Still, some individual categories of crime surged during that time: Homicides rose 36.6%, from 41 to 56, though the count in 2019 represented San Francisco's lowest number of killings in more than half a century. The Police Department has investigated 12 homicides this year, compared with 10 during the same period last year, according to crime statistics. San Francisco Supervisor Matt Dorsey, who represents the area where Lee was killed, said he has heard from constituents who expressed concerns about public safety and encouraged residents to help with the investigation, especially those who many have surveillance video. "My heart goes out to Mr. Lees family members, friends and loved ones," Dorsey tweeted. "This is a senseless tragedy that I know is made worse by the fact that no suspect is yet in custody." MobileCoin Chief Executive Joshua Goldbard said, "There will never be anyone quite like" Lee. "As a lifelong Bay Area resident I have more questions than answers tonight," he wrote early Wednesday on Twitter. "I dont know how to fix whats wrong, but I know something isnt working in our grey city." MobileCoin issued a statement about Lee's death but didn't release any details. "Our dear friend and colleague, Bob Lee passed away yesterday at the age of 43, survived by a loving family and collection of close friends and collaborators," the statement said. "He was made for the world that is being born right now. Bob was a child of dreams, and whatever he imagined, no matter how crazy, he made real," MobileCoin said. "Bob was made for the new world." Lee had worked at MobileCoin since 2021 and previously served as chief technology officer at the payments platform Square, which has since been renamed Block, in addition to founding Cash App. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. In the wake of protests calling for gun reform at the state Capitol, Tennessee Republicans are seeking to expel three Democratic members of the House for "disorderly behavior" after they led protest chants from the floor of the chamber. The protests came in the wake of the deadly Covenant School shooting that killed six people, including three children. On Thursday, the three House Democrats approached the podium between bills without being recognized to speak, a breach of chamber rules. With a bullhorn, Reps. Gloria Johnson of Knoxville, Justin Jones of Nashville and Justin Pearson of Memphis led protestors in the galleries in several chants calling for gun reform. At one point, House leadership likened the trio's behavior to an "insurrection," a characterization House Democrats decried last week. So who are the three Democrats? Here's what to know about them. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville Johnson, currently represents District 90 in Knoxville. She was first elected to the legislature in 2012 for District 13. After losing her reelection bid in 2014 and again in 2016 by fewer than 200 votes each time to Republican Eddie Smith, she won the seat back in the 2018 election by more than 2,400 votes. Amid the latest redistricting, Republican lawmakers redrew District 13 to shift Johnson's address into District 15, represented by fellow Knoxville Democrat Sam McKenzie. Johnson moved, and won reelection in the newly created District 90 in 2022. Johnson has long been one of the most outspoken House Democrats, both during legislative debates and on social media. She has regularly drawn the ire of Republicans. During the 2021 session, Johnson moved her desk into a hallway in the Cordell Hull legislative office building after she was assigned a small, windowless conference room as her office, while her assistant was assigned to a closet down the hall. Johnson told Knox News she believed the office assignment was a "petty" move by House Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, to punish her for being the only member not to vote to reelect him as speaker. Story continues Sexton replied that members often were displeased with new office assignments, and noted that Johnson's newly assigned office was twice the size of her first one in 2012. Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, moved her desk into a hallway at the Cordell Hull building in Nashville after she was assigned a small conference room as an office. Johnson, 60, is a retired teacher. She was born in Colorado, moved to Knoxville as a child, graduated from Farragut High School and earned a bachelor of arts degree in education from the University of Tennessee Knoxville. She has been named to the National Foundation of Women Legislators Women of Excellence. Before being elected to the Tennessee House, Johnson served as Knox County Democratic Party chairwoman. In 2012, she told Knox News she hadn't been involved in politics before being inspired by President Barack Obama to become politically active. Justin Jones, D-Nashville Jones, 27, is one of the youngest members of the Tennessee House of Representatives, elected to represent House District 52 in November 2022. While a new member, Jones is no stranger to Capitol Hill. Jones has been a vocal advocate for free speech, voting access, Medicaid expansion and representation of working class and minority residents, and a critic of the Republican supermajority. In 2019, Jones led sit-ins and protests calling for the removal of a bust of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest from the second floor of the Capitol. Rep. Justin Jones D- Nashville, speaks to a group made up of mainly high schoolers during while they sit in to demand answers on what representatives plan to do on gun reform in the state of Tennessee at Cordell Hull Building in Nashville , Tenn., Monday, April 3, 2023. During one protest, Jones was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and simple assault after throwing a cup of coffee at then-Speaker Glen Casada, R-Franklin, and continued to advocate for the busts removal. Gov. Bill Lee later announced support for the busts removal and after a lengthy approval process by multiple state commissions, the Forrest bust was removed in 2021. After the death of George Floyd in 2020, Jones help lead the Peoples Plaza protests during which demonstrators camped on War Memorial Plaza for 62 nights calling to defund the police and seeking an audience with the governor to discuss racial injustice. Jones repeatedly led protestors in acts of civil disobedience, defying police security boundaries outside the Capitol (which was closed due to COVID-19 at the time), and at one point blocking the entrance to the Capitol parking garage to prevent lawmakers from leaving the building. He was arrested multiple times. In response to the Peoples Plaza demonstration, state lawmakers enhanced penalties for violating state law that prohibits overnight camping on state property, making it a felony punishable by up to six years in prison. Jones sponsored bills this year to allow student IDs for voter identification, to impose a 4% tax on Tennesseans non-retirement financial securities purchases, revoke the states ability to contract with private prisons, require police to only use marked vehicles for non-emergency traffic stops, and to eliminate qualified immunity protections for law enforcement. He is a policy and activism fellow at the John Lewis Center for Social Justice at Fisk University, and is completing a masters degree in theological studies at Vanderbilt. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis Pearson, 28, first became widely known in Memphis when he co-founded the grassroots organization Memphis Community Against the Pipeline in response to a planned crude oil pipeline that would cut through backyards in South Memphis, particularly in the Boxtown neighborhood. The work of MCAP, now called Memphis Community Against Pollution, has been credited with stopping the pipeline plans from Plains All American. Memphis Community Against the Pipeline (MCAP) co-founder Justin Pearson speaks to a crowd of protesters outside the National Civil Rights Museum during a march and rally against the construction of the Byhalia Connection Pipeline, Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, in Memphis, Tenn. In January, he was elected by a significant margin to take the House District 86 seat in an election triggered by the death of educator and state Rep. Barbara Cooper, who died in October. Upon his election, Pearson became one of the youngest lawmakers in Tennessee. A native Memphian, Pearson is the fourth son of five boys. Their father is a preacher and mother a teacher. In Memphis, Pearson attended Mitchell High School, where he advocated for textbook access for students. He is also a graduate of Bowdoin College in Maine, where he majored in government and legal and education studies. Known since college for almost always wearing a suit, Pearson wore a traditional West African dashiki on the House floor on his first day in office. House Republicans criticized his clothing choice, saying on Twitter that Pearson should perhaps explore a different career opportunity. Pearson has written that his activism and interest in politics was partly driven by the deaths of his grandmothers to pollution-related illnesses. As a child, he also spent time in a predominantly white suburb in Virginia, a stark contrast with his later home in southwest Memphis. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee expulsion: Meet Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones, Justin Pearson Terry Gou Tai-ming, founder and chairman of Taiwan's Foxconn Technology. Terry Gou, founder of major Apple supplier Foxconn, is seeking the presidential nomination for Taiwan's main opposition party for a second time. He is aiming to be nominated by the Kuomintang (KMT), which traditionally favours close ties with China. In 2019, Mr Gou stepped down as Foxconn's boss to make a bid for the presidency, but failed to be nominated. It comes as Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen is on a trip to the US. "We must honestly tell young people that it is dangerous to vote for the [Democratic Progressive Party], which 'exalts Taiwan independence and hates and opposes China'," Mr Gou told reporters at a hotel next to Taiwan's main international airport on Wednesday. He added that the only way to avoid war with China was to lessen tensions between Washington and Beijing and get Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) out of office. Beijing sees Taiwan as a self-ruled breakaway province that will eventually be unified under China's control. However, Taiwan sees itself as distinct from the Chinese mainland, with its own democratically elected leaders. On Wednesday, President Tsai is scheduled to meet US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California. The highly symbolic meeting has already prompted outrage from China. This is the last leg of her trip to Central America with a transit through the US. Multi-billionaire Mr Gou made his fortune from manufacturing electronic devices for other companies. Foxconn is widely known for producing many of Apple's iPhone models. It was one of the first Taiwanese companies that invested in factories on the mainland, tapping into the much lower wage costs in China. If successful in his presidential bid, Mr Gou is expected to take a more China-friendly approach than the current administration. Ms Tsai became Taiwan's first female president in 2016 as the head of the traditionally pro-independence DPP. The DPP has already chosen party chairman and Taiwan's vice president, William Lai as its candidate for next year's presidential election. The KMT has governed Taiwan for most of the years since 1949, when the party fled the mainland after being defeated in the Chinese civil war. Elon Musk Yesterday, a jury in San Francisco ordered Tesla to pay just under $3.2 million to a former factory worker who alleged that the automaker ignored the racist treatment he received during his time working there as a contractor. The New York Times reports the trial lasted five days and ended with plaintiff Owen Diaz receiving $3 million in punitive damages, and $175,000 in past and future noneconomic damages. In case you missed it: Diaz claimed that while he worked for Tesla, other workers and even his own supervisor used racial slurs on a regular basis, sometimes directed at him. Diaz also claims these employees wrote racial epithets, and drew symbols and caricatures, around the factory, as the Times reports. After Diaz complained to management about these issues, he said the company did little to put a stop to the racist conduct. Diaz put up with the racism for a while, but he reportedly drew the line at his son receiving similar treatment when he started working at Tesla as well. Read more The prevalence of the use of the N-word inside of Teslas workplace is an indication that they did not care about how their African American employees felt, Bernard Alexander, one of Diazs lawyers, said during closing arguments, as quoted by the Times. It was a complete affront to every African American inside the workplace. But while $3.2 million may sound like a lot of money, its basically pennies to Tesla, a company with a market cap of just under $600 billion. And its far less than Diaz was originally awarded. Back in 2021, a jury ordered Tesla to pay Diaz $137 million in damages at the end of a previous trial. The judge later lowered that figure to $15 million, which led Diaz to challenge the judges decision in the new trial that just concluded. Story continues Unfortunately for Diaz, that decision means he lost out on nearly $12 million. Hopefully, going back to trial at least helps shed more light on Teslas alleged history of mistreating Black employees, ignoring sexual harassment of female employees and numerous safety violations. More from Jalopnik Sign up for Jalopnik's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. State troopers with the Texas Department of Public Safety are averaging 16 arrests and 300 traffic stops per day in Austin under a controversial new partnership with the short-staffed Austin Police Department. In the collaboration's first five days, the DPS says troopers have recovered six vehicles, and seized 174 grams of cocaine, 40 grams of heroin, 127,415 grams of methamphetamine and 11 firearms. The state agency said troopers also have conducted 15 crash investigations. The enforcement figures, which the DPS announced Tuesday, reflect state police activity in Austin through Monday and provides a snapshot into the enhanced law enforcement strategy that Mayor Kirk Watson has said is needed to make residents feel safe. Exclusive: Overwhelmed and understaffed, Austin police urgently turn to DPS to help patrol city Austin police Chief Joe Chacon, left, and Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw listen to Mayor Kirk Watson speak at a March 27 news conference about the new partnership between the city and state to police Austin. A deal with the adversary: How Austin's mayor secured a deal with Texas DPS Watson, who took office in January, negotiated the partnership with the state's top two Republicans, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Their discussions came in the wake of threats by state Sen. Drew Springer, R-Muenster, who went on Twitter and singled out Watson after a woman from his North Texas district was attacked in Austin by a man police describe as transient. Springer threatened to support a bill in the Texas House that proposes to abolish Austins government and establish in its place a state-led District of Austin. The Austin Violent Crimes Task Force aims to fill in public safety gaps in the city, where the Police Department is short around 300 officers. Average officer response times have risen from seven to 10 minutes since 2018. The state troopers are expected to assist primarily in enforcing traffic laws and responding to violent crime. A similar partnership in Dallas drew scrutiny after state troopers made 12,000 traffic stops in only seven weeks in 2019. Critics in Austin have also pointed out that state troopers will be under no obligation to act according to local policies that restrict citations for marijuana use and limit no-knock warrants. Story continues Watch replay: City announces Texas DPS to assist Austin police on patrols Through Monday, the DPS says its officers on the task force conducted over 1,570 traffic stops and wrote 765 citations. During that time, they say, officers also made 52 felony and 31 misdemeanor arrests, and stopped three large-scale street takeover events, like those from February that led Abbott to create a task force aimed at curbing the illegal street events. The partnership's launch coincided with a busy weekend in Austin, which hosted the Texas Relays track meet and the CMT Music Awards. From Thursday to Sunday, the Travis County Jail reported 348 bookings. Austin police were responsible for 222 bookings, and the sheriff's office was responsible for 38. The DPS booked 61 suspects. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas DPS making 300 traffic stops a day in Austin police partnership The 10 Commandments Credit - Don BayleyGetty Images A bill in the Texas legislature would require public schools to display the Ten Commandments in each classroom. Texas and other states have made numerous previous attempts to enshrine the Ten Commandments in schools, but recent rulings from the conservative Supreme Court indicate that their efforts could be closer to fruition. House bill, S.B. 1515, specifies that a poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments, at least 16 inches by 20 inches, should be visible conspicuously in every classroom. The bill, which is set to be discussed in the Senate this week, also requires that public schools accept any donations of such Ten Commandment posters and if the school has extra copies, they must donate them to other schools rather than discarding them. The bills critics argue that the bill would chip away at the separation of church and state and that it has no place in the classroom. Every K-12 public classroom in the state of Texas would be required to display these words: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant. Yes, please explain that line to a 6-year-old, NBC reporter Mike Hixebaugh tweeted. In 1980, the Supreme Court struck down a law that required the Ten Commandments to be posted in classrooms in Kentucky, ruling that it violated the Lemon test, the former legal precedent dictating religious freedom of expression. It was the first of many similar legal initiatives that the court blocked. For decades, the Lemon testderived from a landmark Supreme Court ruling in 1971was used to evaluate if a law or government activity violated first amendment freedom of religion. The three-pronged test was overturned in a Supreme Court ruling last year and replaced by a legal examination which asks whether religious displays in governmental settings are in accordance with American history and tradition. The Texas bills sponsors argue that the bill has legal standing under the new test. Story continues Theyre actually a foundation for our laws in our society, Mary Elizabeth Castle of Texas Values, a Christian group that advocates for more biblical influence in curriculum, told NBC News Channel 4 about the Ten Commandments. Its very good that were having these things posted in our public school classrooms. Over the years, some have contended that the Ten Commandments are rooted in American tradition, even going so far as to call them fundamental to the western legal tradition. Some scholars counter that religious parallels can be drawn from many different traditions, texts and religions, rather than placing the Ten Commandments above all others. Another Texas bill, which is also set to be discussed this week in the Senate, would allow school districts to employ chaplains to perform the duties of school counselors, meaning clergy members could take the roles of trained counselors. In recent years, the Supreme Court has often ruled in favor of religious expression in cases about praying at school and providing tuition subsidies at private religious schools. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has reached a tentative $144.5 million settlement agreement with the victims of a 2017 shooting at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, the department announced on Wednesday. The settlement would resolve the federal governments drawn-out legal battle with the families of the victims and survivors of the mass shooting after a federal judge found the government at least partially responsible for the attack. No words or amount of money can diminish the immense tragedy of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs, Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said in a statement. Todays announcement brings the litigation to a close, ending a painful chapter for the victims of this unthinkable crime. A former member of the U.S. Air Force, Devin Kelley, opened fire at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs during its Sunday services on Nov. 5, 2017, killing 26 people and injuring 22 more. U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez found the government 60 percent responsible for the attack, after the Air Force failed to report Kelleys criminal history to the FBI. [T]he evidence shows that had the Government done its job and properly reported Kelleys information into the background check system it is more likely than not that Kelley would have been deterred from carrying out the Church shooting, Rodriguez said in the July 2021 ruling. The U.S. government, which was ordered to pay $230 million to the victims of the shooting, had appealed the ruling in June 2022. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Gai N Rice, a family-owned Thai cuisine destination, will open a second location nearly six months after its first restaurant went up in flames. The Sacramento-based business known for its chicken and rice platters will soon serve its homemade recipes to the Elk Grove community, it announced on Instagram. The original shop at 4400 Freeport Blvd. in Land Park burned in an unexpected fire in October and its doors have been shut for renovations ever since. Because of YOU, we are staying strong and still moving forward, Gia N Rice wrote in a March statement on its social media pages. Gia N Rice in Land Park Customers who used to frequent the Land Park location were warned shortly after the fire in a November Instagram post that renovations will take time but the store will definitely reopen. The shop remains temporarily closed and its number is disconnected. Gia N Rice new location in Elk Grove The address nor the opening date for the upcoming Elk Grove location have been announced. The original menu was packed with fresh authentic jasmine rice sourced from Thailand and free-range chicken without hormones or antibiotics, according to its website. The three types of rice dishes classic, green and lean are served with poached chicken, cilantro, cucumber, soybean sauce and broth. Plates range from $10.95 to $11.95. Dumplings, ravioli, noodles, soup and curry was priced between $5 and $11.95. Drinks like Thai iced tea and iced pink milk cost an additional $3.95. Both the signature and only dessert on the menu was mango with sticky rice with freshly diced mango, blue sticky rice and coconut cream for $6.95 What do you want to know about life in Sacramento? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email servicejournalists@sacbee.com. (Bloomberg) -- Thai opposition party leading in opinion surveys officially nominated Paetongtarn Shinawatra, a scion of the Shinawatra family, as one of its three prime minister candidates as widely expected, pitting her against ex-generals seeking to extend a near decade of military-backed rule. Most Read from Bloomberg Paetongtarn, the youngest daughter of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra and popularly known as Ung Ing, was confirmed along with property tycoon Srettha Thavisin and twice-nominated former justice minister Chaikasem Nitisiri as Pheu Thais premier candidates at an event in Bangkok on Wednesday. The 36-year-old politician is seen as a front-runner for the top job as she commands a wide lead over other aspirants including incumbent Prayuth Chan-Ocha, a former army chief who seized power from a Pheu Thai government in 2014, and Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat. We will bring back democracy and the nations prosperity that has been lost for nearly a decade, Paetongtarn told thousands of cheering supporters. We believe the post-coup experiences have been a nightmare to the people. You have been through a lot of pain. We dont want that again. We dont want another coup. The Thai general election on May 14 is shaping up to be a battle between a Pheu Thai-led pro-democracy camp and conservative parties led by the ruling generals and their allies. Major parties are promising a similar package of cash handouts, higher minimum wages and a suspension of debt repayments to woo more than 52 million voters who will elect 500 members to the lower house in a two-ballot system. One hundred seats will allocated based on the proportion of votes that each party receives. Story continues Pheu Thai is forecast to win almost 50% votes, according to recent opinion surveys. Its banking on an array of populist policies, ranging from a 70% hike in daily minimum wage to digital cash handouts of 10,000 baht per person, to win over support from rural to middle-class voters squeezed by an uneven post-pandemic economic recovery. But its unclear if Pheu Thai will be able to take power even if it wins the most seats. The party won 136 seats in 2019, more than any other single group but not enough to prevent Prayuth from returning to power with support from a military-backed coalition. A constitution drafted after the last coup also allows the 250-member Senate, a body stacked with allies from the military establishment, to vote for prime minister alongside the lower house until 2024. At the Bangkok rally, Paetongtarn asked supporters to help deliver the party a landslide win to counter any potential move by the Senate to deny its candidates. Previous Thaksin-linked parties have won the most seats in every election since 2001, only to be unseated from government by the army or the courts. While Paetongtarns aunt Yingluck Shinawatra was ousted in the coup led by Prayuth, her father Thaksins government was toppled in a coup in 2006. He has lived in self-exile overseas for nearly 15 years. Pheu Thai has pledged to rewrite the nations military-drafted constitution if it wins the election as part of the partys six-point road map to restore democracy. It has also promised to propose an anti-coup bill and abolish mandatory military conscription as a first step to keeping the army out of politics and ending the cycle of coups. (Updates with comments from Paetongtarn in fourth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Thousands of students walked out of classes across the country Wednesday to demand lawmakers take action on gun safety following the mass shooting at an elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, last week. Advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety, which coordinated the walkouts through Students Demand Action, said there were more than 300 demonstrations across 41 states and Washington, D.C., to kick off a "week of action" by advocates and gun violence survivors. Ryley Collins, 15, a volunteer with Students Demand Action who helped lead a walkout at Jasper High School in Plano, Texas, said she and her classmates wanted to "make sure our lawmakers understand that we want more than just thoughts and prayers." "We want to be safe in our schools and we want them to take action to protect our lives, not the gun industry's profits," Collins said. USA TODAY confirmed thousands of students walked out of classes through local media reports, estimates from school districts and USA TODAY Network reporters on the scene. 'They're begging us to do something:' Nashville lawmaker calls for gun reform as hundreds protest after Covenant shooting Crosstown High School students walk out of their classes to the outside plaza to protest lax gun laws in Tennessee and across the U.S. on Wednesday in Memphis, Tenn. In Uvalde, Texas, dozens of high school students left classes, local news outlets reported. Last year, an 18-year-old former student fatally shot 19 children and two teachers and injured 17 others at one of the town's elementary schools. "Children shouldnt have to walk out of class so that adults can find the political will to do something to keep them safe," said Texas Sen. Roland Gutierrez, a Democrat, in a statement. And in Dallas, "hundreds" of students walked out of classes, the Dallas Independent School District said. Students at East High School in Pueblo, Colo., hold signs with messages protesting gun violence during a walkout event at the high school on Wednesday. North Carolina saw school walkouts across several districts. In the Charlotte area, thousands of students at five high schools staged peaceful walkouts, said Eddie Perez, spokesperson for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Some could be seen leaving classes holding signs overhead, WSOC-TV reported. Story continues In South Florida, around 100 students left classes at South Broward High School, according to local WSVN-TV. On Monday, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that eliminates licensing requirements for Florida residents to carry a concealed firearm in most public places. In Memphis, Tennessee, nearly a thousand students from two high schools walked out of classes for nearly an hour Wednesday. "We deserve to live and to learn without fear," said student organizer Sofia Gutierrez, a senior at Crosstown High School. Elementary, middle school students join national school walkout Wednesday Younger students also participated in the demonstrations: Approximately 350 students walked out of classes at a middle school in Ladue, Missouri, for instance, and about 300 middle and high school students walked out in Melrose, Massachusetts, spokespeople for the respective districts said. Senior Megan Burgess leads students in a chant Wednesday, during a walkout at Somersworth High School in New Hampshire to raise awareness about school shootings and gun violence. In Maplewood, Missouri, more than 300 elementary, middle and high school students participated in demonstrations, said Ed Rich, spokesperson for the Maplewood Richmond Heights School District. The district shared photos of the event at one elementary school showing 11-year-olds lined up against a playground fence, holding signs that read "Protect children not guns" and "We are the future." At the high school event, students observed six minutes of silence, representing each of the six victims of the Nashville school shooting, Rich said. National school walkout follows Nashville shooting The walkouts come one day after hundreds of high school and college students left class across Nashville and Middle Tennessee as part of a demonstration coordinated by national gun reform organization March For Our Lives and Students Demand Action. The students were joined by thousands more as they marched to the state Capitol. March for Our Lives coordinated a protest and school walkout to march to the Capitol to push for gun control reform on Monday, a week after the Covenant School shooting. Last week, a 28-year-old former student armed with two AR-style weapons killed three children and three adult staff members at the Covenant School, a small, private Christian elementary school in Nashville. Following the shooting, Tennessee's Republican-controlled legislature delayed all firearms-related bills by at least one week. President Joe Biden called on Congress to act, saying he has exhausted what he can do through executive action on gun control. So far this year, there have been at least 39 incidents of gunfire on school grounds, resulting in 17 deaths and 30 injuries nationally, according to Everytown. Incidents in which a gun was brandished or fired or a bullet hit school property reached all-time highs last year, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database. There have been 96 such incidents on school grounds this year, the database shows. "It's getting out of hand," said Jesse Chavez, a freshman at East High School in Pueblo, Colorado, who participated in the walkout. "I haven't seen any (legislation) to actually stop it, and there's been more school shootings each day." Read more Contributing: Josue Perez, The Pueblo Chieftain; Lucas Finton and Micaela A. Watts, Memphis Commercial Appeal; Nashville Tennessean staff. Reach criminal justice reporter Grace Hauck via email at ghauck@usatoday.com or follow her on Twitter at @grace_hauck. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nashville shooting spurs nationwide student walkout, urging gun safety "Nothing shall deter us from our duty in this eternal struggle -- not death nor prison," Brandon Russell wrote from his jail cell in May 2020. "We are always comforted by the thought of knowing we did the right thing in fighting this wretched System." The former National Guard soldier was serving a five-year sentence after a former roommate told law enforcement that Russell had explosives and warned them that he had threatened to kill and conduct bombings while cruising neo-Nazi chatrooms. In a cooler in the garage of the Tampa, Florida, apartment they shared, Russell had HMTD, an explosive used almost exclusively by terrorists that can be made with common materials such as camp stove fuel, hair bleach and over-the-counter supplements. Read Next: Space Force Done Testing the Fit on its Uniforms, Ending the Loose Pants Saga Russell, who at the time of his arrest served in the Florida National Guard, had turned the apartment into something of a boot camp for the three men he ushered into the neo-Nazi organization he founded, Atomwaffen Division. The men used Old Glory as a doormat. A Nazi flag hung on the wall, and Russell had a framed picture on his dresser of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, who had also been a soldier before becoming a terrorist. Their white supremacist group believes violence, terrorism and murder are necessary to eliminate non-white minorities and cause society's collapse. Russell seemingly went everywhere in his Army uniform, wanting to project an image of "Mr. All-American," one of the roommate's parents would recall. Beneath that uniform, on his right shoulder, the leader had an Atomwaffen Division shield tattoo. He was released in 2021, but was arrested again in February of this year, along with an alleged female accomplice, and charged with masterminding a plan to blow up Baltimore's electric grid. The goal was to cause as much suffering as possible in the city during times of extreme heat or cold, according to prosecutors. Story continues This story is the second installment in a series on the rise of extremism and the role of troops and veterans. Part 1 looked at how extremist groups are targeting and radicalizing those who have served their country in uniform. Sign up here so you don't miss our next major report. Atomwaffen, which federal authorities say also now goes by the name the National Socialist Order with an unknown number of members given its disparate cell structure, is just one example of the growing and urgent threat that violent extremists pose to the U.S., according to experts and federal authorities. And at the lead of some of those organizations, pushed to the front both because of their skills and the respect their service engenders, are service members and veterans like Russell. "I and several of my closest colleagues for a couple of years now have been kind of looking at each other nervously and saying, 'You know, this feels like the '90s,'" said Amy Cooter, a senior research fellow at the Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism at Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. "This feels like what this movement felt like in the lead-up and the immediate aftermath of Oklahoma City," she said in a recent interview, referring to the deadly bombing by McVeigh in 1995. McVeigh, who served in the Gulf War, was a "good soldier" who was "real career-oriented," a veteran who served with him told The Associated Press just after the bombing. But after failing to become a Green Beret, McVeigh left the service and turned his hatred against the federal government, traveling to the botched FBI siege of the Branch Davidians compound at Waco, Texas, in 1993 to hand out anti-government flyers. He murdered 168 people, including 19 children who were mostly in a second-floor daycare center, with a Ryder rental truck packed with explosives that he detonated in front of an Oklahoma City federal building -- the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history, according to the FBI. It was the high-water mark for the last great surge of violent extremism in America. But McVeigh's story looks terrifyingly similar to cases popping up now across the country. The U.S. intelligence community deemed racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism -- with adherents such as white supremacists, Nazis and other racist groups -- the "most lethal threat" to Americans in its annual 2023 threat assessment released in March. The groups "believe that recruiting military members will help them organize cells for attacks against minorities or institutions that oppose their ideology," the intelligence report says. But the Pentagon and Congress remain divided over how seriously to take the threat, even as violent plots are foiled and agencies, watchdog organizations and advocates issue increasingly urgent warnings. The military services have held stand-downs and issued new policies, but then balked at using up precious time and funding on more elaborate efforts to stamp out white supremacists, Nazis and other hate groups, rather than caring for other pressing issues such as the current recruiting crisis. "The department did not want to really have to engage this to begin with for a variety of reasons, mainly because it does distract from a lot of the other business and work that they're trying to do," a former official familiar with the Defense Department efforts to combat extremism told Military.com, speaking on the condition of anonymity. A Message in Blood New extremist organizations such as Atomwaffen, the Boogaloo movement and the Base, a neo-Nazi group, have picked up where the anti-government militias of the '80s and '90s left off. They seek a violent overthrow of the government or a civil war so they can recreate society, usually into a white supremacist or fascist state. The accelerationist groups -- the term denotes that they wish to bring about that civil war swiftly -- have sprung up in the aftermath of the Unite the Right extremist group gathering and protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. The event was the largest gathering of white supremacists in recent memory, and many of the torch-bearing participants were young men. But the event, which culminated in a white supremacist driving through a crowd and killing a counter-protester, sent existing groups into disarray. "The radicals that are left are looking away from those groups and looking toward more active and dangerous paths, such as we've seen in the Hard Reset," said Rick Eaton, a senior researcher and the head of the digital terrorism and hate research team at the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a human rights organization. The Hard Reset is a manifesto put out by groups such as Atomwaffen on the social media messaging system Telegram through a series of channels nicknamed Terrorgram by both users and experts. The latest iteration of the terrorist how-to magazine published in July included "tactics, techniques, and procedures" on how to bring about societal collapse, as well as 47 pages promoting attacks on infrastructure, according to the Global Network on Extremism and Technology, an initiative at the Department of War Studies at King's College London. "It's definitely more disturbing than it's ever been, and the willingness to commit violence combined with the general levels of, you know, violent shootings and things in this country are not helping," said Eaton, who has studied extremism at the Wiesenthal center for 37 years. FBI cases involving domestic terrorism have skyrocketed -- going from 1,981 in 2013 to 5,557 in 2020. Just a year later, in 2021, the number of cases climbed to 9,049, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office. Racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists were responsible for 94 deaths and 111 injuries over the past decade, the agency reported. Steven Carrillo, a follower of accelerationist ideology, was an Air Force sergeant at Travis Air Force Base in California in 2020 when he pulled up to a federal courthouse in Oakland, California, in a white van and opened fire on security guards, killing one. He murdered a county sheriff's deputy a week later, all part of a plan to incite a civil war, and was sentenced to 41 years in prison in August. While on the run before his arrest, Carrillo had scrawled in blood that he believed murdering police, whom he called domestic enemies of the Constitution, would spark conflict between Americans, according to PBS' Frontline. The list of veterans caught up in extremism in recent years doesn't end there. Two veterans and a soldier are accused of being a Boogaloo movement cell that planned to blow up public infrastructure and terrorize a Black Lives Matter protest in Las Vegas. William Loomis, an Air Force veteran; Stephen Parshall, a Navy veteran; and Andrew Lynam, who was in the Army Reserve, were arrested in 2020 and are still awaiting trial. Lynam, who was a soldier at the time, told an undercover agent that "their group was not for joking around and that it was for people who wanted to violently overthrow the United States government," according to court documents. Groups such as the Oath Keepers militia and Patriot Front have preyed on veterans for recruitment, hoping to take advantage of their tactical experience and prestige. Those groups use the language of patriotism and service to appeal to the same character traits that got many to serve the country in the military. But while experts warn of the gathering threat, extremism has become politically charged after former soldier Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the Oath Keepers militia, and other veterans were convicted of seditious conspiracy for breaking into the U.S. Capitol and disrupting Congress on Jan. 6, 2021, at the urging of former President Donald Trump. The siege of the Capitol and the disruption of Congress was a stunning development and the most violent attack on the building since British troops set fire to the House and Senate during the War of 1812. Trump sold the lie that the presidential election was stolen from him and convinced extremists in the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys extremist groups -- as well as hundreds of average Americans -- to attempt to stop the transfer of power to President Joe Biden. Now, Trump is the assumed front-runner in the Republican race for president in 2024. Just four months after Jan. 6, the Pentagon announced a new working group to combat extremism in the military, after it became clear some troops and veterans were involved in the Capitol insurrection. That included Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt, 35, who was shot and killed by outnumbered Capitol police as she and other rioters broke down doors to the Speaker's Lobby and House floor, where lawmakers were huddled. Lloyd Austin, Biden's defense secretary and the first Black person to hold the position, also ordered a one-day stand-down for troops across the services to talk about military values and the oath of service and to get a better understanding of extremism in the ranks. The Republicans on the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee protested the moves, claiming the anti-extremism effort was part of a political narrative and that it was devastating to military morale. Some continue to question whether extremism is really a top threat. In March, U.S. intelligence officials briefed senators on the 2023 risk assessment. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., one of many GOP critics of efforts to root out extremism in the military, needled the officials over the report findings on racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist groups. "Are you serious? You seriously think that racially and ethnically motivated violent extremists are the most lethal threat that Americans face?" Cotton said during a public hearing. "So, yes, sir, in terms of the number of people killed or wounded as a consequence," Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said. 'Destroying Kids' Careers' The Pentagon's extremism working group wrapped up in December 2021. Austin determined that "very few" troops are involved in extremism, but also noted that even a small number of cases can have an outsized effect on unit morale and cohesion -- and can pose a danger to other service members. The working group report found fewer than 100 cases of "prohibited extremism activity" in service members over the prior year. The Defense Department inspector general also reported 281 extremism investigations during just the first nine months of 2021, in what has been some of the only additional data released publicly on the issue in the military. Of those cases, 92 involved some sort of punishment by the military and 83 were referred to civilian law enforcement. But Jon Lewis, a research fellow at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University, said in a recent interview that the numbers alone fail to recognize a core tenet of terrorism: The quantity of extremists is immaterial to their potential impact. "It's a prominent, significant issue because it doesn't take 35 guys piling into a U-Haul," Lewis said. "It doesn't take a mass mobilization movement of 30,000 people to the U.S. Capitol. You just need a couple people. You just need one or two with easy access to firearms and a target." At the Pentagon, military guidance was overhauled at Austin's order to include a voluminous new definition of prohibited extremist activity across the services. Troops were explicitly barred from advocating or using violence to overthrow the government or push a racist, sexist or discriminatory ideology. Recruiting for extremist causes, extremist paraphernalia such as flags and bumper stickers, and posting or sharing extremist information online are all banned. But it remains to be seen how the new guidance will be used. The challenge for the military is how to identify the activity in a total force of about 2.3 million, and how to deal with troops who do break the rules, many of them being young adults barely out of high school. "They're typically junior enlisted that saw some memes or a Reddit thing or watched something on YouTube, heard a guy say something. And the question is whether or not they have full-on engaged in any actual activity," the former government official told Military.com. If a service member has not fully participated in extremism, then "you're not trying to go out and just destroy these kids' careers," the official said. Instead, intervention to correct and educate them may be a better choice for the military. "The other piece of the issue is ... within the potential extremist activity movement or issue, the majority of bad actors tend to be veterans -- the vast majority," they said. But sometimes the most dangerous extremist threats do begin with posts online, and that activity, when not caught or flagged, can end in violence. Alligator Alley and a Florida Nuclear Plant One of Brandon Russell's first online screen names was "Odin," a reference to the powerful Norse god of wolves and ravens. That's how Alan Arthurs remembers hearing about him. Arthurs' son Devon was one of Russell's roommates. Devon, who is now imprisoned in Florida and charged with a double murder, let the name slip during a car ride together. It was a decade ago -- before the deaths and criminal charges -- when his son was still just a wayward teenager. "I said, 'Excuse me, what?' I thought, wait a minute, who would have the audacity to use that as their screen name?" Arthurs told Military.com in a recent interview. "And that's when all of a sudden I looked at Brandon, or any communication he was having with Brandon, in a different way." But Devon looked up to Russell like he was amazing. As if he really was a god. "One of the big trends that I think you see there, and then you continue to see in the neo-fascist acceleration space -- so Attomwaffen and the Base as examples -- is individuals like Brandon Russell ... intentionally targeting younger individuals or even sometimes minors, for recruitment," Lewis said. Even in Russell's early posts on the now-defunct Iron March website, a notorious online gathering place for neo-Nazis, the former Guardsman tried to present himself as some type of master strategist and influential figure, Lewis said. "When you really boil it down, it is power and control," he said. When reached for comment, Russell's attorney Ian Goldstein said, "Due to the pending charges, we have no comment at this time." In May 2017, Devon Arthurs was arrested for allegedly killing two of his three roommates, sparing only Russell. "All I know is I got a phone call -- I was at the office -- from Devon telling me that he had shot them," said Arthurs, recalling a conversation with his son immediately after the incident. It was after his arrest that Devon would describe details of bombing plots the men allegedly hatched, and Russell would head to prison on explosives charges. Devon told authorities that, before he killed his two roommates in the Tampa apartment, they had planned to attack power lines along the long stretch of Interstate 75 in South Florida known as Alligator Alley. Those original Atomwaffen members also planned to attack a Florida nuclear power plant, Devon Arthurs said. Russell would continue on with the effort after his arrest and imprisonment, authorities claim. He had chosen a new screen name after serving his 60 months on the explosives charges. This time, while out on supervised release, he was going by the name "Homunculus" on encrypted communications. In June, Russell allegedly started encouraging a FBI informant via encrypted chat to attack electrical substations in a way that would cause maximum damage. The plot would allegedly grow to five electrical substations, according to prosecutors, leading to his February arrest. Russell and others in the violent accelerationist movement have also found ways to reach out beyond their neo-Nazi and fascist peers and threaten those in the public who oppose them. Kris Goldsmith, an Iraq combat veteran, runs Task Force Butler, a nonprofit that researches extremism. His work caught the attention of Russell, he said in a recent interview, and the neo-Nazi targeted his family. "One of the last things he did before he was picked up by the FBI for planning terrorist attacks, was he shared my home address and photos of my family with his network at Atomwaffen," Goldsmith said. After Russell posted Goldsmith's information, someone called the police pretending to be Goldsmith, claiming he had a weapon and was going to kill himself. A SWAT team was called out to Goldsmith's house at night while he and his wife were in bed. The dangerous practice is called "swatting" and is used by Atomwaffen against perceived enemies, such as churches, Islamic centers, universities, journalists and public officials. A Texas man described as an Atomwaffen division leader by federal authorities was recently sentenced to three and a half years in prison for swatting attacks on 134 locations across the U.S. "Our dogs were barking like f---ing crazy," Goldsmith remembered. He got up and went downstairs to see what had gotten them so excited, running right into armed members of the SWAT team. "I look outside, and I see a man in dark clothing wearing tactical gear and carrying an AR-15. He points it at my face," he said. -- Travis Tritten can be reached at travis.tritten@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @Travis_Tritten. -- Drew F. Lawrence can be reached at drew.lawrence@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @df_lawrence. -- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin. -- Steve Beynon can be reached at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon. Related: Trading on Patriotism: How Extremist Groups Target and Radicalize Veterans Three Kansas City, Kansas, officers were seriously injured during a police-involved shooting Wednesday afternoon, according to a release from the Kansas City Police Department. The officers injuries are not thought to be life threatening, according to the department. Police say the shooting happened near 18th Street and Parallel Parkway. There has been an officer involved shooting in Kansas City, Kansas. @KCKPDHQ has asked for our agency to investigate. Preliminary info: 3 officers have been shot. All are serious, but non-life threatening injuries at this time. kcpolice (@kcpolice) April 5, 2023 This is a developing story and will be updated as more information is received. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) criticized Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs (D) move to indict former President Trump as a politically-motivated decision that does not pass the smell test legally. Thune labeled the indictment as a political agenda run amok. His comments came on Tuesday evening, hours after Trump was formally arraigned in New York on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. The former president pleaded not guilty. I understand that this is the beginning of a legal process, not the end of one, but after an initial review of the details, this indictment looks like a political agenda run amok, Thune, the No. 2-ranking Senate Republican, told South Dakota Public Broadcasting. Its becoming increasingly clear why previous district attorneys opted against prosecution, he added. The South Dakota Republican is the highest-ranking Senate GOP member to comment on Trumps indictment, as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has remained silent on the situation. Thune had stayed mum in the immediate aftermath of last weeks indictment. Trump slammed the indictment throughout the day on Tuesday and spoke to a crowd of supporters at Mar-a-Lago as part of an arraignment party, as one of his backers put it during the event. I never thought anything like this could happen in America. Never thought it could happen, Trump said in his speech. The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it. He is expected to appear for his next hearing in New York in December, with his trial potentially set to start in January. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Tom Holland and Zendaya are one of the most beloved celebrity couples on TikTok. Cindy Ord/Getty Images. Fans have noticed that the letter Z is stitched on the back of a lot of Tom Holland's pants. Many people have theorized that the letter represents the initial of his girlfriend, Zendaya. Theories about Holland and Zendaya's relationship often go hugely viral on TikTok. A fan theory about Tom Holland's fashion choices has resurfaced and is going viral on TikTok people are convinced he wears a Z for Zendaya on all of his pants. The viral theory appears to have been circulating on Tiktok since July 2022, when a photo of Holland wearing grey jeans, taken while the actor was having lunch in the Hamptons, New York, circulated on the app in a video that has received 224,000 views. Users noticed that in the photos, which were published by the Daily Mail at the time, there appeared to be a Z embroidered on the back of Holland's jeans. Some users began to theorize that the Z was a tribute to the actor's long-term girlfriend, Zendaya, as a romantic gesture, but other users dismissed the idea, saying that the embroidery might represent the brand where the actor purchased the jeans. Others theorized that perhaps he was actually wearing a pair of Zendaya's jeans which had her initials on them, as the pair have said they have swapped clothing items with each other in the past. In mid-March, the rumor about Holland's pants resurfaced, when the Daily Mail published photos of the actor grocery shopping with Zendaya in London. In one of the photos, an embroidered Z is visible on the back pocket of Holland's brown pants. "Idk if this is sweet or creepy. Imma go with sweet because I love them so much," one user wrote in a TikTok video, which has 373,000 views, where she compiled multiple photos of Holland's pants to support the theory that the embroidery represents Zendaya's initial. Commenters under the video began to say the fact the Z appears on multiple pairs of Holland's pants suggests they are less likely to be part of the clothing or brand he wears, and more likely to have been stitched on by hand. Some users suggested they thought Zendaya might have customized the pants for him as a way of claiming him for herself. Story continues "Zendaya be like 'That's mine,'" one user wrote, while another person commented, "#propertyofZendaya," under a separate video about the theory. Holland and Zendaya are one of the most universally shipped couples on TikTok, where a hashtag for the couple, "#Tomdaya," has 3.6 billion views. The duo appear to have tried to keep their relationship out of the public eye as much as possible. However, rumors about their personal lives often go immensely viral on social media. In June 2022, Zendaya appeared to dispel a rumor that she was pregnant with Holland's child which was circulating on TikTok. More recently, in early March, fans theorized that a clip showing Zendaya appearing to snub Paul Mescal's attempt to hold hands at the SAG Awards displayed her loyalty to Holland, as users compared the video to other clips of the star refusing the hand of male co-stars at public events. Holland and Zendaya were first linked after starring in the "Spider-Man" Marvel Cinematic Universe trilogy together, and explosive online speculation about the pair first began in July 2021, when they were photographed kissing in a car, and longstanding rumors that they might have been dating was seemingly confirmed for the first time. Holland later told GQ that he and Zendaya felt "robbed" of their privacy by the photograph. "One of the downsides of our fame is that privacy isn't really in our control anymore, and a moment that you think is between two people that love each other very much is now a moment that is shared with the entire world," Holland said. Representatives for Zendaya and Tom Holland did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. For more stories like this, check out coverage from Insider's Digital Culture team here. Read the original article on Insider Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert! GEN Z TIKTOK STAR, POLITICAL ADVOCATE ANNOUNCES BID FOR CONGRESS At 25, Orange County native Cheyenne Hunt has parlayed her experience in grassroots political organizing and high-level policy advocacy into a sizable TikTok audience. Now, shes looking to become the first female member of Generation Z to win a seat in Congress. (Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla, 26, an Orlando community organizer, became the first male Zoomer in Congress this year) Hunt announced Tuesday that shes running in CA-45, against Republican Rep. Michelle Steel, whom the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has identified as vulnerable. Steels district went for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Hunt, who was born and spent her early life near Sacramento, is a lifelong Californian, though the University of California Irvine grad has spent time in Washington, D.C., including serving as the youngest-ever law clerk for Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar on the Senate Judiciary Committee. In an interview with The Bee, Hunt said shes seen how the system works, and also where it doesnt work. She said her generation generally defined as those born between the mid-1990s and 2010 isnt waiting for its chance to operate the levers of power as they struggle with everything from the high cost of living to student loan debt to the lack of opportunity. Im just really passionate about jumping in because we cant afford to wait, she said. Hunt has turned that passion for policy into a successful TikTok presence, with more than 62,200 followers and counting. She told The Bee she never intended to build a huge audience, but rather just set out to have real conversations about the issues that matter. Im a policy nerd, thats what I love to do, she said. Now that she has that following, however, she said she intends to use it as she campaigns for Congress. Social media is a way to reach people where they are, she said. Story continues Asked about the potential security risk posed by TikTok, which is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance, Hunt said that the lack of comprehensive data privacy is a huge security risk, with threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party and Russia as well as domestic bad actors. I think that its really a mistake to think about this as a single-app issue because its not, she said. Asked what her priorities would be if elected, Hunt said she is focused on the pain points in her community, including high cost of living and energy price-gouging. She cited the proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons as another concern. Hunt also said she is focused on fighting back against the attacks on abortion and LGBTQ equality, which she called fundamental rights. I see all of these things are interconnected and any attack on fundamental rights is an attack on all of them, she said. FAST FOOD INDUSTRY COALITION LAUNCHES AD CAMPAIGN AGAINST AB 1228 The fast food industry is fighting back against a bill intended to hold restaurant franchisors accountable for their franchisees legal violations. AB 1228, by Assemblyman Chris Holden, D-Pasadena, is set to be heard April 12 by the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee. The bill is an attempt to improve labor conditions in the fast food industry by making franchisors companies like McDonalds or Subway legally responsible for labor violations by individually held franchisee restaurants. As a former fast-food franchisee, I know how much pressure maintaining a safe and healthy working environment puts on local owner-operators, especially when global corporations refuse to contribute their share, Holden said in a statement on the bill. The industry pushback led to the formation of a coalition Stop the Attack on Local Restaurants and the launch of a statewide digital ad campaign to protest the bill, which the coalition argues will cut off a pathway for business ownership, particularly for minority entrepreneurs. I immigrated to California at age 16 from India speaking no English and took the first job I could get cleaning toilets at McDonalds, said Sacramento McDonalds restaurant owner Jay Hazari in a statement. I worked my way up, became manager and in 2004, I was given the opportunity to own and operate my first restaurant. AB 1228 would destroy the rights of local restaurant owners like me, taking away our lifes investment and work. The ad campaign is being coordinated by Sacramento-based public relations firm BCFS Public Affairs. QUOTE OF THE DAY A somber moment in the life of our country, when its necessary to arraign a former president on criminal charges. As the case falls to the DA to prove, we must recognize what is most important: Even the most powerful are held to account, and that nobody is above the law. - Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, who led the impeachment proceedings for now former President Donald Trump, via Twitter. Best of The Bee: A Florida sheriff has gone viral due to his unique recommendations for the criminals in his county. Sheriff Grady Judd, who has jurisdiction in Polk County in Florida, gave a press conference in 2021 after the homicide rates in his area began to rise. His message to the murderers in his county was hilarious, interesting and instantly became a soundbite. Just chill out, drink a 7UP, eat a moon pie, [and] quit murdering people, he said. In February, @funny.falls.fails posted the clip of Judys suggestions, and it has turned into a trending sound. A nap and a snack can fix everything, said @ohnoodles17. The audio has nearly 10,000 videos attached to it. TikTokers are taking Sheriff Judys advice and trying to apply it to the people in their lives. POV: your kids are panicking because you accidentally put Monday on the board and today is not Monday, said @bridgethancock4. Fellow teachers in the comment section related to having to tell their kids to relax. I forgot to put a period at the end of a multiple choice answer once and they lost their minds, said @suburbtracie. People in every industry feel this way, too, and hope that people can calm down with their reactions. When you havent responded to an email sent at 5pm and they sent a follow up email at 8:15 the next morning, wrote @deidra.bailey. The email etiquette she expressed was widely agreed upon in the comments. And then they call at 9:01 am! Please give me some TIME, said @lexi_5528. Sheriff Judys plea was simple but can be effective in every aspect of life. As long as TikTokers can chill out and eat some snacks, maybe everyone will follow suit and calm down. In The Know by Yahoo is now available on Apple News follow us here! The post TikTokers use sound from police sheriff to tell others to calm down: A nap and a snack can fix everything appeared first on In The Know. More from In The Know: TikTok captures the difference between kids in Japan vs. America 9-year-old boy sews shirt for his dad all by himself This is the 1 spring shirt trend you're going to see everywhere this season This is the 1 handbag trend youre going to see everywhere this spring and summer Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) is finding success wooing his Senate GOP colleagues to his side for a possible 2024 presidential run, with a number of his fellow senators personally encouraging him to get in the race. Of roughly a dozen Senate Republicans The Hill interviewed, three Sens. John Thune (S.D.), Mike Rounds (S.D.) and John Cornyn (Texas) said they have outright encouraged Scott to run for the White House, while two others Sens. Kevin Cramer (N.D.) and Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.) said theyve talked with him behind closed doors about his potential run. Almost every other senator spoke glowingly of the South Carolina Republican and indicated they hope he runs or believe he would make a top-level candidate. I think hed be a great candidate. Im excited about it. Ive been encouraging him, Thune told The Hill. I think hes getting a lot of encouragement from his colleagues. Hes really well thought of and respected and I think hed be a really interesting candidate for president, and in a field that kind of could be fairly open. [I] told him to let me know when he wants to come to Northwest Iowa. Its right next to South Dakota and I tell him Ill come out for him or against him whichever helps him the most, Thune said with a laugh. Scott is considered an influential member of the chamber on a number of subjects, including on financial matters as ranking member on the Senate Banking Committee and on criminal justice and policing. Multiple senators also lauded his leadership qualities and believe that his voice would be particularly resonant now. Along with Thune, Rounds is one of Scotts biggest cheerleaders in the upper chamber and says he will back him if he launches a bid. Tim has got a great personal story. His background shows hell work very, very hard. He cares about other people, and he has a tendency to bring in a circle of friends and advisers that he can depend on, but give him good advice, Rounds said in a brief interview. Ive simply offered to him that I would really look forward to seeing him toss his hat into the right. Story continues Scott on Tuesday gave the latest hint of whats to come as he announced plans to visit Iowa, New Hampshire and his home state of South Carolina next week. The plans come on the heels of other 2024 maneuvers for Scott, who has hired staff and appeared at a number of related events last month, including the Palmetto Family Council forum and the American Enterprise Institutes annual summit in Sea Island, Ga. I think hed be a terrific president, said Sen. John Barrasso (Wyo.), the No. 3 Senate Republican. To me, hes Ronald Reagan, morning in America, optimistic, the country of opportunity. A source familiar with Scott told The Hill that he is nearing a decision on 2024 plans. Scott is also highly thought of by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), having been the GOPs lead negotiator on policing reform and one of the foremost figures involved in the 2017 tax reform package. One GOP strategist close to McConnell said that the leader thinks the world of Tim Scott and would certainly wish him the best in whatever he wants to do. The main question surrounding Scott remains his chances at making a dent in the 2024 field and whether his happy warrior mentality is a fit at a time when anger remains prevalent throughout the GOP base. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), a friend of Scotts, believes that his chances could hinge on that issue. Americans always want change always. We always want something new and fresh. But we alternate between arsonists and carpenters, Lankford said. They have very different techniques on how they change things. So well see where everybody is as far as the electorate. Scott, who is likely one of the only Senate Republicans to enter the race, has made splashes in each of the last two presidential contests. He delivered a widely-hailed speech at the 2020 Republican National Convention in support of Trump and stumped for Rubio across New Hampshire and South Carolina in 2016. The Florida senator told The Hill that Scott would make a strong candidate, while others who worked on his 2016 operation argued that he was among their most effective surrogates. Crowds responded better to him than just about anybody else, said Alex Conant, Rubios communications director on the campaign. Being a warm-up act for Rubio was a tough gig because Marco gave such a great speech, but Tim Scott got the crowd fired up. Voters respond to authenticity, and Tim Scott is the most authentic politician youll ever meet, Conant added. It is a fully uphill climb for Scott, however, as Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) dominate early surveys. Nevertheless, operatives believe there is a lane for Scott to carve out. With Trump and DeSantis likely to spend much of their time hammering each other and occupying the grievance lane in the primary, they believe there is room for candidates like Scott and former Vice President Mike Pence to operate. That is especially the case in places like Iowa and South Carolina where voters of faith are squarely in their wheelhouses. Theres a long road ahead thats going to create multiple openings and its all about whos going to be in that mix and whos the guy, one GOP operative said. DeSantis and Trump are going to beat the s out of each other. Iowas a slow build, and you dont pop in Iowa until you pop. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. WeVinyl is a craft supply shop located in Washington. The store will be closing in the coming weeks after a decline in sales. (Photo: Courtesy of WEVINYL) In Washington, a local craft shop is set to close in the coming weeks. WeVinyl located at 1275 Peoria St. sells crafting supplies, fulfills custom orders and holds classes for the community. The shop opened roughly five years ago, according to manager Cortney Blacet. On April 5, though, WeVinyl announced its coming shutdown on Facebook though a final day has not been decided yet. Blacet said many of the shop's regular customers are understandably upset by the news. Along with crafting classes, Blacet said employees at WeVinyl were always there to lend a hand whenever a community member needed help with a project. So, I think just mostly us not being here for those last-minute questions or to come in and actually get one-on-one help with a project is going to definitely be missed by the community, she said. 'There's going to be a void': How one local farms pause is felt across the Peoria food community In the past year, though, Blacet said sales have declined while the cost of inventory has risen. She said the rise of online shopping likely contributed to the decreased sales at the shop. Blacet said given these challenges, it was the shops time to close down. Until the final day, customers are encouraged to stop by. According to the stores Facebook post, vinyl will be 20% off and some of WeVinyls other items will be sold for as much as 50% off. Gift cards will also continue to be accepted. In the post, Blacet wrote that she will miss the customers she has met during WeVinyl's time in business. She wrote that each person has a special place in my heart, and said getting to help the community has been the best part of working at WeVinyl. Blacet who operates her own small business on the side said she hopes to continue offering this support even after the physical shop closes. You hear all the time, Youre a lifesaver. I don't know what I would do without you, Blacet said. And it's a small thing, but it's such a big thing to the customers. Story continues More: Three-generation ice cream business is bringing its old-school charm to a new town Connect with WeVinyl Address: 1275 Peoria St., WashingtonPhone: (309) 886-3292Website: wevinyl.square.site Connect with Cassidy Waigand by emailing her at CWaigand@gannett.com or by following her on Twitter at @justxaxwriter. This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Washington craft store closing due to decline in sales Dustin Lance Black and Tom Daley have become parents to a second son. (Getty Images) Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black have welcomed a second son named Phoenix Rose. The 28-year-old Olympic diver and his 48-year-old screenwriter husband made a traditional announcement in The Times newspaper. The birth notice read: "Black-Daley on 28th March to Thomas Robert Daley and Dustin Lance Black, a son, Phoenix Rose." Read more: Celebrity Bake Off 2023: Full line-up, from David Schwimmer to Gemma Collins The couple already have a four-year-old son called Robert Ray, who was born via surrogacy on 27 June 2018. They announced his arrival on Twitter, with Black tweeting: "Welcome to the world little Robbie Ray. Thank you for bringing so much love and light with you. And thank you to those who helped make our dream of having a family into this wonderful reality. #AFamily #HappyBirthday" Welcome to the world little Robbie Ray. Thank you for bringing so much love and light with you. And thank you to those who helped make our dream of having a family into this wonderful reality. #AFamily #HappyBirthday pic.twitter.com/8srVjvrG5I Dustin Lance Black (@DLanceBlack) June 30, 2018 He is named after Daleys father, Robert, who died aged 40 from brain cancer in 2011. Daley and American filmmaker Black married in 2017 after dating for four years. They live together in London. Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black made a formal announcement in The Times newspaper. (Getty Images) Celebrity Bake Off contestant Daley told Yahoo UK in 2019: Lance and I have always said we want to have a big family. Right now with Robbie weve got our hands full. But in the future, who knows? In 2021 he competed in the Tokyo Olympics. Speaking about travelling away from his family for work he said: Its horrible, its so hard. Ive been away for two weeks at a time and I spend my whole time on Facetime. Theres not a moment when I dont think about him, but I want to try and do what I love as well. Story continues Fatherhood has changed my perspective on everything. When I used to go away I used to think, This is so exciting to see all these cool places. But now I just want to see Robbie. Read more: Tom Daley had to be carried to the bathroom after gruelling Comic Relief trek Its not the same seeing him on Facetime but its something lots of parents have to deal with if they travel for work. It does make the reunion, very, very sweet. Watch: Tom Daley talks a bout his knitting hobby RIYADH (Reuters) - The top envoys for Saudi Arabia and Iran will meet in Beijing on Thursday, an Iranian official and a Saudi-owned newspaper said, as the two regional rivals work to hash out next steps of their diplomatic rapprochement amid a China-brokered deal. The meeting between Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, will be the first formal meeting between Saudi Arabia and Iran's most senior diplomats in more than seven years. After years of hostility that had fuelled conflicts across the Middle East, Tehran and Riyadh agreed to end their diplomatic rift and re-open embassies in a major deal facilitated by China last month. "The top envoys agreed to meet on Apr. 6 in Beijing as the deal was facilitated by China," a senior Iranian official told Reuters. Choosing China "came as an extension of Beijing's positive role in reaching the agreement and facilitating communication between the two countries," Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awasat newspaper cited an unidentified source in Riyadh as saying. The resumption of the relations that was announced last month and arrangements for the exchange of ambassadors will be discussed in the meeting, it added. Beijing's secret role in the breakthrough between Tehran and Riyadh shook up dynamics in the Middle East, where the United States was for decades the main mediator, flexing its security and diplomatic muscles. "The era of the United States' involvement in this region is over ... The regional countries are capable of preserving security and stability in the Middle East without Washington's interference," another Iranian official said. "The next steps will be discussed in the Beijing meeting, such as re-opening of the embassies and appointing ambassadors." Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in 2016 after its embassy in Tehran was stormed during a dispute between the two countries over Riyadh's execution of a Shi'ite Muslim cleric. The kingdom subsequently asked Iranian diplomats to leave within 48 hours while it evacuated its embassy staff from Teheran. Story continues The relationship had worsened since 2015, after Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in the Yemen war, where the Iran-aligned Houthi movement ousted a Saudi-backed government and took over the capital Sanaa. For Saudi Arabia, the deal could mean improved security. The kingdom has blamed Iran for arming the Houthis who carried out missile and drone attacks on its cities and oil facilities. In 2019, Riyadh blamed a massive attack on Aramco oil facilities, which knocked out half of its oil output, directly on the Islamic Republic. Tehran denied those allegations. (Reporting by Parisa Hafezi and Aziz El Yaakoubi; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell and Raissa Kasolowsky) Tori Spelling revealed that she got an eye ulcer after leaving her daily contacts in her eyes for weeks. She said the longest time she's left them in is "maybe 20 days" at a time. An optometrist told Insider that over-wearing daily lenses is a common cause of infection. At the beginning of Tuesday's episode of iHeartRadio's "9021OMG" podcast, Tori Spelling revealed that she was wearing an eye patch because she got an eye ulcer after leaving her daily contacts in for weeks. "It's my fault, I did this to myself," the "90210" star said . "I don't take them out, I sleep in them and you're supposed to change them." "I've been known to go maybe 20 days," Spelling said to her co-host and former co-star Jennie Garth, who gasped. Spelling said her doctor told her she was "lucky to get away with it."The ulcer, she said, is "like a cut flap on your eyeball" and it "hurts so bad" but should heal after seven to 10 days wearing an eye patch. For now, her 14-year-old daughter Stella McDermott is her "emotional support child." ("A child has to take me around, literally. I have a designated seeing-eye child," the "Scary Movie 2" star said.) But once her ulcer heals, Spelling said, she's taking no chances: she's going to switch to 30-day contacts. An optometrist explains why you should take out your contact lenses at night Dr. Hanish Patel, an optometrist at Eye Associates of New York, told Insider that there's an inherent risk of infection with contact lenses, but using daily disposable lenses and changing them regularly can help to minimize that risk. Patients who opt for resusable lenses, which can be cleaned and reworn for up to 30 days, tend to have a higher risk of infection if they don't clean them appropriately, Patel said. With daily disposables, all you have to do is remember to take them out before you go to sleep. "Once your lids are closed, it's warm and wet, and it's a nice environment for bacteria and other things to to grow," Patel said. "That's why we generally don't recommend sleeping in contact lenses." Story continues Tori Spelling. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty While a quick nap may not result in an ulcer or infection, sleeping in contacts for multiple days or nights in a row means that anything stuck under the lenses has time to irritate your eyes. Corneal ulcers, like what Spelling experienced, can lead to permanent vision loss depending on their location on the eye. In general, it's good practice to wash your hands before changing your contacts, remove them before bedtime, and put in a fresh pair in the morning, Patel said. Your eyes will thank you in the long run. Read the original article on Insider The number of tornadoes spawned from a powerful storm system that ripped through Iowa on March 31 is now up to 16 and there may be more added as the National Weather Service continues to investigate. Large swaths of southeastern Iowa saw extensive damage to homes and buildings in the massive storm front that killed more than two-dozen people across the nation. No one died in Iowa, but there were at least eight injuries. Coralville and Hills in Johnson County were among the towns that saw extensive damage, and residents in a portion of Charlotte in Clinton County were evacuated because of a propane leak. David Wilson, director of Johnson County Homeland Security and Emergency, said damage reports were connected to 179 addresses. Most were commercial buildings and multi-family housing, though some government buildings also were hit. People stand amongst storm damaged buildings after a tornado warning in Johnson County, Friday, March 31, 2023, in Hills, Iowa. As of Wednesday, 95% of the cleanup in Coralville, Hills and Solon has been complete, Wilson said. Cleanup in rural areas is still ongoing and damage has been difficult to assess. The NWS has compiled an event summary of the tornadoes that touched down throughout the state over the weekend. They are still investigating the event and say more details will become available in the coming weeks. It has rated 16 tornadoes using the EF scale, which calculates three-second wind gusts estimated at the point of damage. EF4 tornadoes bring gusts of 166 to 200 mph; EF3, 136 to 165 mph; EF2, 111 to 135 mph; and EF1, 86 to 110 mph. More: How to claim tornado relief in Iowa if your house or property has been damaged Here's what we know about Friday's storms, according to the NWS: Keokuk tornado Rating: EF4 Peak Winds: 170 mph Length: Unknown Injuries: Three Short summary: A long track EF2 tornado began in Wapello County northeast of Ottumwa and damaged three homes and one hog confinement facility. The tornado developed into a large storm in southern Keokuk County across mostly farmland, where it then traveled into Washington and Johnson counties. With a max width of 600 yards, it severely damaged several homes near Keota, and caused EF4 level damage. Story continues Previously: Gov. Reynolds adds 6 more counties to disaster proclamation after Friday's tornadoes, storm Coralville tornado track The path of the tornado in Coralville was rated an EF2 by the National Weather Service Quad Cities. Rating: EF2 Peak winds: 120 mph Length: 75 yards Injuries: Two Summary: This tornado moved northeast, taking down trees and a few outbuildings. It crossed Highway 218 near Highway 6 in Coralville, damaging a warehouse and flipping several trailers. The tornado moved into a residential area where it uprooted and snapped multiple trees. It dissipated before reaching Interstate 80. More: Tornadoes wreak extensive damage in eastern Iowa; at least 40 structures damaged in Johnson County Hills tornado Neighbors help clean up pieces of glass and shingles from a yard after storm damage following a tornado warning in Johnson County, Friday, March 31, 2023, in Hills, Iowa. Rating: EF2 Peak Winds: 120 mph Length: 8.8 miles Injuries: None Summary: The Hills tornado began southwest of the city before it moved across Highway 218 into the northwest part of the town. There it destroyed several outbuildings, large trees and the sidings of houses. Some roofs were torn off. It then moved into a wooded area and continued northeast, destroying more roofs and siding on the southeast side of Iowa City before dissipating northeast of Highway 6. Tuesday's weather updates: 'Rope-like' Iowa tornado causes damage to rural homes; large hail hits cars, houses Two Solon tornadoes Rating: EF2 Peak Winds: 125 mph Length: 4.4 miles Injuries: None Summary: Forming east of the Sugar Bottom campground, the tornado traveled northeast toward Solon. A radio tower collapsed and a roof was lifted. It went into a field and continued into Solon where it uprooted trees and bent signs. Another outbuilding was destroyed before the tornado lifted north of Sutliff Road. Another Solon tornado traveled a longer distance Rating: EF 2 Peak Winds: 130 mph Length: 8 miles Injuries: None Summary: Forming northwest of Solon, this tornado moved northeast and destroyed several trees and a small part of a shed roof. A farm lost two large outbuildings and grain silos. Power poles also were damaged. As it moved into the Johnson-Linn county line, it caused minor shingle damage and broken windows to a house and did some roof damage to another before it dissipated. Tuesday's storms: NWS confirms tornado in Marion County Tuesday night, sends crew to survey Mediapolis tornado Rating: EF2 Peak Winds: 120 mph Length: 1 mile Injuries: None Summary: This brief tornado moved east across the southern part of Mediapolis, taking off siding and shingles on a few businesses. With a max width of 100 yards, several large tree parts fell on mobile homes before the tornado dissipated on the east part of town. Storm damage is seen after a tornado warning in Johnson County, Friday, March 31, 2023, in Hills, Iowa. Bennett tornado Rating: EF2 Peak Winds: 120 mph Length: 19.6 miles Injuries: Two Summary: This tornado, which had a maximum width of 200 yards, touched down three miles north of Atalissa. It snapped power poles, large trees and caused significant damage to two homes southwest of Bennett. A semi truck was flipped over on Interstate 80. The tornado also damaged several concrete block silos south of Bennett before it continued northeast about 8 miles. Previously: 9 possible tornadoes tallied in eastern Iowa Friday from 'strong and unusual storm system' Charlotte tornado Rating: EF2 Peak Winds: 120 mph Length: 17.5 miles Injuries: One Summary: This tornado, which reached a maximum width of 350 yards, formed southeast of Grand Mound and moved toward Charlotte. Several houses were damaged, with the highest damaged rating northeast of Grand Mound. There, a whole house was shifted off the foundation and another collapsed. Partial and complete damage to barns occurred in Charlotte. Three people were trapped in the house that collapsed. One went to the hospital with minor injuries. Tipton-Clarence tornado Rating: EF2 Peak Winds: 120 Length: 22.7 miles Injuries: None Summary: This tornado developed northeast of West Branch and moved northeast through the Tipton and Clarence area. It lifted south of the Cedar-Jones county line. With a max width of 250 yds, it uprooted large trees, tore a roof off and snapped power poles. What is a tornado watch? Tornado warning? Here's a look at the differences Vinton tornado Rating: EF2 Peak Winds: 115 mph Length: 1.7 miles Injuries: None Summary: Developing northwest of Vinton, this tornado had a maximum width of 50 yards and moved northeast, damaging farm buildings, trees and power poles. Mount Auburn tornado Rating: EF2 Peak Winds: 115 mph Length: 0.06 miles Injuries: None Summary: This short tornado had a maximum width of 30 yards and caused significant damage to a farm building, home and trees. It lifted close to the Buchanan County line. Tornadoes with ratings below EF2 Other tornadoes with ratings below an EF2 include: Bellevue EF1 Tipton EF1 Manchester EF1 Oneida EF1 Andrew EF0 Noelle Alviz-Gransee is a breaking news reporter at the Des Moines Register. Follow her on Twitter @NoelleHannika or email her at NAlvizGransee@registermedia.com. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: 16 Iowa tornadoes hit Friday. Here are the ratings, injuries and path People in the South are no strangers to severe weather, and 2023 has seen more than its fair share already. But a question that does come up with each storm is, what is the difference between a tornado watch and a warning? Across the country hundreds of tornadoes have been identified and dozens of deaths have been reported since the beginning of the year, even more tornadoes like the ones that tore through Arkansas and Illinois on Friday are expected soon. In late March, a devastating outbreak in the South killed more than 20 people in Mississippi and Alabama and followed several previous outbreaks. Here's a look at the difference between a watch and a warning, safety tips and more should severe weather strike near you. What is a tornado watch? When a tornado watches is in place tornadoes are possible in and near the watch area, according to the National Weather Service. The NWS suggests that people who are in the warning area review and discuss their emergency plans, check supplies and have a safe room. Tornado watch vs. warning "Be ready to act quickly if a warning is issued or you suspect a tornado is approaching. Acting early helps to save lives," writes NWS. What is a tornado warning? When a tornado warning is issued it means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. There is imminent danger to life and property. Here are some suggestions from the National Weather Service if a tornado warning is issued for your area: Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building Avoid windows If in a mobile home, a vehicle, or outdoors, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris Warnings typically are for a much smaller area that may be impacted by a tornado identified by a forecaster on radar, a trained spotter or law enforcement who is watching the storm, according to NWS. What is a tornado emergency? A step above a tornado warning, issued by the National Weather Service in exceedingly rare situations, when: Story continues A severe threat to human life or catastrophic damage is imminent or ongoing. Visual or radar evidence such as a reliable source confirms a tornado or a radar picks up the signature of a ball of debris inside the tornado. More tornadoes than normal As of April 1, there had been more than 300 tornadoes so far, and according to Storm Prediction Center data, it was the third-most-active start to a year on record in the U.S. We should be at about 200 tornadoes for today's date, Victor Gensini, associate professor at Northern Illinois University, told USA TODAY on March 30. So we're running about 100 tornadoes above average, and we have been the entire year." USAToday contributed to this report. Joyce Orlando is an Audience Specialist with the South Region Audience Team with The Tennessean. She can be reached at jorlando@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tornado watch vs warning? Here's the difference between the two KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Yusei Kikuchi and four relievers limited the Kansas City Royals to one run on four hits, and the Toronto Blue Jays snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory in Whit Merrifield's return to Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday night. Matt Chapman was 3-for-4 with a double for Toronto, and Merrifield doubled and scored the go-ahead run in his first game back in the city where he spent most of seven seasons before he was traded last August. Awesome job by (Kikuchi), Toronto manager John Schneider said. Efficient with his pitch count. (He was) around the zone. A few less strikeouts than we saw in the spring, but it was an outstanding job. Kikuchi (1-0) allowed one run on three hits and retired the side in order three times over his five innings. I think I threw well overall, Kikuchi said through an interpreter. I felt pretty good for it to be the first start of the season. We obviously had a plan, but we didn't want to over-think it. We wanted to find what was working today. He was also helped by his defense, with left fielder Daulton Varsho throwing out Matt Duffy at the plate in the second inning. We're focusing and priding ourselves on that (play), Schneider said. It was a great throw and a great tag by Jano (Danny Jansen). It kind of squashed a little bit of momentum. Those things add up. Jordan Romano pitched a perfect ninth for his second save. Kris Bubic (0-1) worked around trouble most of the night, only retiring the Blue Jays in order in the fifth, his last inning. He allowed two runs on seven hits and one walk. He was relieved by Carlos Hernandez, who yielded a home run to Varsho on his first pitch. The Royals never could get the momentum back after the second. I thought we took some pretty good swings (against Kikuchi)," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. "He's tough. I think we laid off some of the tougher change-ups he threw. We put some swings on balls; we just missed a few. But overall he was efficient. Story continues Franmil Reyes got the Royals on the board in the second with his first hit in a Kansas City uniform, a 455-blast over the fountains in left center. Reyes had been 0-for-6 in his first two games with the Royals. The Jays tied it in the top of the third. Bo Bichette, Vlad Guerrero Jr. and Chapman stroked consecutive singles, with Chapman driving in Bichette. Toronto added another run in the fourth. Merrifield led off with a double down the left-field line, went to third on a fly ball and scored on a wild pitch. UP NEXT The Blue Jays will send RHP Alek Manoah (0-0, 13.50 ERA) to the mound to face Kansas Citys RHP Zach Greinke (0-1, 3.38 ERA) Wednesday night in the third game of a four-game series. Manoah got a no-decision on opening day when the Blue Jays defeated the Cardinals 10-9. Greinke allowed two runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings as the Royals lost to the Twins 2-0 on opening day. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports UPDATE: The woman reported missing after not boarding a cruise ship has been found safe, California police said. Alaina Marie Adams was found in San Francisco on Wednesday, April 5, appearing to be in good health, the San Francisco Police Department said in a news release. The original story is below. A tourist was reported missing after failing to get on a cruise ship in California, police said. A woman called police to say Alaina Marie Adams, 33, was missing April 3, the San Francisco Police Department said in an April 5 news release. Adams, who is from out of state, never boarded a cruise ship she was set to depart on at Pier 27 in San Francisco, according to police. Police did not say which state Adams is from and did not immediately respond to McClatchy News request for more information. Foul play is not suspected, police said. Adams stands 5 feet, 4 inches tall, weighs 140 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes, according to police. She also has tattoos behind both ears and a tattoo on her right foot. Police asked for anyone who finds Adams to call 911. Missing 75-year-old Dallas woman has been located, and is safe, according to police Spring break tourist found dead outside Florida condo fell from a balcony, cops say National rescue mission underway in Brazil to find South Florida man lost in floodwaters As permafrost melts, it could pose a new risk. (Getty) A toxic risk that has been previously underestimated lurks in the melting permafrost of the Arctic in the form of up to 20,000 contaminated sites. The sites include pollutants such as radioactive waste and lakes into which toxic waste was poured intentionally, in the belief the permafrost would never melt. When the ground thaws, thanks to climate change, pollutants can be released as industrial sites collapse - and this could pose a serious risk. The Arctic is full of oil fields and pipelines, mines and various other industrial activities, built on a foundation once considered to be particularly stable and reliable: permafrost. Moritz Langer from the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), said: "Traditionally, it's also been considered a natural barrier that prevents the spread of pollutants. Consequently, industrial waste from defunct or active facilities was often simply left on-site, instead of investing the considerable effort and expense needed to remove it." Read more: Melting snow in Himalayas drives growth of green sea slime visible from space During the Cold War, over the decades this led to micro-dumps full of toxic sludge from oil and gas exploration, stockpiles of mining debris, abandoned military installations, and lakes in which pollutants were intentionally poured. Guido Grosse, who heads the AWI's Permafrost Research Section said: "In many cases, the assumption was that the permafrost would reliably and permanently seal off these toxic substances, which meant there was no need for costly disposal efforts. "Today, this industrial legacy still lies buried in the permafrost or on its surface. The substances involved range from toxic diesel fuel to heavy metals and even radioactive waste." But as climate change progresses, this "sleeping giant" could soon become an acute threat. Read more: A 1988 warning about climate change was mostly right Story continues The permafrost regions are warming between twice as fast and four times as fast as the rest of the world, the frozen soil is increasingly thawing. Contaminants that have accumulated in the Arctic over decades can be released, spreading across larger regions. In addition, thawing permafrost becomes more and more unstable, which can lead to further contamination. When the ground collapses, it can damage pipelines, chemical stockpiles and depots. Just how real this risk already is can be seen in a major incident from May 2020 near the industrial city Norilsk in northern Siberia, where a destabilised storage tank released 17,000 metric tons of diesel, which polluted the surrounding rivers, lakes and tundra. Read more: Why economists worry that reversing climate change is hopeless "Incidents like this could easily become more frequent in the future," said Langer, who added that more research is needed to assess the true extent of the risk. "But without more extensive data, these findings should be considered a rather conservative estimate. The true scale of the problem could be even greater." Watch; Government wet wipe ban criticised as 'rehash' A Hackensack man accused of fatally striking a man with his car while he was walking on the side of the road last month in Closter and fleeing the scene will be released but must adhere to certain conditions. Jesus Yunganaula Tenempaguay is accused of killing Alan Friedman, 75, while he was walking on Durie Avenue in Closter at 3:30 p.m. on March 26. Friedman was rushed to the hospital and died of his injuries at Hackensack University Medical Center the next day. Yunganaula Tenempaguay appeared before state Superior Court Judge James Sattely in Hackensack on Monday for his detention hearing. He was originally charged with leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in serious bodily injury, endangering an injured victim and hindering apprehension, but Yunganaula Tenempaguay's charges were upgraded to vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of an accident and hindering apprehension after Friedman died. Yunganaula Tenempaguay's attorney, Craig Weis, argued the issue of whether a crime was committed. He said what happened was a "tragic accident" and that he isn't denying there was an accident, that his client was driving and that Yunganaula Tenempaguay consumed two beers before heading to work. Bergen County news Historic Bergen County estate seized after billionaire owner charged in fraud plot "We're missing a link, because how do we ever make it criminal?" Weis said. "I just need to understand how we take the quantum leap." Weis said he didn't know of any field sobriety tests that were done and that Yunganaula Tenempaguay, who was driving his boss's car, wasn't asked to take a Breathalyzer test. Yunganaula Tenempaguay's blood was taken, but the test results have not come back. Weis said if his client's blood shows an alcohol level of 0.08%, it would then venture into criminality as opposed to an accident. In New Jersey, anyone whose blood alcohol level is at or over 0.08% can be charged with driving under the influence. Story continues While arguing for probable cause, Bergen County Prosecutor Christine Howland said both Yunganaula Tenempaguay's boss and police who spoke with him could smell alcohol on his breath. She also accused him of fleeing the scene and driving to the restaurant where he has worked as a cook for 20 years. Howland said field sobriety tests were done and that Yunganaula Tenempaguay failed them. During the hearing, Howland presented video surveillance footage that showed the crash on two separate Ring doorbell cameras. Howland said the footage clearly shows Friedman and his daughter walking against traffic on the side of the road when Yunganaula Tenempaguay swerves into the lane, hitting Friedman. Takeover Attorney general's control of Paterson police begins to be felt as command duties are shifted "You can hear it; you can see the victim fly in the air and then land," Howland said. Weis argued against Howland's assertion that Yunganaula Tenempaguay fled the scene. He said his client drove to his job, which he felt was a safe place and was only two blocks from the crash, and walked back to the scene. He then told his employer what happened when he saw the police there. "I don't care if it's one block, two blocks it's not at the scene," Howland said. "Once you leave the scene, you have left. It's very clear in the statute what your obligation is if you're involved in a motor vehicle accident." Sattely ruled that Yunganaula Tenempaguay would be released, but with conditions. He will not be subjected to electronic monitoring, but he will have to do home detention and will not be allowed to leave his home except under specific circumstances. Yunganaula Tenempaguay is allowed to go to work and medical appointments, to meet with Weis, to attend pretrial services and to go to court. Weis said Yunganaula Tenempaguay no longer has his job, and Sattely said he would be allowed to search for a job after filing the proper form for permission. He is not allowed to drive or apply for a passport, cannot commit another crime, cannot change his address without informing the court and is not allowed to leave the country. Yunganaula Tenempaguay must report weekly to pretrial services, twice by phone and twice in person. His next scheduled court date is May 11. This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Closter NJ hit-and-run suspect released with conditions shadow businessy figures The government has stopped engaging with the CBI business lobby group pending the outcome of an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. The Treasury as well as ministers from the Department for business and trade have "paused engagement" with the CBI, the BBC understands. It comes as the lobby group faces a number of claims, including rape. The CBI said it understood the government's decision as it awaits the outcome of an investigation. Law firm Fox Williams has been hired to look into all the allegations facing the CBI. The group said it expects to have "preliminary findings and actions" from the first stage of the investigation shortly after Easter. The group has postponed all public events in the meantime, including the CBI's annual dinner. The chancellor is usually the keynote speaker at the flagship event of one of Britain's largest business groups, which represents more than 190,000 companies and lobbies politicians on their behalf to make policies that benefit UK businesses. The CBI also hosts regular events for business leaders to meet and talk about policies as well as offering research and consultancy services on the economy for its members. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt was not due to attend this year's dinner, which had been scheduled for 11 May, because he will be out of the country, but the Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, had been set to give a speech. The CBI is at the centre of several misconduct allegations. The most serious is from a woman who claims she was raped by a senior colleague at a CBI summer boat party in 2019. The woman told the Guardian newspaper, which first published the claims, that she felt let down by a CBI manager who, she said, advised her to seek out counselling rather than pursue the matter further. The CBI said: "We have found no evidence or record of this matter. Given the seriousness of the issue, it is part of the independent investigation being conducted by [law firm] Fox Williams." Story continues Some company executives, who are members of the CBI, have described this as an existential crisis for an organisation that describes itself as the "most effective and influential" business organisation. Asked whether it is considering its membership of the CBI, one energy industry insider told the BBC it is speaking to the lobbyist to "understand their processes". They said once they found out more information, they will "see if there's anything we need to do". Marks and Spencer told the BBC it had written to the acting director-general of the group to "seek reassurances" that the allegations were being "taken seriously and fully investigated". The High Street giant said it had also requested information on how CBI staff involved were being supported and "what is being done to give them confidence in the process". Rolls-Royce, the engineering giant, said the recent allegations were "deeply concerning". It said it was waiting the outcome of the investigation before considering its membership of the CBI. Fox Williams is also conducting an investigation into separate allegations made against CBI director general Tony Danker, who joined the CBI in 2020. Mr Danker recently stepped aside pending an investigation into separate alleged incidents, for which he has "apologised profusely" and claimed "was completely unintentional". The BBC understands that these new allegations published by the Guardian do not relate to Mr Danker. A spokesman for the CBI said the organisation "has treated and continues to treat all matters of workplace conduct with the utmost seriousness". If you have been affected by any issues raised in this article, help and support can be found at BBC Action Line. Banner saying 'Get in touch' Have you been personally affected by the issues raised in this story? Tell us by emailing: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. Defense attorneys for the suspect in a deadly shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Squirrel Hill, which housed the Dor Hadash, New Light and Tree of Life congregations, have filed a renewed motion for the death penalty to be thrown out. Attorneys for Robert Bowers said the Department of Justice is arbitrarily seeking the death penalty against him. RELATED >> Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial: Lawyers say Robert Bowers has schizophrenia, epilepsy Bowers, 50, is accused of killing 11 people at the synagogue in 2018. The original motion to have the death penalty thrown out was filed last summer. It was announced in 2019 that the prosecution would seek the death penalty. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >> Judge denies Tree of Life defense request for religious survey Bowers is facing more than 60 federal charges. Jury selection for the trial is set to start on April 24. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: He just disappeared: Family desperately searching for man last seen on the North Shore Primanti Bros. giving out free beer Wednesday after being named Coolest Thing Made in Pennsylvania Strong to severe thunderstorms expected Wednesday VIDEO: Pittsburgh man accused of stealing rental car, selling its parts DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts In 2015, Rep. Tricia Cotham stood on the floor of the North Carolina House of Representatives and bravely spoke about her own experience with abortion. She described how her first pregnancy ended in an abortion after her doctor told her that the pregnancy was not viable and medical intervention would be necessary to save her life. It was awful. It was painful and it was sad. And it is and was personal, Cotham said in that speech. Cotham, then a Democrat, was speaking in opposition to a GOP-sponsored bill that would triple North Carolinas mandatory waiting period for people seeking abortion care to 72 hours. My womb and my uterus is not up for your political grab, Cotham said, accusing Republicans of wanting to play doctor. This week, however, Cotham shocked North Carolinians when she announced that she would switch her party affiliation, potentially giving Republicans the final vote they need to achieve major policy goals, including further restrictions on abortion across the state. Of course, abortion was top of mind for reporters and voters upon hearing the news, given how fundamentally it impacts peoples lives. But at a press conference Wednesday, Cotham wouldnt say whether she would support any changes to existing abortion policy namely, whether she would support a ban on abortion after 13 weeks. I am still the same person and I am going to do what I believe is right and follow my conscience, Cotham said, adding, Im going to look inside and pray on this issue. In other media reports, however, Cotham has suggested that shes open to supporting new abortion restrictions, and Republican leaders seem confident that they will have the votes to pass them whether that final vote comes from Cotham or someone else. If she does support stricter abortion policy, it would contradict statements she made on the campaign trail less than a year ago. In a tweet last year, Cotham vowed to defend the right to choose if elected to the General Assembly, saying, we need leaders who will be unwavering and unapologetic in their support of abortion rights. Story continues Now, more than ever we need leaders who will be unwavering and unapologetic in their support of abortion rights. Ill fight to codify Roe in the #ncga and continue my strong record of defending the right to choose.#ncpol #WomensRights #SCOTUS #Mecklenburg Tricia Cotham (@triciacotham) May 3, 2022 Cotham echoed that sentiment in a pre-election questionnaire provided to all candidates by The Charlotte Observer. She was backed by EMILYs List, a national organization that works to elect pro-choice candidates. Currently, Cotham is listed as a co-sponsor of House Bill 19, a bill to codify the right to an abortion up to the point of viability, which is about 26 weeks. On Wednesday, Cotham didnt seem to like the fact that abortion topped the list of issues that could be affected by her decision. I was never someone who this was the biggest issue facing women in North Carolina, Cotham said in response to a reporters question. I believe women are much more To always be tied just to that tragic, hard topic is wrong because women are greater. People with the ability to get pregnant have always been more than just their bodies or their wombs. They are whole people. Abortion is certainly not the only issue that affects their lives, but its one that affects them deeply. To rob them of that right implies that they are less less capable, less autonomous, less deserving of the ability to decide what is best for themselves and their families. Cotham was correct when she said in 2015 that abortion is a personal decision. And, Democrat or Republican, Cotham knows better than most just how personal it is. It should remain that way. Cotham says she is the same person she has always been, but well soon find out just how true that is. Paige Masten is a Charlotte-based opinion writer and member of the Editorial Board. Police in Massachusetts are warning parents and teachers of a new social media trend that involves students chewing on pieces of dangerously hot gum. The trending Tik Tok phenomena that asks participants if they have what it takes to blow just one bubble with a piece of chewing gum that contains the same active ingredient as police pepper spray, oleoresin capsicum, according to the Dracut Police Department. In a Facebook post, the department shared a photo of Trouble Bubble packaging that includes the text, TAKE THE TROUBLE BUBBLE CHALLENGE. The gum challenges chewers to try to blow the biggest bubble that you can without spiting anything out. Trouble Bubble contains 16 million Scoville heat units -- the equivalent of pure capsaicin. For comparison, Carolina Reaper peppers contain 2.2 million Scoville heat units. Anyone found to have used the gum should be treated for extensive exposure to oleoresin capsicum, police warned. Trouble Bubble is currently available for purchase on Amazon and other vendors. On Monday, more than a half-dozen Orange elementary school students were transported to local hospitals after they either ate or touched a spicy gum product brought in by a classmate, according to officials. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Appearing to great fanfare at Mar-a-Lago hours after his New York arraignment, former president Donald Trump cast Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg as a criminal prosecutor who, along with other progressive prosecutors across the country, is twisting the law in service of a political agenda. Trump has been charged with 34 counts of felony falsification of business records in connection with a hush-money payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels. The former president denies he did anything wrong in the New York case and he denies he did anything wrong in other probes into him in Washington D.C. and Georgia. Trump, who is in the middle of campaigning for the 2024 presidential election, is the first president to have ever faced criminal charges. I never thought anything like this could happen in America. The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it, Trump said as in a wide-ranging speech. From the beginning, the Democrats spied on my campaign. Remember that. They attacked me with an onslaught of fraudulent investigations. Russia, Russia, Russia. Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine. Impeachment hoax number 1, impeachment hoax number 2, the illegal and unconstitutional raid on Mar-a-Lago right here, Trump said. The former president had harsh words for Bragg, who has indicted Trump before his colleagues in other parts of the country. Our elections are like those of a third-world country. And now this massive election interference at a scale never seen before in our country. Beginning with the radical left, George Soros-backed prosecutor Alvin Bragg who campaigned on the fact that he would get President Trump, he said. Before he knew anything about mehe was campaigning, Trump continued. As it turns out, virtually everybody that has looked at this case, including RINOs and even hardcore Democrats, say there is no crime and that it should never have been brought. Even people that arent big fans have said it. They said, This is not the right thing to do. Its an insult to our country as the world is already laughing at us for so many other reasons, Trump added. Story continues The former president further accused Bragg of violating New York state law by leaking his indictment to news outlets before unsealing it on Tuesday. The criminal is the district attorney because he illegally leaked massive amounts of grand jury information for which he should be prosecuted, or at a minimum, he should resign, he said. Trump also said New York attorney general Letitia James ran on a campaign to get Trump and is now persecuting him in a civil fraud case. She should be focused on violent crime thats driving people out of the state. This is a persecution, not an investigation. Shes putting my family through hell, explained Trump. They want to settle the case. But I want no part of that, Trump asserted. The former presidents targets are not only in New York state, however. Trump attacked Fulton County, Georgia district attorney Fani Willis, who assembled a special grand jury to investigate Trumps alleged attempts to interfere in the 2020 election in that state. In the wings theyve got a local, racist Democrat district attorney in Atlanta who is doing everything to indict me over an absolutely perfect phone call, Trump said, referring to a call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, in which he asked if enough votes could be found to put Georgia in his column. Trump called for the Georgia probe to be dropped. Trump also had harsh words for special counsel Jack Smith, who secured a victory against Trump earlier today when an appeals court ruled against Trumps attempt to exert executive privilege to shield his aides from testifying. Smith, who was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland, is investigating Trump at the federal level for efforts to overturn the 2020 election before and on January 6, 2021. He is also probing Trumps handling of classified documents. Trump called Smith a radical left lunatic known as a bomb thrower who is harassing hundreds of my people day after day over the boxes hoax. Trump is referring to the FBIs raid on his Mar-a-Lago estate, where boxes of classified documents were recovered by agents. We were raided by many gun-toting FBI agents who took whatever they wanted including my passports and medical records. Everybody was in shock. No one had ever heard of such a raid before, explained Trump. I immediately thought of the Fourth Amendment that protects against unreasonable search and seizure. But they did it anyway because our justice system has become lawless. Theyre using it now in addition to everything else to win elections, he continued. Near the end of the speech, Trump summarized his position by saying his many enemies cant beat him democratically, so they are trying to beat him by other means. They cant beat us at the ballot box, so they try and beat us through the law, Trump said. The former presidents campaign is capitalizing on his arrest, Axios reported. It claimed to have raised over $10 million since news of the indictment broke. The campaign has even sent an email advertising a T-shirt with a fake mugshot of Trump with the phrase NOT GUILTY below it. During the Tuesday speech, a sign on Trumps podium instructed those watching to text a number which leads them to a campaign fundraising page. As the never-ending witch hunts heat up, please make a contribution to defend our movement and SAVE America, the final paragraph of the page read before offering up a selection of possible dollar amounts. More from National Review Donald Trump's day in court was dramatic and historic - but what we learned about the criminal charges he faces seems unlikely to change minds. Just over two weeks ago, the former US president predicted he was soon to be charged by prosecutors in New York City. Speculation abounded, as everyone, including Mr Trump, waited to find out what was in the indictment. It turned out, however, that the outlines of the case against him had already been widely discussed. The 34-count indictment targeted the hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. There were no charges of criminal conspiracy. There were no new crimes unearthed by the grand jury that remained hidden until the indictment was concealed. There was no expansive case. The cards were already on the table when Mr Trump woke up in Manhattan on Tuesday. The case is what we thought it was, even if some of the evidence of what prosecutors allege was a pattern of election influence was new. This suggests that the battle lines that had been forming over the past few days will only harden as the case proceeds toward trial. Republicans, who had been fairly united in their defence of Mr Trump since he posted on social media that an indictment was looming, will stay unified. Even Utah Senator Mitt Romney, who voted to convict Mr Trump in his two impeachment trials, released a statement saying that Mr Bragg "stretched to reach felony criminal charges in order to fit a political agenda". "The prosecutor's overreach sets a dangerous precedent for criminalising political opponents and damages the public's faith in our justice system," he said. Democrats, at this point, may follow President Joe Biden's lead and keep silent about the case. They may prefer to avoid entanglement in a prosecution that at the moment could do more to rally the Republican base than damage the former president's political standing. Mr Trump appeared stony-faced during his brief on-camera appearances at the courthouse where he pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him. But on his social media website, and in a slew of fundraising emails throughout the day, he seemed willing to press what he may perceive as his advantage. Story continues It follows his repeated attacks on Mr Bragg and the New York City prosecution team - actions that prompted a warning from presiding Judge Juan Merchan against further inflammatory rhetoric. Mr Trump has also questioned Mr Merchan's impartiality and called for the case to be moved out of Manhattan to Staten Island, where the jury pool could have more Trump supporters. His lawyers are also expected to file motions to get the charges dismissed before the case reaches trial. While Mr Trump may be already be dismissing the case as terminally weak, his legal jeopardy, however, does not begin and end in New York. A federal special counsel and a Georgia district attorney are pursuing their own investigations into the former president, and they can now bring charges without the history-making burden Mr Bragg confronted. The US has had high-profile national legal dramas. It's had high-stakes political campaigns. Now the American public has both at the same time - with the prospect of more to come. The months ahead promise to be a jarring mix of legal manoeuvrings, court appearances and campaign events, as the former president navigates these most unusual waters. Perhaps, as America's first reality-show president, who has made a habit of upending political tradition and decorum for eight years and counting, such a spectacle should come as no surprise. Judge Merchan prohibited television cameras from filming Mr Trump's arraignment in order to prevent what he feared would be a circus environment. But outside the courthouse, as the former president's supporters and critics traded shouts and waved signs in front of a crush of media, the circus was in full swing. Progressive Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., said Wednesday that former President Trump's treatment by authorities during his arraignment is a "slap in the face" to low-income minorities who she said often serve time in jail without a trial. The left-wing "Squad" member sounded off a day after Trump became the first former president to be criminally charged and arrested over 34 counts of falsifying business records. Trump turned himself in to a downtown Manhattan courthouse after a years-long investigation by New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and pleaded "not guilty" to the charges. Trump was not subjected to handcuffs or a mug shot, as is standard for criminal defendants something Pressley was quick to note in her statement. He was also able to quickly return home to his Florida home after the arraignment. "[D]espite his well-documented criminal history, the fact that Trump was brought into a courtroom, arraigned, and allowed to return home in a matter of hours is a slap in the face to the millions of Black, brown, and low-income people locked in jails across the country before a trial. This is another example that we have one legal system in America for the rich and powerful, and another for everyone else," Pressley said. TRUMP SLAMS BRAGG AFTER PLEADING NOT GUILTY: 'I NEVER THOUGHT ANYTHING LIKE THIS COULD HAPPEN IN AMERICA' Rep. Ayanna Pressley said Donald Trump's treatment, which did not involve handcuffs or a mug shot, is a "slap in the face" to marginalized groups. The congresswoman has been among the most vocal advocates for sentencing reform, and has introduced several pieces of legislation on issues such as federal clemency reform and reducing the prison population. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Her statement on Trump renewed calls to reform the criminal justice system, arguing that today's system is allowing the former president to not only skirt norms but even profit off of his criminal charges. TRUMP PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO 34 FELONY COUNTS OF FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS LINKED TO 2016 HUSH-MONEY PAYMENTS "Our system is allowing Trump to monetize his trial and continue to spread lies and incite violence all while seeking the highest office in America," Pressley said. "He must be held fully accountable for every crime he committed, and we must continue pushing to transform our legal system into one that truly lives up to its promise of equal justice under the law." Story continues Pressley called Trump's arraignment "a step toward much-needed accountability" but added, "it remains deeply problematic that his many additional egregious crimes including his incitement of a violent insurrection, conspiracy to overturn a democratic election, emboldening of White supremacist violence, and more have gone unchecked." ALVIN BRAGGS CHIEF PROSECUTOR BRAGS ABOUT GIVING GET-OUT-OF-JAIL-FREE CARDS TO VIOLENT FELONS, MURDERER Protesters outside the courthouse where President Trump was arraigned on April 4. While Republicans have spent much of the last 24 hours lambasting Bragg and his investigation as a political stunt, many of Pressley's fellow Democrats have been restrained in their reactions. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called for all Americans to be "peaceful" regardless of their political affiliation, just minutes after Trump was arraigned. "I believe that Mr. Trump will have a fair trial that follows the facts and the law," Schumer said Tuesday. "Theres no place in our justice system for any outside influence or intimidation in the legal process. As the trial proceeds, protest is an American right but all protests must be peaceful." US voters on Wednesday surveyed a uniquely volatile 2024 presidential election landscape, where the leading Republican candidate, Donald Trump, now faces trial and the incumbent, Joe Biden, has not even confirmed he's running. Trump pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to 34 felony charges linked to alleged attempts to silence damaging personal information during his triumphant 2016 race for the White House. The man who went from 1980s playboy real estate magnate, to TV reality show star in the 2000s, then right-wing populist president, made history as the first serving or former commander in chief to face a criminal trial. But while he had to go through the humiliating process of arrest in a New York courtroom, polls show Trump remains by far the strongest Republican candidate. In fact, his numbers have only improved as his legal scandals grow, making it hard for his closest rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to gain traction. Far from cowed, Trump is doubling down on extreme rhetoric, painting himself in a speech after his release Tuesday as the victim of a "Trump-hating judge" and "massive election interference." On Wednesday, he called on his Truth Social app for Republicans in Congress to "DEFUND THE DOJ AND FBI" in response to what he claimed is the "ABUSE OF POWER" by the Department of Justice and chief federal law enforcement body. Trump attorney Todd Blanche said his client is "upset." But "I'll tell you what: he's motivated and it's not going to stop him and it's not going to slow him down." - Troubles pile up - For all the bravado, 76-year-old Trump is in serious trouble. During his decades in the public eye, he has shown astonishing ability to escape legal peril, whether during his many business disputes or even as president when Republicans acquitted him in an unprecedented two impeachment trials. But Trump is now in the hands of the New York state court system, where Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is mounting an aggressive prosecution. Story continues He also risks the wrath of Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing his case in New York and cautioned against "comments that have potential to incite violence." Even if some analysts have questioned the strength of the New York case, Trump's real problems may lie elsewhere. Reports indicate that a high-level probe into his hoarding of top secret White House documents at his private Florida Mar-a-Lago residence is gathering pace. Another criminal probe is underway in Georgia over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, which he lost to Biden but refused to concede. Next year, the legal calendars will likely collide with the political calendar, sparking new levels of unpredictability. The Manhattan court is set to reconvene December 4, with a trial expected sometime early in 2024. Trump, meanwhile, would in theory be campaigning hard for Republican presidential nomination -- with the first contests scheduled February 5 and 13 in Iowa and New Hampshire. - 'Not a focus' - At the White House, Biden appears content to sit back and watch the fall of a man he has branded a "toxic presence." Asked Wednesday about the president's view of the spectacle, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reemphasized that Biden is "not focused on this indictment." "Our focus is on what the president was elected to do, which is make sure we deliver... to talk about the issues that matter," she added. Biden and his party got another piece of good news overnight Tuesday with victory for the Democratic candidate in an especially fierce battle for a vacant Wisconsin Supreme Court seat. This creates a liberal majority on the court, which will play a key role refereeing electoral disputes in 2024 in one of the tightest swing states in the country. But Biden is also injecting uncertainty into 2024. His age is a constant source of concern, even to allies. Now 80, he would be 86 by the time he left office after a second term. And he has yet to confirm he is running, despite strongly hinting on several occasions that he will. After repeated delays to the expected announcement, Axios has reported that it may now only land in July or even later. sms/bgs/des Donald Trump publicly denounced the judge and prosecutor in his criminal case in a provocative speech from Mar-a-Lago just hours after being warned against rhetoric likely to incite violence. The former president addressed supporters from his estate in Palm Beach, Florida after pleading not guilty in the Manhattan Criminal Court to 34 felony charges over alleged hush money payments. Defiant despite his historic arrest and court appearance, he lashed out at failed New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg and lamented the United States as a nation in decline. The criminal is the district attorney because he illegally leaked massive amounts of grand jury information, Trump said to loud applause. For which he should be prosecuted, or at a minimum he should resign. Trump also targeted Mr Braggs wife for tweeting the former president had been nailed. She has since locked down her Twitter account, Trump said. calling the entire investigation politically-motivated. He also blasted New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, who presided over his arraignment, also pointing out how his daughter worked for Vice President Kamala Harris. I have a Trump hating-judge with a Trump-hating wife and family whose daughter work for Kamala Harris, he said. Mr Trumps words came despite the fact that Judge Merchan warned him to stop making threatening posts on social media that could inflame tensions or incite violence. The two have a history since Judge Merchan presided over the criminal tax fraud case of two Trump Organization subsidiaries and the criminal fraud case against the companys chief financial officer. But Judge Merchan did not impose a gag order on Mr Trump. Prosecutors have reportedly sought a January 2024 court date, which Mr Trumps attorneys opposed since they considered it too soon. Along with the arraignment in Manhattan, Mr Trump also decried the investigation from the district attorney in Fulton County, Georgia for trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in the state. Mr Trump defended his call to Georgias Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger asking him to help him move the state in his favor. Story continues This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election and it should be dropped immediately, he said. Mr Trump also faces an investigation from Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith for his handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate and his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, including the January 6 riot at the US Capitol. Former president lashed out at the judge hearing his case and the judges family (AP) The former president criticised the FBIs execution of a search warrant to obtain classified documents at his home last year. We were negotiating in very good faith, proper way in order to return some or all of the documents that I openly and in very plain sight brought with me to Mara Lago from our beautiful White House just as virtually every other president has done in the past, he said. Mr Trump has shown not indication that his arraignment or any other investigations would deter him from seeking the presidency for the third time. We are a nation in decline, he said. And now these radical left lunatics want to interfere with our elections by using law enforcement, he said. With all of this being said, and with a very dark cloud over our beloved country. I have no doubt, nevertheless, that we will make America great again. Polling shows Mr Trump with a wide lead against his closest opponent for the Republican presidential nomination, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Washington Joe Tacopina, a lawyer for former President Donald Trump, argued Wednesday that "there was no scheme and there was no crime" committed in connection with hush money payments made before the 2016 presidential election. In an interview with "CBS Mornings," Tacopina defended Trump from allegations by New York prosecutors he orchestrated a years-long scheme with others to use the payments to suppress negative information before the 2016 election, asserting "there's no crime at all." The former president was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury last week and on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. New York prosecutors claim the scheme involved three payments made by Trump's allies to hide damaging stories: $30,000 to a former Trump Tower doorman who claimed to have evidence that Trump fathered a child out of wedlock; $150,000 to a former Playboy model who said she had an affair with Trump; and $130,000 to adult film star Stormy Daniels, who also alleged an affair. Trump has denied having affairs with the two women, and the company that paid the former doorman concluded his story was false. "This is not a game," Tacopina said. "You're charging the president of the United States with crimes, crimes that will never be sustained in the court of law because they don't exist." Tacopina criticized the indictment, unsealed Tuesday as Trump appeared in court for his arraignment, calling it "very vanilla." He also questioned why Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg didn't list the underlying crimes the former president allegedly attempted to conceal by falsifying the business records, though Bragg was not required by law to do so. Falsifying business records is typically a misdemeanor under New York law, but can be elevated to a felony if done with an "intent to defraud [that] includes an intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof." Prosecutors claimed Trump's actions were intended to violate state and federal election laws or hide those violations. But Tacopina said campaign money was not used to suppress bad stories before the election, as it was not a "campaign issue." Story continues "This was done to prevent an unpleasant story from coming out," he said. In addition to the indictment unsealed Tuesday, prosecutors also made public an accompanying statement of facts that provided more details about reimbursements for hush money payments made by Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer and fixer. Cohen has said he paid Daniels to remain silent about her alleged affair with Trump and was reimbursed by the Trump Organization through payments classified as legal fees. According to the statement of facts, the payment records maintained by the Trump Organization were "false New York business records," as no retainer agreement existed, and Cohen was not being paid for legal services rendered in 2017. Prosecutors described in the document how Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg and Cohen met in January 2017 to discuss how Cohen would be repaid for the money given to Daniels. The two agreed Cohen would receive $180,000 in total for the $130,000 hush money payment to her, and Weisselberg then doubled that amount to $360,000 so Cohen could characterize the payment as income on his tax returns. Cohen then would be left with $180,000 after paying roughly 50% in income taxes, according to the statement of facts. Weisselberg also added an additional $60,000 as a "supplemental year-end bonus," prosecutors alleged. The $420,000 was paid in monthly installments through 2017. Asked whether Weisselberg could appear as a witness for the prosecution or defense, Tacipona said "in no scenario" will he testify for the prosecution. "If you listen to his trial testimony, he all but exonerated Donald Trump in any knowledge of anything, he pled guilty to committing his own personal tax crimes," he said. Tacopina also defended Trump's comments criticizing the New York judge overseeing the case, Judge Juan Merchan. The former president claimed in a speech to supporters Tuesday night that Merchan is a "Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and family." "It is an opinion of someone who has been out through a political persecution," he said. "It's not a fact it's an opinion of someone who has the right to feel aggrieved." Secretary of State Blinken says WSJ reporter "wrongfully detained" by Russia Taiwan's president meets with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in U.S. How mindfulness therapy may help with migraines Stormy Daniels and Donald Trump The former porn star at the heart of Donald Trump's historic indictment in New York has been ordered to pay him more than $121,000 (96,965) towards legal fees in an unrelated case. Stormy Daniels, alleged to have had an affair with Mr Trump in 2006, lost her defamation case over a 2018 tweet written by the former US president. An appeals court judge in California dismissed Ms Daniels' case, and awarded Mr Trump a payment for legal fees. Mr Trump has denied the affair. The civil defamation lawsuit brought by Ms Daniels was entirely separate from the 34 charges filed against Mr Trump in Manhattan on Tuesday. While both cases involve Ms Daniels, the New York indictment relates to a payment made to her during the 2016 presidential election - alleged to have been "hush money" to keep quiet but not properly recorded. Ms Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, sued Mr Trump after he called an allegation by Ms Daniels a "total con job" in a tweet on 18 April 2018. In the tweet, Mr Trump dismissed an allegation by Ms Daniels that an unknown man had threatened her in a parking lot to keep quiet about her alleged affair with Mr Trump. The case was dismissed after 9th Circuit Court of Appeals judge Samuel James Otero said Mr Trump's statement was protected by the First Amendment. Ms Daniels, 44, was then ordered to pay Mr Trump's legal fees in the amount of $293,000, CNN reported. She appealed, arguing the legal fees were too high, but lost. The court found that her "argument that the fee request is unreasonable and excessive is not well-founded," BBC's US media partner CBS reported. Ms Daniels was ordered to pay another $245,000 in fees after losing that appeal. And on Tuesday - as Mr Trump was fingerprinted, escorted by police into a Manhattan courtroom and listened to a judge read him charges of 34 felony counts - Ms Daniels was ordered to pay Mr Trump the $121,972. Mr Trump's lawyer Harmeet Dhillon celebrated the judgement in California, writing on Twitter: "Congratulations to President Trump on this final attorney fee victory in his favour this morning. "Collectively, our firm obtained over $600,000 in attorney fee awards in his favour in the meritless litigation initiated by Stormy Daniels." Former President Trump was awarded about $121,972 in attorney fees from adult film star Stormy Daniels just hours after the former president appeared in court Tuesday for the first time in connection to hush money payments made to Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered Daniels to pay Trump for attorney fees endured during a 2018 defamation lawsuit that she filed against him. The lawsuit, which was dismissed later that year, was based on a tweet posted by Trump that suggested Daniels had lied about being threatened by an unknown man in 2011 in relation to an alleged affair she had with the former president. The court said that the fees requested by Trump were reasonable, after Daniels legal team argued that the fees were unreasonable, according to court documents. Daniels, whose real name is Stephane Clifford, was ordered to pay Trumps legal fees when the case was dismissed. Daniels then appealed her case to the Supreme Court, which declined last year to hear the case. Daniels has previously said that she would go to jail before paying any money to the former president. I will go to jail before I pay a penny, Daniels said after a federal appeals court last year upheld the decision that ordered her to pay Trump $300,000 in attorneys fees. Trumps son, Donald Trump Jr., tweeted in celebration of the news on Tuesday, claiming this payment is in addition to the roughly $500k she already owes him. Attorney Harmeet Dhillion, who leads one of the law firms that represented Trump during the defamation case, tweeted her congratulations to Trump about the awarded sum. Congratulations to President Trump on this final attorney fee victory in his favor this morning, Dhillion said. Collectively, our firm obtained over $600,000 in attorney fee awards in his favor in the meritless litigation initiated by Stormy Daniels. Trump pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 34 felony counts, including falsifying business records in connection with payments made to Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election to keep her from discussing an alleged affair with Trump. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Anti-Trump protesters demonstrate facing Trump supporters outside Manhattan Criminal Courthouse in New York City, on April 4, 2023. Anti-Trump protesters demonstrate facing Trump supporters outside Manhattan Criminal Courthouse in New York City, on April 4, 2023. Credit - Amanda PerobelliReuters In the park across from the Manhattan courthouse in which Donald Trump surrendered on Tuesday, the national divide was, for a few hours, made physical. And it appeared to measure about 8 feet. That was the rough distance between the rows of steel bicycle racks New York Police had formed into a cordon sanitaire between the people who, on one side, waved flags that read F-ck Biden, wore t-shirts announcing Trump 2020: F-ck your feelings, and carried signs reading Salem 1692, Bragg 2023, On the other side, the flags read F-ck Trump, the t-shirts announced Smash the Patriarchy and signs read Witches Know This Is Not A Witch Hunt. A lone police sergeant stood in the no-mans land, mustache drooping and thumbs in his belt, the picture of boredom. The indictment of a former President may have been a first. But there was a practiced, well-worn air to the demonstrations around it. I like being part of something larger than myself, said Marni Halasa, a 25-year-old professional figure skater who had come dressed in a police costume, toting a Trump figure behind a security railing amid wads of cash. The New Yorker has worn a version of the costumre to 25 protests, starting with Occupy Wall Street. This is a little bit of my therapy but its also to add some humor to the event, Halasa said. Its like a party. More from TIME Read More: Your Questions About Trumps Indictment, Answered It kind of was. The atmosphere might be described as New Yorkprovocative, rough-and-tumble, and genial all at the same time. Occasionally an anti-Trumper would sneak into the pro-Trump side, like the guy carrying a TRUMP FELONY sign. Everywhere he went, shouting Lock him up! two NYPD officers in community affairs windbreakers and a third in a fleece tagged along, to keep the peace. Story continues But the man holding a sign reading Hey Donny, you dont get hair spray in prison went unnoticed, standing on a park bench. (I dont have a name, he replied, when asked. Im a ghost.) Except for a dust-up over a banner early in the day, there appeared to be no confrontations. And one would have been noticed by the hundreds of journalists on hand; they clearly outnumbered the protesters. Oh, Ive been interviewed a whole bunch of times, said Karen Lichetbraun, a retired pre-school teacher on the pro-Trump side, at 10 a.m. I actually bring a sign to get attention. It read: Thank you, Mr. President and featured an Israeli flag. Things got a bit tense a half hour later when Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene briefly addressed the crowd through a megaphone. Her words were drowned out by the whistles and cowbells of the anti-Trump side (which favored the communal percussive) and after a few minutes she was being swept by her handlers into a waiting white Ford Expedition Max, trailed by epithets and dozens of cameras. Its like a fumble! said Scotty, a Trump supporter from Staten Island who declined to give his last name, saying his union leaders do not share the rank and files enthusiasm for the Republican. Its a lot more civil than I expected, he added, looking around. Democratic congressman Jamaal Bowman began addressing the cameras Greene left behind. Behind him stood a man wearing a train conductors cap and a sign reading Stop Hating Each Other Because You Disagree. Smaller print identified him as Truth Conductor. Like hes on Metro North, said Scotty, naming a commuter railway. At least one other member of Congress, the notorious GOP freshman George Santos, also made an appearance. So did a man in a Trump mask and an orange jumpsuit. And a nude woman wearing white body paint and a diaper. A man carrying a Fags For Trump sign strolled into the Trump side to applause. Youre not going to find another gay, conservative Latino out here. Im the only one, said a man (not the one with the sign) who gave his name as Pablo Rivera, and a moment earlier had been animatedly shouting into his phones camera. I did a live TikTok, he explained. Im not an influencer, he said, adding the air quotes. I get like, 100, 200 a post. His post a moment earlier tore into Biden for his age, and anti-Trumpers for thinking that because hes Mexican and gay he should be a Democrat. The lens on one side of his glasses was held in by a bit of tape, but he could see well enough. Police had warned about violence. Read More: What the Founding Fathers Would Think of the Trump Indictment Theres nobody clashing, he said. Its.what? Discourse! At midday, Google Maps listed the status of Manhattans criminal court complex as As busy as it gets. Its a circus. Its fun to watch, said Liz Le Bleau, 60, who with her husband Bob drove four hours from their Massachusetts home, then caught a train (likely a Metro North) to Manhattan for the occasion. Were here because were excited to see that Trump is being indicted, she says. We wish it were for some of the more serious offenses that hes done but well take this for starters. Around 12:30 p.m., police told journalists with certain credentials to line up to cross the street to the courthouse. Someone shouted, Ask him why he took the nuclear codes! Phones buzzed with alerts saying the former president had left Trump Tower, but the thud of helicopters was the only way to tell he was approaching, and, because he entered through a side door, no one in the park knew when hed gone inside. Dozens of television cameras impeded the view into the street, but it remained empty. At one point, a camera operator got out his phone, swiveled it to landscape and made a slow pan of the scene behind him. The TV reporters mostly did their best to narratein Arabic, Spanish, French, Japanesebut Britains SkyNews had Michael Wolff on hand to chat with its correspondent, each from atop his own box. The Fire and Fury author dubbed the indictment an extraordinary gift to what had been a flagging campaign. Read More: Why This Indictment Cant Stop Donald Trump From Being Elected President A half block away, John Paul Marcelo had set up his easel between parked cars. A day earlier hed painted Trump Tower (altering the marquee to Grump Tower), and today he was capturing the scene on Centre Street from a distance. I paint every day, said Marcello, who is based in the Bay Area. But Im definitely painting this because its history. Beside him, Yury Tulchinsky, a New Yorker born in Ukraine, had been watching him work. Let me point something out, he said, and placed a finger on the crowd of people that, on the smallish canvas, amounted to tiny dots of paint. Marcelo helped out: Its a bit of orange, he said, and smiled. Suddenly the street was no longer empty. A big white Department of Corrections bus a prisoner transport was easing toward the courthouse. A cop waved it down, grumped aloud that someone keeps letting them through, and told the driver to reverse. As it backed beeping past Marcelos easel, someone cracked that it apparently wouldnt be needed. The cop lit up. We dont need it today! he said. Yes, he decided to take the motorcade! Former President Donald Trump aired a litany of grievances about Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and other ongoing investigations against him during his first post-arraignment remarks, on Tuesday night. The scene at Mar-a-Lago mirrored that of a campaign rally, with the former president shaking hands and pumping his fist as "God Bless the USA" -- a signature Trump rally anthem -- played through the speakers. PHOTO: Former President Donald Trump makes a fist as he arrives to speak during a press conference following his court appearance over an alleged 'hush-money' payment, at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on April 4, 2023. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images) Trump took a defiant tone from the Mar-a-Lago podium, describing the charges brought against him as an "insult to our country" and painting them as an effort to "interfere with the upcoming 2024 election." "I never thought anything like this could happen in America," Trump said as he spoke out about his arrest for the first time. "The only crime that I've committed is to fiercely defend our nation from those who seek them to destroy it," he continued. MORE: Trump indictment live updates: Trump speaks out on charges from Mar-a-Lago The 2024 presidential hopeful alluded to his status as a candidate for office, arguing the charges amounted to political persecution. "They can't beat us at the ballot box, so they try to beat us through the law," he said. He also at times attacked Bragg and Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the case, as well as some members of their families. Spotted in the crowd at Mar-a-Lago were Trump's children, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Tiffany Trump, Notably, his wife, Melania Trump, as well as daughter Ivanka Trump, son Barron Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner were not seen in the audience. PHOTO: Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle attend former president Donald Trump's press conference following his court appearance over an alleged 'hush-money' payment, at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on April 4, 2023. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images) Trump had received a warning from Merchan hours earlier to refrain from language that could incite violence or jeopardize the well-being of any individuals, though the judge did not impose a gag order. The former president targeted not only Bragg, but also most of the other legal matters in which Trump is currently entangled. Portions of his remarks were riddled with falsehoods as he ranted against the Department of Justice's probe into his possible mishandling of classified information and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' probe into efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Georgia. Story continues Also in attendance at the Mar-a-Lago remarks were Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz, former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. PHOTO: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene arrives at an event at Mar-a-Lago with former President Donald Trump on April 4, 2023 in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Trump was indicted last week, becoming the first former president to ever officially face charges. He surrendered Tuesday afternoon at a lower Manhattan courthouse, where he was processed as a criminal defendant, including having his fingerprints taken. Appearing in court, Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. He's denied all wrongdoing. The statement of facts that accompanied the indictment alleged Trump orchestrated a "catch and kill" scheme to hide damaging information from the public during the 2016 presidential race, then fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal that criminal conduct. Prosecutors said the scheme dated back to 2015 and continued while he was in the Oval Office, and included payments by others to two women who claimed to have heard long-denied affairs with Trump as well a a former doorman at Trump Tower who had claimed to have a story about Trump having a child out of wedlock, though the story wasn't true. PHOTO: Former President Donald Trump delivers remarks on the day of his court appearance in New York after being indicted by a Manhattan grand jury following a probe into hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, in Palm Beach, Fla., April 4, 2023. (Marco Bello/Reuters) Bragg spoke after Trump's arraignment, emphasizing the law applies to every American "no matter who you are." "We cannot and will not normalize serious criminal conduct," the district attorney said. PHOTO: Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks during a press conference, Apr. 4, 2023 in New York City. (Kena Betancur/Getty Images) Each count of falsifying business records is punishable by up to four years in prison. Trump calls charges 'insult to our country' in post-arraignment remarks originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Donald Trump on Wednesday called on Republican lawmakers to cut funding for federal law enforcement as investigations swirl around the former president. Congressional Republicans rushed to Trumps defense after a Manhattan prosecutor indicted Trump last week for alleged violations of New York law. Trump seems to hope theyll also defend him from any federal charges that could come his way. REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS SHOULD DEFUND THE DOJ AND FBI UNTIL THEY COME TO THEIR SENSES, Trump wrote in a post on his website, Truth Social. THE DEMOCRATS HAVE TOTALLY WEAPONIZED LAW ENFORCEMENT IN OUR COUNTRY AND ARE VICIOUSLY USING THIS ABUSE OF POWER TO INTERFERE WITH OUR ALREADY UNDER SIEGE ELECTIONS! Several far-right Republicans suggested defunding the FBI last August after agents searched Trumps home in Florida for presidential records that should have been turned over to the National Archives after Trump left office. The Justice Department has also been investigating Trumps various efforts to interfere with the transfer of power after losing the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden. Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed a special counsel to handle both cases. Republican leaders in the House of Representatives have not signaled they would seriously consider defunding the Justice Department the idea has been omitted from their early budget proposals but they have gone to great lengths to defend Trump from the various criminal investigations. Shortly after the FBIs raid on Mar-a-Lago, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) who at the time was the House minority leader promised that if Republicans took control of the House of Representatives, they would retaliate against the Justice Department. The Justice Department has reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization, McCarthy said at the time. Sure enough, this year, McCarthy created a new Weaponization of Government committee that has sought to cast doubt on investigations of Trump and his supporters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, while the House Oversight Committee has sought to tie Biden to the Chinese Communist Party and highlighted the supposed mistreatment of Trump supporters held at D.C. jail for their roles in the Capitol riot. Story continues McCarthy said Tuesday, following Trumps arrest and arraignment in New York over allegedly falsified business records, that Republicans would go after Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney. Bragg charged Trump with felonies for labeling payments to his lawyer as business expenses when they were really reimbursements for hush money that amounted to an illegal 2016 campaign expenditure. Echoing the former president, McCarthy and other Republicans have suggested that any investigation of Trump is automatically illegitimate. Alvin Bragg is attempting to interfere in our democratic process by invoking federal law to bring politicized charges against President Trump, McCarthy said on Twitter. Braggs weaponization of the federal justice process will be held accountable by Congress. Republicans have also questioned whether the federal government funded Braggs investigation and even suggested Biden could be its mastermind. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), chairman of the weaponization committee, said Wednesday on Fox News that Biden had a cheesy smile when asked about the charges. What did that smile mean? Jordan said. I dont know. Related... Former U.S. President Donald Trump. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Trump called on Republicans in an all-caps tirade to "DEFUND THE DOJ AND FBI" on Wednesday. It was a remarkable comment from Trump, who built his brand around bolstering law enforcement. His Truth Social rant came after he was indicted on 34 felony counts by the Manhattan DA's office. Former President Donald Trump said Wednesday in an all-caps Truth Social post that congressional Republicans "should defund the DOJ and FBI until they come to their senses." It was a remarkable demand from Trump, who is currently the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican nomination, and has built his political brand around bolstering law enforcement. "THE DEMOCRATS HAVE TOTALLY WEAPONIZED LAW ENFORCEMENT IN OUR COUNTRY AND ARE VICIOUSLY USING THIS ABUSE OF POWER TO INTERFERE WITH OUR ALREADY UNDER SIEGE ELECTIONS!" Trump wrote on his Twitter-esque social media website. His tirade came one day after he was arraigned in downtown Manhattan after the Manhattan DA's office indicted him on 34 felony counts of falsification of business records. The case stems mainly from a $130,000 hush-money payment to the adult film actress Stormy Daniels that Trump's then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, coordinated during the 2016 election. Cohen pleaded guilty to several felonies in connection to the payment, including tax evasion, bank fraud, and campaign finance violations. He said that he made the payment at Trump's direction in exchange for Daniels' silence about an affair she claims to have had with Trump in 2006. But Trump and his lawyers deny knowledge of the payment, and Trump has also denied the alleged affair. The former president was stone-faced when he arrived in court Tuesday afternoon and pleaded not guilty to the nearly three dozen charges against him. Prosecutors, meanwhile, told Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the proceedings, that they were concerned Trump's social media invectives in which he frequently attacks judges, the justice system, the Manhattan DA's office, Democrats, and other perceived enemies could intimidate witnesses and jurors in a potential trial. Story continues Merchan warned the former president not to make comments that "jeopardize the safety or well-being of any individuals." "Please refrain from making comments or engaging in conduct that has the potential to incite violence, create civil unrest, or jeopardize the safety or well-being of any individuals," Merchan told Trump's lawyers. But hours later, the ex-president lobbed personal attacks against the judge, his wife, and his daughter at a rambling speech at Mar-a-Lago where he asserted his innocence and painted himself as the victim of political persecution. "This is where we are right now. I have a Trump-hating judge, with a Trump-hating wife and family, whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris and now receives money from the Biden-Harris campaign," he said. He did not provide evidence for his claim. Insider reached out to a lawyer for Trump for comment. Read the original article on Business Insider The first former US president to face criminal charges: Donald Trump now holds this dubious and historic record after a court in New York indicted him on 34 counts of falsifying business records. The charges relate to a $130,000 hush-money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 presidential election. Mr Trump's dramatic day in court dominates front pages around the world. 'A lucrative campaign ad' Photos of the former president inside and outside court appeared on the front pages of most UK newspapers on Wednesday, under pun-heavy headlines such as "Donald (in the) Dock" and "Trump in the eye of the Stormy". Brazilian newspaper O Globo, meanwhile, published a piece titled "Trump Turns Dock into Election Box After Criminal Indictment". The paper said his advisers saw the case and vast media attention as "a lucrative campaign ad" and "stimulus for online fundraising". Mr Trump has declared he is running in the 2024 presidential election. "With the spotlight on him, he returns to guide the news cycle," it wrote. Mr Trump delivered a defiant speech in Florida after his arrest in New York Le Monde also highlighted what it called the "political benefits" of the arrest. "By playing again the broken record that invariably presents him as the victim of a 'witch hunt' and a plot by the 'deep state', Trump is forcing his camp to take his side," the French newspaper wrote in an editorial published last week and promoted again after his arrest. It accuses the Republican Party of learning nothing, two years after Mr Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol, and says his backers are "locked into a veritable cult of personality" around the former president. "The result is a weakened judiciary and a democracy under increasing strain." 'He had it coming' German daily newspaper Tagesspiegel ran with the headline "Nothing but the truth?" - reflecting Mr Trump's track record of false or misleading claims - while in another German publication, Der Spiegel, columnist Roland Nelles wrote a piece titled "He Had It Coming". Story continues "Miracles still do happen," he wrote about the former president's arrest. "After eluding the wheels of justice for so long with an unending repertoire of tricks, feints and lies, he now finds himself equal before the law after all." Mr Trump said little in court before he was released on bail After his court appearance, Mr Trump returned to his estate in Florida, where he delivered a furiously defiant speech attacking critics, opponents and the justice system. "Donald Trump has definitely thrown off the mask," Italian newspaper La Stampa wrote, saying that while some may have expected "moderation and a step back from the tycoon" after his charges, this "all-attack" speech proved the opposite. Pro-Kremlin Russian daily Izvestia, however, instead leads its coverage of Mr Trump's arrest with quotes from Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, who called the arrest "the crisis of liberalism". "This is when the system, which is declared as absolutely free, ends up devouring or denying itself," she said. China's state-controlled media did not pay much attention to the court case on its front pages. But there was much discussion of the story on social media site Weibo. According to analysis by BBC Monitoring, a hashtag noting that Trump could face 136 years behind bars if found guilty on all counts saw more than 340 million views and 11,000 comments as of 05:30 GMT on 5 April. And some users even viewed the case as the beginning of a "civil war" in the US, considering it part of a "political persecution" launched by the Democrats against Mr Trump. The historic arraignment of former President Trump on Tuesday sparked an immediate and highly caustic dispute across Congress and the country, exacerbating tensions between Trumps GOP allies and his Democratic critics just as House Republicans have added a probe into the Manhattan District Attorney to their long list of investigative priorities. Those hostilities were evident in the demonstrations outside the Manhattan courthouse where Trump appeared to face 34 felony charges related to hush payments to an adult film actress in 2016. They emerged further on cable news, where lawmakers in both camps jousted over the nature and propriety of the case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, against the Republican frontrunner in the 2024 presidential race. And they were glaring on social media, where Republicans howled about political interference in elections, Democrats demanded equal treatment under the law and both sides sought to get an upper hand in the public relations battle heading into next years presidential contest. The debate in many ways an extension of the dispute over Trump that followed the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol did not lack for melodrama. Trumps fiercest defenders compared the former president to Jesus and fat-shamed Bragg, while Republicans in general accused Democrats of using Trumps arrest as a way to cling to power. Trump is joining some of the most incredible people in history being arrested today. Nelson Mandela was arrested, served time in prison. Jesus Jesus was arrested and murdered by the Roman government, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) told Right Side Broadcasting host Brian Glenn in New York on Tuesday. Greene was drowned out by protesters when making brief comments outside the Manhattan courthouse before Trumps arrest. Embattled Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) also made a brief appearance outside the courthouse. Story continues Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), who served as physician to the president during the Trump and Obama administrations, referred to Bragg as FAT ALVIN on Twitter, urging him to go ahead and celebrate with another jelly donut, but get ready to answer some serious questions from Congress! In a subsequent statement, Jackson called Bragg a spineless weasel. And House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), who like most House Republicans sought to overturn the 2020 election results, said Braggs case proves that there is nothing [Democrats] wont do to hold onto power. Today is a historic low for our nation, he tweeted. Even some of Trumps harshest GOP critics defended him against Braggs indictment. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said in a statement that while he finds Trump unfit for office, he thought Braggs case sets a dangerous precedent for criminalizing political opponents and damages the publics faith in our justice system. Democrats largely stopped short of celebrating Trumps arrest, urging protesters to be peaceful and defending the judicial branch from congressional interference. But they wasted no time condemning Republicans for attacks on Bragg. Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) also appeared outside the courthouse ahead of Trumps arrest, saying Bragg simply followed the facts where they led and criticizing Greene for rallying outside. Marjorie Taylor Greene needs to take her ass back to Washington and do something about gun violence, do something about affordable housing, do something about childhood poverty, do something about climate change, Bowman said in a video reposted to his Twitter account. He added, Do your freaking job Marjorie Taylor Greene, you dont need to be in New York City talking that nonsense. Instead of reflecting on the importance of holding leaders accountable to our American democracy, prominent Republicans have instead called Mr. Trump the victim, castigated the New York District Attorney, denigrated the justice system, and fomented national unrest, said Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.). Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) also weighed in, suggesting Republicans are abusing their authority by going after Bragg. I believe that Mr. Trump will have a fair trial that follows the facts and the law. Theres no place in our justice system for any outside influence or intimidation in the legal process. As the trial proceeds, protest is an American right but all protests must be peaceful, Schumer said. Other Democrats were more strident, accusing Republicans of bullying law enforcers to protect a political ally. In a desperate attempt to protect Mr. Trump, the most extreme House Republicans are already trying to bully the law enforcement officers involved, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.), senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said in a statement. I do not know how this case will be decided, but I do know that DA Bragg will not be deterred or intimidated by the political stunts Jim Jordan and Kevin McCarthy throw at him. Some were pithier in their reactions. Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) posted a photo of Trump on Twitter with the caption Karma. The White House has declined to comment on Trumps indictment and arrest. Following Trumps announcement last month that he expected to be arrested in the hush money probe, McCarthy (R-Calif.), the House Speaker, promised that Republicans would investigate Bragg. Jordan (R-Ohio), the Judiciary chairman, soon led two other committee chairs with a request for Bragg to testify to Congress about the case. Members of Congress simply should not be commenting or interfering in the legal process and we should let it play out, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said on MSNBC just before Trumps arraignment. McCarthy reiterated his commitment to investigating Bragg after Trumps court appearance on Tuesday, accusing him of trying to interfere in the democratic process and pushing back on Braggs suggestions that Congress does not have the authority to investigate the indictment. Braggs weaponization of the federal justice process will be held accountable by Congress, McCarthy tweeted, noting that Braggs office admitted that approximately $5,000 spent on the investigation came from federal funds. The heightened partisan tensions come at a volatile time in Washington, just as leaders in both parties are set to launch into a high-stakes battle over the size and scope of the federal government with enormous implications for the economy. A failure to raise the debt ceiling could lead to a government default; an impasse over government funding could lead to a shutdown; and theres been no sign, even before Trumps arrest, that the sides were ready to ease their demands for the sake of a deal. The question of Trumps fate will not let up on members of Congress any time soon. Trumps next in-person court appearance was set for Dec. 4 about two months before the official start of the 2024 Republican presidential primary race, which kicks off with the Iowa caucuses on Feb. 5. Next years election loomed large over Tuesdays arraignment, with some of Trumps GOP allies rejecting the notion that his indictment will influence his 2024 bid. President Trump continues to skyrocket in the polls, and just like with the Russia hoax and both sham impeachments, President Trump will defeat this latest witch-hunt, defeat Joe Biden, and will be sworn in as President of the United States of America in January 2025, House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) said in a statement. Greene and other GOP members of Congress are set to join Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence on Tuesday evening, where the former president is scheduled to deliver remarks after he did not speak to reporters during his roughly two hours at the Manhattan courthouse. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Climate Lawsuit Against Shell Starts In The Hague Friends of the Earth Netherlands activists gather outside the courthouse in the Hague as the environmental group prepared to face Shell in court Credit - NurPhoto via Getty ImagesRomy Arroyo Fernandez/NurPhoto In the course of my reporting, Im constantly trying to identify the surprising links between the news of the day and climate change. I have to admit: Former President Donald Trumps indictment is clearly this weeks biggest headline, and its hard to see a clear link to climate. Part of that challenge is the specific nature of his alleged crimefalsifying business records. But theres another reason why it can be hard to connect this weeks news to climate change: the law is ill-equipped to address climate change. Interpretation of the law is built on precedent. Climate change, much like Donald Trump, is unprecedented. So instead of lingering on Trump, Im going to use this weeks newsletter to explore why the law has been so slow to recognize climate change and the growing efforts to make climate a part of legal considerations. Every country has its own legal system with its own particularities, but I think its helpful to start by looking at U.S. federal law. The U.S. federal code is composed of thousands of pages of laws. Its somewhat obvious, but the vast majority of these laws, including many landmark ones, were crafted at a time when climate change was decades away from entering the lexicon. This creates big legal challenges as the federal government tries to incorporate climate into its work. A version of this story also appears in the Climate is Everything newsletter. To sign up, click here. Take the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC is trying to regulate climate risk in publicly-traded companies, but the laws that govern its work were enacted in the 1930s. Even laws that might seem well suited for climate change, like the Clean Air Act, face tough legal challenges because judges struggle with incorporating climate into their consideration of the law. And thats to say nothing about the U.S. Constitution, which was written in the 18th century and last amended in 1992. Story continues Updating these laws to explicitly incorporate climate change is not likely in todays divided Washington. Thats where a new crop of activists and lawyers come in. In recent years, a growing group has sought to push the envelope with litigation that seeks to infuse climate into how we interpret existing laws. Theyre doing this by filing hundreds of climate-related claims in state and federal courts using existing law with no obvious connection to climate. The goal is to force courts to consider those laws in a new light. The tests have seen mixed results, and many remain skeptical. But there are some green shoots. One bright spot for climate-court watchers is a group of youth plaintiffs suing the state of Montana arguing that the state is violating their constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment by supporting fossil fuels. The case goes to trial in June and it will be one of the first times the merits of acting on climate change gets a full hearing in court. The global picture is much more complicated. Some countries with forward-thinking legislators, including many European countries, have actually enacted laws that codify the need to act on climate and meet stringent emissions-reduction targets. Those laws have been the basis for lawsuits demanding that countries and governments do more on the issue with at least one success in the Netherlands. But in many more places the law remains pretty silent on climate change. And so an effort has sprouted up pushing to change that from the top down. Led by the island nation of Vanuatu, more than 160 countries voted last week to call on the International Court of Justice, the U.N.-affiliated international court which settles disputes between countries, to issue an advisory opinion addressing what responsibilities countries have to address climate change. Weve targeted the ICJ because in terms of all courts, in all jurisdictions at all levels, it sets the most pervasive precedent, Ralph Regenvanu, Vanuatus climate minister, told me last year. Its exactly because climate change is unprecedented that such a precedent would make such a big difference. Former President Donald Trump struck a defiant note Tuesday evening, declaring that felony charges made against him were erroneous, politically motivated and an insult to our country. The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it, he said while addressing his supporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate just hours after being arraigned in New York. The remarks were Trumps first since the details of the indictment were unveiled Tuesday afternoon in Manhattan. The former president pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges of filing false business records related to an alleged scheme to bury allegations about extramarital affairs ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Trump went after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, describing him as a criminal, a radical left prosecutor and a failed district attorney, while calling for him to be prosecuted. The criminal is the district attorney, because he illegally leaked massive amounts of grand jury information, for which he should be prosecuted, or at a minimum, he should resign, Trump said. He didnt stop there. Trump also attacked the state judge presiding over the arraignment, acting Justice Juan Merchan, and his family. This is where we are right now, the former president said. I have a Trump-hating judge, with a Trump-hating wife and family. The comments came after Merchan decided against imposing a gag order on the former president, while warning against making statements that incite violence or create civil unrest. The former president used his speech not only to denounce the indictment that was brought against him Tuesday, but also to decry several other past and ongoing investigations into him, including his two impeachment proceedings, accusations of fraud levied against him by New York Attorney General Tish James and the investigation into the classified documents he had stored at Mar-a-Lago. He described Jack Smith the special prosecutor in charge of the documents investigation and the probe into Trumps effort to subvert the 2020 election as a lunatic. Story continues Hundreds were in attendance at Trumps Florida estate on Tuesday night, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and three of Trumps children, Don Jr., Eric and Tiffany. Trump has maintained his innocence throughout the investigation and has denied the affair with porn star Stormy Daniels, as well as another alleged affair with Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model. On Truth Social, his social media outlet, the former president has also repeatedly attacked Bragg, calling the prosecutor, who is Black, an animal and describing the indictment as political persecution and election interference. When news of the indictment first broke on Thursday, the former president was quick to denounce the case as a witch hunt. This is Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history, Trump wrote in a statement shortly after the grand jury voted to bring criminal charges against him. The Democrats have lied, cheated and stolen in their obsession with trying to Get Trump, but now theyve done the unthinkable indicting a completely innocent person in an act of blatant Election Interference. In the weeks leading up to the indictment, Trump knocked the investigation at one point wrongly predicting the imminence of his arrest, and calling on his supporters to protest and take our nation back in a post on Truth Social. Hours after he was fingerprinted as an accused felon at a New York courthouse, Donald Trump returned home to a heros welcome at his Palm Beach mansion. Trump entered the Mar-a-Lago ballroom he named after himself to vigorous cheers and whoops at 8:23 p.m. Tuesday, walking under chandeliers and shaking hands with some of his 500 supporters who came to show their loyalty to the first former U.S. president to be charged with a crime. Trumps signature song, God Bless the U.S.A. by country singer Lee Greenwood blasted from speakers as the crowd chanted U-S-A! Trump took the stage and immediately denounced rivals and prosecutors who he said have attacked him in a political vendetta. His supporters booed and shook their fists. This is a persecution not an investigation, Trump said. Theyve put our family through hell. Every legal analyst and pundit has said there is no case. No case. The real criminal is the district attorney. A little less fiery than usual after a long and humbling day, Trump pivoted from victim to candidate and rallied the crowd with combative campaign rhetoric. Former President Donald Trump interacts with his supporters for the first time at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida following his arraignment in New York on Tuesday April 04, 2023. Trump was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury for his role in an alleged scandal stemming from hush money payments made to the pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The U.S.A. is a mess, the economy is crashing. Russia has joined with China and Saudi Arabia has joined with Iran. Can you believe it? he said. Take the five worst presidents in the history of the U.S. and add them up and they would not have done nearly the damage as Joe Biden and the Biden administration. The sharply-dressed, plentifully-jeweled and highly-coiffed audience was as ornate as the venue, with the exception of a group of tattooed bikers wearing leather vests inscribed with Born to Ride For 45. They responded enthusiastically as Trump presented his defense, and said theyd already dismissed the 34 counts of falsifying business records to hide a hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels so she would not tell the public about an alleged affair with Trump. I think its all political, said Elaine Byers, a Mar-a-Lago club member. We as Americans need to get our noses out of peoples bedrooms. Story continues Supporters of former President Donald J. Trump wait for his arrival at his Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, where he spoke later in the evening on Tuesday April 04, 2023. Trump was arraigned earlier in New York City on charges related to his role in an alleged scandal stemming from hush money payments made to the pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Her ex-husband they said they have a better relationship now than when they were married concurred. When you see someone railroaded like this man, you have to stand up for him, Jack Byers said. Ive never seen a man with so much gumption. Andrea Sikorski, wearing a bright red dress, said Trumps predicament is a cautionary tale. He is amazing, he is the truth, said Sikorski, a member of the Republican Executive Committee for Palm Beach County. If this type of political prosecution can happen to a former president, it can happen to any of us. Wake up! Heather Atkins, who said she is a friend of Eric and Lara Trump, said Trumps speech was powerful but also the end of a bittersweet day for him, where theyve dredged up an incident from seven years ago in a despicable attempt to defeat him. Supporter John Loudon, a former state senator in Missouri, said he knows what its like to hold office and become a target. They say he made a bookkeeping error and theyre going to prosecute it as a felony, he said. Every business person should be afraid. Kathy Clark and friend MAGA Mary Kelley came out Tuesday to show support for Donald Trump as he spoke about his indictment inside Mar-a-Lago. Also in attendance and posing for photos and offering commentary were Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, and Roger Stone, Trumps longtime political consigliere. Outside Mar-a-Lago a sparse and less glamorous crowd gathered. They werent invited to the speech but nothing was going to stop them from showing their allegiance to Trump. The intrepid Maria Korynsel brought her paddleboard to the shoreline of the Intracoastal Waterway. She planned to paddle up to the backyard of Mar-a-Lago and display her MAGA Country and Shut Up, Karen flags. They cant block the waterway so Ill get as close as possible to tell our legit president that these trumped up no pun intended hush-money charges are a joke, said Korynsel, wearing a pink Women for Trump T-shirt and a red Ultra MAGA hat. If hes not vindicated there will be no America left. Our children and grandchildren wont be able to live in America as we know it. Korynsel was one of about a dozen Trump supporters who showed up on the Southern Boulevard causeway by late afternoon. They received sympathetic honks from drivers passing over the bridge. This bridge would be packed if not for the Jan. 6 prosecutions of innocent bystanders. People are scared of getting arrested, said Angela Bennett, a real estate agent from Boca Raton holding up a homemade sign: President Trump Stood For Us. Now We Stand For Him. Bennett and a friend vacationing from upstate New York said Trump was not milking the indictment for publicity. His desire to run for president again is born of altruism, they said. We have his back because he has ours, she said. Is he running because his own family has been attacked and harassed? Is he doing it because people hate his guts? No, its because he loves his country and is sick to see the direction its going in. Friends Kathy Clark and MAGA Mary Kelley have been posting themselves at the peak of the bridge since Thursday, when news of the impending indictment broke. They call the case against Trump a farce and a waste of time and money. Men can stray, but I dont think its true he had sex with a porn actress because hes a germaphobe, and hes married to a beautiful woman, said Clark, wearing a cowboy hat decorated with Trump campaign buttons. Shes from Lantana. Who cares about Stormy Daniels? We care about gas and food prices, insurance, China and Russia. What about the high crime rate in New York? Why arent the prosecutors going after that instead of Trump? she said. Because theyre afraid hes going to win and desperate to get him out of the race. A retired couple from Miami picked a spot on the bridge and waved their Latinos For Trump flag. We are fans of Trump because he fights for us, said Susanna Rodriguez, a native of the Dominican Republic. Added her husband, Jonas, a Cuban-American: Hes not a communist and he will clean the swamp. Hes the best since Ronald Reagan. Korynsel has attended rallies for Trump before outside the gates of Mar-a-Lago. He sent water, cookies and red MAGA hats to the crowd, she said. Before he ran for president I didnt like him. I thought he was arrogant on The Apprentice, said. Korynsel, an internet salesperson and stay-at-home-mom from North Palm Beach. But I learned hes not a phony politician. Hes a billionaire who knows how to run this country like a business. The Democrats have been trying to nail him since 2016. Its going to backfire on them again. We all know what happened with Bill Clinton in the Oval Office. Former President Donald Trump with his attorneys Joe Tacopina and Boris Epshteyn during his arraignment Tuesday in New York City. (Andrew Kelly/Pool/Getty Images) Donald Trump was arrested and arraigned inside a New York City courtroom Tuesday on 34 felony charges of falsifying business records, becoming the first former U.S. president ever to face criminal charges. He pleaded not guilty, was released and flew back to Florida for an evening event at Mar-a-Lago, where he lashed out at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Judge Juan Merchan and Merchans family, as well as other state and federal prosecutors weighing possible charges against him. So, now what? The next court hearing was set for Dec. 4, but theres a lot that could happen in the next eight months. Yahoo News spoke to legal experts Andrew Bernstein and Duncan Levin following Trumps arraignment for answers to some of our most frequently asked questions surrounding the case. Whats next for Trumps defense team? Trumps legal team has until Aug. 8 to file any motions in an effort to get the case dismissed, according to the transcript of the April 4 arraignment. Bernstein, a New York criminal defense lawyer, thinks Trumps legal team will file a variety of motions, including moving to dismiss the case by arguing that the statute of limitations has expired and the felonies are more than five years old from the commission of the offense; and inspecting the grand jury minutes in order to either dismiss the felony charges or reduce them to misdemeanors. What about other motions? The defense could also file a catch-all motion known as a Clayton motion to toss out the case in the interests of justice, not because of the merits of the case. Bernstein says if he were the defense attorney, his Clayton motion argument would be to ask the judge whether the case is worth the toll on the taxpayers, the court system and the NYPDs resources. Trump says he wants the case moved out of Manhattan, a predominantly Democratic borough, to get a fair trial. Could that happen? A motion to move the venue likely wouldnt be granted, Bernstein says, mostly because Trump is a former president. Story continues Arguably he cant get a fair trial anywhere, Bernstein said. If youre going to say he cant get a fair trial in Manhattan, then he cant get a fair trial anywhere. The point is not to have a biased jury, he added. The entire point is to have a fair cross section of your peers, and the venue cant be so uniquely biased against you. And here, I just dont see it. Whats the difference between a felony and a misdemeanor? The most important difference is that felony convictions carry much higher penalties and sentences than misdemeanors, Bernstein says. In New York state, the maximum penalty for any misdemeanor crime is one year in jail. Probation can be up to three years. For felonies, there are varying classes that range from A to E, with A crimes being more serious. A prison sentence for an A felony could be 20 to 25 years to life. Probation can be up to five years, according to Bernstein. Trump is charged with Class E felonies, the lowest level of felony in New York. The crimes he is charged with carry a maximum prison sentence of four years per count. So if Trump is convicted of a felony, what could happen? Levin, a criminal defense attorney and former state prosecutor, says that while these felony charges are punishable by jail time, he doubts Trump would be sent to prison. Bernstein also thinks its doubtful, especially considering Trump would be a first-time offender. I dont know how likely jail is for the first arrest of a 76-year-old, nonviolent white-collar criminal, Bernstein said. As far as Trumps 2024 White House bid goes, a felony conviction would not bar the former president from continuing to run his campaign, nor would it ban him from becoming president again. But Trump would lose the right to vote, even for himself in a presidential election. And if Trump became president in 2024, he would not have the power to pardon himself of state charges. Does the prosecution have a strong case against Trump? Based on the indictment information to date, the felony charges will be hard to prove, Bernstein said. I think theres a lot of chess pieces that are set up because of the variety of accusations in these 34 charges, he said. If theyre knocked down to misdemeanors, he said, the prosecution could have a stronger case. If the prosecutors can actually prove those facts and they have communications to back up what Michael Cohen says, and if they have Weisselberg as a witness, or Pecker as a witness, and they think theyre all credible and can corroborate, I think they have a potentially strong case as to the misdemeanor, Bernstein explained, referring to Trumps former lawyer Michael Cohen, former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg and Trumps friend David Pecker, who was publisher of the National Enquirer. Cohen and Pecker are considered key witnesses in the case. Cohen said he was directed by Trump to pay $130,000 to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels in a hush money payment before the 2016 presidential election, and that he was reimbursed by the president after Trump took office. Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported last week that testimony from Pecker tied Mr. Trump directly to an August 2016 payment made to former Playboy model Karen McDougal. The Journal previously reported that Trump had asked Pecker to buy McDougals story in order to kill it. But the felonies sitting here today, I think theyre going to be tough to prove some of them, Bernstein added. You have to prove that Trump intended to falsify these records to hide this other crime. I think all intent crimes are tough. Are there any glaring holes in the case? While the facts are strong for Braggs indictment against Trump, Levin said, the public is still left not knowing the basis for why the charges are felonies rather than misdemeanors. The case is extremely strong as to the underlying falsification of business records, Levin said. Theres no doubt about that. But I dont think were left any better off now than we were earlier as to what the DAs rationale is for charging these crimes as felonies, as it requires not only the falsification of business records as a misdemeanor, but also if its done with the intent to conceal or commit another crime that bumps up to a felony. The indictment has no information whatsoever about what those other crimes are, Levin added. And we really are left piecing different things together to try to understand what these other crimes are. How long could all of this take? After the defense files any motions, the prosecution will have until Sept. 19 to respond. As for a trial date, Manhattan prosecutors requested January 2024, which could be just weeks away from the highly anticipated Iowa caucuses in the race for the White House. Meanwhile, Trumps defense team requested a spring 2024 trial. Ive had cases that have lasted years, Levin told Yahoo News. The court is going to afford [Trump] every right to make his motions and litigate it. The judge is not going to tolerate needless delay, but Trumps entitled to get his evidence and make his motions, and that takes a while. Will the indictment have any impact on the other investigations? The former president also faces federal criminal investigations that stem from allegations that he mishandled classified documents and his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. He also faces an investigation in Georgia looking into his efforts to challenge the 2020 election results in the state. Bernstein notes that the federal and state investigations are very different, having their own cases and evidence. I would think the Department of Justice down in Florida with the Mar-a-Lago material I would assume this is not concerning to them at all, he said. Heads are down, theyre continuing to investigate, you know, the weakness. Any perceived weaknesses in this case dont affect those cases on the strength of their evidence. Levin said that when it comes to the other investigations concerning the former president, the hush money case in New York is irrelevant. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz thinks Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg may have made the single largest in-kind contribution to the Donald Trump presidential campaign by indicting the former president, he told the Star-Telegram at a Fort Worth appearance Wednesday. Cruz was at the Fort Worth Club to speak with members of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. He took questions from the media shortly after the talk ended. Trump was indicted Tuesday on 34 felony charges related to hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Cruz, a Republican, called Tuesday a dark day and said Trumps indictment was political, an abuse of power, baseless and frivolous. Senator Ted Cruz greets people before giving a speech to members of Fort Worths Chamber of Commerce at the Fort Worth Club on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. Cruz emphasized how to bring and retain jobs in the Texas. Listen, if you dont like Donald Trump, the answer is to try to beat him at the ballot box, Cruz said. The answer is to trust democracy. What were seeing Democrats do is to try to use law enforcement to target their enemies because they dont trust the voters. He believes the case against Trump will be thrown out. Cruz thinks Braggs willingness to weaponize the DAs office to indict Trump because of partisan hatred has already rallied Republicans behind Trump. As a purely political matter, I think this has backfired badly, Cruz said. In his talk with Fort Worth Chamber members, Cruz discussed his priorities for creating jobs. He took questions on employee retention, the energy industry, national security and education priorities. He also spoke about his decision to speak at the Houston NRA convention held shortly after a gunman murdered 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary Uvalde. Cruz told chamber members that backing out of the convention would have been a mistake because it would have bought into the medias narrative that mass murders were the fault of those who were standing up to defend our constitutional rights to defend our families and defend our communities. The Texas senator also discussed school choice, calling it the civil rights issue of the 21st century. He said Texas was lagging behind other states on the issue. Cruz didnt end his speech without giving a nod to Fort Worth, which he called amazing. Frankly, if the principles of Fort Worth were followed across the country, we would be on a much better path than we are, he said. The unprecedented criminal charges against former president and 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump did not come up in a meeting of NATO allies, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday. The secretary spoke to reporters following the conclusion of the NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels that saw Finland ascend to the alliance in a move prompted by Russias full-scale invasion and war against Ukraine. Blinken, in response to a question from CNN, said that NATO allies did not bring up Trumps appearance in a New York courtroom Tuesday where he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts during an arraignment. I dont do politics. I can tell you though, that the question you raised about the proceedings in New York, actually did not come up in my conversations with NATO colleagues, Blinken said. Nor did I get questions about the durability of our approach, the secretary added, addressing CNNs question over concerns from European allies over how domestic U.S. politics impacts American policy toward Europe. I think people are very focused on what were actually doing. The summit had an intense focus on helping Ukraine prepare for a highly anticipated counteroffensive to retake territory thats been seized from it by Russia, Blinken said. Were also looking at what we can do over a longer period of time to build up Ukraines capacity to deter aggression, to defend against aggression, and, if necessary again in the future, to defeat aggression, the secretary continued. While President Biden has said the U.S. will support Ukraine for as long as it takes, such assurances are not guaranteed if a Republican administration takes over after the 2024 presidential elections. While president, Trump criticized NATO allies as failing to deliver on its financial commitments to the alliance and raised doubts over U.S. responsibility to Article 5, the mutual defense commitment. Since announcing his third candidacy for president, Trump has criticized U.S. assistance to Ukraine and said he would negotiate directly with Putin over the war. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Italian ex-PM Berlusconi faced a litany of charges While Donald Trump is the first former US president to be charged with a criminal offence, elsewhere many other ex-leaders have found themselves in the dock. And as some of these cases show, prosecution for alleged crimes has not proved to be a barrier to getting back into power. So who are the highest-profile former leaders to face charges and what happened to them? Italy - Silvio Berlusconi The four-times PM has been embroiled in numerous criminal trials, and once claimed he was "the most persecuted man in the entire history of the world". In 2013, Berlusconi was convicted of sex with an underage prostitute in what became known as the "bunga bunga" case. He was cleared on appeal in 2015. Prosecutors in that case claimed witnesses were bought off, for which he was again acquitted in February this year. Other cases saw him serve a year of community service for tax fraud in 2012 and receive a year's jail sentence for breaching confidentiality after he arranged for a police wiretap of one of his political rivals to be leaked and published in a newspaper. He did not actually serve time in jail due to his age. Berlusconi said he was being targeted by left-wing Milan prosecutors who were pursuing a vendetta against him. On Wednesday, he was being treated in intensive care in a cardiac unit in Milan. Brazil - Lula Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (Lula) served two terms as president but was then found guilty of receiving a bribe from a Brazilian construction firm in return for contracts with Brazil's state oil company Petrobras. The former metal worker spent 580 days in jail and was banned from contesting the 2018 election before his conviction was annulled and he returned to the political fray. "They tried to bury me alive and here I am," he said after beating far-right rival Jair Bolsonaro last year, capping a stunning political comeback. South Korea - Park Geun-hye Park was serving a 22-year prison sentence before being pardoned Park was South Korea's first female president and its first democratically-elected leader to be forced from office. Story continues She was impeached in 2017 and subsequently convicted of abuse of power and coercion for colluding with a close friend, Choi Tae-min, a pseudo-Christian cult leader dubbed "the Korean Rasputin". Choi was found to have used her connection to Park to pressure conglomerates for millions of dollars in donations. However in late 2021 Park was pardoned by then president Moon Jae-in and released from prison. France - Nicolas Sarkozy Nicolas Sarkozy has not yet spent any time behind bars Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy became the first leader to be sentenced to jail in 2021 when he received a three year sentence for trying to bribe a judge. Two of the years in prison were suspended, but Mr Sarkozy is yet to actually serve time after he appealed the sentence. His appeal hearing will take years. Former French President Jacques Chirac was also found guilty of corruption in 2011. He received a two-year suspended jail sentence. South Africa - Jacob Zuma The former president was sentenced to 15 months in prison after he failed to attend an inquiry into corruption during his presidency. He handed himself into police, but not before a public standoff that led to violent protests leading to the deaths of more than 300 people. Zuma faced other charges of corruption and fraud. He was jailed in his late 70s over crimes that took place while he served as president from 2009 to 2018. Malaysia - Najib Razak The former prime minister was jailed for 12 years in the first of several multi-million dollar corruption trials. The 1MDB scandal around a state-owned wealth fund in Malaysia uncovered a global web of fraud and corruption. Najib denies all wrongdoing and says he was misled by financial advisers - in particular fugitive financier Jho Low. He pleaded not guilty to criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of power and after he was sentenced, appealed the conviction. But a court rejected his appeal and in August he started his jail sentence. Israel - Ehud Olmert The country's former prime minister Ehud Olmert was sentenced to two years and three months in prison for fraud. He was released early in 2017. Olmert has since retired from politics, but was found guilty of defamation in November last year over comments he made about current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mr Netanyahu is currently on trial on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. Yingluck Shinawatra fled the country before she could be jailed Thailand - Yingluck Shinawatra The former prime minister was charged with negligence for failing to prevent excessive losses and corruption in a rice subsidy scheme under her administration. Yingluck's government was toppled by the military in 2014, and she was impeached over her role in the rice scheme a year later. She said the trial was politically motivated. She secretly left the country in August 2017 just as she was due to appear for a verdict and was sentenced in absentia to five years in jail. Yingluck is the sister of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by the military in 2006. Bolivia - Jeanine Anez She is serving a sentence of 10 years in prison over what prosecutors say was a coup to oust her predecessor Evo Morales. Mr Morales quit and fled Bolivia after the chief of the army urged him to step down amid protests over allegations of vote rigging after the 2019 election. Anez took over as interim president. But Mr Morales' Mas party won fresh elections the following year, paving the way for him to return to Bolivia from Argentina and take over the party leadership. His colleague Luis Arce was elected president. Anez has repeatedly said she is the victim of a political vendetta. Former President Donald Trump arrives at criminal court in New York City on April 4, 2023. Former President Donald Trump arrives at criminal court in New York City on April 4, 2023. Credit - Alex KentBloomberg/Getty Images This was not the Donald Trump the world is used to, a small figure in a room full of people with the authority to tell him what to do. But the image of citizen Trump, surrounded by cops, marshals and prosecutors, marked a new escalation in Trumps long-running war with the institutions of government. With his surrender, arrest and arraignment on April 4 in a mundane hearing room on the 15th floor of Manhattan Criminal Court, Donald Trumpthe real estate mogul, reality TV star, and former President of the United Statesbecame Donald Trump, defendant. And a new, dangerous chapter of his confrontation with American norms was underway. In indictment 71543-23, the People of the State of New York charged Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records for his alleged role in hush-money payments to a porn star ahead of the 2016 election. Trump, prosecutors say, falsified those records to conceal violations of New York State election law that prohibits promoting a candidate by unlawful means and federal election law that caps contribution limits. It was the first time in history that a former or sitting President had been indicted for a crime. During the seven years since his surprise 2016 victorya stretch marked by two impeachments, a plot to overturn the results of a presidential election, and a violent insurrectionthe sheer number of historic moments has had a numbing effect. But the spectacle of Trumps arrest and arraignment was as uncanny as any scene he has orchestrated, contrasting the quotidian reality of the New York criminal justice system with the florid display that often accompanies the former President in the public spotlight: news helicopters trailing him across the East River, MAGA acolytes and Trump-hating protesters trading insults a stones throw from the courthouse, his private jet whisking him back to the safety of his Florida mansion hours later. Story continues The bizarre atmosphere obscured a sobering reality for both Trump and the country he wants to lead again. The charges brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg may be mere prelude to more serious charges. Trump is at the center of at least three other significant criminal investigations. Atlanta-area prosecutors are examining Trumps role in efforts to overturn Joe Bidens Georgia victory in the 2020 presidential election. A special counsel appointed by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland is investigating Trumps alleged mishandling of classified documents, as well as whether he unlawfully interfered with the certification of the 2020 election and the peaceful transfer of power. Court police line the outside of Manhattan Criminal Courthouse during an arraignment hearing for former President Donald Trump on April 4, 2023. Drew AngererGetty Images And for the rest of us? Trump is running once again for Commander in Chief and a 2024 campaign waged against the backdrop of criminal charges will be darker and more dangerous than anything Trump has authored to date. Trump once presented himself as a savior: I alone can fix it, he told the nation during the 2016 Republican National Convention. Now he casts himself in a new role. I am your retribution, he told supporters last month, before warning three weeks later of death & destruction should he face criminal charges. His rhetoric is likely to grow more vindictive as he constructs a campaign around the theme of comeuppance. In this new world of legal liability and increasingly vengeful politics, it would be foolish to predict how this saga unfolds. Trump has pleaded not guilty, and some legal experts believe Braggs case may be difficult to prove. Other charges may never materialize. Trump allies believe the martyrs mantle will boost him in a Republican primary, which now looks like his to lose. But polling also suggests the prospect of electing a President facing criminal charges may be anathema to the moderate voters who decide general elections. Trumps presidency was defined by his attempt to tame the government bureaucracy he was charged with leading. He refashioned the Republican Party into a personality cult and went to war with Washington. If it revealed anything, the Jan. 6 riot underlined Trumps ability to incite a violent mob bent on destroying the institutions of a government that he and his most ardent supporters believe has done them wrong. As the nation limps into a third straight campaign dominated by Donald John Trump, it is on the cusp of what may be the most consequential faceoff yet between the rule of law and a politician unbound by it. Hours before Trump made the 20-minute drive from his eponymous midtown tower to a lower Manhattan courthouse to surrender to authorities, the scene outside the building was already intensifying. Supporters and detractors stood on opposite sides of Collect Pond Park across the street, yelling at one another. One side chanted, Four more years, and the other side chimed in with, in prison! A woman in a red MAGA hat and carrying a Trader Joes bag tore through a banner that read, Trump Lies All the Time. Fabulist Rep. George Santos wandered through the crowd. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green compared Trump to Nelson Mandela and Jesus. Such chaotic curtain-raising scenes are typical of Trumps time on the public stage and fit with his attempt to cast his arrest as an indicator of a larger injustice, with him standing in the breach as a messianic martyr. His indictment, he has written on his social media platform, is political persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history. Supporters of former President Donald Trump outside Trump Tower in New York City on April 4, 2023. Victor J. BlueBloomberg/Getty Images Away from the public spectacle, in a relatively staid hearing inside the courthouse, Trump pleaded not guilty to the 34 felony counts. The thrust of the chargesfalsification of business recordsare normally treated as misdemeanors in New York, but Braggs office elevated them all to Class E felonies, the lowest level under the states penal code, on the grounds that Trump doctored the books to conceal other crimes. We cannot and will not normalize serious criminal conduct, Bragg said in a news conference shortly after the arraignment. Read More: Your Questions About Trumps Indictment, Answered The case stems from Trumps alleged role in making hush-money payments to people who had negative information on him, including porn star Stormy Daniels, who claimed to have had an affair with him. Just before the 2016 election, lawyer Michael Cohen paid $130,000 to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, to stop her from sharing her story. Trump, who has denied the affair, subsequently reimbursed Cohen for the payout in 11 installments, according to the indictment, but filed those disbursements as legal fees to cover up what amounted to a campaign expenditure. Cohen has already paid a price for his role in the affair; in 2018, he was convicted of fraud, tax evasion, and campaign finance violations, and served three years in federal prison. We today uphold our solemn responsibility to ensure that everyone stands equal before the law, Bragg said. No amount of money and no amount of power changes that enduring principle. The court is set to reconvene in December, with the Manhattan DAs office hoping for the trial to start by January, the thick of the Republican primary season. Braggs caseas historic as it may bemay only be the start. In addition to the Manhattan indictment, Trump is facing multiple federal and state investigations. Justice Department Special Counsel Jack Smith is looking at Trumps handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago Club after he left the White House, and whether Trump obstructed efforts by federal officials to return the records to the government. Federal investigators obtained a warrant to search Trumps office and a storage area at Mar-a-Lago in August. Smith has reportedly interviewed multiple witnesses close to Trump, and a Washington grand jury has heard evidence involving potential felony violations. A supporter of former president Donald Trump argues with opponents outside the Manhattan District Attorney's office in New York City on April 4, 2023. Leonardo MunozAFP/Getty Images Prosecutors working under Smith are also conducting a parallel investigation into Trumps actions to reverse the election results leading up to the deadly Jan. 6 attack. Smiths team is reportedly looking closely at a scheme pushed by Trump and his allies to gather slates of fake electors from states Trump lost to reverse Bidens win in the electoral count. That investigation has included subpoenas for documents from local election officials in Wisconsin and Nevada. In Georgia, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is exploring Trumps efforts to overturn Joe Bidens 2020 election win there, where Trump and his allies made unfounded allegations of voter fraud. On a phone call in January 2021, Trump told Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to find 11,780 votes to reverse Bidens win, according to a recording of the call. Willis has called high-profile Republicans to testify before a special grand jury, including Rudy Giuliani, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. The grand jury also heard from poll workers, technical experts and state employees. Trump himself did not testify. Willis has yet to bring any charges in the case, but in February, the special grand jury filed a report with the court that concluded some witnesses may have lied under oath. Trumps also facing another investigation in New York. Letitia James, the states attorney general, filed a lawsuit in September against Trump, as well as his company and senior managers, for alleged financial fraud. James has alleged that Trump was involved in years of misrepresenting the companys financial position for economic gain. Her office has interviewed more than 50 witnesses in the case and collected some 1.7 million pages of documents. A trial is scheduled to start in October, but Trumps legal team has requested a delay. For Whit Ayres, a longtime Republican consultant, the gravity of those cases would stand to kneecap Trump far more than Braggs indictment. If I were designing a criminal charge that would be easy for Republicans to dismiss as a witch hunt, Ayres says, I would have designed exactly whats at stake in the Manhattan court. At a conservative conference of far-right faithful in Washington early March, Trump delivered the first cut of his campaigns rallying cry: I am your warrior. I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed: I am your retribution. Representative Marjorie Taylor Green during a rally in support of former President Donald Trump in New York City on April 4, 2023. Alex KentBloomberg/Getty Images It was the latest escalation of the former presidents increasingly vengeful rhetoric. But after what may be the first of multiple criminal prosecutions against him, Trump found the target to focus his bases anger. Within hours of news breaking that Trump had been indicted, his fundraising machinery kicked in, blasting out emails and texts. Potential donors were offered T-shirts that read I Stand with Trump and warned that the justice system has utterly collapsed. Moments before the arraignment on Tuesday, the campaign debuted a new shirt featuring a fake black-and white-mug shot of Trump with the words NOT GUILTY emblazoned across it. The pitches seem to be working. The campaign raised $8 million in four days, according to Trump advisor Jason Miller. Trumps fury will only escalate, according to those who know him well. I think that his rhetoric on that will be very intense, Steve Bannon, Trumps former White House strategist, tells TIME. These are the American Bolsheviks, and theyre coming for Trump hard. And Trump, Bannon adds, is likely to fashion himself as an emblem for Americans who feel they, too, are the victims of a system that has harmed them. They will come after you now individually just like in revolutionary France, or like in the Russian Revolution. Whether a self-declared reactionary platform resonates beyond the MAGA echo chamber or falls flat with all but diehard Trump voters is a central question in the coming race for the White House. It may give him a short-term bump in the Republican primary, but this is bad news for Donald Trump in his presidential race, says Simon Rosenberg, a veteran Democratic operative who worked on Bill Clintons 1992 campaign. It harms the entire Republican brand. Its going to be very difficult for Republicans, if Trump somehow isnt the nominee next year, for them to say, Hey, no biggie. The last three election cycles have produced consistent results, with MAGA Republicans suffering bruising losses. Democrats like Rosenberg believe it would mark a grave strategic error for Republicans to quadruple down. Yet polls suggest thats what they are doing. A Yahoo News/YouGov poll of Republican- and Republican-leaning voters conducted March 30 and 31 found Trump with a 26-point lead in a hypothetical match-up against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a jump of 18 points from two weeks earlier. At the same time, more and more Republicans have rushed to Trumps defense. GOP House members are trying to force Bragg to testify on Capitol Hill. Right-wing leaders are amplifying the Trumpian line that his legal woes epitomize a deep state conspiracy to subjugate conservative Americans. A motorcade, carrying former President Donald Trump, leaves criminal court in New York City, on April 4, 2023. Victor J. BlueBloomberg/Getty Images There will be a unified front from the Republican Party behind Donald Trump. People will be forced to rally behind him, Alex Bruesewitz, a GOP consultant and CEO of the Trump-allied firm X Strategies, tells TIME. DeSantiss numbers have gone down, and Republican voters are continuing to coalesce around Trump, adds Garrett Ventry, a Republican strategist. Equally significant is the way hes captivated the medias attention, after a long period in which many outlets protested giving him ubiquitous treatment. Now, hes the beneficiary of wall-to-wall television coverage tracking his every move as stares down criminal charges. On Monday, his children and aides relished watching all the networks carry a feed of his planedubbed Trump Force Onetraveling from Palm Beach to New York City while they were mid-air. Hes taken over the conversation again, Bannon says. The media has played right into his hands. Its all about Trump. Thats why there cant be any competitor on the Republican side. The media has helped him bigfoot them. Thats finished. The former president appears happy to harness his legal woes to gin up a sense of grievance among his base and propel himself back into power. So far, hes finding a willing audience. Youve got to question why a man who has all the wealth, recognition and comfort in the world is still willing to subject himself to this crap for us, says Pamela Menera, who was among the throng of Trump supporters standing outside the courthouse on Tuesday. Hes doing it for us. Few, if any, politicians can elicit that kind of passion from their supporters, and the various prosecutors targeting Trump may provide a fresh way for him to mobilize it. Everybody remembers that 2015 gold escalator moment, Bruesewitz says. Is Trumps indictment going to be that for 2024? With reporting by Sanya Mansoor and Karl Vick Former U.S. President Donald Trump sits with his attorneys for his arraignment at the Manhattan criminal court on April 4, 2023, in New York City. Pool/ Getty Images News via Getty Images North America Much has been made of the unprecedented nature of the April 4, 2023 arraignment on criminal charges of former President Donald Trump following an indictment brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. But a closer look at American history shows that the indictment of a former president was not unforeseen. What the Constitution says about prosecuting a president The Constitutions authors contemplated the arrest of a current or former president. At several points since the nations founding, our leaders have been called before the bar of justice. Article 1, Section 3, of the Constitution says that when a federal government official is impeached and removed from office, they shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law. In his defense of this constitutional provision, Founding Father Alexander Hamilton noted that, unlike the British king, for whom there is no constitutional tribunal to which he is amenable; no punishment to which he can be subjected, a president once removed from office would be liable to prosecution and punishment in the ordinary course of law. Trump has been impeached twice, but not removed from office. As a scholar with expertise in legal history and criminal law, I believe the punishment our Founding Fathers envisioned for high officeholders removed from office would also apply to those who left office in other ways. Tench Coxe, a delegate from Pennsylvania to the Continental Congress from 178889, echoed Hamilton. He explained that while the Constitutions speech and debate clause permanently immunized members of Congress from liability for anything they might do or say as part of their official duties, the president is not so much protected as that of a member of the House of Representatives; for he may be proceeded against like any other man in the ordinary course of law. In Coxes view, even a sitting president could be arrested, tried and punished for violating the law. And, though Coxe didnt say it explicitly, Id argue that it follows that if a president can be charged with a crime while in office, once out of office, he could be held responsible like anyone else. Story continues The indictment of Aaron Burr Hamiltons and Coxes positions were put to an early test soon after the Constitution was ratified. The test came when jurors in New Jersey indicted Vice President Aaron Burr for killing Hamilton in a duel in that state. An artists depiction of the BurrHamilton duel on July 11, 1804. Hamilton was mortally wounded, and Burr was indicted for his death. Ivan-96/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images The indictment charged that Aaron Burr late of the Township of Bergen in the County of Bergen esquire not having the fear of God before his eyes but being moved and seduced by the instigation of the Devil feloniously willfully and of his malice aforethought did make an assault upon Alexander Hamilton [who] of the said Mortal wounds died. While Burrs powerful friends subsequently interceded and persuaded state officials to drop the charges, their success had nothing to do with any immunity that Burr enjoyed as an executive officer of the United States. Indeed, Burrs legal troubles were not over. In February 1807, after his term as vice president ended, he was arrested and charged with treason for plotting to create a new and independent nation separate from the U.S. This time, he stood trial and was acquitted. The Strange case of Ulysses S. Grant Fast forward to 1872, when the incumbent president, Ulysses S. Grant, was arrested in Washington, D.C., for speeding in his horse-drawn carriage. The arresting officer told Grant, I am very sorry, Mr. President, to have to do it, for you are the chief of the nation, and I am nothing but a policeman, but duty is duty, sir, and I will have to place you under arrest. As The New York Post recently recounted the story, Grant was ordered to put up 20 bucks as collateral. But he never stood trial. 20th and 21st century precedents A little over a century later, Republican Vice President Spiro Agnew had a more serious brush with the law when he was accused by the Department of Justice of a pattern of political corruption starting when he was a county executive in Maryland and continuing through his tenure as vice president. On Oct. 10, 1973, Agnew agreed to a plea bargain. He resigned his office and pleaded no contest to a charge of federal income tax evasion in exchange for the federal government dropping charges of political corruption. He was fined US$10,000 and sentenced to three years probation. Spiro Agnew leaves a Baltimore federal courthouse on Oct. 10, 1973, after pleading no contest to tax evasion charges and resigning as vice president. Bettmann via Getty Images Richard Nixon, the president with whom Agnew served, narrowly escaped being indicted for his role in the Watergate burglary and its cover-up. In 2018, the National Archives released documents, labeled the Watergate Road Map, that showed just how close Nixon had come to being charged. The documents reveal that a grand jury planned to charge Nixon with bribery, conspiracy, obstruction of justice and obstruction of a criminal investigation. But an indictment was never handed down because, by that time, Hamiltons and Coxes views had been displaced by a belief that a sitting president should not be indicted. Nixon was later saved from criminal charges after he left office when his successor, President Gerald Ford, granted him a full and complete pardon. Another occasion on which a president came close to being charged with a crime occurred in January 2001, when, as an article in The Atlantic notes, independent prosecutor Robert Ray considered indicting former President Bill Clinton for lying under oath about his affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Ultimately, Ray decided that if Clinton publicly admitted to having been misleading and evasive under oath he didnt need to see him indicted. And in February 2021, after President Trump had left office, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell acknowledged that the former president, who had escaped being removed from office twice after being impeached, would still be legally liable for everything he did while he was in office We have a criminal justice system in this country. We have civil litigation. And former presidents are not immune from being held accountable by either one. What history teaches about Trumps indictment This brings us to the present moment. For any prosecutor, including Alvin Bragg, the indictment and arrest of a former president is a genuinely momentous act. As Henry Ruth, one of the prosecutors who was involved in the Nixon case, explained in 1974, Signing ones name to the indictment of an ex-president is an act that one wishes devolved upon another but ones self. This is true even where such an act, in institutional and justice terms, appears absolutely necessary. For the rest of us, this nations history is a reminder that ours is not the first generation of Americans who have been called to deal with alleged wrongdoing by our leaders and former leaders. This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. If you found it interesting, you could subscribe to our weekly newsletter. It was written by: Austin Sarat, Amherst College. Read more: Austin Sarat does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Donald Trumps defense lawyers blasted Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs hush-money case on Tuesday, saying it lacks the kind of convincing detail hell need for a slam-dunk prosecution against the first-ever former president to face criminal prosecution. A number of legal experts and former prosecutors, however, said Bragg was smart to leave out critical details of his case in order to gain competitive advantage over Trumps aggressive team of lawyers and political influencers. More: Timeline: How Trump was indicted after probe into payment of hush money to Stormy Daniels Covering up crimes relating to the 2016 election The indictment handed up by a Manhattan grand jury accuses Trump of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records as part of a scheme to prevent stories about Trumps alleged affairs with two women from going public in the waning days of the 2016 presidential campaign. Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg discusses charges filed against former President Donald Trump on April 4, 2023 in New York City. That included paying $280,000 as part of a catch-and-kill campaign to silence adult film actress, Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal from telling their stories and hurting Trump's election chances. Another $30,000 was paid to a former Trump Tower doorman who was trying to sell information "regarding a child that the Defendant had allegedly fathered out of wedlock," according to a statement of facts that accompanied the indictment. Such falsifying business records cases are usually filed as misdemeanors in New York state. But at a news conference after Trumps arraignment, Bragg said the charges became felonies because the records were falsified to conceal another crime. Why did Donald Trump repeatedly make these false statements? Bragg asked. The evidence will show that he did so to cover up crimes relating to the 2016 election. More: Trump indicted: How did Michael Cohen arrange hush payments to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal? Trump lawyers not impressed Trump's newly hired criminal defense lawyer, Todd Blanche, downplayed the indictment, telling reporters there's not really any surprises in it. Story continues I know there was a lot of talk over the past several weeks and the past several days about what's going to be in this indictment and what's going to be there that we don't know, (that) there must be something besides what we've been talking about for the past four or five years, Blanche said. There wasn't. There's nothing. The indictment itself is boilerplate. It's really disappointing, Blanche added. It's sad, and we're gonna fight it. Reaction to indictment: Mitt Romney, among Donald Trump's biggest Republican critics, comes to his defense in New York case Not tipping his hand The indictment and statement of facts are long, but lack the kind of supporting detail thats contained in whats known as a speaking indictment, in which the alleged criminal acts are laid out in detail. But Bragg is likely keeping details out of the indictment so as not to tip his hand too early, said John Dean, lawyer and former White House counsel for President Richard Nixon who testified against him during the Watergate scandal. He has to put people on notice and hes done that, said Dean, adding that Bragg and his team have filed dozens of these bread and butter falsification of records cases and have become very skilled at them. I think that by saying less, they've opened themselves up to less attack in the pretrial motion stage, a shrewd move on their part. Politically, it gives Trump probably more to talk about and more opportunity to claim all of his grievances, Dean said. But, legally, I think that they probably have put together a very powerful case. The statement of facts does provide some detail about the alleged factual basis for the felony charges, according to defense lawyer and former federal prosecutor Alex Little. For instance, the indictment makes clear that former Trump lawyer and self-styled fixer Michael Cohen will be the central witness in this case, Little said. His invoices are mentioned in numerous counts, and its clear from the charges and statement of facts that he cooperated closely with the prosecutors office as it built this case. There's also likely to be lots of evidence about the National Enquirer and its parent company, American Media, Inc., given its key role in the alleged catch-and-kill scheme, according to Little. If Bragg can convince a jury those facts are true, Little told USA TODAY, it will be a difficult case for the former president. Opinion: As GOP sticks with Trump and his felony charges, Democrats keep winning elections A legal 'disconnect' in Braggs case? Presenting such a bare-bones indictment makes it very hard to determine how strong a case Bragg plans to mount, including what evidence investigators might use to support turning the charges into felonies, some legal experts said. Paul Rosenzweig, a former federal prosecutor, described Braggs filing as a very plain vanilla indictment." "It doesnt even say what the other crime is that converts misdemeanors to be converted into felonies, he said. By focusing almost exclusively on the $130,000 paid to Daniels, There is a disconnect between those narrow charges and the broader statement of facts which speaks to a longer plan to catch and kill bad stories about Trump, Rosenzweig said. Bragg has yet to fully explain that choice. Prominent defense lawyer William Jeffress, Jr., agreed that the indictment reveals very little about Braggs prosecutorial strategy and legal theories. Lawyering up:Who's on Donald Trump's legal team? Meet the attorneys representing Trump. Assuming the 34 entries in business records were false because the payments were described as legal fees, the only disputed issue appears to be whether they were made with Trumps knowledge to commit or cover up another crime presumably a campaign finance violation, said Jeffress, former chair of the American Bar Association's Criminal Justice Standards Committee. There is enough evidence to support a jury verdict that he intended the expenditures to influence the election, Jeffress said, but (Trump) will likely claim he just wanted to hide it from his wife and the jury will decide. An Al Capone strategy? Gene Rossi, a 30-year civil and criminal lawyer at the Justice Department, said the case is much stronger than the indictment suggests, especially when reading between the lines of the Statement of Facts. The statement of facts provides ample evidence and detailed evidence of the contours and the aspects of this scheme to defraud, and to conceal payments because there was an election coming up, Rossi said. When you have documents that are blatantly false, and apparently you have that here, and you have witnesses that corroborate each other, that combination is very powerful for a jury. Rossi, who prosecuted many tax law cases, also said one critically important element of Braggs case is easy to overlook because it is mentioned very briefly in the statement of facts: The participants also took steps that mischaracterized, for tax purposes, the true nature of the payments made in furtherance of the scheme. That suggests that Trump and Cohen actually got tax breaks from the fraudulent scheme, Rossi said. That's a bold allegation. And if it's proven, it has a lot of jury appeal, Rossi said. Because remember this: Al Capone dodged a lot of crimes, but he couldn't dodge tax crimes. And he served eight years for it. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump lawyers blast DA Alvin Bragg's case. Legal experts weigh in. On today's episode of the 5 Things podcast: Trump pleads not guilty to 34 felony counts USA TODAY Justice Department Correspondent Bart Jansen looks into the specific charges facing former President Donald Trump. Plus, USA TODAY Politics Reporter Erin Mansfield looks at some big picture ramifications of Trump's indictment, Trump says the charges against him are driven by politics, Finland joins NATO, and a Wisconsin Supreme Court election could have a major impact on abortion law. Podcasts: True crime, in-depth interviews and more USA TODAY podcasts right here. Hit play on the player above to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript below. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text. Taylor Wilson: Good morning. I'm Taylor Wilson and this is 5 Things you need to know Wednesday, the 5th of April, 2023. Today, a look at the charges against former President Donald Trump. Plus, what's the indictment mean for the 2024 election, and a Supreme Court election in Wisconsin could have major ramifications for abortion law. Donald Trump made history yesterday, becoming the first former president placed under arrest. At his arraignment in New York, we also found out exactly what charges he faces. USA Today Justice Department Correspondent Bart Jansen has more. Bart, welcome back to 5 Things. Bart Jansen: Thanks for having me. Taylor Wilson: We now know the charges surrounding former President Donald Trump. So Bart, what are they? Bart Jansen: Well, it's 34 counts of falsifying business records. So pretty easy to remember, it's the same thing 34 times, but what's curious about it is that that charge under New York State law is usually a misdemeanor. And in this case, because the prosecutors have associated it with another alleged violation of law, they've been elevated to felonies. So Trump faces 34 felonies for falsifying business records. Story continues Taylor Wilson: And were you surprised that there were so many felonies on this indictment? Bart Jansen: Well, the number is striking, but what it really means is that Trump made a series of payments to his former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, in exchange for Cohen arranging payments to two women for their silence before the 2016 election. So there was a series of 11 payments during 2017 to Cohen and then each one of those checks gets issued. There is also an entry into a corporate ledger. Okay, we got the invoice. Then there's another entry into a corporate ledger. The money has gone out. So basically, with each payment to Cohen, there were basically three notations and there are a couple of extra notations along the way. So it looks like a large number, but it's basically a series of payments to Michael Cohen for making the hush payments to two women. Taylor Wilson: Bart, there was so much spectacle around the arraignment, itself, on Tuesday. Trump flew up from Florida on his big plane. There was tons of media presence across Manhattan. Did everything go smoothly with Trump's arraignment? And how similar was the process to what any other American faces when they're charged with a crime? Bart Jansen: I think the process went relatively smoothly, considering you've got a secret service motorcade that has to bring the defendant back and forth to the courthouse. Traffic in a big city is tough on any given day, but they got him in and out relatively smoothly. Part of the novelty of this case involving a former president is that he was processed, he was booked like a standard defendant, they took his fingerprints, but they did not take his mugshot, as you would with a typical defendant. Sources told us that that's because, typically, you'd have a mugshot in case a defendant was fleeing the charges and needed to be identified. In this case, Trump, of course, is one of the most recognizable faces on earth. And so I guess the District Attorney's Office decided that they didn't need the picture. Taylor Wilson: Bart, we've talked on the show about the prospect of this wave of legal challenges that the Trump team might now unleash. What's the expectation here? Bart Jansen: Yeah, Trump's legal team is expected to challenge these charges in a variety of ways. They told reporters outside the courthouse, Trump will be fighting these charges vigorously. Some of the initial challenges that appear obvious include the way the charges were elevated from misdemeanor to felony. Trump has criticized the judge in the case, saying that he might be unfavorable to him. The judge has already overseen a criminal case involving the Trump organization and its chief financial officer, who were each convicted in a case last fall. He might argue for a change of venue, to have the case heard in a different location than in New York, and he might just argue outright the case should be dismissed, that there's not enough evidence to prove that he falsified records. He argues that there were never any violations, that the payments that he made were part of a private arrangement that he had with Cohen and that he shouldn't be held accountable for what Cohen did on his end of the payments. Taylor Wilson: Do we have any sense of what the timeline looks like surrounding this case in the next few weeks and months? Bart Jansen: Well, lawyers will be hashing out what the indictment says precisely, what evidence can be accepted at trial, those various motions. Whether you change venue, try to dismiss all those pretrial motions, I believe the judge has set an aspirational trial date of January, 2024, which would put it in the thick of the presidential campaign, if it goes at that timing. So we'll have to see whether that schedule actually holds, but I don't believe we're expecting to see Trump back in court anytime in the next few months. Taylor Wilson: Bart Jansen, great info for us. Thanks so much. Bart Jansen: Thanks for having me. Taylor Wilson: Trump's indictment is making waves in a number of ways, including its possible influence on the upcoming 2024 election. USA TODAY Politics Reporter Erin Mansfield explains. Hi, Erin. Thanks for hopping on the podcast on a busy week, to say the least. Erin Mansfield: Thank you for having me. Taylor Wilson: This indictment is unprecedented for many reasons. One of them is that it involves a presidential hopeful. I want to get into the impact of this on the 2024 presidential race. Will this indictment hurt or help Trump, politically? Erin Mansfield: Well, we're seeing that his base is doubling down. His base has long believed that he was a subject of what they call a witch hunt, that all these different investigations that happened over the years are part of some conspiracy or some effort just to go after Donald Trump because he's Donald Trump, and we are most definitely seeing those people dig in. That is for certain. The bigger question is going to be whether or not more average, more moderate voters who maybe could take or leave Trump are going to want to follow him through this indictment. It's going to test anyone who's not loyal to the Trump brand and anyone who simply maybe disagrees with Biden or just wants a Republican in there because maybe they're just very much not a Democrat. And that, I think, is still a question that's very much up in the air. Taylor Wilson: So what are Trump's presidential rivals saying in the wake of this indictment? Erin Mansfield: So we saw Asa Hutchinson come out, basically declare his campaign as the anti-Trump candidate in response to this news. He's always been pretty anti-Trump, so that's not surprising, and we knew that he might run for president. The news has been overshadowed by the rest of the details of this. Nikki Haley was the first one to actually declare her candidacy. She went on Fox News and she questioned whether this was a politically motivated indictment. Ron DeSantis has not declared, but most people believe he is running. So I guess we can call him a presumed candidate. He came out and said he wasn't going to help with any type of extradition from Florida to New York, obviously, because the President lives in Florida. Now, that didn't end up being an issue because he surrendered voluntarily, but what we're seeing are people who essentially come down on Trump's side and it's a, how far on the side of this new issue are people going to come down? Taylor Wilson: Erin, we've grown accustomed to expect protests whenever Donald Trump is involved, really. Are we seeing that either in New York, in Florida, or anywhere around the country after this arraignment? Erin Mansfield: Well, absolutely, one of the first people who said they were going to go to New York to protest was Marjorie Taylor Greene, a very, very staunch ally of the former president. She was going with the New York Republican Club, which is a club that is very much moving toward the far right. They have ties to this far right group in Austria, essentially. We are seeing his base galvanized over this. And this is a guy who has said, for eight years now, "I'm the subject of a witch hunt. People are coming after me." And for people who believe that, this is the culmination. And so this is kind of their moment. The difference is that most of the people doubling down are very much the Trumpians, the people who want specifically Trump. They don't want a Republican, they don't want a conservative, they don't want even a populist. They want him. Taylor Wilson: So shifting away from the politics of all of this, Erin, what do these charges mean culturally in the wake of the Me Too era? Erin Mansfield: One of the things that's hard to communicate out there is that a lot of people think this is essentially just about hush money to an adult film actress. And while that is what precipitated this alleged business fraud, these charges have absolutely nothing to do with sex, with affairs, marriage, any of that. This is about accounting, it's about finance, it's about how he paid and what he said those payments were for. But, what you can't ignore about the former president is that he came to power right before the Me Too Movement started, and some might say that he helped precipitate that. In 2016, woman, after woman, after woman was accusing him of sexual misconduct, whether it was assault or harassment or any other type of misconduct. And then here you have two women, and they were the ones who he was trying to silence. So in a way, it's kind of like, wow, two women finally seemed to have an impact and take him down a notch. Taylor Wilson: Erin Mansfield, with some great perspective for us, thanks so much. Erin Mansfield: Thank you. Taylor Wilson: Hours after being arraigned in New York, former President Donald Trump was already back at his Florida Mar-a-Lago estate. There, he told supporters this: Donald Trump: And I never thought anything like this could happen in America. Taylor Wilson: Trump's 27-minute speech centered on describing various investigations as attempts to thwart his presidential campaign. He made false claims about the investigations and claimed, without evidence, that he's being singled out for political reasons. He especially went after New York prosecutor Alvin Bragg, calling him a failed district attorney and even going after his family. You can read more on USATODAY.com. Finland formally joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, yesterday. Finland and Sweden began seeking expedited NATO membership along with the military support it can provide within weeks of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Sweden continues to wait for approval. The move more than doubles the length of NATO's border with Russia. In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement warning of retaliatory measures. Milwaukee Judge Janet Protasiewicz won a nationally watched judicial election yesterday that'll likely give liberals the edge on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. She defeated former justice Daniel Kelly in a race that was largely defined by abortion access in the state. Abortions were made illegal there after the US Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade last summer. A ruling will likely be issued later this year around a lawsuit brought by Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul to block the law. The Protasiewicz win gives liberals a four to three majority on Wisconsin's high court. The ruling could also have an impact on the state's congressional maps. Democrats might be emboldened to push for maps that split Wisconsin's congressional delegation more evenly. You can read more on USATODAY.com. Thanks for listening to 5 Things. You can find us every day of the week right here, wherever you get your podcasts. I'm back tomorrow with more of 5 Things from USA TODAY. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump pleads not guilty, Finland joins NATO: 5 Things podcast Melania Trump and Ivanka Trump were absent from the post-indictment speech. JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images Neither Melania nor Ivanka Trump were seen during Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago speech on Tuesday. Donald Jr, Eric, and Tiffany Trump all showed up to hear the former president speak. Trump singled out several family members for praise but notably didn't mention his wife. Neither Melania Trump nor Ivanka Trump stood by former President Donald Trump's side during his post-arraignment speech at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday. Trump spoke to a crowd of supporters at his Florida home on Tuesday evening, after returning from his arraignment in New York, where he faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. While Donald Jr, Eric, and Tiffany Trump and their partners were seen in the ballroom, his wife and eldest daughter were notably absent. Vaughn Hillyard, an NBC News correspondent, tweeted an image from the scene, noting the no-shows: Eric Trump and his wife, Lara; Victor Knavs, Donald Trump Jr. and his fiance, Kimberly Guilfoyle; Tiffany Trump and her husband, Michael Boulos, listen as former President Donald Trump speaks at Mar-a-Lago, April 4, 2023. Evan Vucci/AP Photo The case against Trump has particular significance for his family life, as it revolves around allegations that he misused campaign funds as hush money for adult-film actor Stormy Daniels, who says she had an affair with him while he was with Melania. During his speech, Trump singled out several family members for praise, including Ivanka but notably didn't mention his absent wife, a transcript of the speech shows. Speaking about the "fantastic job" that his "great family" have done, he singled out Donald Jr, Eric, Ivanka, and Barron Trump, per the paper. "I have a son here who has done a great job, another son here who has done a great job, and Ivanka," he said, referring to Donald Jr and Eric Trump. Melania was also not seen accompanying Trump during his New York arraignment, multiple reports say. Maggie Haberman, a New York Times reporter, tweeted the names of a number of Trumpworld figures said to be joining the former president for the trip, including Eric but not Melania. Melania was last seen having dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday, just after news of the indictment broke, the New York Post reported. Story continues Meanwhile, Ivanka has long signaled her lack of interest in playing a role in her father's political career. She said last November that she was prioritizing family and does not "plan to be involved in politics," having skipped her father's 2024 presidential-campaign launch event. She did, however, make a quiet visit to see him at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday, ahead of the arraignment, according to Page Six. Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, are "supporting as family members in private," the New York Post reported, citing a source familiar with the situation. Read the original article on Business Insider Former President Trump delivered a grievance-ridden speech on Tuesday hours after facing arraignment on criminal charges in New York, casting himself as the victim of a political prosecution and railing against what he called a lawless justice system bent on ending his political career. Speaking at Mar-a-Lago, his personal residence and private club in Palm Beach, Fla., Trump went on an extended tirade against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office indicted Trump last week in a case involving hush money payments to a porn star to cover up an alleged extramarital affair. The former president maintained his innocence, saying he never did anything illegal and that the charges against him should never have been brought. He also attacked the judge presiding over the case, Justice Juan Merchan, calling him a Trump-hating judge. You want to get President Trump at any cost, Trump said. As it turns out, everyone who has looked at this case says there is no crime and it should never have been brought. Never have been brought. Its an insult to our country, he added, and the world is already laughing at us. Trumps remarks before a friendly crowd that included allies such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) came just after he returned to Florida from New York, where he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts, including falsifying business records and conspiracy in connection to multiple hush money payments. Trumps indictment has been expected. Law enforcement officials in Manhattan offered him the opportunity last month to testify before the grand jury looking into the matter, signaling charges were likely. That was followed by Trump wrongly predicting that he would be arrested. But Trump made clear that he wasnt only focused on those charges. He also went after law enforcement officials in Georgia and Washington, D.C., investigating other potential crimes. In particular, he attacked special counsel Jack Smith, whos investigating his efforts to subvert the 2020 presidential election, accusing Smith of threatening his allies with jail time in order to force them to cooperate with his inquiry. Story continues We have this Jack Smith lunatic threatening people every single day through his representatives, Trump said. Theyre threatening jail terms. But talk about Trump and youll go free. Thats the country in which we live in, however, right now. He also defended his handling of classified documents he took with him upon leaving the White House in 2021, saying he took the documents in good faith and was being treated unfairly by the National Archives and Records Administration. He also rehashed older grievances, mentioning the FBIs investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clintons use of a private email server during her tenure as the nations top diplomat and bringing up his two impeachments. From the beginning, the Democrats spied on my campaign, he said. Remember that? They attacked me with an onslaught of fraudulent inventions. Russia, Russia, Russia. Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine. The remarks were relatively brief, by Trumps standards, lasting just under half an hour. Still, they telegraphed how the former president plans to make his various legal entanglements a central part of his bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. Since winning the White House in 2016, Trump has sought to cast himself as the target of a so-called deep state intent on weeding out anyone whom it sees as a threat to its power. During his time in Washington, he faced impeachment twice. Yet while Republicans have rallied around him amid his indictment in New York, many have urged the party, both publicly and privately, to move on to a new standard-bearer without Trumps political and legal baggage. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who hasnt yet announced a presidential campaign, is widely seen as Trumps most serious primary challenger, though recent polls show him slipping as GOP voters rush to Trumps defense in the face of the indictment. Still, Trump has put his legal troubles front and center in the 2024 Republican primary. In his remarks on Thursday, he turned to a familiar line, warning that the United States is going to hell and needed him to save it. We are a nation in decline. And now these radical left lunatics want to interfere with our elections by using law enforcement. We cant let that happen, he said. I have no doubt nevertheless that we will make America great again. Updated at 9:43 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Good morning and welcome to Fox News morning newsletter, Fox News First. Subscribe now to get Fox News First in your email. And here's what you need to know to start your day ... 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We'll see you in your inbox first thing Thursday. Chinese premier, Russian PM hold phone talks Xinhua) 11:09, April 05, 2023 BEIJING, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday talked over phone with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. Li said that under the strategic guidance of the two countries' heads of state, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has maintained a high level of development. China-Russia relations adhere to the principles of non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-targeting of any third party, mutual respect, mutual trust and mutual benefit, which not only promote their own development and rejuvenation, but also uphold international fairness and justice, he said. Li stressed that during Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent successful visit to Russia, he and Russian President Vladimir Putin jointly drew up a new blueprint for the development of bilateral relations, charting a new direction for bilateral cooperation. China is willing to work closely with Russia, he said, adding that the government departments of the two countries should implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and push forward the pragmatic cooperation between China and Russia to achieve new development. For his part, Mishustin said Russia-China relations are based on international law and the principle of pluralism, which is an important factor to ensure global peace and stability, adding that at present, bilateral relations are at the highest level in history, and President Xi's state visit to Russia was a complete success, opening a new chapter in Russia-China relations. Russia cherishes its comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination with China and is willing to strengthen good-neighborly friendship with China, deepen practical cooperation in various fields and push for common development of the two countries, he said. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) Former President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago estate hours after being arraigned in New York City, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in Palm Beach, Fla. AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell Trump gave remarks at Mar-a-Lago surrounded by supporters just hours after appearing in court. "I never thought that anything like this could happen," he said, calling the charges "a persecution." "The only crime that I've committed is to fiercely defend our nation," he added. PALM BEACH, Florida Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday defiantly addressed his supporters at the grand ballroom of his private Mar-a-Lago Club, just hours after hearing the charges against him in court in Manhattan. In his first public remarks since the arraignment, Trump accused the Manhattan District attorney of targeting him as a political vendetta, saying he "never thought that anything like this could happen." "The only crime that I've committed is to fiercely defend our nation," Trump said, addressing each of the pending investigations against him, in addition to the charges brought in New York. The rambling, 27-minute speech, Trump called the charges against him "a persecution, not an investigation" and evidence the country "is going to hell," adding that the charges should be dropped immediately. "These radical left lunatics want to interfere with our elections by using law enforcement we can't let that happen," Trump said. "With all of this being said, and with a very dark cloud over our beloved country I have no doubt nevertheless, that we will make America great again." The 34 charges brought against Trump today mark the first time in history that a former president has faced criminal prosecution. If found guilty, Trump could face up to four years in prison. The Manhattan District attorney alleged that Trump orchestrated an unlawful scheme to influence the 2016 presidential election, accusing the former president of violating election laws and falsifying business records related to payments to guarantee the silence of two women who allege they had affairs with him. Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 criminal counts of falsifying business records, and has denied having the affairs. A trial date in the case hasn't been set yet, but the next hearing is set for December 4. Story continues Supporters began filling the room around 5 p.m., and by the time Trump reached the stage the standing area of the ballroom was packed with between 500 to 700 people, some of whom were Mar-a-Lago members. Surrounded by his remaining political allies, including Roger Stone, Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Trump was introduced as "the next President of the United States," to raucous cheers of "USA! USA!" from the crowd. Melania Trump was notably absent, but Eric Trump, the second son of the former president, and daughter Tiffany Trump, were in attendance. "It's a sad day in America," Greene told Insider in an interview. "It's a tragic day in America that we've crossed this line to where we're seeing the weaponization of government, in actual warfare being waged in order to stop a political opponent. This should never happen." Greene said the actions should "unify the party." She declined to say if the other 2024 candidates should drop out of the race, but did say they should "step up and support President Trump and fight for him because he's fought for them, helped them raise money, campaigned for them, let them use his name." Three Republican presidential candidates have formally announced they're running, including former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson. More are expected to announce in the coming weeks and months, including former Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, and Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida. Polling for the 2024 GOP primary has shown Trump gaining steam amid news of the forthcoming indictment. Congressional Republicans, including some who have previously criticized Trump, also rallied behind him on Tuesday. Attendees largely struck an optimistic tone, convinced the indictment would lead more voters to support Trump. The Trump campaign reported that it had raised $8 million since the indictment Thursday. "The guy is raising millions of dollars from people who have never donated one penny to politics," Kari Lake, the 2022 gubernatorial candidate from Arizona, told reporters before Trump's speech. "They understand and they recognize bullying when they see it." The arraignment on Tuesday "solidified" a Trump win in 2024, MyPillow CEO and Trump ally Mike Lindell told Insider ahead of the Mar-a-Lago speech. He accused the Manhattan DA of having political motivations because Trump didn't "go away" after the 2020 election. Lindell also criticized DeSantis, who polls just behind Trump in a hypothetical 2024 matchup, for saying that he wouldn't be involved in a potential extradition given that Trump had already planned to show up in court voluntarily. DeSantis should not run for president, Lindell added. "He should just endorse Trump tomorrow morning," he said. Read the original article on Business Insider The US is "going to hell", Donald Trump has said in a defiant address after pleading not guilty to falsifying business records to hide damaging information ahead of the 2016 election. The former president was charged with 34 counts in a Manhattan court in New York on Tuesday. These relate to a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, who says they had an affair. Mr Trump is the first US president in history to face a criminal trial. "The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it," the 76-year-old told supporters gathered at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida after he appeared in court. He said that the "fake case" was simply part of a Democratic conspiracy to interfere with next year's presidential election, in which he is running. Earlier, he sat stony-faced and silent for the nearly hour-long proceedings before Judge Juan Merchan, speaking out loud only in response to the judge's questions and to enter his plea of not guilty. Mr Trump said nothing to reporters as he left court. The case against the former president hinges on a hush-money payment of $130,000 (104,000) made before the 2016 presidential election. While such a payment is not illegal, spending money to help a presidential campaign but not disclosing it violates federal campaign finance law. His former lawyer, Michael Cohen - who turned against his former boss - has said he made the payment at Mr Trump's direction. Each of the charges carries a maximum of four years in prison, although a judge could sentence Mr Trump to probation if he is convicted. The likelihood of his being found guilty is so far unclear, but the case has pulled the country into uncharted political territory. Mr Trump's trial could begin as early as January 2024, Judge Merchan said, meaning the Republican could be back in court just as primaries begin to select the party's nominee for the presidential election. Story continues While the charges relate to the payment to Stormy Daniels, prosecutors also released background documents which they say point to a pattern of trying to suppress potentially politically damaging stories. They listed two other payments they say were made via the National Enquirer, a US tabloid whose publisher is a long-time ally of Mr Trump. They allege $30,000 was paid to buy the silence of a doorman at Trump Tower who claimed Mr Trump had a lovechild. And $150,000 was paid to Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model who said she had a sexual relationship with Mr Trump. Prosecutors said both payments were made by the National Enquirer. While a criminal conviction would not prevent Mr Trump from either running for president or from reclaiming the Oval Office, the prolonged legal fight could prove a major distraction for the Republican front-runner and may add a new layer of turmoil to his party's primary. Mr Trump is the focus of three other investigations, related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, the attack on the Capitol as it was certifying Joe Biden's victory, and over the former president's handling of classified documents after leaving the White House. Next steps explained With additional reporting from Holly Honderich in Washington and Kayla Epstein in New York Donald Trump pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to his alleged role in hush money payments toward the end of his 2016 presidential campaign the first time a former president has had to plead to criminal charges. The indictment was unsealed in a proceeding before Judge Juan Merchan in criminal court in Manhattan. Trump was flanked by his lawyers inside the courtroom as prosecutors outlined their case, alleging he made covert and illegal payments to affect the 2016 election. He faces a maximum of four years in prison if convicted. Asked for his plea, Trump answered, Not guilty. Prosecutor Chris Conroy told the court that Trump engaged in an illegal conspiracy to aid his campaign and undermine the election. The statement of facts compiled by prosecutors in conjunction with the indictment said Trump repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election. It outlined three people who received hush money payments: adult film star Stormy Daniels, Playboy model Karen McDougal and a former Trump Tower doorman whod claimed to have a story about a child Trump had out of wedlock. Live updates: Trump pleads not guilty to 34 felony charges Daniels was paid $130,000 by former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, while McDougal and the doorman were paid $150,000 and $30,000, respectively, by AMI, the publishers of the National Enquirer. Image: Former President Donald Trump sits at the defense table with his defense team in a Manhattan court on April 4, 2023, in New York. (Seth Wenig / AP) The Enquirer later concluded that the doorman story was not true, and it wanted to release the doorman from the agreement, but it held off on doing so until after the election at Cohen's request, prosecutors said. The court filing said Trump thanked AMI CEO David Pecker for his help by inviting him to dinner at the White House in the summer of 2017. The indictment said the falsified records Trump signed off on were all made in 2017, when he was president. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg told reporters the false statements were "made to cover up other crimes," including violations of New York election law and federal campaign finance limits. Story continues Addressing supporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Tuesday night, Trump said, "I never thought anything like this could happen in America." "The only crime I've committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it," he said, calling the case "fake." "It should be dropped immediately," he said. The legal troubles, media spectacle and porn-star-hush-money salaciousness at the heart of the case are a new chapter for the New York tycoon-turned-TV star-turned-politician, whose career has careened from scandal to success for four decades. This time, unlike his bankrupted casinos or his failed marriages, many of Trumps supporters and detractors argue, the fate of American democracy is hanging in the balance as the former president increasingly conflates any legal woes as an effort to illegitimately deny him a return to power. Conroy also told the judge prosecutors were very concerned about Trumps inflammatory social media posts about Bragg, other prosecutors and the judge, saying they could have an impact on jurors and witnesses. Trump attorney Todd Blanche told the judge his client is "upset" and was simply exercising his First Amendment rights. The judge warned both sides against escalating their rhetoric but did not issue any type of gag order. Please refrain from making statements that would incite violence or civil unrest, Merchan said. 'Repeatedly and fraudulently' Trump arrived at the courthouse at 100 Centre St. in lower Manhattan in a presidential-style motorcade from Trump Tower in midtown, where hed stayed overnight. He was informed he was under arrest, fingerprinted and processed ahead of his arraignment. "Seems so SURREAL WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Cant believe this is happening in America," he said in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, which published as he was arriving at the courthouse. With the failures of Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot still fresh in officials minds, security was high in the courthouse and nearby areas as the police department, court officers and the Secret Service braced for protests amid the unprecedented arraignment of a former president. With a media circus outside, Trump was escorted out of the courthouse and back into his car afterward. He flew back to his Florida home on his private jet immediately after the hearing. In a statement, Bragg said his office alleges Trump "repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal crimes that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election. He said "the trail of money and lies exposes a pattern that, the People allege, violates one of New Yorks basic and fundamental business laws." "As this office has done time and time again, we today uphold our solemn responsibility to ensure that everyone stands equal before the law. Blanche called the charges "really disappointing." "Its sad, and were going to fight it hard," he said, saying Trump is "upset and frustrated and disappointed and mad that this happened." 'Indict himself' Trump last month called for protests in the event of his arrest, and he later ratcheted up his rhetoric, warning of "potential death and destruction" if he was charged. He continued to post overnight on Truth Social, leveling criticism at the prosecutor. "[I]f he wants to really clean up his reputation, he will do the honorable thing and, as District Attorney, INDICT HIMSELF," Trump said of Bragg, a Democrat, whom he accused of leaking details of the indictment to the media. Trump, 76, has also used the indictment to raise money for his 2024 campaign, which announced Monday evening that it had raised $7 million since a grand jury voted to indict him Thursday. Hundreds of pro- and anti-Trump demonstrators gathered in a small park across from the courthouse ahead of his scheduled appearance, including Reps. George Santos, R-N.Y., and Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., and some of the exchanges between the competing camps grew heated. Police estimated there were 300 pro-Trump demonstrators near the courthouse and 150 anti-Trump protesters. A scheduled appearance by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., a top Trump ally, was cut short after she was drowned out by whistles that had been handed out by another Trump supporter. Mayor Eric Adams told reporters at a news conference Monday that the city was ready for unrest. We are prepared, he said. Shortly before noon, however, protesters were still outnumbered by the mass of international news media that descended on the area around the courthouse, including reporters from Brazil, Germany, France, Finland and Sweden. Under a 2019 New York state law that Trump as president criticized as being too soft on crime, the charges he faces dont qualify for bail, because theyre nonviolent offenses. Legal experts said the judge could restrict Trumps travel but is unlikely to do so because hes running for president and isnt considered a flight risk. Trump has denied any wrongdoing, calling the investigation by Bragg's office a witch hunt and accusing Bragg of being a racist. Trump wrote Monday on Truth Social that he didnt believe he could get a fair trial in Manhattan, where he lived for decades and made his name before he moved to Florida during his presidency. The actions at the center of the investigations took place in New York, where Trump's campaign was also headquartered at the time. The Corrupt D.A. has no case, he wrote. What he does have is a venue where it is IMPOSSIBLE for me to get a Fair Trial (it must be changed!) He also called for a new judge to preside over the case, saying he believes Merchan is Trump Hating. He must be changed! Trump wrote on his website. He has also said Merchan who presided over last years criminal trial against the Trump Organization and its former chief financial officer, which led to multiple convictions, was hand-picked by Bragg. Court officials have said that Merchan was randomly assigned to oversee the grand jury investigation and that judges who supervise such probes generally try any cases that come out of the grand jury. The last time Trump was in a Manhattan courthouse was for jury duty in 2015, when he praised the American legal system as a "great ... system that works." Hush money payments The DAs investigation centered on the hush money payments made ahead of the 2016 election to two women who claimed to have had affairs with Trump. He has denied the affairs and any wrongdoing. Cohen, then Trumps lawyer, paid Daniels $130,000 in the closing days of the campaign. He has said he made the payment at Trumps direction, and Trump had acknowledged repaying Cohen through payments that were labeled as legal expenses. Prosecutors also questioned witnesses about allegations that $150,000 in hush money had been previously paid to McDougal, the former Playboy playmate. AMI acknowledged in a federal court case involving Cohen that it had paid McDougal for the rights to her story with no intention of ever publishing it. Cohen who testified before the grand jury acknowledged he was involved in both payments in a guilty plea in Manhattan federal court in 2018. The arraignment is just the beginning of a lengthy legal process that could take months or years to resolve. The case is expected to go to trial next year. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Former President Trump slammed Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg Tuesday from Mar-a-Lago, just hours after pleading not guilty to falsifying business records related to alleged hush-money payments made ahead of the 2016 presidential campaign, telling supporters he "never thought anything like this could happen in America." TRUMP PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO 34 FELONY COUNTS OF FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS LINKED TO 2016 HUSH-MONEY PAYMENTS Trump was arraigned Tuesday in New York City, after being indicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges. The judge did not impose a gag order, so Trump was free to make remarks about the case Tuesday night when he returned to Mar-a-Lago. Stormy Daniels reacted to former President Donald Trump's arraignment with an X-rated tweet. "I never thought anything like this could happen in America. I never thought it could happen," Trump said Tuesday night. "The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defending our nation from those who seek to destroy it." Donald Trump speaks to crowds at Mar-a-Lago after being indicted in New York City. "From the beginning, the Democrats spied on my campaign--remember that they attacked me with an onslaught of fraudulent investigations Russia, Russia, Russia; Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine; impeachment hoax number one; impeachment hoax number two; the illegal and unconstitutional raid on Mar-a-Lago right here; the lying to the FISA court; the FBI and DOJ relentlessly pursuing Republicans; the uncontested judicial changes to election laws by not getting approvals from state legislatures," Trump said. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Trump was referring to the original investigation by the FBI, then Special Counsel Robert Mueller, into whether he and members of his 2016 campaign colluded with Russia to influence the presidential election. After nearly two years, Mueller's investigation yielded no evidence of criminal conspiracy or coordination by the Trump campaign. TRUMP TARGETED: A LOOK AT THE INVESTIGATIONS INVOLVING THE FORMER PRESIDENT, FROM RUSSIA TO MAR-A-LAGO Trump also referred to his impeachments. Trump was the first president in United States history to be impeached and acquitted twice. He also detailed a number of other investigations that clouded his administration. Story continues But Trump, on Tuesday night, slammed Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg as a "Soros-backed prosecutor" who "campaigned on the fact that he would get President Trump." "A local failed district attorney charging a former President of the United States for the first time in history on a basis that every single pundit and legal analyst said there is no casetheres no case," Trump said. "But its far worse than that, because he knew there was no case." Donald Trump speaks to crowds at Mar-a-Lago after being indicted in New York City. Trump called on Bragg to "resign" after "leaking" details of the indictment to the media before it was unsealed Tuesday. Trump went on to slam the judge presiding over his case as a "Trump-hating judge," Braggs wife as a "Trump-hating wife and family whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris." The former president and 2024 GOP presidential front-runner's speech came after his unprecedented arraignment in New York City Tuesday. The indictment alleged that Trump "repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election." Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg arrives at the courtroom at the Manhattan Criminal Court in New York on April 4, 2023, before former US President Donald Trump's hearing. Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records stemming from three pre-election hush-money cases, prosecutors said. Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York opted out of charging Trump in 2019 related to the payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. The Federal Election Commission also tossed its investigation into the matter in 2021. Trump surrendered to the Manhattan District Attorneys Office and was arraigned in court Tuesday afternoon after being indicted by a Manhattan grand jury last week. Bragg is alleging that Trump falsified New York business records in order to "conceal damaging information and unlawful activity from American voters before and after the 2016 election." The former president went on to deliver a point-by-point description of each investigation of which he is currently the target. Trump defended himself against allegations out of Special Counsel Jack Smiths investigation. Smith is investigating Trumps alleged mishandling of classified records at Mar-a-Lago. "Our justice system has become lawless," Trump said. "Theyre using it now, in addition to everything else, to win elections." Trump took a swipe at Hillary Clinton, who "got rid of 33,000 emails." "That was okay," Trump said. Trump slammed Smith as a "lunatic special prosecutor." The former president also slammed President Biden, who is also under special counsel investigation for his alleged mishandling of classified records, and claimed that the documents he held at Mar-a-Lago were declassified. "As president, I have the right to declassify documents. If I take them with me, its automatic declassify," Trump said, adding that Biden was vice president, and said he "had absolutely no right to declassify." "They like to say that Im obstructing, which Im not, because I was working with NARA very nicely until the raid on my home." Smith was appointed as special counsel after the FBI, in August, in an unprecedented move, raided Trumps private residence at Mar-a-Lago in connection with an investigation into classified records the former president allegedly took with him from the White House on Aug. 8, 2022. Cops line up outside of Manhattan court ahead of Trump arraignment. Smith is also investigating whether Trump or other officials and entities interfered with the peaceful transfer of power following the 2020 presidential election, including the certification of the Electoral College vote on Jan. 6, 2021. Shifting to New York, Trump slammed New York State Attorney General Letitia James as a "racist in reverse who also campaigned on I will get Trump." James, a Democrat, has been investigating Trump since she took office in January 2019. James brought a lawsuit against Trump in September alleging he and his company misled banks and others about the value of his assets. Trump also slammed the Georgia grand jury investigating Trump's alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state, including his phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in which Trump suggested the Republicans "find" enough votes to change the results. Trump slammed the "local racist Democrat district attorney in Atlanta who is doing everything in their power to indict me over an absolutely perfect phone call, even more perfect than the one I made with the president of Ukraine." Trump was referring to his first impeachmentbrought after a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in which he suggested Ukraine should investigate the Biden family's business deals in Kyiv. DONALD TRUMP AND STORMY DANIELS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW "I kept saying that is a perfect callthis one was even more perfect," Trump said, referring to the Georgia call. "This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election and it should be dropped and immediately," Trump said. Trump also slammed Hunter Biden and the Biden family, saying had their business dealings and the infamous Hunter Biden laptop been revealed before the 2020 election, the election results "would have been in our favor." The charges against Trump come after a years-long investigation opened in 2019 by then-Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance. The probe was focused on possible bank, insurance and tax fraud. The case initially involved financial dealings of Trumps Manhattan properties, including his flagship Fifth Avenue building, Trump Tower, and the valuation of his 213-acre estate Seven Springs in Westchester. Last year, the investigation led to tax fraud charges against The Trump Organization and its finance chief Allen Weisselberg. A video of a Trump supporter on a raised bike striking a skateboard and hitting the ground while riding in Manhattan has gone viral with millions of views. Both supporters and protesters slamming the former president gathered in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday for Donald Trumps arraignment following his indictment on 34 counts of falsification of business records. Mr Trump is the first US president, current or former, to face criminal proceedings. The protester appeared to be dressed in a similar way to the so-called QAnon Shaman Jacob Chansley who gained fame for his appearance during the January 6 insurrection. The rider could be seen in clips shared online riding an extra-tall bike in red, white, and blue colours before hitting a skateboard and falling to the ground. He then gets back up and seems to run towards people moving down the street. His face was painted and he was wearing a fur hat with horns, much like Chansley. Chansley is at a halfway house in Phoenix, Arizona, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. He was sentenced to 41 months behind bars after a guilty plea to obstruction of an official proceeding, Newsweek notes. He was released after 27 months. GOP House Speaker Kevin McCarthy shared security footage from the insurrection with Tucker Carlson of Fox News, who said Capitol Police never stopped Jacob Chansley, prompting Twitter owner Elon Musk to post, Free Jacob Chansley, on 10 March. Im not part of MAGA, but I do believe in fairness of justice, Mr Musk said in response to a tweet. Chansley was falsely portrayed in the media as a violent criminal who tried to overthrow the state and who urged others to commit violence. But here he is urging people to be peaceful and go home. And the other video shows him calmly walking in the Capitol building, being escorted by officers and then thanking the officers, he added. Story continues The clip of the man on the bike wearing a Trump flag as a cape drew plenty of reaction on Twitter as the footage garnered millions of views. No notes, comedian Patton Oswalt wrote. Hopefully the headgear was ok, lawyer Ron Filipkowski added. Author James Felton said, never seen so many poor life choices crammed into a 3 second video before. Perfect, artistic and poetic fall. Job well done to the guy who threw the skateboard. Sublime aim and perfect timing. Whoever filmed this also did a fantastic job. Perfect [lighting] and no camera shaking. Its a 10/10 for me, artist Anis Jerbi said. A protest was organised on Monday by Georgia Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, where both pro- and anti-Trump protesters were heavily outnumbered by members of the media. Ms Greene was joined by the New York Young Republicans a group with ties to embattled congressman George Santos, who also made a brief appearance at the rally before departing after being mobbed by the media. Ms Greene was also met by counterprotesters holding their own emergency noise demo to drown out her hate speech. The New York Young Republicans at one point responded with a USA-chant. As clashes between pro- and anti-Trump demonstrators took place, the NYPD tried to separate the groups. Both camps were separated with NYPD barricades and community affairs officers between them. Ms Greene took aim at New York Mayor Eric Adams, saying that you send your henchmen down here to commit assault against people by making loud noises. Per Ben Collins of NBC News, the reason it was difficult to hear Ms Greene may have been because a Trump supporter handed out whistles. He was apparently unaware that Ms Greene was attending. Ms Greene urged Americans to take a stand during her brief speech, large parts of which were drowned out by the sounds of counter-protesters. She claimed that the government has been weaponized against Americans, adding: Im here to protest and use my voice and take a stand. Every American should take a stand. This is what happens in communist countries not the United States of America. We have to take a stand against the injustice, the corruption, and the communist Democrats. She continued: Theyre taking our legal code, twisting it, manipulating it, and perverting it into something it was never meant to be. Donald J Trump is innocent, this is election interference. DA Alvin Bragg is nothing but a George Soros-funded tool. He is a tool for the Democrats to try to hijack the 2024 presidential election. This is a travesty! Ms Greene soon left the rally and appeared on RSBN, saying that Mr Trump is joining some of the most incredible people in history being arrested today. Nelson Mandela was arrested, served time in prison. Jesus! Jesus was arrested and murdered. Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday made headlines around the world after pleading not guilty to 34 felony charges involving a $130,000 hush-money payoff to porn actor Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Trumps indictment, his arraignment in a New York courtroom and his comings and goings throughout the day received intense, minute-by-minute coverage from news organizations all around the world. HuffPost has gathered some international front pages featuring the former president. The Daily Mirror (UK) Trump in the Eye of the Stormy, the tabloid headlines its coverage, in reference to the porn star at the center of the charges. The Times of London (UK) News of Trumps criminal charges tops the front page of The Times of London: Trump in the dock. The Scotsman (UK) The Scottish newspaper splashes a picture of Trump entering the courtroom atop its front page: Under arrest: Trump pleads not guilty to 34 criminal charges. Story continues El Pais (Spain) The Spanish newspaper features a photograph of Trump seated in the courtroom, with the headline: Trump accused of 34 crimes. #Portada | Trump, acusado de 34 delitos; citas y abusos en el piso de Martin Vigil; Finlandia se integra a la OTAN entre amenazas del Kremlin, en EL PAIS este miercoles 5 de abril https://t.co/slosU9Nu6Cpic.twitter.com/4BsCSXb2dN EL PAIS (@el_pais) April 4, 2023 El Stampa (Italy) The Italian paper writes: Trump, the conspirator. Kathimerini (Greece) The Greek daily headlines 34 criminal charges, and showed a photo of Trump and his lawyers inside the courtroom. 5 . , : https://t.co/hWPrB3ZVSlpic.twitter.com/3qllq1Bw9m (@Kathimerini_gr) April 5, 2023 Haaretz (Israel) The Israeli newspaper features Trumps not guilty plea. O Globo (Brazil) Brazils O Globo writes: Trump is accused of tampering with records for electoral benefit. Bom dia! Vejam os destaques da edicao de hoje. pic.twitter.com/bThL95RjTp Jornal O Globo (@JornalOGlobo) April 5, 2023 The Irish Times (Ireland) Trump leads Wednesdays edition of The Irish Times, with the headline: Trump pleads not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Toronto Star (Canada) Uncharted territory, writes Canadas Toronto Star, in reference to the historic nature of Trumps indictment. Related... As Turkey reels from an economic crisis and a devastating earthquake, its president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, faces the most nail-biting election since his Justice and Development Party (AKP) took power two decades ago. Erdogan has managed to hold on to power since he became the prime minister in 2003, moving into the president's office in 2014. But now, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the joint candidate of the opposition, is leading in the polls ahead of the May 14 general elections. AKP is looking weaker in polls as well. A change in leadership could affect Russia's invasion of Ukraine, experts said. Turkey has been a major diplomatic intermediary between the two warring countries, with Erdogan often getting personally involved. If he's ousted, Turkey may become closer to the West but also become a less active negotiator. "Erdogan enjoys very close ties with Putin. It allows him to broker deals between Russia and Ukraine," Berk Esen, assistant professor of the Sabanci University in Istanbul, told the Kyiv Independent. But Esen also played down Turkish diplomacy, saying Russia agrees to deals when it wants something. The current Turkish government is trying to balance Ukrainian and Russian demands. Turkey supplies Ukraine with attack drones and has closed off the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits to warships from any country, including Russia. On the other hand, Turkey is negotiating to become a Russian gas hub and has released Russian vessels carrying stolen Ukrainian grain. Turkish companies have reportedly helped Moscow dodge Western sanctions. Erdogan's government has also played an intermediary in large prisoner-of-war exchanges between Ukraine and Russia and is directly involved in the grain deal. But despite Turkey's growing role in the region, foreign policy is not a key priority for its society. Voters care mostly about the economy, according to opinion polls. "If the opposition wins, Turkey is not going to play a high-profile role in negotiations between the countries," Esen said. Story continues Can Russia afford to commit to a years-long war? When Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an all-out war against Ukraine, U.S. intelligence claimed that Russian forces planned to sweep Kyiv within days. More than 13 months on, Ukraines defenses still stand firm. But Ukrainians are now faced with a different threat the Kremlin appears to Kyiv IndependentKatie Marie Davies The Race Erdogan became Turkey's first executive president in 2018 following a controversial constitutional change that allowed him to impose a state of emergency, appoint top officials and intervene in the legal system. Soon, the popular Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who intended to run against Erdogan, received criminal charges in 2022. Those opposing Erdogan later united around Kemal Klcdaroglu, leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP), the country's main opposition party. Klcdaroglu has led the "forever runner-up" Republican People's Party (CHP) since 2010. At that time, this main opposition party lost four parliamentary elections to Erdogan's AKP. But in recent years, Erdogan's run of popularity seemed to have petered out. He has been at least partially blamed for Turkey's economic crisis that began in 2018. Erdogan's popularity rebounded over the past year, thanks to his cash bonuses to state employees and the opposition movement's indecisiveness on running a joint candidate. But the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey in February, killing over 50,000 people and causing over $100 billion in economic damage, put the brakes on Erdogan's comeback. The disaster affected regions home to 15% of Turkey's voters. Yevgeniya Gaber, a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council in Turkey, said that "the earthquake altered electoral trends, as any such challenges are the primary test of power." Polling in Turkey can be a hazy business, but March polls suggest that Kilicdaroglu is ahead of Erdogan by over seven percentage points and polling just north of 50%. The parliament elections are also favoring the opposition. The National Alliance, consisting of CHP, Good Party, and their allies, is looking to beat Erdogan's Justice and Development Party and the Nationalist Movement Party, supporting the current president. The left-wing People's Democratic Party, which endorsed Klcdaroglu, is also polling at over 10%. "The earthquake boosted the opposition ratings," Gaber, a diplomat and former foreign policy advisor to Ukraine's prime minister, told the Kyiv Independent. Ukraines True History Subscribe to our new newsletter Lack of diplomats Erdogan, accused of having a strong-arm approach, has held the reins of Turkey's foreign policy. The opposition has promised to return to a parliamentary republic, where the foreign ministry is run by diplomats, not the president. However, while the opposition was able to assemble a stellar team of economists, the lack of experienced diplomats hurts their foreign policy program, experts said. Two of the Nation Alliance's six constituent parties are headed by former foreign ministers Gelecek Party's Ahmet Davutoglu and Democracy and Progress Party's Ali Babacan. But neither is popular enough to have a good chance of becoming the next foreign minister, believes Hurcan Asli Aksoy, a Turkey Studies expert with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. "It will be not wise to give an important ministry to one of them," Aksoy told the Kyiv Independent. Somebody from CHP has the best chance to take over the foreign ministry, but not many party members have a background in diplomacy. Stoltenberg says Ukraine will join NATO, vows support despite Russias reckless nuclear rhetoric Brussels NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg vowed on April 3 that the alliance would continue supporting Ukraine despite Russias dangerous and reckless nuclear rhetoric. He added that Kyiv can win the war and become a full-fledged NATO member one day. Responding to the Kyiv Independent a Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima Balancing act Currently, Erdogan maintains a middle way, neither alienating Kyiv nor Moscow. Gaber believes that if Erdogan is reelected, he will tone down his anti-Western rhetoric but continue to try to extract benefits from Russia. "He might try to get more benefits out of a weakened Russia. From energy prices and cooperation on oil and gas to the Syria policy and other regional conflicts where Turkey has opposing interests with Russia," Gaber said. According to experts, Putin's preference for Erdogan over potential newcomers is rooted in their longstanding relationship and Turkey's contribution to complicating the internal affairs of NATO. By maintaining close ties with Erdogan, Putin avoids the challenges that could arise from dealing with unfamiliar faces. Meanwhile, Esen believes an Erdogan victory will lead to "more or less the same balancing act, but slightly more pro-Russian." On the other hand, Klcdaroglu's foreign policy stance is uncharted territory, as he is focused on domestic issues. "He has a rather more traditional sort of Kemalist foreign policy view, which is 'let's get back to the negotiation table and resume accession talks with the European Union.' He's been very silent on the U.S. and Russia," Esen said. "Klcdaroglu is not an expert on diplomatic issues," Esen added. "He hasn't really been very vocal, which is why I don't think that they would be significant ruptures in the opposition's foreign policy when it comes to Russia. I don't think that they can really strongly confront Putin." Aksoy said that some policies, such as the "founding agreements of Turkish foreign policy," will not change, regardless of who wins. These include the 1936 Montreux Convention, which regulates maritime traffic through the Turkish Straits. In other words, regardless of the election outcome, Turkey is unlikely to allow Russian warships to enter the Black Sea to threaten Ukraine with missiles. Experts believe an opposition victory would make Turkey more pro-Western in principle but less hands-on with its diplomacy. "If the opposition wins, it would recalibrate the foreign policy more headed in the pro-Western direction," Esen said, adding that the opposition victory "may benefit the Ukrainian side." However, Gaber said that it would be "difficult to move away" from Erdogan's balancing act and take a strong stance in support of Ukraine. Both major opposition parties, CHP and Good Party, support Ukraine and advocate rapprochement with the EU and NATO. They also say that Turkey should reduce its economic and energy dependence on Russia. Yet, neither party wants to join sanctions against Russia, Gaber said. Both are in favor of maintaining just enough relations with Moscow to avoid the aversion of Western partners. "The Good Party is much more focused on issues of Turkic peoples, the Crimean Tatars in particular. And it takes a tougher stance on the condemnation of Russian aggression in Ukraine in Georgia," Gaber said. She believes that if the opposition wins, Turkey would keep up a calculated show of support for a pro-Western and pro-Ukrainian course while attempting not to irritate Russia. "It seems we would have Turkey in the format of Olaf Scholz's Germany. It would be pro-Ukrainian, but very cautious, trying as much as possible to avoid making any harsh statements toward Russia for concern of escalation," Gaber said. Even if the opposition wins the elections, it is expected to take time for Turkey to recover from two decades of Erdogan, leaving his foreign policy in place at least for a while. "The (potential) incoming government is going to inherit a mess," Esen said, pointing to the country's domestic problems as the primary focus of those who take power after May 14. _____________________________________________________ Note from the author: Hello dear reader! Its Alexander Khrebet. Thank you for taking the time to read this article. We need your support to continue reporting on the key events in the region, like these elections. Your support is vital to keep the Kyiv Independent running. If you appreciate our work and would like to support us, please consider becoming our patron. NPR was labeled NPR was labeled "state-affiliated media" on Twitter, joining the ranks of Russia's RT and China's Xinhua News Agency and People's Daily. Twitter on Tuesday quietly labeled NPR state-affiliated media, putting it in line with Russias RT and Chinas Xinhua News Agency. Elon Musk, the social media sites CEO, appeared to directly endorse the designation Wednesday, telling a user who applauded the change that it seems accurate. Shortly after his remark, Twitter updated its websites policy on state-affiliated media apparently so that NPR would be included in its labeling. When Twitter first rolled out the labeling system in 2020, it said the designation was intended for outlets where the state exercises control over editorial content through financial resources, direct or indirect political pressures, and/or control over production and distribution. Before updating its policy this week, Twitter had said that State-financed media organizations with editorial independence, like the BBC in the UK or NPR in the US for example, are not defined as state-affiliated media. After the change, the sentence appears the same but without the phrase or NPR in the US. Twitters policy says that it will not recommend or amplify tweets from accounts that have been labeled. The BBCs Twitter account did not have the labeling as of Wednesday morning. Twitter previously said that Twitter previously said that "State-financed media organizations with editorial independence, like the BBC in the UK or NPR in the US for example, are not defined as state-affiliated media." Referring to the previously long-standing policy, an NPR spokesperson told HuffPost that the designation must be a mistake as it contradicts Twitters own guidelines. The media outlet said it was reaching out to Twitter to have the label removed. In a statement shared with HuffPost, NPR President and CEO John Lansing said the outlet was disturbed to see the labeling and repeated that it is not in line with Twitters past policy. Story continues NPR and our Member stations are supported by millions of listeners who depend on us for the independent, fact-based journalism we provide, Lansing said. NPR stands for freedom of speech and holding the powerful accountable. It is unacceptable for Twitter to label us this way. A vigorous, vibrant free press is essential to the health of our democracy. Russian and Chinese organizations are among the outlets that have received the labeling since 2020 for spreading government propaganda. NPR is a nonprofit media organization. Its greatest amounts of funding come from corporate sponsorships and NPR member organizations that pay fees to host its content. It also collects donations from listeners, including during seasonal pledge drives. Less than 1% of NPRs annual operating budget comes from federal agencies and departments. Musks company Tesla has itself received federal funding, with the electric vehicle maker accepting a $465 million loan from the Energy Department in 2010. Tesla said in 2013 that it had paid off the loan. Twitters rules and guidelines have been capriciously changed since Musks takeover of the company in October. Some of these changes seem to happen on a whim and have targeted the news media. On Sunday, The New York Times had its verification badge removed from its main Twitter account after Musk called the outlet propaganda and likened its Twitter feed to diarrhea. Musk suggested that the badge was removed because the outlet refused to pay the monthly fee to keep it, though many other news organizations have retained their badge despite publicly saying they wont pay the fee. Twitter laid off its entire media relations team following Musks takeover, and the company now only responds to emailed requests for comment with poop emoji. Related... Twitter added a "US state-affiliated media" label to NPR's account on Tuesday. AP Photo/Charles Dharapak Twitter added a "US state-affiliated media" label to NPR's account on Tuesday. The description is usually reserved for outlets like Russia Today and Xinhua in China. NPR reported Thursday that Elon Musk told the outlet the tag might be an error after learning more about the outlet. Twitter CEO Elon Musk said the company may have made an error in adding a "US state-affiliated media" label on NPR's Twitter account, a description usually reserved for accounts like Russia Today, which is funded and run by the Russian government, and China's Xinhua News Agency, the official state news agency of the Chinese government. NPR reported Thursday that it communicated with Musk in a series of emails disputing the tag since it was placed on its account. After learning more about how much of NPR's funding comes from the federal government and the outlet's longstanding editorial independence, Musk allegedly said Twitter "should fix" the mistake. "The operating principle at new Twitter is simply fair and equal treatment, so if we label non-US accounts as govt, then we should do the same for US, but it sounds like that might not be accurate here," Musk allegedly wrote in one email to NPR. According to NPR's website, less than 1% of its annual operating budget on average comes from grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and federal agencies and departments. NPR says its top revenue sources are sponsorships from corporations, and NPR Member organization fees. CPB was created by Congress's Public Broadcasting Act of 1967. While Musk reportedly admitted it may have been a mistake and said the label is still being evaluated, NPR still has the label as of Friday morning. The outlet hasn't tweeted since it the tag was added to their account, as any new tweets would come with what the outlet calls a "false disclaimer" labeling their coverage as state-affiliated. According to Twitter's Help Center, the label is for media outlets whose editorial content is controlled by the state "through financial resources, direct or indirect political pressures, and/or control over production and distribution." Story continues NPR was previously mentioned alongside the BBC in the UK as an example of state-financed media organizations that do have editorial independence, and therefore would not be defined "as state-affiliated media for the purposes of this policy," as shown on Wayback Machine. However, Twitter has since scrubbed the mention of NPR on that Help Center page. The mention of the BBC, which did not see the label added to its accounts, remains on the page. A screenshot of NPR's Twitter profile on Wednesday shows a label reading "US state-affiliated media." Twitter/@NPR "We were disturbed to see last night that Twitter has labeled NPR as 'state-affiliated media,' a description that, per Twitter's own guidelines, does not apply to NPR," NPR President and CEO John Lansing said in a statement shared with Insider. "NPR and our Member stations are supported by millions of listeners who depend on us for the independent, fact-based journalism we provide," Lansing added. "NPR stands for freedom of speech and holding the powerful accountable. It is unacceptable for Twitter to label us this way. A vigorous, vibrant free press is essential to the health of our democracy." Musk has interacted with several tweets regarding Twitter's labeling of NPR, including news reports and users including right-wing commentator Benny Johnson criticizing NPR and its use of federal funds. He has not commented publicly on the reported discussions with NPR, or indicated online that Twitter made a mistake. Insider contacted Twitter for comment. The company sent back an automated message that did not address the question. Elon Musk has previously said he finds Russia Today's "news quite entertaining" in text messages with a former Tesla executive. The texts were revealed in court documents while he was trying to back out of his decision to buy Twitter for $44 billion. "EU passed a law banning Russia Today and several other Russian news sources. We have been told to block their IP address," Musk texted Antonio Gracias, after the European Union put out an order last March, banning Russian state media outlets after Russia invaded Ukraine. Musk followed up in another text saying Russia's media has "lot of bullshit, but some good points too." Read the original article on Business Insider After taking over last year, Twitter's new owner has invented policies on the fly, pushed questionable design changes and generally bent the platform to suit his whims. In the latest installment of Elon Musk's mercurial leadership saga, Twitter now classifies American news nonprofit NPR the same way that it handles RT, the infamous Russian state-backed mouthpiece that pushes the Kremlin's talking points to the broader world. Screenshot of NPR's Twitter account with state media label Image Credits: NPR NPR's Twitter account on the once-essential breaking news platform now comes with a tag denoting it as "US state-affiliated media." But NPR doesn't meet Twitter's own definition for a state-affiliated account: State-affiliated media is defined as outlets where the state exercises control over editorial content through financial resources, direct or indirect political pressures, and/or control over production and distribution... State-financed media organizations with editorial independence, like the BBC in the UK for example, are not defined as state-affiliated media for the purposes of this policy. NPR, which operates with editorial independence, isn't controlled by the U.S. government. And the news organization only received about 1% of its budget from federal funding in 2020. Yesterday, @elonmusks Twitter labeled NPR state-affiliated media, even though the companys own policy stated the organization shouldnt be labeled as such because it has editorial independence (left). Hours later, Twitter removed the reference to NPR in the policy (right). pic.twitter.com/cAXoXYFQ2G David Gura (@davidgura) April 5, 2023 The decision, which appears to have come out of the blue, may have as much to do with Elon Musk's failure to understand the media as it does his tendency to settle scores by changing Twitter's rules and functions. Story continues Based on Musk's prior attacks on the press, it's possible that NPR has some unflattering investigative coverage of the tech mogul lined up. But it's just as likely that Musk is just flexing his influence to appease his fans and the upstart right-wing media outlets that he has repeatedly aligned himself with. Just prior to waging war with NPR, Musk took aim at The New York Times. Twitter's users waited with bated breath over the weekend in anticipation, waiting for the directive that all "legacy" check marks be stripped from previously verified accounts to come to pass. But legacy blue checks survived the weekend with one notable exception: The New York Times. Musk apparently revoked the NYT's blue check himself after learning that the paper didn't have plans to pay for his ill-conceived new pay-for-play verification service. Musk's disdain for traditional news media was a major animating factor in his decision to buy Twitter to begin with. And as Twitter decays into an unpleasant slurry of stale jokes, amplified hate and paid prominence, Musk will likely continue to manipulate the social network to his own ends, right up until the wheels fall off or we all stop paying attention. 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. The Broward School Board will consider hiring an independent investigator following separate accusations of inappropriate touching by two newly elected board members, according to official documents. The claims are against board members Brenda Fam, who holds the District 6 seat, and Allen Zeman, who holds the countywide at-large Seat 8, the boards April 11 meeting agenda packet shows. They were both elected to the School Board in November. If the board votes yes at Tuesdays meeting, it would authorize Interim Superintendent Earlean Smiley and the districts General Counsel Marylin Batista to hire an outside investigator. An affirmative vote would also allow School Board Chair Lori Alhadeff to submit a written notification to Gov. Ron DeSantis pending the outcome of the investigation and if misconduct is found, according to the agenda item. The agenda item also would authorize Alhadeff to highly recommend both school board members restrict their attendance at school district and community events to school board meetings, public hearings and workshops pending the outcome of the investigation. The allegations were brought to the attention of Alhadeff, according to the agenda item. Alhadeff did not respond to the Heralds request for comment. Brenda Fam is sworn into office by both Domingo Vasquez, right, and Tom Powers during a ceremony for newly elected Broward School Board members on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022, at Fort Lauderdale High School. In the case of Fam, an 18-year-old student allegedly told the district that she touched him on the buttocks during an event on March 27 at the Signature Grand in Davie, the Sun Sentinel first reported. Fam told the newspaper that she inadvertently brushed against someone with her hand at an awards banquet, but didnt specify where on the body it was. Fam, in an email to the Miami Herald Tuesday evening, said she respects the call for an investigation. I will cooperate and look forward to conclusion of the investigation, as the full story and truth is revealed, she said. Dr. Allen Zeman speaks during a Broward County School Board meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023, in Fort Lauderdale. In the second incident, a male employee told then Superintendent Vickie Cartwright in December that Zeman had hit him on the buttocks, the Sentinel reported. The employee told the newspaper in February that he made Cartwright aware of the situation and informed her he didnt wish to file a complaint. Story continues Zeman told the Herald in a phone call Tuesday evening that every complaint needs to be heard and every complaint with credibility needs to be investigated, but said that the Broward Schools employee involved in the alleged incident, which he called a nothingburger, hasnt filed a complaint. The other participant in what was alleged was not offended, did not feel like anything was inappropriate or improper, he said. So much so that he did not file a complaint. In fact, he has made it clear that he does not intend to file a complaint, he added. Two Maryland state inmates were sentenced Tuesday to an additional 18 months in state prison for assaulting correctional officers last summer in the yard at Roxbury Correctional Institution south of Hagerstown. Five inmates were charged following a fight in the prison yard July 17, with one of the correctional officers being choked. Four of the five inmates were in Washington County District Court on Tuesday for potential trials. Of the three inmates who still didn't have an attorney, one pleaded. The other inmate who pleaded was represented by a public defender. More crime news: Attempted-murder charge dropped in 2022 Hagerstown fight case involving stabbing Avon Taylor, 36, and Franklin Evans, 32, both pleaded guilty to second-degree assault of a Division of Corrections employee. District Court Judge Eric W. Schaffer sentenced both to an additional 18 months in state prison, the sentence recommended by Assistant State's Attorney Dakota Parrish in extending the plea deals. Schaffer is the District Court administrative judge for Washington and Frederick counties. "The State of Maryland takes assaults of Division of Corrections guards and employees very seriously," Parrish said after the second plea hearing. "Given the allegations in this case, the state feels that an 18-month consecutive sentence is appropriate and is satisfied with the result." Second-degree assault of a state prison employee has a maximum penalty of 10 years and/or a $2,500 fine, according to court records. During his hearing, Taylor did not choose to make a statement to the judge before sentencing. He did not have an attorney as of Tuesday's hearing. Evans told Schaffer he was "trying to move forward" and "working on trying to get home and not staying in prison." By law, Schaffer said he couldn't suspend any of the 18-month sentence. Parrish explained after the hearings that, by state law, the sentence for assaulting a correctional officer must be consecutive to other sentences and none of it can be suspended. Story continues Christopher Firor, 40, faces two counts of second-degree assault on a corrections employee, while Dominetreous Anthony, 36, and Devahn McFadden, 30, each face one count on that charge. McFadden previously also faced a felony count of first-degree assault of a corrections employee. Parrish said in an interview that the state's attorney's office decided to drop the felony charge. Firor's and Anthony's trials were postponed to June, according to their online case dockets. McFadden's trial is scheduled for late July. Details of the Roxbury prison yard fight between inmates and correctional officers The July 17 fight that broke out in the prison yard led to four officers "requiring nonemergency medical evaluation," court documents state. Parrish said the incident began when a sixth inmate was noncompliant and struggled with officers when there was an attempt to handcuff him. Then Evans, McFadden, Anthony and Taylor "engage with staff in an aggressive" manner, charging documents state. Evans struck a lieutenant in the head and face several times, starting a larger fight, Parrish told the judge on Tuesday. Evans fought with the lieutenant until staff got control of Evans, Parrish said. As a correctional officer tried to secure Anthony, Anthony refused to be cuffed and started pulling away from the officer and turned to allegedly strike the officer, according to charging documents. Taylor approached the same officer from behind and started hitting him in the back, knocking him down. Inmates then began kicking that officer while he was on the ground, court records state. A correctional officer, trying to follow orders and handcuff McFadden, grabbed the inmate from behind and McFadden turned and started to pull away, charging documents state. The two fell to the ground and McFadden allegedly wrapped his arm around the officer's neck and tried to choke him. The officer told an investigator he started to hit McFadden because he was losing his breath, records state. Another officer responded and they cuffed McFadden. Firor is accused of jumping on the lieutenant, knocking him and a sergeant to the ground, court records state. The five inmates were transferred to state prisons near Cumberland, Md., following the incident, court records state. Those prisons have maximum security, whereas RCI and the other two state prisons south of Hagerstown have medium security. This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Two Maryland inmates plead in prison yard fight with officers Oleksandr (left) and Bohdan (right). Bohdan and Oleksandr Two Ukrainian men in wheelchairs were forcibly sent to Russia last year after Kherson was occupied. Bohdan and Oleksandr told Insider they were bullied during their time in a Russian deportation camp. They were among a small group who were able to escape in January and now live in Norway. As soon as Oleksandr and Bohdan crossed the Russian border into Estonia, a wave of relief washed over them. The Ukrainian friends, who are both disabled and need a wheelchair to get around, told Insider they were fearful as they tried to escape the Voronezh region of Russia, several months after they were forcibly deported there. "Being in a wheelchair makes you more vulnerable," Bohdan, 35, told Insider. "Many people with us did not speak up for themselves, but we did." Both men were living in a care home in Kherson when Russia captured the southern region within days of it launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February last year. The home housed around 200 elderly and disabled adults. But when pro-Kremlin officials took over, they were told they had to leave because it was being turned into a military facility. Their destination was Russia. What awaited them was months of verbal attacks and psychological abuse. 'If someone tries to run away, we will punish you' "We were scared to go [to Russia] because we knew that Russian propaganda, people there, have the wrong image of Ukrainian people and they hate us," Oleksandr, 25, told Insider. The men were forced to board ambulances that drove them to Russian-occupied Crimea. They could do very little to fight back. From there, they took a train to a deportation center in the western Russian region of Voronezh. "We were told: 'If someone tries to run away, we will punish you,'" he said. The center was located in an isolated field, with a cemetery on one side, they said. There were some shops close by, but some of the disabled people were not offered assistance to go there, so were mostly trapped inside, they added. Story continues Their days were filled with threats and bullying, the men told Insider, adding that nurses frequently referred to them "Nazis." (While justifying the war, Russia has falsely claimed that Ukraine is run by "Nazis" and that it aims to "denazify" the region.) Bohdan said that there was "more psychological pressure than there was physical," adding that they were frequently threatened with jail time if they didn't follow orders. Disabled people in Ukraine face a dire situation As the conflict drags into its second year, more disabled people in Ukraine are facing the risk of violence and exploitation, the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) warned in a report last November. Data published by the agency in June last year shows that more than 143,000 disabled people have been displaced, though the number is expected to be higher. It did not give any data on how many had been forcibly deported. However, human rights officials have said that vulnerable Ukrainians among them, thousands of children have been sent to Russia as part of a larger-scale forced relocation and deportation program. Many of them have their passports seized and replaced with Russian documentation, Ukrainian officials have said. Bohdan also briefly had his passport taken off of him, telling Insider that everyone in the care home was encouraged to get Russian passports. "They told us without Russian passports, you won't earn any money, pay for food or bills," he said. 'My electric wheelchair broke down' Several weeks after their arrival, caretakers started calling the men "mentally ill" and threatened to send them to a psychiatric ward. Scared for their safety, Bohdan and Oleksandr contacted Helping To Leave, an NGO that helps deported Ukrainians get out of Russia. Two weeks later, they were picked up and driven to Moscow. But around 125 miles to the capital, the car broke down, leaving the men unable to move and dressed in light clothing in freezing conditions. "We had to wait for a taxi to collect us. When we were changing cars, my electric wheelchair broke down," Bohdan said. "It was all really tense." Once they made it to Moscow, they took a train to St. Petersburg and then crossed into neighboring Estonia from where they would eventually catch a flight to Norway. Both told Insider they plan on living there for the foreseeable future. Describing the moment he got out of Russia, Bohdan said: "I felt like it was the day before my birthday party. I didn't know what great gifts would await me." Read the original article on Business Insider A man is in critical condition after being shot and then run over in the parking lot of a Pennsylvania gas station, Philadelphia police told news outlets. The 26-year-old victim stopped at a gas station in Philadelphias East Falls neighborhood before 1 a.m. on April 5, and two other vehicles soon pulled into the lot, KYW reported. Video from the scene shows a man get out of a Cadillac and open fire on the victim, hitting him two times, once in each leg, police told WCAU. A U-Haul truck then runs the victim over as it exits the lot, the station reported. The driver of the Cadillac also drove away from the scene. Police later found the U-Haul truck left on a nearby road, WPVI reported. The victim was taken to a hospital in critical condition, police told the station. Officials didnt say what may have motivated the attack. Double amputee crawls to safety after carjacker dumps him on train tracks, officials say Shoot them. Chipotle order turns chaotic after duo demands more cheese, Ohio cops say Accused robber targets man in wheelchair finds out hes an armed veteran, TX cops say Trusted farmhand shot, killed 80-year-old shucking corn in shed, Minnesota cops say By Padraic Halpin DUBLIN (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will visit Ireland and Northern Ireland on April 11-14 to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday peace accord on one side of the Irish border and visit his ancestral home on the other, the White House said on Wednesday. The Good Friday Agreement - signed on April 10, 1998 - largely ended three decades of sectarian bloodshed that had convulsed Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom, since the late 1960s and took the lives of over 3,600 people. However the anniversary has been overshadowed by a year-long boycott by Northern Ireland's largest pro-British unionist party of the power-sharing devolved government central to the 1998 deal. The party is angry over post-Brexit trade rules that treated the province differently to the rest of the U.K. Biden will travel to Northern Ireland from April 11-12 to mark the "tremendous progress" since 1998 and underscore the United States' readiness to support Northern Ireland's "vast economic potential", the White House said in a statement. The British government and the European Union reached a deal in February to ease post-Brexit trade rules between Northern Ireland and the rest of the U.K. But the political stalemate has yet to be resolved. US SUPPORT Biden, who clashed with the British government at times during the Brexit talks, has expressed his support for the new deal on trade rules. There is still some sporadic violence in Northern Ireland by small groups opposed to peace. Britain's MI5 intelligence agency last week increased the threat level there from domestic terrorism to "severe" - meaning an attack is highly likely. The threat level has been mostly at that level since the system was introduced in 2010. The 1998 deal was partially brokered by the U.S. government of then-President Bill Clinton, who will travel to Belfast a week later with his wife Hillary for an event marking the anniversary. Story continues Biden, who often speaks proudly of his Irish roots, will spend April 12-14 in the Irish Republic, where he will visit Dublin and his two ancestral homes of County Louth and County Mayo. He will deliver an address to celebrate the United States' and Ireland's "deep historic ties" in the western county of Mayo, where his great-great-grandfather, Edward Blewitt, grew up. "Joe Biden has always been a friend of Ireland. Over many decades, and to this day, he has supported the cause of peace. He stood with us as we navigated the difficult consequences of Brexit," Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said in a statement. (Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Gareth Jones) "Rosa joined our family as a young girl who had been in the foster care system," explained the Illinois congressman in a statement about his daughter's death Michael Brochstein/getty Illinois Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia has announced the death of his 28-year-old daughter, Rosa. In a statement shared on social media Tuesday, the congressman revealed that his family was left "completely heartbroken" after her death on Monday night. Related:Donald Trump Returns to Mar-a-Lago for Campaign Speech After Pleading Not Guilty Following Indictment "Last night our beloved daughter, Rosa, passed away at the age of 28," the statement read. "Our family is completely heartbroken. Rosa joined our family as a young girl who had been in the foster care system. We did our best to provide a stable, loving, and welcoming home for her." A statement from Congressman Jesus "Chuy" Garcia pic.twitter.com/BxcqJ1POEZ Congressman Chuy Garcia (@RepChuyGarcia) April 4, 2023 According to The Chicago Sun-Times, Rosa was the youngest of Garcia and his wife Evelyn's three children. While a cause of death was not revealed, Garcia added in his statement that his "family asks for privacy and welcomes your thoughts and prayers during this most difficult time." Rep. Garcia has represented the Fourth Congressional District of Illinois since 2019. Related:Malia Obama to Make Directorial Debut with Donald Glover-Produced Short Film: Report Having served in the Illinois Senate from 1993 to 1999 and been a Chicago City Council member from 1986 to 1993, many of his fellow politicians offered their condolences. "My deepest condolences go out to Rep. Garcia during this difficult time," wrote Brandon Johnson in a tweet before his victory in the Chicago Mayoral runoff on Tuesday. "The loss of a child is a tragedy that no parent should ever endure. I hope that in the midst of this profound sorrow, Rep. Garcia and his family find comfort in the memories of Rosa's kindness and spirit." Story continues Rep. Garcia and Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas both ran against Johnson for a bid as Chicago's next mayor. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Vallas also offered his condolences on Twitter, writing on Tuesday: "My heart goes out to Congressman Garcia as he grieves the horrific loss of his daughter Rosa. My prayers are with the Garcia family during this time." For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. The U.S. sanctioned another Haitian lawmaker on Wednesday, accusing him of facilitating and soliciting bribes worth million of dollars. Gary Bodeau, who was sanctionedby the Canadian government late last year, was sanctioned by the Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world. Bodeau, 45, is a former president of the Lower Chamber of Deputies in the Haitian Parliament who was considered one of the most powerful lawmakers under President Jovenel Moise before his July 2021 assassination. Bodeau will now be ineligible to enter the United States under visa restrictions and any assets he currently has in the United States will be blocked. In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused Bodeau of being involved in significant corruption. The United States and its partners will continue to use all tools at our disposal to support the Haitian people and promote accountability for corrupt actors who exploit the Haitian people and contribute to the ongoing instability in Haiti, Blinken said. Bodeaus designation follows that of several other high-profile members of Haitis political class and business community. The financial sanctions, which prevent travel to the United States and freeze any assets the individual may have in U.S. banks, are part of a new foreign policy by the U.S. and Canada targeting members of Haitis political and business elite. Both Washington and Ottawa have accused powerful figures in Haiti of contributing to the Caribbean nations political destabilization by financing violent protests and armed gangs and facilitating corruption. Corrupt officials like Bodeau have created an environment that empowers illegal armed gangs and their supporters to inflict violence on the Haitian people, said Brian Nelson, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. Along with our partners, including Canada, we are committed to holding accountable those undermining the integrity of Haitis government and destabilizing the country. Story continues How U.S. sanctions turn people into economic pariahs and why some call it a civil death Foreign governments have long been troubled by corruption in Haiti, which in recent years has increasingly become an open and accepted practice with Haitian lawmakers openly admitting on radio to accepting bribes to either remove or pass cabinet ministers. And according to the Biden administration, Bodeau, who once led a dynamic group of politically active youth, Jen Kore Jen, was among them. Bodeau, the Treasury Department said, was involved in several corrupt schemes to influence the outcome of Haitian political appointments, including facilitating and soliciting bribes worth millions of dollars. In 2018, Bodeau paid Haitian officials to secure their votes while seeking ministerial position appointments. He also solicited a large bribery payment worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from senior government officials in exchange for his political support, Treasury alleges. A year later, during one of the more vexing periods of Moises administration, Bodeau allegedly offered to deliver a successful vote in Haitis Lower Chamber of Deputies for a prospective ministerial appointee in exchange for millions of dollars paid out through individual payments to members of the chamber, Treasury said. While Treasury did not provide any names, officials say several Haitian businessmen provided between 500 and 600 million Haitian gourdes (approximately $6.2 million to $7.4 million) to members of the Lower Chamber of Deputies to influence the outcome of a ministerial vote. In advance of the floor session, Bodeau participated in discussions on the vote and payments with various members of the Chamber of Deputies. Those allegations centered around a key vote for the No. 2 job in Haitis government involving Fritz William Michel. An unknown government functionary in the ministry of economy and finance, Michel was tapped by Moise in 2019 to become prime minister after Moise had failed on three different attempts to get his top pick through Parliament following the ouster of lawyer Jean Henry Ceant from the role. Ceant, the last legitimate prime minister under Moise, was fired after six months by the Lower Chamber of Deputies while it was being led by Bodeau. The firing led to the international community withholding millions of dollars in aid and helped deepen Haitis political crisis. The United Nations, U.S., Canada and others in the international community would later condemn the behavior of opposition senators when they ransacked the chamber of the Senate to interrupt one of the ratification votes. After Michel was approved by the Lower Chamber, his nomination was then sent to the Senate, where allegations of corruption would later kill his bid. At least two senators would publicly take to the radio and acknowledge that bribery was the new currency of politics in Haiti and there is always distribution of cash for the ratification of a prime minister. A third would allege that at least five senators had pocketed $100,000 each to confirm Michel as prime minister. Michel would later deny the bribery allegations along with other corruption accusations that he raked in more than $16 million in government contracts, which included the sale of goats for $500 apiece to the government while he was employed in the ministries of finance and agriculture. Haiti has been increasingly under pressure to address corruption with President Joe Biden signing into law last year legislation requiring the State Department to brief Congress on individuals in Haiti involved in acts of corruption. Earlier this week an investigative judge, Jean Wilner Morin, issued a letter to the Immigration Service requesting travel bans for eight individuals including the current director of customs, Julcene Edouard, and former director, Romel Bell, who has been sanctioned by the United States. The judges request is part of an investigation into illicit trafficking and money laundering at Haitis ports based on a 48-page report issued last month by the countrys Anti-Corruption Unit. That report, however, makes no mention of Edouard, leaving a representative of his to argue that he was included in the judges list in error. Bodeaus designation now brings the total number of Haitians hit by U.S. economic sanctions to six, including Bell, who could not be reached. Canada, meanwhile, has issued 19 financial sanctions against Haitian nationals since last fall. In addition to Bodeau, Ottawa also sanctioned Ceant, who was seen in Palm Beach County last month attending the funeral of former Haitian Prime Minister Gerard Latortue. Both Ceant and Bodeau have proclaimed their innocence. Bodeau did not respond to a Herald request for comment. But in a letter addressed to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in February, the former lawmaker claimed he was a victim of political persecution by Canada and accused the government of sanctioning him without any evidence and without a chance to defend himself. The Canadian Government has no concrete and palpable means to support this sanction against me, he said at the time. I am also outraged to be vilified without any evidence. The United States latest designation comes as support for sanctions grows in U.S. congressional and international circles amid escalating gang violence and kidnappings in Haiti. At the top of 52 steep, narrow steps at All Saints Church near London, expert bell ringers are showing the ropes to two new recruits ahead of King Charles III's coronation. Senior doctor Charlotte Mafi and office administrator Anne Porter have each answered a call for volunteers to help "ring for the king" on May 6. The day before the historic event, both women are hoping to be in the belfry tower of the 12th-century church in Kingston upon Thames, on the western edge of London, to ring a celebratory peal. Kate Flavell, secretary of the bell-ringing society, first sets out some vital safety basics. "Don't walk around near the ropes and keep your feet firmly on the ground when sitting near them," she tells Mafi. According to Flavell, it usually takes around 10 hours to teach someone to handle a bell competently. - Eight kings - "You've got a heavy piece of metal that's swinging around on a wheel from the mouth-up position of the bell back round to the mouth-up position again, and then back the other way. "And you're controlling it with a rope. It's not easy and it does take some learning," she said. The novices are two of more than 1,000 people who responded to an appeal for new recruits by the UK's Central Council of Church Bell Ringers. "It's something I always wanted to do and then I saw this and thought 'why not now?'," said Mafi, adding that she finds the rhythm of the bells "very soothing". All Saints is a fitting place to celebrate a coronation. The ceremonial crowning of up to eight Saxon kings of England in the 10th century is said to have taken place in an early church that stood on the site. Porter has now completed three hours' instruction and is beginning to get the hang of it. "I have always loved the sound of bells," she said. "I am not confident enough to handle a bell on my own but soon I will be able to join in with the other ringers." - Royal opportunity - Royal occasions are a prime opportunity for Kate Flavell and her husband Paul, who has been the "tower captain" overseeing the All Saints bells for the past 35 years. Story continues "Last year, when there was the queen's Platinum Jubilee, we rang a thing called a quarter peal for that, which is about 45 minutes of non-stop ringing," Kate Flavell said. "Then, of course, not that long after that the queen died and so we rang with muffles on," she added regarding the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September. All Saints is unusual in having 12 bells, something more common in cathedrals, and its coronation peals will ring out clear and unmuffled. But while the church has a full team of about 20 ringers, Britain's wider bell-ringing community is in sore need of more recruits. There are around 6,000 sets of bells across the UK totalling nearly 38,000 bells, but only 30,000 people trained to ring them, according to the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers. - Ringing in history - "In the cities it's quite strong but we really need to recruit elsewhere... we don't want it to die out on our watch," Flavell said. For now, however, she is just looking forward to the celebratory peals marking the coronation. Mafi and Porter, too, are excited to be playing their part next month, and say they are in it for the long haul beyond the festivities. "I just think throughout history they have rung bells for celebrations, and so to be part of that historic moment will be wonderful," Porter said. har/jit/bp Maria Lvova-Belova Russia had requested that Russian childrens rights ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova address the council on the topic of the abduction of children by Russia from Ukrainian territory. That was despite Lvova-Belova now being wanted as a war-crimes suspect by the International Criminal Court for this very reason the court on March 17 issued a warrant for her arrest in connection with the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine. Read also: Russia treats children like spoils of war, ICC says The court issued an arrest warrant on the same day for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, who is also suspected of being responsible for the abduction of Ukrainian children. A spokesperson for the UKs mission to the UN in New York was quoted as saying that if Maria Lvova-Belova wants to give an account of her actions, she can do so in The Hague. Read also: Russian special services obstructing return of Ukrainian children home ombudsman The Hague in the Netherlands is where the International Criminal Court is located. The warrants issued against Lvova-Belova and Putin means that they could now be arrested on the territory of the 124 countries that have ratified the Rome Statute the courts foundational charter. The UKs stand against the proposal that a war-crimes suspect be allowed to address the Security Council came days after Russia took over the presidency of the council for a month. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier said that allowing Russia to take over the presidency of the council demonstrated the complete bankruptcy of international institutions. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine (Reuters) - A UK court on Wednesday ordered GSK's Tesaro to pay rival AstraZeneca royalties on total sales of ovarian cancer drug Zejula, in a win for the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker. Tesaro had argued the royalty was payable only on sales that are for uses claimed or covered by the licensed patents, after AstraZeneca filed a UK lawsuit against GSK in 2021, asking for a bigger share of sales from Zejula. In October 2012, Tesaro entered into license agreements with AstraZeneca, giving it exclusive rights to certain methods of treating patients with Zejula, developed by Tesaro with help from technology licensed from AstraZeneca. The High Court of Justice Business and Property Court of England and Wales said on Wednesday Tesaro was obliged to pay AstraZeneca royalties "on all net sales of Zejula in each country in which there are licensed patents from the first commercial sale in that country," siding with AstraZeneca. "We are disappointed by today's judgment and are considering our next steps," a GSK spokesperson said, while AstraZeneca said it was pleased with the decision. Latest results from GSK, which bought U.S.-based oncology focused firm Tesaro for $5.1 billion in 2018, showed Zejula sales in 2022 were 463 million pounds ($578.19 million). Zejula belongs to a family of drugs called PARP inhibitors - which include AstraZeneca and Merck's Lynparza and Clovis Oncology's Rubraca. ($1 = 0.8008 pounds) (Reporting by Sinchita Mitra, Aby Koilparambil, and Yadarisa Shabong in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli) Britains data watchdog has saddled TikTok with a nearly $16 million fine for allegedly misusing childrens personal data. The United Kingdoms Information Commissioners Office, or ICO, issued the short-form video app a 12.7 million fine for allowing children under 13 on its platform and using their data without parental consent. U.K. Information Commissioner John Edwards said TikTok could have tracked and profiled children with the data and delivered harmful, inappropriate content on their feeds. "There are laws in place to make sure our children are as safe in the digital world as they are in the physical world. TikTok did not abide by those laws, reads a statement from Edwards. TikTok should have known better. TikTok should have done better. Why was TikTok fined? TikToks terms of service in the U.K. say users must be at least 13 to join the app, but the ICOs investigation found TikTok failed to perform "adequate checks" and allowed up to 1.4 million underage U.K. children on the platform in 2020. In addition to failing to follow its own rules, the regulator says, TikTok failed from 2018 to 2020 to adhere to British laws that require companies that use personal data from children under 13 to have consent from a parent or caregiver. The app also is accused of failing to notify people how their data is collected, used and shared in a way that is easy to understand. "Without that information, users of the platform, in particular children, were unlikely to be able to make informed choices about whether and how to engage with it," according to a statement from the ICO. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew says the popular short form video app has 150 million users in the United States, nearly half the total population. He is set to testify before Congress on Thursday about the Chinese-owned platform's future. What TikTok is saying A statement from TikTok said the company disagrees with the regulator's decision and invests heavily to keep children under 13 off its platform. Our 40,000 strong safety team works around the clock to help keep the platform safe for our community, the statement reads. We will continue to review the decision and are considering next steps. Story continues Is TikTok banned in the US? The fine comes as TikTok could face a ban in the United States. The Biden administration has voiced concerns that the app, owned by Beijing-based ByteDance, could be used by the Chinese government to gain access to private user data or spread misinformation. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before Congress last month to argue that the app poses no danger to national security. Though there is not a blanket ban on the app in the U.S., TikTok has been prohibited by certain universities, states and federal agencies over security concerns. Other countries, including the U.K. and Australia, have banned the app from government devices. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., joined by the popular app's supporters, leads a rally to defend TikTok at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, March 22, 2023. Dig deeper: You can follow USA TODAY reporter Bailey Schulz on Twitter @bailey_schulz and subscribe to our free Daily Money newsletter here for personal finance tips and business news every Monday through Friday. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: TikTok ordered to pay $16M fine in UK for misusing children's data Oksana Marchenko A court seized land plots with real estate that Marchenko owned illegally and obtained through a fraud, the SBU said. The property is worth up to UAH 17.5 million ($476,000), the security services message reads. Read also: Court sizes hidden assets of Oksana Marchenko worth over UAH 442 million The (land plots) are located in one of the best tourist spots in Lviv Oblast, the SBU said. Medvedchuk's wife started to illegally build a hotel complex there. The former head of the district land department was also convicted of criminal activity. He reported false information during 2004-2010 in order to issue state acts of land ownership in favor of Marchenko, the SBU said. Read also: Medvedchuks daughter attends elite university in Moscow Meduza The official was served a notice of suspicion under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: Part 2 of Article 364 (abuse of power or position)and Part 2 of Article 366 (forgery). The case has been sent to court. The SBU initiated the seizure of three land plots in Lviv Oblast illegally owned by Marchenko in August 2022. The investigation has been ongoing since then. It was reported on Feb. 7 that Marchenko's companies had financed the Russian National Guard and the Russian Interior Ministry in occupied Crimea. She was served a notice of suspicion in this regard. As part of those criminal proceedings, the court seized assets belonging to her worth more than UAH 5.6 billion ($152 million). Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Ukrainian soldier in the area of Bakhmut Read also: As Ukraine gears up for offensive, Spain delays transfer of Leopard tanks to Ukraine Some of those deep strikes against Russian (positions in southern Ukraine) are a preparation for any kind of future offensive, the officials said. The sources added that throughout the war, Western countries observed the Ukrainians were "very adept" at using HIMARS Multiple Launch Rocket Systems against vulnerable Russian targets, such as ammo depots and command centers. The officials also claim that Ukraine will be stockpiling ammunition before a counter-offensive, ensuring its troops will be able to overwhelm defending Russian forces with artillery firepower. We're not seeing them in a position where they (Ukrainian troops) are having to constrain their operations, through shortages of munitions, CNN quotes one of its sources. Read also: Crippled logistics preclude Russia from launching offensive towards Zaporizhzhya They obviously want to stockpile at the moment because theyre preparing for an offensive, so they need to have those assurances of supply in order be able to sustain the offense. They added that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are receiving the necessary supplies from Kyivs international partners. On Feb. 28, Ukrainian Military Intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said the next three months in Russias full-scale war against Ukraine would be very active and will determine the course of events in the war. Read also: Former Aidar commander gives four requirements for successful Ukrainian counter-offensive Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said on March 29 that Ukraine's counter-offensive should begin in April or May, possible along several directions simultaneously. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Leopard tank After being stored for decades, the German-made tanks require retrofitting and combat readiness verification, as they have not been in use since the 1990s, Spanish media have reported. Spanish newspaper El Pais, citing sources in the government, previously reported that Spain would send the first six Leopard 2A4 combat tanks to Ukraine immediately after Easter. Read also: Ukrainian soldiers complete training in Spain On March 13, dozens of Ukrainian soldiers completed four weeks of training on Leopard 2A4 tanks in Spain. A total of 40 tank crew members and 15 mechanic specialists were trained on the Leopard 2, organized at a military base in Zaragoza. A total of 40 tank crew members and 15 mechanic specialists received training on the Leopard 2 at a military base in Zaragoza. Ukraine needs modern Western main battle tanks for its long-expected offensive to liberate more Ukrainian territory from Russian occupation. As well as tanks, Ukraine needs infantry fighting vehicles, armored cars, mine-clearing and bridge-building equipment, and modern fighter jets, the Ukrainian military has said. Read also: Operation De-occupation: What Ukraine will need to liberate occupied territories NV analysis However, both the United States and Germany have ruled out providing Ukraine with modern warplanes, even as Ukraine gears up for what could be a decisive period of the war against Russias invasion forces. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Flags of NATO and Ukraine He stressed that NATO members are currently focused on doing everything they can to help Ukraine defend itself against the Russian invasion and liberate its territories. Read also: Ukraine had frank conversation with NATO in Brussels, FM Kuleba says According to the secretary, strengthening of Ukraine's capacity to deter aggression in the long term remains the subject of discussion among allies. This includes the country's compliance with NATO standards. Currently, the allies are working on concrete steps in this direction. Of course, the doors of NATO remain open and there is no change in that, but we must focus on the weeks and months ahead, in particular on preparing Ukraine for a counter-offensive to try to take back more territory, as well as on the work that needs to be done, to continue bringing Ukraine to NATO standards, Blinken said. Read also: Hungary's foreign minister outraged at Ukraines Kuleba being invited to NATO meeting On April 4, The Wall Street Journal reported that while NATO is looking to reaffirm its commitment to Kyivs cause in the war with Russia, Ukrainian membership is not currently on the agenda. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine KYIV (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday he expected decisions to be announced in the coming days and weeks to alleviate anger among Polish farmers linked to Ukrainian grain imports. He told reporters at a briefing standing alongside Poland's prime minister that he had discussed the matter of Ukrainian and Polish farmers at talks in Warsaw on Wednesday and found a solution. "We have found a way out, I believe that in the coming days and weeks we will finally resolve all issues as there cannot be any questions, any complications between such close partners and real friends as Poland and Ukraine," he said. Polish Agriculture Minister Henryk Kowalczyk resigned earlier on Wednesday amid rising anger among farmers over the impact of Ukrainian grain imports on prices. (Reporting by Olena Harmasha; Writing by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Alison Williams) Key developments on April 5: Poland to provide Ukraine with 14 MiG-29 fighter jets Czech Republic pledges $30 million in military aid Poland, Ukraine sign memorandums on reconstruction and joint munitions production Zelensky: Situation in Bakhmut remains 'complicated' CNN: Kremlin likely struggling to increase number of soldiers China's ambassador to EU: No limit friendship with Moscow nothing but rhetoric Poland will provide Ukraine with additional military assistance, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced during his visit to Warsaw on April 5. "Today we are signing a document on the supply of Polish Rosomak armored personnel carriers, Rak self-propelled mortars, air defense systems, in particular the very effective Piorun," Zelensky said. Polish President Andrzej Duda said that his country has already transferred four MiG-29 jet fighters to Ukraine, has prepared to transfer four more, and is preparing six more that can be transferred quite soon, bringing the total number of MiG-29s pledged to Kyiv to 14. Duda also suggested that in the future, his country might provide its entire fleet of MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine, once the Polish Air Force acquires new aircraft to offset the loss. During the same visit, Poland and Ukraine signed a joint memorandum on both the reconstruction of war-damaged areas of Ukraine and the production of 125mm tank rounds. "Poles know the great value of freedom and solidarity, so we support Ukrainians in their struggle. The security of the whole of Europe and the security of Poland are also at stake in this war," said Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. The Czech Republic also announced a new military aid package to Ukraine worth $30 million. The aid includes equipment that is currently in storage and not needed for the country's defense, according to Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova. She didnt provide details. Ukraines True History Subscribe to our new newsletter Kremlins military, financial struggles Russia is struggling to attract more military manpower and provide them with sufficient training, unnamed western officials told CNN on April 5. Story continues According to CNN, Western officials say it remains unclear how Russia plans to acquire the 400,000 new troops it admittedly needs not only to fight in Ukraine but to be stationed along the border with NATO and Finland. Whether the population can sustain another round of mobilization and whether the Kremlin actually wants to test the population's resilience to that it is unclear at the moment, but the fact they haven't done (it) would indicate to us that they have some concerns about that, the officials said, as cited by CNN. Meanwhile, Ukraines Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said on April 5 that Moscow is running out of their long-range high-precision missiles. According to Ihnat, Russia used the largest number of such missiles (around 800) to attack Ukraines infrastructure. The official added that to make for the nearly used up stock of high-recision missiles, Moscow had turned to different methods of launching attacks against Ukraine, including using repurposed S-300 air defense missiles, as well as guided aerial bombs. How repurposed Russian air defense missiles expose holes in Ukraines sky Russias missile strike on Jan. 14 caught Kyiv residents off-guard. After nearly a year of Moscows repeated attacks, something unusual happened: The explosions sounded before the air raid alert went off, which is rarely the case in what is believed to be the most protected city in Ukraine. Kyiv IndependentStanislav Storozhenko On April 4, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin held a State Council Presidium meeting in which he once again falsely reassured the public that the sanctions imposed on Russia were having a positive outcome on the countrys economy as it forced Russian firms to embrace import substitutions. At the same time, according to the U.K. Defense Ministrys latest intelligence update, Russia is likely expecting financial assistance from friendly nations, which includes the purchase of its state debt. The update mentions a March 28 statement by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, in which he said that a move to issuing some of the Kremlin's sovereign debt in foreign currencies was under development. The U.K. Defense Ministry also stated that countries that would purchase Russias sovereign debt would be directly financing the war in Ukraine, whilst Moscow pushes for a long war. Can Russia afford to commit to a years-long war? When Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an all-out war against Ukraine, U.S. intelligence claimed that Russian forces planned to sweep Kyiv within days. More than 13 months on, Ukraines defenses still stand firm. But Ukrainians are now faced with a different threat the Kremlin appears to Kyiv IndependentKatie Marie Davies Meanwhile, despite recent news on strengthening ties between Russia and China, according to an interview published by the New York Times on April 5, Chinas Ambassador to the European Union Fu Cong downplayed the partnership between the two countries. Fu said that the strategic no limit partnership signed by Putin and Chinese President Xi Jingping is nothing but rhetoric and that China has not provided Russia with military aid, nor has it recognized its [Russias] efforts to annex Ukrainian territories, including Crimea and Donbas, as cited by the New York Times. However, the U.S. has repeatedly claimed that China had provided Russia with non-lethal military assistance and was considering sending lethal aid. China hasnt condemned Russias aggression against Ukraine. Explainer: Chinas increasing role in Russias war against Ukraine Just days before Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine last February, Chinas leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a friendship without limits, agreeing there would be no forbidden areas of cooperation. Unsurprisingly then, Beijing did not condemn Russias all-out w Kyiv IndependentThaisa Semenova On the battlefield In its evening update, the General Staff of Ukraines Armed Forces reported that over the past 24 hours, Russian forces had launched three missiles and 21 air strikes, as well as more than 35 attacks with their rocket salvo systems. Four people were killed and 14 were injured as a result of Russian attacks across Ukraine. The settlements of Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka remain the epicenter of hostilities, according to the General Staff. During a press conference in Warsaw, Zelensky said that the situation in Bakhmut, an embattled city in Donetsk Oblast, remains complicated. At the same time, he claimed that Russian forces were not controlling the city. Zelensky acknowledged the main thing for both him and Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of the Ground Forces of Ukraine, was to not lose too many personnel. "If even heavier fighting arises, and there is a danger of losing personnel due to encirclement, the general will make corresponding correct decisions on the spot," Zelensky said. Zelensky also emphasized that the sooner Ukraine receives the promised ammunition from its allies, the more effectively the Ukrainian military can defend not only Bakhmut but also the entire front line. Ukrayinska Pravda The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported a fight and a shoot-out between the Russian military and mercenaries of the Wagner Group in occupied Stanytsia Luhanska. Source: summary of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Quote: "Having no significant achievements on the battlefield, the military personnel of the Russian Armed Forces and representatives of the Wagner Group are increasingly trying to find those responsible for this. By Pawel Florkiewicz and Olena Harmash WARSAW (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited neighbouring Poland on Wednesday and thanked the country for its "historic" help, saying it should become a key partner in the vast reconstruction effort needed once Russia's invasion ends. Warsaw has positioned itself as one of Kyiv's staunchest allies, playing a leading role in persuading sometimes reluctant allies to provide it with heavy weaponry, much of it supplied through Poland. On Wednesday, President Andrzej Duda said Poland would supply Ukraine with a total of 14 MiG-29 fighter jets. "You have stood shoulder to shoulder with us, and we are grateful for it," Zelenskiy said after receiving the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest honour, from his Polish counterpart. "I believe that these are historic relations, a historic result, and historic strength between our countries." Speaking later in front of crowds at Warsaw's Royal Castle, where President Joe Biden promised "unwavering" U.S. support for Kyiv only weeks ago, Duda said Poland and other allies needed to provide more economic, military and humanitarian support. "There is still a long way to go before the end of the war," he said. "We owe it to the victims of aggression." Addressing the same supporters, many of whom waved Ukrainian flags, Zelenskiy predicted Poland would help form a coalition of Western powers to supply warplanes to Ukraine, just as it did with battle tanks. "When the battle requires artillery, it should be provided. When victory needs tanks, their roar should be heard on the front lines," he said. "Because this is a battle for freedom and it is impossible to win partially." Zelenskiy signed a letter of intent with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on the transfer of equipment including 150 Rosomak armoured vehicles to Ukraine during a meeting in which the two discussed solutions to ease problems stemming from Ukrainian grain entering European markets and pushing down prices. Story continues "We have found a way out. I believe that in the coming days and weeks we will finally resolve all issues as there cannot be any questions, any complications between such close partners and real friends as Poland and Ukraine," Zelenskiy said. "We discussed issues regarding our farmers, Polish farmers and Ukrainian farmers." Polish Agriculture Minister Henryk Kowalczk resigned on Wednesday as a result of the crisis. Zelenskiy invited Polish businesses to come to Ukraine before the war ends to secure a better position on Ukrainian markets as well as in the country's reconstruction drive. MILITARY AID The visit to Poland, which has taken in more than a million Ukrainian refugees over the past 13 months of war, comes as Ukraine plans to conduct a counter-offensive in the coming weeks or months to recapture land in its east and south from Russia. Zelenskiy said on Wednesday the situation in the Ukrainian eastern city of Bakhmut was really difficult and that the "corresponding decisions" would be taken if Kyiv's troops there risk being encircled by Russian forces. "For me, the most important is not to lose our soldiers and of course if there is a moment of even hotter events and the danger we could lose our personnel because of encirclement - of course the corresponding correct decisions will be taken by generals there," he said. In addition to MiG-29 jets, Ukraine officials have also pressed for F-16 jet fighters to boost Kyiv's ability to hit Russian missile units with U.S.-made rockets but Duda's foreign policy adviser Marcin Przydacz said Poland would not decide any time soon on whether to send any. The Polish public overwhelming supports Ukrainians in their war with Russia. An Ipsos poll said 82% of Poles think NATO and European Union countries should back Ukraine until it wins. Asked what Zelenskiy's visit meant to her, Ukrainian refugee Olena, 46, gave a thumbs up before bursting into tears. "If it weren't for him there would be no Ukraine by now," she said while passing the presidential palace, adding that she was grateful to Poland for being able to stay and work in the country. (Reporting by Olena Harmash, Tom Balmforth, Pavel Polityuk and Max Hunder in Kyiv and Alan Charlish, Pawel Florkiewicz, Marek Strzelecki, Janis Laizans and Agnieszka Pikulicka-Wilczewska in Warsaw; writing by Tom Balmforth, Michael Kahn, Alan Charlish and Niklas Pollard; editing by Mark Heinrich, Lincoln Feast, Philippa Fletcher and Richard Chang) Ukrainian defenders have repelled 15 Russian attacks on the Bakhmut front, with Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka remaining at the epicentre of hostilities. Source: General Staff report on Facebook, information as of 18:00 on 5 April 2023. Quote: "On the Bakhmut front, the enemy is trying to take full control of the city of Bakhmut, and continues to assault it. They conducted unsuccessful offensive operations near Bohdanivka and Ivanivske. Units of the defence forces repelled about 15 enemy attacks on the specified sector of the front during the day." Details: During the day, Russians launched three missile and 21 air strikes, and carried out more than 35 attacks using MLRS [Multiple-Launch Rocket Systems] on the positions of Ukrainian defenders and civilian infrastructure in settlements. The Russians are focusing their main efforts on conducting offensive operations on the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka fronts - more than 40 attacks by the invaders were repelled during the day. The settlements of Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka remain at the epicentre of the battle. Russia shelled settlements on the Kupiansk, Lyman, Avdiivka, and Marinka fronts. Settlements in Kharkiv Oblast were also affected by Russian attacks. On the Lyman front, Russia conducted unsuccessful offensive operations in the areas of the settlement of Nevske and Serebrianska Forest. On the Avdiivka and Marinka fronts, Russia conducted unsuccessful offensive operations in the areas of Novokalynove, Avdiivka and Marinka. Russians did not conduct any offensive operations on the Shakhtarsk front. They actively used UAVs to correct artillery fire. On the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson fronts, Russia is building up defensive lines and positions in terms of fortification. They carried out attacks on populated areas. Russian occupiers are strengthening counterintelligence and police regimes in the temporarily occupied territory of Kherson Oblast. In particular, raid activities by the Russian Armed Forces on the Kakhovka front have continued since 23 March to check personal phones of the local population for the presence of photo and video materials, as well as "prohibited" content. Story continues During such inspections, the occupiers conduct searches in the homes of local residents. Those who make phone calls to free Ukraine are the first to be checked. Ukrainian Defence Forces aircraft carried out 12 strikes during the day on the areas where the ]invaders were concentrated. On the Eastern front, Ukrainian defenders destroyed a Russian Ka-52 helicopter. Units from Rocket Forces and Artillery hit two control points, two ammunition depots, two positions of air defence equipment and four Russian electronic warfare stations. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! (Reuters) - A Ukrainian drone has crashed near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Russia's RIA news agency cited a Russian officer as saying on Wednesday, as the chief of the global nuclear watchdog was expected in Russia for talks on the plant's security. International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Grossi was due to travel to Russia's Kaliningrad region on Wednesday, a week after visiting the Zaporizhzhia facility in southern Ukraine, which is controlled by Russian forces. According to the Russian military officer cited by RIA, a Polish-made drone weighing more than 2 kg (4.4 pounds) had crashed near the plant. The news agency did not say when. Grossi has been pushing for a demilitarised zone around Europe's largest nuclear facility, which has come under repeated shelling, with Russia and Ukraine have blamed on each other. (Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Robert Birsel) Ukrainian Armed Forces conducted a successful counterattack near the settlement of Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast, according to analysts of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Source: ISW report Quote: "Ukrainian forces likely conducted a counterattack northeast of Avdiivka. Geolocated footage published on April 2 indicates that Ukrainian forces likely recaptured positions northwest of Novoselivka (17 kilometres northeast of Avdiivka) and advanced close to the settlement." Details: At the same time, ISW experts say, it is unclear whether Ukrainian forces still hold these positions or whether they conducted a reconnaissance operation and subsequently left the area. Previously: According to the General Staff, Ukrainian defenders struck 11 clusters of manpower and 3 command points in the past day, as well as repelled more than 60 Russian attacks. On the Avdiivka and Mariinka fronts, the Russians carried out offensive actions in and around Novokalynove, Sieverne, Pervomaiske and Marinka in Donetsk Oblast without success. At the same time, the occupiers shelled the settlements of Novokalynove, Avdiivka, Vodiane, Pervomaiske, Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka and Marinka. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! People walk in front of United Nations as delegates meet during a general assembly - Eduardo Munoz/REUTERS Lawyers are calling for a review of the way the UN handles sexual misconduct cases amid concerns its agencies are taking years at a time to investigate allegations of rape and assault made by staff against their colleagues. In the case of one female staffer raped by a senior official at a major UN agency, it took investigators three years to confirm that the attack took place. The man was not dismissed but instead allowed to voluntarily resign, The Telegraph has been told. A second woman who alleges she was raped by a colleague while on assignment for a UN peacekeeping force in east Africa says officials took two and a half years to investigate her complaint, despite initially promising the probe would last no longer than three months. Meanwhile, documents from the World Health Organisations legal archive show repeated concerns stretching back 15 years about the UN agencys excessively lengthy proceedings when investigating allegations of harassment and sexual misconduct. The systems in place for handling and investigating sexual misconduct complaints across the UN are laborious and painfully slow, lawyers say. It can take literally years for a decision to be reached on a complaint, said Renuka Dhinakaran, an international labour lawyer who has represented multiple women in their claims against UN officials. A drastic review of UN protocols is needed. Witnesses too scared to say anything Lawyers also claim that complaints are investigated by staff members of the UN common system, raising serious questions about the impartiality and transparency of these procedures. Although many investigation units represent themselves to be independent or neutral, that is fundamentally false, said Edward Flaherty, an American lawyer based in Geneva. Most units report directly to the executive head of the agency, and rely on the executive head for their contract renewals and performance evaluations. One UN investigator responsible for reviewing sexual harassment allegations told the Telegraph its an incredibly difficult area to investigate, because very often you will have witnesses who are too scared to say anything because theyre scared of losing their jobs Story continues She added: Some of the organizations in the UN also just have huge, huge backlogs of [sexual harassment] cases and sometimes its just because of the mismanagement of the person running the unit. It comes after The Telegraph revealed earlier this year that the WHO has placed one of its senior scientists on administrative leave over a series of sexual misconduct complaints stretching back 20 years. Dr Maurizio Barbeschi - Eduardo Munoz/REUTERS An internal investigation into Dr Maurizio Barbeschi is ongoing, but several of those who reported the Italian official in January 2020 are angry that the case remains open more than three years later. Dr Barbeschi did not respond to requests for comment. In another case uncovered by The Telegraph, officials at one of the UNs largest agencies took three years to investigate allegations a senior supervisor within the organisation had sexually assaulted a female staffer. The complaint was upheld; however, according to a source with knowledge of the case, the official was not summarily dismissed from his position at the UN and instead allowed to resign. Under UN guidelines, staff are entitled to certain benefits, such as grants and emoluments, when they voluntarily leave an agency. The woman who made the complaint alleges that she was repeatedly harassed by the UN official in the wake of the assault. She eventually quit her job and left the organisation because of the abuse. After later rejoining the agency, the woman came to learn that her assailant had been accused of rape by other colleagues. When she told her superiors of her own assault, no action was taken. She eventually decided to report the rape via official channels. Her assailant was then investigated and after three long years, he was confirmed to have committed rape. With regard to the investigation, we dont know why it took so long. Throughout that time, updates were only provided when requested and were dismissive, provided virtually no information, and no action was taken to protect the victim, the source said. Typically, the staff member accused of wrongdoing will be placed on administrative leave pending the completion of the investigation. That did not happen in this case, even though he was a threat to others. The Telegraph is not naming the UN agency to protect the victims identity. Dismissive of victim In a separate case, Rachel, a US citizen who asked that her real name not be used, says she was raped by a colleague during her time stationed at a UN peacekeeping base in east Africa. The assault took place in her apartment, in autumn 2017, after a social gathering held by peacekeeping staff near the UN base in east Africa, says Rachel. Due to health reasons and initial concerns she would be ignored, having previously been dismissed when making a separate harassment complaint earlier in 2017, it took Rachel two years to officially file a report against her colleague, who held a US green card at the time. Rachel was told that the probe into her complaint would last no more than three months. But it was not until December 2021 that UN investigators, after interviewing 14 witnesses, ruled that there was insufficient evidence to support the allegation of rape. That final letter was so dismissive of me and everything I went through, said Rachel. It said that my rapist thought I was confused in my version of events and that I was jealous of him. I was shocked that the investigators felt justified putting this in the letter and the opinions of him and his friends. But they left out much of the information that I provided. It felt like they took my story from me and left me in the dark. Weeks after the alleged assault, Rachel contracted a rare tropical disease while on assignment in central Africa and, in late 2017, returned to the US. Already suffering from PTSD, her condition further deteriorated, leaving her bed-bound and mentally broken. It was only when watching the Brett Kavanaugh case unfold at the Supreme Court that Rachel felt compelled to speak out. At that moment, I decided that I wanted to take action, she said. But I wasnt prepared for what was to come. The World Health Organisation (WHO) logo is seen near its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland - Denis Balibouse/REUTERS In correspondence with the UN, and seen by the Telegraph, Rachel chased officials over a 10-month period for updates on the investigation, which were infrequent, very unclear and dismissive, she says. Eight months after first filing the complaint, Rachel was told that it is impossible to determine a timeline for the completion of the investigation, before being directed elsewhere by UN staff. I felt like everyone I dealt with was trying to distance themselves from my complaint no-one took responsibility, she said, adding that the victim advocate who handled her case even stopped answering her emails after several months. Her lawyer, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said UN investigators handling allegations of sexual assault are rarely trauma-informed, meaning many victims feel re-victimized and re-traumatized after being interviewed. She added: Many report being yelled at or accused of certain acts during their interviews. Even when the investigators make their report, the report is nothing more than a recommendation to a UN Director General or Secretary General, who can do whatever s/he likes with the information. After being informed of the UNs judgement on her case in December 2021, Rachel and her lawyer appealed the findings but not a single official has replied, she said. Long delays Other major UN agencies facing scrutiny for their handling of sexual assault allegations include the WHO. Over the past 15 years, multiple harassment complaints raised within the WHO have been escalated to the International Labour Organization (ILO) tribunal. In these cases, the WHO was found to have neither promptly nor thoroughly investigated claims of sexual harassment and overseen undue delays in its internal appeal proceedings. In one example from 2011, a long delay into a case of sexual harassment seriously compromised the integrity of the investigative process, court papers from the ILO show. The WHO acknowledged that the processing of sexual misconduct complaints has taken far too long in the past, but insisted it was now addressing this issue head on. Antonia Kirkland, a lawyer and global lead at Equality Now, a womens human rights charity, said: It is crucial that a system-wide and impartial review of how reports of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment by employees have been handled at the UN is undertaken. This should include an examination of internal investigative mechanisms, looking at how officials have dealt with cases of misconduct, what actions have been taken, and whether support was readily available and accessible for survivors and whistleblowers. A spokesperson for the UN said: We do our utmost to investigate all allegations and bring those responsible to justice. Since the moment he took over as Secretary-General in 2017, Antonio Guterres has prioritized mobilizing resources to strengthen investigating capacities. The Office for Independent Oversight Services now has a specialized team focused on sexual harassment. New training resources for staff and managers were also created to help promoting civility and a harmonious workplace and what to do if there is prohibited conduct. We are committed to addressing every case of misconduct that is reported to us, whether the incident occurred a long time ago, or more recently, and providing assistance and support to every victim. The WHO said it had launched a number of new initiatives since November 2021, including the establishment of a 18-man team trained and specialised in sexual misconduct cases and other forms of abusive conduct. This team, by May 2022, dealt with the entire backlog of investigations into allegations of sexual exploitation, abuse and sexual harassment (SEAH), a spokesperson said. WHO is the only UN agency to have set, and since last May met, a benchmark of 120 days for completing sexual misconduct investigations. In 2023, we set an 80-day benchmark for completing the post-investigation phase for substantiated cases to ensure we follow due process to allow all parties to present their side of a case. Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security Rep. William A. Murray elected in 2016 served Massachusetts in the same district as his grandson, Brian Murray, D-Milford. Nowadays, becoming a hero in Massachusetts is as easy as checking a box on a drivers license application - one quick mark in the organ donor field on the form and voila! Instant hero. But it wasnt always that easy. When Nobel Prize recipient Dr. Joseph Edward Murray, a native of Milford, became a doctor, organ replacement was more of a science fiction fantasy than an accepted and often-practiced procedure. But for his perseverance and talent, we wouldnt be where we are today, said state Rep. Brian Murray, D-Milford, the doctors nephew. My Uncle Joe pioneered this field. Archives: Transplant doctor, Nobel winner and Milford native Murray dies State residents urged to sign up for organ donation The state representative who was elected in 2016 and now serves in the same seat once held by his grandfather is the host of Organ Donation Day on Beacon Hill. The day is geared to encourage state residents to check that box when applying for or renewing a drivers license. Motorists can also log into the Registry of Motor Vehicles website and check the box virtually, regardless of license status. The state plays an important role in the donation process, as the vast majority of individuals in Massachusetts who register as organ and tissue donors do so at the state Registry of Motor Vehicles, according to New England Donor Services Chairman James Arciero. In 2022 in New England 1,325 lives were saved by organ donation, a 7.9% increase from 2021 because of the generosity of individuals who became organ donors, Arciero said, adding that thousands more lives were enhanced through the gift of tissue donation. With the need for life-saving transplants growing every day over 106,000 patients are now on the U.S. transplant wait list it is crucial to educate our communities about taking action to register as donors. Look at license, find red heart Alexandra Glazier, CEO of New England Donor Services, described organ donation as a lifesaving gift. More than 1,000 New England residents received that gift in 2022 from 255 deceased donors. Story continues Several area residents whose lives were touched by donation gathered with the state lawmakers and shared their stories. Peter Bodenstab, 37, a marketing manager with John Hancock, received a liver when he was 3. I have lived 34 healthy years since, Bodenstab said. Making a difference even in death Eileen Sullivan, of West Roxbury, who learned she suffered pulmonary fibrosis, usually a disease developed by middle-aged men, received a lung after the birth of her daughter. She gave birth to a healthy boy two years later, the first child worldwide born to a lung recipient. Sullivan received a second lung transplant in 1997, after an infection precipitated her bodys rejection of the first one. Eileen Sullivan, from West Roxbury, talks about her experience with receiving two lung transplants, one in 1991 and 1997, during a press conference during organ donation day on Capital Hill Tuesday. Bob Canfield of Hudson donated the organs and tissues of his wife, Suellen, after she suffered a brain aneurysm. The outlook (for her recovery) was bleak, Canfield said. He remembered they had discussed donation and I knew what she wanted. It was when the nurse asked if I wanted to donate that I was reminded of the conversation. In the end, Suellens corneas, kidneys, liver, pancreas, skin and heart valves went to help many people. Canfield said he received a letter from the recipient of his wifes liver. In the letter he thanked us, Canfield said. Sullivan also never forgot the gift she received. I never lost sight that two families said yes, Sullivan said. Obstacles included legal, moral and ethical questions When Dr. Joseph Edward Murray was first working in the field in the 1940s and 1950s, he faced significant opposition from medical experts, said his nephew. One of the big debates was whether it was ethical to remove a functioning kidney from a donor to transplant it into another human. And could someone consent to having the procedure? The first precept in medicine is to do no harm, said Brian Murray. My uncle had to show that the procedure would do no harm. State Rep. Brian Murray, D-Milford, in a file photo. To that end he consulted with legal experts and religious leaders to prove he was not playing God. There were many obstacles to overcome. The doctor became interested in organ replacement while working with World War II combat soldiers while he was stationed at the Valley Forge General Hospital in Pennsylvania. A burn case informed his work; he learned that transplanted tissue that closely matched a patients genetics survived longer than unrelated tissue. In 1954, Murray performed the first successful human kidney transplant procedure on identical twins, with one twin donating a healthy kidney to his ailing twin. The recipient lived for eight years following the procedure, marrying and fathering two children, before he died of causes unrelated to the surgery. To ensure the twins were identical, my uncle took them down to the West Roxbury police station and had them fingerprinted, Brian Murray said, explaining that when the prints matched, the doctor was assured that the men shared the same genetic material. He performed the operation, which was a success. Thats how the story broke, he said. Beat reporters who were hanging around the police station wanted to know what was going on - they broke the story. Peter Bodenstab, from Marshfield, speaks about his experience with being a lung transplant recipient at the age of 3 during a press conference on Organ Donation Day on Capital Hill Tuesday. Brian Murray described his uncle as a very caring, compassionate individual who was concerned with the plight of others. He had a peaceful and serene approach and had a calming effect. Worked as physician his whole life Brian Murray was serving on the Milford School Committee when his uncle was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1990. I worked with Joe closely on the commemorative events planned in Milford, he said. Murray, who died in 2012, was a practicing doctor treating patients his whole life, said his nephew. At a meeting with a large group of Nobel laureates, he was the only one who was still a practitioner in his field. A woman fell and hurt her ankle that meeting. The cry quickly went up for a doctor in the house, Brian Murray said. In that group of brilliant scientists, researchers, my uncle was the only doctor and he attended the injured woman. The Murray family has deep roots in the Worcester County community. Brian Murrays grandfather, William A. Murray, was elected to serve in the Legislature in 1916. One hundred years later, Brian Murray was elected to the same seat. His father, also William, was an attorney and served in the Milford District Court. Brian Murray said he learned that one of his uncles great disappointments was that his father had died a year before the successful kidney operation. After decades working on organ transplantation and ways to mitigate rejection of the tissue, the doctors interests diverged. Murray went on to pioneer firsts in cranial facial reconstruction surgery. My uncle was like Ted Williams - he had a successful career as a hitter, but then imagine Williams switching after decades to becoming a pitcher and then being deemed the best pitcher in the field, Murray said, explaining his uncles success. Many people dont understand the magnitude of his achievements. Attending U.S. Transplant Games inspired awe in doctor In remarks that Murray prepared for a Harvard Medicine article in 2011, he discussed attending the 2004 U.S. Transplant Games, noting the throngs of competitors, and his awe at realizing that without the new organs inside, they would not be jumping, stretching, loosening up or getting ready to compete. I thought back to the day when it all began (50 years before). Ronald Herrick (the donor of that first kidney) and I were still here, but Richard Herrick (the recipient) and the rest of our team were gone, Murray wrote. So too were many of the recipients including all those who died young despite our best efforts. They all understood, perhaps better than we, that life is precious and fragile, and often must be fought for. They went to their graves believing that if they were not going to make it, they might at least help us learn how to save someone else. How I wished that all of them donors, recipients, doctors, nurses, scientists could be standing there with us on the platform, watching the competitors playing on that sunny field of green, Murray said. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Organ donation in Massachusetts: Lawmaker carries on uncle's legacy South Carolina fails to adequately inspect workplaces that are the most dangerous for employees and that employ the largest number of African Americans, according to a complaint filed Tuesday by a union leading a strike in Columbia. An estimated 416,000 South Carolinians are employed in the states food and beverage, general merchandise, food service and warehouse industries, and a disproportionate number of them are Black, according to the complaint. But between 2018 and 2022, the agency responsible for those workers safety conducted only two scheduled inspections of facilities in those industries combined. In contrast, during the same period, the S.C. Occupational Health and Safety Administration conducted 499 planned inspections of construction and specialty trade contracting industry, where Black South Carolinians are underrepresented, the union said. This disparity prompted the Tuesday complaint with the federal Department of Labor by the Union of Southern Service Workers, who helped coordinate a three-state walkout Tuesday, which included a protest at a Columbia area warehouse owned by Ryder, a trucking and logistics company. There is a historic disrespect that Black communities have suffered when it comes to working conditions in the United States, said Eric Frumin, the health and safety director at the Strategic Organizing Center, a coalition formed by four national unions, who helped draft the complaint. Bad working conditions for Black people didnt end with the Emancipation Proclamation. The numbers contained in the complaint allege shortcomings by OSHA in South Carolina, which was the first state to receive federal approval to administer its own OSHA plan in 1972. The complaint, which alleges violations of federal civil rights law, says that the majority of SC OSHAs investigations are concentrated in the construction and specialty trades industry, which have lower rates of injury than all but one of the four industries that employ higher percentages of Black workers. The exception was the food service industry. Story continues Where Black South Carolinians make up just 17 percent of the the construction and contracting industries workforce compared to just under 27 percent of the states population they make up almost 42 percent of the total labor force in the food and beverage, general merchandisers, food services and warehouse industries. Charles Brave, President of South Carolina AFL-CIO, speaks during a rally supporting fast food, retail and warehouse workers outside the Ryder warehouse in Columbia on Tuesday, April 04, 2023. The complaint requests an investigation by the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice in order to bring SC OSHA into full compliance by requiring the agency to comprehensively revise its criteria for scheduling programmed inspections. A representative of South Carolina OSHA said the agency has received the complaint and was in the process of reviewing it. South Carolina OSHA, a division of the state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, employs 18 inspectors, six of whom are still in training, to cover 2.3 million workers statewide, according to the agency. This has allowed reports of alleged violations to slip through the cracks, according to Frumin. The complaint gives two examples of what the union calls inadequate responses to complaints filed by individual workers. One worker at a Columbia McDonalds described how she was required to work, while pregnant, in the kitchen without water breaks in August after the air conditioning went out. OSHA declined to visit the site after determining the workers complaint failed to comply with technical requirements, according to the complaint, which alleges violations of Title 6 of federal Civil Rights law. In a separate incident, a worker at an Irmo Dollar General reported to S.C. OSHA that emergency exits were blocked and the store was infested with mold and rats, according to the unions complaint. But S.C. OSHA closed the report after the company submitted a response with pictures of a different location. The State has reached out to McDonalds and Dollar General for comment. By many standards, South Carolinas OSHA has fallen behind federal inspectors, according to the complaint. South Carolina inspectors found that 62.7% of the workplaces they inspected were in compliance, almost twice the rate found by federal inspectors. The union notes that an annual evaluation by federal OSHA inspectors urged South Carolina to ensure inspection resources are spent in workplaces that are exposing workers to hazards by implementing corrective actions in the most hazardous worksites. Moreover, SC OSHAs neglect of these disproportionately black worker-staffed industries is not typical of other states, according to the complaint. Keshia Brown, a former worker at Dollar General, participates in a demonstration outside Ryder Supply Chain Solutions in Columbia on Tuesday, April 04, 2023. In a comparison with six states, including North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia, South Carolina OSHA was last in programmed inspections of food and beverage retail, general merchandise retail, food service, and warehousing. South Carolina only conducted two scheduled inspections in these industries less than one inspection for every 100,000 employees in the four industries. In comparison, Tennessee, the next worst performer, conducted 34 programmed inspections, almost eight per 100,000 workers, in those industries. Last summer, North Carolina increased its fines for OSHA violations. But in August, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, along with the state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, announced that the agency was suing the federal government for requiring states to increase penalties for violations. At the time, McMaster applauded the states plan for consistently outperforming federally-run plans and helping to foster safe work environments for our people all while maintaining our reputation as a state where companies want to do business. Safety leads worker concerns in walkout The consequences of nearly absent enforcement have been felt throughout the industry as health and safety has emerged at the forefront of a recent one-day strike in Columbia. At a rally Tuesday, striking employees at a Ryder warehouse and their supporters chanted safe jobs now! and called on OSHA to protect them in the workplace. South Carolina OSHA has to take accountability for our safety, said Sersie Cobb, a Ryder employee who was participating in Tuesdays walkout, which was organized by USSW. Like almost two-thirds of all warehouse workers, Cobb is Black, and he says he has experienced the impact of less scrutiny from regulators on his employer. Workers at Ryder described blocked fire exits, being accidentally sprayed in the eyes with hydraulic fluid by equipment and a lack of safety equipment, with Ryder only providing workers with a high visibility vest and a voucher for steel toed shoes. Workers have to buy their own hard hats and safety goggles, Cobb said. He says that he has filed a complaint with OSHA but has not seen any changes from management. We are aware of the allegations and are working closely with OSHA. The health, safety, and security of our employees is a top priority, said Amy Federman, vice president of corporate communications at Ryder. At the walkout, Ryder workers were joined by workers from fast food and convenience stores around Columbia, among other establishments. Tuesdays walkout also coincided with rallies and walkouts in Durham, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia. Audrey Williams, left, shares a story of safety concerns at Ryder warehouse where she works during a rally supporting fast food, retail and warehouse workers outside the Ryder warehouse in Columbia on Tuesday, April 04, 2023. While the construction industry is still South Carolinas leading cause of work-related deaths reporting 10 in 2021 the industries represented at the walkout see more injuries per workers. In 2021, employees in general merchandising were injured at a rate of 5.6 per 100,000 workers, warehouse workers at 5.5 and food and beverage workers at 4.5, according to the complaint. In comparison, 2.5 construction workers per 100,000 were injured along with 2.8 workers in the specialty trades. A historically narrow understanding of job hazards can also have serious repercussions for workers, according to Frumin of the Strategic Organizing Center. There are hazards all of the time that can also be very serious, like a back injury, and that can throw a worker out of the workforce for life, Frumin said. In front of the plant, fast food workers said their stores were frequently understaffed, with blocked emergency exits and no first aid training or equipment. Fast food workers showed their arms speckled with dozens of burns caused by grease fryers. They described how the equipment was regularly operated without splash guards, and the workers described being issued thin latex gloves that only covered their hands. Its an incredible disservice to the people of SC, and the employers who are trying to do a good job, Frumin said. Someone strolling along the beach in Florida spotted an unusual package nestled in the sand and they werent the only one, police said. Three bricks of cocaine have washed up on different beaches in Walton County over a couple of days, the sheriffs office said in a news release. The first call came in on Tuesday, April 3, deputies said. A person at Miramar Beach spotted a package of the drugs wrapped in plastic, according to the release. Deputies took the package in to be destroyed. The second call came later that day to Gulfview Heights, according to the sheriffs office. Again, deputies found a brick of cocaine lying on the shore after a person had told a lifeguard about the package. The cocaine was wrapped in a bio bag and was black in color with a logo sticker on the outside, the release said. The third report came on April 4, according to the sheriffs office. Another caller reported a package at Grayton Beach State Park, which was wrapped with a different logo. Finding drugs along beaches is not uncommon, according to the sheriffs office, and if anyone sees something suspicious, they are urged to call 850-892-8111 and not attempt to grab or open it. The Coast Guard was informed of the trio of packages along the beaches, and the local narcotics unit is investigating the incidents, according to the sheriffs office. Walton County is about 60 miles northwest of Panama City. Elusive blood-sucking fish washes ashore in Netherlands. Take a look if you dare Monstrosity pushed ashore by 2018s Hurricane Florence hauled off Outer Banks beach 16-year-old vanishes in waves while swimming at NC beach with friends, reports say Gathering of great white sharks some 13 feet long tracked off NCs Outer Banks The United States will provide Ukraine with $2.6 billion in additional security assistance, focusing on artillery, HIMARS, and anti-tank munitions, the US Department of Defense announced in a message on its website on April 4. Jan Chadam has been elected as the new head of the PJSC Main Gas Pipelines of Ukraine supervisory board, replacing Huberte Bettonville, who had previously announced her early resignation from the board effective March 20, 2023. The National Bank of Ukraines (NBU) international reserves exceeded $32 billion after receiving the first IMF loan tranche worth $2.7 billion, NBU First Deputy Governor Kateryna Rozhkova said on national television on April 3. Russia employed a new tactic during the Shahed drone attack on Odesa Oblast on the night of April 4, Natalia Humeniuk, spokeswoman for the Ukrainian military in the south, said in a comment to Ukrainian TV channel 24 on April 4. The difference between the official rate and the black market rate for hryvnia-dollar exchanges is already below 5% This is downright unworkable by the standard of the black and gray markets. Ukraine may soon see 40 new demining companies, a crucial development after as much as 30% of Ukrainian territory 174,000 square kilometers could be covered in landmines, according to information revealed at the European Business Association (EBA)s Security and Business Protection Committee meeting. The United States expects the Armed Forces of Ukraine to launch a counteroffensive against Russian positions in the coming weeks, Permanent U.S. Representative to NATO, Julianne Smith, said at a press briefing on April 3, as reported by news agency Ukrinform. Story continues Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met in Kyiv with a delegation of U.S. businessmen and representatives of several humanitarian institutions led by Trump-era U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on April 3, the presidential site reported. The S&P Global Ratings international rating agency raised the rating of Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraines state rail transport operator, to the level of CCC+. The currency swap deal between the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) and the National Bank of Poland (NBP) has been extended for another year. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United States, Britain, Albania and Malta walked out on Russia's envoy for children's rights - whom the International Criminal Court wants to arrest on war crimes charges - as she spoke by video to U.N. Security Council members on Wednesday. Britain and the United States blocked the informal meeting on Ukraine, convened by Russia to focus on "evacuating children from conflict zones," from being webcast by the United Nations. The diplomats left the U.N. conference room where the discussion was being held as Russian Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova spoke. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Linda Thomas-Greenfield, told reporters that the United States joined Britain in blocking the webcast so Lvova-Belova did not have "an international podium to spread disinformation and to try to defend her horrible actions that are taking place in Ukraine." The International Criminal Court last month issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Lvova-Belova, accusing them of illegally deporting children from Ukraine and the unlawful transfer of people to Russia from Ukraine since Russia invaded on Feb. 24, 2022. Moscow said the warrants were legally void as Russia was not a signatory to the treaty that established the ICC. Moscow has not concealed a program under which it has brought thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia but presents it as a humanitarian campaign to protect orphans and children abandoned in the war zone. Lvova-Belova said that since February 2022, some 5 million Ukrainians, including 700,000 children, had traveled to Russia. Some 2,000 children were from orphanages and accompanied by custodians, she said, adding that about 1,300 of those children had since returned to Ukraine, while 400 were now in Russian orphanages and 358 children were placed in Russian foster homes. "Russia claims it is protecting these children. Instead this is a calculated policy that seeks to erase Ukrainian identity and statehood," British diplomat Asima Ghazi-Bouillon told the meeting, returning to the room after Lvova-Belova had spoken. Story continues During her statement Lvova-Belova showed video of Ukrainian children in Russia, then said: "I want to stress that unlike the Ukrainian side, we don't use children for propaganda." Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told reporters last month that the informal meeting had been planned long before the ICC announcement and it was not intended to be a rebuttal of the charges against Putin and Lvova-Belova. Diplomats have said it is rare for a U.N. webcast to be blocked. However, last month China blocked the U.N. webcast of a U.S.-convened informal Security Council meeting on human rights abuses in North Korea. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; editing by Grant McCool) SEOUL, South Korea (AP) The United States flew nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to the Korean Peninsula again on Wednesday in a show of strength against North Korea amid concerns that the North might conduct a nuclear test. The long-range bombers took part in joint aerial drills with U.S. and South Korean fighter jets over the Korean Peninsula, South Koreas Defense Ministry said. It said it was the first deployment of U.S. B-52 bombers to the peninsula in a month. The drills show the strong resolve of the (South) Korea-U.S. alliance and its perfect readiness to respond to any provocation by North Korea swiftly and overwhelmingly, Lt. Gen. Park Ha Sik, commander of the South Korean air force operation command, said in a statement. The South Korean and U.S. militaries have been expanding their combined military drills in response to North Koreas nuclear and missile threats. The allies conducted their biggest field exercises in five years and computer simulations last month. The U.S. also sent the nuclear-powered USS Nimitz aircraft carrier for joint naval training with South Korea last week and U.S.-South Korea-Japan anti-submarine drills this week. North Korea sees such drills as provocations that show its rivals' intention of attacking the North. A day after the last flight by a B-52 bomber to the peninsula on March 6, Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, warned that her country was ready to take quick, overwhelming action against the United States and South Korea. North Korea has since test-launched a series of nuclear-capable weapons designed to attack South Korea and the United States. They included the Norths longest-range Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile, a developmental nuclear-capable underwater drone and cruise missiles fired from a submarine. Last week, North Korea unveiled a new battlefield nuclear warhead to fit on short-range weapons targeting South Korea. That touched off speculation that it may want to carry out its first nuclear test since 2017 because its last two nuclear test detonations happened after it disclosed other new warheads. If conducted, it would be the Norths seventh nuclear weapons test. Story continues Whether North Korea has functioning nuclear-armed missiles remains a subject of debate. Some experts say a nuclear detonation would be aimed at testing a miniaturized warhead for short-range missiles because the countrys recent weapons tests have focused more on weapons that place key military installations in South Korea, including U.S. military bases there, within striking distance. Kim Jong Un has said North Korea wont return to denuclearization talks with the U.S. unless Washington drops hostile polices toward the North, an apparent reference to its joint military drills with South Korea and U.S.-led international economic sanctions. Some observers say Kim wants to use his growing weapons arsenal to pressure Washington to accept it as a nuclear power and lift the sanctions. On Friday, the chief nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan are to meet in Seoul to discuss how to respond to tensions caused by North Koreas recent weapons tests, according to Seouls Foreign Ministry. During a policy meeting Wednesday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said security cooperation among Seoul, Washington and Tokyo is crucial in dealing with North Korean nuclear threats and other challenges. He said South Korea must bolster its preemptive strike, missile defense and retaliatory attack capabilities while strengthening the deterrence capacity of the South Korea-U.S. alliance. (Independent) The Department of Justice has reached a $144.5m settlement with the victims of a 2017 mass shooting. A federal court ruled in 2021 that the US government was liable for damages related to a mass shooting at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. The shooting left 26 people dead and another 22 wounded. The shooter had been enlisted in the US Air Force but had been discharged for several years by the time of the attack. The USAF was found to be "60 per cent" responsible for the shooting, as an investigation found that the military branch failed to alert the FBI to the gunman's criminal history. Had the FBI known, he would not have been able to legally purchase the gun he used in the attack. No words or amount of money can diminish the immense tragedy of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs, Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said. Todays announcement brings the litigation to a close, ending a painful chapter for the victims of this unthinkable crime. The shooter, Devin Kelley, killed 26 people and injured more than 20 others during his 2017 attack on the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs. The USAF discharged him years prior for bad behaviour and a convinction for assaulting his wife and stepson. Judge Xavier Rodriguez, who ultimately ruled on the governments responsibility for the shooting, found that he Air Force was well aware of Kelleys violent threats and behavior. He said the military understood the threat Kelley posed moreso than the mans own parents or romantic partners. Kelley reportedly had a history of making violent threats against his superiors and threatened to carry out mass shootings. The judge ultimately determined that the Air Force failed to do the responsible thing and report the violent threats made by Kelley to the FBI. China deployed warships through waters around Taiwan on Thursday as it vowed a "firm and forceful" response to the island's president meeting US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen held talks with McCarthy in Los Angeles on Wednesday, expressing gratitude afterwards for the meeting, which included other US lawmakers. "Their presence and unwavering support reassure the people of Taiwan that we are not isolated and we are not alone," Tsai told reporters. China had repeatedly warned both sides that the meeting should not take place, and deployed an aircraft carrier through waters southeast of Taiwan hours before the talks. Three additional warships were detected in waters separating the island from mainland China and an anti-submarine helicopter crossed Taiwan's air defence identification zone, Taipei's Ministry of National Defence said on Thursday morning. China also deployed coastguard vessels for unusual patrols that sparked a protest from Taiwan. Despite Taiwan having been ruled separately for more than 70 years, China views it as part of its territory and has vowed to seize it one day, by force if necessary. Tensions flared around the island last August, following a visit to the island by McCarthy's predecessor, Nancy Pelosi. China then deployed warships, missiles and fighter jets into the waters and skies around Taiwan, its largest show of force in years. Its response to the McCarthy meeting has so far been on a much lower level, but still left Taiwan on high alert. Tsai said face-to-face meetings with US officials were important for "regional peace" and called on Beijing to remain calm. "I also hope the Chinese side can exercise self- restraint and don't overreact," she said at a pre-departure press briefing in Los Angeles on Thursday. Taiwan's defence minister described the timing of the deployment of the Shandong, one of just two Chinese aircraft carriers, as "sensitive" and that Taiwan was monitoring activity around the vessel. Story continues When asked if Shandong's deployment was a prelude to Chinese military exercises, Chiu Kuo-cheng told reporters: "We are not ruling this out". The United States called Thursday on China "to cease its military, diplomatic and economic pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful diplomacy". "We remain committed to maintaining open channels of communication so as to prevent the risk of any kind of miscalculation," State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters. - 'Unwavering support' - Tsai's visit to California was technically a stop-over after a trip to Latin America to see two of Taiwan's dwindling band of official diplomatic allies. China had repeatedly issued warnings ahead of the Tsai-McCarthy meeting and issued another strong rebuke Thursday afternoon. "China will take firm and forceful measures to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a regular briefing. McCarthy, who is second in line for the US presidency, had originally planned to go to Taiwan himself but opted instead to meet Tsai in California. The decision was viewed as a compromise that would underscore support for Taiwan but avoid inflaming tensions with China, a move analysts say has so far proven successful. McCarthy said after meeting Tsai that a shared belief in freedom and democracy underpinned a relationship that was "a matter of profound importance to the free world". McCarthy vowed US arms sales to Taiwan -- which infuriate Chinese leadership -- would continue, in what he said was a proven strategy to dissuade aggression. "And what we know through history, the best way to do that is supply the weapons that allow people to deter war," he said. "It is a critical lesson that we learned through Ukraine, that the idea of just sanctions in the future is not going to stop somebody" who wants to wage war. - China pressure - There were no initial signs of extra military activity on Thursday morning on Pingtan Island in southeastern China -- home to a People's Liberation Army base and one of the closest points on the mainland to Taiwan. AFP journalists on Pingtan last year had witnessed missile launches and army helicopters flying over the island following Pelosi's visit. However, Taipei's top China policy-making body, the Mainland Affairs Council, said Chinese coast guard vessels were "obstructing" trade by carrying out on-site inspections on cargo and passenger ships. Taiwanese vessels have been ordered to refuse the inspection demands, National Security Bureau deputy director general Ko Cheng-heng said on Thursday. Before her return trip from the United States on Thursday, Tsai said her national security team was "closely monitoring the situation" to ensure the safety of its ships "and to prevent China's interference in our territorial waters". bur-ssy/des M1 Abrams tanks Training (on Abrams tanks) hasn't started, said Singh. Read also: Ukraine will get older modification of Abrams tanks Our goal is to have those (tanks delivered) to Ukraine before the end of the year. But that's the only time frame I can give you right now. Previously, a senior U.S. Department of Defense official told CNN that Ukrainian crews will begin their M1Abrams tanks training "relatively soon." Read also: US looking for ways to expedite transfer of Abrams tanks to Ukraine On Jan. 25, Washington announced the transfer of 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine. Read also: Ukrainian troops to begin M1 Abrams training soon On March 21, White House National Security spokesman John Kirby said that the United States is working on transferring Abrams tanks to Ukraine a faster than initially planned. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Key West residents and activist groups say cruise ships threaten to disrupt the area's fragile marine ecosystem and coral reefs. CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images The pandemic offered coastal communities across the US a taste of life without cruise ships. Now, port cities in Florida, Maine, Alaska, and California are fighting to limit or ban the vessels. Monterey, California and Juneau, Alaska are the latest US ports trying to scale back cruise tourism. The pandemic offered coastal communities across the US a taste of life without cruise ships, one marked by cleaner water, fewer crowds, and lost jobs. Now, port cities in Alaska, California, Maine, and Florida are fighting to permanently ban or limit the massive vessels dotting their shorelines due to residents' concerns about over-tourism and pollution. Their initiatives, from every corner of the country's vast shoreline, underscore the challenges towns face as they attempt to reel back cruise tourism: most anchorages and piers used by cruise ships fall under federal jurisdiction, meaning local governments are legally limited in how they can restrict their comings and goings. Monterey, California, a small coastal city two hours south of San Francisco, is the latest US port to push back against the multi-billion dollar cruise industry. In February, its city council voted to terminate passenger landing services provided by the city to visiting ships, claiming they pose environmental risks to Monterey Bay, a national marine sanctuary. While the move isn't a blanket ban on the vessels, it makes disembarkment a costly and complicated challenge for cruise lines who choose to visit. A few weeks prior, Juneau, Alaska's city assembly voted to cap the number of cruise ships visiting the capital's downtown port at five per day. While some residents voiced support for more stringent restrictions, assembly member Maria Gladziszewski said anything more would result in "immediate" litigation. The cruise industry's legal power is a real fear for the city Juneau was previously sued for charging $8 passenger fees, resulting in a costly three-year lawsuit. Story continues The cruise ship Adventure of the Seas sits off Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island on Monday, June 4, 2018. Gregory Rec/Portland Portland Press Herald via Getty Images Some business owners argue that cruise bans will have a negative impact on the local economy. Bar Harbor, a small coastal town in Maine that serves as the gateway Acadia National Park, was sued by local businesses this January after the town approved a citizens petition to cap disembarking cruise visitors to 1,000 per day. But how much cruise passengers actually spend upon disembarkment is unclear. According to one study commissioned by Stand.earth, an environmental organization, found that cruise passengers visiting Victoria, a major Canadian cruise port, were responsible for less than 2% of tourism spending. On the opposite end of the Eastern Seaboard, a similar battle has long been underway. Key West, an island in Florida with approximately 26,000 permanent residents, has been attempting to limit local cruise traffic since 2020, when locals overwhelmingly voted to cap the number of daily cruise ship passengers, ban larger cruise ships, and give preference to cruise lines with the best environmental record. Despite all three measures being approved by over 60% of voters, the fight didn't end there. In 2021, the Florida state legislature passed a bill ruling that local ballots and referendums cannot be used to restrict maritime commerce, effectively overruling Key West's vote. The next year, city officials passed an ordinance banning cruise ships from Key West's public piers and redirecting ship traffic to a private dock a measure that soon attracted state scrutiny. Do you live or work near a US cruise port? Email this reporter at htowey@insider.com to share your story. Read the original article on Business Insider By Jonathan Stempel and Sarah N. Lynch (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Justice reached a $144.5 million settlement with survivors and families of victims of the 2017 mass shooting at a Texas church that killed 26 people, for which a judge had found the Air Force primarily responsible. Wednesday's settlement with more than 75 plaintiffs requires approval by U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez in San Antonio. It would end the government's appeal of Rodriguez's order that it pay approximately $230 million over the Nov. 5, 2017 massacre by former Air Force airman Devin Patrick Kelley at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. Twenty-two others were injured when Kelley, 26, dressed in black and wearing a skull mask, opened fire at a Sunday service, 31 miles (50 km) east of San Antonio. He died later of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head after a police chase. Kelley had used firearms he should not have been allowed to buy, after admitting in a 2012 court martial to domestic violence for striking his former wife and infant stepson. In July 2021, Rodriguez found the Air Force 60% responsible, over its failure to enter Kelley's plea in a database used for background checks prior to firearms purchases. Though finding Kelley 40% responsible, Rodriguez said not even Kelley's parents knew as much as the government about their son's capacity for violence. Damages were imposed in February 2022. The Washington Post reported the settlement earlier. In 2021, the government reached respective settlements of $88 million and $127.5 million with victims of mass shootings at a Charleston, South Carolina church and the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, over alleged errors that might have averted those attacks. "No words or amount of money can diminish the immense tragedy of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs," Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said in a statement. "Today's announcement brings the litigation to a close, ending a painful chapter for the victims of this unthinkable crime." A lawyer for the plaintiffs had no immediate comment. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York and Sarah N. Lynch in Washington, D.C.; Editing by Marguerita Choy) By Michael Martina, Matt Spetalnick and Daniela Desantis WASHINGTON/ASUNCION (Reuters) - As China seeks to further whittle down the list of seven countries in the Americas that still recognize Taiwan, U.S. officials increasingly believe Paraguay may be the islands next diplomatic ally to flip loyalties to Beijing. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wens visit this week to Guatemala and Belize to shore up two remaining Central American partners underscored her governments efforts to head off further defections after Honduras switched its recognition to China last month. But some U.S. policymakers and independent analysts see Paraguay as the likeliest to ditch Taiwan in the near term, especially if the South American countrys opposition wins the April 30 elections and makes good on its promise to embrace China, as its agricultural lobby has demanded. Paraguay is clearly up for grabs, said Benjamin Gedan, who advised former U.S. President Barack Obama and is now director of the Latin America program at the Wilson Center think tank in Washington. Further erosion of the Taiwan camp would be another blow to the U.S., which has had little success stemming the tide of Taipeis diplomatic losses, and a fresh sign of Chinas growing footprint in Washingtons neighborhood. Reuters spoke to three U.S. officials and several other sources close to the matter who see the Biden administration with limited options for halting the gradual drift toward China, with some saying Taiwan itself appeared resigned to losing more allies in the Americas. It is a more pessimistic view than President Joe Bidens aides have expressed publicly and, U.S. sources say, helps to explain Washingtons muted response to Honduras recent ditching of Taiwan, which was seen as a lost cause. While acknowledging that countries have the right to their sovereign decisions, two U.S. officials told Reuters it may now be more important for Taiwan to expand its role in multilateral institutions such as the World Trade Organization than to focus on keeping diplomatic allies. Story continues Taiwan itself has publicly signaled that it no longer wants to compete head-to-head in Latin America with a far-richer China on the basis of checkbook diplomacy, the dangling of aid and investment, to keep its remaining 13 allies worldwide from leaving the fold. We dont have a large enough checkbook, one Taiwan official said. The White House did not immediately respond to Reuters' questions on the issue. The Chinese Embassy in Washington called self-ruled Taiwan "an inalienable part of China" and said the one-China principle was an "overwhelming trend" internationally. "China is willing to develop relations with all countries in the spirit of equality and mutual respect," it said in a statement. PARAGUAY NEARS TURNING POINT? At the center of Chinas approach is the claim by its Communist leadership that democratically ruled Taiwan belongs to the mainland despite the objections of the island's government. Beijing has been angered by what it sees as stepped-up U.S. support for Taiwan, including Tsais stopovers in New York and California on her latest trip, and has vowed to bring the island under its control, by force if necessary. Taiwan views its diplomatic partners as a way to bolster international legitimacy and facilitate economic engagement, while China aims to strip away any attributes of statehood from what it considers a renegade province. With Paraguays elections looming and the China question high on the agenda, Taiwan officials are hoping that relations remain on track with the last nation in South America still aligned with it, according to a source familiar with Taipeis thinking. Paraguays vote could be a turning point on the issue for the landlocked, California-size country of 6.7 million and a decision with significance far beyond its borders. Opposition candidate Efrain Alegre, a centrist lawyer, told Reuters in January he would cut ties with Taiwan and open relations with China if he wins the presidency, hoping to boost crucial soy and beef exports. {nL1N33P1RG} But the ruling conservative Colorado Party candidate, Santiago Pena, has vowed to maintain recognition of Taiwan. A cross-party delegation visited the island in February seeking to calm Taiwanese jitters. Polls suggest the contest will be close. Though the Colorado Party has dominated for decades, it has been plagued by corruption scandals and complaints from the agricultural sector about lack of access to the lucrative Chinese market. Some analysts question whether Alegre would be able to muster legislative support to ditch Taiwan. If he does, it would mark a dramatic shift in a relationship that date backs to 1957 under two U.S.-backed autocrats, Taiwans Chiang Kai-shek and Paraguays Alfredo Stroessner. Pressure has been building for years for Paraguay, a top-10 global beef exporter and fourth largest soybean exporter, to reconsider its ties with Taiwan, a small but robust democracy. Around three years ago, Chinese diplomats made their economic case for a switch in a meeting with Paraguayan farmers and lawmakers near the Iguazu waterfalls on the border with Brazil, two Paraguayan participants told Reuters. Paraguays trade volume with China has doubled over the last eight years and is far larger than with the United States, UN Comtrade data show, but this is driven by imports while exports to the worlds no. 2 economy remain tiny. Having trade relations with China is going to be favorable for producers and for the country, said Eno Michels, president of Paraguay's Soybean Producers Association. He acknowledged, however, that either of the candidates may still change his stance once sworn into office in August. Even if the ruling party retains power, some analysts believe resentment within its ranks over January U.S. sanctions on Colorado politicians could drive Paraguay into Chinas arms. No matter which candidate from which party wins, our government will continue to work with the new government of Paraguay to deepen cooperation and exchanges, Taiwans Foreign Ministry said. In Washington, the Chinese Embassy said Beijing "does not interfere in other countries internal affairs" and declined comment on the Paraguay situation. HONDURAS AS A WARNING SIGN Chinas poaching of Honduras may have been a harbinger. When Taiwan temporarily averted a split with Honduras after President Xiomara Castro took office in January 2022, U.S. State Department officials remained wary. In March, a U.S. assessment that Honduras left-leaning government had already made up its mind to switch to China, in a bid for more investment from the Asian giant, led to the restrained U.S. response, said one person with knowledge of U.S. thinking. U.S. officials were reluctant to be seen forcefully backing a losing position. Still, Washington was quick to warn that Chinas investment promises often go unfulfilled and create debt traps for developing nations. The Biden administration is also keeping a close eye on tiny Belize for any cracks in its Taiwan relationship. Belize officials have privately complained that economic benefits from those ties have not met expectations, according to one person familiar with the matter. Taiwans only other Central American ally is Guatemala, considered steadfast in its support. The four others in the region are Haiti, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia. There is some skepticism among Washington policymakers that more diplomatic losses in the Americas would have significant impact, assuming Taipei maintains support from strategic countries closely linked to the U.S., such as the Marshall Islands in the Pacific. Two U.S. officials said Washington was putting less stock in Taiwan maintaining its diplomatic allies in favor of efforts to increase its participation in international organizations. While denied a seat in the United Nations, Taiwan is a member of the WTO and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. China, however, has blocked it from being upgraded from observer status in the World Health Organization. Taiwan itself also appears more interested in enhancing unofficial ties with like-minded partners in Europe such as Lithuania and the Czech Republic than in competing to maintain scant diplomatic recognition, the U.S. officials said. But some U.S. lawmakers are concerned about the trend, which includes five nations in the Americas switching allegiance in just over five years. U.S. Representative Mike Gallagher, Republican chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, told Reuters that China was trying to isolate Taiwan, possibly as a prelude to invading the island, and was taking advantage of our complacency. (Reporting by Michael Martina, Matt Spetalnick and David Brunnstrom in Washington, Daniela Desantis in Asuncion; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei, Adam Jourdan in Buenos Aires, Sofia Menchu in Guatemala City, Jose Sanchez in Belize City; Writing by Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Don Durfee and Alistair Bell) The Minnesota Vikings are doing their due diligence on wide receivers leading up to the draft. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, the Vikings are set to host USC wide receiver Jordan Addison on a top-30 visit. Addison is one of the top wide receiver prospects in this draft class who would fit perfectly alongside Justin Jefferson with his versatility to play inside and outside. Known for his ability to gain separation with his elite route running, Addison can help take advantage of the teams that try to double Jefferson and be a potentially lethal addition to this Vikings offense. Addison tested poorly at the combine which is could be the reason the Vikings want to host him for a top-30 visit. The Vikings have a void at wide receiver since the departure of Adam Thielen and Addison would fill it. Story originally appeared on Vikings Wire A former U.S. Postal Service employee was caught stealing dozens of stimulus checks and credit cards from mail he was supposed to deliver on his route, federal prosecutors said. While he was under investigation, a camera was hidden in his USPS vehicle and recorded him stuffing envelopes with stimulus checks inside his pockets in northern New Jersey, according to court documents. The man, 30, of East Orange, New Jersey, admitted to stealing credit cards and checks and pleaded guilty to one count of mail theft on April 3, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of New Jersey announced in a news release. Once the cards were stolen from addresses in Montclair and Verona, the man tried activating and using some of them at stores, prosecutors said. Other times, he sold the credit cards and stimulus checks issued by the U.S. Treasury Department, according to officials. Hassen Abdellah, the mans attorney, declined a request for comment from McClatchy News on April 5. Residents report not receiving credit cards from USPS The case dates to January 2021, when residents along the mans mail route began complaining about not receiving credit cards from USPS, a complaint filed in court shows. Several of the cards that werent delivered were activated through calls made to banks placed from the mans phone, the complaint says. One stolen card was used to make a fraudulent $405 purchase from a shoe store in January 2023, according to the complaint. This attempt was declined, according to investigators. Another declined attempt involved how a stolen credit card the man was supposed to deliver was used to try to buy $2,000 worth of items from stores in March, the complaint says. After an investigation was launched, USPS inspectors discovered Instagram direct messages between the man and other individuals discussing stolen mail and stimulus checks, according to the complaint. In one message, an individual, who wasnt identified in the complaint, posted a photo of 21 stolen stimulus checks, the complaint says. Story continues Eighteen of those checks were meant for people located along the mans mail delivery route, according to the complaint. This led USPS Office of Inspector General agents to hide a camera in the mans USPS vehicle as part of the investigation in September 2021, the complaint says. The man stopped working for USPS that month, according to prosecutors. Now hes facing a potential sentence of up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine, officials said. The mans sentencing hearing is set for Aug. 15, according to the release. East Orange is about 15 miles west of New York City. USPS employee stole $40,000 worth of mailed checks and sold them on dark web, feds say Postal workers splurge on $1.3M in luxury goods with stolen credit cards, feds say Postal service worker stole cell phones from the mail and resold them in NJ, feds say Correction: The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force found insufficient evidence to recommend for or against screening for breast cancer in women 75 and older. An earlier version of this article mischaracterized the task force's recommendation. In 2009, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force raised the age for women to begin routine breast cancer screening to 50 from 40. The task force also found insufficient evidence to recommend for or against screening for women 75 and older. Now, 14 years later, researchers at the Larner College of Medicine at The University of Vermont have discovered some unintended and unwelcome consequences from those loosened guidelines: A decline in mammography screening rates for every age group of women, including those aged 50-74 who are at the highest risk of developing breast cancer. Sarah Nowak and Brian Sprague, who both hold doctorates, termed their findings a "spillover effect," since the revised guidelines were intended to reduce unnecessary screenings for groups less at risk, but spilled over to affect women who are at risk. Their findings were recently published in The American Journal of Preventative Medicine. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force changed its mammography screening guidelines in 2009 to recommend that routine breast cancer screening start at age 50 rather than age 40. Vermont had the second steepest decline in screenings of any state for all three age groups of women. The average decline nationwide was by 1.3% for women aged 40-49; .5% for women aged 50-74; and 1.7% for women 75 and older. In Vermont, those percentages were nearly doubled, with a 2.5% decline for women aged 40-49; a 1.2% decline for women aged 50-74; and a 2.9% decline for women 75 and older. "While these percentages may seem small, the cumulative impact over 10 years translates to 2.4 million fewer women in the United States aged 50-74 being up to date with screening mammography," Sprague said in a news release. "The number of Vermont women aged 50-74 affected over the 10 years period is approximately 10,000 people." Over-diagnosis leads to high anxiety In an interview with the Burlington Free Press, Nowak said the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force regularly reviews their recommendations based on updated evidence. In the case of breast cancer screening beginning when women turned 40 instead of when they turned 50, the task force was concerned about the amount of unnecessary anxiety women were suffering. Story continues Sarah Nowak of the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine says more research needs to be done into the effects of cancer screening guidelines on both patients and doctors. "What the evidence showed was there needed to be more consideration of the downsides of breast cancer screening, mostly over-diagnosis," Nowak said. Nowak pointed out the task force did not recommend against women getting screened for breast cancer in their 40s, but said it should be an individual decision, made in consultation with a primary care doctor, rather than a blanket recommendation. More: Did you forget about cancer screening during the pandemic? Here's a way to get back on track. "I do think it's important to have guidelines that are nuanced, and that adapt to new evidence," Nowak said. "What I would like to see is more research on understanding how both patients and doctors respond to changes in guidelines, and what are the unintended consequences?" Contact Dan DAmbrosio at 660-1841 or ddambrosio@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanDambrosioVT. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers. This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: UVM examines consequences from revised cancer screening guidelines Van Jones Many rejoiced following former President Donald Trumps arrest in New York on Tuesday, but one political commentator was not happy. According to the New York Post, CNN political commentator Van Jones shared he didnt take joy in the outcome of Trumps arraignment. He looks sad, Jones said during the networks live coverage of the arraignment. Jones added, He looks like the weight of it is hitting him. Though the former Obama administration official typically favors Democratic ideologies over Republican ones, he expressed Tuesdays history-making criminal indictment of a former president is not something to happy about. Just as a human being, I dont take joy [in Trumps indictment], he said. Jones, a prison reform advocate who worked with the Trump administration to pass the First Step Act, also noted he doesnt like the prison system and what it does to people. The CNN correspondents opinion on Trumps fate is not popular; after a clip of Jones commentary made its way to Twitter, users were quick to come for him. We may not be able to count on Twitter working, but we can always count on Van Jones being a damn clown, one user wrote. We may not be able to count on Twitter working, but we can always count on Van Jones being a damn clown. Hand of the Queen (@DPMCanty) April 4, 2023 Now Trump is Pop-Pop. I cant, another added, referring to Jones calling the former president a granddad having a very bad day. Now Trump is Pop-Pop. I cant. Sherrilyn Ifill (@SIfill_) April 4, 2023 One tweeter called Van Jones unserious. This nigga is so unserious. first of all, bitch, (@thejournalista) April 4, 2023 And another mentioned Jones relationship with the Trumps. Story continues When the character of a person is not clear, look at their friends. Old proverb, they shared. When the character of a person is not clear, look at their friends. Old proverb. pic.twitter.com/tGSbcboJho Maya Contreras (@mayatcontreras) April 4, 2023 Jones sympathy for Trump isnt anything new. He caught flack for praising the former president after he signed the First Step Act. During a 2021 appearance on The View, co-hosts Sunny Hostin, Ana Navarro and Joy Behar condemned the 54-year-old for his Trump association, which included taking selfies with controversial conservative commentator Candace Owens, who once called Trump the savior of the free world. [Source] Actor Vanessa Hudgens and her Filipino immigrant mother recently opened up about her upbringing in the United States. During a press conference in Manila on Friday promoting her upcoming travel documentary, the Salinas, California-born "High School Musical" star shared her experience growing up as a Filipino American. I was definitely raised very American, Hudgens, 34, began. Except for all the rice and the adobo and pancit, she added with laughter. Pointing out the prominent family aspect of Filipino culture, Hudgens revealed, Ive always been so close to my mom and my sister. We kind of roll as a pack all the time, and thats definitely something that comes from my heritage. More from NextShark: Charlyne Yi Reveals She Tried to Quit The Disaster Artist Over James Franco Sexual Allegations Realizing that much of herself was innately Filipino, Hudgens explained that her recent motivations to visit the Philippines were related to her own visions for the future. "Im 30 now. Im thinking about raising a family and I want to be able to know my heritage so that I can bring that forth. So that my kids can know their backgrounds. They can know more about their own blood," she said. Her motivations are similar to how her mother, Gina Guangco-Hudgens, explained she raised her own children as a single parent. More from NextShark: More Yet To Come: BTS in tears as they announce group break to focus on solo projects Raising two girls in America, I try to infuse the Filipino culture and kindness is number one, she said at the press conference. Not to forget who they are. To be true to themselves because thats the only way they can be living examples to other people and kindness is always, always number one in my vocabulary and just to put restriction on little things and clinging on things that dont matter. Because at the end of the day, family is so important. Hudgens recent visit to the Philippines is part of her upcoming untitled travel documentary, which will show the Filipino American star travelling to her mothers birth country for the first time. More from NextShark: LE SSERAFIMs Yunjin releases new solo single (love you twice) Its a really intimate look at my experience being in the Philippines for the first time. Really discovering this beautiful land and the wonderful people and just really getting in touch with the piece of myself that has always been there, but Ive never known intimately. Story continues Reflecting on her eye-opening experience in the new but familiar country, Hudgens expressed an early excitement to return. I feel like the time that I have spent here has been so incredible and so special, she stated. But I need more time. The country is so big. It has so much to offer. More from NextShark: Michelle Yeoh reveals she almost died doing her own stunts with Jackie Chan in Supercop The founding trio came up with this recipe while exploring different cuts of beef for their restaurant (BAO) For a while, I was obsessed with steak served with cafe de Paris butter, so Shing and I frequented Le Relais de Venise lEntrecote when we used to live in Soho. If you had to close your eyes and picture what a French bistro would look like, this would be the place: waitresses in classic outfits, tables too close to each other, a simple menu with just steak, fries and salads. I loved the sauce so much I took Anais there, too, to dissect their delicious house sauce. After having it, Anais came up with the idea of creating our Taipei butter made with our spiced beef butter as a base. We wanted to use a cut of beef that was super tender when flash-grilled and had a good marbling of fat running through it. Working with Philip Warren and Son in Cornwall, we picked out the Denver cut, which is an often overlooked cut of beef from the shoulder. The beef is aged for 40 days in a vacuum-packed bag, meaning no moisture can enter but simultaneously the meat is able to breathe. The ageing allows the enzymes in the meat to break down, so that when flash-grilling, the meat is soft and not chewy. As well as going through many different beef cuts, the beginnings of the dish took many different forms a skewer, a dish that was supposed to be in a bao, and a bowl of rice. Sometimes the best dishes come from that last bit of sweat. At the eleventh hour, when the pressure hit, this dish was created and is now what we consider a classic. The rice is slathered with the Taipei butter before the beef is precisely fanned out in a spiral pattern on top, with the golden soy-cured egg yolk sitting in the middle. 40-day aged beef and Taipei butter rice Serves: 2 Ingredients: For the beef: 80g onion, diced 2 cloves garlic 80g vegetarian oyster sauce 2 tbsp honey 4 tsp Chinkiang black rice vinegar 4 tsp rapeseed (canola) oil 2 tsp premium soy sauce 1 x 200g 40-day aged Denver steak Splash of vegetable oil Flaky sea salt For the Taipei butter: 110g Spiced Beef Butter (see below) Story continues 90g butter, at room temperature 30g shallot, very finely chopped 40ml light soy sauce tsp chilli powder 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped tsp ground star anise Pinch of ground white pepper 7g basil, finely chopped 15g coriander (cilantro), finely chopped 7g curly parsley, finely chopped For the rice: 150g short-grain rice (preferably Chishang or Japanese sushi rice) 150ml filtered water To serve: 60ml Rice Dressing (see below) 2 Soy-cured Egg Yolks (see below) Urfa chilli flakes, to taste Method: For the beef: A day in advance, put the onion and garlic into a blender and blend until they form a smooth paste. Tip into a bowl and whisk with the vegetarian oyster sauce, honey, vinegar, rapeseed (canola) oil and soy sauce. Add the steak and stir to coat, then cover and leave to marinate in the refrigerator overnight. The first cookbook from Londons cult favorite restaurant BAO offers a taste of Taiwanese food culture (Phaidon) For the Taipei butter: Put all the ingredients except the herbs into a bowl and blend using a hand held blender. If the blending makes the butter mixture warm, leave it to cool. When cool, stir in the herbs and chill. There will be more butter than is needed for this recipe, but it can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or in the freezer for up to 3 months. For the rice: Half an hour before you want to eat, take the beef and Taipei butter out of the refrigerator. Wash the rice thoroughly, 3 times. After the final rinse, tip the rice into a bowl, cover with cold water and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Pour the filtered water into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Drain the soaked rice and add to the pan. When the water is boiling again, put a lid on, reduce the heat to low and cook for 18 minutes. Open the lid to check that the rice is cooked and glistening but not wet. Put the lid back on, remove from the heat and leave the rice to rest for 10 minutes before serving (this process allows the remaining steam to absorb back into the grains, resulting in fluffy and bouncy rice). At no point remove the lid from the pan. To assemble: While the rice is resting, preheat the oven to 150C/300F/gas mark 2 and place 2 shallow bowls in the oven to warm. Heat a heavy-based frying pan (skillet) over a medium-high heat. Add a splash of oil to ensure the beef does not stick, but not too much. Remove the beef from the marinade and place it in the hot pan. Season with flaky sea salt, then cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until medium-rare. Remove from the pan and leave to rest in a warm place for 5 minutes. If you have a meat thermometer, the internal temperature of the beef should reach 57C/135F. Slice the beef to a thickness of 5 mm ( inch). Drizzle the rice dressing over the steamed rice. Using a rice paddle or wooden spoon, fluff the rice using a scoring gesture (this mixes the dressing through the rice while ensuring the rice grains are not crushed). Scoop the rice into the warmed bowls and gently smooth the surface. Do not press or compact the rice down. Spread 1 tablespoon of the Taipei butter over the rice in each bowl, then using the back of a spoon, make a small indentation in the middle of each bowl. Layer the beef in a rose pattern around the indentation, then gently place a soy-cured egg yolk in the middle of each beef rose. Sprinkle with chilli flakes and some more flaky sea salt. Spiced beef butter We first encountered this at Lin Dong Fang and it sat tableside for those who wanted to turn their clear broth into a rich spicy broth. It remained with us all these years and we now serve this iteration on our rich beef noodles. Makes: 100g Ingredients: tsp red Sichaun peppercorns 1 dried red chilli 1 star anise cinnamon stick 100g beef fat a spring onion (scallion), finely diced 1 clove garlic, finely diced 1cm (in) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely diced 1 tsp doubanjiang (fermented chilli bean paste) 1 tsp chilli powder 1 tsp premium soy sauce Method: Toast the Sichuan peppercorns, dried chilli, star anise and cinnamon stick in a dry frying pan over a medium heat until fragrant, then remove from the pan and lave to cool. Transfer the spices to a spice grinder or pestle and mortar and grind to a powder. Melt the beef fat in a separate frying pan over a medium heat, add the spring onion (scallion), garlic and ginger and cook until they turn a light golden brown, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl and discard the spring onion, garlic and ginger. Return the fat to the pan, then add the ground toasted spices, the doubanjiang and chilli powder. Give the mixture a good stir over a medium heat, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for two hours. Strain the beef fat through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove any solids (if it has started to set, first melt it gently in the pan over a low heat). Stir in the premium soy sauce and use straight away. Rice dressing Super simple to prepare, you can make a big batch of this and use it whenever you feel like it. Makes: 140ml Ingredients: 100ml rice vinegar 20g salt 20g caster (superfine) sugar Method: In a small non-reactive bowl, whisk together all the ingredients until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Another easy way to do this is to put it into a jar, seal and give it a good shake. The dressing can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month. Soy-cured egg yolk This cured egg yolk started off as a topping for the pigs blood cake, but since then it has been a constant across all our menus. At first, when we opened a new restaurant, we tried to avoid using it, but then we thought, Screw that! and made cured egg yolk a mainstay in them all. There will never be a BAO restaurant without cured egg yolks, and therefore there will always be a group of angry chefs who have to painstakingly crack and separate the eggs daily. We have provided the method for making one cured egg yolk, but this can easily be scaled up depending on how many you need to make. Makes: 1 soy-cured egg yolk Ingredients: 50ml mirin 35ml light soy sauce 15ml dark soy sauce 1 egg yolk Method: Mix together all the liquid ingredients in a small bowl, then carefully lower in the egg yolk and leave to cure for 10 minutes. Tip: When preparing the egg yolk, make sure to remove all the egg white as well as the cloudy placenta. Hold the yolk gently in your fingers as you separate off the egg white and use the side of the index and middle finger to cut away the small chalaza as you do so. Recipe from BAO by Erchen Chang, Shing Tat Chung, Wai Ting Chung (published by Phaidon, 29.95). A man protects himself from the sun with a newspaper featuring Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, February 2019 Political polarisation is mirrored in the media, a process that began under Hugo Chavez, whose critics accused him of persecuting hostile outlets and opponents of President Nicolas Maduro say he has continued these tactics. Anti-government and exile media have emerged online. Many journalists have fled Venezuela because of threats and physical dangers, says Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The government's main TV mouthpiece is Venezolana de Television (VTV), which carries Mr Maduro's speeches and reports on the activities of his ministers. Its coverage routinely ignores the opposition. Telecoms regulators have barred many of VTV's competitors from cable networks. Globovision, a one-time critical outlet, changed its editorial line after it was sold to government-linked owners in 2013. Venezuela is the main shareholder in Telesur, a Caracas-based pan-American TV. Governments with a stake in the venture are all left wing or left of centre. The government regularly blocks online news content, which affecting various independent media portals. Key independent media include Radio Fe y Alegria, Efecto Cocuyo, Union Radio, El Estimulo, El Pitazo and El Diario. There were 22.7 million internet users by July 2022, comprising 78% of the population (Internetworldstats.com). Press Television Radio News agency/websites PALM BEACH, Fla. Just hours after he left his fingerprints in a Manhattan courthouse and on American history, former President Donald Trump returned to his home turf at the Mar-a-Lago club here and proclaimed that he is being unjustly persecuted by prosecution. "They cant beat us at the ballot box, so they try to beat us through the law," Trump, the first former president ever charged with a crime, said Tuesday night to a room of supporters that included luminaries of his movement, such as defeated Arizona GOP gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake, voter fraud evangelist Mike Lindell and Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and Ronny Jackson, R-Texas. "We are a nation in decline, and now these radical left lunatics want to interfere in elections by using law enforcement," Trump said, tying his prosecution and the multiple investigations he faces to his false claims of a rigged election in 2020. "We cant let that happen." Speaking for less than 30 minutes, Trump was more subdued than usual, and it seemed the long day had taken its toll on him. But he didn't stop with lambasting the case in New York. Rather, he turned his attention to additional legal jeopardy he faces. He called on prosecutors in Atlanta to "drop" a case into his effort to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia, condemned an ongoing federal investigation into his handling of classified documents, mocked a New York state investigation into his business and described special counsel Jack Smith who is overseeing the federal probe into his handling of classified documents and his actions around the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol as a "lunatic." "With all of this being said, and with a very dark cloud over our beloved country, I have no doubt nevertheless we will make America great again," Trump said. "The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it," he added. The twin spectacles centered on one man a former president standing first as a defendant and later as the favorite for the 2024 Republican nomination brought into sharp relief a set of uniquely Trumpian paradoxes gripping the nation and testing its ideals. Story continues The salacious allegations of Trump's safeguarding his 2016 campaign by deploying a fixer to buy the silence of a porn star paramour are somehow wrapped in a pedestrian 34-count indictment on felony charges of falsifying business records to keep the electorate in the dark about previous alleged affairs. The whole world was watching as Trump pleaded not guilty, and yet legal experts say the case puts him in far less jeopardy than allegations that he tried to overturn Georgia's election results, incited an insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and illegally mishandled classified documents. But the most seemingly irreconcilable truths may be that Trump's political fortunes are rising at least in Republican primary polls as his legal troubles mount. Greene credited Trump's prosecutor, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, with expanding the former president's lead over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in an interview Tuesday. "Alvin Bragg is making the best case possible to Republican voters to vote for Donald Trump," Greene said. "Alvin Bragg is also making the best case possible to independent voters to vote for Donald Trump." The latter assertion isn't supported by recent public opinion surveys, but it raises the specter of a nightmare scenario for the GOP: Trump's travails could propel him to the nomination, only to cost the party the White House in November 2024. "We dont know how any of this will play out the legal process, the politics or the impact on the nation more generally," said Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University and the author of numerous books on American presidents. "But we can understand how this is a first effort, relevant even if it fails, to restore some sense of accountability with those who hold the highest levels of power." Image: Former US president Donald Trump speaks during a press conference following his court appearance over an alleged 'hush-money' payment, at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on April 4, 2023. (Chandan Khanna / AFP - Getty Images) In that way, the conflicting black-and-white narratives of Trump's allies and critics who portray him as a martyr and a crook, respectively may elide the fuzzier question of when political action becomes criminal activity. Kim Wehle, a law professor who worked in independent counsel Kenneth Starr's office during President Bill Clinton's impeachment, said Trump's positions as a candidate and a former president don't make his actions political rather than criminal. To call this political, when it is about a politician, is double-speak," Wehle said. "There are plenty of politicians who have been indicted, prosecuted and convicted over American history. The fact that he is embroiled in politics does not somehow lower the standard or change the standard for prosecution from the standpoint of lawyers and the law. She said she believes Bragg would have indicted Trump only if he believed he could prove crimes were committed. If the facts are very weak and not provable beyond a reasonable doubt but a prosecutor brings a charge anyway just to make an impact politically, that would arguably be a different matter," Wehle said. "But by all accounts, Bragg is a careful and experienced prosecutor. He understands the stakes, so I doubt this will be a flimsy case. Before his discordantly triumphant return to the Mar-a-Lago club, Trump demonstrated his ability to shape his own story at least for the voters who identify with his Make America Great Again set. As he rolled toward the courthouse in a caravan, Trump posted a note to his followers on the Truth Social media platform that captured both his defiance and the personal shock of the moment. "Seems so SURREAL WOW, they are going to ARREST ME," he wrote. "Cant believe this is happening in America. MAGA!" Trump wasn't subjected to posing for a mug shot during his arrest, but he mugged for news cameras when he took the stage at Mar-a-Lago. Earlier in the day, his campaign blasted an email out to supporters offering donors a shirt emblazoned with a fake Trump mug shot above the words "NOT GUILTY." Asked whether the New York case could hurt Trump in a general election, Lake said: "Not at all. Are you kidding?" "President Trump has been bullied every damn day since he dared to stand up for we the people," she said, adding: "He's being bullied, and you know who the victim is? We the people, and we're tired of it." Trump found a warm embrace from the hundreds of people who came to his club to welcome him home. Many of them wore clothes bearing Trump's name, including a group of pro-Trump bikers in sleeveless leather jackets with "45" in the center on the back his number in the line of American presidents. Lance Winkler, a retired church musician, said he is a Trump backer who came to the club for the first time Tuesday because of the indictment. "It had no appeal to come here except that Im worried about the country," Winkler said. "He was arrested today, and Im pretty sure that its political." Winkler said he believes Trumps political opponents are setting up to steal the 2024 election a claim connected to Trumps false assertion that his 2020 defeat was fraudulent. "Hell win, but he may not be president," Winkler said of Trumps chances if hes the GOP nominee. Not all of the guests at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday are committed to Trump in 2024. Laura Petrillo, a club member with homes in New York and Florida, said she sees the Manhattan case as a witch hunt. But Petrillo, a stay-at-home mom, confided shes not sure whom she will back in the GOP primary, expressing worry that legal trouble could hinder Trump in a general election. I do have concerns about that, she said. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Police are working to identify skeletal remains found Friday in a burned-out car in Greenup County. The incident was very suspicious, Kentucky State Trooper Shane Goodall told the Herald-Leader. Law enforcement believe the person inside the car was a woman and are awaiting DNA identification. We believe we know who it is, Goodall said. But were just waiting for DNA to come back so we can go ahead and proceed with the investigation on who it is. The car and body were found around 12:55 p.m. along Sawpit Road, Goodall said. The road is near Kentucky Route 2 in southern Greenup County. A portion of the woods along the gravel Sawpit Road was still charred Tuesday, WSAZ reported. Sherry Dingess, who lives up the road from the scene, told the news station she called 911 after a man arrived at her house and told her what hed seen. He was almost inconsolable, Dingess said. He was just distraught. I kind of broke down with him and was trying to help him. Goodall said Greenup County Sheriffs deputies arrived at the scene and then asked KSP to come out and assist after finding a body in the vehicle. Its a complete shock for something like that around here to happen, Kelly Wilburn, another Sawpit Road resident, told WSAZ. Thats all Ive thought about since Friday is why somebody did that to her. Map of Vietnam Vietnam, a one-party Communist state, has been one of south-east Asia's fastest-growing economies. It has been a unified country since 1975, when the armed forces of the Communist north seized the south. This followed three decades of bitter wars, in which the Communists fought first against the colonial power France, then against South Vietnam and its US backers. In its latter stages, the conflict held the attention of the world. Alongside its economic growth, Vietnam is also beset by high levels of corruption, political censorship and a poor record on human rights. Read more country profiles - Profiles by BBC Monitoring SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM: FACTS Capital: Hanoi Area: 331,699 sq km Population: 103.8 million Language: Vietnamese Life expectancy: 71 years (men) 79 years (women) LEADER President: Nguyen Xuan Phuc Vietnam's President Vo Van Thuong Vo Van Thuong was appointed to the largely ceremonial post of president by the national assembly on March 2023. He is the youngest person to hold this position. Communist Party General Secretary: Nguyen Phu Trong Nguyen Phu Trong In Vietnam, real power resides in the post of general-secretary of the Communist Party, which has been held by Nguyen Phu Trong since 2011. As general secretary he heads the party's secretariat, is secretary of the Central Military Commission - in addition to being the de facto head of the politburo, the country's highest decision-making body. MEDIA Newspaper vendor in Vietnam The Communist Party has a strong grip on the media. Media outlets and journalists risk sanctions and arrest for broaching sensitive topics and for criticising the government. Online content deemed to threaten Communist rule is blocked. TIMELINE Ho Chi Minh (pictured in 1951) led the resistance against French colonial rule in the First Indochina War Some key dates in Vietnam's history: 1859-83 - France slowly colonises Indochina. 1940 - Japan takes control of Indochina. 1945 - The Viet Minh seizes power. Ho Chi Minh proclaims independence and establishes the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. 1946 - French forces attack Viet Minh in Haiphong in November, sparking the war of resistance against the colonial power. Story continues 1950 - Democratic Republic of Vietnam is recognised by China and USSR. 19554 - Viet Minh forces attack and eventually capture a key isolated French military base in the town of Dien Bien Phu after a seven-week battle. The battle effectively spells the end of France's field army in Vietnam. During the siege the French government agrees to peace talks in Geneva. 1954 - Vietnam is split into North and South at the Geneva conference. 1956 - South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem begins campaign against political dissidents. Conflict between the two rival states rages for the next two decades, in what is known as the Vietnam War or the Second Indochina War. The US becomes heavily involved in support of the South. 1964 - Gulf of Tonkin incident: the US says North Vietnamese patrol boats fired on two US Navy destroyers. US Congress approves Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, authorising military action in region. 1965 - 200,000 American combat troops arrive in South Vietnam. 1966 - US troop numbers in Vietnam rise to 400,000, then to 500,000 by 1967. 1968 - Tet Offensive - a combined assault by Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese army on US positions - begins. 1969 - Ho Chi Minh dies. President Nixon begins to reduce US ground troops in Vietnam as domestic public opposition to the war grows. 1973 - Ceasefire agreement in Paris, US troop pull-out completed by March. 1975 - North Vietnamese troops invade South Vietnam and take control of the whole country after South Vietnamese President Duong Van Minh surrenders. 1976 - Vietnam is reunified as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Hundreds of thousands flee abroad, including many "boat people". 1979 - Vietnam invades Cambodia and ousts the Khmer Rouge regime of Pol Pot. In response, Chinese troops cross Vietnam's northern border. They are pushed back by Vietnamese forces. 1986 - Nguyen Van Linh becomes party leader. He introduces a more liberal economic policy. 1989 - Vietnamese troops withdraw from Cambodia. 1994 - US lifts its 30-year trade embargo. 1995 - Vietnam and US restore full diplomatic relations. Vietnam becomes full member of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). 2000 - US President Bill Clinton pays a three-day official visit. 2001 - US and Vietnam implement a trade agreement which normalises the trade status between them. 2002 - Russia hands back the Cam Ranh Bay naval base, once the largest Soviet base outside the Warsaw Pact. 2004 - First US commercial flight since the end of the Vietnam War touches down in Ho Chi Minh City. 2007 - Vietnam joins the World Trade Organization. 2011 - Vietnam begins joint operation with the United States to clean up contamination from the toxic Agent Orange defoliant widely used by the US military during the Vietnam war. China and Vietnam sign an agreement to manage the South China Sea dispute 2014 - State media for first time marks anniversary of South Vietnam's 1974 clash with China over Paracel Islands, in sign of growing tension over Chinese intentions in the area. 2016 - US lifts long-standing ban on selling weapons to Vietnam. A Polish woman who claimed she was Madeleine McCann appears to have ended her search for proof after receiving the results of a DNA test. Julia Faustyna, 21, made headlines earlier this year after posting a video to Instagram in which she claimed to be the British girl who disappeared, aged three, on a family holiday in Portugal. Ms Faustyna, who also goes by the last name Wendell, alleged her parents could not prove a biological link with her and ordered her genes be tested to show that she had British ancestry. Faustyna said she had similar features to Madeleine (Dr Phil/Metropolitan Police) She claimed to have started suspecting she was Madeleine in June last year. She did not provide any supporting evidence but pointed to perceived physical similarities and alleged missing family records. A frenzy in parts of the media over the claims culminated last week in an appearance by Ms Faustyna on long-running US chat show, Dr Phil, where she said she would submit her DNA to Scotland Yard to be compared to Madeleines if the test revealed her roots were British. On Monday night, Fia Johansson, a spokesperson for the young woman, said: Julias test results are back. We finally know the reality! Ms Johansson, a psychic medium, added: The test results revealed that she is 100% of Polish heart, with negligible influence from Lithuania, and Russia. The DNA test results did not show any connection to British or even German roots. Ms Faustynas parents always denied they were not biologically linked to Ms Faustyna and said their daughter had taken evidence including photographs and a birth certificate with her when she moved out of their house. Johansson, left, appeared with Faustyna, right, in media interviews (Radar) After the claims emerged, her parents said: For us, as a family, it is obvious that Julia is our daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, cousin and step-niece. We have memories, we have pictures. Julia also has these photos, because she took them from the family home with the birth certificate, as well as numerous hospital discharges. We always tried to understand all situations that happened with Julia. Threats to our address ... activity on the internet ... weve seen it all and weve tried to prevent it, explain it ... Story continues Ms Johansson said in Mondays statement that Ms Faustyna had moved back in with her father. An Instagram page on which Ms Faustyna made her claims, IAmMadeleineMcCann, has been deactivated. The search for Madeleine has been ongoing since she went missing in 2007 and investigators recently sought new funding to continue their work. Portuguese police running a concurrent probe last year declared Christian Brueckner, a paedophile jailed in Germany, as the prime suspect in the girls disappearance. Virgin Media has been hit by a host of frustrated users, complaints and threats to leave after two major outages. The internet company was forced to apologise twice after outages on Tuesday. Connections went offline at 2am, before being resolved; they then broke again on Tuesday afternoon. Unfortunately we have seen a repeat of an earlier issue which is causing intermittent broadband connectivity problems for some Virgin Media customers, the company said at the time. We apologise again to those impacted, our teams are continuing to work flat out to find the root cause of the problem and fix it. By Tuesday evening, service was restored to users and the company said it was monitoring for any more issues But that outage had already led to a flurry of complaints from users, many of whom suggested they would be leaving for alternative internet providers. Customers complained not only about the break in their internet connections but about frustration with the customer service they had received, too. However, the issue did not last for long enough for customers to be issued with automatic compensation. Virgin Media is one of a number of internet companies signed up to Ofcoms automatic compensation scheme, having joined along with most other major providers in 2019. That scheme aims to make it easier for people to receive refunds for outages, without them having to chase customer service or explicitly ask for it. However, it only begins when the internet has stopped working and is not fully fixed after two full working days. There was less than a delay between even the first outage and the conclusion of the second, meaning that the latest problems were a long way from triggering that scheme. The Ofcom scheme also allows for automatic compensation in cases where an engineer misses an appointment or there is a delay in the start of a new service. Full details can be found on the regulators website. Companies can of course choose to offer refunds or other kinds of compensation whenever they want. But there is no indication that Virgin Media is planning to do so. A senior executive at Virgin Orbit has hit out at the leadership in a farewell email, telling staff at the bankrupt rocket firm they "deserved better". Chief operating officer Tony Gingiss issued a lengthy apology to workers while blasting his fellow managers for apparently failing to say sorry. Virgin Orbit filed for bankruptcy after failing to raise more funding. Earlier this year, it failed to complete its first-ever satellite launch from UK soil. In his goodbye email, Mr Gingiss thanked workers for "everything you gave to me personally", adding "you deserved better than this!". He continued: "You simply did not have the leadership or opportunity to demonstrate to the world what you can fully do and how this product could be an enduring force in the market." He appeared to directly criticise Virgin Orbit's chief executive Dan Hart by later stating he wanted to "say something to you, that you have not heard from the person who should be saying it, so I willI'm sorry and I apologize". "I'm sorry that I was not able to convince our leader and board to take a different path to give us more time to figure things out," he said in the email, which was published in full by US network CNBC. Virgin Orbit has not responded to the BBC's request for comment. The company, based in California, was founded in 2017 and is a spin-off from Sir Richard Branson's space tourism company Virgin Galactic. It launches rockets from beneath modified Boeing 747 planes to send satellites into space. But in January, an attempt to send a satellite into orbit from Spaceport Cornwall for the first time failed because a rocket fuel filter had become dislodged, causing one of the engines to overheat. Since then financial troubles at the firm have emerged and attempts to get new investment have also ended in failure. Prior to filing for bankruptcy, the business, which is mostly owned by Virgin Group, announced last week that it would cut 85% of its 750-strong workforce. Story continues On Tuesday, Virgin Orbit's boss Mr Hart said that although the company had "taken great efforts" to address its finances and secure more funding, "we ultimately must do what is best for the business." He said that Virgin Orbit would now concentrate on finding a buyer for the business "to provide clarity on the future of the company to its customers, vendors, and employees". The company had debts of $153.5m (123m) as of September last year. On Tuesday, the company said Virgin Investments, part of Virgin Group, would provide $31.6m in new money to help Virgin Orbit through the process of finding a buyer. It has filed for what is known as Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US. This allows a business to keep operating and address its financial issues while providing protection against creditors who are owed money. Former president of Virgin Galactic Will Whitehorn said the failed launch in Cornwall and the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in the US at the time it was trying to raise new funding contributed to its downfall. But Mr Whitehorn said the business deserved a second chance because there was "a lot of demand" in the industry. Sir Richard is one of a very small group of billionaires who have in recent years expanded their business empires into launching satellites and attempts to pioneer commercial space travel. The others include Jeff Bezos, founder of online retailer Amazon, who set up his space company Blue Origin, as well as Twitter and Tesla owner Elon Musk, who founded SpaceX. [Source] A man has been charged with first-degree murder for the stabbing of a woman from Virginia who was in Washington, D.C., for a concert. On Friday, Christy Bautista, 31, was killed less than an hour after checking into the Ivy City Hotel on New York Avenue by a man who entered her hotel room and stabbed her 30 times, according to police and court documents. A witness who heard Bautista screaming for help reportedly saw her being pulled inside the room before calling 911. About 10 minutes later, officers who responded to the scene saw George Sydnor Jr., 43, with bloody hands and clothes through the hotel rooms partially closed blinds. They obtained the hotels master key and entered the room at around 7 p.m., where they found Bautista on the floor with stab wounds. More from NextShark: $50K offered for info on Asian senior burned, killed in Los Angeles home Sydnor was also found inside the hotel room trying to light a cigarette. According to police, there was blood on his shoes, pants and blue fleece vest. Bautista was pronounced dead on the scene at 7:11 p.m. Our family is devastated by the loss of our beloved Christy, Bautistas family said in a statement. She brought joy to everybody who knew her and was a shining light in all of our lives. More from NextShark: Man Accused of Assaulting Sushi Restaurant Owner After Trying to Skip $70 Bill in Virginia According to court documents, a large kitchen knife missing half its blade was found on one of the beds, the other half of which was located in Syndors jacket pocket. Syndor was taken to a hospital for treatment of lacerations on his hands before he was taken into custody to be questioned and processed by police. Authorities said surveillance footage shows Sydnor riding a bicycle into the hotel parking lot at about 6:45 p.m. before entering Bautista's hotel room. Security cameras captured the sounds of a possible struggle, according to court documents. More from NextShark: Rude, Genderless Giant Penguin With Millions of Fans is Now Korea's Biggest Star A medical examiner said Bautista was stabbed dozens of times in the spine, lungs and liver. Her spine was punctured and her ribs were broken by the force. Story continues Syndors court records show that he had been arrested many times over the past two decades, including for an armed robbery charge last October. He was accused of brandishing a firearm to a woman in her car in Southeast Washington, demanding her to give him her car keys and cellphone and exit the vehicle. More from NextShark: Tilda Swinton Says Questionable Decision to Email Margaret Cho Over Doctor Strange Whitewashing Was Naive, Confusing Syndor, who pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, was released from jail in January before his sentencing. He was expected to appear in court in Maryland for a hearing about a separate larceny charge. The suspect was ordered to report back to the D.C. court to receive a GPS monitoring device, which he was expected to wear until his February sentencing date. After appearing once in a Prince Georges County court, he stopped attending his court appointments. At the time of the attack, Sydnor was reportedly wanted on two arrest warrants for a theft case in Prince Georges County and for failing to appear in court on an attempted robbery charge in D.C. On Monday, Sydnor pleaded not guilty in court. He was charged with first-degree murder and was denied bond by a D.C. judge who cited his criminal history. Bautista's family do not believe that she and the suspect knew each other. The suspects motive remains unclear. Sydnor is due back in court on May 8. Tanner Cook, a YouTuber who uploads videos for his channel, Classified Goons, was shot Sunday while filming a prank video. The incident occurred at the Dulles Town Center Mall in Sterling, Virginia. Cook, 21, frequently posts content in which he and his friends play pranks on people. He tried pulling one on Alan W. Colie, 31, but was met with gunfire. The Loudoun County Sheriffs Department said in a press release that Cook, who was shot in the abdomen, was transported to a local hospital. The agency declined to provide additional information about the incident, citing an active investigation. Colie was charged with aggravated malicious wounding, use of a firearm to commit a felony and discharging a firearm in a building. Videos of his arrest circulated on social media following the incident. I was playing a prank and a simple practical joke, and this guy didn't take it very well, Cook told the local CBS affiliate, WUSA, after undergoing surgery. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Tanner Cook. (Classified Goons via YouTube) Colie's bond hearing was scheduled for Wednesday morning. Cook told the affiliate that the experience would not prevent him from making more prank videos in the future. On his channel, he has played practical jokes on Target store workers, Uber drivers, mattress store employees and others. This is not the first time a prank video has resulted in violence. In 2021, NBC News reported that Timothy Wilks was shot and killed after trying to play a prank on a group of people by approaching them with butcher knives. David Starnes Jr., who shot Wilks, said that he was unaware that his group was being pranked and that he opened fire in self-defense. Starnes was not charged. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com In a move aimed at creating a powerful retail training and marketing communications tool, Vsblty Groupe Technologies Corp. has inked a strategic integration agreement with Multimedia Plus. Vsblty is an AI-powered retail analytics and security technology provider, while Multimedia Plus provides retail, restaurant and hospitality companies with training and communication tools. The companys client roster includes Giorgio Armani, Ardene, Windsor Fashions, Steve Madden and David Yurman, among others. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. More from WWD The deal combines Vsbltys computer vision retail analytics with the Multimedia Plus Incite platform. David Harouche, chief executive officer of Multimedia Plus, said Vsblty provides the added benefit of advanced analytics using computer vision for retail training and measuring customer engagement. Together with Vsblty metrics, Incite now will immediately benefit participating retailers by improving their performance and their customers experience, as well as making in-store training more effective. We believe that this partnership will be a game changer for the retail industry. Jay Hutton, cofounder and CEO of Vsblty, said partnering with Multimedia Plus will provide a powerful solution for brands and retail companies that combines training and consumer analytics. By using the Incite platform together with Vsbltys anonymous computer vision analytics, both brands and retailers can optimize their in-store marketing and training programs, gaining valuable insights into employee and customer behavior, Hutton said. This will help improve operations and communications, ensuring the best customer experience. Hutton said the integrated platforms will be first deployed by H-Ventures, Vsbltys partner headquartered in Milan. H-Ventures provides marketing, management, distribution and a variety of other services to pharmacies throughout Italy and will be the exclusive commercial partner for Italy and Continental Europe for the new platform. Story continues Alfredo Sassi, CEO of H-Ventures, said the company has been working side by side with Vsblty for more than five years and are looking forward to using this new integrated technology platform to enhance the cooperation between health care brands and our local pharmacies that will be a great benefit to all parties. Vsblty said in a statement that its technology provides enhanced customer engagement and audience measurement using machine learning and computer vision. Its VisionCaptor and DataCaptor software combines motion graphics and interactive brand messaging with cutting-edge computer vision measurement and insights, the company said, adding that AI-driven software Vector provides enhanced facial recognition that is crucial to strengthening todays security requirements when recognizing weapons or suspicious persons in a crowd. Harouche said Incite enables retail associates to receive product marketing communications directly on in-store, shelf-mounted mobile devices to share with their customers. These brand-sponsored activation modules enable associates to stay informed and engaged, and while on the sales floor share dynamic video and interactive content about health issues as well as product uses directly with their customers. Regarding the integration, Harouche said retailers and brand companies can arm their associates with targeted, effective brand-supplied content that is customized based on data insights from customer interactions and engagement. He noted that this will help to ensure that associates are equipped with the content and the skills they need to provide improved customer service and increased sales. Best of WWD Click here to read the full article. Yevgeny Prigozhin in the Bakhmut region in an image from an undated video released on March 3. Concord Press Service/via REUTERS Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of Russia's Wagner Group, has been highly visible during the war in Ukraine. Prigozhin frequently casts his mercenary group as fighting on its own, without Russian military support. But Moscow is backing Wagner, according to a US expert who says Prigozhin is less influential than he seems. To listen to Yevgeny Prigozhin, you would think his Wagner Group mercenaries are fighting Ukraine's military single-handed. Indeed, Prigozhin has claimed over the past few months that Russia's military the real military is sabotaging Wagner's efforts. The founder of the Wagner Group, which is now a motley assortment of professional contract soldiers and convicted criminals, claims that Russian military leaders have denied his forces ammunition, leading them to take heavy losses. But Wagner is actually working closely with Russia's regular forces, which are supporting Wagner's fighters, according to a US expert on the Russian military. Wagner "is not a separate force the way as it is often portrayed," which is as a force that is "making some of the gains it's made because it's fighting on its own," Michael Kofman, director of the Russia Studies Program at the Center for Naval Analyses think tank, said during a March 17 episode of the Modern War Institute's Urban Warfare Project Podcast. Ukrainian troops in a BMP infantry fighting vehicle near Bakhmut on April 3. GENYA SAVILOV/AFP via Getty Images Kofman, who recently returned from a trip to Ukraine that included a visit to Bakhmut, described how Wagner fighters, known as private military contractors, or PMCs, and Russian paratroopers have worked together during the months of bloody urban fighting around the city. "It's a bit of a myth that Wagner PMCs have been fighting in Bakhmut on their own," Kofman said. "When you're there, you see they're backed by Russian airpower. They're backed by Russian artillery. There's Russian airborne supporting them in a host of operations." Wagner has captured most of Bakhmut by conducting relentless attacks all along the Ukrainian lines, using formations organized into assault, fire support, medical evacuation and resupply detachments and backed by artillery. Story continues Wagner units in one sector might only launch attacks in the morning or during daytime "and others in another part of Bakhmut only come at night, with night-vision capabilities," Kofman said. "And if they're not able to break through that position then they quickly pivot and engage another position." A Russian convict who was fighting with Wagner Group after being captured by Ukrainian soldiers near Bakhmut in March. SERGEY SHESTAK/AFP via Getty Images Wagner has become notorious for sending waves of poorly trained and poorly armed prison inmates recruited with the promise of parole in return for fighting to storm Ukrainian positions. The reality is that Wagner has used a more sophisticated approach that results in heavy casualties but has been able to gradually push back Ukrainian forces. "What's happening there is that Ukrainian forces are not just facing human-wave attacks," Kofman said. "They are facing a pretty flexible and adaptive force that's also backed by Russian airborne that's slowly trying to eat away positions on the flanks." The 61-year-old Prigozhin who spent time in Russian prison for burglary in the 1980s has portrayed himself as Putin's confidante. His catering business has provided services to the Kremlin for years, earning him the nickname "Putin's chef." Prigozhin's leadership of Wagner Group during the war in Ukraine has also irked the Russian military, especially his claims in recent months that the military is incompetent and that Wagner is doing the fighting. Prigozhin serves Vladimir Putin during a dinner in November 2011. Misha Japaridze/Pool/Reuters The dispute between Prigozhin and Russian military leaders was widely cast as a struggle between power centers seeking influence with the Kremlin. Kofman said his impression was that Prigozhin holds much less sway than is often suggested. "If he had a direct line to Putin and if he was anybody significant I'm talking 10% as important as he's been built out in the Western press to be he would not be making a regular spectacle of himself. The reason he's doing it is because he's very desperate and is trying to get Putin's attention," Kofman said. Prigozhin's efforts to embarrass Russia's military came back to bite him amid the fighting around Bakhmut in January, when Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian military's general staff, was appointed as overall commander in Ukraine. "When the offensive got launched with Gerasimov in charge, the priority for artillery started going to all these other Russian units," Kofman said. "Wagner was getting what was left, and his position suddenly became a lot less favorable." "So very quickly, Prigozhin's wings were being clipped, and that's why he's making so many videos and trying to show himself as still making gains, because it's clear to me that he's desperate," Kofman said. Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds a master's in political science. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn. Read the original article on Business Insider Click here to read the full article. At first it was just 200. Now Walmart Inc. is laying off more than 2,000 warehouse employees across five U.S. states, with more projected. Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notices have been filed in the impacted states, which include an estimated 1,000-plus positions in Fort Worth, Tex., 600 in Pennsylvania, 400 in Florida and 200 in New Jersey. The exact number isnt immediately clear since affected workers have 90 days to find replacement jobs at the discounters other operations. Customer expectations are changing, and we are moving quickly to meet and exceed their needs. As demand grows, we are maximizing our network of stores and fulfillment centers, to deliver items for online customers, when and how they want them, a Walmart spokeswoman said in a statement. She noted that the discounter recently adjusted staffing levels at our [fulfillment center] in select markets to better prepare for the future needs of customers. This decision was not made lightly, and were working closely with affected associates to help them understand what career options may be available at other Walmart locations. Walmart is the largest private-sector employer in the U.S., and the layoffs come at a time when the nations economic growth appears to be slowing. Payroll firm ADP Inc. said Wednesday that private sector employment rose by 145,000 jobs in March, but thats a 40 percent drop from the 242,000 jobs added in February. Our March payroll data is one of several signals that the economy is slowing, Nela Richardson, ADPs chief economist, said. Employers are pulling back from a year of strong hiring and pay growth, after a three-month plateau, is inching down. Some believe that the use of new innovations, especially at the back of the store, could result in fewer warehouse workers going forward. Michael Appel, former CEO and chairman of Rue21 who is managing director at Getzler Henrich & Assoc., believes that as more retailers invest in tech, such as AI to improve their businesses, theyll have to also to figure out what the proper staffing should be within their overall operations, not just at the warehouse or fulfillment centers. Story continues The latest layoffs at Walmart, however, need to be viewed in context. The discounter in 2021 added 20,000 supply chain workers, and it also has been investing in high-tech automation systems. It now means fewer retail store associates, with staffing requirements shifting to different jobs behind the scenes. Tech investments in supply chain processes also enabled Walmart to cut its seasonal staff hires. For Holiday 2022, Walmart offered current workers the ability to work extra hours before adding temporary workers to its payroll, a move that also helped its bottom line. The discounter said Wednesday that it has been reengineering its supply chain to fulfill customer needs, with a more intelligent and connected omnichannel network that is enabled by greater use of data, more intelligent software and automation. The outcome improves in-stock, inventory accuracy and flow whether customers shop in stores, pickup, or have a delivery. Automation, such as robotics, help it increase item storage, giving the distribution center a more predictable and improved delivery service to stores and customers. Stores now operate as places to shop, fulfillment centers and delivery stations, Walmart said. The discounter expects that by the end of Fiscal Year 2026, roughly 65 percent of stores will be serviced by automation, approximately 55 percent of the fulfillment center volume will move through automated facilities, and unit cost averages could improve by approximately 20 percent. Walmart acknowledged that the changes will impact some existing jobs. But its also not saying that more retail jobs will be lost with the use of automation. Rather, the company said that over time, automation will increase the throughput per person, while maintaining or even increasing [the number of employees] as new roles are created. A redeployment of jobs to other components of a retailers operations was noted at Walmarts Investor Day presentation on Tuesday. Walmart U.S. president and CEO John Furner touched upon the evolution of Walmarts supply chain processes during his presentation. He emphasized that supply chain networks that were once aimed at just completing certain tasks have now been reengineered so that all networks are now connected. That includes combining digital catalogs into a single App so customers can search for everything the discounter sells, as well as using data and technology to match customer intent in order to optimize internal networks for speed, cost and predictability. Furner also noted that customers want speed, and having 4,700 stores close to the customer shortens the last mile, while lowering delivery times and costs. Investments in automation help to combine orders. Automation augments parts of the work to improve the experience customers have. It improves accuracy, speed, and it helps us know what we own and where it is so we can successfully deliver perfect orders. And it improves our [employees] productivity and eases some of the most physical work, Furner said. On the jobs front, Furner said automation will result in new roles emerging that are less manual, better designed to serve customers, and which pay more. Tesla's Cybertruck is expected to finally enter production this year, after multiple delays. YouTube After several delays, the Cybertruck is supposed to start production later this year. Elon Musk has slowly dripped out details about the electric pickup truck since the reveal in 2019. The Cybertruck will have to compete against the likes of the F-150 Lightning, Hummer EV, and Silverado EV. Drone footage uploaded to Youtube this week shows the Tesla Cybertruck running a test of the vehicle's suspension on a track at the company's assembly plant in Fremont, California. The six-minute video shows the Cybertruck driving up and down a test course with different textures and bumps to test how the massive pickup truck would handle such obstacles in the real world. This type of testing is typical for pre-production models and is the latest sign that Tesla is getting closer to releasing the truck it first introduced in 2019. In the years since the Cybertruck reveal, Elon Musk has slowly dripped out details on the truck. He has previously claimed that the Cybertruck will be able to "serve briefly as a boat," and feature rear-wheel steering (the latter doesn't appear to be on the Cybertruck in the video). After years of delays, Musk told investors in February that the Cybertruck would finally start production this year. Once the Cybertruck does go on sale, it will be entering an increasingly crowded electric pickup truck market. Ford's electric F-150 Lightning went on sale last year, while GM is slowly starting to deliver its massive Hummer EVs. GM is also planning to release an all-electric version of its popular Chevrolet Silverado truck this fall, while Ram's upcoming electric pickup truck is featured at the New York Auto Show this week. Watch the latest Cybertruck video here: Are you a Cybertruck order-holder? Contact this reporter at nnaughton@insider.com. Read the original article on Business Insider A British woman is sparking new conversation about weight loss after she lost half of her body weight. Lisa Childs, a 61-year-old woman from West Yorkshire, England, was ashamed of her weight of roughly 275 pounds. The moment she knew she needed to start losing weight, she said, was when she saw a photo of herself sitting in an armchair. MISSISSIPPI MAN LOSES NEARLY 400 POUNDS TO IMPROVE HEALTH, KEEPING PROMISE TO GRANDMA: SHE WOULD BE SO PROUD "My brother had taken the picture and sent it to me He didnt want to send it to me because he knew I would have killed him," she said about her embarrassment over the photo, as SWNS reported. The mother of one was shocked when she realized that she had gained so much weight. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Childs used to walk her son, Max, to the bus stop each morning for daily exercise but when he got older, she stopped going with him, she said. MORE THAN HALF THE WORLD'S POPULATION WILL BE OBESE OR OVERWIGHT BY 2035, SAYS NEW REPORT "I went from doing that to doing nothing," she said. "I just couldnt walk up the stairs at home." After seeing the photo of herself in the chair, Childs decided to start a weight loss journey. NORTH CAROLINA MAN, ONCE OBESE, INSPIRED BY NAVY SEAL TO QUIT DRINKING, GET FIT AND RADICALLY ALTER HIS LIFE She joined a weight loss plan to keep on track with eating healthier meals, she said, noting that at one point, she would eat a frozen pizza two or three times a week. Childs now snacks on fruit rather than chocolate bars. She cooks almost all her meals from home with low-calorie recipes, SWNS said. Now, Childs can walk up to 13 miles at one time taking her dog with her on daily treks. "We got a dog, so I had to walk her for around five minutes and then built it up and built it up," she told SWNS. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER "When I think about it, I never would have dreamed of walking that distance, or any distance, really," she added. Today, Childs weighs about 135 pounds roughly half the number she saw on the scale a few years ago. Americans who spoke with Fox News questioned tech titans' recent warnings that AI's unregulated and rapid advancement could eventually kill humanity. But one man said he feared a Terminator-like ending. "I'm not concerned," Zachary, of Austin, told Fox News. "Even if it mimics the human brain, I don't believe that it is capable of manipulating us in order to overthrow us." WATCH MORE FOX NEWS DIGITAL ORIGINALS HERE But Joshua, a bartender, wasn't as confident. "If we've learned anything from Terminator 2 and Skynet, it's that definitely the robots can take over at some point in time," he told Fox News. "So we have to be very wary and careful of that for sure." Eliezer Yudkowsky, a Machine Intelligence Research Institute researcher, recently called for an "indefinite" moratorium on advanced AI training. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "If somebody builds a too-powerful AI, under present conditions, I expect that every single member of the human species and all biological life on Earth dies shortly thereafter," he wrote in a March 29 open letter. An illustration depicts a ChatGPT and OpenAI research laboratory logo and inscription on a smartphone screen. TECH GIANT SAM ALTMAN COMPARES POWERFUL AI RESEARCH TO DAWN OF NUCLEAR WARFARE: REPORT Ryan, of Austin, said he doesn't envision AI becoming a danger, and instead thinks it could be a useful tool. "I do see people taking advantage of it and businesses taking advantage of it," he told Fox News. Tech leaders, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, signed an open letter urging AI developers to implement a six-month pause on training systems more powerful than the current iterations and to use that time to develop safety standards. Yudkowsky said the six months was insufficient. TECH EXPERTS SLAM LETTER CALLING FOR AI PAUSE THAT CITED THEIR RESEARCH: FEARMONGERING Zachary, meanwhile, thinks there's already "a lot of safeguards in place" in terms of AI development. "I do believe there's a limit on the ability that AI has in our world," he told Fox News. GPT-4, an advanced chatbot, exhibits "human-level performance" on some standardized tests, including an ability to perform at the 90th percentile on a simulated bar exam, according to its creator, OpenAI. The tech leaders pushing for the pause said AI systems with "human-competitive intelligence" could potentially outsmart and replace humans. Story continues A computer screen depicts OpenAI's website, displaying its ChatGPT software. An Austin resident working in cybersecurity said he hopes AI could eventually help humans carry out unsafe jobs or replace them in the roles altogether. "I would hope that they do make many highly dangerous jobs obsolete and help people who fight fires, dispose of bombs, make their job a whole lot easier and safer," he told Fox News. RESEARCHERS PREDICT WHICH JOBS MAY BE SAFE FROM A.I. EXPOSURE Leigh, a lawyer, said AI should have human oversight. "Whatever system you put AI operating on, you still need human oversight because AI doesn't have the ability to have ethical or moral reasoning," the Austinite told Fox News. "It's going to follow the program." "You certainly wouldn't want AI in charge of nuclear war or bombs," Leigh said. Joshua felt mild trepidation at the thought of AI's potential. "The fact that the technology is there is slightly unnerving," he told Fox News. OpenAI released ChatGPT on Nov. 30, 2022. Ryan said he didn't think AI could supersede humanity. "I'm not really that concerned," he told Fox News. "I don't think it's going to take over any of us at all." To hear more people consider whether AI's unchecked progress could kill humanity, click here. Easter is upon us, with several free Easter Egg hunts scheduled at houses of worship across Oklahoma City. The holiday marks the beginning of Spring and is celebrated by Christians to commemorate their belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Traditions like the Easter bunny laying colored eggs came to the United States from German immigrants in the 18th century, according to the History Channel. Stories like this led to decorated baskets replacing nests for eggs, and by the 1930s, egg-shaped candy like jelly beans began to be associated with the holiday. Today, there are kinds of different candies you can choose to partake in around Easter. Here's what polls said Oklahomans love the most: Candy store says Jelly Beans are Oklahoma's favorite Easter candy CandyStore.com did a survey of their customers to identify the favorite candy by state. By weighing their poll of 10,000 people and looking at 15 years of candy sales data, the website determined that jelly beans were Oklahomans' favorite candy, with Hershey's fun-size chocolate bars and Peeps following. The findings were shared in March 2023. The vendor also reports that Okie's favorite flavors of jelly beans are, in order, Coffee, Green Apple, and Toasted Marshmallow. Peanut Butter Eggs called a favorite Easter candy in Oklahoma and nationwide Meanwhile, pickup and delivery company Instacart suggests Oklahomans' favorite is Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs. The findings are based on seasonal candies sold via the company. Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs were the most popular of all candies in Instacart's report, with the candy being the favorite of 28 other states. Instacart shared the data in March 2023. Peeps called Oklahoma's favorite Easter treat Zippia, a job and career guide website, researched Google search trends in each state to determine that Oklahomans' favorite Easter treat is Peeps. Other states loved candies like Cadbury Creme Eggs and jelly beans, and 14 other states were listed as loving boiled eggs the most. The company said they looked at a two-week window around the Easter holiday on Google Trends to identify what treats users searched for most in each state. Zippia did not list what year they conducted their study, but the data was shared in a March 2023 post. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Easter Egg candy: Oklahoma loves jelly beans, Reeses egg, and Peeps The White House has defended President Joe Bidens decision not to attend the coronation of King Charles III next month after it was announced First Lady Jill Biden would be attending on behalf of the United States. On 5 April, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about Bidens decision as head of state not to attend the upcoming coronation of the King and Queen on 6 May during a press conference, and whether it would be construed as a snub. In response, Jean-Pierre reiterated that Biden had a 25- to 30-minute call with the British ruler on Tuesday, during which the president congratulated the King ahead of the coronation. They had a very friendly conversation. They have a good relationship, the press secretary continued, adding that Biden also talked about how much he and the first lady enjoyed visiting Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor in 2021 and that he hoped to visit again soon. According to Jean-Pierre, during the call Tuesday, the King offered for Biden to come for an official state visit, which the president accepted. However, she noted that she didnt have a timeline about when the state visit would be. So they will see each other again very soon, so Ill leave it there. But again, they have a very good relationship, there are many, key things that they both care about, key values and shared issues that they want to continue to discuss, like climate change, and that conversation will continue, the press secretary said. And there will be a visit in the near future. During the press conference, Jean-Pierre also faced a question about whether there was concern that the British people might see it as a snub that Biden will not be attending the coronation. I know presidents havent gone in the past, but now we have airplanes and modern technology that makes these kinds of trips easy to do, the reporter noted. In response, the press secretary denied the suggestion, stating: Not at all. Again, the president has a good relationship with the King, they had a friendly conversation, and I will leave it at that. It is not a snub. Story continues The insistence that the presidents absence should not be taken as a snub comes after the White House announced in a statement Tuesday that the first lady would be attending the coronation without her husband. The President congratulated the King on his upcoming Coronation and informed him that First Lady Jill Biden looks forward to attending on behalf of the United States, the statement read. The President also conveyed his desire to meet with the King in the United Kingdom at a future date. More follows BIRMINGHAM, Mich. (AP) A near-century old abortion ban that fueled one of the largest ballot drives in Michigan history was repealed Wednesday by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, just months after voters enshrined abortion rights in the state's constitution. Today, were going to take action to make sure that our statutes and our laws reflect our values and our constitution, Whitmer said at a bill signing outside of Detroit. The 1931 abortion ban made it a four-year felony to assist in an abortion. Roe v. Wade had made the law null and void until the landmark decision was overturned in June by the U.S. Supreme Court. Courts blocked the ban from taking effect while a citizen-led initiative to enshrine abortion rights in the states constitution received more signatures than any other ballot proposal in state history to put the question before voters. Voters overwhelmingly approved the proposal in last Novembers midterms, making the 1931 law unconstitutional and unenforceable. The 1931 ban could have been enforced in the future had voters collected enough signatures to once again amend the state constitution and repeal abortion rights. Whitmer's signature Wednesday eliminated that possibility, erasing the law completely. We cannot allow archaic laws to remain on our books under the assumption that they'll never be used again, said Democratic state Rep. Laurie Pohutsky. We don't know what the future will hold and we don't know what plans abortion opponents have. Last month, the Michigan House and Senate each with a two-seat Democratic majority voted to send a repeal of the abortion ban to the governor. A majority of Republicans opposed the bill, speaking out ahead of the vote on the legality of abortion as a whole. Pohutsky, who sponsored the legislation repealing the law, said at the event Wednesday that this is far from the end of the story, and that the Democratic-controlled Statehouse will continue expanding access to reproductive health care. Story continues Wednesday's signing marked another victory for abortion rights supporters in Michigan, who joined California and Vermont last November in enshrining abortion rights in their states constitution. Kentucky, a reliably red state, rejected a ballot measure aimed at denying any state constitutional protections for abortion. Voters in Wisconsin elected a Democratic-backed Milwaukee judge Tuesday to the state's Supreme Court, ensuring liberals will take over majority control of the court with the fate of the states abortion ban on the line. Who would have thought two years ago, three years ago, five years ago, that we would be as Democrats looking to Michigan, Kansas, Wisconsin, Montana and Kentucky to be on the frontline of protecting reproductive freedom for women across this country, said Laphonza Butler, the president of EMILYs List. Whitmer joined other speakers at the event in Birmingham in calling out Republican-led states for restricting abortion rights, saying laws in Texas and South Carolina were un-American, anti-free and, frankly, sickening. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has pushed for a six-week ban in his state, is scheduled to appear in Michigan on Thursday to speak at a Midland County GOP event before heading to southern Michigan to speak at Hillsdale College. The View hosts discussed the historic arrest and arraignment of former president Donald Trump on Tuesday (4 April). Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts against him at a Lower Manhattan courthouse, becoming the first current or former US president ever to be charged with a crime. Introducing the topic, Whoopi Goldberg asked her cohosts: How are you feeling about a historic day? You know, its sad, but I'm glad somethings happening. Goldbergs colleagues immediately pushed back on her sentiment with Joy Behar replying: Its not sad, whats sad? Well, Im sad that, in that [it is] an American president, Goldberg explained. That hes being called in for questioning et cetera and hes being indicted because he committed certain crimes is not sad, thats American justice, Behar said. Whoopi Goldberg and Donald Trump (ABC/Getty Images) Its the first time in any of our lifetimes, and I dont think any of us could have really imagined this, Goldberg added. This time, Sunny Hostin pushed back, saying: I imagined it. With him, no, but I mean with other presidents, Goldberg said. Last month, Goldberg apologised for using a dated slur in reference to Trump. You know when youre a certain age, you use words that you know from when youre a kid or you remember saying and thats what I did today. And I shouldnt have, Goldberg, 67, acknowledged. The dated term gy***d is a common slur used against people of Romani heritage, who were often called gy****s. The felony charges against the former president relate to a hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Follow The Independents live coverage of Trumps indictment here. MOUNT LAUREL TWP. Angry local officials say a California corporation wants an extra $2 million from the township to sell a property envisioned as a replacement municipal headquarters, calling the demand an attempt to fleece the taxpayers. A complaint the township filed in on March 31 in Burlington County Superior Court instead proposes seizing the vacant, three-story building under a court order. The property is in the Laurel Creek Corporate Center at 750 Centerton Road, near Route 38 and Mount Laurel Road. The complaint says the owner, Top Terraces Inc. of Santa Monica, should get $5.48 million. That sum was the price allegedly agreed to in a written communication to the township on February 14. In March, a $6 million bond ordinance was adopted to finance the project, the lawsuit claims. More: Without Trump, South Jersey conservatives prepare to keep movement alive More: Township sues over well water contamination, OKs treatment plant upgrade Judge Jeanne Covert has scheduled a hearing for April 25 to hear oral arguments. Mount Laurel officials could not be reached immediately for comment. The decision to go to court appears to have been reached in a closed-door meeting at the March 6 council meeting. Top Terraces President Daniel K. Lahave also could not be reached immediately for comment. Mount Laurel is not stopping at the demand for condemnation authorization. It does not specify the amounts, but the township wants Top Terraces to pay it a variety of damages and reimbursements for legal expenses. Mount Laurel Council in February disclosed plans to make this vacant office building at 750 Centerton Road its new municipal building. Mount Laurel was in a celebratory mood in mid-February when it announced a sales agreement. The goal is to turn over the existing municipal building at 100 Mount Laurel Road entirely to the Mount Laurel Police Department, putting all other services in the new site. Recent growth in the police pepartment has created a need for more space and officers for our officers, police Chief Judy Lynn Schiavone said at the time. By purchasing this new building, Township Council has shown their commitment to making sure public safety is a priority for Mount Laurel residents. Story continues The township said the acquisition was a smart financial move. Constructing a building would cost significantly more than $5.48 million, according to findings of the township engineer and the tax assessor. The purchase the Township has made is significantly lower in cost than any other commercial transaction in the past two years, tax assessor Dennis DeKlerk said. The price by square foot is by far the lowest in that span, making this purchase a great deal for the township. By township estimates, the $5.48 million purchase works out to a cost of $68.76 per square foot. The Top Terraces building has 79,692 square feet of space. The additional $2 million, though, represents nearly a 37 percent cost increase. Joe Smith is a N.E. Philly native transplanted to South Jersey more than 30 years ago, keeping an eye now on government in South Jersey. He is a former editor and current senior staff writer for The Daily Journal in Vineland, Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, and the Burlington County Times. Have a tip? Reach out at jsmith@thedailyjournal.com. Help support local journalism with a subscription. This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Mount Laurel NJ: New municipal building costs head to court Camilla, Queen Consort has just been officially referred to as Queen Camilla. Camilla, Queen Consort has just been officially referred to as Queen Camilla. Camilla, the Queen Consort, was just formally called Queen Camilla for the first time ever on King Charlescoronation invitations this week. The ornate invitation for the huge event, set to take place on May 6, begins by calling it the coronation of their Majesties, King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Titles are of the utmost importance within the royal family, an institution steeped in tradition and hierarchy. So, while this might appear to be a only minor change to Camillas role, its actually quite significant. The official invitation for the Coronation of The King and The Queen Consort has been revealed. Designed by Andrew Jamieson, the invitation features the Green Man, an ancient figure from British folklore, symbolic of spring and rebirth, to celebrate the new reign. 1/7 pic.twitter.com/MpajIk0SQw The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 5, 2023 So, why is it a big deal? It all comes down to Charles history Camilla is the monarchs second wife. He divorced his first, Diana, Princess of Wales, back in 1996 after years of highly publicized fallouts and alleged affairs (including between Charles and Camilla). Known as the Peoples Princess, Diana is still seen as a cultural icon to this day and has an ongoing loyal fanbase, more than 25 years on from her death. Charles waited until 2005 to marry Camilla Parker-Bowles (who was divorced herself) and declared that, out of respect for his late ex-wife, she would only take on one of his lesser titles. That made Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall, so as not to overshadow Dianas memory or imply she would replace her. But as Charles had not yet ascended the throne during his marriage to Diana, it wasnt clear if he would let his next wife take on the queen title. Story continues But palace officials were in a different predicament once Charles and Camilla, both previously divorced, when deciding upon her future role in the royal family. Traditionally, the wife of the ruling monarch gets to take the title of queen, but divorced monarch and subsequent head of the Church of England has not sat on the throne for centuries. So, there was plenty of contention around what title Camilla would get when her husband one day inherited the throne. Was Camilla supposed to be Princess Consort? Before the late Queen Elizabeths death, the widespread belief was that Camilla would become the HRH Princess Consort as the pair announced at the time of their wedding. This would follow the pattern the queen developed for her own husband, Prince Philip, who was her Prince Consort (he couldnt be king because thats a rank higher than queen). Intended was doing a lot of heavy lifting 18 years ago. #QueenCamillapic.twitter.com/GNS234SJkg Peter Hunt (@_PeterHunt) April 5, 2023 What did the late Queen Elizabeth want? Then, the Queen Elizabeth claimed in February 2022 it was her sincere wish for Camilla to become Queen Consort when Charles eventually became King. What is a Queen Consort? The royal website explains: Unless decided otherwise, a Queen Consort is crowned with the King, in a similar but simple ceremony. If the new Sovereign is a Queen, her Consort is not crowned or anointed at the coronation ceremony. A Consort does not have any formal positions related to the government, unlike their spouse, the constitutional monarch, who inherited the throne. So, the dropping of the word consort is being perceived as a power move by Twitter. Queen Camilla. Dont hate the player, hate the game. pic.twitter.com/Qq0ADZCc4A Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu (@SholaMos1) April 5, 2023 Was it a power move? Well, its not clear but it doesnt make a difference to Camillas official roles, and on the royal website she is still officially referred to as the Queen Consort. And, as Emily Nash of HELLO! magazine told Good Morning Britain, no other queen consort has retained the title of queen consort in UK history they have all dropped it and just used Queen as a prefix to their name. The Queen Consort is officially named Queen Camilla for the first time, as Buckingham Palace reveals the invitation which will be sent to 2,000 guests at next months Coronation. pic.twitter.com/oSsvdoIY1r Good Morning Britain (@GMB) April 5, 2023 Related... Utah recently passed two laws that would drastically change how teens in the state are able to use social media. The new laws will impose strict rules for how companies handle teenagers accounts, including provisions requiring parental consent, and mandates for in-app parental controls and curfew features. But among the most controversial aspects of the law is age verification. It requires companies like Snap, Meta and TikTok to confirm the ages of their youngest users in order to enforce the other age-based restrictions. Under the rules, which are set to take effect next March, large platforms will no longer be able to simply allow teens to enter their own birthday at sign-up. Instead, they would need to go through some other process, like providing a copy of an I.D, before they could access their accounts. While Utah is the first state to enact such a law, its unlikely to be the last. Arkansas, Ohio, Connecticut and Minnesota are all considering social media laws with either explicit age verification requirements or other age-based restrictions. At the federal level, Senator Josh Hawley has proposed a bill that would prohibit teenagers under 16 from using social media entirely, and require social media companies to independently verify the ages of their users. Even the US Surgeon General has suggested that 13 may be too young for teens to use social media. The proposed laws are part of broader reckoning around how social media is impacting its youngest users. For years, lawmakers, armed with teenage finstas and incriminating research, have made youth safety a central part of their effort to regulate Big Tech. Along the way, theyve also proposed laws that would rein in algorithms, make it more difficult to post and limit apps more addictive features. But the latest crop of laws have instead zeroed in on parental consent and age-based restrictions, rather than addressing structural issues like data privacy. Irene Ly, policy counsel for Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that advocates for child safety online, says the shift is happening in part because lawmakers have been unable to pass comprehensive privacy bills. Story continues Privacy legislation seems to have a lot more sticking points, she tells Engadget. It's hard to find a compromise on all the facets of regulating tech. But lawmakers have been able to find more broad support at least at the state level for age-based restrictions and parental consent requirements, particularly in states that have passed other laws emphasizing giving rights to the parents. But experts warn that focusing on age-based restrictions wont address the core safety issues lawmakers say they want to solve. And age verification measures, like those in Utah, pose a significant threat to the privacy of all social media users, not just teens. Privacy advocates, like the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), say that theres no way to enforce age verification requirements without requiring that all users submit to the checks. It's not just the privacy of young people that's at stake, it's everyone, Jason Kelley, associate director of digital strategy for the EFF, tells Engadget, noting that a previous attempt to require age verification was struck down by the Supreme Court more than a decade ago. Confirming that everyone is the age they say they are is not possible without confirming every single person's age. For example, Utahs law states the social media company shall deny access to the account for any Utah account holder fails to meet the verification requirements. That means even adult social media users could face being locked out of their accounts if they fail to provide a copy of an ID or submit to another kind of age check. Figuring out how to apply these laws only in specific states would also be problematic, according to industry groups. Although the proposed legislation purports to apply only to Utah residents, platforms cannot know which users are Utah residents without first verifying their identity, Ari Cohn, free speech counsel for TechFreedom, a think tank thats received funding from Meta and Google, said in a statement. This legislation would be a nationwide mandate that Utah is not permitted to impose. Even figuring out how to verify users ages could prove tricky. Many minors dont have a drivers license or government-issued ID. Instagram has tested an AI face-scanning tool that claims to be able to accurately estimate users ages based on their facial features (experts have raised doubts about the accuracy and ethical implications of using these tools at scale). But Kelley, of the EFF, says that any form of age verification exposes users to additional data privacy risks. It's so easy to find examples of these companies taking advantage of data that they explained was going to be collected for one purpose and using it for another, Kelley says. For example, it wasn't that long ago that Meta and Twitter both admitted to using phone numbers originally collected for two-factor authentication for targeted advertising. Kelley says there could be an even greater risk of something similar happening with any age verification system. We have no way of knowing whether they're doing that with identity verification information. Whether that's a selfie, a shared driver's license, a call through an API to a credit company we just don't know. Common Sense Media has raised similar concerns. Ly says that laws addressing more fundamental aspects of social media platforms would be more effective than attempting to lock out teens of a certain age. If you can implement some key changes to these companies, like limiting how much data they're collecting and what they're using it for, and then making changes to how their platform is designed, that will create a healthier experience, she said. It wouldn't necessitate prohibiting teens from being on the platform altogether. Former President Donald Trump appears in court for his arraignment, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in New York. (Steven Hirsch/New York Post via AP, Pool) Donald Trump is apparently trying to get the judge overseeing his indictment recused by verbally attacking him. That's according to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman. "The people that I spoke to made very clear that this is where this is headed," Haberman said on CNN. Donald Trump keeps publicly attacking the judge overseeing his New York indictment to try to force him off the case, according to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman. "I think he is trying to get the judge to recuse himself," Haberman said Wednesday on CNN. "I think that is part of what Trump's game here." The indicted former president verbally attacked New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan and his family hours after the judge warned Trump not to make remarks that could endanger others during his Manhattan arraignment. "This is where we are right now. I have a Trump-hating judge, with a Trump-hating wife and family, whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris and now receives money from the Biden-Harris campaign," Trump said during a Tuesday night speech at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Haberman the New York Times political correspondent who has covered Trump's inner circle for years said that she heard after Trump's speech that Trump is trying to get the judge pushed off his case. "Trump is trying to change the judge, which is one of the things we've seen Trump do in other cases over time," she said. Merchan oversaw a previous tax fraud case against the Trump Organization and has a case against former Trump advisor Steve Bannon on his docket. Trump attorneys asked Merchan to recuse himself from the Trump Organization payroll-tax prosecution last year, but the judge declined to do so. Shortly before he was arraigned on 34 felony charges of falsifying business records on Tuesday in a Manhattan courthouse, Trump posted to his Truth Social app, saying in an all caps rant: "THE HIGHLY PARTISAN JUDGE & HIS FAMILY ARE WELL KNOWN TRUMP HATERS." Criminal defense attorney and former Manhattan prosecutor Mark Bederow told Insider that "it is completely batshit crazy" for Trump to go after the judge overseeing his case. Story continues "It is a horrible legal strategy. It's probably humiliating and embarrassing to his attorneys because they can't control it," Bederow said. Bederow, who called Merchan "widely respected by anyone who practices in Manhattan Supreme Court," said that he doesn't believe the judge would "recuse himself because Trump is making ridiculous statements about his ability to be fair." "Do I think that [Trump's] testing the waters to get the judge removed? I don't think that's the sole motivation," Bederow said. "Do I think that it's probably crossing his mind that this is a way in his mind to have the judge recuse? I'm sure it does." A Trump attorney declined to comment to Insider when asked whether the defense plans to ask Merchan to recuse himself. Read the original article on Business Insider Aimee Winder Newton, senior adviser to Utahs governor and director of the Office of Families, poses for a portrait at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, April 3, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News Just months after Gov. Spencer Coxs new Office of Families began operating with a three-quarters-time staff of one and lofty ideals about how policies can strengthen Utah families, the state has expanded its home visiting program for vulnerable families, passed social media restrictions designed to protect kids and funded a state child tax credit for families with very young children. Theres a lot more to do, according to Aimee Winder Newton, who directs the office and is its sole staffer. She is a senior adviser to the governor, tasked with suggesting policies or helping figure out the best approach to those Cox suggests, as well as researching challenges, supporting others efforts and convening key players to get things done. She said the office has five initial focus areas: Providing support to vulnerable families with children from birth to age 3. Bolstering the supply of child care to ensure residents who need it can find it while preserving the option to have a parent stay home with the kids. Tackling youth mental health issues. Helping young adults launch successfully. Promoting family-friendly workplace policies. Future areas of focus include promoting the benefits of marriage, strengthening fatherhood, boosting parenting resources and supporting women with unwanted pregnancies. Why a family-focused office? During his State of the State address in early 2022, Cox announced plans to create a special office focused on family issues and family policy. Stronger families create better outcomes for children, he said, noting that sometimes means state government should get involved and other times it should get out of the way. The Utah Legislature funded a position, and a hiring committee was formed. Winder Newton, who also chairs the Salt Lake County Council, said her hiring gave her the dream job I never knew I wanted. Its been really rewarding to be able to work on family policy and look at ways we can strengthen families. Story continues Three weeks into the job, she presented Cox with a list of 22 items, including four recommended priorities. Together, they expanded the smaller list to eight. First, they tackled expanding existing home visiting programs to households with newborn and young children, which had proven to be very valuable but were only funded to serve about 600 families in Utah each year. I think a lot of us take for granted that its easy to parent a new baby, and its not, said Winder Newton. Its not easy for any of us. Outcomes for littles as they grow are notably better when abuse and childhood trauma are prevented. Stability matters. And helping parents build skills is key to ensuring kids thrive. Core funding comes from the federal Maternal Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting program, which gives states, territories and tribes support for evidence-based home visits from before birth through kindergarten. In Utah, the money goes through the Department of Health and Human Services, where it is funneled to county health departments or programs like Prevent Child Abuse Utah to contract with providers who deploy the home visitors. In a video, Cox explained the value of the program and why expanding it was a family-friendly state priority he included in his budget proposal: Our goal is for every child in Utah to have plenty of opportunities and the ability to thrive. We also know that proactive approaches to supporting children and families are much less expensive and we pay millions of dollars later in social services when children dont have the support they need. Such programs, he said, drastically improve outcomes for children. For every dollar we spend, we save up to $5.70 in cost later on. These home visits take place with a nurse or another professional who checks in on the family. They assess growth, development of the baby, safety in the home, and the mothers mental health. Cox said home-visiting programs make it much more likely kids will finish high school with honors and that a moms parenting skills, mental health and ability to manage challenges as they arise will improve. Meanwhile, kids have better cognitive and academic outcomes. The Legislature provided $15 million over three years in one-time funding to expand the program and Winder Newton and state Health and Human Services staff are drafting the request for proposals to recruit home visitors to meet families needs, knowing that will vary from more intensive help to a simple check-in, she said. The goal is to get a really good mix of stakeholders to get this done for us and help us see how we can serve more families with limited dollars, said Winder Newton. The benefits of such programs, she added, are big ranging from making it more likely parents will get jobs that pay well to reducing the number of low-birthweight infants, from reducing abuse and neglect to helping families create more developmentally stimulating homes, among others. Ryan Sun, Deseret News Whos watching the kids? Working with the Office of Child Care, the state and the Office of Families have helped increase the number of facilities and their capacity. But while providers hope Utah will subsidize care when pandemic-boosted help expires, Winder Newton said Utah isnt inclined to do so. Utah would rather put money into a child tax credit that benefits more people, she said. A workplace survey by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah asked two-parent and guardian households what their ideal child care/work balance would be and 43% answered a full-time worker and a stay-at-home parent, though just one-third say they can do that right now. Another third said a full-time worker and a part-time worker. Just 17% said ideally two parents in a household should work full time, though 37% said that does describe their situation. Further, when kids are not in school, 81% of parents said being cared for by a parent, guardian or stepparent is best for kids. So Cox and Winder Newton support a tax credit for families with children under 6, which lets parents choose whether to spend the money on child care or something else. The Legislature passed the child tax credit this year in HB170, sponsored by Rep. Susan Pulsipher, R-South Jordan, but reduced the amount to $10 million, so instead of reaching those with children from birth to 5, it will help those with kids ages 1 through 3. Since we have a double exemption for new babies, Winder Newton said, they decided to start at age 1 for this one. Related Other solutions for child care include promoting business and workplace solutions like onsite or nearby child care, stipends and flexible working hours and location for working parents, as well as increasing the supply of child care providers and their capacity. We think our employers may need to step up. Its going to help them attract a good workforce, and certainly a lot of them here in the state recognize that high quality child care is a benefit their employees are interested in, Winder Newton said. She added that the federal government provides some child care funding for low-income families. There are really good benefits right now for child care. ... So from a state perspective, we believe the tax credit makes more sense. Youth mental health The Legislature passed two bills SB152 and HB311 aimed at protecting youth mental health by adding some restrictions to social media use. Without parental permission, children cant get a social media account. And unless parents allow use by children between 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m., its banned, as inadequate sleep also poses mental health challenges. The rules also bar use of addiction-causing algorithms, set up mechanisms to punish social media companies for infractions and more. Related The state plans to launch an information campaign about risks to youth mental health. And it hopes parents will realize that their own social media use can be problematic for their children, Winder Newton said. Other priorities To help young adults launch, Utah hopes to ensure that youths graduate from high school the first step in Brookings Institutions success sequence. The next steps which must be completed in order are getting full-time work, then marrying before having children. Proponents say those steps in the right order equal a 97% chance of not being impoverished. We want to ensure every student is able to graduate from high school and then can engage in the workforce, so Im working with the governors education adviser on that and weve been talking to stakeholders, school districts, counties and different people involved in this work to try to bring people together, break the silos and ensure we have great ideas and can provide support as needed, said Winder Newton. She told the Deseret News work promoting post-high school education doesnt focus solely on college, but embraces apprenticeships and other ways to nudge young people down productive paths. Family-friendly workforce policies are of great benefit to Utahns, said Winder Newton. Her list includes parental leave for moms and dads, flexible hybrid schedules and day care options, among others. She hasnt done much on workforce policies, but weve started some of the conversations and this is kind of another direction that were going. They did a little already during the legislative session to help women with unwanted pregnancies, including stretching postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months. And we recognize theres more we can do there, as well, she said. I think the more we can be authentic about some of the challenges our families face and the ways that we can learn from each other and help each other, the more successful that we will be, Winder Newton added. CHICAGO Democrats from the upper Midwest to the White House were brimming with confidence after Tuesday's wins in Wisconsin and Chicago, believing President Joe Biden was handed a template for crucial battlegrounds once he moves forward his reelection bid. Already, top party officials and operatives were sketching out the beginnings of a 2024 campaign playbook that again leans heavily into shielding abortion rights and doesn't shy away from taking more nuanced approaches to tackling crime. The twin victories in the Chicago mayoral race and for an open seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court had emboldened their belief that voters were more repelled by the GOP brand colored by anti-abortion politics and personified by former President Donald Trump than by accusations that Democrats were soft on crime. Left-leaning Janet Protasiewicz won resoundingly in her bid for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, despite being labeled No Jail Janet by her opponents. Democrats noted that her opponent, Dan Kelly, was connected to a plan to reverse the 2020 election results. Similarly, Brandon Johnson, a Chicago union organizer, was hammered by his rival for previously leaning into the defund the police movement. But he stressed that his opponent Paul Vallas was not actually a Democrat, forcing him to repeatedly defend his credentials. Both Protasiewicz and Johnson prevailed. Voters showed that they understand public safety to be much more nuanced than the way the Republicans try to frame it. That this is not just about having adequate law enforcement on the streets to promote public safety, but also about investing in mental health and substance use treatment and addressing poverty, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said in an interview with POLITICO. There are not just the short-term efforts to address crime, but also the long-term efforts. While both of Tuesday nights races were nonpartisan, they did each contain a left vs. right ideological contrast that offered a temperature reading as to where voters stood on key issues. Johnson emphasized taxes on the ultrarich, while Protasiewicz played up protection for abortion rights as well as voters concerns about threats to U.S. democracy. Story continues The through-line issue, however, was crime. It wasnt lost on state or national officials that had Johnson lost the race, they would have been forced to push back hard on the narrative that his defund position cost them the keys to City Hall. Instead, while concerns over crime did indeed dominate the race, voters werent buying solutions that simply called for adding more police. And they rejected the controversial police union that went hard after Johnson. The narrative coming out of the first election was that voters were scared out of their wits, said Geoff Garin, a Democratic strategist and pollster. Now, after the last election, the story is that while voters are scared, they arent out of their wits. Pritzker, who helped raise critical money for TV ads in Protasiewiczs race, said the GOP tactic to paint Democrats as soft on crime was also used in the midterms, and didnt work then in Illinois and several key battleground states, either. We all got attacked on the simplistic vision of Republicans and we all are folks who believe youve got to address public safety in a nuanced and multifaceted fashion. Weve said that to the voters and they responded, Pritzker said. We saw it over and over again, he added, pointing to the 2022 Democratic victories of Govs. Tim Walz of Minnesota, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan and Tony Evers of Wisconsin as well as his own in Illinois. In Pritzkers race last year, his conservative opponent, Darren Bailey, hammered the governor over Chicagos persistent crime problem. Pritzker said polling showed crime was an important issue to voters, but that didnt mean they wanted to choose the more conservative or Republican candidate. That bore itself out. The same thing happened in Tuesdays mayoral election in Chicago, said Pritzker, who did not endorse in the race that saw Mayor Lori Lightfoot shut out after the first round of voting. Her administrations handling of crime was attacked by the eight candidates she faced in the first round, including Johnson and Vallas. Vallas, a former public schools chief, latched on to peoples fears about carjackings in neighborhoods that hadnt experienced it to the extent they do now. He proposed ramping up police officers on the streets and talked about opening schools for alternative programming for young adults. Johnson, who had previously said defunding police was a goal, insisted during the race that he wasnt suggesting taking funds away from police. He said he supported adding 200 detectives to solve crimes and funding social services programs that get to the heart of the crime problem. The attention on Chicago and its handling of crime was on the radar of the national Democratic Party, too, with Biden weighing where the 2024 Democratic convention should be held. Chicago is a finalist, as are New York and Atlanta. Pritzker called the Midwest a blue wall for Democrats, adding, that was proven out last night. I do think that this puts us in the pole position to win the convention. Some in the Chicago contingent pushing their DNC bid had worried that Vallas winning the mayors race would complicate their efforts given critical remarks he had made about Chicago itself and a slew of top elected leaders, including Pritzker. They were heartened by the fact that Biden and DNC officials waited until the mayors race was over to decide. For Biden, however, the greater impact is likely in Wisconsin, a state thats central to his chances in 2024. On Wednesday, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre connected the string of Democratic wins on abortion rights since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year. Americans want the freedom to make reproductive health care decisions without government interference, Jean-Pierre said. Yet, though, you see that Republican elected officials are more committed than ever to attack those fundamental freedoms that Americans should have. Brian Stryker, a Democratic strategist who conducted polling for Protasiewicz, said the states 1849 abortion ban was very much top of mind for voters in Wisconsin. As were questions about whether the elected officials there would certify future contests. That Protasiewicz performed so well in suburban counties should serve as a potent signal to Democrats across the region, he said. Garin agreed, but went even further. Wisconsin is evidence of a backlash against the MAGA power-grab and their assault on democracy and the rule of the people, he said. And Democrats in 2024 would be wise to tap into that. Milwaukee Judge Janet Protasiewicz won a nationally watched judicial election Tuesday, which will likely result in a more liberal tilt for the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the coming years. The 60-year-old liberal, who was supported by Democrats and progressive groups, defeated former Justice Daniel Kelly, who was backed heavily by Republican-aligned organizations and activists. Much of the race was defined by reproductive rights and ongoing litigation about the Badger State's pre-Civil War law banning abortion in almost all cases except if the mother's life is in jeopardy. Stay in the conversation on politics: Sign up for the OnPolitics newsletter In March, Wisconsin Republican legislators want to pass a bill that would carve out exceptions for rape and incest. But Democratic Gov. Tony Evers immediately rejected that idea, saying that he would veto any measure that did not codify abortion access as it was under Roe v. Wade, which the U.S. Supreme Court knocked down last June. Kelly dodged commenting on the state law during the campaign, but he was endorsed by anti-abortion groups such as Wisconsin Right to Life. He wrote in a 2012 blog post that abortion "takes the life of an unborn child." Protasiewicz, who had the support of liberal organizations such as Planned Parenthood, described the 1849 Wisconsin law as "draconian." During the race she regularly talked about how she had been supportive of abortion rights her entire life. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Wisconsin election results: Liberal wins race centered on abortion Milwaukee Judge Janet Protasiewicz won a nationally watched judicial election Tuesday that will likely give liberals the edge in the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The 60-year-old prosecutor, who was supported heavily by Democrats and progressive groups, defeated former Justice Daniel Kelly, who was backed largely by Republican-aligned organizations and activists. Stay in the conversation on politics: Sign up for the OnPolitics newsletter Much of the race, which was officially nonpartisan, was defined by abortion access in the state. The procedure was made immediately illegal in the state after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade last summer. Milwaukee Judge Janet Protasiewicz wins on April 4, 2023, a nationally watched judicial election that could result in a more liberal tilt for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. But given Wisconsin's battleground state status, this judicial race could also matter in the 2024 presidential race. Here are the key takeaways. 1849 abortion law on the line A pre-Civil War law criminalizes abortion even in cases of rape or incest and allows it only if the mother's life is in danger. Republican lawmakers tried to add exceptions in 2022, but Democratic Gov. Tony Evers made clear he would veto any measure that upheld the overall ban. Thousands gather during the National Women's March at the Capitol rotunda marking 50th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, in Madison on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023. With a divided state government, that puts the question in the Wisconsin Supreme Court's hands. A ruling probably will be issued around a lawsuit brought by Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul to block the law later this year. Politics: Can parental rights launch Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin to the White House? More: Will he or won't he? GOP Sen. Tim Scott inches toward historic White House bid Protasiewicz's win gives liberals a 4-3 majority, which could spell doom for the 174-year-old law. Wisconsin's legislative maps One thing that this elections outcome could change is the makeup of Congress. Republicans now hold six out of eight congressional seats in the state after scoring a big win last during last year's midterm elections. Story continues Elections: These 'off-year' elections present Dems, GOP with opportunities and lessons ahead of 2024 The Wisconsin Supreme Court got involved after Evers vetoed the district lines drawn up by the Republican-controlled Legislature. It then adopted the governor's suggested maps, saying in a 4-3 ruling that it represented the "least change." But some Democrats and their allies /wanted maps that split the state's congressional delegation more evenly, and they could be emboldened to seek that now. Most expensive U.S. judicial race? One thing that defined this race was how it took on the feeling of U.S. Senate or gubernatorial contests. The early fundraising figures show it easily surpassed the $45 million spending mark, which crushed the previous high for a state judicial election of $15.1 million spent during a 2004 Illinois contest, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. Opinion: As GOP sticks with Trump and his felony charges, Democrats keep winning elections 2024 presidential election In the aftermath of the 2020 election, the Wisconsin Supreme Court threw out former President Donald Trump's election lawsuit seeking to revoke his loss. That put this judicial race in a different lens should there be a candidate who would contest the 2024 presidential results. More: Chicago chooses mayor in race between Democrats Few states are as competitive as the Badger State. Four of the last six White House contests have been decided by less than a percentage point. Democratics control the governor's mansion, and Democrats heavily backed Protasiewicz in Tuesday's election. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Wisconsin Supreme Court election takeaways: abortion, 2024 and more STEVENS POINT Mike Wiza won a third term as Stevens Point mayor in Tuesday's election, defeating challenger Meleesa Johnson by a vote of 4,235 to 3,081. Wiza was first elected as mayor in 2015 and was reelected in 2019. He had previously served for 11 years on the Stevens Point City Council and 10 years on the Portage County Board. Ahead of the election, Wiza told the Stevens Point Journal housing is the biggest issue facing Stevens Point, followed closely by good jobs. He said the city is working to address both issues. He said Stevens Point has made a lot of progress in the last eight years and he wants to see that progress continue. "We still need to address affordable housing, proper child care options and assuring everyone has a place here," he said. More: Stevens Point-area election results Pope, Sommers and Kowalski elected to Stevens Point School Board Incumbent Gee Pope and challengers Alex Sommers and Ted Kowalski were elected to three seats on the Stevens Point School Board Tuesday. They defeated incumbent Chris Scott and challengers Miguel Campos and Robert Larson. Incumbent Jeff Ebel did not seeking reelection. Pope led with 7,531 votes, followed by Sommers with 7,483, Kowalski with 7,333, Chris Scott with 7,156, Miguel Campos with 6,880 and Robert Larson with 4,663. Pope is a retired teacher, having taught science for 30 years at Assumption High School in Wisconsin Rapids, Stevens Point Area Senior High and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Sommers has been an educator for 11 years teaching Spanish, English and English as a Second Language. Kowalski retired in 2022 and is one of two citizen volunteers on the Business Services/Human Resources Committee of the School Board and has served since October 2019. School board members serve a three-year term. Voters approve 2 Stevens Point street referendums Stevens Point voters approved two street reconstruction referendums on Tuesday, authorizing the city to spend $4.2 million for routine maintenance projects slated to be completed in 2024. Story continues The referendums were for an estimated $1.3 million project in the Bliss Avenue area and an estimated $2.9 million project in the Maria Drive area, including the replacement or installation of pavement, curbs, gutters and sidewalks. Residents approved the Bliss Avenue referendum by a vote of 6,153 to 1,708. The vote on the Maria Drive referendum was 6,115 in favor and 1,781 opposed. The requirement to put such measures to a public vote is a result of a binding referendum voters narrowly approved in August 2022 that created an ordinance that requires the city to put all transportation projects that cost taxpayers more than $1 million before voters. "These are planned, budgeted for projects," Mayor Mike Wiza told the Stevens Point Journal in February. "These have been in the capital budget for four to five years, and because of that there will be no increase in property taxes if these projects are approved." 3 incumbents, 1 newcomer elected to Stevens Point City Council Incumbents on the ballot for Stevens Point City Council retained their seats in Tuesday's election, with one newcomer winning the open seat in District 9 after the incumbent chose not to seek reelection. In District 1, incumbent Marc Christianson defeated challenger Gracia Day by a vote of 382 to 211. Christianson was appointed as alderperson of District 1 in September 2021 after Tori Jennings resigned when she moved out of the district. In District 6, incumbent David Plaisance won against challenger Jason C. Behrendt by a vote of 537 to 313. Plaisance was appointed as alderperson of District 6 in November 2022 after Ron Carlson stepped down due to health issues. In District 7, incumbent Mary Kneebone defeated challenger Tim Johnson by a vote of 382 to 172. Kneebone has served as the alderperson for District 7 for the past eight years. In District 9, Sam Lang won the open seat against Keith Kedrowski by a vote of 348 to 265. Incumbent Polly Dalton did not seek reelection. Alderpersons serve a two-year term. Plover elects Wolf as village president, Haga as trustee In Plover, voters elected Gary Wolf as village president. Wolf defeated challenger Ross Ballard by a vote of 1,933 to 1,577 for the job after incumbent Tom Davies didn't seek reelection. Wolf, who has resided in Plover for 27 years with his wife, Lisa, currently serves as Ward 2 village trustee and chairman of the Public Works Committee. He told the Stevens Point Journal he has been involved in local government for nearly 20 years, beginning with an appointment to the Board of Zoning Appeals in 2004. Al Haga won the race for Ward 2 village trustee against challengers Darcy Grabski, Sara Luchini and Tim L. Cisewski, after Wolf opted not to seek reelection. Haga received 351 votes, followed by Grabski with 298, Luchini with 272 and Cisewski with 257. Haga has served almost 30 years on the Village of Plover Planning and Zoning, 15 years as District 15 County Board supervisor in Portage County, five years as Portage County Board chairman and three years on the Wisconsin Counties Association Board of Directors. Elected officials serve two years on the Village Board. More: Southpoint Restaurant was his favorite place to eat. Now, he's revived the Stevens Point eatery as its new owner. More: Los Victor's reopens; Prevail Bank renovations continue in Stevens Point | Streetwise Contact editor Jamie Rokus at jrokus@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter at @Jamie_Rokus. This article originally appeared on Stevens Point Journal: Stevens Point, Plover election results: 2023 spring races Western Michigan University's College of Aviation in Battle Creek on Friday, March 24, 2023. BATTLE CREEK Alpha Eta Rho-Theta, the professional aviation fraternity at Western Michigan University's College of Aviation, invites the public to get up close and personal with a variety of aircraft this weekend in Battle Creek. The fraternity's annual "fly-in" open house will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at WMU's Aviation Education Center, 237 Helmer Road North, with attendees having the opportunity to get a closer look at WMU's training aircraft, a MedFlight Helicopter and a helicopter from the Michigan State Police, among other aircraft. Air traffic control simulators and a paper airplane contest will also be part of the festivities, and complimentary 15-20 minute flights will be offered for kids ages 8-17 courtesy of Young Eagles. MORE: WMU College of Aviation to soar 'to the next level' with new fleet of aircraft An Easter egg hunt featuring WMU mascot Buster Bronco will also be held during the event at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. "Its a great way for kids to be around some airplanes," Matt Rendell, a WMU junior and president of Alpha Eta Rho-Theta, explained Tuesday. "Its absolutely free to come out, fly your aircraft in, drive in and check out our facility, check out some of the aircraft." Hamburgers and hot dogs will be available for purchase during the event. Attendees will also have the opportunity to purchase seat time in WMU's Cirrus and Boeing 737 simulators. All proceeds from Saturday's event will help cover the cost of experiences for Alpha Eta Rho-Theta members, including an upcoming tour of Delta Airlines in Detroit. "The Alpha Eta Rho fly-in provides an opportunity for the members to network with others in the aviation community and for the community to learn more about the Western Michigan University College of Aviation," Raymond Thompson, dean of WMU's College of Aviation, said in a statement. "The aviation industry is facing a major labor shortage in all areas, not just pilots and technicians. Many youth dont think aviation is a career option. Interacting with the Alpha Eta Rho members helps them learn aviation is an option and building personal relationships with aviation students." Story continues This will be Rendell's second year helping organize the fly-in event. He's said he's looking forward to connecting with people and showing what WMU, and aviation as a whole, has to offer. "I'm excited to see people excited to be in this space and get excited about aviation," Rendell said. "The community outreach is really important to us. We think its important especially to (connect with) that next generation (of kids) that are going to pursue aviation." More information about Saturday's fly-in event is available here. Contact reporter Greyson Steele at gsteele@battlecreekenquirer.com This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: WMU aviation fraternity hosting fly-in open house Saturday A 29-year-old driver is accused of having more than three times the legal limit of alcohol in her system when she knocked out power to 16,000 in Richland. Mikinzi Joy Shumates blood-alcohol level was 0.25 percent on Sept. 18, when she lost control of her car on Stevens Drive at 11:30 p.m., according to investigators in court documents. In Washington state the legal limit is 0.08 percent. Her car cut through a wire supporting a Bonneville Power Administration transmission pole, sending power lines and transformers crashing to the ground, Richland police said at the time. Benton County prosecutors recently charged Shumate with vehicular assault after she left a her passenger with a broken breastbone. Shes pleaded innocent to the charges and her trial is set for June 20. Collision investigators believe Shumate was driving north on Stevens Drive and drove off the road as she turned toward Saint Street. She then hit an electrical box and launched her car into the air. It flipped and caught fire before finally stopping almost 700 feet from the street. The intersection is near the Highway 240 bypass in the northern section of Richland. Witnesses saw Shumate get out of the drivers side of her car, while her male passenger crawled out of the rear drivers side window. Shumate admitted to drinking before the crash and medical records showed she was intoxicated. A blood sample was drawn at the hospital and used to determine how intoxicated she was, said officials. According to public records, Shumate has previously been found guilty of driving under the influence in 2014 in Franklin County District Court. She also pleaded guilty in 2012 to reckless driving. Power outage Vibrations from the crash broke the porcelain insulators that hold the power lines that feed into a substation for the city, Sandi Edgemon, the business services manager with the electric utility told the Tri-City Herald at the time. That knocked out power north of Lee Boulevard and between the Columbia and Yakima rivers. Crews were able to restore power by 2:45 a.m. In all, about 16,500 customers lost electricity, the city reported. It also knocked out power to street lights on Stevens Drive into the next morning. The Hilton Head woman accused of intentionally running over a man twice in a road-rage incident Saturday told police she was trying to leave when she ran over the mans leg, according to a Beaufort County Sheriffs Office report. Tysha Shailayah Brown, 25, was charged with attempted murder after deputies concluded she not only ran the man over but allegedly put the car in reverse and backed over him again, Maj. Angela Viens, a spokesperson for the sheriffs office, told the Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette. The man, who is not being publicly identified, remains hospitalized, Viens said. His injuries are not considered to be life-threatening. Police were called to the islands Burger King on Museum Street for a report of a hit-and-run with injuries Saturday morning. Brown told deputies she was driving west on U.S. 278 and Cross Island Parkway when she saw two cars she thought were in a road rage incident. To avoid them, Brown said she drove around the car and exited onto Gum Tree Road, where she was followed by one of the cars, driven by the man who later was run over, according to the sheriffs report. After the man cut her off, Brown said, both cars turned into the Burger King parking lot. The man got out of his car, screaming at the woman and spitting on her window, according to Brown in the report. The parking lot of the Burger King restaurant on Museum Street on Hilton Head. Brown said she began to drive around him and ran over his leg when the man began hitting the hood of her car, she said. Brown then backed up and intentionally ran over him a second time, police said. After Brown left the scene, first responders took the victim to the hospital, where he was treated for fractures in his legs, according to the police report. Police reviewed surveillance footage from a security camera and a witness statement, both of which matched the victims story, Viens said. Brown returned to the Burger King because she was upset about the situation, according to the report. By this time, police had arrived, talked to Brown and arrested her. Story continues The man who was injured did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette. A manager from the Burger King could not be reached for comment. Brown had no criminal record before Saturdays incident, court records show. Brown was denied bond Monday, according to Maj. Latasha Robinson, the deputy director of the Beaufort County Detention Center. As of Tuesday, no attorney information for Brown was listed, and she remained in custody at the jail. Brown is set to appear in court at 9 a.m. on June 9, according to the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office report. When we publish mugshots The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette publishes police booking photos, or mugshots, in the following instances: In situations where a public figure or someone in a position of public trust is arrested In cases where there is an immediate and widespread threat to public safety In cases where the arrested person is accused of a crime reporters have evidence to believe involved numerous, unknown victims Reporters will avoid using mugshots as lead images for online articles in order to limit their circulation on social media, except in cases where the public is served by the immediate identification of the accused. Reporters and editors may use discretion in situations that dont meet the criteria outlined in this policy but still present a compelling reason to publish a mugshot. Radio host Elvis Duran was attacked in New York City this week by a "sicko" woman on a Manhattan street, he said during his show Tuesday. Duran, 58, who hosts the "Elvis Duran and the Morning Show" on Z100, told his listeners that he was on 14th Street and 6th Avenue when someone approached him on Monday, the New York Post reported. TRUMP PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO 34 FELONY COUNTS OF FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS Elvis Duran attends iHeartRadio Q102s Jingle Ball 2022 Presented by Capital One at Wells Fargo Center on Dec. 12, 2022, in Philadelphia. Duran said he was recently attacked by a pedestrian in New York City. "Her fist comes toward my face, and its holding, like, a sharp object, and she tries to cut my face," Duran said. "I put my arm up, and I stopped her from doing it, and she did it to the woman behind her. We were all shocked." Duran said the aggressor almost cut him. Duran added that he talked about the incident with some people at a gym, who said mental illness may have played a factor. "I understand the component of mental illness," he said. "But at same time, just because youre mentally ill doesnt give you the right to be a total ahole and start slashing people." READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP He said he was still shaken over what happened, but holds no ill-will toward New York and would continue to take walks. "I love my city," he said. Fox News Digital has reached out to the New York Police Department. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) plans to visit Taiwan while taking a trip to Asia later this month, marking his first visit to the continent as governor. Youngkin said in a release on Tuesday that he will lead a Virginia delegation to Taipei City, Taiwan; Tokyo; and Seoul, South Korea, from April 24-29. He will meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, other government officials, business associations, company executives and global industry leaders to strengthen the states cultural and economic connections. Im excited to represent the Commonwealth in my first trade mission to Asia that will focus on economic development opportunities, our shared priorities and national security, Youngkin said. Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea represent critical markets that will advance economic growth and prosperity in Virginia. In strengthening these relationships, we are not only reaffirming our commitment to our allies but also strengthening the spirit of Virginia and America. The trip comes as Youngkin has been rumored to be a possible GOP 2024 presidential candidate and he takes on a greater national profile. Youngkin appeared on CNBCs Squawk Box, participated in a CNN town hall on education and met with donors in New York last month. The Washington Post reported that Youngkin broke with tradition as Virginia governor in not leading any foreign or domestic trade mission during his first year in office. China considers Taiwan to be part of its territory and awaiting reunification, so it opposes any U.S. contact with the self-governing island. But numerous top U.S. officials have visited Taiwan in recent months, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Tsai is meeting with Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Wednesday during a trip she is taking through the U.S. and Central America. The release from Youngkin states that Virginia has five foreign-owned businesses from Taiwan, 133 from Japan and 25 from South Korea. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A YouTuber known for pranking people was shot at a Washington, D.C.-area mall on Sunday. Tanner Cook, who appears on the "Classified Goons" YouTube channel, said he was playing a prank when a man shot him. The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office in Virginia arrested 31-year-old Alan W. Colie for allegedly shooting the 21-year-old Cook at Dulles Town Center Mall Food Court, the sheriff's office said in a statement. Colie was charged with aggravated malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and discharging a firearm within a building. The gunshot caused panic in the mall and when police arrived, they found Cook outside with a gunshot wound to his abdomen. Cook was transported to the hospital, where he spoke with CBS News' Washington D.C. affiliate WUSA. "I was playing a prank and a simple practical joke, and this guy didn't take it very well," he said, adding that the shooter didn't say anything to him. Cook's friend had the camera rolling during the shooting, and the footage is now evidence in the investigation. The moment police apprehended shooting Suspect at Dulles Town Center today pic.twitter.com/shv0cjQm8k VAhiphopandnews (@VAhiphopandnewz) April 2, 2023 Footage also captured police arresting Colie at the mall and has gone viral on social media. The shooting happened around 11:57 a.m. and the mall was closed for the remainder of the day, the sheriff's office said. "Classified Goons" play pranks in public, like taking people's groceries from their shopping carts or pretending to vomit in an Uber, and film them for YouTube, where they have 41.5K subscribers. It's not clear what prank Cook was playing. Cook's father, Jeramy Cook, said the YouTubers were just trying to have fun and the shooting was unnecessary. "There was a phone that was around him and they were interviewing or talking to him, and he didn't like it and he pulled out his gun and shot my son," he told WUSA. The two did not know each other prior to the incident, the station reported. Story continues Tanner Cook told WUSA he has no ill will and he will not stop making his videos. Biden administration releases review of Afghanistan withdrawal Officials document decades of church child sex abuse in Baltimore Archdiocese Martha Teichner with update on preserving Eatonville Prince William arrives with outgoing New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at the RNZAF Air Movements Terminal on April 25, 2019, in Christchurch, New Zealand. Hannah Peters - Pool/Getty Image Jacinda Ardern is teaming up with Prince William on his Earthshot Prize Awards initiative. New Zealand's outgoing prime minister said she was "humbled" to become a trustee of the endeavor. Her new role comes after she starred in Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Netflix docuseries. The Earthshot Prize Awards has gained a new trustee in Jacinda Ardern. The outgoing New Zealand prime minister was named the latest member of Prince William's environmental initiative in a Kensington Palace press shared with Insider on Tuesday. Ardern, 42, announced her surprise resignation in January, citing a lack of energy to compete in upcoming elections, Insider previously reported. "It's time," the center-left politician said at her party's annual meeting on January 19, The Guardian reported. In office since 2017, Ardern said she "no longer had enough in the tank." But now it seems Ardern has turned her attention to environmental causes in her partnership with William's Earthshot Prize Awards. In her statement shared in the press release, Ardern said she was "humbled and excited to be working with the Earthshot team." Prince William is greeted with a Hongi, a traditional Maori greeting, by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as they attend the Auckland Anzac Day Civic Service at the Auckland War Memorial Museum on April 25, 2019, in Auckland, New Zealand. Mark Tantrum/The New Zealand Government via Getty Images "Since its inception, I've believed Earthshot's power to encourage and spread not only the innovation we desperately need, but also optimism. Solutions are within our reach if we invest, support and accelerate them globally," Ardern added. William, who launched the global environmental initiative in 2020 after being inspired by US President John F. Kennedy's 1962 "Moonshot" speech, which encouraged Americans to support moon exploration, said it was an honor to welcome Ardern to the team. "Her life-long commitment to supporting sustainable and environmental solutions, along with her experience as Prime Minister of New Zealand, will bring a rich infusion of new thinking to our mission," William, 40, said. "Four years ago, before The Earthshot Prize even had a name, Jacinda was one of the first people I spoke to, and her encouragement and advice was crucial to the Prize's early success," he added. "I am hugely grateful to her for joining us as she takes the next steps in her career." Story continues Other trustees include former UN Climate Chief Christina Figueres and Jason Knauf, the former communications secretary of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and later on of William and Kate Middleton. As Insider previously reported, Knauf, a Texas native, has become a central figure in some of the royal family's recent controversies, including his involvement in Meghan's lawsuit against British tabloids for publishing a private letter she wrote to her father. Meghan won the initial case in February 2021 and the subsequent appeal in December 2021. Ardern's new role comes after she distanced herself from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Ardern's team-up with William comes after she seemingly distanced herself from Harry and Meghan after the release of their "Live to Lead" Netflix docuseries, released in December 2022. The former prime minister, along with seven other high-profile activists such as the late Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Gloria Steinem, starred in the series that was produced by Harry and Meghan, according to Netflix Tudum. But prior to the docuseries release, Ardern issued a statement clarifying that she was not aware of Harry and Meghan's involvement in the series when her interview for the show was shot. According to The Telegraph, her office issued a statement saying that she was approached by the Nelson Mandela Project in 2019 to participate in the project. "In early March 2019 the prime minister was approached by the Mandela Foundation to participate in a project to develop accessible resources on key attributes of leadership targeted at aspiring young leaders around the world, based off a one-hour interview," the statement read. "The interview was conducted on November 8, 2019," it added. It went on to say that in March 2021, the Nelson Mandela Foundation contacted her office to say that it had secured an agreement with Netflix to broadcast the interview in a docuseries, but was not aware that it would be introduced or produced by Harry and Meghan until 2022, more than two years after Ardern's original interview. "All communication throughout has been with the foundation (there has been no communications with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex regarding the project)," the statement concluded. Ardern's statement came after Harry and Meghan's Netflix docuseries about their love story and experience in the royal family was released in December 2022. Several surprising moments occurred during the six-part series, including Harry's claim that William screamed at him during a royal family crisis meeting in 2020. Representatives for Jacinda Ardern and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Read the original article on Insider At a joint news conference with the Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Poland would provide Ukraine with an additional military assistance package, Suspilne news outlet reported. "Today we are signing a document on the supply of Polish Rosomak armored personnel carriers, Rak self-propelled mortars, air defense systems, in particular the very effective Piorun," Zelensky said during his April 5 visit to Warsaw. Ukraine's president also met with Polish President Andrzej Duda on his first official visit to Poland since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. After the meeting, Zelensky said Ukraine considered Poland "not only its partner but also a friend forever." According to Ukraine's Presidential Office, the two leaders discussed assistance to the Ukrainian army, the return of Ukrainian children illegally deported by Russia, Ukraine's EU accession, and Euro-Atlantic integration, according to Zelensky's office. At a joint press conference following the meeting, Zelensky thanked Duda, top Polish officials, and the Polish people for "the brotherhood and real friendship they demonstrated" amid Russia's all-out war. "Today, we are in really strong relations not just pragmatic, but human relations. This is very important in historical and any other issues, which, I am sure, we will definitely resolve," Zelensky said. "I want to thank you for the fact that you, our powerful neighbors, did not and do not allow us to break, you help us. If Ukraine falls, we know Russia will not stop there and will go further." The two presidents also reportedly discussed Poland's participation in the reconstruction of Ukraine. "It should not only help Ukraine, but above all, it should be profitable. And we really want Polish business to be one of the leaders in our market and definitely come to us," added Zelensky. Duda said the meeting had focused on defense cooperation issues, adding that Poland is among Ukraine's largest allies in providing military aid. According to the Polish president, his country has sent hundreds of tanks, Krab self-propelled howitzers, and missiles to Ukraine so that it can repel Russian aggression. Story continues Duda added that Poland advocates for Ukraine to receive additional security guarantees at the next NATO summit in Vilnius scheduled for July 11-12. He also spoke in favor of Ukraine eventually becoming a member of the alliance. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived on an official visit to Poland on 5 April. Source: "European Pravda" Zelenskyy and the First Lady arrived in Poland on 5 April. This is the first time since the full-scale war started that a visit by the Ukrainian president has been announced in advance. The Office of the President of Poland said that after the official greeting of the guests by Andrzej Duda and his wife, the leaders will hold talks in the presidential palace, after which the delegations will hold talks. The head of the Bureau of International Policy at the Office of the President, Marcin Przydac, was quoted by PAP as saying that the negotiations will concern "the entire spectrum of Polish-Ukrainian relations, starting with security policy". According to him, they also plan to raise historical issues. Andrzej Duda and Volodymyr Zelenskyy are scheduled to speak publicly at 18:00. The Office of the President of Poland has given assurances that all services are properly prepared to organise such a visit, and it should be safe. This is Zelenskyy's first official visit to Warsaw since the beginning of the full-scale war. In addition, the presidents of Ukraine and Poland have crossed paths twice "in work mode" in Rzeszow in December 2022 and February 2023. So far, during the full-scale war, the President of Ukraine has travelled abroad only a few times to visit Washington and, on one trip, to London and Brussels. Andrzej Duda visited Ukraine four times during the full-scale war, the first visit being in April 2022 with his Baltic colleagues and the most recent in January 2023 for the Lublin Triangle Summit in Lviv. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine has addressed the National Congress of Chile, calling on the members to support the efforts of the International Criminal Court which recently issued an arrest warrant for the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. Source: Zelenskyy in his address to National Congress of Chile Quote: "Such a war as Russia is currently waging against Ukraine cannot be the norm. And therefore, Russia itself, as it has become, cannot and will not be the norm. This is a fascist state, a terrorist state, an evil state. A state that deserves - quite legally and fairly - to be treated by the world like a criminal. Please support the efforts of the International Criminal Court, which recently issued an arrest warrant for the Russian dictator." Details: In his address Zelenskyy emphasised that there is "no such crime that Russia has not yet committed while waging this war. And there is no such nation that could remain indifferent or neutral to such evil." The President also thanked the Republic of Chile for "the principled condemnation of Russian aggression and for supporting the relevant resolutions of the UN General Assembly." Zelenskyy also commended Chile for the countrys participation in the initiatives to clear Ukraine from mines. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Andrzej Duda and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Warsaw on April 5, 2023 Zelenskyy was on his first official visit to Poland since the start of Russias full-scale war against Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Read also: Prince William, Polands Duda discuss humanitarian aid to Ukraine We discussed the strengthening of our army. This is very important. Today we discussed and made a decision on a powerful defense package that will strengthen our people," Zelenskyy said. He thanked Poland for a new aid package, and said Ukraines defenders were also defending the rest of Europe. "Today we are here in Warsaw, but there in the trenches of Bakhmut, Mariyinka, Avdiyivka are our people, real warriors, men and women, absolutely strong people whom we, unfortunately, lose every day because of Russia... They risk their lives not only for the sake of Ukrainians, but also for the sake of the future lives of your children, the children of Europe." Read also: Duda confirmed that Ukraine and Poland are working together on a new wide agreement between the countries and expressed the hope that it would be signed soon. Ukrainians and Polish people should not feel that there is "a border between us," he said. "It will be a political and geographical border, but we would like to have two countries cooperating, like a brotherly community of two neighboring peoples who love each other," Duda said. The Polish president expects even more economic cooperation between the two countries after the Russian invasion forces are pushed out of Ukraine. Read also: Poland orders ammunition production increase Zelenskyy was visiting Poland on the invitation of the President of Poland Duda. It has been his third trip abroad since Russia's full-scale invasion, and the first official visit he has made together with First Lady Olena Zelenska. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine WARSAW, Poland (AP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy won new pledges of military and economic cooperation Wednesday on a state visit to staunch ally Poland, and he also said that Kyiv's troops battling in the eastern city of Bakhmut could pull out if they face a threat of being encircled by Russian forces. Polish President Andrzej Duda said Warsaw has provided four Soviet-designed MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, with four more in the process of being handed over and another six being prepared. At a news conference with his Polish counterpart, Zelenskyy described the perils in the grinding siege of Bakhmut, which has been all but destroyed by eight months of fighting that also has cost many lives on both sides. "For me, the most important issue is our military, he said. And certainly, if there is a moment of even hotter events and the danger that we may lose personnel due to the encirclement, there will certainly be corresponding correct decisions of the general on the ground. I n a recent interview with The Associated Press, Zelenskyy underscored the importance of defending Bakhmut, saying its fall could allow Russia to rally international support for a deal that could require Ukraine to make unacceptable compromises. During his visit to Warsaw a rare wartime foray out of Ukraine for Zelenskyy both countries sought to forge a tighter relationship in defiance of Russias full-scale war against Kyiv that has reshaped international alliances. Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, said Moscows relations with Washington are in deep crisis as the U.S. has led its allies in supplying aid and weapons to Ukraine. Speaking at a ceremony where he accepted diplomatic credentials from ambassadors of 17 nations, including the U.S., Putin alleged that Washingtons support for the 2014 protests in Kyiv that ousted a pro-Kremlin president led to Russias sending troops into Ukraine. Zelenskyy said at his news conference with Duda that his government would extend a hearty welcome to Polish businesses seeking to help Ukraine's postwar rebuilding, which the World Bank has estimated could cost $411 billion. He met later with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and signed agreements on developing Ukrainian infrastructure that opens a door for hundreds of Polish companies. Story continues Poland heaped military honors and praise on Zelenskyy as it welcomed him and his wife on a joint visit, during which they thanked the country for its crucial military support as well as being a haven for Ukrainian refugees. The former Soviet satellite that is now a member of the European Union and NATO feels especially threatened by Russia and has been a leading advocate for aid to Kyiv. Zelenskyy said the countries signed a new defense package for the delivery of Polish weaponry. They will also set up joint manufacturing plants for weapons and ammunition, he said. Morawiecki said Zelenskyy's visit was extremely important because we are shaping the picture of Europe for the future. The Kremlin and Putin, Moscow wanted an end to Ukraine, but today we can see that this war initiates the end of an aggressive Russia, of the Russia that we know, and (marks) a start of a completely new Europe. This is the beginning of a completely new Europe. Earlier, Zelenskyy and Duda said they wanted to leave behind any World War II-era grievances that linger in Ukraine and Poland. There are no taboo topics between us, Duda said. "There are still open wounds in the memory of many people. While Zelenskyy also traveled to the United States, Britain, France and Belgium, the trip to Poland stood out because it was announced in advance and undertaken without the secrecy of past foreign trips. It also was the first time Zelenskyy and first lady Olena Zelenska traveled abroad together since the war began in February 2022, said Marcin Przydacz, head of Dudas foreign policy office. Duda awarded Zelenskyy Polands oldest and highest civilian distinction, The Order of the White Eagle. We have no doubt that your attitude, together with the bravery of the nation, has saved Ukraine, the Polish president told Zelenskyy. At a ceremony in the courtyard of the presidential palace, Duda and the two countries first ladies were dressed in formal attire, while Zelenskyy wore the military-style sweatshirt and khaki trousers that have become his uniform since the invasion. His trips to London, Paris and Brussels in February were part of his push for warplanes and for his country admission to the EU and NATO, and his visit to Washington in December was intended to shore up U.S. support. Zelenskyy traveled through Poland on his previous foreign trips, but until now had not made it his sole destination. The purpose of the journey to Warsaw was primarily to thank a country that has been an international cheerleader for Ukraine, as well as a safe haven for Ukrainian refugees and a transit hub for Ukraine-bound humanitarian aid and weapons. The visit highlighted the central European nation's rising role in a new international security order that has emerged from the war. Poland is seeking to modernize its military by purchasing tanks and other equipment from U.S. and South Korean producers. The United States has also bolstered its military presence in Poland. Zelenskyy also was meeting with Ukrainians who have fled to Poland. More than 1.5 million Ukrainians have registered with the Polish government since the war began. His visit came at a delicate time, with Polish farmers increasingly angry because Ukrainian grain that has entered the country has created a glut, causing prices to fall. The grain is only meant to be stored temporarily before being sent to markets in North Africa and the Middle East. But farmers say the grain is taking up space in silos and entering Polish markets, causing local prices to fall. Romanian and Bulgarian farmers say they face the same problem. Zelenskyy and Morawiecki said they had reached a deal to resolve that problem, though they gave no details. The Polish farmers' anger has been a headache for Morawiecki's government ahead of fall elections, particularly since his conservative ruling party, Law and Justice, gets much of its support in rural areas. Agriculture Minister Henryk Kowalczyk, the focus of the farmers' anger, resigned Wednesday. In Ukraine, the military authorities said Russian forces in the previous 24 hours had launched 47 airstrikes, three missile strikes and 42 attacks from multiple rocket launchers. At least four civilians were killed and 16 others wounded in that period, Zelenskyy's office reported. Also on Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry accused Ukraine and its allies of trying to affect Russian civilian communications satellites and threatened that Moscow could respond in kind. It didnt offer any specifics. This is a flagrant violation of international law. The Russian side has the right to respond in kind. All the necessary opportunities for this are available, it said. A small plane, apparently from Ukraine, crash-landed in a field in the neighboring Russian region of Bryansk, and its pilot was detained, according to Russia's Federal Security Service. ___ Associated Press writer Yuras Karmanau in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine On March 26, we published a column about two Dish Network subscribers from Western Virginia who were having trouble getting hold of the satellite TV provider. Betty Turner wanted to cancel the service after she and her husband moved from Christiansburg to Glenvar. Jocelyn Kasey of Roanoke wanted to cancel her service, too. Both had spent about a month trying to get hold of the company without success. Pre-publication, I sent Dish two emails about Turners and Kaseys unsuccessful efforts to reach the company. Dish didnt respond to either by my deadline. But Kasey was able to get hold of the company. A Dish representative told her her service would end April 1. And through the Better Business Bureau, I learned Dish suffered a major cyberattack near the end of February that had shut down its customer service desks, and that potentially compromised customer information. After publication, I heard from Dish customers in 10 other states, most of whom were similarly frustrated in trying to contact Dish customer service. So Monday I informed Dish Id be writing a follow-up based on those additional complaints. This time, the company responded with an email. Heres the company unsigned statement it sent me Monday: DISH has restored many of the systems affected by the incident that occurred late last month. The vast majority of our websites, customer care functions, self-service applications, and payment systems are now operational. Agent support is available, although wait times may be longer due to higher volumes at certain times of day and the particular type of service the customer is inquiring about. Self-service account capabilities are available to customers through mydish.com, sling.com and boostmobile.com. We appreciate our customers patience and support. The email with [Turners and Kaseys ] information was forwarded on to the appropriate department to help with support. Thank you. Inquiry from four years ago Later Monday, I received another reply from Dish, from Ryan Vogler, senior corporate case manager for executive escalations. Curiously, he wasnt writing about the inquiries I made about Betty Turner or Joyce Kasey, but to a previous email I sent Dish more than four years ago, on behalf of a different Dish customer, Bernadette Vance of Roanoke County. That inquiry was dated Jan. 31, 2019. Vance was upset that her Dish channel lineup did not include Fox News. And she was able to work out her problem with Dish back then. Vogler asked for Vances Dish account number, or her phone number. I replied that I no longer have that information. But because I had his attention, I asked if he could look into the more recent issues involving Betty Turner and Joyce Kasey. He replied that Betty Turners Dish account was closed March 19, but We are just waiting to receive the leased equipment from her. Turner told me that she and her husband, Ned, moved from Christiansburg to Glenvar at the end of February, but her efforts to cancel her Dish service at that time were unsuccessful. She couldnt reach them because of the cyberattack on the company. So instead, she canceled the credit card Dish had been billing her on. She did that after she spotted a fraudulent credit card charge on card linked to her Dish account. Since I couldnt contact [Dish], I couldnt tell them I had a new credit card, Turner said. No one from Dish ever told her an address to which she could ship Dishs equipment, Turner added. Vogler said the Dish would mail Turner a prepaid & pre-addressed box in which she could return Dishs equipment. Joyce Kaseys case was a little stickier. In between the time Kasey first contacted me and the columns publication, she was able to get hold of Dish customer service. A company rep told Kasey that her service would be disconnected April 1, but that she was still responsible for paying the outstanding March bill of $84.17. Kasey sent that check off last week, but then she received another bill from Dish for two months worth of service, plus a $10 late fee, totaling $178.35. Vogler reported Monday that Ms. Kaseys DISH account is still active and has not been disconnected. That was news to Kasey, who thought shed already taken care of the disconnection. So I asked Vogler to give her a call. And he did. I spoke with Ms. Kasey and assisted her with disconnecting her DISH account, he wrote. Kasey confirmed the transaction and said her Dish account was disconnected late Monday afternoon. Kasey told me she also canceled the credit card associated with her Dish account, after that credit card was compromised. Scammers made four fraudulent transactions on it over one week beginning at the end of February. Is it a coincidence that two Dish customers from the Roanoke area both had credit cards tied to their Dish accounts compromised by fraud around the same time Dish Network suffered a cyberattack? The answer to that is unclear. Tips on reaching Dish Network Given the recent hack on Dish, Julie Wheeler, of the Better Business Bureaus Roanoke chapter, said Dish customers should be vigilant for fraudulent charges on their various accounts. If you have autopay set up where they automatically bill your bank account, I would probably change my payment method, Wheeler said. You could change [payment] to ebill, where they email you a bill and you process the payment yourself. Another alternative is to have your Dish account billed to a credit card, which offers an extra layer of security as long as you regularly check your credit card statements for fraudulent charges, Wheeler said. In most cases, credit card customers have 60 days to dispute unfounded charges, Wheeler added. Im not sure where all the above leaves the many frustrated Dish customers Ive heard from in 10 other states. By the way, those are West Virginia, Georgia, Missouri, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Florida, Utah, Arizona, Nebraska and Washington state. One, Keith Greene of Neah Bay, Washington, said he was able to get through on Dishs toll-free customer service line without much hassle by calling early in the day in the middle of the week, So they might try calling then. Several other Dish customers told me they had called that number, inputted a call-back number, and were pleasantly surprised that a customer service rep from Dish called back. Yet another customer, who emailed me and identified himself only as Rick said he discovered an unpublished customer-service email address for Dish Network. It is executivecustomerservice@dish.com (with no period on the end). Rick wrote: After weeks of no response from anyone, I got a response in less than 24 hours from someone whose email signature identified them as Sr. Corporate Case Manager Executive Escalations. Thats the same job title as Ryan Vogler. While their initial email didnt resolve my issue, they were incredibly responsive over email, and my issue was resolved that very same day! Rick added. Nelson County staff have introduced a $49.5 million county budget proposal for fiscal year 2024 a 6.6% decrease from the countys fiscal year 2023 amended budget of $52.9 million. The Nelson County Board of Supervisors reviewed the first draft budget at a March 28 work session and will discuss agency funding requests, potential changes to local tax rates and the school divisions budget request at upcoming work sessions. The board is scheduled to adopt and appropriate a final county budget on June 13. On the expenditure side, the budget includes a 7% salary increase for all full- and part-time county employees that will cost an additional $462,197. That raise mirrors the states current budget proposals: both the Virginia House of Representatives and Senate have included a 7% increase for state employees in their budget proposals while Gov. Glenn Youngkins proposed budget includes a 5% raise. The county expects a $235,868 reimbursement from the State Compensation Board for those salary enhancements, which would net a $226,329 anticipated cost to the county for the raises. The proposed budget also includes a $3.8 million transfer to the countys debt service part of an ongoing strategy to achieve $57 million in debt capacity to fund new projects. County Finance Director Linda Staton explained a major factor in the overall budget decrease is the $2.6 million in bond proceeds the county received in fiscal year 2023 for the purchase of the Larkin property, an approximate 300-acre wooded parcel neighboring the Nelson County High School and Middle School complex. On the revenues side, the county is anticipating an overall local revenue increase of $1.4 million, due to increases to real estate, public service, meals and lodging tax revenues, coupled with expected decreases to recordation and personal property tax revenues. County Administrator Candy McGarry cautioned the board that anticipated increases in the countrys recurring revenue from interest on investments, sales tax and the transient occupancy tax are very economy-driven and pretty volatile, and she advised not relying on those increases. The countys recurring contingency or leftover recurring revenue stood at $1.1 million at the conclusion of the meeting, after supervisors had elected to cover the full cost of a 9.9% increase in employees health insurance premiums. Nelson County Public Schools administration has requested an $18.7 million contribution from the county in fiscal year 2024, $1.6 million beyond the $17.1 million the county funded the schools in fiscal year 2023. McGarry told the board the countys recurring contingency alone is not sufficient to meet that request in full and said supervisors would either have to cut expenditures or consider local tax increases to do so. What shape of paper airplane flies the farthest? Do dogs prefer dog food with healthier ingredients? Is soap or hand sanitizer better at killing bacteria? Will drinking coffee make me type faster? Nelson Middle schoolers wanted to know, and used the scientific method to find out. Seventh graders Ava Berry, Orion Detteweiler, Kyle Evans, Sadie Perry, Sophia Piedra, Caroline Hatfield and sixth grader Sabrina Bellante presented their 4-H science fair projects in the NMS library on March 30. Theyre all students in Vickie Mays gifted program, and the NMS Gifted Coordinator said the children have been very excited about it. The science fair is the first Mays could remember the school holding in about 10 years. Erin Harris, associate extension agent for 4-H Youth Development in Nelson County, said the students could do their projects on absolutely anything. Community-member judges with clipboards were making their way from display to display, asking questions and listening to students speak about their experiments. Harris explained students were being evaluated on the accuracy of their information, use of the scientific method, and on speaking and appearance. Harris said she will present the winners with their ribbons in front of their classmates after spring break winners qualify for the northwest 4-H district competition in Albemarle, where theyll compete against students from 19 other Virginia counties. Indicted, finally Well again this week the Chinese government has threatened resolute countermeasures if House Speaker Kevin McCarthy meets with Taiwans President in her oncoming trip through California. Communist China has no claim on Taiwan. Taiwan has been an independent country since 1949 and has NEVER been a part of Communist China. At present the US military is committed to defending Taiwan. The Chinese Communist government should be informed by the United States that any military move to destroy the democratically elected government of Taiwan would result in economic sanctions and the immediate end of all trade between the US and China. Every US corporation which relies on Chinese goods and/or labor for manufacture or retail in the US should be prepared to source these goods from other countries. Every US consumer should know that Made in China could cease to exist in the US market. The Chinese should know there would be vast economic repercussions for military action against their neighbor. At long last, the rule of law has prevailed and we have an indictment of Donald Trump. Now all of his lap dogs are yapping and doubling down on Trumps many lies. And, as usual, hes appealing for money. Lest anyone be as frustrated as I am that the President who orchestrated the coup attempt that led to deaths at the Capitol is being indicted for business and campaign crimes, you should remember that one of our countrys biggest gangsters, Al Capone, was indicted, convicted, and imprisoned for tax evasion. He died in Federal prison. More Trump indictments should be coming. Justice is sometimes maddeningly slow but that just makes her arrival that much sweeter. And perhaps there will emerge a Republican voice heralding that arrival; frosting on the cake. I will boycott any sport competition where Russian athletes are allowed to compete. Expulsion from the tribe has been a punishment and deterrent to bad behavior for much of human history. Expulsion should be revisited today. Military aggression as presently exhibited by Russia is bad behavior. It is a joke that starting this month Russians will chair the UN Security Council even while their war violates the UN charter. I readily admit the US has deserved to be excluded from world affairs at least twice in my lifetime. This gun owner sees the assault rifle as a genocidal tool, nothing more. They should be removed from society. We can do better. MIKE TABONY Gladstone A kind of political madness In 1920, Eugene Debs ran for President from a prison cell and received close to a million votes. He was convicted of sedition because he objected to the draft that was instituted when the US entered the First World War, and he was a socialist. So, there is precedent for the government going after its enemies with suspect laws, and there is also a precedent for a candidate running who has been convicted and also precedent for a socialist to run. And now, Donald Trump might be charged with multiple crimes and his reaction is to take the country hostage. Doing his best gangster imitation by saying thats a nice country you have there, it would be a shame if anything happened to it. You have to ask the MAGA world how can you support somebody who threatens violence against the country? What does he do for you that justifies it? Is your anger and resentment so strong that it requires burning the house down? And a recent court ruling means that others might go down with him. A number of Trump officials might be required to testify in Jack Smiths investigation of January 6th including Mark Meadows, his former chief of staff, and our very own Ken Cucinnelli. Cucinnelli has been a mid-level cog in the MAGA world for so time. Trump just held his first real rally for the 2024 campaign, and he sounded like St. John of the Book of Revelation talking about the final battle. Hes not talking about just an election; he is talking about the end of days. In this he may be right for if he is the nominee then the question of Donald Trump will finally be settled. There is a kind of a political madness going on in our country brought on by, yes, extreme partisanship among other things. But Trump is doing things that a large majority of us shouldnt tolerate, that the law shouldnt tolerate and the media shouldnt either. It needs to stop or at least to start to wind down, and it is not good for the health of our country in the long run. But not to be all doom and gloom we leave with Andy Borowitzs take on recent events. He says that Trump thinks that failure to arrest him is a conspiracy to prevent him from getting more donations and he might have to arrest himself. LOUIS HARPSTER Shipman NONFICTION: A writer delves into the life of her grandfather, who helped build the atomic bomb. "Half-Life of a Secret" by Emily Strasser; University Press of Kentucky (336 pages, $26.95) Emily Strasser's debut book, "Half-Life of a Secret," begins with a photograph, one that hung in her grandparents' lake house: It's of her grandfather, George, (who died before Strasser was born) standing in front of a mushroom cloud made by a nuclear blast. Strasser thought little of it until years later when it occurred to her that perhaps, "the world wasn't as it had appeared," for the image didn't correspond to the idyll her grandparents had built: long summer days swimming with cousins, catching sunfish and watching the "mirror-still lake" as "a heron rose like a ghost from the opposite shore, crossed the distance with steady, slow wingbeats, and landed on our dock." And so begins this beautiful, nimble excavation of a family photograph and the fallout of its legacy. George lived and worked as a scientist in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, one of three cities secretly built to develop the atomic bomb. To make such a town, farmers were removed from the land, and before them, sharecroppers, Cherokee and others "who'd loved and lost this land." Strasser asks of her family, her country: "What is it to love a home founded on such violence for the sake of further violence?" Strasser's main barrier is that the person she seeks to understand George can't speak for himself, so she turns to the evidence he left behind. Thing is, Strasser can only locate the photograph in her memory, which she doesn't always trust. Not because she's an unreliable narrator, but because memory is impossible to pin down, and the secrets she's poking at don't want to be found. But poke she does. Strasser a graduate of the University of Minnesota MFA program consults the archival and the autobiographical by querying not just memories of family and friends but newspapers, medical records and museums. Each revelation, however, is encumbered by a nest of additional surprises, which feel like tiny bombs themselves, reminiscent of Sven Lindqvist's "A History of Bombing," which deploys a narrative structure mirroring the scattered path of a bomb's shrapnel. Strasser's personal queries become global concerns and her book questions, as does Lindqvist's, the morality of aerial bombing. From Guernica to Rotterdam to Nagasaki, bombing has long been justified as a deterrence to additional violence, its positive impact superseding its negative. So Strasser consults the numbers: How many lives were saved to how many lives were lost? She realizes quickly: "To tell a story, one must decide what counts and in what order." Meaning, whose lives were saved, whose were lost, and why. Was it better / easier / more justified to annihilate the "Asian other" in Hiroshima than it was to destroy the (white, middle-class-looking) mannequins as was done at the Nevada Proving Grounds she visits? And what of the subsequent deaths, she wonders, those perhaps caused by the "toxic wastes burial grounds" in Oak Ridge or the fallout from radioactive dust? Strasser's prose reaches beyond the straits normally reserved for academic presses in which this book was published, and her patience against some of the biggest ethical questions humans face is a thing of great strength. A profound debut of memory, research and imagination that mines conflicts of heart and intellect. Kerri Arsenault is the author of "Mill Town: Reckoning With What Remains." School board members discussed facility needs and priorities for the Lewis Central Community School District on Monday evening. Superintendent Brent Hoesing brought input from three groups to the Board of Education meeting. He collected the feedback from meetings with elementary school teachers, middle school teachers and community members. The community members were chosen based on recommendations by board members, committee members and other characteristics, Hoesing said. What I tried to do is get a good cross-section of people who have kids in school, people who dont have kids in school, businessmen and farmers, he said. The meetings focused on three areas: infrastructure, middle school renovation and early childhood center. Some of the buildings and playgrounds have accessibility issues, Hoesing said. While Lewis Central Middle School is technically accessible, going from the media center to a classroom on the first floor in a wheelchair requires taking a long, circuitous route. And the plastics lab is not accessible via wheelchair. And mulch (on playgrounds) has to become a thing of the past, because a student in a wheelchair cant get around on that, he said. Besides the middle school, the buildings need safety vestibules, security cameras aimed at the entrance and door alarms, Hoesing said. Elementary teachers would like to have more play spaces and a dedicated music room, he said. They feel second-graders belong at Kreft Primary School with other small children. Titan Hill Intermediate School was originally built as a middle school and is not well suited for younger students. In general, teachers would like more natural lighting, adjustable lighting and storage space. Some asked if an addition could be built onto Kreft. Some say the primary building should be part of the central campus, but theres not much room for more construction there, Hoesing said. Work also needs to be done on the pool at Titan Hill. There was agreement that Lewis Central Middle School needs to be renovated. Locker rooms need to be replaced there are no lockers and no stalls for the toilets, Hoesing said. Teachers said the middle school needs two full-size gyms and a weight/fitness room, and the library should be more of a media center and be centrally located. The building needs science rooms that have enough sinks and are properly equipped to be science labs, instead of regular classrooms being used as science classrooms. A lot of our spaces were designed for other things, Hoesing said. The band room ceiling is too low, and the room is too loud; acoustical tiles also are needed, he said. Teachers think the building needs a larger conference room and that lunch flow needs to be improved. Some said the middle school should have industrial technology classes. HVAC needs to be updated to better control the temperature and humidity. Because the sewer underneath the building needs to be replaced, students would have to be moved to an alternate site during the renovation, Hoesing said. If the district decided to build a new elementary perhaps centrally located in the district, instead of being on the central campus middle-schoolers could potentially use it before elementary students moved in. New furniture is needed, at least at some sites, Hoesing said. Some classrooms dont have enough furniture that matches, so different sets are mixed together. A lot of our furniture is 20 to 30 years old, he said. There were a lot of comments about early childhood education, too, Hoesing said. Currently, the district serves 4-year-olds but not 3-year-olds, and there are 72 families on a waiting list to get into Lewis Central Lucky Children. Its unclear whether there would be enough room to build an addition at Kreft or Titan Hill that would meet the needs. The district receives revenue from the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education sales tax, but it would not be enough to fund a major project, Hoesing said. There is some capacity there to bond against that, but that would take our money for annual maintenance, he said. There are things that if were only going to rely on our budget, were going to need other sources. Board President Dorene Scheffel asked how the condition of Lewis Centrals buildings compared to those in the Council Bluffs Community School District. Council Bluffs has done a tremendous job of renovating its facilities, Hoesing said. We can continue to limp along, but we need to fix things (at some point). The question is, where do we go from here? Other communities have supported bond issues for their school districts, he said. To request a bond election, community members would need to collect 414 signatures on a petition. The board will continue its discussion during a study session at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, April 17, before its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. When the nation began, taxes primarily covered such needs as national defense, roads and education. Over the decades, it has expanded to cover all or some of the costs of health care, rent and food for those unable to work or who dont make enough to pay for it on their own. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. China-Pakistan border port in Xinjiang resumes passenger clearance Xinhua) 11:13, April 05, 2023 URUMQI, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The Khunjerab Pass, a major land port on the China-Pakistan border in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, resumed passenger customs clearance on Monday, said local authorities. The import and export cargo volume at the Khunjerab Pass topped 200,000 tonnes from 2016 to 2020, according to the Khunjerab customs. Located approximately 5,000 meters above sea level, the Khunjerab Pass is a major trade station between China and Pakistan, and an important gateway to South Asia and Europe. China imports mainly textiles, agricultural products and daily commodities at the land port, and exports mainly plants and herbs. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices. Senegalese President Macky Sall has said he was open to dialogue in the interest of peace and national cohesion amid high political tensions in one of West Africas most stable countries. Speaking on state TV Monday (3 April) on the eve of Senegals 63rd independence anniversary, Sall made no mention of the 2024 presidential elections or if he would seek to play any role. Speculation has been rife that he will seek a third term, a move the opposition has warned would jolt the political climate. In this spirit, I remain open to dialogue and consultation with all the living forces of the nation, in respect of the rule of law and the institutions of the Republic, for a united Senegal, a Senegal of peace, stability and national cohesion, Sall said. Tensions have been simmering for weeks and months with the opposition organizing rallies in Dakar and other cities throughout the country denouncing corruption and the high cost of living and also protesting against legal proceedings against opposition figure Ousmane Sonko. Sonko, who has already declared hell run for president in 2024, was last week found guilty of defaming a government minister while he is also battling rape charges. Prosecutors who had sought two years in prison for the opposition leader have filed an appeal after he was given a much lighter, two-month suspended sentence for his conviction on libel charges in a case his supporters say was politically motivated. The outcome of last weeks verdict thus allows Sonko to run for president next year though he still faces unrelated criminal charges in a pending rape case that would disqualify him if he is convicted. Sonkos supporters view the charges as the latest attempt to cut short his political career, including his likely presidential candidacy in 2024. Reporters Without Borders fears reporting in Africas Sahel region will soon be mission impossible, as the international NGO reveals in its latest report published on Monday (3 April) where it describes a deterioration in the working conditions of journalists. Local and international media are caught between jihadist threats and pressure from the authorities, as was recently demonstrated when France 24 was suspended and Le Monde and Liberations correspondents were expelled from Burkina Faso. In its report, Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontieres or RSF) published the results from an investigations into the colossal dangers journalists face while working in this vast, semi-arid region torn by jihadism, armed groups and instability. Threats, the risk of kidnapping, even assassination, have become part of the daily life of journalists in the region, the NGO says in its report, warning this part of West Africa is becoming a no-go area for journalists. No fewer than five journalists have been murdered and six others have gone missing in the Sahel from 2013-2023, underlined Sadibou Marong, director of RSFs office for sub-Saharan Africa, which shows the increasing difficulty for journalists to do their work freely and safely in the region. The What Its Like to Be a Journalist in the Sahel report notes that the increasing frequency of terrorist attacks in the region is a crucial factor making the practice of journalism difficult there. As well as this security threat, after taking power, the military juntas have not hesitated to reshape the media landscape in order to better serve their interests, the RSF report said, pointing to several high-profile cases in Mali and Burkina Faso in recent months, where several French media outlets have been suspended. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has teamed up with the European Union and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) with the aim to boost fishery production across the West Africa region. The ECOWAS has recently convened more than 100 experts in a meeting tagged Improved Regional Fisheries Governance in Western Africa (PESCAO) to discuss and draw a road map for the utilization of the results in the view of adopting a sustainable management of the fisheries resources of the ECOWAS maritime domain. FAO, Institut Agro, and the University of Portsmouth are leading the projects that make up the Component Three of PESCAO, which, among other issues, focuses on economic and social issues associated with critical small pelagic fisheries and communities in West Africa. The FAO Representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Fred Kafeero, said the state of fisheries in the ECOWAS region is complex and varies depending on the country and the sub-region. Fish is a source of income for millions of people, he noted and stressed that this makes it subject to enormous pressure and threats of overexploitation; illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing; poor management practices that cripples the progress towards sustainable fisheries; especially the small-scale fisheries sector, the back-bone of fishing communities. According to PESCAO program team leader, Amadou Tall, by leveraging the expertise of the various institutions, regional organizations, and communities in the West Africa region will set the narrative for fisheries governance and ensure that these vital resources are managed sustainably across the ECOWAS maritime domain and beyond. Concurring with Tall was Urszula Solkiewicz from the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, who said that livelihoods and incomes depend on how one is able to manage this complex and confusing environment. For this reason, it is important that its managers have the adequate knowledge of the ecosystems and the fishery to allow them to respond in management actions. To that end, Solkiewicz noted that providing practical and science-based approaches seems extremely important to guide the decision makers. Egypts capital Cairo will host the third edition of Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2023) in November. The exhibition represents a unique opportunity to bring together African companies and make deals to achieve commercial, industrial and investment integration in the Black continent, Egypts Minister of Trade and Industry Ahmed Samir said during a coordination meeting with a delegation of African Bank for Export. Hosting the exhibition comes within the framework of the ongoing cooperation between the ministry and Afrexim Bank to support Egyptian companies in the African continent in various sectors, the minister added. The last IATF took place in Durban, South Africa in 2021. Some 13 thousand businessmen attended the events during which contracts of around 35 billion dollars were signed. Egypt hosted the first edition of the event in 2018. Morocco insisted, Wednesday in Addis Ababa, before the first meeting of the Permanent Representatives Committee of the African Union (PRC) under Comorian chairmanship, on the need to secure the financial independence of the pan-African organization, whose budget currently dependents on foreign partners. Moroccos Permanent Representative to the AU and UNECA, Mohamed Arrouchi, who was speaking at this session highlighted the strong financial dependence on international partners, which amounts to 90 pc of the program budget against 10 pc covered by member states. Arrouchi invited in this regard the new Comorian presidency and the new chairman of the sub-committee on administrative and budgetary matters to think of ways and means to progress towards the independence of the pan-African institution. The Moroccan diplomat also emphasized the need for good administrative and financial governance within the Union, as an imperative for the effective and efficient management of joint African action. Arrouchi stressed the importance of rationalizing the expenditures of the PRC and its bodies, prioritizing the activities and programs of Agenda 2063 and avoiding duplication of budgetary allocations. In addition, the Moroccan diplomat recalled the rule of submitting documents for consideration within the ten-day time limit, in order to allow the relevant departments to be involved in the decision-making process within the Union, especially for the adoption of the annual budget of the Union for the year 2024, scheduled for next July during the 43rd ordinary session of the Executive Council. The Moroccan Government has strongly condemned the Israeli forces raid on Al Aqsa Mosque, third holiest site in Islam, denouncing the violent attack of worshippers during the holy month of Ramadan. Morocco, whose King Mohammed VI chairs Al Quds Committee, stresses the need for the respect the legal, religious and historical status of Al Quds and the Holy Places and to avoid all practices and violations that undermine chances of peace in the region, said a press release issued Wednesday by the Foreign ministry. Morocco reiterates its rejection of such practices, which only complicate and inflame further the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, undermining the efforts to ease tensions and restore confidence, added the statement. At least 152 Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli police inside Jerusalems Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Friday, the latest outbreak in a recent upsurge of violence that has raised fears of a slide back to wider conflict. How to weigh in on meatpacking plant permit Members of the public are asked to notify state officials in advance if they plan to attend or testify at the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energys May 4 public hearing on a proposed air quality construction permit for Sustainable Beef LLCs North Platte meatpacking plant. Written comments on the permit application will be taken through 5 p.m. CT (4 p.m. MT) May 3, NDEE said in its public hearing notice issued Friday. They may download NDEEs draft permit and supporting materials at ecmp.nebraska.gov/PublicAccess/index.html?&MyQueryID=340. On that webpage, type 116136 in the DEQ Facility Number box and click Search to bring up those materials and all other public documents related to Sustainable Beefs air quality construction permit application. Copies of the permit documents also are available through May 1 at the North Platte Public Library, 120 W. Fourth St., or at the NDEE offices at 24 Fallbrook Blvd., Suite 100, in Lincoln, according to NDEEs public notice of its intention to issue the permit to Sustainable Beef. Written comments should be emailed to ndee.airquality@nebraska.gov or mailed to the attention of Pati West, Air Construction Permitting Section Supervisor, NDEE, P.O. Box 98922, Lincoln, NE 68509-8922. Those who plan to attend or testify at the May 4 North Platte hearing should mail or email one of the above addresses or call 402-471-2189 no later than 5 p.m. CT on May 3. Anyone who believes any condition of the draft permit is inappropriate or that the (NDEE) directors tentative decision to issue the air quality construction permit is inappropriate must raise all reasonably ascertainable issues and submit all reasonably available argument supporting their position by the close of the public hearing, NDEE said in its notice. Call 402-471-2186 by April 27 if you need auxiliary aids, reasonable accommodations or alternate formats of permit materials. TDD users are asked to call 711 and ask the relay operator to call NDEE at 402-471-2186. Great Plains Health joined hospitals across Nebraska in raising the Donate Life flag on Tuesday to honor organ and tissue donors. Ivan Mitchell, CEO of the hospital, spoke about the ongoing need for donations that save lives. Last year in Nebraska, 87 deceased organ donors, 538 tissue donors and 42 living donors gave the gift of life. More than 315 recipients received lifesaving organ transplants and thousands received tissue transplants. Introduced in 2006, the Donate Life flag has become a national symbol of unity, remembrance and hope honoring those touched by donations and transplantation, Mitchell said. Today we raise the flag for the donors, the ones who said yes, Mitchell said, to giving of themselves never knowing who would benefit from their gift. Boston Pettera, of North Platte, Miss Alliances Outstanding Teen, said her platform was inspired by the deaths of her grandmother and a close family friend. My platform is the Power of One organ donation, Pettera said. My close family friend died during spring break in Alabama. She said the friend was close to her age, and she was amazed how many lives he saved through his organ donations. Im trying to teach others about the importance of organ donation, Pettera said. My friend saved over 200 lives with tissue and organ donations. The flag raising took place earlier in the morning, while the ceremony took place inside GPH due to strong winds and cold temperatures. A North Platte woman who along with her husband was charged after being accused of inadequately feeding their child pleaded no contest Monday in Lincoln County District Court. Melinda L. Borda, 35, pleaded no contest to committing child abuse negligently, no injury. District Judge Michael Piccolo ordered a presentencing investigation including a psychological evaluation, counseling and medication if any is required. She likely will also have to keep regular contact with a local pediatrician. Sentencing for Borda was set for June 5. Borda and her spouse, Jason M. Borda, were arrested last July after taking their malnourished son to Great Plains Health. The boy was 9 pounds, 4 ounces around birth and had only gained 3 ounces after 6 months. Tests at the hospital showed no medical reason for his malnourishment, and he was diagnosed with failure to thrive. Health care workers expressed concerns when Melinda Borda gave inconsistent reports of how the boy was fed. Jason M. Borda pleaded no contest in March, and his sentencing is scheduled June 12. In other district court hearings Monday: Michelle Gomez, 40, pleaded no contest to misdemeanor child abuse. District Judge Cindy Volkmer sentenced her to 24 months of probation. According to the prosecution, Gomez was charged after a hair sample taken from a child living with her tested positive for methamphetamine. Ronald W. Monroe, 49, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor resisting arrest. As part of a plea deal, charges of felony use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, felony terroristic threats and misdemeanor domestic assault by threatening an intimate partner were dropped. Volkmer sentenced him to 12 months probation. Aleshia C. Edwards, 26, pleaded not guilty to felony possession of Xanax and misdemeanor third-degree domestic assault of an intimate partner. Philson L. James, 46, pleaded guilty to felony third-degree domestic assault, second offense. He was sentenced to time served, 105 days in jail. Sheridan J. Stark, 25, pleaded no contest to misdemeanor obstructing a peace officer and misdemeanor resisting arrest. As part of the plea deal, his charge of felony possession of a defaced firearm, felony possession of a dangerous weapon by a prohibited person and felony possession of a firearm by a prohibited person were dropped. Volkmer sentenced him to 108 days in jail, which he has already served. Thomas R. Harvey, 61, pleaded no contest to felony DUI over .15 blood alcohol content. A presentencing investigation is pending. Tianna Estrada, 23, pleaded not guilty to felony possession of clonazepam and felony criminal impersonation, first offense. Heather R. Helms, 37, pleaded not guilty to felony theft by shoplifting and misdemeanor failure to appear or comply with citation. Alfonso Carrilo, 25, pleaded not guilty to possession of cocaine over 140 grams and possession of fentanyl, both felonies. Justin Covert, 31, pleaded not guilty to felony possession with intent to distribute cocaine, 10-27 grams, and felony possession of a controlled substance. Dennis C. Teall III, 27, pleaded guilty to felony possession of methamphetamine. Piccolo sentenced him to 270 days in Lincoln County Jail with 45 days credit for time served. Joshua T. Holmes, 31, pleaded not guilty to use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, possession of a dangerous weapon by a prohibited person, making terroristic threats, attempt of a class 3 or 3A felony, all felonies; and misdemeanor charges of threatening another in a menacing manner and obstructing a police officer. Toni S. Hopkins, 31, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine and attempted possession of a controlled substance. As part of a plea deal, multiple charges from multiple cases were dropped. A presentence investigation is pending. Brandon L. Decent, 22, was charged with felony third-degree domestic assault, felony assault by strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor second-degree false imprisonment. Several North Platte city and business leaders Tuesday praised homegrown Wilkinson Cos. for being willing to take on development of Interstate 80 Exit 179s last open but most physically challenging corner. But that didnt avert yet another split City Council vote over using tax increment financing to help a developer recoup some project costs. Council members granted $2.75 million in TIF aid toward Wilkinsons infrastructure expenses by the same 5-3 margin often seen in votes involving the financing technique the past two years. Councilmen Ed Rieker and Mark Woods and Councilwoman Donna Tryon voted no on the Exit 179 redevelopment plan, which will feature what would be Wilkinsons fifth I-80 Fat Dogs truck stop already open or under construction. Tryon and Woods said Wilkinson doesnt need the help, citing gasoline prices running higher in Lincoln County than elsewhere on Nebraskas stretch of I-80. Rieker didnt speak during Tuesdays debate. Clarine Eickhoff, Wilkinsons chief operating officer, nonetheless was elated after the council majority cleared the way for its $16 million-plus plan to finish off Exit 179s development 39 years after Newberry Access opened. Were extremely happy, she said after the meeting. This is exactly what we wanted, what we expected tonight. The Community Redevelopment Authority, which unanimously backed the project Feb. 9 and again March 30, must meet once more to finalize Wilkinsons redevelopment contract. The Planning Commission added its unanimous approval March 28. Eickhoff said her company will need to win formal council approval of its eight-lot subdivision plat. Other features will include a quick-serve restaurant, a hotel, park land and office space for Wilkinsons corporate headquarters. The private road providing sole access to Exit 179s northeast quadrant acquired by Wilkinson when it bought its 74.86-acre plot last August also must be formally dedicated to the city, she said. Paving and reinforcing of that road will be rolled into an expected yearlong process to raise the quadrants elevation, build reinforced concrete streets and install other infrastructure. That could start in late summer if the subdivision and road dedications are approved soon, Eickhoff said. I-80 Lakeside Campground, which lies east of Wilkinsons land, holds an access easement to the private road. Co-owner Jerrad Shepherd of rural Gothenburg told the Planning Commission he favors the project. Speakers at a public hearing before the councils vote reiterated 40 years of frustration over finding someone willing to take on development of the vacant Exit 179 quadrant. Its been used as a dumping ground for sawdust, exacerbating the sites natural challenges as low-lying ground near the South Platte River, said CRA attorney Mike Bacon of Gothenburg. He told the council that Wilkinson will have to spend around $5.1 million upfront to ready the site for building construction. TIF gives it a chance to gradually recover just over half of that over up to 15 years. Youve got a piece of property thats been uninhabitable for a significant period of time and needs a great deal of help to make it valuable, Bacon said. Wilkinson won City Council approval two decades ago for $3.02 million in TIF to help build the Fritz Subdivision shopping center just north of Walmart. But city and state figures show it fell $84,921 short of recovering that amount before that property went fully onto Lincoln Countys tax rolls. Wilkinson received its last TIF payment for that project in 2019. Gary Person, president and CEO of the North Platte Area Chamber & Development Corp., said its fortunate that Wilkinson whose businesses account for 10 of the chambers 600-plus members has stepped forward to fill in Exit 179 at last. They continue to invest time and time again in our community, he said Its the only way that (part of the) interchange will ever, ever develop. Veteran commercial real estate agent Rob Stefka, the CRAs recently retired vice chairman, and insurance agent Tanner Pettera agreed. No ones going to develop it without the extra support from TIF, Pettera said. Councilman Ty Lucas noted that Loves Truck Stop and Flying J Travel Center both on Exit 179s south side both got help in the form of streets the city built and paid for. He also noted Wilkinsons plans to include a fountain and a riverside dog park in its development. Combined with the new businesses, this is just game-changing for this exit, Lucas said. Councilman Pete Volz said finishing off Exit 179, coupled with further increase in truck traffic from the construction and future operation of Sustainable Beef LLC, might finally push the Nebraska Department of Transportation to expand Newberry Access to four lanes. That project, which includes a second I-80 overpass, is on a waiting list. Despite Newberrys current congestion, the states not going to do anything until we do something out there at the interchange, Volz said. Tryon acknowledged the difficulties in developing the vacant quadrant. Im wondering if theres ever a property that isnt feasible to develop, because if there is, this might be it, she said. But she and Woods both called attention to current North Platte gas prices in opposing TIF for Wilkinson, which operates two Fat Dogs and two Time Saver gas stations and convenience stores in the city. Regular unleaded gasoline averaged $3.60 per gallon Wednesday in Lincoln County, highest of Nebraskas 15 I-80 counties, according to AAAs online listing of county-by-county gas prices. Prices for the same grade averaged $3.14 a gallon in Keith County and $3.38 in Dawson County, the next I-80 counties in each direction. From what Im hearing, people notice the difference in gas, Tryon said. And now theyre wanting TIF to do this project. People are thinking, Im going to go to Ogallala. I can get gas a lot cheaper, and they have a Walmart. Or Im going to Lexington. I would actually rather see it be a larger campground. Its already a 30-cent-a-gallon subsidy (to Wilkinson), and thats why I have a problem with the TIF, Woods added. Wilkinson also has Fat Dogs outlets at the Ogallala and Lexington I-80 exits; North Plattes main U.S. Highway 83 interchange; and interstate exits at Sidney, Grand Island and the Lincoln Airport. Gas prices averaged $3.27 a gallon Wednesday in Cheyenne County, $3.32 in Hall County and $3.36 in Lancaster County, according to AAAs webpage. Ogallalas Fat Dogs convenience store has already been expanded into a truck stop. Eickhoff said Wilkinson is doing likewise at Lexington, with expansions into truck stops also planned at Grand Island and Lincoln. The companys Exit 179 project would allow Wilkinson to supply the gas tankers for all its stores from that location, she told CRA members in February. It currently does so from a truck hub on Walker Road. Tricia Cotham, when she was blue, not red. Photo: Gerry Broome/AP Party switching has a long if not entirely honorable history, especially in the South. So on its face, North Carolina Democratic legislator Tricia Cothams defection to the GOP on Wednesday is mostly shocking because of its impact. Her flip gives Republicans a supermajority in both branches of the state legislature, thus neutralizing Democratic governor Roy Coopers veto power for the next two years. But Cothams reasons for switching parties are a bit of a mystery. She served in the legislature for five terms, from 2007 to 2016, and was a standard-brand moderate-to-liberal Democrat. She turned her attention to the U.S. House in 2016, but lost the Democratic primary. Cotham returned to the North Carolina House this year after successfully campaigning on a platform of raising the minimum wage, protecting voting rights and bolstering L.B.G.T.Q. rights, according to the New York Times. While legislators sometimes change parties because their district has become more competitive due to redistricting or demographic change, that isnt the case here. The Charlotte Observer describes North Carolinas 12th House District as a Democrat stronghold, with 60 percent of voters backing Cothams former party. So why did Cotham flip so soon after being elected as a Democrat from a Democratic district? Like most party switchers, shes adopted the posture that the party actually left her, as the Times reported: [Cotham said] she had been bullied by her fellow Democrats and had grown alienated from the party on issues like school choice. The modern-day Democratic Party has become unrecognizable to me and to so many others throughout this state and this country, she said in a brief speech. She said both she and her young children had been subjected to personal attacks by Democrats in the state, and denounced what she called attempts to control her. They have pushed me out, she said. JUST IN: North Carolina Democrat @triciacotham switches party, says she is now a Republican because The modern day Democratic Party has become unrecognizable to me." Your reaction. pic.twitter.com/ANv1JDD6iB Simon Ateba (@simonateba) April 5, 2023 Local political reporter Steve Harrison told WFAE that Cotham had raised eyebrows by voting with Republicans a few times since returning to Raleigh this year: One of the first [defections] came in December when she was the only Democrat to vote for a constitutional amendment that would make members of the state Board of Election elected rather than appointed. And there were others, a bill requiring sheriffs to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But the moment her voting record really got hostile attention from Democrats came a week ago when she (along with two other Democrats) missed a vote that overrode Coopers veto of a bill repealing the states pistol permitting law. She reportedly was absent due to a medical appointment related to long-COVID symptoms, and was publicly opposed to the veto override. But at least one local progressive group hinted at accountability measures against the absentees, including Cotham. Was that enough to convince Cotham to turn her coat so soon after being sent by Democratic voters to the legislature? Its unclear. In her statement defending her decision, she offered a sort of Twitter-made-her-do-it explanation, as the Washington Post noted: Cotham, wearing red and standing in front of NCGOP signs, said the turning point in her decision was when she faced backlash for using the American flag and a prayer-hands emoji in her social media handles and on her vehicles. Regardless of whether she was pushed or just jumped, Cotham now faces certain opposition in 2024 if she runs for reelection; indeed, Democrats are demanding she resign her seat immediately, arguing that it was won under false pretenses. Its unclear what her new friends in the GOP will do to protect her. Republicans can redraw the House map and perhaps draw a seat that leans red, or maybe Cotham just runs for statewide office, Steve Harrison reported. This, however, raises even more questions. Will Republican voters really embrace a candidate who just ran on standard Democratic issues? Is her pro-LGBTQ record really compatible with the state party that gave us the first anti-transgender bathroom bill? What will GOP voters make of Cotham co-sponsoring a bill codifying abortion protections in January? And will they embrace a woman who once took to the floor of the North Carolina House to talk about her own abortion, calling it a deeply personal decision and claiming that GOP lawmakers just want to play doctor? Local TV station WBTV, which interviewed Cotham on Tuesday night, said she would not commit to positions on specific legislation but indicated she was open to supporting new abortion restrictions. So anyone anxious to know what kind of consequences this very strange political move will have for abortion rights in North Carolina will have to keep guessing for now. Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday night. Photo: Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images Most criminal defendants would not immediately go on national television and attack the judge and the judges family only hours after being arraigned. But Donald Trump is not your normal criminal defendant. Only hours after the former president was indicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in Manhattan Criminal Court, Trump launched into an abbreviated version of his standard rally-style speech in the ballroom of his private club. There were insults and racially loaded rhetoric. There were repeated claims of persecution and efforts at self aggrandizement. The only thing missing, for understandable reasons, was a lock her up chant. It made for a stunning contrast to his lackluster campaign launch months before in the same Mar-a-Lago ballroom. At that event, a low-energy Trump limped into his 2024 reelection campaign following a disappointing midterms for the GOP weighed down by the poor performance of many Trump-backed candidates. At the time, Florida governor Ron DeSantis looked like a potential juggernaut after his combination of hard-right cultural politics combined with strict message discipline helped him to a successful reelection campaign in the Sunshine State. Since then, however, the political winds have shifted. As Trumps legal troubles have multiplied, so too has his support among Republican presidential primary voters. Now Trump has been able to shift the debate within the GOP into purely Manichaean terms around his indictment by District Attorney Alvin Bragg. When DeSantis even dared to take the slightest shot at Trump over the fact that he had paid hush money to a porn star, it was met with an onslaught of outrage from MAGA world that the Florida governor would dare to undermine Trump. In his remarks on Tuesday night, Trump went out of his way to heighten these contradictions. Only hours after the judge, Juan Merchan, asked both parties in the court to refrain from making remarks that would jeopardize the safety or well-being of any individuals, Trump not only attacked Bragg whom he said was the real criminal but also attacked Merchan and his family. Trump built up to these attacks with a ranging review of his other legal troubles, including investigations from Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis in Georgia, New York State attorney general Letitia James, and federal special counsel Jack Smith. Needless to say, Trump launched personal attacks on all of these officials while painting all the legal peril he faces as part of a vast left-wing effort to persecute him and prevent him from taking back the White House. The question for Trump is whether this playbook can hold up for another 18 months. After all, he not only needs to win the Republican primary next year, he also needs to win a general election in 2024. The challenge for Trump is that while everything hes been through in the past few months has made it that much easier for him to claim the GOP nomination in Milwaukee next summer, it hasnt done anything to help win over a single Wisconsin voter who cast their ballot for Joe Biden in 2020. In the meantime, Trumps next trial is only weeks away when a civil court in New York will hear a lawsuit brought against him by journalist E. Jean Carroll, who alleges Trump sexually assaulted her in a department-store dressing room in the 1990s. Trump has denied those claims. After one indictment and two impeachments, the only question is how much further another trip to court can boost him with Republican primary voters. Judge Janet Protasiewicz arrives at her Election Night watch party on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in Milwaukee. Photo: Mark Hertzberg/ZUMA Press Wire In the most expensive state judicial contest ever, and arguably the most-watched 2023 election, liberal candidate and circuit court judge Janet Protasiewicz won a crucial seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court on April 4, defeating conservative former justice Dan Kelly by a comfortable margin. It was technically a nonpartisan election, but no one doubted which party was backing each candidate. Despite a variety of extreme-weather threats on Election Day, turnout was very high for one of Wisconsins unusual spring elections, especially in a non-presidential, non-midterm year. Protasiewicz won huge margins in the Democratic strongholds of Dane and Milwaukee Counties, while holding down Kellys percentages in the Milwaukee suburbs. The win gives liberals a majority on the court for the first time in 15 years. This election has enormous consequences in Wisconsin and could affect both major parties strategies in the upcoming 2024 elections. Most immediately, the new liberal majority is very likely to strike down the 1849 law banning virtually all abortions that sprang back life like a zombie when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade last year. Protasiewicz campaigned on her belief that the state constitution protects abortion rights, while Kelly noted that hes been a longtime ally of the anti-abortion movement. The flip in control of the Wisconsin court means a probable effort to revisit the blatant Republican gerrymanders of both congressional and state legislative districts enacted after the last decennial redistricting process. Democrats will also secure a new line of defense against Republican-generated election-law changes aimed at giving GOP candidates an advantage in 2024, when Wisconsin is expected to be a key battleground state for the third straight presidential cycle. But for the national party leaders watching this contest, perhaps the most important implications stem from the relative effectiveness of the messages sent to voters. (Both sides spent roughly $45 million, more than every State Supreme Court election that occurred in 2018 combined, said Douglas Keith of the Brennan Center for Justice.) It was basically a battle between Protasiewiczs abortion-rights crusade and Republican efforts to label her and her backers as soft on crime, as the New York Times reported: Judge Janet Protasiewicz believes in womens freedom to make their own decisions when it comes to abortion, her closing television ad states Republicans, as usually happens in Wisconsin, have tried to make the election about crime. Outside groups backing Justice Kelly have bombarded Judge Protasiewicz with ads attacking her as soft on violent criminals The Republican Party of Wisconsin, while southern Wisconsin was under a tornado watch last week, texted to voters a replica of an emergency weather alertwarning that Judge Protasiewicz was a soft-on-crime politician with a long history of letting dangerous criminals go free. Perhaps Wisconsin Republicans will react to their setback as petulantly as Dan Kelly (who lost by a similarly decisive margin in 2020): Holy crap. This concession speech. https://t.co/mQ1UhPkSq6 Charlie Sykes (@SykesCharlie) April 5, 2023 Theres even talk that the Republican legislature will try to impeach Protasiewicz instantly. But they really ought to go to school on how and why they lost. If, as is largely expected, the 2024 presidential election comes down to a close battle in which each party is struggling to mobilize its base while persuading a small number of swing voters, it wont be surprising if the abortion-versus-crime messaging fight that dominated some states (notably Pennsylvania) in 2022 could become even more important. For Democrats, who know there is a pro-choice majority nationally and even in many red states, the Wisconsin judicial election provided further proof that abortion rights is a winning issue that can boost turnout and attract many independent and even Republican voters. GOP strategists now have more reason than ever to wonder if another law-and-order campaign particularly if it is once again waged by the increasingly lawless Donald Trump can effectively counter it. In the U.S., Ramadan is often thought of as a time of fasting for Muslims. Every day from sunup to sundown during their holy month, those practicing the Islamic faith go without food and water, breaking the fast in the evenings. However, Ramadan is also a time where many Muslims choose to give back. This Ramadan season, which began on March 22 and will run through April 20, Muslim students at Auburn University are using their faith to help the greater East Alabama community. The Muslim Students Association (MSA) will host its annual Fast-a-thon on April 7 to honor Ramadan and raise money for the Food Bank of East Alabama. They are asking others to come alongside them in this event. Its a month where we are encouraged to give a lot to charity and to be on our best behavior, said MSA president Mohammed Rayyan Husain. Through the Fast-a-thon we are trying to basically reinforce those ideals. Were trying to have a community where we will be breaking food together and we want to give this money to an organization which will help those in need. On April 7, the Muslim students will fast as they do on any other day during Ramadan. However, for this one day, they are also asking the greater Auburn community to join them in the fast. For every person who pledges to join the MSA in their fast on April 7, they will donate $10 to the Food Bank of East Alabama. Their goal is to raise $1,600. It can be challenging, Husain said, but it also teaches you the importance of the food and water that you have on a regular basis. It teaches you to be grateful for what you have while it also it makes you to experience what people who dont have access to this comfortability or our resources and it makes you more grateful in that sense. At 6:30 that night, there will also be a dinner for everyone who chooses to fast along with the MSA at the Student Activities Center on campus. During the dinner, Dr. Nighet Ahmed will speak on the Compassionate Community Project, an outreach that helps needy citizens in our area. According to Husain, part of Ramadan is people coming together and enjoying each others company and helping others as well. Usually after we fast from sunrise to sunset, people gather at sunset at mosques or in their houses or just at different areas and they break their fast together, Husain said. Its a community event which people do together. Thats something that were also trying to tie into the fast. The Fast-a-thon, however, is not just for Auburn students. Anyone in the community can join in, regardless of their faith tradition. It is open to everyone, to all people of the Auburn community not just the students, and we would really love for anyone and everyone to get involved, Husain, 26, said. More than anything, its a community event so we would love for everyone to participate and be a part of it. Husain, who is currently working on his masters in data science, said the MSA has had a presence on the Auburn University campus since the 1990s. They held their first Fast-a-thon in 2003. The two main aspects of the Fast-a-thon are the fast itself and giving to charity. Both of which are two of the five pillars of Islam along with profession of faith, prayer, and the Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca.) The process of Ramadan is kind of feeding your soul because youre praying more, youre giving away more, Husain said. This month is something which I think Muslims enjoy the most. Because you come out of it feeling like the best version of yourself at least. And it makes you feel really good. Anyone who would like to join the MSA in this event can RSVP by clicking here. Disney CEO Bob Iger blasted Florida Governor Ron DeSantis saying his policies have been not just anti-Florida, but anti-business" https://t.co/C9lQ5qCQ9n Bloomberg (@business) April 3, 2023 Disney CEO Bob Iger fought back against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis actions against his company, telling Disney shareholders that recent actions by the state were anti-business. https://t.co/CtYslkNIGy CNN (@CNN) April 3, 2023 Follow up to this post Disney's CEO is finally responding to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' attempts at retaliation after Disney publicly opposed his "Don't Say Gay" legislation that would limit discussion about gender and sex in schools.After Disney outfoxed DeSantis and his handpicked board of cronies and shortly before Disneys annual shareholder meeting, Mr. DeSantis sent a letter to Melinda Miguel, Floridas chief inspector general, asking for a thorough review and investigation into Disneys effort to circumvent his authority.In his letter to the inspector general he said:These collusive and self-dealing arrangements aim to nullify the recently passed legislation, undercut Floridas legislative process and defy the will of Floridians, Mr. DeSantis wrote to Ms. Miguel, whom he appointed in 2019. Any legal or ethical violations should be referred to the proper authorities. A spokesman for Mr. DeSantis added that Disney is again fighting to keep its special corporate benefits and dodge Florida law. We are not going to let that happen.Well Disney's CEO has finally responded to DeSantis' gross overreach of government. Iger, asked about the feud at the companys annual shareholders meeting, made his most public defense to date of the companys actions, and the most direct criticism of Floridas actions. He said:A company has a right to freedom of speech just like individuals do, Mr. Iger said. The governor got very angry over the position Disney took and seems like hes decided to retaliate against us, including the naming of a new board to oversee the property, in effect to seek to punish a company for its exercise of a constitutional right. And that just seems really wrong to me.Mr. Iger noted that Disney employs 75,000 people at Disney World, which is about 20 miles south of Orlando, and annually attracts 50 million visitors. Mr. Iger added that Disney was currently planning to invest more than $17 billion in the resort over the next decade, creating an estimated 13,000 new Disney jobs and thousands of indirect jobs. He said the unspecified expansion plans would attract more visitors to Florida and generate more taxes.And so our premise is that any action that thwarts those efforts simply to retaliate for a position the company took sounds not just anti-business, but it sounds anti-Florida, Mr. Iger concluded.In 2021, Disney World paid more than $780 million in state and local taxes, according to a Disney disclosure.In a statement, Taryn Fenske, a spokeswoman for Mr. DeSantis, acknowledged Disneys First Amendment rights but questioned the companys longtime autonomy as it related to development at Disney World. The Florida Legislature and Gov. DeSantis worked to put Disney on an even playing field, and Disney got caught attempting to undermine Floridas duly enacted legislation in the 11th hour, she said.Disney contends that the previous tax-district board acted in accordance with applicable laws when it passed the development agreement last month.All agreements signed between Disney and the district were appropriate and were discussed and approved in open, noticed public forums in compliance with Floridas Government-in-the-Sunshine law, Disney said in a statement last week.Notice of a hearing on Disneys action was made in The Orlando Sentinel on Jan. 18, according to tax district disclosures. The matter was discussed at a short public meeting on Jan. 25. After a second notice in The Sentinel on Jan. 27, it was approved at a second public meeting on Feb. 8.SOURCES: 1 i barely just started reading the article and the second paragraph is already unhinged While Phillips was on assignment in Iraq a high-profile gig that Lemon coveted he vented his disappointment at being passed over by tearing up pictures and notes on top of and inside Phillips desk in the news pod they shared, according to two sources who worked there at the time. When she returned from Iraq, things only got weirder. One night while dining with members of the news team, she received the first of two threatening text messages from an unknown number on her flip phone that warned, Now youve crossed the line, and youre going to pay for it. Phillips was visibly rattled and quickly enlisted CNNs higher ups to identify the sender. Reply Thread Link There was just SO MUCH I didn't evne realize that Reply Parent Thread Link Jesus Christ this man sounds NUTS. Reply Parent Thread Link Unhinged behavior Reply Parent Thread Link That is WILD! He's such a divo. So he wants everything and loses his shit when his colleagues get what he wants. Reply Parent Thread Link Ummmmm w t f Reply Parent Thread Link so CNN found out he was the sender of those threatening texts and let him get away with it?? Reply Parent Thread Link Wtf how did he not get fired for that Reply Parent Thread Link Dude sounds like a raging asshole, but mocking Nancy Grace is always acceptable tbh Reply Thread Link Lol that was the only part where I was like Well Reply Parent Thread Link Lol right? I thought I misread that -- it was like "bad thing, bad thing, bad thing-- wait what" Reply Parent Thread Link I thinking "Is this the same Nancy Grace I'm thinking of?" lol Reply Parent Thread Link not even fucking with ya'll I forgot how much of a the original true crime WW she is when writing this up lol Reply Parent Thread Link I feel the same way about not handing your phone over to the cops. Reply Parent Thread Link and nimrata, her own party tells her to go back to her country and she still supports them/is actively running in it. Reply Parent Thread Link This article smells of bull shit racism. Its all anonymous sources with no proof and the charges are mean to Nancy grace, possibly ripping up photos and putting them in a drawer, being a shameless name dropper who left hints he knew important people and they thought he was litigious because he mentioned a lawsuit. Such scandalous behavior. I feel like society has lost all media literacy. Thanks no child left behind! That last part was a joke and I wasnt trying to point you out either. The media has been extra shifty lately and people are having a hard time seeing it Reply Parent Thread Link That's not surprising lol Reply Thread Link I just saw this article on Yahoo. All I can say is: wow. This man still has a job. Reply Thread Link So he's gonna get fired now, right? Jesus. Reply Thread Link nope lol CNN is making him do "intensive training" Reply Parent Thread Link Given that hes proven to be a ratings loser and they already moved him to a slot/show/format thats widely perceived as a demotion, he may be running out of runway. Between being a complete asshole, an HR nightmare, and out of control ego, not very smart or good at his job, and not having a devoted audience, hes such a huge liability to them. Hopefully the publicity from this article (and the fact it consolidates all of this into a single, well organized pattern, which Im sure those who should have held him to account never bothered to do - they probably treated each incident as a one-off), and probably his next (inevitable) gaffe, will be enough to push him over the edge. Reply Parent Thread Link I stopped watching CNN years ago, so this tracks. Reply Parent Thread Link Was upset that Soledad O'Brien got to host the "Black In America" docuseries, suggesting that she wasn't 'really black' (She's Afro-Cuban). How very Keenyah and Naima on ANTM Cycle 4. Reply Thread Link Flashbacks of Keenyah going on about how visiting Nelson Mandela's cell in SA meant more to her because she's black and the camera doing that close up on Naima's face. Reply Parent Thread Link and then 5 minutes later asking if Mandela was still alive lol Reply Parent Thread Expand Link you won't get a Lemon at Toyota of Orange Reply Thread Link I live right down the street from there lol Reply Parent Thread Link LMAO YOU GREW UP IN C TOO?!?!!! Reply Parent Thread Link no ma'am, but I heard the radio jingle a lot in the LA metro area (and never got tired of it lol) Reply Parent Thread Link OC REPRESENTTTT I grew up right near that place. Reply Parent Thread Link who was the 22 y/o staffer he got with...? Reply Thread Link Corporate America loves their deuches! Fire him! Reply Thread Link apparently mocked Nancy Grace on air the rest is WILD but this: Reply Thread Link no one is a monster all the time Reply Parent Thread Link i feel like he was very clearly an asshole but then the tide turned and people started liking him and I can't remember why. Maybe because he came out and would get drunk on the NYE shows?? Anyway, throw him in the trash!! Reply Thread Link Yes, I feel like a lot of it has to do with him being drunk and giggly on New Years Reply Parent Thread Link Pretty much, he made a total 180 with his image because I vaguely remember him being a totally classist and internalized racist dude. I remember some folks would say that around that time, word has it he was allegedly giving that ass to guys on the down-low. I think that him getting drunk on TV for NYE and coming out changed his image, and people started liking him -- that, and him being more vocal and critical throughout 45's presidency. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah, I remember he was spewing a bunch of respectability politics nonsense during the Ferguson protests but I think he "educated" himself as time passed on and people seemed to tolerate him more? Now I feel bad for enjoying those NYE shows, ugh. Reply Parent Thread Link Coming out made a difference i think Reply Parent Thread Link I think Ferguson is actually where he started changing somewhat. He was big on respectability politics before that and was often mocked on Twitter, etc. He covered the Ferguson riots and I remember him talking about how the police were treating the protestors and it was like he was having realizations while reporting. Then came the Trump administration and he always called Trump and others out, etc. But now, post-Trump and on his new morning show, its like hes trying to be an asshole and to get fired. Reply Parent Thread Link I was watching live when he made that "Obviously there's a smell of marijuana" comment during the Ferguson protests, and I remember my husband and I both yelling "OBVIOUSLY?!?" at the same time. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I couldnt stand him until Trump got elected and he flipped the script. He had always reminded me of a more smug version of Carlton Banks Reply Parent Thread Link Yikes, so he's one of those gays who can be cool with the girls and gurls until they're not, and then he's a downright sexist, misogynistic asshole. It sounds like he can't own up to his shit when people call him out, and he's competitive with his colleagues. That's just catty and overall Queen Bee Syndrome that's he's doing with his women and gay colleagues. Also, it's unfortunate, but so many Black/Afro-Latinas get shit because they're not "Black" enough, and it's hard that they have to deal with the "neither here, nor there" BS to prove their Blackness and Latinidad. I vaguely remember the classist comments and internalized racism he'd spit on TV YEARS ago, but in a way, he changed his views and stances. He's one of those gays from the south who probably thought they were better than everyone and wore those checkered dress shirts, thick frames, and fedoras in the 2010s. I've encountered them, and they are the worst. He's that girl... Reply Thread Link I had to read this passage twice. CNN is clearly a wild, wild place. "The CNN spokesperson said, Don, Soledad and others have in the past correctly referred to her Afro-Cuban heritage as it is a unique part of her personal story. Reply Thread Link Lol that sounds so shady to her. Reply Parent Thread Link First of all, I love Soledad O'Brien. I'll throw hands for her. It's on sight, Lemon! Second of all, I can't believe this man still has a job after all that mess. CNN fix your house! Reply Thread Link In terms of technology, the first fifty years of the commercial nuclear power industry in the US was similar to early ice cream choices when there was only chocolate and vanilla. In nuclear power terms that means boiling water and pressurized water reactors (PWRs). Because of their better efficiency and flexibility, producing electricity and steam, PWR technology dominates the market for gigawatt scale reactors. Worldwide of the 470 or so operating reactors about 300 are PWRs. But this limited choice in nuclear power plant technologies is rapidly coming to a close. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Developments Nuclear Energy Agency lists no fewer than 21 promising new small modular reactor (SMR) designs ranging in size from 5 to 300 MWs. New SMRs and existing Gen III reactors basically come in three sizes: 1) jumbo: gigawatt scale plants over 1,000 MWs, 2) medium: 200-300 MW units currently favored by utilities, and 3) mini: reactors in the 5-50 MW output range, some of which like the eVinci from Westinghouse, that are tiny enough to be self contained and mobile. For decades, electric power wholesale generators have believed that bigger is always cheaper. And in a commodity business like electricity, cheaper is crucial. But recent US and French difficulties building large 1200+mW Gen III pwrs on time and within budget has pushed the nuclear power industry in a different direction. (As an aside we should point out that no one is clamoring for smaller modular coal or gas plants apart from gas peaking plants which from a technology perspective are well established.) The push for small reactors is a response to the problem of runaway construction costs and delays experienced by bigger projects with extensive on site construction activity. Whether these problems reflect weakness in design, execution, or regulation has become almost irrelevant. Building a Gen III reactors like Plant Vogtle in Georgia or the European Pressurized Water Reactor ( EPR) at Flamanville in France has become financially excruciating. The small (nuclear) is beautiful movement claims to be the answer with miniaturized and modularized construction. The reactor and all key components are factory built and assembled from these pre-built parts which are trucked to the site. The goal here is to transform an 8-10 year effort into a far more manageable construction period of 1-2 years. The appeal of SMRs is that they offer a way to streamline nuclear construction by moving as much work as possible to a factory setting for rapid on site assembly. Related: Oil Prices Rise As Crude And Gasoline Inventories Fall The downside of downsizing reactors, reversing a long term trend, is that the electricity they produce costs more on a per kwh basis. They have most of the same components as larger nuclear plants, reactors, turbines, etc. but simply smaller. How much more expensive is difficult to estimate since there are no commercially approved designs although several are close. We think this is the biggest issue for SMRs. Producing an essential commodity product like electricity at a relatively high cost inevitably renders producers vulnerable to lower priced competitors. But the flexibility of small reactors (some designed to be mobile for military use) means they can selectively target a broader variety of customers like district heating systems or industrial users like steel mills. Right now its early days for this industry and discussions of cost are premature since many parts of the supply chain do not yet exist. Among the most promising SMR technologies recently listed by the OECDs Nuclear Energy Agency, more than a few noted that no fabrication facilities existed for their preferred form of fuel, although these were expected within the next two to three years. In other words this is an industry in a fledgling state with a lot of technological competition. There are five basic criticisms of nuclear power as a technology for energy production: Excessive initial capital costs (it costs too much to build). Lengthy construction periods. High operation and maintenance (O&M) expenses over the life of the unit. Safety concerns with respect to reactor-specific accidents (like Three Mile Island or Chernobyl) as well as nuclear proliferation. Need for long-term safe storage of radioactive waste. (As an aside we should point out that fossil fuels also produce toxic waste that must be abated at various points in the fuel production-to-power generation cycle.) But SMRs would remedy one major problem: the lengthy construction periods with the attendant cost escalations . Building plants on time would also increase the likelihood of being within budget, not a small thing in this context. While the modularized aspect of SMRs is designed to hasten construction, there are developments in nuclear fuel technology that would make reactors meltdown-proof. Even though accidents involving reactor cores are rare, the uranium encased in the fuel rods of an exposed core, uncooled, retains its high heat and can melt down in what used to be called a China Syndrome event. TRISO fuel, tristructural isotropic particles, which will be used in a number of future SMRs, is incapable of melting down. Each small uranium pellet is encased in three layers of a carbon-ceramic material and each outer layer has an enormous ability to withstand heat and remain intact. The US Energy Departments Office of Nuclear Energy called TRISO fuel pellets the most robust nuclear fuel on earth in a 2019 publication. This would eliminate another of the five basic arguments against nuclear energy (reactor core meltdowns). This fuel technology used to be called pebble bed when the fuel pellets were the size of billiard balls versus the relatively tiny, poppy seed-sized kernels discussed here which can be assembled in conventional fuel rods. Lastly we are even seeing efforts to reduce relatively high nuclear O&M expenses by greatly extending the period between refueling outages. Instead of 18 or 24-month cycles for conventional plants today, we are seeing seven or eight year intervals between refueling cycles. We have been describing new nuclear reactor technologies mainly in terms of size: small, medium, and large. But we can also think of these new technologies as being phased-in in several waves. NuScale and GE Hitachis BWRX 300 seem to be among the first wave of SMRs that are likely to receive licenses for commercial operation. But there is also likely to be a subsequent wave or waves of new reactor technologies like HTGRs (high temperature gas cooled reactors) and those employing molten salt as a moderator. All we can say definitively at this point is that the decade of the 2030s could see an unprecedented amount of technological development and competition in the SMR space with an industry committed to building plants faster, smaller, and safer. By Leonard Hyman and William Tilles for Oilprice.com ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Oil prices climbed higher today, after the Energy Information Administration reported a crude oil inventory draw of 3.7 million barrels for the week to March 31. At 470 million barrels, inventories are about 4 percent above the five-year average for this time of the year, the authority said. Last weeks draw compares with a draw of 7.5 million barrels estimated for the previous week, which helped push oil prices higher. Of course, this weeks breaking news about OPEC+ deciding to reduce oil production by another million barrels daily had an even stronger effect on prices, pushing both Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate above $80 per barrel in a matter of hours. Meanwhile, the EIA also reported an inventory decline in gasoline and another one in middle distillate inventories for the last week of March. In gasoline, inventories fell by 4.1 million barrels in the period, with production averaging 9.9 million barrels daily. This compared with an inventory draw of 2.9 million barrels for the previous week, with production then averaging 10 million barrels daily. In middle distillates, the EIA estimated an inventory decline of 3.6 million barrels for the last week of March, with production at 4.7 million bpd. This compared with a distillate stock build of 300,000 barrels for the previous week, when production averaged 4.6 million bpd. Meanwhile, after the initial surge in prices on Monday, following the OPEC+ announcement, benchmarks stabilized, with Brent crude a bit over $84 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate at over $80 per barrel, slightly retreating from earlier today. Analysts explained the stabilization with continued questions about the immediate future of oil demand. "We will need to see demand hold and grow to push crude into the upper $80's," BOK Financial, senior vice president for trading Dennis Kissler told Reuters. ADVERTISEMENT The latest economic data from China and the United States has suggested a certain cooling in the rate of post-pandemic recovery, fueling the already existent worries about the prospects of oil demand later this year. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The surprise announcement by OPEC+ of another production cut totaling 1.16 million barrels per day caused oil prices to rally 8%. I previously wrote about this in my weekly research for Primary Vision Network, stating that the likelihood of a cut remained low and that the cartel was aware of the oversupply in the markets and the lack of imminent demand resurgence. However, when viewed from a different perspective, the cut makes sense precisely for the same reason. For at least the past year, the prevailing narrative in oil markets has been a tug-of-war between two sentiments. Some have worried about a sudden resurgence in demand due to the post-COVID-19 recovery and the reopening of China, while others have been skeptical of these rosy outlooks. Those who are skeptical about a rebound in demand point out that China already filled its inventories when prices were low and that clouds of an impending recession, or at least a serious global economic slowdown, seem to be gathering on the horizon. The recent cuts by OPEC+ would suggest the demand skeptics are correct. Recently, it was reported that stockpiles at Fujairah climbed "for the first time in a month". On March 22, data from the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone revealed that the stockpiles of all oil products at the UAE's Port of Fujairah saw a gain for the first time in a month. The data showed that the total inventories surged by 10% in the week concluding on March 20, reaching 21.338 million barrels. This gain marked the first increase in stockpiles since the week ended February 20, as per the FOIZ data exclusively obtained by S&P Global Commodities Insights on the same day. Prior to this, stockpiles had declined by 13% in the three previous weeks, which ended on March 13. Moreover, data from Vortexa also corroborates the growing bearish sentiment in the oil markets. Total seaborne oil loadings were high, with loading volumes higher than their seven-year range, hitting 50 million barrels per day in March, up by 400,000 barrels per day from February. The demand for products is also at a "multi-year" high in March at 46 million barrels per day. Russian crude oil exports have also remained stable despite the sanctions. Despite Moscow's announcement of a 500,000-barrel-per-day production cut, Russian crude loadings remained stable month-over-month at 3.6 million barrels per day in March. However, there has been a significant increase in Russian diesel loadings, which have surged by 400,000 barrels per day month-over-month to an exceptionally high 1.5 million barrels per day last month. This upswing in diesel loadings is partially attributed to postponed loadings from February. Nonetheless, it remains at a multi-year high and is contributing to the global market dynamics. I have highlighted in many articles and posts that the entire sanctions-on-Russia saga is not a disruption to oil supply but a re-orientation of global oil flows. Against this backdrop, it's understandable that OPEC+ producers would be cautious about oil prices in the near future and aim for a level that avoids budgetary issues. Although the breakeven prices for most oil-producing countries have decreased, the countries in OPEC+ are taking into account the grim prospect of a global economic slowdown and adjusting their production accordingly to match the supply and demand dynamics of the market. Source: FRED According to the CFTC and ICE data, the same bearish sentiment was evident in the paper markets and the trading of futures contracts before the cut. Interest in short positions started to surpass that of long ones, amid concerns about a potential credit crunch. Hedge funds were reducing their holdings in crude oil and refined fuels, with contracts worth 142 million barrels sold in the week ending March 21, while adding 139 million barrels in the previous week. It was also reported that the total sales were the most in any fortnight since 2017 (May). In my opinion, the markets are misinterpreting the production cuts. OPEC+ has made it clear that they do not anticipate strong demand, they recognize that markets will be in oversupply, and they do not want to experience the budgetary issues they faced during the 2014 and Covid-19 era. The news, in reality, is bearish. ADVERTISEMENT By Osama Rizvi for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Record-high fuel demand raised refinery throughput in India by 2% in February from January, according to provisional government data cited by Reuters. In February, when fuel demand in the world's third-largest crude oil importer hit the highest in at least 24 years, Indian refiners processed 20.85 million tons of crude. In barrel-per-day terms, the throughput was at 5.46 million bpd, the highest in bpd terms in Reuters records dating back to 2009. India's fuel demand jumped by 5% to 4.82 million bpd in February, per oil ministry data quoted by Reuters. This was the highest level the ministry has reported since at least 1998. Fuel consumption in India is expected to rise by 4.7% in the fiscal year between April 2023 and March 2024, estimates by the Indian Ministry of Petroleum and natural gas showed earlier this year. India's gasoline demand is forecast to increase by 7.1% over the next fiscal year, while gasoil demand is expected to climb by 4.2%, according to the projections. India's robust fuel demand coincides with record-high crude oil imports from Russia, with Indian refineries snapping up cheaper Russian crude. From a negligible buyer of Russia's oil before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, India has become a key export market for Moscow and is importing record volumes of Russian crude. In February, Russia remained India's top oil supplier for a fifth consecutive month. India is not abiding by the G7 price cap as it seeks opportunistic purchases of cheap crude, and it doesn't intend to. India will buy the oil it consumes from "wherever we have to" if the economics are beneficial for the country, Indian Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri told CNBC earlier this year. "Today we feel confident that we'll be able to use our market to source from wherever we have to, from wherever we get beneficial terms," the minister said. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: How The U.S. Became A Natural Gas Giant From a position of relative obscurity less than a decade ago, U.S. natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity has expanded rapidly since the Lower 48 states first began exporting LNG in 2016. Last year, the United States achieved an important milestone after becoming the world's biggest LNG exporter, surpassing Qatar and Australia as Europe scrambled to replace Russian gas. This was made possible after LNG liquefaction units, called trains, at Sabine Pass and Calcasieu Pass in Louisiana came online last year. Last year, U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) averaged 10.6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) , increasing by 9% (0.8 Bcf/d) compared with 2021. LNG exports to Europe increased a torrid 141% clip, or 4.0 Bcf/d, compared with 2021. Europe has become the primary destination for U.S. LNG exports, accounting for 64% (6.8 Bcf/d) of total exports in 2022. Just four countries the U.K., France, Spain, and the Netherlandsaccounted for nearly three quarters of LNG exports to Europe. Europe was able to avoid a gas shortage crisis this winter thanks to high LNG imports. Thats a really strange turn of events considering that a decade and a half ago, before the shale revolution was a thing, the United States was widely expected to become a key LNG importer, likely dependent on the Middle East, Russia and North African. But then, the shale revolution happened, leading to a massive increase in gas output through the use of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing to extract hydrocarbons trapped in shale rocks. After a decade of dramatic growth and rapid expansion of LNG export facilities, the country began exporting LNG from the Lower 48 states in February 2016. The U.S. now exports LNG to 40 countries across the globe. To secure supplies, customers have been signing long-term deals with U.S. producers at a record clip. Last year, the volume of long-term LNG contracts signed to end-user markets climbed to a 5-year high, and the momentum remains strong. Last year, LNG giant Cheniere Energy Inc.(NYSE: LNG) revealed that its had the most active year for contracting since 2011. Louisiana-based LNG company Sempra Infrastructure, a majority owned subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE) (BMV: SRE), inked six long-term contracts in the space of just five months. The deal calls for Sempra Infrastructures Cameron LNG in Hackberry to supply 2 million metric tons of LNG annually to the Polish Oil & Gas Co. Sempra Infrastructure struck another 2 million-ton deal with Polish for its upcoming Port Arthur LNG facility in Port Arthur, Texas. Most new contracts are from U.S. supply as operators move projects forward. All these contracts are linked to North American prices. Meanwhile, Chinese buyers continue to dominate the market, signing more than 8 million tpy of new LNG sale and purchase agreements this year. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has had a dramatic impact on long-term LNG contracts. Many traditional LNG buyers will neither procure spot gas or LNG nor renew or sign additional LNG contracts with Russian sellers. Spot prices have also been high and volatile, pushing many buyers towards long-term contracts. Additionally, some buyers are returning to long-term contracting on behalf of governments to protect national energy security, Wood Mackenzie principal analyst Daniel Toleman has said. Pipeline Bottleneck Unfortunately, whereas the United States has the worlds largest backlog of near-shovel-ready liquefied natural gas projects, takeaway constraints including limited pipeline capacity remain the biggest hurdle to expanding the sector. In the Appalachian Basin, the countrys largest gas-producing region churning out more than 35 Bcf/d, environmental groups have repeatedly stopped or slowed down pipeline projects and limited further growth in the Northeast. This leaves the Permian Basin and Haynesville Shale to shoulder much of the growth forecast for LNG exports. Indeed, EQT Corp.(NYSE: EQT) CEO Toby Rice recently acknowledged that Appalachian pipeline capacity has hit a wall. Related: Venezuelan Oil Exports Jumped In March Analysts at East Daley Capital Inc. have projected that U.S. LNG exports will grow to 26.3 Bcf/d by 2030 from their current level of nearly 13 Bcf/d. For this to happen, the analysts say another 2-4 Bcf/d of takeaway capacity would need to come online between 2026 and 2030 in the Haynesville. This assumes significant gas growth from the Permian and other associated gas plays. Any view where oil prices take enough of a dip to slow that activity in the Permian and youre going to have even more of a call for gas from gassier basins, the analysts have said. U.S. Pipeline Companies To Watch According to FERC, four U.S. LNG projects are currently under construction, another 12 have been approved by federal regulators and four more have been proposed totaling 40 Bcf/d of potential LNG exports. The pivotal Permian Basin is preparing to unleash a torrent of gas and gas projects to meet exploding LNG and nat. gas demand. Energy Transfer LP (NYSE: ET) is looking to build the next large pipeline to transport natural gas production from the Permian Basin. The company is also working on the Louisiana-based Gulf Run pipeline, which will transport gas from the Haynesville Shale in Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana to the Gulf Coast. Energy Transfer is expected to report Q2 earnings on 3rd August 2022. The consensus EPS forecast for the quarter, based on 5 analysts as per Zacks Investment Research, is $0.28 compared to $0.20 for last years corresponding period. Back in May, a consortium of oil and natural gas firms namely WhiteWater Midstream LLC, EnLink Midstream (NYSE:ENLC), Devon Energy Corp. (NYSE: DVN) and MPLX LP (NYSE: MPlX) announced that they had reached a final investment decision (FID) to move forward with the construction of the Matterhorn Express Pipeline after having secured sufficient firm transportation agreements with shippers. The Matterhorn Express Pipeline will transport up to 2.5 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas through approximately 490 miles of 42-inch pipeline from Waha, Texas, to the Katy area near Houston, Texas. Supply will be sourced from multiple upstream connections in the Permian Basin. Matterhorn is expected to be in service in the second half of 2024, pending regulatory approvals. WhiteWater CEO Christer Rundlof touted the companys partnership with the three pipeline companies in developing incremental gas transportation out of the Permian Basin as production continues to grow in West Texas. Rundlof says Matterhorn will provide premium market access with superior flexibility for Permian Basin shippers while playing a critical role in minimizing flared volumes. Matterhorn joins a growing list of pipeline projects designed to capture growing volumes of Permian supply to send to downstream markets. ADVERTISEMENT WhiteWater revealed plans to expand the Whistler Pipelines capacity by about 0.5 Bcf/d, to 2.5 Bcf/d, with three new compressor stations. MPLX has several other expansion projects under construction. The company says it expects to finish construction on two processing plants this year, and recently reached a final investment decision to expand its Whistler Pipeline. Also in May, Kinder Morgan Inc. (NYSE: KMI) subsidiary launched an open season to gauge shipper interest in expanding the 2.0 Bcf/d Gulf Coast Express Pipeline (GCX). Meanwhile, KMI has already completed a binding open season for the Permian Highway Pipeline (PHP), with a foundation shipper already in place for half of the planned 650 MMcf/d expansion capacity. In an effort to increase LNG exports to the European Union to stave off an energy crisis amid Russias war on Ukraine, the U.S. Department of Energy has authorized additional LNG exports from the planned Golden Pass LNG Terminal in Texas and the Magnolia LNG Terminal in Louisiana. Jointly owned by Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM) and Qatar Petroleum, the $10B Golden Pass LNG export project is expected to become operational in 2024, while Magnolia LNG, owned by Glenfarne Group, will come online by 2026. The two terminals are expected to produce more than 3B cf/day of natural gas, although Magnolia is yet to sign contracts with customers. Previously, American LNG developers were unwilling to construct self-financed liquefaction facilities that are not secured by long-term contracts from European countries. However, the Ukraine war has exposed Europes soft underbelly and the harsh reality is forcing a rethink of their energy systems. To wit, Germany, Finland, Latvia, and Estonia recently expressed the desire to move forward with new LNG import terminals. Meanwhile, the DoE has approved expanded permits for Cheniere Energy's (NYSE: LNG) Sabine Pass terminal in Louisiana and its Corpus Christi plant in Texas. The approvals allow the terminals to export the equivalent of 0.72 billion cubic feet of LNG per day to any country with which the United States does not have a free trade agreement, including all of Europe. Cheniere says the facilities already are making more gas than is covered by previous export permits. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: In February 2023, Uzbekistani President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced an energy package valued at over $1 billion to ease the countrys heating and electricity needs (Tashkent Times, February 8). In this, while Russia is considered a key player in providing Tashkent with much-needed oil and natural gas products, Uzbekistan also hopes to improve energy ties with its neighbors to avoid becoming overly dependent on Moscow. In truth, situated in the heart of Central Asia, neighboring Afghanistan and with close proximity to Russia, Uzbekistan holds a key regional position. Furthermore, a large population coupled with abundant energy resources and gold mines make the country economically important for its neighbors. Uzbekistan, under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, is seeking to carve out a bigger role in Central Asia in balancing against the bigger powers in the regionRussia, China and the United States (Iess.ir, January 20). Tashkent has been wary of becoming overly reliant on just one of these powers, aiming instead to try to play them off one another in the region. The primary aim of the Mirziyoyev regimes foreign policy is to facilitate an independent sovereign state that can have a wider impact on global affairs. According to official documents released earlier this year, Uzbekistan reportedly aims to be a democratic state that has developed harmonious relations with its neighbors (Gov.uz, February 9). Earlier, in July 2019, Mirziyoyev signed a decree in which he announced measures for establishing a more stable economy. The document also outlined a renewed commitment in ensuring the constant supply of household energy as well as the further development of Uzbekistans oil and gas industry. In the decree, Tashkent committed to improving the efficiency of fossil fuel exploration and making management of the industry more transparent (Tashkent Times, July 10). Partially because of these measures, in 2022, Uzbekistans economy grew by 5.7 percent. Specifically, industrial production grew by 5.2 percent, the construction industry by 6.6 percent and the service industry by 15.9 percent. Additionally, as compared to trade in 2021, Uzbekistans foreign trade grew by 18.6 percent in 2022 (Tashkent Times, January 30). In January 2021, an Uzbekistani presidential decree on the Year of Supporting Youth and Strengthening Peoples Health was published. As part of that decree, the Uzbekistani Ministry of Energy was tasked with implementing the necessary measures to develop a roadmapor market mechanismsnecessary to bolster production capacities and rehabilitate existing gas fields. Therefore, starting on August 1, 2021, production factories in Uzbekistan received additional funds for purchasing electricity and gas imports as needed (Barghnews.com, February 10). Alexey Miller, CEO of Russian gas giant Gazprom, signed onto an agreement for cooperation with Uzbekistans energy sector, focusing on the development of new infrastructure to increase gas production (Interfax, January 25). More recently, Uzbekistan has been in the midst of a severe energy crisis brought on by a growing population, aging infrastructure and limited natural resources. Additionally, the country relies on natural gas for 80 percent of its domestic electricity needs, which has been seriously hampered by Western sanctions on Russia. The announced energy package valued at over $1 billion aims to develop renewable energy sources in Uzbekistan to ease the crisis. Initial measures are focused on exploring the installation of solar panels on high-rise buildings, government institutions, industrial parks, parking facilities and water towers in Tashkent (Tashkent Times, February 8). The cold spell in December 2022 strained Uzbekistans energy supplies and led to mass outages across the country. As a result, measures are being actively taken to prevent a future crisis, including re-evaluating energy relations with the Kremlin. For its part, since November 2022, Russia has continuously proposed the establishment of a tripartite gas union with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan (see EDM, January 19). The Russian side has stipulated that the proposal does not mean supplying gas in exchange for political conditions but rather focuses on coordinating commercial interests. Yet, both Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan remain wary of such an arrangement, with Astana voicing concerns regarding the independence of its energy industry and Tashkent opting instead to consider relations on a bilateral basis. Coming in at a total of $9.28 billion, the year 2022 saw a 23-percent increase in trade between Russia and Uzbekistan, according to the Uzbekistani State Committee of Statistics, with Russia becoming Uzbekistans largest trading partner. In the energy realm, in January 2023, Mirziyoyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to expand cooperation between the two countries, especially in developing new fuel and energy complexes (TASS, January 24). Furthermore, the two sides agreed to the delivery of increased volumes of Russian gas via the Central AsiaCenter gas pipeline running through Kazakhstan (Central.asia-news.com, February 16). On March 3, Uztransgaz, Uzbekistans state-owned natural gas company, announced that final adjustments were being made on domestic energy infrastructure to accommodate the expected increase in Russian supplies (Eurasianet, March 3). Russias expanded presence in Uzbekistans energy market will bring rewards for Moscow, not only in bringing in desperately needed export revenues but also in firming up relations with Tashkent. Yet, the Uzbekistani government remains keenly aware of the dangers in overdependence on Russia. As Tashkent-based economist Anvar Nazirov recently pointed out, Russia is flagrantly meddling in the affairs of the Central Asian countries, even pressuring Turkmenistan not to supply gas to Uzbekistan (Central.asia-news.com, February 16). As such, Tashkent is making the necessary arrangements to expand energy ties with its neighbors, establishing agreements with Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to import more coal, natural gas and solar energy supplies. Overall, it seems likely that Russia will increase its efforts to penetrate the energy markets of Central Asia as Moscow effectively reorients its industry eastward. In this, the impact of Western sanctions and Uzbekistans energy crisis on relations between Moscow and Tashkent has been significant. While Uzbekistan has turned to Russia for its energy needs in the short term, Tashkent is keen to deepen ties with other powers in the region, including China, over the longer term. This growing regional trend has led to a dramatic shift in the balance of power, with Russia losing its once dominant position. This has created tensions between Russia and Uzbekistan, with Moscow seeking to maintain its influence in the region by increasing investment and expanding trade ties. As the energy crisis in Uzbekistan continues, it remains to be seen if Tashkent can effectively manage energy relations with Moscow, or if the Kremlin will only further nurture Uzbekistans dependence. By the Jamestown Foundation ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Its a bad time to be an energy-related Russian oligarch with yet another mysterious death. The body of Igor Shkurko, age 49, was found in his cell yesterday in a Yakutsk detention center. Shkurko was the First Deputy General Director/Chief Engineer of the Russian energy company Yakutskenergo and had been accused of taking a 5,000 bribean allegation that Shkurko denied. Russian authorities have so far proffered no explanation for his death, although they stated that there were no signs of criminal death. Shkurko was also a member of the Putin-affiliated United Russia political party, with his membership suspended following the bribery allegations. Shkurkos death is just one in a string of Russian oligarchs that have died under mysterious circumstances since Russias invasion of Ukrainemany of them energy-related oligarchs. In early 2022, Vladislav Avayev, former Kremlin official and vice president at Russian bank Gazprombankthe bank at the center of Russias rubles-for-gas payment schemewas found dead in his Moscow apartment. Authorities said he killed his wife and daughter and then himself. Days later, Novateks Sergey Protosenya and his family were found dead in Spain. Authorities said Protosenya hanged himself after stabbing his mother and daughter. Leonid Shulman and Alexander Tyulyakovformer Gazprom executiveswere also found dead in 2022. Both had left suicide notes. In May, the death toll continued to mount with perhaps the strangest death yet, with former Lukoil board member and executive Alexandr Subbotin dying from cardiac arrest after allegedly willfully ingesting toad poison administered by a local shaman to alleviate a hangover. Russian oil tycoon Mikhail Waford was also found hanged in March. In September, Lukoils chairman Ravil Maganov died after falling out of his hospital window. A TASS news outlet source said that he took his own life by jumping out of the window. ADVERTISEMENT To date, no official link has been found between these Russian energy oligarch deaths. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: After more than a week of pumping crude at reduced rates, one of Kurdistans oilfields has resumed production to full capacity following the agreement between Kurdistan and Iraq on the resumption of oil exports. The Hassira oilfield has returned to full production, an industry insider told Shafaq News on Wednesday. The oilfield resumed output at 14,000 barrels per day (bpd), up from 4,000 bpd to 5,000 bpd in the previous days. The federal government of Iraq and the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan reached an agreement earlier this week to resume exports via an Iraq-Turkey pipeline and the port of Ceyhan on the Mediterranean. Oil flows from Kurdistan were stopped for just over a week, forcing companies to either curtail or suspend production because of limited capacity at storage tanks. Kurdistans crude oil exports around 400,000 bpd shipped through an Iraqi-Turkey pipeline to Ceyhan and then on tankers to the international markets were halted in late March by the federal government of Iraq. A few days earlier, the International Chamber of Commerce had ruled in favor of Iraq against Turkey in a dispute over crude flows from Kurdistan. Iraq had argued that Turkey shouldnt allow Kurdish oil exports via the Iraq-Turkey pipeline and Ceyhan without approval from the federal government of Iraq. Following several rounds of failed negotiations, Iraq and Kurdistan reached an agreement to restart oil exports less than ten days after the suspension of the exports. The recent disruptions to oil exports from the Kurdistan Region have hurt the country as a whole. This agreement brings much needed revenues, Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, said on Tuesday, following the signing of the agreement. ADVERTISEMENT We also agreed that we now have a framework for a draft budget law and, in the near future, discussions can begin on a new federal oil and gas law, Barzani added. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Ovintiv has struck a deal to buy untapped oil and gas assets in the Permian from EnCap Investments for $4.3 billion. The deal will expand Ovintivs portfolio by 65,000 acres, Reuters reported. The buyer will pay for the assets with a combination featuring $3.125 billion in cash and 32.6 million shares, Bloomberg noted. To fund the purchase, Ovintiv will sell its assets in the Bakken shale play in North Dakota to a portfolio company of funds that is managed by the Permian asset seller, EnCap. The size of that deal was set at $825 million. As shale hits its middle innings, we believe high-return drilling inventory locations are going to be more valuable than ever," Ovintivs chief executive, Brendan McCracken, told Reuters. The purchase will expand Ovintivs operations with more than 1,000 well locations in the most prolific part of the Permian BasinMidlandwhere the company has already indicated it has substantial growth plans. The acquisition checks all the boxes on our disciplined durable returns strategy, McCracken said, as quoted by Natural Gas Intelligence. The asset package, he said, is in an area where we have a competitive operating advantage, and it significantly increases our premium Permian well inventory. As a result of the acquisition, Ovintivs oil and condensate output in the Permian is seen rising almost twofold to 125,000 barrels daily. The deal has highlighted continued interest in the Permian despite reports of lower-than-expected well productivity across the U.S. shale patch and a more disciplined approach to production growth in the industry. ADVERTISEMENT The acquisition checks all the boxes on our disciplined durable returns strategy it will be immediately and long-term accretive across all key financial metrics, the acreage is in an area where we have a competitive operating advantage, and it significantly increases our premium Permian well inventory, McCracken said. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: One of the world's largest metals and oil traders is doubling down on the metals business as it expects demand for materials such as copper, aluminum, and nickel to soar with the Chinese reopening and the energy transition amid an already tight supply of some base metals. In a recent trip to China, Trafigura's chief executive Jeremy Weir met with representatives of Chinese trading firms and metals associations to discuss joint ventures and deeper cooperation, Bloomberg reports. The focus on China makes sense for one of the world's top metals traders as Chinese demand is set to drive base metals consumption and as metals processing capabilities have been concentrated in China for decades. Trafigura sees increased business opportunities in base metals in China, Weir said at the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association in Beijing at the end of March. While Trafigura says it remains committed to building its presence in the fast-growing battery metals markets, it is also doubling down on base metals and sees copper and zinc as the commodities that could see the largest price spikes as inventories are low. Copper prices are likely to hit a record high in the next 12 months, Trafigura has forecast recently, citing the rebound in China's economy and short supply. Related: Middle East Oil Prices Jump After Surprise OPEC+ Cuts Kostas Bintas, global co-head of metals and minerals at Trafigura, told a Financial Times event last month that copper could rise to its previous record of $10,845 per ton and even top it to trade at $12,000 per ton. "I think it's very likely in the next 12 months that we will see a new high," Bintas said at the FT Commodity Global Summit. "What's the price of something the whole world needs but we don't have any of?" As early as December 2022, Trafigura warned in its FY 2022 earnings report, "Even after several new projects come online in 2023, we expect to see increasingly large supply deficits and for a tight market to become the new normal for copper." At the World Economic Forum in January, Trafigura's Weir said, "If we want to reach net zero by 2050, we need to have two-thirds of energy from renewable sources by 2030. In that scenario, we need a 20% increase in production per annum of copper." "We see the same thing in aluminium and zinc because you require these metals to build solar and windfarms infrastructure," the executive added. According to Weir, metal inventories have drawn down to a "fairly critical stage." More recently, he said that Trafigura's observations on the ground in China suggest that there was already a pull for metals from the world's top commodities market. Even the more conservative people in China are more optimistic about the outlook for Chinese economic growth and metals demand, Weir said last month in an interview with Bloomberg TV, just before the banking sector scare shook markets in the middle of March. Growth in demand for metals is coming not only from China but also from developed economies, thanks to increased consumption as the U.S. and Europe push on with the energy transition, Weir said. The issue with metals supply is that there is a long lead time from investment decisions to mining and processing, he noted. ADVERTISEMENT "Metal processing has been concentrated in China for the last three decades, and it now has to expand out of that footprint for many reasons," Weir told Bloomberg TV. "The problem is there's a long lead time for these things." Weir also warned that tight supplies could threaten the pace of the energy transition. "It's one of my biggest fears with this energy transition: Actually, can we transition, given the supply tightness?" By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: PARADISE, Mont. (AP) About 25 train cars derailed Sunday in northwestern Montana, with no injuries or evacuations reported, authorities said. The cars, which were not believed to be carrying anything hazardous, derailed near the town of Paradise along the Clark Fork River, said Bill Brown, a dispatcher with the Sanders County Sheriff's Office. Firefighters and representatives of Montana Rail Link, which was operating the train, were responding and investigating what the cars were carrying, he said. Photos posted on social media show some of the cars appearing to dip just into the river. The train cars did not release any hazardous materials, Montana Rail Link said in a statement. The company said the cause of the derailment was being investigated. We are committed to addressing any impacts to the area as a result of this accident, prioritizing the safety of our employees and the public, and understanding the reasons for this incident, the company said. Montana's U.S. Sens. Steve Daines and Jon Tester said in separate tweets that they were monitoring the derailment and were in touch with local officials. A Nebraska judge has rejected a challenge to the death penalty in the case of a man charged in the killings of four people last summer in a small town in the northeastern corner of the state. Judge Bryan Meismer said in a ruling late last week that the lawyers representing Jason Jones, 42, didnt prove that Nebraskas death penalty law is unconstitutional, and its too soon to determine if that penalty is appropriate in this case because its still early in the process. Jones has yet to officially enter a plea in the case. Prosecutors said in January that they intend to seek the death penalty in this case because the killings were done at the same time that other felonies were committed and that at least two of the killings were carried out to conceal the other two. Plus, prosecutors said Jones set fire to the victims homes in an effort to help conceal his identity. Jones is charged with arson, weapons counts and four counts of first-degree murder in the August killings of Gene Twiford, 86, and his wife, Janet Twiford, 85; their daughter, Dana Twiford, 55; and Michele Ebeling, 53. Jones was arrested after officers found him with severe burns hiding in his wifes house, which sits across the street from Ebelings home in Laurel. He was hospitalized for two months before being released and moved to a prison in Lincoln. Jones is being held without bail. He is scheduled to appear in court May 22. His lawyer declined to comment on the case Tuesday. Jones wife, 43-year-old Carrie Jones, has also been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Gene Twiford as well as tampering with evidence and being an accessory for reportedly hiding her husband as authorities searched for him. Prosecutors said she told investigators that she wanted her husband to kill Twiford because she says he had been verbally harassing her with sexual comments and other remarks for a couple of years. Prosecutors said at a February hearing that Carrie Jones either encouraged the killing or participated in it herself. Carrie Jones has also not yet entered a plea to the charges against her because she is in the process of challenging them. She is being held on $1 million bail. Her attorney didnt immediately respond Tuesday to a message about the case. Laurel is a community of fewer than 1,000 people, about 100 miles northwest of Omaha. An elderly horse lover got a trot down memory. At the behest of EveryStep Hospice, Joy Bartling of Scatter Joy Acres brought a pony to visit Carolyn Godden of Carson, Iowa, a Parkinsons patient who is receiving care from EveryStep. Godden and her husband, Bud, used to live on an acreage near Macedonia, Iowa, where they had eight horses who roamed the pasture on their land. They kept horses for many years, he said. We didnt ever show them, Bud said during the Tuesday, March 28, visit. We took them to a few parades, though. Their five children three daughters and two sons enjoyed that, he said. Carolyn loved to ride the horses especially Sandy, her favorite. Sandy was an Arabian mix with a reddish coat. She was pretty and smooth to ride, she said. They lived there for about 20 years before moving to Carson in 2003, Bud said. Now, they have no horses, and Carolyn uses a wheelchair. She misses them, Bud said. She was talking about horses to our chaplain, and she mentioned to me how she just loved horses, said Tricia Wilson, a social worker with EveryStep. We ask our patients if theres anything they wish they could do. One of the things I love about my job is we are able to grant wishes. The wishes are funded by donations and facilitated through the EveryStep Foundation, she said. Sometimes they make special memories, and sometimes they bring back special memories. So EveryStep contacted Bartling at Scatter Joy Acres near Murray, Nebraska, which offers equine-assisted therapy, and arranged for a visit by a VIP (Very Important Pony). Joy arrived at the Goddens house Tuesday afternoon with Lucky, a 28-year-old Shetland pony with a reddish coat. Seeing and petting Lucky brought back memories, Carolyn said. She remembered riding Sandy bareback with nothing but a halter. You didnt have to hang on, she said. Sandy knew when Carolyn tightened her legs she was supposed to go faster and understood verbal commands. Carolyn was transported by a pony back to a happier time without ever riding on it or leaving her wheelchair. She enjoyed the trip. A ceremony on Wednesday morning at the Omaha National Cemetery near Papillion marked the 50th anniversary of the withdrawal of U.S. military combat forces from Vietnam in 1973. Chief Justice Michael Heavican got a tour of his old stomping grounds. Papillion La Vista High School welcomed the Nebraska Supreme Court on Wednesday afternoon to hold an oral argument session before students from both Papillion La Vista high schools as well as local attorneys in Sarpy County. Afterwards, Heavican toured the building, which he said will always be the new high school to me. It was a great tour of the past, Heavican told the Times in an interview. It was fun to see how the building has grown and all of the new things in the building, and its good to see the old things, too. Heavican taught for three years in the Papillion La Vista schools, starting out as an English teacher in the building thats now Papillion Middle School before moving over to the current high school in 1971, before La Vista was added to the schools name. The chief justice said he also taught film studies at Papillion High School. I always had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to go to law school, he said. Heavican, who became chief justice in 2006, likely also had it in mind to return to Papillion La Vista High School while on the bench. The court holds sessions at three high schools across the state each year, including Bellevue West High School last year. On Wednesday, the court started out by hearing three cases at the Creighton University School of Law in Omaha before relocating to a makeshift courtroom in Papillion. We love doing these oral arguments at high schools, Heavican said. This was an especially good opportunity, for me at least, because I used to teach here. The visit marked the first time the court has ever held arguments in Papillion. Students heard arguments in a juvenile case out of Lancaster County involving the interpretation of the Indian Child Welfare Act. The court doesnt rule immediately after hearings but, like the U.S. Supreme Court, issues written opinions following further consideration among the courts justices. Before the court session, former Judge Robert ONeal offered his welcome to the audience and discussed how Heavican was his English teacher when he attended Papillion High School. It is a great honor to welcome him back to Papillion La Vista High School, ONeal said. Avery Delwiche, a junior at Papillion La Vista, interviewed Heavican for the March issue of The Scepter, the schools magazine and official student publication. Delwiche told The Times it was a really cool experience to see the court in action because shes interested in pursuing legal studies in the future. It was really nice to see how this works, she said. It was a great opportunity for me as a journalist because I was assigned to write about it. The justices asked a lot more questions during the oral arguments than Delwiche thought they would, and she thought it was helpful to get their insights into the case. They were asking a ton of questions, which really surprised me, she said. Beyond Delwiches experience, students from the Papillion La Vista Media Academy also got to set up the room for the justices and recorded a livestream of the proceedings. Its just another experience and opportunity for our students to be engaged in this process, Principal Jason Ryan said. Superintendent Andy Rikli said the visit was a great day for the school district. This is an incredibly special event for our students, for our staff, for Chief Justice Heavican and his team to have a high school host an event of this magnitude is pretty darn incredible, Rikli said. An incredibly proud day for the community and for the school district. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put his contentious judicial overhaul plan on hold this week, but he has vowed to pass the package through parliament one way or another. However, he may have a hard time keeping that promise. While Netanyahu has the parliamentary majority to push through his program, this weeks about-face has left him weakened and coming up against a wall of opposition he has never before faced in a three-decade political career. After showing it can cripple the economy and weaken the military, the opposition remains motivated to resume its struggle. With Netanyahu's popularity hit hard by the protests, it could be difficult for him to push forward. Syrian FM signifies the resumption of official diplomatic ties with Egypt that were cut in 2011. Syria's Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad visits Egypt after an earlier visit. The disappearance of enmity between Damascus and Cairo is a shift to resolving differences. On Saturday, the Syrian FM resumed diplomatic ties as he visits Egypt, a flurry of diplomacy hitting the Arab region, a serious geopolitical shift. After the events of 2011, that is in reversal as Middle Eastern leaders see that President Bashar al-Assad and Damascus cannot be a pariah anymore. Egypt Welcomes Syrian FM's Visit FM Mekdad and his counterpart Sameh Shoukry had a warm greeting when he arrived at the foreign ministry of Egypt. The Syrian conflict in 2011 prompted Damascus to be a political pariah, reported Reuters. Information from an unnamed Egyptian security source stated the visit is but of many steps that will set up the return of the Syrians to the Arab League. Helping the negotiations are Cairo and Riyadh as its sponsors, noted Middle East Eye. The Arab League was in Cairo when Damascus was removed, and diplomatic envoys were ordered home in 2011.The Syrian civil war caused Assad to be ostracized by Arab and Western nations that saw the war leaving countless dead and a country shattered. The Assad government was sanctioned by the US and its allies for many years. Isolating Assad Resulted in Severed Diplomatic Ties Parties strongly opposed are the US and Qatar, who want Assad as a pariah. The US and its Arab ally cite the civil war's alleged brutality and prefer a political solution authored by the US, noted Le Orient Today. Read Also: UN Blames Syrian Conflict Limited Access to Quake Survivors It gets more challenging for those opposed to Damascus to rejoin as the UAE and Saudi Arabia oppose re-entry. These big Arab states are ready to welcome the Syrians even if the west frowns on it. Images of the two foreign ministers were posted before a bigger forum. Syrian state news agency SANA called the talks bolstering relations more. Shoukry went to Damascus and Ankara last February after the earthquakes. KSA Says Syria To Return Soon A statement from Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan informing that discussions for Syrians to be part of the Arab league are ongoing, mentioned by Anadolu Agency. FM bin Farhan spoke to an Arab outlet and said there are those not okay in the Arab world and that Damascus is being kept a pariah in the Middle East. Despite the diplomacies and discussions by envoys, that is too early to speculate about. After the cataclysmic quake took lives in Syria and Turkey, he spoke these words. The death toll based on the UN is 6,000 dead and 12,000 hurt in the Syrian earthquakes. Earlier in 2021, moves to stabilize Damascus and other Arab states, including Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Bahrain, were significant. Syrian FM Mekdad fulfills his promise and visits Egypt to restart diplomatic ties officially, even as the US and allies allegedly attempt to derail re-entry into the Arab League. Related Article: Qatar's Emir Urges To Stop Politicizing Aid for Syria Earthquake Victims A judge has dismissed the criminal case against a former Wahoo police officer. Sean Vilmont, 52, of Fremont, was arrested in Dodge County in 2021 on two charges of third-degree sexual assault of a child and unlawful intrusion, on the allegations of a then-13-year-old girl. In December, District Judge Bryan C. Meismer ruled that state prosecutors couldnt call his teen accuser to testify or use her prior statements at trial because she had failed to comply with discovery, preventing Vilmont from his constitutional right to confront his accuser. In January, the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office amended the charge to a single count of unlawful intrusion, alleging that Vilmont had recorded the girl without her knowledge and consent in a place of privacy. In a motion to dismiss that followed, defense attorney Jim McCough argued that without testimony from Vilmonts accuser, the state couldnt prove its case. Assistant Attorney General Corey OBrien argued he could prove the case through circumstantial evidence. However, this court disagrees based upon the specific facts in this case as well as this courts prior ruling, District Judge Geoffrey C. Hall wrote in an order last week. He determined that the state was unable to introduce admissible evidence at trial to support its contention that Vilmont had violated the law beyond a reasonable doubt, and he dismissed the case. It since has been sealed. Vilmont had been with the Wahoo Police Department for more than a decade and had been promoted to second-in-command in 2019. He also had worked for the Ashland Police Department. Vilmont was put on paid administrative leave as the Nebraska State Patrol investigated the allegation, and he was terminated Sept. 22, 2021, the day charges were filed in Dodge County. When Cotonna Nauden arrived at an Omaha hospital, she was suffering from sepsis, a life-threatening complication of an infection. She awoke to find that part of one leg and some toes on the other foot had been amputated. She was in heart failure. She was in no condition to return to life on the streets where shed been living for the previous year and a half. So after Nauden was discharged from the hospital, she settled in a private room at the Siena Francis House, an Omaha shelter for people experiencing homelessness, where she could continue to get follow-up care as well as meals and clothing. That room saved my life, said Nauden, who has been a guest at the shelter for about five months. They truly blessed me by giving me a room and a home. The single- and double-occupancy rooms set aside at the shelter, as well as case management and other services that go with them, are part of Nebraskas first formal medical respite program for people experiencing homelessness. Siena Francis and other community partners launched the 24-month pilot project last August. The Charles Drew Health Center provides medical care in a mobile unit parked outside the shelter four days a week, a service that also is available to unhoused people who are not occupying respite rooms. One aim of the evidence-based program is to head off cycles in which people experiencing homelessness are hospitalized for treatment, recover enough to leave the hospital but arent quite well enough to function on their own or in a traditional congregate shelter, which frequently results in them being readmitted to the hospital. CHI Health, through its national foundation, awarded $500,000 to cover project expenses. E.J. Kuiper, CHI Healths CEO, said the program has the potential to save lives, improve health outcomes and reduce health care costs by decreasing readmissions to hospitals. By connecting people to essential services after they leave our hospitals, we can create a pathway to stability and improved quality of life for some of the most at-risk members of our community, he said in a statement. Were hopeful that with the success of this pilot program, more permanent solutions will be made available. The local pilot program grew out of a 2020 planning grant that provided funds to convene the Health + Housing Coalition. Facilitated by Omaha nonprofit The Wellbeing Partners, organizations from across the Omaha metro area met to identify the needs of chronically homeless and medically complex residents in the community. CyncHealth, the health information exchange for Nebraska and western Iowa, examined the records of 450 people experiencing homelessness. The organization found that the group of patients averaged 246 emergency department visits a month in 2020, an average of nearly two per person. The same patients also accounted for 531 initial admissions to hospitals, followed by 2,062 readmissions within 30 days of being released. Its something, unfortunately, that is really common in a lot of communities, and Omaha isnt any different, said Rachel Heinz, program manager with CyncHealths social care and public health teams. Medical respite programs, which have been increasing nationally, offer an alternative. The National Institute for Medical Respite Care lists 133 medical respite programs across 38 states and territories, although the Omaha program isnt yet included in that count. They can stay in this medical respite as an in-between place to continue their recovery before theyre discharged back to the shelter, Heinz said. Hospitals can refer patients experiencing homelessness to the program through the online Unite Nebraska platform, which was launched in 2020. The platform allows health care providers and social workers to refer patients for a variety of services available in the community. CyncHealth, which sponsors the platform, is formerly known as the Nebraska Health Information Initiative, or NEHII, and has been working to link patient records collected by physicians, hospitals, pharmacists and other health care providers in Nebraska and western Iowa for more than a decade. Jamise Wagner, shelter director at Siena Francis House, said staff at the shelter and with Charles Drew review the referrals to make sure patients fall within each organizations scope of care. Respite guests must be medically stable, willing to meet with medical and program staff and able to manage daily living activities and medications on their own. The shelter has received 49 referrals since the program launched and accepted 17 of them, she said. Some have required a higher level of care than the shelter can provide. A handful were resolved before potential guests reached the shelter, with most reuniting with family members. The shelter, which has five beds for the program, has served 11 respite guests. Once checked in, guests in the program meet with a shelter case manager and a representative from Charles Drew within 72 hours. Sharon Cullum-Anderson, a case manager and respite coordinator for Siena Francis, said some wont stay in respite. A guest with a wound, for instance, may stay only long enough to complete doctors visits and finish healing. But the end goal is to find permanent housing. Our goal at the medical respite program at Siena Francis and Charles Drew is to have them not re-enter into homelessness, Wagner said. Case management, she said, is a critical part of that. Case managers also connect patients with other services in the community. Cullum-Anderson has been working with Nauden to find affordable, accessible housing that she can navigate in a wheelchair. This is not a job to me, Cullum-Anderson said. ... I enjoy seeing their faces when you hand them their keys. But thats a challenging task. Affordable, handicapped-accessible housing, Wagner said, is a huge need in the community, particularly with the homeless population aging and experiencing more chronic health conditions. Having the mobile unit on-site to provide care for people with those conditions, she said, also is important. The mobile unit is outfitted with two exam rooms. In addition to respite patients, the clinic also serves the population of Siena Francis and other people experiencing homelessness in the area, said Theresa Evans, a nurse practitioner with Charles Drew who has worked on the unit since it opened in August. The mobile unit, on site Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., typically sees between six and 10 patients a day. The mobile clinic staff provide care for a variety of ailments, from wounds to sinus infections, as well as for chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure and diabetes, she said. They can administer vaccines and test for conditions such as hepatitis C and HIV. While the mobile clinic staff schedules appointments for people with chronic conditions, they also see a large number of walk-in patients, Evans said. Charles Drew also provides transportation to its regular clinics for patients who have mobility issues and for those who need care they cant get at the mobile unit, including dental work and behavioral health care. The mobile staff also can initiate telehealth appointments for behavioral health care if theres an immediate need, and make referrals for screenings such as mammograms and colonoscopies. I believe that medical respite can do a lot, Wagner said. Chronic health conditions, behavioral health conditions, cognitive and functional limitations are really common with people who are experiencing homelessness, and sometimes there just arent enough services within the shelter to help them meet those needs. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of March 2023 If this years Taste of Omaha festival goes forward as scheduled at Elmwood Park in early June, customers would have to enjoy their food without any alcohol. The festival, planned for June 2 to 4, was denied a liquor license Tuesday. Organizers of the three-day, food-themed festival were questioned extensively by City Council members during a public hearing before the vote. At issue was an assurance made last year that Taste of Omaha would not be held for a third year in Elmwood Park, a city park that has hosted the event since 2021 because of renovations to the citys riverfront parks. Some Elmwood-area neighbors had raised concerns about the event being held in the park, citing high traffic, damage to the parks grass and noise concerns. Council member Danny Begley said he would support any other venue to host the festival, but he intended to keep his assurance to constituents that he wouldnt support the events return to Elmwood in 2023. Begley read from a series of email exchanges he had in January with Omaha Parks Director Matthew Kalcevich. In the emails, Begley said he would not back the festival at the Elmwood location and asked him to encourage event organizers to find a backup location. I tried to hedge this off in January to give time, Begley said. I want to be real clear here. We support those businesses. We support Taste of Omaha. This is about making agreements and living with those and moving to find another venue that everyone can enjoy and live with. The interim location in Elmwood was always meant to be temporary until the event could move back to the citys Heartland of America Park, said Mike Mancuso, a Taste of Omaha organizer. Begley and fellow council members Juanita Johnson, Vinny Palermo and Pete Festersen voted to deny the liquor license. Members Aimee Melton, Brinker Harding and Don Rowe voted to approve. Melton asked Mancuso if the location could feasibly be moved to a new location if the liquor license was denied. It would be very difficult, Mancuso said. Everything would be very challenging to do any kind of movement. A lot of planning and work went into this location. Before the vote, Melton said she was hesitant to deny the license because she doesnt want to harm the businesses and craft makers who have made plans for the festival. I can make the promise that if Elmwood is up for this next year, I will vote no, Melton said. Im going to be a yes vote today because I dont want to risk not having the Taste of Omaha. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of March 2023 The missing Florida toddler who was found dead in the mouth of an alligator last week was put in the lake by his father, who is also accused of killing the child's mother, according to St. Petersburg police affidavits. Thomas Mosley, 21, is facing two counts of first-degree murder, according to the affidavits. "Due to the extremely serious allegations surrounding these tragic losses, our investigation is currently focused on gathering information about the facts and circumstances of the case, as well as our client's mental state," a spokesperson for Sixth Judicial Circuit Public Defender Sara Mollo said in a statement. Mosley allegedly "did throw or place" his 2-year-old son, Taylen, into a lake, inflicting "mortal wounds" that caused the child's death, according to one of the affidavits. Taylen had been reported missing after his mother, 20-year-old Pashun Jeffery, was found dead in her apartment Thursday afternoon with multiple stab wounds, police previously said. The night before Jeffery was found, Mosley allegedly went to his mother's house with "severe lacerations to both of his hands and arms consistent with injuries caused by slippage during a knife attack" and was admitted to a hospital, according to an affidavit. On Thursday, Jeffery's family went to check on her and allegedly saw blood on the sidewalk from her apartment, the affidavit said. They found Jeffery inside dead with "apparent cuts and stabs in excess of 100 wounds," according to an affidavit. "A bloody fingerprint on a cleaning bottle which had been intentionally placed under a bed in the crime scene was identified to (Mosley)," the affidavit said. "A bloody shoe print with a 'Gucci' emblem was located on the bathroom floor where the victim was found," the affidavit continues. The 2-year-old was not at the crime scene and authorities launched a search for the boy. The following day, an alligator was spotted in Dell Homes Park just miles away from where Jeffery was found dead, with an object in its mouth, police said. Officers fired a single round at the reptile and it dropped the object. Officers were able to retrieve what they discovered to be Taylen's body, which was intact, according to police. The alligator was euthanized, an affidavit added. Mosley was booked in the Pinellas County Jail on Friday, according to the website of the sheriff's office. He is scheduled for a bond hearing on April 11. CNN reached out to the Office of the State Attorney, who did not offer a comment. Seven things to know about Florida's alligators Endangered status Water hazard Feeding habits Gator products Rare attacks Gator victims Fight back Vice President Kamala Harris has visited a site in Ghana where millions of enslaved Africans were held captive before they were loaded onto ships bound for the Americas. During her visit to Cape Coast Castle, Harris insisted on exploring past wounds. She skipped her prepared remarks to talk bluntly about the anguish that reeks from this place, and the horrors endured by the people who passed through its walls; mass kidnapping, sickness, rape and death. Those who lived were sold into bondage in the Americas. The nations first Black and South Asian vice president is the most high-profile member of President Joe Bidens administration to visit Africa as the U.S. escalates its outreach to the continent. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) on Monday resolved investigation of a complaint regarding the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College's failure to respond to antisemitic harassment. OCR identified concerns over the university's response to complaints it received of antisemitic harassment. First, the university's Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity (AAEO) Office declined to investigate any of the complaints, even though they notified the university regarding serious allegations of harassment. Second, responsive steps the university did take were delayed; were not designed to rectify concerns communicated to the university, including regarding the existence of a hostile environment; and may have discouraged students and staff from raising further concerns with the university or with participating in the OCR investigation. READ NEXT: Police Search for New York Woman Who Spits to 8-Year-Old Child After Making Antisemitic Slurs "I am grateful for the University of Vermont's commitment to address antisemitic harassment that violates federal civil rights law," said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon. "Everyone has a right to learn in an environment free from antisemitic harassment. We will be watching to be sure these students are safe." The complaints about which the university received notice, but did not investigate through its AAEO Office, included allegations that a teaching assistant posted on social media about not giving Jewish students course participation credit; subtracting points for Jewish students, including because "I hate ur vibe in general"; celebrating the theft of an Israeli flag from a Jewish student's residence; and adding the word, "Kristallnacht," above a picture of a damaged storefront with accompanying Hebrew text. They also included allegations that student groups excluded Jewish students, that students threw rocks at the building housing Hillel and student dormitory space, and that when a student living in the building asked them to stop, one of the students responded, "Are you Jewish?" To ensure full satisfaction of its obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its implementing regulations, the university entered into a resolution agreement committing it to: Review and revise its policies and procedures to include a description of forms of discrimination that can manifest in the university environment, and to ensure that the university's response to notice of discrimination including national origin harassment on the basis of shared ancestry is consistent with Title VI. Develop a protocol clarifying the roles and responsibilities of the AAEO Office and Bias Response Team to monitor implementation of the protocol by the provost; Train university staff responsible for investigation of Title VI complaints. Train university senior leadership, all other staff, and students on the Title VI prohibition against harassment based on national origin, including shared ancestry, in the university's programs and activities. Issue a statement with a commitment to address discrimination based on shared ancestry, including antisemitism, within 30 days of the signing of the agreement and again with its annual antidiscrimination statement. Review the university's 2022 Climate Survey results to determine if other actions, beyond those memorialized in the agreement, are needed to improve the campus climate. And, Submit to OCR during the monitoring of the agreement copies of case files of complaints of antisemitism filed during the preceding academic year. The letter to the University of Vermont is available here and the resolution agreement is available here. READ MORE: Cyberattacks on a Hospital in Vermont Has Affected Cancer Patients @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A Council Bluffs man was sentenced to more than 24 years in federal prison last month after pleading guilty to sexually exploiting a child. Brandon Holmes, 43, was indicted in March 2022 by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Iowa for suspicion of receiving and possessing child pornography involving minors under the age of 12. In April, prosecutors added an additional charge of sexual exploitation of a child. The investigation into Holmes began in 2021 after the FBI received cybertips that his IP address was being used to download child pornography using the anonymized peer-to-peer sharing platform FreeNet. The FBI executed a search warrant at Holmes residence in October 2021. That search warrant resulted in investigators locating more than 150,000 files including 8,000 videos of child pornography on various hard drives, computers and cellphones in Holmes possession, according to court documents. Between July 2011 and July 2012, Holmes also took photos and videos of a girl, who was under the age of 12 at the time, while she was in vulnerable positions. Photos of other girls were also located on his devices, according to court documents. The defendant not only searched for, downloaded and viewed child pornography, he took this obsession to the next level by taking pictures of females he had access to, court documents state. Though Holmes initially pleaded not guilty and intended to take the case to trial, he accepted a plea deal in September 2022 and pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation charge. The counts of receiving and possessing child pornography were dismissed. On March 16, Holmes was sentenced to 24 years in federal prison. He faced a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30. In addition, he will serve 10 years of supervised release after serving his sentence and has been ordered to pay $18,000 in restitution. A Hastings teenager was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of making terroristic threats after he allegedly threatened a student at Sandy Creek High School in Fairfield, causing the school to go into lockdown. According to a press release from the Nebraska State Patrol, police were alerted Tuesday morning that a student at Sandy Creek High School had received a credible threat from someone off-campus. The school also received a phone call alleging that a student had a firearm in a locker. The alleged threats caused the school to go into lockdown. School officials searched the reported locker and did not find a firearm. Patrol spokesman Cody Thomas said an arrest was made in less than 30 minutes. An 18-year-old male, who is not being identified, was arrested at a residence in Hastings. He is not a student at Sandy Creek High School. Troopers allege that the teen resisted arrest and spit on a troopers face while being taken into custody. The lockdown was lifted after he was arrested, and students were dismissed for the rest of the day. Thomas said the teen is facing charges in both Adams County, where he was arrested, and in Clay County, where the school is located. He was arrested on suspicion of terroristic threats and false reporting in Clay County and on suspicion of assaulting an officer, resisting arrest and failure to obey a lawful order in Adams County. Fairfield is a town of less than 400 people about 25 miles from Hastings. The Clay County Sheriffs Office, Clay County Emergency Management, Adams County Sheriffs Office, Hastings Police Department and Nebraska State Patrol assisted in the response and investigation. The Nebraska State Patrol found two kids reported missing from Colorado during a traffic stop near York early Wednesday. Around 12:45 a.m., a trooper stopped a Chevrolet Colorado, which was traveling east on Interstate 80, after seeing the headlight was out. A press release said the trooper then discovered the license plates on the pickup belonged to a different vehicle and called for back up after finding the vehicle had been reported stolen in Colorado. The driver, an 18-year-old man, was arrested. Troopers found the missing kids a 17-year-old boy and 12-year-old girl in the pickup. The driver was taken into York County Jail on suspicion of theft, kidnapping, violation of a protection order against one of the children, possession of an open alcohol container, possession of drug paraphernalia, obstructing a peace officer, false reporting and defective lighting. The York County Sheriffs Office assisted the State Patrol during the incident. For the first time in more than two years, airmen on Tuesday bore the flag-draped coffins of World War II service members off an Air Force cargo plane at Offutt Air Force Base. About 50 airmen and civilians including Gov. Jim Pillen and Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb. saluted as nine transfer cases were carried to two waiting trucks from an Alaska Air National Guard C-17 that had just flown in from Europe. The remains had been disinterred from graves marked unknown at the Rhone American Cemetery in France, or from recently excavated air crash sites in Germany. Forensic anthropologists from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lab at Offutt will work to identify them. They are all recoveries of either aircraft crashes or battlefield losses, said Dr. Franklin Damann, the Nebraska lab director. Typically, Damann said, about four Air Force flights per year ferry remains from Europe. But they had not been able to land at Offutt since 2021 because of a runway reconstruction project that concluded last September. This is the first were doing with the new runway at Offutt, Damann said. The Offutt lab, which opened in June 2013 in the former World War II-era Glenn L. Martin Bomber Plant, is one of two labs where the accounting agency identifies the missing from U.S. wars since World War II. The other is in Hawaii. Reporters received a tour of the Offutt lab, where bones and personal effects were laid out on tables for matching, cataloging and eventual identification. The two labs identify about 200 missing service members each year using DNA, historical and dental evidence, said Fern Sumpter Winbush, the accounting agencys principal deputy director. The annual budget for the work is more than $130 million. She said the identification effort represents a promise to service men and women that even if they are lost in combat, they will not be left behind. Not only are we promise-keepers, we put action to these promises, Sumpter Winbush said. We dont spare any expense, personnel or resource-wise, to honor those who made this sacrifice. The Offutt labs job is primarily to identify remains from the European theater of World War II. Most remains from the Pacific, or from the Korean and Vietnam Wars, are identified at the Hawaii lab. However, the Offutt lab has taken on several special projects, including a six-year effort from 2015 to 2021 to identify sailors and Marines who died aboard the battleship USS Oklahoma during the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. Of the 429 service members who died aboard the Oklahoma, 394 remained unidentified after the war. The accounting agency was able to identify 361 of them in the largest such project in its history. LINCOLN Nebraska Economic Development Director Tony Goins announced his immediate resignation Wednesday, citing false attacks about his ties to a Lincoln cigar bar. In a statement, Goins said the attacks had been a gut punch to his family and his reputation and had been a distraction from the work done by the State Department of Economic Development. For these reasons Ive informed Governor Pillen of my decision to step down effective today and have offered my assistance with the transition, he said. I was not asked to resign this was my decision, and my decision alone. Pillen, who retained Goins from the previous administration, said he had accepted the directors resignation. He thanked Goins for his honorable service to our country as a U.S. Marine and wished him well. He did not immediately offer any information about filling the position, saying there would be further communication in due course. Goins was director of branded products for Lincoln Industries in 2019, when former Gov. Pete Ricketts tabbed him for the state director position. He was also chief executive officer and a partner in the Capital Cigar Lounge and led a consulting firm, Business Optimizer and Partners LLC. News reports last week alleged that he had used his state position to steer business to the cigar bar, including setting up meetings with business leaders and visiting dignitaries at the bar. The reports in the Nebraska Examiner said emails obtained through a public records request showed that Goins had used his official state email to promote a political campaign event at the bar, which would be a violation of state law. The news outlet also said that Goins had not reported his 51% ownership in the bar or that he had use of a company-leased SUV on his required annual statement of financial interests. However, his ownership of the bar was known when he was named to the state position. In his statement Wednesday, Goins said that during his tenure, the state economic development agency had been involved with more than $8 billion of capital investments, created nearly 7,000 jobs, helped generate millions of dollars of economic development, ensured clean audits for our pandemic funding and outperformed every other state during the pandemic. He also said that he had promoted and represented Nebraska across the United States and globally. Goins past positions included working as the chief operating officer and executive vice president of Cabelas Worlds Foremost Bank and vice president of Cabelas Retail Corp. before the company was sold. He also had worked as an executive for CertusBank and JPMorgan Chase and for organizations including American Express and the United Services Automobile Association. Photos: 2023 Nebraska legislative session LINCOLN Lawmakers advanced a key piece of Gov. Jim Pillens plan Tuesday to balance out the spread of state funding to Nebraskas public schools. Legislative Bill 583 is the operational piece of Pillens education package, according to State Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue, who introduced the bill on his behalf. The legislation would increase state aid for special education, and would ensure every school district gets at least $1,500 for every student they enroll. The bill advanced through the first round of debate in a 39-3 vote Tuesday after two days of floor discussion. It still needs to pass two more rounds of debate before it is sent to Pillens desk to be signed into law. Local lawmakers generally agree that the lack of state funding for education is a problem, and that it is a major contributor to rising local property taxes. Nebraska is near the bottom of U.S. states in terms of state funding for education, although when combining state and local spending, its in the top half. It is time Nebraska gets behind funding our public schools, Sanders said. Education reform was a pillar of Pillens gubernatorial campaign last year, where he pitched a plan to completely dissolve the existing state school funding formula, and fund schools on a per-pupil basis. Since then, his plan has modified and is partially reflected in LB 583. The other portion of the plan, LB 681, would establish a $1 billion Education Future Fund with $250 million added in each of the following years to support some of the planned increase in school spending. That bill has not advanced out of its committee. Additionally, Pillen wants to impose a 3% cap on school revenue growth. Initially offered as separate legislation, that cap now is included in a bill that advanced last week as part of Pillens tax relief package. Under LB 583, the bill that advanced Tuesday, state support for schools would increase by about $305 million in the first year. One part of the bill would increase state funding for special education so that the combination of state and federal support would cover 80% of costs. Currently, they cover around 40% of costs, with the rest coming from schools general fund budgets. The $1,500 in new foundation aid for every student would primarily impact districts that dont receive equalization aid under the current funding formula. Districts that receive enough equalization aid to account for more than $1,500 per student would not receive the foundation aid; if equalization aid amounts to less than $1,500 per student, the foundation aid would make up the difference. The foundation aid proposal is based on the concern raised by Pillen and some lawmakers that equalization aid is distributed to a minority of school districts even though it makes up the bulk of state funding for education. Currently, only 86 of Nebraskas 244 school districts receive equalization aid. Other districts have relatively large property tax bases compared to their enrollments, so the state aid formula requires them to depend more heavily on local property taxes. Sen. Tom Briese of Albion said his local school district gets only about 6% of its budget from the state, while some urban districts receive more than half their funding from the state. Thats not equitable, Briese said. In fact, thats unconscionable. However, opponents argued that districts receiving equalization aid do so because they have the highest needs and enroll the majority of Nebraskas students. Omaha Sens. Terrell McKinney and Justin Wayne said the bill largely neglects the school districts in the Omaha area, providing only a slight increase to their special education funding even though they have a high number of students in poverty. Wayne said the legislation is an example of quiet racism that he often sees in the Nebraska Legislature disproportionately hurting low-income areas with high populations of people of color and benefiting rural areas with less diversity and income disparity. At the end of the day, we are picking winners and losers instead of just funding kids, Wayne said. Omaha Public Schools opposed LB 583 at its public hearing in February. The bill saw support from other education organizations such as the Nebraska Association of School Boards, the Nebraska Council of School Administrators, Millard Public Schools and the Lincoln Board of Education. Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte said investing more money into rural school districts helps with the problems urban districts face. With more funding, he said, rural districts can better retain their students, and thus limit the overcrowding and infrastructure challenges in urban districts. Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha also opposed the bill, arguing that because of the property tax reductions that are proposed in other bills this session, many districts may not be able to use the additional funding in LB 583 for school improvements. Instead, she said, they will have to use it to offset the loss in property tax revenue. She repeatedly referred to the funding in the bill as replacement dollars. Lawmakers resisted multiple attempts to amend LB 583, including one amendment from Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth that would have increased the number of equalized districts by bringing down property valuations. Though Brandts amendment was based in another bill that had its own public hearing, LB 320, opponents contended that it was a last-minute change that would be too large and complex. Several lawmakers argued the amendment would compromise the integrity of the entire package. If we tinker with this, the whole house falls apart, said Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of the Omaha area. After Brandts amendment failed in a 17-29 vote, Wayne, who supported the amendment, said the 17 yes votes suggest that LB 583 may not have the 33 votes needed to end debate and get to a vote in future rounds. Wayne said he would work to persuade lawmakers to vote against ending a filibuster during the second round of debate unless the Legislature approves other amendments he plans to introduce. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of March 2023 LINCOLN A day after advancing in the Lincoln mayoral race, State Sen. Suzanne Geist announced her resignation from the Nebraska Legislature. Geists resignation will take effect at midnight on Thursday, with still 32 days left to go in the current session. Gov. Jim Pillen plans to announce his appointee to replace her on Thursday afternoon. It has been an honor of my life to serve here with all of you, Geist said on the Legislative floor Wednesday. The news comes the day after Geist advanced to Lincolns general mayoral election on May 2, along with incumbent Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird. In Tuesdays election, Baird had about 49% of the vote to Geists 34%. Geist was elected to the Nebraska Legislature serving District 25 in 2016. After winning reelection, she was set to be term-limited in 2024. On her campaign Twitter account, Geist said in a video she was all in on the race. I am going all in on this race, spending full time running for the mayor of Lincoln, Geist said in the video. With Pillen announcing Geists replacement the same day her resignation takes effect, there will likely be little to no time that the District 25 seat will be left vacant. The Legislature goes into recess Friday and wont reconvene until Tuesday. Speaker of the Legislature John Arch said Wednesday that he was unsure how the switch might affect bill scheduling moving forward. Assuming Pillens appointee is a conservative Republican like Geist, the change is unlikely to impact the fate of several controversial bills this session. Geist has supported several measures that have struggled in the past to find the votes to end opposing filibusters, including a bill allowing residents to carry concealed weapons without a permit, and a bill increasing restrictions on abortion. Another bill that has held up progress on other legislation this year is LB 574, which would ban gender-affirming care for individuals under 19. The bill got just enough votes to end a filibuster against it during the first round of debate, with Geist providing one of those crucial votes. The Nebraska Democratic Party said in an emailed statement that Geist resigned because she doesnt want to face the repercussions of taking the hard votes on these controversial measures. Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha, who is leading the filibuster effort in protest to LB 574, said she doesnt plan to change her effort in light of Geists resignation. Unless her replacement tells her he wont support LB 574, she said the filibusters will continue. Among the potential appointees is former legislative aide Denny Vaggalis, a self-proclaimed conservative Republican attorney who announced plans to run for Geists seat in 2024 earlier this year. Vaggalis is the son-in-law of Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte, and formerly served as a policy adviser for then-Gov. Pete Ricketts. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of March 2023 Donald Trump goes home to Florida following his arraignment over the hush money case "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) supporters gathered outside the NYC courtroom where the former president was held Violence erupted between the people who opposed and those who supported Trump's arraignment Donald Trump's arraignment inside a Manhattan courtroom was met with MAGA supporters gathering outside the building to protest the former president's arrest. In one instance, a woman wearing a "Make America Great Again" cap fell to the ground after she trampled an anti-Trump flag strewn across the ground near the courthouse. The supporter of the former president allegedly grabbed the banner that read, "TRUMP LIES ALL THE TIME," and laid on it before protesters confronted her in favor of the arraignment. Donald Trump Arraignment Update The Republican businessman flew home to Florida after the arraignment, where he is expected to deliver remarks on Tuesday. Over the weekend, the former president's lawyers said they planned to file a motion to dismiss all charges that stemmed from the investigation launched by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, as per Fox News. The situation followed the Manhattan grand jury's announcement last Thursday to indict the Republican businessman for his alleged hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. While the indictment remains sealed, it was expected to be released to the public after Trump's arraignment. On his social media platform, Truth Social, the former president said that the area where he was arraigned, Manhattan, was unfair and wanted the case to be moved to nearby States Island. He argued that the latter would be much fairer and is a more secure location for his trial. The former president also claimed that the judge handling his case, Judge Juan Merchan, is highly partisan. The Republican businessman added that Merchan's family are well-known Trump haters. Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene joined the rally outside of the Manhattan courtroom to oppose Trump's arraignment. She delivered brief remarks where she criticized Democrats, calling them "communists" and "failures," according to the New York Times. Read Also: Donald Trump to be Arraigned Tuesday Former President Pleads Not Guilty Law enforcement personnel in the area worked to separate pro- and anti-Trump demonstrators in Collect Pond. Despite being relatively peaceful, a small scuffle broke out between the two sides, with one person shouting at Greene, telling her to go back to Georgia. During the arraignment, Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records amid prosecutors' accusations that he orchestrated the hush money payments to the two women involved in the case. In a statement, prosecutor Chris Conroy said that Trump falsified New York business records to hide the fact that there was an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 presidential election and other election law violations. Prosecutors alleged that the former president made a series of threatening social media posts, with one claiming there would be "death and destruction" if he were criminally charged. The former president spent roughly an hour inside the courtroom before he was sent on his way home to Florida, said the Straits Times. Related Article: Florida to Revamp State Election Laws @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. BRUSSELS (AP) Finland joined the NATO military alliance Tuesday, dealing a major blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a historic realignment of Europe's post-Cold War security landscape triggered by Moscows invasion of Ukraine. The Nordic country's membership doubles Russias border with the worlds biggest security alliance. Finland had adopted neutrality after its defeat by the Soviets in World War II, but its leaders signaled they wanted to join NATO after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine sent a shiver of fear through its neighbors. The era of nonalignment in our history has come to an end - a new era begins, President Sauli Niinisto said before his countrys blue-and-white flag was raised outside NATO headquarters. A short distance away, outside the security fence, a few dozen people wrapped in flags of their own chanted, Ukraine needs NATO. In praising Finland's membership, U.S. President Joe Biden noted it came on the 74th anniversary of the signing of NATO's founding treaty on April 4, 1949. When Putin launched his brutal war of aggression against the people of Ukraine, he thought he could divide Europe and NATO. He was wrong, Biden said in a statement. Today, we are more united than ever. And together strengthened by our newest ally, Finland we will continue to preserve transatlantic security, defend every inch of NATO territory, and meet any and all challenges we face. The move is a strategic and political setback for Putin, who has long complained about NATOs expansion toward Russia and partly used that as a justification for the invasion. Im tempted to say this is maybe the one thing that we can thank Mr. Putin for because he once again here precipitated something he claims to want to prevent by Russias aggression, causing many countries to believe that they have to do more to look out for their own defense and to make sure that they can deter possible Russian aggression going forward, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said before accepting the documents that made Finlands membership official. The U.S. State Department is the repository of NATO texts concerning membership. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sent his congratulations to Finland, writing on Telegram that amid Russian aggression, the Alliance became the only effective guarantee of security in the region. Russia warned it would be forced to take retaliatory measures to address what it called security threats created by Finlands membership. It had also warned it would bolster forces near Finland if NATO sends any additional troops or equipment to what is its 31st member country. The alliance says it poses no threat to Moscow. Alarmed by Moscow's invasion of Ukraine last year, Finland, which shares a 1,340 kilometer (832 mile) border with Russia, applied to join in May, seeking protection under the organizations security umbrella. Russia tried to create a sphere around them and, well, we are not a sphere. Im sure that Finns themselves feel more secure, that we are living in a more stable world, Niinisto said. Neighboring Sweden, which has avoided military alliances for more than 200 years, has also applied. But objections from NATO members Turkey and Hungary have delayed the process. Niinisto said Finlands membership "is not complete without that of Sweden. The persistent efforts for a rapid Swedish membership continue. Finland even gave its ratification of Sweden's application to Blinken as it joined. In Stockholm, Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson congratulated Finland and said he believed it would improve Swedens security but added that its no secret that we would like to have concluded it hand-in-hand. Earlier, Russia's Foreign Ministry said Moscow "will be forced to take military-technical and other retaliatory measures to counter the threats to our national security arising from Finlands accession to NATO. It said Finland's move marks "a fundamental change in the situation in Northern Europe, which had previously been one of the most stable regions in the world. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Finlands membership reflects the alliances anti-Russian course and warned that Moscow will respond depending on what weapons NATO allies place there. But he also sought to play down the impact, noting that Russia has no territorial disputes with Finland. It's not clear what additional military resources Russia could send to the Finnish border. Moscow has deployed the bulk of its most capable military units to Ukraine. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said no more troops would be sent to Finland unless it asked for help. The country is now protected by what Stoltenberg called NATO's iron-clad security guarantee, under which all member countries vow to come to the defense of any ally that comes under attack. But Stoltenberg refused to rule out the possibility of holding more military exercises there and said that NATO would not allow Russias demands to dictate the organizations decisions. We are constantly assessing our posture, our presence. We have more exercises, we have more presence, also in the Nordic area, he said. In 1939 and 1940, Finlands tiny, ill-equipped forces fought in what became known as the Winter War against the Soviet Union. Over an exceptionally cold winter, Finnish fighters, sometimes cloaked in white bedsheets for camouflage and typically moving unseen on foot, snowshoes and skis, lost some territory to Moscow but forced out the invaders. Finland says it can muster a 280,000-strong fighting force, built on near-universal male conscription and a large, well-trained reserve, equipped with modern artillery, warplanes and tanks. The country of 5.5 million joined the European Union in 1995, Finland's Parliament, meanwhile, said its website was hit with a so-called denial-of-service attack, which made the site hard to use, with many pages not loading and some functions not available. A pro-Russian hacker group known as NoName057 (16) claimed responsibility, saying the attack was retaliation for Finland joining NATO. The claim could not be immediately verified. The hacker group, which has reportedly acted on Moscows orders, has taken part in a slew of cyberattacks on the U.S. and its allies in the past. Finnish public broadcaster YLE said the same group hit the Parliament's site last year. Associated Press writers David Keyton in Stockholm, Sweden, and Jari Tanner in Helsinki contributed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has delayed his contentious judicial overhaul plan on after a wave of mass protests. The Israeli leader said Monday that he wants to give time to seek a compromise with his political opponents. Netanyahu spoke after tens of thousands of people demonstrated outside the parliament building in Jerusalem. It was the latest in three months of mass protests. His announcement appeared to calm some of the tensions that have fueled three tumultuous months of unrest. Israel's main labor union called off a general strike. But it failed to address the underlying issues that have polarized the nation, and the anti-government protest movement vowed to intensify its efforts. Ukrainians are commemorating the anniversary of the liberation of Bucha after a brutal Russian occupation a year ago left behind hundreds of dead civilians, some with signs of torture, establishing the town near Kyiv as an epicenter of the wars atrocities. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke at a ceremony in Bucha Friday, vowing to punish those who committed outrages there that are still raw. The Kremlins forces occupied Bucha weeks after they invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and stayed for about a month. Ukrainian troops retook the town and found horrific scenes. Hundreds of bodies were uncovered including some of children. King Charles III boarded a carriage, though not the horse-drawn kind, for the final leg of his three-day trip to Germany. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier accompanied Charles and Camilla, the queen consort, on a high-speed train journey to the northern port city of Hamburg. They are scheduled to visit a memorial to the childrens transports that resulted in more than 10,000 Jewish children receiving refuge from Nazi Germany in the U.K. The British royals arrived Wednesday in the German capital for Charles first foreign trip as king. On Thursday, Charles became the first monarch to address the German parliament. WYNNE, Ark. (AP) Storms that dropped possibly dozens of tornadoes killed at least 26 people in small towns and big cities across the South and Midwest, tearing a path through the Arkansas capital, collapsing the roof of a packed concert venue in Illinois and stunning people throughout the region Saturday with the damage's scope. Confirmed or suspected tornadoes in at least eight states destroyed homes and businesses, splintered trees and laid waste to neighborhoods across a broad swath of the country. The dead included at least nine in one Tennessee county, four in the small town of Wynne, Arkansas, three in Sullivan, Indiana, and four in Illinois. Other deaths from the storms that hit Friday night into Saturday were reported in Alabama and Mississippi, along with one near Little Rock, Arkansas, where city officials said more than 2,600 buildings were in a tornado's path. Residents of Wynne, a community of about 8,000 people 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of Memphis, Tennessee, woke Saturday to find the high school's roof shredded and its windows blown out. Huge trees lay on the ground, their stumps reduced to nubs. Broken walls, windows and roofs pocked homes and businesses. Debris lay scattered inside the shells of homes and on lawns: clothing, insulation, toys, splintered furniture, a pickup truck with its windows shattered. Ashley Macmillan said she, her husband and their children huddled with their dogs in a small bathroom as a tornado passed, praying and saying goodbye to each other, because we thought we were dead. A falling tree seriously damaged their home, but they were unhurt. We could feel the house shaking, we could hear loud noises, dishes rattling. And then it just got calm, she said. Recovery was already underway, with workers using chainsaws and bulldozers to clear the area and utility crews restoring power. Nine people died in Tennessee's McNairy County, east of Memphis, according to Patrick Sheehan, director the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. The majority of the damage has been done to homes and residential areas, said David Leckner, the mayor of Adamsville. Gov. Bill Lee drove to the county Saturday to tour the destruction and comfort residents. He said the storm capped the worst week of his time as governor, coming days after a school shooting in Nashville that killed six people including a family friend whose funeral he and his wife, Maria, attended earlier in the day. Its terrible what has happened in this community, this county, this state, Lee said. But it looks like your community has done what Tennessean communities do, and that is rally and respond. Jeffrey Day said he called his daughter after seeing on the news that their community of Adamsville was being hit. Huddled in a closet with her 2-year-old son as the storm passed over, she answered the phone screaming. She kept asking me, What do I do, daddy?" Day said, tearing up. "I didnt know what to say. After the storm passed, his daughter crawled out of her destroyed home and over barbed wire and drove to nearby family. On Saturday evening, baby clothes were still strewn about the site. In Memphis, police spokesman Christopher Williams said via email late Saturday that there were three deaths believed to be weather-related: two children and an adult who died when a tree fell on a house. Tennessee officials warned that the same weather conditions from Friday night are expected to return Tuesday. In Belvidere, Illinois, part of the roof of the Apollo Theatre collapsed as about 260 people were attending a heavy metal concert. A 50-year-old man was pulled from the rubble. I sat with him and I held his hand and I was (telling him), Its going to be OK. I didnt really know much else what to do," concertgoer Gabrielle Lewellyn told WTVO-TV. The man was dead by the time emergency workers arrived. Officials said 40 others were hurt, including two with life-threatening injuries. Crews cleaned up around the Apollo on Saturday, with forklifts pulling away loose bricks. Business owners picked up glass shards and covered shattered windows. In Crawford County, Illinois, three people were killed and eight injured when a tornado hit around New Hebron, said Bill Burke, the county board chair. Sheriff Bill Rutan said 60 to 100 families were displaced. Weve had emergency crews digging people out of their basements because the house is collapsed on top of them, but luckily they had that safe space to go to, Rutan said at a news conference. That tornado was not far from where three people died in Indiana's Sullivan County, about 95 miles (150 kilometers) southwest of Indianapolis. Sullivan Mayor Clint Lamb said at a news conference that an area south of the county seat of about 4,000 is essentially unrecognizable right now" and several people were rescued overnight. There were reports of as many as 12 people injured, he said. Im really, really shocked there isnt more as far as human issues, he said, adding that recovery is going to be a very long process. In the Little Rock area, at least one person was killed and more than 50 were hurt, some critically. The National Weather Service said that tornado was a high-end EF3 twister with wind speeds up to 165 mph (265 kph) and a path as long as 25 miles (40 kilometers). Masoud Shahed-Ghaznavi was lunching at home when it roared through his neighborhood, causing him to hide in the laundry room as sheetrock fell and windows shattered. When he emerged, the house was mostly rubble. Everything around me is sky," Shahed-Ghaznavi recalled Saturday. He barely slept Friday night. When I closed my eyes, I couldnt sleep, imagined I was here, he said Saturday outside his home. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard. On Saturday, Sanders requested a major disaster declaration from President Joe Biden to support recovery efforts with federal resources. Another suspected tornado killed a woman in northern Alabamas Madison County, officials said, and in northern Mississippi's Pontotoc County, authorities confirmed one death and four injuries. Tornadoes also caused damage in eastern Iowa and broke windows northeast of Peoria, Illinois. The storms struck just hours after Biden visited Rolling Fork, Mississippi, where tornadoes last week destroyed parts of town. It could take days to determine the exact number of tornadoes from the latest event, said Bill Bunting, chief of forecast operations at the Storm Prediction Center. There were also hundreds of reports of large hail and damaging winds, he said. Thats a quite active day," he said. But thats not unprecedented. More than 530,000 homes and businesses were without power as of midday Saturday, over 200,000 of them in Ohio, according to PowerOutage.us. The sprawling storm system also brought wildfires to the southern Plains, with authorities in Oklahoma reporting nearly 100 of them Friday. At least 32 people were said to be injured, and more than 40 homes destroyed. The storms also caused blizzard conditions in the Upper Midwest. A threat of tornadoes and hail remained for the Northeast including in parts of Pennsylvania and New York. DeMillo reported from Little Rock. Associated Press writers around the country contributed to this report, including Kimberlee Kruesi in Adamsville, Tennessee, Harm Venhuizen in Belvidere, Illinois, and Corey Williams in Detroit. CHICAGO (AP) Brandon Johnson, a union organizer and former teacher, was elected as Chicago's next mayor Tuesday in a major victory for the Democratic Partys progressive wing as the heavily blue city grapples with high crime and financial challenges. Johnson, a Cook County commissioner endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union, won a close race over former Chicago schools CEO Paul Vallas, who was backed by the police union. Johnson, 47, will succeed Lori Lightfoot, the first Black woman and first openly gay person to be the citys mayor. With about 91% of the vote counted, Johnson had 51.4% to 48.6% for Vallas. More votes will be counted as absentee ballots arrive in the mail. Lightfoot became the first Chicago mayor in 40 years to lose her reelection bid when she finished third in a crowded February contest. Johnsons victory in the nation's third-largest city capped a remarkable trajectory for a candidate who was little known when he entered the race last year. He climbed to the top of the field with organizing and financial help from the politically influential Chicago Teachers Union and high-profile endorsements from progressive Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. Sanders appeared at a rally for Johnson in the final days of the race. Taking the stage Tuesday night for his victory speech, a jubilant Johnson thanked his supporters for helping usher in a new chapter in the history of our city. He promised that under his administration, the city would look out for everyone, regardless of how much money they have, whom they love or where they come from. Tonight is the beginning of a Chicago that truly invests in all of its people, Johnson said. Johnson, who is Black, recalled growing up in a poor family, teaching at a school in Cabrini Green, a notorious former public housing complex, and shielding his own young kids from gunfire in their West Side neighborhood. He referenced civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and the Rev. Jesse Jackson and called his victory a continuation of their legacies. He also noted that he was speaking on the anniversary of Kings assassination. Today the dream is alive, Johnson said, and so today we celebrate the revival and the resurrection of the city of Chicago. It was a momentous win for progressive organizations such as the teachers union, with Johnson winning the highest office of any active teachers union member in recent history, leaders say. For both progressives and the partys more moderate wing, the Chicago race was seen as a test of organizing power and messaging. Johnson's win also comes as groups such as Our Revolution, a powerful progressive advocacy organization, push to win more offices in local and state office, including in upcoming mayoral elections in Philadelphia and elsewhere. Vallas, speaking to his own supporters Tuesday night, said that he had called Johnson and that he expected him to be the next mayor. Some in the crowd seemed to jeer the news, but Vallas urged them to put aside differences and support the next mayor in the daunting work ahead. This campaign that I ran to bring the city together would not be a campaign that fulfills my ambitions if this election is going to divide us, Vallas said. In a statement, Lightfoot also congratulated Johnson and said her administration will collaborate with his team during the transition. Johnson and Vallas were the top two vote-getters in the all-Democrat but officially nonpartisan February race, which moved to the runoff because no candidate received over 50%. On Tuesday, Johnson took many of the predominantly Black southern and western areas where Lightfoot won in February, along with the northern neighborhoods where he was the top-vote getter back then, according to precinct-level results released by election officials. Vallas did well in the northwest and southwest areas that are home to large numbers of city employees, just as he did in February. The contest surfaced longstanding tensions among Democrats, with Johnson and his supporters blasting Vallas who was endorsed by Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the chambers second-ranking Democrat as too conservative and a Republican in disguise. Both candidates have deep roots in the Democratic Party, though with vastly different backgrounds and views. After teaching middle and high school, Johnson helped mobilize teachers, including during a historic 2012 strike through which the Chicago Teachers Union increased its organizing muscle and influence in city politics. That has included fighting for non-classroom issues, such as housing and mental health care. Vallas, who finished first in the February contest, was the only white candidate in that nine-person field. A former Chicago budget director, he later led schools in Chicago, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Bridgeport, Connecticut. Among the biggest disputes between Johnson and Vallas was how to address crime. Like many U.S. cities, Chicago saw violent crime increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, hitting a 25-year high of 797 homicides in 2021, though the number decreased last year and the city has a lower murder rate than others in the Midwest, such as St. Louis. Vallas, 69, said he would hire hundreds more police officers, while Johnson said he didnt plan to cut the number of officers, but that the current system of policing isnt working. Johnson was forced to defend past statements expressing support for defunding police something he insisted he would not do as mayor. But Johnson argued that instead of investing more in policing and incarceration, the city should focus on mental health treatment, affordable housing for all and jobs for youth. He has proposed a plan he says will raise $800 million by taxing ultrarich individuals and businesses, including a per-employee head tax on employers and an additional tax on hotel room stays. That plan is no sure thing, as some members of the City Council and the state Legislature whose support would be needed already have expressed opposition. Resident Chema Fernandez, 25, voted for Johnson as an opportunity to move on from what he described as the politics of old. He said he saw Vallas as being in line with previous mayors such as Rahm Emanuel, Lightfoot and Richard M. Daley, who haven't worked out great for places like his neighborhood on the southwest side, which has seen decades of disinvestment. I think we need to give the opportunity for policies that may actually change some of our conditions, Fernandez said. Finland has joined the NATO military alliance, dealing a major blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a historic realignment of Europe's post-Cold War security landscape triggered by Moscows invasion of Ukraine. With the Nordic nation entering the worlds biggest security alliance, NATO's land border with Russia has doubled. Finland had adopted neutrality after its defeat by the Soviets in World War II. But its leaders signaled they wanted to join the alliance just months after Russias invasion of Ukraine sent a shiver of fear through Moscows neighbors. Putin has long complained about NATOs expansion toward Russia and partly used that as a justification for the invasion. NEW YORK (AP) Follow along for live updates on former President Donald Trump, who surrendered Tuesday at a Manhattan courthouse to face arraignment on charges stemming from hush-money payments made during the 2016 campaign to bury allegations that he had extramarital sexual encounters. What to know: Arraignment provides new detail on charges facing Trump Manhattan prosecutors release indictment The three hush money cases in Trump indictment Small but chaotic crowd gathers near Manhattan courthouse TRUMP DEFIANT IN MAR-A-LAGO SPEECH Flanked by American flags, former President Donald Trump delivered a campaign-style speech to cheering supporters at Mar-a-Lago Tuesday night. Trump was defiant, referring, among other things, to his two impeachment trials during his presidency and an ongoing probe into alleged attempts to interfere in that states 2020 presidential election. He called the New York indictment the latest in an "onslaught of fraudulent investigations. This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election and it should be dropped immediately," Trump said. He also lashed out at the prosecutor and the judge presiding over the New York case despite being warned hours earlier by the judge to refrain from rhetoric that could cause civil unrest. Trump waved goodbye as he made his way out of the ballroom thronged by people recording the moment with their smartphones. The crowd included supporters like failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and longtime ally Roger Stone. TRUMP RETURNS TO FLORIDA In a social media post from his plane on his flight home from New York, former President Donald Trump said that Tuesday's court hearing "was shocking to many in that they had no surprises, and therefore, no case. Virtually every legal pundit has said that there is no case here. There was nothing done illegally! Trump's plane has landed in Florida, and his motorcade headed to his Mar-a-Lago resort where hundreds of supporters, many in red MAGA hats, awaited him in a grand ballroom. Trump was expected to speak there in a campaign-like setting. One man wore a jacket patterned with star-shaped American flags, and another man wore a red tie with the message No Crime! Members of a motorcycle club sported black leather vests that read on the back Born To Ride for 45 Donald Trump. Trump was the 45th U.S. president. Alex Gonzalez, a motorcycle club member, said he supports Trump in his 2024 presidential bid. If he did something wrong, like anybody else, he should be held liable for it, but at the same time this is a witch hunt. This is not a real case, said Gonzalez. MANHATTAN DA BRAGG DISCUSSES CHARGES Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg says his offices historic case against former President Donald Trump seeks to ensure that everyone stands equal before the law. No amount of money and no amount of power changes that enduring American principle, Bragg said. Bragg spoke to a room packed with reporters following Trumps arraignment Tuesday in a Manhattan courthouse on 34 felony charges tied to hush money paid to multiple people during the 2016 presidential campaign. The former president pleaded not guilty. Bragg, who took office in 2022 and initially slowed the offices move toward indicting Trump, said additional evidence not available to his predecessor led to moving forward now. He didnt elaborate on the evidence or how it came to prosecutors attention. I bring cases when theyre ready, Bragg said. JUDGE WARNS TRUMP TO AVOID INFLAMING RHETORIC A New York judge warned former President Donald Trump to refrain from rhetoric that could inflame or cause civil unrest during Trumps arraignment Tuesday in Manhattan. Trump told Judge Juan Merchan that he pleaded not guilty, and the judge advised him of his rights. Merchan also warned Trump that he could be removed from the courtroom if he is disruptive, but Trump spoke only a few times to respond to questions. Hes next due in court in December. Trumps lawyers asked for him to be excused from attending the hearing in person because of extraordinary security precautions. The judge said he was not imposing a gag order at this point, but he asked both sides to refrain from comments that could lead to civil unrest. Trump stayed mostly still with his hands steepled or interlaced and looked ahead during the proceedings, which lasted just under an hour. TRUMP LEAVES MANHATTAN COURTHOUSE Former President Donald Trump has left the Manhattan courthouse after his arraignment on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Trump did not answer a reporters shouted question about the charges as he quickly left the courtroom where the hearing was held. Trump spent about two hours inside the building for booking and the arraignment where he learned the details of the criminal charges he faces while running a third presidential campaign. TRUMP PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO 34 FELONY COUNTS OF FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, according to two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter. The two officials who confirmed the plea spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because prosecutors had not yet released the indictment publicly. The charges stem from a hush-money payment during the 2016 campaign. Photos from the courtroom showed Trump sitting at the table reserved for defendants and their attorneys. His legal team surrounded him, two seated on each side of the former president. Trump leaned forward slightly, his shoulders rounded, but he didnt turn his face away from photographers given permission to be in the courtroom just before the hearing. WHITE HOUSE REMAINING QUIET ON TRUMP CHARGES While the countrys attention was trained on the Manhattan courthouse where Donald Trump was being arraigned, the White House did its best Tuesday to suggest that it wasnt paying much attention. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that our focus right now is on the American people, and was noncommittal when asked whether President Joe Biden was following the news. He will catch part of the news when he has a moment to catch up on the news of the day, she said. But this is not a focus for him today. Jean-Pierre was similarly circumspect when asked about the potential for unrest over the prosecution of the former president, especially since Trump has called for protests. We are prepared, she said. Fox News Peter Doocy tried unsuccessfully to get Jean-Pierre to open up more. Why dont you have more to say about the Trump indictment? he asked. For better or worse, all that anybody in the country is talking about, at this exact moment while were in here, is Trump. And they look here to find out what the White House thinks about it. I think the American people should feel reassured that when there is an ongoing case like this one, that were just not commenting, Jean-Pierre said. But reporters didnt give up. I love how you guys are asking me this in different ways, Jean-Pierre joked. You guys are clever. TRUMP ENTERS COURTROOM FOR ARRAIGNMENT Former President Donald Trump has entered the Manhattan courtroom where he is scheduled for arraignment on criminal charges stemming from a hush-money payment during his 2016 campaign. Trump reached the 15th floor courtroom about 70 minutes after he entered the courthouse to surrender and be booked ahead of the hearing. Trump did not acknowledge a television camera sending live images from the hallway outside the courtroom. Judge Juan Merchan has ruled that TV cameras will not be allowed in the courtroom. Trumps attorneys have said he will plead not guilty. MANHATTAN DA ENTERS COURTROOM Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has entered the courtroom where former President Donald Trump is scheduled for arraignment on criminal charges stemming from a hush-money payment during his 2016 campaign. Trump has not yet been seen on the 15th floor where the hearing is supposed to take place. Wearing a navy blue suit and a bright red tie, Trump entered the courthouse around 12:20 p.m. to surrender on the charges and be processed before the hearing. TRUMP ARRIVES AT MANHATTAN COURTHOUSE Former President Donald Trump has arrived at the Manhattan courthouse where he is expected to plead not guilty to criminal charges. He entered the courthouse surrounded by Secret Service agents. Trumps motorcade traveled from Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan, tracked by numerous helicopters. TRUMP LEAVES NEW YORK HOME Former President Donald Trump pumped his fist and waved before leaving Trump Tower shortly after 1 p.m. Tuesday, bound for the Manhattan courthouse nearly 4 miles (6 kilometers) away. Trumps attorneys have arranged for his surrender. He will be booked at the courthouse, not at a police precinct as most New York defendants are. Court officials will create a record of his name, age, birthdate, height and weight before taking his fingerprints via a computerized system. They may take his photo. FLORIDA LAWMAKER PLEDGES TO KEEP SUPPORTING TRUMP A former Florida state lawmaker said he and others drove from Orlando to New York in time for Tuesday's hearing to send a message to former President Donald Trump: We won't stop supporting you. Anthony Sabatini, chair of Florida's Lake County Republican Party, joined other Trump supporters in a park near the Manhattan courthouse where Trump's arraignment was to be held. "It's a bad day for America, one of the worst days in American history, he said. The mood among Trump supporters, though, was positive, Sabatini said. He credited New York police officers with keeping people separated based on their motivation in support of Trump or in support of his indictment. GREENE SPEAKS BRIEFLY AMID SHOUTS Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene briefly rallied supporters of Donald Trump outside the Manhattan courthouse Tuesday morning ahead of the former presidents arraignment. After she exited an SUV, a large crowd surrounded the Georgia Republican, once shunned by the GOP as a political pariah for her extremist rhetoric. She made her way through a park where hundreds of onlookers and journalists gathered and used a bullhorn to speak briefly. It was difficult to hear her comments in the crowd. In video of the remarks, Greene thanked patriotic Trump supporters who are here today." She called Republicans the party of peace and called Democrats the party of violence. Greene then made a fast exit. It was unclear whether she would return. In an interview posted online, Greene said she planned to speak with media from a car and accused counter-protesters of assault for blowing whistles and shouting as she spoke. New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Monday said his message for Greene was that she should be on your best behavior. Greene blasted Adams for calling me out by name. As you can see, I'm standing here peacefully protesting, she said. GEORGE SANTOS JOINS TRUMP SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE COURTHOUSE George Santos, the besieged Republican congressman facing multiple investigations into lies he told while running for office, joined the growing crowd of people gathered outside the Manhattan courthouse ahead of former President Donald Trumps arraignment. Santos told The Associated Press that he didnt plan to go inside the courthouse but came to support the president. I want to support the president, just because I think this is unprecedented, and its a bad day for democracy, Santos said. Whats to stop the next prosecutor in two years from doing the same thing to Joe Biden and moving on every four years? So this makes bad precedent legally. And it makes, it cheapens the judicial system, and its not good for America. Santos has rejected calls for his resignation, including some from members of his own party. He demurred Tuesday when asked if he hopes Trump will continue to back him in return for the show of support. Im not here for that, he said. RALLY FOR TRUMP People began gathering Tuesday morning for a rally for Donald Trump in a park outside the courthouse where the former president is scheduled to be arraigned. The rally with Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was scheduled to start several hours ahead of Trumps court appearance. Some anti-Trump protesters also appeared, unfurling a large banner saying Trump Lies All the Time. Trump supporters also are expected expected to gather at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida on Tuesday night as he returns. ___ PROSECUTOR ARRIVES Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg arrived at court Tuesday morning in New York ahead of former President Donald Trump's arraignment. Bragg became Manhattans first Black district attorney in 2022, following his election the previous November. He inherited a yearslong grand jury investigation into hush money paid on Trumps behalf during his 2016 presidential campaign. After taking office, Bragg slowed his offices move toward an indictment of Trump and said he had concerns about the strength of the case. That sparked a public protest by two prosecutors who were leading the investigation and resigned. But Bragg convened a new grand jury this year after convicting Trumps family company for tax fraud. He called that result a strong demarcation line for proceeding with other parts of the probe. TRUMP ATTORNEY: NO GUILTY PLEA' Trump attorney Joe Tacopina said the former president's appearance in court for Tuesdays arraignment would be brief because the processing does not take long. It wont be a long day in court, he said on ABCs Good Morning America." "We know the basis of the indictment and the factual allegations in the indictment, Tacopina said, adding that Trump would maintain his innocence. One thing I can assure you as I sit here today: Therell be no guilty plea in this case. Thats one thing I can guarantee you, he said. Tacopina appeared to predict that the case would ultimately be dismissed. I dont think this case is going to see a juror, he said. I think theres a legal challenge that will be made and should be made successfully. SPECTATORS LINE UP Spectators, many of them members of the news media, lined up overnight to get a seat inside the courtroom, or even just a glimpse of Trump, who wasnt expected until Tuesday afternoon. The building was surrounded by barricades, and people were undergoing layers of security checks. The reporters waiting in line were camped out under tents with lawn chairs, blankets and pizza boxes. The nations 45th commander in chief was expected to be escorted from Trump Tower which was also surrounded by barricades to a lower Manhattan courthouse by the Secret Service. Police braced for protests from supporters of Trump, a Republican who is running for the White House again in 2024. He called the decision by a grand jury to indict him political persecution and election interference at the highest level. Prosecutors investigated money paid to porn actor Stormy Daniels and ex-Playboy model Karen McDougal to keep the women from going public with claims that they had sex with him. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Hundreds gathered Wednesday at a candlelight vigil in Nashville to honor and mourn the three children and three adults who were killed in a shooting at a Christian school this week. The downtown ceremony for the victims of the shooting at The Covenant School was somber and at times tearful, as speaker after speaker read the names of the victims and offered condolences to their loved ones. The family of Mike Hill, a 61-year-old custodian who was among those killed, was in attendance, including his seven children. First lady Jill Biden also was on hand but did not address the crowd. Sheryl Crow sang I Shall Believe and ended with the lyrics from a Dionne Warwick song, What the World Needs Now is Love, Sweet Love. Margo Price sang an a cappella version of Tears of Rage." And Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show led the crowd in the Christian hymn, Will the Circle Be Unbroken, which brought many to tears. Just two days ago was our citys worst day, Mayor John Cooper said. I so wish we werent here, but we need to be here. Shaundelle Brooks, who lost her 23-year-old son, Akilah Dasilva, in the 2018 Nashville Waffle House shooting, said she went to the vigil to support the families of those slain at the school. I know what its like to be a parent what it feels like, like youre drowning and cant move, and that weakness and that hole that comes in your stomach, she said. Police have said a 28-year-old former student drove up to the school Monday morning, shot out the glass doors, entered and began firing indiscriminately. The dead were identified as as students Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney, all 9 years old; Katherine Koonce, 60, the head of the school; substitute teacher Cynthia Peak, 61; and Hill. Authorities have not yet determined the shooters motive but say the assailant did not target specific victims. Price, who has been particularly vocal about Tennessee Gov. Bill Lees position on state gun laws, tweeted after the shooting: Our children are dying and being shot in school, but youre more worried about drag queens than smart gun laws? You have blood on your hands. Crow and Secor also called for stricter gun laws in tweets posted after the shooting. But there was no talk of gun control at the vigil, as people steered clear of the political divide between blue-leaning Nashville and ruby red Tennessee. Republicans and Democratic lawmakers stood together in asking for remembrance of the six who died. Lee said Tuesday that Peak was a close friend of his wife, Maria, and that the two had been planning to meet for dinner after Peaks work that day. Maria woke up this morning without one of her best friends, Lee said in a video statement, adding that his wife once taught with Peak and Koonce. The women, he said, have been family friends for decades. Earlier Wednesday, Pope Francis sent condolences to Nashville and offered prayers to those affected. George Grant, a pastor and leader with the Nashville Presbytery, also avoided any mention of politics. As pundits and politicians try to make sense out of the senseless, were not really asking why. We know why we live in a broken, fallen world, Grant said in a phone interview Tuesday. The church linked to the school is a member of the presbytery, which includes congregations in middle Tennessee and southwestern Kentucky. In a blog post Wednesday, Grant recounted how notifications about an active shooter at the school interrupted a presbytery planning meeting that included Chad Scruggs, Covenant Presbyterian Church pastor and father of one of the shooting victims. We emptied into the hallway, stricken, eyes clouded with unbelief, horror and grief. ... Our worst fears were realized, Grant wrote. Police said the shooter, identified as Audrey Hale, was under a doctors care for an undisclosed emotional disorder and was not on the radar of police before the attack. Hale was fatally shot by police at the school Monday. Authorities have given unclear information on Hales gender. For hours Monday, police identified the shooter as a woman. Later in the day, the police chief said Hale was transgender. In an email Tuesday, a police spokesperson said Hale was assigned female at birth but used masculine pronouns on a social media profile. Maria Colomy, a former teacher at the Nossi College of Art & Design in Nashville, recalled Hale as a talented artist while a student in Colomys social media class in 2017. Colomy remembered Hale going above and beyond on projects." She said she saw postings on Facebook during the past year in which Hale wrote about the death of a romantic partner and asked to be called by a male name and male pronouns. Hale had been very publicly grieving" on Facebook, Colomy said. It was during that grief (Hale) said, In this persons honor, I am going to be the person who I want to be, and I want to be called Aiden.'" On Hales first day at the Nossi School, Colomy said she saw Hale become frustrated while trying to log into the student portal and start to cry. I went up to (Hale) and said, Hey, if you need to step out, its totally OK,'" Colomy said. But after that, Colomy said Hale began to feel safe at school and really started thriving." Samira Hardcastle, who attended both middle and high school with Hale, said Hale seemed sweet and socially awkward. Hardcastle said she spoke to Hale briefly last month at an event for a mutual friend, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I dont think we can rationalize irrational actions, so I am just trying to make peace with that, she said. AP Religion News Editor Holly Meyer in Nashville and News Verification Reporter Beatrice Dupuy in New York contributed to this report. Kremlin guard defector flees Russia, discloses details about President Vladimir Putin's secret life Gleb Karakulov fled Russia with his family when he accompanied the Russian strongman on a visit to Kazakhstan The individual accompanied the Russian president on more than 180 trips in the past 13 years A former Kremlin guard who defected and fled Russia has opened up about what he knows about Russian President Vladimir Putin's secret life, calling him a "war criminal." During Tuesday's interview with the Dossier Center investigative website, Gleb Karakulov disclosed details regarding the Russian strongman. He formerly worked as an engineer in the Federal Guard Service (FSO) presidential communications unit and was responsible for accompanying Putin on more than 180 trips over the last 13 years. Kremlin Guard Reveals Vladimir Putin Secrets The particular unit ensured that the Russian president and his prime minister received 24/7 encrypted communications. The Kremlin guard defector said that he could flee Russia with his family and traveled to Turkey when he was accompanying Putin on a visit to Kazakhstan for a summit held in mid-October 2022, as per the Moscow Times. Karakulov, knowing that his defection violated Russian law, said that staying in his job would have been an even bigger crime. He said that he considered Putin, a war criminal over his invasion of Ukraine. The former Kremlin guard member is the highest-ranking member of Russia's special services known to have defected in the country's modern history. Karakulov shared details regarding the Russian president's habits, family, and health during the interview, which lasted roughly an hour. He noted that the Russian strongman did not use smartphones or the internet, noting that Putin demands that the state-run television be available during his international trips. Karakulov added that the Russian president was always paranoid about getting infected by the coronavirus, requiring employees to quarantine for two weeks before being in the same room as him. Read Also: Finland Joins NATO as Coalition's 31st Member Putin's Paranoia Karakulov said his decision was spurred by his moral opposition to Russia's war on Ukraine, saying that he was hopeful that his actions would inspire others to make similar decisions. According to Yahoo News, he added that it was time to end the conflict and start speaking out. He noted that Putin's paranoia has only worsened, preferring to avoid riding on airplanes instead of traveling on a special armored train. Karakulov also claims that the Russian president ordered a bunker at the Russian Embassy in Kazakhstan to be outfitted with a secure communications line. An official with a security background from a NATO member country said that a defection like Karakulov's had a "very great level of interest." Speaking anonymously, they said that the development dealt a severe blow to Putin as he is extremely keen on having impenetrable security. Karakulov compared Putin to the president he observed in 2009 and said they were "two different people." He added that the Russian strongman was now "very closed" and protected himself with defensive tactics, said the RFERL. Related Article: US Drone Kills Senior Islamic State Member in Syria @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Ndigbo Since the beginning of Nigerias fourth republic in 1999, no Igbo man or woman has ever been elevated to the position of President or Vice President of Nigeria. From 1999 till date, the country has been ruled by a Yoruba man for 8 years (Olusegun Obasanjo), Ijaw man for 4 years + (Goodluck Jonathan) and Hausa/Fulani for 7 years and counting (Umaru Musa YarAdua & Muhammadu Buhari). It is like a grand plan is in place to shut out the Igbos from ascending to these two elevated positions. If truth must be told, this aspect of our political history is one of the many reasons there is serious distrust and bad blood between the Igbos and the two other major ethnic groups in the country. There is no gainsaying the fact that when a heterogeneous country like Nigeria marginalizes one of the biggest ethnic groups in the country using bitter political maneuverings, it is preparing itself for a catastrophic implosion. We pray and sing one nation bound in freedom, peace and unity in our national anthem, yet we continue to undermine it through calculated political misgivings. For instance, Buharis four years as President (2016-2019) has so far been characterized by a highly ethnic-bigoted appointments which caused serious friction in the polity. Although he argued that his decision was as a result of the number of votes he got from the south in 2015 election, such thinking to say the least, is primitive. Without mincing words, this bitter political scheme watered the ground for serious ethnic disharmony. Many felt that other ethnic groups were purposely left out by his government because the North has a hidden agenda it is yet to achieve. The bitterness existing between the three major ethnic groups has continued to grow as the Igbos feel isolated from reaching the highest position in the land because of an unwritten agreement between the two other major ethnic groups. By their alliance, the two ethnic groups have continued to produce people who have so far failed in taking Nigeria to the promise land but because of their numbers, we have continued to settle for mediocre. The power-hungry-ethnic-champions who have held sway for many years have refused to understand that shutting out one of its three major ethnic groups from power fosters a spirit of rebellion, which in turn results in hostility among the ethnic groups. More so, this act doesnt encourage a peaceful and harmonious co-existence. Interestingly, a feeling of marginalization as this, is one of the reasons why the country has refused to move forward. This is because the ethnic groups have failed to work together as one. Instead, the individuals who have at various times occupied the highest position in the land over the years made themselves ethnic warriors instead of looking out for the interest of the nation. Because all ethnic groups in the country are equal and must have same equal political opportunities, at no time should Nigerians ever be given that impression that a particular ethnic group is born to rule over others. On the part of the Igbos, there should be a conscientious effort to harmonize the existing relationship between them and other ethnic groups, if this dream must come true. The pockets of discord being sown by enemies of the people who have continued to exploit fault-lines to cause disunity must be spotted and erased. Now and again, I see people debating whether those from Delta, Ebonyi etc have the true blood of Igboness flowing in them. What kind of nonsensically divisive argument is that? It is like we are intentionally playing right into the hands of our ex-military rulers who planted the seed of discord by ripping us apart many years ago. The southeast and southsouth are brothers and must not allow their enemies to continue to dictate their political steps. Southeast and southsouth politicians who are happy to play second fiddle after selling their rights must be reminded that history will always remember them with a frown. All illustrious sons and daughters of Ndigbo must as a matter of urgency begin now to lobby their counterparts from other ethnic groups for an Igbo Presidency come 2023. If the dream of Igbo presidency must be achieved in 2023, the high rate of voter apathy in the southeast and Southsouth must be reversed. Ndigbo must come out en masse to vote instead of sitting back at home hoping for a miracle. The absence of a leadership figure from the southeast and southsouth capable of uniting the two groups has been a clog in the wheel of progress. However, progress must be made with what is available. Illustrious sons and daughters (politicians, businessmen/women, intellectuals, writers and like minds) of southeast and southsouth extraction must come together as one for the purpose of producing an Igbo presidency in 2023. We must upset the balance to forge a formidable force and take what is rightfully ours. In order to correct the current unsavory political equation in Nigeria, foster peace & unity and conceive the idea in the hearts of all that Nigeria belongs to all, the Igbos must produce the President come 2023. This way, equity and justice would have been served. Alexander Thandi Ubani Political analyst and journalist. Former US President, Donald Trump has been arrested on Tuesday and in police custody ahead of his upcoming arraignment. Trump faces charges over hush money payments made to a porn actress just ahead of the 2016 presidential election. This is the first time in history that a former American president is facing criminal charges. Trump did not wear handcuffs, but will have his fingerprints taken. It is unclear whether his mugshot will be taken. On Monday, a judge had ruled to bar news outlets from broadcasting the arraignment. However, details of the charges are expected to be revealed in the coming hours. Trump is expected to face more than 30-count charges related to business fraud as part of a probe into the $130,000 payout to Stormy Daniels, the adult actress, in an attempt to buy her silence over an alleged affair. Israeli police conduct raid on Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque The surprise attack before dawn resulted in the injury of seven people Police authorities said that the operation was in response to what they called "rioting" A surprise raid by Israeli police in Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque resulted in the injury of seven people, said witnesses, and was conducted on Wednesday before dawn in what law enforcement personnel say was a response to "rioting." In a report, the Palestinian Red Crescent said there were injuries but did not further add details on how many people got hurt in the attack. A separate statement added that Israeli forces were blocking its medics from getting to Al-Aqsa. Surprise Israeli Police Raid on Jerusalem Mosque During an interview, an elderly woman who sat outside the mosque and struggled to catch her breath said that she was reciting the Qur'an when law enforcement threw stun grenades, one of which struck her chest. Israeli police later said they were forced to enter the compound after what they called "masked agitators" got into the mosque with fireworks, sticks, and stones and locked themselves inside, as per Aljazeera. The official statement noted that when law enforcement personnel arrived at the scene, stones were thrown at them, and unidentified suspects launched fireworks from within the mosque. It noted a large group of agitators inside and claimed that one officer was injured in the leg. The situation comes as tensions have risen in occupied East Jerusalem and West Bank for several months. Many have expressed concerns about potential violence as crucial religious festivals converge, including the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and the Jewish Passover. On the other hand, Palestinian groups have condemned recent attacks targeting worshippers, describing the operations as a form of crime. In a statement, a spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, warned against crossing red lines at holy sites that would lead to a big explosion. Read Also: Finland Joins NATO as Coalition's 31st Member Rising Tensions Between Israel and Palestine The attack on the religious site and similar operations in other areas have sparked deadly cross-border conflicts between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers, the last of which occurred in 2021. Video footage of the latest attack allegedly shows Israeli police beating Palestinians using batons and rifles, according to NBC New York. Wafa, the official Palestinian news agency, reported that dozens of worshippers at the site spent all of the night in Ramadan praying and were injured by the raid. The recent violence triggered a wave of demonstrations from Palestinians as Hamas in Gaza urged for protests and people to gather in the streets. On Tuesday, before the recent attack, a Palestinian suspect was believed to be responsible for stabbing two Israeli individuals near an army base located south of Tel Aviv, said police. It was the latest development in a yearslong spate of violence that still shows no sign of ending. Over the last year, conflicts between Israel and Palestine have surged as the former's military has continued to carry out near-nightly raids on the latter's cities, towns, and villages. It also comes as Palestinians have conducted numerous attacks against Israelis, said Global News. Related Article: Kremlin Guard Details Vladimir Putin's Secret Life @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The arrested suspects Two suspects fingered in the killing of Mallam Abubakar Yahaya, the village head of Gusasse in Bosso Local Government Area, after collecting a ransom of N1.5 million have been arrested by the Niger State Police Command. Recall that on March 15, 2023, at about 11 pm suspected gunmen attacked Gusasse village via Maikunkele. According to the Niger State Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, the assailants shot Abubakar Yahaya, the village head, and kidnapped his daughter to an unknown destination. Abiodun, who spoke in Minna, said the hoodlums recently invaded houses of victims in Barkuta, and Sabon-Gari in Beji, Bosso LGA, where they shot dead one Manir. He stated that the kidnappers further abducted one Alh. Hassan Gusasse, and macheted Chairman Gan-Mamman of Miyeti Allah in the area. He explained: Consequently, based on these recent incidents in Beji and its environs, Police operatives attached to FIB tactical squad arrested the two suspects based on a tip-off on March 31, 2023. The suspects are Risku Suleiman, 34, and Haruna Umar, 20, who both hail from Kupa village in Garatu, along Bida Road. Abiodun further disclosed: During interrogation, Risku confessed that he had been committing cattle rustling with his father, one Suleiman Agaala who was convicted for cattle rustling in Angwan-Maireke village, in Beji. He further confessed that he (Risku) conspired with his friend, Umar Awara from Lokoja, who equally invited eight others from Zamfara [namely] Idrisu, Shadai, Yeli, Yusuf, and others presently at large, with the said Haruna Umar. He said the syndicate is responsible for the death of the village head, and that N1.5 million ransom was collected for the release of his daughter recently, while the same amount was also collected for the release of Alh. Hassan Gusasse. The police spokesman added that an effort is ongoing to arrest Umar Awara and other members of the syndicate while those arrested will be arraigned in court for prosecution as soon as the investigation is concluded. A Federal High Court in Lagos has granted bail to a relationship expert, Blessing Okoro, popularly known as Blessing CEO, who was remanded in prison. KanyiDaily recalls that Blessing CEO was arrested over her involvement with a celebrity car dealer, Ikechukwu Ogbonna, better known as IVD Autos, who was accused of being the cause of the death of his late wife, Bimbo Ogbonna. On Friday, the police arraigned the self-acclaimed relationship expert on a six-count charge of alleged cyber-bullying, libel, and for exhibiting uncensored movies. Blessing was accused of using her social media page to injure the reputation of one Folashade Samuels and the late Bimbo Ogbonna by exposing them to hatred, contempt, and ridicule. The influencer pleaded not guilty to the charges. She was remanded in prison till May 30 for the hearing of her bail application. However, Blessing CEO has been granted bail on Tuesday, April 4. During the hearing, Blessings lawyer filed a bail application before Justice Tijjani Ringim on her behalf which the police did not oppose to the bail application. Regarding the bail conditions, the police urged the court to use its discretion, the judge granted Blessing CEO bail in absence of opposition. She was admitted to N10 million bail each with two sureties in like sum. KanyiDaily had reported how Bimbo died in a hospital after getting into a scuffle with her husband and allegedly setting herself ablaze at their mansion in Lagos. While Bimbos sister accused IVD of killing his wife, Blessing defended the car dealer and was even dragged to the police by the deceaseds family. IVD was arraigned and charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja where he pleaded not guilty to the crime. Blessing CEO was reportedly arrested whilst in the company of IVD on Thursday morning, March 30, after weeks of dodging her court appearances. Apple's former senior sales executive, Doug Beck, is leaving the renowned tech giant as he moves forward with his career with a role at the United States (US) Defense Department. Besides Beck, the Cupertino-based tech behemoth is recently losing some of its top brass, including its vice president for service, Peter Stern, and head of iCloud, Michael Abbott. Apple's Ex-Sales Executive Resigns According to a report by Bloomberg, Beck, the former senior sales executive of Apple, is parting ways with the renowned phone maker. He has recently resigned from the giant firm. Apple says that it backs the decision of its former exec. The tech firm states that it "[supports] Doug's public service and [wishes] him all the best." The news outlet notes that the ex-sales executive was one of the top brass directly reporting to its chief executive officer (CEO), Tim Cook. He was reportedly one of the "fewer than 20 executives" who had this setup with the Apple big boss. 9to5 Mac highlights that Beck started working with the tech giant more than a decade ago, or in 2009, to be more precise. In his stint at one of the largest tech firms, he once managed the company's businesses not only in the North American region but also in Asia. On top of that, he also helped lead the global business of the iPhone maker. Moving forward, the ex-Apple exec, Beck, is set to take a new role as he joins the US Department of Defense. No less than the Defense Department confirmed that Deck is joining its team. In a press release, the executive branch department revealed that Deck would be the next Director of the Defense Innovation Unit, shortly known as DIU. Read Also: Joe Biden Okays US Airstrike in Syria After Iran Drone Attack: Details Doug Beck to Work with US Defense Department In his new role, he will oversee " efforts to accelerate the Department's adoption of commercial technology throughout the military." Above and beyond that, he will "also serve as a senior advisor to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense on technology innovation, competition, and strategic impact." The new position of the former Apple exec will allow him to help the Defense Department embrace newer technology. The news release further disclosed that the next DIU director used to serve in the US Navy Reserve. Before joining the tech giant, he was a captain in operations outside the country, such as Afghanistan and Iraq. People were seen in an Apple store in a shopping mall in Shanghai on November 14, 2022. For instance, the head of iCloud, Abbott, announced that he is bidding farewell to the company by the end of the month. His role is integral to the services of the iPhone maker as he also oversees apps like FaceTime and iMessage. His announcement followed the vice president of services, Stern, who confirmed his departure from the Cupertino firm. Related Article: Elon Musk, Tech Experts Urge 'Immediate Pause' of Development of Powerful AI Systems @YouTube @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh has mocked a relationship expert, Blessing Okoro, popularly known as Blessing CEO, who was sent to prison following her arraignment by the police. KanyiDaily recalls that Blessing CEO was arrested over her involvement with a celebrity car dealer, Ikechukwu Ogbonna, better known as IVD Autos, who was accused of being the cause of the death of his late wife, Bimbo Ogbonna. In a now-deleted post shared on her Instagram page, Tonto Dikeh said that Blessing CEO needs to be dealt a lesson due to her insensitive comments about the dead. According to her, Blessing CEOs detention should serve as a lesson to her not to meddle in peoples affairs and show disrespect towards the death. She wrote: I hate to see people suffer even though they bring it upon themselves but THIS LADY NEEDS TO BE DEALT A LESSON. I watched her berate a dead woman. I watched her bring pikin and sorrow to the dead. I mean anyone can support the husband (as a support system which many did privately) but to publicly insult, blame and intrude on such a delicate and sensitive issue. She needs to feel their pains too. I feel no pity for her! Her Nyash will be ok, after all, I do Nyash too, and e no lick nor get the problem. She did the dead wrong and thats on period!!!!. KanyiDaily had reported how Bimbo died in a hospital after getting into a scuffle with her husband and allegedly setting herself ablaze at their mansion in Lagos. While Bimbos sister accused IVD of killing his wife, Blessing defended the car dealer and was even dragged to the police by the deceaseds family. IVD was arraigned and charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja where he pleaded not guilty to the crime. Blessing CEO was reportedly arrested whilst in the company of IVD on Thursday morning, March 30, after weeks of dodging her court appearances. The police on Friday arraigned the defendant on a six-count charge of alleged cyber-bullying, libel, and for exhibiting uncensored movies. The self-acclaimed relationship expert was accused of using her social media page to injure the reputation of one Folashade Samuels and the late Bimbo Ogbonna by exposing them to hatred, contempt, and ridicule. Prosecution counsel Rotshang Faith Dimka of the Force Headquarters, Abuja, said Okoro of Lekki, Lagos, on October 16, 2022, intentionally sent messages using her Instagram handle @officialblessingceo to bully, threaten and harass one Folashade Samuels, a.k.a Mamajazz, a younger sister to the late Bimbo Ogbonna. Blessing CEO pleaded not guilty to the charges. She was remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) till May 30 for the hearing of her bail application. Security operatives have sealed off the Plateau State House of Assembly complexs entrance as the speakerships tussle deepens. At least 15 security vehicles were stationed strategically around the complex. Stern-looking police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps operatives, and other security personnel manned the gates and surrounding. The road linking the Terminus Market from the Plateau Specialist Hospital through the assembly complex was blocked from traffic. The Plateau police spokesperson, Alfred Alabo, said the move was to forestall any breakdown of law of order around the assembly. We learnt that supporters of some politicians will be coming around the assembly to protest. If the politicians supporters come around, it is going to affect traffic, and it may lead to the breakdown of law and order, stated Mr Alabo. If nothing happens, the security will be relaxed, and everything will return to normal. On Monday, the Plateau State High Court reinstated Mr Ayuba as the assemblys speaker. The assembly impeached Mr Ayuba on October 28, 2021. He had challenged his impeachment, which he described as illegal, as it contravened the assembly rules. He resumed duties on Tuesday and presided over the plenary. But Mr Ayubas successor, Yakubu Sanda and 12 others filed an appeal and stay of execution on Tuesday. Messrs Sanda and Ayuba are laying claim to the speakership of the assembly. While Mr Ayuba is relying on his reinstatement, Mr Sanda is holding onto the stay of execution. (NAN) A businessman, identified as Ibeh Onyeka, has reportedly been shot dead by a bribe-seeking police officer in Asaba, Delta State. It was gathered that the phone dealer was in company of his pregnant wife, who he married just three months ago, when he was shot on the head on Wednesday morning, April 5. According to an eyewitness who spoke with newsmen, He and his wife were on their way to work this morning when he was stopped by a team of police officers. They asked him for money and he gave them. However, after a few mins drive, he ran into another set of police officers who demanded that he gives them money. They asked him for N100 but he said he doesnt have any money with him because he had given his last cash to their colleagues. One of the police officers cocked his gun and Onyi stepped on his accelerator but he was shot in the head before he could move. Islamic State on Wednesday published a series of images that it said were from an attack in Nigerias northeast Borno state. The images included one of a large group of fighters in at least seven technical vehicles, battle scenes, at least two purportedly captured vehicles, ammunition, and, unusually, one artillery piece. ISIS did not say when the raid took place but a Nigerian Army base at Gubio, around 80 km (50 miles) north Borno state capital Maiduguri was attacked by Islamic State West Africa Province fighters on Saturday, August 10, ahead of Mondays Eid al-Adha festival, AFP reported military sources as saying on Sunday. Three soldiers were killed defending the base from ISWAP terrorists who wanted to overrun it, the first source said. Three civilians were hit and killed in crossfire, said the source, an officer who asked not to be identified for fear of punishment. Two soldiers and six civilians were injured, he said. The fighters attacked the base in eight pickup trucks fitted with machine guns, leading to a two-hour long battle, said the second source, who gave the same toll. The attack was repelled with the aid of a fighter jet which deployed two hours into the clashes, said the officer. The terrorists were pulverised and forced to withdraw. Eleven of them were killed and three of their vehicles were seized, he said. ISWAP fighters captured four technical vehicles, one mortar and one artillery piece, Premium Times reported. A tank that was stolen was later recovered, the report said. In May, ISWAP fighters overran the base at Gubio, killing at least three soldiers. Two days later, ISIS claimed ISWAP fighters killed 20 soldiers in the Gubio raid, and its Amaq propaganda agency released an image of a police Otokar Cobra armored vehicle. Amaq later released three images that it said were part of the spoils taken after attacking the Nigerian army barracks in Borno, without specifying a date or location. ISWAPs main area of operations is further east in the Lake Chad area, but there has been a string of attacks on military bases north of Maiduguri. Decade-long cross-border insurgency The jihadist group known as Boko Haram began its bloody insurgency in northeastern Nigeria in 2009, but it has since spread into neighboring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, prompting a regional military response. More than 27,000 people have been killed and two million others displaced, sparking a dire humanitarian crisis in the region. The U.S. assesses that Boko Haram and ISWAP have been responsible for over 35,000 deaths since 2011. Boko Haram split into two factions in mid-2016. One, led by long-time leader Abubakar Shekau, is notorious for suicide bombings and indiscriminate killings of civilians. Shekau pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi in March 2015, but ISIS central only gives formal backing to the other faction, which it calls Islamic State West Africa Province. The ISWAP faction, which largely focuses on attacking military and government targets, was led by Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, but in March, audio recordings revealed that ISIS appointed Abu Abdullah Idris bin Umar, also known as Ibn Umar al-Barnawi, as leader. Despite releasing several videos featuring ISWAP since, ISIS has not yet made a public statement confirming the change. Since May, Islamic State has attributed insurgent activities in the Mali-Burkina Faso-Niger tri-border area to its West Africa Province affiliate, rather than to what was previously known as Islamic State in the Greater Sahara. In a June 15 ISIS propaganda video, ISWAP militants purportedly in Nigeria, Mali and Burkina Faso were shown reaffirming their pledge of allegiance to ISIS leader Baghdadi. The MNJTF which comprises personnel from Chad, Cameroon, Niger, and Nigeria, launched Operation Yancin Tafki on February 21 to battle the insurgents. It has said the cross-border operation is aimed at making islands and other settlements in Lake Chad untenable for Boko Haram Terrorists. Xi stresses Party education campaign to enhance cohesion and pool strengths Xinhua) 11:13, April 05, 2023 BEIJING, April 4 (Xinhua) -- A meeting on the education campaign about the study and implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era was held on Monday in Beijing. President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), attended the meeting and made an important speech. In his speech, Xi stressed that the great goals of building China into a stronger country and realizing national rejuvenation are inspiring and stimulating us to forge ahead. Our generation of Communists have been entrusted with glorious missions and important responsibilities. We need to take this education campaign as an opportunity to equip all Party members with the Party's new theories, further advance their understanding of Marxism, and improve the Party's ability to govern and lead, so as to enhance cohesion and pool strengths to forge ahead with enterprise and fortitude on the new journey and strive in unity to build a modern socialist country in all respects and advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts. Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and Vice President Han Zheng attended the meeting. Cai Qi, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the central leading group for the education campaign on the study and implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, made concluding remarks. Xi pointed out that the Party-wide education campaign on the study and implementation of the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era with the focus on leading officials at and above the county and director level is a major initiative to implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress. It is of great significance for the Party to achieve unity in thinking, solve prominent problems within the Party, always maintain close ties with the people, and advance the cause of the Party and the country. The education campaign should yield concrete results in the in-depth study and implementation of the Thought, guide Party members and officials to affirm and consolidate their convictions and continue to improve their capacity for political judgment, thinking, and implementation. The education campaign is meant to guide Party members and officials to become more conscious of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership, stay confident in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, uphold Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and uphold the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership, and closely follow the Party Central Committee in thinking, political stance, and action. In doing so, they can focus their ingenuity and energy on the same goal and come together as a mighty force to forge the Party into "one piece of adamantine iron" that is invincible. All Party members and officials need to be educated and guided to study the Thought and put what they have learned into action, foster a correct outlook on power, performance and career, enhance their sense of responsibility and mission, and constantly improve their ability to promote high-quality development, serve the people, and forestall and defuse risks. They need to be guided to strengthen the courage and ability to carry on fight, forge ahead with determination, take on responsibilities and demonstrate enterprise in their work. Efforts need to be made to educate and guide Party organizations at all levels, all Party members and officials to have a problem-oriented mindset so as to identify shortcomings and deficiencies and know what to do with them. They need to be guided to have regular political "health checks" through intra-Party activities, thereby "sweep off the dust," rectify misdeeds, and solve prominent problems of impurity in thinking and organization in the Party. They need to be guided to comprehensively advance the Party's capacity to purify, improve, renew, and excel itself. This will ensure that our Party always retains its vigor and vitality, and remains the strong leadership core in building socialism with Chinese characteristics. Xi stressed that it is important to meet the general requirement for this education campaign, that is to learn the Thought, strengthen Party consciousness, attach importance to practice and make new achievements. It is imperative to fully study and understand the Thought, comprehensively and systematically grasp its basic viewpoints, and scientific system, as well as its worldview and methodology. It is also a must to uphold and put to good use the stances, viewpoints and methods running through it, and constantly boost all Party members' political, ideological, theoretical and emotional identification with the Party's new theories. In this way, we will be able to master the essentials of Marxism and consciously use the Thought to guide our work. We must consciously transform ourselves with the Thought, have a good command of its requirements for maintaining firm ideals and convictions, raising our ideological level and enhancing our Party consciousness, and forever preserve the political character of Communists. We must be more purposeful in practicing the Thought of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and use it to transform the world and promote the development of our cause. We should use it to observe, understand and steer the trends of the times and to actively identify, respond to and steer changes. We should use it to solve various problems in economic and social development and Party building, to forestall and defuse major risks and to make new progress and breakthroughs in promoting modernization through a Chinese path. We should draw wisdom and strength from the Thought to forge ahead and master the management, thinking and work methods running through it. It is important to continue to improve the capacity for fulfilling duties, make concerted efforts to promote development, work ceaselessly to ensure implementation, do one's work well to make contributions and strive to yield results that can stand the test of time and the people. Xi pointed out that the fundamental task of this education campaign is to apply what we have learned in practice, act on our beliefs and turn the Thought into a powerful force for strengthening ideals, enhancing Party consciousness, guiding practice, and advancing our work. In this way, the entire Party will be unified in thinking, firm in will, coordinated in actions and inspired in fighting, and concrete results will be achieved in forging inner strength, gaining wisdom, improving Party conduct and motivating actions through the program. It is important to enhance cohesion and forging the Party's soul so as to bolster the foundation, to educate and guide all Party members and officials through the program to consolidate their belief in Marxism, conviction in socialism with Chinese characteristics, and confidence in realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and to carry forward the great founding spirit of the Party. To do so, it is imperative that we never forget our original aspiration and founding mission, that we always stay modest, prudent, and hard-working, that we have the courage and ability to carry on our fight, and that we keep the roots of our convictions healthy and strong, and absorb the mental nutrients we need to maintain the right line in our thinking. Characters must be tempered and loyalty intensified. All the Party members and officials must be guided and educated to build up political characters, so that they will keep following the banner, the will and the mission of the Party. They must remain loyal to the Party, the people and Marxism, love the Party sincerely, concern themselves about the Party at all times, firmly protect it and do their utmost to promote it. Solid work must be done in a responsible manner to advance development. All Party members and officials should be guided to bear in mind the country's most fundamental interests, focus on the Party's central task in the new era on the new journey, do solid work, strive for concrete results and solve problems, and meet obstacles and difficulties head on, so as to fulfill their duties for the Party and the people with a strong sense of responsibility and commitment, to make greater efforts for new progress in promoting high-quality development, and harness the indomitable fighting spirit to open up new horizons for the development of the Party's cause. The Party's purpose must be applied to deliver for the people. All the Party members and officials should be educated and guided to firmly maintain a people-centered philosophy of development, do whatever they should for the people and rely on the people in everything they do, consciously seek the people's opinions on the work of the government and know about what the people need, always breathe the same air as the people, share the same future with the people, stay truly connected to the people, work hard to solve the most pressing difficulties of immediate concern to the people, and ensure that work on improving people's livelihood, warming the cockles of their hearts and respecting their will is done to their greatest satisfaction, so as to let the people have a stronger sense of fulfillment, happiness and security. Duties should be performed in a clean and honest manner to foster new trend. All the Party members and officials should be educated and guided to have stronger awareness of disciplines and rules, and continue to rectify pointless formalities, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance, placing the rectification of pointless formalities and bureaucratism in an even more prominent position. They should also exercise power in a just and fair manner, in accordance with the law, for the interests of the people, and with integrity, build a clean work relationship among colleagues, and between ranking officials and their subordinates, and cultivate a cordial and clean relationship between government and business, so as to play a good role in guiding, creating and safeguarding a good political atmosphere within the Party and a good social tendency as well. Xi emphasized that this education campaign is not divided into stages or links, but integrates theoretical study, investigations and researches, promotion of development, and inspection and rectification, and it is thereby advanced with a holistic approach. It is a must to read the original works and articles and fully understand the principles, reflect on what we have learned and develop an in-depth understanding of them, and comprehensively learn and understand the scientific system, the essence and the practical requirements of the Thought, so as to digest it thoroughly. In accordance with the work plan of the CPC Central Committee on encouraging investigations and researches throughout the Party, Party members and officials, especially leading officials at all levels, should be organized to go to rural areas, communities, enterprises, hospitals, schools, new economic organizations, new social organizations and other grassroots units, to sort out problems and difficulties and use the Party's new theories to study new situations and solve new problems. We should focus on high-quality development, the primary task of building a modern socialist country in all respects, strengthen theoretical study to guide work on development, deepen investigations and researches to promote the solution of development problems, integrate study, investigations and researches into the accomplishment of the tasks deployed at the 20th CPC National Congress, and test the results of the education campaign with the new achievements in promoting high-quality development. We should make sure that study, checking, inspection and rectification are carried out at the same time, and rectification of misdeeds must be conducted throughout the process, so that the people can feel we are solving problems for them. The central Party and government departments should do a good job in the education of officials during this education campaign. Xi pointed out that this education campaign is a major event concerning the overall situation, the task is heavy with high requirements, and we have no time to lose. The Party committees (leading Party members groups) at all levels should shoulder the main responsibility, and plan, organize and implement the education campaign well. The major leaders of Party committees (leading Party members groups) should earnestly fulfill their duties as the first person responsible, plan personally, command in front, and supervise and guide the education campaign. The CPC Central Committee will dispatch guiding groups to supervise and guide the implementation of the education campaign. The Party committees of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, and leading Party members groups (Party committees) of competent authorities shall dispatch circular guiding groups to strengthen the supervision and guidance of the education campaign in their respective regions, departments and units. All regions, departments and units must focus on the central task and serve the overall interests of the country, combining the education campaign with the implementation of the CPC Central Committee's decisions and plans, and with the core task of their respective regions, departments and units. They must work on and push forward both combinations to motivate Party members and officials to transform their enthusiasm for learning and work into a powerful driving force for overcoming difficulties and making progress. Cai Qi said in his concluding speech that General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, from the strategic height of the overall development of the Party and the country on the new journey in the new era, profoundly expounded the significance, the target and requirements of the education campaign, made comprehensive arrangements for various tasks of the campaign, and provided a fundamental guideline for the whole Party to carry out the campaign. It is a guiding Marxist document that must be earnestly studied, comprehended and fully implemented in the entire Party. We must comprehensively boost the theoretical studies, enhance cohesion and forge the Party's soul with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, educate and guide Party members and officials to acquire a deeper understanding of the decisive significance of the establishment of both Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, boost their consciousness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership, and to ensure they stay confident in the path, the theory, the system, and the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and firmly uphold Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and uphold the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership. Efforts must be made to conduct inspections and researches and apply the Party's new theories in studying new situations, solving new problems and obtaining new experiences. It is imperative to rectify misdeeds throughout the education campaign, and to have a problem-oriented mindset to discover problems, study by seeking solutions to the problems, and make rectifications. It is imperative to make new progress in promoting high-quality development through hard work. The Party's "mass line" in the new era must be followed to make the education campaign open and inclusive, so as to address the pressing concerns of the people and deliver real benefits to the people. Leading officials must perform their duties well and strengthen supervision and guidance to make sure that all tasks of the education campaign are achieved as expected. Members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, members of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, vice chairpersons of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress who are CPC members, state councilors, president of the Supreme People's Court, procurator-general of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, vice chairpersons of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference who are CPC members and members of the CMC attended the meeting. The meeting was held as a teleconference, with the attendance of members of the central leading group for the education campaign on the study and implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, members of the leadership bodies of all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government, sub-provincial cities and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, leading officials in charge of central Party and government departments, people's organizations, financial institutions under central administration and relevant departments in enterprises, universities and the military, as well as all chiefs and deputy chiefs of Central Steering Groups on the education campaign. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) Donald Trump appeared in court following his indictment Trump was requested to appear before a grand jury, but he refused Justice Juan Manuel Merchan chose not to issue a gag order against Trump In an indictment released Tuesday, a New York grand jury accused former President Donald Trump of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors detailed an alleged years-long plot to utilize "hush money" payments to suppress negative material before the 2016 election. Donald Trump Indictment Update Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges during a hearing in a lower Manhattan courthouse, making him the first former president to face criminal prosecution. His presence was historic, carefully planned, and followed rigorous security measures. According to CBS News, he denied any wrongdoing and said Democratic District Attorney Alvin Bragg is motivated by politics in pursuing the case. Prosecutors stated in a 16-page indictment and accompanying statement that Trump "orchestrated a scheme with others to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and boost the Defendant's electoral prospects." According to them, the plot involves three payments made by Trump loyalists to bury unfavorable stories: $30,000 to a former Trump Tower doorman who claimed Trump fathered an illegitimate child, $150,000 to a former Playboy model who claimed to have had an affair with Trump; and $130,000 to adult film star Stormy Daniels, who also claimed to have had an affair with Trump. Trump has denied having relationships with both women, and the former doorman's employer has concluded that his allegation is incorrect. Michael Cohen, Trump's former attorney and "fixer," paid Daniels days before the 2016 presidential election. Authorities asserted that Trump improperly disguised his reimbursements to Cohen as legal fees. In addition to hush money payments to Stormy Daniels, the indictment of former President Trump has lesser-known indirect payments that kept Playboy model Karen McDougal and a doorman quiet about Trump's alleged sexual encounters. In 2006, Trump allegedly had a 10-month affair with McDougal, and Trump property doorman Dino Sajudin claimed to be aware of a kid Trump fathered with a previous cleaner. Both McDougal and Sajudin were compensated by the National Enquirer, linked to Trump. The former maid in issue denied ever having an affair with Trump, and Sajudin's ex-wife afterward referred to him as a "serial liar." In the same year, American Media Inc. paid Sajudin $30,000 for the rights to the narrative he had to tell, but the contract included a $1 million fine if he shared the information with anyone else. Then, they rewrote the tale. Trump's attorneys stated that the former president was aware of the payment when the transaction was finalized. Pecker allegedly testified before the grand jury in the Trump case last week, tying Trump personally to the agreement and to a larger conspiracy to bury bad reports about him before the 2016 race. Cohen has stated that he arranged for the Enquirer to make the payment and recorded a discussion in which he discussed the payment with Trump. Per Daily Mail, Cohen also acknowledged discussing the payment to Sajudin with the Enquirer. Under New York law, falsifying company documents is normally a misdemeanor but can be punished as a felony if committed with the "purpose to deceive, which includes the desire to conduct another crime or help or conceal its commission." According to prosecutors, Trump's actions were designed to break election laws. Read Also: Could Prince Harry Face Criminal Charges? Trump's Speech in Mar-a-Lago After the conclusion of the hearing, the former president was freed and immediately boarded an aircraft to Florida, where he will address supporters at his Mar-a-Lago club on Tuesday evening. Here's a glimpse of what Donald Trump said in his speech last night at his Mar-a-Lago residence, according to BBC News: The contender for the White House in 2024 reiterated many of his campaign talking points, alleging that he is the victim of a Democratic plot to jeopardize his reelection attempt. Trump began by rejecting his guilt and claiming that his foes "seek to destroy" the United States. Then he falsely said that every legal expert and pundit agreed there was no case against him. Trump renewed his assaults against Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office is pursuing the case, and the judge's family. He also demanded that Bragg be punished, accusing him of information leakage. In New York, individuals are routinely prosecuted for fabricating papers; however, these are typically minor counts. In this instance, they are crimes because, according to authorities, the former president forged the documents to cheat voters. Per ABC7, experts predict that it will be a difficult case to prove in court. Authorities allege that the former president planned a "capture and kill" plot over two years to bribe individuals and squelch bad reports to increase his chances of becoming president. Much was already known about the hush money paid to Stormy Daniels, but the indictment shows that Trump is behind a series of fabricated paperwork. Three individuals were paid, including a former doorman at Trump Towner who claimed to have information regarding an illegitimate kid the president fathered. Jeremy Saland, a former assistant district attorney in Manhattan, stated that prosecutors are setting the groundwork for a "scheme" for which they must present additional evidence in court. Related Article: Donald Trump May Delay Jury Trial @YouTube @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Court 12, sitting at Bwari, Abuja has dismissed the rape lawsuit filed by Busola Dakolo against Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA). Justice Othman A. Musa in her ruling said the matter amounted to injustice, and an abuse of judicial process as the case was empty and purely sentimental, adding that the case was aimed more at cruelty than obtaining justice. The court also awarded costs of N1,000,000 against Busola Dakolo and held that the fine should have been 10 times more because the courts time was wasted. Busola had filed the suit against Fatoyinbo, alleging that the COZA pastor caused her emotional distress after raping her multiple times 20 years ago when she was 16 years in Ilorin, Kwara State. Pastor Fatoyinbo denied the allegations and even took a break from the pulpit and later came back to ministration. He later filed an objection and an affidavit at the Court reiterating that Busolas statements were false and concocted to embarrass, scandalize and ridicule him. The pastor argued that from the inception, she sought the attention of the media and press, and brought the civil action even while the Polices investigation was ongoing. Fatoyinbos team of lawyers, led by Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), had however argued that the prayers in the suit were ungranted by the court, and that the suit was frivolous and an abuse of court process. Fatoyinbo wasnt in court during the ruling on Thursday because hes not required to appear in person for a civil matter. He was however represented by his lawyers. BLOOMINGTON Bloomington police are seeking information on three firearm incidents that happened Sunday morning. In a press release on Tuesday, Bloomington Police Department said officers responded to two armed robberies and a shots fired incident on Sunday. The first call was around 3:36 a.m. in the 100 block of West Oakland Avenue, where a man's car was stolen. He had been asleep in the car when he was woken up by armed individuals tapping on his window, the press release said. He got out of the car, which the suspects stole. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Detective P. Jones at 309-434-2548 or pjones@cityblm.org. Around 4:14 a.m., officers responded to the 1200 block of West Market Street, where the victim was hit in the back of the head while in the driveway of an apartment complex. He fell and the suspect then pointed a gun at the man and robbed him, after which the suspect left. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Officer Fryman at 309-820-8888 or rfryman@cityblm.org. The shots fired incident happened around 5:40 p.m. Sunday in the 800 block of Wright Street. Anyone with information about this incident should contact Detective Raisbeck at 309-434-2593. Anonymous tips can also be left with the Crime and Intelligence Analysis Unit at 309-434-2963 and CIAU@cityblm.org or by texting "Tip" to 847411. Photos: Police respond to Turnberry Drive shooting BPD BPD BPD BPD BPD Elm Point 1 Turnberry Drive 2 Turnberry Drive 3 BLOOMINGTON A Chicago man is facing residential burglary and trespass charges in McLean County. Darius A. Johnson, 34, is charged with one count of residential burglary, two counts of criminal trespass to a residence, two counts of obstructing justice and two counts of obstructing an officer. In a probable cause statement, Assistant States Attorney Aaron Fredrick said a Bloomington resident told police his 9-year-old daughter woke up to find a man standing over her bed early Monday. Police later identified the man as Johnson by his clothing. Fredrick said Bloomington officers stopped Johnson as he appeared to be taking the clothing to a trash container. Johnson was jailed in lieu of posting $50,035 and was ordered not to have contact with three Bloomington residents and an apartment complex on Valley View Circle. An arraignment was scheduled for April 21. Updated mug shots from The Pantagraph Bryant Lewis Derek Roesch Justin M. Mata Marcus D. Wesley Phillip Tinch Trisha L. Hanke William B. Givens David L. Oliver Kenneth E. Funk Jordan R. King Holly M. Isaacson Kenneth L. Minton Tony L. Jackson Britley L. Hilger Jasmine L. Smith Jackie S. Claypool Noah R. Demuth Brandon L. Parsano Alexander N. Williams Carlos Sanchez-Solozarzano Jaylin S. Bones Jordan R. King Dominique M. Banks Austin T. Daugherty Sandra M. Lewis Samantha E. Morris Nolan C. Love Nikkita L. Sandefur Katlin M.B. Wilson Eli C. Garozzo Tysean T. Townsend Curtis J. Byrd Noral K. Nelson Charles J. Tankson Davis, Micah S Livingston, Joshua D. Kevin L. Ewen Emmanuel K. Mpay Ahmad S. Manns Dylan R Mann Tony L. Jackson BLOOMINGTON John Wyatt Danenberger and Cody Hendricks appear to be two of the four new faces joining the Bloomington City Council, based on unofficial election results. Of the five open Bloomington City Council seats available in this consolidated election cycle, only two wards were contested. Danenberger ran against Steven Nalefski in Ward 4, which will run from Jersey Avenue south past Oakland Avenue once the new boundaries go into effect in May. "Im here for the benefit of Bloomington. Any way that I can help the city of Bloomington is my goal, Danenberger said. My experience on the planning commission would help me view the packets (of council documents), read the packets, see where the money is coming in and see whats best not only for Ward 4 but for the city in general. Danenberger received 1,051 votes and Nalefski 894. Nalefski said he was happy with the voter turnout, which was well above average for this type of election, and thanked all of the voters for their support. He added that he wishes Danenberger well and hopes he will be a good addition to the council. Hendricks ran against Jordan Baker in Ward 6, which will cover most of downtown Bloomington. Hendricks received 450 votes. Baker received 310. Hendricks said one of his first duties as a council member will be to establish relationships with his fellow aldermen. As a Pekin City Council member from 2011 to 2015, Hendricks said he wasn't able to build relationships with council members, which always led to little work getting done. "For whatever criticism people may give to Bloomington, I think the best thing is that it's apparent to me going to meetings that they all do have a relationship (and) they all do communicate with each other," Hendricks said. "They may have different beliefs, different perspectives (and) different understandings, but at the end of the day, I think they all really do talk to one another and build those relationships." Baker said he reached out to Hendricks at about 9 p.m. Tuesday to concede the race. "Cody ran a great race and our voters have spoken," Baker said. "I wish him all the best and I hope he does a good job representing Ward 6 and Bloomington." Illinois Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington, said she supported Hendricks early on in his campaign and has been a friend of Danenberger for many years. "I've been really supportive of both of their races," Chung said. "They've been wonderful people to work with and I'm just really excited to see what they do in Bloomington." On Tuesday night, the Bloomington Election Commission reported 12,729 ballots cast out of 55,605 registered voters, a 22.9% voter turnout. However, Luke Stremlau, executive director of the Bloomington Election Commission, said the commission sent about 6,000 mail-in ballots to residents and only 3,100 had been received as of Tuesday. The two other new council members will be Jenna Kearns, who ran unopposed in Ward 1, and Kent Lee, who ran unopposed in Ward 8. Donna Boelen, who represents Ward 2 and serves as mayor pro tempore, also ran unopposed for her seat. Boelen said she doesn't see any difficulties with the transition to a new council. However, the council could be lacking some institutional knowledge based on the number of new faces. "I don't see the priorities changing very much, certainly not in the first year, simply because the budget is going to be voted on in April and the priority is obviously capital improvement," Boelen said. Lee Enterprises reporter Erin Henkel contributed to this story. BLOOMINGTON Early indications pointed to higher-than-usual turnout in McLean County for Tuesday's consolidated elections but thousands of outstanding mail-in ballots could prevent the victors from being known right away. Its been steady and busy, but not crazy busy, said Kathy Michael, McLean County Clerk, mid-afternoon Tuesday. You can see the interest in Normal and the Unit 5 district areas theyre going to be a little higher than it was four years ago. Luke Stremlau, executive director of the Bloomington Election Commission, said the citys polling places were seeing a steady stream of voters, too, after a large number of early voters came to cast their ballots Monday. People are getting out there and theyre voting, he said Tuesday, noting theyd seen a little more volume than I anticipated. Illinois consolidated elections, taking place in April of odd-numbered years, find voters throughout the state choosing leadership of cities and towns, school and community college districts, townships and other local units of government. In McLean County, ballots included contested races for Bloomington City Council, Normal Town Council, the McLean County Unit 5 and Bloomington District 87 school boards, and the board for Heartland Community College. A referendum that would allow Unit 5 to increase its education fund tax rate returned to the ballot for a second time after voters rejected it in November. 'Local elections matter' Stationed at the Illinois State University Bone Student Center in her eighth year as an election judge, Celeste Brennan said she was grateful to see students showing up to the polls. "I don't think people really pay attention to local elections, not as much as gubernatorial and presidential elections," Brennan said. "It changes with what's on the ballot. Among the students turning up at the polls was 20-year-old Cobi Blair, a sophomore who is treasurer of the ISU College Republicans. Blair, of Oreana, said the Normal Town Council race was what brought him to the polls. "The more voices are heard and the more we can contribute that is important," Blair said. "It's disappointing that many people think Congress and the president have all the power because issues at the local and state level matter, too. I hope to see more people come out." He noted strong community interest in the Unit 5 referendum and said it was likely to bring out Normal voters. Sue Randle, 59, an election judge at Journey Church in Normal, said there were more voters turning up than in recent consolidated elections. "Turnout has been good for the local election, particularly for the referendum for Unit 5," Randle said. "People are realizing how important voting for local council members is and are paying attention." Michael also noted the interest in the Normal Town Council, McLean County Unit 5 school board and Unit 5 tax referendum was likely to increase turnout in Normal, possibly bringing more than 20% of voters to cast their ballots in the town. We were planning for a little higher (turnout) because there are more contested races than usual, she said, noting consolidated elections typically bring about 15% of voters to the polls, compared to about 60% for gubernatorial elections and 80% for presidential elections. Rural areas could bring down the final turnout numbers, though, in areas outside of Unit 5 or with uncontested races. However, some contested school board races elsewhere in the county are drawing interest, too, Michael said. At Trinity Lutheran Church in Bloomington, longtime election coordinator Linda Foster, 62, said she had seen a steady flow of voters as of mid-morning Tuesday. An election coordinator for 29 years, Foster said she has observed that voter turnout fluctuates based on the candidates and issues on the ballot. "We are here so that people can vote and participate in the democratic process," said Foster, 62. "This is our civic duty. We have some folks who have been doing this for a short time and some for a long time, so the commitment is there. Whether the people are here or not, we are available until 7 p.m." Jason Dolby, 45, said he always votes in local elections, and he has some helpful encouragement to do so: his wife, who is an election judge. This year, a race of particular interest was the Bloomington City Council. "(Voting) is a privilege and you should take advantage of it," Dolby said. "Local elections matter and they affect you. People should care because the voter turnout is locally so low." Activity was slower at Heartland Community College, said election judge Wayne Dillow, who reported 258 voters had come through by noon. The polling place covers three precincts, representing roughly 3,000 voters, he said. Normal voter, Carol Abbott, 63, said the Unit 5 referendum brought her to the polls. "They've raised taxes enough in this town," she said. Mail-in, early voting up Early voting numbers were a bit higher than in previous elections, said Michael and Stremlau, and the number of mail-in ballots has increased significantly. The vote-by-mail (ballots) are just amazingly high, and we expect it to continue to increase every year, Michael said, adding that the communitys confidence in the mail-in system appears to have grown. We feel really good about that, too, that the voters can mail in their ballots and know theyll be counted. However, both election offices will be waiting on many ballots to arrive after Tuesday. Michael said McLean County sent about 4,500 mail-in ballots to constituents and 2,824 have been returned. Stremlau said Bloomington sent about 6,000 and 3,100 have returned, which is even higher than I expected. They dont expect all the ballots which had to be postmarked by Tuesday to be returned, but a couple hundred could still be on their way, Michael said. With low voter turnout, mail-in ballots could affect the final outcome of the close races. Voting results will not be final final until April 18, Michael said. How Time Flies is a daily feature looking back at Pantagraph archives to revisit what was happening in our community and region. 100 years ago April 5, 1923: The Bloomington Association of Commerce has awarded a contract to erect 30 large signs to advertise the city, as well as 350 road markers indicating the distance to and direction of Bloomington, and distribution of 100,000 gallons of oil to be applied on the principal highways of Bloomington township. The contracts represent an expenditure of $10,000. The signs, 24 feet long and 8 feet high, will carry slogans to the effect that Bloomington has model stores and is an ideal place to trade. 75 years ago April 5, 1948: Only 125 votes had been cast at 1 p.m. Monday in balloting to name three members of the Bloomington board of education. Polling places were set up at 10 city schools. The three candidates, Sherman Whitmer, Charles Cunning and Lyle Busick, are unopposed. One school had only four ballots cast at 1 p.m., another six. Highest number was 31. 50 years ago April 5, 1973: An application to charter another new Bloomington bank has been filed with H. Robert Bartell Jr., Illinois commissioner of banks and trusts. The new bank would be known as Evergreen City Bank and would be located on what is now a vacant lot at the southeast corner of Washington Street and Rust Road. The address is 2201 E. Washington. 25 years ago April 5, 1998: Cost-conscious Bloomington officials may contract park mowing to private companies to save money during a tight budget year. But the move cuts too close to home for parks workers, union representatives and some city council members. While workers say they can do the job more cheaply and provide better quality service, long-term job security and the possibility of future "outsourcing" also are issues. 101 years ago: See vintage Pantagraph ads from 1922 Gerthart's Union Gas and Electric Co. Hoover Dr. J.A. Moore Dentists Moberly & Klenner W.P. Garretson W.H. Roland Pease's Candy Thor 32 Electric Washing Machine The Kaiser's Story of the War Ike Livingston & Sons Gossard Corsets Cat'n Fiddle 'Stolen Moments' Case Model X The Johnson Transfer & Fuel Co. The Pantagraph want ads Franklin Motor Car Co. 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' Calumet Baking Powder Mayer Livingston & Co. Newsmarket 'The Emperor Jones' 'California Fig Syrup' Drilling is about to begin in the Arctic to gather samples of ancient ice that contain important records of past environments before it melts away. An international team has reached the Holtedahlfonna ice field in the Svalbard Archipelago, where they will camp for three weeks, as reported by Interesting Engineering. Also read: Arctic Sea Ice Loss Linked To Greenland Melting, Study Shows The Snow Cave The team will drill two 125-meter-long ice cores that will reconstruct climate signals for the past 300 years, which will be used for today's science, and the other will be for future generations. This is part of a scientific project that will allow the team to understand the Arctic application phenomenon. The Arctic phenomenon is a feedback loop that will explain why the Arctic is warming at a faster rate compared to the other areas on the planet. The Svalbard Archipelago, located in the northernmost land in Europe, is disappearing four times more quickly than the global average. Here, the temperatures have risen by four to five degrees Celsius over the past 40 to 50 years. According to a press release, the team's goal is to determine the role of sea ice in Arctic amplification and its impact on the atmosphere. The ice core will be preserved for centuries at the Ice Memory Sanctuary, the snow cave to be built at the French-Italian Concordia station. This is the only international station on the Antarctic Plateau, which will be opened by 2025. With this, future generations of scientists may have access to the high-quality ice core that they can use to study Earth's past climate and predict future changes. The Arctic is characterized by its vast ice-covered landscapes and a harsh climate, with temperatures dropping as low as -50C. However, in recent years, the Arctic has been experiencing a rapid decline in its ice cover, a phenomenon that has been linked to global warming. The melting of Arctic ice is a cause for concern as it has far-reaching effects on the environment, wildlife, and people living there. The melting of the ice cap is causing sea levels to rise, which can lead to flooding and erosion of coastal areas. It also affects the Arctic's ecosystem, as many of the region's species depend on the ice to survive. For example, polar bears rely on the ice to hunt for food, and the ice melting makes it more difficult for them to find prey. The Arctic is also crucial for regulating the Earth's climate, as it helps to reflect sunlight back into space. As the ice melts, it reduces the amount of sunlight being reflected, leading to increased warming of the Earth's surface. Many factors contribute to the melting of Arctic ice, including rising temperatures, changes in ocean currents, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. We must take action to reduce our carbon footprint and mitigate the effects of global warming to slow the melting of Arctic ice and protect this vital region. Related article: Arctic Sea Ice Has Been 'Thinning Dramatically' Since The 1970s @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. SPRINGFIELD The winds of change gusted through the Windy City on Tuesday night with Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson's election as the next mayor of Chicago. Johnson, a progressive firebrand who ran with the strong backing of public sector unions, defeated former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas, a right-leaning centrist supported by the business community and trade unions. The victory is perhaps the largest sea change for the nation's third-largest city since the election of Harold Washington as the city's first Black mayor in 1983. But how Johnson's victory will impact the larger ecosystem that is Illinois government and politics is a more complicated question to answer. The simple answer is, yes, there is an impact. The mayor of Chicago, whoever it is, will always have an outsized influence compared to other municipal leaders due to the city's sheer size 1 in 5 Illinoisans live in Chicago and status as a major global financial hub. But the days where Chicago's mayor alone could dictate major political and policy outcomes in Springfield have long been over. "Looking at it historically, the mayor of Chicago has about maybe 10% of the influence now, the impact in Springfield now, than when I started as a reporter 50 some years ago," said Charlie Wheeler, retired director of the public affairs reporting program at the University of Illinois Springfield. Wheeler, a longtime statehouse reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times, started writing for the paper when Richard J. Daley was mayor of Chicago and chair of the Cook County Democratic Party. At the time, the party was the dominant force in state Democratic politics, meaning Daley had significant influence on which candidates were slated for statewide office and who represented the city in the state legislature. The patronage system the doling out of government jobs, money and contracts in exchange for supporting the party served as the machine's lifeblood. It served to further engender loyalty to Daley among lawmakers who needed access to those jobs and to the army of precinct captains that those jobs sustained. This allowed Daley to throw his weight around in Springfield. For example, when Republican Gov. Richard Ogilvie proposed the state's first income tax in 1969, he had to team up with Daley to secure the votes of Cook County Democrats. Daley provided the necessary votes once he had secured a provision ensuring a slice of the new tax would be distributed to cities. Politically, he also flexed some muscle. In 1976, Daley backed Secretary of State Michael Howlett for governor against incumbent Dan Walker in the Democratic primary. Walker had been a critic of Daley's and he paid for it by losing the election. But the system began to unravel after Daley died, as a series of federal court rulings known as the Shakman Decrees barring political patronage in Chicago were issued. Decades later, the Democratic Party began to branch out of Cook County and into the suburban collar counties, where elected officials were not shackled to the city's political organization or its leader. "It's a combination of the old patronage system kind of going out of fashion because of court rulings, and the evolution of the Democratic Party as becoming more rooted in the suburbs than it was historically," Wheeler said. "Those folks don't really have to worry about the mayor of Chicago." Over the past four decades, Democratic legislative leaders have often protected the Chicago mayor's office as an institution. Former House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, for instance, blocked any attempts to weaken the powers of the mayor during the period in the mid-1980s known as "Council Wars," which pitted Mayor Washington against white ethnic aldermen in a highly-racialized conflict. But this also served to remind Chicago mayors that the statehouse was the domain of Madigan, who would be considered the most powerful Democratic politician in the state. In the years since, it's been a mixed bag for Chicago mayors. In 1995, state lawmakers gave Mayor Richard M. Daley control over Chicago Public Schools. Yet on another major issue, construction of a third airport for the Chicago region, Daley clashed with Republican Gov. Jim Edgar and it was never built. More recently, Mayor Lori Lightfoot got from Springfield what several mayors before her could not: authority to build a brick-and-mortar casino in city limits. Yet two years later, Chicago legislators ignored her wishes and pushed through legislation that would phase out mayoral control of the city's school system and gradually return it to an elected school board. Long story short, Chicago's mayor in recent years has won some and lost some in Springfield. Johnson's track record will likely be similar. But, Wheeler noted that Johnson would likely have "a much more favorable reception" among the legislature's progressive members and the Black Caucus, who are pushing a lot of the initiatives that Johnson has proposed in Chicago. However, unlike the days of Daley, one thing is clear: "(Gov.) J.B. Pritzker is still the top dog Democrat in the state," Wheeler said. Winds of change elsewhere Chicago wasn't the only city to elect a new mayor. Voters in Springfield ousted two-term incumbent Jim Langfelder in favor of city treasurer Misty Buscher. Langfelder meets the same fate as his father, former Mayor Ossie Langfelder, in being denied a third term. Mayor-elect Buscher will be the capital city's second female mayor. Wine about election night On the other hand, it was a much more relaxed election night for Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe. Moore Wolfe, appointed in 2015 and elected in closely-contested races in 2017 and 2019, ran unopposed for reelection this time. Instead of watch returns at an election night party, Moore Wolfe and her daughter, Hannah, attended a cooking class at a downtown Decatur business. While enjoying a glass of wine, Moore Wolfe insisted she scheduled it not knowing it was on election night. Perhaps it was an indicator of the afterthought the race had become with no serious opposition. Deering elected to school board In November, Republican congressional candidate Regan Deering lost to Democratic Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield, in the central and southern Illinois-based 13th Congressional District. On Tuesday, she declared victory on a smaller scale. Deering was elected to serve on the Mt. Zion School Board. Deering, a philanthropist and community activist, had her political awakening in 2021 when she spoke against mask mandates in schools at a board meeting. Photos: Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson Election 2023 Chicago Mayor Election 2023 Chicago Mayor Election 2023 Chicago Mayor Election 2023 Chicago Mayor Election 2023 Chicago Mayor Election 2023 Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson - 2022 Brandon Johnson - 2023 Brandon Johnson - 2023 Brandon Johnson - File Brandon Johnson - 2022 Brandon Johnson - 2022 Brandon Johnson - 2022 Brandon Johnson - 2022 Brandon Johnson - 2022 Brandon Johnson - 2022 Americas wealth gap is at historic levels, nearing the inequality that marked the exuberant years of the Jazz Age, when the countrys riches were concentrated in the hands of the very top echelon. During the Roaring Twenties, the most affluent Americans held close to a quarter of total household wealth, a number that tumbled during the Great Depression along with the stock market. But the concentration of fortune among the most prosperous has been on the rise since the 1980s, with some economists worrying that a stock market bubble will again burst with severe economic consequences. A slew of factors contribute to the countrys income inequality. Among those cited, and often disputed, are tax cuts for the wealthy, assistance to the poor, a decline in the influence of unions, globalization, technological advances, and the minimum wages shrinking value. Liberals argue that the notion that tax cuts will spur business growth has failed repeatedly. Conservatives are less likely to say that the wealth gap is unfair, though they do donate to charities and otherwise help the poor at an individual level instead of addressing the problem systematically. Globally, America is one of the worlds richest countries but also one of the most unequal. Among developed countries in 2017, it ranked 23 out of 30 in a measure focused on income, health, poverty and sustainability. Here is a look at some significant milestones in the countrys march toward that inequality. Stacker searched news reports, academic studies, and international assessments to compile this list of important moments in American history. You may also like: The most unionized states Decades ago, when the late Harry Reid was relatively new to the upper chamber, a book arrived at our offices courtesy of the Democratic senator. It was The Farm Fiasco by libertarian author James Bovard, a piercing work that critically examined the labyrinth of subsidies, handouts, pork and market distortions that has characterized American agricultural policy since the Great Depression. An accompanying note from Sen. Reid indicated he sympathized with the authors thesis. Years later, Sen. Reid had risen to majority leader, and there he was in 2014 championing the nearly $1 trillion farm bill stuffed with more government subsidies, more government regulations and more waste, as one GOP critic described it. Sen Reid insisted the gargantuan legislation was good for Nevada because it included an extension of payments for rural counties. Theres a lesson in there somewhere about the political realities and the Beltway swamp. Sen. Reid is no longer with us, but the farm bill remains an abomination that rears its hideous head every five years. Federal agricultural policy has survived repeated efforts at reform and generally marches forward unabated. The latest version now in Congress will cost $1.4 trillion over the next 10 years, according to estimates, and includes the ever-growing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program food stamps making it even more difficult politically to oppose. In addition, the Biden administration has shown no penchant at all for fiscal restraint, so it is a fools errand to believe the White House will make any effort to limit spending on the farm bill. Indeed, large wealthy farming conglomerates are the major beneficiary of crop subsidies, which primarily go to growers of rice, wheat, corn, soybeans and cotton. But even efforts to confine handouts to smaller mom-and-pop operators run into fierce opposition. Its worth noting that many growers operate without subsidies and do just fine. At a time when the Biden administration is actively promoting industrial policy as a means of promoting American jobs and manufacturers (and making them dependent on government largess), J.D. Tuccille of Reason magazine wrote last week, the farm bill demonstrates the dangers in unleashing policy monsters on the world. There was a day when even Harry Reid might have agreed. Las Vegas Review-Journal Old Mutual Ghana recently hosted a successful brokerage conference in South Africa. The conference brought together brokers from all Old Mutual Africa Regions. Old Mutual believes that partnerships with external stakeholders should be mutually beneficial. We strive to grow together with our partners and provide the necessary support for achieving growth. The conference offered a unique opportunity for our Ghanaian brokers to connect with international brokers and insurance networks and learn about international broking practices and standards. They also had the chance to hear from successful brokers in the South African market who shared their experiences and insights on how to achieve growth in various lines of the insurance business. The event attracted brokers from various countries across Africa, creating excellent networking opportunities for our brokers. In addition to the professional development opportunities, our partners also enjoyed a moment of fun. During the two-day conference, various insightful discussions, panel sessions, and presentations were held, which aimed at empowering brokers with the necessary knowledge, skills, and tools to navigate the evolving investment landscape. Some of the topics discussed include the impact of technology on brokerage, the importance of data analytics, emerging trends in asset management, and regulatory compliance. One of the highlights of the conference was the panel session on "Unlocking the potential of African capital markets", which brought together leading industry experts to discuss the challenges and opportunities of the African capital market. The panellists shared insights on how African capital markets could be developed, including creating a conducive business environment, strengthening market infrastructure, and improving market accessibility. Another key feature of the conference was the breakout sessions that provided an opportunity for brokers to have hands-on practical sessions with leading financial technology firms. These sessions focused on demonstrating the use of new technologies and tools that brokers could leverage to improve their service delivery and client experience. The conference also featured a cocktail event, which provided attendees with networking opportunities and a chance to unwind and connect with peers. The cocktail event was an excellent opportunity for attendees to discuss business opportunities and forge new partnerships. The conference provided a platform for brokers, industry experts, and stakeholders to come together, discuss, and share knowledge on the latest trends, insights, and opportunities in the brokerage industry. The conference demonstrated Old Mutual Ghana's commitment to continuously empowering brokers and improving their service delivery to clients. It is expected that the knowledge and insights gained from the conference will be instrumental in driving the growth and development of the African brokerage industry. Old Mutual Ghana is a leader in the Life Insurance and Pensions industries in Ghana. Old Mutual Ghana is part of the Old Mutual Group which has over 176 years of experience in providing Insurance, Banking, and Investment solutions in Africa. The Group has presence in 13 African countries. At Old Mutual, we exist to provide financial advice that delivers positive futures for our customers. 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 Retired Superintendent of Police the member of Parliament for the Wa West Constituency in the Upper West region, Peter Lanchene Toobu has commended the police officer who was seen on his knees begging a Galamsey gang leader, Kwame Ato Asare in a viral video. To him, the police officer was wise and acted professionally to avoid what could have been a bloody face-off between them and the wild gang. Let me congratulate him [the police officer] for what he did. He acted well, He told NEAT FMs morning show, 'Ghana Montie', in an interview. Kwame Ato Asare together with four other friends went viral after he was seen exchanging words with some police officers who later knelt to apologise to him. Although it is unclear what transpired, Kwame and his gang reportedly seized the magazine of a Service rifle together with some mobile phones belonging to the Police officers on March 9, 2023. After the matter was reported by the Axim Divisional Police patrol, four suspects were arrested. However, Kwame Ato Asare, the main suspect, is on the run. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com/ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Donald Trump told the world that America "is going to hell" in a defiant speech from the ballroom of his Mar-a-Lago resort following his arrest in Manhattan, capping a day of high drama that put the former president centre stage as he plots a return to the White House. In a choreographed rally-style appearance, Mr Trump said the case against him was "an insult to our country" and insisted he had not committed any crime just hours after being charged over alleged hush money for affairs paid to a porn star, glamour model and former doorman. Despite being warned earlier about his rhetoric in court in New York, Mr Trump lashed out at the judge overseeing his criminal case, calling him the "real criminal". The 76-year-old had arrived in his "Trump Force One" private jet after he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a New York court, a moment that plunged the US into uncharted territory and threatens to overshadow the 2024 presidential race. At his beachfront mansion in southern Florida, against a backdrop of two American flags, he told an audience of several hundred supporters: "I never thought anything like this could happen in America. "The only crime that I've committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it. It's an insult to our country." In a speech revisiting many of his favoured claims about his political rivals, he suggested he lost the 2020 vote unfairly "because our country is going to hell". Mr Trump went on to rail against the judge who oversaw his arraignment, Justice Juan Merchan, calling him "a Trump-hating judge". The attack came despite Mr Trump being specifically warned about his use of inflammatory rhetoric in court. Mr Trump had earlier faced a total of 34 felony charges of falsifying business records and pleaded not guilty to all of them during a 45-minute hearing. Prosecutors said Mr Trump had orchestrated a 'catch and kill' scheme to purchase negative information about himself, and then "went to great lengths to hide this conduct". They alleged that payments included $30,000 to a former Trump Tower doorman who claimed to have a story about Mr Trump fathering a child out of wedlock. The indictment related to a conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 election and also involved a $130,000 hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, prosecutors said. Source: Telegraph.co.uk 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 Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah celebrated his 41st birthday by making a generous donation to the Nsawam Prison. The donation, which was made on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, included essential medicines assorted food items and necessities. Lawyer Abena Oppong Nkrumah who led the donation on behalf of the Minister said the Oppong Nkrumah family hopes the donation will help in the welfare of inmates. The donation was received by the authorities at the Nsawam Prison, who expressed their gratitude to the Minister. Speaking on behalf of the prison, a senior official said, "We are very grateful for this donation, and we thank the Minister for his kind gesture. These items will go a long way in providing for the basic needs of our inmates, and we appreciate the Minister's support in helping us to fulfil our mandate." The Nsawam Prison is one of the largest prisons in Ghana, with a population of over 3,000 inmates. The donation made by the Minister will help to alleviate some of the challenges faced by the prison. Mr Oppong Nkrumah is also actively involved in various charitable initiatives, particularly in Ofoase Ayirebi, where he serves as a Member of Parliament (MP). A year ago on his 40th Birthday, he made a similar donation to the Good Shepherd Development Outreach, an orphanage in Akwatia. 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 leadership of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) are of the view that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have designed a grand strategy to misinform Ghanaians on the countrys economic challenges in order to incite disaffection rather than to inform. Speaking at a press conference in Accra on March 28, 2023, the Chairman of the NPP, Stephen Ayesu Ntim, argued that the deliberate efforts by the opposition party to ignoring the fact that the countrys economy has been badly affected by the impact of COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war, was a clear testimony of the scheme by the NDC to misinform Ghanaians. He said after President Akufo-Addo had presented the State of the Nation (SONA) address on March 8, 2023, where he addressed critical issues of concern to all Ghanaians, the opposition party, led by its Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, also held a press conference where they produced a distorted account of the President's state of the nation address in an attempt to ride on the emotions of Ghanaians for their political gain. Mr Ntim said whereas the focus of President Akufo-Addos SONA was on the economic situation of our country and how quickly we are stabilising the economy and working our way back to the period of rapid economic growth, the NDCs address sought to exaggerate and misrepresent facts. The statement read by the NDC Chairman, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, was far from a document seeking to discuss the state of our country. There was no serious analysis of the economy, no assessment of sectoral developments, and no attempt to propose solutions to the current economic challenges, he explained. He said ordinarily, the party would have refrained from responding to the NDC on their own version of the SONA, however, given the extent of misinformation contained in their statement, we owe a duty to Ghanaians to straighten the distortions designed to incite disaffection rather than to inform Ghanaians. The NPP Chairman said anybody who refuses to accept that Ghanas economy has been affected by COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine war does not know what he or she is talking about. Ghana's economy was the toast of the world until Covid-19. Before 2020, Ghana was hailed among the fastest-growing economies in the world. But COVID-19 disrupted the growth momentum of our economy and later the Russia-Ukraine War. As a result of these factors, Ghana's economy, which was among the fastest-growing economies in the world, started to decelerate in 2020, and the government has committed everything in its toolkit to regenerate it, Mr Ntim explained. In addition, he said, Ladies and gentlemen, the ravaging impact of Covid-19 and the Russia-Ukraine War on the global economy are visible all around us. But somehow, the NDC has refused to acknowledge or admit this fact to continue misinforming Ghanaians that this government has mismanaged the economy. Source: graphiconline.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 Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt has criticized President Nana Addo for not being straightforward with his responses on the issue of homosexuality. The President has recently come under massive bashing following his responses to a question on the LGBTQ+ community during his joint press conference with US Vice President Kamala Harris. When asked about Ghana's stance on the issue, the President talked about the country's anti-LGBTQ bill saying the bill is going through the Parliament. The Attorney General has found it necessary to speak to the committee (the constitutional and legal committee of parliament) about it regarding the constitutionality . . . of several of its provisions. The parliament is dealing with it. At the end of the process, I will come in. He stated that the President has addressed the LGBTQ+ brouhaha on three different platforms and on each platform, his statements have been different. "The President has shared his thought on three ocassions, when you listen to the first one it is different from the second one, when you listen to the third one it is different from the first one, one person you have three different thoughts, why? . . . It is a worry, as President when you talk you need to be firm and plain so we all know your stance . . . " Kwesi Pratt said. This, to him, it is a cause for worry, so he advised Nana Addo saying "as a President, you have to firm on your position but for this one, you can't know where he stands when he talks". " . . What worries me is the inconsistencies . . . if you won't state your position just keep quiet," Kwesi Pratt told Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show while addressing the President's statements on the subject. Watch video below Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video South African Council of Elders Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, Mr. Benjamin Kofi Quashie has asserted that the New Patriotic Party Government has been very reckless with their spending hence running the country into a ditch. According to him, the Nana Akufo-Addo-led government has been so reckless with spending without thinking about what such actions would have on future generations. "We need to be fair to ourselves and we need to tell ourselves that we've been reckless when it comes to our expenditure. The recklessness is what has brought us here. We've been so reckless we don't even think about future generations", he stated. "When you're so reckless and the circumstances make things so glaring and when such things happen, you need to be humble and look for a better solution to the current problems facing the country", he noted. Speaking on CTV, Monday 5th April 2023 and comparing the NPP's and the NDC's True State of Nation Address, he underscored the fact that, this is the first time a party in opposition has delivered a True State of the Nation Address after the President has delivered his. In the view of the NDC Council of Elders Chairman of South Africa, the NPP chairman, Stephen Ayensu Ntim was clueless in his delivery as compared to that of the NDC Chairman, General Asiedu Nketia. Expatiating on that, he revealed that, Covid-19, which every NPP person wants the country to believe has affected us negatively leading to the current economic difficulties, rather than brought us more money than claimed. "Their reckless spending is what has brought us here and the Auditor General's report exposes the same", he affirmed. Mr. Quashie further contended that other countries also suffered from the ravages of Covid-19 but, with prudent measures, have not been affected like Ghana. He revealed further that, in 2019 before Covid struck, our currency had depreciated by over 14%. Juxtaposing this with the government's own 2020 mid-year budget review as presented by Ken Ofori Atta, "He stated that cumulatively the cedi had depreciated by 12.6% against the United States dollar. "It clearly means we were not doing well as an economy. The cedi depreciated by 9.6% in 2016. The NPP called us incompetent. In 2019, it had depreciated by 14% and you think we should take you seriously", he ended. 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 title 'Queen Camilla' has been used for the first time on official invitations to the May 6 coronation. King Charles confirms that the title 'Consort' has been removed from Camilla The announcement followed the release of a picture of the invitation to the coronation The official invitations for Camilla Parker Bowles' coronation have been released alongside confirmation that she will be crowned queen during next month's event. On April 4, Buckingham Palace released the first image of the invitations, printed on recycled paper with an ornamental border. They invite guests to the "coronation of their majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla." 'Queen' Camilla Used for Coronation Invites The usage of the royal title was the first time the Palace did not refer to Camilla as the Queen Consort. In the early months of His Majesty's reign, it made sense to refer to Her Majesty as the Queen Consort to separate her from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, a palace source explained. Prince George will be one of the four Pages of Honour assisting Charles and Camilla on the coronation day. Buckingham Palace revealed that George, the eldest son of the Prince and Princess of Wales and second-in-line to the throne, will join three other pages for the King. The invitation stated, "The Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla." This was the first indication that the King's long-cherished ambition of having his wife proclaimed Queen beside him would finally be realized, as per The Independent. Buckingham Palace is believed to update its website next month to reflect the change. In December, the Daily Mail was the first to report that the Palace planned to "organically' drop the title Consort from Camilla's title this year. The Mail on Sunday verified this in February when it claimed she would be referred to as Queen following her coronation. The seemingly unimaginable change reveals Camilla's extraordinary metamorphosis in the nation's affection. Camilla "planned" to be called Princess Consort upon her husband's accession to the throne when she married the then-Prince of Wales in a civil wedding in 2005, which Queen Elizabeth declined to attend. The inclusion of the term "intended" was meant to offer royal aides wiggle space, but at the time, many still blamed her for the dissolution of Charles's marriage to Diana, Princess of Wales. Since then, however, Camilla has won many with her kindness, humor, lack of grumbling, work advocating for domestic abuse victims, and literacy. Last night, a royal source stated, "His Majesty has always seen it as a matter of honor. Since he is King, his wife should be Queen." Read Also: Shakira Leaves Barcelona with 2 Children King Charles' Coronation Tomorrow will mark one month before the Coronation, but invitations to the historical event, which will be the first of its sort in seventy years, will not be given out until two weeks beforehand. These are destined to become collector's goods since they feature an elegantly crafted border of flora and animals surrounding a Green Man, an ancient traditional symbol of spring and rebirth, to signify the new rule. The Earl Marshal, now held by Edward William Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk, coordinates the event. As the coronation approaches, further details have emerged, with Buckingham Palace stating that Prince George, age nine, would play a key part as one of the eight Pages of Honour. Meanwhile, the White House reportedly sends First Lady Jill Biden instead of her husband, President Joe Biden, to attend the event. According to Metro, no American president has ever attended a British monarch's coronation; therefore, his absence is consistent with historical precedence. According to a source, there may still be attempts to get Biden to attend the coronation. The most important uncertainty is the presence of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke, and Duchess of Sussex. It is reported that the couple has already received the lavish invitation, but they have yet to confirm whether or not they will attend. One such scenario involves Prince Harry attending the event while his wife remains in California to care for their three children. Related Article: Could Prince Harry Face Criminal Charges? @YouTube @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. You might have a vague sense that you've heard of people eating dirt before pregnant women, maybe? Pica is the overarching term for craving and eating things that aren't food. In the 6th century, a physician named Aetius of Amida noticed people sticking non-food items in their mouths, the way magpies (pica, in Latin) pick up random objects in their beaks. He figured these people had entirely indiscriminate appetites for just any old thing and termed the behavior after the magpie. It turns out, pica is kind of a misnomer, because pica cravings are actually very specific, but according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), it includes a range of behaviors. Some people crave paperclips, batteries or coins these cravings are considered by the DSM to be on the spectrum of obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, clear mental illnesses but pica can also include cravings for raw starch (amylophagy), ice (pagophagy) and dirt (geophagy). Advertisement " " Geophagic earth is collected from the wild, sold in open-air markets and even in grocery stores throughout East Africa. Sera Lewise Young Geophagy is one form of pica found in almost every country in the world. "I was surprised when I first saw it," says Sera Young, assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at Northwestern University. "I was studying pregnant women ethnography in Zanzibar, and I asked a woman what she ate when she's pregnant, and in Swahili she said, 'Every day I take earth from this wall and eat it.' I was just learning Swahili and was pretty good at it, but I really didn't think I was understanding correctly. My research assistant was like, 'Yeah, you heard right!'" Young ended up writing her Ph.D. dissertation on geophagy, and winning the Margaret Mead Award in 2013 for her book "Craving Earth" which detailed her research about geophagy practices worldwide. In her research, Young tracked down medical literature; historical texts; research on animal behavior, soil science and parasitology, and came to the conclusion that there are four explanations as to why people eat dirt. We hear a lot about presidential impeachment, but presidents, vice presidents and anyone who has a job in the federal government (except military officers) can be impeached. Congress has started the impeachment process about 60 times in American history, but only eight of these have resulted in the person being fired. All of these have been judges. Presidential impeachment is rare, but it is big news when it happens. Only three presidents in history have been impeached: Andrew Johnson in 1868 who might be the worst president ever, Bill Clinton in 1998 and Donald Trump, who was impeached twice during the four years he was president once in 2019 and again in 2021. Richard Nixon resigned from office before the House of Representatives was able to impeach him in 1974. Advertisement Everything we know about how to impeach a president comes from a small section of the Constitution of the United States, which is the document that outlines the highest laws of the land and tells us how the government should work. According to the Constitution, you might be impeached if you commit any of these crimes: Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors." The men who wrote the Constitution didn't tell us what any of these things mean, but we know treason is the act of trying to overthrow the government, and bribery is trading money or gifts for a favor. The Constitution doesn't tell us what "High Crimes and Misdemeanors" is, but we understand they are very bad crimes. The Constitution gives the House of Representatives the power to impeach. The Senate has the job of holding the trial to decide whether the president will be found guilty or innocent of the crimes named by the House of Representatives. " " A lot of people thought President Nixon should lose his job because he did things that were illegal. Bettmann/Getty Images " " President Donald J. Trump delivers the State of the Union address in the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C., 2018. Each House rep only serves two years, so they are all up for reelection at midterms. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Put simply, midterm elections exist because not all elected offices in the United States federal government have four-year terms equal to the president. The terms of each elected office in the federal government were debated and settled during the 1787 Constitutional Convention and inscribed in the U.S. Constitution. In the U.S. federal government, the only elected officials are the president, vice president and congressional representatives. Congress consists of two chambers, the Senate and the House of Representatives, each with its own term lengths and election schedules. Advertisement There are 100 U.S. senators, two for each state. Senators serve six-year terms, the longest of any elected official in the federal government. But not every Senate seat is up for election every six years. Instead, according to Article I, section 3, clause 2 of the Constitution, the Senate is divided into three "classes." In the modern Senate, each class consists of 33 or 34 senators. Senate elections are staggered so that one class is up for election every two years. That's why every midterm election there are at least 33 or 34 Senate seats up for a vote. There can be more Senate seats up for election if a senator dies in office or resigns before the end of his or her term. The election schedule is also staggered so that no more than one Senate seat from each state is up for grabs during any single election, midterm or otherwise. According to constitutional scholars, there were a couple of reasons why the Founding Fathers decided on a six-year term for senators with staggered elections every two years. First, senators are supposed to bring stability and continuity to the federal government. By serving six years, for instance, they may serve under two different presidents. But that continuity comes with a price. The Founding Fathers worried that senators would become too chummy and permanently conspire for "sinister purposes" [source: U.S. Senate]. So, they decided to shuffle the senatorial deck every two years and put a third of the Senate seats up for a vote. The House of Representatives is a different beast. Representation in the House is based on population, with more populous states getting more House seats at the table. The current House of Representatives has 435 members, each serving two-year terms, the shortest of federally elected officials. The term length of representatives was another lively debate at the Constitutional Convention. The precedent, as set by colonial legislatures and early state legislatures, was that the representatives in state houses were elected every year and sometimes every six months. The idea was that a short term kept representatives honest to the needs of their constituents. Some of the Founding Fathers believed that federal representatives should also be held to the same tight leash a one-year term. Others at the Constitutional Convention argued that one year was far too short to get anything done in the federal government, where legislative business would be more complicated than in the states and colonies. As a practical matter, they also pointed out that it took months for some representatives to simply travel back and forth from their home states to the capital, so they lobbied for a three-year term in the House. In the end, the two sides compromised on a two-year term [source: U.S. House of Representatives]. With two-year terms, every single House seat is up for election every two years. That's why Americans vote for their House members during both presidential election years and midterms. But midterms are not just about national races. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Along with high rates of crime relative to other developed nations, the United States' crime clearance ratesthe rates at which crimes are solvedare alarmingly low. One way to raise crime clearance rates is to diversify police departments. A new study examined the effect of diversification of police departments on clearance of aggravated assaults in U.S. police agencies. None of the measures of representation studied were significantly associated with clearance of victims' assaults. The study, by researchers at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (UWM), appears in Criminology & Public Policy. "Less than half of crimes in the United States are cleared," explains Aki Roberts, associate professor of sociology at UWM, who led the study. "Citizen cooperation in crime investigations can help lead to arrests, which raises the rates of crime clearance. But citizen engagement with police in minority communities tends to be low." To address these issues, efforts have been made to diversify police agencies racially and ethnically. Greater minority representation is expected to improve police treatment of minority residents and foster a more positive relationship between police and the community. But these efforts also carry the risk that they will be viewed as a naive panacea that fails to address deep-rooted and longstanding tensions. In this study, researchers examined more than 350 U.S. police agencies' levels of racial/ethnic diversity and the arrest clearance of aggravated assaults within their jurisdictions. They used 2016 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics from the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey to measure three aspects of police diversity in each agency: the percentage of Black officers, the ratio of Black officers to the city's population, and the presence or absence of Black police leadership. The study also used data from the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) to examine nearly 44,000 aggravated assaults of Black victims across 205 police agencies. It also explored equivalent Hispanic police diversity measures, examining nearly 8,400 aggravated assaults with Hispanic victims across 158 agencies. The study found that none of the diversity measures examined vis a vis Black officers were significantly associated with the clearance of aggravated assaults of Black victims. The study found similar results for the diversity measures vis a vis Hispanic officers and Hispanic victims. The results, which echo those of prior studies, may reflect the idea that diversification does little to change police agency culture and resulting policing style, especially at the relatively low levels of minority representation in most agencies, the authors suggest. "Although our findings do not point to a benefit of diversity for clearance involving minority victims, it is encouraging that the results do not suggest that increasing minority police representation harms clearance rates," notes Hannah Smith, a Ph.D. student in sociology at UWM, who co-authored the study. "Therefore, it appears that police agencies can continue to increase their racial and ethnic diversity without sacrificing clearance rates, a main indicator of police performance. However, we need more research on policing outcomes and diversity, including studies that examine this relationship using data over time." More information: Aki Roberts et al, Police diversity and crime clearance for Black and Hispanic victims, Criminology & Public Policy (2023). DOI: 10.1111/1745-9133.12622 Provided by American Society of Criminology 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: Some of the 313 manillas excavated by the Sociedad de Ciencias Aranzadi from a Flemish trader lost in 1524 off Getaria in Basque Country, northern Spain. The ship was chartered by Portuguese merchants from Lisbon. Credit: Ana Maria Benito-Dominguez, CC-BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) The renowned Benin Bronzes are composed of metal sourced from Germany, according to a study published April 5, 2023, in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Tobias Skowronek of the Technische Hochschule Georg Agricola, Germany, and colleagues. The Benin Bronzes collectively refers to thousands of African artworks in the form of heads, plaques, figurines, and other objects produced by the Edo people of Nigeria between the 16th and 19th century AD. It is commonly thought that the metal in these sculptures was sourced from small brass rings called "manillas" which were used as currency in European trade in West Africa, but this has been difficult to confirm. The artifacts have also been the subject of controversy in light of the ongoing repatriation discussions between Nigerian officials and many museums holding the Benin Bronzes. In this study, researchers performed chemical analysis on 67 manillas recovered from five Atlantic shipwrecks and three land sites in Europe and Africa dating between the 16th and 19th centuries, specifically identifying lead isotope signatures and trace element compositions of the metal. They found a strong similarity between the metal composition of the Benin Bronzes and that of the manillas used in Portuguese trade prior to the 18th century, suggesting these manillas were a major source of metal for the sculptures. Furthermore, the composition of those manillas is similar to ores from the German Rhineland, suggesting that Germany was the principle source of metal for production of pre-18th century manillas and, ultimately, the Benin Bronzes. The consistency in metal composition of the Bronzes suggests that African metalsmiths were very selective about what metal they would use. The authors note that analysis of other German-produced metal wares from this time might shed further light on the details of early Atlantic trade. They also note that Portuguese manillas were likely not the only source of metal for the Benin Bronzes, thus there are more questions to be answered about the production of the famous sculptures. Detail of a manilla bracelet concreted to part of a pot from a Flemish trader excavated by the Sociedad de Ciencias Aranzadi off Getaria, Basque Country, northern Spain. The ship, lost in 1524, had been chartered by Portuguese merchants from Lisbon. Credit: Ana Maria Benito-Dominguez, CC-BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Tobias Skowronek adds, "The Benin Bronzes are the most famous ancient works of art in all West Africa. Where their brass came from has long been a mystery. Finally, we can prove the totally unexpected: the brass used for the Benin masterpieces, long thought to come from Britain or Flanders, was mined in western Germany. The Rhineland manillas were then shipped more than 6,300 kilometers to Benin. This is the first time a scientific link has been made." More information: German brass for Benin Bronzes: Geochemical analysis insights into the early Atlantic trade, PLOS ONE (2023). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0283415 Journal information: PLoS ONE This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The CABI Distribution Databasewhich holds over a million geographic records of living organismscontributed to a synoptic review of plant disease epidemics and outbreaks in 2021 as part of new research published in the journal Phytopathology. CABI data analysts Dr. Hannah Fielder, Tim Beale, and Dr. Anna Szyniszewska, shared their expertise with colleagues from the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London and the University of Warwick, for the study which revealed 15 pathogens reported in new locations. These included pathogens affecting apple, banana, potato and tomato crops in countries in Asia, Europe, the U.S. and other parts of the Americas. Of the 15 species, the scientists assessed two of the pathogenstomato brown rugose fruit virus and cucurbit chlorotic yellow virusto be actively emerging in or spreading to new locations. The latter of which, for example, has now been found in several US states. It is hoped the new insights can help lead to more focused monitoring, detection and mitigation of the diseases which can have a severe impact upon crop production, food security and livelihoods. The researchers conducted their study by combining data from the CABI Distribution Databasewhich identified 617 distribution records of 283 plant pathogens that were new in 2021and by reviewing scientific literature on major, plant disease outbreaks published in 2021. They highlight that the results of both the literature review and interrogation of the CABI Distribution Database revealed distinct sets of plant disease outbreaks and new records with little overlap, reflecting the time lag between first reports of a pathogen being made and major disease outbreaks being observed. The CABI Distribution Database covers over 55,000 species, across key areas such as crop pests and hosts, crop and animal diseases, invasive species and natural enemies. Data has been sourced from peer reviewed published literature, CABI project work and other authoritative third-party sources such as EPPO and WOAH. Throughout 2021, CABI worked hard to use new Distribution Database tools to import more geographic records. This included adding over 12,000 new species to the database and information that filled thousands of gaps in existing species distributions. Tim Beale, Senior Data Analyst at CABI, said, "CABI regularly updates its distribution data so that when users go to our knowledge products they can be confident that they are getting the latest information about where their species of interest is present or absent." "In the case of this latest research, the resource has proved invaluable in identifying which pathogens pose the latest threat to food security in a particular geographical location and how this can be tackled to help prevent crop losses." The researchers argue that their approach has helped build a holistic picture of the range of plant health threats that are impacting, or have the potential to impact, food security, as well as plant and environmental health. They add that such information can inform appropriate surveillance measures or management strategies to either prevent pathogens from entering a new location or limit the likelihood or impact of recurring outbreaks. Professor Nik Cunniffe, corresponding author from the University of Cambridge, said, "Problems remain of delays in reporting, publishing, and communicating plant disease outbreaks and new records for plant health regulation, disease management and farm strategic planning." "However, the approach taken in this review provides a mechanism for integrating information and a synoptic view on current plant disease outbreaks and potential future risks and might usefully be adopted regularly in the future." The CABI Distribution Database serves data to the CABI Compendium (with six channels covering Animal Health & Production, Aquaculture, Crop Protection, Forestry, Horticulture and Invasive Species), distribution maps for plant pests and plant diseases, the Horizon Scanning Tool, Pest Risk Analysis Tool, Plantwise Knowledge Bank Species Pages (Datasheets) and the Plantwise Knowledge Bank Diagnostic Tool. CABI Tools and Apps CABI's range of ICT tools and apps have been designed to support a variety of users from plant health professionals to researchers, farmers, students and more across a number of subjects and disciplines. CABI's Invasive Species Channel of the CABI Compendium includes a number of open access tools and resources to support pest management, while its Plantwise resources provide a range of information on plant health. More information: Michael J. Jeger et al, What can be learnt by a synoptic review of plant disease epidemics and outbreaks published in 2021?, Phytopathology (2023). DOI: 10.1094/PHYTO-02-23-0069-IA Provided by CABI 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: Microbial co-occurrence networks. a, SparCC co-occurrence networks computed for all samples with at least two microbial species following decontamination at different SparCC correlation thresholds (0.05, 0.2, 0.3). Only associations with a magnitude of SparCC correlation greater than the respective thresholds are retained. b, SparCC networks for individual cohorts at a correlation threshold of 0.2. No co-occurrence associations were retained after taking the intersection of edges between all cohort networks. In a and b, each node represents a single microbial species, and each edge a single association between a pair of microbial species. Edge thickness is scaled by the magnitude of correlation. The number of samples used to compute each network and the correlation thresholds used are annotated. Positive and negative SparCC correlations are indicated in green and blue, respectively. Credit: Nature Microbiology (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01350-w There is no stable microbial community residing in the bloodstream of healthy humans, according to a new study led by a UCL researcher. The new Nature Microbiology paper makes an important confirmation as blood donations are a crucial part of medical practice. Understanding what types of microbes may be found in blood may allow the development of better microbial tests in blood donations, which would minimize the risk of transfusion-related infections. Lead author, Ph.D. student Cedric Tan (UCL Genetics Institute and Francis Crick Institute) said, "Human blood is generally considered sterile. While sometimes microorganisms will enter the bloodstream such as via a wound or after tooth-brushing, mostly this is quickly resolved by the immune system. "But in recent decades this paradigm has been challenged by speculation that the blood could host a community of microbes. Here, we have confirmed this is not the case, as most people's blood does not contain microbes, and the microbial species found in some people's blood varied substantially between individuals." For the study, Cedric worked with a team supervised by Dr. Niranjan Nagarajan at A*STAR's Genome Institute of Singapore to analyze the population-scale sequencing data from "SG10K Health," a project of Singapore's National Precision Medicine program. After accounting for contamination that is rife in microbiome investigations, the team found that microbes were only rarely and sporadically detected in blood, instead of existing as stable communities. Among their sample of 9,770 people, 84% of people did not have any microbes in their blood sample, and less than 5% of people shared the same species. The scientists also found evidence that some bacteria in the blood of healthy individuals might be replicating and most of these bacteria are typically found in the human gut, oral, or skin microbiomes. Their findings suggest that microbes do occasionally enter the bloodstream from other body sites without causing disease, but there is no core set of species colonizing the blood of healthy individuals. The findings also provide a useful resource for the types of microbes that one might expect to occasionally see in the blood of healthy humans. Characterizing the range of microbial species present in the blood of healthy individuals forms a crucial baseline for comparison with that of diseased individuals, shedding light on how blood microbial profiles may correlate with health status. In a research briefing accompanying the study, Cedric wrote, "Our study focuses on healthy individuals but does not preclude the presence of blood microbial communities in patients with chronic diseases such as cancer or diabetes. A logical next step would be to determine if blood-borne communities are present in these cases and if said communities are associated with disease severity and progression. This approach might open new doors for microbiome-based therapeutics of chronic illnesses." More information: Cedric C. S. Tan et al, No evidence for a common blood microbiome based on a population study of 9,770 healthy humans, Nature Microbiology (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01350-w No microbial community in the blood of healthy individuals, Nature Microbiology (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01364-4 Journal information: Nature Microbiology This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain QAnon's journey from a fringe phenomenon in 2017 to a mainstream presence on Twitter represents an evolution that arrived by tapping into an interconnected media system, according to a recently published paper by a University at Buffalo communication researcher. The QAnon presence, which began as obscure actors on Twitter, was the start of a development that spread from the social media platform and realized further amplification from far-right media outlets. "The QAnon Twitter accounts we analyzed knew well how to play the social media game. They gained retweets and follows by engaging in group identity performance, praising their own while disparaging opponents, but that was just a start," says Yini Zhang, Ph.D., the paper's lead author, and an assistant professor of communication in the UB College of Arts and Sciences. "Our results show the more retweets they gained and the more followers they accumulated, the more likely it became for far-right media outlets to embed these tweets in their coverage. "This dovetails with prior research showing how journalists construct news stories by incorporating viral social media content and how audience reaction to social media content can influence their news judgment." Research is limited regarding how some QAnon accounts have gained social media prominence and the role media amplification might have played in facilitating the rise of that popularity. The paper, which appears in the journal New Media & Society, provides a valuable new understanding into how the current media system contributes to the growth of conspiratorial actors on social media platforms. "This case describes a large problem in an information system where the wildest and most extreme comments on social media are more engagement-worthy and more likely to be picked up by partisan media," says Zhang, an expert in social media and political communication. "The result of this kind of interconnected amplification is that it has the potential to further fortify extreme camps and intensify existing polarization." The study's results show that the overwhelming majority of stories that quoted QAnon tweets appeared in partisan news outlets. Those tweets embedded in other outlets used the Twitter content mainly for analysis. Indiscriminate media amplification can contribute to mainstreaming while spreading disinformation, according to Zhang. "It's a new reality," she says. "Our findings suggest that moderate and mainstream media have learned the lesson of that new reality and have exercised their amplification power with greater caution to guard against exploitation by potential bad actors." Zhang's research team used an existing database of Twitter users and selected 242 QAnon accounts that included in their Twitter bios keywords associated with the QAnon conspiracy. They collected their tweets and tracked follower growth over time, using an automated analysis to look at content. They also searched for news stories that contained QAnon handles, breaking the outlets into five categories labeled as conservative, hyper-conservative, moderate, liberal, and hyper-liberal. Partisan media, however, is not the only force behind QAnon's peripheral to mainstream shift on Twitter. "How QAnon conducts itself is one means of attracting followers and getting retweets, but the social media reaction they receive is a vehicle for adaptation," says Zhang. "Users should consider the unintended consequences of engagement with content they oppose." Zhang says future research might look at social media platforms other than Twitter. Because of unique dynamics among different platforms it's impossible to assume that social media in general can be reduced to a single identity. "We have to consider cross-platform differences," she says. "Perhaps looking at Gab, Parler or Rumble." More information: Yini Zhang et al, How a peripheral ideology becomes mainstream: Strategic performance, audience reaction, and news media amplification in the case of QAnon Twitter accounts, New Media & Society (2022). DOI: 10.1177/14614448221137324 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The Global CTX Mosaic of Mars allows scientists and the public to explore the planet like never before. It includes different layers of data that can be turned on or off, like these labels for named geographic features on the planet. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS Both scientists and the public can navigate a new global image of the Red Planet that was made at Caltech using data from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Cliffsides, impact craters, and dust devil tracks are captured in mesmerizing detail in a new mosaic of the Red Planet composed of 110,000 images from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). Taken by the veteran spacecraft's black-and-white Context Camera, or CTX, the images cover nearly 270 square feet (25 square meters) of surface per pixel. That makes the Global CTX Mosaic of Mars the highest-resolution global image of the Red Planet ever created. If it were printed out, this 5.7 trillion pixel (or 5.7 terapixel) mosaic would be large enough to cover the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. The product of Caltech's Bruce Murray Laboratory for Planetary Visualization, the mosaic took six years and tens of thousands of hours to develop. It is so detailed that more than 120 peer-reviewed science papers have already cited a beta version. But the mosaic is also easy enough for anyone to use. "I wanted something that would be accessible to everyone," said Jay Dickson, the image processing scientist who led the project and manages the Murray Lab. "Schoolchildren can use this now. My mother, who just turned 78, can use this now. The goal is to lower the barriers for people who are interested in exploring Mars." CTX is among three cameras aboard MRO, which is led by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. One of those cameras, the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE), provides color images of surface features as small as a dining room table. In contrast, CTX provides a broader view of terrain around those features, helping scientists understand how they're related. Its ability to capture larger expanses of the landscape has made CTX especially useful for spotting impact craters on the surface. A third camera, the Mars Color Imager (MARCI), led by the same team that operates CTX, produces a daily global map of Mars weather at much lower spatial resolution. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiters Context Camera, which captured the 110,000 images that make up the interactive global mosaic, is especially useful for spotting impact craters like those seen here. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS Mars up close Snapping away since MRO arrived at Mars in 2006, CTX has documented nearly all of the Red Planet, making its images an optimal starting point for scientists when they're creating a map. A bit like hunting for a needle in a haystack and putting together a puzzle at the same time, mapmaking requires downloading and sifting through a large selection of images to find those with the same lighting conditions and clear skies. To create the new mosaic, Dickson developed an algorithm to match images based on the features they captured. He manually stitched together the remaining 13,000 images that the algorithm couldn't match. The remaining gaps in the mosaic represent parts of Mars that hadn't been imaged by CTX by the time Dickson started working on this project, or areas obscured by clouds or dust. Laura Kerber, a Mars scientist at JPL, provided feedback on the new mosaic as it took shape. "I've wanted something like this for a long time," Kerber said. "It's both a beautiful product of art and also useful for science." Kerber recently used the image to visit her favorite spot on Mars: Medusae Fossae, a dusty region about the size of Mongolia. Scientists are unsure exactly how it formed; Kerber has proposed it might be a pile of ash from a nearby volcano. At the click of a button on the CTX mosaic, she can zoom in and admire ancient river channels, now dry, winding through the landscape there. Users can also jump to regions like Gale Crater and Jezero Craterareas being explored by NASA's Curiosity and Perseverance roversor visit Olympus Mons, the tallest volcano in the solar system, adding topographic data from NASA's Mars Global Surveyor mission. One of the mosaic's coolest features highlights impact craters across the entire planet, allowing viewers to see just how scarred Mars is. "For 17 years, MRO has been revealing Mars to us as no one had seen it before," said the mission's project scientist, Rich Zurek of JPL. "This mosaic is a wonderful new way to explore some of the imagery that we've collected." 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: Fig. 1 Conceptual diagram of complex amplitude modulated holographic data storage. Credit: Compuscript Ltd In the era of big data, global data volume is growing exponentially. The development of numerous technologies depends on massive data and also generates massive data. Data mining, storage, and protection are becoming increasingly important. The development of traditional data storage technology can no longer keep up with the speed of data generation, and new high-density, long-lasting, and low-cost storage methods need to be developed. Traditional data storage technology basically stores one-dimensional data on a two-dimensional surface. To break through the limitations of existing technologies, we need to think from storage dimension increasing. Holographic data storage seems to be a feasible solution. It uses interference between information light encoding patterns and reference light encoding patterns to record holograms in the medium. When reading, only the reference beam is used to diffract the information light pattern from the hologram. Holographic data storage technology has the characteristics of three-dimensional volume storage and two-dimensional data transmission, which enables higher storage density and faster data transmission speed, making it a powerful competitor for the next generation of storage technology. In fact, holographic data storage technology has been proposed for 60 years, but it has not yet been practically applied. One of the reasons is that traditional holographic data storage uses only amplitude modulation, which does not correspond to the theoretical intention of holography, and the actual storage density achieved is far from the theoretical value. To fully exploit the advantages of holographic data storage, complex amplitude modulation must be used for recording and reading. However, the technical bottleneck lies in phase reading, as the phase cannot be directly obtained by detectors. Fig. 2 Physical model of near field diffraction for lensless detection. Credit: Compuscript Ltd The problem with using interference to read the phase is that the system is unstable and not conducive to practicality, while traditional non-interference methods often require iterative calculations, which reduce data transmission speed. In a new article in Opto-Electronic Advances, researchers propose to use the intensity image of near-field diffraction to simultaneously and non-iteratively read amplitude and phase information accurately without interference, solving the key technical bottleneck of holographic data storage complex amplitude modulation. The core of this model lies in using an end-to-end convolutional neural network to extract high-frequency and low-frequency image features from near-field diffraction patterns, corresponding to modulation of phase and amplitude encoding. Based on the training of the neural network, a network with generalization ability is established to accurately predict new complex amplitude encoding information. Essentially, deep learning accumulates enough redundant feature information in the time dimension to compensate for the dimensional loss problem caused by the inability to detect phase in space. There is a good point of integration between deep learning and holographic data storage. Unlike other imaging applications, because the encoding of holographic data storage is controllable, this encoding prior can be used to consciously modulate the encoding rules, producing more differentiated data samples and making deep learning more efficient. The research group of Prof. Xiaodi Tan from Fujian Normal University proposed a deep learning-based near-field diffraction decoding system, which can accurately read both amplitude and phase information in a non-interferometric, non-iterative and fast way, thus solving the key technical bottleneck of complex amplitude modulation in holographic data storage. The success of combining deep learning with holographic data storage depends on three key points. One of the key points is the lensless near-field diffraction intensity detection. The lensless system and the choice of near-field distance are both to ensure that the light field has certain diffraction effects, so that the phase changes can be transmitted to the intensity distribution through diffraction, while the amplitude features are still preserved. Fig. 3 Change in the mean square error (MSE) using two different phase encoding datasets with (a) (0, /2, , 3/2) and (b) (/6, 2/3, , 3/2) when training the same neural network. (1) and (3) are the same intensity images fed to the CNN and (2) and (4) are the ground truth of the phase data page. The pages at the 1st, 20th, 40th, and 60th epoch are the phase data page retrieved from the intensity image using the trained CNN. Credit: Compuscript Ltd In simulation and experiments, this correspondence exists within a certain range, and the specific diffraction distance depends on factors such as the spatial frequency and complexity of the input encoding. For example, if the encoding has a high spatial frequency, the diffraction effect is stronger, and the near-field diffraction distance should be shorter. The second key point is to find the feature differences between amplitude and phase. Since both amplitude and phase are learned from the near-field diffraction intensity map, there must be distinguishable points to prevent confusion between them. The researchers found that the feature that determines the amplitude learning network is the intensity distribution of the low-frequency part, while the feature that determines the phase learning network is the phase difference pattern of the high-frequency part. This enables the same near-field diffraction intensity map to reconstruct amplitude and phase separately without interference. The third key point is unequal interval encoding. Usually, uniform encoding has a larger encoding interval, which can reduce the encoding reconstruction interference, but in this method, the phase difference combination generated by the uniform interval encoding is completely the same, and deep learning cannot distinguish the corresponding diffraction features. Therefore, non-uniform encoding can greatly improve the diversity of samples, so that the deep learning network can accurately identify complex amplitude encoding. This work not only has applications in the field of holographic data storage, but also has an impact on other fields of computational imaging based on deep learning. The unclear physical meaning of the "black box" of deep learning limits its application. In the field of holographic data storage, the encoding can be freely designed, providing research targets with prior knowledge. Therefore, by establishing an evaluation mechanism for deep learning complex amplitude encoding and decoding, analyzing the relationship between different encoding conditions and the efficiency of deep learning decoding, it is possible to determine which encoding rules are more suitable for deep learning decoding, formulate optimization strategies for complex amplitude encoding in holographic data storage, and iteratively optimize between encoding and decoding based on this strategy. This can give structured physical functions to the parameters of the deep neural network structure and lay a foundation for opening up the "black box" of deep learning. More information: Jianying Hao et al, Lensless complex amplitude demodulation based on deep learning in holographic data storage, Opto-Electronic Advances (2023). DOI: 10.29026/oea.2023.220157 Provided by Compuscript Ltd Johnson & Johnson (J&J) agreed to pay $8.9 billion to tens of thousands of people who claimed that their talcum powder products caused cancer in a legal fight that lasted more than ten years, according to The Straits Times. (Photo: by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) SAN ANSELMO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 12: In this photo illustration, a bottle of Johnson & Johnson baby powder is displayed on a table on November 12, 2021, in San Anselmo, California. A Significant Victory? The settlement is being called by the plaintiffs' lawyers a significant victory and will be paid out over 25 years via a subsidiary. The firm stated that the proposed settlement does not imply any guilt. If a bankruptcy court approves, this settlement will address all existing and potential claims related to J&J products containing talc. Apart from the agreement, the court must also approve a new bankruptcy application submitted by a subsidiary of J&J, LTL Management. J&J established LTL as a strategy to protect itself from talc lawsuits. However, a previous bankruptcy submission from the subsidiary faced opposition from the plaintiffs and was rejected by a US appeals court this year. LTL initially filed for bankruptcy and allocated $2 billion to compensate plaintiffs who alleged that the talc in J&J's baby powder was tainted with asbestos, leading to ovarian cancer and mesothelioma. In their latest submission, J&J announced they would allocate an extra $6.9 billion to handle the settlements. Also read: J&J HIV Vaccine Discontinued After Advanced Trials Showed Ineffectiveness The Long Controversy The Johnson & Johnson talcum powder controversy is a long-standing debate over whether the company's baby powder contains asbestos, a known carcinogen. The controversy began in the 1970s when researchers found traces of asbestos in talcum powder products. Despite this evidence, Johnson & Johnson continued to market its baby powder as safe. In 2018, a Reuters investigation revealed that Johnson & Johnson knew for decades that its talcum powder contained asbestos but failed to disclose it to the public. The investigation found that Johnson & Johnson had known about the presence of asbestos in its talcum powder since the 1970s but had failed to inform the public or regulators. The revelation sparked a wave of lawsuits against the company, with thousands of women claiming they developed ovarian cancer after using Johnson & Johnson's baby powder. In 2018, the company was ordered to pay $4.7 billion in damages to 22 women who had developed ovarian cancer due to using the product. Johnson & Johnson has maintained that its talcum powder is safe and does not contain asbestos. The company has also criticized the methods used in the Reuters investigation, claiming that they were flawed and that the results were unreliable. Despite the ongoing controversy, Johnson & Johnson continues selling baby powder in the United States. However, the company has faced mounting pressure from consumers and advocacy groups to remove the product from the market. In response, Johnson & Johnson has announced that it will discontinue the sale of talc-based baby powder in North America, citing declining sales and public perception concerns. The Johnson & Johnson, talcum powder controversy, highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in the manufacturing and marketing consumer products. As consumers, we must hold companies accountable for their actions and demand that they prioritize the safety and well-being of their customers above profits. Related article: Johnson's Talc-Based Baby Powder Phased Out: Lawsuits Claim It Contains Cancerous Asbestos @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce 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: Seaweed can quickly take over a reef after a disturbance. Credit: Jeff Liang Natural disasters can devastate a region, abruptly killing the species that form an ecosystem's structure. But how this transpires can influence recovery. While fires scorch the landscape to the ground, a heatwave leaves an army of wooden staves in its wake. Storm surges and coral bleaching do something similar underwater. UC Santa Barbara scientists investigated how these two kinds of disturbances might affect coral reefs. They found that coral struggles more to recover from bleaching than from storms, even when mortality was similar between the two events. The skeletons left behind after bleaching appear to offer protection to algae, which then edge out the slow-growing coral. The study, led by doctoral student Kai Kopecky, appears in the journal Ecology. Most shallow-water corals host symbiotic algae that provide the animals with food in exchange for a safe home and nutrients. But extreme conditions can throw this arrangement out of alignment, causing the coral to expel their partners in a process known as bleaching, which is often fatal. Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have studied coral and their reef ecosystems around the island of Moorea, French Polynesia since the late 1980s. Kopecky's second visit to the island coincided with a major bleaching event. "To see lots of bright white coral skeletons is very jarring," he said, but he took solace that the island's reefs have proven remarkably resilient in the past. Unfortunately a different pattern began to emerge this time. Seaweed, a major competitor with coral for space on the reef, began colonizing the bleached skeletons. Kopecky wondered if the skeletons' presence was setting the reef on a pathway toward a more algae-dominated state. Previous work at Moorea showed that tropical reefs can host either coral- or seaweed-dominated communities. These distinct states are resilient to small disturbances, but a large shock can flip the ecosystem from one to the other in a process called hysteresis. Once this happens, the reef won't revert to its previous state even if the conditions do. The system has found a new equilibrium. Kopecky developed a mathematical model to compare reef dynamics after a bleaching eventwhich leaves skeletons in placeand after a stormwhich scours the reef bare. He used a system of five differential equations to capture the transition between empty space, live and dead branching coral, and seaweed cover on the reef. The results were telling. "Just the fact that those skeletons are left on the reef results in these fundamentally different patterns of recovery," Kopecky said. Coral skeletons seem to protect young algae from herbivores that would otherwise keep it in check. The animals can't get in all the crevices, so the algae gains a foothold from which to spread. This protection doesn't appear to provide the same benefits to young coral. The authors suspect that coral don't face as much pressure from predators as algae do. What's more, algae can quickly outgrow coral when given the chance. "Coral is literally laying down rock, while the algae are mostly just fast-growing, soft, leafy material," said senior author Holly Moeller, an assistant professor of ecology, evolution and marine biology. Reef buildup is a slow process, with coral death usually balanced by recruitment. New growth incorporates dead skeletons into the larger reef structure. But bleaching kills a lot of coral all at onceespecially the oldest and youngestand the skeletons eventually become brittle through erosion. It's not a strong foundation for young coral to build their lives upon. If dead skeletons hinder coral recovery, why not simply remove them? This approach is gaining support in other ecosystems. "Think of prescribed fires or the thinning of dead trees in forests so that the system is more resilient to future disturbances," Kopecky said. However, coral skeletons provide many benefits. They form habitat for sundry kinds of animals and some evidence suggests that the structural complexity of a reef correlates with faster coral recovery. "The effect really depends on what the nature of that structure is," Kopecky said. Material density, strength and spatial layout all influence reef dynamics. "Those aspects need to be taken into consideration before you go out and just start jackhammering the reef." The team has a suite of ongoing experiments in Moorea, including one exploring how the reef recovers when dead coral skeletons are removed. Several others are testing the assumptions Kopecky used to create his model. For example, how much does dead coral actually reduce herbivory? And how do the skeletons affect the growth of living corals? "Kai's study is a classic example of the value of mathematical models in ecology," Moeller said. Coral can live for hundreds of years, and reef recovery can take decades. "That's just not an experiment that you can do realistically. "But if you have a model," she continued, "and you trust the way you set that model up because you've done other experiments, then you can make these projections decades into the future." More information: Kai L. Kopecky et al, Material legacies can degrade resilience: Structureretaining disturbances promote regime shifts on coral reefs, Ecology (2023). DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4006 Journal information: Ecology This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain As Islamophobia spread in the United States after 9/11, so did the popularity of a subgenre of pornography that shows headscarf-wearing women engaging in sex. The videos are available on streaming platforms, where they draw millions of views. Martine Boulanger examined the phenomenon for her master's thesis at Universite de Montreal, "Representation des voiles islamiques et des femmes les portant dans la pornographie en ligne etats-unienne entre 2001 et 2020." Completed under the direction of Julianne Pidduck, a professor in UdeM's Department of Communications, the study is based on Boulanger's analysis of 15 of the most popular American porn videos made between 2001 and 2020. Until 2022 there had been only one academic article on the genre in the scientific literature. "Voiler les beurettes pour les devoiler: Les doubles jeux d'un fantasme pornographique blanc," de Fassin et Trachman, published in 2013, studied the sexual and social phenomenon in France. A variety of headscarves Boulanger didn't just look at about burqas and hijabs. "Islamic head coverings include a variety of traditional garments and headscarves linked to Islam," she said. "There's the niqab, a head covering that conceals the face with a small opening for the eyes; the burqa, a garment that covers the entire head and body with mesh covering the eyes; and the chador, a traditional Persian garment that consists of a large piece of fabric that covers the head but leaves the face visible. "All are completely different from the hijab. The word hijab, which means 'cover' in Arabic, consists of a headscarf that covers the hair, ears and neck." In the collective imagination, all of these head coverings are a key difference between people from Western and Eastern cultures. They are more often worn by women from various regions of the Middle East, North Africa and the south Asian countries, including Pakistan and Afghanistan. The veil is never lifted Although she thought that removing the headscarf would be a key element of the pornographic content she analyzed, Boulanger noticed that headscarves were most often kept on throughout the sexual encounters. In fact, headscarves were only removed in four of the 15 videos in her sample. They are more often treated as part of a costume. "In one of the videos, the garment in question resembled a chador," she said. "It was a long-sleeved dress that was entirely black, with a section that covered the actor's neck, ears and hair. But it was too short to meet the modesty standards that the chador fulfills." In the videos analyzed, the women were treated as identical and interchangeable. "The headscarves weren't just objects," Boulanger said, "They're also used to show that the women who wear them are all the same, just because they all wear headscarves. For example, in one video, a stepfather mixes up his wife and stepdaughter because they both wear headscarves and similar clothing." By covering their heads, these women turn into fetish objects as part of a binary opposition: "In all of the different scenarios, 'us' only becomes meaningful because of its opposition to 'them': 'West' versus 'East,' 'Americans' versus 'foreigners,' man versus woman, secular versus Muslim, bareheaded individuals versus women in headscarves," Boulanger said. "These oppositions are needed to provide meaning, but they are also related to the power structures that govern the relationship between good and bad, dominant and dominated." Reduced to a product The women are objectified, she said. "They reduce women to a consumer product, just like food. For example, a woman's vulva is compared to baba ghanoush, which is an utterly ridiculous comparison. They turn the woman into a lesser being, like an item that can be consumed." In these scenarios, headscarves are used to build a relationship of dominance. "Headscarves are also a way of saying 'this woman is under control. As an American man, I can use her to gain sexual satisfaction, as well as the satisfaction of having power over someone or something,'" said Boulanger. This kind of violence toward women who don't have the same rights as men is treated as erotic. "For example, in some videos, women are shown as subordinate to the man, as if they were chattel owned by their husbands. Not being considered as your own human being is a form of violence," she concluded. 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: University of Sheffield Tom Stavert, a joint Ph.D. researcher between Sheffield and Strathclyde, has published an article in the journal RSC Sustainability exploring how combining computational modeling with green chemical principles can enable sustainable manufacture. Novel research methods critical to the decarbonization of industry have been highlighted in a new paper published by a Sheffield-Strathclyde research team. Tom Stavert is a postgraduate researcher whose Ph.D. is a joint collaboration between the University of Sheffield and the University of Strathclyde, supervised by Prof. Siddharth Patwardhan and Dr. Miguel Jorge, respectively, who also contributed to the new paper alongside Dr. Robert Pilling. The focus of Tom's research is combining novel experimental and computational approaches to produce sustainable nanomaterials. His recent research has culminated in the publication of the article titled "Unlocking the holy grail of sustainable and scalable mesoporous silica using computational modeling," in RSC Sustainability. Ordered mesoporous silica (OMS) has applications in the likes of gas separation, catalysis, drug delivery in patients, and biosensorsthe latter can be used for disease monitoring among other things. However, despite the discovery of OMS 30 years ago, it's not yet possible to produce such materials sustainably because they require high temperature and pressure, extreme pH, and harsh, toxic chemicals, as well as forming polluted water, making it a highly energy and resource intensive process. Bio-inspired methods offer a great alternative for the design of high-value mesoporous silica under more environmentally considerate conditions, allowing for both sustainable and economic scale up. However, at present, synthesis of bio-inspired silica (BIS) is not fully understood, which creates barriers to achieving products comparable in quality to traditional mesoporous silica. As such, this article summarizes key findings in the development of OMS and BIS synthesis, with focus on the challenges in the development of scalable routes for the production of these materials. It also highlights recent triumphs in improving the mechanistic understanding of syntheses using computational modeling, as well as how modeling can be used for the predictive design of BIS. Through combining computational modeling with the principles of green and sustainable chemistry, there is the potential to transform material discovery and sustainable manufacture. This approach can reduce production costs by two orders of magnitude in some cases. With OMS having a wide range of applications, future outcomes from this work align with multiple of the UN's sustainable development goals (SDGs): SDG 6clean water and sanitation, SDG 7affordable and clean energy, SDG 9industry, innovation and infrastructure, SDG12responsible consumption and production, and SDG 13climate action. On his recent publication, Tom said, "Being part of a collaborative Ph.D. project has given me a fantastic perspective of the importance of taking a multi-disciplinary approach to solving research challenges as it combines both experimental and computational methods. "In this article we highlight how seemingly unrelated strands of research can be joined together to create novel and effective research methods, drawing on expertise from researchers with diverse skillsets. This combined approach will be critical to decarbonising industry and effectively tackling climate change." More information: Tom Stavert et al, Unlocking the holy grail of sustainable and scalable mesoporous silica using computational modelling, RSC Sustainability (2023). DOI: 10.1039/D3SU00019B 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: Total number of publications per species plotted against their description year. The ten most-researched species are: Chelonia mydas (n = 2130 papers), Caretta caretta (n = 2058), Trachemys scripta (n = 1709), Naja naja (n = 1581), Trimeresusrus stejnegeri (n = 1247), Alligator mississippiensis (n = 1049), Anolis carolinensis (n = 998), Crotalus durissus (n = 979), Chrysemys picta (n = 852) and Bothrops jararaca (n = 846). Silhouette illustrations are reproduced from phylopic.org. Credit: Ecography (2023). DOI: 10.1111/ecog.06491 In an article published in the journal Ecography, a group of Brazilian researchers reports the results of a review of the scientific literature on reptiles published between 1960 and 2021, considering the more than 11,000 species described since the eighteenth century. According to the authors, who are affiliated with the Federal University of Goias (UFG) and the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), 15% of the articles published in the period discussed ten species (four turtles, four snakes, a lizard and a crocodile). Fewer than ten articles were published on 90.5% of all species, and none at all were published on 38.2%. The reasons some reptile species are more studied than others, they suggest, have to do with size, type of habitat, danger of extinction, proximity to research institutions, and national income, among other factors affecting research priorities in this field. "Although there are many more species in tropical regions, there has been far more research on species in temperate regions, especially in the northern hemisphere, where most countries are relatively wealthy and have more research institutions than elsewhere. For this reason, the rich countries should also invest in research on biodiversity in tropical regions," said Mario R. Moura, one of the three authors. The other co-authors are Jhonny Guedes, who took part in the study for his Ph.D. research under the auspices of UFG's Program of Graduate Studies in Ecology and Evolution; and Jose Alexandre Diniz-Filho, his thesis advisor and a professor at UFG's Institute of Biological Sciences (ICB). Data biases The authors surveyed a total of 89,280 articles in the Scopus database, which according to them is one of the largest scientific literature search resources and offers higher journal coverage than many others. They performed searches for all 11,570 valid reptile species according to the May 2021 release of the Reptile Database, which collects taxonomic information on all living reptile species. After excluding 1,039 species described after 2015 to allow for potential bias due to recent discovery, they ended up with 10,531 reptile species on which articles were published between 1960 and 2021. The vast majority (10,157) were squamates (snakes and lizards), but there were also a fair number (348) of chelonians (turtles, terrapins and tortoises). As expected, more articles had been published on species described longer ago, owing both to the time available for studies and to the availability of specimens in natural history museum collections. Other biases that drew the authors' attention included the predominance of large-bodied animals among those most studied, a tendency also observed with regard to other vertebrates, and the relative abundance of research on species with terrestrial and aquatic habitats, while research on arboreal and fossorial (burrowing) species was scarcer. "Generally speaking, species that are more visible to humans are more studied. Some lizards that inhabit leaf litter [dead material that has fallen from trees and shrubs to the ground] and many fossorial snakes haven't been studied at all. Collecting in these locations requires more complex methods that may also be costly," Moura said. Accordingly, the most studied species were the Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), with 2,130 articles, and the Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), with 2,058. Both lay eggs on beaches worldwide every year and are about 1.5 m long. The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), a 4.5 m or longer crocodilian reptile native to the Southeastern United States, ranked sixth among the most studied species, with 1.049 articles published in the period. The degree to which species are threatened is another key factor that influences the amount of research devoted to them. The turtles just mentioned, for example, are classed as Endangered and Vulnerable respectively in the Red List maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). "This is good news. As much knowledge as possible on the most threatened species is important to ensure that conservation strategies are effective," Moura said. The authors also detected a research bias toward species whose ranges are near cities, highways, waterways and airports, whereas fewer studies tend to be published on species with ranges in remote or relatively inaccessible areas. As a long-term solution to the knowledge gap and to counter these research effort biases, the authors advocate directing the attention of both professional biologists and citizen scientists toward understudied taxa. A more immediate and feasible alternative, they add, could be to encourage comparative studies of species with similar levels of research attention. Cross-species comparisons are fairly frequent in herpetology (the study of amphibians and reptiles). More information: Jhonny J. M. Guedes et al, Species out of sight: elucidating the determinants of research effort in global reptiles, Ecography (2023). DOI: 10.1111/ecog.06491 Journal information: Ecography Provided by FAPESP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain At 8:15 p.m. on November 8, 2016, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a surprise address live on national television. He announced that, at midnight, all 500- and 1,000-rupee notes would cease to be legal tender. More than 80% of the country's cash would effectively be sucked out of circulation overnight. This move was meant to bring undeclared wealthknown as "black money"into the tax system, to eliminate wealth accumulated through bribes, and to root out counterfeit bills. It also pitched India's cash-centered economy into chaos. In the hours before the demonetization policy went into effect, Indian households weighed their options. The government hoped they would head to the banks to deposit their soon-to-be obsolete bills or exchange them for newly issued currency. (The 500- and 1000-rupee notes were worth about $7.50 and $15, respectively.) Instead, many people frantically spent them. Some thought ahead and purchased goods with cash, later returning those items for crisp new bills. Some even dumped their money in the Ganges River to avoid a tax investigation. How did consumers' choices affect the outcome of India's currency upgrade? That's the question that Yewon Kim, an assistant professor of marketing at Stanford Graduate School of Business, set out to answer in a recent paper published in Marketing Science. Kim and her co-authors, Pradeep K. Chintagunta of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and Bhuvanesh Pareek of the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, looked at transactions between individual consumers and retailers, which typically aren't examined closely when evaluating monetary policy. But it turns out they can play an important role in whether or not a policy succeeds. Analyzing data from a large retail chain, the researchers found that savvy consumers shielded more than $1 billion from income taxes as demonetization was implemented. This was a boon for the retail chain, but it subverted the government's goal of bringing unaccounted-for cash into the tax system. Return to Spender The researchers looked at more than 7 million transactions during the year before and after demonetization. Chintagunta obtained the data from a big-ticket, durable goods retailer with stores across India. (The researchers agreed not to name the retailer. But think consumer electronics, large appliances, high-end saris, jewelry, etc.) Kim started playing with the data before she developed research questions"usually the opposite of how I start a research project," she said. The first thing she did was plot a graph showing the number of transactions by date. "The fluctuation in the sheer amount of transactions around the time of demonetizationthat itself was just so striking," she said. Kim had already read newspaper anecdotes about Indians cramming into stores to spend bags full of cash. Now, she had hard evidence that the number of retail transactions had skyrocketed. Digging further into the data, Kim and her fellow researchers teased apart the different types of strategic behaviors Indian consumers engaged in right before and after demonetization went into effect. The researchers found that as demonetization was implemented, many Indians made "strategic returns," buying items with soon-to-be discontinued bills with the intent to return them in exchange for new bills. This allowed them to exchange their money without visiting a bank, where they would have been required to show proof that they had paid income tax on wealth over a certain amount. Some of the retailer's stores saw returns increase by nearly 300% in the days following demonetization. The team also found that people bought things they wouldn't normally have bought. Some stores had a 40% sales bump on the day demonetization was announced. Other consumers made planned purchases earlier or switched their payment method to cash, all in order to use up their 500- and 1,000-rupee notes. Did Demonetization Pay Off? Once the researchers had quantified the impact of demonetization on this retail chain, they tried to measure how much these spikes in strategic consumer behaviors had affected the government's goals. "That seemed critical, because even now, there is a whole debate about whether or not that demonetization policy was an effective policy to pursue," Kim said. They scaled up their estimates to the entire retail market. Using conservative methods, they concluded that Indians had managed to shield an estimated $1.5 billion from the tax system by using retail transactions to their advantage. In the end, the retail chain came out ahead, too. The benefits of the surge in sales outweighed the costs of processing the returns and exchanging old currency for new. "Measuring unintended consequences of any given policy is very hard because you have to cast a wide, wide net in the wild and see what's going on," Kim says. But it's critical for decision-makers to understand spillover effects so they can craft better policies in the future. Kim, Chintagunta, and Pareek's latest research has implications for many developing countries striving to increase economic transparency, transition to a cashless economy, and crack down on black money and tax evasion. "Policymakers are not God, and they don't have perfect foresight of what will happen when they give a shock to the market," Kim says. "That's why it is important for us, as academic researchers, to provide some set of insights about what kind of unintended consequences can happen through strategic consumers." More information: Yewon Kim et al, Government Policy, Strategic Consumer Behavior, and Spillovers to Retailers: The Case of Demonetization in India, Marketing Science (2022). DOI: 10.1287/mksc.2022.1358 Journal information: Marketing Science This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain In 2005, Siebel Systems, Inc., a California software company, challenged an enforcement action taken by the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) that found the business had violated the Regulation Fair Disclosure (Reg FD)a regulation implemented to prevent businesses from giving key analysts and investors insider information. The Siebel case went to the federal court, marking the only court case under Reg FD, and it was eventually dismissed by the judge. Now, new research at the University of Missouri shows the impact of that landmark decision and how future decisions involving the SEC could have a profound impact on the way chief executive officers (CEOs) and chief financial officers (CFOs) communicate with investors and analysts, including the amount of information they share in a private setting. The work was published in Contemporary Accounting Research. Ultimately, Hoyoun Kyung, an assistant professor in the Trulaske College of Business, and his team of co-authors found the court's ruling sent the message to CEOs and CFOs that they could be more relaxed in their private interactions with analysts and investors and potentially share more information than they shared with the public. That attitude prevailed among CEOs and CFOs until 2009 when the SEC filed another Reg FD violation, this time against American Commercial Lines. Eventually, the SEC settled out of court with the company, but the case was enough to reestablish the Reg FD as a law that businesses need to respect. In his study, Kyung found that the effectiveness of the Reg FD depends on the perception of the SEC's ability to enforce the regulation. "It doesn't matter that the regulation is there, if you can't enforce it, the market is going to take advantage," Kyung said. "In 2009, after businesses saw the SEC's resumption of Reg FD enforcement, they started behaving more cautiously in their private meetings." Every quarter, publicly traded businesses must report their gains and losses to the public. However, the reporting process doesn't necessarily end there. Businesses also can meet privately with potential investors and analysts with the legal stipulation that they only share the same information they do with the public. The issue is CEOs and CFOs are sometimes tempted to build stronger relationships with these potential investors and analysts because they often have more resources than members of the general public to influence the success of the business. At times, that motivating factor can lead to businesses feeling the need to share exclusive insider information with the private investors and analysts. In 2005, the SEC accused Siebel Systems of using body language to tip off private investors to an upswing in business after reporting losses and a negative outlook to the public. But after Siebel Systems challenged the punishment, the judicial system disagreed with the SEC's determination. The court then ruled that the SEC was being too aggressive for punishing the software company over body language. Kyung, who is also an accountancy alumni faculty scholar, analyzed changes in stock market responses to analyst earnings forecasts and stock recommendations before and after the Siebel court case, comparing the information to content of analyst reports. He noticed a significant increase in the analyst output informativeness indicating increased information sharing by managers to analysts in private meetings. He then surveyed securities lawyers who were working with businesses around the time of the 2005 court case and asked them what was happening to create this change. He discovered that after the court case, CEOs and CFOs were often acting more relaxed in their body language when talking to the analysts. This sent the message that when a CFO or CEO acts either excited or deflated about the outlook of the business, they were more likely to tip off the analyst or private investor through their demeanor. That began to change in 2009 after the SEC filed a Reg FD action against American Commercial Lines. In that case, a CFO for the company sent an email to analysts stating the company's earnings would likely be less than what was publicly forecasted a few days earlier. Ultimately, the SEC decided the company cooperated enough with its investigation to not impose a punishment. Kyung said his research can be used to help people anticipate business and market reactions after landmark regulatory rulings. In 2021, the SEC accused AT&T of leaking details about its smartphones to investor relations executives. AT&T challenged the decision in circuit court. The judge rejected AT&T's plea for dismissal but didn't rule in favor of the SEC either due to lack of proven intent. Ultimately, AT&T agreed to pay more than $6 million in a settlement, the biggest payout for this type of regulatory punishment ever. "We don't know what the outcome of the AT&T v. SEC trial would've been, but it's possible that if this judge were to side with AT&T, we might see a similar impact to the 2005 decision," Kyung said. "It's likely that at some point, someone can challenge the SEC again, and this research can help people understand how businesses will respond." More information: Ashiq Ali et al, Managers' private communications with analysts: The effect of SEC v. Siebel Systems Inc., Contemporary Accounting Research (2023). DOI: 10.1111/1911-3846.12858 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: Flag of the Dutch West India Company. Credit: Wikipedia/ Public Domain Sex and power are closely linked, and this was certainly true in the former Dutch colonies. Ph.D. student Sophie Rose has investigated how sexual and love relationships influenced eighteenth-century power structures there. "You can see that there was constant fighting over who stood where in the social hierarchy." When the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and Dutch West India Company(WIC) started traveling around the world in the seventeenth century, European women and families were initially sent along. They were supposed to form the basis of a new overseas empire that controlled all trade, but practice proved recalcitrant. "Especially in the VOC area (present-day Indonesia), they were not at all happy with the type of women who went there," says Rose. "Too often they came from the lower strata of society. At the same time, you find that the presence of women on board ships was seen as a risk. It was not unheard of for rape to occur, so eventually the VOC banned most European women from traveling to the region." Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, in present-day Suriname, roughly the same thing happened, the difference being that European women there often decided themselves that this kind of life was not for them. "To some extent, the WIC continued to encourage women to come, but many Europeans were not happy with the climate there. They got sick, and mortality rates were high. Many people decided to leave again almost as soon as they arrived." Temporary 'friends' So for the first few centuries, there were few European women to be found in the colonies. Rose says, "It became policy to encourage or at least tolerate relationships with local women. Especially in Asia, these were initially mostly free women, who, for example, appreciated the benefits of a relationship with a man who had a large new trading network. Later, men would often buy an enslaved girl or woman. These kinds of unequal and involuntary relationships were also common in the plantation economy in Suriname." Voluntary or not, relationships outside the European framework never had the same status as those between two white Europeans. "Men who were married to Asian women, for example, couldn't simply return to Europe," Rose explains. "So they preferred a temporary girlfriend, who they could dump again if they wanted to leave the region." Fighting for your place in the social hierarchy It led to complicated relationships at a time when the prevailing European opinion was that sex only warranted a place within Christian marriage. "It was condoned but not really accepted for men to enter into those kinds of relationships and for children to be born from them. This created a whole new dynamic, where there was a constant fight over where people stood in the social hierarchy. The authorities always wanted Europeans to be at the top, but you might also see children of mixed descent and their parents sometimes climbing the ranks. That was a constant cause of tension." Global role Rose used such sources as court cases to reconstruct how colonial society was constantly having to find a new balance. "By comparing all kinds of different regions, you can see that developments were about more than local dynamics. Issues like marriage and sexuality played a fundamental role in the development of colonial power all over the world." This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The researchers said the findings suggest that plants may prioritize certain traits to ensure they attract pollinators. Credit: Carolien van Oijen on Unsplash Pollination is vital for many plants, and nutrients present in the soil before these plants even sprout may affect how attractive they eventually are to pollinators, according to Penn State-led research. In a study with cucumber plants, the researchers found that in general, higher amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil resulted in larger plants and floral display, including flower number and size, leading to increased attractiveness to pollinators and increased fruit production. However, they also found that regardless of nitrogen and phosphorus levels, pollinator "rewards" such as sugar content in nectar, the amount of nectar in female flowers, and protein and lipid concentrations in pollen stayed the same. Anthony Vaudo, a USDA Forest Service research biological scientist who led the research while a postdoctoral scholar in entomology in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, said these findingsrecently published in Scientific Reportssuggest that plants may prioritize these rewards in all conditions to ensure that they attract pollinators. "We found that a plant could become more attractive with the help of certain nutrients in the soil, while also keeping the quality of its rewards consistent, which is necessary for getting bees to visit," Vaudo said. "This gives us clues for how we can best restore soil, for example, after disturbance from human activity or natural disasters." According to the researchers, previous studies have found an association between higher nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil and faster plant growth, as well as positive effects such as number and size of flowers and pollen number and size. However, little work had been done on how these nutrients affect pollinator attraction and, ultimately, plant reproduction. Christina Grozinger, Publius Vergilius Maro Professor of Entomology at Penn State, said that because soil nutrient conditions can change as a result of land use, climate change and land managementsuch as fertilizers and grazing livestockit is vital to learn more about how these nutrients affect plant growth. "With three quarters of our food crops using pollinators to set fruit and seed, and more than 80% of flowering plants benefiting from pollinators," Grozinger said, "it is incredibly important that we begin to understand and predict how these changes in soil conditions influence plant-pollinator interactions both in crops and in natural landscapes." For the study, the researchers raised cucumber plants in Penn State greenhouses. They treated the plants with one of five fertilizer solutions: a control that had no added nitrogen or phosphorus and four others with different nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations and ratios. The researchers measured several characteristics of the plants, including height and above-ground biomass, the size of each plant's male and female flowers, how many flowers each plant produced, how long it took the plants to start producing flowers after seeding, and how many cucumbers each plant produced. They also analyzed the flowers' nectar and pollen, as well as how often the flowers were visited by bumblebees. After analyzing the data, the researchers found that while more nitrogen and phosphorus generally was associated with increased growth, attractiveness to pollinators and fruit production, very high levels of nitrogen began to have negative effects on some of these traits. However, increasing phosphorus levels could then mitigate this. Overall, they found that the ideal ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus that they tested was 4:1, which resulted in best overall growth, pollinator attraction and reproduction. Junpeng Mu, a researcher at Mianyang Normal University who visited Penn State while working on this project, said he thought it was particularly interesting that certain traits of the male flowerssuch as number and size of flowers per plant, nectar concentration and pollen number per flowervaried with soil nutrients, but traits of the female flowers did not. "These findings give us a better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie interactions between plants and pollinators," Mu said, "as well as agricultural ecosystem operations." Additionally, Vaudo said he expects the findings will also be useful in his current position, in which he'll be part of an effort to rehabilitate areas of forests that have been logged. He said the soil is often very compact from the heavy machinery that has rolled through these areas, as well as lacking in nutrients. "After loosening the soil, we'll apply a material called biochar to increase the soil's ability to hold water and bind nutrients," Vaudo said. "Then, we can start reintroducing plants and pollinators to the area. I'm thankful to have the experience from this study, which gave me a good starting ground for actually doing some real-life applications." More information: Anthony D. Vaudo et al, Impacts of soil nutrition on floral traits, pollinator attraction, and fitness in cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.), Scientific Reports (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26164-4 Journal information: Scientific Reports 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 strike team uses an electrofishing boat and nets on the Sandusky River to capture and remove grass carp from the Lake Erie watershed. UToledo has been working on the water for years with state and federal agencies to keep the invasive fish at bay before its too late. Credit: University of Toledo New research reveals the progress scientists at The University of Toledo are making in their ongoing efforts to capture and remove invasive grass carp from the Great Lakes. Researchers based at the UToledo Lake Erie Center created a new way to estimate the abundance of invasive "sleeper" species in freshwater ecosystems and help guide management strategies. Using data collected during their efforts to remove invasive grass carp from Lake Erie and its tributaries, the aquatic ecologists and environmental statisticians developed a model that can be used to estimate the amount of any rare fish early in the invasion process. Right now, invasive grass carp are relatively rare and difficult to catch. Published in the journal Biological Invasions, the paper lays out foundational work to determine how many grass carp are likely present at one time in the Sandusky River in Ohio, which flows into Lake Erie and is the largest source of grass carp production in the Great Lakes. UToledo strike teams have been working for years with state and federal agencies to keep invasive grass carp at bay before it's too late. Scientists and students use electrofishing boats and a variety of nets to remove adult grass carp so the threatening fish population can't spread to other Great Lakes. The teams also sample grass carp eggs during spawning seasons in several rivers to learn when and where they are spawning. Estimates from the new model show that from 2018 to 2020, there were probably less than 200 grass carp residing in the Sandusky River: 183 in 2018, 164 in 2019 and 167 in 2020. Overall during that time period, the strike teams captured 96 grass carp in 64 events out of 380 attempted removal events. "As we capture new grass carp, we can refine the estimate each year to describe trends in the number of fish," said Dr. Christine Mayer, a professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences at UToledo's Lake Erie Center. "This will help determine how effective our control strategies have been at reducing the population and preventing them from reproducing or spreading." Mayer said more recent preliminary results suggest that the number of fish in the river has gone down, signaling progress against the invasive species. "Our control work is the most likely explanation for the reduced number of grass carp," Mayer said. "More grass carp have been removed from the Sandusky River than any other location and more effort has been put into the Sandusky than any other location." Native to eastern Asia and introduced to the U.S. in the 1960s for pond control, grass carp feed on vegetation. They pose a risk to wetlands and the fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians who use that habitat, but grass carp do not eat plankton and are unlikely to compete directly with native fish. Grass carp do not jump and are primarily herbivorous. Wild adult grass carp pose significantly different risks to the Lake Erie ecosystem than bighead carp and silver carp, which are the two invasive carp species of greatest concern in the Mississippi River basin. Both bighead carp and silver carp consume plankton, and if these species were to make their way into the Great Lakes basin, they would compete for the same source of food that ecologically and economically important native fish species need to survive. Silver carp are well-known for their jumping ability. "One of the goals of carrying out research on grass carp is to provide information about how other invasive carp species might behave if they ever arrive in the Great Lakes," Mayer said. The new model created at UToledo can be used for estimating the number of any rare species, including endangered or threatened species targeted with conservation strategies. But in this case, the researchers are focused on an invasive species with the aim to keep it rare, prevent its spread and maybe even eliminate it from the system altogether. "Working with a rare species makes it difficult to estimate the numbers in the population, and standard statistical techniques are not appropriate," said Dr. Song Qian, a professor in the UToledo Department of Environmental Sciences. "And data generated from control strategies, such as removing invasive species, are usually not suited to conventional statistical modeling approaches." Oftentimes, fish populations are estimated using a "mark and recapture" procedure where fish are initially captured and marked in some way, such as a fin clip, and then released. In subsequent sampling, the ratio of marked-vs.-unmarked fish can be used to quantify the total number present. However, this process only works when the target species is abundant, which does not hold true for grass carp. UToledo scientists came up with a way to use species-control data to quantify abundance. "Our model modifies another popular estimation approach," Qian said. "We have included experimentally measured data on the probability of detecting grass carp with the field gear used on the project in order to isolate the estimate of numbers present. Typically, the probability of finding a species goes up as it becomes more abundant. Therefore, providing independent information on the probability of detection was crucial to obtaining a valid estimate for this rare species." More information: Ana Gouveia et al, A restructured Bayesian approach to estimate the abundance of a rare and invasive fish, Biological Invasions (2023). DOI: 10.1007/s10530-023-03006-6 Journal information: Biological Invasions 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: Wageningen University Researchers at Wageningen University in the Netherlands have successfully developed a method to produce a promising microalga species that grows in an unlikely environment: the world's volcanic hot springs. Galdieria sulphuraria is an extremophile microalga species with blue pigment that can live in extreme conditions and could represent a resilient source of protein for the food and feed of the future. "This is the first time the nutritional profile of this species has been accurately quantified and understood," says Pedro Monino Fernandez, Ph.D. student and lead researcher on the ProFuture project. "We are now closer to real applications of this interesting and unexploited microalga that could have a significant impact on how the world feeds itself." The research results represent a key milestone for ProFuture, a project that scales up microalgae production as a sustainable, protein-rich food and feed ingredient. As an extremophile species Galdieria sulphuraria can live in extreme environments that are typically not conducive to life. Although the species has been studied for decades due to its resilience and adaptability, it had not been examined as a possible food source or produced at scale yet. ProFuture studied a strain growing in the hot springs in the Naples region of Italy, and found the following results. Nutritional profile: Great potential as an alternative protein source G. sulphuraria biomass was found to have protein content in the range of 62-65%, which is relatively high compared to other algal and fungal microorganisms with protein contents ranging from 30-70%. In addition, G. sulphuraria proteins have a good amino acid profile, including all essential amino acids. The proteins are especially rich in two amino acids rarely found in such high levels in non-animal-based proteins: cystine and methionine. A better source of blue pigment "Microalgae offer some key advantages compared to other microorganisms currently being studied as potential food sources. They are a natural source of essential fatty acids, and species such as G. sulphuraria are among the few naturally occurring sources of blue pigment," says Iago Dominguez Teles, the project manager at Wageningen University. G. sulphuraria contains a high concentration of a natural blue pigment commonly used as a colorant in cosmetics and food. This pigment has also been found to have antioxidant properties, as well as potential as a therapeutic agent. Compared to extractions of the already commercially produced microalgae strain Spirulina, the blue pigment extracted from G. sulphuraria demonstrates greater stability, increasing its potential in industrial applications. In addition, a mixotrophic production process is able to increase concentration of the blue pigment. A scalable production model: Mixotrophic cultivation of microalgae The researchers developed an innovative production process using mixotrophycombining both photosynthesis and sugar-based feedstock to stimulate the growth of microalgae. To further validate the process beyond the bench scale, they could successfully demonstrate pilot production in a 1300-liter (1.5 cubic meter) bioreactor at Wageningen University. In order to effectively exploit the promising results of G. sulphuraria, additional research is needed to assess its digestibility and to identify any additional processing methods that may be required for commercial applications. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is currently assessing the safety of Galdieria sulphuraria as a novel food for the general population and as a food supplement for adults. In addition, Blue Galdieria extract is assessed as a food additive. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern delivers an emotional address to parliament Jacinda Ardern declared earlier this year that she would resign as New Zealand's prime minister Ardern leaves politics citing a lack of "fuel in the tank" Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern left parliament on Wednesday, concluding a career defined by empathetic leadership during times of crisis despite growing online harassment. Ardern stunned New Zealand earlier this year when she announced her resignation as prime minister and departure from politics, citing a lack of "enough in the tank." Jacinda Ardern Valedictory Speech In her final statement to parliament, the 42-year-old, once the youngest female leader in the world, stated that she never anticipated holding the nation's highest office. She joked at her commencement speech, "It was a cross between a sense of duty to steer a moving freight train... and being hit by one." Ardern navigated New Zealand through natural catastrophes, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2019 Christchurch mosque tragedy, in which a white supremacist shooter murdered 51 Muslim worshipers. NDTV reports that Ardern devoted much of her address to climate change and urged the nation's parties to work together. "Climate change is a crisis. It is upon us," she stated. "And so one of the very few things I will ask of this house on my departure is that you please take the politics out of climate change," she continued. Ardern will now dedicate herself to eradicating online extremism as part of the Christchurch Call initiative, which she established as prime minister following the mosque attack. Ardern made international headlines when, at 37, she became the world's youngest female government leader. She gave birth while serving as New Zealand's leader and even brought her baby to a United Nations conference. Although she was well-liked internationally, rising costs, crime, and controversial policies in New Zealand weakened her support. According to WION, Ardern stated in her address that she became involved in people's lives "at their most grief-stricken or traumatic moments" due to the chain of events. Ardern, the daughter of a police officer, school canteen worker, and a self-described "hugger and crier," said she hoped her career would encourage others to stand for politics. Read Also: Camilla Parker Bowles Recognized as Queen for First Time Former New Zealand PM Becomes Emotional During Her Speech As she spoke about visiting survivors in the early aftermath of the mosque terror attacks, Ardern grew emotional and addressed Muslim community members seated in the public gallery with "Salamu Alaikum." In her first speech to the New Zealand parliament, Ardern emphasized her political commitments, most notably the specter of child poverty and New Zealand's clean, green reputation, and stated that her words would return to haunt her. The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the defining challenges of her administration, and she cited New Zealand's overall results - including the lowest excess death rates in the world - as one of her most significant accomplishments. Yet, she also discussed the rifts that arose around that time, culminating in anti-vaccine campaigns and rallies. Around this time, Ardern received several death threats and a near-constant stream of violent, nasty speech from extremist groups. She stated, "We did lose other items along the road." She described being challenged on the job by irate protestors and her initial confidence that she might convince them to abandon their more extreme Covid conspiracy claims. "But, after many such instances and witnessing the wrath that typically fueled these conspiracies, I was forced to admit I was wrong," she added. On Tuesday, Ardern said she hoped her resignation would "cool down" New Zealand politics. This heat had been a recurrent element of Ardern's appearances throughout her final year in government - both the fever level of violent occupation of parliament grounds in 2022 and more fragmented, frequently nasty demonstrations that followed her to primary schools and speeches. On the afternoon of her address, however, no protestors were present on the grounds of parliament. Per The Guardian, lawmakers and the public rose to chant waiata - traditional Mori songs - as she departed to loud applause and singing. Related Article: Donald Trump May Delay Jury Trial @YouTube @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. By Politico staff writer The Ministries of Finance, Agriculture and Works have signed a 30 million dollar grant contract with Sino-Hydro Bureau 9 JV Construction Company for the construction of the Gendema and Matru Jong bridges in Kenema and Bonthe Districts respectively. The agreement will also see the construction of four bridges in Kailahun, Karene, Kenema and Bonthe districts which are all bridges that will replace crossing points used by manual cable ferries. The project according to officials is a continuation of component two of the Smallholder Commercialization and Agribusiness Development Project (SCADeP) under the Ministry of Agriculture. The World Bank grant is geared towards enhancing inter -district linkages and market access improvement which is said to be a milestone for the government of Sierra Leone. It is also said to foster economic growth and agricultural productivity in those parts of the country. The Manowa, Karene, Gendema and Matru Jong manual cable ferry crossing points are located in agriculturally productive areas in the country with potentially heavy volumes of traffic that are currently hampered by old and derelict ferries that only accommodate at most two vehicles at a time for ferrying produce across those rivers. In the rainy season, almost all of the ferries are noted to have often grounded due to the rise of the water levels and the heavy currents that have on many occasions resulted to catastrophic outcomes for passengers. Beyond market access improvement and agricultural productivity, the construction of these bridges will add to the strategic national artery of roads, improve access to Healthcare, and promote education, security and many more. SCADeP is a project under the Ministry of Agriculture that seeks to promote access to finance for farmers, market access improvement and improving the capacity of State and Non-State actors along the projects value chains of rice, cocoa, oil palm, poultry and onion. Copyright (c) 2023 Politico By politico staff writer Parliament has debated and ratified a 50 million Euros financial agreement grant between the European Union (EU) and the Government of Sierra Leone to increase renewable energy supply for the State and other agricultural-related development. The ratification of the grant took place at the Well of Parliament on the 30th of March 2023. Presenting the Government Motion, the Minister of Finance, Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura noted that, the purpose of the grant agreement is to increase electricity generation and to also promote renewable energy. He also said that the project is expected to generate a six-megawatt electricity supply. He went on to highlight the benefits that would be derived from the project for the development of Sierra Leone. He assured Parliament that the grant would strengthen the capacity of the agricultural sector. In his submission, the Parliamentary Chairman of the Finance Committee, Member of Parliament (MP) Francis Amara-Kai Samba said the agreement is non-controversial, saying that the government had spent a lot of money on energy supply. He stated that such an agreement would help to boost the energy as well as the agricultural sector and went on to call his colleague MPs to support the project. On his part, MP Lahai Marrah praised the EU for its support to Sierra Leone, which according to him is geared towards the development of the State. He implored the EU to continue its support to promote political dialogue and political cohesion in Sierra Leone. MP Ibrahim Allieu Kamara highlighted the achievement of the Government, in light of increasing and accessing electricity supply and went on to highlight the statistical data on electricity supply generated so far by the Government. Leader of the National Grand Coalition (NGC) in Parliament, Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella commended the EU for supporting the renewable energy supply in the country. He said the grant would support the energy and agricultural sector. He went on to call on the Energy Minister to ensure there are subsidies for energy. He called on the EU and Government to support clean cooking energy to avoid deforestation. Veronica Kadie Sesay another MP said the agreement is a blessing to the country, in light of the grant and went on to commend the Government and EU for supporting development in Sierra Leone. She called on the Parliamentary Committees to do the needful to monitor the implementation of the project. In rounding up the debate, the Acting Leader of the Opposition, Hassan Sesay said they always support projects that are good for the nation and went on to commend the EU for supporting the socioeconomic development of the State. He said that the grant would impact hugely on the economy and also the agricultural sector. He advised the House to observe the rules in the grant during the implementation in order to avoid problems with EU support to Sierra Leone. In concluding the debate, the Acting Leader of Government Business Bashiru Silikie commended the Minister for moving the ratification of the agreement. He said the agreement showed that the international partners still have confidence in the Current Government. According to him, the project would increase the electricity supply for the nation, and went on to commend MPs who had contributed immensely to debate, in tandem with the development. Copyright (c) 2023 Politico With general elections scheduled for 24 June 2023 just about 10 weeks away tension is mounting in Sierra Leone especially between supporters of the two main political parties APC and SLPP. Probably not many were surprised when on Sunday 2 April there was a standoff involving the Sierra Leone Police and the convoy of the APC presidential candidate, Dr Samura Kamara who was returning to Freetown from Lungi. The standoff at the Mile 38 security checkpoint went on for hours. A press release by the police says they halted the convoy because they had had agreement that only 10 vehicles would be in the motorcade. They say that as they got closer to Freetown there were more than fifty vehicles. They accused APC supporters of physically attacking the police. In this exclusive interview, Dr kamara gave Umaru Fofana his account of events. Umaru Fofana: Could you please tell me what happened yesterday [Sunday 2 April 2023] at the checkpoint or that led to the checkpoint Dr Samura Kamara: It was unexpected. I was not expecting a police blockage. This was a thoroughfare. Yes, they did talk about 10 vehicles, but they themselves knew that was not feasible. I could not be stopping around and counting vehicles behind me how many vehicles I had. And in any case I dont think it is right for the police to have stopped Samura Kamara and his convoy to ply the roads coming back from Lungi. But over and above that I think the more worrying thing is that for the past four to five years many of us in the APC cannot travel without seeking permission from the Attorney General and Minister of Justice. I think that is not good. Especially now [that] we are getting into elections. There is no law that gives them the right to stop anybody from travellingunless that person is a criminal and adjudicated by the law. So this is just an extension of what the government itself has done in the past, and what theyre still doing. So Im still subjected to this type of restrictions. Umaru Fofana: The police are saying that the vehicle convoy was becoming uncontrollable and youd agreed with them that youd only allow 10 vehicles. Dr Samura Kamara: No, I dont think so. I think we were disciplined. We parked and just stopped. And we were there, and nobody raised any voice. Nobody showed any violence. We were just watching them until they started unleashing teargas against us. Umaru Fofana: I saw some pictures allegedly of the incident. Were any of your supporters injured? Dr Samura Kamara: I cannot tell. Perhaps if anybody was injured it will evolve as the days go by. Umaru Fofana: Did you feel threatened in any way during the melee? Dr Samura Kamara: Well by unleashing teargas, even on my vehicle, I must have felt threatened. Umaru Fofana: And how did you respond? Dr Samura Kamara: Calmly. I just sat there. I even spoke to the IG [Inspector General of Police] when he confronted me. I said look I dont think this is right, but well sit and wait for you to decide. Until they decided before we moved. Umaru Fofana: And the IG says some of your supporters got off their vehicles, some even took off their shirts and accosted the police officers. Dr Samura Kamara: Its always a problem here. The police will never tell you the truth because they are answering to his masters voice; and in this case his masters voice is not the publicthey must support and protect. They must be answering to somebody higher than the people and nobody is higher than the people in this country. It is the people that he should be answerable to. Umaru Fofana: Who do you mean by his masters? Dr Samura Kamara: The executive. The executive in Sierra Leone. Its always the case. And my worry is that at the time of President Ahmad Kabbah, we actually constituted a very disciplined Sierra Leone Police reform project under DfID, and it was very professional under Keith Biddle. Unfortunately, I dont think any of those trained officers is around again. Sowe are back to square one where we started before the reform programme. So which means if we come to power we have to revisit that same programme and reconstitute the reform programme again. Umaru Fofana: Finally you seem undaunted; you seem unperturbed by all what happened. Is that because of your demeanour or what is driving that? Dr Samura Kamara: Well I want to carry my political battles in peace. Thats me! On the eve of elections on June 24 2023 I think we should be accommodating. We should understand each others role. And politics is not about violence. And for me politics is not an end, its a means to an end. But for where people take politics as an end, thats why you bring all of this: You have to protect yourself, protect your tenure as if youre destined to have two terms. No! You only get two terms based on your performance. If you cannot read the people then that makes it very difficult. You have to resort to this type of things. Its good for politicians to always read the tempo, read the minds of the people what the people are going [through], because its the people that you want to govern. So listen to the people, dialogue with them and understand them. They will show you the direction. If the people want you to lead them you dont do anything, even when you sleep they work for you. Umaru Fofana: Thank you very much sir. Dr Samura Kamara: Thank you Copyright (c) 2023 Politico By Chernor Alimamy Kamara The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) has urged everyone to maintain a peaceful status quo as the country braces up for the 24th June 2023 General elections. The commission made this call in a press statement published on the 30th March 2023 on the current public debate on Human Rights concerns in the country. HRCSL drew the attention of the public to its press statements and reports on incidents of human rights in the past, all of which it said are reflective of the official position of the institution. It however pointed at statements it released on recent incitements, and the violent protests from 8th to 10th August last year and also observed and monitored the report of human right violations and abuses in relation to the incidents of 17th and 18th July 2020 in Makeni. It also noted referenced its press release on the monitoring of Quarantine Homes and on the recent spate of violence in the country, ranging from the events at the Freetown Male Correctional Centre on 29th April 2020, the Lunsar incident of the 30th April, to the Tombo riot of 6th May 2020. HRCSL therefore urges the Government to continue to fulfill its obligation, quoting sections of the countrys constitution that deals with the security, peace, and welfare of the people of Sierra Leone to be its primary purpose and responsibility. It also urged citizens to abide by the constitution and respect its ideals and its institutions, the National Flag, the National Anthem, and authorities and offices established or constituted under the law. It further admonished everyone to cultivate a sense of nationalism and patriotism so that loyalty to the State shall override sectional, ethnic tribal, political, or other loyalties. The commission also called on everyone to protect and preserve public property and prevent the misappropriation and squandering of funds belonging to the government, local authorities, or public corporations. It requested citizens to help enhance the power, prestige, and good name of the State to defend the State and render national service as may be required. The rights and freedoms of each individual shall be exercised with due regard to the rights of others, collective security, morality, and common interest, the commission asserted. Quoting Articles on human rights, it urged individuals to preserve and strengthen positive African cultural values when relating with other members of the society, in the spirit of tolerance, dialogue, and consultation and, in general, to contribute to the promotion of the moral well-being of society. It also urged everyone to contribute to the best of his abilities, at all times and at all levels, to the promotion and achievement of African unity. HRCSL assured the general public of its unwavering commitment to the protection and promotion of the rights of all in Sierra Leone HRCSL was established by Act No. 9 of 2004 with the mandate to protect and promote the human rights of all in Sierra Leone. Copyright (c) 2023 Politico Following recent disturbances involving the police and APC supporters, the ruling Sierra Leone Peoples Party has been accused of narrowing the space for the opposition. Umaru Fofana caught up with the SLPP National Secretary General, Umaru Napoleon Koroma to discuss whether the police are backing them while restricting the opposition. Politico: Mr. Koroma your party stands accused by the main opposition APC party who say that the field is not level in terms of policing political events. Guilty or not guilty? Umaru Napoleon Koroma: Thats not correct, Umaru. I know you have followed elections in Sierra Leone for a very long time. Most times during elections period people think that is the time to display all kinds of lawlessness in the country. But thats not the time for lawlessness. Law and order do not stop to operate as a result of elections. But normally when we have elections in this country, people try to behave as if they are out of the confines of the laws. Thats not correct. So yesterdays [Sunday 2 April] event was actually unfortunate. I was not in Freetown, I was way in Falaba [district] but I saw it on social media. What I saw initially was what actually got me concerned and angered. The reason being, I saw young people getting down from their vehicles to accost police officers. If you have been stopped by the police its for you to stop quietly, talk to the police officers and engage them in a very civil manner. But the manner in which we saw those young people, attempting to go at the police officers was very, very much unfortunate. And dont forget, we just had the August 10 incident in which people got to the streets. And at the end of the day, we lost six police officers. So if you are coming in that manner at the police officers, they have to maintain law and order. But that being said, it is also very much unfortunate, Umaru, in this country that the current opposition leader in the person of Dr. Samura Kamara had said and he is on record when he lost the elections in 2018 that they would cause all sorts of trouble for this present government. So the strategy has basically been to create this kind of situation, create some kind of fear in the minds of the ordinary Sierra Leoneans. And by so doing he thinks he will win some sympathy from the international community and those onlookers. So most of these things that they are causing are actually being orchestrated by them. And the police definitely will have to keep law and order. So we dont have anything to do with that as a political party. Politico: So are you sure that President Julius Maada Bio who is both President and your presidential candidate when he goes on his political activities he always seeks approval from the police? Umaru Napoleon Koroma: Well, definitely! What President Bio is doing at the moment, we have not come to real politicking yet, what President Bio is doing at the moment is to visit his projects, and visit to the countryside. But when we come to political activities [like we did] recently [when] we had our convention in Kambia. Before we went to that convention, I wrote to the police. I asked for their permission. I have a copy of the letter I wrote to them and I have the reply they sent to us. I explained to them that we had our convention and we needed police security. And we did not move in thousands of vehicles going to Kambia. People went there quietly. We had our convention and we came back. And at that particular police checkpoint in Mile 38, I have been stopped there several times. Even today when I was coming from Falaba my vehicle was stopped there. My security in front of the vehicle alighted from the vehicle and spoke to his colleague officers and I was allowed passage. But I have never, never, for once tried to speed off when I am asked to stop. So if you are stopped by a police officer it is your responsibility to get down and talk to the police officer. But its on video, now they are trying to turn the story around. I am hearing the APC putting a statement out about assassination attempts. Thats very much unfortunate. Thats very much unfortunate! It cannot be that and we have to remember that we as civilians or we as politicians, we also have to aid the police officers to do their job properly. Politico: But would you say, hand on heart, that the field is level in terms of when your, party goes out on its activities as a ruling party and when the opposition party does? Umaru Napoleon Koroma: Well, normally we follow the laid down procedures. Its, one, to ask for police clearance and wait for the police to reply to our request. And when that is done, then we go about our activities. We expect the same from the APC that if they are going on any activity, they have to ask the police to provide for them security. And if the police respond to thembecause what we read from the press release, its clear. I heard the police saying that they had an arrangement with Dr. Samura Kamara and he was only entering Freetown with ten vehicles. So by the time they got to Mile 38, you see the fleet of cars that were coming together. So that was basically in contravention of what they had agreed. I was not there when they made the arrangement but that is what the police are saying in their press statement. It tells you that probably somebody else was trying to do something outside of the confines of the law and did not want to abide by what they had discussed. And at the end of the day the police tooand even when they were stopped, the manner in which they reacted. So to me, the SLPP has nothing to do with that and I will encourage the police officers that they are there for every Sierra Leonean be it SLPP, APC, NGC, RUFP, whatever political party you belong to. They are there to protect life and property. When we sleep at night they are out there protecting us. If we have any issues in our homes, we do call the police officers. If we are attacked we do call the police officers. We need them. So all we can do is ensure that we create an enabling environment for them to dispense their duties without any fear or favour. Politico: My understanding is that this was not a political activity. This was Samura Kamara driving from the airport back to Freetown after an overseas trip. Did he need to be restricted in terms of how he can return to Freetown? Umaru Napoleon Koroma: Well they had planned [it]. It was on social media. Dr. Samura had come, I think earlier, I saw it on social media when the APC had posted that Dr. Samura Kamara had returned from America and that they should converge to receive Samura Kamara. Politico: But which is not unusual Umaru Napoleon Koroma: I understand that. So if they are converging as Sierra Leoneans, they are coming in large numbers, they need protection. So the police would have to step in to guide them. Dont forget the last time after the convention that ended in Makeni, they were also processing to Freetown. You would say he was just returning to his house but we saw what happened when he tried to use a different route and at the end of the day, there were some skirmishes all over the place. Maybe they requested the police to say Im coming to Freetown and as the opposition leader, he is entitled to security. If he asked the police and the police said to him come we will provide you security and how many vehicles are you coming with? You tell them, and the police are prepared for that. But at the end of the day you see something completely different from that and they stopped to enquire from them and that led to something different. That led to the supportersgetting down from their vehicles to accost the police officers. That was not correct. Politico: Finally, what are you doing as the ruling party in terms of controlling your supporters as well, as we approach elections? Umaru Napoleon Koroma: I keep talking to them. I have been having several engagements on the radio and television talking to them to keep calm. And the last time I was on the radio I told them that this particular election is about ideas. We are going to engage our people and talk to them. Nobody is going to win this election by instilling fear in the minds of ordinary Sierra Leoneans or by thinking that you are going to be the best in perpetrating violence. That said, I also went around last month and engaged all our party executives from the chiefdom level, district level and chiefdom levels. And I entreated them to maintain peace and calm. And I even reminded them that we are in governance and we bear the greatest responsibility. We should be the ones maintaining peace. But peace is a two-way traffic as well. So I have been calling on the APC for us to be having those joint statements, talking to our supporters. But you can see the desperation on the other side of thingsElection is just one day, you go there you vote by 5 pm youre done, votes are counted and the winner is announced. This is not the end of the world. We are only having one Sierra Leone; we need to maintain the peace. That day will come and pass but Sierra Leone will remain. The people of this country will remain...As political parties that is our responsibility. Constitutionally, we are responsible to shape the political opinions of the people of this country; its not for us to be creating chaos for them. So as a political party, I will continue to talk to SLPP members to be law-abiding, to continue to remain peaceful and not to engage in any form of violence. If any SLPP member is involved, we will not be afraid; we will not be shy to call that person out. If it is a group of persons, we will name themwe will disown them. If they are SLPP, we will discipline them to ensure that what they are trying to do or what they have done is not right. We will not engage in any form of violence and we will continue to say that to the country. Politico: Thank you sir. Umaru Napoleon Koroma: You are welcome. Copyright (c) 2023 Politico By Saio Marrah The Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) has banned all street rallies by political parties in the upcoming 2023 electioneering process. The commission in its press release dated 3rd April this year stated that the decision came after a meeting held on the 27th of March 2023, with all registered political parties, election management bodies, the security sector, and other stakeholders in the electioneering process. The meeting was said to have focused on two key issues evaluate the essence of street rallies and discuss the requirements political parties are to meet, to enable them effectively execute the third limb of the purpose for their establishment,which is to sponsor candidates for presidential, parliamentary and local council elections. The meeting reportedly concluded that political parties will be required to assemble and conduct their campaigns in designated areas with appropriate security coverage and electoral management bodies. The security sector actors are to develop guidelines on the enforcement of the ban with the view of ensuring fairness and parity of interest. The regulatory body affirmed that it has also agreed that government makes available appropriate state infrastructure to all political parties with no cost for the conduct of their campaigns. On the justification of the banning of street rallies, the commission pointed out that over the years street rallies have occasioned immeasurable hardship on the peace-loving people of this country. The commission said the obstruction of peace includes the threatening of public safety, public peace, and public morality, and infringement on the fundamental rights of others that include the right to life. PPRC also cited the unfortunate death in Tonko Limba, the attack on the person and property of a political opponent in constituency 110, the debasing obscenities in Koinadugu, Samaya Bendugu and among others, which the commission also linked to street rallies. The press release further noted that street rallies inculcate regional and tribal slurs, hate speech, and intemperate languages by some political parties and their attack dogs on social media, which the commission said has rendered the politics very toxic. The political regulatory body also noted that street rallies also lead to widespread tension. After pointing out that electioneering periods are not time for dancing and merriment, but instead a time for deep reflections and evaluation of politicians, PPRC observed that politicians have overtime effectively used those street circuses, to blur the thought process of the electorate, particularly the young ones by the use of narcotics and other intoxicants. The commission added that as a result, the young folks as they get to the campaign designations in drunken apathy are completely devoid of any intellect, to comprehend the message (if any) from their candidates. Copyright (c) 2023 Politico SARATOGA SPRINGS A member of the grand jury that indicted an off-duty deputy in the police-involved shooting in Saratoga Springs has expressed concern that the process was rushed. Vito E. Caselnova IV, 25, of Glens Falls, was arraigned March 28 in Saratoga County Court on an eight-count indictment that included charges of second-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault for an incident on Nov. 20 just after 3 a.m. on Caroline Street. He is accused of getting into an altercation with a group of people from Utica and exchanging fire with a person in that group. When police arrived, Caselnova refused repeated commands to drop his weapon and officers shot him, police said. One of the grand jurors delivered a letter addressed to Saratoga County Court Judge James Murphy to the commissioner of jurors, according to WNYT-TV NewsChannel 13, The Post-Stars media partner. NewsChannel 13 obtained a copy of the letter in which the juror wrote that they felt ashamed that we did not do our job properly after hearing all that testimony. The juror claimed that the panel was told off the record by an ADA that he wanted the group to finish by a specific day. In addition, one of the charges Caselnova faces is based on a new law possession of a firearm in a sensitive location and the juror said the law was very obtuse and hard to understand. The juror did not sign his or her name. Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen put out a statement defending the process in response to the media reports. As with all cases, I anticipate that the defense attorneys will follow the common practice of filing motions that seek the courts review of the grand jury proceedings. Here, I am confident that the grand jury process was done in compliance with the laws of the state of New York, she wrote. Heggen said she stood by her offices presentation of the case to the grand jury. Further, while I would like to respond to and answer the numerous questions I have received (Monday) regarding those proceedings, those very same laws expressly prohibit me from commenting further on the specifics of any grand jury presentation, she went on to say. GLENS FALLS Business owners with outside dining permits will be expected to change how close their tables can get to the sidewalk this spring and summer. Glens Falls Common Council members discussed the Public Right-of-Way Access Guideline at their most recent meeting. Public meetings have been set for Tuesday and Thursday to hear feedback from business owners that will be affected. We found that as we got a new department going for Building and Codes that our old applications werent following whats called PROWAG regulations, Mayor Bill Collins said on Tuesday. We were, by accident, breaking the law or not following it to make sure 5 feet of space is on every one of our sidewalks. On Tuesday at 7 p.m. and Thursday at 2 p.m. in the Holden Meeting Room of Crandall Public Library, there will be public information meetings where city officials will consult on the changes with business owners. At our next council meeting, you will have new encroachment permits to approve, Collins said. Collins attributed the pandemic as the reason for the violations. This really developed during COVID and when people really wanted to increase their clientele because they could only fill half of their restaurants. They were asking to move tables out and we were approving it, he said. Collins said he had come to realization that businesses offering outdoor dining were in blatant violation, and a new system of guidelines has been created for the upcoming outdoor dining season. The information meeting on Tuesday and Thursday will not only be for updates on what rules businesses must follow, but it will also act as a meeting for questions and concerns from the owners. Some are going to be upset when they cant have as many tables that they have had, Collins said. Other business The Special Projects Committee received reports from city officials on overnight parking ideas. Fire Chief James Schrammel, Police Chief Jarred Smith, and Tom Girard, city Department of Public Works field operations manager, gave their opinions on the boards idea of trying to introduce overnight parking between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. at their meeting on Tuesday. Diana Palmer, Third Ward councilwoman, spoke about the approval of American Rescue Plan Act funds to restore parks in the city of Glens Falls. The park upgrades will be completed in August of this year. Open pickups for lawn debris will begin next Monday. DPW will begin pickups in Ward 3 and then proceed through Ward 2, Ward 1, Ward 4, and then Ward 5 before looping through the Citys Wards once again. The last day of spring pick ups will be on May 26. A huge saltwater crocodile assaulted a 65-year-old man sleeping on an Australian beach, waking him in shock. The camper got bitten on the foot while resting in a sleeping bag on the beach. The crocodile attack victim was rushed to Mossman Hospital for overnight treatment. He was eventually released, according to The Mirror. According to a representative for Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service, the event happened near Newell Beach in Far North Queensland. According to a spokesman for the Department of Environment and Science (DES), the latest Australian crocodile attack will be looked into. The spokesperson stressed the need to promptly report any crocodile sightings and warned the public to take precautions. Giant Australian Crocodile Found In The Beach Area Peter Capp, proprietor of Newell Beach Takeaway and Cafe, told the media outlet that he had seen a massive crocodile in the area where the Australian crocodile attack victim was bitten. The huge crocodile dwells there and moves "up and down the area," he stated, as per Daily Mail. Read Also: NASA's Mars Helicopter Ingenuity Breaks Two Records The Department of Environment and Science (DES) has acknowledged the occurrence and confirmed that it is cooperating with the ongoing investigation by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QWPS). QPWS wildlife officials are looking for crocodiles on the beach and surrounding area. In 2021, a 4.5-meter crocodile was caught near Newell Beach, proving that large crocodiles frequent the region. Wildlife authorities at the time believed that the animal's violent behavior was probably caused by people feeding the crocodile. It is the most recent of numerous recent Australian crocodile attacks in the Far North, some of which targeted pets. In the south of Cooktown, an Australian crocodile attack on a man and his dog occurred in February while they were both getting into the water. DES cops killed a 4.2-meter crocodile after the man's dog was eaten, according to ABC. Another family pet was killed by a crocodile in a Cairns neighborhood in December. Related Article: Bird Flu-Positive Dog Dies in Canada @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. QUEENSBURY The man accused of shooting another man after a road rage incident in the town of Queensbury in November 2022 rejected a plea deal of 11 to 14 years in state prison on Wednesday. Adrian A. Simental, 34, was in Warren County Court on Wednesday in front of Judge Robert Smith to reject the deal offered to him of no less than 11 years and no more than 14 years in state prison, with an additional seven-year sentence that would run concurrent as the other sentence. The sentence would also include an order of protection for up to 22 years. In March, Warren County District Attorney Ben Smith offered Simental 14 years in prison, with an additional 5 years of parole in exchange for pleading guilty to two charges of the six-count indictment. Simentals lawyer, Public Defender Brian Pilatzke, indicated last month that his client would need more time to consider the offer. The case is on for pre-trial hearings later in April and a trial is set to begin May 22, due to Simental rejecting the plea deal. He is currently charged with two felony counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon-loaded firearm, attempted assault with intent to cause serious injury with a weapon, assault with intent to cause physical injury with a weapon and misdemeanor counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and third-degree menacing. Simental is accused of engaging in an aggressive driving encounter on Nov. 27 near the Northway Plaza on Route 9 in Queensbury, and then following Brendan Grants vehicle into the Walmart parking lot, where a verbal and physical confrontation ensued, according to police. He has been held in the Warren County Jail since Nov. 29, 2022, with no bail since it was revoked by Judge Smith in January. It was originally set at $200,000 cash or $600,000 bond. He has addresses in California and Illinois and listed a Fort Edward address at the time of his arrest, but it has been stated previously that he has no ties to the area or New York state in general. ARGYLE A fire that took the life of an Argyle man on Sunday remains under investigation. Firefighters from multiple area companies responded to 3004 Aarons Way just after 4 a.m. for a report of a structure fire. The structure was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived. Police discovered 42-year-old Graham R. Keech deceased in the area of the home damaged by the fire. Trooper Stephanie ONeil, state police spokeswoman, said the investigation is ongoing. The fire appears to have originated in the back southeast corner of the home. Fire officials said previously that the house had been added onto and it appeared it was in the garage area where the blaze started. An autopsy was performed on Keech on Monday and the results are pending, according to ONeil. There was no word on a cause of the fire. She did not have a timetable for when the investigation would be completed. Firefighters had the blaze under control in about 15 minutes but spent several more hours overhauling the scene. On Tuesday, the single-family ranch home was heavily damaged, with part of the wall collapsed and windows blown out. Debris littered the ground. Neighbors did not know Keech well. Josh Janke said he had not seen him recently and thought he may have gone to visit family in Florida. Janke said his father had spoken with him about getting the dirt road paved. UPPER TOWNSHIP The Township Committee on Monday tabled an ordinance outlining rules for rental properties, after hearing from both landlords and renters that it went too far. Before beginning the public hearing on the ordinance, Mayor Jay Newman said it would likely be back to the drawing board. He expects enough changes to require a new introduction for the ordinance, which would mean it would need to again be advertised and a new public hearing held before a final vote. We want to make sure we get it right, Newman said. The ordinance grew out of concerns raised last year about the impact of short-term rentals on residential neighborhoods. In some cases, neighbors complained about properties rented through online services like VRBO and Airbnb, saying weekly parties and numerous guests were disruptive. On Monday, Newman said there were other motivations. Also the chief of the Marmora Volunteer Fire Company said he was particularly concerned about ensuring public safety. Some rental properties lack fire extinguishers or even smoke detectors, he and others said at the meeting. Murphy signs bill to avoid school district aid losses Nearly 200 New Jersey school districts facing shortfalls in their state aid are set to see t In one case, he said, firefighters responded to a fire in a rental unit in which a window had been boarded up, creating a safety hazard. As proposed, the ordinance would require kitchens, water and electrical service, lighting, locks and other amenities. It would have limited short-term rentals to certain zones, including the beachfront Strathmere section of the township. As introduced, the ordinance would ban any short-term rentals outside the waterfront town center, the Marmora town center, the resort residential zone and the resort commercial zoning district in the township. Committee member Curtis Corson said there are no local permits for rental properties in the township and that township officials have no means of tracking how many rental units exist. The ordinance as introduced in March states that inspection officers would be authorized to enter a rental unit at all reasonable times by appointment with the owner. This is my home. Nobodys coming into my home without my permission, said Petersburg resident Scott Phelps. You ever heard of the 4th Amendment? He said both the U.S. Constitution and the state constitution prevent authorities from entering someones home without a warrant, for homeowners and for renters. Taxes up, programs cut in proposed Upper Township school budget UPPER TOWNSHIP The Board of Education on Monday introduced a $36.68 million operating budg Phelps said he has long lived in the township and rents his home. That doesnt make me less of a member of this community, he said. Other speakers owned rental properties and had concerns of their own. For some, the ordinance was unclear about how many people could be in a rental unit. The ordinance would have limited the number of renters based on the size of the property. Rich Quinn has a house in Strathmere. I have a suspicion that you all, rightfully, probably got sick of hearing from people from Strathmere, and Im yet another one of them, he said. He and others told similar stories; that he both uses the century-old property for his family and rents it for weeks in the summer. For years, he rented it to eight people at a time, but said it seems to him that the ordinance would limit the property to three renters at a time, significantly reducing its value. Towns ponder tax increases amid rise in health care benefits cost An increase in State Health Benefits Program costs is forcing municipalities to make tough c There were other practical concerns raised, such as whether inspectors would be expected to visit every summer rental each week during the brief changeover period. Lisa Carr, who also owns in Strathmere, said no one checks to see how many people are in other summer homes each week. Her property is 115 years old, she said, and is also used both for the family and as a rental. Perhaps it doesnt meet the standards of the McMansions that are being built today, but its still mine, and we love it, Carr said. I dont want to feel like Im being pushed out of that community, which is frankly what I feel like tonight. Victor Nappen Sr., whose son Victor Nappen Jr. is a member of the Township Committee, told the committee he felt somewhat responsible because he owns one of the rental properties that neighbors spoke about last year. He said short-term rentals can be profitable and bring money to the township. He added that new owners upgrade properties and the short-term rentals pay taxes without adding to the number of school children. If he were to rent the same property to a family for a year, it would bring in monthly rent. They could bring four or five kids into that school system at $15,000 a kid, Nappen said. Committee member Nappen said he would recuse himself from the vote and discussion, as he has previously, citing the potential conflict of interest. But he did join the other members of the committee to vote unanimously to table the ordinance. It was unclear when an amended ordinance could be back for introduction. The current ordinance had been reviewed by the Planning Board and community organizations. Also at the meeting, a resident raised concerns about a business he said has added rental units to the second floor. Corson said there is no requirement for people renting property to register with the township, citing that as another reason for an ordinance. The ordinance outlines benefits to short-term rentals, including economic benefits. Notwithstanding those benefits, the Township Committee also finds and declares that certain transitory uses of residential property tend to affect the residential character of the community and, if unregulated, can be injurious to the health, safety, and welfare of the community, reads the ordinance as introduced. NORTHFIELD The Atlantic County commissioners approved a new four-year contract with the union representing its jail officers Tuesday. The agreement with Justice Facility Superior Officers Union FOP #112 runs from Jan. 1, 2023, to Dec. 31, 2026, and includes moving from a two-tiered salary guide to a one-tiered guide. Lieutenants base annual salaries will be $120,335 in 2023, rising to $136,011 in 2026; and captains salaries will be $135,918 in 2023, rising to $150,952 in 2026, according to the memorandum of agreement. The officers oversee inmates at the Atlantic County jail in Mays Landing. The contract gives captains five hours of compensatory time per month and adds Juneteenth as a holiday, according to a summary of the resolution on the contract. In addition, the county agreed to pay all licensing fees for employees covered by collective bargaining. Mayors seek to explore giving Atlantic County commissioners more authority over ACUA A resolution is circulating around municipalities calling on the Atlantic County Board of Co The commissioners also passed two bond ordinances to make capital improvements. The county will issue $26.1 million in bonds to cover $27.5 million in projects on roads and bridges ($8.3 million) and for equipment and improvements in county buildings ($19.2 million). In a separate bond ordinance, the county will issue $3.6 million in bonds to cover work at Atlantic Cape Community College. Commissioners awarded a $4.3 million, five-year contract to Atlantic Coast Alarm for fire and security alarm monitoring, security surveillance and equipment installation and maintenance. At the meeting, the commissioners honored retiring AtlantiCare CEO Lori Herndon, who said Tuesday was her 40th anniversary of employment at the hospital system. She retires June 1 and said she is staying in the area. She lives in Brigantine. They also honored Atlantic City police Chief James Sarkos for his success in changing the culture of the Atlantic City Police Department. The ACPD had no complaints of excessive force filed against it last year, and only one the year before. And the commissioners passed a resolution to declare April 23 to 29 National Crime Victims Rights Week in Atlantic County, recognizing and supporting assistance to victims of crime. ATLANTIC CITY A fugitive accused of shooting two people and robbing another person last year was arrested Friday after being found at a Galloway Township home, police said. Glen Graves, 32, is charged with two counts each of aggravated assault, burglary, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and certain persons not to possess a weapon, and one count each of kidnapping, robbery, possession of hollow-point ammunition, possession of a high-capacity magazine, possession of a defaced firearm, resisting arrest and simple assault. He was sent to the Atlantic County jail. Police responded to reports of gunfire in the citys Brigantine Homes complex Aug. 5. Two shooting victims arrived at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Campus. Investigators later charged Graves with the shooting. Graves then broke into a home in the 800 block of North Virginia Avenue on Dec. 27, robbing it before holding one person inside at gunpoint who police say he coerced to drive him to an ATM machine. He sat in the vehicles back seat armed while the money was withdrawn, police said in a news release. Officer John Bell followed the vehicle as it pulled into a parking lot at Pennsylvania and Atlantic avenues before Graves fled from the back seat, police said. Bell chased Graves as he ran into the 1000 block of Arctic Avenue, tossing his gun while running east before jumping over a fence. Police were unable to locate Graves after that. The gun retrieved was fitted with a high-capacity magazine and loaded with hollow-point bullets, police said. Atlantic City police credited Galloway police, the FBI and the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office with helping find Graves. OCEAN CITY About a dozen students at Ocean City High School walked out of classes Wednesday as the organization Students Demand Action for Gun Sense in America called for a national walkout. It was very benign, said Matt Friedman, the district superintendent. He said 10 to 15 students participated, walking around the track behind the school before returning to the building. The students will not face any disciplinary action, Friedman said. Members of the school administration kept watch as the students left the building, but not the school property. Friedman had not heard of any other schools in the area where students walked out. District officials knew the walkout was a possibility in advance, he said. Ocean City school board vote inspires fresh rally by LGBTQ supporters OCEAN CITY Parents, students and residents bundled in heavy sweatshirts waved glow sticks The county gave us a heads up, he said. The national advocacy group Students Demand Action cited the number of shooting incidents in schools across the country and said the last school year was the deadliest on record for school shootings. How many more kids have to die in our schools before our lawmakers act? How many more people need to die while grocery shopping? While walking on our city streets? We deserve to learn and live without fear, but thanks to our weak gun laws and the gun lobbys relentless guns everywhere agenda, nowhere is safe, reads a statement on the walkout posted to the organizations website. BRIGANTINE The owners of the Conoco gas station on Atlantic Brigantine Boulevard have abandoned the blighted property, Mayor Vince Sera said. The gas station, located next to the island's Dunkin', is seen as an eyesore by city officials and residents. The property is one of the first things people see when they arrive on the barrier island. "Brigantine officials have made multiple attempts to contact the owner a number of times to see how the city can work with the owner to get the property cleaned up and properly maintained," Sera said. "To date, the owner has failed to respond." The gas station is owned by Las Vegas-based Agre Holdings LLC % Pontus Capital. It bought the property from Bronson Oil Fee Holdings LLC in 2008 for $800,000. Four tattered, exposed gas pumps and a workers hut are located on the site. The gas station closed in 2021 after the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection took administrative action against it, city officials said. Over the past couple of years, the city has continued to maintain the property. EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP New leadership is coming again to the Police Department. Frederick Spano will be sworn in as chief of police at a special Township Committee meeting Thursday. The ceremony comes after he was appointed to the position last month and he assumed the duties of the office Saturday. Spano said Tuesday he believed he could help guide the department as it faces new challenges. I bring a good fit for what we need for our organization right now, Spano said. The committee held a special meeting to interview three candidates for the position of police chief in March and later voted unanimously to select Spano. The new chief I think is an outstanding pick for us, Mayor Laura Pfrommer said Tuesday. New York woman charged with DWI in Atlantic City Expressway crash HAMILTON TOWNSHIP A New York woman was intoxicated when she crashed her car into an animal Spano has worked at the Egg Harbor Township Police Department for about 25 years, beginning in 1998 as a patrol officer. He has gradually risen through the ranks, being promoted to lieutenant in 2016 and then captain in 2019. During his time as captain, Spano served as commander of the Police Community Services and Criminal Investigations bureaus. He has also served as Operations Bureau commander, where he oversaw the Patrol, K-9, Traffic Safety and SWAT units. He has a masters degree in administrative science from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a bachelors degree in criminal justice from the University of Delaware. He said his volunteer experience includes help with the Margate Terrapin Rescue and the annual flag placement ceremony at the Atlantic County Veterans Cemetery. I think I bring a well-rounded experience to the table, Spano said. Spano said his priority as chief will be to improve attention to detail and promote a high standard for performance quality, as well as promote open communication with the public. Do the little things right, Spano said. Pfrommer said the committee had been searching for a chief with deep experience who would be able to connect with the rank-and-file. She lauded Spanos work as captain overseeing patrols and his experience with the different aspects of police work. Touch of Italy restaurant closes after overnight fire on Tuesday EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP An overnight two-alarm fire damaged A Touch of Italy restaurant on the He has his finger on the pulse of what is going on, Pfrommer said. Hes probably done just about everything that we have. Spano is succeeding Michael Hughes, whose tenure as chief began in August 2021 and lasted about 19 months. Hughes was also promoted to captain in 2019 and had a 32-year career in the Police Department. Three Township Committee members are former law enforcement. Committee member Paul Hodson, a former police officer, acknowledged that the responsibilities of being an officer have changed considerably since he started in the 1970s, but he said having experience in law enforcement afforded the committee unique insight during the search for a new chief. I think it helps because we understand the job at different levels, Hodson said. Spanos swearing-in continues what township officials describe as a trend of frequent turnover in the office of police chief. Hodson said the township has had to find a new police chief about every three years over the past two decades. He said he believed short chief tenures were becoming standard, with people rising to the role shortly before their retirement. Egg Harbor Township police officer injured in crash EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP A township police officer was taken to the hospital after a crash Sund I think thats the industry, said Hodson, who was first elected to the committee in 2005. Ive been around 18 years; I cant believe how many police chiefs weve promoted. Pfrommer said she believed the administrative burdens of police chiefs have grown in recent decades, making the job more taxing and causing them to depart from the position sooner. After a while it takes a toll, Pfrommer said. Pfrommer added that the job had also been made more difficult by a recent rise in anti-police sentiment, citing the 2020 protests against police brutality and racism following the murder of George Floyd by then Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin. For similar reasons, Pfrommer said chiefs were finding it more difficult to staff their forces. The number of applicants to the Police Department in recent years has dropped from around 500 to fewer than 100, Pfrommer said. Officials in neighboring Galloway Township have spoken of a similar decline in applications to its police force. I think thats a direct result of some of the negativity, Pfrommer said. Spano said the recent protests have made it more important to engage with the community and improve public perceptions of police. He said police departments needed to internalize that officers need to hold themselves to a higher standard and work to connect with the communities they serve. Its about being transparent and communication, Spano said. They dont have to be that difficult. The special meeting to swear in Spano will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday at the township Municipal Building, 3515 Bargaintown Road. HAMILTON TOWNSHIP The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado did strike the area Saturday evening, bringing the statewide April 1 total to seven, a tie for the largest one-day outbreak in the states history. An Enhanced Fujita 1 (EF) storm with estimated maximum winds of 100 mph traveled a distance of 0.9 miles. It began around Route 40 and Llewellyn Avenue in the Richland section of Buena Vista Township. We determined the Mays Landing tornado due to the extensive tree damage, with uprooted trees and other debris facing multiple directions. If it was straight-line wind damage, trees would be facing a similar direction, said Eric Hoeflich, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, who inspected the damage Tuesday. During the minute-long twister, from 7:42 to 7:43 p.m., the tornado snapped multiple large branches. It then moved east into Hamilton Township, following near Old Landis Avenue. There, the tornado was its strongest. A roof was dislodged from a single-family home, and trees started to be uprooted and destroyed. Damage continued along the street, mainly on the north side of the avenue. It then crossed Estelle Avenue and continued another 200 yards, creating more damage. The tornado then lifted. Thomas Patrick was cleaning up his property Tuesday afternoon. He said that 20 to 30 trees were destroyed on his roughly nine acres of land at Estelle and Old Landis avenues. This whole road was blocked off with trees. The power went out. ... Ive been through hurricanes, but this was a flash storm that moved through, Patrick said. The weather service initially confirmed four tornadoes Sunday, then another two Monday and the Hamilton one Tuesday. Year to date, 2023 is the most active for tornadoes since reliable records began in 1950, with a total of eight. A tornado hit Mercer County in February. The April 1 total of seven is also a tie for the largest one-day outbreak in the states history. On Nov. 16, 1989, seven twisters tore through the state. On average, New Jersey experiences two tornadoes a year. However, that average includes many years with zero tornadoes and some in double digits. The most tornadoes in one year in New Jersey is 19, in 1989. Saturday also brought a tornado to Pennsylvania and one to Delaware, where one person died. Additional severe weather is possible Thursday as a cold front moves through the area. GALLERY: Hamilton Township tornado from April 1 A roof came off a house near Old Landis Avenue after an EF-1 tornado struck Hamilton Township on Saturday night. Thomas Patrick shows some of the damage to his land from severe weather Saturday evening around Old Landis Avenue in Hamilton Township. The Na Weather The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado did strike the area Saturday evening, bringing the statewide total to seven. An Enhanced Fuji Trees were uprooted and toppled by severe weather this past Saturday evening around Old Landis Ave in Mays Landing. The National Weather Servi Trees were uprooted and toppled by severe weather this past Saturday evening around Old Landis Ave in Mays Landing. The National Weather Servi Trees were uprooted and toppled by severe weather this past Saturday evening around Old Landis Ave in Mays Landing. The National Weather Servi Mays Landing property owner Thomas Patrick shows some of the damage to his land from severe weather this past Saturday evening around Old Lan Trees were uprooted and toppled by severe weather this past Saturday evening around Old Landis Ave in Mays Landing. The National Weather Servi Tree damage from the EF-1, 100 mph confirmed tornado in Hamilton Township Saturday night. The tornado, which for just under a mile along Old L Tree damage from the EF-1, 100 mph confirmed tornado in Hamilton Township Saturday night. The tornado, which for just under a mile along Old L Tree damage from the EF-1, 100 mph confirmed tornado in Hamilton Township Saturday night. The tornado, which for just under a mile along Old L Tree damage from the EF-1, 100 mph confirmed tornado in Hamilton Township Saturday night. The tornado, which for just under a mile along Old L Tree damage from the EF-1, 100 mph confirmed tornado in Hamilton Township Saturday night. The tornado, which for just under a mile along Old L Tree damage from the EF-1, 100 mph confirmed tornado in Hamilton Township Saturday night. The tornado, which for just under a mile along Old L Tree damage from the EF-1, 100 mph confirmed tornado in Hamilton Township Saturday night. The tornado, which for just under a mile along Old L The Pune city traffic branch has decided to impose a ban on heavy vehicles on two arterial roads during peak hours 7 am to 11 am and 5 pm to 9 pm following several months of heavy traffic jams in the Mundhwa area. ABC Farms, Tadigutta, and Jahangir Chowk are connected by one route, while ABC Farms and Keshavnagar Mundhwa Chowk are connected by the other. The orders were given late Tuesday night by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Vijaykumar Magar. The orders will not apply to heavy vehicles used for emergency services, as well as police, fire, and armed forces vehicles. The Pune City traffic cops have banned heavy vehicles in several areas of the city over the last three months. These bans are in effect either all day or during peak travel hours. These are among several traffic changes implemented to provide residents with relief from heavy traffic jams across the city, which have worsened due to the ongoing work of the Pune Metro and other infrastructure projects. Other traffic changes include imposing one-way traffic flow, delineating no parking zones, making circular one-way traffic, prohibiting vehicles from entering certain connecting traffic junctions, and so on. Missouri state troopers reported many people were hurt or killed early Wednesday morning as a powerful tornado ripped across rural areas. Doppler radar suggested an EF-2 to EF-3 tornado was probably active between the Missouri villages of Glenallen and Marble Hill at about 3:45 a.m. CDT, according to NOAA's Storm Prediction Center, per Fox News. When the apparent tornado demolished houses and businesses in Glenallen, storm tracker Brandon Clement of Live Storms Media gave a preliminary account of the damage. According to Clement, "the whole area has a lot of trees down," electricity lines down, several roofs gone, and many trailers ruined. According to a CNN report, highway Patrol Sgt. Clark Parrott said several fatalities and injuries had been recorded after a probable tornado hit Bollinger County, Missouri. Read Also: Jacinda Ardern Delivers 'Tearful' Final Speech According to Parrott on Wednesday morning, reports are still coming in, and the exact number of fatalities is not yet determined as of present writing. He also stated that authorities are conducting an "active search and rescue event." The Patrol is assisting Bollinger County and multiple local agencies in search and recovery efforts after a tornado in the Glenallen area. Injuries and fatalities are confirmed. Further information will be released as it becomes available. MSHP Troop E (@MSHPTrooperE) April 5, 2023 Parrott added that resources are being provided to local authorities around southeast Missouri. Latest Missouri Tornado Brings More Misery The highway patrol reported potential tornado damage, wreckage, and injuries in Bollinger County, southeast of Grassy and Marble Hill. The tornado incident followed an extreme weather event in which at least a dozen tornadoes killed at least 33 people. Hence, according to CBS, individuals whose houses were devastated in Arkansas, Iowa, and Illinois may experience much more suffering. When the system moved through Arkansas and into the South, Midwest, and Northeast, the violent storms that began last Friday and persisted over the weekend produced devastating tornadoes in 11 states. Related Article:65-Year-Old Camper Attacked By Crocodile @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A Davenport woman currently on probation in both Scott and Rock Island counties for convictions for trafficking in meth and crack cocaine was arrested Tuesday for allegedly selling methamphetamine, cocaine and crack while having three children in her home. Amber Renae Woods, also known in Scott County District Court records as Amber Renee Woods and Amber Renea Woods, 34, is charged with one count of possession with the intent to deliver 721 grams of methamphetamine. The charge is a Class B felony under Iowa law that carries a prison sentence of 25 years. Woods also is charged with one count each of possession with the intent to deliver no more than 100 grams of cocaine, and possession with the intent to deliver no more than 40 grams of cocaine base, known as crack. Each of the charges is a Class C felony that carry a prison sentence of 10 years. She also is facing three counts of child endangerment-meth exposure, and three counts of violating Iowas drug tax stamp law. Each of those charges is a Class D felony that carry a prison sentence of five years. According to the arrest affidavit filed by Bettendorf Police Detective Sgt. Joshua Paul, at 12:21 p.m. Tuesday members of the Scott County Sheriffs Special Operations Unit Drug Task Force served a search warrant at Woods home in the 1800 block of West 7th Street in Davenport. Woods had been under investigation for drug trafficking. Officers watched as Woods left her home. Officers followed her down the street and arrested her on warrants out of Scott County and Rock Island County for violating her probation on drug convictions. During a post-Miranda interview, Woods told police she had a lot of drugs in her purse. Officers then seized 721 grams of methamphetamine, 73 grams of cocaine and 18 grams of crack cocaine. She also had $2,000. Police have said that the normal dose of meth is one-tenth of a gram, meaning that Woods allegedly had 7,210 doses of meth in her possession. Woods admitted to selling drug to a small number of people, while at her home she is the primary caretaker for three children, two 14-years old and one 13-years-old. During a first appearance on the charges Wednesday in Scott County District Court, Magistrate Richard Wells scheduled a preliminary hearing in the case for April 14. According to Iowa Department of Corrections electronic records, Woods is currently on probation in Scott County until March 30, 2025, after pleading guilty in 2018 to a Class C felony charge of possession with the intent to deliver less than 5 grams of meth, and in a separate case pleading to an aggravated misdemeanor of accessory after the fact in a robbery. In 2020 while on probation she pleaded guilty to two class C felony charges of possession with the intent to deliver ecstasy and possession with the intent to deliver methamphetamine. Woods has violated her probation in each of those cases. Warrants for her arrest were issued Dec. 21, 2022. On March 22, 2022, Woods was sentenced in Rock Island County Circuit Court to 30 months on probation after pleading guilty to possession with the intent to deliver between 1 and 15 grams of crack cocaine. Under Illinois law the charge is a Class 1 felony that carries a prison sentence of four to 15 years. She has violated her probation in that case and an arrest warrant was issued Jan. 25. While police were arresting Woods, Christopher Patrick Carr, 32, of Davenport, arrived at her residence. During a search of Carr officers seized a stolen Kimber Arms handgun valued at $500. Officers also seized 10 grams of methamphetamine, 8 grams of marijuana, a digital scale and zip-lock plastic bags and a meth pipe. In a post-Miranda interview Carr admitted to police that the plastic bags are to sell small quantities of meth and that he buys a quarter-ounce of meth at a time. Carr also admitted to police that he uses 1 gram of meth per day. Carr is charged with possession with the intent to deliver more than 5 grams of meth, a Class B felony. He also is charged with felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance-third offense, and violating Iowa drug tax stamp law. Each of those charges is a Class D felony. He also is charged with fourth-degree theft, a serious misdemeanor that carries a jail sentence of up to one year. In a separate case, Carr is charged with operating a motor vehicle without the owners consent and driving while barred. Each of the charges is an aggravated misdemeanor that carries a prison sentence of two years. Carr also is awaiting trial in Scott County on a charge of second-degree theft after he allegedly stole a motorcycle on Sept. 14, 2022. The charge is a Class D felony. A jury trial is scheduled in that case for May 15. During a first appearance on the charges Wednesday in Scott County District Court, Magistrate Douglas Wells scheduled a preliminary hearing in the case for April 14. Woods was being held Wednesday night in the Scott County Jail on a $25,000 cash-only bond. Carr was being held Wednesday night in the Scott County Jail on bonds totaling $27,000, cash or surety. Illinois state Sen. Mike Halpin (D-Rock Island) toured Augustana College and spoke with school officials on Tuesday, his first stop in a two-week listening tour of colleges and universities in the 36th Senate District. Halpin will visit four-year institutions within his representative district aiming to help him gauge their needs, priorities and challenges, also forming relationships with school leaders as he embarks his first Senate term as chairman of the Illinois Senate Higher Education Committee. "The 36th District has every institution of higher education three community college districts, three private, four-year institutions and both Western Illinois (University) campuses," Halpin said. "This is a unique district that has higher education as it's focus." Living in Rock Island, and having represented the area during his House tenure, were some of the reasons Halpin started his tour at Augie, also noting a "very good" relationship with the college. "I think we're at a unique time in recent Illinois history where we're really making some good fiscal decisions to the point where we have the opportunity to reinvest in higher education," he said. "If we're ready to do that, I want to make sure that we're actually being responsive to the needs of our colleges and universities." Halpin's visit began by discussing tuition support, capital projects and budget priorities with Augie president Dr. Andrea Talentino, highlighting Illinois' investment in Monetary Award Program grants. "Education is costly, certainly; it's important for families to be able to think about ways to make it affordable. The more that we can partner with State grants and loans the better it can be for the family," she said. "The MAP grant, for example, is something we're really excited about. That's great for students and it's really helpful for them." MAP grants are open to eligible Illinois residents who attend approved in-state colleges or universities and demonstrate financial need (based on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid). These grants do not need to be repaid and go toward tuition and other mandatory fees. More details about MAP can be found on the Illinois Student Assistance Commission website. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker proposed a $100 million increase in MAP funding for fiscal year 2024also proposing a 7 percent increase in basic operating funds for public universities and community colleges. "That actually doesn't get us back, in real dollars, to where we were 15 years ago on the public university side, so that is a significant conversation happening," Halpin said of the increase. "If we do things right, I think we'll be able to make almost every person that wants to go to a community college be able to attend for free." At the statehouse, Halpin hopes to demonstrate the stability MAP grants provide in a larger quest to retain Illinois students after high school and address nationwide dips in undergraduate enrollment. "So if you want to go to Augustana and may have thought it was out of your price range or something like that, we're going to give you those resources to be able to go," he said. "I can't tell you the number of times I've had a student tell me, 'I would not have gone to college, if not for the MAP grant.' My philosophy has always been anyone that wants to go to college should be able to and should be able to afford to." Noting some aging Augie facilities, Talentino also spoke to the value of state-backed capital support in higher education. "It just really allows us to accelerate some of our priorities, in terms of thinking about how we support our buildings," she said. Aside from funding, Halpin noted a goal to create a long-term system to communicate with Illinois colleges and universities about in-demand jobs using state agencies or resources. He thinks this may help prevent future shortages, allowing lawmakers to address the issue in a less reactionary way. Talentino commended this proactive goal, saying Augie is "always looking" to create workforce pipelines for students, particularly in industries facing shortages. "We're super excited to have him (Halpin) leading the (Senate higher education) committee. He's shown through his career that he's a great supporter of higher ed.," she said. Following discussions, Halpin toured Augie's campus making stops at the Bahls Campus Leadership Center, Hanson Hall, Lindberg Center and the Olin Center before ending with lunch at the Gerber Dining Center. Halpin visited Monmouth College after Augie and will visit Western Illinois University's Macomb campus on Tuesday, April 11, and Knox College in Galesburg on Thursday, April 13. Photos: Gov. Pritzker, officials, tout Smart Start Illinois in Rock Island visit Demolition on the historic Rock Island County Courthouse will move forward. Valley Construction of Rock Island filed a demolition permit with the city last week. The permit was approved at the end of the day Friday, March 31. According to the permit, the cost of demolition is $400,000. Shrubs and other greenery were being removed from the lot Friday afternoon. County Board Chairman Richard "Qujias" Brunk said that demolition could begin anywhere within the next week and a half. Demolition will be dependent on weather and is likely to last six to eight weeks. The property will be refurbished green space, Brunk said, but the long-term goal is to consolidate county offices into a new building on the grounds. The building would connect to the county's justice center. A silent protest will take place outside the gates in front of the courthouse Wednesday, April 5th at 3 p.m. Organizers have been making pleas over the past few years in hopes the county board would reverse the decision. Greg Swanson, a lifelong resident of Rock Island County, told the Quad-City Times/Dispatch-Argus on Friday that it is an irreplaceable and historical landmark. "While county officials have certain responsibilities relating to the courthouse, it is not their courthouse," Swanson said. "It is the people's courthouse." A Rock Island County judge declared the courthouse a public safety hazard a few years ago and has been sitting empty since. Community and Economic Development Director Miles Brainard said that based on the documentation the county provided, all requirements to move forward with demolition were met. "The city has always held that once the county could demonstrate compliance with the law, the city would be obligated to issue the demolition permit," Brainard said. "The documents provided by the County sufficiently demonstrate compliance with the law and so the city has issued the demolition permit." The demolition permit expires at the end of September 2023. The county was required to consult with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and had to consider the state's historic resources preservation act. The IDNR had the county go through a recordation process required by state statute to prove that the courthouse is beyond rehabilitation with no possible plans for renovations or reuse. A recordation contractor was required to take measured drawings, photographs of the interior and exterior, and written historical and architectural information for structures and sites. The state's preservation office had to review and approve the drawings, photographs, and historical and architectural information. New and returning individuals will be joining city council in East Moline, Moline, Rock Island, and Silvis. Election day in Rock Island County is expected to have a low voter turnout, County Clerk Karen Kinney said, due to the severe weather. A storm with high winds tore through the Quad-Cities this morning, leaving many power lines down across the Illinois Quad-Cities. At least three voting centers in Moline lost power and four in Rock Island. Voters whose location did not have power were able to vote at the county clerk's office. A lot of ballots, Kinney said, were vote-by-mail. Moline will see four new people join council come May as the incumbent alderpersons did not run for re-election. All four incumbent alderpersons in Rock Island ran for re-election with only one running unopposed. Wards 1, 2, and 4 in East Moline were all contested. A candidate did not file for Ward 6. Only one incumbent ran for reelection in East Moline. Silvis had one contested race, with the other three running unopposed. Below are the results for the races. East Moline results With all precincts reporting, no incumbent won re-election for East Moline City Council. Olivia Dorothy defeated incumbent Ken Porter for East Moline's First Ward. Dorothy received 58% of the vote whereas Porter received 41%. Porter was appointed to the council by Mayor Reggie Freeman in August 2022. Former Rock Island County Board member Jeffrey Deppe defeated incumbent Gary Almblade for the Second Ward. Almblade received 46% of the vote whereas Deppe had 53%. Almblade has been on East Moline City Council since 2011. Adam Guthrie will represent Ward 4, receiving 55% of the vote. It was a three-way race between Guthrie, Benjamin Stockwell and Michael Allison. Stockwell received 34% of the votes and Allison 10%. Guthrie will replace Jayne O'Brien who did not run for re-election. No candidate filed to run for ward six. Moline results With 4 out of 6 precincts reporting as of 9:30 p.m. Tuesday for Ward 7, Anna Castro leads Kermit Thomas Jr. with 83% of the vote. Thomas has 16% of the vote. Castro is a lifelong Moline resident and works at Augustana College. At Augustana, she provides administrative support for the TRIO Student Support Services office, focusing on collecting, updating, and reporting student data from the US Department of Education. Candidates for Wards 1, 3, and 5 ran unopposed. Debbie Murphy will represent Ward 1, taking Ald. Scott Williams' seat. Williams did not run for re-election. He has been on council since spring 2019. Abdur Razzaque will represent the Third Ward, replacing Ald. Mike Wendt who has been on council since 2015. Jessica Finch will represent the Fifth Ward. Current Fifth Ward Ald. Sam Moyer did not run for re-election. He has been on council since 2019. Moyer and Wendt told the Quad-City Times/Dispatch-Argus in December they decided not to run so they could spend more time with their family. Rock Island results All precincts for Rock Island are reporting with all four incumbent alderpersons re-elected. Bill Healy was elected for the first time to the Seventh Ward seat, receiving 54% of the vote. He was appointed to council in January 2020 to finish former Alderman Daven Geenen's term. Healy was challenged by Rock Island High School teacher Yolanda Grandberry Pugh who received 18% of the votes and the city's 2022 Citizen of the Year Quincy Davis, who received 26% of the vote. Tamera Felden, owner of The Artsy Bookworm, challenged Ald. Mark Poulos to represent the Sixth Ward. Felden lost, receiving 36% of the votes whereas Poulos received 63%. Jenni Swanson, Fourth Ward, defeated James Blue for a second term on council. She received 81% of the vote. Ald. Randy Hurt, Second Ward, ran unopposed. He has been on council since 2019. Silvis results With all precincts reporting, Robert Cervantes defeated incumbent Larry York to represent the first ward. Cervantes won 77% of the vote whereas York has 22% of the vote. Craig Pirmann will represent the second ward, David Rice the third ward, and Joshua Dyer the fourth ward. Earl Hanson and Washington Junior High in the Rock Island-Milan School District are still without power Wednesday morning after a series of storms tore through the Quad-Cities Tuesday. Students at the two schools will not attend classes Wednesday, the district said in a statement, and staff have reported to other schools in the district. All other schools are in session and programs will run as scheduled. Iowa lawmakers are a step closer to passing an education bill restricting explicit school library books and LGBTQ topics through the statehouse and to Gov. Kim Reynolds desk. Both House and Senate lawmakers have been weighing different bills since the earliest days of the session, and House lawmakers on Tuesday passed their latest version. Based on a bill originally proposed by Gov. Kim Reynolds, Senate File 496 hits some of the top priorities Republicans have outlined this year in education regulation and transparency. The Senate passed the bill last month, and the House made several changes before passing the bill on Tuesday. The bill passed 55-42, with six Republicans joining all Democrats in opposition. Reynolds on Tuesday said she wanted to let the lawmaking process play out before throwing her support behind the bill. The Senate will need to pass the amended bill before it goes to Reynolds desk for a signature. The Senate has weighed in, the House has weighed in, she said. ...Well see if theyre able to get it through both chambers with the same language and then to my desk. And well do a review of the bill at that point and make a decision on how we move forward. A spokesperson for Republican Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver declined to comment on Tuesday. Here are five things to know about the bill as it heads back to the Senate for approval. Prohibitions remain on teaching about gender identity, sexual orientation One thing that has remained mostly constant between the competing proposals is a ban on teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation in kindergarten through sixth grade. Democrats have argued the restriction would hamstring teachers abilities to teach about LGBTQ figures in history or prevent teachers and students from sharing information about their families if they involve a same-sex couple. But Republicans say the topics are not appropriate for elementary students. We once again require teachers to betray the trust of their students, to pretend that gay parents do not exist, and to shut down student inquiry, said Rep. Elinor Levin, D-Iowa City. Reporting a students gender identity Under the Senate proposal, any school employee would have to report if they reasonably believed a student was expressing a gender identity different from their sex assigned at birth. But under the language the House passed, that process would be more formalized. If a student requests to be called by a different name or set of pronouns by an educator, that person would need to notify an administrator, who would have to notify the students parents. An option to refer the case to the Department of Health and Human Services if a school thought a child would be in danger from informing their parents was removed. Republicans say the proposal will give parents important information about their childrens health and well-being. But opponents say forcibly outing students to their parents could put them in harms way from parents that do not accept their gender identity. Parents need to have confidence that the school is not going to hide vital information from them about their children, Republican Rep. Skyler Wheeler of Hull said on Tuesday. Schools do not have a right to keep secrets from parents as a general rule. Books with 'graphic' sex acts banned from libraries As originally proposed, the governors bill would have set up a statewide list of books that have been removed from a school library. If a book were removed in one school, students would have needed parents permission to check it out in any other school in the state. But Senate lawmakers last month changed the bill to match a previous House bill, which would bar books that included depictions of a defined list of sex acts from school libraries. The new House language adds the word graphic to the section, barring graphic depictions or descriptions of sex acts. Education and LGBTQ activists criticized the original wording in earlier hearings, saying it was broad enough to ban classic literature like "Brave New World" and "The Canterbury Tales." But some Democrats contended on Tuesday the wording is subjective and would still remove choice from parents and students to read what they want in the school library. Responding to those criticisms, Wheeler read off the list of acts the bill would prohibit from being described in school library books, arguing it would not prohibit classic books. Its pretty bad when some of these parents come home with books that are literally pornography, he said. And have graphic literally whats in our bill graphic depictions of sex acts. New bills added The amended bill is more than twice the size of the original because of a number of other education measures House lawmakers added. One of those additions would alter the makeup of the state Board of Educational Examiners, which establishes licensing criteria for Iowa teachers. The bill would change the makeup to include five teachers, five parents with children currently or recently in school, and one school administrator. Democratic Rep. Sue Cahill of Marshalltown said the change would remove expertise and accountability from the board. This [allows] a near-majority of the board who have no expertise in school policies, procedures and the nuances of education required to conduct the education system, except as an outsider, Cahill said. This is egregious to me. Republicans supported the measure as a way to give members of the public a larger say in teacher licensing. Some other measures wrapped into the larger bill include: Creating an alternative teacher licensing process Allowing parents to move students between school buildings in the same district Establishing safety training for school staff responding to seizures. Transparency measures The bill includes a number of measures intended to increase transparency, requiring schools to post procedures for parents or residents of the school district to request the removal of books or materials used in the classroom or library. Parents and residents of the district could also request a copy of and review classroom materials, and request that their student not be provided with certain materials. Schools would also need to obtain parents consent before administering surveys that ask about mental or psychological problems, sexual behavior, political affiliation, among other topics. Close Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds hugs her husband First Gentleman Kevin Reynolds at the conclusion of the Condition of the State address, inside the Iowa House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Iowa Senate President Pro Tempore Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, applauds during Gov. Kim Reynolds' Condition of the State address, inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Attendees to Gov. Kim Reynolds' Condition of the State address applaud during the speech, inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber on Jan. 10 at the State Capitol in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds is escorted into the Iowa House of Representatives, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, to give the annual Condition of the State address, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Photos: Gov. Kim Reynolds delivers the condition of the state address Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds hugs her husband First Gentleman Kevin Reynolds at the conclusion of the Condition of the State address, inside the Iowa House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Iowa Senate President Pro Tempore Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, applauds during Gov. Kim Reynolds' Condition of the State address, inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Attendees to Gov. Kim Reynolds' Condition of the State address applaud during the speech, inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber on Jan. 10 at the State Capitol in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds is escorted into the Iowa House of Representatives, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, to give the annual Condition of the State address, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Wednesday is the first day of Passover, and for The Synagogue of the Hills in Rapid City, the holiday is especially joyful this year. This is the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic that synagogue members are able to gather and celebrate Passover as a community. Passover is a major Jewish spring festival that celebrates freedom and family as Jewish people remember and retell the Israelites exodus from Egypt more than 3,000 years ago. Wednesday night, members of The Synagogue of the Hills and invited guests will celebrate the Passover Seder. Dr. Steven Benn, president of The Synagogue, said there was a lot of interest in restoring the tradition of a congregational Passover Seder. I think what is most exciting is that we can in fact come together without restriction to celebrate the holiday en masse, Benn said. Its become a community event within the synagogue. There will be people of all ages, from children to...middle-aged folks and octogenarians. It really covers a broad swath of generations. Celebrating the seder together had been a decades-long tradition for the synagogue congregation until the holiday gatherings were halted by COVID-19. The people that are coming are excited about this. It reaffirms our community as a viable Jewish community, but were also embracing traditional practices that were all used to, he said. Its the ingathering of all of us that have been somewhat distanced from this communal celebration. The fact that we can all gather together in this very popular religious event for the first time in three years we really look at it with great anticipation. Worldwide, Jews gather with family and friends on the evening of the first night of Passover for a meal and to read from a book called the Haggadah, which means telling. The book contains the order of prayers, rituals, readings and songs for the Passover Seder. The events of the exodus are retold so each generation learns and remembers the Passover story that is a central part of Jewish life and history. Traditionally, Passover observes the Israelites liberation from slavery under a tyrannical pharaoh. The Israelites were enslaved in Egypt for 400 years and were subjected to hard labor, including making bricks from mud. Through Moses going to the pharaoh and demanding the Israelites release, God worked a miracle of liberating them. Moses asked the pharaoh 10 times to set the Israelites free. Each time pharaoh refused, God sent a series of plagues water turning to blood, frogs, lice, flies, livestock pestilence, boils, hail, locusts, darkness and the killing of firstborn children in households that did not smear the blood of a lamb or goat on top and sides of their door frames to convince the pharaoh to set the Israelites free. In the final plague, the angel of death passed over the houses that had put blood on their door frames, and that is where the term Passover comes from. Finally, pharaoh agreed to release the Israelites and they left Egypt. The themes of enslavement and freedom in the Passover story are timeless, Benn said. The Synagogue's Passover Seder will incorporate some readings from contemporaries including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and American author Anita Diamant to enhance the meaning and relevance of Passover. How do you take a biblical event that happened presumably (many) years ago and how do you make it relevant in the 21st Century, Benn said. Bondage, enslavement, liberation and freedom you can apply those topics to any oppressed people, whether it be the African American community, the Asian American community, Native Americans, the Hispanic community, LGBTQ+. It is equally applicable to all these groups that find themselves oppressed. Passover brings together the past, present and future, Benn said. Its a glimpse of the past, a status of where we are and an eye toward the future of not only the Jews but also humanity as a whole, he said. Even in the darkest moments in concentration camps, people found a way of celebrating Passover. We live in a modern society and we have the freedom to [celebrate Passover]. Those people living in totalitarian, or worse, environments still found it important enough to celebrate the holiday as an eye toward the future, of throwing off the shackles of oppression, he said. Benn, who is originally from Brooklyn, New York, said when he was growing up, his extended family gathered to celebrate Passover. Not all Jewish families observe Passover, and The Synagogue of the Hills congregation includes some people who have converted to Judaism. Celebrating Passover as a congregation is a chance to teach and pass on Jewish traditions to everyone. The retelling of Passover becomes a pedagogic experience. One generation is teaching the next generation not only the hows and whys of what were doing, but also carrying the message of enslavement, liberation and freedom, Benn said. Passover is multigenerational and interactive. Theres children, young adults, young families, older families. The goal is to pass on the message of the Passover from one generation to another to maintain the continuity of the tradition of the message and the meaning, he said. For the Benn family, celebrating Passover with the synagogue congregation is a welcome return to tradition. In the years since the COVID-19 pandemic began, their Passover Seder has required imagination and modern technology. In 2020, Benn and his wife, Jo, planned to have all four of their adult children home for the first time in a decade to celebrate Passover together. Instead, the family gathered via Zoom from South Dakota, New York, Wisconsin and Israel for a virtual gathering. The kids all came together electronically and it took on a life of its own, Benn said. There was a lot of chatter and in each home, they recreated what would have been here in our house. The seder table traditionally includes symbolic foods, as well as objects that represent the 10 plagues of Egypt, Benn said. Benn, a recently retired neonatologist, added to the items representing plagues by creating a model of COVID-19 from a Styrofoam ball and push pins the 11th plague, he said. The COVID-19 model hung over the dining room table. Later, when a vaccine became available, Benn added a syringe to the COVID-19 symbol to represent the conquering of that plague. Passover is an eight-day festival that continues through April 12. After the seder on the first night of Passover, Benn said Passover is observed by eating matzah instead of leavened bread products through the remainder of Passover. Some Jewish families use matzah as pizza crust, taco shells, lasagna noodles and more. A Rapid City priest will remain out of public ministry following a canonical proceeding to address an allegation he sexually abused a minor in the early 1980s, according to an early March statement from the Diocese of Rapid City. Given the outcome of the canonical process, as well as the collective facts of this case that are now known, including consideration of the local Church, I have determined that Fr. (Michel) Mulloy will remain out of public ministry, Bishop Peter Muhich said in the March statement. Mulloy, a 69-year-old from Mobridge, was Bishop-elect of Duluth when an allegation he sexually abused a minor in Faith, South Dakota in the early 1980s was brought to the church on Aug. 7, 2020. Mulloy was removed from public ministry on Aug. 24, 2020, and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation and the church opened investigations. DCIs investigation was placed on hold in February 2021 after it was determined the allegation was beyond the scope of the statute of limitations. The Journal reported at the time DCI would not share details of the investigation for that reason, but it was not officially closed in case new information came forward. While the investigation is not closed, it is at a point where due to the statute of limitations there is nothing chargeable, said Tim Bormann, spokesman for the Attorney Generals Office at the time. Should any new information or allegations be forthcoming, that evidence would then be examined. DCI has not announced any developments in the case, and no charges were brought against Mulloy in Meade County, where the abuse was alleged. Despite the lack of criminal charges, Mulloy's position outside public service for the foreseeable future was sealed by the Bishops statement. It was not possible to ascertain with certainty either that the allegation was substantiated or that the allegation lacks foundation, Muhich said in his statement. Mulloy told the Journal in a statement he is hurt and saddened by Muhichs decision to keep him out of public ministry. My heart is broken, Mulloy wrote. The decision of the tribunal in Omaha was that I was not guilty of the alleged abuse. In church trials, a verdict of not guilty means that the accusation was not proven due to reasonable doubt. The Journal reached out to the Diocese of Rapid City to learn more about the facts and the canonical process but did not hear back. Mulloys career in the church began when he was ordained in the Diocese of Sioux Falls in 1979 before becoming a priest in the Diocese of Rapid City, according to the July 2020 edition of West River Catholic. Hes held multiple leadership positions, including serving as the leader of the Diocese between July 2019 to July 2020 before Muhich was installed as bishop, the Journal previously reported. Pope Francis appointed Mulloy to serve as the Bishop in Duluth on June 19, 2020, less than two months before the allegation, according to a news release from the Diocese. Mulloy resigned a month after the allegation while still Bishop-elect. The Diocese said it was the only allegation it ever received against Mulloy, who hopes he can someday return to public ministry. I was hoping for a reconciliation that would allow me to return to some form of the public ministry that I have loved for 44 years, for and with the people of the Diocese, Mulloy said. However, I am bound by my vow of obedience to the bishop, and I hope he will return me to public ministry in the future. Although Mulloy cannot work in public ministry, the church has not defrocked him and he maintains his title as a priest. Breast cancer survivor Stephanie Cole wants to ensure other cancer patients wont lose their homes while theyre fighting for their lives. Cole started a nonprofit organization, FoY Foundation, in September. Its purpose is to provide temporary financial support to help cancer patients between ages 18 and 65 keep their housing while they undergo major cancer removal surgery. Patients could start applying for funds at foyfoundationinc.org as of April 4. If you have to have major surgery where it limits you from working for six to 12 weeks, then FoY Foundation will pay your rent. Thats our goal, Cole said. According to a nationwide poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and reported by Kaiser Health News, about one in 12 Americans with medical debt say they have lost their home to eviction or foreclosure at least in part because of what they owed. Cole and the FoY Foundation are currently raising money to begin helping cancer patients. Cole owns a three-bedroom, one-bathroom mobile home she formerly lived in that is being raffled by the foundation. Tickets are $20 each or 10 tickets for $100. Tickets can be purchased through April 22 at Venmo FoYFoundationInc, or at Coles salon, Focus on You Beauty Spa, in Rapid City. Cole said anyone in South Dakota can purchase tickets. The winner of the raffle will be announced May 4. Someone is going to win a home. Someone is going to have their own asset while saving someone elses, Cole said. Cole has since moved to another mobile home she plans to renovate with help from the Nemo Job Corps, she said. Then, she wants to raffle that mobile home next year to raise more money for the FoY Foundation. Life is too short to not dream big. This is going to help a lot of people, Cole said. Along with the raffle, Cole has launched Haircuts for Cancer, an ongoing fundraiser at Focus on You Beauty Spa, 429 Kansas City St., Suite 2. Every Wednesday from noon to 5:30 p.m., people can receive dry haircuts for any amount they can afford to pay. All funds raised from Haircuts for Cancer will go to the FoY Foundation, Cole said. This is something I want to do as a salon owner to always make sure (there are) finances supporting the foundation, Cole said. Cole also hopes businesses and individuals will donate to the FoY Foundation. This organization is something I want people to believe in and (spend money on) monthly like they do Netflix or Amazon, Cole said. Coles passion to help other cancer patients comes from her own experiences. Originally from Hot Springs, Cole now lives in Rapid City and operated Divine Designs by Stephanie before opening her Focus on You Beauty Spa. She works part-time as a hair stylist at Arrowhead Lodges Sinceri Senior Living Center. I love taking care of people. I love making people feel good, Cole said. People need good care. Cole is also the single mother of a 7-year-old and a 12-year-old. Cole opened Focus on You Beauty Spa nearly two years ago. She was planning some renovations to it when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2022. In July, she had a double mastectomy and her lymph nodes were removed. In October, she underwent reconstructive surgery. She didnt have medical insurance. After surgery in July, she required six weeks of recovery time and was unable to work. Her children stayed with their father while Cole healed and looked for resources so she could keep her home and salon. She received some assistance from All Women Count, a program through the South Dakota Department of Health that pays for mammograms, pap smears and some medical costs for eligible women. I thought I was going to die, and then I was blessed I wasnt going to die, but then how am I going to pay my rent and (pay for) my salon? Cole said. I did get some resources based on income. A lot of the resources that could have helped me (required) I had to be in debt already. In desperation to help cover her bills, Cole panhandled in Sturgis during the motorcycle rally. I met some really good people and heard a lot of cancer stories in Sturgis. I was asking people for help. I didnt know what to do, Cole said. Its just really sad. Going through that journey, having a major surgery, I dont want people to worry about losing their home or being evicted because of surgery, Cole said. I dont want anyone to suffer the way I did. Its not OK. During her recovery time, she began researching nonprofit organizations and decided to start FoY Foundation. In addition to an annual raffle, Cole hopes to hold smaller fundraisers throughout the year. Im trying really hard to show people how important it is, Cole said. I want to make sure this foundation flourishes. Former president Donald Trump on Wednesday urged allies in the US Congress to defund federal law enforcement institutions. He made the call one day after being arraigned in a New York investigation. On his Truth Social platform, Donald Trump alleged that Democrats had "weaponized" law enforcement agencies. "Republicans in Congress should defund the DOJ and FBI until they come to their senses," the ex-POTUS posted, as reported by The Hill. Donald Trump's FBI/DOJ defunding call came the day after he arrived in Manhattan court for his arraignment in connection with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's investigation into Trump's potential participation in a hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign. Donald Trump became the first former US president to face criminal charges after pleading not guilty in a Lower Manhattan courtroom. His court appearance was historic and subjected to strict security procedures, according to a previous HNGN report. Read Also: Camilla Parker Bowles Recognized as Queen for First Time Donald Trump Delivered a Rundown of Charges Against Him On Tuesday night, after Donald Trump's arraignment, the Republican leader gave a rundown of the investigations that have been made against him, per UPI. At his Mar-a-Lago resort estate in Palm Beach, Florida, he called on Atlanta prosecutors to "drop" an investigation into his campaign to manipulate Georgia's 2020 election. He also denounced the FBI's probe into his mishandling of confidential materials after leaving the White House. Moreover, Trump attempted to justify his conduct on Jan. 6, 2021, when his followers stormed the US Capitol during Congress' confirmation of President Joseph Biden's presidential election win. NBC News reported that US Congress has until Sept. 30 to pass legislation funding the government, or else the government will shut down. However, an agreement is unclear since the parties have different agendas. There is also uncertainty about whether the GOP's slim House majority would have enough votes to enact legislation making FBI DOJ defunding possible. Related Article: Vladimir Putin's Secret Life Revealed @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Sanford Underground Research Facility has announced the 2023 Davis-Bahcall Scholars. The program is a once-in-a-lifetime, all-expense-paid opportunity that connects science-curious students with peers and mentors while exploring the modern world of STEM research. This years scholars include: Laura Jensen, a senior at Rapid City Central High School; William Kuhl, a freshman at South Dakota Mines; Cara Ronish, a senior at Hill City High School; and Sophie Schmid, a senior at Rapid City Stevens High School. The Davis-Bahcall program introduces students to a variety of STEM disciplines and can be helpful to them in deciding on their major in college, said Brianna Mount, associate professor of physics at Black Hills State University. It comes at a point in their education where they are choosing their future career path. Its a critical time because they get exposed to many different disciplines and learn early in their education what professionals do every day, whether in science, engineering or another STEM field. Designed to help rising university freshmen and sophomores entering STEM fields develop an understanding of where their interests could take them, the program demystifies these subjects by exposing students to what professionals do every day. Scholars will spend four weeks exploring leading universities and laboratories including the Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota, Argonne National Laboratory and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois, and Gran Sasso National Laboratory in Italy. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 program was postponed, and programs in 2021 and 2022 did not include international travel. This year, organizers are excited to return to the full program, which includes one week in Italy and a tour of the Gran Sasso National Laboratory. Every year is an exciting year for the Davis-Bahcall Scholars Program, said Deb Wolf, director of Outreach and Culture. This year, in particular, is exciting, because we can finally return to the full experience. Since 2009, 148 students have participated in the program, which is named in honor of experimental physicist Ray Davis Jr. and theoretical physicist John Bahcall. Davis, who built his experiment at the 4850 Level of the Homestake Mine, received the Nobel Prize in 2002 for his groundbreaking solar neutrino research. Bahcall developed the theoretical model of the Sun and of solar neutrino production, which guided Davis research. What began as a physics-oriented learning experience has evolved to include students with interests in a variety of STEM fields. This program is supported by the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority, First PREMIER Bank, the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium and Black Hills State University. Austin Hagwood, a creative writing graduate student at the University of Montana, spent five seasons staffing fire lookouts in the Bitterroot National Forest. His mountaintop adventures inspired him to start a book, which recently earned him one of UMs most prestigious writing honors, the Merriam-Frontier Award. Hagwoods winning submission consisted of four chapters from his book in progress, Fire Finder: Life as a Lookout in the Northern Rockies. The work gives readers a window into the solitude and excitement of the job, as well as resulting reflections by the writer. Hagwood will read from his manuscript at 5 p.m. Friday, April 7, at UMs Mansfield Library. The reading is free and open to the public. The judges chose Hagwoods manuscript from a robust field of fiction, poetry and nonfiction submissions from UM students. They wrote in their statement, Austin Hagwood delighted us with his exceptionally thoughtful and skillful nonfiction work Fire Finder: Life as a Lookout in the Northern Rockies. Austin took us into the lookout and made us want to stay and learn more. We saw it, smelled it and felt the anxiety of wildfire appearing on the landscape and strangers showing up on the lookout steps. But his memoir goes deeper. He shows his readers who he is now and who he has been, digesting his past while grounded very much in his present. He deftly avoids Western outdoor cliches and doesn't romanticize his experiences. He also avoids anxious environmental writing, instead showing us why we love the Western outdoors and landscape. He leads his readers to want more, and we encourage him to keep writing. Hagwood is a second-year Master of Fine Arts student in Creative Writing. He grew up in the mountain town of Quincy in the Sierra Nevada mountains, where he hiked to abandoned fire lookouts. He earned an undergraduate degree in English at the University of Notre Dame and a masters degree in anthropology from the University of Cambridge in England. In 2017, Hagwood learned accidentally that staffing fire lookouts could be a real job and applied to 100 lookout posts in five states. I just showed up in the Bitterroot, wide-eyed, he said. I fell in love with the land. Hagwood worked five seasons in the southern Bitterroot National Forest. During winters from 2016 to 2018, he also worked several stints in Papua New Guinea, doing research in anthropology and botany with Fulbright and National Geographic grants. For Hagwood, who said a beautifully constructed sentence can reflect the beauty of a place, UMs Creative Writing program was a natural next step. I couldnt ask for a more stellar group of peers and incredible mentors, he said. I am so thankful for the program, and the award means so much to me. Christopher Dombrowski, assistant director of the Creative Writing Program, calls Hagwood an exemplary citizen, an exemplary writer and an exemplary human. Hagwood is always the smartest person in the room, he said, but hes also the most humble person, and he raises the quality of the classroom. His stories show us the importance of fire in the landscape and the importance of silence in a world that is increasingly noisy. The Merriam-Frontier Award has honored student writers since 1982. It was established by the late H.G. Merriam, a UM English professor. Merriam arrived at UM in 1919 after being a member of the first class of American Rhodes Scholars. He began teaching creative writing in 1920 with five students and with them founded the literary magazine Frontier. Merriam spent his career nurturing Western writers and encouraging the Western voice in writing. He created the undergraduate degree in creative writing, the second of its kind in the United States after Harvard University. UM began offering the MFA in Creative Writing in 1964. For more about the award, visit https://www.umt.edu/creative-writing/scholarships/merriam-frontier.php . Work continued Tuesday to clean up a freight train derailment near Paradise that sent thousands of beers tumbling down the bank of the Clark Fork River. The derailment occurred just after 9 a.m. Sunday on a Montana Rail Link line directly across from Quinn's Hot Springs Resort, about 3.8 miles south of Paradise and 9.75 miles southeast of Plains. The railway said in an update Monday night that their personnel and contractors continued to work on investigating and cleaning up the derailment, which sent more than 20 cars off the track. At least 18 derailed cars were visible just outside a tunnel that contained more derailed cars. A tank car of butane, a form of liquefied petroleum gas, derailed but didn't release any of the highly flammable material. The only cargo known to have spilled was some powdered, natural bentonite clay and multiple box cars of Coors Light and Blue Moon beer, in cans and bottles. There were no injuries in the derailment. No cars caught fire. MRL said Monday that "A small amount of (diesel) fuel was released to the soil from two impacted refrigerator cars. MRL has been in communication with both local and federal authorities and will conduct any necessary site remediation, including impacted soil removal in coordination with DEQ. There continues to be no risk to the public, no reported injuries, and there are no concerns involving hazmat release." Clean-up crews deployed a floating boom on the Clark Fork River Sunday afternoon to contain the mountain of Coors Light and Blue Moon beers that tumbled down the shoreline between two mangled box cars. The boom could also contain any diesel fuel that might reach the river. Photos taken a few hours after the derailment showed a dark patch of soil on the river bank, directly beneath a damaged fuel tank at the end of a refrigerated railcar. Montana Department of Environmental Quality spokeswoman Moira Davin wrote in an email Tuesday that "our team is communicating with Montana Rail Link and Sanders County who are leading the emergency response efforts. DEQ has an environmental oversight role for the cleanup effort." Davin confirmed that no hazardous materials entered the river and wrote, "The next steps are to clean up the waste, prevent sediment from entering the river and clean up the soil from the diesel release. DEQ will continue to monitor the situation and will require reports and confirmation sampling for the soil cleanup." 2nd round Coincidently, the community, railway and emergency response agencies involved in Sunday's incident have seen almost the exact same thing happen before. The scene of bottles and cans of beer bobbing down the Clark Fork conjured memories of an eerily similar event almost 24 years ago. Amid sweltering temperatures on July 11, 1999, a heat-warped rail derailed an MRL freight train between Paradise and Plains, only a couple miles downstream of Sunday's derailment. As happened Sunday, the 1999 derailment also sent thousands of Coors Light beers floating down the very same river, until a boom was deployed to contain them. The 1999 derailment also involved a tank car of liquefied petroleum gas in that instance propane that derailed but did not rupture. And, of course, the 1999 incident spurred enterprising Montanans to pluck naturally chilled beers right from the cool waters of the Clark Fork. According to a front-page Missoulian story published the next day, Incident Commander John Holland said, "I think all the kids in the county are lined up along the river catching the beer." The Clark Fork Valley Press published a photo July 14, 1999, of someone with a fishing net full of gleaming Coors Light cans in what the paper dubbed the "Silver Bullet Derby," a reference to the beer's nickname. History repeated on Sunday, when anglers passing by in a drift-boat rowed over to the mountain of beer for an unexpected trophy. The 1999 incident gave two train-hoppers whiplash, but they refused treatment, the Missoulian reported. However, unlike Sunday's derailment, the 1999 incident sent about 20,000 gallons of scorching hot liquid asphalt into the Clark Fork. And that derailment caused a two-acre grass fire that took more than 30 firefighters to extinguish. After the 1999 derailment, MRL estimated cleanup and track repair would take only two or three days. But the site of that derailment afforded work crews better access than this latest beer-train debacle. Although Sunday's derailment is highly visible, it can only be accessed by vehicles traveling the single, blocked railroad track along the river, or by taking a boat across the river, according to MRL Director of Communications Andy Garland. It was unclear Tuesday how long it would take to clean up and repair track from Sunday's derailment. It also was not yet clear what, exactly, caused the derailment. Security camera footage from Quinn's showed train cars abruptly derailing, crashing into each other and piling up on the riverbank just outside of the tunnel that the front of the train had already entered. The train quickly stopped moving, as beer spilled out of ruptured boxcars and another car splashed into the river nearby. Weighing in Many of Montana's politicians had commented on the derailment by Tuesday. Gov. Greg Gianforte said on Twitter Sunday afternoon that he'd been briefed on the derailment that morning and "we are prepared to mobilize the state's resources." Sen. Jon Tester tweeted around 12:25 p.m. Sunday, "Im monitoring the train derailment in Sanders County and my office is in touch with local officials." Sen. Steve Daines issued a similar statement on Twitter about an hour later, noting, "My office is in close contact with Sanders County officials and (Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway) and MRL officials. The safety of the community is my top priority." Rep. Matt Rosendale, who represents eastern Montana, weighed in on Twitter just before 9 p.m. Sunday: "My office and I are monitoring the train derailment in Sanders County. We are pleased to see that no one is injured and have offered our assistance to local officials." Rep. Ryan Zinke, a Republican and former U.S. Secretary of the Interior who currently represents western Montana and the area where the derailment occurred, had not acknowledged the incident as of Tuesday afternoon. A day after it barely stayed alive by a narrow margin of 51-49 on an initial vote in the House, a bill to make changes to the states child care scholarship program passed the chamber on Tuesday. House Bill 648 from Democratic Rep. Alice Buckley, of Bozeman, picked up a significant amount of support to clear a final House vote 65-34. The bill would increase eligibility for the Best Beginnings program from 150% of the federal poverty level to 185%, and put into place a sliding scale co-pay fee capped at 9% of a familys monthly income. The bill is estimated to increase program participation by 25%. The bill would also give payment stability to providers. The changes are similar to those put in place during the pandemic and paid for with federal COVID-19 aid. The pandemic-era provisions were popular with families, who said it enabled them to return to jobs because their children had safe places to be during the day, and with providers who could form more stable budgets. They expired when the federal money was entirely spent. Changes to the qualification threshold and co-pay limits made to the bill in the House Appropriations Committee lowered its annual appropriation to about $7.1 million dollars in each of the next two years, down from about $9 million. We do know that across the board when families have access to affordable, accessible care that economies thrive, that kids thrive and that communities thrive, Buckley said during debate on the bill Monday. However, Rep. Lola Sheldon-Galloway, a Great Falls Republican, objected to the bill, saying she had concerns about putting a federal program into state law. She argued if the federal portion dissolved, Montana would be responsible for the program, and said Best Beginnings could continue without the bill. However, the changes and appropriation would not happen without the legislation. But Rep. SJ Howell, a Missoula Democrat who saw their own Best Beginnings bill defeated earlier this session, said it was unlikely the federal government would end the decades-old program that helps families afford child care in every state. Circle Republican Rep. Jerry Schillinger said he opposed the bill because he thought it shifted the cost of providing care inappropriately to families who didnt need the scholarship. If those people were really in demand in the workforce and required in the workforce, then that potential employer would offer a wage that would enable them to pay for their own child care, Schillinger said. If the market isnt willing to pay the wage it takes to cover the cost for the employee to be there, maybe they shouldnt be there. A recent report from the state Department of Labor and Industry found that licensed child care capacity only meets 43% of estimated demand in the state A lack of high-quality child care in Montana has prevented many parents from fully participating in the labor force, thus further exacerbating the states workforce shortage, according to the report. Last year a monthly average of 22,800 Montana parents were unable to participate in the labor force due to family responsibilities and a lack of childcare, the report found, and an additional 45,000 Montana parents were underemployed or reported working reduced hours. Thats about 8% of the state's workforce. The report also found the cost of care is a barrier to parents being able to work. While the benchmark for how much of their income a family should spend on child care is 7%, in 2022 in Montana the average family spent $16,226 on care for children under 5, meaning households earning the states median income spend about 25% of their paychecks on child care. The bill now moves to the Senate for debate. Even as dozens of Montanans spoke Tuesday against a bill to ban minors from attending drag shows held on public property, some acknowledged the likelihood the legislation will clear the GOP-supermajority Legislature and vowed litigation if it becomes law. Our children are feeling like they cannot be alive in Montana because of decisions that are being made in this building. This policy is ridiculous, it's unnecessary and it is violence. That should be enough to stop this but I'm pretty confident that nothing anyone can say today is going to change how things play out, Izzy Milch, the senior advocacy manager with Forward Montana, told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday when the bill had its first hearing in that chamber. Opponents to the bill have said debate over the legislation can be harmful, and last week an emergency room physician in Bozeman sent an email to lawmakers telling them a teen came into his hospital after a suicide attempt and cited legislation about transgender Montanans as one of the reasons for his action. Supporters of the legislation have mostly relied on claims that drag performers are seeking to sexualize children. There's currently a sick agenda being pushed here. This cannot and will not be tolerated at taxpayer-funded facilities and public property, Mitchell said in support of his bill. That was echoed by Jeff Laszloffy, president of the Montana Family Foundation, who asked, Drag queens are begging to tell stories to little kids. Why? That's my question. Backers of the bill also said parents who allow children to attend the shows should not have that ability. Parents who support bringing their minors to these events are just as liable as the performers and should be held accountable, said Kathy Butterfield, one of seven supporters who spoke Tuesday. But opponent after opponent, totaling nearly 60, strongly rejected those notions, from one performer who dressed in their outfit for an all-ages show a sparkly suit and bowtie to parents who said the state had no right to tell them how to parent their children. Lennon Keppen, a drag performer, went into detail about the work to put on a family-friendly show, from developing material that would engage children to the concerns to make sure the show is appropriate for minors. I keep the audience in mind the show is open to and I tailor my performance, song, stage makeup and costume to be appropriate for the audience thats seeing my performance, Keppen said. I deeply care about ensuring I present myself appropriately at all-ages, family-friendly shows I'm invited to perform at. Every other Montana drag performer does the same." Sarah Teague, a 47-year-old veteran, rancher and mother of two, said all-ages drag shows are meant to help people. We bring to children joy, laughter, understanding, freedom. Freedom to feel their hearts freely for just a couple of hours a day. Encouragement to be themselves. Support in their battle against hate and ignorance. Acceptance, acceptance for who they love, acceptance for who they are, Teague said. Drag performers don't care if the audience is gay, straight, queer, black, white, brown. We care about getting our audience to smile and hopefully laugh and love each other as neighbors and friends. Multiple Democratic legislators also showed up to testify against the bill. I find this bill to be an absolute overreach of our responsibility as legislators to take very, very seriously the power that we have to get involved in the lives of a child and to come in between a child and their parents. We should not be doing this, said Missoula Democratic Rep. SJ Howell. If folks don't want to take their kids to drag shows, they shouldnt. I support that. That is their right. But it is also my right to take my child to a drag show if I wish. Kev Ham, the president of Montana Pride, told legislators the Montana Pride event in Helena brings thousands of attendees that generate $1 million in economic benefits to local business in town. Shawn Reagor, the community organizer for the Montana Human Rights Network who spoke on behalf of himself, told lawmakers he expected litigation if the bill passes and is signed into law. It will immediately have a court case filed against it, and it is very, very likely that the court will enjoin it almost immediately, and it will never go into effect, Reagor predicted. Opponents pointed to Tennessees first-in-the-nation recently passed law that would have banned drag performances from happening on public property in front of minors, but was put under a temporary block before it even took effect. According to The Associated Press, the judge said the state had not shown why Tennessee needed the law and that it was too vague. Firearm anti-discrimination bills decided The fates of two bills banning discrimination against firearms have been decided, at least as far as the Legislature is concerned. The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday tabled House Bill 361, which would have prohibited finance and investment firms from refusing business with individuals organizations, associations or businesses due to their affiliations with firearms. The bill from Sen. John Fuller, R-Whitefish, would have required businesses offering financing or credit services to submit certificates with the state declaring they wont discriminate against people or businesses due to an involvement with firearms. Nearly all the committees Republicans joined Democrats in tabling the bill on a 17-2 vote Wednesday. The Legislature has already passed House Bill 356, sponsored by the judiciary committees vice chair, Rep. Brandon Ler, R-Savage. Similar to Fullers bill, HB 356 bill also required a written declaration that the company does not discriminate against any firearm entity or trade association if that business was seeking a contract with the state for $100,000 or more. It does not, however, require anything of financial institutions, as Fullers bill did. Lers version passed through the Senate without any amendments in late March, and is in the final procedural stages before reaching the governors desk. Seaborn Larson A bill backed by state environmental regulators exempting certain small subdivisions from full environmental review is nearing passage in the Legislature. Senate Bill 240, brought by Sen. Jason Small, R-Busby, passed on a 69-31 initial vote in the House on Wednesday. It faces a final vote before going to the governors desk. SB 240 would exempt from full review under the Montana Environmental Policy Act subdivisions of 14 or fewer residences, located at least 2 miles from high-quality waters, that demonstrate access to water and have wastewater systems meeting non-significance criteria. Officials with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality testified in support of the bill, saying it would allow reviewers to focus on subdivisions posing more environmental concerns. Environmental groups opposed the bill, saying it was part of a slow creep of deregulation and could come at the expense of important information needed to fully protect water quality. Tom Kuglin A bill that would ban foreign adversaries from purchasing, leasing or renting critical infrastructure and agricultural production land is close to passing the Legislature after lawmakers voted unanimously Wednesday in support. Senate Bill 203 from Sen. Kenneth Bogner, R-Miles City, would prohibit adversaries as determined by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce from purchasing, leasing or renting infrastructure or property. Those countries include Russia, China, North Korea and Iran. The bill easily passed the Senate and both Republicans and Democrats spoke in support on the House floor Wednesday before the 100-0 preliminary vote. It faces a final vote before heading to the governors desk. Tom Kuglin Legislative subpoenas get an impeachment provision The bill to sharpen the Legislatures subpoena powers passed out of the House Judiciary Committee with a new provision related to the impeachment process. Legislative Republicans this session have sought to assert greater abilities to issue subpoenas after the Montana Supreme Court found lawmakers had overstepped their authority provided in state law by subpoenaing judicial records without a legislative purpose. If passed into law, Senate Bill 490 from Sen. Greg Hertz, R-Polson, would establish new investigative powers for the Legislature to issue subpoenas, presumptively overcoming the courts ruling in 2021. An amendment added Wednesday added a new provision stating a subpoena issued by the Senate during impeachment proceedings has the same force and effect as one issued in a criminal case in District Court; that could mean misdemeanor criminal penalties for refusing to abide by the subpoena. Republicans have been pondering impeachment more and more in the last week. On Tuesday a Republican-led vote in the House propelled a study bill forward to establish a well-defined impeachment process. Two Republicans voted against the addition in Wednesdays hearing. One was freshman Rep. Wayne Rusk, R-Corvallis, who has been a vocal critic of his partys attempts to alter the judicial branch this session. The other was Rep. Neil Duram, R-Eureka, who suggested the Legislature would be acting outside its authority as the branch with the power of the purse. Its my position that its not the authority of this body to arrest people or find people guilty, its our authority to take their money away, Duram told the committee. When we issue a subpoena or a request for someone to testify and they dont. I believe its the appropriate action of this body to stop sending money or appropriating money to that agency or person if its within our purview. Democrats were unanimous in opposing Hertzs bill. I find this incredibly troubling, Rep. Laurie Bishop, D-Livingston, said during the hearing about the misdemeanor charge added to the bill. The bill ultimately passed on a 10-9 vote. Seaborn Larson A Great Falls man with a felony conviction was sentenced Wednesday to five years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Raymond Lee Toulouse, 37, pleaded guilty in November 2022 to prohibited person in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. In court documents, the government alleged that in May 2022, Billings police officers checked on a suspicious vehicle and found Toulouse under the influence of some kind of substance and in possession of a loaded 9 mm semi-automatic pistol that had been stolen in Butte. At the time, Toulouse had absconded from federal supervision in Great Falls and was prohibited from possessing firearms after having been convicted of a methamphetamine trafficking crime in U.S. District Court. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. A judge in Montana refused to dismiss a lawsuit Tuesday brought by Native American tribes, parents and students against state education leaders that alleges the state's unique constitutional requirement to teach students about Native American history and culture has not been upheld. "It's shocking to me that we are this many decades down the road, with this many court challenges, this many legislative enactments that this is where we sit here today in 2023," said Judge Amy Eddy, who explained she would provide the specific rationale for her ruling in about a month. The hearing came 50 years after the state's constitution that embedded this educational requirement took effect. Other states, including Connecticut, Washington, Oregon, California and North Dakota, have committed in recent years to boosting these types of educational requirements, but Montana remains the only one that includes it in its constitution. An attorney representing the defendants, which includes the Montana Office of Public Instruction and the Montana Board of Public Education, argued that not only is the constitutional clause aside from funding "aspirational," but it's not the state's responsibility to enforce these content standards. "I think this case is about this old cliche, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink The defendants can provide the funding, can provide the resources to the school districts, but ultimately the school districts are in charge of teaching the curriculum of the school," attorney Thane Johnson said. Alex Rate, legal director for ACLU of Montana, pushed back, saying leading a horse to water and making him drink is indeed the responsibility of the state. "If tomorrow half of the schools in the state decided to stop teaching math, the state would certainly not take the position that it has no role in uniformizing math curricula in those circumstances," Rate said. "And the ironic thing is, find me math in the Montana constitution. It doesn't exist." In 1999, the Legislature passed the Indian Education for All Act, which once again calls for Native American instruction and requires education officials to work directly with tribes when developing that curriculum. In a 2004 lawsuit over school funding, a state court found that Montana's educational goals showed no commitment to the preservation of Native American cultural identity. Funding started to be allocated a few years later. The current lawsuit, which was filed in 2021 in District Court in Great Falls, Montana, aims for school districts to account for the program's funding they are allocated and spend the funds on Native American education, as well as face consequences for not doing these things, Rate told The Associated Press. During the hearing, Eddy brought up a claim in the lawsuit that school districts documented spending only about 50% of the $6.7 million allocated for the Indian Education for All program funds in 2019 and 2020. She said she is having a difficult time wrapping her head around the argument that the state doesn't have a responsibility for making sure that funding is allocated properly. "I have a really difficult time with that conclusion," she said. "What if this was special education funding?" Eddy asked. The lawsuit cites an independent evaluation of the program from 2015, which found its implementation to be "very minimal" in some districts, attributing this to "the absence of accountability." Schools have also reported using the funds on things that don't directly relate to the program, including an elementary school library in Helena that appeared to have purchased a book on marmots using the funds, according to the lawsuit. Shauna Yellow Kidney, a citizen of Blackfeet Tribe and a parent of three elementary school students in Missoula, said Monday night ahead of the hearing that she wants the cultural knowledge of the eight federally recognized tribes in the state taught, but also the value of Indigenous practices. "We have ways of knowing that are different from the white community, and they're powerful and they're beautiful," she said. "And that would benefit my girls, with every step of their education, by being able to share that with their classmates -- the beauty and the power of Indigenous tribes here in Montana what they once stood for and what they still stand for today." Break out your Bermuda shorts and Hawaiian shirts. Warmer weather is finally coming to the state. No April fooling. By the end of this week, many Montanans could see temperatures climb into the 50s and 60s. By next week, Billings residents could see temps hit the high 60s or 70s. The probable outbreak of spring fever is forecast at 100%. For the Billings area, temperatures climbing to 57 degrees or higher on Friday would end a streak of 155 consecutive days of temps 56 degrees or colder. The old record was 128 days set in the winter of 1977-78. Were definitely overdue for some warmer days, said Joe Lester of the Billings National Weather Service office. With more snow falling in southern Montana on Tuesday, the warm temperatures could signal some lowland flooding. Yellowstone River-area residents should not be worried about a repeat of last Junes record-setting flood, at least not yet. Last year was a very special case, Lester said, with rain falling on high mountain snow that was already melting. Unknown, however, is how that flood has reshaped channels on streams like Rock Creek that flows through Red Lodge, Lester noted. Theres also still lots of woody debris in the channel from last Junes flood. So it could cause some problems on streams in those areas, he said, including the Sheridan, Wyoming region in that prediction. The same is possible on small streams along the Hi-Line, according to Brandon Bigelbach, of the Glasgow NWS office, with a 90% chance of minor flooding in the region. Out on the plains, snowpack is relatively normal at about 2 to 4 inches of snow water equivalent, Bigelbach added. In the mountains that feed the Milk River, snowpack was at 86% as of Tuesday. The Sun, Teton and Marias river drainages were at 101% of normal, according to the Natural Resources and Conservation Services SNOTEL sites. Much of southwestern Montana on out to the Smith, Judith, Musselshell and Helena Valley were ranging from 114% to 129% of snow water equivalent. The Kootenai Basin was the lowest with 80%. Elsewhere in northwestern Montana, the snowpack was ranging from 91% in the lower Clark Fork to 104% on the upper Clark Fork. So water supply wise, were looking good, Lester said. Ice anglers are warned to be careful as the warming trend hits. Even though there is still 20 inches of ice at its deepest on some parts of Fort Peck Reservoir, holes are already appearing around the edges. Kathmandu, Nepal, March 5, 2023: The Supreme Court (SC), the apex court of the country, has sought clarification from the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) for its decision not to file a case against the chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), Rabi Lamichhane over his passport related controversy. Responding to a writ petition filed against the OAG by advocate Yuvraj Safal, a single bench of Justice Harip Prasad Phuyal issued a show cause order on Wednesday. An axe attack at a daycare facility in southern Brazil left four children dead and five more wounded. According to the local police, the deceased victims from Blumenau, a city in southern Brazil, were three boys and a girl, ranging in age from five to seven. Santa Catarina's governor, Jorginho Mello, announced the arrest of a male suspect in the Brazil axe attack through Twitter. According to CNN, the suspect, a 25-year-old man, is believed to have climbed over a wall onto the childcare center's playground before assaulting the kids. Teachers defended the other pupils, and the Brazil axe attack suspect ran away, eventually surrendering to the police. A police investigator in Blumenau, a city in southern Brazil on the Atlantic coast, informed broadcast TV journalists that they were trying to determine a motive of the Brazil axe attack suspect, according to The Guardian. Parents sobbing outside the private daycare center known as Cantinho Bom Pastor were seen in television news reports. Read Also: Donald Trump Wants FBI, DOJ Defunded President Lula Condemns Brazil Axe Attack The mayor of Blumenau, Mario Hildebrandt, announced 30 days of mourning and the suspension of school amid social media rumors of other possible assaults. According to the mayor, five injured kids between the ages of three and five were sent to hospitals. One suffered serious injuries due to the axe attack. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called the attack a "monstrosity," and it took place just a week after a 13-year-old pupil slashed a 71-year-old teacher in a Sao Paulo school, killing her and injuring five others, per Reuters. Lula tweeted: "A tragedy like this is unacceptable, an absurd act of hate and cowardice...an act of violence against innocent and defenseless children." Related Article: 65-Year-Old Camper Attacked By Crocodile @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Richmond authorities on Tuesday released the name of a man found dead in the 1000 block of Mosby Street on Monday. Police at 8:44 p.m. received a call about a shooting in the 1300 block of Coalter Street in the East End. Officers searched the area and found Jackson with an apparent gunshot wound. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death. Anyone with information is asked to call police at (804) 646-7570 or Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000. Family members of Irvo Otieno and their lawyers on Tuesday called for mental health reform and steps to be taken to avoid a repeat of what happened to the 28-year-old Henrico County man who died earlier this month in a Central State Hospital intake room. A mental health crisis should not be a death sentence, civil rights attorney Ben Crump said during a press conference the First Baptist Church of South Richmond. We dont want anybody else in America whose family is dealing with a mental health crisis to be killed by the very people who are supposed to help them. The comments came after the release of a video from the mental hospital showing Otieno being pinned to the floor prior to his death on March 6. A Dinwiddie County grand jury on Tuesday indicted seven Henrico County deputies and three hospital workers on second-degree murder charges in a case that has garnered national attention. Crump, who also represented the family of George Floyd, has said Otienos treatment has close parallels with Floyds killing in police custody in Minneapolis in 2020. It is not lost on anybody who saw that video today, the fact that it was so unnecessary, Crump said Tuesday. Irvo was handcuffed at the wrist, he had leg irons on, he was facedown. Why did they feel it was necessary to put all their weight on him, for some of the officers to put their knee on his neck? Caleb Kershner, a defense attorney for deputy Randy Boyer, was critical of the video being released and took issue with Dinwiddie County Commonwealths Attorney Ann Baskervill. Its going to be more difficult to find a jury that has not been tainted or read a particular news story of any sort. So Im disappointed in it, he said earlier Tuesday after the court hearing in Dinwiddie County. Otienos mother Caroline Ouko on Tuesday called the indicted deputies and hospital employees thugs and monsters. I was happy to hear that they were indicted, Ouko said. That is just the beginning step. Attorney Mark Krudys said he was troubled by the individuals who stood by and watched as the officers pushed down on Otieno. Everybody has an obligation to intervene in that circumstance, to say no, thats not right, Krudys said. But nobody intervened. And then when his body was lifeless, and his pants were dangling on him, they didnt do anything for an appreciable period of time. Krudys said his team is looking into possible body camera footage from Henrico police regarding a March 3 incident, when Otieno was transported from his Henrico home to Henrico Doctors Hospital. Ouko said she was excluded in the process of advocating for her son, noting that she made four attempts to see him while he was at Henrico hospital. In mental health and mental distress, your child needs you, Ouko said. Seeing me could have made have made a big difference. Instead, Otieno was taken to the Henrico Jail and later to Central State. Krudys said the deputies were not wearing body cameras at either location. My thoughts on the untimely death of Irvo Otieno: pic.twitter.com/4mGiKiLq7e Mayor Levar M. Stoney (@LevarStoney) March 21, 2023 Henrico NAACP Vice President Monica Hutchinson during the Tuesday press conference said: Jail is not, nor has it ever been, the best place for those having a mental health crisis. We must eliminate the use of jail as a response to a mental health crisis and mental illness, and instead work to improve access to community-based crisis centers. Otienos brother Leon Ochieng urged Gov. Glenn Youngkin to make mental health a priority, pointing out Youngkins recent comments calling Otienos death heart-wrenching. If you really do empathize and feel what we feel, do something, Ochieng said. Let your state be an example all we need to do is make this an agenda to put pressure on lawmakers to invite our communities to have families who are ambassadors for mental health. Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney in a social media post on Tuesday said: "Irvo Otieno should be alive today. His life was taken in a place where he should have been safe. We need accountability and we need more mental health resources." Richmond could soon join the likes of New York City, Philadelphia and Atlanta as it considers eliminating mandatory minimum parking space requirements when new buildings are constructed. The parking minimums, established by the city Planning and Zoning Department, require multi-family housing and businesses to provide a certain number of off-street parking spaces in order to ensure homeowners and workers have a place to park. But as city officials push for high density neighborhoods, better access to public transit and more affordable housing, some argue that the parking space requirements are outdated and come with too high of a cost. Councilman Andreas Addison, who also owns a business in Scotts Addition, one of the citys largest mixed-use regions, initiated the zoning change in a proposal submitted to council in August. Addison said that while parking minimums may seem practical in theory, they are not realistic in practice. Often developers are required to build more parking spaces than there are occupants, which leads to lots sitting empty. My hope is that through this conversation and exploration of eliminating parking requirements is that it creates an area where the market says shared parking is better, Addison said. Its not just protecting the impact of what requirements are but more about the impact and burden that creates on land use. Those in support of eliminating parking minimums argue the move will increase available housing units and lower rent costs. The hope is that, with developers no longer tasked with constructing lots or parking garages, there will be more room to build additional housing units, ultimately increasing the citys available housing stock. And as the city battles its affordable housing crisis, there has been a drastic push for more units to be built at a faster rate. At a press conference last week, Mayor Levar Stoney announced the city is facing a housing crisis and, as a result, the city is setting several policies into motion to help alleviate the problem. These include overhauling the citys planning and zoning department to make it easier for developers to submit permits and develop properties. The parking minimums proposal is just one of many suggested changes. This will encourage more housing types throughout the city, greater density along primary transit corridors and intentional connectivity of such areas, Stoney said at the conference. Let them have options Those in favor also argue that eliminating parking minimums will cause rent prices to decrease. In order to build and keep up with construction demands for parking lots and decks, developers rely on higher rent payments to cover costs. With lower costs, developers will not charge higher rents. According to a 2016 study published by the University of California, Los Angeles, buildings that have parking garages charge 17% more in rent each month than those that do not. And research shows that urban planners in big cities and small towns across the country are rethinking incorporating parking minimums as they push for more environmentally friendly residential areas. I dont know if we as a government should tell (businesses) what to do. We should let them have options, Addison said. The elimination of parking minimums also aligns with the citys RVAGreen 2050 sustainability plan. The plan, adopted earlier this year, serves as a guidebook for the city as it navigates policy and development decisions. As the city inches closer to zero carbon emissions, there is a strong push to develop adequate public transit and create more green spaces. By requiring developers to construct large patches of asphalt for vehicle owners, the city is eliminating potential green spaces. With these minimums largely affecting mixed-use development corridors, the goal is to increase public transit to these areas. Addison said those in opposition fear it will limit residents street parking. In order to address these concerns, Addison said, there are numerous ways the city could help, including the establishment of mandatory residential parking passes. We can improve the residential parking program around commercial corridors to protect your parking, Addison said. We can make sure you can come home from work and have a place to park. April 24 vote possible If the city decides to eliminate the requirements, Richmond will have to consider what to do with existing lots and decide whether they can incentivize shared parking. While the City Council has spent months considering the potential removal of parking minimums, the Department of Planning and Development Review introduced a new ordinance to eliminate parking minimums citywide. The ordinance is set to go before the Planning Commission. The commission will host a public comment period April 17 at 1:30 p.m. and will then make a recommendation before the ordinance goes to City Council. The earliest the City Council could vote on the ordinance is April 24. From the Archives: A look back at motels in and around Richmond Motel Motel Motel Motel Motel Motel Motel Motel Motel Motel Motel Motel motel Gov. Glenn Youngkin has named an acting state health commissioner, Dr. Parham Jaberi, to oversee the health department while the search continues for a permanent replacement. Jaberi was previously a deputy commissioner at the Virginia Department of Health, but left the job last year to become deputy director for medical services at the Fairfax County Health Department. Christopher Lindsay will continue as chief operating officer. The appointment comes two weeks after members of the state board of health expressed their concern that the department had no physician leader, which is required by state law. In February, Senate Democrats rejected Youngkins first nominee, Dr. Colin Greene, who had drawn fire for comments he made, saying gun violence is a Democratic talking point and questioning whether racism is a public health crisis. To replace Greene, Youngkin tapped Lindsay, who is not a physician, to lead the health department, which has more than 3,000 employees across 35 health districts and 119 local health departments. Jaberi was sworn in Monday. He received his medical degree from the University of Maryland and a master of public health from Tulane University. Jaberi was previously the district director for Chesterfield and Powhatan counties and Colonial Heights. He also worked six years in Louisianas office of public health, where he was chief medical director. He said on LinkedIn that he looks forward to working with our dedicated public health staff to continue the agencys mission to protect the health and promote the well-being of all people in Virginia. Jim Shuler, a member of the state board of health from the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association, said last month that the next health commissioner needs to be apolitical. You need to get the politics out of public health, Shuler said. From the Archives: Richmond Tunnels Tunnels Tunnels Tunnels Tunnels Tunnels Tunnels Tunnels Tunnels Tunnels Tunnels Tunnels Tighter rules for disciplining youth held in Virginias detention centers and juvenile prison are coming, the Department of Juvenile Justice says. Those rules include a lengthy list of limits on the use of physical restraints and a requirement for frequent checks on young people isolated for cooling-off periods following infractions. The proposed changes to the (juvenile detention center) regulation establish clearer guidelines and set new rules on the use of room restriction and physical and mechanical restraints. Similar changes are underway for the juvenile correctional center regulation that governs Bon Air, department public information officer Melodie Martin said in an email. She declined to comment when asked if the rule changes came in response to any incidents at the detention centers or Bon Air, or whether they reflected actual current practice at the facilities. The murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody in 2020 underscored urgent concerns over the way police, jail and prison officers restrain individuals. Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin held Floyd to the ground with a knee on his neck for more than eight minutes; more than a minute of that period transpired after paramedics had arrived at the scene to try to resuscitate Floyd. Restraint of a detainee is currently at issue in the death last month of Irvo Otieno. Seven Henrico County deputies and three Central State Hospital staff face charges of second-degree murder in the case. The new regulations for detention centers are pending review by the Department of Planning and Budget before heading to Secretary of Public Safety and the governors office and, if they are approved, taking effect. The period for public comment on similar rules for Bon Air has closed, and the facility soon will be following the same path. Since 2014, Virginias juvenile justice department has been following a transformation plan that has seen it slash the number of its correctional centers, as it expands and improves Department of Juvenile Justice services aimed at rehabilitating youth who are held in detention centers or at Bon Air. The transformation stresses alternatives to incarceration, allowing for rehabilitation services to be offered in the least restrictive setting. It seeks to set up facilities that are smaller and take a more therapeutic approach than old-fashioned reform schools. The new regulations state staff must check every 15 minutes on youth who have been confined to their rooms, placed in isolation or sent to serve cooling-off periods. They stress that physical restraint is to be used only as a last resort when less restrictive measures have failed or when residents behavior threatens their own safety or the safety of others. The new regulations require detailed written procedures for the use of physical restraint as well as detailed reporting each time a resident is restrained, including information as to how long the resident was restrained and what other interventions were tried first. For the first time, new rules for the use of handcuffs, waist chains, leg irons, leather belts and bands and other mechanical restraints mandate the devices only be used to control residents when their behavior poses an immediate threat to their own safety or the safety of others, or if they are needed while moving a resident around a facility or to a court date or other appointment outside the facility. They also say for the first time that staff must release the resident when the immediate threat to safety eases or when transported residents arrive at their destination in a facility. Also for the first time, the guidelines state that a facility director and medical or mental health staff must be informed when staff members use mechanical restraints in an emergency. Restraints must be removed if a medical or mental health clinician say a residents health is threatened. The new regulations reiterate earlier directives that staff cannot use restraints as punishment and that residents cannot be handcuffed to fixed objects or held in unnatural positions. The regulations also detail for the first time standards for spit guards and rules for their use; specifically, spit guards cannot be used to prevent residents from eating or drinking and cannot be applied when a resident is unconscious or vomiting. In addition, the new regulations detail for the first time rules for the use of mechanical restraint chairs. 50 photos from the RTD Archives A $50,000 donation buys a corporate scholarship for four admissions to the Training Camp Retreat that Gov. Glenn Youngkin is sponsoring this week in Short Pump. The money also ensures a spot in a VIP reception and premier dinner seating. The options for corporate donors descend in denominations of $25,000, $10,000 and $5,000. Individuals can get four reservations and top access for $25,000 in a Captain scholarship or two reservations for $10,000 with a Varsity scholarship for the fundraising camp Tuesday and Wednesday at the Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa/Short Pump in western Henrico County. The retreat will be a great opportunity for you and your clients to interact with the Governor and members of his cabinet, promised staff for the Spirit of Virginia political action committee that Youngkin set up a year ago to help boost his national political ambitions and to help his allies in federal and state elections. Youngkin, the former co-CEO of The Carlyle Group, is parlaying his skills in the high-finance world of corporate hedge funds to raise money for state and national political races, including, potentially, his own. Youngkin has raised $2.75 million this year, as the first-term governor looks to make a big statement in the first quarter of a pivotal election year to determine control of the General Assembly for the final two years of his term. The fundraising also could leave an impression about his viability as a potential candidate for the presidency or vice presidency next year. The total includes $1.5 million in large donations of $10,000 or more to Spirit of Virginia, with $265,000 in donations recorded on March 29 alone, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. Donations of $10,000 or more must be publicly disclosed within three days ahead of the April 17 deadline for quarterly campaign finance filings. Youngkins total also includes contributions to Americas Spirit, a separate social welfare organization under the federal tax code, his staff said. It noted that the total far exceeds quarterly totals by previous governors, including Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat who held the previous quarterly fundraising record of $1.5 million in the last quarter of 2015. Governor Youngkin is building a coordinated campaign to bring Virginians together around common-sense, kitchen table solutions, said Dave Rexrode, chairman and senior adviser of the PACS. Whether its empowering parents, lowering taxes or standing up to China, people across Virginia and across America are supporting the movement the governor started in the Commonwealth. The governor also plans to raise money for Republicans in targeted General Assembly races in November, his staff said. He will continue to raise resources here at home and nationwide to support the 2023 legislative elections, Rexrode said. This is just the start. Michael Bills big push Youngkin is far from alone in flexing is financial muscle for political purposes. Michael Bills, CEO of a multibillion-dollar hedge fund based in Charlottesville, gave $3.8 million last month to the Clean Virginia Fund, which supports candidates, generally Democrats, who advocate policies for environmental protection and clean energy production to fight pollution linked to climate change. With party control at stake in the General Assembly, both sides will have all the money they need, said Larry Sabato, president of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. There is a bottomless pit of money in politics. For example, Juan Pablo Segura, who is running for an open state Senate seat anchored in Loudoun County, founded the Renew Virginia PAC, which received a $1 million donation last month from Securiport LLC, the border security company led by his father, Enrique Segura. The House Democratic Caucus has $304,000 in large donations, which includes $100,000 from House Minority Leader Don Scott Jr., D-Portsmouth. Scott became minority leader after House Democrats deposed former Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, last year. Scott said this week that he has raised $325,000 in the first quarter through his personal campaign committee and his Virginia Future Generations political action committee, which has reported $50,000 in large donations this year, according to VPAP. House Speaker Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, declined to release his estimated totals until formally reporting them at the quarterly filing deadline, but his Republican Commonwealth Leadership PAC has raised $196,000 in large donations this year. Virginia Majority Makers, a PAC led by former U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-7th, and Garrison Coward, a former Republican candidate for the House of Delegates, has raised $300,000 in large donations. It is followed by the Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus at $225,000 and A Safer Virginia, a PAC led by Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares, at $210,000. And those are just the biggest of the big donations listed by VPAP, not the fundraising totals that must be reported by April 17. No one faces higher stakes than Youngkin, a political outsider who has made himself a potential presidential candidate by narrowly winning the governors race against McAuliffe in 2021. Republicans had not won a statewide race in Virginia since 2009 before Youngkin led a GOP sweep that included wins for lieutenant governor and attorney general. McAuliffe is a prodigious fundraiser who helped to set the stage for a Democratic takeover of the General Assembly in 2019 with three consecutive wave elections in reaction to the election of Republican Donald Trump as president in 2016. After losing the 2020 presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden, Trump is back as a Republican presidential candidate, but with the additional challenge of being indicted and arraigned on Tuesday in New York for allegedly falsifying business records in a hush money case during his 2016 campaign. He pleaded not guilty to all 34 felony counts in an unprecedented appearance in a Manhattan courthouse. Polls indicate Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are the front-runners for the GOP presidential nomination next year. Youngkin has cultivated a national political profile that contrasts with the former president while still courting his Make America Great Again base. He has not disavowed or confirmed an interest in the White House, but he is using his national profile to raise money for state races that could be crucial to his political viability. I think Im going to do okay Part of Youngkins national pitch is that he turned a politically blue state red, said Sabato, who added, He has to turn the legislature. Currently, Republicans hold a five-seat edge in the House of Delegates and Democrats hold a two-seat edge in the Senate, which has blocked some of the governors legislative initiatives, such as his bid to bar most abortions after 15 weeks. Scott is trying to show that he can match the fundraising ability of Filler-Corn, who lost support in the Democratic caucus after the Republican takeover of the House last year. I think Im going to do okay, Scott said this week, noting that, combined with donations last year, he has raised almost $1 million for Democratic candidates. Scott contended that the first-quarter haul affirms his leadership ability and political vision. We have an opportunity as Democrats to make sure we dont leave anybody behind, and create an economy that works for everybody, not just the wealthy, he said in an interview. When people see what were doing, theyre with us. Sabato, at UVA, agreed that the new minority leader has to prove that he can raise money like Filler-Corn did. It is important for him, he said. Thats a good start, but $325,000 aint what it used to be. From the archives: Former President Donald Trump's Virginia visits More than 1,300 National Guard deployed from Cancun to Tulum Riviera Maya, Q.R. More than 1,300 security elements have been deployed to monitor and protect Quintana Roo beaches over the holidays. Luis Cresencio Sandoval Gonzalez, head of National Defense (Secretaria de la Defensa Nacional), detailed the Easter 2023 General Action Plan in which the states destinations are being monitored. The additional security has been deployed from the north in Cancun to southern region of Tulum. He says the Quintana Roo Plan is part of Sedenas (Secretaria de la Defensa Nacional) 2023 Easter security plan that also includes Mexicos other tourist destination of Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco and Veracruz. Helicopters are also part of the states Easter beach surveillance plan. Photo: SSP April 2, 2023. He said that in Tulum there are 225 National Guard assigned mainly to the Jaguar National Park and the archaeological zone, while in Cancun, there are 1,125 elements backed by a helicopter and ground units. He says the stepped-up security operation will be in force from April 1 to April 16, to cover the Easter holiday period. Virginia Humanities is awarding 19 grants totaling $204,827 to fund humanities endeavors by nonprofit groups across the commonwealth. The humanities council, which recently relocated from the University of Virginia-owned Boars Head Resort in Albemarle County to the Dairy Central office building in Charlottesville, announced the grants on Monday. Each of these projects contributes to our understanding of a different facet of Virginias story, Virginia Humanities Executive Director Matthew Gibson said in a statement. And they will help us better understand issues that impact the lives of Virginians in the present day. Virginia Humanities was founded in 1974 by Congress as one of 56 humanities councils, funded in part through the U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities. It aims to support the humanities throughout Virginia, with initiatives including the Virginia Festival of the Book and Encyclopedia Virginia. Projects in the valleys that received grants between January and March are: Queer Appalachia: LGBTQ Narratives of Southwest Virginia, Blacksburg Museum & Cultural Foundation, $5,000: An immersive history exhibition documenting the LGBT history of the region. David Ramey-Perspectives on the Historic Vibrancy of Roanokes Gainsboro Neighborhood, Taubman Museum of Art, $20,000: A free public exhibition of illustrations by artist David Ramey Sr. depicting the historic Black Gainsboro community in downtown Roanoke, including related narratives and educational programming. Fossil Tales-Connecting the Appalachian Mountains to Dragon Folklore, Roanoke College, $20,000: Production of a child-focused exhibit connecting the natural history of Appalachia to stories of other areas and cultures. Mountain View Humane is the recipient of a $20,000 grant from Alley Cat Rescue to help prevent litters of homeless cats through spay/neuter practices. Grant funds will be used to provide high quality, low-cost spay and neuter surgeries and ear tips to feral and community cats with no owner that are brought in in traps as part of the trap-neuter-return (TNR) practice. We are absolutely thrilled to receive this generous grant to help feral cats in our area, said Laurie Gibbons, executive director of mission delivery at Mountain View Humane. It couldnt come at a better time as we head into warm months when we will be inundated with cats needing their spay and neuter surgeries. TNR is a humane and effective program for managing outdoor, free-roaming cat populations. Community cats are trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, ear-tipped for identification and returned to their outdoor home. This program compassionately manages community cats through non-lethal means. Formed in 2010, the mission of Mountain View Humane is to end pet overpopulation in southwest Virginia and by providing affordable, high quality spay and neuter services to the general public, local municipal shelters, and rescue groups. We believe that an aggressive spay/neuter program is the only humane, sustainable solution to the overpopulation of dogs and cats. Since inception, Mountain View Humane has performed over 90,000 surgeries and has become a critical cornerstone in the animal welfare community that saves hundreds of lives every year of both companion animals and community pets. In addition to the Waldron-Ricci Spay/Neuter Clinic in Christiansburg, Mountain View Humane also operates vehicles that offer transport for spay and neuter services, vaccines and wellness visits where there are potential barriers to travel and veterinary services. Visit mvhclinic.org, Facebook and Instagram for upcoming clinics and other information. - Submitted by Julie Rickmond A $50,000 donation buys a corporate scholarship for four admissions to the "Training Camp Retreat" that Gov. Glenn Youngkin is sponsoring this week in Short Pump. The money also ensures a spot in a VIP reception and "premier dinner seating." The options for corporate donors descend in denominations of $25,000, $10,000 and $5,000. Individuals can get four reservations and top access for $25,000 in a "Captain" scholarship or two reservations for $10,000 with a "Varsity" scholarship for the fundraising camp Tuesday and Wednesday at the Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa/Short Pump in western Henrico County. "The retreat will be a great opportunity for you and your clients to interact with the Governor and members of his cabinet," promised staff for the Spirit of Virginia political action committee that Youngkin set up a year ago to help boost his national political ambitions and to help his allies in federal and state elections. Youngkin, the former co-CEO of The Carlyle Group, is parlaying his skills in the high-finance world of corporate hedge funds to raise money for state and national political races, including, potentially, his own. Spirit of Virginia has raised $1.5 million this year, as the first-term governor looks to make a big statement in the first quarter of a pivotal election year to determine control of the General Assembly for the final two years of his term. The fundraising also could leave an impression about his viability as a potential candidate for the presidency or vice presidency next year. The PAC reported $265,000 in donations of $10,000 or more recorded on March 29 alone, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. Donations of $10,000 or more must be publicly disclosed within three days ahead of the April 17 deadline for quarterly campaign finance filings. Youngkin's total rises to $2.75 million for the quarter when combined with contributions to America's Spirit, a separate "social welfare organization" under the federal tax code, his staff said. It noted that the total far exceeds quarterly totals by previous governors, including Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat who held the previous quarterly fundraising record of $1.5 million in the last quarter of 2015. McAuliffe unsuccessfully tried to flip control of the Senate in the 2015 elections. Governor Youngkin is building a coordinated campaign to bring Virginians together around common-sense, kitchen table solutions," said Dave Rexrode, chairman and senior adviser of the PACS. "Whether its empowering parents, lowering taxes or standing up to China, people across Virginia and across America are supporting the movement the governor started in the Commonwealth." The governor also plans to raise money for Republicans in targeted General Assembly races in November, his staff said. "He will continue to raise resources here at home and nationwide to support the 2023 legislative elections," Rexrode said. "This is just the start. Michael Bills' big push Youngkin is far from alone in flexing is financial muscle for political purposes. Michael Bills, CEO of a multibillion-dollar hedge fund based in Charlottesville, gave $3.8 million last month to the Clean Virginia Fund, which supports candidates, generally Democrats, who advocate policies for environmental protection and clean energy production to fight pollution linked to climate change. With party control at stake in the General Assembly, "both sides will have all the money they need," said Larry Sabato, president of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. "There is a bottomless pit of money in politics." For example, Juan Pablo Segura, who is running for an open state Senate seat anchored in Loudoun County, founded the Renew Virginia PAC, which received a $1 million donation last month from Securiport LLC, the border security company led by his father, Enrique Segura. The House Democratic Caucus has $304,000 in large donations, which includes $100,000 from House Minority Leader Don Scott Jr., D-Portsmouth. Scott became minority leader after House Democrats deposed former Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, last year. Scott said this week that he has raised $325,000 in the first quarter through his personal campaign committee and his Virginia Future Generations political action committee, which has reported $50,000 in large donations this year, according to VPAP. House Speaker Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, declined to release his estimated totals until formally reporting them at the quarterly filing deadline, but his Republican Commonwealth Leadership PAC has raised $196,000 in large donations this year. Virginia Majority Makers, a PAC led by former U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-7th, and Garrison Coward, a former Republican candidate for the House of Delegates, has raised $300,000 in large donations. It is followed by the Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus at $225,000 and A Safer Virginia, a PAC led by Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares, at $210,000. And those are just the biggest of the big donations listed by VPAP, not the fundraising totals that must be reported by April 17. No one faces higher stakes than Youngkin, a political outsider who has made himself a potential presidential candidate by narrowly winning the governor's race against McAuliffe in 2021. Republicans had not won a statewide race in Virginia since 2009 before Youngkin led a GOP sweep that included wins for lieutenant governor and attorney general. McAuliffe is a prodigious fundraiser who helped to set the stage for a Democratic takeover of the General Assembly in 2019 with three consecutive wave elections in reaction to the election of Republican Donald Trump as president in 2016. After losing the 2020 presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden, Trump is back as a Republican presidential candidate, but with the additional challenge of being indicted and arraigned on Tuesday in New York for allegedly falsifying business records in a hush money case during his 2016 campaign. He pleaded not guilty to all 34 felony counts in an unprecedented appearance in a Manhattan courthouse. Polls indicate Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are the front-runners for the GOP presidential nomination next year. Youngkin has cultivated a national political profile that contrasts with the former president while still courting his Make America Great Again base. He has not disavowed or confirmed an interest in the White House, but he is using his national profile to raise money for state races that could be crucial to his political viability. 'I think I'm going to do okay' Part of Youngkin's national pitch is that he turned a politically blue state red, said Sabato, who added, "He has to turn the legislature." Currently, Republicans hold a five-seat edge in the House of Delegates and Democrats hold a two-seat edge in the Senate, which has blocked some of the governor's legislative initiatives, such as his bid to bar most abortions after 15 weeks. Scott is trying to show that he can match the fundraising ability of Filler-Corn, who lost support in the Democratic caucus after the Republican takeover of the House last year. "I think I'm going to do okay," Scott said this week, noting that, combined with donations last year, he has raised almost $1 million for Democratic candidates. Scott contended that the first-quarter haul affirms his leadership ability and political vision. "We have an opportunity as Democrats to make sure we don't leave anybody behind, and create an economy that works for everybody, not just the wealthy," he said in an interview. "When people see what we're doing, they're with us." Sabato, at UVA, agreed that the new minority leader has to prove that he can raise money like Filler-Corn did. "It is important for him," he said. "That's a good start, but $325,000 ain't what it used to be." Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. " " The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, once the world's longest bridge at just under 24 miles (39 kilometers), spans the huge lake near New Orleans, Louisiana. As long as it is, it is now the ninth-longest bridge in the world. Art Wager/Getty Images A bridge is a useful tool that can connect distant points separated by water, marshland or difficult terrain. Whether traveled on foot or by car or rail, bridges are as essential for transporting goods and services as they are for cutting down the travel time between two distant points. But bridges represent something else, too. Something far more difficult to quantify. Something perhaps best described as a feeling the type of emotion just as likely to arise when viewing a famous of work of art. This sense of awe and beauty draws people to bridges not only for their utilitarian function, but as iconic points worth admiring in their surrounding landscapes. Think of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, with its Art Deco towers rising out of the mist like cathedral spires. Or the majestic Tower Bridge that spans the river Thames in London. Advertisement Whether as part of one's daily commute or as a vital artery that keeps an economy moving, these bridges have something else in common: their incredible length. A testament to human ingenuity, here are 10 of the longest bridges in the world, connecting lives and breaking records while doing it. FLORENCE, S.C. The Florence Boys & Girls Club held its annual recognition dinner on Tuesday night for its middle and high school members who made honor roll during the last three quarters. Fifteen of the clubs teenagers were eligible to attend, which is around 25% of the clubs total teen members, according to club director Justin Newton. He said the dinner is driven by the Board of Directors, especially board Chair Patricia Parr. We really try to encourage the students to do well, and it is so important that we recognize academic achievement so they know it is still fashionable to do your best, Parr said. A lot of times people assume that the students at the Boys & Girls Clubs do not or cannot achieve, but its far from it. In addition to a free dinner with fried or grilled chicken, corn, green beans, rolls, cake and more, students received $25 gift cards for each quarter they achieved honor roll. The dinner has been held since 2017, according to Parr. She said she was inspired by a teenager who asked her what the board did for older kids, since most of the boards events were focused on younger kids. The dinner is funded entirely by the board, according to Parr. No community dollars were put toward the event. Twana McRae, a South Carolina Federal Credit Union financial center manager, spoke at the dinner and encouraged the students to stay focused on positive things and not get distracted. Achieving this level of success is not easy. It takes courage. It takes hard work. It takes focus. It takes a lot of effort and perseverance, so congratulations to each and every one of you, McRae said. I love to see you blossom and grow but I also love to see that youre doing something positive with your life. Seguin, TX (78155) Today Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 61F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 61F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Mali : l'ex-rebellion touareg accuse l'armee de la provoquer par les airs L'ex-rebellion touareg du nord du Mali a denonce mercredi comme une "provocation" le survol de la ville strategique de Kidal, sous son controle, et de ses environs effectue selon elle par des avions de l'armee nationale. Ce haussement de ton a eu lieu la veille d'une date symbolique : l'anniversaire de la proclamation unilaterale de l'independance par un des principaux groupes touareg le 6 avril 2012. Cette proclamation faisait suite au soulevement des independantistes rejoints par les salafistes et a la prise des grandes villes du nord, dont Kidal. Les independantistes ont depuis signe un accord de paix avec le gouvernement malien en 2015 tandis que les groupes jihadistes continuaient le combat contre l'Etat malien et que le pays s'enfoncait dans une profonde crise securitaire. L'accord de paix de 2015 est lui-meme aujourd'hui mal en point, faisant craindre une reprise des hostilites entre les anciens rebelles et l'armee malienne. La Coordination des mouvements de l'Azawad (CMA), principale alliance d'anciens rebelles dans le nord, a accuse des avions de chasse de l'armee malienne d'avoir "survole a des altitudes deliberement provocatrices ses positions a Ber, Amassine, Anafis et Kidal en pleine periode de tensions liees au blocage du processus de paix". Les autorites maliennes n'avaient pas reagi mercredi a ces propos. La CMA parle dans un communique de "violation patente du cessez-le-feu du 23 mai 2014 et (de) provocation grave operee sous les yeux de la communaute internationale garante des arrangements securitaires et de lAccord pour la paix". Great NPR series on solitary confinement | Main | Intriguing Ninth Circuit Booker pipeline case July 27, 2006 The lethal injection litigation rages on and on and... This morning, Reuters has this story asserting that lethal injection litigation is "contributing to a broad reexamination of the death penalty across the country." In my view, all the legal wrangling over lethal injection protocols is not changing any opinions on the death penalty, even though it is dramatically impacting execution practices. (As detailed here, Missouri now has a de facto moratorium on executions because a federal district judge refuses to approve its revised lethal injection protocol.) These discussions, along with the just noted NPR series on solitary confinement, gets me revved up again about the harmful and distracting obsession everyone has with the death penalty. There is now nationwide constitutional litigation disrupting the imposition of lawful capital punishments because there is a chance that a few murders might suffer pain right before being executed. Meanwhile, more than 25,000 prisoners are subject to the extreme mental and physical suffering that is known to accompany confinement in Supermax or control-unit prisons. And yet, there is little or no litigation or even attention paid to this issue. Why don't persons who claim to be so concerned about human dignity focus more on the tens of thousands of humans suffering every day from extreme prison confinement rather than on the few humans who might suffer pain on the way to being executed? July 27, 2006 at 10:00 AM | Permalink TrackBack TrackBack URL for this entry: https://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83451574769e200d8342c3f0953ef Listed below are links to weblogs that reference The lethal injection litigation rages on and on and...: Doug Berman's Questions from StandDown Texas Project Doug Berman at Sentencing Law and Policy has a post on lethal injection challenges and renews his notion that the attention given to capital litigation distracts from the issues affecting tens or hundreds of thousands of people in the criminal [Read More] Tracked on Jul 27, 2006 4:51:07 PM Comments I would say it's not a zero-sum game. Many of us in the defense world would like to see both of these problems addressed, as well as the many, many others that evidence the sub- human treatment of those convicted of crimes. Both the lethal injection litigation and litigation regarding prison conditions, etc., stem from the same fundamental concern, which is the basic human dignity to which you alluded. True, courts have finite time and resources, so perhaps in an attenuated sense, you are correct that capital litigation prevents non- capital cases from being heard. But isn't it the duty of the judiciary to ensure that it functions well and efficiently enough to address all of the worthy claims that require redress? I can't see how it is an advocate's duty to refrain from bringing meritorious suits, out of concern for the preclusive effect it may have on other cases. So, I think your frustration is better aimed at the courts, rather than the "persons who claim to be so concerned about human dignity." Posted by: Kristin | Jul 27, 2006 12:01:06 PM "Why don't persons who claim to be so concerned about human dignity focus more on the tens of thousands of humans suffering every day from extreme prison confinement rather than on the few humans who might suffer pain on the way to being executed?" Why don't you keep up on the law before you start trashing the lawyers who care most about these people? See Beard v. Banks, 547 U.S. ___ (June 28, 2006). Stevens and Ginsberg are the only ones who think dungeons are unconstitutional. Id. (Stevens, dissenting) ("Similarly, the ban on personal photographs, for at least some inmates, interferes with the capacity to remember loved ones, which is undoubtedly a core part of a persons 'sphere of intellect and spirit.'"). Death penalty lawyers are most certainly concerned about their ad-segged clients, which is why we do bring these claims when possible. Furthermore, death penalty lawyers are concerned about the entire county's dignity, not just prisoners. Someone who's really concerned about the issue would have read Beard v. Banks in the last month. It seems your animus flows more from your disregard and dislike of condemned persons than your concern for the incarcerated. Posted by: anon | Jul 27, 2006 2:55:58 PM (same poster here) I must correct my last post; I'm not a "death penalty lawyer" and so can't speak for them. But I do empathize with lawyers who are unreasonably attacked for doing their jobs. And of course lawyers should try and change the law where possible, so my cite to Beard v. Banks was for the purpose of showing that these claims are being brought and appealled, but that the courts are very hostile to them. Woodford v. Ngo (US 2006) is another good example. In any case, thanks for the blog - your writeups of sentencing issues are always informative, and appreciated. Posted by: anon | Jul 27, 2006 4:28:30 PM Anon, I have read Beard v. Banks, but my reading did not lead to the extreme conclusion that 7 of the current Justices "think dungeons are constitutional." Moreover, part of my concern is that public-spirited lawyers might not be "keeping up on the law" effectively. Have you read the unanimous Wilkinson v. Austin from 2005? I read that opinion as suggesting all the Justices see serious constitutional issues raised by Supermax confinement. But I have not seen any serious efforts to leverage Austin into a broader constitutional (or sub-constitutional) attack on Supermax confinement. My screed comes not from a hatred for the condemned, but rather a concern about mis-placed (and harmful) priorities for those looking to reform the criminal justice system. Focusing the public on whether a few murderers might suffer a few moments of pain before being executed seems unlikely to generate much sympathy for the work of defense attorneys. But focusing the public on the tens of thousands of Americans serving life terms in "dungeons" might just get them to think a little differently about the work of progressive reformers. Posted by: Doug B. | Jul 27, 2006 4:43:20 PM I appreciate the initial post and the comments. Always informative. Doug, I'm curious about your overall view of priorities in our criminal justice system. I don't know if you've written anything that represents your "global" thoughts, but I'm curious about your interconnected views on the subject (in particular, without limitation: State vs. federal sentencing policies; conditions of confinement; violent vs. non-violent crimes; degrees of seriousness; drug crimes; gender; race; death penalty; resources committed to prosecution/defense; innocence; habeas; rehabilitation; retribution; politics . . . ) If you've already put something together, just point me the way. Frankly, I'm more interested in your thoughts than that of the entire U.S. Sentencing Commission. Mark Posted by: Mark | Jul 27, 2006 7:13:00 PM Mark, Having just taken the bar exam, your post seems like an essay question that I would have had to answer with great discomfort and craziness! Wow! Too many questions and too many requests to explain with such a broad possible explanation! MAYBE YOU ARE A BAR COMMISSIONER, I don't know! Posted by: | Jul 28, 2006 3:34:26 AM Mark, I have not (yet) authored a global account of my grand vision of criminal justice policy, though my basic philosphical commitment is grounded in consequentialism and Aristotle's notion of human flourishing (perhaps with a little Rawls thrown in), and my basic legal commitment is grounded in legal process ideas. Most of my reactions to issues flow from these basic commitments. Posted by: Doug B. | Jul 28, 2006 6:21:12 AM Post a comment Chinese medical missions witness Congo-China solidarity: health minister Xinhua) 11:15, April 05, 2023 BRAZZAVILLE, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese medical missions to the Republic of the Congo has witnessed the growing solidarity between the two countries, said Gilbert Mokoki, Congolese minister of Health and Population on Monday. Mokoki made the remarks at the reception held by the Chinese Embassy in the country to celebrate the 60th anniversary of China dispatching its first medical aid team abroad. China "has always marked its presence with the Republic of the Congo, even in the most worrying moments that have been ours," he noted, recalling that China was the first country to provide his country with medical assistance and vaccines right after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The presence of Chinese doctors also testifies to the closeness between the two peoples, said the Congolese minister, voicing his hope that more Congolese students could study medical skills in China and strengthen bilateral ties. Chinese Ambassador to the Republic of the Congo Ma Fulin said for 60 years, the medical assistance missions to the African continent have reflected the fact that China stands side by side with African countries. Bilateral cooperation has delivered fruitful outcomes in various fields, including the health sector, Ma said, noting that Chinese doctors stand out in the China-Congolese brotherhood with their professionalism. Since 1967, China has sent 934 doctors in 29 batches to the Republic of the Congo. Chinese doctors have treated nearly 5 million patients and performed about 150,000 operations. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) It's normal to seek online treatment and counseling to curb or completely stop alcohol use. However, similar services such as Monument and Tempest may have shared personal client data gathered with tracking tools with advertisers. Sharing Private Patient Data Monument and Tempest offer expert counseling and community support for those who want to curb or quit alcohol consumption. However, both companies may have been sharing client data like names, email addresses, phone numbers, addresses, insurance information, and more. Monument, which acquired Tempest in 2022, claims that patient data are protected and are only used by its team. Aside from personal data, the company may have also shared responses to self-evaluations and drinking habits, according to The Verge. The companies pointed to a breach in its pixel tracking tools which are included in the websites for advertising purposes. The Department of Health and Human Services has stated that health companies may be held liable when they violate client privacy through pixel tracking. For context, pixel trackers are codes that are created by Meta, Google, TikTok, Pinterest, and more, and use those for their ads, emails, and websites. It can monitor what users fill out and click on a website, to make more specific ads for them. In the disclosure from Monument, they expressed that they were unaware of the data being collected. They only found out that the tracking tools have been using the client information on the site since November 2017. To try and resolve the issue, Monument stated that they have already stopped using most tracking tools by the end of 2022, with the keyword "most." They also claim to have fully disconnected them from the websites of Monument since late February 2023. Read Also: FTC Prohibits BetterHelp From Sharing Mental Health Data With Advertisers Previous Cases for Online Counseling Monument and Tempest are not the first to be accused of sharing private patient data. BetterHelp, also known for its online counseling services, was said to have done the same thing, according to the Federal Trade Commission. The counseling service allegedly shared details such as email addresses, IP addresses, and health questionnaire data. This led to the company being charged by the FTC, resulting in a settlement that cost 7.8 million. The information shared is used by the companies for targeted ads, specifically BetterHelp's counseling service, as mentioned in The Verge. The FTC claims that the company's customer service is given scripts to assure the customer that their data is safe. Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection Samuel Levine expressed that a person struggling with mental health issues and reaching out for help does so in a vulnerable state. They would expect that the company would respect their privacy as information is shared. The settlement will be used to provide partial refunds to their affected customers from August 1st, 2017 to August 31st, 2020. They will also need the consent of the owner of the data before they can share it with third parties like Facebook or Snapchat. Related: FTC Says BetterHelp Shared Customer Data Contrary to Claims of Being Private No new criminal law cert grants, but still possibilities for a notable SCOTUS week ahead | Main | "Justice Denied: The Harmful and Lasting Effects of Pretrial Detention" April 22, 2019 "The case against solitary confinement" The title of this post is the headline of this lengthy and effective Vox piece from last week. I call the piece effective in part because, in addition to being well-structured and well-written, it includes lots and lots of links. Here is how the piece starts (with links retained): Albert Woodfox was held in solitary confinement for more than 40 years in a Louisiana prison before being released in 2016, when he was 69 years old. In his book Solitary, published last month, Woodfox writes that every morning, I woke up with the same thought: will this be the day? Will this be the day I lose my sanity and discipline? Will I start screaming and never stop? Thousands of people at least 61,000 on any given day and likely many thousands more than that are in solitary confinement across the country, spending 23 hours per day in cells not much bigger than elevators. They are disproportionately young men, and disproportionately Hispanic and African American. The majority spend a few months in it, but at least a couple of thousand people have been in solitary confinement for six years or more. Some, like Woodfox, have been held for decades. Solitary confinement causes extreme suffering, particularly over prolonged periods of months or years. Effects include anxiety, panic, rage, paranoia, hallucinations, and, in some cases, suicide. The United Nations special rapporteur on torture, Juan E. Mendez, deemed that prolonged solitary confinement is a form of torture, and the UNs Mandela Rules dictate that it should never be used with youth and those with mental or physical disability or illness, or for anyone for more than 15 days. Mendez, who inspected prisons in many countries, wrote, [I]t is safe to say that the United States uses solitary confinement more extensively than any other country, for longer periods, and with fewer guarantees. Many practices in the US criminal justice system are harsh, ineffective, even absurd, from the widespread use of money bail to detain unconvicted people to extremely long sentences and parole terms, and a host of other outrages. But placing people in solitary stands out as a violation of human rights. Well over a century ago in the US, the practice fell out of favor, partly because of its capacity for psychological harm. Yet starting in the 1980s, its use in prisons and jails exploded again. Over the past decade, there has been a movement to (again) stop the widespread use of solitary. There have been major steps forward in some states. But theres considerable need for more progress and wider acknowledgment that this is something that we are all accountable for. As Laura Rovner, a law professor at the University of Denver, put it in a recent talk, We torture people here in America, tens of thousands of them every day its done in our names, with our tax dollars, behind closed doors. April 22, 2019 at 10:26 AM | Permalink Comments If a prisoner who is already serving a lengthy sentence commits a murder, the State needs to have a way to punish them. I don't know what the right answer is, but I do know that it needs to be sufficiently harsh to deter prison murders. That said, reading about these cases, there seems to be doubt about the prisoners' guilt of the murder. That's another matter entirely. If a conviction is wrongful, or even if later evidence suggests that it is more likely than not to be wrongful, a State should not fight that. Rather, it should simply admit the mistake and bring a quick end to any punishment. Posted by: William Jockusch | Apr 23, 2019 10:41:25 PM Post a comment "Collateral Consequences of Conviction in South Carolina Courts: A Study of South Carolina Defense Lawyers" | Main | Spotlighting the ugly problem of federal prosecutors seeking waivers of future statutory rights to seek compassionate release February 16, 2022 Might a challenge to extreme solitary confinement for over a quarter century reveal if any current Justices are truly textualists and originalists? The question in the title of this post is prompted by this New York Times article discussing this notable recent Supreme Court petition raising an Eighth Amendment challenge to extreme solitary confinement. The headline of the NYTimes piece sets the table: "27 Years in Solitary Confinement, Then Another Plea for Help in Texas: Dennis Hope, who has been held in solitary confinement in a Texas prison for more than half his life, asked the Supreme Court to set limits on prolonged isolation." I recommend the full NY Times piece, and here are excerpts (with links from the original): Dennis Hope has spent 27 years in solitary confinement in a Texas prison, in a cell that is 9 feet long and 6 feet wide smaller than a compact parking space. Its three steps to the door and then turn around and three steps back, Mr. Hope, 53, wrote in a recent letter to his lawyers. His only human contact is with the guards who strip-search and handcuff him before taking him to another enclosure to exercise, alone. He has had one personal phone call since 1994, when his mother died in 2013. He suffers from depression and paranoia and fears he is going insane. Last month, Mr. Hope asked the Supreme Court to consider whether such prolonged isolation can violate the Eighth Amendment, which bars cruel and unusual punishments. Prison officials in Texas do not seem concerned about Mr. Hopes lawsuit. Last week, they told the Supreme Court that they waived their right to respond to his petition seeking review in his case, Hope v. Harris, No. 21-1065. In their appeals court brief, the officials wrote that Hope has no plausible Eighth Amendment claim.... [I]t is quite rare for prisoners to spend decades in isolation. Weve only identified 12 prisoners outside of Texas who have spent more than 20 years in solitary confinement and who arent on death row, said Easha Anand, one of the lawyers from the Roderick & Solange MacArthur Justice Center representing Mr. Hope. She acknowledged, however, that complete data are hard to come by. Mr. Hope was sentenced to 80 years in 1990 for a series of armed robberies and landed in solitary after he escaped from prison in 1994. He eluded capture for about two months, during which he stole a car at knife point from an 83-year-old man and robbed four grocery stores. In 2005, after 11 years in solitary confinement, a committee of prison security personnel concluded that Mr. Hope was no longer an escape risk, according to court papers. But prison authorities have kept him isolated.... As the court has grown more conservative, the arguments against prolonged solitary confinement have shifted. Mr. Hopes lawyers at the MacArthur Justice Center told the justices in his petition seeking review that the practice was inconsistent with the original understanding of the Eighth Amendment. Solitary confinement was, they wrote, unheard-of at the founding, attempted and quickly aborted in the following centuries, and resurrected only with Mr. Hopes generation of prisoners. The petition drew on the work of John F. Stinneford, a law professor at the University of Florida whose work on the original meaning of the Eighth Amendment has been cited with approval by the courts conservative majority in cases on methods of execution. As a matter of text, I have quite a hard time coming up with a better set of adjectives than "cruel and unusual" to describe the decision of Texas prison officials to keep Mr. Hope punished with solitary confinement for nearly two decades after concluding he was no longer an escape risk. So, though I might be just a simple-minded textualist, I would think most true textualists would see real strength in the argument that Texas is violating Mr. Hope's Eighth Amendment right to not have "cruel and unusual punishments inflicted." Notably, the text of the Eighth Amendment speaks to punishments "inflicted" and not just those "imposed" (which is the term used for the prohibition of excessive fines). This precise text of the Eighth Amendment has always led me to see all of actual punishment administration, and not just formal punishment imposition, to be of constitutional concern and part of what is constitutionally limited by the text of the Eighth Amendment. As a matter of original meaning, I have long been a fan of Prof Stinneford's effort to unpack and understand what an originalist approach to the Eighth Amendment might mean for modern constitutional law and limits on the infliction of modern punishment. Critically, though, whether one fully embraces or questions Prof. Stinneford's Eighth Amendment analysis, I am not aware of any originalist arguments that the Eighth Amendment does not place some judicially cognizable limits on way defendants get punished. Justice Scalia, in his 1991 originalist opinion assailing Eighth Amendment proportionality review in Harmelin v. Michigan, repeatedly noted that "the cruel and unusual punishments clause was directed at prohibiting certain methods of punishment" and that "the Clause disables the Legislature from authorizing particular forms or 'modes' of punishment specifically, cruel methods of punishment that are not regularly or customarily employed" and that it "was designed to outlaw particular modes of punishment." In other words, the O.G. originalist on the Supreme Court was quite clear that the kind of extreme punishment administration Eighth Amendment claim raised by Mr. Hope is exactly the type of constitutional claim that the Framers wrote the Eighth Amendment to be cognizable by courts. I suspect there could and likely will be some advocates for extreme solitary confinement who develop textualist and originalist arguments to defend how Texas has been punishing Mr. Hope. But, I still think any true textualists and/or any true originalists would still be quite inclined to grant certiorari on this significant claim so that the textualist and originalist arguments on these important matters could be developed through full briefing and thoughtful reflection. But if these strong claims are just rejected entirely and summarily at the cert stage, I will be incline to think "fair-weather" textualism and originalism defines the work of many justices. I want to believe strict fidelity to the text of the Constitution means more than reaching policy conclusions that a judge finds appealing, and maybe this case will restore my faith that some of the talk of textualism and originalism is not just about getting to certain results in certain cases. February 16, 2022 at 11:47 AM | Permalink Comments This is the kind of dumb decision that gets courts more involved in running prisons. No one in their right mind thinks this is a good idea. And when you do things like that, courts tend to step in. Posted by: Federalist | Feb 16, 2022 12:20:35 PM Doug, you happy? I said this was dumb. Lol Posted by: Federalist | Feb 16, 2022 12:21:08 PM John Stinneford is a thoughtful and fair-minded guy and knows lots and lots about what the Constitution has to say about punishment. If the conditions are as he describes them, this particular instance of solitary confinement would certainly seem to be cruel and unusual punishment as any normal person would understand that term, and thus impermissible under the Eighth Amendment. I might note that while John opposes capital punishment on policy grounds, he does not believe it is unconstitutional. I asked him that specifically at a FedSoc conference some years ago. He has it much better figured out than, for example, Justice Breyer. Posted by: Bill Otis | Feb 16, 2022 1:19:33 PM All your comments make me happy, Federalist. Indeed, every comment --- nice or mean, on-point or off --- serves for me as a pleasing reminder I am not just talking to myself here. Hope everyone is having a great day! Posted by: Doug B. | Feb 16, 2022 2:01:54 PM OK, but this would seem to have repercussions elsewhere. What does it do to the death penalty when many are on death row for 20 years? After all, cruel and unusual is cruel and unusual regardless of the crime. Its cruel and unusual regardless of whether someone is deemed not an escape risk. Its cruel and unusual regardless if someone is still a mortal threat to others. At least, that is the argument I see DP opponents making. Unfounded? Posted by: TarlsQtr | Feb 16, 2022 4:14:13 PM TarlsQtr -- Good to see you back. You aptly describe an argument Breyer has been making for some time, to wit, if a killer persists long enough in filing year after year of silly petitions, he can't be executed because all the delay has added cruelty into his sentence! This is similar to another argument I've seen a few times, to wit, that if the prisoner eats his way to clocking in at 400 pounds or so, he can't be executed because finding a vein for the needle would be too hard, given all the flab. You gotta love these guys. Posted by: Bill Otis | Feb 16, 2022 6:35:00 PM TarlsQtr: as a textualist, I read the terms "cruel and unusual" in light of asserted justifications. If a prisoner repeatedly escapes or attacks other inmates when not in extreme solitary, then extreme solitary seems necessary and not "cruel and unusual." But without any stated justification for 17 years, these constitution term support the notion that extreme solitary amounts to a unconstitutional punishment being inflicted. (Of course, the remedy is seemingly just to give the guy a little more "usual" prison experience with more phone calls and other human interactions.) Because I have never fully understood how best to assess originalist approaches to the Eighth Amendment, I will defer here to Justice Scalia's phrasing of "cruel methods of punishment that are not regularly or customarily employed." My sense is that solitary IS regularly and customarily employed for those who are especially dangerous or flight risks, but that it is not usual for prisoners 15+ years after a prison security personnel concluded there were no such risks. That all said, the concerns you raise provide further support for my recommendation that SCOTUS grant cert on this issue so that we can get full briefing and exploration of the particulars of this case and any/all textual and originalist and other arguments on this matter from may diverse perspectives. Do you share my view that this is a matter that merits Supreme Court attention? Posted by: Doug B. | Feb 16, 2022 10:51:58 PM I still maintain that the 8th amendment's purpose was to reject certain gruesome spectacle and nothing more, no proportionality requirement, no evolving standards of decency. Things that by their very nature are torture. In this sense something does not become "cruel" simply by being prolonged. If his being in solitary was constitutional on day 1 it is also constitutional on day 10,000. The only reason they cannot immediately put all prisoners in solitary and keep them there for the entire length of their sentence is one of administrative convenience, not legality. Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Feb 17, 2022 11:44:33 AM Soronel: Do you think that an average person --- now or back in 1789 --- would say that forcing someone to listen to music they hate one time is the same as making them listen to that song 10,000 times? I do not think it would be fair to call it "cruel" if someone forces me to listen just once to a bad song, but I suspect most would call it cruel to be forced to listen to that song 10,000 times in a row. Similarly, being forced to endure 105 degree heat for an hour may not be cruel, but being forced to endure that for 10,000 hours surely could be considered cruel ESPECIALLLY if there is no sound reason for being subject to this extended hot treatment. I think common textual understanding suggests things can become cruel if prolonged, especially if no sound justification is given for the prolonging other than seemingly the desire to inflict pointless suffering. That said, this again seems like an important issue worthy of full briefing and deliberation. Do you share my view that this is a matter that merits Supreme Court attention? Posted by: Doug B. | Feb 17, 2022 12:33:05 PM Professor, Given that the court below reached the right answer (though I haven't looked to see if I agree with their reasoning) I don't see much point in the Supreme Court weighing in. Every case they take is another chance for them to screw up. In that respect I am very pleased with the number of cases taken in recent years. Regarding your couple hypothetical examples, neither bad music or excessive heat are gruesome in the sense I believe the 8th amendment prohibits. I might go so far as to say I do not believe the 8th amendment bars any psychological tortures at all; I have not given that question sufficient thought. One example the court has been reluctant to address that I do believe is immediately gruesome in this sense are inmates forced to live in sewage-flooded cells, at least so long as the inmate was not the cause of the flooding. That, I believe, should instantly qualify, not some nebulous dividing line where overnight is fine but a week (or some other prolonged time) somehow is not. Of course, if the inmate was in fact the cause then I would say they can just live with it for any amount of time. Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Feb 17, 2022 6:40:45 PM If its constitutional not to put you on an IV on day 1 of your fever its constitutional on day 10,000. If its constitutional not to amputate your gangrenous leg on day 1 its also constitutional on day 10,000. If its not real punishment to make you write on the blackboard I wont do it again 1x then making you write it 10,000 times isnt real punishment either. If 1 grain of sand isnt a heap then 10,000 isnt either. If they can call you bald with just 1 strand of hair then they can call you bald with 10,000. If just one example of the problem with this idea wont persuade you to change your mind then neither will 10,000. And lastly if sitting on the tarmac for 10 minutes isnt enough to exhaust other means of amusement on the internet then after what feels like 10,000 minutes you apparently start challenging your inner internet troll on Dougs blog.sorry about that. Heres the thing though this guy should definitely get relief. 27 years in solitary confinement is barbaric. Posted by: MP | Feb 17, 2022 10:02:41 PM Post a comment WNBA star Brittney Griner sentenced to 9 years(!) in prison by Russian judge for "drug smuggling" | Main | ABA House of Delegates considering a number of notable sentencing resolutions August 4, 2022 At long last, we have a fully loaded USSC: Senate confirms all seven of Prez Biden's nominees to Sentencing Commission In this post in February, 2021, I asked "Any guesses for when we might again have a fully functioning US Sentencing Commission?". If anyone guessed August 4, 2022, well done: the US Senate tonight voted to confirm all seven of Prez Biden's nominees to the USSC. This Bloomberg Law piece, headlined "US Sentencing Commission Restocked After Senate Confirmations," starts its report on this exciting news this way: The Senate confirmed President Bidens seven nominees to the US Sentencing Commission, fully restocking the panel and giving it the quorum needed to create guidance for the first time since 2019. The bipartisan group of nominees were confirmed by voice vote, or without a formal tally, Thursday night. The new panel will be led by US District Judge Carlton Reeves, who is the first Black chair in the commissions history. As a reminder, this post lists all the folks who tonight are officially US Sentencing Commissioners, and congrats to them all. As I have noted in prior posts, not only has the USSC gone nearly four years without a quorum needed to complete official actions, it has not had a complete set of seven commissioners in place for the better part of a decade. But now, thrillingly, the Commission is fully loaded (and I hope ready to roll like Herbie). Historically, as can be seen at this USSC webpage, back when the US Sentencing Commission was functional, the Commission would usually announce its yearly proposed priorities in June and then finalize those priorities in August. It will be interesting to see if the new fully loaded Commission will seek to move forward with announced priorities and possible amendments in the coming months or will need considerable time to get up and running effectively. There are lots of matters, big and small, that need the attention of a functioning Commission, but doing it right is more critical than doing it fast. A few prior related posts: UPDATE: I am pleased to see this official USSC news release about the confirmations titled "Acting Chair Judge Charles Breyer, Incoming Chair Judge Carlton W. Reeves Applaud Senate Confirmation of New Commissioners." Here are excerpts: The US Senate has confirmed a group of seven bipartisan members to serve on the US Sentencing Commission, providing the independent judicial branch agency with a voting quorum for the first time in more than three years. The Commission is charged with promoting transparency and proportionality in federal sentencing and reducing sentencing disparities. The newly confirmed members of the Commission are District Judge Carlton W. Reeves, who will serve as Chair of the Commission; Circuit Judge Luis Felipe Restrepo, Laura Mate and Claire McCusker Murray, who are expected to be designated as Vice Chairs; District Judge Claria Horn Boom; former District Judge John Gleeson; and Candice Wong. Upon appointment of the new Commissioners, current Acting Chair Senior District Judge Charles Breyer will step down from his position at the agency. Judge Breyer said of the new Commissioners, It is great news that the Senate has confirmed a full slate of seven bipartisan Commissioners. The lack of a quorum at the Sentencing Commission has created a void in the criminal justice system. As Senior US District Judge for the Northern District of California and Acting Chair of the Sentencing Commission, I know all too well the difficulty judges have faced in implementing the criminal justice reforms enacted by the First Step Act in 2018. In addition, the Commission has been unable to provide guidance on a number of recent sentencing policy challenges, leaving the courts without uniform sentencing standards. The Sentencing Commission is vital to ensuring fairness and effectiveness of federal sentencing guidelines and policy. These new Commissioners have an important task ahead of them. I am grateful to all of them for their willingness to serve in this important capacity, and I am honored and look forward to working with them. Incoming Chair Carlton W. Reeves, US District Judge for the Southern District of Mississippi said, The criminal justice system has some troubling divisions that have emerged among courts on sentencing issues during the years the Commission lacked a quorum. My new Commission colleagues are all highly experienced professionals with vast knowledge of and broad expertise in the criminal justice system. Our diverse backgrounds and expertise will bode well as the Commission works to address these complex issues in a bipartisan matter. August 4, 2022 at 11:41 PM | Permalink Comments I would assume that, for this year, the USSC will proceed with the priorities as currently proposed. The members may add other issues (that they perceive as important) as they get up to speed but, otherwise, will trust that the staff has identified the "urgent" things (provisions that need to be clarified in light of circuit splits, guidelines that need to be adjusted based on statutory changes) that need to be resolved. Posted by: tmm | Aug 5, 2022 11:01:19 AM I think that is basically right, tmm. There are some statutory directives and other clear priority concerns that I suspect they will try to address in some form ASAP. Bigger stuff will surely be part of a long-term agenda. Posted by: Doug B. | Aug 5, 2022 11:35:02 AM Compassionate release. Update the policy statement. Make it broad. Leave judge's discretion. Overturn awful 11th Circuit precedent. Go. Now. Posted by: Zachary Newland | Aug 5, 2022 1:12:05 PM Post a comment More notable details on the remarkable success of those released from federal prison under CARES Act | Main | "The Injustice of Under-Policing in America" August 26, 2022 Latest "Time-in-Cell" report estimates that, as of July 2021, "between 41,000 and 48,000 people were held in isolation in U.S. prison cells" This Guardian article, headlined "Nearly 50,000 people held in solitary confinement in US, report says," reports on the latest version of the important work done by Correctional Leaders Association and the Arthur Liman Center for Public Interest Law at Yale Law School to estimate the number of people held in solitary confinement in the United States. Here is part of the press reporting: In a new report spearheaded by Yale Law School, the number of prisoners subjected to restrictive housing, as solitary is officially known, stood at between 41,000 and 48,000 in the summer of 2021. They were being held alone in cells the size of parking spaces, for 22 hours a day on average and for at least 15 days. Within that number, more than 6,000 prisoners have been held in isolation for over a year. They include almost a thousand people who have been held on their own in potentially damaging confined spaces for a decade or longer.... The new solitary study, Time-In-Cell: A 2021 Snapshot of Restrictive Housing, extrapolates its findings from the reported figures of 34 states and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Though it finds that levels of solitary remain shockingly high, it also stresses that the figures are moving in the right direction. When the researchers began the series of annual snapshots in 2014 the number of prisoners trapped in isolation was almost twice todays level, at between 80,000 to 100,000. Since then the graph has steadily declined, with a growing number of states introducing new laws to restrict or even ban the practice.In the 1980s people promoted solitary confinement as a way to deal with violence in prisons, said Judith Resnik, Yales Arthur Liman professor of law. It is now seen as a problem itself that needs to be solved. California, a state with a dark history of abusive solitary confinement, is currently debating new legislation. The California Mandela Act would require every custodial institution in the state to impose strict rules and reporting, and would ban solitary for pregnant women, people under 26 or over 59, and those with mental or physical disabilities. Last year New York state passed similar legislation, joining a growing list. The Yale study finds that three states Delaware, North Dakota and Vermont reported having no inmates in such confinement in 2021, and two other states said they had fewer than 10 people. Despite such optimistic signs, restrictive housing continues to inflict untold suffering on thousands of men and women. This press release about the report provides some more details and context: Time-In-Cell: A 2021 Snapshot of Restrictive Housing estimates that, as of July 2021, between 41,000 and 48,000 people were held in isolation in U.S. prison cells. The report defines solitary confinement as 22 hours or more on average a day for 15 days or more. The reports co-authors have worked together for a decade to generate this data, producing the only longitudinal, nationwide database documenting the reported use of solitary confinement in prisons in the United States. According to the most recent study, three states reported holding no one in isolation in July 2021, two other states reported fewer than 10 people in solitary, and 10 states reported not using solitary in any of their womens prisons. In contrast, in 2014, every jurisdiction reported using solitary confinement. That year, an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 people were in solitary in prisons throughout the United States..... Time-in-Cell also examined the demographics of people held in isolation. The report found that solitary confinement continues to be used for people whom reporting jurisdictions define as having serious mental illness. Moreover, the report found that the number of Black women held in solitary was higher than the number of white women. The full report includes the numbers, duration, and conditions of people in solitary confinement and the changes underway. August 26, 2022 at 01:04 PM | Permalink Comments Post a comment Sadai Banowans head Najia Sorosh has decried a conspiracy by the Taliban to shut down the radio station (Sourced/The Independent) Afghanistans only women-run radio station has vowed to fight back after the Taliban recently ordered it to cease operations. Sadai Banowan, which means womens voice in the Dari language, was ordered to shut down on 30 March by the hardline Islamist regime, which accused it of playing music during the holy month of Ramadan. A staff member at Sadai Banowan said the stations employees will call it a day and break all their equipment if the Taliban does not allow its operations to resume. Speaking to The Independent on a phone call, the staff member, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions, said her crew was tired of seeking the Talibans permission to speak about the basic rights of women in Afghanistan. She said she was ready to fight to save the radio stations existence, even if it meant being punished. The radio station operator said her team are pinning their last remaining hope on a conversation with the Taliban, expected to be held this week. I have now decided to speak with the Talibans cultural chief and apologise, if needed. If he does not agree, I will break up the equipment and all my materials and shut down operations for ever, the staffer said, adding that her hopes for a conversation with the Taliban leader remain bleak. But right now, I am not scared, and I will fight for my radio stations existence. Even if the Taliban wants to jail or kill me in their prison custody. The staffer said the Talibans move to shut the station without notice was likely due to the women-centric themes of its programmes, which are broadcast locally in the Badakhshan province. She also rejected the charge that the station had played music during the holy month of Ramadan. No, never! We never played any music during Ramadan. The Taliban does not allow for any music to be played, and we did not violate their diktat, she said firmly. All of our activity at the radio station has been about womens rights and education. We spoke of womens health, their education, their basic rights and role of women in business. Story continues We regularly held programmes discussing problems faced by women, the employee said. Sign The Independents petition calling for UK to support Afghan war heroes who served alongside Britain The staffer was present when four Taliban representatives visited the radio stations premises. She said the Talibans culture chief was asked by the governor to shut down the broadcasting service. Today I am not thinking about myself, but the radio station and the people employed there. The radio station should be reopened for every womans voice and right in Afghanistan, said the staff member. Sadai Banowan was opened 10 years ago when Afghanistan was run by a Western-backed administration. The better situation at the time allowed the then 18-member team to play music, broadcast jokes, and invite male guests to speak on radio shows. Even if the money was not good in the initial days, the administrations encouragement, along with local support, fuelled the teams wish to work for womens empowerment. Under the Taliban rulers, a day feels like a year, the staff member said. The fear of the radio stations staff was starkly visible in August 2021 when the Taliban stormed the presidential palace and overthrew Ashraf Ghanis administration. The employees ran from pillar to post to seek refuge, and the broadcasting office was shut for three months. I tried my best to leave. I tried, the woman recounted. Even today, the staffers options for fleeing Afghanistan are limited. Every day is spent in the fear of getting arrested, she said. It is a habit that has been nursed day after day. When the radio station gradually resumed broadcasting, its founder was handed a detailed list of dos and donts. The Taliban wanted us to change the name of our radio station, control the material that we spoke about and discussed, the staffer said. The themes were mostly forced to be about religion and Islam, as prescribed by the Taliban. The Talibans interpretation of Sharia law has dominated the domestic religious atmosphere in what has now been more than 18 months of rule by the organisation. I realise how important my radio station and I are to Afghanistan, because the Taliban is scared and wants to shut it down, said the staff member. According to the last few remaining local voices speaking up on women rights, the Taliban targeted Radio Banowans broadcasts because the station was known for its independent and critical reporting, which was seen as a threat to the Talibans control in the region. The station had also reported on Taliban atrocities, which made it a target for retaliation, said Aisha, an activist for womens and childrens rights, who wished to be identified by her first name only. Banowan Radio was popular, dealt with womens issues, and provided opportunities for womens voices to be heard, said Aisha, a member of the women-led Purple Saturdays movement, which seeks to empower women and children. Historically, the Taliban has been known for their strict interpretation of Islamic law, which includes strict restrictions on womens rights and freedoms, Aisha told The Independent. They have been known to close down womens schools, ban women from working outside the home, and restrict womens access to healthcare. It is possible they closed Sadai Banowan as part of their effort to reinforce their strict interpretation of Islamic law and limit womens voices and visibility in public life, she said. The Talibans director for information and culture in Badakhshan said they will allow the radio station to be active if its staff accept the policy of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and give a guarantee that it will not repeat such a thing again. A number of journalists have been left unemployed since the Taliban returned to power. Their current rule has mirrored the rule of the previous Taliban regime, when most television, radio and newspapers in the country were banned. The scam site impersonating Mandai Wildlife Reserve website selling fake $10 Singapore Zoo tickets. (PHOTO: Facebook/MandaiWildlifeReserve) SINGAPORE The Mandai Wildlife Reserve has issued a warning to the public about a scam site that has been mimicking its official website and selling fake discounted tickets to the Singapore Zoo for $10. A normal adult ticket for the zoo costs $48, while a child ticket costs $33. In a Facebook post on Wednesday (5 April), the Mandai Wildlife Reserve revealed that it had reported the fraudulent site to the authorities. It has urged the public to be vigilant and not fall for this or any other phishing site claiming to sell its tickets. The scam site, which has been circulating on social media, is not authorised by Mandai Wildlife Reserve to sell tickets, and all sales of admission tickets should be done directly through the official website or via authorised travel agents. The police told Yahoo Southeast Asia on Thursday (6 April) that the scam site has since been blocked. Caution against phishing sites The Facebook post also cautioned against providing personal information and payment details on or to these phishing sites, and discouraged sharing of these links on social media. The Singapore Zoo, renowned for its collection of wildlife and interactive exhibits, recently launched a new glamping program that allows visitors to camp in the wild, offering a unique experience for nature enthusiasts. In addition, the neighbouring Bird Paradise, home to over 3,500 birds of various species, is set to open next month, adding to the attractions of Mandai Wildlife Reserve. Do you have a story tip? Email: sgnews.tips@yahooinc.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. Also check out our Southeast Asia, Food, and Gaming channels on YouTube. World Health Organization officials visited the home of a possible victim of the Marburg virus during an outbreak in Angola in 2005. There are currently two outbreaks on both the west and east coasts of Africa. (Reuters) Two concurrent outbreaks of the Marburg virus, a close cousin of Ebola that can kill as many as 90% of the people it infects, are raising critical questions about the behavior of this mysterious bat-borne pathogen and global efforts to prepare for potential pandemics. Marburg, a hemorrhagic fever, is rare: Just a handful of outbreaks have been reported since the virus was identified in 1967. But a steady uptick in occurrences in Africa in recent years is raising alarm. Marburg causes high fever, vomiting, diarrhea and, in the most severe cases, bleeding from orifices. It spreads between people via direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of infected people and with surfaces and materials such as clothing contaminated with these fluids. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times One of the two outbreaks, in Tanzania in East Africa, seems to have been brought under control, with just two people left in quarantine. But in the other, in Equatorial Guinea on the west coast, spread of the virus is ongoing, and the World Health Organization said last week that the country was not being transparent in reporting cases. There are no treatments or vaccines for Marburg, but there are some candidates that have shown promise in phase 1 clinical trials. However, these candidates must be tested in active outbreaks to prove they work, and so far, no vaccine supplies have been delivered to test in the current outbreaks. The moment an outbreak is detected there should be a mechanism of moving in quickly, said Dr. John Amuasi, the head of the global health department at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana who investigated a Marburg outbreak in that country last year. The WHO and others are good at rapid response to control the spread of a virus, he said, but lack a similarly swift response for research. It requires ready-to-ship stockpiles of the vaccine candidates and researchers equipped to operate without putting additional strain on an already struggling health system; neither currently exists. Story continues The WHO says it has drafted a research protocol that can be applied in these outbreaks and to any other filovirus the family that includes Marburg and Ebola and it has been scrambling for more than a month to get trials underway, working against a ticking clock. If outbreak response works well isolating cases and tracing contacts the epidemic will quickly be controlled, which seems to be the case in Tanzania. If the response doesnt go as well (as in Equatorial Guinea), there are fears of a widespread outbreak and a redoubled need for vaccination. When an Ebola outbreak began in Uganda in September 2022, the strain that rapidly claimed lives was one for which there was no vaccine, but, similarly, there was a strong candidate waiting a chance to be tested. Researchers announced plans to try it in Uganda. But the outbreak was over by the time the vaccine doses arrived. The outbreaks in Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania are the first reported in either country. The outbreak in Equatorial Guinea began in January. The government has reported the deaths of nine people with confirmed Marburg virus disease and the deaths of another 20 people linked to the confirmed cases who were not tested but are considered probable cases. The government of Equatorial Guinea has released limited information about the outbreak, and the WHO has said there are likely undetected chains of transmission and that not all the known cases have a clear connection to one another, suggesting a wider spread than previously thought. WHO is aware of additional cases, and we have asked the government to report these cases officially to WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the agencys director, said last week. The outbreak in Tanzania was first reported in March. Five people with confirmed Marburg infections have died there, including a health care worker. No new cases have been reported in Tanzania for two weeks but the Marburg incubation period is 21 days, so the outbreak is considered active. This is the hard part, with people in isolation, waiting through the days, said Kheri Issa, the Tanzania Red Cross manager for Marburg viral disease response, in a telephone interview from the Kagera area where the disease broke out. The WHO said both outbreaks pose regional risks: Equatorial Guinea has porous borders with Cameroon and Gabon, and so far the cases have appeared in geographically diffuse parts of the country. In Tanzania, the Kagera region has busy borders with Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. (BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.) These outbreaks follow one in Ghana last year and in Guinea the year before a marked shift from the sporadic occurrences in previous years. Amuasi said better tracking was likely contributing to what appeared to be a rise in cases. As part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, every African country improved its PCR testing capacity and infectious disease surveillance, which means Marburg is being diagnosed more frequently. But that suggests there may have historically been more of the virus circulating among humans than has been thought, Amuasi said, and the way it sickens people may be different from what has been understood. (END OPTIONAL TRIM.) Dr. Nancy Sullivan, director of the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories at Boston University, said she believes climate change, and the way it is shifting human and animal behavior, is driving an actual increase in cases. Were impinging much more on reservoirs of the virus, she said. Sullivan designed the Marburg vaccine candidate furthest along in development when she worked with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. It showed safety and immune response in a phase 1 clinical trial, and the Sabin Vaccine Institute, a nonprofit organization based in Washington that promotes global vaccine development, is continuing the testing process. The Sabin Institute said it had 600 doses of the vaccines in vials and ready to use and planned for an eventual stockpile of 8,000 by the end of this year. Sullivan said 600 doses would be enough to start a ring vaccination trial of those at risk in Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea. But the WHO has yet to announce operational details for a trial of this or three other vaccine candidates. Transporting the doses into the country is just one challenge; a trial would require a principal investigator from the outbreak country, legal agreements with the vaccine makers and regulatory approval. Equatorial Guinea has a notoriously opaque government that has been under the control of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and his family for more than 30 years. Without committed resources and preapproved trial protocols, filovirus outbreaks will keep happening with little progress on interventions that could stop them, Amuasi said. c.2023 The New York Times Company New Zealand demolished Sri Lanka with a nine-wicket victory in the second Twenty20 international to level the series Wednesday, as opener Tim Seifert finished on 79 not out. Black Caps bowler Adam Milne had earlier taken five wickets for just 26 runs in a man-of-the-match performance as Sri Lanka were skittled for just 141 runs. "You always dream of taking five wickets for New Zealand. As I had three in the last over with a couple of tailenders in, I started feeling a little bit greedy," Milne later admitted. Seifert then helped steer New Zealand to victory as the hosts hit a rapid-fire 146-1 in reply after 14.4 overs. New Zealand captain Tom Latham hailed his side's "pretty clinical performance". "The way we were just able to keep taking wickets, that's the best way really to stall a run rate," he added. "I thought our bowling performance was outstanding." New Zealand's victory in Dunedin levelled the series 1-1 ahead of the decider this Saturday in Queenstown. Sri Lanka had won the opening T20 match last Sunday in Auckland. Milne's impressive bowling display left New Zealand with a target of 142 to win. Opener Chad Bowes was caught after hitting 31 off 15 balls before Seifert peppered the boundary in a partnership of 106 alongside Latham, who finished 20 not out. Seifert then wrapped up New Zealand's innings in style with two towering sixes. It was a brutal defeat for Sri Lanka, who had made a good start. Kusal Perera (35) and Dhananjaya de Silva (37) put on a middle-order partnership of 62 off 46 balls to steer the visitors to 99-4 after 12 overs. The tourists then collapsed by losing their next six wickets for just 42 runs as New Zealand's seamers found their length to devastating effect. Charith Asalanka was the last Sri Lankan batter to offer any resistance, chalking up 24 runs off 19 balls. Milne did the most damage for New Zealand, picking off Sri Lanka's tailenders Dilshan Madushanka and Pramod Madushan without a run being scored. Story continues "We got a good start but lost the momentum in the middle," said Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka, who paid credit to Milne's superb bowling. "Losing wickets at regular intervals cost us the game." Sri Lanka have lost both the Test and one-day international series 2-0 during their month-long tour of New Zealand. ryj/djw/smw 247 CEO3080 AICEOChatGPT 11.59 107.9 LinkedIn LinkedIn research finds over 60% of surveyed professionals believe that it is crucial for a company's values to align with their own Land Rover4 3.1%11 30 0.58% 17% 5400 University Hill61 1.65 473 15 30 312% 11339 1.19%3% 874 24% 6 0.8 0.63%2 8% 40 ING13 CEO2.26 800 3354 Bed Bath & Beyond 4806 8%6% 0.13% 10.9% DES MOINES A massive reorganization of the executive branch of state government, proposed by Gov. Kim Reynolds and informed by a consulting firm, was signed into law Tuesday. Reynolds signed into law the nearly 1,600-page bill, Senate File 514, which reduces the number of cabinet-level state agencies from 37 to 16 and eliminates scores of vacant state government jobs. Reynolds and supporters of the realignment note that Iowas state government has not undergone a structural review in roughly 40 years and said the proposal will make state government more efficient in its operations and services to Iowans. Not only will Iowans receive better services through alignment, theyll get it at lower cost, Reynolds pledged during a bill-signing ceremony Tuesday in the governors formal office at the Iowa Capitol. As elected leaders, its our responsibility to ensure that the services we provide are delivering value to those that we serve. And this transformative, comprehensive bill will do exactly that. Critics have asserted that it places too much authority with the governor and have described it as a power grab by Reynolds. As a result of the changes, more state agency leaders now will be appointed by the governor and subject to Iowa Senate confirmation, rather than being elected by colleagues on state boards or commissions. Reynolds bill signing Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signs into law her proposal to reorganize the executive branch of state government in the governor's formal office at t The governor also will have more leeway to pay directors higher salaries eliminating the need to exceed previous salary caps by paying bonuses instead which Reynolds has said is needed to recruit and retain top talent. Under this new law, the governor will have more control over once-independent offices and agencies, with fewer checks and balances. Shell have more power to appoint friends and cronies, with no limits on sweetheart salaries for them, Iowa Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls, of Coralville, said in a statement. House and Senate Republicans refused to fully vet this bill or exercise any oversight on the governors office. Now its law, and Iowans will be living with the consequences for decades to come. The proposal passed the Iowa Legislature with only Republican support. All Democrats and a handful of Republicans opposed it. The reorganization will result in a reduction of 205 full-time equivalent positions in the executive branch of state government, and will reduce state spending by $6.6 million, according to an analysis by the states nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency. Those projections differ from figures put out by the governors office, which were informed by the consultants report. They say the realignment will eliminate 513 currently vacant executive branch positions, and will result in a $3 million reduction in state spending. Reynolds bill signing Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and other state officials and lawmakers celebrate Reynolds' signing into law her proposal to reorganize the executive b The governors office has said the reorganization will reduce the executive branchs workforce by attrition, and that no state workers will be laid off because of the changes. (The proposal is about) ultimately streamlining services for Iowans and helping them get the answers that they need in a quicker, more efficient manner, Reynolds told reporters after the bill-signing ceremony. Then Iowans win, and thats really what this is about: its about Iowans and providing them a better service. As examples of the many changes prescribed in the new law, the departments of commerce, banking, credit unions and insurance would be combined into a new Department of Insurance and Financial Services, and the cultural affairs department would be folded into the state administrative services agency. The legislation also includes language that explicitly states that the state attorney general has the authority to prosecute cases without first consulting with the county attorney, and would give the state attorney general exclusive jurisdiction over elections-related cases. While the language regarding the state attorney generals authority restates current state law, the previous attorney general, Democrat Tom Miller, who served for four decades, by practice consulted with local county attorneys before involving the state office in legal matters. Some county attorneys expressed concern with the language in the new law, arguing it could lead to prosecution decisions that are more politically than legally motivated. The Virginia-based consulting firm Guidehouse was paid nearly $1 million to analyze Iowa state government and make recommendations. Guidehouse was selected by the state under a competitively bid master agreement between the company and the state of New York, and Reynolds office used federal pandemic relief funds which Reynolds criticized when they were approved by Congress to pay for the consultants work. Guidehouse produced a 68-page report that, including the reorganization measures, and also recommended the state sell off some land it owns near prisons and other state-owned facilities. The consultants report also suggests that in the future the state should consider the privatization of some state entities as cost-saving measures. It lists as potential candidates for privatization Iowa PBS, the Iowa Communications Network, the State Historical Museum and the Volunteer Iowa program. Neither the land sales nor the entity privatization are included in the legislation that was just signed into law. US President Joe Biden called on a meeting Tuesday with his science and technology advisers to discuss the possible impact of artificial intelligence on consumers, as well as its potential to become a threat to national security. According to the president, it has yet to be seen if AI is dangerous, but he cautioned tech companies to make sure that their products won't put the public at risk. President Biden Says AI Can Help Address Vital Issue AI has become more accessible to the public with the advancements in its technology over the last couple of years. Today, the general public can experience the power of AI with the emergency of AI chatbots, particularly ChatGPT. As more people are being drawn into AI, tech companies are expected to rush with launching their own AI products, according to Engadget. However, there are fears that AI advancements might be happening too fast that people have not fully realized the possible danger that it could present. For President Biden, the danger "remains to be seen." As reported by AP and Reuters, the president acknowledged AI's capability to "deal with some very difficult challenges like disease and climate change." At the same time, President Biden also expressed uncertainty about the safety of using AI. He recognized that AI should address the risks that it can pose to society, the economy and national security. The said meeting included academics and officials from the Big Tech companies, Google and Microsoft, to which the president also gave caution about the responsibilities that they have to ensure their products' safety. "Tech companies have a responsibility, in my view, to make sure their products are safe before making them public," President Biden said. Related Article: Man Takes His Own Life After Talking to an AI Chatbot US Government Won't Interfere With the Commercial Development of AI According to AP, the purpose of President Biden's meeting with his council of tech advisers was to "discuss the importance of protecting rights and safety to ensure responsible innovation and appropriate safeguards." The president is also concerned about children's welfare while using tech products, as well as the issues of data collection by tech companies. Hence, the president is urging Congress to pass legislation that will address these concerns. Despite the issues surrounding AI, the White House does not appear to impose restrictions on AI products, similar to what other countries have already implemented. Italy ordered a temporary ban on ChatGPT due to data privacy issues, while the European Union lawmakers are currently in talks to pass a bill that will limit the use of AI products. Based on the discussions during President Biden's AI meeting, the US government is not in a hurry to create new policies or make significant changes in regulating AI products. According to Russell Wald, managing director of policy and society at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, the United States will not interfere with the commercial development of AI. Read Also: 9 Facts About AI That You Might Not Know About WEDNESDAY, April 5, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- A therapy that bolsters the immune system may not only help certain cancer patients live longer, but better, a new study finds. The treatment, called chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, is used to fight certain types of blood cancer including leukemia and lymphoma that have not responded to standard treatments. It involves removing a patient's own immune system T-cells, genetically tweaking them to target the cancer, then infusing them back into the patient. For some people with advanced blood cancers, CAR T-cell therapy is able to wipe out the malignant cells and keep the disease at bay for years. But there has been relatively little known about patients' quality of life post-treatment, said study author Dr. Patrick Connor Johnson, an oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, in Boston. "That's obviously very important to patients," he said. While CAR T-cell therapy can send cancer into remission, Johnson said, it's also an intensive treatment that requires about two weeks in the hospital. That's, in part, to monitor patients for potentially severe side effects. One of the most concerning is cytokine release syndrome, where the infused T-cells flood the bloodstream with chemicals called cytokines which can cause problems like high fever, a rapid drop in blood pressure and breathing difficulty. Severe cases can be fatal. In addition, some patients develop problems with the nervous system, like headaches, confusion, balance issues and difficulty speaking. For the most part, Johnson said, those side effects appear in the first 10 days or so. In the new study, he and his colleagues found not surprisingly that patients receiving CAR T-cell therapy had a diminished quality of life before starting the treatment. Their average quality of life was worse than the typical American's (by their own ratings), and it took a further dive in the first week after their CAR T-cell infusion. That's understandable, Johnson said: These are people who are seriously ill, have received other treatments that did not work, and are now hospitalized and facing an uncertain future on top of any side effects from the CAR T-cells. However, the researchers found, the outlook was improving for most patients by the one-month mark. And by the third month out, their ratings of their quality of life were no different from the average American's. "For the majority of patients, we do see a rebound to their pre-CAR T-cell level by one month, and then a sustained improvement," Johnson said. "Our hypothesis is, that's because of their response to the treatment." The findings, published March 30 in the journal Blood Advances, are based on 103 patients who underwent CAR T-cell therapy at Mass General. All had advanced cases of blood cancer that had either failed to respond to standard treatments, or had come back after an initial remission. Overall, 76% went into remission after CAR T-cell therapy, and one-third had neurological side effects from the treatment. While most patients responded to the treatment, many still had lingering physical or psychological symptoms six months out. About 20%, Johnson said, had "clinically significant" anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress. And a full two-thirds still had bothersome physical symptoms, like pain or fatigue. It's not clear, Johnson said, whether those problems are related to the cancer, prior treatments or the CAR T-cell therapy. But, he added, it's likely "a mixture." Although the study was done at one hospital, Dr. Jae Park, a hematologist/oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, said the results seem in line with what patients experience there. "There's generally an acute decline in quality of life during the first 30 days, due to the need for hospitalization, treatment-related side effects, infections, the need for transfusions and more," Park said. "However, most patients recover from these side effects and, fortunately, respond to therapy." And when they respond, he added, they can usually forgo other treatments, like chemotherapy, which helps them get back to their daily lives. But like Johnson, Park said it's important to recognize that many patients continue to have physical or mental health symptoms and try to understand why. Park said that at Sloan Kettering, there is a survivorship clinic that follows CAR T-cell patients over time "to better recognize and address these potential long-term, treatment-related effects." Johnson said that patients can always tell their care team about any ongoing symptoms. This study, he noted, shows that if they do have lingering symptoms, they are not alone. More information The American Cancer Society has more on CAR T-cell therapy. SOURCES: Patrick Connor Johnson, MD, hematology/oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston; Jae Park, MD, hematology/oncology, acting chief, Cellular Therapy Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City; Blood Advances, March 30, 2023, online The second annual event will give attendees the chance to go from trunk to trunk and take candy and various Easter trinkets, according to a release from Sunrise. There will also be an appearance by the one and only Easter Bunny. And actual chicks and rabbits will be milling around as well. The creator of Cash App and former chief technology officer at Square was killed in a stabbing Tuesday in San Francisco, according to people who knew him and police. Bob Lee, 43, died at a hospital following the 2:35 a.m. attack on the 300 block of Main Street in the Rincon Point neighborhood. Police said they responded to a report of a stabbing and found him, called medics to the scene and started aid. He was rushed to a hospital, where he died. Homicide inspectors are investigating the killing. "Bob was a dad, the former CTO of Square where he created Cash App & CTO of Mobile Coin. He was a generous decent human being who didn't deserve to be killed," wrote Bill Barhydt, CEO of Abra, a cryto-currency company, on Twitter. Another friend wrote on Twitter that he learned Lee was killed while walking in the city. "He was in the 'good' part of the city and appeared to have been targeted in a random mugging/attack," wrote UFC/MMA fighter Jake Shields. According to a 2021 profile of Lee on PR Newswire, "Bob has diverse experience building both digital and physical products for a mobile-first world. He is most prominently known as the first CTO of Square, and the creator of Cash App (formerly Square Cash). Prior to Square, Bob was at Google leading Android's core library team and launching the world's most used operating system." No arrests have been made and this remains an active investigation. Photos: Notable Deaths in 2023 Raquel Welch David Crosby Richard Belzer Cindy Williams Lisa Marie Presley Jeff Beck Gary Rossington Wayne Shorter Burt Bacharach Tom Sizemore Charles Kimbrough Stella Stevens Annie Wersching Tim McCarver Billy Packer Dave Hollis David Jude Jolicoeur Barrett Strong Lloyd Morrisett Robbie Knievel Gina Lollobrigida Lynette Hardaway ("Diamond") Adam Rich Bobby Hull Charles White Jerry Richardson Sister Andre Tatjana Patitz Russell Banks Cardinal George Pell Ken Block Walter Cunningham Anton Walkes Robert Blake Chaim Topol Bobby Caldwell Pat Schroeder Lance Reddick Willis Reed Seymour Stein Klaus Teuber Michael Lerner WASHINGTON Patti Chang walked into her polling place in Chicago earlier this year, anxious about how poll workers would treat her, especially as a voter who is blind. Even though she was accompanied by her husband, she said she was ignored until a poll worker grabbed her cane and pulled her toward a voting booth. Like many voters with disabilities, Chang faces barriers at the polls most voters never even consider missing ramps or door knobs, for example. The lack of help or empathy from some poll workers just adds to the burden for people with disabilities. It doesnt help you want to be in there if youre going to encounter those kinds of low expectations, said Chang, 59. So why should I go vote if Im going to have to fight with the poll workers? Im an adult and I should be able to vote without that. Chang had a better experience when she cast an early ballot in March in the runoff election for Chicago mayor, even as access to the ballot box remains a challenge across the city for voters like her. Chicago is among numerous voting jurisdictions across the United States with poor access to polling locations for disabled voters. Since 2016, the Department of Justice has entered into more than three dozen settlements or agreements to force better access in cities and counties under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Many of those places are holding elections this year. The department's targets are almost certainly an undercount of the number of places with poor access, according to disability rights activists who attempt to track ADA compliance and complaints from voters. Several, including Chicago, either missed their deadlines without making all the requested changes or asked for an extension. Chicagos agreement with the federal government started in 2017 but has been extended twice; the current deadline is November 2024, the next presidential election. As of February, the city had 302 polling places that complied fully with the ADA and 327 with low accessibility or none at all for disabled voters. The expense of bringing aging buildings up to code is one challenge in complying, said Max Bever, a spokesperson for the citys board of elections. Some polling places could be forced to close. Things can be identified and surveyed, we can know the status of certain buildings but actually making and funding the appropriate changes can be a long and difficult process, he said. People with disabilities make up about one-fourth of the U.S. adult population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They have been ensnared in battles over access to the polls as many Republican-led states have passed restrictive voting laws in recent years, including over limits on what assistance a voter can receive and whether someone else can return a voters mailed ballot. In Wisconsin, disability rights activists scored a victory when they filed a legal challenge in federal court after the state Supreme Court, with a conservative majority, ruled that only the voter can return an absentee ballot. The federal court said that ran afoul of the Voting Rights Act. Nevertheless, voters with disabilities complained that the federal law was being ignored in the run-up to Wisconsin's high-stakes election Tuesday, when control of the states high court flipped. They said local election officials throughout Wisconsin were giving incorrect information on websites, in mailings and at polling places saying voters cant receive help or have someone else return their ballot without making the distinction that such assistance is allowed for voters with disabilities. Disability must be considered a fundamental right to enhance accessibility throughout the country, said Herbert Humphrey, the ADA coordinator for Jackson, Mississippi. Typically, when you hear civil rights, you think about race. But no, civil rights includes the disability community, as well, he said. Disjointed coordination between election authorities and disability advocates has been a persistent problem in Mississippi, especially related to reliable transportation. It was the reason Lee Cole, who is blind, missed a local election in Jackson in January. That frustrated Cole, 74, because she said she tries to vote in every election. I live in senior housing now and we can't always vote because we cant get to the site, and that's unfortunate, she said. Mississippis local and state officials havent been receptive or collaborative, said Greta Kemp Martin, litigation director for Disability Rights Mississippi. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Martin said the group met with Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson to discuss accessibility issues statewide. But Martin said Watson seemed uninterested, except when asking if the group had reached out to the election commission. His attorneys were helpful, but we received no follow-up from them about the issues that we outlined, Martin said. Watson's office said in a statement that it has communicated its efforts to the organization to best assist voters with disabilities in Mississippi and welcomes further dialogue for future elections. Ensuring ADA compliance in localized polling places lies with each county, and the Mississippi Secretary of States Office does not have enforcement authority, the statement said. Whether the designated polling places are county-owned or privately-owned, the counties are responsible for ensuring the polling places they have selected are ADA compliant. Smart devices that could improve the lives of people with disabilities Smart devices that could improve the lives of people with disabilities Voice assistants Video doorbell Smart locks Smart light bulbs Robotic vacuum cleaners Smart security systems Smart watch Smart smoke detector Video-conferencing devices Smart sensors Kevin McSparin has lived on 34th Avenue in Rock Island for 61 of his 65 years. "I was gone for the four years I was in the Navy, that's the only time I haven't lived on this street in this town," McSparin said Wednesday while cleaning up after winds ripped through his neighborhood the day before. "This storm was nothing we have ever seen, I can tell you that, and we've been here for some big ones." The National Weather Service Quad-Cities said the area of Rock Island between 9th Street all the way up to 34th Street experienced "a very strong downdraft with wind gusts that reached 90 mph." As of 7 p.m. Wednesday, around 915 MidAmerican Energy customers in the Illinois Quad-Cities are still without power due to the storms including 618 customers in Rock Island and 229 in Moline. According to a statement from MidAmerican Energy Vice President of Corporate Communications Tina Hoffman, crews worked through the night to restore power and continue to be out in the field today. They expect to have the majority of customers' power on by noon Thursday, and finish restoration completely by Friday morning. Around 20,000 customers lost power during severe weather events Tuesday. McSparin praised the efforts of the city and MidAmerican Energy's crews. "I'll tell you what, I went to bed last night and there were at least five power poles down in this neighborhood," he said. "I woke up this morning and they had replaced all of them. They are doing great work." Much was lost The winds tore away portions of hundreds of homes in on the Illinois side of the Quad-Cities, sent branches big and small flying, and ripped many large trees out by the roots. By Wednesday morning, the roads through many Rock Island neighborhoods from 9th Street all the way up the hill were lined with limbs and chainsawed tree trucks, along with the splintered debris from garages and fences. On the 34th Avenue where McSparin makes his home, the smell of fresh sawdust and pine hung in the air. McSparin lost a 4-car garage and a 2-car garage, which were blown to bits and scattered as far as the tops of trees three blocks away. One of the garages housed his woodworking shop. The other was storage space for heavy equipment. "I had a 2-ton chain hoist in one of the garages, and it is just gone," said McSparin, who was in the process of remodeling his home. "All the drywall I had stored in the garages is either blown away or ruined. "And here's something weird: I had all the tools in my woodworking shop the table saw, the lathe, the joiner I had all those polished, like cast-iron tops. That equipment, I don't know if the storm was electrically charged or what, but all that polished metal was like it was oxidized. It looked rusted." Dave Kraft owns the home on 33rd Avenue directly behind McSparin's home. Much of the debris from McSparin's garages either passed through Kraft's yard, or ended up in it. Karft said his wife, Patty, saw the debris swirling through the neighborhood when the high winds hit. "Ten minutes before the winds came, we were talking to my daughter on the phone and the tornado sirens were going off," he said. "And we were just saying that the sirens go off when it rains and there was probably nothing to worry about. You get desensitized to those sirens. "I went in the basement to do something, and at about 9:30, maybe, my wife starts screaming for me to come up and see the swirl." The Krafts spent Tuesday night in a hotel. Dave Kraft said he fears his insurance company won't get his roof fixed in time. "There are big chunks of the roof gone and if we get more rain, I'm afraid the house will be ruined and the insurance company will want to just bulldoze it," he said. "Losing homes, that's how you lose neighborhoods. It will be a real shame if we can't fix this." Helping hands from neighbors McSparin and Kraft said they learned a lot about people after the storm. "I saw neighbors I'd never seen before, dragging tree limbs out of the road, checking on each other, offering to help," Kraft said. "I saw my neighbors being really good people." McSparin said three co-workers showed up after the storm to offer help, as well as a dozen members of his church, First Free Evangelical Church of Moline. "Those people helped me get a lot of valuable things into my basement where they would be safe," McSparin said. McSparin's daughter, a Marine stationed in Hawaii, and her boyfriend, headed home Wednesday to aid in cleanup. He hadnt seen her since last year when she came back for a family members wedding, but when she showed a higher-up photos of the damage to her fathers home, her commanding officers gave her permission to fly back right away. Shes only back in town until Saturday, but McSparin said hes excited that she gets to come home for a bit. Itll be such a huge thing to have them here to help out, he said. McSparin also spent time walking down the alley with a metal detector so people wouldnt get their tires damaged by sharp metal debris while driving. McSparin said he lost some sentimental items in the storms, like furniture from his grandparents home. You know what, it was just stuff, he said. Cleanup on every aisle in Colona In Colona, where an EF-2 tornado ripped the roof of a combination gas station and Mexican restaurant and deposited it on a neighboring business, cleanup efforts were underway in full force Wednesday. Henry County Office of Emergency Management Director, Mat Schnepple, said a demolition permit was granted to tear down the auto-repair shop that was bracing the weight of the gas station roof. He expected to see the owner hire a contractor and bring demolition crews out soon. Officials had set up hay bales around the business for fear another bout of storms Tuesday night could cause a complete collapse of the building. But those storms proved calmer than initially anticipated, and Schnepple said the building was still standing Wednesday, but leaning dangerously. Schnepple said state agencies were working with local officials to properly dispose of state-controlled substances, like alcohol, tobacco, and lottery tickets before beginning demolition on the Shell gas station and Hacienda Mexican Grill. You cant just throw a bottle of bourbon, case of beer, or pack of smokes in the dumpster, Schnepple said. You dont want a minor to get a hold of them. In the nine years hes worked for Henry County, Schnepple said this is the first EF-2 tornado hes seen in the county. Hes dealt much more with strong straight-line winds, the damage from which tends to be more widespread and impact many more people. This was devastating, but were grateful it was as concentrated as it was, Schnepple said. Photos: Severe storms damage Quad-Cities homes, businesses 040423-qc-nws-weather-01.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-12.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-09.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-07.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-08.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-06.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-10.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-11.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-02.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-03.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-05.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-04.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-31.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-30.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-28.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-24.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-29.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-16.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-23.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-19.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-15.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-18.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-17.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-22.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-26.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-25.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-20.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-27.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-21.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-14.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-13.jpg Photos, videos: Storms in Quad-Cities 040423-qc-nws-weather-12.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-09.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-07.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-08.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-06.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-10.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-11.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-02.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-03.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-05.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-01.jpg 040423-qc-nws-weather-04.jpg 040423-qc-nws-blackhawk 040423-qc-nws-blackhawk01 040423-qc-nws-storm.jpg 040423-qc-nws-storm-01.jpg 040423-qc-nws-storm-02.jpg Watch Now: storm damage from a suspected tornado that passed through 34th Avenue in Rock Island Watch Now: Neighbors near 25th Ave. and 30th St. in Rock Island work to clear up fallen tree Watch Now: Damage along 9th Street in Rock Island Watch Now: Witness talks about tornado near 9th Street in Rock Island Watch Now: Storm damage on 35th Avenue in Rock Island Watch Now: Black Hawk sign blown owver Watch Now: Storm damage aling 11th Street in Rock Island Watch Now: Storm damage at the Rock Island County Health Department Watch now: Hail starts to fall in Davenport Quad Cities area 040423-qc-nws-weather-054 040423-qc-nws-weather-051 040423-qc-nws-weather-090 040423-qc-nws-weather-060 PHOTOS: Storm damage from Tuesday storms Storm photos 1 Storm photos 2 Storm photos 3 Storm photos 4 Storm photos 5 Storm photos 6 Storm photos 7 Storm photos 8 Storm photos 9 Storm photos 10 Theres a new bandleader at Offutt-based U.S. Strategic Command. Same tune, new tone. During congressional testimony last month, StratCom chief Gen. Anthony Cotton urged legislators to keep on track with the modernization of the aging U.S. nuclear triad as a counter to growing threats from Russia, China and North Korea. Cottons message was similar to that of his predecessor in the StratCom command suite, Adm. Charles Richard. But while Richards rhetoric about the threats facing the U.S. grew more apocalyptic as he neared retirement last December, Cotton is taking a less-aggressive approach. He was very shrewd in the way he interacted with the senators, said Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists, an arms-control group. He wasnt creating any enemies. He didnt come out landing hard on a particular path. Cotton called the massive U.S. upgrade that includes development of new ICBMs, ballistic-missile submarines, strategic stealth bombers, and gravity bombs a once in every-other-generation event that will ensure we have capable forces into the 2080s, in a statement delivered March 8 and 9 to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees. Later, during his testimony, Cotton labeled Russias invasion of Ukraine an attempt to undermine the rules-based international order ... by conventional forces backed with nuclear saber-rattling. Chinas rapid nuclear expansion including the current construction of hundreds of missile silos in its remote western desert gives them an alarming number of offensive options that can negatively shape the environment before and during a crisis or conflict, Cotton testified, and is wholly inconsistent with the long-professed policy of minimal deterrence. And North Korea, he added, continues to be a rogue actor and poses a threat to the United States and our allies. Because of these threats, Cotton said, the modernization programs that we have today ... we have lost all margin and we must ensure that those programs are fully funded and executed. In his three years at the helm of StratCom, Richard pulled no punches with his blunt warnings about the threats from Asia. Kristensen called him a gung-ho hard-liner. He made waves in a speech to the Naval Submarine League in which he described the Ukraine war as only a prelude to the big one a prolonged conflict with China, according to the defense website The War Zone. As I assess our level of deterrence against China, the ship is slowly sinking, Richard said. As these curves keep going, it isnt going to matter how good our (operating plan) is or how good our commanders are, or how good our horses are were not going to have enough of them. The War Zone described Richards comments as absolutely some of the most dire we have heard from a top U.S. official in regard to the threat posed by Chinas growing military might. Richards advice sometimes put him at odds with his own commander-in-chief. Last year he counseled Congress to move ahead with building a new submarine-launched nuclear cruise missile (called SLCM-N), a program initiated during the Trump administration but one that President Joe Biden planned to cancel. It is still on the drawing board, and Congress so far has preserved funding. Christopher Yeaw, a nuclear deterrence analyst with the University of Nebraskas National Strategic Research Institute who was an author of the Trump administrations 2018 Nuclear Posture Review, said a weapon with the low-yield capabilities of the SLCM-N is needed because of Russias large edge in tactical nuclear weapons, and Chinas rapid gains. Yeaw called them demonstrably dangerous rivals who wouldnt hesitate to exploit a gap in the U.S. nuclear arsenal. If you dont have an option to respond to a nuclear (threat) with a nuclear option, it looks to the adversary like youre unwilling to respond to nuclear strikes, Yeaw said. Kristensen believes the U.S. doesnt really need an expensive weapon it has lived without for 30 years and would take years to build. He said the U.S. still has a low-yield air-launched cruise missile in its arsenal as well as effective non-nuclear weapons that are less likely to escalate a future conflict. He said Russia and China have more shorter-range, lower-yield weapons because of their need to hit targets that are closer to their own frontiers in places like Italy and Great Britain for Russia, and Japan and South Korea for China. In contrast, almost every potential target for a U.S. strike requires long-range missiles. Theres a fixation on the weapon system. Its not the weapon, its communicating your intentions, Kristensen said. We have to be careful we dont try to mirror our thinking on our adversary. In his congressional testimony, Cotton offered reassurances about StratComs current capabilities while deferring questions about individual weapons systems to a closed, classified hearing. He didnt specifically back the SLCM-N, but he did cite the need for a low-yield, non-ballistic, non-generating weapon system which, stripping away the jargon, matches the sub-launched cruise missile. Under questioning by Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, he acknowledged that SLCM-N would address our adversarys perceived advantage of limited use. Last year, Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer, also a Republican, brokered a bipartisan deal to continue funding for the program. In the March 9 hearing, she urged Cotton to use the unfunded priorities list to seek whatever is needed to counter new threats. Many of the assumptions baked into fiscal year 2024 budget were made in 2021, she said. The geopolitical environment has significantly changed over the last two years. Fischer asked Cotton about the need for the B83 nuclear gravity bomb, a 1.2-megaton monster from the Cold War. It packs three times the atomic punch of any other weapon in the U.S. arsenal and is about 80 times as powerful as the bomb that obliterated part of Hiroshima, Japan, near the end of World War II. Though not designed as a bunker-buster, the B83s main purpose in StratComs modern war plans is to destroy underground command and control facilities, like the ones thought to be beneath Kosvinsky and Yamantau mountains in Russia. The Pentagon calls them hard and deeply buried targets, or HDBTs. At one time, the U.S. kept 660 of the B83s in its arsenal, but now there are only about 50. They are scheduled for retirement in the late 2020s, and no replacement is yet planned. They will require a costly life-extension program if they are to remain ready for use. In his testimony, Cotton told Fischer the Pentagon is nearing completion of a study on how to contend with HDBTs. Whether conventional or nuclear, were going to have a strategy to figure out how to do that, Cotton said. Right now, the B83 is still part of my arsenal. With Chinas military expanding and the U.S. and Russia in conflict over Ukraine, Yeaw doubts the wisdom of scrapping the bomb now. In keeping the B83, the U.S. demonstrates commitment, he said. Is this really the right time for the U.S. to step back? That impression would embolden our adversaries. Cotton advised Congress in a letter earlier this year that China had passed the United States in its number of ICBM launchers, causing alarm on the armed services committees. The U.S. has 450, including 82 in western Nebraska. StratCom has projected that China will field 1,500 warheads by 2035. That number that is still far lower than the U.S. or Russia, which have inventories of more than 5,000 weapons. Still, Kristensen counseled against panic over the Chinese buildup. He noted in a blog post theres no evidence that all of the silos seen on satellite imagery actually contain missiles or that any missiles contain multiple warheads, as StratComs projections have assumed. Kristensen said that projection depends on a lot of worst-case assumptions. And he said past Defense Department predictions regarding our adversaries nuclear strength have often proved to be inflated. We have no way of knowing if the Chinese are going to churn out warheads at that steady rate, Kristensen said. To get to 1,500, you have to assume a worst-case scenario. Photos: Offutt Air Force Base through the years Offutt Air Force Base is named for Lt. Jarvis Offutt the first airman from Omaha killed in World War I. 1891 1952 1956 1957 1959 1961 1962 1962 1967 1970 1989 1992 1997 2000 2000 2003 2006 2012 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2019 2019 Offutt Air Force Base plane at Lincoln Airport Offutt Air Force Base plane at Lincoln Airport Offutt Air Force Base plane at Lincoln Airport Yankton Press & Dakotan. April 4, 2023. Editorial: Legislative Fear And The Commerce Veto The failure of South Dakota lawmakers to override Gov. Kristi Noems veto of an interstate commerce bill last week may have been a sign of fear, according to a state Chamber of Commerce official, but it also may have been an indication of a lack of urgency and understanding of an issue that will become more pressing during next years legislative session. Last week, Dave Owen, president of the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was in Yankton to review what had happened in the 2023 legislative session. That also included assessing the votes that had been sustained in Pierre just three days before. One of those vetoes killed House Bill, 1193, which would have revised the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) regulating finance and trade. The bill has been endorsed nationally, and states have been working to align themselves with the new policy. Its a situation that comes up from time to time and usually passes with few problems. But not this time. The bill was targeted for defeat by some conservative lawmakers because they believed the measure would create government overreach and invade personal freedoms and privacy, the Press & Dakotan reported. These included cryptocurrency issues and worries that it would allow the federal government to create its own digital currency. At the last minute, concerns came up over cryptocurrency and whether bitcoin is or isnt money or whether government should begin to create a (system) that recognizes electronic transfer of money, Owen said. The Uniform Commercial Code is an agreement that all states adopt that regulates how these exchanges are made. I think the opponents managed to confuse the commercial code with monetary policy. The end result, Owen believed, was the stirring up of fear among lawmakers. (HB 1193) got 49 votes in the House, and then (on Veto Day), it got 30 and it needed 47 to override, he said. Facts can rarely conquer fear. Given the fact there is time (until next year) and the governor decided to oppose it, we couldnt get it past her (veto) and the fear that was struck up by the opponents led by your representative (Julie Auch), by the way. At one point, Owen seemed to joke that the issue might pass as an un-debated consent item next winter, but he later added, my prediction is this will get studied and looked at next year. It will pass virtually without comment. Nevertheless, that leaves financial institutions sitting in limbo regarding the legislation. The disadvantage youve left the banking industry in, by not adopting it this year, is that theyre going to have less time to make the changes they need to make in their system programming and the ability to function under the new code, Owen said. Theyll still have six months, but if we dont pass it next year, we start a process of falling out of exchanges. So, there will still be time to address the situation and align South Dakota with upcoming national policy, and that knowledge may have allowed legislators to pass on it amid political turbulence this winter. However, the loss of so many votes on this issue based, perhaps, on fears whipped up by the bills opponents suggests that nothing on the matter can be taken for granted, which could be a real concern next session when the clock will be ticking. Madison Daily Leader. April 2, 2023. Editorial: Fighting for your future It is now more important than ever to be a member of the South Dakota Corn Growers Association. If you dont feel the need to be part of a grassroots commodity group, take a few minutes to read this to find out why we need you in our corner. I joined the South Dakota Corn Growers Association in 2014 and got elected to the board in 2019. Today Im serving as the president. I didnt expect to be in this role, but Im sure glad this is where I ended up. Im a third-generation corn and soybean farmer from Madison. Just like my friends and neighbors who also farm, I believe this is a great way to make a living, and Im proud to raise my four daughters understanding where their food and fuel comes from as well as the hard work thats behind production agriculture. But believe me when I say that farmers are as a group shrinking in size in our great country, that is indeed a fact. Why does all this matter? When Congress starts laying out their policies that affect the agricultural community, who do you think they look to for direction? They look to commodity groups. This past January, U.S. Sen. John Thune hosted his Farm Bill Roundtable for all South Dakota commodity groups. This was our opportunity to provide our insight as to what we feel are important policy points specifically for South Dakota corn farmers. Important things like protecting crop insurance, increasing reference price and loan rates, modernizing the Farm Bill safety net through a mandatory base acre update, and increasing maximum loan rates for farm ownership programs at FSA. Did you know that more than 40% of the Representatives serving in the U.S. House of Representatives have never voted on a Farm Bill? And I guarantee you many have never stepped a foot on a farm. If we arent able to represent corn farmers uniquely in South Dakota, who would? When a derecho destroyed our grain storage facilities in 2022, the SDCGA stepped up to get CCC funding for farmers who were devastated from this natural disaster. On March 9, the USDA announced that eligible farmers in South Dakota will be able to apply for a cost share to rebuild their on-farm storage. These are just a couple of extremely important reasons why we need you as part of our organization. Simply put, the more members we have the more we can effectively engage in situations that not only affect us today but for generations to come. Its easy to join and it probably costs less than it would to spend a night out on the town, but it sure makes a lot bigger impact. Hope to see your name on the roster at our next annual meeting. END It will be a cold day in Sioux City, with temperatures in the 30s. The forecast calls for it to be a bitter 37 degrees. A 23-degree low is forecasted. Expect periods of sun and clouds. Very windy conditions are expected Wednesday in Sioux City, with forecast models showing 28 mph wind conditions coming up from Northwest. This report is created automatically with weather data provided by TownNews.com. For more daily forecast information, visit siouxcityjournal.com. K-pop artist Rain performs during the "K-Culture Night" concert, held at the outdoor theater area of the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae District, Wednesday, to celebrate the city's bid to host the upcoming World Expo 2030. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul By Lee Gyu-lee Busan held a star-studded concert, Wednesday, to celebrate its bid to host the upcoming World Expo 2030, welcoming a delegation from the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), an intergovernmental organization overseeing and regulating World Expos. The "K-Culture Night" concert, which took place at the outdoor theater area of the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae District, invited classical and K-pop artists to provide an opportunity for the delegation to experience the country's music culture which has recently boomed internationally. K-pop girl group Oh My Girl kicked off the show with a performance, followed by Seongnam Philharmonic Orchestra led by the famous conductor Gum Nan-se. The orchestra played the soundtracks of popular movies, such as "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Star Wars" K-pop girl group, Oh My Girl, gave the first performance during the "K-Culture Night" concert. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul World-class soprano Sumi Jo, who made history as the first Korean Grammy winner in 1992, highlighted the first part of the concert, performing "Adagio" and "Je Veux Vivre." The artist also performed "We Will Be One," an official song dedicated to supporting Busan's bid to host the World Expo 2030. She is one of the official ambassadors for the city's bid, along with other cultural icons like BTS and Lee Jung-jae. Other ambassadors, the rock band KARDI and rapper Wonstein, set off the second part of the show. Then, the globally popular K-pop artists iKON and Rain topped it off, showcasing their performances. The concert is part of the city's efforts to show the delegation its ability to host the high-profile international event. Busan is competing with Saudi Arabia's Riyadh, Italy's Rome and Ukraine's Odesa to host the Expo. Russia's Moscow withdrew its bid last May. "We've prepared to offer an honest picture of K-culture, like Korea's movies and performances, by organizing a concert at the outdoor theater venue, which is used as the main stage of the Busan International Film Festival every year," an official at the Busan Cinema Center said ahead of the event. A delegation from the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), an intergovernmental organization supervising World Expos, enjoys the "K-Culture Night" concert. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul Chicagos next mayor will be a Black teacher and union organizer, voters decided in a runoff election on Tuesday. Brandon Johnson defeated former schools chief Paul Vallas to become the most left-wing mayor to take charge of a big U.S. city since Bill de Blasio was elected in New York City a decade ago. His victory shows that residents of this heartland metropolis werent buying the narrative, popular among Beltway types, that cities have become burned-out slums that can only be brought to order by unrestrained policing. Instead, the results suggest, conservatives may be the ones who are vulnerable to voters concernsabout deteriorating public services and the perception that they have only one idea to reduce crime. Advertisement Well, sort of. Johnson squeaked by Vallas by 15,000 votes in a city of 2,700,000, so its fair to say that different people have different views of what ails Chicago and how to fix it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Regardless, its Johnsons show now. He has been dealt a tough hand: A slumbering central business district, a public school system that has lost a fifth of its students in 10 years, an unreliable public transit system, and a murder count thats higher than it has been since the 1990s. Some of these issues he has in common with other big-city mayors still reckoning with the fallout from a tumultuous 2020. But the first test for Johnson, in particular, will be with the police. Throughout his campaign, he argued that fighting crime required a new approach that starts with reversing decades of under investment in our youth, mental health services, and victim support, and had to re-assure voters that he did not literally plan to defund the police. Advertisement The police union endorsed his opponent. Police union head John Catanzara predicted that as many as 1,000 police officers would resign if Johnson won the election. In an interview with the New York Times last week, Catanzara said: If this guy gets in were going to see an exodus like weve never seen before, and predicted blood in the streets. It sounds like a threat, and it might have been one. Other big-city politicians who have tried to oppose police priorities have found themselves with undeclared work stoppages on their hands. After two NYPD officers were murdered in 2014, police took some time off, with arrests falling by 66 percent and traffic policing all but suspended. In May 2015, the month after Freddie Gray died in the back of a police van in Baltimore, the number of arrests in Charm City fell to 1,117from 3,801 in May 2014! After two Buffalo police were suspended for shoving a 75-year-old man to the ground in June 2020, sending him to the hospital for a month with a traumatic brain injury, the entire emergency response team resigned. And in San Francisco, residents and politicians suspect police started slacking off during the tenure of the progressive district attorney Chesa Boudin. Sure enough, in the months after he was replaced in a recall election, police stepped up enforcement by double digits. Advertisement Advertisement The joke is, isnt that what progressive politicians wanted from police in the first place? In Johnsons case, the answer is: No. Johnsons emphasis has been on new priorities, including promoting 200 officers to detective rank to solve serious crimes and establishing an illegal gun unit, not on getting police to spend more time on their phones. Hell be wary of the precedent in Baltimore, for example, where crime rose significantly as police withdrew from their work. In any case, the police work stoppage is only partly about showing politicians that crime rises when cops arent around. (It has to bebecause sometimes crime does go up, but sometimes it doesnt.) The lesson is bigger, and scarier: Its that you may be the mayor, but we make our own rules. Of course, maybe the Chicago police will do their best to help their new mayor bring down the incidence of murder and other violent crime. Maybe Johnson will so deftly handle Catanzaras antics that even hardcore Paul Vallas supporters come around to his side. Its not going to be easy, but then this is a mayor who used to teach middle schoolers. There were only five or so people for Trump when I got there at 9 a.m. One, hoisting a large American flag over his shoulder, patiently gave interviews to reporters who queued up in front of him. (Yes, there was actually a line.) One Trump supporter was guarded by Comedy Central security as she was mock-interviewed by the Daily Shows Jordan Klepper. A little while later, a new arrival appeared and took off his coat, revealing some ill-fitting American flagprint overalls with seemingly nothing underneath. He raised his fist and chanted weakly, using an indoor voice, Trump, Trump, Trump Within seconds, he was swarmed by two dozen photographers. Advertisement Outside Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday, the energy picked up some as Trump neared to face his indictment on 34 felony charges. But it was mostly just more of the same. Soon came a group of six Black men wearing Blacks for Trump T-shirts, along with another man carrying a giant flag that read Trump or Death. All were promptly swarmed. Paying somebody hush money isnt a crime! the Trump or Death guy shouted into an obliging reporters microphone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The media is acting worse than TMZ, said Tony Lopez, who came to downtown Manhattan from the Bronx. Theyre taking advantage of a man in overalls. This should be a campaign for national mental health. I asked him what the press should be doing instead. Relaxing, measuring their blood pressure, he said. (Fair.) Trump called out for his supporters, which is the media. The media gave him a billion dollars worth of free advertising, and theyre doing it again. When he said to his supporters, come out, they did not fail him. Advertisement Asked why he was here, too, he laughed. I took off to see the circus, he said. I arrived that afternoon as someone who has seen the full force of what Trump goading his supporters can bring. On Jan. 6, 2021, in D.C., I watched him tell a furious crowd, We fight like hell. And if you dont fight like hell, youre not going to have a country anymore. That day, they listened. The former president reprised similar rhetoric in the past couple weeks. And some of the reporters outside the courthouse had seen firsthand the power he used to summon at his rallies even before he was president. There was undeniable reason to be there. Advertisement Yet I wasnt alone in questioning some things professionally on Tuesday. When I tried to talk to other journalists present about how they were feeling, a couple yelled at me. Others wearily engaged, but made sure I wouldnt use their names. As a media photographer from Chicago who actually did volunteer his name put it, Whats really amusing about it is when you get a charismatic protester, its like bees to honey with the press. He added: Im just as guilty. Advertisement As time passed, the protesters and the counterprotesters got bored. Neither had much to show for themselves. Go get another mask! a Trump supporter yelled at a counterprotester. Go get another Big Gulp! her target shouted back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It got crowded when Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was scheduled to make a speech. She was in and out in about 10 minutes. I stood just two feet from her megaphone, and I could barely make out anything she was saying. Counterprotesters had passed out whistles and noisemakers, and I can confidently say that very few, despite all the hype, heard a word. After I was able to escape the squeeze of about 100 people trying to get as close to the congresswoman as possible, I stood for a while goofing off with a Trump impersonator. I asked him what he thought of the turnout to his arraignment. I told them you need strength and stamina, OK, he said. Peacefully, but youve got to be very angry. Very angry. Extremely angry. Peacefully. We call it peaceful anger. Advertisement The New York Police Department, which was out in force for the event, had divided the park into two halves to keep the opposing sides separated. It all proceeded predictably, depressingly: Three gay men on the anti-Trump side shouted and cursed at a woman. She responded using anti-gay slurs. On the anti-Trump side, a group resisted when a Fox News reporter entered, yelling, Get the hell out! A man took an impressive hit of a joint and blew the smoke into the reporters face. She strolled away, uncaringly. Advertisement Advertisement On the edges of the barricaded sections, where most people were shouting at each other, two people managed to have a conversation. Maverick (his real name), a Trump supporter, asked Juliette on the anti-Trump side if she worried at all that the case could set a dangerous precedent. I do, but people should be accountable to their crimes, she answered. She asked him if he thought it was possible that Trump was taking advantage of people like him to get out of trouble. He conceded that might be true. Well, it was a pleasure talking to you, he said. Good talking to you, too, she said. Advertisement Advertisement I asked them separately afterward if they learned anything from the interaction. They both gave similar answersessentially, that it might be worth spending some time off the internet. I think we all need to get off Twitter for a little while. Were all keyboard warriors, Juliette said. Advertisement All the same, it continued. Trump side: Liberals are a mental disturbance! Anti-Trump side: Your mother is a mental disturbance! A man with an American flag walked back and forth chanting, Two genders! Advertisement When Trump finally arrived, there were cheers from his opposition. His supporters seemed a little circumspect, which is not what I was used to. A woman who said she was from Manhattan sat on a bench nearby, her head in her hands. I just cant believe they did this, she told me. Its not clear what will come from this prosecutionwhether the case will be too weak, or if the other cases the former president is facing will prove to be stronger. Some polls report this one has made Trumps 2024 presidential run stronger, though his presumed main challenger, Ron DeSantis of Florida, has yet to declare his candidacy. At the very least, the scene outside the court suggested that Trumps most fervent base is waiting to see what happens. The reporters there, angry or not, were clearly assessing a new playing field in real time. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, just one block from this park in every direction, New York City went on normally. Jerrica had just left the court building where Trump was still being arraigned dressed in a gorgeous wedding gown. I told her I was happy for her. Im happy for myself! But I didnt know I was going to come outside to this chaos, she said. Its something Im going to remember for the rest of my life. I asked if I could take her photo with the chaos behind her. She said no, climbed into a taxi, and drove off. Based on what I have seen so far, the decision to charge Donald Trump with felonies in New York state is a mistake both legally and politically. First, the legal problems. Back in 2018, I wrote at Slate that Donald Trumps payments of hush money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to keep her from speaking and hurting his 2016 U.S. presidential chances was likely a federal campaign finance crime. The feds should have charged him, but they did not, perhaps because of political interference from Trumps then-attorney general, Bill Barr. Advertisement The federal case would not have been a slam dunk, because there were big legal and factual issues. Legally, some have argued that these payments were personal expenses, not campaign expenses, even if shutting Daniels up would have helped Trump politically, too. Factually, to turn a campaign finance violation into a criminal one, prosecutors would have to prove that Trump knew he was violating campaign finance laws and did so willfully. Proving intent can always be tricky. Just ask those who (unsuccessfully) prosecuted former Senator John Edwards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As difficult as that case would have been, I favored bringing it because I thought there was a good legal argument that these payments were campaign-related and there was strong enough evidence that a jury should decide the question. In addition to the evidence of the time provided by Trumps attorney Michael Cohen, we later learned through the Department of Justices non-prosecution agreement with the National Enquirers parent company, AMI, that Trump had a deal in place with AMI to catch and kill potentially damaging stories, such as Daniels. In that non-prosecution agreement, AMI stipulated that the purpose of the catch-and-kill deal was to bolster Trumps candidacy. This evidence would have proven critical had any federal charges actually occurred, as I said at the time they might. Advertisement The New York state case, however, presents additional legal hurdles. New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg has charged Trump with falsifying business records through reimbursement payments to Cohen over a nondisclosure payment to Daniels. Such falsifications are misdemeanors. In order to turn them into felonies under New York law, Trump has to have been found to have committed this offense in order to conceal or in furtherance of other crime. So in addition to proving the intent to commit false business records, the DA also will have to prove intent to commitor concealment ofanother crime. The indictment itself does not mention what the other crimes are, and the accompanying statement of facts refers vaguely to campaign finance charges by referencing the guilty plea of Michael Cohen to federal campaign finance crimes related to paying off Daniels. During his press conference on Tuesday, Bragg indicated that those other crimes were state and federal campaign finance violations, as well as the covering up of a separate false records violation by AMI. The indictment does offer an allegation of Trumps election-related intent: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Defendant directed Lawyer A to delay making a payment to Woman 2 as long as possible. He instructed Lawyer A that if they could delay the payment until after the election, they could avoid paying altogether, because at that point it would not matter if the story became public. As reflected in emails and text messages between and among Lawyer A, Lawyer B, and the AMI Editor-in-Chief, Lawyer A attempted to delay making payment as long as possible. Nonetheless, this new theory still has the old problems the federal case would have, but it also has new, more serious ones. Most importantly, it is far from clear that Trump could be liable for state campaign finance crimes as a federal candidate. Moreover, state prosecutors may be precluded from prosecuting federal candidates for federal crimes under a rule called preemption, meaning they have to be brought by federal authorities rather than state authorities. These are thorny issues that likely will have to be resolved by appeals courts over years. Advertisement These legal problems raise the political issues with bringing these claims against Trump as a felony based on proving other crimes that might not be proven and which rely on complex legal theories. Advertisement Advertisement It is said that if you go after the king, you should not miss. In this vein, it is very easy to see this case tossed for legal insufficiency or tied up in the courts well past the 2024 election before it might ever go to trial. It will be a circus that will embolden Trump, especially if he walks. Trump is not above the law, and if they can prove the misdemeanors, then by all means they should go after him. (However, there may be statute of limitations issues around those.) But this kind of case can give credence to Trump claims of a witch hunt. Advertisement Advertisement As I wrote back in Slate in 2012 about the John Edwards case, it seems bad public policy to allow prosecutors to bring novel and difficult claims against politicians, in part because they may do so for political rather than legal reasons. I would much rather see Trump prosecuted for concealing classified documents or for interfering with the 2020 election and seeking to disrupt Congress counting of the Electoral College votes. Those are cases that are on much more solid legal and factual ground. I would rather see the fire aimed where it belongs: at Trumps attempts to undermine American democracy and interfere with the peaceful transition of power during the 2020 election. Those kinds of prosecutions can help to support the rule of law. This one may undermine it. On Monday, a former Maryland state official named Roy McGrath died after a confrontation with FBI officers who were attempting to apprehend him near Knoxville, Tennessee. (Its not clear whether McGrath was fatally shot by officers or his own gun.) Hed been a fugitive from justice since March 13, when he missed a court appearance in Baltimore at which he was set to face charges of fraud and theft that centered on a $233,000 severance payment he arranged for himself to receive as he was leaving the Maryland Environmental Service to work as former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogans chief of staff. Advertisement Its a strange story! Lets discuss. Who was Roy McGrath? McGrath, for most of his adult life, worked at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, a D.C.-area industry organization, eventually becoming the groups vice president of business development and conventions. He worked on Hogans unsuccessful run for Congress in 1992, then became part of Hogans transition team when Hogan (a Republican who is relatively socially liberal and has been critical of Donald Trump) was elected to the Maryland governorship in 2014. After that, he served as Hogans deputy chief of staff and then as the director of MES, an independent state agency whose actual functions involve things like sewers and do not need to be discussed in this article. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None of this screams future subject of deadly fugitive gunfire to me. No. Former colleagues who spoke about McGrath to the Washington Post described him as detail-oriented, kind of awkward, and, uh, a business person. So what happened? In 2020 Hogan asked McGrath to become his chief of staff. In the course of leaving MES, McGrath asked its board to approve a $233,647 severance payout. In the words of the Baltimore Banner, Board members later testified under oath that they had reservations about making the payout, but agreed when McGrath led them to believe that Hogan had given his blessing. In August 2020, the Baltimore Sun reported on the payments existence, and four days later, McGrath resigned. Advertisement Hogan denied that he had approved the payout and told the press that after some information-gathering, he had concluded that it was inappropriate. Being hung out to dry like this by someone hed known for a long time seems to have really ticked McGrath off. Well hear more about that in a minute. Uh-oh. State legislators and law enforcement authorities both began investigating McGraths departure from MES, and he was charged in October 2021 with having lied to obtain the severance payment, arranging about $40,000 in other inappropriate benefits for himself, and asking to alter the minutes of an MES board meeting to hide information. Later, he was also charged with fabricating a memowhich he gave to the Washington Postpurporting to show that Hogan had approved of his compensation by literally putting a blue check mark in a box next to the word approved. Advertisement Advertisement An allegedly fabricated memo check mark? This is a details-oriented administrators scandal. Indeed, but it escalated beyond the realm of typical white-collar crime this March, when McGrath simply failed to appear in Baltimore for his trial in federal district court. He had been living previously (with the approval of the court) in Naples, Florida, but when sheriffs deputies there checked his house, he was gone. Advertisement And he was eventually found in Tennessee. Yes, but not before someone going by the name Ryan C. Cooper self-published two e-books about the situationBetrayed: The True Story of Roy McGrath and Betrayed: The True Story of Maryland Environmental Service (The True Story of Roy McGrath Book 2)that are available on Amazon. According to the Baltimore Banner, the first book asserts that McGrath was politically undermined, attacked, and ultimately persecuted and prosecuted in a collusion orchestrated by Hogan, who is also referred to as Lyin Larry. The Banner additionally says the book is also full of petty personal complaints and gripes about various officials in the Hogan administration. (None of the outlets that covered the book say it includes verifiable evidence that McGrath was innocent of the crimes for which he was charged. Theres also no evidence that Hogan, who is sometimes discussed as a potential third-party presidential candidate, ever lied about his knowledge of McGraths payout.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Are the books by McGrath? McGrath had told the Post previously that he was writing a book about his experiences, but the Betrayed titles describe him in the third person. For what its worth, a Banner reporter who spoke briefly to an individual identifying himself as Ryan C. Cooper wrote that Cooper did not sound like McGrath on the phone. Cooper told the Banner that he was a former Maryland resident living in Florida who had simply taken an interest in McGraths case and helped him describe his viewpoint. Did McGrath ever explain why he became a fugitive? Not that we know of. Nor is it clear whether McGrath meant to engage with the FBI agents who attempted to arrest him outside the shopping center where he was tracked down. According to the Washington Post, a law enforcement document describing the incident asserts that McGrath is believed to have shot himself during the encounter and that agents also fired on him, but its unclear what weapon caused the fatal wound. Advertisement Advertisement So why did he turn to a life of crime? According to a Democratic lawmaker who spoke to the Banner, McGraths problems began when he tried to begin running MES like he was a Fortune 500 CEO, instead of the executive director of a part of state government. The expenses hed later be criticized for included payments for travel to locations including Italy; Tucson, Arizona; and Disney World. Perhaps after a long career of helping Larry Hogan and the CEOs of chain drugstores enjoy their wildly glamorous (?) lifestyles, Roy McGrath decided that he damn well deserved his turn to live like a top dogand that no one, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, was going to stop him. Just hours after he was indicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, former President Donald Trump was busy painting himself as a victim. The only crime I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it, he told supporters at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday evening. This is a persecution, not a prosecution. It was not a new message; Trump and his team had been hitting similar notes all week, spinning a narrative of a system rigged against him in the lead-up to his arraignment. Advertisement Earlier in the week, Trump shared polls showing that his followers thought the whole thing was politically motivated; alleged that District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who is Black, was racist, funded by George Soros, and acting on Bidens behalf; and argued that Bragg was ignoring violent crimes in order to pursue his political interests. (That wasnt the only poll he shared; he also posted informal ones that showed him performing better than DeSantis.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These attacksand his more concerning call, before the indictment, to TAKE OUR NATION BACKled the judge to warn Trump on Tuesday afternoon not to incite any more unrest. That talking-to apparently wasnt direct enough to warn Trump off accusing the prosecutors of being criminals themselves. Advertisement But while he struck a confident tone on social media, Trump is reportedly stressed that hes facing criminal charges. His aides told the New York Times that his bravado seemed to be masking a deeper anxiety, and he did not look particularly happy or energized during his briefly televised walk through the hallway of the courthouse. So, when Trump made his way through a packed ballroom to Lee Greenwoods God Bless the USA and took the mic, many were curious to see how the former president would present the developments of the day. Over the course of less than 30 minutes, Trump packed in a litany of grievances and boasts. He promoted familiar lies about the election, social media censorship, and Hunter Biden. He complained that New York had become crime-ridden and terrible. He ranted about the various legal efforts against him, to boos from the crowd, and railed against the Soros-backed district attorney. (George Soros has donated to a PAC that funded a number of liberal candidates, one of whom was Bragg. The connection is indirect.) Advertisement Advertisement Repeating a favorite phrase, he said the charges against him are an insult to our country, as the world is already laughing at us. These are Trumps usual talking points when he faces serious accusations. And none of this is very newexcept, perhaps, his ominous rants about Biden bringing the world to the brink of nuclear World War III because the war in Ukraine is happening while he is president. Advertisement But there is a strategy connecting these rants. Trumps legal team plans to hammer heavily the idea of political persecution by connecting all the various investigations into Trumps potential wrongdoing, and portraying them as a unified, partisan crusade. In his speech, Trump did this by running down a list of enemies, vilifying everyone investigating him. Bragg is a criminal who should be prosecuted, and Letitia James, the attorney general of New York (whom Trump called a young lady), is, along with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, another racist in reverse. Advertisement He called Juan Merchan, who is presiding over the New York case, a Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and family whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris. Trump had gone after Merchan earlier in the week, but the attacks dialed up on Tuesday, after both Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump shared photos of Merchans daughter on social media. Advertisement Advertisement And he repeatedly called Jack Smith, the special counsel investigating Trumps efforts to overturn the election as well as his handling of classified documents, a lunatic. In the days between the indictment and his surrender, Trump hit a number of related notes meant to weaponize his victimhood: The indictment was not just an attack on him but AN ATTACK ON OUR COUNTRY THE LIKES OF WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE. It was also an attack on elections and showed just how corrupt our country has become. (THE USA IS NOW A THIRD WORLD NATION, he said at one point. OUR COUNTRY IS GOING TO HELL, he said at another.) No man had ever been investigated as much as he had, for such blatantly political reasons. (THIS MUST MAKE ME THE MOST HONEST AND HONORABLE MAN ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.) And the sham investigation was particularly galling because authorities should instead be looking into Hunter Biden, etc. Advertisement Advertisement The day of the arraignment, before arriving at the courthouse to surrender, he had a particular complaint about the rigging of it all: VERY UNFAIR VENUE, WITH SOME AREAS THAT VOTED 1% REPUBLICAN. THIS CASE SHOULD BE MOVED TO NEARBY STATEN ISLAND. But perhaps the most effective spin Trumps team has put on the charges was that this political endeavor was a threat not just to him but to all of his good, honest supporters and their vision of America. In a post Trump amplified, Texas Rep. Wesley Hunt declared, If they can come for him, they can come for you. Our judicial system is not blind or just, it has been weaponized by dangerous people hellbent on remaking our nation into something unrecognizable. Advertisement In his speech on Tuesday, Trump bemoaned that I never thought anything like this could happen in America. But even if he were miserable, he and his team were trying to use the moment to capitalize on his narrative. His campaign has been pushing Not Guilty T-shirts. CNN reported that Trumps videographer was documenting the surrender behind the scenes, for use later for political reasons. An anonymous source told Rolling Stone that Trump was given the option to be arraigned over Zoom and opted instead for the dramatic moment at the Manhattan courthouse. And in his speech, he said he would not settle over his various charges, for obvious political reasons. Our heads are held high, he said. I want no part of that. So here we are. Welcome to Source Notes, a Future Tense column about the internets information ecosystem. Believe it or not, the hottest controversy on Wikipedia right now isnt about Elon Musk, Donald Trump, or ChatGPT. In fact, its something seemingly more distant: the history of Jews in Poland during World War II. The vast majority of controversies between Wikipedia editors are handled locally by the contributors working on those articles without a formal dispute-resolution process. Only a handful of controversies rise to the level where the Arbitration Committeeessentially Wikipedias Supreme Courtagrees to get involved. There were only seven last year, and six the year prior. But an explosive academic essay published by professors Jan Grabowski and Shira Klein in February about Wikipedias coverage of the Holocaust in Poland spurred ArbCom to review the matter, opening a new case on March 13 after finding the topics articles to be broken and its editorial culture toxic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of now, the tribunal is collecting hundreds upon hundreds of page edits known as diffs, digital evidence from more than a decades worth of bitter back-and-forth changes. ArbComs final decision on the case is scheduled for May 11, but those who are looking for Wikipedias highest court to issue a ruling on the historical truth might want to temper their expectations. It is hard to convey the sheer magnitude of the underlying historical tragedies at issueFrom 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany murdered some 6 million Jews. Roughly half of these victims had resided in Poland, which claimed prewar Europes largest Jewish population. The Auschwitz complex of concentration and extermination camps was located in Poland, as were others. Advertisement The suffering of Polands non-Jewish population was also extraordinary, even by the standards of World War II. Poland was the only nation to be attacked simultaneously by the Third Reich and the Soviet Union, both of whom rejected Polands right to exist as a sovereign nation and set about eliminating the countrys political, cultural, and military elites. More than 2 million non-Jewish Poles are estimated to have perished during the war, which left the country in ruins. Advertisement Polish Jews and the broader nation of Poland were thus victims of previously unimaginable horrors, and acknowledging one tragedy, and the suffering of one population, shouldnt detract from the other. But the historical record remains subject to intense political scrutiny, unresolved wounds, and understandable sensitivities. Grabowski, a professor of history at the University of Ottawa, points to a narrative that has emerged among some Polish people that World War II was a period when the nation achieved the peak of moral virtue in resisting the Nazis. According to Grabowski, this interpretation of events is far too simplistic. While it is true that Poland did not have an organized, institutional collaboration with the Germans, as was seen in many European countries, the country experienced some of the same antisemitism that prevailed elsewhere in Europe, and Grabowski has researched cases of Polish involvement in the suffering of its own Jewish population. The Holocaust itself remains a fiery political topic in modern Polish politics. In 2018, the countrys current right-wing populist government passed legislation that penalized any public speech attributing responsibility for the genocide to Poland. The law was met with widespread international criticism for its infringement on free speech and academic freedom. As a result of the backlash, the Polish government removed criminal prosecution from the law, although individuals can still face charges in civil court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This extended historical discourseand the charged political atmospherehas long been playing out on Wikipedia, and Grabowskis own article has become one of the battlegrounds. In the academic essay that prompted ArbCom to take the case, Grabowski and Klein, a professor at Chapman University, write, In the last decade, a group of committed Wikipedia editors have been promoting a skewed version of history on Wikipedia, one touted by right-wing Polish nationalists, which whitewashes the role of Polish society in the Holocaust and bolsters stereotypes about Jews. Based on their review of 25 public-facing Wikipedia articles and nearly 300 of Wikipedias back pages, Grabowski and Klein argue that this distortionist group of editors has spread misinformation about Polish society on Wikipedia and minimized the extent of Polish antisemitism during World War II. Advertisement One striking example of misinformation that formerly appeared on Wikipedia was the fake Nazi death camp, which was first reported by Omer Benjakob for Haaretz, the Israeli newspaper. From 2004 to 2019, the Wikipedia entry for the Warsaw Concentration Camp stated that the Nazis killed more than 200,000 ethnic Poles via gas chambers at KL Warschau, even though there is no credible evidence that KL Warschau was an extermination camp. Some Wikipedians have suggested that this misinformation crept in due to Wikipedias lax sourcing standards in its early years. Other Wikipedia editors believe that it was a deliberate attempt by Polish revisionists to distort the facts by suggesting that ethnic Polish and Jewish people suffered in similar ways. The death camp misinformation appeared on Wikipedia for 15 years before the article was completely rewritten in August 2019, and is one of many examples recounted by Grabowski and Klein. Advertisement Advertisement Although their academic essay is quite critical of Wikipedia, Klein told me that she is not opposed to the website and in fact supervises students involved in the Wiki Ed educational program. Wikipedia is amazingits free, gets updated constantly, and because anyone can edit it, it gives voice to marginalized groups so long ignored by traditional encyclopedias, she said in an email. I dont think we need to do away with Wikipedia. However, we do need to stop those who abuse it. Advertisement Sometimes that abuse is relatively easy to identify. In 2019, ArbCom disciplined the two editors most involved in this subject area, instituting a topic ban for their incivility and inflammatory rhetoric. But what about the more insidious cases when there are no blatant signs of harassment? Wikipedians told me that these civil disputes are much more challenging to resolve because of a key jurisdictional issue: ArbCom has authority to decide on user conduct disputes but is not permitted to rule on article content. Advertisement There is something deeply unsatisfying about this dichotomy. The connection between conduct and content is so contingent. You can be polite and wrong, and you can be rude and right, said David Nelken, a law professor who studies dispute processing on Wikipedia as an emerging example of transnational law. Then again, Wikipedias volunteer arbitrators arent necessarily lawyers or subject matter experts. Instead, they are highly experienced editors who have been entrusted by the sites community. Content is beyond their scope to judge. History is beyond their scope to resolve. Advertisement Advertisement I asked Klein about potential reforms. When something is said with enough force and confidence, it just looks really persuasive, even if its complete nonsense, she said. In this kind of case, Wikipedia needs more expertise. It needs academia. (The Wikipedia user Piotrus, one of the alleged distortionists, seemed to agree with this point. I am a big proponent of getting scholars to edit Wikipedia, he said in an interview. We need subject matter experts on Wikipedia, including Grabowski and Klein.) Advertisement Could experts really save Wikipedia? On the one hand, there is a lot to be said for greater collaboration between scholars and Wikipedia; after all, Wiki pages often have far more reach and page views than traditional scholarly papers. But some Wikipedians are understandably cautious about handing the site over to an exclusive club of specialists. Previous experiments have flopped, such as Nupediathe predecessor to Wikipediawhich required volunteer contributors with appropriate subject matter expertise for every article. That project was shut down in 2003 after producing only 21 articles during its inaugural year. Advertisement Contentious issues, moreover, dont cease being contentious when experts are called in, and there are other ways that involving experts in Wikipedias adjudicative process could backfire in future cases. Consider the two other topics that, along with the Holocaust in Poland, Wikipedia has placed in its highest category of concern: IndiaPakistan and IsraelPalestine. If the precedent is established to invite experts into an ArbCom trial, each side would enlist its own champion advocate in Court TV fashion. The volunteer arbitrators would have to decide who won the battle of experts, despite having no formal qualifications to do so. Advertisement Advertisement More fundamentally, looping in experts at a content trial would undercut the ethos of Wikipedia. The spirit of the site is that volunteer editors curate information by following certain policies, such as using reliable sources. So long as those policies are followed, its not supposed to make a difference whether experts are actually involved in the article-making process. But that doesnt mean Wikipedia is helpless to correct course when things go awry. Since Grabowski and Klein published their paper, a few of the most egregious distortions have been removed from Wikipedia. This happened in part due to an injection of fresh blood. New Wikipedians have taken an interest in this subject matter, contributors from outside of what one user described as the usual cartels. Thats the hope: Once an issue has been spotlighted by the outside world, Wikipedians are capable of handling it themselves. Advertisement But are they always? Consider the example of TrangaBellam, a Wikipedia user from India who is based in the Netherlands. After Grabowski and Klein published their essay, TrangaBellam sought to bring her outsiders perspective to this topic area and support the cleanup effort. But when she tried to update these Wikipedia pages, she was met with what she described as a pretty hostile reception. The usual cabal was fiercely territorial about these articles, reverting her changes and implying that no newbies were allowed. Clearly, a small group of Wikipedia editors seems to be trying to exhaust the other side until they no longer have the time or energy to fight. As one editor who has retired from this space put it: the sheer tiredness that the entire topic area elicits in me. Its a cesspit of battleground behavior. If theres a silver lining to Wikipedia taking up the case, it could be this: Battleground behavior is a conduct issue that is clearly within ArbComs scope. While we may not expect justice in terms of Wikipedia settling the truth, something truthful may emerge by other means. Until then, the Wikipedia editors at the center of the controversy have been vigorously defending their actions in the court of public opinion, citing sustained off-Wiki harassment and reputational damage. Their situation serves as a stark reminder that the boundary between real life and Wikipedia activity can be perilously thin, and that engaging with this painful history poses risks for everyone involved. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued an urgent reminder to taxpayers, businesses, and tax professionals to stay vigilant against the annual Dirty Dozen list of tax scams throughout the year, not just during tax season. These scams typically peak during tax filing season as individuals prepare their tax returns, but can occur all year round, as fraudsters continuously look for new ways to steal money, personal information, and data. To help people guard against these scams, the IRS and the Security Summit partners have released an overview that recaps this years Dirty Dozen scams. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel warned that scammers are consistently inventing new tactics to steal information from taxpayers. He advises people to avoid sharing sensitive personal data over the phone, email, or social media, and to remain skeptical if a tax deal seems too good to be true. Since 2015, the Security Summit, a collaborative effort between the IRS, state tax agencies, and the nations tax industry, including tax professionals, has been warning people about common scams and schemes during tax season and beyond that can increase the risk of identity theft. The Security Summit initiative is committed to protecting taxpayers, businesses, and the tax system from scammers and identity thieves. The 2023 Dirty Dozen list includes a mix of new items and returning scams. While the list is not a legal document or a formal listing of agency enforcement priorities, it serves to alert taxpayers and the tax professional community about various scams and schemes. Some of the most notable scams on the 2023 Dirty Dozen list include: Employee Retention Credit claims Taxpayers should be aware of aggressive pitches from scammers who promote large refunds related to the Employee Retention Credit (ERC). These schemes often involve promoters advertising on radio and the internet, touting refunds involving Employee Retention Credits based on inaccurate information related to eligibility and computation of the credit. Phishing and smishing Taxpayers and tax professionals should be alert to fake communications from those posing as legitimate organizations in the tax and financial community, including the IRS and the states. Unsolicited texts (smishing) or emails (phishing) lure unsuspecting victims into providing valuable personal and financial information that can lead to identity theft. False Fuel Tax Credit claims The fuel tax credit is designed for off-highway business and farming use, and as such, is not available to most taxpayers. However, unethical tax return preparers and promoters are enticing taxpayers to inflate their refunds by erroneously claiming the credit. Fake charities Bogus charities become a larger problem whenever a crisis or natural disaster occurs. Scammers set up these fake organizations to take advantage of the publics generosity, seeking money and personal information, which can be used to exploit victims through identity theft further. Unscrupulous tax return preparers Most tax preparers provide outstanding and professional service. However, people should be careful of disreputable tax professionals and watch for common warning signs, including charging a fee based on the size of the refund. Schemes with international elements The IRS continues to scrutinize attempts to hide assets in offshore accounts and accounts holding digital assets, such as cryptocurrency. They also warn against Maltese individual retirement arrangements misusing tax treaties and Puerto Rican and foreign captive insurance scams. Taxpayers are encouraged to be cautious of suspicious offers and always consult reputable tax professionals for advice. By remaining informed and proactive, taxpayers can help stop these scams and protect their personal information and finances from being exploited. For the latest, follow us on Google News. As much as everyone loves being on our Best Of list, the sheer numbers mean that we cant say more than a few sentences about each recipient. So we thought wed expand our coverage of the winners in the food and dining category. Since its opening in 1989, Il Mulino has been a welcoming favorite of the LGBT community. With recipes made in-house that date back three generations, Il Mulino is one of Fort Lauderdales go-to Italian restaurants. Whether you are looking for a hearty Italian classic, something lighter, or just to relax with an appetizer and a good glass of wine, Il Mulino fits the bill. In addition to its regular lunch and dinner menus, Il Mulino also offers a kids menu, a lite-fare menu, and a listing of plant-based offerings. At dinner, pasta and meat-based entrees range from $16 to $30, pizzas run $17-$20, and entree salads are in the $15-$25 range. Shave about $10 off that for the lunch menu. The lite fare and plant-friendly dishes both top out at about $20. The wine list is impressive, both for its variety and its reasonable pricing. No gouging here. There is also a very expansive selection of wines by the glass. Finally, if you cant get enough, Il Mulino offers catering services. 1800 E. Sunrise, Fort Lauderdale 954-524-1800 ilmulinofl.com Whats With That Guy? Guy Fieri, host of Food Networks "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" bought a house in Lake Worth Beach last year and has been covering more restaurants in the area recently. The show kicked off its new season in March and among the South Florida eateries visited so far are the Italian trattoria, Roses Daughter in Delray Beach, sandwich shop The Butcher and the Bar in Boynton Beach, hamburger-and-fries food truck Cheffrey Eats, the Puerto Rican fare at La Cosinita Latina in West Palm Beach, and Hellenic Republic in Coral Springs. I dont think well see him featuring any of the places in Wilton Manors, given the fact that Fieri has repeatedly been called out for his homophobic behavior. Feedback A few columns back I asked, What makes a gay restaurant? and asked readers to submit a list of their favorite gay restaurants. Heres one from John Caminiti: Rosie's, Georgie's Alibi, Tropics Grille, Empanada Loca, Lotus Kitchen, Christina Wan's, Mason Jar, Voo La Voo Cafe, Bona, and Le Patio. Thanks for the info, John! Send your list to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. New and New-ish The Hampton Social Delray Beach, debuted March 15 at the new Atlantic Crossing shopping village in Delray. Another outpost is slated for Miamis Mary Brickell Village later this spring or summer. Its menu touts mostly trendy seafood fare. The owners are Chicagos Parker Hospitality Group. Pompano Beachs 5th Element Indian Grill will also open an outpost in Delray Beach. There are already locations in Daytona Beach, Palm Coast and Jacksonville. Speaking of Pompano, The Bite Eatery, finally opened after a three-year pandemic and supply-chain delay. Nine food vendors and one cocktail bar have finally filled this food hall in Harbor Village Plaza near the Intracoastal Waterway. The 9,000-square-foot space has offerings from Deli Shack, Mama Mia Pasta & More, Abuelitas Cuban Bistro, Captain Lobstar, Ceviche Time, Beef Boyz, Moop Gelato, Taco Vibez, and Papas Pizzeria. Bariloche Gourmet recently opened just off Fort Lauderdale beach. It specializes in gourmet Argentine fast-food with signature dishes such as sandwiches de miga, empanadas, pizzas, pastries and desserts. Oakland Parks Brewlihan, a 1,700-square-foot mead house, decorated with science flasks and honeycomb motif, is a salute to its signature beverage, the honey-sweetened wine, known as mead. Another new-ish place in Oakland Park is Maggies Favorite Coffee and Bakeshop. The menu features crepes, cupcakes, muffins, breakfast sandwiches, and Italian roast coffee. The breakfast-lunch cafe soft-opened in January. Other offerings cake by the slice, cinnamon rolls, acai bowls, savory crepes and sandwiches and avocado toast. Rick Karlin is SFGN's food editor. Visit SFGN.com/Food to read his previous reviews. Have a culinary tip to share? Email Rick at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. South Florida Gay News (SFGN) Powered By Queer News Tonight reported that Democratic leaders, including State party chair Nikki Fried and Senate minority leader Lauren Book, were arrested at a peaceful protest in Tallahassee over passaging Florida's proposed six-week abortion ban. The protest aimed to raise awareness about the impact of the bill on reproductive rights in the state. The proposed legislation would prohibit abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, with no exceptions for cases of rape or incest. Many activists and lawmakers have criticized the bill as an attack on women's rights and a violation of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. Fried and Book were among several protesters arrested by police for peacefully demonstrating outside the Governor's Mansion. The arrests sparked outrage among many in the LGBTQ+ community, who see the proposed ban as part of a larger effort to restrict reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ rights. Trans Day of Visibility Celebrated in Wilton Manors SFGN also reported on the celebration of Trans Day of Visibility in Wilton Manors. Despite attempts by governments to marginalize and "shove trans back in the Closet," local activists came out and proudly celebrated their identities. The event, which was organized by the South Florida-based LGBTQ+ advocacy group, Equality Florida, aimed to raise awareness about the struggles and accomplishments of the transgender community. It also highlighted the need for greater visibility and acceptance for transgender individuals, who continue to face discrimination and violence. The celebration featured music, speeches, and performances by local transgender artists and activists. It was a reminder that even in the face of adversity, the LGBTQ+ community remains resilient and committed to fighting for equality and acceptance. World AIDS Museum Expands Educational Footprint Finally, SFGN reported on the expansion of the World AIDS Museum's educational footprint. Executive director Terry Dyer traveled to Illinois to share his experiences in a special symposium, highlighting the museum's efforts to raise awareness about the impact of HIV/AIDS on the LGBTQ+ community. The World AIDS Museum, based in Wilton Manors, aims to educate people about the history and ongoing impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. It also seeks to promote prevention, testing, and treatment for those affected by the virus. Dyer's participation in the symposium is part of the museum's ongoing efforts to expand its reach and impact. By sharing its message with a wider audience, the museum hopes to raise awareness about the ongoing challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Charles Bruer, program advisor at Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction at the U.S. Department of State, speaks during a symposium on international sanctions regimes held at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) Financial watchdog vows to strengthen global networks on anti-money laundering By Anna J. Park In a move to raise the local banking sector's anti-money laundering (AML) capabilities and global networks, the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) participated in a symposium hosted by the U.S. Department of State on Wednesday morning Korea time, along with 20 other local lenders. Titled "Navigating International Sanctions Regimes for Public and Private Sector Stakeholders Symposium: South Korea Perspective," the event was part of the U.S. government's global project to strengthen cooperation among allies in the realm of transnational financial crime, which are often employed to evade international sanctions. The U.S. Department of State has been holding similar symposiums in various countries around Europe, Africa and Asia. In Korea, the FSS supported the hosting of the event in order to strengthen mutual cooperation with the U.S. and to raise local banks' awareness on international financial sanctions. Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) Deputy Governor Kim Byung-chil, center, stands next to Moody's Analytics financial crime expert Choon Hong Chua, second from left, and Charles Bruer, program advisor at Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction at the U.S. Department of State, fourth from left, during a symposium held at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Financial Supervisory Service George Castrataro, a prominent gay bankruptcy attorney, was re-arrested last month and charged with three first-degree felonies and two second-degree felonies. Castrataro was already facing a multitude of similar charges. He was arrested in June of 2020 and charged with grand theft and fraud, where he was accused of stealing over a half-million dollars from his client's estate accounts. These new charges appear to be from the same time period as the earlier charges. They include two counts of grand theft over $100,000; two counts of grand theft between $20,000 and $100,000; and one count of organized scheme to defraud. Castrataro is no longer able to practice law in Florida. He was disbarred in November of 2020. Before his arrest, Castrataro was a well-known and reputable attorney and prominent member of the local LGBT community. He had served on multiple local nonprofit LGBT boards. He also launched an unsuccessful bid for the city commission in Fort Lauderdale in 2018. Castrataros earlier criminal case was initially delayed due to the pandemic and since then has languished in the courts. Castrataro will now be confined to his home and has to wear a GPS monitor on his leg. Castrataro told SFGN in 2021 he believes his current predicament is just a big misunderstanding. I regret that given the pending case I am very limited in what I am able to say. This year has been difficult, Castrataro said at the time.I believe that the things that have been alleged and reported are inaccurate. I am confident that once the matter is resolved, I will be able to clear my name. Castrataro already pled not guilty to his first set of charges and has pled not guilty to the new set. Several of Castrataros alleged victims have spoken to SFGN over the years. The Roddy family is one such alleged victim and has accused Castrataro of stealing $49,111 from them. Bill Roddys son Wayne died in 2019 from pancreatic cancer. He was 57. Wayne had been a yoga and dance teacher. According to his family, he also had a background as a paralegal. Thus, before he died, he made sure all of his affairs were in order. Wayne left $49,111 to 12 beneficiaries including his father and sister, Jan Blanton. Waynes sister Jan Blanton, said she believes it was her familys complaints to the Florida Bar that initiated the investigation that wound up costing Castrataro his law license. Another alleged victim is Donna Nunes, who accused the former attorney of stealing $92,537 from her brothers estate. [My brother] really wanted to leave my brothers and me something and this happens. Its terrible, Nunes previously told SFGN. [Castrataro] went through all of this schooling, then decides to do this and throw his life away. Its such a shame. Florida has so many different crooks. The Florida House is coming for your pronouns. On March 31, GOP lawmakers passed a Dont Say Gay expansion (HB 1069) by a vote of 77-35, with two Republicans opposing the measure. Last years Parental Rights in Education bill, dubbed the Dont Say Gay law, restricted classroom discussions of gender identity and sexual orientation in public schools through third grade. This years bill expands it through eighth grade. The measure also allows anyone in the district to object to any material in the classroom, or school library, or on a reading list that depicts or describes any sexual conduct, even if it is not pornographic, if it is not for a health course. The offending material would be removed pending investigation and subject to permanent removal. A notable addition to this years bill targets pronouns prohibiting school staffers or students from being required to refer to people by pronouns that dont correspond to the persons sex. The Florida House's decision to expand the infamous Don't Say LGBTQ+ law, despite widespread pushback from students, parents, and teachers from across the state, is a disservice to Floridians, said Maxx Fenning, president of Prism, an LGBT youth services organization in South Florida. Students deserve to feel seen and heard in their schools and to learn about all people, not just the ones that make conservatives comfortable. To add insult to injury the House passed the bill on the International Transgender Day of Visibility. The bill still needs to be approved by the senate and signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis. But DeSantis has already moved forward with expanding his Dont Say Gay agenda by putting forth a proposal before the state Board of Education that would restrict classroom discussion through the 12th grade. The two Republicans who opposed the bill are state Reps. Demi Busatta Cabrera of Coral Gables and Will Robinson of Bradenton. Last year the bill passed 69-47 in the House with seven Republicans breaking ranks to oppose the measure. Three of them switched sides this year to support the expansion including Chip LaMarca of Lighthouse Point, Jim Mooney of Islamorada, and Rene Plasencia of Orlando. One Democrat supported the measure last year as well James Bush III he was defeated in his 2022 primary race. Vance Aloupis of Miami, and Amber Mariano of Hudson did not seek re-election. The LGTBQ+ community continues to be vilified and degraded by this State Legislature, said Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner Steve Glassman. I continue to speak out at our City Commission meetings because no one should remain silent and the hate and bigotry coming out of Tallahassee must be challenged. Brandon Wolf, press secretary for Equality Florida, blasted DeSantis, accusing him of just trying to further his presidential ambitions. The legislature has made itself an arm of the DeSantis 2024 campaign. More book bans will come. More classroom censorship will come. More educators will flee the profession. More families will wonder whether Florida is the right place to raise their children. All in service to DeSantis desperation to be president and the cowardice of those lawmakers who refuse to stand up to his regime, Wolf said. Shame on DeSantis cronies for peddling more anti-LGBTQ lies on the House floor and ramming through an expansion of the censorship policies that have emptied bookshelves across the state and wreaked havoc on our schools. Shame on them for ignoring the voices outside demanding a state that respects all families and protects all students. Plant in Dubnica is one of the last capable of producing Russian 152 mm projectiles. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled They can only get women to hand-build a lighter about the size of a pear from about fifty small parts, doing so in a quiet room with the precision of a watchmaker. "They are not allowed to have a radio on, they don't even talk to each other. We tried to hire men as well, but it's probably too delicate a job to do for eight hours. I know I wouldn't have the patience," explains Stefan Skultety. Related article Related article A year of war: We continue to stand by your side, president tells Ukraine Read more The director of the DMD Group arms holding company is not talking about producing devices for smokers, but the hard work of female employees whose "lighters" are mounted on the tips of 155-millimeter artillery ammunition: currently the scarcest military goods that needed by the defenders of Ukraine. "However, we cannot let you into the ammunition production hall, even without cameras," Skultety tells daily SME reporters in Zone 1, the sole accessible one in the plant. Zones 2 and 3 with the ammunition production hall remain inaccessible. "We have even tighter security since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine," he says. This year, every fifth 155-millimeter projectile fired by the Ukrainian army from howitzers such as Zuzana 2 from Slovakia, the Caesar from France, or the Krab system from Poland, will bear the inscription "1003M" on its body. The code indicates the Dubnica plant. "If you notice, it's on everything around you," says one guide, pointing to both the artillery and mortar ammunition in the room. While 2022 was the year Ukraine acquired hundreds of pieces of Western military equipment for its defenders to withstand the Russian invasion, 2023 may mark the expected turn in the war if the cannons have actually something to fire. "Without artillery, it's quite likely that Ukraine will be defeated," Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov appealed to NATO countries in February. The manufacturer based in Dubnica is one of 15 factories in the European Union from which the EU plans to purchase ammunition. In addition to ammunition, the DMD Group also profits from the production of military equipment, which goes not just to Ukraine, but also to the Slovak armed forces. Where the Ukrainian offensive begins, changes to Bratislava public transport during holiday. Learn more in today's digest. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Good evening. Here is the Wednesday, April 5 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes. Do your shopping in advance With the exception of Saturday, most shops, including outlets for major grocery chains like Billa, Kaufland, Lidl, Tesco and Coop Jednota, will be closed during the Easter Holiday. But there are some exceptions. Find out more here. More stories on Spectator.sk If you like what we are doing and want to support good journalism, buy our NEW online subscription with no ads and a print copy of The Slovak Spectator sent to your home in Slovakia. Thank you. Feature story for today Every capital city has its own English-only theatre. It is only natural that Bratislava has one, too, Zuzana Kolejakova, manager of the Bridgin Drama English-language theatre, told The Slovak Spectator. The theatre group, whose current home is the Divadlo Pavla Orszagha Hviezdoslava(DPOH) theatre in Bratislavas Old Town district, has been performing for more than a decade. Find out more about the theatre at this link. Related article Related article Bridging Bratislavas theatre gap for foreigners Read more Culture tip of the day Last year was an extraordinary one for works of world cinema and television. If you want to catch a glimpse of some of the best, this event at Nova Cvernovka, Bratislava, is for you. Peter Konecny, editor-in-chief of the Kinema.sk website, will be your host. Find out more about the event at this link. In other news There will be changes to public transport schedules in Bratislava during the coming school break and Easter Holiday. The break will start on Thursday and transport will operate according to the Work Days/School Break schedule. During the holiday from Friday to Monday, public transport will follow the Non-workdays schedule. Buses, trolleybuses and trams will again follow the School Break schedule next Tuesday. The break will start on Thursday and transport will operate according to the Work Days/School Break schedule. During the holiday from Friday to Monday, public transport will follow the Non-workdays schedule. Buses, trolleybuses and trams will again follow the School Break schedule next Tuesday. The retrial in the case of the murders of journalist Jan Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova will continue in May , with two hearings set to May 9 and 12. Previously, it was expected the court could arrive at a verdict as early as this month. , with two hearings set to May 9 and 12. Previously, it was expected the court could arrive at a verdict as early as this month. "Slovakia has developed an impressive reputation as a strong supporter of democracy and the rule of law," American Foreign Affairs Minister Antony Blinken stated on social media after a meeting with his Slovak counterpart Rastislav Kacer. The latter said: "These are strong words of trust on the part of our allies." This year, the town of Banska Stiavnica will receive up to 4 million from the state for the reconstruction of buildings damaged by the March fire in the historic centre. A further 7 million will be allocated between 2023 and 2025. for the reconstruction of buildings damaged by the March fire in the historic centre. A further 7 million will be allocated between 2023 and 2025. A 21-year-old has been charged with public endangerment under the influence after he was stopped by police in Poprad, Presov Region. A test showed the man had a blood alcohol level of almost 5 per mille. Alcohol poisoning usually occurs at over 3 per mille. after he was stopped by police in Poprad, Presov Region. A test showed the man had a blood alcohol level of almost 5 per mille. Alcohol poisoning usually occurs at over 3 per mille. Greenpeace Slovakia has said it will try to stop construction of a planned LNG terminal in Bratislava's river port, after the Environment Ministry recommended its construction. The Slovak National Museum opened an exhibition in the Bratislava Castle dedicated to Holic pottery, among the oldest manufactured in Slovakia. (Source: TASR) Weather for Thursday Cloudy, in central and east Slovakia snowfall, rain at lower levels. Night will be cold with temperatures potentially dropping to minus 12 degrees Celsius in valleys. Daily temperatures will reach 5 degrees in east Slovakia, and 6 to 11 degrees in the rest of the country. Thank you for subscribing and reading. It means a lot to us. P.S. If you have suggestions on how our news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk. Follow The Slovak Spectator on Facebook, Instagram (@slovakspectator) and Twitter (@slovakspectator). But some exceptions apply. During the Easter Holiday, shops will be closed with the exception of Saturday. (Source: Sme archive - Gabriel Kuchta) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Most shops in Slovakia will be closed during the Easter holiday, including those selling groceries, electronics, clothes, and cosmetics. Shops during Easter Thursday April 6 - an ordinary working day, shops are open - an ordinary working day, Friday April 7 - national holiday, shops are closed - national holiday, Saturday April 8 - shops are open - shops are open Sunday April 9 - national holiday, shops are closed - national holiday, Monday April 10 - national holiday, shops are closed - national holiday, Tuesday April 11 - working day, shops are open Most retail outlets must remain closed during national holidays under legislation implemented in 2017, but there are some exceptions. Petrol stations, shops at airports and rail and bus stations, and pharmacies are open. Cafes, restaurants, and other service establishments can also remain open. Major retail chains like Lidl, Billa, Kaufland, Coop Jednota, and Tesco will close their shops on Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. On Saturday, shops will open, but may have altered opening hours. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/belarus-security-service-detains-polish-ukrainian-baltic-states-nationals-for-terrorism-1109111530.html Belarus Security Service Detains Polish, Ukrainian, Baltic States Nationals for Terrorism Belarus Security Service Detains Polish, Ukrainian, Baltic States Nationals for Terrorism A number of citizens of Poland, Ukraine and the Baltic countries were detained in Belarus for undercover activities and terrorism, Belarusian State Security Committee (KGB) Chairman Ivan Tertel said on Tuesday. 2023-04-04T10:46+0000 2023-04-04T10:46+0000 2023-04-04T10:46+0000 world belarus belarusian kgb terrorism /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/105457/68/1054576852_0:170:3037:1878_1920x0_80_0_0_70780a94ea0740407e7483ce5e4422cc.jpg "We witness a surge in intelligence and sabotage activity towards Belarus. We have detained a number of Polish nationals, who were conducting active operations aimed at creating agent network in our country, we have also detained the traitors they were working with," Tertel told journalists. Additionally, citizens of Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic states have been detained in connection with undercover activities on the territory of Belarus, the official added. belarus 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 undercover activities and terrorism, belarusian state security committee https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/cool-head--nerves-of-steel-how-donbass-sappers-clear-deadly-mines-laid-by-ukraine-1109111714.html Cool Head & Nerves of Steel: How Donbass Sappers Clear Deadly Mines Laid by Ukraine Cool Head & Nerves of Steel: How Donbass Sappers Clear Deadly Mines Laid by Ukraine On International Day for Mine Awareness, two sappers shared personal experiences about the land mines the Armed Forces of Ukraine indiscriminately use in the Donbass. 2023-04-04T14:06+0000 2023-04-04T14:06+0000 2023-04-04T14:06+0000 nato ukraine donbass weapons mines land mines russia /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/01/1f/1106865471_0:309:3050:2025_1920x0_80_0_0_5906844eaebf325fd20daeb3feebee92.jpg While April 4 is observed internationally as Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, sappers in Donbass face danger daily, saving lives by clearing deadly land mines and booby traps laid by the armed forces of the Kiev regime. Two seasoned sappers spoke to Sputnik to share their traumatic personal experiences about the land mines that Ukraine's Armed Forces indiscriminately use in Donbass.'Cool Head & No Haste'A Donbass sapper and instructor training scouts, who goes by the call sign "Sova" ("Owl"), said that he has never wavered in his intention to follow in his uncle's footsteps and become a sapper. His uncle fought in the Great Patriotic War, and served as a huge inspiration to him, he recalled, and the difficult and dangerous profession became his true calling. One needs a cool head and loads of experience to handle the mines currently used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said the sapper, who has been taking part in Russias special military operation in the country.Damage effects of land mines, tripwire land mines, and smart mines used by the forces of the Kiev regime can be explosive. The sappers in Donbass chiefly encounter Soviet- and Russian- made PMN-2 and OZM-72 mines, but also American -86, -62 mines, and German Springmine-35, with a 100% blast damage area reaching 30 meters. Ukraines forces have also repeatedly used cluster munitions equipped with antipersonnel high-explosive mines known as PFM-1 Lepestok (Petal). Russia has repeatedly stated that Ukraine has deployed vast amounts of Lepestok mines in the republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. Sova explained that there are two types of Lepestok scatterable high-explosive anti-personnel land mines one with a self-destruct mechanism and one without. The first explode at a predetermined time, while the second does when someone steps on them. These are the most dangerous mines, because they are very small, so much so that detectors practically do not discover them. However, a mere weight of 300 grams can set them off, which means that if a child steps on such a mine, they will likely die. Ukrainian forces deploy such mines indiscriminately, with blatant disregard for the fact that the risk of civilians encountering such deadly objects is tremendous.Ill tell you from experience that civilians will also be blown up in the fields on such mines. No matter how hard sappers work, there will always be land mines they have failed to detect And when civilians start ploughing the fields, there will be certain deaths Most often such booby trap mines (ML-7, ML-8) are placed every two meters, in a checkerboard pattern. As for the deadly surprise MS-4 mine, it can be placed in objects, dolls, children's toys Bricks, grass can be used to cover it up. This is one of the most terrible mines. Once I tried to de-mine one without explosives, but failed, and had to explode them all, the sapper, who has been awarded three medals for military merit and an order for military service, said.Sharing insights on how demining is carried out, Sova added that while everything is done in accordance with a specific protocol, it is ultimately all down to the experienced sappers final decision whether to attempt to remove a type of mine or just use a charge to destroy it.Looking back at past experiences, Sova revealed that there was a specific part of territory of the Donetsk Peoples Republic that he found the most challenging to de-mine back in 2015. After the Western-instigated coup of 2014, when residents of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions declared independence from Kiev's US- and EU-installed pawns, Ukraine unleashed heavy shelling on the peaceful residents of Donbass. Saur-Mogila became a focal point of intense fighting.Sova shared one experience as a sapper that was especially imprinted in his memory, in the Nikolaevka area. He was removing a TM-62 anti-tank mine, and noticed that it had not one, but four trap mines hidden under it.Sova had some advice for anyone venturing into this dangerous profession. According to him, both inexperienced beginners and foolhardy seasoned experts make fatal mistakes. The truth lies somewhere in the middle. Sapper's Rules Written in Blood'A veteran sapper, Igor Kikhtenko, whose call sign was "Egor," served in the engineering and sapper troops of the DPR from 2014 to 2022. He recalled for Sputnik how once the 2014 events had escalated, he felt duty-bound to step up to the challenge and defend what was then the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic.His life before that had not been particularly connected with the military... He did his stint in the army when called up, like other guys, and then worked a regular job. Life changed dramatically after 2014's Euromaidan.When asked how he felt when the Donetsk and Lugansk republics announced that they would be independent, Igor Kikhtenko said:The veteran sapper shared poignant recollections of his first battle for Uglegorsk in Dobass. According to him, that was when they saw the first eight prisoners surrender from a dugout. At that time they did not understand much, no one had provided them with training their command had simply thrown them into action, and they did not offer up much resistance.Of course, after the start of Russias special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, everything changed, Igor Kikhtenko said. The US, NATO, and their allies unleashed a massive proxy war against Moscow in Ukraine, pumping the regime holed up in Kiev with weapons. Technology has changed, there are smart mines that react to a tank, to iron, to a fighter wearing a bulletproof vest with a machine gun that approaches it. If one comes within one and a half meters of it, the blast is set off, the sapper explained. He also singled out the Lepestok land mine as one of the most dangerous. They are fired from helicopters in cluster munitions by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, he said, and triggered remotely.The hardest thing, the veteran sapper said, is when your friend is killed, you have to move the body, arrange a funeral, the sapper, who has sustained multiple wounds himself, recalled.Last year, he was supposed to get prosthetics, but there were complications with the wound, which doctors in Moscow treated. Now we need to continue treatment, then prosthetics. After that, I want to return to the front, he said, adding: https://sputnikglobe.com/20221125/ukraine-not-fulfilling-obligations-under-mine-ban-treaty-1104709013.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20220816/french-made-geneva-convention-violating-mines-found-in-donbass-russian-mod-1099665087.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230403/targeting-the-unarmed-ukraines-grim-record-of-terrorist-attacks-1109074865.html ukraine donbass 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 international day for mine awareness and assistance in mine action, conflagration in ukraine, ottawa convention, anti-personnel mine ban treaty of 1997, landmines and booby traps, deadly toll, two sappers, share personal experiences, indiscriminately used in the donbass, https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/crazy-trump-indictment-is-shiny-object-to-distract-from-biden-admin-woes-1109113132.html 'Crazy' Trump Indictment is 'Shiny Object' to Distract From Biden Admin Woes 'Crazy' Trump Indictment is 'Shiny Object' to Distract From Biden Admin Woes Ex-president Donald Trump's looming arrest in New York promises to be a huge media circus. Angie Wong and Tyler Nixon argue that the charges against him are just a pretext for staging the spectacle. 2023-04-04T14:01+0000 2023-04-04T14:01+0000 2023-04-04T14:01+0000 donald trump stormy daniels alvin bragg new york donald trump's indictment indictment joe biden us americas mar-a-lago /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/02/1109041015_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_a98f7f823ebb8d7e0ff447ec9a9903de.jpg Trump is set to appear at a court hearing in New York on Tuesday, where he is expected to plead not guilty to election campaign finance charges dating from 2016.That has prompted the accusation from Trump, his allies and commentators that the prosecution is aimed at knocking him out of contention against President Joe Biden in the fast-approaching 2024 election campaign.Angie Wong told Sputnik that it was "crazy" to put a former president under arrest, joking that Trump should get a Mike Tyson-style facial tattoo for his police mug shot: "If this is a before the history books, he might as well make it look great."The analyst pointed out that the US Federal Election Commission declined to prosecute Trump over the same allegations in 2021. "Four members to one voted against no to drop the case against Trump and any sort of campaign finance violations," Wong said. "So you don't have a federal case."She argued that the real point of the indictment was to distract public attention from the Biden administration's problems."This whole thing is just the big show horse, a big media spectacle, but it's not a big crowd coming out," she added, predicting an "OJ moment" like when helicopters followed the low-speed police pursuit of athlete-turned-actor OJ Simpson before he was arrested and charged with murdering his wife, as Trump's motorcade leaves his Mar-a-Lago resort for Palm Beach Airport. Bragg's argument that the statute of limitations on the charges should be extended to exclude the four years Trump was in the White House was "weak", Wong aid, but cautioned that the "New York judges" who would decide whether the case can proceed would not have to deal with the fallout once it makes it to a federal court."I don't see how they can prove this case. What they can do is put a gag order on him temporarily. They could also set a no bail," she warned. "It's very possible."The prosecution could argue that Trump is a literal "flight risk" because "he's got his own airplane" and his Secret Service security detail lacks the authority to stop him boarding it.Tyler Nixon told Sputnik that Bragg was "typical" of Democrat prosecutors whose election campaigns were financed to the tune of millions by Hungarian-born billionaire George Soros whose Open Society Foundations funds regime-change NGOs all over the world."It amazes me that so many of these prosecutors that are basically just hatchet thugs for the left, Bragg, [Chicago state's attorney] Kim Fox, the Soros backed ones. They want to shield these these thuggish, corrupt criminals from any accountability," Nixon said. "If you attack them for what they do, you're a racist. I haven't heard that much with Bragg, but I guarantee if they turn the heat up on his fat a**... we would hear start to hear the squeals of racism against him."The PR guru said the charges against Trump were just the latest episode in the long-running saga of attempts to smear him, including claims he was the Kremlin's candidate in the 2016 presidential election. By contrast, "you have to have George Soros personally hand in cash to Bragg for it to be any kind of sort of connection."He said the US liberal left was "like a cult" where everyone has "the same subversive, crazy, megalomaniacal, totally just radical beyond anything we've ever seen, agenda and tactics."Check our Radio section to find out more! https://sputnikglobe.com/20230403/trumped-up-charges-against-former-us-president-embarrassing-to-us-1109074092.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/everything-you-need-to-know-about-trump-arraignment-1109101565.html new york americas mar-a-lago Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 James Tweedie https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/08/1c/1080307270_0:3:397:400_100x100_80_0_0_7777393b9b18802f2e3c5eaa9cbcc612.png James Tweedie https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/08/1c/1080307270_0:3:397:400_100x100_80_0_0_7777393b9b18802f2e3c5eaa9cbcc612.png News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 James Tweedie https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/08/1c/1080307270_0:3:397:400_100x100_80_0_0_7777393b9b18802f2e3c5eaa9cbcc612.png donald trump, indictment, stormy daniels, alvin bragg, new york, angie wong, tyler nixon, joe biden, us https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/dont-repeat-mistakes-china-condemns-taiwan-leaders-meeting-with-us-house-speaker-1109099411.html 'Don't Repeat Mistakes': China Condemns Taiwan Leader's Meeting With US House Speaker 'Don't Repeat Mistakes': China Condemns Taiwan Leader's Meeting With US House Speaker On Tuesday, China's consulate in Los Angeles advised US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy not to meet Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and "repeat disastrous past mistakes." 2023-04-04T11:24+0000 2023-04-04T11:24+0000 2023-04-04T11:24+0000 world china us taiwan tsai ing-wen /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/04/1109111387_0:49:3262:1883_1920x0_80_0_0_444a4b1f25d9f0360708286354ac221a.jpg China's consulate in Los Angeles has advised US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy not to meet Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and "repeat disastrous past mistakes".Earlier, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said Beijing was closely monitoring developments in connection with Tsai Ing-wen's trip - she crossed the United States on 29 March to visit Belize and Guatemala - and will resolutely defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.The Taiwanese president's trip to Central American allies will last 10 days. The delegation left Taiwan on 29 March, passed through New York and arrived in Guatemala. On the way back from Belize, the delegation plans to stop off in Los Angeles, where Tsai will meet US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, before she returns to her island. Tensions flared around Taiwan after then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island in early August 2022. China condemned the visit, perceiving it as an act of support for local separatist forces, and conducted major military exercises near the island, which China considers it owns. The Chinese administration has repeatedly stated that Beijing is willing to reunite with Taiwan peacefully. However, it would never renounce the use of military force should the need arise. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/us-expects-any-future-war-with-china-across-taiwan-strait-would-be-quick-1109095751.html china Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International us house speaker kevin mccarthy, china's consulate in los angeles https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/drc-authority-rebukes-french-officials-for-inaction-on-assault-against-congolese-official-1109104559.html DRC Authority Rebukes French Officials for Inaction on Assault Against Congolese Official DRC Authority Rebukes French Officials for Inaction on Assault Against Congolese Official Congolese media regulator, CSAC, said that the French authorities has not yet taken actions in regard to its recent complaint filed in the wake of Saturday night's attack against its CSAC president, Christian Bosembe. 2023-04-04T10:31+0000 2023-04-04T10:31+0000 2023-04-04T10:38+0000 africa central africa democratic republic of the congo broadcast broadcaster paris france attack french police /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/04/1109104940_0:328:3058:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_d7e41fb7e28cb446259db0d2b1303e5d.jpg The Superior Council of Audiovisual and Communication (CSAC) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has said that French officials have not yet acted on a recent complaint filed in the wake of Saturday night's attack against its CSAC president, Christian Bosembe.Shocked and outraged by the brutal assault on Bosembe by a group of males, who claim to be "combatants" while he was on official business in the French capital city of Paris, High Councilor of the DRC, and deputy rapporteur of the CSAC, Serge Ndjibu, criticized the French authorities for failing to provide the Congolese official with even a bare minimum of protection prior to the incident.The deputy Rapporteur of the CSAC said that the Congolese media regulator had requested further clarification of the incident. He pointed out that on Monday, the CSAC reached out to French officials to not only get a better understanding of what had happened, but also to ensure that a thorough investigation takes place to identify, apprehend, prosecute, and impose severe penalties on those responsible for the violent attack against the Congolese official.He also revealed that the Congolese broadcasting body planned to meet with France's ambassador to the DR Congo in order "to get more clarification and find out how the filing is and know what steps have been taken so far to find all these criminals."According to Ndjibu, the incident was initially brought to light via social media during the wee hours of Sunday morning. CSAC President Christian Bosembe reassured Ndjibu that he had beefed up his own security measures following the attack. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230403/senior-congolese-official-beaten-up-in-paris-drc-asks-to-punish-aggressors-1109082912.html africa central africa democratic republic of the congo paris france Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Muhammad Nooh Osman https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/08/0e/1080170965_2:0:2050:2048_100x100_80_0_0_1de8233c87df0979e7e74f61b6ffacad.jpg Muhammad Nooh Osman https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/08/0e/1080170965_2:0:2050:2048_100x100_80_0_0_1de8233c87df0979e7e74f61b6ffacad.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Muhammad Nooh Osman https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/08/0e/1080170965_2:0:2050:2048_100x100_80_0_0_1de8233c87df0979e7e74f61b6ffacad.jpg drc media regulator, csac, csac president, christian bosembe, attack on christian bosembe, christian bosembe attacked, le patron du conseil superieur de l'audiovisuel de rdc, christian bosembe, christian bosembe a ete agresse a paris, president du csac, conseil superieur de l'audiovisuel et de la communication (csac), Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho speaks during a meeting with economy-related ministers at the Government Complex Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap By Yi Whan-woo Korea will diversify its free trade partnerships with more countries in the face of export declines and concerns over an economic slowdown, the country's top economic policymaker said Wednesday. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho said the government accordingly will try to finalize ongoing negotiations on free trade with Ecuador and the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain. "The government will intensely discuss pending issues with those countries to reach the trade deals," Choo said during a meeting with economy-related ministers at the Government Complex Seoul. Korea currently has 21 free trade agreements (FTAs), both bilateral and multilateral, with 59 countries. The finance minister addressed a need to overhaul some FTAs in a bid to expand exports that declined for the sixth consecutive month as of March. In particular, the government will open talks with Chile, India and the United Kingdom in the first half of the year, to address Korea's priority objectives on minerals, digital technology and other trade items. Korea signed bilateral FTAs with Chile in 2003, India in 2009 and the U.K. in 2019. For some developing countries where it is difficult to fully open markets by striking an FTA, the government will instead push to sign economic partnership agreements (EPAs). An EPA is a lower level of trade partnership in terms of its scope as compared to FTA. Among the targeted countries for possible EPAs with Korea are Georgia and Mongolia. "The EPA talks will hopefully begin in the first half to help our businesses to set in new markets and diversify their supply chain," Choo said. To safeguard export items concerning economic security, the finance minister said the government will list them and categorize the items in relation to global supply chains and competition in cutting-edge technology. Choo also said Korea is actively joining the discussion on the U.S.-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) aimed at restoring U.S. economic influence in the region Korea is among the 14 members of the framework launched in May 2022. The member nations include Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Concerning IRA, Choo said uncertainties remain over Korean chipmakers' exports and that the government will continue "to engage in talks with the U.S. to maximize Korean businesses' profits and minimize hurdles." For CBAM, Choo said the government will actively support the companies here to develop carbon-reduction technology so that they can utilize the new EU policy as an opportunity. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/erdogan-says-in-constant-contact-with-putin-zelensky-to-resolve-ukrainian-crisis-1109130202.html Erdogan Says in Constant Contact With Putin, Zelensky to Resolve Ukrainian Crisis Erdogan Says in Constant Contact With Putin, Zelensky to Resolve Ukrainian Crisis Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday that he has been in constant contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to facilitate the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. 2023-04-04T21:17+0000 2023-04-04T21:17+0000 2023-04-04T21:17+0000 world russia turkiye turkiye emine erdogan vladimir putin volodymyr zelensky ukraine crisis /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 Later in the day, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that currently "everyone appreciates Turkiye's unbiased stance and that everyone is jealous that Erdogan has been communicating with both sides of the Ukrainian conflict. The last telephone conversation between the leaders of Russia and Turkiye took place on March 25. The call addressed the steps to strengthen bilateral relations, as well as the situation around Ukraine. During the conversation, Erdogan also thanked Putin for the Russian leader's positive stance on the extension of the grain deal allowing exports of Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports. On March 25, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said that Erdogan intends to hold telephone talks with Zelensky to discuss the settlement of the conflict. russia turkiye turkiye 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 turkish president recep tayyip erdogan, vladimir putin, volodymyr zelensky, turkey, ukraine crisis, russia https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/everything-you-need-to-know-about-trump-arraignment-1109101565.html Everything You Need to Know About Trump's Arraignment Everything You Need to Know About Trump's Arraignment Everything you need to know about Donald Trump's arraignment. 2023-04-04T09:00+0000 2023-04-04T09:00+0000 2023-04-04T11:06+0000 americas donald trump donald trump's indictment hush money /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/04/1109100895_0:108:2059:1266_1920x0_80_0_0_cf4a5cf0b1e92b0063cf9aa54b786363.jpg The former US president, who denied all allegations and the affair, is to be arraigned on Tuesday.This is what to expect as Trump becomes the first former POTUS in history to face criminal charges.Has Trump Landed in New York?Donald Trump flew to New York from his Mar-a-Lago resort aboard his private red, white and blue Boeing 757, emblazoned with his name in gold letters. He arrived at New Yorks LaGuardia airport around 15:30 EST (19:30 GMT) on Monday 3 April, ahead of his arraignment the next day. Heightened security is in place in the city. The 45th president is said to have spent the night at Trump Tower. After the arraignment Trump is expected to leave New York immediately for Florida.Where is Donald Trump Being Arraigned?Donald Trump is being arraigned at the Manhattan Criminal Court, 100 Centre St, New York, NY.Who Appointed Judge Juan Merchan?The judge handling the historic case is Colombia native Juan Manuel Merchan, who boasts more than 15 years on the bench. Merchan presided over the grand jury for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's investigation into Trump. It had been reported at the time that in the case of an indictment he would get the case. Indeed, after the indictment decision, a spokesman of Manhattan Criminal Court was cited as saying: "Merchan was assigned to supervise the grand jury and oversee any indictments arising from its investigation."An acting justice of the New York Supreme Court since 2009, Merchan oversaw a criminal tax fraud case against Trump's company - The Trump Organization - in 2022. Trump was not a defendant in the case. A Manhattan jury determined that two business entities controlled by Trump were guilty of 17 counts of tax fraud and falsifying business records. The organization was ordered to pay a penalty of $1.61Mln. Former Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg pleaded guilty in the case, and was sentenced by Merchan to five months in prison. Merchan is also overseeing a criminal case against former Trump aide Steve Bannon over fraud and money-laundering charges. Bannon has pleaded not guilty.Donald Trump slammed the judge on his social media platform, Truth Social, saying that "Judge 'assigned' to my Witch Hunt Case, a 'Case' that has NEVER BEEN CHARGED BEFORE, HATES ME."What Time Does Trump Get Arraigned?Donald Trump's court appearance is scheduled for 14:15 EST (18:15 GMT) on Tuesday, when the criminal charges against the former president will be unsealed. Trump said on Monday that he will be indicted on 33 counts related to business fraud. The indictment remains under seal.What Happens at an Arraignment?An arraignment is when a criminal defendant makes their debut appearance in court. The procedure typically presupposes several hours of standing for photographs, having one's fingerprints taken, and involves a flurry of arrest paperwork, all done behind closed doors. After that, defendants hear the charges against them as they go before the presiding judge. A defendant can then enter a plea, such as "not guilty". According to Trump's lawyers, cited by media reports, the former president will not be handcuffed upon arrival at court. He also supposedly intends to enter a "not guilty" plea. Assuming that Trump pleads not guilty, he will be granted a specific court date for his trial. In the case of a guilty plea, a court would decide on sentencing.Why is Trump Being Arraigned?Trump is being arraigned because a Manhattan grand jury voted on 30 March to indict him on criminal charges over alleged hush money payments made to an adult film star by the name of Stormy Daniels. The transaction was said to have taken place just days before the 2016 presidential election. Previously, Manhattan prosecutors investigated whether Trump falsified the Trump Organizations business records when his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, made a payment of $130,0000 to Daniels to buy her silence over her alleged affair with the Republican politician. Donald Trump has persistently rejected all allegations of wrongdoing and has denied ever embarking upon an affair with the porn star.What Happens After Trump Arraignment?After the arraignment, assuming that Donald Trump pleads not guilty, his defense team will have 45 days to present pre-trial motions to the court. These could be asking the judge to dismiss the case on legal grounds, or seeking to have the charges reduced. Also, the lawyers might attempt to prevent certain evidence from being used at the trial.The time ahead of the trial, the former president's defense team and the District Attorney's (DA) office typically exchange information pertaining to physical evidence, copies of written or verbal statements connected with the case. Furthermore, Donald Trumps attorney can also attempt a plea bargain with the prosecutor to avoid a trial.What Does Indictment Mean For Trump?Even if Donald Trump were to be convicted, he could still carry on with his 2024 presidency bid.In line with the US Constitution, to be eligible for President, one must be a natural-born citizen, at least 35 years old, and have been a resident of the United States for 14 years. Earlier, Trump told the media he would absolutely remain in the race for president, adding: "I wouldnt even think about leaving... Probably, itll enhance my numbers. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/trump-says-he-will-be-indicted-on-33-counts-on-tuesday-1109096191.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/trumps-attorney-hopes-court-is-efficient-is-unaware-of-the-number-of-charges-and-counts--1109095077.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/trumps-attorney-hopes-court-is-efficient-is-unaware-of-the-number-of-charges-and-counts--1109095077.html americas 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 donald trump's arraignment, appearance in court, former president, 2024 presidential candidate, hush money, stormy daniels, witch hunt, denied allegations, https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/finland-officially-becomes-31st-member-of-nato-1109117229.html Finland Officially Becomes 31st Member of NATO Finland Officially Becomes 31st Member of NATO Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto on Tuesday handed over the document on the country's accession to NATO, making it the 31 member of the alliance. 2023-04-04T12:56+0000 2023-04-04T12:56+0000 2023-04-04T13:35+0000 military nato finland /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/05/14/1095655251_0:0:2833:1594_1920x0_80_0_0_493eddc6a465db16da0b73ade4794ff4.jpg The ceremony was broadcasted on the NATO website.According to the North Atlantic Treaty, the documents on the accession of new members are stored in the United States.US Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed Finlands official accession into NATO on Tuesday.Stoltenberg had noted that the North Atlantic Treaty, the founding act of the alliance, was signed 74 years ago on April 4, 1949.Blinken added that NATO members would continue to reaffirm political and practical support for Ukraine at the upcoming summit in Vilnius in July."Sweden fulfilled all the necessary condition for joining NATO just like Finland, so there should not be any obstacle in its way to join the alliance, Jens Stoltenberg said. "My message is and has been also in my meetings in Ankara that not only Finland but also Sweden has delivered on the commitments they have made under that trilateral agreement."Finland has become a part of the NATO article 5 from Tuesday and now can participate in the alliances decision-making, Stoltenberg added.Meanwhile, the presidential office of Finland stated on Tuesday that the country's membership in NATO is not targeted against anyone.Finland and Sweden applied to become NATO members in May 2022, three months after Russia started its special military operation in Ukraine. Turkey and Hungary have been the only NATO countries delaying the ratification process over security concerns, but they eventually softened their stance on Finland's accession earlier this March. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/stoltenberg-says-deploying-forces-of-other-nato-states-after-accession-up-to-finland-1109111827.html finland 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 finland, nato, us, new nato member https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/iran-appoints-ambassador-to-uae-after-8-years--1109131057.html Iran Appoints Ambassador to UAE After 8 Years Iran Appoints Ambassador to UAE After 8 Years Iran has appointed an ambassador to the United Arab Emirates for the first time in eight years amid a thaw in diplomatic relations between Tehran and Arab countries, media reported on Tuesday. 2023-04-04T22:42+0000 2023-04-04T22:42+0000 2023-04-04T22:42+0000 world iran saudi arabia saudi arabia united arab emirates /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102814/67/1028146727_0:182:3500:2151_1920x0_80_0_0_8444797f247f90ff6303c30ace330d52.jpg Reza Ameri, the new Iranian ambassador to the UAE, previously served as a director general of Iranian expatriates office in the country's foreign ministry, as well as the country's ambassador to Algeria, Sudan and Eritrea, IRNA news agency reported. On March 16, the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, met with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi as part of Tehrans effort to renew its relations with Arab countries. The parties discussed bilateral relations and ways to establish cooperation. On March 10, Iran and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement mediated by China to resume relations, as well as open embassies and representative offices within two months. The joint statement was signed after days of talks between Shamkhani and his Saudi counterpart in Beijing. iran saudi arabia united arab emirates 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 iran, united arab emirates, tehran, arab, united arab emirates https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/reporters-without-borders-says-barred-from-prison-visit-to-assange-1109122917.html Reporters Without Borders Says Barred From Prison Visit to Assange Reporters Without Borders Says Barred From Prison Visit to Assange International press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has been denied access to WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange. 2023-04-04T16:13+0000 2023-04-04T16:13+0000 2023-04-04T16:13+0000 world wikileaks julian assange reporters without borders (rsf) journalism uk belmarsh prison /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/04/15/1094951535_0:195:3072:1923_1920x0_80_0_0_7ab41c60d881447856cde5c1ae7e0b9a.jpg The WikiLeaks publisher was also very disappointed by the refusal, Deloire said, citing Assange's wife. WikiLeaks was founded by Assange on October 4, 2006, but rose to prominence in 2010 when it began to publish large-scale leaks of classified government information, especially from the US. Since April 2019, Assange has been held in the high-security Belmarsh prison in London while facing prosecution in the US under the Espionage Act. If convicted, the WikiLeaks founder may get 175 years in prison. In December 2022, he appealed to the European Court of Human Rights to challenge his extradition. 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 reporters without borders, wikileaks, julian assange case, assange inprisonment https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/russia-transferred-iskander-missile-system-to-belarusian-armed-forces-shoigu-1109111035.html Russia Transferred Iskander Missile System to Belarusian Armed Forces: Shoigu Russia Transferred Iskander Missile System to Belarusian Armed Forces: Shoigu Russia transferred the Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system that is capable of using nuclear missiles to the Belarusian armed forces, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday. 2023-04-04T10:42+0000 2023-04-04T10:42+0000 2023-04-04T10:43+0000 military sergei shoigu russia belarus iskander ballistic missile /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/05/04/1095255381_0:213:1496:1056_1920x0_80_0_0_73ad729725a0601f29d8034ad48c2486.jpg "The Iskander-M tactical missile system has been transferred to the armed forces of Belarus. This system can use missiles of both conventional and nuclear variants," Shoigu said at a meeting with the leadership of the Russian armed forces. Training of Belarusian units on the use of the missile system to protect the Union State has begun at one of the training grounds in Russia on April 3, the minister added.According to him, a part of the Belarusian attack aircraft have received the ability to strike using nuclear weapons.NATO is strengthening the anti-Russian course, which leads to an escalation of the conflict, Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday.The US and allies are increasing military assistance to Ukraine and ready to supply over 200 tanks and over 400 modern armored fighting vehicles, the minister added.Russia has destroyed in Ukraine since the beginning of the year some 59 M777 howitzers, 13 Paladin self-propelled howitzers, 14 US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, as well as 30 self-propelled guns from Poland, Germany, France and the Czech Republic, Shoigu said.The Russian armed forces have disrupted the production of a number of Ukrainian weapons, as well as the transfer of ammunition and fuel to the front, with high-precision strikes, Shoigu stressed."We are delivering high-precision strikes against Ukrainian military targets. This resulted in the disruption of the production of a number of weapons, as well as the supply of Ukrainian armed forces' groups with ammunition and fuel," Shoigu added. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230403/inside-the-iskander-a-closer-look-at-russias-deadly-short-range-missile-1109080044.html russia belarus 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 iskander-m operational-tactical missile system, nuclear missiles https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/russian-court-arrests-trepova-charged-with-committing-terrorist-attack-1109123609.html Russian Court Arrests Trepova Charged With Committing Terrorist Attack Russian Court Arrests Trepova Charged With Committing Terrorist Attack Moscows Basmanny District Court ruled on Tuesday that Daria Trepova, who has been charged with committing the terrorist attack in a cafe in St. Petersburg that killed Russian military reporter Vladlen Tatarsky, should be arrested for two months, a Sputnik correspondent reported. 2023-04-04T16:01+0000 2023-04-04T16:01+0000 2023-04-04T16:01+0000 russia vladlen tatarsky's assassination russia murder /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/101932/49/1019324935_0:113:2160:1328_1920x0_80_0_0_43726839331698fa3d7384343d9636e6.jpg "The court ruled: to satisfy the petition of the investigation, to choose a measure of restraint in respect of Trepova in the form of detention for a period of two months, until June 2, 2023," the judge said.On Monday, Russia's Investigative Committee said that Daria Trepova was detained on suspicion of involvement in the explosion, and Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee stated that special services of Ukraine and the supporters of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK, designated extremist organization and foreign agent, banned in Russia) planned the attack.Later that day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Ukraine may be responsible for the attack. The regime in Kiev supports terrorist attacks, which is why Russia is carrying out its special military operation in Ukraine, Peskov added.The Russian Investigative Committee told Sputnik that the incident is being investigated as an act of terrorism. The Investigative Committee also said the authorities detained Daria Trepova on suspicion of involvement in the attack.Last year, Russian journalist Daria Dugina, daughter of political philosopher Alexander Dugin, was killed in a car bombing that the Kremlin tied to Ukraines special services. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/trepova-charged-with-planning-st-petersburg-cafe-blast-russian-investigative-committee-1109116446.html russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International vladlen tatarsky, daria trepova, russia, terrorist attack, war correspondent, military reporter, journalist murder https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/russian-envoy-says-sending-demarche-to-trudeau-to-condemn-murder-of-tatarsky-dugina-1109172682.html Russian Envoy Says Sending Demarche to Trudeau to Condemn Murder of Tatarsky, Dugina Russian Envoy Says Sending Demarche to Trudeau to Condemn Murder of Tatarsky, Dugina Russian Ambassador to Canada Oleg Stepanov told Sputnik on Tuesday that he is sending a protest note to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in which he would demand that Ottawa condemns the murder of Russian military reporter Vladlen Tatarsky and journalist Daria Dugina. 2023-04-04T18:31+0000 2023-04-04T18:31+0000 2023-04-05T15:38+0000 americas canada justin trudeau vladlen tatarsky's assassination journalist murder /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/13/1080514006_0:299:2970:1969_1920x0_80_0_0_b95108b4e5615051a71337d69736e0cc.jpg "I am sending an official demarche to the Prime Minister of Canada demanding that the murder of Tatarsky and Dugina be condemned. The absence [of condemnation] will be considered by Russia as support for terrorism by the government of Canada," Stepanov said.Last year, Russian journalist Daria Dugina, daughter of political philosopher Alexander Dugin, was killed in a car bombing, which the Kremlin tied to Ukraines special services. Stepanov said he asked in the demarche whether the Canadian cabinet supports and is a sponsor of terrorism. Stepanov pointed out that Russia and Canada may disagree on political and ideological issues, but the reality that the two Russian journalists were killed in terrorist bombings is clear. "Canada is a party to major international anti-terrorism conventions and must publicly state whether it supports combating terrorism or condones and allows its clients to conduct it," Stepanov said. Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said via Twitter that there was no reaction to the Tatarsky assassination from either the international community, the United Nations or from journalist organizations. Nebenzia emphasized that there is a selective approach when assessing what happened to journalists "here and there." Rae commented on Nebenzia's statement by claiming that Tatarsky was not a journalist but a "vitriolic propagandist" and a "spreader of hate and misinformation with a criminal record." On Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Ukraine may be responsible for the attack in St. Petersburg. Peskov added that the Kiev regime supports terrorist attacks, which is one of the reasons why Russia is carrying out its special military operation in Ukraine. The Russian Investigative Committee told Sputnik that the incident is being investigated as an act of terrorism. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230402/who-was-war-correspondent-vladlen-tatarsky-1109057744.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230403/scott-ritter-us-complicit-in-ukraines-war-on-journalists-1109088860.html americas canada 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 oleg stepanov, canada, justin trudeau, vladlen tatarsky, daria dugina https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/russian-foreign-ministry-summons-french-charge-daffaires-1109127202.html Russian Foreign Ministry Summons French Charge d'Affaires Russian Foreign Ministry Summons French Charge d'Affaires The Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday summoned French Charge dAffaires Jay Dharmadhikari to lodge a protest over the French embassys statement about provocation in Bucha, Ukraine. 2023-04-04T18:27+0000 2023-04-04T18:27+0000 2023-04-04T18:28+0000 russia russia france summoning /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/02/17/1107735227_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_555628a3f558c262a2943e6cab57de03.jpg "On April 4, Charge d'Affaires of France in Russia J. Dharmadhikari was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry, a protest was lodged in connection with the statements published by the embassy on social networks about atrocities committed by the Russian armed forces in Bucha and other Ukrainian cities," the ministry said in a statement.Ukraine accuses Russia of committing war crimes in Bucha, where dozens of dead civilians were found after the withdrawal of Russian forces. The Russian Defense Ministry rejected the claim as a provocation. It said no civilians had been hurt while Russian troops were in control of the town and blamed Ukrainian artillery forces for pummeling residential areas. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230330/russia-calls-for-probe-into-bucha-events-asks-un-for-list-of-victims-1108969134.html russia 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 russia summons french envoy, bucha provocation, bucha events https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/top-hungarian-diplomat-calls-chinas-ukraine-peace-plan-worthy-of-discussion-1109129637.html Top Hungarian Diplomat Calls China's Ukraine Peace Plan 'Worthy of Discussion' Top Hungarian Diplomat Calls China's Ukraine Peace Plan 'Worthy of Discussion' Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Tuesday that his country was standing firmly on the side of peace talks in Ukraine and described the Chinese initiative as worthy of discussion. 2023-04-04T20:37+0000 2023-04-04T20:37+0000 2023-04-04T20:37+0000 world russia china hungary ukraine peace talks peter szijjarto /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/07/15/1097661686_0:206:3061:1928_1920x0_80_0_0_2126e7bf8e169800ebcec92bc291ea4f.jpg "We think that China's peace plan is an initiative worthy of discussion, an initiative that could restore peace in our region, in Central Europe," he told reporters after a Ukraine-NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels. "We will continue standing on the side of peace. We support all efforts that will lead to concrete discussions of a lasting peace and guarantee stability for years to come," Szijjarto said. The Hungarian parliament passed a resolution last week that urges the international community to promote peace process in Ukraine and refrain from actions that risk escalating the conflict. Russia has insisted that it is open for negotiations with Ukraine, even after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree prohibiting talks with Moscow. China proposed a 12-point roadmap for Ukrainian peace last month in a bid to bring the two to the negotiating table. russia china hungary ukraine 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 hungary, china, ukraine, russia, peace talks, peter szijjarto This photo, provided by Seoul's foreign ministry shows First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong shaking hands with Edgard Kagan, senior director for East Asia and Oceania at the White House's National Security Council, as they meet for talks at Cho's office in central Seoul, April 5. Yonhap A senior White House official has visited Korea for talks with Seoul's vice foreign minister, officials said Wednesday, ahead of President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to Washington later this month. Edgard Kagan, senior director for East Asia and Oceania at the National Security Council, met with First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong earlier in the day and discussed ways to strengthen cooperation as the two countries celebrate the 70th anniversary of their alliance this year, according to Seoul's foreign ministry. Cho expressed hopes to create a turning point to realize an "alliance in action toward the future" through Yoon's state visit on April 26 and to continue talks to achieve "substantive" progress, it said. The two sides also shared the view on the importance of developing their "global comprehensive strategic alliance" to deal with the global polycrisis and agreed to continue close communication through various channels, it added. The allies decided to upgrade their ties to a "global comprehensive strategic" one during a summit between their leaders in May last year. Cho is currently tapped to become Seoul's ambassador to Washington after his predecessor, Cho Tae-yong, was appointed as Yoon's new national security adviser last week. (Yonhap) https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/trepova-charged-with-planning-st-petersburg-cafe-blast-russian-investigative-committee-1109116446.html Trepova Charged With Committing Terrorist Attack That Killed Vladlen Tatarsky Trepova Charged With Committing Terrorist Attack That Killed Vladlen Tatarsky Daria Trepova has been charged with planning the terrorist attack in a cafe in the center of St. Petersburg, which killed Russian military reporter Vladlen Tatarsky, Russia's Investigative Committee told Sputnik on Tuesday. 2023-04-04T12:40+0000 2023-04-04T12:40+0000 2023-04-04T12:58+0000 russia russia russian investigative committee explosion vladlen tatarsky's assassination /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107714/08/1077140885_0:163:3063:1886_1920x0_80_0_0_d008469d14dbf688a05d11b84aa10d02.jpg "Daria Trepova has been charged. She is charged with committing a crime under paragraph 'b' of Part 3 of Article 205 of the Russian Criminal Code, Part 4 of Article 222.1 (a terrorist act committed by an organized group that caused intentional death to a person; illegal carrying of explosive devices committed by an organized group)," Russia's Investigative Committee said. The Investigative Committee said that Trepova was taken to Moscow Basmanny Court. The Committee added that it demands pre-trial detention of Trepova.On Sunday, an unidentified explosive device went off in a cafe in the center of St. Petersburg. As a result of the incident, Vladlen Tatarsky, whose real name was Maxim Fomin, was killed and 32 people were injured. On Monday, Russia's Investigative Committee said that Daria Trepova was detained on suspicion of involvement in the explosion, and Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee stated that special services of Ukraine and the supporters of the Anti-Corruption Foundation* planned the attack. *designated extremist organization and foreign agent, banned in Russia https://sputnikglobe.com/20230402/one-dead-six-injured-in-blast-at-st-petersburg-cafe-emergency-services-say-1109055835.html russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International daria trepova, russia's investigative committee, russian military reporter vladlen tatarsky https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/uk-blocks-broadcast-of-russian-unsc-meeting-russia-will-respond-in-kind-says-polyanskiy-1109128625.html UK Blocks Broadcast of Russian UNSC Meeting, Russia Will Respond in Kind, Says Polyanskiy UK Blocks Broadcast of Russian UNSC Meeting, Russia Will Respond in Kind, Says Polyanskiy Russia will respond to the United Kingdoms decision to block a webcast of a Russian UN Security Council meeting on Ukrainian children by blocking broadcasts in the future said Dmitry Polyanskiy. 2023-04-04T20:16+0000 2023-04-04T20:16+0000 2023-04-04T20:16+0000 russia russia russia gate united kingdom dmitry polyanskiy /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/09/1108216678_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_13e03dfbf328fb35e26793771ad7980c.jpg "[The UK delegation to the UN] blocked UN webcast of our tomorrows informal meeting of Security Council on Children and armed conflict: Ukrainian crisis. Evacuating children from conflict zone. Western countries are clearly afraid that many people will at last hear the truth on this topic," Polyanskiy said in a statement via Twitter. The meeting on evacuation of children from conflict zones around Ukraine comes after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin for alleged unlawful deportation of children from the country. russia united kingdom 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 russia, uk, uk-russia relations, russia gate, broadcast block, dmitry polyanskiy, ukraine https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/us-parks-carrier-group-off-syrias-coast-as-iran-vows-revenge-over-killings-of-irgc-advisors-1109121247.html US Parks Carrier Group Off Syrias Coast as Iran Vows Revenge Over Killings of IRGC Advisors US Parks Carrier Group Off Syrias Coast as Iran Vows Revenge Over Killings of IRGC Advisors Iran began deploying small numbers of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force advisors to Syria in the early 2010s to help Damascus in its fight against hordes of CIA-backed Islamist militants. These units have come under repeated air attack by the US and Israel. 2023-04-04T14:28+0000 2023-04-04T14:28+0000 2023-04-04T15:07+0000 world aircraft carrier syria carrier strike group us israel iran tensions /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/04/1109120685_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_fbb69c52612c658688434ee4e88f7ee0.jpg Washington has deployed the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group closer to Syrias Mediterranean coast in the wake of attacks on illegal US bases, and a dramatic ramping up of US and Israeli strikes in the war-torn country.The Pentagon moved to extend the deployment of the carrier group in the Mediterranean last week, citing the need to provide policymakers with more options following attacks on US forces.The carrier deployment comes amid a dramatic escalation of tensions seen in recent weeks between Syria and Iran on one side and the US and Israel on the other related to Washingtons ongoing occupation of parts of the Syrian Arab Republic.In late March, the US conducted large-scale airstrikes against "Iran-affiliated" targets in Deir ez-Zor, Syria after a drone attack against an American base in the occupied eastern third of Syria killed a US mercenary and injured five troops. Washington said the strikes hit military targets, but sources on the ground told Iranian media that they struck a rural development center and grain facility in a neighborhood near Deir ez-Zors military airport. No Iranian nationals were killed. The US strikes failed to curb the violence, with US bases situated on top of large Syrian oil and gas fields hit the same week, leaving a US soldier with traumatic brain injuries. An Iraqi militia claimed responsibility for the initial drone attack, saying the operation was a response to the US brutal and terrorist crimes in Iraq and across the Middle East.US attacks on Syria were followed up by a series of Israeli airstrikes over the past week, which killed two IRGC military advisors Milad Heidari and Meqdad Mehqani, in the Damascus suburbs. Iran had a massive funeral for the soldiers on Tuesday in Tehran attended by IRGC chief Hossein Salami, Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani, other officials, and tens of thousands of mourners. Some mourners carried large, red "flags of revenge" similar to the kind hoisted over a key mosque in early 2020 following the US assassination of IRGC Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani, which culminated in Iranian ballistic missile strikes on American bases in Iraq.Iranian government spokesman Ali Bahadori Jahromi vowed revenge for the IRGC troopers' killings, and vowed that Tehran would never allow terrorist acts to go unanswered. On Tuesday, Iranian Vice President Mohammad Mokhber suggested that Israels Syria strikes were an indication of the internal collapse of the Israeli usurping regime.The escalating tensions over Syria come as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces massive pressure at home from ordinary Israelis and the military over controversial judicial reforms, which he has now promised to put on pause. The US is facing its own domestic problems, including politically charged plans to prosecute former President Donald Trump over alleged accounting hiccups over hush money payments to a porn star (Trump has denied wrongdoing).The tensions also come in the face of rising hopes for peace in Syria and the region amid joint Russian-Syrian-Iranian-Turkish negotiations in Moscow this week, Russia-brokered normalization of relations talks between Syria and Saudi Arabia, and a China-brokered normalization deal between Tehran and Riyadh last month. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230327/white-house-no-change-in-us-footprint-in-syria-as-result-of-attacks-on-us-bases-1108842207.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/syrias-defense-ministry-says-two-civilians-killed-in-israeli-missile-attack-on-syria-1109094974.html syria israel iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov syria, tensions, united states, carrier group, carrier strike group, mediterranean, iran, israel https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/ancient-earth-may-have-been-quite-slushy-and-not-ball-of-ice-study-shows-1109163909.html Ancient Earth May Have Been Quite 'Slushy,' and Not Ball of Ice, Study Shows Ancient Earth May Have Been Quite 'Slushy,' and Not Ball of Ice, Study Shows Snowball Earth theory disputed by new research, claiming panet was not totally frozen oversometime 650 million years ago, during the Cryogenian period, and had slushy patches. 2023-04-05T14:52+0000 2023-04-05T14:52+0000 2023-04-21T10:43+0000 science & tech planet earth ice /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/0c/08/1081397710_46:0:1875:1029_1920x0_80_0_0_90d5318f7ddd8fd195e14d0adc347c77.jpg Our planet Earth was so cold millions of years back that ice shrouded its surface for the greater part. But new research by Chinese scientists is now suggesting that the so-called freeze was somewhat more mild than previously believed. In fact, the surface of our planet may have been quite slushy, according to findings published in the journal Nature Communications. This would appear to dispute the longstanding "Snowball Earth" theory. This hypothesis has long claimed that an episode occurred sometime before 650 million years ago during the Cryogenian period that led to Earths surface succumbing to an overwhelming ice shield that encased it entirely.The study honed in on earlier speculations that, perhaps, this icy cover was not all that uniform, and there remained some areas of slush, or open ocean not frozen over. It was these pockets of slush that could have enabled oxygen to get through, generating what would become the incubators of living organisms. In fact, there were multiple clues to this effect, such as fossil deposits made by glaciers near the equator. These were identified as seaweed in a layer of black shale in central Chinas Hubei province. This could be taken as indication that habitable marine environments were more widespread billions of years ago than previously thought. According to the scientists, shale in the Nantuo Formation, southern China, can tell quite a fascinating story about the conditions in oceans billions of years ago.The team analyzed levels of iron and the presence of nitrogen to see if oxygen was, indeed, piercing through the ocean.Thus, the findings appear to prove that the worlds oceans at the time were not completely frozen, allowing a habitat for multicellular organisms. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230222/we-need-to-go-deeper-earth-has-one-more-layer-and-its-leviathan-iron-core-study-says-1107691509.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko snowball earth theory, planet earth, millions of years ago, ice shrouded its surface, freeze was more mild, earth surface might have been slushy, disputing snowball earth theory, episode 650 million years ago, during cryogenian period, https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/ankara-to-introduce-gas-discounts-to-mark-start-of-new-supplies-from-black-sea-reports-say-1109152522.html Ankara to Introduce Gas Discounts to Mark Start of New Supplies From Black Sea, Reports Say Ankara to Introduce Gas Discounts to Mark Start of New Supplies From Black Sea, Reports Say The Turkish authorities are planning to introduce discounts on gas for the general public at a ceremony on April 20 in connection with the start of supplies from the Black Sea gas reserves to the national distribution system, Turkish media reported on Wednesday. 2023-04-05T09:54+0000 2023-04-05T09:54+0000 2023-04-05T09:54+0000 economy turkiye recep tayyip erdogan gas pipeline /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/103157/45/1031574558_0:276:3468:2227_1920x0_80_0_0_788bfcdbd8ccc22533e621472db5f835.jpg The introduction of Black Sea gas into Turkiye's national distribution network will ensure the country's gas security, media reported, adding that good news about the discounts would be announced directly by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The authorities are reportedly considering four formulas for providing gas discounts to the population. The first option provides for granting 100 cubic meters of gas at a time as a gift to all citizens, while the second option is a 15% discount on gas in residential buildings. The third formula provides for free monthly distribution of 25 cubic meters of gas to citizens for its use in the kitchen and bathroom for eight months until the end of 2023, and the last option is to provide gas free of charge in April, the newspaper reported. In 2020, Turkiye discovered a large Black Sea gas field, later named Sakarya, whose reserves are estimated at 540 billion cubic meters. Ankara also discovered a new gas reserve off its Black Sea coast late last year. Together with the revised deposits at the Sakarya field, the country's offshore gas reserves stand at 710 billion cubic meters, an equivalent of $1 trillion on the global market. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230306/turkiye-needs-russian-funds-for-gas-hub-construction-after-earthquake-presidency-official-says-1108076850.html turkiye 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 new supplies from black sea, gas discounts https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/blinken-says-us-will-soon-finish-wrongful-detention-review-for-reporter-arrested-in-russia-1109168521.html Blinken Says US Will Soon Finish 'Wrongful Detention' Review for Reporter Arrested in Russia Blinken Says US Will Soon Finish 'Wrongful Detention' Review for Reporter Arrested in Russia The US State Department will soon finish its "wrongful detention" determination for Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was detained in Russia last month on espionage charges, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Wednesday. 2023-04-05T15:09+0000 2023-04-05T15:09+0000 2023-04-05T15:12+0000 world us russia antony blinken wall street journal journalist arrested journalists /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/02/10/1107484962_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_7488f1b9961b85eba47c4a6a9adbfa61.jpg "I want to make sure that, as always, because there is a formal process, that we go through it. And we will, and I expect that to be completed soon," Blinken said during a press conference, when asked about Gershkovich. Even as the United States engages with other countries to bring detained US citizens home, it can also increase pressure and apply penalties on those who engage in unlawful detentions, Blinken added.On March 30, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) detained Gershkovich, a WSJ Moscow Bureau correspondent, in Yekaterinburg on suspicion of espionage in favor of the United States. According to the FSB, the journalist was collecting classified information about the activities of one of Russia's military-industrial complex firms. Later that day, the Lefortovo District Court of Moscow decided to place Gershkovich in pre-trial detention for two months until May 29.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the reporter had been caught red-handed, and Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that Gershkovich's activities in Yekaterinburg had nothing to do with journalism.The WSJ has denounced any charges against Gershkovich and demanded his immediate release. EU High Representative Josep Borrel, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and US President Joe Biden, among many other Western leaders, have condemned the journalist's arrest. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230403/defense-appeals-pre-trial-detention-of-wsj-reporter-gershkovich-in-russia-1109092717.html russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russia, us, wsj journalist, arrested wsj journalist, anthony blinken, evan gershkovich https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/borrell-eu-wants-cooperation-with-china-but-beijing-must-behave-positively-1109152763.html Borrell: EU Wants Cooperation With China, But Beijing Must 'Behave Positively' Borrell: EU Wants Cooperation With China, But Beijing Must 'Behave Positively' The European Union intends to continue constructive cooperation with China on solving global issues, but expects China to "behave positively," especially with regard to the situation in Ukraine, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Wednesday. 2023-04-05T09:56+0000 2023-04-05T09:56+0000 2023-04-05T09:56+0000 world european union (eu) china cooperation /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/0c/09/1105263145_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_0e62fb2f6c3145f1157c9a27352610e3.jpg "The European Union is committed to continue a constructive engagement with China in order to solve the global challenges. But China is expected to behave as a positive, a constructive global player, especially with regard to Russia's aggression against Ukraine," Borrel said, during opening remarks at the second day of the NATO foreign Affairs ministerial meeting in Brussels. On Tuesday, Borrell said that he will pay a visit to Beijing next week. Earlier in the day, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in China for an official three-day visit at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. 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 european union, cooperation with china, solving global issues https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/china-launches-patrols-near-taiwan-ahead-of-meeting-between-mccarthy-tsai-beijing-1109137146.html China Launches Patrols Near Taiwan Ahead of Meeting Between McCarthy, Tsai China Launches Patrols Near Taiwan Ahead of Meeting Between McCarthy, Tsai China has launched military patrols in two areas of the Taiwan Strait ahead of the meeting between US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in Los Angeles during her transit trip to the United States, the Chinese Maritime Safety Administration in the province of Fujian said on Wednesday. 2023-04-05T05:17+0000 2023-04-05T05:17+0000 2023-04-05T05:47+0000 asia china taiwan /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/01/0e/1106317765_0:159:3077:1890_1920x0_80_0_0_26fff75989f3a725326b22190de9820f.jpg "Special joint patrol and inspection operation began today in the central and northern parts of the Taiwan Strait," the administration said on Chinese social media WeChat. The administration also attached an image to the message showing patrol areas, which are located very close to Taiwan. Following the news, Beijing firmly opposed the meeting as it contradicts the one-China principle and undermines the country's sovereignty, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Tuesday. On March 29, the Taiwanese delegation led by Tsai departed for a 10-day trip to two Central American states. On April 1, the delegation arrived in Guatemala with a transit stop in New York and visited Belize on April 3. On Wednesday, the Taiwanese leader will also make a transit stop in Los Angeles on her way home. US media reported that Tsai would hold a meeting with McCarthy during her stay in California that day. Prior to her meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California, President Tsai Ing-wen met with senior security officials on Tuesday to discuss the "regional situation.""The president asked relevant units to continue to grasp the surrounding situation, and to enable the visiting delegation to continue to grasp the situation in real time," her office said as quoted by media.The situation around Taiwan escalated after former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi traveled to the island in August 2022. Beijing condemned Pelosi's trip, which it regarded as a gesture of support for separatism, and launched large-scale military drills in the vicinity of the island. China's tough reaction notwithstanding, Pelosi's visit unleashed a wave of trips by Western politicians to the island. 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. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230330/tsais-strategy-of-provoking-beijing-backfiring-on-taiwan-as-it-keeps-losing-allies--1108967041.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/us-expects-any-future-war-with-china-across-taiwan-strait-would-be-quick-1109095751.html china Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International patrols near taiwan, taiwanese president tsai ing-wen https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/china-rejecting-biden-efforts-to-revive-dialogue-says-reports-wh-says-comm-channels-remain-open-1109179154.html US Media Claims China Ignoring US, WH Says Comms Open US Media Claims China Ignoring US, WH Says Comms Open China is rejecting top level efforts by the Biden administration to revive diplomatic dialogue, following the uproar over the Chinese balloon incident. 2023-04-05T20:20+0000 2023-04-05T20:20+0000 2023-04-06T03:47+0000 americas china karine jean-pierre antony blinken kevin mccarthy tsai ing-wen joe biden xi jinping /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/02/09/1107254177_0:0:3073:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_4b892d4042b6fd6ac52a2a984c733f4a.jpg It was the Biden administration, not China, that called off Blinken's last proposed trip to Beijing in February only days before it was scheduled to take place. Chinese officials have also refused to expedite a US proposal for President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping to talk directly by phone, the US media reported. China is particularly angry by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy meeting in California with Taiwan's leader Tsai Ing-wen, Politico said. However, the newspaper said the current pattern of interactions suggests that the US government has been reaching out to Beijing and China has been refusing to respond. China was also angry about the continuing and growing US arms sales to Taiwan, the report said. China is also freezing out the United States on launching new mutual confidence building measures or creating new or restoring old hotlines for easy communications between leaders in times of crisis, Politico said.At a press conference on Wednesday, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said that lines of communications between the two countries remain "open."Washington has conveyed its message to Beijing in recent days, urging China to keep calm, she said, adding that Tsai Ing-wen's trip is private, and there are no reasons to overreact.Beijing firmly opposes the transit visit by the Taiwanese leader and her meeting with McCarthy, which it believes contradict the one-China principle and undermine the country's sovereignty, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Tuesday. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/rare-earths-behemoth-china-mulls-ban-on-export-of-key-magnet-tech-to-us-1109178024.html americas 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 chinese us relations, joe biden, communications, china, tsai ing-wen https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/death-toll-from-earthquakes-in-turkiye-reaches-50339-interior-ministry-1109147366.html Death Toll From Earthquakes in Turkiye Reaches 50,339: Interior Ministry Death Toll From Earthquakes in Turkiye Reaches 50,339: Interior Ministry The number of people killed by the devastating February earthquakes in the southeast of Turkey has reached 50,399, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Wednesday. 2023-04-05T08:32+0000 2023-04-05T08:32+0000 2023-04-05T08:32+0000 world turkiye earthquake rocks turkiye and syria earthquakes /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/02/0b/1107339550_1:0:3640:2047_1920x0_80_0_0_950fa21d3cd57836a40cfb5be38678de.jpg "The death toll is 50,399. The identification of the bodies continues. The number may yet be updated," Soylu told reporters, as quoted by CNN Turk. On February 6, two earthquakes of magnitudes 7.7 and 7.6 hit the southeastern regions of Turkiye at a nine-hour interval, toppling thousands of homes. The underground shocks followed by hundreds of aftershocks were felt in 11 Turkish provinces and in neighboring countries, especially in Syria. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230322/top-5-earthquakes-that-caused-death-destruction-and-nuclear-disasters-around-the-globe-1108693157.html turkiye 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 number of people killed by earthquakes, southeast of turkey Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Rep. Yang Yiwonyoung, third from right, speaks during a press conference in front of the Japanese Embassy in central Seoul, Wednesday, after she and other DPK lawmakers visited the diplomatic mission to protest Tokyo's decision to release radioactive wastewater from Fukushima's nuclear power plant. Yonhap DPK members plan to visit Japan to protest Fukushima wastewater release By Nam Hyun-woo The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is gearing up for a campaign to oppose President Yoon Suk Yeol's fence-mending diplomacy with Japan. Some DPK lawmakers visited the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, Wednesday, to lodge a protest against Tokyo's decision to release radioactive wastewater from a nuclear power plant in Fukushima. Following the protest, the lawmakers will make a three-day visit to Japan today seeking to inspect the tsunami-damaged nuclear power plant. However, they have yet to fix their schedule to meet with the responsible Japanese authorities, casting doubts over the effectiveness of their protests. Five lawmakers, including Reps. Wi Seong-gon, Yang Yiwonyoung and Yoon Young-deok, visited the Japanese Embassy in Jongno District, Seoul, and had a meeting with Daisuke Namioka, a minister of economic affairs. "Given that Japan's constitution states that no nation is responsible to itself alone, we requested Japan to understand and respect Korea and other neighboring countries' concerns over the wastewater release," Yang told reporters after meeting the minister. The lawmakers said they requested that Japan confirms that the top priority in processing the wastewater is the safety of Korean and Japanese people, withdraw its plan to release the wastewater until nearby nations join the safety check process, agree to stop discussions to export fisheries products until their safety is confirmed and cooperate in providing raw data to Korea. An aerial view of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture, north of Tokyo, March 17, 2022. AP-Yonhap During their visit to Japan, the DPK lawmakers plan to lodge a protest against the wastewater release plan. "The Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company (the operator of the Fukushima nuclear plant) plan to release 1.3 million tons of radioactive wastewater for 30 years beginning in the first half of this year," the lawmakers said in a statement. "This wastewater will flow into waters off Jeju Island within seven months at the earliest, causing significant damage to our marine ecosystem and fishing industry." The lawmakers will meet a Japanese nuclear safety expert group, local refugees, Korean reporters in Japan and a city council member. They will also visit Tokyo Electric Power Company, but have yet to fix a schedule to meet with officials from the company or other responsible authorities from the Japanese government. "Having a meeting between the opposition party (the DPK) and (Japan's) influential politicians is not always the best resolution," Rep. Wi said when asked about the effectiveness of their visit during a press conference at the National Assembly. "It is also important to show national concerns on the wastewater to Japan." Wi added that neither the Japanese Embassy in Korea nor the Korean Embassy in Japan are cooperating with their visit. As a result, the opposition lawmakers said they had to do something to stop the Yoon government from "being on the same side with Japan in releasing the wastewater." The DPK lawmakers said that they contacted several Japanese lawmakers and that some of them expressed their intention to meet them, but eventually confirmed that a meeting would be difficult due to Japan's local elections. "We also regret that we are not fully serving our role in this important matter despite being the largest negotiation group at the National Assembly," Wi said. "We also feel painful about the government's ignorance of the meetings which were called up by the Assembly's committee chairmen." Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Lee Jae-myung, front center, speaks at a rally against importing fishery products from Japan's Fukushima region, at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, March 30. Yonhap https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/donald-trump-under-arrest-finland-joins-nato-and-the-msm-defend-soros-money-1109131360.html Donald Trump Under Arrest, Finland Joins NATO, and the MSM Defend Soros Money Donald Trump Under Arrest, Finland Joins NATO, and the MSM Defend Soros Money On todays episode of The Backstory, host Lee Stranahan discussed current events including Finland joining NATO, and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson announcing his 2024 Presidential run. 2023-04-05T04:03+0000 2023-04-05T04:03+0000 2023-04-05T09:38+0000 the backstory radio nyc tiktok twitter finland nato arkansas donald trump's indictment /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/04/1109131203_0:0:1920:1080_1920x0_80_0_0_417ef279bf8ccfe6c76319ddeb9074e3.png Donald Trump Under Arrest, Finland Joins NATO, and The MSM Defend Soros Money On todays episode of The Backstory, host Lee Stranahan discussed current events including Finland joining NATO, and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson announcing his 2024 Presidential run. Jim Hoft - Founder of The Gateway Pundit, and Mark Sleboda - international affairs and security analyst | Protests for Donald Trump, Where is the Nashville Shooters ManifestoCharles Ortel - Former Investor, and Charity Fraud Expert | How Soros Funded the Alvin Bragg Campaign, The Weak Case Against Donald Trump, and Color RevolutionsIn the first hour, Lee and Jason Goodman spoke with Mark Sleboda and Jim Hoft about political agitators in New York, Marjorie Taylor Greene arrives to support Trump, and the January 6th defendants. Jim talked about the Nashville school shooting and how the media has ignored the root cause of the Nashville shooting. Jim discussed the lawlessness across America and the Soros funded District Attorneys.In the second hour, Lee and Jason Goodman spoke with Charles Ortel about charity fraud scams, Donald Trump arrested in New York, and the New York Democrats. Charles commented on the indictment of Donald Trump and the leaked grand jury charges. Charles spoke about the Biden family corruption and the state of New York charity laws.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.comThe views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of Sputnik. nyc finland arkansas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Lee Stranahan https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/13/1082125222_0:0:293:292_100x100_80_0_0_a8bc846f559660e5bf7574f8a9608a1d.png Lee Stranahan https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/13/1082125222_0:0:293:292_100x100_80_0_0_a8bc846f559660e5bf7574f8a9608a1d.png News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Lee Stranahan https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/13/1082125222_0:0:293:292_100x100_80_0_0_a8bc846f559660e5bf7574f8a9608a1d.png the backstory, trumps hash pay, what is donald trump indicted for, donald trump arrest, trump arraignment, what is trump accused of, school shooting in nashville, who caused mass shooting in tn, https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/finland-joins-nato-what-benefits-can-the-alliance-expect-1109151574.html Finland Joins NATO: What Benefits Can the Alliance Expect? Finland Joins NATO: What Benefits Can the Alliance Expect? At merely 5.5 million, Finland it is often viewed as Western Europe's strongest artillery, having more pieces than France and Germany combined. 2023-04-05T12:07+0000 2023-04-05T12:07+0000 2023-04-05T12:09+0000 finland news military military & intelligence nato sputnik explains /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/103893/65/1038936594_0:0:3001:1688_1920x0_80_0_0_957df87ddab1aa195f005f6ea3af01d5.jpg On Tuesday, April 4, Finland joined NATO, ending decades of non-alignment. With Finland's accession to the alliance, the bloc's border has gained nearly 1,300 kilometers of land and water. What does Finland have to offer to its newfound allies? Sputnik explains.How Strong is Finland's Military?Finland is one of the few European countries to have retained a conscription army despite decades of peace following World War II. Each year, Finland drills some 21,000 new conscripts. The term of service ranges from 180 to 362 days. Since 1994, women can also serve, albeit only voluntarily. Following active duty, they become part of its reserve corps of 280,000 soldiers. Of them, some 10,000 are called up each year for refresher courses on a rotational basis. The contract staff consist of 12,000 people, 8,000 of whom are military personnel.In case of need, nearly 900,000 Finns aged between 17 and 60 are available for service in the country of 5.5 million.The Finnish Army: Introduction to Its Military Arsenal and CapabilitiesThe Finnish army, which in peacetime consists of eight brigades, has at its disposal 239 main battle tanks, including 100 Leopard 2A6s and 139 Leopard 2A4s, 212 infantry fighting vehicles (110 Soviet-made BMP2MDs and 102 Swedish-made CV9030 FINs), as well as some 1,100 armored personnel carriers, both on wheels and on tracks (including some 400 Soviet-made MT-Ls).The bulk of Finland's 2A4 tanks were acquired used from Germany between 2002 and 2004; more were purchased in 2009. One hundred 2A6 tanks were acquired used from the Netherlands between 2015 and 2019.How Big is the Finnish Army?Finland is sometimes referred to as "Western Europe's strongest artillery" and has 48 self-propelled 155 mm howitzers and 72 122-mm ones, 740 towed artillery units (including nearly 500 Soviet-made 122 H63s) and more than 1,600 mortars, as well as 27 helicopters (20 of which are NH90s).The Global Firepower Index ranks Finland's military as the 51st-most powerful in the world. However, the consensus is that its outsize emphasis on artillery (Finland has more pieces than Germany and France combined) potentially allows the small Nordic nation to pack a solid punch.The Finnish Army is also introducing an Israeli-made ELTA counter-battery radar systems in order to locate and track incoming rockets, artillery shells and mortar fire.Finland's anti-aircraft capabilities number at least 650 missiles, but the Nordic country is in the process of procuring more from Sweden's Saab Dynamics and Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. Its key anti-aircraft system is the NATO-compatible Norwegian-US NASAMS 2.As of now, Finland is also eyeing a new high-altitude anti-aircraft system, with Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael Advanced Systems currently seen as the frontrunners.Regarding UAVs, Finland has an undisclosed number of unarmed Orbiter drones and is in the process of procuring up to 2,000 more, including hundreds of Parrot Anafi drones, similar to those utilized by the US army.Since joining the Ottawa mine ban convention back in 2012, Finland has destroyed more than a million anti-personnel mines, but has since partially replaced that capability with remote-controlled smart mines and area denial systems.How Strong is Finnish Air Force?The Finnish Air Force is set up into three air commands, each of them operating a fighter squadron.The Air Force has a fleet of 61 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets, which are to be replaced by 64 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II jets. These are seen as the country's largest modern-era military procurement and are slated for arrival starting from 2026.The main armaments include US-made AIM Sidewinders and AIM-120 AMRAAMs and air-to-air and beyond-visual-range missiles, AGM-154C JSOWs and AGM-158A JASSMs as joint standoff weapons, as well as general-purpose GBU-class bombs like precision guided munition.How Finland's NATO Membership Impacts Baltic SecurityThe Finnish navy is designed exclusively for coastal operations and is trained and armed to protect territorial waters in the Baltic Sea.Finland's naval forces have eight missile craft (four Hamina class and four Rauma class), four command vessels, five minelayers, 13 minesweepers and three mine countermeasure vessels, in addition to smaller landing craft.Its three new multirole corvettes for surface combat are currently under domestic construction and are expected to enter service by 2029.Since 1998, the Finnish navy also has Coastal Jaegers, or Finnish marines.Budget and BasesWith an annual military budget of around $6 billion, Finland already spends just over 2% of its GDP on defense, thus meeting NATO's expenditure target for member states set back in 2014.While largely in favor of NATO membership, both ordinary Finns and political parties are split on permanent allied bases in their country. Smaller temporary deployments, similar to NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence deployed in the Baltics, might therefore be a solution.The Implications of Finland Joining NATO for Russian-Finnish relationsMoscow has repeatedly warned that the expansion of the Western alliance closer to Russia's borders would make the region neither stable nor secure.Among others, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said that Russia would boost its military potential in the western and north-western parts of the country in response to Helsinki joining NATO. The diplomat pledged that Moscow would take additional measures to ensure military security, if other bloc members' forces or assets were to be deployed in Finland. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/russias-border-with-nato-countries-grows-after-finland-joins-alliance-1109118718.html finland Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Igor Kuznetsov Igor Kuznetsov 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 Igor Kuznetsov finnish army, finland army, finland nato status, finland nato ratification status, finland nato ratification, finland nato membership status, finland nato progress, finland nato, finland sweden nato, sweden finland nato, is finland in nato, finland joining nato, finland nato update, finland nato membership, nato finland, finland joins nato, finland nato news, did finland join nato, nato finland, finland nato relations, finland and nato, finland nato when, is finland becoming a nato country, is finland now in nato https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/former-scottish-first-ministers-husband-arrested-in-600k-fraud-probe-report-1109149344.html Former Scottish First Minister's Husband Arrested in 600K Fraud Probe: Report Former Scottish First Minister's Husband Arrested in 600K Fraud Probe: Report Speculation has been rife over the motivations for Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon's unexpected resignation in February amid a series of government crises. she dodged questions about the police probe into party finances. 2023-04-05T09:56+0000 2023-04-05T09:56+0000 2023-04-05T17:17+0000 world uk scotland police scotland nicola sturgeon britain great britain scottish nationalist party (snp) snp fraud /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/05/1109149589_0:0:3176:1787_1920x0_80_0_0_1478a4c3777d99ace118fd2c2ddfa4c8.jpg The husband of former Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon has reportedly been arrested as part of a 600,000 fraud probe into their party's finances. Police Scotland announced on Wednesday morning that they had arrested a man aged 58 the same age as the former first minister's husband Peter Murrell at Sturgeon's house and were carrying out searches at a number of addresses.TV footage showed two police vans outside Sturgeon and Murrell's home in Glasgow, with the perimeter cordoned off and a forensics tent erected on their front lawn.Murrell served as SNP chief executive for 24 years until he resigned last month following the revelation that the party had overstated its membership figures by around 30,000 in the midst of the leadership election prompted by his wife's unexpected resignation as party leader and first minister of the devolved regional administration a month earlier.Sturgeon's successor Humza Yousaf the 'continuity' candidate for her faction within the SNP who has only been in post for a week following the rushed party leadership contest revealed to TV reporters that "police are at party headquarters." But he insisted that he only learned of Murrell's arrest after it happened. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Scotland's public prosecutor, said it would "continue to work with police in this ongoing investigation."The case was opened in March 2021 after an un-named citizen filed a formal complaint to Police Scotland over the apparent disappearance from the SNP's published accounts of some 600,000 raised from members and supporters in two special appeals in 2017 and 2019. That money was supposedly a ring-fenced campaign fund for a re-run of the failed 2014 Scottish independence referendum, which the SNP had promised its voters in the wake of the 2016 UK-wide vote to leave the European Union. Some sources speculate that the fund was instead spent on campaigning in the December 2019 UK general election, when the SNP increased its number of seats in the Westminster Parliament from 35 to 48. Sturgeon refused to answer journalist's questions about the probe at the hastily-convened press conference to announce her resignation on February 15.Opposition Scottish Labour Party deputy leader Jackie Baillie called the developments "deeply concerning."The SNP said it would "would not be appropriate to comment on any live police investigation," but admitted that it had been "co-operating" with detectives."At its meeting on Saturday, the governing body of the SNP, the NEC, agreed to a review of governance and transparency that will be taken forward in the coming weeks," the party said. scotland britain great britain Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 James Tweedie https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/08/1c/1080307270_0:3:397:400_100x100_80_0_0_7777393b9b18802f2e3c5eaa9cbcc612.png James Tweedie https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/08/1c/1080307270_0:3:397:400_100x100_80_0_0_7777393b9b18802f2e3c5eaa9cbcc612.png News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 James Tweedie https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/08/1c/1080307270_0:3:397:400_100x100_80_0_0_7777393b9b18802f2e3c5eaa9cbcc612.png uk, scotland, nicola sturgeon, peter murrell, fraud, police scotland https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/iranian-interior-minister-denies-reports-of-drone-attack-on-defense-ministrys-complex-1109160531.html Iranian Interior Minister Denies Reports of Drone Attack on Defense Ministry's Complex Iranian Interior Minister Denies Reports of Drone Attack on Defense Ministry's Complex Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said he could not confirm information about a drone attack against a complex of the country's defense ministry in the city of Isfahan, adding that further verification is needed. 2023-04-05T12:59+0000 2023-04-05T12:59+0000 2023-04-05T12:59+0000 military iran drone strikes iranian forces /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/01/1e/1106819884_0:158:3081:1891_1920x0_80_0_0_da1e0624f7cb1ac2d506b6a9cd7a6232.jpg Earlier in the day, Iranian media reported that the countrys air defense system had thwarted a drone attack against the defense ministrys complex on Tuesday night, noting that no damage had been caused to the complex. At the same time, Mohammad Reza Jan-Nesari, the deputy governor of Isfahan for political, security, and social affairs, said that there were no security incidents as claimed by media reports.This is not the first report of a drone attack on the Iranian Defense Ministrys facilities. On the night of January 29, a strong explosion was also heard in Isfahan. The Iranian Defense Ministry said the blast had been caused by an unsuccessful attempt to attack one of its military facilities using quadrocopters fitted with explosive charges. The Iranian air defense shot down one of the drones, while the other two fell into traps and exploded. Iranian media reports suggested likely involvement of Israel and the United States in the attack. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230129/drones-attack-military-site-in-irans-isfahan-reports-say-1106794621.html iran 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 drone attack at isfahan, iranian forces, drone strikes in iran https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/made-in-russia-showcases-products-technologies--services-at-vietnam-expo-1109163394.html 'Made in Russia' Showcases Products, Technologies & Services at Vietnam Expo 'Made in Russia' Showcases Products, Technologies & Services at Vietnam Expo Vietnam Expo 2023 kicks off in Hanoi, showcasing Russia's unique Baikal natural mineral water, vending terminals and ticket inspectors for public transport, rock wool insulation, steel wire defectoscopes, freight forwarding services. 2023-04-05T12:11+0000 2023-04-05T12:11+0000 2023-04-05T15:13+0000 russian export center jsc (rec) russia hanoi economy made in russia brand made in russia /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/09/08/1100549406_0:91:3078:1822_1920x0_80_0_0_9cebe6ebfe1582d95e0a33ba7ff2242f.jpg The Russian Export Center (REC, part of VEB.RF) presented these and other goods and services to visitors at the Made in Russia exhibition, which opened at Vietnam Expo 2023, an international multi-sector hybrid exhibition in Vietnam, the center reported.The exhibition will be held in Hanoi from April 5 to 8."The Russian national exhibition under the Made in Russia brand will be presented for the first time at Vietnam Expo 2023. The joint stand was visited by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Alexei Gruzdev and Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Vietnam Do Thang Hai," the report said.At the Made in Russia exhibition, companies will present a wide range of services, food products, technologies, and industrial equipment. These include, for example, soy-based vegetable drinks, beef, unique Baikal natural mineral water, NEMS electrical insulation inserts, welding protection sleeves, and polyethylene-lined steel pipes.In addition, entrepreneurs will hold talks with potential foreign partners. These are representatives from Southeast Asia, China, Korea, Thailand, Japan, Singapore, and other countries. In total, more than 200 B2B meetings are planned to be organized by the specialists of the Russian Export Center. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230227/russian-chocolates-oatmeal-and-sauces-are-going-to-asia-and-middle-east-1107843743.html russia hanoi 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 vietnam expo 2023, made in russia, showcasing russia's unique baikal https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/minsks-peace-plan-for-ukraine-could-be-discussed-if-clarifications-given-kremlin-1109157341.html Minsk's Peace Plan for Ukraine Could Be Discussed If Clarifications Given: Kremlin Minsk's Peace Plan for Ukraine Could Be Discussed If Clarifications Given: Kremlin Minsk's peace plan for Ukraine could be discussed during the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko if certain points are clarified, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday. 2023-04-05T11:58+0000 2023-04-05T11:58+0000 2023-04-05T11:58+0000 world russia ukraine us china /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/1e/1108959983_0:190:2969:1860_1920x0_80_0_0_9ca2549d27ae843fb92a3a0867a63b99.jpg "It seems that Alexander Grigoryevich [Lukashenko] will consider it necessary himself to give explanations on this matter. Then, of course, they will discuss this issue," Peskov said. The conversation between the two leaders will primarily focus on bilateral relations, the spokesman said. Earlier in March, Lukashenko proposed in his address to Belarusian people and lawmakers to stop the fighting in Ukraine and declare a ceasefire without movement of military equipment from both sides. The relations between China and Russia are guided by the agreements reached by the leaders of the two countries, Peskov said.Earlier in the day, US media reported that Chinese ambassador to the European Union Fu Cong said ahead of talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron that the statement that Russia and China relations have 'no limit' is only 'rhetoric.'Moscow does not consider itself entitled to interfere in the internal affairs of the United States, just as Washington has no right to interfere in the affairs of Russia, Peskov said, refusing to comment on the case against former US President Donald Trump.On Tuesday, Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree in connection to his alleged involvement in a $130,000 hush money payment and subsequent cover-up involving a purported affair with adult film star Stormy Daniels, among others. Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment on Tuesday. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230226/dangerous-for-us-trump-bashes-biden-for-unifying-russia-and-china-1107825388.html russia ukraine 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 minsk's peace plan, russian president vladimir putin, kremlin spokesman dmitry peskov https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/nato-officials-avoid-nord-stream-attack-discussion-macron-visits-china-syria-peace-talks-in-moscow-1109132291.html NATO Officials Avoid Nord Stream Attack Discussion; Macron Visits China; Syria Peace Talks in Moscow NATO Officials Avoid Nord Stream Attack Discussion; Macron Visits China; Syria Peace Talks in Moscow The Washington Post reports that NATO officials deliberately avoid discussing the Nord Stream pipeline attacks for fear that a Member state's involvement may be revealed. 2023-04-05T04:01+0000 2023-04-05T04:01+0000 2023-04-05T09:36+0000 the critical hour radio donald trump nato nord stream benjamin netanyahu emmanuel macron finland north korea /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/04/1109132134_0:0:1920:1080_1920x0_80_0_0_0c0b0aa95285efdaec4dcb85db00fe7c.png NATO Officials Avoid Nord Stream Attack Discussion; Macron Visits China; Syria Peace Talks in Moscow The Washington Post reports that NATO officials deliberately avoid discussing the Nord Stream pipeline attacks for fear that a Member state's involvement may be revealed. Mark Sleboda, Moscow-based international relations security analyst, joins us to discuss Ukraine. The Washington Post reports that NATO officials deliberately avoid discussing the Nord Stream pipeline attacks for fear that a Member state's involvement may be revealed. Also, a four-way summit in Moscow may produce another landmark peace deal for the Middle East.John Burris, civil rights attorney, joins us to discuss Donald Trump. Former US President Donald Trump will be arraigned on Tuesday in New York. Also, a myriad of investigations continues as the allies cry foul.Dr. Gerald Horne, Professor of History at the University of Houston, TX, author, historian, and researcher, joins us to discuss Africa. Africa surprised the West with its Pro-Russia response to the Ukraine war. Also, Algeria declines foreign intervention in the Sahel region.George Koo, journalist, social activist, and international business consultant, joins us to discuss China. The US trust deficit has been self-inflicted. Also, the US is increasing provocations in the South China Sea.Laith Marouf, broadcaster, and journalist based in Beirut, Lebanon, joins us to discuss the Middle East. Moscow is hosting delegations from Syria, Turkey, and Iran to work out another major peace deal for the Middle East. Also, 20% of all Israelis participated in recent protests.Steve Poikonen, national organizer for Action4Assange, joins us to discuss the Nord Stream attack. The Washington Post reports that NATO officials deliberately avoid discussing the Nord Stream pipeline attacks for fear that a Member state's involvement may be revealed. Also, The Washington Post has changed the sailboat story to add the possibility of more boats.Jon Jeter, journalist and author, joins us to discuss the new world order. The world is undergoing changes that have not been seen in centuries as the poles of power shift from Europe and North America. Also, a German lawmaker demands that US troops be kicked out of the country.KJ Noh, writer, teacher, and activist, joins us to discuss Asia. North Korean leaders criticize the reckless military provocations of the Biden administration. Also, Emmanuel Macron is visiting China and a former Taiwan President continues on his goodwill tour of the mainland.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.comThe views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of Sputnik. finland Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Wilmer Leon https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/12/1082114047_0:-1:238:238_100x100_80_0_0_4e3adef3e334e381bffe19d388f4b776.jpg Wilmer Leon https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/12/1082114047_0:-1:238:238_100x100_80_0_0_4e3adef3e334e381bffe19d388f4b776.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Wilmer Leon https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/12/1082114047_0:-1:238:238_100x100_80_0_0_4e3adef3e334e381bffe19d388f4b776.jpg the critical hour, trumps hash pay, what is donald trump indicted for, donald trump arrest, trump arraignment, what is trump accused of, finland joins nato, what are nato new countries, nato expansion, who controls bakhmut, why bakhmut is important, syria diplomatic ties, saudi-syria relations, what is russia doing in africa, https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/natos-enlargement-targets-not-only-moscow-but-ankara-as-well-turkish-media-says-1109155627.html NATO's Enlargement Targets Not Only Moscow, But Ankara as Well, Turkish Media Says NATO's Enlargement Targets Not Only Moscow, But Ankara as Well, Turkish Media Says Turkiyes parliament approved Finlands bid to join the Western alliance last week, citing Helsinkis authentic and concrete steps to allay Ankaras security concerns. However, one Turkish outlet fears the nod to membership may prove a strategic mistake, and that the bloc is directed as much against Turkiye as it is against Russia. 2023-04-05T11:49+0000 2023-04-05T11:49+0000 2023-04-05T11:51+0000 world turkiye nato nato expansion finland analysis /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/104402/87/1044028738_0:107:2048:1259_1920x0_80_0_0_f165e13acde41cc79a001502005994bb.jpg Finland officially joined NATO on Tuesday, becoming the 31st nation to join the alliance, with its accession constituting the Western military blocs ninth wave of expansion since its creation in 1949. Russia, which shares a 1,300+ km frontier with its Nordic neighbor, warned that Moscow would take the necessary countermeasures to ensure its tactical and strategic security.Turkiyes Defense Ministry used the occasion, which coincides with the 74th anniversary of the founding of NATO, to post a congratulatory tweet. We have been a distinguished member of NATO since 1952. Happy 74th anniversary. Together we are stronger, the ministry wrote, adding the hashtag #WeAreNATO.But the celebration may be premature, writes Turkish newspaper Aydinlik.Although NATOs enlargement has been seen as a policy of containing Russia, it is now obvious that Turkiye is being similarly besieged. In the past, the Atlantic [powers] attempted to establish global hegemony by hemming the Eurasian continent in on land, in accordance with Spykmans Rimland theory, therefore including countries such as Turkiye, Iran, Afghanistan and China in its geopolitical axis, the newspaper, affiliated with Turkiyes Vatan Partisi, a left Kemalist party, wrote in an analysis published Tuesday.Turkiye vs NATOAydinliks analysis is in line with growing anti-NATO and anti-Western sentiment in Turkiye. A 2019 poll found that only 21 percent of Turks had a positive view of the alliance. A 2021 survey discovered that a whopping 90.3 percent didnt believe that the bloc would come to the countrys assistance in a crisis, while 51.7 percent said the bloc exploits Turkiye for its own interests. Another poll in early 2022 found that 39.4 percent of Turks would prefer it if their country would give priority to Russia and China in foreign policy, compared to 37.5 percent for the EU and the US.Turkish grievances with the West are numerous, starting with Turkiyes shabby treatment by Brussels which has dangled the prospect of EU membership before the country for more than 30 years, but consistently refused to allow it to enter, ostensibly for failing to meet membership criteria. (Meanwhile, much less developed countries in Eastern Europe have been allowed in, and even Ukraine, which is engulfed in a NATO-Russia proxy conflict and mired in corruption and poverty, is now being considered for membership.)NATOs role in the 2016 coup attempt is another issue on many Turks minds. Some have accused NATO of direct involvement in the coup plot, and the Turkish governments purge of NATO staff after the attempted putsch indicates that Ankara also suspects them.Americas sheltering of Fethullah Gulen, the Muslim cleric President Erdogan suspects of masterminding the coup attempt, has served to further fray ties. As has the scandal over the F-35 fighter program. After pumping more than a billion dollars in R&D funds into the fighter and organizing the manufacture of dozens of key components, Turkiye was unceremoniously booted out of the program in 2019 and slapped with sanctions in 2020 over its purchase of advanced Russian missile defense systems.Turkiye and NATOs de facto leader, the United States, have also found themselves on opposite sides in Syria, where US forces have allied themselves to and shielded Kurdish militia forces which Ankara classifies as terrorists. At the same time, the ongoing standoff between Turkiye and Greece in a maritime dispute in the Mediterranean (which France, another NATO member, has joined on Athens side) has served to further heighten Ankaras security concerns.Even as Turkiye prepares for presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for May, Ankara has accused the US of meddling in the countrys internal affairs after US Ambassador Jeff Flake met with Kemal Kilicdaroglu, Erdogans main rival.Joe Bidens ambassador visits Kemal. Shame on you, think with your head. You are an ambassador. Your interlocutor here is the president. How will you stand up after that and ask for a rendezvous with the president? Our doors are closed to him, he can no longer come in. Why? He needs to know his place, Erdogan said.With NATOs latest expansion, the real question worth asking, Aydinlik seems to intimate, is about Turkiyes place in the Western alliance. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230127/nato-biggest-threat-to-turkeys-independence-and-sovereignty-turkish-observers-say-1106758265.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230403/erdogan-says-his-doors-closed-to-us-ambassador-in-ankara-1109060565.html turkiye finland Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov turkiye, nato, alliance, expansion, threat, danger, analysis, axis https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/police-respond-to-rifle-wielding-woman-at-trump-tower-in-chicago-reports-1109177558.html Police Respond to Rifle-Wielding Woman at Trump Tower in Chicago: Reports Police Respond to Rifle-Wielding Woman at Trump Tower in Chicago: Reports WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Heavy police presence is being observed at the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago after a woman armed with a rifle entered... 05.04.2023, Sputnik International 2023-04-05T18:39+0000 2023-04-05T18:39+0000 2023-04-05T18:39+0000 americas us donald trump donald trump's indictment /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/07/05/1096992221_0:0:3073:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_4f2ff8e51eaf4c5f92b766c2651a602f.jpg The incident occurred in the morning and was not linked to terrorism, according to The Chicago Sun-Tribune. It was thought to be a domestic issue, it added. A Local Fox TV channel said that the police had blocked several nearby streets. Law enforcement officers also asked people to stay away form the area, it added. A police spokesperson did not immediately provide details of the incident, according to the reports. americas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International us, donald trump, donald trump's indictment https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/president-sex-scandals-that-rocked-the-white-house-1109152630.html Presidential Sex Scandals That Rocked the White House Presidential Sex Scandals That Rocked the White House Donald Trump and other US presidents accused of illicit relationships. 2023-04-05T16:14+0000 2023-04-05T16:14+0000 2023-04-05T16:31+0000 americas donald trump stormy daniels affair extramarital affair monica lewinski bill clinton george w. bush george h.w. bush gerald ford /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/05/1109151986_0:0:2871:1615_1920x0_80_0_0_c92be8c253a5ead90ab6a8930f0edba1.jpg Former POTUS Donald Trump and his purported relationship with adult actress Stormy Daniels way back in 2006 are dominating in the headlines right now. But Trump is hardly the first president to be hauled over the coals over allegations concerning his personal life. There have been others before him who also found themselves at the center of a public scandal. Love & Scandals in the White HouseFranklin D. RooseveltFranklin D. Roosevelt, who was at the Oval Office from 1933 right up until he passed away in 1945, had an affair with his wife's secretary, according to historical records made public decades after the New Deal reformer's death.Roosevelt tied the knot with spouse Eleanor in 1905, but he reportedly began a fling in 1914 with a woman by the name of Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd, who was employed by his wife at the time. Eleanor learned about the affair in 1918 after discovering a batch of revealing personal letters that were written by her husband. The affronted future first lady offered her husband a divorce, but his mother managed to convince her otherwise. John F. KennedyAmericas 35th president, who was the youngest to have ever been elected to the top office, served from 1961 until 1963. A bevy of women claimed to have had a fling with JFK.Kennedy wed Jacqueline "Jackie" Bouvier in 1953. Throughout his life with the first lady until his assassination on November 22, 1963, JFK reportedly waded into a succession of infidelities. Hollywood actress Marilyn Monroe was the most talked-about of Kennedys alleged love interests. For his 45th birthday, JFK was serenaded by Monroe. The affair has never been confirmed. Lyndon B. JohnsonMultiple love affairs are attributed to Lyndon B. Johnson, the US president who succeeded Kennedy.Reportedly an indefatigable womanizer, Johnson married Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Taylor in 1934. However, many women were linked to his name romantically. The most famous of which was Madeleine Brown, who boasted of having had an affair with Johnson that lasted 20 years. Her son went as far as to level a paternity lawsuit against the Johnson family in 1987. The case was subsequently dismissed, however. Gerald R. FordGerald Rudolph Ford Jr., who served as the 38th POTUS from 1974 to 1977, had a decades-long marriage to Betty Ford. However, he was accused of having had an affair with an East German spy named Ellen Rometsch, who was later deported. There was never any proof to substantiate the allegations.Bill ClintonThe tangible and graphic details of Bill Clintons presidential sex row made it one of the most notorious. POTUS No. 42, Bill Clinton, in the WH from 1993 to 2001, has been married to his wife Hillary since 1975. His affair with Monica Lewinsky rocked the White House and made for gripping news perusal.In the span of the years between 1995 and 1997, Lewinsky, 22, an unpaid WH intern fresh out of college, was romantically linked with the then-US president, 49-year-old Clinton. Moved into a Pentagon job, the young woman decided to confide in a coworker, Linda Tripp, about her relationship. Tripp recorded in private a few of her chats with Lewinsky. Thus, in 1998, the fling became public. Initially, Bill Clinton chose to deny everything, but was finally cornered into admitting inappropriate intimate physical contact with Lewinsky. One particularly spicy interaction with President Clinton resulted in a stain on the young womans blue garment, and was later used to prove the existence of a romantic relationship between the two.Impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice in 1998 by the US House of Representatives, Bill Clinton was acquitted by the Senate. Assault and even rape accusations hounded him throughout his career, levelled by a spate of women, with Bill Clinton denying all of them.George W. BushGeorge Walker Bush, was accused in 2002 by a woman from the state of Texas, Margie Schoedinger, of allegedly kidnapping and raping her. She also reportedly filed a $50 million lawsuit against him. Attorneys for Bush filed a motion to dismiss the case, and it was dismissed shortly thereafter for want of prosecution. However, on September 22, 2003 Schoedinger died of an apparent suicide. Donald TrumpDonald Trump has been hounded by scandalous accusations of affairs, dating to before he took office after winning in the 2016 presidential election. Adult film star Stormy Daniels claimed to have had a sexual relationship with Trump in 2006, while his wife Melania was pregnant. Trump has adamantly denied engaging in the affair or playing any role in the purported $130,000 hush money payments made to Daniels ahead of the 2016 election. https://sputnikglobe.com/20210209/stormy-daniels-bemoans-her-90-seconds-with-trump-1082026635.html americas 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 donald trump, accused of hush payment, porn actress stormy daniels, allegations of steamy affairs, bill clinton, monica lewinsky, lewinski, franklin d. roosevelt, john f. kennedy, marylin monroe, lyndon b. johnson, gerald r. ford, george h. w. bush, george w. bush, allegations, illicit affairs, sexual encounter, fling, extramarital affair Air Force Maj. Won Joong-sik was honored with the Best Pilot of 2022 award, Tuesday. Courtesy of ROK Air Force By Lee Hyo-jin Republic of Korea Air Force Maj. Won Joong-sik from the 122nd Fighter Squadron of the 11th Fighter Wing has been named the Best Pilot of 2022, according to the military branch. The Air Force on Tuesday held an award ceremony at its headquarters in Gyeryongdae, South Chungcheong Province, presided over by Chief of Staff Gen. Jeong Seung-hwa. The best pilot award is offered to an aviator who accumulates the highest scores in more than 20 duties, including flight experience, level of special qualifications, training and physical fitness. The 35-year-old earned a high score of 892.6 points out of a possible 1,000. Won, who was commissioned in 2011, is a veteran aviator with some 1,580 hours of flying hours mostly on the F-15K Slam Eagle. He has shown excellent performance in responding to foreign aircraft that entered Korea's air defense identification zone (KADIZ), and has also led the celebration flight formation in the commemoration ceremony on the Oct. 1 Armed Forces Day last year, the Air Force said. Since December, Won has been serving as the 1st cadet company commander at the Korea Air Force Academy. He is the son of Won In-choul, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from September 2020 to July 2022. "Winning this honor wouldn't have been possible without the help of my colleagues with whom I worked hard last year," Won said in a statement. "And I also want to thank my wife for her love and support, as well as my daughter Ye-jin who greets me with her smile whenever I return home from work." He added, "I will continue to do my best to carry out my duty and defend Korea's airspace." Along with the Best Pilot award, the Air Force also awarded three other pilots for their stellar performance; Maj. Kwon Oh-hyun for combat missions, Maj. Park Sang-soo for pilot training and Maj. Cho Sung-moh for maneuver control. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/pundit-african-nations-wont-follow-us-misguided-lead-1109168051.html Pundit: African Nations Won't Follow US 'Misguided Lead' Pundit: African Nations Won't Follow US 'Misguided Lead' African countries are not going to follow the West's "misguided lead" in terms of their national strategies and foreign policy, says Dr. Gerald Horne in an interview with Sputnik. 2023-04-05T15:41+0000 2023-04-05T15:41+0000 2023-04-05T15:41+0000 africa west us central intelligence agency (cia) zimbabwe sanctions us sanctions africa insight /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/05/1109167740_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_ffe5dbe7acf13a4fdcab045c34903da3.jpg African countries are not going to follow the West's "misguided lead" in terms of their national strategies and foreign policy, says Dr. Gerald Horne, professor of history at the University of Houston, Texas, in an interview with Sputnik. Commenting on Harris' recent trip to Africa, he states that the goal was to warn Africans away from enhancing cooperation with China and Russia. He stresses that it's ironic, given the fact that the airports she landed in were built or designed with Chinese support. The historian explains that Africans have plenty of reasons to be suspicious of the North Atlantic countries, and be careful in building partnerships with them. First and foremost, he says, one should remember the transatlantic slave trade. During her visit to Ghana, Vice President Harris went to the Cape Coast Castle, where enslaved Africans were shipped westward across the Atlantic to an uncertain state under slavery. Standing there, "she shed a tear," he says, but she has way more reasons to do so. Elaborating on his notion, he draws several examples of how Western nations, in particular the US, have meddled in the internal affairs of African countries, forcing them to follow a path and policy that they approve of.Dr. Horne alleges that the US was involved in "the liquidation of the founding father" of the modern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Patrice Lumumba. Moreover, some officials, he stresses, even dare to boast about the fact that "they had Lumumba's blood on their hands." He mentions US involvement in the events prior to the end of apartheid in South Africa, highlighting that the country "was one of the chief allies' of this regime. Given all this meddling, he wonders why the North Atlantic countries would expect African nations to support them in their effort to isolate Russia. He further states that Western countries continue "to play the same game," trying to influence African nations' relations with other states, forcing them to choose sides. In this regard, Dr. Horne highlights that there is a "need of a systematic purge not only of the US State Department, but their equivalents in the North Atlantic community." He notes that this is the kind of policy the US is conducting in Zimbabwe. At first, the country imposed "stiff sanctions on Zimbabwe because of its land reform that sought to reverse the ill fruits of settler colonialism." However, now it is going to reconsider its policy, he explains, saying that the underlying reasons for this change include the failure of the initial plan to "oust the ruling party," as well as the fact that Zimbabwe is rich in lithium, which is now in high demand. It's particularly critical for the US, he notes, as the country is shipping most of its lithium to China. Dr. Horne echoes most of Zimbabwe's politicians, who condemn measures, which include imposing sanctions on any country as well as its political and economic activity. For example, the country's Senate Speaker Mabel Chinomona recently stated that Zimbabwe does not support sanctions against Russia and called for a resolution of the conflict in Ukraine in accordance with the UN Charter. She noted that the introduction of restrictions is not the best way to resolve the conflict. Chinomona also expressed gratitude on behalf of her country to Russia for helping it tackle the US-led Western sanctions, saying that Zimbabwe is willing to enhance cooperation with Moscow. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230324/harris-on-africa-trip-to-raise-us-concerns-over-influence-of-china-russia-official-says-1108749556.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230329/zimbabwe-thanks-russia-for-help-in-battling-western-sanctions-senate-speaker-says-1108895307.html africa west zimbabwe Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Maria Konokhova Maria Konokhova 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 Maria Konokhova africa, russia, china, us, cooperation, sanctions, us vice president kamala harris. african tour https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/putin-lukashenko-hold-talks-in-moscow-1109144262.html Putin, Lukashenko Hold Talks in Moscow Putin, Lukashenko Hold Talks in Moscow Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko arrived with a working visit to Russia from to discuss international and security issues with Russian President Vladimir Putin. 2023-04-05T16:56+0000 2023-04-05T16:56+0000 2023-04-06T10:51+0000 russia vladimir putin alexander lukashenko /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/02/12/1093145546_0:105:2784:1671_1920x0_80_0_0_407df6d7acfe7bd0777743e466f624f1.jpg Sputnik goes live as Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko hold a meeting in Moscow. The leaders of both countries will discuss carrying out the Guidelines for Implementing the Provisions of the Treaty Establishing the Union State in 20212023, and the development of a joint security strategy.In March, Moscow and Minsk had agreed to station Russia's tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. The construction of a nuclear weapon storage facility in Belarus is planned to be finished on July 1. On April 2, Russian Ambassador Boris Gryzlov said that these nuclear weapons would be deployed closer to Belarus' western border.Follow Sputnik's Live Feed to Find Out More! 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 Putin, Lukashenko Hold Talks in Moscow Putin, Lukashenko Hold Talks in Moscow 2023-04-05T16:56+0000 true PT4M56S 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International belarusian president alexander lukashenko, russian president vladimir putin https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/rare-earths-behemoth-china-mulls-ban-on-export-of-key-magnet-tech-to-us-1109178024.html Rare Earths Behemoth China Mulls Ban on Export of Key Magnet Tech to US Rare Earths Behemoth China Mulls Ban on Export of Key Magnet Tech to US The Asian nation controls the overwhelming majority of the rare earth mining, refining and manufacturing capacity in the world, with the resources used in a broad array of civilian and military applications. US legislators have sought to shore up domestic rare earths production after realizing that Beijing could unplug Washington from its supplies. 2023-04-05T18:58+0000 2023-04-05T18:58+0000 2023-04-05T19:04+0000 economy china restrictions trade restrictions us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/104850/94/1048509437_0:53:1200:728_1920x0_80_0_0_fa61877215c2b894c98f5ec04635d364.jpg China is considering slapping restrictions on the export of rare-earth magnet technology to the United States on national security grounds in response to the Biden administrations restrictions on the export of advanced microchips to the PRC.According to Asian business media, Chinese officials responsible overseeing an export restrictions list known as the Catalogue of Technologies Prohibited and Restricted from Export are planning to update it for the first time since 2020, and to either restrict or ban outright the export of technologies used in the refining and processing of some rare earth metals.Alloy technologies necessary for the manufacture of high-performance magnets derived from rare earths, including samarium cobalt and neodymium used in the production of electric motors, wind turbine motors and other tech may also be on the chopping block, reports suggest.A draft version of the updated export restrictions list was released late last year, and following a review, the new restrictions could be put in place as soon as later in 2023.These key resources are used in a dizzying array of high technology applications, from industrial robots, electric vehicles, semiconductors and smartphones to vehicles, solar panels and components in missiles, stealth aircraft, satellites, and other military equipment.China built up its rare earths dominance over the past forty years as it opened up to world trade and offered incentives for domestic production. The country accounts for about a third of the worlds known reserves of rare earths, but is among the most active miners, with many Western countries preferring to wind down domestic production in the 1980s, as it is often a dirty and dangerous process. Starting with extraction, China gradually expanded to refining and manufacturing, as well as strategic purchases of rare earths mines around the world.The United States, which until the mid-1980s accounted for the majority of rare earths mining, now has just one active rare earths mine the Mountain Pass Mine in California, but it too sends most of its extracted materials to China for processing.US lawmakers began sounding the alarm about the PRCs dominance in the sector in 2022, introducing legislation designed to end Chinas chokehold on rare minerals production and refining. However, President Biden has blocked measures that would allow US producers to ramp up rare-earths production on federal lands, and has promised to veto legislation proposing an expansion of domestic production.Chinese rare earths industry exports have dismissed the US ability to be able to easily or quickly replace China in the sector. In an interview in 2019, Renmin University researcher Chen Xiaoqin told Sputnik that if Washington thought they could find an effective alternative to Chinese supplies, they would have done so a long time ago. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230316/lack-of-mining-capacity-threatens-to-upend-global-lithium-race-1108482636.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230129/why-we-fight-us-openly-salivates-over-ukraines-vast-untapped-titanium-reserves-1106799343.html china Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov rare earth, metals, china, rare earths, united states, export restrictions, listing, law https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/read-full-text-of-the-trump-indictment-1109145249.html Read Full Text of the Trump Indictment Read Full Text of the Trump Indictment On April 4, Donald Trump made his first initial appearance in court, where he was charged with 34 felony criminal charges of falsifying business records in Manhattan criminal court. 2023-04-05T10:13+0000 2023-04-05T10:13+0000 2023-04-05T10:13+0000 americas us donald trump donald trump's indictment /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/05/1109140541_0:101:1927:1185_1920x0_80_0_0_18fd63e9756651977b7ed096c05d3a28.jpg On April 4, Donald Trump made his first initial appearance in court, where he was charged with 34 felony criminal charges of falsifying business records. The proceeding took a little less than an hour. Trump's attorney, Joe Tacopina, said the charges against his client were devoid of facts. According to Manhattan prosecutor Alvin Bragg, Trump and his associates agreed in 2015 to a scheme to suppress negative information ahead of the US presidential election. He added that as part of the scheme, Trump and others paid three people to withhold information that could have prevented him from winning the election. Trump, for his part, denies the allegations against him, as well as having had an affair with Daniels, characterizing the case as a "political witch hunt" amid his bid in the 2024 presidential election.What are the 34 charges against Donald Trump? Here is the full text:First count:Second count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about February 14, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, bearing voucher number 842457, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Third count:And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about February 14, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, bearing voucher number 842460, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Fourth count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about February 14, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust Account check and check stub dated February 14, 2017, bearing check number 000138, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Fifth count: Sixth count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about March 17, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, bearing voucher number 846907, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Seventh count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about March 17, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust Account check and check stub dated March 17, 2017, bearing check number 000147, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Eighth count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of penal law 175.10, committed as follows: the defendant, in the county of new york and elsewhere, on or about april 13, 2017 through june 19, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from michael cohen dated april 13, 2017, marked as a record of donald j. Trump, and kept and maintained by the trump organization.Ninth count: Tenth count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about June 19, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump account check and check stub dated June 19, 2017, bearing check number 002740, and kept and maintained by the Trump OrganizationEleventh count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about May 22, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated May 22, 2017, marked as a record of Donald J. Trump, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Twelfth count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about May 22, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 855331, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Thirteenth count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about May 23, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump account check and check stub dated May 23, 2017, bearing check number 002700, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Fourteenth count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about June 16, 2017 through June 19, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated June 16, 2017, marked as a record of Donald J. Trump, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Fifteenth count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about June 19, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 858772, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Sixteenth count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in County of New York and elsewhere, on or about June 19, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump account check and check stub dated June 19, 2017, bearing check number 002741, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Seventeenth count: Eighteenth count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about July 11, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 861096, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Nineteenth count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about July 11, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump account check and check stub dated July 11, 2017, bearing check number 002781, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Twentieth count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about August 1, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated August 1, 2017, marked as a record of Donald J. Trump, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Twenty-first count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about August 1, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 863641, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Twenty-second count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about August 1, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump account check and check stub dated August 1, 2017, bearing check number 002821, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Twenty-third count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about September 11, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated September 11, 2017, marked as a record of Donald J. Trump, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Twenty-fourth count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about September 11, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 868174, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Twenty-fifth count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about September 12, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump account check and check stub dated September 12, 2017, bearing check number 002908, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Twenty-sixth count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about October 18, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated October 18, 2017, marked as a record of Donald J. Trump, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Twenty-seventh count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about October 18, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 872654, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Twenty-eighth count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about October 18, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump account check and check stub dated October 18, 2017, bearing check number 002944, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Twenty-ninth count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about November 20, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated November 20, 2017, marked as a record of Donald J. Trump, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Thirtieth count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about November 20, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 876511, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Thirty-first count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about November 21, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump account check and check stub dated November 21, 2017, bearing check number 002980, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Thirty-second count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about December 1, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated December 1, 2017, marked as a record of Donald J. Trump, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Thirty-third count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about December 1, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 877785, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.Thirty-fourth count: And the grand jury aforesaid, by this indictment, further accuses the defendant of the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law 175.10, committed as follows: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about December 5, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump account check and check stub dated December 5, 2017, bearing check number 003006, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/trump-speaks-at-mar-a-lago-following-indictment-in-new-york-1109132941.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/us-house-speaker-mccarthy-slams-bragg-for-bringing-politicized-charges-against-trump-1109133327.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/what-happened-during-trumps-first-day-in-court-as-criminal-defendant-1109135748.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/el-salvador-president-says-us-cant-use-democracy-as-foreign-policy-after-trump-indicted-1109134344.html americas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International felony criminal charges, manhattan criminal court, donald trump https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/russia-accuses-us-eu-of-lying-about-sanctions-not-hampering-food-exports-1109180116.html Russia Accuses US, EU of Lying About Sanctions Not Hampering Food Exports Russia Accuses US, EU of Lying About Sanctions Not Hampering Food Exports MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin has accused the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom of falsely... 05.04.2023, Sputnik International 2023-04-05T21:16+0000 2023-04-05T21:16+0000 2023-04-05T21:16+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine russia sergey vershinin turkey european union (eu) sanctions black sea grain exports /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/0b/13/1104427554_0:136:3071:1863_1920x0_80_0_0_d1e95b1c35e8eae80391dc614dac8557.jpg Ukraine and Russia signed a deal brokered by Turkey and the United Nations last July to unlock shipments of grain, food, and fertilizer via the Black Sea despite hostilities. Moscow has repeatedly said that most vessels carrying Ukrainian grain do not reach the world's poorest countries and end up in Europe. In March, Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his call to comply with all the provisions of the grain deal so that the products were sent not to "well-fed European countries," but to Africa, which currently received only 3% of all grain exported from Ukraine. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230403/russia-un-discuss-grain-deal-implementation-togliattiodessa-ammonia-pipeline-1109075607.html russia black sea 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 russia, sergey vershinin, turkey, european union (eu), sanctions, black sea, grain exports https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/russia-us-in-hot-phase-of-war-but-relations-should-be-maintained-russias-top-diplomat-says-1109176955.html Russia, US in 'Hot Phase of War' but Relations Should be Maintained, Russia's Top Diplomat Says Russia, US in 'Hot Phase of War' but Relations Should be Maintained, Russia's Top Diplomat Says Russia is in the hot phase of war with the United States but It is necessary to maintain relations, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday, adding that Russia still hopes that the United States will listen to the voice of reason and resume dialogue. 2023-04-05T17:49+0000 2023-04-05T17:49+0000 2023-04-05T17:49+0000 world russia us bilateral relations /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/0b/10/1104283828_0:104:2000:1229_1920x0_80_0_0_eb0f89c4fae8664dde410e720f8b3137.jpg "We are really in the hot phase of the war, because the Ukrainian Nazis are fighting with American weapons first of all. And every time the American administration threatens to supply more and more long-range and deadly systems," Lavrov told the Rossiya 1 broadcaster. When asked about new US Ambassador Lynne Tracy presenting her credentials to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Lavrov said that relations, I believe, should be maintained. "At least we do not lose hope that the Americans will listen to the voice of reason and they will resume some kind of dialogue. Let's see, we will not be waiting for long," Lavrov added. https://sputnikglobe.com/20220903/ex-reagan-adviser-world-would-be-living-more-peacefully-if-russia-and-us-had-good-relations--1100342784.html russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russia-us relations, russia, us, sergey lavrov https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/russian-diplomat-not-ruling-out-new-start-doomed-says-chances-of-its-restoration-little-1109152252.html Russian Diplomat Not Ruling Out New START Doomed, Says Chances of Its Restoration Small Russian Diplomat Not Ruling Out New START Doomed, Says Chances of Its Restoration Small It is not excluded that the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) is doomed, with the chances of the agreement's restoration being little, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Wednesday. 2023-04-05T09:50+0000 2023-04-05T09:50+0000 2023-04-05T10:53+0000 military new start treaty russia us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/106218/88/1062188836_1:0:1247:701_1920x0_80_0_0_a6d95734c9e14500a5047de610b050a6.jpg "The treaty is not dead, but it is in intensive care. In terms of a hypothetical restoration of its functioning, I do not think that the chances are great, unless the United States demonstrates a willingness to really change its deeply hostile course towards Russia. Otherwise, the contract is doomed. This is a harsh reality that must be taken for what it is," Ryabkov told Radio Sputnik.Earlier, Sergey Ryabkov said that the transfer of all notifications between Russia and the United States under the New START, including notifications about test launches, has been suspended. He said that all forms of information sharing under the New START treaty have been suspended, but Moscow will keep notifying Washington of ICBM and SLBM launches.In February 2023, Moscow announced the suspension of its participation in the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), which was signed by Russia and the US in 2010 and envisaged mutual inspections of the strategic nuclear facilities of the two countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his annual address to the Russian parliament then that the US had demanded that Russia unconditionally fulfill its obligations under the treaty, while itself being arbitrary about its own obligations. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230330/russia-to-keep-notifying-us-of-icbm-slbm-launches-under-1988-agreement-moscow-says-1108950759.html russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International new start doomed, russian deputy foreign minister sergey ryabkov, new strategic arms reduction treaty https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/russian-iskanders-in-belarus-is-response-to-natos-expansion-and-militarization-of-europe-1109177086.html Russian Iskanders in Belarus is Response to NATO's Expansion and Militarization of Europe Russian Iskanders in Belarus is Response to NATO's Expansion and Militarization of Europe The Belarusian Armed Forces have received Russian state-of-the-art nuclear-capable Iskander-M operational-tactical missile systems. As NATO strengthens its... 05.04.2023, Sputnik International 2023-04-05T18:32+0000 2023-04-05T18:32+0000 2023-04-20T12:10+0000 analysis us europe nato finland belarus iskander iskander-m tactical nuclear weapons b-61 /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/105432/83/1054328306_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_f4c0b2b305ef2d3332b04ca65af70104.jpg Russia delivered nuclear-capable Iskanders to Belarus for two reasons, according to Dmitry Suslov, deputy director of the Center for European and International Studies at Russias Higher School of Economics and deputy director of research at the Russian Council on Foreign and Defense Policy.Following the beginning of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, the US and its NATO allies have ramped up the provision of lethal weapons to Kiev, kicked off military modernization of European forces, and increased their military presence in Central and Eastern Europe. NATO commits itself to be able to deploy at least 300,000 troops in Central and Eastern Europe and is building military infrastructure in Poland, te Baltic States, Romania, and other Central and Eastern European states, according to Suslov. In addition, NATO has vowed to establish a 2% share of GDP on the military expenditures as a minimum, not ceiling for NATO countries. Last month, the UK committed to provide the Kiev regime with a squadron of Challenger 2 main battle tanks, as well as ammunition including armor-piercing rounds that contain depleted uranium.On April 4, 2023, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu told the leadership of the Russian Armed Forces that the nuclear-capable Iskander-M tactical missile system had been transferred to the Armed Forces of Belarus. The training of Belarusian units began on April 3 in Russia; some Belarusian attack aircraft have received the ability to strike using nuclear weapons.Russian Tactical Nuclear Weapons in BelarusShoigu's announcement came after Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed that Moscow and Minsk had agreed to deploy tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus. Responding to the West's criticism, Vasily Nebenzya, Russia's permanent representative to the UN, emphasized that Russia is not violating its international obligations on non-proliferation.Earlier, the German and EU leadership accused Moscow of threatening the bloc's security and posing a "threat of attack" by deploying tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. Meanwhile, Germany still hosts around two dozen US B-61 nuclear gravity bombs at the Buchel Air Base.As per the Council on Foreign Relations, an influential US think tank, US tactical nuclear weapons remain at six bases in five NATO member countries: Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Turkiye.Poland's Threat to BelarusPoland's growing military threats towards Belarus have also played a substantial role in decision-making by Moscow and Minsk, as per Russian military analyst Vladislav Shurygin. He cited the fact that the Polish Army has been reinforced, prompting the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus to assume that Warsaw is preparing for an offensive war. Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has been promoting an expansionist agenda, including the revival of the old Commonwealth of Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine for the purposes of strengthening the mutual military alliance. During the 2020 public unrest in Belarus, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko accused policymakers of Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, and the Czech Republic of trying to carry out a coup d'etat. According to some experts, over the past 30 years, Warsaw has built infrastructure to influence public opinion in Belarus.In addition to Warsaw's threats, Belarus is also facing a challenge from Ukrainian saboteurs and terrorists, according to Shurygin. He noted that Ukraine has already deployed a powerful grouping on the border with Belarus. At the same time, NATO troops stationed in the Baltic States also pose a threat to Minsk. Therefore, all three of these threats from Poland, Ukraine, and the Baltic nations require the improvement of the Belarusian Army and the strengthening of its combat capabilities, something that Russia is doing right now.Finland's NATO AccessionFinland's accession to NATO complicates the regional status quo even further, according to Sputnik's interlocutors.Finland's neutrality was stipulated by the Paris Peace Treaty of 1947, which was signed after the end of the Second World War between the Allied powers - including the USSR, UK, US and France - and former Nazi German allies, such as Italy, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Finland. Finland's NATO membership again presents a grave threat to St. Petersburg and Russia's northwestern regions, according to Shurygin. Moreover, NATO warships and military aircraft deployed in Finnish ports and air bases may well be carriers of nuclear weapons, he added.As for other measures, Russia is expected to halt cooperation with Finland in a number of fields, including the joint exploration of the Arctic region, Yevgeny Buzhinsky remarked. "There were many plans, including Finland, for the development of the Arctic," he said. "Now, probably, all these projects will collapse."As per Sputnik's interlocutors, what the West is trying to present as Russian expansionism and militarism are reactions to NATO's continuous expansion, which resumed in 1997-98. Moscow's determination to protect itself and its allies has been explicitly outlined in its new foreign policy doctrine, signed by Russian President Putin on March 31. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230328/chris-busby-europe-may-face-cancer-birth-defects-akin-to-fallujah-if-kiev-uses-depleted-uranium-1108785049.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230327/moscow-puzzled-by-states-reaction-to-deployment-of-russias-nuclear-weapons-in-belarus-1108847328.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/belarus-security-service-detains-polish-ukrainian-baltic-states-nationals-for-terrorism-1109111530.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/finland-joins-nato-what-benefits-can-the-alliance-expect-1109151574.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/russias-border-with-nato-countries-grows-after-finland-joins-alliance-1109118718.html finland belarus ukraine poland baltic states Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Ekaterina Blinova Ekaterina Blinova 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 Ekaterina Blinova russia iskander belarus, nuclear-capable iskanders, iskander missile speed, us tactical nuclear weapons europe, nato nuclear weapons sharing, b61-12, nato nuclear weapons numbers, b-61 nuclear bomb europe, finland accession nato, nato expansion, poland expansion lithuania ukraine https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/sanctions-gave-russias-defense-sector-a-big-boost-heres-how-1109128913.html Sanctions Gave Russias Defense Sector a Big Boost: Heres How Sanctions Gave Russias Defense Sector a Big Boost: Heres How On Tuesday, President Putin traveled to Tula, an industrial city south of Moscow known for its arms factories. The visit came not long after an interview in which he assured that Russia would outgun NATO in the proxy war in Ukraine. What state is Russias military-industrial complex in today? Sputnik spoke to military experts to find out. 2023-04-05T17:06+0000 2023-04-05T17:06+0000 2023-04-05T17:06+0000 analysis military-industrial complex military industry vladimir putin import substitution defense enterprise production /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/04/1109121809_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_0e06ed2cf3eb2e35284fc05c0b4a9564.jpg Speaking with workers from the Tulazheldormash railway engineering plant on Tuesday, Russias president highlighted the absolutely key priority of ensuring Russias technological sovereignty, and striving for 100 percent localization in the production of goods of critical importance.Where we see that its possible to establish stable, good, reliable relations with partners who really want to work with us over the medium and long term, we will cooperate with these partners, of courseBut in critical sectors, of course, we must achieve full sovereignty, and in order to achieve this, we will work in several areas. We are already doing this, actually, Putin said.Import Substitution, Military-StyleThis same logic certainly holds true for the defense sector, says Alexei Leonkov, one of Russias most prolific military analysts, and editor of Arsenal of the Fatherland, a Russian military publication.Russias defense sector today accounts for between 2.5 and 3 million workers or about 20 percent of all manufacturing jobs in the country. Defense factories specializing in nuclear weapons and rocketry, aviation, armored vehicles, ships and engine-building are sprinkled across the country, from Europe and the Urals to Siberia and the Far East.Major defense holding companies and enterprises include Rostec, Oboronprom, Motorstroitel, Uralvagonzavod, the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant, United Aircraft Corporation, Almaz-Antey, Tactical Missiles Corporation and others. Before the escalation of Ukrainian crisis into a full-blown Russia-NATO proxy war last year, the defense sector constituted a big chunk of Russias non-resource exports, bringing in close to $15 billion in revenue in 2021. This figure fell to about $8 billion in 2022 as the sector retooled and redirected production for the Russian militarys needs in Ukraine.In the framework of the special military operation, were talking about weapons and ammunition that are needed in a modern conflict, given that the theater of operations has been saturated with Western armaments. From the first months, the directions in which it was necessary to expand the production of weapons, ammunition became clear...And of course, this was also a question of technology, because military technology is always at the forefront of technological progress generally, veteran military observer Alexander Mikhailov, chief of the Military & Political Analysis Bureau, a Moscow-based think tank, told Sputnik.Successes at a Pace 'Many Did Not Expect'While he declined to delve into specific figures, Mikhailov assured that the Russian MICs production of weaponry has increased multiple times over over the past year, while output of ammunition had jumped by dozens of times in some cases.President Putin offered hints on the MICs output in a television interview in late March, saying that over the period that the US and its allies expect to send 420-440 main battle tanks to Ukraine, Russia will produce or modernize over 1,600, giving it more than a three-to-one advantage. Russian production, the military-industrial complex, is developing at a very fast pace at a pace many did not expect, Putin said.The arms now being produced by Russias MIC fully meet the challenges of the moment, and in many areas such as military aviation, air and missile defense systems, Russias arms industry is ahead of foreign partners and adversaries alike, Mikhailov said.Room for ImprovementOf course there is always room for improvement, the observer admitted, citing areas like unmanned aerial vehicles, communications systems, and other military-technical innovations" that the enemy is now actively using. But Russia is rapidly increasing its competency in these areas, Mikhailov said.Leonkov echoed these sentiments, saying the MIC has run into and had to solve a variety of logistical problems and headaches, both since 2014 and after February 2022. While some sectors have succeeded in replacing imports by 80 percent, others have done so by only 70 percent or even less. But our factories are working, and the special military operation has served as an added impetus, because over its course various types of weapons and military equipment are being used; they need to be produced and the forces engaged in fighting need to be reequipped.Thanks, SanctionsLeonkov believes that the Wests efforts to sanction Russia into submission, more than any other factor, will help assure import substitution and real independence in strategic sectors.Today, the military observer said, direct purchases of components from the West are already virtually nil. Now, the West, enacting its latest package of sanctions, will do even more to ensure that we cannot bypass them, make parallel imports to receive the components we need. But we something to answer with good [economic] links have begun to form in our country, trade with China has expanded. We can buy some things, but its better to be completely independent and produce everything in-house. And we are moving in this direction by leaps and bounds, with the main issue in the defense sector now being the expansion of production.Russia is unlikely to experience a return to normal relations with the West for at least the next 10-20 years, and the countrys leadership realizes this, Leonkov said. Therefore, Russia must learn to rely only on itself, he said, because the experience of Ukraine shows that when a country is completely dependent on deliveries from abroad, it will always be in a vulnerable position which inexorably leads to defeat."'Wonderful Phrase'After Tuesday's visit to the Tula plant, Putin held a meeting of the Presidium of the State Council, where he started off a discussion on the development of Russian industry under sanctions by recalling what one of the people he spoke to at the factory told him. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230313/why-sipris-new-report-on-russian-arms-exports-contains-non-reliable-info-1108344385.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 russia, military industry, military-industrial complex, arms factories, arms production, weapons production, weapons industry, arms industry, vladimir putin, defense sector https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/saudis-pushing-to-bring-syria-back-to-arab-league-by-may-summit--reports-1109178610.html Saudis Reportedly Pushing to Bring Syria Back to Arab League by May Summit Saudis Reportedly Pushing to Bring Syria Back to Arab League by May Summit Saudi Arabia is leading efforts to have Syria reinstated as member of the Arab league by its next summit in Riyadh in May, US media reported Wednesday. 2023-04-05T19:29+0000 2023-04-05T19:29+0000 2023-04-06T05:02+0000 world syria saudi arabia uae qatar kuwait arab league iran /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/0b/02/1102935785_0:106:2871:1720_1920x0_80_0_0_519fbc98e1aa420359ac8843e24d6a85.jpg The 22-nation League is split on whether Syria should be allowed to return after it was suspended over the 2011 unrest, but Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are trying to convince the Cairo-based regional grouping that the time has come to welcome Damascus back to the fold, US media reported.The news agency cited three people briefed by the Saudis and one person close to the Emirati government as saying that Syria could be readmitted as early as this May, in time for the Arab League summit in Riyadh. There is, however, a risk that this will be delayed or even fall through, it said.Qatar and Kuwait oppose the effort, but people briefed on the discussions told the new agency that the two would not be able to resist Saudi pressure for too long. The US knows of the plan and has warned against it but can do little to change the course of events, the news agency was told.Saudi Arabia and Iran took Washington aback in March by announcing that they would end their decades old rivalry and reopen their respective embassies within two months. Iran, which is not part of the Arab League, has supported the Syrian government and will welcome its return to Cairo. https://sputnikglobe.com/20220613/arab-league-nations-under-western-pressure-to-oppose-russia-secretary-general-says-1096260165.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230403/baby-steps-toward-peace-what-to-expect-from-russia-iran-syria-turkiye-meeting-in-moscow-1109055538.html syria saudi arabia uae qatar kuwait iran 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 saudi arabia, united arab emirates, syria, arab league, will syria join arab league, what countries are the members of arab league, middle east political situation alignment, middle east conflicts This photo, provided by the U.S. Central Command, shows a U.S. B-52H strategic bomber, March 6. Yonhap South Korea and the United States held combined air drills, involving at least one U.S. B-52H strategic bomber, Wednesday, Seoul's defense ministry said, amid joint efforts to sharpen deterrence against evolving North Korean threats. The bomber was redeployed to the Korean Peninsula about a month after its last deployment here amid tensions caused by Pyongyang's provocative moves, such as its unveiling of the Hwasan-31 tactical nuclear warhead last week. The South Korean Air Force mobilized its F-35A radar-evading fighters for the drills, while the U.S. side deployed F-35B and F-16 fighters. The training focused on practicing procedures to protect the strategic bomber from potential aerial enemy threats, and strengthening the allied forces' interoperability and combined operational capabilities, according to the ministry. In recent months, the U.S. has deployed a series of its high-profile military assets, including a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, in an apparent show of force against potential North Korean provocations. (Yonhap) https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/seymour-hersh-cias-nord-stream-counter-op-story-intentionally-absurd-to-reinforce-truth-1109166466.html Seymour Hersh: CIA's Nord Stream Counter-Op Story Intentionally Absurd to Reinforce Truth Seymour Hersh: CIA's Nord Stream Counter-Op Story Intentionally Absurd to Reinforce Truth The mainstream media's yarn about a pro-Ukrainian group that chartered a yacht named Andromeda to destroy the Nord Stream pipelines was so absurd and childish... 05.04.2023, Sputnik International 2023-04-05T15:02+0000 2023-04-05T15:02+0000 2023-04-05T15:02+0000 nord stream sabotage nord stream nord stream ag nord stream 2 sabotage cia joe biden seymour hersh pipelines baltic sea /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/03/02/1093516179_0:182:3072:1910_1920x0_80_0_0_3f11ed9e6cde4203c0a54c7c43df6070.jpg On April 5, Pulitzer Prize-winning veteran journalist Sy Hersh took to Substack again to analyze the Western media's story about a six-member "pro-Ukrainian" gang with forged passports that allegedly blew up the Nord Stream pipeline.On March 7, The New York Times and Die Zeit published two separate articles claiming that international investigators had managed to trace the September 26, 2022 sabotage attack to a "pro-Ukrainian" group operating from the Andromeda, a 15-meter chartered yacht. However, the same week, Der Spiegel and Bild questioned the story. Later, Die Zeit quoted the chair of the Bundestags intelligence oversight committee, Konstantin von Notz from the Green Party, who argued that the Nord Stream sabotage does not look like an attack by a group of unaffiliated volunteers, but has all the earmarks of a "state-backed act of terrorism."For instance, the German media outlets appeared skeptical that a 15-meter chartered yacht could carry the 1,500-2,000 kilograms of explosives needed to destroy the pipelines, adding that the Andromeda does not have a crane to hoist such quantities safely into the water. Likewise, it appeared to be impossible to transport 1,500 to 2,000 kg of explosives through Poland and Germany and not be caught. Another problem, cited by the press, was that at the site of the explosion, the Baltic Sea is about 80 meters deep, requiring special diving equipment including a decompression chamber for the divers something that the yacht is not fit for. Eventually, The Washington Post reported on April 3 that some European investigators now doubt that the Andromeda could have sabotaged the pipelines without the help of a second boat.Another question is how the Andromeda managed to find the pipelines in the Baltic Sea, given that they are not that big and not on the charts that come with the lease. Having a small yacht and two divers, who could stay about 15 minutes under water, it would take four years to search one square mile, Hersh wrote, citing the expert.Furthermore, photographs of the Andromeda, circulated by the Western press, indicate that the vessel has no license number where it legally should be. On top of this, the assumption that the gang of saboteurs returned the yacht unclean and even left a couple of fake passports on board make the story even fishier.The investigative journalist suggested that the yarn was fed by the CIA to their German peers and the press on both sides of the pond: the two separate stories released by the US and German press are nearly identical both in detail and absurdity.Hersh specified that there's nothing surprising about the CIA inventing a cover story to distract the public's attention from the real one. In fact, the agency followed "protocol." The question is why the story was so dubious that it started to fall apart at the seams immediately after its publication.In early February, Hersh dropped a bombshell by saying that the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines were destroyed by American and Norwegian operatives at the request of the Biden administration. According to Hersh, US Navy divers during the NATO BALTOPS 22 exercises in June 2022 planted explosives to blow up the pipelines, which Norway activated three months later. According to the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, US President Joe Biden decided to sabotage the Nord Stream pipes after more than nine months of secret discussions with his national security team. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230312/nord-stream-blast-german-media-debunked-pro-ukrainian-group-story-the-same-week-it-appeared-1108320746.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230329/sy-hersh-hints-nord-stream-leak-wouldnt-have-occurred-unless-us-govt-or-cia-gave-the-ok-1108932019.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230211/why-hershs-nord-stream-bombshell-may-become-legal-nightmare-for-team-biden--its-nordic-allies-1107344300.html baltic sea germany Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Ekaterina Blinova Ekaterina Blinova 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 Ekaterina Blinova seymour hersh, nord stream sabotage attack, 2022 nord stream pipeline sabotage, cia's nord stream counter-op, pro-ukrainian group operating the andromeda, the andromeda yacht, us mainstream press nord stream story, german intelligence nord stream investigation, nato drills in the baltic sea, us and norway destroyed nord stream pipelines https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/sino-russian-cooperation-on-agenda-of-nato-ministerial-meeting-1109168318.html Sino-Russian Cooperation on Agenda of NATO Ministerial Meeting Sino-Russian Cooperation on Agenda of NATO Ministerial Meeting Increasing close cooperation between Russia and China will be on the agenda of the talks on the second day of the NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday. 2023-04-05T15:03+0000 2023-04-05T15:03+0000 2023-04-05T15:03+0000 world russia china nato jens stoltenberg /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/106628/33/1066283363_0:0:2925:1645_1920x0_80_0_0_ceefc7848874860ce3e5a3cb269db9cc.jpg "We will discuss how to counter other threats and challenges facing our Alliance - including those emanating from the South - and how to deal with the growing strategic competition, including China's increasing alignment with Russia," Stoltenberg said during opening remarks at the NATO ministerial meeting. North Macedonian Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani also noted in a doorstep interview ahead of the meeting that the issue of expanding Sino-Russian cooperation would be on the negotiating agenda, calling it "a challenge for which NATO should be prepared." From April 4-5, the NATO headquarters in Brussels is hosting the meeting of alliance's foreign ministers devoted to Chinas growing military activities and its cooperation with Russia, as well as issues related to the Ukraine crisis. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230328/russia-china-begin-work-on-plan-of-bilateral-economic-cooperation-until-2030---official-1108885736.html 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 russia-china cooperation, nato ministerial meeting, nato, jens stoltenberg https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/uae-calls-on-israel-to-halt-escalation-at-al-aqsa-mosque---foreign-ministry-1109180734.html UAE Calls on Israel to Halt Escalation at Al-Aqsa Mosque UAE Calls on Israel to Halt Escalation at Al-Aqsa Mosque The United Arab Emirates has strongly condemned the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in the city of Jerusalem by Israeli police, attacks on Palestinian worshipers and their detention, the UAE Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. 2023-04-05T22:05+0000 2023-04-05T22:05+0000 2023-04-06T05:01+0000 world uae saudi arabia israel palestine al-aqsa mosque jerusalem /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/05/1109180540_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_e1871a81bfafe6ec58ebbcd6f45f9301.jpg "The ministry called on the Israeli authorities to halt the escalation and refrain from taking steps to escalate tensions and destabilize the region, stressing the UAE's rejection of all practices that violate international resolutions and threaten further escalation," the ministry said in a statement, as quoted by Emirates News Agency (WAM). The UAE authorities noted the country's "firm position on the need to ensure the safety of Al-Aqsa Mosque and to stop serious and provocative violations inside." At the same time, the ministry said that worshipers "should not barricade themselves or use weapons or explosives inside places of worship." Saudi Arabia also condemned Israeli forces' actions at the mosque, adding that it "is following with great concern the Israeli occupation forces' storming of the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, assaulting worshipers, and arresting a number of Palestinian citizens," the kingdom's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. On Tuesday evening, the Israeli forces stormed the mosque prayer hall and attacked the Palestinians, using stun grenades, gas, rubber bullets, batons and stocks of rifles, Palestinian media reported. The Israeli police said on Wednesday they had arrested over 350 people, who "violently barricaded" themselves inside the mosque. Relations between Palestine and Israel have been adversarial since the latter's founding in 1948. Palestinians seek diplomatic recognition of their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which is partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip. The Israeli government refuses to recognize Palestine as an independent political and diplomatic entity and builds settlements in the occupied areas despite objections from the United Nations. Violence has escalated in recent months in the West Bank amid near-daily Israeli arrest raids in Palestinian-controlled areas. In March, Palestine and Israel agreed to establish a mechanism to curb violence and counter inflammatory statements and actions during a security meeting in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh. uae saudi arabia israel palestine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International al-aqsa mosque, jerusalem, attack, fireworks, arrests https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/uk-flagship-aircraft-carrier-to-be-deployed-in-mediterranean-to-deter-russia-reports-1109176184.html UK Flagship Aircraft Carrier to Be Deployed in Mediterranean to 'Deter' Russia: Reports UK Flagship Aircraft Carrier to Be Deployed in Mediterranean to 'Deter' Russia: Reports UK aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth will be deployed in the Mediterranean Sea this year to demonstrate the country's naval power and deter "Russian aggression," a British daily reported on Wednesday. 2023-04-05T17:20+0000 2023-04-05T17:20+0000 2023-04-05T17:21+0000 military uk middle east hms queen elizabeth russia mediterranean sea /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/07/10/1083398847_0:24:695:415_1920x0_80_0_0_6fb91f1c62715224f6db3f38b256fd0a.jpg The ship will lead a carrier strike group in the Mediterranean for the fourth time over the past four years, according to the newspaper. HMS Queen Elizabeth's deployment will allow F-35 Lightning fighter jets to fly over the Black Sea, it added. The aircraft carrier was supposed to be deployed with another aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, which, however, remains in dock for repairs. In December, the newspaper stated that HMS Prince of Wales had been in dock for repairs more often than at sea since being commissioned in 2019, with repair works expected to be completed by spring. HMS Queen Elizabeth replaced the Prince of Wales on overseas missions, despite the fact that the ships were to alternate every eight months, the report also read. Problems with the warship's functioning began as early as 2020. The carrier suffered a leak in the engine room, then the collapse of an accommodation block. The ship has been languishing lately in a Scottish dockyard after breaking down off the Isle of Wight due to a propeller shaft problem in August, according to The Times. https://sputnikglobe.com/20220417/britain-deploys-hunter-killer-sub-to-gibraltar-after-russia-blacklists-johnson-other-top-officials-1094837983.html russia mediterranean sea 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 hms queen elizabeth, hms prince of wales, russia, uk, mediterranean sea https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/ukraine-loses-over-410-military-in-donetsk-direction-in-past-day-mod-1109157576.html Ukraine Loses Over 410 Military in Donetsk Direction in Past Day: MoD Ukraine Loses Over 410 Military in Donetsk Direction in Past Day: MoD Ukraine's military losses in the Donetsk direction over the past day amounted to more than 410 soldiers, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday. 2023-04-05T12:01+0000 2023-04-05T12:01+0000 2023-04-05T12:01+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine ukraine russia /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/03/1107964216_0:153:2953:1814_1920x0_80_0_0_98f911ecc6a22459f0de746cf5e5c61f.jpg "The loss of enemy manpower over the past day in this [Donetsk] direction amounted to over 410 Ukrainian servicemen and mercenaries," the ministry said in a statement. Additionally, two armored personnel carriers, one tank, four armored fighting vehicles, two vehicles and a D-30 howitzer were destroyed over the past day, the statement added.In October 2022, Russian military began targeting Ukrainian infrastructure after Ukraine's terrorist attack on Russia's Crimean Bridge. There have been strikes on power, defense industry, military command and communications facilities across Ukraine.Moscow started a special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022 after the people's republics of Donetsk and Lugansk asked for help in protecting their citizens against increased attacks from Ukraine. ukraine russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International donetsk direction, ukraine loses, russian defense ministry https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/us-still-plans-to-deliver-abrams-to-ukraine-by-year-end-training-yet-to-begin-1109178190.html US Still Plans to Deliver Abrams to Ukraine by Year End, Training Yet to Begin US Still Plans to Deliver Abrams to Ukraine by Year End, Training Yet to Begin The United States still plans on delivering Abrams tanks to Ukraine before the end of the year, although training has yet to begin, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said on Wednesday. 2023-04-05T18:54+0000 2023-04-05T18:54+0000 2023-04-05T18:54+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine us ukraine m1a2 abrams /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/104001/19/1040011986_0:155:3500:2124_1920x0_80_0_0_95be59d527b2e68eb8301694cf914260.jpg Training hasnt started, Singh said during a press briefing. Our goal is to have those to Ukraine before the end of the year, but thats the only timeframe I can give you right now. The US intends to give Ukraine rebuilt M1A1 Abrams tanks to expedite delivery of the system. Last month, Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder said the US could deliver Abrams to Ukraine by fall of this year. The Biden administrations decision to provide Abrams tanks to Ukraine represents an extremely destructive step that may escalate the conflict in Ukraine, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told Sputnik earlier this year. ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International us, ukraine, abrams tanks, ukrainian crisis, ukrainian conflict, war in ukraine https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/washington-benefiting-from-ukrainian-conflict-as-europe-made-to-bear-its-cost-irans-supreme-leader-1109176584.html Washington Benefiting From Ukrainian Conflict as Europe Made to Bear Its Cost: Irans Supreme Leader Washington Benefiting From Ukrainian Conflict as Europe Made to Bear Its Cost: Irans Supreme Leader The European Union narrowly avoided a bloc-wide recession in late 2022 after members politicized decision to wean themselves off Russian energy in response to the escalation of the crisis in Ukraine. Moscow expects the real, long-term costs to Europe the loss of the regions competitive advantage against the US and China, to come later. 2023-04-05T17:45+0000 2023-04-05T17:45+0000 2023-04-05T17:45+0000 world ukraine russia iran ayatollah ali khamenei supreme leader us foreign policy /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/106508/51/1065085161_0:115:2201:1353_1920x0_80_0_0_fb70c71c5617477c3a6486c7f98d0ea0.jpg The United States is responsible for the Ukrainian crisis and is benefiting from it while European nations are being made to bear its cost, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said.On the global level, the Ukrainian crisis serves to highlight the USs weakening positions, Khamenei said, pointing to Washingtons failure to bring Latin American countries to heel, failure to create a united Arab front against Iran, and failure to pressure the Islamic Republic into submission through sanctions.At home too, the US is facing a spiraling political crisis, with each successive administration becoming weaker than the last, according to the Iranian leader.Why is it that we say America is weak? First of all, bipolarity emerged in the United States over the elections two-three years ago. This polarization still remains strong; this is a weakness and of paramount significance, the ayatollah said.Tuesdays comments were the second time in two weeks that Khamenei has brought up the Ukrainian crisis in his public remarks. In late March, he said that the US had created the grounds for the conflict in Ukraine to expand NATO in the east, and reiterated that Washington is the party that benefits most from its continuation. The poor people of Ukraine are facing problems, while weapons manufacturing companies in the US are reaping the benefits, so they wont go along with ending the war, he said.The Iranian Supreme Leader, whose constitutional role requires him to provide guidance to the government and legislature, and to protect the country from imperialist predations, has been outspoken among Irans officials in blaming Washington for the Ukrainian crisis. Immediately after its escalation last year, Khamenei blamed the US mafia regime for the conflict, and called Ukraine one of many victims of American foreign policy. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/dangerous--illegal-overreach-gop-allies-slam-trumps-criminal-indictment-1109142759.html ukraine russia iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov ukraine, conflict, crisis, iran, united states, europe, ali khamenei, supreme leader https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/websites-of-german-states-departments-under-cyberattacks-for-2-straight-days---reports-1109178894.html Websites of German States' Departments Under Cyberattacks for 2 Straight Days, Reports Say Websites of German States' Departments Under Cyberattacks for 2 Straight Days, Reports Say Websites of several governing bodies of the German federal states of Schleswig-Holstein, Brandenburg and others have come under a DDoS-attack, following similar reports earlier in the week, German media reported on Wednesday. 2023-04-05T19:57+0000 2023-04-05T19:57+0000 2023-04-06T05:02+0000 world cyberattack germany saarland /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/106920/78/1069207827_0:100:1921:1180_1920x0_80_0_0_c5e272d9d54176446d467de86ce7afee.jpg The state portal of Schleswig-Holstein, the website of the Brandenburg police as well as some pages of Saarland's state government website were not accessible for some time on Wednesday due to the cyberattacks, according to the Zeit newspaper. Earlier in the day, the authorities of the state of Thuringia also recorded hacker attacks from both the German territory and abroad, which targeted the websites of the state interior ministry and police, the newspaper reported. On Tuesday, hackers attacked websites of some departments in Germany's Saxony-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony as well as the portal of a German platform collecting donations to fund Ukraine. A DDoS attack, or Distributed Denial of Service attack, is when an attacker overloads a target's network or website by flooding the system with repeated requests, causing it to crash or perform so slowly as to be unusable. They often utilize a network of computers called a botnet, which usually consists of thousands of unaffiliated computers that have been infected by malware.The authorities believe the attacks were coordinated. according to Digital Minister of Saxony-Anhalt Lydia Hueskens. Investigations into the attacks have been launched in numerous federal states. germany saarland 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 germany, cyberattacks https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/what-happened-during-trumps-first-day-in-court-as-criminal-defendant-1109135748.html Trump's First Day in Court as Criminal Defendant: Here's the Lowdown Trump's First Day in Court as Criminal Defendant: Here's the Lowdown Everything you need to know about Donald Trump's first day in court as a criminal defendant. 2023-04-05T06:08+0000 2023-04-05T06:08+0000 2023-04-05T10:17+0000 sputnik explains donald trump trump organization donald trump's indictment alvin bragg /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/05/1109141287_0:139:1929:1224_1920x0_80_0_0_c68cdf57f7bbc29f0902fbcfb33f6320.jpg History was made on April 4, when for the first time ever, a former President of the United States appeared in court as a criminal defendant. The 45th POTUS was earlier indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on charges related to hush-money payments made before and after the 2016 presidential election.Here is a look at Trump's first day in court as a criminal defendant and what could come next in the indictment.What Happened at Trump's Arraignment?Donald Trump, a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, entered the Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday to be arraigned, or, in other words, hear the criminal charges against him. Late in March, a grand jury in Manhattan voted to indict Trump on charges related to his alleged involvement in a hush money payment and subsequent cover-up involving a purported affair with adult film star Stormy Daniels. On April 4, both Trumps legal team and the public were finally provided with the details about the charges.Trump, in line with procedure, had his fingerprints taken, but did not stand for what is known as a "mug shot", nor was he handcuffed. What Are the Charges Against Trump?Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has announced a 34-count felony indictment of the former president. Donald Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree under Article 175 of the New York Penal Law. The charges are in connection with Trump's alleged involvement in a $130,000 hush money payment and subsequent cover-up.According to prosecutors, Trump conspired to undermine the 2016 presidential election by trying to suppress information that could have harmed his election chances. Furthermore, he is accused of then concealing the actual nature of the hush-money payments, made to two women including porn star Stormy Daniels who allege they had affairs with him years before, as well as to a doorman at Trump Tower. The latter claimed to have knowledge of a purported affair which led to the birth of an illegitimate child.Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to the 34 felony criminal charges.What Do the Charges Against Trump Mean?In New York, falsifying business records is a felony when there is an intent to defraud, that includes an intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal a crime. Each of Trump's criminal charges relates to a specific entry in the business records of the Trump Organization, according to the indictment.Stormy Daniels is said to have been paid by then-Trump attorney Michael Cohen, who was subsequently reimbursed by Trump after the 2016 election. According to the prosecutors, there were false entries in the Trump Organizations ledger. Furthermore, the 2017 payments made to Cohen were purportedly falsely recorded as reimbursement for legal services.Alvin Bragg accused Trump and his associates of utilizing what he called a "catch and kill" scheme designed to bury potentially damaging information ahead of the 2016 election.What is the Likely Punishment For Such Charges?Should Trump be convicted of felony bookkeeping fraud, he could potentially face a maximum sentence of 136 years in prison - up to four years for each count. This is explained by the fact that a judge could impose consecutive sentences. But it should be noted that the charge does not carry a mandatory prison sentence. Even if convicted on all counts, the former POTUS - a first-time offender with no criminal record - would not necessarily face jail time, cited legal experts say.Falsifying business records is typically a misdemeanor charge in New York, but it can be bumped up to felony level with a maximum four-year sentence when a defendant's "intent to defraud" includes an "intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof." But the second concealed crime was not specified in the indictment.'Shaky Legal Ground'Hagle singled out the importance of the part of the indictment read by the judge that claimed there was a violation of state election law.The political science professor acknowledged that while Bragg appeared very confident about the charges, it was still going to seem very politically motivated by Trump supporters and many others who might not even like Trump very much.What Happens Next in Trump's Indictment?Donald Trump's next in-person hearing regarding his case is to be in New York on December 4.Trump's team has until August 8 to file any motions, and the prosecution will respond by September 19. It was emphasized by the prosecutors that they anticipate to produce the bulk of the discovery pertaining to the case in the next 65 days. Judge Juan Merchan will then be ruling on the motions at the December hearing.Trump attorney, Jim Trusty, was cited as saying that he expects robust motions to challenge the case. He added that Trumps attorneys will figure out if theres a way to try to push this earlier than the hearing scheduled for December 4.How Did Trump Respond to Charges?Trump, who pleaded not guilty to all the charges, previously denied all wrongdoing, or ever indulging in an affair with Stormy Daniels. After the arraignment, Donald Trump left New York, flew back to Florida, and gave a speech slamming those behind the charges against him. He claimed "the real criminal in the case against him is the District Attorney, because he illegally leaked massive amounts of information. The Democratic Party's forces, he underscored, were behind the criminal charges filed against him by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, he said during his press conference at Mar-A-Lago, Florida, on Tuesday. Trump insisted that this is a persecution, not an investigation. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/us-house-speaker-mccarthy-slams-bragg-for-bringing-politicized-charges-against-trump-1109133327.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/crazy-trump-indictment-is-shiny-object-to-distract-from-biden-admin-woes-1109113132.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/trump-arraignment-never-good-sign-when-politicians-prosecuted-on-trumped-up-charges-in-a-democracy-1109124772.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko donald trump, arraigned in court, manhattan grand jury, indicted trump, on 34 counts, falsifying business records, alleged involvement, hush money payment, cover-up linked to a purported affair, adult actress stormy daniels, ahead of the 2016 presidential elections, politically motivated, misdemeanor increased to a felony, a maximum four-year sentence, a maximum sentence of 136 years in prison, intent to defraud, intent to commit another crime https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/biden-tells-king-charles-iii-jill-biden-to-attend-coronation--1109131947.html Biden Tells King Charles III Jill Biden to Attend Coronation Biden Tells King Charles III Jill Biden to Attend Coronation US President Joe Biden in a phone call with UKs King Charles III congratulated the monarch on the upcoming coronation and informed him that the First Lady of the United States, Jill Biden, will attend the ceremony. 2023-04-04T23:23+0000 2023-04-04T23:23+0000 2023-04-04T23:23+0000 world jill biden king charles iii joe biden coronation coronation /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/09/0e/1100784693_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_582dbe7b53fdf51dbf0a6554a42cf0e1.jpg President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with King Charles III, underscoring the strength of the relationship between our countries and the friendship between our peoples. The President congratulated the King on his upcoming Coronation and informed him that First Lady Jill Biden looks forward to attending on behalf of the United States, the press release said on Tuesday. Biden also conveyed his desire to meet with the King in the United Kingdom at a "future date, the release added. The official coronation of King Charles III and his wife Camilla will take place on May 6, 2023. World leaders and foreign monarchs are reportedly expected to receive formal invitations to the event, which will be the UKs first coronation in 70 years, in April. 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 jill biden, joe biden, white house, king charles iii, united kingdom, us president, first lady, flotus Police work to send a man to a hospital after he set himself on fire at Gwanghwamun Square, Tuesday. Yonhap By Kim Se-jeong A man who set himself on fire at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on Tuesday night has died in hospital, Wednesday. According to the Seoul police, he set himself on fire in front of the King Sejong statue at 8:52 p.m. on Tuesday. He was immediately sent to a nearby hospital but died the next day during treatment. The police are trying to identify him and the cause of his death. The fire also burnt down a container building nearby. In the video footage, smoke can be seen coming from the container. Gwanghwamun Square was busy earlier that day with events related to Busan's Expo bid and the container was set up as part of the event, according to local news outlets. No other people were injured. Smoke can be seen emanating from a container at Gwanghwamun Square, Tuesday. Screenshot from Yonhap News Agency's YouTube account Smoke can be seen at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/russia-still-refusing-to-engage-un-investigative-mission-in-ukraine-says-envoy-in-geneva-1109131582.html Russia Still Refusing to Engage UN Investigative Mission in Ukraine, Says Envoy in Geneva Russia Still Refusing to Engage UN Investigative Mission in Ukraine, Says Envoy in Geneva Russia will not engage the United Nations' Independent International Commission of Inquiry in Ukraine, the head of the Russian mission to the UN Office at Geneva said Tuesday. 2023-04-04T22:57+0000 2023-04-04T22:57+0000 2023-04-04T22:57+0000 russia gennady gatilov russia ukraine crisis the united nations (un) /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/103169/46/1031694663_0:160:3077:1890_1920x0_80_0_0_28885d3ecfd551f0a6112d4e6db45f47.jpg "Last year, Russia decided not to engage this mechanism. We will stick to this position," Gennady Gatilov was quoted as saying by the mission. The diplomat accused the UN body of being openly "anti-Russian and highly politicized." The commission was created in March 2022 by the UN Human Rights Council to probe Russia's alleged war crimes in Ukraine. Twenty-eight countries voted on Tuesday to extend its mandate for another year, four countries fewer than during the inaugural vote. russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russia, ukraine, united nations https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/russias-fsb-arrests-couple-in-sverdlovsk-region-for-espionage-in-favor-of-ukraine-1109131835.html Russia's FSB Arrests Couple in Sverdlovsk Region for Espionage in Favor of Ukraine Russia's FSB Arrests Couple in Sverdlovsk Region for Espionage in Favor of Ukraine Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) in the Sverdlovsk Region has arrested a married couple involved in espionage in favor of Ukraine targeting a regional military enterprise, the FSB told Sputnik on Tuesday. 2023-04-04T23:11+0000 2023-04-04T23:11+0000 2023-04-04T23:11+0000 russia russia ukraine ukraine crisis russian federal security service (fsb) /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/106414/25/1064142583_0:55:1044:642_1920x0_80_0_0_20d4bb1ca7a516113271decb181f5aa5.jpg "The illegal activities of a couple involved in high treason in the form of espionage against one of the enterprises of the military-industrial complex of the region have been stopped. As a result of a special operation by Russia's FSB in the Sverdlovsk Region, two Russian citizens were detained in Nizhny Tagil for providing military and technical information to the Ukrainian special services for a financial reward, which could be used against the Russian armed forces during the special military operation," the FSB said. The couple admitted under interrogation that they provided schematic drawings to the Ukrainian special services and were rewarded with about 100,000 rubles ($1,250) for the hand-over. Equipment related to spying activities was confiscated from the couple's home and a criminal case has been opened against the suspects. russia ukraine 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 russia, russia's federal security service, fsb, ukraine https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/dangerous--illegal-overreach-gop-allies-slam-trumps-criminal-indictment-1109142759.html 'Dangerous & Illegal Overreach': GOP, Allies Slam Trump's Criminal Indictment 'Dangerous & Illegal Overreach': GOP, Allies Slam Trump's Criminal Indictment GOP, allies slam Donald Trump's criminal indictment. 2023-04-05T08:16+0000 2023-04-05T08:16+0000 2023-04-05T10:16+0000 americas donald trump's indictment us hush money donald trump ted cruz mitt romney marjorie taylor greene kevin mccarthy /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/05/1109146804_0:142:3137:1906_1920x0_80_0_0_7e833b38b9ef35650fe72ce8ee84993f.jpg Even before the criminal accusations against Donald Trump were unsealed in court on Tuesday, Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik of New York's 21st congressional district slammed the arrest of the former Presidents as part of his arraignment as "dangerous overreach".She said she was certain the 45th POTUS would overcome the "witch hunt" and "be sworn in as President of the United States of America in January 2025". Stefanik went on Twitter to post a lengthy statement related to Trump's indictment.Trump has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree in connection to his alleged involvement in a $130,000 hush money payment and subsequent cover-up involving a purported affair with adult actress Stormy Daniels, among others. Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment earlier in the day.Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who led a protest near the courthouse in New York, later wrote on Twitter that the Democrats "arrested President Trump because hes the only man standing in their way as they fight for a hostile takeover of America. We will never abandon him"."The arrest and arraignment of former President Donald Trump by a left-wing Soros prosecutor today is making a mockery of the rule of law," Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, said on Twitter. He decried the indictment as "frivolous" and "political persecution". After the arraignment, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy posted on Twitter that District Attorney Alvin Bragg "is attempting to interfere in our democratic process" and "will be held accountable by Congress".Seen outside the courthouse in Manhattan on Tuesday, Representative George Santos, R-N.Y. later tweeted that he showed up because thats what real supporters do.Many of Trumps allies levelled a barrage of accusations at Judge Alvin Bragg. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., likened Trumps charges to proceedings typical in authoritarian countries, adding "It is disgusting and Bragg won't be let off the hook". Florida Governor Ron DeSantis pointed out that the Soros-backed Manhattan District Attorney has consistently bent the law to downgrade felonies and to excuse criminal misconduct. Yet, now he is stretching the law to target a political opponent.As United States Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri went on Twitter, he had one word for what was happening, "Travesty".Indeed, this word was often tweeted on Tuesday in response to the criminal charges against Donald Trump.Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fl., the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said that Tuesday marked "a bad day for all of us".Even Senator Mitt Romney, R-Ut, a long-standing critic of Trump, released a statement saying the New York prosecutor has stretched to reach felony criminal charges in order to fit a political agenda".Former South Carolina governor and UN Ambassador, and at present GOP presidential hopeful Nikki Haley stated:From everything Ive seen from this New York district attorney, this is something hed be doing for political points. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/crazy-trump-indictment-is-shiny-object-to-distract-from-biden-admin-woes-1109113132.html americas 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 criminal charges, trump indictment, trump arraignment, indictment unsealed in court, arraignment dangerous overreach, 34 felony charges, falsifying business records, 2016 hush money payments, republican lawmakers, political leaders reacting to the historic indictment,trump pleaded not guilty, travesty, frivolous indictment, political persecution https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/dozens-of-palestinians-injured-in-clashes-with-israeli-forces-at-al-aqsa-mosque-1109135294.html Dozens of Palestinians Injured in Clashes With Israeli Forces at Al-Aqsa Mosque Dozens of Palestinians Injured in Clashes With Israeli Forces at Al-Aqsa Mosque Dozens of Palestinians were injured during clashes with Israeli forces at Al-Aqsa Mosque in the city of Jerusalem, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported on Tuesday, citing sources. 2023-04-05T03:40+0000 2023-04-05T03:40+0000 2023-04-05T03:40+0000 world palestine israeli-palestinian conflict /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107961/23/1079612396_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_965c3c2b619deb1239bcd07f5f421007.jpg According to the report, Israeli forces stormed the mosque prayer hall on Tuesday evening and attacked the Palestinians, using stun grenades, gas, rubber bullets, batons and stocks of rifles. Palestine Center for Prisoners Studies director Riyad Al-Ashqar told journalists that the Israeli forces detained over 200 Palestinians during the raid. He said that many of them were taken to an Israeli military base in the town of Anata in the governorate of Jerusalem. Palestinian media reported that protests were initiated in several cities in the West Bank following the raid. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said that what happened at Al-Aqsa Mosque was "a great crime against the worshipers." Jordan's Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the Israeli raid. Egypt has strongly condemned the Israeli raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque and demanded that all attacks on worshipers be immediately ceased, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. "In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday morning, April 5, the Arab Republic of Egypt strongly condemns Israeli forces' storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque, followed by flagrant attacks, which resulted in many casualties among worshipers," the foreign ministry said. According to the statement, Egypt demands that all attacks on worshipers be immediately ceased. The ministry added that such actions on the part of Israel could undermine the peace efforts in which Egypt participates together with regional and international partners. 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 palestine, jerusalem, israeli-palestinian conflict, al-aqsa mosque https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/israel-defense-forces-says-nine-rockets-fired-at-israel-from-gaza-strip-four-intercepted-1109135441.html Israel Defense Forces Says Nine Rockets Fired at Israel From Gaza Strip, Four Intercepted Israel Defense Forces Says Nine Rockets Fired at Israel From Gaza Strip, Four Intercepted The Israel Defense Forces said on Wednesday that a total of nine rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip at Israel overnight, four of the rockets were intercepted by air defense systems. 2023-04-05T03:43+0000 2023-04-05T03:43+0000 2023-04-05T03:43+0000 military israel gaza strip israel-gaza conflict israeli-palestinian conflict /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/01/1b/1106745251_0:127:2207:1368_1920x0_80_0_0_3ebdb20a3e6cd85bcaf7bec15040f3ec.png "5 rockets were fired from Gaza at Israel tonight. 4 of them were intercepted by the IDF Aerial Defense Array," the IDF said on Twitter, adding that "following the additional sirens that sounded, 4 rockets were launched from Gaza and landed in open areas." Palestinian media reported on Monday that dozens of Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli forces in Al-Aqsa Mosque. Palestine Center for Prisoners Studies director Riyad Al-Ashqar told journalists that the Israeli forces detained over 200 Palestinians during the raid. israel gaza strip 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 isreal, gaza strip, conflict, israeli-palestinian conflict https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/israeli-police-arrest-over-350-people-at-al-aqsa-mosque-in-jerusalem-1109146673.html Israeli Police Arrest Over 350 People at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem Israeli Police Arrest Over 350 People at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem The Israeli police said on Wednesday they had arrested over 350 people, who had allegedly barricaded themselves inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. 2023-04-05T08:11+0000 2023-04-05T08:11+0000 2023-04-05T08:11+0000 world israel police palestine /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/08/15/1083681132_0:0:3071:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_a00d6c9e4d2b99829493dda93839b4ca.jpg "The Israel Police arrested and removed over 350 individuals that violently barricaded themselves in the Temple Mount, including masked individuals, stone and firework hurlers/throwers, and individuals suspected of desecrating the mosque," the Israeli police wrote on Twitter. On Tuesday evening, the Israeli forces stormed the mosque prayer hall and attacked the Palestinians, using stun grenades, gas, rubber bullets, batons and stocks of rifles, Palestinian media reported. Palestine Center for Prisoners Studies director Riyad Al-Ashqar told journalists then that the Israeli forces had detained over 200 Palestinians during the raid. The police specified that the demonstrators had been transferred to the Jerusalem Precinct Operational investigation center for questioning. Following the removal of the rioters, the mosque was cleaned and the morning prayer was held as planned, the law enforcement agency added. Relations between Israel and Palestine have been adversarial since the latter's founding in 1948. Palestinians seek diplomatic recognition of their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which is partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip. The Israeli government refuses to recognize Palestine as an independent political and diplomatic entity, and builds settlements in the occupied areas despite objections from the United Nations. Violence has escalated in recent months in the West Bank amid near-daily Israeli arrest raids in Palestinian-controlled areas. https://sputnikglobe.com/20220731/israel-to-reportedly-withhold-176-million-of-tax-money-from-palestine-1097983682.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 israeli police, al-aqsa mosque on the temple mount in jerusalem https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/israels-military-aircraft-striking-targets-in-gaza-strip-1109135836.html Israel's Military Aircraft Striking Targets in Gaza Strip Israel's Military Aircraft Striking Targets in Gaza Strip Israeli military aircraft are striking targets in the Gaza Strip after nine rockets had been fired at Israel from the region 2023-04-05T04:26+0000 2023-04-05T04:26+0000 2023-04-05T04:26+0000 world israel defense forces (idf) gaza jerusalem /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/09/07/1100516687_0:0:3071:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_88e1d1413b1fbfc09f2b043e2f0cef07.jpg The Israeli attack comes as a response to the rocket attack from the Gaza Strip amid the Al-Aqsa Mosque incident. Palestinian media reported on Tuesday that dozens of Palestinians were injured during clashes with Israeli forces at Al-Aqsa Mosque in the city of Jerusalem. According to reports, Israeli forces stormed the mosque prayer hall on Tuesday night and attacked the Palestinians, using stun grenades, gas, rubber bullets, batons and stocks of rifles. Palestine Center for Prisoners Studies director Riyad Al-Ashqar told journalists that the Israeli forces detained over 200 Palestinians during the raid. He said that many of them were taken to an Israeli military base in the town of Anata in the governorate of Jerusalem.Earlier on Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces said that a total of nine rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip at Israel overnight, four of the rockets were intercepted by air defense systems, and another four rockets landed in open areas. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230213/idf-strikes-underground-hamas-site-linked-to-rocket-production-1107362389.html gaza 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 israeli military aircraft, targets in the gaza strip https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/man-detained-in-belarus-for-broadcasts-of-military-aircraft-flights-near-minsk-1109133170.html Man Detained in Belarus for Broadcasts of Military Aircraft Flights Near Minsk Man Detained in Belarus for Broadcasts of Military Aircraft Flights Near Minsk Belarusian law enforcement has detained a man who had been broadcasting online flights of military aircraft from the Machulishchy military airfield near Minsk for administrators of a Telegram channel deemed extremist. 2023-04-05T00:30+0000 2023-04-05T00:30+0000 2023-04-05T00:30+0000 military belarus ukraine military /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/16359/63/163596315_0:1:468:264_1920x0_80_0_0_a09e47a50229ec85d82b2fae95b3b607.jpg According to the ONT broadcaster, IT specialist Dmitry Mostovoy, a participant in protests against the results of the 2020 presidential election in Belarus, had offered to one of the Telegram channels to leak information. According to the report, the men had written to the Telegram channel, which monitors military activity in Belarus and is controlled by representatives of the opposition that fled the republic, and offered them to provide an access to a real-time webcam that he could install at his house to monitor the Machulishchy military airfield in the vicinity of Minsk. The men had been broadcasting from a spot where military aircraft land and take off for two weeks from late January to early February, the report said. Specialists of the Belarusian State Security Committee took control of a chatbot of the Telegram channel, the report added. According to the broadcaster, the man had been detained when he was collecting money as a reward for his work and a new webcam from a cache in a forest near Minsk. The broadcaster also showed a message from the channel's administrators praising Mostovoy's idea to broadcast the airfield on behalf of Ukrainian military intelligence but pointed out the advisability of installing a better camera that provides a clearer image to be able to identify types of aircraft more accurately. The man is currently being held in a pre-trial detention center on the charges of state treason and facilitation of extremism. The broadcaster linked Mostovoy's activities to the sabotage against a Russian A-50 early warning aircraft in February. In early March, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced the arrest of a "terrorist of the Ukrainian intelligence services and his accomplices" who were involved in an attempt to sabotage the Russian A-50 aircraft at the airfield near Minsk in late February. He said that a Russian citizen recruited by Kiev, who lived in Crimea and also had a Ukrainian passport, was involved in the sabotage attempt. According to the president, the saboteur was trained by representatives of the Ukrainian Security Services, and the latest technologies, including drones, were used in the sabotage. The Belarusian president said that as a result, the A-50 aircraft had not been seriously damaged, but Minsk asked Russia to replace the aircraft. The A-50 early warning aircraft arrived in Belarus as part of the coordination of the regional grouping of troops of the Union State and participation in the joint Belarusian-Russian flight exercises held in Belarus from January 16 to February 1. belarus ukraine 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 belarus, military aircraft, military, minsk, ukraine, dmitry mostovoy https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/moscow-state-university-planning-to-launch-some-20-small-student-satellites-by-2025--1109134107.html Moscow State University Planning to Launch Some 20 Small Student Satellites by 2025 Moscow State University Planning to Launch Some 20 Small Student Satellites by 2025 Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU) is planning to increase its orbital constellation up to 20 small student satellites by 2025 the year the university celebrates its 270th anniversary. 2023-04-05T01:26+0000 2023-04-05T01:26+0000 2023-04-12T16:58+0000 russia moscow university space exploration space /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/05/03/1095215926_0:320:3073:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_8025f858873a9165cbb7d68c1f887397.jpg "We would like to deploy some 20 satellites by 2025. Currently, we have seven [satellites] launched; last year we launched one; this year there will be three more, hopefully [they] will fly," Sazonov told a science cafe meeting organized by the Andrey Melnichenko Foundation. The dean added that MSU is also planning to deploy five receiving stations on the territory of Russia. Sazonov noted that the university was in talks with Iran about sending a satellite and deploying a receiving station in the country. Talks on launching student satellites were also underway with Brazil, India, and Belarus. 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 moscow state university, student satellites, space search, lomonosov moscow state university The "story grandpa" who helps identify unknown war heroes Xinhua) 11:19, April 05, 2023 JINAN, April 4 (Xinhua) -- While the Tomb-Sweeping Day is drawing near and people clean gravesites on this traditional occasion for paying respect to the deceased, Wang Zhongxiang plans to continue his own way of commemoration. "I have promised some children to talk about the Huaihai Campaign in the community square on the Tomb-Sweeping Day, and I have to keep my word," said the 74-year-old man who is dearly called the "story grandpa" by local children. The Huaihai Campaign was a decisive battle ahead of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Wang's father was a war hero who died in battle in 1949, his mother was also a soldier. He was raised in Liaocheng City in east China's Shandong Province and grew up listening to stories about the war. An important base of the revolution led by the Communist Party of China, Liaocheng is rich in wartime stories. In June 2015, Wang, retired from a local company, embarked on a campaign of spreading such stories, because "war heroes should not be forgotten." He spent his own money to make more than 100 display panels about that history. Local people can often see a gray-haired grandpa, who stops at various locations to tell his stories, riding a tricycle loaded with these panels. "I am telling this history to our next generation," he always explains. Wang showed Xinhua an old map close to falling apart, which he carries with him everywhere he visits. Pointing at a town named Houying, Wang said that in 2016 he learned from documents that there were soldiers from Houying who died in the Battle of Kaifeng before China's liberation. But he didn't find a record of the names of these soldiers. "I then decided to collect their information," the man recalled. "These war heroes deserved to be known." It was by no means an easy task, considering the passing of time and changes in local jurisdictions. He didn't drive and did not use navigation APP to guide the way. Relying solely on the map, he rode on the tricycle and visited 122 villages, circling each of them on the map afterwards as a reminder. "I knocked on each and every one of the doors to ask for information about the deceased heroes," Wang said. "Some of their relatives had absolutely no idea that they were war heroes, and some others could not enjoy the beneifits as heroes' relatives because their identities were not ascertained." Wang knew that his work was meaningful. In four years the man traveled about 5,000 kilometers in total, and found evidence for 154 heroes from Liaocheng who died in the Battle of Kaifeng but remained unknown throughout the years. He reported his findings to local authorities of veteran affairs in October 2019. The next year 154 names were added to the memorial wall in the Kaifeng Martyrs' Cemetery. "I have always remembered that day, when the daughter of a war hero hugged me and cried," Wang said. "She told me that finally she knew where to go when she wanted to mourn for her father." The information he collected also became stories for the children. "He is called the 'story grandpa' by children here," said Tian Dongwen, a teacher from the Central Primary School of Houying Town. "Each time the 'story grandpa' arrives, children flock to the school gate to greet him." Wang often has a big smile when he talks to the children, but at the emotional parts of the stories, both the narrator and the listeners shed tears. To date, Wang has spent more than 200,000 yuan (about 29,060 U.S. dollars) on his mission, visited 125 primary and middle schools and more than 100,000 people have listened to his stories. About 300 volunteers have been attracted to join him. He has been suffering from uremia, and needs dialysis every week. But the disease doesn't prevent him from continuing his dream. Talking about his own story, the old man was passionate. "After those children grow up, they will tell the stories to their children, so that the history will be forever remembered." (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) This image, provided by Gangnam Police Station, April 5, shows a suspect handing over a drink spiked with drugs to a student in Seoul. Yonhap A 49-year-old woman has been arrested on charges of handing over drinks spiked with drugs to random high school students in Seoul after duping them into believing they were good for concentration, police said Wednesday. At least six reports were made of students exhibiting abnormal symptoms after drinking beverages given to them by a group of people in Gangnam Ward, southern Seoul, on Monday night, according to Gangnam Police Station. Police said the suspect, whose identity has been withheld, allegedly handed over the drinks with three other accomplices in areas where there are many private tutoring academies for students, known as hagwon. An investigation revealed that the bottles contained methamphetamine, and false labels were attached claiming that they were intended to improve memory and concentration. One of the three accomplices, a man in his 20s, turned himself in earlier in the day and is also being investigated, police said. Police are currently tracking down two other female suspects in their 20s and 40s. (Yonhap) https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/pentagon-chief-says-will-travel-to-sweden-later-this-month-for-nato-accession-talks-1109134217.html Pentagon Chief Says Will Travel To Sweden Later This Month for NATO Accession Talks Pentagon Chief Says Will Travel To Sweden Later This Month for NATO Accession Talks US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said he will visit Sweden this month for talks on the country's NATO accession plans. 2023-04-05T01:34+0000 2023-04-05T01:34+0000 2023-04-05T01:34+0000 world sweden nato lloyd austin /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 "I look forward to working alongside Finland as an Ally, and to seeing Sweden join the Alliance as soon as possible," Austin said. "I will travel to Sweden later this month to discuss a range of regional security issues as well as their planning for NATO accession." Earlier in the day, Finland became the 31st member of the NATO alliance. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Sweden, like Finland, had met all the necessary conditions to join NATO. Sweden's application has yet to be approved by Hungary and Turkey. Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership in May 2022, three months after Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine. Turkey initially blocked the process of considering these applications, but in late June, Turkey, Sweden and Finland signed a security memorandum that, according to Stoltenberg, addressed all of Ankara's concerns regarding the fight against terrorism and restrictions on arms transfers. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in January that Stockholm should not count on Ankara's support for its NATO bid, due to the recent Quran-burning protests in Sweden. 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 us, united states, lloyd austin, sweden, nato https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/perus-congress-votes-against-motion-to-impeach-president-boluarte-1109134685.html Peru's Congress Votes Against Motion to Impeach President Boluarte Peru's Congress Votes Against Motion to Impeach President Boluarte The Peruvian Congress on Tuesday voted against the motion to impeach incumbent President Dina Boluarte. 2023-04-05T03:07+0000 2023-04-05T03:07+0000 2023-04-05T03:07+0000 americas peru dina boluarte peruvian congress /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/01/0e/1106321584_0:0:3027:1702_1920x0_80_0_0_004aa36716dd438ab03f20abf7bb71cc.jpg In late January, a group of Peruvian lawmakers proposed to impeach on the grounds of "permanent moral incompetence." Nationwide protests, the declaration of a state of emergency, the abuse of power by security forces against protesters, and deaths from gunshot wounds during protests were cited as reasons for the president's impeachment. On December 7, Peru's parliament impeached former President Pedro Castillo. Then-Prime Minister Boluarte took an oath as the country's new president within two hours of the impeachment vote. Castillo, who had tried to dissolve the parliament before the vote, was arrested after the impeachment procedure, and the Peruvian prosecutor's office launched a criminal case against him on charges of a coup attempt and crimes against the state. americas peru 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 peru, peruvian congress, president dina boluarte https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/polands-orlen-terminates-last-contract-on-oil-deliveries-from-russia--1109133024.html Poland's Orlen Terminates Last Contract on Oil Deliveries From Russia Poland's Orlen Terminates Last Contract on Oil Deliveries From Russia Polish oil concern Orlen has terminated the last contract for the supply of oil from Russia, Orlen Executive Chairperson Daniel Obajtek said on Tuesday. 2023-04-05T00:21+0000 2023-04-05T00:21+0000 2023-04-05T00:22+0000 economy russia oil russian oil shipments poland poland /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/17/1108708807_0:188:2975:1861_1920x0_80_0_0_ed3f4e72934e7e48388d11c7f501e4a6.jpg Orlen had a remaining oil supply contract signed with Russian oil company Tatneft, which was to expire in December 2024. Under the contract, Orlen had been purchasing some 200,000 tonnes of oil per month. In late February, Tatneft announced that it had stopped supplying Russian oil to Poland because the transport orders for the end of February had not been executed and paid for. Oil supplies to Poland were excluded from the export schedule, approved by the Russian Energy Ministry. The chairperson noted that the concern has already found the volume of oil to replace the Russian oil. "There were only 10% of oil coming from Russia. We will replace it with oil from other directions," Obajtek added. The chairperson noted that Orlen terminated the contract without additional penalties. In December 2022, against the backdrop of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, the European Union stopped importing Russian oil transported by sea. The G7 countries, Australia and the EU imposed a price cap of $60 a barrel for Russian crude oil transported by sea, blocking the transport of oil bought at higher prices. In retaliation, Russia prohibited selling its oil abroad if supply contracts provide for a price cap mechanism. russia poland 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 poland, orlen, oil, russian oil, daniel obajtek https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/shameless-bigotry-aoc-attacks-marjorie-taylor-greene-for-defending-trump-1109132580.html Shameless Bigotry: AOC Attacks Marjorie Taylor Greene for Defending Trump Shameless Bigotry: AOC Attacks Marjorie Taylor Greene for Defending Trump The high-profile Republican Congresswoman was targeted by Democrats following her speech in defense of the former president. 2023-04-05T00:04+0000 2023-04-05T00:04+0000 2023-04-05T00:04+0000 viral marjorie taylor greene donald trump's indictment /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/04/1109132077_0:160:3073:1889_1920x0_80_0_0_6477d35bdfeaa1ba938816132c6236ee.jpg Conservative Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez-Cortez has accused Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor-Greene of shameless bigotry on social media after the latter spoke out against the indictment of former President Donald Trump in Manhattan."Welcome to NYC! Where there are still social consequences for shameless bigotry," AOC wrote Tuesday in a post to Twitter which was apparently aimed at Greene.But, speaking outside the courthouse in New York, the controversial Georgia representative described her intentions differently.Noting that New York City Mayor Eric Adams had called [her] out by name] when he insisted that MTG be on her best behavior when coming to the city, the Congresswoman stated:Mayor Adams, as you can see, I am here peacefully protesting.Despite the peaceful nature of the demonstration, Greenes address was drowned out by anti-Trump protesters who booed her, including New York citys public advocate, Jumaane Williams."Go back to your district. What are you doing here? Youre here for politics, youre here because you want to be VP... youre here for your own nonsense," Williams said. During her speech Greene compared Trump's indictment to the persecutions of Jesus Christ and Nelson Mandela. The New York Public Advocate Jumaane Williams was one of Mayor Adams thugs blowing a whistle at me in the park today across from the courthouse while I peacefully protested and used my free speech rights to protest the weaponization of government and persecution of President Trump, Green wrote on Twitter.The Democrat Party and Democrats in government are Antifa, she concluded. 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 marjorie taylor greene, mtg, republican, trump's indictment https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/three-people-killed-at-least-one-injured-in-shootout-in-ecuadors-prison-1109134465.html Three People Killed, at Least One Injured in Shootout in Ecuador's Prison Three People Killed, at Least One Injured in Shootout in Ecuador's Prison Three people have been killed, and at least one sustained injuries in a shootout between inmates in a men's prison in the Ecuadorian province of Guayas. 2023-04-05T02:51+0000 2023-04-05T02:51+0000 2023-04-05T02:51+0000 americas prison ecuador /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107755/25/1077552539_0:102:2047:1253_1920x0_80_0_0_cac7bd9f4db29344d06692828f78eeba.jpg "Tactical units of the national police and armed forces activated security protocols and regained control after clashes between members of organized crime groups R7 and Los Lobos in Men's Detention Center 3 in Guayas... After the incident, an injured inmate was hospitalized. Three dead inmates were also found," SNAI said in a statement on Twitter. According to local media, clashes with the use of firearms broke out at La Roca maximum security prison, where a total of 20 people were detained. Violent armed clashes between prisoners are not uncommon in Ecuador, where, in less than two years, over 400 inmates have died as a result of conflicts between prison gangs, police, and the army. In October 2022, Ecuador's government started moving inmates between prisons in a major overhaul aimed at separating leaders from gangs, as deadly gang clashes in prisons frequented in recent years. The measure was followed by a series of terrorist attacks and attacks on police patrols by crime groups in cities across the country. Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso then declared a state of emergency in two provinces. americas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International ecuador, prison shoot out, guayas, la roca maximum security prison https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/trump-speaks-at-mar-a-lago-following-indictment-in-new-york-1109132941.html Trump Speaks at Mar-a-Lago Following Indictment in New York Trump Speaks at Mar-a-Lago Following Indictment in New York In a historic speech, the embattled former US President slammed those behind the charges against him and claimed the real criminal in the case against him is... 05.04.2023, Sputnik International 2023-04-05T00:16+0000 2023-04-05T00:16+0000 2023-04-05T00:57+0000 donald trump's indictment americas mar-a-lago /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/1f/1108982150_0:135:2833:1729_1920x0_80_0_0_92e8734469ce61724bd8b42762411a64.jpg In a wide-ranging address, former US President Donald Trump has struck back at the Democratic Party forces he says are behind the criminal charges filed against him by Manhattans District Attorney, Alvin Bragg.Speaking at his upscale resort in Mar-A-Lago, Florida on Tuesday, Trump insisted that this is a persecution, not an investigation.Earlier that morning, prosecutors revealed theyve brought 34 felony charges against the former President, who stands accused of making a hush-money payment to adult actress Stormy Daniels.Trump pled not guilty to all charges at his appearance Tuesday.From the beginning the democrats spied on my campaign, Trump stated, pointing to the Russia Russia Russia and Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine narratives used to delegitimize his presidency.Citing the unconstitutional changes to election laws and the millions of votes illegally stuffed into voting boxes and caughting on camera, Trump maintained the 2020 election was stolen by Democrats.The pressure on Facebook and Twitter to not say anything bad about the Hunter Biden laptop from hell would have made a lot of a difference in our election, Trump noted.He's campaigning on the fact that he would 'get president Trump,' the former president explained.And this all while even the RINOS admit theres no case against me and it should never have been brought.Its an insult to our country while the rest of the world is laughing at us for our open borders, our incompetent withdrawal from Afghanistan, Trump declared, assuming that this is the most embarrassing time in our countrys history, in my opinion.An all out nuclear world war three could happen now, he said.Now the Biden administration has really stepped up their efforts by indicting the former president, who received 75 million. Which is more than anyone in the history of our country," he added. This case was made by Democrats with an eye towards the 2024 election, he added, and it should be dropped immediately.Theyre looking at me through the Espionage Act of 1917, under which the penalty is death.But he's being accused of the same supposed crimes which former presidents Barack Obama, George Bush, Jimmy Carter, and many more have all committed, he suggested.With all this being said, I have no doubt that we will Make America Great Again, Trump concluded.The next in-person hearing for former president Donald Trump is set for December 4 in New York. The judge presiding over Trump's case said a trial could begin in January of 2024, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported on Tuesday. americas mar-a-lago 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's indictment, mar-a-lago https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/ukraine-completes-preparation-for-counteroffensive-in-zaporozhye-region-official-says-1109146567.html Ukraine Completes Preparation for Counteroffensive in Zaporozhye Region, Official Says Ukraine Completes Preparation for Counteroffensive in Zaporozhye Region, Official Says Ukrainian troops have completed preparation for a counteroffensive in the Zaporozhye Region, having accumulated military personnel, armored vehicles and ammunition in this direction, Vladimir Rogov, a senior official of the Zaporozhye regional administration, told Sputnik on Wednesday. 2023-04-05T08:08+0000 2023-04-05T08:08+0000 2023-04-05T08:16+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine zaporozhye region russia ukraine /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/09/0e/1100747645_0:142:3071:1870_1920x0_80_0_0_eb71b18e554c4efd6dfbc0a3f79b202a.jpg "They have finished preparation for their so-called 'counteroffensive,' having deployed considerable personnel reserves, armored vehicles and ammunition in the Zaporozhye Region. They are ready and waiting for the signal. It can happen at any moment and we are ready to meet the enemy head-on," Rogov said. An attempt to carry out a counteroffensive can become the beginning of the end for the Ukrainian army and the government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the official added. Last week, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov told Polish newspaper that the Ukrainian army was actively preparing a counteroffensive, which would be launched after the end of bad roads season. Ukrainian and Western military experts have repeatedly called the Zaporozhye Region one of Kiev's main targets, as it would open the access to the Azov Sea and cut off the land corridor to Crimea. Russia has considered the Zaporozhye Region to be part of its territory since September 30, 2022, when Russian President Vladimir Putin and the head of the region signed an agreement on its accession to the country, following a referendum in which an overwhelming majority of the local population supported becoming part of Russia. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/ukraines-strike-drone-falls-from-skies-near-zaporozhye-npp-1109135963.html zaporozhye region russia ukraine 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 zaporozhye region, ukrainian troops have completed preparation https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/ukraines-strike-drone-falls-from-skies-near-zaporozhye-npp-1109135963.html Ukraine's Strike Drone Falls From Skies Near Zaporozhye NPP Ukraine's Strike Drone Falls From Skies Near Zaporozhye NPP An Ukrainian unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UAV), which was manufactured in Poland, has fallen in the vicinity of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), a commander of the Russian unit ensuring the safety of the plant has told Sputnik. 2023-04-05T04:37+0000 2023-04-05T04:37+0000 2023-04-05T04:37+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine international atomic energy agency (iaea) uav zaporozhye npp /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/09/06/1100452164_0:176:3017:1873_1920x0_80_0_0_093d8dbecf048c36ad0cee0ab5a95144.jpg "The Ukrainian regime has made yet another attempt to attack the power plant with the use of a Polish-made UAV despite the presence of the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] personnel at the plant. The weight of the UAV was over two kilograms. The location of the UAV wreckage may indicate that the ZNPP's infrastructure was the target of the attack. Causes of the drone crash are being determined by specialists," the commander said. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi visited the ZNPP on March 29 and said that the plant should not be considered a target during the hostilities and used for return fire. During the visit, Grossi inspected the site together with the plant's management and responsible technical staff. The official said that new measures have to be taken to protect the ZNPP as the situation there was not getting better. Following the visit, Russian Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov said that Moscow supports the IAEA efforts aimed at protecting the nuclear safety of the plant. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230323/iaea-not-reviewing-creation-of-demilitarized-zone-around-zaporozhye--npp-1108712379.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 unmanned combat aerial vehicle, zaporozhye nuclear power plant, ukraine's strike drone https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/us-pulls-philippines-into-natos-geopolitical-confrontation-versus-china-1109119777.html US Pulls Philippines Into NATO's Geopolitical Confrontation Versus China US Pulls Philippines Into NATO's Geopolitical Confrontation Versus China In April, US military units could be deployed to new Philippine-owned bases. An expanded US military presence in the Philippines would allow the US to respond to the situation around Taiwan from the south. The US threatens peace and stability in the South China Sea, which China finds unacceptable. 2023-04-05T04:15+0000 2023-04-05T04:15+0000 2023-04-05T04:15+0000 world us china philippines nato /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/08/02/1080040677_0:49:3465:1998_1920x0_80_0_0_91b3af3a95465b75d53358cedd940dce.jpg The joint Philippines-US Balikatan-2023 military exercises will be held all across the Philippines, the US Embassy in Manila announced on Tuesday. The announcement confirmed that the exercise will be held from April 11 to 28, and will be the largest ever. More than 5,000 Philippine Army troops and more than 12,000 American soldiers will participate this year. Last year's exercise involved about 9,000 troops.Live-fire exercises are another feature of the upcoming drills, as previously announced by the Philippine organizers. Participants in the maneuvers will also conduct amphibious and airborne operations, cyber defense, counterterrorism, and humanitarian assistance training.The US Embassy announced that the exercise would take place throughout the Philippines a day after the Philippine government announced the deployment of four new military bases where US military units will be allowed to be stationed on a rotational basis. This brings the number of such facilities to nine. Most likely the Americans are already planning to train and then leave the first groups of soldiers and military equipment at the new sites during the Balikatan-2023 exercises.The approval for these four facilities was likely personally pushed through by first US Vice President Kamala Harris and then Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin during their trips to the Philippines. This took about five months. The haste of the Americans can be explained by the fact that the new facilities include the Philippine naval base in Santa Ana and the Cagayan North International Airport in Lal-lo, both in the northern province of Cagayan, close to Taiwan and the south of mainland China. The Americans will also be stationed at a base in the northern province of Isabela and a naval camp on Balabac Island in the western province of Palawan.The presence of the new Philippine military facilities will increase the potential of US military influence on the situation in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, Chen Xiangmiao, expert of the China Institute of the South China Sea, told Sputnik:The possible deployment of US troops to four new Philippine bases will expand the US military presence near the South China Sea as part of its Indo-Pacific strategy. One of the US' strategic intentions is to build a forward operating base on Balabac Island. Balabac Island faces the Nanshan Islands, which are being developed by China. Therefore, the US intention to use this island as an outpost is obvious. It is important for increasing US intelligence activities or military pressure on China and other states in the South China Sea basin. The establishment of a multidisciplinary base on Balabac for the integrated deployment of US naval and air forces could provide future logistical support and resupply to US forces for military operations throughout the region. Three other new bases could be used primarily by the US military to respond to the Taiwan Strait situation from the south. From the north, the Americans have support for their plans in the region from the nearby islands of Japan. Thus, the new bases in the Philippines will fill the gap in the south, which is important for the US strategy.The US is trying to drag the Philippines into a confrontation with China, Konstantin Sivkov, a military analyst and deputy president of the Russian Academy of Missile and Artillery Sciences, told Sputnik:China has already sent a message to the Philippines not to allow a third party to undermine the friendly relations between the two countries. This was said by Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, in a meeting in Beijing on Monday with former Philippine President and Senior Deputy Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The top Chinese official urged the Philippines to remain committed to properly resolving differences through communication and dialogue.China will not ignore a possible change in the balance of power in this region in favor of the US, Professor Dmitry Mosyakov, head of the Center for Southeast Asia, Australia, and Oceania at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Sputnik.The US intention to obtain military bases in the Philippines runs counter to the China-ASEAN consensus on maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea. Commenting on the US military's access to several facilities in the Philippines, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a briefing on Tuesday that regional countries should "think deeply" about what is mutually beneficial cooperation for them to make the right choice that truly meets their own interests. The US has been steadily increasing its military presence in Southeast Asia based on its own interests. The result will inevitably be an increase in tensions, the Chinese diplomat said. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230313/philippines-us-kick-off-joint-military-drills-with-up-to-3000-soldiers-1108345669.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230216/why-is-the-us-militarizing-the-philippines-1107506192.html china Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International us military units, new philippine-owned bases, us military presence in the philippines A voter takes part in early voting for by-elections at a polling station in Changnyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, March 31. Yonhap Koreans headed to the polls Wednesday to cast their ballots in by-elections. Up for grabs are nine seats, including one parliamentary seat in Jeonju, 194 kilometers south of Seoul, one lower-level council head, one superintendent for education, two in provincial and metropolitan councils, and four in lower-level councils. Eligible voters can cast ballots at polling stations from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to the National Election Commission. COVID-19 patients and those in quarantine will be able to vote from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Some 1.3 million voters are eligible to vote, according to the interior ministry. Two-day early voting took place last week. (Yonhap) The fourth of five preliminary rounds in the MGM Borgata Pacing Series for free-for-allers will be featured next Monday night (April 10) at MGM Yonkers Raceway. There were 20 entrants for this leg, meaning there will be three $50,000 divisions (races three, six, and eight). In the first flight Jimmy Freight (post three, Scott Zeron) and Backstreet Shadow (post four, Matt Kakaley and pictured above) are scheduled to meet up. Jimmy Freight has a win and two seconds in his Borgata appearances so far, while Backstreet Shadow has a victory to go along with a pair of thirds. The second split features five horses with victories heading into Monday's action. Defending champion Funatthebeach N (post two, Jordan Stratton), Idealsomemagic A (post three, Stratton also listed), Hellabalou (post five, Yannick Gingras), Hemsworth N (post six, Kakaley), and Tattoo Artist (post seven, Dexter Dunn) have all visited victory lane at some point during this year's MGM Borgata Pacing Series. Leg winners American Courage (post two, Kakaley) and Leonidas A (post five, Austin Siegelman) head up Monday night's final section. They will meet up with the likes of This Is The Plan (post six, Gingras), the 2021 winner of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series final. The MGM Borgata Pacing Series will conclude with the fifth leg on April 17 before the $200,000-added final estimated to boost the purse to $500,000 on April 24. That card will also include the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series final and consolation events for both races. MGM Yonkers Raceway will also offer the MGM Borgata Pacing Series champion a win-and-you're-in opportunity to both the $200,000 Battle of Lake Erie at MGM Northfield Park on June 10 and the $200,000 MGM Aria Pace at Yonkers on MGM Yonkers International Trot Day (September 23). To complement the MGM Borgata Pacing Series, the Empire Terrace dining room will be open 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Mondays through April 24. Owners and fans are invited to attend the races and enjoy food from an ala carte menu. No reservations are required. Tonight's (Tuesday, April 4) card at MGM Yonkers Raceway features a $23,785.51 carryover and a $75,000 guaranteed pool in the 50-cent Pick 5 sequence. The guarantee in the Pick 5 is being offered as part of the United States Trotting Associations Strategic Wagering Program. The Pick 5, which begins in race five, has a takeout rate of 20 percent. Also, continuing through this month, the Pick 5 pool on Thursdays at MGM Yonkers Raceway will be seeded with $10,000 and also have a guaranteed pool of $25,000. This initiative is being offered in partnership with the Standardbred Owners Association of New York as part of the United States Trotting Association's Strategic Wagering Program. Stakes racing resumes on Wednesday night at MGM Yonkers Raceway with six $25,000 divisions of the opening round of the John Brennan Trotting Series, and Friday night's 11-race program features three $40,000 splits of the fourth leg of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series for pacing mares. Amazing Dream N will look to stay undefeated in the event in the last of those tilts (race eight). MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday through Friday live racing schedule with post time at 7 p.m. (EDT). (Yonkers) Legendary announcer Tom Durkin recently returned to his Standardbred roots and came out of retirement for his first harness racing call in 33 years. Without skipping a beat, Durkin made a special appearance behind the mic for the annual spring matinee showcase held this past Sunday in front of a large crowd at the half-mile Pinehurst Training Center in North Carolina. The popular event featured non-wagering schooling races exclusive to two-year-olds in jog carts. Durkin, who resides in Saratoga Springs and spends his winters in North Carolina, picked up the mic for the first time since retiring nine years ago to fill in for announcer Earl Lennox and call the first race of the day. Lost Highway (Captaintreacherous-Square Dancer) and driver Alonzo Spencer wore down the pacesetter to win the opener in 2:21 with the So Surreal filly Color Me Sweet holding on for second over the Stay Hungry miss Skinny Legend. The winning colt is trained by Gordon Corey for Threelyons Racing. The first race was sponsored by Durkin's own trotting stallion Coraggioso. He continues to own horses and currently has two Ohio-bred trotters, both trained by Chris Beaver. Durkin enjoyed a career as a horse racing announcer spanning more than four decades, starting in 1971 and ending in 2014 at Saratoga. Known for his high-profile Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup calls, Durkin revealed in an interview with Heather Vitale, that the most exciting race he has ever called happened to be during his time announcing races at The Meadowlands, from 1982-1990. He described the 1989 Hambletonian dead-heat between Park Avenue Joe and Probe in the final race-off as "astronomical squared." WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland next week in part to help mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday accord, a U.S.-brokered agreement that helped end decades of deadly sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. Biden will first visit Belfast, Northern Ireland, which is part of the U.K., from April 11-12 to mark progress since the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement was signed a quarter century ago and to underscore U.S. readiness to support Northern Irelands economic potential, the White House said. Biden will then spend April 12-14 in the Republic of Ireland, holding engagements in Dublin, County Louth and County Mayo, where he will deliver an address celebrating the deep, historic ties between the United States and Ireland, the White House said. The president will address Ireland's version of parliament on April 13 and attend a festival in County Mayo on April 14, where he could also deliver remarks, said U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby. Signed on April 10, 1998 which was Good Friday the landmark accord helped end three decades of sectarian violence over the issue of Northern Ireland uniting with Ireland or remaining in the United Kingdom. The anniversary is being marked with celebration that peace has endured, but concern about entrenched divisions and political instability. And the specter of violence has not wholly disappeared last month U.K. intelligence services raised the terrorism threat level for Northern Ireland from substantial to severe. Asked last month whether the heightened terrorism threat level would affect his plans to visit, Biden, who is proud of his Irish heritage and has long wanted to visit Ireland, said it would not. No, they can't keep me out, he said. The agreement has come under increasing stress following the U.K.s exit from the European Union. A recent accord known as the Windsor Framework between the U.K. and the EU addresses some of the issues that arose around commerce and goods that cross the Irish Sea from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. Biden, who will be making his first visit to both countries as president, recently praised the Windsor Framework as an important step in maintaining the peace accord, though Northern Irelands political leaders have called for changes. Its a vital, vital step and thats going to help ensure all the people in Northern Ireland have an opportunity to realize their full potential, Biden said of the framework during remarks at a Capitol Hill luncheon on St. Patrick's Day. Biden introduced himself to the luncheon audience as a descendent of the Blewitts of County Mayo and the Finnegans of County Louth, referencing his paternal and maternal ancestors. I, like all of you, take pride in my Irish ancestry," he said. And as long as I can remember, its been sort of part of my soul. Biden hosted Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in the Oval Office and at a White House reception on St. Patrick's Day, a tradition that had been scuttled in recent years by the coronavirus pandemic. Varadkar promised Biden would have a jolly good time in Ireland. I promise you that were going to roll out the red carpet, and its going to be a visit like no other, Varadkar told Biden in the Oval Office. Everyone is excited about it already. Were going to have great crowds who would love to see you. The last U.S. president to visit Belfast was Barack Obama in 2013. The Legislatures recent attempts to reform state school aid have foundered again and again when their proposed aid changes appeared to leave some K-12 districts short statewide. Will Gov. Jim Pillens first crack at the Holy Grail, which state senators started debating Monday, prove any more successful at ensuring the same total aid or more for all districts in its first year? At least for western Nebraska schools, it just might pull it off. A Star-Herald projection of Legislative Bill 583s impacts on 60 Panhandle and west central Nebraska districts indicates all but one would get more additional regular and special education aid in 2023-24 much more in many cases than they received in regular 2022-23 aid alone. The regions lone exception, Crawford, would fall just $5,257 short of last years regular school-aid total. That tiny deficit well could disappear once state officials factor in poverty figures that they havent yet received from the federal government. Figures released by the Legislatures Education Committee show North Platte Public Schools, western Nebraskas lone Class A district, would wind up at least $1.4 million ahead of this school years $10.5 million in regular K-12 aid if LB 583 were to become law. Certified but incomplete 2023-24 aid figures from the Nebraska Department of Education would cut North Plattes regular aid by $544,041 for the fiscal year starting Sept. 1. The district, one of 21 that receives equalization aid through the regular K-12 formula, wouldnt benefit from the $1,500-per-student foundation aid that LB 583 would restore to the equation for the first time since 1990. Pillens plan would send between $78,300 and $1.12 million apiece in foundation aid to western Nebraska schools that dont get equalization aid to help them educate students in poverty or those for whom English isnt their first language. LB 583s per-student aid would be offset by whatever equalization aid received by those that qualify for it. But the bill also would boost all K-12 districts aid for special education between $50,625 and $2.4 million in the cases of regional districts so they might be held harmless overall as the bills changes take effect. The Unicameral committees figures dont include amounts of normal special education aid received by Nebraskas schools. That aid is figured under a different formula than the one for regular K-12 aid. North Platte would get $1.94 million in new special education aid if LB 583 passes. Thats second in the region behind Scottsbluff, which would gain $2.35 million from that source, and more than enough to offset North Plattes $1.4 million loss in regular 2023-24 aid without the bill. Pillens bill would add $198.4 million statewide in regular school aid, which will total at least $1.08 billion in 2023-24, and $109.4 million in special education aid under the Education Committees projection. With or without LB 583, North Platte likely will get quite a bit more equalization aid once the federal governments provides the state Education Department the poverty figures the aid formula needs, said Stuart Simpson, the North Platte districts executive director of finance. That should leave city residents largest property tax consumer in decent shape for its next budget if LB 583 fails and even better shape if it passes, Simpson told the North Platte Telegraph Monday. Both the poverty (aid) and SPED money (under LB 583) will very much help North Platte Public Schools, he said. The regular school aid formulas separate benefit for larger school districts is very helpful for us also. Pillens bill, introduced on his behalf by Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue, marks the Legislatures third attempt in the past five years to revise Nebraskas 33-year-old regular K-12 aid formula to give rural districts more help without cutting aid to the current formulas largest beneficiaries. Opposition from the Omaha and Lincoln districts, the states two largest, scuttled previous aid reform bills offered by the last two Education Committee chairs: former North Platte Sen. Mike Groene in 2019-20 and current Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont in 2021-22. Walz, replaced as chair this year by Glenvil Sen. Dave Murman, joined the committees 6-1 majority in voting to advance LB 583 to the full Legislature. The lone no vote came from Sen. Justin Wayne, a former Omaha school board member whose district opposes the current bill. OPS leaders say the Legislature has cut school aid in hard times too often for them to support any changes in the aid formula. Districts that qualify for equalization aid get the lions share of current regular school aid to hold down their property tax requests. Most such districts serve Nebraskas largest cities, but small rural districts like Cody-Kilgore, Medicine Valley, Overton, Sutherland, Crawford and Hay Springs also will get 2023-24 equalization aid. The Sutherland district, in fact, would be the only one in western Nebraska to get both equalization and foundation aid if LB 583 passes. Its equalization aid would be at least $23,319, leaving it for now with $387,453 in new per-student aid under the bills projections. Schools that take in more net option students than they lose get most of the rest of the regular state-aid pot. All other districts are left with only the 2.23% rebate from state income taxes down from 20% in 1990 based on taxes paid by their school patrons. The Harrison-based Sioux County district in the Panhandles northwest corner would get just $11,605 in aid without the governors bill. It would gain $119,014 in foundation aid and $100,831 in new special education aid if LB 583 passes. McPherson County would receive just $6,567 in aid without LB 583, all of it from the income tax rebate. But it would gain $78,302 in foundation aid and $50,625 in new special education aid. Ogallala and Broken Bow would gain the most in foundation aid among western Nebraska districts under the governors bill, estimated at $1.21 million and $1.17 million respectively. The two Class C-1 districts get $160,256 and $126,527 from the income tax rebate. Lexington, which will again lead the regions districts with at least $23.96 million in total K-12 aid, would be third behind North Platte and Scottsbluff in benefiting from LB 583s new special education aid at $1.83 million. Gering would receive $985,859 in additional special education funds. A former Nebraska State Patrol trooper convicted of sexting with teen girls had been advised to watch his social media interactions, a prosecutor said during sentencing Monday. With good time, 12th Judicial District Judge Travis OGorman said Brandon Dolezal, 25, will serve 20 to 28 years in prison on charges associated with sexting involving two girls under the age of 16. The offenses allegedly occurred from December 2020 to February 2021 and included video and photos of at least one of the girls, according to court records. At the time of the offenses, Dolezal had been stationed as a trooper with Troop E in the Panhandle. He served from June 2020 until he was terminated in March 2021, prior to his arrest, after an internal investigation. OGorman sentenced Dolezal on six counts that stemmed from an investigation including two counts of attempted child enticement with an electronic communication device, both Class II felonies; and four counts of possession of child pornography, a Class IIA felony, after reaching a plea agreement with prosecutors. On the counts of child enticement, OGorman sentenced Dolezal to 10 to 12 years in prison on each count, with credit for three days already served in jail. On each of the counts of possession of child pornography, Dolezal was sentenced to five to eight years. The sentences will be served consecutively. However, the term is cut in half under state sentencing guidelines, which means that Dolezal will be eligible for parole in 20 years and for mandatory release in 28 years, as OGorman outlined. The sentence will also be served consecutively to a 20- to 40-year sentence Dolezal received in mid-March on charges in Sarpy County. Hell serve 10 years in prison on those charges before being eligible for parole and be eligible for mandatory release in 20 years. Before the sentencing, Sandra Allen, an assistant attorney with the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office, argued for Dolezal to get a significant sentence and for that sentence to be served consecutively to the sentence in Sarpy County. She said Dolezal used his position as a Nebraska State Patrol trooper to interest teen girls and lure them to become involved with him. The defendant states in his pre-sentence investigation that he was in a position to help people, not harm people through his position with the Nebraska State Patrol, she said. He actually did the opposite of that. He used his position to try to find his victims. After sending SnapChat messages to girls, she said, He would talk to them about his job. He would send them pictures of his car. He would talk to them about his cases, his arrests. All in which to try to get these young victims to become interested in him. He used his position of power and authority to try to find his victims. Allen said he was warned twice by the Nebraska State Patrol about his social media use, though she did not elaborate on those warnings, and that his activity was apparent in his intent to find and target victims. Allen said that in evaluating Dolezals phone records, she said there were clearly searches for high school girls attending a certain area school. Dolezals actions not only tarnished the reputation of the Nebraska State Patrol, she said, but also the victims views of law enforcement. One of the victims said that when Dolezal propositioned her to meet him, she thought he was joking, because he was law enforcement. Now, she said, the girl doesnt trust law enforcement because of Dolezals actions. Allen and Dolezals attorney, Matthew Knipe, said Dolezal had undergone a mental health evaluation and needed significant treatment. Knipe said that when he first met Dolezal after his arrest, the man indicated he needed a mental health evaluation and would receive treatment, though he acknowledged that his actions were abysmal. Knipe asked that Dolezals sentence be served concurrent to the Sarpy County case. In his own statement to the court, Dolezal apologized to his victims, their families and to law enforcement. He said he wished he had the courage years ago to seek help and said his actions were selfish. He talked of avoiding seeking treatment because of potential effects on a career in the military and the patrol. Dolezal continues to face charges in Douglas County. In that case, Dolezal faces six counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child, a Class IB felony, and one count of child enticement, a Class ID felony. In that case, Omaha police arrested Dolezal after a 15-year-old girl had been reported missing in November 2022 and an investigation determined she had left with Dolezal. In a forensic interview, the girl told investigators that Dolezal had been communicating with her via a social media app. She said that he knew her age and that he had sexually assaulted her. In both the Scotts Bluff County and Sarpy County cases, Dolezal has been ordered to register with the Nebraska Sex Offender Registry. The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating an incident in which a Harrisburg man is believed to have died of a self-inflicted gunshot as an officer attempted to serve a warrant Monday, according to information released by the Nebraska State Patrol. About 6:25 a.m., the Nebraska State Patrol was notified by the Banner County Sheriffs Office of an incident in which a subject had died from a self-inflicted shooting. Investigators responded to the scene. The Banner County sheriff had been attempting to serve a protection order and an arrest warrant on a Harrisburg resident. After preliminary investigation, NSP investigators believe that as the sheriff was attempting to make contact with the subject at the residence, the man, identified as Kevin Wynne, 62, exited the rear of the residence. The sheriff then heard two gunshots. The sheriff, Zane Hopkins, then located Wynne deceased near a corral. According to Scotts Bluff County Court records, charges of third-degree domestic assault had been filed against Wynne, stemming from a March 18 complaint investigated by the Gering Police Department. The Banner County Attorneys Office has requested the Nebraska State Patrol to conduct the investigation into the incident. An investigation is ongoing. Officers with the Gering Police Department, Scottsbluff Police Department and Scotts Bluff County Sheriffs Office conducted a series of alcohol compliance checks in Scotts Bluff County over the weekend, resulting in six of the 63 on- and off-sale businesses selling alcohol to minors, according to a press release from Monument Prevention Coalition. The results shows 10% noncompliance, the highest since March of 2004, Lanette Richards, of Monument Prevention Coalition, said. This is not acceptable, she said in the release. How many young people do we need to lose because of alcohol and the easy access to alcohol? Alcohol server training is available through Monument Prevention at no cost to the retail establishment. There is no excuse for selling to a minor. According to Richards, the average age of the cooperating individuals (CI) used in the checks is 17 years old. All minors use their own drivers license and follow strict protocols on their appearance, so they look their age. These teenagers look like teenagers. However, businesses still sell to minors, even though in most cases the drivers licenses were checked, Richards said. With prom, graduation and other events honoring our youth coming upon us in the next couple of months, we need to have alcohol license establishments to be diligent in keeping alcohol out of the hands of our youth. The following businesses that failed the alcohol compliance checks were: East O Watering Hole, Kelleys Liquor and Walmart, each in Scottsbluff; Meat Shoppe, Rompus Room and Swanys Union Bar, each in Gering. Of the 6 businesses that failed, one business has prior violations on record with the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission. Kelleys Liquor was charged previously on April 16, 2022, of selling to a minor, according to information released by Monument Prevention Coalition. Sgt. Philip Eckerberg with the Scottsbluff Police Department said, We are concerned about the increase in failures and would like to work with alcohol retailers to prevent this from happening. I look forward to the day when there are no failures. This project was funded in whole or in part under the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Grant through the Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services and Region 1 Behavioral Health Authority. Regional West recently welcomed one physician and two providers to its medical team. Dr. Daniel Faaborg is a physician with Regional West Physicians Clinic-Urology. Regional Wests Urology Clinic offers comprehensive care of the female and male urinary systems, including kidneys, ureters, bladders, urethra, and disorders of the male reproductive system. Faaborg earned a medical degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, and completed urology residency training at Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, California. He is board certified in urology. Abbie Fulk, APRN, sees patients at Regional West Physicians Clinic-Pulmonology, Critical Care. The clinic provides outstanding care for patients with pulmonary disease and critical illness using clinical evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment services. Fulk earned a Master of Science degree in nursing from Walden University, Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as an adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner. Aaron Rutz, FNP, sees patients at Regional West Physicians Clinic-Urgent Care. Rutz earned a Master of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio. He is certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as a family nurse practitioner. The government and the ruling People Power Party hold a policy consultation meeting on their response to school violence at the National Assembly in western Seoul, April 5. Yonhap The government and the ruling People Power Party (PPP) decided Wednesday to push for tougher measures against school violence, including having such records taken into account in both the early and regular college admission processes, and kept until employment. The PPP and the government held a policy consultation meeting at the National Assembly and discussed various measures to raise awareness on school bullying, the PPP's top policymaker Park Dae-chul said. The measures include extending the length of time a record of school violence will be kept in a student's file, including up until a student finds a job, and taking such records into consideration in both the early and regular college admission processes, according to Park. Park said the government and the PPP also discussed beefing up support for victims, strengthening teachers' authority and facilitating character-building education for students, including physical and arts education. "We need to set a clear standard for which cases should be solved through education and which cases should be sternly dealt with, and execute the principles strongly to root out school violence," said Rep. Lee Tae-kyu, the PPP's executive secretary of the parliamentary education committee. The PPP and the government plan to hold a task force meeting on the matter, presided over by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, to devise a set of measures and push for related legislation, including a bill aimed at preventing school bullying. School violence has gained wide attention after the presidential office canceled the appointment of a new national investigation chief, Chung Sun-sin, in February following revelations of his son's school bullying. (Yonhap) GREENSBORO A first-year student at N.C. A&T was identified as the teenager who was fatally shot Tuesday night. "We regret to inform the university community that North Carolina A&T student Deja Rae Reaves of Chicago died Tuesday night as a result of gunshot wounds," the university shared in a message Tuesday night to students and staff. Reaves was a student in N.C. A&T's College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. "Her untimely death is a tremendous loss to the university community. Our heartfelt prayers, condolences and thoughts are with her family, friends and professors," the university's message said. A&T students and staff were encouraged to use available resources for support as needed, the message said. Funeral arrangements for Reaves will be provided when they become available. Greensboro police responded to the shooting just before 7 p.m. Tuesday in the 1000 block of Sullivan Street. A second victim is expected to recover. Additional details were not immediately available. Reaves' death marks the 18th homicide in the city in 2023. Police ask anyone with information to contact Greensboro/Guilford Crime Stoppers at 336-373-1000. Residents can also download the mobile P3tips app for Apple or Android phones to submit a mobile tip, or go to P3tips.com to submit a web tip. All tips to Crime Stoppers are anonymous. Vladimir Putin has approved a spring conscription of 147,000 young Russian men between April and July. There is another conscription in the fall. This has been the way it is done for over a century. Conscription gives Russia some badly needed military manpower but there is a catch. Conscripts only serve for one year and nominally cannot be sent into a foreign combat zone. Repeated government efforts to evade these legal restrictions have failed. The Russian public will not tolerate tinkering with the 12 month/no-combat conscription rules and the post-communist Russian government lacks the coercive power to overcome that. Since he ordered Ukraine invaded in February 2022, Putin has clashed with Russian attitudes towards conscription and lost. After the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, the communist rule was replaced by democracy and frequent opinion polls. There were no professional politicians to make the new democracy work. There were former Soviet officials trying to get elected to powerful positions. More than ever before, these new political candidates had to pay close attention to public opinion. Former KGB officer Putin got elected once and managed to change the rules to keep him in office for as long as he likes. Putin also put all Russian media under state control. The catch was that successful dictators, and Putin is one, pay attention to public opinion because if too many of your subjects get too angry, its the end for the supreme leader. Russians experienced this in 1991 and even zealots like Putin must pay heed. Putins solution is to make the most of a bad situation. Conscripts presently get a few weeks of training followed by service doing any work they can handle to allow as many nominally volunteer soldiers to go to Ukraine, where the Russian personnel situation is desperate. Training for the conscripts ties up the few remaining military training facilities all the time, as almost all the pre-war training staff were sent to the Ukraine after the war started, and became casualties themselves. This makes it impossible to provide training for the contract (volunteer) soldiers or older men being mobilized into the military for as long as the government can get away with it. Few Russian men serve in Ukraine voluntarily and most are coerced or tricked into volunteering, with a few persuaded by offers of high pay (which they rarely get) or are convicts spending six months in Ukraine to get a full pardon. Putins alleged plan is to obey the law about not sending conscripts into battle, and hope to later persuade them, after their discharge, to volunteer for some form of mobilization. Putin lacks sufficient internal security forces to overcome a lot of public opposition to his seriously unpopular or illegal schemes so he has to be resourceful. The fighting in Ukraine crippled the Russian ground forces and destroyed most of the modern equipment Putin had managed to manufacture over the last decade, while economic sanctions reduced the amount of money he has available for military operations. Sanctions have also increased the percentage of Russians living below the poverty line. Putin embarrassed himself in Ukrainian because he initially boasted that the victory in Ukraine would be quick and relatively painless because the Ukrainians were not willing or able to fight and most accepted the Putin view that Ukraine was actually part of Russia that got confused and lost their way. The Ukrainians were better prepared, armed and motivated to defeat the invading Russians. Putins response was that it was NATO forces that inflicted all those casualties on Russian troops. That fiction worked for a short while because state-controlled media had been pushing the idea that NATO was conspiring to destroy Russia. That fable faded as the months of defeats went by and Russians were told by returning wounded soldiers that Ukrainians were fighting back and simply doing more effectively than anyone expected. Many Russians have family, friends or contacts in Ukraine and that, added to what Russian soldiers who had returned Ukraine said put an end to the blame NATO. Putin propagandists had to come up with a new explanation for the mess in Ukraine and he came up with a reheated version of the NATO is trying to destroy Russia story. Russia had a problem with the fact that for over a year Russian soldiers have been fighting in another country and getting killed or wounded in large numbers. Russia had not been invaded and Putin sought to portray it as a successful Russian defense of the homeland. Once more, Russians see through that disinformation by paying attention to Ukrainian media which makes no mention of plans to invade Russia, only efforts to get Russian soldiers out of Ukraine. Putin also tried, with some success, to persuade people in nations supporting Ukraine with weapons and money that Ukraine is not worth the expense because of a growing list of Russian short shelf-life disinformation. Russia has few allies or foreign supporters and most of these, like Iran, North Korea, Syria and Cuba have little to give. China could provide lots of tangible support but prefers not to because China believes the Ukrainian operation was a stupid idea and does not want to get hit with sanctions for providing military support for Russia. China and India both advise Putin to just get out of Ukraine and out from under all those sanctions before long-term damage is done to Russia. Putin is working on what he agrees are needed reforms so that the next time Russian troops are in combat they will perform better and perhaps even win. There have been several rounds of unsuccessful military reforms since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. One of the major causes of that collapse was their unaffordable and largely ineffective armed forces. In post-Soviet Russia there were far fewer restrictions on criticizing the military. Most Russians had a very negative attitude towards conscription and the reforms underway because of the Ukraine War disaster were seen as typical of several previous efforts to remedy problems that continue to resist any fundamental change. The new plan calls for a massive training program to replace all the officers lost in the first few months of 2022s fighting. The immediate problem with that is all the officer instructors were sent to the front in March and April 2022 where they too became casualties. Next is that military and political leaders are still unable to restore one crucial aspect of an improved military; NCOs (Non-Commissioned Officers, sergeants in the army, petty officers in the navy). A century ago, Russias new communist regime abandoned a long tradition of career NCOs. Instead, junior officers would try to do everything NCOs handled. That never worked. Providing adequate training for new combat troops is something else that never had a high priority. The new reforms are supposed to change that. There have been similar efforts in the past and none lasted long. There is another serious problem that few want to discuss; corruption. Even in wartime, especially during the recent fighting, corruption was still a problem. Officers and other government officials continued to put their own financial gain above the need to equip the troops with what they needed to survive and win. There have been several corruption scandals in Russia since the Ukraine War began. The militarys corruption is rooted in political corruption at the highest levels (Putin and his cronies) and inevitably drifted downward until even supply sergeants routinely steal back (and sell) gear issued to new troops when they are outside their barracks just before leaving for the front. Russia is descending into a Third World state known as a resource kleptocracy, but run by a for-real gangster confederacy. Only with nuclear and biological weapons from before the Soviet Union collapsed. All this enthusiasm for military reform was thought to have been taken care of in 2022, on the eve to the invasion of Ukraine. As before, it was discovered that previous reforms had not worked. The decision had been made to invade despite obvious defects in the training, morale and equipment of Russian units. The reality of the differences between Russian and Ukrainian forces was soon made clear as the advance was stopped short of its goals and suffered heavy casualties in the process. Copies of the attack plan, which were only distributed to a few senior commanders leading the attack, showed that the Russians believed they could quickly reach and take the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and replace the government with a pro-Russian one and declare the war over. At that point the rest of Ukraine was supposed to surrender and get used to being Russian once more. Many Russians, especially recent veterans or parents of sons approaching conscription age, knew the truth and were perplexed at the decision to invade when so many soldiers were poorly trained and suffering from low morale. Conscripts supposedly prohibited by law from service in a war zone were sent in anyway. Much of the Russian population continues to cope with the continuing use of conscription, something that has been unpopular since the end of World War II. The post-1991 government goal of having an all-volunteer force failed because it cost more than the government could afford and not enough young Russians were willing to voluntarily serve, even as better paid and treated contract soldiers. By later 2022 over half of Russian military personnel were volunteers (serving on contracts) or career officers. The ability of the military to hold onto those contract (contrakti) soldiers was always weakened if there were a lot of casualties or too much chance of being sent to a combat zone. Volunteering to be a contract soldier used to be considered a smart move because the Russian economy had been increasingly weak over the last decade. After the fighting began in Ukraine, the contract soldiers suffered as much as the conscripts and junior officers did. The result of this was contract troops refusing to renew contracts. Most of the combat units sent into Ukraine were composed of contract troops who were killed in large numbers. When the survivors got back to Russia, either because of wounds or because many combat battalions returned because of heavy losses, there was a sudden shortage of contract soldiers. That was because most contract troops were near the end of their two-to-three-year contracts and refused to renew. The army had signed up many soldiers for the new (since 2016) short term (six to twelve month) contracts for former soldiers, or conscripts willing to try it, and found that there were far fewer vets willing to sign these short contracts because so few recent short-term contract soldiers had survived service in Ukraine. The government then tried to solve this reluctant contract soldier problem by changing the contracts so that contract soldiers had to remain in the army for as long as the fighting continued. Realizing that it was a death sentence if they were sent back to Ukraine, many contract soldiers simply refused to go. There were so many men refusing to go that the government backed off from threats to prosecute the reluctant contrakti. Soldiers with time left on their contracts were a liability because they told anyone who would listen that the Ukraine operation had been a disaster for Russian troops Ukrainians regularly ambushed columns of Russian armored vehicles, quickly destroying most of them. While Russian troops were forbidden to take cell phones with them into Ukraine, the Ukrainians still had them to take photos and videos of the aftermath of these battles, and these were getting back to Russia where Russian veterans of the fighting confirmed they had seen the same grisly evidence of Russian losses or even survived one of these battles. Russia played down these losses but the Ukrainian military maintained, and published daily updates of Russian losses in terms of soldiers killed, wounded or captured as well as equipment losses. After thirty days of fighting the Ukrainians were claiming that over a third of Russian troops sent into Ukraine had been killed, wounded or captured with even larger quantities of vehicles and weapons lost. After six weeks the Russian military admitted that losses were heavier than previously acknowledged but would not give exact figures. In part that was because an accurate count was not possible until most of the combat units (BTGs, or Battalion Task Groups) had returned or confirmed as down to only a few survivors. No BTGs were wiped out but many were reduced to half or a third of their original size (500-800 troops and over a hundred vehicles). Communications, even for BTG or brigade commanders, was unreliable inside Ukraine because of defective radios. That meant senior commanders of armies, which controlled over a dozen BTGs and many support units, were always using outdated data on unit strength and capabilities. This was reported back to Russia and was declared a state secret. It didnt help that few BTGs sent into Ukraine actually had the numbers of enlisted men they reported they did before the war (most were seriously understrength, particularly in infantry), so the Russians own internal reports of troop strengths were lies piled on lies until the shattered BTGs were pulled out of Ukraine and actual heads could be counted. Russia made a major effort to keep Ukrainian reports on the fighting from spreading on the Russian Internet. That has been difficult because the Ukrainian after-action reports are all Russians can get as their own government refuses to release much data on casualties. Moreover, the Ukrainian data appears accurate because it often includes pictures and identities of the dead Russian troops and details on the losses individual BTGs suffered. The Ukrainians had better access to where these battles took place and proved it with photos and videos showing destroyed vehicles, some of them identifiable as belonging to a particular Russian unit. Without a lot of contract soldiers Russia could not replace losses. Replacing lost tanks and other vehicles also proved to be more difficult than expected. On paper Russia had thousands of fully armed and equipped tanks and other armored vehicles in reserve for quickly replacing combat losses. Not surprisingly those reserve vehicles were often in bad shape, having been poorly maintained by conscripts and larcenous civilians who made a lot of money by taking key items from these vehicles and selling them on the black market. These missing items were usually not reported missing until troops received these vehicles, which were generally mobile enough to be driven onto a railroad flatcar for transportation to units needing them. Once received these reserve vehicles were found missing equipment and in need of extensive repairs to make them combat-ready. A growing reason for fewer conscripts is that there were fewer young men to conscript because of lower birth rates and more young men who were in poor physical shape, or addicted to drugs, or had a police record and considered more trouble than they are worth if conscripted. All this was expected but since the 1990s Russia has been seeking solutions and finding none that work well enough to keep the military up to strength. For 2022, Russia has reduced its standards so it can call more men. As early as 2012 a parliament-ordered investigation found that the army was short a third of the privates (lowest ranking enlisted troops) they were supposed to have. The Russian military (mainly the Army and Interior Ministry paramilitary units) are supposed to have a million personnel. But officials admitted in 2011, off-the-record, that the real number was closer to 800,000 and slowly but relentlessly declining. A subsequent investigation confirmed this. In 2021 it was still no more than 800,000. Since 2012 the military has come up with a growing list of solutions for the problem but all these efforts do is slow the decline of military manpower numbers, not reverse it. Current fixes involve calling up reservists (usually for a brief period to test the system) and instead of letting the reservists quickly return to civilian life the military is keeping many of the reservists for six months or more. This was one reason for the short-term (less than 12 month) contract. Doing this too often made reservists refuse to appear when recalled. The economic recession since 2014 (because of low oil prices and sanctions) was supposed to encourage more Russians to volunteer but that did not happen and there was less money for increasing the pay for contract soldiers. Recruiting foreigners had minimal impact and so the Russian military keeps fading away. The military is unpopular for conscripts mainly because of the brutal treatment they receive. This has not been getting better and "hazing" incidents are still occurring each year. This is serious stuff. There are a lot of reasons for not wanting to be in the Russian Army but the worst of them is the hazing. One-year conscript service was supposed to solve this but new conscripts are tormented by conscripts who have been in a few months longer. It was thought that this sort of thing would speed the demise of conscription in Russia once the Cold War ended in 1991. Didn't work out that way. The government found that, even among the contract soldiers, the old abuses lived on and that most of the best contract soldiers left when their contract was up. It was because of the brutality and lack of discipline in the barracks. The hazing is most frequently committed by troops who have been in six months or so against the new recruits, but this extends to a pattern of abuse and brutality by all senior enlisted troops against junior ones. It remains out of control. The abuse continues to exist in part because of the growing animosity against troops who are not ethnic Russians and especially against those who are Moslem. Because of higher birth rates among the Moslem populations, nearly 15 percent of eligible conscripts are Moslems and that is seen as more of a problem than a solution. This hazing originally developed after World War II, when Russia deliberately avoided developing professional NCOs. They preferred to have officers take care of nearly all troop supervision. The Soviets failed to note that good NCOs were the key to effective troops. The Soviets felt that officers were more politically reliable, as they were more carefully selected and monitored. The NCOs that did exist were treated as slightly more reliable enlisted men but given little real authority. Since officers did not live with the men, slack discipline in the barracks gave rise to the vicious hazing and exploitation of junior conscripts by the senior ones. This led to very low morale, and a lot of suicides, theft, sabotage, and desertions. This hazing has been one of the basic causes of crimes in the Russian armed forces, accounting for 20 to 30 percent of all soldier crimes. This caused a military suicide rate that is among the highest in the world. Poor working conditions in general also mean that Russian soldiers are nearly twice as likely to die from accidents, or suicide, then American soldiers. Long recognized as a problem, no solution to the hazing ever worked. All this comes after more than a decade of reforms in the armed forces, particularly the army. Poor discipline, low morale, and incompetent performance are all legacies of the Soviet era (1921-1991). Russian commanders, envious of the success of all-volunteer Western forces, have long studied their former foes and decided to adopt a lot of Western military customs. For example, one reform ordered that Russian troops would not be confined to their barracks most of the time. In the Soviet era, the conscripted troops were treated like convicts and their barracks were more like a prison than the college dormitory atmosphere found in troop housing for Western military personnel. Russian conscripts are now free to leave the base on weekends and work only a five-day week. All barracks have showers (hot water is sometimes a problem) and troop accommodations are the best they have ever been. Things like this help a bit but not enough. Russia tried to change public attitudes towards the armed forces by publicizing all the new changes and programs. But word got around that most of these efforts failed. Blame that on the Internet. Polls consistently show that most military age men do not want to serve in the military and the main reason is the hazing and prison-like conditions in the barracks. As a result of all these factors, prospects of a revival of the traditional large Russian armed forces continues to fade. The defeats in Ukraine have not helped. Libya may not have a functional or internationally recognized government yet, but that is not stopping the two rival governments from negotiating deals with foreign firms, especially for maintaining or expanding oil production in areas they control. Managing local economics is another matter. Public services are disorganized and unreliable. That means reliable electricity, clean water and regular trash collection services are not (all three together) available anywhere in the country, and generally only one. Until this new government is actually in power, Libyan unity is still a work in progress. The United States and European countries, as well as neighbors like Egypt and Algeria continue to actively support the reconciliation process in Libya. The primary obstacle to unity is the difficulty in establishing voting rules that will ensure elections accepted as fair by the two main factions in Libya. Both major factions, and several minor ones, fear that an elected government could turn into another dictatorship. The four decades-old Kaddafi dictatorship was overthrown in 2011 and creating an acceptable democratic government to replace Kaddafi has been creeping closer to reality ever since. The only agreement achieved so far is to keep the oil and natural gas exports going because that is the main source of income, employment and necessities for most Libyans. The UN backed a 2020 ceasefire agreement that was supposed to lead to national elections by the end of 2021. That failed because the invading Turks refused to withdraw their forces unless certain illegal conditions were met. These Turkish demands are the reason the Russian Wagner Group still maintains some troops in Libya. Most of the other foreign mercenaries are gone while the Turks remain. That means the primary obstacle to national unity is the continued presence of Turkish military and mercenary forces in Libya which block efforts to hold national elections and bring an end to over a decade of civil war. They do so to enforce an illegal treaty signed by one of the Libyan factions in 2019. This treaty, backed only by the Tripoli based GNA (Government Of National Accord) faction, granted Turkey some of Greeces offshore oil and natural gas rights in an area between Libya and Turkey that ignores existing, and internationally recognized, claims on that area. Turkey and Greece are both NATO members and NATO backs Greece in this matter. Turkey wont withdraw its forces from Libya until a new national Libyan government assures the Turks that the illegal agreement is confirmed by a national Libyan government. This Turkish interference in Libyan internal affairs is making the formation of a Libyan national government even more difficult. The UN agrees that the Turkish demands are illegal but refuses to do much about it. That is actually normal for the UN. The United States and European governments are demanding that the UN act but the UN refuses without admitting that it is simply impossible for the UN to obtain enough international support to pressure the Turks to get out of Libya. UN efforts in Libya to help establish a national government have failed and are now seen as part of the problem. The UN still considers its efforts as a positive force in Libya. While most Libyans are ready to form a national government, the UN and Turkey remain the primary obstacles to achieving that. There are other obstacles, like Egypt, which has long been a major factor in Eastern Libya politics because the Egyptians want to look after the many Egyptians who work in Libya as well as keeping Islamic terrorists in Libya from getting into Egypt or smuggling weapons into Egypt. March 30, 2023: The Nigerian Emergency Management Agency arranged to fly 281 Nigerian men, women and children from Libya. The Nigerians had sought to reach Europe via people-smugglers operating in Libya. This effort was disrupted by local officials and Nigeria was notified to arrange their return to Nigeria. Other stranded African refugees are less fortunate. In 2022 there were over 600,000 of these refugees from 41 African nations. Some of these countries do not cooperate in taking back their citizens stranded in Libya. Some of these refugees flee the detention centers and find a hostile reception for them in Libya. Some are killed and there are reports that others have been enslaved by local militias. The EU (European Union) provides money and other assistance to house stranded refugees and get them back to their homes. The EU also supplies cash for the Libyan Coast Guard for training, new equipment and cash for operations to block smuggling efforts from Libya to Europe. Some of this aid is used to improve border security to stop the refugees from getting into Libya. The EU support has also reduced the ability of people smuggling gangs to get illegal migrants into Libya and then into Europe by boat. These gangs were part of a coalition including Italian and African gangsters who took in over a billion dollars from this in 2015 and found that kind of income was worth fighting for when European and Libyan authorities began efforts to shut them down. Starting in 2017 the LNA (Libyan National Army), some Libyan militias and Italy worked to shut down the smugglers. The LNA had a plan for shutting down all the smuggling gangs and wanted more support from the EU to do the same with the European gangs which control more of this smuggling than the EU would like to admit. Italy took the lead implementing an EU program to organize (and subsidize) a revived Libyan coast guard and paying southern tribes to go after people smugglers. This effort continues but the smuggling gangs still operate to get migrants into Libya. The smuggling boats are far fewer in Libya and the Libyan Coast Guard regularly intercepts them. Some migrants still get into Europe, usually via Italy, but successful transportation of migrants to Europe has been much reduced because fewer boats are operating and most migrants are detained in Libya and returned to their home countries. The EU also uses its naval and aerial surveillance aircraft to spot and intercept arms smugglers seeking to get weapons into Libya. There is an international arms smuggling ban on delivering weapons to Libya. One NATO member violated this ban starting in 2019 to bring in weapons to support its military effort to assist the Tripoli government. The Turks are still there and neither Libya or other NATO nations have been able to get the Turks to leave. March 28, 2023: Russia is still trying to move its embassy from Benghazi to Tripoli. Delays are caused by security concerns. Tripoli still has problems with local militias. Reopening its embassy in Tripoli and backing the Abdulhamid Dbeibah faction in Libya rather than the Fathi Bashagha faction and the LNA (Libyan National Army) in the east. In effect, Russia is cooperating with Turkey, which has illegal agreements with the Tripoli government that enables Russia to explore for oil and gas in areas of the Mediterranean that are recognized as Greek. March 27, 2023: The Libyan National Oil Corporation has, over the last two years, restored normal oil production levels of 1.2 million BPD (barrels per day). The LNA guards the oil production and export facilities and concentrates its efforts on that. The Turkish forces stay in Tripoli and a few other coastal areas and leave the oil production and exporting activities alone. The two rival Libyan governments cooperate when it comes to oil and split the income from exports. There is a military standoff here because while the Tripoli government can threaten the coastal oil export ports they have not got the ability to advance inland and take the oilfields. These are guarded by the LNA. Indicted last week on a charge of using a computer to facilitate a child sex offense, a Pulaski man will stand trial in Smyth County Circuit Court. According to a criminal complaint initially filed in Smyths juvenile and domestic relations court in October, 34-year-old Daniel Lee Johnsey, formerly of Marion, is accused of soliciting sexually explicit photos from a teenage family member. The investigation began after the teen reported to her counselor that Johnsey had requested the photos from her. She told police that she was reluctant, but that Johnsey kept insisting that she send them, according to the complaint. A search of Johnseys phone turned up photos of the partially nude teen, some in sexually suggestive poses, Det. Brian Sexton wrote in the court document. A consented search of the teens phone showed messages from Johnsey asking her for the photos. Released on a $5,000 secured bond while he awaits trial, Johnsey is scheduled for a court appearance on April 19. During its March 25 session, the grand jury also handed down indictments to a man accused of beating a woman he had held against her will in an apartment in which the woman was house-sitting. Smyth County Deputy Roger Dowell wrote in a complaint in that case that when police arrived to Southview Apartments last November, the womans head and back were covered in blood, her hair matted in dried blood. The woman told police that she had been house sitting the apartment for two weeks when 34-year-old Shayne Douglas Firestone came to stay over. At some point, Firestone became angry, according to the complaint, and began assaulting the woman and prevented her from leaving the apartment. The woman told deputies that Firestone had held her in the apartment for 24 hours or more, where he repeatedly assaulted her. Dowell noted in the complaint that the woman had bruising on her arms, back, chest and face, as well as lacerations to the back of her head. Indicted on charges of strangulation, malicious wounding and abduction, Firestone is scheduled for his next court appearance on May 10. A Grey Ridge Village resident accused of choking a staff member was also indicted during the grand jurys session. When deputies arrived to the facility in January 2022, they found the staff member lying on the floor, holding her side and head, according to court documents. The staff member told deputies that 42-year-old April Rose Caviness had grabbed her by the throat and pushed her up against a wall while hitting the back of the staff members head. The woman said when she fell to the floor, Caviness began punching her in the side. Deputy Gregory Ward wrote in the criminal complaint that he heard Caviness say, I want to kill her because she wont leave me alone. Caviness later told police she felt remorse for what shed done and explained that she had recently had a death in the family, according to the complaint. Caviness was indicted on a strangulation charge and is set to appear in court on April 24. Also indicted during the grand jurys March term was a 28-year-old New Jersey man, arrested last August after his car struck Happys in Marion, leading to the iconic buildings demise. The crash came amid a police pursuit that began on Interstate 81. Virginia State Trooper Robert Fedorchuk wrote in a complaint that hed clocked the Mercedes-Benz speeding down the interstate at 147 mph. During the pursuit, he wrote, the vehicle tried to evade him by passing other vehicles on the right shoulder. Fedorchuk discontinued the chase after the vehicle exited the interstate at exit 47, slid across the north and southbound lanes on Route 11 and began speeding through town. Moments later, a Marion Police officer passed the car speeding around 50 miles over the 35 mph speed limit through town and picked up the pursuit. During that leg of the chase, Sgt. Josh Taylor said, speeds reached more than 100 mph before the driver lost control and crashed into the building. The driver of the vehicle, Joel M. Castro-German, was indicted on two counts eluding police. He is expected in court May 22. Others indicted during the March session include: Brian W. Woodward, 44, of Marion, was indicted on charges of violating a protective order and two counts of threatening bodily injury. Timothy James Huffman, 32, of Marion, was indicted on a third-offense charge of assault and battery of a family member, two counts obstruction of justice and on count of violating a protective order. Bruce Wayne Micheal Jr., 38, of Marion, was indicted on a third-offense charge of assault and battery of a family member. Jason Daniel Hester, 35, of Marion was indicted on a third-offense charge of assault and battery of a family member. Jacob Jerome Terry, 46, of Rural Retreat, was indicted on an assault and battery of a police officer charge. Jacob Daniel Ferley, 32, of Marion, was indicted on a charge of violating a protective order. Matthew Trail, 40, of Saltville, was indicted on an embezzlement charge. Jeffrey Allen Wyatt, 52, of Saltville, was indicted on a charge of obtaining money by false pretenses and possession of methamphetamine. Ronald Eugene Lefler, 68, of Marion, was indicted on a charge of obtaining money by false pretenses. Kevin Frye, 46, of Glade Spring, was indicted on two counts welfare fraud. Alicia Davis, 31, of Marion, was indicted on a charge of welfare fraud. Ricky Michael Lewis, 48, of Saltville, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. David Mark Armstrong, 55, of Marion, was indicted on a grand larceny charge. John Roderick Patt Jr., 27, of Houston, Texas, was indicted on a charge of uttering a counterfeit bill. Teresa Pamela Dolinger, 40, of Atkins, was indicted on a misdemeanor charge of possessing stolen property. Tabitha A. Meador, 38, of Nashville, Tenn., was indicted on a misdemeanor charge of possessing stolen property. Nicholas McVey, 20, of Marion, was indicted on a misdemeanor charge of possessing stolen property. Tanya Lynn Blankenship, 41, of Marion, was indicted on three counts distributing methamphetamine. Derek Shawn Orr, 31, of Marion was indicted on charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm while in possession of drugs. Adrian Aline Carver, 20, of Atkins, was indicted on a charge of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Garrett Allen Fletcher, 28, of Marion, was indicted on two counts possession of methamphetamine and two counts possession of a firearm while in possession of drugs. Anthony Darius Teague, 29, of Atkins, was indicted on charges of possession of fentanyl and possession of para-fluorofentanyl. William Eugene Ferguson, 53, of Meadowview, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Ricky Jason Hess, 46, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Mickey Lee Tolbert, 41, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Christopher Lee Tilson, 36, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Jason Edward Kestner, 41, of Saltville, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Robert Breedlove, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Brandon Snead, 33, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Owen Scott Royer, 22, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Cole Erick Jones, 22, of Wytheville, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Christopher Wayne Hess, 38, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. James Bryan Barker, 36, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Mista Nicole Hawthorn, 31, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Michelle Dawn Jackson, 43, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. A former Wythe County resident got prison time on Tuesday after being convicted of five drug-related felonies stemming from a 2019 traffic stop. Joshua Trae Spivey, 38, of Hillsville, pleaded guilty to possessing drugs with the intent to distribute (three counts) and transporting more than 1 ounce of drugs into Virginia (two counts) during a Wythe County Circuit Court hearing. As part of a plea agreement with the commonwealth, Spivey was sentenced to serve 14 years in prison. After his release, hell be on probation for five years, during which time hell waive his Fourth Amendment protections. According to a press release from Commonwealths Attorney Mike Jones, Spivey was arrested on Aug. 23, 2019, following a traffic stop in the Barren Springs area. Jones said a Virginia State Police narcotics dog alerted to Spiveys vehicle, which police searched. Officers found more than 200 grams of methamphetamine, more than 70 grams of tar heroin and a small amount of hallucinogenic mushrooms, the prosecutor said. Spivey made statements at the scene, and after being arrested, that the narcotics were his and that he had come from North Carolina with them, Jones said in the release. Held without bond since his arrest, Spivey has previous Wythe County convictions for grand larceny, being a felon in possession of a firearm, burglary, robbery, assault and battery, and felony drug possession, according to court records. I want to thank the Virginia State Police and the Claytor Lake Drug Task Force for their fine work on this case, Jones said in the release. The amount of narcotics the defendant brought into our county is inexcusable and could have destroyed countless lives. We will never give up or surrender in our fight against these individuals that would bring such harm to our community. A destructive storm system that has already spawned at least 10 reports of tornadoes and killed multiple people in Missouri now threatens 80 million Americans with dangerous weather Wednesday. The storm system is trekking east across the central US after battering parts of Missouri, Iowa, Illinois and Michigan. Keep scrolling for photos of recent severe weather events in the US Multiple deaths and injuries have been reported after a possible tornado struck Bollinger County, Missouri, Highway Patrol Sgt. Clark Parrott told CNN. At least four people are confirmed dead, according to an AP report. "This is an active search and rescue event," Parrott said. Resources from all across southeast Missouri are assisting local officials, Parrott said. A new tornado watch was issued for parts of northern Indiana, southern Michigan and northwest Ohio until 4 p.m. ET Wednesday, the Storm Prediction Center said. The watch covers more than 10 million people and includes the cities of Detroit and Grand Rapids, Michigan, as well as South Bend and Fort Wayne, Indiana. Potential threats include damaging winds, large hail and possible tornadoes. At least nine tornadoes were reported Tuesday, including two in Iowa and seven in Illinois, where several buildings were damaged in the town of Colona and multiple semi-trucks blown over along the I-88. *** Softball-sized hail 'sounded like bricks hitting the roof' The most notable impact has been large, baseball-sized hail. There were over 100 hail reports mainly across Iowa, Illinois, Missouri and Michigan Tuesday. Davenport, Iowa, was pelted with 4-inch hail -- just larger than a softball -- while Oswego received smaller, baseball-sized hail. "Worst hail I've ever heard in Davenport. Sounded like bricks hitting the roof," Davenport resident Paul Schmidt wrote on Facebook. A tornado warning was issued early Wednesday near Hardy, Arkansas, where the weather service reported the storm had produced "a large and extremely dangerous tornado." Hardy is about 60 miles northwest of Jonesboro, Arkansas. "It's tough to think of the possibility of another round of severe weather in the midst of this recovery, but we must remain vigilant and prepared," Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. said in a statement. "Especially, in our already hard-hit neighborhoods, please have a plan in place to stay save, and avoid staying overnight in damaged structures." A separate tornado watch was issued for portions of eastern Oklahoma, western Arkansas, and northeastern Texas until noon, the Storm Prediction Center said. The watch includes Fayetteville and Fort Smith in Arkansas, and Texarkana, Texas. "Thunderstorms forming along and ahead of two merging cold fronts will pose a threat for all severe hazards: wind, hail and tornado," the storm center said. An enhanced risk of severe storms, level 3 of 5, is forecast from northeastern Arkansas to northern Ohio and central Michigan, stretching from Detroit to Memphis, where residents may need to brace for strong tornadoes, damaging wind gusts and large hail. The greatest threat will be over the Great Lakes region, including Chicago, Detroit and Indianapolis, where strong tornadoes are possible from late morning into the early evening hours. "Weather conditions in these areas could be life-threatening at times, and those in affected areas should pay close attention to the local NWS Weather Forecast Office for Advisories, Watches, and Warnings," the weather service warned. Excessive rainfall totals of 1-3 inches are also possible from eastern Texas to southern Ohio. Photos: Severe weather impacting much of US Scenes from last week's tornado in Mississippi: Photos: Scenes of the devastation from deadly Mississippi tornado Your daily brief of the English-speaking press on Syria. The order, signed last Wednesday, says the officials, all senior advisors to Assad, are charged with complicity in crimes against humanity, and war crimes, AFP reported. They are Ali Mamlouk, head of the National Security Bureau of the Baath party, Jamil Hassan, former head of the Syrian Air Force Intelligence Directorate and Abdel Salam Mahmoud, another Air Force intelligence officer. French prosecutors believe the trio, who are not expected to show up for the trial or have lawyers represent them, are responsible for the deaths of two French-Syrian nationals, Mazzen Dabbagh and his son Patrick, who were arrested in 2013. France has issued international arrest warrants for the three. A preliminary investigation into possible forced disappearances and acts of torture constituting crimes against humanity was launched in 2015 after the family of the two filed a complaint, which widened into a full-blown probe in 2016 and led to international arrest warrants two years later. Mazzen Dabbagh, a pedagogical advisor at the French school in Damascus, and Patrick Dabbagh, who was studying in the literature and humanities faculty at Damascus University, were arrested in November 2013 by officers identifying themselves as members of the Air Force intelligence services. U.S. says its forces kill a senior Islamic State leader in Syria The U.S. military killed a senior Islamic State leader in Syria on Monday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Tuesday, another blow to a group that was driven from its self-declared caliphate years ago but is still widely deemed a threat. CENTCOM named him as Khalid Aydd Ahmad al-Jabouri in a statement, saying he was responsible for planning Islamic State attacks in Europe and Turkey and developed the groups leadership structure in Turkey. Sources in Syria said he was killed in a drone strike in the rebel-held northwest, a region where other Islamic State leaders have hidden out, including former leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who died during a U.S. raid in 2019. No civilians were killed or injured in the strike, CENTCOM said, adding that Islamic State continues to represent a threat to the region and beyond. Though degraded, the group remains able to conduct operations within the region with a desire to strike beyond the Middle East, it said. Jabouris death would temporarily disrupt the groups ability to plot external attacks. New Israeli strike on Syria kills two civilians: Fourth day in a row An Israeli air strike on Tuesday killed two Syrian civilians, state media reported, the fourth such attack on government-held areas of the war-torn country in less than a week, AFP reported. During more than a decade of civil war in Syria, Israel has launched hundreds of air strikes on its territory, primarily targeting Iran-backed forces and Lebanese Hezbollah fighters as well as Syrian army positions. The Israeli enemy carried out an air strike shortly after midnight, resulting in the death of two civilians, Syrian state news agency SANA reported, quoting a military source. The attack came from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan, targeting some points in the vicinity of Damascus and the southern region, it said, adding Syrias air defences intercepted most of the missiles. While Israel rarely comments on the strikes it carries out on Syria, it has repeatedly said it will not allow its arch-foe Iran to extend its footprint in the war-torn country. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor gave the same civilian death toll, with its director Rami Abdel Rahman adding that at least one non-Syrian Iran-backed fighter was also killed in the assault. Israel fired barrages of missiles targeting military areas controlled by Iran-backed groups and regime air defence, said the Observatory, a Britain-based group that relies on a network of sources inside Syria. Foreign Ministry Syria has warned the Israeli occupation and its sponsors against the dangers of its aggressive policies that push the region towards a comprehensive escalation and a new phase of instability. Over the past four days, the Israeli occupation forces launched attacks on areas in and around Damascus, Homs and its countryside, caused the martyrdom of civilians, the injury of a number of others, not to mention the material damage, Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ministry said in a statement. The Ministry added that the Israeli occupation government not only hides behind the umbrella of immunity and unlimited support from its protectors, but rather follows in the footsteps of its sponsors in Washington and other Western capitals in exporting crises and escaping from internal problems to external aggressions and crimes, in perpetuating an approach that flagrantly violates international law and the provisions of the UN charter, and aims to perpetuate the lawlessness instead of the force of law and human values. Jordans plan for Syria normalization: Refugees, drugs and militias Refugee returns, smuggling and militias are among the key issues Jordan is seeking to resolve with Syria as part of its plan to normalize Arab relations with Damascus, Jordanian officials told Middle East Eye. The plan is based on the idea of reciprocity, said Mohammad Momani, a member of the Jordanian Senates Arab and Foreign Relations Committee. Help us so that we can help you, as he put it. According to Momani, the issue of refugees is one of the top priorities in Jordans latest push for a deal with Syria. The plan, which hopes to resolve issues between Syria and other Arab countries and help end Syrias 11-year war, is based on positive steps that the Syrian regime will take on refugees, namely that a general amnesty will be declared allowing the refugees to return. The initiative will also call for security reform in Syria and stress the need to prevent pro-Assad militias, many of which are backed by Iran, from threatening regional security, he said. They need to challenge drugs and weapons smuggling. This will be seen as a positive step and will be reciprocated with a step from the international community, Momani added. Minister of Personnel Management Kim Seung-ho speaks during a briefing at Government Complex Seoul, Aug. 16, 2022. Courtesy of Ministry of Personnel Management By Lee Hyo-jin The Korean government seeks to actively hire foreign nationals in the public sector, reflecting the need for more global talent in the country's rising industries such as space and ICT. The Ministry of Personnel Management on Wednesday preannounced a revision to the presidential ordinance on the recruitment of civil servants, which is aimed at allowing the ministry to launch a candidate database of foreign nationals for senior-level positions in the public sector. Under the revised measures, the government will be able to collect the personal information of foreign nationals who visit state-run organizations or attend international conferences organized by the Korean government. Under the individual's consent, the ministry will collect personal data including name, gender, nationality, occupation, email address, field of expertise and work experience. The collected information will be registered in a database for potential candidates who may be offered a senior-level position in the central government and municipal governments as well as an expert committee run by the government. According to Korea's State Public Officials Act, foreign nationals and dual nationality holders are allowed to work as civil servants as long as their jobs are not related to national security. However, without an official database of non-Koreans, the government has so far not been able to actively extend job offers to foreign experts. A database currently run by the Ministry of Personnel Management has information about some 330,000 Koreans living in the country and abroad. "The establishment of a legal basis to collect and manage data of foreign talent is highly meaningful in that it will enable the government to better utilize human resources in the ongoing 'war for talent,'" said Personnel Minister Kim Seung-ho in a statement. "We also plan to come up with various ways to expand networking with influential global figures to promote the national interest," he added. The ministry's move is expected to spur the employment of foreign nationals in the space sector, aligning with the government's previous decision to possibly allow foreigners and dual nationality holders to work for a soon-to-be-launched state-run space agency. Earlier in February, the Ministry of Science and ICT proposed a special law on the establishment of the Korea Space and Aeronautics Administration (KOSA), which includes a clause on hiring foreign or dual nationality employees to work there. "The revision comes in the wake of a growing need for foreign talent, especially in the space sector," an official at the personnel ministry told The Korea Times. "But that does not mean that the database will be limited to space experts. The database, once established, will expand the scope of candidates to foreign nationals in various sectors." According to the ministry, the preannounced revision plan will be sent for review to the Ministry of Government Legislation in mid-April after listening to public opinions until April 15. It will then be reviewed at a Cabinet meeting for approval. Asylum was granted to Brigadier General Khaled al-Halabi, who is accused of committing "crimes against humanity" and torturing detainees, according to al-Souria Net. The spokesperson for the Austrian court, Christina Salzborn, has announced that four former senior officials of the Federal Office for Aliens and Asylum Law in Austria have been referred for investigation on charges of abuse of office. According to the Austrian newspaper Der Standard, Salzborn stated on Tuesday that the trials first session will take place on April 14 at the Vienna Regional Court, with the possibility of up to four additional sessions. The case pertains to the Austrian Federal Offices decision to grant asylum to Brigadier General Khaled al-Halabi, who is accused of committing crimes against humanity and torturing detainees while in charge of one of the Syrian regimes security branches. Whats up? Referred to as the Dean of Torture, Halabi served as the head of the state security apparatus in Raqqa, Syria from 2009 to 2013. He has been accused of shooting at peaceful protesters during the uprising against the Assad regime, as well as arresting and systematically torturing a number of them, as reported by Amnesty International. In 2013, Halabi fled Raqqa and travelled to Turkey and later Jordan. He subsequently contacted French intelligence and attempted to apply for asylum in France in 2014 but was denied. Halabi was smuggled from France to Austria and was granted asylum in December 2015 through an operation known as White Milk, in which the Israeli Mossad reportedly participated. According to an investigation by the Austrian newspaper Kurier, the Mossad intervened to transfer Halabi to Austria as a political refugee after France decided to investigate him for his alleged crimes. The investigation indicated that the operation was carried out jointly between Austria and Israel, where Halabi was given asylum with a new name and identity. The operation caused human rights outrage, with demands that those responsible for granting asylum to Halabi be held accountable. This led to the Austrian authorities indicting Halabi for war crimes in Syria and holding him accountable. However, Halabi is reportedly in hiding, with information suggesting that he fled Austria before he could be arrested and investigated. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Your daily brief of the English-speaking press on Syria. The quadruple meeting, hosted by Moscow, ended with no agreement on the major issues. The participants agreed to continue consultations regarding Syria, and diplomatic sources told Anadolu News agency that they discussed the necessary preparations for the upcoming meeting between the foreign ministers of the four countries: Syria, Turkey, Russia, and Iran. The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the consultations discussed issues of preparing for the meeting between the foreign ministers of the four countries. However, it seems that President Assad is giving priority now to the rapprochement with the Arabs before the Riyadh summit, in order to obtain support in consultations with Turkey. Assad is not in rush to normalize relations with President Erdogan before the elections. Deputy foreign minister, Ayman Sousan, head of the regimes delegation to the meeting stressed that the actual start of withdrawal from Syria is the gateway to re-establishing contact with the Turks. Sousan pointed out that his government dealt positively and openly with the efforts aimed at restoring communication between Syria and Turkey, but reaching this goal has requirements, the first of which is full commitment to Syrian sovereignty. The regimes delegation also emphasized the need to combat terrorism and restore the authority of the Syrian state to all its lands. The meeting was attended by Mikhail Bogdanov, Special Representative of President Vladimir Putin in the Middle East and African countries representing Russia, Burak Akjabar, Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister, and Ali Asghar Haji, Political Affairs Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs representing Iran, in addition to the Assad regime delegation. Russia, Turkey, Syria and Iran kicked off in Moscow on Monday negotiations aimed at overcoming obstacles that are hindering the normalization of relations between Ankara and Damascus. Russia denies Syrian statement. The four officials started off with bilateral meetings. The Syrian government delegation, headed by deputy FM Ayman Sousan, held talks with the Russian delegation, headed by Presidential Special Envoy for Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev and deputy FM Mikhail Bogdanov. It then met separately with the Iranian delegation, headed by Ali Asghar Khaji, the Iranian foreign ministers senior advisor for special political affairs. The Turkish delegation held separate talks with the Russian and Iranian delegations. The meetings were all held behind closed doors and revealed disagreements between Moscow and Damascus. Russian media, quoting Syrias state news agency SANA, reported that Moscow and Damascus were in agreement on the need to respect Syrias sovereignty and territorial integrity and ending Turkeys illegal deployment there. However, a Russian diplomatic source denied the report in a statement to Asharq Al-Awsat. Claims that the two sides were in agreement over the illegal Turkish deployment in Syria are untrue, it added. Rather, the source stressed that the military presence there is important because it is helping maintain a calm, end the fighting between Syrians and focus the fight on terrorism. It said the future of the deployment of Turkish forces should be tackled in talks between Turkey and Syria. Both parties must take into account the circumstances that led the situation to where it is now and address ways to tackle it. He stressed that these are positions that Russia has always maintained. Syria slams EU for its flagrant double standards it adopts Syria affirmed that the European Union Council and Parliament agreed to adopt the so-called anti-coercion tool in the field of trade revealing the flagrant double standards adopted by this Union, according to a statement by the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry on Wednesday. Syria is astonished by such an agreement adopted by the EU punishing countries it alleges that they impose coercive measures on other countries, while the EU itself imposes illegal coercive measures on numerous developing countries, including Syria. The Ministry said. The statement read that this stance unequivocally reveals the blatant double standards adopted by the European Union. Syria calls on European Union to adopt a policy that is more balanced and consistent with the principles of international law, UN resolutions and human rights instruments, along with the immediate, complete and unconditional lifting of illegal unilateral coercive measures and the cessation of collective punishment policies against the peoples of the targeted countries, the Ministry concluded. Whats Behind the Uptick in Israeli Strikes on Syria? Israel has carried out four strikes on Syrian government-held areas in less than a week, targeting Syrian government forces and pro-Iran groups. Israel rarely comments on the strikes, but has said it will not allow its arch-foe, Iran, to extend its footprint in Syria. The reasons for the uptick in strikes, according to The Defense Post, include a security incident in Israel last month that triggered Israeli strikes on Iranian and Hezbollah bases in Syria, and Irans attempts to build up its arsenal in Syria in a way that impacts Israels ability to launch attacks when it wants. The strikes also send a message that Israel is determined to safeguard its frontiers, security, and citizens even during internal crises and legal overhauls. Repatriation of Canadian women and children detained in Syrian camps underway CBS News reported that the Canadian government has begun repatriating a group of women and children from Kurdish-controlled camps in Syria suspected of having ties with ISIS, according to immigration lawyer Asiya Hirji. The effort is part of a deal struck by Global Affairs Canada in January to bring back six women and 13 children. However, it is unclear whether a Quebec mother and her six children, represented by Ottawa lawyer Lawrence Greenspon, are part of the process. Greenspon said the mother agreed to send her children to Canada but wanted to go with them. The government has agreed to repatriate 19 women and children in total. A proposal to create a statewide independent prosecutors office to review police use of force didnt garner enough support Tuesday to receive funding. Groups like the Washington Coalition for Police Accountability have long argued that prosecutors rubber-stamp deadly uses of force, in part because they rely on local agencies and their investigations. The Legislature has looked at proposals for an independent prosecutor within the Washington state attorney generals office to review deadly use of force cases for the last two years. The proposal goes hand in hand with the Office of Independent Investigations that the Legislature created in 2021, which, once staffed, can step in to investigate deadly uses of force across the state. This sessions proposal, House Bill 1579, provided the office jurisdiction to review and prosecute deadly use of force cases, concurrent with county prosecuting attorneys. Those prosecutors would have had to overcome a presumption that they have an inherent conflict of interest in prosecuting police for deadly use of force. County prosecutors argued the proposal took away duties given to them under the Washington state Constitution, and that the presumption of bias in the proposed law was unwarranted. They also argued the governor already has avenues to step in under extreme circumstances. The intent behind this bill is to mirror the independent and transparent process of the Office of Independent Investigations, sponsor Rep. Monica Stonier told the Senate Law and Justice Committee last week. The Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys opposed the proposal. The perception that law enforcement officers are not regularly prosecuted is not proof that the system is corrupt, Taylor Gardner, deputy policy director for the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, testified. Rather, the fact that Washingtons law enforcement officers are rarely prosecuted for wrongdoing should be an indication that officers are complying with the law, training, process, procedures. Spokane County Prosecutor Larry Haskell said he believes the proposal was unconstitutional. I think it is at odds with the constitutional authorities given in the state constitution to the locally elected prosecutor, Haskell said in an interview. Haskell and other county prosecutors have argued the office of independent prosecutions is unnecessary because the attorney generals office can already step in and prosecute cases in extreme circumstances. Spokane Police Chief Craig Meidl and Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels oppose the bill based on similar concerns. Manuel Ellis a case for both sides Supporters and opponents of the bill cited the case of Manuel Manny Ellis, a Tacoma man who died after police restrained him on his walk home from a convenience store in March 2020. Initially, the Pierce County Sheriffs Office investigated the incident, until months later it was revealed that Pierce County deputies were involved in Ellis detention. Gov. Jay Inslee directed the Washington State Patrol to take over the investigation and refer charging decisions to the attorney generals office. The attorney generals office has since charged the officers involved in Ellis death. Proponents of the bill say setting up an office of independent prosecutions will help avoid the delays and first improper investigation that happened in Ellis case. For Haskell, the Ellis case is proof the new office is unnecessary and an overreach. By Inslee stepping in, he showed theres already a path to take cases away from local prosecutors without presuming bias, Haskell said. In 2015, advocates asked Inslee to appoint an independent prosecutor in the case of Antonio Zambrano-Montes, who was shot and killed by three Pasco police officers. Inslee declined, noting county prosecutors have a legal duty and moral obligation to investigate and prosecute crimes under their jurisdiction, according to an Associated Press story at the time. Inslee said prosecutors should not be removed absent very specific tangible and compelling reasons. Nothing has changed since 2015, Haskell said. Haskell also argued its hard to hold an appointed prosecutor accountable. If the citizens of Spokane County dont like how Haskell handles cases, they can vote him out or recall him. The bill passed the House of Representatives earlier this month and was under consideration by a Senate budget committee until Tuesday, when legislators on the committee confirmed at a press conference the bill wouldnt move forward. I think theres support for independent prosecutions, Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig, D-Spokane, said. I think thats an importance piece to transparency and accountability and public safety. Though the bill had broad support in his caucus, Billig said there were still some questions around the policy and how expensive it would be. Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, said independent prosecutors are an important piece of keeping law enforcement transparent and accountable, but there were budget constraints that the Legislature is facing this year. This is, unfortunately, the hurdles that we face, she said. Editors note: Spokesman-Review reporter Laurel Demkovich contributed to this story. A Longview man is facing assault charges after he allegedly stabbed a man in the chest inside HOPE Village late Monday night. Both people reportedly lived inside the emergency housing for the homeless. Roger Curiel, 43, of Longview, is currently booked at the Cowlitz County Jail for first-degree assault charges for stabbing 49-year-old Longview resident Willis Grimm in his chest, according to a police press release. Police, fire and an EMT were dispatched at roughly 10:30 p.m. Monday night after receiving a report of a stabbing at the pallet home community located in the 1400 block of Alabama Street. While waiting for first responders to arrive, residents at HOPE Village provided first aid to the suffering Grimm and police officers performed lifesaving measures once they arrived at the scene, as stated in the press release. Grimm was transported to a nearby hospital, and his medical status is listed as being in very serious condition. Witnesses reportedly told police Curiel fled from the scene immediately after the stabbing, causing a manhunt that involved both the Longview Police Department, the Cowlitz County Sheriffs Office, police dogs and an aerial drone. Authorities, with help from police dogs, found Curiel hiding in a boat at a nearby vehicle storage yard. Dan Steven of Dans Trans and Auto Repair, also on Alabama Street, told The Daily News he was contacted at 1 a.m. about the police activity and a person on his property. He said the vessel in which police found the suspect was his own personal boat. Stevens said the suspect has no affiliation with him or his business. The Salvation Armys Major Philip Smith told The Daily News the two men involved in the incident were residents of HOPE Village. When asked if the incident would change HOPE Villages security protocol, Smith said they are comfortable with their current security measures. Smith said the suspect is banned from the village. Jail records show Curiels bail is set at $100,000. Two R.A. Long High School seniors won the Cowlitz County Health and Human Services public service announcement contest for their video message about healthier eating habits, the department announced Friday. In their short video, Ethan Pelletier and Jasper Keller give an example of foods that provide daily nutritional needs. The students PSA will be featured on the health departments Facebook page and website during National Public Health Week this week and for the next 60 days. The message will also be broadcast on local television and radio stations this week. The winners were awarded a three-month membership to the YMCA of Southwest Washington. The health department held the contest to raise awareness about public health issues, such as nutrition, smoking, substance abuse, physical activity, mental health, preventative medicine, oral health, emergency preparedness, and other topics promoting public health. Free income tax help Through April 15, Lower Columbia CAP, 1526 Commerce Ave., Longview or Longview Library, 1600 Louisiana Ave., Longview. AARP.org/taxaide. Longview area AARP Tax Aide is providing free tax preparation through April 15, with no age or income limit, and AARP membership is not required. To make a required appointment to receive help by certified IRS volunteers, call or visit the Longview Library at 360-442-5300 or Lower Columbia CAP at 360-425-3430, or schedule an appointment at AARP.org/taxaide. Taxes are due April 18. Online parenting class Through April 30, online. 360-414-9212 or www.parentsplacelv.org. Join a free online workshop called READY! for Kindergarten for families with children born between Sept. 1, 2017, and Aug. 31, 2022, so your child is ready to learn on their first day of kindergarten. Workshops available in Spanish, too. Register any time at readyforkindergarten.org/parentsplace/schedule. Contact Parents Place with questions or to schedule an in-person workshop. Longview history lecture April 6, 405 Allen St., Kelso. 360-577-3119, cowlitzcountyhistory.org. Free. The Cowlitz County Historical Museums next First Thursday event is at 7 p.m. April 6 with a discussion called Introduction to the History of Longview. Learn about Longviews beginnings and some of its most prominent landmarks in this peek into the citys founding. There will be no Zoom option for this event, but the presentation will be broadcast live on channel 29 KLTV. First Aid and CPR class registration April 6, Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue headquarters, 701 Vine St., Kelso. 360-578-5218 or www.facebook.com/Cowlitz2. Register for an American Heart Association First Aid and CPR by 4 p.m., April 6 at the Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue headquarters in Kelso. The class costs $100 per student. Cash or check accepted. The class will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., April 8 at the department headquarters. Mark Morris class of 66 meetup April 7, Stuffys Restaurant, 804 Ocean Beach Hwy., Longview. The Mark Morris High School class of 1966 is scheduled to have lunch at noon, April 7, at Stuffys, 804 Ocean Beach Hwy. All classmates, spouses, friends and teachers are encouraged to attend. If you have questions, call Cathy Cleek Healea at 360-425-5191. Rainier to Longview 10K registration Register by April 7 to join a 10K over the Lewis and Clark Bridge at 7 a.m., April 23. The race starts at Rainier City Park in Rainier and ends at Lake Sacajawea Park in Longview. The race costs $75 to join and children 10 and under can join for free if they accompany a paid adult. A shuttle service will be available to take people between locations after the race. Sons of Norway general meeting April 7, 224 Catlin St, Kelso. sonsofnorwaybreidablik.weebly.com. The Sons of Norways general meeting and potluck is scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m., April 7. The group aims to promote and preserve the heritage and culture of Norway. Norwegian breakfast April 8, 224 Catlin St., Kelso, sonsofnorwaybreidablik.weebly.com. Join the Sons of Norway from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., April 8 for the groups monthly breakfast consisting of Norwegian waffles, Swedish pancakes, baked ham, scrambled eggs, lingonberries, coffee and juice. The breakfast costs $10 for adults and $5 for children 8 and under. Easy hike The Mount St. Helens Club has an easy hike scheduled at Lake Sacajawea in Longview. Organizers say attendees will decide if the group will hike the entire 4-mile path around the lake or a shorter loop. This hike is for super seniors and people with physical limitations who want to go at a slow pace. Contact hike leader Susan S. at 360-430-9914 for more information. Coparenting class April 8, 928 23rd Ave., Longview. 360-414-9212 or www.parentsplacelv.org. The Parents Place is hosting a coparenting class from 9 a.m. to noon April 8. This $40 class meets the Washington state requirement of a four-hour parenting class on the effects of divorce or separation on children, according to organizers. Contact Parents Place with questions or to register. Olympia hike The Mount St. Helens Club has an easy/moderate hike called Mima Falls Loop scheduled at the Capitol State Forest in Olympia. Organizers say the drive to the location is 126 miles roundtrip and the hike is up to 6.5 miles with 500 feet of elevation gain to the falls. Contact hike leader Barbara R. at 360-431-1131 for more information. Wills vs. Trusts April 12, 405 Allen St., Kelso. 360-577-3119, cowlitzcountyhistory.org. Free. Join attorney Jeff Petersen from noon to 1 p.m. as he presents on the differences between wills and trusts and topics like avoiding probate, asset protection and plan flexibility. The program is sponsored by Washington State University Extension and Three Rivers Law Center and will be held at the Cowlitz County Historical Museum. No registration is needed. For more information, contact Gary Fredricks at 577-3014 Ext. 3 or garyf@wsu.edu. Kelso class of 65 meetup April 13, Kelso/Longview Elks Lodge, 900 Ash St., Kelso. The Kelso class of 1965 is schedule to meet for lunch at 11:30 a.m., April 13 at the Kelso/Longview Elks Lodge. All classmates and spouses are invited to attend. For more information, contact Cindy Loranger Quick at 360 864-6932. Mark Morris class of 71 meetup April 13, Poker Petes Pizza, 168 North First St., Kalama. The Mark Morris Class of 1971 is set to meet at noon, April 13 at Poker Petes Pizza in Kalama for lunch. All classmates, spouses and significant others are welcome. Contact Jack Farrand at 360-431-8545 for more information. Victoria Freeman Park plaque dedication April 13, Victoria Freeman Park, Ninth Avenue at Delaware and Douglas, Longview. The city of Longview is installing a plaque honoring the life and achievements of Victoria Freeman, who helped integrate the Longview School District in 1924 when she enrolled her sons at Kessler School. A plaque dedication is scheduled to be held at 5 p.m., April 13 at the park named after her. The plaque was donated by Washington state Sen. Jeff Wilson and his wife Trisha, of Longview, and created by Dan Polacek. Strengthening families class April 13 through June 1, Monticello Middle School, 1225 28th Ave., Longview. extension.wsu.edu/cowlitz. Parents or caregivers and youth 10 to 14 can join a free, eight-session course on strengthening families through the Washington State University Extension Office in Cowlitz County. Classes will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m., Thursdays from April 13 through June 1 at the Monticello Middle School in Longview. Dinner will be served each evening and there will be childcare for children ages 3 to 9. Register by April 11. For more information, email Ramona Leber at ramona.leberW@cni.net or text her at 360-261-3971. Pomona and Grange Contest April 14, Catlin Grange, 205 Shawnee Rd., Kelso. The Cowlitz/Wahkiakum Pomona Grange No. 7 is collecting entries for ages 5 and up from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., April 14 for a contest. Departments include photography, crafts, paintings and drawings, needle arts, holiday crafts, wood crafts, recycled crafts, baking, candy, food preservation, needlework, sewing, quilts and more. For more detailed contest rules, refer to the lecturers and family living section of the Washington State Grange Program Handbook at www.wa-grange.com. Free shred day April 15, Fibre Federal Credit Unions Main Office, 820 12th Ave. in Longview. People can shred documents for free from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., or until trucks are full, on April 15 behind Fibre Federal Credit Unions main office on 12th Avenue in Longview. The event is hosted by the Southwest Washington Chapter of Credit Unions, which team up to fight identity theft by shredding financial documents. Residents can shred up to three 10-ream paper boxes. Donations of non-perishable food and cash will also be collected to benefit Lower Columbia CAPs Help Warehouse. Pomona meeting April 15, Catlin Grange, 205 Shawnee Rd., Kelso. The April Cowlitz/Wahkiakum Pomona Grange No. 7 meeting and luncheon will be held at 1 p.m., April 15 at the Catlin Grange. The groups asks attendees to bring items, such as pencils and puzzle books, for Hugs in a Mug. Famers market kickoff at the fairgrounds April 15, Cowlitz County Fairgrounds, 1900 Seventh Ave., Longview. www.cowlitzfarmersmarket.com. The Cowlitz Community Farmers Market kicks off the 2023 season from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 15 at the fairgrounds. Items for sale will include local produce, food and crafts. Children activities will also be available. The event will take place at the same time on Saturdays through the fall. Rainier historical event April 15, Riverfront Park, West A Street, Rainier. Celebrate Rainiers recent addition of downtown historical banners with a event at 11 a.m., April 15 called Walk Through History. Activities include a flag salute from the Rainier chapter of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 1909, period games and exhibits planned by local artists and tradesmen. View information on the banners at www.youtube.com/@rainierhistorictour5707. Castle Rock Clean Up Day April 22, Castle Rock. The Greater Castle Rock Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting its 18th Annual Clean Up Day from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., April 22. Projects vary for age groups and help families, organizations and businesses. A free lunch will be provided for participants. People with questions or groups wanting a project assignment before the event are asked to leave a message for Mary Hummel at 360-274-4240 or email her at jmshummel@gmail.com with CR Cleanup in the subject line. Rainier Revisited April 22, Beaver Homes Grange, 31105 Beaver Homes Rd., Goble. Learn about Rainier in 1853 during the 11th annual Rainier Revisited event, which includes historical games, on April 22. Rainier Junior and High School History Club students are fundraising for the event, which they host. To donate, people can stop by the high school office or mail a check to RJSHS History Club at 28170 Old Rainier Rd, Rainier, OR, 97048. Donors names or companies will be listed on event advertisements. Contact History Club Advisor Andrew Demko at 503-556-4215 or andrew_demko@rsd.k12.or.us for more information. Lilac Days April 22 through May 14, Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens, 115 South Pekin Rd., Woodland. lilacgardens.com. Celebrate the beauty of lilacs in bloom for the 23 days up to Mothers Day. The gardens will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., daily. There is a $5 gate fee, and ages 12 and under are free if accompanied by an adult. Visit the new barn and museum and the historic Klager house, which is reopening this year with limited tours. The annual plant sale with lilacs and the gift shop with lilac-themed items will also be available. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Are we ever going to be able to leave our driver's licenses at home and use a smartphone app if pulled over by police? It's an enticing ideaone that has been under discussion by Florida lawmakers since 2014, just a few years after Apple and its competitors introduced smartphones. But apparently the future is not yet here. Although apps allowing wireless transmission and capture of digital driver's license data have been available for download from Apple and Android stores since November 2021, few police agencies or businesses in Florida have adopted the technology. Because Florida law still requires drivers to carry the physical plastic versions of their driver's licenses, some users who have downloaded the app complain that it's of little use. Since 2020, Thales Defense & Security, a Maryland-based subsidiary of French technology contractor Thales Group, has been working with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV) to develop a platform called Florida Smart ID for use by motorists and police in traffic stops, by customs officials at border security checkpoints, and by businesses, such as liquor stores and groceries, that require proof of age to purchase alcohol and other restricted products. Thales has been paid about $1.5 million of a $1.8 million contract and is currently working on phase two of the projectexpansion of the app for storage of vehicle registrations and proof of insurance. The way it works is supposed to be simple: A user downloads the app, creates an account and gets their license validated by connecting to the FHSMV. If used during a traffic stop, the driver and officer will authorize data sharing through a wireless "digital handshake." The user's phone will generate a QR code that will enable the officer to obtain the user's license information from a department server. Sharing information with businesses works in a similar way, but users can opt out of sharing data not relevant to the transaction. For example, to get into a bar, a user can choose not to share data fields revealing their address, weight, height, or gender. At Apple and Android app stores, Florida Smart ID apps are available for drivers, businesses and law enforcement agencies. According to the FHSMV, there were 17.9 million licensed drivers in the state as of February. Through March 9, the driver's license app had been downloaded 142,803 times from the Apple and Android stores. Businesses downloaded the proof-of-age verifier app from the two platforms 11,828 times, and law enforcement agencies downloaded the app they need to wirelessly receive driver license data 3,795 times. Of the 154,631 downloads, more than 95,000 apps have been activated, according to the department. But the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles doesn't know who is actually using the app, spokeswoman Molly Best said. "We cannot determine which law enforcement agencies or businesses are using the app (that information is not collected in the app stores)," she said by email. Thales Defense & Security did not respond to an email Friday asking how many businesses and police agencies are using the platform. Users report difficulties Each of the three apps are rated two of five stars by Apple store users. Several users complained that it doesn't work with Apple Wallet. Others said they had difficulty activating the app or getting it to scan their physical driver's license. Some had trouble taking the required selfie. One commenter reported in January showing to bouncers at clubs and bars, "and they have no idea it exists." The same user reported showing it to law enforcement agencies "at all levels," including city police, sheriff's departments, the Florida Highway Patrol and the federal Transportation Security Administration "and none know what it is, let alone have QR scanners to read the apps' QR code verification function." The complaint was followed by one identified as "Developer Response" pointing out that "Acceptance by businesses is still limited as the (apps) continue to be tested, but we are looking forward to expanding acceptance soon." Another user apparently lives in an area where local police have adopted the technology, though the area was not identified. "I've been stopped many times by cops and would hand them my phone with Smart ID," the user said. Best attributed some users' difficulties to a misunderstanding of how the system works. "It's a two-part system," she said by phone. "You have to download it, and there has to be someone using the verification app for it to be effective." Through the end of 2022, the department has conducted 29 presentations and/or demonstrations of the technology to businesses, law enforcement agencies, state agencies, industry associations, safety coalitions and the general public, Best said, adding, "We are currently working to identify more audiences for 2023 outreach efforts." Asked for a list of the 29 attendees, Best cited six: the Florida Highway Patrol, the Florida Police Chiefs Association, the Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco Division of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Walgreens, AAA and RaceTrac. The South Florida Sun Sentinel reached out to local law enforcement agencies and a few large retail businesses that sell alcohol and asked if they are using the platform. Police agencies holding off on adoption The Fort Lauderdale Police Department, Coral Springs Police Department and Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office responded and said they are not using it. "FLPD is aware of this new program but we do not currently use it," said Ali Adamson, public information officer for the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. "We will continue to monitor the updates and future use of the program is possible." Coral Springs Police Capt. Gerald Irwin said, "A member of our Traffic Unit has attended a demonstration that the FHSMV conducted. There are no immediate plans to adopt the system. We currently do not provide officers with the devices needed to install the app." Irwin said the department would consider looking into the program in the future. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office isn't using the program, either, spokeswoman Therese Barbera said by email. Whether the agency might adopt it in the future is "unknown at this time," she said, "as it is a requirement by law to show your driver license. If the law changes, then we may adopt the system." Similarly, Publix is "aware of the Florida Smart ID program" but has not attended demonstrations, media relations manager Lindsey Willis said. "We continue to evaluate the technology for future consideration." Several other businesses and law enforcement agencies, including Broward Sheriff's Office and Miami-Dade Police Department, did not respond to inquiries in time for this report. In addition to the requirement that users still carry their plastic driver's license, another possible barrier to wider adoption is the need for verification apps to be housed on smartphones, said Mark Rasch, an attorney specializing in cybersecurity and data privacy for the Ohio-based law firm Kohrman Jackson Krantz. "Whose cell phone at 7-Eleven do I pull out to [verify an age]?" Rasch said in an interview. "My personal phone or the store's phone? It's probably my personal cell phone but the app has to be validated as registered to the store." That could raise privacy concerns for employees who have to install the app, he said. Similarly, police would have to install the apps on their personal phones, or their departments would have to purchase separate phones for them. According to Best of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the Florida Highway Patrol is currently distributing phones to troopers across the state in preparation for the agency's use of the license verifier. Competing standards a problem Another impediment is the absence of standard technology enabling use of the apps across state lines, Rasch said. Various states are developing apps that communicate in different ways. For example, Arizona, Colorado and Maryland have apps that store digital licenses in iPhone's Apple Wallet. Others use technology developed by Mobile ID. Still others created their own apps. The absence of a single standard renders the technology less useful for frequent travelers or in states, such as Florida, that get a lot of visitors. A pilot program by the federal Transportation Security Administration allowing travelers to present a digital ID to move through airport security checkpoints requires users to have their IDs uploaded to their Apple Wallets. Florida, with no Apple Wallet tie, does not participate, even though Miami International Airport is one of 13 airports selected for the pilot. Besides, the TSA wants travelers to have their driver's licenses with them anyway, travel website The Points Guy reported. States will likely have to agree on a national standard, such as the Real ID standard adopted by the federal government in 2005 for physical driver licenses, before motorists will be allowed to leave their plastic cards at home, Rasch said. "Law enforcement agencies need to be able to read driver licenses of everybody," he said. Best said the FHSMV has been talking with other states that have or are developing mobile driver's licenses "to encourage nationwide adoption." But she said, "There's always going to be a requirement to have your [physical] driver license with you." 2023 South Florida Sun Sentinel. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. 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 In the name of greener shipping, Broward County's venerable Port Everglades is moving to join a small but growing group of ports worldwide that allow visiting cruise ships to plug into shore-based power sources for electricity. It's an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by allowing massive ships idled at ports to shut down their engines and rely on local power grids. While recovering from a financially devastating shutdown forced by COVID-19, the cruise industry says it is making serious efforts to become more energy-efficient and sensitive to the environment as more ships return to the open seas and resume calling at ports worldwide. One of those measures, dubbed "shoreside power," was repeatedly articulated by company and port executives during last week's Seatrade Cruise Global conference in Fort Lauderdale. Every ship being built today for member companies of the Cruise Lines International Association is expected to be "plug-in ready," the Washington-based trade group says. Thirty percent of the vessels have the capability now; another 30% are being retrofitted. Twenty-nine cruise ports worldwide have at least one berth with onshore power, the association says, and 20 others are either funded or plan to have the service by 2025. But the numbers represent a small fraction of the cruise ports worldwide, CLIA acknowledges in a 2023 "State of the Cruise Industry" report. "Less than 2% of the world's cruise ports have onshore power; by 2025, 3% will have shoreside power," the CLIA report says. Now, Port Everglades is among those ports that is committed to a majorand expensiveproject to provide visiting cruise ships with shoreside power. According to the proposed master plan, the project, which would be rolled out in two phases, would cost more than $160 million and ultimately cover all eight of its cruise terminals at $20 million per terminal. The projected implementation date of the first phase covering five terminals my be completed in early 2027. Construction of land-based power sources could start in the middle of next year. Big cost burden Despite the huge price tag, industry officials say the result at Port Everglades would be worth the expense, which would be covered by a variety of sources including the cruise lines themselves, FPL, the port and federal and state grants. To illustrate, the port noted in a statement that the project would cut emissions by the equivalent of removing 2,770 cars from the roads each year. "It's an extremely expensive proposition," Jonathan Daniels, CEO and director of Port Everglades, said in an interview Thursday. "There's a financial burden but ultimately [with] the responsibility we have to the environment it's incumbent upon usit's the port, it's the state. it's the federal government, it's the lines as a wholethat need to bear financial responsibility to be able to deliver a resilient and sustainable industry," he said. "All of the lines are touting what their ESG [environmental, social, governance] strategy is," Daniels added. "The first part of that is the environment." He said the port does not want to put itself in "a position where we overwhelm the environment." The Port Everglades master plan, released last month, was conducted by Moffatt & Nichol, a global advisory firm, in collaboration with FPL, Carnival Corp., Disney Cruise Line, and the Royal Caribbean Group. A review of cruise ships now serving the port showed a majority of the 41 vessels calling there are either equipped to use shore power or eventually will be retrofitted to do so. The study suggested initial implementation of the first phase by 2026, but another port official said it's more likely to be a little later. "I would say realistically if we start today, I don't believe we could implement prior to '27," said Neil J. Kutchera, assistant port director for energy and innovation. Kutchera's job is not only to help shoreside power move forward, Daniels said, but to make sure that the port's users are transitioning into cleaner fuels over time. Ships, for example, started out using heavy fossil fuels in the port's early days, then moved on to diesel and are now being equipped to use liquid natural gas. Shoreside power is expected to become a reality at PortMiami this fall with five cruise lines participating. Miami-Dade County launched its project in 2021, also in league with FPL as well as with Carnival Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise LIne, Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages, The idea is hardly novel, and ports and cruise lines have experimented with it for years, with limited commitments in the early 2000s. In the meantime, they were not known as friends of the environment Early initiatives elsewhere A 2004 report by the National Resources Defense Council called "Harboring Pollution" rated the nation's ports for air quality, noting they were major sources of pollution. Besides ships, the named offenders included trucks, dock equipment and railroad locomotives, which all used diesel engines. The report ranked the top 10 ports nationwide. Port Everglades was unranked, but PortMiami received an "F" on air pollution for "minimally proactive efforts" to control it. Later, it was mainly West Coast ports that installed limited shoreside power for visiting ships. As early as 2007, ships operated by Princess Cruises used shoreside power at the Port of Seattle, courtesy of the city's municipal utility. In 2010, the Port of San Diego installed its first landside power source. The port expanded the system this past January with a second source, allowing two ships to charge up simultaneously for the first time. Ports in California, Washington and Alaska all used alternate power supplies for visiting ships. But East Coast ports including South Florida's took little action, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported at the time. Daniels said that in 2008, Port Everglades conducted a study of shoreside power but "it just was not the right application at that time. It was still new technology at that moment, it was extremely costly." By now, he added, it was likely that the port "would have either replaced that or abandoned it as new technology came online that's more efficient or more cost effective." Some 15 years later, Port Everglades has a local government mandate to act. During conversations last year with Broward County commissioners, Daniels recalled, it was made clear to port management that carbon reduction "will be one of your priorities moving forward." According to the proposed master plan, the project, which would be rolled out in two phases, would cost more than $160 million and ultimately cover all eight of its cruise terminals at $20 million per terminal. The projected implementation date of the first phase may be completed in early 2027. 2023 South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Members of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea's task force on Japan's plan to release radioactive water from the crippled nuclear power plant in Fukushima talk to reporters after making a visit to the Japanese Embassy in central Seoul, April 5. Yonhap A group of lawmakers from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) visited the Japanese Embassy in Seoul on Wednesday and urged Tokyo to suspend its plan to release radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea until neighboring countries approve of the idea. The DPK's task force on the Fukushima water release plan made the request in a meeting with Daisuke Namioka, minister of economic affairs at the Japanese Embassy, on the eve of their planned visit to Japan in connection with the matter. Five lawmakers from the task force plan to travel to Fukushima for three days starting Thursday to assess the circumstances surrounding the water release and request information on the release plan. In Wednesday's meeting, the task force also delivered a statement calling on Japan to make sure that the safety of the people of Korea and Japan is the top priority in the process of handling the contaminated water and refrain from asking Korea to lift its import ban on Fukushima seafood until the seafood's safety is confirmed. According to Rep. Yang Yi-wonyoung of the task force, Namioka said the Japanese government is providing enough information to the Korean government regarding the matter, and will provide more if Seoul thinks it is insufficient. Rep. Wi Seong-gon said the task force has asked the Japanese diplomat to arrange a meeting with the Tokyo Electric Power Company, the operator of the crippled power plant, during the lawmakers' visit to Fukushima, as the company has rejected such requests until now. Wi also called on the government of President Yoon Suk Yeol to clarify its position on the matter rather than denouncing the DPK's plan to visit Fukushima. The DPK has raised suspicions Yoon could have talked about resuming seafood imports from the region when he held a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo last month, after Japanese news reports said the issue came up during the talks. Yoon's office has rejected such suspicions, saying Fukushima seafood will not come into Korea. (Yonhap) The whole veteran treatment program is based on pushing that veteran to rehabilitation so he or she is a better [parent] and family member of society. The main thing is you are cleaning them up, because the drugs and alcohol that they are doing, is to mask whatever issues that they are dealing with, Baca said following Tuesday mornings Commissioners Court meeting. We are just hoping for a positive income. I think it is going to help a lot of veterans in our area. And not just the veterans going through veteran treatment court, but the veterans that are mentoring those veterans. Once they make it through and have cleaned up and are living healthier lives, they can pass that on. It just keeps paying it forward for the entire community. The commissioners heard an update about the potential for installing a Veterans/Mental Health Court in Brazos County. Commissioner Steve Aldrich requested the item be put on Tuesdays budget with a presentation led by Gen. Bentley Nettles, who serves as the veterans/mental health court committee chairman. Nettles told commissioners he spent one-third of the committees time planning and the other two-thirds are the committee members doing the work. We immediately started identifying the resources that are available to them, he said. The list of committee members is as follows: Julie Anderson of Brazos County Health and Wellness; Jarvis Parsons of the Brazos County District Attorneys Office; Elizabeth Zwiener of the Brazos County Attorneys Office; Roy Brantley of the Trial Court Judges of Brazos County; Jennifer Goerig of Community Supervision/Adult Probation; Nathan Wood of the Brazos County Public Defenders Office; Thomas Marty of the American Legion; Heather Huhnke of Veterans of Foreign Wars; Tiffany Love of the Veterans Administration Clinic; Michelle Estes and Nancy Fahrenwald of Texas A&M University Veterans Resource and Services; Haley Bennett representing Texas A&M; and Robert Reed of My Health My Resources Authority of Brazos Valley. Nettles showcased a notebook sent to him by the Texas Veterans Commission, and said he passed it along to all committee members. We have also had resources from the [Brazos County] mental health [officials] and we are pushing out the resources so people can start working on it, he said. I outlined the product that I expected from them which is essentially a one-page document from their position telling me what they believe the pros and cons are and then their recommendation. Nettles said he emailed members documents on the mental health statute and the Texas Veterans Court statute under the state law, so they would know what options were available. Essentially there are four of them: we dont do any recommendation that the county has a docket that supports one or the other of these, that they have a court or that they participate in a regional court, Nettles said. Those are what are outlined in the state statutes. I sent those to them. I sent them a copy of the proclamation so that they will know what the county asked us to do. I also asked them to focus and reach out to their counterparts in three particular counties: Montgomery County, Bell County and Hays County. All three of those counties currently have mental health courts and veteran treatment courts. He said he wants all members to reach out to their counterparts and not only look at objective data but also subjective data that looks into how county members feel about having the court and its success and challenges. Nettles gave a deadline of April 17 for the committee to provide him drafts. By May 1, he said he would talk to the county judge and have a final product for the court. Nettles said a majority of committee members have said no to meetings, but they can have one in the future if needed. Lonny Masterson of College Station served over five years as a Navy Corpsman with the U.S. Marine Corps Infantry, and he, like Baca, wants a court established as soon as possible. They are getting more information from these surrounding veterans treatment courts, which is good, so we know obstacles and hurdles they faced, and we can avoid that when we establish the one here, he said. Masterson said he fully supports a mental health court and a veterans treatment court if they are separate dockets. A veteran facing mental health issues from his time at war is different than someone suffering from schizophrenia. Putting a veteran that is struggling from PTSD with somebody that has a mental disorder, will not go well, he said. It is also going to keep that veteran from opening up and sharing his experiences, because the good thing about a veterans treatment court is you are with other veterans. So you are with your peers and people who understand. Masterson expects it will take about a year for the first docket to go through. Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un shake hands during their meeting in Vladivostok, April 25, 2019. AP-Yonhap This is the last in a series of interviews with senior politicians in Korea and executives at leading think tanks in Washington over the issue of the country's provision of direct military support to Kyiv as the Ukraine war passes the one-year mark since Russia launched its attack, ending decades of relative stability in Europe. ED. US security expert says Seoul hasn't completely ruled out sending other types of weapons to Ukraine By Kim Yoo-chul Despite growing calls for South Korea to provide lethal aid to Ukraine since the embattled country was invaded by Russian forces last year, the South Korean government has only agreed to provide non-lethal aid and some weapons components, such as parts for AHS Krab howitzers made in Poland in 2022. South Korea's total amount of financial assistance to Ukraine by the end of this year will reach some $230 million, although Seoul's policy not to provide lethal aid to Kyiv hasn't changed as the country's laws prevent it from arming countries engaged in armed conflicts. South Korea approved the sale of artillery shells to the U.S. last year, which the country's defense ministry stressed was only under the principle that the U.S. should be the final end-user. While a poll conducted last year by Gallup Korea showed that only 15 percent of South Koreans support the idea of sending heavy weapons to Ukraine, the main point of concern for South Korea was that Moscow's invasion of Kyiv is deepening Russia's ties with North Korea. Washington officials are saying that Russia's growing ties with China and even North Korea pose a direct threat to South Korea's national security. Irina Tsukerman Speaking to The Korea Times, Irina Tsukerman, who advised members of U.S. Congress to help the U.S. Department of State designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization, said she believes South Korea hasn't completely ruled out the sending of "other types of weapons" to Ukraine. "But doing this will only happen after firm commitments by NATO allies for the provision of additional incentives (to South Korea) besides pressure and repeated requests," Tsukerman said in a recent interview. However, she didn't elaborate further on if the South Korean government was in talks regarding the specifics of incentives in exchange for changing its policy. South Korea has stated its continued commitment toward the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), an international treaty that regulates the global trade in traditional arms and aims to eradicate any illicit trade of conventional arms by establishing international standards restricting arms transfers. But Tsukerman, also a New York-based national security lawyer and geopolitical analyst, assessed that the crisis in Ukraine is not an example of a "typical application of the ATT" as Ukraine is fighting a defensive war, whereas Russia is committing war crimes against civilians. In addition, defense provisions there are the result of review by Ukraine, NATO and NATO's partners. "There would be a great degree of transparency with regard to the usage of weapons provided in Ukraine. These weapons are necessary to save civilian lives. That is surely the best and most justified use of any type of weapons. A provision of munitions is also subject to export reviews therefore, the weapons that the U.S. and others are asking South Korea to export fall under the terms of ATT," she explained. Tsukerman went on to say that the language of the ATT doesn't outright ban all of these weapons because it encourages vigorous review to restrict the sale of weapons for offensive purposes particularly by non-compliant countries with aggressive and illegal defense policies. "The ATT excludes antique small arms and light weapons or their replicas. In no case will antique small arms and light weapons include those manufactured after 1899," she said. Referring to the situation South Korea is now facing as it comes under pressure to directly supply weapons to Ukraine given that it's the world's eighth-largest arms exporter, the expert stressed that South Korea is positioned to produce weapons that are compatible with those used by NATO countries and could be able to manufacture them much faster than other EU suppliers. "The EU and U.S. are continuing to pressure South Korea to change its policy to allow the export of domestically manufactured weapons to Ukraine as part of an assistance package. Some view Seoul's recent approval for the export of weapons components as a first step to paving the way for a change in policy, which is also comparable to Morocco's agreement to send renovated T-72B tanks to Ukraine," Tsukerman said. Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands after delivering a joint statement following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow, March 21. AFP-Yonhap A former message therapist at Elements Massage in College Station turned himself into the Brazos County Sheriffs Office after he was wanted on a sexual assault charge, police said. Roberto Ramirez-Bautista, 51, was charged with sexual assault and released Tuesday after he posted bail of $75,000. Police said they received a report on Feb. 1 about a sexual assault that occurred two days earlier at Elements Massage. The victim told police her massage therapist, later identified as Ramirez-Bautista, sexually assaulted her with his fingers. The victim told police she immediately ended the massage and left the business. The next day, the victim reported the incident to the business owner, who assisted the victim in reporting the information to the College Station Police Department, police said. The owner told police she had placed Ramirez-Bautista on leave due to a prior complaint made by another client. Ramirez-Bautista was fired after the incident was reported to the business owner Jan. 31. During an investigation, police said detectives discovered there were additional victims who reported similar offenses with Ramirez-Bautista during his approximate one month of employment at Elements Massage. A warrant for Ramirez-Bautistas arrest was issued March 22, police said. Police said anyone who has experienced a similar incident involving a massage with Ramirez-Bautista or has additional information in this case can contact the College Station Police Department at 979-764-3600. Are prices headed up or down? Where are the hotspots for buyers and sellers? Find out with these charts and graphs, updated weekly. Calamos Advisors LLC decreased its position in AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV Get Rating) by 11.9% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 515,635 shares of the companys stock after selling 69,387 shares during the period. Calamos Advisors LLCs holdings in AbbVie were worth $83,332,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in ABBV. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its position in shares of AbbVie by 426.5% during the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 4,652,122 shares of the companys stock worth $754,155,000 after buying an additional 3,768,579 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in AbbVie by 1.6% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 156,022,414 shares of the companys stock worth $20,939,769,000 after purchasing an additional 2,442,663 shares in the last quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can acquired a new stake in AbbVie in the third quarter worth approximately $200,815,000. Pacer Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in AbbVie by 754.0% during the 3rd quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 1,210,806 shares of the companys stock valued at $162,502,000 after purchasing an additional 1,069,033 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec increased its position in shares of AbbVie by 146.8% during the 1st quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec now owns 1,352,924 shares of the companys stock valued at $219,322,000 after purchasing an additional 804,700 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.71% of the companys stock. Get AbbVie alerts: Insider Transactions at AbbVie In related news, CFO Scott T. Reents sold 15,942 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $153.08, for a total value of $2,440,401.36. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 809 shares in the company, valued at $123,841.72. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other news, EVP Jeffrey Ryan Stewart sold 53,125 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, March 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $152.28, for a total transaction of $8,089,875.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 60,941 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,280,095.48. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CFO Scott T. Reents sold 15,942 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $153.08, for a total transaction of $2,440,401.36. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 809 shares of the companys stock, valued at $123,841.72. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 159,746 shares of company stock valued at $24,267,450 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 0.08% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth AbbVie Trading Down 0.4 % Several brokerages recently weighed in on ABBV. StockNews.com cut AbbVie from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, March 10th. SVB Leerink raised shares of AbbVie from an underperform rating to a market perform rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $135.00 to $153.00 in a research note on Friday, February 10th. Argus downgraded shares of AbbVie from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday. BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on shares of AbbVie from $169.00 to $167.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Monday, February 6th. Finally, Truist Financial upped their price target on AbbVie from $160.00 to $180.00 in a report on Thursday, January 5th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $161.12. Shares of NYSE ABBV opened at $159.78 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $281.87 billion, a PE ratio of 24.17, a PEG ratio of 3.63 and a beta of 0.58. AbbVie Inc. has a one year low of $134.09 and a one year high of $175.91. The company has a current ratio of 0.96, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.42. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $152.27 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $152.56. AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV Get Rating) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 9th. The company reported $3.60 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.54 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $15.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $15.30 billion. AbbVie had a net margin of 20.39% and a return on equity of 154.52%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 1.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $3.31 earnings per share. As a group, analysts predict that AbbVie Inc. will post 10.97 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. AbbVie Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 14th will be given a $1.48 dividend. This represents a $5.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.71%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 13th. AbbVies payout ratio is currently 89.56%. AbbVie Profile (Get Rating) AbbVie, Inc is a research-based biopharmaceutical company, which engages in the development and sale of pharmaceutical products. It focuses on treating conditions such as chronic autoimmune diseases in rheumatology, gastroenterology, and dermatology, oncology, including blood cancers, virology, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), neurological disorders, such as Parkinsons, metabolic, comprising thyroid disease and complications associated with cystic fibrosis, pain associated with endometriosis, and other serious health conditions. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ABBV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for AbbVie Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AbbVie and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Accel Wealth Management boosted its position in Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Rating) by 6.9% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 2,956 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after buying an additional 190 shares during the period. Accel Wealth Managements holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb were worth $213,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in BMY. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 1.6% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 199,886,585 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $14,209,937,000 after acquiring an additional 3,058,491 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. lifted its position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 2.0% during the 3rd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 174,002,852 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $12,369,862,000 after acquiring an additional 3,357,590 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc lifted its position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 4.1% during the 2nd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 17,053,158 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $1,313,101,000 after acquiring an additional 674,921 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 14,659,982 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $1,042,264,000 after acquiring an additional 155,845 shares during the period. Finally, California Public Employees Retirement System lifted its position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 0.5% during the 3rd quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 11,442,639 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $813,457,000 after acquiring an additional 59,791 shares during the period. 75.51% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Bristol-Myers Squibb alerts: Insider Activity In other news, EVP Ann Powell sold 11,183 shares of the 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 sale, the executive vice president now owns 23,043 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,721,081.67. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. In other news, CEO Giovanni Caforio sold 240,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 236,104 shares of the companys stock, valued at $17,625,163.60. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Ann Powell sold 11,183 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.69, for a total value of $835,258.27. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 23,043 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,721,081.67. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.09% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Bristol-Myers Squibb Price Performance BMY has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a strong-buy rating for the company. Atlantic Securities upped their price objective 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. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective 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. Cantor Fitzgerald started coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Tuesday, January 17th. They set an overweight rating and a $95.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Monday, March 6th. They set a hold rating and a $62.00 price objective for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, seven have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $79.69. BMY traded up $1.19 on Wednesday, reaching $70.10. The stock had a trading volume of 2,892,193 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,093,299. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a fifty-two week low of $65.28 and a fifty-two week high of $81.43. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $69.92 and a 200-day moving average of $72.79. The company has a current ratio of 1.25, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13. The company has a market capitalization of $147.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.45. Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Rating) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 2nd. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.71 by $0.11. The business had revenue of $11.41 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.20 billion. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a return on equity of 51.60% and a net margin of 13.71%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 4.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.83 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 8.06 EPS for the current year. Bristol-Myers Squibb Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 10th will be paid a $0.57 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 6th. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.25%. Bristol-Myers Squibbs payout ratio is 77.29%. 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. Recommended Stories 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. Alamo Group Inc. (NYSE:ALG Get Rating) announced a quarterly dividend on Monday, April 3rd, Wall Street Journal reports. Shareholders of record on Monday, April 17th will be paid a dividend of 0.22 per share by the industrial products company on Monday, May 1st. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.50%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 14th. Alamo Group has increased its dividend by an average of 26.0% annually over the last three years and has raised its dividend annually for the last 4 consecutive years. Alamo Group has a dividend payout ratio of 8.2% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Research analysts expect Alamo Group to earn $10.61 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $0.88 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 8.3%. Get Alamo Group alerts: Alamo Group Trading Down 4.1 % ALG stock opened at $176.58 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $2.12 billion, a PE ratio of 20.68 and a beta of 0.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 3.82 and a quick ratio of 1.97. Alamo Group has a 12 month low of $108.35 and a 12 month high of $186.37. The firms 50-day moving average is $169.66 and its 200 day moving average is $152.61. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Insider Activity ALG has been the subject of a number of research reports. StockNews.com began coverage on Alamo Group in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a buy rating for the company. DA Davidson raised Alamo Group from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their price target for the stock from $173.00 to $196.00 in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. In related news, VP Janet S. Pollock sold 150 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $180.40, for a total value of $27,060.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 2,606 shares of the companys stock, valued at $470,122.40. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other news, VP Janet S. Pollock sold 150 shares of Alamo Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $180.40, for a total value of $27,060.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 2,606 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $470,122.40. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Edward Rizzuti sold 394 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $184.21, for a total transaction of $72,578.74. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 5,433 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,000,812.93. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 2.30% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Alamo Group Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its holdings in shares of Alamo Group by 1.1% in the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 113,146 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $16,269,000 after acquiring an additional 1,193 shares during the last quarter. Citigroup Inc. boosted its holdings in Alamo Group by 82.1% in the first quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 16,027 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $2,305,000 after purchasing an additional 7,226 shares during the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Alamo Group by 25.6% during the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 4,008 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $576,000 after buying an additional 816 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can raised its stake in shares of Alamo Group by 4.1% during the 1st quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 4,296 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $640,000 after buying an additional 171 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund acquired a new position in shares of Alamo Group in the 1st quarter valued at about $1,136,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.67% of the companys stock. About Alamo Group (Get Rating) Alamo Group, Inc engages in the design and manufacture of agricultural equipment and infrastructure maintenance equipment for governmental and industrial use. Its products include tractor-mounted mowing and other vegetation maintenance equipment, street sweepers, excavators, vacuum trucks, snow removal equipment, zero turn radius mowers, agricultural implements, and related aftermarket parts. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Alamo Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Alamo Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of American Shared Hospital Services (NYSEAMERICAN:AMS Get Rating) in a research report released on Sunday. The brokerage issued a hold rating on the stock. American Shared Hospital Services Stock Performance Shares of American Shared Hospital Services stock opened at $2.80 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 3.95, a current ratio of 3.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50. American Shared Hospital Services has a twelve month low of $2.18 and a twelve month high of $3.75. The stock has a market cap of $17.23 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.33 and a beta of 0.86. The companys fifty day moving average is $3.12 and its 200 day moving average is $2.90. Get American Shared Hospital Services alerts: Institutional Trading of American Shared Hospital Services A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of AMS. CI Private Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of American Shared Hospital Services during the 4th quarter worth about $470,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its position in shares of American Shared Hospital Services by 3.9% during the 4th quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 158,681 shares of the companys stock worth $465,000 after purchasing an additional 5,899 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC boosted its position in shares of American Shared Hospital Services by 34.6% during the 4th quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 26,000 shares of the companys stock worth $76,000 after purchasing an additional 6,679 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Canton Hathaway LLC boosted its position in shares of American Shared Hospital Services by 100.0% during the 4th quarter. Canton Hathaway LLC now owns 20,000 shares of the companys stock worth $59,000 after purchasing an additional 10,000 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 13.25% of the companys stock. About American Shared Hospital Services 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. AON (NYSE:AON Get Rating) had its price objective raised by research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $320.00 to $321.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an equal weight rating on the financial services providers stock. Wells Fargo & Companys target price would suggest a potential upside of 0.67% from the companys current price. Several other equities analysts also recently commented on the stock. BMO Capital Markets began coverage on shares of AON in a report on Thursday, January 19th. They issued a market perform rating and a $310.00 price objective on the stock. TheStreet upgraded shares of AON from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research note on Friday, December 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of AON from $320.00 to $322.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, March 31st. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of AON in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Finally, Credit Suisse Group began coverage on shares of AON in a research note on Friday, January 13th. They issued an outperform rating and a $363.00 price target on the stock. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, AON currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $317.00. Get AON alerts: AON Price Performance Shares of AON stock opened at $318.85 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $65.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.31, a P/E/G ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 0.89. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $308.86 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $299.27. AON has a one year low of $246.21 and a one year high of $341.98. Insider Transactions at AON AON ( NYSE:AON Get Rating ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 3rd. The financial services provider reported $3.89 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.67 by $0.22. AON had a return on equity of 1,165.31% and a net margin of 20.75%. The business had revenue of $3.13 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.13 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $3.71 earnings per share. AONs quarterly revenue was up 1.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that AON will post 14.54 EPS for the current fiscal year. In related news, CFO Christa Davies sold 617 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $318.36, for a total value of $196,428.12. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 199,571 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $63,535,423.56. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, CFO Christa Davies sold 617 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $318.36, for a total value of $196,428.12. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 199,571 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $63,535,423.56. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Michael Neller sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $311.59, for a total transaction of $311,590.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 1,216 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $378,893.44. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 73,389 shares of company stock valued at $22,664,130. Company insiders own 1.06% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On AON Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in AON by 0.6% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 18,034,457 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $4,830,890,000 after acquiring an additional 111,820 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in AON by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 4,021,085 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,204,600,000 after acquiring an additional 21,190 shares during the period. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased its position in AON by 106,777.0% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,817,279 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $845,578,000 after acquiring an additional 2,814,643 shares during the period. Neuberger Berman Group LLC increased its position in AON by 2.7% in the 4th quarter. Neuberger Berman Group LLC now owns 2,656,354 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $797,363,000 after acquiring an additional 70,574 shares during the period. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased its position in AON by 38.7% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 2,223,478 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $667,355,000 after acquiring an additional 620,067 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 86.12% of the companys stock. AON Company Profile (Get Rating) Aon Plc engages in the provision of risk, health, and wealth solutions. It operates through Global Professional Services Firm segment. The Global Professional Services Firm segment involves in the provides advice and solutions to clients focused on risk, health and wealth through four principal products and services. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for AON Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AON and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ballast Inc. lessened its stake in The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV Get Rating) by 4.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,312 shares of the insurance providers stock after selling 282 shares during the quarter. Ballast Inc.s holdings in Travelers Companies were worth $1,183,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. First PREMIER Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Travelers Companies during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV grew its position in shares of Travelers Companies by 57.8% during the 3rd quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 183 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 67 shares during the period. Edmond DE Rothschild Holding S.A. acquired a new stake in shares of Travelers Companies during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Standard Family Office LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Travelers Companies during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $38,000. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Travelers Companies by 56.7% during the 3rd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 257 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $39,000 after buying an additional 93 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.59% of the companys stock. Get Travelers Companies alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Travelers Companies In other Travelers Companies news, Vice Chairman William H. Heyman sold 9,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $191.42, for a total value of $1,722,780.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 251,605 shares in the company, valued at $48,162,229.10. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, CEO Alan D. Schnitzer sold 150,829 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 8th. The shares were 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 directly owns 196,914 shares in the company, valued at $37,124,196.42. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Vice Chairman William H. Heyman sold 9,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $191.42, for a total transaction of $1,722,780.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 251,605 shares in the company, valued at $48,162,229.10. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 188,163 shares of company stock worth $35,402,200 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 1.07% of the companys stock. Travelers Companies Stock Performance NYSE TRV traded up $1.43 on Wednesday, hitting $170.06. 492,932 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,517,651. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a current ratio of 0.33 and a quick ratio of 0.33. The businesss fifty day moving average is $179.39 and its 200 day moving average is $179.23. The Travelers Companies, Inc. has a 52 week low of $149.65 and a 52 week high of $194.51. The company has a market capitalization of $39.47 billion, a PE ratio of 14.35, a P/E/G ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 0.60. Travelers Companies (NYSE:TRV Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 24th. The insurance provider reported $3.40 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $3.40. Travelers Companies had a net margin of 7.71% and a return on equity of 13.34%. The firm had revenue of $8.83 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.78 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $5.20 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 10.4% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts anticipate that The Travelers Companies, Inc. will post 14.12 EPS for the current fiscal year. Travelers Companies Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 10th were issued a $0.93 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 9th. This represents a $3.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.19%. Travelers Companiess dividend payout ratio is currently 31.66%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on shares of Travelers Companies from $181.00 to $182.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Travelers Companies from $180.00 to $185.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday, March 31st. Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on shares of Travelers Companies from $196.00 to $204.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday. Evercore ISI upgraded shares of Travelers Companies from an in-line rating to an outperform rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $183.00 to $220.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 10th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on shares of Travelers Companies in a research note on Thursday, January 19th. They issued an outperform rating and a $212.00 price target on the stock. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $190.40. Travelers Companies 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. Further Reading 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. Shares of Advantage Energy Ltd. (TSE:AAV Get Rating) (NYSE:AAV) have earned a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the eleven brokerages that are covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is C$13.45. A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on AAV shares. Scotiabank restated an outperform rating and set a C$14.50 target price on shares of Advantage Energy in a report on Thursday, February 9th. Raymond James downgraded shares of Advantage Energy from a strong-buy rating to an outperform rating and lowered their target price for the stock from C$14.00 to C$12.00 in a report on Monday, January 16th. TD Securities restated a buy rating and set a C$16.00 target price on shares of Advantage Energy in a report on Monday, February 27th. Stifel Nicolaus set a C$14.25 price objective on shares of Advantage Energy and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, January 13th. Finally, Stifel Firstegy reiterated a buy rating on shares of Advantage Energy in a report on Thursday, January 12th. Get Advantage Energy alerts: Advantage Energy Price Performance Shares of AAV opened at C$7.69 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of C$1.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.39, a PEG ratio of -3.58 and a beta of 1.87. Advantage Energy has a 1-year low of C$7.27 and a 1-year high of C$12.19. The companys fifty day simple moving average is C$8.13 and its 200 day simple moving average is C$9.51. The company has a current ratio of 1.66, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 18.52. Advantage Energy Company Profile Advantage Energy Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, acquires, exploits, develops, and produces crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids in the Province of Alberta, Canada. The company focuses on the development and production of oil and natural gas resource that includes 228 net sections covering an area of 145,920 net acres of Doig/Montney rights in Glacier, Valhalla, Progress, and Pipestone/Wembley. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Advantage Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Advantage Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Calamos Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of The Southern Company (NYSE:SO Get Rating) by 1.9% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 29,497 shares of the utilities providers stock after purchasing an additional 546 shares during the quarter. Calamos Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Southern were worth $2,106,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in SO. Prudential PLC raised its holdings in shares of Southern by 23.4% in the first quarter. Prudential PLC now owns 19,438 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,409,000 after acquiring an additional 3,689 shares in the last quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust raised its holdings in shares of Southern by 33.5% in the first quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 1,727 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $126,000 after acquiring an additional 433 shares in the last quarter. Covestor Ltd raised its holdings in shares of Southern by 63.0% in the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,902 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $138,000 after acquiring an additional 735 shares in the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Southern by 0.4% in the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 49,925 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $3,621,000 after acquiring an additional 221 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mackenzie Financial Corp raised its holdings in shares of Southern by 35.8% in the first quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 907,132 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $65,776,000 after acquiring an additional 239,325 shares in the last quarter. 61.78% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Southern alerts: Insider Activity at Southern In related news, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 14,546 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $70.95, for a total value of $1,032,038.70. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 120,786 shares in the company, valued at $8,569,766.70. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In related news, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 14,546 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $70.95, for a total value of $1,032,038.70. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 120,786 shares in the company, valued at $8,569,766.70. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Christopher Cummiskey sold 852 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.31, for a total value of $57,348.12. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 22,059 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,484,791.29. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 16,680 shares of company stock worth $1,174,768 over the last quarter. Insiders own 0.37% of the companys stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets Southern Price Performance Several analysts recently weighed in on SO shares. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price objective on Southern from $79.00 to $78.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Thursday, March 2nd. Wolfe Research upgraded Southern from a peer perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $76.00 price objective for the company in a report on Monday, December 12th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price 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. Credit Suisse Group boosted their target price on shares of Southern from $60.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock an underperform rating in a report on Wednesday, January 18th. Finally, Mizuho reduced their target price on shares of Southern from $73.00 to $72.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 12th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $71.64. Shares of SO stock opened at $69.63 on Wednesday. The Southern Company has a fifty-two week low of $58.85 and a fifty-two week high of $80.57. The firm has a market capitalization of $75.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.23, a PEG ratio of 4.82 and a beta of 0.51. 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 stocks 50-day simple moving average is $66.67 and its 200-day simple moving average is $67.67. Southern (NYSE:SO Get Rating) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 16th. The utilities provider reported $0.26 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.24 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $7.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.83 billion. Southern had a return on equity of 11.73% and a net margin of 12.40%. The companys revenue was up 22.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.36 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts forecast that The Southern Company will post 3.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Southern Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 6th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 21st were given a $0.68 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 17th. This represents a $2.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.91%. Southerns dividend payout ratio is currently 82.93%. 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. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Southern Company (NYSE:SO Get Rating). 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. Members of the BIE Enquiry Mission led by Patrick Specht, president of the BIE Administration and Budget Committee, pose for a photo at Eulsukdo Island Ecological Park, April 4. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul Catalyst Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Garmin Ltd. (NYSE:GRMN Get Rating) during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor bought 9,571 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock, valued at approximately $883,000. Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in GRMN. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Garmin by 45.2% in the 4th quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 363 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 113 shares during the last quarter. Diversified Investment Strategies LLC lifted its stake in Garmin by 0.8% in the third quarter. Diversified Investment Strategies LLC now owns 15,376 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock valued at $1,235,000 after buying an additional 126 shares during the last quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Garmin by 3.0% in the first quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC now owns 4,449 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock valued at $528,000 after acquiring an additional 129 shares during the period. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans grew its position in shares of Garmin by 0.9% during the third quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 14,861 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $1,193,000 after acquiring an additional 138 shares during the last quarter. Finally, City Holding Co. increased its holdings in shares of Garmin by 1.1% in the 3rd quarter. City Holding Co. now owns 12,602 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock valued at $1,012,000 after acquiring an additional 140 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 63.29% of the companys stock. Get Garmin alerts: Garmin Stock Down 1.8 % Shares of Garmin stock traded down $1.83 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $98.25. The companys stock had a trading volume of 178,185 shares, compared to its average volume of 965,791. Garmin Ltd. has a 12-month low of $76.37 and a 12-month high of $117.20. The company has a market capitalization of $18.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.30 and a beta of 0.94. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $97.83 and a 200-day moving average price of $92.26. Insider Transactions at Garmin Garmin ( NYSE:GRMN Get Rating ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 22nd. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.35 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.14 by $0.21. Garmin had a net margin of 20.03% and a return on equity of 16.41%. The firm had revenue of $1.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.32 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.55 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 6.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts predict that Garmin Ltd. will post 5.15 EPS for the current fiscal year. In related news, CEO Clifton A. Pemble sold 7,216 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.54, for a total value of $711,064.64. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 120,460 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $11,870,128.40. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, CEO Clifton A. Pemble sold 7,216 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.54, for a total value of $711,064.64. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 120,460 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,870,128.40. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Patrick Desbois sold 3,991 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.50, for a total transaction of $393,113.50. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 47,050 shares in the company, valued at $4,634,425. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 16,610 shares of company stock valued at $1,635,921 in the last quarter. 20.34% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Analysts Set New Price Targets GRMN has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of Garmin from $108.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, February 23rd. Barclays raised their price target on Garmin from $97.00 to $101.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Thursday, February 23rd. Tigress Financial restated a strong-buy rating and issued a $165.00 price target on shares of Garmin in a research report on Friday, March 3rd. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on Garmin from $91.00 to $99.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Thursday, February 23rd. Finally, TheStreet raised Garmin from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a report on Monday, March 13th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, one has assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Garmin has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $123.17. Garmin Profile (Get Rating) Garmin Ltd. is a holding company, which engages in the provision of navigation, communications and information devices, most of which are enabled by Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. It operates through the following segments: Marine, Outdoor, Fitness, Auto OEM, Consumer Auto, and Aviation. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GRMN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Garmin Ltd. (NYSE:GRMN Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Garmin Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Garmin and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rogers Communications (TSE:RCI.B Get Rating) (NYSE:RCI) had its price target upped by stock analysts at CIBC from C$72.00 to C$75.00 in a research report issued on Wednesday, BayStreet.CA reports. CIBCs price target would suggest a potential upside of 17.37% from the stocks current price. A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the company. Cormark increased their price target on Rogers Communications from C$69.00 to C$74.00 in a research note on Friday, February 3rd. TD Securities increased their price target on Rogers Communications from C$78.00 to C$80.00 and gave the stock an action list buy rating in a research note on Tuesday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated a focus stock rating on shares of Rogers Communications in a research note on Wednesday, February 1st. Canaccord Genuity Group cut their price target on Rogers Communications from C$69.00 to C$68.00 in a research note on Monday. Finally, UBS Group upgraded Rogers Communications from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their price target for the stock from C$64.00 to C$75.00 in a research note on Monday, February 6th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Rogers Communications currently has an average rating of Buy and an average target price of C$73.20. Get Rogers Communications alerts: Rogers Communications Stock Performance RCI.B traded up C$0.35 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching C$63.90. 735,406 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,180,862. The stock has a market capitalization of C$25.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.78, a P/E/G ratio of 1.32 and a beta of 0.38. The company has a quick ratio of 0.58, a current ratio of 2.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 364.11. The companys fifty day moving average price is C$63.97 and its 200-day moving average price is C$60.59. Rogers Communications has a 52-week low of C$50.53 and a 52-week high of C$80.85. Rogers Communications Company Profile Rogers Communications Inc operates as a communications and media company in Canada. It operates through three segments: Wireless, Cable, and Media. The Wireless segment offers wireless voice and data communication services to individual consumers, businesses, governments, and other telecommunications service providers; postpaid and prepaid wireless services under the Rogers, Fido, and chatr brands; and wireless devices, services, and applications to consumers and businesses. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Rogers Communications Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Rogers Communications and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Coca-Cola HBC AG (OTCMKTS:CCHGY Get Rating) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Monday . The company traded as high as $27.74 and last traded at $27.74, with a volume of 642 shares. The stock had previously closed at $27.38. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research firms have commented on CCHGY. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their target price on shares of Coca-Cola HBC from GBX 2,580 ($32.04) to GBX 2,545 ($31.61) in a research note on Tuesday. Citigroup cut their price objective on shares of Coca-Cola HBC from GBX 2,200 ($27.32) to GBX 2,125 ($26.39) in a report on Tuesday, January 10th. Credit Suisse Group cut their price objective on shares of Coca-Cola HBC from GBX 2,600 ($32.29) to GBX 2,500 ($31.05) in a report on Tuesday, January 10th. Finally, Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Coca-Cola HBC from GBX 2,500 ($31.05) to GBX 2,700 ($33.53) in a report on Thursday, February 16th. Get Coca-Cola HBC alerts: Coca-Cola HBC Trading Up 3.3 % The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $25.47 and its 200-day simple moving average is $23.83. Coca-Cola HBC Company Profile Coca-Cola HBC AG engages in the production, sale and distribution of non-alcoholic and ready-to-drink beverages. It operates through the following segments: Established Markets, Developing Markets, and Emerging Markets. The Established Markets segment consists of Austria, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and Switzerland. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Coca-Cola HBC Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Coca-Cola HBC and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Direct Line Insurance Group plc (LON:DLG Get Rating) have received an average recommendation of Hold from the eleven brokerages that are covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is GBX 197.40 ($2.45). DLG has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Shore Capital reduced their price target on shares of Direct Line Insurance Group from GBX 160 ($1.99) to GBX 159 ($1.97) and set a hold rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 27th. Numis Securities reaffirmed a hold rating and set a GBX 170 ($2.11) price objective on shares of Direct Line Insurance Group in a research note on Thursday, February 9th. Berenberg Bank dropped their price objective on shares of Direct Line Insurance Group from GBX 159 ($1.97) to GBX 152 ($1.89) and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, March 27th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a hold rating and set a GBX 180 ($2.24) price objective on shares of Direct Line Insurance Group in a research note on Tuesday, March 14th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an equal weight rating and set a GBX 180 ($2.24) price objective on shares of Direct Line Insurance Group in a research note on Tuesday, March 28th. Get Direct Line Insurance Group alerts: Direct Line Insurance Group Stock Performance DLG opened at GBX 149.85 ($1.86) on Friday. Direct Line Insurance Group has a 12-month low of GBX 133.29 ($1.66) and a 12-month high of GBX 279.50 ($3.47). The company has a current ratio of 0.56, a quick ratio of 0.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 17.83. The firm has a market capitalization of 1.96 billion, a PE ratio of -3,586.25, a P/E/G ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 0.35. The firm has a 50 day moving average of GBX 167.76 and a two-hundred day moving average of GBX 190.83. Direct Line Insurance Group Company Profile Direct Line Insurance Group plc provides general insurance products and services in the United Kingdom. The company operates through Motor, Home, Rescue and Other Personal Lines, and Commercial segments. It offers motor, home, rescue, travel, creditor, and pet insurance products, as well as insurance for mid-to-high-net worth customers; and commercial insurance for small and medium-sized enterprises. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Direct Line Insurance Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Direct Line Insurance Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Eldorado Gold (TSE:ELD Get Rating) (NYSE:EGO) had its price target increased by research analysts at National Bankshares from C$13.50 to C$16.50 in a report released on Wednesday, BayStreet.CA reports. National Bankshares price objective would suggest a potential upside of 12.94% from the stocks previous close. A number of other equities research analysts have also recently commented on the stock. BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on shares of Eldorado Gold from C$12.00 to C$14.00 in a report on Friday, February 24th. National Bank Financial downgraded Eldorado Gold from an outperform overweight rating to a sector perform spec overwgt rating in a research note on Monday, January 16th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price objective on Eldorado Gold from C$16.50 to C$16.00 in a research note on Monday, January 23rd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of C$14.14. Get Eldorado Gold alerts: Eldorado Gold Price Performance TSE:ELD traded down C$0.05 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting C$14.61. The companys stock had a trading volume of 314,306 shares, compared to its average volume of 502,195. Eldorado Gold has a twelve month low of C$6.87 and a twelve month high of C$15.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 15.98, a current ratio of 3.00 and a quick ratio of 2.28. The company has a market capitalization of C$2.70 billion, a P/E ratio of -40.53, a PEG ratio of 56.20 and a beta of 1.37. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of C$12.84 and a 200-day simple moving average of C$10.91. About Eldorado Gold Eldorado Gold Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the mining, exploration, development, and sale of mineral products primarily in Turkey, Canada, Greece, and Romania. The company primarily produces gold, as well as silver, lead, and zinc. It holds a 100% interest in the Kisladag and Efemcukuru gold mines located in western Turkey; 100% interest in Lamaque gold mines located in Canada; and Olympias, Stratoni, Skouries, Perama Hill, and Sapes gold mines located in Greece, as well as the 80.5% interest in Certej development projects located in Romania. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Eldorado Gold Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eldorado Gold and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Finning International Inc. (TSE:FTT Get Rating) has earned an average rating of Moderate Buy from the eight research firms that are covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is C$43.14. Several research firms have weighed in on FTT. National Bank Financial lowered shares of Finning International from an outperform market weight rating to a sector perform market weight rating in a report on Monday, February 6th. National Bankshares lowered shares of Finning International from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating and set a C$40.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Tuesday, February 7th. Raymond James increased their price objective on shares of Finning International from C$39.00 to C$42.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 26th. Scotiabank increased their price objective on shares of Finning International from C$44.00 to C$45.00 in a research report on Wednesday, February 8th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on shares of Finning International from C$38.00 to C$43.00 in a research report on Thursday, February 9th. Get Finning International alerts: Finning International Price Performance FTT opened at C$34.99 on Wednesday. Finning International has a one year low of C$23.46 and a one year high of C$40.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 94.60, a current ratio of 1.41 and a quick ratio of 0.59. The companys 50 day simple moving average is C$35.13 and its 200-day simple moving average is C$32.37. The stock has a market capitalization of C$5.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.56 and a beta of 1.72. Finning International Dividend Announcement About Finning International The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 9th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 23rd were given a $0.236 dividend. This represents a $0.94 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.70%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 22nd. Finning Internationals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 28.92%. (Get Rating) Finning International Inc sells, services, and rents heavy equipment, and power and energy systems in Canada, Chile, the United Kingdom, Argentina, and internationally. The company offers telehandlers, articulated trucks, asphalt pavers, backhoe loaders, cable assist vehicles, cable yarding systems, chip dozers, cold planers, compactors, dozers, drills, electric rope shovels, excavators, material handlers, motor graders, off-highway trucks, pipelayers, remixing transfer vehicle, road reclaimers, road wideners, skid steer and compact track loaders, tack distributors, track loaders, underground-hard rock, wheel loaders, wheel tractor-scrapers, and windrow elevators, as well as attachments. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Finning International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Finning International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc. (NYSE:HVT.A Get Rating) saw unusually-strong trading volume on Monday . Approximately 446 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 23% from the previous sessions volume of 363 shares.The stock last traded at $32.00 and had previously closed at $32.59. Haverty Furniture Companies Stock Performance The businesss 50 day moving average is $34.66 and its 200 day moving average is $31.35. The company has a market capitalization of $503.72 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.96 and a beta of 1.17. Get Haverty Furniture Companies alerts: Haverty Furniture Companies (NYSE:HVT.A Get Rating) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 21st. The company reported $1.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The business had revenue of $280.56 million for the quarter. Haverty Furniture Companies Dividend Announcement About Haverty Furniture Companies The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 10th were given a dividend of $0.26 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 9th. This represents a $1.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.33%. Haverty Furniture Companiess payout ratio is 19.89%. (Get Rating) Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc operates as a specialty retailer of residential furniture and accessories in the United States. The company offers furniture merchandise under the Havertys brand name. It also provides custom upholstery products and eclectic looks; and mattress product lines under the Sealy, Tempur-Pedic, and Serta names, as well as private label Skye name. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Haverty Furniture Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Haverty Furniture Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. IGM Financial (TSE:IGM Get Rating) had its target price raised by analysts at Royal Bank of Canada from C$46.00 to C$50.00 in a report released on Wednesday, BayStreet.CA reports. The firm presently has a sector perform rating on the financial services providers stock. Royal Bank of Canadas price target would suggest a potential upside of 24.32% from the companys previous close. Several other equities research analysts have also weighed in on IGM. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on shares of IGM Financial from C$44.00 to C$45.00 in a report on Friday, February 10th. TD Securities raised shares of IGM Financial from a hold rating to a buy rating and upped their target price for the stock from C$44.00 to C$48.00 in a report on Wednesday. Scotiabank upped their target price on shares of IGM Financial from C$47.00 to C$49.00 in a report on Tuesday. Canaccord Genuity Group upped their price target on shares of IGM Financial from C$43.00 to C$46.00 in a research report on Monday, February 13th. Finally, National Bankshares upped their price target on shares of IGM Financial from C$45.00 to C$48.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, February 10th. Get IGM Financial alerts: IGM Financial Stock Performance IGM stock traded up C$0.58 on Wednesday, reaching C$40.22. 132,292 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 290,820. The firm has a market capitalization of C$9.56 billion, a PE ratio of 11.06, a PEG ratio of 14.05 and a beta of 1.56. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 36.63, a current ratio of 1.84 and a quick ratio of 0.31. The stocks fifty day moving average price is C$41.57 and its 200 day moving average price is C$39.10. IGM Financial has a 12 month low of C$33.45 and a 12 month high of C$44.20. IGM Financial Company Profile IGM Financial Inc operates as a wealth and asset management company in Canada. It operates through Wealth Management, Asset Management, and Strategic Investments and Other segments. The company offers financial advisory services; IG Living Plan that provides financial planning services, such as investment vehicles, insurance products, mortgage and banking solutions, and charitable giving program; IG Wealth Management Advisor Portal, a customer relationship management platform; and IG Wealth Management's dealer platform, which provides increased automation and supports both MFDA and IIROC licensed advisors, as well as new products on its investment dealer platform. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for IGM Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for IGM Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Inspire Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Garmin Ltd. (NYSE:GRMN Get Rating) by 4.0% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 4,494 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock after buying an additional 172 shares during the quarter. Inspire Advisors LLCs holdings in Garmin were worth $415,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. First Trust Advisors LP grew its position in Garmin by 213.1% in the 3rd quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 2,501,507 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $200,896,000 after purchasing an additional 1,702,480 shares during the period. Renaissance Technologies LLC grew its position in Garmin by 195.2% in the 1st quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 987,042 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $117,073,000 after purchasing an additional 652,700 shares during the period. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership grew its position in Garmin by 7.7% in the 3rd quarter. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership now owns 6,922,720 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $555,964,000 after purchasing an additional 492,576 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in Garmin by 2.2% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 17,276,118 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $2,049,121,000 after purchasing an additional 365,713 shares during the period. Finally, Boston Partners grew its position in Garmin by 20.4% in the 3rd quarter. Boston Partners now owns 2,123,048 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $170,526,000 after purchasing an additional 360,334 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 63.29% of the companys stock. Get Garmin alerts: Insider Buying and Selling In related news, Director Matthew Munn sold 4,536 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.36, for a total value of $446,160.96. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 9,023 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $887,502.28. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other Garmin news, CEO Clifton A. Pemble sold 7,216 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.54, for a total transaction of $711,064.64. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 120,460 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $11,870,128.40. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Matthew Munn sold 4,536 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.36, for a total transaction of $446,160.96. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 9,023 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $887,502.28. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 16,610 shares of company stock valued at $1,635,921. Company insiders own 20.34% of the companys stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets Garmin Trading Down 1.7 % A number of research firms have commented on GRMN. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Garmin from $97.00 to $101.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Thursday, February 23rd. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on Garmin from $91.00 to $99.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Thursday, February 23rd. Tigress Financial restated a strong-buy rating and issued a $165.00 price objective on shares of Garmin in a research note on Friday, March 3rd. TheStreet upgraded Garmin from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research note on Monday, March 13th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Garmin from $108.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, February 23rd. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, one has issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Garmin currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $123.17. Garmin stock traded down $1.74 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $98.34. The stock had a trading volume of 162,403 shares, compared to its average volume of 965,528. The firm has a market capitalization of $18.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.86, a P/E/G ratio of 3.30 and a beta of 0.94. The firms 50 day moving average is $97.83 and its 200 day moving average is $92.26. Garmin Ltd. has a one year low of $76.37 and a one year high of $117.20. Garmin (NYSE:GRMN Get Rating) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 22nd. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.35 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.14 by $0.21. The company had revenue of $1.31 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.32 billion. Garmin had a net margin of 20.03% and a return on equity of 16.41%. Garmins quarterly revenue was down 6.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.55 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Garmin Ltd. will post 5.15 earnings per share for the current year. About Garmin (Get Rating) Garmin Ltd. is a holding company, which engages in the provision of navigation, communications and information devices, most of which are enabled by Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. It operates through the following segments: Marine, Outdoor, Fitness, Auto OEM, Consumer Auto, and Aviation. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GRMN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Garmin Ltd. (NYSE:GRMN Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Garmin Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Garmin and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. International Personal Finance plc (LON:IPF Get Rating) declared a dividend on Wednesday, March 1st, Upcoming.Co.Uk reports. Investors of record on Thursday, April 6th will be paid a dividend of GBX 6.50 ($0.08) per share on Friday, May 5th. This represents a dividend yield of 6.77%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 6th. This is an increase from International Personal Finances previous dividend of $2.70. The official announcement can be viewed at this link. International Personal Finance Price Performance Shares of IPF opened at GBX 102.47 ($1.27) on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 128.08, a quick ratio of 3.69 and a current ratio of 3.19. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of GBX 99.10 and a 200 day simple moving average of GBX 85.15. International Personal Finance has a 52-week low of GBX 62.77 ($0.78) and a 52-week high of GBX 117.44 ($1.46). The firm has a market capitalization of 228.25 million, a PE ratio of 425.88, a P/E/G ratio of 0.32 and a beta of 1.64. Get International Personal Finance alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Separately, Peel Hunt reiterated a buy rating and issued a GBX 150 ($1.86) price objective on shares of International Personal Finance in a research report on Wednesday, March 1st. Insiders Place Their Bets International Personal Finance Company Profile In other news, insider Katrina Cliffe purchased 40,000 shares of International Personal Finance stock in a transaction on Monday, March 13th. The stock was purchased at an average price of GBX 110 ($1.37) per share, with a total value of 44,000 ($54,644.81). Insiders own 8.05% of the companys stock. (Get Rating) International Personal Finance plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides consumer credit in Europe and Mexico. The company offers home credit products, such as money transfer loans direct to bank account, cash and microbusiness loans, home, medical and life insurances, and repayments services. It also offers digital business services comprising of instalment loans and repayment schedules, credit line products, and mobile wallet payments. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for International Personal Finance Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for International Personal Finance and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Large electronic boards that were installed by LG to show support for Busan's bid to host the World Expo 2030 are seen in Seoul Station. All photos courtesy of LG Group LG promotes Expo bid as BIE delegation visits Korea By Sah Dong-seok LG is doing all it can to support Busan's bid to host the World Expo 2030 at a time the Bureau International des Expositions' (BIE) visit to Korea will continue through to Friday from last Sunday. LG is presenting ads promoting Busan's intention to host the World Expo 2030 through its digital sign projector at Incheon International Airport, large electronic signs in Seoul Station and Busan Station and large screens displayed at Gimhae International Airport in compliance with the mission's inspection schedule and movements. LG's large digital signs advertise Busan's bid to host the World Expo 2030 at Incheon International Airport. It's a move aimed at showing the delegates the Korean people's aspiration to host the World Expo 2030 at every point of their itinerary in the country. The inspection team, which arrived at Incheon International Airport last Sunday, left for Busan by KTX from Seoul Station Tuesday, and will return to Seoul Friday via Gimhae International Airport after completing its inspection. LG's ads inside Seoul Station use 10 large electronic boards located on the walls of the station's central area where anyone visiting Seoul Station can see them. Promotional signs in Busan Station show LG's support for Busan's World Expo bid. On Monday evening, LG introduced various new technologies, such as its futuristic self-driving car concept model LG Omnipod and Aquarium in Busan made with LG Magnit, LG Electronics' micro LED signage brand, to the BIE delegates who visited Shine at Gwanghwamun, an event in Seoul wishing for Busan's successful Expo bid. Members of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) inspection team pose for a photo with LG executive Park Jun-sung, left, at LG's Better Future for All promotion hall, Monday. Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) delegates listen to an LG official aboard LG Omnipod, the group's futuristic self-driving car concept model. Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (OTCMKTS:IIJIY Get Rating)s share price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Monday . The company traded as high as $41.60 and last traded at $41.60, with a volume of 84 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $41.60. Internet Initiative Japan Price Performance The firm has a market cap of $3.89 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.84 and a beta of 0.63. The companys 50-day moving average is $39.25 and its two-hundred day moving average is $35.50. About Internet Initiative Japan (Get Rating) Internet Initiative Japan Inc engages in the provision of Internet connectivity and wide area network services; network systems construction, operation and maintenance; and telecommunications equipment. It operates through the Network Service and Systems Integration (SI), and Automated Teller Machine (ATM) Operation segments. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Internet Initiative Japan Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Internet Initiative Japan and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Invesco PureBeta MSCI USA ETF (BATS:PBUS Get Rating)s stock price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Monday . The company traded as high as $40.81 and last traded at $40.98, with a volume of 3386 shares. The stock had previously closed at $40.81. Invesco PureBeta MSCI USA ETF Stock Performance The business has a 50-day moving average of $40.08 and a 200-day moving average of $38.95. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.58 and a beta of 0.97. Get Invesco PureBeta MSCI USA ETF alerts: Institutional Trading of Invesco PureBeta MSCI USA ETF A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. LPL Financial LLC increased its position in shares of Invesco PureBeta MSCI USA ETF by 2.0% during the 4th quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 580,617 shares of the companys stock worth $22,087,000 after purchasing an additional 11,270 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. increased its position in shares of Invesco PureBeta MSCI USA ETF by 3.9% during the 1st quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 339,542 shares of the companys stock worth $15,456,000 after purchasing an additional 12,590 shares during the last quarter. Kellogg W K Foundation Trust acquired a new stake in shares of Invesco PureBeta MSCI USA ETF during the 3rd quarter worth about $10,306,000. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Invesco PureBeta MSCI USA ETF by 2.7% during the 4th quarter. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC now owns 150,175 shares of the companys stock worth $5,713,000 after purchasing an additional 3,915 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Collaborative Wealth Managment Inc. acquired a new position in Invesco PureBeta MSCI USA ETF in the 2nd quarter valued at about $2,035,000. About Invesco PureBeta MSCI USA ETF The Invesco PureBeta MSCI USA ETF (PBUS) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA index. The fund tracks a market-cap-selected and -weighted index of mid and large-cap US stocks. PBUS was launched on Sep 22, 2017 and is managed by Invesco. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Invesco PureBeta MSCI USA ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco PureBeta MSCI USA ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals (NYSE:VTN Get Rating) announced a monthly dividend on Tuesday, April 4th, Wall Street Journal reports. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 17th will be given a dividend of 0.0331 per share by the investment management company on Friday, April 28th. This represents a $0.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.82%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 14th. Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals Stock Down 0.5 % Shares of VTN stock opened at $10.40 on Wednesday. Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals has a 1 year low of $9.13 and a 1 year high of $11.64. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $10.35 and its 200 day simple moving average is $10.11. Get Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals alerts: Institutional Trading of Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Credit Suisse AG bought a new stake in shares of Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals in the second quarter valued at about $96,000. Susquehanna International Group LLP bought a new stake in shares of Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals in the 4th quarter worth approximately $109,000. Wells Fargo & Company MN lifted its position in shares of Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals by 12.9% in the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 15,336 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $155,000 after acquiring an additional 1,750 shares during the period. UBS Group AG grew its holdings in shares of Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals by 141.7% during the 2nd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 25,081 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $270,000 after purchasing an additional 14,706 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE increased its position in shares of Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals by 3.8% during the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 103,346 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $1,198,000 after purchasing an additional 3,797 shares during the period. 17.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals operates as a non-diversified, closed-end investment company. It intends to provide common shareholders with current income exempt from federal as well as from New York State and New York City income taxes, consistent with preservation of capital. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC reduced its holdings in iShares MSCI Brazil ETF (NYSEARCA:EWZ Get Rating) by 3.7% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 11,367 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 442 shares during the period. Eagle Bay Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI Brazil ETF were worth $318,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Jane Street Group LLC increased its position in iShares MSCI Brazil ETF by 582.0% in the 3rd quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 14,038,457 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $415,960,000 after purchasing an additional 11,980,057 shares during the last quarter. City of London Investment Management Co. Ltd. grew its holdings in iShares MSCI Brazil ETF by 699.4% in the 1st quarter. City of London Investment Management Co. Ltd. now owns 2,604,980 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $98,585,000 after buying an additional 2,279,121 shares during the last quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC grew its holdings in iShares MSCI Brazil ETF by 117.5% in the 3rd quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 3,233,727 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $95,815,000 after buying an additional 1,746,803 shares during the last quarter. Tradewinds Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in iShares MSCI Brazil ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $28,248,000. Finally, Barclays PLC lifted its position in shares of iShares MSCI Brazil ETF by 22.5% in the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 3,582,782 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $106,157,000 after acquiring an additional 657,246 shares during the period. Get iShares MSCI Brazil ETF alerts: iShares MSCI Brazil ETF Stock Down 0.8 % Shares of EWZ stock traded down $0.22 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $27.10. The stock had a trading volume of 8,869,877 shares, compared to its average volume of 24,737,232. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $27.81 and its 200 day simple moving average is $29.32. iShares MSCI Brazil ETF has a one year low of $25.00 and a one year high of $38.50. The firm has a market cap of $4.54 billion, a PE ratio of 5.86 and a beta of 0.98. iShares MSCI Brazil ETF Company Profile iShares MSCI Brazil Capped Index Fund (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI Brazil Index Fund, seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of publicly traded securities in the Brazilian market, as measured by the MSCI Brazil Index (the Index). See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EWZ? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI Brazil ETF (NYSEARCA:EWZ Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI Brazil ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI Brazil ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. First Merchants Corp lessened its holdings in iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (NYSEARCA:EEM Get Rating) by 17.2% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 49,445 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 10,275 shares during the quarter. First Merchants Corps holdings in iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF were worth $1,873,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the business. BlackRock Inc. increased its stake in shares of iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF by 2.8% during the third quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 79,056,643 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $2,757,495,000 after buying an additional 2,120,629 shares during the period. Jane Street Group LLC increased its position in shares of iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF by 617.1% in the 2nd quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 30,902,851 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $1,239,204,000 after purchasing an additional 26,593,451 shares during the last quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank raised its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF by 190.1% in the 3rd quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 10,219,950 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $356,352,000 after purchasing an additional 6,697,550 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can lifted its position in shares of iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF by 60.3% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 9,605,304 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $373,647,000 after purchasing an additional 3,614,016 shares during the last quarter. Finally, National Bank of Canada FI lifted its position in shares of iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF by 3,639.2% during the 3rd quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 4,095,355 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $142,837,000 after purchasing an additional 3,985,830 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.29% of the companys stock. Get iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF alerts: iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF Price Performance NYSEARCA:EEM opened at $39.54 on Wednesday. iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF has a 12 month low of $33.49 and a 12 month high of $46.52. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $39.49 and its 200 day moving average price is $38.21. About iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, formerly iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index Fund (the Fund), seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of publicly traded equity securities in global emerging markets, as measured by the MSCI Emerging Markets Index (the Index). See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EEM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (NYSEARCA:EEM Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Mediaset Espana Comunicacion, S.A. (OTCMKTS:GETVY Get Rating) shares hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Monday . The company traded as high as $4.14 and last traded at $4.14, with a volume of 0 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $4.14. Mediaset Espana Comunicacion Stock Performance The stocks 50 day moving average price is $4.09 and its 200-day moving average price is $4.97. About Mediaset Espana Comunicacion (Get Rating) Mediaset Espana Comunicacion, SA, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the television broadcasting business in Spain. The company operates seven television channels comprising TELECINCO, FactorAa de FicciAn, BOING, Cuatro, Divinity, Energy, and Be Mad. It is also involved in the production and broadcast of audiovisual content; provision of news agency services; exploitation of advertising space on television channels; and advertising promotion activities. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Mediaset Espana Comunicacion Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mediaset Espana Comunicacion and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Mkango Resources Ltd. (CVE:MKA Get Rating) shares reached a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Monday . The company traded as low as C$0.16 and last traded at C$0.16, with a volume of 65050 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at C$0.21. Mkango Resources Stock Performance The company has a market capitalization of C$40.13 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -2.36 and a beta of 2.06. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of C$0.24 and a 200-day moving average price of C$0.22. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 125.65, a current ratio of 1.03 and a quick ratio of 0.87. Get Mkango Resources alerts: Insider Activity In other Mkango Resources news, Director William Drummond Dawes acquired 400,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 14th. The stock was bought at an average cost of C$0.13 per share, with a total value of C$51,000.00. Insiders own 50.94% of the companys stock. Mkango Resources Company Profile Mkango Resources Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, explores for and develops rare earth elements and associated minerals in the Republic of Malawi, Africa. It explores for uranium, tantalum, niobium, zircon, nickel, cobalt, rutile, graphite, and gold ores. The company's flagship project is the Songwe Hill property within the Phalombe exploration license located in southeast Malawi. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Mkango Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mkango Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nuveen Floating Rate Income Opportunity Fund (NYSE:JRO Get Rating) declared a monthly dividend on Tuesday, April 4th, Zacks reports. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 14th will be given a dividend of 0.074 per share by the financial services provider on Monday, May 1st. This represents a $0.89 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 11.24%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 13th. Nuveen Floating Rate Income Opportunity Fund has increased its dividend by an average of 0.7% per year over the last three years and has raised its dividend annually for the last 2 consecutive years. Get Nuveen Floating Rate Income Opportunity Fund alerts: Nuveen Floating Rate Income Opportunity Fund Trading Down 1.9 % Shares of Nuveen Floating Rate Income Opportunity Fund stock traded down $0.15 on Wednesday, hitting $7.90. The company had a trading volume of 124,817 shares, compared to its average volume of 144,637. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $8.23 and a 200-day simple moving average of $8.14. Nuveen Floating Rate Income Opportunity Fund has a 52 week low of $7.57 and a 52 week high of $10.25. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Nuveen Floating Rate Income Opportunity Fund Company Profile Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. UBS Group AG lifted its stake in Nuveen Floating Rate Income Opportunity Fund by 5.8% during the first quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 196,031 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,988,000 after purchasing an additional 10,802 shares during the last quarter. Logan Stone Capital LLC purchased a new stake in Nuveen Floating Rate Income Opportunity Fund in the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,967,000. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its position in Nuveen Floating Rate Income Opportunity Fund by 42.4% in the 3rd quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 243,825 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,965,000 after buying an additional 72,619 shares in the last quarter. RFG Advisory LLC increased its stake in shares of Nuveen Floating Rate Income Opportunity Fund by 23.9% during the 4th quarter. RFG Advisory LLC now owns 196,536 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,684,000 after purchasing an additional 37,958 shares during the last quarter. Finally, International Assets Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Nuveen Floating Rate Income Opportunity Fund during the 1st quarter worth $1,435,000. (Get Rating) Nuveen Floating Rate Income Opportunity Fund is an closed-end investment fund. Its investment objective is to achieve a high level of current income by investing its managed assets in adjustable rate loans. The company was founded on April 27, 2004 and is headquartered in Chicago, IL. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Nuveen Floating Rate Income Opportunity Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nuveen Floating Rate Income Opportunity Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. OGE Energy Corp. (NYSE:OGE Get Rating) announced a quarterly dividend on Thursday, February 23rd, RTT News reports. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 10th will be given a dividend of 0.4141 per share by the utilities provider on Friday, April 28th. This represents a $1.66 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.41%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 6th. This is a boost from OGE Energys previous quarterly dividend of $0.41. OGE Energy has increased its dividend by an average of 3.1% annually over the last three years and has increased its dividend annually for the last 17 consecutive years. OGE Energy has a dividend payout ratio of 78.3% indicating that its dividend is currently covered by earnings, but may not be in the future if the companys earnings decline. Analysts expect OGE Energy to earn $2.13 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $1.66 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 77.9%. Get OGE Energy alerts: OGE Energy Stock Up 0.8 % OGE Energy stock opened at $37.54 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.52 billion, a PE ratio of 11.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.82 and a beta of 0.73. OGE Energy has a 12 month low of $33.28 and a 12 month high of $42.91. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $37.13 and a 200-day simple moving average of $37.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 0.74 and a quick ratio of 0.58. Insiders Place Their Bets OGE Energy ( NYSE:OGE Get Rating ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 23rd. The utilities provider reported $0.25 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of ($0.05) by $0.30. The business had revenue of $711.90 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.06 billion. OGE Energy had a return on equity of 15.33% and a net margin of 19.72%. The businesss revenue was up 22.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.27 earnings per share. On average, analysts anticipate that OGE Energy will post 2.03 EPS for the current fiscal year. In other OGE Energy news, Director David L. Hauser purchased 1,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 14th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $35.09 per share, with a total value of $35,090.00. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 3,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $105,270. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other OGE Energy news, Director David E. Rainbolt purchased 5,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 27th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $36.65 per share, with a total value of $183,250.00. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 15,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $549,750. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director David L. Hauser purchased 1,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 14th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $35.09 per share, for a total transaction of $35,090.00. Following the purchase, the director now owns 3,000 shares in the company, valued at $105,270. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have purchased 6,100 shares of company stock valued at $221,925. Insiders own 12.90% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On OGE Energy Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of OGE. Compass Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of OGE Energy in the 4th quarter valued at $65,000. Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of OGE Energy in the 1st quarter valued at $86,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its holdings in shares of OGE Energy by 42.2% in the 4th quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 2,374 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $94,000 after buying an additional 705 shares during the period. Trexquant Investment LP purchased a new stake in shares of OGE Energy in the 3rd quarter valued at $200,000. Finally, Boothbay Fund Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of OGE Energy in the 4th quarter valued at $237,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.78% of the companys stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the company. TheStreet lowered OGE Energy from a b rating to a c+ rating in a research note on Monday, March 27th. Bank of America lowered OGE Energy from a buy rating to a neutral rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $41.00 to $39.00 in a research note on Friday, February 24th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on OGE Energy to $42.00 in a research note on Wednesday, December 14th. UBS Group lowered OGE Energy from a buy rating to a neutral rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $41.00 to $39.00 in a research note on Tuesday, February 28th. Finally, Guggenheim lowered OGE Energy from a buy rating to a neutral rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $39.00 to $40.00 in a research note on Monday, January 23rd. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $39.00. About OGE Energy (Get Rating) OGE Energy Corp. is a holding company with investments in energy and energy service providers, offering physical delivery and related services for electricity in Oklahoma and western Arkansas and natural gas, crude oil and NGLs across the U.S. OGE Energy conducts these activities through two business segments: Electric Utility and Natural Gas Midstream Operations. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for OGE Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for OGE Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund (NYSE:PCQ Get Rating) declared a monthly dividend on Monday, April 3rd, investing.com reports. Investors of record on Thursday, April 13th will be paid a dividend of 0.036 per share by the investment management company on Monday, May 1st. This represents a $0.43 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.30%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 12th. PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund Stock Performance Shares of NYSE:PCQ traded up $0.05 on Wednesday, reaching $10.05. 15,250 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 98,594. The company has a fifty day moving average of $10.40 and a 200-day moving average of $12.96. PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund has a twelve month low of $9.83 and a twelve month high of $17.44. Get PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund alerts: Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Resurgent Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Morgan Stanley grew its position in shares of PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund by 0.7% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 552,651 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $8,328,000 after purchasing an additional 3,975 shares in the last quarter. ICA Group Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Wells Fargo & Company MN grew its position in shares of PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund by 13.1% during the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 15,334 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $231,000 after purchasing an additional 1,775 shares in the last quarter. Finally, UBS Group AG grew its position in shares of PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund by 43.4% during the 3rd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 27,238 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $377,000 after purchasing an additional 8,247 shares in the last quarter. About PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Allianz Global Investors Fund Management LLC. It is co-managed by Pacific Investment Management Company LLC. The fund invests in fixed income markets of the United States. It seeks to invest in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PIMCO Income Strategy Fund II (NYSE:PFN Get Rating) declared a monthly dividend on Monday, April 3rd, investing.com reports. Stockholders of record on Thursday, April 13th will be given a dividend of 0.0718 per share by the financial services provider on Monday, May 1st. This represents a $0.86 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 11.92%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 12th. PIMCO Income Strategy Fund II has decreased its dividend by an average of 3.5% per year over the last three years. Get PIMCO Income Strategy Fund II alerts: PIMCO Income Strategy Fund II Trading Down 0.3 % Shares of NYSE:PFN traded down $0.02 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $7.23. The company had a trading volume of 11,198 shares, compared to its average volume of 242,749. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $7.47 and its 200 day moving average price is $7.34. PIMCO Income Strategy Fund II has a fifty-two week low of $6.73 and a fifty-two week high of $8.82. Institutional Inflows and Outflows PIMCO Income Strategy Fund II Company Profile A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of PFN. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in PIMCO Income Strategy Fund II by 15.9% during the first quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 20,004 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $174,000 after acquiring an additional 2,748 shares during the period. Raymond James & Associates grew its holdings in PIMCO Income Strategy Fund II by 46.4% during the first quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 59,054 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $513,000 after acquiring an additional 18,722 shares during the period. Cetera Investment Advisers grew its holdings in PIMCO Income Strategy Fund II by 10.6% during the first quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 15,455 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $134,000 after acquiring an additional 1,478 shares during the period. Baird Financial Group Inc. grew its holdings in PIMCO Income Strategy Fund II by 275.8% during the first quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 86,632 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $752,000 after acquiring an additional 63,582 shares during the period. Finally, NewEdge Advisors LLC boosted its position in PIMCO Income Strategy Fund II by 7.5% during the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 101,798 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $883,000 after purchasing an additional 7,100 shares in the last quarter. (Get Rating) PIMCO Income Strategy Fund II operates as a closed end investment trust. It engages in the provision of current income, consistent with the preservation of capital. The company was founded on October 29, 2004 and is headquartered in New York, NY. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for PIMCO Income Strategy Fund II Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for PIMCO Income Strategy Fund II and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Telecom Italia S.p.A. (OTCMKTS:TIAIY Get Rating)s share price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $3.27 and last traded at $3.27, with a volume of 1108 shares. The stock had previously closed at $3.20. Telecom Italia Stock Down 0.9 % The companys fifty day moving average is $3.05 and its 200-day moving average is $2.41. About Telecom Italia (Get Rating) Telecom Italia SpA engages in the provision of telecommunication and Internet services, digital contents, and cloud services. It operates through the following business segments: Domestic, Brazil, and Other Operations. The Domestic segment includes operations in Italy for voice and data services on fixed and mobile networks for retail and wholesale customers, the international wholesale through Telecom Italia Sparkle, and products and services for information technology through the Olivetti group. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Telecom Italia Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Telecom Italia and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd. lifted its position in The Progressive Co. (NYSE:PGR Get Rating) by 10.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 9,811 shares of the insurance providers stock after acquiring an additional 952 shares during the period. Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd.s holdings in Progressive were worth $1,273,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Progressive by 1.1% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 49,886,303 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $5,797,287,000 after acquiring an additional 520,346 shares in the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its position in shares of Progressive by 7.2% in the 3rd quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 11,965,362 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $1,390,909,000 after acquiring an additional 806,366 shares in the last quarter. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership increased its position in Progressive by 0.7% during the 3rd quarter. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership now owns 9,823,219 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $1,141,556,000 after buying an additional 66,243 shares in the last quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. increased its position in Progressive by 6.2% during the 3rd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 8,823,941 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $1,025,430,000 after buying an additional 518,665 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in Progressive by 15.0% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 6,142,690 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $713,841,000 after buying an additional 799,553 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 83.19% of the companys stock. Get Progressive alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts recently weighed in on PGR shares. Piper Sandler raised Progressive from an underweight rating to a neutral rating and raised their price objective for the company from $133.00 to $138.00 in a research report on Monday, February 13th. Citigroup raised their price objective on Progressive from $109.00 to $111.00 and gave the company a sell rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 1st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on Progressive from $130.00 to $132.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, March 31st. Wells Fargo & Company raised Progressive from an underweight rating to an overweight rating and raised their price objective for the company from $116.00 to $158.00 in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. Finally, Roth Capital reiterated a buy rating on shares of Progressive in a research note on Wednesday, February 15th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $139.29. Progressive Stock Performance PGR stock opened at $144.28 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $84.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 122.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.91 and a beta of 0.50. The Progressive Co. has a 1 year low of $106.35 and a 1 year high of $146.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 0.37 and a quick ratio of 0.37. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $140.39 and its 200-day moving average price is $131.66. Progressive (NYSE:PGR Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 25th. The insurance provider reported $1.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.49 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $13.54 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $13.33 billion. Progressive had a return on equity of 15.70% and a net margin of 1.45%. On average, equities analysts forecast that The Progressive Co. will post 6.53 earnings per share for the current year. Progressive Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 14th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, April 6th will be paid a $0.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 5th. This represents a $0.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.28%. Progressives dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 33.90%. Insider Transactions at Progressive In related news, insider Daniel P. Mascaro sold 2,806 shares of Progressive stock in a transaction on Friday, March 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $136.96, for a total transaction of $384,309.76. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 33,276 shares in the company, valued at $4,557,480.96. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, insider Daniel P. Mascaro sold 2,806 shares of Progressive stock in a transaction on Friday, March 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $136.96, for a total transaction of $384,309.76. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 33,276 shares in the company, valued at $4,557,480.96. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Susan Patricia Griffith sold 15,473 shares of Progressive stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $142.64, for a total value of $2,207,068.72. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 431,811 shares in the company, valued at $61,593,521.04. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 22,987 shares of company stock worth $3,250,378 in the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.33% of the companys stock. About Progressive (Get Rating) Progressive Corp. is an insurance holding company, which engages in the provision of personal and commercial auto insurance, residential property insurance, and other specialty property-casualty insurance and related services. It operates through the following segments: Personal Lines, Commercial Lines, and Property. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PGR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Progressive Co. (NYSE:PGR Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Progressive Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Progressive and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Trinity Bank, N.A. (OTCMKTS:TYBT Get Rating) announced a dividend on Tuesday, April 4th, investing.com reports. Investors of record on Friday, April 14th will be given a dividend of 0.81 per share on Friday, April 28th. This represents a dividend yield of 1.81%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 13th. This is an increase from Trinity Bank, N.A.s previous dividend of $0.78. Trinity Bank, N.A. Stock Performance TYBT opened at $87.75 on Wednesday. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $87.75 and its 200 day simple moving average is $87.58. Trinity Bank, N.A. has a 1-year low of $80.00 and a 1-year high of $90.00. Get Trinity Bank N.A. alerts: Trinity Bank, N.A. Company Profile (Get Rating) Featured Articles Trinity Bank, NA (Fort Worth, Texas) engages in the provision of commercial, personal, and online banking services. It offers deposit accounts, certificates of deposits, loan products, cash management, and merchant services. The company was founded on May 28, 2003 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, TX. Receive News & Ratings for Trinity Bank N.A. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Trinity Bank N.A. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Truist Financial (NYSE:TFC Get Rating) had its target price cut by research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $57.00 to $54.00 in a research report issued on Monday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an overweight rating on the insurance providers stock. Wells Fargo & Companys target price would suggest a potential upside of 69.01% from the companys previous close. A number of other brokerages have also recently weighed in on TFC. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target on Truist Financial from $60.00 to $54.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Friday, March 24th. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on Truist Financial from $59.00 to $56.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 20th. Stephens downgraded Truist Financial from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and set a $53.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Tuesday, January 31st. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upgraded shares of Truist Financial from an underperform rating to a market perform rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $47.00 to $45.00 in a research report on Sunday, March 12th. Finally, Citigroup upgraded Truist Financial from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $52.00 target price for the company in a report on Wednesday, March 15th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Truist Financial presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $50.42. Get Truist Financial alerts: Truist Financial Trading Down 3.6 % Shares of NYSE TFC opened at $31.95 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $42.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 1.06. Truist Financial has a 12-month low of $28.70 and a 12-month high of $55.99. The company has a current ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $42.45 and its 200 day simple moving average is $43.75. Insider Transactions at Truist Financial Truist Financial ( NYSE:TFC Get Rating ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 19th. The insurance provider reported $1.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.28 by $0.02. Truist Financial had a return on equity of 12.53% and a net margin of 24.69%. The company had revenue of $6.21 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.13 billion. Equities research analysts expect that Truist Financial will post 4.82 EPS for the current year. In other Truist Financial news, insider Hugh S. Cummins III sold 35,229 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.05, for a total transaction of $1,727,982.45. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 307,069 shares in the company, valued at approximately $15,061,734.45. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other news, Director David M. Ratcliffe acquired 13,125 shares of Truist Financial stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 10th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $38.08 per share, with a total value of $499,800.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 39,025 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,486,072. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Hugh S. Cummins III sold 35,229 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.05, for a total transaction of $1,727,982.45. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 307,069 shares in the company, valued at $15,061,734.45. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.31% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Truist Financial Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC lifted its position in Truist Financial by 1.2% during the third quarter. Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC now owns 23,403 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $1,019,000 after purchasing an additional 274 shares during the period. National Pension Service raised its position in shares of Truist Financial by 3.6% in the third quarter. National Pension Service now owns 1,992,619 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $87,615,000 after buying an additional 69,309 shares during the last quarter. Bailard Inc. raised its position in shares of Truist Financial by 2.4% in the third quarter. Bailard Inc. now owns 48,433 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $2,109,000 after buying an additional 1,133 shares during the last quarter. Stephens Inc. AR grew its holdings in shares of Truist Financial by 6.1% in the third quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 232,952 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $10,143,000 after purchasing an additional 13,348 shares during the period. Finally, Captrust Financial Advisors grew its holdings in shares of Truist Financial by 21.5% in the second quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 962,495 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $45,651,000 after purchasing an additional 170,239 shares during the period. 72.49% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Truist Financial (Get Rating) Truist Financial Corp. is a financial holding company, which engages in the provision of banking services to individuals, businesses, and municipalities. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Banking and Wealth, Corporate and Commercial Banking, Insurance Holdings, and Other, Treasury & Corporate. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Truist Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Truist Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Yamaguchi Financial Group, Inc. (OTCMKTS:YFGSF Get Rating) shares reached a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as low as $5.62 and last traded at $5.62, with a volume of 0 shares. The stock had previously closed at $5.62. Analysts Set New Price Targets Separately, Daiwa Capital Markets cut shares of Yamaguchi Financial Group from an outperform rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday. Get Yamaguchi Financial Group alerts: Yamaguchi Financial Group Stock Performance The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $5.62 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $5.62. About Yamaguchi Financial Group Yamaguchi Financial Group, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides various banking products and services in Japan. It provides securities brokerage, credit card, leasing, consulting, and other services. The company was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Shimonoseki, Japan. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Yamaguchi Financial Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Yamaguchi Financial Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. A compilation of images made by Hyundai Motor Group from a video promoting Busan's bid to host the World Expo 2030. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group By Lee Kyung-min Hyundai Motor released a video, Wednesday, promoting Busan's bid to host the World Expo 2030. The short video titled "Busan is Ready" features people from 17 member countries of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), an intergovernmental organization in charge of overseeing and regulating World Expos. The Enquiry Mission led by BIE Administration and Budget Committee President Patrick Specht is visiting this week to assess Korea's viability and feasibility to host the high-profile international event. People from the U.S., Greece, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Uruguay and Zimbabwe gave short testimonials on why they think Busan should be the venue for the event for six months in 2030. The video follows last week's release titled "Busan Citizens Invite You All," in which residents of the southern port city share their high hopes and vision for hosting the Expo. The video is available in 15 languages used by BIE member countries. The foreign nationals share their experiences staying in Busan and make comments, including "People in Busan always welcome foreigners," "The city is full of future-oriented green high-tech infrastructure" and "The city leads innovation." Also released earlier in the day, according to Hyundai, were 17 60-second clips in which people of various nationalities speak in their native language on the efforts promoting Busan's bid to host the World Expo. The Korean car manufacturer will continue the promotion campaign throughout this week using both online and offline platforms. Hyundai said the video clips will help reach a wider global audience, because the people giving comments have all lived in Korea for at least a few years. "Those featured in the videos have lived in Korea's major cities, including Busan, for many years," a Hyundai Motor official said. "Their authentic experiences will help reach out to many in a friendlier manner." The eight-member mission will return to Paris from Incheon International Airport, Friday. A North Korean government-backed threat actor has been linked to attacks targeting government and military personnel, think tanks, policy makers, academics, and researchers in South Korea and the U.S. Google's Threat Analysis Group (TAG) is tracking the cluster under the name ARCHIPELAGO, which it said is a subset of another threat group tracked by Mandiant under the name APT43. The tech giant said it began monitoring the hacking crew in 2012, adding it has "observed the group target individuals with expertise in North Korea policy issues such as sanctions, human rights, and non-proliferation issues." The priorities of APT43, and by extension ARCHIPELAGO, are said to align with North Korea's Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB), the primary foreign intelligence service, suggesting overlaps with a group broadly known as Kimsuky. "ARCHIPELAGO represents a subset of activity that is commonly known as Kimsuky," Google TAG told The Hacker News. "Over the last 11 years we've seen the group evolve their tactics from fairly basic credential phishing to advanced and novel techniques like custom Chrome extensions and use of Google Drive for [command-and-control]." Attack chains mounted by ARCHIPELAGO involve the use of phishing emails containing malicious links that, when clicked by the recipients, redirect to fake login pages that are designed to harvest credentials. These messages purport to be from media outlets and think tanks and seek to entice targets under the pretext of requesting for interviews or additional information about North Korea. "ARCHIPELAGO invests time and effort to build a rapport with targets, often corresponding with them by email over several days or weeks before finally sending a malicious link or file," TAG said. The threat actor is also known to employ the browser-in-the-browser (BitB) technique to render rogue login pages inside an actual window to steal credentials. What's more, the phishing messages have posed as Google account security alerts to activate the infection, with the adversarial collective hosting malware payloads like BabyShark on Google Drive in the form of blank files or ISO optical disc images. UPCOMING WEBINAR Zero Trust + Deception: Learn How to Outsmart Attackers! Discover how Deception can detect advanced threats, stop lateral movement, and enhance your Zero Trust strategy. Join our insightful webinar! Save My Seat! Another notable technique adopted by ARCHIPELAGO is the use of fraudulent Google Chrome extensions to harvest sensitive data, as evidenced in prior campaigns dubbed Stolen Pencil and SharpTongue. The development comes as AhnLab Security Emergency Response Center (ASEC) detailed Kimsuky's use of Alternate Data Stream (ADS) and weaponized Microsoft Word files to deliver info-stealer malware. Northwest Public Schools did not redact student identifying information in responding to a public records request by the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska, according to the ACLU, which could be a violation of a federal student privacy law. The ACLU of Nebraska, Nebraska High School Press Association and former Northwest student Marcus Pennell are suing the district for alleged free speech violations related to the school's newspaper, the Viking Saga. Because the information wasnt already redacted, ACLU of Nebraska hid identifying student information before releasing the documents to the public, said ACLU of Nebraska attorney Jane Seu. Pennell and NHSPA's lawsuit stems in part from Northwest Public Schools administrators reprimanding students in April 2022 from using their preferred pronouns in the high school's student newspaper. Amelia Vance, an expert in child and student privacy, said leaving identifying student information in public records is absolutely a FERPA violation. Vance is the President of the Public Interest Privacy Center. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. It applies to all schools receiving funds under an applicable U.S. Department of Education program. Under FERPA, school districts may release directory information. The sort of information that would be in a directory like email addresses, etc., Vance said. FERPA is the primary federal law that governs student privacy. Essentially, it says that schools shouldn't be disclosing information without consent, or very strict requirements, and that parents and students should be able to access the information about them. Schools are required to tell parents and eligible students about directory information and allow them a reasonable amount of time before disclosure to request that the school not release directory information about them, according to the U.S. Department of Education. There is some limited information that schools are allowed to disclose without consent, but it's something that parents and students have the right to opt out of, Vance said. Some records kept by schools including disciplinary measures conducted by the district and special services rendered are not considered directory information. When you have directory information that's combined with non-directory information like LGBTQ status it isn't considered directory information anymore," she said. For example, a school cannot provide a list of who is LGBTQ at the school to an unauthorized party. Protected information can be accessed by specific school officials, including teachers and administrators. You're turning over information that is protected under FERPA that allows for disclosure of sensitive information, Vance said. Unfortunately, a lot of districts don't necessarily understand what their obligations are and the harm this sort of information (can cause when) disclosed. Vance said the circumstances surrounding ACLU of Nebraskas public records request compound the issue. Among the documents the ACLU of Nebraska received was an email to Northwest School Board member Dan Leiser from a student identifying themself in the email as someone who is a part of the LGBTQIA+ youth. Also included was a March 24, 2022, email from then-Northwest newspaper journalism adviser Kirsten Gilliland to then-Northwest Public High School Principal Tim Krupicka concerning students using preferred names in their bylines. She included the names of other students, pointing out to Krupicka she was unsure what pronouns some of those students used. Particularly right now, with the climate around anti trans initiatives and (anti LGBTQ) having your sexual orientation potentially shared with unknown parties, potentially something that could be posted online, or made available to people you don't know about, is really concerning, Vance said. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that youth mental health has continued to worsen more than 1 in 5 (22%) (LGBTQ youth) attempted suicide in (2021). The analyzed data and trends come from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The ACLU of Nebraska is not currently following up on the alleged FERPA violations, said Seu. "To be honest, that's not something we're looking at," Seu said. "We're really focused on the on the constitutional claims." After obtaining the records from Northwest, ACLU of Nebraska redacted the students names and other identifying information before releasing them as part of their announcement about the lawsuit. We need to make sure that the laws that are on the books are enforced, and that people trust that the laws in place will protect them and their child, Vance said. An investigation into a suspected FERPA violation can be initiated by a parent or guardian complaint, Vance said. Districts can lose certain federal funding for FERPA violations, but Vance said she is not aware of a case reaching that point. An Aug. 29, 2022, email from Northwest Superintendent Jeff Edwards to an attorney is included in ACLU of Nebraska's public records, which references ACLU of Nebraska's public records request. Vance said that attorney was not necessarily responsible for redactions, and responsibility can depend on a district's available resources. Vance added, "There is very clear guidance on disclosure, avoidance and identification from the Department of Education on their student privacy webpage. And so it really is unacceptable." Attempts to reach the attorney and Edwards Wednesday were not successful. American Airlines will continue to provide air service to Central Nebraska Regional Airport for at least two more years. The Department of Transportation has approved American to provide essential air service at the Grand Island airport from July 1 of this year through June 30, 2025. Service includes 12 nonstop round trips per week from Grand Island to Dallas/Fort Worth, using a 65-seat CRJ-700 regional jet aircraft. "Since American started here in 2011, this flight has serviced over 626,443 passengers. We want to thank American Airlines for their commitment, and the DOT for their continued support of our airport," Airport Director Mike Olson said in a statement. American will provide passengers' connectivity and access to the national air transportation system, via its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, where 750 to 900 daily departures serve 225 nonstop destinations. Americans membership in the Oneworld alliance provides access to more than 1,000 destinations in 159 countries. Grand Island offers twice daily air service on American to Dallas/Fort Worth and twice-weekly air service on Allegiant to Phoenix-Mesa and Las Vegas. A Denver Mattress Co. store is under construction at 2343 Diers Ave., in front of the north Walmart. Construction is slated to finish in September, says marketing director John Knippenberg. The foundations have been poured and construction will begin April 17. The store will be owned by the company, which is based in Denver. The company has a state-of-the-art factory in Denver, "where we produce a variety of Denver Mattress brand mattresses," Knippenberg wrote in an email to The Independent. The company also sells other mattresses, such as Tempur-Pedic, Sealy, Stearns & Foster, Purple, Nectar and Aireloom. The Grand Island store will be between Active Family Chiropractic and Discount Tire. Denver Mattress is owned by Furniture Row. That company also owns three other home furnishing and bedding retailers Sofa Mart, Oak Express and Bedroom Expressions. The company's origins date back to 1972 in Colorado. Owners Barney Visser and Warren Collier started with the Pillow Shoppe in 1972, followed by the first Pillow Kingdom in 1974 and Bug Sur Waterbeds in 1977. The first Denver Mattress store open in 1995. Furniture Row has more than 330 stores in 31 states. I have houseguests today, my second cousin Elizabeth Rose and her husband Eric Devine. Elizabeth Rose was also the name of the previous head of Clan Rose in the Scottish Highlands; my cousin also has a lot of Slavic heritage from her mother's side. She's an accomplished artist, a printmaker, who was recently away for a year in Poland on a Fulbright Fellowship. Eric used to be a wildlands firefighter, the guys who battle the huge forest fires in the American West. Now, after a sojourn in nursing school, he is a traveling R.N. who works in neurology. He's under contract in St. Louis, where they have to live in temporary arrangements. They sometimes stop and see me on their trips between St. L. and the huge wilderness areas of New York State where they like to hike and camp. This trip it was the Catskills. (Here's a map showing the Adirondacks [upper] and Catskills Parks in green.) So I will make today's post short. -Ish. Andreas wrote, yesterday: "Maybe, if you could tell us about things right out of your head it would be easier. :-) E.g., tell me how to sort through say 5001,000 shots from a holiday and find the very few to keep." Mike replies: Okay, that's pretty straightforward. Start by defining a preliminary number goal. 16 for a memento, 1520 for a set, 2030 for a show, 6080 for a bookbut remain flexible, because the work itself will help set the number the edited set "wants" to be. From there, here are two ways to go: The Culling Method Start with a rough edit meant to get rid of the chaff and filler. Obvious mistakes; anonymous postcard attempts; the useless detail shots that everybody thinks are artistic but that say absolutely nothing; near misses for which you had hopes when you were behind the camera but that really didn't quite work. Don't bother being heartless at firstanything that pulls on your affections, it's okay to keep for now. Get rid of what you can. Wait a few days. Physically separate the pictures, or separate them virtually into different folders or whatever. Take a second pass. First, look through the rejects and see if anything precious needs "saving." Then discard or set aside the rejects and don't look at them again. Then return to the remaining pictures and make another culling pass, getting rid of what you can. Once you're down to 50150, depending on your final goal, sequence them. This can be imperfect, but think of the flow, of variety from one to the next, of peaks and valleysa simple sequencing strategy is to open with several strong pictures, end with several strong pictures, and have a strong handful in the middle, then build the connections of quieter or weaker shots in between. If the shooting is from a trip, then chronological sequencing might make sense, but don't be rigidclusters of pictures from the same location but out of order, or something else, might work better. Remember that in sequencing, visual flow is just as good a principle as intellectual flow. Make sure the pictures look good next to their neighbors. Then look at the story you're telling. Are there repetitions? Maybe you got six nice shots of a group of local kids, but you only need one. Make choices there; keep one but get rid of redundant shots. Are there imbalances? Too many shots of the beach you liked but not enough of the mountain hike? Or whatever? Get the different motifs into balance a bit. Experiment with taking certain shots outis there loss, or does the omission not matter? Eliminate distractions from the overall theme. Does a picture that you like for an unrelated reason really contribute to the overall presentation? Get rid of what you can. Don't forget that there will be a lot of good (i.e., sharp, well-exposed, well-composed) shots that you just don't need. Gradually, working in stages, allowing pauses for contemplation and for your choices to "soak in," successive rounds of culling will get you down to your number. The Big Hits Method This basically comes from the other direction. Look through all your pictures and note the few that you think are the very absolute bestthe ones that hit on all cylinders for you, the ones you're completely proud of, the ones that are unambiguous "yesses" with no reservations. Make a couple of passes through the work noting those pictures in your mind. After doing this two or three times over at least a couple of hours and maybe a day or two, set those pictures apart. Don't worry about how many there are. Then the trick is to just keep adding more pictures that you think support your hits as best as possible. Again, sequencing helps. Which of the hits need to be near each other and which further apart? Which need some quieter, more ordinary shots surrounding them to highlight their qualities? Experiment with finding other pictures that improve the flow from one of you hits to another. Bonus Obviously there are a lot of variations in these strategies, based on your goals, the nature of the project, the end use and the audience you envision, and how strict you feel like being with yourself. But a big bonus of doing this, one that is not to be undervalued, is that the process you go through in editing will start to help you when you shoot. You'll become more conscious of the kinds of shots you're going to need when you get to the editing stage. You'll find yourself looking at a detail shot and what will come to mind is the fact that you never need shots like that when you edit; so you just won't take that shot. The feedback loop continually improves your understanding of your shooting. It's better to demonstrate this than just to talk about it, and there are a great many ways to edit, but this gives you a couple of basic tried-and-true strategies. Mike Original contents copyright 2023 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. (To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below or on the title of this post.) Featured Comments from: CARBONDALE The Illinois Small Business Development Center at Southern Illinois University Carbondale is hosting a celebration on April 6 showcasing and honoring new area businesses the center has assisted, and everyone is invited to attend. Representatives from nine businesses that recently completed the 10-week Launch That Business fast-track training program, and the free event recognizing them will be from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, 1740 Innovation Drive in Carbondale. Light refreshments will be served and some of the graduates will have exhibits highlighting their businesses. Helping small businesses The Launch That Business program is designed specifically to assist home-based or small business entities get their business concepts on track, offering entrepreneurs practical steps for registering their enterprises as legal entities and giving them simple tips and tools to maintain their businesses. Micro businesses, those with one to 10 employees, add to our economy. While many of their owners do not often have a business background, they start with a passion, said Yemisi Anderson, small business adviser and Launch That Business program coordinator. A lack of training or education can sometimes be a hindrance to their growth. As I work with business owners, I find some dont have the proper paperwork in place, or they just dont know what they need to do or how to do it. This program, which requires commitment, is designed to bridge that gap and help entrepreneurs launch and thrive. Anderson said not all candidates complete the rigorous program, but this year, the graduating class has nearly doubled in size. Each graduate will receive a certificate and participate in a ribbon cutting during the April ceremony. The event will feature a showcase area where those in attendance can view exhibits highlighting the products and services the graduates offer. They have worked hard, and now it is time to celebrate them, Anderson said. They are excited to share their passions with the public. Anderson noted that the graduates include several service-based businesses, including SI Pressure Washing, an Anna business whose owner is an alumnus of the Union County CEO program and K2 Academy, which offers a hands-on community approach to take learning to the next level. Graduates also include Proper Pour, a mobile bar for special events; MRC Enterprise, which performs quality renovations; and Kirk and Company, which sells skin care products made with goats milk and other simple ingredients. More about the program The Launch That Business program debuted in 2022, and due to its popularity, another session will be offered this fall by the SBDC. To learn more about the program or the Launch That Business ceremony, contact Anderson at yemisi.anderson@siu.edu or 618-536-2424. SIUs SBDC program offers a wide range of services to help entrepreneurs and small business owners start, manage and grow their businesses. For more information about the center, or the many services it provides, visit sbdc.siu.edu, call 618-536-2424 or email sbdc@siu.edu. The Illinois SBDC at SIU is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (IDCEO) and SIU. Film and television star and Southern Illinois University Carbondale alumnus Bob Odenkirks return to Carbondale culminated Monday with a personal graduation ceremony where he received two diplomas. First, Odenkirk was presented a diploma for his undergraduate work, which he completed in 1984. I did not attend graduation; I was eager to get into show business, he recalled. In fact, Odenkirk left the university three credits short of meeting the requirements for a bachelors degree... He ended up completing those hours at Columbia College, those hours transferred back to SIU, and he completed his degree in 1984. However, he had never been officially handed his diploma until Monday evening, explained Anna Twomey of the SIU Alumni Association. Odenkirk also received an honorary doctorate from the university, just minutes after the presentation of his baccalaureate diploma. With formalities completed, he spent the next 60 minutes talking about the honor, his career and answering selected questions from about 2,000 current students, local residents and fans of his work which includes movies, TV writing (including skits for Saturday Night Live), stand-up comedy and television series. That was wild. Its a little bit much and it means a lot, Odenkirk said of the degree presentations at the Banterra Center. The ceremony and recognition capped off the days full schedule. Earlier on Monday, the City of Carbondale proclaimed it Bob Odenkirk Day and gave the actor a ceremonial key to the city. He also spoke to students in several SIU classes and was presented the only remaining microphone flag from WIDB, the campus radio station where Odenkirk hosted a comedy show as an undergraduate. This place was a place for me to find myself, which I think college is all about. I felt the opportunity to try things here. SIU Chancellor Austin Lane complimented Odenkirk on his frequent promotion of the university during television interviews and public appearances. During the evening, Odenkirk shared information about his career successes, failures and stories of persistence. It was those lessons that fan and SIU alumna Carlyn Zimmerman said she will take back to her students at Carterville High School. I teach a theater class and Im going to talk with my students about his strategy of writing jokes every day; just the discipline and how you have to have output and discipline yourself, she said. The other thing that I really loved in his presentation was his talk of how we all have highs and lows in our careers and its about moving forward and keep creating. Close The very first concert in the SIU Arena (now Banterra Center) was part of SIU Homecoming celebrations in October 1964 and featured the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Simon and Garfunkel performed at the SIU Arena in 1969. A 1971 performance at the SIU Arena featured Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, The Statler Brothers and Carl Perkins. Rock Supergroup Chicago appeared at the SIU Arena in 1971. Grateful Dead appeared at the SIU Arena in 1979 A 1974 SIU Arena concert featured pop duo Sonny and Cher. The "King of Rock and Roll" performed in front of a sold-out audience at the SIU Arena on Oct. 27, 1976. ZZ Top in concert at SIU Arena, 1980 Country superstar Garth Brooks sold out three concerts at the SIU Arena in October 1996. Elton John performed at the then-named SIU Arena in 1999. Rock group KISS has performed at the Banterra Center at SIU twice, including this performance in 2000. James Taylor performed at the Banterra Center (then SIU Arena) in 2002. The SIU Arena welcomed performers The Blue Man Group in 2007. Kenny Rogers performed at the SIU Arena in 2011. PHOTOS | A look back at past performances in the SIU Arena/Banterra Center The very first concert in the SIU Arena (now Banterra Center) was part of SIU Homecoming celebrations in October 1964 and featured the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Simon and Garfunkel performed at the SIU Arena in 1969. A 1971 performance at the SIU Arena featured Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, The Statler Brothers and Carl Perkins. Rock Supergroup Chicago appeared at the SIU Arena in 1971. Grateful Dead appeared at the SIU Arena in 1979 A 1974 SIU Arena concert featured pop duo Sonny and Cher. The "King of Rock and Roll" performed in front of a sold-out audience at the SIU Arena on Oct. 27, 1976. ZZ Top in concert at SIU Arena, 1980 Country superstar Garth Brooks sold out three concerts at the SIU Arena in October 1996. Elton John performed at the then-named SIU Arena in 1999. Rock group KISS has performed at the Banterra Center at SIU twice, including this performance in 2000. James Taylor performed at the Banterra Center (then SIU Arena) in 2002. The SIU Arena welcomed performers The Blue Man Group in 2007. Kenny Rogers performed at the SIU Arena in 2011. Following decades of service to others, Irene Westbooks McCollom was laid to rest on Monday following her funeral at New Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Orangeburg. Those who spoke at her funeral talked about her devotion to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., particularly to the Beta Zeta Omega Chapter in Orangeburg. We looked to her for guidance and direction, said Barbara Elliott Kirkland, president of the Beta Zeta Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. In spite of her refined social graces, she had a veneer of toughness, but she was full of love and compassion, Kirkland said. We hope your new heavenly home is so astonishingly beautiful that you will be there in a pink house that has an address that might be something like 1908 Ivy Boulevard. Where the streets are paved with silver, gold, pearls, emeralds and diamonds. And you will find yourself right at home, Kirkland said, describing a heavenly home adorned with Alpha Kappa Alpha themes. McCollom died Tuesday, March 28. She was 89. Everything she did was to glorify and honor God, said Sylvia B. Robinson, president of United Women in Faith at Trinity United Methodist Church in Orangeburg. Robinson said McCollom was a very active and loyal member of the church. Robinson said McCollom diligently served as a collection steward, chaired the childrens learning center and faithfully attended Sunday morning services and Sunday school. She noted that McCollom enjoyed going to spiritual growth retreats of the United Methodist Church at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina. Robinson said if she had two choose two words to describe McCollom, those words would be: faithful and generous. McCollom is also remembered for her contributions to local education. She was the first African American woman to be elected president of the South Carolina Elementary and Middle School Principals Association. Then-Governor James Hodges appointed McCollom to the Low Country Citizens Advisory Committee for the South Carolina Judicial Merit Selection Commission. She was a 1954 graduate of Allen University and moved to Orangeburg thereafter where she embarked a 35-year career in education. She earned her masters of education degree in school administration from what was then known as South Carolina State College in 1975. McCollom taught English at Wilkinson High School in Orangeburg and G.W. Carver High School in Cordova. She also taught at Whittaker and Marshall elementary schools. In 1975, she was named principal at Mellichamp Elementary and retired in 1988 as principal of Nix Elementary. Her commitment to local education continued even in her retirement. She established and directed the first Artistically Gifted and Talented Consortium program for students in Orangeburg and Calhoun counties. Karyn A. Moss, an Orangeburg County School District teacher, spoke about the Orangeburg-Calhoun Summer Arts Consortium and her years of knowing McCollom. Moss and McColloms only child, Janice, were in the first grade together. Moss said that when she was a child, she didnt think of McCollom as a warm and fuzzy person. But that changed when McCollom selected her to help with the first summer arts consortium. Moss recalled when McCollom introduced her to a room full of Orangeburgs best artists, she described her as growing up with Janice. She then said, Karyn is like my other daughter. She inspired me to be the best, Moss said. She led with a firm hand and a heart of gold, she added. You left a huge footprint in this community, this state and beyond, Moss said. You will be greatly missed. I love you, Mom, Moss added. Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler called McCollom a trailblazer. An S.C. House of Representatives resolution was read in her honor as well as one on behalf of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Ministers who participated in McColloms funeral include: the Rev. Dr. Eddie C. Williams, pastor, Trinity United Methodist Church; the Rev. Larry D. McCutcheon; the Rev. Mack C. McClam and the Rev. William Smith. Musical selections included That Name, Help Somebody, May the Work I Do Speak for Me, It is Well, Stand and Soon and Very Soon. Innovative Poultry Products, a manufacturer of poultry farming equipment, announced plans Wednesday to expand its operations in Bamberg County. The companys $2.86 million investment will create 30 new jobs over the next five years. We at Innovative Poultry Products are looking forward to bringing this new plant online here in Bamberg County. It is a special opportunity to be able to build a state-of-the-art agricultural manufacturing facility in one of the most rural areas of South Carolina, Innovative Poultry Products President Chad Brubaker said in a release. We look forward to continuing to serve our country's farming communities from our own local community, he said. Founded in 2015, Innovative Poultry Products provides tools to help poultry farmers work more efficiently. Innovative Poultry Products plans to build a new facility, including offices, to manufacture machines for the poultry industry. The new facility, located with its existing operations at 2192 Juniper Creek Road in Olar, will allow the company to produce poultry equipment in-house that previously has been outsourced. The expansion is expected to be complete by February 2024. South Carolina has a large portfolio of leading manufacturing companies, and we are proud that we have added Innovative Poultry Products to that roster. We congratulate Innovative Poultry Products on their investment that will continue the growth of our dynamic manufacturing industry, S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster said. S.C. Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers said, This expansion shows that South Carolina offers a great business environment for agribusinesses to prosper and grow. Were proud of the way Innovative Poultry Products serves farmers in South Carolina and beyond and look forward to supporting them. Individuals interested in joining the Innovative Poultry Products team should visit the companys contact page. Chinese vice president meets Indonesian coordinating minister Xinhua) 11:21, April 05, 2023 Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with Indonesia's Coordinator for Cooperation with China and Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan in Beijing, capital of China, April 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Tao) BEIJING, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on Tuesday met with Indonesia's Coordinator for Cooperation with China and Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. Noting this year marks the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the China-Indonesia comprehensive strategic partnership, Han said China is ready to take this opportunity to strengthen strategic synergy with Indonesia, set a fine example of high-quality development cooperation and establish a model for a community with a shared future, as well as bring more benefits to the two peoples. Han said China supports the work of Indonesia as the incumbent of the rotating presidency of ASEAN, and is actively pushing for more fruitful results from the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and ASEAN. Luhut thanked China for its selfless assistance to Indonesia in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, which fully reflected the spirit of building a community with a shared future between the two countries. Indonesia attaches great importance to its relations with China and is willing to deepen Belt and Road Initiative cooperation with China to push bilateral relations to a new level, Luhut added. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) Hyundai Motor Group Chief Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke, right, poses for a picture while receiving the Disruptor Designer of the Year award at the Newsweek World's Greatest Auto Disruptors awards ceremony at One World Trade Center in New York, Tuesday. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group By Kim Jae-heun Hyundai Motor Group Chief Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke, has received the Disruptor Designer of the Year award at the Newsweek World's Greatest Auto Disruptors 2023 award ceremony, a company official said on Wednesday. Luc Donckerwolke won the award for his industry-leading vision overseeing Hyundai Motor Group's extensive portfolio of automotive brands namely Hyundai, Kia and Genesis and the transition to mobility, urban air travel and robotics. "Is there anything better than to receive such prestigious recognition for doing what you love to do?" Donckerwolke said while accepting his award at the ceremony at One World Trade Center in New York, on Tuesday, where this year's honorees were celebrated for their distinguished contributions. "I feel honored and privileged to been acknowledged as a Newsweek disruptor," Donckerwolke added. "I strive to inspire, innovate, disrupt and challenge the status quo. This is only made possible by the trust of our board members and the hard work from my incredibly talented team and their leaders." He was lauded for instigating creative and idea-pushing designs, as well as for his work utilizing concept cars in traditional ways (albeit with untraditional designs) to preview the future of the brands, while other companies have seemingly left the practice behind. The awards program highlights agents of change in the automotive industry across nine categories. To be considered, candidates had to be employing vision in a way that is driving fundamental, transformative change in the automotive market. Last year, at the World's Greatest Auto Disruptors inaugural event, Hyundai Motor Group's Executive Chair Chung Euisun was recognized as Visionary of the Year. The program continues to award and recognize leaders in the automotive industry who are pushing the boundaries of innovation. Newsweek also recognized the marketing activities of Genesis House New York, a flagship luxury lifestyle destination under the Hyundai Motor Group brand, as Disruptor Marketing of the Year. Hyundai Motor Group is a global enterprise that has created a value chain based on mobility, steel, and construction, as well as logistics, finance, IT and services. With about 250,000 employees worldwide, the Group's mobility brands include Hyundai, Kia and Genesis. (TBTCO) - Thuc hien Luat Quan ly thue so 38, Nghi inh so 123/2020/N-CP cua Chinh phu va Thong tu so 78/2021/TT-BTC cua Bo Tai chinh, Cuc Thue TP. Ha Noi a trien khai ap dung hoa on ien tu oi voi cac doanh nghiep, to chuc, ho kinh doanh theo phuong thuc ke khai. e chong that thu thue, Cuc Thue TP. Ha Noi a yeu cau cac on vi lien quan quan ly chat che viec phat hanh va su dung hoa on tren ia ban. Dr. Lucy Rorke-Adams, who dedicated her remarkable, 58-year medical career to advancing science to improve the lives of children, will be the speaker at Rowan Universitys 98th Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 6, at 10 a.m. at Richard Wackar Stadium on the Main Campus in Glassboro. A trailblazing pediatric neuropathologist who is an international expert on pediatric brain tumors and shaken baby syndrome, Rorke-Adams spent five decades at The Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, where she served as acting chair of pathology. Recognized internationally for her research on the study of diseases of the brain, spinal cord and nerves in children, Rorke-Adams was a clinical professor of pathology, pediatrics and neurology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2010, CHOP established a faculty chair in pediatric neuropathology in her honor. The first and only female president of Philadelphia General Hospital in the hospitals 188-year history, Rorke-Adams also was president of the medical staff at CHOP in 1986 while the hospital searched for a new president. In 2021, Rorke-Adams donated samples of Albert Einsteins brain to The Mutter Museum of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia. She was one of a select few to become a trusted keeper of the brain tissue, which was acquired by the medical examiner conducting Einsteins autopsy. The daughter of Armenian immigrants, Rorke-Adams earned her bachelors, masters and medical degrees from the University of Minnesota. About Commencement The University-wide Commencement celebration, which brings together graduates at degree levels across all schools and colleges, will include the conferral of degrees, as well as messages from Rorke-Adams and Rowan President Ali A. Houshmand. The ceremony kicks off Commencement Week, during which the University will host 13 ceremonies for its schools and colleges over four days, Monday, May 8, to Thursday, May 11. During those ceremonies, which will be held on the University Green, graduates will process across the stage to accept their diploma covers. The University expects to host 30,000 guests on campus througout Commencement Week. Altogether, over 5,800 studentsincluding more than 4,500 undergraduates, 950 graduate students and 300 medical school studentswill complete their degrees at Rowan this spring. Publishing the results of her work this week in the journal Nature Scientific Reports, Mackenzie Weaver achieved a rare collegiate milestone, especially for an undergraduate. Weaver, a senior Environmental Science major in the School of Earth & Environment (SEE), published her two-year study on the changing nature of tropical cyclones. The study shows how, in the latter part of the 21st century, the storms are likely to form closer to the southeastern U.S. coast than they have historically, increasing the potential to cause damage as they move up the eastern seaboard. The findings warn that, should human-made carbon and other emissions (which act as heat-trapping gases in our atmosphere) remain high, the changing nature of tropical cyclones hurricanes will be more likely to affect states with major population centers along the East Coast. Weaver, who prior to publishing the study presented her findings at Decembers American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting in Chicago, said a major fallout of the predicted weather patterns is that, because storms may form closer to the East Coast as opposed to farther west in the tropics or closer to Africa, there would be less warning time for governments and residents to prepare for landfall. One problem is that the Eastern U.S. has coastal communities that are not accustomed to storms of that kind happening , Weaver said. When storms form further east there are more days to prepare. Weaver published her work with co-author Dr. Andra Garner, an assistant professor of Environmental Science. The study is based on some 37,000 computer-modelled tropical cyclones from pre-industrial times through the end of this century. Our work takes large-scale climate models that tell us about general atmospheric conditions and uses that information to create simulated hurricanes, so we can see how storms behave in different climates, Garner said. As part of the study, Weaver and Garner used hurricane data sets provided by Dr. Kerry Emanuel, a prominent meteorologist and climate scientist at MIT. The resulting article, Varying genesis and landfall locations for North Atlantic tropical cyclones in a warmer climate, published April 4. Weaver said her work began during lockdown in 2021, processing historic and computer-modelled hurricane data on her laptop from home. Entering her final semester with a 3.9 GPA, Weaver heads to the University of Pennsylvania after graduation to pursue a Ph.D. in Earth and Environmental Science. Though she hasnt yet identified her exact career path, Weaver sees a future in risk management where her work may help prevent loss of life and property. As for her first published scientific paper, Weaver is thrilled for her accomplishment but said the findings are troubling, especially if greenhouse gas-trapping emissions continue to rise. The findings are based on the assumption of a higher emissions future, she said. What makes them worrisome is that if hurricanes are forming so close there will be decreased warning time, and thats one of the hardest things to adapt to. Delegates from the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) experience an urban air mobility (UAM) simulation at a convention center in Busan, April 5, during the BIE's Enquiry Mission to assess the southeastern city's suitability as a host for World Expo 2030. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul A push to transform whats left of the coal industry into a new source of prosperity is gathering steam in Wyoming. Since the state took over as the countrys top coal producer in the 1980s, companies have invested considerable money not only in its mines and power plants, but in everything else needed to keep operations humming along like power lines, railroad tracks, outbuildings and machinery. Finding ways to reuse Wyomings existing coal assets could save hundreds of millions of dollars for the emerging industries trying to gain a foothold here, according to a more than 600-page inventory of the states coal sites sponsored by The Nature Conservancy. The report, published on Monday, was authored by Gillette-based engineering consultant Waypoints Wyoming LLC, a company founded by Campbell County Commissioner Jim Ford. It identified 12 power plants and 24 mines across the state with the potential to be adapted to new industries. If you look at the trends in the nation, these sites are closing. Its going to take 20 to 30 years for some of them, but thats in process, said Justin Loyka, energy programs manager for The Nature Conservancy in Wyoming. The states first wave of major coal mine closures is on track to arrive in 2031, beginning with the Black Thunder and Belle Ayr mines currently the second- and fourth-most productive coal mines in the country along with the smaller Kemmerer Mine, the report estimated. Meanwhile, Rocky Mountain Power, Wyomings largest electric utility, intends to retire or convert all but two of its 11 remaining Wyoming coal units within the decade. We should look to take advantage for our economy and our communities where we can, Loyka said. And this is an area that offers a clear opportunity. Coals downward spiral over the last decade has been a tough reality for Wyoming to face. At the industrys peak, it funneled roughly $1 billion per year into the state economy. These days, it still generates hundreds of millions of dollars per year. But with the U.S. electricity sector moving rapidly away from coal, even the industrys biggest supporters are bracing for its continued decline. The transmission infrastructure at Wyoming coal plants slated for retirement has drawn a lot of attention over the last few years, especially from the advanced nuclear industry. TerraPower, the Bill Gates-fronted nuclear developer planning to build a demonstration reactor at Kemmerers Naughton Power Plant, is leading the charge. It plans to release results from an ongoing study of the nuclear potential at other Rocky Mountain Power coal plants by the end of this year. Our research so far has revealed that the most valuable connection is the connection to the grid: the transmission connection and the substation, said Christine King, director of a nuclear innovation program at the Idaho National Laboratory, during a media event Tuesday. Its clear, she added, that retiring coal plants have plenty more to offer to nuclear developers including the coal plants themselves. TerraPower intends to build an entirely new electricity generation facility near Naughton. But you might envision, in the future, being able to directly connect to the steam cycle of some of our existing stations, King said. Meanwhile, theres interest throughout Wyoming, including among lawmakers, in breathing new life into other coal assets that would otherwise be abandoned or destroyed, Loyka said. What the state lacked was an understanding of what, exactly, it had to work with and who most stood to benefit. These sites are very well-suited to a large number of the activities that Wyoming is trying to bring in, Loyka said. This infrastructure is of very high value to new projects, he added, and if we can figure out a way to help folks navigate that we have a chance to attract new projects to Wyoming. Theres another benefit to finding ways to use sites that have already been disturbed, too, Loyka said: It keeps new development out of intact wildlife habitat. Were not looking to close down industries, were looking to bring in things that Wyoming is already pursuing, he said, and find this rare win-win-win situation for communities, state revenue and wildlife. Photos: Kemmerer, the possible future site of a nuclear plant Kemmerer Kemmerer Kemmerer Kemmerer Kemmerer Kemmerer Kemmerer Kemmerer CHEYENNE (WNE) Senate Western Caucus Chair Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., led 17 of her colleagues in introducing a Congressional Review Act resolution to retain the regulatory definition of habitat within the Endangered Species Act. There is an important distinction between habitat and critical habitat for an endangered species, Lummis said in a caucus news release. By scrapping the definition of habitat within the ESA, the Biden administration is causing chaos and confusion among private property owners throughout Wyoming and the West. A critical habitat designation has major impacts on landowners, as it reduces the value of any private property within a designation because prospective landowners recognize the burdens that accompany a designation. The following species found in Wyoming are currently listed as endangered: grizzly bear, whooping crane, black-footed ferret, gray wolf, yellow-billed cuckoo, Wyoming toad, northern long-eared bat, Kendall warm springs dace, Prebles meadow jumping mouse, Canada lynx, blowout penstemon, Colorado butterfly plant, desert yellowhead and Ute ladies-tresses. Trinidad and Tobago should expect more visitors to the islands in the 2024 cruise season, according to Tourism Minister Randall Mitchell. He explained that for the past six months, the Ministry of Tourism, along with Tourism Trinidad Ltd (TTL), has been increasing its marketing reach and putting action plans in place to increase arrivals. 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. A Freeport family is grieving after one of their loved ones became the countrys latest road LEGAL BATTLE: Former US president Donald Trump, centre, sits at the defence table with his legal team in a Manhattan court in New York, USA, yesterday. Photo: AP The website of online collective intelligence platform WAVE / Screen capture from WAVE By Lee Min-hyung The nation's southeastern port city of Busan has pledged to raise global awareness of WAVE a collective intelligence platform in an aggressive bid to host the World Expo 2030. WAVE was established by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), with a view to helping resolve the challenges facing humanity such as climate change and education. People here and abroad can raise their voices on such crucial issues online via WAVE. Anyone can exchange their creative ideas and present solutions to solving global issues through the collective intelligence platform. The number of migrants coming through Pima County could increase dramatically and overwhelm existing local services without significant federal support, due to the planned lifting of public health policy Title 42 in May, says a memo Tuesday to the Board of Supervisors. Title 42 was enacted at the beginning of the pandemic, and allows the federal government to immediately expel some migrants from the country. In Arizona this fiscal year, more than 27% of the 221,400 migrant apprehensions at the border resulted in an immediate expulsion under Title 42. Throughout 2022, the average number of migrants coming through Pima County daily and using services ranged from 224 to 770. The Border Patrol estimates when Title 42 ends, the county could receive up to 1,200 to 1,500 people per day, which would overwhelm existing local capacity without significant federal support, says the memo from County Administrator Jan Lesher. Migrants who come into Pima County can receive services that include temporary respite, food, hygiene items, baby supplies, shower facilities, a change of clothes and help contacting family or sponsors and facilitating transportation arrangements to leave Tucson and get to sponsors elsewhere in the United States. The county also provides COVID-19 testing of all arriving migrants, medical support and isolation for those who test positive. Pima County has spent more than $23 million on migrant services since summer of 2019, which is being covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agencys Emergency Food and Shelter Program. A recent federal spending bill included about $800 million for the FEMA program to go nationwide to cities and jurisdictions providing migrant services. The county has received a grant award for April and June and will continue to seek additional funds. On May 11, the same day Title 42 is set to end, a new asylum rule is set to go into effect that would limit the number of asylum seekers allowed into the country. Its not clear if the migrant estimates for the county take that, or numerous other factors that could change with the end of Title 42, into account. Also on May 11, the federal government is ending the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, which could affect various community assets and partners, including hospitals losing the flexibility to expand capacity to respond to surges, the memo says. And if the federal government stops supplying COVID tests and other related supplies to states and counties after the emergency order ends, it would also increase the cost to provide those services. The details on migrant services were part of a broader item on the Pima County Board of Supervisors agenda Tuesday addressing policy modifications to end the last of the countys COVID regulations on May 11. Thursday, April 4, 1968 It was a Thursday evening performance, just a few days before Im Solomon was to close in Baltimore and head to Broadway. It had been, as always on a pre-Broadway tour, a long day rehearsals to make changes based on the previous nights performance and audience reactions, back to the hotel to rest, then back to the theater for our evening performance. When the curtain came down on Act I, the cast headed to our dressing rooms to rest and prepare for Act II. But that evening the entire cast was asked to come to the rehearsal room for a cast meeting, something highly unusual in the middle of a performance. One of the producers stepped forward and told us quietly that Martin Luther King Jr. had just been murdered in Memphis. Stunned silence for a moment, but the cries that followed were from our guts. Ours was an unusual cast for the 1960s very racially diverse. A large portion of our cast were African American, so the pain any cast would feel was amplified by the make-up of our family. After a moment, the producer spoke again to tell us that, after considerable thought, their team had decided we would finish the show. Now, you must remember, this was in 1968, long before cell phones and ubiquitous media access. Audience members would be in the theaters lounge having a drink, or on the sidewalk smoking a cigarette. They would not hear the news. We were told to go to our dressing rooms and get ready for Act II. The show must go on. That old Broadway adage became our reality at the Mechanic Theatre that evening. We were in shock, individually and collectively, but we were expected to touch up our make-up and get ready to sing and dance and smile and complete the show, happy ending and all. So, we did. The strain of that second act was palpable. Knowing glances between dancers. Songs taking on different meanings with the knowledge we held, but still unknown to the audience. With Your Hand in My Hand, an upbeat song of hope and love conquering all. A final reprise. Happy ending. Curtain. Applause. But instead of the curtain rising again to take our bows, the producer walked out from the wings to tell the audience what had happened. Gasps and cries from our audience people who had just been given a message of hope and love and togetherness. He gave them the few details that were known, thanked them for coming and asked them to drive home safely. That evening, I think Baltimore was in shock as much as we all were. Haunting quiet as we walked back to our hotel from the theater. I spent that night glued to the news. Friday, April 5th, 1968 There was some comfort in returning to our routine: rehearsals during the day to make adjustments based on last nights show. During breaks, painful conversations about what Martin had meant to each of us. His words and leadership so reassuring and visionary, giving hope that one day we would all reach that mountain top. For me, recollections of civil rights marches Id attended as a child, brought there by my parents. Confederate flags flying and other students jeering along the routes of civil rights marches in Bloomington, Indiana, when I was in college. My dear friend Altovise, who was Black, telling me that perhaps I should look for an apartment alone, since somehow every apartment we looked at in New York when we decided to become roommates was taken by the time we got there at 8 a.m. on a Sunday because of her race, an awareness that surprised me, but was part of her daily life. The show went on again. Saturday, April 6, 1968 Matinee: Unrest was beginning to stir in Baltimore. Police officers were everywhere. The waitress at the lunch counter we went to before the show somehow never coming to serve this mixed group of performers ready to order until we made a fuss. As I walked back to the hotel between shows with a couple of other dancers, I was frightened when two police officers, one with a K-9, started following us. Their conversation, clearly taking place for our benefit, was threatening. They didnt much like mixed groups. Fortunately, we were just a block from the hotel, so we were able to quickly duck into the lobby. Evening performance: Things were still relatively quiet in Baltimore when we arrived at the theater for the final performance of Im Solomon. We were all exhausted, both physically and emotionally. At intermission, we were once again summoned to the rehearsal room for a cast meeting. This time the show would not go on. Rioting was breaking out all over Baltimore, including neighborhoods not far from the theater. We were told to pack up our dressing rooms and get back to the hotel quickly, walking in groups. While we did that, the producer stepped out in front of the curtain as soon as the audience was seated for Act II and told them what hed told us. Riots were getting too close. Your ticket costs will be refunded. Please get to your cars quickly and drive home safely. Back at the hotel, I joined a friend for drinks at a bar there with a panoramic view of the city. We watched in horror as fires popped up spontaneously all over the city. Sunday, April 7, 1968 We boarded buses early Sunday morning for the ride back to New York City. The shockwaves and pain caused by Dr. Kings assassination were unavoidable as we drove through neighborhoods that looked like war zones. The homes and communities of the people Martin most wanted to lift up had been razed. The day Martin was killed remains etched in my heart. Im Solomon opened on Broadway a couple of weeks later but lasted only a few days. The memories remain part of my life. Javelina illegally shot State game officials are offering a reward of up to $500 for information leading to an arrest in connection with the shooting of a javelina in SaddleBrooke on the Tucson area's northwest side. The javelina was shot 17 times, apparently with a pellet gun, officials said. The animal was found Feb. 28 by a passerby in the 38000 block of South Loma Serena Drive. The javelina was taken for treatment to the Tucson Wildlife Center, where it later died. Poachers are criminals. They are thieves who steal wildlife from Arizona citizens, Regional Supervisor Raul Vega of Game & Fish in Tucson said in a news release Wednesday. The javelina surely suffered terribly from being shot multiple times. It was a cruel and inhumane act. Those with information about the case are asked to contact the Arizona Game & Fish Departments Operation Game Thief Hotline at 800-352-0700, anonymously if need be, and reference OGT#23-000405 when calling. The maximum penalties for illegal take of wildlife are four months in jail and a $750 fine. Civil penalties may also apply. The Cochise County Recorder, David Stevens, stopped his car near the post office in Hereford Friday and told a septuagenarian couple they couldnt collect signatures there. The tense confrontation wasnt the angriest weve seen in Arizonas tempestuous politics lately. But it was meaningful, a culmination of important events in a county that has become a bellwether for efforts to overturn the way Arizona carries out elections. And in my opinion, it shouldnt have happened, like a lot of things to do with elections in Cochise County lately. Stevens, you may know, is former legislator who has served as county recorder since 2016. He has also aligned himself with the two-member GOP majority of the board of supervisors responsible for such speculative election policies as: - attempting a 100-percent hand recount of the 2022 election, despite warnings it was illegal - contesting the accreditation of the tabulation machines used in the election after it was over - declining to certify the election until after the deadline, a likely violation of state law The pursuit of these policies led those two supervisors, Peggy Judd and Tom Crosby, to sue the countys then-election director Lisa Marra in November, which eventually caused her resignation in January over what she called intolerable working conditions. They also prompted a recall campaign against Crosby. With the election-director job being open, and a sales-tax election coming up in May, the county needed an elections director. So those two also went ahead and appointed Stevens interim elections director for the county, in late February. This gave rise to another lawsuit, by the Arizona Attorney Generals Office, trying to block Stevens new appointment. It was under those new auspices, as interim elections director, that Stevens stopped by the post office in Hereford Friday. He said he was responding to a complaint about the two volunteers, who were gathering signatures for the effort to recall Crosby from office. Someone called in with a complaint about them collecting signatures on federal property, Stevens told me Monday. Then I got a follow-up email referencing US Code. Im driving to work, I see them, and I stopped to talk to them, because Ive already done the research, he added. We show the property being all to the postal service. As recorder, Stevens has ready access to documents recorded about real estate. And when he met the couple, he told them they werent supposed to be on federal property. But of course, these people had not just carelessly stationed themselves near the post office. The recall campaign had checked with the postmaster, who told them that they could not be on the Post Office property, but that they could be on the adjacent property, said Eric Suchodolski, the chairman of the recall campaign. So the pair thought they had the right to be there, and they werent too happy about a Crosby-aligned officeholder trying to stop them from collecting signatures to recall Crosby. Why are you here? the man asked Stevens. Im the elections director, he said. I handle campaign complaints. But of course, it is not the county elections directors job to enforce federal law or policy about where petition-gathering can occur. Thats up to the federal government and its local officials. Thats outside his job description, said supervisor Ann English, the lone Democrat on the three-member board, who voted against Stevens appointment as interim elections director. Hes not an investigator. Stevens relented for a time, and the couple stayed on site. It turned out that despite Stevens earlier research, the property did not belong to the federal government, but rather a limited liability company. Later in the day, Stevens reached the owner of the company and got a letter from the owner asking that political activity not take place on his property. Suffice it to say this is not how these things are supposed to work. It looks especially bad when the official looking for reasons to expel signature-collectors from a property is also politically aligned with the officeholder theyre trying to recall. Stevens doesnt see it that way though. When I asked him about his political relationship with Crosby, he said, Were both he same party, but my role is to enforce the law. I would have done that regardless of who it was. Maybe so and Stevens is trying to hire his permanent replacement as elections director right now. But Stevens is part of a broader group of Republican officials trying to overturn the way elections are carried out in Arizona in response to claims of fraud by former Pres. Trump and all the conspiracy theories in Arizona that have rippled out from that claim. Hes an ally of former state representative and secretary of state candidate Mark Finchem, who has claimed for years that elections are rigged when Republicans lose. Stevens even serves on the board of an election-oriented group that Finchem founded. While Finchem tends to be hostile to anybody not an ally, though, Stevens tends toward affability. That Stevens is friendly a great quality should not, of course, serve as any reassurance that he wont step out of line given his expansive roles. The episode Friday was small but served as a reminder of the bigger dangers posed to the political process when people convinced of conspiracies, like Cochise Countys two-person board majority, take control of elections. State game officials are offering a reward of up to $500 for information leading to an arrest in connection with the "cruel and inhumane" shooting of a javelina in SaddleBrooke on the Tucson area's northwest side. The javelina was shot 17 times, apparently with a pellet gun, officials said. The animal was found Feb. 28 by a passerby in the 38000 block of South Loma Serena Drive. The javelina was taken for treatment to the Tucson Wildlife Center, where it later died. Poachers are criminals. They are thieves who steal wildlife from Arizona citizens, Regional Supervisor Raul Vega of Game and Fish in Tucson said in a news release Wednesday. The javelina surely suffered terribly from being shot multiple times. It was a cruel and inhumane act. Those with information about the case are asked to contact the Arizona Game and Fish Departments Operation Game Thief Hotline at 800-352-0700, "anonymously if need be", and reference OGT#23-000405 when calling. The maximum penalties for illegal take of wildlife are four months in jail and a $750 fine. Civil penalties may also apply. The Arizona Game and Fish Department has trust responsibility for managing more than 800 native wildlife species the most of any inland state, it says. Videos: Southern Arizona wildlife caught on camera Golf course coyotes howl at sunset in northwest Tucson Downtown Tucson got a rare visit from a wild coatimundi. Just an ordinary bike ride ... following a bear Bobcats play in Tucson backyard Watch now: Bear sightings reported around Pima County Watch now: Bobcats playing on an Oro Valley Golf Course Watch now: Mountain Lion strolls outside home in Tucson Foothills Watch Now: Trail cameras catch mountain lions at Tucson home. Watch now: Family of bears takes a stroll in southeastern Arizona Watch Now: Mountain lion roaming in the Coronado National Memorial Watch now: Ding, dong! Bobcat filmed by front door camera in Tucson Watch now: Bear captured in Sierra Vista neighborhood, released Watch now: A cool cat takes a cool nap in the Foothills Watch now: Young bear seen in NW Tucson captured and released Watch now: Bear spotted rummaging through trash can in Oro Valley Watch now: Bobcat's breakfast near Oro Valley Watch now: Breakfast with the deer on Tumamoc Watch now: Bobcat kitten plays with mother behind Tucson residence Watch now: Rescued porcupine released back into wild Watch now: Bobcat kittens play in a dry fountain Watch now: Bobcat stops by Tucson waterhole for an overnight drink Watch Now: Collared bobcat raises kittens in Tucson neighborhood Watch now: Javelina family takes an evening stroll in midtown Tucson Bobcat plays with its kitten in Tucson backyard Watch now: Mountain lion seen up-close on camera outside Tucson home Watch now: Bobcats in love in the Tucson area Watch Now: Family of deer eating breakfast on Tumamoc Hill Watch now: A hummingbird plays in the sprinkler Watch now: Breakfast time for the Quail family in the Tucson area Watch now: Frequent visitor to northwest Tucson home munches on meal worms Watch now: Playful lizards visit a Tucson back yard Watch now: Startled mountain lion at Loews Ventana Canyon Watch now: A true lounge lizard in Tucson Watch now: A spotted skunk threatens the worst at Saguaro National Park Watch now: Bobcat makes himself at home Watch now: Mountain lion outside a home in the Tucson Mountain foothills Watch now: Family of bobcats spotted in Foothills back yard Watch now: Backpackers intense standoff with mountain lion near Tucson Watch now: Javelina rescued from trash can in Foothills neighborhood Watch now: Owl takes a bath in trough on Tucson's northwest side Watch now: Coyote pups play in front yard near Tucson Estates Bighorn sheep scatter in Catalina Mountains during aerial survey Counting sheep: Arizona Game and Fish to survey bighorns near Tucson Watch now: Bears splish-splash at springs in Rincon Mountains east of Tucson Watch now: Bobcat vs. snake in Tucson yard Watch now: Bighorn sheep enjoy post-monsoon greenery near Tucson Watch now: Bear has a rub-a-dub in watering hole near Tucson Releasing bobcats for research Research project continues tracking Tucson's urban bobcats Watch Now: Bobcat Sadie and a friend drink from a backyard fountain. Watch now: Javelina mama and babies The University of Arizona has joined Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University in banning the use of TikTok on university-managed devices. The University of Arizona is already in full compliance with the Biden Administrations guidance and is working to block TikTok from university-owned personal computing devices, UA spokesperson Nick Prevenas said in an email Monday evening. The UA has not yet responded to questions about whether members of the campus community will be able to use campus WiFi networks to access the app on their personal devices. In late February, President Joe Biden issued an executive order giving federal agencies and contractors public universities fit into that description 30 days to remove the TikTok app from government-issued phones and other devices. The order comes amid rising concern among state and local lawmakers that TikTok, an app owned by Chinese company ByteDance which allows users to make and share short videos, could be used to leak data to the Chinese government or to push pro-China narratives. At a congressional hearing last month about those concerns, TikTok CEO Shou Chew said TikTok is headquartered in Los Angeles and Singapore and doesnt operate in mainland China. We are committed to be very transparent with our users about what we collect, Chew said at the hearing. I dont believe what we collect is more than most players in the industry. But with Bidens executive order in place, numerous public universities have moved forward with banning TikTok from university-owned devices, also including Florida State University, the University of Texas at Austin and Auburn University in Alabama. ASUs ban went into effect on Monday. According to a report from The Arizona Republic, members of the campus community, including students, will still be able to access TikTok via their personal devices. An ASU spokesperson also said the university is eliminating its main account on the app, @arizonastateuniversity, which could not be found as of Tuesday. At NAU in Flagstaff, its a similar story. While TikTok has been removed from all university devices, anyone is still free to use campus WiFi to access the app on their personal device. The University of Arizonas main TikTok account, @uarizona, which has 31,600 followers, was still live as of Tuesday afternoon, as were multiple other UA-branded accounts. Pima Community College has not taken a position on the use of TikTok on its campuses. We are closely watching legislative developments at both the state and federal levels, said Libby Howell, a PCC spokeswoman. But we feel that should TikTok be banned by either the Arizona Legislature or Congress, or by executive order, there are other social media that could easily take TikToks place. Children wave the flags of different countries in support of Busan's bid to host World Expo 2030 at Busan Station in the southeastern port city, Tuesday, as they welcome the Bureau International des Expositions delegation. High enthusiasm demonstrated during their inspection visit is hoped to make the Korean port city stand out from the competition, officials said Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul By Jung Min-ho Political leaders around the world would want to host a major international event such as a World Expo in their countries as part of their career portfolio. But the question is, would their people want it, too? Citizens of Busan have answered that question with demonstrable passion. Their city's bid to host the 2030 event is on the lips of many. Messages of support can easily be found on banners, shopping bags and T-shirts on almost every corner, with thousands of people volunteering to promote the bid. Such enthusiasm demonstrated during the visit of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) delegation is hoped to make Busan stand out from the competition, according to officials Wednesday. "In a democracy, citizens are the rulers of their country. So it is critical to have their support, which has been very visible in Busan," an official promoting Busan's Expo bid told The Korea Times. "I have no doubt that their support is among the things that will be included in the BIE delegates' inspection report." During their six-day stay in Korea from April 2, the delegates are assessing the "feasibility and viability of the Expo project, the political and social climate of the candidate country and city and the support of relevant parties (government, local authorities and citizens)." The BIE website lists the "level of support for the Expo among citizens, special interest groups, political groups and businesses" as one of the 14 evaluation areas. Given that most other categories for evaluation are related to administrative and financial planning such as the development and post-use plans for the Expo site, whether and how much the citizens of the candidate cities support the bid is one of the most important factors, another official said. With much support from the public and Korea's leading companies such as Samsung and SK, Busan is trying to differentiate itself from government-led bidders such as Saudi Arabia's Riyadh and Ukraine's Odesa. As he was welcoming the BIE delegates the previous day, Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon said the high enthusiasm of citizens will move their hearts as it did his, adding that hosting World Expo 2030 has become a goal of not just Busan citizens but also all Koreans. Apparently, the welcoming events held at Busan Station were a pleasant surprise for some of the delegates, with one reportedly saying that the huge crowd and special performances there made them feel like "pop stars." Three weeks before their visit to Busan, the delegates went to Riyadh which they reportedly said presented a "strong" case to host the 2030 event. Openly supported by China, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Cuba, Belarus and many other countries, the capital of Saudi Arabia is considered the strongest contender in the competition. The results of their inspections are going to be compiled in official reports, which the BIE member states will review when deciding which bidder to support. The candidate cities will give their fourth presentations in June and their final ones in November in Paris at the BIE General Assembly, during which the winner will be decided by secret ballot. PHOENIX The Republican-controlled Arizona Senate voted Tuesday to require that the states top election official not participate in overseeing elections in which he or she is on the ballot. That leaves the proposal one vote away from heading to Democratic governor and former secretary of state Katie Hobbs. The legislation proposed by Rep. Rachel Jones, R-Tucson, has its roots in unfounded complaints by some losing Republican candidates in the 2022 election that Hobbs put her thumb on the scale for Democratic candidates while serving as secretary of state. Those who accused Hobbs of having a conflict of interest included Kari Lake, who lost her race for governor to Hobbs, and Mark Finchem, who lost his bid to replace Hobbs as Arizonas top election official to Democrat Adrian Fontes. All Democrats in the Senate voted Tuesday against the measure, House Bill 2308, as did all House Democrats when it passed out of that chamber in February, saying it was prompted by baseless conspiracy theories. Republican supporters, however, said it was needed to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest by the secretary of state. Secretaries of state have had the same election duties for decades, and the issue only arose after a Democrat held the office. An amendment tacked on before debate on Monday by Sen. Ken Bennett, R-Prescott, slightly watered down the House-passed bill. It now would allow secretaries of state to continue performing their constitutional duty to certify election results. But it still would require they not participate in certifying election machines and other responsibilities of the office. One of the most important things we do as elected officials is avoid the appearance of conflicts of interest, Bennett said Tuesday. And we have rules that require us to admit conflicts of interest when they do exist. Bennett is himself a former secretary of state who engaged in partisan politics while in office. He never faced conflict concerns or complaints while performing his election oversight duties in a race where his own name was on the ballot. But he did draw some scrutiny in 2012 when, after agreeing not to endorse political candidates, he agreed to co-chair the presidential bid of Republican Mitt Romney. Bennett noted that his amendment means any secretary of state can still preside over the required election results canvass, the formal counting of votes. It simply says that the other aspects of the election, which the Secretary of States Office performs, should be performed by other people in the office, not personally by the secretary whose name is on the ballot, Bennett said. The Senate amendment means the House will have to vote on the bill again before it heads to Hobbs for a signature or a veto. Democrats said the measure was another example of GOP lawmakers embracing conspiracy theories rather than pushing back against unfounded allegations that undermine public trust in the states elections. The secretary of state writes the rules that counties use to run elections, though that requires the consent of the attorney general and the governor. The secretary also certifies and runs accuracy tests on election equipment. But it is each of the states 15 counties that do the bulk of the actual election administration in Arizona. If we were really concerned with faith in our elections, we would take up our responsibility to explain how elections really work, instead of entertaining conspiracy theories that this proposal is built on, said Sen. Juan Mendez, D-Tempe. Sen. Priya Sundareshan, D-Tucson, said removing the secretarys ability to do the job they are elected to do because his or her name is on the ballot that election begs the question of what their job is. But more fundamentally, this bill is stemming from conspiracy theories, Sundareshan said. These theories are unfounded, there (has) been no evidence to support the necessity for this bill. And more to the point, there are plenty of statewide elected officers who also have played roles in the elections that are not contained here. Finchem leveled multiple accusations against Hobbs in a lawsuit he filed after he lost to Fontes by more than 120,000 votes in Novembers election. Among his allegations was that Hobbs should have stepped away entirely from her duties as secretary of state. He cited her actions in 2021 to have Twitter flag some of his tweets as misinformation. Finchem said that led to the suspension of his Twitter account and unfairly influenced the election. He also alleged Hobbs failed to ensure the proper federal official signed a certificate that qualified a laboratory that certifies election equipment. The suit was dismissed in December. And Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Melissa Julian last month sanctioned Finchem for filing the suit, saying it was groundless and not brought in good faith. Finchem has since filed an appeal. On Tuesday, Mendez pointed out that the proposal from Jones and the arguments for HB2308 were very similar to those raised in Finchems lawsuit that the judge said were not brought in good faith. By extension (that) would mean that this proposal is groundless and not brought in front of us with good faith, Mendez said. But Senate Majority Leader Sonny Borrelli, R-Lake Havasu City, said he agreed with Bennett about the appearance of a conflict. PHOENIX Gov. Katie Hobbs declined Wednesday to limit the digital signs above and adjacent to state roads to only traffic safety messages. In wielding her veto stamp again, the Democratic governor said she did not agree its inappropriate to display anything beyond warnings about crashes ahead, driving times to certain points, and general drive safe advisories. House Bill 2586 sought to limit messages to those directly related to transportation or highway safety, with the sponsor calling anything else a little bit distracting. Bill sponsor Rep. Neal Carter, a San Tan Valley Republican, was concerned the signs could also be used to promote other messages. Exhibit No. 1 was a decision two years ago to have signs spell out the message, Want to return to normal? Get vaccinated. Republican Doug Ducey, who was governor at the time, defended that message as appropriate. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, which is the guidebook for all devices and signs on roads, allows homeland security messages, Duceys press aide C.J. Karamargin said at the time. The president had declared a national emergency due to the pandemic, he noted. Carters bill would have precluded such messaging. Also gone would have been signs advising motorists of no burn days during periods of high pollution. So, too, would have been messages the Arizona Department of Transportation now posts for state and national parks as well as those by the U.S. Forest Service related to wildfires. And there no longer would have been signs, usually displayed on the day a police officer or firefighter who died in the line of duty was buried, saying rest in peace with the officers name. Hobbs said she sees no need for additional restrictions. Other vetoes She also vetoed three other measures Wednesday, bringing her total this legislative session to 29. She rejected HB2535, which would have limited the ability of cities that annex unincorporated areas to regulate private wells already there. Prohibiting a municipality form requiring even the most basic of safety standards and regulations for groundwater wells threatens the safety and quality of drinking water that public utilities provide to residents and businesses throughout Arizona, Hobbs wrote, saying these could impact our precious drinking water. Also meeting the governors displeasure was HB2437. Current laws require approval of the Power and Line Siting Committee any time a new transmission line is planned. The measure would have said that isnt necessary if the line is being placed on property owned by at least one owner of the proposed line. Hobbs said it would exempt an unknown number of projects while having an uncertain impact on electric generation or Arizonas overall power grid. Finally, she said there is no reason for HB2477. Written by Rep. Steve Montenegro, R-Goodyear, it had no legal effect. Instead, it expressed the opinion of the Republican majority in the Legislature that the Electoral College is the best way of selecting the president because it involves all parts of the country in the process. Hobbs said if lawmakers want to express their preferences they could do that with a simple resolution, not something put into state statutes. She also pointed out that some of the GOP lawmakers who voted for the measure, including Sen. J.D. Mesnard of Chandler, previously supported moving to a system where the outcome of presidential elections would be determined by who won the national popular vote. ATLANTA (AP) Georgia's Stacey Abrams will join the faculty at Howard University in Washington, D.C., the next step in her reemergence after the Democrat lost her second bid to be governor of Georgia last year to Republican Brian Kemp. Howard, one of the nation's top historically Black colleges, said it was appointing Abrams as the Ronald W. Walters Endowed Chair for Race and Black Politics beginning in September. Stacey Abrams has proven herself an essential voice and eager participant in protecting American democracy - not just for certain populations, but for everyone with the fundamental right to make their voices heard, Howard President Wayne A. I. Frederick said in a statement. The 49-year-old political activist and lawyer won't be a traditional full-time faculty member, the university says, but she will lecture, invite guest speakers, and host symposiums. Howard says she will work across multiple academic departments to focus on real-world solutions to problems facing Black people and other vulnerable groups. Abrams will still live in Atlanta. We are at an inflection point for American and international democracy, and I look forward to engaging Howard Universitys extraordinary students in a conversation about where they can influence, shape and direct the critical public policy decisions we face, Abrams said in a statement. Abrams' next steps have been closely watched since her loss. She was an international election observer in Nigeria in February, has been promoting her childrens book, Staceys Remarkable Books, and announced a tour for an adult book, Rogue Justice beginning in May. Last month. Abrams was named senior counsel at Rewiring America, a group promoting clean energy and electrification. In January, Abrams left open a return to politics in an interview with Drew Barrymore, saying I will likely run again," and adding, If at first you dont succeed, try try again. If it doesnt work, you try again. Abrams made history in 2018 as the first Black woman to be nominated by a major party for governor of an American state. Her place in politics now is unclear, though. Georgia isn't scheduled to have any major statewide races on the ballot until 2026. Abrams was unchallenged as leader of the state Democratic Party going into the 2022 election, with voters backing her endorsed choices for down-ballot running mates. But while she has lost twice, Georgia now has two Democratic U.S. senators, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. Abrams, a Mississippi native, graduated from Atlantas Spelman College, another top historically Black institution, and has taught there as an adjunct professor. A former Atlanta deputy city attorney, she was also the minority leader of the Georgia House, an entrepreneur who tried her hand at multiple startups and a voting rights activist. A longtime writer who has now published 15 books, Abrams earned $5 million from books and speeches in the years between her pathbreaking 2018 gubernatorial loss and her second run in 2022. Abrams is filling a chair named for a legendary figure. Waters was a professor of political science at Howard from 1971 to 1996 and later directed the African American Leadership Institute at the University of Maryland. As a youth, he organized a lunch counter sit-in to protest segregation in his hometown of Wichita, Kansas. He later advised the Congressional Black Caucus and was campaign manager for Jesse Jackson's pioneering presidential bids in 1984 and 1988. MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (AP) The former head of the Minneapolis police union will not be allowed to serve as a police officer in three Minnesota counties for the next decade as part of a settlement filed over police treatment of protesters after the death of George Floyd. As part of a settlement announced Tuesday, Bob Kroll also will not be allowed to serve in any leadership role in law enforcement agencies in Ramsey, Anoka or Hennepin counties, the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota said. Kroll also agreed that he wouldnt serve on the state board that oversees police licensing and will appear in court if required. The settlement involves two class action lawsuits filed by for protesters and journalists by the ACLU-Minnesota that accused police of using unconstitutional brutality against protesters after Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis officer in 2020. The lawsuits alleged Kroll was an unofficial policymaker for the police department. Kroll and his attorneys did not respond to messages seeking comment, Minneapolis media reported. Kroll, who retired in January 2021, did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement. Last week, the city of Minneapolis and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights signed an agreement to revamp policing in the city, after an investigation found the department had a pattern of racial discrimination for at least a decade. SANTA ANA PUEBLO, N.M. (AP) Native American tribes, as well as state and local governments, will be able to tap into $350 million in infrastructure funds to build wildlife corridors along busy roads and add warning signs for drivers in what federal officials are billing as the first-of-its-kind pilot program to prevent collisions and improve habitat connectivity. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg rolled out more details about the program during a visit to Santa Ana Pueblo on Tuesday. Wildlife managers with the New Mexico tribe have been tracking mountain lions, elk and other animals across tens of thousands of acres in north-central New Mexico and have documented casualties along busy highways that cut through tribal boundaries. Buttigieg visited one of the culverts under Interstate 25 near the pueblo that serves a migratory byway for animals that travel between the high desert mountain ranges that border tribal land and the cottonwood and willow forests along the Rio Grande. He called it a great example, saying the safety solution needed in one location, like a busy crosswalk in the middle of a dense metropolitan area, is different from what is needed in an area where there are so many conflict points between traffic and wildlife. Whether youre talking about the broader effects on climate that come with what we do or dont do on everything from transit alternatives to the very design of our roads, all that is at stake in good transportation policy, he said, adding that not all the answers need to come from Washington, just more of the funding. Nationwide, about 200 people are killed each year in collisions involving wildlife and vehicles, federal officials said. Buttigieg said launching the pilot program marks an important step to prevent deadly crashes, particularly in rural areas. In New Mexico, he said, there's an average of about 900 crashes per year that involve wildlife. The dedicated funding includes more than $111 million for the first round of grants that will be issued this year. Federal officials said the program will open the door for communities that may not have previously had access to money for such projects. Many Western states including Colorado, Arizona, Utah and Nevada have already invested substantially in wildlife crossings and in recent years, have adopted legislation that advocates say will allow them to capture millions of dollars in federal matching funds to build the crossings. California is among the Western states with new legislation. It broke ground last year on what it bills as the worlds largest crossing a bridge over a major Southern California highway for mountain lions and other animals hemmed in by urban sprawl. New Mexico also joined the effort when lawmakers passed legislation this spring to set aside $100 million for conservation projects. That includes building the state's first wildlife highway overpasses for free-roaming cougars, black bears, bighorn sheep and other creatures. The massive federal infrastructure law amounts to the largest investment in road and bridges in a generation. Its also the largest single sum ever allocated to address vehicle-wildlife collisions a problem that stretches back nearly a century, when the government first began funding the construction of highways. Technological advances have helped wildlife managers and public safety officials in some states identify the best locations for crossings, and where they can make the biggest difference for both wildlife and motorists. At Santa Ana Pueblo, managers have been busy collaring mountain lions, bear, elk and other species as part of a long-term effort aimed at restoring wildlife and habitat across more than 70,000 acres (28,330 hectares) of varying terrain. The price tag has stretched into the millions and has produced more than one quarter of a million GPS location points, said Glenn Harper, the pueblo's range and wildlife division manager. That data has helped to create maps showing where animals want to be on the landscape and where they want to cross. However, Harper said even more data will need to be collected over the next year in hopes of landing more funding for the wildlife crossing work. At one point, managers thought they had more than a dozen lions crossing through pueblo lands. That included one named Squeaks that traveled more than 550 miles (885 kilometers) from Santa Ana to Mesa Verde National Park and Ute Mountain Ute tribal lands in southern Colorado in search for a new home range. U.S. Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury, a New Mexico Democrat, pointed to the lion's journey, saying safe passage for animals and the development of more crossings will have as much of an impact on cultural heritage and the creation of climate refuges as it will on safety. What were seeing is wildlife moving into new areas, she said, and so projects like this will help wildlife reconnect on the land to historic spaces and the spaces that will sustain them ecologically as theyre facing climate change. OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) While residents across parts of the South and Midwest pummeled by deadly storms and wildfires sifted through the wreckage of their homes Monday, forecasters warned of more severe weather and fire danger in the days ahead across much of the same region. The fierce storms that spawned tornadoes in 11 states killed at least 32 people as the system that began Friday plodded through Arkansas and traveled northeast through the South and into the Midwest and Northeast. Here's a look at the severe storms over the weekend and what's expected in the days ahead: WILDFIRE DANGER REMAINS HIGH On the western side of the storm lines that developed Friday were extremely dry conditions in Oklahoma that combined with high winds to fuel several large wildfires that forced interstate closures and sent residents fleeing from their homes. More than 40 homes were destroyed across Oklahoma, including 30 in an area near the town of Guthrie, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of Oklahoma City, where firefighters had urged residents to evacuate. With their eyes burning and the heat of the flames circling them, Jessica Garinger and her family ran around their 10-acre (4-hectare) property with hoses Friday to save their family home built by Garinger's great-grandfather in Guthrie. The wind was so terrible it was just like a blowtorch, and once we would get certain areas put out it would just reignite, she said. While neighbors evacuated, Garinger said her father, Jim, did not want to leave behind his cherished home, so she and her sister raced to help him. With the help of firefighters, they fought the flames until about 2 a.m., leaving with blisters, scrapes and small burns. Several of the homes nearby burned down. Its a miracle that we were able to save the property, Garinger said. The threat of fire danger remains high Tuesday across portions of far western Oklahoma, the Texas Panhandle, northeast New Mexico and far southeastern Colorado, with low humidity, dry vegetation and wind gusts expected up to 70 mph (113 kph), according to the National Weather Service. MORE SEVERE WEATHER FORECAST Forecasters say more severe weather is forecast for Tuesday afternoon and evening across parts of Arkansas, Missouri into southeastern Iowa and west central Illinois. That could initially start as isolated supercells with all hazards possible tornadoes, wind and hail and then over time typically they form into a line (of thunderstorms) and continue moving eastward, said Ryan Bunker, a meteorologist with the National Weather Center in Norman, Oklahoma. The same conditions that fueled last week's storms an area of low pressure combined with strong southerly winds will make conditions ideal for another round of severe weather Tuesday into early morning Wednesday, Bunker said. Those conditions, which typically include dry air from the west going up over the Rockies and crashing into warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico, are what make the U.S. so prone to tornadoes and other severe storms. DEADLY STORMS BEGAN IN ARKANSAS Arkansas was among the first states hit by the severe weather Friday when a tornado dropped from the sky and tore through the states capital, Little Rock, destroying homes and businesses, splintering trees and tossing vehicles. At least five people were killed in Arkansas, including four deaths in the rural community of Wynne, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of Memphis, Tennessee. Tennessee recorded at least 15 deaths, including nine fatalities in McNairy County, east of Memphis, said Patrick Sheehan, director of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. Elsewhere, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker traveled Sunday to Belvidere to visit the Apollo Theatre, which partially collapsed as about 260 people were attending a heavy metal concert, resulting in at least one death. The governor said 48 others were treated in hospitals, with five in critical condition. National Weather Service survey teams that earlier confirmed the presence of tornados in New Jersey and Delaware over the weekend said Monday that a tornado also touched down in Pennsylvania. The tornados were generated as a line of severe thunderstorms crossed the region Saturday night. Forecasters said one EF-1 tornado with peak wind speeds of 95 to 105 mph (153 to 169 kph) touched down in Wrightstown and traveled almost 4 miles (6.5 kilometers) to Newtown in Bucks County. Four other storms were confirmed in New Jersey and one in Delaware, where a person was found dead in a heavily damaged home. The Delaware Emergency Management Agency said it was the first tornado-related death in the state in 40 years. Nationwide, there were more than 800 severe weather reports over the weekend, including reports of hail, high winds and tornadoes, Bunker said. Associated Press reporters around the country contributed to this report, including Beatrice Dupuy in New York, Ron Todt in Philadelphia, Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Arkansas, Kimberlee Kruesi in Adamsville, Tennessee, Harm Venhuizen in Belvidere, Illinois, and Corey Williams in Detroit. JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) A childrens book illustrator has been charged in Alaska with terroristic threatening after police allege he posted anti-transgender notes that referenced shooting children. Mitchell Thomas Watley, 47, did not enter a plea to the felony charge during his first court appearance Monday, the Juneau Empire reported. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for April 11. Watley is accused of placing notes in several public locations across Juneau starting Friday, the International Day of Transgender Visibility. The notes were the size of a business card showing an assault rifle and the colors of the transgender flag, the complaint says. Feeling Cute Might Shoot Some Children, the text read. Anti-transgender rhetoric and disinformation followed a mass shooting last week that killed six people at a Nashville Christian school. It came as lawmakers across the country engage in a historic push for more restrictions on trans peoples rights. Authorities have not shared any evidence linking the shooter's gender identity to the motive for the attack, which killed three children and three adults. In Juneau, Alaskas capital city, the first notes were found Friday in a grocery store and on a bulletin board at a state office building. Others were found Sunday in a Costco store. Officers spoke to Mitchell, who said (in essence) that he was in fear of the recent transgender school shooter and took it upon himself to print out and distribute these leaflets, the complaint against Watley said. Rexene Finley, the assistant district attorney, called the allegations against Watley serious. Mr. Watley has targeted our most vulnerable populations, Finley told the judge. Juneau schools increased security after the first note was found Friday, and some parents kept their children home. Police arrested Watley after reviewing security camera footage at Costco that included tracking him to a vehicle in the parking lot and tracing it to him. Watley is known for illustrating three books, including I Would Tuck You In" and You Are Home With Me." Finley sought $10,000 bail and conditions including that Watley be ordered to stay away from where children gather, turn in any weapons and undergo a mental health exam. Judge Kirsten Swanson agreed to the conditions after Watleys attorney for the hearing, Nicholas Polasky, said he did not know if he would continue to represent Watley after Mondays hearing. I dont have a comment on it right now, Polasky said. If convicted of the felony, he could face up to five years in prison and a $50,000 fine. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) North Carolina Republicans redoubled their efforts on Tuesday to erode the powers of Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and future governors by advancing a measure that would reduce the number of appointments he makes to several key state commissions. On a party-line vote, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill that would rejuggle the makeup of panels that, among other duties, approve electricity rates and road-building projects and adopt environmental regulations. The bill would let the General Assembly pick appointees on these panels for the first time, or appoint more than they already get to. And the state treasurer or agriculture commissioner, both of whom lead executive branch departments but are elected separately from the governor, also would get to pick some members. Sen. Warren Daniel, a Burke County Republican and bill sponsor, said the overwhelming number of appointees on most of these named commissions are gubernatorial picks, which doesnt bode well for diversity of thought or representation. This bill is about good shared governance and bringing balance and accountability to the unelected boards, Daniel added. Critics warned the measure, if enacted into law, would set up yet another costly legal showdown between the governor and the legislature over the division of their powers. Of the nine boards or commissions whose leadership would be changed, eight currently give the governor a majority of the positions or, in the case of the Utilities Commission, all seven members. Those members also are subject to House and Senate confirmation. The updated Utilities Commission, for example, would be expanded to nine members, of which the governor would choose four going forward. Four would be earmarked for the General Assembly and one would be appointed by the treasurer. Cooper and legislative leaders have fought about the balance of their respective powers since even before Cooper took office in 2017. This history contributes to suspicion by Democrats on the Judiciary Committee that the bill is a partisan power play. The state treasurer and agriculture commissioner are currently both Republicans. The GOP has controlled the legislature since 2011. The governor's press secretary, Sam Chan, called the bill another massive, unconstitutional power grab by Republican legislators who have a track record of right-wing partisan appointees that don't reflect the state's demographic or political diversity. This legislation will hurt the states efforts for public health, clean water, more commuter rail transportation and lower electric bills," Chan said in a statement. Republican legislators are one House seat short of holding veto-proof control in both chambers, weakening Coopers veto power. That power came into focus Monday when legislation shifting authority of the state's schools for the blind and deaf to new trustee boards to which most members would be picked by legislative leaders became law after Cooper neither signed nor vetoed it. Last year, when Democrats held more seats, Cooper vetoed an almost identical bill, saying the boards were unconstitutional. He said the same thing Monday. The General Assembly passed legislation in 2016 targeting the incoming governor in part by altering the makeup of the State Board of Elections, which is controlled by appointees he chooses from his party. Cooper went to court and successfully challenged the election board changes. Recent state Supreme Court decisions including one involving former GOP Gov. Pat McCrory in part declared the compositions of some boards can be unlawful when they interfere with the governors ability to carry out laws and leave him with no meaningful control over them. I feel like were setting up ourselves for more litigation, said Sen. Mujtaba Mohammed, a Mecklenburg County Democrat. Daniel, the Republican senator, made the distinction that in most cases the executive branch defined as the governor and Council of State members would still hold a majority of appointments. For two panels the Board of Transportation and the Economic Investment Committee, which awards incentives to lure companies to the state the legislature would now pick a majority of those seats. We believe all the changes in the bill comply with existing case law or are distinguishable because of other factors, or are situations that our courts have not yet considered, Daniel said. Cooper last year created a study panel to consider changes to choosing the University of North Carolina Board of Governors, whose voting members all are currently elected by the General Assembly. Other high-profile commissions whose makeup would be altered include the Environmental Management Commission, Coastal Resources Commission and Wildlife Resources Commission. TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) Taiwan defied threats of retaliation by China ahead of an expected meeting between the island's president and the U.S. House speaker Wednesday that will underscore her government's claim to sovereignty. President Tsai Ing-wen is finishing a tour of Taiwan's remaining diplomatic allies in Latin America, Belize and Guatemala. The most politically sensitive part of her trip will be a meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles while she transits on her way back home. Pro- and anti-Taiwan demonstrators gathered Tuesday night, local time, outside a downtown Los Angeles hotel in anticipation of Tsai's arrival. Her supporters lined a red carpet leading to the hotel's entrance, banging drums, chanting and holding Taiwanese flags and photos of the president. A smaller group demonstrating in favor of China gathered nearby on the sidewalk, at times chanting One China. China views Taiwan as its own territory and treats any dealings between U.S. and Taiwanese officials as a challenge to its sovereignty. Tsai's tour is a bid to demonstrate that her government has international support. Belize and Guatemala are two of just 13 countries that formally recognize Taiwan, a number that has dipped as China has put pressure on and funneled money into isolating the island. Tsai's Latin American trip comes just a week after Honduras announced it was cutting ties with Taiwan in favor of China, potentially prompted by a $300 million hydroelectric dam project in central Honduras built by a Chinese company. Last week, and again on Monday, China threatened with countermeasures if Tsai met with McCarthy. The Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles issued a statement Monday saying it opposed any any form of contact between Taiwan authorities and the U.S. The reality and current situation that both sides of the (Taiwan) Strait belong to one China is very clear, the statement said. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said at a daily news briefing Tuesday that China will closely follow the developments and resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it has never been part of China, and that China's recent criticism has become increasingly absurd. Taiwan, the Republic of China, is a sovereign country, and has the right to make its own determination in developing relations with other countries in the world, it said in a statement. It does not accept interference or suppression by any country for any reason, and will not limit itself because of intimidation or interference. The United States longstanding one-China policy acknowledges that the Chinese claim Taiwan as their territory. However, the U.S. does not endorse that claim and remains Taiwans most important provider of military hardware and other defense assistance. China has repeatedly asserted its claim to Taiwan, though Taiwan maintains its own democratic system of government since the sides split after a civil war in 1949. Keeping up the military pressure, China's Peoples Liberation Army sent 20 warplanes toward Taiwan Monday to Tuesday as well as three warships in the latest round of exercises, which have increased significantly in recent years. China regularly sends warplanes around the island and has at times seemingly used the exercises as a demonstration of its ire. Last December, China sent 71 planes and seven ships toward Taiwan in a 24-hour display of force after it expressed anger at Taiwan-related provisions in a U.S. annual defense spending bill. And last year, China responded to a visit by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan with the largest live-fire drills in decades that included firing a missile over the island, which had landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone. The PLAs increased military activity near Taiwan has raised concerns among regional governments, and also drawn greater international attention and rhetorical support for Taiwans defense. U.S. legislators have also started visiting Taiwan at a greater frequency, as anti-China sentiment and concerns over China's strategic position grows in Congress. Associated Press journalist Eugene Garcia in Los Angeles contributed. Inspection envoys meet Busan civic groups, indulge in K-culture night By Ko Dong-hwan BUSAN An inspection team from the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) in Korea on Wednesday visited Busan North Port, which has been the backbone of the city's economy since 1876, and is the proposed main venue and centerpiece of the World Expo 2030. The BIE Enquiry Mission arrived at Busan Port International Exhibition and Convention Center (BPEX) in the morning, which is on the fifth floor of the International Passenger Terminal. The facility is only several hundred meters behind Busan Station, where the delegation arrived from Seoul the previous day. Eight members of the BIE inspection team spent the whole morning at the BPEX, watching the third presentation. It showed details about how the new North Port will look after the ongoing redevelopment is completed before 2030. The construction, rigorously reshaping the entire port to make it more appealing to tourists and bigger to dock more ships, has been going on for the past decade. The presentation introduced pavilions to be completed inside the new North Port Expo venue. It also included how conveniently visitors to the site will spend time here and how the city government is preparing hotels and other lodgings for tens of thousands visitors from across the world. The highlight of the morning presentation was an opportunity for the BIE delegates to experience an urban air mobility (UAM) simulator shaped like a four-seat plane with four propellers. The UAM simulator was located just outside the convention hall where the presentation was shown. Wearing VR headsets, the members seated themselves and watched a video inside the dynamic theater-style plane that showed the landscape over the new North Port. Each virtual flight lasted about five minutes. The delegation then visited North Port Promotion Pavilion inside BPEX. Equipped with a diorama and giant screens, the inspection team watched how the current North Port, heavily concentrated with trading barges and fishing vessels, will transform into a community-friendly park and tourism spot. Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon, BIE Enquiry Mission leader Patrick Specht and the rest of the mission members watch K-Culture Night show at Busan Cinema Center in the city's Haeundae District, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul North Port is the heart of the country's biggest port city that had once acted as South Korea's temporary capital during the Korean War when North Korea crossed the inter-Korean border, leaving a trail of destruction along its way. The port now handles millions of tons of containers for international trade each year. Flanking the port on the ocean, the world's first floating community is jointly being planned by the city government and the United Nations Human Settlements Program to propose a new solution for climate refugees victimized by rising sea levels. Because most of the port is state-owned, the site has very little risk of being privatized, according to the city government. Audience members alongside Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon and members of the BIE Enquiry Mission watch K-pop artist Rain performing during K-Culture Night at Busan Cinema Center, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) The three-week manhunt for a former top aide to Marylands governor ended in his death after public corruption charges jeopardized his career and ultimately sent him on the run from federal agents when he skipped a court appearance last month. Following numerous twists and turns, the case against Roy McGrath ended Monday night when FBI agents confronted the fugitive outside Knoxville, Tennessee. McGrath, who had served as former Gov. Larry Hogans chief of staff, died in the hospital after being wounded by gunfire. As the criminal investigation and prosecution dragged on for years, McGrath consistently maintained his innocence and was adamant about going to trial in hopes of clearing his name, according to his lawyer, Joseph Murtha. But when the March 13 trial date arrived, McGrath surprised his attorney by failing to appear at the U.S. District Court in Baltimore. We were moving forward and preparing for trial, but you never know whats going on in someones mind, Murtha said Tuesday morning. The rest is three weeks of uncertainty and a tragic ending. McGrath served as Hogan's chief of staff for just 11 weeks, resigning in August 2020 after it became public that he had received a $233,650 severance payment from his old job as head of a state-owned corporation before moving to the governor's office. McGrath, 53, was indicted in 2021 on accusations that he fraudulently secured the severance payment, equal to one year's salary as the head of Maryland Environmental Service, by falsely telling the agencys board that the governor had approved it; Hogan denied knowledge of the plan. McGrath also was accused of fraud and embezzlement connected to roughly $170,000 in expenses. McGrath was devastated when his professional reputation suffered because of the federal criminal charges, Murtha said. I think he felt like he had been destroyed. He felt completely betrayed, Murtha said in a phone interview. I really believe Roy was a dedicated public servant who sought to do the best job he could for the citizens of Maryland. He was a workaholic. He worked nonstop. Murtha said Tuesday that the biggest unanswered question is whether McGrath was killed by law enforcement agents or died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Officials also havent said whether McGrath was armed during the fatal encounter. McGrath was wounded during an agent-involved shooting about 6:30 p.m. Monday in the outskirts of Knoxville and was taken to a hospital, where he died, according to FBI Supervisory Special Agent Shayne Buchwald in Maryland. Further details, including how McGrath was wounded and what led up to the shooting, were not released. It remained under investigation. McGrath grew up in southern Maryland, graduated from the University of Maryland in College Park and built a career in state-level Republican politics. His relationship with Hogan dated back decades; he worked on Hogans unsuccessful 1992 congressional campaign. McGrath then spent many years working for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, which lobbies on behalf of pharmacies, before transitioning back into state politics after Hogan was elected governor. Skip Aldridge, who met McGrath through his work with the association, said he learned about McGraths death on the news Tuesday morning. I was shocked beyond belief. I was absolutely blown away, he said in a phone interview. That is not the Roy I knew. McGrath struck him as someone with the highest degree of integrity, Aldridge said, describing his friend as wholesome and well-liked among colleagues. Imagining him under FBI gunfire is almost beyond my comprehension, Aldridge said. "But I guess when you push people to the breaking point, you dont know how theyll react to a crisis. In 2016, McGrath was appointed to serve as executive director of the Maryland Environmental Service. He oversaw the state-owned corporation, which provides environmental services such as water and wastewater management to government entities and private clients, until he became Hogans chief of staff in 2020. According to federal and state prosecutors, McGrath took advantage of his positions of trust as the environmental agencys director and Hogans top aide for personal gain. In the months after his indictment, McGrath contended he had earned the severance package and received authorization from the governor. I continue to cooperate fully, and will vigorously defend myself, in ongoing legal matters connected to politically motivated claims surrounding a customary and well-earned severance package from my position as CEO of the Maryland Environmental Service, McGrath wrote in a Nov. 30, 2021 commentary in The Baltimore Sun. Hogan, who was expected to testify in the trial, has denied knowledge of the severance arrangement. Yumi and I are deeply saddened by this tragic situation. We are praying for Mr. McGraths family and loved ones, Hogan said in a statement Monday night. If convicted of the federal charges, McGrath would have faced a maximum sentence of 20 years for each of four counts of wire fraud, plus a maximum of 10 years for each of two counts of embezzling funds from an organization receiving more than $10,000 in federal benefits. The trial was set to begin last month in Baltimore. McGrath, who moved to Florida in recent years, was supposed to catch a flight to Maryland the night before his court appearance but instead disappeared. FBI agents raided his Naples home two days later. Another few weeks would pass before they found him in the parking lot of a suburban Tennessee strip mall Monday evening. Officials have released few details about how the shooting unfolded. A white Escalade was visible on the scene surrounded by law enforcement vehicles. ___ Sarah Brumfield contributed to this report from Silver Spring, Maryland. LAS VEGAS (AP) A Nevada judge postponed on Monday the trial for a former Dances With Wolves actor indicted in state court on charges that he sexually abused Indigenous women and girls for a decade in the Las Vegas area. Clark County District Judge Carli Kierny said the trial in the case of Nathan Chasing Horse will begin May 1 in Las Vegas to give prosecutors and Chasing Horse's public defenders more time to iron out pending motions in the case. His trial had previously been scheduled for April 17. A Clark County grand jury indicted Chasing Horse, 46, in late February on 19 counts that include charges of sexual assault of a child younger than 16, kidnapping, lewdness and child abuse. Chasing Horse, who is widely known for his portrayal of Smiles a Lot in Kevin Costner's 1990 Oscar-winning film, has pleaded not guilty and invoked his right to a trial within 60 days of his indictment. The former actor, who has been in custody since his Jan. 31 arrest, is due back in court Wednesday morning for a hearing on a motion asking Kierny to dismiss the sweeping indictment. Chasing Horse and his lawyers argued in their motion that two women identified as victims in Nevada wanted to have sex with him. Prosecutors and police have said the abuse allegations against Chasing Horse date to the early 2000s and span two countries and multiple states. He also faces criminal charges in U.S. District Court in Nevada and British Columbia, Canada, as well as on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana. Chasing Horse is accused of using his position as a self-proclaimed medicine man to gain access to vulnerable Indigenous women and girls and take underage wives. Authorities have described him as the leader of a cult known as "The Circle," whose members believe he has healing abilities and can communicate to higher beings. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) After years of rapid growth in tax collections, South Carolina lawmakers want to share the windfall with nearly every state employee. The Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday approved a $13 billion budget for the next fiscal year that would provide raises for nearly everyone. State employees would get a $2,500 bump in their base pay if they make less than $50,000 and a 5% raise if they make more than $50,000, according to the 2023-24 budget sent to the Senate floor for consideration last month. Some law enforcement positions like state troopers, state agents, and officers and nurses in prisons could be in line for even bigger pay bumps. Many teachers, whose salaries are outside the regular state employee system, would also get a raise. The plan would increase the minimum salary at every position and experience level by $2,500. The spending proposal additionally would send $261 million more in classroom aid to local school districts, which could use that money to give raises if they are already above the minimums set by the state. The state also is covering any increases in health insurance premiums for its workers. Icing on the cake, Republican Senate Finance Committee Chairman Harvey Peeler said. The Senate budget expands on the spending plan passed last month by the House, which provided $2,500 raises for state employees making up to $83,000 while the rest get a 3% raise. Peeler and others praised the House plan for its innovative raise plan for state employees. That's quite a statement we are making to state employees, Democratic state Sen. Darrell Jackson said. The budget heading to the Senate floor also spends $95 million to again freeze in-state tuition at colleges and universities. It also spends $540 million in unspent funds from previous budgets and other one-time sources for higher education projects, like $75 million to start the first veterinary medicine school in South Carolina at Clemson University and $54 million to replace the nearly century-old Turner Hall at South Carolina State University. There is $71 million to help the Department of Juvenile Justice upgrade security, build and replace old buildings and hire more workers. The Senate Finance Committee budget also spends $120 million for a fund to help rural districts build new schools. The spending plan also agrees to set aside more than $1 billion to help Volkswagen-backed Scout Motors build a new plant for electric SUVs near Columbia. One item taken out of the House budget was $200 million to fix bridges. PRYOR Canoo CEO Tony Aquila says business startups often zigzag. That, he said, explains Wednesdays announcement that the electric vehicle makers first operations at MidAmerica Industrial Park will be limited to battery module assembly in an existing building rather than bumper-to-bumper manufacturing at the $500 million megafactory as previously announced. We originally thought we would do it all at one mega site and add the micro elements as we geographically expand, Aquila said during a press conference with crates of equipment stacked in the background of the new facility. Turned out that thesis was just not strong enough to move fast enough, so we had to start zigzagging. In November, Canoo announced that it was acquiring the Terex factory on the west side of Oklahoma City and that it would be making battery modules at the MidAmerica Industrial Park at Pryor. It now appears that the plan is to begin assembling vehicles at the Oklahoma City facility, which Canoo will continue to share with Terex, before the end of the year. But Aquila said that doesnt mean Canoo has abandoned mega site plans at MAIP. He acknowledged that the project remains behind schedule and said the Oklahoma City plant will not meet full production needs. Our target in the state of Oklahoma is roughly 700 jobs by the end of the year, he said. Aquila said hiring will begin soon for about 110 new jobs at the $90 million MAIP facility and that some training for those jobs is already underway. Batteries assembled at the Pryor industrial park will be used for Canoo vehicles and to fulfill a U.S. Defense Department contract, officials said. The basic battery component will come from Panasonic, which considered building a large manufacturing plant at the MidAmerica Industrial Park before choosing a site in Kansas. Officials said Wednesday that they dont think the Canoo plant will tap into the $700 million Large-scale Economic Activity and Development or LEAD fund set up to lure Panasonic and later offers to Volkswagen, which recently announced plans to build in Canada, instead. That fund will be returned to the states general fund if not obligated by April 15. Canoo has had a difficult time getting on the road, hampered in part by the COVID-19 pandemic. It recently agreed to pay $1.5 million in connection with a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation into Canoo and several other EV startups. Last week the company announced a fourth-quarter loss of $80.2 million and a loss for the year of $487.7 million. Canoo stock was trading at $0.55 on Wednesday afternoon, down $0.05, amid reports that electric vehicle demand may be weaker than expected. The company said during an investor call last week that it has $2.8 billion worth of orders but actually delivered one vehicle last quarter: a tactical vehicle called the Screaming Eagle, built as a test vehicle for the Army. Canoo is known to have contracts with Walmart and others for delivery vehicles, and the state of Oklahoma has a tentative agreement to buy up to 1,000 Canoo EVs. Canoos agreement with the state requires completion of the mega site by July 1, 2026, in order to receive millions of dollars worth of business incentives. First District Congressman Kevin Hern had a message Tuesday for anyone wondering what 34 felonies will do to former President Donald Trumps 2024 chances. For those who think this will harm President Trumps chances at running for the White House in 2024, I have news for you: it wont, Hern said in a written statement. The same people who were outraged over the possibility of Hillary Clintons prosecution for obvious crimes are now celebrating yet another witch hunt against the former President and political opponent of the current President. This type of hypocrisy is disgusting, and it underscores what millions of Americans see as a blatant double standard in our justice system, causing many to lose faith in those institutions. Clinton, whom Trump defeated for the presidency by an Electoral College vote in 2016, has never been charged with anything, despite three decades of intense scrutiny, including by Republican members of Congress. This will only lead to further division in this country, Hern said. Despite President (Joe) Bidens hollow commitment to unity, I have yet to see him take even one action in pursuit of that goal. Biden, whose son Hunter has been the subject of several investigations, has said virtually nothing about the charges against Trump. Some reports say Biden and his inner circle are actually annoyed by the indictment. Shortly before Trumps arraignment in New York, 2nd District Congressman Josh Brecheen tweeted: Todays arrest of President Trump is a politically motivated witch hunt and a serious abuse of power that is destructive to our Republic. I call on Democrats to join Republicans in condemning this baseless act of political persecution. Brecheen later issued a written statement expanding on that. It is obvious that these charges were only brought because President Trump is running for President, Brecheen said. This will make President Trump stronger and increase support for him. Americans are tired of their government being used against We the People. The real reason he is wanted is for making America Great Again . I continue to call on Democrats to join Republicans in condemning this baseless act of political persecution. Hern and Brecheen were the only members of Oklahomas all-Republican congressional delegation to issue statements on Tuesday, but 4th District Congressman Tom Cole and U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin condemned the indictment when it became known last week. Radical leftists have been going after President Trump since day one this sham of an indictment is no different, Mullin said at that time. Instead of blindly attacking the 45th President, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg should address the skyrocketing crime epidemic in his own backyard a direct result of soft-on-crime policies. This latest witch-hunt will only make President Trump stronger. To clarify, Bragg is district attorney only for one of New Yorks five boroughs, Manhattan. According to the New York Police Department, crime citywide rose 22% from 2021 to 2022, even though murders and shootings were down and violent crime rates are still much less than 30 years ago. Gov. Kevin Stitt, asked Friday about the situation, said no one is above the law but then compared the Trump indictment to the actions of Soviet strongman Josef Stalins secret police. Show me the man, and Ill show you the crime, Stitt said, quoting Lavrentiy Beria, head of the notorious NKVD. Of course, Beria never had to worry about a jury, but Stitt nevertheless expressed what many Americans seemed to think. Is that really where were getting to as Americans? Stitt asked. Were going to be tit for tat, and the next party, when theyre in charge, is going to indict political opponents. I just think thats horrible. Its dangerous. Both sides need to say, Weve got to get beyond this. Photos: Donald Trump's arraignment OKLAHOMA CITY Nearly a year after the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department ended its contract with a local barbecue chain and closed several state park restaurants, the eateries are set to reopen under new management. Six state park restaurants will reopen Memorial Day weekend under the supervision of La Ratatouille, an Oklahoma City company that owns several restaurants, food trucks and a catering business. The change comes after the Tourism Department contracted with Swadleys Bar-B-Q to renovate and operate the same park restaurants, a deal that spurred a criminal probe, an audit and a state lawsuit. The restaurants have been closed since the Tourism Department canceled its Swadleys contract last April due to suspected fraudulent activity. Tourism and Recreation Department Executive Director Shelley Zumwalt said agency officials are working with the La Ratatouille restaurant company to develop a name and concept for the new eateries. A sample menu indicates that the restaurants will serve typical American fare, including hamburgers, sandwiches, chicken fried steak and meatloaf. Reopening the (state park) restaurants in our state this is something that I have thought about every single day since becoming the director of the agency, Zumwalt said. Formerly the head of the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, Zumwalt was appointed in October to lead the Tourism Department. Zumwalt said the process used to select La Ratatouille was different from the process the agency previously used to contract with Swadleys. After putting out a public request for proposals in January, the Tourism Department received bids from seven companies who pitched new visions for the restaurants. The proposals were vetted and reviewed by a seven-member evaluation committee. The decisions that we made really came back to what is the way we can do this in a way that the public and any stakeholders will know that we took every opportunity to be transparent, Zumwalt said. Previously, Swadleys was the only company to bid on the state park restaurant contracts. Many details of the deal escaped scrutiny until years after the state signed its first contract with Swadleys. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is still investigating allegations of criminal conduct related to the barbecue chains deal with the Tourism Department. A legislative watchdog office says the state lost at least $12.4 million in taxpayer funds because of insufficient oversight of the deal. The Tourism Department will receive 13% of the new restaurants gross receipts as part of the five-year contract, which includes annual options to reevaluate the agreement. Zumwalt said the park facilities are turn-key ready and that no restaurant renovations will be necessary. The state will not be subsidizing La Ratatouille, Zumwalt said. Previously, the Tourism Department was paying Swadleys monthly management fees to operate the park restaurants. When evaluating the submitted bids, state officials were impressed with La Ratatouilles business plan and catering experience, Zumwalt said, noting that the agency was looking for a long-term operator for the restaurants. The company also got higher marks in the process for volunteering to run all six restaurants, as opposed to just one or two locations. It was the best deal for the state, Zumwalt said. The restaurants are located at the following parks: Sequoyah State Park in Hulbert Lake Murray State Park in Ardmore Robbers Cave State Park in Wilburton Beavers Bend State Park in Broken Bow Quartz Mountain State Park in Lone Wolf Roman Nose State Park in Watonga April 2022 video: Oklahoma House leader explains investigation into Swadleys contract with state Tourism office WASHINGTON (AP) Former President Donald Trump faces the most urgent legal challenge of his life this week in New York, where hes set to be arraigned Tuesday on charges arising from hush money payments during his 2016 campaign. But as much as the attention will be on the courthouse in lower Manhattan, investigations from Atlanta to Washington will press forward, underscoring the broad range of peril he confronts as he seeks to reclaim the presidency. The vulnerability Trump faces in Washington alone has become clear over the past month, as judges in a succession of sealed rulings have turned aside the Trump teams efforts to block grand jury testimony from witnesses including from his own lawyer and his former vice president who were or still are close to him and who could conceivably offer direct insight into key events. The rulings directing advisers and aides to testify don't suggest that the Justice Department is close to bringing criminal charges, nor do they guarantee that prosecutors can secure testimony valuable to a potential prosecution. But they're nonetheless a key, closed-door win for the government as it investigates whether classified documents were criminally mishandled at Trump's Florida home and the possible obstruction of that probe, as well as efforts by Trump and his allies to undo the results of the 2020 presidential election. I do think when you're talking about an attempted insurrection and the kinds of issues that we're talking about there, there's going to be a lot of arguments on DOJ's side to get the testimony, said Randall Eliason, a former federal prosecutor and a George Washington University law professor. Meanwhile, the district attorney in Atlanta is continuing to investigate attempts by Trump and his allies to undo his election loss in Georgia. A special grand jury in February said it believed one or more witnesses committed perjury and urged local prosecutors to bring charges. The former president never testified before the special grand jury, meaning he is not among those who could have perjured themselves. But the report doesnt foreclose the possibility of other charges, and the case still poses particular challenges for Trump, in part because his actions in Georgia were so public. Overall, the number of sealed disputes over the scope of grand jury testimony is unusual but perhaps befitting for hugely consequential probes like one concerning a former president. It also stands in contrast to the last special counsel investigation involving Trump, when he was president and when Robert Mueller and his team of prosecutors sought to determine whether Trump's 2016 campaign had colluded with Russia to tip the election. In that probe, a lawyer inside the White House, Ty Cobb, facilitated voluntary interviews of White House staff without subpoenas in hopes that cooperation would hasten the investigation toward conclusion. If I could figure out a way to cooperate and still preserve executive privilege, it would speed things up, which in my judgment ... was imperative to the president and to the country, Cobb said in a recent interview. We were able to accelerate getting them all of the information. Trump in that investigation was protected by the power of his office and by Justice Department legal opinions that say a sitting president cannot be indicted. No longer president, Trump has lost that shield, raising the stakes of his criminal exposure. And as prosecutors have sought to question people close to him whether to better understand Trump's state of mind and possible defenses, or to gather potentially damaging testimony Trump's lawyers have repeatedly objected, often in vain. Perhaps the most vivid example came last month when the then-chief judge of the D.C. federal court ordered that Trump's lawyer, M. Evan Corcoran, had to give more grand jury testimony in the Mar-a-Lago investigation. He had invoked attorney-client privilege in an earlier appearance before the grand jury in declining to answer more questions, but prosecutors pressed for more testimony. They cited what's known as the crime-fraud exception to attorney-client privilege, which allows prosecutors to compel testimony from a lawyer if they can convince a judge that a client was using legal services in furtherance of a crime. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ruled that Corcoran had to return before the grand jury, and he was in court a week later. Another instance came last week when a different federal judge, James Boasberg, ruled that former Vice President Mike Pence had to give some testimony in a Justice Department special counsel probe into efforts to undo the election. The decision rejected the Trump team's objections on executive privilege grounds, though Boasberg did give Pence a victory by accepting his lawyers' arguments that, for constitutional reasons, he could not be questioned about his actions on Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob of Trumps supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol as Republican Pence was presiding over a joint session of Congress to certify Democrat Joe Bidens victory. A Trump spokesman did not respond to a request for comment on this story but responded to the ruling in the Pence matter in a statement saying that the Justice Department is continuously stepping far outside the standard norms in attempting to destroy the long accepted, long held, Constitutionally based standards of attorney-client privilege and executive privilege. Other former Trump aides, including Stephen Miller and former national security adviser Robert O'Brien, have also recently been ordered by a judge to offer testimony despite Trump team objections of executive privilege. The ability of Justice Department prosecutors in multiple instances to convince judges that there's a basis to secure the testimony is significant to the extent that it shows that there's a there there with respect to the investigations, Eliason said. But he cautioned from reading too much into it, given that the threshold for prevailing in a fight over executive privilege or attorney-client is lower than the burden needed to win a criminal case at trial. Its a far cry from being able to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a contested trial, Eliason said. It would be quite a leap to go from there and be able to say that they've got a criminal case locked up. Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang, during phone talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh on Tuesday, affirmed that the northern neighbor will open the door for Vietnamese goods, especially agricultural products. The phone talks came shortly after those between Vietnams Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and U.S. President Joe Biden last Wednesday night (Vietnam time). According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnamese and Chinese prime ministers reached a consensus on enhancing exchanges, coordination, and efforts to boost the bilateral relations between the two countries to a new development period. PM Chinh suggested the two sides actively consider measures to maintain smooth trade, improve capacity and efficiency of customs clearance, and bolster the connectivity of road, rail, sea, and air infrastructure facilities. He expected China to continue making conditions favorable for trade activities, increase imports, accelerate the reopening of its market for Vietnams agricultural products, and facilitiate Vietnam opening more trade promotion offices in China. In addition, he sought the neighbors increase in the quota for Vietnamese goods transited on Chinas trains to third countries. PM Chinh also welcomed China to launch large, high-quality, and hi-tech investment projects in Vietnam. Furthermore, the Vietnamese government leader suggested the two sides proactively clear problems in some cooperation projects, such as the second phase of the Thai Nguyen iron and steel plant expansion project in the namesake province in northern Vietnam. Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang. Photo: AFP In response, Chinese PM Li expressed his appreciation and agreement with Vietnamese PM Chinhs suggestions. He affirmed that China supports Vietnams industrialization and modernization and improvement of its international role. The Chinese official also pledged to join hands with Vietnam in dealing with long-stalled cooperation projects. Li suggested the two countries strengthen transport infrastructure connectivity, foster cooperation in economy, trade, and investment -- especially in manufacturing and agriculture -- as well as join forces to maintain supply and production chains. He affirmed that China will promote people-to-people exchanges, facilitate the travel of residents of the two countries, and resume tourism cooperation. Regarding maritime issues, the two sides agreed to make joint efforts to maintain peace and stability, and settle the issues in the spirit of high-level common perceptions, an agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Vietnam and China, as well as international law. In the first two months of this year, Vietnam exported US$7.39 billion worth of products to China and spent $13.93 billion on imports from the northern neighbor, down 5.3 and 24.8 percent, respectively, year on year, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs. China was the largest supplier and the second-largest importer of Vietnams products in the period. Last year, Vietnams exports to and imports from China reached $87.9 billion and $146.9 billion, falling 4.7 percent and rising 6.8 percent, respectively, over 2021. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang, during phone talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh on Tuesday, affirmed that the northern neighbor will open the door for Vietnamese goods, especially agricultural products. The phone talks came shortly after those between Vietnams Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and U.S. President Joe Biden last Wednesday night (Vietnam time). According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnamese and Chinese prime ministers reached a consensus on enhancing exchanges, coordination, and efforts to boost the bilateral relations between the two countries to a new development period. PM Chinh suggested the two sides actively consider measures to maintain smooth trade, improve capacity and efficiency of customs clearance, and bolster the connectivity of road, rail, sea, and air infrastructure facilities. He expected China to continue making conditions favorable for trade activities, increase imports, accelerate the reopening of its market for Vietnams agricultural products, and facilitiate Vietnam opening more trade promotion offices in China. In addition, he sought the neighbors increase in the quota for Vietnamese goods transited on Chinas trains to third countries. PM Chinh also welcomed China to launch large, high-quality, and hi-tech investment projects in Vietnam. Furthermore, the Vietnamese government leader suggested the two sides proactively clear problems in some cooperation projects, such as the second phase of the Thai Nguyen iron and steel plant expansion project in the namesake province in northern Vietnam. Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang. Photo: AFP In response, Chinese PM Li expressed his appreciation and agreement with Vietnamese PM Chinhs suggestions. He affirmed that China supports Vietnams industrialization and modernization and improvement of its international role. The Chinese official also pledged to join hands with Vietnam in dealing with long-stalled cooperation projects. Li suggested the two countries strengthen transport infrastructure connectivity, foster cooperation in economy, trade, and investment -- especially in manufacturing and agriculture -- as well as join forces to maintain supply and production chains. He affirmed that China will promote people-to-people exchanges, facilitate the travel of residents of the two countries, and resume tourism cooperation. Regarding maritime issues, the two sides agreed to make joint efforts to maintain peace and stability, and settle the issues in the spirit of high-level common perceptions, an agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Vietnam and China, as well as international law. In the first two months of this year, Vietnam exported US$7.39 billion worth of products to China and spent $13.93 billion on imports from the northern neighbor, down 5.3 and 24.8 percent, respectively, year on year, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs. China was the largest supplier and the second-largest importer of Vietnams products in the period. Last year, Vietnams exports to and imports from China reached $87.9 billion and $146.9 billion, falling 4.7 percent and rising 6.8 percent, respectively, over 2021. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) Administration and Budget Committee President Patrick Specht, fifth from right, BIE enquiry mission members and Korean government officials take a guided tour of Busan Port International Exhibition and Convention Center (BPEX) in Busan, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul By Lee Kyung-min The eight-member delegation from the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) took a guided tour around the North Port in Busan, the proposed venue for World Expo 2030, acquainting themselves with virtual reality (VR) and urban air mobility (UAM), according to sources, Wednesday. The BIE is an intergovernmental organization that is in charge of overseeing and regulating World Expos. The Enquiry Mission led by BIE Administration and Budget Committee President Patrick Specht is visiting this week to assess the viability and feasibility of Korea as a host for the high-profile and much coveted international event. Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) Administration and Budget Committee President Patrick Specht, second from right, converses with Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon, right, during a tour of Busan Port International Exhibition and Convention Center (BPEX), Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul The eight members were given two presentations by Korea's committee promoting the Expo bid at Busan Port International Exhibition and Convention Center (BPEX), in addition to a tour of the port. Among the delivery objectives were specifics about the plan, including the design plans of the exhibition halls, details on the number of visitors expected as well as tourist accommodation preparations and access to transportation crucial for reaching the venue. Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon, accompanied by the city's external affairs officials and architects gave the tour and helped the eight members understand why Busan would be perfectly suited to hosting the global event. Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) Administration and Budget Committee President Patrick Specht, front, BIE Enquiry Mission members and Korean government officials give a thumbs up at Busan Port International Exhibition and Convention Center (BPEX) in Busan, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul The bid committee took the mission for a tour of BPEX and the international terminal of the North Port, where they were introduced to dioramas, VR and UAM experiences. Two teams of Vietnamese students beat other foreign participants to win the most prestigious prizes of an international environmental protection competition on Tuesday. The international final round of the Young Environmentalists Challenge competition was organized online by the International University under the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City and Deakin University of Australia. The contest was held to enhance young peoples awareness of environmental issues such as soil, water, and air pollution, as well as pollution from solid wastes. Nine teams, with members from Vietnam, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka, competed in Tuesdays final round. Among that, Garyy Lee, K.E.L, and Peach and Psss represented Vietnam after finishing in the first, second, and third places in the Vietnamese final leg of the contest on Saturday last week, respectively. Eventually, Garyy Lee, comprising students from Dinh Thien Ly High School in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, won the first prize for their research into making soundproofing materials from agricultural waste such as coconut fiber, bagasse, and peanut shells. Their research result showed that materials made from a mixture of coir, bagasse, and peanut shells have better sound absorption than styrofoam. In the research, sound insulation varied depending on sound intensity and the mixture with a 3-to-7 ratio produced the best soundproofing effect. Peach and Psss, with members from the same high school as Garyy Lee, claimed the second prize while the third prize went to the Malaysian team Snailians. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Two teams of Vietnamese students beat other foreign participants to win the most prestigious prizes of an international environmental protection competition on Tuesday. The international final round of the Young Environmentalists Challenge competition was organized online by the International University under the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City and Deakin University of Australia. The contest was held to enhance young peoples awareness of environmental issues such as soil, water, and air pollution, as well as pollution from solid wastes. Nine teams, with members from Vietnam, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka, competed in Tuesdays final round. Among that, Garyy Lee, K.E.L, and Peach and Psss represented Vietnam after finishing in the first, second, and third places in the Vietnamese final leg of the contest on Saturday last week, respectively. Eventually, Garyy Lee, comprising students from Dinh Thien Ly High School in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, won the first prize for their research into making soundproofing materials from agricultural waste such as coconut fiber, bagasse, and peanut shells. Their research result showed that materials made from a mixture of coir, bagasse, and peanut shells have better sound absorption than styrofoam. In the research, sound insulation varied depending on sound intensity and the mixture with a 3-to-7 ratio produced the best soundproofing effect. Peach and Psss, with members from the same high school as Garyy Lee, claimed the second prize while the third prize went to the Malaysian team Snailians. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Anan Saigon, a restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, ranked 40th in the 2023 Asias 50 Best Restaurants list by UK-based William Reed media company at a ceremony held in Singapore on March 28. The restaurant was the only representative from Vietnam making it to the list this year. In 2021, Anan Saion ranked 39th. Asia's 50 Best Restaurants is part of William Reeds 50 Best brand, which showcases worldwide trends and highlights great restaurants and bars across the globe. Peter Cuong Franklin, head chef and owner of Anan Saigon, took part in an interview with Tuoi Tre News via email to share his thoughts on the recognition and his aspiration for Vietnamese cuisine. A supplied photo shows chef Peter Cuong Franklin attending the ceremony to announce Asia's 50 best restaurants in Singapore on March 28, 2023. Peter Cuong Franklin, a Vietnamese-American chef who studied at Le Cordon Bleu and trained at world-famous restaurants including Caprice in Hong Kong, Alinea in Chicago, and Nahm in Bangkok, Asias 50 Best Restaurants said. A pioneer of modern Vietnamese and Asian cuisine, he is one of the most recognizable faces on the countrys growing gastronomic scene. As it returns to the Asias 50 Best Restaurants list this year, Anan Saigon is named The Best Restaurant in Vietnam." Could you please share your feelings upon receiving the year 2023 recognition for Anan Saigon as the 40th best restaurant in Asia and the best in Vietnam? I am delighted that Anan Saigon has been voted as one of Asias 50 Best Restaurants in 2023. The recognition from 50 Best is important not only for Anan Saigon but also for spotlighting Vietnam and Vietnamese cuisine on the global stage. I hope it will inspire a new generation of young chefs and local restaurants in Vietnam. In addition, with the arrival of the inaugural Michelin guide Vietnam in June, I predict that we will see big growth and development for Vietnams hospitality industry over the coming years. Chef Peter Cuong Franklin. Photo: Gia Tien / Tuoi Tre Anan Saigon was mentioned as an 'ambitious restaurant turning street food flavors into contemporary creations.' Could you please introduce some of your favorite creations? Anan Saigon is an unusual restaurant because it offers guests both an ambitious and innovative tasting menu and also accessible a-la-carte options. This is not the case with most restaurants in Vietnam and around the world. In addition to an a-la-carte menu with signature dishes such as Da Lat Pizza, Banh Xeo Taco, and Foie Gras Cha Gio, Anan Saigon currently offers two tasting menus: the Saigon Tasting Menu for US$67 with 10 dishes and the Chefs Tasting Menu for $100 with 12 dishes. The Saigon Tasting Menu includes modern interpretations of many classic Vietnamese dishes such as Banh Xeo. For a more gastronomic experience of Chef Peters New Vietnamese Cuisine, we suggest guests order the Chefs Tasting Menu: 'Homage To A New Vietnam.' The Chefs Tasting Menu is a Homage To A New Vietnam, which includes dishes from all regions of Vietnam from north to south, such as Cha Ca Hanoi and Fish Sauce Ice Cream with Phu Quoc Nuoc Mam perfume. Foie gras imperial roll at Anan Saigon. Photo: Gia Tien / Tuoi Tre What is your formula when it comes to food creations? We do not have a formula per se but I want to make delicious food that brings enjoyment and happiness to our guests. At Anan Saigon, we incorporate many global influences and yet respect the deep history and traditions of Vietnam. Our signature dishes such as the Da Lat Pizza, Banh Xeo Taco, and Foie Gras Cha Gio are inventive and surprising and yet at the same time familiar and very Vietnamese in flavor. Banh xeo tacos at Anan Saigon. Photo: Gia Tien / Tuoi Tre You once shared your vision for Anan is 'to create a distinctively Vietnamese dining experience that can fit into any global cities such as Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, New York, and London.' It seems that you made it. Could you please share more of your thoughts on why Anan Saigon was honored? The award is an affirmation of Anan Saigons creative modern Vietnamese cuisine which reflects my vision of a new Vietnam that is deeply respectful of its history and traditions yet progressive and international in its outlook. I take inspiration from the countrys vibrant regional food culture and use fresh ingredients often sourced from local markets while incorporating French culinary techniques. I opened Anan Saigon six years ago with the aspiration to create a new style of Vietnamese cuisine in my motherland. Some people call it 'fusion' but I prefer to call this style of cooking New Vietnamese or Cuisine Moi. My vision is still the same -- to create a new style of Vietnamese cuisine that can fit on the global stage. I think the recognition from 50 Best of Anan Saigon as 'the most sought-after dining experience in Ho Chi Minh City' is a testament to what we have achieved so far. Chef Peter Cuong Franklin. Photo: Gia Tien / Tuoi Tre In our previous interview, you wanted people to realize that Vietnamese cuisine is not just about inexpensive street food but also about creative cuisine and fine dining. Have you succeeded in doing this? This is a process and we still have a long way to go. I have succeeded only in opening the door for a new generation of chefs and restaurants in Vietnam and in creating the possibility that Vietnamese cuisine can offer both inexpensive street food as well as creative fine dining that can match the best of Thai, Singaporean, Japanese, and other Asian cuisines. Chef Peter Cuong Franklin talks about his food creations at Anan Saigon. Photo: Gia Tien / Tuoi Tre In your opinion, are there any other aspects of Vietnamese cuisine that people need to understand more properly? I think to truly understand and appreciate the cuisine, one has to understand the culture of the people. For example, to truly appreciate a dish such as Bun Cha or Cha Ca Hanoi, diners have to understand 'huong vi mien bac' (northern flavors) and Hanoi culture, to truly understand Com Tam or Banh Mi Saigon, they have to understand the vibrant and fun-loving nature of the Saigonese. I think understanding and appreciation of the diversity of Vietnams regional cuisine are also very important. A bowl of Hanoi pho with its clean broth and velvety hand-cut banh pho noodle is very different from a bowl of Saigon pho to which chefs like to add so many ingredients such as different types of meat, bean sprouts, herbs, and spices. I believe neither one is better than the other they are different but both delicious in their own way. What do you think of the potential of Ho Chi Minh City, or Vietnam, on the global culinary dining map now? And how can it be better promoted? The 50 Best Award events were partly sponsored by the Singapore Tourism Board as part of the Visit Singapore program, which promotes Singapore and Singaporean cuisine. Thailand and Hong Kong also have similar programs which are very successful. I think we can learn from these cities to support and promote Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam as a fine dining destination and put the country on the global culinary dining map. From my observations, we currently focus our marketing resources mainly on the hotel and resort sector which is important but this is only one segment of the hospitality industry restaurants and bars are also very important. Many people now travel and plan their trip specifically for the opportunity to dine in special restaurants. Many guests now travel to Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam specifically to eat at Anan Saigon. We need to do much more to promote our restaurants and bars and let people around the world know that we have both wonderful street food and world-class dining experiences in Vietnam now. Thank you! Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Anan Saigon, a restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, ranked 40th in the 2023 Asias 50 Best Restaurants list by UK-based William Reed media company at a ceremony held in Singapore on March 28. The restaurant was the only representative from Vietnam making it to the list this year. In 2021, Anan Saion ranked 39th. Asia's 50 Best Restaurants is part of William Reeds 50 Best brand, which showcases worldwide trends and highlights great restaurants and bars across the globe. Peter Cuong Franklin, head chef and owner of Anan Saigon, took part in an interview with Tuoi Tre News via email to share his thoughts on the recognition and his aspiration for Vietnamese cuisine. A supplied photo shows chef Peter Cuong Franklin attending the ceremony to announce Asia's 50 best restaurants in Singapore on March 28, 2023. Peter Cuong Franklin, a Vietnamese-American chef who studied at Le Cordon Bleu and trained at world-famous restaurants including Caprice in Hong Kong, Alinea in Chicago, and Nahm in Bangkok, Asias 50 Best Restaurants said. A pioneer of modern Vietnamese and Asian cuisine, he is one of the most recognizable faces on the countrys growing gastronomic scene. As it returns to the Asias 50 Best Restaurants list this year, Anan Saigon is named The Best Restaurant in Vietnam." Could you please share your feelings upon receiving the year 2023 recognition for Anan Saigon as the 40th best restaurant in Asia and the best in Vietnam? I am delighted that Anan Saigon has been voted as one of Asias 50 Best Restaurants in 2023. The recognition from 50 Best is important not only for Anan Saigon but also for spotlighting Vietnam and Vietnamese cuisine on the global stage. I hope it will inspire a new generation of young chefs and local restaurants in Vietnam. In addition, with the arrival of the inaugural Michelin guide Vietnam in June, I predict that we will see big growth and development for Vietnams hospitality industry over the coming years. Chef Peter Cuong Franklin. Photo: Gia Tien / Tuoi Tre Anan Saigon was mentioned as an 'ambitious restaurant turning street food flavors into contemporary creations.' Could you please introduce some of your favorite creations? Anan Saigon is an unusual restaurant because it offers guests both an ambitious and innovative tasting menu and also accessible a-la-carte options. This is not the case with most restaurants in Vietnam and around the world. In addition to an a-la-carte menu with signature dishes such as Da Lat Pizza, Banh Xeo Taco, and Foie Gras Cha Gio, Anan Saigon currently offers two tasting menus: the Saigon Tasting Menu for US$67 with 10 dishes and the Chefs Tasting Menu for $100 with 12 dishes. The Saigon Tasting Menu includes modern interpretations of many classic Vietnamese dishes such as Banh Xeo. For a more gastronomic experience of Chef Peters New Vietnamese Cuisine, we suggest guests order the Chefs Tasting Menu: 'Homage To A New Vietnam.' The Chefs Tasting Menu is a Homage To A New Vietnam, which includes dishes from all regions of Vietnam from north to south, such as Cha Ca Hanoi and Fish Sauce Ice Cream with Phu Quoc Nuoc Mam perfume. Foie gras imperial roll at Anan Saigon. Photo: Gia Tien / Tuoi Tre What is your formula when it comes to food creations? We do not have a formula per se but I want to make delicious food that brings enjoyment and happiness to our guests. At Anan Saigon, we incorporate many global influences and yet respect the deep history and traditions of Vietnam. Our signature dishes such as the Da Lat Pizza, Banh Xeo Taco, and Foie Gras Cha Gio are inventive and surprising and yet at the same time familiar and very Vietnamese in flavor. Banh xeo tacos at Anan Saigon. Photo: Gia Tien / Tuoi Tre You once shared your vision for Anan is 'to create a distinctively Vietnamese dining experience that can fit into any global cities such as Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, New York, and London.' It seems that you made it. Could you please share more of your thoughts on why Anan Saigon was honored? The award is an affirmation of Anan Saigons creative modern Vietnamese cuisine which reflects my vision of a new Vietnam that is deeply respectful of its history and traditions yet progressive and international in its outlook. I take inspiration from the countrys vibrant regional food culture and use fresh ingredients often sourced from local markets while incorporating French culinary techniques. I opened Anan Saigon six years ago with the aspiration to create a new style of Vietnamese cuisine in my motherland. Some people call it 'fusion' but I prefer to call this style of cooking New Vietnamese or Cuisine Moi. My vision is still the same -- to create a new style of Vietnamese cuisine that can fit on the global stage. I think the recognition from 50 Best of Anan Saigon as 'the most sought-after dining experience in Ho Chi Minh City' is a testament to what we have achieved so far. Chef Peter Cuong Franklin. Photo: Gia Tien / Tuoi Tre In our previous interview, you wanted people to realize that Vietnamese cuisine is not just about inexpensive street food but also about creative cuisine and fine dining. Have you succeeded in doing this? This is a process and we still have a long way to go. I have succeeded only in opening the door for a new generation of chefs and restaurants in Vietnam and in creating the possibility that Vietnamese cuisine can offer both inexpensive street food as well as creative fine dining that can match the best of Thai, Singaporean, Japanese, and other Asian cuisines. Chef Peter Cuong Franklin talks about his food creations at Anan Saigon. Photo: Gia Tien / Tuoi Tre In your opinion, are there any other aspects of Vietnamese cuisine that people need to understand more properly? I think to truly understand and appreciate the cuisine, one has to understand the culture of the people. For example, to truly appreciate a dish such as Bun Cha or Cha Ca Hanoi, diners have to understand 'huong vi mien bac' (northern flavors) and Hanoi culture, to truly understand Com Tam or Banh Mi Saigon, they have to understand the vibrant and fun-loving nature of the Saigonese. I think understanding and appreciation of the diversity of Vietnams regional cuisine are also very important. A bowl of Hanoi pho with its clean broth and velvety hand-cut banh pho noodle is very different from a bowl of Saigon pho to which chefs like to add so many ingredients such as different types of meat, bean sprouts, herbs, and spices. I believe neither one is better than the other they are different but both delicious in their own way. What do you think of the potential of Ho Chi Minh City, or Vietnam, on the global culinary dining map now? And how can it be better promoted? The 50 Best Award events were partly sponsored by the Singapore Tourism Board as part of the Visit Singapore program, which promotes Singapore and Singaporean cuisine. Thailand and Hong Kong also have similar programs which are very successful. I think we can learn from these cities to support and promote Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam as a fine dining destination and put the country on the global culinary dining map. From my observations, we currently focus our marketing resources mainly on the hotel and resort sector which is important but this is only one segment of the hospitality industry restaurants and bars are also very important. Many people now travel and plan their trip specifically for the opportunity to dine in special restaurants. Many guests now travel to Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam specifically to eat at Anan Saigon. We need to do much more to promote our restaurants and bars and let people around the world know that we have both wonderful street food and world-class dining experiences in Vietnam now. Thank you! Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vo Ngoc Nhu Quynh, 26, residing in Australia, and her father visited famous coffee farming areas in Vietnam, chose coffee beans, and brought them to Australia with a desire to promote Vietnamese coffee to the world. Quynh said she used a coffee registration service in Australia to discover specialty coffee from across the country but never received a Vietnamese coffee package. Therefore, she initiated her journey to realize the 'Viet Coffee Project.' Seeking specialty coffee In April last year, Quynh began seeking Vietnamese specialty coffee. Visiting some coffee shops in Sydney, she found no Vietnamese coffee with the shops explanation of 'low coffee quality.' She did not accept that answer as Vietnam is the second-largest coffee exporter in the world. She remembered the great taste of cups of coffee in her motherland. I want to change their awareness of Vietnamese coffee, so I rolled up my sleeves to conduct the Viet Coffee Project," Quynh said. [My job is to] make more people aware that Vietnam produces not only a large volume of coffee but also high-quality specialty beans. [The country] should be listed among premium coffee producers. Vo Thanh Hai, Quynhs father, has supported her a lot. Before Quynh returned to Vietnam, Hai from Dong Nai Province, southern Vietnam traveled to the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, a coffee farming area, came to each farm there and asked if they wanted to join hands with him to export coffee to Australia. After getting the agreement of farm owners, Quynh got back to Vietnam in late 2022 and visited many coffee farms with her father. She asked farm owners many questions to understand their coffee production process. We require that farms be green ones which do not do harm to the environment and offer good salaries and accommodations to employees, Quynh said. She collected unroasted coffee samples from farms, and tried and assessed them under a 100-point marking scheme. Farm owners enthusiastically welcomed the girl as they expected Viet Coffee Project would open up opportunities to export their coffee berries to Australia. Over the past year, Vo Ngoc Nhu Quynh has traveled between Australia and Vietnam to seek specialty coffee. Photo: supplied Launching specialty coffee brand Coffee was checked carefully before being exported. Quynh spent a lot of time testing the taste and different ways to roast coffee beans at a facility in Sydney. She decided to roast coffee seeds in Australia to maintain their quality and taste. However, the specialty coffee market in Australia is fiercely competitive. During nine months, Quynh focused on branding by designing packages to distinguish her product from other brands. She created an Instagram account to attract people to try Vietnamese specialty coffee. Luckily, Australian people are keen on discovering and experiencing new products. In addition, Vietnam is not unfamiliar to them. Many Australian people have traveled to Vietnam and enjoyed 'ca phe sua da' (iced coffee mixed with sweetened condensed milk). Therefore, when the Vietnamese woman introduced Vietnams specialty coffee, they were excited and wanted to try it. Compared with coffee brands in Australia, our difference may be stories about coffee. When customers access Viet Coffee Project, they will have an opportunity to learn about the coffee industry in general and Vietnamese coffee in particular, and listen to our experiences with farmers when we return to Vietnam to visit farms, Quynh said. She said she was working on a new website to boost the online sales channel. The website is expected to begin running this month to introduce Vietnams specialty coffee to the international market. Quynh is working in the information technology sector in Australia which seems unrelated to coffee. "It is true that information technology and coffee are unconnected, but my job helps me develop many necessary skills to carry out my coffee project, she said. She has more knowledge of business, market access, and technology application. Her biggest desire is to contribute to promoting and developing Vietnams specialty coffee brand through her project, Quynh added. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vo Ngoc Nhu Quynh, 26, residing in Australia, and her father visited famous coffee farming areas in Vietnam, chose coffee beans, and brought them to Australia with a desire to promote Vietnamese coffee to the world. Quynh said she used a coffee registration service in Australia to discover specialty coffee from across the country but never received a Vietnamese coffee package. Therefore, she initiated her journey to realize the 'Viet Coffee Project.' Seeking specialty coffee In April last year, Quynh began seeking Vietnamese specialty coffee. Visiting some coffee shops in Sydney, she found no Vietnamese coffee with the shops explanation of 'low coffee quality.' She did not accept that answer as Vietnam is the second-largest coffee exporter in the world. She remembered the great taste of cups of coffee in her motherland. I want to change their awareness of Vietnamese coffee, so I rolled up my sleeves to conduct the Viet Coffee Project," Quynh said. [My job is to] make more people aware that Vietnam produces not only a large volume of coffee but also high-quality specialty beans. [The country] should be listed among premium coffee producers. Vo Thanh Hai, Quynhs father, has supported her a lot. Before Quynh returned to Vietnam, Hai from Dong Nai Province, southern Vietnam traveled to the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, a coffee farming area, came to each farm there and asked if they wanted to join hands with him to export coffee to Australia. After getting the agreement of farm owners, Quynh got back to Vietnam in late 2022 and visited many coffee farms with her father. She asked farm owners many questions to understand their coffee production process. We require that farms be green ones which do not do harm to the environment and offer good salaries and accommodations to employees, Quynh said. She collected unroasted coffee samples from farms, and tried and assessed them under a 100-point marking scheme. Farm owners enthusiastically welcomed the girl as they expected Viet Coffee Project would open up opportunities to export their coffee berries to Australia. Over the past year, Vo Ngoc Nhu Quynh has traveled between Australia and Vietnam to seek specialty coffee. Photo: supplied Launching specialty coffee brand Coffee was checked carefully before being exported. Quynh spent a lot of time testing the taste and different ways to roast coffee beans at a facility in Sydney. She decided to roast coffee seeds in Australia to maintain their quality and taste. However, the specialty coffee market in Australia is fiercely competitive. During nine months, Quynh focused on branding by designing packages to distinguish her product from other brands. She created an Instagram account to attract people to try Vietnamese specialty coffee. Luckily, Australian people are keen on discovering and experiencing new products. In addition, Vietnam is not unfamiliar to them. Many Australian people have traveled to Vietnam and enjoyed 'ca phe sua da' (iced coffee mixed with sweetened condensed milk). Therefore, when the Vietnamese woman introduced Vietnams specialty coffee, they were excited and wanted to try it. Compared with coffee brands in Australia, our difference may be stories about coffee. When customers access Viet Coffee Project, they will have an opportunity to learn about the coffee industry in general and Vietnamese coffee in particular, and listen to our experiences with farmers when we return to Vietnam to visit farms, Quynh said. She said she was working on a new website to boost the online sales channel. The website is expected to begin running this month to introduce Vietnams specialty coffee to the international market. Quynh is working in the information technology sector in Australia which seems unrelated to coffee. "It is true that information technology and coffee are unconnected, but my job helps me develop many necessary skills to carry out my coffee project, she said. She has more knowledge of business, market access, and technology application. Her biggest desire is to contribute to promoting and developing Vietnams specialty coffee brand through her project, Quynh added. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Rescue teams made final checks on Wednesday for anyone still trapped in an avalanche that swept down on a road in the Indian Himalayan state of Sikkim the day before, killing seven people. Rescue teams pulled 20 survivors from the snow that engulfed the road to the Nathu La pass, between Sikkim and the Chinese region of Tibet, before calling off their search as bad weather closed in and darkness fell on Tuesday evening. "Rescue operations have resumed this morning because we want to make sure that we haven't left anyone behind. We will scour the area properly before we call them off," Tenzing Loden Lepcha, a police official in the northeastern state, told Reuters by telephone. Rescue team members search for survivors after an avalanche in the northeastern state of Sikkim, India, April 4, 2023. Indian Ministry of Defence/Handout via Reuters Avalanches have killed at least 120 people in the Indian Himalayas over the past two years. A study in the U.S. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences concluded in 2018 that climate change had increased avalanche risks in the Himalayas. The cause of Tuesday's disaster were not immediately clear. Tourists flock to Sikkim, located below Mount Khangchendzonga, also known as Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world. Nathu La serves as a route for the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in China, considered one of the holiest pilgrimages in Hinduism. Rescue teams made final checks on Wednesday for anyone still trapped in an avalanche that swept down on a road in the Indian Himalayan state of Sikkim the day before, killing seven people. Rescue teams pulled 20 survivors from the snow that engulfed the road to the Nathu La pass, between Sikkim and the Chinese region of Tibet, before calling off their search as bad weather closed in and darkness fell on Tuesday evening. "Rescue operations have resumed this morning because we want to make sure that we haven't left anyone behind. We will scour the area properly before we call them off," Tenzing Loden Lepcha, a police official in the northeastern state, told Reuters by telephone. Rescue team members search for survivors after an avalanche in the northeastern state of Sikkim, India, April 4, 2023. Indian Ministry of Defence/Handout via Reuters Avalanches have killed at least 120 people in the Indian Himalayas over the past two years. A study in the U.S. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences concluded in 2018 that climate change had increased avalanche risks in the Himalayas. The cause of Tuesday's disaster were not immediately clear. Tourists flock to Sikkim, located below Mount Khangchendzonga, also known as Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world. Nathu La serves as a route for the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in China, considered one of the holiest pilgrimages in Hinduism. Vietnamese State President Vo Van Thuong and Australian Governor-General David Hurley have reached a consensus for the two countries to upgrade their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership at the right time. During their talks on Tuesday morning, State President Thuong said that Australian Governor-General Hurleys ongoing visit to Vietnam would contribute to boosting the Vietnam-Australia strategic ties. Australian Governor-General Hurley began his four-day visit to Vietnam on Monday at the invitation of the Vietnamese state president. Expected relationship upgrade Both officials expressed their satisfaction of the fruits of the strategic partnership after 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties. Seeing much potential for bilateral cooperation, the two leaders eyed a deeper multifaceted partnership, agreeing to discuss the upgrade of their relations to the highest level at the right time. The highest level in Vietnam's international relations is a comprehensive strategic partnership, followed by a strategic relationship and comprehensive partnership. Until now, Vietnam has established a comprehensive strategic partnership with China, Russia, India, and South Korea. To strengthen their relationship, Vietnam and Australia will continue to trust and respect each other, bolster all-level delegation exchanges, and speed up the implementation of two-way trade agreements. Vietnamese State President Thuong proposed the two nations enhance trade and investment cooperation, including facilitating export activities, after the Australia-Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy was signed in 2021. The Vietnamese side also hinted at offering incentives to Vietnamese and Australian enterprises to make investments. Vietnam encourages Australian investors to tap the countrys energy, infrastructure, mining, telecoms, finance-banking, hi-tech agriculture, and education fields. Joining hands to maintain peace is a highlight President Thuong saw the cooperation in maintaining peace as the highlight of the bilateral partnership, proposing Australia maintain its collaboration with Vietnam to fight international criminals, tighten control over exit and entry, prevent illegal immigration, and tackle terrorism. Also, Australian Governor-General Hurley agreed to cement the two nations partnership in culture, sports, and exchange activities. The two countries will soon complete relevant procedures to put into action the memorandum of understanding to provide support for Vietnamese citizens to participate in the Australian Agriculture Visa Program. Besides, Australia will create more favorable conditions for Vietnamese students to study in the country, while encouraging Australian students to travel to Vietnam for study and tourism under the new Colombo working holiday program. Hurley also highly valued the establishment of the Vietnam-Australia Center at the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, promising to smooth the path for Vietnamese citizens to live, study, and work in Australia. Furthermore, he proposed Vietnam continue creating favorable conditions for Australian citizens to tour, study, and do business in the nation. President Thuong praised Australia for enhancing cooperation with Southeast Asia in general and Vietnam in particular. After their talks, the two leaders reached a consensus on fostering consultation and cooperation at international and regional forums, reaffirming the importance of peace, stability, safety, security, and maritime freedom in the East Vietnam Sea. The two high-ranking officials also called on other countries to join hands to build a region that is stable and prosperous and to respect sovereignty and international law. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnamese State President Vo Van Thuong and Australian Governor-General David Hurley have reached a consensus for the two countries to upgrade their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership at the right time. During their talks on Tuesday morning, State President Thuong said that Australian Governor-General Hurleys ongoing visit to Vietnam would contribute to boosting the Vietnam-Australia strategic ties. Australian Governor-General Hurley began his four-day visit to Vietnam on Monday at the invitation of the Vietnamese state president. Expected relationship upgrade Both officials expressed their satisfaction of the fruits of the strategic partnership after 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties. Seeing much potential for bilateral cooperation, the two leaders eyed a deeper multifaceted partnership, agreeing to discuss the upgrade of their relations to the highest level at the right time. The highest level in Vietnam's international relations is a comprehensive strategic partnership, followed by a strategic relationship and comprehensive partnership. Until now, Vietnam has established a comprehensive strategic partnership with China, Russia, India, and South Korea. To strengthen their relationship, Vietnam and Australia will continue to trust and respect each other, bolster all-level delegation exchanges, and speed up the implementation of two-way trade agreements. Vietnamese State President Thuong proposed the two nations enhance trade and investment cooperation, including facilitating export activities, after the Australia-Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy was signed in 2021. The Vietnamese side also hinted at offering incentives to Vietnamese and Australian enterprises to make investments. Vietnam encourages Australian investors to tap the countrys energy, infrastructure, mining, telecoms, finance-banking, hi-tech agriculture, and education fields. Joining hands to maintain peace is a highlight President Thuong saw the cooperation in maintaining peace as the highlight of the bilateral partnership, proposing Australia maintain its collaboration with Vietnam to fight international criminals, tighten control over exit and entry, prevent illegal immigration, and tackle terrorism. Also, Australian Governor-General Hurley agreed to cement the two nations partnership in culture, sports, and exchange activities. The two countries will soon complete relevant procedures to put into action the memorandum of understanding to provide support for Vietnamese citizens to participate in the Australian Agriculture Visa Program. Besides, Australia will create more favorable conditions for Vietnamese students to study in the country, while encouraging Australian students to travel to Vietnam for study and tourism under the new Colombo working holiday program. Hurley also highly valued the establishment of the Vietnam-Australia Center at the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, promising to smooth the path for Vietnamese citizens to live, study, and work in Australia. Furthermore, he proposed Vietnam continue creating favorable conditions for Australian citizens to tour, study, and do business in the nation. President Thuong praised Australia for enhancing cooperation with Southeast Asia in general and Vietnam in particular. After their talks, the two leaders reached a consensus on fostering consultation and cooperation at international and regional forums, reaffirming the importance of peace, stability, safety, security, and maritime freedom in the East Vietnam Sea. The two high-ranking officials also called on other countries to join hands to build a region that is stable and prosperous and to respect sovereignty and international law. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A power line was cut by a falling tree due to a heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms, electrocuting three members of a family in Binh Duong Province, a neighbor of Ho Chi Minh City, on Tuesday evening. The tragic case occurred in My Phuoc Ward, Ben Cat Town, Binh Duong Province. At about 5:30 pm on Tuesday, the heavy rain and thunderstorms uprooted a large tree, resulting in the broken power line and electricity leak, according to a report by local authorities. Nguyen Thi Nhi, 70, was clearing puddles in front of her house when she was electrocuted and fell. Her husband, son, and grandson, named Nguyen Van Len, 71, Nguyen Thai Binh, 40, and Nguyen Thai Duong, 12, respectively, rushed to save her but died of electrocution. Meanwhile, Nhi suffered injuries. Nguyen Trong An, chairman of the Peoples Committee of Ben Cat Town, said local officials have visited and offered condolences to the family of the victims. The town has supported the family with VND30 million (US$1,287), while the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Binh Duong Province offered VND30 million ($1,287), and the Peoples Committee of My Phuoc Ward gave VND10 million ($429) in aid. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A power line was cut by a falling tree due to a heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms, electrocuting three members of a family in Binh Duong Province, a neighbor of Ho Chi Minh City, on Tuesday evening. The tragic case occurred in My Phuoc Ward, Ben Cat Town, Binh Duong Province. At about 5:30 pm on Tuesday, the heavy rain and thunderstorms uprooted a large tree, resulting in the broken power line and electricity leak, according to a report by local authorities. Nguyen Thi Nhi, 70, was clearing puddles in front of her house when she was electrocuted and fell. Her husband, son, and grandson, named Nguyen Van Len, 71, Nguyen Thai Binh, 40, and Nguyen Thai Duong, 12, respectively, rushed to save her but died of electrocution. Meanwhile, Nhi suffered injuries. Nguyen Trong An, chairman of the Peoples Committee of Ben Cat Town, said local officials have visited and offered condolences to the family of the victims. The town has supported the family with VND30 million (US$1,287), while the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Binh Duong Province offered VND30 million ($1,287), and the Peoples Committee of My Phuoc Ward gave VND10 million ($429) in aid. 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: Politics -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh landed in Vientiane, Laos on Tuesday to attend the fourth Mekong River Commission Summit, which is slated for Wednesday. Society -- A power line was cut by a falling tree, electrocuting three people in a family in Binh Duong, southern Vietnam on Tuesday evening. -- The Hanoi Department of Tourism has required travel firms not to bring tourists to the famous trackside cafe street in Ba Dinh District, where authorities have taken drastic measures to prevent vendors from selling beverages and tourists from filming and photographing near rails. -- The Peoples Committee of Hai Chau District in downtown Da Nang City, central Vietnam on Tuesday called on local eateries and restaurants to offer free toilet service to residents and tourists. -- A Thai man was hospitalized after climbing over the railing and jumping from the third floor of Terminal T2 at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on Tuesday afternoon. -- Authorities in Long Xuyen City of An Giang Province in southern Vietnam said on Tuesday that they were about to have 400 people join the live load test of the Nguyen Thai Hoc footbridge on Wednesday. The provincial People's Committee changed the plan to using another type of dead load later over a public backlash. -- The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Ben Tre Province, southern Vietnam has vowed to strictly deal with the constant destruction of coastal forests in Ba Tri District. -- Rains are in the forecast for several parts of southern Vietnam and downpours are expected in some places in the Central Highlands region on Wednesday, according to the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting. Business -- Vietnams consumer price index increased 4.18 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2023, according to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam. 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: Politics -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh landed in Vientiane, Laos on Tuesday to attend the fourth Mekong River Commission Summit, which is slated for Wednesday. Society -- A power line was cut by a falling tree, electrocuting three people in a family in Binh Duong, southern Vietnam on Tuesday evening. -- The Hanoi Department of Tourism has required travel firms not to bring tourists to the famous trackside cafe street in Ba Dinh District, where authorities have taken drastic measures to prevent vendors from selling beverages and tourists from filming and photographing near rails. -- The Peoples Committee of Hai Chau District in downtown Da Nang City, central Vietnam on Tuesday called on local eateries and restaurants to offer free toilet service to residents and tourists. -- A Thai man was hospitalized after climbing over the railing and jumping from the third floor of Terminal T2 at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on Tuesday afternoon. -- Authorities in Long Xuyen City of An Giang Province in southern Vietnam said on Tuesday that they were about to have 400 people join the live load test of the Nguyen Thai Hoc footbridge on Wednesday. The provincial People's Committee changed the plan to using another type of dead load later over a public backlash. -- The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Ben Tre Province, southern Vietnam has vowed to strictly deal with the constant destruction of coastal forests in Ba Tri District. -- Rains are in the forecast for several parts of southern Vietnam and downpours are expected in some places in the Central Highlands region on Wednesday, according to the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting. Business -- Vietnams consumer price index increased 4.18 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2023, according to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Hanoi Department of Tourism has asked local travel companies not to take foreign tourists to visit, take photos, and drink beverages on a famed train street where coffee shops are just inches from the active railway. The departments requirement is aimed at ensuring traffic safety for tourists because many have visited the street snaking through Hoan Kiem and Ba Dinh Districts for photoshoots. Some groups of tourists have been transported to a level crossing at 5 Tran Phu Street in Hang Bong Ward, Hoan Kiem District, causing traffic jams, posing a high risk of traffic accidents, and putting pressure on railway guards. As a result, the municipal Department of Tourism told tour operators to call on travelers, especially foreigners, not to go to the site, drink coffee, and take photos there. In September last year, a South Korean tourist was hit by the Lao Cai - Hanoi train while trying to take pictures at the famous trackside cafe street. The accident happened as the tourist ignored the sirens and safety barriers. The impact sent the visitor into the wall, but left her with only scratches. The collision forced the train to make a sudden stop, causing traffic clogging on adjacent Dien Bien and Tran Phu Streets. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Hanoi Department of Tourism has asked local travel companies not to take foreign tourists to visit, take photos, and drink beverages on a famed train street where coffee shops are just inches from the active railway. The departments requirement is aimed at ensuring traffic safety for tourists because many have visited the street snaking through Hoan Kiem and Ba Dinh Districts for photoshoots. Some groups of tourists have been transported to a level crossing at 5 Tran Phu Street in Hang Bong Ward, Hoan Kiem District, causing traffic jams, posing a high risk of traffic accidents, and putting pressure on railway guards. As a result, the municipal Department of Tourism told tour operators to call on travelers, especially foreigners, not to go to the site, drink coffee, and take photos there. In September last year, a South Korean tourist was hit by the Lao Cai - Hanoi train while trying to take pictures at the famous trackside cafe street. The accident happened as the tourist ignored the sirens and safety barriers. The impact sent the visitor into the wall, but left her with only scratches. The collision forced the train to make a sudden stop, causing traffic clogging on adjacent Dien Bien and Tran Phu Streets. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Hoi An City Peoples Committees recent requirement of entrance tickets for Hoi An Ancient Town has run into opposition from foreigners, but many others have thrown their support behind the move. From May 15, both local and international visitors will have to buy tickets to enter Hoi An Ancient Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Minh An Ward of Hoi An City, which is administered by Quang Nam Province in central Vietnam. The tickets cost VND120,000 (US$5.1) each for foreigners and VND80,000 ($3.4) each for domestic tourists. Local authorities have announced that they will designate two entrances to the ancient town, one for tourists and the other for people residing in the town as well as those entering it for work. A Facebook user named Lynne Meddaugh left a comment on the Tuoi Tre News page that if the goal is to reduce crowds to reasonable levels, maybe it is a good thing. The foreigner, however, raised some questions on how vendors and businesses in the town feel about this and what if visitors stay just outside the ancient town area, but want to go inside each day for restaurants or the night market. [The requirement] makes me not want to go there again. It is a beautiful destination, but this doesnt feel like the right approach, the foreigner said. Echoing the view, another user called Cynthia Miller commented, It has a kind of taking the spirit out of the feeling of going. I personally think ticketing is just about the worst way to raise money, remarked Jon Ritchie. Disagreeing with the mandate, another Facebook user expressed his opinion that its made not to improve the place but to make foreigners pay more and more. The actual tourist value of the place approximates zero, just a bait for vendors inside. The user also added that the compulsory entrance fee will eliminate the return of customers and visitors. According to Chris Joldnall, the move will only worsen the image of tourism. Is it US$5 a day? And what if you access a tailor three or four times over five days or dine out? Greg Taylor questioned. In contrast, many foreign Facebook users agreed with the entrance fee mandate as it is a need. I have no issue with this, Darren Ryding commented, adding that Barcelona, Venice, and Amsterdam have city taxes. Residents in Hoi An really struggled through COVID-19, he said. Good idea! [The move will] get rid of cheap tourists and get a more up-market tourism segment in which travelers will spend more and give retailers in Hoi An better value, wrote Rob Lock. Another Facebook user valued the entry fee requirement as a good thing since the proceeds could be used to preserve and protect the ancient town. Great move! Its time to protect Hoi An from overcrowding and damaging the ecosystems. Considering it is a world heritage site, commented Daisy Logan. Michael Roberts, a Facebook user, suggested that I agree. However, a better idea is to increase the price for tourists and allow free entrance for locals and TRC [temporary resident card] holders. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Hoi An City Peoples Committees recent requirement of entrance tickets for Hoi An Ancient Town has run into opposition from foreigners, but many others have thrown their support behind the move. From May 15, both local and international visitors will have to buy tickets to enter Hoi An Ancient Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Minh An Ward of Hoi An City, which is administered by Quang Nam Province in central Vietnam. The tickets cost VND120,000 (US$5.1) each for foreigners and VND80,000 ($3.4) each for domestic tourists. Local authorities have announced that they will designate two entrances to the ancient town, one for tourists and the other for people residing in the town as well as those entering it for work. A Facebook user named Lynne Meddaugh left a comment on the Tuoi Tre News page that if the goal is to reduce crowds to reasonable levels, maybe it is a good thing. The foreigner, however, raised some questions on how vendors and businesses in the town feel about this and what if visitors stay just outside the ancient town area, but want to go inside each day for restaurants or the night market. [The requirement] makes me not want to go there again. It is a beautiful destination, but this doesnt feel like the right approach, the foreigner said. Echoing the view, another user called Cynthia Miller commented, It has a kind of taking the spirit out of the feeling of going. I personally think ticketing is just about the worst way to raise money, remarked Jon Ritchie. Disagreeing with the mandate, another Facebook user expressed his opinion that its made not to improve the place but to make foreigners pay more and more. The actual tourist value of the place approximates zero, just a bait for vendors inside. The user also added that the compulsory entrance fee will eliminate the return of customers and visitors. According to Chris Joldnall, the move will only worsen the image of tourism. Is it US$5 a day? And what if you access a tailor three or four times over five days or dine out? Greg Taylor questioned. In contrast, many foreign Facebook users agreed with the entrance fee mandate as it is a need. I have no issue with this, Darren Ryding commented, adding that Barcelona, Venice, and Amsterdam have city taxes. Residents in Hoi An really struggled through COVID-19, he said. Good idea! [The move will] get rid of cheap tourists and get a more up-market tourism segment in which travelers will spend more and give retailers in Hoi An better value, wrote Rob Lock. Another Facebook user valued the entry fee requirement as a good thing since the proceeds could be used to preserve and protect the ancient town. Great move! Its time to protect Hoi An from overcrowding and damaging the ecosystems. Considering it is a world heritage site, commented Daisy Logan. Michael Roberts, a Facebook user, suggested that I agree. However, a better idea is to increase the price for tourists and allow free entrance for locals and TRC [temporary resident card] holders. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Authorities in An Giang Province, southern Vietnam have changed a plan on the live load test of a footbridge, located in the provincial capital of Long Xuyen, with the participation of 400 people for a switch to another type of dead load over a public backlash. I asked the chairman of the Peoples Committee of Long Xuyen City and the local police force to work with the southern chapter of the Institute of Transport Science and Technology in order to suspend the use of 400 people in the load assessment of the Nguyen Thai Hoc footbridge, An Giang chairman Nguyen Thanh Vinh said on Tuesday evening. Pham Van Hung, deputy head of the southern chapter, said that the substitute method will be a dead load check. We planned to test the structure health and load limit of the footbridge using 400 people, which is a normal, traditional way of bridge load testing, but the public opposed the plan, so we have switched to the static load test option, Hung explained. A public backlash erupted immediately after the announcement of the 400-people scheme, with many questioning whether the safety of the participants would be guaranteed. The Nguyen Thai Hoc footbridge in Long Xuyen City, An Giang Province, southern Vietnam. Photo: Buu Dau / Tuoi Tre Hung affirmed that the original plan for live load testing with humans meets the need of evaluating the Nguyen Thai Hoc footbridge, which is designed for pedestrians, who are a dynamic load. By design, the footbridge is 128 meters long and 6.5 meters wide and can bear a load of 65 kilograms per square meter, equivalent to a capacity of 4,992 people throughout its entire span. The cable-stayed structure curves round two times, with a main beam in the middle. It is part of a bigger bridge project, the Nguyen Thai Hoc Bridge, which was opened to traffic in April 2021 after two years of construction. Police in An Giang have investigated a case of violations on investment in construction works, causing serious consequences at the project, with a load test of the footbridge component needed to facilitate the investigation. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Authorities in An Giang Province, southern Vietnam have changed a plan on the live load test of a footbridge, located in the provincial capital of Long Xuyen, with the participation of 400 people for a switch to another type of dead load over a public backlash. I asked the chairman of the Peoples Committee of Long Xuyen City and the local police force to work with the southern chapter of the Institute of Transport Science and Technology in order to suspend the use of 400 people in the load assessment of the Nguyen Thai Hoc footbridge, An Giang chairman Nguyen Thanh Vinh said on Tuesday evening. Pham Van Hung, deputy head of the southern chapter, said that the substitute method will be a dead load check. We planned to test the structure health and load limit of the footbridge using 400 people, which is a normal, traditional way of bridge load testing, but the public opposed the plan, so we have switched to the static load test option, Hung explained. A public backlash erupted immediately after the announcement of the 400-people scheme, with many questioning whether the safety of the participants would be guaranteed. The Nguyen Thai Hoc footbridge in Long Xuyen City, An Giang Province, southern Vietnam. Photo: Buu Dau / Tuoi Tre Hung affirmed that the original plan for live load testing with humans meets the need of evaluating the Nguyen Thai Hoc footbridge, which is designed for pedestrians, who are a dynamic load. By design, the footbridge is 128 meters long and 6.5 meters wide and can bear a load of 65 kilograms per square meter, equivalent to a capacity of 4,992 people throughout its entire span. The cable-stayed structure curves round two times, with a main beam in the middle. It is part of a bigger bridge project, the Nguyen Thai Hoc Bridge, which was opened to traffic in April 2021 after two years of construction. Police in An Giang have investigated a case of violations on investment in construction works, causing serious consequences at the project, with a load test of the footbridge component needed to facilitate the investigation. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Former U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at Manhattan Criminal Courthouse, after his indictment by a Manhattan grand jury following a probe into hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, in New York City, U.S., April 4. Reuters-Yonhap A stone-faced Donald Trump, making a historically momentous court appearance as the only ex-president to be charged with a crime, was confronted with a 34-count felony indictment Tuesday accusing him in a scheme to bury negative information during his first campaign. The arraignment in a Manhattan courtroom, though largely procedural in nature, was nonetheless a stunning and humbling spectacle for the former president, putting him face-to-face with prosecutors who bluntly accused him of criminal conduct and setting the stage for a possible criminal trial in the city where he decades ago became a celebrity. The indictment centers on allegations that Trump sought to illegally influence the 2016 election by arranging payments designed to silence claims that he feared would be harmful to his candidacy. It includes 34 counts of falsified business documents for checks that Trump sent to his personal lawyer and problem-solver to reimburse him for his role in paying off a porn actor who said she had an extramarital sexual encounter with Trump years earlier. "The defendant, Donald J. Trump, falsified New York business records in order to conceal an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 presidential election and other violations of election laws," said Assistant District Attorney Christopher Conroy. Trump, somber and silent as he entered and exited the Manhattan courtroom, said "not guilty" in a firm voice while facing a judge who warned him to refrain from rhetoric that could inflame or cause civil unrest. All told, the ever-verbose Trump, who for weeks before Tuesday's arraignment had assailed the case against him as political persecution, uttered only 10 words though he did appear to glare for a period at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, the prosecutor who brought the case. As he returned to his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, where he planned to deliver a primetime address to supporters, Trump again protested his innocence and asserted on his Truth Social platform that the "hearing was shocking to many in that they had no 'surprises,' and therefore, no case." Even so, the indictment amounts to a remarkable reckoning for Trump after years of investigations into his personal, business and political dealings. It shows how even as Trump is looking to reclaim the White House in 2024, he is shadowed by investigations related to his behavior in the two prior elections, with prosecutors in Atlanta and Washington scrutinizing efforts by Trump and his allies to undo the 2020 presidential election. Those probes, as well as a separate Justice Department inquiry into the mishandling of classified documents, could produce even more charges. In the New York case, each count of falsifying business records, a felony, is punishable by up to four years in prison though it's not clear if a judge would impose any prison time if Trump is convicted. The next court date is December 4 two months before Republicans begin their nominating process in earnest and Trump will again be expected to appear. A conviction would not prevent Trump from running for or winning the presidency in 2024. The arraignment also delved into Trump's rhetoric on the case, with prosecutors at one point handing printouts of his social media posts to the judge and defense lawyers as Trump looked on. Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan did not impose a gag order but told Trump's lawyers to urge him to refrain from posts that could encourage unrest. Supporters of former President Donald Trump chant and wave flags during a rally to welcome him home, April 4, in West Palm Beach, Fla. Trump is returning to Mar-a-Lago after his arraignment Tuesday in a Manhattan courthouse. AP-Yonhap A Thai man was hospitalized after climbing over the railing of the third floor of the T2 Terminal at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi and jumping off on Tuesday afternoon. A leader of the airport told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the case happened at 1:25 pm near an elevator on the third floor of the passenger terminal. Images on social media showed the man in a blue shirt lying on the ground near an escalator. Medical workers at the airport immediately gave him first aid and rushed him to a local hospital for emergency treatment. Noi Bai International Airport has transferred the case to the police and other state management agencies at the airport for further investigation. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A Thai man was hospitalized after climbing over the railing of the third floor of the T2 Terminal at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi and jumping off on Tuesday afternoon. A leader of the airport told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the case happened at 1:25 pm near an elevator on the third floor of the passenger terminal. Images on social media showed the man in a blue shirt lying on the ground near an escalator. Medical workers at the airport immediately gave him first aid and rushed him to a local hospital for emergency treatment. Noi Bai International Airport has transferred the case to the police and other state management agencies at the airport for further investigation. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The United States Department of Defense expressed its desire to send experts to Vietnam to help the Southeast Asian country conduct bomb and mine detection and clearance work, while Japan might donate special equipment worth over VND93 billion (US$4 million) to Vietnam. Colonel Nguyen Hanh Phuc, deputy general director of the Vietnam National Mine Action Center, made this announcement at a press briefing on tackling post-war bomb and mine consequences in Hanoi on Tuesday. We have contacted the Japanese side for some discussions about the support. If the equipment is used in Vietnams northern border areas, it will work well, said Colonel Phuc. Vietnam and the U.S. have closely cooperated in addressing the post-war consequences of bombs and mines through the two countries ministries and departments of defense and foreign affairs, affirmed Colonel Phuc. The two sides will continue discussions about mine detection and clearance technology development and research in the coming months, he added. From now until 2028, the U.S. government will boost workforce training on mine and bomb detection and clearance in accordance with international standards and cover all fees for senior advisors and experts who will participate in Vietnams mine and bomb detection work. Besides, Vietnam has asked the U.S. for help to detect and clear bombs and mines on an area of 300,000 hectares. The proposal is pending approval from the U.S. Congress. A photo shows representatives attending a press conference on the settlement of post-war bomb and mine consequences and the response to the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action in Hanoi, April 4. Photo: Tong Giap / Tuoi Tre Colonel Phuc also announced that via a project to detect and clear wartime bombs and mines and find martyrs remains in Ha Giang Province, northern Vietnam, 1,000 hectares of land in Vi Xuyen and Meo Vac Districts have been cleared. Major Nguyen Thanh Dinh, vice-chairman of the Association for Tackling Bomb and Mine Consequences, said that the association has implemented various programs to support students and victims of bombs and mines. Major Dinh also called on philanthropists and charity organizations to help residents overcome the consequences of bombs and mines. Pham Thi Hai Ha, deputy head of the Department of Social Assistance under the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs, said that the Vietnamese government has enhanced efforts in improving the living quality of disabled people and victims of bombs and mines. As a case in point, the basic level of social assistance to them was revised up by VND90,000 ($3.9) a month to VND360,000 ($15.4), while the victims of bombs and mines across the country are given jobs for a living. An estimated 800,000 tonnes of bombs are left in the aftermath of the war in Vietnam, while some 6.1 million hectares, accounting for 18.31 percent of the countrys total area, are polluted by bombs and mines. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The United States Department of Defense expressed its desire to send experts to Vietnam to help the Southeast Asian country conduct bomb and mine detection and clearance work, while Japan might donate special equipment worth over VND93 billion (US$4 million) to Vietnam. Colonel Nguyen Hanh Phuc, deputy general director of the Vietnam National Mine Action Center, made this announcement at a press briefing on tackling post-war bomb and mine consequences in Hanoi on Tuesday. We have contacted the Japanese side for some discussions about the support. If the equipment is used in Vietnams northern border areas, it will work well, said Colonel Phuc. Vietnam and the U.S. have closely cooperated in addressing the post-war consequences of bombs and mines through the two countries ministries and departments of defense and foreign affairs, affirmed Colonel Phuc. The two sides will continue discussions about mine detection and clearance technology development and research in the coming months, he added. From now until 2028, the U.S. government will boost workforce training on mine and bomb detection and clearance in accordance with international standards and cover all fees for senior advisors and experts who will participate in Vietnams mine and bomb detection work. Besides, Vietnam has asked the U.S. for help to detect and clear bombs and mines on an area of 300,000 hectares. The proposal is pending approval from the U.S. Congress. A photo shows representatives attending a press conference on the settlement of post-war bomb and mine consequences and the response to the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action in Hanoi, April 4. Photo: Tong Giap / Tuoi Tre Colonel Phuc also announced that via a project to detect and clear wartime bombs and mines and find martyrs remains in Ha Giang Province, northern Vietnam, 1,000 hectares of land in Vi Xuyen and Meo Vac Districts have been cleared. Major Nguyen Thanh Dinh, vice-chairman of the Association for Tackling Bomb and Mine Consequences, said that the association has implemented various programs to support students and victims of bombs and mines. Major Dinh also called on philanthropists and charity organizations to help residents overcome the consequences of bombs and mines. Pham Thi Hai Ha, deputy head of the Department of Social Assistance under the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs, said that the Vietnamese government has enhanced efforts in improving the living quality of disabled people and victims of bombs and mines. As a case in point, the basic level of social assistance to them was revised up by VND90,000 ($3.9) a month to VND360,000 ($15.4), while the victims of bombs and mines across the country are given jobs for a living. An estimated 800,000 tonnes of bombs are left in the aftermath of the war in Vietnam, while some 6.1 million hectares, accounting for 18.31 percent of the countrys total area, are polluted by bombs and mines. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnam has suggested Germany back the European Commission (EC)'s removal of its yellow card warning against Vietnamese seafood due to the formers efforts to strictly and fully implement EC recommendations on combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, according to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang. The suggestion was made at the seventh Vietnam-Germany strategic dialogue held in Berlin on Monday. The yellow card is a kind of warning issued by the EC to countries involved in IUU fishing. The EC imposed the yellow card punishment on Vietnams seafood in 2017. It means that all of Vietnams seafood batches shipped to the EU are subject to scrutiny, or local exporters have to pay higher costs. If significant progress is made, the yellow card will be lifted and replaced with a green card, representing legal export status. Otherwise, a red card will be given, meaning that Vietnam will be banned from exporting its seafood to the European Union (EU). At the strategic dialogue, Vietnam and Germany also agreed to enhance the exchange of delegations, especially at high levels, and foster the bilateral cooperation in sectors in which they have strengths and demands, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Deputy Minister Hang suggested the German Federal Foreign Office encourage German firms to invest and expand production in Vietnam and accelerate the German Bundestags ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement. Moreover, she sought the German governments further support in priority cooperation sectors, such as environmental protection, energy, and vocational training in line with Vietnams sustainable development targets. For his part, State Secretary of the German Federal Foreign Office Andreas Michaelis affirmed that the German government supports and encourages its enterprises to diversify their markets and partners, noting that Vietnam is a country with many advantages in market, labor, and investment environment. Michaelis added that Germany is willing to support Vietnam in accessing capital resources, technology, and human resource training in the framework of the Just Energy Transition Partnership to realize Vietnams commitments at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in 2021, including a commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050. The seventh Vietnam-Germany strategic dialogue in Berlin, Germany, April 3, 2023. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs The German official also highly evaluated the potential of the two countries cooperation in labor and vocational training. As the German government is rolling out many policies to attract high-skilled laborers, the two countries can strengthen their collaboration in the field. Both sides also took the occasion to affirm their further cooperation and mutual support at such cooperation frameworks as ASEAN, the EU, and other international organizations, especially when both Vietnam and Germany are now members of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2023-25 tenure. They emphasized the importance of maintaining peace, stability, and security, specifically maritime security in the region and the world as a whole. At the strategic dialogue, the Vietnamese and German officials also passed the Vietnam-Germany strategic action plan for the 2023-25 period with cooperation activities in politics and security, economy, climate, energy, science and technology, culture, and people-to-people exchanges. During her working trip to Germany, Deputy Minister Hang also worked with Wolfgang Silbermann, head speechwriter for the German president, and the Vietnamese Embassy in Germany. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnam has suggested Germany back the European Commission (EC)'s removal of its yellow card warning against Vietnamese seafood due to the formers efforts to strictly and fully implement EC recommendations on combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, according to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang. The suggestion was made at the seventh Vietnam-Germany strategic dialogue held in Berlin on Monday. The yellow card is a kind of warning issued by the EC to countries involved in IUU fishing. The EC imposed the yellow card punishment on Vietnams seafood in 2017. It means that all of Vietnams seafood batches shipped to the EU are subject to scrutiny, or local exporters have to pay higher costs. If significant progress is made, the yellow card will be lifted and replaced with a green card, representing legal export status. Otherwise, a red card will be given, meaning that Vietnam will be banned from exporting its seafood to the European Union (EU). At the strategic dialogue, Vietnam and Germany also agreed to enhance the exchange of delegations, especially at high levels, and foster the bilateral cooperation in sectors in which they have strengths and demands, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Deputy Minister Hang suggested the German Federal Foreign Office encourage German firms to invest and expand production in Vietnam and accelerate the German Bundestags ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement. Moreover, she sought the German governments further support in priority cooperation sectors, such as environmental protection, energy, and vocational training in line with Vietnams sustainable development targets. For his part, State Secretary of the German Federal Foreign Office Andreas Michaelis affirmed that the German government supports and encourages its enterprises to diversify their markets and partners, noting that Vietnam is a country with many advantages in market, labor, and investment environment. Michaelis added that Germany is willing to support Vietnam in accessing capital resources, technology, and human resource training in the framework of the Just Energy Transition Partnership to realize Vietnams commitments at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in 2021, including a commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050. The seventh Vietnam-Germany strategic dialogue in Berlin, Germany, April 3, 2023. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs The German official also highly evaluated the potential of the two countries cooperation in labor and vocational training. As the German government is rolling out many policies to attract high-skilled laborers, the two countries can strengthen their collaboration in the field. Both sides also took the occasion to affirm their further cooperation and mutual support at such cooperation frameworks as ASEAN, the EU, and other international organizations, especially when both Vietnam and Germany are now members of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2023-25 tenure. They emphasized the importance of maintaining peace, stability, and security, specifically maritime security in the region and the world as a whole. At the strategic dialogue, the Vietnamese and German officials also passed the Vietnam-Germany strategic action plan for the 2023-25 period with cooperation activities in politics and security, economy, climate, energy, science and technology, culture, and people-to-people exchanges. During her working trip to Germany, Deputy Minister Hang also worked with Wolfgang Silbermann, head speechwriter for the German president, and the Vietnamese Embassy in Germany. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Season two of rebooted animated series Rugrats, following babies Tommy, Chuckie, Angelica, Susie, Phil and Lil, will premiere on Nickelodeon & Paramount+ in April. In the second season of Rugrats, the babies are back and ready to take on the world with their pint-sized perspectives and a diaper full of snacks. New episodes follow Tommy, Chuckie, Angelica, Susie, Phil, and Lil as they cross the frozen tundra, discover the treasures of ancient babies, and go on the greatest adventure of all: meeting Tommys new brother! Returning to the playpen is Tommys beloved little brother, Dil, voiced by Tara Strong (Teen Titans Go!) who is reprising her role in this new series. Also joining the series this season are guest stars Yvette Nicole Brown (Community) as Miss Mellie, the friendly and silly tour guide at re-created Old West town Tot Springs; Wendie Malick (The Owl House) as Judith, Charlottes glamorous yet often condescending mother; Sarah Niles (Ted Lasso) as Nanny Pip, a proficient and encouraging robotic nanny who watches Angelica; and Alia Shawkat (Severance) as Trish, Bettys new girlfriend who is eager to make friends with everyone. The series stars EG Daily (Tommy Pickles), Nancy Cartwright (Chuckie Finster), Cheryl Chase (Angelica Pickles), Cree Summer (Susie Carmichael), and Kath Soucie (Phil and Lil DeVille), all of whom are reprising their iconic roles in this new series. The original adventurous babies voice cast is joined by new voices, including Ashley Rae Spillers and Tommy Dewey (Tommys parents, Didi and Stu Pickles); Tony Hale (Chuckies father, Chas Finster); Natalie Morales (Phil and Lils mother, Betty DeVille); Anna Chlumsky and Timothy Simons (Angelicas parents, Charlotte and Drew Pickles); Nicole Byer and Omar Miller (Susies parents, Lucy and Randy Carmichael); Michael McKean (Grandpa Lou Pickles); Charlet Chung (Kimi); and Grey Delisle (Begley). Also returning as guest stars in season two are Henry Winkler (Boris); Swoosie Kurtz (Minka); Telma Hopkins (Celeste); Raini Rodriguez (Gabi); Keith Carradine (Bob Brine); and Richard Ayoade (Duffy). Monday, 17 April at 6pm on Nickelodeon / Paramount+ from Saturday, 22 April. For actor Bojana Novakovic, the filming of Love Me has replicated elements of theatre, more than television. For starters, Season 1 was shot in Melbourne during the harshest lockdowns, meaning the ensemble were forced to stay with one another in a bubble, whether at work or socialising. By the time Season 2 was underway in late 2022 restrictions had lifted considerably, and with it the production intimacy that was a shared experience. Shooting season two out of COVID was great. The only thing that wasnt so great about it, I guess, was we didnt all stay the same hotel and stay in our bubble. Other people got to hang out with Hugo (Weaving) on the weekends, or Heather (Mitchell)! she tells TV Tonight. This one day, I wanted everybody to come to my place. But everyone was like, Cant we just go out to a bar? I never invited anybody to my place again. I was so upset. So first season was probably a little bit more like theatre. Novakovic, who had recently filmed Instinct with Alan Cumming in the US, also welcomed the shift from procedural work to a more introspective work. Most of our cast is theatre trained. So we have a very good understanding of dramaturgy. Im not saying that means we should shape stories, but you do definitely know how to speak about your character in a dramaturgical way. Its very collaborative., I had never worked like that, because Ive worked on procedural shows where you just come to work and if you dont like something theres no beating around the bush. (Alan Cumming and I) are quite honest people. So well come to work and if something isnt working its cut this, cut this, change this. Whereas on something like Love Me, you want to have a conversation to explore. (You ask the writers) What did you guys think when you wrote this scene, because Im not quite understanding it, heres my perspective. And then you up with whats best. Its so refreshing. Novakovic is secretive about new cast joining this season, but returning cast include William Lodder, Bob Morley, Celia Pacquola, Shalom Brune-Franklin, and Mitzi Ruhlmann. Shes also not giving much away about the storyline. I can only tell you that Aaron (Lodder) has a baby and Clara (Novakovic) wants to have a child. So she has to sit there and watch her kid brother -who didnt ever want this kid- have a child while she desperately wants a baby, and is struggling to have one, she reveals. Clara is definitely opening up more in this season. We see who she is when she wants something and how she goes about getting it. But she cant control how that makes her feel when thats a baby. Love Me, which centre around the Mathieson family nine months after S1, had quite the impact on its audience if random strangers are any indicator. Every day somebody stopped me on the street on my way home to tell me how much they loved season one asking, Will there be another season?' she explains. There were these deep conversations every frickin day. Sometimes I had to run away from people because I dont have time! One woman was so intrigued by how we used Melbourne and she was obsessed with it. But its not my life. Its the characters life. So I didnt have to talk about my own experiences whereas the people who I met on the street really seem to want to share their own experiences. For it to elicit these actual deep, profound conversations with complete strangers was really delightful. Yet it also represents the kind of work Novakovic most desires in Television: a quality drama with roles that require real commitment. This kind of television has a similarity to theatre because its an ensemble cast, Novakovic acknowledges. Thats all I want. I want one TV job a year, that goes through several seasons, and I can come and see those people again. Where its consistent for six months and were developing themes together. We as the cast come from it from the inside of it. So we have communal discussions on weekends when were together, with character choices and things like that. Thats not that common. Thats why you do it. You do it for that sort of commitment and that depth of exploration. So the show is very special, is what Im trying to say. Love Me returns Thursday on Binge and 8:30pm Sunday on FOX Showcase. Nikhat Fatima|Twocirlces.net Born in Bihar, Sadiyas family shifted to Mumbai when she was 4 years old. Sadiya, eldest of her 5 siblings has recently been awarded with the Fatima Bi Savitri Bai Award in 2023 for her contribution to society towards education and community upliftment. Support TwoCircles At the age of 21, Sadiyas tremendous efforts towards social work has won her accolades from both regional and national institutions. She is a recipient of the All India Women Achievers Award 2021 organised by Twell TV and Tanishq in Karnatakas Mysore; part of 100 inspiring women featured at the Global Women Inspiration Awards and Conclave 2021; and Humanitarian Excellence Award by ICan Foundation and the more recent Fatima Bi Savitri Bai Award 2023. Her journey in activism Savitri Bai Phule and Fatima Begum have done huge work in the field of education to be such icons. My work in comparison is just a small baby step, says Sadiya smilingly as she recounts how she was informed of her most recent honour. One morning she got a call from an organisation named kaide ne vagya (walk with the constitution) asking her to send her details. Much later she got to know that this organisation identifies 5 young achievers ever year who overcome stereotypes and make a difference in the society. And thus, along with 4 others Sadiya was selected to receive the prestigious Fatima Bi Savitri Bai Award that commenced in the year 2017. Presently working for international child rights and advocacy group, KidsRights.org, Sadiyas journey in activism began with the anti-CAA protests in 2019. She had a lot of friends from all faiths till the Citizenship Amendment Bill was passed. When people came out in protest against the Act, she noticed that her friends had all backed out and did not join in the protest. I realised we have to fight our own battles and stand up for our rights. It was then that reality hit me that I was living in a dream world, she recalled. Thus began her journey as a social activist. She got actively involved in organising peaceful protests, supporting groups in advocacy and using her education to empower masses. People around us have tried to demotivate me, some even told my father not to give me so much of liberty or else I will never get good alliances for marriage, she added. However, that didnt deter her from pursuing her path and joining youth activists from different cities in the country to work for bigger causes. Her first notable work across different communities was when Sadiya helped flood-affected victims in Darbhanga in 2020. This was when she had started Rehnuma Welfare Foundation with help from her father, who runs a small leather goods manufacturing unit in Dharavi. The foundation is aimed at stopping child marriages and child labour while paving way for women empowerment from marginalised communities. They even mocked him, asking things like do you want your daughter to contest the elections? but her father did not bother about any outside influence or lack of support. Instead, he accompanied her everywhere she went conferences, protests, or workshops. He accompanied me to Shaheen Bagh, Karnataka and other places, she said with pride while talking to TwoCircles.net. Community library Sadiya hails from Darbhanga district of Deora Bandhauli village in Bihar. This is where her journey as an emerging community leader began. Looking at poverty and inaccessibility of resources, she started a community library for the children of her village called Maulana Azad Library. This library houses Bihar School Board and NCERT books from classes I to XII which are issued free of cost to the needy children. There are other books on history, literature, social sciences, etc. that can be borrowed for reading. The children nearby are also helped with their studies at the library which is being managed by Sadiyas cousin who is pursuing her postgraduation. Her library has gained a lot of reputation in the surrounding villages as well. Sadiya says her dream is to equip this library with computers and internet facility so the children in the village can access these facilities as well. The road ahead I will continue to work for child welfare and education with renewed energy and inspiration with support from donors, well-wishers and parents, says a determined Sadiya. Currently pursuing her Masters in Sociology, Sadiya is the eldest among her five siblings three sisters and a brother with progeria genetic disorder. This emboldens her to work harder and bear the familys responsibility along with her father. I am humbled by these honours as they motivate me to work harder to change the lives of many young children and women from my country India, she shares when asked about what she feels about winning such big achievements at 21. Sadiya was recently honoured with Emerging Social Work Leader 2021 at the Asia World Model United conference. When asked about her future plans, Sadiya says that her focus besides her fulltime postgraduate degree lies on developing more community libraries in other villages and improving education of girls as they suffer the most in underprivileged backgrounds. Her key takeaway from Shaheen Bagh protests was women can fight to retain the secular fabric of India, end communalism and defeat fascist forces. Muslims, especially women should work on improving their lives at all levels especially education in which we are lagging behind, Sadiya feels. Motivated by this, she plans on establishing a school for girls with support from funds at Rehnuma Welfare Foundation in villages. At present, the organisation is mainly funded and managed by her sisters who are also studying. Therefore, she wants the encouragement of her supporters, donors and parents to make them proud. Her message to aspiring women leaders is to be politically, socially aware to raise questions where there is injustice. We should keep the interests of the nation at heart and work towards building a harmonious and peaceful environment. In this handout picture released by the Government of Belize, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen pets a goat during a visit to the Exhibition of Achievements of Women Economic Empowerment Project in Belize City, Belize, April 4. AFP-Yonhap U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will host a meeting in California on Wednesday with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen, part of a sensitive U.S. stopover that has drawn Chinese threats of retaliation. Here are the key issues in Taiwan-U.S., China-U.S. and Taiwan-China relations, why China is so angry about the meeting and what it might do to express its anger: Why is China so angry? Taiwan is a deeply emotive issue for China's ruling Communist Party, and for Chinese President Xi Jinping. The People's Republic of China has claimed Taiwan as its territory since the defeated Republic of China government fled to the island in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong's communists. China has repeatedly called on U.S. officials not to engage with Taiwanese leaders, viewing it as support for Taiwan's desire to be viewed as separate from China. China has never renounced the use of force to bring democratically governed Taiwan under its control, and in 2005 passed a law giving Beijing the legal basis for military action against Taiwan if it secedes or seems about to. Protestors look on as Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen, not pictured, arrives at her hotel in New York City on March 29, 2023, as she begins a ten-day international trip. AFP-Yonhap How will China react to the meeting? China staged war games around Taiwan last August after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, and has threatened unspecified retaliation if the McCarthy meeting goes ahead. While Taiwanese and U.S. officials have said in the run-up to the McCarthy-Tsai meeting they have not seen any unusual activity from China's military, Taiwan is also on alert for any further Chinese drills. Taiwanese and U.S. officials have also said that by staging the meeting outside of Taiwan it may help tone down China's reaction. Over the past three years or so, China's air force has flown almost daily into the skies near Taiwan, in which Taiwan calls "grey zone" warfare designed to test and wear out its forces. While China's air force has never flown into Taiwan's territorial airspace, it fired missiles high over the island after Pelosi's visit. What is the relationship between Taiwan and the United States? In 1979, the United States severed official relations with the government in Taipei and instead recognized the government in Beijing. A Taiwan-U.S. defense treaty was terminated at the same time. Post-1979, the U.S. relationship with Taiwan has been governed by the Taiwan Relations Act, which gives a legal basis to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, but does not mandate that the United States come to Taiwan's aid if attacked. While the United States has long followed a policy of "strategic ambiguity" on whether it would intervene militarily to protect Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack, U.S. President Joe Biden has said he would be willing to use force to defend Taiwan. The United States continues to be Taiwan's most important international source of weapons, and Taiwan's contested status is a constant source of friction between Beijing and Washington. U.S. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy leaves a House Republican meeting at the U.S. Capitol on March 28, 2023 in Washington, D.C. AFP-Yonhap Utenos Trikotazas /Translation from Lithuanian/ On the initiative of and by the Decision of the Management Board of the Company, an Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of AB Utenos trikotazas (registered office at J. Basanaviciaus st. 122, LT-28214 Utena, legal entity code: 183709468, total number of shares 9,503,000, number of the shares carrying voting right 9,503,000) (hereinafter the Company) is being convened on 27 April 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at the address of the Company's registered office at J. Basanaviciaus st. 122, Utena (Meeting Room). The time of shareholders' registration from 10:00 a.m. until 10:55 a.m. The record date of the General Meeting of Shareholders 20 April 2023. The record date of shareholders' rights 11 May 2023. Agenda of the Meeting: Consolidated annual report of the Company for 2022; Independent auditor's report on the set of Companys and consolidated financial statements and consolidated annual report for 2022; Approval of the set of Company's and consolidated financial statements for 2022; Distribution of the Company's profit (loss) for 2022. The persons who are shareholders of the Company at the end of the record date of the General Meeting of Shareholders will have the right to participate and vote at the General Meeting of Shareholders personally or by proxy, or to be represented by the persons with whom an agreement on the transfer of voting rights has been concluded. The property rights will be exercised by the persons who will be the Company's shareholders at the end of the tenth working day after the General Meeting of Shareholders (i.e. at the end of the record date of shareholders' rights) that has adopted the relevant resolution. A person attending the General Meeting of Shareholders and having a voting right must bring with him/her an identification document. A person who is not a shareholder must, in addition, present a document proving his/her right to vote at the General Meeting of Shareholders. Each shareholder shall have the right to authorise, under the procedure set out by laws, another person to attend and vote at the General Meeting of Shareholders on his/her behalf. At the General Meeting of Shareholders, an authorised person shall have the same rights as would be held by the shareholder or shareholders represented by him/her, unless the authorised person's rights are limited by the power of attorney issued to the authorised person or by laws. The authorised person must provide a power of attorney certified under the procedure set out by laws. A power of attorney issued abroad must be translated into Lithuanian and legalised under the procedure set out by laws. The Company does not establish any special form for a power of attorney. A shareholder or a person authorised by him/her shall have a right to vote in writing in advance by filling in the general ballot paper. Upon a shareholder's request, the Company shall send the general ballot paper by registered mail free of charge not later than 10 days before the Meeting. The sample of general ballot paper is available on the Company's website https://www.ut.lt/en/investors/ . The general ballot paper, duly filled in and signed by the shareholder or another person entitled to vote, and the document confirming the voting right must be sent to the Company by registered mail or delivered in person with written acknowledgement of receipt to the registered office of the Company at the address AB Utenos trikotazas, J.Basanaviciaus st. 122, LT-28214 Utena, Lithuania, not later than before the end of registration of the shareholders of the General Meeting of Shareholders. Story continues The Company's shareholders are urged to exercise their right to vote on the Meeting agenda items by submitting dully filled in general ballot papers to the Company. The Company does not enable participation and voting at the Meeting by means of electronic communications. The shareholders holding the shares carrying not less than 1/20 of all votes shall have the right to propose items to supplement the agenda. Draft decisions on the proposed issues shall be submitted together with the proposal or, where adoption of decisions is not required, explanations on each proposed agenda item of the General Meeting of Shareholders shall be presented. A proposal to supplement the agenda must be presented in writing by sending it by registered mail to AB Utenos trikotazas, J. Basanaviciaus st. 122, LT-28214 Utena, Lithuania, or by e-mail: utenos.trikotazas@ut.lt . The agenda will be supplemented if the proposal is received not later than 14 days before the General Meeting of Shareholders. The shareholders holding shares that grant at least 1/20 of all votes shall have the right to propose new draft resolutions on the issues already included or to be included in the Meeting agenda. The proposed draft resolutions must be presented in writing at any time before the General Meeting of Shareholders by sending them by registered mail to AB Utenos trikotazas, J. Basanaviciaus st. 122, LT-28214 Utena, Lithuania, or by e-mail: utenos.trikotazas@ut.lt . The shareholders shall also be entitled to propose draft resolutions on the Meeting agenda items in writing during the Meeting. The shareholders shall have the right to present questions concerning the Meeting agenda items to the Company in advance in writing, by indicating the shareholder's (natural person's or legal entity's) identification number, the natural person's consent for the processing of personal data personal ID number, in the letter sent by registered mail. In accordance with the provisions of Article 16 of the Law on Companies of the Republic of Lithuania, the Company undertakes to reply, if the questions are received not later than 3 working days before the General Meeting of Shareholders. Responses of a general nature will be posted on the Company's website https://www.ut.lt/en/investors/ . The Company will not respond personally to the shareholder if the respective information has been posted on the Company's website. The shareholders can get access to the documents possessed by the Company in relation to the Meeting agenda, including draft resolutions and other documents to be submitted to the General Meeting of Shareholders, as well as to get information regarding the exercise of the shareholder's rights at the headquarters of AB Utenos trikotazas, J. Basanaviciaus st. 122, LT-28214 Utena, Lithuania, or on the Company's website https://www.ut.lt/en/investors/ . Additional information is available from Zivile Jonaityte, CFO, tel. No. +370 686 51938. Nomeda Kaucikiene, CEO of AB Utenos trikotazas ENCLOSED: Annex 1. Consolidated and the Company's financial statements for 2022, Consolidated annual report and independent auditor's report; Annex 2. Draft profit (loss) distribution of the Company for 2022; Annex 3. Draft decisions on agenda items; Annex 4. General voting ballot; Attachments Top Saudi, Iranian diplomats to meet in China, say media, officials FILE PHOTO: Saudi Arabia's FM Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud attends a meeting with Ukraine's President Zelenskiy in Kyiv RIYADH (Reuters) - The top envoys for Saudi Arabia and Iran will meet in Beijing on Thursday, an Iranian official and a Saudi-owned newspaper said, as the two regional rivals work to hash out next steps of their diplomatic rapprochement amid a China-brokered deal. The meeting between Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, will be the first formal meeting between Saudi Arabia and Iran's most senior diplomats in more than seven years. After years of hostility that had fuelled conflicts across the Middle East, Tehran and Riyadh agreed to end their diplomatic rift and re-open embassies in a major deal facilitated by China last month. "The top envoys agreed to meet on Apr. 6 in Beijing as the deal was facilitated by China," a senior Iranian official told Reuters. Choosing China "came as an extension of Beijing's positive role in reaching the agreement and facilitating communication between the two countries," Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awasat newspaper cited an unidentified source in Riyadh as saying. The resumption of the relations that was announced last month and arrangements for the exchange of ambassadors will be discussed in the meeting, it added. Beijing's secret role in the breakthrough between Tehran and Riyadh shook up dynamics in the Middle East, where the United States was for decades the main mediator, flexing its security and diplomatic muscles. "The era of the United States' involvement in this region is over ... The regional countries are capable of preserving security and stability in the Middle East without Washington's interference," another Iranian official said. "The next steps will be discussed in the Beijing meeting, such as re-opening of the embassies and appointing ambassadors." Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in 2016 after its embassy in Tehran was stormed during a dispute between the two countries over Riyadh's execution of a Shi'ite Muslim cleric. The kingdom subsequently asked Iranian diplomats to leave within 48 hours while it evacuated its embassy staff from Teheran. Story continues The relationship had worsened since 2015, after Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in the Yemen war, where the Iran-aligned Houthi movement ousted a Saudi-backed government and took over the capital Sanaa. For Saudi Arabia, the deal could mean improved security. The kingdom has blamed Iran for arming the Houthis who carried out missile and drone attacks on its cities and oil facilities. In 2019, Riyadh blamed a massive attack on Aramco oil facilities, which knocked out half of its oil output, directly on the Islamic Republic. Tehran denied those allegations. (Reporting by Parisa Hafezi and Aziz El Yaakoubi; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell and Raissa Kasolowsky) Jeff Kravitz - Getty Images Vanessa Hudgens has been posting non-stop from her breathtaking trip to the Philippines with her sister Stella and mum Gina, who's originally from the stunning country. And the three Filipina beauties look like they've been having the best time. Aside from all the glorious natural hair content (thank you ladies), we're really feeling the sisters' twinning moments on the trip. Particularly their beautiful matching flower crowns. The pair can be seen sporting delicate flower crowns of creams and ivory in their dark curls. Vanessa wears her's further back on the head and has picked one with large blooming flowers, while Stella is wearing her's forward in more of a classic crown angle, adorned with clusters of smaller buds and flowers #Queens. While you can't see much of Stella in the snaps to see their resemblance, beyond their twinning head gear, it's clear in the rest of their sweet holiday snaps. Just look at all those gorgeous natural curls all round, we see you Mama Hudgens! And this no makeup tarmac shot had us double-taking late last year: Or seeing in the new year together with matching up-dos: If you fancy yourself the third Hudgens sister, we've had a snoop for flower crowns to wear this spring. There's plenty of gorgeous dried flower options on Etsy etc for weddings, but if you're looking for something to wear a few times, this option from Claire's accessories looks sooo much more expensive than it's 6 price tag. Take note though, it's probably somewhat child or at best tween sized. While the back is open and adjustable, if you're particularly well endowed in the head department, it might not be for you. Story continues Follow Elena on Instagram You Might Also Like (Bloomberg) -- A world away from its steel-and-glass headquarters in London, GSK Plc is wading into unfamiliar waters: A mangrove nursery in coastal Indonesia thats being nurtured to harbor crabs, fish and carbon.Its the precious carbon GSK is really after, as it seeks to apply the mangroves carbon-capture prowess to nullify climate-warming gases emitted by its global network of factories and vehicles, and the many asthma inhalers it sells. The drugmaker, wary about the poor quality and questionable climate benefits of carbon offsets for sale on the open market from brokers, is now devising its own credits.Carbon offsetting is a fundamental mechanism to move capital where it is needed for nature, climate and health, said Adele Cheli, sustainability partnerships and strategy director at GSK. Just because its not perfect doesnt mean were going to step out. Were going to lean in and make it better. Most Read from Bloomberg Other companies are pursuing similar ideas. Shell Plc was the first large company to branch out into offsets development and has created a nature-based solutions team that's working on projects from Australia to Senegal. TotalEnergies SE plans to invest $100 million a year in nature-based projects to develop a natural carbon sink capacity of more than five million tons of CO2 per year from 2030. BP Plc owns a majority stake in a carbon offset developer and has scaled up its carbon credit development efforts. Danish clean energy giant Orsted A/S says it intends to generate carbon removal credits from a Gambian mangrove project. Chevron Corp. said last year its supporting a reforestation project in Louisiana that will generate carbon offsets. And Bayer AG is working with Indian farmers to make rice cultivation less methane-intense, an outcome that could be monetized through carbon credits. Story continues Existing offsetting schemes are being challenged, said Klaus Kunz, head of ESG strategy at Bayer, the German drug and agriculture company. Quality of the projects is key. If done properly, this is a positive tool. Its also an untested and risky gamble for corporations that are under intense scrutiny from climate-conscious investors. Offsets are a known source of exploitation in poorer countries. A recent United Nations report on corporate greenwashing has warned about an undue reliance on offsets. An expert group known as the UK Climate Change Committee believes offsets can disincentivize buyers to cut emissions. We need to be on red alert to ensure the new breed of corporate offsets are not replacing or delaying radical action to decarbonize, said Nathalie Seddon, professor of biodiversity at Oxford University.GSK and VW said they were aware of the greenwashing risk and the need to prioritize emission avoidance and reduction ahead of offsetting. The pharma company said it consulted with technical experts on issues such as additionality and leakage, and how to share benefits with local communities. GSK said it would prioritize carbon removal credits for its 2030 target. For its 2045 target, only removal offsets will be allowed. If it works, the entry of large companies could rapidly professionalize the nascent $1.3 billion market and spark a fresh growth cycle. Instead of buying [offsets] from a broker where its truly caveat emptor, with your own projects you could oversee the impact, quality and expenditure, said Philip Hardwick, a former executive of emissions businesses at Barclays Plc and JPMorgan Chase & Co. That may explain why Volkswagen AG whose direct and indirect emissions are about 30 times larger than GSKs wants to generate 40 million credits a year by 2030, according to a person familiar with the matter who declined to be identified. A VW spokesperson declined to comment on the target. To put VW's ambition in context, companies purchased and retired 155 million carbon offsets in 2022, according to BloombergNEF, meaning the German automaker's ambitions equate to about 25% of the market at its current size.VW aims to achieve net zero by 2050, and has teamed up with a local carbon developer to create a venture called Volkswagen ClimatePartner GmbH to generate offsets. It aims to use those credits to offset supply-chain emissions of VW electric vehicles in Europe, enabling a carbon-neutral handover to our customers, said Ralf Pfitzner, the companys head of sustainability. The venture has about eight projects on the go, including the protection of forests and savannas, and plans to release the first credits by 2025, according to Michael Rumberg, managing director of the venture. GSK believes homegrown offsets can help it neutralize any emissions it cant otherwise eliminate, as it tries to become carbon neutral just seven years from now. Its a challenge: GSKs asthma inhalers alone generate almost half its carbon emissions. The drug maker says it expects to directly eliminate 80% of its own emissions by 2030, as well as those linked to its suppliers and customers, while neutralizing the remaining 20% with offsets. One approach is to invest in mangroves, an attractive tool for sucking carbon dioxide from the air. Easily identified by their distinctive latticed roots, the plants thrive in shallow, brackish water, creating a defense against floods and a vibrant habitat for aquatic life. Crucially, they can sequester up to 50 times more carbon in their soils by area than tropical forests, according to the World Bank. But mangroves are under threat globally, and Indonesia is one of the hardest-hit areas. GSKs project in Java, developed with carbon developer First Climate, aims to restore over 2,500 hectares of mangroves. In return, the pharma company will receive 120,000 to 140,000 credits per year, Cheli said. A carbon credit represents a ton of carbon dioxide emissions removed from, or not added to, the atmosphere. And this is just the beginning. GSK plans to eventually generate around two million credits a year for its own use. As more projects come on line, the company in the next five years expects to secure all the credits it needs for the 2030 to 2034 period. Its good to invest in it now. If you start today, you may have a good credit in five years, said Anais Bach, former head of operations for TotalEnergiess nature-based solutions business who now runs a carbon-focused startup. Those who do nothing now will be in trouble as projects at the right price and quality will only become scarcer. --With assistance from Hayley Warren. (Adds context for Volkswagens offset plan in 13th paragraph.An earlier version was corrected to remove reference to Advil.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Kremlin likely to 'coerce Belarus into further union', claims analyst Russia may try and force Belarus to move towards unity, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). In its daily briefing, the US-based analysts said: "The Kremlin will likely attempt to coerce Belarus into further Union State integration when Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko meet in Moscow on April 5 and 6." It added: "Belarus may be pressured into "more integration concessions under the rubric of defending... [it] from claimed Western military and/of terrorist threats." The governments of Belarus and Russia are staunch allies. Moscow used Belarusian territory to launch its invasion of Ukraine and is conducting military exercises in the country, sparking fears Belarus could get dragged into the conflict. Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Lukashenko are due to meet for private bilateral discussions on Wednesday, which will "address the implementation of the Union State Treaty" through 28 different programmes from 2021 to 2023, according to the ISW. Officials also plan to agree on unspecific "practical issues of further integration", it added, suggesting this could be in the area of intelligence sharing. In 1999, Belarus and Russia signed the Union State Treaty, which aimed at deepening economic and military cooperation between the two. The exact nature of the political union that could emerge remains vague and much of what is discussed is shrouded in secrecy. Many past plans, such as adopting a common currency, have faltered and fallen by the wayside, though the Ukraine war is reinvigorating some efforts. Minsk had previously gained independence from Moscow in 1991, following the dissolution of the USSR. Despite the strong likes between their two governments, Belarusians retain a distinct society, culture and history. A leaked document in February purported to show Putin's alleged plans to annex Belarus by 2030. If this were the case, the EU would share an extensive border with Russia. Story continues There is a growing divide between Belarusians and their leader Lukashenko, especially his policies towards Ukraine. Polling by an independent Belarusian sociologist Andrei Vardomatsky found that only 11% were in favour of Belarus participating in the fighting. In 2019, Belarusians took to the streets to protest a meeting between Putin and Lukashenko on discussing deeper integration. Some suggested it would be a full capitulation to Moscow, allowing it to control Belarus. Last month, Russia said it would station tactical nukes on the territory of its western neighbour. The move sparked a fierce backlash from the EU, with the bloc's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell saying it was an "irresponsible escalation and threat to European Security". The deal enables both companies to enhance and scale their global offerings and adds 600 highly skilled engineers to the Qualitest team NEW YORK, April 04, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Qualitest, the worlds leading AI-powered quality engineering company, today announces the acquisition of Q Analysts, a US-based quality engineering company. The Q Analysts acquisition adds significant expertise in quality engineering for cutting-edge technologies and marks Qualitests sixth strategic acquisition in two years. Through this acquisition, Qualitest expands its US geographical footprint to include new test labs in California and the State of Washington and capabilities in other key US service locations. It also enhances Qualitests presence in the UK, Madagascar, Switzerland, and India. This deal amplifies Qualitests capabilities in Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality/Mixed Reality quality assurance and testing services, full-stack quality engineering for IoT/smart devices, and ground truth data assurance services for AI technologies focused on data collection, annotation, and tagging for humans, environments, objects, scenarios, and speech algorithms. Founded in 2003, Q Analysts has partnered with some of the worlds leading technology firms to address their unique quality engineering needs. Q Analysts offerings will complement Qualitests established quality engineering expertise, which caters to the technology, financial services, telecom, health services, retail, media, gaming, and utilities sectors. The combined group will leverage the collective industry-specific competencies to deliver practical, flexible, and innovative solutions that address their clients business challenges. "We couldnt think of a better way to start the new year than with the addition of the great talent and capabilities which we found in Q Analysts," said Anbu Muppidathi, CEO of Qualitest. "This acquisition ensures that our combined solutions will continue to unlock value and drive measurable success for our existing customers, as well as allow us to expand our expertise in a wider variety of technologies and adjacent industries, bringing the best in quality engineering to more global clients." Story continues "We are very excited to now be a part of Qualitest, one of the most prestigious brands in quality engineering in the industry," said Ross Fernandes, CEO of Q Analysts. "Joining forces with Qualitest was a clear choice, as both Qualitest and Q Analysts share common values and approaches to achieving greater client satisfaction, rooted in innovation and excellence. We are excited about our ability to scale rapidly globally, and we are sure to achieve greater outcomes in our future with Qualitest." About Qualitest Founded in 1997, Qualitest offers a wide range of AI-powered quality engineering solutions designed to mitigate the business risk associated with digital adoption. Qualitest achieves this by deploying engagement models tailored to the precise quality engineering needs of technology platforms in the financial services, health services, telecom, technology, retail, media, gaming, and utilities industries. It has operations in the US, UK, India, Germany, Romania, Israel, Argentina, Mexico, Switzerland, and Portugal, and serves over 400 blue-chip customers worldwide. Qualitest is majority-owned by international private equity group Bridgepoint. Learn more at https://qualitestgroup.com/ About Q Analysts Since 2003, Q Analysts has been working with Fortune 500 companies to help them bring the best technology products to the market. Q Analysts has nearly 600 employees worldwide, including its Q TestLab facilities in Santa Clara, CA; Kirkland, WA, and Antananarivo, Madagascar. The Silicon Valley Business Journal listed Q Analysts among the Fastest-Growing Private Companies, the 10 Largest Minority-Owned Businesses in Silicon Valley, and the Largest Private Companies in Silicon Valley. The company has also won the US Department of Labors Gold Medallion Award from HIREVets for its veterans' hiring efforts. Q Analysts is ISO 27001-certified. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230404005010/en/ Contacts Qualitest Group Media Contact Lauren Perry SlicedBrand for Qualitest lauren@slicedbrand.com SOLUTIONS 30 A vested outsource contract aligning to CFLs desired outcomes of FTTH coverage, delivery effectiveness, and quality. Objective is to deliver more than 200,000 homes in 2 years across London London-based Internet Service Provider Community Fibre and Solutions30 , a leading provider of services to the telecoms industry, are pleased to announce the signature of a vested outsource partnership to pass more than 200,000 London homes allowing them to connect to Community Fibres network - with further projects expected. This contract is founded on an innovative vested model where both parties have adopted a win-win agreement to align their interests and goals. Based on lessons learned from other fibre deployment plans in Europe, this contract is structured to maximize the quality of the network as well as the economic efficiency of the project, without compromising the speed and predictability of deployments that will accelerate return on investment. To enable large ramp-up and meet expectations regarding fast delivery, Solutions30 will onboard UK employees and contractors but will also find highly qualified resources from other countries where Solutions30 is implemented and has significant references in FTTH roll outs. Commenting on this agreement, Graeme Oxby, CEO of Community Fibre explains: This vested outsource contract is a new step in the relationship we initiated with Solutions30 last year. We are pleased to have them on board to help us achieve our ambitious roll out targets. This innovative partnership, built on mutual trust, transparency, and collaboration, will allow us to deliver exceptional value to our customers and investors. Paul Garston, UK CEO for Solutions30 says This is the second large vested outsource contract that Solutions30 has signed, we are very happy to have the opportunity to replicate the successful model of our sister company in Belgium. This contract win demonstrates Solutions30s ambition and continued growth in the UK fixed telecoms market. Our European footprint and FTTx project experience brings much needed additional capabilities and capacity to the UK market, which we are delighted to offer to Community Fibre. Story continues About Solutions30 SE The Solutions30 group is the European leader in solutions for new technologies. Its mission is to make the technological developments that are transforming our daily lives accessible to everyone, individuals and businesses alike. Yesterday, it was computers and the Internet. Today, its digital technology. Tomorrow, it will be technologies that make the world even more interconnected in real time. With more than 50 million call-outs carried out since it was founded and a network of more than 15,000 local technicians, Solutions30 currently covers all of France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Iberian Peninsula, the United Kingdom, and Poland. The share capital of Solutions 30 SE consists of 107,127,984 shares, equal to the number of theoretical votes that can be exercised. Solutions30 SE is listed on the Euronext Paris exchange (ISIN FR0013379484- code S30). Indexes: MSCI Europe ex-UK Small Cap | SBF 120 | CAC Mid 60 | NEXT 150 | CAC Technology | CAC PME. Visit our website for more information: www.solutions30.com Contact Individual Shareholders: Tel: +33 1 86 86 00 63 - shareholders@solutions30.com Analysts/Investors: Nathalie Boumendil - Tel: +33 6 85 82 41 95 - nathalie.boumendil@solutions30.com Press - Image 7: Charlotte Le Barbier - Tel: +33 6 78 37 27 60 - clebarbier@image7.fr Leslie Jung - Tel: +33 6 78 70 05 55 - ljung@image7.fr About Community Fibre Community Fibre is future-proofing London communities by delivering 100% full-fibre broadband in the capital city. By believing in a more inclusive future where everyone has access to better broadband. Community Fibre offers the fastest 100% full fibre broadband in London, with up to 10,000 Mbps for businesses and up to 3,000 Mbps for consumers, at the most competitive prices on the market. Through offering more reliable and affordable 100% full fibre connections, Community Fibre empowers communities, enabling them to connect with friends and family and access crucial services online. Community Fibre was recently awarded 2023s Best Alternative Network by Uswitch, as well as the UKs best Consumer Internet Service Provider 100k- for the third year running at the Internet Service Provider Association (ISPA) Awards 2022, in addition to being recognised as the Best Broadband Provider for Business. Currently, Community Fibre operates in the following London boroughs: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Brent, Bexley, Bromley, Camden, City of London, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, and Westminster. Contact press@communityfibre.co.uk Attachment As massive anti-government protests were crushed between 2020 - 21, hundreds of thousands of Belarusians left their country, facing a whirlwind of repression and violence at home. A mix of students, activists and political opponents of President Alexander Lukashenkos oppressive regime, most escaped to neighbours Poland and Lithuania, their first points of safety. And there they stayed. If they go back, many of those opposed to Europes "last dictator" would face arrest, imprisonment or worse. We are here because we don't have a choice, said Alexey Yevtushik, a Belarusian activist. The 37-year-old escaped to Lithuania two years ago, after being arrested at a demonstration in his homeland. He says he was imprisoned and tortured by police, leaving him little choice but to flee. Yet, since the war in Ukraine, Belarusian exiles like Yevtushik say they are facing growing discrimination and hostility in the European Union, shouldering blame for Belarus's emphatic support of Russia. It manifests in many ways. European universities and landlords have reportedly refused to accept Belarusians, while some companies are no longer hiring them. And Sweden and the Czech Republic have been criticised for trying to deport Belarusian asylum seekers, despite the risk of the death penalty back home. Ignorance and indifference This new wave of ill-feeling since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 fails to recognise that Belarusians overwhelmingly disapprove of their leader Lukashenko and the war in Ukraine. Polling by an independent Belarusian sociologist Andrei Vardomatsky found that only 11% were in favour of Belarus participating in the fighting. Meanwhile, two-thirds of those surveyed are against Russias use of Belarus as a staging point from which to conduct military operations in Ukraine. Some people think we are dangerous, like some kind of enemy, Yevtushik told Euronews, recalling a recent incident in which some "drunk guys" asked him if he "loved Putin". Story continues It's discrimination. Belarus is participating in this war on Russias side, but it's not us, it's our stupid dictator. Still, he continued: Even if there are problems here, it is better than living in a prison. Thats the choice we face: Prison or freedom. August 2020, a woman waves an old Belarusian national flag n the roof as Belarusian opposition supporters march to Independence Square in Minsk, Belarus. - Evgeniy Maloletka/Copyright 2020 The AP. All rights reserved. Part of the problem impacting Belarusian exiles in Europe is common misperceptions. According to Andrei Vazyanau, a lecturer at Vilnius' European Humanities University, in countries not bordering Belarus, public attitudes are shaped by a colonial vision promoted by Moscow, which obscures the fact that Belarus is distinct from - and resists - Russia. People are usually indifferent because they don't see Belarus as a separate, he says. Belarus, meaning white Russians, was part of the USSR until its dissolution in 1991. Though its government shares deep economic and political ties with Russia, the country has its own distinct culture and history. In February, a leaked document showed Putin's plans to annex Belarus by 2030. If this were the case the EU would share an extensive border with Russia. Nobody discriminates against Belarusians more than the Belarusian government Even in Lithuania, one of the principal allies of the Belarusian opposition, the "mood is changing", says Vazyanau. The government proposed banning Belarusians and Russians from obtaining Lithuania citizenship, though rowed back on this in March. It was a symbolic humiliation, Vazyanau told Euronews. People were outraged to see themselves put with Russians in one norm. He said anti-European elements in Russia and Belarus were seizing on policies like this to mock dissidents, claiming it showed Europe would give them nothing. People are disappointed at the very idea of international solidarity, he explained. They feel betrayed on so many levels. It's not this that makes Belarusians enthusiastic about Russia because Moscow is also not doing anything good to Belarus, it's that people get disappointed in Western democracies. The Belarusian president and Russian President Vladimir Putin are long-term allies. - AP Although Lithuania has done more than any country to help Belarus, allowing dissidents to set up within its borders, Vazyanau says opinion is divided on the Belarusian question. On the one hand, Lithuania has seen the massive repression of civilians in Belarus. It has this ambition of promoting democracy, showing solidarity and being faithful to its values. On the other, it is a small country and is afraid of the threats of special agents and spies that can infiltrate. Other European countries don't face this issue. There are 40,000 Belarusian citizens in Lithuania, according to the Eastern Europe Studies Centre. Some 86% of respondents in their survey said they left Belarus for political reasons. No freedom without blood Attitudes towards Belarusians have been hugely influenced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Outraged Belarusians took to the streets days after Russian tanks rolled across the border and more than 1,500 people have been arrested for anti-war actions. Meanwhile, three Belarusian regiments are reportedly fighting for Ukraine. Still, parts of its territory were used to stage the invasion, while Moscows troops are now training in Belarus sparking fears Belarus will get dragged into the war. Some Ukrainians have lambasted the Belarusian population for not challenging Lukashenko violently, invoking their own 2014 revolution that saw Putin-ally President Viktor Yanukovych deposed after deadly clashes between protesters and state forces. For Vazyanau, this is an unfair criticism. Not only does Ukraine have a "story of successful protest" capable of inspiring resistance the situations in each country are not comparable, he says. Demonstrations in Belarus were ruthlessly and brutally suppressed with help from the Kremlin, with many suggesting Lukashenko only survived because of Putin's intervention. August 2020, protesters carry a wounded man during clashes with police in Minsk, Belarus. - AP/Copyright 2020 The AP. All rights reserved Plus there was "no international support for protesters in Belarus, he said. Some countries helped people escape the violence, but no country helped the fight back. We were counting on solidarity in 2020. More than 250,000 people gathered in the streets of Minsk, the Belarusian capital, two years ago, demonstrating against the allegedly fabricated results of presidential elections, which saw Lukashenko declared the winner. It was the largest protest movement in Belaruss modern history. Believing that everyone would benefit if Belarus was independent, Vazyanau told Euronews: One thing rights defenders and those engaged in partisan struggles need is a changed visa policy, making it easier for Belarusians to travel to the EU. There are many inside Belarus who are doing something to support Ukraine and resist the occupation of their country. But they are devoid of support." I think this is what Europe can and should do. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, has attracted international attention with a range of striking tweets in recent months starting with a veiled threat to invade Kenya in October and most recently last week, when he offered to deploy Ugandan troops to defend Moscow from imperialists. But the running theme in his tweets is the suggestion that he will soon take over from his father. Muhoozi Kainerugaba known as "Muhoozi" first attracted widespread international attention on Twitter last October when he spoke of the ease with which he could invade neighbouring Kenya: It wouldn't take us, my army and me, 2 weeks to capture Nairobi, he posted. President Yoweri Museveni, 78, responded by sacking Muhoozi from his role as commander of Ugandas land forces. Museveni also said his son will leave Twitter. Douglas Yates, a professor of African politics at the American Graduate School in Paris, likened Muhoozis tweets to those of former US president Donald Trump. Read more on FRANCE 24 English Read also: Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine: 'Museveni will end up in the dustbin of history' Exclusive: Uganda's Museveni says Guinea coup leaders 'should get out' Ugandan writer arrives in Germany after fleeing torture in custody UBS tells investors 'Herculean' Credit Suisse takeover will pay off FILE PHOTO: Buildings of Swiss banks UBS and Credit Suisse are seen on the Paradeplatz in Zurich By Noele Illien BASEL (Reuters) -UBS executives sought to assure investors on Wednesday that Switzerland's largest bank can make its unexpected takeover of Swiss rival Credit Suisse work and pay off for its shareholders. While describing the biggest bank rescue since the global financial crisis as a milestone for the industry and a major challenge for the bank, Chairman Colm Kelleher told UBS shareholders it also meant "a new beginning and huge opportunities ahead for the combined bank and for the Swiss financial center as a whole." Last month, Swiss authorities announced that UBS would buy Credit Suisse in a shotgun merger to stem further banking turmoil after the smaller lender had come to the brink of collapse. After a run on deposits, the Swiss government had turned to UBS, which agreed to buy Credit Suisse for 3 billion Swiss francs ($3.3 billion), while the Alpine state put up more than 200 billion francs of support and guarantees. Kelleher told the bank's shareholder meeting in Basel UBS was confident in its ability to successfully manage Credit Suisse's integration and that the combined bank would remain well capitalized. "We believe the transaction is financially attractive for UBS shareholders," he said. The hastily arranged rescue, not only angered and unsettled both banks' shareholders, but also many in Switzerland. A survey by political research firm gfs.bern found a majority of Swiss did not support the deal that would create a financial institution with assets double the size of the country's annual economic output. As shareholders expressed their frustration about being kept in the dark, with one calling it "an insult," some also voiced concerns about potential job losses and the new giant bank's adverse impact on competition. Vice Chairman Lukas Gaehwiler sought to quell such fears saying there were around 250 banks in the country and therefore enough competition. Story continues He also said it was too early to speculate about jobs before the "Herculean task" of the merger had completed, which he expected to happen within a few months. On Sunday, Swiss daily Tages-Anzeiger cited an unnamed senior UBS manager as saying that the workforce of the combined group could shrink by 20-30%. ALL OPTIONS ON TABLE Gaehwiler also said that "all options are on the table" concerning Credit Suisse's domestic business, which would continue to operate under its old brand in Switzerland for the foreseeable future. Shareholders also took aim at the executives' pay and bonus packages, which made Ralph Hamers the best paid chief executive in Switzerland in 2022. In contrast to its smaller rival, UBS had been on a steady course. It reported a net profit of $7.6 billion for 2022 and strong inflows in wealth management, the company's flagship division. Looking at how to navigate the mammoth task of integrating Credit Suisse, the success of which Switzerland depends on, UBS has already taken the first steps. Last week, the bank announced it had rehired Sergio Ermotti as chief executive to steer the massive takeover - a surprise move to take advantage of the Swiss banker's experience rebuilding the bank after the global financial crisis. Addressing shareholders for the final time as chief executive, Hamers acknowledged the merger has led to new priorities for the bank, bringing a change at its helm. "The acquisition of Credit Suisse will be a major challenge," Hamers said, while echoing the bank's chairman in highlighting new opportunities. "It is expected to create a business with more than USD 5 trillion in total invested assets," he said. On Wednesday UBS shareholders re-elected Kelleher as chairman, as well as all existing members of the board of directors, and approved their and bank executives' compensation. Wednesday also marked Ermotti's first official day back in the job, although he did not attend the meeting. It came a day after executives at Credit Suisse faced their own shareholders and Chairman Axel Lehmann apologised for leading the bank to the verge of bankruptcy. In the face of growing criticism, Switzerland's financial regulator deflected blame for the collapse of Credit Suisse, saying it had been quick to respond, calling instead for more powers to take lenders to task. On Tuesday, Reuters also reported that the Bank of England had approved UBS' takeover of Credit Suisse in Britain, a key market for the Swiss lenders racing to close the rescue deal. UBS also secured a temporary green light from European Union antitrust regulators to complete its acquisition of Credit Suisse, but will still have to request clearance under EU merger rules, the European Commission said. (Reporting by Noele Illien; Editing by John O'Donnell and Tomasz Janowski) Finland's President Sauli Niinisto, left, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg give a press conference during a NATO foreign affairs ministers' meeting, at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, April 4. UPI-Yonhap Finland formally joined NATO on Tuesday, its flag unfurling outside the military bloc's Brussels headquarters, in a historic policy shift brought on by Russia's invasion of Ukraine that drew a threat from Moscow of "counter-measures." Finland's accession, ending seven decades of military non-alignment, roughly doubles the length of the border the North Atlantic Treaty Organization shares with Russia and bolsters its eastern flank as the war in Ukraine grinds on with no resolution in sight. Finland's flag a blue cross on a white background was hoisted alongside those of the alliance's 30 other members as a military band played in bright spring sunshine. "For almost 75 years, this great alliance has shielded our nations and continues to do so today," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg declared at the ceremony. "But war has returned to Europe and Finland has decided to join NATO and be part of the world's most successful alliance." Stoltenberg earlier noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin had cited opposition to NATO's eastward enlargement as one justification for invading Ukraine. "He is getting exactly the opposite... Finland today, and soon also Sweden will become a full-fledged member of the alliance," Stoltenberg said. Finnish President Saul Niinisto said Finland's most significant contribution to NATO's common deterrence and defense would be to defend its own territory. There is still significant work to be done to coordinate this with NATO, he said. "It is a great day for Finland and I want to say that it is an important day for NATO," Niinisto said at a joint news conference with Stoltenberg. The Kremlin said Russia would be forced to take "counter-measures." Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Finland's accession raised the risk of the Ukraine conflict escalating further. In dropping non-alignment, Russia's Foreign Ministry said, Finland was committing a dangerous historical mistake that would fray relations with Moscow and undo its status as a confidence-building presence in the Baltic Sea and Europe at large. "This is now a thing of the past. Finland has become one of the small members of (NATO) that doesn't decide anything, losing its special voice in international affairs. We are sure that history will judge this hasty step," a ministry statement said. Russia said on Monday it would strengthen its military capacity in its west and northwest in response to Finland joining NATO. Ukraine hailed Finland's step. "I congratulate all the people of Finland," President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy said in his evening address. "Russian aggression clearly proves that only collective guarantees, only preventive guarantees, can be reliable." Military personnel raise the flag of Finland during a flag raising ceremony on the sidelines of a NATO foreign ministers meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels, April 4. AP-Yonhap Flags of Ukraine and NATO Read also: Biden, Trudeau pledge enduring support for Ukraine When U.S. President Joe Biden and other NATO leaders attend the upcoming July summit, they will face intense pressure from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over progress on Ukraine's membership bid, the article says. At the same time, Ukraine's desire to join NATO is likely to intensify if Kyiv succeeds in the much-anticipated spring counteroffensive. WSJ notes that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are the only ones among the European armed forces that not only defend against a Russian invasion, but also significantly attrit Putin's troops. Ukrainians are convinced this gives them the right to a seat at the NATO table. Read also: NATO-Ukraine meeting to go ahead in Brussels after years of delays by Hungary At the same time, WSJ notes that Finland's rapid entry into NATO contrasts with Ukraine's status and prospects with the alliance. In 2008, NATO announced that Ukraine would receive membership, but did not provide a time frame. Now officials are saying there is no quick action, primarily because Ukraine is at war with Russia, and membership would put the alliance in direct conflict with Moscow something NATO is determined to avoid. WSJ writes that with Ukraine's membership removed from NATO's agenda, the leaders are debating what they can offer to show support and encouragement without making extra promises or handing a propaganda victory for Russia. Whatever package is adopted at the Vilnius summit, it will form the basis of NATO relations with Kiev for months or years. The piece, citing unnamed sources, reports that the debate within NATO is focused on issues like providing Ukraine with robust security guarantees, as well as balancing between building up short-term military capabilities and forming long-term political ties. Read also: Estonia calls on NATO allies to increase defense spending At the same time, discussions are underway about these potential arrangements. Poland, Lithuania, and Estonia are pushing for strong security guarantees and a clear membership path, with close political ties for Ukraine. Story continues Read also: Finland to become 31st NATO member tomorrow, Stoltenberg says Other countries, including the United States, Germany, and France, are in favor of focusing more on short-term practical issues, such as providing Ukraine with weapons, funding, and humanitarian support. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Finland has been the happiest country on earth for the past six years, according to the World Happiness Survey. This survey relies on the Cantril ladder life evaluation question: Please imagine a ladder with steps numbered from zero at the bottom to 10 at the top. The top of the ladder represents the best possible life for you and the bottom of the ladder represents the worst possible life for you. On which step of the ladder would you say you personally feel you stand at this time? Finland comes out top, followed by Denmark and Iceland. Just why Finns are happier than others comes down to a number of factors including lower income inequality (most importantly, the difference between the highest paid and the lowest paid), high social support, freedom to make decisions, and low levels of corruption. The graph below shows all 44 counties for which there is both happiness data and income inequality data, each as a coloured dot. The vertical scale shows average happiness, the horizontal scale income inequality. Average levels of happiness and inequality by country Forty four countries each shown as a dot on the graph The measure of income inequality used here is the Gini coefficient of income inequality, as reported by the OECD. It is the highest rate recorded in each county in any year after 2010 up to the most recent year for which there is data. The graph shows the close relationship between these two measures. In general, when income inequality is larger, money matters more and people are less happy. Finland also has other attributes that may help people feel happier. It has a highly decentralised publicly funded healthcare system and only a very small private health sector. This is far more effective and efficient than some alternatives used in other countries. Public transport is reliable and affordable, and Helsinki airport is ranked as the best in northern Europe. There is a Finnish proverb that seems relevant here: Onnellisuus on se paikka puuttuvaisuuden ja yltakyllaisyyden valilla (Happiness is a place between too little and too much). Story continues How Finland compares Finland, Norway and Hungary report similar levels of income inequality, yet people in Finland are, on average, happier. Why is this? According to the World Inequality Database, the highest-paid tenth of people in Finland take home a third of all income (33%). That contrasts with the same group taking 36% in the UK and 46% in the US. These differences may not appear great, but they have a huge effect on overall happiness because so much less is left for the rest in the more unequal countries and the rich become more fearful. When a small number of people become much richer, this is an understandable fear. Read more: How to ditch 'fomo' and foster 'jomo' the joy of missing out In 2021, it was suggested by a sociology professor that simply by having more reasonable expectations, people in Nordic countries appeared to be happier. However, that cannot explain why Finland is so very different from Norway on the happiness scale. All kinds of explanations are possible, including slight nuances of language as well as culture. There is now even the question of whether this global survey is beginning to introduce its own bias, as Finns now know why they are being asked the question (they moved even further ahead of Denmarkin the most recent survey). However, it is very likely that Finland having more equitable schools, where you are likely to get a good education whichever you choose, as well as a fairer school policy than Norway (almost all Finns go to their nearest school) might actually matter too. So too, a better housing policy with a wide variety of social housing and lower homelessness, a health service with waiting times that are the envy of the world sometimes just being a matter of days (even during the worst years of the pandemic) and numerous other accolades. Finland ranks first, second or third in over 100 global measures of economic and social success better than Norway does. And it has less money overall (and hardly any oil). You could excuse the Finns a little smugness (omahyvaisyys). Why does Hungary do so badly despite the income gap between its people being hardly any wider than in Finland and Norway? One could argue that this is to do with its divided politics. In 2022, the European parliament suggested that Hungary can no longer be considered a full democracy. Freedom matters to people greatly, as well as freedom from fear, and that could explain also why Turkey and India have lower levels of happiness than their levels of economic inequality might predict. In contrast, South Africa and China may be a little happier than their levels of inequality would suggest. South Africa became a democracy in 1994 shortly after Nelson Mandela was freed, and many people will remember the previous period. People in China are not as fearful as they are often portrayed in the west. Inequality is a factor Most countries exhibit happiness levels (and much else) that are very predictable from their inequality levels. The UK is spot on in the middle of what you would expect for one of Europes most economically unequal countries. The graph above also shows that (almost as unequal) Israel is a little happier than it ought to be although it is not clear that the sample taken there included all groups that currently live under that state. Also, that sample was taken in 2022, before the recent widespread protests in Israel. The other outlier shown in the graph is Costa Rica, where the president said in 2019: Seventy years ago, Costa Rica did away with the army. This allows for many things. Eight per cent of our GDP is invested in education because we dont have to spend on the army. So our strength is human talent, human wellbeing. So what can the people of a country do if they want to be happier? The most important thing is to elect governments that will ensure the country becomes more equal by income. After that, ensuring your social services school, housing and healthcare are efficient and equitable matters most. And finally, consider your degree of freedom, whether you are actually including everyone in your surveys, and how fearful your population is. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The Conversation Danny Dorling does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Disney+ Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian had a casual three weddings throughout 2022, kicking things off in Las Vegas, before nuptials in Santa Barbara and the big shingdig in Portofino, Italy. Now, fans will be able to get a glimpse at what it was like to be a guest at the ceremonies, with a brand new documentary - essentially like their wedding video. Agh! Yep, as well as new The Kardashians on the way, Travis and Kourtney have announced a very special wedding one-parter is also making its way to Disney+, meaning you can get all the inside info from their special day. Named Til Death Do Us Part Kourtney & Travis, the show promises to be an "inside look at the wedding of the year", with the description adding, "Kourtney, Travis and their guests enjoy a luxurious wedding weekend in Portofino, Italy. Private and personal footage reveal an intimate family event full of beautiful moments. The special episode features Kourtney Kardashian Barker, Travis Barker, Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner." The trailer also shows clips from their Vegas and Santa Barbara ceremonies, and we could not be more excited. Where can you watch Travis and Kourtney's wedding documentary? Til Death Do Us Part Kourtney & Travis will be available to stream from Thursday 13th April on Disney+ in the UK. Disney+ is available for 7.99 per month, with no hidden costs and the ability to cancel anytime, and is also home to a whole host of incredible shows. As well as season three of The Kardashians, which is back in May, you can also watch Abbott Elementary and The Bear, as well as a whole host of Disney classics. SIGN UP NOW You Might Also Like University of North Georgia (UNG) President Bonita Jacobs awarded more than $182,000 to fund 18 Presidential Incentive Awards designed to provide institutional support for faculty to pursue scholarly work and promote innovative teaching practices in the 2023-24 academic year. "I am very pleased that we have been able to invest in our faculty and staff through this program over the past 10 years. It has supported their strong commitment to research and the development of innovative practices that enrich our students' academic experience and their success in college," Jacobs said. "And, in many cases, the program has accelerated initiatives that generate additional external resources for the university." Jacobs initiated the program in 2013; since then more than $2.6 million has been invested in research and scholarly work. A total of 46 applications were submitted across the three award categories (Semester, Summer and Innovation). Semester Awards include a full semester release from teaching and provide funding support of up to $12,000 each, while Summer Awards offer up to $10,000 of support. Innovation Awards allocate up to $5,000 each to support interdisciplinary and/or cross-functional collaborations or individual pursuits focused on innovations and partnerships to promote implementation of best practices. "The proposals selected for funding include a wide range of research and creative activities that will improve teaching and learning, foster collaboration across departments, and provide opportunities for community engagement, all of which are components of UNG's mission," Dr. Holly Verhasselt, associate provost for institutional effectiveness and chief research officer, said. The recipients include: Presidential Incentive Semester Awards: Valerie Surrett (English), "Locked Up: An American Landscape" Erin Bush (History, Anthropology & Philosophy), "Under the Guise of Protection: Wayward Girls, Eugenics, and the Growth of Social Authority in Twentieth-Century Virginia" Austin Riede (English), "Conscientious Objection and Withheld War Labor in British Literature, 1914-1939" Jacob Bateman McDonald (IESA), "Where do streams begin? Predictive modeling of channel heads in the Chattahoochee River watershed" Ryan Thompson (Mathematics), "Analysis of Convection-Diffusion Models" Presidential Incentive Summer Awards: Erin Barding (Biology), Dr. Andrew Taylor (Biology), "A Storm of Activity at the Hurricane Creek Research Site: Long-Term Monitoring of the Wildlife Communities Amidst Ongoing Restoration Efforts" Nancy Dalman (Biology), Dr. Dobrusia Bialonska (Biology) and Dr. Chris Leaphart (Biology), "A Holistic Survey of Biotic and Abiotic Factors Affecting Oysters on the Georgia Coast" Robyn Hicks (School of Communication, Film & Theatre), "SYBIL," an intimate documentary feature, which interweaves the narrative of Sybil Rosens past, told by the 70-year-old writer herself as she contemplates her decades-long career and confronts an uncertain future. David Patterson (Biology), Dr. Christopher Seminack (IESA), "Late Pleistocene ecosystem evolution in southeastern North America: a transdisciplinary approach using fossil American alligator enamel isotopes" Esther Morgan-Ellis (Music), "Musical Leadership in Sacred Harp Singing: A Faculty-Student Collaborative Investigation" Cathy Whiting (Biology) and Dr. Abby Meyer (Psychological Science), "Immunohistochemical Localization of Inflammatory Chemicals and Histological Characterization of Murine Brain, Liver, and Kidney Tissue Following Exposure to E-Cigarettes" Jie Guo (Management & Marketing), "Individual Drive and Gender Effect in Career Upward Mobility" Anilkumar Devarapu (Mathematics), Dr. Ramjee Sharma (Mathematics) and Dr. Dipendra Regmi (Mathematics), "Mathematical Modeling, Analysis and Simulations of Mixed Convection Nanofluid Flow Problems" Presidential Incentive Awards for Innovation: Most of eastern US, California coast under flood threats this spring, NOAA says Meteorologists are predicting flood threats for a large portion of the U.S. this spring. About 44% of the U.S. is at risk for flooding, Ed Clark, director of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Water Center, told reporters on Thursday. PHOTO: Floodwaters from the Mississippi River have overtaken much of Foley, Missouri, June 1, 2019. (Scott Olson/Getty Images, FILE) There is a risk of flooding in most of the eastern half of the U.S. including most of the Mississippi River Basin, NOAA said. Currently, nearly 1.5 million people on Mississippi River are under major flood threat this spring, John Gottschalck, chief of operational prediction branch at NOAAs Climate Prediction Center, a division of National Weather Service, told ABC News. In the West, the historic snowpack along the Sierra Nevada mountain range, combined with elevated soil moisture, is heightening the potential for spring floods across much of California's coast. MORE: Extreme flooding, drought is making risk management difficult and ineffective, researchers say Two weather patterns came together to create such extreme winter precipitation over California, including the jet stream extending further south and an increase in available moisture in the Pacific due to a reoccurring phenomena known as Madden Julian Oscillation, an eastward moving disturbance of clouds, rainfall, winds and pressure, Gottschalck said. Most residents near the Sierra Nevada range don't live where major snow melt and flooding are forecast, Clark told ABC News. PHOTO: Spring Flood Outlook Map (ABC News) Near record snowfall in the upper Midwest this past winter will also contribute to the flooding, Gottschalck said. The snow melt will bring much-needed water to California and the Great Basin. The reservoirs that depend on the Colorado River, such as Lake Powell and Lake Mead, are currently at record low water levels following years of drought. PHOTO: A vehicle navigates a snowy roadway lined with snowbanks piled up from new and past storms in the Sierra Nevada mountains, in the wake of an atmospheric river event, March 12, 2023, in Mammoth Lakes, California. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) With the spring snowmelt, the water in Lake Powell is expected to rise 34 feet, Clark said. Because the lake is at record low level for this time of the year, it would only fill up to 36% capacity, Clark said. Story continues Climate change is driving both wet and dry extremes, NOAA administrator Rick Spinrad said. Moderate to exceptional drought coverage across the U.S. is at its lowest since August 2020 and is likely to continue improving, or end entirely, across much of California and the Great Basin due to the heavy influx of moisture in recent months. MORE: Sea level rise is expected to worsen coastal flooding -- even on sunny days, according to new NOAA report Extreme to exceptional drought across parts of the southern High Plains will likely to persist through the spring season, with droughts also expected to develop into parts of New Mexico. Across parts of the Northwest U.S. and northern Rockies, drought conditions are also expected to continue. Droughts may develop in Washington state. The spring wet season is expected to improve drought conditions across parts of the northern and central Plains, while current drought conditions in Florida are expected to improve or be alleviated during the next three months. PHOTO: Cracked earth is visible in an area once under the water of Lake Mead at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, on Jan. 27, 2023, near Boulder City, Nev. (John Locher/AP, FILE) A multi-decade drought cannot be reversed with one snowy and rainy reason, Clark said. "Its great news that the abnormally wet winter has improved drought conditions, but the risks for flooding in the Missouri and Sierra Nevada and especially the upper Mississippi River Basin are particular concerning," Shana Udvardy, senior climate resilience policy analyst with the Union of Concerned Scientists' climate and energy program told ABC News via email. Above-average temperatures are likely for much of the southern and eastern half of the U.S. this spring, forecasts show. MORE: 1-in-100-year floods happening so often, the term may change For April through June, the greatest chance for above-average temperatures exists from the southern High Plains and northward along the East Coast. PHOTO: Drought Outlook Map (ABC News) Above-average temperatures are also likely for Hawaii and northern parts of Alaska. Below-average temperatures are predicted for the central Great Basin and the northern Plains. NOAA forecasters predict above-average precipitation this spring across the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and into parts of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Below-average precipitation is most likely for the Southwest and parts of the Pacific Northwest. "With climate change we are seeing wetter wet conditions and drier dry conditions," Udvardy said. "We cant escape the fact that we simply arent prepared. Federal leadership is needed to both slash emissions more deeply and protect people from flooding and other weather extremes." Most of eastern US, California coast under flood threats this spring, NOAA says originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Mot goc minh hoa cac o vat cua the gioi co tich ma cac em thieu nhi Viet Nam yeu thich. Prime Minister of Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina Fadil Novalic, right, with his lawyer, arrives at a court in Sarajevo, Bosnia, on Jan. 29, 2021. AP-Yonhap The prime minister of one of Bosnia's two regions was sentenced to four years in prison on Wednesday in a case involving the purchase of Chinese ventilators in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. Fadil Novalic, who leads the Bosnia and Herzegovina federation, was taken in for questioning in May 2020 as prosecutors investigated the deal. The government had bought 100 ventilators through a company that usually specialises in fruit and vegetable preservation and the devices turned out to be unsuitable for use with serious ill patients. The court ruled that Novalic, 63, "abused his position" by creating conditions for the company to buy the ventilators despite not being registered for importing medical equipment, state court judge Branko Peric said. "The equipment did not even have the minimum required parameters" and "could not be used for the care of patients in serious condition", Peric said. Novalic, who can appeal the sentence, was not in court for the verdict. He has previously denounced the trial as a "political case" aimed at discrediting him. (AFP) In its investigation report about the repatriation flight scandal, the Investigative Agency of the Ministry of Public Security proposed prosecuting 54 defendants for the crime of giving and taking bribes and deception related to property. The case occurred at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Transport, the Government Office, and related agencies. Two former Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung and Vu Hong Nam would be prosecuted for taking bribes. To Anh Dung, 58, was responsible for approving the flight organization plan based on the proposal of the Consular Department. During this process, Dung directed his subordinates to add certain businesses to the list. Between December 2020 and January 2022, Dung took money from local firms 37 times, totaling VND14.1 billion and US$320,000, and in return, he introduced these companies to the so-called combo flight plans, according to the Ministry of Public Security. "The behavior of the defendant To Anh Dung constitutes the crime of accepting bribes, as stipulated in Clause 4, Article 354 of the Penal Code," the report stated. These chartered flights were a paid service that was arranged for individuals who could afford to pay for their own in the pandemic. Former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung has been proposed to apply the mitigating circumstances of criminal responsibility provided for in points b, s, t, v, and x of Clause 1, Article 51 of the Penal Code and Resolution No.03/2020/NQ-HDTP dated December 30, 2020, of the Supreme People's Court guiding the application of some provisions of the Penal Code in determining the punishment framework. Dung was indicted and temporarily detained by the Investigative Agency of the Ministry of Public Security on April 14, 2022, after expanding the investigation into the case. Indicted along with Dung were Pham Trung Kien, a specialist in the Department of Medical Equipment and Construction under the Ministry of Health, and Vu Anh Tuan, a former officer of the Vietnam Immigration Department under the Ministry of Public Security. At the end of September 2022, the Party Central Committee decided to expel Dung from the Party. Vu Hong Nam, 59, as the Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan, is said to have taken advantage of his position to receive bribes of US$60,000 and VND450 million. Nam, who was arrested last December, returned the amount of money he earlier took. Nguyen Quang Linh (former assistant to former Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh) would be prosecuted on the same charge. In addition, dozens of former officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Transport, the Government Office, the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Public Security, the Central Committee for Foreign Affairs, were also proposed to be prosecuted. According to the investigation conclusion, the repatriation flight case was especially serious and complicated, occurring amid the Covid-19 outbreak. The defendants took advantage of the pandemic situation for personal gain. The acts of the defendants are particularly serious, seriously affecting the reputation of State agencies, organizations and Vietnam's reputation, it said. The findings are part of the investigation results published recently by the MPS Bureau of Investigation Security. The probe, which began in January 2022, has looked into the violations found over the repatriation flights handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Consular Department, the provincial administrations of Hanoi and other provinces and cities. Police propose to prosecute 54 defendants The Investigative Agency of the Ministry of Public Security has concluded the investigation into the case that occurred at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hanoi, and other provinces and cities. At the same time, they transferred the case files to the Supreme People's Procuracy to propose the prosecution of 54 defendants. Specifically, 21 defendants are proposed to be prosecuted for the crime of "Receiving Bribes" specified in Article 354 of the Penal Code, including Nguyen Quang Linh, former Assistant to the Permanent Deputy Prime Minister; Nguyen Thanh Hai, Director of the Government Office's Department of International Relations; Nguyen Tien Than, specialist; Nguyen Mai Anh, specialist; To Anh Dung, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Nguyen Thi Huong Lan, Director of the Consular Department; Do Hoang Tung, Deputy Director; Le Tuan Anh, Chief of Office; Luu Tuan Dung, Deputy Director of the Civil Protection Division of the Consular Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Vu Hong Nam, former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to Japan; Nguyen Hong Ha, former Consul General of Vietnam to Osaka, Japan; Ly Tien Hung, former Officer of the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia; Vu Ngoc Minh, former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to Angola; Pham Trung Kien, a specialist in the Department of Medical Equipment and Construction under the Ministry of Health; Ngo Quang Tuan, a specialist from the Department of International Relations under the Ministry of Transport; Vu Hong Quang, Deputy Head of Air Transport Division under the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam; Tran Van Du, Vu Anh Tuan, Vu Sy Cuong, former officers of the Immigration Department under the Ministry of Public Security; Tran Van Tan, former Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Nam Province; Chu Xuan Dung, former Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hanoi City. Four defendants are proposed to be prosecuted for the crime of "Abusing Power while Performing Official Duties" as specified in Article 356 of the Penal Code, including Tran Viet Thai, former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam in Malaysia; Nguyen Le Ngoc Anh, Nguyen Hoang Linh, Dang Minh Phuong, former officers of the Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia. Twenty-three defendants are proposed to be prosecuted for the crime of "Giving Bribes" specified in Article 364 of the Penal Code, including Le Hong Son, Deputy General Director; Nguyen Thi Thanh Hang, General Director of Blue Sky Trading, Service and Tourism Co., Ltd; Hoang Dieu Mo, General Director of An Binh Commercial, Tourism, and Aviation Services Co., Ltd; Nguyen Tien Manh, Executive Director of Viet Travel Tourist Trading Joint Stock Company; Vu Thuy Duong, General Director of Lu Hanh Viet Travel and Trade Joint Stock Company; Hoang Anh Kiem, a freelance worker; Nguyen Thi Tuong Vy, Director of ATA Vietnam Investment and Consulting Co., Ltd; Nguyen Thi Hien, a freelance worker; Nguyen Thi Dung Hanh, Director of G Vietnam 19 Co., Ltd.; Tran Thi Mai Xa, Director of Masterlife Education and Tourism Joint Stock Company; Dao Minh Duong, Chairman of Vijasun Joint Stock Company; Nguyen The Dung, Director of Luxury Trading and Tourism Company Limited; Tran Hong Ha, Director of Sao Viet International Trading and Human Resources Company Limited; Phan Thi Mai, Director of Hanoi Star International Joint Stock Company; Pham Bich Hang, Deputy Director of International Travel Company; Le Van Nghia, Director of Nhat Minh Travel and Catering Joint Stock Company; Vo Thi Hong, Director of Minh Ngoc Airline Ticketing Service and Trading Company Limited; Vu Minh Thang, Director of Thuan An Investment and Trading Company Limited, cum Chairman of Ascend Travel And Media - Thuan An Travel and Event Joint Stock Company; Tran Tien, Director of Phi Truong Trading and Tourism Company Limited; Tao Duc Hiep, Director of Vietnam Railway Union Tourist Company Limited; Pham Ba Son, an employee of Thai Hoa Construction Joint Stock Company; Le Thi Ngoc Anh, a specialist in the Commission's Reception Department; Dao Thi Chung Thuy, a freelance worker. Four defendants are proposed to be prosecuted for the crime of "Bribery Brokering" as specified in Article 365 of the Penal Code, including Pham Thi Kim Ngan, an officer of the Administrative Department, Inspector Magazine under the Government Inspectorate; Bui Huy Hoang, a specialist of the Preventive Medicine Department under the Ministry of Health; Tran Quoc Tuan, former Director of Trade and Tourism Promotion Joint Stock Company; Nguyen Anh Tuan, former police officer. Director of Thai Hoa Construction Company Tran Minh Tuan is proposed to be prosecuted for the crime of "Fraudulent Appropriation of Property" specified in Article 174 of the Penal Code, and the crime of "Giving Bribes" specified in Article 364 of the Penal Code. Hoang Van Hung, a former police officer, is proposed to be prosecuted for the crime of "Fraudulent Appropriation of Property" specified in Article 174 of the Penal Code. At the same time, the investigative agency issued a wanted on the accused Tran Thi Ha Lien, a freelance worker, for the crime of Bribery Brokering specified in Article 365 of the Penal Code. T. Nhung Feature: Chinese acupuncturists earn recognition, respect from Algerians 11:23, April 05, 2023 By Xinhua writers Shuai Anning, Chen Mengyang ( Xinhua Chinese acupuncturist Yang Yi poses for a photo with Algerian patient Appomata (R) at the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) center in Algiers, Algeria, June 8, 2022. (Chinese Medical Team to Algeria/Handout via Xinhua) ALGIERS, April 4 (Xinhua) -- It was a Monday morning at the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Center in Algiers, the capital of Algeria. The corridor, as usual, was thronged with patients who booked appointments at least half a year in advance for a session of acupuncture treatment. Among them was Appomata, an Algerian woman in her 40s who came for the last treatment for her myelitis. Looking healthy and robust, one could hardly imagine that two months ago, she could hardly move her body from the neck below. "I was prepared to live the rest of my life in a wheelchair," said Appomata. But thanks to the electro-acupuncture treatment with "magical needles" by Yang Yi, a Chinese acupuncturist, Appomata could sit up after two weeks and stand up after one month of treatment. Accompanied by her husband and daughter, Appomata came this time also to express her gratitude for Yang, for whom she even performed a dance. Having been operating for six years, the TCM center in Algiers' Ben Aknoun hospital enjoys huge popularity among local Algerians. Many are amazed at how a metal needle could relieve their chronic pain that is intractable to modern western medicine. "The Chinese acupuncture is magical," said Ayoub Touati, a patient with tenosynovitis, a painful condition that limits the movement of one's thumbs and wrist due to the inflammation of a tendon and its sheath. The 62-year-old had planned to undergo surgery in France before his pain was cured by Yang with the so-called "needle knife" method. "I was amazed by this magical needle," said Touati. "No surgery, no stitches. Just in a few seconds, and the pain is gone." Yang said she had treated about 20 patients with tenosynovitis in the past one and a half years, most of whom were referred to her by other patients. She usually receives 20-30 patients a day, a heavy workload for the 56-year-old. Yet, she felt fulfilled by being able to help as many patients as possible and promote Chinese traditional medical treatment. "The Chinese acupuncture has taken root in Algeria thanks to the continuous dedication of the Chinese medical teams over the past 60 years," said Yang, a member of the 27th Chinese medical team sent to Algeria in 2021 from China's central Hubei province. China was the first country to send a medical team to Algeria after the latter declared independence from France in 1962. Over the past 60 years, China has sent more than 3,500 medical staff to the North African country, most of them are acupuncturists and obstetricians. Over the past six decades, those Chinese doctors have treated about 27.37 million patients in Algeria, performed about 1.74 million operations, and delivered 2.07 million newborns. Yang Yi said she was proud to learn that Chinese doctors and the TCM have earned recognition and respect from the Algerians for their dedicated services and magical effects. She recalled that one time, a 58-year-old Algerian woman showed a photo taken 27 years ago with some Chinese doctors who cured the woman's twisted ankle with acupuncture. Pointing at the faded photo, Yang said that the Chinese doctors in the picture are still remembered by the Algerian patients who received their help, which makes "their efforts all the more worthwhile." The Algerian patient proposed to take a new picture with Yang and other Chinese doctors, saying that she will always keep the photos as a witness to the long-lasting friendship between the peoples of the two countries. Yang Shengyu, the younger sister of Yang Yi, also a member of the 27th batch, said she plans to stay for a third two-year term after the end of her current second term. "I feel happy that I could help the people here," she said, "I am just an ordinary person... but I feel honored just being able to help." (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) French President Emmanuel Macron gives a speech as he meets the French community, in Beijing, China, Wednesday. AP-Yonhap French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that China had a "major role" to play in finding a path to peace in Ukraine, as he kicked off a three-day visit to Beijing. Speaking at a gathering of the French community in Beijing ahead of a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday, Macron said France would seek to work with China "in this shared responsibility for peace and stability" in Ukraine. "China, with its close relationship with Russia, which has been reaffirmed in recent days, can play a major role," he said, noting Beijing's stated opposition to the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine as well as its proposal for peace between Kyiv and Moscow. The French president's first trip to China in four years is set to be dominated by the conflict in Ukraine, with an official from his office telling reporters he would seek to stand firm in talks with Xi. Speaking to journalists after his remarks, Macron said: "We have decided since the beginning of the conflict to help the victim, and we have also made it very clear that anyone helping the aggressor would be an accomplice in breach of international law." The French leader's aims also include preserving and rebalancing China's trade ties with Europe, as well as safeguarding France's interests in the Asia-Pacific. "We must not disassociate ourselves, separate ourselves from China," Macron told Beijing's French community upon arrival, saying France would "commit proactively to continue to have a commercial relationship with China". Macron discussed his trip to China and support for Ukraine during a phone call with US President Joe Biden on the eve of his visit, the White House said. The conversation showed the "common will of France and the United States to engage the Chinese to accelerate with us the end of the war in Ukraine and build a lasting peace", Macron's office said. (AFP) HCM CITY The paper industry needs to switch from production of normal packaging since supply exceeds demand and invest in other items such as high-quality packaging paper, which is still mostly imported, according to the Viet Nam Paper and Pulp Association. ang Van Son, the association vice president and general secretary, said the paper industry had grown by over 10 per cent annually in recent years to produce nearly 10 million tonnes a year now. There are some 500 firms in the paper and pulp industry. Around 90 per cent of their output is normal packaging paper for the garment and textile, woodworking and other industries. "Viet Nam is now one of the largest packaging paper producers in Southeast Asia," Son told a meeting held to introduce four international exhibitions, Paper Vietnam, Rubber and Tyre Vietnam, Coatings Expo Vietnam, and Plastech Vietnam, in HCM City late last month. Most of the output was sold domestically, he said. But since September 2022 the industry had faced difficulties since demand in both the domestic and export markets had shrunk, he said. It is currently a supporting industry for exports such as footwear, textiles and furniture, and so their decline in exports has led to a decrease in consumption of packaging paper. "Paper mills are only operating at 50- 60 per cent of capacity now," he said. We exported one million tonnes of paper in 2022, but this year it may decrease. Export orders have decreased sharply. In the domestic market, demand is forecast to decrease by 10 per cent. This is a huge difficulty for businesses. With more new mills set to be commissioned in the coming years, another three million tonnes of output would be added by 2025, mainly of packaging paper, with foreign enterprises too seeking to invest in the industry, he said. Demand for normal packaging paper is high in the domestic market, but supply has increased faster than demand, leading to oversupply, according to the association. The country spends billions of dollar to import high-quality packaging, coated and other technical paper varieties. Besides exporting to traditional markets such as China, the US and EU, the industry should also enter new markets such as the Americas, Middle East and North Africa, Son said. Participating in trade fairs would give businesses a great opportunity to access new customers. The industry faces difficulties such as reliance on imported raw materials since investment in pulp production remains modest and lack of skilled human resources. It imports more than 500,000 tonnes of pulp a year, while the country exports over 15 million tonnes of wood chips, the main raw material for pulp production. "The industry is naturally suited to a circular economy as its basic raw materials come from planted forests and used paper," Son said. Addressing the lack of raw materials was among the keys to sustaining the industry, and the Government should encourage investment in pulp production using modern technology that ensures environmental protection, he said. Fostering co-operation between academia and industry was imperative to ensure skilled human resources for the industry, he added. VNS HA NOI Vietnamese businesses have a geographical advantage in accessing China, the world's second-largest market, especially with support from e-commerce platforms, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT). Nguyen Thi Minh Huyen, deputy head of MoIT's e-commerce and digital economy department, said cross-border trade via the platforms had so far been the fastest and cheapest way to access Chinese consumers. But she said steps must be taken to ensure the trade's sustainable development. Huyen's department has been working closely with several e-commerce platforms to connect with partners and consumers in the Chinese market. The focus is on how to best support Vietnamese businesses to link operations with Chinese retailers, brand-building companies and e-commerce firms. Huyen said feedback from businesses so far had been positive with the vast majority of them getting the hang of how to work with major Chinese e-commerce platforms. Some Vietnamese brands had been successfully marketed and sold widely in China such as Ca phe Sai Gon, Vicosap, Sao Thai Duong cosmetics, Lipo and Tipo snacks. Nguyen Thi Diem Hang, chairperson of VinaNutriFood, who has been in charge of a Vietnamese national store on JD, one of the largest e-commerce sites in China, said her company had just finished setting up an office in China and officially launched the store on JD.com, a cross-border e-commerce platform that enables Chinese customers to purchase products from other countries. She said it had taken a lot longer than previously anticipated due to China's strict social distancing measures, which had just been removed. According to the ministry, more than 300 Vietnamese businesses have registered their products under the national store on JD.com but so far the store will only approve those that are qualified under Chinese regulations. Hang said: "The Chinese market has certain standards, on par with the EU and US markets, which demand Vietnamese businesses to improve on safety, quality and packaging," she said, adding it would likely take some time for businesses to catch up. "Preparing and getting things right on our first attempt is very important. It may take a bit longer but we do not want negative feedback from Chinese consumers, which may result in many Vietnamese brands getting blacklisted in the market." Huyen added that businesses must take time to learn more about Chinese consumers and the best approach is to partner with Chinese companies that also operate on the same e-commerce platforms. "We should seek out partners with experience in dealing with Chinese consumers and established customer bases to ensure a smooth introduction of Vietnamese products into the market," she said. VNS HA NOI On Wednesday, the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency, which operates under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, signed a memorandum of understanding with PUM Netherlands Senior Experts and e-commerce platform MISSLINH to support Vietnamese businesses to export to the Netherlands through e-commerce. Hoang Minh Chien, the agency's deputy head, emphasised that this collaboration will help reduce costs and save time, accelerate order processing and expand market access for Vietnamese exporters. He added that promoting e-commerce would significantly contribute to the country's exports. Chien said this MOU signing would be a crucial milestone in fostering research and development cooperation and effectively supporting Vietnamese small and medium-sized enterprises in exporting goods, especially agricultural products to the EU market. PUM Netherlands Senior Experts and MISSLINH e-commerce platform are committed to transparency and sustainable development and aim to impact Vietnamese businesses in the EU market positively. VNS HA NOI Autodesk and Viet Nam National Construction Consultants (VNCC), the parent company of Viet Nam Construction Consulting Group (VC Group), on Wednesday in Ha Noi signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking a strategic partnership between the two parties. Autodesk will provide guidance and assistance to VC Group in their efforts to technologies and digitise design and construction consultancy, in alignment with the recent Government's Decision No 258/Q-TTg on the approval of the Roadmap for application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in the construction sector issued on March 17, 2023. This noteworthy collaboration entails Autodesk's support of VC Group over three years. The partnership will focus on implementing activities that showcase the value of BIM and its application to nine member companies of VC Group. The scope of support extends beyond technical knowledge, with Autodesk providing updates on quality knowledge, sustainability, and competitive advantages for VC Group's staff through the use of its technologies and solutions. This assistance will enable the VC Group to advance towards professionalisation, enhance its position and competitiveness, and meet the growing demand in domestic and foreign markets. Le Minh Long, Deputy Director of the Science, Technology and Environmental Department, Ministry of Construction, said: To enhance the development of the construction industry more quickly as well as achieve maximum efficiency, the Vietnamese Government has imposed a promotion guideline and assigned the Ministry of Construction to take the lead and give advice in terms of policies to ratify plans and the implementation roadmap of BIM in construction. "Companies also grasp the trend of BIM applications to enhance the efficiency of design, construction, and project management. BIM has been implemented in various projects with complicated designs and technical systems, including using State or foreign investment capital. Than Hong Linh, Chairman of VC Group, said: Today's signing ceremony to establish the strategic partnership with Autodesk Corporation represents a significant milestone in the application of BIM technology in the construction industry. "It also reiterates VC Group's commitment to continue responding to Government direction and orientation, as well as supporting the growth of the construction industry through digital transformation. Presently, all companies of VC Group adopting BIM have recognised significant successes, especially six companies in design and construction consultancy, including VNCC, Nagecco, VIVASE, CONINCO, VCC, and CDC. "VC Group is confident in its ability to meet the digital transformation roadmap and technology application requirements swiftly, solidifying its position as the leading construction consulting group in Viet Nam and expanding its reach into the international market. The signing ceremony signifies not only the collaboration between Autodesk and VC Group but also serves as a platform to raise awareness among other businesses regarding the importance of digital transformation and technology applications in design and construction consultancy, as well as promotes the growth of Viet Nam's construction industry, aligned with the Government's orientation. Autodesk has extensive experience in supporting Governments and businesses worldwide in effective BIM adoption," said Serene Sia, Autodesks Managing Director of ASEAN. "Autodesk seek to strengthen strategic collaboration to drive digital transformation and enhance collaboration to drive the effective adoption of BIM in VC Group. In particular, doing so would speed the implementation and integration of technology in improving design productivity." VNS HA NOI One of the most renowned methods of producing ceramics in Japan, yakishime, is showcased at an exhibition launched yesterday at the Viet Nam Museum of Fine Arts in Ha Noi. Organised by the Japan Foundation Centre for Cultural Exchange in Viet Nam in collaboration with the Museum of Fine Arts, the Yakishime Earth Metamorphosis exhibition focuses on the yakishime ceramic technique, in which unglazed wares are fired at extremely high temperatures of 1,200-1,300C. The high-firing produces vitrification, or glassiness, and a rough, earthy surface punctuated with patches of brilliant sheen and colour. It makes the results unpredictable, and the challenge facing the ceramist is to retain control over the delicate transformations in the clay. The process, which dates back to the 4th or 5th century, is one of the most basic and primitive means of producing ceramics and has developed in distinctive directions in Japan. According to the director of the Japan Foundation Centre for Cultural Exchange in Viet Nam, Katsuma Doi, the exhibition examines yakishime as an element of traditional Japanese culture from its earliest origins to contemporary works. More than 80 yakishime objects, including functional pieces made for the Japanese tea ceremony, a major influence on the development of Japanese traditional culture, and tableware that have become an essential part of everyday life in Japan, are on display at the exhibition. In addition, a wide range of decorative objects created by Japanese contemporary ceramic artists working in yakishime, also has been shown to visitors. We hope that, through this yakishime pottery exhibition, visitors can get to know about the depth and diversity of Japanese culture and at the same time to gain insight into its creativity, he said. The Yakishime Earth Metamorphosis exhibition, which is an activity to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relation between Japan and Viet Nam, takes place at the Viet Nam Museum of Fine Arts, 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Ha Noi until April 20. After Ha Noi, the exhibition will travel to Hue. VNS HA NOI National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong inh Hue had a meeting with Australian Governor-General David Hurley in Ha Noi on Tuesday, during which the host affirmed that increasing political trust is an important basis for promoting the comprehensive development of the two countries' relations across such fields as politics, diplomacy, defence-security, investment, culture, tourism, and people-to-people diplomacy. Hue expressed his hope that the Governor-General would continue paying attention to and promoting the countries defence and security cooperation; and supporting Viet Nam in joining the UN peacekeeping force. Viet Nam wished the two sides to promote sustainable and balanced trade, with Australia facilitating the import of Vietnamese farm produce and vice versa, he noted. The top legislator also proposed Hurley promote bilateral collaboration in the field of agricultural technology and working-holiday labour, and encourage joint works between localities of the two nations. He appreciated Australia's interest in the Mekong sub-region cooperation mechanism, and Australia for supporting Viet Nams candidacy for a seat in the UN Human Rights Council in the 2023-25 tenure, and sharing many similar views with the Southeast Asian country at regional and international forums He took the occasion to send his invitation to President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines and Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives Milton Dick to visit Viet Nam at an appropriate time. For his part, Hurley emphasised the importance of people-to-people exchange and noted that the two sides had built a very solid foundation for the development of bilateral relations, especially via the strategy to strengthen their economic cooperation. He said Australia supported ASEAN's stance on the South China Sea issue, the blocs centrality, and its approach to solving regional matters. He agreed that parties involved should make efforts to maintain peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea; respect national sovereignty and international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); and seriously implement the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and develop an effective and legally-binding Code of Conduct in the waters (COC) in accordance with international law. Regarding Hues information on a number of new areas of cooperation between the Vietnamese and Australian legislative bodies to perfect the legal institutions such as those serving digital transformation, equitable energy transition, and climate change response, the Governor-General said these were important areas bringing benefits to both sides. It was necessary to pay attention to them and learn from past experiences, taking these as a solid fulcrum to fortify the bilateral cooperative relationship, he stressed. A delegation of the Australian Senate committee for regional cooperation development would visit Viet Nam in the near future, said Hurley, adding that the sides would jointly find ways to promote relations and provide orientations to boost collaboration further. VNS HA NOI Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and the visiting Australian Governor-General David Hurley spoke of the building of a new cooperation framework during their meeting in Ha Noi on Tuesday. The Party chief called the Australian Governor-Generals State visit, which takes place on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (1973-2023), an important event to further boost the strategic partnership between the two countries in the time ahead. He also highly valued positive, multi-faceted developments in cooperation between Viet Nam and Australia over the past time, especially in trade and people-to-people exchange. He said results of the implementation of the Viet Nam-Australia strategic partnership create a foundation for the two sides to look towards higher milestones, including the upgrade of the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership. The leader suggested the Governor-General create more favourable conditions for the over 300,000-strong Vietnamese community in Australia to promote their role as a friendship bridge between the two countries. Viet Nam had pursued a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace and cooperation, he emphasised, suggesting the two sides enhance their political ties and high-level delegation exchanges, effectively implement the signed agreements, promote people-to-people exchanges, and strengthen coordination in international issues. Party chief Trong noted his hope that agencies of the two countries would put forth specific programmes and plans to continue deepening the cooperation substantively and effectively. For his part, Hurley said that during talks and meetings between him and Vietnamese leaders, the two sides had discussed orientations and specific measures to promote bilateral relations and cooperation in agriculture, industry and mining, and agreed to expand the partnership in green economy, digital economy and climate change response. Such orientations and measures matched Australias wish and capacity, with the aim of diversifying its international economic relations, he emphasised. Hurley expressed his good impressions of the land, people and traditions of Viet Nam, and highly valued the countrys achievements. Stressing the firm foundation of the bilateral ties, the Australian leader said he hoped that the two countries would continue with their coordination in building a region of peace, stability, prosperity and self-resilience, with respect for international law and sovereignty of countries, while looking towards building a new framework for the relations. He also praised contributions and position of the Vietnamese community in Australia to development and prosperity of the host country, as well as to the Australia-Viet Nam ties. Both host and guest shared the view that on the basis of the success of the visit and activities marking the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic ties, the building of a new cooperation framework would contribute to peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world. VNS HA NOI The 52nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) from February 27 to April 4 was the first that Viet Nam attended in its capacity as a council member for 2023-2025. In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai, head of the Permanent Mission of Viet Nam to the United Nations (UN), World Trade Organisation and other international organisations in Geneva, said the Vietnamese delegation, led by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang, had actively participated the session since its beginning. Speaking after the opening ceremony on February 27, Quang delivered strong messages about Viet Nam's commitment, efforts, and achievements in national development and ensuring human rights. He called on countries to understand and respect each other's historical, political, cultural, and social characteristics, promote cooperation and dialogue, and comprehensively approach human rights. He put forward an initiative to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the 30th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (VDPA) with a document from the UN General Assembly, aiming to reaffirm and strengthen efforts and actions towards achieving the inclusive goals and values encompassed in the declarations and common international commitments to human rights for all, Mai said. Following the high-level session, the Vietnamese delegation actively participated in the process of the record-long 52nd session, which lasted more than a month, with a huge workload. The delegation joined discussions on about 80 reports and informal consultations on 43 draft resolutions, along with meetings looking into the UPR reports of 14 countries and adopting decisions on the appointment of 10 personnel for special procedures. According to Ambassador Mai, a highlight of Viet Nams contributions was the initiative raised by Deputy PM Quang right at the beginning of the session on the UNHRCs resolution on the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of UDHR and the 30th anniversary of VDPA. On April 3, the UNHRC adopted the resolution by consensus, with 98 co-sponsoring countries recorded later on the day (Geneva time), including 14 co-authors Viet Nam, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Fiji, India, Panama, Romania, South Africa and Spain, 34 UNHRC member states, western nations and many developing countries from the five regional groups, most of them from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Apart from Quangs speech at the high-level session and the above-said initiative, the Vietnamese delegation also contributed opinions in other sessions, such as discussions on ensuring the rights to housing, food, culture and development, childrens rights, and guaranteeing fair, equal and timely access to affordable COVID-19 vaccines for all countries, among others. In their remarks, the Vietnamese representatives emphasised the countrys consistent stance, efforts, and achievements in promoting and protecting human rights. They affirmed Viet Nams commitment to sustainable development for the sake of its people. They also stressed the need to address inequalities and protect vulnerable groups, called for the handling of global challenges like climate change, and affirmed Viet Nams commitment to enhancing constructive cooperation with countries, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the UNHRC. This will promote and protect human rights for all based on respect for the UN Charter and international human rights treaties and ensure national sovereignty and the principles of objectivity, fairness, dialogue, construction, and cooperation. Along with other ASEAN countries, the Vietnamese delegation also made remarks on issues of ASEANs concern, such as the right to development, technical cooperation, capacity building, and UPR. Regarding climate change and human rights, which are priorities of Viet Nam and other countries, Viet Nam, Bangladesh and the Philippines the Core Group on Human Rights and Climate Change, compiled and delivered a joint statement on climate change and human rights at this session, which attracted many co-sponsoring countries. Moreover, Viet Nam engaged in exchanges, contacts and consultations with other delegations, co-sponsored some initiatives in the spirit of cooperation and dialogue, and fulfilled its role as a member of the UNHRC in consulting and voting on 43 draft resolutions of the council. Mai explained that Viet Nam's initiative for the UNHRC's resolution aims to commemorate the 75th anniversary of UDHR and the 30th anniversary of VDPA. The resolution emphasises the importance of these declarations and their main human rights principles. It reflects the wide interest of countries in commemorating these events and improving the position, role, and efficiency of the UNHRC and other human rights mechanisms of the UN. The resolution also recognises the leading role of countries in ensuring human rights, women's participation, international cooperation and unity, and the importance of respecting diversity and inclusiveness in promoting and protecting human rights. Overall, the resolution seeks to promote human rights and enhance cooperation with the UNHRC. The resolution also proposes the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights carry out commemorative activities, including a high-level UN event on human rights in December and a report on the celebrations to be submitted to the 56th UNHRC session next year. Mai called the resolution an outstanding hallmark created by Viet Nam at the first session as a council member for 2023-2025, saying it demonstrates the countrys substantive, responsible contributions to the councils affairs. The Vietnamese permanent mission directly drafted, consulted and negotiated the draft resolution after Deputy PM Quang proposed the initiative at the session. Among the 43 resolutions adopted by the council, some have contentious contents to which many countries and groups of countries proposed adjustments, making them fail to be reached by consensus and forcing the council to conduct voting. The fact that the resolution proposed and drafted by Viet Nam was adopted by consensus with the co-sponsorship of many countries demonstrates the documents success in reflecting the common concern and priority of countries and the international community, attracting the response and support of many countries, winning praise from parties. Viet Nams proposal of this resolution is timely, meeting the international community's interest in promoting the UDHR and VDPA, the two important documents on human rights that form the basis of frameworks for international treaties, mechanisms, dialogues and cooperation at the international, regional and national levels on human rights. The resolution is expected to enhance efforts in realising the goals outlined in the two aforementioned documents which will promote and protect human rights through dialogue, cooperation, mutual respect and understanding. This is also the result of efforts and innovation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Vietnamese mission in Geneva in proposing the initiative and drafting the resolution, as well as efforts of the Vietnamese delegation in directly consulting, mobilising, and negotiating with other delegations to reach the consensus on the draft resolution whose content harmonises concern of countries, in the context of countries and groups of countries showing different views on specific human rights issues. In addition, Vietnamese representative offices abroad have also played a role in mobilising the support of countries for the resolution, the ambassador said. Viet Nams proposal, drafting, and negotiation of this resolution not only embodies its responsibility, efforts, and priorities as a UNHRC member for the 2023-2025 term, but also realises the countrys foreign policy of actively, proactively and responsibly participating in addressing the common concern of the international community. VNS VIENTIANE Viet Nam always attaches importance to the Mekong River Commission (MRC) role and is committed to working closely with member countries to implement MRC's strategies and action plans successfully, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the fourth MRC Summit in Vientiane on Wednesday. During the fourth MRC Summit in Vientiane, leaders of Mekong River countries and their partners discussed challenges and solutions to develop the river basin sustainably. PM Chinh said it aims to build the Mekong River basin that is economically prosperous, socially equitable, environmentally healthy and resilient to climate change for peace, stability, development and common prosperity of the ASEAN Community. During the fourth MRC Summit in Vientiane, leaders of Mekong River countries and their partners discussed challenges and solutions to develop the river basin sustainably. MRC members continued to affirm political commitment to enhancing the effective implementation of the 1995 Mekong Agreement and the functions of the MRC. Addressing the summit themed Innovation and Cooperation for a Water Secure and Sustainable Mekong, PM Chinh highly appreciated the indispensable role of the International Mekong River Commission and expressed thankfulness for partners in the region who always create favourable conditions and support Viet Nam and other regional countries to protect the Mekong River. The Mekong River basin is facing great challenges due to the effects of climate change, the pressure of economic development requirements and the rapid increase in water use. Mekong water resources are degrading in both quantity and quality, directly affecting efforts to ensure water and food security for all countries, especially more than 60 million people in the basin, Chinh said. As a country located downstream of the Mekong River, Viet Nam is feeling these heavy impacts most clearly, he said. The flow from the upper Mekong River to the downstream and the Mekong Delta has been severely reduced. The delta often faces severe droughts. Saline intrusion tends to appear one to one and a half months earlier with a greater scale and intensity than before. In 2020, the sediment level in the Mekong Delta decreased to only one-third of the amount 15 years ago. He said this directly affects the livelihoods of more than 20 million people in the Mekong Delta and efforts to ensure water and food security for all countries in the basin. Chinh suggested the MRC continue to affirm its strong commitment to abide by and effectively implement the 1995 Mekong Agreement strictly. He also proposed the commission follow the set of regulations on water use, especially fundamental principles on sovereignty equality and territorial integrity, fair and rational use of water resources, rational maintenance of flows on the mainstream, and prevention and limitation of negative impacts on downstream water. All policies and actions taken by MRC and its member countries need to be people-centred, ensure sustainable residents livelihoods, and protect legitimate rights and interests of people living in the basin, he said. Countries need to promote green economic development and circular economies, support regional plans for research and development of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy, and connect and upgrade regional networks' electricity grids, he said. The Vietnamese Government leader called on partners to strengthen cooperation and support for the MRC in financial resources, knowledge, experience and modern technology. He proposed the MRC's activities need to be more closely linked with the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision, the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, international commitments on climate change as well as the Decade for Action Water for Sustainable Development for the 2018-22 period and other commitments at the recent United Nations Water Conference. At the end of the summit, representatives of Mekong River countries adopted the Joint Statement Vientiane Declaration. The declaration affirms the highest political commitment of the four member countries, the purposes and principles of cooperation for the sustainable development of the river basin It also identifies the focus of MRC cooperation in the coming time. VNS TOKYO Minister of Public Security General To Lam on Wednesday met with representatives of the Japanese Coast Guard while on a working visit to the country. During the meeting, Major General Nagai Nobukazu, JCG Deputy Commander, spoke highly of the coordination between Japan and Viet Nam to ensure maritime security and safety, expressing the hope that the two forces will strengthen collaboration in areas of mutual interest. Minister Lam enjoyed visiting the JCG and its coastal patrol ship Matsunami. He hoped JCG would continue to develop and fulfil tasks entrusted by the Japanese government and people. Noting similarities between the JCG's tasks and the duties of the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Securitys waterway police, Lam said the two forces should expand their cooperation; support each other in personnel training; promote the exchange of all-level delegations; and share experience and information in law enforcement at sea, preventing crimes, traffic patrol and control, fire prevention and search and rescue, and responding to natural disasters in internal waters and coastal areas. The same day, Minister Lam and the Ministry of Public Securitys high-ranking delegation left Tokyo, concluding their working visit to Japan. VNS Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, left, speaks as Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) looks on in the Air Force One Pavilion at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library after making statements to the press on April 5, in Simi Valley, California. AFP-Yonhap Risking China's anger, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy hosted Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday as a "great friend of America" in a fraught show of U.S. support at a rare high-level, bipartisan meeting on U.S. soil. Speaking carefully to avoid unnecessarily escalating tensions with Beijing, Tsai and McCarthy steered clear of calls from hard-liners in the U.S. for a more confrontational stance toward China in defense of self-ruled Taiwan. Instead, the two leaders stood side by side in a show of unity at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California, acknowledging China's threats against the island government but speaking only of maintaining longstanding U.S. policy. "America's support for the people of Taiwan will remain resolute, unwavering and bipartisan," McCarthy said at a press conference later. McCarthy evoked Reagan's peace-through-strength approach to foreign relations and emphasized that "this is a bipartisan meeting of members of Congress," not any one political party. He said U.S.-Taiwan ties are stronger than at any other point in his life. He and Tsai spoke to reporters with Reagan's Air Force One as a backdrop. She said the "unwavering support reassures the people of Taiwan that we are not isolated." Still, the formal trappings of the meeting, and the senior rank of some of the elected officials in the delegation from Congress, threatened to run afoul of China's position that any interaction between U.S. and Taiwanese officials is a challenge to China's claim of sovereignty over the island. More than a dozen Democratic and Republican lawmakers, including the House's third-ranking Democrat, joined Republican McCarthy for the daylong talks. During a private session they spoke of the importance of Taiwan's self-defense, of fostering robust trade and economic ties and supporting the island government's ability to participate in the international community, Tsai said. They made no mention of calls from hard-liners in and out of Congress for a greater U.S. commitment to Taiwan's defense if China should attack. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), center, walks with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, left, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library at a bipartisan leadership meeting on April 5, in Simi Valley, California. AFP-Yonhap Tsai said she stressed to lawmakers Taiwan's commitment "to defending the peaceful status quo where the people in Taiwan may continue to thrive in a free and open society." But she also warned, "It is no secret that today the peace that we have maintained and the democracy which have worked hard to build are facing unprecedented challenges." Preamble We, the Heads of Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), the Kingdom of Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, meeting in Vientiane, Lao PDR, for the 4th Summit of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) and: Recalling the 1995 signing of the Agreement on the Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong River Basin (herein referred to as the 1995 Mekong Agreement) and the establishment of the MRC by the representatives of the Lower Mekong River Basin Governments, based on basin-wide perspectives, and building on a long history of Mekong cooperation since 1957 with the establishment of the Committee for the Coordination of Investigations of the Lower Mekong Basin. Noting the priority actions and commitments from prior MRC Summits and their ongoing relevance to MRC Member Countries including from the 1st Summit in 2010 in Hua Hin, Thailand, on meeting the needs, keeping the balance: towards sustainable development, the 2nd Summit in 2014 in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam, on water, food, and energy security in the context of climate change, and the 3rd Summit in 2018 in Siem Reap, Cambodia, on enhancing joint efforts and partnerships towards achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in the Mekong River Basin; Recognising the importance of the Mekong River Basins contributions to the water-related aspects of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement on climate change, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the ASEAN agenda on regional integration, connectivity and closing the development gap within the ASEAN community, and the need for a strong recovery from Covid-19 in the midst of changing and complex international and regional challenges, and in that context, reaffirming the value of multilateral cooperation; Recognising the growing sense of urgency around the critical challenges, risks and opportunities facing the Lower Mekong River Basin countries now and in the future resulting from the interaction of development and climate change, and that optimal water management to achieve a water secure Mekong River Basin is crucial to environmental integrity and the underpinning of economic and social wellbeing of basin communities, but that new ideas and innovative ways of working together will also need to be found to adequately address the growing risks and trade-offs involved in basin development and management; Acknowledging the enhanced opportunities for water, food and energy security that are available to all Mekong countries through regional cooperation and joint efforts that are possible if all countries work together; Emphasising the importance of a strong and financially sustainable treaty-based River Basin Organisation within the evolving institutional environment in the Mekong River Basin for managing water and related resources; Welcoming the greater engagement of all basin countries in the sustainable management and development of the basin in a spirit of friendship and cooperation; Acknowledging the participation and cooperation of MRC Dialogue Partners, and Development Partners and others, for their continued commitment to cooperating with MRC Member Countries; Reaffirm our highest political commitment to the effective implementation of the 1995 Mekong Agreement, and the role of the MRC as the primary regional water cooperation and diplomacy platform as well as knowledge hub in enhancing the implementation of basin-wide strategies, procedures, guidelines, and data and information sharing that drives peaceful and mutually beneficial cooperation to achieve our shared vision for an economically prosperous, socially just, environmentally sound and climate resilient Mekong River Basin. Achievements since the 3rd MRC Summit As Heads of Government of the MRC Member Countries, we hereby: 1. Recognise the significant MRC achievements and developments in recent years, including the continuous contribution to peaceful and mutually beneficial cooperation and sustainable development in the Mekong region through dialogue and cooperation between the Member Countries and with our partners, and in particular: The enhanced knowledge generation and sharing that has supported better planning and decision making, as reflected in the 2018 State of the Basin Report, and various studies and technical assessments including joint research with China, Myanmar, International Water Management Institute, United Nations and other partners; The regional guidance provided to the countries national plans for more sustainable basin development and management of water and related resources, including through the ambitious and forward-looking Basin Development Strategy 2021-2030, the finalisation and initial implementation of sector strategies for sustainable hydropower, environmental management and drought management, the updated guidance on design of mainstream dams, and guidelines for transboundary environmental impact assessment with voluntary application; Strengthening key partnerships including with MRC Dialogue Partners, Development Partners, and other regional cooperation mechanisms, including ASEAN, Mekong Lancang Cooperation, Mekong United States Partnership, Mekong Japan Cooperation, and Mekong Korea Cooperation, as well as broader stakeholders, based on concrete agreements, improved consultation processes and outreach, regional fora and dialogues, including increased data and information sharing among Member Countries and by China and intensifying joint activities; The shift in collective action towards the proactive identification of regional investment solutions and adaptive responses to basin challenges including joint efforts for sustainable hydropower, irrigation, navigation and other water developments, the coordinated management of water infrastructure, and the improved implementation of the MRC Procedures to address transboundary impacts and emerging operational needs; Helping to reduce adverse impacts on vulnerable communities from flood and drought with the establishment of more accurate flood and drought forecasting with modern tools and collaboration to support early warning and disaster preparedness through integrated regional flood and drought management; The increased support to national planning and decision-making process with reinvigorated data and information management including working towards a more sustainable Core River Monitoring Network to support regional and national river monitoring, and modelling and communication systems, and more integrated regional and national decision-support systems that are fit-for-purpose, innovative and timely in helping to address current and emerging needs; and Embedding a riparian owned and led MRC that is closely guided by the Council and Joint Committee, with a riparian Chief Executive Officer and staff, its Headquarters in Vientiane and integrated Regional Flood and Drought Management Center in Phnom Penh, and increased financial contributions from all Member Countries which have put the organisation on track to full self-financing of core river basin management functions by 2030. 2. Express our deep appreciation of the continued technical and financial support provided by Development Partners, international organisations, the private sector, and other relevant partners to the MRC and Member Countries, and the cooperation of MRC Dialogue Partners and all relevant stakeholders, in these and other achievements; 3. Acknowledge these achievements put new and improved foundations in place to fully realise MRCs mandate and core functions as an River Basin Organisation by: (i) supporting optimal and sustainable development while increasing regional water security and building climate resilience, (ii) supplementing national planning with whole-of-basin planning and where needed, coordination of basin operations, (iii) providing continuous and transparent information on current and near future conditions for improved early warning, (iv) increasing country ownership and capacity for implementing core river basin management functions, and (v) further institutional development of the MRC for the higher levels of regional cooperation needed to address the Basin challenges. Regional opportunities and challenges As Heads of Government of the MRC Member Countries, we further: 4. Acknowledge the considerable opportunities for sustainable development in all water-related sectors, including hydropower, irrigation, navigation, and others, and that the provision of water security to protect societies from water risks, especially floods and droughts, is essential both as an integrated part of other sector investments and as a development opportunity; 5. Acknowledge that while the development and utilization of the Mekongs waters contributes considerably to economic growth, it can also have adverse impacts, including transboundary impacts that need to be jointly addressed, on the basins environment and vulnerable communities especially when exacerbated by climate change, such as severe floods and droughts, erosion and sedimentation, the impacts of rapid fluctuations in river levels and flows in parts of the basin, and the deterioration of environmental assets and fisheries including due to loss of connectivity; and 6. Reiterate that to address the basins challenges, which have become much more complex, we need both development and management options to ensure sustainability of the environmental resource base, to identify alternative investment solutions and adequately consider the linkages between different sectors, to move beyond water resources planning to encompass operational management, including through opportunities for transboundary coordination, especially in terms of timely and regular sharing of operational data from dams and other water infrastructure, and to identify joint investment projects that contribute to water, food and energy security. Priority areas of action We call on the MRC, all partners and stakeholders to find innovative solutions to cope with these challenges, and to seize the opportunities and intensify cooperation for a water secure and sustainable Mekong River Basin, while abiding by the principles of openness, transparency, inclusiveness, mutual benefits, equality, consultation, coordination, cooperation, and respect for sovereignty, with a focus on: 7. Identifying, through more Proactive Regional Planning leading to an adaptive basin plan, new joint and national investment projects of basin-wide significance and related enabling activities that can increase synergies and reduce vulnerabilities at the basin and national levels, and that provide a comprehensive response to climate change, including through infrastructure and nature-based water storage options, environmental limits and improved sediment management, and that support the implementation of integrated regional sector planning that goes beyond water-related aspect, such as non-water related and renewable energy generation, regional grid connection and upgrade, power market development and trade, and multimodal transport hubs; 8. Enabling basin countries to support communities to adapt to changing river conditions by ensuring a more effective and timely communications and notification system for unusual water flows, water quality issues, flood and drought and other water-related emergencies both among basin countries and to the communities, and by working towards the increased sharing of operational data from water infrastructures in a timely and regular manner for better preparedness and response; 9. Supporting development and operational decisions through improved use of technology, including enhanced decision support for the implementation of all river basin management functions from water-related monitoring and operational basin management to long-term strategic assessments and planning; 10. Ensuring that consultations are conducted more effectively to achieve common objectives by implementing, in partnership with MRC Dialogue Partners, a Multiple Stakeholder Platform for the entire basin, with increasingly joint and innovative activities with other regional cooperation platforms, Development Partners, communities, non-governmental organisations, the private sector, and other relevant stakeholders; 11. Strengthening the entire river basin management in accordance with the mandate of the MRC through innovation in policy, technology and mechanism for cooperation and partnership with other Mekong related regional cooperation frameworks; 12. Maintaining and exploring innovative financing in the support of the above endeavors including through new public and private sources and global funding mechanisms; and 13. Ensuring that the MRC is on a sustainable transition to self-financing by 2030, including through ongoing organisational development that strengthens the capacity of the MRC and national agencies to implement the core river basin management functions, including water-related data acquisition and monitoring supported by joint basin expert groups, a cost-effective Core River Monitoring Network, enhanced implementation of the MRC Procedures and their associated mechanisms, modality of work, and uptake of regional strategies and guidelines. Way ahead 14. We reiterate our commitment to joint efforts to further strengthen the role of the MRC in helping to ensure a water, food and energy secure and economically, socially and environmentally sustainable Mekong River Basin. 15. We welcome the strategic shift to proactive regional planning and coordinated operational management, and call on all basin countries, partners and stakeholders to continue to work with the MRC to uphold the 1995 Mekong Agreement and its Procedures, and to support the implementation of the BDS 2021-2030 in accordance with this Declaration and the One Mekong One Spirit. 16. We task the MRC to coordinate and monitor the implementation of this Declaration. 17. We express our sincere gratitude to the Government of the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic for hosting the 4th MRC Summit, and we look forward to the 5th Summit to be held in 2026 in the Kingdom of Thailand. Adopted in Vientiane, Lao PDR, on 5 April 2023 in the English language. HA NOI There has been a recent increase in the number of chickenpox cases in the northern provinces of Viet Nam, particularly in children who have a high susceptibility to the disease. According to a report by the Bac Kan City Medical Centre, an outbreak of chickenpox occurred in the Phung Chi Kien Primary School on March 25, with 19 cases identified. By March 29, the number of cases had risen to 21, and by Monday last week, the number of cases had reached almost 30. The centre investigated the cases to combat the disease and provided patients and their families with preventive measures. The Lao Cai Centre for Diseases Control also reported that since the beginning of this year, the province had recorded nearly 400 cases of chickenpox. The Kim Tan Ward Medical Station in Lao Cai City alone has identified 48 cases so far this year, with the majority of patients being kindergarten and primary school students. Medical stations across the province have been working with schools to spray chemical substances and clean classrooms, toys, and study materials in an effort to limit the spread of the disease. Medical workers have also provided teachers and parents with proper care instructions for children who are patients. In Ha Noi, the municipal centre for diseases control reported that the capital city had recorded 548 cases of chickenpox so far this year, with the disease being reported in 18 out of 30 districts. More than 36 per cent of the patients are kindergarten students, while 38 per cent are primary students. Nguyen Thi Quynh Nga, deputy head of the Treatment and Special Care No 1 Ward under the National Paediatrics Hospital, warned that infants infected with chickenpox face a 30 per cent risk of death due to multi-organ damage, which is much higher than in older children or adults. If children with chickenpox are not treated promptly and properly, they may experience dangerous complications such as respiratory failure, toxic septic shock, and bacterial superinfection. Furthermore, the disease can cause neurological complications such as meningitis, myelitis, optic neuritis, polyneuritis, adrenal failure, glomerulonephritis, eye damage, and even death. Diagnosis of chickenpox in children is based on the tell-tale lesions of the skin and diagnosis can be confirmed by detection of the varicella virus in nodule fluid or tissue biopsies. Medical experts recommend that parents should not treat their children at home when they are infected but should visit a doctor for examination and diagnosis. Although the disease can be cured in one or two weeks, if not treated properly, it can cause many complications such as skin infections and blood infections. Currently, the north is in a season transition period, with high humidity and erratic temperature changes providing favourable conditions for chickenpox outbreaks. As children with immature immune systems are particularly susceptible to chickenpox, parents are advised to provide necessary foods to increase their children's resistance. VNS HA NOI Viet Nam and Cambodia are set to boost cooperation in labour and vocational training, according to a conference held between the two countries' labour ministers on Wednesday. The conference was part of the Memorandum of Understanding signed in November of last year, covering the period from 2022-2027. In his opening address, Vietnamese Minister ao Ngoc Dung highlighted the progress made in collaboration between the two ministries since the previous MoU was signed in 2017. The two sides have worked together to manage Vietnamese and Cambodian workers in each other's countries, ensuring their rights and interests are protected, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cambodian Minister Ith Samheng expressed his appreciation for the cooperation and stressed the importance of sharing skills between the two countries. He added that regular meetings and visits will be organised to ensure progress and evaluation. Viet Nam and Cambodia have also supported each other on bilateral and multilateral levels in the labour sector, including joint projects within ASEAN, the Mekong Sub-region, and the CLMVT cooperation framework between Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Viet Nam and Thailand. The ministers emphasised the significance of implementing the 2022-27 MoU on labour in the current global context, requiring innovative development policies, laws, and directions to adapt to the new situation and contribute to socio-economic stability. They believed that the agreement on the action plan to implement the MoU would further develop the cooperation relationship between the two ministries in labour and vocational education, bringing practical benefits to the people of both countries. At the conference, Minister ao Ngoc Dung and his Cambodian counterpart reviewed a report on the Vietnamese and Cambodian labour forces and the recovery of the labour market, labour migration management, human resources development, vocational training, and solutions to existing issues. The action plan on the 2022-27 MoU on labour between the two ministries was also approved, along with a joint statement. VNS The Dominican Republic hopes to strengthen long-term cooperation with Vietnam in many areas by highlighting similarities and twinning links between Hanoi and Santo Domingo. The Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to Vietnam, Jaime Francisco Rodriguez, shared his expectations during a meeting with the Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, Dinh Tien Dung, in Hanoi today [April 4]. Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Dinh Tien Dung (third from right) and Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to Vietnam Jaime Francisco Rodriguez. Photos: Thanh Hai/ The Hanoi Times Jaime Francisco Rodriguez said that the Dominican Republic and Vietnam had experienced wars and are now independent countries. The two nations have strong ties because of their common desire for freedom and social progress. The Ambassador shared that the President of the Dominican Republic always focuses on developing sustainable municipalities and contributing to the country's growth. The ambassador also informed about the President of the Dominican Republic's upcoming visit to Vietnam, which indicates the interest and promotion of the relationship between the localities and the capitals of both countries. "The trade turnover between Vietnam and the Dominican Republic is only about US$100 million per year. There is still great potential for trade cooperation that needs to be taken advantage of in the coming period," the ambassador said. He hoped that in the near future, people-to-people exchanges, cooperation in agriculture, science and technology, culture, tourism, construction, and responses to climate change would be further comprehensively promoted through the implementation of diplomatic activities. Secretary of the City Party Committee Dinh Tien Dung In his remarks, Hanoi Party Secretary Dinh Tien Dung spoke highly of the significance and all-encompassing accomplishments that the two Parties and countries have made, including the opening of the Dominican Republic Embassy in Vietnam in February 2023, which represents a significant turning point in the long-standing friendship and cooperation between the two nations. He concurred with the Ambassador regarding the historical analogies, the cultural growth of the two nations, and the requirements for capital city development. According to Dung, Hanoi has given particular consideration to preserving and promoting cultural values and past treasures, establishing the city as a popular tourist destination and center for traditional education. Additionally, the city places a high priority on improving education, particularly the qualifications of both instructors and students. He stated the great potential for collaboration between the two national capitals. He hoped the Ambassador would view Hanoi as his second home while supporting bilateral development cooperation. The municipal Party Committee Secretary supported the position of the Ambassador in fostering improved coordination between Hanoi and Santo Domingo to advance bilateral development in the future. He gave the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs the responsibility of serving as the focal point for future communication and implementation of cooperation between the two sides in various areas, including culture, heritage, and tourism. Hanoi Times Dang Van Son, the association vice president and general secretary, said the paper industry had grown by over 10 per cent annually in recent years to produce nearly 10 million tonnes a year now. There are some 500 firms in the paper and pulp industry. Around 90 per cent of their output is normal packaging paper for the garment and textile, woodworking and other industries. "Viet Nam is now one of the largest packaging paper producers in Southeast Asia," Son told a meeting held to introduce four international exhibitions, Paper Vietnam, Rubber and Tyre Vietnam, Coatings Expo Vietnam, and Plastech Vietnam, in HCM City late last month. Most of the output was sold domestically, he said. But since September 2022 the industry had faced difficulties since demand in both the domestic and export markets had shrunk, he said. It is currently a supporting industry for exports such as footwear, textiles and furniture, and so their decline in exports has led to a decrease in consumption of packaging paper. "Paper mills are only operating at 50- 60 per cent of capacity now," he said. We exported one million tonnes of paper in 2022, but this year it may decrease. Export orders have decreased sharply. In the domestic market, demand is forecast to decrease by 10 per cent. This is a huge difficulty for businesses. With more new mills set to be commissioned in the coming years, another three million tonnes of output would be added by 2025, mainly of packaging paper, with foreign enterprises too seeking to invest in the industry, he said. Demand for normal packaging paper is high in the domestic market, but supply has increased faster than demand, leading to oversupply, according to the association. The country spends billions of dollar to import high-quality packaging, coated and other technical paper varieties. Besides exporting to traditional markets such as China, the US and EU, the industry should also enter new markets such as the Americas, Middle East and North Africa, Son said. Participating in trade fairs would give businesses a great opportunity to access new customers. The industry faces difficulties such as reliance on imported raw materials since investment in pulp production remains modest and lack of skilled human resources. It imports more than 500,000 tonnes of pulp a year, while the country exports over 15 million tonnes of wood chips, the main raw material for pulp production. "The industry is naturally suited to a circular economy as its basic raw materials come from planted forests and used paper," Son said. Addressing the lack of raw materials was among the keys to sustaining the industry, and the Government should encourage investment in pulp production using modern technology that ensures environmental protection, he said. Fostering co-operation between academia and industry was imperative to ensure skilled human resources for the industry, he added. Bizhub On March 20, it was revealed that CapitaLand Group was in talks to acquire assets worth roughly $1.5 billion from Vietnams biggest listed property firm, Vinhomes. If this deal is closed, it would mark one of the largest real estate transactions in Southeast Asia in the last few years. Ten days before, VinaCapital announced that it has signed an MoU with Ryobi Group to work on suitable real estate projects, venture capital, infrastructure, energy, and other investment opportunities in listed and private equity in Vietnam. One potential project for collaboration is the development of low-rise residential projects in satellite cities surrounding Ho Chi Minh City being undertaken by VinaLiving, the real estate investment arm of VinaCapital. VinaLiving chairman of the Board of Directors Do Chi Hieu emphasised that foreign real estate developers like theirs are focusing on niche market segments. The mass market is still in the hands of Vietnamese investors because of their outstanding capacity in land development, project implementation, and sales. The participation of foreign investors will add options for homebuyers, and at the same time encourage competition through product quality, Hieu said. The most important thing is diversification of capital sources for project implementation. Therefore, in the long term, I think it will bring positive effects to the market. Commenting on the current market, Hieu said that Vietnamese real estate was attracting significant attention from foreign investors with long-term capital. During the bull-run growth cycle, which was the longest in Vietnams real estate market from 2016 to 2022, very few foreign investors could participate in the growth created by new land. The fact that Vietnamese investors are willing to restructure their portfolios and accept to sell some high-quality assets opens up great opportunities for foreign investors, Hieu added. Meanwhile, Can Van Luc, a member of the National Monetary and Financial Policy Advisory Council, said that capital flows from mergers and acquisitions (M&As) were critical for the real estate market, as many businesses recommend the banking system to lend to finance the shortfall in M&A transactions. I recommend that businesses should be allowed to borrow loans from banks because this is completely feasible and is a real need. Enterprises should have 70 per cent in their pocket, while the rest should be financed by banks, Luc said at an investment seminar in the northeastern province of Quang Ninh in late March. Deals on the rise Nguyen Minh Ha, a real estate broker from Star Real Estate Agency in Ho Chi Minh City, said that the difficult and capital-starved real estate market in 2022, and from the beginning of 2023, provided a good opportunity for M&A deals. However, it should also be noted that successful deals only happen to financially transparent businesses and legal real estate projects. This is a high time of intense negotiations. If the revised draft Law on Land is officially approved in October, M&A transactions will explode more strongly and large-scale successful deals could come as early as 2024, Ha said. In the first quarter of 2023, the market recorded good signs in M&A in the real estate sector, including a slew of mega deals. Khang Dien Group and Keppel Land Vietnam signed an MoU marking the cooperation in developing residential projects and sustainable urban areas in Ho Chi Minh City in February. Malaysian giant Gamuda Land completed two major deals in 2022 acquiring the entire Uni Galaxy project in the southern province of Binh Duong from Becamex ITC, and merging a domestic company to own the Elysian, a residential project in Ho Chi Minh City. At the beginning of the year, Nam Long Investment completed the procedure of transferring 25 per cent of the charter capital of Paragon Dai Phuoc. The company was established in 2018 with the purpose of investing and developing the Nam Long Dai Phuoc urban area. A few days later, Vina Dai Phuoc, the investor of the SwanBay Dai Phuoc project located near Nam Long Dai Phuoc, also announced a changing in charter capital. From the foreign capital structure accounting for nearly 73 per cent previously, Vina Dai Phuoc will become 100 per cent owned by domestic enterprises. At the end of February, Phat Dat Real Estate Development also approved the decision to buy 99 per cent capital of $8.6 million at Bac Cuong Investment. After this buyout, Phat Dat has the entire right to develop more than 2,700 sq.m in Tran Phu street of the central city of Danang. Data from commercial real estate research firm Real Capital Analytics shows that there have been five industrial real estate M&A transactions in Dong Nai, Bac Giang, Bac Ninh, Vinh Phuc provinces, and two land development projects in Ho Chi Minh City and the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai, with the total value of announced transactions estimated at more than $100 million. New investors looking to enter the market are returning. According to Bui Trang, country head of Cushman & Wakefield Vietnam, in the context of the unstable global economy with the collapse of some major banks, the Vietnamese market is more attractive than many others. Usually, when other markets have political and economic fluctuations, real estate investors flock to Vietnam as a safe place, Trang said. Trang added that from now to 2025, the market could expect larger deals, especially private placement deals to choose strategic partners of large equitised state-owned enterprises, of state-owned enterprises and foreign investment. In particular, the transfer of real estate projects will continue to be of interest. Potential to take over Since October 2022, the real estate market has slowed down, making strategic investors more cautious. But foreign investors who have a long history and rich portfolio in investing in Vietnam are still very persistent with their strategy by continuing to buy properties or partnering with trusted local real estate developers. The majority of closed and closed transactions come from investors who are knowledgeable about risk fluctuations and market demand, with the aim of finding a rate of return and expanding their portfolio in the region. In the housing development segment, the decline of many domestic real estate businesses led to a series of frozen projects. This has opened up opportunities for businesses with the financial potential to take over. In particular, local developers who actively mobilise capital through corporate bonds have encountered many difficulties in recent years due to the impact of credit tightening. Therefore, the trend of selling bad debt assets from domestic real estate companies or looking for capital partners is increasing. After periods of fever growth, along with some difficulties in capital for many investors, the demand for project transfer will continue to be strong in the next few years. Many project sales and transfer deals are in the negotiation stage. Another factor that is making the real estate M&A market in 2023 prosper is that the projects offered for sale have more complete legality and the sellers psychology is easier to negotiate than before. According to Cushman & Wakefield, the total transaction volume of officially announced real estate M&A deals in 2022 reached more than $1.7 billion. This is the highest transaction value in the past five years, mainly focusing on the office, industrial, residential and hotel segments in key cities and areas such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Binh Duong, and Dong Nai. It is recommended that investors carry out thorough due diligence at both project and company levels in all aspects of legal, financial, and tax matters before determining the acceptance of the transaction structure and the conclusion of a binding sales contract, Trang said. In fact, there are quite a few real estate businesses in Vietnam that are not transparent about their finances, especially, without an independent audit unit. This hinders foreign investors from deciding to participate in projects. Acquiring a long-delayed real estate project and refreshing it is a strategy that has helped many businesses achieve breakthrough growth. The speed of project revival depends on many factors, but one thing in common in most M&A deals in the past is that the completion of the project was immediately pushed forward after being acquired, Trang added. vir Vietnamese and Australian businesses have been advised to maximise incentives of free trade agreements (FTAs) in a bid to increase investment and ramp up economic and trade co-operation moving forward, according to insiders. Statistics compiled from the Ministry of Industry and Trade indicate that two-way trade between both nations during the two-month period reached US$2 billion, of which Vietnamese exports and imports stood at US$769.4 million and US$1.2 billion, respectively. Currently, Vietnam and Australia are common members of at least three FTAs, including the ASEAN - Australia - New Zealand FTA (AANZFTA), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Most notably, the CPTPP trade pact has given fresh impetus to increasing investment between the two countries. Australia has invested in about 550 projects in the nation with a total value of nearly US$2 billion by the end of 2021, making it the 19th biggest foreign investor in the Vietnamese market Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Nguyen Tat Thanh outlined that joint economic and trade relations have developed impressively on the basis of prioritising eight areas of co-operation under the terms of Australia Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy (EEES). The impressive developments recorded is reflected via strong growth in two-way trade turnover, increasing from US$8.3 billion in 2020 to US$12.4 billion in 2021 before reaching US$15.7 billion in 2022, marking an annual average growth rate of 38%, the highest figure among the countrys trading partners. In fact, FTAs have made an important contribution to helping Australian consumers gain greater insights into Vietnamese products such as garments and textiles, footwear, hats and purses, timber, wooden and aquatic products, and processed foods. Furthermore, the majority of Australian states have established strategic co-operation with Southeast Asian nations by sending trade representatives to ASEAN member states. Moreover, Vietnamese representative offices in Australia have effectively supported the two countries as they seek to strengthen economic and trade exchanges, a factor which has provided a basis for bright prospects for both economic and trade co-operation. Moreover, Australia is expected to unveil its economic strategy with Southeast Asia until 2040 in the near future. It is expected that large Australian businesses will pour further investment into the nation, especially when Australia and Vietnam celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations, economic, and trade co-operation this year. With regard to the State visit to Vietnam made by Australian Governor-General David Hurley, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski emphasised that this is the third time an Australian head of state has visited the country. It comes as part of activities being held to celebrate the 50th anniversary since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The Australian diplomat expressed his hope that the visit will serve to step up bilateral co-operation across multiple fields between the two countries moving forward. Source: VOV Vietnam is emerging as a notable player in semiconductor supply chains, providing a viable alternative to Taiwan, which has been the traditional hub for semiconductor manufacturing. Heres how semiconductor manufacturing in Vietnam compares to Taiwan. Taiwan is currently the world leader in semiconductor manufacturing. The total output value of Taiwans integrated chip (IC) industry reached US$145.7 billion in 2021 or about 15 percent of Taiwans GDP. However, the heavy reliance on Taiwan for chip production has raised concerns about over-concentration, as well as geopolitical risks that may impact the industrys sustainability. As a result, industry experts have identified Vietnam as a promising alternative for future chip manufacturing projects. Suppliers of Dutch chip maker ASML, for instance, are reportedly exploring opportunities to diversify their operations out of China and into Southeast Asia, with Vietnam being a top candidate. In this light, it has been suggested that Vietnam could be a key contender for future chip manufacturing projects. Suppliers of Dutch chip maker, ASML, for example, are reportedly looking at diversifying out of China and into Southeast Asia with Vietnam one country at the top of their list. But how does Vietnam fare as a semiconductor manufacturer compared to Taiwan, the current world leader in this field? Infrastructure and facilities Vietnam has been investing heavily in infrastructure, including roads, ports, and airports, to support its growing semiconductor industry. The Vietnamese government has also been actively promoting investment in the sector, offering tax incentives and other benefits to companies that set up operations in the country. Moreover, Vietnam has been building more advanced facilities for semiconductor manufacturing, with several new projects planned or under construction. One of the largest semiconductor manufacturing plants in Vietnam is the Samsung Electronics facility in Ho Chi Minh City, which produces a wide range of products, including memory chips and displays. Workforce and talent pool Additionally, Vietnam has a lower cost of living compared to Taiwan, making it cheaper to set up factories in the country. It also has a large pool of young, educated, and skilled workers, which is essential for the semiconductor industry. Vietnam has invested billions of dollars in setting up research and education centers to train workers in order to attract major chip manufacturers. More than 40 percent of Vietnams college and university graduates specialize in science and engineering, representing a significant proportion of the labor force. This demographic advantage is reflected in Vietnams ranking among the top 10 countries in terms of the number of engineering graduates. Vietnam has benefited from a lower cost of living and the presence of major multinational corporations in the semiconductor industry, allowing it to attract talent from around the world. This influx of skilled workers has helped the industry grow and expand rapidly. Meanwhile, Taiwan boasts a rich history in the semiconductor industry, with a highly skilled workforce developed over many years. It also has a well-established system for training and educating semiconductor engineers and technicians, and a strong tradition of innovation and entrepreneurship in this field. However, this expertise comes with a higher cost, as wages in Taiwan are significantly higher than those in Vietnam. Government support and policies Both Vietnam and Taiwan have implemented policies and provided government support to foster the growth of their semiconductor industries. Vietnams government has introduced various measures to attract investment and support the development of this industry. For instance, businesses investing in the sector can enjoy exemptions from land and water surface rents, or a reduction of up to 50 percent in centralized high-tech parks. Additionally, companies investing in socio-economically deprived areas are exempt from land and water surface rents for the duration of their lease. The Vietnamese governments focus on digital transformation is a key driver for the growth and development of the semiconductor chip industry. The government has recognized the importance of this industry in achieving its long-term goal of becoming a digital economy and has implemented various policies and initiatives to that effect. Similarly, the Taiwanese government has invested heavily in the semiconductor industry, recognizing it as a crucial driver of economic growth. Taiwans government has established policies and programs aimed at developing the industry, such as the five plus two innovative industries plan, which includes the Asian Silicon Valley project. This aims to promote the development of high-tech industries on the island. Taiwans government has also provided support for the development of the semiconductor industry through investment incentives, tax credits, and subsidies. Investment and funding Vietnams semiconductor industry is still in its early stages, and the country is lagging behind Taiwan in terms of investment and funding. However, Vietnam has shown a willingness to invest in the industry and has implemented policies to attract foreign investment. Vietnams government has set up various funds to support the development of the semiconductor industry. For instance, the National Technology Innovation Fund (NATIF) was established to provide funding for research and development activity. The country also has the Vietnam-Korea IT Incubator (VKII) to provide funding and support for start-ups in the semiconductor industry. Geographical location Vietnam is strategically located in the center of Southeast Asia, making it an ideal location for manufacturers looking to enter the regions fast-growing semiconductor market. Vietnams location provides it with easy access to the worlds leading semiconductor supply chains, which run through China, Japan, and South Korea. In contrast, Taiwan, as an island in the Pacific, requires more expensive shipping and logistics to get its chips where they need to go. Furthermore, Vietnam has made significant investments in building up its transportation infrastructure, such as ports, highways, and airports, to improve the connectivity of its manufacturing hubs with the rest of the world. Raw materials for chip production In terms of the supply chain of materials for chip production, Vietnams chip makers still heavily rely on imported materials from other countries. Only two domestic enterprises, namely VHT and FPT, are involved in chip design, while the majority of companies working on the IC design, assembly, and testing phases are foreign-invested enterprises. Taiwan, on the other hand, has a more integrated supply chain formed by industrial clusters surrounding Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), its biggest chip manufacturer. Yet Vietnam is also making significant progress in building a domestic supply chain for its semiconductor industry. The government has implemented policies to attract investment in supporting industries for chip production, such as the production of electronic components and materials. In addition, Vietnam has signed several free trade agreements that reduce trade barriers and facilitate the import and export of the raw materials and goods needed for chip production. Moreover, Vietnam has abundant natural resources and raw materials, such as silica sand and an abundance of rare earths. This provides a unique advantage for Vietnam to develop a more integrated supply chain. Significant players in Taiwans semiconductor chip industry Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) According to a report published by IC Insights in late 2021, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is the top-ranked semiconductor manufacturer in Taiwan. This company accounted for 50 percent of the total value of chips produced among the top 10 companies in Taiwan. TSMC is also the third-largest semiconductor manufacturer globally, trailing only Samsung in South Korea and Intel in the United States. MediaTek The second-largest semiconductor company in Taiwan is MediaTek, which ranked ninth among the top 10 semiconductor companies worldwide in 2021. ASE Group ASE Group is the third-largest semiconductor manufacturer in Taiwan. ASE owns two leading packaging and testing manufacturers, ASE and SPIL, with a combined global market share of over 30 percent. Significant players in Vietnams semiconductor chip industry The establishment of Factory Z181 in Vietnam in 1979 marked the beginning of IC manufacturing. However, the factory ceased operations in the early 1990s. Recently, Viettel Hi-Tech Industry Corporation and FPT Semiconductor have started participating in the production and design of some microchips, which are used in medical electronics and telecommunications. Around 30 foreign-invested enterprises are also engaged in the IC assembly, testing, and design phases. Challenges for chip manufacturers in Taiwan Morris Chang, the founder of TSMC, says that Taiwan is the only place where the company can produce high-end chips due to various factors, such as exceptional talent, technology, and corporate culture. However, TSMCs advanced process chips are expensive, and with TSMCs pursuit of advanced manufacturing processes, the cost of chip production has rapidly increased. In 2020, TSMC reported that its capital expenditure would rise to US$28 billion in 2021, with 80 percent being used for research and development of advanced manufacturing processes. This leaves less funding for infrastructure construction and talent recruitment. Furthermore, foreign investors currently hold over 80 percent of the TSMCs shares. This could affect the companys autonomy and decision making, especially in the context of tense international economic and trade relations. Challenges for chip manufacturers in Vietnam According to Dezan Shira and Associates Country Director Filippo Bortoletti, Vietnam faces a number of challenges developing its semiconductor industry. Vietnam is currently mostly involved with the semiconductor industrys low-margin packaging and testing sector. This may limit its ability to climb up the value chain to enter the semiconductor design and manufacturing field, which require specialized labor and manufacturing infrastructure. But Bortoletti says that Vietnam still has the potential to become a semiconductor manufacturing hub. It will just take some time. He says this will depend on the governments support for entrepreneurs and favorable global macroeconomic conditions that influence and reshape global supply chains. Vietnam is cheaper, but Taiwan has more experience Taiwan has been a world leader in chip manufacturing for a long time but there are signs that change is afoot. As trade tensions rise between China and its key markets and major chip makers look to diversify their supply chains, alternatives are currently being sought and at the end of the day,Vietnam is an excellent option. With its low-cost labor, government support, and strategic location, Vietnam is well placed to support chip makers looking to diversify into Southeast Asia more broadly. Source: Vietnam Briefing Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in supporting industries can benefit from multinational groups China plus-one strategies that include Vietnam, wrote Filippo Bortoletti, Country Director of the Dezan Shira & Associates Vietnam. In his recent article published on Vietnam Briefing, Bortoletti said in the past 15 years, Vietnam has seen lots of changes, from the manufacturing boom through watching a vibrant emerging start-up sector gain its legs. The emergence of the China plus-one paradigm has seen supply chain restructuring and risk diversification strategies implemented at large. Meanwhile, Vietnam has also opened up to greater foreign investment, thereby taking advantage of these trends to transform itself into a regional manufacturing hub, he wrote. According to him, while the China plus-one trend has prompted large corporations like Samsung and Nike to relocate their operations to Vietnam, the move of SMEs has been less widely recognised. Often following their leading multinational customers, these SMEs have also been drawn to Vietnam thanks to the countrys favourable business environment. Although these SMEs may not operate in as glamorous industries as mobile phones and laptops, they play a crucial role in any economy, including Vietnams. In fact, SMEs in Vietnam facilitate technology transfers and provide skills training that can be even broader than that offered by larger organisations, highlighting their importance to the countrys economic development. SMEs often operate in a sector crucial for the sustainable development of Vietnams manufacturing sector: supporting industries. Vietnam has acknowledged in recent years the importance of being not just one part of the global supply chain but rather of being a key part of these increasingly complex structures. In this light, the Government has instituted tax breaks and incentives for supporting industries looking to establish themselves in Vietnam. SMEs, whether they are new to the region or following the well-trodden path from China into Vietnam, stand to benefit significantly from utilising these incentives, he said. The official said Vietnams headway into developing supporting industries and longer in-country supply chains has been slow. In 2022, Vietnams localisation rate was only around 36%, a fraction of its key competitors India and China. But for SMEs looking to diversify into Vietnam, this is only a minor challenge. Vietnam has become a highly integrated player within Asia in recent years, thanks in part to its participation in various free trade agreements. The country has signed agreements with its Southeast Asian neighbours as well as bilateral and multilateral deals with countries around the world, helping to facilitate trade and investment flows across the region and beyond. As a result, sourcing components and shipping them to Vietnam for assembly, or shipping parts and components from Vietnam elsewhere for assembly, is increasingly becoming cheaper and easier. Furthermore, there is impetus for change across the economy. Forums and seminars promoting Vietnam as a supporting industry destination are becoming more and more commonplace. The issues facing development of Vietnams supporting industries are also front and centre at these events. A number of big manufacturers are expanding the footprint of their supporting industries in Vietnam. Samsung, for example, has opened a 200 million USD research and development centre in Hanoi. With a vast coastline connecting the burgeoning nation via a series of ports to the rest of the world, Vietnam is in a very convenient location. Its not just the Pacific access either. One of Chinas southern neighbours, Vietnam as a China plus-one destination is a great option. Components and parts for a broad range of manufacturers are already crossing the border, in both directions, every day to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. Right now, there is tremendous potential for SMEs in supporting industries, particularly in Vietnam, the author concluded./. Source: VietnamPlus SINGAPORE, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Info-Tech, a reliable and easy-to-use human resource management system (HRMS) platform, has constantly enhanced its products and services to keep up with new technological changes, business models, and government regulations. Providing an all-in-one holistic solution for all HR needs, Info-Tech is on its way to becoming the leading next-generation global technology company that empowers its clients to revolutionize their HR operations, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Visit Info-Tech for more information on their cutting-edge HRMS solutions. The growing need for an effective and affordable HRMS platform As an integral part of a company's success, HRMS helps various HR functions to be more efficient and effective, from managing and tracking employee information, payroll, and attendance records, to benefits administration. The forecast for HRMS global demand will escalate with a CAGR of 11.1% to reach a market value of over $35 billion in 2030. In Singapore, SMEs, which account for 99% of the total enterprises and employ 71% of the Singaporean workforce, have increasingly sought reliable yet cost-effective solutions for their HRMS needs. Although there are existing solutions to help digitize HR practices in Singapore, they are either costly and complicated or only offer a piece-by-piece approach to individual HR tasks, leaving SMEs with limited solutions to transform their people management practices digitally. Leveraging avant-garde technologies to be the next-generation HR platform Recognizing the gap in the market, Info-Tech has introduced an easy, user-friendly, and affordable HRMS software that incorporates new-generation technologies, such as artificial intelligence, predictive analysis, and mobile optimization, in its core products for SMEs. As the trend moves forward, Info-Tech, which began with MS-DOS, evolved from a Windows-based system to cloud-based HRMS software launched in 2014. This significant progress allows Info-Tech to optimize usability and provide a smoother customer experience for local businesses to succeed in the digital age. Furthermore, under their award-winning HRMS solution, Info-Tech offers an all-in-one platform of HR modules, including payroll, leave, claims, appraisal, accounting, and project cost management, for SMEs to operate smoothly and efficiently (time and cost saving). Info-Tech's flagship Attendance App is the epitome of how the company has integrated cutting-edge technology to optimize employee management. "The Attendance App is packed with innovative features, such as Face Recognition and GPS location capturing. Our proprietary Face Recognition technology ensures employees can easily clock in/out without depending on any cloud service or iOS/Android face authentication. The app even works offline, making it highly practical in areas without internet connectivity," said Babu Dilip, co-founder and CEO of Info-Tech System Integrators. As Info-Tech also values high-quality customer service, its robust, customized CRM system is set to impede any missed requests or forgotten details from happening, ensuring a seamless onboarding process for the clients. On top of that, a dedicated Support Specialist is assigned to every client to assist with their particular needs throughout the process. In addition to accounting software with the "Accounting Simplified" tagline launched in 2021, Info-Tech is preparing to complete its suite of HRMS products with JOBSLAH, a job portal designed to fulfill all the staffing requirements of companies. "Our objective is to offer a one-platform digital holistic solution to businesses at an affordable price, with first-class service from employee sourcing and management to accounting for business operations," added Dilip. About Info-Tech: Established in Singapore in 1996, Info-Tech is a prominent and cutting-edge HR platform in the SMB sector with 300+ employees, over 20,000 customers, and 500,000 users worldwide. By utilizing Info-Tech's software, HR professionals can quickly gather, preserve, and analyze data, enhance the top candidates sourcing, integrate new hires, manage remuneration, and create a positive workplace culture. Source: Info-Tech Systems Integrators Pte Ltd NAEOTOM Alpha is world's first CT scanner with photon-counting technology. RS Abdi Waluyo will be first hospital in Indonesia to offer patients the benefits of photon-counting technology. JAKARTA, Indonesia, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- RS Abdi Waluyo located in Jakarta will be the first hospital in Indonesia to acquire the NAEOTOM Alpha, the world's first photon-counting CT with the aim to optimise diagnostic and treatment pathways for patients in the country. This revolutionary medical imaging system is designed to improve patient diagnosis, treatment and outcomes, and is set to revolutionize medical practices in the country. The NAEOTOM Alpha is a state-of-the-art medical imaging system that offers advanced 3D imaging, allowing doctors to see detailed images of organs, tissues and bones, with unprecedented clarity and precision. In 2021, the American Food and Drug and Food administration (FDA) made an unprecedented statement in its press release and called the system "the first major imaging device advancement for Computed Tomography in nearly a decade". It can provide real-time imaging, enabling doctors to see the movement of organs and tissues in real-time, providing valuable insights to help diagnose and treat a wide range of medical conditions. "We are thrilled to introduce the NAEOTOM Alpha to Indonesia," said dr. Prasetyo Andriono, Sp.JP, Director of RS Abdi Waluyo. "This is a game-changing technology which will enable us to stay at the forefront of medical imaging in Indonesia. This system will help improve patient care and outcomes, and we are confident that it will be embraced by medical professionals across the country." The acquisition of the NAEOTOM Alpha in Indonesia represents a major milestone for the country's healthcare sector, and highlights Indonesia's commitment to providing its citizens with access to the latest medical technologies. It is a testament to the country's ongoing efforts to enhance its healthcare infrastructure, and to its commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of its citizens. "The company's mission is to improve patient care and outcomes by providing medical professionals with the tools they need to diagnose and treat a wide range of medical conditions. This system is expected to have a significant impact on the medical community in Indonesia, enabling doctors to make faster and more accurate diagnoses, and to develop more effective treatment plans for their patients," said Alfred Fahringer, Country Head of Siemens Healthineers Indonesia. Siemens Healthineers AG (listed in Frankfurt, Germany: SHL) pioneers breakthroughs in healthcare. For everyone. Everywhere. As a leading medical technology company headquartered in Erlangen, Germany, Siemens Healthineers and its regional companies are continuously developing their product and service portfolio, with AI-supported applications and digital offerings that play an increasingly important role in the next generation of medical technology. These new applications will enhance the company's foundation in in-vitro diagnostics, image-guided therapy, in-vivo diagnostics, and innovative cancer care. Siemens Healthineers also provides a range of services and solutions to enhance healthcare providers' ability to provide high-quality, efficient care. In fiscal 2022, which ended on September 30, 2022, Siemens Healthineers, which has approximately 69,500 employees worldwide, generated revenue of around 21.7 billion and adjusted EBIT of almost 3.7 billion. Further information is available at www.siemens-healthineers.com. RS Abdi Waluyo was established in year 1986 with a vision to be the premier hospital brand of choice that provides patient-centered care rooted in excellence, compassion, comfort and innovation. As one already established hospital in Jakarta Indonesia, Abdi Waluyo offers some of the most technologically advanced patient-care equipment in the country. The speed of these state-of-the-art machines allows the physicians to diagnose patients immediately with accuracy because of the decreased procedure time with detailed results. In Abdi Waluyo, we provide patients with the best quality healthcare by combining the most advanced medical equipment and technology available with the expertise of the best trained, skilled and experienced doctors and professional medical staffs with a deep-rooted culture of compassion. For more information, please visit https://www.abdiwaluyo.com. Source: Siemens Healthineers Related Stocks: Frankfurt:SHL OTC:SMMNY On April 6, the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting shared that Northern Vietnam is expected to experience the effects of weak cold air, resulting in scattered showers and thunderstorms in the North and North Central regions. Some areas may even see moderate to heavy rainfall. For April 5, it is forecasted that provinces such as Son La and Hoa Binh, as well as the North and Central Central regions, will have hot and sunny weather with temperatures reaching as high as 35-38 degrees Celsius, and possibly exceeding 38 degrees Celsius in some areas. Relative humidity is expected to be between 35-55%. Other regions, including the North, the area from Binh Dinh to Phu Yen, the Central Highlands, and the South, are also expected to experience local heat with temperatures commonly ranging from 34-36 degrees Celsius, and possibly over 36 degrees Celsius in some areas. The lowest relative humidity in these areas is expected to be between 40-55%. On April 6, the Central Central region will continue to experience hot and sunny weather, with temperatures ranging from 35-36 degrees Celsius, and possibly exceeding 36 degrees Celsius in some areas. Relative humidity is expected to be between 45-55%. The Southeast region will also see hot and sunny weather, with temperatures reaching as high as 35-36 degrees Celsius during the day, and possibly exceeding 36 degrees Celsius in some areas. The lowest relative humidity in the Southeast region is expected to be between 40-50%. Frost covers mountain areas in Northern Vietnam New cold spell hits north Vietnam, causing rains in many parts Northern and northern central regions experience long heatwave You Might Be Interested In However, it is important to note that on April 6, the weak cold air is expected to bring scattered showers and thunderstorms to the North and North Central regions, with locally moderate to heavy rainfall. Residents are urged to be cautious of potential tornadoes, lightning, hail, and strong winds during thunderstorms. The hot weather in these areas is expected to subside after this event. Starting from April 7, the hot weather will abate in the Central Central region, while the Southeast provinces will continue to experience hot conditions. Due to the combined effects of the hot sun, low humidity in the air, and the southwesterly wind causing the photon effect, there is a risk of fire and explosion in residential areas due to increased electricity demand and the potential for forest fires. In addition, prolonged exposure to high temperatures can cause dehydration, exhaustion, and heat stroke, posing risks to human health. Thunderstorms accompanied by tornadoes, lightning, hail, and strong winds can also adversely impact agricultural production, damage trees, houses, traffic infrastructure, and other structures. Precautionary measures are advised to mitigate potential risks during this weather event. Residents in Northern Vietnam are urged to stay informed about the changing weather conditions and take appropriate precautions to ensure their safety and well-being. "https://cdn.vietreader.com/uploads/posts/2023-04/news_former-hanoi-police-officer-accused-of-receiving-us265-million-for-interfering-in-criminal-proceedings-1.jpg" 7 Between January and December 2022, Nguyen Anh Tuan, former major general and deputy director of the Hanoi Police Department, allegedly received 60 billion VND (equivalent to approximately US$2.65 million) from Nguyen Thi Thanh Hang, the general director of Blue Sky Travel Company and Sky Travel Joint Stock Company, with the intention of preventing the criminal handling of Hang and another individual in the rescue flight case. The Ministry of Public Securitys Investigation Security Agency has completed its investigation into the case, which took place across several provinces and cities, and has recommended that the Supreme Peoples Procuracy prosecute Nguyen Anh Tuan for accepting bribes and acting as a broker. Nova Group chairman no longer on Forbes worlds richest list How foreigners who commit crimes in Vietnam are processed? How two foreigners outsmarted a gold shop in Vietnam and made away with 70,000 USD You Might Be Interested In According to the investigations conclusion, Nguyen Anh Tuan did not have any official duties or responsibilities related to the case being handled by the Ministry of Public Security. However, he used his relationship with Hoang Van Hung, former head of the Investigation Department, Department of Security and Investigation of the Ministry of Public Security, to act as a facilitator, ensuring that Nguyen Thi Thanh Hang and Le Hong Son, the deputy general director of Blue Sky Travel Company, who were not subject to criminal prosecution. The Vietnamese Government has presented a report to the National Assembly proposing new policies for managing the entry, exit, and residence of foreigners in the country. "https://cdn.vietreader.com/uploads/posts/2023-04/travel_vietnams-game-changing-visa-policies-proposed-to-national-assembly-for-official-approval-1.jpg" 2 The report, signed by Minister of Public Security To Lam, proposes several critical contents to be included in the joint resolution of the National Assembly in May 2023. The proposed policies include implementing electronic visas for citizens of all countries and territories, assigning the government to decide on a specific list of countries and territories based on reciprocity, and ensuring national defense, security, social order and safety, and economic and social development of Vietnam. Furthermore, the duration of e-visas will increase from a maximum of 30 days to a maximum of three months, valid for single or multiple entries. The time limit for granting temporary residence certificates at the border gate for visa exemption category entrants will also be extended from 15 to 45 days. The report states that these policies are necessary to create favorable conditions for foreigners to enter Vietnam, contributing to the countrys recovery of tourism and socio-economic development. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of foreigners entering Vietnam has significantly decreased, even after the country reopened for international arrivals. The Vietnamese Government hopes that these new policies will attract more foreigners to enter the country, contributing to tourism development, business, trade, and foreign investment. Additionally, these policies will reduce costs for agencies, organizations, and individuals in carrying out procedures related to the entry and exit of foreigners. The Government acknowledges that these policies may pose some difficulties in managing foreigners but assures the National Assembly that it will strengthen the management of foreigners residence to ensure national security, social order, and safety. Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker BYD has started construction of its first factory in Thailand, on a 100-hectare site in Rayong province. The plant is expected to start operation in 2024, with a capacity of 150,000 EVs per year. Meanwhile, early this year BYD was also said to be seeking a site to build a plant in Vietnam to produce components as part of a global expansion. Electric vehicle competition drives into higher gear, Source: byd.com Meanwhile, GWM plans to invest around $660 million and has put down around half of that to renovate a factory it bought from General Motors in 2020. Nikkei reported on GWM plans to manufacture a compact EV there in the first quarter of 2024. Unlike BYD, the joint venture of SAIC-GM-Wuling Group (SGMW) has chosen to enter the international market with the low-cost mini electric car, the Wuling HongGuang Mini EV. SGMW will collaborate with TMT to launch low-cost vehicles. The Mini EV will be built at TMTs Vietnam factory, which has a capacity of 30,000 vehicles per year. In the coming months, the model will be officially available for purchase and its pricing will be revealed. TMT stated that it has the sole authorisation to manufacture, assemble, and distribute the EV models in Vietnam, and that Wuling would support its production by providing auto parts to ensure quality and delivery. Because of its tiny size, elegant design, and flexible space with four seats, the Mini EV will be a new option within the lower price range of many Vietnamese clients. As of February 2023, global sales since inception have passed 1,100,000 units, and the Mini EV has become the best-selling electric car in China. VinFast, Vietnams current leading automotive firm, was founded in 2019, and by 2021, it had totally transitioned production to EVs. Its models are focused on the mid-range and luxury segments, whereas Wuling is positioned in the low-cost segment and presently has the lowest e-car price in the world. VinFast has a significant advantage because its charge stations span all provinces and national routes in the country. Meanwhile, Be Group of Vietnam reached an agreement with an electric car leasing business last week, making it the countrys first ride-hailing company to deploy EVs. Be, a homegrown platform with almost 10 million customers, and GSM, created by the owner of VinFast, will collaborate with Vietnam Prosperity Bank to allow drivers to transition away from combustion engine vehicles at affordable prices, according to a statement from Be. Vietnam is encouraging the manufacturing and widespread usage of EVs as part of its attempts to attain carbon neutrality by 2050. According to VinFast, there are currently roughly 7,800 EVs on its roads. Meanwhile, sales of Honda and Nissan in China have fallen at least in the past two years, while Toyotas sales last year fell for the first time in a decade. Although chip shortages, factory closures, and related supply chain difficulties were the main causes, the lack of EV services also makes the Japanese auto industry less competitive compared to other countries. However, the problem that carmakers face when entering the Vietnamese market is removing bottlenecks in the distribution system and consumer psychology. Emerging brands will be under great competitive pressure from the brands that are deeply rooted in the subconscious of consumers. The issues include quality, price, features, after-sales service, warranty, and maintenance, said a representative of a Honda dealership. The Vietnam Business Forum in March noted that currently, EV production is a breakthrough industry worldwide, with high economic potential and application of advanced technology. This field is and is expected to attract interest as well as large investment capital from domestic and foreign investors, leading to the development of the supply chain of raw materials and components, which potentially make an important contribution to the development of industries in Vietnam. In addition, in terms of the environment, EVs make an important contribution to environmental protection by limiting emissions into the environment. This field is also very suitable for Vietnams green development strategy as well as the implementation of net-zero commitments. Accordingly, the business community has called for high corporate income tax (CIT) incentives. It is recommended that the government should supplement CIT incentives for projects manufacturing EVs similar to ventures in environmental protection, such as a preferential tax rate of 10 per cent over 15 years, and tax exemption for four years with a 50 per cent tax reduction for nine subsequent years. The business community explained that the prevailing regulations do not include incentives for projects manufacturing e-vehicles. How electric vehicles can shape the auto industry In order to implement Vietnams net-zero commitments, one of the solutions by the government is to use more electric vehicles (EVs) as a means of transportation for the step-by-step replacement of motor vehicles powered by conventional internal combustion engines. Thailand sees bright future for electric vehicle market in 2023 Thailand's electric vehicle (EV) market will continue to gain momentum in 2023, with sales expected to reach between 25,000 and 35,000 units, according to the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI). Laos shifts gears on electric vehicle promotion Lao government has promoted electric vehicles which it hopes will help minimise fuel imports and ensure energy supply in the country. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG), through its banking arm Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), last month inked an agreement to acquire a 15 per cent stake in Vietnamese lender VPBank. VPBank has reached an agreement to sell 15% of shares to Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation - Photo source: VPB The deal, worth around $1.5 billion, is a record for the financial industry in Vietnam, surpassing the previous record set by VPBank itself. Jun Ohta, CEO of SMBC, said that Vietnam was a crucial market for SMBCs expansion plans. Although the globe faces numerous uncertainties, we believe in the future growth of Vietnam and that VPBank will become the top bank in Vietnam. SMBC is dedicated to providing full assistance for VPBank to accomplish this objective, said Ohta. With the strategic investment of SMBC, VPBank will become the second-biggest bank in Vietnam by equity. In addition, via VPBank, SMBC will be able to expand its footprint and offer funding for significant projects in Vietnam. VPBank chairman Ngo Chi Dung said it could assist SMBC in effectively expanding its operation in Vietnam. This strategy may not be restricted to the financial-banking sector alone, but may also stimulate growth in many other crucial sectors of the economy, including the green economy, sustainable development, and environmentally friendly practices, he said. Besides Vietnam, SMFG also maintains its presence in digital finance in Indonesia and other Asian countries Meanwhile, Kredivo Holdings (formerly FinAccel), the parent company of Kredivo and Krom Bank Indonesia, last week successfully raised $270 million in equity financing in a significantly oversubscribed round in its Series D funding phase. This round was led by Japanese global bank Mizuho Bank, Ltd., a subsidiary of Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. and drew significant interest from Kredivo Holdings existing stable of top-tier investors, including Square Peg Capital, Jungle Ventures, Naver Financial Corporation, GMO Venture Partners, and Openspace Ventures. Kredivo Vietnam is also partnering up with other firms to provide buy now, pay later products for Vietnamese customers. The firm believed that there is a great room for improvement in the segment since the bulk of the Vietnamese population lacks access to formal card payments. Daisuke Horiuchi, group executive officer of Mizuho, said, We are very proud to be an investor and long-term strategic partner of Kredivo Holdings. Kredivo has a stellar track record in Southeast Asia, leveraging on its deep data partnerships to promote financial inclusion within Indonesia and Southeast Asia, while maintaining bank-like risk metrics and building a capital efficient business model. In 2021, Mizuho also invested around $170 million to purchase 7.5 per cent ownership of Vietnamese e-wallet firm MoMo. This is in line with Mizuho Banks strategic approach to ramp up its presence in the Southeast Asian country. Mizuho Bank, reported Nikkei Asia, has been lagging behind its counterparts in terms of international investment, but it intends to start actively tapping into Asian growth regions. Hideo Suzuki, senior manager of Global Strategy Advisory at Mizuho Bank, told VIR that international investment, particularly in emerging economies like Vietnam, is one of the priorities for the bank to generate good returns. Thanks to a young population, a rising middle income class, stable macroeconomic condition, and fast-growing GDP, Vietnam offers lucrative opportunities for Japanese investors, he said. Earlier this year, MUFG Bank, a unit of Tokyo-headquartered Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, is signalling its ambition to ramp up its footprint in Southeast Asia. According to Dealstreetasia, MUFG has internally committed $500 million or more of equity investments to Asia, including India and Southeast Asia. In February, it launched a $100 million fund focused on Indonesian startups through a collaboration between two subsidiaries and Indonesian commercial bank Danamon. In late 2022, it acquired the Philippines and Indonesian franchises of Home Credit, with its ownership of 100 per cent and 85 per cent respectively. MUFG and MUFG Bank aim to strengthen their business in Southeast Asia through the establishment of business platforms in the region together with partner banks in which the bank has invested. In executing this strategy, we will continue striving to contribute to the growth of Southeast Asia, the company said. Le Viet Anh Phong, financial advisory leader at Deloitte Vietnam, noted that in terms of buyers, there is a strong interest from strategic investors from Japan. Out of the executed transactions that Deloitte Vietnams professionals are exclusive advisors in the last three months, 75 per cent of strategic investors are from Japan. Positive signals also come from Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and European investors, Phong told VIR. We have also observed that valuation expectations are softening, thus narrowing the valuation gap, which is undisputedly the top dealbreaker so far in Vietnam. Japanese players keen on state-owned equitisations With strong financial potential, technological advantages, and cultural similarities, Japanese investors are keen on participating in the restructuring and equitisation of state-owned enterprises in Vietnam. Bringing the standards and quality of Japanese retail brands to Vietnam Vietnam remains an enticing business and investment environment for Japanese investors, especially in the retail sector. Furusawa Yasuyuki, general director of AEON Vietnam, explained to VIRs Oanh Do how the company is making further efforts to develop its brand while also bringing the best value to customers. A corner of Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: VNA) To speed up disbursement, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh last week issued Directive No.08/CT-TTg on accelerating allocation and disbursement of such capital to reach 95 per cent of the total yearly plan. The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) shall coordinate with relevant agencies to summarise projects that have completed investment procedures and are eligible for assignment of medium-term public capital plans for the 2021-2025 period, and report to the prime minister. The MPI will also instruct relevant authorities to carry out assessment of the medium-term public investment plan for the same time period in April. The MPI will coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to guide implementation of capital between the socioeconomic recovery and development programme and the medium-term public investment plan for the 2021-2025 period, ensuring the disbursement of all capital in 2023. The MPI is also assigned to monitor the disbursement progress of authorities at all levels and promptly report to the prime minister for the promulgation of flexible and adaptive management solutions. One of the key reasons behind Directive 08 is that public investment disbursement in some localities is facing difficulties, hindering economic development. For example, disbursement in Ho Chi Minh City in the first two months of this year was equivalent to only 1 per cent of the total allocated funding (at about $3 billion), despite documents already being issued to speed it up. Most of Ho Chi Minh Citys public investment is spent on key infrastructure projects or regional links such as Ring Road 3, National Highway No.50, An Phu Intersection, and a connecting road from Tran Quoc Hoan to Cong Hoa streets. However, in an inspection in March, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport and Communications found that the three latter projects were being built too slowly, even though they have been arranged with sufficient capital. In order to solve the problem, Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee issued an action plan on promoting disbursement of public investment in 2023, highlighting some new solutions and strict sanctions for poor-performing units, including strictly penalising agencies that do not fully report on disbursement. In the central province of Nghe An, as of March 20, the province has disbursed more than VND282 billion ($12.26 million) of public investment, equalling 5.06 per cent of the yearly plan. However six districts and 34 units, authorities, or investors have not yet disbursed. In 2023, this province was allocated more than VND9 trillion ($392.7 million) from the state budget. However, in contrast to these localities, many others are doing a good job in boosting public capital disbursement. For example, the A Lu Bridge project in the centre of the northern city of Bac Giang, crossing the Thuong River, is expected to awaken the economy of the citys western area, connecting traffic to Highway 17 and heading past Viet Yen industrial park, with capital of about $15 million. The project started in 2022 and is being urgently constructed across three shifts, and is expected to be completed one month earlier than scheduled, before the end of June. Nong Bang Son, deputy director of Bac Giangs Project Management Unit for construction, said that nearly 80 per cent of the bridge has been built. To speed up disbursement, the project management board often checks performance and progress every week, then we carry out payment procedures immediately without leaving any residuals, said Son. In nearby Phu Tho province, it allocated all of 2023s public funding plans in the last month of 2022, with a total amount of almost $176 million. The province has already disbursed more than 17 per cent of the yearly public allocation, higher than the countrys average. Do Anh Tuan, head of the Project Management Unit for agricultural and rural development projects, said that they urge contractors to overcome difficulties to speed up progress and regularly meet to review progress at the construction site. We always monitor and seek updates, measures, and calculations to support contractors at every stage. This minimises the time to complete legal procedures, the contractor can access capital rapidly, and disbursement of public investment capital is regular and continuous, said Tuan. Hanoi: disbursement of public investment up 6.2 percent in February Hanoi disbursed some 2.2 trillion VND (96.44 million USD) worth of investment sourced from the State budget in February, equivalent to 66.5 percent of last months figure, but an increase of 6.2 percent year-on-year, the municipal Statistics Office reported. Legislation review necessary to increase tempo on public disbursement activities Promoting the disbursement of public investment is a job that both experts and state officials are delving deeper into, in order to accelerate the nations economic fortunes. According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Vietnam attracted more than 895,000 international tourists in March, an increase of more than 20 times over the same period in 2022 but a decrease of 4 per cent compared to the previous month. In the first quarter, the total number of international arrivals was estimated at 2.7 million, 30 times higher than last year but only 60 per cent of the pre-pandemic figure. The number of international tourists in Vietnam is witnessing a strong recovery The report also highlights that the revenue from accommodation and catering services in the first quarter stood at around $7 billion, increasing 28.4 per cent over the same period last year and exceeding the level of $6 billion that was achieved in 2019. Other revenue from tourism is estimated at $2.9 billion 2.2 times higher than the same period last year due to the exciting cultural and tourism activities that took place in many localities in the first months of the year. However, this figure only reached 62 per cent of that seen in 2019. Asia is currently Vietnam's largest international visitor market. South Korea has surpassed China to achieve the highest figures, with an increase of 55 per cent compared with the same period in 2022. China (including the mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong) ranked second with more than 270,000 visitors, but was still far from the 1.4 million arrivals in the same period in 2019. The US ranked third with more than 200,000 tourists, an increase of more than 200 per cent over the same period in 2022. Thailand is Southeast Asia's largest international visitor market for Vietnam, with more than 145,000 arrivals in the first three months up 96 per cent on-year. It is followed by Cambodia and Singapore with 95,000 and 76,000 respectively, increasing by 48 per cent and 75 per cent compared to 2022. In 2023, Vietnam's tourism industry has set a goal of welcoming 110 million visitors, of which about 8 million will be international and about 102 million domestic. The total revenue from generated is hoped to hit roughly $28.2 billion. Although the target is quite modest, in the opinion of many experts, the tourism industry can easily exceed it if it maintains the average growth rate seen in the first three months of the year. Supply-demand and raw material cost issues have not yet subsided, photo Le Toan The deputy general manager of Chinas SUMEC International Technology Co., Ltd., Luan Shorden, arrived in Hanoi 10 days ago to discuss the possibility of selling raw steel. China manufactures a substantial quantity of steel but imports a substantial amount of crude steel to meet local demand. Vietnam exported 11.68 million metric tonnes of steel to China in 2022. According to Shorden, Vietnam can regularly and consistently ship crude steel to the Chinese market as a significant supplier, satisfying the cheap and quick criteria. The continuous expansion of crude steel capacity will support this trade, he said. Similar to Vietnam, exports continue to play a key role in Chinas surplus steel consumption. Chinas land policy is less advantageous for steel production, with essentially no additional crude steel manufacturing capacity. The growing cost of Chinese steel manufacturing causes exports to lose their pricing advantage, Shorden added. Chinas steel sector is limiting crude steel output and pushing exports of more steel products to the Middle East, India, and European markets concurrently. According to Shorden, China exported 67.4 million MT of completed steel in 2022, although flat steel accounted for 64 per cent and galvanised steel accounted for 12.5 per cent of total steel exports. Doan Danh Tuan, vice president of the Vietnam Steel Association (VSA), said that there are few indications that the steel sectors troubles in terms of supply-demand and raw material costs have subsided. Little has changed since the end of last year. This condition could last until the end of 2023, notwithstanding the worst-case scenario. It is extremely difficult to discuss the profit margin of the company at this time, he added, citing the fact that many plants are presently only operating at 40-60 per cent of design capacity. According to VSA statistics, crude steel output declined 16 per cent in February 2023 compared to the same month in 2022. According to Tuan, the price of raw materials varies not according to the regulations. Currently, iron ore prices are approximately 40 per cent higher than they were at the end of 2022, which is 1.5 times higher than the five-year average. Coal prices are approximately $200 per tonne, which is double the five-year average. Public investment and a $5 billion credit package for social housing projects are believed to be the primary drivers of the steel industry, resulting in the possibility of strong growth in the second half of the year. The policy exists, but if it is not executed radically, the steel industrys hardships will persist, Tuan said. In its February report, the VSA stated that the new steel potential in Southeast Asia and the plan to shift production to low-cost regions will strengthen its role as a supplier of raw steel to the region, allowing for the import of long-term billet in China as well as finished long steel products. The new development cycle for the sector has not yet begun, but the sector went through its most difficult phase at the end of last year when the price of hot-rolled coil dropped from more than $900 per tonne to roughly $500 per tonne, stated Le Phuoc Vu, chairman of Hoa Sen Group, on March 10. At the present selling price of roughly $700 per tonne, Hoa Sen will have a profit sufficient to recoup the loss in the first four months of this fiscal year during the following three months. However, Vu believes that the market still faces many macroeconomic risks. In addition, the fierce competition in the domestic market, monetary tightening policies, and hot-rolled steel prices continue to fluctuate in complex ways, which may have a negative impact on demand, production, and the business activities of steel enterprises. Hoa Sen, one of the largest steel producers in Vietnam, has two business projections for 2023. In the first scenario, the company anticipates $1.45 billion in revenue and $4.26 million in after-tax profit, which are 32 and 60 per cent lower than the previous years results, respectively. In the second scenario, Hoa Sen anticipates $1.53 billion in revenue and $128 million in after-tax profit, which is 20 per cent higher. The steel market in the short term has quite a few good traits, according to Tran Thi Khanh Hien, director of VNDirects Analysis Division. Steel manufacturers anticipate enhanced public investment from the government, accounting for 18 per cent of total steel supply; and the Long Thanh airport project is contributing to reversing the decline in demand. Steel is a unique sector with positive profit growth in 2023, according to Hien, due to the low base year of 2022. Hien predicted that industry leaders with substantial market shares will continue to dominate and recover more rapidly as a result of their brand advantage and distribution capacity. In order to improve resilience and robustness when steel prices change, enterprises must also be able to manage their inventories, Hien added. Vietnam upholds antidumping tariff on Chinese steel imports Chinese cold-rolled steel products are subjected to anti-dumping tax rates ranging between 4.42 and 25.22 per cent, depending on the exporter. Flexibility encouraged as enterprises steel for strain A series of listed steel companies reported losses in 2022, and the outlook for 2023 is expected to also remain negative. From March 31 to April 5, the price of steel fell from $601 to $551 per tonne, according to the Shanghai Future Exchange. Reuters reported that iron ore futures on the Singapore Exchange Limited fell again on April 4. The decline was caused by increased shipments, sluggish steel demand during the normally peak building season, and lingering fears of government intervention. After touching a one-week low of $117.05 per tonne, benchmark iron ore SZZFK3 for May delivery declined 2.11 per cent to $118.25 per tonne. According to statistics from Hoa Phat Group (HPG), the consumption of steel goods in both local and international markets declined between 2022 and 2023. Due to a robust construction sector, steel consumption reached a record high in the first quarter (Q1) of 2022, but in Q1/2023, the market was sluggish due to a considerable drop-off in demand. In light of the difficulties in the real estate market that became evident at the end of last year, Vietcombank Securities (VCBS) has predicted that steel demand would remain low in 2023, with construction accounting for 60 per cent of that demand. In addition, certain significant steel companies, such as HPG and Pomina Steel, have had to halt production until the Q2 this year to balance cash flow. VCBS anticipates that the payment of backlogged projects from last year and the government's extra economic stimulus package should stimulate public investment beyond Q3/2023. However, VCBS emphasised that public investment in steel remains rather small. Steel consumption in the building industry is projected to decline by as much as 4 per cent, before recovering next year. According to the Vietnam Steel Association, steel production in the first two months of this year totalled 4.3 million tonnes, a 16.3 per cent decrease on-year. 3.8 million tonnes of finished steel were sold, representing a fall of 23 per cent, while exports to foreign markets declined by 10.4 per cent to one million tonnes. In the first two months of the year, crude steel consumption reached 3.1 million tonnes, a 10 per cent decrease on-year. Vietnamese steel industry calling for wider investment from overseas entities Steel is still a great distance from matching other manufacturing industries in Vietnam, with upstream and downstream remaining out of sync. Steel industry awaits indication of progress The steel sector across Vietnam continues to face a variety of challenges to its growth prospects from multiple angles. Participants at the session (Photo: VNA) Hanoi Minister Counselor Le Thi Minh Thoa, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), has emphasised the need to support all the three pillars of the nuclear issue, namely disarmament, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, and the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Addressing the UN Disarmament Commission (UNDC)s annual session on the nuclear weapons and outer space opened on April 4 in New York, Thoa called on countries to fully implement the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), and soon sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). She stated that it is necessary to further uphold the principles of disarmament that were agreed upon at the UN General Assemblys first special session on disarmament - an important foundation for the goal of complete and thorough disarmament. As a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)s Board of Governors, Vietnam is actively promoting the application of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, and ensuring nuclear safety and security, Thoa said. Vietnam will co-host a workshop of the ASEAN Regional Forum on this field in Hanoi in late April, she added. Regarding the use of the outer space, Thoa stressed that access to the outer space is an inalienable right of all countries in the world, regardless of their development level. The exploration and use of the outer space must serve peaceful purposes and the benefit of humanity, in accordance with basic principles of international law and the UN Charter. Speaking at the session, which will last until April 21, UN Under-Secretary-General of Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu voiced concern over the increasing nuclear risks that have not been seen since the Cold War, as well as the growing serious challenges to the safety and security of activities beyond the outer space. She called for an easing in escalating tensions and the promotion of dialogue, and urged countries to actively discuss and provide specific recommendations and solutions to these issues. Vietnam a potential market for French businesses, investors: experts French businesses should innovate their approach, enhance their understanding of culture and language, and make changes to adapt to Vietnam's transitioning economy in order to expand their market share and boost investment in the Southeast Asian nation, said Dr. Jean-Philippe Eglinger, the founder of the Viet Phap Strategies. Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha over a week ago tasked ministries, sectors, and localities nationwide to carry out feasible solutions to remove difficulties for projects implemented under the public-private partnership (PPP) format. The move is aimed to reform the way the country is trying to attract private investments into PPP projects in line with international practices. Ha assigned the Ministry of Planning and Investment to coordinate with relevant ministries in assessing the deployment of the Law on Public-Private Partnership Investment promulgated in 2020, and reviewing and identifying all impediments during the implementation process of relevant documents on guiding the implementation of this law. Therefrom, they must propose amendments and supplements, and then report to the prime minister in Q2. Vow made to bridge PPP investment gaps Ministries and localities are required to propose solutions to attract international financial funds and foreign capital sources to partake in PPP projects in Vietnam, and also report to the prime minister. Especially, they are ordered to study sources of payment capital for enterprises implementing the PPP projects if the revenue sharing mechanism is applied and contracts are terminated ahead of time. This job has to be reported to the prime minister in the third quarter of the year. The government has assigned the Ministry of Finance to combine with relevant ministries to review and identify difficulties in the implementation of relevant legal documents on financial management of PPP projects and on the use of public assets to pay for investors with projects constructed under the form of build-operate contracts. After receiving reports from ministries and localities, the government is expected to enact a new document on PPP investment, making it more favourable for private investors to engage in projects in the country. At the Vietnam Business Forum on March 19, its Infrastructure Working Group (IWG) underlined the need for the formulation of sector-specific policies to enable long-term and large-scale energy and infrastructure investment. The law on PPP investment is not working - no project has been implemented and financed on a project non-recourse basis under this law. A thorough review and amendment of the law is required urgently, the IWG stated in a proposal sent to the government. Guidelines and best practice negotiation should be open for project contracts in each specific sector, which should be devised with the goal being a bankable solution for build-operate-transfer development. When it comes to tendering, the IWG suggested that in addition to open bidding process which has not been successful under the PPP law and the Law on Investment, legal frameworks and policies should be allowed for competitive bidding process on selection of investors for PPP and non-PPP projects based on investors capabilities. Pan-Asia law firm Dezan Shira & Associates has also highlighted some of the challenges on related funding in Vietnam. Firstly, the disbursement of state funds can be difficult, especially given that overlapping regulations in some legal documents can deter special-purpose entities from receiving investment capital from the government, said the firm. Secondly, dispute settlement may be difficult for given that the process usually goes through Vietnamese courts instead of international arbitration centres. Last, unclear administrative procedures need to be completed before investment and operation. However, the government has already enacted a number of measures to improve the business environment, which is an encouraging sign. In Vietnam, PPP projects currently often refer to infrastructure development such as roads, expressways, bridges, water, electricity, and healthcare, among others. Nguyen Duc Tiep from law firm Minh Tiep in Hanoi said that it would be difficult for the government to attract private investment in such projects. For example, the law currently does not clarify the rights of private investors to the facilities in PPP projects. The lack of a sharp definition is making investors uncertain about their ownership of the facilities, putting them off, Tiep said. What is more, there is no right stipulated for private investors to operate the facilities for profits once they pour their money into PPP-based projects. According to Fitch Solutions, the Law on PPP Investment is set to up infrastructure development in Vietnam. The firm forecasts construction growth to be 6.8 per cent a year on average from 2021 to 2029. According to experts from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), despite significant gains in the last decade, Vietnams infrastructure lags regional peers, such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. The spending required to close the infrastructure gap is significant. Between 2021 and 2030, Vietnam will need an estimated $237 billion for infrastructure to achieve the UNs Sustainable Development Goals. To fund this investment, the Global Infrastructure Hub based in Australia estimates that Vietnam will need to mobilise an estimated $49 billion above what it has historically spent. The government already shoulders 90 per cent of infrastructure spending, and public investment as a proportion of GDP at 8 per cent is relatively high. Therefore, Vietnam cannot afford a large increase in its infrastructure budget. Thus, PPPs can help to address the shortfall, said Don Lambert, principal private sector development specialist at the ADB. Ninh Binh-Nam Dinh-Thai Binh Expressway to be built under PPP The government has given the green light for the development of Ninh Binh-Nam Dinh-Thai Binh Expressway under the public-private partnership format. Lai Chau Airport may be invested in with PPP The Ministry of Transport (MoT) has just sent an official dispatch to the prime minister and Lai Chau People's Committee on the investment in Lai Chau Airport, which is to be constructed under the public-private partnership (PPP) format. PPPs driving small airport investment Vietnam wants to increase investment in domestic airports and establish better infrastructure, but capital will only increase when the institutional conditions are further improved. HONOLULU (AP) Two Native Hawaiian men sentenced to prison for a hate crime in the brutal beating of a white man have agreed to pay more than $25,000 in restitution, according to court documents. A U.S. judge last month sentenced Kaulana Alo-Kaonohi to six and a half years in prison and Levi Aki Jr. to four years and two months in prison. In a case that laid bare multicultural Hawaii's complicated and nuanced race relations, a jury in November found them guilty of a hate crime. Jurors found that they were motivated by Christopher Kunzelmans race when they punched, kicked and used a shovel to beat him in 2014 when he tried to move into their remote fishing village on the island of Maui. His injuries included a concussion, two broken ribs and head trauma. Attorneys for Aki and Alo-Kaonohi say it wasnt Kunzelmans race that provoked them, but his entitled and disrespectful attitude. Kunzelman and his wife had purchased a dilapidated oceanfront home in Kahakuloa village on Maui and planned to move there from Arizona. Kunzelman was trying to fix up the house when the attack happened. A court document filed this week says both men and prosecutors have agreed on $25,413.91 in restitution, to be paid jointly by Aki and Alo-Kaonohi. The amount includes nearly $11,000 in medical costs, $846 for an iPhone and $78.02 for the loss of the roofing shovel used. The men took Kunzelmans phone, which recorded the attack, and threw it in the ocean, prosecutors said. Kunzelman had requested $60,425.53. His wife, Lori Kunzelman, said Wednesday they are not hopeful about receiving money from Aki and Alo-Kaonohi. Well never get anything back, she said. Salina Kanai, an attorney for Alo-Kaonohi, declined to comment. Aki's attorney didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Aki and Alo-Kaonohi won't be expected to begin paying monthly installments until they are released from prison. Both men have started the process for an appeal, asking the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to review the case. Casey Wade Hughes, 25, received a 35-year prison sentence Monday from Judge Susan Kelly in Wacos 54th State District Court following his guilty plea to murder, a first-degree felony, in the April 1, 2019 shooting death of Preston Jerome Scott. Hughes co-defendant, Justice Allen Stanford, pleaded guilty March 28 to murder as a first degree felony before Kelly, and she sentenced him to 30 years in prison. Before his death, Scott had been a local rapper known by the stage name of PJ OneEight. Justice Stanford, and now Casey Hughes, are going to prison for 30 and 35 years, they have waived appeal, and most importantly accepted responsibility for this tragedy, District Attorney Josh Tetens said Monday in a statement. Our office believes no person is above the law and no person is below the law. ... We are thankful these two offenders will be serving long sentences in prison and be off our streets. Defense attorneys for Hughes and Stanford could not be reached Tuesday for comment. Hughes and Stanford had earlier been charged with capital murder in the case. But McLennan County prosecutors and the defendants respective defense attorneys negotiated reduced charges of murder as a first-degree felony. Hughes and Stanford were arrested outside a convenience store in Clinton, Arkansas, late at night Apr. 17, 2019, according to Van Buren County, Arkansas jail records. Scott was found April 1, 2019, near the intersection of Dallas Street and Carver Avenue in Waco with a gunshot wound to his back and was later pronounced dead at Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Center, the Tribune-Herald previously reported. Search warrant affidavits for DNA samples from Hughes and Stanford filed in the case in June 2019 indicated the lead detective believed Scott and another man participated in serving drugs to Stanford shortly before Scott was shot. The other man witnessed Scott get into an SUV with Stanford at University Club Apartments, near the intersection where Scott was found unresponsive, and saw a gun placed to Scotts head from the backseat occupant, the affidavits say. The other man saw the SUV with Stanford and Scott in it drive away and heard at least two gunshots coming from the SUV before it left the apartment complex, the affidavits say. Midway High School senior Shiroz Kazani went beyond her parents instructions to work hard in school. She embodied the Rotary Clubs motto of Service Above Self and was honored as the winner at the Rotary Club of Wacos 43rd annual Youth Citizenship Awards luncheon Tuesday. Shiroz, the daughter of Pakistani immigrants Amin and Nusrat Kazani of Woodway, received the top award, which includes a $4,000 scholarship. My parents always told me growing up, Work hard, get a scholarship, go to college, Shiroz said after the ceremony at the Baylor Club. Nusrat Kazani said she and her husband are very happy for Shiroz. The Rotary Club of Waco recognized 22 students, each nominated by their respective high schools, for the Youth Citizenship Award. All awardees received a plaque. Four other finalists received a $2,000 award. Those runners-up were Rachel Williams of Axtell High, Allison Schneider of Bosqueville High, Braylee Beckham of China Spring High and Thomas Trey Kalka III of Mart High. Service Above Self: 2023 Youth Citizenship Awards Service Above Self22 local high school seniors are being recognized for their volunteerism and service in the 43rd annual Youth Citizenship Awards from Rotary Club of Waco and the Tribune-Herald. The Rotary Clubs Youth Services Fund, which receives contributions from Rotary members, provided funds for the scholarship and covered costs of the luncheon. The Tribune-Herald provided the plaques for each student. Shiroz said her parents modeled their admonition to work hard for her in their study to pass the naturalization test and become U.S. citizens. I remember when I was very young helping my father study for his U.S. citizenship exam, she said. I read him the questions and made sure he got the right answer. Shirozs leadership and initiative to start organizations set her apart from the other nominees, award committee chairperson Deborah Whitley said. She was a founding member of Midways Student Diversity Council and an active volunteer and organizer for two medical charities. She plans to attend the University of Texas at Austin to earn a bachelor of science in nursing and work as a nurse. The summer after my junior year, I got to shadow a surgical team at Hillcrest one morning, Shiroz said. I saw the nurses help the doctors and reassure the patients. The summer after her junior year, Shiroz participated with a number of other high school students in the Careers and Healthcare and Medicine Program, a five-day summer camp for students interested in such careers. When the patients woke up and I saw the nurse there to reassure them that they were okay and tell them where they were, that validated my decision to work in the medical field and to be a nurse, she said. Shiroz organized a fundraiser for the American Childhood Cancer Organization, which raised more than $1,000. I got the students at my high school to wear pajamas the day of the fundraiser because kids who go for cancer treatments wear pajamas to the hospital, Shiroz said. She sold bracelets, headbands and temporary tattoos to her schoolmates to raise the money. In her application essay for the award, Shiroz wrote that money she raised would help to pay for hospital equipment for patients and childhood cancer research across the U.S. In her most recent semester, Shiroz became a committee member with the Alzheimers Association and walked to businesses in downtown Waco with her director to seek donations. Each nominee submitted an application, along with recommendation letters, to the committee. Each member of the awards committee reviewed all the nomination materials for each student and ranked their top 10, RoseMary Mayes Rafuse said. The top 10 distinguished themselves through their hours of service, Whitley said. After each committee member ranked their top 10 off the applications, Whitley computed the top five. Committee members interviewed the five finalists face to face, she said, and then did a final ranking to decide the winner. PHOTOS Youth Citizenship Award nominees 2023 My phone buzzed with a news alert, which happens numerous times throughout the day. This one, at 1:45 p.m. last Monday, was yet another mass shooting. My stomach turned queasy anticipating the details. I knew they would be horrifying they always are. But I feared the worst and as I read on, learning of the unthinkable deaths of three 9-year-old children at a Nashville elementary school, I was sickened, and right. Shaken and absorbed by the tragic news, I looked up from my phone and found myself, of all places, at my sons elementary school. I was there with other parents to watch his grade perform a jazz concert. I looked around at the other moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, smiling, laughing, chatting with each other did they know the news? I hoped not. As we waited for our kiddos to file into the common room and put on their show, I couldnt wait to take my son home after his concert. I needed to hug him, hold him and keep him safe. I got to do that yesterday. The parents of three children in Nashville didnt. I cant imagine their heartache. As parents, its also our job to protect our kids. And the mom in me is frustrated, saddened and terrified as that job becomes harder and harder in the face of so much violence and complacency. The data is conclusive: Mass shootings have surged over the past decade, up from 273 in 2014 to a nauseating 690 in 2021. This year, just a quarter of the way through, we are already at 131. This is appalling. Gun-related deaths by suicide are up. Gun-related deaths by homicide are up. Last year, firearms replaced car accidents as the leading cause of death for children. How are we so willing to accept this menace to society? As a law-abiding gun owner and former NRA member, I will be the first to say what many on the gun-rights side refuse to say: We have a gun problem. This is inarguable and obvious to anyone with a conscience and a calculator. But Im sad to say, the prevailing political factors are not favorable to tackling this issue, a scourge that affects every single American and our declining quality of life. Who could be optimistic that lawmakers will make any significant changes to our gun laws, even changes a majority of Americans want? Things like universal background checks, raising the age minimum to buy an assault weapon, high capacity magazine bans and stronger red flag laws have been a bridge too far. While President Biden is renewing calls for an assault weapon ban, that prospect is pure fantasy. Very few, if any, Republicans will cross the NRA or their voters to support it. And even many Democrats are afraid to go that far, still haunted by the memory of 1994, when the GOP picked up eight Senate seats and 54 House seats in the midterms, just two months after Democrats passed an assault weapon ban. Then you have the phony cartoon conservatives on the far right, who will giddily and gleefully exploit this tragedy to push more of their bigoted culture-war crap. How much hormones like testosterone and medication for mental illness was the transgender Nashville school shooter taking? tweeted Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Everyone can stop blaming guns now. This embarrassing display of mouth-breathing ignorance aside, the rights fetishization of black guns over the past decade has turned assault weapons into political dog whistles and sacred cows, brandished proudly, often incongruously, as proof of their MAGA bona fides. In 2021, Rep. Andy Ogles posted his family Christmas card, with them posing with rifles in front of a Christmas tree, to social media. Ogles Nashville district was the scene of the shooting. Then theres the creep of complacency, which, counterintuitively, seems to grow with every mass shooting, not recede. Take Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett, who told cameras on Monday that were not gonna fix it. My daddy fought in the second World War, fought in the Pacific, fought the Japanese. And he told me, he said, Buddy, if somebody wants to take you out and doesnt mind losing their life, theres not a whole heck of a lot you can do about it. The idea that we just have to live with this is stomach-churning. Its also a deeply sad commentary on the collapse of American values. We can no longer solve problems? Well surrender to the terrorism of mass shooters? Well sacrifice our children on the altar of assault weapons? Theres no life, liberty or the pursuit of happiness for the families of the Nashville shooting, nor the families of tens of thousands of victims of gun violence every year. And the rest of us just have to wait, knowing there will be another and hope its not in our backyard. WAHOO After a three-month search, Saunders County has a new public defender. At the Board of Supervisors March 28 meeting, the board unanimously voted to hire John Heieck as the countys full-time public defender. Heieck, an Omaha native, will take the position long held by Thomas Klein, who left the post after former Gov. Pete Ricketts appointed him to the judgeship of the County Court for the Sixth Judicial District. Board Chairman David Lutton said when the board began its search to fill Kleins role, it was looking for a person who would commit to the public defenders office full time. What we were finding with the applicants was that they either wanted to have outside practice to supplement, Lutton said, or we also had several firms in Fremont that wanted to do it as part of their practice, too. Heiecks application arrived later in the process, from his current office in Nevada. He wanted to get back to Nebraska, Lutton said. We had calls with him and discussions, and he just seemed like a great match for us. I think hell be a great guy. His resume is impressive. Heieck, 43, starts May 1, and he says hes excited to be back in the courtroom and back in Nebraska. When I learned about this position opening up, I thought it was perfect because it allowed me to come back and be closer to where I grew up and be closer to friends and family, Heieck said. But also, I knew there was a need in Saunders County. He said he knew the county board was hoping to find a public defender who would approach the job with their undivided attention. They were looking for someone who would make the office a priority, Heieck said. Im not going to run a private practice on the side. Im making the public defenders office my No. 1 priority. Heiecks career began at Creighton University School of Law, where he studied under the stewardship of noted lawyer and professor R. Collin Mangrum. He was the one who inspired me that the law can be and is a noble profession, Heieck said of Mangrum. He was the one who inspired me to pursue trial and appellate work. He planted the seed. After graduation in the mid 2000s, Heieck took jobs in offices in Lincoln and as the deputy public defender in Adams County, where he served for four years. That was the first time that the human side of his job became tangible. It wasnt really until the public defenders office that you really felt that obligation toward your clients, because you realize that were dealing with peoples liberty here, Heieck said. That point was really driven home in the public defenders office. To that end, Heieck said his philosophy is to treat every client with the same care and attention to detail. In this office, we often encounter people who are facing the biggest challenges of their lives, and theyre not facing very good economic circumstances, Heieck said. So they come to our office in quite a desperate situation. Its always been my attitude that it is our job to serve them the best way that we can. Heieck left Adams County two years ago to take a job in Reno, Nevada, as a clerk a position he had always wanted to tackle for a circuit court judge who was a fellow Creighton Law graduate. That was kind of a sabbatical, if you will, he said. But when this job opened up, it was absolutely perfect, because I was planning on moving back to Nebraska anyway. When he arrives in Wahoo, he plans to structure his office with two attorneys himself and a deputy public defender and two paralegals. Emily Mathews, who was also a candidate for the open position, was appointed interim public defender in December and is expected to return to her role as deputy public defender after Heieck takes over. Its my understanding that (the office) is working fairly well with the exception that they need two attorneys and they need a full-time public defender, Heieck said. Heieck will make $96,000 per year, plus benefits. The public defender position is an appointed position, not an elected position. He said the new job presents an opportunity to return to the courtroom after two years away, as well as the challenge of being in charge of a public defenders office for the first time. Im excited to represent the indigent clientele of Saunders County and do my best to run the office as smoothly as I can, Heieck said. Im really excited about the job. WAVERLY Travelers along Interstate 80 this week may have seen something new and eye-grabbing that pulled them toward the exit. Late last week, a new digital billboard rose on land south of Lincoln Auto Auction, right next to I-80, that has the capability of displaying promotions for Waverly events among commercial advertisements. Lincoln Auto Auction owner Phil Durst is behind the board, a project he put in motion last summer. A representative of Street Media, a Colorado-based outdoor advertising company, reached out to Durst about the potential to locate a digital billboard on his property, within feet of the Interstate. The Nebraska Department of Transportation does not allow billboards to be built within 660 feet of Interstate highways, but a decades-old state law affecting part of Lincoln Auto Auctions property creates a small tract of land that is exempt from Interstate right-of-way regulations. We just kind of lucked out without knowing that this was available, Durst said last August. To make the billboard happen, the Waverly City Council first had to approve a zoning ordinance that allowed for billboards up to 672 square feet to be installed within city limits, as long as they are within 300 feet of Interstate 80. City Administrator Stephanie Fisher said the city would only approve such billboards near the Interstate not along U.S. 6. Durst expressed thanks to Fisher, Building and Zoning Administrator Mike Palm, Mayor Bill Gerdes and the Waverly City Council. They are the people that got this done, Durst said. With the help of Waverly OKing it and being proactive towards business, it just came together. The billboard presents a new revenue source for Durst, but he said hes particularly excited about its potential to lure Interstate drivers into Waverly and east Lincoln. (Street Media Group) gave me some allotted advertising time, which were going to give to the city of Waverly, Durst said. It wont cost the city a quarter. Waverly community organizers will have the chance to advertise their events via the billboard after sending promotions to the city offices for approval. Local businesses interested in advertising on the new board will also be able to inquire at streetmediagroup.com. The billboard will operate on a timer that rotates between up to eight different advertisements per day. Each ad will be displayed about 1,800 times in 24 hours, according to Gary Young of Street Media Group. Durst said the billboard could provide a new signifier to travelers that theyre coming up on Waverly a beacon thats more beneficial to the community than an infamous signal of the past. When people were in Omaha and you were trying to tell them where Waverly was at, you used to have to say, You know where Shakers is at? Durst said. It isnt going to be known that way anymore. Twelve O Clock High and Masters of the Air will come to life at Bomber Camp 2023. Hosted by the Stockton Field Aviation Museum, in Stockton, California, on May 4th and 5th, Bomber Camp offers an immersive World War II living history experience enabling participating cadets to step back in time to train for a bombing mission and then fly it for real. Cadets will experience the sights, sounds, and smells which few others have known, and gain a greater appreciation for the men and women of the Greatest Generation. This years Bomber Camp offers an affordable, one-day program. Cadets will attend classes in the morning, have a GI lunch in the mess tent, fly a bombing mission in the afternoon, and then relax in the Officers Club after the mission debrief. Bomber Camp begins with cadet induction and orientation, followed by classes in aerial gunnery, bombardier training, navigation, and World War II radio operations. Gunnery class introduces cadets to various weapons systems which U.S. Army Air Forces aircrew would have used, especially the famous Browning 0.50-cal. machine gun. The class also includes instruction in how to operate a variety of U.S. bomber turrets (including the famous Sperry ball turret and Martin 250CE top turrets used in B-17s and B-24s, amongst other types) and flexible machine guns, and how to aim them by leading the target and compensating for range. Cadets will then employ what they have learned during a mission on board the Erickson Aircraft Collections Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Ye Ole Pub, where they will drop dummy bombs using the Norden Bomb Sight. Bomber Camp is the only place where you can experience this kind of World War II living history in such an immersive environment. Opportunities for additional flight training and rides in the AT-6 Texan and P-51 Mustang will also be available. For more information about Bomber CampTM 2023 and how you can register for this extraordinary experience, please call +1(209) 982-0273, or visit: www.bombercamp.org CEDAR FALLS On Sunday, April 2, the Cedar Valley Unitarian Universalists were honored to ordain Emma L. Peterson. The Ordination ceremony was attended by congregation members and friends, Pastor Emmas family, and numerous other local pastors and UU ministers from across the Midwest and U.S. Pastor Emma Peterson has been the minister at the CVUU since August 2018 and became the full-time, settled minister the summer of 2020. For several years, Pastor Emma has been working to complete the Unitarian Universalist fellowship process so she could become a fully ordained UU minister. Last fall, Pastor Emma completed her requirements for the fellowshipping process, and she has been granted Preliminary Fellowship status by the Unitarian Universalist Association. On Sunday, Emma L. Peterson was ordained as Reverend Peterson. Pastor Emma received her Master of Divinity degree from Yale, and arrived at her ministry at the CVUU through a non-traditional path, having completed training and work as a hospital chaplain. WATERLOO One person has been arrested for allegedly vandalizing a historic downtown apartment building Tuesday afternoon. Waterloo police arrested Jaden Carl Henson, 18, for second-degree criminal mischief, a felony. Bond was set at $5,000. Authorities allege Henson spray painted a maintenance room at Hotel President, 500 Sycamore St., and other locations around the historic building and the roof. Staff at the building allegedly found him huffing paint in a ninth-floor utility room, and he ran off. Damage was estimated at more than $1,500. When police detained Henson and placed him in handcuffs, they noticed he had spray paint on his hands, according to court records. He allegedly told police he spray painted the walls to let out anger. The building was constructed in 1929 as a nine-story luxury hotel and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017. it is currently operated as senior housing. Photos: Hotel President renovations 2016 092314file-President-Hotel-1968 092116bp-hotel-president-2 092116bp-hotel-president-4 092116bp-hotel-president-3 092116bp-hotel-president-1 WATERLOO A former Waterloo Schools teacher must pay a penalty after leaving their job. The Waterloo school board held a closed special session March 22 to discuss a private termination hearing. Superintendent Jared Smith recommended that a secondary content teacher at Expo High School be terminated after abandoning her job midyear and resigning while still under a contract. The board also approved a monetary penalty. It was not released how much money the former teacher must pay. The motion carried on a 3-2 vote. Board members Jesse Knight, Janelle Ewing and Sue Flynn voted for it and Endya Johnson and Stacie Mills voted against it. This morning's top headlines: Trump arrest; high-stakes elections; UConn's title WATERLOO A new coffee shop proposed in Waterloo won approval Monday night despite complaints about the potential for disruption in the area of Kimball and Ridgeway avenues. The City Council unanimously approved a request by Levi Architecture to build a new 2,200-square-foot Starbucks located north of 115 E. Ridgeway Ave. in the old Schoitz Memorial Hospital lot. At a Planning and Zoning meeting March 14 to discuss the proposal, a representative from MercyOne Kimball Family Medicine & Pediatrics spoke about a potential issue with Starbucks drive-thru lane, which would butt up against the southern part of the building. Corey Lorenzen, the lawyer representing the developer, said following that meeting the dispute was resolved, and MercyOne has no objections. But other parking concerns arose at the meeting Monday night. Starbucks has been notorious for submitting traffic studies and then it ends up being a cluster mess, one resident said. (At the Crossroads location) the drive is short. It spills into the road. I can see this messing around traffic at West High. Community Planning and Development Director Noel Anderson said a traffic study wasnt conducted, but an analysis was conducted by a traffic engineer. We redid the Kimball Avenue corridor a couple years ago and designed it to take on more traffic at that intersection, he said. As part of the platting process of the lots, they require interconnectivity in the site to alleviate and spread out traffic. In the same lot there is already a Scooters Coffee, and there eventually will be a Kwik Star. Lorenzen said Starbucks plans to accommodate up to 15 cars in the drive-thru lane. Concerns also were raised by the public about the number of coffee shops in the area. Coffee shops seem to be very busy, resident David Drier said. Having three in the same location seems to aggravate the situation on Kimball. This seems a little bit much. Along with Scooters and Starbucks on the same lot, Cabin Coffee Co. is located across Kimball Avenue. Kwik Star typically offers coffee to go, as well. Ive had people tell me we dont need a fourth coffee shop, Councilmember Dave Boesen said, noting Starbucks knows the location will bring in profit. People who go to Starbucks are going to go to Starbucks. Scooters fans are going to go to Scooters. Councilmember John Chiles seconded Boesen, saying another coffee shop will make the area thrive. More businesses will bring more people, Chiles said. New people will come to that area. I think itll increase the population of people over there and then learn whats around them. It will jumpstart the area. Although the request was approved unanimously, some councilmembers said they would like to see development in other parts of the city. There are a lot of coffee shops in my ward, but I would hope that were looking (elsewhere), Ward 2 Councilmember Jonathan Grieder said. Theres no commercial coffee shops north of the river. My ask would be that we look at these in the future. Ward 4 Councilmember Belinda Creighton-Smith said her ward has nothing. I dont know if we can do something to motivate developers to consider Starbucks or Scooters, she said. The disparity and lopsidedness is bothersome to our constituents. Mayor Quentin Hart mentioned the city is looking to add a coffee shop in the new Logan Plaza. Weve been very close to having a known coffee shop in the area, he said. We werent able to do that, but were taking all the right steps to make it a reality. Hart said within two years there will be a coffee shop in the area. PHOTOS: Mason City girls' soccer vs. Waterloo West 040323 040423-spt-mc-west-soccer-5 040423-spt-mc-west-soccer-6 040423-spt-mc-west-soccer-7 040423-spt-mc-west-west-1 040423-spt-mc-west-west-2 040423-spt-mc-west-soccer-4 040423-spt-mc-west-soccer-2 040423-spt-mc-west-soccer-3 040423-spt-mc-west-soccer-1 WATERLOOHawkeye Community College will host Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Art Cullen for a talk at 11 a.m. Monday in Tama Hall on Hawkeyes main campus at 1501 E. Orange Road. The event is free and open to the public. Cullen is the editor of The Storm Lake Times, a family-run weekly newspaper in Storm Lake, and author of the book Storm Lake: A Chronicle of Change, Resilience and Hope from a Heartland Newspaper. He rose to national prominence in 2017 when he won the Pulitzer Prize for a series of editorials on agriculture and surface water pollution. Later that evening at 6 p.m., Hawkeye will host a screening of the documentary film Storm Lake, also in Tama Hall. In the movie, Cullen and his family fight to unite and inform their rural Iowan farming community through the newspaper as the paper hangs on by a thread. General admission for the film screening is $10 and can be purchased online at hawkeyecollege.edu/artist-series. Over 78 veterans returned to hundreds of community members clapping and cheering inside the Quad Cities International Airport after participating in an honor flight to Washington D.C. on Tuesday. NEW YORK (AP) For the first time in history, a former U.S. president has appeared in court as a criminal defendant. Donald Trump surrendered to authorities Tuesday after being indicted by a New York grand jury on charges related to hush-money payments at the height of the 2016 presidential election. Trump, a 2024 presidential candidate, pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges in a Manhattan courtroom. Heres what to know about Trumps day in court: Hush-money payments related to 2016 election Prosecutors unsealed the indictment against the former president Tuesday, giving Trump, his lawyers and the world their first opportunity to see them. Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Prosecutors said Trump conspired to undermine the 2016 presidential election by trying to suppress information that could harm his candidacy, and then concealing the true nature of the hush-money payments. The payments were made to two women including a porn actor who claimed they had sexual encounters with him years earlier, and to a doorman at Trump Tower who claimed to have a story about a child Trump fathered out of wedlock, according to the Manhattan district attorney's office. Donald J. Trump, defendant Trump was only seen briefly outside the district attorneys office, where he surrendered to authorities and was booked and fingerprinted behind closed doors. Trumps mugshot was not taken, according to two law enforcement officials who could not publicly discuss details of the process and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. As the former president entered the courtroom, he briefly looked at a huddle of news cameras but did not stop to speak to reporters. Inside the courtroom, Trump sat at the defense table with his hands in his lap and his lawyers at his side. He looked right at photojournalists who were briefly allowed into the courtroom as they snapped his photo. During the rest of the proceeding, he stayed still with his hands together and looked straight ahead. Trump only spoke briefly in court, telling the judge he was pleading not guilty and had been advised of his rights. The judge warned Trump that he could be removed from the courtroom if he was disruptive. Trump made no comment when he left court just under an hour later. Trumps lawyer Todd Blanche said during the hearing that Trump is absolutely frustrated, upset and believes that there is a great injustice happening in the courtroom. Trump's response outside court Before he appeared in court, Trump made posts on his social media network complaining that the heavily Democratic area was a VERY UNFAIR VENUE and THIS IS NOT WHAT AMERICA WAS SUPPOSED TO BE! As his motorcade carried him across Manhattan, he posted that the experience was SURREAL. The Republican has portrayed the Manhattan case and three separate investigations from the Justice Department and prosecutors in Georgia, as politically motivated. In recent weeks, he has lashed out at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, called on his supports to protest and warned about potential death and destruction if he were charged. Trump plans to fly back to his home, Mar-a-Lago, in Florida on Tuesday night to make remarks. Bragg speaks briefly Bragg, speaking publicly for the first time since the indictment last week, held a brief news conference after the court proceedings in which he said the hush-money scheme constituted felony crimes in New York stateno matter who you are. We cannot and will not normalize serious criminal conduct, Bragg said. The Democratic prosecutor said accurate and true business records are important everywhere, but especially in Manhattan, because it's the financial center of the world. Bragg was asked at the news conference why he was bringing the case now and if the timing was political. The district attorney said his office had additional evidence that his predecessor did not. I bring cases when theyre ready, he said. Warnings and potential consequences The judge on Tuesday did not impose a gag order but warned Trump to avoid making comments that were inflammatory or could cause civil unrest. If convicted of any one of the 34 felony charges, Trump could face a maximum of four years in prison, but he'd likely be sentenced to less. Trial while campaigning for presidency Trump is due back in court in December, but his lawyers asked that he be excused from attending that hearing in person because of the extraordinary security required to have him show up. Prosecutors asked the judge to set a trial for January weeks before the first votes will be cast in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. Trump's lawyers asked that it be pushed to the spring. The judge did not immediately set a date. Your browser does not support the iframe HTML tag. Try viewing this in a modern browser like Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Internet Explorer 9 or later. Mixed political impacts Though he faces a swirl of legal challenges, Trump is running for president again and has sought to use the charges and other investigations to galvanize his supporters. Most of the Republicans also running or eyeing campaigns have released statements supportive of Trump while slamming the investigations of him as politically motivated. Many Democratic elected officials have said little about the New York indictment, including President Joe Biden. Trumps legal troubles are only expected to bolster Democratic voters' opposition to him, but its unclear whether some Republicans and independent voters will see the legal problems as too much baggage. A New York circus A crowd of Trump supporters, thronged by journalists, gathered Tuesday outside the Manhattan courthouse. Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and George Santos of New York, who is facing multiple investigations over lies he told while running for office, were swarmed by cameras and reporters when they arrived and spoke mid-morning. A band of anti-Trump protesters appeared with a large banner saying, Trump Lies All the Time. ___ This story has been updated to correct that no trial date has been set but prosecutors asked for it to start in January. Associated Press reporters Michael Balsamo and Colleen Long in Washington contributed to this report. Photos: Donald Trump's arraignment One of Iowas largest nursing home chains is facing another wrongful death lawsuit. It is at least the fifth wrongful-death case that Care Initiatives of West Des Moines has faced in the past two years. Janice McCleary, executor of the estate of Alice Ward, is suing Care Initiatives and one of its 43 nursing homes, Wapello Specialty Care, for unspecified damages. She alleges the company violated numerous regulations, laws, rights and industry standards, causing injury and the eventual death of Alice Ward. According to the lawsuit, Ward was admitted to Wapello Specialty Care on June 25, 2021, and had a history of confusion and elopement and was deemed to be a very high risk for falls. On Feb. 21, 2022, she allegedly wandered out of the building fell about 30 feet from the exit door, resulting in a neck fracture and a laceration to her forehead that required 14 stitches. She died five days later as a result of the fall, the lawsuit alleges. She was 87 years old. The lawsuit alleges Care Initiatives failed to ensure proper medical attention was provided; failed to provide appropriate care and staffing; failed to assure urgent access to hospital; failed to provide appropriate transfers; and failed to abide by all relevant state and federal regulations. The company is also accused of false advertising, negligently hiring and retaining personnel, and inadequate training of staff. The lawsuit also claims the company breached its contract with Alice Ward by failing to provide the agreed-upon care and housing along with a 24-hour program of care that would meet Wards needs. Care Initiatives has yet to file a response to the lawsuit. Company officials were not available for comment Monday. Prior to her death, Ward worked as a bookkeeper at the YWCA/YMCA in Muscatine for 25 years and was a member of the Wesley United Methodist Church in Muscatine. She enjoyed playing bridge was known for her cooking and baking especially her Christmas cookies and candies. The Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals cited the Wapello home for Wards death in 2022, and proposed a $10,000 fine in the case. The state fine was held in suspension and a federal fine of $23,485 was later imposed. In November 2022, eight months after Wards death, DIA cited the Wapello home for 14 federal violations, including failure to develop and implement comprehensive care plans; failure to meet professional standards; failure to deliver quality care; failure to treat or prevent pressure sores; failure to maintain sufficient, competent staff; and failure to meet infection control standards. No fines were imposed at that time. Care Initiatives is currently a defendant in a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the estate of James Asmus, who resided at Southern Hills Specialty Care in Osceola until his death in December 2018. Prior to his death, Asmus allegedly contracted gangrene of the testicles at Southern Hills, which resulted in the staff of the Clarke County Hospital filing a complaint of dependent-adult abuse with the state. A jury trial is scheduled for Sept. 25. Another wrongful death case against Care Initiatives was settled out of court in January. That case involved the death of at Marian Finnell at Atlantic Specialty Care. In December, a wrongful death claim filed by the estate of Margeurite Webster against Northern Mahaska Specialty Care in Oskaloosa and Care Initiatives was ordered by the court to go to arbitration. Last May, a wrongful death claim against Parkridge Specialty Care in Pleasant Hill and Care Initiatives over the death of Josephine Moorman was dismissed with no indication of whether a settlement was reached. Recently, another Care Initiatives home, Fonda Specialty Care, was fined $6,500 by the state for failing to suction the airway of 87-year-old Marvin Pete Jacobs, who allegedly suffocated while employees of the home stood by. The most and least lucrative college majors in Iowa The most and least lucrative college majors in Iowa DES MOINES A single mother, Iowans with disabilities and those who care for children with autism pleaded with Iowa lawmakers to not vote for a bill they said will lead to children and vulnerable Iowans losing access to health care or food assistance. Eating is not a necessity, it is a must in order to live, Briana Jenkins told lawmakers during a public hearing Tuesday on Senate File 494, which would alter eligibility requirements for low-income Iowans to qualify for food and health care assistance. The bill, passed by the Iowa Senate last month, is now eligible for debate and vote by the full House. Jenkins is a single mother from Ankeny and said the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program allows her to buy expensive baby formula for her infant daughter. The new changes would have a huge affect on myself, and so many of us would not be able to qualify for services, she said. Meanwhile, small business owners, pastors and a taxpayer relief group said requiring Iowans who are receiving public assistance benefits to undergo more rigorous eligibility verification reviews would bolster program efficiency, prevent fraud and force low-income Iowans to become more self-sufficient. Jerry Akers, who owns and operates hair styling salons in northeast Iowa, said Iowa has a workforce shortage and one reason is people would rather stay on public assistance than work. Lets be clear, Im a firm proponent on providing a hand up, but not a handout, when it comes to welfare, Akers said. I truly believe when people are suffering, we need to find a way to get them over the hurdles that they are facing so they can get back on their feet. However, far too many use welfare as a crutch, allowing them to not work. Andres Reyes, a pastor at First Baptist Church in Perry, said the bill would reignite a culture of personal accountability" and force people to become self-sufficient, improving society. Holding others accountable creates checks and balances for restraining assistance from those who are milking the system and adding nothing to it, while rewarding those working to build it, Reyes said. Holding others accountable produces equability. Former Iowa House Majority Leader Chris Hagenow, now a leader of Iowans for Tax Relief, said Iowans need to be good stewards of tax dollars and that the bill would help ensure only those who truly need public assistance the most receive benefits. ASSET TESTS Dozens of Iowa organizations registered in opposition to the bill including nurses, pediatricians, social workers and child and disability advocates say the measure would raise barriers for low-income Iowans to qualify for food and health care assistance and result in thousands of Iowans being taken off Medicaid and food assistance programs. The groups pointed to a projection from the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency that predicts the bill will remove thousands of Iowans from the programs due to discrepancies. Iowans receiving public assistance benefits would face new "asset tests" and regular checks to determine their eligibility for programs under the bill passed by the Senate. The bill would limit households seeking food assistance to a maximum of $15,000 in liquid assets and personal property. The applicants home, a first car of any value, and a second car worth up to $10,000 would not be included in that calculation. The Senate bill also specifies recipients of public assistance would have 10 days to respond to discrepancies in their asset and income checks or risk losing their assistance. Nearly 50,000 Arkansas residents lost their insurance in 2015 because they failed to respond in time under a 10-day deadline to provide documents verifying their income, despite the fact that many were eligible for help. Iowa now requires recipients to meet an income threshold but does not restrict assets. Republicans say the asset tests will prevent fraud and abuse, eventually saving the state more than $8 million annually. Opponents argue the proposal will cause the loss of tens of millions in federal funding meaning Iowans would continue to pay federal taxes but no longer see those tax dollars returning to the state to benefit Iowa families in need of assistance. MEDICAID Monica Janelle, a mother from Ankeny with two children who have autism, said the bill would disqualify her sons from Medicaid waiver programs for people with intellectual disabilities as it would include retirement and college savings accounts as countable assets. She said her sons were just approved last month for the Medicaid waiver which provides job training, transportation and other services after eight years of being on a waitlist. Janelle said the bill imposes harsh and unnecessary restrictions on families, cuts services to those with disabilities and it does the opposite of what the Medicaid waiver is intended to do. Iowa food banks and hunger assistance programs testified that Iowans already have difficulties accessing government food assistance, with SNAP participation at a 14-year low, while food banks and pantries are reporting record-high numbers of Iowans seeking help. They warned the bill would push more Iowans into poverty by making it more difficult for Iowans many of them children, people with disabilities and elderly to qualify for assistance. They also noted Pennsylvania in 2015 ditched its asset test for SNAP after a three-year pilot program that saw administrative costs outweigh reductions in spending. And children's advocates argue the bill would result in thousands of Iowa children losing access to health care or food assistance. More than half of SNAP recipients are families with children. The Legislative Services Agency estimates 600 on the Childrens Health Insurance Program would lose benefits. FRAUD RARE Opponents also noted there is little fraud in Iowas SNAP (food assistance) and Medicaid programs. For SNAP benefits, Iowa disqualified 195 out of 278,800 recipients for fraud during the 2022 fiscal year, according to latest Fraud in Public Assistance Programs Report from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. Iowas Medicaid Fraud Control Unit reported 235 open fraud causes, according to its latest fiscal year report. Of those, 187 were multistate civil cases and 48 were in-state civil fraud cases. More than 886,000 people are enrolled in Iowas Medicaid program. SHOW COMPASSION Tara Kramer, a former SNAP recipient who lives in federal subsidized housing in Des Moines, said she still experiences food insecurity despite a cost-of-living adjustment in her Social Security disability benefits that made her ineligible for food assistance. Kramer read a letter from her neighbor, a veteran who gets $23 a month through SNAP who was unable to attend the hearing because he is undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. I am asking everyone here today to please show your compassion for the elderly, disabled, children and veterans and vote no, Kramer read from the letter. THE HAGUE, Netherlands An international arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin raises the prospect of the man whose country invaded Ukraine facing justice, but it complicates efforts to end that war in peace talks. Both justice and peace appear to be only remote possibilities today, and the conflicting relationship between the two is a quandary at the heart of a March 17 decision by the International Criminal Court to seek the Russian leader's arrest. Judges in The Hague found "reasonable grounds to believe" that Putin and his commissioner for children's rights were responsible for war crimes, specifically the unlawful deportation and unlawful transfer of children from occupied areas of Ukraine to Russia. As unlikely as Putin sitting in a Hague courtroom seems now, other leaders have faced justice in international courts. Former Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic, a driving force behind the Balkan wars of the 1990s, went on trial for war crimes, including genocide, at a United Nations tribunal in The Hague after he lost power. He died in his cell in 2006 before a verdict could be reached. Serbia, which wants European Union membership but has maintained close ties to Russia, is one of the countries that has criticized the ICC's action. The warrants "will have bad political consequences" and create "a great reluctance to talk about peace (and) about truce" in Ukraine, populist Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said. Others see consequences for Putin, and for anyone judged guilty of war crimes, as the primary desired outcome of international action. "There will be no escape for the perpetrator and his henchmen," European Union leader Ursula von der Leyen said Friday in a speech to mark the one-year anniversary of the liberation of Bucha, the Ukraine town that saw some of the worst atrocities in the war. "War criminals will be held accountable for their deeds." Hungary did not join the other 26 EU members in signing a resolution in support of the ICC warrant for Putin. The government's chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas, said Hungarian authorities would not arrest Putin if he were to enter the country. He called the warrants "not the most fortunate because they lead toward escalation and not toward peace." Putin appears to have a strong grip on power, and some analysts suspect the the warrant hanging over him could provide an incentive to prolong the fighting. "The arrest warrant for Putin might undermine efforts to reach a peace deal in Ukraine," Daniel Krcmaric, an associate professor of political science at Northwestern University, said in emailed comments to The Associated Press. One potential way of easing the way to peace talks could be for the United Nations Security Council to call on the International Criminal Court to suspend the Ukraine investigation for a year, which is allowed under Article 16 of the Rome Statute treaty that created the court. But that appears unlikely, said Krcmaric, whose book "The Justice Dilemma," deals with the tension between seeking justice and pursuing a negotiated end to conflicts. "The Western democracies would have to worry about public opinion costs if they made the morally questionable decision to trade justice for peace in such an explicit fashion," he said, adding that Ukraine also is unlikely to support such a move. Russia immediately rejected the warrants. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow doesn't recognize the ICC and considers its decisions "legally void." And Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia's Security Council, which is chaired by Putin, suggested the ICC headquarters on the Netherlands' coastline could become a target for a Russian missile strike. Alexander Baunov, an analyst with the Carnegie Endowment, observed in a commentary that the arrest warrant for Putin amounted to "an invitation to the Russian elite to abandon Putin" that could erode his support. While welcoming the warrants for Putin and his commissioner for children's rights, rights groups also urged the international community not to forget the pursuit of justice in other conflicts. "The ICC warrant for Putin reflects an evolving and multifaceted justice effort that is needed elsewhere in the world," Human Rights Watch associate international justice director Balkees Jarrah said in a statement. "Similar justice initiatives are needed elsewhere to ensure that the rights of victims globally whether in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Myanmar, or Palestine are respected." In liberated Ukraine city, civilians still pay price of war Waterloo residents should expect temperatures in the 40s. The forecast calls for it to be a cool 46 degrees. Today's forecasted low temperature is 28 degrees. Expect periods of sun and clouds. Waterloo could see periods of brisk winds today, with forecast models showing 24 mph wind conditions coming up from the West. Special National Weather Service Alert: Severe Thunderstorm Watch until WED 1:00 AM CDT. This report is created automatically with weather data provided by TownNews.com. Keep an eye on wcfcourier.com for forecast information and severe weather updates. Weather Alert .Near record high temperatures Thursday through Sunday will bring significant streamflow rises, especially for snow covered terrain below about 8000 feet. Rises will likely increase daily through the weekend following a diurnal melt cycle with the highest flows often in the evenings and overnight. ...FLOOD WATCH FOR SNOWMELT IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY MORNING... * WHAT...Flooding caused by snowmelt is possible. * WHERE...Portions of California and western Nevada, including the following areas, in California, Greater Lake Tahoe Area, Lassen-Eastern Plumas-Eastern Sierra Counties, Mono County and Surprise Valley California. In western Nevada, Greater Lake Tahoe Area, Greater Reno-Carson City-Minden Area and Mineral and Southern Lyon Counties. * WHEN...From Thursday afternoon through Monday morning. * IMPACTS...Creeks and streams will be running high and fast. Low-water crossings may be flooded. Minor mainstem flooding is currently forecast along the Forks of the Carson River beginning late Friday. The Susan and Walker Rivers will also need to be closely monitored as flooding cannot be ruled out. Anyone participating in outdoor recreation this weekend should use caution as water will be running high, fast, and potentially out of banks for some creeks and streams. The water will be extremely cold as well, quickly causing shock. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop. && Bullabulling Exploration Update Perth, April 5, 2023 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Belararox Limited ( ASX:BRX ), an advanced mineral explorer focused on high value clean energy metals, has identified potential LCT mineralisation on its Bullabulling tenements, which are also considered highly prospective for gold. Managing Director, Arvind Misra, commented: The commencement of exploration at Bullabulling is an exciting development in the pipeline of activities for Belararox and represents a real opportunity in a highly prospective LCT pegmatite district in WA. Detailed exploration has commenced, and we aim to update the market as activities progress. Background Belararox Limited ( ASX:BRX ) owns the Bullabulling Project which comprises 26 tenements covering 50km2 to the west of Coolgardie in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. The company is pleased to announce it is assessing these tenements for the potential of LCT pegmatites. All of the tenements are wholly owned by Belararox. Refer to Figure 2* for location details of the project and refer to Figure 3* for the regional location of the project with project lithium mineral resources. Within a 185km radius of Coolgardie over 347 million tonnes of lithium mineral resources have been estimated by a number of ASX listed companies. Given the prolific lithium-bearing nature of the district, the group of explorers hunting for lithium is growing, with many switching their focus to battery metals. Nearby Exploration Success On 20 March 2023 just 11.5km to the east of Belararox's eastern tenement boundary, explorer ASX-listed Future Battery Minerals ( ASX:FNM ) [formerly Auroch Minerals ( ASX:AOU )] announced it had intercepted 29m @ 1.36% Li2O from 38m downhole in a 14-hole Phase 1 reverse circulation (RC) drilling program. The relative location of the significant intercept and its distance from the Bullabulling tenement package is presented in Figure 4*. Future Battery Minerals' cumulative RC drilling of 3,440m was its first lithium-focused drilling campaign at what was traditionally its advanced Nepean nickel project. The switch of its focus to lithium was inspired after the reassaying of pegmatite intercepts from an earlier RC drill program designed to test a subsurface geophysical anomaly for nickel sulphide mineralisation. Regional Geology The region features NNW-SSE trending greenstone belts as can be seen in Figure 5*. Typically, the Yilgarn Craton, Greenstone belts are fertile for LCT pegmatites and are explored as structurally controlled domains in which pegmatites have been injected. *To view tables and figures, please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/74JE458M About Belararox Limited Belararox Limited (ASX:BRX) is a mineral explorer focused on securing and developing resources to meet the surge in demand from the technology, battery and renewable energy markets. Our projects currently include the potential for zinc, copper, gold, silver, nickel and lead resources. Clarification Announcement Perth, April 5, 2023 AEST (ABN Newswire) - BPH Energy Limited ( ASX:BPH ) refers to an article which was published in the Australian Financial Review on 5 April 2023 titled, "Gas explorer presses PEP11 case to NSW" (the Article) in relation to the Company's PEP11 Project. Cost Estimate BPH refers to the Cost Estimate as set out in the article. The Company withdraws the Cost Estimate statement and investors should not rely on the Cost Estimate for any investment decision concerning the Company. About BPH Energy Limited BPH Energy Limited (ASX:BPH) is an Australian Securities Exchange listed company developing biomedical research and technologies within Australian Universities and Hospital Institutes. The company provides early stage funding, project management and commercialisation strategies for a direct collaboration, a spin out company or to secure a license. BPH provides funding for commercial strategies for proof of concept, research and product development, whilst the institutional partner provides infrastructure and the core scientific expertise. BPH currently partners with several academic institutions including The Harry Perkins Institute for Medical Research and Swinburne University of Technology (SUT). Watch merger raise electricity prices MISTER, A large publicly held company comes to New Mexico and buys many local car wash locations, including Octopus, and the price of a car wash, eventually, went (up significantly). If Avangrid buys PNM for millions greater than its present value, what do you think will happen to the price of electricity? It sure wont go down. Think hard about it. Denny McSweeney, Corrales Iberdrola, Avangrid good to our state REGARDING UNRAVELING the Avangrid-PNM quagmire, March 12 Journal, readers may be interested to know that in October 2000, Avangrids parent company, Iberdrola, contributed the funding for UNMs King Felipe VI Endowed Chair in Information Science and related technologies with the support of Spains Ministry of Science and Technology. This endowed chair was one of my initiatives when I served as U.S. Ambassador to Spain and Andorra from 1998 to 2001. I invite your readers to visit UNMs website to learn more about this concrete example of Iberdrolas philanthropy and its exemplary corporate citizenship. Moreover, through its Avangrid subsidiary, Iberdrola has been a major developer in New Mexicos renewable energy sector for several years. For example, in 2020 Avangrid completed the 306 MW La Joya Wind Farm in Torrance County. In 2015, it developed the 298 MW El Cabo Wind Farm, also in Torrance County. This month, Avangrid announced the purchase of $30 million in solar trackers from Albuquerque-based Array Technologies. In sum, Iberdrola and Avangrid have a positive and very promising track record in New Mexico. Edward L. Romero, Albuquerque How will nuke waste move safely? CONCERNING THE article about Holtec in the Journal March 22: How will the containers of nuclear waste get to the Holtec facility in southern New Mexico? We are all aware our highways, bridges and roads are in awful condition. Are the railroads running through New Mexico and the West in any better condition than Ohios railroads? Is Holtec willing and able to spend the hundreds of billions of dollars it will take to upgrade our roads and railroads to make them safe for transporting tons of spent fuel from commercial nuclear power plants around the country? And how about a $10 billion deposit to pay the cost of cleaning up escaped nuclear waste, should that occur? Dr. Lynne Uhring, Albuquerque Colorado anglers get the short stick N.M. LAWMAKERS passed a bill that doubles the free fishing days for people without a fishing license. A great bill, but the N.M. Game and Fish department should give free fishing licenses to Colorado residents who paid for N.M. fishing licenses but were denied the privilege of fishing because Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham banned all Colorado residents fishing privileges during the COVID pandemic. If you were a New Mexico resident you could fish the San Juan River during the pandemic. I do not believe (the governor) can let New Mexicans fish but yet ban Colorado residents from fishing because federal dollars were used in building both parking lots, boat ramps, picnic areas, etc. Gov. Lujan Grisham should allow Game and Fish to give free fishing licenses to Colorado fishing guides who make a living but were denied the right to fish the Quality Waters of the San Juan during COVID . Michael Chirigos, Albuquerque Iron Man has been replaced by a different franchise at the corner of Fourth and Lomas NW in Downtown Albuquerque. Bumblebee one of the Autobots from the Transformers series was installed Tuesday afternoon after the Iron Man statue previously at that site was mowed down by a truck earlier this year. In the movies, Bumblebee is a Chevrolet Camaro, but this 14-foot scrap metal homage comes from Honda parts, said Sunwest Silver Co. spokesman Esteban Duran, a self-described master multitasker for the jewelry shop. Duran said the Bumblee statue came from the same company as the previous Iron Man statue. In addition to the new Bumblebee statue, there is also a roughly 8-foot statue of a gorilla made out of an estimated 60,000 spark plugs, Duran said. Inside there is a smaller Iron Man statue that was also installed Tuesday. Duran said jewelry store owner Ernie Montoya buys them so he can entertain the general public, especially children. We have tons of parents who come into the parking lot specifically to have their kids spend time with the sculptures because the kids are so excited about them, Duran said. And thats why he does it. Hes a kid inside like we all are, you know? The original Iron Man statue met his match when he was toppled by a Dodge Dakota navigating Downtown Albuquerque end of February. Iron Man was memorialized with a descanso shortly after the incident took place. It is still unknown whether the original Iron Man can be returned to his post as the shop awaits news for insurance and repair costs, according to Duran. A screenshot of one of dozens of Twitter exchanges involving Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. (Twitter) A screenshot of one of dozens of Twitter exchanges involving Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. (Twitter) A screenshot of one of dozens of Twitter exchanges involving Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. (Twitter) A screenshot of one of dozens of Twitter exchanges involving Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. (Twitter) A screenshot of one of dozens of Twitter exchanges involving Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. (Twitter) A screenshot of one of dozens of Twitter exchanges involving Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. (Twitter) A screenshot of one of dozens of Twitter exchanges involving Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. (Twitter) A screenshot of one of dozens of Twitter exchanges involving Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. (Twitter) A screenshot of one of dozens of Twitter exchanges involving Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. (Twitter) A screenshot of one of dozens of Twitter exchanges involving Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. (Twitter) A screenshot of one of dozens of Twitter exchanges involving Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. (Twitter) A screenshot of one of dozens of Twitter exchanges involving Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. (Twitter) A screenshot of one of dozens of Twitter exchanges involving Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. (Twitter) A screenshot of one of dozens of Twitter exchanges involving Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. (Twitter) A screenshot of one of dozens of Twitter exchanges involving Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. (Twitter) A screenshot of one of dozens of Twitter exchanges involving Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. (Twitter) A screenshot of one of dozens of Twitter exchanges involving Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. (Twitter) Prev 1 of 19 Next City councilors are demanding the Albuquerque Police Department change how it interacts on social media, with one councilor calling a department spokesmans online behavior beneath the dignity of the city and threatening to eliminate his job. APD Chief Harold Medina now says the department will take a different approach when responding to criticism over social media. Multiple councilors on Monday voiced concerns about APDs public information officer Twitter account run by spokesman Gilbert Gallegos, @APD_PIO, and his snide responses to members of the public. Gallegos declined an interview Tuesday. Councilor Klarissa Pena asked APD officials and Mayor Tim Kellers administration to look into Gallegos tweets and the citys social media policy. Even when citizens criticize city government, she argued that responses should remain respectful. I think, in the words of Michelle Obama, When they go low, we go high. I really think we should do that as a city, said Pena, who noted that, as a councilor, she has fielded her share of tough or even mean feedback but tries to keep things civil. An exasperated Council President Pat Davis said councilors have already and repeatedly complained to city administrators about the account but seen little change. Davis said the public is allowed to disagree with city government, but the city should never make things more contentious. Let me make this clear: I will work personally to defund that position, to defund that account and to prohibit the city from using Twitter in that way if we continue to not solve this problem, Davis said while questioning Chief Medina during the meeting. We are not going to pick a fight with people online on social media. We are not QAnon trolls, but we are participating in it and we are encouraging it and we are elevating all of those by responding to it. It is beneath the dignity of you and this department and everything youre working on. The tweets The Twitter account began attracting attention last year. Sometimes @APD_PIO appeared playful if not a tad demeaning toward critics, like tweeting when you file a complaint, do you file as @abqscanner or a real person? When a Twitter user once asked @APD_PIO about the going rate for cyber bullying and hiding behind the public keyboard? police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos responded six figures and #RecallGilbertGallegos. Gallegos makes about $120,000 annually. But some tweets have been criticized as insensitive. That includes when someone tweeted about the APD SWAT fire that murdered Brett Rosenau, referencing the death of a 14-year-old boy inside a house fire sparked by officers. Didnt know a fire can murder someone, Gallegos responded. Some of Gallegos tweets have drawn intense scrutiny from other Twitter users, with dozens blasting his comments and questioning if it is a parody account. Between the snarky and brash comments, the account would also respond to community questions about ongoing police activity and give context following criticism on particular incidents. Even then, critics have emerged. Gallegos tweeted to explain that a heavy police presence shutting down traffic was due to a fatal motorcycle crash. One user responded, Thanks for your dismal attempt at transparency. We try, Gallegos responded. It needs to change During Mondays meeting, Councilor Renee Grout specifically cited a March Twitter exchange involving the APD PIO account and Doug Peterson, a prominent local businessman and vocal Keller critic. Peterson described recent APD crime data showing that property and violent crime are declining as an absolute joke, alleging the numbers instead reflect a poor city crime response that has conditioned people not to report it. Gallegos responded How is crime in Tanoan? referencing a high-end gated community in Albuquerque. Grout called the response unacceptable. I wouldnt put up with it in my business. It needs to change, she told city Chief Administrative Officer Lawrence Rael. Rael described Gallegos as a dedicated public employee but said he and Chief Medina have had, and would continue to have, conversations with Gallegos about remaining professional. Medina told the council he feels his department is caught in the crossfire of a very big political battle waged by people who loathe Keller. He said the goal is to defend officers work and successes but that the department will do that differently moving forward. In an interview Tuesday, Medina said Gallegos has not been disciplined, nor will he be. He said he had allowed the spokesman to push back on some people he believed to be spreading misinformation. I have a lot of loyalty from Gilbert. I have a lot of loyalty from my staff, Medina said. Anytime somebody threatens to make me look bad, theyre always there to defend me and this department, because they like the direction were going. But the chief also said the department will change its social media tone and that Gallegos got personal at times. Moving forward, Medina promised a more measured response, using facts and numbers to dispel criticisms. As an example, he cited some of his own recent social media exchanges. When a Twitter user on Saturday posted a picture of his business broken window and wrote Last night a homeless broke into 1 of our locations it took APD 42 mins to get to a burglary in progress Medina responded and explained the timeline. The poster wrote that Medina was splitting hairs, prompting the chief to post lets work together Ill have (field commanders) call today, even if they are off this weekend. The original poster a self-described loud critic of Medina and Keller answered Its refreshing to see you reach out amongst intense criticism instead of the rhetoric weve seen from you (sic) PIO. Medina told the Journal that would be the departments new norm. Councilor Klarissa Pena said We should always take the high road, Medina said. The formula we found this last weekend, to me, is a very high road. New Mexico is again flush with new money, this time courtesy of opioid settlements. But the same questions persist about spending accountability that did when state lawmakers determined how to spend $3.6 billion in new oil and gas revenues. A lawsuit the state brought against more than a dozen opioid manufacturers, distributors and retail pharmacies alleged they sold narcotic painkillers that left many New Mexicans addicted. The state expects to receive $500 million or more over the next 20 years from settlements with some of the nations largest corporations. State agencies will receive 45% of settlement funds while city and county governments will receive 55%. The money thats starting to flow in is intended to aid in opioid recovery and prevention efforts. New Mexico has the second-highest drug overdose death rate in the nation, according to the CDC. But as former Attorney General Hector Balderas, who initiated the massive lawsuit, notes, the state lacks a sufficient number of drug treatment providers to provide behavioral health services, especially in rural areas and to those who cant afford medically assisted treatment. Behavioral health clinics across the state are reporting staffing shortages, including the Bernalillo County CARE Campus, which has been turning away roughly one in seven people seeking behavioral health services. Balderas rightly says state and local leaders need to design more robust delivery and intervention services. The settlements list a range of approved uses, including treatment for people in jails and prisons and support for people transitioning out of the criminal justice system. The Journal earlier this week reported which state agencies are splitting the first $21 million going to state coffers. But distributing the money is only the start. State leaders must establish accountability measures to make sure the funding is making a difference. The massive settlements offer state and local leaders long-term seed money to rebuild our behavioral health systems. But voters need proof this is money well spent. This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. SANTA FE As part of a gust of bill-signing action, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed off Tuesday on a bill that effectively immediately seeks to limit when prescribed burns can be ignited in New Mexico. The measure, which was approved by lawmakers this year after the states most devastating wildfire season in recent history, was one of 48 bills signed by the Democratic governor. Lujan Grisham has until Friday to act on the 130 bills that are still awaiting action, including a $9.6 billion spending plan, a $1.2 billion public works package and a bundle of tax-related changes that includes $500 taxpayer rebates. The legislation to ban prescribed burns in areas under a red-flag warning passed the Legislature without a single no vote and had an emergency clause, allowing it to go into effect immediately upon the governors signature. Sen. Ron Griggs, an Alamogordo Republican who sponsored the bill, said Tuesday that New Mexico has endured devastating fires repeatedly over the years after prescribed burns grew out of control. The largest fire in recorded state history the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon blaze last year began after wind blew a prescribed burn beyond the intended boundaries. Griggs said the new law could make a difference, even if the U.S. Forest Service contends the state doesnt have authority to limits federal prescribed burns. At the least, he said, the bill would give the agency extra reason to be cautious. If it just makes them take one additional step, Griggs said, maybe itll save us from this ever happening again. Among the other bills signed Tuesday was a proposal boosting the salary levels of seven statewide elected officials including the governor for the first time in more than 20 years. However, Lujan Grisham herself will not benefit from the pay raise since lawmakers deferred the 54% salary increase from $110,000 to $169,714 per year until January 2027, or just after her second term ends. That change was made in the Senate to ensure the governor would not violate state ethics laws by signing the bill. Lujan Grisham said last week she was leaning toward approving the salary increases, saying, We have not kept pace, and Ive long complained if you want to produce leadership and leaders you have to have a salary that can support their families. The governor has vetoed just one bill so far this year, a measure that would have created a task force to study dual credit programs. The other bills signed Tuesday included: Senate Bill 19, establishing a public database for tracking the outcome of misconduct investigations into police officers. The database would go online by July 1 next year. Senate Bill 29, creating medical and geriatric parole procedures for inmates who are terminally ill or meet other criteria. In the past year, New Mexico lawmakers and voters have invested big in the states children. Now, the Early Childhood Education and Care Department says, its time to get to work. New Mexico pre-kindergarten access is expected to grow by 40%, the department said at a Tuesday press conference, which will include increasing the number of instructional hours in some programs, expanding the number of seats for children in classrooms and bumping early childhood workers pay. This is truly a historic and generational moment for New Mexico, Early Childhood Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky said. We are going to be able to fully invest in our birth to 5-year-old early care and education system. The departments ambitions are fueled through a dramatic uptick in pre-K funding, which according to a Legislative Finance Committee analyst amounted to a nearly 104% or over $110 million increase. That money largely came from a constitutional amendment increasing distributions from the permanent school fund that was approved by New Mexico voters in November and later by U.S. Congress and President Joe Biden. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has yet to officially sign the states spending bill. She has until Friday to do so. Currently, some 15,700 children are getting pre-K services in community, school or other settings, and that numbers expected to grow by 40%, department spokesman Micah McCoy said. To achieve the departments goals, Groginsky estimated New Mexico will need 600 to 800 more childcare professionals. To recruit those numbers, Groginsky pointed to established programs, including a grant that provides financial support to meet needs of college students pursuing early childhood degrees, as well as a planned pay increase. Because pay in community-based pre-K centers isnt standardized, McCoy couldnt say how much wages will grow. Workers in state pre-K facilities will qualify for the 6% public school employee raises in the states currently-unsigned spending bill. The hours children spend in the departments Head Start programs, Deputy Secretary Sara Mickelson said, will also be increased from 900 to a minimum of 1,080. Along with the departments plan to expand statewide pre-K coverage are hopes to bring that growth to tribal communities, Assistant Secretary for Native American Early Childhood Education and Care Cotillion Sneddy said. Still, its unclear how much services in Indigenous communities will expand, she said, because its up to them to decide what help they want. They tell us their needs, and they tell us what their focuses are, she said. Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Dan Boyd contributed to this report. A mother and son are in custody after the parent allegedly gave the 18-year-old a gun and told him to shoot at a homeless woman, killing her, Monday afternoon in Southeast Albuquerque. Kristina Withrow, 44, and Kristian Crespin are each charged with an open count of murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, tampering with evidence and conspiracy in the womans death. Withrow and Crespin have been booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center. Withrow was detained at the scene and detectives arrested Crespin on Tuesday. On Monday, officers responded around 12:40 p.m. to a shooting in the 500 block of Ortiz SE, near Zuni and San Mateo, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. Police detained Withrow and found a woman on the sidewalk who had been shot and later died at the hospital. Police said they found bullet casings and a gun owned by Withrow on top of her car. Witnesses told police they heard Withrow arguing and saw her son shoot the woman before flipping her off. Withrows children told police that she said Crespin, who has anger issues, shot someone and she was going to take the blame for him, according to the complaint. Withrow told police she ordered a homeless lady, who was not armed, to leave the area near her apartment and the woman yelled at her. Police said Withrow told them she got scared and grabbed her gun but handed it to her son because he is a good shot. She said she told Crespin to shoot a few feet away from the woman and he fired three shots. Withrow told police the woman was shot and leaned against a fence, saying, You shot me, homegirl, according to the complaint. She said Crespin left and she picked up the bullet casings to protect her son. WARSAW, Poland (AP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy won new pledges of military and economic cooperation Wednesday on a state visit to staunch ally Poland, and he also said that Kyivs troops battling in the eastern city of Bakhmut could pull out if they face a threat of being encircled by Russian forces. Polish President Andrzej Duda said Warsaw has provided four Soviet-designed MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, with four more in the process of being handed over and another six being prepared. At a news conference with his Polish counterpart, Zelenskyy described the perils in the grinding siege of Bakhmut, which has been all but destroyed by eight months of fighting that also has cost many lives on both sides. For me, the most important issue is our military, he said. And certainly, if there is a moment of even hotter events and the danger that we may lose personnel due to the encirclement, there will certainly be corresponding correct decisions of the general on the ground. I n a recent interview with The Associated Press, Zelenskyy underscored the importance of defending Bakhmut, saying its fall could allow Russia to rally international support for a deal that could require Ukraine to make unacceptable compromises. During his visit to Warsaw a rare wartime foray out of Ukraine for Zelenskyy both countries sought to forge a tighter relationship in defiance of Russias full-scale war against Kyiv that has reshaped international alliances. Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, said Moscows relations with Washington are in deep crisis as the U.S. has led its allies in supplying aid and weapons to Ukraine. Speaking at a ceremony where he accepted diplomatic credentials from ambassadors of 17 nations, including the U.S., Putin alleged that Washingtons support for the 2014 protests in Kyiv that ousted a pro-Kremlin president led to Russias sending troops into Ukraine. Zelenskyy said at his news conference with Duda that his government would extend a hearty welcome to Polish businesses seeking to help Ukraines postwar rebuilding, which the World Bank has estimated could cost $411 billion. He met later with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and signed agreements on developing Ukrainian infrastructure that opens a door for hundreds of Polish companies. Poland heaped military honors and praise on Zelenskyy as it welcomed him and his wife on a joint visit, during which they thanked the country for its crucial military support as well as being a haven for Ukrainian refugees. The former Soviet satellite that is now a member of the European Union and NATO feels especially threatened by Russia and has been a leading advocate for aid to Kyiv. Zelenskyy said the countries signed a new defense package for the delivery of Polish weaponry. They will also set up joint manufacturing plants for weapons and ammunition, he said. Morawiecki said Zelenskyys visit was extremely important because we are shaping the picture of Europe for the future. The Kremlin and Putin, Moscow wanted an end to Ukraine, but today we can see that this war initiates the end of an aggressive Russia, of the Russia that we know, and (marks) a start of a completely new Europe. This is the beginning of a completely new Europe. Earlier, Zelenskyy and Duda said they wanted to leave behind any World War II-era grievances that linger in Ukraine and Poland. There are no taboo topics between us, Duda said. There are still open wounds in the memory of many people. While Zelenskyy also traveled to the United States, Britain, France and Belgium, the trip to Poland stood out because it was announced in advance and undertaken without the secrecy of past foreign trips. It also was the first time Zelenskyy and first lady Olena Zelenska traveled abroad together since the war began in February 2022, said Marcin Przydacz, head of Dudas foreign policy office. Duda awarded Zelenskyy Polands oldest and highest civilian distinction, The Order of the White Eagle. We have no doubt that your attitude, together with the bravery of the nation, has saved Ukraine, the Polish president told Zelenskyy. At a ceremony in the courtyard of the presidential palace, Duda and the two countries first ladies were dressed in formal attire, while Zelenskyy wore the military-style sweatshirt and khaki trousers that have become his uniform since the invasion. His trips to London, Paris and Brussels in February were part of his push for warplanes and for his country admission to the EU and NATO, and his visit to Washington in December was intended to shore up U.S. support. Both presidents addressed a cheering and flag-waving crowd of Poles and Ukrainians gathered in the Royal Castle yard in Warsaw. A larger gathering watched on screens outside the castle. Duda and Zelenskyy took on a personal tone as they quoted words from each others national anthems and stressed their unity. Volodymyr, you are a hero of the free world, Duda said. Were sending a clear message to Moscow, you wont be able to divide us. Duda added that Ukraine alone will decide the conditions on which it would enter any peace talks. The only conditions that world leaders should be demanding from Russia are the complete pullout of Russian troops from Ukraines territory, he said. There is no question of of any negotiations above the Ukrainians heads. Zelenskyy said the war has brought the two nations together. The same way that we are standing together, Poland, in this war, we will be rejoicing together in peace, arm in arm, in everything, together in the European Union, together in NATO, Zelenskyy said to cheering. Zelenskyy traveled through Poland on his previous foreign trips, but until now had not made it his sole destination. The country that has been a major cheerleader for Kyiv, a transit hub for weapons and humanitarian aid, and a safe haven for hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing the war. The visit highlighted Polands rising role in a new international security order emerging from the war. Warsaw wants to modernize its military by purchasing tanks and other equipment from U.S. and South Korean producers. The U.S. has also bolstered its military presence in Poland. Zelenskyys visit came at a delicate time, when Polish farmers are increasingly angry over Ukrainian grain that has entered the country and created a glut, causing prices to fall. The grain is only meant to be stored temporarily before being sent to markets in North Africa and the Middle East, but farmers say it is taking up space in silos and entering Polish markets, causing local prices to fall. Romanian and Bulgarian farmers have the same complaint. Zelenskyy and Morawiecki said they had reached a deal to resolve the problem but gave no details. The issue has been a headache for Morawieckis government ahead of fall elections, particularly since his conservative ruling party, Law and Justice, gets much of its support in rural areas. Agriculture Minister Henryk Kowalczyk, the focus of the farmers anger, resigned Wednesday. In Ukraine, the military authorities said Russian forces in the previous 24 hours had launched 47 airstrikes, three missile strikes and 42 attacks from multiple rocket launchers. At least four civilians were killed and 16 others wounded in that period, Zelenskyys office reported. Also on Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry accused Ukraine and its allies of trying to affect Russian civilian communications satellites and threatened that Moscow could respond in kind. It didnt offer any specifics. Meanwhile, a small plane, apparently from Ukraine, crash-landed in a field in the neighboring Russian region of Bryansk, and its pilot was detained, according to Russias Federal Security Service. ___ Associated Press writer Yuras Karmanau in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine LONDON (AP) The husband of former Scottish first minister and Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon was released from police custody Wednesday evening without being charged after his arrest in a party finance probe, British media reported. Police Scotland did not identify Peter Murrell as the 58-year-old man arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party. However, Britains Press Association, the BBC and others reported it was Murrell. Scottish police have been investigating how 600,000 pounds ($750,000) earmarked for a Scottish independence campaign was spent. Murrell resigned March 18 as the partys chief executive as a bitter contest to replace Sturgeon was unfolding against the backdrop of the police investigation and a controversy about the partys declining membership. He held the position for more than 20 years. In a Wednesday night update, police said the man arrested in the morning was questioned by detectives and released without charge pending further investigation. The police force said officers searched a number of locations as part of the probe and would send a report to Scottish prosecutors. Sturgeon, 52, said in a statement to the BBC and British TV channel Sky News that she had no prior knowledge of Police Scotlands action or intentions when Murrell was arrested. She plans to cooperate with police if required, her spokesperson said. The SNP said it had been cooperating fully in the investigation and would continue to do so but that it was inappropriate to comment further. Sturgeon abruptly announced her resignation in February after eight years as party leader and first minister of Scotlands semi-autonomous government. Sturgeon said at that time that serving well was knowing when to make way for someone else. In my head and in my heart I know that time is now, she said. That its right for me, for my party and my country. Deputy Scottish Labour leader Jackie Baillie said the arrest was deeply concerning and called on Sturgeon and her successor, Humza Yousaf, to urgently state what they knew and when. Yousaf said he had not had a role in party finances and vowed to be transparent under his leadership. The investigation could further harm the SNPs political fortunes, which saw its poll numbers droop during the acrimonious election to replace Sturgeon. It certainly doesnt do us any good, Yousaf said when asked if Murrells arrest would hurt the party. People will have questions, there will be some concerns. Our party membership will have concerns too. John Curtice, a politics professor at the University of Strathclyde, said the impact of the arrest on the party and Sturgeons legacy would depend on whether prosecutors file charges. But its already dealt a setback to her successor, who just took office last week. As of today, theres no Yousaf bounce. Its the opposite its gone down, Curtice said. This doesnt make it easier for him to start off on the front foot, and he probably needs to start off on the front foot. Her husbands arrest undoubtedly refueled speculation on the reason Sturgeon unexpectedly resigned, but its not known what she was aware of when she stepped down, Curtice said. Yousaf said he did not believe the investigation into party finances had caused Sturgeon to resign. I believe her very much when she says how exhausted she was, Yousaf said. I think anybody who watched her over the course of the pandemic during those daily briefings, day after day, I think anybody could understand how exhausting that is. Sturgeon had led Scotland since 2014, when Scots voted to remain part of the United Kingdom. While the referendum was billed as a once-in-a-generation decision on independence, Sturgeon and her party had pushed for a new vote, arguing that Britains departure from the European Union had changed the ground rules. The Scottish government wants to hold a referendum next October with the question Should Scotland be an independent country? The U.K. government in London refuses to approve a vote, saying the question was settled in a 2014 referendum that saw Scottish voters reject independence by a margin of 55% to 45%. Murrells resignation came just before his wife left office and as three members of Scottish Parliament fought a bruising contest to replace her. The SNP had publicly denied a newspaper report that its membership had plunged from more than 100,000 to just over 70,000 in the past year, before admitting it was true. Murrell accepted responsibility and quit, saying that while there was no intent to mislead, I accept that this has been the outcome. Police cars were parked outside the couples Glasgow home Wednesday and a blue tent had been erected by officers in front of the house. Officers were also stationed outside the SNP headquarters in Edinburgh and several police vans were parked near the building. The presence of police at both locations created a bad image for the party, as well as Sturgeon and her husband, Curtice said. Perhaps the money given to the party for one purpose was used for another, he said. Its probably not the worlds biggest crime but its not a good look if it gets pursued further. JERUSALEM (AP) Violence resumed for a second straight night in Jerusalem on Wednesday when Palestinian worshippers barricaded themselves inside Al-Aqsa Mosque at the Old Citys sensitive compound and Israeli police used force to remove dozens of worshippers. The unrest was less intense than the previous night. But the situation remained combustible as Muslims marked the Ramadan holy month and Jews began the weeklong Passover holiday. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip renewed their rocket fire at Israel, raising fears of a wider conflagration. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported at least six people were injured in the latest violence. The Islamic Waqf authorities, which manages the compound, said police fired stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds. The Israeli police said that dozens of law-breaking juveniles had fomented chaos, throwing rocks and other objects at officers and compelling police to act to restore security, law and order. More Palestinians had gathered in the mosque, responding to calls by Waqf to pray inside overnight. At one of the mosque entrances, police officers could be seen escorting dozens of Palestinians out of the compound. Residents and shoppers milled around, watching social media videos on their phones showing the renewed clashes that had happened just meters away. Early on Wednesday, Israeli police stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque, firing stun grenades at Palestinians who hurled stones and firecrackers in a burst of violence during a sensitive holiday season. Palestinian militants in Gaza responded with rocket fire on southern Israel, prompting repeated Israeli airstrikes. The violence had calmed by early Wednesday morning, but in the evening, Palestinian militants fired two more rockets from Gaza, with one falling short inside Gaza and the other falling near the security fence separating Gaza from Israel, the Israeli military said. There were no reports of casualties. The mosque sits in a hilltop compound sacred to both Jews and Muslims, and conflicting claims over it have spilled into violence before, including a bloody 11-day war between Israel and Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza. Al-Aqsa is the third-holiest site in Islam and stands in a spot known to Jews as the Temple Mount, which is the holiest site in Judaism. Palestinian militant groups warned that further confrontation was coming, but a Palestinian official said the Palestinian Authority was in contact with officials in Egypt, Jordan, the United States and at the United Nations to de-escalate the situation. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country was working to calm tensions at the holy site. People who were detained at the compound and later released said police used batons, chairs, rifles and whatever else they could find to strike Palestinians, including women and children, who responded by hurling stones and setting off firecrackers that theyd brought to evening prayers for fear of possible clashes. Outside the mosques gate, police dispersed crowds of young men with stun grenades and rubber bullets. Medics from the Palestinian Red Crescent said that at least 50 people were injured. Israeli police said they were not immediately able to confirm the reports and videos showing officers beating Palestinians but said 350 were arrested. They added that one officer was injured in the leg. Separately, the Israeli military said one soldier was shot and moderately wounded in the occupied West Bank. Most of the Palestinians arrested from Al-Aqsa were released from detention by the early afternoon, said lawyer Khaled Zabarqa, who represents several of them. But he said that some 50 Palestinians, many of them from the occupied West Bank, were still detained and would have their cases heard at the Ofer military court on Friday. He put the total number of arrested at 450. U.N. Mideast envoy Tor Wennesland said he was appalled by the images of violence at Al-Aqsa, condemning the beating and mass arrests of Palestinians as well as reports of Palestinians stockpiling firecrackers and rocks. Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, expressed outrage and condemnation at the attack, telling reporters at U.N. headquarters: It is the right of the Palestinian Muslim worshippers to exercise their religious duties and prayers in this holy month of Ramadan, and in any other time in this holy Aqsa Mosque. Crowds of Palestinians gathered around a police station in Jerusalem on Wednesday, waiting anxiously for their loved ones to trickle out of detention. Amin Risheq, a 19-year-old from east Jerusalem, said that after being beaten and forced to lay on the floor of the mosque with dozens of others, his hands zip-tied behind his back, he was taken to the police station where he said he did not have access to a toilet, medical attention or water for over six hours. They treated us like animals, he said. Since Ramadan began March 22, scores of Muslim worshippers have repeatedly tried to stay overnight in the mosque, a practice that is typically permitted only during the last 10 days of the monthlong holiday. Israeli police have entered nightly to evict the worshippers. Tensions have been further heightened by calls from Jewish ultranationalists to carry out a ritual slaughter of a goat in the compound, as happened in ancient times. Israel bars ritual slaughter on the site, but calls by Jewish extremists to revive the practice, including offers of cash rewards to anyone who even attempts to bring an animal into the compound, have amplified fears among Muslims that Israel is plotting to take over the site. Netanyahu repeated Wednesday that hes committed to preserving the longstanding arrangement at the compound. He described the worshippers who locked themselves in the mosque as extremists who prevented Muslims from entering the mosque peacefully. Over a hundred religious Jews filtered through the site on Wednesday during regular morning visiting hours, as small crowds of Muslims gathered around them shouting, God is greater! Jews are permitted to visit the compound, but not pray there, under longstanding agreements. But such visits, which have grown in numbers in recent years, have often raised tensions, particularly because some Jews are often seen quietly praying. After some 80,000 worshippers attended evening prayers at the mosque on Tuesday, hundreds of Palestinians barricaded themselves inside overnight to pray. Some said they wanted to ensure religious Jews didnt carry out animal sacrifices. After they refused to leave, Israeli police moved into the mosque. Israeli police said several law-breaking youths and masked agitators brought fireworks, sticks and stones into the mosque, chanting insults and locking the front doors. After many and prolonged attempts to get them out by talking to no avail, police forces were forced to enter the compound, police said. Moayad Abu Mayaleh, 23, said he blocked a door of the mosque with hundreds of others to prevent the police from entering before they broke in. We cant let them get away with this, he said, shouting insults at Israeli police as he left the station. In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian leadership denounced the attack on the worshippers as a violation that will lead to a large explosion. Palestinian militants responded to the events by firing a barrage of rockets from Gaza into southern Israel, setting off air raid sirens in the region as residents prepared to begin the weeklong Passover holiday. The Israeli military said a total of five rockets were fired, and all were intercepted. Israel responded with airstrikes that the army said hit Hamas weapons storage and manufacturing sites. We dont want this to escalate, said Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an army spokesman. But he said that if the rocket fire persisted, we will respond very aggressively. The Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad called for Palestinian residents of Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Israel to gather around the Al-Aqsa Mosque and confront Israeli forces. Palestinians must be prepared for the inevitable confrontation in the coming days, said Ziyad al-Nakhala, leader of Islamic Jihad. As violence unfolded in Jerusalem, the Israeli military reported fighting in a Palestinian town in the occupied West Bank. It said residents of Beit Umar, near the volatile city of Hebron, burned tires, hurled rocks and explosives at soldiers. It said one soldier was shot by armed suspects, who managed to flee. It said later in the day that Palestinians opened fire at a checkpoint near the northern West Bank city of Jenin, leaving no casualties. Israeli-Palestinian violence has surged over the last year, as the Israeli military has carried out near-nightly raids on Palestinian cities, towns and villages and as Palestinians have staged numerous attacks against Israelis. At least 88 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire this year, according to an Associated Press tally. Palestinian attacks against Israelis have killed 15 people in the same period. Israel says most of the Palestinians killed were militants. But stone-throwing youths and bystanders uninvolved in violence were also among the dead. All but one of the Israeli dead were civilians. ___ Akram reported from Gaza City, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writers Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed. CHICAGO (AP) Brandon Johnson, a union organizer and former teacher, was elected as Chicagos next mayor Tuesday in a major victory for the Democratic Partys progressive wing as the heavily blue city grapples with high crime and financial challenges. Johnson, a Cook County commissioner endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union, won a close race over former Chicago schools CEO Paul Vallas, who was backed by the police union. Johnson, 47, will succeed Lori Lightfoot, the first Black woman and first openly gay person to be the citys mayor. With about 91% of the vote counted, Johnson had 51.4% to 48.6% for Vallas. More votes will be counted as absentee ballots arrive in the mail. Lightfoot became the first Chicago mayor in 40 years to lose her reelection bid when she finished third in a crowded February contest. Johnsons victory in the nations third-largest city capped a remarkable trajectory for a candidate who was little known when he entered the race last year. He climbed to the top of the field with organizing and financial help from the politically influential Chicago Teachers Union and high-profile endorsements from progressive Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. Sanders appeared at a rally for Johnson in the final days of the race. Taking the stage Tuesday night for his victory speech, a jubilant Johnson thanked his supporters for helping usher in a new chapter in the history of our city. He promised that under his administration, the city would look out for everyone, regardless of how much money they have, whom they love or where they come from. Tonight is the beginning of a Chicago that truly invests in all of its people, Johnson said. Johnson, who is Black, recalled growing up in a poor family, teaching at a school in Cabrini Green, a notorious former public housing complex, and shielding his own young kids from gunfire in their West Side neighborhood. He referenced civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and the Rev. Jesse Jackson and called his victory a continuation of their legacies. He also noted that he was speaking on the anniversary of Kings assassination. Today the dream is alive, Johnson said, and so today we celebrate the revival and the resurrection of the city of Chicago. It was a momentous win for progressive organizations such as the teachers union, with Johnson winning the highest office of any active teachers union member in recent history, leaders say. For both progressives and the partys more moderate wing, the Chicago race was seen as a test of organizing power and messaging. Johnsons win also comes as groups such as Our Revolution, a powerful progressive advocacy organization, push to win more offices in local and state office, including in upcoming mayoral elections in Philadelphia and elsewhere. Vallas, speaking to his own supporters Tuesday night, said that he had called Johnson and that he expected him to be the next mayor. Some in the crowd seemed to jeer the news, but Vallas urged them to put aside differences and support the next mayor in the daunting work ahead. This campaign that I ran to bring the city together would not be a campaign that fulfills my ambitions if this election is going to divide us, Vallas said. In a statement, Lightfoot also congratulated Johnson and said her administration will collaborate with his team during the transition. Johnson and Vallas were the top two vote-getters in the all-Democrat but officially nonpartisan February race, which moved to the runoff because no candidate received over 50%. On Tuesday, Johnson took many of the predominantly Black southern and western areas where Lightfoot won in February, along with the northern neighborhoods where he was the top-vote getter back then, according to precinct-level results released by election officials. Vallas did well in the northwest and southwest areas that are home to large numbers of city employees, just as he did in February. The contest surfaced longstanding tensions among Democrats, with Johnson and his supporters blasting Vallas who was endorsed by Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the chambers second-ranking Democrat as too conservative and a Republican in disguise. Both candidates have deep roots in the Democratic Party, though with vastly different backgrounds and views. After teaching middle and high school, Johnson helped mobilize teachers, including during a historic 2012 strike through which the Chicago Teachers Union increased its organizing muscle and influence in city politics. That has included fighting for non-classroom issues, such as housing and mental health care. Vallas, who finished first in the February contest, was the only white candidate in that nine-person field. A former Chicago budget director, he later led schools in Chicago, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Bridgeport, Connecticut. Among the biggest disputes between Johnson and Vallas was how to address crime. Like many U.S. cities, Chicago saw violent crime increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, hitting a 25-year high of 797 homicides in 2021, though the number decreased last year and the city has a lower murder rate than others in the Midwest, such as St. Louis. Vallas, 69, said he would hire hundreds more police officers, while Johnson said he didnt plan to cut the number of officers, but that the current system of policing isnt working. Johnson was forced to defend past statements expressing support for defunding police something he insisted he would not do as mayor. But Johnson argued that instead of investing more in policing and incarceration, the city should focus on mental health treatment, affordable housing for all and jobs for youth. He has proposed a plan he says will raise $800 million by taxing ultrarich individuals and businesses, including a per-employee head tax on employers and an additional tax on hotel room stays. That plan is no sure thing, as some members of the City Council and the state Legislature whose support would be needed already have expressed opposition. Resident Chema Fernandez, 25, voted for Johnson as an opportunity to move on from what he described as the politics of old. He said he saw Vallas as being in line with previous mayors such as Rahm Emanuel, Lightfoot and Richard M. Daley, who havent worked out great for places like his neighborhood on the southwest side, which has seen decades of disinvestment. I think we need to give the opportunity for policies that may actually change some of our conditions, Fernandez said. ___ Associated Press journalist Teresa Crawford in Chicago and chief elections analyst Chad Day in Washington contributed. Nexus Health, a multi-specialty medical group, broke ground this week on its 95,000-square-foot, three-story facility in Santa Fe a move its executives say will allow the medical group to become the premier outpatient facility in Northern New Mexico. The medical group, founded in 2021, already operates on two fronts oncology and orthopedics in separate medical facilities in Santa Fe. Once the medical group is in its new facility located near the Presbyterian Santa Fe Medical Center, it will add additional medical specialties, such as a lab, an imaging center, an infusion center and a linear accelerator primarily used in radiation oncology treatment. Dr. Scott Herbert, the president of Nexus Health and a medical oncologist, said the medical group has a focus on low-cost, outpatient treatment. (Health) care is just so fragmented these days, and its so hard for patients to navigate this system, Herbert told the Journal. The main complaint we hear is, I dont have access to care, and the doctors I do have dont communicate.' Nexus Health Executive Director Nicole McKinney said the medical group plans to have roughly 175 staff members working out of the new facility, which is expected to be completed by July 2024. As it stands, the medical group has 60 employees between its medical oncology and orthopedics divisions, and more than two dozen physicians. Anywhere from our front desk receptionist to nursing to IT to facilities we will have a large number of employed staff over the multiple specialties within the divisions (we offer), McKinney said. The cost of the land, the construction and the equipment needed to furnish the facility will be more than $100 million, Herbert said. The developer of the project is Meridian, a full-service real estate owner, operator and developer based out of Walnut Creek, California. The Nexus Health facility is Meridians first development in Santa Fe, one its CEO says is important for the area. Northern New Mexico is a growing demographic, and we identified a need for affordable, outpatient health care services in Santa Fe, Mike Conn, Meridians CEO, said. Executives at Nexus Health have big plans for the medical group going forward. Though its too early to speak on additional developments, they said the goal with this new facility is for it to become the main outpatient clinic in the region. Additionally, McKinney says building Nexus Healths own culture through mentorship of the younger generation is paramount to that vision. It really is the opportunity for us to kind of grow in any direction we truly want, McKinney said. This being a provider-owned and provider-run facility, we now have the autonomy to kind of mold with the community as it changes and really offer care that is suitable not only for the clinic and the provider but for the community itself. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has been to New Mexico twice in the last six months, but the Cabinet member has long been familiar with the Land of Enchantment. During a roundtable conversation about traffic safety in Albuquerque, Buttigieg told participants his mother spent her formative years in Santa Fe. And his parents met when they were teaching at New Mexico State University. I love telling my staff theyll have to choose red or green, and what that means, Buttigieg said. The former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, is continuing his tour of New Mexico Wednesday, with stops in Deming and Las Cruces. There, he will highlight local projects that are being funded through an infrastructure law that was a key piece of legislation for the Biden administration during the presidents first two years in office. The Journal talked with Buttigieg on Tuesday about several local and national transportation topics: Journal: The city of Albuquerque is piloting a zero-fare bus program. Supporters have said its opening lower income people up to more opportunities. Others have said its caused public safety issues. What are your thoughts on the zero-fare programs and what are some issues and conversations you are seeing in other cities? Buttigieg: Were seeing more and more cities interested in this. And I think the most important thing is to create the space for local jurisdictions to see if it works for them, and to gather the data and see what happens. It can be empowering. But it also represents a choice in priorities that might have to compete with other things that the transit agencies want to do. One issue for whether people choose mass transit could be a fare. Other issues could have to do with frequency and reliability. And the answer might look different from one jurisdiction to another. Were pretty early on in transit agencies doing this. Its really only been in the last two or three years that youre seeing a lot of it. I think its too soon for us to be able to make definitive nationwide standards. But we certainly appreciate the spirit of that kind of work that communities are trying to do. And I think that local conversation is going to drive the results that well look to try to help make policy around. Journal: About 45% of the flights at the Albuquerque International Sunport are Southwest Airlines flights, which around the Christmas holiday canceled thousands of flights and left tens of thousands of people stranded. Where does the Department of Transportations investigation of that stand and what reforms or changes could come from that review? Buttigieg: So our investigation is continuing, and its really focused on two areas. One, whether there was unrealistic scheduling that effectively set up the airline and passengers for failure. And secondly, making sure that they provide all of the required refunds and reimbursements. And a lot of that is because of the work we did over the summer last year, securing enforceable agreements from airlines, including Southwest, on how they would go beyond the legal minimum and take care of passengers who get stranded. That means that we now have the enforcement power to make sure they actually do that. And weve received thousands of complaints. Were also looking over their shoulder at the processing of the refund requests that come in. So the investigation is ongoing, and were going to continue to pursue that and were going to hold them accountable for any violations that emerge. Journal: After the train derailment that spilled toxic chemicals in Ohio, New Mexico Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury was one of several Democrats who wrote you a letter calling for specific reforms for the industry. Can those happen easily? And what reforms do you think might come out of that investigation? Buttigieg: Ive called on Congress to toughen standards for freight rail. And were also working with the tools that we have, and called on industry to change, too. I really welcome the attention that she and others in Congress are paying to this. Because while were doing everything we can with authority we have, including stepped-up audits after they were drawn back by the last administration and continuing to work on a minimum-crew rule, theres more that we could do with congressional action. The administration supports things like toughening up the fines to a level that could actually get the attention of multibillion-dollar corporations like Norfolk Southern and requiring notifications to local jurisdictions when hazmat is coming through those jurisdictions. The number of rail derailments and accidents is much higher than most Americans realize, and the only reason it isnt higher than that, the reason its come down over the years, is through high standards and good enforcement. And we could do even more. Journal: When it comes to the administration articulating its positions, it seems that youre often tasked with going on Fox News. What kind of strategy does the administration have for communicating your positions to people who are not supporters? Buttigieg: I try to share our message with anybody who will listen. You certainly cant blame somebody for not responding to our message if theyve never heard it. Thats why I consider it important to go into environments that are maybe considered ideologically unfriendly, whether thats online spaces or a channel like Fox News. Another way we get the message out is travel like this. Theres no substitute for being on the ground in a community, drawing attention both to problems and solutions, and explaining why we think our approach is going to make things better. I mean, right now, the GOP House members of the Freedom Caucus have floated budget ideas that would actually cut railroad inspections and cut air traffic control resources at the exact moment when I think most Americans, Democrat or Republican, believe we should be doing more, not less. I think its important for people to understand that were sending safety funding to deal with something like the dangers on Coors Boulevard, or to build these wildlife crossings, or to help with anything else in the state. The president signed this legislation that New Mexico delegation members helped support. That didnt just happen out of the blue. There was a lot of talking before. Now, theres action. We want to get that message out any way we can online, in person on TV. And Ill keep doing it. Journal: This is your second trip to New Mexico in just a few months. What were some interesting things you saw today and whats your initial reaction to your trip? Buttigieg: Every visit to New Mexico reminds me that there is no one-size-fits-all policy that will work across the United States of America. Senator (Martin) Heinrich was just talking about volcanic escarpments, and how that can affect road design in Albuquerque. Thats not an issue in New York. You see these unique issues like wildlife crossings, like fire risk, the unique issues that tribal communities are experiencing, they require a policy that sets a national tone and brings in national funding but engages local leaders and state leaders and tribal leaders on what makes sense for them. And New Mexico, I think, is very distinctive in reminding us of that. Its also just a an incredibly beautiful state. And a place where you really see how important transportation is because of the need to cover long distances safely; the ability to move goods affordably; and things like aviation and space that are so important to everyday life and to the economy of the state. So, personally, its always a treat to be back here. Albuquerque is home to nearly 2,300 union film workers. This isnt including the thousands of background actors who show up for productions across the city. With the announcement of the New Mexico Media Academy being housed in the Albuquerque Rail Yards, it is poised to bring new activity to Barelas. The NMMA will be built in the iconic boiler shop of the Rail Yards and will be the institutes flagship campus, offering workforce training for careers in film, television and digital media. Local employers, including Netflix, NBCUniversal and 828 Productions will collaborate with NMMA to offer paid apprenticeships to give students direct industry experience. Its a move that makes Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller proud. Prior to the pandemic, Keller came in and tore up the contract to have a management company oversee the Rail Yards. With that gesture, it was up to the city to make good on it, Keller says. It was a jump into the deep end, Keller says. From that point forward, it was on us to make it work. People continued to ask what is next and I would say, At least we have control of our destiny. Its taken five years of work to get the New Mexico Media Academy from idea to reality. While theres still a year of work before it opens completely, Keller says all the pieces have fallen in place. (Central New Mexico Community College) is one of the partners that we looked to, Keller says. They are locally invested in Albuquerque and they have a history of dreaming bigger. They are constantly growing and needing space. Keller and the city worked to identify that the Rail Yards needed a diversity of people going to the area Monday through Friday, not just on Sunday afternoon for the Rail Yards Market. He says Alicia J. Keyes, who had been the Albuquerque Film Office liaison prior to taking the New Mexico Economic Department Cabinet Secretary with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams administration, remembered the grand plan for the Rail Yards. Keyes was a major player in bringing both Netflix and NBCUniversal to Albuquerque. We saw a crossroads of two industries, Keller says. It was a eureka! moment. The city of Albuquerque, Lujan Grisham and CNM worked together to make it a reality. Albuquerque has solidified itself as a great film city, and we know we have to keep developing our workforce to meet industry demands, says Max Gruner, director, Economic Development Department. The NMMA will help ensure that local productions are staffed by local crews who have access to the highest quality training. Meanwhile, Tracy Hartzler, CNM president, says for more than two decades, CNM has supported the growing needs of the film industry. Were honored to be joining the state of New Mexico and the city of Albuquerque in this groundbreaking partnership to increase New Mexicans access to high-quality training that leads to great jobs and economic growth for the film and digital media industry, Hartzler says. By co-locating CNMs film and digital media programs with the New Mexico Media Academy at the Rail Yards, well build state-of-the-art training and production facilities that will maximize the publics investment in growing the film industry and revitalizing Albuquerques downtown communities. Keller says the focus now is to execute the plan as the media academy will be the anchor tenant. We want to bring 1,000 people a week to the area, Keller says. Weve leaned heavily on community dialog for what to do with the Rail Yards. Its a wonderful opportunity for us to deliver on what is the biggest thing to happen in 40 years. For the first time in decades, were going to see that come to life in a significant and powerful way. SEND ME YOUR TIPS: If you know of a movie filming in the state, or are curious about one, email film@ABQjournal.com. Follow me on Twitter @agomezART. Cover Images/Ron Sachs/CNP Celebrity The former President of the United States has accused Manhattan DA of leaking details of his indictment to reporter and called for the official to step down. Apr 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Donald Trump has raged after a report said he will face 34 felony charges for falsification of business records in connection to his alleged hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels. According to an article by Yahoo News, the former US president, 76, won't have a mugshot taken, wear handcuffs, or be placed in a prison cell before he is led into a New York City to be arraigned on Tuesday, April 4 at 2.15 PM ET. Trump, who is residing at Trump Tower in New York City ahead of his historic arraignment as the only ex-American commander-in-chief to face criminal charges, asked District Attorney Alvin Bragg to "indict himself" as he accused him of handing the indictment plans to Yahoo journalist Michael Isikoff. Trump fumed on his Truth Social platform in an attack that also targeted Mr. Bragg's wife, "Wow! District Attorney Bragg just illegally LEAKED the various points, and complete information, on the pathetic Indictment against me. I know the reporter and so, unfortunately, does he." " This means that he MUST BE IMMEDIATELY INDICTED. Now, if he wants to really clean up his reputation, he will do the honorable thing and, as District Attorney, INDICT HIMSELF. He will go down in Judicial history, and his Trump Hating wife will be, I am sure, very proud of him!" Trump went on, "D.A. BRAGG JUST ILLEGALLY LEAKED THE 33 points of Indictment. There are no changes or surprises from those he leaked days ago directly out of the Grand Jury. No Crime by Trump. What a MESS. Bragg should resign, NOW!" Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, 49, reportedly consulted with the Secret Service and New York City court officials and decided there was no reason to put Trump through the normal procedure of being cuffed and having a mugshot taken. Michael Isikoff is a veteran reporter who now works for Yahoo News after working as the national investigative correspondent for NBC News. He had the scoop of Monica Lewinsky's affair with Bill Clinton, but Newsweek's editors declined to go ahead and it was instead filed on the Drudge Report. Michael said in a report on Monday, April 3 into the Trump case there would be 34 charges against the ex-president. He added all would be felonies, for falsification of business records, citing "a source who has been briefed on the procedures for the arraignment of the former president." Law enforcement is on high alert and barricades have been erected around Trump Tower and Manhattan Criminal Court where Trump will appear before Judge Juan Merchan. You can share this post! Instagram Celebrity The lead star of 'The Great' has hit out at the tale suggesting her real-life TV character was into bestiality, blasting such narrative as the world's 'earliest forms of slut-shaming.' Apr 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Elle Fanning has slammed the myth Catherine the Great had sex with a horse as one of the world's "earliest forms of slut-shaming." The 24-year-old is returning to play her role as the longest-reigning female ruler in Russian history for series three of "The Great", and hit out at the tale she indulged in bestiality as the actress told how she feels as if she has grown "as a woman" while playing the role. "Before I stepped into her shoes, the only thing I knew about Catherine the Great was the rumour she'd had sex with a horse - which actually feels like one of the earliest forms of slut-shaming," she told Harper's Bazaar UK's May issue when asked how she prepared for her part as Catherine. "So I wanted to reclaim her name a bit - to bring to the fore how progressive she was in championing science and female education, being an engine behind the Russian Enlightenment, separating church and state." "I still hear, 'Catherine the Great? What a bada**!' But I don't know how accurate that is. She takes risks, but she has to work herself up to it. She's powerful, but not always the most powerful person in the room. She can be both scheming and naive. She's a girl and a woman." Elle added about maturing as a person while playing the ruler, "I've been playing Catherine in such formative years of my life. I've grown as a woman alongside her." She even said Catherine has led to her speaking up, adding, "These days, I feel like my voice matters." "For a while, I'd be like, 'Oh well, I'm young, people don't necessarily want to listen to me, they probably know more anyway.' But there comes a point when you register that you've been doing this for 20 years. I may not always have the answer, but I've realised that sometimes you do have to have a little bit of that Catherine ego and say, 'Listen to me!' " Detailing how prosthetics she had to wear during her portrayal made her want to have a child, Elle added, "I was obsessed with it. I had a bespoke bump with boobs moulded onto me that went all the way up to my neck. The costume team told me that this is pretty accurately what my body will look like when I'm pregnant... which did feel quite crazy. I loved the way it looked. It made me want to do it, to be pregnant." The story goes Catherine suspended a horse above her with a harness so she could partake in bestiality, and when the girdle broke, the animal crushed her to death. In reality, Catherine died of a stroke on November 17, 1796. Season three of "The Great" is available to stream on Hulu in the US on May 12 and on Prime Video's Lionsgate+ channel in the UK later this year. You can share this post! Celebrity The 'Black Widow' actress weighs in on the fact that many child stars went off the rail as they grew up in the public eyes and thanks her parents for not taking advantage of her. Apr 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Scarlett Johansson is thankful to her parents for not "taking advantage" of her as a child star. The Oscar-nominated "Lost in Translation" actress, 38, who first starred on stage in an off-Broadway play as a youngster and made her film debut aged 10 in the fantasy comedy "North", says her architect dad Karsten and mum Melanie Sloan were more focused on making sure she got an education and enough downtime than on her acting career. "I had a really supportive mom. I think I just, I grew up in New York," she told Dear Media's "The Skinny Confidential Him and Her Podcast" when asked how she managed to avoid "Lindsay Lohan-type stuff" after she got into acting at such a tender age. "My parents were not industry people. My mom was there to take care of me. She was very dedicated to making sure I got my schooling and I had my time off. My parents weren't, like you know, taking advantage of me in any way at that time." Stars including Lindsay, 36, infamously went off the rails after finding fame early, and when asked how regulations around child stardom have changed, Scarlett said, "There's a lot of rules about that stuff and because it was abused for decades, like for a long time, there were certain cases that kind of paved the way for how kids are educated and treated on set now." The actress is now mum to daughter Rose, eight, who she had with her journalist ex Romain Dauriac, 41, and son Cosmo, who was born in 2021, with her comedian husband Colin Jost, 40, and told the podcast she is now searching for "balance." She said about motherhood, "There is no balance, and I'm looking for any kind of balance. Your perspective changes for sure I feel the same where you go, 'Is this job going to take me away from my family for X, Y, Z, or I'm going to have to move them in an inconvenient way for this amount of time?' That changes, it's a big change." You can share this post! Cover Images/BauerGriffin Celebrity The supermodel and the 'Un Verano Sin Ti' artist, who remain tight-lipped about their dating rumors, are captured on camera enjoying a horseback riding date at the Hidden Hills Equestrian Center. Apr 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny's romance is riding high. The supermodel and the "Un Verano Sin Ti" artist were captured on camera enjoying a horseback riding date at the Hidden Hills Equestrian Center on Sunday, April 2. In pictures obtained by TMZ, "The Kardashians" star and the Puerto Rican rapper could be seen riding a horse together with Kendall taking some selfies. In some other photos, Bad Bunny was seen riding on a horse around the ring by himself as the brunette beauty led them around the paddock. It was said that the rumored lovebirds spent about 90 minutes at the equestrian center. For the afternoon date, the catwalk beauty channeled her inner cowgirl by wearing denim pants, a white tank top and a blue-and-black flannel button-up. As for Bad Bunny, the "Dakiti" hitmaker donned dark pants, a white tee and a beige jacket. The equestrian date arrived after the two were spotted "openly kissing" during their dinner date on Wednesday, March 29 in Los Angeles. According to Us Weekly, the rumored couple showcased heavy PDA while dining at Sushi Fumi, where they were "being very affectionate" as they enjoyed their meals. While none of them have publicly commented on their dating rumors, the pair continued to fuel the speculations with their many sightings. The alleged lovers, who first sparked romance rumors in February when they had dinner at Wally's in Beverly Hills, were partying the night away at the celeb-studded club Bird Streets Club in West Hollywood on Sunday morning, March 26. The 818 Tequilla founder and the "Titi Me Pregunto" artist were snapped leaving the newest celeb hotspot in Hollywood together. They got into the back of a limo around 2 A.M. after having dinner and spending the night out with family and friends, including Kylie Jenner, Zack Bia, Russell Westbrooke and Timothee Chalamet. You can share this post! Cover Images/BauerGriffin Celebrity The former star of 'The Real Housewives of New York City' takes to her Instagram account to share a video in which the 52-year-old predicts that it will turn into a 'f**king s**t show.' Apr 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Bethenny Frankel is speaking out against the usage of Ozempic, a drug which is typically meant for type 2 diabetes patients, to lose weight. On Tuesday, April 4, the former star of "The Real Housewives of New York City" took to Instagram to share a video in which she expressed her concerns regarding the matter. "This is going to be scary because very thin people who have body dysmorphia and eating disorders are going to be taking this," the Skinny Girl founder shared. She added that she has heard that the weight-loss medication is running "rampant" in communities like Boca Raton, Fla., or the Upper East Side of Manhattan. "I'm hearing stories about it being a mood alterer. I'm hearing that it's affecting people's personalities," the 52-year-old star continued. Bethenny also shared that she once had an altercation with an unnamed individual who misproperly used drug to lose weight. The former Bravolebrity recalled, "I had an altercation with someone that has a very mercurial personality and they were on Adderall previously, which is another thing people have done to lose weight and another thing misproperly used to lose weight, and this person would, like, snap." "Mark my words, we're not going to hear about the s**t show of this for months and years to come it's going to be a f**king s**t show," the "Big Shot With Bethenny" alum noted. "Ma Huang ended up killing people. This Ozempic thing is going to f**king go sideways and all the other copy cat names, too," she added, referring to a Chinese herb that was allegedly used when she was in her 20s for weight loss purposes as well. Fans, meanwhile, were divided in the comments section. Some of them expressed agreement with the reality TV star with one saying, "I'm with you 10000 percent. The amount of people in Hollywood on this thing is insane. And most of them are denying it, which makes it that much more ridiculous. It's like this dirty little secret. If you're doing it at least own up to it guys." Another person added, "I just think it's selfish when they're a diabetic patients out there who are having a hard time getting this medicine. When people who have large bank accounts are buying it for vanity reasons. It's not cool." However, some others disagreed. "It's easy to judge when you have never had issues with weight. Also no one, NO ONE needs Ozempic to LIVE. It's not insulin. It is not life saving medication, it can be life changing, but not required to live. If your angry about drug shortages, be angry at the drug maker. It's no one's place to judge who needs it more. Should a person have to wait to become diabetic before they get it? Why is it not better to treat the obesity and PREVENT becoming a type 2 diabetic," one critic wrote. One user noted, "It's FDA approved for weight loss. You should read @theeconomist article about it. It's completely different from the other drugs you mentioned." You can share this post! Cover Images/Instagram/Darla Khazei Celebrity Calling her on-and-off convicted felon boyfriend 'babe' several times during an interview, the 'Scream VI' actress insists that it's not a decision that she's taken 'lightly.' Apr 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Hayden Panettiere still can't get over Brian Hickerson despite his history of getting violent during their relationship. The actress has hinted at getting back together with her abusive ex, more than two years after a domestic battery incident that led to his arrest. In a New York Times profile published on Tuesday, April 4, the "Scream VI" star admitted that she still has "feelings" for her on-and-off convicted felon boyfriend. "There are feelings there, yes," she told the publication. The outlet noted that Hayden referred to Brian as "babe" several times throughout the interview, but she was hesitant to define her current relationship status with the 32-year-old. She, however, claimed that their friendship is "contingent on him continuing on this road of recovery." The Claire Bennet on NBC's "Heroes" went on sharing that Brian "knows he deserved what happened to him" after spending jail time for his charges. She then seemed to defend their reconciliation as saying, "I did not do any of this lightly." Hayden began dating Brian in 2018 following her breakup from ex-fiance and longtime partner Wladimir Klitschko. In 2020, they broke up after he was arrested for corporal injury on a spouse/cohabitant, assault and intimidating a witness, stemming from alleged incidents between May 2019 and June 2020. Despite his arrest, the two were seen together multiple times. In 2022, they appeared to break up for good after they got involved in a fight at the Sunset Marquis hotel in Los Angeles in March. In July, Brian ruled out a reconciliation with the "Nashville" alum, saying he was "looking forward to new chapters." However, they remained friendly and last November, they were spotted going on a trip together. The pair were seen inside a departures terminal at Los Angeles International Airport, one day before the Thanksgiving holiday. A source told E! News at the time, "Hayden and Brian have remained friends as he's sought professional help to turn his life around. This was a condition of her remaining friends with him." Brian also offered Hayden emotional support following the tragic loss of her brother Jansen Panettiere. He was seen joining her at the funeral service for the former child actor on March 8. You can share this post! Instagram Celebrity Around five months after welcoming a baby girl via surrogate, the actress famed as Fat Amy in the 'Pitch Perfect' film series offers fans a sneak peek at her family's dreamy tropical getaway. Apr 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Rebel Wilson has finally treated fans to a peek at her daughter's face. Five months after announcing the birth of baby Royce, the actress known for her Fat Amy portrayal in the "Pitch Perfect" film series unleashed a clip from her family's dreamy tropical getaway and revealed for the first time what her infant looks like. The 43-year-old publicly shared the revealing video on Instagram on Monday, April 3. In it, she was captured holding her baby girl in her arms in front of her while facing a drone camera. As the camera panned out to reveal a gorgeous beach and ocean setting, she could be seen waving and blowing a kiss. For the occasion, the "Senior Year" actress wore a blue and white striped shirt. She completed her look with a pair of loose white pants. As for her daughter, 5-month-old Royce could be seen looking adorable in a comfy pink and white ensemble. Given that Rebel has shied away from exposing her child to public eyes since the day she was born via surrogate, her social media post was quickly flooded with comments over her baby's face revelation. One pointed out, "You just did a face reveal of ur baby." A second one gushed over Rebel's baby by writing in the comment section, "Aww, your baby is beautiful!!!" A third one chimed in by simply praising the actress' daughter, "Sweetest baby!!" This was not the first time Rebel shared footage from her family vacation in the Caribbean. Previously, she made three Instagram posts over her island getaway. The first one was posted on March 28, and captured her and her baby swimming in the ocean. In the picture, the "Isn't It Romantic" actress could be seen rocking a pink outfit with a matching Alo visor. Her baby also wore a pink shirt and a white bucket hat. In the caption of the post, she simply wrote, "Roycie's first ever swim in the ocean [blue heart emoji]." Rebel's second post came on March 31. It saw her swimming close to a turtle in the ocean. Meanwhile, her third post was made on April 1, and offered a look at her and fiancee Ramona Agruma sitting side by side while on a boat. "The Hustle" actress donned a pink and white shirt and a pair of sunglasses, while her partner put on a white dress, a floral-printed hat and a pair of sunglasses. Rebel came out with the news that she has become a mother in November 2022. Revealing through an Instagram post that she and fiancee Ramona welcomed their first child, Royce Lillian, via surrogate, she gushed, "I can't even describe the love I have for her, she's a beautiful miracle!" "I am forever grateful to everyone who has been involved, (you know who you are), this has been years in the makingbut particularly wanted to thank my gorgeous surrogate who carried her and birthed her with such grace and care," the Australian star continued. "Thank you for helping me start my own family, its an amazing gift. The BEST gift!!" You can share this post! Cover Images/AP/Nils Jorgensen Celebrity The 63-year-old TV chef, who had remained silent after her father's passing aged 91 was confirmed on Monday, April 3, takes to her social media account to address the matter. Apr 6, 2023 AceShowbiz - Nigella Lawson has broken her silence over the death of her late Conservative MP dad Nigel Lawson. The 63-year-old TV chef, who had remained silent after her father's passing aged 91 was confirmed on Monday, April 3, spoke out on Tuesday to thank fans for their support. She tweeted, "Thank you for all your kind messages. And I'll be back on here properly tomorrow". Lord Lawson's political career spanned nearly five decades, with the former chancellor serving in Margaret Thatcher's cabinet from 1981 to 1989, and earning himself a reputation as a "fearless" tax-cutter among contemporary politicians such as the current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Nigella Lawson thanked fans for their support following dad Nigel's death. Nigella is one of Mr Lawson's six children alongside journalist Dominic Lawson, 66, and the headmaster of Eastbourne College, Tom Lawson. The late politician had Nigella with his fifth wife Vanessa Salmon, who died aged 48 from liver cancer in 1985 when the chef was 25. Lord Lawson represented the old Leicestershire constituency of Blaby from 1974 to 1992, and joined the House of Lords in 1992 before retiring in January. Among the tributes that flooded in as soon as his death was announced was one from Mr Sunak. He said, "One of the first things I did as chancellor was hang a picture of Nigel Lawson above my desk. He was a transformational chancellor and an inspiration to me and many others. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time." Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed Lord Lawson as a "giant" who "helped millions of British people achieve their dreams" through his work on the economy. He said on Twitter, "Nigel Lawson was a fearless and original flame of free market Conservatism. He was a tax-cutter and simplifier who helped transform the economic landscape and helped millions of British people achieve their dreams. He was a prophet of Brexit and a lover of continental Europe. He was a giant. My thoughts and prayers are with his family." Foreign Secretary James Cleverley tweeted, "Sad news that Nigel Lawson has died. A true statesman. His contributions to this nation will not be forgotten". Tory Chairman Greg Hands praised the late politician's "clarity of thinking". Born in Hampstead, North London, on 11 March, 1932, Lord Lawson completed National Service in the Royal Navy before he became a journalist at the Financial Times in 1956, where his son Dominic later worked. He unsuccessfully stood in the 1970 general election for the Eton and Slough seat, before he became an MP for Blaby, central Leicestershire. You can share this post! Instagram Celebrity As she prepares her nuptials to Elliot Grainge, the model daughter of Lionel Richie gushes that her conversion 'has been one of the greatest experiences' of her life. Apr 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Sofia Richie rejoiced over her embracing a new religion ahead of wedding. As she prepared to get married to Jewish fiance Elliot Grainge, the daughter of Lionel Richie revealed that she has converted to Judaism, and called the special day a "magical" one. On Monday, April 3, the 24-year-old model took to Instagram Story to share the happy news. Letting out a picture that saw herself signing a paper of words written in Hebrew, she gushed in a note over the snap, "What a magical day." "I want to thank cantor Nathan Lam for helping me along this journey of converting to Judaism," the younger sister of Nicole Richie continued spilling. Further sharing her bliss, she joyfully stated, "It has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. Today was that day!!!" Sofia was first linked romantically to Elliot in April 2021, just months after she parted ways with Scott Disick. Around a year later, the fashion designer announced that she has gotten engaged to the music executive. In an April 2022 post on Instagram, she shared a photo capturing the moment of Elliot getting down on one knee. Accompanying the proposal picture was another snap of Sofia sharing a kiss with Elliot. Along with the photos, the sister-in-law of Good Charlotte's Joel Madden gushed in her post's caption, "Forever isn't long enough @elliot." Before updating fans with her conversion, Sofia has been kept busy with a number of pre-wedding events. Back in October 2022, the social media personality was seen heading to club Raspoutinein in Paris upon leaving Balagan restaurant to celebrate her bachelorette party. She was joined by her sister Nicole at the bash. Four months thereafter, in February 2023, Sofia had her bridal shower celebrated in California. In the bash planned by her "angel godmother" Shelleylyn Brandler, she was joined by sister Nicole, mother Diane Alexander and other family members. Her fiance Elliot was also seen attending the festivity. You can share this post! Instagram Music The feud between the City Girls star and the Chicago artist seemingly started when the former made fun of Mulla's facial features in an Instagram comment. Apr 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Yung Miami has noticed Big Mulla's diss track for her. After the Chicago raptress threw shots at her on "Don't Play Wit It (Remix), YungMiami Diss", the City Girls star took to social media to respond to it. "I just hit a nerd rapping b***h who run her gums/ Mad about a post I upset you h*es for fun," Mulla raps on the song. "Got yo fans mad but I said what I said/ Don't let 'em gas you up, get get upside yo head." Mulla then name-drops Miami's on-and-off fling, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs. "Hottest city girl but ain't s**t about you city/ You knew you wasnt gon last long that's why you started f**kin' Diddy," she spits. "Got a couple hits, I'll admit you got yo flowers/ If it wasn't for JT, h*e's career would be sour." Miami seemingly didn't have much to say about the diss track. When responding to the new record under The Neighborhood Talk's post, she wrote, "Booooooooo," adding a series of tomato emojis. The feud between Miami and Mulla seemingly started when the former made fun of Mulla's facial features in an Instagram comment. "Why your eyes so far apart?" Miami wrote in reply to Mulla's statement that read, "Ya'll gotta stop liein so much." You can share this post! Amazon India today announced that it has signed a Letter of Engagement (LoE) with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), Government of India, with an objective of growing Indias creative economy. As part of this collaboration, Amazon and MIB will help build pathways to promote creative talent in India, create capacity across eminent film and TV institutes, and globally showcase Made in India creative content. The LoE was signed at The National Media Centre, New Delhi in presence of Honble Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India, Chetan Krishnaswamy, Vice President Public Policy at Amazon India and Gaurav Gandhi, Vice President, Asia Pacific, Prime Video. As part of the LoE, Prime Video and miniTV will both work towards providing internships, and scholarships to students at Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTII). This will enable students to gain real work exposure, and become industry-ready. Amazon.in will also curate a special storefront feature to promote books and journals across genre reflecting Indias proud heritage from MIBs Publication Division. The Alexa All India Radio skill published by Prasar Bharti will help disseminate news bulletins, and educational content. The collaboration will also help in broadening the reach of Prasar Bharatis, rich and diverse music via Amazon Music and Alexa. Speaking about the partnership with Amazon, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India, said, "The partnership with Amazon India is unique on a number of counts and the Letter of Engagement spans across various aspects of the creative industry. The partnership would help to strengthen industry-academia linkages through provisions for scholarships, internships, masterclasses, and other opportunities for students at Film and Television Institute of India and Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute of India, and help to reduce the period of struggle for the talented artists coming out of prestigious film institutes of India." As the Indian economy expands at a fast-clip, Amazon is uniquely placed to contribute to the nations growth journey on multiple fronts including e-commerce, logistics, digital skilling, cloud computing, payments, artificial intelligence and in building the creative economy. Over the years, we have been working with the Indian government to create a meaningful impact at scale through our various collaborations and initiatives, said Chetan Krishnaswamy, Vice President Public Policy at Amazon India. As we celebrate Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, this milestone Letter of Engagement with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, strengthens our commitment to globally promote and showcase Indias creative talent and stories through our multiple services such as Prime Video, miniTV, Amazon Music, Alexa, IMDb, and our marketplace business, added Chetan. At Prime Video, we have always looked at ourselves as the enablers of the creative ecosystem. As an entertainment hub, there is room for every story to be told, which are only enriched if more passionate storytellers find the training, platform and resources required to bring their best work forward, said Gaurav Gandhi, Vice President, Asia-Pacific, Prime Video. Our rich cultural diversity offers immense potential, to drive a thriving creative economy and further Indias soft- power, internationally. Our holistic collaboration with MIB, looks at every life stage and every-corner of integration to stimulate the growth of the industry, and we are very optimistic of the pathways that it will create, added Gaurav. Actor Varun Dhawan, who is also Prime Bae for Prime Video, said, As Prime Bae, I am thrilled to witness this landmark collaboration between MIB and Amazon, Before Anyone Else. For any artist, the ultimate dream is to be recognized for our work. Thanks to streaming services like Prime Video, today, even people in the remotest corners of the world are dancing to our music and repeating our dialogues. A collaboration of this nature helps us all work towards redefining what it means to be an Indian on the global entertainment stage. RS Sodhi, who had stepped down as the Managing Director of GCMMF Ltd (Amul) in January this year, has come on board Reliance Retail in an advisory role, as per media reports. Sodhis mandate will be to strengthen Reliances grocery business by helping develop Reliance Retails fresh fruits and vegetables unit. Prior to this, Sodhi was with the Gujarat Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF Ltd), where he had joined back in 1982 as a Senior Sales Officer. In late February and early March, rumours of violence against North Indian migrants began to circulate in Tamil Nadu, leading many to flee the state. These rumours were fueled by unverified videos circulating on social media that depicted attacks on migrant workers from Bihar. Families back in Bihar began to panic, and many reached out to HT Medias Hindi daily and Bihars leading newspaper, Hindustan, for help. To quell these rumors and re-establish peace and harmony, authorities in Tamil Nadu took immediate action. Hindustan, in partnership with The Hindu Tamil Thisai (The Hindu Group), Tamil Nadu's leading newspaper, held an event on March 18 in Coimbatore to address the concerns of migrants residing in the state. The event was attended by 300 migrants and featured a panel of experts, including V. Balakrishnan IPS, Commissioner of Police, Coimbatore City, T. Rajkumar, Chairman, Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI), G. Arulmozhi, President, Tamil Nadu Open End Spinning Mills Association (OSMA), M. Jayabal, President, Recycle Textile Federation (RTF), K. Asokan, Editor, Hindu Tamil Thisai, and Tirvijay Singh, Executive Editor, Hindustan Bihar Jharkhand. The event aimed to provide assurance to the 34 lakh migrant workers spread across Tamil Nadu that the authorities were taking measures to ensure their safety. Hindustan's Executive Editor, Tirvijay Singh, personally went to Coimbatore to understand the ground reality and provide fact-based coverage about the situation. During the event, the panelists addressed the concerns of the migrants and assured them that the authorities were taking steps to protect them. Migrant workers who participated in the event were also able to speak with their families back in Bihar through WhatsApp video calls to show them that the situation was fine in Tamil Nadu. Commenting on the event, D. Rajkumar, General Manager, The Hindu Tamil Thisai, said, "Creating awareness among the workers is the need of the hour, and hence two leading newspaper organisations have come together to conduct this event. The objective was to convey the ground reality which prevails in Tamil Nadu." Subhash Chand, Marketing Head Hindustan Times and Hindustan, added, "As the leading newspaper specially in Bihar, it is our foremost responsibility to act onto any situation that concerns the people. Our successful joint collaboration with The Hindu has helped us provide verified on-ground situation to our readers and also the measures taken to ensure their safety." Asokan, Editor, The Hindu Tamil Thisai, emphasised the importance of media responsibility and the role of the press in promoting unity. He shared examples of migrant workers helping Tamil people during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and the case of a migrant worker who helped a pregnant Tamil woman get admitted to the hospital for delivery. The event organised by Hindustan and The Hindu Tamil Thisai was successful in addressing the concerns of migrant workers in Tamil Nadu and promoting peace and harmony in the state. Honda Cars India (HCIL), a leading manufacturer of premium cars in India is commemorating the 10th anniversary of its popular family sedan, Honda Amaze. The car, first introduced in India in April 2013, has since become Honda's best-selling model and holds a strong market position in its segment and the industry. The Amaze has brought joy and pride to over 5.3 lakh customers during the last 10 years and is currently one out of every two Honda cars sold in the country, accounting for 53 % of HCIL's sales in India. In line with Hondas unwavering commitment to its customers by providing them with the most advanced products and services, ahead of time, all Honda Amaze sold in India are E20 material compatible since its first launch in 2013. The Honda Amaze is a contemporary sedan that offers a perfect balance of performance and fuel efficiency. It boasts Honda's advanced powertrain, striking bold design, sophisticated and spacious interiors, superb driving performance, advanced features, and safety technologies. Over the last 10 years, the model has seen a host of updates including two generations and multiple other updates. It is one of the best-selling sedans among personal buyers, appealing to both first-time buyers and those seeking an upgrade from smaller vehicles. Mr. Takuya Tsumura, President & CEO, Honda Cars India Limited expressing his pleasure on successful achievement of 10 years journey of Honda Amaze said, Today marks a milestone in our India journey, as Honda Amaze completes a decade-long presence in this market with over 5.3 lakh customers. It is a strategic premium entry model in our portfolio offering One Class Above Sedan Experience to our customers with its strong brand appeal, bold styling, excellent performance, durability, build quality, safety and comfortable experience. Were glad the Amaze is significantly contributing to our India business and has become the best-selling model in our line-up. The Amaze receives 40 percent of first-time buyers and has shown growing preference for the advanced CVT automatic variants which accounts for almost 35% of the current model sales, he added. The 1st Generation Honda Amaze, launched in April 2013, sold 2.6 lakh units till March 2018. In its 2nd Generation, Honda Amaze has sold 2.7 lakh units since its launch in May 2018, making it one of the most popular brands in the country. The Honda Amaze is manufactured exclusively in India at Honda's Tapukara plant in Rajasthan, catering to both domestic and export business. The Made in India Honda Amaze is exported to South Africa and SAARC countries. With a strong network of 325 facilities in 236 cities across India, Amaze has developed a strong popularity and presence in Tier 2 and 3 markets, accounting for 60 % of model sales in these regions. The Amaze is powered by 1.2L i-VTEC petrol engine delivering 90PS@6000 rpm power and 110 Nm@4800 rpm torque and is coupled with 5 speed Manual Transmission and CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) offering fuel efficiency of 18.6 kmpl and 18.3 kmpl respectively. The Peace of mind service offering of the Honda Amaze with best in class 3 years Unlimited Kms warranty and Low Cost of Maintenance have also been strong appeal points for customers consideration. All Honda Amaze sold in India are E20 material compatible and customers can use the new grade of E20 fuel in their existing Honda Amaze without the need of changing any part in the car. The Made in India Honda Amaze had received a strong 4-star safety rating from Global NCAP, when the Africa spec variant was crash-tested in 2019 under the Safer Cars for Africa campaign. InMobi, a leading provider of content, marketing, and monetization technologies that help businesses fuel growth, has appointed Aditya Varadarajan as the regional head for its newly expanded partnership with Microsoft Advertising in India and Southeast Asia. In this role, Aditya will aim to beef up in-market presence and deepen relationships with strategic and enterprise clients and help brands and agencies maximize impact from the multitude of Microsoft Advertising products and solutions. Aditya will be based out of Singapore and will be expanding the regional sales team across key markets such as India, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. Aditya leads the Microsoft Advertising business across India and Southeast Asia at InMobi and helps brands maximize impact from the multitude of Microsoft Advertising products and solutions. He has over 10 years of experience in handling account management, digital marketing, affiliate marketing, and data analysis. India and Southeast Asia are among the focus markets with great growth potential for InMobi and Microsoft Advertising. With the evolution of Microsoft Advertising products, I am happy to welcome Aditya as the regional head and look forward to enabling the advertising ecosystem across Southeast Asia, shared Rohit Dosi, Vice President and GM, Microsoft Advertising business at InMobi. Before InMobi he worked with brands like Google, WalkingTree, and Madhura Agro and specializes in performance and brand marketing. Aditya and his team will be responsible for sales, account management, client servicing, and billing across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. In 1998, Omnicom designed and built its first truly specialist media operation from the ground up combining planning, buying, insights and client service together, and launched OMD. Today, the worlds largest media network celebrates 25 years in business, a momentous event that resonates even more in Asia because OMD Hong Kong is OMDs first standalone full-service operation in the world. The agency has come a long way from when the first office opened in Hong Kong with just three employees. From this market, the OMD brand expanded and in 2000, it formally became a global network where all market operations were united by a common leadership and vision. Today, OMD has a headcount of close to 2,400 in 13 offices in APAC; and 12,000 in over 100 countries globally. OMD was born in response to an increasingly complex media landscape in the 1990s, with clients seeking greater value, transparency and negotiating power. This resulted in the separation of creative and media specialisms from full-service offerings to dedicated enterprises. Untethering the disciplines meant that media agencies could develop and grow specialist skills, implement media-neutral solutions and extract greater value for clients previously encumbered by creative dominance. By combining technology, data, innovation, creativity, empathy, and evidence to orchestrate better business outcomes, OMD has been delivering business transformation at scale for some of the worlds leading blue-chip brands such as McDonalds and Apple, both of whom have a long-standing relationship with OMD. Named Cannes Lions Media Network of the Year 2022, OMD is currently ranked the best performing global media network overall by RECMA. Additionally, OMD is also the worlds most effective media agency network in the Effie Effectiveness Index and WARC Effective 100 Rankings. Finally, just last month, as reported in the 2022 Media Agency New Business Barometer an analysis of the global media agency marketplace published by independent research company COMvergence OMD topped the global agency network net new business rankings at Number 1. The key characteristic of OMD has been our ability to continuously evolve to lead our clients forward, which has propelled us to where we are today; leading the industry as our clients most trusted transformation partner, said George Manas, CEO, OMD Worldwide. Our success is enabled by truly differentiated capabilities in digital, data and technology, and as we look towards the next 25 years, we will continue to innovate, and support our clients in pivotal moments of transformation, he added. At OMD, we have a brand that is clearly recognised as number one in the world, and it gives me great pride to honour our legacy as the region that gave birth to OMD as we know it to be today, said Charlotte Lee, CEO, OMD APAC. As we celebrate our brand, our history and our people, we remain steadfast in our commitment to maintaining a passion for our clients business, and partnering with them to deliver business transformation and growth in the years to come, she added. This silver jubilee is such a momentous occasion for us. In a quarter of a century, we've gone from our determined beginnings to being the worlds largest media network today and what a journey it's been! Our scaled ambitions right from the very start have seen us aspire to be the foremost authority in the media business, and it is without a doubt that our journey of success over the years comes from our obsession for our two greatest assets - our employees and our clients, said Anisha Iyer, CEO, OMD India. Speaking of the future of OMD, she added, By focusing on innovation, prioritizing digital leadership, and harnessing the many possibilities of Omni and OMD Design, I am confident that we will continue to make transformative changes alongside our clients and remain a global powerhouse of innovation. In the last 10 years, PR has taken a different dimension, especially after the entry of social media and the rapid shift to digital during the pandemic period. At the same time, the industry has been facing stiff challenges, moreover client expectations have also increased, with more emphasis being given to digital and online reputation management. The industry has undergone a radical shift and the current times have pushed the industry to change gears. In this interaction with Adgully, Deeptie Sethi, CEO, PRCAI, and Atul Sharma, CEO, Ruder Finn India and Head - Middle East and PRCAI President, speak about some key findings of the just released annual report of PRCAI, SPRINT 2022-23, the current size and the y-o-y growth registered by the Indian PR industry, the big transition to digital and new technologies and how they are impacting the PR practice, and much more. What is the current size of the PR industry in India today and what has been the year-on-year growth like? Deeptie Sethi: Data establishes a clear growth as the PR industry stands at Rs 2,100 crore today. Despite the first year of COVID-19 being tough, but the bounce-back shows that the projected growth was about 13% in 2022. An analysis of the data shows that there has been a double digit growth in the PR industry for the last 8 to 10 years. The Indian PR industry is now as developed and a proper disciplined sector as it is in the global and Asia Pacific markets. As we go deeper into the details of the report (PRCAIs annual report SPRINT 2022-23), we see how sectors are shaping up as well as how the unicorn economy is shaping up the whole industry. Atul Sharma: If you look at the overall share of revenue of the PR industry in India, we are almost 1% of what the global industry is. If we look at the Asia Pacific setup, we would be around 13-14% of what Asia Pacific contributes. Given the size of our economy, which is now the fifth largest economy, think of how much scope there is vis-a-vis the global counterparts and in Asia. When we look at Rs 2,100 crore, it is a very organised space that we are talking about. There are lots and lots of small agencies, who possibly dont even come in the organised space. So obviously, if we take those into account, the number is much larger. For decades traditional PR has mostly been about media relations. How do you see the PR industry as well as the operations evolving today? And what are the factors bringing on the changes? Deeptie Sethi: The biggest factor bringing in the changes is the whole mindset about digital rights. When consultancies ask for proposals, it is a very integrated digital-first approach that they are looking at. But whats also evident in the SPRINT report is that while the share of media relations may show a dip, it is still very prominent around 68%. Thus, earned media and media relations will continue to be an important pie. Also, eight out of ten consultancies, for instance, do outsource media relations to the clients. So, its prominence continues. But in the holistic environment of technology and digitalisation, we would see a lot more that will be coming in from consultancies and from this whole communications piece whether it is content, social media or digital media. So, all of them will play a very significant role going forward. Atul Sharma: When I started my career more than 20 years back, our outreach largely was to traditional media houses and there was nothing beyond that. But if I look today, the mediums have evolved a lot right from traditional media to social to influencers to policy advocacy which are a big part of every integrated PR agency. With new developments in the Web 3 space, I am sure there will be more avenues for us to tell our stories. But what has definitely changed is that we have become the master of the message. So, its not about butchering the mediums, but also about what the message is. Just as this industry is evolving, the mediums, too, are developing. There are way more mediums than traditional media now on which the story is being told. I am quite hopeful that there will be many more mediums that are going to evolve in the next few years. Could you shed more light on the digital integration happening in the PR industry? How do you see newer technology like AI, Big Data, ChatGPT impacting the PR industry? Atul Sharma: I think its a reflection of what people are consuming and where people are consuming today. If you look at the majority of Indians, close to 60% of the Zoomers are millennials, and they are actually consuming information on social media on these digital forums. Thus, it is obvious that we have to start evolving our methods of storytelling on these forums. While there are a lot of conversations around ChatGPT and Web3 right now, we dont see proof of concepts yet. But I strongly feel that once people start spending time on Web3 and ChatGPT in their daily use for anything and everything, we will have to make sure that we start using it more and more. Deeptie Sethi: According to the SPRINT report, we have almost 77% of people agreeing to the strand of integration of digital and traditional. 75% of the respondents said that adoption of technology and automation will only bring in more efficiency. We are all experimenting with whats coming and what technology is throwing, but I think there is also an adoption thats definitely happening. If you look at five or ten years back, we had just started measuring the traditional media and looking at more science in that data. Now, we have started looking at how technology can come in to look at digital measurement; how they can look at traditional measurement; how we can do automated reports. Therefore, there is a lot more that is being experimented with. PR is at the center of exploring those technologies and seeing how that helps us become more skillful and more efficient, especially in this era when time is essentially breaking news and there many more mediums to manage. So, technology will help and aid in building that for the future. Global media agency, Vigor Media Worldwide has been awarded the PR mandate for Su-Kam Power Systems Limited, one of India's largest power solution companies. The contract reflects Vigor Media Worldwide's exceptional expertise in PR and communication. Vigor Media Worldwide will build a strategic communication framework for the Su-Kam brand and enhance its leadership position in the industry. The company will also employ effective media and communication strategies to help Su-Kam achieve its expansion goals and engage stakeholders effectively. Mr. Sanchit Sekhwal Goyal, Director, Su-Kam Power Systems Limited, exuded his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, We are moving swiftly on the path to the next generation of energy storage systems. Our Energy Storage Systems Division (ESSD) is committed to develop futuristic products and we are all set to launch a whole new Lithium range, E-Mobility products and other Sustainable Energy products. At this exciting juncture, we are pleased to partner with Vigor Media Worldwide. We count on their vast experience in the field of media and communications that will surely help us connect with our stakeholders emphatically, helping us achieve customer satisfaction." Commenting on the PR mandate, Mr. Nilanjan Chakrobarty, CEO of Vigor Media Worldwide, said, "We are honoured to get the mandate of such an esteemed household brand as Su-Kam, which is moving on to emerge as a global giant in the power-backup and solar power solutions segments. Our expertise in brand building and ability to employ a fully-integrated media approach will assist Su-Kam in achieving their business goals. We are committed to delivering well-planned and innovative communication strategies in line with their key expectations." A pioneer in providing renewable energy solutions, Su-Kam Power Systems Limited has earned the distinction of being one of the leading power back up, generation and monitoring companies in India. It has already made a foray into the solar power sector. The extensive line-up of Su-Kam products includes state-of-the-art UPS, Batteries and Solar Panels to name just a few. Vigor Media Worldwide has cross-sectoral expertise in real estate, education, lifestyle, FMCG, hospitality, healthcare, technology, security, consulting, and other sectors of the economy. The company's client portfolio includes top-of-the-line brands with recurring associations over the years. New York braces for possible tensions on Trump arraignment day Xinhua) 11:27, April 05, 2023 This photo taken on April 3, 2023 shows the Trump Tower on the Fifth Avenue in Midtown of Manhattan in New York, the United States. New York City further reinforced its security measures ahead of the scheduled arraignment of former U.S. President Donald Trump at a criminal court in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) NEW YORK, April 3 (Xinhua) -- New York City further reinforced its security measures ahead of the scheduled arraignment of former U.S. President Donald Trump at a criminal court in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday. More law enforcement staff and barricades were put in place around Manhattan Criminal Court and Manhattan District Attorney's Office in Lower Manhattan as well as at Trump Tower on the Fifth Avenue in Midtown. New York State Court officers were seen on duty around the Manhattan Criminal Court, where Trump is expected to face criminal charges. Crossroads close to the above-mentioned sites already came under tight control and pedestrians were subject to guidance and barricades on Monday. Scores of people rallied around Trump Tower on Monday with big banners in support of Trump while Collect Pond Park opposite Manhattan Criminal Court was left quiet on the day. New York City Mayor Eric Adams Monday warned against violence or vandalism from protesters, noting that if someone is caught participating in any act of violence, they will be arrested and held accountable. "But to those planning to protest, the message is clear: Protest peacefully or you will be held accountable. We also urge all New Yorkers and visitors to use public transportation to avoid traffic delays and any potential street closures," said a post by the New York City Mayor's Office on Monday. New York City planned to close streets intermittently, according to reports. It's also reported that the New York City Police Department has sent a stand-ready order to about 35,000 officers. "I think you'll see some spurts, and I think you'll see a few things going on here and there. But overall, I think New York's prepared for it," said Rich Herrera, a Florida-based podcaster who is traveling in New York City. "If Trump is arrested on Tuesday, things could get pretty crazy," said Ashwood Kavanna, an artist who was prompting his work at Collect Pond Park. Trump reportedly faces more than 30 counts related to business fraud in an indictment from a recent Manhattan grand jury related to his alleged role in organizing hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, which was filed under seal. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) By age 15, Annonciata Nduwimana was an accomplished fighter for Burundis opposition Forces nationales de liberation (FNL) and knew how to kill in battle. My father was killed, accused of sheltering rebels. We [her mother and two elder brothers] then fled to Bujumbura to seek safe haven, she said. Life in the capital, however, proved tough for a widow with three children. Unable to pay rent, the family returned to their village of Muyira in Bujumbura Rurale Province. The area was an FNL stronghold. The army was convinced that we pretended to be school pupils by day but turned into FNL fighters during the night, Nduwimana said. I knew by staying here, I would be killed. I chose to die on the battlefield. That was 2003. Two weeks after joining the FNL, she had completed basic training and was deployed on the battlefield. I was afraid, I couldnt figure out I could kill people, she said. But there was no way out you either killed or you were killed. The choice was clear. Now 21, Nduwimana is back to civilian life in Muyira, but with little to show for her time as a combatant. She is traumatized, has not been fully accepted by society and lacks capital to start an income-generating activity. Like Nduwimana, many women in the province were forced into war. Others who stayed in the villages ended up performing chores either for the army or the FNL. While some took food to combatants, others fetched water or firewood, or sheltered the fighters in their houses. We used to leave home [carrying food] at around 8pm in the night and walk and walk; we arrived at their [FNL] hiding places at dawn, Annabelle Nshimirimana, 20, said. The next night we walked back home, taking care nobody observed our absence, she added. It was a difficult task because it was a long way through the mountains. Sometimes we were ambushed and forced to fight. Nshimirimanas neighbour, Odile Nibizi, 34, remembered one night when FNL fighters knocked at her door, asking for shelter. Although she did not know any of them, the men stayed at her home for a whole year. I was providing them [with] everything; this cost me my beer business because I ended up with nothing at all, the mother of six said. We were caught between two fires: If we sheltered the FNL, the army targeted us; if you refused, you were also killed, The three are among thousands of women in Burundi who are trying to pick up the pieces after the FNL gave up their military struggle and became a political party in April 2009. Starting again With Burundi now largely calm, female ex-combatants like Nduwimana, Nshimirimana and Nibizi are trying to integrate back into civilian life. However, it is a difficult journey for most of them as they struggle on their own to heal their wounds, get over the trauma of being an ex-combatant, fight stereotypes and get accepted in a society not accustomed to female ex-combatants. They [neighbours] call me names. When they see me passing, they say, look, she was a solider; they still believe I am a bandit; all cases of banditry are blamed on us, Nduwimana said. Another ex-combatant, who declined to be named, said ex-combatants who were impregnated by other combatants were worse off, and they were shunned by the society. They tell us to take the children to their fathers, but how can we? she said. Many women are struggling to make ends meet. I got 4,500 francs [US$3.6 as a demobilization fee] and I used it as a capital; I sell cooking oil. Up to now I have only three litres. I can get soap and food, said Nshimirimana, who was forced to leave school at an early age. With no parents, her five brothers and sisters are taken care of by relatives at Rumonge in the southern province of Bururi. Glimpse of hope But all is not lost. The aid organization CARE International has initiated a project aimed at the social and economic integration of female ex-combatants. Remy Ndayiragije, head of the project known as Dushigikirane (Let us help each other in Kirundi), said the aim was economic empowerment of female ex-combatants, and their social integration. Ndayiragije said CARE was working with the UN World Food Programme, Survival Corps and the International Rice Institute. Among other activities, the project is trying to introduce new varieties of rice in Bujumbura Rural. It is also setting up a savings and loan scheme, and awareness is being raised among women of the importance of working in associations. Many have now formed solidarity groups that aim to save money weekly, with a view to offering loans to members. We also want to bring together, with the ex-combatants, women who did not get involved in the fighting, Ndayiragije said. When they are working together, they talk about their past experience; they can understand each other. Those who have had not been accepted in the community can get a listening ear in the group. Negotiations between the ten countries of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), April 13 in Sharm Al-Sheikh, hit the wall over Cairos refusal to give its stamp of approval to a new Nile water share plan that could see a reduction of its water quota. Egypt enjoys more than half of the Nile Rivers water resource by virtue of a treaty signed with Great Britain in 1929. According Mikail Barah, a researcher at the Institute of International and Strategic Relations (IRIS), Egypt has everything to gain by changing its attitude. Interview. Egypts share of the Niles water is a historic right that Egypt has defended throughout its history, Mohammed Allam, minister of water resources and irrigation, told the countrys parliament in Cairo, adding that Egypt saw the matter as a national security issue. Egypt reserves the right to take whatever course it sees suitable to safeguard its share, he said. Thus Egypts reiteration of its rejection of a new Nile water share plan. Egypt alone enjoys more than half the Niles water resource. A recent Extraordinary Nile Council of Ministers Meeting that saw the gathering of all ten Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) member countries at Sharm El-Cheikh, in Egypt, failed to produce an agreement over equitably sharing the Niles resources. Egypt, supported by Sudan, refused to give its stamp of approval to a Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), that seeks to develop the Nile river in a cooperative manner and share its resources equally without causing significant harm to other riparian countries. A treaty signed in 1929 with Great Britain on behalf of its East African colonies, and another in 1959 between Egypt and Sudan allowed Egypt alone to use 55.5 billion cubic meters (87% of the Niles water flow) and Sudan 18.5 cubic meters of water each year: Treaties that upper riparian countries, including Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, strongly disagree with because they are not signatories. Led by Ethiopia, which contributes to over 80 per cent of the Niles water, upper riparian countries among the Nile Basin countries want a fair deal and a departure from pre-independent and colonial treaties. The issue, which, according to Egypt, has become a matter of national security, could encourage the use of military force should the northern African country feel its interests on the river are threatened. Some analysts fear that these tensions could degenerate into a water war. According Mikail Barah, a specialist on the subject of Geopolitics of water in the Middle East and also a researcher at the Institute for International and Strategic Relations (IRIS), Egyptian officials would be better off to contemplate diplomacy today for what they cannot obtain by force tomorrow. Afrik-news.com: Negotiations on a framework agreement for the sharing of the Niles water, held a few days ago between the ten countries of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), failed. Egypt, drawing on ancient treaties, refuses every move to question its quota. Do you think it is legitimate? Barah Mikail: Undoubtedly, the prevailing formal terms in what concerns the sharing of the Niles waters are somewhat unfair. Egyptians and Sudanese lay claim to rights that strips Ethiopia of all rights, despite it (Ethiopia) being the source of 80% of the Niles water. As such, the legitimacy of the current situation is weak. And it goes without saying that, given the restructuring of power relations being developed in the Nile basin, an amendment to the current situation needs to be outlined. Afrik-news.com: Upstream countries have announced that they will sign the Cooperative Framework Agreement, even if Egypt and Sudan refuse to append their signatures. What, in your opinion, could be the eventual consequences? Barah Mikail: I think we should refrain from seeing signs of an impending catastrophe, in the near future. Indeed, disagreements remain between Egypt and Sudan on the one hand, and their counterparts in the Nile Basin on the other. Having said that, as time goes on, Egyptians and Sudanese are coming to terms with the counter productivity of the use of military options to mark their authority. With this, I think we should eventually expect some kind of soured government statements and allusions in the coming months, but not enough to see the beginning of a permanent disquiet. Afrik-news.com: Egypt suspects that ill intentions are being concocted against it in relation to government accords between Ethiopia and Israel to build hydroelectric facilities on the Blue Nile. The same goes for projects planned on the Nile in Uganda. Are these fears justified? Barah Mikail: To a certain extent, Egypt is right to dread the nature of Israeli-Ethiopian relations in what concerns Hydraulics. The past has indeed shown that the proposals made by Israel to Ethiopia in this particular area could alter Egypts water flow from the Nile. That said, it does not mean that Cairo is right to adopt a wait-and-see attitude. On the contrary, the changing outlook shows that Egypts position wont hold for long. The balance of power is changing, and it might probably not be in Egypts favor. They would, therefore, be better off contemplating diplomacy today for what they cannot obtain by force tomorrow. Afrik-news.com: How could the Nile basin countries succeed in changing the status quo? In your opinion, what could help settle the problem? Barah Mikail: What is happening in the Nile basin is not different from what takes place among an overwhelming majority of these transborder basins across the world. It brings into focus a lack of cooperation between States concerned by the waters of a same river. Undoubtedly, the solution lies in its equitable sharing. But it behooves them to take into account all the needs of countries involved, particularly in what concerns their respective populations and their needs thereof. Of course, before that, the collective will of all the riparian countries is needed ahead of negotiations for better sharing. If this is not done all efforts will lack a clear vision, and will therefore necessarily be compromised. Afrik-news.com: Egypt has repeatedly hinted it was prepared to use military action to affirm its natural right on the Nile. Do you think that these tensions could degenerate into a water war? Barah Mikail: That risk is lowered as time goes on, although that possibility cant be entirely dismissed. Egypt no longer holds the same power it did in the 1980s, when it was endowed with military means that towered over its regional counterparts in Africa. Today, it faces a number of realities that include a deterioration of the Sudanese political environment, the political and diplomatic strength of Ethiopia, and of course a strong political will among world powers not to allow a water conflict in the region. Egypt simply has everything to lose by giving priority to a military solution. A water conflict will clearly isolate Egypt. Moreover, albeit difficult, Egypts situation in terms of renewable fresh water is not necessarily fatal. The recent deployment of the SEACOM broadband cable off the coast of east Africa has sparked the dawn of a new era in Internet communications in the region. A June 2829 symposium in Uganda organized by the U.S. telecom firm Verizon Communications and other planning partners is an effort to help improve East Africas Internet links with the rest of the world and thus stimulate enhanced educational opportunities and economic growth and development across the region, the executive said. Kathryn C. Brown, senior vice president of public policy development and corporate responsibility at Verizon, spoke with America.gov June 21 and previewed the event, which is expected to attract some 120 government, business and education representatives from the target countries of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. The symposium seeks to improve Internet access and applications for the regions institutions of higher education. There was no [easy] connectivity to East Africa prior to the installation of that underwater cable, Brown explained. You would either have to come up from South Africa or you needed to go all the way up to Egypt in order to reach the rest of the world. Now Internet connectivity is sitting on the shores of East Africa and for that connectivity to be deployed for folks to start to see the potential for this infrastructure development, it is going to be a real eye-opener. Brown, who will travel to Uganda for the symposium, said that, historically, East Africa has been one of the least-connected regions of sub-Saharan Africa. The Internet connectivity there is largely poor, particularly when you get outside the international conference areas. Many African nations were forced to rely on limited, expensive satellite services alone for their international connectivity needs. This is now changing, due to the arrival of undersea cables. There is an opportunity now and a willingness on the part of the [telecom] carriers there to build out a national backbone infrastructure. The governments are very interested, the large stakeholders are very interested in having this connectivity, and Verizon, while not in East Africa right now, has had a real interest in seeing that the entire world is connected to the Internet. If the region becomes fully integrated into the World Wide Web, Brown predicted that the changes, frankly, will be far-reaching. As we have seen around the world, once a region becomes connected to the rest of the world, the amount of economic development is staggering. So the construction of a stable, reliable, trusted [Internet] infrastructure in the region will no doubt stimulate investment and competition in Africa and increase foreign investment. Fostering the innovation and expansion of the Internet allows the region to fully participate in the 21st century. The major universities in East Africa are hungry for connectivity, Brown said. Recalling how Verizon got involved in promoting the symposium, she said Uganda Martyrs University wanted to do distance learning (using the Internet to teach people remotely) throughout Uganda and East Africa. The focus at the symposium, she explained, will be the kinds of education gains that could be made if the connectivity was more robust and how that whole network of more than 50 universities all across East Africa could become the basis for network expansion all across the region. Asked what gains could be achieved, she said: If one looks at the program for the conference, you can see that there will be lots of deep thinking about getting ready for deeper and broader higher education in East Africa. Bringing students to the universities across East Africa to access information they would not already have had access to will be huge. You can tap all the great libraries of the world all of the medical schools the law schools, the international schools. It is a phenomenal access that one gains. Second, she said, the symposium is trying to address distance learning all over Africa so that students can be reached wherever they are. Third, she said, professional schools such as medical and law schools want to be able to use the Internet to reach out to local clinics and law practices across the region. As connectivity becomes more robust, the network becomes more robust and the things that one can do on the network just multiply. We have seen that in the United States, we have seen it in Europe. And, frankly, one only needs to look at India to see what happens when a country that was considered a developing country opens its borders to the Net. There, of course, we know that there is a huge middle class that never existed before and an opening to the world that I think has been an incredible story and one we would like to see all over the world and the developing world. Overall, the conference hopes to connect education, communication and government and spur a dialogue to move forward and use the Internet to promote greater economic growth and development across East Africa, she said. Attendees will include the vice chancellor of Uganda Martyrs University, faculty members from Makerere University, the rector of the Islamic University of Uganda and representatives from some 25 universities from across East Africa. The chancellor of the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) will be there to speak on the link between Internet connectivity and education, and senior government officials from the region will be in attendance, along with representatives from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which coordinates global telecom operations. Additionally, she said, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith A. McHale will address the group. We are just so pleased that she is going to come to speak at the conference, Brown said. Additionally, major service providers like AT&T, Google, Motorola, Qualcomm, Ericsson and Intelsat will join local operators to lend their voices and expertise to the conversation. Ethiopian authorities have expressed their contentment over Burundis decision to sign a new Nile water equitable sharing treaty that will end Egypts historical control over the Nile water. Last week, Burundi became the sixth member of the Nile basin countries to append its signature to a new Nile Basin Co-operative Framework in a bid to replace a colonial era treaty and ensure a new equitable water sharing agreement that will end Egypts historical control over the Nile water. The new Nile Basin Co-operative Framework was approved in May last year in Entebbe, Uganda, by five of the Nile Basin countries, comprising of Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. Water and Energy Minister of Ethiopia, Alemayehu Tegenu, announced his governments contentment over Burundis agreement, as the Co-operative Framework enters its final stage in a bid to replace the old Nile treaty. According to Alemayehu Tegenu, the new agreement will remain open for the remaining riparian countries to sign until 14 May 2011. The Democratic Republic Congo is among the countries expected to append their signature to the agreement. Egypt and Sudan, the two main opponents of the new treaty are also expected to sign the agreement, reports say. Ato Tefera Beyene, Ethiopian trans boundary rivers administration directorate director and member of the Nile negotiating team, told local media that countries which are signatories to the new treaty have so far showed their commitments to the Co-operative framework. Ato Tefera Beyene insisted that there was no way the group would back down on the demands of the Co-operative Framework and also highlighted the need for the Egypt and Sudan, opponents of the new treaty, to reunite the embattled Nile basin countries by signing the treaty. The new agreement, the Nile Basin Co-operative Framework, is to replace a 1959 accord between Egypt and Sudan that gave them control of more than 90 per cent of the water flow. The Nile Basin Initiative, which had been spearheading the talks, is to become the Nile Basin Commission. It will receive, review and approve or reject projects related to Africas longest river. The commission will be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopias capital, and have representation from all nine Nile Basin countries. Although Egypts position, since the north African countrys change of regime, is not known, last year, the group had underplayed fears that Egypt could militarily attack the countries which signed the agreement. Ethiopia Egypt: A tug of war over the Nile basin Egypt and Ethiopia Lock horns over Nile water deal Egypt better off settling water spat with Ethiopia led Nile Basin negotiations Because somebody has to stand up against tyranny and oppressive governments, I disagree with the several African leaders who have parochially condemned the international military coalition aimed at deterring Muammar Gaddafis forces and mercenaries who are violently crushing civil protests against an iron-fisted, corrupt and tyrannical regime in Libya. Agreed, military intervention has its pitfalls, but the chaotic international system needs the services of physical security, commercial regulation, financial stability and legal alternative in a backdrop of universal human rights. While the leaders of Uganda, South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe raise legitimate concerns about U.S-led air-strikes in Libya, they fail to admit or recognize the need for an international system that checks and balances governments whilst upholding the 1948 universal declaration of human rights. The African leaders criticized the coalition air strikes against Gaddafis strongholds, suggesting they were part of a regime-change doctrine, they accused the West of double standards, saying the conflict is really about control of Libyas oil wealth, and they have rejected any foreign intervention, whatever its form. While the concerns are genuine, especially as Bahrain, Yemen and Ivory Coast remain volatile given the several political paradigms needed to be considered, these leaders fail to address the fact that the international system needs some level of policing, and right now only the United Nations, the United States and its Western allies can offer such a burdensome service. Granted, the American appetite for oil is questionable and its interests as would any nation in its position are mandatory, its services along with those of its Western allies; in their efforts to enforce, maintain, and uphold basic human rights and its indispensable stabilizing power cannot be ignored. Admittedly there have been failures, but there have also been successes. As observed, the peaceful protest that began in Libya against Gaddafis regime soon turned into a civil war as Gaddafi hired mercenaries, and employed his forces to wipe out those who had risen against him. Land and air attacks ordered by Gaddafi on protesters constituted crimes against humanity. Dialogues, sanctions and diplomacy failed to tame the erratic leader. In 1994, 1995 and 2002 the international community suffered attacks on its morality, ethics and integrity for standing by during human atrocities in Rwanda, Srebrenica and Darfur. In 2011, the international community led by the U.S has taken a difficult approach after much deliberation in line with The International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect Project which created the new international security and human rights norm to address the international communitys failure to prevent and stop genocides, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. Michael Mandelbaum, professor of American foreign policy at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, pulled aside the curtain of diplomatic civility to expose the crude and obvious reality that everyone prefers to ignore, at least in public in an article published in a New York Times article in 2006: The case for Goliath. Mandelbaum states that the network of military alliances (like NATO) and trade pacts (like the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) and international organizations (like the United Nations and World Bank and Group of 8) that the United States was mainly responsible for has become an American-led global management system that has kept the world a somewhat decent shape as it is familiar, inclusive and fairly unobtrusive. Agreed, this international system is silhouetted to operate to American comfort and profit, while securing compliance by sharing security and prosperity with others. Without it, however, the world could arguably be worse off. Many experts agree that there is no convincing alternative to the American role as linchpin and guarantor of the global system. Mandelbaum argues that nobody else has the political will, the military and economic thump and the ability to generate sufficient international consent. After 42 years of dictatorship, Libyans have risen up against a tyrant. Rather than respect the will of the people, Gaddafi turned against his very own with violence and disregard, threatening the elements that lie beneath the universal declaration of human rights. African leaders who are criticizing the international coalition against a regime that has failed to see that its people must always come before a single leader are out of place especially when their arguments offer no feasible solvency and regard for a world order. Leaders cant be allowed to do as they please especially when dialogue and sanctions fail. The African Union, which has Gaddafi as its biggest financial contributor has also called for an end to the military intervention in Libya. But the United Nations (UN) Security Council should be powerful enough to take immediate action after exhausting every other diplomatic means, to protect populations at grave risk of mass atrocities in Libya, Cote dIvoire, Yemen, Bahrain, and in any part of the world. Mandelbaum in his no-hold-barred analysis of the international system and the need for a policing unit argues that three things could happen if the U.S-led international police force gave up its role: They [Leaders antagonizing the U.S role in enforcing a world order] will not pay for it; they will continue to criticize it; and they will miss it when it is gone. Africa is wired and fast proving its tech savviness as millions of Africans adopt new technology. A decision by UEMOA, an eight-member country, to approve several millions of dollars to boost ICT in universities comes in a backdrop of specialised election web applications and mobile banking tools that have taken the continent by storm. Building a virtual library in West Africa The West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), which groups eight Francophone countries in the region, is providing $12 mn for a project to boost the information and communications technology capacities in their universities. In February, Soumaila Cisse, president of the UEMOA Commission, signed an agreement with the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to support the three-year project, which will install new hardware and software on the campuses of eight universities. Each will receive fibre optic equipment and at least 200 computers. In addition to a cyber institute that will provide professors with online training courses and a database to calculate students course credits in a standardized way, the network will also create a virtual library of online research materials that can be easily shared among the campuses. The virtual library we are creating will serve our young people both as roots and as wings, Mr. Cisse commented. Ugandan elections go high-tech Following opposition complaints about possible vote tampering during earlier elections, Ugandas Electoral Commission adopted a number of innovations to ensure greater transparency in the countrys presidential and legislative polls in February. These included the introduction of biometric voter registration cards with photo and fingerprint, the release of the complete registration list online and the posting of polling station details via SMS messages to voters mobile phones. A Web-based programme allowed district election officers to quickly transmit results to the national tally centre in Kampala. In one especially hotly contested race, for mayor of Kampala, candidates held a debate that was broadcast live over television, radio and the Web. Journalists posted reports via Twitter during the debate, and people outside the hall were able to pose questions directly to the moderator via Facebook or Twitter. In the presidential election, the Electoral Commission declared that President Yoweri Museveni had won yet again, with 68 per cent of the vote. In Tanzania, mobile banking races ahead of the laws Mobile banking the use of mobile phones to conduct banking and payment transactions was only introduced in Tanzania in 2008. But out of some 20 million telecommunication subscribers, more than 9.2 million are already registered with mobile banking services. The most popular is M-Pesa, offered by the UKs Vodacom. Clients not only use the services to transfer funds between accounts, but also to pay for retail goods and services, such as adding minutes to their mobile phones or paying water and electricity bills. While aspects of mobile banking are covered in an ad hoc way under existing laws and regulations, there is no comprehensive law to regulate the fast-growing sector. According to officials of the Bank of Tanzania, the government is currently considering broad legislation on mobile banking, which may be submitted to parliament sometime this year. Africas labour movement is on the move from Cape to Cairo demanding democracy, devising policy and building a new African economy that creates jobs and opportunities for all. Kwasi Adu-Amankwah, the former head of Ghanas powerful labour federation, was elected general-secretary of the Africa division of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) in 2007, putting him at the helm of a pan-African labour movement representing 16 million workers in 47 countries. Michael Fleshman spoke with him at the World Social Forum in Dakar, Senegal, on 8 February, shortly after Mr. Adu-Amankwah led a march to the Egyptian embassy in solidarity with the Egyptian peoples pro-democracy movement. Question: Why has the ITUC-Africa come to the World Social Forum? Arent mass-membership organizations like trade unions different from the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and activist groups that predominate here? Kwasi Adu-Amankwah: ITUC-Africa has always followed the World Social Forum. It poses an alternative to the existing world. We came to propagate our own ideas, but also to learn from the rest of civil society around the world about their activities and perspectives. Our unions reach out to NGOs even though they are not membership-based. The issue-based NGOs develop expertise and the unions are happy to link up with them. So although there are differences, unions and NGOs can always find ways to work together. Unions can have a great social impact through their role in the economy. But unions have not been so successful at marketing themselves. They assume that people know about them. NGOs go out of their way to make themselves heard. Question: What role are African unions playing in pro-democracy and economic reform movements around the continent? Answer: Unions were very involved in anti-colonial struggles in the 1950s and 60s. Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Guinea are examples. In South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe in the late 70s and 80s too. In the second wave of democratization struggles [in the 1990s], unions again were very present. Now it appears that Africa is opening up for business. Just before the global financial crisis, there were good figures about growth. But many of our unions are not impressed. In large measure, the growth that appears to have occurred is not growth that is accompanied by employment. But even more importantly, a lot of that growth is in areas like the mining sector mineral resources and oil. It just reinforces existing relations in African economies, where African countries produce raw materials that find their way onto the markets of industrialized countries to fuel their industrialization. There isnt that much added value in our growth. They dont have any linkages to the rest of the economy. Question: What impact has the world financial crisis had? Answer: When you talk about the global crisis 20 per cent unemployment in developed countries is a big matter. In Africa, that is something we have always lived with. Unemployment has always been high. Sometimes it is obscured by what is described as the informal economy. In the kind of informal economy we have in Africa there is no social protection [unemployment compensation, health benefits and so on]. Its really just disguised unemployment. In some of our countries its as high as 80 per cent! Its only in South Africa and some parts of North Africa that the wage-earning sector is beyond 30-40 per cent. The trade union movement has largely been busy trying to secure better terms and conditions of employment for our members, who are largely in the formal sector. But in the past decade we have been concerned about the bigger question, about the kinds of economies we have. We do think it is possible to have a global social safety net, given the worlds resources. Question: How do you create jobs in Africa, given the twin realities of underdevelopment and globalization? Answer: One thing is were trying to assist our affiliates to build their research and policy capacity, to help them engage with their governments. Also, we are building on the experience of some of our unions, who produced an Alternative to Neo-liberalism in Southern Africa (ANSA).* They are working in different countries to find how the unions, working with other components of civil society, can develop more clearly the alternative. Question: Neo-liberalism is a term to describe what some consider radical free-market policies deregulated financial markets, unrestricted trade and the ending of government social safety nets. What alternatives are African unions proposing? Answer: This is ANSA [* Alternatives to Neo-liberalism in Southern Africa ([ANSA) is a 10-point political and economic programme intended to serve as an alternative to the development model promoted by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.]] The starting point of development should be the people, not the markets. Policies of popular participation and control of resources that empower people to make decisions for themselves follow from that. Related to this is the whole question of African integration. We need to rediscover ourselves in terms of similarities and develop systems of governance that allow the different parts of Africa to fit into each other and then be able to meet with the rest of the world. Question Dont these kinds of economic changes require equally far-reaching political changes? Answer: Yes they do. At the dawn of independence the colonial powers split our territories up into small countries. In the first wave of independence our leaders seemed satisfied with them. They were too busy trying to protect their new-found sovereignties to see the value of joining together. That has bedeviled us until today. We have 54 small countries, each with some sovereignty. You cant deal with the rest of the world that way. Meanwhile the rest of the world in reality sees us as one. We need to cede some real power to a central entity, while keeping local autonomy that preserves our diversity and what we know locally. It is time to break with artificial barriers among ourselves. We need to re-engineer our existence to ensure that we as Africans can come into our own. When we get to that stage I dont think anybody can dictate their terms to us. And for that to happen, the character of the African state itself really has to change. There needs to be much more democracy. There needs to be much more decentralization over issues that people can decide for themselves. I think that is the political agenda for Africa that we can make a contribution to as unions. Question: The World Social Forum slogan is Another World Is Possible. Would you say that another Africa is possible? Answer: Look at Tunisia and Egypt today. These are African countries. I would say another Africa is happening. Everyone says they believe in freedom. The kind of freedom that endures is individual liberty that comes at no cost to anyone else. Increasing such liberty is the best way to solve many of South Africas and the worlds problems. Friedrich Hayek, the eminent 20th century economist, wrote The Road to Serfdom, published in 1944, to warn of the potential consequences of the steady erosion of individual liberty. He wrote that (I)f capitalism means here a competitive system based on free disposal over private property, it is far more important to realise that only within this system is democracy possible. When it becomes dominated by a collectivist creed, democracy will inevitably destroy itself. A collectivist creed exists where individual rights are subordinated to the so-called rights of the collective. SA has a long history of political trampling on individual rights. The property of black owners was confiscated by the enactment of the infamous 1913 Land Act. The reverse side of that appalling injustice was the little-recognised injustice imposed on white individuals who were prohibited from selling or letting their property to individuals with different skin pigmentation. Apartheid-era politicians convinced the white voters that they were acting in their best interests when they secured for them the exclusive right to vote in elections by trampling on the rights of black citizens. The politicians had secured their collectivist (socialist) objectives by manipulating the voting system to attain and maintain their minority dominance over the entire country. Apartheid socialism in SA was extremely harmful to the countrys economic growth. Comparing SAs performance to Hong Kong, for instance, World Bank figures show that SAs 1960 GDP per capita (in constant 2000 US$) was $2,204, Hong Kongs was $2,968. In 2010 the comparable figures were SA $3,748 and Hong Kong $35,671. SAs GDP per capita increased by only 70.05 per cent (1.01 per cent per annum) in 50 years, while Hong Kongs grew by 1101.18 per cent (5.20 per cent per annum). An absence of voting rights, no racial bias in the laws, and a high level of economic freedom characterised Hong Kongs administration. SA, by contrast, during most of the 50 year period, had limited and racially oriented voting rights, a much lower level of economic freedom, and a persistent collectivist racial bias in the laws. Hayek warned that the most advanced socialists openly admit that the attainment of their ends is not possible without a thorough curtailment of individual liberty. There can be no doubt that apartheid consisted of a thorough curtailment of individual liberty of the entire SA population. As my colleague, Temba Nolutshungu, has pointed out, liberty is indivisible: it is not possible to have liberty for some and not others in the same country. High unemployment and poverty threaten to swamp the orderly functioning of SAs administration. Worldwide economic turmoil also poses a threat that could cause increasing economic hardship in the country. Arguing for a deliberate and consistent programme to increase individual liberty as a counter to the looming crises that face us might appear incongruous and, to many, counter-intuitive. Frequently, politicians argue that in order for them to deal effectively with crises they need increased power over the lives of citizens. All too often, the crises are the result of their own misconceived policies. Increasing the individual liberty of citizens, especially their economic freedoms, in most cases, will not only be the most effective solution, it is the only fundamental solution to an otherwise insoluble problem. At a time when another and even more damaging world recession threatens, it is most unwise to contemplate a collectivist economically harmful policy such as nationalisation. Government should rather be researching ways to free up enterprise in the country so that large and small firms will be better able to withstand a recession. And if, with good fortune, another recession does not occur, greater ease of doing business will allow for the accelerated growth that is so sorely needed. Creating an enabling environment that attempts to make SA recession-proof can be done by halting all proposed legislation and policies that increase instability and uncertainty and removing existing legislation and regulations that hamper enterprise and trade. In particular, government should give attention to legislation and regulations that impinge on individual liberty, including those that are based on race. One glaring example of where individual liberty could solve a seemingly intractable problem is in unemployment. Give back individual liberty to the 7 million unemployed and they will find their own jobs. Only a small change to the laws is necessary to return full common law decision-making rights to the unemployed so that they can negotiate contracts with any employers they choose, and obtain gainful work on any terms and conditions they find acceptable. The individual rights of the jobless to contract as they choose have been taken away from them, supposedly to give them job security and protect them, if they had a job, from unscrupulous employers. This becomes a tragic insecurity when it keeps them from finding jobs. Return their freedoms to them so they can take care of themselves and their families. Another example of how increased individual liberty can solve a headache that appears to have no cure is to return to parents and their children the liberty to make their own decisions about the childrens education. Fundamentally, education should be dealt with in the same manner as any other service. It should be demand-driven and not supply-driven. Demand from parents and their children should determine what is taught, how it is taught, where it is taught, when it is taught and by whom it is taught. If this were to occur, the complaints of employers about job applicants not having the required skills would disappear; large numbers of young people would not end up illiterate after a decade of schooling; attempts to fit square pegs into round holes would occur less frequently, and teaching would once again become an honourable profession. In circumstances distinguished by individual liberty, unemployment would decline rapidly and education would improve beyond recognition. In good times citizens would prosper at a Hong Kong rate and in hard times do significantly better than in less economically free conditions, at no cost to anyone else. Eustace Davie is a director of the Free Market Foundation. This article is syndicated by Africanliberty.org The use of GM (genetically modified) food crops is a highly emotive issue. What should influence the debate between those who support these developments and those who oppose them is a report by the US Department of Agriculture. They estimate that with rising population trends, if no significant reforms are made over the next decade, the number of food insecure people (those consuming less than 2,100 calories per day) in Africa, will increase by 30 per cent to 645 million. To make use of the latest available technological developments is, therefore, of paramount importance. To counter food shortages, farmers need to derive the maximum possible yield from their farms. Worldwide, alfalfa (lucerne) is grown mainly as a food for cattle. The recent development by seed company, Monsanto, of a GM variety of alfalfa that is resistant to herbicides, makes it possible now for farmers to spray their alfalfa with a herbicide, killing the weeds without harming their crop. Most authoritative reviews conclude that neither GM crops nor food produced from them pose a significant risk to the humans who consume them. Indeed, in its annual State of the Worlds Food and Agriculture report, the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) states that the balance of evidence suggests that GM technology does not harm humans and GM seeds do not harm the environment. According to the FAO, food production must increase by at least 70 per cent to meet the growing demands of a world population expected to surpass 9 billion by 2050. It is essential, however, that increased agricultural productivity be derived from the better use of existing agricultural land and not from an expansion of agricultural land as in the past four decades, when increasing amounts of land were put to use for farming to the detriment of forests, soil, and water. Like any business, the goal of farming is to deliver the goods required by the market. To achieve this it has to become more profitable by being more efficient, that is by farming more intensively, not extensively. Biotechnology, and, more specifically, genetically modified foods offer a realistic opportunity to meet the demands of growing populations by increasing a farmers productivity. Throughout the world, more and more farmers are recognising the benefits of using the latest available technologies and are switching to transgenic seeds. In 2010, 15.4 million farmers in 29 countries planted 148 million hectares of transgenic crops. The United States is the biggest producer of GM crops, with an estimated 66.8 million hectares followed by Brazil (25.4), Argentina (22.9), India (9.4) and Canada (8.8). South Africa is the 9th largest producer of transgenic crops with 2.2 million hectares, comprising maize, soybean and cotton. Transgenic seeds offer great promise to poor African farmers who missed the green revolution. Compared to the rest of the world, African countries generally suffer from very low agricultural yields. For example, in the case of maize, the average yield per hectare in the developed world is 10 to15 tons per hectare, whereas the average yield in Africa is 1.4 tons per hectare. Since a large proportion of Africas inhabitants are subsistence farmers, these low yields contribute to the continents poverty and lack of economic development. One of biotechnologys great advantages is that it can become available almost immediately to farmers outside industrialised countries. In just a few years, GM crops could improve the effectiveness of the agricultural sector and food security in many developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. However, there are several bar-riers that can prevent farmers from using these new age seeds to improve their productivity. They are governmen-tal restrictions, lack of credit, poor infrastructure, high transaction costs, and educational and cultural barriers. Those farmers who have adopted these modern technologies have seen a substantial increase in their crop yields and a reduction in their workloads. They have been able to produce more than they consume and to sell their excess product. GM crops have improved their health, well-being and overall quality of life. To force these individuals to return to traditional farming methods is out of the question. Jasson Urbach is an economist with the Free Market Foundation. This article is syndicated by AfricanLiberty.org A judge from the tiny Samoan archipelago made history last week by declaring that Charles Taylor, the deposed president of the West African state of Liberia was guilty of aiding and abetting the multiple atrocities committed by a rebel force in neighbouring Sierra Leone nine years after being indicted by a United Nations Special Court. The judges unanimously ruled that Mr Taylor knowingly assisted the commission of these crimes by providing a continuous flow of arms, ammunitions, logistical and other forms of support to the main rebel group (Revolutionary United Front) in exchange for diamonds. The six-year trial heard harrowing stories of how Taylors forces unleashed a maelstrom of brutality across the volatile region. Taylor aimed to make billions from exploiting the richest diamond fields of that part of the planet and as many as 70.000 people were killed in the blood-soaked conflict that embroiled Liberia and Sierra Leone, even spreading in neighbouring Cote DIvoire and Guinea. According to the verdict passed last week by the Special Court for Sierra Leone, Charles Taylor, the warlord-turned- president of neighbouring Liberia, was responsible for helping to mastermind the strategy of vicious repression that was implemented against innocent civilians in Sierra Leone a country he once wielded immense influence, and where tens of thousands of people were killed, mutilated, raped and repeatedly displaced for years. It seems such a long time ago that our television screens were filled every night with the latest atrocities committed in Sierra Leone and Liberias civil wars. Yet even by the standards of Africas recent violent history, the conflict in Sierra Leone generated some of the most gruesome images of cruelty we ever seen in modern times, and is one of the most blood-splattered episodes in African story. But, as so often happens with so many conflicts in Africa, the horrors of Sierra Leone soon passed from our consciousness, particularly after Britains military intervention in 2000 led in swashbuckling style by the hawkish government of former Premier Tony Blair. The signature atrocity of the rebel forces that first overran Sierra Leone in the 1990s was to chop off the limbs of their opponents with a machete or an axe. They were stories of truckloads of victims who had recently been maimed being taken to a UN compound still bearing their severed limbs in the forlorn hope that they might be saved. So the fact that, all these years later, the person responsible for this bloodshed has been convicted of war crimes should be seen as a major breakthrough in the global effort to bring war criminals to justice. Not since Karl Donitz, the German admiral who briefly succeeded Hitler upon his death was tried and sentenced by the International Military Tribunal, has a head of state been convicted by an international court. The judgement is an important milestone in the efforts to combat impunity and sends a powerful message that there is nowhere left for bloodthirsty despots to hide. This ground-breaking verdict permanently locks in and solidifies that rogue leaders are now accountable to what they do to their people, and are not immune from prosecution. It also represents a substantial step forward for international justice: even if a state is too destabilised or weak to put one-time rulers on trial, there exist international mechanisms to do it. This also sets an important precedent that, in the long and sorry annals of monsters in power, was long overdue. It may have given the ICC the courage to indict the Sudanese tyrant Omar al-Bashir who is openly defying attempts to arrest him on genocide charges committed in Darfur. He remains out of reach of the court and is engaged in a new conflict with the oil-rich South Soudan. He continues to rule Soudan with an implicit nod from African leaders, including the triumvirate of Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya, who failed to arrest him when he visited their respective countries. Another tyrant who has escaped justice so far is the former Chad president Hissene Habre, who resides in a sumptuous mansion in the West African state of Senegal, which has refused to try or extradite him on charges that he orchestrated the political killings of more than 50.000 citizens. The sombre finale of Taylors trial in the windowless courtroom in a leafy suburb of The Hague marked a dramatic turnaround for a man who once reigned supreme in tropical jungles half a world away. It also represented a symbolic moment for Sierra Leone, Liberia and even Cote dIvoire as they come to terms with the legacy of his bloody campaigns in the 1990s. Like many would-be dictators and despots, Taylor did not soil his own hands with the disagreeable business of committing atrocities: he left that grisly task to the henchmen of Sierra Leones Revolutionary United Front, the main rebel body. The only dirty business Taylor himself undertook was to receive millions of dollars worth of blood diamonds as payment for the arms he helped to ship across the Liberian border to the Sierra Leonean rebels. Selective accountability One of the ironies of the Taylors trial is that, while it is of great significance for Africa, it has also highlighted concerns that, for international tribunals, the Dark Continent has been a convenient laboratory to test concepts which have not been applied to other parts of the world. Perhaps inevitably, justice is also selective. Yoweri Museveni and Paul Kagame, respectively presidents of Uganda and Rwanda have both armed rebels who pillaged the Democratic Republic of the Congo to gain control of their vast natural resources. The aforementioned leaders would be vulnerable to the same prima facie case as Taylor, but so far, the ICC is not even contemplating of asking for their prosecution. Some will rightly argue that the overly constrained proceedings in The Hague are really like a show trial, a demonstration of western judicial power rather than a real exploration of the facts and figures surrounding series of events that destroyed hundreds of thousands of lives across the region. Many fleet street newspapers and left-wing think-tanks have written articles suggesting that all leaders can be held accountable for their crimes by the ICC but if we are all talking about accountability, then we should look immediately at the permanent members of the UN Security Council: namely the USA, China, France, Russia, and the United Kingdom. The likes of presidents Putin, Bush, and Hu Jintao will never face criminal sanctions for their roles(aiding and abetting) in Chechnya, Afghanistan, Iraq, Vietnam, Tibet to name but a few. When we hear the names of Guantanamo Bay, and the notorious prison of Abu Ghraib, the immediate association is with American war crimes. How likely that we will see former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and his stooges, such as his former foreign secretary Jack Straw, brought to justice for their complicities in Iraq, and for many cases of torture and rendition flights in Libya under Muammar Kaddafi. A growing number of civil rights activists, international law experts, and human rights groups have raised their concerns at the ICC dealings a court created for the crimes in one continent is by definition discriminatory, incapable of equal justice, and a weapon against chosen enemies Thomas Lubanga, Jean Pierre Bemba and Laurent Gbagbo amongst many. If there is to be a fair International Criminal Court, it must act equally as to all nations with none above the law. The growing number of African defendants in the international courts, especially high-ranking politicians and heads of state, will at least put pressure on African autocrats to consider the personal risks of their human rights abuses. But it could also encourage some to cling at any costs to power, fearing jail if they step down. Africas steps to establish accountability will not be swift, but hopefully they will be sure. A more immediate impact of this landmark verdict will be felt in the region. Several African countries remain fertile ground for conflict and repression. Justice and accountability efforts for many victims in Cote DIvoire, Guinea, Chad, and Zimbabwe have fallen all short. The obligation of political leaders to answer to the public for their actions and decisions is a cornerstone of a well-functioning democratic system. In principle, political accountability serves a dual purpose. It checks the power of political leaders to prevent them ruling in an arbitrary or abusive manner and helps to ensure that governments operate effectively and efficiently. Moreover, accountability is linked to citizen participation, leadership responsiveness, and the rule of law, three other pillars that both define and reinforce the practice of democracy. Charles Taylor conviction will have important ramifications around Africa. This is indeed a monumental verdict because the continent has grabbled with the challenge of prosecuting powerful individuals. It is a stark reminder to African leaders, many of whom have often acted with impunity, will have to rethink their actions. After last week court ruling, it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that, they, too, one day be forced to pay for their crimes. International justice must not only be done, but also made to look useful and appealing so that future politicians will decide, in the phrase of the late theorist Judith Shklar, to choose justice, as a policy. African expectations were high for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, the biggest UN summit ever. The conference, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June, was too important to fail, said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the outset. Under the theme of The Future We Want, many of the 100 heads of state and more than 40,000 participants demanded ambitious and measurable outcomes to address sustainability issues such as the green economy, climate change and so on. Yet when it was over, the Rio+20 summit left a heated debate over whether those goals had been met. For African delegates, the general view was that while the continent did not come away with a basketful of goodies, it also did not leave with empty hands. Izabella Teixeira, Brazils environment minister, noted that not everyone was going to be happy with the result. Negotiating with 193 nations to agree on consensus outcomes would inevitably be a grinding task, she said. Some arguments will prevail, some will not. Africas preparations for Rio+20 began with a meeting of its environment ministers in Ethiopia in October 2011. There they hammered out Africas consensus statement. Africa anchored its case on two broad principles: that the continent is making serious efforts towards sustainable development and that the world should support those efforts. The 14-page statement presented many positions, including a call for a stronger, independent and well financed UN Environment Programme (UNEP), which is based in Nairobi, Kenya. UNEP should have secure, stable, additional and predictable financing to fulfil its mandate, argued the African statement. At Rio, delegates agreed that the programme needs bolstering. Africa also asked developed countries to allocate 0.7 per cent of their gross national product (GNP) as aid to developing countries and canvassed for equitable, durable and development-oriented solutions to debt problems. At the summit, the coordinator of African negotiators, Macharia Kamau of Kenya, said that the ability of African countries to implement agreements on sustainable development is only possible if they are empowered with the resources and means to undertake development that will protect biodiversity and not lead to climate change. There was no concrete commitment on this, although future talks are planned. South African President Jacob Zuma, who was very active in Rio, said that the outcomes have refocused the attention of the world leaders to the daunting challenges of addressing global poverty, inequality and the deteriorating state of the environment. Sunita Narain, an Indian environmentalist, went as far as to call the Rio outcome document a victory for the developing world because it reiterates the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. That terminology relates to a shared vision for combating climate change based upon each countrys social and economic capacities. Ms. Narain also noted that the summit did not dismantle the framework of justice and equity in global negotiations. She thus alluded to the successful effort by developing countries, especially India, China and those in Africa, to push back a proposal by the rich countries to set targets and timetables towards a green economy. Such targets, developing countries feared, could have led to trade restrictions or other sanctions if they did not move quickly enough. African negotiators, especially from South Africa, wanted specific commitments on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are expected to replace the Millennium Development Goals after their expiration in 2015. The delegates agreed to constitute by next year a 30-member working group under the UN General Assembly to report on such global SDGs. In addition, there will be an intergovernmental process, supervised by the General Assembly, that by 2014 will recommend ways to finance a sustainability strategy. The formulation of the SDGs, and their interface with the post-2015 development agenda, will be one of the most important follow-up actions initiated by the Rio+20 summit, argues Martin Khor, executive director of the South Centre, a Switzerland-based organization of developing country governments. At least the world has agreed to continue to promote sustainable development, adds Manish Bapna, acting president of the World Resources Institute, a US-based environmental think tank. In contrast to the gradual approach seemingly favoured by governments, it appears that businesses, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society groups, universities and others are revving up momentum. The UN reports that, together with governments, such groups made about 700 commitments, totalling more than $500 billion. Of that amount, $50 billion will be used for an initiative by the UN Secretary-General to achieve universal access to sustainable energy by 2030. Bindu Lohani, vice-president of the Asian Development Bank, reminded delegates that eight development banks will invest $175 billion in sustainable transport in developing countries. Jose Maria Figueres, former president of Costa Rica, said, Those who have failed you, Mr. Sha, are the governments, not the CEOs, not the NGOs. Mr. Sha Zukang headed the conference secretariat and is UN under-secretary-general for economic and social affairs. Summit participants also pledged to plant 100 million trees by 2017, empower 5,000 women entrepreneurs in green economy businesses in Africa and annually recycle 800,000 tonnes of polyvinyl chloride, a commonly used plastic. While some African leaders remain hopeful, the Africa Progress Panel, a group of eminent individuals headed by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, believes that the conference commitments were too vague: The lack of commitment to defined and measurable sustainable development goals at the Rio+20 summit is a profoundly disturbing outcome. Others believe the conference did not adequately reflect a number of positive developments around the world. Just look at Germanys shift to clean energy, notes Mr. Bapna, Nigers efforts to re-green its landscape or Rios just- launched bus rapid transit system. There is no doubt that the conference did not meet everyones expectations. Yet many elements in the outcome document satisfied some African delegates. The next challenge is for world leaders, businesses and NGOs to come through on their promises. The speeches are over. Now the work begins, said Mr. Ban. Rio+20 has affirmed fundamental principles renewed essential commitments and given us new direction. JOHANNESBURG, 30 July 2012 With the Great Africa Business Migration well under way, discussions around the realities of doing business on the continent are now at a critical point. Africa is far from being a homogeneous continent, with 55 countries all boasting different regulatory, tax and competitive environments. Transacting in Africa poses complexities that companies need to factor in. In light of this, KPMG convened a panel of experts for the sixth episode in its Africa Conversations Series, to discuss the most pertinent trends and challenges related to investing in Africa today. CNBC Africa broadcast the panel discussion, entitled Transacting in Africa, live across the continent while KPMG made the session available globally via live webcast. John Geel, Head of Transactions & Restructuring at KPMG, noted that historically multi-nationals and larger listed South African companies have conducted investment into and across Africa. However, we are now witnessing an increasing number of smaller companies undertaking investments due to improved growth opportunities and regulatory and tax regimes. This means that companies are now seeking out the right entity to transact with, negotiate details of collaboration and sign legal contracts. Coupled with this increased investment appetite, KPMG have also noticed that the banking sector on the continent has improved, and there continues to be consolidation and expansion appetite. In May 2012, KPMG Africa released the Africa Banking Survey to provide a better understanding of regulatory frameworks on the continent. The survey provides information in several areas including the commercial, legal and tax, and banking environments, as well as governance and reporting issues. Fourteen countries were analysed covering all African regions. Alan Field, KPMG Head of Tax & Legal, said, Much depends on the kind of investment you are making and what kind of legislative framework exists for the investment in a particular country. Of course, banks need to examine this since they want a stable environment to reap investment rewards so while some countries in Africa offer attractive investment opportunities, some are still complex. Recent over-banking trends in Africa have led to regulatory challenges, but these are increasingly being addressed. For Heloise Smith, Executive Vice President, Business Development, Standard Bank, companies and banks still need to manage risks carefully while investing. More banks and companies are gaining a better understanding of the continent. However, there is always a trade-off between risk and return on investment. Banks still need to find ways of mitigating the risks. Despite the financial crisis of 2008, there is now more private equity available in Africa. As KPMGs Alan Field points out, Private equity on the African continent is relatively new but has started to gain momentum and there are funders who are very excited about the opportunities. However, even with the increased awareness, capitalisation rules and regulations regarding extraction of funds are still missing. It is uncharted territory at this stage, but it is developing. Funders will compete about opportunities in Africa in the future. Substantive investment comes from China, now Africas biggest trading partner. The panellists agree that Chinas engagement in Africa is increasingly to the benefit of Africans. China is an important partner in infrastructure development, which enables economic growth. Says Habil Olaka, Chief Executive Officer of the Kenyan Bankers Association, Unlike the Chinese, many African companies have limited capacity to deliver on major infrastructure projects. In Kenya, we have seen increased side opportunities for local companies, and this helps people on the ground. African collaboration with the Chinese is a win-win scenario. Recently, regional blocks such as the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) and East African Community (EAC) have become stronger economic groupings, but panellists believe that besides reducing trade barriers and enhancing informal economic exchange, little impact is visible regarding foreign direct investment. Potential investors prefer to follow country-specific opportunities, rather than engage with a regional block. Investors into Africa may take advantage of gateway countries to access a region, for example South Africa for the Southern African region. Carel Smit, KPMG Africa Head of Energy & Natural Resources, also a panel participant, added: Investors want to see predictability and Africa has to provide the necessary frameworks. Africa is so rich with natural resources. As long as the world comes after these resources, Africa will do economically well. The worlds population is growing rapidly and needs resources. A resource hungry world cannot ignore Africa. About KPMG International KPMG is a global network of professional firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services. We operate in 153 countries and have 145 000 people working in member firms around the world. The independent member firms of the KPMG network are affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (KPMG International), a Swiss entity. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. Contacts: John Geel Title: Head of Transactions and Restructuring at KPMG Tel: 011 647 7111 Carel Smit Title: Africa Head of Energy & Natural Resources, KPMG Tel: 011 647 7111 Alan Field Title: Head of Tax & Legal, KPMG Tel: 011 647 7111 An international initiative to create awareness on the role of aquaculture in food security in poor countries has been launched; the program will bring together a global alliance of development agencies, governments and universities to help low-income food-deficit countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. This program will have as aim to develop sustainable policies to improving the livelihoods of millions of poor people in the world. In order to support this project the the European Union (EU) is offering one million Euros for the three years project. According to UN agency in a statement on Monday October 1st, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in partnership with a global alliance of 20 developmental agencies, governments and universities is in charged of this project. It has been noticed that little is known about aquaculture and its importance on food, nutrition security and its improvement on poverty in developing countries even though it is known in fighting hunger. Due to the population growth project, there is an increasing demand for fish products with stable production of capture fisheries; aquaculture will need to expand to meet the future demand for fish. Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, which helps in the development of the heart and brain in healthy people, and those who have cardiovascular disease. Nearly 50 percent of the fish that we eat now comes from aquaculture and fish is the primary source of protein for 17 percent of the worlds population nearly 25 percent in low-income food-deficit countries consume it. The new partnership represents the worlds regions where aquaculture plays a major role and supports the livelihoods of millions of small-scale fish farmers and will also include key institutions with a strong expertise in research, development project implementation and dissemination. The project (Aquaculture for Food Security, Poverty Alleviation and Nutrition AFSPAN) will therefore develop new ways to measure the contribution of aquaculture with better tools and more systematic and quantitative assessments. In July 2011, Afrik-News announced the launch of a new, innovative company whose patented anti-pollution process through Supercritical Hydrothermal Oxidation promised a new beginning for Africa. The particularly relevant invention comes at a time when African countries are confronted with industrial pollution as a result of the ongoing development process. Two years on, Charles Rosier, a well-known banker and investor, has been placed at the helm of affairs as the companys CEO. The adventure has only started. Two years ago, Innoveox, a French company, introduced a revolutionary technology directed towards the treatment of waste pollution. Operating under worldwide exclusivity, Innoveox a specialist company in the area of industrial and community waste focuses its technological efforts towards sustainable development. Afrik-News has been following the companys development since July, 2011. Charles Rosier, the new incomer at Innoveox Two years on, the growth of the company is relying on a significant incomer. Charles Rosier, banker and former Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, currently partner in the first private bank in Brazil, will be joining as an Administrator and a partner the new company Innoveox SA and its President Jean-Christophe Lepine. He is an expert in new technologies and biotech, indeed he previously invested in the studies of professor Beaulieu in the area of tetraplegy. He is in favour of investment in ethical and responsible companies. He would like to provide his contacts and know-how to Inneveox, thinking that the future of the planet goes hand in hand with sustainable development. Charles Rosier travels around the world representing the Brazilian bank and noticing in several continents, the applications and the advantages of this new French technology that recycles in Fresh water 100% of dangerous liquid waste, without pollution while providing positive energy. Multiplying contacts with potential clients His task is to actively participate to the development of new contacts with important oil corporations that have to strictly comply with the new environmental requirements. Charles Rosier states that Presidents of these corporations are aware of the importance of sustainable development even though it takes time to put forward this evolution at the industrial scale. Total EP first client A first contract has been signed with the company Total Exploration and production, one of the main actors of oil exploration in the world. This first contract is a milestone for Innoveox entry in this promising market. Charles Rosier put forward the fact that this revolutionary technology will enable those involved in oil, refining, chemistry and pharmaceuticals to be more profitable while avoiding potential risks for the environment that will harm their reputation and their shareholders. Finance despises this kind of risk and that explains the changing of behaviour. A move forward for growing zones, Africa, Brazil While industrialized countries are interested in this technological breakthrough, it is likely that less developed countries that are young and dynamic, such as African and South American countries, will be more reactive to adopt this new technological process. But it remains a political deal! The market of dangerous waste is huge, estimated at 9 Md EUR per year30 billions tonnes of complex and nuclear waste are stored in the Russian soil without being properly treated. Charles Rosier is convinced that the patents of the CNRS exploited by Innoveox will contribute to the cleaning of an area that is not mature yet; he considers that several developments, based on the Supercritical Hydrothermal Oxydation, are ongoing for the well-being of the planet and its inhabitants. He says: With all humility, I am glad to contribute to the ecological mutation We still have to convert and convince corporations and regional communities in setting up at a large scale those innovating materials. It shouldnt be difficult. Innovation will soon be concrete in the interest of the planet. Burundi will need US$159 million over the next five years to roll back the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the country, said the countrys Public Health Minister, Dr. Emmanuel Gikoro. Gikoro declared Saturday on the national radio station that a request sent to the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis, was already agreed in principle. The number of HIV-positive people in Burundi is estimated at 220,000, which is a national prevalence rate of four per cent among adults aged 15-49 years. In late December 2007, about 10,000 patients were under antiretroviral (ARV) therapy, out of 50.000 people suffering from AIDS, who aspire for treatment, according to officials of the countrys HIV/AIDS control programme. Since last year, Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis has lim ited its assistance to Burundi, due to administrative mismanagement of means and national programmes to fight AIDS. This measure brought about a shortage of ARV on which the AIDS victims depend. Burundis President Pierre Nkurunziza considered the donors refusal to assist his country in the fight against AIDS as tantamount to a genocide. International International news in general A Louisiana man is in the Santa Rosa (Fla.) County Jail, facing multiple charges after deputies found him transporting 13 iguanas in his truck, each with their limbs bound with tape. Jairo Anibal Ramirez Caballero, 27, was pulled over by Santa Rosa County deputies Monday night after he was spotted following another vehicle too closely in his Dodge Ram on Interstate 10 near Milton, according to WKRG, citing a Santa Rosa County Sheriffs Office arrest report. The report said deputies found the 13 iguanas spread among tools and other equipment in the bed of the truck, which was equipped with a bed cover, providing little ventilation for the reptiles. One of the iguanas was dead, having apparently succumbed to the living conditions in the truck bed, including laying in their own feces, according to the report. Ramirez Caballero did not have a permit to transport the iguanas. He also did not have a valid drivers license. He has been charged with one felony count of torture of an animal/inflicting pain, injury or death, along with two counts of violating Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission rules. Bond was set at $6,250 on all charges. Iguanas are an invasive species and in 2019 the conservation commission began to encourage Florida residents to kill iguanas on their property because they were multiplying so rapidly in south Florida. In January, CBS News reported the iguana population had continued to multiply rapidly, causing an array of damage across Florida as they continue to migrate north. Iguanas have caused numerous power outages in the state and in 2020 West Palm Beach spent $1.8 million to repair a dam which had been damaged by iguanas. In 2021, Florida banned the ownership of pet iguanas. Iguanas are not dangerous or aggressive to humans but can dig tunnels which can damage pavement and building foundations. They can also carry salmonella bacteria. The eight-day Jewish festival of Passover begins tonight at sundown with the lighting of candles just before 7 p.m. A highlight of Passover is gathering for a ritual meal called the Seder. The Seder is usually held in homes on the first and second nights of Passover. The Seder is as much about storytelling and drama as symbolic food. At the Seder, Jews retell the story of Moses challenging Egypts Pharaoh to let my people go, and the escape from bondage by reading a Haggadah (special prayer book for Passover) and partaking of items such as matzo (unleavened bread) and marror (a bitter herb) as symbolic representations of captivity and perseverance. The term Passover refers to the tenth plague of Egypt, when the first-born sons were killed by the angel of death and Jewish homes were passed over by marking their doors with the blood of a lamb. The Seder features unleavened bread, eaten as a reminder of the haste in leaving Egypt during the Exodus. They left so fast the bread didnt have time to rise, according to tradition. As Passover begins tonight, the three Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam will all be observing major holidays. For Christians, its Holy Week, leading up to Easter Sunday. Jesus of Nazareth was a practicing Jew who arrived in Jerusalem for Passover the week of his death nearly 2,000 years ago. Muslims are observing their holy month of Ramadan, which requires daytime fasting that is broken at sunset each night with a communal meal. Jon Stewart popped in during Roy Wood Jr.s stint as guest host of The Daily Show to tell the Alabama-raised comic he was doing a fabulous job, engage in some Star Wars roleplay and nearly comment on Donald Trumps arraignment during Tuesdays episode. During the Headlines monologue segment, Wood called Tuesday, when former President Donald Trump was arraigned in Manhattan, the craziest day in New York since the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man came to town. Look at how sad Trump looks, Wood said about a photo of Trump in the courtroom. My man look like somebody told him his dog died or that Mike Pence is still alive. RELATED: Roy Wood Jr. thanks Birmingham while hosting The Daily Show, vows not to get canceled Wood also joked about Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-Ga.), who led a protest of Trumps arrest, saying she double-parked her broomstick outside the courthouse and made some unusual comparisons. President Trump is joining some of the most incredible people in history being arrested today, she told one outlet. Nelson Mandela was arrested, served time in prison. Jesus. Jesus was arrested. Wood joked, How are you going to compare Donald Trump to Jesus? First of all, Jesus walked on water. Donald Trump can barely walk on land. Wood then mocked cable news channels for providing wall-to-wall coverage even when there was absolutely nothing to talk about, before they played a series of Fox News and CNN clips breaking down Trumps motorcade route and how many doors the courthouse had. Sign up to get positive Black news stories, words of affirmation and weekly curated playlists delivered to your inbox twice a week: Enter your email to subscribe to Black Joy. After a series of jokes on the arraignment, the audience applauded Woods performance, but he wasnt satisfied. Thank you for clapping for that, man. You know, that was good, but I dont know if thats good enough to go viral, Wood told the audience. Im trying to go viral this week. Its a lot of pressure as guest host. Youve got to be funny, youve got to be satirical, youve got to be powerful. Youve got to go viral. I dont know what to do. I wish I had somebody that I could talk to, to guide me through some of this stuff, man. Out walked Jon Stewart, former Daily Show host and now star of The Problem with Jon Stewart on Apple TV+, to thunderous applause. Donning a Star Wars Jedi robe, Stewart implored Wood to use the Force. He sat at the desk with Wood and noted, I used to work here when the budget wasnt as big. As Stewart began to make a grand point about Trumps arraignment, Wood interjected to ask why he dressed like Obi Wan Kenobi, and the conversation devolved into a series of Star Wars analogies wherein Wood insisted he play the role of Han Solo and not Kenobis apprentice Luke Skywalker. I should have come when [Sarah] Silverman was here! Stewart said, referencing her stint as guest host. Stewart attempted to make his point -- while telling Wood Thank you for having me on the program...Youre doing a fabulous job by the way -- but the guest host interrupted to say they were out of time. Watch the full segment in the video above. Wood also interviewed comedian and actress Robin Thede about her show A Black Lady Sketch Show (watch below), as well as fellow correspondent Jordan Klepper who reported from the field outside the courthouse as Trumps arraignment. Wood is a comedian, writer, actor and producer who grew up in Birmingham, where he emerged as a jokester making prank phone calls on radio station 95.7 JAMZ. After Trevor Noahs exit, the satirical Emmy-winning show has employed guest hosts to fill in until Comedy Central finds a permanent replacement, including the likes of Leslie Jones, Sarah Silverman, John Leguizamo, Al Franken and the shows correspondents. Wood marked the first of the shows reporters to sit behind the desk. Wood will guest host the show this week. His colleagues Ronny Chieng, Michael Kosta, Desi Lydic, Dulce Sloan, Lewis Black and Jordan Klepper also will guest host the program between now and the week of May 8, according to Variety. Hosting responsibilities gave Wood a break from reporting in the field, but he will handle monologue duties, interviews and all else weve seen from past hosts like Jon Stewart, Trevor Noah and the slew of guest hosts in recent weeks. The Daily Show airs weeknights at 10 p.m. CT on Comedy Central. You can also stream new episodes of the show on Comedy Centrals website or Paramount+. The buzzy new Blue Beetle trailers origins can be traced back to Cully Hamners imagination and fingers. Along with writers John Rogers and Keith Giffen, comic book artist Hamner, a North Alabama native, cocreated the Jamie Reyes version of the superhero, which DC Comics rebooted in 2006. They updated the character, originally created by Charles Nicholas in the 1930s, as a Mexican-American teen with a high-tech/high-powered armored suit, obtained through the possession of an extraterrestrial scarab, a beetle-shaped amulet. The Reyes version of the Blue Beetle became a member of marque superhero teams Justice League and Teen Titans. Warner Brothers Pictures Blue Beetle film hits theaters Aug. 18. You can watch the films first trailer below. Xolo Mariduena, actor known for his role as Miguel Diaz in hit Netflix series Cobra Kai, stars as Reyes and the titular superhero. The resemblance between Mariduena and Hamners original 2006 design for Reyes is truly striking. You really cant get a better match than that, Hamner posted on social media, after the 2021 casting announcement. Blue Beetle is directed by Angel Manuel Soto, also set to helm an upcoming Transformers film and known for his 2020 drama Charm City Kings. The Blue Beetle film is part of the DC Extended Universe. The cast also includes Adriana Barraza (Babel, Amores perros, etc.) Damian Alcazar (The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian), Susan Sarandon and George Lopez. Comic book artist Cully Hamner. (Courtesy Cully Hamner) Hamner grew up in Huntsville and later attended Brewer High School in Morgan County. He now resides in Austin, Texas. During his impressive career, Hamners drawn A-list heroes including Batman, Green Lantern, X-Men, Daredevil, Silver Surfer and many others. He also cocreated Red, a 2003 comic-book mini-series later made into a hit action film with Bruce Willis starring as protagonist Frank Moses, a retired CIA agent out for revenge. After the amazing-looking Blue Beetle trailer dropped this week, Hamner posted on his socials, It. Is. ON. MORE ON COMIC BOOK CULTURE: Alabama native shaking up Thor and other major comic-books Former Alabama heavy-metal guitarist now Marvel artist Loki cast includes actor with Alabama roots How Marvel movies impact local small businesses Jones Valley Urban Farm just harvested its biggest cash crop ever. The Birmingham City Council this week approved $805,000 in funding for Jones Valley Teaching Farm, which runs a downtown farm and six more on Birmingham City Schools campuses. The Farm in the past has received $50,000 in annual support from the city, said Amanda Storey, executive director of Jones Valley Farm. The funding comes from the citys American Rescue Act Funding. It will help the farm run its Good School Food education, apprenticeship and internship programs and provide fresh produce to all city schools. It allows us to expand to all high schools, Storey said. The farm hires interns who are enrolled in school and work at the farms after school and during the summer, with pay of $15 an hour. It also hires high school graduates as apprentices and teaches them about agricultural professions. The farm also has a full-time staff of 27, about a third of them graduates of Birmingham City Schools, Storey said. The Woodlawn produce stand will open soon and the downtown produce stand will open soon, she said. The farm uses greenhouses, open fields and outdoor planters to grow crops that right now include onions and greens. We grow collards year-round, Storey said. We know our clientele. City Council member Crystal Smitherman said the farms fresh produce helps the community by reducing reliance on fast food and canned food, since many residents dont have easy access to fresh, plentiful produce. I think that its important to get your hands dirty and also give our kids different opportunities for different careers they may not be exposed to, Smitherman said. Council member Darrell OQuinn noted that the city has had to subsidize grocery stores in Central Park and East Lake to help improve fresh food availability in those neighborhoods. The system is broken, OQuinn said. We need innovative solutions like this. The farm offers fresh produce to food pantries, improves food security by helping people learn to grow their own food and offers free food to the public on a donation basis, Storey said. Its a powerful act, growing food, Storey said. See also: Woodlawn McDonalds closes due to gunfire, crime, vandals The Alabama House of Representatives put a hold tonight on a bill that would make it illegal to hold a cell phone while driving in Alabama, with exceptions. Lawmakers talked about the bill for more than two hours and considered several changes before deciding to postpone a final vote. A motion to carry over, or postpone action on the bill, passed by a vote of 56-41. Alabama law already prohibits texting while driving. The bill, by Rep. Randy Wood, R-Anniston, would expand that restriction to ban holding a cell phone to carry on a conversation. The ban would not apply to drivers who use earphones, Bluetooth, or some other hands-free technology or device to carry on a phone call. Wood said the purpose is to prevent the loss of lives from distracted driving. The bill is not new. Former state Rep. K.L. Brown, R-Jacksonville, had sponsored it for several years. The House rejected Browns bill by narrow margins the last two years. Brown did not run for re-election last year. A first conviction under the law would carry a fine of $100 or 15 hours of community service. A second conviction within a 24-month period would carry a $200 fine or 30 hours of community service. A third conviction within 24 months would result in a $300 fine or 45 hours of community service. During debate on the House floor today, Black lawmakers expressed concern that the law could be abused to stop Black drivers without just cause. The House adopted an amendment by Rep. Laura Hall, D-Huntsville, to require law enforcement agencies to keep records of the race and ethnicity of drivers who are charged under the law. That statistical information would be reported to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, which would be reported annually to the governor and the Legislature. Lawmakers also expressed concerns that the ban would not address other forms of distracted driving, such as eating behind the wheel or putting on makeup. The bill includes a number of exceptions to the ban on holding a cell phone. The ban would not apply to a driver who is parked, or a driver who is using the phone to call for emergency services. It would not apply to law enforcement, medical emergency responders, firefighters or utility workers responding to an emergency. U.S. Army investigators have recovered the flight data records onboard the two Black Hawk helicopters that crashed in Trigg County on March 29, killing all nine soldiers on board the two aircraft. The flight data recorders are commonly referred to as black boxes. The recorders were sent back to Fort Rucker, Alabama, for analysis in the investigation, the Army said. The data recorders could provide more information about what went wrong aboard the aircraft leading up to the crash. We cannot provide a timeline as to when the investigation will be completed, said Lt. Col. Tony Hoefler with the 101st Airborne Division in a statement released Tuesday evening. The duration of the investigation is determined by the thorough analysis of all factors. The Army recently released the names of the nine soldiers onboard the helicopters. Staff Sgt. Taylor Mitchell, 30, of Mountain Brook, was among the victims. The Army said three of the victims were posthumously promoted to the next highest rank, and theyll be honored at a ceremony with their families at a later date. Cpl. Emilie Marie Eve Bolanos, 23, of Austin, Texas, was promoted to sergeant, according to the Army. Bolanos was a a UH-60 helicopter repairer and UH-60 air crewmember with the Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Zachary Esparza, 36, of Jackson, Missouri, was promoted to chief warrant officer 3, according to the Army. Esparza was an instructor pilot for the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. Warrant Officer 1 Aaron Healy, 32, of Cape Coral, Florida, was promoted to chief warrant officer 2, according to the Army. Healy was an aeromedical evacuation pilot for the 101st Airborne Division. All nine soldiers remains were taken to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, the Army said in a news release. Law enforcement escorts honored the soldiers en route to the base. Kentuckys helicopter crash is far from Fort Campbells first. How common are they? What to know about Fort Campbell. Kentucky military base is home to rare air assault unit Deeply saddened. KY politicians offer condolences after deadly military helicopter crash 2023 Lexington Herald-Leader. Visit kentucky.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Raymond Santana and Yusef Salaam closely watched the events in Manhattan, including the arraignment of former President Donald Trump on criminal charges. They are two of the members of the Central Park Five, now the Exonerated Five. In 1989, Santana and Salaam, who now have connections to Georgia, were two of five Black and Latino teenagers from Harlem who were wrongly convicted of beating and raping a white female jogger. Trump took out full-page newspaper advertisements in several publications, including the New York Times, calling the New York state to adopt the death penalty for killers and called for more police power. It became clear that it was a reference to the attack on the female jogger, although she survived the attack, according to an article in The New York Times. And although they were later exonerated after serving various stints in prison, Trump still refuses to apologize to them. Its karma, said Santana, who lives in North Georgia and was one of two who talked to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Were in the day and age that that you can show a tyrant that he can be touched. This karma at its finest. Now 20-30 years later hes fighting a case. Its the changing of the guard and were getting a front-row seat to watch it unfold. Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records during his arraignment in a Manhattan courtroom. Im hoping that the justice system affords Mr. Trump the opportunity to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, said Yusef Salaam, in a telephone interview Tuesday with The Atlanta Journal Constitution. Thirty-four years ago they looked at the color of our skin and we were not given that same presumption of innocence. " Salam, on Twitter, mimicked the ad with one of his own. #PowerPost Over 30 years ago, Donald Trump took out full page ads calling for my execution. On the day he was arrested and arraigned, here is my ad in response. pic.twitter.com/nOYKkw1LD2 Yusef Abdus Salaam (@dr_yusefsalaam) April 5, 2023 The teens, ranging in age from 14 to 16, served between five and 13 years behind bars. Salaam, 49, who lives in New York but has another home in Georgia, is now running for a Harlem city council seat. He said the criminal justice system has been more of a criminal system of injustice for many in this nation including the poor and people of color. He thinks Trump was trying to encourage people to come into our homes, drag us from our beds and do to use what they did to Emmett Till. I truly believe that. Santana, 48, said he has gone on social media to remind people what happened to them. There have been several people who have defended Trump. With all this stuff now, it puts us on alert. People know who we are and our history with him. Theyre coming for us. A Netflix miniseries,When They See Us chronicled the case. 2023 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The Escambia County (Fla.) Sheriffs Office says Lewis Hill Jr. broke into a business -- his own place of employment -- and stole an estimated $300,000 worth of construction equipment and electronics. Needing a means to haul away all of the ill-gotten property, Lewis also stole a utility truck, investigators say, later leaving it abandoned after crashing it on Chisholm Road in Pensacola. The vehicle had been doused with gasoline, although there were no signs of fire. Lewis might have gotten away save for one small problem -- he was wearing a GPS ankle monitor as a condition of his release on bond for a previous aggravated assault charge. Investigators were able to place him inside the business at the time of the burglary and at the site where the truck was found, according to the ECSO. A search of Lewis home resulted in the recovery of all of the stolen items, other than the truck. Lewis, 39, is now held without bond at the Escambia County Jail, charged with burglary, vehicle theft, criminal mischief, larceny, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and obstruction of justice. Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Huntsville is looking to the sun for its electricity and the largest solar project in the Rocket City is the result. Toyota Alabama, Toyota Tsusho America Inc. and Huntsville Utilities announced a power purchase agreement Wednesday to support a 168-acre, $49 million solar project that will be located off Bob Wade Lane in north Huntsville. Related: Toyota engine plant in Huntsville marks launch of $288 million expansion The 30-megawatt, solar-generated system will surround the engine plant in the North Huntsville Industrial Park. It is expected to produce 62,000 megawatt hours annually, which will reduce about 22,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, according to the announcement by Toyota. The project is part of Toyotas objective of achieving carbon neutrality in its operations by 2035. Toyota is taking a transparent, science-based approach to address climate change, Jason Puckett, president of Toyota Alabama, said in the announcement. By relying on the sun to power our operations, we will reduce our carbon footprint and create a model of environmental stewardship in north Alabama. At the announcement ceremony Wednesday at the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce, Puckett said the infusion of solar energy is because it is the right thing to do for the environment and not because it will necessarily create a financial benefit for the company. We want to create a model of environmental stewardship and manufacturing can positively impact the world around us, Puckett said. The engine plants neighbor in the industrial park, Meta Data Center, has said it is 100 percent reliant on renewable energy. Toyota Tsusho will be the owner of the solar project that will provide more than 70 percent of the engine plants power. Tsushos energy infrastructure solutions team led the development of the project and will manage the construction, which is scheduled to begin in the spring. Finding smart, creative solutions to climate change is an urgent and global focus for our company, Naoyuki Hata, TAI president and CEO, said in the announcement. Using our know-how to bring projects like this to life aligns with our goal of creating positive impacts in local communities, while also helping create pathways to a sustainable future globally. Since Toyota Alabama started production in 2003, the plant has expanded six times. It represents a $1.5 billion investment and has about 1,900 employees. Last year, the plant produced more than 665,000 engines and hybrid engines for vehicles such as the Tundra, Corolla Cross and Sienna. The Corolla Cross is manufactured at the Mazda Toyota plant in Huntsville about 20 miles southwest of the engine plant. Its a unique project in that Huntsville Utilities will be purchasing power generated by the solar panels from TAI. Wes Kelley, president and CEO of Huntsville Utilities, said it is the first time it has bought power from anyone other than TVA. TVAs willingness to get more creative and get more flexible has allowed this to happen so that we can partner with our key industry to make this a success, Kelley said. Huntsville Utilities will be building a new substation to harness this power and bring it into our distribution system. This power will flow throughout the Huntsville Utilities system and will benefit our ratepayers. Well be purchasing this power, honestly, at a rate less than what were currently paying TVA. The city of Huntsville is leasing about 30 acres to Toyota Motor Manufacturing for use in the solar project, Mayor Tommy Battle said. Its a development thats been in the pipeline for almost three years before coming to fruition. Were leasing the land because it does an environmental good for the community, Battle said. And it makes this community a stronger community. Updated today, April 5, 2023, at 3:18 p.m. with new information throughout. With red tide again frustrating beachgoers since October, many residents may be wondering what can be done about it. Scientists have been working to find technologies that will help lessen the hazardous effects of red tide thanks to the Florida Red Tide Mitigation & Technology Development Initiative, a partnership between Mote Marine Laboratory and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. After red tide fouled beaches along seven Florida counties in 2018 aggravating health problems and costing local communities millions of dollars then-Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency and pledged state resources to assist in dealing with the noxious bloom. It was one of the worst blooms in recent years. A year later, Scotts successor, Gov. Ron DeSantis, signed the five-year initiative that started Jan. 15, 2021, and concludes in 2025. To date, scientists have examined over 200 chemicals and compounds and have completed or have underway more than 30 projects, according to Motes annual report released in January. But dont look for them to banish red tide from the earth. Its been around for centuries. What is Motes red tide research? Monitoring red tide: Motes Beach Conditions Reporting System keeps track of red tide impacts on 56 beaches in Florida, Alabama and South Carolina. Red tide mitigation: Scientists have tested 200 different chemical compounds, with at least a dozen of promising candidates for fighting red tide impacts. Aerial observation: Researchers used robotic gliders to survey conditions before and after Hurricane Ian. Less coughing: A preliminary study observed a 99% decrease in respiratory irritation from red tide by adding colored organic material to red tide cultures in the lab. Safer seafood: Mote is working with shellfish producers in the Gulf of Mexico on a wet-storage solution that eliminates red tide toxins. Water samples: Mote collected and analyzed 6,577 water samples to study how red tide is fueled by nutrients and climate change. Researchers confident in red tide solutions Kevin Claridge, vice president of sponsored research and coastal policy at Mote, likens red tide to effects from other naturally occurring phenomena in Florida that people have learned to mitigate and live with, such as mosquitoes, heat and hurricanes. He predicts there will be new technologies developed that will help Florida cope with red tide as well. I am 100% certain we will have some solutions, Claridge said this week at Motes inland research facility off Fruitville Road, about 15 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Initiative funding has allowed Mote to continue to expand the vital testing of mitigation products to find those that kill the algae, minimize the impact of the Karenia brevis toxin and have no further human health or ecological harm, the report says. While most of these projects focused on natural, man-made and technological mitigation techniques, a few are also dedicated to the development of red tide public communication and monitoring technologies specifically aimed at decreasing impacts of red tide, the report says. In addition to investigating six algicidal compounds that can be used to kill Karenia brevis, scientists are also looking at various water treatment processes, clay combined with an algaecide compound and more. In China and Korea, finely crumbled clay has been effectively used to control or mitigate algal blooms in aquaculture. Mote is using a tiered research approach, taking it from the lab, then eventually to near shore and offshore and finally to commercialization where the technology can be used by state and local agencies and contractors. Among the scientists at Mote Marine this week was Jamie Lead, a professor in the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina. Lead is interested in using electromagnets to attract nanoparticles in the water which contain naturally occurring iron oxide. The electromagnets attract the nanoparticles and the offending algae bloom and return the purified water to the waterway from whence it came. For a deeper dive into the research initiative, visit the Mote Marine web page. Where to check on red tide Mote Marine Laboratorys Beach Conditions Report is continually working to improve its red tide web page, visitbeaches.org, where the public can check for local problems and conditions. Beachgoers can also check: The NOAA Red Tide Respiratory Forecast at habforecast.gcoos.org. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at myfwc.com/research/redtide/statewide University of South Floridas Red Tide Prediction and Tracking at ocgweb.marine.usf.edu/hab_tracking 2023 Miami Herald. Visit miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Alabama U.S. Sen. Katie Britt pressed Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland last week on a stalled application for Warrior Met Coal in Tuscaloosa County, accusing the Biden Administration of a bureaucratic stonewall. During a Senate subcommittee hearing, Britt asked Haaland why Warrior Met Coals application to develop 24 million tons of metallurgical coal on federal lands hasnt advanced since last May. Warrior Met is seeking to mine on a federal tract encompassing more than 5,700 acres in Tuscaloosa County. The company first began the application process in 2009 and restarted it in 2014. According to Britt, the only response the company has received in the almost a year is that the application is in technical and legal review. They have jumped through every hoop that the Department has asked because they are good stewards of our public lands, Britt said. Frustratingly, it has been nearly a year since they have received a substantial update from the Department. Haaland told Britt the application was currently under land review with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). An important part of BLMs review is ensuring that its consistent with any and all court decisions, recent court decisions, and so I know that they were working through all of those issues, as well, she said. Haaland said she would update Britt later on the status of the application. Britt said any delays would benefit China, which also produces met coal, obviously without the environmental standards that we have in the U.S., Britt said. The lone survivor of the deadly helicopter crash in Shelby County said she is heartbroken over the deaths of her friends and colleagues. Medic Amanda Daniels posted her first public comments on Facebook, saying she is overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and prayers for the Life Saver 4 family. My heart is shattered into a million pieces, Daniels wrote. My body is bruised and sore but will heal. My heart will not. I lost two very important people in my life, she wrote. We all did. Marc Gann, 63, and Samuel Adam Russell, 43, were killed when the Eurocopter EC130 helicopter medevac went down off U.S. 280 just before 6 p.m. Sunday and caught fire. Adam was a flight nurse and was fondly remembered by Austin Bayles, EMS operations manager for East Alabama Health. Adam was a very hard worker and always had a positive attitude. He also had great patient care skills and an excellent bedside manner. Not only was he a co-worker, but he was also a good friend, Bayles said. Adam will be missed greatly by so many people. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Adams family and the entire Life Saver family. The pilot, Gann, served more than 20 years in the U.S. Army where he was an attack helicopter pilot with the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 4. He was also a former Army Ranger. Marc Gann is one of the best pilots I ever had the pleasure to work with, Daniels wrote. He is an even better friend, to everyone. Selfless, hard- working and insanely funny. Daniels, who was initially listed in critical but stable condition, described Russell a dedicated father, son, husband and friend. If youve ever flown with him you would know before the helicopter ever left the ground he bowed his head, folded his hands and prayed, Daniels wrote. Not every once in a whileevery flight. Same as our last day together. Shelby County Chief Deputy Clay Hammac said the ordeal began about 5:30 p.m. when the Life Saver helicopter was requested to assist the extraction of a patient who had been hiking in the area and suffered breathing problems and chest pains. Deputies had set up a landing area for the helicopter. A deputy then called 911 to report the helicopter had crashed. The crash is under investigation by the NTSB and the FAA. A preliminary report may be available in about 10 to 12 business days. A typical NTSB investigation can take 12 to 24 months to complete and determine cause. There is a lot of talk going on about what happened to us. Please DO NOT make assumptions, Daniels wrote. Do not pass blame. Let the people who do the investigations do their investigations. Please be respectful about what you talk about. There are still many, many people who still work for LifeSaver / AirMethods, she wrote. Not only do employees see what you say but, some of the children of these employees see what you say too. If you have ugly comments keep them to yourselves please, Daniels wrote. The media has posted many heartless pictures and comments. It has been extremely disappointing to see. Daniels said she needs time to process all that has happened and to heal. I would fly to the moon and back with those two great men, she wrote. Lets honor them. At roughly the same time that former President Donald Trump plead not guilty to criminal charges Tuesday afternoon in a Manhattan courtroom, he notched a win in a federal appeals court in California against the adult film star at the heart of the New York indictment. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit issued a six-page order directing Stormy Daniels to pay nearly $122,000 in legal fees to Trumps attorneys. That sum is in addition to the more than $293,000 that Daniels had been ordered to pay after losing a libel case against the former president in federal district court and $245,000 for unsuccessfully pursuing an earlier appeal. The New York and California cases arent directly related, but the timing was striking since they involve the same underlying events: Daniels claim that she had an affair with Trump which he has denied and efforts by Trumps former longtime lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen to stop her story from becoming public ahead of the 2016 presidential election by orchestrating a $130,000 hush money payment. Trump pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Manhattan state court to a 34-count indictment that accuses him of falsifying business records in order to hide reimbursement payments to Cohen and influence the election. The Manhattan district attorneys office has alleged that Trump falsified records to further other crimes, including violating state and federal election laws. Prosecutor Chris Conroy told the New York judge during Tuesdays arraignment that Daniels might be a witness in the case as it moves forward. The California case dates back to 2018. Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, had sued Trump over a tweet in which he accused her of a total con job after she said shed been threatened in order to keep quiet about her claim of having an affair. A judge ruled in late 2018 that Trumps tweet was rhetorical hyperbole protected under the First Amendment, and then ordered Daniels to pay nearly $292,000 in legal fees plus a $1,000 sanction. Daniels appealed, and after losing the first round, in March 2022 was ordered to pay more than $245,000 in fees. The 9th Circuit then rejected Daniels appeal of the district judges original attorney fee award, finding she had waited too long to present it. Daniels had acknowledged she was responsible for paying fees as the losing party, but argued the fee request by Trumps lawyers for $128,000 was excessive. A special commissioner tasked with evaluating Trumps request denied part of it because the lawyers hadnt submitted an itemized task log, but approved the bulk of it. Daniels attorneys didnt immediately return a request for comment. Trumps attorney Harmeet Dhillon provided a statement saying that they were gratified that the 9th Circuit awarded the vast majority of fees incurred in the final stage of this litigation that never should have taken a moment of the courts time. In total, the court awarded our client over $600,000 in fees in this dispute that Ms. Clifford initiated. We are glad to have brought this matter to a successful conclusion for our client. ___ 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Sign up for Alabamafication: Kyle Whitmires newsletter, Alabamafication examines the outsized influence of this very strange state, taking aim at corruption, cruelty, incompetence and hypocrisy while also seeking out those righteous folks making their state and country better places for all. This is an opinion column. Late last month, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey proposed spending $2.7 billion in education money. The plan includes more than $300 million worth of expenses that have no obvious educational purpose. For instance, $25 million for a Montgomery whitewater rafting park. And $31 million for the Mobile Airport Authority to relocate a terminal. And $25 million for the Port of Alabama to buy coal loading equipment. Last week, I asked the question: Why not Medicaid expansion? That program could call down billions in federal matching funds, but the governor has refused to support expansion for lack of local funding. But I was getting ahead of myself. The better question, it seems, was whether such spending was legal at all. To find an answer, Ive reached out to both education budget chairmen in the Alabama Legislature, the head of the Legislative Research Services and the Director of the Alabama Finance Department. I havent gotten a clear answer from any of them yet. State Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, the House budget chairman, said hed been told it was legal because the legislature had done such things before. I asked him who told him that. He didnt say Garretts counterpart in the upper house, Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, said hed asked the same questions and he hasnt gotten a good answer, either. Lawyers are looking into it, he said. Othni Lathram, the head of Legislative Research Services, said his office is still researching it. And state Finance Department Director Bill Poole didnt answer questions I submitted to him by email on Monday afternoon. I sent the same questions to Iveys spokeswoman. Again, nothing. Is this legal? is a question someone should be able to answer before spending billions of surplus education dollars. An answer might be in the law that created the Education Trust Fund in the first place. Thats the state budget set aside for all things having to do with schools. Everything else comes out of a separate massive budget, called the general fund. In July 1927, when creating the ETF, the Alabama Legislature seemed to focus its attention on two things. One was exposing the Ku Klux Klan with an anti-masking bill, which a number of lawmakers were conspicuously reluctant to support. The other thing was what The Montgomery Advertiser called A radical and freakish revenue bill. The business-aligned Montgomery paper wasnt keen on the new taxes the bill would raise, although it was lightly supportive of their purpose. The additional money that tobacco, natural resources and public utilities will provide must go into a trust fund for the exclusive benefit of education, the paper wrote on its editorial page more than 90 years ago. Thank heavens for that! The paper was rightly suspicious that lawmakers might try to raid the new fund for things that didnt have a thing to do with education. Some of it, (just how much we do not know) will find its way into the general fund to buy nourishment for departments and bureaucrats not identified with education, and to make the mothers of countless office-hungry politicians exclaim: Im glad I raised my boy to be a Klansman! the paper said. The bill passed. But to assure the public that the new taxes werent some sort of a bait and switch, lawmakers made the new funds purpose clear. The law was so explicit it said it twice in the same sentence. The new revenue shall be set apart as a Trust Fund for educational purposes only, to be designated as the Alabama Special Education Trust Fund, and shall be kept separate and apart from all other funds in the State Treasury, and shall be paid out by the Treasurer on lawful appropriations, hereafter made specifically from such funds by the Legislature of Alabama for educational purposes. For educational purposes only. The Education Trust Fund was born. In the 1990s, the Legislature renamed the fund to drop the Special, but when doing so the bill made clear that everything else about the ETF remained the same. I asked Ira Harvey, a public finance consultant and author of The History of Educational Finance in Alabama whether anything in the law regarding educational purposes only had changed since 1927. Harvey said there had been no change through 2016, when he last updated his training manual for state employees and he wasnt aware of any changes since then. Every dollar that goes into the ETF is designated for education either by statute or by the Alabama Constitution. For nearly all of its existence, governors and lawmakers have tried to find ways to raid the fund for other things, and some questionable expenses have crept into the ETF. The Legislature once spent ETF money on an Imax theater at the McWane Science Center in Birmingham and $685,000 for the Alabama Cattlemens Associations MOOseum in Montgomery. These sorts of expenditures have continued to creep into ETF budgets every year. But Kay Ivey is trying to cross an important line a barrier that has protected education funding from competing interests for nearly a century. Theres an important difference between money for a museum and what Iveys office has proposed. You can argue a museum has an educational purpose. But a coal loading machine or an airport terminal? Whats the educational purpose in that? And if theres not one, how is any of this legal? Its no wonder the governors office has gone silent. I wouldnt want to answer the question, either. Kyle Whitmire is the state political columnist for the Alabama Media Group, 2020 winner of the Walker Stone Award, winner of the 2021 SPJ award for opinion writing, and 2021 winner of the Molly Ivins prize for political commentary. Sign up for his weekly newsletter and get "Alabamafication" in your inbox every Wednesday. More columns by Kyle Whitmire Alabama governor wants $100 million of school funds for prison construction Alabama governor sends education dollars to water park Alabamas billion-dollar no-bid prison disaster is only the beginning Atmore is considered the official rail welcome center of Alabama. The Escambia County city celebrates rail history it was first named Williams Station in honor of its train station - each fall with Williams Station Day. Related: And one of Atmores most infamous moments came when the Black outlaw Railroad Bill, who purportedly robbed trains and sold goods to the impoverished in southeast Alabama, was shot and killed during his final shootout with authorities more than 127 years ago in downtown Atmore. But for almost 18 years the passenger trains have been not going through Atmore, a small city of 8,500 residents 50 miles northeast of Mobile. Amtrak is set to resume service along the Gulf Coast this year, connecting New Orleans to Mobile with four stops in Mississippi. But the train isnt going further east toward Atmore anytime soon. Hope springs anew, thanks to efforts led by Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves. A grant application by the city of Pensacola seeks $500,000 for the study of a Northwest Florida Passenger Rail Corridor through the Federal Railroad Administrations corridor identification and development program. Atmore stands to benefit, said Jerry Gehman, an Atmore businessman and a former member of the Southern Rail Commission who has long pushed for Amtraks return to the city. Atmore was the only train stop east of Mobile in Alabama before the former Sunset Limited which operated along the Gulf Coast until 2005 stopped running after Hurricane Katrina. We are a designated stop, A Gehman said. Alternate forms of transportation are needed for rural areas. Grant opportunity A look at the train station in downtown Atmore, Ala. Atmore once served as a train stop for Amtrak while the Sunset Limited criss-crossed the Southeast along the Gulf Coast. Passenger rail has not served Atmore since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in 2005. An effort is underway, led by the city of Pensacola, to analyze extending Gulf Coast rail service from New Orleans and into Northwest Florida. A restarted service would bring new life to the possibilities of stopping off in Atmore. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com). Northwest Florida officials are hopeful that an influx in federal money through the bipartisan infrastructure law signed by President Joe Biden in 2021, could spark interest in continuing passenger rails connection from Alabama into Florida. Reeves, behind support from city and county officials in Northwest Florida and including New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, is spearheading efforts to apply for the grant. The officials believe federal funds are available to pursue the passenger rail study thanks to the $66 billion made available through the bipartisan infrastructure law. The analysis will look at connecting Pensacola and the Florida cities to its east Crestview, Chipley, Tallahassee, Madison, and Lake City to Jacksonville. The analysis will also look at extending passenger rail service south from Jacksonville to Orlando. The analysis will also include connecting Pensacola to the Gulf Coast route to New Orleans. This is an unprecedented opportunity to potentially secure $500,000 in federal infrastructure funding, which would be a monumental step toward restoring passenger rail service in Northwest Florida, Reeves said in a statement to AL.com. Although we cant guarantee success, we couldnt let this opportunity pass us by without making every effort to ensure that the city of Pensacola is included in the resurgence of passenger rail travel in the Southeast. Port concerns Alabama State Docks and rail yard in Mobile. Mobile photos 2021. (Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com).Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com The opportunity for restarting passenger rail in Northwest Florida --- and including a stop in Atmore comes ahead of restarting passenger rail service from Mobile to New Orleans sometime later in 2023. Originally, those plans considered a stop in Atmore. In 2016, an Amtrak inspection train ran along the Gulf Coast and made a stop in Atmore before a throng of cheering residents. In recent years, though, the Gulf Coast route has been condensed. The only Alabama stop will be in downtown Mobile. Wiley Blankenship, a current Alabama representative of the Southern Rail Commission which advocates on behalf of passenger rail said the biggest sticking point for an Atmore connection has been the crowded freight train movements into and out of Siebert Yard, north of downtown Mobile, which is a major freight rail corridor servicing the Alabama State Docks. What we need to do right now, as far as the SRC and all parties go, is focus on getting Mobile to New Orleans running before we start leaping into the next steps, Blankenship said. I understand dreaming big, but we need to focus on that start up and getting everything down and efficient before we start moving into the next phase. John Driscoll, CEO with the Alabama State Port Authority, said any effort to have Amtrak service extended east of downtown Mobile will need a rail traffic control study. The Port Authority had previously opposed the Amtrak restart along the Gulf Coast and joined the two main freight operators CSX and Norfolk Southern in objecting to the restart of the New Orleans-to-Mobile connection before the U.S. Surface Transportation Board last year. But a negotiated settlement ended that case in November, and Amtrak service is slated to end at a future train stop near Cooper Riverside Park adjacent to the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center. The Port is growing at a breakneck pace, Driscoll said in a statement. With capacity at the container terminal on track to double in the next two years and consistent, triple-digit growth from our intermodal facility in Mobile, it is more important than ever to understand the impact of passenger rail on freight fluidity. He added, We continue to monitor the latest developments and, of course, want to ensure that Alabamas Port is able to continue serving the state effectively and efficiently. The only way to do this is through a rail traffic control study, which is critically important to assess how Amtrak may impact the Port of Mobiles unmatched service. In addition, we expect Amtrak would commit to funding and constructing the required infrastructure for their passenger rail operations. Take the bus In the immediate future, a charter bus service might be one option to get rail passengers from Mobile to Pensacola, and vice versa. Knox Ross, chairman of commissioners for the SRC, said commissioners are currently exploring the possibility of having buses connecting Mobile to a future train station in downtown Pensacola, which would allow Gulf Coast passengers from New Orleans to hop aboard a train bound for Jacksonville, Orlando, or Miami. Were looking at what the numbers look like, Ross said. A freight train rolls through Atmore, Ala., on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com). If that occurs, passenger rail would circumvent Atmore and along the CSX rail line that traverses from the State Docks in Mobile to Bay Minette, Atmore, Flomaton and into Northwest Florida. There was a lot of desire to run the state-supported service (from New Orleans to Mobile) toward Atmore and to the casino and the Poarch Band of Creek Indians wanted that, said Ross. But the problem you run into is an infrastructure issue. You have to go through the (rail) yard in Mobile. He added, Its difficult to add capacity in there because a lot of it is running through a swamp. Indeed, the existing rail route veers off in a snake-like direction from Mobile into Baldwin County toward Atmore before it heads into Pensacola. The route also has a tragic connection with the deadliest train wrecks in U.S. history. In 1993, 47 people were killed and 103 injured after an Amtrak train derailed on the CSX Transportations Big Bayou Canot Bridge north of Mobile. The crash occurred after a barge collided with the rail bridge about eight minutes before the derailment. Blankenship said the tragedy is not a factor in deciding whether to return the service to Atmore. Amtrak resumed Sunset Limited operations along the CSX rail line years after the tragedy occurred. But Blankenship said it will be costly to get bridges and other rail infrastructure prepared for Amtrak. Said Ross, You never say it cant be done, but there are a lot of issues there that have to be considered and you need to be realistic about it. Having a bus connection between Mobile and Pensacola that meets up with the train and is on time its something to get Pensacola up and running early and it can be looked at. Rail heritage A historic marker honoring Railroad Bill (Morris Slater) stands at the site of the Atmore train station in Atmore, Ala. Slater, who was Black, died in an ambush inside a general store in Atmore in 1896, following approximately one year of evading law enforcement. Railroad Bill was an outlaw and became widely known for his "Robin Hood" antics of robbing from train cars and selling goods to impoverished people. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com). Atmore Mayor Jim Staff said he believes it would be costly to get the service restarted in his community. He said the small train depot which has planters hanging from it would have to be worked on to get it ready for Amtrak service. He, like the SRC commissioners, is worried about the costs. Id love to see Amtrak come through, he said. But it will be expensive. In a March 17 letter he wrote in support of the federal grant, Staff said Atmore serves as a natural evolution of passenger rail service from New Orleans to Mobile. He said that passenger rail could be economic opportunity to pockets of poverty. Gehman, a former radio journalist who once broadcast the Train Report in Atmore, said the community has a history steep in passenger rail. In the early 1990s, Atmore was recognized for having the highest ridership of any city our size in the U.S. for Amtrak, he said. That led to state lawmakers, behind the efforts of Rep. Frank Skippy White, passing a resolution in 1991 naming Atmore as the rail welcome center to the state of Alabama. We pride ourselves as the official rail welcome center, said Denham. No other city has that designation. A vacation on the high seas took a turn for the tragic after a woman fell to her death from a balcony aboard a Virgin Voyages cruise ship, the company said. The unnamed passenger tumbled over the balcony barrier and fell onto another person on a deck some 10 stories below, a cruise line spokesperson said in a statement to PEOPLE. The incident unfolded on Sunday around 6 p.m., shortly after the Virgin Voyages ship, Valiant Lady, departed a Miami port for Roatan, Honduras. This passenger went over their balcony onto a lower deck, and despite receiving immediate medical attention, has passed away, Virgin Voyages said. We are deeply saddened by this loss of life and our hearts and thoughts are with this persons loved ones. The person she fell on was not seriously injured, TMZ reported. The cruise line also confirmed its ship was immediately redirected back to Miami after the incident. The company added that its working closely with local officials as they kick off an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the passengers death. The ship has since set sail again, albeit with a different itinerary. Its now slated to dock in Costa Maya on Wednesday rather than Cozumel. A Virgin Voyages spokesperson told PEOPLE the change was triggered by the weather and does not have anything to do with the recent passenger death. 2023 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Its been seven months since a 63-year-old Fayette County man was found slain in his home, and authorities are asking for the public for any information that could lead to his killer or killers. Kenneth Kenny Spinato was shot to death Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022. He left behind his wife, son and four daughters, and seven grandchildren. A motive in his slaying has not been disclosed, but investigators believe he was killed with a .40-caliber handgun. The Fayette County Sheriffs Office has enlisted the help of the FBI. Investigators continue to work diligently to investigate all possible scenarios, and advancements in forensic analysis have opened previously unexplored investigative avenues, according to a sheriffs office news release issued on Wednesday. Regardless of forensic and other developments, community members remain a vital resource as we seek answers and are confident you can further the effort, the release reads. Investigators said they already received cooperation in the probe. However, we know there are people who have information regarding the circumstances of Kennys death who have not yet spoken with law enforcement, sheriffs officials said. Sometimes people have information but do not come forward because they feel it may be unimportant. Also, authorities said, potential witnesses may be hesitant to come forward because of a close relationship with others who could have been involved. They may have concern for their own safety or reputation, or they may have been unknowingly brought into a situation by the person or persons responsible, the statement reads. Relationships and loyalties can change, as do people and their perspectives. No matter the circumstances, it is not too late to come forward and help give Kennys family and friends the answer they deserve, authorities said. Investigators are asking people to think back to August and September of last year: - Did you see anything in the area that was unusual or notice anyone you did not recognize in town during this time frame? - Did you notice anyone who had unexplained injuries or a persons sudden departure from the area? - Did you interact with anyone who seemed intensely interested in this case or maybe someone who took significant efforts to avoid talking about it? - Did you observe anyone who seemed to have an abrupt change in mood, lifestyle or appearance around this time? - Investigators determined that Spinato was killed with a .40-caliber handgun. Do you know of anyone who bought, sold or tried to give away a .40-caliber handgun around this time? Investigators have established a designated phone line and email address for anyone to share information, which can be done anonymously 205-303-7903 or bcollins@fayetteso.com. Prosecutors have dismissed a capital murder charge against a Huntsville man, charging him with murder and robbery following the recovery of a body from Flint Creek at the bizarre end to a high-speed chase. Ismael Tariq Smith, 21, of Huntsville, had been charged with one count of capital murder last week. He is now charged with the murder of Michael Tremaine Forde-Clark, 18, of Huntsville, whose body was recovered from Flint Creek last Saturday. Smiths charges stem from what police say was an armed robbery that quickly developed into a chase, ending with a submerged vehicle in a creek. On March 27, 911 dispatchers received a report of a robbery at Casa Santiago, a Mexican restaurant on Spring Avenue in Decatur, just before 1 p.m. Monday. Court documents say a man told police he went to the restaurant to trade an AK-47 for a PlayStation 5, which was arranged through Facebook Marketplace. The man gave police a description of the robbers fleeing vehicle, providing a license plate number. Officers spotted a vehicle matching its description and attempted a stop along U.S. 31, according to police, with speeds reaching more than 100 m.p.h. During the chase, according to police, Smith, the driver of the vehicle, lost control, crossed over the median and eventually ran into Flint Creek near Bowels Bridge Road, submerging the vehicle. Smith swam to shore and was detained there. Forde-Clark was last seen struggling to stay afloat downstream and went under before those on the scene could render aid. His body was recovered days after a search began. The University of Alabama at Huntsville has agreed to scrap a speaking policy a student claimed in a lawsuit stifles frees speech on campus after reaching a settlement with the student. Josh Greer, a UAH student and president of the UAH chapter of Young Americans for Liberty, filed the lawsuit two years ago against the UA System and UAH officials alleging the policy limiting student expression to small speech zones violates state law and the Alabama Constitution. The lawsuit also claimed the universitys requirement that students receive permission three university business days before engaging in expressive activity runs afoul of the law. The prior permission requirement, the exemptions to it, and the speech zones are an affront to the Campus Free Speech Act and the Alabama Constitution, the suit stated. Greer said in his lawsuit filed in Madison County Circuit Court that YAL seeks to promote free speech as a fundamental right and espouse against gun control and the size of government on campus. His organization, the lawsuit claimed, became inactive following the COVID-19 pandemic, and Greer feared that he would violate the policy if he tried to recruit new members to the YAL chapter. Because they fear being disciplined both individually and as an organization, Plaintiffs have refrained from engaging in their desired expressive activity as described above. As a result of this self-censorship, Plaintiffs have not been able to recruit This has resulted in lower attendance and less visibility for their organization, the suit went on to say. On Monday, terms of the agreement were filed by Greer and the UA System and UAH: the speech zones would be expanded and the prior approval would not be needed, although reserving space will be strongly encouraged. The national YAL organization hailed the agreement on its Facebook page. This one has been a long time in the making but the anti-free speech policies of the University of Alabama-Hunstville are done! the group said. We couldnt be more grateful for the hard work of our activists! All reactions: 173173 Former Councilmember Scott Jones resignation is effective immediately, according to a new release from the Mobile City Council. Jones, who unexpectedly resigned during yesterdays council meeting, had previously stated that he would serve on the council until the end of the month. But, according to a release from the council, Jones resignation must be immediate under Alabama precedent. The release also said that the city council will set the date for a special election at its next regular meeting on April 11. Jones told the Lede that he received a phone call Tuesday night from city attorney Michael Linder, informing him that his resignation was effective immediately. It is what it is, he said. Jones also said he would hold a press conference in the next couple of days where he would address his reasons for resigning. According to the release, Jones resigned without any qualifications or conditions, on the record, and in the presence of the council and the Mobile City Clerk. Because of that, under Alabama precedent, Jones resignation is immediate and cannot be withdrawn, the release says. The release cited several court cases, such as State v. Fitts, State v. Fowler and McCluskey v. Lansdell, as well as Alabama Attorney Generals opinions, as precedent for this decision. As such, Councilmember Jones ceased to hold office at that point and the District 6 Council seat is now vacant, the release said. On Tuesday, Jones stunned the rest of the council by resigning at the end of the meeting, citing the citys continued relationship with AltaPointe Health Systems, the largest mental health provider in the region. Jones voted on issues earlier in the meeting and had given no public indications that he would resign. The last resignation from the city council was over 10 years ago, when then-Councilmember Jermaine Burrell resigned from the city council in 2012. He was replaced by current Council President C.J. Small. This is a guest opinion column Given the renewed focus from state and local officials in recent years to position Alabama as a destination for large employers to open up shop, I can firmly say that our best days are still in front of us. Perhaps no piece of legislation has provided more of a spark for economic opportunities than the Alabama Jobs Act that was passed with bipartisan support in 2015. The package of economic incentives was designed to encourage job creation and investment in the state of Alabama and, in my opinion, has exceeded expectations in that regard. In that time it has helped leverage the states ability to offer tax credits and other incentives to businesses that locate or expand in Alabama and create thousands of jobs for our residents. This has been a significant factor in helping to reduce our states unemployment numbers from around 6.1 percent in January 2015, to around 2.5 percent as of February; that is the sixth lowest unemployment rate of any state in the country. In 2015, Alabama ranked 38th for unemployment. Lately, the news has been coming at us so fast that its hard to keep up with it all. Youd be easily forgiven for overlooking the collective impact this legislation has made across multiple sectors. Its been credited with bringing in billions of dollars in investments and creating thousands of new jobs in the state. Its helped to attract major companies like Airbus, Amazon, and Google, and has supported the growth of industries such as automotive manufacturing, technology, logistics and medical research. The automotive industry has definitely been one of the primary beneficiaries of the Alabama Jobs Act. The state has become a major hub for automotive manufacturing, with companies such as Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Hyundai, and Toyota all operating manufacturing facilities in Alabama. In order to accommodate these major manufacturers, second-tier suppliers have also flourished, supporting the growth of the automotive supply chain, and creating even more jobs in the process. Not only has this helped strengthen Alabamas business climate, but these incentives have played a crucial role in diversifying the states economy, helping to reduce the dependency on a single industry or sector while providing greater stability in times of economic uncertainty. Diversity is one of our greatest strengths here in Alabama and this legislation has helped bolster that on the economic front. As I write this, the Alabama Jobs Act is headed quickly for its sunset date in July of this year unless the State Legislature decides to renew the bill for five more years. By all accounts, it seems as though elected leaders in Montgomery have an appetite to do so. Recently, the Joint Legislative Study on Economic Development Incentives not only voiced support for the renewal, but also in raising the tax incentive limit to $350 million. I would like to strongly encourage my colleagues in Montgomery to consider the monumental impact this will continue to have for our residents and our future. Its been a breath of fresh air to see this level of bipartisan support for renewing the Alabama Jobs Act and I would agree with Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singletons assessment that weve not yet seen the full potential of what these economic incentives can have, and what that means for Alabamas (and Birminghams) continued economic rise. Here in Birmingham weve turned our efforts to increasing and sustaining a strong set of workforce development investments. For too long the Magic City has suffered from brain drain -- losing our young people to other large cities across the South that may offer a rosier economic outlook for them as they enter the workforce. This is a major hurdle weve faced in the past and I feel optimistic about the progress weve made. The City of Birmingham has committed to investing $10 million over five years in the Birmingham Promise initiative, which provides education and workforce development opportunities for Birmingham students, giving them the skills and training needed to succeed in the 21st-century economy. The renewal of the Alabama Jobs Act will ensure that Birmingham -- and the entire state will fulfill the promise of creating a better future for generations to come. Hunter Williams represents District 2 on the Birmingham City Council and serves as chair of the councils Economic Development and Tourism Committee California Gov. Gavin Newsom attacked Alabamas rollback of progress while visiting Montgomery to commemorate the 55th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.s assassination during his tour of red states. Newsom, whose tour includes stops in Mississippi, Arkansas and Florida, stopped by the Rosa Parks Museum and the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church during his visit to Alabamas capital on Tuesday. This spot is also extraordinary because this is the site so much of the organization was done and the organizational constructs of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the governor said in a video posted to his Twitter account: While the media circus focuses on the politics of hate and division today, its never been more important to organize from the bottom up. States like Alabama that were ground zero for the fight for civil rights are experiencing a massive roll back of freedoms led by the @GOP. pic.twitter.com/gQ5POH16ld Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) April 5, 2023 Newsom said the museum is a reminder of not only the moral courage of leaders like Dr. king and Rosa Parks, but all the hard work that was done after those moments, those iconic moments we remember. The California governors tour coincides with his launch of a political action committee to boost Democratic candidates in red states. Newsom said activists today should draw inspiration from the Civil Rights Movement in combatting the rollback of progress in red states, including Alabama. And at the end of the day, thats whats going to be required of us to address so much of the rights regression, so much of the rollback of the progress that weve all enjoyed the national advancement of rights in the last 50 years, he said. We have a lot of work to do to build a movement to counter whats happening in red states across this country. A spokeswoman for Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey could not immediately be reached for a response to Newsoms comments. Shoot him! Shoot him! -Democrat Steve Schmidt, to a cheering crowd on HBOs Bill Maher show, referring to QAnon Shaman Jacob Chansley, The Federalist, March 6, 2023 Jacob Chansley has just been released early from his 4 year sentence a few weeks after Tucker Carlson released new footage from the Capitol on Jan. 6 that shows Chansley peacefully walking around the Capitol with police officers and leading a prayer in the House chamber thanking the police for their help. According to the Democrat Newsmedia Colluders (hereafter the DNC), Chansley is the QAnon Shaman that led an armed insurrection against the United States on Jan. 6, 2021, and of whom MSNBC said, Make no mistake Chansley is a stone-cold thug. YouTube screengrab Quite surprisingly for the leader of an armed insurrection, Chansley was not carrying a gun through the Capitol. He was carrying what CNN describes as an American flag on a speared flagpole, and which government prosecutors have characterized as a weapon. Surprisingly, however, Chansley was not seen using the flag as a weapon. He was seen using it as a flag. He did not point it at anyone or use it to beat or threaten anybody. Despite this, government prosecutor Kimberly Paschall in made-for-TV words called Chansley the terrifying flag-bearer of the mob chaos. But Chansley is nowhere seen leading the mob. He was not carrying a flag celebrating chaos. He was carrying the American flag. Is that against the law now? Prosecutor Paschall also stated that Chansley made a call to battle but there was no call to battle in Chansleys remarks. He called to end corruption and the deep state, perhaps by voting, if, that is, our totalitarian overlords are still willing to permit that. Naturally the Democrat stenographers in what passes for our news media immediately denounced Tuckers conclusions from the videos as false! AP states that Court documents and video footage from the attack on the Capitol make clear that Chansley, who is one of the most recognizable Jan. 6 rioters, entered the Capitol without permission, was repeatedly asked to leave the building and was not accompanied at all times. Where is the video of Chansley rioting? Please show it, AP! And what legal statute does AP cite that justifies putting someone in prison for 4 years and solitary confinement for a year for entering the Capitol ['the Peoples House'] without permission or for not leaving when asked or for walking around the Capitol unaccompanied? Please provide the Statutes AP! Similarly, CNN, doing its best to support its DNC narrative, accuses Chansely of additional sins before that day. Prior to January 6, Chansley posted vitriolic messages on social media, encouraging his thousands of followers to expose corrupt politicians, to ID the traitors in the government, to halt their agenda, to stop the steal, and end the deep state. Get it? He was guilty before he got to the Capitol! Thats why our benevolent government threw him into solitary confinement for a year and ruined his life. Apparently, CNN holds, not only that one is no longer allowed to expose corrupt politicians, end the deep state, etc., but that one is now no longer even allowed to call people to do those things. The First Amendment no longer applies to people like Jacob Chansley who call to end government corruption. Corrupt politicians everywhere must be overjoyed. But what is the statute CNN references that makes saying those words illegal? Is it a US statute or an old Soviet Union statute? If one is no longer allowed to say vitriolic things, does that apply to Maxine Watters, Chuck Schumer and Joe Biden too? Of course, the Democrat stenographers in the print media also did their best to bolster the narrative. Fortune magazine reports that Chansley was the most prominent figure in the attack on the Capitol earlier this month [P]rosecutors allege there is strong indirect evidence that Chansley and others may have intended to capture and assassinate members of Congress. First, where is that strong indirect evidence that Chansley might assassinate people? We havent seen it. Second, it is arguable that Ray Epps, who appears to be seen on videos encouraging people to enter the Capitol but remains mysteriously uncharged is more prominent than Chansley. The DNC made the face-painted Chansley the most prominent figure for their own political agenda and are not happy at seeing this exposed. If there is a video of Chansley beating people with his flag then put him in prison (but not into Solitary because that is a tad too Soviet Unionish for true Americans). No wonder that Tuckers release of this evidence was met by rage and hysteria in the DNC. For the sin of carrying an American flag and being polite to police officers on the Capitol and for failing to believe things that Dear Leader has declared to be verboten, Chansley was sentenced to 4 years in prison and kept in solitary confinement for 10 months. Naturally, when Carlson released the tapes of what Chansley was really doing on Jan. 6, 2021, a gaggle of the mouths for hire and fan boys and fan girls in what remains of our news media ejaculated in unison that Carlsons tapes dont prove anything. But then why was Chansley suddenly released so soon after Tuckers tapes were made public? The answer is that Chansley did not lead a violent insurrection on Jan. 6. Despite the fact that most of what passes for our news media began referring to the insurrection remarkably soon after Jan. 6, 2021 before any investigation had been carried out, almost as if they had all been handed the same script, an FBI informant in the Proud Boys (the DNCs favorite culprit for their Jan. 6 storyline), testified under oath that there was no coordination on Jan. 6. Since one requires coordination for an insurrection, there was no insurrection on Jan. 6. There was a rowdy mob facilitated by Nancy Pelosis refusal to call out the National Guard to defend the Capitol on that day. Now why would she do that? Steve Schmidt of the twice disgraced Lincoln Project does not look well. His call, based on incomplete information about Jan. 6 at the time, for the government to start killing people, appears to have been a tad premature. Isnt that what they did in the old Soviet Union before it collapsed in a real insurrection? Isnt that what Castro did in his show trials? Schmidt is only one person, but where was the condemnation by Democrats and the mainstream media? Where is HBOs condemnation of Schmidts call for murder on its platform? Does HBO support Schmidts call to shoot peacefully demonstrating people? Where are Bidens, Pelosis and Schumers condemnations? Doesnt Schmidt owe Chansley and the people of the United States, an apology? And what is Schmidt still doing on television? The answer is easy: Schmidt announced that he is a Democrat now. The Leftist/Democrat bloodlust did not arise by accident. The strategy of fomenting hatred to achieve political goals only ends in one place that no one should want to go. The DNC doesnt care: Theres something happening here. Its well past time to pay attention. The end of the Marxist-infiltrated Progressive Era isnt happening with a whimper, but with bangs. In 2024, itll happen with convulsions, likely violent. What follows is up for grabs. The foreshadowing occurred again in Nashville last week. Will the leftist-stoked and Democrat/establishment sanctioned 2020 riots prove merely a preview to a calamitous and pivotal 2024 presidential election year? Six innocents -- three nine-year-olds, two teachers, and the schools principal -- were gunned down in cold blood by a self-identified transgender, Audrey Hale. The act was demonic, though studiously papered over by the establishment media. How does anyone with an ounce of uncorrupted soul look a nine-year-old in the face and pull a trigger? Yet, Hale did just that. Hale did that because she was raging -- raging because a fraction in the trans community are being encouraged to rage by Antifa and other left-wing outfits. Buy guns, trans are told, because others are out to get you. (We await the release of Hales manifesto for confirmation of motives. Will law enforcement redact the document?) How explicit could the Trans Day of Vengeance have been? It was abruptly cancelled before last Saturday. Though scrubbed, the intent wasnt. The original wasnt billed a Day of Self-Defense Not a Day of Peace and Reconciliation. But cold vengeance, defined as punishment inflicted in retaliation for an injury or offense : RETRIBUTION. Words matter. Tucker Carlson was quite right in his monologue last week: Christianity and transgenderism are wildly incompatible. Forget gobbledygook Christianity practiced by congregation-bleeding churches. Christianity and transgenderism never will reconcile. True science dictates, too, bolstering Christian teaching. Humans arent gods with dominion to transform themselves from man to woman or woman to man. Any more than humans can cause the sun to rise in the west and set in the east, any more than man can destroy the earths climate. Any more than humans can create intelligent machines that rule the world. All are vanities, conceits, delusions, fantasies. All are Towers of Babel. But rage there is, because Christians and other faiths refuse to jettison hard facts, experience, and belief grounded in both. Providence rules all. DNA is determinant; nature will not long be defied. Simply put, the Left/establishment alliance clings stubbornly to illusions. A fair share of cynicism-for-advantage drives the establishment, too. The question is, how many of the true believers will lend themselves to violence for errant causes? Conceits rule and are ruining America. Marxism, wokism, Left reverse racism, and conceits of a more usual stripe: those driven by lusts for power and control. Greed is ancient. If you ever wonder why the establishment and Left are allied, its more than the Lefts infiltration of institutions. Both are allied because they share an insatiable appetite for power. Both will eventually turn on the other, so overwhelming is their hunger for absolute power -- but only if this phase of their war on America succeeds, which is far from certain. Yet today, these allies are putting a wrecking ball to the country, thanks to fatal misbeliefs -- thanks to the Marxist imperative for destruction -- which guide their governance, policies, and cultural standards. Destruction, a form of power, precedes ruling power. This madness isnt shared by most Americans. Weve been passengers, lagging in vigilance now, though, were alert to looming disaster. The worldview of leftists and establishmentarians are merely their images -- bound up with their beliefs -- reflected in cracked mirrors. Their insularity reinforces their falsity. These falsities guide their actions, unencumbered by externalities. In other words, the hard, real world opposes the Left/establishments absurd perceptions. Yet, this alliance fumes that a majority refuses to conform to absurdities, destructive ones, and their own enslavement. That most Americans are better grounded and reject the Left/establishments orthodoxy causes the alliance to double down. Its leaders claw for more and more control. And what they cant control -- whoever wont submit are targeted for annihilation. Cancel culture is just Phase One. Ask Donald Trump. Ask parents who exercised their 1st Amendment rights speaking out against COVID restrictions and woke and sexually perverted school curriculums at schoolboard meetings across the country. What was Bidens and Garlands intent in siccing the FBI on parents? What was the thuggish takedown of Catholic pro-life activist Mark Houck by the FBI? Houck was quickly exonerated. It was about destroying conspicuous objectors, yes, but more. It was about terrorizing the resistant, sensible majority. Dont cross the alliance or youll face ruin, goes the messaging. Thats stuff worthy of the defunct East German Stasi. Targeted terrorism. What the alliance is doing is laying traps for itself, though. Its conceits are being bashed against rocks. Cities, governed by their ideas and polices, are sumps of homelessness and upwardly spiraling crime. Institutional corruption is endemic. Spending and money-printing orgies are pushing the economy towards the brink. Popular culture is a cesspool. Too many schools are smut shops, where the most innocent among us are indoctrinated with lurid, graphic pornography or treated to drag show story hours. Conventional energy production is being strangled in the name of a colossal fantasy: the earth is finished unless green energy is imposed. Wokism is driving enlistments down in the armed services. Wars are courted with Russia over obscure Ukraine. Sabers are rattled toward the PRC in Asia Pacific, while our military is poorly prepared for any major war. The Mexican-American border -- in the name of globalism -- is a wide-open, suppurating wound, which pours thugs, cartels, and deadly drugs into the heartland. Marxian destruction will wind up destroying the destroyers. Rule over the ruins is pyrrhic. Wokism is a bizarre, flesh-eating monster. Marxism, whatever its variant, is a demonstrated bloody failure. Both are the products of insularity leading to intellectual hubris. Theyre brainchildren of academics, intellectuals, and activists living and talking among themselves, reinforcing absurdities, hatred, perversions. These are collections of knockoff Lenins and Troskys. In many instances, this cohort is convinced that sheer force of will overcomes realities; theirs, theyre persuaded, is will to total dominion. 2024? What follows is speculative, but unrealistic? A Trump presidential nomination -- or a DeSantis nomination, but increasingly likely Trump -- is already throwing the Left/establishment alliance into fits of fear and panic. Trump has made cleaning out the Swamp a centerpiece of his campaign. Alvin Braggs ridiculous indictment of Trump betrays the alliances fear. Will an isolated incident -- say, police abuse -- be exploited by the alliance to spark riots, which may not be limited to urban precincts? Could false-flag events replace actual incidents? George Floyd is gone, after all. Might alliance provocateurs/MAGA imposters launch attacks to blame libertys leaders and activists? A Reichstag fire? Despite the many challenges and perils, the Army of the Sensible -- majoritarian America -- can only be conquered if it fails to coalesce and assert its will. The majority isnt insensible to the institutional control and power that the alliance possesses. But the time is now, not later, to act. Later is when or after havoc and destruction are wider spread. Greater tragedies are avoidable. Its time to take back the nation. Not through violence, but asserting our collective will, coordinating actions -- through noncompliance with the demands and edicts of the alliance, for starters. We will not yield! must be the rallying cry of goodwilled, freedom-loving citizens. A continent-wide nation of 335 million souls -- most of whom are sympathetic with the cause of liberty -- cannot be selectively targeted and terrorized into submission without consent. Perverse as that would be. Victory will be gained by the intrepid and determined, not by the timid and hesitant. Trump or DeSantis cant be a one-man army. The window of opportunity is opening now but not indefinitely. The time has come to drive the dark, liberty-stealing forces back into their holes. Its time to begin the March of Freedom that leads to an American renaissance. J. Robert Smith can be found regularly at Gab @JRobertSmith. He also blogs at Flyover . Hes recently returned to Twitter. His Twitter handle is @JRobertSmith1. Image: Wallpaper Flare Ask about the assumption that everyone has a right to equal justice under the law, and the majority would answer, Yes, of course! Yet, the reality is that many, particularly partisans from the other side, are unwilling to suspend their hatred for all things Trump. For these individuals, a two-tiered system is just fine. President Trump has little chance of getting a fair shake by our judicial system. Between venue shopping, judge shopping, and DA shopping, a corrupt judicial system is perfectly okay declinations or prosecute murder are not out of the ordinary. Still, these ideologues are more than willing to do whatever it takes to sabotage Trumps 2024 run. This conflict can be compared to feelings concerning the abortion issue. You either have a visceral distaste for killing babies, or dont see a fetus as a living being until that baby draws its first breath. Abortion and Trump highlight our ability to support emotional judgments over logic and the law, which is on full display as we are culturally and socially divided. A womans right to choose is inviolate, according to some misguided individuals. I say misguided on purpose because I dont fully trust someone with such a different idea on a subject as consequential and final as whether to kill a fetus/baby in the womb for personal convenience. What else might they believe could be dangerous or untenable to my way of thinking? Maybe they think it is fair to redistribute wealth because they have a profound belief in fairness. What limits exist for someone who does not think logically? Why do I compare Trump and abortion? For people who hate Trump and are okay with abortion, theres a common disconnect. Their inability to put aside logical arguments in favor of irrational thought. Many people who hate Trump because hes a loudmouth and lacks subtlety find it impossible to argue their position on the merits. They are the same as people who shout mindless slogans at those with whom they profoundly disagree. They spout cliches, poorly formed arguments, and high emotion, trying to make those actions substitute for logic. For them, thats all thats required. Trump has dealt with hundreds of lawsuits before, during, and after his presidency. Lawsuits, too often without merit, are nothing more than political Machiavellianism to counter losses at the ballot box. Tragically, Donald Trump was never allowed to really govern. During his second try, the Destroyers ensured that what was heard was negatively edited to fan the flames of hate for those predisposed to listen to the worst. Am I crazy? Ive been listening to CNN daily for two solid weeks. I have yet to hear anyone mention anything about corruption within Bidens family. But CNN frequently alleges that Jared Kushners deal with the Saudis is somehow illegal. Not at all the same or even similar! Thousands of words and messages, even by Biden acolytes, would lead any thinking person to believe that Biden should at least be suspected of influence peddling. I found that CNN isnt interested in that consequential possibility. Listen to the many shocking excerpts from Hunter Bidens laptop or Bobulinskys testimony. There are significant differences between the situations of Hunter Biden and Jared Kushner. For example, what has Hunter accomplished in life compared to Jared? Hunter was discharged from the U.S. Navy Reserve shortly after his commissioning due to a failed drug test. Since late 2018, his tax affairs have been under federal criminal investigation. (Hunter Bidens life is graded an F by the 1 plus 1 Foundation.) When I read the summary about Jared Kushner in the mostly woke Wikipedia, there was no real dirt to uncover. (Jared Kushner gets a solid A.) Who would you want watching your back in a pinch between these two? Building a foundation for my following takeaway is essential. I talk to people regularly and know no practical way to test their true beliefs. How do I tell if they believe what they espouse? How much of what they so easily say is just populist rhetoric? I remember a time when what we said mattered. In too many examples today, equivocation and sound bites frequently emanating from peoples mouths appear to be nothing more than groupthink. Its far too easy to speak without thinking, for spouting off has few consequences today, and this emotional activism is part of appearing hip. What comes out of our mouths today is either a passport to riches in certain circles or the doorway to some cancellation waiting room for you and me. Consider our educational problems, the social restraints that most acknowledge, and those who dont want to know the truth because if they did, they would, in good conscience, be forced to act to change things. Our homeland and her citizenry are in deep trouble. We have passed the point of our system being simply corrupt. We have moved beyond partisanship; we now have leaders who concocted among many falsehoods still believed, the Russian narrative. No longer strictly politics, we are at war with ourselves and have become as thoroughly divided as we were at the commencement of the Civil War. And that is the way our enemies want it to be. In 1946, Martin Niemoller wrote this often-quoted meme: First, they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for meand there was no one left to speak for me. As I reread these familiar words, I think of my friends who see Trump as unworthy of traditional American due process. I see hatred, dismissal, and more. I see an American president elected once, who lost his re-election bid under unusual and unique circumstances. Were those not in play, he would have been elected again with millions more than the 73.6 million votes he received in 2016. Yes, Trump is very much a bully, a braggart, full of himself, and an individual who many cant stand. But, we must not lose sight that he was the duly-elected president brought low by his detractors and enemies in the court of public opinion. He was never judged for the many exemplary accomplishments of his presidency. Are we forever doomed to mediocrity in the highest office in our land, or even worse as we are with Biden? What exactly is it that we do want from our leaders? We all need to decide before we dismissively reject the Donald Trump portrayed to us by his enemies. It is true that even with a grand jury, if no one goes to bat for the defendant, a ham sandwich might be indicted if the intent is dishonest enough. We must decide what we expect from our highest leaders, seek out the best of us, and support and defend them at all costs. God Bless America! Allan J. FeiferPatriot, Author, Businessman, and Thinker. Read more about Allan, his background, and his ideas to create a better tomorrow at www.1plus1equals2.com. Image: Free image, Pixabay license, no attribution required. Acoustic Shadow (sometimes called Silent Battle) is a strange thing. It is a circumstance where sound is unheard close to the cause of the sound, but the same sound is heard a far distance away from its source. With a unique combination of factors such as wind, weather, temperature, land topography, elevation, forest or other vegetation, battle sounds are not heard at a distance they normally would be heard clearly. Acoustic Shadow Can Hurt Battle Communication The distance the sound of battle is heard may be great, even hundreds of miles, yet nearby and sometimes only mere miles away the sounds are not heard. Battles where Acoustic Shadow occurred in the Civil War are Gettysburg, Seven Pines, Iuka, Fort Donelson, Five Forks, Perryville, and Chancellorsville. Acoustic Shadow could have a profound effect on a battle. During the Civil War it was common for armies to be spread out over large distances and timely communication between the split parts of an army was crucial to battlefield success. Army commanders must make decisions based on current knowledge of the situation before them. The sounds of a battle would be a form of communication, signaling to a Civil War commander and his staff where a battle is taking place, and what troops (including the enemy) may be involved. If Acoustic Shadow hides battle action from being heard by a commander, then communication has been lost and dire consequences may follow as the commander does not respond as needed to the battlefield situation. Acoustic Shadow During Civil War Battles The Battle of Gettysburg The battle sounds from Gettysburg could be heard over one hundred miles away in Pittsburgh, but were not heard only ten miles from the battlefield. Battle of Gainess Mill More than 91,000 men were engaged in battle at Gainess Mill, Virginia on June 27, 1862. Confederate commanders and troops were less than two miles from the battlefield and could plainly see the smoke and flashes from the guns and artillery, but not a sound could be heard of the battle for two hours. Strangely, the battle sounds from the Battle of Gainess Mill were easily heard in Staunton, Virginia over one hundred miles away. Five Forks Fives Forks was part of the Appomattox Campaign and fought from March 30 to April 1, 1865. Confederate Generals George Pickett and Fitzhugh Lee were enjoying a shad bake with other generals north of Hatchers Run when the battle of Five Forks began a short distance away. Because of Acoustic Shadow, Pickett and Fitzhugh Lee were unaware a fight was under way. Pickett finally responded, but arrived late for the battle. Pickett and Fitzhugh Lee have been criticized by Civil War historians (please see Lees Lieutenants, III, 665-670) for not acting on the dread immediacy of the crisis (ibid., 665) at Five Forks. Descriptions of Acoustic Shadow During The Civil War The many volumes of the Battles and Leaders of the Civil War series documents the Civil War with first-hand account writings of Union and Confederate officers. On page 365 of Volume 2 an article titled THE CAUSE OF SILENT BATTLE, by Professor John B. De Motte of De Pauw University offers a description Acoustic Shadow phenomenon. Below is an excerpt from De Mottes article: THE CAUSE OF A SILENT BATTLE By Professor John K. De Motte, De Pauw University, Ind. REFERENCE has been made to the supposed effect of the wind in preventing, as in the case of the heavy cannonading between the Merrimac and Congress, the transference of sound-waves a distance of not over three and one-half miles over water; and at another time, during the bombardments of the Confederate works at Port Royal, a distance of not more than two miles. The day was pleasant, says the writer, and the wind did not appear unusually strong. Yet people living in St. Augustine, Florida, told me afterward that the Port Royal cannonade was heard at that place, 150 miles from the fight. It occurs to me that the effect of the wind is greatly exaggerated in these instances. How an ordinary breeze could carry all sounds of the conflict away from people standing within plain sight of it and yet carry the same sound 150 miles in the opposite direction, is rather too strongly opposed to scientific fact to remain on record undisputed. In all of these cases, is it not probable that the varying density of the air had much more to do with this strange acoustic opacity than the wind? These statements call to mind the prevalent belief that fog, snow, hail, and rain, indeed, any conditions of the atmosphere that render it optically opaque, render it also acoustically opaque; which, up to the time of Mr. Tyndalls experiments in the English Channel, off Dover, had scarcely been questioned. His tests made in 1873-74 proved conclusively, as is now well known, that on clear days the air may be composed of differently heated masses, saturated in different degrees with aqueous vapors, which produce exactly the deadening effects described above. I submit as a case in point a similar effect, and its explanation as furnished by Mr. R. G. H. Kean to Professor Tyndall, and considered by the latter of sufficient value to find a place in his published works: On the afternoon of June 27th, 1862, I rode, in company with General G. W. Randolph, then Secretary of War of the Confederate States, to Prices house, about nine miles from Richmond. The evening before General Lee had begun his attack on McClellans army, by crossing the Chickahominy about four miles above Prices, and driving in McClellans right wing. The battle of Gainess Mill was fought the afternoon to which I refer. The valley of the Chickahominy is about one and a half miles wide from hill-top to hill- top. Prices is on one hill-top, that nearest to Richmond: Gainess farm, just opposite, is on the other, reaching back in a plateau to Cold Harbor. Looking across the valley, I saw a good deal of the battle, Lees right resting in the valley, the Federal left wing the same. My line of vision was nearly in the line of the lines of battle. I saw the advance of the Confederates, their repulse two or three times, and in the gray of the evening the final retreat of the Federal forces. I distinctly saw the musket-fire of both lines, the smoke, individual discharges, the flash of the guns. I saw batteries of artillery on both sides come into action and fire rapidly. Several field-batteries on each side were plainly in sight. Many more were hid by the timber which bounded the range of vision. Yet looking for nearly two hours, from about 5 to 7 P. M. on a midsummer afternoon, at a battle in which at least 50,000 men were actually engaged, and doubtless at least 100 pieces of field-artillery, through an atmosphere optically as limpid as possible, not a single sound of the battle was audible to General Randolph and myself. I remarked it to him at the time as astonishing. Between me and the battle was the deep, broad valley of the Chickahominy, partly a swamp shaded from the declining sun by the hills and forest in the west (my side). Part of the valley on each side of the swamp was cleared: some in cultivation, some not. Here were conditions capable of providing several belts of air, varying in the amount of watery vapor (and probably in temperature), arranged like laminae at right angles to the acoustic waves as they came from the battle-field to me.' There are footnotes to the above article in Battles and Leaders of the Civil War. Below is an excerpt from one of the footnotes. This excerpt provides us with more information about the Acoustic Shadow phenomenon. The footnote references its source of information as being an article which was included in the Southern Bivouac of May 1887 by General E. M. Law of the Army of Northern Virginia. General E. M. Law writes about the Acoustic Shadow phenomenon at the battle of Gaines Mill: To the troops stationed near the river, on the Richmond side, the action at Gaines Mill was plainly visible, that part of it, at least, which took place in the open ground. I have been told by an eye-witness that from Prices house, on the opposite side, he could distinctly see the Confederate lines advancing to the attack through the open ground beyond the Chickahominy swamp, and could distinguish the direction of the lines of battle by the volume of smoke arising from the woods farther to the Confederate center and left. But it was all like a pantomime, not a sound could be heard, neither the tremendous roar of the musketry nor even the reports of the artillery. Religion and narcissism are inherently at odds. The former says there is a God. The latter says, I am a god. Few things illustrate this better than Micah Louwagie, an ordained Lutheran minister in North Dakota, who claims to be transgender and who had some pretty interesting (and repulsive) thoughts about the shooting last week at The Covenant School in Nashville. Once people have been on hormone treatments for a while, they dont appear as members of the opposite of their biological sex. Instead, they all have the same epicene presentation: indeterminate voices; rounded, non-gendered faces; and bulky, gelatinous bodies that also avoid easy gender identification. Theyre all Pat, Julia Sweeneys brilliant androgynous character from the 1990s, when it was still okay to make fun of gender identity. Micah Louwagie could be a stand-in for Pat. However, based on the short hair, Im betting that Louwagie is a biological female who, in a saner time, would have been a manly lesbian. Image: Micah Louwagie. More significantly, Louwagie identifies as a Lutheran minister. And indeed, St. Marks Lutheran Church in Fargo, North Dakota, has accepted Louwagie as a transgender pastor. In that capacity, Louwagie gave a rather amazing sermon this past Sunday. According to Louwagie, our compassion for those murdered at The Covenant School is misplaced. The real martyrs are transgender people, especially the shooter (whom I will not name, other than to note that she was a biological female with delusions of so-called transgenderism). For Louwagie, an inanimate object is the real criminal, which means that an ideology that is obsessed with and practices violence and a mentally ill woman in thrall to that ideology cannot be at fault for what happened. They are, instead, the real victims: Instead of focusing on ways this couldve been prevented, such as gun control, a significant number of people have turned their attention to the shooters identity. Instead of focusing on the number one cause of child death in this country is now gunshot wounds. Some folks have chosen to focus on eradicating trans people as a solution because they have been waiting, just waiting, for an opportunity such as this. They have been waiting for a reason, any reason to stoke their hatred. Marginalized folks, those of us with the least amount of privilege and power, they need those who have more privilege and power than they do to physically place their bodies between them and the people, powers, and institutions that are literally killing them. Yet so often they are betrayed with a kiss, right? Thats all I could stomach of Louwagies sermon, which you can watch here: Ill leave it to the Daily Mail to summarize the rest: As they continued to speak to the small congregation, the pastor went on to compare the Pharisees treatment of Jesus to politicians who make laws against drag shows and transgender players in sport which has become a hot button issue across America. Those leaders were looking for any excuse, valid or not, to crucify Jesus and they found that reason, Louwagie said. As part of the controversial sermon, Louwagie appeared to also draw comparison between the treatment of trans people in the United States with the Holocaust and Japanese internment camps. Factually, of course, this is all nonsense. When it comes to guns and childrens deaths, for example, she ignores that this is (a) because children for these purposes are defined as being under 20, which includes 18- and 19-year-olds who are legal adults, and (b) because many of these older children are casualties of inner city crime (especially black-on-black) which has escalated dramatically thanks to the defund the police movement. And when it comes to transgenderism, our entire social, political, educational, and military systems are obsessed with promoting itand punishing anyone who deviates from accepting modern LGBTQI+++ orthodoxy. More important than her factual errors, though, is the fact that Louwagie has redirected religion from God and Biblical principles to herself and her emotional needs. People who are religiously conservative look to the Bible first, and then turn to themselves to see if they are aligned with Biblical principles. Narcissistsand transgenderism is the ultimate narcissism because its practitioners take upon themselves the ability to correct Gods mistakeslook to themselves first and then shape religious doctrine to their needs. Since God handed down the Noahic and Mosaic laws, the Judeo-Christian principle is for religion to be aspirational. It raises us up, providing standards of behavior that distinguish us from all other animals. Under leftisms aegis, though, the Bible exists for self-affirmation. That fact explains something about Louwagies sermon. According to the same Daily Mail article, Louwagie preached to a small congregation. Well, no wonder. Why drag yourself out of the house, away from the television, to hear something that you can do at your own home in front of the mirror? Im good enough, Im smart enough, and gosh darn it, people should like me. The tax, housing, crime, and homeless situation in California have become extremely difficult for many people, which explains why thousands have left and continue to leave the Golden State. Consider that, from December and March, the state had several major rainstorms, but that, because of environmentalist pressure about new reservoirs, much of the water drained to the sea, so the drought remains in effect. Gas and electricity costs have skyrocketed since November. Violent crime surges in most Democrat-run cities. Homeless people (many with mental health issues) create filthy tent cities wherever they find a patch of grass or wide sidewalk. And all this exists along with Bidenflation on the side. I recently had breakfast with a California family to better understand how they are coping. Image by Andrea Widburg. Mother: Okay, time for breakfast, so well divide one hard-boiled egg into four pieces. Lets imagine the lettuce is bacon. Father: I am going to water the backyard lawn this morning. Whose turn is it to share the water? Daughter: Its my turn to shower while we water the grass! Son: But, Mom, I need my blue sweatshirt for school on Monday. Mother: No problem. I have to run the dishwasher later and will wash it then. Father: Lets go out tonight for a family dinner! Mother: Sounds wonderful. The usual? Father: Yup. Costco samples and then their $1.50 hot dog and drink. Mother: Sheesh. The sun isnt out yet, so the house still feels cold. Father: Turn on the floor heater, and I will warm up my coffee at the same time. Son: I thought we had to limit our electricity use. Father: If you read the notice, it says electricity rates are the lowest between 8 and 8:10 a.m. Mother: No, dear, that was the gas company. For electricity, the super-duper off-peak time is 9:20 to 9:25 a.m. Father: You are confusing electricity with water. We can only run the water between 11 and 11:15 to avoid surcharges. Mother: Wasnt that the waste announcement about when to use the garbage disposal? By the way, the waste company delivered 15 trash cans so we can put plastic in the green can and organic food in the red can. Father: No, its plastic in the blue can and pet waste in the purple can. Mother: I thought it was newspapers in the purple can. And, of course, beverage bottles go in the yellow trash can, and food takeout containers go in the orange can. Son: While were on the subject, I think its grass in the brown trash can and clothing in the navy can. Daughter: Read the flyer. Personal hygiene items in the pink trash can, and dairy food in the black can. Mother: Where are we going to put all these trash cans? Son: How about the empty swimming pool? Father: No worries, we can figure it out! Everyone laughs Daughter: Can I borrow the car to go shopping? Father: Of course, but dont drive more than half a mile since we took the discount insurance plan that keeps the annual premium below $2,000 if we only drive 50 miles per year. Mother: And be careful pulling out of the driveway. I dont want you hitting that homeless persons shopping cart. Son: When are we buying an electric car to save the planet? AOC says the earth will soon disappear unless we all buy electric cars. Father: We will buy a new $75,000 electric car as soon as I pay off the loan for the 1978 Gremlin. Son: Last night, I had trouble getting my cable shows. Mother: Oh, we canceled cable. Son: Really? Then I guess Ill get them online. Father: We canceled Wi-Fi. Son: Fine! Ill use my phone. Mother: We canceled that, too. Daughter: What!? I need my phone! Son: Me too!! Father: Children, give it a few weeks, and were sure Governor Newsom will come to our rescue and send us our rebate checks. In the meantime, go to Starbucks. Mother: Its a small sacrifice so illegal aliens can get free housing, free medical, and free education. Do you really want all those homeless people in front of our house to go without? Daughter: My history teacher says the same. She just got back from her honeymoon in Cuba and shared photos. Father: Dear, we should plan a trip to Cuba. Mother: By the way, that is a beautiful dress you are wearing. Son: Thank you. I decided to change my sex, so please, instead of Barry, start calling me Barbara. Father: I was wondering why you were wearing a dress. Daughter: Thats my dress!!! Mother: I cant take this bickering. Lets split that hard-boiled egg and enjoy our breakfast. Barbara, please pass the salt. This is a parody, but seeing as how I live in California . Robin M. Itzler is a regular contributor to American Thinker. She can be reached at PatriotNeighbors@yahoo.com. Utah Sen. Mitt Romney is one of the most jealous and embittered of all the Trump-haters, pulling one Trump-hating statement or stunt after another in his Pierre Delecto bid to be the ultimate anti-Trumpster. His obnoxiousness seemingly knew no bounds, and Democrats could always count on him for a vote when they needed it, but even Romney couldn't stomach the garbage justice being pumped out from the New York City district attorney's office, which went ahead with its plan to arrest President Trump on 34 flimsy, made-up charges in what's clearly a weak legal case. According to Breitbart News: Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) said in a written statement on Tuesday that Manhattan prosecutor Alvin Bragg is setting a "dangerous precedent" by criminalizing a political opponent. Romney, who is no fan of Trump, said in reaction to the indictment of Trump: I believe President Trump's character and conduct make him unfit for office. Even so, I believe the New York prosecutor has stretched to reach felony criminal charges in order to fit a political agenda. No one is above the law, not even former presidents, but everyone is entitled to equal treatment under the law. The prosecutor's overreach sets a dangerous precedent for criminalizing political opponents and damages the public's faith in our justice system. The charges and evidence will be duly considered and the outcome decided by a jury with an obligation to fulfill its responsibility with the utmost care and impartiality. The American voters will ultimately render their own judgment on the former President's political future. Finally, it is also incumbent on all elected leaders to discourage violence and anger in response to this situation. The first part of that statement hits the target well, and the second two parts are...well, evidence that Romney wrote the statement. He rightly points out that the issue is one of treatment under the law and that the act seen does set a dangerous precedent for political opponents to sic district attorneys on one another instead of try to win at the ballot box. The second statement about juries being obliged to be impartial is evidence that he doesn't know what he's up against in New York. Sure, they're supposed to be impartial, but we will wait to see it. The third part is strange discourage anger? Nobody supposed to be angry? All of us supposed to be nice and calm that justice will win in the end? He's still living on Planet Mitt. All the same, the statement was good, as it pretty well signaled to the fanatics that they've taken their lunacy one step too far and won't have Mitt to stick up for them in the name of "democracy" or whatever. Up until then, he'd been Old Reliable. It also showed some decent character it couldn't have been easy to stand up for a guy he couldn't stand. But then again, to be cynical, maybe there was a little nudging, too. After all, the Trump arrest has very likely driven a slew of voter phone calls to his office, calling on him to stop the travesty of justice. More important, the arrest has united the Republicans as never before. Florida's Gov. Ron DeSantis, who vowed to not cooperate in the travesty of justice as governor of Florida, understood this well and did the logical thing, despite Trump's obnoxious behavior toward him. DeSantis is nothing if not a realist who understands what he's up against and who the real enemy is and he has the guts to strike back. Romney must have read the room well, too and, under these circumstances, come back to the GOP fold. After all, what is he without the GOP? From a self-preservation perspective, he must have also recognized that the left will not stop at Trump. And above all, he had to have realized that this judicial travesty means that Trump will be the GOP nominee for 2024, because that's where the voter passion is. Romney may be a lot of negative things, but "trashy" and "stupid" are not some of them. He did the right thing, and his view will be a gut punch to all the Democrats who viewed him as their obedient spaniel. He gets some points for this and the Utah voters will likely re-elect him. As for Bragg, his junk prosecution aircraft just took incoming fire, signaling that it eventually will go down in flames. Image: Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. When Merrick Garland was questioned about why excessive force was used in the arrest of Mark Houck, an anti-abortion activist who had offered to turn himself in, the attorney general evaded responsibility for the policy by saying, The determinations of how to make arrests under arrest warrants are made based by the tactical operators in the district. They made the decision on the ground as to what was safest and easiest. Garland did not comment on the enormous expense of sending a SWAT team to arrest a father of seven. Also not mentioned was the fact that this early-morning raid tactic, first developed by the Soviet KGB, is frequently used to arrest non-violent targets. Early-morning or pre-dawn raids are designed for maximum humiliation and intimidation. Dozens of federal agents with automatic weapons, armored vehicles, and sometimes a helicopter and amphibious watercraft are used to intimidate the target, as was the case with Roger Stone. In the raid on Thomas Caldwell's home, Caldwell's 61-year-old wife was covered in red dots from the weapons aimed at her. She begged to put on her socks before they forced her outside in the cold. Caldwell himself, clad only in his underwear, was dragged through the grass. James O'Keefe claims he was partially clothed in front of his neighbors when he was dragged out of his apartment. The federal government has a constitutional right to arrest people for certain offenses. When it goes to enormous expense to arrest cooperating subjects, there is another motive to its actions. Intimidation and humiliation are not proper components of an arrest. There is also the factor that SWAT raids can go terribly wrong. Innocent people have been killed in their homes. The federal government has a history of heavy-handed attacks. It paid Randy Weaver $3.1 million for the murder of this wife and son. There was also the Waco siege resulting in 75 deaths, including 25 children. The Justice Department may be overzealous in some areas while in other areas it is reluctant to enforce the law. Merrick Garland claimed he was not aware of guidelines given to the U.S. Marshals Service to "avoid" arresting protesters outside the homes of Supreme Court justices. These protesters were in violation of 18 USC 1507, which prohibits picketing with the intent of influencing any judge. Pro-abortion protesters have publicized the justices' home addresses, the schools attended by their children, and their houses of worship. The protesters posed a serious threat to the justices and their families. Nicholas John Roske was arrested because he had traveled to D.C. to assassinate Judge Kavanaugh. Garland's response to these protests seems to contradict his claim that "threats against public servants are not only illegal; they run counter to our nation's core values." John Dietrich is a freelance writer and the author of The Morgenthau Plan: Soviet Influence on American Postwar Policy (Algora Publishing). He has a Master of Arts degree in International Relations from St. Mary's University. He is retired from the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. He is featured on the BBC's program Things We Forgot to Remember. Mass murders and school shootings have become so commonplace that the average person can accurately predict the results. From politicians to special interest groups to private citizens who share the same anti-gun, anti2nd Amendment sentiment, the responses have been reduced to redundant, recycled talking points. Enough is enough! Ban assault weapons! Who needs weapons of war? We need gun violence prevention legislation to keep our children safe. "Assault weapons"? There is no legal definition of "assault weapon." At best, it's a poor attempt at fear via semantics. In fact, such weapons so referenced are only guilty of objectionable cosmetics, having one or more of the following: black color, flash suppressor, magazine capacity, pistol grip, folding stock, and the dreaded bayonet lug due to the rash of drive-by bayonetings so prevalent in America today. Operationally, they are not at all different from the millions of semi-automatic hunting and target rifles languishing peacefully in millions of homes, where, on a daily basis, they kill no one. As previously noted, gun legislation that will "keep our children safe" is a lie within a lie. Federal and state laws regulating firearms number in the thousands. Banning "assault weapons" to "keep our children safe" is a cruel lie told by liberal politicians to uninformed parents. Nevertheless, hysterical "elected officials" and their ilk continue with lies and hysterical tirades whenever a tragic opportunity makes headlines. And then the news cycle moves on, leaving frustration, anger, sorrow, and even more ignorance in its wake. In fact, no legislation is capable of keeping children, women, the elderly, or anyone "safe." No legislation is capable of keeping anyone "safe" from anything. Individual responsibility exercised with situational awareness is the only "protection" universally available. No legislation required. The shock and tragedy of murder especially of children are major contributors to the resulting cognitive dissonance that stuns survivors. Emotion stampedes intellect; rational thought is the primary casualty. This is how lies, distortion, and misinformation thrive in the face of facts, logic, and reason. Some examples: "Guns don't kill people; people kill people" is one of the oldest cliches in defense of gun ownership. Due to cognitive dissonance, that simple logic escapes otherwise reasonable people and forecloses objective discussion. Prior to guns, spears killed people. Prior to spears, rocks; prior to rocks, hands. People have been killing people long before the firearm. "End gun violence!" is a slice of empty rhetoric. Guns are not violent, nor do they operate independently. While labeled "simplistic" by the anti-gun camp, the simplicity is undeniable which frustrates the opposition and renders them more vitriolic, but still without logic or reason. The person operating the firearm is initiating violence. Cars are not blamed when used in vehicular homicides; the driver is. Liquor isn't held responsible for a DUI, the imbiber is and should be in both examples. Many people favoring gun control resent the culpability of the shooter; it's easier to blame the scary firearm. Even the policeman's gun is never blamed, regardless of the details of the incident. "Gun violence" is a transparent ad hominem, not a solution. As proven repeatedly, an armed presence reduces the chances and opportunities for lethal mayhem. That's why banks, stores, soldiers, celebrities, and the very same politicians who would disarm you surround themselves with well armed protection. Schoolchildren must settle for Gun Free School Zone signs because the teachers' union; school officials; and, sadly, some parents don't like the appearance of armed security in their schools. It's a sign of their failure to protect students. Do they prefer the dead bodies of children and teachers? Aren't off-duty policemen more readily available than waiting on unconstitutional legislative efforts to deny citizens their 2nd Amendment rights when history and statistics reveal failure and tragedy wherever those efforts have been successful? Imperfect men enacting imperfect laws over imperfect society will consistently yield imperfect results. Bad things happen and always will. Time and circumstance guarantee it. "Legislation that will keep our children safe" must be a warning to parents and everyone else. Since politicians' anti-gun proposals cannot possibly have any positive effect reducing crime, what is their real agenda? Image: Fibonacci Blue. Yesterday was doubtless among the darkest days in the history of the nation. It was the day that the inglorious tradition of using government agencies to target political opponents achieved another ignominious low in the United States of America. President Donald Trump was formally processed and arraigned in a Manhattan courthouse on 34 charges related to alleged "hush payments" to former porn actor Stormy Daniels and another woman during the 2016 presidential campaign. YouTube screen grab. Trump pleaded "not guilty" to all charges. So far in history, this disgraceful tactic was restricted to third-world totalitarian regimes only. The president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, summarized it well. Bukele wondered what the reaction there woyuld be to a similar occurrence in El Salvador and added that "it'll be very hard for US Foreign Policy to use arguments such as 'democracy' and 'free and fair elections', or try to condemn 'political persecution' in other countries, from now on." Sadly, itll be very hard for US Foreign Policy to use arguments such as democracy and free and fair elections, or try to condemn political persecution in other countries, from now on https://t.co/HQTv0vUuA2 Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) March 31, 2023 The Democrats' shady skullduggery for power has brought global shame to the U.S. There was nothing to laugh or even smile about yesterday rage and despair were probably the only emotions experienced by patriots. Most people know that it's dangerous to poke a bear because once aroused, the beast can be fearsome. Democrats are only beginning to realize that the same principle is starting to hold true for elephants of the GOP variety. After decades of passively adhering to gentlemanly standards ("our sacred norms") ignored in practice by the donkeys, a critical mass of Republicans is moving toward eye-for-an-eye-style retribution and even beyond. Republican members of the Tennessee House on Monday began the process of disciplining three Democrat state legislators for misbehavior during a storming of the State Capitol by trans and anti-gun activists last week in the wake of the slaughter of three children and three adults by a person identifying as trans. It was a violent mob action that, had Republicans been responsible for it, would have been labeled an insurrection. But the corrupt national media establishment barely noted the incident and certainly made no comparison to Jan. 6. The Nashville Tennessean described the Monday proceedings: Yells rang out through the state Capitol as Tennessee House Republicans on Monday introduced resolutions to expel three Democrats for "disorderly behavior" after the trio led protest chants for gun reform on the floor of the chamber last week in the wake of the deadly Covenant School shooting. On Thursday, the three House Democrats approached the podium between bills without being recognized to speak, a breach of chamber rules. With a bullhorn, Reps. Gloria Johnson of Knoxville, Justin Jones of Nashville and Justin Pearson of Memphis led protestors in the galleries in several chants calling for gun reform. House leadership later likened the trio's behavior to an "insurrection," a characterization House Democrats decried last week. The expulsion resolutions claim the three "did knowingly and intentionally bring disorder and dishonor to the House of Representatives through their individual and collective actions." So far, the three remain in the state Legislature, but they have lost their committee assignments. Fox News reports: Three Tennessee state lawmakers, all Democrats, were pulled from their committee assignments and could face expulsion from the legislature after they participated in storming the state Capitol during a protest against guns following last week's school shooting. Tennessee House Republicans voted Monday to strip committee assignments from state Reps. Justin Jones, Justin J. Pearson and Gloria Johnson, according to WPLN. A potential expulsion for the three lawmakers could come later this week. We'll see if the Republicans have the guts to follow through on expulsion. That's a drastic penalty, overruling the choice of voters. But in this era of scorched earth politics, with the federal judicial system weaponized on behalf of the Democrats, our battleground strongly resembles the battle against gangsterism in Chicago during the reign of Al Capone. In an immortal scene written by David Mamet, the grizzled veteran character played by Sean Connery explained to young Eliot Ness, played by Kevin Costner, the only way to deal with such malevolent and unprincipled forces. "He sends one of your guys to the hospital, you send one of his guys to the morgue. That's the Chicago way." Hat tip: Arnold Cusmariu. Photo credit: YouTube screen grab. I wish I could say America has become a Banana Republic, but there is no reason to believe we are a republic, banana or otherwise. As I watched Trump, I couldn't help but think back to sitting with a dear friend and his mom watching Nixon's resignation. We rejoiced at the "justice" of his removal to "save" the Republic. We were fools. Nixon was framed. Just like Trump. Deja vu all over again. - Like the Deep State of today focused on taking Trump out, so did the Deep State of Nixon's day. The CIA, the Democrat/Kennedy Wing of the Justice Department, the FBI, and the media (NYT and Washington Post) actively conspired to take Nixon out because he was so popular and he wasn't Washington Deep State. They wanted to clear the field for Teddy Kennedy's 1976 presidential run. So they set Nixon up and went after his donors. - In Kennedy's Camelot, Nixon was an illegitimate president. Teddy should have been crowned in 1972, not that cretin Nixon. I still fondly remember the MAD Magazine cover showing a Volkswagen, famous for floating longer than other cars due to unibody construction, floating in water. The headline is "If Ted Kennedy drove a Volkswagen, he'd be president today." Ted killed Mary Jo in 1969 by running off a bridge and leaving her to drown. - After Nixon won a 49-state blowout, Democrat operatives, the CIA, several Harvard professors, Kennedy DOJ worshipers, and the New York Times met and planned a way to take out Nixon. (Much of this is from Geoff Shepard's great works.) - The CIA planted operatives all through Nixon's White House and his re-election campaign. These CIA plants set up the Watergate burglary, which was so incompetent that it was designed to get caught. - Nixon knew nothing about the break-in or the setup. The burglars intentionally taped locks open in areas they had no interest in being so they could get caught. That isn't even a rookie mistake for intelligences black bag pros. That's by design. - The Democrats in the Senate then had hearings to create a public outcry for a Nixon investigation. - Selective one-sided media leaks were critical to creating momentum. With highly slanted reporting by the NYT and WaPo, the scandal was off and running. Was it coincidental that Bob Woodward was a theoretical ex-intelligence officer, if one can be "ex" once inside the Deep State? - The Democrats in the DOJ (same thing) used the (manufactured) outcry to start a crooked Grand Jury investigation. - Remember the "Honorable" Judge Sirica? He was part of the Deep State conspiracy and even changed the rules of the D.C. Court so he could hear Watergate cases although he had passed mandatory retirement age. - Sirica was so corrupt that he would meet with the prosecutors privately, without the defense lawyers present, to tell the prosecutors how they should state their legal motions so Sirica would rule on them positively. - John Dean, who was a part of the Watergate break-in planning, was Nixon's White House personal lawyer. - Since Nixon knew nothing about the break-in and Dean's role in it, Nixon foolishly tasked Dean with finding out if anyone in the White House was involved. After constantly stonewalling Nixon, Dean took Nixon's protected personal legal papers and cut a deal with the DOJ. - The DOJ used John Dean and the improperly seized privileged documents to not only take down Nixon, they went after the entire Republican donor base to make sure Teddy would have smooth sailing in 1976. - The DOJ set up numerous investigations of Republican donors, all but one headed by highly partisan Democrats, including the smartest women in the world. Since the Kennedy DOJ lawyers were in on the scam, they proceeded to make it very clear that donating to Republicans was dangerous to your legal health. - What did Bebe Rebozo, a Florida businessman, have to do with the Watergate break-in? Nothing. He was foolish enough to think America was a free country, not a Deep State satrapy, and he committed the unforgivable crime of giving money to that Cromagnon Nixon when Democrats controlled the Deep State. - Nixon was visited by Deep State Republican politicians, the Mike Pences of their day. Instead of encouraging Nixon to fight to prove his innocence and defend America from the Deep State, Nixon had to go. Now the circle is complete. At least there was the real "staged" crime of the Watergate break-in to take out Nixon. There isn't even a pretext of a crime this time. The United States of Bananaland. Image: David via Flickr, CC BY 2.0 (cropped). If youre someone who frequently books flights, you know how frustrating it can be to book a flight only to find out later that the price has dropped significantly. But what if you could get a refund for those flights that you booked through Google Flights? Google is currently testing out its new price guarantee program, which aims to do just that. Now, when searching for flights on Google, you would notice a small shield icon with a dollar sign next to certain flights. Therefore, if you book one of these flights, Google will monitor the price every day until the departure date, and if the price drops, Google will refund you the difference via Google Pay. While other travel sites like Orbitz also offer partial refunds under certain circumstances, Googles program is unique because it continuously monitors flights and provides automatic refunds. However, the program is currently only available for flights departing from the US, and users must have a US billing address and phone number to be eligible. Additionally, the maximum refund amount is $500 per year, and Google will not reimburse differences that are less than $5. Now, were going a step further with a new pilot program for price guarantees in the U.S. If you see a flight with the price guarantee badge, it means were confident that the price you see today wont get any lower before takeoff, says Google. Advertisement Exploring hotels on Google In addition to the price guarantee program, Google has also launched a new feature that allows users to explore hotels in an area through a swipeable story format. With this format, users can swipe through full-screen images of hotels, similar to how they would view stories on Instagram and quickly access reviews and other information. When users are ready to book, they can easily do so by tapping a link that takes them directly to the hotels website. Furthermore, Google Maps will now allow users to search for attractions and view pricing information, as well as purchase tickets for these attractions directly from the listing. Data security is one of the biggest concerns in the tech world, and Google is looking for ways to protect user data on the Play Store. According to 9To5Google, Google will require that all apps on the Play Store allow users to delete their accounts and data. Theres a major issue plaguing app users: not being able to delete the account that they begrudgingly had to create. No one likes needing to create an account just to use an app in the first place. So, its a bigger bummer when the user cant delete the account. Weve all been there. Weve all looked through every inch of an apps UI to find the Delete Account button only to find nothing. Its extremely irritating. The Play Store will require devs to let users delete their accounts This is a major step forward when it comes to data security. Along with that, itll just alleviate a headache that app users have been bearing. When this rule is passed, all apps that allow account creation from within the app must offer a way for the user to delete their account. This could be done from within the app or externally. Advertisement Google specifies that the delete account button must be readily discoverable either internally or externally. This means that companies will, hopefully, no longer be able to hide this option from their users. They need to be out in the open. Google also outlines that, when it says people should be able to delete their accounts, they should be able to delete their accounts. This doesnt mean temporarily deactivating it, disabling it, pausing it, or freezing it. The user data needs to be deleted from the companys servers- end of story. However, Google does acknowledge that there are situations when the developer cant delete all of the users data. When that happens, it needs to clearly state so in the apps privacy policy. If the app needs to retain user data, it needs to be for a legitimate reason. This wont happen for a while Google didnt exactly flip the switch on this new rule. Its going to be a long and gradual process for the app developers on the Play Store. Several developers have a ton of apps on the Play Store, and it takes time to implement these changes. Advertisement Google is asking developers to submit answers to new Data deletion questions in their apps Data Safety form by December 7th. Thats far off, and the company will let devs file for an extension until May 2024. So, for several apps, you wont see this change for more than a year. VIOLENT scenes and skirmishes characterised the CCC candidate selection process yesterday which was curiously presided over by American-funded non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in a clear manifestation of the foreign hand behind the opposition party. This comes as experts have called for the signing of the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVOs) Amendment Bill to put an end to the dabbling in politics by NGOs that have, since the turn of the millennium, been used by the countrys enemies to push for an illegal regime change. Hitherto, the Act has been silent on the matters giving Civil Society Organisations a blank cheque to do as they please, and at times putting national security at risk. The purported 11-member independent candidate selection committee that is overseeing the CCC candidate selection process is being led by the former chairman of Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, Mr Rashid Mahiya, the current executive director of Heal Zimbabwe an NGO that claims to be apolitical. Another director of a local NGO, Mr Rodrick Fayayo, who heads the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association, is also part of the panel as well as the Citizens Manifesto programmes co-ordinator Mr Vivid Gwede. The director of Women Academy for Leadership and Excellence, Ms Stabile Dewa, Zinasu leader Mr Boris Tadiwanashe Muguti, Zinasu co-ordinator Mr Alister Pfunye, CCC communications expert Mr Tawanda Moyo and leaders of Apostolic Faith Mission Church also form part of the Committee which also has lawyer and former MDC MP Advocate Eric Matinenga. AFM pastor Mr Blessing Munyanyiwa is the national commissar for the committee and is responsible for the deployment of ward commissars, who are drawn from various Pentecostal churches. CCC leader Mr Nelson Chamisa allegedly created this shadowy group to handpick his preferred candidates, but that was all up in flames yesterday as angry party supporters demanded a secret ballot as opposed to his community consensus model. In the Midlands province, a lecturer from Women University in Africa who is the dean of social studies and is also a member of AFM Pastor Douglas Mambhures church, is conducting the provincial recruitment process through a Whatsapp group called Pastors for Change. But the involvement of American-sponsored NGOs and pastors did not prevent violence in various parts of the country, with the process being suspended where fist fights broke out over attempts by some candidates to influence the process in their favour. For instance, in Harare, Ward 24, Highfield, the process ended prematurely as it was disrupted by candidates Gilbert Bgwende, Silas Machetu, and Tashinga Buwu who were of the view that the selection process favoured sitting MP Eric Murai and the ward councillor Lovemore Makuwerere. In Rugare, there were skirmishes after the presiding officer had informed CCC supporters to group according to their streets and have consensus nominations of preferred candidates. Chanting party supporters demanded the process to be stopped as they wanted the secret ballot, and accused the party leadership of practicing dictatorship. At Warren Park Creche, the process was forced to stop as the attendees were saying their names were not appearing in the registers. Apart from NGOs, the elections were being superintended by churches, mostly pastors from AFM, which is also Mr Chamisas church. In various wards in Bulawayo, there were no signs of commissioners, people were just wandering around up until midday. Herald Its no secret that ever since its launch, ChatGPT has ushered in a new era of artificial intelligence, with many companies now ramping up their efforts to develop something similar. However, as this technology advances, concerns about its safety and potential risks are also growing. In particular, US President Joe Biden has emphasized the need for caution and urged companies to prioritize safety before releasing their AI products to the public. In a recent meeting with his council of advisors on science and technology, including executives from Google and Microsoft, Biden discussed the potential risks and opportunities that rapid AI advancement poses to the country. Further stating that while AI has the potential to help solve some of the worlds most difficult challenges, such as climate change, it also presents significant risks to society, the economy, and national security. Tech companies have a responsibility, in my view, to make sure their products are safe before making them public, says President Biden. Advertisement Concerns about misinformation President Biden is particularly concerned that the rise of AI chatbots like ChatGPT and image and video generator AIs like Synthesia can cause an influx of misinformation in the public, as AI-generated content is already indistinguishable from human-created content. He has called for tech companies to prioritize safety and ensure that their AI products do not harm individuals or society, given the ease with which AI tools can be used to create misleading or false content. However, its worth noting that the US government has no plans to ban AI, unlike what happened in Italy. Instead, the Biden administration aims to develop guidelines and regulations, like the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights, that promote responsible AI practices while safeguarding individual rights and freedoms. By working collaboratively with tech companies, policymakers can create a safer and more transparent AI landscape that benefits everyone. The AI chatbot race is on! Several companies are racing to have the most capable chatbot, and Microsofts hotrod is called Bing AI. With everything going on in the tech world now, its hard to keep up with every chatbot, so Bing AI might fly under your radar. But, dont worry. Were going to talk about Bing AI, what it is, how it compares to chatGPT, its capabilities, and more. Heres everything you need to know about Microsoft Bing AI. Before we start We at AH are working on informing you about the various AI chatbots out there, so we have a lot of content on them. You can start with Everything you need to know about ChatGPT. We also tell you everything you need to know about Google Bard and about Snapchat My AI. If you want more, we also have the top 10 AI chatbots out there. How do I access Bing AI? Microsoft used to have a waitlist for people who wanted to access Bing AI, but now its no more. All you have to do is go to this site. There, youll sign in with your Microsoft account. When you do that, youll be taken right to the Bing search engine under the Chat tab. Advertisement Note that you can not use Bing AI on Google Chrome. (Shocker, huh?) As you can expect, its recommended that you use Microsofts Edge browser for the best and most optimized experience. If youre using Windows 11, and youre on the most up-to-date version, youll see the Bing AI logo on the search bar on the taskbar. When you click on it, youll see a shelf rise from the taskbar. Click on the Bing AI logo on the top right. That will take you to the Bing AI page in the Edge browser. [Disclaimer: At the time of writing this article, Microsoft is still figuring out how it wants to implement Bing AI. Theres a chance that this will change.] How much does it cost to use? Absolutely nothing. Bing AI is free to sign up for and free to use. There are also no monthly subscriptions that offer extra perks. Its all free to use. How does Microsoft monetize its chatbot? At the time of writing this article, Bing is not monetized. However, there are reports that Microsoft is going to introduce ads into the results. This will help create another revenue stream for the platform. At this time, we dont know how theyre going to work. Advertisement Does Bing AI function like a search engine? Yes. While Bing AI is based on ChatGPT, its very different in how it retrieves data and presents it. When you ask it a question, most of the time, it will actually do a Bing search for the information. Then, the chatbot presents the information in a conversational and concise manner. Say, you type in something like Give me a list of 18th-century artists, youll see it actually do a Bing search for 18th-century artists. When it presents you with the results, youll see the sources where it found the information. On the bottom of the chat bubble, it will show you buttons with the sources it found the information. So, you can type in all types of searches like Find me a site that talks about Android news, I need a flight to Miami, I need an inexpensive violin. It will function just like the Bing search engine and deliver your results. Is Bing AI accurate? Its as accurate as AI can be at this point. Using it, you can expect the bulk of the facts it reels in to be correct. However, there are instances when it gives you inaccurate information. For instance, it said that Franz Joseph Haydn was born on March 31st, 1792; in reality, he was born in 1732. Its little things like those that youll need to keep an eye out for. Advertisement How is it with conversations? Bing AI leans heavily into being a fancy search engine, so it doesnt prioritize being a conversational chatbot. However, thats not to say that its bad at conversations. There are three conversation modes that you can choose: Creative, Balanced, and Precise. When you choose the Creative option, the chatbot will attempt to answer you in a more conversational way. This includes asking questions about you, your feelings, your interests, other people involved in the conversation, etc. Theres one issue, though. When this mode is activated, the bot will sometimes give you a random dump of information that it pulls from a search. We tested it with a conversation about jazz music, then it randomly gave a wall of text about the birth of jazz and its history, and gave a YouTube video recommendation. Thats less conversational and more search-oriented. What kind of written content can it produce? While Bing AI is based on ChatGPT, its still a search engine down on the molecular level. This means that its best used if youre looking for information, not content. Whereas ChatGPT can produce poems, reviews, articles, essays, and other forms of content, Bing AI is much more limited. A lot of the time, instead of creating content, it will do a search. When asked to write a poem, it did a search and found a poem from a website. We were able to get it to produce bits of code, short stories, and eulogies. However, the eulogy was as dry as a bone. So, if youre looking for insane AI-powered generative capabilities, Bing AI is not the one to provide. Advertisement How does Bing AI compare to ChatGPT? Given the differences in mentality, its tough comparing both chatbots. ChatGPT is a chatbot, Bing AI is a search engine with a chatbot facade. There are some things that both can do, but at the end of the day, youre using Bing AI as a replacement for Bing Search. Its tied to the information that it pulls in real-time from the web. Its meant to bring you search results and present pages for you to click on. That way, Microsoft can generate more ad revenue. So, if youre looking for ideas, content, conversations, etc., you should look towards ChatGPT. If you use Bing often, and youre looking for information, recommendations, and other things you can find using a search engine, then Bing AI is the one for you. The Google Pixel Watch is official. Like, officially official. Yes Google showed it off at Google I/O back in May. But that was merely a teaser. This morning Google officially announced the Pixel Watch at its Fall Pixel event. And while we still have to put in some time with it for a proper review, we now know all there is (basically) to know about the Google Pixel Watch. Whether youre looking to move away from Apple or just another Wear OS option, Google is giving you another choice. And as a consumer thats a good thing. Especially if you like the smooth domed glass design Google is offering. Its also potentially the best smartwatch option for Pixel owners. Even more so for those looking to upgrade to the Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro. So lets break down the Google Pixel Watch and all its nitty gritty details. Or at the very least, the most important parts of the device that you may be wondering about. What is the Google Pixel Watch? Advertisement Its Googles first actual smartwatch. It was designed in-house and like the companys Pixel phones, the Pixel Watch is meant to be the flagship device. Its the posterchild for Wear OS and is a showcase of how seamless, feature-rich, stylish, and functional Google wants the platform to be. The watch has actually been rumored for years but nothing of substance ever came up. That is not until earlier this year when Google teased it. Now Pixel fans have something tangible they can wrap around their wrists. As soon as it ships, of course. Speaking of shipping When does the Google Pixel Watch launch? Technically, it launches today if you want to think about it like that. But in reality it launches later this month, officially on October 13. You can pre-order the watch starting today and as it stands it shows that deliveries will be made between October 14 and October 19. Although that all depends on the color you choose. Some seem to be shipping out earlier than others. We would say dont let that sway your decision. But we get it if it does. When youre excited about a product you tend to want it as soon as possible. Update: November 9, 2022 The Google Pixel Watch officially launched on October 13, 2022. Advertisement How much does the Google Pixel Watch cost? This will depend on which you model you buy. There are two available models of the watch. A Bluetooth/Wi-Fi-only model, and one that will connect through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or LTE. The Bluetooth/Wi-Fi model retails for $349.99, and the LTE model retails for $399.99. The color you choose has no impact on the cost. Keep in mind though that if you go with the LTE model, you might as well consider the additional cost of adding an LTE data plan to it. Which will be a recurring monthly fee you need to pay for as long as you want to use the LTE feature. You can buy it directly from Google or from third-party retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Where will it be available? For starters it will be available in 9 different counties. This includes the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Taiwan, and the UK. Google may launch the watch in other regions in the future, but it doesnt confirm this. As for what stores or retailers you can buy it at, in the US you can grab the watch directly from Google, or from retailers like Amazon and Best Buy as weve linked above. It will probably be available from carriers as well in the LTE model. Outside of the US, availability may vary and youll need to check with your local retailers. Advertisement What are the available colors? Google will offer the Pixel Watch in three colors. Matte Black, Polished Silver, and Champagne Gold. And then the bands will come in a multitude of colors and styles, made from various materials. The band that comes with the watch is called the Active Band. This is essentially the Infinity Band that comes with the Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Sense 2. It has infinity-shaped loops and is made from a soft-touch silicone/rubber material. Itll be available in Hazel with the Champagne Gold case, Obsidian with the Matte Black case, and either Chalk or Charcoal with the Polished Silver case. You can also pick it up in Lemongrass as a standalone band option. Additional band styles, you say? Advertisement Yep. Google has actually designed and is releasing a handful of different band options for Pixel Watch owners. The one big downside is that you cant use the Pixel Watch with third-party bands or straps. Due to the Pixel Watchs unique twist and click locking mechanism for the bands. This means youll have to buy the bands from Google. At least for now, unless Google ends up working with partners to allow officially licensed bands for the watch. Though we dont see that happening unless the watch is popular enough and other brands want to make accessories for it. As for the official Google options, right now theres the Active Band, a Stretch Band, a Woven Band, a Crafted Leather Band, and a Two-Tone Leather Band. As for colors, you can find them listed below. Google Pixel Watch Band colors Active Band Charcoal, Chalk, Obsidian, Lemongrass, Hazel (Price: $49.99) Stretch Band Linen, Rose, Obsidian (Price: $59.99) Woven Band Lemongrass, Coral, Ivy (Price: $59.99) Crafted Leather Band Obsidian, Ivy (Price: $79.99) Two-Tone Leather Band Linen, Charcoal, Chalk (Price: $79.99) Metal Mesh Band Matte Black, Polished Silver, Champagne Gold (Price: $129.99) Metal Links Band Matte Black, Brushed Silver (Price: $199.99) Thats all of the officially available Pixel Watch bands for now. But it is worth mentioning that Google will offer both a metal link band and a metal mesh band at some point next year. Theyre expensive though, so be prepared to spend a lot. They arent available to purchase yet, but Google does show them off in an official photo and they were shown off during todays event. What are the biggest features? There are two big feature categories well split things up into. Help features, and Health features. The help features include everything youve come to know and love from Google. Including Google Assistant, Maps, Calendar, Wallet and more. The watch also has an Emergency SOS for fall detection coming in 2023. Advertisement The Health features are everything that revolves around your health and fitness. And its all handled by Fitbit. The big features on the health side of things include Fitbits famous Active Zone Minutes, an ECG app for AFib detection, Sleep Score and Sleep Stages, Mindfulness Sessions and a whole lot more. In fact theres a good bet that a lot of the features available on the Sense 2, are available on the Pixel Watch also. Google does own Fitbit now after all. Users will also get third-party app support from Adidas, MyFitnessPal, Calm, Strava, Spotify and others. And when you buy a Pixel Watch from Google you get 3 months free of YouTube Premium, and 6 months free of Fitbit Premium. How big is the watch? Its not a massive chunky boi if thats what youre wondering. It measures 41mm in diameter which is actually kind of small. Though certainly not the smallest smartwatch on the market. Its also 12.3mm in height, and without the band it weighs 36g. Obviously, the band you choose will change the weight. And each band is going to alter that slightly based on the material. Advertisement For example, the leather and metal bands probably weigh the most. So with those on the watch likely weighs more than when you use the Active Band, Stretch Band, or Woven Band. How long is the battery life? Ah yes, the point of contention for literally every smartwatch on the planet. How long is going to last me? Its an important question to ask. Because you definitely need to know if youre going to have to charge the watch up every night. Or in the morning if it charges quickly enough to be done before you need to jet off to work or school. Or anywhere else you need to go during the day when you finally leave the house. Unfortunately, the Pixel Watch battery life isnt great. Googles official statement and spec sheet lists that it lasts up to 24 hours on a single charge. Which, is quite honestly very disappointing. Especially when you consider the competition. The Galaxy Watch 5 lasts for up to 50 hours on a single charge. And the Pro model boosts that up to a surprisingly long 80 hours. Though we never experienced times that long ourselves. As for charging speeds, Google says the Pixel Watch can charge up to 50% in just 30 minutes. A full 100% will take about 80 minutes. Or if you dont need quite the full amount, 80% will take about 55 minutes. All things considered, the charge times are quick enough. So even if the battery only lasts a day on a single charge, if youre not averse to either brining your watch charger with you or buying a second one for travel, you can easily give it some juice when needed. What are the specs? We did a full breakdown post of all the Google Pixel Watch specs and you can find that here. But the key highlights are as follows. It has a 292mAh battery, 32GB of storage, 2GB of RAM, and it runs on the Exynos 9110 System On Chip with a Cortex M33 co-processor. It also has an altimeter, a compass, an optical heart rate sensor, a blood oxygen sensor, a multi-purpose electrical sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and an ambient light sensor. It also comes running on Wear OS 3.5. Is it waterproof? It has a 5ATM rating, so, no. Its not waterproof. Its water-resistant. It can withstand being in up to 50 meters of water. Though not for more than 24 hours. So you can probably take it swimming, itll be fine in the rain, and it should hold up nicely to sweat. If you drop it in a shallow pool, it should be ok there too. But Google does recommend keeping it away from soapy water or other liquids. It also states that the watch shouldnt be used during high-speed or high-impact water sports. What about scratches? The Pixel Watch comes with custom 3D Corning Gorilla Glass. Which is scratch-resistant. So it should be just fine if you stick it in a pocket with things like keys, coins, or accidentally bump it against stuff from time to time. That being said theres no guarantee that continuously bumping it against walls or other hard surfaces wont damage the display. So treat it like you would any other piece of electronic equipment you own. With care. This isnt the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro or the Apple Watch Ultra. Or any of the numerous watches from Garmin. All of which are built to withstand harsher conditions. How long will Google support the Pixel Watch with updates? At least three years. Google has officially guaranteed that the Pixel Watch will receive software support for three years. That means you can expect it to go from Wear OS 3.5 to how ever many versions Google can stuff into a three-year time frame. After that, theres no more guarantees that the watch will be updated with newer versions of the OS. Or that it will receive any updates at all after that point. Can you customize the watch face? Of course. This is a Wear OS watch after all. Out of the box though, it will have 19 customizable watch face options. And it supports Google Photos for watch faces too. And dont forget, you could just install Facer on it. Which has endless options for you. Will it support the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro only? Nope. It will support those phones, and Google does highlight that it will work seamlessly with the Pixel portfolio. But it will also work with any Android phone that runs on Android 8.0 or later. That should be most phones by now. Regardless of manufacturer. That being said, it wouldnt be surprising if it worked best with a Pixel phone. Just as the Galaxy watches work best with Samsung Galaxy phones. Google Pixel Watch Suella Braverman said she was honoured and humbled to have won her selection battle against a fellow Tory MP in the new constituency of Fareham and Waterlooville. Constituency boundary changes meant the Home Secretary had to compete against backbencher Flick Drummond to represent the proposed new seat at the general election, expected next year. The PA news agency has been informed that Ms Braverman won the vote which had been dubbed by commentators as the Battle of Waterlooville amongst eligible local members by 77 to 54. Flick Drummond, Conservative MP for Meon Valley (David Woolfall/UK Parliament/PA) After the result, Ms Drummond told PA: I am incredibly disappointed but will continue to be Meon Valley MP and serve my constituents until the next election. In a statement, Ms Braverman said: Id like to thank my Conservative Party association for adopting me as their candidate for the new Fareham and Waterlooville seat. Im immensely honoured to have the chance to continue to represent my constituents in parliament. It has been a great privilege to be the MP for this area since 2015 and I will not tire in fighting to bring positive change for the people of Fareham and Waterlooville. I also want to thank my parliamentary colleague Flick Drummond MP for her excellent work for the people of Meon Valley. Tory party chairman Greg Hands tweeted: Congratulations @SuellaBraverman for being selected for Fareham & Waterlooville! I am honoured and humbled to have been adopted by @Conservatives members to be their Parliamentary Candidate for the new Fareham and Waterlooville constituency. I thank my Parliamentary colleague Flick Drummond MP for her excellent work for the people of Meon Valley. Suella Braverman MP (@SuellaBraverman) April 5, 2023 Boundary changes are important, but some complicated selections are inevitable. Flick is a brilliant MP we are all part of one @Conservatives family & she has the Partys support for the future. The race saw Ms Braverman, an avowed Brexiteer on the right of the party, pitched against pro-European centrist Ms Drummond. The Cabinet minister has been in the spotlight for her efforts to crack down on small boats crossing the Channel, with her rhetoric around migration and culture war issues making her a divisive figure, while Ms Drummond is a backbench MP who keeps a low profile. A number of constituency changes have been proposed across the UK as part of the 2023 boundary review. The review started in January 2021, and its final recommendations are due to be presented by July 1 this year, with changes expected before the next election. The Boundary Commission for England has closed its final consultation and is considering the feedback received. Its plans would remove the existing Meon Valley and Fareham constituencies, and the two MPs competed for the newly proposed constituency. Ms Drummond represented Portsmouth South between 2015 and 2017, and has represented Meon Valley since 2019. Ms Braverman has represented the Fareham constituency since 2015. Criminals who refuse to attend sentencing hearings should be handed longer jail terms, the mother of murdered student Libby Squire has said. Lisa Squire, whose 21-year-old daughter was raped and murdered in 2019, said she was horrified when she learned that criminals are not legally required to be in court as they are sentenced. Justice Secretary Dominic Raab has come under growing pressure to ensure killers cannot avoid appearing in court, after Olivia Pratt-Korbels murderer, Thomas Cashman, refused to attend his sentencing hearing on Monday. Ms Squire told BBC Breakfast: If youre not going to play by the rules then you need to be punished, its quite simple, they should get another five years. She said she felt sorry that the family of the nine-year-old never had the opportunity to see him sentenced in court. Hes holding all the cards, hes holding all the control, and when your child or loved one has been murdered you dont have any control, so just to claim a little control, it means a lot, she said. Ms Squire, who now campaigns against sexual offences, read out a statement to her daughters murderer Pawel Relowicz in court, as he was jailed for a minimum term of 27 years. She said: It was really important for me to tell him what he had done, you almost take back a bit of their power by watching them be handed down their sentence. He actually didnt react to his sentencing, but it was just nice to know that he knew we was watching. I wanted him to know how we felt and what Libby meant to us. On Tuesday Mr Raab, the Deputy Prime Minister, said: Spineless criminals like Cashman who hide from their sentencing prolong the suffering of victims and their families. As I have already made clear, I plan to change the law to compel offenders to face up to their actions, so victims can see the justice they deserve being served. Ms Squire also sent a message to Olivias family, saying: Life does go on and you never feel like you can live around it, but eventually you do learn to live round the most horrific things. Their little girl was way more important than him, so like I do with Libby, I focus on her not him, because she is the important one, the same way Olivia is way more important than him. Deborah Jamess mother: This is real, shes not here anymore Heather James, the mother of Dame Deborah James, has said its really hard now, reality has set in, while reflecting on the death of her daughter. Dame Deborah, who set up the Bowelbabe cancer research fund, died last year at the age of 40 after suffering from bowel cancer. Speaking to Ranvir Singh on ITVs Lorraine programme on Wednesday, after it was announced that the Bowelbabe fund has raised 11.3 million, Ms James said: Deborah was always go go go, and full of energy. I think her legacy is going to be go go go. Grieving if I have too much time on my hands, you do think This is real, shes not here anymore. But shes in our lives so much, in everything shes left behind, that I will keep campaigning, and if we can do that for Deborahs legacy, thats great. But grieving wise, I think its hard now, reality has set in and its sad. You get numb, when it first happens, then you go through Is this real? Now its hit the stage This is real. Deborah James with You, Me And The Big C podcast co-host Steve Bland (Ian West/PA) Following the news that Dame Deborahs Bowelbabe fund has raised more than 11 million for cancer charities since it was launched last May, Cancer Research UK said it is now distributing funds to new projects aimed at advancing research into the disease. Dame Deborah, who was one of the original presenters on the You, Me And The Big C podcast, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016 at the age of 35 and became an outspoken campaigner, encouraging people to check for signs of the deadly disease. She launched the Bowelbabe fund to raise money for research into personalised medicine for cancer patients and it passed 1 million in less than 24 hours. At the same time, she announced she was receiving end-of-life care and would be looked after at her parents home in Surrey. Before her death on June 28 2022, the mother-of-two was made a Dame by the then Duke of Cambridge for her fundraising efforts. The Prince and Princess of Wales shared their support of the Bowelbabe fund on Twitter on Wednesday, writing: An incredible legacy which continues to impact so many. We couldnt be more proud of the work of the @bowelbabe Fund. An incredible legacy which continues to impact so many We couldnt be more proud of the work of the @bowelbabe Fund https://t.co/j7rQW3P6d9 The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) April 5, 2023 On Wednesday, Cancer Research UK announced the initial research projects that will receive Bowelbabe funding. One study will look at laying the foundations for new precision treatment that could stop bowel cancer spread. It will be led by Professor Trevor Graham, director of the Centre for Evolution and Cancer at the Institute of Cancer Research, London. Another project, involving a team of leading scientists, will look at targeting microbes that might cause bowel cancer. This team has already discovered a type of bacteria that increases the risk of bowel cancer in some people under 50 and is exploring whether it might be possible to target these bacteria to reduce bowel cancer risk. A further project, led by Dr Oleg Blyuss from Queen Mary University of London, will look at using artificial intelligence and blood tests to detect the earliest signs of cancer. Thanks to your fantastic support, the Bowelbabe Fund for @CR_UK now stands at over 11.3m! We're so pleased to continue Deborah's legacy by allocating some of the funds to pioneering bowel cancer research. Follow @BowelbabeFund on Instagram for more https://t.co/2ZcaJHsF5P pic.twitter.com/k5C7aJyuhR Cancer Research UK (@CR_UK) April 5, 2023 At the Royal Marsden cancer hospital in London, an advanced IR X-ray machine will also offer better imaging resolution that will allow more patients to be treated. The projects announced on Wednesday, collectively totalling around 4 million, are the first round of funding, with more projects due to be confirmed later this year. Dame Deborahs husband, Sebastien Bowen, said: Im immensely proud and humbled to continue the work that Deborah started. As a family, weve been overwhelmed by all the support the fund has received, and to raise 11.3 million is just incredible. Weve taken some time to select the first round of funded projects, and are pleased to announce them today. There is some fantastic, cutting-edge bowel cancer research and brilliant awareness activity taking place, and we know that Deborah would be behind this every step of the way. Chief executive of Cancer Research UK Michelle Mitchell said Dame Deborah was a force of nature and thanked her family and donors for their support. A 16-year-old girl who skipped three grades at primary school is hoping to enrol for a law degree at the University of Zimbabwe after attending selection interviews on Monday. Ruvarashe Shammah Mitsouko Shayi battled it out with hundreds of prospective law students, after attaining 14 points in 2022 Zimsec A level examinations. Ruvarashe sat the examinations in Family and Religious Studies, History, and Literature in English. Born July 21, 2006 she will go down in the institutions books as one of the youngest law students if selected. Yesterday the prospective law student said she was hoping to make the grade. The examinations were tricky. I cannot say they were easy or hard. In the event that I fail to make it this year, I will definitely try again next year. While among other prospective law students I felt good. In every situation I try to feel normal like others regardless of age difference, she said. Based in Westgate suburb, Ruvarashe said she decided to pursue law for various reasons one of them being the quest to diligently serve humanity. I chose law so that I advocate human and childrens rights and also for prestige. It will also open opportunities for me to work with humanity and getting to understand society better, she said. Ruvarashe, who said her hobby has been reading books, attended Victoria Junior School before moving to Dikwindi Primary School in Masvingo. She then proceeded to Kriste Mambo High school. A quick search on the University of Zimbabwe website shows that it has three entry types including normal, mature and special entry. Under normal entry UZ said the law programme has been very competitive and in recent years the minimum entry qualification has been 15 A level points. The institution said since 2010, the competition for vacancies has increased so much that only candidates with 15 points were usually guaranteed a place. On mature entry, it said the usual university requirements applied and only five places were reserved for this group while on special entry five places each year are reserved for this category. UZ said on special entry, the candidates were either magistrates or prosecutors working for the Judicial Service Commission and the Ministry of Justice. If admitted, Ruvarashe will follow in the footsteps, record breaking Maud Chifamba, who enrolled for a Bachelor of Accounting Honours Degree with the UZ in 2012 when she was aged just 14. She went on to complete her undergraduate studies. Herald A disabled woman who died days after she was dropped by care home workers was a victim of a catalogue of catastrophic failures, her sister has told an inquest. Lyn Parker, 64, fractured her ribs and both arms when she fell at least 1.5 metres after two care workers tried to lift her from her wheelchair into her bed using a sling at Tudor Avenue Residential Care Home in Hampton, south London. Ms Parker, from Kingston upon Thames, was on the floor for more than three hours before an ambulance took her to Kingston Hospital alone on January 15 2021, West London Coroners Court heard. Jurors heard on Tuesday that she was discharged from hospital with undiagnosed rib fractures and a fracture to her left arm. Lyn Parker died at Kingston Hospital in January 2021 (Family handout/PA) She was taken back the next morning after a carer found her left arm swollen and black, treated for the missed fractures and admitted. Ms Parker, who was non-verbal, died 10 days later at Kingston Hospital on January 25 2021. A consultant at the hospital told the court on Tuesday that the main cause of Ms Parkers death was aspiration pneumonia and that the delay in admitting her to hospital would not have changed the outcome. The court heard a statement from her sister, Kim Parker, on Wednesday. In it, she told jurors: (Lyn) was a victim of a catalogue of catastrophic failures and I just feel that what happened in the care home and what happened in the emergency department her failure to be correctly triaged and diagnosed is still quite hard for me to take in. I felt I had to come here to this inquest with representations to ensure that Lyns story is heard and the correct questions are asked to enable changes as a result so we can prevent the suffering that Lyn went through happening to anybody else. Kim Parker said her sister received life-changing injuries in 2013 after a carer gave her scalding hot food and burned her throat, causing her to lose the ability to eat and drink. After this incident, Ms Parker was said to be prone to aspiration and chest infection. Regular hospital admissions following the accident prompted best interest meetings between medical professionals, carers and family, the court heard. Kim Parker said: We always came to the following conclusion Lyn has a good quality of life and is a happy person. Her learning difficulties and disabilities should not influence the decision to resuscitate. The sister added that the do not resuscitate (DNR) order always came up as a new decision whenever Ms Parker was admitted to hospital. I always felt each time I was fighting for her right to receive treatment and be allowed to live, she said. Kim Parker called her sisters fall on January 15 2021 the most dreadful thing which precipitated Lyns tragic and untimely death. We were patronised and treated like idiots all the while we were aware that Lyns learning disabilities counted against her in terms of treatment and the DNR decision was a continual threat, she continued. Kim Parker said she received a phone call from a doctor at Kingston Hospital on January 18 in which she was told Ms Parker stood no chance of survival. Giving evidence, she told jurors: He called me around midnight saying that it was distressing for Lyn. If I had insisted obviously I would have been saying that I would hurt my sister deliberately, which of course I wouldnt. So I accepted what he said. The jury went on to hear that treatment was suspended but restarted the following day after the care home manager argued for it. Kim Parker was shielding when her sister was in hospital in January 2021 and insisted she would have been there like a shot if she could have been. In her statement, she told the court that Ms Parker was so happy and fun to be with. She added: A profound lesson to us all as despite the most extreme challenges and adversity Lyn was always smiling and happy. Coroner Lydia Brown has adjourned the hearing and will send the jury out to deliberate on Thursday. Domestic abuse victims who do not live with their abuser will receive better protection against threats and intimidation, the Government has announced. The controlling or coercive behaviour offence has been extended to cover victims who do not live with the family member or ex-partner abusing them. 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 murder cases looked at in an independent review published last month involved controlling or coercive behaviour. Abuse can continue after victims separate with an abusive partner, or get worse as the perpetrator wants to keep control over their victim, the Government says. New guidance, put together with help from charities, police and legal experts, and domestic abuse victims, will help identify offences and help police and other agencies understand how to gather evidence. The guidance will also provide clearer advice to support victims and advice on how to safely identify and respond to threats, intimidation, manipulation and other forms of controlling or coercive behaviour. The Government hopes the new measures will help increase the number of successful prosecutions for the crime. Safeguarding minister Sarah Dines said: Controlling or coercive behaviour is an abhorrent crime that I am determined to tackle. Victims safety is paramount, and this updated guidance will offer wider protection to victims and will support the police to bring more perpetrators to justice. Love Island star Malin Andersson helped launch the new guidelines (Ian West/PA) Helping to launch the new guidelines, Love Island star Malin Andersson said: As a survivor of abuse, its so important to me that the Government are taking action to tackle coercive or controlling behaviour, because its not spoken about enough. The psychological trauma of being in an abusive relationship can make victims feel very isolated. This new guidance will help those people to know just what coercive or controlling behaviour is and to come forward and report it. Shadow domestic violence minister Jess Phillips said: While this guidance is welcome, there is a real question of why it took the Conservatives so long. She added: We have seen how police forces struggle to respond to serious threats of imminent violence, so the idea that forces are equipped to handle more complex cases is for the birds. Finlands new Nato membership poses a real dilemma for Russian President Vladimir Putin, western officials have warned. The latest addition to the alliance will be able to make a significant contribution to its armament, officials said on Wednesday. Finland, which has an 830-mile border with Russia, formally became the 31st member of the bloc in a ceremony at Natos Brussels headquarters on Tuesday. One western official said: The Russians have been full of rhetoric all along and I think thats been their only response to Finland joining Nato. I dont think theyve looked at the consequences of their own actions and taken any responsibility for this, so there tends to be a bit of lashing out. Russias combat losses would make it difficult for them to act on any threats of escalation, officials said, adding: The idea that theyre going to conduct manoeuvres on the Finnish border: With what? would be the question. Officials said Moscow will be attempting to deal with what it perceives as a threat from the north after previously neutral Finland joined the alliance. This poses a real dilemma for Putin and the Russians, officials said. One added: Finland is, I would say, an asset to Nato, and certainly has been welcomed by Nato members, and if you look at the armed forces they can contribute, theyre certainly a significant addition to Natos armament. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has warned that Moscow will respond to the accession depending on what weapons Nato places in Finland. Dmitry Peskov (Alamy/PA) We will closely monitor what will be going on in Finland and how Nato will use the territory of Finland for the deployment of weapons, equipment and infrastructure next to our border that would potentially threaten us. Measures will be taken dependent on that. A post shared on the Russian embassys Twitter account accused Finland of having given up on its unique identity and losing its independence which for decades gave it a special status in international affairs. The foreign ministry added in a statement that Russia will have to respond with military-technical, as well as other measures to address national security threats arising from Finland joining Nato. Western officials said Russian forces are making very slow progress near Bakhmut a key Ukrainian stronghold despite deploying large numbers of troops. Over the past six weeks, the progress can be measured in metres, they said. A possible counter-offensive by Ukraine would depend on a number of complex factors, according to officials. Meanwhile the UK announced 10 million for Natos support package for Ukraine, providing non-lethal aid such as medical equipment, rations, fuel and counter-drone equipment. Finlands President Sauli Niinisto, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Swedish premier Ulf Kristersson at a meeting in Germany in February (Ben Stansall/PA) Some 2 million will also go to Nato efforts to help Georgia, Moldova and Bosnia & Herzegovina defend themselves against Russian activity. Finlands membership was welcomed by heads of state including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden on Tuesday. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the development was a direct result of Vladimir Putins aggression and his illegal invasion of Ukraine. Mr Sunak took the opportunity to push for Sweden to also be given permission to join the group. Finlands neighbour has seen its process of joining the organisation delayed by objections from Turkey and Hungary, but the Prime Minister made clear he wanted those issues resolved, saying: This is an historic day for Finland and for Nato. Their accession has made our alliance stronger and every one of us safer. All Nato members now need to take the steps necessary to admit Sweden too, so we can stand together as one alliance to defend freedom in Europe and across the world. The upcoming tough budget for Northern Ireland is not a punishment for the continued collapse of the Stormont Assembly, the Secretary of State has insisted. Chris Heaton-Harris is due to set a budget for the region in the absence of local ministers. It has been indicated that some departments could be in line for cuts as large as 10%. Earlier, former finance minister and Sinn Fein MLA Conor Murphy said the UK Government had an opportunity to offset some of the deficit by spreading it over a number of years, but instead opted for a punishment budget. Sinn Feins Conor Murphy leaving Stormont Castle (Brian Lawless/PA) Mr Heaton-Harris denied this, but said it will be a tough budget, pointing to a 660 million blackhole left by the last executive in 2022. When the ministers left, we, the Northern Ireland Office, worked with the civil service to try and claw back some of that black hole and diminish it, but unfortunately thats a tough ask, he told the BBC. Asked whether the public should expect eye-watering cuts, Mr Heaton-Harris responded: I wouldnt say that, no, but Northern Ireland needs to live within its budget, just like England, Scotland and Wales. Its budget is set by the block grant and limited revenue that it raises locally so the finite sum which is something like 14.2 billion is what is there, he said. I absolutely do want the executive, who should be making these decisions about budget, to come back to make these decisions about the budget and a whole host of other things, to deliver the public services they should be delivering. The block grant is a good sum of money for Northern Ireland, but it needs to be spent properly. Mr Heaton-Harris declined to say when he would be setting the budget for Northern Ireland. He said he has been working on it with the civil service since January to decide how the spend the 14.2 billion allocated. I hope to be able to set the budget fairly soon, the Northern Ireland Secretary he added. Earlier, the political parties entitled to seats on the Executive received a briefing on the latest position from the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service Jayne Brady at Stormont Castle. Dr Jayne Brady briefed political leaders on Wednesday (Liam McBurney/PA) Mr Murphy claimed that the UK government is heading towards the most hard, tough budget possible, which is going to do very, very significant damage. He also spoke of frustration at attending briefings instead of being in office, and criticised the DUP for its position refusing to participate in devolved government until its concerns around the Northern Ireland Protocol are addressed. Its long past time this nonsense ended in relation to the DUP wandering around talking to themselves while the rest of us suffer the consequences of all of that, he said. DUP MLA Gordon Lyons (Brian Lawless/PA) However DUP MLA Gordon Lyons, who served as the economy minister, said the budgetary crisis is the result of a 300 million overspend and cannot be fixed by returning to the executive. The reality is that because of the failure to set a budget last year, there was time but the Sinn Fein finance minister failed to get support for a budget, and that meant there was a 300 million overspend last year, he said. Thats now being deducted from this years budget and thats whats creating the really difficult financial situation that we find ourselves in. He added: Theres a budgetary crisis but re-entering the executive in and of itself does not fix that, as Ive set out there is a 300 million shortfall from last year. Thats an issue that will need to be dealt with one way or the other and its up to the Government to help us out with that. Mr Lyons also called on the UK Government for flexibility in repaying the overspend. If the Government was willing to work with us, if they were prepared to show some flexibility in terms of the repayment of that amount of money, it would make the issues that we are dealing with right now much easier to deal with, but instead we have 300 million that needs to be cut from the budget this year, he said. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson outside Stormont Castle (Brian Lawless/PA) Speaking outside Stormont Castle, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said he hopes that cuts to public services can be avoided. The Northern Ireland Office needs to look again at their demand that the overspend from last year is repaid this year, normally such matters are dealt with over a longer period of time, and that would ease the pressure on Northern Ireland departments, so we will be engaging with the Secretary of State on the need to ensure that we have a budget that ensures the Northern Ireland departments are able to deliver the public services that people need here, he said. Alliance Party MP Stephen Farry speaking to the media in the Great Hall at Stormont (Brian Lawless/PA) Deputy leader of the Alliance Party Stephen Farry said Northern Ireland is in an extremely serious financial crisis. He added that without a functioning Executive civil servants are left in a virtually impossible situation in trying to manage departments and public services. From our perspective, we believe the only way through this is some form of financial package for Northern Ireland, he said. We have to find something to break this vicious cycle. So, we believe the five parties should be meeting with the Government trying to hammer out some financial package for Northern Ireland. UUP leader Doug Beattie speaking to the media outside Stormont Castle (Brian Lawless/PA) UUP leader Doug Beattie has said he is depressed by what he had heard at the briefing. We were talking about an indicative budget, the numbers have been given out and some departments will have to have cuts of up to 10%, and those arent sustainable, he said. Its quite clear that our budget is not going to be able to meet what we need in the next financial year. A forum is to be held this summer to examine issues relating to Irelands defence capabilities, security and military neutrality. The forum will take place across four days in June at three locations in Galway, Cork and Dublin. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Micheal Martin announced plans for a consultative forum on international security policy. He said that cybersecurity, hybrid threats, critical infrastructure threats and the triple lock mechanism on Irelands neutrality will all be open for debate. There is a very clear need for an open, informed, respectful and evidence-based discussion on our foreign and our security policy, he said on Wednesday. Its a broad-based approach, its not down to a binary issue around military neutrality, but rather the broad spectrum of foreign and security policy, drawing on the principles along the line of the Citizens Assemblies model, but well hear from a range of voices, experts and citizens. Theres no preconceived idea in terms of the outcome of the debate but I do think its important that we have this national debate. The forum is not seen as a fully comprehensive review of Irelands security policy and is not intended to override the recommendations of the Commission on the Defence Forces. It is understood that contributors on up to 20 panels will come from a broad range of perspectives and include participants from other countries re-evaluating their national security position, like Finland and Swedens relationship with Nato, as well as neutral countries such as Austria and Switzerland. It is expected the forum will also assist in the upcoming Strategic Defence Review within the Department of Defence. The talks may also examine Irish involvement in peacekeeping efforts under UN obligations and EU foreign policy. One potential avenue for discussion is the risk of the misapplication of a veto from a UN Security Council permanent member limiting the deployment of Irish peacekeepers in jurisdictions the Ireland may want to engage in. Asked why a Citizens Assembly was not set up to examine the issue, Mr Martin said that two are already planned on drugs and on education. This model, I think, is a better model for the subject matter, because I think every citizen has an interest in this, every political party has a particular political perspective on this. This is a matter of core political philosophy and views and I think its important that the forum would facilitate the widest dissemination of those views and the public articulation of those views. Mr Martin subsequently told RTE Radio that the Government doesnt have any plans to change Irelands military neutrality stance, but added that a broader discussion was needed as things have changed fairly dramatically with the war in Ukraine. He said that Ireland needs to analyse newer threats such as the weaponisation of migration and the security of infrastructure such as undersea cables. Instinctively when we want to discuss issues like this, people focus in on the narrow subject of military neutrality, but its a much broader story and narrative that we want to focus on in terms of Irelands role in the modern world with the changing nature of that world, he said. Louise Richardson, president of the Carnegie Corporation and former vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford, was announced as the chairwoman of the forum. Mr Martin said: I am confident that Ms Richardson, who is a native of Co Waterford and a distinguished political scientist with a strong expertise in security policy in her own right, will play a hugely positive role in chairing the discussions. The forum will be held on June 22 at University College Cork, June 23 at the University of Galway, and on June 26 and 27 at Dublin Castle. It will also be open to the general public to attend in person or virtually, and to make written submissions. Nope director Jordan Peele reportedly convinced Liam Neeson to make a cameo appearance in series three of US comedy Atlanta, in which he addressed controversial remarks he made in 2019. The Northern Irish actor was initially hesitant about appearing in the skit, but had been convinced it would actually be a good thing, Atlanta creator Donald Glover said. Neeson faced criticism in 2019 following an interview with The Independent in which he discussed once having violent thoughts about killing a black person in an act of revenge. He later apologised multiple times for the hurtful and divisive comments that do not reflect, in any way, my true feelings nor me. Nope director Jordan Peele convinced Neeson to appear in the US series Atlanta, according to its creator, Donald Glover (Ian West/PA) Speaking to British GQ, Glover recalled pitching the idea of a skit in his show poking fun at the interview to the actor, who told him he was trying to get away from the publicity surrounding it. When I got in touch with him, Liam poured his heart out, he said. He was like I am embarrassed. I dont know about this. Im trying to get away from that. And I was like Man, Im telling you, this will be funny! And youll actually get a lot of cream from it because itll show youre sorry. Glover said Neeson had asked whether he could think about it before eventually declining. Glover then approached Peele, one of several black industry members Neeson had contacted after his remarks were published, who thought the sketch was a hilarious idea. (Fanny Latour-Lambert/ British GQ/PA) I hit Jordan Peele up and I was like Look, man, I got this idea. He said that he trusted you. Tell him its a good idea! Jordan thought it was hilarious! So Jordan talked to him. Liam hit me back and said he talked to Jordan and his son and thought itd actually be a good thing. Glover added that, with the excitement of having Neeson accept the proposal, he had forgotten to contact Peele again, leading Peele to wonder if he had been pranked. The scene in Atlanta sees its star, Brian Tyree Henry, encounter Neeson in a bar called the Cancel Club, and the Northern Irish actor apologise for his transgression and for hurting people with the remarks. British GQs first-ever Global Creativity Awards, which includes the full interview with Glover, is available via digital download and on newsstands on April 11. Representatives for Neeson have been contacted for comment. Ministers have called off meetings with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) over allegations of sexual misconduct at the business group. The Treasury and the Department for Business and Trade are understood to have suspended engagement with the organisation while it investigates the claims. The CBI, one of the UKs largest business organisations, has already postponed all its public events following the allegations. Chancellor Jeremy Hunts Treasury is suspending engagement with the CBI (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Sources at Jeremy Hunts Treasury and Kemi Badenochs Business Department confirmed they are pausing engagement with ministers, which means scheduled meetings have been postponed. The crisis at the CBI has led it to cancel events including its prestigious annual dinner, which is regularly attended by the Chancellor and was due to host Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey at this years event on May 11. A CBI spokesman said: We understand the Governments decision to pause engagement pending the outcome of the independent investigation. Soon after Easter, the CBI board expects to have preliminary findings and actions from the first phase of the investigation. The CBI said it is investigating all recent allegations after The Guardian reported it had been approached by more than a dozen women who said they had been victims of sexual misconduct by senior figures at the lobbying group. One woman alleged to the newspaper that she had been raped during a staff party in 2019 and was later told by a manager to get counselling rather than pursue the issue further. The woman said she had not reported the incident to police, and the CBI told the newspaper it had no record of it. Kemi Badenochs Department for Business and Trade has postponed meetings with the CBI (Jonathan Brady/PA) The group launched a separate investigation after its director-general, Tony Danker, was accused of wrongdoing last month. Law firm Fox Williams was hired to oversee an independent investigation in March. Mr Danker stepped aside from his role a month ago after it was reported that the group was looking into his conduct. A woman employed by the CBI alleged that Mr Danker had made unwanted contact with her which she considered to be sexual harassment. Mr Danker apologised for causing offence or anxiety to any colleague and said it was unintentional. It is understood the latest allegations are not related to Mr Danker. The Book Depository online shop is set to be shut down at the end of the month by parent firm Amazon. The bookseller has told customers and publishing partners that it will close on April 26. It comes as part of a raft of cuts by technology giant Amazon to heavily reduce its costs, which have hit thousands of jobs. Gloucester-based Book Depository was founded in 2004 by former Amazon employee Andrew Crawford and business partner Stuart Felton. Amazon then took over the business, which has offices in London, Gloucester, Madrid, Cape Town and Chennai, in 2011. The company said in a statement on its website: We are sorry to let you know that Book Depository will be closing on 26 April 2023. We are sorry to let you know that Book Depository will be closing on 26 April 2023. You can still place orders until midday (12pm BST) on 26 April and we will continue to deliver your purchases and provide support for any order issues until 23 June 2023. pic.twitter.com/zMSdn59KbY Book Depository (@bookdepository) April 4, 2023 It added that it will continue to deliver purchases and provide support on any order issues for the next two months. The statement continued: From all of us at Book Depository we want to say thank you. Delivering your favourite reads to you since 2007 has been a pleasure. The closure comes amid plans to cut thousands of jobs across Amazon in order to improve the groups finances. In January, Amazon confirmed the shake-up would affect its books business, which also included a move to stop selling magazines and newspaper subscriptions on its Kindle e-book devices. Amazon said it would cut more than 18,000 jobs worldwide in the largest layoffs programme in its history. Chief executive Andy Jassy who took over from founder Jeff Bezos in July 2021 said in a note to employees, which was made public: These changes will help us pursue our long-term opportunities with a stronger cost structure. In March, Amazon said it would cut a further 9,000 jobs across its global business as it continued to react to the uncertain economic backdrop. School leaders in England could be balloted again over strike action after union members overwhelmingly rejected the Governments pay offer. More than three-quarters (78%) of National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) members who voted said they would be prepared to vote for action up to and including strikes if the deal was turned down. Speaking to the media at the National Education Unions (NEU) annual conference in Harrogate, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT, said it was a strong ballot result. He said the union executive will meet this month to discuss next steps, which could include a second formal ballot on industrial action. Overall, 64% of NAHT members in England responded to the unions online consultative ballot, with 90% voting to reject the offer. Asked if he was confident the union could pass the turnout threshold required for strike action, Mr Whiteman said: Taking industrial action is a really difficult thing. You can only be guided by the turnout that youve had, and yes, its a stronger turnout than we had before. He added that the vote showed improved support for action, and the 78% who said they would be willing to vote for industrial action was a strong indication of support. The NAHT is the third education union to reject the offer. The NEU is planning five days of teacher walkouts in the summer term and possible action in the autumn in the dispute over pay. The Government offered teachers a 1,000 one-off payment for the current school year (2022/23) and an average 4.5% pay rise for staff next year (2023/24) after a period of talks with unions. In January, a ballot of NAHT members failed to meet the mandatory 50% turnout threshold required for strike action. Mr Whiteman is hopeful the union would pass the threshold if it held a new ballot as there would not be a postal dispute to contend with. Asked if the NAHT could co-ordinate with the NEU to hold mass walkouts if the union secured a mandate for strike action, Mr Whiteman said: I think we need to also keep an eye on what ASCL choose to do and what the NASUWT will announce later on this week. I cant imagine a situation where all unions would be in dispute and we wouldnt co-ordinate action in some way. He added: I have to accept that school leaders taking action is not going to have the same level of disruptive impact than mass walkouts by teaching unions will achieve. But the symbolism of school leaders saying you cannot separate us from our teams and we are standing up for education in the same way as our teams is really very, very important. What school leaders are saying is theyre prepared to take action to show that they cant find any more solutions. Delegates at the NEUs annual conference on Tuesday voted in support of a three-day strike in late June/early July. The union announced two further strike days on April 27 and May 2 on Monday after 98% of members who responded in a consultative ballot voted to turn down the Governments pay offer. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so. In a speech to the NEUs annual conference on Wednesday, Mr Whiteman said: I can tell you that school leaders really do stand with teachers. School leaders are teachers. Mr Whiteman, who received a standing ovation from NEU delegates, told the conference: Im proud of the work that my sisters and brothers in the NEU have done. That old trade union adage that theres more that unites us than divides us could not be truer in education today. A Department for Education (DfE) spokeswoman said: After costing children almost a week of time in the classroom and with exams fast approaching, it is extremely disappointing that the NEU are re-balloting for more strike action up until Christmas this year. The offer was funded, including major new investment of over half a billion pounds, and helps tackle issues teachers are facing like workload. NEU, NAHT and ASCLs decision to reject this offer will simply result in more disruption for children and less money for teachers today. Members of a school leaders union have overwhelmingly rejected the Governments pay offer. Nine in 10 members of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), who took part in an online consultative ballot, voted down the deal. Nearly four in five (78%) NAHT members said they would be prepared to vote for industrial action, up to and including strike action, if the offer was rejected. The unions executive will now meet to discuss next steps which could include holding a second formal ballot on industrial action. Schools in England face five days of teacher walkouts in the summer term and possible action in the autumn as the National Education Union (NEU) is set to re-ballot members in the ongoing dispute over pay. Delegates at the NEUs annual conference on Tuesday voted in support of a three-day strike in late June/early July. The teaching union announced two further strike days on April 27 and May 2 on Monday after 98% of its members, who responded in a consultative ballot, voted to turn down the Governments pay offer. After a period of intensive talks with unions, the Government offered teachers a 1,000 one-off payment for the current school year (2022/23) and an average 4.5% pay rise for staff next year (2023/24). Last week, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT, said industrial action by school leaders would be necessary if its members decided to reject the Governments inadequate pay offer. Overall, 64% of NAHT members in England responded to the school leaders unions consultative ballot, with 90% voting to reject the offer. More than nine in 10 (92%) said the offer was unaffordable and they said they did not have the room in their budget to be able to afford the proposed pay offer for the next academic year (2023/24). On the result of the vote, Mr Whiteman said: This is a conclusive response to the Governments offer. It has been judged inadequate and unaffordable. Our members do not recognise the Governments calculations on the affordability of the offer, with the vast majority of head teachers and school business leaders saying they could not pay the rise from their existing budgets. This is a very clear stumbling block and one the Government must listen to and solve if we hope to bring this dispute to an end. He added: The Government must now come back to the table and solve this dispute. To do otherwise would be to stick two fingers up to a dedicated profession whilst at the same time turning their backs on children. In January, a ballot of NAHT members failed to meet the mandatory 50% turnout threshold required for strike action. But the NAHT has suggested it could move to a second formal industrial action ballot. Members of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and NASUWT teaching union have also been asked for feedback on the pay offer. Overall, 87% of ASCL members, who took part in a survey on the pay offer, voted to turn down the deal. The turnout was 56% in the consultative ballot. The ASCLs executive committee will reconvene after the Easter break to consider its next steps. A Department of Education (DfE) spokeswoman said: After costing children almost a week of time in the classroom and with exams fast approaching, it is extremely disappointing that the NEU are re-balloting for more strike action up until Christmas this year. She added: The offer was funded, including major new investment of over half a billion pounds, and helps tackle issues teachers are facing like workload. NEU, NAHT and ASCLs decision to reject this offer will simply result in more disruption for children and less money for teachers today. Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, the husband of Nicola Sturgeon, is understood to have been arrested by Police Scotland over an investigation into the partys finances. Detectives are said to have questioned him and searches have been carried out at a number of properties. Mr Murrell, 58, stepped down as chief executive during the recent leadership campaign. Police Scotland have been investigating the spending of money which was earmarked for Scottish independence campaigning. Mr Murrell married Ms Sturgeon in 2010. Police Scotland released a statement on the arrest on Wednesday morning. It said: A 58-year-old man has today, Wednesday April 5, been arrested as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party. The man is in custody and is being questioned by Police Scotland detectives. Officers are also carrying out searches at a number of addresses as part of the investigation. A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. The matter is active for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and the public are therefore advised to exercise caution if discussing it on social media. As the investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further. The SNP released a statement saying: Clearly it would not be appropriate to comment on any live police investigation but the SNP have been co-operating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so. At its meeting on Saturday, the governing body of the SNP, the NEC, agreed to a review of governance and transparency that will be taken forward in the coming weeks. Ofcom could call in the competition regulator after finding concerns in the cloud services market, a backbone of the online world which is dominated by two companies. The telecoms regulator proposed on Wednesday that the Competition and Markets Authority open its own probe into the sector amid concerns customers find barriers in their way when trying to switch suppliers. The cloud space is dominated by two players, Amazon and Microsoft, which together hold an approximate 60%-70% market share. Ofcom said it was particularly concerned about the two companies practices because of their dominant position. Millions of people and businesses have come to rely on cloud computing in recent years. The cloud loosely refers to a series of massive servers around the world which users can tap into to store photographs or emails, or run software from. Ofcom said there was still competition in the sector, with innovative products and discounts offered to new customers. However, it was concerned for customers trying to move from one cloud supplier to another. The massive suppliers charge significantly higher fees than smaller providers to move data out of the cloud and to another companys servers, Ofcom said. Users might also struggle to use more than one companys services at the same time because the leading firms prevent some of their services working effectively alongside those from other suppliers. There is a risk that the features we have identified could lead the market to concentrate further towards the market leaders, Ofcom said. It said the Competition and Markets Authority would be best-placed to investigate this further. Fergal Farragher, the Ofcom director who led its study into the sector, said: Weve done a deep dive into the digital backbone of our economy and uncovered some concerning practices, including by some of the biggest tech firms in the world. High barriers to switching are already harming competition in what is a fast-growing market. We think more in-depth scrutiny is needed, to make sure its working well for people and businesses who rely on these services. Ofcom said it would take feedback on its findings until mid May and would make its final decision in October. Microsoft said: We look forward to continuing our engagement with Ofcom on their cloud services market study. We remain committed to ensuring the UK cloud industry stays highly competitive, and to supporting the transformative potential of cloud technologies to help accelerate growth across the UK economy. Amazon Web Services said: These are interim findings and AWS will continue to work with Ofcom ahead of the publication of its final report. The UK has a thriving and diverse IT industry with customers able to choose between a wide variety of IT providers. At AWS, we design our cloud services to give customers the freedom to build the solution that is right for them, with the technology of their choice. This has driven increased competition across a range of sectors in the UK economy by broadening access to innovative, highly secure, and scalable IT services. Details on compensation for victims of the infected blood scandal is expected to be set out in a report. Thousands of patients were infected with HIV and hepatitis C through contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s. An independent inquiry into the scandal will release a second interim report on Wednesday morning, setting out the framework for compensation to the victims. It will refer back to recommendations in an independent report by Sir Robert Francis KC, who said to ministers in June 2022 that victims should receive interim payments of at least 100,000. However, the report is expected to go into further details beyond what was set out by Sir Robert, and will be wider than just a response to the recommendations. In 2017, then-prime minister Theresa May ordered the public inquiry into what she called an appalling tragedy which should simply never have happened. An estimated 2,400 patients died after being infected with HIV and hepatitis C through contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s. Thousands of adults and approximately 380 children received infected blood products or transfusions during treatment by the NHS, the inquiry has heard. Most of those involved had the blood-clotting disorder haemophilia and were given injections of the US product Factor VIII. In October 2022, the Government said thousands of victims of the infected blood scandal would receive interim compensation payments of 100,000 by the end of the month. The Government said in January 2023 interim compensation payments of about 400 million showed it accepts its moral responsibility to help victims. Chaired by former High Court judge Sir Brian Langstaff, the inquiry examined the support provided to patients following infection, questions of consent, and whether there was a cover-up. Sir Robert said in his report there would be a strong moral case for offering money to victims, independent of any issue of legal liability or culpability, if certain criteria were met. He previously said: There are those who fear they will not survive long enough to see, let alone enjoy, the fruits of an award of compensation. Sam Stein KC, representing 23 people affected by infected blood or blood products, including relatives who supported a partner through terminal illness, told the Infected Blood Inquiry in February they had truly lived through the worst of times. In the final closing submissions to the inquiry, after almost four years of evidence heard around the UK, Mr Stein said of the victims he represents: Our clients have been infected, affected and killed by this scandal. Our clients lives have been devastated and derailed by their and their loved ones exposure to infected blood products. The DHSCs written closing submissions to the inquiry, dated December 16 last year, said the department accepted that things happened that should not have happened and that no statements made on its behalf should detract from its unreserved apology. A company that aims to cultivate and harvest seaweed in the South Atlantic Ocean has been given a Government grant of 250,000 to test its technology. Seafields wants to kick-start an offshore farming industry growing sargassum in remote ocean areas which would be used to sequester carbon from the atmosphere as well as being sold as a feedstock. Sargassum is capable of doubling in size every eight to nine days depending on the available nutrients, the companys CEO John Auckland said. He envisions huge aquafarms in places like the South Atlantic Gyre which sit between ocean currents and do not support much life that would draw down carbon from the atmosphere. Sargassum would then be baled up and sunk 4,000 metres below the surface where it would store carbon for centuries. As well as being a carbon sink, the seaweed could also be grown and sold as feedstocks for industrial processes which would be an alternative to fossil fuel resources, Mr Auckland said. Wells would feed the ocean crops with nutrients from the deep sea while a barrier would prevent the seaweed from drifting away. Mr Auckland said these farms would also improve the biodiversity of ocean deserts as farmers would harvest specific sections of the sargassum at a time, allowing marine creatures to live elsewhere on the farm. He told the PA news agency: This humble weed has always been seen as a bit of a pest people have just been looking at it wrong. We are trying to create the technology, the infrastructure, that allows the world or as many people that want to do this as possible to become sargassum farmers, to be able to start their own farms or fund sea fields. Sargassum farms would be fed through wells that bring nutrients from the deep sea to the surface (Seafields/PA) The grant, from Innovate UK, will help Seafields test the well system with possible sites being discussed in Northumberland and Devon. Mr Auckland also wants his company to develop a catch and grow method whereby naturally growing blooms of sargassum in the Caribbean would be harvested and baled in the same proposed way. Known as the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, the seaweed has been blooming to cover thousands of kilometres in recent years during the summer. Scientists are warning of a record bloom in 2023 that could make landfall in Florida and Mexico. Seafields plans to create a catch and farm method which would help alleviate invasive blooms in the Caribbean (Seafields/PA) When landing, the sargassum chokes coastal habitats and rots on the beach, releasing hydrogen sulphide that causes health problems for local people as well as deterring tourists. Mr Auckland said: In 2024, we aim to have built our first catch and grow farms that will help alleviate the invasive sargassum that is currently impacting communities in the Caribbean. We plan to reduce the amount of sargassum from beaching, through catching the seaweed further out to sea before it reaches land through barriers and then turn it into industrial feedstock and carbon credits, whilst providing job creation and employment opportunities to local communities. Seafields plans to sell carbon credits as a way to finance the project as well as other methods such as getting companies who want to invest in low-carbon initiatives to pay for sargassum farm units. School leaders should refuse to work as Ofsted inspectors until a full assessment of the inspection system is carried out, a union has said. A campaign calling for Ofsted to be abolished should be run by the National Education Union (NEU), delegates at the unions annual conference said. An urgent motion on Ofsteds impact on school staffs mental health was tabled at the conference after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry. A photograph of Ruth Perry attached to the fence outside John Rankin Schools in Newbury, Berkshire (Andrew Matthews/PA) Ms Perry, who was head at Caversham Primary School in Reading, killed herself in January while waiting for an Ofsted report which downgraded her school to the lowest possible rating, her family said. Robin Bevan, head of Southend High School for Boys, who spoke in favour of the motion which called for a campaign to abolish Ofsted, said: Within the education world, Ofsted has no public credibility at all. Speaking to the media at the conference, Mr Bevan, a former president of the NEU and grammar school headteacher, added that education leaders internationally look at the system in England with pity and with ridicule. The motion, which was passed unanimously at the conference in Harrogate, noted that hundreds of school leaders serve as Ofsted inspectors. NEU delegates called on its school leader members to refuse to participate as inspectors in any further inspections until a full health and safety assessment of the system is carried out. The motion said the union should work with the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) and the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) to encourage headteachers to refuse to serve as Ofsted inspectors. The conference also called on the NEUs executive to demand that all work-related suicide data is collected and collated to assess the full extent of the risks to health created by toxic accountability pressures. After the motion was passed, Louise Atkinson, president of the NEU, told delegates: We have just had a message from Julia Waters, who is Ruths sister, and just saying thank you, NEU. Ruths name must not be lost in vain. Last week, the NAHT indicated it may take legal action against Ofsted following its failure to pause inspections after Ms Perrys death. Speaking at the NEU conference on Wednesday, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT, told the media: The feeling amongst school leaders is that this needs to be a watershed moment. Asked if NAHT members are resigning as Ofsted inspectors in light of Ms Perrys death, Mr Whiteman said: We have had a couple who have said that. Its not something weve organised. We now know, not just through the tragic death of Ruth Perry but the others that have come to light since, that not only is it a creation of stress in the system, but it is a serious stress that is leading to harm and it has to be dealt with immediately. Last month, Amanda Spielman, Ofsteds chief inspector, said that the news of Ruths death was met with great sadness at Ofsted. She acknowledged that the debate about reforming inspections to remove grades is a legitimate one, but said inspections aim to raise standards and should continue. On Ofsteds response to Ms Perrys death, Mr Bevan, whose school has an outstanding rating from inspectors, said: If I was being relatively frank, they dont seem to be taking it seriously. They dont seem to have clocked the degree to which the unintended consequences of the methods and procedures that may follow have devastating consequences. When asked whether parents should take assurance from Ofsted, he said: No. I dont think they understand how the judgments are reached. Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: The levels of anxiety, sleeplessness and distrust that NEUs leaders report in anticipation of inspection, or during inspection, is overwhelming and shocking. Ofsted as an agency must take responsibility for the breakdown in trust. Ofsted is in the eye of a storm and seems incapable of responding to leaders concerns. One head described Ofsted as arbitrary, ill-informed and brutalising. For school leaders, the excessive high stakes and punitive nature of inspection can be intolerable and have a devastating impact on their professional and personal lives. A crash on a smart motorway which left two pensioners dead would not have happened if there had been a hard shoulder, a coroner has said. Derek Jacobs, 83, died when his van was hit by a car on the M1 near Sheffield in March 2019 after he had stopped in the live inside lane following a tyre blow-out and got out of the vehicle. The front seat passenger in the Ford Ka that hit the van, Charles Scripps, 78, died in hospital two months after the collision. The red car, being driven by Mr Scrippss wife Jean, was shown on dashcam footage flipping over in the carriageway and ending up on its side before it was hit by a coach. Concluding that both men died as a result of a road traffic collision, assistant coroner Susan Evans told Chesterfield Coroners Court: Smart motorways are hugely controversial because of the lack of any hard shoulder for motorists to use in times of need such as occurred here. It is immediately apparent that, had there been a hard shoulder, this incident would not have occurred because Mr Jacobs would have been able to pull off the live lane entirely. But the coroner added: That said, there are many roads in the road network, including dual carriageway A-roads, that are subject to the national speed limit and do not have the benefit of any hard shoulder. She heard there was no evidence that Mrs Scripps took any action to avoid the collision, despite the fact Mr Jacobs had parked his van almost touching the crash barrier on the far left of the carriageway. Miss Evans said: It is evident Mrs Scripps simply did not see the stationary van before she collided with it. For reasons we will never know, she appeared to have not been paying attention to the road. Giving evidence on Wednesday, collision investigator Sergeant Paul Moorcroft said: It is highly, highly unlikely this collision would have taken place had there been a hard shoulder. The inquest heard that Mr Jacobss van was stationary in the live lane for three minutes and 34 seconds before it was hit by the Scripps car. Sgt Moorcroft said the retired engineer had pulled his van over so it was only protruding into the carriageway by about 65cm and the Ford could have passed it without going into the second lane. He also told the inquest his analysis showed that retired teacher Mrs Scripps, who was 77 at time, had plenty of time to see the obstruction and many other drivers had taken avoiding action. The officer said footage of the incident showed no signs of her steering or braking to avoid the collision. Sgt Moorcroft said: My opinion is that distraction or a prolonged period of inattention by Mrs Scripps was the main causation factor in this collision. He told the inquest Mrs Scripps had not been interviewed due to her health and the inquest heard medical evidence that she was diagnosed with dementia six months after the crash. But there was nothing in her medical notes at the time of the collision that suggested she should not be driving, the inquest heard. Sgt Moorcroft said that Mr Jacobs, of Edgware, north London, stopped on the northbound carriageway just north of junction 30 on March 22 2019. He said this was 500 metres short of the next emergency refuge and about a mile from Woodhall Services. Jason Mercer was killed with Alexandru Murgeanu when they were hit by a lorry after stopping on a section of smart motorway on the M1 near Sheffield in 2019 (Danny Lawson/PA) Simon Boyle, regional director for National Highways in Yorkshire and the North East, told the inquest the area is now covered by technology to detect stationary vehicles. He said the technology was not installed on this stretch of the M1 at the time of the collision. Asked if it would have made a difference, he added that he could not say whether Mrs Scripps would have seen the signs which would have been deployed warning of an obstruction, or if she would have acted accordingly. Mr Boyle admitted there had been human error in the control room after a member of the public reported the stationary van 44 seconds after it stopped. He said this meant warning signs were not deployed until eight minutes after the call. He said the aim is for deployment within three minutes and the average in his region was two minutes and 15 seconds. Mr Boyle said: I dont believe you can fully eradicate human error. Unfortunately, humans are operating and mistakes are going to be made. The coroner said in her conclusion: Certain parts of the response to this particular incident by National Highways was slow, much slower than expected, and I heard that this was due to human error. A report was actually made by a member of the public extremely quickly and initially acted upon quickly to dispatch a traffic patrol. Nargis Begum died on the M1 near Woodhall Services in September 2018 (Family Handout/Irwin Mitchell/PA) Unfortunately, however there was a significant delay in progressing the next step which was to activate signs and speed restrictions. I have considered whether this delay may have contributed to the deaths of Mr Jacobs and Mr Scripps but there is no evidence that it did so. Retired maintenance manager Mr Scripps had multiple injuries and died in May 2019 after being transferred from a hospital in Sheffield to one nearer his home in Northampton. The collision is one of three on a 10-mile stretch of the M1 near Sheffield which have been highlighted by campaigners who want smart motorways stopped and hard shoulders restored. Jason Mercer and Alexandru Murgeanu died in June 2019 when they were hit by a lorry on the M1 near junction 34 after they stopped on the inside lane of the smart motorway section after a minor collision. Sheffield coroner David Urpeth decided that Mr Mercer and Mr Murgeanu were unlawfully killed, and said: I find, as a finding of fact, it is clear a lack of hard shoulder contributed to this tragedy. In 2018, mother-of-five Nargis Begum died after she got out of the passenger side of a car on the M1 north of Woodhall Services and it was hit by a Mercedes. Speaking outside court, Mr Mercers wife, Claire, who has spearheaded the campaign against smart motorways, said: We had something before that was infallible. The hard shoulder was just always there and didnt make mistakes and weve replaced it with something that isnt always there and does make mistakes. Claire Mercer outside South Yorkshire Police HQ in Sheffield (Danny Lawson/PA) And that was a conscious decision. They have designed danger into a smart motorway. This is the third inquest for a total of five people now, all within a very short stretch of motorway, all very similar in occurrence. And this is just the ones we know about. It keeps happened all around the country and nothing is changing. Mrs Mercer said Mr Jacobss wife Susan decided not to come to the inquest as she felt National Highways would not be held to account. National Highways chief executive Nick Harris said: Our deepest sympathies remain with the families of Mr Jacobs and Mr Scripps, and all those affected by this tragic incident. It is vitally important to learn lessons from every road traffic collision and we will continue to build on the work and safety improvements already under way, taking all the necessary steps to help drivers and passengers feel and be safe. A Labour government would introduce specialist rape courts, the party said as it highlighted analysis showing the number of rape survivors dropping their case has more than doubled since 2015. Sir Keir Starmer will repeat his promise to halve levels of violence against women and girls as he meets with charities supporting victims in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, on Thursday. The Labour leader said the backlog-plagued criminal justice system under Rishi Sunaks Tories amounted to a national scandal. As both main parties ramp up commitments on law and order ahead of Mays local elections, Sir Keir vowed to raise confidence in the criminal justice system and policing. Labour analysis of government statistics showed that 41% of rape victims now pull out of pursuing their case, up from 19% eight years ago. Among all crime victims, a quarter are dropping their case altogether. Figures also showed that only 1.6% of reported rapists were charged in the last year, while record backlogs in the courts meant victims faced an average three-year wait for justice. Labours mission to crack down on crime and deliver justice for victims is my lifes work. Our plan will prevent crime, punish antisocial behaviour offenders and protect communities. pic.twitter.com/mfJ1Yh8RV6 Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) April 5, 2023 Sir Keir said: The state of the criminal justice system under the Tories amounts to a national scandal. It will rightfully be viewed by victims as a stain on our country. As director of public prosecutions, I changed the service so survivors bravery was supported and the system got them the justice they needed and deserved. Thats why Ive made it the national mission of a future Labour government to halve levels of violence against women and girls and increase confidence in the justice system to their highest levels. Labour will put victims back at the heart of the system. Well stop victims going through the harrowing experience of waiting months, sometimes years for justice, by opening specialist rape courts to fast-track cases. Well put more police on our streets, and increase the number of prosecutors to put violent rapists and killers behind bars quickly. Protecting the public and making our streets safe will drive my Labour government. Nicola Sturgeons husband Peter Murrell has been arrested in a police investigation into the SNPs finances with their home and partys headquarters being searched. The former chief executive of the party has been taken into custody and was questioned by detectives as police searched their house in Glasgow on Wednesday morning. A large police tent was set up outside their home, which was taped off. While a number of police officer could be seen searching a small shed and storage box in the former first ministers back garden, a police photographer took pictures and officers looked at something on a laptop. Officers are also at the SNPs HQ offices in Edinburgh, with police vans seen parked outside and uniformed officers standing inside the building. In the afternoon, two vans left the city centre headquarters of the party, with police officers remaining stationed outside the building. Police Scotland have been investigating the spending of about 600,000 which was earmarked for Scottish independence campaigning. Former SNP chief executive Peter Burrell was arrested on Wednesday (Andy Buchanan/PA) First Minister Humza Yousaf, who took over from Ms Sturgeon last week, described the arrest as a difficult day with the party. He told broadcasters on Wednesday: My reaction, as youd imagine, much like anybody involved in the SNP, is that this is a difficulty for the party. But, again, Id just reiterate and emphasise its so important for me not to comment on a live police investigation and be seen to prejudice that in any way, shape or form. He continued: I think therell be concern from the public but, again, there is a live police investigation under way and we will wait to see what comes at the conclusion of that police investigation. Statement on investigation into Scottish National Party funding and finances man arrested. More: https://t.co/pkRjeRw965 pic.twitter.com/trzldKh7ZT Police Scotland (@PoliceScotland) April 5, 2023 Mr Murrell stepped down as chief executive a role he had held for more than 20 years during the recent leadership campaign. The 58-year-old has been married Ms Sturgeon since 2010. The arrest comes after Ms Sturgeons time as first minister formally came to an end last week, as she was succeeded by Humza Yousaf as SNP leader. Ms Sturgeon, following the shock announcement she would stand down, refused to answer if her decision was impacted by the investigation. Police were seen at the SNPs HQ in Edinburgh (Dan Barker/PA) Her successor said he did not believe the police probe had any bearing on her decision to resign, saying: I believe her very much when she says how exhausted she was. Police Scotland released a statement on the arrest on Wednesday morning. It said: A 58-year-old man has today, Wednesday April 5, been arrested as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party. The man is in custody and is being questioned by Police Scotland detectives. (PA Graphics) Officers are also carrying out searches at a number of addresses as part of the investigation. A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. Police Scotland advised caution around discussing the case on social media due to contempt of court rules. The SNP released a statement saying: Clearly it would not be appropriate to comment on any live police investigation but the SNP have been co-operating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so. At its meeting on Saturday, the governing body of the SNP, the NEC, agreed to a review of governance and transparency that will be taken forward in the coming weeks. Outside the SNP office in the Scottish capital, officers were on guard in the entrance and others were seen entering and leaving the building. There were four police vans and about five unmarked police cars outside the building in Jacksons Entry, where the party headquarters is on the third floor. Meanwhile, the SNPs political opponents called for full transparency from Mr Yousaf and Ms Sturgeon. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar told the PA news agency: There are big questions to be asked of both Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon, and in the fullness of time, I hope those questions are asked. He said the situation is extremely serious and the police should be allowed to do their jobs. Scottish Tory constitution spokesman Donald Cameron urged both Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf to co-operate fully with the police investigation, adding: While there is an ongoing police investigation into the SNPs finances, and given that a suspect has now been arrested, it is right that due process is followed and any potential wrongdoing investigated thoroughly by the police. Alba Party leader Alex Salmond, a former SNP leader turned party critic, said the news was very sad. Its a very live investigation, so I couldnt really comment on the specifics, said Mr Salmond, who was walking into the BBCs Edinburgh office just 25 metres away from the headquarters of the SNP. I led the SNP for a long time, so Im very sad about whats happening to it and, indeed, what its become. Home Secretary Suella Braverman is due to face fellow Conservative Flick Drummond in a party vote on Wednesday as the two contest selection for a proposed new constituency of Fareham and Waterlooville. Constituency boundary changes will see the two Hampshire MPs compete to represent the Conservatives for the proposed new seat at the next election. The PA news agency understands that Ms Braverman, the MP for Fareham, and Ms Drummond, the MP for Meon Valley, will face a vote of eligible local members, with the result expected on Wednesday evening. A number of constituency changes have been proposed across the UK as part of the 2023 boundary review. (PA Graphics) The review started in January 2021, and its final recommendations are due to be presented by July 1 this year, with changes expected before the next election. The Boundary Commission for England has closed its final consultation and is considering the feedback received. Its plans would remove the existing Meon Valley and Fareham constituencies, and the two MPs are competing for the newly proposed constituency. Ms Drummond represented Portsmouth South between 2015 and 2017, and has represented Meon Valley since 2019. Ms Braverman has represented the Fareham constituency since 2015. Commentators have dubbed the contest the Battle of Waterlooville. China's WeChat Pay launched in Mongolia Xinhua) 11:28, April 05, 2023 ULAN BATOR, April 4 (Xinhua) -- WeChat Pay, a mobile payment service run by China's tech giant Tencent, is now available in Mongolia, Mongolia's state-owned television MNB reported Tuesday, citing financial company Sendly. "Our company has become the official partner of Tencent's WeChat Pay in Mongolia," Sendly said in a statement. Currently, service providers such as hotels, restaurants and convenience stores in Zamiin-Uud soum of the southeastern province of Dornogovi and the national capital Ulan Bator can accept WeChat Pay payments, it said. Mongolia has set 2023-2025 as "Years to Visit Mongolia" with a goal of welcoming at least 1 million foreign tourists and earning 1 billion U.S. dollars from tourism. The country's tourism authorities believe that Mongolia will receive a large number of tourists from China in the next few years, and it is hoped that WeChat Pay will make Chinese tourists' visits more comfortable and convenient. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) The chief executive of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) said it is alarming that a survey found almost one in four jobs are vacant across the UK. A survey by the professional body found speech and language therapy (SLT) vacancies across the UK had reached 23% with almost all childrens services (96%) and nine out of 10 adult services (90%) which responded saying recruitment is more or much more challenging than at any time in the past three years. Steve Jamieson, the RCSLTs new chief executive, told the PA news agency: Its really alarming and something that we really need to look at. Steve Jamieson, chief executive of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, said vacancy numbers are alarming (RCSLT/PA) In England, vacancies have reached 25% in childrens services and 24% in adult services across NHS and non-NHS provision, according to responses to the survey. Responses suggested vacancies in the South Central area Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Hampshire were as high as 57% in adult services and 36% in childrens services although only six services offered data and other regions reported that more than a third of jobs were unfilled in childrens SLT services in the West Midlands (35%) and East of England (34%). Mr Jamieson said speech and language therapy is amazing work which has a real impact and when he spoke to therapists it was very sad to hear about the impact of the challenges they are having. Speech and language therapists work with all age groups, supporting people including premature babies, autistic children, cancer and stroke survivors, and people with motor neurone disease and dementia. A delay to receiving SLT support can affect a persons ability to communicate with friends and family or to eat and drink as well as a childs ability to access the school curriculum, to regulate their behaviour or to form friendships. The Covid-19 pandemic added to the pressure on SLT services, exacerbating waiting times for assessment and support, as well as adding referrals to see young children whose language and social development was hampered by pandemic restrictions which meant they were not mixing with other children or adults at play groups, nurseries and schools. By the time they are seen by a SLT their needs are a lot more complex and difficult to manage and to treat, Mr Jamieson said. Some people who were seriously ill with Covid-19 and needed a tube to help them breathe for a period of time have also needed speech and language therapy to help their recovery. Waiting lists have gone up and up, Mr Jamieson said. People in post are struggling to keep on top of that. The RCSLT survey found only 8% of childrens services and 11% of adult services had received any post Covid recovery funding. It demonstrates a lack of understanding that the Government has about the impact of this, Mr Jamieson told PA. Staffing shortages mean some therapists are struggling to offer people the number of sessions they need which is also affecting staff morale, he said. Charlotte Colesby (Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust/PA) Morale in the NHS is quite low so people are thinking can I do this much more?. They are taking on more work and finding they just cant deal with it any more. From a clinical point of view, they are thinking they cant give the care they want to, maybe one or two sessions rather than six to 12, so they feel they arent doing their job as well as they want to. Ruth Rayner, who is head of speech and language therapy and integrated childrens therapies at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, has been a speech and language therapist for 36 years. The demand is high, higher than I have ever seen it. Staff want to do a good job. They want to do the best for the people they are working with, she told PA. Vacancy rates in speech and language therapy reach 23%! Of the managers who responded, 96% managing childrens services and 90% managing adult services said recruitment is more or much more challenging than at any time in the last three years: https://t.co/FQ9XN4Wmk7 pic.twitter.com/WiMtD4K936 RCSLT (@RCSLT) April 5, 2023 We are constantly trying to keep on top of recruitment. We definitely dont get as many applicants as we did. Its definitely getting harder across the country to recruit at Band 6 and above, the more experienced staff. Charlotte Colesby, speech and language therapy services manager at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, has also been a speech and language therapist for more than 30 years and agreed that recruiting into specialist posts is more challenging. Both said good relationships with local universities were key to recruiting newly qualified SLTs while grow your own initiatives to help staff to develop into more specialist roles was important in terms of filling senior vacancies. The RCSLT survey results found more than 900 jobs were vacant out of around 4,000 full-time equivalent roles in more than 250 services which responded. As the RCSLT estimates that around 40% of services in the UK responded to its survey, the number of vacancies is likely to be much higher. The survey found the vacancy rate in childrens SLT services was 14% in Scotland and 11% in Wales, while adult services had vacancy rates of 15% in Wales and 8% in Scotland. Data for Northern Ireland was not shown separately due to the small number of services which responded. An NHS England spokesperson said: The NHS is working hard to reduce waiting times and improve outcomes for children and young peoples services, including those commissioned by local authorities, and is developing a long term workforce plan to ensure services have the right numbers of appropriate staff over the coming years. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: Cutting waiting lists is one of the Prime Ministers top five priorities and we are working tirelessly to support the NHS following the pandemic and a difficult winter, backed by up to 14.1 billion for health and social care over the next two years. Were working hard to reduce waiting lists, and the NHS is improving support for children and young people by developing plans to reduce waiting lists for community health services this includes considering transforming service pathways and improving effectiveness and productivity. The survey was carried out via Survey Monkey from January 3 to February 8 2023 and promoted via the RCSLTs communication channels. Services were asked to define their total planned qualified SLT workforce on a full-time equivalent basis as at December 31 2022 and asked to give their vacant posts on a full-time equivalent basis at the same date. Teachers should support drag queen story time events to create a more inclusive atmosphere in schools, an education union has suggested. More schools should be encouraged to set up LGBT+ spaces and lunch clubs for pupils, the National Education Unions (NEU) annual conference heard. A motion passed at the conference said initiatives, like drag queen story time, and inviting LGBT+ authors into schools can help challenge the heteronormative culture and curriculum in education. It comes after a far-right protest was held outside Tate Britain in February, where a drag queen storytelling event was being held for children. The motion called on the unions executive to publicly support initiatives like drag queen story time, to develop a more inclusive atmosphere in schools. Delegates voted for the union to work with LGBT+ educators to create guidance on how to set up LGBT+ spaces or lunch clubs so more schools participate and the spaces become usualised through practice. Darren Nuttall, a teacher from Rotherham, said: There are still pupils and teachers that will pick on LGBT+ students. Lets give the kids the support they deserve and the spaces they deserve. The motion, which was passed at the conference in Harrogate, said some schools have not allowed LGBT+ authors into schools. Delegate Sara Hope told the conference it took her almost a decade to find an LGBT+ safe space when she was a student, adding: For many of our LGBT+ students in schools right now things havent really changed. Help protect our LGBT+ students in schools by creating more safe spaces and LGBT+ clubs. The motion added: The Government is creating a hostile environment for trans people through the use of Section 35 to block the Scottish Gender Recognition Reform Act. This has encouraged the far-right to organise further attacks on drag queen story time and has created an atmosphere where hate crime can thrive. Shelby Millard, from Sutton, told the conference she had spoken to drag queens who run a story time session in London who said they were quite sick of having to go places with police escort just so they are safe. She added: The fact that Rishi Sunak has used Section 35 to stop the Scottish Gender Recognition Reform Act is sickening. He is supporting the far-right attacks on drag queen story time. He is supporting the murder of beautiful souls like Brianna (Ghey). He is saying hate and abuse is fine. We wont stand for this. Transgender teenager Brianna Ghey, from Birchwood, Warrington, was found with fatal stab wounds on a path in Culcheth Linear Park on February 11. A boy and a girl, both aged 15, have been charged with Briannas murder. After the debate on Wednesday, an NEU spokesperson said: The teacher concerned unreservedly apologises for the wording in her conference speech. She apologises and withdraws the specific allegation that Rishi Sunak supported the murder of a young trans girl. Many trans and non-binary teachers feel strongly that the Government is not doing enough to support them but it is essential that we always debate policy solutions in calm and measured ways. On the passing of the motion, Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: Teachers need time and support to develop curriculum resources which are inclusive and representative, and such time for building a creative curriculum is in very short supply. The Government is seriously failing to support trans people which means the creation of LGBT+ spaces and networks in schools and colleges is now more necessary. The buzz generated by a U2 concert in Belfast during the referendum campaign for the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement boosted the Yes campaign, Mark Durkan has said. Mr Durkan, who headed the SDLPs campaign for a Yes vote, described the challenge of countering strong campaigning by those opposed to the accord in May 1998. Those campaigning for a No vote included the DUP and then UKUP, and raised concerns including over the release of paramilitary prisoners and a lack of decommissioning by the terrorist groups. Mr Durkan said images of released prisoners being cheered at events had caused discomfort across the community. IRA prisoners being released from HMP Maze in 1998 (PA) In an interview with the PA news agency, Mr Durkan said they wanted to get at least two thirds (66%) backing the agreement, but opinion polls were showing a more marginal vote. You had a strong No campaign and that was a difficulty during the referendum in that the pro-agreement parties had different things we were emphasising about what was achieved in the agreement, he said. It was a wee bit like the holograms on a bank card, unionists would have seen one thing, and nationalists would hold it up and see another thing. We had to be open and honest in public about that. The No campaign, criticised it in all sorts of ways, no matter what arguments the rest of us used, they were taken and distorted and used by the No campaign. We had very visible events with prisoners appearing at rallies and celebratory scenes, loyalist events, and there was a lot of resentment, not just among unionists, we were starting to hear many people feel very uncomfortable about this sort of overtone to the agreement. I remember John Hume making a point of ringing Gerry Adams to see if some of the rhetoric and the imagery could be toned down on the Sinn Fein side because he believed in particular it was causing difficulties for David Trimble and the Ulster Unionist Party. Mr Durkan said then secretary of state Mo Mowlam urged a powerful handshake moment to generate momentum for the Yes campaign. They sounded out different groups, from businesses to trade unions and churches, for an event that Mr Hume and Mr Trimble could appear at together. They ended up on stage with U2 frontman Bono during a concert at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast. Just a few days later, some 71% of the population in Northern Ireland voted Yes to the agreement, with 28% voting No. Mr Durkan said his party colleague Tim Attwood was approached by music promoter Eamonn McCann who said he could get the Waterfront Hall and the band Ash from Downpatrick, and asked to use their contacts with Bono to make an appearance. The original line-up was going to be Bono, and then it was Bono and The Edge, and then it was U2, but that became the handshake moment in the final week of the referendum campaign, he said. It created a positive image in those final few days, it also created a sense of vitality and energy. You had the emancipation of a different generation as well which I think was hugely important. The No campaign was making headway, theres no two ways about it, and those of us who were on the Yes side were conscious of the fact that we were a bit of a Tower of Babel, there were different messages being said. So being able to have this event with the high impact video footage and the photos on all the front pages, that counted for an awful lot. Here was something that was positive, it was energetic, it was hopeful, and that wasnt what the no campaign was offering. Britain is spending more than three times the amount of aid money used to alleviate poverty in Africa on asylum seekers and refugees in the UK, figures show. Ministers were facing fresh criticism for diverting the overseas aid budget to the UK after it was announced that nearly 3.7 billion was spent on in-donor refugee costs (IDRC) last year. That was an increase of 2.6 billion from 2021, and dwarfs the 1.1 billion spent on Africa, according to provisional Foreign Office figures published on Wednesday. They came as the Home Office prepared to confirm it has acquired a barge to house hundreds of asylum seekers off the Dorset coast as Rishi Sunak tries to tackle small boat crossings. The official aid watchdog warned that the diverting of the budget to domestic issues meant very little was available for humanitarian crises like the floods in Pakistan and drought in Somalia. Nearly 29% of the 12.8 billion spent under Britains overseas aid budget already shrunk by the Prime Ministers cuts was focused on projects in the UK. In 2021, the share spent in the UK was a little over 9%. The Foreign Office attributed the increase in IDRC to spending on Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion and the resettlement of Afghans after the Taliban takeover. Africa remains the largest recipient of UK aid, receiving 1.1 billion last year, but that was down from 1.3 billion in 2021. Kathleen Spencer Chapman, a director at the Plan International UK childrens rights organisation, accused the Government of failing women and girls around the world. We are deeply concerned that the Government is using large chunks of an already reduced aid budget to pay for a domestic asylum system that is not fit for purpose, she said. In its relentless push to slash overseas aid, the Government is failing women and girls around the world. We need an effective and fully funded asylum system, but the funding must not come at the expense of communities facing crises overseas. Diverting overseas aid means less support for the east Africa hunger crisis, where children are dying from hunger. We urge the Government to allocate funds directly and transparently to the UK asylum system, and to urgently refocus the aid budget on to those areas for which it was intended chiefly tackling global poverty and the impacts of climate change, promoting gender equality and responding to humanitarian crises. Ranil Dissanayake, from the Centre for Global Development international aid think tank, described the figures as striking and discouraging. Its a complete break with the past, and a total transformation of our aid budget. No one could possibly justify these allocations on development grounds, he added. International aid rules mean the first-year costs of supporting refugees in a donor country can qualify as official development assistance, though the rule has been controversial. Tamsyn Barton, the chief commissioner of the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI), which scrutinises use of the aid budget, said: While it is permitted within the rules, allowing the soaring costs of asylum seekers and refugees in the UK to take such a high proportion of the aid budget meant that very little was available for humanitarian emergencies like the Pakistan floods and the drought in Somalia. The ICAIs earlier review found this to be an inefficient and inequitable use of UK aid and, by using the aid budget to cover these costs, the Home Office has been less incentivised to find a longer-term approach and achieve value for money for UK taxpayers. Preet Kaur Gill, Labours shadow cabinet minister for international development, said the statistics reveal the dire incompetence of policy to divert the aid budget to prop up (the Governments) failing asylum system. She added: For years the Home Office has failed to look after taxpayers money by tackling the asylum backlog. Britain deserves better. Labour will ensure that taxpayers money is treated with the respect it deserves, solve the Governments asylum chaos with our comprehensive plan to tackle Channel crossings, speed up decision-making and break up the criminal people smuggling gangs, and put in place a new model for development with the independence needed to meet the challenges of the 21st century and tackle the root causes forcing people to flee their homes in the first place. Mr Sunak, as chancellor in 2021, slashed the UKs aid spending from 0.7% of gross national income to 0.5%. He cited the economic hit from the coronavirus pandemic but has subsequently chosen not to restore the original spending level. Meanwhile, the number of people who crossed the English Channel on small boats has reached almost 4,000 this year. Government figures showed 201 irregular migrants were detected making the trip in six boats on on Tuesday, taking the total this year to 3,994. US President Joe Bidens visit to the island of Ireland next week is about welcoming a son of Ireland home, Leo Varadkar has said. The White House confirmed the trip earlier on Wednesday, and said it would mark the tremendous progress since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago. Mr Biden is to visit Belfast first, before travelling on to Dublin, with visits also planned to Co Louth and Co Mayo, where his ancestors hail from. The president will deliver a public address outside St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina, Co Mayo on Friday evening, which will be open to the public to attend. He will also address the Irish parliament in the Dail chamber next Thursday, becoming the fourth US president to do so following John F Kennedys address in June 1963, Ronald Reagans in June 1984 and Bill Clintons in December 1995. Irish premier Mr Varadkar told reporters that the visit offered an opportunity to advance issues that had been discussed during the Washington DC visit more than two weeks ago. The number one objective of President Bidens visit to Ireland is to welcome a son of Ireland home, to welcome home a great Irish American president and to cement and strengthen the really good relationship that we have at the moment with the US. I dont think relations have ever been stronger or closer between Ireland and the US, and we want to cement that and use the opportunity of the meetings that were going to have. He added: The United States was a steadfast partner throughout the peace process over many decades, and through many administrations, its role was immense and indispensable. The presidents visit will allow us to celebrate and honour that contribution. When I met him in the White House on St Patricks Day, President Biden made it very clear the way he celebrates all that has been achieved, especially in the period since the Good Friday Agreement. Our shared focus should be on the future, not the past. And thats why there will be an opportunity to look ahead to the next chapter, the next 25 years. He said it was not clear how much the US presidential visit would cost, but added most of the costs would be on security. He also said that it was understood that the First Lady, Jill Biden, would not be travelling to Ireland. When asked whether he hoped Mr Bidens visit would encourage the restoration of Northern Irelands institutions, Mr Varadkar said: I hope it can help. Certainly in the past when the White House has turned its attention to affairs in Northern Ireland, theyve been able to push the British government to do a little bit more, theyve been able to push us to do more and sometimes they have an influence on the different political parties in Northern Ireland. So I think it can only help. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed the visit would last from April 11-14 and would take in four locations. She said: President Joseph R Biden Jr will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland from April 11-14. President Biden will first travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland, from April 11-12 to mark the tremendous progress since the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago and to underscore the readiness of the United States to support Northern Irelands vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities. The president will then travel to Ireland from April 12-14. He will discuss our close co-operation on the full range of shared global challenges. He will also hold various engagements, including in Dublin, County Louth and County Mayo, where he will deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people. It will be a privilege and an honour for us to welcome President Biden to Ireland @POTUS pic.twitter.com/8H4C6lGP8b Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) April 5, 2023 Sinn Fein MLA Conor Murphy said it was a missed opportunity that the visit was occurring at a time when the Stormont Assembly in Northern Ireland was not sitting as part of a DUP protest at post-Brexit trading arrangements. He said: President Biden is coming here, it is the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, the entire international focus is on this place and, from the DUP perspective, there is nobody at the wheel. Conor Murphy said it was a missed opportunity that the Stormont powersharing institutions were not operational for the visit of the President (Brian Lawless/PA) There is an economic focus to President Bidens visit, there is an economic focus to the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement and we have nobody here to talk on behalf of the businesses and economy here. DUP MLA Gordon Lyons said he hoped the visit would emphasise the economic opportunities available in Northern Ireland. The president can trace his ancestry to Irelands west and east coasts, specifically Ballina in Co Mayo and the Cooley Peninsula in Co Louth. His great-great-grandfather Owen Finnegan emigrated to the United States from the Cooley peninsula while another great-great-grandfather, Patrick Blewitt, was born in Ballina, leaving during the Irish famine in 1850 to sail to America. Distant relatives celebrated his election win in November 2020 back in Ireland and gathered again in January 2021 to mark his inauguration. The presidential visit to the island will have a strong focus on the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday peace agreement. Recently, Mr Biden made clear an increase in activity by violent dissident republicans opposed to the peace process in Northern Ireland would not deter him. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak invited Mr Biden to Northern Ireland (Leon Neal/PA) No. They cant keep me out, he told reporters. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had invited Mr Biden to come to Northern Ireland to mark the agreements anniversary. Last month, Mr Varadkar told the president that his trip to the island of Ireland would be a visit like no other. I promise you that were going to roll out the red carpet, he pledged to Mr Biden during their St Patricks Day meeting in Washington DC. White House officials and Secret Service personnel have already visited proposed locations as part of planning for the visit. Former US president Bill Clinton and his wife and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton will be in Belfast the week after Mr Biden for more events to commemorate the landmark accord that largely ended the Troubles. Other key figures involved in securing the deal are also due to travel to the city. Kenny G and his wife separated in January 2012 following 20 years of marriage Barry King/FilmMagic Kenny G has lost the latest legal battle with his ex-wife of 10 years. The legendary saxophonist, whose real name is Kenneth Gorelick, and Balynda "Lyndie" Benson-Gorelick married on April 5, 1992, and separated on Jan. 9, 2012. They share sons Noah Reed, now 25, and Maxwell Benson, now 29, per their original divorce court documents obtained by PEOPLE on Tuesday. In the 10-year-old filing, Kenny was ordered to pay Balynda $30,000 a month until July 1, 2015, when he would no longer have to pay child support for their two sons. At that time, his spousal support to Balynda went up to $40,000 a month and would stay at that amount until Kenny or Balynda died or remarried. Related:Reese Witherspoon Leaning on Friends amid Divorce: 'She Has a Lot of Support' (Source) [Exclusive] Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic In court documents filed last fall, Kenny, 66, asked a judge to lower the amount of spousal support he pays to Balynda each month, alleging that he doesn't make as much money, according to The Daily Mail. He claimed, via his attorney celebrity divorce attorney Laura Wasser that his career has taken a hit over the last couple of years and he isn't touring like he once was. "Lyndie has refused to become fully self-supporting for almost 10 years. Kenny should not have to continue to bear the burden of her refusal to do so," the documents alleged, per the outlet. Days later, in court documents obtained by PEOPLE, a judge in the Superior Court of California for Los Angeles County noted the complex financial details of the ongoing legal battle and instead of ruling on Kenny's request, ruled in Balynda's favor concerning attorney's fees. Related:Eva Marcille to Divorce Michael Sterling Following 4 Years of Marriage: 'One of the Hardest Decisions' "Underneath it all, this is a relatively straightforward case of a post-judgment modification of spousal support and enforcement of the terms of the original Judgment and 'Further Judgment,' " wrote Commissioner Scott J. Nord. He noted the "spousal support matter" and said that Kenny had already stated he earns $600,000 a month in rental income alone "with very negligible expenses." "In comparison to the income [Balynda] receives and funds she has access to, there can be no other finding but a significant disparity between the parties," the ruling states, adding that Kenny's additional income and assets haven't even been included. Once they are, he could make five to 10 times as much as his ex-wife or more. RELATED VIDEO: Kelly Clarkson Says Brandon Blackstock Divorce 'Wasn't an Overnight Decision': 'It Rips You Apart' Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In the meantime, Balynda was awarded $250,000 in her request for attorney's fees ($175,000 for past services and $75,000 for any future services) plus an additional $35,000 for future legal costs and another $35,000 for past legal costs. Her total award for attorney's fees and legal costs equals $320,000. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Despite claims from immigration hardliners, "Dreamers" immigrants who are recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Act havent been taking away jobs from Americans, a new study from the University of Delaware found. DACA, which was put into place by President Obama in 2012, shields undocumented individuals who were brought into the country as children from deportation and allows them to obtain work authorization. The Trump administration rescinded DACA in 2017, and at the time then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions claimed that DACA "denied jobs to hundreds of thousands of Americans by allowing those same jobs to go to illegal aliens." Diana Calderon, a student who has benefited from the DACA immigration program, introduces President Obama at the White House, October 15, 2015. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst President Biden reinstated DACA upon taking office, though the policy is facing challenges in court and its fate remains unclear. More than a decade after it was passed, the report from The University of Delaware states: DACA did not harm the labor market outcomes of native born workers. There is suggestive evidence that the policy had a positive impact on the fraction of natives working. Thats because when a new worker enters the economy, they end up creating other jobs for other workers elsewhere, David Bier, immigration policy analyst at the Cato Institute, told Yahoo Finance. I think the nativist version of events is really divorced from economic reality. They treat an immigrant worker coming into the economy completely differently than they treat a U.S. worker entering the economy, when an economist looking at the situation would say the economic effect is the same and it doesnt matter whether theyre born here or born somewhere else. The end result is going to be the same, which is ultimately a benefit overall to our well-being and living standard. Dreamers 'have already been participating in the U.S. economy' According to data from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), there are currently 589,660 DACA recipients as of Sept. 30, 2022. While they are spread out across the U.S., a large number reside in California and Texas. Most DACA holders are under the age of 30 and are originally from Mexico, followed by El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Peru. DACA is a very interesting policy to think about economically, Emily Battaglia, author of the report and assistant professor of economics at the University of Delaware, told Yahoo Finance. By construction of the policy, the cohort of DACA-eligible immigrants are not new immigrants. Theyve been in the country for many years and have already been participating in the U.S. economy. Data from FWD.us, a bipartisan organization that advocates for immigration reform, found that DACA recipients contribute roughly $11.7 billion to the U.S. economy each year. This includes roughly $566.9 million in mortgage payments, $2.3 billion in rental payments, and $3.1 billion in state and local taxes on an annual basis, according to the Center for American Progress. We rely on Dreamers and their service to our nation as doctors, teachers, or members of our military," Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) said in a statement to Yahoo Finance. "They support our country in these roles while also paying billions in federal taxes annually, which supports programs like Medicare or Social Security. ... We are better off for the contributions of Dreamers, and a path forward to lawful permanent residence is long overdue. FWD.us data also shows that 77% of DACA holders are actively working and 91% finished high school. Bier explained that DACA's employment authorization allows these individuals to do more productive work instead of taking on lower-paying positions. Thats a benefit to the economy and to U.S. job growth because their productivity means higher wages, and that translates to more consumer spending thats creating jobs at other businesses in other industries, Bier said. Obviously theyre filling certain positions in the economy, but the fact is that they also create demand for other jobs elsewhere. They produce things of value for a company. The company pays them money, then they buy housing and consumer goods and services elsewhere. That creates jobs for U.S. workers in other positions. As a result, the presence of Dreamers may actually be a boon to the U.S. workforce. DACA holders are as productive as many U.S. citizens, if not more so, according to FWD.us data. For those ages 24-31, the age range that a majority of Dreamers fall into, 85% of DACA recipients participate in the U.S. labor force versus 82% of U.S. citizens. Within that age range, the median annual income for DACA recipients is $23,000 versus $20,000 for U.S. citizens. "There is suggestive evidence that the [DACA] policy had a positive impact on the fraction of natives working," the University of Delaware study stated. "The largest estimates suggest increasing a local area's DACA-eligible population by three individuals is associated with an increase of one native working. This increase in the fraction of natives working stems from drawing individuals out of unemployment and from individuals entering the labor force." Bier explained that employers creating more jobs to accommodate the larger population has increased productivity, which in turn "creates demand for more workers, so theres no downside to having a larger immigration flow where more people are authorized to work. So theres no net effect because if a worker comes and they produce something of value... thats creating jobs across the country," he said. "It might not be at the same company or might not be the same exact job, but they are still creating those positions. And thats why despite the fact that the labor force has doubled in size since World War II, we dont have mass unemployment and were not all poorer as a consequence. This post was updated with a statement from the office of Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL). Adriana Belmonte is a reporter and editor covering politics and health care policy for Yahoo Finance. You can follow her on Twitter @adrianambells and reach her at adriana@yahoofinance.com. Click here for politics news related to business and money Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York mocked Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia after the Republicans appearance at a rally to protest the arraignment of former President Donald Trump ended with her being drowned out by counter-protesters. Welcome to NYC! Ms Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. Where there are still social consequences for shameless bigotry. Welcome to NYC! Where there are still social consequences for shameless bigotry https://t.co/tjE4At3jmK Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 4, 2023 Ms Greene, among the most outspoken far right Republicans in Congress, travelled to heavily-Democratic New York to rally supporters of Mr Trumps supporters outside the courthouse in Manhattan where he was arraigned. It was not the easiest trip. Turnout for Ms Greenes rally was relatively light, with pro-Trump protesters reportedly outnumbered by reporters. Some members of the New York Young Republican Club were on hand for the event, joined, briefly, by Rep George Santos of New York. But it was hard to hear part of Ms Greenes remarks due to noise made by counter-protesters endevouring to drown out her hate speech as it was described this week by New York City mayor Eric Adams. Kind of a fascinating development. The reason you cant hear Marjorie Taylor Greene, and why this whole thing is off the rails, is because a man has been handing out free whistles. I talked to him. Turns out hes a Trump supporter and he had no idea MTG was even here. pic.twitter.com/0RJqdyw7H5 Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) April 4, 2023 Another reason it may have been hard to hear Ms Greene was that Trump supporters reportedly handed out whistles, apparently unaware of the effect the whistling would have on pro-Trump speeches. Those who could hear Ms Greenes remarks heard her strike out at a range of figures including Mr Adams and argue that charging former leaders for alleged crimes is something that happens in communist countries. Im here to protest and use my voice and take a stand, Ms Greene said during her speech. Every American should take a stand. This is what happens in communist countries not the United States of America. We have to take a stand against the injustice, the corruption, and the communist Democrats. On Tuesday night, Ms Ocasio-Cortez sounded a very different note after Mr Trump posted a picture of the daughter of the judge presiding over his criminal case on social media. Lets be very clear: intimidation and stochastic terror are the core tools of Trump and the fascist movements that support him, Ms Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. They rely on it to skirt consequence and silence others - and each time it works, they grow more brazen. One reason why accountability is so important[.] PALM BEACH, Fla. Just hours after he left his fingerprints in a Manhattan courthouse and on American history, former President Donald Trump returned to his home turf at the Mar-a-Lago club here and proclaimed that he is being unjustly persecuted by prosecution. "They cant beat us at the ballot box, so they try to beat us through the law," Trump, the first former president ever charged with a crime, said Tuesday night to a room of supporters that included luminaries of his movement, such as defeated Arizona GOP gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake, voter fraud evangelist Mike Lindell and Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and Ronny Jackson, R-Texas. "We are a nation in decline, and now these radical left lunatics want to interfere in elections by using law enforcement," Trump said, tying his prosecution and the multiple investigations he faces to his false claims of a rigged election in 2020. "We cant let that happen." Speaking for less than 30 minutes, Trump was more subdued than usual, and it seemed the long day had taken its toll on him. But he didn't stop with lambasting the case in New York. Rather, he turned his attention to additional legal jeopardy he faces. He called on prosecutors in Atlanta to "drop" a case into his effort to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia, condemned an ongoing federal investigation into his handling of classified documents, mocked a New York state investigation into his business and described special counsel Jack Smith who is overseeing the federal probe into his handling of classified documents and his actions around the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol as a "lunatic." "With all of this being said, and with a very dark cloud over our beloved country, I have no doubt nevertheless we will make America great again," Trump said. The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it.Former President Donald Trump "The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it," he added. The twin spectacles centered on one man a former president standing first as a defendant and later as the favorite for the 2024 Republican nomination brought into sharp relief a set of uniquely Trumpian paradoxes gripping the nation and testing its ideals. The salacious allegations of Trump's safeguarding his 2016 campaign by deploying a fixer to buy the silence of a porn star paramour are somehow wrapped in a pedestrian 34-count indictment on felony charges of falsifying business records to keep the electorate in the dark about previous alleged affairs. The whole world was watching as Trump pleaded not guilty, and yet legal experts say the case puts him in far less jeopardy than allegations that he tried to overturn Georgia's election results, incited an insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and illegally mishandled classified documents. But the most seemingly irreconcilable truths may be that Trump's political fortunes are rising at least in Republican primary polls as his legal troubles mount. Greene credited Trump's prosecutor, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, with expanding the former president's lead over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in an interview Tuesday. Following his court, former President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on April 4, 2023. (Chandan Khanna / AFP - Getty Images) "Alvin Bragg is making the best case possible to Republican voters to vote for Donald Trump," Greene said. "Alvin Bragg is also making the best case possible to independent voters to vote for Donald Trump." The latter assertion isn't supported by recent public opinion surveys, but it raises the specter of a nightmare scenario for the GOP: Trump's travails could propel him to the nomination, only to cost the party the White House in November 2024. "We dont know how any of this will play out the legal process, the politics or the impact on the nation more generally," said Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University and the author of numerous books on American presidents. "But we can understand how this is a first effort, relevant even if it fails, to restore some sense of accountability with those who hold the highest levels of power." In that way, the conflicting black-and-white narratives of Trump's allies and critics who portray him as a martyr and a crook, respectively may elide the fuzzier question of when political action becomes criminal activity. Kim Wehle, a law professor who worked in independent counsel Kenneth Starr's office during President Bill Clinton's impeachment, said Trump's positions as a candidate and a former president don't make his actions political rather than criminal. The fact that he is embroiled in politics does not somehow lower the standard or change the standard for prosecution from the standpoint of lawyers and the law.Law professor Kim Wehle To call this political, when it is about a politician, is double-speak," Wehle said. "There are plenty of politicians who have been indicted, prosecuted and convicted over American history. The fact that he is embroiled in politics does not somehow lower the standard or change the standard for prosecution from the standpoint of lawyers and the law. She said she believes Bragg would have indicted Trump only if he believed he could prove crimes were committed. If the facts are very weak and not provable beyond a reasonable doubt but a prosecutor brings a charge anyway just to make an impact politically, that would arguably be a different matter," Wehle said. "But by all accounts, Bragg is a careful and experienced prosecutor. He understands the stakes, so I doubt this will be a flimsy case. Before his discordantly triumphant return to the Mar-a-Lago club, Trump demonstrated his ability to shape his own story at least for the voters who identify with his Make America Great Again set. As he rolled toward the courthouse in a caravan, Trump posted a note to his followers on the Truth Social media platform that captured both his defiance and the personal shock of the moment. "Seems so SURREAL WOW, they are going to ARREST ME," he wrote. "Cant believe this is happening in America. MAGA!" Trump wasn't subjected to posing for a mug shot during his arrest, but he mugged for news cameras when he took the stage at Mar-a-Lago. Earlier in the day, his campaign blasted an email out to supporters offering donors a shirt emblazoned with a fake Trump mug shot above the words "NOT GUILTY." Asked whether the New York case could hurt Trump in a general election, Lake said: "Not at all. Are you kidding?" "President Trump has been bullied every damn day since he dared to stand up for we the people," she said, adding: "He's being bullied, and you know who the victim is? We the people, and we're tired of it." Trump found a warm embrace from the hundreds of people who came to his club to welcome him home. Many of them wore clothes bearing Trump's name, including a group of pro-Trump bikers in sleeveless leather jackets with "45" in the center on the back his number in the line of American presidents. Lance Winkler, a retired church musician, said he is a Trump backer who came to the club for the first time Tuesday because of the indictment. "It had no appeal to come here except that Im worried about the country," Winkler said. "He was arrested today, and Im pretty sure that its political." Winkler said he believes Trumps political opponents are setting up to steal the 2024 election a claim connected to Trumps false assertion that his 2020 defeat was fraudulent. "Hell win, but he may not be president," Winkler said of Trumps chances if hes the GOP nominee. Not all of the guests at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday are committed to Trump in 2024. Laura Petrillo, a club member with homes in New York and Florida, said she sees the Manhattan case as a witch hunt. But Petrillo, a stay-at-home mom, confided shes not sure whom she will back in the GOP primary, expressing worry that legal trouble could hinder Trump in a general election. I do have concerns about that, she said. With too little pushback on Marjorie Taylor Greene's bonkers ideas, Lesley Stahl normalized the abnormal. (CBS Photo Archive / Getty Images) They didnt listen to me over at CBS, not that Im surprised. The fact is, though, 60 Minutes producers and correspondent Lesley Stahl probably were already at work on Sundays prime-time 14-minute tribute to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene when I wrote here a month ago that we Americans should ignore the extremist Republican congresswoman as much as possible. That we should adapt her bonkers idea of a national divorce a severing of red states from blue to instead quit her. The inordinate attention Greene gets is her oxygen, allowing her to spread the outrageous, divisive messages and far-right conspiracy theories that endear her to white nationalist audiences, and make her a fundraising juggernaut. And now here I am, (sheepishly) feeling like Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part III: Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in. However, they isnt so much Greene and her antics as it is the media. Too many reporters,assignment editorsand producers are obsessed about covering attention-addicted, anti-democratic demagogues like the congresswoman and her idol, Donald Trump. Tuesday was a two-fer: Reporters swarmed Manhattan to cover both the arraignment of the former president on criminal charges, and the pro-Trump rally there for which Greene was the self-appointed head cheerleader. Trump is joining some of the most incredible people in history being arrested today, she told Right Side Broadcasting Network. Nelson Mandela was arrested, served time in prison. Jesus! Jesus was arrested and murdered by the Roman government. (Not only did Greene not get any pushback for those idiotic parallels, she got a peck on the cheek afterward from the interviewer for the right-wing network, a man she has been dating.) The Trump Show was back, and the star was sharing the limelight with a real-life Apprentice and successor in waiting. For a while, I thought the media, especially the cable news networks, were repenting of their journalistic sins in 2015 and 2016, when news outlets lavished billions of dollars worth of free air time and countless inches of print on the performative Trump and his hate-mongering. Even Fox News is no longer carrying every Trump rally live and in full. Or maybe they hadn't seen the light, just that the ratings, clicks and ad dollars werent what they used to be. Whether an indicted Trump reclaims the medias attention on the old scale or not, Greene represents new material and a fresh face for news outlets that thrive on controversy and conflict. Im reminded yet again of what disgraced former CBS chief Les Moonves said back in 2016 about hyper-covering Trump: It may not be good for America, but its damn good for CBS. His successors at the network must be saying the same thing about Greene. Yes, shes a newsmaker, but that doesnt justify the coveted prize of a profile on the venerable 60 Minutes. And it really doesnt justify so lightly challenging a woman who still considers Trump the real president. Just a week before the profile aired, Greene led a tour of the D.C. jail, to visit the defendants there political prisoners, she calls them charged with crimes related to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. In December she said that if shed organized events that day, We would have won Not to mention, it would have been armed. Yet interviewer Stahl didnt ask Greene about the 2020 presidential election or the terrorist assault on the Capitol, even though she and like-minded Republicans are using their House majority to rewrite history on both. Instead, Stahl sympathetically repeated to a stricken-looking Greene some epithets that folks in both parties have used against her. But she didnt follow with examples of the many attacks Greene has dished against others. Later in the piece,Stahl did confront Greene about calling Democrats pedophiles. But when Greene unabashedly owned the statement, Stahl was literally and naively rendered nearly speechless. Wow, she muttered, and rolled her eyes. So predictably emboldened was Greene by the exchange that she tweeted this the next day: Ill say it again: Democrats are the party of pedophiles, linking to a reprehensible video titled The Predator President. It mashed up clips of Biden with children including his poignant encounter with a boy who, like the president, stutters as evidence of the presidents purported depravity. Greene denied to Stahl that she had once liked a social media post suggesting someone fire a bullet into then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosis head. Maybe her staff did it, she claimed. Stahl might have followed up with something more current: like whether Greene takes any responsibility when such attacks encourage an unhinged extremist to pound a hammer into the head of Pelosis husband Paul. But no. Clearly Stahl spent lots of time with Greene. There was video of the two women talking in Washington, at Greenes white-columned manse in Georgia, on the streets in her rural district with Greenes admiring constituents, and even in the gym, where Greene lifted weights. But Stahl apparently didnt spend as much time researching Greenes record. She introduced Greene with the discordant observation that shes known to be smart and fearless, and has a history of believing in conspiracy theories. Stahl said Greene is influencing the direction of Republican policies but didnt say which ones. In fact, Greene (like Trump) reflects a Republican Party that has become policy-phobic. Culture wars are their thing. At least Stahl brought up the looming showdown with President Biden and Democrats in Congress over raising the nations debt limit so the government can pay its bills. Greene reiterated Republicans ransom for their votes big spending cuts and Stahl pushed for specifics. But when Greene replied with the weak party line cut Bidens green-energy programs Stahl failed to note what's been widely reported: One of the biggest beneficiaries so far is a job-creating solar-panel manufacturer in Greenes district. Late Sunday, Greene told the news website Semafor that she liked the 60 Minutes piece. No wonder. If youre trying to normalize the egregiously abnormal, what wasnt to like? @jackiekcalmes This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Why is China so angry about Taiwan president meeting US Speaker McCarthy? Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen delivers a speech as she attends a banquet hosted by Belizean Prime Minister John Briceno, in Belize TAIPEI (Reuters) -U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will host a meeting in California on Wednesday with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen, part of a sensitive U.S. stopover that has drawn Chinese threats of retaliation. Here are the key issues in Taiwan-U.S., China-U.S. and Taiwan-China relations, why China is so angry about the meeting and what it might do to express its anger: WHY IS CHINA SO ANGRY? Taiwan is a deeply emotive issue for China's ruling Communist Party, and for Chinese President Xi Jinping. The People's Republic of China has claimed Taiwan as its territory since the defeated Republic of China government fled to the island in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong's communists. China has repeatedly called on U.S. officials not to engage with Taiwanese leaders, viewing it as support for Taiwan's desire to be viewed as separate from China. China has never renounced the use of force to bring democratically governed Taiwan under its control, and in 2005 passed a law giving Beijing the legal basis for military action against Taiwan if it secedes or seems about to. HOW WILL CHINA REACT TO THE MEETING? China staged war games around Taiwan last August after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, and has threatened unspecified retaliation if the McCarthy meeting goes ahead. While Taiwanese and U.S. officials have said in the run-up to the McCarthy-Tsai meeting they have not seen any unusual activity from China's military, Taiwan is also on alert for any further Chinese drills. Taiwanese and U.S. officials have also said that by staging the meeting outside of Taiwan it may help tone down China's reaction. Over the past three years or so, China's air force has flown almost daily into the skies near Taiwan, in which Taiwan calls "grey zone" warfare designed to test and wear out its forces. While China's air force has never flown into Taiwan's territorial airspace, it fired missiles high over the island after Pelosi's visit. WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TAIWAN AND THE UNITED STATES? In 1979, the United States severed official relations with the government in Taipei and instead recognised the government in Beijing. A Taiwan-U.S. defence treaty was terminated at the same time. Post-1979, the U.S. relationship with Taiwan has been governed by the Taiwan Relations Act, which gives a legal basis to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, but does not mandate that the United States come to Taiwan's aid if attacked. While the United States has long followed a policy of "strategic ambiguity" on whether it would intervene militarily to protect Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack, U.S. President Joe Biden has said he would be willing to use force to defend Taiwan. The United States continues to be Taiwan's most important international source of weapons, and Taiwan's contested status is a constant source of friction between Beijing and Washington. WHAT IS TAIWAN'S POSITION AND DIPLOMATIC STATUS? Taiwan's government says that as the People's Republic of China has never ruled the island it has no right to claim sovereignty over it or speak for or represent it on the world stage, and that only Taiwan's people can decide their future. Taiwan's official name continues to be the Republic of China, though these days the government often stylises it as the Republic of China (Taiwan). Only 13 countries now formally recognise Taiwan after Honduras ended ties last month. Taiwan's government says that as the Republic of China is a sovereign country and it has a right to state-to-state ties. WHAT ARE RELATIONS LIKE BETWEEN TAIPEI AND BEIJING? In one word - bad. China views Tsai as a separatist and has rebuffed repeated calls from her for talks. Tsai says she wants peace but that her government will defend Taiwan if it is attacked. She says the Republic of China and People's Republic of China are "not subordinate" to each other. Beijing says Tsai must accept that both China and Taiwan are part of "one China". (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Lincoln Feast.) Garment workers protest Tuesday outside Los Angeles City Hall. The Garment Worker Center called on the L.A. City Council to protect workers from gentrification brought on by zoning changes in the Downtown Community Plan. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Although cheap clothing can be appealing to consumers, the garment workers who made it in 2022 were often taken advantage of in Southern California, according to the U.S. Labor Department. The Labor Department said it randomly surveyed more than 50 garment-sewing contractors and manufacturers and found that 80% violated the Fair Labor Standards Act. In one case, "a contractor paid garment workers as little as $1.58 per hour," according to the report. The contractors and manufacturers included in the Southern California Garment Survey produced items for a wide range of retailers, including Bombshell Sportswear, Dillards, Lulus, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Socialite, Stitch Fix and Von Maur. "Despite our efforts to hold Southern Californias garment industry employers accountable, we continue to see people who make clothes sold by some of the nations leading retailers working in sweatshops, Ruben Rosalez, a regional administrator for the Labor Department in San Francisco, said in a news release. Many people shopping for clothes in stores and online are likely unaware that the Made in the USA merchandise theyre buying was, in fact, made by people earning far less than the U.S. law requires. Victor Narro, project director for the UCLA Labor Center, speaks Tuesday at a rally by Protect LA's Garment Jobs outside Los Angeles City Hall. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Garment workers continue to be victims of wage theft and illegal pay practices, the department said. More than half the employers were found to be "illegally paying workers part or all their wages off the books, with payroll records either deliberately forged or not provided," the report said. According to the report, in 32% of cases, workers earned piece-rate wages, a practice outlawed by California on Jan. 1, 2022. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill that mandated hourly pay for garment workers, saying SB 62 would "protect marginalized low-wage workers, many of whom are women of color and immigrants." In fiscal year 2021-22, Southern California investigators helped recover more than $892,000 in back wages and liquidated damages for 296 workers, the report said. This accounts for a small fraction of the 40,000 garment workers in Los Angeles, according to Protect LA's Garment Jobs, a campaign by the Garment Worker Center. Some 1,400 manufacturers and contractors are clustered around downtown L.A.'s Fashion District. The Garment Worker Center took part Tuesday morning in a protest outside Los Angeles City Hall, calling on the City Council to protect garment workers from what it sees as gentrification brought on by zoning changes in the Downtown Community Plan, or DTLA 2040. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli police entered Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque before dawn on Wednesday and clashed with worshippers, setting off a furious reaction from Palestinians across the occupied West Bank and crossborder strikes in Gaza. The incident, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and on the eve of the Jewish Passover, came amid fears that tensions built up during a year of escalating violence could be unleashed at the Al-Aqsa mosque, where clashes in 2021 set off a 10-day war with Gaza. At least nine rockets were fired from Gaza overnight, prompting air strikes from Israel which struck what it said were Hamas weapon production sites, setting off ground-shaking explosions heard across the blockaded coastal strip. Witnesses said Israeli tanks also shelled Hamas positions along the border fence in the southern part of the Gaza strip. As day broke, the situation appeared to have calmed but the Palestinian Red Crescent said 12 Palestinians had sustained wounds, including from rubber-tipped bullets and beatings, in clashes with Israeli police. It added that Israeli forces were preventing its medics from reaching the area. "In the yard to the eastern part of the compound, the police fired tear gas and stun grenades, it was a scene that I can't describe," said Fahmi Abbas, a worshipper at the mosque. "Then they stormed in and started beating everyone. They detained people and put the young men face down on the ground while they continued beating them." Israeli police outside Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque Videos circulating on social media, which Reuters could not independently verify, showed fireworks going off and police beating people inside one of the mosque buildings. Police video showed police entering the building while fire crackers exploded in the darkness. Israeli police said in a statement that security units were forced to enter the compound after what it called masked agitators locked themselves inside the mosque with fireworks, sticks and stones. "Following many continuous attempts to remove the individuals from the mosque using dialogue failed, police were forced to enter the compound in order to remove the individuals," the police said. "Throughout the presence of police forces in the compound, stones were thrown and multiple firecrackers were set off inside the mosque by many law-breaking individuals and rioters," the police statement said, adding that two police officers were wounded. It said police arrested and removed more than 350 people who had barricaded themselves inside. "The police did a good job," the hardline National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said in a statement. Thousands of worshippers spent the night in the mosque compound, amid fears of possible clashes with Jewish visitors to the site, which they revere as the Temple Mount, the site of Judaism's two ancient Temples. Under the longstanding "status quo" arrangement governing the area, which Israel says it maintains, non-Muslims can visit but only Muslims are allowed to worship in the mosque compound. Jewish visitors have increasingly prayed more or less openly at the site in defiance of the rules. Tension arises during clashes with Palestinians in Jerusalem's Old City The Waqf, the Jordanian-appointed organisation that manages the complex, considered the third holiest site in the Muslim world, described the police actions as a "flagrant assault on the identity and the function of the mosque as a place of worship for Muslims alone". The incident drew a sharp reaction from Arab countries. Jordan and Egypt, both involved in recent U.S.-backed efforts to de-escalate tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, issued separate statements strongly condemning the incident, while Saudi Arabia, with whom Israel hopes to normalise ties, said Israel's "storming" of Al-Aqsa undermined peace efforts. Hazem Qassem, a spokesperson for Hamas, the Islamist group that controls Gaza, said the overnight rocket fire was a response to the police raid in the Al-Aqsa mosque and showed Israel would not be able to separate Gaza from the West Bank. "The Zionist bombardment on Gaza was a failed attempt to prevent Gaza from continuing its support to our people in Jerusalem and the West Bank by all means," Qassem said. However neither Hamas, nor the Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad movement, claimed responsibility for the attacks, which were instead claimed by the smaller Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Popular Resistance Committee. The Israeli military says it holds Hamas responsible for all attacks from Gaza. Israeli airstrikes in Gaza The Palestinian Authority leadership condemned what it called Israel's attacks on worshippers, which it described as a crime. "We warn the occupation against crossing red lines at holy sites, which will lead to a big explosion," said Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. In the West Bank town of Beit Ummar, protestors burned tyres and threw rocks and explosive devices at Israeli soldiers, one of whom was shot and wounded. With Israel still reeling from weeks of domestic tension over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bitterly contested plans to rein in the powers of the Supreme Court, the incident added to an already fevered political atmosphere. Over the past year, Israeli forces have made thousands of arrests in the West Bank and killed more than 250 Palestinians, while more than 40 Israelis and three Ukrainians have died in Palestinian attacks. Israel captured East Jerusalem, including the Old City where the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is located, in a 1967 war and later annexed it in a move not recognised internationally. It regards Jerusalem as its eternal and indivisible capital. Palestinians want East Jerusalem for the capital of an independent state they seek in the West Bank and Gaza. A police officer writes a ticket. (iStockphoto/Getty Images) A 21-year veteran of the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department filed a lawsuit last month against the agency, alleging that he was forced to meet illegal ticket quotas and target minority communities. The complaint came months after the Department of Justice announced an investigation into the police departments employment practices and alleged discrimination against Black officers. Edward Williams, a white man, alleges that over the last seven years the department has threatened to demote officers to the overnight shift if they didnt fulfill ticket quotas. When I first was contacted in regards to this matter I had to look into it, because I didnt know that ticket quotas were not legal, Gerald Gray, Williamss attorney, told Yahoo News. Ticket quotas have been illegal in Missouri since August 2016. The law states: No political subdivision or law enforcement agency shall have a policy requiring or encouraging an employee to issue a certain number of citations for traffic violations on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, or other quota basis. But even with these laws in place, theres either subtle or overt ticket quotas that are occurring all the time, Jay Beeber, director of policy and research at the National Motorists Association, told Yahoo News. Demonstrators at police headquarters in downtown Kansas City, Mo., in June 2020 protest the death of George Floyd. (Charlie Riedel/AP) According to Williamss lawsuit, KCPD sergeants ranked officers by their ticket counts, and reprimanded officers with low ticket numbers by taking away their duties and benefits and giving them unsatisfactory marks on evaluations. While ticket quotas are illegal in several states, Beeber says, they still exist behind closed doors because of the revenue they bring in. There are lots of examples around the country where a lot of [cities] budget comes from tickets, and so for their officers, thats their main job, Beeber said. In 2016, Kansas City police wrote approximately 18,000 traffic tickets each month. From 2021 to 2022, Kansas Citys budget included $6.6 million from traffic violations. The Kansas City Star reported that a drop of 25% would cost the city more than $1.6 million in revenue. Other cities also use ticketing to fund their budgets. For instance, in Chicago, ticketing brought in nearly $264 million in 2016, adding up to about 7% of the citys operating budget. And experts say ticket quotas hit marginalized communities the hardest. They are creating a huge financial burden in these communities, Beeber said. In Missouri, Black people make up only 11% of the population but they are subjected to more than 42% of traffic stops. In contrast, white people in Missouri make up 80% of the states population and account for less than 25% of all traffic stops, Tom Bastian, deputy director for communications for the ACLU of Missouri, told Yahoo News. According to legal experts, Missourians have been concerned with bias in traffic enforcement for decades. In 2000, the state passed a law that created the annual Vehicle Stops Report to track disparities in who is pulled over by police. In 2021, a report found that Black drivers were pulled over at a higher rate than white drivers. Part of that is a socioeconomic thing; those neighborhoods tend to be poor, Benjamin Easter, a Kansas City criminal defense lawyer, told Yahoo News. And so people are going to have cars with more things wrong with them. Theyre going to have more registration issues with their car, etc. Officers deploy to confront protesters demanding police reforms who have gathered outside Kansas City police headquarters in July 2020. (Charlie Riedel/AP) But Easter says the root of the problem is that police in Kansas City arent accountable to the local residents. While most cities control their police departments, the KCPD is run by a five-member board of police commissioners, four of whom are appointed by the Missouri governor and one of whom is the mayor. This is just another strong case [for] why we need local control of the police here in Kansas City. The police chief and the local police are appointed by the state committee rather than a local entity, Easter said. Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves denied Williamss allegations in a statement released on March 22. Our department is dedicated to policing that is both equitable and fair in all aspects of our duties. We do not direct enforcement activities based on demographics. We do direct traffic enforcement in high crash locations as well as citizen traffic complaint locations, Graves said. I find these allegations very concerning and will immediately ensure the Traffic Division is reminded to operate and enforce laws appropriately. But legal experts say ticket quotas are not uncommon in the U.S, and they doubt things will change anytime soon. I personally have a hard time believing that [illegal ticket quotas are] going to stop without some drastic change in leadership at the Kansas City Police Department, Spencer Webster, a local attorney, told Yahoo News. Williams is requesting a trial by jury and seeking multiple damages. Former U.S. President Trump indicted by Manhattan grand jury, in New York City WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The criminal case against former President Donald Trump, unveiled on Tuesday, rests not just on his high-profile alleged affair with porn star Stormy Daniels but also on a separate liaison with Playboy model Karen McDougal. A 52-year-old former model and actress from Indiana, McDougal was a Playboy magazine Playmate of the Year in the late 1990s. She has said she had an affair with Trump in 2006 and 2007. Trump has denied having a sexual relationship with her. American Media Inc (AMI), corporate parent of the National Enquirer, has acknowledged paying McDougal $150,000 for the rights to her story to prevent her from going public with it ahead of the 2016 presidential election - a practice known in the publishing industry as "catch and kill." AMI admitted to the arrangement in a non-prosecution agreement with the Manhattan District Attorney's office in 2018. Prosecutors said in a charging document on Tuesday that Trump did not want the woman's story to become public "because he was concerned about the effect it could have on his candidacy." They said Trump, his lawyer Michael Cohen and AMI former chief executive David Pecker, a longtime friend of Trump, agreed that Trump would reimburse AMI. But Pecker ultimately opted not to seek repayment after talking with a company lawyer. The U.S. Federal Election Commission ruled in 2021 that AMI's payment to McDougal amounted to an illegal campaign contribution that benefited Trump, and fined its successor company $187,500. Pecker has testified before the Manhattan grand jury that investigated the case and indicted Trump. McDougal later sued AMI and reached an agreement that allowed her to discuss her relationship with Trump. ONE OF TWO The transaction is one of two involving alleged affairs that are at the heart of the criminal case against Trump. The other involves porn star Stormy Daniels, who received $130,000 from Trump's lawyer Cohen shortly before the 2016 election as well. Daniels and Cohen both say the payment was to buy her silence about a 2006 affair with Trump. Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to federal campaign-finance charges related to his payments to Daniels. Trump has denied having had sexual relationships with either woman, but has acknowledged reimbursing Cohen. (Reporting by David Morgan; editing by Andy Sullivan, Kieran Murray and Stephen Coates) Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Janet Protasiewicz is projected to win the vacant seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, marking the first time in 15 years that the court will have a liberal majority, according to The Associated Press. Protasiewicz and her challenger, former state Supreme Court Justice Daniel Kelly, were seeking to replace outgoing conservative Justice Patience Roggensack on the court. The Wisconsin Supreme Court has a 4-3 conservative majority, but with Roggensacks retirement, the partisan lean of the court hung in the balance. The election will have clear consequences for a host of issues in the state, including a contested 1849 abortion ban that offers very limited exceptions, redistricting and even possible challenges to the 2024 election results. Though the judicial race is technically nonpartisan, Protasiewicz and Kelly were seen as the liberal and conservative contenders, respectively. The two made it into the Tuesday race after they became the two top vote-getters during the initial February election, which featured four candidates in total. Protasiewicz placed first during the February election with 47 percent of the vote, while Kelly came in second at 24 percent. One analysis of the race by WisPolitics.com has suggested that more than $45 million has been spent in total. Protasiewicz has been notably outspoken on her views on abortion, airing one ad in which she expressed support for the medical procedure, and for calling the states election maps rigged. That drew criticism from her opponent who argued she was offering her opinions on issues she could weigh before the court, though both candidates have refrained from saying how theyd officially rule on litigation such as the 1849 law. At the same time, the candidates endorsements have neatly fallen along ideological lines, with anti-abortion rights groups supporting Kelly while abortion rights groups are backing Protasiewicz. While Democrats and experts alike agree that abortion has appeared to be a galvanizing issue for voters, Kelly and outside groups have sought to countermessage by highlighting Protasiewiczs criminal sentencing record and suggesting shes soft on crime. The Milwaukee County judges campaign has argued her opponent was cherry picking her record. Protasiewicz for her part has sought to cast Kelly as an extremist and targeted him over details that surfaced during the race that he was involved in discussions over a fake elector scheme in 2020. Justice Kelly was hired by the [Republican Party of Wisconsin] and RNC as a special counsel in August of 2020-before the November election. He was hired to advise on the ins and outs of all Wisconsin election law when needed and not just on so-called election integrity law issues, Kellys campaign says on its website about the matter. Justice Kelly was not only not at the center of any alternate elector plan, he had no knowledge of such a plan outside of one requested thirty-minute phone call on the subject. As congressional testimony has established, he was not in the loop on any such plan. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Claudia Oprya, 25, says she wonOt change her surname when she gets married (Claudia Oprya / SWNS) A woman claims she has been flooded with abuse after announcing she is keeping her surname when she gets married. Claudia Oprya, 25, is tying the knot with partner Nick whose surname is not being revealed later this year. She is proud of her Russian surname and has agreed with Nick, 29, that she will keep it which he is absolutely fine with. But Claudia, a wedding planner, from Sydney, Australia, says she has been targeted by trolls after posting a TikTok on the topic. She says the hate doesn't bother her but questioned the reasons behind as it's 2023. Claudia said: Most of my friends have taken their husbands surnames, and thats absolutely fine. Its just not for me. People online, though mostly other women have been really sh*tty about it. Ive had women say things like, youre keeping your man on a tight leash and the fact that their partners wouldnt have married them if they hadnt taken their name. People have even been calling for our divorce, all because I want my names legacy to continue. Its just cruel. Claudia says shes the last person in her family to carry her Russian surname. Wanting to keep her family name alive, as well as empower myself as a woman, Claudia has decided she wont be taking her fiances last name after they tie the knot. She said: Weve been taking the surnames of our husbands, dads and grandads for far too long. Its time for women to create their own names and identities. My family are from Russia, where feminism is practically unheard of. My gran, who was just the coolest woman, taught me to always be unapologetically myself, and to never rely on a man to get what I want. Im proud of my surname. My grandparents and mum fled to Australia from the communist regime, they forged lives for themselves in the real world and Im lucky enough to still carry their name. Claudia with her grandmother Galina (Claudia Oprya / SWNS) Despite feeling empowered in her decision to keep her name and to give her future children double-barreled surnames Claudia says shes been flooded with negative comments from people online. She said: I discussed this with my partner, and he was absolutely fine with it. Hes never even called it into question. Im a feather ruffler, and I always have been. But this shouldnt be a controversial decision. Internalised misogyny is so ingrained in us, it really offends people when someone dares to suggest women have their own identities. Yes, there may have been rules about taking a mans surname centuries ago - but theyre made to be broken. This is 2023, marriage doesnt mean a man is taking ownership of you anymore. SWNS Janeecia Mason was walking with another prostitute near an industrial area in Dallas on a Friday night last month when she got into a Chevy Monte Carlo with dark window tint. Joseph Aparicio was driving the red car and at some point shot her to death, according to the arrest warrant affidavit supporting his booking on suspicion of murder. Four days after Aparicio picked Mason up, he dragged the 19-year-olds body from another vehicle and dumped her on March 21 onto the bank of the Trinity River in Fort Worth, according to the affidavit. A person reported on March 23 finding a woman who was dead at the river bank at 350 Precinct Line Road. Mason was naked and lying in a bed of rocks. No clothing or personal items were found in the vicinity. The area in which Mason was left is isolated, and it did not appear to detectives that she died there. Marks and impressions in the dirt between the victims body and the gravel strip near the edge of the road suggested someone had dragged her there. Mason had been reported missing, and Fort Worth homicide unit detectives, including Michael Sones, who wrote the account in the affidavit, talked with her mother. Investigators learned that Mason may have been working as a prostitute and, after Masons disappearance, her mother obtained bags from the hotel where Mason had been sleeping. The detectives learned of Masons exact location on March 17 from data that AT&T, her cellphone service provider, submitted in response to a search warrant. The detectives reviewed surveillance camera video from businesses near that location at Walnut Hill Lane and Shady Drive and found a Monte Carlo and two of the digits on its license plate. Limiting a records search to all red Monte Carlos with the those consecutive digits that are registered in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, the detectives found a vehicle in Haltom City. The name of its registered owner is redacted in the affidavit, although the address on Kinman Street of the registered owner is connected to where Aparicio, who is 29, lives, according to the affidavit. I believe Joseph transported Janeecia in his Jeep Patriot from his home ... to the body dump location in the 350 block of Precinct Line Road, under the bridge over the Trinity River there, Sones wrote. His Jeep can then be seen returning to his residence afterward. Detectives appear to have interviewed Aparicio. The contents of his statements are not included in the affidavit. Aparicio ended the discussion, according to the affidavit. Aparicio said he drove the Monte Carlo on March 17 in the Dallas area. The affidavit does not refer to a gun or to shell casings that would indicate where Mason was shot. A second search warrant yielded in the front passenger area of the Monte Carlo a swab that tested positive for presumptive blood. In Aparicios bedroom, police said they found clothing similar to the items that Mason was pictured wearing on March 17. My sweet daughters untimely death has left the family with broken hearts and mere devastation as we continue to search for answers and closure, Masons mother, Barbara Taylor, wrote on a GoFundMe page. At the tender age of 19 ... God called her home. Mason graduated last year from Trinity High School in Euless, where a balloon release was held in her honor Thursday. Her funeral was held Saturday in Shreveport, Louisiana, where she previously lived. Gannon Stauch was last seen on 27 January at his stepmother's house in Colorado. (El Paso County Sheriff's Office) Al Stauch was on deployment with the National Guard when his 11-year-old son Gannon vanished from their family home in Colorado in January 2020. By the time he returned home, his wife Letecia Stauch had already reported Gannon, her stepson, missing, and a desperate search was underway. But despite efforts by authorities and hundreds of volunteers who combed through the vast woods near El Paso County, Gannons tragic fate would remain unknown for two months. During that time, Ms Stauchs account of what happened continued to change. She first claimed Gannon had failed to return home after saying he was going to visit a friend. Then she said that a Mexican man raped her and abducted the boy. Prosecutors later learned that Gannon likely died on the same day Ms Stauch contacted investigators, after finding his blood on her shoes and her DNA on a gun linked to Gannons death. She was arrested in March 2020 after the boy was presumed dead, and his remains were found later that month inside a suitcase near the Florida Panhandle. Gannon had 18 stab wounds all over his chest, a gunshot to the head, a fractured skull and cuts on his extremities, according to The Gazette. More than three years later, Ms Stauch is facing trial for murder. During opening arguments this week, her defence claimed she suffered a major psychotic crack during the brutal killing. But the state has argued that her attempts to cover up the murder and hamper the investigation prove she knew right from wrong. In gut-wrenching testimony on Tuesday (4 April), father Al Stauch remembered his son as a curious child and video game lover who couldnt have possibly expected the deadly attack. Sitting between her attorneys at the defence table, Ms Stauch was seen with her head down and her hair covering her face. One of the things about Gannon, he absolutely loved his mom, and had some of that same love for Letecia, Mr Stauch told the court through tears. He was a mamas boy. I think he had love in his heart for her, I dont think he was afraid of her. Heres everything we know about the case: Gannon goes missing Ms Stauchs version of what had happened before the little boy was last seen on 27 January 2020 changed repeatedly. Initially, she said Gannon had not returned from playing with a friend but she was unable to provide the names of any friends Gannon may have been with. She later claimed that a man she hired to repair a carpet raped her and then abducted Gannon after he hurt himself in a bike crash. Over 200 volunteers searched for Gannon near his home after he was reported missing. According to court documents obtained by The Denver Post, investigators found Gannons blood on the walls of his bedroom and his mattress. Blood traces were also reportedly found on Ms Stauchs car and in the garage. A 9mm found in the home had Ms Stauchs DNA. A missing persons poster shows a collage of photos of Gannon Stauch (El Paso County Sheriff's Office) Presuming Gannon to be dead, authorities arrested Ms Stauch in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on 2 March 2020. Eighteen days later, Gannons remains were found wrapped in bed covers and inside a suitcase in Florida. Prosecutors in Colorado say Ms Stauch stabbed Gannon 18 times and then shot him in the head before driving across the country to dump a suitcase with his remains inside over the side of a bridge in Pensacola. She cleaned up blood in Gannons bedroom, moving his body to various locations to hide it before disposing of it like garbage in a river that flows into the Gulf of Mexico in hopes it would never be found, prosecutors said. Ms Stauch was charged with first-degree murder, tampering with a deceased human body and tampering with physical evidence. I would never, ever, hurt this child Before her attorneys admitted Ms Stauch killed Gannon, she gave an interview to refute claims that she was involved in his death. Speaking with KKTV just days after Gannon went missing in January 2020, Ms Stauch denied conspiracies and insisted she was innocent. I would more like to talk about how the community needs to have faith and continue to work together and not make these false accusations, she said at the time. The rumours have gotten so bad. Ive pretty much been told ten different ways that people have these conspiracies, I guess that they see all of these law shows. She continued: Im ready for Gannon to come home. Most importantly for him to see his family, but secondly I am going to be so ecstatic when I am able to say to people that I hope they have a real sincere apology for all of the theories that they have come up with. Ms Stauch also claimed that police had violated [her] constitutional rights and thats why she was not cooperating with the investigation. She further alleged she was receiving death threats. Letecia Stauch is seen in her mugshot (El Paso County Sheriff's Office) Im like, What are you saying Gannon is death? Gannon is not dead, we are going to find Gannon. And thats the main goal that we have, my family has, Ms Stauch insisted. I would never ever hurt this child. Her attorney has since argued during the trial that said she developed dissociative identity disorder as a result of being physically, emotionally and sexually abused by her absent mothers boyfriends. He said that she believed she was killing the demons when she hurt Gannon. Her defence also urged jurors to put aside their impulse to make someone pay for such a brutal killing and keep an open mind because the judicial system requires Stauch to be presumed innocent. Im not telling you to like it. Im just telling you thats the way it is, an attorney for Ms Stauch said. Alleged attempts to cover up Gannons killing On the morning of Gannons killing, Ms Stauch searched for car rentals, Colorado investigator Kevin Clark told the court. She drove to the neighbouring Douglas County, where Gannons body is believed to have been initially dumped. Records also show that Ms Stauch sent a text to her daughter asking her to buy cleaning products, trash bags and baking soda on the day that she killed Gannon. While conducting searches in Douglas County, authorities found traces of Gannons blood but the whereabouts of his remains remained unknown. A month after the killing, Ms Stauch travelled in a van with her 17-year-old daughter from Colorado to Pensacola, Florida. They reportedly stayed at a hotel just three miles from the place where Gannons body was ultimately found on 20 March. Letecia Stauch is seen in court They then drove to South Carolina, where Ms Stauch was arrested before her extradition. Ms Stauch is also accused of trying to escape from jail after her arrest. She reportedly asked a fellow inmate to help her get out, explaining that she planned to use a broom handle to break the window in her cell and that she had already measured herself to make sure she could fit through. Ms Stauch compared killing to Lifetime movie On Tuesday, prosecutors played a recording of a phone conversation between Ms Stauch and Gannons father Al Stauch, who cooperated with FBI agents to question her, The Colorado Gazette reported. In the call, which took place before Gannons remains were found, Ms Stauch repeatedly denied having any involvement in the disappearance. My mind was completely [expletive] gone, Ms Stauch said. I tried. I didnt know what was going on. All of it was a blur. It was like I was in some Lifetime movie. Ms Stauch then accused her husband of treating her like a criminal. I cant believe youd ask me this. ... If you think Gannons dead thats horrible. What is wrong with you? she is heard saying in the recording. District Attorney Michael Allen argued during opening arguments that Ms Stauch was aware and conscious of her actions on the day she killed Gannon. Prosecutors have attempted to paint Ms Stauch as a manipulative person, who had a history of lying to her husband before killing his son. The judge presiding over the case has said that the trial might take several weeks. Former Vice President Mike Pence will not appeal a federal judges order that he testify in the special counsels probe of former President Donald Trumps attempt to overturn the 2020 election, his adviser announced Wednesday. The decision not to fight the order could provide special counsel Jack Smith with remarkable access to one of the key people with critical insight into Trumps thinking and efforts to cling to power. Last week, Judge James Boasberg, the chief judge of U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, largely dismissed efforts mounted by Pence and Trump to limit his testimony and avoid handing over documents. Boasberg acknowledged a constitutional argument against forcing Pence to testify in front of a grand jury about matters related to his role as Senate president during the certification of the election on Jan. 6, but nevertheless concluded that immunity should not prevent Pence from testifying about conversations related to alleged illegality on Trumps part. Vice President Mike Pence swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution, and his claim that the Biden Special Counsels unprecedented subpoena was unconstitutional under the Speech or Debate Clause was an important one made to preserve the Separation of Powers outlined by our Founders, Pence adviser Devin OMalley said in a statement Wednesday. In the Courts decision, that principle prevailed. The Courts landmark and historic ruling affirmed for the first time in history that the Speech or Debate Clause extends to the Vice President of the United States. Having vindicated that principle of the Constitution, Vice President Pence will not appeal the Judges ruling and will comply with the subpoena as required by law. Its unclear exactly when Pence will appear before the grand jury in Washington, according to a source familiar with the matter, and the case remains under seal. Trumps attorneys could still appeal Boasbergs ruling. Last week, his legal team filed an appeal to block the testimony of several of his senior aides. Pence has already published a memoir and Wall Street Journal op-ed detailing several significant interactions with Trump in the days leading up to Jan. 6. NBC is told prosecutors are focused on specific efforts Trump took to try to block the certification of the election. Only a few hours had passed since former President Donald Trump was in a Manhattan courtroom, stern-faced, pleading not guilty before a judge to 34 felony criminal charges. Yet in the safety of his home at Mar-a-Lago in Florida on Tuesday night, surrounded by supporters and family, his focus was on the dozens of charges that could come next. Trump offered a lengthy rebuttal to a series of ongoing investigations into his personal conduct and time as president, arguing that they collectively represent a legal overreach meant to discredit a political opponent. I never thought anything like this could happen in America, Trump said. The only crime that Ive committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it. The president did eventually focus on the charges he faced Tuesday, offering a series of blunt and personal attacks against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the judge presiding over his case, Juan Merchan. Trump criticized not just Merchan but also the judges family, including his wife and his daughter. This is where we are as a nation, Trump said. Who would have thought? They cant beat us at the ballot box, so they try and beat us through the law. Former President Donald Trump interacts with his supporters for the first time at an event at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida on Tuesday April 04, 2023. Trump was arraigned earlier this afternoon by a Manhattan grand jury for his alleged role in a scandal stemming from hush money payments made to the pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 U.S. presidential election. READ MORE: Trumps fans surround him in his return home to Palm Beach following New York arrest Trump is accused of orchestrating a financial scheme shortly before the 2016 presidential election to silence women he engaged in extramarital affairs. He formally faced the charges on Tuesday, motorcading from Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan in the morning to get booked and fingerprinted in the citys criminal courthouse. Images that emerged from the courtroom showed a somber former president before he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime, according to the indictment. Trump repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal crimes that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election, Bragg said in a statement. Manhattan is home to the countrys most significant business market. We cannot allow New York businesses to manipulate their records to cover up criminal conduct. RELATED CONTENT: Records, not hush money, key to Trump charges. Making case in court poses challenges Yet Trump potentially faces state and federal criminal charges from other investigations, as well. In Georgia, prosecutors are considering whether Trump violated state election and anti-racketeering laws when he attempted to convince local officials to overturn the 2020 presidential election results there. Jack Smith, a special counsel appointed by the Justice Department, is also considering whether Trump broke federal law by attempting to overturn the 2020 election and encouraging a mob of his supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, disrupting congressional certification of the results. In a separate probe, the special counsel is investigating whether Trump violated the law by mishandling highly classified national security documents. Former President Donald Trump interacts with his supporters for the first time at an event at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida on Tuesday April 04, 2023. Trump was arraigned earlier this afternoon by a Manhattan grand jury for his alleged role in a scandal stemming from hush money payments made to the pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 U.S. presidential election. READ FOR YOURSELF: Heres what Trumps newly unsealed indictment says In his speech from Mar-a-Lago, Trump spoke as much about those looming investigations as he did about the charges in New York, attacking the district attorney in Georgia as waiting in the wings and the U.S. special counsel for imposing a double standard in the documents probe, after classified information was also found at President Joe Bidens offices. With a very dark cloud over our beloved country, I have no doubt nevertheless that we will make America great again, Trump said. Trumps indictment arrives as his grip on the Republican Party appears to be tightening, in part, some Republicans say, because of news of the criminal charges he faced Tuesday. A Reuters/Ipsos survey released Monday found Trump receiving the support of 48% of GOP voters in the 2024 primary, up 4 points since March. His nearest competitor, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, received the backing of just 19% of Republicans in the poll, an 11-point drop since March. Many of Trumps GOP rivals, including DeSantis, have rushed to his defense since the charges were formally announced, echoing his criticism that they are politically motivated. Trump is attempting to become the first president since Grover Cleveland more than 125 years ago to serve two non-consecutive terms in the White House. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson are the only other major Republican candidates, besides Trump, to declare that they are running for president. Former Vice President Mike Pence, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are also considering bids. YEREVAN, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan violated on Tuesday an agreement reached with Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) and barred a group of Nagorno Karabakh Armenians including children - from returning home after being stranded in Armenia due to the blockade of Lachin Corridor. 27 civilians separated from their families for several months including elderly, children and people with disabilities were en route from Armenias Goris to Stepanakert on April 4, around 15:30, under an agreement with and accompanied by the Russian peacekeepers, Nagorno Karabakhs Ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan said in a statement. Despite a previously reached agreement on the return, the Azerbaijani government agents posing as eco-activists in the blockaded section of the Goris-Stepanakert highway in the Shushi section barred the passage of the Russian peacekeepers vehicles carrying the civilians. This resulted in the citizens being stranded there for over five hours. The vehicles are now returning to Goris after ineffective negotiations between the Russian side and the Azerbaijanis. Some of the Azerbaijanis even entered one of the vehicles. During that time, four civilians in the cars felt sick and three of them lost consciousness. The Russian peacekeepers took them to the Republican Medical Center in Stepanakert. The remaining 23 people are returning to Goris. Stepanyan added that this incident once again proves the Azerbaijani authorities explicit and obvious conduct of lying and misguiding the international community with its fake narrative claiming that there is no blockade. Furthermore, by allowing people to exit Artsakh in different ways, but banning entry, Azerbaijani authorities are explicitly carrying out ethnic cleansing, as Ilham Aliyev had admitted in his January 10 statement, Stepanyan said. He added that while hundreds of civilians in Goris are deprived of the opportunity to reunite with their families, Azerbaijan is exploiting the atmosphere of impunity and is not cooperating neither with the Russian peacekeepers, nor the ICRC or other international organizations over this issue. Stepanyan added that the reason of Azerbaijans brazen behavior and disregard for the ICJ ruling and calls from the international community is the impunity, the disregard for the peacekeeping mission, and the absence of targeted and punitive measures by all international actors. The United Nations highest court the International Court of Justice (ICJ) - ordered Azerbaijan on February 22 to take all steps at its disposal to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. The Lachin Corridor has been blocked by Azerbaijan since 12 December 2022. Azerbaijan has been ignoring the ICJ ruling and multiple calls by the international community to open the corridor. Nagorno Karabakh healthcare authorities later reported that the four people - all women - who were taken to the Stepanakert hospital after feeling sick and losing consciousness in the Lachin Corridor are in non-life threatening condition after receiving treatment. Update shows information from healthcare authorities. YEREVAN, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. The dates of possible deployment of CSTO peacekeepers in Armenia depends on the Armenian side, ARMENPRESS reports, Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, announced during a briefing, talking about the possibility of sending a CSTO mission to Armenia. She said that "the ball is in Yerevan's court". Zakharova recalled the statement of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that Russia is satisfied with Armenia's continued interest in receiving CSTO peacekeepers. Moscow is convinced that this step will contribute to the stabilization of the situation in the region. Both Russia and other allies are ready for it. Zakharova recalled the statement of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that Russia is satisfied with Armenia's continued interest in receiving CSTO peacekeepers. Moscow is convinced that this step will contribute to the stabilization of the situation in the region. Both Russia and other allies are ready for it. "Such decisions are coordinated and adopted in the CSTO and approved at a high level. When the Armenian partners are ready, the parties will be able to return to the work of strengthening the specific types of the observation mission of the organization," she said. According to Zakharova, the ball is in Yerevan's court. Armenian FM Ararat Mirzoyan said during a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart in Moscow on March 20 that the draft decision to send a CSTO mission is on the table, and work on the draft continues. At the same time, Yerevan expects a political assessment from its partners regarding Azerbaijan's September aggression. In his turn, Sergey Lavrov stated that the possibility of sending a mission still exists, the CSTO is absolutely ready. There is resistance from the existing bureaucracy, often due to a lack of trust and acceptance of lateral entrants Lateral entry was a much-awaited administrative reform introduced in 2018 as part of Modi Sarkars larger civil service reform agenda. The noble aim was to bring fresh perspectives, expertise and efficiency into the government system. The bold experiment is now being seen as losing its sheen. Saurabh Mishra, joint secretary in the department of financial services in the ministry of finance, who was among the initial six lateral entrants, is reportedly quitting the service, even after receiving a two-year extension in August last year. With his exit, only five lateral entrants remain, namely Rajeev Saksena (DEA), D.D. Jagdale (MNRE), Sujit Kumar Bajpayee (MoEF), Suman Prasad Singh (road transport) and Bhushan Kumar (shipping). Those who preceded Mr Mishra to the exit are Arun Goel (joint secretary, commerce) who resigned in December 2020, and Amber Dubey (joint secretary, civil aviation) who left on the completion of this three-year contract in September last year. Some observers believe that Mr Mishra has quit for the lure of the corporate world, but there are also some who think that Mr Mishra will join the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) as life member. Clearly, lateral entry into government is facing stiff headwinds. One of the main challenges is a rather obvious one. There is resistance from the existing bureaucracy, often due to a lack of trust and acceptance of lateral entrants. Also, when the government introduced this initiative, it only opened up a handful of positions for lateral entry, which limits its impact on the larger bureaucracy. Some babus have criticised lateral entry for lacking transparency and objectivity in the selection process. Now after Mr Mishras exit, the government will be under increasing pressure to address these challenges and limitations. Yogi retains retired babu as industry adviser Uttar Pradesh's chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, has been trying to shape a new image for the state, aimed at bringing in global investments and making UP the biggest economy in the country. International events like the Global Investors Summit and the G-20 have brought the spotlight to the state. The recent appointment of 1988-batch IAS officer Arvind Kumar as adviser to Yogi Adityanath for Industries is being viewed in this context. Mr Kumars appointment comes barely a month after his retirement as infrastructure and industrial development commissioner. During his last month of service, Mr Kumar oversaw the Global Investors Summit, whose success the Yogi claims has given recognition to a new UP all over the world. Apparently, 10,000 investors attended the summit and pledged more than Rs 33 lakh crores in industrial investment. Mr Kumar is seen as the architect of this success, and Yogi has prudently retained Kumars services. Interestingly, Mr Kumars appointment as adviser to the CM is a temporary post created for a period of 11 months, until February 29, 2024. Not surprisingly, the term of his service coincides with the end of the term of the G-20 secretariat. Some babus clearly are indispensable, and if Mr Kumar can help Yogi improve UPs economic outlook, it would be no mean feat. Babu turf war in Uttarakhand creates headache for CM In the Narendra Modi government, turf wars between the IAS and IPS and other services have become more frequent, and decidedly one-sided. In recent years, the IAS officers have watched with growing trepidation the encroachment on senior positions by the other AIS services. The trend now is catching on in some states, too. The Secretariat Association in Uttarakhand has objected to the recent appointment of IPS officer Riddhim Agarwal as the special secretary in the secretariat. Despite being promoted to the rank of inspector general, the association is unhappy with the increased authority given to Mr Agarwal. The association believes that creating a new post of special secretary is unnecessary, and the responsibilities of the position should, traditionally, come under the additional secretary and secretary roles. Sources have informed DKB that the aggrieved babus are blaming additional chief secretary Radha Raturi for ceding ground in the home department by appointing Mr Agarwal as special secretary. Further, the president of the Uttarakhand Secretariat Association, Deepak Joshi, has complained to chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and strongly opposed Mr Agarwals new appointment. With the association taking a firm stance, the situation looks ripe for an escalation in the days ahead. Mr Dhami will have to act soon and put out this bushfire before resentment spreads. The two leaders, who want to show a united EU vis-a-vis China, are expected to put pressure on the Chinese president to intervene to stop the Ukrainian conflict. France is interested in new contracts with China. The EU president has a tougher stance towards China. Beijing (AsiaNews) French President Emmanuel Macron and European Union President Ursula von der Leyen set for China on a visit that will last until Friday. Peace in Ukraine and trade relations between the European Union and China will top their agenda with Chinese leaders. The EUs relationship with China has soured since 2021 when the ratification by the European parliament of a bilateral investment pact was put on hold, not to mention Beijings substantial support for Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. The French president invited the head of the European Commission to join him in this mission to show European unity. In November, the French criticised German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for his solo visit to Beijing. The latter was justified as an attempt to defuse rising tensions between China and the EU, but for critics, it showed Berlin's usual game to protect its own economic interests in China. Macron and von der Leyen are likely to ask Chinese President Xi Jinping to use his influence on Putin to stop the war in Ukraine, or at least shy away from showing open support for Moscow, i.e. avoid sending weapons to the Russians. China recently presented a vague "peace proposal, which the US and Europe rejected since it fails to condemn Russian aggression and does not clearly call for Russian withdrawal from Ukrainian territory. Macron is expected to snatch lucrative trade contracts. In fact, he is travelling with a 50-strong French business delegation, including Airbus company officials, set to ink a big plane order with the Chinese. However, the French leader will have to be cautious. Cozing up with the Chinese might not go down well in the United States or among other EU members, especially in Eastern Europe increasingly irked by Chinas ties with Russia and its pressure on Taiwan. Xi has long tried to drive a wedge between Europe and the US, and sees Macron as the best way to do that. Several times, the French leader has stressed the need for Europe to gain its own strategic autonomy" (from the United States). Conversely, in a very tough speech last Friday, von der Leyen declared that the evolution of relations between China and Russia will shape the Sino-European relationship. Germany is trying to get Europe to reduce its exposure to China in key sectors such as rare minerals, batteries and solar panels. In a clear alignment with Washington, the EU president stressed that the EU must also limit Chinas access to advanced technologies. The EU Commission is expected to present a new economic security strategy in June that would block investments by European companies in sensitive sectors of the Chinese economy. On 28 March, the European Parliament, the European Council and the European Commission agreed on the principles behind the Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI) to be used against intimidating trade practices like those used by China against Lithuania since 2021. Within the European Union, directives are already in place to protect European markets from Chinas dumping practices and its export subsidies to Chinese companies, and to screen investments from third countries in the strategic sectors of its member states. by Melani Manel Perera A worker petitioned the Supreme Court. Workers correspondence is delivered to the estate where they are employed. Without a registered address, people cannot benefit from government programmes or take part in the democratic process. Colombo (AsiaNews) A plantation worker has filed a petition with the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka seeking an order to direct the authorities to grant registered permanent addresses to Tamil working in the tea, coconut and rubber industries across the country. These key sectors for the countrys economy employ primarily descendants of Tamils from southern India, who were brought to the island, then known as Ceylon, as bonded labourers about 200 years ago under British colonial rule. In his petition, Jeevaratnam Suresh Kumar notes that many of his fellow workers and their families were granted citizenship only in February of this year, but they still lack a formal home, domicile or permanent postal address. Employed at the Muwankanda estate in Mawathagama, Kurunegala district, he filed his petition to the court on behalf of Tamil families who, although new citizens, continue to be penalised by the lack of a registered address, which prevents them from having access to government programmes or participating in the country's democratic process. The Muwankanda estate is home to about 300 families who cannot receive correspondence and documents of any kind because mail is simply addressed to "Muwankanda Estate, Mawathagama", or delivered to the district post office, which in turn deliver it in bulk to the estate superintendent, whom local workers distrust. As Jeevaratnam Suresh Kumar points out, the Janatha Estate Development Board manages 277 estates with about 400,000 residents, none of whom has a permanent address. The petitions respondents are Home Affairs Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Plantation Industries Minister Ramesh Pathirana, and Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development Minister Jeevan Thondaman. The United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances released a report whose findings are based on a visit to Iraq in November 2022. In it, the UN body calls for action to shed light on a practice that is still going on. Iraq, however, lacks specific legislation to deal with the matter. Disappearances occurred under Saddam, during the US occupation and as a result of the rise of the Islamic State group. Baghdad (AsiaNews) In the last 50 years of Iraqs troubled history, about a million people have gone missing, this according to a report by the United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances. Over this period, which spans Saddam Husseins regime, the US occupation and the rise and fall of the Islamic State group, the Arab country has had one of the highest numbers of enforced disappearances. In view of this situation, the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances has called on Iraq to seek victims and punish perpetrators. The lack of a clear definition of the offence in Iraqi law has hampered action so far. To fill the gap, the report urges Iraq to immediately establish the basis to prevent, eradicate and repair this heinous crime. The Iraqi government has not yet responded to the request. The Committees report was published yesterday based on findings made during its visit to Iraq in November 2022. It was drafted by independent experts chosen to monitor the implementation of the UNs Convention for the Protection of all Persons against Enforced Disappearance. While acknowledging that Iraqi authorities are open to cooperation, the Committee notes that enforced disappearances continue amid a culture of impunity. Up to 290,000, including 100,000 Kurds, disappeared in the first wave under Saddam Husseins genocidal campaign in Iraqi Kurdistan between 1968 and 2003. This continued after the US invasion that led to the fall, arrest and execution of the dictator when US-led military forces captured at least 200,000 Iraqis, almost half of whom were held in prisons administered by the United States and the United Kingdom. The UN experts note that some detainees were arrested, without warrants, for alleged involvement in insurgency operations, while others were simply civilians in the wrong place at the wrong time. The rise in the summer of 2014 of the Islamic State group was followed by a wave of kidnappings and disappearances in the territory under its control (about half of Syria and Iraq at the time of its maximum expansion). Another common pattern concerns the alleged enforced disappearance of children, particularly from the Yazidi minority community, born after their mothers were sexually abused in camps operated by the Islamic State (also known by its Arabic acronym Daesh). During the visit, the members of the Committee heard testimonies and gathered evidence. In a testimony that highlighted what the experts describe as a typical, ongoing pattern, an Iraqi mother said: My son went to visit his cousin. I called him soon after he left because he had forgotten the bread I wanted him to offer my nephew. He replied, saying that he was at a checkpoint and some men in uniform were checking him, and that he would call me immediately afterwards. He never did. Since then, I have searched for him everywhere, in all prisons, with all the authorities. But nothing, nothing, nothing. Like this woman, hundreds of other families are looking for loved ones, most likely held in Turkey, Syria or Iran "where contact with the outside world is impossible. In view of the situation, the UN Committee urges Iraq to change the law, as well as set up an independent task force to verify detention places and detainees names, as well as inform their families of their circumstances. Even today allegations persist of secret places of detention, which the authorities deny. To address this issue, a fact-finding mission should be created, and be provided with all available technical means, such as satellite pictures and drones, to investigate. The History of Lobos 1707 This Tequila Company Has Been a Family Affair From the Start In order to understand Lobos 1707, a tequila brand garnering significant attention in the world of spirits these days, you first need to know the story of the two Diego Osorios. It doesnt hurt to know that the company has, since its launch in November of 2020, seen celebrity investors like LeBron James and Arnold Schwarzenegger buy in, or that in the short time since launch it has garnered accolades from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the New York International Spirits Competition, among others. But the story of Lobos 1707 ultimately starts with Diego Osorio not the founder and current Chief Creative Officer but rather his great great grandfather, with whom he shares a name. Osorio (the CCO) and his team recently spent a weekend in Los Angeles celebrating the brands success of late and invited me to get acquainted with both their offerings and the founder himself. Over drinks, meals, and a trip to the middle of the California desert, I got acquainted with both Diegos and the unique story that bridges centuries and ties their stories together beyond blood. RELATED: What Your Favorite Beer Says About You History Repeats Itself Osorio first began making small batches of tequila out of his kitchen and sharing it with his friends, with no intention of turning his hobby into a business venture. Two things changed his mind: one was the reception the tequila got, which was far more glowing than he had expected given its humble origins. His friends insisted he was on to something here, and listen, weve all had our friends gas up a passion project. Youre never quite sure if their rapturous praise comes from a place of bias as people who care about you. Still, it soon became clear that this wasnt just a case of his friends honoring the hallowed tradition of Supporting The Bros. Even then, Osorio wasnt sure his heart was in launching a tequila brand. Hed worked for years as an actor, director, and writer, the arts his calling from a young age. Over dinner one night he confesses that his mother had always hoped hed pursue finance or business, his family long having made their living in the production of sherry. Osorio can (and does, more than once over the weekend) talk about film for hours, his understanding of what makes a good story well-honed from years spent sustaining himself on pizza slices between auditions and film school courses. It wasnt until his cousin put into perspective for him that the spirits industry could be a vehicle for storytelling. All he needed, it seemed, was the right story to tell. He found it while digging into his familys history, having heard that he had a great-great-grandfather who traveled from Spain to Mexico. The Elder Diego, as it turns out, would take barrels of Osorio family sherry with him on the voyage. When they ran dry hed refill them with local agave spirits (i.e tequila), which has become the foundation of Loboss production model. Sherry finishes are often present in higher-end bottles. In producing his spirits in the same way as his ancestor, Osorio has been able to create a product that not only warrants a place on the shelf alongside some of the most respected brands in the industry but one that does so by picking up where his great-great-grandfather left off. It is incredibly easy to be cynical of branding in the spirits industry, or any industry for that matter. As such, its initially easy to be skeptical of Loboss insistence that the brands focus is on family, tradition, and bringing people together (all spirits are, in a sense, about bringing people together), with their central brand identity being built around the idea of a pack of wolves, hence the Lobos namesake. Speaking personally, I felt that cynicism waning when Osorio and his partners took their guests for the weekend out to Wolf Connection about an hour outside of Los Angeles. Finding a New Pack Wolf Connection, which Lobos 1707 sponsors, serves two purposes. For one, it is a sanctuary for wolves raised in captivity and often abusive backgrounds (think Tiger King but, you know, with wolves). It currently houses a few dozen refugees from backyard zoos and habitats, many of whom were separated from their original packs. It is hard to not get sentimental when talking about seeing wolves in person but what Wolf Connection has done, with the help of Lobos 1707, is create an environment in which these animals have been able to find a new pack. The second purpose it serves is community outreach for at-risk youth and folks who have recently been released after a period of incarceration. Wolf Connection provides a therapeutic service by providing a chance to get out of the city and into the outdoors, and to spend time around animals that are on healing journeys of their own. The hope, as they put it, is that people who may have been separated from their own pack will find solace and inspiration in seeing the way the wolves have created a new one. It is quiet. It is serene. You can see mountains from any direction, the noise of Los Angeles having melted away across miles and miles of desert road. It is the sort of place a person overwhelmed by noise (in whatever sense that may mean) may find a moment of peace, only the occasional howls of the pack breaking the silence. The wolves are familiar with Osorio from his prior visits and shower him with licks and nuzzles the way your family dog might when you return home. He feels a deep draw to the place and partnering with Wolf Connection is clearly more than a piece of hollow brand-building or an opportunity for a tax writeoff. It is rather, to him, another opportunity to tell a story. That intentionality is present in everything from the brands bottles to their partnerships. The bottles are stamped with both the Osorio family crest and an agave compass, commemorating both where they started and where theyll never stray too far from. The quality of the liquid speaks for itself (Osorio knows that good storytelling means nothing without good tequila to go with it, in more sense than one). And Osorios passion for the endeavor is as evident as his passion for The Godfather Part II or the cinematography of Roger Deakins. With him at the head of the pack, theres no limit to where he can take the legacy of his family or of the other Diego Osorio. You Might Also Dig: I'm fine, as I'm very fortunate to own my home I own, but I'm feeling the pinch on my mortgage with other inflation costs I rent and it's expensive, but it could be worse I'm seriously considering leaving the valley if something doesn't give Vote View Results The Be Better Book Club, a new organization focusing on anti-racism and social justice, will meet for the first time at Explore Booksellers in Aspen on April 12. The first book the club will read and discuss will be White Women: Everything You Already Know About Your Own Racism and How to Do Better. Small Kansas College Will Show Car at Pebble Beach Concours dElegance Published April 5, 2023 A vision 10 years in the making has come true for students, alumni and employees of the McPherson College Automotive Restoration program---the only four-year bachelors degree program for automotive restoration in the nation. The 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300 S Cabriolet, entirely restored by students, has been accepted by the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours dElegance and will be shown there Aug. 20. Congratulations to the McPherson College students for having their car accepted to Pebble Beach, said comedian and car enthusiast Jay Leno. Lenos support 20 years ago was the turning point for the program when it pivoted from an associates to a bachelors degree. I am proud to be associated with the college," Leno said. "Much like art historians who clean and repair the works of the renaissance era, the young men and women at McPherson College are doing it with automobiles, recreating abilities and techniques long forgotten, and theyll make a good living doing it. Our hobby and heritage are safe in their hands. The Pebble Beach Concours dElegance is the oldest Concours in the U.S. and one of the worlds most prestigious gatherings of rare and antique automobiles. Prized collector cars compete each year for Best of Show, the most coveted award in the automotive industry. The Concours Selection Committee spends weeks vetting each entry, narrowing its selection down to the top classic cars in the world, which are invited to show. We set a bold vision 10 years ago to show a car at Pebble Beach, and I was confident our students and staff could attain it, said Amanda Gutierrez, provost and vice president of automotive restoration. The goal was to get invited to compete at Pebble Beach, but there is a significant process that makes that happen, especially at a small college with students working outside of class hours. This project has been a valuable learning experience for our students as they study toward their bachelors degree in automotive restoration. It was intense work requiring exceptional commitment, and I am extremely proud of them. After an exhaustive search for the right car, work on the project began and has incorporated classroom curricula, expert guest lectures and senior capstone experiences. The restoration was completed by teams of student interns who worked over the course of the restoration. Brian Martin, director of automotive restoration projects, supervised the student team. When we set out to do this, we knew it was going to be a long-term commitment, Martin said. It is a complete, frame-off, top-to-bottom restoration by students. We planned for it to become the cornerstone of our program and an example of the skills our students develop while they are here. McPherson College has a long history of student participation at Pebble Beach, dating back to 2008 when the Pebble Beach Concours dElegance and Pebble Beach Company Foundation established scholarships honoring Formula 1 world champion and famed restorer Phil Hill. Over the years, more than 25 McPherson College students have earned college scholarships from Pebble Beach. Pebble Beach Company Foundation scholarship recipients not only attend the event and shadow the judges, they also have been part of panel discussions, prepared and presented cars for the field, and attended numerous additional events during the week. However, this August will mark the first time the college will show a classic vehicle fully restored by its students. Its a remarkable accomplishment, said McPherson College President Michael Schneider. Since the project began, nearly every student in the auto restoration program has been exposed to the restoration through classes, workshops or as part of an internship team. For some of them, getting a chance to work on this project was why they decided to attend McPherson College. This achievement will positively impact our students and program for years. "Managing this project was an enormous undertaking, and I commend the individuals, especially Brian Martin, who helped mentor our students through this process," Schneider continued. "Our friends at Paul Russell and Company as well as the Mercedes Benz Classic Center were excellent advisors on the project. I also thank Jay Leno, whose early and consistent support over the years has helped us flourish and reach Pebble Beach. Members of the student team, the Pebble Beach Scholars, college staff and alumni will accompany the car to Pebble Beach in August. A recognition of their efforts will be celebrated during the CARS Club Motoring Festival at 2 p.m. May 6 at McPherson College before the awards ceremony. Showing a student-restored car at Pebble Beach is another example of McPherson College achieving what many consider impossible. In November, the college announced a historic $500 million matching gift. To date, the college has raised more than $170 million of the $250 million needed to secure the $500 million, including generous gifts from car enthusiasts Melanie and Richard Lundquist, the Rob Walton Foundation and Dave Kinney. Source: McPherson College The Kona has entered a new chapter in the United States with the reveal of the second generation at the New York International Auto Show. To arrive in dealer showrooms for the 2024 model year, the subcompact crossover will be offered in four distinct flavors, beginning with the Kona. 122 photos Photo: Benny Kirk/autoevolution As the name of the UKs second city in terms of size (historically, at least) Birmingham was also an obvious choice for several Royal Navy vessels. The oldest one was a cruiser that served in World War I, and the most recent one was a Type 42 destroyer, built in 1976. But theres a new ship gearing up to take this famous name into the future, and that is the fourth frigate in the Type 26 class.This class is comprised of submarine hunters that are supposed to replace the Type 23 warships that are still in service at the moment. There will be a total of eight 26s, ready to protect the Navys fleet against deadly submarines for the next 25 years.The first batch included three of them, HMS Glasgow, Cardiff, and Belfast, all of which are under construction right now. The second batch will complete the other five HMS Birmingham, Sheffield, Newcastle, Edinburgh, and London.Back in the summer of 2021, His Royal Highness Prince William attended the steel cut ceremony for HMS Belfast. This month, the fourth Type 26 frigate started coming to life in Govan, Glasgow.It will be more cost-efficient and delivered faster compared to the first batch because BAE Systems and the other players involved in the process have used the feedback from the first time around to optimize the building phase. The most important change is a new assembly hall that will keep the future frigates in-build safe from the natural elements (which can be particularly damaging in the Scottish lands).But the new frigate will pack the same impressive weaponry as the ones in the first batch. The famous Sea Ceptor missile defense system takes center stage, flanked by a 5-inch medium caliber gun, and an Mk41 vertical launch silo, for missile systems.HMS Birmingham will also flaunt powerful sonars and a medium-range radar that will allow it to operate as quietly and stealthily as possible. Its deck can accommodate either a Merlin or a Wildcat helicopter, and it will also incorporate one of the Navys latest concepts a multi-function cargo pod that can be adapted and changed for specific missions (from disaster relief to mine hunting).According to BAE Systems, the new-generation Type 26 frigates will also be eco-friendlier compared to previous vessels. Their hulls are designed for better fuel efficiency, and treated with an anti-fouling coating, while wastewater treatment systems onboard make sure that the maritime environment stays clean.The Royal Navy is also building a new generation of less-menacing frigates, the Type 31 , for general duties. Paint jobs, furniture fabrication, and custom motorcycles are all part of James Fawcetts repertoire, so hes what you might call a man of many talents. The lad operates as Slipstream Creations in St. Louis, Missouri, with twin- and single-cylinder Hondas from the seventies being his favorite motorcycles to work on.What youre seeing here had once been a stock 1976 CB 360T, which was bought and modified by Sir Fawcett in 2015. His customization recipe displays a great deal of Brat-style influences, but the coolest part about it is that everything besides the upholstery was taken care of in-house. James turned to none other than his mom when it came to wrapping the saddle in brown leather, and wed say Mrs. Fawcett really worked wonders.The flat bench seat is placed on a looped subframe, concealing a handmade electronics tray beneath the padding. Attached to the rearmost portion of the frame tubing are new turn signals, an LED taillight, and an inconspicuous license plate bracket. Lower down, we see a trimmed version of the factory rear fender, accompanied by a secondary inner unit to keep road debris at bay.A layer of black powder coating covers the CB360s framework in its entirety, and the standard gas tank got swapped with a 1976 CB500T s module. The Honda badges from the original tank are still in play, though, lying atop a gorgeous blue finish complete with aqua, navy, and white details.James performed an extensive makeover in the cockpit as well, installing a fresh speedo, an aftermarket handlebar, and elegant brown grips that match the seat upholstery. Further ahead, theres a retro-looking headlamp encased in a new, chrome-plated housing, along with LED blinkers akin to those found at the back.Rounding out the upgraded equipment up front is a slim fender manufactured from scratch, but Slipstreams solo mastermind also went to town in the unsprung sector. There youll find youthful stainless steel spokes and powder-coated rims, enveloped in a grippy pair of Shinko tires.Ample front-end stopping power is made possible thanks to a refurbished brake caliper and a drilled rotor fitted during the overhaul. The bikes 34-hp, 357cc parallel-twin inhales through Mikuni VM30 carburetors and top-shelf air filters from K&Ns inventory. On the other hand, exhaust gases escape via reverse megaphone mufflers, but a bespoke center stand had to be fashioned in order for these new silencers to fit.Electrical upgrades are also plentiful, comprising a Charlies Place electronic ignition, Dynatek coils, and a high-output charging system supplied by Ricks Motorsport Electrics. Lastly, the powder coating made its way onto the specimen s fork legs and engine covers, as well as its wheel hubs and triple clamps. Abundant chrome plating provides contrast here and there, while making the blue paint and brown leather pop out even more. FWD Dubbed VZ5 , with VZ standing for veloz (fast) and five referring to the number of cylinders, the highest-performing Formentor of the bunch is a serious piece of kit because it produces 390 ps (385 horsepower) and 480 Nm (354 pound-feet) of torque at merely 2,250 rpm.The coupe-styled crossover is composed in the corners due to standard 4Drive all-wheel drive. It further sweetens the deal with a Torque Splitter system featuring Drift Mode, 18-inch brakes with Akebono six-piston calipers, Adaptive Chassis Control with 15 levels of damping adjustment, and a quick-shifting tranny.Limited to 7,000 examples, the Formentor VZ5 makes heads turn wherever it may roam for two reasons. On the one hand, there are people out there who dont know that Cupra is its own thing after 2018. The aggressive looks cannot be ignored either. German tuner Manhart worked on the latter with its CP 500 tuning package that includes a tremendous boost for the Audi Sport-designed mill.In conjunction with a Wagner-supplied intercooler and stainless-steel exhaust system with active valve control, the MHtonik Powerbox levels up the compact utility vehicle to 490 ps and 630 Nm. Thats 483 horsepower and 465 pound-feet in old money, which is more power than a Ferrari 360 Modena and more torque than the 6.2-liter small block of the 2023 Chevrolet Camaro SS.H&R springs lower the front of the vehicle by 35 millimeters (1.3 inches) and the rear by 30 millimeters (1.1 inches). The dropped ride height is complemented by a new wheel and tire combo. Pictured on 20- by 9-inch Manhart Concave One wheels in matte black and 255/35ZR20 rubber boots from Hankook, the Spanish crossover is beautified with a set of bronze decals.The braking system remains fully stock although Manhart is much obliged to replace it for the right amount of cash. The same applies to the interior, with individual tuning options available upon request.In regard to the financial side of the CP 500, the MHtronik Powerbox auxiliary control unit retails at 1,999 (make that $2,190 at current exchange rates) excluding the shipping costs. The Wuppertal-based tuner wants 2,900 ($3,175) for the exhaust system, 1,099 ($1,205) for the bronze decals, 2,940 ($3,220) for the wheels, and 360 ($395) for the springs.Over in Germany where Manhart is headquartered, the Formentor VZ5 is a scarcely believable 65,640 at press time, which means roughly $71,950. By comparison, the most basic of specifications is 35,530 ($38,950) for a six-speed manual,, and a 1.5-liter turbo with 150 ps (148 hp) and 250 Nm (184 pound-feet) on tap. Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies. Full profile Universal passwords Photo: Nexx The more concerning part Photo: Nexx The security holes were discovered by independent researcher Sam Sabetan, who demonstrated the findings in concerning proof-of-concept video. Sabetan managed to control his garage door, explaining that any malicious actor would be able to do it remotely. Smart homes are rapidly gaining traction, and the main benefit is convenient access from a mobile device. With mobile phone integration and support for Android and CarPlay, smart home devices, including garage doors, can be controlled with voice commands or right from the display in the dashboard.Automations based on location could make the integration even more convenient, as garage doors could open automatically when you arrive home.The way Nexx has secured the connection to its servers, however, is exposing critical data.Sabetan says the process comes down to several steps required for each user when connecting new devices to their Nexx accounts. In the mobile app, the user must initiate a first connection to Nexx Cloud. When this happens, the cloud service generates a password and sends it to the device specifically for communication purposes.This password is submitted to the mobile device first and is then transmitted to the smart device, such as the garage door controller, via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Thanks to this password, the smart device can connect to the cloud, establishing the connection that eventually lets users control it from the smartphone.The problem resides in how Nexx generates the passwords. The researcher discovered that Nexx generates a universal password for all devices. This password is hardcoded in the firmware of the device but is also shared in the API offered to software developers.Whats even more concerning is that a malicious actor would be able to identify customers using the information included in messages broadcasted by the cloud service. Sabetan says Nexx exposes information like emails, device IDs, and first names with last initials in the broadcasted messages whenever a customer sends a request to open a garage door Sure enough, exposing personal details is already a major security concern, but because it all happens when the customer sends a command to open the garage door, a potential hacker can do the same thing as well. In other words, the bad actor can replay the message and eventually open the garage door as well using the credentials exposed by the Nexx server.The security researcher discovered that a similar flaw also exists in smart alarms, eventually uncovering other vulnerabilities in smart plugs too.Security vulnerabilities are nothing new, as such problems are regularly found even in products from companies with more solid know-how in the software industry. Microsoft issues security patches for Windows and Office every month as part of a cycle called Patch Tuesday.But in most cases, these companies work together with security researchers specifically to identify the bugs, determine the cause, and then release a fix.In the case of Nixx, this didnt happen. Sabetan says he first reached out to the firm in early January when he opened tickets on the official support website. After his tickets were closed, he tried to contact the Nexx founder directly using the personal Gmail address found in FCC filings. No response was received.Eventually, the researcher decided to ask the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, also known as CISA, for help. As an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, CISA plays a key role in helping companies patch vulnerabilities in a timely manner.Not in this case though, as CISAs federal team failed to get in touch with Nexx. Their attempts were unsuccessful, and so were Sabetans repeated warnings that the findings would eventually be published online.Vulnerabilities found in the software and hardware are eventually disclosed online as a way to force parent companies to develop urgent fixes. Its not yet known if Nexx is at least working on a patch, but for now, thousands of customers are affected.The researcher says he estimates that approximately 40,000 devices are exposed by the unpatched security vulnerabilities . They are used in both residential and commercial properties, so eventually, a hacker would be able to open the garage door to someones house. There are over 20,000 active Nexx accounts, Sabetan warns, and they could all be vulnerable to remote attacks until a patch is released.The solution to block any potential exploits is painful, to say the least. The researcher says theres no other way to secure your smart home than unplugging all Nexx devices as soon as possible. Of course, reaching out to the parent company and insisting on emergency fixes is something all customers do, hoping that Nexx would eventually acknowledge the issues and pay more attention to securing their products. BEV Photo: Tesla Photo: Disegno y Ingenieria Photo: Pagani Automobili EV We have a Tesla in the family, and we use it only to drive around our neighborhood. We often have to make business trips to Milan, which is 200 kilometers (124 miles) from our factory, but we never go with the Tesla. If you get to Milan and do not find a free charger, you have to sleep there. Our Tesla is very interesting, but it is a problem. In the three or four years that we have had it, we have never used it to travel more than 200 km.Tesla advocates will bash Pagani for saying that. They will accuse him of FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt), working to keep the oil industry alive, and the same sort of nonsense anyone sharing anything critical about battery electric vehicles () usually hears. The more rational ones among them will argue that there must be Superchargers on the way from San Cesario Sul Panaro where the factory is to Milan. There are indeed four of these Tesla fast-charging stations: close to San Damaso, in Parma, Piacenza, and Melegnano.That means Pagani could easily plan his trips with his Tesla from the factory to Milan and back. I strongly doubt he is not aware of that after three or four years with his BEV. The deal is that only local Tesla owners like him may be able to say how it is to use these Superchargers . Can they cope with the demand they have in the region, or are they frequently crowded? If they are not, perhaps Pagani and his family just prefer not to spend half an hour or more waiting for a fast charge in these Tesla stations.Although many BEV advocates put up with that, it is not surprising that other people are not willing to do so. Most combustion-engined vehicles can go from San Cesario Sul Panaro to Milan and get back on a single full fuel tank. Another possibility is that Pagani is not fond of fast charging because he knows that using it frequently will shorten the battery packs lifespan. In the end, only the CEO can explain why he does not use the Superchargers between Milan and Paganis factory.Instead of buying and using a BEV on road trips, Pagani could be wondering about selling them, but he clarified it was not the case.Today, there are many carmakers working with the concept of an electric supercar. Rimac is a company from Croatia that is doing an impressive job. Despite that, this is a market segment in which our customers are not very interested. No Pagani customer asked me for an electric car. Luckily, we supercar companies are not having problems because we can keep selling vehicles with gas engines beyond 2035.That does not mean Pagani does not have a plan B in case electric vehicles become inevitable.We have a team working on a possible Pagani electric supercar for five years already. We may never put it for sale, but we have Mercedes-Benz technology, and it is a very interesting project. I just must make it very clear: if we ever launch an electric car, do not expect it to solve any problem on the planet. It will not benefit little birds or solve issues for anyone. It will not contribute to mankind, only satisfy a wish from our customers.It is obvious Pagani is not fond of greenwashing. More than that: he is worried about other carmakers and the way they are approaching theshift.I think the automotive industry worldwide is exaggerating a bit in forcing the electric car when we do not have the infrastructure to support charging or the capacity to produce such a quantity of batteries. It is an exaggeration that may hurt the industry.As one of the few people who managed to establish a new car brand, Pagani knows what he is talking about. His company just celebrated 25 years of presenting its first car, the Zonda , and he had to work hard to prove his brand was a credible competitor among the likes of Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini, and McLaren. Bugattis first attempt to get back to life failed when Pagani Automobili was in its first years. So did Cizeta Moroder and Isotta Fraschini. Apart from Pagani, only a handful of supercar companies managed to survive, such as Koenigsegg and Rimac.The deal is that electric cars are a different game in which car companies are still learning the rules. In a way, everybody is trying to establish themselves in a scenario they do not fully understand. Thats as much a problem as the lack of range in Paganis Tesla. The results for the first quarter of 2023 U.S. sales are in, with Toyota quite happy with its North American efforts mostly because during the first three quarters of the year it managed an outstanding negative result of minus 8.8 percent compared to the same period last year. That is overall, as the namesake Toyota brand fared even worse, down 12% on a volume and DSR basis.Well, at least some of their models did not suffer, with the company reporting the best-ever Q1 deliveries for the Corolla HEV, Corolla Cross, Highlander HEV, RAV4 Prime, and Tundra HEV. Speaking of pickup trucks, the full-size model jumped 22.1 percent during the first three months of the year and even the mid-size Tacoma , which is due for replacement soon, has soared almost one percent during the period.Now, unless someone has been living under a Mars rock, all Toyota fans know very well that the Rising Sun carmaker is all hands on deck for the teaser marketing campaign regarding the impending arrival of the fourth generation of the best-selling Tacoma. They started with a single shadowy teaser of a Tacoma sitting up somewhere high at dusk or dawn, and the all-new truck sure gave off mini-Tundra vibes. Then, the company slapped on social media a photo of a current Tacoma V6 4x4 that was brimming with hints a patent office buildings sign, a blurred 2024 Tacoma in the background, and even a license plate spelling the date of April 4th, 2023.Well, of course, we thought that was the reveal moment, seeing as it was just before the start of the 2023 New York Auto Show (April 7-16) and knowing that its press days are April 5 and 6. However, when the time came, all we got was yet another teaser with the rear of the 2024 model year. Alas, it was still a bit more revealing than anything that had been announced prior, reading aloud TRD Pro on the tailgate and also bearing the inscription of i-Force Max .Naturally, that makes us wonder is that an inline four under the hood, like in the S235 sixteenth generation Crown cross-sedan and 2024 Grand Highlander, or a fully hybridized V6 with 437 horsepower or less, just like under the hood of the 2023 Tundra sibling? As always, there are more questions than answers, and we may be nowhere near the reveal date. This is because now there are also leaked teaser images that depict the same shadowy Tacoma from the front, complete with an LED light bar for the fascia, and from the side.They seem to come from the same set as the initial teaser, and we are obviously surprised they were withheld from the general public. Additional info shared by the tacoma4g.com forum page talks about a potential confirmation of a coil spring rear suspension (with trailing arms). Plus, there was also an update about media info being sent out with an embargo for 5:10 am EST (02:10 am PST), which could hint at the i-Force Max electrified powertrain having 510 Nm (376 lb-ft) of torque, which is a bit more than a Crown Hybrid Maxs rating of 450 Nm (332 lb-ft). kW Teased again by the company based in the Land of the Rising Sun, this time on its European social media channels, the all-new Mitsubishi Colt will be based on the same platform as the latest Renault Clio . In fact, it is expected to look the same, bar the different front and rear ends. Thus, you can consider it a badge-engineered product, a move that will help them keep the development and production costs in check.The shadowy images released by the automaker so far show that the greenhouse will be identical to the latest Clio. The rear fenders, as well as the doors, complete with the positioning of the handles, will be the same. The front windscreen angle, roofline, and almost everything else will carry over too. On the inside, our money would be on a slightly different dashboard panel, new center console, and steering wheel, as everything else should be sourced from its French cousin.Mitsubishi previously said that the new Colt will launch with hybrid power. Chances are that it will pack the same assembly found on the Clio E-Tech, which uses a 1.6-liter four-pot with electric assistance, and a second motor acting as the starter generator. We dont know yet if they will only offer it as a hybrid, but if we were to guess, wed say that other mills will be introduced too, likely powered by gasoline. Still, we wouldnt be surprised if we saw a diesel too, as low-revving lumps are still popular in Europe.While Mitsubishi is preparing the launch of the 2023 Colt, Renault is working on the mid-cycle refresh of the fifth-gen Clio. The subcompact hatchback has been spied testing a few times, and it even revealed its design during what seemed to be the filming of a promotional video. The French model will feature an entirely new face, with boomerang-shaped DRLs, slender clusters, and a fresh grille, as well as different lighting units at the rear, and a new bumper. We wouldnt hold our breath for any significant updates in the cabin, where it might feature new infotainment system software and a few other tweaks.Certain reports speak of a possible plug-in hybrid powertrain joining the lineup, and if that is indeed the case, then it will likely be the one on the Captur, with its combined 158 hp (160 ps/118). Full details about the facelifted Renault Clio will be announced during the premiere, otherwise believed to be a few months away. Photo: Tesla Photo: Tesla Photo: Tesla/DFEH/edited by autoevolution EV If we had been allowed to introduce new evidence, the verdict wouldve been zero imo. Jury did the best they could with the information they had. I respect the decision. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 3, 2023 That includes $175,000 for economic losses and $3 million in punitive damages. Thats just a fraction of the original amount Diaz was entitled to receive. More precisely, it is 2.3% of the $136.9 million he was granted in October 2021. Anyone curious about how the story ended like this should know the explanation may rest on a name: Alex Spiro.This attorney is the same one who managed to convince a jury that Elon Musk did not defame Vernon Unsworth when he called him a pedo guy. The British diver was crucial in saving 12 boys in the Tham Luang cave rescue in 2018. Spiro also helped the Tesla CEO dismiss a security fraud trial after he tweeted he would take Tesla private by paying $420 per share. Although he was not involved with Teslas defense in the racism lawsuit Diaz filed against the company, Spiro took part in the new jury trial.Lawrence Organ represented Diaz in the first one. He told Forbes that Spiros strategy was to attack his clients credibility. In Organs own words, the idea was to minimize and sanitize. Spiro accused Diaz of lying several times. He said the former contract worker alleged he left Tesla to work as a bus driver but that he actually went to work for a Coca-Cola factory. Spiro also urged the jurors not to believe anything a witness who lied would have to say. Organ lamented that those antics worked. And they indeed did.Diazs lawyer asked $150 million as punitive damages with the argument that this would be the only way to hold a multibillion-dollar company accountable, to get their attention in preventing the racism Diaz had to face. J. Bernard Alexanders strategy failed: his client should receive only 1/50 of the amount he considered to be fair if there is no way to appeal the decision. I tried to contact Organ about that but have received no reply from him so far.Ironically, none of the parties was allowed to bring more evidence to the judgment. After all, it was held solely to determine the new damages Diaz should receive, not the racism he was subject to when he worked at Teslas Fremont factory: that was considered to be more than proven. Judge William Orrick wrote that the first jury heard Fremont was saturated with racism. That means that everything Spiro used was probably in the jury trial that granted the former contract worker $136.9 million. That makes you wonder, doesnt it?If Diaz lied, why did the first jury grant him one of the highest damages ever awarded to an individual in the U.S. due to discrimination? The only things that changed from the first jury trial to the latest one were the attorneys and the jurors. Apart from Spiro, the explanation for the new results may be in the jury. The selection process for the jurors may have made all the difference.Whatever caused this extreme change, Elon Musk still thinks it could have been better for his company. He criticized the fact Tesla could not present new evidence and stated that they could make the company walk without paying a dime to Diaz. Musk was answering a tweet from one of his fans who mocked the jury trial result. Both may be celebrating too soon.Tesla still has to go to court several more times due to racism lawsuits. Marc Cage filed his lawsuit on February 2022. Marcus Vaughn started a class-action case related to that in November 2017. Tyron Aguedo, Teri Mitchell, and 13 other former Tesla employees are also suing themaker. As employees, they may be forced to take their cases to arbitration courts. Melvin Berry won $1 million in one of them. Above all, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) wants Tesla to face justice for systematic racial discrimination and harassment.Where theres smoke, theres fire. Instead of making fun of Owen Diaz, Musk and his followers could try to address the root cause and prevent new racism cases on Tesla premises. The EV maker may not have lost $136.9 million with Diaz alone, but that does not mean it will dodge losing way more than that with all the pending cases it is yet to tackle. As competent as Alex Spiro may have proved to be as a firefighter, these blazes may reignite as much as a battery pack on a thermal runaway. Photo: Blueiprod/ Leonardo Andreoni Photo: Blueiprod/ Leonardo Andreoni Photo: Blueiprod/ Leonardo Andreoni The 164-foot (50-meter) superyacht was unveiled to the public last year at the 2022 Monaco Yacht Show and is the fourth hull in the yacht builders all-aluminum S501 series, which also includes the Vertige, Bintador, and Olokun vessels. Tankoa initially started to build Kinda on speculation, but it soon found a client for it, who took delivery of the yacht in April 2022.Handcrafted to the owners specifications, Kinda is a stunning watercraft that blends comfort with modern elegance. It shares the same slender profile and sharp, vertical bow as its predecessors but is the first hull in the successful series to feature a huge pool on the foredeck and the second to come with hybrid propulsion.The luxury motor yacht s exterior design was signed off by renowned Italian designer Francesco Paszkowski, with naval architecture engineered by Studio Francesco Rogantin. It is built with an aluminum hull and superstructure, which has allowed for a generous interior volume of 496 gross tons. Just like its sister ships in the S501 series, Kinda is engineered for low consumption and long-range cruising, and the fact that it boasts a semi-displacement hull means its able to provide exceptional seakeeping and outstanding speeds.What sets this hull apart from the other units in the lineup is its lavish bow. The foredeck is where a stunning 1,300-gallon (nearly 5,000-liter) glass-sided pool lives, flanked by comfortable sunbeds. Next to it, a plush U-shaped sofa and two tables that fall under the shade of an awning create the perfect space for socializing.Other noteworthy features outdoors include the spacious lounge on the main deck aft that boasts oversized sunpads, a dining area on the upper deck aft, as well as a beach club and a tender garage on the lower deck. The vessel also has a sundeck with a large sun pad, a few loungers, and an alfresco galley and pop-up tables for outdoor cooking.Francesco Paszkowski Design is also responsible for the interior spaces, only here the designer has got a little help from Margherita Casprini. As Paszkowski said in a statement, the interiors are fully customized to the owners needs and onboard lifestyle and reflect their desire for a contemporary and refined environment, while also ensuring a seamless continuity between interior and exterior spaces.The superyacht s coherent style is based on natural materials, glossy and matt finishes, nuances of soft, harmonious colors for the fabrics and dark contrasting shades for some furnishing accessories, the designer adds.Blending a neutral, soothing color palette with the soft textures of natural materials such as gray leather, brushed oak for floors and ceilings, and glossy Saint Laurent marbles in light tones, the living quarters are nothing short of spectacular.The attention to detail in the main salon is mind-blowing, with a plush L-shaped sofa, a formal dining area for ten people, and a sleek champagne-colored chaise lounge near the windows. The lacquered ceiling accentuated by leather panels reflects the floor setting and makes the space seem even bigger than it is.Accommodation on board the Kinda superyacht is offered for up to twelve guests in six lush cabins, with a full-beam VIP suite and an oversized owners cabin on the main deck for superior comfort. The latter is an opulent space fitted with a king-size bed, a sitting area, a vanity, and en-suite bathroom. The vessel can also carry nine crew members to ensure a relaxed yachting experience for guests onboard.Elegant furnishings from well-known brands like Minotti for the couches, ottomans, and coffee tables, Gallotti & Radice for chairs, and Talenti and Kettal for outdoor furnishings make all the spaces onboard feel welcoming and luxurious. A sense of serenity throughout is given by the use of soft and organic natural fabrics and neutral hues.The sculptural main staircase is the first thing that catches the eye when entering the yacht. Made of polished stainless steel and wood, this staircase is meant to act as a central pillar of the yacht.As already mentioned, Kinda is the second hull in the series to be fitted with an environmentally-friendly propulsion system , offering three cruising modes: diesel-mechanical, diesel-electric, and full electric. When using the latter two, Kinda will offer virtually silent cruising with significantly reduced emissions.Powered by twin diesel-electric MTU (8V 4000 M54) 1,000hp engines, this yacht can really move through the water. It will comfortably sail at 12 knots and can reach a top speed of 18 knots. It uses both main diesel engines for propulsion and one diesel generator to feed the hotel loads. At 12 knots, it can provide a range of up to 4,000 nautical miles. Overhead shot next to Model Y. pic.twitter.com/XJSlKtzO2U Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) April 4, 2023 Tesla Cybertruck was meant to be the first-ever electric pickup truck on the market, but production was delayed a few years. One of the main reasons behind the delays was that Elon Musk constantly changed course during the development phase, adding new features or even changing everything underneath the metal sheet. For instance, the megacastings weren't there from the beginning, and they changed the whole platform when they were considered.This was Rivian's moment, as it launched the R1T to market with interesting new features, and Tesla had to ponder introducing something similar. The Cybertruck gained a new drive configuration, rear-wheel steering, and other features that weren't on the table initially. Then there was a problem with the dry battery electrode (DBE) manufacturing process for the 4680 cells. All these compounded and pushed back Cybertruck's final design, further delaying production.Tesla appears to have sorted out whatever kept it from freezing the Cybertruck development and plan for production . The production line in Austin began to shape up, and we've witnessed how hundreds of assembly line robots were brought in and installed for the Cybertruck production. Two of IDRA's 9,000-ton Giga Presses were sent to Giga Texas to cast the Cybertruck megacastings. Soon enough, the roads around Tesla's R&D facilities filled with Cybertruck prototypes. Tesla recently accelerated the Cybertruck testing and moved to specialized testing.A recent drone video shot at Tesla's Fremont test track shows the electric truck undergoing a suspension torture test. During these tests, the vehicle passes over a series of bumps in the "road" arranged in different patterns so that the engineers can gather data on how the suspension works in different scenarios. This puts tremendous stress on the shocks and other suspension components, comparable with road driving for much longer distances. The test can help tune the suspension and assess the reliability of different components without driving the truck for years or tens of thousands of miles.Tesla recently showed what looked like a crash test of a Cybertruck prototype without actually showing it crash. The video was supposedly an elaborate April Fools' Day prank , but it was enough to reveal new details about the electric pickup. First, it showed a pre-production model carefully prepared to take the test, hinting that it might be the real deal. Second, it offered a unique image of the front undercarriage and suspension components.We're no experts, but the Munro & Associates team noticed longer control arms , pointing to a longer suspension travel, which is normal for a truck. Tesla appears to have also designed a simpler suspension setup than for other vehicles in the lineup, which all use a dual ball joint suspension. This makes sense for a truck, considering its road manners are less important than its other characteristics like simplicity and durability. Tesla most likely aims to position the Cybertruck in a more affordable category than we previously thought. EV occupant protection; performance; value; safety; environment; market significance; emotional appeal; innovation. kWh The 2023 World Car Awards has six categories and World Performance Car is one of them. At this years anniversary edition, three finalists qualified for the final jurors decision the 2023 Nissan Z, the Toyota GR Corolla, and the Kia EV6 GT. Over 100 relevant people (24 from the U.S.) were selected to make the choice they felt was the right one. The Kia EV6 GT won!But having anas the champion in this category that may prove useful to drivers who want to own a very capable model is no surprise.Last year, the Audi e-tron GT was selected as the winner, while in 2020 the Porsche Taycan emerged as the top pick. The latter competed against some of its well-known family members the 911 and the 718!To make the right decision that can be of help to prospective buyers, the judges give their rating based on the cumulative score of the following categories:The Kia EV6 GT impressed the jurors the most, and its not surprising considering the competition came in the form of internal combustion engine-powered vehicles that are more suited for enthusiasts. Meanwhile, the South Korean automaker came with a dual-motor all-electric spaceship-looking all-wheel-drive crossover that packs 576 hp (584 ps), the 800V architecture that enables ultra-fast DC charging, an improved braking system, an adaptive suspension system, and a generous 77.4-battery that enables a range of up to 206 mi (332 km).No matter if you like EVs or not, these power figures are nearing the current description for the supercar territory. Besides that, the exterior and interior design language of the EV6 GT puts it in a place of its own, while trying to compete in a very crowded automotive segment.The 2023 Kia EV6 GT is available stateside and has an MSRP of $48,700, but the automaker warns of extremely limited inventory. Customers should be aware that dealership markups might be something they could face if they wish to secure an allocation. Moreover, its unclear if the battery-electric vehicle will still qualify for the updated EV tax credit after April 17.Finally, this win is a much-needed breath of fresh air for Kia. The TikTok-inspired thefts have damaged trust in the brand, despite newer vehicles not being vulnerable to the USB trick. Its a great opportunity to shine some light on what the brand is all about nowadays when the redesign and the EV philosophy are taking over. AWD Back in January 2023, the Volkswagen Group of America received a handful of reports alleging doors opening by themselves on Chattanooga-produced vehicles. The failed components were shipped to the assembly plant for analysis with U-Shin Autoparts Mexico S.A. de C.V., the supplier of the door handles.Investigations concluded on March 9th, with Volkswagen discovering that water may reach the printed circuit board assembly of the door handle. This condition may see a given door open at speeds below 15 kilometers per hour (9 miles per hour) under cornering.Said concern increases the risk of injury to the occupants, and objects that may fall out of the car also increase the risk of a crash for other traffic participants. Volkswagen highlights quality issues at the supplier in the document attached below. The German manufacturer also notes increased quality control inspections at the supplier, a new pressure test parameter, and the robotic placement of the membrane.Volkswagen Group of America is aware of 10 cases of ID.4 doors opening while driving without any prior warning. There is no remedy available for the affected ID.4s, at least not for the time being, which is why a stop-sale order has been issued for nearly 16k vehicles.No fewer than 16,207 units are called back in the United States. All vehicles were produced for the 2023 model year between March 3rd and March 16th. Affected door handles feature four part numbers, referring to the driver, front passenger, rear left, and rear right door handles.In the worst-case scenario, which is the most expensive for the German automaker, the door handles will be replaced at no cost to the owners. Alternatively, dealer techs may be able to reseal the door handles properly.Dealers have already been informed of the recall and stop-sale order . Affected owners have to wait no later than May 26th to receive a Volkswagen-branded envelope via first-class mail with recall information.Formally opened in 2011, the Chattanooga assembly plant in Tennessee used to be the home of the Passat. Series production of the four-door sedan ended in 2021, leaving only the Atlas and ID.4 to soldier on. The ID.4 is based on the MEB platform of the ID.3 thats not available stateside. Offered with either single-motor RWD or dual-motor, the compact electric utility vehicle carries a starting price of $38,995 sans freight.The most driving range listed by the build & price tool is 275 miles (443 kilometers) on the combined test cycle for the ID.4 Pro, whereas the charging time from 10 to 80 percent state of charge is 30 to 36 minutes. ID.4 customers are further presented with three years of unlimited 30-minute charging sessions at Electrify America. Photo: Burgess Yachts Photo: Burgess Yachts Photo: Cecil Wright HP Photo: Cecil Wright Most of the time, when a superyacht is being built for a billionaire, its a discrete process, even a secretive one, which leads to a lot of speculation in the media. But there are some rare cases in which the builder is free to officially announce the future owner of a new build. This was the case for Arience, born as Excellence V.In 2012, when Excellence V was delivered, there were no rumors and no controversy over its ownership. Everybody knew that it was Herb Chambers new toy. Chamber is a well-known name in the U.S. car dealership world and a legendary one in the Boston area.Chambers founded a company that would eventually include 60 dealerships, and which became one of the most successful of its kind in the U.S. The billionaire himself is known for collecting luxury cars, including a rare, 1995 McLaren F1, which he sold in 2017 for a whopping $15.62 million.Chamber is also what they call a serial yacht owner. All of his boats were named Excellence, and he went for a bigger and bolder model every time. His long-term collaboration with the German shipyard Abeking & Rasmussen also stood out in a world like that of luxury yachting.The German builder has brought to life four superyachts for the automotive billionaire. One of them was Excellence V, now renamed Arience, and the latest one was the mammoth 80-meter (262 feet) Excellence, his current pleasure craft. There was no actual Excellence IV prior to that, as a result of a complicated project that was eventually scraped off. But Excellence V showed off its name proudly. At the time, it was introduced as the largest-volume yacht in the 60-meter (200 feet) size category. As the owner himself had stated, the overall surface is more important than length.Boasting an interior volume of 1,632 GT, Excellence V was as spacious as a much bigger, 70-meter (230 feet) yacht, while keeping the advantages of a shorter size in terms of harbor accessibility and flexibility.If you were flying in a helicopter above it, you could admire its cascading decks, with all of the luxurious amenities for socializing and having fun in the open air, including a huge jacuzzi. Even after almost a decade, the yacht has kept its distinctive dark blue hull and sophisticated interior style.Both its naval architecture and interior design by the acclaimed, London-based Raymond Langton, got high praise at the time. Excellence V was the winner of the International Superyacht Society Awards for Best Power 40-65 meter, and was a finalist for several other prestigious awards.The impressive volume was carefully used to create a perfect party boat because all of Chambers' pleasure craft were also successful charter yachts. Excellence V was designed to welcome up to 12 guests across six cabins, and all of them got to enjoy plenty of space and great views. Thats because all of the guest cabins were located on the main deck, while the master suite offered full privacy on the upper deck.As youd expect with such a luxurious yacht, were not talking about a simple master suite, but of an entire private master deck. This includes an enormous bedroom with panoramic views, a generous terrace with its own jacuzzi, and plenty of lounging space, plus a separate bar, on the aft deck.The cabins on the main deck also make it easier for guests to access the main salon, with a formal dining area and a sophisticated bar. When they want to switch to al-fresco dining, the bridge deck welcomes them inside a spacious dining area, plus multiple spots for lounging.There are bars everywhere onboard, including the beach club. It also has a fabulous folding sea terrace, for those who want to be as close to the water as possible. They can also take in the stunning views while working in the waterside gym. Afternoons are perfect for watching a movie in the elegant cinema on the lower deck. In the evening, dazzling lights turn the yacht into a party scene.No matter the time of the day, the sun deck is one of the most popular areas on board. The jacuzzi takes center stage its not only huge, but also comes with a tasteful waterfall and a swim-up bar. Two MTU engines of 2,000each, keep the yacht cruising smoothly at 13 knots (14.9 mph/24 kph) while advanced zero-speed stabilizers prevent any unpleasant motion at anchor.Six years after its launch, Excellence V was put on the market. The car dealership billionaire moved on to the new, enormous Excellence (which was supposed to be the ultimate expression of what the name symbolizes) while his former yacht became Arience.It was sold for approximately $70 million in 2019 and has been operating as a successful charter yacht ever since, asking for $600,000 per week. Photo: Saab AWACS means Airborne Warning and Control System, and its a term that has been with us for decades now. More modern terminology refers to these kinds of tools as Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C), but the bottom line is the same: they are specially converted aircraft used mostly by the military for both surveillance and command and control of friendly forces.The Sentry , in essence, a modified Boeing 707, has been with us since 1977, and it may very well be considered the first of its kind, hence our tendency to associate all AWACS planes with its strange silhouette. But there are other such machines out there, including the E-7 Wedgetail that will soon replace the Sentry in the USAF arsenal, and the Saab GlobalEye were here to discuss today.The GlobalEye is in fact a Bombardier airplane of the Global variety, modified including with the fitting of something that looks like a straight metal appendix on the upper side of its fuselage. Its a design similar, but somewhat stranger than that of the Wedgetail . Such a design is required because that strange metal appendix holds the Saab gear needed for the plane to conduct its missions, namely the Erieye radar.Erieye is capable of keeping under surveillance an area spanning 500,000 square km (193,000 square miles) on the horizontal and 60,000 feet (18 km) on the vertical. When mounted on the Bombardier, it can be used for long-range detection and identification of objects in air, at sea and over land, but also to help coordinate rescue missions in the aftermath of natural disasters.As for the plane itself, its largely the stock one as far as capabilities go. Depending on the variant, it can fly at speeds of up to 956 kph (594 mph) and for distances of over 12,200 km (7,580 miles), powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce engines.The GlobalEye program came about in 2016, so we presently don't have all that many planes of this variety flying in the skies of our world. In fact, Saab only announced this week the first flight of the fourth airplane in the fleet, at the companys airfield in Sweden.The United Arab Emirates Air Force currently fields all three other airplanes, and thats where this fourth plane is heading as well, together with the fifth one currently in the works. The cost of a single such plane is estimated at $710 million. Photo: Triumph Thats right, the machine described by Triumph as the "definitive British motorcycle icon" is getting a limited edition version, spawned as a means to celebrate this years run of the Distinguished Gentlemans Ride (DGR).Thats an event created in 2012 in Australia and dedicated to riders from all over the world. We talked about it before here on autoevolution, mostly because ever since 2014 Triumph has been its partner, and almost every year it released some sort of special product tied to the DGR.In the past two years, for instance, weve had a one-off variant of the Thruxton RS (2021), and an unlikely pairing between a Bonneville T120 and a Gibson Les Paul Standard guitar (2022).For this year the special treat is called Bonneville T120 Black DGR, and its not a one-off affair like the previous ones, but an entire run of 250 units that will be sold on the global markets.Basically, the bike is your standard T120, with the 1200cc High Torque engine in its frame, Brembo braking hardware, 32-spoke wire wheels front and rear, and two riding modes, Road and Rain.Its the look that sets it apart, though, and that has been specifically created to be a celebration of the Distinguished Gentlemans Ride. And since this is a ride for gentlemen were talking about, the idea was to dress the two-wheeler in a way that resembles a black-tie outfit just right for a night out in town.That was achieved by giving the Bonneville a two-tone paint in metallic Phantom Black and Crystal White. Gold accents can be found on the fuel tank and side panels. The same two places are where official DGR branding was included.Now, the DGR may be an event dedicated to motorcycle riders, but its a fundraiser as well. The 90,000 people that took to the streets in some 800 cities across the world last year have raised over the years $37 million for prostate cancer research and mens mental health.So in 2023, of the 250 bikes Triumph is making for the event (each of them numbered and signed by DGR founder Mark Hawwa and Triumph CEO Nick Bloor), the one wearing the 001 tag will be donated to the highest fundraised campaign of this year. For the rest of us, the ones who will actually be able to get their hands on one of these bikes, the selling price is $13,495.The 2023 Distinguished Gentlemans Ride takes place on Sunday, May 21. All you have to do to take part is own a bike and be willing to ride it while wearing a business suit. Photo: Subaru CVT Introduced at the 2023 New York Auto Show , the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness features the usual amount of plastic cladding on the lower parts of the body. On top of that, it gets new bumpers, bold grille, skid plate made of metal up front, and a matte black look for the hood, which is nothing more than a decal said to be anti-glare. The hex-design LED fog lamps are another thing worth mentioning, just like the Wilderness logos on the front doors and tailgate, and the Crosstrek lettering on the plastic cladding portion of the front doors. Joining the color palette is the Wilderness-only Geyser Blue.Further improving its hauling capability is the ladder-type roof rack system. The flexible design allows it to carry various gear, including a roof-top tent. And dont worry about getting stuck, because there are a few chassis enhancements on deck too. For one, it has a 9.3-inch (236-mm) ground clearance, 0.5+ inches (13 mm) more than the regular Crosstrek versions . The coil springs are longer, and the shock absorbers, which feature longer travel strokes, are responsible for the extra space between its belly and the road. The approach and departure angles were improved, from 18 to 20 degrees, and from 30.1 to 33 degrees respectively. The breakover angle is now at 21.1 degrees, up from 19.7 degrees. Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain tires were wrapped around the exclusive 17-inch alloys.Subarus Crosstrek Wilderness benefits from the X-Mode, with Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud modes to increase traction in slippery and/or sticky conditions. Hill Descent Control is part of the standard gear, and the vehicle features active torque vectoring too. Automatic emergency steering works in concert with the EyeSight and blind-spot detection to help avoid collisions at speeds under 50 mph (80 kph). The reverse automatic braking is standard, and many other driver assistance gizmos are included. The list comprises pretty much everything, from the lane departure, lane change assist, and rear cross-traffic alert, to pre-collision braking, pre-collision throttle management, and adaptive cruise control.On the inside, it features water-resistant upholstery, with the Wilderness logo embossed in the front headrests. Copper stitching, anodized copper trim on different parts of the interior, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a few other gizmos are on deck as well. The headliner has a black look, and the trim on the dashboard, doors, and shifter plate is in gunmetal gray. All-weather floor mats are standard, just like the water-resistant cargo tray in the trunk, which is removable. Subarus 11.6-inch touchscreen display, with smartphone integration, Bluetooth, and digital radio is part of the offering at no extra cost, just like the wireless charging pad for smartphones. Greeting drivers upon entering the vehicle is the Wilderness logo in the meter display at start-up.There are no surprises under the hood, where the 2024 Crosstrek Wilderness is equipped with the 2.5-liter boxer engine. The mill yanks out 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet (239 Nm) of torque, and it is hooked up to a Lineartronicwith improved final drive ratio. Rated at 3,500 lbs (1,588 kg), the maximum towing capacity has more than doubled courtesy of the added transmission oil cooler.Subaru says the first units will arrive at dealers nationwide this fall, with an MSRP of $31,995, excluding the $1,295 destination and delivery charge. The power moonroof, ten-way adjustable drivers seat, and Harman Kardon premium audio are part of an option package priced from $2,270. Production will take place at the Lafayette factory, in Indiana. Palmdale, CA (93550) Today Mostly clear. Gusty winds diminishing after midnight. Low 54F. WSW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 10 to 15 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Mostly clear. Gusty winds diminishing after midnight. Low 54F. WSW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 10 to 15 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. 5 April 2023 09:00 (UTC+04:00) Elnur Enveroglu Read more Iran's crimes against Azerbaijan have taken a large scope since the notorious armed attack on the embassy of Azerbaijan in Iran. There is a lot of evidences that the recent terror attack against the Azerbaijani MP Fazil Mustafa has been of menacing plan by Iran's clandestine networks in Azerbaijan. The nature of the crime, the identity of the accomplices, and the methods used clearly show that the Iranian special services, especially the IRGC, are behind this terrorist act. Unfortunately, the ugly manifestation of Iran's state-level terrorist policy against Azerbaijan does not end with this. Generally, if the primary mission of Irans intelligence agencies is believed to keep the Islamic regime in power. However, their missions overlap extensively because their agendas are broad. Iran's successive provocations against Azerbaijan actually serve one purpose: to put Azerbaijan in a completely suppressed position in the region. For this, Iran uses any means against the country. In this regard, the most widely used tool by Iran is the promotion of terrorism and provocations under the guise of religion. The other day, in front of the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Tabriz, the Huseyniyyun terrorist group affiliated with Iran's IRGC tried to send a message to the state of Azerbaijan by demonstrating another show. Undoubtedly, Tabriz is the most vulnerable side of the regime in Iran. Because the mullahcracy has intended to open the consulate of Armenia, its only brotherly partner in the region, for a long time. For this reason, the regime has unleashed its trained organizations and ordered an attack on the state bodies of Azerbaijan. How Iran gets armed its gangs in Azerbaijan? Iran's terrorist and espionage groups and organizations operate under different names all over the world. Those organizations can become active participants in threats and even armed attacks if necessary. One of the terrorist groups that spread widely inside and outside of Iran under religious slogans and are affiliated with the IRGC is the 'Huseiniyyun' terrorist organization. In Azerbaijan, a number of activists of that organization participated in attempts at coups. However, many members of the organization are currently under arrest. So placing flags and causing another provocation in front of Azerbaijan's Consulate General in Tabriz by Huseyniyyun's unbridled groups enboldned by the regime, once again demonstrates Iran's disregard to international norms. However, there are other radical-terrorist gangs of Iran circulating inside Azerbaijan. Generally, in the four decades since its Islamic Revolution, Iran has formed and supported an expanding number of allied fighting forces throughout the Middle East. Irans Quds Force, part of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), serves as the main point of contact with these groups, providing them with training, weaponry, and funds to promote Iranian regional objectives. Back to years of occupation of Azerbaijan's Karabakh, Iran was cooperating with Armenian separatist-terrorist groups through which they used to smuggle weapons and drugs in Azerbaijani territory. After Azerbaijan's victory in the Second Karabakh War, it was not surprising that Iran was aghast at Azerbaijan's possession of own lands, as well as being very concerned about the opening of the Zangazur corridor. Iran is ultimately unhappy of the processes in the region assuming that the results would cut its relations with Armenia despite the fact that Azerbaijan has offered Iran underground and overground route crossing through Zangazur corridor to Armenia. Because Zangazur is the only option that sustains access for Iran's terrorist organizations serving the regime to reach in the South Caucasus and beyond. Seeing that hope are vanishing in the South Caucasus, Iran is currently interfering in the internal affairs of Azerbaijan which is the only country obstructing Iran's illegal plans in the region, and is threatening statesmen, officials, and ordinary citizens in the country. The fact of this kind of crime committed against MP Fazil Mustafa revealed Iran's terrorist activity once again. Now Iran is using the same methods against Azerbaijan, and this situation equates Iran with Armenia in the Azerbaijani community. It is for this reason that working for Iran, cooperating with its special services and religious-ideological centers means cooperating with Armenia. Iran's use of religion to achieve its goals, turning religion into a tool of terror policy, is a betrayal of Islam. All members of the network established by Iran in Azerbaijan should be exposed and answer to the law. Because the people of Azerbaijan do not forgive betrayal and will never forgive it. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 April 2023 18:25 (UTC+04:00) Sabina Mammadli Read more April 4 is marked worldwide as the International Day for Mine Awareness & Assistance in Mine Action. The Azerbaijani nation, which has experienced the fatal consequences of landmines first-hand, being one of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world, does not take the issue lightly. Throughout the long bloody 30 years of occupation and even after Azerbaijans historic liberation of its lands, Armenia heavily mined Azerbaijans Karabakh and continuously failed to provide accurate mine maps. As a result of Armenias deliberate mine contamination, the number of mine victims in the last 30 years stands at 3,368 with 501 killed and 238 wounded since November 10, 2020, when the conflict ended. In its fight with mines, Azerbaijan has focused all its resources on demining activities, as they remain the biggest pullback in terms of the safe return of internally displaced people to their native lands. In this vein, Azerbaijan plans to declare a national sustainable development goal on humanitarian demining and proposed to form a Like-Minded Group of Mine-Affected countries. In a comment to Azernews, Ukrainian political analyst Vitaly Yarmolenko talking about the future of the contaminated lands shared an opinion that the territories will be almost completely unsuitable for agricultural activities, construction, or the establishment of transport communications, and energy networks. "This is an extreme risk to the life and health of internally displaced persons who would like to return to their native lands. This excludes any serious investment in the post-conflict revival and development of the region," the pundit emphasized. Taking in mind Armenias disregard for Azerbaijans repetitive calls to provide complete mine maps, Yarmolenko noted that most likely, the total area of the contaminated lands to the full extent is only known to the competent representatives of Armenia. "The absence of such information in Azerbaijan will most likely delay the demining process at times, especially given the peculiarity of the mountainous terrain," he added. The political analyst also underlined that the general tension in the region suggests that it will be difficult to reach an agreement on providing information from the Armenian side on the mined territories. Yerevan is unlikely to take this issue out of the general track of the negotiation process, he added. Azerbaijan consistently collaborates with international organizations on the mining issue. This way, in February, the European Union and the United Nations Development Program launched a new demining project in collaboration with Azerbaijans Mine Action Agency. Talking about the international collaborations on the mining agenda, the Ukrainian pundit underlined that in addition to the initiatives of international organizations, it would be useful to cooperate directly with states on a bilateral basis that has experienced similar challenges before. "For example, Ukraine has imposed similar cooperation with Cambodia. The specialists of this country are now sharing their experience with their Ukrainian colleagues in clearing large areas of mines," he finalized. -- Sabina Mammadli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @SabinaMmdl Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 April 2023 11:45 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Atlm Expo will organize the 6th ReExpo International Real Estate and Investment Exhibition at Baku Crystal Hall in Azerbaijan on May 19-20, Azernews reports. According to the received information, over 300 prestigious real estate projects from various countries including Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Montenegro, Cyprus, and Georgia will be showcased in the exhibition. Official representatives of many companies engaging in the construction of houses, villas, apartments, bungalows, residences, penthouses, offices, business centers, etc. will meet buyers at ReExpo Azerbaijan this year. The organizer of the exhibition informed that access for visitors will be free and the organizer will provide free transportation on the day of the exhibition, as well. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 April 2023 15:21 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more The Export and Investment Promotion Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan - AZPROMO and the State Committee on Investments and State Property Management of Tajikistan jointly organized the Investment Forum in Dushanbe, Azernews reports, citing the Azerbaijani Economy Ministry. The Economy Ministry said that over 170 companies in the fields of energy, agriculture, food industry, information, finance, tourism, and pharmaceuticals from both countries participated in the Investment Forum. The Chairman of the State Committee Sadi Qodirzoda delivered a speech in the Forum and gave detailed information on the economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. He emphasized the importance of the business events held with the participation of business structures for establishing closer relations between Azerbaijani and Tajik entrepreneurs. In his speech, Azerbaijani Deputy Economy Minister Sahib Mammadov touched on the historic and cultural roots of the relations between Azerbaijan and Tajikistan. He noted that Azerbaijan attaches importance to the development of bilateral economic relations with Tajikistan. "Expansion of cooperation between the two countries in industry, trade, agriculture and other sectors is one of the main directions. Azerbaijan's favorable business and investment environment opens up new opportunities and broad horizons for the realization of this potential. The activity of the private sector and the expansion of business dialogue are particularly important in the implementation of joint initiatives, the Deputy Minister said. Besides that, the officials and representatives of different state and private organizations gave information about the expansion of relations in the relevant areas of the economy, the investment potential of both countries and the business and investment environment. The forum also featured presentations on the investment potential of Azerbaijan and Tajikistan and the projects being implemented. As a part of the forum, memorandums of understanding were signed between the Azerbaijan Entrepreneurs Confederation and the Tajik Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as the Association of Women Entrepreneurship Development in Azerbaijan and National Association of Business Women of Tajikistan, Azerbaijan International Mining Company and Tajik Talco Management Limited, as well as AzerTurk Bank and Amonatbonk. On the sideline of the Forum, the Azerbaijani Deputy Economy Minister Sahib Mammadov met with Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Tajikistan Ahliddin Nuriddinzoda. The meeting discussed the trends that directly affect the bilateral economic relations of the two countries and the importance of effective use of available resources and opportunities at this level. The parties exchanged views on defining the main directions of economic and trade relations. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 April 2023 15:02 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more The Azerbaijani Deputy Energy Minister Samir Valiyev received a delegation led by Edmondo Cirielli, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Italy, Azernews reports, citing the Energy Ministry. According to the information received from the ministry, Samir Valiyev has congratulated the Italian Deputy Minister on his appointment as co-chairman of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Italy and emphasized that cooperation between the two countries in the field of energy develops successfully. Azerbaijani deputy minister has touched on the existing cooperation in the field of oil and natural gas, and given detailed information about Azerbaijan's renewable energy potential, state goals, realized projects, and future plans. The Azerbaijani official has also pointed out that there are prospects for expanding cooperation in the fields of green energy and energy efficiency. The meeting has discussed a number of issues of mutual interest, as well as issues of preparation for the next meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission to be held in Baku. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz National Carpet Museum invites you to the lecture "Birds image in Azerbaijan's ancient art samples and carpets of the 19th-20th centuries" on April 8. Doctor of Philosophy in Art Studies Seltanat Rzayeva will inform the lecture participants about the metal and ceramic products of the bronze and iron ages, as well as the bird images on Azerbaijani carpets, and their meanings, Azernews reports. The Carpet Museum regularly holds multiple events, including international symposiums, conferences, and numerous exhibitions. The museum stores over 14,000 exhibits of the finest Azerbaijani carpets. In 2019, the museum received a national status for its significant contribution to the popularization and promotion of Azerbaijani carpet weaving art. Moreover, the museum has received a Certificate of Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice for the fifth time and the Humay National Prize - another indicator of the museum's successful activities. The Carpet Museum also successfully cooperates with many foreign museums and influential international organizations. It also holds a number of exhibitions and scientific conferences to attract visitors of all ages, without exception, including visitors with disabilities. Around 70,608 people visited the museum last year. For registration, please follow the link. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Chairman of the Azerbaijan Writers' Union Anar Rzayev has been awarded the Order of Honor of the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) for his contribution to the literature of the Turkic world. The awarding ceremony devoted to the writer's 85th anniversary took place within the first meeting of the TURKSOY Authors' Union, Azernews reports. The Order of Honor was presented by TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev, one of the initiators of the TURKSOY to Anar Rzayev, one of the initiators of the TURKSOY Authors' Union. The main goal of the union is to make it possible for authors living in the Turkic geography to get acquainted with each other, to identify common problems and to promote authors of the Turkic World and their works by carrying out various activities. Recall that Anar Rzayev has previously received the highest state award of Uzbekistan the Dustlik (Friendship) Order for long-term contribution to the development and promotion of culture and literature. In March, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on awarding Anar Rzayev with the Emek Order of the 1st degree. Azerbaijan's prominent novelist and playwright Anar Rzayev has greatly contributed to the national literature by adding a number of brilliant works to the word treasury. In his works, the writer focuses on moral and philosophical issues such as life and death, kindness and humanity. At the age of 22, Anar succeeded to publish his first two stories (1960). His famous works include "Longing for the Holiday", "The Rain Stopped", "White Port", "A Person's Person", "The Sixth Floor of the Five-Story Building". Anar also wrote the scripts for various movies including The Land. The Sea. The Fire. The Sky, The Day Passed and Dede Gorgud. Moreover, Anar was the scenarist and producer of the film The Life of Uzeyir. In 1976, Anar was named Honored Art Worker of Azerbaijan. He is a holder of the Azerbaijan State Prize (1980) and Istiglal Order (1998). --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 April 2023 14:23 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more The State Film Fund has opened an exhibition timed to the 125th anniversary of Azerbaijani cinema and the centenary of AzerbaijanFilm Studio. Honored Cultural Worker Parviz Guliyev provided more than 300 photographs for the exhibition, Azernews reports. Before the opening ceremony, Director of the State Film Fund, Honored Art Worker Jamil Guliyev highlighted the role of Parviz Guliyev in Azerbaijani cinema as photographer. Over 60 years, Parviz Guliyev worked at AzerbaijanFilm Studio and worked as a photographer in more than 50 domestic feature films. For many years, he headed AzerbaijanFilm's photo studio and collected a huge collection of film stills, behind the scene photographs, portraits of famous actors and film directors. In his speech, Honored Artist Elkhan Gasimov touched upon the early period of the photographer's activity, emphasizing that his love for photography and cinema was born at a young age. On his own initiative, Gasimov created a photo archive, which contains all photo frames and negatives of films shot at AzerbaijanFilm studio. In 1977, he was awarded a Certificate of Honor from the Committee of State Cinematography under the USSR Cabinet of Ministers. In 1980, he became an "Excellent worker in cinematography", as well as a member of the Union of Cinematographers of the USSR. Furthermore, Elkhan Gasimov received the title of "Veteran of Labour" ( 1989). The photographer repeatedly took part in the Days of Azerbaijan Culture and designed photo stands. He participated in the design of the lobby of the AzerbaijanFilm Studio, the State Film Fund of Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan. He also took part in the design of photo stands dedicated to the anniversaries of famous cinema figures held at the State Film Fund. Many books, magazines, catalogues and even the film encyclopedia include his photo works. With genuine interest, the exhibition visitors traced the history of Azerbaijani cinema through photographs. The history of the film industry in Azerbaijan spans over 100 years. Shortly after the Lumiere brothers from France invented cinematography, an apparatus for making motion pictures in 1895, Russian photographer and cameraman Alexandre Michon began shooting motion pictures that depicted everyday life in Baku. The first short, silent film of Azerbaijani cinematography "You are caught" was shown in Baku on August 2, 1898. The audience witnessed a historical event - the birth of Azerbaijani cinematography. At present, local film companies are producing hundreds of films that received global recognition. Number of films produced in the country is growing at an unprecedented speed enabling countless filmmakers to express themselves in so many ways. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Azerbaijan Cultural Center in Tashkent has hosted a gala concert themed "The Sky of Our Love". The concert was dedicated to the outstanding Azerbaijani composer Fikrat Amirov, Azernews reports. Honored Artist of Uzbekistan Andrey Slonim welcomed the guests of the concert. He informed the audience about Fikrat Amirov's musical legacy and his merits to culture. Fikrat Amirov successfully synthesized folk music and mugham traditions with modern musical techniques. The composer wrote the first Azerbaijani lyrical-psychological opera on a contemporary theme. In the Sevil opera, the composer used a variety of musical forms. Amirov's symphonic mughams "Shur" and "Kurd Ovshari" are unprecedented in the history of world music. The composer is the author of numerous operas, ballets, symphonies, symphonic poems, symphonic mugham, suites, capriccio, piano concertos, sonatas, musical comedies, and songs, love songs, piano pieces, music for dramatic productions, and movies. The Symphony Orchestra of the Studio Theater at the Uzbekistan State Conservatory mesmerized the audience with Fikrat Amirov's splendid music under the baton of laureate of international competitions Bobomurod Khudoykulov. Honored Artist of Uzbekistan Adiba Sharipova also thrilled listeners with her performance. The audience was also presented with video fragments of scenes corresponding to each piece of music performed. Fikrat Amirov's timeless music evoked delight and admiration. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 April 2023 10:52 (UTC+04:00) On April 4 - in connection with International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, the representatives of the Azerbaijan-based non-governmental organizations have addressed an appeal to the Secretary General of the UN, Mr. Antonio Guterres. Azernews informs that in the appeal, it was touched upon the issues, including Armenia's use of landmines during the 30-year occupation that still poses a great threat to the civilian population, and partnership with a number of key organizations operating in the field of humanitarian demining. At the same time, it was mentioned in the letter that at the end of May 2023, the Second International Demining Conference will be held as part of demining activities to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Azerbaijan. "We all know that Mines and Explosive Remnants of War are among the most serious man-made problems of our time. Since 2005, the of 4th April has been observed as the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. On this day people in the world recognize sacrifice of the global mine action community and highlight importance of awareness on landmines and ERW. Azerbaijan is one of the most contaminated countries. Unfortunately, we are very painfully familiar with horrors of landmines and ERW. Indiscriminate use of mines by Armenia during the 30 years of occupation of the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan is causing major suffering to civilians even today. The number of mine victims in the last 30 years stands at 3,368 with 501 killed and 238 wounded since November 10, 2020 when the conflict ended. Humanitarian demining is a key priority for Azerbaijan. Major efforts are underway to strengthen demining capacity through partnership with NGOs, advanced technology, awareness building, female demining teams and mine victims assistance programmes. Our country is partnering with several key institutions operating in humanitarian demining including your RCs Office, UNICEF and UNDP and others. Azerbaijan is also sharing its experience. 2nd International Demining Conference focusing on mine action as the path to reaching SDGs will take place in Azerbaijan at the end of May, 2023. We believe in the peacebuilding potential of humanitarian demining. We are also grateful to the EU and other donors for their financial support. It should be mentioned that partnering with NGOs is important component of the international assistance. However, the amounts made available to our country are not nearly enough to stop the mine terror and prevent deaths and injuries to our men, women and children. The liberated areas of Azerbaijan are a grave reminder of the threat posed by mines and explosive remnants of war to civilians. Demining is crucial for reconstruction and rehabilitation. Mines and ERW impede return of forcibly expelled people to their places of origin. Demining is also one of the key preconditions for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. It is for this reason Azerbaijan has decided to introduce a national SDG on demining. With minefields and ERW endangering civilians and hampering socio-economic progress across the globe, it is important to promote demining to achieve the SDGs globally. Azerbaijan proposes a new, dedicated SDG on humanitarian demining. April 4th is a day to celebrate progress toward the eradication of landmines and ERW. In the meantime, it is a reminder that there is still a long way to go. We count on your valuable partnership in supporting our efforts as we believe they are important for our common goal - a mine free world," said in the appeal. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 April 2023 10:25 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijani eco-activists vigorously carry on peaceful protests back-to-back on the Lachin-Khankendi road passing through Shusha. According to Azernews, The protests over the illegal exploitation of mineral deposits, especially the Gizilbulag gold and Damirli copper-molybdenum deposits located in the Azerbaijani territories, where the Russian peacekeeping contingent is temporarily deployed, has entered the day 115. Participants of the protest performed the national anthem of Azerbaijan early in the morning. The protestors continue to chant various slogans in English and Russian calling for an end to ecocide against Azerbaijan, as well as demanding monitoring of Azerbaijans mineral deposits in the areas where the Russian peacekeeping contingent has been temporarily deployed. Besides, the passage of the various types of vehicles, including ambulances and humanitarian convoys without any hindrance are being ensured and the road is open for humanitarian purposes. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 April 2023 11:10 (UTC+04:00) President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a letter to Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta'in Billah, 16th Supreme Leader of Malaysia. Your Majesty, I cordially congratulate you on the occasion of the landmark date the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Malaysia, and pleased to convey my best wishes to your friendly people. We attach a big importance to the friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Malaysia. We are glad to see the development dynamics of our interstate relations in the thirty years period and the expansion of our collaboration of mutual interest. I wish to emphasize the beneficial cooperation of our countries within international institutions, and particularly, in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Non-Aligned Movement. Today, there are good opportunities for further development of ties between our countries. I believe that we will continue to deepen our friendly relations and our bilateral and multilateral collaboration by our joint efforts using current possibilities. Availing of this opportunity, I wish you strong health, happiness, success in your endeavors, and wish everlasting peace and prosperity to the friendly people of Malaysia. Sincerely, Ilham Aliyev President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Baku, 4 April 2023 --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 April 2023 11:21 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed a Decree on Amendments to the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated February 7, 2008 No. 2667 "On staff of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Tajikistan from the Republic of Azerbaijan". According to the amendments, minister of ecology and natural resources will become the co-chairman of the commission. So far, the commission has been co-chaired by minister of agriculture. The commission was established in 2008. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 April 2023 12:58 (UTC+04:00) Sabina Mammadli Read more Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his Saudi Arabian counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud discussed various aspects of the bilateral and multilateral cooperation agenda, including regional processes during a phone call, Azernews reports. The ministers conveyed their congratulations and best wishes on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan and wished that this blessed month would bring peace, unity and tranquility to the entire Islamic world. Noting with satisfaction the bilateral relations in different spheres, Bayramov said that mutual visits and contacts play an important role in the development of these relations. He expressed satisfaction with the mutual support and solidarity demonstrated between the two countries within the framework of international organizations, including the United Nations (UN), the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The Azerbaijani minister also emphasized the importance of Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud's visit to Azerbaijan last year and the consultations held between the two foreign ministries in February of this year. In turn, Al Saud noted that there is a wide potential for further development of friendly relations between the two countries. Noting the importance of high-level contacts, including mutual visits, the official stressed that such contacts laid the groundwork for entering a qualitatively new stage of relations. Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia established diplomatic relations on February 24, 1992. The two countries successfully cooperate in various fields of economy and have fruitful cooperation at international organizations, particularly the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation and the OPEC+. On January 13, a groundbreaking ceremony for the 240 MW Khizi-Absheron wind farm, which will be built by Saudi Arabia's ACWA Power, was held. After the construction, it is expected to supply 300,000 households, save 220 million cubic meters of gas, and reduce 400,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions during the year. --- Sabina Mammadli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @SabinaMmdl Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 April 2023 12:10 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has arrived in the Republic of Tajikistan for a state visit. A guard of honor was lined up for the Azerbaijani President at Dushanbe International Airport decorated with the national flags of the two countries. President Ilham Aliyev was welcomed by Prime Minister of Tajikistan Kokhir Rasulzoda and other officials. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 April 2023 12:35 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has visited a statue of Ismoil Somoni in the Memorial Complex of National Solidarity and Revival of Tajikistan at Dusti Square in Dushanbe. A guard of honor was lined up for the Azerbaijani President here. President Ilham Aliyev laid a wreath at the statue. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 April 2023 17:49 (UTC+04:00) Sabina Mammadli Read more Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and New Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Azerbaijan Bik Lum discussed the regional situation and reconstruction work in liberated lands, Azernews reports. Congratulating his interlocutor on her appointment, Bayramov briefed her about the consequences of the former Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, which resulted in over 1 million refugees and internally displaced persons among Azerbaijanis. The minister noted the cooperation between Azerbaijan and High Commissariat for Refugees during this difficult period, which coincided with the first years of Azerbaijan's independence. The foreign minister also spoke about the intensive reconstruction work carried out in the liberated territories, noting that the return of internally displaced persons to the villages of Agaly and Talish has already begun. He also emphasized Azerbaijans determination to reintegrate Armenian residents living in the Karabakh region. Furthermore, Bayramov stressed that despite the peaceful initiatives of Azerbaijan, Armenia continues its military-political provocations and uses international organizations for its own selfish purposes. Expressing satisfaction with the ties between Azerbaijan and Refugee Commissariat, Lum noted that she would try to maintain this positive momentum and make every effort in this direction. She noted the implementation of numerous projects for Azerbaijani internally displaced persons over the past 30 years. Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani FM also met with the head of the Baku office of the Council of Europe (CoE) Petr Zix. During the meeting, the sides also discussed the issues on the current cooperation agenda between Azerbaijan and the CoE, including the current situation in the region. Informing his counterpart on the work done in the post-war period, Bayramov pointed out that the Armenian side's failure to withdraw its armed forces from the territories of Azerbaijan and misuse of the Lachin road is an obstacle to the establishment of peace and security in the region. He also emphasized that the "humanitarian crisis" and "blockade" claims, which are intended to overshadow the picketing of the representatives of the Azerbaijani civil society protesting against such illegal activities of Armenia around the Lachin road and misdirect the international community, do not reflect the truth. Furthermore, Zix talked about the cooperation between Azerbaijan and the CoE, emphasizing the importance of mutual visits and contacts in the development of relations. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 April 2023 14:40 (UTC+04:00) An official welcome ceremony has been held for President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev at the Palace of Nation in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. A guard of honor was arranged for President Ilham Aliyev at the square decorated with the national flags of Azerbaijan and Tajikistan. President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon welcomed President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. The chief of the guard of honor reported to the Azerbaijani President. The national anthems of Azerbaijan and Tajikistan were performed. President Ilham Aliyev saluted the soldiers. The presidents reviewed the guard of honor. Members of the Tajikistani delegation were introduced to President Ilham Aliyev, while members of the Azerbaijani delegation were introduced to President Emomali Rahmon. The guard of honor marched in front of the heads of state to the accompaniment of a military march. Presidents of Azerbaijan and Tajikistan posed together for photographs. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Vientiane Declaration calls for enhanced cooperation for sustainable Mekong River Basin The fourth Mekong River Commission (MRC) Summit, themed 'Innovation and Cooperation for a Water Secure and Sustainable Mekong, issued the Vientiane Declaration before it wrapped up in the Lao capital on April 5. Representatives of the MRC nations and its partner countries pose for a group photo. The following is the full text of the declaration: Vientiane Declaration Innovation and Cooperation for a Water Secure and Sustainable Mekong April 5, 2023 Preamble We, the Heads of Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), the Kingdom of Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, meeting in Vientiane, Lao PDR, for the 4th Summit of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) and: Recalling the 1995 signing of the Agreement on the Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong River Basin (herein referred to as the 1995 Mekong Agreement) and the establishment of the MRC by the representatives of the Lower Mekong River Basin Governments, based on basin-wide perspectives, and building on a long history of Mekong cooperation since 1957 with the establishment of the Committee for the Coordination of Investigations of the Lower Mekong Basin. Noting the priority actions and commitments from prior MRC Summits and their ongoing relevance to MRC Member Countries including from the 1st Summit in 2010 in Hua Hin, Thailand, on meeting the needs, keeping the balance: towards sustainable development, the 2nd Summit in 2014 in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam, on water, food, and energy security in the context of climate change, and the 3rd Summit in 2018 in Siem Reap, Cambodia, on enhancing joint efforts and partnerships towards achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in the Mekong River Basin; Recognising the importance of the Mekong River Basins contributions to the water-related aspects of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement on climate change, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the ASEAN agenda on regional integration, connectivity and closing the development gap within the ASEAN community, and the need for a strong recovery from Covid-19 in the midst of changing and complex international and regional challenges, and in that context, reaffirming the value of multilateral cooperation; Recognising the growing sense of urgency around the critical challenges, risks and opportunities facing the Lower Mekong River Basin countries now and in the future resulting from the interaction of development and climate change, and that optimal water management to achieve a water secure Mekong River Basin is crucial to environmental integrity and the underpinning of economic and social wellbeing of basin communities, but that new ideas and innovative ways of working together will also need to be found to adequately address the growing risks and trade-offs involved in basin development and management; Acknowledging the enhanced opportunities for water, food and energy security that are available to all Mekong countries through regional cooperation and joint efforts that are possible if all countries work together; Emphasising the importance of a strong and financially sustainable treaty-based River Basin Organisation within the evolving institutional environment in the Mekong River Basin for managing water and related resources; Welcoming the greater engagement of all basin countries in the sustainable management and development of the basin in a spirit of friendship and cooperation; Acknowledging the participation and cooperation of MRC Dialogue Partners, and Development Partners and others, for their continued commitment to cooperating with MRC Member Countries; Reaffirm our highest political commitment to the effective implementation of the 1995 Mekong Agreement, and the role of the MRC as the primary regional water cooperation and diplomacy platform as well as knowledge hub in enhancing the implementation of basin-wide strategies, procedures, guidelines, and data and information sharing that drives peaceful and mutually beneficial cooperation to achieve our shared vision for an economically prosperous, socially just, environmentally sound and climate resilient Mekong River Basin. Achievements since the 3rd MRC Summit As Heads of Government of the MRC Member Countries, we hereby: 1. Recognise the significant MRC achievements and developments in recent years, including the continuous contribution to peaceful and mutually beneficial cooperation and sustainable development in the Mekong region through dialogue and cooperation between the Member Countries and with our partners, and in particular: The enhanced knowledge generation and sharing that has supported better planning and decision making, as reflected in the 2018 State of the Basin Report, and various studies and technical assessments including joint research with China, Myanmar, International Water Management Institute, United Nations and other partners; The regional guidance provided to the countries national plans for more sustainable basin development and management of water and related resources, including through the ambitious and forward-looking Basin Development Strategy 2021-2030, the finalisation and initial implementation of sector strategies for sustainable hydropower, environmental management and drought management, the updated guidance on design of mainstream dams, and guidelines for transboundary environmental impact assessment with voluntary application; Strengthening key partnerships including with MRC Dialogue Partners, Development Partners, and other regional cooperation mechanisms, including ASEAN, Mekong Lancang Cooperation, Mekong United States Partnership, Mekong Japan Cooperation, and Mekong Korea Cooperation, as well as broader stakeholders, based on concrete agreements, improved consultation processes and outreach, regional fora and dialogues, including increased data and information sharing among Member Countries and by China and intensifying joint activities; The shift in collective action towards the proactive identification of regional investment solutions and adaptive responses to basin challenges including joint efforts for sustainable hydropower, irrigation, navigation and other water developments, the coordinated management of water infrastructure, and the improved implementation of the MRC Procedures to address transboundary impacts and emerging operational needs; Helping to reduce adverse impacts on vulnerable communities from flood and drought with the establishment of more accurate flood and drought forecasting with modern tools and collaboration to support early warning and disaster preparedness through integrated regional flood and drought management; The increased support to national planning and decision-making process with reinvigorated data and information management including working towards a more sustainable Core River Monitoring Network to support regional and national river monitoring, and modelling and communication systems, and more integrated regional and national decision-support systems that are fit-for-purpose, innovative and timely in helping to address current and emerging needs; and Embedding a riparian owned and led MRC that is closely guided by the Council and Joint Committee, with a riparian Chief Executive Officer and staff, its Headquarters in Vientiane and integrated Regional Flood and Drought Management Center in Phnom Penh, and increased financial contributions from all Member Countries which have put the organisation on track to full self-financing of core river basin management functions by 2030. 2. Express our deep appreciation of the continued technical and financial support provided by Development Partners, international organisations, the private sector, and other relevant partners to the MRC and Member Countries, and the cooperation of MRC Dialogue Partners and all relevant stakeholders, in these and other achievements; 3. Acknowledge these achievements put new and improved foundations in place to fully realise MRCs mandate and core functions as an River Basin Organisation by: (i) supporting optimal and sustainable development while increasing regional water security and building climate resilience, (ii) supplementing national planning with whole-of-basin planning and where needed, coordination of basin operations, (iii) providing continuous and transparent information on current and near future conditions for improved early warning, (iv) increasing country ownership and capacity for implementing core river basin management functions, and (v) further institutional development of the MRC for the higher levels of regional cooperation needed to address the Basin challenges. Regional opportunities and challenges As Heads of Government of the MRC Member Countries, we further: 4. Acknowledge the considerable opportunities for sustainable development in all water-related sectors, including hydropower, irrigation, navigation, and others, and that the provision of water security to protect societies from water risks, especially floods and droughts, is essential both as an integrated part of other sector investments and as a development opportunity; 5. Acknowledge that while the development and utilization of the Mekongs waters contributes considerably to economic growth, it can also have adverse impacts, including transboundary impacts that need to be jointly addressed, on the basins environment and vulnerable communities especially when exacerbated by climate change, such as severe floods and droughts, erosion and sedimentation, the impacts of rapid fluctuations in river levels and flows in parts of the basin, and the deterioration of environmental assets and fisheries including due to loss of connectivity; and 6. Reiterate that to address the basins challenges, which have become much more complex, we need both development and management options to ensure sustainability of the environmental resource base, to identify alternative investment solutions and adequately consider the linkages between different sectors, to move beyond water resources planning to encompass operational management, including through opportunities for transboundary coordination, especially in terms of timely and regular sharing of operational data from dams and other water infrastructure, and to identify joint investment projects that contribute to water, food and energy security. Priority areas of action We call on the MRC, all partners and stakeholders to find innovative solutions to cope with these challenges, and to seize the opportunities and intensify cooperation for a water secure and sustainable Mekong River Basin, while abiding by the principles of openness, transparency, inclusiveness, mutual benefits, equality, consultation, coordination, cooperation, and respect for sovereignty, with a focus on: 7. Identifying, through more Proactive Regional Planning leading to an adaptive basin plan, new joint and national investment projects of basin-wide significance and related enabling activities that can increase synergies and reduce vulnerabilities at the basin and national levels, and that provide a comprehensive response to climate change, including through infrastructure and nature-based water storage options, environmental limits and improved sediment management, and that support the implementation of integrated regional sector planning that goes beyond water-related aspect, such as non-waterrelated and renewable energy generation, regional grid connection and upgrade, power market development and trade, and multimodal transport hubs; 8. Enabling basin countries to support communities to adapt to changing river conditions by ensuring a more effective and timely communications and notification system for unusual water flows, water quality issues, flood and drought and other water-related emergencies both among basin countries and to the communities, and by working towards the increased sharing of operational data from water infrastructures in a timely and regular manner for better preparedness and response; 9. Supporting development and operational decisions through improved use of technology, including enhanced decision support for the implementation of all river basin management functions from water-related monitoring and operational basin management to long-term strategic assessments and planning; 10. Ensuring that consultations are conducted more effectively to achieve common objectives by implementing, in partnership with MRC Dialogue Partners, a Multiple Stakeholder Platform for the entire basin, with increasingly joint and innovative activities with other regional cooperation platforms, Development Partners, communities, non-governmental organisations, the private sector, and other relevant stakeholders; 11. Strengthening the entire river basin management in accordance with the mandate of the MRC through innovation in policy, technology and mechanism for cooperation and partnership with other Mekong related regional cooperation frameworks; 12. Maintaining and exploring innovative financing in the support of the above endeavors including through new public and private sources and global funding mechanisms; and 13. Ensuring that the MRC is on a sustainable transition to self-financing by 2030, including through ongoing organisational development that strengthens the capacity of the MRC and national agencies 5 to implement the core river basin management functions, including water-related data acquisition and monitoring supported by joint basin expert groups, a cost-effective Core River Monitoring Network, enhanced implementation of the MRC Procedures and their associated mechanisms, modality of work, and uptake of regional strategies and guidelines. Way ahead 14. We reiterate our commitment to joint efforts to further strengthen the role of the MRC in helping to ensure a water, food and energy secure and economically, socially and environmentally sustainable Mekong River Basin. 15. We welcome the strategic shift to proactive regional planning and coordinated operational management, and call on all basin countries, partners and stakeholders to continue to work with the MRC to uphold the 1995 Mekong Agreement and its Procedures, and to support the implementation of the BDS 2021-2030 in accordance with this Declaration and the One Mekong One Spirit. 16. We task the MRC to coordinate and monitor the implementation of this Declaration. 17. We express our sincere gratitude to the Government of the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic for hosting the 4th MRC Summit, and we look forward to the 5th Summit to be held in 2026 in the Kingdom of Thailand. Adopted in Vientiane, Lao PDR, on 5 April 2023 in the English language. Feature: Chinese doctors on aid mission in Tunisia befriend patients, colleagues 11:29, April 05, 2023 By Xinhua writers Xu Supei, Huang Ling ( Xinhua Anesthetist Peng Xihua checks the condition of a patient at Sidi Bouzid Regional Hospital in Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia, on Feb. 17, 2023. (Xinhua/Xu Supei) TUNIS, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Despite the passage of 50 years, Xiao Chengjing still remembers vividly the day he traveled to Tunisia on his first trip abroad. "Everything was new to me," Xiao, 84, recalled the excitement of flying on a Boeing plane while donning headphones and listening to music back in 1973. The veteran Chinese hematologist, from the Jiangxi province in southeastern China, was a member of the first medical team that China sent to Tunisia in a goodwill gesture to provide medical assistance to the North African country. Xiao called himself and his colleagues as "diplomats in white" as they helped deepen mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples. Huang Jian, a Chinese anesthetist and member of the current 27th batch of Chinese doctors sent to Tunisia last December, found many familiar names when browsing the list of previous teams, including his colleagues, retired hospital deans, and even his neighbor, Xiao Chengjing. Over the past half-century, China's Jiangxi province has sent a total of 1,153 medical personnel in 27 batches to Tunisia, providing a total of 6.1 million outpatient services to Tunisians. The Chinese doctors work not only in urban cities, but also in rural and remote areas, alleviating the pains of tens of thousands of Tunisians. Currently, there are 38 Chinese medical personnel assigned to work in four Tunisian cities, including the Tunisian capital of Tunis, Sidi Bouzid, Gafsa and Jendouba. Joining the Chinese medical team in Tunisia was a dream coming true for Peng Xihua, an anesthetist working with the team in Sidi Bouzid. "Since my first day here, I was told how the Jiangxi medical teams had represented our motherland and provided assistance to faraway Tunisia. These stories sowed a seed in my heart," Peng told Xinhua. Before departure for Tunisia, Peng was fully prepared for the challenging work ahead. Nevertheless, she was still taken aback by the shortage of medical resources and the heavy workload upon her arrival. As the only anesthesiologist in the Sidi Bouzid Regional Hospital, she once received 37 calls for surgery in a single morning. Because of Peng's dedication and professionalism, the Tunisian doctors and nurses in the hospital enjoy working with her. They often bring her plates of couscous, a traditional Tunisian dish, as a token of gratitude. In the northwestern Tunisian city of Jendouba, the capital of the Jendouba Province, Hadda Daboussi, the widow of the former governor, has kept a tradition of inviting every Chinese medical team to her home in the past 40 years. "Everyone in Jendouba knows that Madame Hadda is a good friend of the Chinese people," Daboussi said, adding that she was moved by the Chinese doctors' persistence in fulfilling their responsibilities of helping the Tunisian people even during the turmoil of the 2011 Arab Spring. In December last year, at a farewell ceremony held for the outgoing 26th Chinese medical team, Tunisian Health Minister Ali Mrabet commended the Chinese doctors for making a great contribution to taking care of Tunisians' health. Mrabet noted that the outstanding performances of the Chinese medical staff embody the essence of the China-Tunisia friendship and medical cooperation. For many Tunisians, their friendship with Chinese doctors over the years has also led them to explore more about Chinese culture and people. Inspired by her Chinese friends from the medical teams, Daboussi so far has visited China twice, during which she also intentionally visited the Jiangxi province, the hometown of the Chinese medical teams sent to Tunisia. Mgadmi Salwen, a Tunisian anesthesiologist at the Gafsa Regional Hospital, always bombards Huang Jian with interesting questions about China and even once asked Huang to give him a Chinese name. Based on the transliteration of Salwen, Huang proposed to him the Chinese name of "Shi Lewen." "Lewen means joy and refinement. Shi is a common Chinese surname that means 'rock,' symbolizing our wish for the ties between China and Tunisia to be as solid as a rock," Huang explained. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) 5 April 2023 15:47 (UTC+04:00) President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon have held a one-on-one meeting in Dushanbe. Addressing the meeting, President Emomali Rahmon said: - Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, welcome to Tajikistan. Mutual relations between our peoples have an ancient history and good traditions. It is gratifying that today our interstate ties are developing in many areas. We attach great importance to the further strengthening of these relations in all formats. Today, I am ready to discuss with you the state and prospects of mutual relations between our countries, as well as international and regional issues. Welcome again. I wish you a pleasant time in our country. x x x President Ilham Aliyev said: Thank you, Emomali Sharifovich. First off, thank you for the invitation. I am very glad to come again to brotherly, friendly Tajikistan. As you noted, relations between our countries are based good history, and I am sure, very good future. We cooperate in many areas both on an international arena, within international institutions, and of course, in a bilateral format. There are very good prospects for deepening cooperation in the fields of trade, economy, industry and transport. Of course, we will discuss it thoroughly. Members of the delegations will also have active discussions. I am sure that the results of the visit will be successful. We will define the next program of joint activity. Thank you once again for your hospitality. President Emomali Rahmon: Thank you very much. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 April 2023 18:47 (UTC+04:00) Sabina Mammadli Read more On the night of the 115th day of the Azerbaijani eco-activists' vigil on Lachin-Khankandi road, Azerbaijani doctors provided medical assistance to an Armenian resident of Karabakh, Azernews reports. At the request of the Russian peacekeepers, an ambulance from a modular hospital located in the city of Shusha arrived in the area, the patient was given first aid. Later, the woman of Armenian origin was taken to Khankandi by ambulance. Besides, the road remains open despite the claims by the Armenian media. This way, over 30 vehicles of Russian peacekeepers have driven along the road throughout the day. The vehicles were carrying Armenian residents living in Azerbaijan's Karabakh region and children from Khankandi in the direction of Lachin. Recall that following the talks with the Russian peacekeepers' command on December 3 and 7, 2022, a group of experts from the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the State Property Service under the Ministry of Economy, and AzerGold CJSC was going to begin preliminary monitoring of the illicit mineral resource exploitation, as well as emerging environmental implications on Azerbaijani lands, where the Russian peacekeepers are temporarily deployed, on December 10, 2022. The expert team was expected to inspect the environmental condition at the Gizilbulagh gold deposit and the Damirli copper-molybdenum deposit, monitor various areas, organize cadastral property records, assess potential risks and threats to the environment, as well as underground and surface water sources. However, the expert group, accompanied by Russian peacekeepers, faced provocations when arriving at the monitoring area. The planned initial inspection and monitoring did not take place due to the fact that the Russian peacekeepers not only did create necessary conditions but also prevented the entire process from carrying on. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 April 2023 10:00 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more Chairman of the State Tourism Agency (STA) Fuad Naghiyev has addressed the 19th Azerbaijan International Tourism and Travel Fair - AITF 2023. In his speech, he emphasized that the State Tourism Agency focuses on turning the Karabakh region into a tourist destination, Azernews reports. "Design works are being carried out in Tugh village, Hadrut settlement, around Shahbulag fortress in Aghdam in order to create the primary tourism infrastructure. The construction of a tourism complex around the Suqovushan reservoir is underway. We believe that tourism will be one of the leading areas to ensure the livelihood of our citizens", he added. In his speech, the chairman of the State Tourism Agency also touched upon the development of foreign and domestic tourism. "We support the active and efficient activity of foreign tourists to our country. Currently, our main goal is to restore the pre-pandemic numbers and ensure more flexible activity than before. Around 1.6 million citizens of foreign countries visited Azerbaijan last year. That's 50 percent of pre-pandemic numbers. In 2026, we aim to increase the number of foreign tourists to four million, and the number of domestic tourists to six million. He also stressed the importance of AITF 2023 in the development of networking and strengthening tourism ties. "The income from tourism in the GDP is expected to increase by 1.5 times. At the same time, we predict a 20 percent increase in the tourism sector. The main objective is to promote Azerbaijan as a sustainable, quality tourism destination. In this direction, large-scale works are being carried out by the Azerbaijan Tourism Board," said Fuad Naghiyev. The AITF 2023 draws attention to the tourism industry after a three-year hiatus caused by the pandemic. Traditionally, the fair gathers representatives of the tourism industry, including national and regional tourism organizations and government agencies from different countries. The Azerbaijan International Tourism and Travel Fair serves as a major platform, which makes it possible to establish new contacts, significantly expand the sales geography, learn about the latest innovations and trends in the industry, as well as find new partners and customers. Apart from that, the travel fair highlights the importance of Azerbaijan as an attractive travel destination and demonstrates the hospitality of the Azerbaijani people to foreign participants and visitors. Outbound tourism, domestic tourism, inbound tourism are on the agenda of AITF 2023. The travel fair highlights medical and health tourism, cruises, airlines, national and regional tourism departments, ministries, travel agencies and tour operators, etc. This year, Bulgaria, a traditional participant of the exhibition, acts as the AITF 2023 General Sponsor, while Uzbekistan is a partner country. The 19th Azerbaijan International Tourism and Travel Fair is organized by Caspian Event Organisers with the support of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (KOBIA), Azerbaijan State Tourism Agency and Azerbaijan Tourism Board. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. You can also follow her at @_ishanidesai on Twitter. Name: Savanna RamirezCounty from: Duplin CountyCurrent College Attending/ Years Attended (2022-2023): Barton CollegeYear in School by Credits: JuniorMajor/Area of Study: Mass CommunicationsConcentration: Public RelationsFollow Savanna on LinkedIn by clicking here Interning at Golden LEAF has given me opportunities that I otherwise would've never known existed. Golden LEAF has also introduced me to a newfound passion of nonprofit work. I think that taking this internship has opened doors for me to pursue a bigger purpose when continuing forwards to the rest of my future. On top of finding a new sense of purpose with my ideal work, I've also confirmed my love of communications work.There are various different things that I never thought were even skills or methods of doing things until I started interning at Golden LEAF. I never understood the underlying components of a communications job like logistics, data-tracking, etc. and with this internship opportunity I've come to learn how to deal with those aspects.I absolutely love the community of people that I get the opportunity to work with. I also enjoy that I get the chance to make social media posts for Golden LEAF that I get to see on my feed knowing what went into making it. One of my favorite opportunities I've gotten to experience was being able to write an article on a Golden LEAF Alumni after conducting an interview.Passionate. Endearing. Innovative.I'm not entirely sure where I'll be led after I graduate but I'm open to any and all possibilities. I'd love to find my way back into some sort of nonprofit work possibly later on because I do find the work rewarding. I do want to continue to work with social media management and possibly get to reach and work with a younger audience. Towards the end of my work, I'd hopefully like to reach a point where I could teach since I've always had that passion as well.Enjoy it. This opportunity doesn't happen often and I can't think of a better workplace full of supportive and understanding staff. Take the time to network because Golden LEAF reaches such a wide range of people that are good to know once you leave. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis punched back at former President Donald Trump after enduring months of attacks from the man he appears increasingly likely to challenge for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.DeSantis made the remarks in an interview with Piers Morgan on Fox Nation'sthat is set to air later this week.The remarks from DeSantis come after the former president has launched multiple attacks on the governor since the midterm elections ended, including trying to brand the governor with derogatory names, promoting baseless claims that DeSantis is a groomer, and claiming that Democrat billionaire George Soros endorsed DeSantis.DeSantis was slammed by the former president on Monday after he spoke out against the prosecution of Trump by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office investigation, calling itDeSantis took a swipe at Trump while making the remarks, saying,Trump responded on social media by writing:While talking to Morgan at the Governor's Mansion in Tallahassee, DeSantis gave his strongest indication yet that he intends to enter the race for president.DeSantis said.When asked if he thinks he can beat Biden in a presidential race, DeSantis responded,Morgan wrote in an op-ed describing the upcoming interview that it was "clear that the governor has had enough of Trump's constant baiting and felt ready to take him on."When asked about differences between himself and Trump, DeSantis said that there were several.DeSantis said.he continued.DeSantis laughed off Trump's derogatory nicknames, saying:he said.he said.DeSantis said that he had a good relationship with Trump, which started because he repeatedly defended the president over false allegations that his campaign colluded with Russia in 2016.he said.DeSantis said that Trump's tune changed dramatically after he dominated in the midterm elections while the anticipated red wave really did not materialize across the country the way many thought it would.DeSantis said.DeSantis said that as a leader, it was important to look at America's Founding Fathers for the type of character that is needed to be president.he said.he said.DeSantis said that he has not made a final decision about whether he will run for president during this cycle.he said. MOSCOW America has long been an example to the world but has finally caught Russia's attention with its system of prosecuting political opponents. According to reports, President Vladimir Putin is actively considering restructuring Russia's Ministry of Justice to follow suit.Putin told translators in a meeting with foreign journalists Friday.He continued,Under a new directive, the Federal Security Service (FSS), which parallels America's FBI, is reportedly looking into the seedy history of many political opponents to see what can be thrust in front of the media to turn public opinion against them before they are thrown into a gulag for the rest of their life.In response to these reports, Biden said,At publishing time, Putin had been gravely offended by being tricked into loving America. Increasing capacity of schools to identify and address behavioral health needs through student-focused prevention and support services. Training school personnel to better recognize and respond to emerging behavioral health issues. Establishing school-based telehealth pilot programs to expand behavioral health care access for approximately 10,000 students in high need and rural districts. Flexible funding to local School Health Advisory Councils to support coalitions of parents, school staff and community members investing in behavioral health resources to meet local needs. Connecting schools and families with behavioral health partners in their community. Funding a new statewide electronic health record system to secure student health records and enable records to transfer when students move. NC Department of Health and Human Services 2001 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-2001 Ph : (919) 855-4840 : (919) 855-4840 news@dhhs.nc.gov The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, today released the North Carolina School Behavioral Health Action Plan to address the urgent mental and behavioral health crisis facing youth through key investments in our schools.Schools play a critical role in supporting the health of students by providing convenient access to behavioral health supports for youth. This is particularly important in North Carolina, as more than half of its youth with mental health disorders do not currently receive necessary care and more than half of the state's counties do not have a child psychiatrist.said NCDHHS Secretary Kody H. Kinsley.In addition to highlighting the critical funding needed to hire more school nurses and social workers throughout the state, the plan describes six investments in evidenced-based strategies and pilot programs to support the behavioral health of students. The strategies are designed to increase access to behavioral health supports, provide flexible resources to address local priorities and build partnerships with community providers to meet student needs.The investments outlined in the plan include:Investments in school behavioral health are a core strategy of Governor Cooper's roadmap for a $1 billion for behavioral health and resilience announced on March 8, 2023. Just days after a woman who identified as transgender gunned down six people at a Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, a state representative in Wyoming has implicitly called for more gun violence against those who oppose the agenda of "trans folks." Over the weekend, Wyoming state Rep. Karlee Provenza (D-Laramie), the state House's 33-year-old Democrat minority whip, posted a controversial graphic to her Facebook account, @Provenza4Wyoming. The image depicts an elderly woman named "Auntie Fa" carrying a rifle in the name of protecting "trans folks against fascists & bigots." "Auntie Fa" is a coded reference to Antifa, the far-left activist group known for using violence to intimidate others in cities like Portland and Seattle and now even Atlanta. The Auntie Fa image that Provenza posted is taken from Off Color Decals, a company that sells "Merch and Firearms Accessories for the Left," according to its website. https://www.theblaze.com/news/days-after-nashville-shooting-wyoming-dem-sides-with-antifa-implies-supporting-gun-violence-against-those-who-oppose-trans-agenda Around the country, Republican-led states are embracing this philosophy and fueling the most significant expansion of school choice programs in years. In state after state, governors have signed into law programs that allow every family to access the money designated for their child's education and put it toward the school of their choice including private schools, religious schools or home schools. Last week, North Carolina waded into these waters, filing a bill in the N.C. Senate that would make all of the state's families eligible for money they can use toward tuition or education expenses. Senator President Pro Tem Phil Bergers office touted it as the biggest proposed expansion of school choice in the state's history. The bill is a great step forward, building on the success of the overwhelmingly popular Opportunity Scholarship program. But there are key differences between North Carolinas version of universal school choice and how its been put into effect in other states. These differences would make North Carolinas one of the weaker universal school choice programs in the country and threaten to undermine the entire philosophy behind the movement in the process. As the national tide rushes toward embracing school choice, North Carolinas version of this legislation shows that Republicans in our state dont quite understand the movement. Breaking down North Carolina's school choice proposal To understand the new proposal, you first must be familiar with Opportunity Scholarships in North Carolina. This program was first introduced in 2013 and offered vouchers of up to $4,200 per school year for low-income families in failing public schools to be able to afford to send their children to private school. Since then, the program has slowly expanded, gradually increasing the potential value of the voucher (to $6,500) and raising the income level of families who qualify solidly into the middle class. This years school choice bill takes another significant step forward in that same vein. Under Senate Bill 406, all families are eligible to apply for Opportunity Scholarships, regardless of income level. But the amount of money families can receive is highly dependent on how much money they earn. Low-income families are eligible for a maximum scholarship of about $7,200. As income rises, the total amount of the scholarship rapidly declines. Data from Senator Phil Bergers office. With that greatly expanded eligibility, the General Assembly will begin to set aside a lot more money for the program. In 2017, the legislature allocated under $45 million for Opportunity Scholarships. This school year, that number is about $95 million. That allocation jumps to $176.5 million for the 2023-24 school year, the first year the expansion would take effect. However, this budget increase was already planned. The new bill does increase funding beginning in the 2025-26 school year, to $366.5 million from a planned $206.5 million. How the bill compares to other states' efforts The North Carolina bill was introduced just days after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that would expand the state's school choice program to make all families eligible. Under Florida's program, all families could be eligible to receive a voucher of up to $8,000 per student to attend the school of their choosing. Families could also access a $750 scholarship for transportation to and from their school. Applications from low- and middle-income families would have priority for the program, with higher-income families having access to scholarships depending on demand and money available. While figures are still being finalized, Florida is setting aside around $2 billion for the scholarship program next year. That state's bill is similar to other states that have embraced similar programs, like Iowa, Utah and Arkansas. Most give priority to low-income families, but do not pro-rate the amount families can receive based on income. This is a more traditional school choice argument. If the state is willing to spend a certain amount of money per student, it follows that parents should be able to decide where their students allotment should go. Why this matters Its pretty clear why Senate Republicans took the approach they did. Theyre terrified that they will be criticized by the left for supporting a giveaway to rich families to attend private school. That specific attack is why the Opportunity Scholarship program developed as it has. Rather than proactively making the case for school choice, Republicans have chosen to try to neuter specific criticisms. That still hasnt stopped Gov. Roy Cooper and the Democratic Party from trying to undercut the program. Coopers budgets have generally included a phase-out of the program, and left-leaning groups unsuccessfully sued to block Opportunity Scholarships altogether. Democrats say school choice scholarships siphon away money from public schools and send it to unaccountable private schools. Republicans have countered by saying the money is overwhelmingly going to low-income students trapped in failing schools. Its a fine argument, but its not really a case for school choice. Sadly, this new school choice bill continues to have the school choice debate on the lefts terms. It validates the Democrats premise that private school vouchers are giving away money thats the traditional public school systems by right. Ceding that ground threatens to undercut the entire school choice movement in North Carolina. Instead, the General Assembly should make the case that the states education dollars arent for bureaucracies theyre for students. Money should support the child, not prop up a system. Either the General Assembly doesnt understand the concept of school choice, or they dont believe in it enough to defend it. 4 things of note Gov. Roy Cooper's iron grip over North Carolina politics has cracked What's happening: For the first time in five years, the General Assembly managed to successfully override one of Gov. Roy Cooper's vetoes. The House voted Wednesday to override the veto of Senate Bill 41, which scrapped North Carolina's archaic county-based pistol purchase permit system. Interestingly, the override vote did not reach the 72-member threshold theoretically required in the House. That's because several Democrats were not at the legislature when the vote occurred. The law requires three-fifths of members present to vote in favor of an override. One Democrat, Rep. Tricia Cotham, told WBTV that she opposed the override but missed the vote because she was receiving treatment in the hospital for long COVID. Why it matters: It's extremely significant that the General Assembly succeeded in overriding a veto after years of failure. That opens the door for more Republican priorities to become law through this long session especially on broadly popular issues like school choice and transparency in education. It's unclear whether the Democrats who missed the vote did so on purpose, but that should become apparent if it becomes a pattern in future override votes. What comes next: There are likely many more override efforts still to come. The liberal group Carolina Forward is already trying to raise money to challenge the three Democrats who missed the vote on the override in the next primary. House drops first version of state budget Its the long session, so that means the biennial state budget is the main focus of the General Assemblys attention. The state House released its first take on a two-year budget this week. You can read 415 pages of bill text here, or 639 pages of spreadsheets and charts here. You can follow the bill's progress through the General Assembly here. But here are a few financial highlights: 7.5% raises for state employees (over two years) 10% raises for teachers (over two years) Personal income tax rates fall to 4.5% a year ahead of schedule, and the standard deduction increases slightly An additional $1 billion per year for water and sewer infrastructure, and an additional $1 billion for road projects $400 million for a new industrial megasite But of particular interest this year are all the little extras tucked into the bill. The General Assembly frequently uses budget bills as a sort of omnibus package that also includes a ton of non-financial stuff. Expect that to be an even bigger feature this year, since the implementation of Medicaid expansion requires the budget to be passed. This means Gov. Roy Cooper will have a harder time vetoing the budget, so Republicans can be more aggressive in putting things in there that might get vetoed as a standalone bill. So far, these things include: "Medical freedom" provision that prevents state agencies from discriminating based on COVID vaccination status. This includes a prohibition on school districts requiring children to be vaccinated against COVID. Academic transparency for public school districts, requiring them to publish lesson plans and teaching materials online. Cutting off state funding for organizations that provide abortions. U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis to visit early primary states What's happening: In response to questions about whether U.S. Sen. Them Tillis is considering running for president, his campaign office confirmed to the N&O that Tillis will visit early primary states in the coming months but will not run for that office himself. Why this matters: Tillis has spent much of the last year trying to carve out a reputation as a bipartisan dealmaker and maverick public servant (think John McCain) who can appeal in purple states. In theory, this could put him in a position to be a VP pick. What comes next: Look to see Tillis in Iowa and New Hampshire. It will be interesting to see who he ends up aligning himself with. Perhaps former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley? Or U.S. Sen. Tim Scott? Rep. Bradford considering run for state treasurer What's happening: Now that State Treasurer Dale Folwell plans to run for governor in 2024, a Mecklenburg County state representative is considering a run to fill his seat. Rep. John Bradford, who represents the towns immediately north of Charlotte, announced on Twitter that he's heard a lot of support for a potential run and believes he is an "ideal" candidate. Bradford is a real estate investor and startup CEO. Why it matters: Bradford is the sole Republican in the Mecklenburg delegation, and his recent races have been extremely tight. His departure would make it that much more difficult for the GOP to defend the seat. What comes next: While Folwell has said he's running for governor, filing isn't until December and he may end up changing his mind. If Folwell makes more moves toward mounting a campaign, we'll likely see more Republican candidates enter the race. Bradford said he'll make a formal decision in the next few weeks. 1 good idea from another state New Mexico to offer free school lunches to all The state of New Mexico has enacted legislation that will provide free school meals to all students regardless of family income. The program costs a relatively paltry $22 million per year, but eliminates thorny problems like mounting school lunch debt and stigma around accepting free lunches for low-income families. Thanks for reading Longleaf Politics! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. To receive a full Opportunity Scholarship, your family had to qualify for free or reduced-price lunch at school (roughly earning less than $29,000 for a family of two or $44,000 for a family of four). Families earning up to 133% of the free or reduced lunch income limits could get an Opportunity Scholarship worth 90% of the cost of tuition at a private school, up to a $4,200 limit. Another big caveat: You couldnt quality for an Opportunity Scholarship if your child already attended a private school or home school. The child had to have been enrolled in a traditional public school or charter school previously. In the current school year, the maximum Opportunity Scholarship value is about $6,500 calculated as 90% of the average the state pays per-pupil for education. Families making up to $111,000 for a family of four were eligible to apply this year, though the public school attendance requirement is still in effect. Graphic by the N.C. State Education Assistance Authority, which manages the Opportunity Scholarship program. Saudi Arabia, whose relationship with the United States has taken a nosedive during President Joe Bidens tenure, announced on Sunday it would lead the members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), including Russia, to cut over one million barrels of output a day Remembering Easter and the importance of Holy Week I just wanted to write this out of respect for Easter and Holy week. We just celebrated Palm Sunday this past Sunday at many Churches across America and across the World. Palm Sunday commemorates the entrance of Christ into Jerusalem during which branches were placed on His path. Holy Wednesday, commemorates the bargain of Judas as a clandestine spy among the Disciples. Maundy Thursday, also called Holy Thursday, is when Jesus had his Last Supper with His Disciples. And of course, Good Friday is an important day of the year because it celebrates for Christians what we believe to be the most momentous weekend in the history of the world! Good Friday, a Christian holiday commemorates the Crucifixion of Jesus, and his death at Calvary Finally, 3 days later Jesus arose from the grave and forever lives! I was personally disappointed that although many other county schools were closed in observance of Good Friday, Beaufort County Schools were not. I did bring this concern up at our last Board meeting on April 4th, 2023. I just wanted to end by thanking the Lord Jesus Christ for His love and sacrifice to us all during this very "special" time of year! This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate When Debbie Sanders adopted her dog, Pippa, she wanted more than just the usual bathing and grooming. The Nederland native eyed small amenities that could go a long way in caring for her pooch, including one-on-one time and an escape from the Southeast Texas elements. Sanders soon realized that could go a long way for other dogs, too. That led to her opening Pippa's Closet, a dog boutique in northwest Beaumont, in November 2019. The Enterprise talked to Sanders about Pippa's Closet offering items and services to help ensure not only a happier dog, but also a happier dog owner. Q: Who or what inspired you to open Pippas Closet Dog Boutique? A: I got a dog, and I liked to go shopping for it and all that, and was wanting certain varieties. There were some nice places here instead of going to Houston and all over, but other things that our area didnt really have Thats how we came about. (We wanted) some of the higher-end clothes, specialty items like that... Were also trying to educate our pet parents on the different varieties of food A lot of these brands are only carried in independent pet stores, and I have a higher level of sourcing, transparency (and) quality in these foods. Q: Aside from the usual inventory of food, treats, etc., you also have strollers. What led to that decision to have strollers? A: I used them myself and enjoyed them. Theyre nice, especially when youre going out to eat at restaurants and patios I have a white dog, so it does kind of keep her clean. Q: Theres also a treat bar. What led to that decision? A: Most (dog) boutiques, even in out-of-town places, they all offer that. It does give my customers something to do while theyre waiting on the dog wash. Q: Given Southeast Texas has a climate to where it can incredibly hot one day, then raining nonstop the next, what factor did that play into having items like strollers? A: The ground can be wet. Plus (theres) allergies. When dogs walk on the ground, they pick up the pesticides, the pollen. And then theres senior dogs with health problems that dont walk well And if we dont have (certain stroller sizes), sometimes we can special order what you need as well. Q: When COVID-19 entered the picture, what kind of business opportunities did that present for Pippas Closet? A: Luckily, all in one swoop, Id just opened when the pandemic hit. But since we do sell food, we (were) deemed essential, so I got to keep my doors open when a lot of other boutiques couldnt A lot of people in the Beaumont and Golden Triangle area was amazingly supportive. I would do curbside (pickups), and we did some online orders That was amazing. We took safety precautions as well to help make (customers) feel safe. I would do whatever they request of me as well, because I wanted to serve them. Q: What were some of those other items that people wanted more of over the last couple years? A: We do have a niche market. A lot of my customers want the speciality clothing items I offer Just in whole, they like supporting small business. Then, my unique thing is the self-serve dog wash. Theres not a lot of that around here, and people really appreciate that (The winters) when I am the busiest in the dog wash. Q: When it comes to the self-service dog wash, what good do you see in having it? A: It saves the customers' back, and it lets them bond with their pet. From there, thats what grew into the full-service grooming. Our customers were asking for that well. (Giving them baths at home would) mess up their house, (with) all the dog hair You can leave the mess here (at Pippas Closet) and not have it in your house I wanted a grooming place that Id feel safe to bring my own dogs to, so were really striving for that. We use higher-end products... The Super Mario Bros. Movie is such a brightly spiffy product, and so initially pleasing to gawk at, that it takes a moment to realize that it's not much of a movie at all. It's more like glorified memorabilia, throwing the shiniest animation money can buy at a total absence of imagination. Early on, its title character, the plumber in the red hat and white gloves, is sucked through a magical pipe into The Mushroom Kingdom, and the overgrown fungus all around him is so lovingly texturedso leathery and crinkled, like a real portobellothat you can practically taste it. But the longest of long jumps couldn't clear the chasm separating the time and care the animators put into their work here and the effort of the writing it's serving. The last time Mario and his slimmer, green-clad brother Luigi leapt onto the big screen, it was in the live-action form of Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo, navigating a cyberpunk metropolis ruled over by a scenery-chewing, body-mutilating Dennis Hopper. Time has earned the first major video-game adaptation a perhaps inevitable cult following, but Nintendo clearly wasn't keen to veer down that rainbow road again. The new Mario Bros. is stubbornly on-model, its every design choice designed to resemble something you could purchase from the eShop on your Switch. That goes, naturally, for the eponymous siblings themselves, indistinguishable in giant peepers, squat proportions, and matching getups from their video-game counterparts. (No Twitter-mandated trip to the digital dentist necessary for these revived mascots of the console wars.) The supportive bond between the struggling Brooklyn plumbers, chasing their dreams without the support of their stereotypical Italian-American family, is the closest Super Mario Bros. gets to a real relationship. So it's curious how quickly the movie separates them, throwing Luigi (Charlie Day) into enemy clutches at the end of act one, after the two are deposited into a world of koopas, toads, and the like. Universal Pictures; Illumination; Nintendo Mario, voiced by Chris Pratt without the trademark "it's a'me" accent, spends most of the movie trying to rescue his brothera classic video-game objective that requires joining forces with a lineup of licensed labelmates. Because damsels in distress are pretty last century, Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) has been reconfigured into a first-on-the-frontlines monarch who speaks almost exclusively in pep talks. She takes time out of her busy royal schedule to set up a tutorial-style training montage for Mario, despite the rather pressing matter of an impending invasion by despotic, secretly infatuated lizard king Bowser (Jack Black), whose real plans for the Princess are matrimonial, not regicidal. Black is the only one of the celebrity voice actors who sounds like he's actually trying, like he's not just cashing a check. At times, you can almost sense him bumping against the limitations of the material, laboring desperately to ham-up his hamfisted villainous quips. He gets a Tenacious D-ish love ballad, but like everything else in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, it could have benefited from another draft. Why assemble so many funny people (Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen, Keegan-Michael Key) and give them nothing funny to say? The personalities here are strictly 8-bit. Whatever sense of character a gamer might project on silent, pixelated avatars would have to be richer than Pratt's blandly plucky take on Mario. In fact, it's less endearing than the faint Chaplin quality the little guy picked up when he made the leap into 3D. Universal Pictures; Illumination; Nintendo Maybe it's silly to complain about storytelling in an adaptation of a run-and-jump platformer. But The Super Mario Bros. Movie has all the narrative inspiration of a stockholders presentation; it's hard to shake the impression that it's been written by checklist, with more easter eggs than plot points and more dopey needle drops (yes, "Holding Out for a Hero" makes an appearance, two decades after Shrek 2) than jokes. Screenwriter Matthew Fogel, purveyor of Minion and Lego mischief alike, seems to have been hired to half-assedly connect set-piecesas in, just get us from the Super Smash Bros. reference to the Mario Kart advertisement, please. This movie desperately wants for a Lord-Miller pass. It plays as though the scenes of Mario and friends talking to each other were written at the end of production, then hastily and indifferently inserted. None of that may matter to the Nintendo heads, or at least to the youngest in the audience. The gleaming gumball imagery and spare-no-expense slapstick of The Super Mario Bros. Movie covers for a lot of sins; the animators, again, have pulled their weight, especially during stray inventive sequences like the one where Mario and Luigi race to make an appointment in New York, their feverish leap across town captured in side-scrolling profile. But for all their deceptive simplicity, the Mario games have always been marvels of design, as elegant as they are fun. However bottomless the resources at their disposal, directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic haven't translated the magic. All that pristine computer animation is akin to polishing well, what Mario finds in pipes during his day job. The Super Mario Bros. Movie opens in theaters everywhere Wednesday, April 5. LONDON (AP) King Charles IIIs wife has been officially identified as Queen Camilla for the first time, with Buckingham Palace using the title on invitations for the monarchs May 6 coronation. Camilla, who until now has been described as queen consort, is given equal billing on the ornate medieval style invitations that will be sent to more than 2,000 guests and were unveiled on Tuesday. The new title is another step in the remarkable transformation of a woman once derided as a homewrecker because of her role in the breakdown of Charles marriage to the late Princess Diana. Charles and Camilla met long before the future king married Diana in 1981 and their relationship continued throughout the tumultuous marriage. That made Camilla an object of scorn among Dianas many fans, who rallied around the princess as her marriage collapsed. But Camilla has won over much of the British public with her warmth and down-to-earth humor since she married Charles in a civil ceremony in 2005. The late Queen Elizabeth II early last year issued a statement saying she hoped Camilla would be known as queen consort when Charles became king. Camilla will be crowned alongside her husband on May 6 at Westminster Abbey. The palace released a few more details about the coronation on Tuesday, announcing that 9-year-old Prince George, the kings eldest grandson, who is second in line to the throne, would be one of four pages of honor attending the monarch during the service. Camilla will also have four pages. The eight young pages are either family friends or close relatives of Charles and Camilla and will carry the robes of prominent figures during the day. The coronation invitations feature the ancient motif of the Green Man in a nod to the monarchs record of supporting conservation and environmental protection. The Green Man is an ancient figure from British folklore, symbolic of spring and rebirth, to celebrate the new reign, the palace said. The shape of the Green Man, crowned in natural foliage, is formed of leaves of oak, ivy and hawthorn, and the emblematic flowers of the United Kingdom. The design, created by heraldic artist and manuscript illuminator Andrew Jamieson, will be printed on a recycled card with gold foil detailing. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. LUFKIN More than $42 billion of federal funding for high-speed internet hinges on a map that state and local leaders say is clearly flawed. Released last month, the map offers household-level information about who lacks access to reliable, high-speed internet. Now, as the deadline to dispute the accuracy of the nationwide map is quickly approaching, state Comptroller Glenn Hegar has asked the federal government for more time. The Federal Communications Commission released the initial version of the map on Nov. 18 and gave local officials until Jan. 13, 2023, to challenge its accuracy. The map is available online and allows anyone to see location-by-location information about internet speeds and availability, as reported by internet service providers. Federal funding will be distributed based on which areas have the highest need according to the broadband map. Snagging some of these funds will help Texas beef up broadband access, especially in rural areas that have gone underserved. Texas has lagged behind other states when it comes to broadband, and local officials, business leaders and residents say the dearth of access has held their regions back and made it difficult to compete in the 21st century economy. In a Monday letter to the FCC and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Hegar who oversees the states broadband development office asked the federal government to postpone the deadline to challenge the broadband map by 60 days and to delay the scheduled release of the final map by another 60 days, until July 14 of next year. This is clearly a flawed map, Hegar said in a statement. Some of the responsibility lies with the service providers who are overstating the coverage they provide in their territories. This practice has become so routine that we often dont notice it, but it will substantially limit competition as well as our ability to accurately allocate resources to those Texans whose access is inadequate. An NTIA spokesperson said they have received Hegars letter and are reviewing it. NTIA is committed to balancing the urgency of the moment with the need for accurate maps for funding allocation, the spokesperson said. In 2021, Congress allocated a historic $65 billion to expand high-speed internet access through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Of that funding, $42.45 billion will be available as grant funding to states and territories to help expand access to high-speed internet. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 2.8 million Texas households lack broadband access. A disproportionate number of those are in rural areas, where a low population density dissuades private companies from setting up broadband infrastructure. Its those very communities that some advocates say are misrepresented in the broadband map. Dustin Fawcett, Ector County judge-elect, said the map appears to be accurate for Odessa, the county seat with a population of 112,483, but seems to overstate broadband access in outlying, less-populated areas. The reality of what the service providers are telling us and the reality on the ground do not match up, Fawcett said. The map may say that you have the option to access the internet, but its not at the speeds advertised, and its not at a price tag thats feasible. Fawcett said that he has spoken to several Ector County residents whose broadband speeds are significantly slower than what is represented on the maps. Others, he said, may have access to the internet but at unaffordable prices, sometimes up to $300 per month. Some local leaders said the process to dispute the accuracy of the maps is unclear and inaccessible. Individuals can submit challenges directly through the map interface. But accessing the map interface requires internet access, leaving households without access unable to submit a challenge. How can I go online to challenge the map if I dont have access to the map? said Lonnie Hunt, executive director of the Deep East Texas Council of Governments and a longtime advocate for rural internet infrastructure. Once again, its kind of an example where the people who need it the most are least equipped to challenge it. Hunt said he is pleased that Hegar has asked the federal government for more time to challenge the maps, which he believes are inaccurate. He said he would use that time to try to submit a bulk challenge, a process by which local governments can dispute multiple locations at once. Hunt said he has been discussing this possibility with an engineering company that could help the region put together the bulk challenge. The process to challenge the maps is not simple or easy, and our local communities just do not have the capacity to take that on, Hunt said. We are trying to marshal resources to provide a challenge, but we need more time and, honestly, we need the state to take the lead. The states Broadband Development Office, which is managed by the comptroller, was created by the Texas Legislature in 2021. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2022/12/13/texas-glenn-hegar-broadband-maps-delay/. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The ExxonMobil Beaumont Refinery celebrated the completion of its new Beaumont Light Atmospheric Distillation Expansion, more commonly known as BLADE, at a reception Tuesday at the Montagne Center at Lamar University. Local officials and ExxonMobil executives joined the Beaumont Refinery in celebrating the opening of the largest refinery expansion in the United States in over a decade. RELATED: New ExxonMobil BLADE expansion officially goes online "We did it," ExxonMobil Beaumont Refinery Manager Rozena Dendy said. "All of us, every employee, every contractor and every supplier who brought this expansion to life, we did it together. I'm incredibly grateful for the support we had throughout the life of this project." The expansion has officially be up and running since March 16 and is expected to increase the refinery's capacity 250,000 barrels of crude oil per day. If you want to help kids, regulate social media. Teenagers seem more interested these days in being on social media apps than reading classic novels. But on those rare occasions that a 14-year-old may actually want to pull, say, Lonesome Dove, off the school library shelf, he may not be able to if Rep. Jared Pattersons READER Act becomes state law. The Texas epic contains some sexual content and mentions prostitutes so it might need to be banned, the Frisco Republican said this week during a contentious Tuesday night hearing of the House Public Education committee meeting. It was a surreal moment that revealed just how ridiculous the book ban debate has become. Lonesome Dove won the 1986 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Pattersons law would require vendors to rate titles containing sexual content; those deemed sexually explicit could not be sold to public school districts. Schools would have to get parental permission before a student could access sexually relevant material in the library. Roughly 80 people spoke at last weeks hearing, which continued past midnight and ended with the bill pending in the committee. Thats where it should stay. Lawmakers have legitimate concerns about some titles. But swaths of books, including many classics, would undoubtedly get caught up in the wide net theyre casting. Parents are in the best position to decide which books their children should or shouldnt read. Getting them to read at all is a battle in itself. Which brings us back to those social media apps. A recent study by the child advocacy group Common Sense Media found that about three-quarters of U.S. teens have watched online pornography by 17. Social media was the second-highest source for this content, behind porn websites. If Patterson and other legislators were serious about protecting children, they would be more concerned about the way tech companies serve kids violence and sex on a platter and leave school libraries alone. States nationwide are debating whether to expand the scope of practice for advanced practice providers, especially in three main specialties, according to an April 5 report from the American Medical Association. Physicians say such an expansion, dubbed "scope creep," will harm patient safety, while advanced practice providers argue it will improve access to care and that they are qualified to provide a wider range of care. Three specialties pushing against scope creep: 1. Ophthalmology: Ophthalmology organizations are fighting efforts to allow optometrists to perform eye surgeries. In October, the California legislature passed a bill that would have allowed optometrists to perform laser and scalpel eye surgeries, procedures typically performed by ophthalmologists. The bill was opposed by the American Medical Association and vetoed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom. 2. Anesthesiology: Several states, including New Jersey and West Virginia, have proposed legislation expanding the scope of practice for certified registered nurse anesthetists, allowing them to work without physician supervision. Two U.S. representatives want to expand the scope of practice for CRNAs nationwide. 3. Psychiatry: This year, there was a nationwide push for Medicare to define psychologists as physicians, allowing them to prescribe medications without reporting to an attending primary care physician. The AMA sent a letter to Capitol Hill to oppose the proposal. From physician pay cuts to consolidation, here are three numbers making ASC leaders nervous: 2.4 percent: The percent by which average physician compensation declined in 2022, according to Doximity's 2023 "Physician Compensation Report." 52. The number of ASCs that went from independent to under partnership by a national operator from 2021 to 2022, according to a Jan. 26 report from VMG Health. 4. The number of ASC closures that Becker's has reported on so far this year. Rocky Hill, Conn.-based Starling Physicians and Chimera Holdings is planning to build a new office suite medical center, Hartford Business Journal reported April 5. The organization was recently acquired by VillageMD, owned by Walgreens Boots Alliance. It encompasses 30 locations in the greater Hartford, Conn., area. State regulators are investigating the deal to see if it complied with certificate of need laws. The new facility will be 24,000 square feet and one story. Starling is one of the state's largest physician groups. A Utah dental practice was recently damaged after a car crashed into it April 4, NBC affiliate KSLTV reported. A man drove into the front of Salt Lake City-based Red Pine Dental after being confused about whether the car was in reverse. The impact shattered some of the building's windows and jammed the door, leading fire crews to have to pry it open to let customers out. No injuries were reported. Firefighters said they believe the building's structure will be okay, but a building inspector will come to the scene to make a final decision. The staff at a Connecticut oral surgery practice was recently given a Life Saving Award from the West Hartford Fire Department after saving a man's life using CPR and an automated external defibrillator, we-ha.com reported April 4. Joseph Howard, DDS, MD, owner of Central Connecticut Oral Maxillofacial & Implant Surgery, and two of his assistants, Amanda Sampson and Meghan Grondin, took action after learning that an employee at the accounting firm across the hall from their practice collapsed and had no pulse. The group started CPR and then used an AED machine to restore the man's heartbeat. Paramedics arrived shortly after and transported the patient to a hospital. He was discharged a week later and is expected to make a full recovery. Denison, Texas-based Texoma Medical Center is notifying patients that some of their protected health information was compromised when its consulting company Adelanto HealthCare Ventures was targeted by a phishing attack. On Nov. 5, 2021, Adelanto HealthCare Ventures learned that two of its employee email accounts had been targeted by a phishing attack. It wasn't until Aug. 19, 2022, that the company discovered that protected health information from Texoma Medical Center may have been compromised as a result of the breach. On Jan. 28, the vendor notified Texoma Medical Center about the breach and the health system determined that the following patient information was compromised: facility name, age, patient account numbers, admission and discharge dates, insurance carriers, and balance information. Texoma Medical Center said no financial information or Social Security numbers were compromised as a result of the breach, according to a breach notification from Texoma Medical Center. On March 29, Texoma Medical Center began notifying all affected individuals, but did not disclose how many patients were impacted. Amarillo-based Northwest Texas Healthcare System was also affected by the vendor breach. On April 4, the Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld a ruling stating that healthcare companies cannot charge patients for electronic copies of their medical records as it goes against state law. A patient filed a lawsuit against Madison, Wis.-based UW Health alleging that the health system charged her a per page fee for electronic copies of her medical records. UW Health argued that Wisconsin state law does not prohibit hospitals from charging for copies of electronic medical records. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that state law does not prohibit hospitals from charging fees for copies of medical records in certain formats, but does not allow hospitals to charge fees for copies of electronic medical records. UW Health had to refund the patient $109.66 for her electronic medical records as a result of the ruling. John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County in Chicago has named Donnica Austin-Cathey its next chief executive. Ms. Austin-Cathey has more than 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry, according to a news release shared with Becker's April 5. Most recently, she served as president of Sinai Chicago's Holy Cross Hospital. The 450-bed teaching hospital belongs to Cook County Health, one of the largest public health systems in the nation. Powell (Wyo.) Valley Hospital is beginning its CEO search for the third time, the Powell Tribune reported April 4. Terry Odom who originally took the hospital's helm as interim CEO in 2015 made plans to retire in the first quarter of 2023. The board began its search for a new CEO in late August, and originally hoped to find one by November. However, the hospital extended Ms. Odom's contract through June after two failed attempts to find a CEO. Nearly 20 candidates have applied to the role; however, the hospital's final picks fell through in both hiring rounds. The first demanded pay above the hospital's established salary range, and the second was deemed a poor fit following an on-site interview. "From the start, the hiring committee has been in agreement that our number one priority is to hire the very best candidate available to us to lead PVHC, and we firmly believe that we will identify that candidate even though it is going to require additional rounds in the hiring process," Chris Cox, vice president of the hospital board, said at a monthly meeting. "We will be patient and we will be diligent because we are 100 percent committed to getting this right. "In the meantime, we are fortunate to have the continued leadership and guidance of our current CEO, Terry Odom," Mr. Cox continued. "Undoubtedly, part of the challenge in finding a suitable replacement is due to the fact that she has set the bar incredibly high." Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital in Dixon, Ill., will lay off 20 employees, citing financial headwinds affecting health organizations across the U.S., according to an April 4 news release shared with Becker's. The hospital said the layoffs will occur over the next two weeks, and it will also leave other positions unfilled to reduce expenses amid rising labor and supply costs and reductions in payments by insurance plans. Affected employees largely work in administrative support areas and not direct patient care. Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital has 980 full- and part-time positions at the hospital and its related medical offices, and the layoffs represent about 2 percent of its workforce. The hospital said affected employees will receive severance packages, career counseling and assistance in locating employment opportunities. "In the face of these challenges, we have worked diligently to find other ways to reduce our operating costs and have waited as long as possible before reducing our headcount. Now we need to work proactively in order to protect the long-term sustainability of the hospital," David Schreiner, PhD, KSB president and CEO, said in the release. "At the same time, we recognize and regret the impact this will have on our colleagues and their families. We are committed to helping them through this transition in whatever way we can. "For the last 126 years, KSB has been here for the community. Our mission remains to restore, maintain, and enhance health by providing superior care now and in the future. These changes will help ensure that we continue caring for the years ahead." As healthcare continues to be one of the most pressing and complex issues facing our society, it is essential that leaders in the field come together to share their insights and experiences. Becker's Healthcare is committed to facilitating these conversations. Over 4 days of sessions, you will hear 420+ elite hospital and health system executives discuss topics such as consumerism, the nursing workforce, value-based care, telehealth, physician burnout, payers, health equity and pharmacy costs. In this article, we will recap some of the key highlights from Day 3 of Becker's 13th Annual Meeting, including insights from the most influential leaders in healthcare. [updated 1:45 pm] Here are the highlights from Day 3: 8:00 am, Keynote: Health Equity and Social Determinants of Health in the Next Decade: Smart Moves to Spark Change R. Lawrence Moss, MD, FACS, FAAP, President and Chief Executive Officer, Nemours Children's Health highlights importance of staying in conversations around equity, even when difficult Jill Hoggard Green, PhD, RN, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Queen's Health System discusses how Queen's Medical Center in Hawaii is addressing health inequities. Erickajoy Daniels, Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Advocate Aurora Health discusses Advocate Aurora's effort to refresh its DEI strategy with advanced metrics. Ronald Copeland, MD, FACS, Senior Vice President and Chief Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Officer, Kaiser Permanente discusses positioning health equity within healthcare system and emphasized importance of integrating it into organization's business model, goals, and values. 8:45 am, Keynote: Consumerism as a Health System Strategy in the Next 5 Years Jared Antczak, Chief Digital Officer, Sanford Health highlighted that change management is critical for accountability and ownership sharing Shane Strum, President and Chief Executive Officer, Broward Health talked about the need for creating a personalized experience tailored to the individual patient. Sara Vaezy, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Digital Officer, Providence emphasized the focus on simplifying complex tasks for ease and enjoyment. 9:55 am, What Will Add the Most Value to Healthcare Organizations in the Next 3 Years David Kim, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Executive, Physician Enterprise, Providence highlighted transitioning to value-based care and prioritizing healthcare workers. Phillip Chang, MD, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical and Quality Officer, Memorial Hermann mentioned how his organization is reducing travelers and reviewing variance and incident reporting systems and investing in culture of safety and digital transformation. Kathleen Theobald, Executive Director, Kaiser Permanente Nurse Anesthetists Association mentioned creating a strong culture of safety and employee engagement improves outcomes and staff retention 10:40 am, Keynote: The Physician and Payer Strategies That Will Make or Break Health Systems in the Next 5 Years Amy Perry, President and Chief Operating Officer, Banner Health highlighted the need to create transparency in healthcare, especially when it comes to cost. Andrew Bindman, MD, Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer, Kaiser Permanente believes that value-based purchasing has been too focused on the financial side and not enough on flexibility to improve care. Dennis Matheis, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sentara Healthcare mentioned how he has been focusing on two areas of change in his first seven months - consumer experience and longer-term planning Don Antonucci, Chief Executive Officer, Providence Health Plan discusses how expanding into new states requires maintaining the same level of quality while balancing care costs. 11:25 am, The Road to Value-Based Care: Innovative Strategies for Evolving from a Fee-For-Service Model David Callender, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer, Memorial Hermann Health System, Erin Asprec, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Memorial Hermann Health System, Alec King, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Memorial Hermann Health System, Feby Abraham, Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer, Memorial Hermann Health System All the leaders from Memorial Hermann Health System highlighted their mission focused on improving health, vision on creating healthier communities. They believe transition to value reduces total cost of care, provides high quality outcomes, and creates better patient and physician experience. Their strategy involves innovation and partnering with other companies to bring new care models to Houston and focus on engaging employers in patient care management to reduce cost of care. Despite the hype around the technology, Marc Succi, MD, a physician at Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital, is warning physicians not to use ChatGPT to practice medicine, NPR reported April 5. Dr. Succi said that the artificial intelligence-based tool could produce a correct diagnosis close to the level of a third- or fourth-year medical student. However, he warned that the tool could also fabricate sources. "I would express considerable caution using this in a clinical scenario for any reason, at the current stage," Dr. Succi said. The news comes after a Baltimore-based University of Maryland Medicine study found that ChatGPT provided correct information about breast cancer screening 88 percent of the time. A registered nurse and nurse practitioner who defrauded Medicare and commercial payers of almost $12 million has been sentenced to seven years in prison. Alexander Istomin, 57, ran fraudulent billing schemes in three states seeking payment for patient services that were never performed, according to the Justice Department. Prosecutors said the in-person services that Mr. Istomin did not perform included supposed patient visits at a "ghost office" in Rhode Island and at offices in Florida and New York. He used seven different tax identification numbers while defrauding eight insurers. The "ghost office" was an address in East Greenwich, R.I., that Mr. Istomin claimed was part of his medical practice. However, investigators said he used the address only to receive mail, including fraudulently obtained insurance payments. In many cases, patients Mr. Istomin claimed he met in person were actually out of the country at the time of the supposed visits, according to court documents. In other instances, he was either in a different state or another country, often visiting his native Russia. As part of the scheme, Mr. Istomin also waived copays for some Medicare patients, despite knowing that waiving copays is prohibited. Investigators said he did so to induce patients not to report his fraudulent billing to Medicare. He also used patient names and information to get prescriptions filled at various pharmacies and be returned to him, according to prosecutors. Mr. Istomin then distributed those drugs to individuals other than those in whose names the prescriptions were filled. Two people were killed and one was hospitalized after a medical helicopter crash April 2 in Chelsea, Ala., NBC affiliate WVTM reported. The Life Saver crew were responding to a hiker experiencing breathing problems. Police deputies were already on scene helping the hiker when they received notification of the crash, which occurred during landing. By the time they arrived at the crash, the helicopter was on fire. Deputies helped the three-person flight crew until medical rescue arrived. Pilot Mark Gann, 63, was pronounced dead on scene. Flight nurse Adam Russell, 43, died at the hospital. The third crew member was taken to Birmingham-based UAB Hospital in critical condition but is now stable, according to a statement from Life Saver. No patient was on board. "The FAA and NTSB have been made aware of this incident and investigators are assessing the accident," Denisse Coffman, vice president of corporate communications at Air Methods, said in an emailed statement. "Our team is cooperating fully with their efforts to determine the cause of this unfortunate accident. Privacy rights with regards to those on board the aircraft will be honored so we will not be sharing any additional information at this time. Our top priority right now is providing the families and crew members impacted by this tragedy the support that they need during this difficult time." Several health systems were among the organizations named to Fortune's 100 "Best Companies to Work For" list released April 4. The magazine partnered with workplace consulting firm Great Place to Work for the list. It is based on a survey of employees about their organization's culture, including whether leaders are accessible and whether they feel respected. Each company also answers six essay questions about its program and workplace strategy. To be eligible for the list, employers must have at least 1,000 employees in the U.S. and cannot be a government agency, Fortune said. More than half a million survey responses were received from employees at companies that were eligible for this year's list. More information about the methodology is available here. The following health systems made the list and are recorded below with their corresponding ranking: 61. Baptist Health South Florida (Coral Gables) 66. Texas Health Resources (Arlington) 95. Scripps Health (San Diego) To view the full list, click here. Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare employs the most registered nurses of any health system, hospital operator or integrated delivery network in the U.S. Below is a list of 14 health systems that employ the most registered nurses, based on proprietary research from Definitive Healthcare's HospitalView product, which tracks data on more than 1,100 health systems and integrated delivery networks nationwide. In March, Becker's reached out to the organizations on Definitive's list to collect their most updated self-reported figures on total employed registered nurses. In some cases, health systems opted to provide rounded figures, versus exact. This is not an exhaustive list. If you have an addition or an update for this list, please contact Mackenzie Bean at mbean@beckershealthcare.com. HCA Healthcare (Nashville, Tenn.) 93,000 employed registered nurses Veterans Health Administration (Washington, D.C.) 83,840 Kaiser Permanente (Oakland, Calif.) 68,218 Ascension (St. Louis) 45,239 CommonSpirit Health (Chicago, Ill.) 45,000 Advocate Health (Charlotte, N.C.) 42,000 Providence (Renton, Wash.) 36,000 Tenet Healthcare (Dallas) 30,700 Trinity Health (Livonia, Mich.) 30,657 Community Health Systems (Franklin, Tenn.) 22,000 UPMC (Pittsburgh) 21,420 United Health Services (King of Prussia, Pa.) 21,000 AdventHealth (Altamonte Springs, Fla.) 20,512 Bon Secours Mercy Health (Cincinnati) 15,869 Editor's note: This article was updated April 10. Bend, Ore.-based St. Charles Health System has cut down on travel nurses, delaying patient care in at least one instance, KTVZ reported April 5. A woman told the news station her husband's surgery was canceled hours before it was scheduled; according to his physician, the hospital had laid off "most" traveling nurses, leaving it short-staffed. The physician told her it would be faster to seek treatment elsewhere, the woman alleged. "St. Charles is actively working to reduce its reliance on expensive contract labor as part of its pandemic recovery plans," Iman Simmons, the health system's COO, told the news station in a statement. "Retaining our highly trained workforce and recruiting new permanent staff are one of the key strategies necessary to our long-term financial viability, as well as the continued provision of the highest quality of patient care." Ms. Simmons said the health system is constantly monitoring staffing levels and adjusting procedure schedules when necessary. However, its vacancy rate for nursing positions is the lowest it has been in several years. Becker's has reached out to St. Charles Health System for comment and will update this story if more information becomes available. Christoph Waltz with a member of staff at the Chubby Cherub Two-time Oscar-winning actor Christoph Waltz popped into a Belfast restaurant for dinner at the weekend. The Austrian-German star, known for his work with Quentin Tarantino, visited The Chubby Cherub in Chichester Street. The Italian eatery shared an image of its famous customer, perhaps best known for playing SS-Standartenfuhrer Hans Landa in 2009 blockbuster Inglourious Basterds, on social media. A Facebook post said: "Attention all foodies and movie buffs. We had a very special guest at our restaurant over the weekend. "None other than the talented actor Christoph Waltz, known for his unforgettable performances in Spectre and Django Unchained, graced us with his presence. It's understood he is filming a new action-comedy called Old Guy in Belfast which will see him play an aging contract killer tasked with training a Gen-Z newcomer. However, he later learns their employers want to eliminate older assassins. Waltz won an Academy Award, a Bafta and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained. He also played 007's nemesis, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, in 2015s Spectre, starring alongside Daniel Craig. Staff at the city restaurant eatery managed to keep their cool. Our team was thrilled to serve him and we couldn't be more proud of the experience we provided, The Chubby Cherub said. "We hope he enjoyed his visit with us as much as we enjoyed having him. To all of our valued customers, we hope you feel just as excited as we do to have had such a prominent figure in our midst. Come dine with us and you never know who you might run into. It comes just days after a Co Antrim hotel welcomed Harry Potter star Helena Bonham Carter. The actress, who played Bellatrix Lestrange and has had starring roles in Les Miserables and Fight Club, stopped off at the Salthouse Hotel in Ballycastle last week. Ms Bonham Carter was filming in the area for romance movie Four Letters of Love, where she will appear alongside Pierce Brosnan, who was spotted shooting scenes on the north coast in February. Ciaran McMenamin is back as Inspector Finn OHare in series two of Hope Street (Long Story TV/,Jack McGuire/PA) It means there will be an extended run of 15 episodes of the BBC NI and BritBox International drama, which is set in the fictional town of Port Devine and filmed in Donaghadee. Filming of the trials and tribulations of the Port Devine police department will recommence this month in order to reveal more about the private lives of characters such as Marlene Pettigrew (Kerri Quinn), Barry Pettigrew (Des McAleer) and Inspector Finn OHare (Ciaran McMenamin). New additions to the cast of the drama, which has proven popular in the UK and beyond will be announced soon. Helen Munson, Commissioning Editor, BBC Daytime said: Fans of Hope Street who are just settling into series two on BBC Daytime will be delighted to know that another series is on the way. "We are excited to be working with Long Story TV again who bring so much expertise and passion into creating brilliant crime stories for our audience. Reemah Sakaan, CEO BritBox International, said: Building on its strong and sustained success, we are thrilled to welcome Hope Street back for a third season, working with the BBC and Long Story TV. "The series offers a fresh twist on the much-loved crime drama genre, in a stunning setting, and has built a large and loyal international fanbase on BritBox. Returning for the third series are Brid Brennan (Concepta OHare), Niall Wright (Callum McCarthy), Aaron McCusker (Clint Dunwoody), Niamh McGrady (Nicole Devine), Rachel Tucker (Siobhan OHare), Sade Malone (Taylor Quinn), Louis McCartney (Shay OHare) and Ellie Lavery (Niamh OHare). The continuation of the series is being hailed as a demonstration of the BBCs commitment to celebrating home grown writing, acting and production talent in the Nations and Regions of the UK while showcasing the humour and warmth of the people in Northern Ireland in addition to its stunning coastlines. Eddie Doyle, Head of Content Commissioning, BBC Northern Ireland, said: Its great to be bringing fans back to Port Devine for a third series. "This will be Hope Streets longest run yet, with 15 episodes. Thanks to BBC Daytime, Northern Ireland Screen and BritBox International for their continuing support for this great series, which shows Northern Ireland in bit of a different light to audiences across the UK and beyond, showcasing the warmth and humour of this place. "Long Story TV has done a stellar job of developing these characters over the past two series and Im looking forward to see what they do next and also to see some new faces join the cast. The third series is the newest commission to be announced as part of the partnership between the BBC and Northern Ireland Screen. The successful partnership continues to support the screen industry in Northern Ireland and help ensure that Northern Ireland is better represented to audiences across the UK and internationally. Abacus Media Rights are handling international sales for the series. Richard Williams, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Screen, said: Following the success of Hope Street season one and two filmed entirely on location in Northern Ireland, we are delighted to see the popular drama return for season three. As well as showcasing our beautiful locations it has also provided a crucial training ground for local writers, directors, and crew while stimulating the creation of opportunities for crew to step up and upskill. Hope Street series two is broadcasting now on BBC One, Fridays at 1.45pm. The first and second series are also available in full to watch now on BBC iPlayer, and on BritBox in its international markets. Boy band Busted have backtracked on a lack of Northern Ireland and Irish shows during their upcoming tour by unveiling brand new dates. The band faced the furore of their fans earlier this week when the stops on their 20th Anniversary Greatest Hits tour were released, notably leaving out shows across the water. However, member James Bourne later took to social media to hint at a possible Irish date, posting an Irish flag emoji. He added: Hold tight, we arent finished yet on Instagram. Now the SSE Arena has confirmed it will host the 2000s iconic trio for a show on October 8. James then took to social media again to celebrate the new shows, writing new shows...Ireland were coming! on his Instagram story. The previous lack of dates became a running joke on video sharing platform TikTok after the band announced their reunion with one fan angrily commenting: Belfast is always left out of everything. The band, whose hits include I Crashed the Wedding and What I Go To School For, will also take to the stage in Dublins 3Arena on October 6. Tickets for their Belfast show go on sale from Ticketmaster.ie on April 14. Two raves will take place simultaneously in Liverpool and Kyiv next month to raise money for the ongoing humanitarian efforts in war-torn Ukraine. Rave UKraine, which will take place on May 7, will see one party taking place in two cities at the same time, with each being live-streamed to the other to make one singular, unifying rave. The event is part of EuroFestival, a line-up of cultural events happening in Liverpool across two weeks in May while the city hosts the Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of 2022 winners Ukraine. British synthpop band Hot Chip will perform a DJ set at the Liverpool event (Joel Ryan/PA) Joel Ryan Rave UKraine will take place at Liverpool music venue Content and at HVLV bar feat. Hangout in the Ukrainian capital. British synthpop band Hot Chip will perform a DJ set at the event in Liverpool, as will Ukrainian DJ Mingulitka. DJ Paulette and James Lavelle have also been announced for the Liverpool rave and Petya Cantrust, Jane, Raavel, Pledov and Lostlojik will play in Kyiv, with more acts to be announced in due course. Rave UKraine has been organised by Jez Collins, the founder of Birmingham Music Archive, who said: Rave UKraine is an act of resilience and a party with a purpose. Uniting ravers and clubbers on the dancefloors of Liverpool and Kyiv, it is an act of solidarity and support and a rejection of Russias war on Ukraine, its music and its cultural identity. Weve brought together two amazing line-ups in Liverpool and Kyiv and I cant wait for us to dance together. Two cities, one rave. Collins has worked alongside Open Culture, Music Saves UA, Culture Liverpool, Content Liverpool and HVLV Kyiv to create the event. All profits from the event will go to Music Saves UA, a non-profit fundraising initiative created by the Ukrainian Association of Music Events to provide humanitarian aid to those affected by the war in Ukraine. Ahead of the event, Music Saves UA said: Over the past year, we as Music Saves UA collaborated with music events: festivals, conferences, discussions, etc. Our main task, as a charitable initiative, is to raise awareness about the situation in Ukraine and promote Ukrainian music and culture as well as to raise funds for humanitarian needs in Ukraine. Thanks to the support of the music community, we have managed to evacuate over 20,000 people from frontline territories, provide help for more than 40,000 people and purchase and distribute more than 600 tons of food and other supplies. We are grateful to the entire Rave UKraine team for their trust in us and to the people for their support. Music matters and it continues to save lives. Rave UKraine will take place on May 7 at Content in Liverpool and HVLV in Kyiv. Tickets are available online now. A Derry author and essayist has won a prestigious American literary prize for his non-fiction tale of growing up in poverty in Northern Ireland. Darran Anderson, who is also a journalist, has been awarded the 2023 Windham-Campbell Prize, which comes with a grant of $175k to go towards future projects. His work includes his debut Imaginary Cities: A Tour of Dream Cities, Nightmare Cities, and Everywhere in Between a non-fiction tale which transcends time while mapping cities of sound, melancholia and the afterlife. The authors 2020 memoir Inventory was chosen as a 'Book of the Year' by the Financial Times and The Guardian and follows the objects and memories of his 1980s Northern Ireland adolescence. "Darran himself came of age during the final years of the Troubles before leaving his hometown to find a way to exist in the world, reads the books description, which has been called Northern Irelands Shuggie Bain a reference to Douglas Stuarts acclaimed novel from 2020. But when another young man in his family disappears, Darran is brought back to Derry. Walking the banks of the River Foyle, he starts on a search for what has been lost. "A portrait of a city, a biography of a family, a record of the objects that make up a life, Inventory offers a vital new perspective on a troubled history. Darran said: My initial response was 'Holy ****! Is this real? To put it more diplomatically, I'm surprised, grateful, and slightly dazed at this very welcome and generous news. The Windham-Campbell Prize celebrates literary achievement. The financial reward of $175,000 USD is given to support their writing and allow them to focus on their work independent of financial concerns. Other winners joining Darren also included American playwright Dominique Morisseau and Inuit poet dg nanouk okpik. A former soldier who subjected his ex-partner to an "utterly reprehensible and deplorable" campaign of harassment has avoided a prison sentence. A five-year restraining order was also imposed upon Blaine Wilson, which bans him from contacting, pestering, threatening violence or sharing any image of the "entirely blameless" woman he harassed over a three-month period. During sentencing, Belfast Crown Court heard the 32-year-old, from Ardara Beeches in Comber, had been in a relationship with the injured party which she ended in July 2021. Following the break-up, Wilson subjected his ex to what Judge Sandra Crawford described as a "bombardment of multiple messages and phone calls on an array of social media platforms". The judge said: "These persistent messages were intrusive, derogatory and insulting and included a barrage of accusations and threats." This campaign came to an end on October 17, 2021 when Wilson sent her a video of herself which he threatened to send to other people and which prompted her to report the matter to police. Crown barrister David McClean pointed out the video sent to the woman by Wilson was of her but was taken without her consent. When arrested, Wilson initially made no comment in his first interview and limited admissions during his second - but has since pleaded guilty to "pursuing a course of conduct which amounted to harassment" against the woman on dates between July 3 and October 17, 2021. Defence barrister Conor Holmes noted the video in question was "extremely unpleasant" and said Wilson was remorseful for his actions and wished to apologise to his former partner. Mr Holmes said: "He knows that he is the aggressor and the lady is the victim and that has been fully accepted." He added that "there has been no contact with her for 12 months". Wilson's barrister also revealed his client was a former soldier who spent 12 years in the Army and who has both post traumatic stress disorder and a "significant" alcohol addiction. Judge Crawford said: "The court has received and considered a detailed statement from the injured party which describes the distressing and debilitating effects of the months of harassment she suffered due to the utterly reprehensible and deplorable campaign to which she was subjected." As he stood in the dock, the former soldier was told by the judge: "You could have been in no doubt that your conduct would have caused her considerable distress." The judge said she had taken into account Wilson's clear criminal record and the steps he is taking to address his addition to alcohol. Also considered was Wilson's probation report, which outlined his remorse, his shame and his apology to the injured party. Judge Crawford said that whilst the maximum sentence on a charge of harassment was two years imprisonment, in this case she was imposing a three-year probation order. This, she said, would allow Wilson to participate in the probation service's respectful relationships programme, as well other projects and counselling designed to reduce the risk of future offending and address his addiction issues. Wilson was told by Judge Crawford: "I wish to make it clear to you that this sentence does not represent any sort of easy option. This is robust intervention with which you must comply actively and fully." He was warned that any breach of the probation order would lead to a return to court and the likelihood of a prison sentence. Hunters aunt Coleen McGleenon said: "I stood up with tears in my eyes and applauded the judges for their decision. Hunter McGleenon's aunt Coleen and mum Nicole outside court after Sharyar Ali was sentenced for murder The family of murdered baby Hunter McGleenon have welcomed the increased sentence handed to the tots killer. The Court of Appeal ruled on Wednesday that the man who murdered his ex-girlfriends baby son must now serve at least 16 years in prison. Senior judges held that the original 13-year tariff on Sharyar Alis life sentence for killing Hunter McGleenon in Keady, Co Armagh was unduly lenient. Based on medical evidence, Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan declared that the eleven-month-old child had been subjected to gratuitous violence. The verdict came in a challenge by the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) to the jail term initially imposed. Hunter's mum Nicole was in the court with sister Coleen McGleenon who stood up and applauded the decision. Coleen said: "Today was bittersweet. On one hand it was an incredible outcome. Not only did we manage to get an extra three years added to the unduly lenient sentence of 13 years, but Hunter's case will be referenced in other baby murder cases and adjustments will made to Rooney hearings. "I stood up with tears in my eyes and applauded the judges for their decision. On the other hand, we are still missing one of the most important people in our lives - baby Hunter. Absolutely nothing can or ever will ease our pain and devastation at the loss of Hunter. If we had our way, life would mean life, though 16 years is certainly more tolerable than 13 years and one which we can hopefully learn to accept." Coleen, who is currently campaigning for changes in the law relating to the court's handling of child murder cases, added: "Thank you to every single person who helped bring about this outcome. We appreciate all of the support and dedication. We love and miss Hunter more than anyone could ever contemplate." Hunter McGleenon with his mother Nicole Hunter died as a result of non-accidental injuries to his head and abdomen in November 2019. Ali, with an address at Westenra Terrace in Monaghan, had been in a relationship with the little boys mother Nicole and was looking after him while she visited her dying grandmother. He initially claimed the child fell off a low sofa and struck his head on a concrete floor, but pleaded guilty to murder last year as he was about to go on trial. Pathology reports established that Hunter had been subjected to a forceful assault, which involved a severe head injury and bruising attributed to multiple blunt blows. Although Ali never explained how the wounds were sustained, he told police that he had slapped or shaken the infant as part of resuscitation attempts. During interviews the Pakistani national also accepted leaving the Hunter unattended in a car while he spent two hours in a casino. Alis tariff was originally set at 13 years following a so-called Rooney hearing where the sentence was indicated if he made admissions. Counsel for the PPS argued that he had received too much credit for his previous clear record, while insufficient weight was given to the aggravating features in the overwhelming case against him. The killing of Hunter was described as being among the most serious homicides imaginable. Sharyar Ali Backing those submissions, the court held that the trial judge overestimated mitigation and adopted the wrong starting point in the sentencing process. Dame Siobhan pointed out Ali has never explained how the child died and provided highly sceptical accounts of the surrounding events. This case may be characterised by gratuitous violence, the Chief Justice said. This assessment of the murder is readily validated by the body map imaging which vividly displays the many injuries sustained by the child. She confirmed: It is therefore not simply lenient but an unduly lenient sentence. Despite criticising the prosecution over the handling of the so-called Rooney hearing which led to the guilty plea, the court found Ali had no realistic defence to the charge. This was a serious case of murder of a very young child where there was an overwhelming case against the respondent based on the medical evidence and the absence of any explanation as to how this child died, the judge stated. In the interests of justice we consider that the respondents tariff will have to be increased. Quashing the original sentence, she imposed a revised tariff of 16 years which Ali must serve in jail before he can apply to the Parole Commissioners for possible release on life licence. As relatives of the victim in the public gallery applauded the ruling, Dame Siobhan finished by acknowledging their bereavement. She said: We conclude this judgment by recognising the great loss Ms McGleenon and her family have suffered because of the murder of Hunter. No sentence will change that. Teachers, nurses, ambulance and hospital staff take part in a strike which gathered at at Belfast City Hall. The director of the Royal College of Nursing in Northern Ireland has said the region cannot fall off the edge ahead of talks with the Secretary of State after further strike action was paused. Last week it was confirmed strike action was halted following plans for Chris Heaton-Harris to meet with the Department of Health in Northern Ireland and health unions. However, he has stressed the meeting will not be regarding the pay dispute. Instead, the purpose of the meeting is to offer clarity to health workers. Speaking on BBC Radio Ulsters Good Morning Ulster, Rita Devlin said: Someone has to be in charge of this country, if our politicians choose it not to be them, someone needs to be in charge. We cannot fall off the edgethe people of Northern Ireland have not asked to be in this position. Read more Thousands of Northern Ireland health workers to strike for two days following pay dispute She said she wasnt sure what the talks on Wednesday evening will consist of as its not clear Mr Heaton-Harris has any more to tell us. Were very much waiting for clarity around whether or not the pay award that has been offered in England is new money, she said. If it is new money, it should attract Barnett consequentials which should come over to Northern Ireland. Barnett consequentials or the Barnett formula refers to the mechanism used by the Treasury to automatically adjust the amounts of public expenditure to the devolved nations. Therefore we would expect that we will be at least offered the same pay as England, but if its new money that belongs within the Department of Health in England, it wont attract Barnett consequentials, she said. Ms Devlin added Northern Ireland is currently stuck in political limbo land as a budget cannot be set for the Department of Health due to a lack of functioning Executive. Were being told as there is no budget in Northern Ireland we cant be offered any pay. As of April 4 there is no health budget in Northern Ireland at all. We are stuck in a political limbo land as to who is responsible for anything. The Royal College of Nursing has said the pay offer set in England is currently out for recommendation for members, and Ms Devlin said any offer for Northern Ireland health workers would follow the same process. We have nothing yet to offer members she added. The meeting today is going to be indicative of what is going to happen in the future. The nurses in Northern Ireland are not going to allow themselves to go out of pay parity again." Belfast Council has agreed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the UDR Greenfinches, amidst sharp exchanges between nationalists and unionists at City Hall. At the monthly meeting of the full Belfast City Council on Monday, the chamber on a slim majority went with a DUP motion to commemorate the anniversary. The motion, forwarded by councillor Sarah Bunting, states that the council recognises the 50th Anniversary of Greenfinches in Northern Ireland, (and) remembers that on July 6th 1973 the Ulster Defence Regiment Bill permitted the recruitment of women into the Ulster Defence Regiment. It adds: Women were given the codeword Greenfinch and defended Northern Ireland throughout the period known as The Troubles. We are forever grateful for their commitment and sacrifice. The DUP, Alliance, UUP and PUP supported the motion with 29 votes, while Sinn Fein, the SDLP and People Before Profit voted against with 26 votes. The Green Party abstained with four votes, effectively deciding the poll. Two former Greenfinches attended the meeting in the public gallery. Councillor Sarah Bunting said: The Greenfinches are a shining example of bravery, dedication, and selfless service. In the early days of the Ulster Defence Regiment female members of the Royal Military Police accompanied patrols when available to enable female suspects to be searched. There were never enough RMP searchers so in 1973 the act was passed in parliament to recruit women into the regiment. This use of women as an integrated part of the regiment preceded similar use in the regular army by 20 years. To join, married women were required to submit written submissions from their husbands, and those with children were obliged to sign a declaration confirming child care arrangements. In 1986 there were 286 full time and 530 part time Greenfinches. Their main roles were to help with searching women and children, clerical and secretarial roles in barracks, and manning operational roles and intelligence service. But over time their roles were extended to involve radio transmissions, and some were trained in the use of radar. In Belfast they were on security gates where they took abuse on a daily basis and had to learn to avoid traps that were set for them such as razor blades in womens pockets. Although they were trained to fire, they were unarmed on duty it was believed common decency and their role was enough to protect them from harm. Councillor Bunting went on to name the four Greenfinches who were killed by the IRA over the course of the Troubles, between 1974 and 1984. She said: Those who served in the Greenfinches were strong women who couldnt, and in most cases still wont, talk about their service, because of the fear of attacks on themselves and on their family. Sinn Fein Councillor Joe Duffy told the committee: There is nothing to celebrate in a regiment so discredited the British government was forced to have it disbanded. It is a matter of historical fact that members of the UDR were directly involved in sectarian killings, including the passing on of information about nationalists and republicans to loyalist gangs. Multiple reports, including reports from British state agencies exposed damning levels of criminality within, and cited the UDR as a chief source of loyalist weaponry. Many members of the UDR were also members of the UVF, UDA and other loyalist paramilitary organisations. UDR check points had terrifying consequences for people stopped by them. The Miami Showband massacre in 1975 happened after the band was stopped by a UDR roadblock, and the murder of GAA fans such as Colm McCartney and Sean Farmer in August that year as they returned from a match at Croke Park are among the litany of sectarian violence attributed to this British Army regiment. Maybe we should be focusing our efforts tonight on making clear our opposition to attempts by the British government to legislate in Westminster, giving an amnesty to British state forces who killed Irish citizens here. Thats what the Legacy Bill will do, it will protect British soldiers and others connected to the state involvement in brutal murders. The Deputy Mayor, Alliance Councillor Michelle Kelly, said: I think it is important to reflect on the full diversity of the council area, and there is a need to ensure that women are appropriately reflected in council tributes. We of course recognise there are sensitivities in relation to our past and we look forward to seeing what the tribute will look like and for it to be handled respectfully, recognising the diverse views in our community, whilst also supporting those who continue to fight against terrorism. Green Party Councillor Mal OHara said: We will abstain. You have seen the variety of conflicting narratives in relation to security forces and their role in the conflict, from some positing they were institutionally biased and prejudiced, and involved in collusion, to those who unconditionally say they defended us against terrorism. I think there could have been a much better way of doing this debate other than during a full council six weeks out from an election, where temperatures are high. I think that is disappointing and I think it is partially electioneering. There is a much better way of us doing something collectively, for us to cooperate in getting some way around an agreed narrative around elements of our history. We should have an assembly leading that, and an agreed process to take that forward, rather than, as always, coming to this council, where we have cultural proxy wars, because other institutions arent available to lead on these issues. A Lagan River councillor has called on MLAs to return to work and tackle the issues causing raw sewage flowing into local waterways. Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Councillor Kyle Savage said someone must be held accountable for the raw sewage leaking from a sewer near the Drumlin Road in Donaghcloney that will end up flowing into local waterways and ultimately to the River Lagan. Yet again we are seeing raw sewage flowing into the local waterways and leading into the River Lagan, he said. This is happening all too regularly now with the last major leak occurring only a few months ago. Someone has to be held to account, we cannot afford for this to continue and our rivers and farmland to be contaminated like this. As I have said before, if it was a farmer responsible for this, they would be dragged through the courts. When our MLAs finally get back to work I call on them to get this sorted ASAP. A spokesperson for NI Water confirmed its teams have been dealing with a sewer blockage on the Drumlin Road in Donaghcloney and have asked the public to only flush the three Ps pee, poo and paper down their toilets. NI Water staff have been on site dealing with a sewer blockage at Drumlin Road, Donaghcloney, said the spokesperson. This incident has occurred because inappropriate items were flushed and dumped into the sewer. It is proving to be a challenging process for the team, with additional resources and equipment required to dislodge the blockage. The damage caused by this blockage was totally preventable. We would appeal to the public to only flush the three Ps pee, poo and paper. No amount of investment in our sewers will stop out of sewer flooding if blockages caused by sanitary items, baby wipes and cotton buds occur. Help us keep your sewers flowing by putting these items in the bin. A DUP representative who was suspended from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council over tweets he made regarding Sinn Feins John Finucane has returned to the council chamber. Marc Collins was suspended by the Northern Ireland Public Service Ombudsman for eight months last June. Acting commissioner Katrin Shaw decided that Mr Collins had breached the councillors code of conduct by posting a tweet on November 18, 2019, and a retweet the following day, which included reference to North Belfast MP Mr Finucane, Sinn Feins Westminster election candidate for the constituency at the time. Mr Collins tweet claimed that Mr Finucane supports and promotes the IRA and isnt innocent by any means. His retweet was of a message promoting banners erected in the Shankill area of Belfast which contained allegations against several members of the Finucane family. Read more DUP candidate was no young teen when he made sick posts The sanction was imposed following a complaint to the local government standards watchdog and an investigation report was sent to the acting commissioner for consideration. Ms Shaw concluded that the councillors Twitter activity went beyond the acceptable bounds of proper political debate and was unnecessary and personally abusive. In failing to show respect for Mr Finucane and his family, she found that Mr Collins had failed to comply with the respect principle that underpins the code. Mr Finucane is now suing the DUP councillor for defamation over the content of the tweets. Mr Collins returned to the council chamber at The Braid in Ballymena on Monday evening. He put forward a motion seeking an event similar to the Massed Bands of the Irish Regiments concert held at Carrickfergus Castle in 2021 to take place at the location annually. Mr Collins, who is from Carrickfergus, was reselected by the DUP earlier this year to contest next months council election. He said: Im delighted to be running again and thank the party for once again putting their faith in me. Mr Collins faced backlash in 2021 over comments about asylum seekers staying at a Carrickfergus hotel. He said he was concerned about the housing of asylum seekers by the Home Office at the Loughshore Hotel and that he contacted the then health and communities ministers, the Home Office, the local council and the police about the issue. Mr Collins said there were plenty within our own communities who need help first and foremost. I can already see the claims of racism that are going to come my way, but that's not what this is about at all, he said. I am all for helping those who need help when they truly need it, but there are questions that need to be asked around this situation. President Joe Biden's visit to Northern Ireland will "mark the tremendous progress" since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, the White House has said. Mr Biden will spend four days in Ireland, beginning in Belfast on Tuesday, to mark the 25th anniversary of the peace deal. He will also travel to Dublin, Co Louth and Co Mayo. The visit had been widely trailed, but was only confirmed by the White House on Wednesday. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said: "President Joseph R Biden, Jr will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland from April 11-14. "President Biden will first travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland, from April 11-12 to mark the tremendous progress since the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago and to underscore the readiness of the United States to support Northern Ireland's vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities. "The president will then travel to Ireland from April 12-14. "He will discuss our close co-operation on the full range of shared global challenges. "He will also hold various engagements, including in Dublin, County Louth and County Mayo, where he will deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people." The 46th US President can trace his ancestry to Ireland's west and east coasts, specifically Ballina in Co Mayo and the Cooley Peninsula in Co Louth. His great-great-grandfather Owen Finnegan emigrated to the United States from the Cooley peninsula while another great-great-grandfather, Patrick Blewitt, was born in Ballina, leaving during the Irish famine in 1850 to sail to America. Distant relatives celebrated his election win in November 2020 back in Ireland and gathered again in January 2021 to mark his inauguration. DUP MLA Gordon Lyons said he hoped the visit would emphasise the economic opportunities available in Northern Ireland. Sinn Fein MLA Conor Murphy said it was a "missed opportunity" that the visit was occurring at a time when the Assembly was not sitting. He said: "President Biden is coming here, it is the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, the entire international focus is on this place and, from the DUP perspective, there is nobody at the wheel. "There is an economic focus to President Biden's visit, there is an economic focus to the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement and we have nobody here to talk on behalf of the businesses and economy here." Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he was delighted that Mr Biden was visiting Ireland. "It will be a privilege and a special moment to welcome him back as President of the United States, he said. Joe Biden has always been a friend of Ireland. Over many decades, and to this day, he has supported the cause of peace in Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement. He stood with us as we navigated the difficult consequences of Brexit. When we spoke recently in the White House, President Biden was clear that in celebrating the Good Friday Agreement, we should be looking ahead, not backwards. We need to continue working together as true partners to fulfil the potential of all the people who call this island their home. His visit is an opportunity to celebrate and renew the strong political, economic and personal ties that bind our two countries together. Above all, it is an opportunity to welcome a great Irish-American President home. On Tuesday, vehicles expected to be used to transport and protect Mr Biden while in Northern Ireland were spotted arriving at Belfast International Airport. Former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, the former US Secretary of State and current Queens University Chancellor, are also travelling to Northern Ireland for the Good Friday Agreement 25th anniversary celebrations. But no specific dates on when new scanners will be operational Passengers travelling through Northern Irelands three main airports will have to wait before they can benefit from increased limits on the amount of liquid they can carry onto flights. Travellers at London City Airport are now permitted to have two litres of liquids and electronics in their hand luggage after new technology was rolled out at security. The changes, which have also been implemented at Teeside International Airport, are in line with the Governments deadline for high-tech CT scanners to be installed in most UK airports by June 2024. London City Airport started trialling the new technology more than a year ago and went live with four of the new X-ray machines yesterday. The move was announced last December by UK Transport Secretary Mark Harper and also means flyers will no longer have to remove tablets and laptops from their carry-on bags. Mr Harper said at the time: By 2024, major airports across the UK will have the latest security tech installed, reducing queuing times, improving the passenger experience, and most importantly detecting potential threats. However, theres no sign of the machines at Belfast International Airport, Belfast City Airport or City of Derry Airport, meaning passengers will still need to remove liquids and gadgets from their carry-on luggage. Belfast International Airport said it is on course to have the specialist security equipment in place by next summer, but did not confirm what stage the roll-out is at. Belfast City Airport also said it will comply with all security requirements within the relevant timeframes, but was vague on detail. The managing director of the City of Derry Airport confirmed the process is underway to ensure it meets the deadline. Steve Frazer said cabin baggage next generation security scanning equipment will be installed as required under the new regulation before the June 2024 deadline. We are currently seeking providers and lead times to meet this requirement, Mr Frazer added. We believe this will further enhance the fast, convenient passenger travel experience through City of Derry Airport. The new technology is already being rolled out on a phased basis at Dublin Airport. All passengers will benefit from the scanners, which take high-resolution 3D images to check hand baggage and clothing for dangerous or banned foods, within months. Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) continues to implement the EU-wide aviation security regulation in relation to the 100ml limit for liquids, lotions, gels and pastes at Dublin and Cork airports, a spokesperson said. However, DAA is currently trialling new enhanced X-ray technology at Dublin Airport which passengers will have noticed as they travelled through the airport since last Christmas. The spokesperson said the complex process of replacing more than 30 X-ray machines in two terminals requires significant civil works within both buildings which will continue throughout the year. The DAA added: When installed, the new technology at Dublin Airport will end the need to remove laptops and liquids from cabin baggage and will enhance the overall customer experience for passengers. The 100ml limit on liquids was imposed following a terrorist threat in 2006. The rules require passengers to place them in a clear plastic bag to prevent liquid explosives from being carried onto planes. Travellers have been warned to check the return rules for carrying liquids while the roll-out continues. Staff at a shop in East Belfast have been left badly shaken after an armed robbery today (Wednesday). A man entered the Belmont Road premises armed with a knife and demanded that they hand over cigarettes and cash. Staff and customers were unharmed before he fled. Detective Sergeant Ash said: "It was reported just before 3.30pm that a man had entered a shop in the Belmont Road area, armed with a knife, and demanded staff hand over cigarettes and cash. "It is believed that he then fled on foot in the direction of the Holywood Road. "The suspect is described as being around 5' 11" tall and of thin build, wearing a grey and black coat, navy tracksuit bottoms and grey trainers. Thankfully, a member of staff and customers who were present at the time were physically unharmed, but have been left badly shaken by the ordeal. Police have asked that anyone with information contact them via 101. Suella Braverman said she was honoured and humbled to have won her selection battle against a fellow Tory MP in the new constituency of Fareham and Waterlooville (PA) Lindsey Parnaby Suella Braverman said she was honoured and humbled to have won her selection battle against a fellow Tory MP in the new constituency of Fareham and Waterlooville. Constituency boundary changes meant the Home Secretary had to compete against backbencher Flick Drummond to represent the proposed new seat at the general election, expected next year. The PA news agency has been informed that Ms Braverman won the vote which had been dubbed by commentators as the Battle of Waterlooville amongst eligible local members by 77 to 54. Flick Drummond, Conservative MP for Meon Valley (David Woolfall/UK Parliament/PA) David Woolfall/UK Parliament After the result, Ms Drummond told PA: I am incredibly disappointed but will continue to be Meon Valley MP and serve my constituents until the next election. In a statement, Ms Braverman said: Id like to thank my Conservative Party association for adopting me as their candidate for the new Fareham and Waterlooville seat. Im immensely honoured to have the chance to continue to represent my constituents in parliament. It has been a great privilege to be the MP for this area since 2015 and I will not tire in fighting to bring positive change for the people of Fareham and Waterlooville. I also want to thank my parliamentary colleague Flick Drummond MP for her excellent work for the people of Meon Valley. Tory party chairman Greg Hands tweeted: Congratulations @SuellaBraverman for being selected for Fareham & Waterlooville! Boundary changes are important, but some complicated selections are inevitable. Flick is a brilliant MP we are all part of one @Conservatives family & she has the Partys support for the future. 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 The race saw Ms Braverman, an avowed Brexiteer on the right of the party, pitched against pro-European centrist Ms Drummond. The Cabinet minister has been in the spotlight for her efforts to crack down on small boats crossing the Channel, with her rhetoric around migration and culture war issues making her a divisive figure, while Ms Drummond is a backbench MP who keeps a low profile. A number of constituency changes have been proposed across the UK as part of the 2023 boundary review. The review started in January 2021, and its final recommendations are due to be presented by July 1 this year, with changes expected before the next election. The Boundary Commission for England has closed its final consultation and is considering the feedback received. Its plans would remove the existing Meon Valley and Fareham constituencies, and the two MPs competed for the newly proposed constituency. Ms Drummond represented Portsmouth South between 2015 and 2017, and has represented Meon Valley since 2019. Ms Braverman has represented the Fareham constituency since 2015. The latest addition to the alliance will be able to make a significant contribution to its armament, officials said on Wednesday. Finland, which has an 830-mile border with Russia, formally became the 31st member of the bloc in a ceremony at Natos Brussels headquarters on Tuesday. One western official said: The Russians have been full of rhetoric all along and I think thats been their only response to Finland joining Nato. I dont think theyve looked at the consequences of their own actions and taken any responsibility for this, so there tends to be a bit of lashing out. Russias combat losses would make it difficult for them to act on any threats of escalation, officials said, adding: The idea that theyre going to conduct manoeuvres on the Finnish border: With what? would be the question. Officials said Moscow will be attempting to deal with what it perceives as a threat from the north after previously neutral Finland joined the alliance. This poses a real dilemma for Putin and the Russians, officials said. One added: Finland is, I would say, an asset to Nato, and certainly has been welcomed by Nato members, and if you look at the armed forces they can contribute, theyre certainly a significant addition to Natos armament. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has warned that Moscow will respond to the accession depending on what weapons Nato places in Finland. Dmitry Peskov (Alamy/PA) We will closely monitor what will be going on in Finland and how Nato will use the territory of Finland for the deployment of weapons, equipment and infrastructure next to our border that would potentially threaten us. Measures will be taken dependent on that. A post shared on the Russian embassys Twitter account accused Finland of having given up on its unique identity and losing its independence which for decades gave it a special status in international affairs. The foreign ministry added in a statement that Russia will have to respond with military-technical, as well as other measures to address national security threats arising from Finland joining Nato. Western officials said Russian forces are making very slow progress near Bakhmut a key Ukrainian stronghold despite deploying large numbers of troops. Over the past six weeks, the progress can be measured in metres, they said. A possible counter-offensive by Ukraine would depend on a number of complex factors, according to officials. Meanwhile the UK announced 10 million for Natos support package for Ukraine, providing non-lethal aid such as medical equipment, rations, fuel and counter-drone equipment. Finlands President Sauli Niinisto, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Swedish premier Ulf Kristersson at a meeting in Germany in February (Ben Stansall/PA) Ben Stansall Some 2 million will also go to Nato efforts to help Georgia, Moldova and Bosnia & Herzegovina defend themselves against Russian activity. Finlands membership was welcomed by heads of state including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden on Tuesday. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the development was a direct result of Vladimir Putins aggression and his illegal invasion of Ukraine. Mr Sunak took the opportunity to push for Sweden to also be given permission to join the group. Finlands neighbour has seen its process of joining the organisation delayed by objections from Turkey and Hungary, but the Prime Minister made clear he wanted those issues resolved, saying: This is an historic day for Finland and for Nato. Their accession has made our alliance stronger and every one of us safer. All Nato members now need to take the steps necessary to admit Sweden too, so we can stand together as one alliance to defend freedom in Europe and across the world. Flanked by attorneys, former US President Donald Trump appears for his arraignment proceedings at Manhattan Criminal Court REUTERS Former US president Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. The plea came during a brief arraignment in a New York courtroom as Mr Trump faced a grand jury indictment arising from a hush money payment to a porn actor during Trump's 2016 campaign. Mr Trump is accused of directing three different instances of hush money payments to cover up alleged affairs. Judge Juan Merchan warned the former president to refrain from rhetoric that could inflame or cause civil unrest. Judge Merchan also warned Trump that he could be removed from the courtroom if he was disruptive, but Trump spoke only a few times to respond to questions. In recent days, Trump and his sons have posted aggressive messages online about the officials in the New York case. The arraignment, though procedural in nature, amounts to a remarkable reckoning for Trump after years of investigations into his personal, business and political dealings. Any alleged offence punishable by more than one year in prison is called a felony in the US justice system. The case is unfolding against the backdrop not only of his third campaign for the White House but also against other investigations in Washington and Atlanta that might yet produce even more charges. A silent and stony-faced Trump entered the courtroom shortly before 2.30pm local time without saying anything. Trump was flanked by police in court but was not handcuffed or put in a jail cell, and no mugshot was taken. Minutes earlier, he narrated his feelings in real time, describing the experience as "SURREAL" as he travelled from Trump Tower to lower Manhattan to face a judge as the first former president in American history to be criminally prosecuted. Wearing his signature dark suit and red tie, Trump turned and waved to crowds outside the building before heading inside to be fingerprinted and processed. Trump, who was impeached twice by the US House but was never convicted in the US Senate, is the first former president to face criminal charges. Trump was scheduled to return to his Palm Beach, Florida, home, Mar-a-Lago, yesterday evening to give remarks. At least 500 prominent supporters have been invited, with some of the most pro-Trump congressional Republicans expected to attend. A conviction would not prevent Trump from running for or winning the presidency in 2024. The investigation is scrutinising six-figure payments made to a porn actress and a former Playboy model. Both say they had sexual encounters with the married Trump years before he got into politics. Trump denies having sexual liaisons with either woman and has denied any wrongdoing involving payments. The indictment alleges that he falsified records to conceal payments to the two women with whom he had affairs, in order to silence them and keep their accounts of their liaisons from harming his chances of winning the 2016 presidential election. The women paid are alleged to be Stormy Daniels, an adult film actress whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Ms McDougal was paid $150,000 by the National Inquirer for her silence, while Ms Daniels was paid by Mr Trumps then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, in a scheme which led to Cohen spending a year in federal prison and two more on home confinement. Trump is next due in court in December, but his lawyers asked for him to be excused from attending the hearing in person because of extraordinary security proceedings. If convicted, he could face at least a year in prison on each count, but its unlikely that a first-time offender such as himself would be sentenced to prison rather than probation. Former US president Donald Trump appears in court for his arraignment in New York (Timothy A Clary/Pool Photo via AP) Timothy A. Clary Former US president Donald Trump conspired to illegally influence the 2016 election through a series of hush money payments designed to silence claims that he feared would be harmful to his candidacy, New York prosecutors said in unsealing a historic 34-count felony indictment. The charges arose from a series of cheques that Mr Trump or his company wrote during the presidential campaign to his lawyer and fixer for his role in making a payment to a porn actor who alleged an extramarital sexual encounter with Mr Trump years earlier. The payments were part of an unlawful plan to identify and suppress negative information that could have undermined his campaign for president, Assistant District Attorney Christopher Conroy said in court. They were made to protect his candidacy, Mr Conroy added. The arraignment in Manhattan, though largely procedural in nature, was nonetheless the first time in US history that a former president has faced a judge in his own criminal prosecution. Any alleged offence punishable by more than one year in prison is called a felony in the US justice system. The indictment amounts to a remarkable reckoning for Mr Trump after years of investigations into his personal, business and political dealings, unfolding against the backdrop not only of his third campaign for the White House but also against other investigations in Washington and Atlanta that might yet produce even more charges. Mr Trump, stony-faced and silent as he entered and exited the Manhattan courtroom, said not guilty in a firm voice while facing a judge who warned him to refrain from rhetoric that could inflame or cause civil unrest. The next court date is December 4, though it is not clear if Mr Trump will be required to appear. Donald Trump appears in court for his arraignment in New York (Steven Hirsch/New York Post via AP, Pool) Steven Hirsch The broad contours of the case have long been known, but the indictment contains new details about a scheme that prosecutors say began months into his presidential candidacy in 2015, as his celebrity past collided with his presidential ambitions. It centres on pay-offs to two women, including porn actor Stormy Daniels, who said they had extramarital sexual encounters with him years earlier, as well as to a Trump Tower doorman who claimed to have a story about a child he alleged the former president had out of wedlock. Its not just about one payment. It is 34 false statements and business records that were concealing criminal conduct, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg told reporters, when asked how the three separate alleged payments were connected. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks after the arraignment of former US president Donald Trump in New York (John Minchillo/AP) John Minchillo All 34 counts against Mr Trump are linked to a series of cheques that were written to Mr Trumps personal lawyer and problem-solver, Michael Cohen, to reimburse him for his role in paying off Ms Daniels. Those payments, made over 12 months, were recorded in various internal company documents as being for a legal retainer that prosecutors say did not exist. Mr Cohen testified before the grand jury and is expected to be a star prosecution witness. Nine of those monthly cheques were paid out of Mr Trumps personal accounts, but records related to them were maintained in the Trump Organisations data system. Prosecutors allege that the first instance of Mr Trump directing hush money payments came in the autumn of 2015, when a former Trump Tower doorman was trying to sell information about an alleged out-of-wedlock child fathered by Mr Trump. David Pecker, a Trump friend and the publisher of the National Enquirer, made a 30,000 dollar payment to the doorman to acquire the exclusive rights to the story, pursuant to an agreement to protect Mr Trump during his presidential campaign, according to the indictment. Mr Peckers company later determined the doormans story was false, but at Mr Cohens urging is alleged to have enforced the doormans confidentiality until after election day. The investigation also concerns six-figure payments made to Ms Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Both say they had sexual encounters with the married Mr Trump years before he got into politics. Mr Trump denies having sexual liaisons with either woman and has denied any wrongdoing involving payments. The indictment against former US president Donald Trump (Jon Elswick/AP) Jon Elswick After his arraignment, Mr Trump was returning to his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago, for a primetime address to campaign supporters. At least 500 prominent supporters have been invited, with some of the most pro-Trump congressional Republicans expected to attend. A conviction would not prevent Mr Trump from running for or winning the presidency in 2024. Wearing his signature dark suit and red tie, Mr Trump turned and waved to crowds outside the court before heading inside to be fingerprinted and processed. He arrived at court in an eight-car motorcade from Trump Tower, communicating in real time his anger at the process. Heading to Lower Manhattan, the Courthouse, he posted on his Truth Social platform. Seems so SURREAL WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Cant believe this is happening in America. MAGA! Afterwards, Trump lawyer Todd Blanche told reporters that it was a sad day for the country. You dont expect this to happen to somebody who was president of the United States, he said. Mr Trump, who was impeached twice by the US House but was never convicted in the US Senate, is the first former president to face criminal charges. The nations 45th commander in chief was escorted from Trump Tower to the court by the Secret Service. The scenes around Trump Tower and the court did not feature any major unrest. Police tried to keep apart protesters supporting the former president and those opposing him by confining them to separate sides of a park near the court using metal barricades. Russias commissioner for childrens rights, who is being sought for war crimes for deporting children from Ukraine, has told a UN meeting they were taken for their safety and Moscow is coordinating with international organisations to return them to their families. Ambassadors from Western countries boycotted the informal UN Security Council meeting, sending low-level diplomats instead. And diplomats from the United States, Britain, Albania and Malta walked out when Maria Lvova-Belova started to address the meeting by video link. The International Criminal Court last month issued an arrest warrant for her and Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing them of abducting children from Ukraine. (AP) John Minchillo Russia, which holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council this month, called Wednesdays meeting to counter what it claims is disinformation about the Ukrainian children. US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters before the meeting that the United States strongly opposed the briefing and joined the UK in blocking the United Nations from outside broadcast of the meeting. Ms Lvova-Belova should not be allowed to have an international podium to spread disinformation and to try to defend her horrible actions that are taking place in Ukraine, Ms Thomas-Greenfield said. The Associated Press reported on Ms Lvova-Belovas involvement in the abduction of Ukrainian orphans in October. The AP investigation found that the open effort to put Ukrainian children up for adoption in Russia was well under way. Ukrainian officials claimed at the time that nearly 8,000 children had been deported to Russia, but the exact number was difficult to determine. Russias UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia opened the meeting, saying its aim was to unmask the blatant double-standards of the West. Part of this propaganda campaign is the hushing up by the West of the fact that in European countries Ukrainian refugees are having their children taken away, he said. Videos were then shown of some women claiming their children had been taken in Europe. Mr Nebenzia also insisted that contrary to Western claims there have been no forced adoptions. He said some Ukrainian children are in foster care and claimed there were no obstacles for them to maintain contact with their families in Ukraine. The AP investigation found Russian officials deported Ukrainian children to Russia without their parents consent, lied to them that they were not wanted by their parents, used them for propaganda, and gave them Russian families and citizenship. Since February 24, 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, Ms Lvova-Belova said Russia has taken in more than five million Ukrainians, including 700,000 children all with parents, relatives or legal guardians except for 2,000 from orphanages in the eastern Donbas. To date, she said, about 1,300 children have been returned to their orphanages, 400 were sent to Russian orphanages and 358 were placed in foster homes. Ms Lvova-Belova said there has been no official communication with Ukrainian authorities about the children, but she said her office has met with representatives of Unicef, Refugees International and the International Committee of the Red Cross and we provide all available information about the situation of children. Now were coordinating efforts with the Red Cross on reunification, she said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky won new pledges of deeper cooperation on a state visit to Poland as the neighbours sought to forge a tighter relationship in defiance of Russias war against Kyiv. Polish President Andrzej Duda said his country has provided four Soviet-designed MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine to help it beat back the Kremlins assault. Four more are in the process of being handed over and another six are being prepared, he said. Mr Zelensky said at a news conference with Mr Duda that his government would extend a hearty welcome to Polish businesses seeking to help Ukraines post-war rebuilding, which the World Bank has estimated could cost 411 billion dollars. He met later with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and said he would sign agreements on developing Ukrainian infrastructure. Poland heaped military honours and praise on Mr Zelensky as it welcomed him and his wife on a joint visit, during which they thanked the country for its crucial military support as well as being a haven for Ukrainian refugees. The former Soviet satellite that is now a member of the European Union and Nato feels especially threatened by Russia and has been a leading advocate for aid to Kyiv. Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, said Moscows relations with Washington are in deep crisis as the US has led its allies in supplying aid and weapons to Ukraine. Andrzej Duda and Volodymyr Zelensky as they meet at the Presidential Palace (Czarek Sokolowski/AP) Czarek Sokolowski Speaking at a ceremony where he accepted diplomatic credentials from ambassadors of 17 nations, including the US, Mr Putin alleged that Washingtons support for the 2014 protests in Kyiv that ousted a pro-Kremlin president led to Russias sending troops into Ukraine. Mr Zelensky and Mr Duda said they wanted to leave behind any Second World War-era grievances that linger in Ukraine and Poland. There are no taboo topics between us, Mr Duda said. There are still open wounds in the memory of many people. The visit to Warsaw was a rare wartime foray out of Ukraine for Mr Zelensky. While he also travelled to the United States, Britain, France and Belgium, the trip to Poland stood out because it was announced in advance and undertaken without the secrecy of past foreign trips. It also was the first time Mr Zelensky and first lady Olena Zelenska travelled abroad together since the war began in February 2022, said Marcin Przydacz, head of Mr Dudas foreign policy office. Mr Duda awarded Mr Zelensky Polands oldest and highest civilian distinction, The Order of the White Eagle. We have no doubt that your attitude, together with the bravery of the nation, has saved Ukraine, the Polish president told Mr Zelensky. At a ceremony in the courtyard of the presidential palace, Mr Duda and the two countries first ladies were dressed in formal attire, while Mr Zelensky wore the military-style sweatshirt and khaki trousers that have become his uniform since the invasion. Mr Zelensky travelled through Poland on his previous foreign trips, but until now had not made it his sole destination. The purpose of the journey to Warsaw was primarily to thank a country that has been an international cheerleader for Ukraine, as well as a safe haven for Ukrainian refugees and a transit hub for Ukraine-bound humanitarian aid and weapons. The visit highlighted the central European nations rising role in a new international security order that has emerged from the war. Poland is seeking to modernise its military by purchasing tanks and other equipment from US and South Korean producers. The United States has also bolstered its military presence in Poland. Mr Zelensky also was meeting with Ukrainians who have fled to Poland. More than 1.5 million Ukrainians have registered with the Polish government since the war began. His visit comes at a delicate time, with Polish farmers increasingly angry because Ukrainian grain that has entered the country has created a glut, causing prices to fall. The grain is only meant to be stored temporarily before being sent to markets in North Africa and the Middle East. But farmers say the grain is taking up space in silos and entering Polish markets, causing local prices to fall. Romanian and Bulgarian farmers say they face the same problem. Sam McBride sits down with former BBC Political Editor Stephen Grimason, who later went from poacher to game keeper and headed up Stormonts press operation Stephen Grimason was the journalist who waved a leaked copy of the Good Friday Agreement on our television screens with the iconic quote: I have it in my hand. It was a triumph for the then-BBC political editor, who three years later left journalism to work for the Northern Ireland Executive as its director of communications. But all did not go well. Apart from the brief Paisley-McGuinness era, Stormont politics has always been dysfunctional a challenge for the man whose job it was to convince the public that it was working. The ex-spin doctor sits down with Sam McBride to reveal how politicians in Northern Irelands crap executive really functioned. Pexels.com Twelve men answered the call to be Jesus disciples. They were uneducated commoners, Jews, and men of faith who sacrificed everything to be followers of Christ. Jesus spent three years training these disciples to be leaders. He planned to eventually have the disciples take over and carry on the work He started. Jesus chose unrefined and ordinary men to be His disciples, who were the commonest of the common. They were farmers and fishermen from rural areas. Jesus purposefully passed over the aristocratic, influential and elite men of society and chose men from the dregs of society. Thats how its been in Gods economy. He praises the humble and lays low the proud. Who were the 12 disciples? Matthew 10:2-4 lists the original disciples as Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, James, son of Zebedee and his brother John. Then, theres Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, the tax collector, James, son of Alphaeus, Thaddeus, Simon, and Judas Iscariot, who eventually betrayed Jesus. Matthias would replace Judas after his betrayal. The apostles werent the kind of group you would expect Jesus to send forth on His mission to reach the world. There wasnt anything spectacular or incredibly unique about them. They were ordinary working men. However, Jesus took these ordinary men to form the backbone of the church, giving them the most extraordinary job: calling the world, including the most powerful empire known to man, to repent and have faith in Christ. You can bet that any first-century, educated Roman citizen would laugh off any prediction that the Christian faith would be the empires official faith within three centuries. The dispersal of the disciples. Book Three of the Church History of Eusebius says that Jesus disciples were dispersed worldwide. Thomas went to Parthia to spread the word, Andrew went to Scythia, and John went to Asia, where he lived for some time and died in Ephesus. Peter preached in places like Galatia, Bithynia, Pontus, Cappadocia, and Asia to the Jews of the dispersal. Eventually, he came to Rome. Many people question how the 12 disciples died, but the New Testament only shares the fate of two of the disciples. Judas, who betrayed Jesus, hung himself, while James, the son of Zebedee, was executed by Herod in 44 AD, according to Acts 12:2. How did the disciples die? Though legends and reports abound, theyre not always reliable, but its safe to say that the disciples went far and wide to spread the message of Jesus Christ. One early legend says they cast lots to divide the world to figure out who would go where so everyone could hear Jesus message. They suffered greatly for their faith and often met violent deaths due to their bold faith and witness in Jesus Christ. Paul and Peter. During the persecution under Emperor Nero, Peter and Paul were martyred in Rome around 66 AD. Paul was beheaded, but Peter was crucified upside down at his request. He didnt feel worthy to die in the same way Jesus did. Andrew. Its believed that Andrew went to the land of the man-eaters in present-day Russia. Christians there believe he was the first to bring the gospel to their land. However, Andrew also preached in modern-day Turkey, Asia Minor, and Greece, where its believed he was crucified. Thomas. Thomas was likely the most active in the area east of Syria. Tradition says that he preached as far as India, where the ancient Marthoma Christians see him as their founder. They say he died when the spears of four soldiers pierced through him. Philip. Philip likely had a powerful ministry in Asia Minor and Carthage in North Africa, where he converted a Roman proconsuls wife. As retaliation, the proconsul had Philip arrested and put to death. Matthew. Matthew was a tax collector and writer of a gospel who ministered in Ethiopia and Persia. Some of the oldest reports say he wasnt martyred, but others believe he was stabbed to death in Ethiopia. Bartholomew. Bartholomew had extensive missionary travels attributed to him by tradition: to Ethiopia, India with Thomas and back to Armenia and Southern Arabia. However, various accounts say he met his death as a martyr for the gospel. James. James was the son of Alpheus and one of the last three James mentioned in the New Testament. Theres some uncertainty about which is which, but this James is believed to have ministered in Syria. The Jewish historian Josephus reported that he was clubbed and stoned to death. Simon the Zealot. Simon ministered in Persia but was killed after refusing to sacrifice to the sun god. Judas. Judas hung himself after he betrayed Jesus. Matthias. Matthias was the disciple chosen to replace Judas. Tradition says he was sent to Syria with Andrew to die by burning. John. John is one of the only disciples whos commonly thought to have died a natural death from old age. He was a church leader in Ephesus and is believed to have cared for Mary, Jesus mother, in his home. During Domitians persecution, John was exiled to the island of Patmos, where its believed he wrote the last book of the New Testament, Revelation. One early Latin tradition says he escaped unharmed after being cast in boiling oil in Rome. The influence of the disciples. The name of Jesus disciples have become the most common name for men in the Western world. How many men are named Andy, John, Pete, Phil, or Jim? Four of the apostles were fishermen. Could this be part of the reason why one of the earliest Christian symbols was the fish? Icthus, the Greek word for fish, formed a puzzle: lesous Christos Theou Uios Soter, which means Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior. After the apostles death, we dont find significant missionary figures of the prominence of Paul. However, the faith continued to spread, even when Christianity was deemed illegal until Emperor Constantines rule in the fourth century. Though the disciples were ordinary men, Jesus called them to do something extraordinary, and they completed their tasks. Pexels.com Mary is a woman revered for bravery and admired for her devotion to God. She traversed a challenging path, but she knew the cost of her submission. The virgin birth of Jesus disregarded scientific logic, and believers recognized her as the mother of Jesus. However, we dont know much about the details of Marys life. God chose Mary for what is possibly the most critical job in history: bringing Jesus Christ into the world to rescue us from our sins. She was the most unlikely choice, which makes her story even more fascinating. Luke 1:35 tells us the story of how the angel Gabriel visited Mary to share the news of Gods plan. She would have a baby, even though she wasnt married yet. When Gabriel saw Mary, Joseph had already asked her to be his wife. However, the two would soon start a life-changing journey. Theres more to Marys story than we may have realized, but theres so much we can learn from her story. Mary knew the prophecy of the coming Messiah. Mary displayed unparalleled bravery when she accepted Gabriels message, saying, May it be to me as you have said in Luke 1:38. However, did she truly know what she was signing up for? In her song of praise, its evident that Mary knew about the Old Testaments teachings. She learned about biblical prophecy her entire life as a Jew. Her song closely resembles Hannahs famous prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. Now, she was part of Gods ultimate plan. Mary understood the significance of her decision when she said yes when God chose her. She showed her understanding of Gods promise to send a Messiah for His people through her worship. Did Mary have children after Jesus? Some believe that Mary didnt have any other children and stayed a virgin throughout her life due to the hallowed nature of the virgin birth. However, Matthew 1:24-25 seems to negate that teaching, implying that Mary had other children. It says that Joseph followed the angels command and married Mary. However, they didnt consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. In this verse, until is the keyword that implies Mary had children after Jesus. Until means up to the time of, implying that an action didnt happen after a suggested pause. Matthew didnt even the verse by saying that Joseph didnt consummate the marriage. It tells us the marriage wasnt consummated until. This wording implies that Mary and Joseph did consummate their marriage after Jesus was born. It also makes a point by telling readers that Joseph took Mary as his wife. Readers would naturally assume that Mary became Josephs wife in every way possible. Also, no scriptural evidence supports that Mary stayed a virgin or didnt have more children. The Bible says the opposite. Mark 6:3 describes how people were upset with Jesus when He taught in Bethlehem, rejecting Him as a prophet. They asked, Isnt He the carpenter? Isnt that Marys son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon? Arent His sisters here with us? This passage implies that Mary had close to seven children, including Jesus. There were almost 30 years between Jesus birth and this meeting, allowing Mary plenty of time to have other children. John 2:12 also hints as we ponder whether Mary had other children. It says Jesus went to Capernaum with His mother, brothers, and disciples. The fact that both disciples and brothers are used means that John wasnt discussing spiritual brothers but familial brothers. The disciples and brothers were two different groups. Matthew 12:46 also discusses when Jesus mother and brothers came to talk to Him. The phrases mother and brothers imply familial relationships. The Bible doesnt give us any reason to think these werent Marys biological children. Efforts to prove that Mary stayed a virgin arent based on the Bible but on the misguided loyalty to a woman who was as imperfect as any other human. God may have chosen May for her holy task, but she was, in her own words, a humble servant. She obeyed God with faithfulness, like other humble servants, including Hannah, Gideon, Elijah, and Moses. Marys marital relations with her husband, Joseph, wouldnt have defiled her. Those relations wouldve likely produced other children who wouldve grown up with Jesus as their elder brother. Mary isnt given a special place in the Bible, so any effort to exalt her to a godlike position is manufactured rumors. So, yes, Mary did have other children. However, how many children she had is unknown, but she likely had seven, including Jesus. Mary was there for Jesus birth and earthly death. Joseph stayed by Mary through uncertain times. They both observed Jesus first breath. Soon after, the shepherds joined them to see what the angels discussed. On the other hand, Mary was also there when Jesus took His last breath on earth, detailed explicitly in John 19:25. Mary comforted Jesus as He entered the world and as He left to return to heaven. She committed herself to be there for her child through birth, death, and anything else. Mary shines as a demonstration of Gods desire to use the ordinary and obscure. We should be encouraged by this simple girl who now exists as one of the most adored women ever. She never traveled farther than from Palestine to Egypt by donkey. However, her story traveled to the farthest corners of the earth. By Gods grace, Mary recognized that she needed the Savior. The Bible doesnt say that Mary was anyone but an ordinary girl who God chose to use extraordinarily. She was a righteous woman favored by God. However, at the same time, Mary was a human who needed Jesus, just like everyone else. When she learned she would birth the Messiah, she stepped up to the plate and accepted her responsibility. We should all learn to step out with boldness and live humbly. Like Mary, we can all be in Gods extraordinary story. Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel conduct a security search on the premises of the National Martyrs Memorial in Dhaka, Feb. 20, 2023. Bangladeshs High Court on Wednesday in a rare move ordered the government to conduct an inquiry into the March 24 death of a woman in the custody of the Rapid Action Battalion security force, which Washington in 2021 sanctioned for human rights violations. RAB was also this week the subject of a documentary by German news organization Deutsche Welle and Sweden-based Netra News that said it found the force committed systematic human rights violations, including torture and extrajudicial killings, with impunity. The Bangladesh government denied these allegations as fictitious, fabricated and politically motivated. The Bangladesh High Court issued its order Wednesday on a writ petition filed by lawyer Manoj Kumar Bhowmick who said that Sultana Jesmin, 42, the woman who died in RAB custody, had been detained March 22 in the northwestern Naogaon district without an arrest warrant. After the hearing, the court passed an order to the government to form a high-powered [inquiry] committee embodying a chief judicial magistrate and a district judge, Bhowmick told reporters. The order set 60 days to finish the investigation and asked the government to withdraw the RAB members who detained and interrogated Sultana Jesmin for a fair investigation, he said. Additionally, the court issued a rule to the government questioning why the arrest of Sultana Jesmin without a warrant should not be declared illegal, Bhowmick said. The attorney general was asked whether the state would appeal before the Supreme Court against the High Court order and rule. We will discuss the matter and decide about it, Bhowmick said. Nazmul Haque Montu, a maternal uncle of Sultana Jesmin, told BenarNews that her family welcomed the court order. We have not filed any case about my nieces death in RAB custody. But we want to have faith in the court order for investigation, he said. If she had committed any crime, she could be tried according to the law. But whisking her away while she was on her way to her office was not a lawful practice. RABs targets are usually picked up late at night and whisked away to the special police forces facilities, according to an article on Deutsche Welles website on April 4. One alleged RAB victim told the documentary makers that he was beaten and waterboarded. Two men, said to be RAB whistleblowers, alleged that those people targeted for execution are taken to a pre-selected deserted site late at night, shot and left to bleed to death. The so-called whistleblowers also said that RAB often conducts targeted extrajudicial killings on orders from senior officials. At the end of 2021, the United States imposed targeted sanctions against several commanders of RAB. It accused the unit of more than 600 enforced disappearances in the past 12 years, a similar number of extrajudicial killings, and the use of torture. Last month, the U.S. State Department said extrajudicial killings in Bangladesh fell to 25 or fewer in 2022 from as many as 80 the previous year, with analysts crediting the sanctions for the decline. Caption: An oil rig is seen in the waters on the southern coast of Pengerang, Malaysia, Feb. 26, 2019. The willingness of Malaysia and the Philippines to discuss oil and gas exploration with China in the South China Sea may cause friction within ASEAN as the bloc tries to accelerate Code of Conduct negotiations to avoid conflict, analysts say. The Philippines said Tuesday that Manila would resume talks with Beijing on joint exploration for oil and gas in the strategic waterway, despite the countrys Supreme Court having ruled against such activities. In January, the court decided that a trilateral joint exploration deal between the Philippines, China and Vietnam another party in the South China Sea dispute was unconstitutional because it allowed foreign corporations to participate in the exploration of the countrys natural resources without observing required safeguards. The agreement was signed in 2005 but failed to materialize. In 2018, under then-President Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines and China also signed a document on Cooperation on Oil and Gas Development but Duterte himself terminated the talks last year after both sides failed to resolve the issue of sovereignty over Reed Bank in the Spratly Islands. Meanwhile in Beijing this week, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim informed Chinese President Xi Jinping that Malaysia needed to carry on with oil exploration in waters that both countries claim, but if the condition is that there must be negotiations to secure [our rights], then we are prepared to negotiate. The next day the prime minister seemed to adjust his conciliatory tone by telling Parliament that he had insisted that the area falls within Malaysias territory and that in the meantime our exploration efforts will continue. Chinas burgeoning leverage Some other ASEAN countries that are also embroiled in disagreements with China over natural resources in the South China Sea Vietnam and Indonesia have yet to react to the latest developments but analysts warned against what they see as Chinas bilateral approach. Xi Jinping has used official state visits by President Marcos Jr. of the Philippines in January and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in April to press Chinas claims in the South China Sea and to press for bilateral discussions, said Carlyle Thayer, a veteran regional specialist. Chinas insistence on bilateral discussions has been consistent for the last decade and a half, the Canberra-based analyst told Radio Free Asia (RFA), adding that China can divide and conquer using its superior economic weight. Chinese Premier Li Qiang (left) and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim review an honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, April 1, 2023. [Yao Dawei/Xinhua via AP] Another analyst, Collins Chong Yew Keat at the University of Malaya, told BenarNews that the scope and level of the negotiations remains to be seen but it must not be based on a bilateral basis, as Beijing will exercise its burgeoning leverage and cards at its disposal now, to use economic tools and other measures to dictate more favorable terms. ASEAN countries restarted negotiations with China on a Code of Conduct for the South China Sea, with the first round of talks taking place in the second week of March. Several member states have accused China of impeding and harassing their oil and gas activities in areas within their exclusive economic zones that also fall within Chinas nine-dash line that Beijing uses to claim historic rights to almost 90% of the South China Sea. In 2016, this imaginary boundary was declared as illegal by a U.N. tribunal in a case brought by the Philippines. Indonesia has a long-standing policy of refusing to discuss maritime disputes with China on the grounds that its maritime boundaries are in accord with international law, said Carl Thayer. Not an indication of success Vietnam, which saw several oil development projects with foreign partners stopped under Chinas pressure, has always maintained that any joint exploration should abide by international law, especially the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). As a rule, Hanoi does not publicly criticize other ASEAN members policies but, according to Vietnamese scholars, Beijing-led joint projects in the South China Sea could become dangerous precedents if pursued. China has been offering other countries to set aside dispute and pursue joint development, viewing it as a measure to assert sovereignty in the negotiated area, wrote a Vietnamese researcher, Bui Sang Minh, in the South China Sea Studies Journal, which usually reflects the Vietnamese governments stance. Most of the areas in which China has brought up such offers are well within other countries economic exclusive zones and continental shelves. A woman walks past a billboard showing the CNOOC 981 deepwater oil platform, used in the South China Sea, outside the headquarters of the China National Offshore Oil Corporation, in Beijing, July 28, 2016. [Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo] As the Philippines and China are to resume talks, Manila should try not to fall for the setting disputes aside and pursuing joint development concept and refrain from prioritizing economic benefits over maintaining its sovereignty in the process, Minh added. Some other analysts such as Jay Batongbacal, director of the Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea at the University of the Philippines, said that a desire to settle disputes amicably does not mean they will simply give in to Chinas demands. An announcement that they will discuss and negotiate is not an indication of success in the bilateral approach, he said. Meanwhile, Carl Thayer told RFA that in his opinion, Chinas bilateral approach is not without risk. The Philippine Constitution limits the involvement of foreign enterprises in the exploitation of the Philippines natural resources so a joint exploration would risk setting up a clash between Philippines sovereignty and Chinas assertion of sovereignty. A second risk for China is that the commencement of bilateral talks is likely to provoke nationalist sentiment in both the Philippines and Malaysia to demand that China respect the Philippines and Malaysian Exclusive Economic Zones, the maritime expert said. Gan Pei Ling and Iman Muttaqin Yusof for BenarNews contributed from Kuala Lumpur to this report. It was co-produced with Radio Free Asia, a news service affiliated with BenarNews. A sketch shows a girl identified as Yok who allegedly violated Thailands strict royal defamation law during an October 2022 rally when she was 14. Human rights activists on Wednesday called on Thai authorities to allow parents and lawyers to visit the youngest-ever royal-defamation suspect who has been held in custody since late March. The 15-year-old girl, identified as Yok, was 14 when she allegedly violated the strict Lese-Majeste law while speaking at an October 2022 anti-government rally in Bangkok, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR). Getting to know Yok, who is the youngest child charged under Lese-Majeste, is to realize that this country is not what it seems to be, said the text to a sketch of the girl provided by TLHR. Yoks name is being withheld for security reasons. The girl was arrested March 28 after filming a man as he allegedly spray painted graffiti calling for an end to Lese-Majeste on a wall surrounding the royal palace. She was sent to a girls detention center outside Bangkok. The staff at the Cross Cultural Foundation, which works on justice and rights, and lawyers at Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said their request for access to the center Baan Pranee Children and Juvenile Training Centre for Girls in Nakhon Pathom province, west of Bangkok, has not been honored. Its appalling that a 15-year-old girl is under custody for royal defamation, Prakaidao Phurksakasemsuk of the Cross Cultural Foundation told BenarNews. Yesterday, we and the lawyers submitted a visit request at the center, but today when we went there again, the center said the request was not approved yet. Police in Bangkoks Samran Rat station obtained an arrest warrant against Yok at the request of a royalist group after she participated in a rally to mark the bloody protest of Oct. 13, 1973. She was taken into custody last month despite having promised police she would report to them on April 9. Prakaidao said lawyers were able to meet with Yok for only 10 minutes on March 30 even though she has the right to meet with legal counsel. The juvenile centers director had little to say about the situation because she reports to the Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection. Meanwhile, TLHR is not sure if Yok has been charged. Thai law requires that children between the ages of 12 and 15 are warned or sent to a rehabilitation center if found guilty of charges against them. Unsettling reminder A Human Rights Watch researcher called for the visitation issue to be resolved. It is of concern that the relatives and lawyers cannot visit Yok, Sunai Phasuk of the rights watchdog told BenarNews. Agencies with special privileges such as the national human rights commission and UNICEF should promptly handle the matter. Amnesty International said the child activist Yok had joined a peaceful protest back in October. This development is yet another unsettling reminder that Thai authorities continue to target children as they use the law on Lese-Majeste to suppress peaceful dissent, Amnestys Thailand Researcher Chanatip Tatiyakaroonwong said in a statement. Thai authorities must drop all charges against individuals under laws inconsistent with international human rights law and standards. They must also refrain from arresting and holding peaceful protesters in pre-trial detention. Pro-democracy protests in Thailand began in July 2020 led by young adults who have been calling for Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha to resign, the constitution to be rewritten and the monarchy to be reformed. In November of that year, Prayuth warned protesters that the government would enforce all pertaining laws including Lese-Majeste, which carries a prison term of up to 15 years. As of the end of March, at least 238 people, including 18 who are younger than 18, were prosecuted under Lese-Majeste, TLHR said. If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom. Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Taiwan defied threats of retaliation by China ahead of an expected meeting between the islands president and the U.S. House speaker Wednesday that will underscore her governments claim to sovereignty Cops and Courts Reporter Amanda Burke is Cops and Courts Reporter for The Berkshire Eagle. An Ithaca, New York native, she previously worked at The Herald News of Fall River and the Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise. 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 LANESBOROUGH More seeds are sown for part of the former Berkshire Mall's transformation to an indoor marijuana farm, now that the selectmen and JMJ Holdings have signed a host-community agreement. The state Department of Environmental Protection on Tuesday inspected the site, although the results are not yet available. Passing that inspection would be yet another step in the transformation process. The quality of some of the services at the mall, including the drinking-water supply and the groundwater-discharge system, previously have been reported as less than satisfactory, calling into question the effort by JMJ Holdings Corp. of Boston to start its cultivation business there. But there are signs of progress. At a March 27 meeting, Lanesborough Fire Chief Jeff DeChaine told the select board that work on the mall's inoperable fire-suppression system was moving forward." Under the host-community agreement, before JMJ can occupy the building, DeChaine must deem the fire-suppression system in good working order, and the company must obtain a valid groundwater and discharge permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection. The host-community agreement, another preliminary step toward the start of cultivation, was signed at that March meeting by all three Lanesborough selectmen. Steven Jones, president of JMJ Holdings, signed it last week. JMJ Holdings will seek from the state Cannabis Control Commission a marijuana-cultivator license, a manufacturer license and a transporter license, all for wholesale operations, according to the eight-year agreement. At the option of the town, if the company does not obtain the licenses within 18 months, the agreement expires. As of March 15, the last date for which records are available through the Cannabis Control Commission, JMJ Holdings had not yet filed paperwork under that name. The Tuesday inspection, initially scheduled for March 15, was postponed after the mid-March nor'easter. The Eagle was denied permission to attend the inspection, both by the state Department of Environmental Protection in an email, and by a representative of the mall by phone. Inspections are not open to the public, wrote Catherine Skiba, deputy regional director of the Bureau of Administrative Service for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protections western regional office. "Once a final report is issued," the email continued, "it is a public record but may be redacted to protect sensitive information regarding the facility." If the indoor farm receives local permits and a certificate of occupancy, it may operate at the mall from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week. The plan for the 51,844 square feet space formerly occupied by JCPenny includes: 1,000 square feet for offices. 30,000 square feet for cultivation. 20,000 square feet for storage. Up to 16,000 square feet of parking, or 50 spaces of up to 320 square feet each. In addition, the agreement does not allow the company to install solar panels or other solar installations without permission from the town. Should operations cease for more than 60 days with no substantial action to reopen, the agreement requires that the company remove all materials, plants, equipment and paraphernalia from the site. If the company fails to do so, it will owe the town $50,000 as liquidated damages. Before opening, the company is required to obtain a surety bond in that amount. The agreement also calls for odor-control technology and stipulates that if there are three or more odor-related complaints within 30 days, the company will meet with the town. In addition, the company must set up controls for waste and must reuse water for cultivation. JMJ Holdings will reimburse the town for legal fees associated with drawing up the agreement. PITTSFIELD In a packed and toasty room at the Italian-American Club on Tuesday night, John Krol promised that his return to Pittsfield politics would reignite the city. It was a call that got the crowd of approximately 200 to their feet. Between blue and white balloons and twinkling lights draped around the clubs dining hall, supporters cheered Krol on as he launched into a speech full of promises to Pittsfield residents. Krol, a former vice president of the Pittsfield City Council, is one of two candidates who have announced their intentions to run for the mayors office and taken out nomination papers with the city clerks office. Council President Peter Marchetti held his own campaign kickoff event Monday night at the Berkshire Hills Country Club. Neither candidate is a stranger to these kinds of municipal races. This is Marchettis second run at the mayors office, and Krol has run in many of his own campaigns during a decade serving on the City Council as a Ward 6 councilor. Krols supporters spoke more about his past than the candidate did Tuesday night. Krol was introduced to the crowd by Mary McGinnis, the founder of First Fridays ArtsWalk and owner of Marys Carrot Cakes, and the Rev. Nakeida Bethel-Smith, pastor of the Hood Shaw Memorial AME Zion Church in Providence, R.I. McGinnis said Krol was an early advocate for the First Fridays program and helped fundraise to keep the project growing. Bethel-Smith, who was raised in Pittsfield, said Krol was a constant fixture in Ward 6 before, during and after his campaigns. Bethel-Smith said that during Krols earlier campaigns and his terms and office she got to see his compassion [and] his consideration for the people. She said she believes Krol is going to reignite the passion in Pittsfield. Its not that Pittsfield lost its fire; it just got a little dim, Bethel-Smith said. It takes a firestarter, somebody thats committed, somebody that says Im going to challenge the community to do something different hes not going to come in and have business as usual. In Krols address to the crowd, he committed to many changes in the way the city conducts business, education and promotes itself. His first promise: to be the most accessible mayor in the history of Pittsfield. Krol said bringing people into the mayors office will be accomplished by changes big and small. He committed to opening all four entrances to City Hall, having a person answer every resident that calls into the mayors office and having an open door policy with constituents. Krol said a major focus of his tenure would be to start a second revitalization of downtown Pittsfield. He said hell bring police foot patrols back to the front doorstep of the city. Krol, who runs his own business from an office downtown, said that hed work on the internal permitting processes in City Hall to remove roadblocks to greater business investment in Pittsfield. A sizeable part of Krols speech was dedicated to education. Krols wife, Cara, is a teacher at Reid Middle School, and his four children attend schools within the Pittsfield Public Schools district. He said seeing the education system through their eyes has given him an important sense of the urgency of supporting educators and families. He said he had a vision that the Pittsfield Public Schools can be the schools of choice in the Berkshires. Krols campaign kickoff attracted an audience familiar with the kind of strength it takes to make big change in Pittsfield. Among the audience were Councilors Ken Warren, Dina Lampiasi and Patrick Kavey; Board of Health member Brad Gordon, School Committee member Vicky Smith; Pittsfield Federation of School Employees President Sandra Amburn; former City Council President and mayoral candidate Melissa Mazzeo; and former City Councilor Mike Ward. Krols campaign reported having $6,343 on hand to the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance as of the end of March. Before closing out the evening he said hes looking forward to fighting for his family, his community, and for what is right. NORTH ADAMS A contracting company was fined thousands of dollars for safety violations after an employee fell from a roof and was seriously injured last summer. Jose Tamay, 36, was working for JJL Home Improvement on Aug. 18 when he fell roughly 40 feet from the roof of a Church Street home. He was hospitalized with serious injuries that same day, but the Brockton-based business did not report the incident to Occupational Safety and Health Administration as required by law, according to an OSHA spokesperson. Instead, city police reported the incident to OSHA several weeks later, the spokesperson said. Workers facing fall risks were also not trained on fall hazards, according to a letter sent in November to the company from OSHA area director Mary Hoye. For the violations, OSHA proposed $7,459 in penalties for JJL Home Improvement and reduced the fine to $3,730 through an informal settlement. JJL owner Juan David Lema told The Eagle that this was the first time one of his employees had been injured on a job. Because his company was a subcontractor on the job, Lema said he didnt know that he had to report the incident. Lema acknowledged that his company had been fined and said that he and his employees have since taken safety classes. Since [the accident] all workers are taking more safety measures, he said. Lema said Tamay has recovered from his injuries but has not worked with his company since the accident and probably wouldnt be able to work again as a roofer. Attempts to reach Tamay were not successful. JJL Home Improvement was a subcontractor on the Church Street job for J Smegal Contracting LLC. That company was also investigated but was not cited, according to OSHA. We have all our safety precautions in place and a safety program we follow, said Jason Smegal, owner of J Smegal Contracting. On the same day of the incident in North Adams, OSHA got a separate complaint about a J Smegal job in Pittsfield. After an investigation, the agency fined the subcontractor on that job, Pittsfield-based J and Z Roofing and Construction, for safety violations, including a repeat serious one, a November letter from Hoye reads. Workers were seen on a roof 20 feet off the ground without any protection like a guard rail or body harness system, a violation J and Z Roofing and Construction had been cited for at a Pittsfield job before. They were also seen using poor fall protection equipment, according to Hoyes letter. J Smegal was not cited or fined. For J and Z Roofing, fines were originally $19,146 and reduced to $8,206 through an informal settlement, according to OSHA. Attempts to reach J and Z Roofing for comment were not successful. In the past 10 years, OSHA cited two companies for roofing related violations in North Adams and at least 12 in Pittsfield, according to an OSHA database. Mark Siegars would have been the first professional to take the helm in the newly created position in Washington. Middlefield in Hampshire County has previously had a town administrator. Good Hope FM: a Capetonian original - as original as the community it serves and represents - has just launched its latest campaign, showcasing the true meaning of community and belonging, entrenching the brand's longstanding history in the region. Ad agency Joe Public Cape Town and design firm Shift collaborated on the rebranding campaign, which involved creating a new brand strategy, brand positioning, corporate identity, and a creative launch campaign. The communication objective was to re-establish the iconic stature of Good Hope FM, as one of Cape Towns oldest and most loved radio stations. Good Hope FM along with its new look and feel aims to ensure that its listeners continue to feel inspired by the sense of belonging in the community. When working on this campaign we wanted to ensure that our efforts demonstrated the positive and true representation of the community, including a multidimensional reflection of diversity amongst people. Good Hope FM is an authentic and aspirational lifestyle platform that brings the community together. We needed to bring this to life in our campaign, comments Brendan Hoffmann, executive creative director, Joe Public Cape Town. Because Good Hope FM has always been a big part of the Cape Town community, we wanted to use real Capetonians as the faces and heroes of the campaign when re-establishing them as Cape Towns original radio station. Each of our originals brought their uniquely diverse energy and play important roles in their communities, just like Good Hope does," concludes Hoffmann. The campaign will be flighted across various platforms, including out-of-home, digital and social media and aligns with Good Hope FMs purpose statement to inspire belonging within our community of listeners. A community of unique individuals, united in their diversity through a shared sense of belonging. Credits: Brand: Good Hope FM Client: Sewela Sebola Agency: Joe Public Cape Town Executive creative director: Brendan Hoffmann Art director: Mzuyanda Swartbooi Copywriter: Khanyisile Modiba Business unit director: Lizanne Peters Agency producer: Tammy Chetty Media: Juno Production company: Hero Creative Johannesburg Photographer: Jacques Weyers Photographer digital assistant: Matt Moon Photographer lighting assistant: Thekiso Mokhele Stylist: Lerato Nkosi Hair and make-up: Michelle-Lee Collins Hair and make-up Assistant: Keegan Karfun Videographer: David Holmes Video assistant: Bianka Hartenstein Video editor: David Holmes Still retoucher: Lauren Bubb Covid, load shedding, water shortages, inflation, potholes, million Rand flags and the Spurs; what a way to start a conversation. South Africa has experienced quite a lot over the past couple of years and still does. And while even the slight thought of all this is dampening, one thing is certain, our charisma, resilience and tenacity have seen us through it all every time. And one such depiction of these traits lies within the fast food and restaurant industry. South Africa has around 85,000 restaurants, in that, over 850 franchises, a gigantic melting pot of homegrown meets the international food market expected to reach an estimated $4,9bn by 2026. A milestone we have seen challenged like never before from 2020 when the pandemic hit. While it might seem like old news today, we need not forget that the restaurant sector was impacted immensely by the restrictions that came with Covid lockdowns. Subjection to change operating hours due to curfews and restrictions, and the shift in consumer spending patterns to prioritise essential goods/services to name a few - all of which saw 3,000 establishments close their doors for good. Fast-forward to 2023 as we settle well into life without Covid - Eskom announces that South Africa will be placed on a permanent stage two or three load shedding for the next two years. The consequences of load shedding This is yet another setback for the restaurant sector, consumers, and the whole business sector alike. Our scramble for alternative power supply to keep our business units going is indicative of our interdependence in the ecosystem. Power outages affect various aspects of the agricultural industry, such as irrigation, conveyance of produce and livestock products, security alarm systems for the containment of livestock, and cold storage facilities at farms and ports. Early this year KFC and Nandos came forth with the pressures they were experiencing due to the shortage of poultry, with KFC temporarily closing 70 of its outlets. A shortage occurred not because there werent any chickens but because the lack of electricity hindered them from culling chickens that were present in their sheds. The disruptions in the agriculture sector due to these outages lead us down a slippery slope of food insecurity, which in the case of restaurants has affected the supply chain and ultimately impacts the consumer's ability to buy as scarcity breeds price increases. It is agreeable that a lot has gone wrong for the South African fast food and restaurant industry over the years. The undeniable fact however, is that we all love South African food, and it does not come as a surprise that the rest of the world loves it too. Our local food industry is rocking it and shows no signs of slowing down - this is something worth celebrating. Expanding markets Some of our top franchises, such as Nandos, Ocean Basket and Steers have moved abroad, planting their roots further into the African continent as well as internationally to countries like Australia, Portugal, the UK, the USA, and the UAE where they are growing in popularity and have grown their customer base to a lot more than the South African expats. Businesses need to adapt to the environment they operate in, but even with that, there are nuggets unique to them that they need to carry in their expansion to remain authentic and thrive. These South African food franchises have managed to succeed internationally by adapting their menus and marketing strategies to suit the local tastes and preferences of consumers in the different countries they now operate, even with that, they have maintained our unique South African flavour profile, quality of food, services and the dining experience as well as a strong brand identity. Many South African fast food brands, such as Nandos and Steers, offer a unique flavour profile that is not commonly found in other fast food chains. This has helped them stand out and appeal to a wider customer base bringing the South African palette to the world. They also have a reputation for maintaining consistent quality in all they do across all their locations. Nandos has taken a stance of being a social commentary brand in SA, when they expanded their franchise, even though quite effective, they realised they could not translate the same branding strategy in the rest of the world. So how did they conquer the new markets? Simple beautiful store design and quality family feel dining experience. Nandos has won the international market by providing a quick friendly service and their signature South African-themed restaurants with artwork commissioned locally through their social projects. This has helped them establish a loyal customer base in all their locations. Across the world South Africa is a destination of choice for the scenery, the people and best of all the experiences. All of which our local franchises have modelled well into their brand identity. This has allowed them to establish a distinct image and reputation in the minds of customers and differentiate themselves from competitors resulting in a market share increase. There is one more important thing they have left untouched, the South African spirit and drive. In an interview with Nedbank Franchising, Grace Harding, the CEO of Ocean Basket, one of the South African-born franchises taking the world by storm mentioned that their key differentiator is generosity - generosity of the spirit, sharing knowledge, ideas and finding ways for many to benefit of which we can identify as a well-known South African attribute. Evolve and innovate South Africa has been a great playing field to learn agility and the skill set necessary to overcome challenges and innovate. In the next couple of years, the restaurant industry will be hit by more curve balls, even more so in the international markets. The industry will be met with a change in consumer preferences and a growing trend of consumers adopting more healthier eating habits. As this happens, fast food brands need to be open to communicating with their customers about these trends and how they are evolving to meet their needs better. The inability to do this will leave them open to the threat of new entrants in the market, whether it be direct or indirect competition. Nonetheless, we know that through charisma, resilience and tenacity our homegrown franchises will keep soaring. Ornico provides reputation, media, advertising and brand research with a suite of products that includes Brand Intelligence across the African continent. It does this to help marketers and brand owners make sense of the flood of information that occupies traditional and social media. By collecting and analysing media data across many channels, Ornico informs brand owners and marketing decision makers about the most important strategic decisions they'll ever make regarding their brands. From editorial and advertising monitoring services, social media analytics to advanced brand research, Ornico provides a holistic and independent view of brand performance as reflected by television, radio, print media as well as social and digital media. The Rathbones group has concluded its R18.7bn deal to buy Investec's UK wealth management business. The enlarged Rathbones group will remain an independent company operating under the Rathbones brand out of the London office, with Investec as a long-term, strategic shareholder. Investec will be a minority shareholder in the enlarged Rathbones entity. Investec will have a 41.25% shareholder stake and 29.9% voting rights. The merger of Investec Wealth and Investment UK and Rathbones wlll create the UKs leading discretionary wealth manager, with about 100bn in funds under management and administration. This will deliver the scale that will underpin future growth. Nishlan Samujh, group finance director, Investec notes that the merger came about in an active consolidating market and brings together businesses that share a common heritage. The merger will mean annual cost and income synergies of about 60m, said Samujh. "The UK wealth market has been consolidating over the years... and really building businesses of scale," he said. "We, for example, consolidated with Rensburg back in 2005... and as times move on we've got to have quite a significant investment in technology, ensuring your best of market in terms of approach to clients." The combination is subject to, among other things, Rathbones shareholder and regulatory approvals. The Summit will convene delegates from across the continent and around the world to showcase investment opportunities and market-building efforts that generate social or environmental impact alongside a financial return . The National Advisory Boards (NABs) for Impact Investing in South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria and Zambia, supported by affiliated African task forces, Bertha Centre for Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship, as well as the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment (GSG), will be hosting the first Africa Impact Summit in South Africa on 13 and 14 July at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). This hybrid event, themed Unleashing African potential through impact investing, will serve as a platform for dialogue between leaders and experts from various sectors influencing impact investing across the continent, including policymakers, early-stage businesses and enterprises, fund managers, institutional investors, development finance institutions, and international organisations. Motshegwa More, a sustainability and development consultant to Impact Investing South Africa, and one of the organisers of the summit, explains that this is the first-of-its-kind event for the continent. We believe that it is important to create an African platform where the continents most persistent challenges including poverty, inequality and climate resilience are debated. She adds that whereas summits of this nature are typically organised by one host country, this is the first collaborative regional event organised by credible African voices. Impact investing is still quite new globally and many people dont yet fully understand it. We want to show that it is a tried-and-tested investment approach which can solve persistent social and environmental challenges, and to showcase examples of where it has been successful across the continent. We hope this summit will act as a catalyst to open doors for people to consider impact investing and to pivot towards operating sustainably as organisations. According to a report by the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), the amount of money committed to impact investing globally reached over $1tn in 2022, a ten-fold increase in the past five years, in funds targeting investments that not only generate a financial return, but deliver positive environmental and social outcomes as well. However, while the 6th edition of the African Investing for Impact Barometer (AIFIB) shows that impact investing is growing in Africa, the continent lags behind the rest of the world in terms of investment. According to estimations by the Brookings Institution, the continent requires an additional $256 billion in funding every year until 2030 to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. Yet Africa offers investors credible investment opportunities, says Elias Masilela, Chairman of DNA Economics and Chair of the South African Impact Investing National Task Force. As home to the worlds youngest population and with the new free trade agreement AfCFTA (African Continental Free Trade Area) creating the largest free trade area in the world, the continent has the potential to experience tremendous economic growth this century. But to capitalise on these opportunities we need to equip investors with a better understanding of pipeline opportunities and tap into innovative financing mechanisms and work together to de-risk and grow the market. The Africa Impact Summit will seek to do exactly this. With over 40 participating speakers, delegates will have the opportunity to learn about the sectors that are driving development and impact in Africa agriculture, climate change, education, energy, financial services, healthcare, infrastructure, technology, and water and gain an understanding of the key actions required to accelerate sustainable development on the continent. Amma Lartey, CEO of Impact Investing Ghana and fellow summit organiser, says the summit will provide an opportunity to share knowledge and insights about innovations, and build meaningful relationships that can significantly accelerate the growth of impact investing across Africa. This summit is being convened by a diverse set of actors who are leading the impact movement in various countries across Africa, and its the best place to come and experience and contribute to the innovation and growth that is happening. The programme line-up includes a wide range of topics including Africas progress towards the SDGs, supporting women entrepreneurs, investing in SMEs and startups, and more. The winners of the inaugural Intellidex Africa Impact Investment Awards, aimed at shining a spotlight on impact investing in Africa, will also be announced during the Africa Impact Summit. For further information and to register please visit https://africaimpactsummit.org/ The International Air Transport Association (Iata) has unveiled Focus Africa, a collaborative initiative to tackle the major challenges and impediments to Africa's air transport industry, jobs and economic growth. "Africa accounts for 18% of the global population, but just 2.1% of air transport activities (combined cargo and passenger). Closing that gap, so that Africa can benefit from the connectivity, jobs and growth that aviation enables, is what Focus Africa is all about," says Willie Walsh, Iata's director general. The initiative aims to strengthen aviation's contribution to Africa's economic and social development and improve connectivity, safety and reliability for passengers and shippers. The initiative will align private and public stakeholders to deliver measurable progress in six areas. Infrastructure constraints, high costs, lack of connectivity, regulatory impediments, slow adoption of global standards and skills shortages affect the customer experience and are all contributory factors to African airlines viability and sustainability. The continents carriers suffered cumulative losses of $3.5bn for 2020-2022. Moreover, IATA estimates further losses of $213bn in 2023. Delivering on Africas opportunities Sustainably connecting the African continent internally and to global markets with air transport is critical for bringing people together and creating economic and social development opportunities. It will also support the realisation of the UNs Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) for Africa of lifting 50 million people out of poverty by 2030. In particular, trade and tourism rely on aviation and have immense unrealised potential to create jobs, alleviate poverty, and generate prosperity across the continent. Africa has a solid foundation to support the case for improving aviations contribution to its development. Pre-Covid aviation supported 7.7 million jobs and $63bn in economic activity in Africa. Projections are for demand to triple over the next two decades. "Africa stands out as the region with the greatest potential and opportunity for aviation. The Focus Africa initiative renews Iatas commitment to supporting aviation on the continent. As the incoming chair of the Iata Board of Governors, and the first from Africa since 1993, I look forward to ensuring that this initiative gets off to a great start and delivers measurable benefits," said Yvonne Makolo, CEO of RwandAir and first female Chair of the Iata Board of Governors (2023-2024). Six critical areas "The limiting factors on Africas aviation sector are fixable. The growth potential is clear. And the economic boost that a more successful African aviation sector will deliver has been witnessed in many economies already. With Focus Africa, stakeholders are uniting to deliver on six critical focus areas that will make a positive difference. Well measure success and will need to hold each other accountable for the results," says Walsh. The six focus areas are: Safety: Improve operational safety through a data-driven, collaborative program to reduce safety incidents and accidents, in the air and on the ground. Infrastructure: Facilitate the growth of efficient, secure, and cost-effective aviation infrastructure to improve customer experience and operational efficiency. Connectivity: Promote the liberalisation of intra-African market access through the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). Finance and distribution: Accelerate the implementation of secure, effective and cost-efficient financial services and adoption of modern retailing standards. Sustainability: Assist Africas air transport industry to achieve the Net Zero by 2050 emissions targets agreed to by industry and the UNs International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) member states. Future Skills: Promote aviation-related career paths and ensure a steady supply of diverse and suitably skilled talent to meet the industrys future needs. The power of partnerships "Partnerships will differentiate the outcome of Focus Africa from previous efforts to stimulate Africas development with air transport. By partnering, stakeholders will effectively pool their resources, research, expertise, time and funding to support the common goals of the six work areas," says Kamil Al Awadhi, Iata regional vice president for Africa and the Middle East. The partners will be announced and join forces in Addis Ababa on 20-21 June to officially launch the Focus Africa initiative with more details for each task area. The timing is right Africa continues the path to recovery from the Covid-19 crisis. Air cargo is 31.4% over 2019 levels and air travel is 93% of 2019 levels. Full recovery for air travel is expected in 2024. "The tasks for Focus Africa are not new. Work is already underway as part of the work of Iata and other stakeholders in Africa. But after the financial trauma that the pandemic brought to African aviation, we are at a unique time of rebuilding. By launching Focus Africa now, we can ensure that the recovery from COVID-19 moves aviation to an even better place than we were in 2019," says Al Awadhi. Leisure travel, and particularly safari, is driving the recovery of travel and tourism in Africa. This according to the Africa Travel Week Trends report released this week at World Travel Market Africa, being held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre this week. Date released by research firm ForwardKeys highlighted in the report reveals that all the top destinations on the continent are showing a marked improvement in Q1 2023, from 2022, with the improvement continuing into 2023. From adventure tourism in Africa and green-hushing to faith-based tours and why pronouns matter, according to the report, these trends are what are driving travel decision-making and behaviour, as well as how we as experience providers are hitting the sweet spot of consumer demands. The report highlights that four out of the top 10 destinations are in East Africa and Tanzania is on track to exceed pre-pandemic levels in Q1 2023, illustrating the critical role that East Africa will play in the recovery of travel in Africa. When it comes to flight searches, the presence of South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya in the top half of the list suggests interest in safari holidays heading into Q2. This is further supported by the increase in the share of searches for South Africa and Kenya. Further highlights revealed in the trends report include: The rise of adventure tourism: Namibia is a top performer in this regard, with Germany, France and Spain being key drivers of inbound tourism. For adventure tourists, its not just about taking risks but also about connecting with new cultures and landscapes while being physically active. Netflix to promote tourism and travel: After exposure to South African content on Netflix, viewers were 3.1 times more likely to consider it as their top travel destination. The exposure has sparked niche tourism offerings like "marine safaris," including kelp forest snorkelling. Travelling light: According to World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the Trip.com Group: 69% of travellers are looking for sustainable travel options in 2023. In response to this trend, eco-conscious travellers are now choosing to travel almost luggage-free to reduce CO2 emissions, with many purchasing holiday clothing and essentials from local suppliers and donating these items to charities and communities in need before their return flight. Accessible travel: The untapped market of accessible travel and tourism has the potential to expand significantly given that 1.3 billion people, or 16% of the world's population, live with disabilities. Safaris and other travel experiences are becoming more accessible to people with disabilities, with a multisensory approach that capitalises on other senses like hearing, smelling, and tasting. Greenwashing vs green-hushing: The opposite of greenwashing, the term green-hushing refers to the fact that fewer companies are publicising their eco goals and accomplishments. This leads to a lack of accountability, missed opportunities, and lack of knowledge sharing. The luxury traveller is young: The 2023 luxury traveller is significantly younger than in previous years, looking for a more immersive travel experience, connecting with the local community, and wanting to stay longer in one place. Faith-based tourism: One of the trends identified in the report is the potential for marketing faith-based tours or experiences, which has proven popular among committed pilgrims or the culturally curious. Countries such as Morocco, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, and Egypt have popular religious sites, and South Africa's faith-based tourism market has a 2-4% share in the global market. The Muslim travel market also shows tremendous potential, with the number of international Muslim travellers set to grow from 160 million to 230 million by 2028. The rise of digital nomads: While Namibia has already introduced a digital nomad visa, other countries like Mauritius and South Africa are still in the process of developing similar programmes. Digital nomads seek a sense of community and want to fully immerse themselves in local cultures. LGBTQ+ and inclusivity: The LGBTQ+ market has been instrumental in leading the global tourism recovery after the pandemic. This travel market has significant purchasing power, and Africa is looking to attract this market. However, while progress is being made, there are still misconceptions and challenges that need to be addressed. The Africa Travel Week Trends Report was released at the official opening of World Travel Market in Cape Town and can be downloaded here. According to a report by the state-owned news agency RIA, Alexander Grushko, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, announced that Russia will increase its military capabilities in the western and northwestern regions as a response to Finlands anticipated membership in NATO on Tuesday. In essence, this means that Russia will enhance its military readiness in those particular areas as a reaction to Finlands potential alliance with NATO. On Tuesday afternoon, the blue-and-white Finnish flag will raise outside NATO headquarters, officially making Finland a member of the worlds largest security alliance and doubling Russias border with NATO. This strategic and political movement is a significant setback for President Vladimir Putin, who has persistently voiced his concerns about NATOs expansion toward Russia and even used it as a pretext for his countrys involvement in the war with Ukraine. Finlands Application to NATO The invasion of Ukraine by Russia sparked Finlands application, along with Swedens, to join NATO. However, Turkey had initially stalled the process, alleging that Finland was supporting terrorist activities. As a result, Swedens application is still pending, and the Turkish government has yet to approve it due to similar accusations. Despite these setbacks, NATO perceives Finlands membership as a valuable addition since it shares a 1,340-kilometre border with Russia, making it strategically significant for the alliance. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko further remarked that in the event of other NATO members deploying their forces and resources on Finnish territory, Russia will take additional measures to guarantee its military security. This suggests that Russia will take proactive steps to safeguard its defense in case of any potential threats that may arise from NATOs presence near its borders. Russia has consistently viewed NATOs expansion towards its borders as a direct threat to its national security. Russias annexation of Crimea and its involvement in the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine have further heightened tensions between the two sides. NATO, on the other hand, has accused Russia of aggressive behavior, including military interventions in Ukraine and Georgia, and supporting separatist movements in various countries ADVANTAGES OF NATO MEMBERSHIP FOR FINLAND As a member of NATO, Finland will enjoy the collective security guarantee that an attack on any member will be treated as an attack on all, ensuring that it benefits from the alliances protection. However, NATO has made it clear that it has no immediate plans to increase its presence in Finland. While some NATO members have conducted military exercises in Finland over the last year, there are no indications that the alliance intends to establish a permanent presence in the country. Nonetheless, Finlands membership in NATO will undoubtedly lead to closer cooperation with the alliance and potentially more joint military exercises and initiatives in the future. With its well-trained and substantial armed forces, Finland possesses elite troops who are equipped to operate effectively in the sub-zero temperatures of the high north. The Nordic country also boasts a sizable reserve army and is currently investing heavily in new military equipment. Notably, Finland has acquired several dozen U.S.-manufactured F-35 fighter jets, among other advanced weaponry, as part of its ongoing efforts to modernize its military capabilities. The countrys commitment to improving its defense capabilities demonstrates its preparedness to respond to any potential security threats and safeguard its national interests. According to several Italian press reports, Fauci has agreed to serve in a consulting capacity to a newly created anti-pandemic bio lab, which is being run by a high-level Italian scientist and longtime pharmaceutical executive. Italys ANSA news wire service reports: American immunologist Anthony Fauci has agreed to act in an informal capacity as a strategic advisor to Rino Rappuoli, scientific director of the Biotecnopolo biotech hub in Siena, an institution founded by the Ministries of the University, Health, Economy and Industry with the aim of focusing on applied research in biotechnologies and life sciences, the Fondazione Biotecnopolo announced this week. The news was also reported by Italys L'Eco di Bergamo and others, but there seems to be no reports on the matter outside of the country. Biotecnopolo, the newfound bio lab that is funded by the Italian government, is self-described as an anti-pandemic hub with a particular focus on the development and production of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of emerging epidemic-pandemic pathologies. Rome has already committed hundreds of millions of Euros to the noticeably below the radar state-backed project. Fondazione Biotecnopolo di Siena website In a press release, a board member declared that Faucis new role will be "a fundamental step towards making the Biotecnopolo the Italian hub for the research, study and prevention of pandemics". Fauci has not released a statement on the matter. Dr Rappuoli did not reply to a request for comment. It still remains unclear why Fauci, a lifelong American government bureaucrat, has decided to become a consultant for an entity funded by the Italian government. On several occasions, he has spoken highly about his Italian heritage. In 2020, the Italian government awarded him with the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. The Biden administration on Tuesday announced a new massive $2.6 billion weapons package for Ukraine that includes HIMARS ammunition, missiles for air defense systems, artillery rounds, and other equipment. The package includes $500 million in the Presidential Drawdown Authority, which allows President Biden to ship weapons to Ukraine directly from Pentagon stockpiles. The other $2.1 billion will go toward purchasing new equipment for Kyiv that could take months or years to deliver, a program known as the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). The funds for the new weapons are still being drawn from the $45 billion Ukraine aid bill Congress passed in December. So far, the US has authorized about $113 billion to spend on the war. According to the Pentagon, the Drawdown Authority package includes to following: Additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems Additional ammunition for HIMARS 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds 120mm mortar rounds 120mm and 105mm tank ammunition 25mm ammunition Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles Approximately 400 grenade launchers and 200,000 rounds of ammunition 11 tactical vehicles to recover equipment 61 heavy fuel tankers 10 trucks and 10 trailers to transport heavy equipment Testing and diagnostic equipment to support vehicle maintenance and repair Spare parts and other field equipment The equipment that will be purchased under USAI includes: Additional munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) Nine counter-Unmanned Aerial System 30mm gun trucks 10 mobile c-UAS laser-guided rocket systems Three air surveillance radars 30mm and 23mm anti-aircraft ammunition 130mm and 122mm artillery rounds 122mm GRAD rockets Rocket launchers and ammunition 120mm and 81mm mortar systems 120mm, 81mm, and 60mm mortar rounds 120mm tank ammunition Javelin anti-armor systems Anti-armor rockets Precision aerial munitions Approximately 3,600 small arms and more than 23,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition Seven tactical vehicles to recover equipment Eight heavy fuel tankers and 105 fuel trailers Armored bridging systems Four logistics support vehicles Trucks and ten trailers to transport heavy equipment Secure communications equipment SATCOM terminals and services Funding for training, maintenance, and sustainment The new package comes as the US is hoping Ukraine will carry out a counteroffensive to regain more territory, but comments from Ukrainian officials have cast doubt on Kyivs capability to launch an assault. Its also unclear if US and other Western support is sustainable as Ukraine has been using massive amounts of artillery ammunition in its battle defending the Donbas city of Bakhmut. Last month, a Pentagon official told The New York Times that upcoming ammunition shipments were part of a last ditch effort to help Ukraine on the battlefield as Ukrainian forces are using artillery rounds at an unsustainable rate. According to a Pentagon fact sheet released Tuesday, the US has pledged over 1.5 million 155mm artillery rounds for Kyiv. by Paul Cudenec I was delighted to be able to travel back to England for the first time in three years and take part in the March 25 conference held in London by the Real Left, at which I was on a panel presenting the ecological case against the WEF. This is the text of my talk, delivered to around 100 people. The ecological case against the WEF is, for me, simply that this organisation represents everything that real ecologists oppose. Its apparent interest in the environment exists solely in the realm of what it likes to call its narrative its boss Klaus Schwab even published a book last year entitled The Great Narrative. The real meaning of this term, in plain English, is lies. Whopping great lies. The WEF and their friends in what is sometimes called the Global Public Private Partnership know that we dont want what they have in store for us, so they need to lie to us about what they are doing, and why they are doing it, so as to fool us into going along with it all. Their general aim, across the whole spectrum of their current agenda under all its various names is to push us through into a new phase of central capitalist control with the active support of the left. This is why this conference is so important. We have to break that support. By dressing up their insidious fascistic programme as a good and worthy thing, they hope to occupy the moral high ground often associated with the left and from that lofty position to be able to sneer down on their opponents as being selfish, backwards-thinking right-wingers. We saw this with Covid, of course, and now with 15 minute cities and so on and I think the same trick lies behind the whole woke agenda, which is why so many instinctively sense its underlying hypocrisy. What we are talking about is the continuation, ad absurdum, of the very old lie of using the terms progress and progressive to describe the expansion of the industrial capitalist cancer. The language and general tone of the left is weaponised against the very values that the left is historically supposed to defend freedom from central control and from exploitation, a strong sense of community, a way of living based on the self-fulfilment of the many rather than the self-enrichment of the few. In the environmental realm, this deceit is not difficult to identify. After all, at the same time as championing so-called sustainable development, the WEF defines its overall mission as laying the groundwork necessary for stakeholder capitalism to thrive. [1] When we consider that the WEFs partners include the likes of Coca-Cola, Nestle, Procter and Gamble, Google, Bayer, Unilever, Volvo, Volkswagen, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, BP, ExxonMobil, Shell, Rio Tinto and Heathrow Airport we can have a fairly good guess at the actual importance it places on protecting the natural world. [2] We hear a lot of talk about renewable technology from the WEF and its friends but as many critics are now pointing out, this is not at all what it claims to be. It is just another form of greenwashing. Electric cars, for instance, dont stop pollution, but merely displace it elsewhere, not just to the power stations that generate the electricity but to the mines which provide the lithium and cobalt for their batteries. The manufacturing, transport and disposal of the tools of renewable energy, such as wind turbines and solar panels, involves hideous levels of environmental damage, not to speak of human suffering, as well as large quantities of the fossil fuels they are supposed to be replacing, but never really can. Klaus Schwabs inspiring environmental vision, as revealed in his books, includes installing giant mirrors in the stratosphere to deflect the suns rays, chemically seeding the atmosphere to increase rainfall and fighting climate change with the deployment of nanoparticles. [3] For him, clean energy includes nuclear fusion [4] and he looks forward to the day when satellites will blanket the planet with communications pathways. [5] Schwab also very much regrets all that red tape preventing the unhindered onward march of genetically modified food, warning that global food security will only be achieved by loosening regulations on GM produce. [6] Ultimately its all just another way of making money. Schwab dreams of profitable carbon-capture and use-production facilities and of turning carbon dioxide from a greenhouse pollutant into an asset. [7] The WEFs actual stance on ecology is also, of course, confirmed by the very fact that it is expicitly promotes the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution Schwab wrote two books on the subject. The promotion of transhumanism and the construction of an all-inclusive virtual metaverse in which our lives are digitally reproduced, is in itself the oppposite of a green approach just think of the electricity needed to power this matrix and the raw materials required to construct it. But, its even worse than that. The agenda being pushed by the WEF, and the wider global financial system which it represents, aims not to protect nature, but to commodify it, to use it as a new market into which its economy can expand, to turn it into yet another source of financial speculation and profit. The WEF supports the so-called New Deal for Nature, otherwise known as NaturePositive or 3030, whose apparent aim of protecting & restoring nature, amounts to nothing less than a trillion-dollar land grab, particularly in Africa. Id recommend people look up the No Deal For Nature campaign to learn more about that. Another aspect of this commodification can be seen in Environmental Impact Bonds, part of the broader impact capitalism publicly launched by venture capitalist Sir Ronald Cohen, a friend of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. This scam takes advantage of the lack of funds available to cash-strapped debt-ridden governments to advance yet further the profitable privatisation of roles traditionally played by the public sector. The approach has been described as the monetization of future cost savings. [8] In the case of Environmental Impact Bonds, investors hope to earn substantial returns on their money by financing so-called solutions to environmental problems on an outcome-based pay-for-success model. Whether or not these solutions are really helpful in the long-term is not so important if they can tick the outcome achieved box and grab the cash, who cares that the hundreds of trees that were planted all wither and die in the summer heat because nobody came to water them? Environmental success, in this very narrow context, can even be defined as helping businesses to find cheaper ways of complying with government regulations or of side-stepping them in some legal but ethically dubious way. [9] The real point of these conservation finance opportunities, their raison detre from the point of view of an impact capitalist, is that they make economic sense. [10] Thats to say that they make money and can prove highly lucrative, especially as the bonds can be traded. Not just the success but also the failure of these environmental solutions therefore has considerable potential value for a skilled speculator. In general, the very term sustainable development, as championed by the WEF, is a deliberately misleading one. Its not the natural world which is intended to be sustained, but the development that is destroying it. This term is of course the basis of the UNSDGs, which the WEF officially promotes, and which provide the thematic structure for the whole range of impact investing. Sustainable development represents the continuation and acceleration of the development agenda that has long been promoted by the UN, along with sister bodies like the World Bank and the Commonwealth. Even the term development very much forms part of the deceptive narrative that I described earlier. It carries the implication of being something benign, even good, something inevitable and bound up with the necessary onwards march of progress. But behind this is a deliberate programme aimed at forcing through the expansion of the capitalist system and thus the wealth and power of those at the top of the pyramid. The UNs first official Development Decade was the 1960s and by 1986 it was publishing its Declaration on the Right to Development with its absurd statement that the right to development is an inalienable human right (another example of the way it hijacks the political language of the left to serve its own capitalist agenda). It said its aim was to bring about a new international economic order and insisted that States have the duty to co-operate with each other in ensuring development and eliminating obstacles to development. The UN and associated organisations are the public part of the Global Public Private Partnership, providing the legal infrastructure by means of which their private sector partners can profit, at the expense of humanity and nature. If we picture industrial capital as a locomotive, belching smoke and steam as it thunders endlessly on towards still greater prosperity, we would see this global administrative infrastructure as the rails on which it travels. The rails, the perceived need for ongoing development, the in-built presumption that society must organise itself in the interests of the growth of capital, only exist to carry the locomotive. And the locomotive would not be able to get where it wants to go if the rails had not been laid down for it, and all obstacles to its advance duly eliminated, this being in truth not so much a public-private partnership as the complete hijacking of the public realm for private interests. The locomotive of capital is not sustainable, environmentally friendly or green. It is a process of dispossession, despoliation and destruction in the narrow self-interest of its sociopathic owners. It feeds off the flesh of nature, sucks up life and spews out death. Painting it green and draping its infernal machineries with rainbow-coloured bunting changes nothing. [Audio version] [1] https://www.weforum.org/topics/economic-growth-and-social-inclusion/ [2] https://www.weforum.org/partners/ [3] Klaus Schwab, Shaping the Future of the Fourth Industrial Revolution: A Guide to Building a Better World (Geneva: WEF, 2018), e-book, 72% [4] Ibid. 69% [5] Ibid. 75% [6] Ibid. 56% [7] Klaus Schwab, The Fourth Industrial Revolution (Geneva: WEF, 2016), e-book, 39% [8] https://sites.duke.edu/casei3/files/2013/03/CASEi3_EIB_Report_FINAL-links.pdf [9] https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2634-4505/ac0b2c [10] Ibid Chloe Ayling has said she is excited that the BBC is to tell her story of being kidnapped in a new factual drama. The 25-year-old former Celebrity Big Brother contestant was abducted after arriving at an address in Milan, Italy, for a modelling job but was later released. A six-part series called Kidnapped, written by Georgia Lester, who worked on Killing Eve, will cover Aylings time in captivity, and the subsequent court case. It is based on research, interviews, the legal proceedings and the autobiography Kidnapped The Untold Story Of My Abduction. Ayling said: I am excited that BBC Studios are telling my story and that the wider world will get to know the truth about what happened to me and learn of the many details that werent brought to light originally. Advertisement Georgia Lester and the team have been incredibly supportive in our conversations, and I couldnt be happier that they are making this series. In 2017, Ayling was held in a farmhouse near Turin while a 300,000 euro (265,000) ransom was demanded. She was released six days later, on July 17, at the British consulate in Milan. Polish national Lukasz Herba and his brother Michal Herba were subsequently jailed after an Italian court convicted them of kidnapping Ayling. Lester said: Every moment that I have spent researching this series and spending time with Chloe, learning about the ordeal she suffered both by the men who abducted her and the people who doubted her, has been shocking and infuriating. Its been an honour to work with Chloe and I cant wait for audiences to finally see her courage, her charm and her unwavering resilience. New BBC drama Kidnapped will tell the story of Chloe Ayling, who was abducted in Italy in 2017 (PA) The six-part BBC Three series will be directed by Without Sins Al Mackay and produced by Viewpoints Clare Shepherd. The corporation said the drama will ask How do we relate to survivors of crime who make the front pages? And how does it feel to be an ordinary person, caught up in events so extraordinary that you arent believed? Advertisement Priscilla Parish, head of drama for BBC Studios and executive producer, said: This is a jaw-dropping true story of a woman who survived a horrific ordeal using her wits, but was vilified in the aftermath. Georgias scripts are exemplary in their treatment of this highly topical subject matter. Casting for the series has yet to be announced, and filming will start later this year. Former ITN editorial director Chris Shaw has reflected on the broadcasters headline-grabbing 2019 interview with Meghan Markle, saying the little conversation in South Africa seemed so outlandishly unexpected and shocking. Mr Shaw, who announced his departure from the company in January after 25 years, also said there is a contradiction between the Sussexes desire for privacy and their willingness to speak about their private lives. ITV documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey followed the newlyweds tour of part of the continent and laid bare Meghans unhappiness. ITV broadcaster Tom Bradby (Tabatha Fireman/PA) Meghan became emotional in front of broadcaster Tom Bradby as she described her past year as a member of the royal family as hard. Speaking to Deadline, Mr Shaw was asked whether the team behind the programme instantly knew the footage was explosive. He said: That little conversation in South Africa seemed so outlandishly unexpected and shocking we knew we had something pretty extraordinary. Advertisement The couple have since stepped back from royal duties, moved to the US and released an explosive Netflix documentary, Harry & Meghan, while the duke has published a similarly headline-grabbing memoir, titled Spare. Mr Shaw added: I feel a bit sorry for them because I think theyre in the eye of the most appalling storm and they didnt mean to go there. Harry last month made a surprise return to the UK for the first time since the late Queens funeral, for a High Court hearing in London in his claim against Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers over allegations of unlawful information-gathering. Greys Anatomy star Caterina Scorsone has said she saved her three children from a fire that destroyed their home. The Canadian-American actress, known for playing Dr Amelia Shepherd in the ABC medical drama, told her Instagram followers the blaze had also led to the deaths of their four pets. The 41-year-old shared a series of photos showing the damage to their living room, alongside images of the animals, and said the incident happened a number of months ago. Scorsone wrote: While getting my kids ready for bed and finishing bath time, smoke began to seep up through the grout around the tub. When I looked down the hallway a river of thick black smoke had already formed and was filling the house. One thing about fires: they happen fast. I had about two minutes to get my three kids out of the house, and we escaped with less than shoes on our feet. But we got out. And for that I am eternally grateful. Advertisement Heartbreakingly, we lost all four of our pets. We are still sitting with that loss, but we are lucky we got to love them at all. The actress said her post was not about the fire but instead about community. This is a love letter to the incredible people that showed up and the incredible ways that they did, she added. Thank you to the firefighters and the investigators (thank you Trey!) Thank you to my neighbor who answered our frantic knocks at her door. She also thanked the parents at her childrens school who sent toys and books, her co-stars from Greys Anatomy and its production company, Shondaland, who offered clothing and supplies, and her sisters who flew in to handle logistics. Scorsone said she had learnt the only thing that matters is community, adding: We would not be here without it and we are so grateful. Thank you. Greys Anatomy actress Camilla Luddington was among those sending messages of support to co-star Caterina Scorsone (Ian West/PA) Among those posting messages of support were Jake Borelli, who played Dr Levi Schmitt in Greys Anatomy, and Camilla Luddington, who played Dr Jo Wilson. Greys Anatomy focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings at the Seattles Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital as they develop into seasoned doctors while balancing personal and professional relationships. The series is the longest-running scripted primetime show currently airing on US network ABC, and the longest scripted primetime series carried by ABC. The buzz generated by a U2 concert in Belfast during the referendum campaign for the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement boosted the Yes campaign, Mark Durkan has said. Mr Durkan, who headed the SDLPs campaign for a Yes vote, described the challenge of countering strong campaigning by those opposed to the accord in May 1998. Those campaigning for a No vote included the DUP and then UKUP, and raised concerns including over the release of paramilitary prisoners and a lack of decommissioning by the terrorist groups. Mr Durkan said images of released prisoners being cheered at events had caused discomfort across the community. IRA prisoners being released from HMP Maze in 1998 (PA) In an interview with the PA news agency, Mr Durkan said they wanted to get at least two thirds (66 per cent) backing the agreement, but opinion polls were showing a more marginal vote. Advertisement You had a strong No campaign and that was a difficulty during the referendum in that the pro-agreement parties had different things we were emphasising about what was achieved in the agreement, he said. It was a wee bit like the holograms on a bank card, unionists would have seen one thing, and nationalists would hold it up and see another thing. We had to be open and honest in public about that. The No campaign, criticised it in all sorts of ways, no matter what arguments the rest of us used, they were taken and distorted and used by the No campaign. We had very visible events with prisoners appearing at rallies and celebratory scenes, loyalist events, and there was a lot of resentment, not just among unionists, we were starting to hear many people feel very uncomfortable about this sort of overtone to the agreement. I remember John Hume making a point of ringing Gerry Adams to see if some of the rhetoric and the imagery could be toned down on the Sinn Fein side because he believed in particular it was causing difficulties for David Trimble and the Ulster Unionist Party. Mr Durkan said then secretary of state Mo Mowlam urged a powerful handshake moment to generate momentum for the Yes campaign. Advertisement They sounded out different groups, from businesses to trade unions and churches, for an event that Mr Hume and Mr Trimble could appear at together. They ended up on stage with U2 frontman Bono during a concert at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast. Just a few days later, some 71 per cent of the population in Northern Ireland voted Yes to the agreement, with 28 per cent voting No. Mr Durkan said his party colleague Tim Attwood was approached by music promoter Eamonn McCann who said he could get the Waterfront Hall and the band Ash from Downpatrick, and asked to use their contacts with Bono to make an appearance. The original line-up was going to be Bono, and then it was Bono and The Edge, and then it was U2, but that became the handshake moment in the final week of the referendum campaign, he said. It created a positive image in those final few days, it also created a sense of vitality and energy. You had the emancipation of a different generation as well which I think was hugely important. The No campaign was making headway, theres no two ways about it, and those of us who were on the Yes side were conscious of the fact that we were a bit of a Tower of Babel, there were different messages being said. Advertisement So being able to have this event with the high impact video footage and the photos on all the front pages, that counted for an awful lot. Here was something that was positive, it was energetic, it was hopeful, and that wasnt what the no campaign was offering. An Bord Pleanala has granted planning permission for a further 780 residential units for the north Dublin area. In the new permissions, the appeals board granted planning permission for 348 apartments in two separate Strategic Housing Development (SHD) schemes planned for Swords. In a third decision, the board has also given permission to Glenveagh Living Ltd for 432 dwellings, made up of 213 houses, 93 apartments and 126 duplexes, in Ballymastsone, Donabate. Last year, Fingal County Council granted planning permission for the scheme, but it came before An Bord Pleanala after the Donabate Portrane Community Council appealed the decision. The Glenveagh scheme was submitted under the Large Scale Residential (LRD) system, which is the successor to the SHD system where the appeals board is currently dealing with a decision backlog. The green light for the 780 units follows An Bord Pleanala's decision to grant permission for 2,341 residential units for north Dublin earlier this week, resulting in permissions for a total of 3,121 new units. Advertisement In a separate decision, the board refused planning permission to CE Cladewell Estates Ltd for 100 units, made up of 66 apartments and 34 houses, for a site in the townland of Kinsealy, Malahide. The board refused planning permission after finding the proposed layout and the provision of public open space was compromised by the piecemeal nature of the development. The board said, as a result of this compromised layout, the proposed areas of public open space are of poor quality and would be of limited benefit to future occupiers of the development. The board also refused planning permission after finding that the public realm is dominated by large areas of surface car parking. Ireland UK government wins challenge against tribunal's ru... Read More In relation to the Swords schemes which secured planning despite local opposition, the appeals board has granted planning permission to Castlestar (Swords) Ltd for 204 apartments at Pinnock Hill and Fosterstown North. The initial scheme comprises five blocks ranging from three to nine storeys in height and in its decision the appeals board has ordered the omission of 15 apartments, after ruling that the maximum height of the scheme to be seven storeys in height. In the second decision, the appeals board has granted planning permission to Jacko Investments Ltd for 144 apartments on the site of The Lord Mayors pub, Main Street, Swords. The initial scheme was made up of four blocks rising to six storeys and in its decision, the appeals board has ordered the omission of an intermediary floor from a six-storey scheme and the omission of two units. The families of three men killed in a collision on the N7 in south Dublin two years ago while fleeing from gardai have expressed concern at a delay in finding out the result of an investigation by the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) into their deaths. The three victims, who were members of a Tallaght-based burglary gang Dean Maguire (29), Karl Freeman (26) and Graham Taylor (31) were killed instantly when their BMW vehicle burst into flames following a head-on crash with a truck between Citywest and Baldonnel on July 7th, 2021, while they were driving on the wrong side of the carriageway. At a preliminary hearing of the inquest into the deaths of the three men on Wednesday, solicitor for Mr Taylors family, James McGuill, said his clients wanted the coroner, Clare Keane, to use her authority to establish why there had been such a delay by GSOC in completing its investigation. Advertisement The sitting of Dublin District Coroners Court heard that a file on the case by GSOC had been forwarded to the DPP on December 20th last year. Mr McGuill said his clients wanted to know if GSOC officials had faced difficulties in conducting their inquiry or if the watchdog body had experienced any non-cooperation by An Garda Siochana. The solicitor said it was a misfortune for the families of the victims that any summary offence that might have been identified by GSOC as having been committed by any garda could no longer be prosecuted because the 18-month deadline for taking such a case would have passed. The doors are shutting down on the effectiveness of the GSOC inquiry, remarked Mr McGuill. He also pointed out that the ability to bring a civil action against any party from such a case was beyond the means of most individuals given the level of scientific complexity relating to the mens deaths. Mr McGuill argued the delays in the case by GSOC and the DPP were also impacting on the effectiveness of Dr Keanes inquest. He claimed it was possible that something had happened in the case given the delay in the DPP making a decision on the GSOC file about which the coroner should be notified. Advertisement The solicitor also raised the issue of allowing the legal representatives of the families to have access to a range of different technical reports in the case as well as video footage. He complained that the families had been left for almost two years with any basic information relating to the deaths of their loved ones. A solicitor for Mr Maguires family, Michael Finucane, said he endorsed all the points raised by Mr McGuill. Mr Finucane also remarked that he believed GSOC had not been forthcoming with information and assistance about its inquiry. He claimed the families of the deceased needed at least an explanation for delays in the case by GSOC and the DPP. Proper answers are required from the State agencies, he added. GSOCs deputy director of operations, John Leeman, made an application for the inquest to be adjourned under Section 25.1 of the Coroners Act on the basis that criminal proceedings in the case were being considered. Mr Leeman confirmed that GSOC had forwarded its file on the deaths of the three men to the DPP last December. Asked by Dr Keane when the DPP might decide on whether any criminal prosecution should follow, Mr Leeman said he hoped to have that answer within the next few months. Advertisement Addressing relatives of the three men who attended the hearing, Dr Keane acknowledged that waiting for a decision from the DPP was frustrating for them. The coroner offered them her commitment that she would set another date for mention of the case as soon as she heard back from the DPP. Dr Keane rejected the request by Mr McGuill that she should allow legal representatives of the families to begin preparatory work for the full inquest by setting a date for them to get material from GSOC rather than leave matters in the air. She explained it was not the usual practice of the coroners court to begin such preparatory work in advance of a decision by the DPP, but she stressed that she did not want the families to think she was blocking progress in the case. Dr Keane said she would await to hear an update from Mr Leeman in a few weeks and would fix a date for another preliminary hearing next month if possible. Last August, the inquest heard the bodies of the three men had to be identified using DNA samples taken from relatives because of the extent of the injuries they suffered in the collision and subsequent fire. Advertisement Controversy was generated following the mens deaths in 2021 over the conduct of mourners at the requiem mass and burial of Mr Maguire. The funeral at St Marys Priory church in Tallaght garnered international headlines after a screwdriver and torch tools associated with burglars were brought to the altar as offertory gifts, while many attendees ignored attempts by local priests to limit the numbers in church and to get the congregation to observe social distancing and mask-wearing as part of Covid-19 restrictions. One woman who delivered a eulogy said Mr Maguire would not be forgotten before adding: Sorry for the language, Father rest in peace, you f**king legend. Ireland Fr McVerry apologises for claim Varadkar overruled... Read More A poster brought to the church read: RIP Dean You know the score, get on the floor, dont be funny, give me the money. Fr Donal Roche, who oversaw the requiem ceremony and threatened to halt proceedings at one stage if greater respect was not shown in church, subsequently described it as the most disturbing funeral he had ever attended. A funeral cortege featured motorcyclists doing wheelies and burnouts in a high-speed convoy, while Mr Maguires associates also carried out dangerous manoeuvres on public roads around Crumlin and other parts of the city in the days following his death. All three men, who had a combined total of over 200 convictions, were known to gardai and were believed to be key figures in a burglary gang that was linked to 'Fat' Andy Connors a crime gang leader who was shot dead outside his home in Saggart, Co Dublin in August 2014. Tanaiste and Minister for Defence Micheal Martin has said there will be challenges for a statutory inquiry into allegations of sexual assault within the Defence Forces if criminal cases arise from Garda investigations into the same matters. He said these issues will be assessed by the chair of the statutory inquiry when the terms of reference are set. Mr Martin said: What tends to happen in inquiries, these issues are assessed and obviously if theres a criminal case that creates challenges. But again, that will be up for the chair and the terms of reference that we designed, which we will be consulting with various groups and stakeholders in respect of the terms of reference of the statutory inquiry. Because ultimately, we do want criminal investigations to succeed and prosecutions where there has been wrongdoing to succeed, and we dont want to jeopardise that dimension, or that aspect of it. Advertisement Speaking to reporters after a Cabinet meeting, he welcomed the announcement that gardai are investigating current and historical allegations of sexual assault within the Defence Forces. This, in my view, illustrates that theres not going to be any tolerance of sexual assault within the Defence Forces or indeed in society more generally, he said. Earlier, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said gardai may ask the Government to change the law to give greater powers to investigate alleged sex offences committed by Defence Forces members overseas. There is legislation dating back to 2004, which did extend jurisdiction in terms of criminal matters, but we want to just clarify that precisely to make sure that that can be retrospective and does apply then also to serious sexual offending, Mr Harris said. So thats something that were addressing at the moment. And indeed, if a legislative amendment is required, then we would seek that as well. Mr Martin said there may be pathways for gardai to investigate sexual assaults within the Defence Forces overseas, but the most immediate form of redress will remain through the military police. He said this is because the law is that military police have jurisdiction in respect of sexual assaults that occur overseas. Advertisement Mr Martin said the Government has taken a decision that military police will not be investigating anything in relation to sexual assault domestically. He said legislation will be passed meaning all sexual assault allegations in the State must go to the gardai. There may be pathways, but I think for practical purposes the most immediate redress would be through the military police, but thats an issue we can discuss further with the various interests, including An Garda Siochana. Gardai have established a special operation to investigate claims of abuse made by serving and former members of the Defence Forces. Mr Harris said he was seeking clarity on the extent of garda jurisdiction to investigate historical allegations. The announcement came after an independent report last week detailed allegations of sexual misconduct, bullying and discrimination within the Defence Forces. The Government has pledged to set up a judge-led statutory inquiry into the allegations, which ministers have expressed shock and outrage at. Mr Harris said the special operation would review complaints previously made to gardai and oversee any fresh investigations. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA. He has said gardai will also be seeking to establish if there are any predators within the Defence Forces guilty of multiple offending. Advertisement Mr Harris said he was appealing to any current or former members of the Defence Forces to come forward if they had been a victim of a sexual offence. He assured them their complaint would be treated with absolute confidentiality. Asked about his concerns over possible predators within the Defence Forces, Mr Harris said: One has to look at the experience in other institutions, where people use a position of power and an imbalance in power actually then to conduct offending and, having long experience of dealing with other cases of historical abuse in institutions, you can see these patterns of behaviour and individuals, a small number of individuals, are multiple offenders. Commenting on the new operation, a Garda spokesperson said: An Garda Siochana is examining all files held in relation to allegations of sexual assault within the Defence Forces, both currently under investigation and pre-existing. Ireland State's defence and neutrality to be examined in p... Read More In response to the report of the Independent Review Group Defence Forces, An Garda Siochana has established a dedicated operation under Detective Chief Superintendent Garda National Protective Services Bureau (GNPSB) to oversee all Garda investigations into allegations of sexual assault within the Defence Forces, historical, current or future. Where individual allegations are made by former or serving members of the Defence Forces to An Garda Siochana, all allegations will be investigated by Divisional Protective Service Units (DPSU), under the oversight of the GNPSB. The Garda spokesperson said anyone can ask to speak with a member from a DPSU in confidence by contacting any Garda station or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800-666 111. The upcoming tough budget for Northern Ireland is not a punishment for the continued collapse of the Stormont Assembly, Britain's Northern Ireland secretary has insisted. Chris Heaton-Harris is due to set a budget for the North in the absence of local ministers. It has been indicated that some departments could be in line for cuts as large as 10 per cent. Earlier, former finance minister and Sinn Fein MLA Conor Murphy said the UK government had an opportunity to offset some of the deficit by spreading it over a number of years, but instead opted for a punishment budget. Sinn Feins Conor Murphy leaving Stormont Castle (Brian Lawless/PA) Mr Heaton-Harris denied this, but said it will be a tough budget, pointing to a 660 million blackhole left by the last executive in 2022. When the ministers left, we, the Northern Ireland Office, worked with the civil service to try and claw back some of that black hole and diminish it, but unfortunately thats a tough ask, he told the BBC. Advertisement Asked whether the public should expect eye-watering cuts, Mr Heaton-Harris responded: I wouldnt say that, no, but Northern Ireland needs to live within its budget, just like England, Scotland and Wales. Its budget is set by the block grant and limited revenue that it raises locally so the finite sum which is something like 14.2 billion is what is there, he said. I absolutely do want the executive, who should be making these decisions about budget, to come back to make these decisions about the budget and a whole host of other things, to deliver the public services they should be delivering. The block grant is a good sum of money for Northern Ireland, but it needs to be spent properly. Mr Heaton-Harris declined to say when he would be setting the budget for Northern Ireland. He said he has been working on it with the civil service since January to decide how to spend the 14.2 billion allocated. I hope to be able to set the budget fairly soon, he added. Earlier, the political parties entitled to seats on the Executive received a briefing on the latest position from the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service Jayne Brady at Stormont Castle. Advertisement Dr Jayne Brady briefed political leaders on Wednesday (Liam McBurney/PA) Mr Murphy claimed the UK government is heading towards the most hard, tough budget possible, which is going to do very, very significant damage. He also spoke of frustration at attending briefings instead of being in office, and criticised the DUP for its position refusing to participate in devolved government until its concerns around the Northern Ireland Protocol are addressed. Its long past time this nonsense ended in relation to the DUP wandering around talking to themselves while the rest of us suffer the consequences of all of that, he said. DUP MLA Gordon Lyons (Brian Lawless/PA) However, DUP MLA Gordon Lyons, who served as the economy minister, said the budgetary crisis is the result of a 300 million overspend and cannot be fixed by returning to the executive. The reality is that because of the failure to set a budget last year, there was time but the Sinn Fein finance minister failed to get support for a budget, and that meant there was a 300 million overspend last year, he said. Thats now being deducted from this years budget and thats whats creating the really difficult financial situation that we find ourselves in. He added: Theres a budgetary crisis but re-entering the executive in and of itself does not fix that, as Ive set out there is a 300 million shortfall from last year. Advertisement Thats an issue that will need to be dealt with one way or the other and its up to the government to help us out with that. Mr Lyons also called on the UK government for flexibility in repaying the overspend. If the government was willing to work with us, if they were prepared to show some flexibility in terms of the repayment of that amount of money, it would make the issues that we are dealing with right now much easier to deal with, but instead we have 300 million that needs to be cut from the budget this year, he said. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson outside Stormont Castle (Brian Lawless/PA) Speaking outside Stormont Castle, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said he hopes that cuts to public services can be avoided. The Northern Ireland Office needs to look again at their demand that the overspend from last year is repaid this year, normally such matters are dealt with over a longer period of time, and that would ease the pressure on Northern Ireland departments, so we will be engaging with the secretary of state on the need to ensure that we have a budget that ensures the Northern Ireland departments are able to deliver the public services that people need here, he said. Advertisement Alliance Party MP Stephen Farry speaking to the media in the Great Hall at Stormont (Brian Lawless/PA) Deputy leader of the Alliance Party Stephen Farry said Northern Ireland is in an extremely serious financial crisis. He added that without a functioning Executive civil servants are left in a virtually impossible situation in trying to manage departments and public services. From our perspective, we believe the only way through this is some form of financial package for Northern Ireland, he said. We have to find something to break this vicious cycle. So, we believe the five parties should be meeting with the government trying to hammer out some financial package for Northern Ireland. UUP leader Doug Beattie speaking to the media outside Stormont Castle (Brian Lawless/PA) UUP leader Doug Beattie has said he is depressed by what he had heard at the briefing. We were talking about an indicative budget, the numbers have been given out and some departments will have to have cuts of up to 10 per cent, and those arent sustainable, he said. Its quite clear that our budget is not going to be able to meet what we need in the next financial year. Ireland's neutrality will be debated at a forum on our place in the world this summer. Prompted by the invasion of Ukraine, the four-day event in Cork, Galway and Dublin, aims to deliver a greater understanding of the threats Ireland faces in the 21st century. Tanaiste Micheal Martin will tell his Cabinet colleagues today the forum in June will hear from experts in foreign policy and the military along with members of the public. Meanwhile, the Cabinet and Dail will be asked to approve sending a naval vessel to take part in an EU security mission. Operation Irini is tasked with preventing illegal arms imports into Libya and illicit petrol exports out of the country as well as targeting human trafficking. The Defence Forces vessel would be sent on the posting for seven weeks in June and July of this year. Advertisement Gardai have arrested a man in connection with a fatal shooting in Dublin seven years ago. The shooting took place on Popular Row in Dublin 3 on February 8th, 2016. Gardai confirmed the man, aged in his 40s, is currently detained at a Garda station in North Dublin under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. Advertisement A 57-year-old man who died after a fire broke out at his home in Douglas, Co Cork on Tuesday has been named locally as Conor Downey. Downey was jailed in 1993 in London for the manslaughter of 26-year-old Donegal woman Suzanne Reddan with whom he had been sharing a house. Ms Reddan had been reported missing and had not been found until 1992 when Downey himself went to the police in Surrey and confessed to having killed her. He told them they had been having consensual sex, but she had withdrawn the consent at one stage. He became angry and strangled her. Downey also gave information to the police on the basis of which some of her body parts were recovered. He served three years for the killing of Ms Reddan and returned to Cork after his release. Advertisement In 2004, he was jailed for 12 years for attempting to rape a woman after breaking into her home while she was sleeping. In sentencing at the Central Criminal Court Mr Justice Kevin Higgins noted that the woman who so savagely beaten when she arrived at the garda station they thought she was wearing a Halloween mask. The second serious incident for which he was jailed also occurred in 1988. Downey was also jailed for four years in 2003 for assault causing harm to Dr Pat Lee in June 2002. He had arrived in Dr Lee's surgery carrying a long-bladed butcher's boning knife. The knife was pointed at Dr Lees stomach and at his chest and he suffered cuts to his hands trying to protect himself Ireland Gardai may ask for greater powers to probe Defence... Read More Dr Lee had taken a blood sample from Downey at request of the gardai as a number of individuals were being tested during the investigation in to the murder of 22-year-old Cork woman Rachel Kiely. The blood sample showed Downey had absolutely nothing to do with that crime. However, it implicated him in another crime. Meanwhile, the fire at Downey's home in West Douglas in Cork broke out shortly after 3pm yesterday. It is being treated as accidental. Downey's body was removed from the property by the emergency services. He was formally identified via his dental records. The alarm had been raised by a neighbour. It is understood the fire was contained to one room. Hollywood and Bollywood stars descended on Mumbai for a weekend of activities to mark the opening of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC). The NMACC is a multidisciplinary cultural space showcasing music, theatre, fine arts and crafts. Philanthropist Nita M Ambani founded the centre, and said it is a commitment to preserve and promote Indian arts. Zendaya attended Saturdays gala evening alongside rumoured boyfriend Tom Holland and former stylist Law Roach, who was responsible for the creative direction of her midnight blue and gold custom Rahul Mishra ensemble. The event was to mark the opening of the exhibition India In Fashion, which the centre says puts the spotlight on both India-inspired works of international designers as well as specially-commissioned garments made by some of the finest names in the Indian fashion industry. Advertisement Zendaya (Rajanish Kakade/AP) Truly a surreal evening! Indian designer Mishra wrote on Instagram. Zendaya is wearing the hand embroidered Verdure saree gown with the Flying Cranes bralette. Gigi Hadid (Rajanish Kakade/AP) Gigi Hadid donned a bespoke sari by Indian designer Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, the heavily beaded cream skirt teamed with a gold crop top and stacks of gold bangles. This Chikankari sari was made in the Lucknow region of India, and took a year to make, the model and host of Netflix competition Next In Fashion explained on Instagram. Each woman who crafted it specializes in a different stitch. Truly remarkable workmanship. Ill never forget it. Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas (Rajanish Kakade/AP) Indian-born actor Priyanka Chopra, who posed on the red carpet with popstar husband Nick Jonas, showed her support for sustainable fashion in a dress by Mumbai-based designer Amit Aggarwal. Her colourful look was created by combining a 60-year-old brocade sari and a metallic bandeau bustier. I knew I wanted to wear an upcycled vintage look with a modern twist! So my outfit was an amalgamation of the east and the west! Like me! said Chopra of her outfit on Instagram. Penelope Cruz (Rajanish Kakade/AP) Penelope Cruz brought old Hollywood glamour to the event in a pastel pink, feather-trimmed gown. The one-shoulder Tamara Ralph couture dress was topped with a flowing cape. The Spanish actor accessorised her look with strappy gold heels and intricate drop earrings. Advertisement Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (right) and daughter Aaradhya Bachchan (Rajanish Kakade/AP) At Fridays grand opening, Indian megastar Aishwarya Rai Bachchan posed with 11-year-old daughter Aaradhya Bachchan. The actor and former Miss World chose a long-sleeved black and silver embellished sari with a statement silver necklace. Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas (Rajanish Kakade/AP) The evening saw the debut of The Great Indian Musical: Civilization To Nation, and Priyanka Chopra said on Instagram she may have shed a few tears of pride while watching the performance. The 40-year-old donned a spectacular blush pink gown which featured a bejewelled bodysuit, diaphanous tulle skirt and ruffled cape. Finlands new Nato membership poses a real dilemma for Russian US president Vladimir Putin, western officials have warned. The latest addition to the alliance will be able to make a significant contribution to its armament, officials said on Wednesday. Finland, which has an 830-mile border with Russia, formally became the 31st member of the bloc in a ceremony at Natos Brussels headquarters on Tuesday. One western official said: The Russians have been full of rhetoric all along and I think thats been their only response to Finland joining Nato. I dont think theyve looked at the consequences of their own actions and taken any responsibility for this, so there tends to be a bit of lashing out. Russias combat losses would make it difficult for them to act on any threats of escalation, officials said, adding: The idea that theyre going to conduct manoeuvres on the Finnish border: With what? would be the question. Advertisement Officials said Moscow will be attempting to deal with what it perceives as a threat from the north after previously neutral Finland joined the alliance. This poses a real dilemma for Putin and the Russians, officials said. One added: Finland is, I would say, an asset to Nato, and certainly has been welcomed by Nato members, and if you look at the armed forces they can contribute, theyre certainly a significant addition to Natos armament. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has warned that Moscow will respond to the accession depending on what weapons Nato places in Finland. Dmitry Peskov. Photo: Alamy/PA. We will closely monitor what will be going on in Finland and how Nato will use the territory of Finland for the deployment of weapons, equipment and infrastructure next to our border that would potentially threaten us. Measures will be taken dependent on that. A post shared on the Russian embassys Twitter account accused Finland of having given up on its unique identity and losing its independence which for decades gave it a special status in international affairs. The foreign ministry added in a statement that Russia will have to respond with military-technical, as well as other measures to address national security threats arising from Finland joining Nato. Advertisement Western officials said Russian forces are making very slow progress near Bakhmut a key Ukrainian stronghold despite deploying large numbers of troops. Over the past six weeks, the progress can be measured in metres, they said. A possible counter-offensive by Ukraine would depend on a number of complex factors, according to officials. Meanwhile the UK announced 10 million for Natos support package for Ukraine, providing non-lethal aid such as medical equipment, rations, fuel and counter-drone equipment. Finlands president Sauli Niinisto, UK prime minister Rishi Sunak and Swedish premier Ulf Kristersson at a meeting in Germany in February. Photo: Ben Stansall/PA. Some 2 million will also go to Nato efforts to help Georgia, Moldova and Bosnia & Herzegovina defend themselves against Russian activity. Finlands membership was welcomed by heads of state including British prime minister Rishi Sunak and US president Joe Biden on Tuesday. British foreign secretary James Cleverly said the development was a direct result of Vladimir Putins aggression and his illegal invasion of Ukraine. Mr Sunak took the opportunity to push for Sweden to also be given permission to join the group. World Blinken says reporter wrongfully detained by Rus... Read More Finlands neighbour has seen its process of joining the organisation delayed by objections from Turkey and Hungary, but Mr Sunak made clear he wanted those issues resolved, saying: This is an historic day for Finland and for Nato. Their accession has made our alliance stronger and every one of us safer. Advertisement All Nato members now need to take the steps necessary to admit Sweden too, so we can stand together as one alliance to defend freedom in Europe and across the world. A man armed with a hatchet has killed four children and wounded at least five others at a nursery in Brazil, authorities have said. The states firefighter corps said the assailant jumped over one of the centres walls to get inside. Those killed were aged between five and seven. The man later turned himself in at a police station and did not appear to have any connection with the school. Authorities are searching for a motive, a police detective told television reporters in Blumenau. Images broadcast from the scene showed weeping parents outside the private daycare centre, called Cantinho do Bom Pastor. Amid rumours on social media of other potential attacks, Blumenaus mayor, Mario Hildebrandt, said the city has suspended classes and will declare a 30-day mourning period. Advertisement Mr Hildebrandt said five wounded children were taken to hospitals, one of whome was in serious condition. School attacks in Brazil have increased in frequency in recent years, and last week, a student in Sao Paulo fatally stabbed a teacher and wounded several others. Brazil has previously seen at least one attack on a daycare centre, which also took place in the state of Santa Catarina. The incident in 2021 saw the attacker use a dagger to kill three young children and two adults. From 2000 to 2022, there have been 16 attacks or violent episodes in schools in Brazil, four of which took place in the second half of last year, according to a report from researchers led by Daniel Cara, an education professor at the University of Sao Paulo. The researchers prepared the report for Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his government. There is no greater pain than that of a family who loses its children or grandchildren, even more so in an act of violence against innocent and defenceless kids, the president wrote Wednesday on Twitter. My thoughts and prayers are the families of victims and the community of Blumenau in the face of the monstrosity of what occurred. Nicola Sturgeons husband Peter Murrell has been arrested in a police investigation into the SNPs finances. The former chief executive of the party has been taken into custody and was questioned by detectives as police searched their house in Glasgow on Wednesday morning. A large police tent was set up outside their home, which was taped off. Officers are also at the SNPs HQ offices in Edinburgh, with police vans seen parked outside and uniformed officers standing inside the building. Police Scotland have been investigating the spending of about 600,000 (683,000) which was earmarked for Scottish independence campaigning. Mr Murrell stepped down as chief executive a role he had held for more than 20 years during the recent leadership campaign. The 58-year-old has been married Ms Sturgeon since 2010. The arrest comes after Ms Sturgeons time as Scottish first minister formally came to an end last week, as she was succeeded by Humza Yousaf as SNP leader. Advertisement Police Scotland released a statement on the arrest on Wednesday morning. Statement on investigation into Scottish National Party funding and finances man arrested. More: https://t.co/pkRjeRw965 pic.twitter.com/trzldKh7ZT Police Scotland (@PoliceScotland) April 5, 2023 It said: A 58-year-old man has today, Wednesday April 5, been arrested as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party. The man is in custody and is being questioned by Police Scotland detectives. Officers are also carrying out searches at a number of addresses as part of the investigation. A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. Police Scotland advised caution around discussing the case on social media due to contempt of court rules. Police were seen at the SNPs HQ in Edinburgh (Dan Barker/PA) The SNP released a statement saying: Clearly it would not be appropriate to comment on any live police investigation but the SNP have been co-operating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so. At its meeting on Saturday, the governing body of the SNP, the NEC, agreed to a review of governance and transparency that will be taken forward in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the SNPs political opponents called for full transparency from Mr Yousaf and Ms Sturgeon. Advertisement Scottish Labours deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: This is a deeply concerning development and the Police Scotland investigation must be allowed to proceed without interference. She continued: We need Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon to urgently state what they knew and when. A subdued former US president Donald Trump lashed out on Tuesday at New York prosecutor Alvin Bragg for bringing criminal charges against him and declared himself the victim of election interference without offering evidence. "I never thought anything like this could happen in America," Mr Trump told supporters gathered at his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida. "The only crime that I've committed has been to fearlessly defend our nation against those who seek to destroy it." Earlier, Mr Trump pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan court to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, as prosecutors accused him of orchestrating payments to two women before the 2016 election to suppress publication of their sexual encounters with him. Mr Trump, running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, on Tuesday night in Florida gave a relatively short speech, 25 minutes, compared to his rally speeches that can sometimes last two hours. Advertisement Supporters listen as former US president Donald Trump speaks during an event at Mar-a-Lago April 4th, 2023 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images Despite launching a tirade against prosecutors, he did not call for new protests from his supporters. And while he is expected to return to the campaign trail soon, he gave no details of that. Mr Trump, 76, reached deep into his well of personal grievances to declare himself hounded by political opponents using the legal system against him to try to stop him from winning back the White House in 2024. Mr Trump accused Manhattan District Attorney Bragg of being out to get him "before he knew anything about me". He said the judge in the case, Juan Merchan, is "a Trump-hating judge". But he did not offer any evidence to support his claim that they were taking their actions in order to undermine his White House bid. Attacks legal cases Mr Trump took fresh shots at all the various legal cases against him, from the handling of classified documents that were taken to Mar-a-Lago when Mr Trump moved out of the White House in early 2021, the probe into the January 6th, 2021, assault on the US Capitol and the election interference case he is facing in Georgia from the 2020 election. Mr Trump expressed particular concern about the documents case being investigated by special counsel Jack Smith, who he called a "lunatic" several times. Advertisement He said the cases amount to an attempt to thwart his third run for the presidency, calling it "massive election interference at a scale never seen". Gathered before him in a gilt-edged ballroom at Mar-a-Lago were a number of combative, diehard Trump backers, including Republican lawmakers Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz, long-time operative Roger Stone, pillow maker Mike Lindell, former US ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell and Mr Trump sons Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump. US Reps Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Matt Gaetz (R-FL) (C) listen as former US president Donald Trump speaks during an event at Mar-a-Lago April 4th, 2023 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images Mr Trump's wife, Melania, was not seen in the ballroom. Show of support Among the hundreds there was Nathan Mitchell, 18, the incoming president of the Florida Atlantic University's college Republicans club. World What happened during Donald Trumps day in court a... Read More He said he was there to support a man who represents "the best chance that America has to become great again". Of the accusations brought against Mr Trump, Mr Mitchell said, "It humiliates us all in front of the world." Wearing a black leather biker vest, with a "Born to Ride" patch above the number 45, Alex Gonzalez, 45, who operates a security company in Palm Beach said he was there to show the former president that the people believe in him. "It's all a charade, man, it's all a witch hunt," Mr Gonzalez said of the indictment. "Trump should not be held above the law - if he does something wrong he should be held liable like anybody else. But this is BS and everybody knows it." Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has said he does not agree with the criminal charges brought against former US president Donald Trump. "Supposedly legal issues should not be used for electoral, political purposes," Mr Lopez Obrador told a news conference. "That's why I don't agree with what they are doing to ex-President Trump." On Tuesday, Mr Trump was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a historic case over allegations he orchestrated hush-money payments to two women before the 2016 US election to suppress publication of their sexual encounters with him. Mr Trump, the first sitting or former US president to face criminal charges, pleaded not guilty. Leftist populist Mr Lopez Obrador compared Mr Trump's case to the December ouster of former Peruvian president Pedro Castillo, who was removed from office and arrested after trying to dissolve congress. Advertisement "It should be the people who decide," said Mr Lopez Obrador, who said he could not say whether Mr Trump was guilty or not. Mr Lopez Obrador, who took office in 2018, developed a friendly working relationship with then-counterpart Mr Trump, despite the US president launching his election campaign in 2015 by calling Mexicans rapists and drug runners and promising to make Mexico pay for a border wall. Mr Lopez Obrador in November publicly called for Twitter to reinstate Mr Trump's then-banned account on the social media platform. Mr Lopez Obrador's motivations for defending Mr Trump may be personal. Beginning in 2004, Mr Lopez Obrador, then the mayor of Mexico City and the frontrunner for Mexico's presidential election in 2006, was the subject of a judicial process that he said was a political plot by Mexico's then-president Vicente Fox. The federal government's ultimately unsuccessful effort to put Mr Lopez Obrador on trial for charges of contempt of court threatened to keep him from running for president. Mr Lopez Obrador went on to lose the 2006 and 2012 presidential election - results he did not accept, alleging massive voter fraud. -Reuters US first lady Jill Biden will attend the coronation of Britain's King Charles on behalf of the country, president Joe Biden has told the monarch in a phone call. Mr Biden congratulated Charles on Tuesday ahead of his coronation in May, and told him his wife would be attending the ceremony, the White House said. The president also expressed his desire to meet Charles in the UK. Britain's King Charles greets the President of the United States Joe Biden (Jane Barlow/PA) A White House statement read: President Joseph R Biden Jr spoke today with King Charles III, underscoring the strength of the relationship between our countries and the friendship between our peoples. The president congratulated the King on his upcoming coronation and informed him that First Lady Jill Biden looks forward to attending on behalf of the United States. The President also conveyed his desire to meet with the King in the United Kingdom at a future date. Advertisement Mr Biden and his wife travelled to London for the funeral of the late Queen last September. The criminal case against former US president Donald Trump, unveiled on Tuesday, rests not just on his high-profile alleged affair with porn star Stormy Daniels but also on a separate liaison with Playboy model Karen McDougal. A 52-year-old former model and actress from Indiana, Ms McDougal was a Playboy magazine Playmate of the Year in the late 1990s. She has said she had an affair with Mr Trump in 2006 and 2007. Mr Trump has denied having a sexual relationship with her. American Media Inc (AMI), corporate parent of the National Enquirer, has acknowledged paying Ms McDougal $150,000 (137,000) for the rights to her story to prevent her from going public with it ahead of the 2016 presidential election - a practice known in the publishing industry as "catch and kill." AMI admitted to the arrangement in a non-prosecution agreement with the Manhattan District Attorney's office in 2018. Advertisement Prosecutors said in a charging document on Tuesday that Mr Trump did not want the woman's story to become public "because he was concerned about the effect it could have on his candidacy". A 52-year-old former model and actress from Indiana, Ms McDougal was a Playboy magazine Playmate of the Year in the late 1990s. Photo: Cerie Steinberg/Getty Images They said Mr Trump, his lawyer Michael Cohen and AMI former chief executive David Pecker, a longtime friend of Mr Trump, agreed that Mr Trump would reimburse AMI. But Mr Pecker ultimately opted not to seek repayment after talking with a company lawyer. The US Federal Election Commission ruled in 2021 that AMI's payment to Ms McDougal amounted to an illegal campaign contribution that benefited Mr Trump, and fined its successor company $187,500. Mr Pecker has testified before the Manhattan grand jury that investigated the case and indicted Mr Trump. Ms McDougal later sued AMI and reached an agreement that allowed her to discuss her relationship with Mr Trump. One of two The transaction is one of two involving alleged affairs that are at the heart of the criminal case against Mr Trump. World Donald Trump claims election interference is behin... Read More The other involves porn star Stormy Daniels, who received $130,000 from Trump's lawyer Cohen shortly before the 2016 election as well. Daniels and Mr Cohen both say the payment was to buy her silence about a 2006 affair with Mr Trump. Mr Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to federal campaign-finance charges related to his payments to Daniels. Mr Trump has denied having had sexual relationships with either woman, but has acknowledged reimbursing Mr Cohen. Antony Catalano and Alex Waislitzs newspaper business is preparing to sell or shut down more than 13 mastheads as the company combats rising print costs and a slump in the advertising market. Antony Catalano is on a selling spree. Credit: Jesse Marlow Australian Community Media (ACM), the publisher of titles such as The Canberra Times, The Newcastle Herald and The Land, is asking staff to take their annual leave over Easter, a move which will reduce costs but also leave a skeleton staff for the days after the break. In an email sent to staff on Monday, seen by this masthead, ACM managing director Tony Kendall told staff the business was in the process of selling seven titles in the NSW central-west and south-west regions after receiving an approach by Provincial Press Group. Titles in this area include the Forbes Advocate, Parkes Champion-Post, The Grenfell Record, Cowra Guardian, Boorowa News, Canowindra News and The Young Witness. The agreement has been signed and transition should be by the end of the month. This would add to titles in South Australia and Queensland which were sold to regional newspaper company The Star Group last Saturday. JULIA Drama Theatre, April 4 Until May 20 Reviewed by JOHN SHAND It builds like a storm. You see the cloud-front of abuse, disparagement and disrespect lining the horizon from the outset, gradually growing closer, darker and more intense, until the last 15 minutes of Joanna Murray- Smiths play about Julia Gillard become an inevitability: the anti-misogyny speech the then-Prime Minister delivered in the Australian Parliament on October 9, 2012. This not only scorched the hide of its direct target, opposition leader Tony Abbott, it also shook the chambers walls and echoed around the world as a rallying cry that enough was enough. The barebones staging heightens the sense of Gillard being alone. Credit: Prudence Upton Murray-Smiths new play details the appalling treatment of Gillard by Abbott and his party (including the women and infantile Young Liberals), his sycophants in the Murdoch media, the spiteful Alan Jones and even one-time feminist Germaine Greer. But the play mainly contains the imagined thoughts of Gillard along the way. The writers narrative skill is plain in the build-up, in the conclusions inevitability and in the fact a verbatim delivery of Gillards speech slots so seamlessly into the play. Its essentially a one-hander, with the Justine Clarke as Gillard, although Jessica Bentley is also intermittently present in a primarily non-speaking role. Sarah Goodes unfussy yet precise Sydney Theatre Company production (subtly shaded by Steve Francis music) casts Clarke adrift on a wide, empty stage, which designer Renee Mulder has framed with reflective screens, so the sense of Gillard being alone is infinitely compounded. If she is to survive the vitriol, she must do it unaided; must dig inside the depths of her being until out pours a speech that was extemporised, apart from some researched examples of Abbotts sexism. After almost eight months as a tiny speck in the middle of the ocean, Australian endurance rower Michelle Lee has arrived in Port Douglas to become the first woman to row solo across the Pacific Ocean. The 50-year-old massage therapist from Kellyville in north-west Sydney spent 237 days at sea rowing unassisted from the coast of Ensenada in Mexico to Far North Queensland. Navigating her 7.7 x 2-metre carbon fibre boat The Australian Maid, Lee made a journey of more than 14,000 kilometres across the equator that took her directly into the treacherous path of five hurricanes and four cyclones. Michelle Lee celebrates her record-breaking journey from Mexico to Port Douglas. Credit: AAP But at 9.49 am on Wednesday she heard the cheers of family, friends and a crowd of onlookers as she returned to Australian soil. She was on a joy flight the day before her 31st birthday. But the plane Trista-Lea Applebee was in plummeted towards the ocean, crashing near the Gold Coast on June 5, 2019. Trista-Lea Applebee. Applebees partner had bought the flight as a present for her birthday. Intended to be a 30-minute scenic flight with pilot Martinus Van Hattem, 52, performing some aerobatics, he and Applebee had taken off from Southport Airport in a two-seat, single engine, Yak model 52 aircraft. In 1967, Australians agreed in overwhelming numbers that Aboriginal people should be counted as part of this nation. The nation also decided to give the federal government the power to make special laws for Indigenous Australians in the states to ensure equal treatment across the land. Aboriginal activist Faith Bandler (right) prepares to cast her vote at Sydney Town Hall on May 27, 1967. Credit: George Lipman The government of the day, led by Liberal prime minister Harold Holt, drove support for those decisions at referendum. He received the bipartisan backing of the Labor opposition, led by Arthur Calwell. More than 90 per cent of Australians 5.8 million of those who voted responded by saying yes to making Aboriginal people visible, both in the census and in constitutional decision-making. Three Liberal MPs raised concerns the partys decision to campaign for a No vote in the historic Voice to parliament referendum would be perceived by some voters as opposing Indigenous advancement and potentially racist. The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald confirmed with six Liberal MPs all of whom asked not to be named so they could discuss Wednesdays snap Liberal party room meeting that MPs Bridget Archer, Richard Colbeck and Russell Broadbent raised their concerns about the grave risk of opposing the referendum. Opposition leader Peter Dutton has proposed symbolically recognising Indigenous Australians in the Constitution without enshrining into the nations founding document a new Voice advisory body, which Dutton claimed would radically change and disrupt Australias system of government and fail to deliver practical benefit. Asked if he will actively campaign against the Voice to parliament, Dutton said: I will be ... I dont think this is in our countrys best interest. NSW Premier Chris Minns will ban social media app TikTok on government-issued devices after potential security threats triggered an equivalent ban by the federal government earlier this week. The ban will extend to the premiers TikTok account, which he used regularly as part of the recent election campaign but will now delete. Premier Chris Minns will shut down his official TikTok account. Credit: TikTok Under the ban, the government will prevent the installation of the application and remove it from any government-issued devices across all agencies and clusters. State government departments with active TikTok accounts that will be affected include NSW Health, NSW Police and the Department of Education. The Liberal Party was pummelled on Saturday after it lost one of its heartland seats in Melbournes east following the retirement from politics of controversial former cabinet minister Alan Tudge. Labors Mary Doyle, who shaved 8 per cent from Tudges margin at the 2022 election, secured a further 6 per cent two-party preferred swing against Campbell. Loading Recriminations have already begun, with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton saying the Liberal Partys vote in Victoria had been going backwards for more than two decades, while senior Liberal Simon Birmingham called for urgent action to confront dangerous perceptions that the party is intolerant, nasty and divisive. Mirabella praised Campbell as a standout candidate and said the party could not have done much more to turn around her fortunes. But he said a post-byelection review was vital to understand how the electorate perceives Brand Liberal and then reposition it for future success. Speaking to The Age, Aston candidate Roshena Campbell said she didnt pick up on the size of the swing to Labor during the campaign. Having spoken to thousands of people in the lead up to the election, I didnt sense this would be the result, she said. Campbell said while the reasons for the Liberal Partys loss will need to be examined, it was clear the Albanese government was enjoying an extended honeymoon and voters didnt blame the federal government for the cost-of-living pressures. Labors Mary Doyle defeated the Liberals Roshena Campbell at the weekend. Credit: She said while she accepted Aston was a local contest, there was no doubt the Liberal Party had to engage in serious policy work to be electable in the future. People need to see that we are going to make a difference to their lives, Campbell said. This is something that requires long-term work As a starting point, Campbell suggested policies to tackle housing affordability as one way the party could win back lost demographics, such as younger voters, professional women and multicultural communities. Loading Campbell, who will return to work as a barrister and Melbourne City councillor on Friday, said she would take some time to decide whether she would run as a candidate again, but said she would continue to contribute to the broader Liberal Party. The Liberal Party has been in opposition for 20 of the last 24 years at a state level, and its federal members have not won a majority of seats in Victoria since 1998. Tony Barry, director at RedBridge and former deputy state director of the Liberal Party, said there had been a dramatic demographic shift the party had not kept up with and that its members were more focused on winning culture wars instead of elections. In the past decade, we have allowed ourselves to be defined by what we are against and not what we are for, Barry said. The Liberal Partys core values are enduring values so what we should be saying to the electorate is if you share a vision of a free and expansive Australia that respects the dignity of the individual, if you aspire to own a home, run your own business, educate your children in accordance with your values, create wealth in a way that makes not just your life and your childrens lives better, but also contributes to the prosperity and connectedness of your communities, then you belong with us. Resolve Strategic director Jim Reed said while the Coalition had real issues, it was important to remember the primary vote of the two major parties are similar. It is the growing other vote that is working against the Liberal Party, Reed said, with left-leaning parties preferencing Labor at a greater rate than right-leaning parties preferencing the Liberals. Labor has been able to position itself at the centre, or rather the centre has slowly shifted left to where Labor are, making them attractive to their traditional base, small-L liberals to the right and minor parties to the left, Reed said. In the yard to the eastern part of the compound, the police fired tear gas and stun grenades, it was a scene that I cant describe, said Fahmi Abbas, a worshipper at the mosque. Then they stormed in and started beating everyone. They detained people and put the young men face down on the ground while they continued beating them. Tension has already been high in east Jerusalem and the West Bank for months, and fears of further violence were fuelled with the convergence of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan and the Jewish Passover. Such confrontations at the contested holy compound, the third-holiest shrine in Islam that is also the most sacred site in Judaism and referred to as the Temple Mount, have sparked deadly cross-border conflicts between Israel and Gazas Hamas rulers in the past, the last was a 10-day war in 2021. Videos on social media purportedly showed Israeli police officers beating Palestinians with batons and rifle butts at the mosque in the contested hilltop site revered by both Muslims and Jews. The official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, reported that dozens of worshippers, who spent the night in Ramadan prayers, were injured. A Palestinian worshipper films the aftermath of a raid by Israeli police at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Wednesday. Credit: AP It was not immediately clear what sparked the violence. Israeli news site Haaretz reported several hundred Ramadan worshippers had barricaded themselves in the mosque and police had used stun grenades to clear it. Police said dozens of rioters were arrested. Talab Abu Eisha, 49, said more than 400 men, women and children were praying at al-Aqsa when the police encircled the mosque. The youths were afraid and started closing the doors, he said, adding that police forces stormed the eastern corner, beating and arresting men there. Israeli police hold a suspect, centre, as they raid the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on Wednesday. Credit: Getty Loading It was an unprecedented scene of violence in terms of police brutality and intention to hurt the youths, he said, denying police claims that young men were hiding fireworks and rocks. He added that the police prevented all men under 50 years old from passing through the Old Citys gates leading to the compound for the dawn prayers. The violence in Jerusalem triggered protests and condemnations from Palestinians. In Gaza, Hamas called for large protests and people started gathering in the streets, with calls to head for the heavily guarded Gaza-Israel frontier for more violent demonstrations. Muslims perform a tarawih prayer after breaking their fasts during the Holy month of Ramadan at the courtyard of the al-Aqsa Compound in Jerusalem on Tuesday evening. Credit: Getty The Palestinian leadership condemned the attack on the worshippers. The spokesman of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, warned Israel that such a move exceeds all red lines and will lead to a large explosion. Loading In Gaza, Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad also called for Palestinian residents of Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Israel to go and gather around al-Aqsa Mosque and confront Israeli forces. The Israeli military said sirens warning of incoming rockets sounded in Israeli communities around the Gaza Strip. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry called for an immediate halt to Israels blatant assault on worshippers at the mosque. Jordans Foreign Ministry condemned what it said was Israels flagrant storming of the compound. Earlier on Tuesday, a Palestinian suspect stabbed two Israelis near an army base south of Tel Aviv, police said, in the latest incident in a year-long spate of violence that shows no sign of abating. Loading Israels Magen David Adom paramedic service said first responders treated two men for serious and light stab wounds in the incident on a highway near the Tzrifin military base. The men were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Israeli media identified the two victims as soldiers. Police said that civilians at the scene apprehended the suspected attacker, who was taken into police custody for questioning. New York: Donald Trump has used his unprecedented arrest to ramp up his presidential campaign, branding the charges against him as an insult to the country and warning that America is going to hell. Hours after he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records as part of a broader scheme to stifle damaging information about his past affairs, Trump also launched a fresh attack on Manhattan District-Attorney Alvin Bragg, saying the Democrat should either be prosecuted or resign. And he mentioned Braggs wife, while also attacking Judge Juan Merchan, his wife and his daughter. The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it, Trump told supporters in a grievance-fuelled speech at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Even people that arent big fans have said this [indictment] is not the right thing to do. Its an insult to our country as the world is already laughing at us for so many other reasons. Wellington: Jacinda Ardern has bid farewell to New Zealands parliament with a tearful valedictory speech, a call for more diverse leadership, and a plea to keep climate change politics-free. The former NZ prime minister and Labour leader addressed colleagues for the final time on Wednesday, with former prime ministers and other luminaries watching from packed public galleries. Jacinda Ardern started her valedictory speech in the House of Representatives in Wellington in Maori. Credit: Robert Kitchin/Stuff Ardern entered parliament at the age of 28 and when Labour took power under her leadership in 2017, she became the worlds youngest female head of government at 37. My internal reluctance to lead was matched by a huge sense of responsibility, she said. BENGALURU (Reuters) - R.S. Sodhi, former managing director of India's largest dairy brand Amul, has joined the grocery division of Reliance Industries retail unit, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Reliance did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment, while Sodhi declined to comment. Sodhi, who formerly led the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which owns the dairy brand Amul, joined the federation four decades ago. He had stepped down from the post of GCMMF managing director earlier this year. Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's conglomerate Reliance Industries, with the help of its retail arm, Reliance Retail is looking to cement its position as the biggest player in India's burgeoning retail industry, with stores spanning across electronics, groceries and fashion. Also Read RS Sodhi steps down as Amul MD; Jayen Mehta given interim charge Reliance Retail ropes in former Amul chief RS Sodhi to drive grocery biz Amul's utterly butterly supply melts; eateries switch to alternatives Amul aiming to become a total foods and beverages company: MD Jayen Mehta Amul's Pashudhan is opening an alternative business for farmers, eBay style Walmart bets on supply-chain automation, dangles profit potential Google-owned YouTube adds dedicated 'Podcasts' tab to channel pages State-owned CIL aims to supply 610 MT coal to power plants in FY24 Poonawalla Fincorp registers highest disbursement of Rs 6,370 cr in Q4 FY23 Godrej Consumer Products expects Q4 growth on improved consumer demand (Reporting by Aditya Kalra in New Delhi and Nishit Navin in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich) Blue Star aims to corner around 15 per cent share of the residential air conditioner market in terms of value as the cooling products maker expands its product portfolio and distribution network, its Managing Director B Thiagarajan said on Wednesday. The company is witnessing a pick up in the markets of West and South regions and expects a 20 to 25 per cent volume growth this season. Blue Star, which is launching affordable products targeting the mass premium segment catering to price-sensitive and first-time buyers especially from non-metro towns, has introduced 75 products across the inverter, fix speed and window ACs. "We are aiming for 20 to 25 per growth in volumes in AC business this year," Thiagarajan said at a press meet here. According to him, the company targets to achieve a market share of 15 per cent by FY25 in the room air conditioner segment. The domestic residential AC market is estimated to be around 8 million units and had a double-digit growth last fiscal. Blue Star is among the top five players in the segment. Also Read Twitter Blue 'verification' rolled out in India, to cost Rs 719 per month Have a Twitter blue tick? Buy a Blue subscription or lose it from April 1 Ahead of searing summer, analysts bet on consumer appliance stocks Twitter Blue plans announced in India: Pay Rs 900 per month for blue tick Star Cement soars 11%, nears 52-week high on heavy volumes MCL beats Chhattisgarh-based SECL in coal production for second year EV maker e-Sprinto to roll out 4 new high-speed scooters this year Hero MotoCorp offers VRS for its staff, targets leaner organisation Hindalco: Adjusting to the new environment; metal volumes may stagnate Avalon Technologies' IPO gets subscribed 9% on second day of offer Thiagarajan said there is plenty of headroom for growth in the segment as the penetration level in the Indian household is around 7 per cent only, which is very less in comparison to global standards. "India offers significant potential for growth. Globally, around 150 million units of AC are sold. China's domestic market is 85 million units and total production is 110 million units," he said, adding there is a "big space" in the domestic market. In India, 90 per cent of AC buyers are first-time buyers and 65 per cent of the total sales are from smaller non-metro towns. Moreover, 45 per cent of residential AC purchase is through consumer finance, Thiagarajan noted. "The India AC market is largely driven by first-time buyers, middle class and aspirational buyers from small towns," he said. The company, which entered the residential AC segment in 2011, currently gets around 30 per cent of its revenue from it. In the financial year ended March 2022, Blue Star's revenue was around Rs 6,000 crore. Besides, Blue Star is looking at opportunities emerging for electro-mechanical projects from multiple sectors for growth. The company now on priority is also looking at new sectors such as data centre, railway electrification and water segment for growth in its electro-mechanical projects business, he said. " We feel that we should focus on multiple segments to deal with rather than one," Thiagarajan said. Last month, the company forayed into the railway electrification space after securing a contract worth Rs 500 crore, gets around 30 per cent of its revenue from electro-mechanical projects segment. Consumer demand is steady and the FMCG sector is gradually recovering. The quality of our profits should see improvement, led by gross margin recovery and continued marketing investments translating to strong double-digit EBITDA growth, said the company, referring to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. Godrej Consumer Products said on Wednesday it expects double-digit sales growth on a consolidated basis in the fourth-quarter, citing "very strong" business for its products. Growth was led by double-digit volume and value improvement in home care and personal care. The company said its Indonesia business was recovering gradually with mid-single digit constant currency sales growth. The maker of Cinthol soaps said it expected double-digit volume and value growth as domestic business exceeds expectations. Our domestic branded business growth was very strong registering volume and value growth in teens. This is in line with our strategy of volume driven category development. Godrej Africa, USA, and Middle East (GAUM) reported better than mid-single digit sales growth in constant currency terms due to elections and the impact of demonetisation in Nigeria. The company expected a strong sales recovery in March in these regions. We believe building blocks in Indonesia are in place to drive steady-to-strong performance in the next fiscal year, it said in its business update. The automaker has appointed Tsutsumu Otani as president, chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director (MD) of HMSI at a time when the two-wheeler company is gearing up for its electric foray. Japanese giant Honda Motor Company has announced top management changes in its Indian two-wheeler arm Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) on Wednesday. The company said Otani had started his career with Honda in Japan in 1997. In 2001, he served in the motorcycle section, responsible for Europe. In 2005, he joined Honda Italia Industriale S.P.A and worked there for five years. Otani, who is now vice-president at Honda Motor, Japan, will replace Atsushi Ogata. Ogata is returning to Shanghai, as executive general manager at Honda Motor (China) Investment Company with effect from April 1, 2023. In his 26-year stint with the Honda Group, he has worked in sales planning and several other leadership positions across the globe. Otani was also responsible for South America from the Japan headquarters, and later in 2011, he moved to Honda Motor Argentina. Thereafter, he was in Honda South America in 2013. Also Read Honda's EV roadmap: Dedicated factory, first two e-scooter models in a year How the Indian EV scooter market saw consolidation? TMS Ep300: India's job market, EV scooter, Markets, MAC Honda Motorcycle set to join two-wheeler EV race by March next year Not worried about being late in launching e-scooter: Yamaha India Chairman Reliance Retail enters into beauty retailing space with launch of Tira NODWIN Gaming's Singapore subsidiary acquires 51% stake in Branded Hyundai Motor to introduce all-new sports utility vehicle in Indian market Apple's retail store to boost ecosystem experience for users: Experts State-run QatarEnergy to acquire 25% stake in major gas project in Iraq HMSI is establishing a new scooter manufacturing line at its Vithalpur factory in Gujarat. This is expected to boost its exports from India. Otani was appointed executive general manager in 2022 at the Shanghai branch of Honda Motor (China) Investment Company. Meanwhile, Ogata has led HMSIs operations for three years. Typically, all deputations from the Japan headquarters are for a three-year period. The company currently exports 18 models to 38 countries and hopes to grow these numbers to 20 models across 58 countries. As many as 10 new electric bikes and scooters are coming from HMSI in the near future. It also announced the elevation of Vinay Dhingra, who was earlier director general & corporate affairs, strategic information system and Honda India Foundation, HMSI, as senior director human resource and administration, corporate affairs, information technology and Honda India Foundation. Along with this top-level change, Honda also announced some changes in its senior leadership team to strategially steward the brand towards market leadership in future. Mathur, as director, will be responsible for customer service, logistics planning and control, premium motorcycle business along with sales and marketing, the company added. The company said Yogesh Mathur, previously operating officer, sales and marketing, and Sanjeev Jain, earlier operating officer new model purchase & parts strategy are now elevated to the board of directors at HMSI. On the other hand, Jain will look after the purchase and replace V Sridhar, who was senior director purchase and has retired. Apart from Iron Pillars existing institutional investors from the US, Europe and the Middle East, the fund also saw participation from new investors including two Endowments and a Foundation. Iron Pillar, a venture growth investor, has successfully closed $129 million for the first-ever Series B and C stage fund focused on investing in global cloud software companies from India. This fund is a part of Iron Pillar Fund II series of Funds. "Iron Pillar is built on a fundamental belief that Indian founders will build large technology companies, not only for India, but also for global markets, said Prasanna. The global cloud opportunity is growing at an unprecedented pace, and we believe that Indian founders will continue to build some generational businesses in this space. Anand Prasanna, managing partner, Iron Pillar, said that there is no dedicated growth stage fund for software from India, while there is a lot of capital for consumer tech in India. The new initiative would help Indian software firms achieve their potential. The cloud ecosystem is rapidly evolving, and we are confident in our ability to help entrepreneurs create market-leading companies in India and around the world," said Mohanjit Jolly, partner, Iron Pillar. Since its founding in 2016, Iron Pillar has been an active investor in multiple global cloud software companies built from India including Uniphore, Servify, CoreStack, Ushur, Jiffy, Sibros and Pando. This fund will continue to focus on backing companies that are transforming the cloud ecosystem globally, with a strong emphasis on Software as a Service (SaaS) and cloud infrastructure across key investment themes such as cyber security and governance, DevOps tools, future of work and education and automation. Also Read India's share in venture capital funding falls sharply; China surges ahead EvolutionX Debt Capital makes maiden investment in PharmEasy parent firm Reimagining venture capital Orient Electric Cloud 3 Fan review: Quite a mist-ical experience, literally Results preview: Order-book booster to stay for capital goods firms Amazon.com Inc lays off about 100 employees in its gaming divisions Thomas Cook to set up forex outlets at Manohar International Airport Space start-up Skyroot conducts long duration test of its cryogenic engine General Motors' 5,000 salaried workers take buyouts to leave company Apple Inc says users report weather app outage in some locations Over the past 7 years, since Iron Pillars inception, the firm has built an impressive track record of backing several break-out companies in cloud software and consumer tech, including Uniphore, Servify, FreshToHome, BlueStone, Skill-Lync and Curefoods. The firm has a unique investment model where it led Series B / C rounds in its portfolio companies and later doubled down on the breakout businesses with 5x to 10x of its initial investment. In addition to capital, Iron Pillar's portfolio companies benefit from the firm's extensive global network, providing access to potential customers, strategic partners, C-suite technology executives and additional sources of capital. The firm currently has nearly $500 million in Assets Under Management (AUM). Iron Pillar's global cloud funds deployment is led by Prasanna and Jolly. Smartr Logistics is expecting to raise USD 30 million in Series A funding round by August this year to drive its aggressive expansion plans which include adding pin codes and services offering among others, a top company executive has said. The city-based company is also eying a more-than-two-fold growth in its topline at Rs 200-250 crore this fiscal from an estimated Rs 90 crore in the just concluded financial year, according to Yogesh Dhingra, Founder, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Smartr Logistics. The logistics platform commenced operations in October 2021 with a seed funding of around Rs 100 crore led by IIFL India Pvt Equity Fund and Smiti Holding & Trading Company (Jalaj Dani Family Office). It currently offers services in both air express and ground logistics space.The company had raised close to Rs 100 crore for seed capital, which was a good amount to run the business (in its initial phase). I think investors are quite comfortable to see this. We are now getting into a Series A fundraise, which would be to the tune of USD 30-million approximately. And then we will further expand our reach in the domestic market, and hence the product offerings, Dhingra told PTI. In the fresh round of capital infusion, the company would prefer institutional investors and particularly the ones who besides bringing money also bring with them some kind of benchmark and advice to the table, he said. Also Read How to select an equity fund? Adani poised to be largest shareholder in NDTV as open offer subscribed 32% India should target $350 bn exports through e-commerce by 2030: GTRI Why are India's super wealthy looking abroad for family offices? Shiprocket enables 1st inter-city logistics for small merchants on ONDC Speciale Invest announces new Rs 200 crore fund for deep tech start-ups Adani Ports ends FY23 with 9% growth, largest port cargo volume ever Hindalco recalibrates capex to $4.5 bn from $7.9 bn, cites challenges Reliance, Jio raise $5 bn in largest syndicated loan in India: Report GQG Partners sees $2 billion Adani bet delivering returns over 100% The Series A fundraise will be completed by August, he added. This would be followed by Series B funding, which is expected to come around by early 2025 for implementing the company's warehousing business plans, which should come in the second half of 2024, according to Dhingra. Smartr is looking to add more pin codes in its operations, he said with a total of 4,000 pin codes by June this year. The target is to reach 6,500 pin codes by December this year and a total of 8,500-9,000 by June 2024, he said. This would give the company a market coverage of about 80-85 per cent. I think 8,500 pin codes are good enough for both B2C and e-commerce. And B2B has to play a substantial part in the market, he asserted. According to Dhingra, the company is growing more than the industry in the segments it is catering to with door-to-door pickup and delivery service clocking about 40 per cent growth while the road express service launched in December last year also getting a good response. We have e-commerce, within that we have forward, reverse logistics which has a significant portion to our revenue. We are growing at about 35-40 per cent in this segment whereas the industry is growing at 30 per cent. The normal B2B segment is growing about 20 per cent against 15 per cent of the industry's growth, he said. In the ground service segment, the company as of now is into B2B, which is growing at 50 per cent month-on-month, he said. The e-commerce ground service is expected to commence from this month, according to Smartr. At the current run rate, he said, the company expects to register revenue to the tune of Rs 200-250 crore by March next year as against an estimated Rs 90 crore in FY 23, thereby growing its topline by more than double, he said. Besides the domestic market, which will continue to drive growth, Smartr plans to make foray into cross-border logistics business from this fiscal with the Middle-east to begin with followed by the US and Europe. According to a regulatory filing by Tata Steel, the company's overall steel output in the prior quarter was 7.55 MT. Tata Steel on Wednesday reported that during the January-March quarter of FY23, its consolidated steel production increased by about 3 per cent to 7.77 million tonne. The major commodities in which India has a trade deficit with China include electronic components, computer hardware, telecom instruments, industrial machinery for dairy and organic chemicals, Parliament was informed on Wednesday. Some of the services in which India has a trade deficit with China include construction, telecommunication, computer and information services, maintenance and repair services, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Anupriya Patel said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. She said the commodities exhibiting trade deficit with China constituted 86.7 per cent of the total trade in 2014-15, which has reduced to 83.8 per cent of the total trade with China in 2021-22. "Similarly, the services exhibiting trade deficit with China contributed 30.3 per cent to the total trade with China in 2014, which has reduced to 18.5 per cent in 2019," she said. Replying to a separate question, she said India has signed 13 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with its trading partners including the UAE, Australia and Singapore. "India is currently negotiating FTAs with the United Kingdom, the European Union and Canada. However, it is difficult to predict the timeline for completion of negotiations, as agreements are entered into when negotiating countries are satisfied with the outcome," she added. Also Read How reliable is India's China trade data? India's trade deficit in October widens to $26.91 bn, exports down 17% India-China trade at $135.98 bn in 2022. Trade deficit crosses $100 bn mark Electronic firm Avalon Technologies to launch its Rs 865-cr IPO on April 3 BEL, YIL join hands for ammunition hardware, military grade components Financials, IT aid rise in Indian shares ahead of RBI rate decision RBI monetary policy: Will the central bank hike repo rate again tomorrow? India services growth slows down in March after 12-year high in Feb Floor mats for four-wheelers to attract 28% GST, says Gujarat AAR More than Rs 40,700 crore sanctioned under Stand-Up India Scheme in 7 years In another reply, Patel said that as announced in Union Budget 2022-23, Special Economic Zones Act, 2005 will be replaced with a new legislation that will enable states to become partners in Development of Enterprise and Service Hubs. "The legislation is currently under inter-ministerial consultations," she said. Replying to a question on startups, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Parkash said that since the launch of Startup India initiative in 2016, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has recognised 92,683 entities as startups as on February 28. As at February-end this year, Rs 537.25 crore has been approved to 148 incubators by the Experts Advisory Committee under Startup India Seed Fund Scheme and Rs 235.25 crore has been disbursed to the approved incubators. Launched on April 5, 2016, the Stand-Up India Scheme has witnessed more than Rs 40,700 crore sanctioned to over 180,630 accounts. The scheme aims to promote entrepreneurship at the grassroot level focusing on economic empowerment and job creation and has been extended up to the year 2025. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the scheme has touched numerous lives by ensuring access to hassle-free affordable credit to the unserved/underserved segment of entrepreneurs. She added that the scheme has provided wings to aspiring entrepreneurs to showcase their entrepreneurial acumen and the potential entrepreneurs hold in driving economic growth and building a strong ecosystem by being job creators is immense. The scheme has created an ecosystem which facilitates and continues to provide a supportive environment for setting up green field enterprises through access to loans from bank branches of all Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs). The scheme has proved to be an important milestone in promoting entrepreneurship among SC, ST and women, the Finance Minister said on the 7th anniversary of SUPI Scheme. Union Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat Kisanrao Karad said, "Stand-up India scheme is based on the third pillar of National Mission for Financial Inclusion namely Funding the unfunded and has ensured availability of seamless credit flow from branches of Schedule Commercial Banks to SC/ST and women entrepreneurs. The scheme has been instrumental in improving the standards of living for entrepreneurs, their employees, and their families. "It is also a matter of immense pleasure for me that more than 80 per cent of loans given under this scheme have been provided to women, he added. The purpose of the scheme is to provide loans for greenfield enterprises in manufacturing, services, or the trading sector and activities allied to agriculture and facilitates bank loans between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore to at least one Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe borrower and at least one woman borrower per bank branch of scheduled commercial banks. After transitioning into more vulnerable employment types and out of the workforce during the Covid-19 pandemic, upward transition by urban workers in employment became more common in the last year, according to the World Bank's latest report on India. In Q2CY2020, over 35 per cent of urban self-employed workers transitioned to casual wage work, and among salaried workers, about 40 per cent had to switch to casual wage work, with both males and females being equally impacted. However, thereafter, fewer distress-induced job transitions occurred in Q2CY2021, and only around 20 per cent of salaried and self-employed workers transitioned either into casual-wage work or exited the labour force. By Q2CY2022, upward job transitions became more common i.e., workers transitioned from being unemployed to casual wage workers 10 per cent of male unemployed workers in Q1CY2022 became casual wage workers in Q2CY2022. [However] Urban women [continued to] face both upward and downward transitions. Around 25 per cent of female casual-wage workers moved upwards into self employment and salaried work, while a similar share also moved out of the workforce, the report noted. The report also noted that since 2020, the female worker population ratio (FWPR) increased from 20 per cent in 2017-18 to 28 per cent in 2021-22, largely driven by women engaged in unpaid work in rural areas. In contrast, the increase in FWPR in urban areas was slight, from 16.5 per cent in 2017 to 19.7 per cent in 2022. The report also noted the rise of gig workers i.e. workers on a digital platform, and the contractual nature of their employment, and says that they will be an important indicator to track. Gig-workers are a new category of workers captured by the Consumer Pyramids Household Survey (May-December 2022) as self-employed or salaried workers on a digital platform, the report noted. Using digital transactions per capita data from PhonePe Pulse Dataset (2022-Q1), the report presents a share of gig-workers as a percentage of urban, service sector workers and the per capita transactions. It notes that the while states such as Karnataka and Haryana have large shares of gig-workers and higher per-capita transactions, the relationship varies across states. Goldman Sachs, which has funded the business and management education of 2,400 women in India, has claimed these beneficiaries have helped create around 12,000 new jobs as well as add Rs 2,800 crore in revenues to the country's economy. The investment banking major first launched the graduation programme in the country in 2008. The numbers, it said, are based on a study carried out by the Indian School of Business (ISB) among 2,400 women entrepreneurs, who participated in Goldman Sachs women initiative. The study found that these 10,000 women have doubled their existing workforce, quadrupled their revenue, and increased their productivity by five times on an average, within 18 months of graduating from the programme and most of them expect to increase hiring and grow revenue. Sonjoy Chatterjee, chairman and chief executive officer of Goldman Sachs India, said women entrepreneurs are still significantly under represented in the country and face significant hurdles to access capital, which means there is more work to be done to unlock their true potential. He said only 20 per cent of the domestic businesses are led by women, and they contribute just 3 per cent of the overall industrial output. Also Read Apple teams with Goldman Sachs to offer savings accounts to card users T20 World Cup Final Highlights: Australia complete 2nd hattrick of titles Goldman Sachs to unveil fresh job cuts in a matter of weeks, says CEO Goldman Sachs unveils business revamp as third-quarter profit falls Goldman Sachs plans to lay off hundreds of employees: Report India has built a world-class digital public infrastructure, says IMF Employers must seek employees preferred tax regime for deducting TDS: CBDT Western Railway launches app for live-tracking of trains in Mumbai suburban India elected to UN statistical body for four-year term from January 1 Stay on 'black money' notice to Anil Ambani to continue: High Court The study has analysed how women entrepreneurs are implementing what they have learned from the programme and how they seek to benefit from the emerging growth themes. These include digital technology adoption to drive innovation and efficiency; boosting exporting and tapping into a globally competitive talent pool for growth. Since 2014, when it launched the women entrepreneurs opportunity facility in a global partnership with the International Finance Corporation, more than 38,000 women entrepreneurs have received over 45,900 loans worth around USD 720 million through the programme as of December 2021. Globally the facility has reached over 1,64,000 women entrepreneurs who were provided over USD 4.5 billion in loans via financial institutions across 55 countries. As many as 185 people from outside Jammu and Kashmir have bought land in the Union Territory in the last three years, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, however, said as per the information provided by Ladakh, no land has been bought by outsiders in the UT. "As per the information provided by the government of Jammu and Kashmir, a total of 185 people from outside the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have bought land in the UT during 2020, 2021 and 2022," he said replying to a written question. While, one person bought land in 2020, 57 bought in 2021 and 127 in 2022, he said. The Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was abrogated on August 5, 2019, and the erstwhile state was bifurcated into two UTs -- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Following the Constitutional change in October 2020, the Union Home Ministry issued a notification stating that any Indian citizen can buy land, except agricultural, in municipal areas of Jammu and Kashmir without being a domicile. Also Read Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury seeks discussion in parliament on Jammu-Kashmir Doors of party always open for secular-minded people: J&K Congress chief J-K BJP pres, former dep CM visits slain Kashmiri pandit's house in Jammu Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar likely to host G20 event: Govt official Kashmiri Pandits reject Shopian admin's claim, resolve to never return Can't make separate guidelines for politicians: SC quashes plea by Oppn Boosted spirit of enterprise our people are blessed with: PM Modi LS proceedings adjourned for the day as Opposition protests on Adani issue 3 out of 4 Indians say they didn't take a Covid-19 test despite symptoms Cleanliness drives, bike rally to mark BJP's 43rd foundation day in Gujarat The minister said as per the information provided by the government of Jammu and Kashmir, a total of 1,559 Indian companies, including multinational companies, have made investments in the UT. However, no Indian companies, including multinational companies, have invested in UT of Ladakh during the last three years. The Karnataka unit of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday lodged a complaint with the Lokayukta here alleging Rs 1,300 crore scam against former IAS officer and BJP ticket aspirant for Koratagere Assembly seat, Anil Kumar. Dr. Vishwanth, AAP working president while talking to reporters said, "When Anil Kumar was at the helm in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in 2019-20, he was allegedly involved in Rs 1,300 crore scams." "In 2019-20, senior IAS officer Anil Kumar was the commissioner of BBMP. It is almost certain that he will be the BJP candidate in Koratagere Assembly constituency. There were three major irregularities during his tenure as BBMP Commissioner," stated state communication in-charge Brijesh Kalappa. "Rs 31.6 crore for smart parking was sanctioned. Although it does not cost that much money, an additional Rs two crore was released. Anil Kumar released it to the contractor company by name Buildings Control Solution India Pvt Ltd," he alleged. "When Anil Kumar was the commissioner, there was a problem in the removal of rainwater silt. The contract for eight zones was awarded to a single firm named M/s. Yoga and Company at a cost of Rs 36 crore. Since the work was not done properly, Bengaluru had to face floods. People's tax money has been looted by releasing more money than required," Kalappa said. "When Anil Kumar was commissioner, BBMP spent Rs 969 crore for the work of tube wells. There should be a proper investigation done into how such a huge amount of money was used. In this, Rs 49 crore was spent only at one place. Apart from this, a treatment centre was opened at the International Warehouse for the treatment of Covid. Also Read Deepak Kesarkar introduces Maharashtra Lokayukta Bill 2022 in Assembly BJP's Adesh Gupta resigns post-MCD loss; interim charge with Sachdeva Maha Assembly passes Lokayukta Bill, brings CM under anti-corruption lens Gujarat polls: Kejriwal, Mann and Gehlot to begin their 3-day state visit AAP to contest in 'as many seats as possible' in Nagaland assembly polls 'Beware' of man who did not stay loyal to his former party: Cong to PM President promises support to South Sudan in ongoing political process 185 outsiders bought land in Jammu and Kashmir in last 3 years: Government Sugar output falls 3% to 29.96 mn tonnes in Oct-Mar of 2022-23: Isma Can't make separate guidelines for politicians: SC quashes plea by Oppn "A huge amount of illegality has also taken place by spending crores of rupees. Irregularities worth Rs 1,300 crore have taken place when Anil Kumar was Commissioner. We demand the Lokayukta to investigate these matters," said Kalappa. --IANS mka/dpb Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday blamed the Centre for the suspension of free yoga classes under the AAP government's 'Dilli Ki Yogshala' initiative but expressed hope that it will restart again, saying good things cannot be stopped. He was speaking during the launch of 'CM di Yogshala' programme in Punjab. The initiative was initially launched for four cities -- Patiala, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Phagwara by Kejriwal along with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. A 'CM di yogshala' portal was also launched on the occasion. Kejriwal was referring the AAP government's 'Dilli ki Yogshala' programme that offered free yoga classes and was launched in the national capital in 2021. The programme, however, was stopped last year amid a tussle between the city government and Lt Governor VK Saxena. Also Read Kejriwal, Mann to jointly launch Punjab's 'CM di Yogshala' on Apr 5 Punjab govt won't hesitate in taking tough decisions: Kejriwal on Amritpal Sisodia meets Delhi LG, seeks continuation of 'Dilli ki Yogshala' programme Free yoga classes under 'Dili Ki Yogshala' scheme will continue: Kejriwal CM Mann to take action against ex-Punjab DGP over PM's security breach 5 Indian-origin women executives on Barron's 100 Most Influential Women Fully geared up to deal with Covid-19: Punjab health minister Balbir Singh Over 11,000 vehicles scrapped till March 31 by vehicle scrapping facilities ED opposes Sisodia's bail, says some crucial evidence still being unearthed Video telematics platform Lightmetrics raises $8.5 mn from Sequoia Capital Under the Punjab government's initiative, people could give a missed call on a helpline number 7669400500 to seek a free yoga teacher from the state government. Sixty people have been trained at Guru Ravidas University to teach yoga under the 'CM di Yogshala' initiative. "When we had started this in Delhi, gradually 17,000 people used to do yoga daily under the initiative. People were very happy as yoga keeps people healthy and keeps one active. Breathing exercises and meditation were also part of it. "As it (his govt's yoga initiative) was spreading in Delhi.. one day Delhi LG stopped this.. However, no one can stop good things, isn't it so?," said Kejriwal attacking the Centre. Kejriwal further said, "LG sahab may have stopped it, but I am hopeful that we will restart it some day again in Delhi". "Now, our government is in power in Punjab and we have started it (CM Di Yogshala) here. Where all will they stop?. Good work cannot be stopped. The one doing work is bigger than the one who stops it. They stop work, we are doing work, we are doing work for the people," he further said. "We had started this new experiment in Delhi..," he said referring to 'Dilli ki Yogshala' programme. "In Delhi, on governance front, many new experiments are being undertaken including in education, health, power, water and infrastructure sectors and we are getting success. "And taking lessons from there, these experiments are spreading in other parts of the country. In that, one experiment was to make people do yoga," he said. The Delhi CM said in the first phase, this programme was being launched in four cities and later it will be launched throughout the state. "If a group of 25 want to do yoga in their mohalla or any colony, then all one has to do is to give a missed call on given phone number and the Punjab government will provide free yoga teacher after taking all details from the caller. The teacher will teach yoga for free as per people's convenience in the morning," said Kejriwal. "Initially, we are starting this in four cities of Patiala, Phagwara, Amritsar and Ludhiana and later on this will be expanded to other cities and towns too and three crore people of the state will be imparted free Yoga training," Kejriwal said. I am hopeful that people of Punjab will benefit a lot with this, he said, adding that a lot of work is being done in the health sector. "As many as 504 Mohalla Clinics have been started in the state. This is just the beginning. We have to open 3,000 to 4,000 such clinics in the state. Free treatment including free tests and medicines are given in these clinics. "But we want that in the first place people should not fall sick and for this we want people to do yoga and stay away from diseases. "However, if one falls sick, government is opening these Mohalla clinics and government hospitals are also being made better," he said, while adding during the past one year, the Bhagwant Mann government has done many works in several fields. Speaking on this occasion, Mann also said the programme was started in Delhi first by the Arvind Kejriwal government and instructors gave free Yoga training to people in neighbourhood parks. "The demand for this rose, but it was stopped by Delhi LG," said Mann. Mann also said free yoga teachers will be provided for learning yoga under the 'CM di yogshala' initiative. On this occasion, ministers Balbir Singh, Chetan Singh Jouramajra, AAP MP Raghav Chadha, MLAs Ajitpal Singh Kohli, Gurlal Ghanaur and Neena Mittal were also present. With dust settling on communal disturbances in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday rejected charges of administrative laxity and vented spleen against Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the BJP, vowing to expose those who had orchestrated the riots. The JD(U) leader also lambasted AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, calling him an agent of the BJP. He was replying to queries from journalists on the sidelines of a function organised on the occasion of birth anniversary of former deputy prime minister and dalit stalwart Babu Jagjeevan Ram. Kumar's remarks come a day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed that the BJP was bringing in goons to create riots in her state. The Bihar CM taunted Shah over the much-publicised rioters will be hung upside down if BJP comes to power in Bihar remark at a rally in Nawada district on Sunday, and reminded him of riots in 2017 when our government had to arrest the son of a BJP leader". The allusion was to the riots that broke out during Ram Navami, incidentally in 2018 and not 2017, at Bhagalpur. Union minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey's son Arijit Shashwat was named among the key accused in the case. Also Read Ram Navami 2023: Date, history, significance, celebration in India Amit Shah's Sasaram rally cancelled due to imposition of section 144 Bihar CM Nitish Kumar frowns upon CBI charge sheet against Lalu Yadav 'Shameful': Prasad on Nitish's disapproval of CBI chargesheet against Lalu BJP has closed its door forever for Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, says Amit Shah Ex-Lok Sabha MP Shivarame Gowda joins BJP in poll-bound Karnataka Indian study shows how Covid accelerates progression of dementia IRCTC starts Bharat Gaurav Yatra train promoting Indian culture, heritage Min temp in Delhi settles below season's average at 15.9 degrees C Monopolies in various sectors pushing prices higher: Jairam Ramesh The Bihar CM, who was a minister in the Union Cabinet headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, also reminded Shah how angry revered (shraddhey') Atal ji was, indirectly referring to the 2002 riots of Gujarat, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief minister of that state. About the conflagration that erupted in Sasaram and Bihar Sharif last week, again during Ram Navami, Kumar asserted that there was no administrative laxity, but added the riots were orchestrated (jaan boojhkar karvaaya gaya') and those behind the incident will be known soon. Just wait, door to door searches are on. The riots last week were planned thoroughly. No wonder, one of the places, Sasaram, happened to be where he (Amit Shah) was supposed to visit. And the other was Bihar Sharif, a town which is dear to me, said Kumar, who hails from Nalanda district, where Bihar Sharif is headquartered. In June last year, NCERT issued a list of deletions to the syllabus to help students make a "speedy recovery" from losses of the Covid-19 pandemic. The NCERT textbooks that have been made available in the market this year, come with a "rationalised" syllabus. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has deleted several chapters related to topics like the Mughal era, the Delhi Sultanate, and the dislike of Hindu extremist organisations for Mahatma Gandhi, a report by the Indian Express (IE) said on Wednesday. Deletions from NCERT books in June 2022 However, the IE report said that changes are more than those earlier mentioned in the list of deletions. In the world history books for the same class titled "Contemporary World Politics", chapters "The Cold War Era" and "US Hegemony in World Politics" were removed. In the book "Politics in India Since Independence", topics "controversies regarding Emergency" and "Gujarat riots", among others, were deleted. In the changes made last year, the chapter titled "Kings and Chronicles; the Mughal Courts (C. Sixteen-Seventeenth Centuries)" was deleted from the Class 12 textbook "Themes in Indian History- Part II". Also Read The last days of Mughal Delhi Books turn over a new leaf with boom in religion and spirituality Rahul Gandhi convicted in Modi surname defamation case: What we know so far Sentenced to 2-year jail, Rahul Gandhi quotes Mahatma Gandhi in Tweet Explained: Mahatma to Mangalyaan, how currency notes evolved in India Rajya Sabha proceedings adjourned till 2 pm amid sloganeering by Oppn 'Vande Bharat' train's miniature scale model showcased at Pune's Museaum LS: MP gives adjournment notice to discuss govt in 'market for new spyware' Modern Indian history should start from 2014: Sibal takes dig at govt Treasury benches forestalled debate: Chidambaram on 'no debate on budget' The chapter on "India After Independence" was removed from the Class 8 syllabus. For Class 10, full chapters on "Democracy and Diversity", "Popular Struggles and Movements" and "Challenges to Democracy" were deleted. In the Class 11 book "Themes in World History", chapters on "The Central Islamic Lands", "The Confrontation of Cultures" and "The Industrial Revolution" were removed. Actual changes more than in the "rationalisation" list The actual changes, however, seem wider than those listed. "He (Gandhi) was particularly disliked by those who wanted Hindus to take revenge or who wanted India to become a country for the Hindus, just as Pakistan was for Muslims. They accused Gandhiji of acting in the interests of the Muslims and Pakistan. Gandhiji thought that these people were misguided. He was convinced that any attempt to make India into a country only for the Hindus would destroy India. His steadfast pursuit of Hindu-Muslim unity provoked Hindu extremists so much that they made several attempts to assassinate Gandhiji," the deleted passage reads as per the IE report. In the first chapter of the Class 12 Political Science textbook "Politics in India since Independence", sentences related to how Hindu extremists dislike Mahatma Gandhi. "Gandhiji's death had an almost magical effect on the communal situation in the country. Partition-related anger and violence suddenly subsided. The Government of India cracked down on organisations that were spreading communal hatred. Organisations like the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh were banned for some time. Communal politics began to lose its appeal," the deleted sentences read. Another sentence related to the government's ban on Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) following Gandhi's assassination has been removed. In the Class 7 textbook, Our Pasts-II, a two-page table detailing achievements of Mughal emperors such as Humayun, Shah Jahan, Akbar, Jahangir and Aurangzeb has been removed. Moreover, from the history textbook for Class 12, "Themes in Indian History Part III", NCERT has dropped a "Brahmin" reference to Nathuram Godse, Gandhi's assassin. The part where it said that he was the "editor of an extremist Hindu newspaper" has also been removed. This is the third review of the syllabus since 2014. The first one was done in 2017. NCERT made 1,334 changes, including additions, corrections and data updates, in 182 textbooks in that review. In the Class 6 history textbook, "Our Pasts I", sentences on the hereditary nature of varnas, classification of people as untouchables and rejection of the varna system have been removed from the chapter "Kingdom, Kings and Early Republic". Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday dared Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to "keep aside ED-CBI" and face the Opposition, even as his colleague and MP Priyanka Chaturvedi met Union Home Minister Amit Shah to draw his attention to the attack on her party colleague in Thane. In a tough rejoinder to Fadnavis, Raut said that because "they have the ED-CBI bodyguards behind them", they are talking so much against the Opposition parties. Referring to Fadnavis' claim that he was not a 'fadtus' (useless) - as labelled by Sena (UBT) President and ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray - but a "kartoos" (cartridge), Raut took a swipe, saying it was more like a "wet kartoos". Hitting back at Thackeray, Fadnavis had said on Tuesday that "I am not a 'fadtus' but a 'kartoos' and would not bend but enter," while the state BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule warned the ex-CM "to gag-up" or face the consequences of criticising the Deputy CM (Fadnavis). In a related development, Sena (UBT) MP Chaturvedi called on Shah in New Delhi and informed him of the attack on her party colleague in Thane, the hometown of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and how the police was not lodging an FIR in the matter. Raut said that Thackeray's comment ('fadtus') was very mild and shot back - "The Supreme Court has called your government 'impotent' recently." Also Read Rs 2,000 cr deal to purchase Shiv Sena name and symbol, says Sanjay Raut Uddhav holds meeting with his camp leaders at Shiv Sena Bhavan in Mumbai Maha: Complaint filed against Raut for objectionable remarks against Shinde MVA's collapse, its aftermath kept political pot boiling in Maha in 2022 EC's Sena order doesn't mean Thackeray faction weak or demoralised: NCP BSF apprehendes Pakistani national trying to enter India via Gujarat Bihar riots were orchestrated, culprits will be exposed soon: CM Nitish Ex-Lok Sabha MP Shivarame Gowda joins BJP in poll-bound Karnataka Indian study shows how Covid accelerates progression of dementia IRCTC starts Bharat Gaurav Yatra train promoting Indian culture, heritage "Your becoming home minister is not a problem for us but a problem for the state... Women are being attacked, three women committed suicide in Mantralaya after you (Fadnavis) became home minister... What is the CM doing about it," demanded Raut. Targetting Bawankule, Raut gave dark hints and asked why (Bawankule) was not given a poll ticket in 2019, who 'cut it' off and what he 'did' in the electricity department which the BJP chief handled in the previous regime. The Sena (UBT) leader said that Fadnavis was "bowing" before Shinde now and termed him a "wet cartridge". --IANS qn/svn/ Amid a rise in COVID-19 cases, Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi on Wednesday said all civic-run hospitals are "fully prepared" to deal with the coronavirus situation and appealed to people not to panic. The mayor was interacting with reporters at the Civic Centre here a day after Delhi recorded 521 COVID-19 cases -- the highest single-day rise since August 27 last year -- and one fatality. "This morning I visited the MCD-run Hindu Rao Hospital and took stock of the arrangements there, including on Covid beds, oxygen availability, testing facility and stock of medicine. Later, a meeting was also held with doctors and others from the hospital administration department of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi on the Covid situation," she said. Hindu Rao Hospital is the largest civic-run hospital with 980 beds. "The situation is fully under control and people should not panic. Our hospitals, doctors and staff are all equipped to handle the situation," Oberoi said, adding the Delhi government is making arrangements and the MCD too is "fully prepared". "All councillors have been told that they should visit dispensaries in their wards and patients who have flu-like or Covid-like symptoms should immediately be sent for a test. We also have assessed the availability of oxygen beds, ICU beds and stock of medicine. We have the availability as of now," the mayor told reporters. Also Read After much delay, stage set to elect new MCD mayor following SC order Delhi MCD: All you need to know about the prestige battle in the capital BJP fields Shalimar Bagh councillor Rekha Gupta for Delhi Mayor polls Municipal House to elect national capital's mayor, deputy mayor today Delhi mayor polls: Amid sloganeering, MCD House adjourned briefly Rs 70,000 cr corridor for tribal dominated region in Budget 2023-24: Govt Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann launch 'CM di Yogshala' programme in Punjab 5 Indian-origin women executives on Barron's 100 Most Influential Women Fully geared up to deal with Covid-19: Punjab health minister Balbir Singh Over 11,000 vehicles scrapped till March 31 by vehicle scrapping facilities "We do not want the situation as it was two to three years ago. So, we want to be prepared. But again, people should not panic," she said. According to the Tuesday bulletin, the positivity rate was 15.64 per cent. Delhi recorded 573 Covid cases on August 27 last year with a positivity rate of 3.62 per cent along with five deaths. The city's COVID-19 death toll now stands at 26,533. With the new cases, the city's infection tally has increased to 20,11,555. The data showed that 3,331 Covid tests were conducted on Monday. Delhi has witnessed an increase in the number of fresh Covid cases over the last few days amid a sharp rise in H3N2 influenza cases in the country. The Delhi government is keeping an eye on the spurt in Covid cases in the national capital and is "prepared to face any eventuality", Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday. In a near rerun of the dark days of COVID lockdown, three destitute migrant workers from Odisha walked and hitch-hiked over 1,000 km to Koraput on their way home to Kalahandi from Bangalore in seven days. They reached their homes on Sunday, their pockets empty and holding on only to their water bottles, with tales of struggle, hardships, exploitation and gestures of help from unknown people during the long journey. The trio - Budu Majhi, Katar Majhi and Bhikari Majhi from Tingalkan village of Kalahandi district had undertaken the arduous journey after being denied their wages by their employer in far away Bengaluru. They had exhausted their meagre savings and had no food or money left. On reaching Koraput, they told locals at Padalguda in Potangi block that they had started their journey on March 26 and walked even at night over the seven days. At some places they managed to get lifts. Many people, touched by their ordeal came forward spontaneously and helped them. A shopkeeper offered them food, while the president of Potangi unit of Odisha Motorists Association, Bhagwan Padal gave them Rs 1,500 and arranged for their transport to Nabarangpur, which is on way to Kalahandi. The three men were part of a 12-member group of migrant workers who had travelled to the southern city two months ago with the help of middlemen in search of jobs. Also Read South Asian migrant workers wary of life after FIFA World Cup in Qatar India to see avg salary hikes of 10.2% in 2023, biggest in e-commerce: EY High festive demand pushes up demand for gig and temp workers: Report Pay parity: BCCI announces equal match fee for men, women cricketers Odisha writes to Centre seeking release of pending food subsidy to state Campuses turn to core engineering, manufacturing amid IT hiring slump India Grid commissions its first battery energy storage system project Increasing number of brick kilns near Srinagar airport pose risk to flights TMC delegation holds talks with officials over MGNREGA fund dues Not Kharge, but Rahul is captain of Congress: Ghulam Nabi Azad They found work after reaching Bengaluru but their employer allegedly denied them wages even though they worked for two months. When they asked for their pay they were thrashed, the trio said. "We had gone to Bengaluru with the hope of earning money to support our families. But instead of paying our pending dues the company staff beat us whenever we asked for it. Unable to bear the torture any further, we left the place, Bhikari Majhi told PTI. "The condition of the three migrants workers was pathetic when they reached Koraput by foot from Bengaluru. We offered them food, collected some money and sent them home with the help of a few people," Padal told PTI. Congress lawmaker Santosh Singh Saluja, who hails from the backward KBK (Koraput-Bolangir-Kalahandi) said the incident was reflective of the condition of migrant workers from the region. Training his guns at the Naveen Patnaik government in Odisha, he said it has failed the people even after being in power for 23 years. Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Sarat Patnaik told PTI that the government is spending crores to finance the travels of bureaucrats and politicians to Japan in the name of bringing in investment instead of bothering about poor people. The chief minister is on a tour to Japan. Odisha Labour Minister Srikant Sahu and labour commissioner N Thirumala Naik did not respond to repeated calls or messages from PTI on the issue. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice Hima Kohli stated that the government was using national security as a tool to deny citizens their legal rights. The Supreme Court on Wednesday quashed the Centres telecast ban on the Malayalam news channel MediaOne. The court also gave the government four weeks to renew the news channels broadcast permit. The case On January 31, MediaOne TV went off the air after the Centre suspended its telecast for "security reasons." The channel then petitioned the Supreme Court, which ordered the Centre to produce the files on which it had refused to renew the news channel's licence. The SC issued an interim order allowing the channel to continue operations after reviewing the files. While upholding the Centre's decision in March last year, the high court stated that it had examined the confidential files on the matter and was convinced there was a threat to national security. Also Read Three questions on EWS quota: Here's what the Supreme Court judges said Supreme Court upholds 10 per cent reservation for EWS in 3:2 verdict What does the EWS quota verdict mean for India? Supreme Court rejects plea seeking declaration of cow as national animal Same-sex marriage in India: What did Supreme Court say in the case? Rs 70,000 cr corridor for tribal dominated region in Budget 2023-24: Govt MCD hospitals fully prepared, no need to panic: Mayor on Covid cases rise Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann launch 'CM di Yogshala' programme in Punjab 5 Indian-origin women executives on Barron's 100 Most Influential Women Fully geared up to deal with Covid-19: Punjab health minister Balbir Singh The SC also said that considerations of national security did not preclude the state from acting fairly. The bench made the interim order absolute on Wednesday, stating that the high court was not justified in ruling on the case based on documents submitted by the Union home ministry in a sealed cover. The bench also stated that the Centre failed to explain why disclosing the reasons for its decision to MediaOne would be detrimental to national security. "If the state discards its duty to act fairly, then it must be justified before the court and the facts of the case. The state must satisfy the court that national security concerns are involved," it said. "The state is using national security as a tool to deny citizens remedies that are provided under the law. This is not compatible with the rule of law," it said. It also claimed that simply mentioning the phrase "national security" would not preclude judicial review of a decision. Court's judgement The Centre had claimed that it had an anti-establishment stance based on the channel's reports on the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens. However, the court ruled that these could not be grounds for refusing to renew its broadcast licence. "The press has a duty to speak the truth and present citizens with hard facts, enabling them to make choices that prepare democracy in the right direction," it said. The courty added, "A homogenised view on issues that range from socioeconomic policy to political ideologies would pose grave dangers to democracy." The court said that independent media is crucial to the functioning of a democratic republic. There was no material to show that the channels office-bearers were shareholders of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, the court said. The court also ruled that the claim that MediaOne was affiliated with the Islamic organisation Jamaat-e-Islami Hind was false. It also noted that the organisation is not banned. (With agency input) Odisha received investment intent of Rs 26,000 crore in various sectors as Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik met Japanese industrialists in Tokyo on Wednesday. The investment intent was received in sectors such as logistics, steel, Green Hydrogen and IT/ITeS. An MoU for collaboration in the skill development sector was also signed between Nihon-Utkal and IIIT, Bhubaneswar, an official release issued by the chief minister's office said. The business meet was attended by representatives of more than 200 leading companies in Japan and the Indo-Pacific region. They were offered an opportunity to explore various avenues of collaboration with the state government and local companies in Odisha, it said. Patnaik also held a meeting with the senior leadership of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), who iterated their commitment to supporting infrastructure development in Odisha. Also Read Odisha receives 145 proposals worth Rs 7.26 trn so far in biz conclave Pradhan asks Odisha CM Patnaik to get cabinet nod for Padampur district Odisha CM unveils Biju Patnaik's iconic Dakota aircraft for public display Odisha receiving numerous proposals, govt focused on job creation: Patnaik Patnaik announces Rs 146 cr winter aid for needy as Odisha shivers in cold India has built a world-class digital public infrastructure, says IMF Employers must employees about preferred tax regime for deducting TDS: CBDT 10k women funded under its prog added Rs 2,800 cr to economy: Goldman Sachs Western Railway launches app for live-tracking of trains in Mumbai suburban India elected to UN statistical body for four-year term from January 1 Addressing the business meet, Patnaik said, "Odisha is one of the fastest growing states in India. We are fast emerging as a major industrial destination in India because of our natural resources and strategic location." Patnaik said Odisha is becoming the fulcrum of trade and commerce in the Bay of Bengal region and elaborated on the measures taken by the state government to help industries cater to untapped markets in eastern and northeastern India as well as markets in ASEAN and East Asia region. "As we enter a new era of industrialisation propelled by advancement in technology, we require a collaborative effort between the governments, industries and people to ensure consistent growth," he said. Patnaik said renovation of Buddhist pilgrimage sites has been a key agenda of his government. "The state is transforming Buddhist sites such as Dhauli, Udaygiri, Ratnagiri and Lalitgiri. I request all my Japanese friends to visit Odisha," Patnaik said. Emphasising that South Sudan can benefit from the Indian experience in Parliamentary democracy, including the drafting of a new constitution, President Droupadi Murmu Wednesday said India will extend full support in the process. Welcoming a parliamentary delegation from South Sudan, led by the Speaker of the Transitional National Assembly Jemma Nunu Kumba, at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Murmu said India is proud to be a major troop contributor to the UN Peacekeeping Missions in South Sudan. "The President said that South Sudan can benefit from India's experiences in parliamentary democracy in its ongoing political process, including the drafting of a new Constitution. She further said that India would extend its full support to South Sudan in this process," a statement from Rashtrapati Bhavan said. Underlining the cordial and friendly relations between India and South Sudan, Murmu said apart from peace missions, Indian soldiers are playing an important humanitarian role and contributing to furthering relations between the two countries. India is determined to be a reliable development partner for South Sudan, she added and expressed confidence that the youth of South Sudan would take advantage of the training and capacity-building opportunities provided by India's ITEC and ICCR scholarship programmes. Also Read India supports peace process and capacity building in South Sudan Political transition in Sudan continues to 'face obstacles': India at UNSC Nearly 4 mn children, women in Sudan suffering from acute malnutrition: UN Signing of political agreement in Sudan delayed to usher in civilian govt Thailand targets 2 million Indian tourists in 2023, same as pre-Covid 185 outsiders bought land in Jammu and Kashmir in last 3 years: Government Sugar output falls 3% to 29.96 mn tonnes in Oct-Mar of 2022-23: Isma Can't make separate guidelines for politicians: SC quashes plea by Oppn Boosted spirit of enterprise our people are blessed with: PM Modi LS proceedings adjourned for the day as Opposition protests on Adani issue Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday accused the Centre of double standards, saying while it disqualified Rahul Gandhi with lightning speed, a Gujarat MP who was convicted in a criminal case did not face the same action. Kharge was referring to the BJP's Amreli MP Naranbhai Bhikhabhai Kachhadia, who was awarded a three-year jail term by a court. Kachhadia's conviction was later quashed by the Supreme Court. Gandhi was convicted by a lower court in Gujarat's Surat and sentenced to prison for two years on March 23 for a speech in which he linked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's last name with two fugitive businessmen, remarking how the "thieves" shared the same last name. A day later, he was disqualified as a member of the Lok Sabha. Kharge said the Gujarat MP was allowed to attend the Parliament but a person who speaks the truth has been kept out of Parliament. "The height of the Modi government's hypocrisy and double standards -- a BJP MP from Gujarat is awarded a three-year imprisonment by a local court, sessions court and high court but there was no disqualification till 16 days. Also Read Mallikarjun Kharge becomes first non-Gandhi Congress President in 24 years Rahul Gandhi to attend Congress Prez-elect Kharge's coronation on Wednesday Andaman & Nicobar Cong protest Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha disqualification Oppn leaders protest in Parl, demand discussion on India-China faceoff Congress Prez Kharge yet to decide on replacing Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh CMs Unveiling of Ambedkar's 125-ft statue in Hyderabad to be grand affair Keep ED-CBI aside and face us: Sanjay Raut dares Devendra Fadnavis BSF apprehendes Pakistani national trying to enter India via Gujarat Bihar riots were orchestrated, culprits will be exposed soon: CM Nitish Ex-Lok Sabha MP Shivarame Gowda joins BJP in poll-bound Karnataka "But Rahul Gandhi was disqualified with lightning speed," Kharge said in a tweet in Hindi. He said one can see who is getting relief and who is getting punished under the Modi regime. Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has also written to Speaker Om Birla seeking a discussion on Gandhi's disqualification. A sessions court in Surat on April 3 granted bail to Gandhi and will hear on April 13 his plea for a stay of his conviction in the 2019 criminal defamation case. Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Wednesday as MPs from the Congress and other opposition parties created a ruckus in the House, demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into fraud allegations against the Adani Group. Opposition MPs started raising slogans as the listed papers were laid on the table of the House at the start of the day's proceedings. Several Congress MPs were dressed in black as a mark of protest. Sloganeering increased as Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said he has received a notice from Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge under Rule 267 of Rajya Sabha for suspension of the scheduled business of the day. Amid the din, the Chairman adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm. Also Read Competition Bill Amendments passed in Rajya Sabha without discussion Pramod Tiwari gives suspension of business notice to discuss Adani issue Adani-Hindenburg row: Why is PM afraid of ordering JPC probe, asks Congress Centre gets extension to frame CAA rules for 7th consecutive time Oppn decides to participate in parliament proceedings to demand JPC probe 'Vande Bharat' train's miniature scale model showcased at Pune's Museaum LS: MP gives adjournment notice to discuss govt in 'market for new spyware' Modern Indian history should start from 2014: Sibal takes dig at govt Treasury benches forestalled debate: Chidambaram on 'no debate on budget' Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay detained, development triggers protests (Reuters) - Indian refiners' crude oil processing remained near record levels in February, provisional government data showed on Wednesday, catering to rising demand in the world's third biggest oil importer and consumer. Refinery throughput was 2% higher year-on-year at 5.46 million barrels per day (20.85 million tonnes) for February. Throughput stood at 5.39 million barrels per day (22.80 million tonnes)in January. Crude oil processed in million barrels per day (bpd) terms, taking into account the fewer days in February, was the highest since Reuters records going back to 2009. India's fuel demand hit its highest level in at least 24 years in February, with industrial activity in Asia's third biggest economy boosted by cheap Russian oil. In February, Russia tightened its grip on India's oil market, while sending the share of African crude oil in India's total crude imports to its lowest level in at least 22 years. Meanwhile, India's Bank of Baroda stopped clearing payments for Russian oil sold above the price cap set by the West from this month, three sources with direct knowledge of the matter said, a move that could expedite transition to a rupee trade mechanism. Also Read Indian refiners' crude oil processing in December rises 4% y/y: Govt data Indian refiners may buy Russian oil for domestic demand, export own: Report India to examine Russia oil price cap as refiners line up Dec crude buys 5G infra to cost Rs 3 trn in next 4-5 yrs amid elevated debt levels: Icra Oil plunges as China's Covid-19 spike dampens global demand outlook Chilling effect: Supreme Court lifts ban on MediaOne news channel Govt has no plan to use Aadhaar data for census: Rajeev Chandrasekhar Delhi breaks into league of top ten busiest airports for the first time India, Japan agree to diversify defence cooperation in emerging domains Delhi court sends gangster Deepak 'Boxer' to 8-day police custody Natural gas output rose 1.9% to 2.65 billion cubic metres year on year, while crude oil production was down nearly 5% year on year at 2.16 million tonnes, the data showed. India cut its windfall tax on crude oil to zero, a government notification said on Tuesday. Following are details of refinery throughput and crude oil output: REFINERY PRODUCTION IN TERMS OF CRUDE THROUGHPUT (in '000 tonnes): Feb-2023 Feb-2023 Feb-2022 April 2022-Feb April 2021-Feb 2023 2022 Plan Actual Actual Actual Actual IOC, Guwahati 67 86 82 983 637 IOC, Barauni 531 543 529 6,205 5,024 IOC, Gujarat 1,152 1,213 1,200 14,221 12,136 IOC, Haldia 502 665 630 7,764 6,559 IOC, Mathura 619 741 781 8,675 8,239 IOC, Digboi 45 57 50 654 647 IOC, Panipat 1,209 12,08 1,122 12,512 13,564 IOC, Bongaigaon 209 233 181 2,517 2,390 IOC, Paradip 1,228 1,192 1,211 12,180 11,834 BPCL, Mumbai 1,130 1,293 1,236 13,188 13,168 BPCL, Kochi 1,250 1,407 1,934 14,475 13,880 BORL, Bina 635 657 594 7,106 6,706 HPCL, Mumbai 696 804 748 8,930 4,847 HPCL, Visakh 728 746 761 8,413 7,585 CPCL, Manali 840 928 928 10,282 7,978 NRL, Numaligarh 177 244 234 2,886 2,436 MRPL, Mangalore 1,300 1,393 1,392 15,614 13,367 ONGC, Tatipaka 4 6 7 68 69 HMEL, Bhatinda 876 1,008 1,010 11,623 11,935 RIL, Jamnagar 2,777 2,576 2,777 31,611 31,702 RIL, SEZ 2,013 2,280 2,013 25,334 26,191 Nayara, Vadinar 1,563 1,568 1,563 16,985 18,474 TOTAL 19,551 20,848 20,443 2,32,229 2,19,366 Source: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas IOC: Indian Oil Corp BPCL: Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd HPCL: Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd CPCL: Chennai Petroleum Corp Ltd MRPL: Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd Reliance Industries Ltd Please note that CPCL's CBR refinery is de-commissioned under shutdown due to limitation in meeting required product specifications with the existing configuration. CRUDE OUTPUT ('000 tonnes): Feb-2023 Feb-2023 Feb-2022 Plan Actual Actual ONGC Andhra Pradesh 15 16 14 Assam ^ 91 78 77 Gujarat 385 346 341 Tamil Nadu 20 20 21 Offshore # 1,121 983 1,057 OIL Assam, Arunachal Pradesh & 277 246 230 Rajasthan (heavy oil) Private Operators 583 473 532 Total 2,490 2,162 2,273 Total may not tally because some numbers have been rounded. ONGC: Oil and Natural Gas Corp Ltd OIL: Oil India Ltd ^Includes oil output of Tripura #Includes oil output from Mumbai High (Reporting by Arundhati Sarkar and Ashitha Shivaprasad in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber) Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched a sharp attack on Rahul Gandhi and the Congress on Wednesday, alleging the party has been left with no ideology except the one of a "traitor" which works against the country. The BJP leader attacked the Congress for according Rahul Gandhi a "special treatment" following his conviction in a defamation case and accused the party of pressuring the judiciary, and doing everything possible to stay relevant. This party has insulted backward classes, sought proof of our armed forces' bravery and spoken about our soldiers being beaten up by China, Scindia said, in a direct attack on Gandhi who has been accused of making these remarks. "The Congress has been left with no ideology. This Congress has been now left with only one ideology which is of a traitor, an ideology which works against the country," he told reporters. Scindia was incidentally in the Congress for a long time and was considered a close associate of Gandhi. He quit the party and joined the BJP in 2020 following differences with its leadership, especially in his home state Madhya Pradesh, leading to the fall of the Kamal Nath-led government. The minister said the Congress is projecting the "personal legal battle" of Gandhi as a fight for democracy. Also Read Andaman & Nicobar Cong protest Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha disqualification Rahul Gandhi visits memorials of former Prime Ministers, Mahatma Gandhi Rahul means Bharat, Bharat means Rahul, says UP Congress chief Khabri Lok Sabha adjourned for the day over Rahul Gandhi's democracy remark Rahul's remarks disrupt Lok Sabha proceedings for second consecutive day Duty of press to speak truth to power: SC quashes Centre's ban on MediaOne Kerala train fire incident: Police nab suspect from Maharashtra's Ratnagiri 'Historical' changes: Here is what the NCERT has dropped from text books Rajya Sabha proceedings adjourned till 2 pm amid sloganeering by Oppn 'Vande Bharat' train's miniature scale model showcased at Pune's Museaum It is leaving no stone unturned to play with democracy and hitting new lows, he said, accusing the party of trying to pressure and intimidate the judiciary by taking its army of leaders and supporters to Surat when Gandhi filed appeal in a court there in a criminal defamation case. Parliament is not being allowed to function and its leaders are wearing black clothes, he said, questioning the rationale as he noted that several other leaders have previously been disqualified as well. Is this the philosophy of "Gandhiwaad", why so much is being done for one person, he asked. Some people are "first class citizens" for the Congress, Scindia said, noting that a Congress leader had claimed that normal legal process should not be applied on the Gandhis. A delegation of Trinamool Congress MPs Wednesday held talks with Rural Development Ministry officials after being unable to meet Union Minister Giriraj Singh and raise the issue of pending MGNREGA funds for workers in West Bengal. The delegation, led by Lok Sabha MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay, included Lower House member and TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, Mohua Moitra and Dola Sen among others. "We will not let 17 lakh families of Bengal be deprived by the BJP. We will continue to raise our voices until MGNREGS funds are released. Without an assurance, we will not leave. We're not here for tea and snacks," Banerjee told reporters. Banerjee said that party leaders had spoken to the minister and were asked to meet him on Wednesday. "I was told that he went to Parliament today. We came here once it was adjourned. We will wait for 10-12 days and if they do not release the funds we will take to the streets," Banerjee said, adding that neither the minister nor the junior minister was available. The TMC delegation, after a meeting with officials of the rural development ministry, submitted a memorandum on the issue. Also Read TMC only alternative to BJP: Mohua Moitra hits back at Rahul Gandhi Mission Meghalaya: Mamata, Abhishek Banerjee on 3-day tour from today Trinamool Congress second richest party after BJP, Congress at third: ADR LS speaker must take action against Rahul for London remarks: Giriraj Singh TMC will not join CPM-Cong alliance in Tripura, Mamata to visit on Feb 6 Increasing number of brick kilns near Srinagar airport pose risk to flights Not Kharge, but Rahul is captain of Congress: Ghulam Nabi Azad BJP blames Speaker for taking side of ruling Mahagathbandhan in Bihar AAP alleges Rs 1,300 cr scam against Karnataka BJP's Anil Kumar 'Beware' of man who did not stay loyal to his former party: Cong to PM The memorandum stated that on May 12, 2022, Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi focusing on the outstanding dues owed to the state under various central schemes. It said that another letter on this subject was written on June 9, 2022. Subsequently, a delegation of Trinamool MPs met the minister on June 16, 2022, over the issue. "We regret to inform you that despite repeated appeals, the outstanding dues to Bengal have still not been cleared. As of April 2023, the dues owed to Bengal under various schemes such as MGNREGA, PMGSY, PMAY (G), and NSAP stand at approximately 12,300 crores," it said. The party also said that MGNREGA is a right guaranteed by an Act of Parliament and the Union government cannot withhold the rights of the people by not sanctioning man-days (person-days) and delaying payments. "The Union government also needs to release all the funds due under the Awas Yojana so that Bengal no longer faces any hurdle in improving the living conditions of its people and can provide adequate housing facilities." "We urge you to take immediate action to revoke Section 27 of the MGNREGA Act and release the amount owed to Bengal. Also, the Labour Budgets for 2022-23 and 2023-24 (for Bengal) need your immediate action. This will go a long way to alleviate the plight of 1.4 crore active wage earners and ensure that poor households in Bengal do not lose their Right To Work," the memorandum said. As part of this endeavour, Stalin also distributed electronic kits developed by IIT Madras to government school students. Through this initiative, 252 government schools were earmarked for getting these electronic kits. Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin on Wednesday launched an initiative of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) to connect 100,000 students studying in government schools in rural areas to electronic science. Part of the Anaivarukkum IITM (IITM for all) initiative, this outreach programme on STEM aims to connect with 100,000 students each year in Tamil Nadu studying in rural locations. It is intended to motivate them to take up a career in the domain of semiconductor technologies through the lectures and hands-on experience imparted to students of classes 9, 10, 11, and 12. The institute has already trained two teachers from each school to train children. To support the teachers, India Literacy Project (ILP India), a non-profit organisation, has come forward to deploy teachers to support them in electronics teaching and provide science kits (at least 10 kits to each of the 252 schools) through IIT Madras. The teacher volunteers from ILP will also support the teachers in conducting science kit experiments from 6th standard to 10th Standard. "Guidance will be provided to the students by connecting them to higher education institutions such as IIT Madras. A stipend of Rs 1,000 will be provided every month until they finish their Class XII. Students selected under this scheme will also get Rs 12,000 as stipend annually during their under-graduation and post-graduation," he added. I am happy to announce an important new scheme called Thiranari Thervu Thittam during this event. The objective is to encourage and help Tamil Nadu Government schools students to continue their higher education without hurdles. As many as 1,000 students (500 male and 500 female) studying Standard X will be chosen for this scheme," Stalin said. In what can prove to be a strategic shift in the way medicines are packaged in India, Delhi-headquartered Mankind Pharma (Mankind) is planning to introduce a Drug Master File (DMF) mark in its packaging to assure the consumer about the quality and purity of the bulk drug (ingredient) that has gone into making the medicine. Read More The United States is going to hell, said former President Donald Trump in a jibe at Joe Biden's administration while addressing a public gathering on Tuesday night. Read More Teachers in basic, secondary, higher and technical colleges in Uttar Pradesh will now be selected through an autonomous commission that will be formed soon. The new commission will also conduct the UP Teachers Eligibility Test (UPTET) exam. Currently, separate authorities, boards and commissions select these teachers. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has given necessary guidelines regarding the formation of 'Uttar Pradesh Shiksha Seva Chayan Ayog' (Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission) as an integrated commission for selection of candidates. The chief minister said, "Uttar Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test (UPTET) should also be conducted through this new commission. It should be ensured that UPTET is held on time. Recruitment of teachers in non-government aided madrasas and minority educational institutions will be done through the new commission only." "The Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission will be formed as a corporate and integrated body of teachers' selection commissions. This integrated commission will prove to be useful in ensuring time-bound selection process, better utilisation of human resources and financial discipline," he added. Also Read DU admissions: B Com at Ramjas, KMC most popular course among aspirants Tussle between Punjab Governor, AAP govt over Ludhiana VC turns murkier Leaders from Shimla district, Rajput community lead in HP cabinet extension 176 schools in UP may face derecognition over complaints of mass copying Uttar Pradesh Ministers to hold roadshows in 7 cities for upcoming GIS People still aware of 'dark days' of Siddaramaiah's govt: BJP leader Top Headlines: Mankind's quality assurance, India in space economy and more 4,435 fresh Covid cases in India, highest single-day rise in 163 days Apologise for anti-Savarkar remarks: Nitin Gadkari tells Rahul Gandhi LIVE news: SC quashes Centre's ban on Malayalam news channel MediaOne Guidelines regarding direct recruitment of teachers will be made by the commission. In relation to the appointment of teachers after completing the process of selection through selection test and interview, recommendations would be made to the appointing authority for the appointment of candidates," he said. The government spokesman said that the new integrated commission will have a person like that of a vice-chancellor of universities or having long experience of Indian Administrative Service as its chairman. Similarly, senior judges and experienced educationists would be its members. Other backward classes, scheduled castes/tribes, women and minorities would also be represented in the commission, he said. Director General, school education, Uttar Pradesh, Vijay Kiran Anand said, "The benefit will be that this unified commission will exclusively engage in teachers' selections only for all the wings and will address the shortcomings that the previous selection process had faced in the past. There will be a lot more transparency and it will use a great deal of information technology." --IANS amita/dpb The officials stated, "Devotees will also be able to reach Kedarnath Dham by helicopter, in addition to walking." The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), as stated by the state tourism department, has been granted permission to accept online reservations for the convenience of helicopter pilgrims travelling to Kedarnath Dham. Today, officials announced that the Kedarnath Dham's portals would be open to all devotees on April 25. On April 25, the yatra is scheduled to begin. A special miniature scale model of 'Vande Bharat', the indigenously designed semi-high speed express train, has been put on display at the Pune-based Joshi's Museum of Miniature Railways to provide information about the train to rail enthusiasts. The 'Vande Bharat' model, designed on '1:100' scale, was unveiled by Pune Guardian Minister Chandrakant Patil during a special visit to the museum on Tuesday as the facility is celebrating 25 years of its existence. Ravi Joshi, who currently runs the museum, said they made the model based on actual drawings from the Indian Railways. "All minute details were taken into consideration while designing this static model. Work is in progress on a working miniature model of 'Vande Bharat', and it will soon be showcased in the museum, he said. It took them three months to design the static model of 'Vande Bharat', Joshi's son Devavrat said. The Vande Bharat trains are currently operational on multiple routes in the country. Also Read Rail Budget FY24: Focus on incomplete projects, big push for Make in India PM to flag off Vande Bharat trains, inaugurate educational campus in Mumbai Delhi-Chennai train stopped at Rajasthan after bomb hoax call, 3 detained PM Narendra Modi flags off Bhopal-Delhi Vande Bharat Express train Secunderabad-Vijayawada Vande Bharat Express likely to start from new year LS: MP gives adjournment notice to discuss govt in 'market for new spyware' Modern Indian history should start from 2014: Sibal takes dig at govt Treasury benches forestalled debate: Chidambaram on 'no debate on budget' Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay detained, development triggers protests Uttar Pradesh to have autonomous unified commission for teacher selection Patil, while unveiling the model, said the museum began its operations 25 years ago, but a lot of preparations would have been made before it actually started. "Rail-related features from across the world are displayed at the museum, which offers a plethora of knowledge to visitors. The unveiling of the 'Vande Bharat' model is special as the future now belongs to it, Patil said. Started on April 1, 1998 by Bhau Joshi, the museum showcases working models of various railway-related features, including a fully-functional station yard with six platforms, an announcement system, steam trains, diesel engines, high speed inter-city express, railway ropeway, and the funicular railway system with 26 points and 65 signals. It also features the model of a ghat section with a reversing station for steam trains. UPSIDA Chief Executive Officer Mayur Maheshwari has written to all district magistrates seeking information regarding gram sabha land and the effective circle rate under their jurisdiction. The gram sabha land would be acquired in the vicinity of expressways, apart from national and state highways, for developing greenfield industrial areas and hubs, said a person aware of the matter. The Uttar Pradesh government has kicked off the process to acquire land for allotment to industry after the state garnered investment proposals worth nearly Rs 34 trillion at Uttar Pradesh Global Investors Summit (GIS) 2023. Meanwhile, the authority has urged the state government to unlock land held by sick state and semi-state government industrial units, including spinning mills, for fresh allotment. UPSIDA has also started the process of auctioning the available land to private investors. The UP State Industrial Development Authority (UPSIDA) is looking to buy about 7,000 acres of land in Phase I to add to its existing inventory of 15,000 acres. This would take the available industrial-grade land to 22,000 acres. UPSIDA had signed 512 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) worth more than Rs 3.15 trillion with investors. The maximum investment proposals came for the Western UP region, which accounted for 60 per cent of total intents received by the authority. The state has an estimated requirement of 30,000 acres of land to cater to the over 19,000 GIS projects. Also Read Madhya Pradesh set to organise global investors summit in Indore UP gets Rs 21 trn investment proposals; PM to inaugurate GIS on Friday Global Investors Summit: Event-full story of Uttar Pradesh development Global Investors Summit done, Uttar Pradesh turns to banks for credit line Elections not a factor for monetary policy: RBI governor at BFSI Summit I&B ministry, Amazon sign pact to promote India's creative economy India initiates anti-dumping probe into import of Chinese tin plates Sales of residential flats up 20% across 7 cities in January-March Investment bankers get $261.5 mn in Q1 despite fall in deals: Report AIIMS Delhi to launch 'Mission Recruitment' to achieve near-zero vacancies Eastern UP (Purvanchal) and Central UP (Madhyanchal) generated projects worth 25 per cent and 13 per cent respectively. UPs Bundelkhand region settled for 14 projects totalling Rs 11,468 crore. The composite UPSIDA investment intents are expected to generate 879,000 jobs across different sectors and geographies with private industrial parks estimated to create the maximum jobs, about 300,000 jobs through 67 projects. By Neha Arora NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's steel exports slumped to a five-year low in the financial year that ended in March, as slowing global demand and an export tax hampered shipments, government data compiled by Reuters showed on Wednesday. India, the world's second-biggest producer of crude steel,shipped 6.7 million tonnes of finished steel in 2022/23, adecline of 50.2% on the year and the lowest since 2018/19, the data showed. Major steelmakers had reported a drop in profits in theDecember quarter, in part because the government had in May lastyear imposed the export tax, which was withdrawn in November. Most steel companies, including JSW Steel Ltd,India's biggest steelmaker by capacity, had projected a pick-upin exports in the quarter that ended in March. Meanwhile, India's imports touched a four-year high at6 million tonnes in 2022/23, a growth of 29% on the year and the highest since 2019/20. Also Read More initiatives on anvil to boost steel sector in 2023: Union Minister India steel imports from Russia rise to eight-year high in April-Jan: Data PLI scheme qualifiers, steel ministry to ink pacts for investment proposals JSPL to invest Rs 7,930 crore under PLI scheme for steel: MD Bimlendra Jha Jindal Steel and Power says enquiries from European buyers on rise Electronics trade group announces IESA new council, Sanjay Gupta is chief Realtors worried about likelihood of another repo rate hike by RBI Office mkt remains appealing for long-term investors seeking stable returns Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, India's oldest, posts highest cargo, surplus RINL seeks proposals to fund working capital in exchange for steel supply During April-January, India's imports of Russian steel reached an eight-year high, and shipments were nearly five times higher than in the same period a year ago. However, for 2022/23, India was a net exporter of finishedsteel. Overall, India's crude steel production reached a record high of 125.32 million tonnes in 2022/23, up 4.2% on the year, in line with previous government estimates. Consumption of total finished steel was 119.17 million tonnes in 2022/23, up 12.7% on the year. (Reporting by Neha Arora; Editing by Mayank Bhardwaj, Robert Birsel) The government is neither considering to bring any law nor has any plans to regulate the growth of artificial intelligence in the country, Parliament was informed on Wednesday. IT and Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written submission to the Lok Sabha said there are ethical concerns and risks around artificial intelligence, and the government agencies have started making efforts to standardise responsible AI and promote the adoption of the best practices. "NITI Aayog has published a series of papers on the subject of Responsible AI for All. However, the government is not considering bringing a law or regulating the growth of artificial intelligence in the country," Vaishnaw said. In a reply to a separate question on ChatGPT technology, Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said it is a Large Language Model (LLM) launched by OpenAI. "While it has made significant strides, there are still many challenges with these types of models," Chandrasekhar said. In response to a question on the step that the government is taking to regulate the growth of AI in the country, Vaishnaw said that the government is harnessing the potential of AI to provide personalised and interactive citizen-centric services through digital public platforms. Also Read 4G and 5G stacks can handle 10 mn simultaneous calls: Vaishnaw at B20 meet Has India figured out a way to regulate OTT communication apps? Need central act to regulate online gaming, gambling, says Ashwini Vaishnaw Is it time to regulate financial influencers? TMS Ep298: Regulate 'finfluencers', EWS quota, Markets, Regulatory sandbox Meta's Facebook to let you play games during video calls on Messenger Snapchat introduces some safety enhancement tools in its AI chatbot Will AI take over software programming jobs? Here's what Sundar Pichai says ChatGPT opens door to four-day week structure, says Nobel Prize winner NASA Psyche Mission set to launch in Oct 2023 with new flight plan "However, AI has ethical concerns and risks due to issues such as bias and discrimination in decision-making, privacy violations, lack of transparency in AI systems, and questions about responsibility for harm caused by it. These concerns have been highlighted in the National Strategy for AI (NSAI) released in June 2018," Vaishnaw said. The minister shared that the Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity), along with CDAC, has also initiated a proof-of-concept project on AIRAWAT (AI Research, Analytics and Knowledge Dissemination Platform) for providing a common computing platform for AI research and knowledge assimilation. The AI computing infrastructure will be used by all technology innovation hubs, research labs, scientific communities, and industry and startup institutions with National Knowledge Network. "The PoC for AIRAWAT is developed with 200 petaflops Mix Precision AI Machine, which will be scalable to a peak compute of One AI Exaflop," the minister said. He said that National Informatics Centre (NIC) has set up a Centre of Excellence in AI, which is involved in facilitating AI as a service through on Meghraj cloud with 7 AI PFlops (petaflops) super compute facilities created at Delhi and 5 AI PFlop in Kolkata. Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbots like ChatGPT and Bard are expected to make software programming easier and more accessible to people, Sundar Pichai, chief executive officer (CEO) of Alphabet and Google said.In a podcast with the New York Times (NYT), Pichai said that AI chatbots would do some of the "grunt" work, making programming more fun."I think for software engineers, there are two things that will also be true. One is some of the grunt work you're doing as part of programming is going to get better. So maybe it'll be more fun to programme over time no different from Google Docs, making it easier to write. And so if you're a programmer, over time, having these collaborative IDs with the assistance built in, I think, is going to make it easier," he said.Lately, there has been widespread tension and anxiety among professionals that AI-based chatbots might soon take over their jobs. ChatGPT has showcased the ability to write articles, review codes and even create images based on text inputs.Pichai said that society would have to adapt to the new technology. "I think this one, there'll be a lot of societal adaptation. And as part of that, we all may need to course-correct in certain areas," he said.He also raised concerns that the development of AI is currently moving too fast and "perhaps poses a threat to society".Pichai added that the company will release more capable models of its chatbot Bard soon."We clearly have more capable models. Pretty soon, we will be upgrading Bard to some of our more capable Pathways Language Model (PaLM) models, which will bring more capabilities; be it in reasoning, coding, it can answer maths questions better," he said.Bard was released to the public on March 21 but failed to garner the attention won by OpenAI's ChatGPT and Microsoft's Bing chatbot.Pichai said that part of the reason for Bard's limited capabilities was a sense of caution within Google."To me, it was important to not put out a more capable model before we can fully make sure we can handle it well," he was quoted as saying in the report.Pichai confirmed he was talking with Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin about the work. By Natalia Drozdiak and Courtney McBride With Finland officially in the alliance, NATOs top commander can now work the country into its military plans, which sketch out how to defend the blocs members against an attack. But given Finlands extensive capabilities and practice defending its own territory, its unlikely at least for now that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will replicate defense structures on the rest of the eastern flank by stationing allied battle groups in the nation, according to officials familiar with the issue. There are currently no plans to deploy a NATO battle group to Finland, a NATO official said, adding that NATOs supreme allied commander constantly assesses threats and could make that recommendation if deemed necessary. A senior US official also said Americans didnt expect to see a battle group in Finland and that the country hasnt made such a request. NATO has already established eight multinational battle groups in Poland and the Baltic nations and more recently in Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania to serve as a tripwire in the case of a Russian attack. Those battle groups will also be able to scale up to brigade size, where and when required. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier that Russia viewed NATO expansion as an encroachment on its security and that it would take countermeasures, according to the state news service Tass. For years, we have developed our NATO compatibility. There is still considerable work ahead to integrate Finlands defense as part of NATOs common defense, President Sauli Niinisto said at Tuesdays accession ceremony. The Finnish defense forces are facing new demands and challenges to which we must respond. Also Read Pandemic caused prolonged decline in global life expectancy: Study Russian commander admits situation 'tense' in Ukraine's Kherson region European states dispatch rescue teams to Turkey, Syria after deadly quakes Poland, Slovakia urge allies to send fighter jets to Ukraine as war rages Missile that hit Poland 'unlikely' to have been fired from Russia: Biden Twitter's contract workers sue company over Elon Musk's mass layoffs Elon Musk's month pushing Twitter blue failed to win many subscribers Apple sales executive Doug Beck leaves for role at US Defence Department J&J proposes paying $8.9 bn to settle baby talcum powder lawsuits Finland becomes NATO member as Russia warns of 'counter-measures' Allocating Forces General Chris Cavoli, NATOs supreme allied commander for Europe, is currently drafting the alliances regional plans, which are due to be sent to allies this month and which will spell out where countries will need to allocate forces to defend the alliance. Its very difficult to make a defense plan for the Nordic countries without Sweden, Haavisto said. If you take Sweden out of the map, there is a hole, and if you look at our food security or maintenance of our economy, Sweden is the route to Finland. Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto wouldnt be drawn on the troop issue, signaling that will be discussed during defense planning. He noted Swedens pivotal role the reason why Finland wants its neighbor allowed in quickly. New Delhi, April 5: Echoing the sentiments of a "vast majority" of Indians, Israeli Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana on Tuesday called for bringing to justice the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. Ohana is on an official visit to India - the first-ever to the country by a sitting Knesset (Israeli Parliament) Speaker. After visiting Delhi, he paid tribute to victims of the 26/11 terror attack at the Nariman House in Mumbai on Tuesday. "Everyone who took part in this terrible terror attack should be brought to justice. This is a major part of counter-terrorism. So, first we need to prevent, but once we didn't succeed to prevent, everyone needs to be brought to justice. And this is our expectation, and I think it is the vast majority of the Indian people's expectation," Ohana was quoted as saying by news media. "Visiting this place, there are two issues that are very, very close to my heart. One is Chabad, which symbolises the love of mankind and the bridges between us. And the second is counter-terrorism, which I spent over twelve years of my life, both in the IDF and the Shin Bet Israeli Security Agency. Terror, as we all know, does not differentiate between religions, between race," he added. In January 2018, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also visited the Chabad home where 2008 Mumbai terror attack survivor Moshe Holzberg, known as 'Baby Moshe' in India, lost his parents. On Tuesday, Ohana recalled Netanyahu's visit as he toured Moishi's childhood room and the place where the terrorist incident took place. Moishi's mother had marked her son's height on the wall in the room when he was a baby. Also Read President Murmu pays homage to victims of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks Israel's designated PM Netanyahu says he has successfully formed new govt 'Be right back', Netanyahu writes in his leaving note to successor: Reports Israeli governance group asks court to punish PM Netanyahu over legal plan 'Brand Aamir' in the soup over ad controversy. Can he bounce back? Strong structural reforms can help Bangladesh sustain growth: World Bank World Bank projects massive decline in Pakistan's GDP growth to 0.4% World can face nuclear World War III under Biden administration: Trump Travel advisory issued against Marburg virus in Equatorial Guinea, Tanzania 2nd-largest reservoir in US sees higher water level since historic low "And we just visited Moshe's room, who was two years old when this event took place. And we saw the wall that represents his height when he was eleven months old, and then later on, when he was, what, 11 years of age, and someone wrote there three words that someone was and still is the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu. And those three words are Hum Israel Hai - the people of Israel live," said the Israeli Speaker. In a heartwarming gesture, 16-year-old Moshe Holzberg attended the swearing-in ceremony of the new Israeli parliament last year, reciting Psalms from the book with which his parents prayed. The parliamentary delegation headed by Ohana also visited the National Stock Exchange of India and meet with its chairman, Girish Chandra Chaturvedi. Earlier in Delhi, Ohana visited the Parliament to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and signed an MoU on the first cooperation and exchange of information agreement between the parliaments of Israel and India. "I chose India as the destination for my first official visit as Speaker of the Knesset because I see the impressive development of this superpower in every aspect, and also because no sitting Knesset Speaker has ever visited India. This is an important milestone in the diplomatic relations between Israel and India, which were established some 31 years ago," he said. The delegation also met President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and Minister of External Affairs, S. Jaishankar. (The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative The former president said that there are open threats by various countries of the use of nuclear weapons, something which was never mentioned or discussed by other nations during his administration. The world is likely to face an all-out nuclear World War III under the Biden administration, former president Donald Trump has said and accused the current US government of destroying the country. The comments by 76-year-old Trump came during his first public address since being arraigned on Tuesday. Before hundreds of supporters at his resort on Tuesday night, Trump assailed the 34-count indictment as politically motivated and sought to link the case to grievances hes long deployed to great effect to hold sway over his supporters. This could very well lead under the Biden administrations leadership to an all-out nuclear World War III can happen. Were not very far away from it, believe it or not, Trump said during the address at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, soon after he flew back from New York. Trump dismissed the various investigations pending against him as hoaxes and bragged about his single term as president, including his tax overhaul and a law allowing severely ill patients to obtain experimental medications. He criticised President Joe Biden and said that the country is going to hell. The only crime that Ive committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it, he said. They cant beat us at the ballot box, so they try and beat us through the law. Also Read Why has Donald Trump been indicted and can he run for 2024 elections? US House committee to release Trump's personal tax returns for 6 yrs Facebook still banning Trump for now despite 2024 presidential campaign Trump's company strikes new overseas deal, raises old ethics issue US House congressional panel to discuss release of Trump's tax returns Red cross to sack 15,000 employees amid decline in humanitarian aid budget Meta's artificial intelligence model can now make videos and illustrations Pakistan has replied to India on Indus Water Treaty review: Foreign Office Credit Suisse's fatal bank run points to gaps in liquidity regulations Stormy Daniels must pay nearly $122,000 of Donald Trump's legal bills The indictment promises to pay short-term political dividends for Trump. Some allies had raised concern that his lackluster 2024 campaign launch had opened the door for potential challengers. Yet Trump faces an uphill struggle in whipping up outrage among voters much beyond his loyal base. The next in-person hearing in the criminal case has been set for December 4, roughly two months before the official start of the 2024 Republican presidential primary calendar. Pakistan has responded to a letter by India asking to start negotiations for the review of the Indus Water Treaty, the Foreign Office said on Wednesday. India earlier this year for the first time issued a notice to Pakistan, seeking a review and modification of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), in view of Islamabad's "intransigence" to comply with the dispute redressal mechanism of the pact that was signed more than six decades ago for matters relating to cross-border rivers. "I can confirm that Pakistan has responded to the Indian letter on the Indus Water Treaty. Pakistan remains committed to the implementation of the Treaty in good faith and to ensure its water security," Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at the weekly briefing. "I would not like to add to media speculation. As I have said, we have responded to India. I have nothing further to add," she said when asked about the details of the Pakistani response. The India Water Treaty (IWT) signed in 1960 through the good offices of the World Bank has survived the vicissitudes of the acrimonious ties between the countries. To another query, Baloch said that Pakistan utilised the relevant channel of communication "where our Indus Commissioner has sent the letter to his Indian counterpart". Also Read World Bank steps in to mediate water dispute between India and Pakistan India issues notice to Pakistan seeking modification to Indus Waters Treaty Indus Towers to raise Rs 2,000 crore via NCDs after weak Q2 result India issues notice to Pak on implementation of Indus Water Treaty: Report Indus Water Treaty: India sends notice to Pak, seeks changes in pact Credit Suisse's fatal bank run points to gaps in liquidity regulations Stormy Daniels must pay nearly $122,000 of Donald Trump's legal bills About 52% of organisations suffered data breach in past 2 years globally Scientists explain melting of Antarctic ice sheet dating back 9,000 years US trade deficit widens for a third month in February to $70.5 Billion Reacting to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's recent remarks on Pakistan, she said that these remarks reflect Indian leadership's "unhealthy obsession" with Pakistan. Asked about the participation of Indian Charge' d'affaires in the Iftar dinner hosted by the Foreign Minister on March 30, she said there was no need to read too much into this. "It was an interfaith Iftar and the entire diplomatic corps was invited". She also said that Adviser to the Prime Minister on Culture, Engr. Amir Muqam, virtually participated in the SCO Ministers of Culture Meeting hosted by India on April 3 and underlined the need for promoting cultural exchanges and cooperation under the SCO framework to foster mutual understanding. "As an active member of SCO, Pakistan will continue to participate in all SCO activities and continuously contribute to their outcomes, she said. India hosted the 20th session of the Culture Ministers' Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Monday, with Union minister G Kishan Reddy emphasising on the importance of cultural collaborations and dialogue in propagating "peaceful coexistence through mutual respect, diversity and inclusiveness". Culture ministers of Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan participated in the meeting virtually, the Culture Ministry said in a statement. India currently holds the presidency of the SCO. During her press briefing, Baloch also expressed "deep concern" at the recent incidents of alleged communal violence and asked India to take firm action against the extremists. ICRC said its governing board last week approved $475.30 million in cost reductions over 2023 and early 2024. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Wednesday said it would cut some 1,500 jobs and roll back operations in some locations amid on expected decline on budgets for humanitarian aid. At least 20 of currently 350 locations around the world will close where, for example, the area can be covered by another ICRC office. We will also be scaling back and closing some of our programmes. Approximately 1,500 jobs worldwide will have to be cut over the coming 12 months, ICRC said in a statement. Cost cuts: 5,000 GM staff takes buyouts As per the NGO, a mix of factors end-of-year pledges by donors not coming and higher costs than planned in 2022 are the reasons. Also Read Red Cross warns of disastrous consequences of climate change ahead of COP27 Peloton planning to cut additional 500 jobs to reverse losses: Report JD.com announces pay cuts of 10-20% for managers amid China slowdown Intel plans thousands of job cuts to manage cost amid PC market slowdown Elon Musk to commence job cuts at Twitter today as advertisers hit pause Meta's artificial intelligence model can now make videos and illustrations Pakistan has replied to India on Indus Water Treaty review: Foreign Office Credit Suisse's fatal bank run points to gaps in liquidity regulations Stormy Daniels must pay nearly $122,000 of Donald Trump's legal bills About 52% of organisations suffered data breach in past 2 years globally Jacobson said GM is now allocating 75 per cent of its annual capital spending toward electric vehicle projects, which in the short term will be less profitable than the automakers combustion vehicles. GM has been able to raise prices in the US over the past two years as supply chain bottlenecks kept production in check. - R euters About 5,000 General Motors (GM) salaried workers took buyouts to leave the company, putting the firm well on the way to hitting a $2 billion cost-cutting target, the automakers chief financial officer said late on Tuesday. Amazon sacks 100 Amazon.com laid off about 100 employees in its video-game divisions as part of its broader cutbacks, affecting workers at Prime Gaming, Game Growth and the firms San Diego studio. Virgin Orbit, the rocket company founded by British billionaire Richard Branson, has filed for bankruptcy after announcing to lay off 85 per cent of its employees. The low Earth orbit launch company, spun out of Branson's Virgin Galactic, filed for bankruptcy protection with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). "On April 4, 2023, Virgin Orbit and its domestic subsidiaries commenced voluntary proceedings under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware," said the company in its filing. Virgin Orbit will now seek a sale of the entire company or its assets as possible resources to resolve its bankruptcy status. Virgin Orbit laid off nearly 85 per cent of its workforce -- about 675 employees -- after it failed to secure key funding. It has ceased operations "for the foreseeable future", its CEO Dan Hart told employees last week. Also Read Richard Branson's rocket company Virgin Orbit lays off 85% of workforce Richard Branson's Cosmic Girl fails to put UK into orbit; Virgin sinks 30% Vikram-S rocket launch shows what an Indian start-up can do: Skyroot exec ISRO conducts 200th consecutive successful launch of RH200 sounding rocket Isro successfully carries out key test of its heaviest rocket's engine US is going to hell: Donald Trump in first post-indictment address US recognises Arunachal Pradesh as India's integral part: White House Amb Garcetti will lead ambitious effort to deepen US-India cooperation: WH India abstains from vote on extending investigation into Ukraine war Finland unlikely to get NATO battle group given its defence capabilities "Unfortunately, we've not been able to secure the funding to provide a clear path for this company. We have no choice but to implement immediate and extremely painful changes," Hart told the employees. Branson founded Virgin Orbit in 2017 after spinning off from its sister company, Virgin Galactic. Virgin Orbit has been developing an air-launched rocket, dubbed LauncherOne, for launching small satellites to orbit. In January, its rocket carrying satellites into space suffered an "anomaly", abruptly ending the first foray into orbital launch from the UK territory. An investigation into that failed mission "is nearly complete and our next production rocket with the needed modification incorporated is in final stages of integration and test", a Virgin Orbit spokesperson said in a March statement. --IANS na/dpb Scientists have found evidence that between 9,000 and 5,000 years ago, in a period termed mid-Holocene, the East Antarctic ice sheet in Queen Maud Land melted rapidly during the time when the world experienced warmer-than-present summers. They said that this ice sheet sector in East Antarctica was thinner following the end of the last ice age, when massive ice sheets previously covered North America, northern Europe and southern South America. When these ice sheets melted, they raised the sea level by more than 100 metres. For context, if absolutely all of Antarctica's present day ice melted, the seas would rise by 58 metres on average. Sixty per cent of the world's fresh water is bound up in Antarctic ice sheets. "The ice sheet in East Antarctica stores enormous amounts of water. This means that this is the biggest possible source of future sea level rise - up to 53 metres if all of the East Antarctic ice melts - and is seen as the largest source of uncertainties in the future sea level adaptation planning," said Irina Rogozhina, associate professor at the Department of Geography at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Norway. While not entirely unexpected, Rogozhina said, they were concerned about the rapid changes the sluggish East Antarctic ice sheet underwent and wanted to find an explanation for it. However, the harsh, inhospitable conditions of the Antarctic presented its challenges towards achieving this. Also Read Tinder shows how youngsters' expectations from relationships are changing Russia, China block plans for Antarctic marine protections supported by EU Melting of Antartica's Thwaites Glacier observed by underwater robot: Study Indian dating apps swipe right for Bharat as relationship landscape changes South Korea's Lotte to invest Rs 450 cr in Indian unit Havmor Ice Cream US trade deficit widens for a third month in February to $70.5 Billion Pak's election commission announces Punjab poll on May 14 as directed by SC Inflation is driving boom in secondhand shopping, $177 bn global sales Sri Lankan economy projected to contract by 4.3%, says World Bank "Only crime I've committed...": Trump's first remarks following arraignment The researchers were able to find a way to unravel the rapid melting mystery by studying the rocks from nunataks in Queen Maud Land for exposure to cosmic radiation. "Nunataks are mountains that stick up through the ice," said Ola Fredin, professor at NTNU's Department of Geosciences and Petroleum. The Antarctic ice sheet is spread across diverse environments. While large parts of the ice sheet lie under sea level, making them vulnerable to ocean warming, much of it in the east sits on land above sea level, meaning it is less sensitive to the ocean's influence. By studying the rocks' cosmic exposure, they were able to determine the duration for which the rocks remained protected under ice, thus, not absorbing any cosmic radiation. Further, the researchers believe that they are on track to finding a reason why the ice sheet thinned so much immediately after the end of the last ice age. "The process is similar to when a house on a hill slope loses its supporting foundation and starts sliding downhill," said Rogozhina. She said that the less stable, rapidly flowing parts of the ice sheet in East Antarctica, called ice shelves which float on the ocean, were broken up easily because of rising sea levels and warmer water rising from the ocean depths. The water penetrated under the ice margins, melting them from below. This, in turn, led to the ice sheet becoming much thinner within a relatively short time, geologically speaking, or a few hundreds to thousands of years, she said. The study describing their findings is published in the Nature journal Communications Earth & Environment. The fund a joint initiative of Infocomm Media Development Authority and the Singapore Tourism Board follows past collaborations including the hit 2018 film Crazy Rich Asians, the agencies said in a joint statement Wednesday. The latest move will also allow local talent to participate in those projects, they said. Singapore is starting a S$10 million ($7.5 million) fund to support international movies that showcase the city to a global audience, helping finance production and marketing costs where the island is featured. While Asia was slower than the rest of the world to open its borders after the Covid pandemic, travel is now starting to pick up in the region, particularly after China reopened after almost three years of being shut off from the outside world. Tourists are now spending 60% more on Singapore-based activities compared with pre-pandemic levels on travel platform Klook. Singapore has many surprises to offer as a filming destination, said Jasmine Ng, president of the Singapore Association of Motion Picture Professionals. The compact city is home to a wide range of striking architecture and rich, diverse cultures, while providing a safe and trusted working environment. Singapore also sees an opportunity with the rise of female travelers, who are looking for a destination to shop and spend, and get back to their hotels safely even late at night, according to Keith Tan, chief executive of the STB. The city is also targeting people who travel for one-off experiences such as sporting events, he said. The new fund will support selected projects that are set in Singapore. About 300 locals worked on Crazy Rich Asians including production crew and a dozen local actors, while landmarks such as Marina Bay Sands and Merlion Park were featured. Also Read Singapore tourism expects to bounce back to pre-Covid level by 2024 India ranked second-largest market for Singapore tourism sector in 2022 WhatsApp starts rolling out picture-in-picture video call feature for iOS What pictures can be used on currency notes Indians help Singapore cross 6 mn visitors mark, record best tourism year Amazon enters generative AI space with AI startup accelerator Trump's arraignment bitterly divides US lawmakers ahead of 2024 elections Trump legal woes likely to go beyond 2024, says Indian-American attorney Trump decries charges, accuses radical left of election interference New Zealand's central bank hikes key interest rate by 50 bps to 5.25% The Tourism Board and Klook also announced a partnership Wednesday, expanding a previous arrangement to focus more on newer aspects including branding and marketing, according to a separate statement. Monthly inbound travel to Singapore is now above 2019 levels, with an estimated 2.9 million international visitors in the first three months of this year. Former US President Donald Trump on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a Manhattan court during his arraignment on history-making criminal charges related to paying hush money to a porn star before the 2016 presidential election in exchange for her silence. The 76-year-old former president, who ruled the country for four years till January 2021, was arrested when he arrived to surrender at the Manhattan criminal court. This is for the first time that a former US president has been under arrest and arranged for criminal charges. Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 criminal charges of falsifying business records before State Supreme Court Justice Juan M Merchan. He entered the plea during a brief arraignment as prosecutors unsealed a grand jury indictment. The former president earlier arrived at the specially secured Manhattan courthouse in an eight-car motorcade. He was arrested as he arrived at the court. Shortly after Trump was put under arrest, his campaign released a mugshot picture of him on a t-shirt saying not guilty. Trump's attorneys earlier said the Republican leader, eying the White House for a second time in 2024, will plead not guilty to the criminal charges he is facing in connection with hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Also Read Why has Donald Trump been indicted and can he run for 2024 elections? US House congressional panel to discuss release of Trump's tax returns US House committee to release Trump's personal tax returns for 6 yrs Grand jury in Trump hush-money case to resume session on April 3: Reports Donald Trump reckons he will be arrested next Tuesday in tax fraud case Taliban bans Afghan female employees of UN from work in eastern province India muscles in on $447 bn space economy amid China, Russia's isolation President Biden says tech companies must ensure AI products are safe Ukraine to discuss NATO accession prospects in Brussels: FM Kuleba McKinsey shutting down restructuring business, reports Wall Street Journal After his court appearance, Trump will immediately fly back to Florida where he is expected to deliver remarks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach in the evening. Trump has denied all wrongdoings in connection with the payments made to Stormy Daniels, 44, ahead of the 2016 presidential election. "Heading to Lower Manhattan, the Courthouse. Seems so SURREAL - WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Can't believe this is happening in America. MAGA!" Trump posted to Truth Social as he was en route to the courthouse. Security was tightened in New York, in particular the courthouse in lower Manhattan, as hundreds of Trump's supporters have landed in the city to rally behind him. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has warned against any breaking of law and order. The White House refrained from making a comment on the developments in New York except for saying that it's a legal matter. "It's an ongoing case, so we're just not going to comment on the case specifically itself, but the president is going to focus on the American people like he does every day. This is not something that is a focus for him. He is going to focus on things like making sure that continue to lower prices for the American people, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference. "Of course, this is playing out on many of the networks here on a daily basis for hours and hours, so obviously he will catch part of the news when he has a moment to catch up on the news of the day, but this is not his focus for today, she said in response to a question. President Joe Biden, she said, was not given a heads up on Trump's indictment. "He was briefed by his chief of staff and he learned about this just like all of you through the reporting. Our focus right now is on the American people. I'm just not going to comment on any ongoing case, she said. News outlets were not allowed to broadcast Trump's arraignment. Trump flew in his aircraft to New York City from his Mar-a-Lago home on Monday. The development comes as Trump faces legal hurdles in other potential criminal cases. Trump is currently the front-runner among all declared and potential contenders for the 2024 Republican White House nomination. But there is nothing in US law that prevents a candidate who is found guilty of a crime from campaigning for and serving as president -- even from prison. Trump was twice impeached by the House of Representatives. He was acquitted by the Senate both times. Trump and his aides are using the indictment to rile up his supporters and bolster his 2024 re-election campaign. Hours before his arraignment, Trump sent an email to his supporters, which he claimed was the last one before his arrest, saying that the United States is becoming a "Marxist Third World" country and went on social media questioning the fairness of the judiciary. "My last email before my arrest," Trump said in the subject line of the email. "Today, we mourn the loss of justice in America. Today is the day that a ruling political party ARRESTS its leading opponent for having committed NO CRIME," Trump wrote. "As I will be out of commission for the next few hours, I want to take this moment to THANK YOU for all of your support. I am blown away by all of the donations, support, and prayers we have received. It's sad to see what's happening - not for myself - but for our country, he said. In less than 24 hours after being indicted he raised over more than USD 4 million. The arraignment of Donald Trump in a New York court appeared to have deepened the political divide as Republican lawmakers rallied behind the former president alleging this was nothing but "political prosecution", while the Democrats asserted that there is enough evidence to put him on trial. Scores of statements that came out from the US Capitol on Tuesday reflected that swords are out from both sides and there is unlikely to be much of the meeting ground between the Republicans and Democrats in the months ahead of the next year's presidential elections. After quickly reviewing the indictment and the statement of facts, I have no reason to second-guess the grand jury's assessment that there is enough evidence to put Donald Trump on trial, Democratic Senator Jack Reed said. The question of guilt will be determined by a jury of Trump's peers. The information presented contains troubling actions by Donald Trump that includes falsifying business records in the furtherance of other crimes. Still, the full picture will need to be painted by the prosecution in open court, he said. The American people see this for what it is political prosecution, said Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn from Tennessee. Soros-backed District Attorney Alvin Bragg is allowing violent criminals to run free in his city while weaponising the legal system in an attempt to take down a former President. Make no mistake: if the former President's name were anything but Trump,' he would not be facing these charges, he said. Also Read Trump legal woes likely to go beyond 2024, says Indian-American attorney Georgia special grand jury wraps up probe of Donald Trump, allies Donald Trump faces setbacks in other probes as New York case proceeds Trump decries charges, accuses radical left of election interference Jan. 6 attack panel extends deadline for Trump to produce documents Amazon enters generative AI space with AI startup accelerator Trump legal woes likely to go beyond 2024, says Indian-American attorney Trump decries charges, accuses radical left of election interference New Zealand's central bank hikes key interest rate by 50 bps to 5.25% US Court orders porn star to pay Trump $120,000 more in legal fees Today's arraignment is proof that there are two tiers of justice. If they can do this to Trump, they can do it to you. This is fundamentally un-American, Blackburn said. His Republican Senatorial colleague Josh Hawley called the case against Trump "beyond absurd" and a "travesty." Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that Trump will have a fair trial that follows the facts and the law. There's no place in our justice system for any outside influence or intimidation in the legal process. As the trial proceeds, protest is an American right but all protests must be peaceful, he said. Trump became the first former US president to be indicted, arrested and arraigned on criminal charges on Tuesday. The 76-year-old Republican, the leading candidate from the party for the 2024 race for the White House, pleaded not guilty to 34 criminal charges of falsifying business records in person before State Supreme Court Justice Juan M Merchan on Tuesday. The beauty of the American justice system is that the law applies equally to everyone even former presidents and everyone has the right to a fair proceeding free of intimidation or outside influence, said Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib said Trump has consistently proven that he was a lawless president and unfit for public office. "History will remember Donald Trump not only as the first president to be impeached twice, but the first president to be indicted on criminal charges, she said. Falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments is only the beginning of the crimes Trump has committed. He must also be held to account for conspiring to overturn an election, inciting a fascist insurrection, and fuelling white supremacist violence, she said. Today, the law has finally caught up with Donald Trump and his corrupt and reckless behaviour. No one is above the law, no matter how rich or powerful they are. The American people deserve to see accountability handed down. Let justice be served, Talib said. Republican Congressman Joe Wilson described it as a subversion of the American judicial system. The shamefully political subversion of the American judicial system by corrupt Democrats confirms my initial condemnation, he said. The false prosecution of President Donald Trump is a disturbing revelation of Trump Derangement Syndrome where normally sane officials lose total control, consumed with hatred and insanity upon hearing his name, Wilson said. House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik said that the shameful arrest of President Trump is an unprecedented and chilling chapter in the Left's weaponisation of the justice system against their leading political opponent. This dangerous and illegal overreach by a radical DA has completely backfired for the corrupt Far Left Democrats who would rather desperately tear apart the fabric of our country than face President Trump at the ballot box, she said. The American people are smart, and they know this is politically charged and that President Trump will defeat these charges in court and turn the tables on the Far Left Democrats by exposing their corruption and abuse of power, she said. President Trump continues to skyrocket in the polls, and just like with the Russia hoax and both sham impeachments, President Trump will defeat this latest witch-hunt, defeat Joe Biden, and will be sworn in as President of the United States of America in January 2025, Stefanik said. The class-action complaint filed Tuesday in San Francisco federal court is the latest legal fallout from Musks rapid move in November to eliminate more than half of Twitters head count just after he acquired the company for $44 billion. Twitter Inc. was sued by contract workers who argue they were a contingent workforce with the same duties as employees and shouldnt have been laid off without notice when Elon Musk took over the company. Ukraine will discuss the prospects of joining the NATO at the NATO-Ukraine Commission meeting in Brussels, Belgium, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said. "Ukraine's membership of NATO will be one of the main topics of the talks today," Kuleba was quoted as saying by the government press service on Tuesday. Another key theme of the meeting will be speeding up the delivery of military assistance to Ukraine, including artillery ammunition and armoured vehicles, needed for launching a counteroffensive in conflict with Russia, the Minister added. The NATO-Ukraine Commission will also touch upon the issue of stable support for Ukraine from NATO member states, he said. Later in the day, the meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Commission will be held within the framework of the NATO foreign ministers summit, Xinhua news agency reported. The NATO foreign ministers summit is held in Brussels on April 4-5. Also Read Sweden, Finland discuss NATO accession with Turkey, says military bloc Ukraine deserves to start EU accession talks this year, says Zelenskyy Sweden braces for anti-Turkey demonstrations amid NATO accession bid In setback to Putin, Finland set to officially become NATO member NATO Chief Stoltenberg urges Turkey to endorse Finland, Sweden accession McKinsey shutting down restructuring business, reported Wall Street Journal US is providing Ukraine with $2.6 billion in military aid as war rages Twitter has not revoked legacy verified blue tick from most accounts Trump in police custody ahead of his arraignment at Manhattan court Ex-US Prez Trump arrives at Manhattan court to face criminal charges --IANS int/khz/ Brazilian healthcare company Funcional HealthTech uses Thales CipherTrust Data Security Platform to protect sensitive customer data CipherTrust will help protect data from Functional HealthTech customers processing 17 million transactions per year Strong safeguards against cyber-attacks on sensitive data helps Functional HealthTech gain new customers Thales, a global technology leader, continues to create partnerships to take its innovations to various sectors of society, including health. The latest collaboration is with Funcional HealthTech in Brazil which is using Thales CipherTrust Data Security Platform to provide data security to more than 400 customers processing 17 million transactions per year from over 40,000 pharmacies in Brazil. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230404005304/en/ Thales Funcional HealthTech has been accelerating business in the health sector in Brazil for over 20 years by developing technological solutions which help the health ecosystem work both smarter and more sustainably. The company offers exclusive solutions for the pharmaceutical industry, pharmacies, distributors, carriers, brokers and HR departments through loyalty programs, direct discounts in payroll and data analysis to help monitor patients' health. All of these solutions rely on the secure storage of sensitive data from millions of patients in the company's hybrid IT infrastructure, which includes multiple cloud services and innovations such as artificial intelligence and big data. Funcional HealthTech selected Thales' CipherTrust Data Security Platform to help simplify and automate the protection of sensitive healthcare data flowing through complex on-premises and cloud systems, and to help achieve compliance with data protection regulations, such as the General Data Protection Law (LGPD) of Brazil. The CipherTrust Data Security Platform is an integrated suite of data-centric security solutions that unify data discovery, classification, data security and granular access controls with centralized key management. The platform capabilities deployed by Funcional HealthTech provide strong protections against cyberattacks on sensitive patient data. CipherTrust Transparent Encryption provides data-at-rest encryption with centralized key management, privileged user access control, and detailed data access audit logging. This combination protects data wherever it resides, whether on-premises, across multiple clouds, or within large data and container environments. CipherTrust Tokenization provides pseudonymization or anonymization of sensitive information in databases, enabling data analysis without the risk of exposing sensitive data. Thales solution is helping us provide strong safeguards against cyber-attacks on sensitive data which is key in our ability to close multiple new customer deals, said Wilson Achilles, Head of Infrastructure and Information Security at Funcional HealthTech. The healthcare industry is experiencing new and unique challenges to meet the growing demand for operational efficiency and security in this era of digitisation. The intersection between cybersecurity and healthcare is only expected to increase with the growth of digitisation within the segment. Thales CipherTrust solution and experience can help the industry ensure resilience and the protection of sensitive healthcare data,Abilio Branco, Head of Data Protection Sales for Thales in Brazil. For more information, download the full case study. About Thales Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global high technology leader investing in digital and deep tech innovations connectivity, big data, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum technology to build a future we can all trust, which is vital to the development of our societies. The company provides solutions, services and products that help its customers businesses, organisations and states in the defence, aeronautics, space, transportation and digital identity and security markets to fulfil their critical missions, by placing humans at the heart of the decision-making process. Thales has 81,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2021, the Group generated sales of 16.2 billion. PLEASE VISIT Thales Group Cybersecurity Solutions | Thales Group @Thalesgroup View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230404005304/en/ NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg (05-APR-2023) AA Images It would be 'historic mistake with profound implications' if China provided lethal aid to Russia, says Jens Stoltenberg BRUSSELS (AA) NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday warned China of consequences if it supplies arms to Russia. Speaking at a news conference after a two-day meeting of NATO foreign affairs ministers, Stoltenberg said any provision of lethal aid by China to Russia would be a historic mistake with profound implications. He said China refused to condemn Russia's war on Ukraine and is aligning itself more and more with Moscow. China echoes Russian propaganda, supports Russia's economy and holds joint military activities in air and sea, Stoltenberg explained. He stressed that NATO does not regard China as an adversary, but Beijing's assertive behavior challenges the security interests and values that NATO stands for. China is investing heavily in new capabilities, including long-range nuclear missiles, Stoltenberg said. Beijing is cracking down on democratic rights in their own country and in Hong Kong, prosecuting minorities, using social media to have surveillance on the population, he added. Stoltenberg underlined the importance of maintaining NATOs unity and build partnerships with like-minded partners at a time when Beijing and Moscow are pushing back against the rules-based international order. During the meeting, NATO foreign ministers held talks with their counterparts from the Asia-Pacific region, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. Stoltenberg said he invited the heads of state and government of the Asia-Pacific region to participate at the NATO leaders summit in July in Vilnius, Lithuania. Agnes Szuc/AA Vladimir Putin Getty Images Relations between Russia, US going through a deep crisis, says Russian president ISTANBUL (AA) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said America's "use of color revolutions" and its support for the 2014 Maidan Revolution, mass protests which led to the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych, led to the Ukraine war. I dont want to disturb the gracious atmosphere of the presentation of credentials, and I know that you may not agree with my opinion, but I cannot but say today that the use of tools by the US in its foreign policy such as supporting the so-called color revolutions, support in this regard for the coup d'etat in Kyiv in 2014 ultimately led to the current Ukrainian crisis," Putin told US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy at the presentation of credentials by foreign ambassadors. Putin said the US policy also negatively contributed to the degradation of Russia-US relations, adding that there currently is a deep crisis in relations between Moscow and Washington, which global security and stability directly depend on. According to Putin, the crisis in Russia-US relations is based on "fundamentally different approaches to the formation of the modern world order," adding that Moscow has always advocated building relations with the US on the principles of equality and respect, and will continue to do so. While addressing the new Danish ambassador to Moscow, Jakob Henningsen, Putin said he hopes Copenhagen will accept Russias proposal to establish an independent international commission to investigate last year's Nord Stream pipeline explosions. Danish authorities, along with Germany and Sweden, are investigating the undersea explosions that sparked leaks on the two Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea last September. Russia has called for an international UN-led inquiry into the sabotage and identify who was to blame, but the request has not been supported by the Security Council. Putin also noted that relations between Russia and the EU have seriously deteriorated. Addressing the head of the blocs delegation, he said the EUs abandonment of its original function of developing economic cooperation and European integration, as well as initiating a geopolitical confrontation with Russia" was the reason behind it. Burc Eruygur/AA Halifax, Nova Scotia, April 4, 2023 Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, Andy Fillmore, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry and Member of Parliament for Halifax, Alan R. Abraham, Jr., Chair of the Saint Marys University Board of Governors, and Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, President and Vice-Chancellor of Saint Marys University, announced a joint investment of $20 million to support Phase 2 of the Sobeys Inspiration Hub and the modernization of several campus buildings at Saint Marys University. This funding will enable the addition of solar panels and integrated audio-visual communications technology to the Sobeys Inspiration Hub. The Hub, which is currently under construction, will be dedicated to supporting entrepreneurship and innovation at the University. These upgrades will enhance knowledge sharing and collaboration among users and reduce energy consumption. In addition, landscaping work around the building will beautify the campus. This investment will also fund interior and exterior renovations and energy efficiency enhancements to several campus spaces, notably the Loyola Building, the Homburg Centre for Health & Wellness, the Patrick Power Library, the Burke Theatre, and the McNally Theatre Auditorium. The installation of solar panels on some of these buildings will increase Saint Marys Universitys capacity to generate clean energy by an estimated 230 per cent from 0.2 Megawatts to 0.66 Megawatts. Once the project is complete, the Saint Marys community and the broader public will have access to modern and accessible spaces for generations to come. To build Canadas clean economy, Budget 2023 makes transformative investments to fight climate change and create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and workers. This includes significant measures that will deliver cleaner and more affordable energy, support investment in our communities, and create good-paying jobs. By investing in infrastructure, the Government of Canada is growing our countrys economy, building resilient communities, and improving the lives of Canadians. UP BEd JEE 2023: The Bundelkhand University will going to close the Uttar Pradesh Bachelors of Education Joint Entrance Examination (UP BEd JEE) 2023 registration process today, March 5.Candidates can apply online for UP BEd JEE 2023 through the official website, bujhansi.ac.in. Candidates can also submit their application for the exam by March 10 with a late fee. Earlier, the last date to apply was March 3. Candidates are required to pay the UP BEd application fee and upload all the required documents such as scanned photo, signature, finger impressions and documents related to subcategory of the claimed reservation while applying for the exam. The UP BEd JEE 2023 entrance exam is scheduled to be held on April 24. Candidates will be able to download the admit card from April 13, 2023. UP BEd JEE 2023: Application fee Bangladesh cement exports surpass target by 20.7% in 9MFY23 05 April 2023 Bangladesh has reported 48.7 per cent YoY growth in cement export revenue to US$9.68m in the 9MFY22-23 (July 2022-March 2023). This compares to US$6.51m in the same period a year earlier. The value of the target set for this period also saw a healthier growth of 20.7 per cent. According to the Bangladesh Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), this figure includes minor amounts of salt, stone and related products. Most of the cement exports were shipped to neighbouring countries. For the full FY22-23, ending 31 June 2023, Bangladesh has set a cement export revenue target of US$11m, up from the US$9.57m earned in the same period in the previous year. This would translate to YoY growth of 15 per cent, according to the EPB. A brief note from Bangladesh Cement Manufacturers Association mentioned on the website that there are currently about 14 companies exporting. According to industry insiders, most of the cement exported from Bangladesh goes to India, especially its northeastern states. In addition, Bangladeshi cement is popular in Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Among experts, MI Cement accounted for 50 per cent of total exports in the past. Bangladesh's total merchandise exports revenue, including cement, reached US$41.72bn in the 9MFY22-23, 8.1 per cent up on the US$38.604bn seen in the corresponding year period earlier. Published under CIMAF orders polysius booster mill 05 April 2023 To reduce the clinker factor of cement produced in its plant of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Ciments d'Afrique (CIMAF) has entrusted thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG, BU Polysius, to install a polysius booster mill. By boosting the fineness and reactivity of the clinker portion, the high energy density mill will enable clinker substitution by local filler while maintaining both cement quality to local standards and production capacity of the exiting ball mill. Mohamed Naciri, CIMAF's regional general manager, said: Burkina Faso is a landlocked country where clinker has to travel at least 1200km to reach Ouagadougou, every technology aiming to decrease the cement clinker factor is welcome, this project is also an important milestone in our decarbonation road map, tkIS is a key partner for CIMAF to decrease our group CO 2 footprint. Luc Rudowski, head of innovation of thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG, said: This first industrial reference for clinker factor reduction with polysius booster mill technology cannot be overestimated; it is accelerating the transition of cement production from #grey2green, aiming to set a new future fine-grinding technology standard in the industry. With CIMAF, we are proud to be partnering, one more time, with an industry entrepreneur showing the right determination and ingenuity to make this happen. Coincidentally, clinker production costs from plants with CO 2 capture is expected to be as high as the import costs of clinker in certain West African countries. We are eager to demonstrate the impact of the polysius booster mill as one of our #grey2green solutions to boost clinker potential while reducing it in cement, in a carbon neutrality perspective. The booster mill targets: reduction of the clinker factor boost of cement and supplementary cementitious materials fineness and reactivity low capex boost of production capacity of existing grinding plant modular design and small footprint enable integration in existing grinding plants. Published under This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact The Chanute Tribune office at 620-431-4100 if you have any questions Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical has been named Air Conditioning Contractors of Americas 2023 Residential Contractor of the Year. Every year, ACCA presents its Residential Contractor of the Year award to one contracting company that has demonstrated an exemplary commitment to excellence. The winner, selected from multiple finalists by past ACCA board chairs, is measured on community involvement, industry involvement, and commitment to ongoing training and certifications. During the ACCA Awards & Welcome Reception at the ACCA 2023 Conference and Expo in New Orleans, La., Hiller was honored via live announcement in front of finalists, attendees, and industry leaders. Jimmy Hiller, Jr., chief operating officer at Hiller, and Megan (Hiller) Manning, Hillers director of Customer Care, jointly accepted the award on the companys behalf. We are so proud to have been named ACCAs 2023 Residential Contractor of the year," said Jimmy Hiller, founder and chief executive officer at Hiller. At Hiller, we strive to be industry leaders with a vision for elevating the HVAC field. So this prestigious honor, awarded for innovation and positive impacts in the industry, means so much to our entire team. We are grateful to be a part of an organization like ACCA, which provides countless resources and support to contractors across the country. During his acceptance speech, Jimmy Hiller, Jr. echoed these sentiments. To be awarded ACCAs Residential Contractor of the Year award, which recognizes our commitment to elevating the HVAC trade, is an extreme honor for each of us. We are truly humbled to have been selected from among our deserving peers. Acknowledging Hillers growth trajectory and history, Barton James, ACCA president and chief executive officer, remarked; ACCA applauds Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Electrical for their proven greatness in HVACR. From humble beginning to the powerhouse regional contractor they are today, Hiller is an excellent example of how working in the trades is a quality career choice. The city of Chattanooga announced a new, year-long effort to overhaul its website, with the goal of "better meeting the needs of residents through a revamped, user- and service-oriented design." The City Council on Tuesday night approved spending $998,402 on the project. There were seven firms applying, and the contract went to CI&T, which was described as a globally-renowned information technology and software development company. The city last got a new website in 2011 when Maycreate, a local firm, was paid $328,000. City officials said, "User data show that residents who visit the existing website which hasnt been upgraded since 2012 often leave without finding the information they need. The new site will be informed by resident input during each stage of development from information architecture design to prototype and beta testing to ensure Chattanooga.gov becomes an essential digital resource and information hub thats accessible to everyone." Content is organized by city departments rather than services or resources, and the site is not accessible for mobile users, residents with certain disabilities, or those who are not fluent in English. " Mayor Tim Kelly said, Providing responsive and effective local government is a primary goal of the One Chattanooga plan, and a huge piece of that work is building a website that actually meets the information and service needs of all residents. Were excited to work with the community to design improvements and upgrades that will make their day-to-day better, from a real-time alert system for road closures to a city-wide events calendar and engagement platform. The City Council originally approved the request for proposals (RFP) for the project in June 2022. Chief Information Officer Tyson Morris said, CI&T brings an expansive portfolio of proven digital solutions and will approach this project with a user experience and mobile-first mindset. The result will be a Digital Chattanooga City Hall for all residents and visitors alike. CI&Ts expertise and guidance, combined with ongoing user-testing and input from the community, will ensure we build a website and back-end-infrastructure that will serve our city for years to come and enable new features and capabilities as Chattanooga grows and the needs change. Officials said the existing Chattanooga.gov website "is organized according to the structure of city departments, which is not user-friendly or intuitive for residents. Additionally, the outdated web content management system is not responsive to mobile devices, making it difficult for residents to access the site from their phones, which often serve as primary browsing devices. "The new website will be: Built in a mobile-first, responsive design that is modern and visually engaging on any device Organized clearly and consistently according to user input Accessible according to the latest standards for the Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design Translated into Spanish according to the most highly trafficked topic areas, with a plan for full-site Spanish translation and ongoing maintenance within the following year Easily searchable and sortable by popular content, like city services and events "The redesign will also prioritize new user-friendly features informed by resident feedback. Examples include: A new, comprehensive city-wide calendar with options to sort by neighborhood, submit community-led events, or easily add an event to a personal calendar An opt-in alert system to ensure residents stay informed of timely updates on things like road closures and garbage collection schedule changes Easier digital payment options for city bills or parking tickets Regular news feeds and live streams from City events A new engagement platform for residents to provide feedback on new or ongoing proposals and projects Residents who are interested in getting involved and staying up to date on progress can sign up for updates at cha.city/webredesign." A woman called police from the Walmart, 490 Greenway View Dr., because she thought someone had stolen the spark plug out of her vehicle. She said that a week prior she had been involved with some drama with her cousin, where she had to make a harassment report. She said her cousin had threatened to destroy her vehicle. She then told police that her cousin lives in Florida, and that she didn't think it could have been her after all. She said she had her vehicle looked at because it had made a loud sound like a lawn mower. That is when she learned that the spark plug was loose. The woman did not have any other suspect information and did not think anyone stole anything from her vehicle. * * * An anonymous party called from the Family Dollar at 5000 Brainerd Road and said that a couple was in the parking lot and they were not supposed to be there. Police spoke with the couple and they said they were not aware they were not wanted there and would not return. * * * A man told police he found a brown wallet near a parking meter on Broad Street. He said there was no identifying information inside the wallet, but there was a $20 bill, a $10 bill and four $1 bills inside the wallet. Police will turn the wallet into Property. * * * Police were dispatched to a possible disorder at a residence on Gillespie Road. A man there told police his girlfriend was kind of acting up, but everything was fine now. The girlfriend told police that there was no reason for the them to even have been called and nothing even happened. Both of them were fine upon police departure. * * * A man told police he was traveling northbound on Cummings Highway when he came upon a tree limb that had fallen into the lane of traffic. He said he didn't have time to avoid the tree limb and struck the tree limb with his front windshield, which was destroyed/damaged. The man estimated the cost of replacement would be $500. He was not harmed in the incident. He wanted a report for insurance purposes. The fallen tree limb was removed from the roadway. * * * A man called police from the Circle K, 4900 Brainerd Road, and said he lost his wallet. He said his debit card was in his wallet, and then a $250 transaction was made with his debit card. No suspect info is available. He said he has deactivated his debit card to prevent further transactions. * * * Police made contact with a woman on Lee Highway who was having an emotional break down. She said that she was lost and confused because she missed her exit. Due to her emotional state of mind, police called her husband. Her husband arrived on scene and was able to calm her down. Both of them left the scene without further incident. * * * A Loss Prevention employee at the Walmart, 501 Signal Mountain Road, showed police camera footage of a man, approximately six feet tall, medium build and with a large neck tattoo, attempt to shoplift $206 worth of merchandise by concealment in a shopping cart. The employee was able to recover the merchandise; however. the man fled the scene. The employee showed police camera footage of the man exiting a vehicle bearing a TN tag. A picture of the man will be sent out for possible identification. * * * A woman on Morris Hill Road told police she last saw her vehicle the night before around 10 or 11 p.m., and it stayed there overnight. When she got back to it around 11 a.m. that day, she discovered the back window had been broken out, but it didn't look like the vehicle had been entered. She believes her neighbor could be responsible because they have been having problems with him lately, due to a parking issue. * * * A woman called police from the Walmart at 490 Greenway View Drive in regards to her rental car having a dent. She said that she had gone into Walmart at around 4:45 p.m. and, when she came back out of the store, she noticed there had been a dent made in the car. She said there were not any witnesses on scene. The woman needed a police report for insurance purposes. * * * A woman on Carousel Road told police she had ordered some items from Amazon and everything was supposed to be delivered two days later by mail. She said she received only part of the order that day. She then contacted Amazon and they told her the rest of the order was supposed to be delivered in another two days, but she knows nothing was ever delivered after that first delivery, because her camera would have showed it, therefore, the rest of the items never came. The undelivered items were a purse, a wig and some jewelry, amounting to $161 total. The woman needed a report for documentation to submit to Amazon, who is investigating the matter. George Gobel WDOD Radio Playhouse note Archie Campbells signature in the lower right hand corner WDOD AM Control room Hamilton National Bank Roy Morris had a daily radio program in the 1950s Chuck Simpson, the announcer Luther grew up listening to One of Chattanoogas first news mobile units Previous Next I cant let April 13th pass by without remembering the importance of this date in Chattanooga broadcasting history. Two Ohio boyhood neighbors, Earl Winger and Norman Thomas, moved to the city opening a business to make crystal radio sets. Mr. Winger and Mr. Thomas realized a local station would enhance the sales of their new product so they applied to Washington and got a license. Mr. Winger said a small studio was built in the 500 block of McCallie Avenue and the first broadcast was live from the nearby First Presbyterian Church. Mr. Winger said he ran a long microphone cable from the station to the pulpit. He said WDOD broadcast live music several evenings a week. Much has been written about Chattanoogas first radio station which went dark in 2011 after broadcasting 86 years. Longtime Chief Engineer S. Parks Hall wrote the WDOD AM story documenting Tennessees second radio stations rich history. Several U.S. radio stations started live country music shows including WSMs Grand Ole Opry. WDOD was on the cutting edge in the 1940s hosting the Radio Playhouse located in the heart of downtown Chattanooga at what once was the old Capital Theater. Mr. Winger said: We packed um in with live country music. Well known country artists started here including Homer and Jethro, George Gobel, Archie Campbell, and the Swanee River Boys. Mr. Winger brought the late Gaylord McPherson to Chattanooga from Des Moines, Iowa to work the playhouse, which broadcast daily for nearly two years over the CBS radio network. WDOD AM had three owners, Mr. Winger and Mr. Thomas, Interstate Life Insurance Company and Bahakel Communications. When the Bahakels purchased the legendary station in 1963 it began a 20-year comeback switching the format to country music. The station remained at the top of the ratings during this time. Chattanooga pictorial historian Sam Hall, along with his father, have done extensive research on WDOD and the early years. The younger Mr. Hall uncovered that WDOD nearly acquired a television license in 1952 but politics apparently had a role in the license going to the Patterson family, owners of WAPO. Those call letters stood for W.A. Patterson oil, and the call letters of Channel 3, WRGP, stood for R.G. Patterson. The family operated a successful oil business in Chattanooga with a hand in broadcasting. Sam Hall wrote the following: Almost Famous... You'll note TV is featured as an exciting technology to come. By the early 1950s - WDOD's management was pursuing an application with the FCC, and had every reason to believe it would be granted a license. But fate would take another direction - and instead, the owners of WAPO were awarded the license. This became WRGP - later WRCB TV-3. The FCC examiner J.D. Bond's choice of WAPO over WDOD was reported in the trades. "...as his belief that WAPO proposed superior programs, was more likely to carry out proposals. He also said WAPO's operating principals (R. G. Patterson and Will Cummings) have superior radio experience, will engage in 'meaningful operating participation.'" SOURCE: Television Digest Jul 10, 1954 Obviously, there were other reasons than those stated, as Will Cummings, a well-known retired Hamilton County Judge, had no previous broadcast experience. Ramon G. Patterson had worked with his father at WAPO since 1936. After his father, and later his mother's death - he purchased controlling share in WAPO from his sister in 1952 - just two years before the application with the FCC. Note: WAPO-AM later became WGOW-AM. Considering Mr. Winger and Mr. Thomas's quarter of a century in broadcast ownership, I can only imagine the crushing emotional loss they endured. Winger & Thomas filed a petition to reopen the record of the FCC's decision - resulting in multiple hearings and over 60 witnesses. But the decision of the Examiner was sustained and awarded Channel 3 to Mountain City Television, Inc. Two FCC commissioners dissented with the majority, including Chairman George McConnaughey. Commissioner Lee dissented with comments "I dissent. I am convinced that we should approve the application of WDOD Broadcasting Corporation to operate a new television station on Channel 3 at Chattanooga, Tenn. The first ground on which I would prefer WDOD over its opponent, Mountain City, is the superior broadcast experience of its principals. The partners of WDOD, Mr. Earl A. Winger and Mr. Norman A. Thomas, have spent a lifetime in radio." SOURCE: FCCWDOD Broadcasting Corporation et al. Jul 8. It was a very sad day when WDOD AM aired its final broadcast in May, 2011. The owners sent the license back to the FCC in Washington D.C. and, unless rules change, there will never again be a station in Chattanooga operating on the 1310 frequency. After the station went off the air, Bahakel Communications sold the property to neighboring Baylor School. A few years ago this writer went back to the site. I told the guard there are so many good memories under that grass. The guard responded: and you helped put a lot of them there. The late Merrill Parker was employed by WDOD for several decades and said, Not many U.S. stations had the rich history of WDOD AM but you cant pay bills with memories. As Parks Hall wrote, WDOD AM, the jewel that was ours. Mr. Halls story can be viewed under the same name. https://chattanoogahistory.com/wdod_memories.php The University of Tennessee at Chattanoogas Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, housed in the Gary W. Rollins College of Business, will host the 2nd annual Fly for Researchers Pitch Competition for UTC faculty and graduate student innovators at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19, in the Centers second-floor offices in the Mapp Building, 410 E. 8th St. The competition, open to the general public, is geared toward members of the Chattanooga business and entrepreneurial communities. Click here to register to attend the event. The Fly for Researchers competition spotlights ideas that have the potential to be commercialized or licensed. Students Andrew Eubanks and Connor Mackey; Dr. Sungwoo Yang, assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Chemical Engineering Dr. Erkan Kaplanoglu, associate professor in the Department of Engineering Management and Technology; Dr. Max Jordon, assistant professor in the Department of Physical Therapy; Dr. Jeremy Bruce, orthopedic surgeon at Erlanger Hospital; Dr. Ahad Nasab, professor and head of the Department of Engineering Management and Technology Dr. Abdul Ofoli, UC Foundation associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering; Dr. Vahid Disfani, assistant professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering Graduate student Joshua Tyler; Dr. Donald Reising, UC Foundation associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering Dr. Sungwoo Yang, assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Chemical Engineering A total of $35,000 in internal grants will be awarded$20,000 for 1st place, $10,000 for 2nd place and $5,000 for 3rd placeand winners will be able to use the money to accelerate the success of their ideas, innovations and commercialization objectives.In addition, audience members can vote for their choice of the best innovation, with the leading vote recipient winning a $1,000 grant to accelerate commercialization progress. The Audience Choice grant is sponsored by Thomas Lyons, the Clarence E. Harris Chair of Excellence in Entrepreneurship in the Rollins College of Business.Fly for Researchers Pitch Competition finalists will give five-minute presentations, followed by up to eight minutes of Q&A from the judges. A panel of local business executives and entrepreneursKristina Montague, managing partner of The JumpFund; Rebekah Sharpe, founding partner of Transparency Health; and Tasia Malakasis, CEO of CO.LABwill serve as judges for the competition.The finalists:An innovative method to ease the burdens and costs of construction when using prefabricated sections to build a full-scale house, shortening the process into days instead of weeks.A self-contained, machine-operated platform that uses a wearable device to measure the muscular control of patients with balancing and walking problems due to chronic low back pain or sports-related concussions. Data from the platform can be used to treat the physical issues.A drone-based Artificial Intelligence system will detect and assess damaged solar panels cracks, corrosion, dust clouds, etc. to ensure performance and longevity.A method of adjusting digital audio that improves sound quality, especially with hearing aids, creating a more natural experience for those who wear them.Development of a gel that will be lower in cost, easier to apply and still as energy-efficient when compared to current methods of retrofitting single-paned windows. One person was killed in a single-vehicle wreck at Ooltewah on Tuesday night. At approximately 8:45 p.m., Hamilton County Sheriffs Office deputies were dispatched to the 12400 block of Ooltewah-Georgetown Road on a report of a vehicle crash. Upon arrival, deputies located a 2013 Hyundai Elantra off the roadway in a small creek with the driver unresponsive. The male driver was transported to Erlanger Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. HCSO traffic investigators responded to the scene to investigate the cause of the crash. The name of the victim is not being released at this time pending notification of next-of-kin. A bank robber who was killed in a shootout in Oklahoma on March 24 is believed to be the same man who robbed the Regions Bank in downtown Chattanooga three days earlier. Chattanooga Police said they do not yet have conclusive proof, but believe that is the case. The man, 25-year-old Rosendo Enrique Rivero, robbed a bank at Wellington, Kan., by saying he was armed with a bomb. In the Chattanooga case, the robber displayed a long gun and jumped on the counter. He then fired several shots. He got away with an undisclosed amount of money. In both instances, the robber was wearing a mask. The robber was given less than $5,000 at the Kansas bank after parking near the bank's front door. No customers were inside. He left in a grayish car, believed to be a Chrysler 300. Police soon spotted it on I-35. The robber began firing shots at police and the shots were returned. The car was disabled, and he got out and continued firing. He was then shot dead. In the Chattanooga case, swarms of police converged on the scene and nearby buildings, including the County Courthouse and Court Building, were placed on lockdown. Rivero was wanted for shooting his former girlfriend's grandmother in the Miami area on March 17. Police said he shot her at point blank range at her boutique. She was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Rivero apparently then headed toward Chattanooga. When Succession debuted on HBO in 2018, the show didnt take long to get the attention of viewers and critics. The series follows the family owners of a media conglomerate, and perhaps its most notable for its stellar ensemble cast. Over the years, fans have learned a lot about what it was like making the show, including how Kieran Culkin managed co-star Brian Coxs on-set outbursts. Kieran Culkin landed a main role on Succession in 2018 Kieran Culkin attends the HBOs Succession Season 4 Premiere I Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images) Prior to Succession, Culkins only main role on television was the short-lived sitcom Go Fish in 2001. But the actor has worked extensively on film, starting with a supporting role opposite his big brother Macaulay in 1990s Home Alone. That led to other supporting roles in films like 1991s Father of the Bride (and its 1995 sequel), Shes All That, and The Cider House Rules. But the former child actor landed his most acclaimed film role in the 2002 comedy-drama Igby Goes Down. Culkin earned a Golden Globe nomination for his role as a rebellious teen opposite a cast that includes Claire Danes, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, and Susan Sarandon. And hes continued to work steadily in everything from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World to 2016s Wiener-Dog. The actor had a strategy for co-star Brian Coxs outbursts As much of a fan favorite as Succession is, the show has certainly experienced its share of behind-the-scenes drama. Culkin has famously been extremely open about his criticisms of his co-stars in the press, including sharing his thoughts on co-star Jeremy Strongs approach to acting. And in a new interview, Culkin opens up about Coxs outbursts on the Succession set. Its just so funny to see him lose his st, Culkin told Esquire in 2023. Still, the actor refuses to quote any specific instance of Coxs behavior because they will definitely be misinterpreted. According to Culkin, Cox relied on a boost of sugar in the form or a sandwich or banana to calm down. But Coxs outbursts arent the only thing Culkin will miss when Succession ends. The Succession actor Kieran Culkin will keep in touch with For all the drama behind the show, Culkin still asserts hes going to miss the experience as well as the people. In the Esquire piece, the actor reveals that, of his co-stars, he certainly plans to stay in touch with J. Smith-Cameron, who Gerri Kellman on the show. As for the rest of the actors, Culkin is less certain hell continue to build relationships with them. Im not really going to keep up a proper relationship with anybody just because of logistics, Culkin told Esquire in that same 2023 interview, citing how spread out everyone is. Cast members live everywhere from Los Angeles to Australia, Denmark, and London. Its a big, big loss, Culkin adds. The Cherokee Nation Election Commission is including a reminder with absentee ballots to return them as quickly as possible. Traditions and Practices on Holy Week As per Cultural Awareness International, Palm Sunday is commonly celebrated with a parade and procession of palm fronds meant to represent those laid at Jesus' feet. On Maundy Thursday, Christians mark the Last Supper that took place the night before Jesus was crucified. Good Friday is the day of the year when most Christians remember and reflect upon Jesus's crucifixion and death. Moreover, Holy Saturday is the final day of Holy Week and marks the culmination of the spiritual and physical preparations for the resurrection of Jesus. In countries such as Mexico, Poland, and the Philippines, it is celebrated annually with different traditions and practices. 1. Mexico One of the holidays that receives the most significant amount of attention from the general public in Mexico is Holy Week, also known as Semana Santa. Because of this, many schools and businesses close their doors during Holy Week and the following week to commemorate the holiday with time-honored customs such as processions, reenactments of the Passion, and native rituals. On Holy Saturday, one such practice is "la quema de Judas," which translates to "the Burning of Judas." Burning or setting effigies made of hay, wood, or paper mache on fire with fireworks is common during funerals. Many believe the flames are cleansing, ridding the spectators' souls of anything evil or corrupt. La quema de Judas has been attended by people from all over Mexico and other countries in Latin America ever since the time of the conquistadors. It used to be a religious practice, but it has become more secular over the years. This tradition, which continues to this day, honors the rich history of Mexico. 2. Poland Easter is celebrated in Poland, a country whose population is predominantly Catholic, with a mix of Christian and pagan customs. On Palm Sunday, Poles decorate their homes with palm fronds handcrafted from various branches, flowers, and ribbons. On the Friday before Easter, many people pay a visit to a grave that has been decorated with flowers and candles. Families will celebrate Easter by decorating baskets and stuffing them with traditional foods such as bread, sausage, hard-boiled eggs, and a miniature lamb made from sugar, butter, or plastic on Holy Saturday. After that, they take the baskets with them to mass, where a priest will bless them, and then they are set aside to remain untouched until the following Sunday morning. 3. Philippines Holy Week celebrations in the Philippines are influenced by Spanish Catholicism and the indigenous practices before Spanish colonization. The moriones festival, in which Roman soldiers reenact Jesus' walk to Calvary, features a statue of Santo Entierro (holy internment) on a flower-covered Calandra. On Good Friday, many people try to keep as much noise as possible to a minimum by turning off their radios and televisions to concentrate more fully on the day's significance. Based on an article from the Guide to the Philippines, the Roman Catholic practice of visiting and praying in at least seven churches daily is known as the Visita Iglesia and most commonly takes place on Maundy Thursday. When they observe Visita Iglesia, most Filipinos pray the 14 Stations of the Cross, typically at two stations at each church. Additionally, during the Spanish colonial era, Augustinian missionaries introduced this tradition to the country in the 1560s. Pexels/Karolina Grabowska Rev. Patrick Pullicino, a Catholic priest who sued the South West London and George's Mental Health NHS for religious discrimination, victimization, and harassment, will be compensated $12,000. The temporary staff member was told that the Trust's policy on equality and diversity takes preeminence over religious beliefs by the time when he was sharing the church's teaching on marriage with a patient. Priest to be Rewarded Settlement for Lawsuit Against Hospital Because of Religious Discrimination According to the report by Fox News, the Trust reached a settlement with the priest for 10,000 before the trial, which was scheduled to take place in July at the Croydon Employment Tribunal. After his case received widespread notice, Pullicino was defended by attorneys at the Christian Legal Centre in London. The priest recently shared on Fox News Digital that he was dismissed from the hospital because he engaged in a conversation about marriage with one of the patients in the hospital, in which the patient wanted to know the Catholic's view on same-sex marriage. The patient is said to have plans to marry his same-sex partner, and he asked the priest what he thinks about it. Since he felt the patient was looking for Catholic teaching, Pullicino answered by asking the patient what he believed God would say about it. According to Pullicino, the dialogue was civil, and he didn't try to convert the patient to his point of view. Also, the patient admitted that his father disagreed with his way of life, and Pullicino urged him to make amends with him. In the report by Christian Post, Rev. Patrick Pullicino showed relief at the decision to settle his case. Still, he urged a government inquiry that he referred to as a "disturbing approach" to expressing the Christian teachings and beliefs within the NHS. He voiced concern that lowering Christian belief threatens the treatment provided to patients and chaplains of other faiths. He argued that the NHS had the propensity to pressure people into accepting generic "spiritual" care rather than supporting their Religious beliefs, which is crucial during illness, especially when facing death. The priest believes better, religion-specific chaplaincy support is critical in all hospitals. He then emphasized that a government inquiry is urgently needed to restore hospital chaplaincy to its rightful place. Also Read: Christian Worker Fired For Wearing Cross Wins Religious Discrimination Lawsuit, Granted $26,000 In Damages Religious Discrimination is Illegal According to the law, it is illegal to treat a person unevenly and unfairly just because of what their religion is. According to Citizens Advice, the law applies to different settings, where each specific setting has its own sanctions and rules to follow. One of the most critical setting is the workplace, wherein this law protects everyone in the workplace. Regardless of what your religion is, what your employer's religion is, or others, you are protected. You must carefully examine if work-related matters cause discrimination before taking action. Discrimination in the workplace may include dismissal from a job, gender-specific dress requirements, and schedule issues brought on by religious responsibilities are a few instances of religious discrimination at work. If you've encountered religious discrimination at work, you have options. You can report the incident, register a grievance, or go to court. Yet if your company can show that its measures are justified by genuine business or health and safety concerns, it might not be considered discrimination. Related Article: Christians Face Individual Religious Discrimination in The Workplace for Their Morals, Study Finds Pexels/sergio souza The deadly tornadoes in some parts of the United States destroyed Arkansas' New Commandment Church of God. Despite this, the church's pastor, Eddie Miller, still led the Palm Sunday service. Palm Sunday at the New Commandment Church of God A report from the A.P. News stated that at least 32 people had been confirmed dead due to the severe storms that swept across the United States, spawning possibly dozens of tornadoes and causing widespread damage. Residents across a large swath of the country have been working feverishly to assess the damage caused by the storms. People throughout the region were taken aback by the magnitude of the damage caused by the storms, which included the collapse of the roof of a crowded concert venue in Illinois and a path of destruction through the capitol of Arkansas. Fatalities continued increasing throughout the day on Sunday, Apr. 2. Moreover, News Nation reported that although the severe storms destroyed his church, Pastor Eddie Miller of the New Commandment Church of God in Arkansas still managed to host a lively Palm Sunday service and deliver a fiery sermon. In it, he stated that the church had been chosen to convey a message of hope and healing to the world. Miller's church was one of the places hit the hardest by the EF-3 tornado on Friday, Mar. 31, that blasted across central Arkansas, parts of Little Rock, Jacksonville, and the eastern side of the state, obliterating numerous small villages and big cities across 11 states. The pastor delivered the sermon on the porch of the building formerly his church in Jacksonville, Arkansas. He maintained an upbeat attitude even though the cathedral's interior contained nothing but artifacts. "I didn't want the congregation to feel incomplete or hopeless. Even though we were punched, we didn't go out. We're here," Miller said. In addition, he took News Nation on a tour of the wreckage left of 808 Stone Street. Crosses were still visible on the wall of the nave, and a chandelier was hanging from the open ceiling despite miraculously sustaining no damage. Nevertheless, he stated that he had only finished paying off the mortgage four weeks earlier. Also Read: Churches Offer Comfort and Support to Affected Communities Amidst Mississippi Delta Tornadoes Previous Calamities in Arkansas According to Primal Survivor, Arkansas has more than three million people. Many of these persons have direct personal experience with the natural calamities in the state. Unfortunately, the vast majority of people living in the state need to be aware of the state's susceptibility to a wide variety of natural disasters or that the risk of certain disasters is growing. Compared to the rest of the United States, the likelihood of natural disasters occurring in Arkansas is relatively low. Since 2000, Arkansas has had 39 different disasters declared in the County. There were 34 declarations of major disasters among these. Sixty natural disasters took place in Arkansas, and together they caused more than a billion dollars worth of damage. Accordingly, Arkansas has been hit particularly hard by hurricanes, tornadoes, drought, and winter storms. Hurricanes have been the most devastating of Arkansas's natural catastrophes. Related Article:Samaritan's Purse, Convoy of Hope, Other Christian Groups Deploy Relief Teams to Help Survivors of Severe Storms in United States Unsplash/Wesley Tingey In December 2022, United Methodist Church stopped member churches from leaving their congregation by renouncing its disaffiliation process. As a result, hundreds of churches took legal action against the regional body of the United Methodist Church. Lawsuit Filed Against United Methodist Church The complaint was filed by 186 churches on Thursday, Mar. 30, in Cobb County Superior Court in Marietta, Georgia, involving over a quarter of the almost 700 congregations in the North Georgia Conference, UMC News reported. That is also the most prominent congregation that has joined forces in a single lawsuit since the church began enduring a slow-motion separation due to decades of escalating disagreement over including LGBTQ people. The action is a response to the decision made by the leadership of the North Georgia Conference last year to stop the disaffiliation process under church law. The management cited widespread "defamatory" misinformation as the reason for their decision. The leaders stated that the conference would revisit the disaffiliation process after the next General Conference, which is the highest law-making assembly of the church and is currently slated to take place in Charlotte, North Carolina, between Apr. 23 and May 3, 2024. A report from The Christian Post stated that before the prohibition of disaffiliation was implemented in June 2022, 70 congregations, which accounted for 9% of the conference's churches and 3% of its people, severed their ties with the United Methodist Church. By 2022, more than 1,800 churches had voted for disaffiliation, with their respective conferences accepted. The disaffiliations came about mainly as a result of the current discussion within the church regarding whether or not to permit the blessing of same-sex unions and the ordination of individuals in romantic relationships with others of the same sexual orientation. Even though the Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church prohibits both of these practices at present, many progressive clerics have continued to refuse to enforce the rules, and theological liberals within the UMC have been engaged in a years-long effort to change the denomination's position, but they have been unsuccessful. On the topic of LGBT rights, confident, progressive denominational leaders have chosen not to adhere to or enforce the standards of their church. Moreover, although many congregations have been permitted to disaffiliate, others have encountered financial obstacles or had their disaffiliation votes flatly disallowed, resulting in several litigations affecting numerous conferences. Also Read:Anglican Church in Singapore Expressed Dismay Over Church of England's Blessing of Same-Sex Marriage Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church According to the Oklahoma Conference of The United Methodist, the Book of Discipline lays down the framework for how members of the United Methodist Church are to govern themselves. It reflects their understanding of the church and the expectations placed upon its laity and clergy as they strive to be effective witnesses worldwide as a component of the entire body of Christ. The discipline comprises the church's history, doctrinal, constitution, standards, and mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Additionally, it consists of the practical processes through which their congregations connect and assist each other in evangelizing to the world. Related Article:Cornerstone Church Believes Leaving United Methodist Church Is a "Healthy Step" Unsplash/Nick Karvounis Evangelical Anglican clergy who are opposed to the plans of the Church of England to embrace gay blessings have organized a new deanery chapter for the city of London. This chapter will represent the clergy's opposition. St. Helen's Bishopsgate, one of London's most significant Evangelical Anglican churches, announced the new Church of England City deanery chapter on its website. New Church of England City Deanery Chapter According to the Christian Post, in a statement published on the church's website, it was stated that "With the recent departure of the House of Bishops from the teaching of the Bible on marriage and sexuality, new leadership structures are required." In addition, it stated that the deanery chapter would "encourage ongoing healthy Church of England ministry." It will support the activities of pre-existing evangelical organizations within the CofE, such as the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC). On Monday, Mar. 27, the London location of the deanery chapter held its first meeting, which was attended by eleven clergies. Phil Martin, the vicar of St. Botolph's Aldersgate, was recently chosen as interim area dean and responsible for chairing future sessions. According to the Rev. Chris Fishlock, who serves as the senior priest at St. Nicholas Cole Abbey, the members of the deanery chapter have plans to get together on a more consistent basis. He explained that the resistance is because the proposed Prayers of Love and Faith result from the House of Bishops' decision to allow gay couples to be married. Moreover, Anglican Ink reported that grassroots Anglicans are pleading with the evangelical bishops of the Church of England, asking them to reject the proposals of their liberal colleagues to bless same-sex unions at the House of Bishops meeting on Jan. 30. They also want them to make a public statement that should the proposals still be approved following the discussion that will take place at the General Synod the following month, they will not permit the Prayers of Love and Faith to be used in their dioceses. They require all clergy to agree to the church's biblical and historical teaching on marriage and sexuality. Bishops who adhere to the revisionist or liberal position advocate same-sex blessing unions as a "stepping stone" toward the Church of England eventually recognizing homosexual marriage. They also want to get rid of the book Problems in Human Sexuality, which teaches the time-honored and widely accepted principle from the Bible that marriage should be between one man and one woman for the rest of their lives. Also Read:Church of England's General Synod Meets to Address Same-Sex Proposals; Archbishop Urges Unity Blessing of Same-Sex Marriage Based on an article from NPR, the Church of England agreed in February to offer blessings to same-sex couples, but clergy members still have the option not to use the prayers, and the church will continue to uphold its ban on same-sex marriage. The voting took place during a meeting of the General Synod, which is the church's governing body. Before the vote, the approach to the compromise was described in several ways, including as a breakthrough, a poor settlement, or an outright blunder. According to the measure, same-sex couples won't be able to get married in the church. Still, they can "come to church after a civil marriage or civil partnership to give thanks, dedicate their relationship to God, and receive God's blessing" if they already have a civil marriage or civil partnership. Related Article:Anglican Leaders Rejected England's Vote on Same-sex Union Blessing Pexels/Lerone Pieters The Utah Law that mandates that only hospital abortions are allowed, no clinics, is facing a backlash as Planned Parenthood in Utah fights. The ban would require all abortion procedures to be performed only in hospitals. Planned Parenthood has submitted a motion for a preliminary injunction to stop this new law, HB467, from becoming effective on May 3. Planned Parenthood Doing All They Can to Prevent or Delay Utah's New Law According to the report in KSL, the Planned Parenthood organization also requested permission to file an "over-length." SB174 from the 2020 Utah legislative session is being contested in a motion for the preliminary injunction and supplemental complaint that could add new allegations and defenses. SB 174, sometimes called the "trigger bill," only enables abortions in specific situations. The goal of Planned Parenthood is to prevent the implementation of both of these laws. The interim president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Utah, Sarah Stoesz, has been aggressively criticizing the new law saying that it is an old law that would functionally remove or ban abortion care throughout the state. She also added that it is a "very cruel law" that prevents women from seeking care from accessible clinics without a realistic alternative. Stoesz stressed that the Hospitals in Utah are still unprepared for the surge of patients because of the law. Stoesz claimed that politicians prioritized their controversial agenda over the rights and welfare of families, women, and children. She stated that prohibiting abortions is harmful, misguided, and would have a long-term impact on Utahns' health. She pledged that Planned Parenthood Utah would make every effort to ensure the safety of Utahns and to prevent politicians from interfering with anyone's healthcare choices. According to her, the company proudly offers healthcare to those in need and will never waver from upholding moral principles. The attorney of the Planned Parenthood organization, Hannah Swanson, stated that "confusing licensing provisions" in the new law could force the clinics to stop providing their services unless the court interferes. According to ABC News, Swanson added that some law provisions would make delivering abortions illegal beyond that time. Republican legislators, in contrast, have denied Planned Parenthood's assertions and asserted that licensed clinics can continue to operate up until the implementation of new licensing regulations. Rep. Karianne Lisonbee, a Republican who sponsored the bill, noted that it was created in conjunction with medical professionals in order to protect unborn children and pregnant mothers who endure unusual and serious pregnancy issues. Also Read: Taylor Swift Claims Her Pro-Abortion, Pro-LGBT Stand Is 'Real Christianity' Clinics May Seek New Hospital Licenses The new law in Utah also clarifies the definition of abortion to address liability concerns. The lawmakers in Utah called this provision a settlement. According to Associated Press News, abortion clinics may now seek for new hospital licenses, according to lawmakers and the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, who both made this announcement after the law was passed. The state's four independent clinics, which often do medication abortions and have depended on clinicians and other practitioners rather than doctors and surgeons to perform abortions, may find it challenging to comply with this requirement. This would necessitate substantial revisions to the licensing criteria. Related Article: Planned Parenthood Faces Lawsuit: Executive, Pastor Accuse Abortion Giant of Racial, Religious Discrimination Pexels/Kindel Media In September of last year, the police department of La Grange Park received a report of sexual assault that involved young victims. After speaking with the alleged victims, the authorities identified the culprit as a youth leader at Rock of Ages Church in Maywood. The 48-year-old La Grange Park resident and suspect, Tony E. Moton, is being looked into for allegedly sexually assaulting two young people. Youth Leader Caught for Alleged Sexual Assault: Things to Consider Regarding Cases Like This According to Fox 32 Chicago, the police detectives arrested Tony E. Moton on March 31, 2023, concerning the sexual assault allegations. He was charged with two counts of sexual assault but the Cook County State's Attorney. Sexual assault is a crime most common in some religious institutions and also targets vulnerable youth or minors. Sexual assault crimes are often divided into two main categories, and these are sexual penetration crimes and sexual contact crimes. According to Criminal Defense Lawyer, States may refer to these acts by different names. Still, the illegal behavior at their foundation is typically characterized as sodomy or sexual penetration without the victim's consent. Sodomy refers to oral sex or the penetration of the anus with a body part or object. In contrast, sexual penetration is commonly described as the penetration of the vagina with a body part or thing. Most states punish sexual behavior that doesn't include penetration, like a sexual battery or unlawful sexual contact, in addition to offenses involving sexual penetration. An intimate area of the body should never be touched without the victim's agreement, whether for sexual arousal, pleasure or to coerce the victim into touching the offender's body. While some states only consider sexual touching the sexual battery, others define it as sexual penetration. Such crimes only happen when the victim has not given consent to the tyrant and is dominated by the criminal. Also Read: Priest Indicted of Inviting Two Nuns to Take Part in a 'Holy Trinity' Threesome Things to Remember Regarding Sexual Assault There are things to consider and remember when facing the adversity of sexual assault. The victim is always the one holding the judgment, or the right to express and be believed on how they felt during the assault, disregarding what the criminal was feeling, according to Equal Rights. Even though the tyrant believed that what they have done is valid and harmless, being charged with sexual assault depends on the victim's feelings, if they have been threatened, forced, or felt unsafe. Everyone must keep in mind that a victim or survivor may not instantly object to or deny sexual harassment or assault. They might feel unprepared, fear the perpetrator's reaction, or be too weak to give their consent. In cases of an event where the victim has previously given their consent to sexual activity with the tyrant, consent will always be a requirement. The victims of sexual assault cannot be blamed for what they have gone through, for they didn't in their good conscience wanted to be assaulted in such cases. Related Article: Pope Francis Takes Bold Step to Combat Sexual Abuse, Extends Church Law to Include Lay Leaders Russian aggression cannot, and will not, destroy what matters most. Its time to rally around families. In the past year of war, Russia has destroyed a lot in Ukraine. Theyve destroyed more than 3,000 miles of natural gas pipelines and 3,800 gas distribution facilities, both essential infrastructure for surviving frigid Ukrainian winters. Theyve destroyed roads, wiped out about one-third of the nations power stations, bombed cities and ended the lives of tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians. Theyve also shaken millions of families. Over half of Ukraines children were displaced just in the first month of the war. With that displacement often comes separation from at least one parent, because men between ages 18 and 60 are barred from leaving the country. Those who elected to remain or couldnt leave their home cities have lost almost all of their original community and support systems, due to emigration and refugee waves. Whats more, Russia has removed children from their foster parents or orphanages and attempted to adopt them out to Russian families as part of their ongoing military strategy. I serve as the executive director at A Family for Every Orphan, an organization that works to keep orphaned and vulnerable Ukrainian children in families. Weve been surprised by families we thought would never crumble who have begun to break apart under the stress of a year-long war. This is particularly common among the families and caregivers of children with special needs, who now face prolonged isolation and distress in addition to complex infrastructure failure. They cant get help; they can barely heat or leave their homes. Many cant even get the medication or medical supplies they need. Complicating things further, the child welfare system in Ukraine has desperately needed a shift for decadestoward strengthening families. The current system is a remnant of a Soviet-era model that encouraged families to surrender children to institutions in the case of poverty or special needs. As a result, tens of thousands of children in Ukraines orphanages are suffering without family, despite the fact that most of them have living parents or other relatives. Some orphanages have had no choice but to evacuate the children in their care to safer areas of the country, but most of the caregivers couldnt move permanently with them. Now, the children have even less stability as theyre handed off to new caretakers every few months. In part, thats why were seeking to increase supportive services for families with such urgency now. We want to see families equipped to care for their children so more children do not grow up in orphanages unnecessarily. There is hope for this mission, even in the midst of war. Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska recently affirmed that children need families, not orphanages. Ukrainians are developing sustainable, innovative, long-term solutions to the suffering of vulnerable children and their families, and the Church is the leading force rebuilding communities. One of our partners is located in a suburb of Kiev that was occupied very early on in the war, ravaged by the Russians. But the church there has provided a new center of community. Families are slowly returning to the area because they know they have a central place of trust, support and ministry. Many other Ukrainian churches are building and providing modular homes on their grounds as a way to shelter and minister to vulnerable families. These families live, work, and recover near each other in safety. Other churches opt to run crisis ministries out of their facilities, distributing thousands of tons of food, administering psycho-social services and serving as an alternative community model. These forms of support (food, shelter, trauma care, legal assistance, employment development and opportunities, daycare, and child care resources) are essential to rebuilding families who will not just endure the war, but thrive long after. However, we must come alongside these teams and ministries if we are to help build a future of hope for Ukrainian children and families after wartime ends. You can get involvedno matter where or who you are. Support organizations that are helping to keep families together, either from afar via donations or directly with your own volunteer work and advocacy. The power of prayer is not to be underestimated, either. One partner shared with us they had two armies fighting for them: the men and women on the ground, and the ones whod fallen to their knees. They feel Christ with them in their work. Russian aggression cannot, and will not, destroy what matters most. Its time to rally around families. The Better Samaritan blog is produced by the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College, which offers a M.A. in Humanitarian & Disaster Leadership and a Trauma Certificate. To learn more and apply, visit our website Heather Dyer is the executive director of A Family for Every Orphan. Accomplished psychiatrist says demons, demonic possession are real WESTCHESTER, New York In a book he says is aimed at the well-educated with an interest in the subject, accomplished psychiatrist and professor, Dr. Richard Gallagher, delivers compelling findings from his decadeslong career to make a compelling case that demons and demonic possession are real phenomena. For many Christians, Gallaghers findings presented in his 272-page book, Demonic Foes: My Twenty-Five Years as a Psychiatrist Investigating Possessions, Diabolic Attacks, and the Paranormal, first published in the fall of 2020, could simply be treated as an acknowledgment of what the Bible has been telling them for centuries. In my experience, the idea of demonic possession is so controversial and so often misunderstood that I want at the outset to establish some scholarly plausibility to the notion along with my bona fides, the board-certified psychiatrist, who serves as professor of psychiatry at New York Medical and a psychoanalyst on the faculty of Columbia University, begins in the introduction of his book. Typical reactions to the topic reflect our nations polarization. Despite widespread belief in evil spirits in the United States and around the world, some people find the subject farfetched, even moronic. Yet others spot the devil everywhere. And so, here I detail my personal story and highlight the credibility of possessions while simultaneously offering some sober reflections on various exaggerations and abuses. The book is an elaboration of the psychiatrists 2016 op-ed on the subject published in The Washington Post, titled As a psychiatrist, I diagnose mental illness. Also, I help spot demonic possession. Gallagher, who is Catholic, is the longest-standing American member of the International Association of Exorcists which meet every two years in Italy. He begins his narrative with the story of a troubled devil-worshiper named Julia who he concluded was possessed after an exorcist in the Catholic Church brought her to him for evaluation before attempting an exorcism. Before I encountered Julia, I had already seen about eight or nine cases of what I regarded as full possessions. I define those as cases where the evil spirit completely takes control of someone, such that the victim has periods when he or she has no remembrance of such episodes, Gallagher writes. I have since seen scores more such possessions and a much higher number of cases of oppression, which are far more common than possessions. Because of my involvement with the International Association of Exorcists, I have heard reports of hundreds more of each type, but that hardly implies they are anything but rare conditions, as I still know them to be. Gallagher highlights stories about the manifestation of demonic powers like levitation and remote viewing where possessed individuals like Julia can, for example, communicate what someone is doing and where they are doing it despite being a hundred miles away. Julia demonstrated to me very clearly that she could see, for instance, the chief exorcist at a distance [even though] he was 100 miles away, Gallagher explained in an interview with The Christian Post at his home last Thursday. She could describe him to a tee and what he was doing which was unusual for his normal routine. There's no way she could have guessed that. If one is familiar with occult literature, one realizes that there are occultists, people [who] have turned to dark arts who claim they have a third eye, and that they can see things from a distance, this is an analogous phenomenon, he continued. She had this paranormal ability to do that. And she was very clear where she got that ability. People have tried to study these things for years without reaching much in the way of a conclusion. Human beings don't have those abilities on their own. They either get it from below or from above, Gallagher added. Julia recognized that and she recognized that she got these paranormal abilities from Satan himself. Gallagher explained that while he remains committed to science, he has found that all knowledge cannot be explained by science. I do want to emphasize in all that I write and say, that I am committed to science, that scientific methodology has immensely helped the human race, he said. But not all knowledge can be verified by lab experiments and that sort of thing. Most of what we're talking about when we talk about religious truths, and certainly this field of the demonic, is essentially historical knowledge. It's observations and observations about historical facts can be true or false, depending on the credibility of the witness, depending on how sensible seems the reports of these phenomena, he noted. But that doesn't make it unscientific because it's historical. We talk about Washington crossing the Delaware , most people would say that's knowledge. And, in a similar way, these reports, of demonic phenomena and exorcisms and that sort of thing, it is a type of genuine knowledge, which is what the word science originally meant. It meant knowledge, it didn't mean only the scientific method, he explained. While Gallagher says demonic possession is very rare today, it appeared to be a more common occurrence in the Bible. In the Christian tradition, Jesus fame grew as a result of His exorcisms. In Mark 1:1-28 it is recorded that Jesus cast out a demon from a man inside a Jewish synagogue and the people were all so amazed that they asked each other, 'What is this? A new teachingand with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits, and they obey him. News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. After Jesus appointed his 12 disciples in Mark 6, it is noted in verse 13 that They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. Gallagher warns that even though there is evidence suggesting that demons and demonic possession are real, care needs to be taken when discussing the subject to avoid hysteria and misconceptions. Unfortunately, there are people in this country there are many people who just dismiss the whole idea. But there were also people in this country who exaggerate its prevalence, he told CP. Possession itself is the most intense form of demonic attack, and it's rare. And so, anybody who's seeing possession all over the place is mistaken. What some people who exaggerate the prevalence of the phenomena mistake for possession are things like illnesses, especially mental illness, especially in today's world, the professor said. In the past, there may have been confusion with some odd neurological conditions like Tourette's disease, like certain forms of temporal lobe epilepsy, epilepsy, that sort of thing. Most of those neurological and other medical illnesses are better understood in today's world to have a brain-based foundation, but there's still a fair amount of people sometimes among less informed Christians who interpret certain forms of mental illness as demonic and I don't regard that as a professor of psychiatry, he continued. I think that's mistaken. The conditions that are most commonly confused with possession in certain Christian subcultures are psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, where people claim they're hearing voices of demons and stuff. Now those are brain events, those are hallucinatory experiences. That's not, that's not possession, he insisted. Other people have misinterpreted what's called dissociative identity disorder, which used to be called Multiple Personality Disorder, where there may be an evil personality, even a demonic seeming personality, but it has to be still recognized as a psychological disorder, not a possession. And then there are people who deal with very strong evil impulses, he said. There are certain personality disorders which are consumed with feelings and thoughts of destructiveness for instance, borderline personality, but there are even people who are sociopaths, what we would normally call criminals, who deal with very evil and sinful tendencies all the time. I do not regard those people as possessed. Those people may be influenced as all human beings are, by temptation from evil spirits, but I don't think we should go around acting like we can cure them with deliverance or that they have some serious possession. Despite all the mental health disorders with a brain-based foundation, says Gallagher, he still wants people to understand that the findings he records in his book bear witness to the existence of the demonic. I tell people, you don't have to believe what Dr. Gallagher writes, you know, there are people who write these books and make up stuff. My book was 100 percent accurate. All I did was change the names of people, he said. Paul, when he went to Corinth, which is, I suppose, a little bit like a preacher from Kansas, going to San Francisco or something. He said, Look, I saw the resurrected Christ. But you don't have to believe me, there are 500 other people, most of whom are still alive, you can get their witness too. And of course, many of those people suffered and died for their beliefs, including in the resurrected Jesus. So, there are other psychiatrists who believe exactly the way I do, they're just a little maybe more reluctant to speak out, or they just haven't seen as many cases as I have. Nobody just has to believe my book, he added. Go out and learn about it from many other faithful people who have recorded their own experiences. Christian author repents for using 'sinful' transgender pronouns A Christian author who once advocated for using people's preferred pronouns after her conversion to the faith condemned her previous use of them as a sin. Rosaria Butterfield, a former lesbian Syracuse University women's studies professor who came to Christ over two decades ago, wrote an article published Monday by reformation21, which publishes a "[r]eformed perspective on current issues." The author of The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert wrote that she has "publicly sinned on the issue of transgender pronouns." She condemned herself for "carelessly" using trans pronouns in books and articles and for advocating for their use in interviews. She said she continued to use them despite converting because she "wanted to meet everyone where they were and do nothing to provoke insult." Butterfield is married to a Reformed Presbyterian pastor in North Carolina and serves as a homeschooling mother, speaker and author. She came to faith after an article she wrote in 1997 against a men's Evangelical group led to a meeting with a Presbyterian pastor. In 1999, she started reading the Bible for research and eventually converted. Despite her conversion, the former professor said in a July 2015 Family Life interview that she had friends who identified as transgender and that she continued to use their preferred pronouns. The interview described her relationship with Ken Smith, the Presbyterian pastor who, along with his wife, welcomed Butterfield into their home and encouraged her conversion. Butterfield claimed after the U.S. Supreme Court's 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges declared state laws banning gay marriage unconstitutional, the "danger of [her] position started to come into focus." She contends the "codification of gay marriage and LGBTQ+ civil rights" launched a "collision course between LGBTQ+ and the Christian faith." "The LGBTQ+ movement's understanding of itself as ontological and morally good conflicts with the biblical account in Genesis 1:27," Butterfield wrote. The verse reads: "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." "Which is it? Which side was I on? Is LGBTQ+ a normal option in the ever-expanding menu of sexual orientation and gender identity, needing a little Jesus to aid human flourishing?" Butterfield asked. "Or does LGBTQ+ come from Satan as a reflection of the world, the flesh, and the devil? Is it part of God's creational design or rebellion against the creation ordinance?" "It's one or the other because the Christian faith is inherently binary, not non-binary," she added. "And getting this wrong is not a matter of personal liberty." The author outlined how using transgender pronouns is "a sin against the creation ordinance." Butterfield argues that using such pronouns violates the ninth commandment, which prohibits bearing a false witness. She also contends that using incorrect pronouns encourages people to break the 10th commandment, which states, "You shall not covet." "Christians who use the moral lens of LGBTQ+ personhood are not merely a 'soft presence' in the enemy camp," the Christian convert wrote. "Their malleability makes them pudding in the enemy's hand." "They make false converts to a counterfeit gospel that bends the knee to the fictional identity of LGBTQ+," she continued, writing that these Christians "reject" the clarity of God's word and replace it with "garbage." "By doing so, they have rejected the gospel truth that Jesus is the only way to salvation," Butterfield argued. She concluded that those who have "promoted this sin must stand up and repent," offering to be the first to do so. Idaho bans puberty blockers, chemical castration and breast removal for trans-identified kids Idaho has become the latest state to pass a law prohibiting doctors from prescribing puberty blockers that many refer to as chemical castration and body mutilating surgeries for youth struggling with their sexual identities. Gov. Brad Little signed House Bill 71, also known as the Vulnerable Child Protection Act, into law on Tuesday, making Idaho the 12th state to ban such practices, joining Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and West Virginia. In a transmittal letter sent to Idaho House Speaker Mike Moyle, Little explained that he signed the bill because he believed our society plays a role in protecting minors from surgeries or treatments that can irreversibly damage their healthy bodies. This bill is aptly named the Vulnerable Child Protection Act because it seeks to protect children with gender dysphoria from medical and surgical interventions that can cause permanent damage to their bodies before they are mature enough to make such serious health decisions, wrote Little. Chelsea Gaona-Lincoln, executive director of the LGBT activist group Add the Words, Idaho, released a statement claiming that the state was watching parental rights being dismantled in the name of stigmatizing and harming our most vulnerable youth. Little is supposed to be a champion and a defender of parental rights, especially when overseeing the medical decisions of our children. His signing of this bill flies in the face of those supposed values, stated Gaona-Lincoln. Terry Schilling, president of the socially conservative American Principles Project, released a statement saying it was encouraging to see lawmakers nationwide taking action to protect children from the predatory transgender industry. The vast majority of Americans recognize that children are too young to consent to these procedures, which will have permanent, potentially destructive consequences for their long-term health, stated Schilling. We thank Gov. Little and the Idaho legislature for stepping up to protect their states families and kids. And we look forward to seeing more states join them in the weeks ahead. Introduced in February, HB 71 passed the Idaho House of Representatives by a vote of 58-12 and then in March passed the Idaho Senate by a vote of 22-12, with one abstention. The new law makes it a felony for a doctor to, among other things, perform surgeries that sterilize or mutilate, or artificially construct tissue with the appearance of genitalia that differs from the child's biological sex, such as surgeries involving castration or a vasectomy, on a minor. It also bans doctors from providing minors with medications that induce profound morphologic changes in the genitals of a child or induce transient or permanent infertility, such as puberty blockers. The legislation provides exemptions to this ban, including a person acting in accordance with the good faith medical decision of a parent or guardian of a child born with a medically verifiable genetic disorder of sex development. In recent years, there has been growing concerns about the use of puberty blockers and irreversible surgeries to change the gender of youth suffering from gender dysphoria. In 2021, for example, the long-running CBS news program 60 Minutes aired a segment in which Lesley Stahl interviewed multiple young people who spoke about the harms of taking irreversible puberty blockers or going to the next level by having body mutilating surgeries to try and look more like the opposite sex. Last November, The New York Times published a story detailing several medical professionals and formerly trans-identified individuals' rising concerns regarding puberty blockers. 'Ideological litmus test' prevented Christian mom from becoming adoptive parent in Oregon: lawsuit A new lawsuit accuses the state of Oregon of imposing an ideological litmus test for those seeking to adopt children from foster care, which requires adherence to progressive ideology on LGBT issues. The law firm Alliance Defending Freedom announced in a statement Monday that it had filed a lawsuit on behalf of Jessica Bates, a single mother of five wishing to adopt siblings from foster care. As noted by the law firm, Bates seeks to adopt a sibling pair, who are generally harder to place. The complaint names Director of the Oregon Department of Human Services, Fariborz Pakseresht, Deputy Director of the Oregon Department of Human Services, Liesl Wendt, Interim Director of the Oregon Department of Human Services Child Welfare Division, Aprille Flint-Gerner, as well as Malheur County officials Rebecca Garrison and Cecilia Garcia as defendants. It was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, Pendleton Division. The lawsuit follows the Oregon Department of Human Services refusal to grant Bates the certification required to become an adoptive parent after she informed the state that her religious beliefs prevented her from complying with a state law requiring prospective adoptive parents to respect, accept and support the sexual orientation, gender identity, [and] gender expression of the children they seek to adopt. As she underwent the necessary training to become an adoptive parent, an instructor informed Bates that adoptive and resource parents must use a childs stated pronouns and affirm a childs gender identity if the childs identity does not align with their biological sex. Additionally, the instructor provided an example of how a parent could support a childs sexual orientation or gender identity by allowing a child to dress however they want and taking them to a Pride parade. Upon completing the instruction, Bates raised her concerns with Garcia, the certification officer for the Oregon Department of Human Services office in Malheur County. One of the things the training really emphasized is SOGI (sexual orientation gender identity) and that the host must respect, accept, and support children whose preferred pronouns & identity dont match their biological sex, she explained. I dont know how many children there are out there under the age of 9 who fall into this category (and to me its kind of crazy that society is wanting to get kids thinking about this stuff at such young ages; I think we should let them keep their innocence), so this may not even be an issue, but I need to let you know I cannot support this behavior in a child, she added. I have no problem loving them and accepting them as they are, but I would not encourage them in this behavior. Bates shared her belief that God gives us our gender/sex and its not something we get to choose, stressing that my faith conflicts with this & I just felt that I needed to let you know. Garcia did not initially respond to Bates email outlining her concerns and did not reply to a follow-up email she sent a month later. When she contacted Bates via telephone a month-and-a-half after she sent the original email, Garcia informed her that she was ineligible to adopt due to her religious beliefs. The lawsuit contends that the Oregon Department of Human Services is violating Bates First Amendment rights to Freedom of Speech, Association and Assembly as well as the Free Exercise Clause. It also cites the state and local officials behavior as violations of Bates right to equal protection of the laws under the Fourteenth Amendment. The complaint is seeking an order declaring the Oregon state law unconstitutional, preventing the state from enforcing it and awarding Bates attorneys fees. ADF Senior Counsel Jonathan Scruggs decried the Oregon state law as an ideological litmus test where people who hold secular or progressive views on sexual orientation and gender identity are eligible to participate in child welfare programs, while people of faith with religiously informed views are disqualified because they dont agree with the states orthodoxy. According to Scruggs, The government cant exclude certain communities of faith from foster care and adoption services because the state doesnt like their particular religious beliefs. ADF Legal Counsel Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse denounced the Oregon laws sweeping claim that all persons who hold certain religious beliefs beliefs held by millions of Americans from diverse religious faiths are categorically unfit to care for children. Insisting that such an assertion is simply not true, Widmalm-Delphonse slammed Oregon for putting its political agenda above the needs of countless children who would be happy to grow up in a loving, Christian home like Jessicas. The lawsuit stated that Bates feels called to open her home to children in need after hearing a broadcast about a man who had adopted, which reminded Jessica [of] the biblical command to visit orphans and widows in their affliction (James 1:27). The complaint highlighted how the broadcast inspired Bates to adopt even though she is raising five children of her own after a car collision tragically killed her husband. Despite this, the sacrificial love extended to her in the Gospel compelled Jessica to act to pursue the long Christian tradition of caring for orphans, the lawsuit added. Pastor who compared sex to Christ and the Church apologizes, says short excerpt was 'unwise' An Arizona pastor who faced a firestorm of controversy last month after an excerpt from a book he wrote about sex and marriage was published by The Gospel Coalition is standing by his work but conceded that it was unwise to use the particular passage in a short excerpt. Josh Butler, who pastors Redemption Tempe, made the comments during an appearance Monday on the "Theology in the Raw" podcast hosted by Preston Sprinkle, in which he said that the controversial passage from his book, Beautiful Union, which declared Christ penetrates his church with the generative seed of his Word and the life-giving presence of his Spirit should have been accompanied by more context. I was unwise to allow that excerpt to be used in a short article, said Butler, adding that his heart has been extremely heavy the last few weeks since TGC posted and then subsequently took down the article on March 2. In the excerpt, Butler, after confessing that he used to look to sex for salvation before realizing that idolizing sex results in slavery, recounted a series of failed romantic adventures and stated that, in fact, sex is an icon of Christ and the church. He also used the sexual act to describe what it means to be in Christ: Generosity and hospitality are both embodied in the sexual act. Think about it. Generosity involves giving extravagantly to someone. You give the best youve got to give, lavishly pouring out your time, energy or money. Butler later said the loaded language in the excerpt makes more sense within the context of his book, a purpose of which is to show that God has designed bodily union, sexual union of a husband and wife to point to and bear witness to the Gospel. Another mistake, said Butler, came after what he called a hundred emails were exchanged about the excerpt, which he said lost some pastoral nuance in some places of the text following revisions. In the excerpt, which includes a citation of portions of Ephesians 5, Butler wrote that two becoming one flesh in Genesis is consummation language that refers to the union of husband and wife. Paul says both are about Christ and the Church. This should be shocking! Its not only the giving of your vows at the altar but what happens in the honeymoon suite afterward that speaks to the life you were made for with God. On Mondays podcast, Butler tried to further elaborate on his analogy. The argument of the section in question is basically saying its not just the emotions of marriage or the actions of marriage but even the bodily union of marriage is designed to point to the Gospel, he said. Still, Butler didnt shy away from asking for grace from his readers and said hes working with his publisher for clarifications for the books next printing. My response from my heart has been extremely heavy the last few weeks, particularly where my lack of nuance evoked pain in some peoples stories, he said. If thats you, I can only ask for your understanding and grace. Another guest on the podcast, Sandy Richter, author and chair of biblical studies at Westmont College, criticized what she called Butlers attempt to sacramentalize the sex act. For Protestants to be attempting to turn the marriage sex act into a sacrament, thats part of what the Reformation was about, Richter commented. And our response to the Catholic Church involved issues that included the fact that not all humanity will have the opportunity to be a part of the sex act, and a sacrament should be available to every believer. Conceding that Protestantism still lacks a healthy theology of sex, Richter said she believes Genesis 2 is in fact not referring to the sex act, but rather the theological notion of fictive kinship and ultimately, the Incarnation of Christ. Its not, she added, talking about a penis and a vagina. Since taking down the original article, TGC posted a statement last month from TGC President Julius Kim announcing Butlers resignation as a fellow with The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics and any other role with the centers events. The statement read in part: Josh remains a beloved brother and friend whom we respect and care deeply about. To our fellows and our readers, please forgive us." Trump indictment: 4 findings from polls on Americans' views on fmr. president's arrest, election chances As news of former President Donald Trumps indictment by a grand jury in Manhattan continues to dominate the global news cycle, polls taken in the past week have shown conflicting results as to how the American public views his latest legal battle and its impact on the forthcoming 2024 presidential election. The indictment, which remained under seal for much of the past week since news of the grand jury decision first broke on Thursday, deals with a payment made to former porn star Stormy Daniels (Stephanie Clifford) leading up to the 2016 presidential election. In 2019, Trumps longtime attorney turned adversary Michael Cohen testified to the House Oversight Committee that his former boss asked me to pay off an adult film star with whom he had an affair, and lie to his wife about it, which I did. Cohen presented the committee with a copy of the $130,000 wire transfer he sent to the former adult film stars attorney during the closing days of the presidential campaign so she would maintain her silence about her affair with Mr. Trump. In 2021, the Federal Election Commission decided not to pursue the payment as a possible violation of federal campaign finance law. Trump has already announced his intention to run in the 2024 presidential election and his campaign has put out a statement insisting that the candidate has done nothing wrong and that the Manhattan District Attorneys Office, where the indictment was handed down, did not have the authority to prosecute the case. When these payments were made, President Trump was a candidate for federal office, the statement asserted. However, the New York DA does not have jurisdiction to prosecute alleged federal campaign finance violations. The allegations in question are almost seven years old. The New York DAs office is relying on a loophole to get around the statute of limitations in their unprecedented attack. The indictment of a former president who is also the leading contender for the Republican presidential nomination 18 months before the next presidential election has sent shockwaves through the American political landscape and prompted pollsters to measure public opinion surrounding the events of the past week. Here are four findings from polls taken since Trump's indictment. 1 2 3 4 5 Next Christian MP calls for review of trans policies in schools: Vulnerable kids need to be protected A Christian MP has called for more legal and medical guidance to govern how schools treat gender-distressed children. Speaking to The Christian Institute, Miriam Cates, Conservative MP for Penistone and Stockbridge, said schools had become like the "Wild West" on trans issue because of the lack of guidance. She said vulnerable children needed to be "safeguarded" and that it's "significant" if schools are compelling pupils to affirm another child's chosen sexual identity and pronouns. Read Exposing the Gender Liefor FREE by clicking here "Over the last 10 years there's been an exponential increase in the number of children presenting with gender distress typically girls wanting to be boys, wanting to be treated as boys," she said. "The on-the-ground impact of that is that many schools don't know what to do. Some are transitioning these children socially, changing their names and pronouns, allowing girls to use boys' toilets and vice versa ... some aren't telling parents. "But it's not a problem that schools can deal with on their own. They need guidance legal guidance, medical guidance and at the moment it's a Wild West." It was Mrs. Cates who persuaded Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to launch an urgent review into Relationships and Sex Education amid concerns about some of the sexualized and inappropriate material being used in lessons. In the wide-ranging interview with The Christian Institute, Mrs. Cates said there was enough evidence to show that it was "a real problem that needed sorting out." She went on to express her opposition to the government's plans to introduce a ban on so-called conversion therapy because of the risk to fundamental freedoms. "To say to a counselor, to parents, to teachers, to medical professionals that you just have to accept a child's view of their gender identity, and anything else could be illegal, is very frightening," she said. Mrs. Cates also thanked SNP MSP Kate Forbes for speaking publicly about her own Christian faith during her leadership campaign, despite coming under attack for her traditional beliefs and membership in the Free Church of Scotland. "I think she's been incredibly brave and as a Christian, I'm very grateful to her for standing up for what she believes and being willing to say it and also to say it in a very gracious way," Mrs. Cates said. "I think it has really opened the door for people to see the value that faith and belief can have. Of course, she's had attacks, but she's also had some support from unlikely quarters, people who don't agree with her views on some of the issues but really value her for being willing to say it." Originally published in Christian Today Bethlehem Seminary president resigns over stances on infant baptism, church-state separation Bethlehem College and Seminary, a school where theologian John Piper serves as chancellor, has accepted the resignation of its president over his views on infant baptism and the separation of church and state. The Minneapolis, Minnesota-based school announced Monday that Joseph Rigney resigned as president, having served the college in varying roles for 16 years. According to the announcement, Rigney and Bethlehem are parting ways because of a "vision divergence between him and other leaders of the school." The statement claims Rigney accepts positions that "are out of step with several distinctives which Baptists have historically viewed as biblical." "His position on baptism and how the children of believers fit into the covenantal scheme of Scripture has developed to the point where infant baptism is an open question," noted the announcement. Bethlehem leadership felt that Rigney's "position on the relationship between Christianity and civil government is not at home with the historic Baptist emphasis on the separation of church and state." "The point here is not that Bethlehem College and Seminary has a creedal position on church and state. Nor is it that 'separation' between church and state means the absence of influence," explained the school. "The point is that President Rigney's more recent emphasis on a hoped for eventual Christianization of all of society, including the civil government, has put him significantly out of step with other leaders of the school who would warn against the use of civil authority to establish Christianity as an official religion." Bethlehem's Board of Trustees named Brian J. Tabb, academic dean and Biblical Studies professor, interim president. Rigney will officially step down at the end of May. "My family and I are currently praying and considering a number of options for our future, all of which would enable us to continue to spread a passion for God's supremacy in all things," Rigney said in a statement. In addition to serving as president of Bethlehem, Rigney also serves as a pastor and has written the occasional column for Desiring God, a popular theology website overseen by Piper. In 2019, Rigney drew pushback after penning a column in which he argued that empathy, generally defined as understanding another person's feelings and pain, was an "enticing sin." Formatted as a letter from a demon named Scratchpot to another demon, Rigney contends that empathy is a "counterfeit" of "the virtue of compassion." "Our alternative, empathy, shifts the focus from the sufferer's good to the sufferer's feelings, making them the measure of whether a person is truly 'loved,'" wrote Rigney. "We teach the humans that unless they subordinate their feelings entirely to the misery, pain, sorrow, and even sin and unbelief of the afflicted, they are not loving them." Grove City College Professor Warren Throckmorton was among the critics of Rigney, writing in a 2021 blog post that empathy is not "acceptance of things you don't agree with." "Empathy doesn't require you to give up any position you might otherwise have. For instance, parents can empathize with their wayward children ('when I was your age') and still administer correction and direction," wrote Throckmorton. "Empathy is simply understanding the inner world of other people. It is all about being able to relate to them and understand what they are going through. It quite important in human functioning and when absent is associated with cruelty and antisocial behavior." Jewish couple sue Tenn. over alleged rejection as foster trainees at Christian home due to religion A married Jewish couple are suing Tennessee in response to reportedly being rejected by a government-supported Christian childrens home when they tried to foster a child. Elizabeth and Gabriel Rutan-Ram filed a complaint against the Tennessee Department of Childrens Services and DCS Commissioner Jenifer Nichols on Wednesday in the Chancery Court for the state of Tennessee, 20th Judicial District, Davidson County. According to the lawsuit, Rutan-Ram planned to foster a boy living in Florida, but in order to do so had to fulfill a state requirement to complete a program in foster-parent-training and earn a certification in home-study. When the Rutan-Rams sought to complete these programs through the state-supported Holston United Methodist Home for Children, according to the complaint, the home said they could only provide such services to families that shared their Christian beliefs. In January 2020, the Tennessee General Assembly expressly approved religious discrimination like Holstons, by enacting House Bill 836, claimed the lawsuit. This statute authorizes child-placing agencies to deny child-placement services, based on the agencies religious policies, even if state tax dollars fund the services. The Rutan-Rams are being represented by The Kramer Law Center and attorneys with the Washington, D.C.-based Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Alex J. Luchenitser, associate vice president and associate legal director at Americans United who is involved in the litigation, told The Christian Post in an emailed statement on Thursday that we believe that people should never be denied publicly-funded services because of their religious beliefs. Taxpayer funds should benefit everyone equally regardless of what their faith or belief system is. Religious discrimination should never be a reason to keep apart children who need a loving home and parents who want to provide one, Luchenitser added. CP reached out to the Tennessee DCS for this story, with spokesperson Rob Johnson responding on Thursday that the department cannot comment on pending litigation. Bradley Williams, president and CEO of Holston, emailed CP a statement on Thursday saying that they "view the caregivers we partner with as extensions of our ministry team serving children." "So from the very beginning, we seek to find alignment with them, and if we cannot do so, we try to help them find an agency that may be a better fit," stated Williams. "Finding other agencies is not hard to do. In Tennessee, for example, there are six other agencies for each one faith-based provider." Williams added that he believes "forcing Holston Home to violate our beliefs and place children in homes that do not share our faith is wrong and contrary to a free society." Founded in 1895 and having reportedly helped more than 8,000 children, Holston receives reimbursement for its services through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Title IV-E. Last month, Holston filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration over a rule requiring the organization to place kids in the homes of same-sex married couples or cohabitating couples. The regulation was enacted in 2016 during by the Obama administration. Although the Trump administration issued exemptions to the rule for faith-based organizations, they were recently rescinded by the Biden administration. It would substantially burden Holston Homes exercise of its religious beliefs to knowingly engage in child-placing activities in connection with couples who may be romantically cohabitating but not married, or who are couples of the same biological sex, read the Holston lawsuit. If Holston Home were to knowingly engage in child-placing activities concerning placements of children in connection with couples who may be romantically cohabitating but are not married, or who are couples of the same biological sex, it would need to engage in speech with which Holston Home disagrees and which violate Holston Homes religious beliefs. John Piper: Some pastors avoid preaching on holiness due to 'morally compromised' personal lives John Piper, founder and teacher of DesiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary, took the stage at the Together For The Gospel conference to warn that some pastors avoid preaching about the importance of holy living because they live secret, sin-filled lives. Some pastors avoid preaching on the urgency and necessity of holiness because their own secret lives are morally compromised," the 76-year-old pastor contended. "They are wasting time on trifles. They are watching movies that fill their minds with worldliness and ungodliness. They are dabbling in pornography or worse." They are dishonest in their financial dealings. They continually overeat in bondage to food. They neglect the teaching of their children in things of the Lord and they don't pray with their wives. They are starting to medicate with wine at night, which they once called freedom. Their casual mouth has become crude. And they are becoming second-handers [by] using other people's sermons. The T4G conference took place in Louisville, Kentucky, from April 19 to 21. The event featured sermons from multiple preachers and was attended by pastors from over 25 denominations, all 50 states and 62 nations, for the purpose of hearing Gods Word in order to edify, uplift and grow in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as stated on its website. This year's conference marked the final T4G after 16 years of the biannual conference. During his sermon, Piper said some pastors only preach about how Jesus sacrificial shedding of blood means that there is grace for forgiveness. He said many of the pastors in such scenarios often avoid sharing sermons about how grace is also supposed to conquer sin and should lead to holier living. [Some pastors] have grown weary of fruitful Bible study. Is it any wonder that these pastors preach grace to forgive and not grace to conquer anyone? There's no mystery there, Piper preached. They lift high the cross covering all their sins and never make the biblical connection with the crucified One. He was crucified to conquer your pornography. He was crucified to conquer your laziness. He was crucified to conquer our gluttony. He was crucified to conquer our dishonesty. He was crucified to bring back the joy of creating your own sermons. Piper warned about pastors who tend to avoid anything approaching the kind of preaching that would confront people with their sin and would risk making them unhappy. There are pastors that are so deeply infected with the coddling culture that we live in [within] contemporary America. They're not only hypersensitive to being offended, but in the pulpit, they're fearful of stirring up anybody's displeasure, he emphasized. There are reasons for this reluctance to preach the urgency of holiness, and one of them is deep-seated insecurity in the pastor, [that they never grew out of]. Our insecurities can come from a lot of different places. Piper inferred earlier in the sermon that some pastors might only preach about grace and not on the urgency of Christians living holy lives because they simply have not seen the connection between the sin burying work of Christ and the sin killing work of the Christian. The theologian added that some pastors struggle with being reluctant to press the conscience of their people with biblical demands for holiness because they fear the rebuke of Jesus. To such pastors, I would plead [with you] that you not try to address a real biblical danger in an unbiblical way. The point of this message is that the Christian fight for holiness is connected to the forgiveness of sins in a gloriously unique Gospel way, he said. No other religion in the world comes close to what I'm talking about. In the connection between the sin-bearing work of Christ, finished, perfect, effective and the warfare that you have against sin. Brothers, get to know this strange, wonderful, unique Gospel dynamic for how to move from the sin-bearing work of Christ to the sin-killing work of the Christian and show your people. Show your people how to live it. The pastor added that some religious leaders are fearful of being labeled conservative, fundamentalist, progressive or woke. Theyre going to avoid any kind of biblical command that would put them in some camp that they dont want to be a part of. Thats bondage, Piper said. For example, theyre not going to deal with racial discrimination because theyre going to get called woke. Theyre not going to deal with modesty or nudity in movies because theyre going to get called fundamentalist. Theyre not going to deal with the fact that we are citizens of heaven before were citizens of America because theyre going to be called unpatriotic by the veterans in the congregation. According to Piper, there is a solution to the bondage of insecurity that many pastors face today. The remedy for this kind of bondage to the opinions of others is first: become more like Jesus. Dont you want to be free like that? Piper asked. And the second part of the remedy is to be so radically committed [to] all that the Bible teaches so that just when people think that they have you pegged and in some camp, you bring something out of your Bible treasure that just throws them totally off balance. You got to displease everybody sometimes, or youre probably not getting it right. Earlier in the sermon, Piper said he urges church leaders and pastors to get to know your insecurities really well. He noted that when a pastor knows their insecurities, they are able to overcome any bondage that involves fear rooted in being overly fixated on pleasing others. Be honest about [your insecurities] and dig deep into sovereign grace. And if necessary, get a counselor to help you so that you become a free person; free from bondage to people-pleasing, he advised. John Piper says Christians shouldnt 'rule out giving family, friends a holy kiss Notable Bible teacher and author John Piper said this week that modern-day Christians should not "rule out" the New Testament command for followers of Christ to give each other a "holy kiss." In a "Look at the Book" video posted to YouTube on Thursday, Piper examined if Christians should still give greetings to each other through holy kissing. Piper, the chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota, focused on 1 Thessalonians 5:2328, which includes the command to "Greet all God's people with a holy kiss." This is Piper's fifth session on that Bible passage. The command was not culturally restricted to just Thessalonica, Piper said, as it can be found elsewhere in the New Testament, in epistles written to churches in other cities. Piper viewed the holy kiss command as showing "there should be a family affection in the Church" that includes "appropriate expressions outward expressions of that affection." "That's at least what a 'kiss' means," said Piper. "And the word 'holy' means don't make it a romantic kiss. Don't let there be any sexual element in it." Piper referenced 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, which reads in part that "you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable." "It's just as clear as day that putting 'holy' here in front of this kiss rules out every hint of manipulation, or sexual advance, or romantic kindling," he said. "It is not that way; it is family affection." The Bible teacher pointed to 1 Timothy 2:8, which reads, "therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing." "Does that mean the only proper way for men to pray is with their hands in the air? I doubt it," Piper commented. "I think it means it was a very common practice, and Paul wanted to say, 'whenever those hands are in the air in prayer, let them be holy hands.'" "If you're going to lift your hands, lift holy hands. Come to God with clean hands." Piper believes the command to give each other a "holy kiss" did not include "a specified number of times you must kiss each other, places you must kiss each other, but rather every time you do kiss each other, to show brotherly or sisterly affection. Let it be holy." "This cannot be broken down into a quantitative or regulatable command," Piper continued. "This is a command to experience and to show family affection to each other. And kissing is one significant way to do it." Piper suggested that those who may have been raised in a home where family affection was uncommon may "need to grow." "When was the last time you ever kissed anyone in a non-sexual, holy, brotherly affectionate way?" Piper asked. "And you may say 'never! I haven't done that in 20 years.' That's probably not good." Piper said he occasionally kisses family and others, recalling one time he kissed a friend on his deathbed at a hospital. "We all grow in what this would look like, and I doubt that we should rule out that word and say, 'oh, really, it's just a hug,'" he said. "As you say goodbye to people in some long-term decisive way, give them a kiss on the cheek, and look them in the eye and say, 'I love you. You are a precious, precious friend and brother to me.'" Faith groups launch curriculum to help churches combat idolatrous Christian nationalism Faith-based advocacy organizations have launched a curriculum aimed at helping evangelical pastors combat Christian nationalism within their congregations. Christians Against Christian Nationalism, Vote Common Good and Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty announced the creation of the three-lesson curriculum last week. According to a statement, the curriculum defines Christian nationalism as a framework of thinking that seeks to merge Christian and American identities, distorting both the Christian faith and Americas constitutional democracy. Baptist Joint Committee Executive Director Amanda Tyler told The Christian Post that the curriculum was created in response to a webinar in January that CACN hosted titled Democracy and Faith Under Siege: Responding to Christian Nationalism. CACN was launched in 2019 by the Baptist Joint Committee. Christians Against Christian Nationalism received many requests from pastors and lay leaders for additional resources to use with their congregations to better understand and respond to Christian nationalism in their communities and churches, said Tyler. We developed the curriculum this spring and released it this summer as churches are planning their fall activities, many returning to in-person programming. Tyler believes Christian nationalism is at odds with the core tenet of Christianity that is, that Jesus Chris is Lord and is pervasive throughout American society. Christian nationalism demands ultimate loyalty to political power rather than God. And therefore can become idolatrous, she continued. The curriculum relies on Biblical passages and core Christian theology to differentiate the Christian religion and tenets of Christianity from the ideology of Christian nationalism. Tyler hopes that churches that use the curriculum will learn a basic understanding of what Christian nationalism is and how racism feeds into Christian nationalism and ways to respond to Christian nationalism that are grounded in Scripture and Christian understanding. Content for the curriculum is free to download on the CACN website and includes discussion questions for video clips tied to the January webinar. Panelists involved in the webinar included Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, head of The Episcopal Church; Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; and Andrew Whitehead, associate professor of sociology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. According to the groups, dozens of evangelical pastors have already agreed to use the curriculum for their congregations, with Vote Common Good planning various means of expanding that number. Vote Common Good is a progressive evangelical grassroots organization that held rallies during the 2020 presidential election encouraging Christians not to vote for former President Donald Trump. Vote Common Good plans to get the curriculum in front of evangelical pastors through educational pamphlets, outreach to Christian schools and more, Vote Common Good Executive Director Doug Pagitt, a Minnesota pastor, said in a statement emailed to CP. we are also considering paid ads, and will tap into our growing network of Pastors and Christian leaders nationwide to push for its implementation. One of the pastors planning to utilize the curriculum is the Rev. Michael Mills of Agape Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. His congregation has been a longtime supporter of the Baptist Joint Committee, an education and advocacy organization supported by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and over a dozen other Baptist organizations. Mills told CP that his church wanted a way to better talk about "the merging of a Christian and an American identity," believing that the curriculum "equips our people with the tools to identify it when we see it and to know how to talk about it with others." "Because we are not a large congregation, we can gather as one to work through the curriculum and discuss it," he explained. "This enables us to have the same conversation, to hear from and learn from one another, and to share a common experience." While many evangelical leaders have condemned Christian nationalism, others have expressed concern that the term is used to bash conservative Christians. In a column by John Stonestreet and Timothy D. Padgett published by CP in January, the two authors argued that Christian nationalism is used as a scare label to dismiss any policy or person more conservative than whoever is using the term. They pointed to a recent article by the United Kingdom-based publication The Guardian quoting experts saying proposed pro-life legislation was Christian nationalist in nature. As seen in The Guardian, were all but guaranteed for the near future that anything vaguely traditional or moral, and any appeal to anything higher than the latest cultural fad, will be smeared with this label. Its silly. Even more, its dangerous, they wrote. Even so, Christians must not abandon the public square just because people say mean things about us. Professor and author Owen Strachen wrote a column published earlier this month in which he critiqued critics' concern that "a militantly racist body of extremist 'white' fundamentalists waits just beyond the city gates to take back America." He called the idea "downright silly." "... supporting conservative politicians does not make you .... a 'white Christian nationalist.' Over and over, Christians who want their country to flourish have been labeled in such terms for voting for candidates of a Republican or conservative bent," wrote Strachen. "The vast majority of Christians I know supported such candidates in past days because they are ardently pro-life, pro-religious liberty, anti-big government, anti-progressive agenda, and pro-free market. They do not have anything close to an evil vision of America that would ruin the lives of people of color. Nor do they wish to impose a ferocious theocracy on any who dare disagree with them. Instead, they want people of all kinds to be free, prosperous and able to worship God." Regarding the criticism leveled by some, Pastor Mills of Agape Baptist told CP that "whenever the Church has become cozy with the state, things have not gone well for the Church." "In our present context, those that seek to promote and benefit from Christian nationalism have targeted socially conservative Christians," said Mills. "I believe there is a legitimate pathway to adhere to conservative values without the heavy hand of the state being involved. That pathway needs to be recovered, or socially conservative Christians will lose all credibility in the public sphere." Mills added that "challenging Christian nationalism" is not "a smear campaign" against conservative Christians but rather "a call for us to be better." "Because the undoing of Christian nationalism will result in more faithful Christians and more faithful Americans," he concluded. Tennessee evangelist Perry Stone won't face charges in sexual misconduct case Prominent Tennessee-based evangelist Perry Stone, founder of Perry Stone Ministries, will not face charges after a grand jury declined to file any charges against him in a sexual misconduct case. The case was presented to a Bradley County grand jury in March, which determined that no charges would be filed, local news station WDEF first reported. Stephen Crump, the 10th Judicial District Attorney General, said the allegations still concerned him, and the case file would remain open. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation delivered a report on the allegations to Crump, who requested the inquiry. Despite the grand jury's decision, Crump said he was not necessarily done with the case. "I was concerned with the nature of the allegations and the evidence that was produced," Crump said, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press. He added that it's not uncommon to leave cases open because of the potential that new information may emerge. In 2020, the Voice of Evangelism board of directors confronted Stone, an End Times pastor and author known for his analysis of prophecies, after receiving 12 letters from women employed by or connected to his ministries, the Times Free Press reported. The women accused Stone of sexual misconduct, including allegations of groping, showing that he was aroused, asking women about their breasts and unwanted kissing. The allegations prompted the board for the ministry to request he step down and participate in a restoration plan while complaints from the women were evaluated. However, the board eventually cleared Stone and allowed him to resume his post. Local district attorneys requested that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation investigate the accusations. Voice of Evangelism spokesperson John Rodriguez told the Times Free Press that Stone and his team had not been contacted by the district attorney, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation or any other investigative entity, but that they had learned that the investigation did not yield an indictment. "Unfounded accusations and blatant lies have been made about Perry Stone and Voice of Evangelism for the past three years," Rodriguez said. "Yet the mission of love for people has never stopped nor wavered. We are committed to continuing to share the love of Jesus with a hurting world." Perry Stone Ministries did not immediately respond when contacted by The Christian Post on Wednesday morning. This article will be updated once a response is received. Last year, Stone, who is married with two children, explained that the allegations against him were misinterpreted social behavior that is seen as normal in Italian culture. He also said God told him that his accusers will have to answer for their behavior toward him when they die. I am not a perfect man," he said. "People have taken me hugging and kissing them on the cheek wrong. I quit that. I'm Italian. My whole family holds hands, rubs backs. I didn't know you can look at somebody and say, 'Hey, how you doing?' and they can take it wrong. He has also said that secular media cannot be trusted. Over 32 years I have been involved with television. ... Im involved with media, I know how media works, Stone said in a YouTube video, titled The Truth Behind Todays Media, last December. Its not always about whats true or not, its about the advertising dollars, he continued, explaining the relationship between the media and advertising and the need to make money. In a sermon preached from Israel and posted on Stones YouTube channel Monday, the evangelist preached on the topic of learning to stand when youre in battle. You can do all warfare by the flesh or the spirit, And I'm telling you, this is something Ive learned the hard way, if I try to do it only by my flesh, it drags it out. It just drags it out. But Not by might nor the power, but by my Spirit, say the Lord. If I somehow can get into my head, God, you gotta handle this, then God can come back, cut through faster and swifter with your hand not holding on to it, he said. Terrorists kill 9 Christians in Nigeria, slain Christian's son kidnapped ABUJA, Nigeria Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists killed a pastor and his two sons last month in Plateau state, Nigeria, and six other Christians were slain in the state in other attacks. Herdsmen and other terrorists at about 11 p.m. on March 26 broke into the North Jos home of a family belonging to the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), killed Micah Gochin and kidnapped his son, the slain Christians daughter said. My family home was invaded and attacked by armed men we believe are terrorists and herdsmen, Beyitmwa Gochin told Morning Star News, saying the loss was devastating. West of Jos, in Riyom County, Fulani herdsmen on March 5 killed COCIN Pastor Musa Hyok and his two sons at midnight in their home in Ganawuri town, said resident Swachet Titus. A sad incident occurred here at Ganawuri on Sunday, 5 March, as our pastor, the Rev. Musa Hyok, and his two sons, Emmanuel Musa and Mang Musa, were killed by Fulani herdsmen and terrorists, she said in a text message to Morning Star News. They were attacked at midnight in their house within the premises of the COCIN church. In Kanke Countys Kabwir town, Hannatu Bawa was kidnapped from her home on Feb. 21, an area resident said. A Christian woman, Hannatu Bawa, was abducted at about 3 a.m., Julius Godiya said in a text message to Morning Star News. Fulani herdsmen attacked two predominantly Christian communities in Bokkos County, Maiyanga and Nabel villages, at about the same time, 10 p.m., on Feb. 5, killing five Christians and wounding two others with gunshots, an area resident said. The two injured victims are currently receiving treatment in a hospital, Marshall Sule said in a text message. Alfred Alabo, the spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, said in a press statement that officers were investigating the attacks. A spokesman for the Nigerian Army in Jos, Capt. Oya James, said, We are on their trail to get the bandits arrested and prosecuted. Nigeria led the world in Christians killed for their faith in 2022, with 5,014, according to Open Doors 2023 World Watch List report. It also led the world in Christians abducted (4,726), sexually assaulted or harassed, forcibly married or physically or mentally abused, and it had the most homes and businesses attacked for faith-based reasons. As in the previous year, Nigeria had the second most church attacks and internally displaced people. In the 2023 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Nigeria jumped to sixth place, its highest ranking ever, from No. 7 the previous year. Militants from the Fulani, Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and others conduct raids on Christian communities, killing, maiming, raping and kidnapping for ransom or sexual slavery, the WWL report noted. This year has also seen this violence spill over into the Christian-majority south of the nation. Nigerias government continues to deny this is religious persecution, so violations of Christians rights are carried out with impunity. Numbering in the millions across Nigeria and the Sahel, predominantly Muslim Fulani comprise hundreds of clans of many different lineages who do not hold extremist views, but some Fulani do adhere to radical Islamist ideology, the United Kingdoms All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief (APPG) noted in a recent report. They adopt a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity, the APPG report states. Christian leaders in Nigeria have said they believe herdsmen attacks on Christian communities in Nigerias Middle Belt are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians lands and impose Islam as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds. Embracing 2 new lives rebuilt mine I was only 20 years old when I discovered one of the most terrifying things possible for an unmarried girl in a devout Christian family: I was pregnant. Terrified and ashamed, I remember hoping I had a miscarriage, an abortion literally anything to remove the life inside of me, so that I could carry on with my own life as a college girl. Up until that point, Id suffered the anxieties and scruples that come from trying to live a double life. At home, I was a devout Christian who attended services with my parents and talked about Jesus; with my friends, I was an avid partier, seeking endless validation from the wrong places. Unbeknownst to everyone, I was a suffering, hurt young woman who was simply trying to numb the shame and trauma of having been raped at the age of 15. I thought Id rather die than tell my parents the shocking news. Instead, I succumbed to the pressure from my babys father, and the misguided advice of my friends and scheduled an abortion appointment. I also confided in my cousin, who had recently married a loving man and had her first child. You can imagine my rage upon discovering that she told my parents. Yet from the very first, my mom, and especially my dad, were incredibly supportive and loving. Feeling more reassured by their support, I skipped my abortion appointment the next day; the next week I went to Womens Hope Clinic, a pregnancy center in Alabama. It wasnt all uphill from there, however I was still terrified of being a mom so young. When I started to experience symptoms of a miscarriage, I secretly hoped I would lose my baby. My heart was hardened, and Id grown far too selfish and bitter to be open to the possibility that becoming a mom was not the end of the world, but rather the beginning of one. It wasnt until a few days later when I was laying on an ultrasound table that I discovered the truth. Oh honey, were going to need some tissues, the nurse told me, in a thick British accent, its twins. Panic and sobbing quickly ensued, yet ultimately, I knew that these little lives entrusted to me were precious. I know to this day I could never have gone through with an abortion. However, even after deciding to choose life, I suffered many sleepless nights worrying about how I could care for two little lives as a single mom. Thankfully, Womens Hope walked with me throughout the entire process, showering me with love, and supporting me with an abundance of medical and educational resources. My dream pre-pregnancy had always been to work in the medical field. Thanks to the loving support from my family and family friends, I was able to go back to school when my boys were 6 months old. Though this was one of the most difficult phases of my life, I embraced the challenge and spent countless sleepless nights studying. Part of me wanted to defy the stigma surrounding single moms, and the lie that choosing life was incompatible with success. More importantly, I knew that I was willing and ready to do whatever it required to give my boys a good life. When my sons Jude and Finn were 4, I graduated from nursing school. After working various jobs within the nursing field, I ultimately came back to Womens Hope where I currently work as a full-time nurse. Returning to Womens Hope has provided me with the powerful opportunity to work and empathize with many other girls in similar situations as I once was. My own journey serves as a beautiful testimony for these women, to show them that they do not need to be crippled by fear, and that abortion is not the only option. Before I had my boys, I was incredibly selfish and self-centered. My relationship with my family suffered, and I had a lackluster interest in my faith. Opening my heart to life, and loving the two adorable gifts God sent me, however, helped me realize that life was not all about me. I soon experienced the immense joy and freedom that accompanied this revelation. It helped me to repair my broken relationship with my family, with whom I am now incredibly close. I bought a house right near my parents, and my sons and I have benefited enormously from this proximity to the people we love. It also led me closer to my faith, and through my renewed love for the Church, and years of prayer for a spouse and father to my boys, I ultimately met my fiance whom I will marry in a month. God works in mysterious ways. I hope that any woman reading my story can see through the lie that an unexpected pregnancy means their life is over or must be put on hold. This was certainly not the case for me. To this day I am a witness that babies dont have to put life on hold, and that they are actually a powerful and precious catalyst for change in your life if you are open to endless love. Why isn't adoption a Gospel theme during Easter? From the very beginning, Jesus is King. He is the Author, Creator, and Sustainer of life. Jesus has always been the light of the World, but King Jesus is not like the dictators or the self-exalting power broker leaders of today. Our Savior is a humble, servant King. Jesus emptied Himself for us. He laid aside His privileges and came as a bondservant to serve man. Jesus was humbled on the cross and met the ultimate humiliation in His death. He accepted death humbly yet defeated it victoriously. The example of Christ should fuel us to be humble, sacrificial servants towards our family, our neighbors, the orphan, and the vulnerable, because even in the exaltation of Jesus, He remains the model of loving service to God. Therefore, as we celebrate Easter, we are humbled that Jesus came to suffer like us. He humbled himself in the likeness of man. He became a baby dependent and needy. He lost greatly for our sake. However, not only did Jesus come to experience our pain, He came to bear our punishment and to die in our place so that He could free us from slavery and sin. Our true hope is not found only in the cross, but in the empty tomb. Jesus victorious resurrection seals our hope and righteous standing before our Holy God. The Apostle Paul celebrated the resurrected life in Christ with this metaphor in Romans 8:15: For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, Abba! Father! (ESV). Every life matters to the Lord, so much so that God gave His one and only Son to adopt us and give us the privilege of calling the God of the universe father. We have been so lavished in love by God our Father through adoption as sons, so we in turn show that same love to vulnerable women and children and orphans around us by caring for them physically in their need, while not neglecting to make the Gospel known in word and deed. For every other great leader in the world, death ended their mission, leadership, and calling. On the contrary, Jesus mission was to die to die for the sins of the world and to give His life as a ransom to free us. Jesus came to love and to show us what real love is all about. According to Jesus, to become great, you must become a servant. To be first, you must become last. Leading by love and sacrificing yourself for the sake of others, is how Jesus taught us to live. Rightly, Easter brings reflection as we explore the depths of the Gospel as revealed with the completion of Christs earthly mission. In the resurrection, we are led to understand the power and authority of Jesus to restore that which is broken by sin and to, as Sally Lloyd-Jones has so aptly penned, to make everything sad come untrue. One evil that we have seen become a little closer to untrue since last Easter is the almost unfettered entitlement to abortion in America. With the Dobbs decision last June, pre-born American children are safer in their mothers wombs than at any time in the last 50 years; yet there is so much more for the Church to do. While these little lives that Jesus died for are safer entering the world today, they are now incredibly vulnerable in the world. We celebrate their lives and acknowledge that their safe birth is not the end of our care. It is the responsibility of the Body of Christ to stand in the gap for those children and their birth parents. For some children and their birth parents, placing a child for adoption is in everyones best interest. At Easter more than ever, we see the necessity and benefit of adoption. By swallowing death up in life, Jesus did everything necessary to provide for those of us outside the family of God to be brought in as sons and heirs of the Most High. The miracle of Easter paves the way for our adoption into the family of God. Admittedly, adoption is not a Gospel theme often associated with Easter directly, but I wonder why? What more fully encapsulates what Jesus died and rose for than our Heavenly adoption decree? And so, I think it is fitting this Easter to ponder the place of adoption in the Church and in our world right now. On this first Easter following the U.S. Supreme Courts seismic decision to overturn 50 years of practically unfettered access to abortion, we need to be more ready than ever to follow the example of our Savior to step out of our comfort and mirror Gods adopting grace by becoming forever family to children born into difficulty and distress. In adoption, we present a picture of the Gospel to a world in need of hope, and we do important work given to us by our Father. God is a Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. God sets the solitary in a home (Ps 68:5-6a). As the Church and Gods adopted children, we cannot simply rejoice over the reversal of Roe v. Wade, but we must be spurred to action to love the orphan, the single mom, the woman who made an adoption plan, the family who has lost their children to the foster care system, and those image bearers with a special need or disability. We must expand our focus on issues of life to have a whole-life message and show the world that we love pregnant women as much as we love their children, and trust that little by little the Spirit will draw more people to listen to our full message of life. When we are waiting on the other end of the maternity ward to embrace a single mom and her child, that is the moment we begin to show with our lives and actions how much we truly value life. Please do not miss it: all these actions are not merely occasions to deal with earthly distress. They all make great opportunities for Gospel proclamation because when we love life tangibly, we receive extraordinary opportunities to speak of the greatest pro-life advocate, Jesus, the One who gave His life so that we could have abundant life. We reflect on the fact that we have a Savior who humbled himself to serve. Out of our love for Christ, we are compelled to love others sacrificially. We enter into the messy, the broken, and the beauty of adoption, foster care, and orphan care because we are now ambassadors of Christ. We now live with the same mind as Christ having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind, doing nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility counting others more significant than ourselves. We look not only to our own interests, but also now to the interests of others including the orphan, the vulnerable child, the single mom, and the broken family. This Easter, may we, as the adopted children of God, let the sacrificial nature of Christ thrust us into denying ourselves, taking up our Cross, and following Jesus into the redeeming work of manifesting the Gospel to the least of these. The Nashville shooting a window to America's soul "I can't believe the news today Oh, I can't close my eyes and make it go away" (Sunday Bloody Sunday U2) U2 sang this in the US a day after the Enniskillen bombing in Northern Ireland. It was a performance captured in their rockumentary film, Rattle 'n' Hum. A performance whose rawness, emotion and anger was matched only by its desperate pointing to Christ as the only solution. I was reminded of it as I heard the news of yet another mass shooting in the US. Only, for me, this one was different. This was in a school and church I had been to The Covenant School and Covenant Presbyterian Church in Nashville. I didn't know any of the victims - Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney, all aged nine, headteacher Katherine Koonce, 60, substitute teacher Cynthia Peak, 61, and school custodian Mike Hill, 61 but as a Presbyterian minister myself and the father of two girls, I found it all too easy to imagine the pain and suffering of the parents, and especially the pastor Chad Scruggs, who has had to lead his church and family through the pain and suffering of losing his daughter as well as the others in the church family. It's not easy to reflect on this but we have to. How do you comment? Should you? How do you make sense of it? How do you not get angry? I tried to think through this here and as I did so, it came to me that the shootings at a Christian school in Nashville are a window into the soul of modern America and thus into much of the rest of the Western world. Firstly, this shooting illustrates the depth of evil, darkness and sorrow in the world, although evil is almost too inadequate a word. Secondly, this shooting shows that transgenderism has become a divisive and dangerous ideology. The shooter identified as trans although we don't yet know the reasons or impact this had upon her motivations. We need to recognise that there are transgender people who need help and support and this woman was certainly one of them. Just 0.1% of people are believed to have genuine GID (Gender Identity Disorder), but trans ideology has spread way beyond that group and indeed is in danger of harming that group. The perpetrator of this atrocity (and you will forgive me for not mentioning her name the former NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was surely right not to name the Christchurch shooter and I agree that denying potential shooters the oxygen of publicity may help hinder future shootings), was a woman who identified as a man, was being medically treated, and clearly had a significant number of mental health issues. There is a level of violence associated with the transgender movement which is quite chilling. For example, the transgender resistance movement tweeted out hate has consequences and complained about the misgendering of the shooter. What other movement would get away with having a 'transgender day of vengeance'? What do you think happens to young minds, whose bodies and minds are already harmed, when you tell them that they are victims of a genocide, and that trans people are routinely being murdered every day in our countries? Or when people like Cenk Uygur of The Young Turks tell trans people, "If anyone should get guns it should be trans Americans." And what do you think happens when you tell people that those who oppose transgender ideology are literally Nazis? Such hateful language has consequences (as indeed language which would seek to blame all trans people does). For example, when Dan Andrews, the premier of Victoria, labelled Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull and the feminists demonstrating for women's rights as Nazis/fascists/Far Right, he gave a green light to the mobs in Hobart and New Zealand to violently attack them. Professor Steven Shaviro, of Wayne State University in the US, was suspended last month after writing in a Facebook post, "I think it is far more admirable to kill a racist, homophobic or transphobic speaker than to shout them down." Guns This is another incredibly emotive subject. In the US there have been an average of 1.5 mass shootings per day this year. There are 350 million firearms in a nation of 335 million people. The Nashville shooter had five legal weapons including two assault rifles. I know that it's not as simple as banning all guns - I suspect you would have a civil war if you tried to do that in the US. But surely there has to be a tightening of gun laws and far more restrictions? Why does anyone need one assault rifle, never mind two? The media This is the first mass shooting I have witnessed where some of the mainstream media and some online have come very close to calling the shooter a victim. Some certainly expressed more concern about how trans people might be affected than they did about the deaths of the children and teachers. For example, within hours of the shooting, a US TV station went to a local church to praise its open policies for LGBT people. The implication was clear: if only the Presbyterian church had been more 'inclusive', this would not have happened. Victim shaming was on full display. The ideological drivenness of some of the media is distorting truth and denying compassion. The police It's not easy being a policeman. Watching the police at work in Nashville was highly impressive. Their speed and bravery was commendable and surely saved many lives. But sometimes the police stand by. In New Zealand, the police let Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull be mobbed. Why? Recent stories from Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand have shown a worrying politicisation of the police. This will not end well. The politicians Politicians have to be very careful about dog whistles - the practice of saying things knowing that they will be seen as a sign to more extremist groups. Premier Dan Andrews of Victoria was quick to associate Keen-Minshull with Nazis. In Australia the Green Senator, Lidia Thorpe called Keen-Minshull "that thing". In the US, there was the bizarre scene of TV stations cutting to President Joe Biden who was due to make a comment on the shootings, only to have him joking about chocolate chip ice cream. And why have politicians been so reluctant to call this a hate crime? Surely the deliberate targeting of children in a school because of their faith is about as hateful as it can get. Again, the Nashville shooting highlights the increasing danger to children and women in our cultures. It's not just that children are sometimes the victims of such horrific violence, but also that some of the ideologies that are now being pushed as State doctrines cause so much damage to impressionable minds. Schools like Covenant Christian are needed more than ever. And women It was beyond surreal when a week after Keen-Minshull's attempted rallies for women's rights in New Zealand that the prime minister of that country found himself unable to say what a woman is. When asked "what is a woman?" he replied: "I wasn't expecting that question, so it wasn't something I pre-formulated an answer on." The next question should have been, "Prime minister, have you reflected on whether the earth is flat?" Hatred, guns, violence, confusion, dark ideologies, lies, evil doctrines, mentally ill teenagers, children who need anti-shooter safety lessons; women who are abused and vilified for standing up for women's rights; political leaders who discriminate and show hatred for groups they don't like; anger; pain ... oh, the darkness! But, I finish where we came in. With U2's Sunday Bloody Sunday. "And the battle's just begun There's many lost but tell me who has won? The trenches dug within our hearts And mothers, children, brothers, sisters torn apart ..." "... The real battle's just begun, to claim the victory Jesus won" Jesus defeated death, hatred, violence and evil. We must seek to be salt in a decaying world, and light in a dark one. Easter Sunday is the answer to Bloody Sunday. The Resurrection is the answer to the hopelessness of the Nashville shooting. Preach Him! David Robertson leads The ASK Project in Sydney, Australia. He blogs at The Wee Flea. This article was first published on NerdWallet.com. From Atlanta to Zion National Park in Utah, local governments are cracking down on short-term vacation rentals, such as those listed on Airbnb and Vrbo. These regulations are often seen as a battle between hosts and neighbors, but they can impact another group: travelers. These local ordinances can affect travelers in ways good and bad, limiting supply and driving up prices as well as improving oversight and safety. Yet because these rules vary from location to location, they can be dizzying to understand for tourists. Many of these regulations are popping up in surprising places: vacation destinations that saw major tourism growth in the past few years and are now overwhelmed with crowds. Destinations are looking at the sheer volume of tourism to their area, says Alexa Nota, co-founder of Rent Responsibly, an education and community platform for short-term rental hosts. And instead of just grow, grow, grow, theyre looking for a way to cap tourism to make it sustainable for their community. Fewer options, higher costs Local restrictions on short-term vacation rentals can reduce the number of available listings. When Amsterdam introduced a new licensing requirement in 2021, the capital of the Netherlands saw a sharp drop in supply of available listings, according to AirDNA, a vacation rental analytics company. Additional AirDNA data shows similar drops have played out across Sydney and Tokyo in response to tightening regulations. Graphic courtesy of AirDNA Demand for short-term rentals continues to grow up about 18% year over year in the U.S., according to a February 2023 report from AirDNA. We see a lot of cities putting restrictions in, which limits supply and can drive the cost of these rentals up, Nota says. Experiencing sticker shock while shopping for a vacation rental? Consider scoping nearby towns and cities, which may have fewer restrictions and more homes on the market. Safer and more predictable rentals These restrictions arent all bad for travelers, experts say. Many local laws require hosts to purchase a license, which can put operational standards in place. Just as hotels are expected to meet local codes, some vacation rentals must now do the same. A lot of counties are including some kind of safety inspection, says Tony J. Robinson, host of the "Real Estate Rookie" podcast. Theyre checking whether, for example, if you have a hot tub, its installed correctly. Basic safety things like that. Travelers visiting destinations with these inspections can sleep (or soak) better knowing that at least some oversight is in place. On the flip side, vacation rentals in areas with few or lax regulations remain a relative Wild West. Beyond safety concerns, local permitting and licensing requirements can also help make the experience more predictable and professional for guests. Vacation rental horror stories are less likely when hosts have more at stake. If you have to jump through multiple hoops for hosts and pay fees, it will weed out some of the more amateurish hosts, Robinson explains. As that happens, the experience for guests will get better. More rules for guests and hosts These regulations dont just affect the number of rentals in the community or how theyre managed. They can also affect what guests can and cant do on property. For guests who have previously been able to rent a home and have a party and be rowdy, its a lot harder, Nota says, citing local laws enacted to reduce noise and parking complaints. When youre traveling like a local, youre living amongst locals, who expect a certain amount of peaceful enjoyment of their own homes. Make sure to follow noise and parking rules. Failure to comply could result in a fine or getting booted from your rental by your host, Nota says. Another thing to watch for: permits and licenses. Many counties require that hosts include their license number in the listing. Some cities do enforce the license, Robinson says. So if you see them in the listings and then you find one that doesnt have it, thats a red flag. The new normal In its early days, Airbnb followed the Silicon Valley motto of move fast and break things, expanding quickly across the globe and revolutionizing how travelers lodged. Yet local communities are now trying to put things back together, enacting laws and regulations to curb some excesses. Whether visiting New York City or the island of Maui in Hawaii, travelers are now likely to encounter vacation rental regulations. Some of these may squeeze availability, sending prices higher, but they can also ensure a modicum of safety oversight. And, of course, there are always hotels, which can be cheaper in many circumstances. Every other industry like this has regulations, says Robinson, who manages vacation rental properties in several states. I somewhat welcome them in the short-term rental space, assuming theyre fair. The vacation rental industry might finally be growing up. Sam Kemmis writes for NerdWallet. Email: skemmis@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @samsambutdif. The article How Local Airbnb Regulations Could Affect Your Next Trip originally appeared on NerdWallet. In a town that's known for tearing down aging buildings as opposed to preserving them, the renovation of the Eldorado Ballroom feels like a miracle. The Third Ward nightclub, which hosted blues and jazz musicians for more than three decades during a time when Jim Crow laws kept Black performers and audiences segregated from white crowds, isn't just culturally significant. It's also architecturally uniqueone of few Art Moderne buildings remaining in Houston. After a $9.7 million project that included restoring the ballroom's wood paneling to its original condition, removing decades of paint from the building's walls, repairs to the large wooden staircase, and uncovering windows that had been boarded up in the 1950s, the "Rado" shines once again. Members of the public can get their first look at the restoration during a community open house on Thursday, April 6, from noon to 6 p.m. An invite-only reopening party took place last week, and Project Row Houses, which owns the building, expects to host an official reopening party sometime in May, once renovations are finalized. It's hard to overstate the importance of the ballroom, not just for Black audiences in midcentury Houston, but also for performers of color in the Jim Crow South. The venue was part of the Chitlin' Circuit, a loosely-affiliated collection of venues catered exclusively to Black performers and audiences in segregated states. Artists like Etta James, B.B. King, Ella Fitzgerald, and James Brownas well as Houstonians like Archie Bellhave graced its stage. The venue is so special that Third Ward native Solange Knowles, who wasn't even alive during its heyday, recently created an entire performance dedicated to the nightclub. Copy shot by Karen Warren/Courtesy photo The Eldorado was built in 1939 thanks to Anna and Clarence Dupree, who at the time owned several businesses in Houston's Third Ward neighborhood. The Duprees wanted to provide a "class" venue for Black social clubs in the city's largest Black community. The Rado was often compared to the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem, and even shared its motto, "The home of happy feet." Architect Lenard Gabert Sr., who designed the Eldorado, added some timely midcentury touches. The building is part of the Art Moderne movement (also sometimes called Streamline Moderne), a spin-off of art deco design that incorporates round corners, horizontal lines, and an aerodynamic sense of movement. Gabert also included a little Texas Centennial, another spinoff of art deco meant to celebrate the state's 100th birthday, in the form of columns that were eventually covered up and only rediscovered during the renovation. The Rado thrived as a performance venue (and a home for the shops on its first floor) for three decades, eventually closing in the 1970s. The downfall of the building has been attributed to a number of factorsthe end of segregation, Black Houstonians leaving the Third Ward, even parking issues in the neighborhood. In 1999, the building was gifted to Project Row Houses, an arts and community organization already known for preserving a series of midcentury shotgun shacks (also a historically significant form of architecture) in the Third Ward. Mark Mulligan/Staff photographer In 2003, the venue reopened for its first major event in three decades, a fundraiser called Howling on Dowling, as Emancipation Street was then known. (Dowling Street, which was named after a Confederate officer, was renamed in 2017.) That event raised more than $75,000 for ongoing repairs, which included, among other things, the installation of an elevator to bypass the building's creaky staircase. In 2011, the Eldorado received a Texas Historical Marker. In the time since it was taken over by PRH, the ballroom has occasionally been rented out for weddings and special events but for the most part remained closed. The funds for the recently completed restoration were provided by the Kinder Foundation, Houston Endowment, the Cullen Trust, and numerous individual donors, as well as PRH's own board of governors. Besides the restoration of the ballroom and building exterior, the first floor of the Eldorado will house an art gallery, a restaurant from celebrated Lucille's chef and owner Chris Williams, and a meeting space. The ballroom will continue to be rented out for community events, concert performances, and more. In a speech during last week's private opening, PRH executive director Eureka Gilkey said the renovation project was about protecting a space that is sacred to Houston's Third Ward community. "(It's) to nurture hope, reconnect with each other and experience joy. The Eldorado Ballroom will host a community open house on Thursday, April 6, noon to 6 p.m. 2310 Elgin St. Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research Who doesn't love a good beach day? Despite the cloudy weather Tuesday morning, a huge alligator still somehow made it out the beach on the Bolivar Peninsula in a rare appearance. The carnivorous reptile likely didn't anticipate too many beachgoers due to the early hours, but it was spotted along the shore by several, including sea turtle patrollers from the Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research. Volunteers and staff are currently in the midst of sea turtle nesting season, which just started in April and continues through August. However, this time of the year also happens to be the peak time for breeding and nesting for alligators. On Facebook, the research center posted photos of the rare gator beach encounter. "While alligators can tolerate salt water for a few hours or even days, they are primarily freshwater animals, living in swampy areas, rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds," the center wrote. "March through May is the alligator's peak time for breeding and nesting." SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Two trailblazing ride-hailing services are heading toward uncharted territory as they seek regulatory approval to transport passengers around the clock throughout one of the most densely populated U.S. cities in vehicles that will have no one sitting in the drivers seat. If Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors, and Waymo, a spinoff from Google, reach their goal before year's end, San Francisco would become the first U.S. city with two totally driverless services competing against Uber, Lyft and traditional taxis all of which depend on people to control the automobiles. But Cruise and Waymo still must navigate around potential roadblocks, including complaints about their vehicles making unexpected, traffic-clogging stops that threaten to inconvenience other travelers and imperil public safety. Cruise already has been charging people for driverless rides in less congested parts of San Francisco during night-time hours since last June. Waymo has been giving free driverless rides in a broader swath of the city while awaiting clearance to begin charging passengers in robotic vehicles that Google secretly began working on 14 years ago. The effort to unleash dueling driverless services throughout San Francisco is shaping up to be just the first step in a far more ambitious expansion centered in California a state where more than 35 million vehicles driven by humans are currently registered. Cruise recently applied for permission to begin testing its robotic vehicles throughout California at speeds of up to 55 miles per hour (88 kilometers per hour) 25 miles per hour (40 kilometers per hour) above the maximum speed for its robotaxis in San Francisco. Waymo is already testing its driverless cars in Los Angeles the second largest city in the U.S. The California push comes on top of Cruise starting to test its robotaxis in Austin, Texas, as well as Phoenix, where since 2020 Waymo's driverless ride-hailing service has been carrying passengers on Arizona roads that are far less congested and challenging than the streets of San Francisco. We still have work to do, but its improving at a pretty rapid rate, Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt told The Associated Press. As it gets fine-tuned, it will get really elegant over time, but also the safety continues to improve. Saswat Panigrahi, Waymos chief product officer, expects the companys past experience to pay off as it transplants what it has learned from operating a driverless ride-hailing service in Phoenix to more heavily trafficked cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles. The uncertainty is definitely now far lower, having operated a fully autonomous service with real riders," Panigrahi said. Both Cruise and Waymo recently announced their driverless fleets each have covered more than 1 million miles without a major accident. But their robotaxis also have experienced nagging problems in San Francisco that have caused traffic headaches and other nuisances that threaten to inconvenience people or, worse, block emergency vehicles rushing to a fire or other urgent calls for help. The expected things are easy, but its the unexpected things that humans react to in real time that are a concern, said transportation expert Nico Larco, who is director of the Urbanism Next Center at the University of Oregon. "Best case, it will just causes confusion, havoc, congestion if the cars stop in the middle of the road. But the worst cases could actually be harmful to someone. A pair of Associated Press reporters witnessed the potential problems first hand in mid-February after a Waymo vehicle safely transported them on a trip through San Francisco that required navigating hilly terrain, turning in rush-hour traffic and yielding to pedestrians darting out into the crosswalks. During one ride, the robotaxi stopped in the middle of the street after the AP reporters got out, and remained there for several minutes while a line of human-operated cars stacked up behind it. It turned out that a back door on the drivers side hadnt completely closed. In another glitch involving Cruise last September, an AP reporter took a roughly five-mile ride in a robotaxi nicknamed Peaches, which repeatedly bypassed the designated destination. The reporter finally had to use the Cruise app to contact a dispatcher in a remote center so the car could be stopped in the middle of the street. Vogt noted that a number of improvements have been made since then, and indeed two different Cruise robotaxis one named Cherry and the other named Hollandaise dropped off the same reporter and his colleague at their designated designations on a follow-up trip, although Cherry stopped at a bus stop that briefly prevented the arrival of an oncoming bus. Broader concerns about robotaxis operating in ways that cause headaches for the people outside the vehicle were raised in a cautionary letter sent to California regulators in January by the San Francisco County Transportation Authority. The letter cited at least 92 reported incidents of Cruise robotaxis making sudden stops in the street through Dec. 31. At least three of the incidents blocked the right of ways for public transportation for periods ranging from nine to 18 minutes. Within the past year, driverless Cruise vehicles have also obstructed firefighters rushing to a three-alarm fire and or illegally entered into areas where there were ongoing efforts to douse a fire, according to the authority, which is asking regulators to hold off on unleashing robotaxis throughout San Francisco at all hours until there is more information about why and how often the cars periodically clog traffic. The abrupt braking and stops by Cruises robotaxis have also been under investigation by federal regulators since late last year. We are just very wary, said Tilly Chang, the executive director for the San Francisco transportation authority. We want to be supporters and help facilitate (driverless rides), but we have to make sure its safe. Meanwhile, dozens of other technology companies and automakers have joined in a race to develop self-driving car technology at a collective cost of more than $100 billion. Their ultimate goal is to make money off robotic drivers that are safer and less expensive than human drivers. Robotaxis could also lower prices for passengers, although Vogt believes consumers may be willing to pay more for rides without a stranger behind the wheel. The investments so far have produced a mixed bag of successes, flops and hyperbole from the likes of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who predicted nearly four years ago that the electric automaker would be running a huge robotaxi service by the end of 2020 but still hasnt come close to realizing that ambition. Cruises owner, the nearly 125-year-old General Motors, is nonetheless so confident robotaxis will drive more responsibly than humans and be able to expand its driverless service into more U.S. markets that it made the bold prediction last fall that Cruise would generate $1 billion in revenue by 2025 a big jump from Cruise's revenue of $106 million last year when it also lost nearly $2 billion. That optimism is in sharp contrast to the disheartening experience of another storied automaker, Ford Motor, which paid $1 billion in 2017 to acquire driverless startup Argo AI, only to shut down the division last October and swallow a $2.7 billion loss after failing to find a buyer for the technology. A Conroe man was found guilty on two separate family violence charges this week after choking his girlfriend in 2022. Gregory Gunter Jr., 37, was convicted of assault family violence with a prior conviction and sentenced to 20 years by a Montgomery County jury. Gunter also was convicted of assault family violence-strangulation and sentenced to 55 years. The sentences will run concurrently. On YourConroeNews.com: Texas AG Paxton files suit to shut down two massage businesses in Montgomery County According to court documents, Gunter was in a relationship with the victim when he assaulted and choked her over Easter weekend in 2022. A witness to the assault called law enforcement to report the incident and testified in the trial against Gunter. Following the jurys conviction March 28, a prior victim of Gunter's, with whom he had a previous relationship, testified about an assault in 2011 when Gunter strangled her until she was nearly unconscious and the lasting impact the abuse had on her life. Mike Holley, first assistant district attorney, said the jury also heard evidence of the defendants extensive criminal history, including previous prison sentences for violent offenses. Prosecutors asked the jury to consider not only Gunters criminal history and the victims safety but also the safety of the community when deciding Gunters punishment. Gunter will be eligible for parole. The new 2023 Toyota Prime plug-in hybrid gets all the stunning good looks of the redesigned 2023 Prius hybrid along with up to 44 miles of all-electric range. Thats up from just 25 miles in the 2022 Prius Prime. Its an increase that makes the plug-in hybrid truly competitive after years of lagging behind most other PHEVs in the critical category of pure battery range. Additionally, the new Prius Prime gets a more powerful front-wheel drive system, boasting 220 horsepower. Its predecessor was a relative weakling at just 121 ponies. The 2023 plug-in also outmuscles the front-drive version of the standard hybrid 23 Prius, which is rated at 194 hp. The 2023 Prius Prime also comes with a heftier price tag, starting at $33,445, including delivery. On a trim-to-trim basisthere are three, SE, XSE and XSE Premiumthe five-seat small hatchback sedan is about $5,000 more than its predecessor. But the hike covers a multitude of improvements in design, standard features, interior quality, safety and driver assistance systems, performance and, of course, the bigger battery needed to provide that 76% increase in range. The Prime gets the same interior as the conventional Prius but it is jazzed up with red highlights including an LED lighting strip. All trims get a configurable 7-inch driver information display but only the Premium gets the big 12.3-inch touchscreen. John ODell Still Tops in Efficiency The chief reason the Prius has done so well in the 23 years since it was introduced in the U.S. (Japan got it almost 3 years earlier) is its efficiency. Always somewhat of an ugly duckling, it boasted segment-leading fuel economy year after year. The Prius Prime didnt come along until 2012, a dozen years after the standard hybrid model, and is now starting its third generation. Like its plug-less sibling, the Prius Prime has been at the top of the class in fuel efficiency since day one. That wont change with the 2023 redo. In addition to its improved all-electric range, the new plug-in Prius gets an EPA-estimated rating of 52 miles per gallon for the base trim and 48 mpg for the two upper trims when operating on conventional hybrid mode after the battery is depleted. Thats better than any other plug-in hybrid in the market. The Prime also holds the lead in range in its class at an EPA-estimated 44 miles for the LE and 39 miles for the upper trims. The next closest small hatchback, the 2023 Kia Niro PHEV, is rated at up to 33 miles. Real-world driving usually is no match for the test circuit used by the EPA to determine range and fuel economy, but the XLE trim delivered almost 32 miles of electric-only driving during a 45-mile test loop on hilly country roads in Southern California San Diego County. Thats 18% less than the EPA estimate for that trim, but the drive involved numerous jackrabbit starts and other accelerator-pedal abuses designed to get a feel for the new Primes potential. The Primes battery is under the floor so theres no loss of cargo space, which remains the same 20.3 cubic-feet, plus underfloor storage, as the standard hybrid Prius. Prius Not a Charging Champ The 2023 Primes substantial range increase is due largely to a 13.6 kWh battery pack thats 55% larger than its predecessors 8.8 kWh pack. But that larger battery takes longer to recharge, and while there are three levels of regenerative braking to help capture and store energy while on the go, the new Prime didnt get a quicker charger. It still uses a 3.7 kW system for Level 2 home charging at 240 volts, so it takes 5 hours to replenish a fully depleted battery and more than 11 hours for a Level 1 charge using a standard 120-volt outlet. The Niro PHEV, with an 11 kWh battery, can recharge in just over 2 hours on a Level 2 system and 9 hours at Level 1. Like most PHEVs, the Prius Prime isnt equipped for DC fast-charging. Thats both a cost-saving measure and acknowledgement that unlike a proper EV, a plug-in hybrid can operate on its gas engine alone and rely on its battery to make a long trip. Toyota is offering a solar roof option for the top trim in place of its standard glass roof, but the output is mostly intended to help power accessories. The solar panel can send juice to the battery, but Toyota engineers said that at bestif every day were a sunny oneit would barely add 5 miles of range per month. Better than nothing, but not Good Road Manners The S in Toyotas trim level nomenclature stands for Sport and indicates that the automaker thinks the new Prius Prime is a sporty caror at least sportier than the 2022 model. The new 2.0-liter gas engine pumps out 150 horsepower when working solo, while the electric motor is rated at 161 hp. Output is blended in full hybrid mode. The peak rating of 220 hp, while not enough to make the new Prius Prime a race car, is good enough for a zero-to-60 mph time of 6.6 seconds, according to Toyota. Thats 4.1 seconds quicker than the previous generation Prime and nearly half a second better than the 23 Prius hybrid. The Primes low center of gravity and big boost in power makes it a lot more fun to drive than earlier Prius plug-ins, especially when coupled with the new suspension tuning that comes with the redesign. While the standard Prius feels light and easy to toss around, the Primewhile only 94 pounds heavierfeels more solidly planted and road-hugging, especially on twisty country roads. Its extra power, tighter steering and new suspension place it miles above previous Primes in road manners. The narrow sidewalls on the upper trims 19-inch alloys dont do the greatest job of absorbing road imperfections, so the new Prime can feel a little bouncy on rutted or potholed roads. But overall the ride quality is fine with a 2-inch wheelbase increase helping smooth things out. The new sport seat design for the front buckets helps as well. The seats, resplendent with their red contrast panels and stitching, are thinner than in previous Priuses, but still well-bolstered and supportive. Rear seating includes more legroom than in earlier Priuses, but the steeply curved roofline limits rear headroom for taller passengers. John ODell Fine Features While the 2023 Prius Prime gets different trim-level naming than the standard Prius, most features are the same on a trim-by-trim level and elevate the new Prius into near-premium territory. The Prime shares most of its modern-minimalist interior with the plug-less Prius. An 8-inch, center-mounted infotainment screen is standard for the SE and XSE trims while the XSE Premium gets a 12.3-inch screen (and it is an option for the XSE). Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard and the upper trims get a wireless phone charger as well. Theres too much hard plastic surrounding the driver information screen, but nicely grained soft-touch material on the rest of the dash and the door panels. The 2023 Prime gets the upgraded Toyota Audio Multimedia system with easy-to-use voice commands and an intuitive menu system. The Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 package of advanced safety and driver assist systems is standard as well. The Prime also debuts Toyotas Traffic Jam Assist feature, which enables hands-free driving at speeds of under 25 mph to help with stop-and-go traffic. Distinctive wheel design and a Prime badge on the rear help differentiate the 2023 Prius plug-in hybrid from its conventional hybrid sibling. John ODell How Much Does the 2023 Toyota Prius Prime Cost? When will it be Available? The base SE trim, with 17-inch alloys and cloth seats, starts at $33,495 including Toyotas $1,095 destination fee. The XSE starts at $36,695 and the XSE Premium at $40,265. The upper trims get 19-inch wheels, heated front seats, faux-leather upholstery, LED projector-beam headlights, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and a few other goodies. The Premium gets a glass roof, heated and ventilated front seats and heated rear seats, a digital key system, the big infotainment screen and an eight-speaker JBL audio system. The new Prius Prime, with its longer range, more powerful hybrid system, class-leading range and fuel efficiency and a sleek and sporty, coupe-like exterior it shares with the standard 2023 Prius, stands out in the smalland diminishingcompetitive set. The Kia Niro, Subaru Crosstrek and Mini Cooper SE Countryman PHEVs are boxier and more SUV-like. None can match the Prius Primes range and fuel efficiency. The Mini Cooper, with only 18 miles of all-electric range, starts at $2,200 more than the top-trim Prime. The Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid ends production this year and wont be around to compete. Toyota dealers will start receiving the new Prius Prime in May and with only eight months left in the calendar year, Toyota is allotting a mere 10,000 of the PHEVs to the U.S. While rooted in ongoing chip and component shortages, the small numbers also pretty much ensure that prices will remain strong and that many prospective customers will wind up in a long queue. The waitlist in most areas for the standard 2023 Prius after its remarkable fifth-generation remake can be as much as 12 monthsand Toyotas U.S. dealers are getting more than twice as many standard hybrid Priuses as Primes this year. For calendar year 2024, Toyota has allocated 15,000 Prius Primes to the U.S., along with about 35,000 standard Priuses. Neither amount is likely to do much to reduce pent-up demand. John ODell Toyota provided lodging and meals to enable us to bring you this first-person report. Although Forbes Wheels sometimes participates in manufacturer-hosted events, our coverage is independent, unbiased and aimed at offering consumers an objective view of every vehicle we test. This article, 2023 Toyota Prius Prime First Drive: Longer Legs, More Muscle, originally appeared on Forbes Advisor. BOSTON (AP) Three members of the same family were charged in what federal prosecutors say was a scheme to smuggle Brazilian immigrants into the U.S. to work at two Massachusetts restaurants where they were forced to work long hours and threatened with harm. Jesse James Moraes, 65, and his son Hugo Giovanni Moraes, 43, were charged in a superseding indictment with forced labor and attempted forced labor, according to a statement Tuesday from the U.S. attorney's office. They are the owners of Taste of Brazil-Tudo Na Brasa and The Dog House Bar and Grill in the Boston suburb of Woburn. Chelbe Willams Moraes, 62, who lives in Brazil and is the brother of Jesse Moraes, was charged with labor trafficking, attempted labor trafficking and money laundering conspiracy, prosecutors said. Individuals seeking to come to the United States for a better life to benefit themselves and their families were allegedly taken advantage of and deceived, U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins said in a statement. We allege that these defendants endangered the victims they smuggled and compelled them to work through threats of violence and other serious harm." Lawyers for Jesse Moraes and Hugo Moraes in a joint statement described their clients as hardworking immigrants who became U.S. citizens, adding that the charges are not supported by the evidence." Out of their good nature, they often gave jobs and helped recent immigrants find housing. They never forced anyone to work or threatened them," said Alyssa Hackett, a lawyer for the father, and Paul V. Kelly, an attorney for the son. Anyone who knows Jesse and Hugo Moraes knows that they would not treat others in such a way." No attorney for Chelbe Moraes was listed in court records. Prosecutors say Chelbe Moraes smuggled migrants from Brazil into the U.S. for fees of up to $22,000. Jesse Moraes and Hugo Moraes then recruited those people to work in their restaurants and live in apartments they owned, authorities said. The workers, promised a better life than they had in Brazil, were forced to work long hours performing difficult manual labor and had their wages withheld until they paid off their smuggling debts, prosecutors said. The workers were allegedly subjected to threats of violence, financial harm and deportation to keep them in line and prevent them from quitting. The defendants are also accused of providing or offering to provide fake documentation to the workers to support asylum claims or claims of work authorization. The charges came just about a week after federal prosecutors announced forced labor charges against the owner of two Boston pizza shops who allegedly mistreated employees who were in the U.S. illegally. KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) Multiple police officers and suspects were shot Wednesday in a gunbattle during an undercover fentanyl trafficking investigation in Kansas City, Kansas, authorities said. All were expected to survive. Three officers were wounded, along with three men who were alleged targets of the sting, authorities said. Undercover investigators had previously bought fentanyl from the suspects and were trying to make another purchase Wednesday, Police Chief Karl Oakman said. But, he said, it fell through, and a shootout erupted between the heavily armed suspects and the agents. The three officers who were shot had arrived in marked police cars to help their undercover colleagues, Oakman said. Police believe all the suspects are in custody. The chief said police have been investigating a fentanyl influx into the city for months, but the operation that resulted in the shootout began a few days ago. Dr. Sean Kumer, associate chief medical officer at the University of Kansas Health System, said the officers who were brought to the hospital and all of the shooting patients the facility treated were in stable condition with injuries that were not life-threatening. They were able to converse with their doctors. City police asked their counterparts in neighboring Kansas City, Missouri, to investigate the shootings. That police department said later Wednesday that homicide detectives and crime scene personnel were speaking with witnesses and processing the scene for evidence. DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. (AP) A fifth suspect has been arrested in a March 4 mass shooting at a 16th birthday party in suburban Atlanta that killed two teens and wounded seven other people, authorities said Tuesday. Tahkel Marquise Beverly-Smart, a 21-year-old resident of Dallas, Georgia, was arrested Saturday in connection with the shooting at a house in Douglasville, Douglas County Sheriff Tim Pounds announced. In addition to two counts of murder, Beverly-Smart is facing 40 counts of participating in gang activity, nine counts each of aggravated assault and aggravated battery, and 20 counts of being a party to a crime, jail records show. Beverly-Smart, like the four other suspects arrested so far, was denied bail. It was not clear whether any had lawyers who could speak on their behalf. Arrested earlier were Kingston Cottman, 17, Timothy Coleman, 18, and twin brothers Chance and Chase McDowell, 17. They all face murder and gang charges, while Cottman and Coleman also face aggravated assault, aggravated battery and gun charges. The sheriffs office didnt detail Beverly-Smarts alleged role in the killings or say who is believed to have fired guns. The two dead have been identified as 15-year-old Samuel Moon and 14-year-old Ajanaye Hill. Pounds has said the shooting was meant to be a gang hit but those who were shot were not the intended targets. Others have said the shooting started after homeowners discovered some of the 100 or more teenagers attending the party were smoking marijuana and kicked them out. Pounds said Tuesday that he expects additional arrests. Douglasville is just over 20 miles (32 kilometers) west of Atlanta. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 AP Show More Show Less 2 of 3 AP Show More Show Less 3 of 3 WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) An appliance delivery man was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison for beating a 75-year-old woman to death and setting her on fire at her Florida home. A Palm Beach County circuit judge gave Jorge Dupre Lachazo two life sentences, plus another 30-year sentence, according to court records. The 24-year-old was convicted in January of first-degree murder, burglary and arson, following a three-day trial. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate AUSTIN, Texas (AP) The Justice Department announced Wednesday a tentative $144 million settlement with families and victims of a 2017 mass shooting at a Texas church that was carried out by a former U.S. airman who was able to purchase firearms despite a criminal history. More than two dozen people were killed when Devin Patrick Kelley opened fire during a Sunday service at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs. Authorities put the official death toll at 26 because one of the 25 people killed was pregnant in what remains the deadliest mass shooting in Texas history. Kelley had served nearly five years in the Air Force before being discharged in 2014 for bad conduct, after he was convicted of assaulting a former wife and stepson, cracking the childs skull. The Air Force has publicly acknowledged that the felony conviction for domestic violence had it been put into the FBI database could have prevented Kelley from buying guns from licensed firearms dealer. U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez had previously ruled that the Air Force was 60% liable for the attack because it failed to submit Kelleys assault conviction during his time in the Air Force to a national database. He ruled that Kelley was at fault for the rest. The Justice Department said the settlement is still subject to court approvals. No words or amount of money can diminish the immense tragedy of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs, said Vanita Gupta, associate attorney general for the Justice Department, in a statement. Todays announcement brings the litigation to a close, ending a painful chapter for the victims of this unthinkable crime. Jamal Alsaffar, a Texas attorney who has represented the Sutherland Springs victims in the lawsuit, noted that the settlement was not yet final and said the families have been fighting for justice. The Sutherland Springs families are heroes, Alsaffar said in a statement. "The country owes them a debt of gratitude. They have gone through so much pain and loss in the most horrific way." The settlement would end a long-running lawsuit that was filed in 2018. When lawsuits are filed against federal agencies or programs, they are defended by attorneys with the Justice Department, which has separate divisions for criminal prosecutions and other responsibilities. The settlement is less than the $230 million that Rodriguez had ordered the government to pay families and the victims last year, but the Justice Department appealed that ruling. Rodriguez said in 2021 that had the government done its job and entered Kelleys history into the database, it is more likely than not that Kelley would have been deterred from carrying out the Church shooting. Kelley was able to purchase four firearms after being discharged in 2014, three of which he carried into the church. After the shooting, the Air Force was blamed for not reporting his record to the FBI. The conviction would have been a red flag in the mandatory background check when Kelley tried to purchase a gun. Kelley died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after he was shot and chased by two men who heard the gunfire at the church. 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 From the moment he walked down the golden escalator at Trump Tower on June 16, 2015, Donald Trump has been the man the world could not stop watching. So he was again Tuesday, a day that epitomized the perverse fascination with the former president and the degree to which he has debased the high office he once held. Tuesday was a day of spectacle, a word so often associated with the name Donald Trump. Television cameras followed every move by the former president and his motorcade through the streets of Manhattan. Pro- and anti-Trump forces gathered near the courthouse. Nonstop commentary on cable television detailed every step along the way. And yet it had a sad, almost pathetic quality to it. Sad and pathetic not just for Trump, but for the country. Trump is the protagonist in this drama, the lead actor, but the impact has been broad and deep. This is a different country than it was before Trump began running for president eight years ago - angrier, more divided and less tolerant of one another. History is an overused word in these situations. It was overused on Tuesday during the hours of media coverage. No matter that no former president had ever been charged in a criminal case. No matter that no former president had ever been processed and arraigned like any other criminal defendant, though none of the others had been accompanied by Secret Service for their own personal protection. This was history, yes, but of the most sordid kind. The case itself seems unworthy of all the attention. It centered on hush money paid to an adult-film actress and falsification of business records, 34 felony counts in all. Republicans have been nearly unanimous in attacking the indictment as politically motivated, legal experts debated whether this was a case that should be brought, particularly against a former president, and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg still must prove charges that critics claim are flimsy. When the former president departed Trump Tower, and before he entered his SUV for the drive to the courthouse, he offered a clenched fist and raised arm to the bank of cameras trained on him. But there was no broad smile or thumbs-up that he has offered so many other times. By the time he arrived for his arraignment, he looked very much like the defendant that he now is - perhaps humiliated but plainly defiant and no doubt angry. It was apparent that this was something new and unsettling for Trump, who was thrust into a forum where he lacked the kind of control he usually enjoys. The discomfort was clear in the steely look on his face as he passed briefly before the cameras, flanked front and back by law enforcement, as he walked toward the courtroom where the indictment was read out and where he entered his plea of not guilty. It was clear in the first still photo from the courtroom, his head tilted toward the camera but with a sober, almost vulnerable look on his face. It was clear as he avoided reporters on his way out. Trump was impeached for much, much more - once for trying to extort the president of Ukraine to dig up dirt on Joe Biden ahead of the 2016 campaign, and then again for his role in inciting the mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Impeached but acquitted. Those were political arenas, with elected officials as prosecutors in a Democratic-controlled House and jurors in a Republican-controlled Senate. Tuesday marked yet another first for Trump, this time accused in a court of law, an arena where citizen jurors ultimately will decide his fate - a forum where, presumably, Trump never wanted to end up. He is, at last in the eyes of his critics, being held accountable in a court of law. But if he is not found guilty in this case, it will be one more example of his characteristic ability to escape his pursuers. More serious charges could be coming, involving his handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, his role in the attack on the Capitol - both under the auspices of the Justice Department and special counsel Jack Smith - and a separate case in Fulton County, Ga., involving allegations that Trump tried to overturn the 2020 election results in that state. Tuesday may prove to be a warm-up for events to come, an exhibition awaiting something more momentous. Or not. With Trump, the only certainty is spectacle. The new reality is that Trump will be a presidential candidate whose hush money case will be ongoing in New York and possibly other cases ongoing in other courts. If not a distraction for Trump - and how can it not be? - all this will course through the campaign in ways that will, once again, break the norms. Democrats want to believe this ultimately will be detrimental to Trump's hopes of winning back the White House in 2024. But in a country so evenly divided, no one can predict that with certainty. This is where Trump has brought the country. His first campaign broke so many norms of politics, and he survived controversies that would have brought down most politicians. His presidency brought chaos and turmoil, not to mention lies and hate, again a norm-breaking tenure unlike any other in the history of the country. His post-presidency has been an extension of his presidency. Throughout his years in the political spotlight, Trump never wavered in his claim that he was being investigated unfairly, that he was being wrongly persecuted by his political opponents. He lashed out at all his rivals, made wild accusations about some of them, attacked the FBI and Justice Department officials, and threatened violence - and when he lost the 2020 election to Biden, he falsely claimed that the election had been stolen and has persisted in those accusations to this day. Every tweet was consumed and amplified by friend and foe. When he announced his candidacy in 2015, he was afforded media coverage unlike any previous candidate. He was, after all, a fascinating candidate - more celebrity than politician, a swaggering developer with a highly rated reality television show who had his life chronicled in the tabloids for decades. But the attention nonetheless was outsize and gave his candidacy a boost that ultimately brought him to the White House, though not without political skills by the candidate himself. In his post-presidency, Trump has sometimes found himself practically ignored. His campaign rallies draw minimal coverage from the mainstream media, and his social media postings carry far less power than they once did. In those ways, he has seemed like a somewhat diminished figure. Yet Trump has sucked up the nation's attention for the past 48 hours, underscoring why he is the favorite to emerge as the Republican nominee in 2024. The indictment in New York was as if Trump himself was again orchestrating everything, an event that would once again put him into the headlines and the glare of the cameras. The latest example began on Monday with television cameras covering the liftoff of his private jet as Trump left his home in Florida for New York. The coverage picked up again as the jet made its long glide down to the runway at LaGuardia Airport, and then, in O.J. Simpson-like fashion, there was live coverage of his motorcade leaving the airport and arriving at Trump Tower. There was no restraint, though there are many other important events in the world right now - no restraint, seemingly, because this was history and history, large or small, must be covered in smothering detail. Trump is the not-unwatchable politician, and all eyes were on him again. It was the kind of round-the-clock attention he has always craved, drawing the kind of television ratings that are coin of the realm in his mind. But at this moment, all the coverage, all the attention, all the commentary, all the videos and photos were in service to putting Trump in the dock, under arrest, arraigned in court, released on his own recognizance and then back to the future. For a few moments, a day perhaps, it was a Donald Trump who was no longer larger than life, and a country left to contemplate how it came to this. SAN DIEGO (AP) A former San Diego police detective who used his badge and his knowledge to run a string of massage sex parlors in California and Arizona pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges. Peter Griffin and three other defendants entered pleas in San Diego federal court to racketeering-related conspiracy, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and other crimes, the U.S. attorney's office said in a statement. The wire fraud charge carries a sentence of up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Prosecutors said that between 2013 and 2022, Griffin and the others owned and operated five massage spas that employed women to perform sexual services that were advertised online. The businesses were located in and around San Diego and in Tempe, Arizona, according to a grand jury indictment. Griffin, 78, was with the San Diego Police Department from 1975 to 2002, including time with the Vice Operations Unit that investigates prostitution, authorities said. According to his plea agreement, throughout the course of the scheme, Griffin used the experience and skills he acquired through his work as a vice detective and in at least one instance, his badge to help the businesses evade law enforcement; thwart regulatory inspections, investigations and any official action against the businesses; conceal evidence and maintain a facade of legitimacy, the U.S. attorney's office statement said. No one is above the law. Im appalled that someone who once took an oath to protect our community could prey on the vulnerable, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said in a statement. This is an important step toward justice for the survivors of these crimes, he said. Former president Donald Trump appeared in a courtroom in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday where he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts brought by a grand jury last week. The appearance was the culmination of enormous speculation and media attention that followed him from his home in Mar-a-Lago to Trump Tower in New York and then to the courtroom. In the end, the new revelations that emerged from the release of the charges were incremental, but important. Below, five takeaways from the indictment and arraignment. - 1. The 34 charges center on how payments to attorney Michael Cohen were recorded - at 34 different times. The indictment centers on the previously reported effort in 2016 to bury a story alleging an extramarital relationship between Trump and adult-film actress Stormy Daniels. That effort involved a payment of $130,000 to Daniels paid by Michael Cohen, then Trump's attorney. A statement of facts released by the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg details the prosecutors' case. Cohen, it alleges, agreed in consultation with Trump and Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg that the attorney should receive $420,000 in reimbursement, a sum including enough for Cohen to offset the increase in federal income tax he would need to pay. According to the statement, this total was allegedly recorded on a bank statement (suggesting documentary evidence) and agreed to by Trump himself in an Oval Office meeting with Cohen. The sum was then repaid in a series of monthly checks that were allegedly recorded by the Trump Organization as being a monthly retainer for Cohen. That's where the 34 charges accrue. There were 11 payments, in each month from February 2017 to December 2017. Each payment was recorded on the check and in ledgers as a retainer payment, despite the alleged lack of a legitimate retainer agreement. Falsification of business records in the second degree is a misdemeanor charge. If, however, the falsification is meant to cover up some other criminal act, it becomes a felony. That's what Bragg's office alleges happened. - 2. The grand jury elevated the charges to a felony based on the illegality of the payments. It's here that the details of the payments really matter. In its statement of facts, Bragg's office outlines how Cohen and David Pecker, the former CEO of American Media, Inc. (AMI), allegedly worked with Trump to orchestrate payments to multiple parties. That included Daniels, former Playboy model Karen McDougal (who received a payment of $150,000 from AMI, the publisher of the National Enquirer) and a $30,000 payment from AMI to a Trump Tower doorman that was reported by the New Yorker in 2018. In the abstract, a company like AMI paying McDougal or the doorman to bury their stories is legal. If they want to sell the rights to a private company, they may do so. But these payments, Bragg's office alleges, violated the law and, therefore, warranted felony falsification charges. Bragg explained the two predicates for that argument in a news conference on Tuesday afternoon. "The first is New York state election law, which makes it a crime to conspire to promote a candidacy by unlawful means," he said. "I further indicated a number of unlawful means, including additional false statements, including statements that were planned to be made to tax authorities. I also noted the federal election-law cap on contribution limits." The state charge, as The Washington Post wrote in January, appears to focus on a statute that makes it illegal to "conspire to promote or prevent the election of any person to a public office by unlawful means." The federal crime is less vague. If the payments were intended to keep negative stories from coming out before the 2016 election, then the payments were political spending. And if they were political spending from a candidate or an agent of the candidate's campaign, they are subject to contribution limits and reporting requirements. These payments, obviously, weren't reported. The legal question, then, centers on whether the payments were aimed at influencing the election. The statement of facts gets at that. It notes that while Trump was never charged with either a state or federal crime, Cohen pleaded guilty to charges related to both the McDougal and Daniels payments. It also notes that AMI admitted to federal prosecutors that it participated in an effort to influence the election by making its payments. That said, this is relatively novel terrain. Perhaps with that in mind, the documents make an effort to demonstrate why state or federal charges could have been filed. - 3. Prosecutors allege evidence explicitly demonstrating that Trump knew the payments were focused on the election. Cohen had previously implicated Trump in the effort when he offered his guilty plea, but, since there were never charges filed against Trump, there was no evidence presented to prove that Trump knew that the intent was to boost his 2016 bid. One of the most telling aspects of the statement of facts - arguments that will need to be proved in court - is that it ties Trump into all of these. For example, it was understood that Cohen (identified as "Lawyer A") dragged his feet in paying Daniels ("Woman 2") after her story was conveyed to Trump's team by AMI. The document released Tuesday links that to Trump. "The Defendant directed Lawyer A to delay making a payment to Woman 2 as long as possible," it reads. "He instructed Lawyer A that if they could delay the payment until after the election, they could avoid paying altogether, because at that point it would not matter if the story became public." At another point, it references a conversation Trump and Cohen had about buying the McDougal story from AMI. That conversation was recorded and published in 2018 and made obvious that Trump's electoral viability was a focus. - 4. Trump allegedly thanked David Pecker for aiding his campaign. It's been understood for some time that Pecker and AMI aimed to help Trump's campaign. The statement of facts published on Tuesday begins in August 2015, the point at which Pecker reportedly first reached out to Trump and Cohen about his willingness to buy and bury negative stories. Newly revealed in the court documents is an allegation that Trump acknowledged Pecker's efforts. "Between Election Day and Inauguration Day, during the period of the Defendant's transition to his role as President, the Defendant met with the AMI CEO privately in Trump Tower in Manhattan," the statement of facts alleges. "The Defendant thanked the AMI CEO for handling the stories of the Doorman and Woman 1, and invited the AMI CEO to the Inauguration. In the summer of 2017, the Defendant invited the AMI CEO to the White House for a dinner to thank him for his help during the campaign." This presumably came from Pecker himself, who testified before the grand jury that indicted Trump. It reinforces the idea that Trump understood the payments to be related to the campaign. - 5. In court, Trump was warned about his public comments on the case. At the arraignment itself, lawyers and New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan discussed Trump's public rhetoric about the case, which has already included enthusiastic disparagement of the criminal charges and Bragg. "Please refrain from making statements that are likely to incite violence or civil unrest . . ." Merchan said, "making comments that have potential to incite violence, create civil unrest or jeopardize the state or well-being of any individuals." No gag order was put in place but there is relevant precedent from Trump's circle. In 2019, a federal judge barred Trump ally Roger Stone from social media after he posted incendiary attacks as he was facing trial. LAS VEGAS (AP) A former elected official representing himself against a murder charge for the fatal stabbing of a Las Vegas investigative journalist lost bids on Wednesday to have a defense attorney appointed to advise him before trial and to relax jail restrictions so he has more time out of his cell to do legal research. A state court judge who remains on the case despite efforts by ex-county administrator of estates Robert Telles to remove her questioned Telles in open court about the value of rental properties he owns in Arkansas, and his Las Vegas home, before ruling that Telles is not indigent and therefore is not entitled to a so-called standby attorney at taxpayer expense. Clark County District Court Judge Michelle Leavitt also told Telles she wont tell the sheriff in Las Vegas how to run his jail, or instruct the sheriff to provide what Telles termed better accommodations. Telles has been jailed since his arrest several days after the September killing of Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German, who wrote articles critical of Telles and his managerial conduct. Telles, 46, is an attorney who practiced civil law, not criminal, before he was elected as a Democrat as Clark County administrator. His license to practice law has been suspended, but he does not have to be an attorney to represent himself. Telles has hired and fired three private attorneys and was represented for a time by public defenders. He maintains he has evidence that exonerates him, but has declined to produce it. Telles has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge that could get him life in prison. He told the judge on Wednesday that jail conditions deny him constitutionally protected due process rights to life and liberty, and that he is a victim of cruel and undue punishment for being a pain. He told The Associated Press during a February jail interview that he wants to tell his story to a jury and wants to go to trial earlier than the scheduled November date. Police and prosecutors say evidence is strong that Telles killed German, including Telles DNA, which was found beneath Germans fingernails. But police say they havent completed their investigation because the Review-Journal obtained a court order blocking investigators from accessing records on Germans cellphone and computer devices. The newspaper cited concerns about improperly exposing confidential sources and notes. Last month, a panel of three state Supreme Court justices ruled that Leavitt can adopt a method for a neutral party to screen the records so they can be reviewed by police and Telles, and detectives can proceed. A hearing on that question is scheduled April 19. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BALTIMORE (AP) More than 150 Catholic priests and others associated with the Archdiocese of Baltimore sexually abused over 600 children and often escaped accountability, according to a long-awaited state report released Wednesday that revealed the scope of abuse spanning 80 years and accused church leaders of decades of coverups. The report paints a damning picture of the archdiocese, which is the oldest Roman Catholic diocese in the country and spans much of Maryland. Some parishes, schools and congregations had more than one abuser at the same time including St. Mark Parish in Catonsville, which had 11 abusers living and working there between 1964 and 2004. One deacon admitted to molesting over 100 children. Another priest was allowed to feign hepatitis treatment and make other excuses to avoid facing abuse allegations. The Maryland Attorney Generals Office released the findings of their yearslong investigation during Holy Week considered the most sacred time of year in Christianity ahead of Easter Sunday and said the number of victims is likely far higher. The report was redacted to protect confidential grand jury materials, meaning the identities of some accused clergy were removed. The staggering pervasiveness of the abuse itself underscores the culpability of the Church hierarchy, the report said. The sheer number of abusers and victims, the depravity of the abusers conduct, and the frequency with which known abusers were given the opportunity to continue preying upon children are astonishing. Disclosure of the redacted findings marks a significant development in an ongoing legal battle over their release and adds to growing evidence from parishes across the country as numerous similar revelations have rocked the Catholic Church in recent years. Baltimore Archbishop William Lori, in a statement posted online, apologized to the victims and said the report details a reprehensible time in the history of this Archdiocese, a time that will not be covered up, ignored or forgotten. It is difficult for most to imagine that such evil acts could have actually occurred, Lori said. For victim-survivors everywhere, they know the hard truth: These evil acts did occur. Also on Wednesday, the state legislature passed a bill to end a statute of limitations on abuse-related civil lawsuits, sending it to Gov. Wes Moore, who has said he supports it. The Baltimore archdiocese says it has paid more than $13.2 million for care and compensation for 301 abuse victims since the 1980s, including $6.8 million toward 105 voluntary settlements. Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, who took office in January, said the investigation shows "pervasive, pernicious and persistent abuse. State investigators began their work in 2019; they reviewed over 100,000 pages of documents dating back to the 1940s and interviewed hundreds of victims and witnesses. ABUSE RECALLED AS A LIFE SENTENCE Victims said the report was a long-overdue public reckoning with shameful accusations the church has been facing for decades. Jean Hargadon Wehner said she was abused in Baltimore as a teen by A. Joseph Maskell, a priest who served as her Catholic high schools counselor and chaplain. She said she reported her abuse to church officials in the early 90s, when her memories of the trauma finally surfaced about two decades after she was repeatedly raped. I expected them to do the right thing in 1992, she told reporters Wednesday. Im still angry. Maskell abused at least 39 victims, according to the report. He denied the allegations before his death in 2001 and was never criminally charged. The Associated Press typically doesnt name victims of abuse, but Wehner has spoken publicly to draw attention to the issue. Kurt Rupprecht, who also experienced abuse as a child, said he was in his late 40s when he pieced together his traumatic memories. He said the realization brought him some relief because it explained decades of self-destructive behavior and mental health challenges, but also left him overwhelmed with anger and disbelief. Rupprecht said his abuser was assigned to the Diocese of Wilmington, which covers some counties on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Were here to speak the truth and never stop, he said after the news conference. We deal with this every day. It is our life sentence. The Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, known as SNAP, noted the report lists more names of abusers than have been released publicly by archdiocese officials. The organization called on the archbishop to explain the discrepancies. Other investigations involving the Archdiocese of Washington and the Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware, which both include parts of Maryland, are ongoing. ARCHDIOCESE TOOK STEPS TO PROTECT THE ACCUSED The Baltimore report says church leaders were focused on keeping abuse hidden, not on protecting victims or stopping abuse. In some situations, victims ended up reporting abuse to priests who were abusive themselves. And when law enforcement did become aware of abuse allegations, police and prosecutors were often deferential and uninterested in probing what church leaders knew and when, according to the report. The nearly 500-page document includes numerous instances of leaders taking steps to protect accused clergy, including allowing them to retire with financial support rather than be ousted, letting them remain in the ministry and failing to report alleged abuse to law enforcement. In 1964, for instance, Father Laurence Brett admitted to sexually abusing a teenager at a Catholic university in Connecticut. He was sent to New Mexico under the guise of hepatitis treatment and then to Sacramento, where another teenage boy reported being abused by Brett, the report said. He was later assigned to Baltimore, where he served as chaplain at a Catholic high school for boys and abused over 20 victims. After several students accused him of abuse in 1973, Brett was allowed to resign, saying he had to care for a sick aunt. School officials didnt report the abuse to authorities and dozens more victims later came forward. He never faced criminal charges and died in 2010. The report largely focuses on the years before 2002, when an investigation by the Boston Globe into abuse and coverup in the Archdiocese of Boston led to an explosion of revelations nationwide. The nations Catholic bishops, for the first time, then agreed on reforms including a lifetime ban from ministry for any priest who commits even a single incident of abuse. While new national policies significantly improved the internal handling of reported abuse in the Baltimore archdiocese after 2002, significant flaws remained, according to the report. Only one person has been indicted through the investigation: Neil Adleberg, 74, who was arrested last year and charged with rape and other counts. The case remains ongoing. Officials said he coached wrestling at a Catholic high school in the 70s, then returned to the role for the 2014-2015 school year. The alleged abuse occurred in 2013 and 2014 but the victim was not a student of the school, officials said. COURT TO CONSIDER RELEASING MORE NAMES IN THE FUTURE Lawyers for the state asked a court for permission to release the report and a Baltimore Circuit Court judge ruled last month that a redacted version should be made public. The court ordered the removal the names and titles of 37 people accused of wrongdoing whose names came out during confidential grand jury proceedings but will consider releasing a more complete version in the future. Lawmakers' passage of a bill to end the states statute of limitations Wednesday came after similar proposals failed in recent years. Currently, victims of child sex abuse in Maryland cant sue after they turn 38. The bill would eliminate the age limit and allow for retroactive lawsuits. The Archdiocese of Baltimore has long faced scrutiny over its handling of abuse allegations. In 2002, Cardinal William Keeler, who served as Baltimore archbishop for nearly two decades, released a list of 57 priests accused of sexual abuse, earning himself a reputation for transparency at a time when the nationwide scope of wrongdoing remained largely unexposed. That changed, however, when a Pennsylvania grand jury accused Keeler of covering up sexual abuse allegations while serving as bishop of Harrisburg in the 1980s. ___ Associated Press reporter Stefanie Dazio contributed to this report from Los Angeles. Peter Smith contributed from Pittsburgh. Witte reported from Annapolis and Brumfield reported from Silver Spring. MERIDEN Police say they have identified the driver involved in a hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a woman Tuesday night. Meriden police said they followed a trail of parts that fell off the car to identify the driver who fled after hitting the pedestrian in the 400 block of Bee Street around 11:20 p.m. The driver's name was not immediately released and police did not say if the person was arrested. Officers discovered the 26-year-old woman on the sidewalk of the northbound side of the street with "life-threatening injuries," Meriden police said in a news release. Police said the woman stepped out into Bee Street to speak with a friend parked at her home when the vehicle heading north collided with the side of the friend's car and the victim. The driver of the vehicle who hit the woman fled the scene, police said. Police said the vehicle was believed to be a 2008-2015 Nissan Rogue. "A piece of the passenger side wheel well was left on scene by the evading vehicle," police said. Police said the woman was taken to the Hospital of Central Connecticut and later taken to Hartford Hospital where she was listed in critical condition. A witness to the crash followed the hit-and-run driver to the area of Meadow Brook Drive, police said. Police searched the area and determined the car had gone down Meadow Brook Drive, a dead-end street, but hadn't come out. "A thorough neighborhood canvas was done," Meriden police said in a news release. "Car parts from the suspect vehicle were found in the roadway of Meadow Brook Drive." That trail led police to a set of tire marks in the grass at an address on Meadow Brook Drive, and from the street, officers were able to see the car parked behind the home. Police said the car, a blue 2012 Nissan Rogue with "heavy front end damage" was located and impounded. The driver was also identified, according to police. "The Meriden Police Department would like to thank all the witnesses and residents who provided security footage, which contributed in locating the evading vehicle and ultimately identifying a suspected driver," the department said. Anyone with information on this case can contact Sgt. Hartline or Sgt Zajac at the Meriden Police Department 203-630-6201. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) A children's book illustrator from Alaska known for drawing mother-baby animal pairs like sea otters and wolves was dropped by his publisher this week after authorities allege he posted transphobic notes threatening children. Mitchell Thomas Watley, 47, will have a preliminary hearing April 11 in Juneau on a single count of terroristic threatening for allegedly placing notes in businesses that included an assault rifle superimposed over the transgender flag. The text on the notes read: Feeling Cute Might Shoot Some Children. The notes were found during a period of heightened rhetoric and laws targeting transgender people across the country and came just days after a shooting at a Christian school in Nashville that left six dead. Social media accounts and other sources indicate that the shooter identified as a man; police said the shooter was assigned female at birth but used male pronouns on a social media profile. After the Nashville shooting, a false and baseless online narrative emerged that claimed there's been a rise in transgender or nonbinary mass shooters in recent years. Some pundits and political influencers on social media went further, falsely suggesting that movements for trans rights are radicalizing activists into terrorists. Court documents show that Watley referenced the Nashville shooting suspect after his arrest. Watley, who lives in the small coastal city of Juneau 575 miles (923 kilometers) southeast of Anchorage had his $10,000 bail paid by his wife, according to online records. Officers spoke to Mitchell, who said (in essence) that he was in fear of the recent transgender school shooter and took it upon himself to print out and distribute these leaflets, the criminal complaint said. Online records didnt list an attorney for Watley. A man who didnt identify himself answered the door at the couples home and said there would be no comment. In Juneau, booksellers removed the books Watley illustrated for his wife, Sarah Asper-Smith. Their publisher, Sasquatch Books, owned by Penguin Random House, said Wednesday it has ended its publishing relationship with Watley and will discontinue selling their books. Watley is best known as the illustrator for three childrens books written by his wife, including I Would Tuck You In and You Are Home With Me. The books for children ages 1 to 5 feature mother animals snuggling their young and trying to make them feel safe with loving, affirmative statements like wherever you may be, you will always have a home with me. Juneau merchants began removing Asper-Smiths books from their shelves this week, but only the ones with illustrations by her husband. She does not face charges. Pat Race with Alaska Robotics Gallery, a downtown Juneau store, said the shop has hosted gallery shows and book releases for Watley and carried his artwork for years. Whatever the motivation, we feel Mitchs actions were not consistent with our values or the values of our community," he said in a statement on social media. In that light, weve decided to pull all of Mitchs books and artwork from our shelves. Christy NaMee Eriksen, who owns Kindred Post, a store in downtown Juneau, has also removed the books. Eriksen said in a social media post the actions that Watley is accused of are terrifying and transphobic." We have little patience for acts of disrespect, and we have no tolerance for hatred against marginalized groups," Eriksen said. Members of the trans community are our community. Tori Weaver, a co-owner of Rainy Retreat Books in downtown Juneau, said the retailer pulled Watleys books, which she said were incredibly popular, particularly during the busy summer tourism months. We dont want to alienate any of our customers, she said. The first of several notes was found in a grocery store Friday, which was International Day of Transgender Visibility. That discovery prompted Juneau schools to increase security, and some parents kept their children home. Another was found at the Alaska State Office Building. The last notes were found Sunday at a Costco, and police used the store's surveillance video to track the man who left the notes to his vehicle. Vehicle registration records led them to Watley, who was arrested Sunday, authorities said. The incident also came as lawmakers across the country consider bills limiting the rights of transgender people, including in Alaska where a bill from Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy has garnered significant attention. It would require parental permission before a student can use a different name or pronoun in school records; that sex ed classes require parental notice and permission and that schools must provide for locker rooms or restrooms based on biological sex or access to single-occupant facilities. The bill remains in its first committee in the House. Senate leaders in a bipartisan majority of nine Democrats and eight Republicans have already indicated the bill isnt expected to advance on their side. The anti-trans rhetoric around the country has had an effect on hate crimes or attempted hate crimes like this one, said Caitlin Shortell, an Anchorage civil rights attorney and board member of Identity Inc., which offers community services and focused health care to the LGBTQ+ community. She said transgender people rarely commit mass shootings and are more likely to be victims of violence. And weve seen nationwide, and in Alaska, initiatives to discriminate against trans people in the name of protecting children, and I link this to attempted crimes like the one that we averted in Juneau, Shortell said. An LGBTQ leader in Juneau said this situation is a direct consequence of a national environment that is being directed by political and media leaders to target and dehumanize trans people. The expected result is death, said Emily Mesch, chair of SEAGLA, the Southeast Alaska LGBTQ Alliance. Theyre expecting that violence will come upon the trans community and some of us will die, and in exchange, some of them will get a couple thousand more votes, Mesch said. And thats the deal with the devil thats being made, the environment and the dialogue that is happening on the national level. ___ Thiessen reported from Anchorage. AP Writer Claire Rush contributed from Portland, Oregon. MERIDEN Local police say a man wanted on child pornography charges was apprehended in a New York City suburb last week, eight days after his son was arrested in connection with the same case. Kristopher Upton, 39, was charged with importing child pornography and possession of child pornography, according to Sgt. Michael Boothroyd of the Meriden Police Department's Internal Affairs Division. Bond was set at $500,000. Following nearly five months of being off-air, FOX 26 Houston anchor Denise Middleton finally made her return to local TV news on Monday. The weekend morning anchor last appeared on the channel in late November 2022. On Monday, Middleton appeared alongside weekend morning meteorologist Lena Arango in Instagram video showing the two walking into the FOX 26 studio. Arango channeled rapper Eminem for the caption, writing: "GUESS WHO'S BACK, back again...@denisetv_26, tell a friend." Under her last Instagram post on Nov. 19, 2022, which also featured Arango, viewers wrote messages questioning when she would be back. "Missing you on the weekends! Hope all is well!" read one comment. "Where are you? Go Coogs Saturdays are not the same!" wrote another viewer. A native Houstonian, Middleton is a graduate of James Madison Senior High School and the University of Houston, where she earned a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism. She first joined FOX 26 in April 2019 after working as an evening anchor and reporter at KTHV in Little Rock, Arkansas, a morning anchor and reporter at KSLA in Shreveport, Louisiana, and a general assignment reporter at KHAS in Hastings, Nebraska. FOX 26 did not respond to a request for comment regarding Middleton's absence. During her time away, beloved FOX 26 Houston morning anchor Jose Grinan was also taking a break from the air that lasted several months. The local news legend returned to the station in January, citing health issues as the reason for his absence, though he did not disclose further details. "It's really exciting to be back after being off for such a long time," Grinan told viewers on his first day back. "But when the doctors say you have to rest, you have to rest and you have to obey the doctor's orders." Chauncy Glover, a popular ABC 13 Houston anchor, also returned to TV news just a week before Grinan after taking off for nearly four months on medical leave. Carmen Mandato/Getty Images Simone Biles' bridal shower over the weekend was the stuff of dreams. Literally. Ahead of her upcoming "I dos" to Houston Texans' player Jonathan Owens, the four-time Olympic-gold medalist celebrated a Cloud 9 themed bridal shower with her friends and family members at the The Juliana in Houston Heights. The 26-year-old athlete was smiling from ear to ear in a series of photos she posted on April 4 from the event, where Biles wore a white halter-neck, floor-length gown covered in pearls, paired with strappy heels. Meanwhile, her bridal party which included her sister, Adria Biles, Steph Magellan, Kayla Simone, Rachel Moore and Rebecca Delaneyeach rocked different shades of powder blue. "On Cloud 9 BRIDAL SHOWER," Biles captioned a series of photos she shared on Instagram from the event. "Feeling so loved & blessed." Jonathan Aviles It's not everyday you catch a possum inside a bar on a night out. It's also not everyday you witness someone grab a possum by the tail with their bare hands. Those two rare occurrences took place at the Banita Creek Dance Hall in Nacogdoches over the weekend. At closing time at midnight, the East Texas country dance hall typically turns the lights on and lets customers have one last dance. That's when Jessica White, a patron, noticed a lost possum wandering in through one of the doors near the parking lot. "She approached it and noticed that it was very calm but wanted to make sure she didn't put it in harms way or around a ton of people," said Jonathan Aviles, who is social media manager at Banita Creek Hall. "She grabbed it and went and found the owner of the bar to ask what a good place would be to relocate it." Six years ago, Gov. Greg Abbott riled up a crowd of school choice supporters on the steps of the Texas Capitol, calling on lawmakers to send him a bill that would allow parents to use tax dollars to take their kids out of public schools. I hope and I urge that that law reach my desk, Abbott said, donning a yellow scarf the uniform of school choice advocates to mark National School Choice Week. That never happened, and soon enough, the proposal lost momentum as state leaders realized just how uphill of a battle it was. For the next two legislative sessions, Abbott skipped the Capitol rallies for National School Choice Week and was more muted in his support for the proposals. But now, Abbott is pushing harder than ever for school choice as part of a broad focus on parental rights this session, strongly signaling that the issue is his top legislative priority. He has crisscrossed the state speaking at a dozen Parent Empowerment events often at nonpublic schools in more rural communities, laying out why he believes the Legislature should back so-called education savings accounts for every Texas parent. But passage of a school choice measure is anything but a sure bet, as there is little evidence that hes been able to convince rural Republicans in the Texas House who have for years been a reliable firewall to drop their opposition. To go all in on such a risky bet is an unusual play by Abbott, a cautious operator whos used to getting his way when it comes to his highest legislative priorities and who tries to avoid waging losing battles. On issues that have split his own party, Abbott is known to withhold wielding his political capital until theres a clear path for victory as was the case with the 2021 passage of permitless carry of handguns, as one example. There does seem to be more emphasis and more of a priority on getting this legislation passed this session, said Shannon Holmes, executive director of the Association of Texas Professional Educators, which opposes Abbott on this issue. Obviously in past sessions bills have been filed and it hasnt been a real focus for Abbott. School choice generally refers to policies that allow parents to take their kids out of their assigned neighborhood public school and send them to other types of schools, like private or religious, with the help of government funding. The chief school-policy proposal this session is Senate Bill 8, which would create an education savings account with up to $8,000 in taxpayer money per student. The proposal differs from vouchers, which were the previous vehicle for school choice legislative proposals, in that the money would go straight to the parents instead of the school. The Senate Education Committee approved that bill Tuesday. Such proposals have been met with resistance in the House by Democrats and rural Republicans who are protective of the public schools they see as the lifeblood of their close-knit communities. Lawmakers have sought to win them over this time by shielding school districts with fewer than 20,000 students from any funding losses caused by SB 8. Abbott has named education freedom one of seven emergency items for the session and hit the road for it more than any other priority. Since early January, he has spoken at a dozen Parent Empowerment nights across the state, spanning Texas from Corpus Christi to Amarillo. Some advocates for school choice whove previously criticized Abbott for a lack of commitment have taken notice of how far the governor is going now. Luke Macias, the far-right Texas consultant who previously worked for an Abbott primary challenger, said on a recent podcast that Abbotts efforts were incredibly encouraging. I havent seen anything like it, Corey DeAngelis, the national school-choice activist, tweeted last week. This is true leadership. All Republican Governors should be fighting just as hard to empower all families with school choice. Abbotts intense campaigning has anti-school-choice lawmakers on alert. But theyre confident that their coalition in the Legislature will withstand the governors lobbying effort. I think that coalition is holding strong and I think Gov. Abbott knows how unpopular vouchers are in the Texas Legislature, said Rep. James Talarico of Round Rock, one of the Democrats on the House Public Education Committee. Thats why youre seeing the governor putting as much lipstick on this pig as possible. Talarico and other lawmakers hope that the House will send a strong signal on the issue Thursday, when it is scheduled to take up the state budget and consider amendments to it. In 2021, lawmakers approved an amendment that prohibited the use of appropriated money for school choice programs. It passed 115-29, with a majority of Republicans joining Democrats to approve it. The amendment never made it into the final budget, but it served as a key indicator of the Houses appetite for such proposals. The author of that 2021 amendment, Rep. Abel Herrero, D-Robstown, has proposed a similar amendment for the budget debate Thursday. A copy of the amendment released Monday features the support of Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, a key member of House GOP leadership who serves as speaker pro tem. The first stop for any school choice bill in the House would likely be the Public Education Committee, which has a new chair this session, Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Killeen, who has generated considerable intrigue. When House Speaker Dade Phelan. R-Beaumont, appointed Buckley to lead the panel in early February, school choice advocates voiced optimism. But it was unclear why Buckley has been on the record against vouchers and most groups did not explain why they were so hopeful. One pro-school-choice group, the American Federation for Children, remains confident in Buckley. We praised Rep. Buckleys appointment because he has always been a fair-minded guy and has long been committed to providing the best education possible for Texas children, AFC spokesperson Nathan Cunneen wrote in an email. We still believe that. Buckley has repeatedly declined to share his thinking on the matter this session. And he did not attend the second parent empowerment night that Abbott headlined, which was just outside Buckleys district in Central Texas. I look forward to hearing bills that explore a wide range of options that keep parents at the center of their childrens educational opportunities, Buckley said in a statement for this story. In the end, the members of the public education committee will decide which options, if any, make their way to the floor for debate. Of the eight House Republicans that Abbott has appeared with on his parent empowerment tour across the state, four voted for the budget amendment in 2021 that banned state funds for school choice programs. Three opposed the amendment. The eighth Republican was not in the Legislature at the time. The Texas Tribune reached out to all eight House Republicans that Abbott has appeared with and asked if they supported universal education savings accounts. Their offices either did not respond or declined to comment. The Tribune also contacted the offices of nine more House Republicans, all representing rural areas, and they also chose not to comment on Abbotts push. Notably and perhaps strategically the education savings account legislation also contains other school priorities important to some Republican lawmakers, including a provision that would restrict classroom discussion about sexual orientation and gender identity through the 12th grade. Phelan himself has said he is fine with an up-or-down vote on the proposal, but he has noted the historical opposition it has faced in the House. He also was the only one of the so-called Big Three a reference to the governor, the House speaker and the lieutenant governor to not name school choice as priority legislation. As for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the Senates presiding officer, he has long championed school choice and proclaimed in his inaugural address in January that he is all in on it with Abbott. Patrick has also vowed to try to force a special session if lawmakers cannot pass a school choice bill in the regular session. That decision is ultimately up to the governor. Abbotts office did not answer a list of questions for this story, including whether he was prepared to call a special session over the issue. Abbotts evolution Abbotts last push on school choice came in 2017, when the Senate passed an education savings account bill, but it died in the House. The same thing happened in 2015. The issue fell off the radar in the 2019 session, when Abbott and other state leaders decided to prioritize property tax relief and public education funding ahead of what was expected to be a challenging election. Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened. School choice advocates say the pandemic opened parents eyes to what their kids were being taught and spurred frustration with prolonged school closures at the hands of Democrats and teachers unions. They just went too far, and its a perfect storm, said Dave Carney, Abbotts top political adviser. Indeed, it was a natural next step for Abbott, who had spent much of the pandemic fighting to make sure no local entities including schools could mandate COVID-19 safety policies. Parents wanted more control over issues like mask mandates. Then, as the nation endured a racial reckoning after George Floyd was murdered by police in 2020, some parents and politicians started pushing back against conversations and books about race in schools. After the 2021 session, Abbott rekindled some hope for school choice advocates when he signed into law an expansion of an education savings account program for students with disabilities. It was not until his reelection campaign began that he really seized on the issue, introducing a Parental Bill of Rights in January 2022 that offered a host of ideas for giving parents more say over their kids schooling. His most consequential statement, though, came four months later, when he declared during a San Antonio campaign stop that parents should be able to send their children to any public school, charter school or private school with state funding following the student. It was his clearest support yet for a voucher-like plan. And he later acknowledged it was a deliberate move, saying he wanted to make it abundantly clear he not only supported school choice but the strategy to achieve it. The timing of the statement was intriguing. Abbott had already won his primary, but the governor, ever attuned to criticism on his right, was getting flak from some including DeAngelis for endorsing Texas House candidates in primary runoffs that month who allegedly opposed school choice. Like many moments in Abbotts reelection campaign, he bet successfully that soothing his right flank was worth the wrath of the other side. His Democratic challenger, Beto ORourke, assailed Abbott over his comments that funding should follow the student, especially in rural Texas, but lost by 11 percentage points in November. Abbott came off that win believing he had a mandate for the next legislative session to push harder for school choice than ever before. Ive talked about school choice every year that Ive been governor, Abbott said in early March while addressing the Texas Pastor Council in Austin. But not only do we have a better opportunity this session than weve had before, but as I will explain to you, we have a necessity. One factor that Abbott cited, in an explanation that he does not often use publicly, was an extraordinary movement to expand transgenderism in schools in the state of Texas. He accused public school teachers of using their positions to try to cultivate and groom these young kids into being transgender. If Abbott prevails, it could be a legacy-making moment for a third-term governor who occasionally faces questions about what exactly he will be remembered for. It could also bolster him with Republicans if he decides to run for president in 2024, a race that already includes former President Donald Trump. Abbott regularly gets compared to a likely 2024 candidate, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who signed a universal school-choice bill into law Monday, expanding a suite of programs the state already had in place. During a visit to Texas in early March, DeSantis gave a speech to Harris County Republicans in which he wished Texas luck in bringing a big school choice package across the finish line. The rural Republicans Speaking to the pastors, Abbott was frank about the challenge before him, saying it is House Republicans who are holding up our ability to pass school choice and they are coming from rural Texas. Abbott has sought to appeal to rural Republicans by trying to convince them that the policy is popular. Over 80% of Republican primary voters approved a ballot proposition on it last year and it enjoyed nearly as much support in rural Texas. Abbotts office has further broken it down by House district, eager to show individual members that their base voters would have their back. In some settings, Abbott has spoken more harshly about the forces weighing on rural Republicans. These Republicans who say, Listen, I want to support it, but my constituents back home, they just are against it thats wrong! Abbott said. Now, some of their constituents are against it. We call them educrats. The educrats whether they be superintendents or some teachers or primarily the teacher unions theyre against it, but theyre a minority and theyre a minority of voters in that district. Abbotts appearances have put rural Republicans in a tough position politically caught between their historical opposition to vouchers and their desire to please their partys popular leader. The makeup of the legislation which includes anti-woke policies that mimics Floridas infamous dont say gay legislation also muddies the waters for Republicans who are at odds with only the education savings account component of the bill. For the House Republicans who have agreed to introduce Abbott at his school choice tour events, their remarks have been carefully worded and have avoided any specific policy endorsement. One House Republican introduced Abbott at his event last week in Giddings by touting the schooling options that are already available to parents. Here in Texas, parents have great choices for how they choose to educate their children excellent public schools, charter schools, private schools and more freedom to educate their kids at home than any other state in the country, Rep. Stan Gerdes, R-Smithville, said. One of the most interesting lawmaker appearances on Abbotts school choice tour came in Corsicana, where Rep. Cody Harris, R-Palestine, introduced the governor. A member of the House Public Education Committee, Harris has firmly opposed vouchers but has been an Abbott booster on other issues. (His Twitter profile picture is a photo of him talking with the governor.) In his introductory remarks in Corsicana, Harris did not explicitly back Abbott on school choice but found a way to appeal to his rural constituents. [Abbott]s leading the effort to push back on the woke indoctrination of Texas kids that were seeing in urban schools, Harris said. And hes doing that by putting you, the parent, back in the drivers seat. In reality, Abbott himself has rebuffed the notion that such indoctrination is a solely urban trend. He told the pastors it was happening regardless of whether youre in a tiny little town in East Texas or a large urban area. Regardless of whether it is successful, the school choice battle will likely spill over into the 2024 primaries for state House as members will face pressure to explain why they sided with or against Abbott on the issue. Abbotts campaign says it stands ready to help lawmakers who stick out their necks to support his agenda. There should be no question, except if you drink too much, that Abbott doesnt back up your support of him with his political support of you around election time, Carney said. Disclosure: The Association of Texas Professional Educators has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2023/04/04/greg-abbott-school-choice-legislature-rural-republicans/. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. James Nielsen/Houston Chronicle After being stable for 15 years in a small East Texas town, a massive sinkhole is growing again once again. Liberty County officials confirmed the hole has reopened in a Monday, April 4, news release. The sinkhole is in Daisetta, Texas, which is between Houston and Beaumont. City officials said they were made aware of the sinkhole's expansion on Sunday, April 3. They notified residents in the immediate area of the situation and said they also contacted the offices of the Liberty County Judge, the Liberty County Fire Marshall, and the Texas Division of Emergency Management. Houston Dynamo vs Inter Miami tickets start at just $20 Kickoff for the Dynamo vs Inter Miami game is Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. CHICAGO (AP) Chicago Police said SWAT officers took one person to a hospital after responding to a domestic incident on Wednesday at the Trump International Hotel and Tower, located in the city's central Loop near the Chicago River. The large police presence outside the condo-hotel quickly drew attention from workers and tourists in the busy area. Officers blocked access to the building using yellow caution tape and police vehicles. WASHINGTON (AP) Law enforcement agencies in the United States and Europe said Wednesday that they have taken down a major online marketplace for stolen login credentials that had given cybercriminals access to millions of compromised accounts since its 2018 launch. Officials seized 11 domain names tied to the Genesis Market and arrested about 120 users across the world, including some in the U.S., according to the FBI and Justice Department, which participated in the operation. The market falsely promised a new age of anonymity and impunity, but in the end only provided a new way for the Department to identify, locate, and arrest on-line criminals, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a statement. Genesis Market had provided users with access to data taken from more than 1.5 million computers infected with malicious software, with over 80 million account access credentials, the Justice Department said. Operation Cookie Monster, the effort by law enforcement agencies in 17 countries, disrupted the largest marketplace of its kind, officials said. Cookie refers to the web browser cookies that let people log onto websites without the need for multifactor authentication. Criminal users of Genesis Market could purchase software scripts from it, including browser cookies and fingerprints that track a user's online activity. The market, a one-stop shop for account takeovers, was advertised on several predominantly Russian-speaking underground forums, the cybersecurity firm Trellix, which assisted in the investigation, said in a research report. While underground marketplaces that sell stolen credentials arent a new thing, Genesis Market was one of the first that focused on fingerprints and browser cookies to enable account takeovers despite growing MFA adoption, the Trellix researchers said. A specialized browser it offered customers made account takeover childs play for criminals, their report says. Trellix said it observed more than 450,000 infected machines in examining the marketplace. Trellix's threat intelligence lead, John Fokker, said the takedown would have a notable impact on the activities of cybercriminals focused on stolen credential usage for the rest of the year. " He said in an online chat that he did not believe the people who ran the site would be arrested because they are in Russia. Typically after such takedowns, the criminals regroup at other sites. Dutch police put up a webpage to allow members of the public to enter their email address to determine whether their data was for sale on Genesis Market. The Justice Department said it had provided victim information for a website so that people could check if their accounts had been compromised. ___ Bajak reported from Boston. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WARSAW, Poland (AP) Poland has emerged as one Ukraine's most ardent supporters during Russia's invasion despite historical grievances between the neighboring nations that stir up bad feelings to this day. The tensions between the country at war and its staunch ally were acknowledged Wednesday when Ukrainian President President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a state visit to Poland, where he was welcomed with honors. President Andrzej Duda promised that Poland would keep helping Ukraine fight off Russia's aggression, but he also acknowledged at a joint news conference with Zelesnkyy that the relationship was complicated. "There are still open wounds in the memory of many people, Duda said, an obvious reference to the massacres of some 100,000 Poles by Ukrainian nationalists during the 1940s. Poland considers the killings genocide. The difficult past in Poland-Ukraine relations goes back even further than that. In a part of Europe where entire nations have disappeared from maps for generations before returning from the ashes of collapsed empires, sometimes at the expense of neighbors, Poles and Ukrainians share a history of existential rivalry. Ukrainians, for example, harbor resentment from centuries spent under Polish rule, a period which is not remembered as completely benign. As the two presidents delivered public addresses to a crowd of Ukrainians and Poles in Warsaw, Duda acknowledged that both nations had made a lot of mistakes for which we paid the ultimate price." We are sending a clear message to the Kremlin today: You will never succeed in dividing us again," he said. Polish and Ukrainian officials have mostly avoided addressing the old grievances openly as they remain focused on Ukraine's survival and worry that Russian could exploit any divisions. It is, after all, a war whose outcome will determine Ukraine's very existence and Poland's own security for decades to come. In the future, there will be no borders between our peoples: political, economic and what is very important historical," Zelenskyy said in a Telegram message before his meeting with Duda. "But for that we still need to gain victory. For that, we need to walk side by side a little more. By raising the matter now, the leaders seemed to acknowledge that thorny issues could not be swept under the rug forever, even with the war dragging on. Duda and other nationalist authorities face political pressure to make sure Polish suffering at Ukrainian hands is not forgotten, especially with the growing strength of a far-right party, Confederation, that has sometimes expressed anti-Ukrainian views. A parliamentary election in Poland before the end of the year will be a test for the ruling party, Law and Justice, and determine whether it wins a third term. On Wednesday, though, Zelenskyy was met with red carpets and pomp. Duda bestowed on his visitor Polands oldest and highest civilian distinction, The Order of the White Eagle. You are surely one of the most outstanding people who has received the distinction," the Polish president said. Zelenskyy called Duda a friend and said Polish-Ukrainian relations have never been so good. At the same time, Duda insisted the past must not be forgotten and now was the right time to confront it. We cannot forget those who have perished in the past, Duda said. There are no taboo themes between us. Probably the touchiest point of contention is how to remember one of Ukraines national heroes, Stepan Bandera, the far-right leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists who briefly allied himself with Germany's Nazis. Efforts by Bandera-led forces to carve out an independent territory for Ukraine led them to perpetrate atrocities against Poles, Jews and Soviets. Such subjects were off-limits during the Soviet era, when Ukraine was a Soviet republic and Moscow also controlled Poland. Historians say that more than 100,000 Poles, including women and young children, perished at the hands of their Ukrainian neighbors in areas that were then located in southeastern Poland and are mostly in Ukraine now. The peak of the violence was on July 11, 1943, known as Bloody Sunday, when the Ukrainian insurgent fighters carried out coordinated attacks on Poles praying in or leaving churches in more than 100 villages, chiefly in the Volhynia region. Polish officials insist that only the full truth can strengthen the nations' ties. Poles were angered in January when Ukraines parliament commemorated Bandera on the 114th anniversary of his birth by tweeting an image of the current commander of the Ukrainian armed forces against a portrait of Bandera. The post was later deleted. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said then that his government took an extremely critical stance toward any glorification or even remembrance of Bandera. After meeting with Zelenskyy on Wednesday, Morawiecki said the two spoke about the crimes and Polands request to carry out exhumations on the Polish victims, something Ukraine has so far banned. We had a very difficult history and today there is a chance to rewrite this history and base it on the truth, Morawiecki said. ___ Monika Scislowska in Warsaw contributed. LONDON (AP) Some 500 asylum-seekers in the U.K. will be housed on a barge docked off the south coast of England, the British government said Wednesday of its latest measure aimed at discouraging migrants from crossing the English Channel in small unseaworthy boats. The housing plan is part of a broader effort by the Conservative government to curb migration and cut hotel bills that cost taxpayers 2.3 billion-pounds ($2.9 billion) a year amid a backlog of hundreds of thousands of asylum cases. It could take months before the barge, currently in Italy, is anchored at Portland, off the Dorset coast. The government's plan could face legal challenges along with other forms of opposition. Human rights groups said the barge would be a cruel place to house vulnerable people fleeing war and the idea should be scrapped along with a plan to move thousands of migrants to barracks at unused military bases. Confining hundreds of people in isolation on a barge is just more of the political theater that the government has created to obscure its gross mismanagement of the asylum system, said Steve Valdez-Symonds, refugee and migrants director for Amnesty International UK. The Tory-run Dorset Council and the area's Conservative representative in Parliament, Richard Drax, were considering legal action to prevent the barge from being docked near the seaside resort of Weymouth. U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said using the barge for housing was a fair way to deal with Channel crossings and would save money. We are spending, as a country, 6 million-pounds ($7.5 million) a day housing illegal asylum-seekers in hotels. That cant be right, Sunak said. More than 50,000 asylum-seekers are staying in temporary accommodations while awaiting a decision on their applications, a process that can months. Sunaks government is determined to crack down on the arrivals and is pushing a controversial migration bill that would bar asylum claims by anyone who reaches the U.K. by unauthorized means and deport migrants back home or to a third country. More than 45,000 people arrived in Britain by boat from northern France in 2022, up from 28,000 in 2021 and 8,500 in 2020. ___ Follow APs global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration SEOUL, South Korea (AP) The United States flew nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to the Korean Peninsula again on Wednesday in a show of strength against North Korea amid concerns that the North might conduct a nuclear test. The long-range bombers took part in joint aerial drills with U.S. and South Korean fighter jets over the Korean Peninsula, South Koreas Defense Ministry said. It said it was the first deployment of U.S. B-52 bombers to the peninsula in a month. The drills show the strong resolve of the (South) Korea-U.S. alliance and its perfect readiness to respond to any provocation by North Korea swiftly and overwhelmingly, Lt. Gen. Park Ha Sik, commander of the South Korean air force operation command, said in a statement. The South Korean and U.S. militaries have been expanding their combined military drills in response to North Koreas nuclear and missile threats. The allies conducted their biggest field exercises in five years and computer simulations last month. The U.S. also sent the nuclear-powered USS Nimitz aircraft carrier for joint naval training with South Korea last week and U.S.-South Korea-Japan anti-submarine drills this week. North Korea sees such drills as provocations that show its rivals' intention of attacking the North. A day after the last flight by a B-52 bomber to the peninsula on March 6, Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, warned that her country was ready to take quick, overwhelming action against the United States and South Korea. North Korea has since test-launched a series of nuclear-capable weapons designed to attack South Korea and the United States. They included the Norths longest-range Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile, a developmental nuclear-capable underwater drone and cruise missiles fired from a submarine. Last week, North Korea unveiled a new battlefield nuclear warhead to fit on short-range weapons targeting South Korea. That touched off speculation that it may want to carry out its first nuclear test since 2017 because its last two nuclear test detonations happened after it disclosed other new warheads. If conducted, it would be the Norths seventh nuclear weapons test. Whether North Korea has functioning nuclear-armed missiles remains a subject of debate. Some experts say a nuclear detonation would be aimed at testing a miniaturized warhead for short-range missiles because the countrys recent weapons tests have focused more on weapons that place key military installations in South Korea, including U.S. military bases there, within striking distance. Kim Jong Un has said North Korea wont return to denuclearization talks with the U.S. unless Washington drops hostile polices toward the North, an apparent reference to its joint military drills with South Korea and U.S.-led international economic sanctions. Some observers say Kim wants to use his growing weapons arsenal to pressure Washington to accept it as a nuclear power and lift the sanctions. On Friday, the chief nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan are to meet in Seoul to discuss how to respond to tensions caused by North Koreas recent weapons tests, according to Seouls Foreign Ministry. During a policy meeting Wednesday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said security cooperation among Seoul, Washington and Tokyo is crucial in dealing with North Korean nuclear threats and other challenges. He said South Korea must bolster its preemptive strike, missile defense and retaliatory attack capabilities while strengthening the deterrence capacity of the South Korea-U.S. alliance. MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) At least 21 people including six children have died in Somalias flash flooding over the last week, according to the U.N. humanitarian agency. Nearly 100,000 people have been affected by the heavy rains and flash floods that hit the previously drought-stricken area in the Bardhere district of the Gedo region of southern Somalia, according to the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. MEXICO CITY (AP) An Indigenous anti-mining activist has been killed in a dangerous part of western Mexico, authorities confirmed Tuesday. The killing of Eustacio Alcala comes just over two months after two other community anti-mining activists disappeared near where Acalas body was found. It reinforced Mexico's reputation as the deadliest place in the world for environmental and land defense activists, according to a report by the nongovernmental group Global Witness, which said Mexico saw 54 activists killed in 2021. Alcala was found dead days after he disappeared while driving on a highway known for violent incidents on Saturday. He was driving a group of nuns or lay religious workers it wasn't clear which in his truck, when they were pulled over by armed men; the nuns were later released, the activist group All Rights For Everyone said. Alcala had led a largely successful fight to prevent an iron ore mine from opening near his Nahua village of San Juan Huitzontla. Residents argued the proposed mine would pollute waterways and damage the environment. The village is near the townships of Aquila and Coalcoman in the western state of Michoacan. The area has been on the front line of drug cartel turf battles for years. Prosecutors in Michoacan state said Alcala's body had bullet wounds. They said he was kidnapped over the weekend. Human rights groups demanded the killers be brought to justice. We demand an exhaustive investigation, said the Centro Miguel Agustin Pro Juarez, a human rights group that helped Alcala's village win a court injunction against the mine last year. The area is known for its iron ore deposits, which in the past have proved a magnet for drug cartels seeking to extort money from mining companies. In the previous decade, one gang even exported iron ore. The two activists who disappeared in January have not been seen since their bullet-ridden vehicle was found on a roadway. The two had been active in fighting a big iron ore mine in the town of Aquila. Inhabitants have long complained the open-pit mine caused pollution and drew violence to the area, while offering little benefit to residents. Michoacan has long been plagued by environmental degradation and turf battles that currently pit the Jalisco cartel against the local Viagras drug gang. In February, Michoacan anti-logging activist Alfredo Cisneros was shot to death in the Purepecha Indigenous village of Sicuicho. The Indigenous communities of Michoacan have fought for years against mining and illegal logging that target the pine and fir forests of the mountainous region. Loggers often clear cut trees to plant avocados, a highly lucrative export crop in Michoacan. ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Turkey has closed its airspace to flights to and from an airport in Kurdish-administered northern Iraq, a top Turkish official announced Wednesday, citing an alleged increase in Kurdish militant activity threatening flight safety. The airspace was closed Monday to flights taking off from and landing at Suleimaniyah International Airport, in northern Iraqs semi-autonomous Kurdish region, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tanju Bilgic said. The closure was a response to an alleged increase in the activities of the banned Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, in the city of Suleimaniyah, including its infiltration of the airport, Bilgic said in a written statement. Bilgic said the Turkish airspace would remain closed until July 3, when Turkish authorities would review the security situation. The decision comes weeks after two helicopters crashed in northern Iraq, killing Kurdish militants who were on board. The incident fueled claims that the PKK was in possession of helicopters, infuriating Turkish authorities. The main U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led force in northeastern Syria later said it lost nine fighters, including a commander, in the crash, which occurred during bad weather on a flight to Suleimaniyah. The nine included elite fighters who were in Iraq as part of an exchange of expertise in the fight against the Islamic State group, according to a group known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF. Suleimaniyah International Airport director Handren al Mufti said the airport received an email from Turkish Airlines on April 3 saying its flights that day and the next were canceled. A subsequent email extended the flight suspension until April 11, Mufti said. He said airport officials received no response when they asked why the action was taken. I can assure everyone that we have no security issues at all, and not a single incident of security breach occurred inside the airport, but apparently there are other purposes behind their decision, Mufti said. Turkish Airlines flew twice daily from Istanbul to Suleimaniyah. The PKK has waged an insurgency against Turkey since the 1980s and is considered a terrorist group by Ankara, the United States and the European Union. Its members have established safe havens in northern Iraq and frequently come under attack by Turkey in the region. Turkey also considers a Syrian Kurdish militant group, which forms the backbone of the SDF, as a terrorist organization. The United States however, distinguishes between the PKK and SDF and doesnt consider the SDF a terrorist group. The helicopter crash also fed into a local rivalry between the two main Kurdish parties in Iraq. Officials from the Kurdish Democratic Party, which has maintained largely good relations with Turkey, alleged after the crash that the helicopters had been originally purchased by the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party, which has its stronghold in Suleimaniyah, and that they had been flying without permission from the regional government. __ Associated Press writer Salar Salim contributed from Baghdad. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form You heard about a nightmare scenario playing out for peers at other companies and hope it doesnt affect yours. Trouble tickets are rolling in, and theres a lack of qualified people to address security alerts and help desk issues right when customer demand, supply shortages, and potential threats are at their peak. Even with flexible remote work policies, the most seasoned employees in roles such as customer support, data science, business analysis, and DevSecOps move on to greener pastures and leavejust when they finally seemed to figure out how everything works. Why is an exodus of skilled knowledge workers becoming a recurring pattern in customer-oriented organizations, and what can IT leaders do to improve their digital employee experience (DEX) to convince them to stay? The great hybrid office migration A few lucky born on the web companies were built on the premise of 100% remote work. The pandemic of 2020 forced the rest of the world to move knowledge workers out of the office into fully or partially remote work models. Migratory employees in technology roles appreciated the newfound ability to work from home in sweatpants and avoid the daily commute. Many idealistically vowed never to return to work for an employer that required them to come back to the office. Employers benefitted too, releasing some of their real estate for savings on facility costs and reducing travel expenses. Less scrupulous bosses took it a step further, capturing additional hours in the workday by implementing draconian attention monitoring tools or letting employees stay on duty beyond typical office hours. Now that the pandemic has become endemic, some companies are reversing their position on remote work and asking employees to come back into the office, at least some of the time. Were settling on a hybrid model of digital work. In 2023, 58% of knowledge workers in the United States will continue to be able to work remotely at least one day a week, while 38% will continue as full-time remote workers. Despite the initial novelty of having pets and kids hilariously interrupting Zoom calls, this new normal of blurring the lines between work and home life has not turned out to be all unicorns and rainbows for digital employees. Dealing with digital work friction Employers used to be able to tell teams to stay late in the office to fulfill a rush of customer orders, or be on-call to respond to issues on weekends. The signs of employee burnout were easy to predict even before the great resignation of the 2020s. CIOs built or bought applications to allow virtual work, which allowed more team members to be available online to respond to requests through remote access, without coming into the office. This was helpful, but unfortunately the burnout rate has only increased for todays digital worker who may have lost separation between work and home life, and staffing still couldnt keep up with workload. A Gartner HR study recently estimated that 24% of workers would likely shift to a new job in 2022and this turnover rate is especially true of knowledge workers who must interact daily with the companys systems. Compared to pre-pandemic employee sentiment, 20% more respondents cited their digital work experienceas a significant contributing factor to job satisfaction. Even with some arbitrary job cuts happening at larger companies, skilled team members can find work elsewhere if they are frustrated, and unfilled roles in customer service, SecOps, and engineering positions are still common. Potential recruits can check any number of salary disclosure sites to figure out what they are worth on the market, and they can also look on Glassdoor to see why employees are dissatisfied working at a company. In a hybrid work world, a bad employee experience is not always about low pay, long hours or mean bosses anymoreits about digital work friction that inhibits their ability to deliver meaningful value. Employee expectations of DEX All employees want to work for employers with fundamentals, like fair compensation, a harassment-free workplace, and work/life balance. In specific, digital employees have a unique set of concerns about the technology environment they must work within, since in many cases it is their only connection to co-workers and customers. This is why CIOs spend so much of their time researching the digital tools employees use and spinning up new projects to upgrade that experience. A successful DEX technology suite can positively impact employee sentiment if it delivers for them on three dimensions: Engagement: Are employees using the companys suite of productivity tools, issue tracking, collaboration, and system monitoring tools on a daily basis? Individuals want self-service platforms that will work on their target workstation or devices, but they also need education, documentation, and expert support from the organization to maintain successful adoption. Companies can measure improved engagement through monitoring and visibility into organizational, team, and individual usage patterns, but more importantly, they should offer mechanisms for a positive feedback loop, so employees can register their preferences and concerns about the suite. Empowerment: Are individuals, teams and regions authorized for just the analytic, management, and problem-solving tools and data they need without unnecessary friction or distractions? Employee empowerment is a continuous struggle for many companies to deliver, as permissions for analytics, user data, work items, and access privileges are usually highly customized to meet overlapping work, customer requirements, and regulatory regimes. Empowered employees proactively identify emerging demands and roadblocks, and effectively take action to collaborate with the right team members to find solutions. Efficiency: Intelligent automation triages and prioritizes important customer issues for teams, and helps individuals filter through irrelevant alerts from disparate systems and services. Employees progress through tasks with fewer interruptions, spend less time on pointless root cause analysis, and remediate resolutions with automated actions. All employees want to make progress on goals. The upside of efficiency is almost limitless because as one productivity constraint is removed, another bottleneck will appear upstream or downstream. Enterprise expectations of DEX From the CIOs perspective, DEX is best thought of as an enterprise-wide transformational initiative that increases the value of critical talent over time, rather than as a project that delivers short-term gains. The customer still comes first. But lets face it, there are already enough customer-facing performance metrics in the world. DEX turns measurement and metrics inward, then captures even more value from the intentional feedback and non-verbal cues provided by employees. This virtuous cycle of continuous feedback and improvement of the three Es of DEX will fuel engagement, empowerment, and efficiency for employees and executivesand better performance, not just on meeting revenue and cost targets, but in terms of employee satisfaction and higher retention rates. The Intellyx Take Work has changed forever. From a morale perspective, remote workers might miss something about the camaraderie of an office: the exciting pre-launch demo, an in-person standup, an informal desk visit, or a coffee break to share ideas about a particular issue with colleagues. But that doesnt mean we cant make DEX the best it can be, wherever the team is located. Therefore, every organization will need to define a digital employee experience that engages and empowers employees, making every working minute a more efficient use of time, including taking some well-earned time off to unplug from the digital world. 2023 Intellyx LLC. At the time of writing, Tanium is an Intellyx subscriber. No AI chatbots were used to write any part of this article. Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 24 Hour Access Primeste notificari pe email Nota bene: Adresele email cu extensia .ru nu sunt acceptate. Contractare si Achizitie Bunuri Anunturi de Angajare Granturi - Finantari Burse de studiu Stagii Profesionale Oportunitati de voluntariat Toate Articolele Staff at St Mungos homelessness charity have voted in favour of strike action over a pay dispute, after Unite the Union balloted members . St Mungos has confirmed that following the ballot last month, it received official notification from the union about the strike. Unite said it will be a four-week strike starting on Monday 24 April 2023 and ending on 21 May 2023. The charity said 382 staff members voted yes to strike action, out of the 578 members who were balloted. The charity, which employs approximately 1,700 people across London and the south of England, said that if it met Unites requests for a pay increase, it would not remain financially viable as an organisation. Unite regional officer Steve ODonnell said: St Mungos workers pay has plummeted but in the last 10 years the pay of senior management has increased by an astonishing 350%. Its time the charity did the right thing and paid frontline workers properly. Our members are ready for the long haul - its time St Mungos bosses woke up to that fact. Charity reserves depleted The pay dispute goes back to 2021, when a 1.75% increase was offered to staff at the charity. Locally, Unite has asked for a 10% backdated pay increase, St Mungos has said. St Mungos said it cannot afford the pay rise being asked for by Unite, adding it has been working with its convenors from Unite for many months in order to try to resolve the union's dispute. The charity had implemented a 2022-23 pay rise of 1,925 and an additional cost-of-living payment of 700 for the majority of staff. St Mungos cash reserves have already been depleted in the past 12 months, due in significant part to the one-off payment of 700 to all eligible staff, which cost approximately 1.2m, a statement on its website reads . The charity said it has made a number of offers in an effort to support its staff and to end the dispute, but these offers have been rejected by Unite. The postal ballot opened on 24 February 2023 and ran until 31 March 2023, with its results valid for six months. A statement on the charitys website reads: Should any strike action take place, disruption to St Mungos services will be inevitable but contingency plans are in place. The charity appointed chief executive, Emma Haddad, in November 2022, and has seen striking from staff in the past . Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, previously said: St Mungos frontline workers are on the streets every night helping the homeless but many cant afford to pay their own rent, adding frontline staff are facing the full force of the cost-of-living crisis. 'We are disappointed by the result of the ballot' A St Mungos spokesperson said: We are disappointed by the result of the ballot but we do, of course, respect the decision of Unite members to take industrial action over the nationally agreed pay settlement for 2021/22. St Mungos remains committed to continuing to work with Unite and doing all we can to avoid strike action. A strike would naturally cause disruption to our services but we have detailed contingency plans in place which will be implemented as needed. Our focus is on ensuring that we will be able to continue to run our vital services as safely as possible, and on the wellbeing of our clients and colleagues during this unsettling time. Editor's Note: This article was updated on 06/04/23 with details of the strike dates. sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, After several high-profile strikes at charities and public bodies in recent months, with another at St Mungos in the pipeline, the role of unions has been brought to the forefront of discourse. Moreover, some charities have announced that they will formally recognise a particular union with large names such as the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) deciding to walk the talk. For employees, having union recognition at their charity can mean they have greater collective power in negotiations over pay and workers rights. But there are also reasons why charities may choose to recognise unions. There can, for example, be positives around retention of employees and staff culture. Indeed, UNISON national community sector lead Gavin Edwards says it can benefit not only the staff but the charities themselves. They become better places to work, employees are more likely to stay put and the organisations become stronger with their greater experience. Edwards praises charities such as Action for Children, Marie Curie and Together for Mental Wellbeing for formally recognising unions as they can then work constructively to improve the workplace. Meanwhile, JRF chief executive Paul Kissack says the charity should welcome the collective action of those who have too often felt powerless in the face of injustice, which means trade unions offer a source of hope and are a potential driver of social change. Hostility towards unions robs staff of an independent voice at work Edwards, from UNISON, says that though charities do a huge amount of good theres often a disconnect between these organisations moral or ethical missions and the barriers put up when unions try to represent their employees. He said: Hostility towards unions robs staff of an independent voice at work. That leaves some charities open to accusations of hypocrisy and a failure to honour their own values. Sarah Vibert, chief executive of NCVO, says: There have however been recent examples in some charities of a more challenging relationship between the leaders and their recognised union, largely brought on by the current economic context. Barbara Keeley MP, Labours shadow minister for civil society, says trade unions are vital to ensuring that workers are fully protected and have good relationships with employers, and this is as true in the charity sector as it is in many other sectors. It is important that charities can benefit from the improved employment practices that unions are well placed to negotiate with them as employers. From securing working people paid holidays, to equal pay for equal work and to winning the furlough scheme, trade unions have shown their worth time and time again, she says. Recognition enables honest and constructive dialogue Mike Knight, chief people officer at Action for Children, says the charity was proud to have developed a positive and constructive relationship with UNISON and Unite. We have a partnership agreement in place and meet regularly to ensure openness and transparency in our strategy, purpose and financial position, he says. This has enabled honest and constructive dialogue, allows us to celebrate our wonderful staff and volunteers as well as ensure were all working towards more safe and happy childhoods. Vibert adds: Working within and alongside charities, unions can play an important role in staff engagement and representation. NCVO has a recognised staff union but even if an employer does not recognise a trade union, individuals can still choose to join one. She says there can be a range of benefits for organisations where senior leaders and union representatives are able to work well together to create positive environments for staff and volunteers, and navigate challenges collaboratively. Like charities, the trade union movement has a history of advocating on behalf of those with the least power, helping to secure rights and benefits which may not otherwise have existed, she says. It is also important to remember that unions themselves are based on the voluntary efforts of hundreds of thousands of workplace union reps and represent a huge strength and value for the collective benefit of charities and volunteering across the country. Small charities Civil Society News asked the largest 50 charities whether they recognise a union, and 29 responded. Of those, 18 said they did and 11 said they did not. The figures suggest that many large charities do recognise a union but it may be that those who did were more likely to respond. A union can become recognised at any organisation, including charities, by asking the employer to do so voluntarily. If the charity has fewer than 21 employees, it is up to them whether or not they recognise the union. But larger charities may be forced to if the union applies for statutory recognition from the Central Arbitration Committee. Vibert says: Smaller voluntary organisations may choose to recognise a union or decide on a different approach, such as engaging workers collectively through staff networks or by ensuring representation in decision making. Volunteers Volunteers can also join a union, Vibert says, although they will have different rights to employed workers when it comes to representation. Volunteering England, which became part of NCVO in 2013, produced a charter with TUC in 2009 which set out the ways organisations can engage paid staff alongside volunteers. One aim of the charter was to address long running concerns about paid roles being replaced or substituted with volunteers, says Vibert. This issue has come to the fore again recently in the wake of wide-spread public sector strikes and we have looked at updating this charter. Defining specific roles for volunteers and paid staff has also proven increasingly challenging given changes in the nature and type of volunteer roles, sped up by the pandemic. We dont encourage public service organisations to recruit volunteers to fill the gaps created by strike action because we think it can undermine good relationships between volunteers and paid staff. It could also have a negative effect on the longer-term sustainability and impact of services, and volunteers may not have a positive experience. However, NCVO does recognise that some charities have a particular role to play in emergency or crisis situations and may bring in volunteers under these circumstances. Many public service organisations engage volunteers on a regular basis these volunteers may also decide individually to continue their usual volunteering activity during strikes. What does the future look like? Keeley says she hopes more charities and their staff take up the opportunities that trade unions can offer. Indeed, as unions make public gains it may be that the pressure mounts on charities to recognise unions, especially amidst the current economic climate. As the cost-of-living crisis continues to squeeze the finances of charities and their staff, we could see an increasing onus on sector organisations to recognise unions to show they are willing to engage on pay and work-related subjects. There are, however, sure to be a number of organisations that have different models in which to engage with staff on certain issues, and some which will resist formally recognising unions. sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, In recent weeks, the world has watched as millions of people have marched in France in protest of President Emmanuel Macrons pension reform bill. In a country that has seen many notable protests, these have stood out for their regularity and the level of popular anger on display. On the day that Macrons government used a constitutional provision known as Article 49.3 to force the bill through the National Assembly, a spontaneous demonstration broke out at the Place de la Concorde in Paris, across the bridge from the National Assembly. The protest started at 5pm and lasted for hours. Police tried to get the protesters to disperse only for the protesters to run into side streets, setting up barricades and setting alight trash that hadnt been collected due to a strike among garbage workers. During all of this, Remy Buisine, a video journalist at Brut, a news outlet that lives solely on social media, livestreamed on his phone. Night after night, Buisine walked with and around the protesters, interviewing them and intermittently explaining the political events that had led to the demonstrations. He stopped from time to time to thank new followers of Bruts TikTok channel, and to tell viewers to subscribe and turn on notifications for when hed next go live. During his livestreams, he doesnt eat and rarely drinks. Some have lasted as long as eight hours. With each passing day of protestsboth planned and spontaneousBuisines audience grew. At their height, his livestreams have had more than seventy thousand viewers; in total, millions of people tuned in each night. Among those watching were protesters who didnt want to risk being tear-gassed or beaten by policefrequently, officers have used force against civilians and journalists; during one of his livestreams, Buisine himself was truncheonedas well as viewers in parts of France where protests either didnt take off or had already ended. Buisine has also had viewers from outside of France. The phrases English please! and what is he saying? have been commonplace in the comments of his feeds. (Buisine doesnt speak English). Buisine got his start in journalism by livestreaming on Periscope, a now defunct video app. Before joining Brut at its founding in 2016, he had never had any formal journalistic training. Late last week, ahead of a protest against police violence on Thursday night, I spoke with Buisine in Bruts offices in Paris. Our conversation has been translated, and edited for length and clarity. BN: How did you learn the techniques for livestreaming? RB: You learn over time. I was lucky in the beginning as my livestreams werent heavily followed, so I could learn by watching how people reacted to what I was doing. I realized that there was one really important thing: the link with the audience. When you are in front of a TV, you watch without a link to the journalist, whereas, with livestreaming, you have comments coming in in real-time that you can interact withyou can read both the good and bad. Thats whats interesting: you can show people what they want to see and hear, and answer whatever questions they may have. Really quickly, I understood the essential point: the link with the community. Sign up for CJR 's daily email I use an iPhone 14 Pro Maxwe try to have the latest technology thats available. Rechargeable batteries are important because they let us recharge an iPhone two or three times. I take several cables because they can get exposed to water or break. One time, one of my cables melted due to the heat from a fire; fortunately, I had another. Another important thing to have is protective equipment because I go into protests that are relatively violent. I have a gas mask, a helmet, and a decontaminant for my eyes in case I get sprayed with tear gas. Sometimes, I wear a reinforced jacketpeople dont necessarily see it, but I have something protecting my spinal column. There are others who take and wear much more protection, such as forearm guards. Im relatively soft in that regard. I havent seen you wear a gas mask or helmet much. I use them when I have to, but there isnt always a need. It depends on the nature of the protest. How do you know there isnt any need? Sometimes, as a precaution, I will put it on but not use it. There are protests we tell ourselves are going to be calm, but arent actually. I try to adapt to the situation, depending on the level of violence that can take place in protests, but the idea is to have protective equipment ready just in case. I have to stay limber, because if you have twenty kilograms of equipment on and you have to run, its going to be hard. So I try to find a balance between protecting myself and not having a suit of armor on. How do you go about livestreaming protests? I arrive early at the location to see whats going on, to talk with people, and get a taste of the events atmosphere. Then, I start my livestream. Once its started, I dont know how long itll go for. When I press the button to go live, I never know how long itll last. Maybe itll end in an hour, maybe eight. I adapt to the event and I start from the assumption that it will go for a long time. The editorial director at Brut watches the lives. Sometimes he responds. He sends me messages like, Pay attention to this; you should be more precise about that. Bruts community managers make sure the livestreams are available everywhere and moderate the comments, even if its not obvious. On one livestream, there were over a million comments, so its impossible to moderate everything, but we try to do as much as we can. Its a collective workplace. I may be alone on the ground but there are lots of people behind me. How do you find out about protests that spring up spontaneously? Its quite easy because the objective of the protests is to get as many people there as possible. Its all on social mediait circulates really easily. The day Article 49.3 was invoked, people tweeted at me saying, 7pm, well be at Concorde. You see it, you go. Once, I was going to an initial meeting place. There were police everywhere and I heard people saying, Were going to a second location. So I went. You have to always keep your ears open. The number of people watching your livestreams goes up a lot each time that youre attacked by the police. Have you noticed that? Yes, there is a lot of solidarity and that touches me. It comforts me in difficult moments. In a respectable democracy, journalists should be able to work without being subjected to violence. Citizens should be able to protest without it. So I welcome the support, because if we normalize violence against journalists or people, thats serious. How did you end up covering protests? I was always passionate about social movements and trying to understand their roots. I dont know anyone who protests for fun. The people who protest prefer to be happy in their lives, to enjoy them, and to not have to fight to keep their social entitlements, or ask for more. So its always interesting to go and understand what brought people to the protests as well as those protesting for the first time. If you look at the first protests against the pension reform bill, there were plenty of employed people, though more of a certain ageforty pluswho already went regularly to social movements and protests, who belong to unions and are actively engaged on that front. When Article 49.3 was invoked, everything reshuffled. I saw lots of young people show up, and many who had never set foot in a protest. At one point, I had young people taking turns to give me their views for forty-five minutes. It was interesting to speak with them because they werent necessarily politicized to begin with: they were people who hadnt even voted in [the French presidential and legislative elections of] 2022, or werent old enough to vote then. I got long testimonies, sometimes lasting fifteen to twenty minutes, as theres no time limit on livestreams. They were being real. Beyond protests, how do you choose which events to livestream? We judge the importance of a news event; we ask ourselves if its something that affects a large number of people. The idea is to leave Paris when we can, and we do so regularly. What happens in the regions is different. We spent a lot of time [outside of Paris] during the Gilets Jaunes protests [a leaderless movement that sprung up in opposition to a gas tax increase in 2018, but soon came to encompass other socioeconomic issues] as it was not a movement of the citiesit was one of small villages. Sometimes, I go to cover conflicts overseas. Ive gone to Belgium, which is French-speaking; we have a lot of Belgians who follow us. Ive also covered the Catalan independence movement in Spain, because its next to France. Lebanon, too: when there was the explosion at the port of Beirut in 2020, I was over there. I cover protests overseas, too. It costs money, so that always figures into whether or not well go. Were also a French media outlet, so its normal for us to prioritize French news. If Im going to Lebanon, its got to be calm in France. Do you think other protest movements around the world have affected the recent demonstrations in France, especially in an age of social media? I remember the Hong Kong protests in 2019it was the same time as the Gilets Jaunes. People here were watching in solidarity. Protesters in Hong Kong showed up with bottles of water, to counteract the effects of tear gas. The French people were inspired by certain things that they saw in Hong Kong, and maybe it happened in reverse, too. Today, the world sees whats happening here because of the images transmitted. One TikTok video that we posted has been seen thirty million times, maybe more by people overseas than those in France. Everyone sees whats happening, and people are inspired by others. Other notable stories: ICYMI: A tale of four American journalists in Moscow Brian Ng is a writer, originally from New Zealand, currently living in Paris. SEVEN HILLS, Ohio -- A criminal child enticement case from last spring led to Seven Hills Law Director Eric J. Moore recently proposing a major change to the language of the existing ordinance. City Council is expected to approve the change. Were tweaking the child enticement statute because its broken, Moore said. The entire ordinance mirrored the Ohio Revised Code, which was determined to be unconstitutionally vague and overbroad (in 2014). As a result, many cities have either not updated their child enticement statutes or just done away with them completely, waiting for the state to fix it. But the state really hasnt fixed it, so we wanted to do something to get out in front of this thing, Moore said. A May 2022 incident at Meijer Park in Seven Hills led to a recent change to the citys criminal child enticement ordinance. (John Benson/cleveland.com) The incident in question took place May 12. Police were dispatched to Meijer Park after three kids reported being approached by a North Olmsted man and a Strongsville woman offering them candy if they went to their car. A few weeks ago, Seven Hills announced that the criminal child enticement charges in that case were dropped. I had to sit down with the parents and explain to them why the case involving their child was dismissed, Moore said. They were disappointed to find out that the child enticement statute had been declared unconstitutional some time ago. They were shocked that nobody had done anything to change it, so I wanted, again, to be proactive and figure out a way to protect our community, protect our kids. The law director said a strict reading of the previous statute in the old Ohio Revised Code meant one could arguably run afoul of the law by paying a neighbor child to take in your groceries. Nobody wanted that, Moore said. What weve tried to do is make the language more specific and make it enforceable. Take away that vagueness and over-broadness and focus it more to make it enforceable and constitutional. In a nutshell, that was basically achieved by adding with a sexual motivation language to the ordinance. What bothers Moore is had the new language been in place prior to last years incident, the case against the couple would have proceeded. We want to protect our children, Moore said. Read more news from the Parma Sun Post. PEPPER PIKE, Ohio -- Park Synagogue will commemorate Earth Day with a discussion on Climate Change: How We Can Withstand and Survive its Effects at 7:30 p.m. April 19 at its 27500 Shaker Blvd. location in Pepper Pike. Featured speakers Valerie Katz, deputy director of sustainability for Cuyahoga County, and Marc Lefkowitz, sustainability consultant and freelance journalist, will explore the countys strategies for addressing climate change. These range from large, commercial renewable energy projects to community-based programs to help residents reduce their own carbon footprints. They will update attendees on local progress on sustainability and national priorities. The program is free and open to the community. Register by April 14 at parksynagogue.org/events or contact Ellen Petler at epetler@parksyn.org or 216-371-2244, extension 122. A day of service: Temple Emanu El will host an intergenerational event from 10:30 a.m. to noon April 23 for its members to create done-in-a-day projects offering relief items for use by local non-profit groups. Called ShareFest, it is the third annual event aimed at bringing its members together to create, collect, nourish and generally give back to the Cleveland community, according to Suzanne Schneps, chairperson of the host committee. The intergenerational format is designed to let children see adults participating in the volunteer effort. Some of the planned projects include baking cookies and brownies for first responders and emergency workers at Ahuja Medical Center, making friendship bracelets and writing letters to be sent to Ukrainian children, making posters to support participants in the Pride in the CLE Parade, making fleece blankets for dogs at Rescue Village, packaging toiletries for a shelter and planting seedlings and decorating pots celebrating the anniversary of a senior housing facility. In previous years, ShareFest has supported 10 or more organizations and involved about 150 volunteers. Holocaust Memorial Day: Temple Emanu El hosts educator Sol Factor from 7 to 8:30 p.m. April 20 via Zoom to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day. Factor, a Kent State University instructor, will speak about his decades-long quest to find his birth mother, a Holocaust survivor. Born in 1946 in a displaced persons hospital in Munich, Germany, Factor was separated from his mother two weeks after his birth. A year later, he was brought to the United States to be adopted. Starting with the help of a German exchange students mother and expanding to his adoption agency and the tracing services at Israel Magen David Adom -- the Israeli Red Cross organization -- he eventually succeeded. Factor was selected as a Mandel Fellow through the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and wrote a teacher guide for the book Tell Them We Remember and for the film Hidden-Poland. He has given numerous workshops and talks on the Holocaust in schools and conferences throughout the United States. To obtain the Zoom link, register by April 18 by contacting Len Gold, vice president of programming for the Brotherhood, at gonzo11@roadrunner.com. Chardon Restaurant Week: Whet your appetite for hometown culinary delights -- Chardon is hosting its annual restaurant week April 16-22 to promote small businesses, restaurants and independent area establishments. From The Lodge at Bass Lake and Brown Barn Tavern to Element 41 and Beans Cafe, about a dozen restaurants are offering special menus and pricing to entice you to dine there. Visit the website chardonrestaurantweek.com to learn more. This year, $1 from each receipt will be donated to Next Step, a program that helps troubled young adults move to stabilized independence. In addition, Chardon will hold its own Pizza Week Jan. 14-20 and a dessert celebration called Sweet September this fall. Campfire safety: Even if want to burn your old tax returns, first consider attending a family campfire safety program at 2 p.m. April 15 at Sunnybrook Preserve Lodge. You will learn how to properly build, maintain and extinguish fires. After watching a few fire-building demonstrations, you may be able to roast a marshmallow or two. Register at geaugaparkdistrict.org. Music therapy: If you have a child 6 years old or younger who is struggling in an area of development, consider a music therapy session at 10:30 a.m. April 14 at the Solon Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library. It is a hands-on program designed to teach families how to use music to improve academic, motor, communication, behavior and social skills. It is led by a board-certified music therapist. Registration is required at connectingforkids.org/register or 440-570-5908. Follow the Eagles: The birds -- not the band -- are featured in this 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 22 van trip departing The West Woods. As you ride to various eagle nests and hotspots around Geauga County, you will learn amazing facts about the featured bird. Be prepared for unpredictable spring weather as you go in and out of the van on different stops. Bring binoculars,, lunch and a spotting scope, if you have one. Registration is required at geaugaparkdistrict.org. To post your news and events, contact Rusek at jcooperrusek@gmail.com. Read more from the Chagrin Solon Sun. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. CLEVELAND, Ohio A special grand jury will meet Monday in Akron to determine whether charges will be filed against eight police officers who fatally shot Jayland Walker last summer. This week, the city and downtown businesses are preparing for protests, which are expected to be similar to those that took place in the days following Walkers death. Walker, a 25-year-old Black man, was shot 41 times after a car chase through the citys North Hill neighborhood at about 12:30 a.m. June 27. Akron police turned over the probe to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, a branch of Attorney General Dave Yosts office. BCI referred the investigation to state prosecutors. A spokesperson for Yost said he expects prosecutors to need a full week to present evidence to the Summit County grand jury. Akron police said that Walker fired a gunshot during the car chase, and he made a motion toward his waistband after he fled his car and ran from the officers. The move prompted officers to fire their weapons. After the shooting, police said officers found a gun and a gold ring inside Walkers car. Photos of the gun show the clip had been removed. The eight police officers were placed on administrative leave in late June but have returned to duty in administrative roles in October. The city has refused to identify them. Photos included in the initial autopsy report showed that officials from the office of the Summit County medical examiner marked more than 60 wounds on Walkers body. They did not specify whether the injuries were entrance or exit wounds. The autopsy determined that 26 bullets lodged in Walkers body, and 15 went through him. On Monday, workers boarded up windows of City Hall and other downtown buildings as Akron prepares for possible property damage during protests, said Stephanie Marsh, the citys chief communication officer. We are in the same position as all of our residents right now in that we just have no idea whats going to come from the grand jury decisions, she said. There could be any number of indictments or none. We are really just trying to do our best effort to prepare in the event of any sort of outcome that might come from that grand jury decision. Marsh said Akron police and the Downtown Akron Partnership plan to offer text alerts for businesses and residents to be aware of any possible road closures or curfews following the grand jurys decision. She said the city will also relaunch the akronupdates.com website to provide information, including mental health resources. The city is also considering adding a designated demonstration zone for people to meet and protest safely outside of the Harold K. Stubbs Justice Center or City Hall. We arent anticipating that there is going to be any level of violence downtown, but we also have to prepare accordingly, Marsh said. Marsh said the city administrators have made an effort to meet with community members, including business owners, residents and activists, to provide information on the grand jury process. A lot of folks dont understand how it differs from a trial jury, she said. We are just trying to get correct information out to the public about what the grand jury is, how is it seated and what it is tasked with deciding. Unlike a trial jury, the special panel will listen to evidence and vote on whether to bring formal charges. The grand jurys work will be conducted in secret. The city has planned two meetings for this week: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Polish American Club, 472 E Glenwood Ave., and 6 p.m. Thursday at the Goodyear Branch of the Akron-Summit County Public Library, 60 Goodyear Blvd. Downtown is an area that people are concerned about if there is any unrest of any kind, Marsh said. So we are just talking about what the city can do to help, how people can reach out if theyre concerned and need more information. Walkers death and subsequent protests pushed Akron into the national conversation regarding police brutality and accountability. They also highlighted the Black Lives Matter movement. Walkers cousin, Demetrius Travis Sr., said he believes the community will come together and express their frustration but does not know of any planned protests. He said he fears that the officers will not face charges. I have no faith in the justice system, he said. I dont expect the right thing to be done, so Im not anticipating the outcome because I already know it. He said he continues to pray for his family members. They include Pam, Walkers mother, and Jada, his sister. I will continue to do my part in getting laws changed so another family can get justice when it and it will happens again, he said. AKRON, Ohio A man accused of seeking out women in Akron and offering them rides before sexually assaulting them is facing multiple charges for rape, and police believe there could be additional victims. Mohamed Reeda, 24, has been charged with three counts of rape, two counts of abduction, and one count of attempted rape, police say, although additional charges are likely. He was arrested last week at his home in Akron and is being held in the Summit County Jail on a $1 million bond, according to jail records. Removing this serial predator from our community has clearly made Akron a safer place, Akron Police Chief Steve Mylett said in a statement. The victims in this case experienced trauma that most will not be able to understand and nothing can be done to undo the harms this suspect caused. However, I hope this arrest is the first step leading to bringing the suspect to justice and assist the victims in their journey toward healing. CHESTERLAND, Ohio A West Geauga High School student is charged with attempted murder after he was arrested and accused of bringing a gun to school Monday. Brandon Morrissette, 18, was also accused Tuesday of inducing panic and illegal possession of a deadly weapon in a school safety zone, according to Chardon Municipal Court records. West Geauga High School was placed on lockdown at about 9:30 a.m. Monday after a student told administrators that Morrissette had a gun, Superintendent Richard Markwardt said. Markwardt said administrators immediately contacted law enforcement, who isolated the student found to possess the concealed firearm and interviewed others who might have had some knowledge of the matter. Police from Chester and Russell townships, as well as Geauga County sheriffs deputies, conducted a security sweep of the building. A police dog also searched the school, which was found to be safe. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A jury on Tuesday found a former Streetsboro council member guilty of a felony child pornography charge for exchanging obscene messages and photographs with a 13-year-old boy. John Ruediger was in his third term on the suburban council in Portage County when he was arrested in April 2021. He is now in Cuyahoga County Jail awaiting sentencing on disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, a fifth-degree felony. The jury acquitted Ruediger of a second-degree felony charge of illegal use of a minor in nudity oriented material. The jury reached the verdict after a three-day trial in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Kathleen Sutulas courtroom. Sutula ordered Ruediger to be jailed without bond after the verdict. She scheduled a sentencing hearing for May 2. He faces up to a year in prison. The charges stem from messages that Ruediger exchanged with a 13-year-old boy on April 23, 2019, according to court records. The two met on Grindr, a dating application, and then began messaging on SnapChat, an application where the the messages disappear a short time after they are exchanged. Prosecutors wrote in court filings that Ruediger sent explicit photographs to the boy. Ruedigers attorneys said that the boy sent their client photographs. Defense attorneys said in court filings that Ruediger did not know the boys age because Grindr requires users to be 18. The boy then invited Ruediger to his home in Mayfield Heights, court records said. He told Ruediger to sneak into the bathroom, the records said. Ruediger parked a block away just after midnight, walked through the boys backyard and up to the back door, the record said. The boy sent Ruediger a message telling him to leave because he heard his mom coming, the records said. Ruediger then sent the boy a sexually charged message in which he said he saw through the window how cute the boy was, the records said. The next morning, the boys mother checked the surveillance video and saw video of a man coming to the back door, the records said. She then checked her sons phone and discovered the messages and notified police, the records said. Investigators linked the account to Ruediger, then posed as the boy and invited him to meet up at a Brueggers Bagels at 8:30 p.m. April 29, 2019, the records said. Police arrested Ruediger after he pulled into the parking lot. Defense attorneys unsuccessfully sought to suppress statements he made to police hours after his arrest because detectives refused to let him make a phone call until the next morning. LONDON Buckingham Palace unveiled King Charles official coronation invitations Tuesday, an intricate work that includes British wildflowers, a green man from folklore and a new title for Charles bride Queen Camilla. The invitation, released by the royal family on Instagram, will be sent to 2,000 guests who will fill Westminster Abbey for the coronation service on May 6, according to a news release from the palace. Headed with the text The coronation of their majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla, it marks the first time Camilla has been referred to as queen. She had been titled Queen Consort since the death of Charles mother, Elizabeth II. It made sense to refer to Her Majesty as the Queen Consort in the early months of His Majestys reign, to distinguish from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, CNN quoted a royal source as saying. Queen Camilla is the appropriate title to set against King Charles on the invitation. The coronation is an appropriate time to start using Queen Camilla in an official capacity, the source added. Related stories Coronation prediction: Prince Harry will attend solo without Meghan, royal watcher says Prince Harry and Meghans children now carry royal titles of prince and princess of Sussex Harry and Meghan invited to King Charles coronation, but will they attend? Prince Harry and Meghan facing eviction from Windsor Castle residence after tell-all memoir: reports In keeping with tradition, First Lady Jill Biden will represent the United States at the coronation. No previous U.S. president has attended a coronation. The last was Elizabeths in 1953. Biden spoke with Charles on Tuesday via telephone, congratulating him on his accession to throne and informing him that Jill Biden looks forward to attending on behalf of the United States, the White House said. Biden also conveyed a desire to meet with the King in the United Kingdom at a future date. The motif of the Green Man on the invitation is a reference to an ancient figure from British folklore, symbolic of spring and rebirth, to celebrate the new reign, the royal family said. The design also includes images of Charles royal arms, flowers that are emblematic of the United Kingdom and wildlife and a wildflower meadow. The design was hand painted by Andrew Jamieson in watercolor and gouache. It will be printed on a card made from recycled paper, the royal family said. The change in title for Camilla reflects a change in public opinion. Many people find it hard to forget her long-running affair with Charles and the pain it caused Charles first wife, the late Diana, Princess of Wales, CNN said. Following their marriage in 2005, it was announced that she would be known as Princess Consort when Charles took over the throne reflecting a sensitivity from the palace that the public might not be ready to accept Camilla as queen. A poll in 2015 by CNN found that 25% of Britons had warmed to the idea of her being queen. In 2022, Elizabeth announced Camilla would carry the title of Queen Consort. OBERLIN, Ohio Synapse Biomedical, a medical device company based in Oberlin, received FDA premarket approval Wednesday for a breathing device that allows patients with spinal cord injuries to breathe without the use of a ventilator. The development of the breathing device, called the NeuRx diaphragm pacing system, has been 20 years in the making. It was first implanted at University Hospitals in a prospective clinical investigation in 2000. Since then it was tested in over 2,500 patients worldwide, including the late actor Christopher Reeve, ahead of approval by the FDA. The device, installed at UH in Cleveland, freed Reeve from constant need of a ventilator. NeuRx DPS allows for a more natural method of breathing. Rather than forcing air into the patients lungs, the muscles of the diaphragm are stimulated with battery powered electrodes to expand and draw air in. It can be used in patients with spinal cord injuries whose muscles still respond to electrical stimulation but the patients cannot consciously control the diaphragm themselves. Although originally designed to allow for breathing without the assistance of a mechanical ventilator for four hours a day, the company says many patients have gone on to use the device as long as 24 continuous hours. The company says they expect more hospitals to begin implementing the NeuRx DPS now that they no longer have to undergo the lengthy internal review and approval process required under the exemption. The system was pioneered by Raymond Onders, chair of surgical innovation at UH Cleveland Medical Center, and J. Thomas Mortimer, professor emeritus of Biomedical Engineering at CWRU. The new FDA approval is great news for patients, Onders said. Rapid weaning from mechanical ventilation allows for faster rehabilitationgiving patients a better chance of recovery, independence, and a new more normal way of life. Rotunda Rumblings Education issue: State Rep. David Dobos, already under scrutiny for belatedly or never reporting $1.45 million in outstanding debts, falsely claimed on his campaign site and official House webpage that hes a graduate of MIT. As Jeremy Pelzer reports, the Columbus Republican who attended the Boston-area university but never graduated is a former Columbus School Board president who now serves as vice chair of the House Higher Education Committee. Change order: Shortly after Pelzer reported that Dobos had made the false claim about his MIT degree, the reference was scrubbed from his official Ohio House website. But as of late Tuesday afternoon, references to graduating from MIT remained on Dobos campaign website. May it please the court: A Clark County transgender woman asked the Ohio Supreme Court to rule that probate courts have the authority to change sex markers on birth certificates. Laura Hancock writes that the case has implications across the state, as probate courts in 11 counties are waiting for the Ohio Supreme Court to rule on the matter. However, two justices suggested the case shouldnt even be before the court, since there was no opposition. Beat the traffic: U.S. Department of Transportation grants will help pay to upgrade traffic signals in Cleveland to give right of way to emergency vehicles and to research state data to identify areas of higher crash risk and reduce response times after a wreck, Sabrina Eaton writes. The grants announced by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown are from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Ill drink to that: Brown also announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency allotted $242.9 million from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to help Ohio upgrade aging water infrastructure, including lead pipes, and address emerging contaminants to provide safe drinking water to communities throughout Ohio. That money is also derived from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Party down: Emily Moreno Miller is departing as executive chair of the Cuyahoga County Republican Party, the partys number-two leadership position, less than three months after being named to the job. As Pelzer writes, Miller didnt say why shes stepping down; her father, Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno, is considering a 2024 run for U.S. Senate. To Ukraine with Love: U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, a Dayton Republican who chairs the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, visited Ukraine this week and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Overwhelmingly, there is support for continuing aid to Ukraine, so that they can continue to fight against this aggression of Russia, Turner told Associated Press. Another first for Ohio: Ohios Ulysses Grant was the first sitting president to be arrested, the New York Times reports in its coverage of Tuesdays arrest of former President Donald Trump. It said the former Civil War general and several of his friends where charged with speeding for racing horse-drawn buggies near the White House. They were taken to a police station and each had to put up $20 in bail. When their cases were heard the day after the arrest, the judge levied heavy fines against Grants friends. When Gen. Grants name was called, there was no response, according to the account, and his $20 was forfeited. Campaign before the campaign: First Lady Jill Biden has visited several battleground and red states, such as Ohio last month, to tout legislative accomplishments ahead of a likely 2024 reelection campaign for her husband President Joe Biden. In Ohio, she visited military families, CNNs Arlette Saenz reports. Records request: U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, an Urbana Republican, sent letters to Stanford and Clemson universities and the University of Washington, as well as the think tank the German Marshall Fund for the United States, seeking a broad range of documents, reports ProPublicas Andrea Bernstein. Jordans subcommittee, the House Judiciary Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, wants to know how certain third parties, including organizations like yours, may have played a role in this censorship regime by advising on so-called misinformation. The censorship regime, apparently, is the Biden administration. Dolan talks drugs: State Sen. Matt Dolan, a Republican running for the U.S. Senate, traveled to Tucson, Ariz., to visit the U.S. border with Mexico with two Ohio county sheriffs. He said that China, a supplier of the chemicals used to make fentanyl, is exploiting chaos at the border, overwhelming law enforcement agencies and placing migrants in peril so that Mexican cartels can move drugs. He criticized U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Cleveland Democrat currently holding the seat, of downplaying border problems in a campaign statement Tuesday. Dolan finished third in last years GOP primary for U.S. Senate, running as a moderate Republican. Full Disclosure Five things we learned from the April 4, 2022, financial disclosure of state Sen. Rob McColley, a Henry County Republican. 1. He earned $95,000 in the Ohio Senate. He listed income from his law firm, Clemens, Korhn, Liming & Warncke, Ltd., in the $10,000 to $24,999 range in 2021. 2. He owned stock in Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Paypal, Shopify, Walt Disney, Zoom Video Communications, Zynga and other companies in 2021. 3. The Senate reimbursed him $4,900 for mileage in 2021. 4. He was a member of Screaming Eagles Investments, LLC and BIDERO LLC, two entities over which he has a fiduciary or financial responsibility. 5. He received a gift in 2021 from Tim Barhorst, who is now an Ohio representative, and a legislative award from Ohio Society of Professional engineers, worth $83. Straight From The Source Its like turning your cell phone off on an airplane. Youre supposed to do. And if it was super dangerous, I dont think we will be allowed to have the phone on the plane. So if it was super dangerous for members of Congress to have this app on their phone, you have to imagine the administration or our government would say absolutely not, you cant have it on a government phone. -U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman, a Cincinnati Democrat, pushing back on the bipartisan, Congressional attacks on TikTok, reports the Associated Press Farnoush Amiri. Capitol Letter is a daily briefing providing succinct, timely information for those who care deeply about the decisions made by state government. If you do not already subscribe, you can sign up here to get Capitol Letter in your email box each weekday for free. CLEVELAND, OhioCreating a childrens cabinet and improving access to mental health services in schools and communities are some of the possible ways Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb said he plans to support Cleveland area youth. Bibb shared these ideas following a meeting on Wednesday between the mayor, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy and a group of Cleveland area high school students. Bibb invited Murthy to Cleveland to discuss what Murthy calls a growing mental health crisis among Americas youth. Murthy and Bibb asked the students about the mental health challenges they faced and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected them. Among the topics they discussed were the role of technology, social media, gun violence, and the effects of the pandemic. Murthy said that many of the students spoke about the pressures inside and outside of school in a post-pandemic world, especially for those who may have spent their first two years of high school entirely on Zoom. Bibb recounted the words of one student who said she felt as if the world was moving, but she wasnt. In December 2021, Dr. Murthy released his Surgeon Generals Advisory on Protecting Youth Mental Health, calling for a swift and comprehensive response to the youth mental health crisis further exacerbated by the pandemic. Among kids, there was a 57% increase in the suicide rate in the decade prior to the pandemic and there was a 50% increase in emergency room visits due to mental health during the pandemic, Murthy said. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported recently that one-in-three girls has considered taking her own life, Murthy said. But despite the sobering statistics, Murthy said that we learned a lot from the pandemic that we can use going forward and that makes him hopeful. This is not a problem we can solve overnight, but it is a problem we can solve, said Murthy Some of his suggestions included increasing the number of mental health providers - but also making sure that those providers can really address the problems youth today are facing - as well as improving the distribution of mental health funding and using technology and telehealth resources more wisely. We shouldnt go back to 2019 and assume thats the ideal, Murthy said. Weve got to do better. The mayor said he plans to use federal money from the American Rescue Plan to help implement various school-based and community-based mental health programs. He also said he hopes to build a childrens cabinet in the administration to address issues facing young people in Cleveland. Bibb said that the idea to invite the U.S. Surgeon General to speak to Cleveland youth grew out of a seminar for mayors in which the mental health challenges for young people during the pandemic was the focus. The session was so great, I just thought we have to bring this kind of conversation to Cleveland, said Bibb. Bibb said he believes these conversations are important to ensuring that the youth of the city feel heard. I think the biggest thing they took away from it was that their mental health matters, that its OK to talk about mental health, and that its important to the leaders of the city to create better spaces to articulate what theyre going through, the mayor said. Bibb said he meets quarterly with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District Student Advisory Committee, where he plans to continue these conversations. Continuous engagement with youth is a big part of how I plan to lead the city, he said. COLUMBUS, Ohio Less than four months after statehouse Republicans purged most August elections from Ohios calendar, theyre now marching toward organizing an August 2023 special election that would make it harder for pro-choice organizers to amend Ohios constitution in November. The legislation that killed off August elections came within a sweeping package that included a voter photo identification requirement in the closing moments of the previous two-year session. It capped a 20-year debate over whether Ohio should continue to allow special elections in the offseason months of February and August. Ohio traditionally hosts primary elections in May or March, and general elections in November. It was originally introduced as a standalone idea, prompting several Republicans including some now supporting an August 2023 election to sound off against the practice of hosting August elections, which they criticized as pricey and anti-democratic. Now, they face the awkward prospect of squaring that opposition with a rushed effort to schedule an August election this year. We hear about these August elections my question is, why would entities not just wait until November to put the question in front of the general public, said Rep. Reggie Stoltzfus, a Minerva Republican, in November 2021. To me, I dont believe its, in a lot of ways, fair, to put something on that is going to get 10% to 15% turnout They see it, and this is my opinion, as a better opportunity to get something passed with a low turnout. Rep. Thomas Hall, a Madison Township Republican, sponsored the original 2021 bill that would eventually pass, with substantial changes, late last year and told lawmakers at the time that August elections are a way of gaming the system when most of the electorate is not engaged in the process. Sen. Jerry Cirino, a Kirtland Republican, called his bill a great idea. House Bill 458, the legislation that killed off most August elections, passed the House. In the Senate, Republicans added on several amendments to the legislation requiring state-issued photo identification to vote, limiting drop boxes to drop off absentee ballots, and other ideas criticized by voting rights advocates. That law took effect earlier this week. Two House members now pressing the case to make it harder for citizens to propose and pass constitutional amendments Reps. Derek Merrin, of Monclova, and Scott Wiggam, of Wooster introduced their own legislation in 2019 to end local August elections. Wiggam is now among the most enthusiastic backers of an August 2023 election to amend the Constitution. Merrin didnt respond to inquiries. The amendment would make it harder for future citizen-initiated efforts to change the constitution to pass. The amendment would need more than 50% of the vote to pass, but any future constitutional amendments would need more than 60%. The new rules would also require organizers seeking to place amendments on the ballot to gather signatures from all 88 counties, instead of just the 44 currently required. Senate President Matt Huffman said recently the roughly $20 million price tag of an August election would be worth it, if its enough to thwart an effort underway to establish a constitutional right to abortion in Ohio. Backers of that proposal are gathering signatures with an eye toward putting the abortion-rights amendment on the ballot in November. Senate Republicans have introduced one resolution proposing the constitutional amendment and another appropriating $20 million for an Aug. 8, 2023 election on the matter. A similar House resolution pressing for voters to decide on the higher threshold does not contemplate an August election. Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens, a Kitts Hill Republican, has backed off earlier comments opposing an August election. Democrats, Wiggam said in a recent interview with conservative radio talk show host Bob Frantz, are on a crash course to decimate the state constitution. An August election, he said, would ensure the pro-choice backers need 60% of voters to do so. We know we did not want to be on the ballot in November with the pro-abortion [side], he said. Bottom line is August was it. In a text message Wednesday, Wiggam said changes to the constitution are more important than local tax levies and attract more media attention, meaning voters will be more aware. The difference is the huge amount of coverage that a constitutional protection issue will have versus a local tax levy, he said. Rep. Brian Stewart, an Ashville Republican, led the charge in the House to raise the threshold for amending the constitution. However, he declined to comment on the idea of an August 2023 election and said hell wait until theres a proposal in front of him. The 2021 legislation ending August elections contained a few exceptions for exigent circumstances, like a special election to fill a congressional seat. Stewart successfully lobbied at the time to amend the bill to include language with a carveout for a planned August 2022 charter amendment election in the city of Circleville, which sits in his district. The record is pretty clear, he said. We had a bill to eliminate August elections. I supported it. There was an instance where we needed to make a pretty narrow exception for a charter vote Now were a decent time later. Theres a proposal on the table and well consider it as it comes. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose also supported the push in 2021 to get rid of August elections, warning of school boards trying to sneak in a tax increase when no one is paying attention. He hasnt come out in support of the August 2023 election idea. He said through a spokesman that it is the state legislatures authority to set the time, manner, and place of elections. Merrin signed whats known as a discharge petition, which could force a vote on the Houses version of raising the constitutional amendment voter threshold. He didnt answer a call or text about his position on an August election. However, in 2021, he too criticized August elections, noting the difficulty recruiting poll workers in the electoral offseason. Were wearing people out, he said. When, especially a major county has to try to staff one of these special elections, I mean hopefully they can pull it off but theres only so much you can ask of people. In even-numbered year elections since 2000, about 28% of voters turn out for primary elections and 61% for general elections, according to an analysis of state data. Compare that to 2022, when the Supreme Court of Ohio repeatedly deemed redistricting maps passed by state Republicans to be unconstitutional gerrymanders. Lawmakers refused to back down and forced an impasse, which they eventually won, creating an August primary on their previously rejected maps. About 8% of registered voters showed up to polls. According to Axios Columbus, the cost came out to a whopping $32 per ballot cast. The debate over scrapping offseason elections in both August and February dates back about 20 years, according to Aaron Ockerman, a lobbyist with the Ohio Association of Election Officials. In 2015, lawmakers dealt away with February elections. Weve been at it for a long time on the concept of August special elections, he said. Generally, weve found that most legislators agreed with our arguments that its generally not the best use of taxpayer dollars. He said in his conversation with lawmakers on the recent August elections bill, the prospect of a ballot referendum calling for a change to the states Constitution never came up. I dont think we ever talked about the potential of doing a ballot initiative [in August], he said. The exemptions that were contemplated are in the bill. An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose supports an August 2023 election. While he does not oppose the idea, he has not publicly supported it either. Jake Zuckerman covers state policy and politics for Cleveland.com and the Plain Dealer. As an exercise in cynicism, its bad enough that GOP lawmakers contend proposed House Joint Resolution 1 is just to keep the Ohio Constitution from being cluttered up with all sorts of special-interest nonsense. In reality, the measure, which is still in committee, would all but trash citizen-initiated constitutional amendment rights Ohioans have enjoyed since 1912. It remains in committee in part because Republican House Speaker Jason Stephens, who owes his speakership to Democratic as well as Republican votes, still appears to be wavering on whether to allow it to come to the floor for a vote. Yet with GOP lawmakers overwhelmingly behind it, that might change. But the cynicism of HJR 1 is made worse, if that can be possible, by the push to revive the August special election option that legislators virtually abolished just two months ago. Abolished so definitively, in fact, that Republicans have had to introduce another bill to allow (and authorize $20 million to pay for) a possible special election Aug. 8 to try to get HJR 1 passed before the November election. And why that timing? Could it, cynically, be because the November election is when abortion-rights supporters aim to get a reproductive rights amendment on Ohio voters ballots? Many Ohioans likely will vote no on that measure, of course, but at least its proponents are not trying to gin the rules to make it virtually impossible for the nays to prevail. Its also not hard to see that behind HJR 1 and the revival of the August special election is the idea that a simple majority of Ohio voters shouldnt be enough -- that majority shouldnt rule, that a majority of citizens wishes dont count when it comes to overruling what Statehouse figures want. Yet, if we are to draw any lessons from the Larry Householder/House Bill 6 corruption scandal, it is that what Statehouse figures want is sometimes very, very bad for Ohio -- and that, if citizens as a whole want to amend what happens at the Statehouse, they should be able to, without poison-pill legislative maneuvering or dark-money corruption. In January, August special elections were seen as unneeded, costly exercises by Ohio cynic-in-chief Frank LaRose, who as Ohio secretary of state is Ohios chief elections officer. LaRose was full of praise in January when Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 458 into law. The bill, into which all manner of major electoral changes, including photo voter IDs and tighter absentee-ballot deadlines, had been crammed, started out life -- and is titled -- Eliminate August special elections except for US House nomination. LaRose had applauded that part of the law, in particular, calling August special elections a costly, low-turnout, and unnecessary election for our county [elections] boards to administer. Now, he and others can hardly wait to hold another August special election, courtesy of $20 million of our tax dollars (if Senate Bill 92, which is now pending in a Senate committee, or another measure authorizing this passes, of course). Then theres HJR 1 itself, sold as just a way to keep frivolous causes from littering the Ohio Constitution by making it harder to pass citizen-initiated amendments -- from a simple majority to 60%. Never mind that a simple majority has served Ohio well for 111 years. Thats not all HJR 1 would do. The 60% threshold would apply to any constitutional change, whether initiated by citizens, the General Assembly or a constitutional convention. Far less widely noted are two provisions that apply only to citizen-initiated efforts and that would make it almost impossible for regular citizens even to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot. HJR 1 would mandate petition-signature targets in all 88 Ohio counties, not just the 44 required now, and it would eliminate the 10-day cure period to fix any deficiency in signatures by gathering more if some are disallowed. Ohios rigid signature-gathering rules already make it hard to get citizen-initiated measures on the ballot. Yet it can be done. That was the idea of the 1912 reformers in the first place -- to check the raw power of a legislature disdainful of citizens views by making it possible for citizens themselves to appeal to fellow citizens to right wrongs and amend how things work in Ohio. At one stroke, HJR 1 could wipe out those reforms and leave Ohio citizens referendum rights in tatters. About our editorials: Editorials express the view of the editorial board of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer -- the senior leadership and editorial-writing staff. As is traditional, editorials are unsigned and intended to be seen as the voice of the news organization. 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 editorial to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com CLEVELAND -- There was no one like him. Terry Sheridan, who died Saturday in Belgrade, Serbia, at 88, was the best Cleveland journalist and writer in the more than 50 years I have been here. He had a way with words. But he could be insufferable. He said it himself in a piece he wrote for Plain Dealing: Cleveland Journalists Tell Their Stories, a 2018 collection of remembrances assembled by Joan Mazzolini and Dave Davis. Remembering when he left The Plain Dealer in early 1970, after some seven years reporting, Terry wrote that, editors celebrated. So did most of my coworkers. The truth of the matter: I was an insufferable pain in the ass. But he was a truth-teller. And a heckuva reporter. Not that much in demand in Cleveland journalism of that day. Who else would catch Sam Sheppard surreptitiously handing his wallet to his lawyer, F. Lee Bailey, apparently believing he would be found guilty again. He wasnt. Sheridan covered the trial. And he had such a way of describing our scene. The city was beginning to decay from the inside but high-ranking editors were curiously indifferent, he wrote for the Plain Dealing book. And Terry could dish on himself, too. After getting roughed up by another reporter and then socking him with a sucker punch seen by an editor, Sheridan got called on the carpet that ended his Plain Dealer career. He explained it thusly: A meeting was set with the executive editor. I prepared by drinking lunch. When he asked if I wanted a raise, I said yes. He asked how much and I said I wanted to make what he was making. He accused me of drinking and I said he would have made a terrific reporter. That did it. The wee man, who had not distinguished himself as a reporter, told me I was going to Lake County and I resigned, with two weeks notice. Say goodbye to Cleveland bars and hello to the bucolic delights of Lake County? Lake County when I was begging to go to Vietnam? Not a chance. But the bosses knew that and I ended up muttering to myself . Later, Sheridan wrote for Cleveland Magazine. He was a [heck] of a reporter, says Michael Roberts, former editor of the magazine. Roberts and Sheridan had a testy relationship, particularly when Roberts got assigned by The Plain Dealer to report in Vietnam during the war. It was an assignment Sheridan wanted. He didnt suffer fools, said Roberts. Roberts remembered that Sheridan, when assigned to the police beat, also made life hard for his opposition on the Cleveland Press at the time. When I suffered heart problems and ended in the hospital back in the mid-70s, Sheridan recruited a few Plain Dealer people and they put out issues of the newsletter, Point of View, that I was publishing. I didnt ask him. He just did it. Some years ago, Sheridan moved to Belgrade. I always thought he would miss the Cleveland nightlife and bar scene, but although he sometimes returned for a visit, he made a life for himself there. Id communicate by e-mail fairly regularly and he would write about vegetables and flowers he had cultivated. He found peace, deservedly so. Roldo Bartimole, who turns 90 today, reported for The Wall Street Journal and Plain Dealer before founding his biweekly Point of View newsletter in 1968. It published until 2000, and is now preserved in a digital archive by the Cleveland Memory Project (clevelandmemory.org/roldo/). In December, Sheridan had celebrated Roldos upcoming 90th-year milestone with his own Plain Dealer/cleveland.com tribute, Roldo - a Cleveland muckraker, apparently for life. 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 - Cleveland and much of northern Ohio is expected to experience severe thunderstorms by 3 p.m. Wednesday, which is also creating a risk for tornadoes throughout the region, according to the National Weather Service. Update: The weather service later reduced the warning to a watch, and extended it through 8 p.m. The expected high temperature of 82 degrees and the incoming cold front create a perfect environment for the thunderstorms this afternoon, bringing winds of 20 to 22 mph and gusts as high as 36 mph. The weather service issued a hazardous weather warning early Wednesday regarding the storm, which is expected to impact all of Greater Cleveland. In addition to the thunderstorm and risk of tornados, large hail is possible, as seen in previous days as the storm crossed Chicago and parts of Iowa. Hail could be 1-2 inches in diameter, big enough to cause damage to vehicles and homes. The winds may also offer conditions for tornadoes in northern Ohio, although parts of Northwest Ohio such as Toledo and Findlay are at higher risk than Greater Cleveland. Northeast Ohio sees about a dozen tornadoes a year, according to a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Cleveland. Low-grade tornadoes occur in the region but often dont create the cyclones often seen in areas with plains and expansive fields. Tornadoes are only classified by a rotating column of air in a localized area and are typically wrapped up in rain, with the lowest grade tornado having 3-second gusts of 65 mph to 85 mph. Wednesday, 3-second gusts of up to 100 mph are possible. The last time northern Ohio saw a tornado with an Enhanced Fujita Scale rating of 5 - the highest rank in the method used to classify the weather phenomenon given to tornados with 3-second gusts over 200 mph - was near Youngstown in 1985. If a tornado does happen, or if the thunderstorm gets too severe, the weather service recommends seeking shelter in the lowest room in a building, often a basement. Find an isolated room without windows, like a bathroom, if one is unavailable. A small craft advisory has been issued for Lake Erie, with southwest winds 15 to 25 knots and waves 2 to 4 feet through tonight. West winds 15 to 25 knots and waves of 3 to 5 feet are predicted for Thursday. The thunderstorm and tornado warnings are expected to pass by Thursday when temperatures drop to 51 degrees and the skies are partly cloudy. Related: Find Cleveland weather details for any date since 1871 Zachary Smith is the data reporter for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. See previous stories at this link. More stories like this: Northeast Ohio Monday weather forecast: 60-degree temps with a chance of rain Cleveland just had one of the mildest winters ever. Is it a fluke or climate change? Never in at least 50 years has Cleveland entered March with so little snow for a winter February 2023 precipitation doubles in one day as Northeast Ohio gets drenched Record Broken: Post-Valentine Day temps at all-time high with 68 degrees Wednesday Record broken: 68 degrees makes Thursday the warmest early-February day in the last 85 years watch now The spiraling banking crisis has prompted concerns about liquidity, credit and defaults, CNBC's Jim Cramer said Tuesday, and is leaving traders split. "I don't like this recession/no recession game. It's something that forces traders to choose a side," he said. According to Cramer, traders either think earnings will collapse for all companies, earnings will fall apart for everyone but the defensives, or they think large-cap tech stocks are poised for safety. "Even though I try to be an elder statesman, I'm gonna be gratuitously dismissive of all three camps, because that's what they deserve," Cramer said. Earnings collapse The group expecting an earnings collapse might be right if there was evidence to support that beyond a simple drop in stock prices, Cramer said. He said those bank collapses could be the same as a 100 basis point rate hike, in terms of the effect it'd have on bank lending. That represents an opportunity to buy into economically sensitive stocks, Cramer argued, because it suggests the Fed is nearly done tightening rate hikes. Defensive Cramer said the second set, defensive traders, are wrong because just a few weeks ago the defensive pharma and packaged goods names were being "pummeled" because they were perceived as too defensive. "It's ridiculous," Cramer said, that those traders think the outlook is much improved. Big Tech Traders who want to run back to large-cap technology stocks have a "harebrained idea," Cramer said. There's no rationale to buy a company like Google simply because of a strong balance sheet amidst a lending crisis, when as CNBC reported it's cutting expenses like staplers and laptop refreshes. "You know what would make it a terrific story, other than the husbanding of staple guns and personal computers? How about sizable layoffs and a big juicy earnings surprise, something that it seems incapable of delivering," Cramer said. Congratulating Finland, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Finland now has a "reliable guarantee of safety a collective guarantee." Thomas Trutschel | Photothek | Getty Images Ukraine heartily congratulated Finland on its accession to NATO, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying Helsinki now had a "reliable guarantee of safety a collective guarantee." But as Finland's flag was hoisted at NATO's headquarters in Brussels Tuesday, officially marking its entry as the 31st member of the Western military alliance, there were bound to be a bittersweet feelings in Kyiv. Ukraine yearns for NATO membership, having long-aspired to join the alliance and for it to feel the security that members enjoy as a result of the collective defense pact. At the heart of NATO is the tenet that an attack on one member is an attack on all members. If that tenet, enshrined in Article 5, is invoked then all members are bound to come to the defense of that member country. watch now Ukraine knows that its own journey toward that "guarantee of safety," as Zelenskyy described it, faces far more barriers to entry, however. Those include not only the fact Ukraine is actively engaged in an ongoing war with Russia that shows no signs of ending soon, but also a likely reluctance among some NATO members who have warmer relations with Moscow (such as Turkey and Hungary) to antagonize Russia further when relations between NATO and Russia are already at a historic low and more reminiscent of the Cold War. Finnish President Sauli Niinisto (left) and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg leave after a press conference during a NATO foreign affairs ministers' meeting, at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, on April 4, 2023. Kenzo Tribouillard | AFP | Getty Images Russia has been fuming about the forthcoming expansion of NATO for months, saying it increases the risk of conflict with Moscow. The Kremlin warned Tuesday it would take "countermeasures to ensure our own security both tactically and strategically." On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to hold talks with his Belarusian ally President Alexander Lukashenko, with a deepening of defense cooperation and strategy on the agenda. Bittersweet moment Having congratulated Finland on its entry to NATO, Zelenskyy said in his nightly address that Russia's aggression against his country shows that only collective preventive security guarantees were "reliable." "Russian aggression clearly proves that only collective guarantees, only preventive guarantees can be reliable. That's what we've always talked about. They also talked about speed the speed of security decisions matters. Now we see what the speed of procedures can be," Zelenskyy said. Finland and Sweden both applied to join NATO last May, prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and their membership bids were fast-tracked. Sweden is still waiting for its bid to be ratified by Turkey and Hungary. Ukraine applied to join NATO last September, and also requested that its bid be fast-tracked, but analysts have said its application could take years and certainly won't happen while Russia is occupying swathes of its territory. watch now NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday that the door remains open to prospective members in future, though he didn't mention Ukraine by name. "President Putin wanted to slam NATO's door shut. Today, we show the world that he failed. Instead of less NATO, he has achieved the opposite. More NATO. And our door remains firmly open." Stoltenberg noted that "Finland now has the strongest friends and allies in the world" adding that "at times like these, friends and allies are more important than ever." NATO has proved itself a friend and ally of Ukraine over the past year but for now, Kyiv remains outside the alliance, looking in. Stars unaligned for Ukraine History could have been very different had Ukraine been a member of NATO earlier and it's highly unlikely that Russia would have invaded its neighbor had it been under the organization's protection. To do so would have triggered NATO members' commitment to protect one another and Moscow would have faced the collective might of the alliance's armed forces. Analysts agree Russia's military power and weaponry, despite its large army, pales in comparison with the advance military hardware and highly trained troops of NATO members, let alone the power this represents when those forces are combined. As fate would have it, Ukraine was nowhere near to being a member of the alliance when Russia invaded in February 2022. watch now This was despite several decades of see-sawing between aspirations to join NATO and veering away from it largely depending on the pro-Russian or pro-Western leanings of Ukraine's leaders at the time. And, to be fair, an equal amount of yo-yoing by NATO officials over the years when it came to whether Ukraine and other post-Soviet states like Georgia should be able to join. That's not to say that NATO didn't see the war coming in Ukraine in the run up to the invasion. Russia had made it clear that if NATO didn't agree to its proposals in late 2021 to roll back on deployments of troops and weaponry in eastern Europe, and to guarantee that Ukraine would never become a member of the alliance, that there would be consequences. That, along with the massing of around 100,000 Russian troops on the border with Ukraine, showed Russia's true intent although it denied for months that it planned to invade. watch now NATO was put in a tricky position in the lead up to the war, eager to stop an aggressive Putin seemingly intent on rebuilding a Soviet empire starting with Ukraine, and not wanting to become embroiled in a conflict involving multiple nuclear powers. Before the invasion, back in January 2022, NATO's Stoltenberg told the BBC: "We have no plans to deploy NATO combat troops to Ukraine ... we are focusing on providing support" before adding that "there is a difference between being a NATO member and being a strong and highly valued partner as Ukraine." Johanne Siy is head chef at one of Singapore's premier dining destinations, Lolla where Asian-inspired modern European flavors dominate the menu. Johanne Siy walked into her first culinary job interview in four-inch heels. She had just come from her high-flying corporate job and like any other candidate, she put her best foot forward. "The floor was so slippery. Everyone was just watching me and in their minds they were probably judging me," the 41-year-old said with a laugh. While her introduction to the gastronomic world was nothing short of funny, one thing was for sure Siy felt like she belonged. Ten years on, Siy is now head chef at one of Singapore's premier dining destinations, Lolla where Asian-inspired modern European flavors dominate the menu. Just last week, she was named "Asia's Best Female Chef" at Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2023 the first Singapore-based chef to win. Lolla was also ranked 63rd in the list. I've always loved cooking but never really considered it as a career growing up in Asia. In the past, no one would encourage you to take up a manual job. Johanne Siy Chef, Lolla "I was just so excited to be in the kitchen. I thrived on that energy during a good service," she told CNBC Make It, recounting that interview. "It's pretty much like sports. When the team gets together, it's just so rewarding when everyone pulls it off." The Filipino chef told CNBC Make It what made her change the course of her career. Rejecting the conventional path Siy knows all too well what the conventional path looks like: graduate from university, get a decent job, start a family and rear children. She was after all on that "formulaic" path herself: after graduating with a degree in science, business administration and accountancy, Siy moved from the Philippines to Singapore to work in Procter & Gamble. In six years, she climbed the ranks to become its regional brand manager a job that "paid well" and was "well regarded," she said. But Siy was not satisfied. "I would call it a quarter-life crisis There was a time I was reflecting on whether this is what I really want to do my whole life because I am not jumping out of bed in the morning." Siy thought about what she was good at and passionate about that she could devote her whole life to. She found her mind wandering to cooking. "I've always loved cooking but never really considered it as a career growing up in Asia. In the past, no one would encourage you to take up a manual job," she added. When you get to the kitchen, you start off by mopping the floor that's not very rock star-like. Johanne Siy Chef, Lolla After "a lot of reflection," at the age of 28, Siy decided to take a leap of faith and pursue cooking. It meant she had to take a significant pay cut. "Are you passionate enough that you are willing to let go of a certain lifestyle and live more simply?" she asked herself. "You have to be very honest with yourself, really reflect on that and evaluate yourself." Temper expectations For anyone thinking of embarking on a career switch, Siy has this advice: "Temper your expectations, get a good grip of what it really is first." That saw her working in a kitchen in Singapore, even before she enrolled into culinary school. "Everything that's portrayed in the media is always romanticized, especially for our field. Like, oh it's so glamorous to be a chef, you're like a rock star," she said. "But when you get to the kitchen, you start off by mopping the floor that's not very rock star-like." The physical challenges that came with the job were hard to ignore too. Siy said each time she started a new station or kitchen, she would "easily lose about five to ten kilograms." An avocado, smoked eel, eel consomme and yuzu dish from Lolla. Lolla "Now you have all these cool kitchen gadgets but when I started, it was not as advanced. There were a lot of things that you had to do manually," she explained. "When I was younger, there was a sense of pride like okay, if [men] can do it, I can do it too. So you're trying to lift this heavy pot by yourself and not asking the guys or anyone else for help." Siy said she was hooked, and enrolled herself into the legendary Culinary Institute of America in 2010. She then built up an impressive resume with stints in New York, Sweden and Denmark before stepping into the role of head chef at Lolla. Leading by example Siy acknowledged that gender bias and equality are evolving in professional kitchens, but there's no denying the culinary field is still a male-dominated field, she said. In 2021, women made up about 20% of all head chefs in the U.S., according to career planning site Zippia. "It's not sustainable because every kitchen is understaffed. If we don't make kitchens more hospitable to women, I don't think the industry can survive," said Siy. "It's not really a question of driving gender equality and or parity anymore. It's a question of survival." For Siy, it is important for the head chef or leader of a restaurant to cultivate an inclusive culture and "set the tone" for a kitchen that's not a role she takes lightly. Today is the third of Raya and the first time I'm up and about since almost a week. Believe it or not, I'm now recovering from Covid-19. Been dodging it... 15 hours ago There's plenty of competition in streaming services, but Netflix and Disney are undoubtedly two of the biggest names and both are facing a number of headwinds. Disney has brought back Bob Iger as CEO and announced a $5.5 billion cost-saving plan , but faces an onging tussle with Florida governor Ron DeSantis , and growing investor demands for value creation. Netflix, meanwhile, is seeking to rein in costs and lift revenue by cracking down on password-sharing and boosting its ad-supported service. Wall Street analysts appear to be bullish on both companies looking ahead, with around 80% of analysts covering Disney having a "buy" rating on the stock, and around 50% giving Netflix a buy rating. However, analysts' average potential upside tells a different story: Disney gets average potential upside of 26%, according to FactSet data, while Netflix's comes in at just 3.8%. The case for Netflix For Bank of America, Netflix is a "world class brand" with a "leading global subscriber base." It named the company as one of its top second-quarter picks Monday. Analyst Jessica Ehrlich expects Netflix to outperform because of its crackdown on password sharing and its "introduction of a value-oriented, ad-supported tier which expands [total addressable market] and monetization," among other factors. Wells Fargo is similarly bullish on the stock , with the investment bank predicting improved earnings for Netflix and a continued rally in its share price as the password crackdown continues. Netflix's outperformance this year up 18.1% compared with the S & P 500 s 7.9% advance is largely due to early bullishness on what paid account sharing could mean for the stock, analyst Steven Cahall wrote in a note last week. Atlantic Equities analyst Hamilton Faber, meanwhile, is also keeping his "overweight" call on Netflix. His estimates for the company's revenue and earnings per share for 2023 are about 5% ahead of consensus, according to a Mar. 31 note. Disney's diversification Barton Crockett, managing director and senior analyst at Rosenblatt Securities, is a fan of both stocks, but believes Disney's more diversified business lines will stand the company in better stead. "When you step back and look at the steaming market overall, this is a very difficult market. I think that Netflix is clearly a leader. Disney is clearly among the leaders. And I think those two can make it to the other side of profitability, but I think it's going to be a tough fight," he told CNBC's "Street Signs Asia" on Tuesday. "I think that there's a lot of players that want a piece of this business. And so, I like the fact that Disney has something outside of streaming, so you're not purely dependent on that, which is what you see with Netflix right now," he added. Disney's theme parks business, for instance, has been "resilient," according to Crockett, which provides "strong support" and mitigates the company's streaming exposure. Moreover, Disney could have more success in clamping down on password-sharing relative to Netflix, and is ramping up its ability to generate advertising revenue through streaming, Crockett added. "We believe that Disney has more of its subscribers opting for the ad-based tier than Netflix, which gives them an opportunity near-term for a bigger benefit from this," he said. "I think Netflix is certainly going to have a lot of leverage on revenue growth and cost discipline. But I do think that a lot of that is already discounted in a stock that trades near 30 times multiple. Disney is trading closer to 20 times. With the kind of blended businesses and the opportunities for improvement, I think Disney is a little bit better in my favor," he said. Crockett isn't the only one bullish on Disney. Macquarie reiterated its "outperform" rating on the stock in a note last week and highlighted the profitability of its direct-to-consumer channels as a key catalyst for the stock. "Staff layoffs soon to begin, along with rational decisions on content spending and creative ways to make more money on streaming, can help Disney get there," analyst Tim Nollen wrote in the Mar. 29 note. CNBC's Michael Bloom and Alex Harring contributed to reporting Carl Icahn on Wednesday said Illumina 's efforts to appeal a Federal Trade Commission order to divest the highly contested Grail acquisition "is an almost impossible battle." Illumina on Monday told CNBC it intends to appeal the FTC's order in federal court, and will seek an expedited decision. That appeal will come "at great expense" to the DNA sequencing company, the activist investor argued in his latest open letter to shareholders. "Our major concern as a large shareholder is that this multi-year battle will consume hordes of cash and go on for years, luxuries that Illumina does not have," Icahn, who owns a 1.4% stake in Illumina, wrote. The company's market value has already fallen to roughly $36 billion from about $75 billion in August 2021, the month it closed its acquisition of cancer test developer Grail. Icahn launched a proxy fight over the Grail deal last month, seeking seats on Illumina's board of directors and pushing the company to unwind the deal. He shares common ground with the FTC, which argued in its order that the $7.1 billion deal would stifle competition and innovation. The FTC's order reverses an administrative judge's September ruling, which dismissed the commission's initial challenge to the Grail deal. In his letter, Icahn highlighted Illumina's "long history" of appealing regulatory challenges to the acquisition. The company last year appealed a similar order by European Union regulators to unwind the Grail deal. The EU's executive body, the European Commission, in September blocked Illumina's acquisition over concerns that it would hurt consumer choice and innovation. San Diego-based Illumina expects a decision on its appeal of the European Commission and FTC orders in late 2023 or early 2024. The company on Wednesday said in a statement to CNBC that it has a "strong case on appeal" of the FTC's order. It pointed to how it prevailed over the commission last year. Illumina also pushed back on the latest order. "The FTC's decision runs afoul of legal precedent and is inconsistent with the overwhelming evidence that reuniting Illumina and GRAIL will promote competition and save lives," Illumina told CNBC. Shares of Illumina closed relatively flat Wednesday afternoon. Bob Lee, a technology executive who founded the mobile payment company Cash App and previously worked at Square, died Tuesday after he was stabbed near downtown San Francisco, according to his family. The San Francisco Police Department said officers responded to a report of a stabbing around 2:35 a.m. Tuesday. The officers found a 43-year-old man with apparent stab wounds. The man was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries and later died, police said. Authorities did not name the man, but Lee's father and brother identified him as the victim. "Bobby worked harder than anyone and was the smartest person I have ever known. He will be missed by all those that knew him," Richard Lee said in the post, which was accompanied by a news article about his son's stabbing. "Thank you to those who have reached out in support." The two men had been living in Miami since October after moving there from California, his father said in the post. They had grown especially close after Bob Lee's mother died in 2019. NBC News could not immediately confirm why the executive was back in the Bay Area. "I'm so saddened and disheartened to lose my brother," Tim Oliver Lee wrote on Facebook. "He really was the best of us. I was so fortunate to grow up with him, and I feel like I've lost part of myself." Bob Lee had been working as the chief product officer of the cryptocurrency company MobileCoin. He previously served as chief technology officer of Square (now known as Block), a financial technology start-up co-founded by the former Twitter chief Jack Dorsey. Lee went on to create Cash App, a money transfer service. He was also an investor in Elon Musk's SpaceX venture as well as other tech firms, such as the social audio app Clubhouse, according to his LinkedIn profile. He used the handle "crazybob" for his LinkedIn and Twitter pages. In a statement Wednesday, the founder and chief executive of MobileCoin said that Lee "passed away yesterday" and praised his business acumen. He did not specify Lee's cause of death. "Bob was a dynamo, a force of nature. Bob was the genuine article," Joshua Goldbard said. "He was made for the world that is being born right now, he was a child of dreams, and whatever he imagined, no matter how crazy, he made real." In a Twitter thread, Goldbard said Lee was "like a brother to me" and praised the technology executive as a "brilliant" visionary with a "kaleidoscopic" mind. No arrests appeared to have been made as of early Wednesday. Police declined to release more information about the crime when contacted by NBC News because the homicide is an active investigation, referring questions about the victim's identity to the city medical examiner. When contacted by NBC News, the medical examiner's office said it had "no information to disclose or further comment at this time." The fatal stabbing could intensify scrutiny on public safety issues in San Francisco, where residents and business owners have grown increasingly concerned about violent crimes and thefts. Mayor London Breed has pledged to crack down on crime. San Francisco has seen 12 homicides since the beginning of the year, according to data compiled by the city's police department. In the same period last year, the city saw 10 homicides. Lee's friends and colleagues paid tribute to him on social media. The former MMA fighter Jake Shields remembered the tech executive as a "loyal friend." In a response to one of Shields' tweets, Musk said he was "very sorry" to learn of Lee's death. Dorsey, the former chief executive of Twitter, called Lee's death "heartbreaking" on the social media platform Nostr. "Bob was instrumental to Square and Cash App," Dorsey wrote. Joshua Bloch, a friend who worked with Lee at Google in the late 2000s, remembered him as a magnetic person who "always had a huge smile on his face" and "constantly lived life to the fullest." In a phone interview Wednesday, Bloch recalled that Lee was a tech "autodidact" who could seemingly "do anything he wanted I don't think he realized how special he was." "People always say nice things about the dead," Bloch added, "but in this case, I would say the exact same things if he were still alive. He was remarkable." European officials are traveling to China in the hope of persuading Beijing to denounce Russia's invasion of Ukraine and cool its recent kinship with the Kremlin. The 27-member bloc walks a tightrope, looking to develop economic ties with China but also reaffirming a close political and cultural relationship with the United States. This has became particularly difficult with the U.S. administration ramping up its anti-Beijing rhetoric and, even more so, in the wake of Russia's invasion of its neighbor. "It is clear that our relations have become more distant and more difficult in the last few years," Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said in a speech Thursday ahead of her trip to Beijing this week. "We have seen a very deliberate hardening of China's overall strategic posture for some time. And it has now been matched by a ratcheting up of increasingly assertive actions," she added. Von der Leyen is traveling to Beijing alongside France's President Emmanuel Macron this week. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez met China's President Xi Jinping last week. Europe's top foreign affairs diplomat, Josep Borrell, is heading to China next week. "A lot of Europeans [are] going to China," Borrell said Tuesday, adding that they have a clear message. "Its position on Russia's atrocities and war crimes will determine the quality of our relations with Beijing. In the meantime, the European Union stands united and our transatlantic community remains also united," he said. China has failed to condemn Russia's onslaught in Ukraine. In a visit to Moscow in March, China's leader Xi Jinping referred to his Russian counterpart as a dear friend. European stock markets fell for a third straight session on Wednesday with uncertainty over the global economic outlook at the fore. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index provisionally closed 0.16% lower, with sectors and major bourses pointing in different directions. Telecoms led gains with a 1.8% uptick, followed by healthcare stocks, up 1.7%. Meanwhile, construction and material stocks plunged 2.6% and tech fell 1.8%. Banking stocks were down 0.7% as investors digested UBS' first shareholder meeting since its controversial takeover of Credit Suisse. The global picture was dominated by data out of the U.S., which suggested the economy is slowing. Markets are pricing in around a 59% chance the Fed will hold interest rates steady in May, according to CME's FedWatch tool. AscentXmedia | E+ | Getty Images watch now Yet Social Security's two funds combined will be able to pay benefits until 2034, one year earlier than was projected last year. At that time, 80% of benefits will be payable. That is, of course, unless Congress acts sooner. Social Security's woes largely come down to demographics. Since 2010, the program has been spending more on benefits than it has been bringing in from payroll tax revenues, Goldwein noted. By 2030, all baby boomers will be age 65 or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. We're going way, way beyond a pure safety net program. Andrew Biggs senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute "While it's good news that we have a couple of extra years for Medicare, overall the clock is ticking on all of these programs within a decade," Goldwein said. To be sure, the projections may change from year to year as the economy fluctuates. Yet to fix the problem, the solution remains the same. Lawmakers will have to consider a host of changes, selecting from raising taxes, cutting benefits or a combination of both. Experts were asked on Tuesday what changes they would prioritize. Here is what they suggested. 1. Reduce elderly poverty through Social Security Social Security successfully lifts more people out of poverty than any other program in the U.S., research from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has found. The research finds 37.8% of adults 65 and over would have incomes below the official poverty line without Social Security benefits. With Social Security benefits, 9% of older adults have incomes below the poverty line. That goes up to 11.4% when children under age 18 and adults ages 18 to 64 are included. While the program helps lift 22.5 million people out of poverty, the protections could be better, noted Kathleen Romig, director of Social Security and disability policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. For the past 20 years, there has been one go-to minimum benefit proposal that includes a sliding scale based on years of work, Romig noted. But reducing poverty through and outside of Social Security beyond a sliding scale minimum benefit may be a better approach, she said. Notably, shoring up minimum benefits has been included in reform proposals on both sides of the congressional aisle. "There is interest in this across the political spectrum," Romig said. 2. Cap the maximum Social Security benefit The maximum benefit for a single person retiring at normal retirement age this year is $43,000, based on the trustees report, noted Andrew Biggs, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. That is well above the poverty threshold of $21,000, he noted. Moreover, the maximum Social Security retirement benefit is two to three times higher than what countries like the United Kingdom, Canada or Australia pay. "We're going way, way beyond a pure safety net program," Biggs said. Congress may opt to cap the maximum benefit, which is projected to rise to $59,000 by 2030, Biggs suggested. Those benefits are far beyond what anyone needs to stay out of poverty, he said. Such a change may be a "modest fix" that would reduce 10% to 15% of the program's long-term funding gap, Biggs said. 3. Make Medicare spending more efficient Owen Franken | Corbis Documentary | Getty Images US Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) (R) speaks with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen while arriving for a bipartisan meeting at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, on April 5, 2023. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and a bipartisan congressional delegation met Wednesday with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in Simi Valley, California, in a move that has increased simmering U.S. tensions with China. Calling Tsai, "a great friend to America," the Republican House speaker said they would "find ways for the people of American and Taiwan to work together to promote economic freedom, democracy, peace and stability in Asia." Taiwan is a self-ruling democracy, but China views Taiwan as a province of the Chinese mainland. Beijing considers any attempt by Taiwan's leaders to act independently of Beijing as a threat to Chinese sovereignty. Neither McCarthy nor Tsai mentioned China by name at a joint appearance, but the looming threat from Beijing was never far away. "Today, the peace we have maintained and the democracy which we have worked hard to build are facing unprecedented challenges," said Tsai. She thanked members of Congress for "enhancing Taiwan's self defense capabilities," a reference to the billions of dollars in annual U.S. arms sales to Taiwan that receive congressional approval. Speaking later at a solo press conference, McCarthy said the United States should speed up its arms deliveries to Taiwan. In a challenging market, investors should look to "well-known, great American companies with beaten down stocks," CNBC's Jim Cramer said Wednesday. There are three companies that Cramer thinks have compelling stories and strength, even if their stock prices don't necessarily reflect that: Johnson & Johnson , Eli Lilly , and Procter & Gamble . At Johnson & Johnson, a bruising yearslong battle with lawsuits linked to the company's talc powder battered the stock, Cramer said. An attempted bankruptcy maneuver was struck down by an appeals court, Cramer continued, leaving his Charitable Trust's play exposed. But J&J's recently announced settlement with many of the claimants leaves the stock "free to run," offering upside in a company that has historically been a "great" buy, Cramer said. At Lilly, the stock price took a hit when investor excitement over a highly anticipated diabetes drug was dampened by investor fears that Federal Reserve maneuvering could weaken defensive stocks. But the company isn't a "one-trick pony," Cramer said, so investors should look to buy the dip and trust in Lilly's research and development. And finally, at P&G, Cramer thinks that there's a "grudging recognition" that the stock of the consumer goods company is underpriced. It suffered from a flight as investors moved from safer picks into technology companies, but is poised for a renaissance and has come off its lows, Cramer said. "What do all three of these have in common? How about the fact that they're amazing American companies, with stocks that get cheaper as they go down," Cramer said. People unload crosses outside the First Baptist Church which was the scene of the mass shooting that killed 26 people in Sutherland Springs, Texas on November 8, 2017. The victims of the 2017 mass shooting at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, in which 26 were killed, have reached a "tentative agreement" with the Justice Department to settle a case against the federal government for $144.5 million. The agreement has to be approved by Attorney General Merrick Garland's office, the victims' lawyers said in a statement. If given approval, which is expected, it would end a yearslong legal battle over a federal judge's ruling that the U.S. government bears some responsibility for the attack because it failed to submit the shooter's criminal history into a database that would have prevented him from purchasing firearms. In a statement on Wednesday morning, the Justice Department said that it had reached "an agreement in principle" that "would resolve the pending appeals." The agreement also won't receive approval, according to the agency, until the plaintiffs' secure necessary court approvals. The court, the Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in this instance, is required to "approve some aspects of the settlement." "No words or amount of money can diminish the immense tragedy of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs," Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said in a statement. "Today's announcement brings the litigation to a close, ending a painful chapter for the victims of this unthinkable crime." Jamal Alsaffar, the lead trial attorney for the victims, called the Sutherland Springs families heroes and said "the country owes them a debt of gratitude" for pursuing their lawsuit, even as it forced them to relive the traumatic shooting. The legal episode is not yet over for the families, however, despite the "pain and loss" they have endured, he said. "These families fought for justice, endured and won two trials against the federal government and made this country safer as a result. But the settlement is not final," Alsaffar said. "Attorney General Garland's office still must approve it, and we urge his Justice Department to act quickly to bring some closure to these families. It's the least they deserve." In July 2021, a judge found the government partly liable for the shooting for failing to provide records that could have kept Devin Kelley, a former Air Force service member, from acquiring the weapons he used in the shooting at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs. The U.S. government was ordered to pay the more than 80 survivors and victims' relatives $230 million; the Justice Department appealed the ruling. Lawyers for the government argued in court that even if the Air Force which did not report Kelley's 2012 arrest and court-martial for domestic violence to the FBI had followed the law, he would have found another way to acquire a gun to commit the same act, according to court transcripts. Victims of the shooting said this year that the Justice Department's arguments had left them frustrated, confused and angry. Many found that the agency's arguments seemed to undermine the background check system, which was a cornerstone of President Joe Biden's gun policy priorities. Survivors and gun safety advocates said they feared that if the Justice Department won the case it could damage gun safety laws. "If I had an opportunity to meet President Biden, I would ask him, 'Why? Why are you doing all this [gun reform] and yet you're fighting it over here?'" said Juan "Gunny" Macias, who was shot numerous times in the attack. In its statement, the Justice Department emphasized that the background check system "plays a critical role in combatting gun violence" and that the federal government "is always striving to improve the functioning of that system." Some places are wooing visitors by waiving visa requirements and giving out air tickets. But Amsterdam has a problem with too much tourism and now it's telling some visitors, namely British male tourists aged between 18 and 35, to "stay away" if they're traveling to the city for drugs or parties. Amsterdam's local authority launched the online campaign in Great Britain this month that aims to keep out "nuisance-causing visitors," authorities said in a news release last week. About 360,000 overnight guests from the United Kingdom visited Amsterdam in 2020, said Statista. The "Stay Away" campaign targets visitors who use online search terms like "stag party Amsterdam," "pub crawl Amsterdam" or "cheap hotel Amsterdam" by showing them warning advertisements, authorities said. The advertisements portray the risks and consequences of "excessive drug and alcohol abuse," authorities added. Former U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks on the day of his court appearance in New York after being indicted by a Manhattan grand jury following a probe into hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., April 4, 2023. Former President Donald Trump wanted to avoid paying $130,000 in hush money to a porn star by delaying that payment until after the 2016 presidential election, according to the Manhattan prosecutor pursuing the first-ever criminal charges against an ex-president. Just weeks before the 2016 contest, Trump's then-attorney Michael Cohen negotiated a deal to pay that adult film star, Stormy Daniels, for her silence about her alleged affair with the married Trump years earlier. Trump has denied having sex with Daniels, whose given name is Stephanie Clifford. But Trump directed Cohen to delay making that payment to Daniels "as long as possible," according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Trump instructed Cohen "that if they could delay the payment until after the election, they could avoid paying altogether, because at that point it would not matter if the story became public," Bragg alleged. Emails and text messages between the attorneys for Trump and Daniels, as well as the editor in chief of the National Enquirer's publisher, reflect that Cohen "attempted to delay making payment as long as possible," according to Bragg. Trump's alleged instruction to delay the payment to Daniels until after the 2016 election could be a key piece of Bragg's case that Trump falsified business records "to cover up crimes" related to that contest. Bragg's 13-page statement of facts about the case that was made public Tuesday alongside the indictment against Trump. The former president pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records during his arraignment in Manhattan criminal court. Trump ultimately agreed to the payoff made by Cohen, Bragg noted. Trump would go on to win the 2016 presidential race against his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton. Cohen was reimbursed through the Trump Organization in monthly installments in 2017, and those payments were characterized as legal services. The alleged scheme to conceal payments from the public "violated New York election law, which makes it a crime to conspire to promote a candidacy by unlawful means," the DA said at a press conference Tuesday afternoon. Bragg's allegation that Trump tried to delay the payment to Daniels also challenges an argument made last month by Trump's current attorney Joe Tacopina. He said the hush money payment to Daniels was "not directly related to the campaign." Rather, Tacopina suggested in an ABC News interview that Trump made the payment in order to prevent the publication of an allegation that could embarrass both him and his family. "He made this with personal funds to prevent something coming out, false, but embarrassing to himself, his family, his young son," Tacopina said. "That's not a campaign finance violation. Not by any stretch." Tacopina did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment. Bragg's statement of facts did not include copies of the emails and texts he cited as evidence. But the DA's allegation aligns with a long list of accusers who have publicly claimed that Trump stiffed them for their work. In a single report from USA Today in 2016, hundreds of people accused Trump of withholding payment for services they provided. Bragg on Tuesday also detailed Trump's alleged involvement in efforts to suppress ex-Playboy model Karen McDougal's claim that she had an affair with Trump years ago. Publishing company American Media Inc. in 2018 admitted it paid $150,000 in hush money to McDougal "in concert" with Trump's campaign to prevent her from publicly airing her allegations ahead of the 2016 election. Manhattan prosecutors also said that AMI had paid $30,000 to a former Trump Tower doorman who claimed to have a story about Trump fathering a child out of wedlock. All three payments were part of an alleged "catch and kill" effort by Trump and others "to identify, purchase, and bury negative information about him and boost his electoral prospects," prosecutors said. Lawyer of former US president Donald Trump, Joe Tacopina speaks to the press outside the Manhattan Criminal Court in New York on April 4, 2023 after Trump's hearing. A criminal defense lawyer for Donald Trump said Wednesday he expects that the porn star hush money case against the former president to get dismissed without having to go to trial in New York City. "I feel that we're not going to get to a jury," the lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, said in an interview on NBC's "TODAY" show. "I think this case is going to fall on its merits on legal challenges well before we get to a jury," Tacopina said. The lawyer's prediction came after "TODAY" host Savannah Guthrie asked if he believed Trump could get a fair jury in Manhattan, where the Republican ex-president is charged in state Supreme Court with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. The indictment alleges Trump illegally covered up efforts to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election by hiding the true nature of payments to his then-lawyer Michael Cohen to reimburse him for a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford. Trump in a social media post before his arraignment on Tuesday called Manhattan a "very unfair venue" for the case, which, he said, "should be moved to nearby Staten Island." Trump suffered his biggest margin of defeat in New York City to President Joe Biden in Manhattan in the 2020 election and managed to win just one of the city's five boroughs: Staten Island. Tacopina did not answer Guthrie's question about whether a "fair jury" could be selected for trial in Manhattan. First Citizens Bancshares ' acquisition of Silicon Valley Bank assets should result in a higher-quality earnings stream, according to UBS. Analyst Brody Preston double upgraded shares to buy from sell. Preston also raised his price target to $1,206 from $538, implying 26.1% upside from Tuesday's close. The U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation announced March 27 that First Citizens would buy Silicon Valley Bank's deposits and loans less than three weeks after the collapse of the venture-capital focused bank . The deal includes the purchase of approximately $72 billion of SVB assets at a discount of $16.5 billion. "We view the balance sheet as more well positioned to handle a recession going forward given the low loss nature of the SIVB loan portfolio, which should result in a higher quality earnings stream," Preston wrote in a Wednesday note. To be sure, the analyst noted that First Citizens' management has not yet provided hard guidance on the impact of the acquisition on its earnings and book value, meaning that current estimates for pro forma tangible book value per share (TBVPS) could be "garbage in, garbage out." However, Preston thinks that once first-quarter results are announced and shed more light on the bank's book value per share it could "serve as a catalyst for shares to re-rate higher." Shares of First Citizens were up marginally in the premarket Wednesday. The stock has jumped 26.1% year to date. FCNCA YTD mountain First Citizens Bancshares stock CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this report. BASEL, Switzerland - April 5, 2023: UBS Chairman Colm Kelleher addresses shareholders during the UBS annual general meeting in Basel, its first since the bank's emergency rescue of Swiss rival Credit Suisse. FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images UBS sought to reassure investors at its annual general meeting on Wednesday against a fraught political backdrop following its takeover of fallen rival Credit Suisse last month. The 1,128 shareholders gathered in Basel were looking for clarity on the board's integration plan after the "shotgun wedding" between Switzerland's two biggest banks, which remains mired in controversy, legal peril and public skepticism. UBS Chairman Colm Kelleher told the audience that March 19, the date of the emergency rescue of Credit Suisse from the brink of collapse, was a "historic day and a day we hoped would never come." But he said the merger also presents "a new beginning and huge opportunities ahead for the combined bank and the Swiss financial sector as a whole." He emphasized UBS' continued focus on its wealth management and Swiss business and confirmed that the bank would reduce the capital allocated to its investment arm to below 25% of risk-weighted assets. "Whilst we did not initiate these discussions, we believe that this transaction is financially attractive to UBS shareholders," Kelleher said, while acknowledging there is a "huge amount of risk" associated with the integration. watch now The Credit Suisse integration is expected to take around three to four years, excluding Credit Suisse's non-core investment bank portfolio. Kelleher said the bank expects to remain well capitalized and "significantly above" its capital targets by the time the deal closes. New UBS CEO Sergio Ermotti began his second tenure on Wednesday after his shock reappointment last week, with the board having decided that he was the right man to lead the mammoth task of integrating the bank's fallen compatriot's business. Ermotti's return was seen by many commentators as an attempt to restore calm, as the country's long-established reputation for financial stability teeters on the brink. UBS reported a full-year profit of $7.6 billion in 2022, and its shares remain up more than 10% since the turn of the year. Concerns remain over the scale of the new entity, which will have more than $5 trillion in total invested assets, and whether it creates too much concentrated risk for the Swiss and global economy. watch now Reports have suggested that UBS' plans may include job cuts of around 20-30% of the combined entity's global workforce, but the bank's Vice Chairman said Wednesday that it was too early to offer any concrete estimates. Credit Suisse held the final independent AGM in its 167-year history in Zurich on Tuesday, after Swiss authorities brokered an "emergency rescue" in late March, when the bank's share price tumbled and depositors fled en masse. The board was angrily confronted on Tuesday by shareholders demanding answers and accountability over the 3 billion Swiss franc ($3.3 billion) deal, which was rushed through over the course of a weekend and denied both UBS and Credit Suisse shareholders a vote. Credit Suisse Chairman Axel Lehmann said he was "truly sorry" to shareholders, clients and employees, and suggested the bank's turnaround plan after years of losses, scandals and compliance failures had been on track until turmoil in the U.S. banking sector sparked a flight of confidence. watch now Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Ltd shares gained nearly 5 percent in intraday trade on Wednesday, after the board of Britannia Industries approved an interim dividend of Rs 72 per share for the financial year 2022-23. Bombay Burmah owns a 50.5 percent stake in Britannia Industries, holding a total of 12.17 crore equity shares of the confectionery company. Both the companies are listed under the Wadia group. Bombay Burmah will receive a total amount of Rs 877 crore in dividend, on account of Britannia Industries interim dividend announcement. Bombay Burmah is a leading firm of the Wadia Group, which has interests in plantations, foods, textiles, chemicals, electronics and light engineering, health care, and real estate. Its market capitalisation stands at Rs 6,000 crore and it owns a stake worth Rs 53,000 crore in Britannia Industries. In February, Bombay Burmahs board decided to divest eight of its coffee estates known as Elkhill Estates to the Ramapuram Group-owned Orange County Resorts and Hotels for Rs 291 crore. Further, Britannias dividend payout follows a 49 percent stake sale in its wholly-owned subsidiary Britannia Dairy, as part of its joint venture agreement with the French company Bel SA for an amount of Rs 262 crore, last year in November. Shares of Bombay Burmah are trading 4.8 percent higher at Rs 872.2. The stock is still down 6.7 percent on a year-to-date basis. One example of what pesticide applicators would face if the state were to lift its preemption on pesticides: the light-shaded asphalt is Denver County; the dark is unincorporated Arapahoe County. The tree in the middle straddles both counties, which raises questions about which pesticide an applicator could use to treat the tree, or how to protect one side of the tree from pesticides that are permitted in one county but not the other. Photo courtesy Alex Brown. Would you like to receive our news updates? Signup today! Sign up to receive notifications when a new Columbia Gorge News e-Edition is published. Error! There was an error processing your request. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Gorge Social Information from the News and our advertisers (Want to add your business to this to this feed?) Are you a current print subscriber to Columbia Gorge News? If so, you qualify for free access to all content on columbiagorgenews.com. Simply verify with your subscriber id to receive free access. Your subscriber id may be found on your bill or mailing label. I've been a reporter and editor at Missouri community newspapers for 35 years and joined the Columbia Missourian in 2003. My emphasis at the Missourian is on local government and elections. You can reach me at swaffords@missouri.edu or at 573-884-5366. Follow this search 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 Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Clayton Vickers is a graduate student at the University of Missouri Journalism School, and through his education there he aspires to become a public-affairs journalist of great renown. Clayton is working in Jefferson City to cover the ongoings of the state legislature and the stories within the community that matter to Missourians. He hopes to utilize his political science background to step into government-accountability reporting that places power into the hands of constituents (at any scale). Clayton will graduate with his master's degree in Spring of 2024 after completing an internship with a reputable publication. The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form 04/04/2023 Photo (c) Stadtratte - Getty Images American, Frontier, and United have cut some flights from their schedules due to delays in delivering new jets and a shortage of pilots. And, nope, were not back in COVID-19, either. Reports from various sources say that the impact will hit both big and small markets alike. A spokesperson for United put the blame on the U.S. pilot shortage thats affecting regional carriers more than long-haulers. But pilots are not the only issue, AirlineWeeklys Edward Russell said. Continuing aircraft delivery delays at Airbus and Boeing have also hamstrung airline schedules; the latest example being Americans decision to suspend flights between Philadelphia and Madrid in May and June due to late Boeing 787 deliveries. Russell says that there's a third problem a shortage of air traffic controllers which caused the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to step in and suspend usage rules for 10% of the slots at airports in New York and Washington, D.C. Frontiers cutting 14 routes Frontier is also chopping some of its routes, but basically because theyre dead weight. A Frontier Airlines spokesperson told The Points Guy that it periodically reviews and updates routes based on demand, seasonality, and other factors. Its not pulling out of 13 of those markets completely, but it is hanging it up in Rochester, N.Y., (ROC) where its bread and butter has been regular flights to and from Orlando. Those flights will cease on May 8. United chops 17 United is completely getting out of Erie, Pa., and will cut 16 other regional routes from its network. The Points Guy reported the changes, outlining everything thats getting taken off the board. They include: Chicago OHare to Bismarck, N.D.; Charlottesville, Va.; Jackson, Miss.; Pasco-Tri-Cities, Wash.; and Redmond, Ore. Denver to Dayton, Ohio. Houston Bush to Alexandria, La.; Columbia, S.C.; and Akron, Ohio Newark to Oklahoma City; Omaha, Neb.; and Knoxville, Tenn. Washington Dulles to Allentown, Pa.; Lexington, Ky.; Madison, Wis.; Oklahoma City; and Pensacola, Fla. Americans cuts hit Philadelphia pretty hard American had already announced plans to eliminate 3,729 flights about 10% from its summer schedule at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). Those flights wont operate from June through August. writes Holden Wilen and Emma Dooling at Philadelphia Business Journal. Do you have a reservation on one of these routes? It's a safe bet that any airline that cuts a flight from its schedule will make things right with the traveler. For example, in American's situation, a spokesperson said anyone whose flights were changed will be granted alternate options and, if theres a traveler who cant be accommodated, refunds will be available because of the airlines schedule-changing policy. You can find United's schedule change policy here, and Frontier's here. In a twist of fate fitting for a movie about dress-up dolls, the upcoming film Barbie will feature Margot Robbie and not Amy Schumer because of a pair of shoes. When Greta Gerwigs Barbie releases in July, the premiere will finally mark the end of almost a decade of development hell for the doll movie about clothes, cars and Kens. After Sony Pictures first acquired the rights to the live-action feature film adaptation of the iconic toy brand in 2014, they unintentionally built a tiny colorful carousel of writers, directors and stars who would join the project for weeks, months or even years before unceremoniously dropping out of the plastic catastrophe. Just one year before Warner Brothers acquired the project in 2018 and righted the ship, Sony nearly, finally moved forward with Schumer writing and starring in the film. However, the studio once again fumbled the sold-separately handbag by refusing to see eye-to-eye with their creative lead, as well as by sending her a stylish and unintentionally insulting gift that showed Schumer exactly what Sony executives thought about women. As memes about the Robbie-led film continue to flood every social media, just remember that Schumer was one at the front of the Barbie-queue. Play Advertisement Back in 2017, Schumer lasted just a few short months on the Barbie project before it became clear to her that Sonys vision for the film was irreconcilable with her own. Schumer and her sister/writing partner Kim Caramele were hired to salvage the script that had been bouncing from writer to writer since Sony first began development on the project, but Schumer quickly realized how little Sony was interested in receiving notes. They definitely didnt want to do it the way I wanted to do it, the only way I was interested in doing it, Schumer told The Hollywood Reporter last year. Supposedly, Sony wanted Barbie to be about a Barbie who was kicked out of Barbieland for not being perfect enough, while Schumer was focused on writing a story that wasnt horrendously trite. Schumer saw her Barbie character as an inventor, framing the film around the characters talents and passions rather than just her appearance. Sony then suggested that Barbie's invention would be seriously a high heel made of Jello. Advertisement To celebrate the ingenuity of their half-idea, Sony sent Schumer a pair of absurdly priced heels from Manolo Blahnik, a luxury brand that sells shoes for up to $5,000 per pair. However, this expensive gesture of intended goodwill indicated to Schumer everything that was wrong with the partnership; The idea that thats just what every woman must want, right there, I should have gone, Youve got the wrong gal, Schumer later said of the gift. Shortly thereafter, Sonys Barbie girl was gone. As hype continues to build for Gerwig and Robbies Barbie movie, its pretty clear from Schumers experience that Sony never should have tried to do a Barbie movie and should have just bought the rights for Trainwreck 2. To this end, what has changed in LTL 2.0 is the design of the funding agreement. The funding agreement in LTL 1.0 was for up to $62 billion, and the funding was to come from both LTLs HoldCo (New JJCI) and J&J. Now in LTL 2.0, the funding agreement is just from HoldCo, and it is for only $8.9 billion. There is a proposed backstop from J&J, but that will require bankruptcy court approval, so LTL claims that it is not part of the good faith analysis. LTLs thinking is that Judge Kaplan previously found that the HoldCo (or at least its predecessor) was in financial distress, so it must be so now, particularly because in January of this year it transferred most of its assetsthe entire J&J consumer business!to the J&J parent. The idea is that the new funding agreemen tisnt really so valuable, so LTL must be in financial distress. The new case is supposedly engineered to comply with the strictures of the Third Circuits decision dismissing the original filing for not being in good faith on account of the debtor not being in financial distress. To recall, LTL found itself hoist on its own petard before the Third Circuit, which noted that its assets included a $62 billion funding agreement, vitiating any claim of financial distress. It took some fast work from our friends at Jones Day to get a second complex chapter 11 case out the door, albeit without any schedules! With the filing came, inter alia, a declaration, a statement by the Debtor regarding its second filing, and a new Adversary Proceeding that seeks the same preliminary injunctive relief for the benefit of some 700 J&J affiliates and favored customers that was achieved in the first LTL case. Here we go again. Precisely one hour and thirty-nine minutes after the dismissal of the bankruptcy filing of LTL, Johnson & Johnsons artificially created talc-liability subsidiary, the company was right back at it again with the filing of a new chapter 11 case in New Jersey, again assigned to Judge Kaplan. LTL gave up its rights to at least $62 billion under the 2021 Funding Agreement in exchange for up to $8.9 billion in backing under the 2023 Funding Agreement. Counting on fingers and toes indicates that $8.9 billion is not reasonably equivalent value to $62 billion. Given the debtors admission that LTL is insolvent, its hard to see how this isnt the mother of all constructive fraudulent transfers. (And frankly, given its purpose of hindering, delaying, or defrauding creditors, the mother of all actual fraudulent transfers as well.) The shifting nature of which entity is contributing to the funding agreement also underscores the manufactured boundaries of the debtor and the manipulation of those boundaries in an attempt to satisfy the financial distress requirement. If the case ends up before the Third Circuit again, this sort of structuringand the general use of bankruptcy as a means of obtaining a litigation advantagewill be an impossible issue to side-step. (2) The transfer of the consumer business from the HoldCo to J&J parent also looks like a fraudulent transfer. And indeed, its pretty brazen; but for the Texas Two-Step, the HoldCo would have been the debtor entity, and such an asset transfer would have required bankruptcy court approval. What we are see, then, is exactly what the critics of the Texas Two-Step complained about: J&J got the benefits of bankruptcy (e.g., the automatic stay and preliminary injunctive relief) without paying the bankruptcy price (e.g., court scrutiny and approval of transactions outside the ordinary course of business). (3) The bankruptcy court might not have subject matter jurisdiction. The Third Circuits decision in LTL tells us that the good faith filing doctrinewhich requires that the debtor entity be in financial distress to get the bankruptcy door openis a subject matter jurisdiction requirement. Absent financial distress, theres no matter for bankruptcy courts to address. None of the first eight filings currently on the docket explain how LTL is in financial distress, a strange omission given the Third Circuits emphasis on financial distress of the debtor being part of the good faith filing analysis. Instead, as before, LTL focuses on the financial situation of its HoldCo. To be sure, LTL lauds its own good faith in the declaration and tries to justify its secondshall we call it brisk? filing on the ground that, with the bankruptcy courts encouragement to continue mediation, it has received support from 60,000 talc claimants to accept an $8.9 billion trust. Missing, however, is an allegation or averment that it already has the 75% vote needed to receive a section 524(g) channeling injunction. Apparently LTL believes this settlement (absent any inquiry into imminent financial distress) is more than enough to invoke the bankruptcy courts subject matter jurisdiction. Query, can LTL settle itself into bankruptcy jurisdiction? Can it settle away the subject matter jurisdiction requirement that it demonstrate imminent financial distress? Settlements are generally favored over litigation but the Third Circuit has articulated quite clearly that bankruptcy is available only to entities facing financial difficulties. Absent that, parties are left to their settlements outside bankruptcy. Otherwise, bankruptcy would be the panacea to the problems with compelling acceptance of settlements outside of bankruptcy that the Supreme Court highlighted in Amchem Products v. Windsor, 521 U.S. 591 (1997) and Ortiz v. Fibreboard, 527 U.S. 815 (1999). So . . . where is the real financial distress that LTL is suffering or will soon suffer? To the extent there is distress this go around, it appears to be only by virtue of LTLs fraudulent transfersswapping out the $62 billion of funding for $8.9 billion and the transfer of the consumer business assets. A key part of LTL 1.0s strategy was to rely on the first crack doctrine to stave off any sort of fraudulent transfer attack on the Texas Two-Step transactions. Will it be able to do so this time? Theres an even stronger case for giving an Official Committee (yet to be formed) derivative status or appointing a Chapter 11 trustee given LTL managements acquiescence to these transactions. As with the original bankruptcy, there are a lot of ways that things could go sideways for LTL. What is clear is that J&J running full speed once more unto the bankruptcy breach is a sign of how desperate it is to resolve its talc liabilities. [*] Tucker Arensberg, P.C. The authors are consultants to certain entities that participate in the LTL bankruptcy. The views expressed herein are their own. It seems that everyone is rushing to embed artificial intelligence into their solutions, and security offerings are among the latest to obtain this shiny new thing. Like many, I see the potential for AI to help bring about positive change, but also its potential as a threat vector. To some, recent AI developments are a laughing matter. On April 1, 2023, that traditional day when technology and social media sites love to pull a fast one on us and engage in often elaborate pranks, the Twitter account for the MITRE ATT&CK platform launched the #attackgpt Twitter bot, which invited users to employ the hashtag #attackgpt, which would generate an AI response to questions about the anti-hacker knowledge base. In reality, it was an April fools prank with MITREs social media team cranking out funny answers in the guise of a chatbot. For many, the rise of the AI chatbots is no joke. The risks of abuse inherent in the deployment of artificial intelligence are nothing new to CISOs companies have begun to establish whole divisions that promise to ensure that AI follows ethical principles. I have a deeper concern: What if the information a security bot provides is just dead wrong? In cybersecurity, it often takes several resources and researchers to come to a conclusion regarding the risk of a security vulnerability. If an AI does not know about the latest threats or vulnerabilities, its contribution to security is flawed and could leave the user exposed. The first assessment is often not the right one Too often in this era of clickbait journalism, I will see overbroad or flat-out wrong articles about security that indicate an issue is more widespread than it is, or an attack is more widespread than it turns out to be. Intrusions are more than likely hitting specific targets and not whole industries these days, but you wouldnt know that based on the headlines. If thats where an AI is getting its input, the output is going to be just as wrong. Often with technology decisions, the first determination of a security problem may not be the correct one. Case in point were the 2021 headlines regarding a cyberattack involving a Florida water treatment plant that had many concerned that attackers could remotely control water systems and damage or poison water systems with too many chemicals. The attacks led to press conferences and even alerts from CISA regarding the potential for attacks. It turns out that the root cause was human behavior and bad security hygiene. Rather than a remote cyberattack, the bad actors got in through by exploiting cybersecurity weaknesses, including poor password security, and an outdated operating system. If ChatGPT based its recommendations and guidance on the initial published security information at the time, it would have told users that a remote attacker was at fault and would provide guidance for protecting systems from remote attacks. In reality, and buried in a long-forgotten follow-up, was the fact that the issue was really the human factor. Instead of actionable guidance on how to investigate human failure, you would receive guidance that, while informative, would not suggest the actual actions required to protect from the real threat at hand. Why accurate AI information matters for Microsoft users The current implementation of GPT-4, the latest version of ChatGPT on which Microsofts artificial intelligence is based, is not aware of current news and information. If you ask it about the Outlook zero-day vulnerability that was patched in the March Office updates, the official ChatGPT interface indicates that it doesnt know about this recent security issue, generating this response: "I'm sorry, but as of my knowledge cutoff date of 2021, there is no information available about CVE-2023-23397. This is likely because it is a hypothetical CVE that has not yet been discovered or assigned. It is important to note that CVEs are unique identifiers assigned to publicly disclosed cybersecurity vulnerabilities, so it is unlikely that a CVE would be assigned to a vulnerability in the future without it first being discovered and publicly disclosed." If you have more information about this CVE, please provide it, and I will do my best to assist you." If you ask the AI of Microsofts Bing search engine about this issue, you receive a better response but still not as precise as can be. It says: CVE-2023-23397 is a critical elevation of privilege vulnerability in Microsoft Outlook on Windows. It is exploited when a threat actor delivers a specially crafted message to a user1. A successful exploit of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized access to an organizations resources. Microsoft has released a patch for this vulnerability and recommends that users apply it immediately. If you think you may have been targeted or compromised by threat actors exploiting CVE-2023-23397, Microsoft has provided guidance for investigating attacks using this vulnerability. Where AI security guidance falls short Heres where I feel the guidance provided by the AI falls down. If you ask Bing AI how to apply the CVE-2023-23397 patch, it states: To apply the patch for CVE-2023-23397, you must install the Outlook security update, regardless of where your mail is hosted (e.g., Exchange Online, Exchange Server, some other platform). If you have a build number equal to or higher than what is shown below, you are good to go. If your build number is lower, then you need to patch via Windows Update. To find your build number, open the application (Outlook, for example) and click on File, Office Account. The build should be towards the middle of your window. The platform does not detail that for many people the Outlook patch is received silently and in the background. Chances are, if they have Microsoft 365 Office installation installed, the security update comes out in the background sometime after the second Tuesday of the month. If you are concerned about systems not receiving click-to-run updates, my recommendation is to use a patch management tool to monitor the versions and build numbers of Office 365 deployments in your office. An alternative means to ensure you are up to date is to deploy a script to workstations to have them check once a week that the 365 deployments are up to date or on an as-needed basis. AI is just not expert enough For Microsoft 365 there is no longer a patch to install, rather the installation process is in the background and silent to the end user. Suddenly the patches are just there. Only if you have an older installation platform that uses MSI installers do you receive a patch on the second Tuesday of the month. Thus, my concern about the use of AI is that it lacks the exactitude for proper security guidance but will provide more general information that doesnt provide sufficiently actionable content. In short, its wrong and will not lead to a good outcome. Artificial intelligence can enhance the best and the worst of human behavior. It can provide us with actionable information or base its findings on inaccurate conclusions based on assumptions it gathers from incorrect conclusions. Microsofts Security Copilot, which will include AI, has so far merely been discussed and has yet to be released. You can rest assured that Ill be interested to see if it can gather the best, most up-to-date security guidance and cull out the worst. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) A federal grand jury has indicted a New Mexico man on assault and carjacking charges in connection with the 2021 disappearance of a Native American woman whose case has helped to raise awareness about missing people and unsolved slayings in Indian Country. The indictment naming Preston Henry Tolth, 23, was unsealed Tuesday. He is scheduled to appear before a federal magistrate Friday in northern Arizona for a detention hearing and formal arraignment. Federal prosecutors alleged that Tolth assaulted Ella Mae Begay, a Navajo woman who was 62 at the time, took her pickup truck and drove it across state lines. Begay has not been found. This indictment is an important first step in determining the truth about what happened to an elderly victim on the Navajo Nation, U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino of Arizona said in a statement, stressing that the investigation was ongoing. Begay's truck was seen the morning of June 15, 2021, leaving her home in the remote community of Sweetwater on the Navajo Nation, not far from where Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado meet. A year after Begay disappeared, her niece began walking from the Navajo Nation to Washington D.C. to bring attention to a decades-long epidemic of violence that has disproportionately affected Indigenous people. Attorney Darlene Gomez, who is representing Begay's family, said in a social media post that the indictment marked a bittersweet development for family members. Gomez said the family appreciates the prayers and support from those who have followed Begay's case and shared her story in hopes of bringing her home. The investigation into Begay's disappearance is part of the U.S. Department of Justices efforts to address cases involving missing and slain Native Americans. Navajo Nation authorities had previously identified Tolth as a person of interest in the case. Luke Mulligan, a federal public defender for Tolth, declined to comment on the case Tuesday. New Mexico court records show Tolth has a criminal history that includes charges of aggravated battery, resisting arrest, residential burglary and drug possession that date back to 2019. He already was in custody pending the outcome of a 2022 case in which he was accused of stealing a man's wallet while armed with some kind of sharp weapon, court records show. Begay's family members have met with U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, who recently joined Justice Department officials in hosting the first in-person session of the Not Invisible Act Commission in Washington. The commission will be holding field hearings across the U.S. this year as it develops recommendations for preventing and responding to violence affecting tribal communities. UNITED NATIONS (AP) Russias commissioner for childrens rights, who is being sought for war crimes for deporting children from Ukraine, told a U.N. meeting Wednesday that the children were taken for their safety and Moscow is coordinating with international organizations to return them to their families. Ambassadors from Western countries boycotted the informal U.N. Security Council meeting, sending low-level diplomats instead. Diplomats from the United States, Britain, Albania and Malta walked out when the commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova, started to address the meeting by video link. The International Criminal Court last month issued an arrest warrant for her and Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing them of abducting children from Ukraine. Russia, which holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council this month, called the meeting to counter what it claims is disinformation about the Ukrainian children. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters before the session that the United States strongly opposed the briefing and joined the United Kingdom in blocking the United Nations from outside broadcast of the meeting. Lvova-Belova should not be allowed to have an international podium to spread disinformation and to try to defend her horrible actions that are taking place in Ukraine, Thomas-Greenfield said. An Associated Press investigation, published in October, on Lvova-Belovas involvement in the abduction of Ukrainian found the open effort to put Ukrainian children up for adoption in Russia was well underway. The exact number of Ukrainian children taken to Russia has been difficult to determine. A statement posted Wednesday on Twitter by Ukraine's U.N. ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, said more than 19,500 children had been seized from their families or orphanages and forcibly deported. Russias ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, said the aim of Wednesday's meeting was to unmask the blatant double-standards of the West." Part of this propaganda campaign is the hushing up by the West of the fact that in European countries Ukrainian refugees are having their children taken away, he said. Videos were then shown of some women claiming their children had been taken in Europe. Nebenzia also insisted that contrary to Western claims there have been no forced adoptions." He said some Ukrainian children are in foster care and claimed there were no obstacles for them to maintain contact with their families in Ukraine. The AP investigation found Russian officials deported Ukrainian children to Russia without their parents' consent, lied to them that they werent wanted by their parents, used them for propaganda, and gave them Russian families and citizenship. Since Feb. 24, 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, Lvova-Belova said Russia has taken in more than 5 million Ukrainians, including 700,000 children all with parents, relatives or legal guardians except for 2,000 from orphanages in the eastern Donbas. To date, she said, about 1,300 children have been returned to their orphanages, 400 were sent to Russian orphanages and 358 were placed in foster homes. Lvova-Belova said there has been no official communication with Ukrainian authorities about the children, but she said her office has met with representatives of UNICEF, Refugees International and the Red Cross and provided all available information about the children. She said Russia was coordinating with the Red Cross on reunification. Sarah Sheffer, vice president for strategic outreach at Refugees International, denied this. She said Russia has not consulted with her organization about the Ukrainian children. UNICEF and the International Committee of the Red Cross, which is responsible for reuniting families, did not respond immediately to requests for confirmation of Lvova-Belovas comments. __ Follow APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BEIRUT (AP) Suspected Israeli airstrikes in Syria in recent weeks have killed two Iranian military advisers, temporarily put the countrys two largest airports out of service, and raised fears of regional escalation. While Israel has fought a shadow war with Iran in Syria for years, it has intensified recently, with near-daily airstrikes attributed to Israel by Syrian officials over the past week. The escalation of attacks comes after what appears to be a rare infiltration by an armed man from Lebanon into Israel and Irans reconciliation with regional rival Saudi Arabia last month. It also comes against the backdrop of a major domestic crisis in Israel over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government plan to overhaul the judiciary. Israel, which has vowed to stop Iranian entrenchment in neighboring Syria, has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets in government-controlled parts of that country in recent years but rarely acknowledges them. Since the beginning of 2023, Syrian officials have attributed 10 strikes on Syrian territory to Israel, including four airstrikes within five days as of Tuesday. The United States, Israels closest ally, has had its own recent run-ins with Iranian forces in Syria. In late March, U.S. forces retaliated with airstrikes on sites in Syria used by groups affiliated with Irans Revolutionary Guard following a suspected Iran-linked drone attack that killed a U.S. contractor and wounded six other Americans in northeast Syria. An official with an Iranian-backed group in Iraq said the U.S. strikes killed seven Iranians. The flareup between the U.S. and Iran did not escalate, but some fear the back-and-forth between Israel and Iran could. Since the early years of Syrias 12-year-old conflict, Iran has deployed hundreds of military advisers as well as thousands of Iran-backed fighters from countries including Iraq and Lebanon who helped tip the balance of power in President Bashar Assads favor. Iran-backed fighters are deployed in different parts of Syria. Israel has long considered Iran to be its top enemy, citing Iranian calls for Israel's destruction, its support for anti-Israel militant groups like Hezbollah and its nuclear program. Israel and Western countries say Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapons a charge Iran denies. Iran has blamed Israel for attacks on its territory, including the killings of some of its nuclear scientists and damage to nuclear installations. The airstrikes in Syria reflect Israel's concerns about fighters being deployed close to its northern border and fears that Iran is trying to transfer sophisticated weapons, such as guided missiles, to Hezbollah. Both Israel and Hezbollah have avoided an all-out war since their 34-day war in 2006 ended with a draw. Israel considers Hezbollah, which is believed to possess over 130,000 rockets and missiles, to be a major threat. Lebanese military expert and former army general Hisham Jaber said Iran has about 1,800 military advisers in Syria, most of them deployed with Syrian troops. The increase in strikes on Syria began with a Jan. 2 attack that temporarily put Damascus airport out of service, just after the most right-wing government in Israels 74-year history took office. The strikes continued despite mass protests in Israel, including open disagreement between Netanyahu and his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, over the government's controversial plans for a judicial overhaul. At one point, Netanyahu fired Gallant for criticizing the plan, but then backtracked and temporarily halted the push for the overhaul until parliament reconvenes in a month. The two men have made a number of public appearances in recent days, alluding to military activity in Syria without overtly confirming it. We will not allow the Iranians and Hezbollah to harm us. We have not allowed it in the past, we wont allow it now, or anytime in the future, Gallant said this week. When necessary, we will push them out of Syria to where they belong and that is Iran. Jaber, however, said he believes the recent strikes will not turn into a full-blown conflict, in part because the U.S. -- which is preoccupied with the ongoing war in Ukraine and its own tensions with China -- would try to discourage a regional war. Strikes attributed to Israel in Syria in recent weeks have targeted both Iranian-linked figures and infrastructure. They have hit the airports of Damascus and Aleppo, a move which was apparently intended to prevent the flow of arms shipments into Syria, but which also disrupted aid shipments after the deadly Feb. 6 earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey. On Feb. 19, the first reported Israeli strikes after the earthquake targeted residential areas in Syrias capital Damascus, killing at least five people and wounding 15. Opposition activists said the strikes targeted Iranian-backed militias. In mid-March, the Israeli army said its soldiers had killed an armed man suspected of entering the country from Lebanon and blowing up a car. The incident, which wounded one Israeli, unnerved Israelis. Officials suspect the man infiltrated from Lebanon and may have been dispatched by Hezbollah or directly by Iran. A few days after the alleged infiltration, a commander with the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad was shot dead outside his apartment building near Damascus in what the group described as an assassination by Israeli agents. Last Tuesday, Netanyahu said Israel's intelligence agency Mossad helped Greece prevent a terrorist attack planned against at least one Jewish site in Athens. Greek authorities said two men described as being of Pakistani origin were arrested for allegedly planning an attack on a Jewish center. On Friday, an Israeli strike on a southern suburb of Damascus killed two advisers from Iran's Revolutionary Guard. Hours later, Israels air force shot down a drone that entered Israel from Syria and alleged that Iran was behind its launch. Yoel Guzansky, an Iran expert and senior fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv think tank, said Israels stepped-up action in recent weeks could be in response to the recent alleged infiltration from Lebanon. Guzansky noted that Iran rarely acknowledges the death of its officers and advisers as quickly as it did after Friday's attack. He said the swift public acknowledgement could signal that "Iran will avenge or respond to the Israeli attacks, possibly targeting Israelis abroad. An official with an Iran-backed group in the region warned that if Israel continues with the strikes, Tehran and its allies will retaliate. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the issue with the media. Irans semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted the Revolutionary Guard as saying that the killing of two Iranian advisers will definitely not pass without retaliation. ___ Federman reported from Jerusalem. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BLUMENAU, Brazil (AP) A man with a hatchet burst into a day care center Wednesday in Brazil, killing four children, authorities said, in an attack that shook the country and put pressure on the government to curb a rising tide of violence. At least four other children were wounded in the attack in Blumenau, a city of 366,000 in southern Brazil, near the Atlantic coast. The assailant, who got inside by jumping over a wall, turned himself in at a police station, officials said. He did not appear to have any connection with the center, which offers nursery services, preschool education and after-school activities. The dead were between the ages of 5 and 7, authorities said. Authorities were searching for a motive, the police detective leading the investigation, Ronnie Esteves, told television reporters. Hours after the attack, the justice and education ministers pledged to invest in new violence-prevention efforts. Valeria Aparecida Camilo, the mother of 5-year-old girl at the center, said she was working when a colleague saw the news. She called her husband, Gustavo, who rushed to the school and later learned that his daughter had survived. The moment I saw her, it was a relief, Gustavo Camilo told The Associated Press outside the center. But we feel sorry for everything that has happened, with the other kids who wound up dying. They have no cruelty, theyre kids, Valeria added. Theyre 5 years old. What did a 5-year-old do to this person? Franciele Chequeto said one of the girls killed was friends with her 7-year-old son, Gabriel. He wasnt understanding, Chequeto said. I sat down and told him that he no longer will be able to see some of his little friends. The state's civil police chief, Ulisses Gabriel, confirmed that the attacker was a 25-year-old man from neighboring Parana state. He will be charged with murder and attempted murder. Police believe the attack was an isolated act and not related to any other crimes, Gabriel said. Images broadcast on networks showed weeping parents outside the private day care center called Cantinho do Bom Pastor. The attack took place on the center's playground, according to the local affiliate of television network Globo. NSC, the affiliate, showed a photo of the suspect with a closely shaved head. Police have yet to confirm his identity. Blumenau's mayor, Mario Hildebrandt, suspended classes and said he will declare a 30-day mourning period. Authorities said any reports of other attacks or threats against schools in the region were false. School attacks in Brazil have happened with greater frequency in recent years. Last week, a student in Sao Paulo fatally stabbed a teacher and wounded several others in Sao Paulo. Brazil has seen at least one past attack on a day care center. That attack also occurred in Santa Catarina state, in May 2021, when an assailant used a dagger to kill three children under 2 years old and two adults. From 2000 to 2022, 16 attacks or violent episodes happened in schools, four of them in the second half of last year, according to a report from researchers led by Daniel Cara, an education professor at the University of Sao Paulo. The 12 researchers comprised of psychologists, social scientists, public school educators, journalists and activists prepared the report for the government of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Brazilian Justice Minister Flavio Dino told reporters in Brasilia that he was directing 150 million reais ($30 million) from the nations public security fund to shore up school safety. That money will pay for both heightened policing and an expansion of a Brasilia-based team for the monitoring of deep-web communities, he said. Earlier Wednesday, Dino met with representatives from student associations. Meanwhile, Education Minister Camilo Santana announced the creation of a group to address school violence. Santana will lead the group, which is scheduled to meet for the first time Thursday. There is no single factor to explain the rise of such attacks, but a common denominator is what Cara calls a crisis of perspective regarding economic problems and the likelihood that each assailant endured situations of frustration and violence, including bullying and harassment. Given the lack of perspective and the way they were victimized," they get recruited by online communities and seek a way to take revenge on society, Cara told the AP by phone. They are usually young people who have a masculinist, misogynistic, racist discourse, who worship neo-Nazi and fascist symbols, and who navigate in communities where violence is glorified, Cara added. Experts say April is a particularly sensitive month for school attacks as it concentrates the anniversaries of the 1999 Columbine school shooting in the U.S. and a shooting in a school in Rio de Janeiro's metropolitan area in 2011. These events are glorified in violent communities and can act as triggers for new attacks, Cara said. There are no words to console the families. Anyone who has lost a relative knows that there are no words, a teary-eyed President Lula said Wednesday at the outset of a ministerial meeting. He requested his ministers observe a minute of silence. In 2019, a bacterial infection claimed the life of Lulas grandson, who was 7 years old the same age as one of the victims in Blumenau. ___ Martins reported from Sao Paulo. Associated Press Writer David Biller in Rio de Janeiro also contributed to this report. DOVER, Del. (AP) The upcoming trial in a voting machine companys defamation lawsuit against Fox News for airing false allegations of vote fraud in the 2020 presidential election will not include testimony about the Jan. 6 uprising at the U.S. Capitol, a judge ruled Wednesday. Denver-based Dominion Voting Systems claims that Fox program hosts, with the knowledge of executives for both Fox News and parent company Fox Corp., repeatedly allowed allies of former President Donald Trump to falsely claim that the machines and the software the company used were responsible for Trumps election loss. Documents released during the lawsuit have shown that top Fox executives and personalities didnt believe the claims but aired them anyway. I dont see Jan. 6 as relevant in this case, Superior Court Judge Eric Davis said during a hearing Wednesday. I know that probably shocks everyone. The trial is set to begin April 17. Davis ruled last week that the statements that were aired were false, but he said a jury must decide whether Fox News acted with actual malice, whether Fox Corp. participated in the publication of the statements, and whether Dominion is entitled to any damages. Dominion is seeking $1.6 billion. Dominion has specifically alleged that it was defamed by comments made on 17 programs that aired between Nov. 8, 2020, and Jan. 26, 2021, and in three tweets from former Fox Business Network host Lou Dobbs. Davis noted that only one of the challenged programs aired after Jan. 6, and that it contained no mention of the uprising. That show was a Jan. 26 Tucker Carlson program in which My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell complained that he was the victim of cancel culture and asserted that he had found evidence of machine fraud. What parties were thinking in January is not very relevant, if at all, to what happened in November and December, the judge said, adding that allowing any testimony about Jan. 6 could result in unfair prejudice to Fox. Fox is not the cause of Jan. 6 in its relation to Dominion, Davis added. I do think thats a really big issue that has to be stayed away from. Dominion alleged in its complaint that some Fox viewers believed the lies about the company "with such devotion that they took the fight from social media to the United States Capitol and at rallies across the country to #StopTheSteal, inflicting violence, terror, and death along the way." In another ruling, Davis denied requests from Dominion attorneys to compel certain executives for Fox News and Fox Corp., including several producers, to testify in person at the trial. Under Delaware law, Davis can compel officers, directors and managing agents of a Delaware corporation to appear in court to testify. He has already indicated that he can compel court appearances by Fox Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch, CEO Lachlan Murdoch, director Paul Ryan, and Viet Dinh, chief legal and policy officer. Fox attorneys have nevertheless argued that 92-year-old Rupert Murdoch should not be forced to testify in person after having been deposed for seven hours. Meanwhile, Dominion asked Davis to compel live testimony of six other Fox officials, arguing that their high-level positions and discretionary acts made them managing agents for the defendants. The judge said he could compel the appearance only of Tom Lowell, senior executive vice president and managing editor for both Fox News and Fox Business. In doing so, he noted that Lowell had previously been chosen by Fox News to be deposed as a representative of the company. Dominion was unsuccessful in seeking to compel live testimony from Fox officials including Jerry Andrews, executive producer of the Justice with Judge Jeanine Pirro show, and Gary Schreier, senior vice president of programming for Fox Business. They also sought to force live testimony from Irena Briganti senior vice president of corporate communications for Fox News Media; Ron Mitchell, vice president of primetime programming and analytics, and Raj Shah, a senior vice president at Fox Corp. who is responsible for brand protection. Davis refused to force those officials to travel to Delaware, but noted that Dominion could still seek to introduce their testimony through depositions, or even remotely through Zoom. The judge ended the hearing by encouraging attorneys to make final decisions on whom they plan to call as live witnesses, so that court personnel can begin making any necessary security preparations. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) Democratic New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a bill Wednesday that protects providers of abortions from related prosecution, professional disciplinary action or extradition attempts by out-of-state interests. A companion abortion-rights bill signed in March guarantees access to reproductive health care in response to a string of anti-abortion ordinances by cities and counties in eastern New Mexico where opposition to abortion access runs deep. New Mexico is increasingly seen as a destination for abortion patients traveling from states including Texas that have banned abortion, or those imposing major restrictions. I think there is a lot of fear there, said Democratic state Sen. Siah Correa Hemphill of Silver City, a school psychologist and cosponsor of the newly signed bill. We want to make sure New Mexico is a state that is safe for women and safe for health care workers. The new law also protects medical providers when it comes to gender-affirming health care without regard to the age of patients, in a counterpoint to new laws restricting or banning such care in at least a dozen other states. Indianas Republican governor signed a bill Wednesday banning all gender-affirming care for minors. Gender-affirming health care is defined under the New Mexico legislation as psychological, behavioral, surgical, pharmaceutical and other medical treatment for distress caused by a persons gender assigned at birth not matching the gender with which they identify. Lujan Grisham has framed safeguards for abortion access in New Mexico in a broader context as a cornerstone of women's equality and democratic engagement. She said Wednesday that medical professionals need legal protections to ensure continued public access to abortion in the tumultuous wake of the Dobbs v. Jackson decision that struck down the constitutional right to abortion and allows states to set limits on access. This is a state thats going to stand with the men and women who provide our care. Were clear about our rights. Were clear about our choices, Lujan Grisham said at a news conference alongside eight female state legislators who sponsored abortion-access legislation. If we dont protect providers, you can say they have access (to abortion) when it fact you do not." In 2021, New Mexicos Democrat-led Legislature passed a measure to repeal a dormant 1969 statute that outlawed most abortion procedures, which ensured access to abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year. More recently, two counties and three cities in eastern New Mexico adopted ordinances that restrict abortion access, reflecting deep-seated opposition to offering the procedure. The New Mexico Supreme Court last week blocked those local anti-abortion ordinances pending the outcome of a legal challenge by the state attorney general. Eve Espey, chairwoman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of New Mexico, said the law signed on Wednesday guards against attempts to sanction or discipline medical professionals involved in abortion procedures. Now we can tell our providers that we can continue to do this work, she said at Wednesday's news conference. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WARSAW, Poland (AP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy won new pledges of military and economic cooperation Wednesday on a state visit to staunch ally Poland, and he also said that Kyiv's troops battling in the eastern city of Bakhmut could pull out if they face a threat of being encircled by Russian forces. Polish President Andrzej Duda said Warsaw has provided four Soviet-designed MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, with four more in the process of being handed over and another six being prepared. At a news conference with his Polish counterpart, Zelenskyy described the perils in the grinding siege of Bakhmut, which has been all but destroyed by eight months of fighting that also has cost many lives on both sides. "For me, the most important issue is our military, he said. And certainly, if there is a moment of even hotter events and the danger that we may lose personnel due to the encirclement, there will certainly be corresponding correct decisions of the general on the ground. I n a recent interview with The Associated Press, Zelenskyy underscored the importance of defending Bakhmut, saying its fall could allow Russia to rally international support for a deal that could require Ukraine to make unacceptable compromises. During his visit to Warsaw a rare wartime foray out of Ukraine for Zelenskyy both countries sought to forge a tighter relationship in defiance of Russias full-scale war against Kyiv that has reshaped international alliances. Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, said Moscows relations with Washington are in deep crisis as the U.S. has led its allies in supplying aid and weapons to Ukraine. Speaking at a ceremony where he accepted diplomatic credentials from ambassadors of 17 nations, including the U.S., Putin alleged that Washingtons support for the 2014 protests in Kyiv that ousted a pro-Kremlin president led to Russias sending troops into Ukraine. Zelenskyy said at his news conference with Duda that his government would extend a hearty welcome to Polish businesses seeking to help Ukraine's postwar rebuilding, which the World Bank has estimated could cost $411 billion. He met later with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and signed agreements on developing Ukrainian infrastructure that opens a door for hundreds of Polish companies. Poland heaped military honors and praise on Zelenskyy as it welcomed him and his wife on a joint visit, during which they thanked the country for its crucial military support as well as being a haven for Ukrainian refugees. The former Soviet satellite that is now a member of the European Union and NATO feels especially threatened by Russia and has been a leading advocate for aid to Kyiv. Zelenskyy said the countries signed a new defense package for the delivery of Polish weaponry. They will also set up joint manufacturing plants for weapons and ammunition, he said. Morawiecki said Zelenskyy's visit was extremely important because we are shaping the picture of Europe for the future. The Kremlin and Putin, Moscow wanted an end to Ukraine, but today we can see that this war initiates the end of an aggressive Russia, of the Russia that we know, and (marks) a start of a completely new Europe. This is the beginning of a completely new Europe. Earlier, Zelenskyy and Duda said they wanted to leave behind any World War II-era grievances that linger in Ukraine and Poland. There are no taboo topics between us, Duda said. "There are still open wounds in the memory of many people. While Zelenskyy also traveled to the United States, Britain, France and Belgium, the trip to Poland stood out because it was announced in advance and undertaken without the secrecy of past foreign trips. It also was the first time Zelenskyy and first lady Olena Zelenska traveled abroad together since the war began in February 2022, said Marcin Przydacz, head of Dudas foreign policy office. Duda awarded Zelenskyy Polands oldest and highest civilian distinction, The Order of the White Eagle. We have no doubt that your attitude, together with the bravery of the nation, has saved Ukraine, the Polish president told Zelenskyy. At a ceremony in the courtyard of the presidential palace, Duda and the two countries first ladies were dressed in formal attire, while Zelenskyy wore the military-style sweatshirt and khaki trousers that have become his uniform since the invasion. His trips to London, Paris and Brussels in February were part of his push for warplanes and for his country admission to the EU and NATO, and his visit to Washington in December was intended to shore up U.S. support. Both presidents addressed a cheering and flag-waving crowd of Poles and Ukrainians gathered in the Royal Castle yard in Warsaw. A larger gathering watched on screens outside the castle. Duda and Zelenskyy took on a personal tone as they quoted words from each others national anthems and stressed their unity. Volodymyr, you are a hero of the free world, Duda said. Were sending a clear message to Moscow, you wont be able to divide us. Duda added that Ukraine alone will decide the conditions on which it would enter any peace talks. The only conditions that world leaders should be demanding from Russia are the complete pullout of Russian troops from Ukraines territory, he said. There is no question of of any negotiations above the Ukrainians heads. Zelenskyy said the war has brought the two nations together. The same way that we are standing together, Poland, in this war, we will be rejoicing together in peace, arm in arm, in everything, together in the European Union, together in NATO, Zelenskyy said to cheering. Zelenskyy traveled through Poland on his previous foreign trips, but until now had not made it his sole destination. The country that has been a major cheerleader for Kyiv, a transit hub for weapons and humanitarian aid, and a safe haven for hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing the war. The visit highlighted Poland's rising role in a new international security order emerging from the war. Warsaw wants to modernize its military by purchasing tanks and other equipment from U.S. and South Korean producers. The U.S. has also bolstered its military presence in Poland. Zelenskyy's visit came at a delicate time, when Polish farmers are increasingly angry over Ukrainian grain that has entered the country and created a glut, causing prices to fall. The grain is only meant to be stored temporarily before being sent to markets in North Africa and the Middle East, but farmers say it is taking up space in silos and entering Polish markets, causing local prices to fall. Romanian and Bulgarian farmers have the same complaint. Zelenskyy and Morawiecki said they had reached a deal to resolve the problem but gave no details. The issue has been a headache for Morawiecki's government ahead of fall elections, particularly since his conservative ruling party, Law and Justice, gets much of its support in rural areas. Agriculture Minister Henryk Kowalczyk, the focus of the farmers' anger, resigned Wednesday. In Ukraine, the military authorities said Russian forces in the previous 24 hours had launched 47 airstrikes, three missile strikes and 42 attacks from multiple rocket launchers. At least four civilians were killed and 16 others wounded in that period, Zelenskyy's office reported. Also on Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry accused Ukraine and its allies of trying to affect Russian civilian communications satellites and threatened that Moscow could respond in kind. It didnt offer any specifics. Meanwhile, a small plane, apparently from Ukraine, crash-landed in a field in the neighboring Russian region of Bryansk, and its pilot was detained, according to Russia's Federal Security Service. ___ Associated Press writer Yuras Karmanau in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Stop & Shop is closing its Greenwich store in the town's Glenville district only a few years after Wegmans opened its first supermarket in Westchester County, an easy drive for many in Greenwich. As of Wednesday morning, no signs were readily apparent in the store announcing the closure, but a Stop & Shop spokesperson confirmed the plan to CT Insider, stating the store "was not meeting financial expectations" without further elaboration. The spokesperson stated the "closure is not indicative of any future operational plans for Stop & Shop stores in Fairfield or Westchester counties" in response to a CT Insider query. Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo told CT Insider he is already exploring a potential grocery store replacement. A onetime post office building adjacent to Stop & Shop has been rebuilt with four retail suites, all of them vacant as curbs and other details are completed. The Stop & Shop store has a smaller layout than many in the chain, similar to that of Trader Joe's, which has a location on High Ridge Road in Stamford. Several other chains have been expanding the past several years in Connecticut with larger supermarkets, including ShopRite, which has Stamford store; Caraluzzi's, which recently opened a new supermarket in Danbury; and Big Y World Class Market, which has several stores in eastern Fairfield County. Whole Foods Market has a store in downtown Greenwich and another on the way in Stamford, and Camillo expressed doubt that the Glenville location would be suitable for discount grocer Aldi, which has been in expansion mode in Connecticut. Camillo added he has heard no interest from Amazon for any Amazon Fresh location in Greenwich. "I reached out to a friend who is in touch with a store that may fit perfectly there to see if there would be any interest," Camillo told CT Insider on Wednesday in reference to the Stop & Shop location. "Glenville deserves to have a shopping center." The June 15 closure will impact 60 employees, with supermarket and retail hiring still strong this spring but economic signals mixed heading into the summer months. Employees are being given the opportunity to transfer to other Stop & Shop locations. Based in Quincy, Mass., as a subsidiary of Ahold Delhaize, Stop & Shop is the largest supermarket operator in Connecticut with nearly 90 stores statewide, including a second Greenwich location on West Putnam Avenue and another under construction just over the Stamford line. Since Wegmans opened in August 2020 in Harrison, N.Y., no shortage of Connecticut license plates have been evident in the Wegmans parking lot, which about 10 minutes west from Stop & Shop. The Rochester, N.Y.-based giant is planning to open its first Connecticut store in Norwalk on Connecticut Avenue in close proximity to Stop & Shop, ShopRite and Trader Joe's just over the Darien line. In addition to Stop & Shop and Whole Foods Market, Greenwich has a thriving grocery scene with Acme Market, Citarella Gourmet Market, Balducci's and Kings Food Markets among the options. And several more are just over the Greenwich line in Stamford and Westchester County, including Costco in Port Chester. "ShopRite does very well in Stamford; Whole Foods does very well; Trader Joe's does very well," Camillo said. "I would certainly urge the property owner to please look at replacing Stop & Shop with another grocery store and to that end, I'll do all I can to reach out to potential businesses that could fit the bill there." When a person dies suddenly from cardiac arrest especially if they are young family members often struggle to understand what happened. How well death investigators and health care professionals communicate with family members about the causes of sudden cardiac deaths may influence their decision to seek screening for inherited heart conditions, according to a new study, published Tuesday in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. "Sudden cardiac deaths in young people are rarely expected, leaving families with many questions," study co-lead author Katherine S. Allan said in a news release. Allan is a researcher in the division of cardiology at Unity Health Toronto-St. Michael's Hospital in Ontario, Canada. "Our findings suggest that the communication formats, methods and processes, along with other external factors, such as funeral costs and unpaid time off from work, may influence family members' decisions to seek follow-up screening," she said. "More families may go for follow-up screening if their risk is adequately explained by a health care professional and if other external factors are manageable." Sudden cardiac death takes 4 million to 5 million lives globally each year. In 2020, it caused more than 436,000 U.S. deaths, according to AHA statistics. When sudden cardiac death happens to a person under 45, it is usually due to an underlying heart condition, such as a structural abnormality in the heart or an irregular rhythm. These conditions may be hereditary. The study says various heart societies worldwide recommend genetic testing for all first-degree relatives of people who die from sudden cardiac arrest to determine whether they also are at risk from an underlying heart condition. In the new study, researchers in Canada interviewed 19 parents, siblings, adult children and spouses of 12 people, ages 12 to 45, who had a sudden cardiac death caused by a genetic heart condition between 2014 and 2018 in Ontario. They asked questions about the family members' experiences learning about their relative's cause of death, understanding their own risk for genetic heart conditions and whether to pursue screening for these conditions. Participants said they relied on communication from death investigators and health care professionals to understand why their relative died and whether they also were at risk. Several said they felt overwhelmed by a "whirlwind" of emotions after the death and that receiving information in multiple formats, such as in-person, by phone and in writing, helped them retain it better. "These findings emphasize the importance that any death investigator and health care professional who interacts with families after the death of a loved one should provide clear and accurate information about the cause of death in plain language, answer questions as they arise and understand that this discussion may need to be repeated multiple times due to the 'fog of grief' experienced by bereaved families," Allan said. In an editorial accompanying the study, Kimberly Dukes and Dr. Saket Girotra wrote that the new research highlights an important and currently unmet need. "Although our scientific understanding of genetic causes of (sudden cardiac death) has advanced rapidly, our knowledge of how to communicate this information to help families understand the cause of their loved ones' death and navigate their own personal risk has lagged," they wrote. Dukes is an anthropologist in the department of general internal medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. Girotra is an associate professor in the division of cardiovascular diseases at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Neither was part of the study. The study was limited to the experiences of people living in Canada, where coroners are required by law to investigate all sudden and unexpected deaths. In the U.S., requirements for which deaths are investigated or undergo autopsy vary by state. However, the study authors said their findings may still be applied to other populations. Copyright is owned or held by the American Heart Association, Inc., and all rights are reserved. Permission is granted, at no cost and without need for further request, for individuals, media outlets, and non-commercial education and awareness efforts to link to, quote, excerpt or reprint from these stories in any medium as long as no text is altered and proper attribution is made to American Heart Association News. Other uses, including educational products or services sold for profit, must comply with the American Heart Associations Copyright Permission Guidelines. See full terms of use. These stories may not be used to promote or endorse a commercial product or service. HEALTH CARE DISCLAIMER: This site and its services do not constitute the practice of medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always talk to your health care provider for diagnosis and treatment, including your specific medical needs. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem or condition, please contact a qualified health care professional immediately. If you are in the United States and experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or call for emergency medical help immediately. EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) A hospital has released the last of five students who were wounded in February in a shooting at Michigan State University, police said Tuesday. The student was in critical condition for weeks at Sparrow Hospital but was stable when transported to another facility, MSU police said on Twitter. No other details were released. BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (AP) A man accused of killing a mid-Michigan woman with a crossbow was charged with first-degree murder Tuesday. Officers were called Sunday to a home on reports that a woman had been shot, the Battle Creek Police Department said. Kori-Lee Moser, 44, was found injured and taken to a hospital, where she later died, officers said. Joel Wagner, 59, was arrested and lodged in the Calhoun County Jail for allegedly shooting Moser with the crossbow, police said. Wagner and Moser had been living together at the home, Battle Creek city spokesman Eric McClure said. It wasn't clear whether Wagner has an attorney who might comment on the accusations against him. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Former Bridgeport Schools Superintendent Paul Vallas lost his bid Tuesday to be the next mayor of Chicago, conceding to Brandon Johnson in a race that focused heavily on crime. The win for Johnson, who was backed by the teachers union, was a victory for progressive Democrats. Voters appeared to reject the tough-on-crime messaging from Vallas, who was backed by the police union. Johnson, 47, will succeed Lori Lightfoot, who was the first Black woman and first openly gay person to lead Chicago. This campaign that I ran to bring the city together would not be a campaign that fulfills my ambitions if this election is going to divide us, Vallas told his supporters Tuesday night after conceding in the runoff election. Vallas led the Bridgeport school district from 2011 to 2013. He left after a state judge ruled he was not qualified for the position, a decision that came after an activist filed a lawsuit claiming Vallas did not take a required school leadership course. Vallas was appointed interim superintendent in Bridgeport in 2011 after the state took control of the district and appointed new members of the Board of Education. The new board then hired him for the role. Critics claimed Vallas, who previously oversaw Philadelphia schools during a large-scale experiment in privatization, was also trying to privatize Bridgeport by promoting charter schools. In 2012, the Connecticut Supreme Court overruled the state's control of the school district. In April 2013, former state judge and Bridgeport activist Carmen Lopez filed a lawsuit, alleging Vallas was unqualified to serve as superintendent. At the time, school superintendents were required to complete a 13-month leadership course only available through the University of Connecticut. To avoid that requirement, the legislature passed a law that allowed Vallas to take a leadership course from any public or private college in Connecticut. Vallas ended up taking what amounted to an independent study. The actual course included three meetings, several phone calls and six papers over the course of 10 weeks, according to court records from the lawsuit. Vallas later testified "that the work, although done over the course of 10 weeks while fulfilling his employment as acting superintendent, could have been completed in a week." The Associated Press contributed to this story. On Feb. 18, some Eugene residents woke up to flyers and pamphlets spread across their driveways and yards. Once again, a national antisemitic group had spread their propaganda in Eugene. They're usually in a plastic baggie of some sort and weighted down with something, Officer Chris Harrison of the Eugene Police Department said. Harrison said there had been other incidents recently in the north Eugene area off of River Road and Springfield. He said he recognizes that the propaganda and packaging are similar to a more national trend spreading across the United States. The rhetoric in the flyers and the photos and the packaging looks almost identical to many, many cases across the country. So we looked at them, and obviously, our take is that we don't condone that type of hate speech in our city or county or community in general, Harrison said. According to Harrison, although EPD does not condone the message being spread, there is no criminal offense associated with spreading these pamphlets. It's awful. I wish it didn't happen, but it's not a criminal thing, he said. While there are no confirmed hate groups residing in Lane County, according to Harrison, he does recognize there are people within the community who sympathize with the message being spread in these flyers. The flyers could have come from someone outside the local community, he said. It could very well be someone that you know, passed through and hit communities all up and down I-5, Harrison said. Harrison said EPD usually meets with the Human Rights Commission once a month to talk about trends and cases. EPD has a long standing relationship with leaders in the Jewish community, Harrison said, which is one of the things theyre doing to combat the rise of antisemitism. According to Harrison, EPD works closely with the FBI to follow the trends of these antisemitic groups. FBI Special Agent Ryan Dwyer is the Civil Rights Program Coordinator for the Portland Field Office, where he follows hate crimes and color of law investigations throughout the state. We in law enforcement and certainly we in the FBI, we're concerned about threats of violence, threats of action or acts of violence. So our investigations come into play when there's a threat of violence or advocacy of a sort of force by a particular group, said FBI Special Agent Ryan Dwyer. According to The United States Department of Justice, hate in regard to hate crimes means bias against people or groups with specific characteristics that are defined by the law. On Feb. 25, neo-Nazi groups observed a day of hate that would nationally target Jewish communities and centers. Dwyer said there were no specific events on that day in Eugene but stresses it is important for communities to be aware. It is very important for folks to know that they can and should report these things to law enforcement. If there is no specific threat of violence, law enforcement may not conduct an investigation, [but] they'll certainly take that information, he said. Dwyer said that communication between local communities and groups can help law enforcement better protect vulnerable communities, including different races, religions and LGBTQ groups. It's important for them to know that they can communicate with law enforcement about the challenges and threats that they are feeling to their security so that law enforcement can be responsive to that, Dwyer said. Dwyer said a national increase in hate crimes has led the FBI to change how it deals with and monitors these actions. In 2021, the FBI raised civil rights, of which hate crimes is our focus, to our top criminal priority, he said. According to the FBIs official website, the change came with the Hate Crimes Prevention act of 2009 and allowed the Bureau to also investigate crimes committed against those based on biases of actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or gender. Dwyer said hate crimes are vastly underreported nationally and in the state of Oregon. Dwyer said there are three main factors that have caused the statistical jump. One reason, he said, is the fact that there are more hate crimes occurring in general. Second, people are reporting them more. Third, law enforcement is getting better and how we track these, Special Agent Ryan Dwyer said. One of the FBI's priorities is encouraging the reporting of hate crimes and making sure minority groups have access to resources to help fight the spread of hate ideology. Dwyer attended a City Club of Eugene meeting addressing the antisemitic propaganda in Eugene. Rabbi Meir Goldstein, a senior Jewish educator at Oregon Hillel Foundation and a Judaic studies instructor at the University of Oregon, spoke during the City Club meeting about how he saw the at-large community respond to the day of hate. We had members of all different religious groups and community organizations come and stand outside of the synagogue and form a ring around it to make sure that those ill-doers wouldn't have an opportunity to do so, Goldstein said. The city of Eugene is continuing to consider actions it can take to protect renters from displacement and pricing-out. Phase II renter protection would include updates to the Eugene Rental Housing Code. Namely, a limit on security deposits charged by landlords to two times the monthly rent, the processing of rental applications in the order they are received, and monetary displacement prevention assistance for no cause evictions. A renter could also receive DPA if they experience a rent increase greater than 5% a year that causes a tenant to move out. In mid-2022 the Eugene City Council passed Phase I renter protections in a 6-2 vote. These protections included a variety of support services, new documentation requirements, and educational information designed to help relieve some difficulties for Eugene renters. Tia Politi, a rental owner and President of the Rental Owners Association of Lane County, believes that Phase II will lead to higher rents and fewer rental options, especially the single family and duplex options. While it is presented as a way to stabilize housing, in fact, it's going to have the opposite effect, Politi said. Politi said this has been demonstrated in Portland, where they have implemented regulations similar to Phase II and have seen higher rents and fewer rental options. She said many opponents to Phase II say increased regulations around renting will lead to mom-and-pop landlords divesting from Eugene, thus leading to fewer rental options. During a public hearing on the matter, Eugene landlords said the landlords that stay in Eugene after Phase II is implemented would have to raise rent in order to compensate for new losses. Furthermore, Politi said she believes that the new DPA would be unfair towards rental owners. If landlords are renting say college properties, and they've got a renter who's causing trouble, they may not want to renew the lease. The rental owner now has to pay the tenant thousands of dollars to move forward. The other option is to damage their rental history by serving them a notice and evicting them based on that. Politi said. They're trying to protect people, but they're doing it at the expense of one group. Kevin Cronin is the board president of the Eugene and Springfield Tenant Association. In 2011, while a student at the University of Oregon, Cronin was no-cause evicted from his residence. As a result, he ended up homeless. In 2016, after being no-cause evicted once again, Cronin began petitioning the Eugene City Council for rental protections. I've been beating the drum on this issue since my days as a student, really working to make sure that we have more consumer protections for renters, Cronin said. Cronin said one of the most difficult aspects surrounding being evicted is finding a place to live again. When a renter has to move on short notice, Eugene's rental market has, according to Multifamily Northwest, a less than a 2% vacancy rate, which means it's real tight, Cronin said. Someone basically has to move out in order for you to be able to move in or find a place. High security deposits can often act as a substantial barrier to potential renters, he said. And while would-be tenants may make enough to afford the residence, they often lack the several months rent on hand required as a security deposit. Those on a fixed income, like seniors on social security, can be particularly vulnerable to rent hikes, Cronin said. Mearl Grabill is a senior who has been living at the Eugene Hotel, a retirement community in the heart of downtown Eugene, for the past year. Around the same time as he moved in, the retirement community was sold to DiNapoli Capital Partners, an investment firm based in California. This year, he said DiNapoli increased the tenant's rent at the Eugene Hotel by 14.6%. Depending on the size of the apartment, that's anywhere from $220 to $350 a month, Grabill said. This is difficult to manage, especially when you have a fixed income, as many seniors do. Grabill said his friend, who is 96 and had lived at the retirement community for the past 13 years, had to move out because of the rent hike. She is my friend, and she can't afford to live here anymore, he said. Phase I rental protections included a $10 cap on rental application fees, but was ruled as being incompatible with state law in February of 2023 by a county judge and suspended. Politi said she supported most of Phase I, the exception being the aforementioned $10 cap on application fees. She said she believes that the Eugene and Springfield Tenant Association have done admirable work in the goal of educating renters as to their rights and calls the group a step in the right direction. However, Politi said she disagrees on the issue of security deposits, that security deposits give rental owners the ability to rent to tenants who don't have credit or rental history, without placing undue risk of damage on their rental units. Grabill said that he and Cronin are trying to spread awareness amongst seniors about affordable housing. If we can get both young people and old people working on the same goal. I think that we'll be much stronger for it. he said. The Eugene City Council held a public hearing on the Phase II protections on March 13. However it is still unclear whether they will vote to pass the protections and the expected subsequent Phase III protections. Grabill and Cronin said they hope to eventually get the state legislature to adopt similar rental protections. New Zealand Dollar, NZD/USD, RBNZ, NFPs Market Alert: New Zealand Dollar soars as RBNZ shocks with aggressive hike Rate differentials may continue supporting the Kiwi Dollar ahead Focus shifts to US NFPs , will NZD/ USD revisit the March high? Recommended by Daniel Dubrovsky Get Your Free USD Forecast Get My Guide The New Zealand Dollar rallied against its major peers after the Reserve Bank of New Zealand surprised markets with a more aggressive rate hike. Heading into the rate decision, the median survey was for the RBNZ to hike rates to 5% from 4.75%. Instead, the central bank went all out with a 50-basis point hike, bringing benchmark lending rates to 5.25%. Policymakers stressed that inflation is still too high and remains persistent, adding that the official cash rate needs to be at a level to reduce prices. The central bank noted that demand is still exceeding supply despite the economy slowing. Interestingly, the committee noted that near-term inflationary pressures have increased. Finally, the RBNZ said that the financial system is well-positioned to manage a slowdown. This move makes the RBNZ stand out from its major peers. For example, the Federal Reserve has dramatically slowed its pace of tightening while the Reserve Bank of Australia paused altogether. Interestingly, shortly after the RBNZ, RBA Governor Philip Lowe conducted a speech. He stressed that their pause does not imply that rate hikes are over. Looking at market pricing, it seems that traders are still pricing in further tightening to about 5.5%, with odds of that about 70% when looking at overnight index swaps. As such, this is placing NZD at an advantage compared to its major peers from a yield perspective. That may continue offering it upside support in the near term. With that in mind, the focus for NZD/USD will turn to the next US non-farm payrolls report on Friday. Stock markets will be closed for the Good Friday holiday, but currency markets will be trading. Still, this means reduced liquidity which raises the risk of volatility given a large deviation from expectations. Remember, markets are still looking at Fed rate cuts this year despite commentary from the central bank to the contrary. A solid print could undermine rate-cut bets, pushing the US Dollar higher. Market Reaction to RBNZ NZD/USD Chart Created in TradingView New Zealand Dollar Technical Analysis On the daily chart, NZD/USD has confirmed a breakout above the 50-day Simple Moving Average (SMA). A rising trendline from October seems to be maintaining the upside technical bias. Immediate resistance is the 14.6% Fibonacci retracement level at 0.6388. Clearing this point exposes peaks from January, making for a key zone of resistance between 0.6463 and 0.6576. A turn lower through the trendline could open the door to revisiting the March low at 0.6085. Recommended by Daniel Dubrovsky Get Your Free Top Trading Opportunities Forecast Get My Guide NZD/USD Daily Chart Chart Created in TradingView --- Written by Daniel Dubrovsky, Senior Strategist for DailyFX.com To contact Daniel, follow him on Twitter:@ddubrovskyFX When Jeremy Hunt was asked about his biggest regret from his six-year stint as health secretary, his response was unequivocal: failing to fix the disintegrating social care system. That was less than a year ago, when Hunt who had by then left the Cabinet and become chairman of the Commons health and social care committee was calling for an additional 7billion a year to salvage the crumbling system while also promoting his book Zero, which offered his prescription for the ills bedevilling the NHS. In the book, Hunt explained how many citizens suffer as a result of the country's chronically underfunded care system. Low pay and a lack of career structure, he added, had led to an 'utterly demoralised' workforce. Now, after a remarkable political comeback, he is Chancellor with power to loosen state purse strings and improve millions of lives by turning his warm words into action. Instead, his continuing failure to tackle the problem is only highlighting the tragic lack of trust in politicians. When Jeremy Hunt (pictured) was asked about his biggest regret from his six-year stint as health secretary, his response was unequivocal: failing to fix the disintegrating social care system For his Government is not even paying out the paltry sums proposed in its half-baked efforts to tackle some of the most acute care problems, despite a staff crisis that has intensified over the past year with an estimated 165,000 vacancies. In a 2021 White Paper, the Government promised 1.7billion for improving services in the care sector. Yet its latest announcement, clad in fuzzy talk of reform, is worth only about 600million. It halved small sums proposed for investment in staff and has ditched spending to explore innovative new housing models. No wonder there is furious talk of 'betrayal' amid the rising cost of living and an ongoing struggle to retain staff. Sally Warren, policy director at the King's Fund think-tank, said she had rarely felt such fury over what amounts to a 'massive retreat from what was already bare minimum first steps'. Ministers previously postponed wider reforms a cap on lifetime care costs and widening rules on eligibility until after the next election. Yet needless to say, they continue to chuck endless cash at the NHS, most recently to appease striking medics demanding higher pay with reports that another 3billion will be pumped into their pockets. Meanwhile, the care system staffed by many people earning less than supermarket shelf stackers while a few greedy fat cats fleece the state has been rejecting 14,000 desperate requests for help every week. There is talk of better training, certificates for carers and smarter technology. All fine. But decent care depends on dedicated human beings and they need to be paid properly. This latest setback is hypocritical: ministers won their seats under Boris Johnson promising to fix the system after years of broken promises. But it is also ridiculously short-termist. In his book, Hunt highlighted the case of one woman who ended up unnecessarily spending seven months in hospital before dying in a care home, detailing how the stress caused her dementia to deteriorate much faster. Incredibly, 101 different professionals looked after her 'at enormous expense' while that hospital bed, at 300 a night, cost six times more than home care support. This shows the urgency of sorting out social care, especially when there is such a backlog for NHS treatment. Unfortunately, continued failures expose a society that simply does not seem to care about millions of its most vulnerable citizens. National Illness Service: Call to focus on preventing poor health as social care cash is halved By Shaun Wooller Health Editor The NHS should axe a raft of targets and give the best bosses more freedom to make decisions locally, a review said yesterday. Former health secretary Patricia Hewitt, who led the study, says the NHS is now more of a national illness service than a national health service. Her report came as ministers were yesterday accused of betraying the elderly by halving the funding promised to develop the social care workforce, from 500million to 250million. Ms Hewitt, calling for rapid change after the government-commissioned review, warns that excessive red tape is preventing managers from delivering better patient care. Senior health leaders yesterday largely welcomed her report into boosting efficiency and collaboration, which also calls for a greater focus on preventing ill health and reform of GP surgeries. Former health secretary Patricia Hewitt (pictured), who led the study, says the NHS is now more of a national illness service than a national health service Her report says a few targets can concentrate minds but having too many makes them less effective. It comes as the NHS continues to miss major targets on A&E waits, ambulance response times and cancer treatment times. The review says adding targets and being inconsistent with funding make it impossible to plan new services and recruit staff. Ms Hewitt, a health secretary under Tony Blair, also says some targets, such as those on A&E waits, leave less room for medics to use their clinical judgment. An excessive focus on hitting targets by managers or boards can lead to 'disastrous neglect of patients themselves', the review argues. Disastrous neglect of patients In her study, Ms Hewitt says ministers should consider slashing the number of national targets to ten. Cutting waiting times for key surgery should be matched by a focus on cutting waits for mental health treatment, the study says. Local leaders running integrated care systems partnerships of organisations that plan and deliver joined-up health and care services should be given more space and time to lead, according to the report. Ms Hewitt concludes that the contract between family doctors and the health service is 'not fit for purpose'. It follows calls to scrap the GP model, whereby self-employed GP partners hold contracts with the NHS, and instead employ GPs directly. Ms Hewitt suggests the contracts could be held between networks of surgeries. And she says a new 'centrally held fund' could buy out contracts or premises in areas where patients are not getting a good service. The review also calls for the public health grant to local authorities to be increased. The shift to preventative services is vital to prevent more older and increasingly unhealthy people entering hospitals that will never be 'large or efficient enough to cope', the review says. Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, said: 'We hope the NHS at all levels will commit to the cultural shift necessary to bring this about.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said ministers would respond to the review. The Government's decision to halve promised funding for the care workforce was yesterday described as 'cruel' and 'short-sighted'. A further 300million to integrate housing into local health and care strategies has also been shelved. The Independent Care Group said the sector needs 'every penny of funding'. The Government has insisted no funding has been removed, saying 600million has 'not yet been allocated'. But various organisations nevertheless accused the Government of betraying the sector. Health think-tank the Nuffield Trust said the development was 'another ill-judged raid on a social care system already on the brink'. I can only imagine the jubilant scenes behind-closed-doors at Kensington Palace. The reigning queen of the woke world Jacinda Ardern had just picked her side in the increasingly bitter War of the Windsors. Against all odds, and despite a massive schmooze campaign by the Montecito moaners, William and Kate won this apparently prized endorsement over their arch-rivals Harry and Meghan. On the week she quit as an MP in the New Zealand parliament, leaving the country more divided than ever in its history, Ardern proudly announced she was joining the board of the Prince of Wales' beloved Earthshot Prize. On the week she quit as an MP in the New Zealand parliament, Jacinda Ardern proudly announced she was joining the board of the Prince of Wales' beloved Earthshot Prize. Prince William (left) and Arden (right) are pictured sharing a traditional Maori 'hongi' welcoming at the War Memorial Museum in Auckland in 2019 DAN WOOTTON: William even gushed that he was 'honoured' Ardern had accepted the role, praising her 'life-long commitment to sustainable development and climate action' William even gushed that he was 'honoured' Ardern had accepted the role, praising her 'life-long commitment to sustainable development and climate action'. 'I am hugely grateful to her for joining us as she takes the next steps in her career,' he added. All of a sudden it made sense why Ardern had expressed such horror at being used in Harry and Meghan's Netflix show Live to Lead last year, publicly hitting back at the docuseries by saying she wasn't aware of the involvement of the Sussexes when she first agreed to be interviewed. Being snubbed by Ardern in favour of Wills and Kate marks a significant deepening of the toxicity now associated with Harry and Meghan, who have already faced the indignity of the Obamas and even Oprah Winfrey starting to publicly distance themselves from their obsessive campaign against their own families. But, in the giddy excitement about notching up yet another major victory against his treacherous younger brother, I fear William has made his first mistake as Prince of Wales by aligning himself so closely with one of the world's more divisive politicians. While London's champagne socialists covet the 42-year-old Vogue magazine pin-up because of her strident left-wing views and role as the darling of the globalist elite supported by the World Economic Forum, that is not how the public see Ardern. As a proud dual citizen of Britain and New Zealand, I have watched with horror from afar as she turned my once-united birth country into an authoritarian hellscape during the Covid pandemic, tearing society apart. DAN WOOTTON: Ardern had expressed such horror at being used in Harry and Meghan's Netflix show Live to Lead last year, publicly hitting back at the docuseries by saying she wasn't aware of the involvement of the Sussexes (pictured in 2019) when she first agreed to be interviewed DAN WOOTTON: Anti-science Ardern pursued a dystopian Zero Covid policy by locking down millions because of a solitary Covid case in her hermit kingdom The small group of Kiwis allowed back into the country were locked in government hotel prisons, slammed for not meeting the standards of the United Nations convention on the crimes against torture, while their relatives died in hospitals down the road. Anti-science Ardern pursued a dystopian Zero Covid policy by locking down millions because of a solitary Covid case in her hermit kingdom. As if that wasn't bad enough, heartless Ardern then proudly boasted about creating a two-tiered society based on Covid vaccine status, eventually sacking teachers, police officers, doctors, pharmacists and even vets who chose to exercise their right to bodily autonomy. 'Ardern's rap sheet is lengthy and complicated, and I accept that the Prince of Wales may not be aware of it, given the sort of courtiers who surround him, but it's important that he does his due diligence now and rescinds the offer to Ardern,' writes Dan Wootton Eventually, those who Ardern had shut out of society launched an occupation of the grounds of parliament, forcing her into a hasty retreat and eventually prompting her resignation. Her constant refrain to 'be kind' didn't fit one bit with the most brutally inhumane lockdown regime outside of China, a country she spent her premiership cosying up to. That's before you get to Ardern's litany of failures on tackling crime, improving race relations, reducing homelessness, improving the economy and eradicating child poverty as she seemed to become more obsessed with her international celebrity status and future employment than the living standards of New Zealanders. As the master of political spin, Ardern emotionally announced to the world through crocodile tears that she was quitting because she didn't have anything left in the tank, knowing full well she faced an election drubbing from her fed up citizens later this year. Despite the MSM portrayal of Ardern as some sort of harmless heroine, she is actually one of the most controversial politicians from down under in a generation and I believe William has been badly advised when it comes to this appointment. Not to mention the fact Ardern is an avowed republican who spent her five years in office trying to distance New Zealand from the Crown. Besides, this sort of alliance is dangerous for the royals and completely unnecessary; they don't need highly partisan political advisers as part of their coterie. The late Queen would never have thought of signing on such a contentious Commonwealth PM just out of office as a key adviser. It's alienating because, like it or not, over 50 per cent of New Zealanders and many millions around the world think Ardern was a terrible leader. And it is tone deaf to think otherwise, simply because said politician happens to be a media darling. There's also a serious dose of hypocrisy connected to such a hiring. DAN WOOTTON: I fear William has made his first mistake as Prince of Wales by aligning himself so closely with one of the world's more divisive politicians It's unthinkable to imagine William's advisers would have allowed him to proudly announce signing any politician from the centre-right of the political spectrum to such a high-profile job so soon after leaving office. The liberal establishment media would have spontaneously combusted if the Cambridges had tapped Boris Johnson to take on a similar role, for example. But why? Boris is far more of an environmental campaigner than Ardern who, during his time in office, made many more consequential green decisions. The British monarchy is under attack from nefarious forces being encouraged by Harry and Meghan. They will only be beaten if King Charles and Prince William studiously avoid the trap of allowing themselves to become partisan. Ardern's rap sheet is lengthy and complicated, and I accept that the Prince of Wales may not be aware of it, given the sort of courtiers who surround him, but it's important that he does his due diligence now and rescinds the offer to Ardern. Otherwise, he risks creeping ever more down the path of politics, damaging his well-deserved unblemished reputation. Trust me on this, Wills, as one of your most ardent supporters, Ardern isn't worth that. A mother-of-two has revealed the drastic measures she took to rid her home of its 'unwanted guest' after her friend refused to pay the rent or leave the property. The British woman shared her ordeal on Mumsnet, disclosing that she was forced to take matters into her own hands after police refused to meddle in the domestic dispute. The original poster was at her wits end when an agreement between the acrimonious duo met an abrupt end following her return to the country after six months abroad. In an elaborate rant on the forum, she explained that the fellow mum-of-two had agreed to pay an undisclosed sum per month, but stopped paying after only two months. However some suggested she had acted illegally, with one saying: 'You're lucky you haven't ended up in court. However justified you feel you were you acted illegally'. A mother-of-two has revealed the drastic measures she took to rid her home of its 'unwanted guest' after her friend refused to pay the rent or leave the property (stock image) Explaining her predicament, the mother wrote: 'I arranged to rent our home out to a 'friend'.' 'She only paid two months' rent but I let it slide until we returned. When we did come home, she refused to leave the house'. 'The police said there was nothing they could do so myself, husband and two small children had to camp out at my mothers' thirty miles away'. 'After six weeks of this, and having tried every legal avenue, I went to our home after (the) 'friend' had left for work. 'I still had my keys so I entered and turned the water off at the stopcock'. 'I then cancelled the broadband for the address. That night she had the nerve to phone me complaining. She said she had an infant, a toddler and no water'. But emotions didn't move the mother who stuck by her guns. She said: 'Cue tears, threats etc. but, because I knew she had somewhere to go, I held my ground. The British woman shared her ordeal on Mumsnet, disclosing that she was forced to take matters into her own hands after police refused to meddle in the domestic dispute 'I went round next day and she'd gone, although the place was trashed.' The poster has since accused her ex-bestie of 'badmouthing' her. Over 200 comments poured in from numerous Mumsnet advisors after learning of her predicament. Many fellow Mumsnetters congratulated the poster on a job well done, while some warned that her illegal tactics could land her in hot water. 'What a vile person. You were well shot of her,' wrote one user. 'She doesn't sound much of a friend,' agreed another. 'Dreadful,' another aptly stated. Other users were divided over the woman's behaviour, with some saying the tenant had a 'legal right' to stay in the building One user even went as far as to say: 'She is a cheeky t*** and deserves everything she gets. I'd make sure all mutual friends know what she's done too.' However, advice became all too complicated when some advised the OP that she could be breaking the law. One user explained: 'If she paid you rent at any point, she legally had an assured short hold tenancy. 'You should have protected her deposit (if you too (had) one), had electrical and gas safety checks done, and various other bits. What you did in the eyes of the law was an illegal eviction.' Another added: 'Depending on the agreement you had, what you did is potentially illegal, and turning off water etc. is not acceptable although I can fully understand why you would want to.' A woman who was abandoned at just two-weeks-old has finally met her paternal half-sister on Long Lost Family: What Happened Next. Joselyn Taylor, in her 60s, from Boston Spa, West Yorkshire, was left at a children's home as a baby before being adopted by a single mother who ran a sweet shop. In the ITV programme last year, Joselyn, who had always wondered whether she was abandoned because she is deaf, was reunited with her maternal older half-brother James. He unveiled the real reason why their mother had to give Joselyn up, explaining that their 'very, very poor', unmarried parent couldn't afford to feed an extra child - despite having 'two or three jobs sometimes to keep food on the table'. In last night's episode, the Long Lost Family team revisited Joselyn as she looked for her late father's family - eventually meeting her half-sister Trish for the first time in emotional scenes. A woman who was abandoned at just two-weeks-old has finally met her paternal half-sister (pictured) on Long Lost Family: What Happened Next Joselyn had a happy childhood, which included being educated at a specialist school for deaf children. She discovered she had a brother when her adoptive mother Kathleen revealed that Joselyns birth mother had once arrived at the sweet shop, asking for money with a five-year-old boy alongside her. Joselyn previously said: She was obviously very, very poor. My adoptive mother told her to get out of the shop. She eventually entered her DNA on a web database and it revealed a sibling called James Ford. Her attempts to contact James went unanswered so she turned to Long Lost Family for help, and the team eventually discovered James in Carcassonne, France. James and Joselyns mother, Lois Pullman, has passed away. But the two siblings were reunited, with Joselyn saying: I felt an instant connection he cried, he really cried. It was lovely.' Following their reunion, Joselyn discovered another DNA match on the database, which eventually resulted in her finding her paternal half-sister Trish with help from the Long Lost Family team. Unfortunately Joselyn's father had passed away, but she was able to meet Trish, who also grew up without her father in her life. Joselyn Taylor, in her 60s, from Boston Spa, West Yorkshire, was left at a children's home as a baby before being adopted by a single mother who ran a sweet shop In last night's episode, the Long Lost Family team revisited Joselyn as she looked for her late father's family - eventually meeting her half-sister Trish for the first time in emotional scenes Her twin sister and older brother have passed away, so Trish appeared delighted to find out about Joselyn. She even discovered that they were born in the same town, saying how they could've passed each other on the street without even realising their relationship to one another. Joselyn was told about the discovery of her half-sister by co-presenter Davina McCall, who explained: '[Trish's] mother was married to your father Peter. They had a boy and then twins, called Trish and Anne. But when the twins were born Peter left. 'Trish never knew her father. Trish has lost all her siblings, they've died,' continued the presenter, before adding that finding out about Joselyn was a 'very happy surprise' for Trish. Following their emotional meeting, where the two sisters shared a loving hug, Joselyn (pictured right) said: 'When we hugged, that was it. I felt the warmth of her personality.' 'I felt connected to my father's side. My search is finished at last. I've got the best of both worlds now,' Joselyn (pictured at the first meeting) said Trish (pictured left), meanwhile, added: 'I'm feeling relief and so so so much happiness in my heart to have met her and to know we get on. Joselyn is a sister to me now, what more could I want.' Joselyn replied: 'I grew up as an only child, thinking it was only me. And I get all this. Yeah, that's lovely. Yes.' The two were reunited three weeks later, with Trish travelling from Spain for the reunion. 'Obviously I can't tell her an awful lot of who her father was as I don't know myself. I just want her to feel happy and we can see where the future takes us,' said Trish before the first meeting. In the ITV programme last year, Joselyn, who had always wondered whether she was abandoned because she is deaf, was reunited with her maternal older half-brother James. Pictured, Joselyn reunited with her brother James Joselyn (pictured left, as a baby with her adoptive mother) was left at a childrens home before being adopted by a single mother who ran a sweet shop. Pictured right, Joselyn's birth mother Joselyn (pictured with her adoptive mother) had a happy childhood, which included being educated at a specialist school for deaf children Following their emotional meeting, where the two sisters shared a loving hug, Joselyn said: 'When we hugged, that was it. I felt the warmth of her personality. 'I felt connected to my father's side. My search is finished at last. I've got the best of both worlds now.' Trish, meanwhile, added: 'I'm feeling relief and so so so much happiness in my heart to have met her and to know we get on. Joselyn is a sister to me now, what more could I want.' Six-year-old conjoined twins who are connected from the sternum down have defied all odds and are now navigating kindergarten with their shared body - despite doctors telling their mother they had a five per cent chance of survival. Chelsea Torres, 30, from Blackfoot, Idaho, welcomed her twin daughters, Callie and Carter, with her partner, Nick, in 2017 - and medical professionals said that they likely wouldn't live very long. Despite physicians warning Chelsea that her daughters may not survive the first few weeks of their lives, Callie and Carter are thriving six years on, and they recently reached a major milestone - starting kindergarten. While the girls each have their own heart and stomach, they share a liver, intestinal track, and bladder. Each of them can control one leg and two arms. Six-year-old conjoined twins who are connected from the sternum down have defied all odds and are now navigating kindergarten with their shared body Chelsea Torres, 30, from Blackfoot, Idaho, welcomed her twin daughters, Callie and Carter, with her partner, Nick, in 2017 - and doctors said they had a five per cent chance of survival Despite physicians warning Chelsea that her daughters may not survive the first few weeks of their lives, Callie and Carter are thriving six years on 'Callie and Carters anatomy is like two waves that crash together,' their mother explained to KTVB recently. While the girls each have their own heart and stomach, they share a liver, intestinal track, and bladder. Each of them can control one leg and two arms 'Their top part is themselves, they have two separate stomachs, and where everything starts to get jumbled is in the intestines, they share their bottom half.' According to Chelsea, her daughters are like any other little girls - and each of them has their own distinct personality, as well as likes and dislikes. 'I just want people to know that they are just two normal kids,' she said. 'They are in an unusual circumstance, but just treat them normal. 'They like to be treated like any other kids because they are. They are in school, they go to physical therapy, they do normal activities, they ride bikes.' Chelsea explained to the Today show that Callie is 'really girly' while Carter is the opposite. And like any siblings, they sometimes get sick of one another. 'We try to give them their own time, even though theyre kind of like stuck together,' she dished, adding that they'll put headphones on them and let them watch TV on their tablets if they say they need alone time. 'Even though Callie and Carter are two individuals put together, you have to remember they are individual children.' They recently reached a major milestone - starting kindergarten According to Chelsea, her daughters are like any other little girls - and each of them has their own distinct personality, as well as likes and dislikes The girls are now perfectly healthy, and use a wheelchair to get around. They are currently learning how to walk by coordinating their movements through physical therapy The girls are now perfectly healthy, and use a wheelchair to get around. They are currently learning how to walk by coordinating their movements through physical therapy. Chelsea said the hardest part is finding clothes that fit their unusual situation. She has to make them stuff to wear by cutting two items of clothing up and sewing them together. She also had to get a custom car seat made by a children's hospital in Salt Lake City when they were born, which they recently grew out of. She now has to wait until September to get another. 'Stuff like that is frustrating,' she admitted. 'Yes, they're going to have challenges, but I know they're going to be just fine because they have each other.' Chelsea works hard to raise awareness about conjoined twins, and has become a popular social media star along the way - gaining more than 205,000 followers on TikTok, where she often shares videos of the girls enjoying their lives and doing normal activities like swimming, riding a bike, enjoying the playground, and playing. While she's very open about her daughters' story now, it took a while for her to become so comfortable talking about it. Chelsea said the hardest part is finding clothes that fit their unusual situation. She has to make them stuff to wear by cutting two items of clothing up and sewing them together Chelsea has gained more than 205,000 followers on TikTok, where she often shares videos of the girls doing normal activities like swimming, riding a bike, and enjoying the playground When Chelsea first found out that she was pregnant with conjoined twins in 2016, she told KTVB that she was 'devastated.' But ending the pregnancy never crossed her mind She admitted to the Today show that she'd actually conceal her daughters under a blanket while out in public at first, after she started noticing people staring at them. 'I definitely wanted to keep the babies, I knew at the very beginning I wanted to keep them,' she said 'When they were babies, it was hard for me. People would stare and take pictures,' she told the outlet. 'I actually ended up smashing someones phone. It was just easier to hide them.' When Chelsea first found out that she was pregnant with conjoined twins in 2016, she told KTVB that she was 'devastated.' But ending the pregnancy never crossed her mind. 'I definitely wanted to keep the babies, I knew at the very beginning I wanted to keep them,' she said. She had a C-section at 36 weeks, and the girls were born in January 2017. And while the initial plan was to have them undergo surgery to separate them, they were told by doctors it would be too risky. She had a C-section at 36 weeks, and the girls were born in January 2017. And while the initial plan was to have them undergo surgery to separate them, they were told it would be too risky The girls spent five weeks in the NICU while under intense observation, before they were given the go-ahead to go home Neither of the girls have expressed any interest in separating, and Chelsea told Today that the surgery would be 'extremely risky' 'They don't know any other way of life,' she explained. 'When people ask if they want to be separated, they're like, "Huh? Why?"' The girls spent five weeks in the NICU while under intense observation, before they were given the go-ahead to go home. However, she added that she's open to looking into it in the future if it's something the twins want. She added: 'If they say we want to be separated, we will try' 'The doctors said, "Nothing is wrong with them, they are perfect, they are healthy, take them home and treat them like normal kids." So, thats what we did,' Chelsea recalled. Neither of the girls have expressed any interest in separating, and Chelsea told Today that the surgery would be 'extremely risky.' However, she added that she's open to looking into it in the future if it's something the twins want. 'They don't know any other way of life,' she explained. 'When people ask if they want to be separated, they're like, "Huh? Why?"' 'If they say we want to be separated, we will try. I will tell them they have to listen to what the doctors say - you have to understand the odds, if you want to go through with it, and do it, then I will support it,' she added to KTVB. 'For now, its not my choice to make. Its such a dangerous surgery, its just not my choice to make for them. They are not broken to me.' Foodies have been sent wild over a bizarre new Iceland release - a lasagne filled Yorkshire pudding. The brand are releasing the unusual creation online, with the large pastry filled with meat on sale for just 4. It's described as: 'Cooked Yorkshire pudding filled with minced beef ragu with cooked diced smoked bacon, layered between cooked egg pasta, topped with cheese sauce and sprinkled with a mix of toasted breadcrumbs and diced mozzarella and Cheddar cheese. According to the brand, the Yorkshire pudding needs to be cooked in the oven for 45 minutes before it is ready to be served. Many social media users have been divided over the unusual creation, with some saying they're desperate to try the bizarre meal. Foodies have been sent wild over a bizarre new Iceland release - a lasagne filled Yorkshire pudding One commented: 'Lasagne and Yorkshire pudding! Sold! Another wrote: 'Food I just learnt exists and they sell at the supermarket...lasagne filled Yorkshire pudding.' A third added: 'I love lasagne and I love Yorkshire pudding. But surely there's a reason they've even labelled it themselves as "twisted".' A fourth commented: 'Just read that Iceland are doing a lasagne filled Yorkshire pudding and I want it!' Another wrote: 'Just shut Iceland down now, Lasagne in a Yorkshire pudding is just unacceptable.' It's not the only unusual food mash-up released in the past few days. Burger King thrilled foodies this week as it announced a new mash-up with Doritos will be released across the UK. The fast-food chain is debuting its brand new Chilli Heatwave Chicken Fries in collaboration with Doritos in British restaurants this week. Many social media users have been divided over the unusual creation, with some saying they're desperate to try the bizarre meal The two comfort food giants sent fans into a frenzy on announcing the launch of the new item on April 1, leaving fans speculating on whether this was an elaborate April's Fools. But Burger King confirmed this week that the fries are indeed going ahead, and are available from today on their app. The chicken fries, which will be sprinkled with Doritos' savoury orange dusting, are the second collaboration between the two brands, who released Whopper-flavoured Doritos in March. Sarah Ferguson has said royal family members 'can't have it both ways' if they choose to leave The Firm amid ongoing tensions with the Sussexes. The Duchess of York, 63, spoke candidly in an interview amid speculation whether Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who stepped down as senior members of the royal family, will attend the King's coronation next month. Speaking to The Independent, she spoke about her own experience of divorcing Prince Andrew. In the interview, in which she did not directly refer to Harry and Meghan, she said: 'Well, you can't have it both ways. You can't sit on the fence and keep one foot in and one foot out. You're either in or out.' And appearing on Loose Women today, she repeated her comments - saying she doesn't expect an invite to the coronation because 'you can't have it both ways'. When asked directly about Prince Harry at the end of the interview with the Independent, she said she 'doesn't believe in judging anyone' and asked for 'a little more kindness.' Sarah Ferguson, 63, says royals 'can't have it both ways' if they choose to leave, saying they must decide whether they want to be 'in or out' Sarah, who still shares the Royal Lodge in Windsor with her ex-husband Prince Andrew, is promoting her new romance novel, A Most Intriguing Lady. Despite being divorced, the duchess is allowed to continue styling herself as Sarah, Duchess of York until she marries someone else, at which point she would lose her title. Speaking to the Loose Women panelists, she revealed that her plans for the coronation are to 'watch it on the telly', put up some bunting and enjoy 'a little tea room and a coronation chicken sandwich'. The duchess is even considering driving the corgis over for a visit at a nearby elderly home. 'I always love to watch it on telly because you hear a lot on telly, the commentator's always good and then all the family come back,' she explained, seemingly hinting that she didn't expect to be involved so closely in family affairs. 'Because remember I am divorced from him so I don't expect... you can't have it both ways. You can't be divorced and say "I want this".' Sarah continued: 'I think it's really great to be supportive... also when the family come home I know all the ins and outs and commentating on television.' Fergie also praised her former brother-in-law as she anticipated a huge day for both the 'nation' and 'globe'. 'He's going to be an amazing King and lovely Camilla by his side,' the duchess said, praising his environmental efforts in particular. The Duchess of York, 63, spoke candidly in an interview amid speculation whether Prince Harry and Meghan Markle who stepped down as senior members of the royal family, will attend the coronation She also thinks it's 'great' that Camilla will be the 'Queen' rather than 'Queen Consort' as she's been 'there with him tirelessly'. Prince Harry and Meghan hit the headlines in January 2020 when they announced they would be stepping down as senior members of the royal family. At the time they said: 'We intend to step back as senior members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.' The couple later moved to Montecito, California, with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. And it's not the first time Fergie has appeared to distance herself from Meghan. The Duchess of York told The Telegraph she 'doesn't know' Meghan. The mother-of-two said: 'I dont really know Meghan. I havent really met her.' However the claim contradict the Sussexes, who have both claimed Fergie has been one of the friendlier members of the royal family - even recalling having drinks with Sarah at her home in The Royal Lodge. Sarah told the Loose Women panelists that that her plans for the coronation are to 'watch it on the telly' The duchess has previously said she doesn't 'really know' Meghan In their Oprah Winfrey interview and Harry's book Spare, the Sussexes said it was Sarah who taught Meghan how to curtsey ahead of her first meeting with the late Queen. Elsewhere, Fergie said she did speak to Meghan at the Queen's funeral in September, adding: 'She looked absolutely beautiful. I think she is beautiful. In the Oprah interview, which was broadcast in early 2021, the Duchess of Sussex said Fergie was the person who taught her to curtsey. Meghan said: 'I went into it naively because I didn't grow up knowing much about the royal family. I didn't fully understand what the job was.' The mother-to-be said that was the moment 'the penny dropped' that her perception about the Firm was 'very different' to the reality, and she had to learn how to perform the royal custom 'very quickly'. She said: 'I didn't know I was going to meet her until moments before. We were in the car and we were going to the Royal Lodge for lunch, and he [Harry] was like, "Oh, my grandmother is here, she's gonna be there after church.". 'Right in front of the house we practiced and ran in. Fergie ran out and said, "Do you know how to curtsy?",' she recalled. 'Apparently I did a very deep curtsy, I don't remember it, and then we sat there and we chatted.' Harry recounted a similar story in his book Spare, writing that he had actually hoped Fergie would be the first member of the family Meghan would meet. He wrote of a day in October 2016: 'First stop, Royal Lodge. To meet Fergie, because Meg already knew Fergies daughter Euge, and Jack, so this seemed a logical baby step. 'Fergie came outside, somewhat aflutter, and said: "Do you know how to curtsy?" Meg shook her head. Fergie demonstrated once. Meg imitated her. 'As we walked towards the door Fergie and I both leaned into Meg, whispering quick reminders. When you first meet the Queen its Your Majesty. Thereafter its just Maam. Rhymes with ham. Just, whatever you do, dont talk over her, we both said, talking over each other.' The Sussexes have said Fergie was one of the friendlier members of the royal family Fergie has said she spoke to Meghan at the Queen's funeral in September, adding she 'looked beautiful' (pictured second row, far left, Meghan, and second row, far right, Sarah) After Meghan met the Queen, Harry writes that they stayed at Royal Lodge for drinks. It is unknown on what other occasions the two women might have crossed paths. For months, speculation has been rife over whether Harry and Meghan will attend the coronation of King Charles on 6 May. The release of Spare and the airing of Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan have laid bare the grievances the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have with other members of the royal family. In a recent television interview to promote his book, Harry refused to confirm whether he and Meghan would attend the coronation. He has since confirmed that the pair have been invited but did not reveal if they will attend. Thousands of people are demanding a statue be built of Paul O'Grady in his hometown after his tragic death last week. The TV presenter, who passed away aged 67 on 28 March, was originally from Birkenhead, Merseyside and now locals want to show their admiration for the star. The petition, which was set up on Change.org passed a staggering 87,000 signatures on Wednesday. Kieran Gabriel, who kicked off the campaign wrote: Paul O'Grady passed away suddenly on March 28 and it only feels right to honour the life of such a great human being by immortalising him in statue form, in his hometown of Birkenhead. 'Paul has left a huge legacy with his trailblazing work as a drag artist, social and political causes, LGBT rights and of course, his love of animals. Thousands of people are demanding a statue be built of Paul O'Grady in his hometown after his tragic death last week 'This is a petition to the Wirral Council, who must surely take stock of the huge outpouring of love in the wake of Paul's passing. Liverpool has Cilla, Birkenhead deserves Paul.' Some who have signed the Change.org petition have suggested there be a few dogs around Paul's statue to honour his other work with Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, which has received over 100,000 in donations since his death. Others penned tributes to the presenter, with one writing: 'A statue is the right thing to do for such a trailblazing human being. He was so down to earth, one of the people.' Another commented: 'Paul was the most caring and lovely man ever. And he deserves a tribute for everything he has done to help others and all those animals!' Paul was an ambassador for the shelter which paid tribute to the 'devoted animal lover', saying he was a 'champion for the underdog'. Last year, he helped celebrate 160 years of the organisation when he was joined by the Queen Consort in a special one-off episode of For The Love Of Dogs. After the news of Paul's death the organisation's chief executive, Peter Laurie, said: 'Battersea will forever remember Paul as a devoted animal lover with the biggest heart, who fell head over heels in love with every dog he met at our centres. 'Paul will always be associated with Battersea and we are truly saddened to have lost such a true friend and huge part of our charity.' It comes after a mural paying tribute to Paul was defaced with graffiti just days after it was created. The petition, which was set up on on Change.org passed a staggering 87,000 signatures on Wednesday The TV presenter, who passed away aged 67 on 28 March, was originally from Birkenhead, Merseyside and now locals want to show their admiration for the star Located in south Manchester and created by artist Chris Moore, who is also known by the name Manchester Murals, the artwork featured a portrait of O'Grady next to a dog, with a caption reading 'For Paul'. Sadly, people visiting the mural on 2 April noted that the portrait had been defaced. The mural was hailed as an 'Absolutely fantastic tribute to a great legend.' 'I did this work out of a passion for my art and out of respect for Paul O'Grady who meant so much to people and animals throughout his life, Mr Moore said, according to Manchester Evening News. 'I was instantly driven to create a fitting mural in his honour, and I felt it was only natural to include a dog in that.' Chris, who said it took him multiple days to complete the mural, stated that he was 'disappointed' to learn that his artwork had been defaced. He said he has 'not ruled out' the possibility of repairing the artwork, but has stated a preference for the creation to be moved elsewhere. 'I guess, ideally, it'd be nice for it to be rehoused now,' he explained. 'It would be great to do it at Battersea Dogs Home so it could live on permanently as a fitting home.' Last year, he helped celebrate 160 years of the organisation when he was joined by the Queen Consort in a special one-off episode of For The Love Of Dogs Paul, who shot to fame as trailblazing comic drag act Lily Savage before becoming one of the country's best-loved TV presenters and DJs, died 'unexpectedly but peacefully' last week, his partner revealed. Andre Portasio, who married O'Grady in 2017, paid tribute to his 'humour, wit and compassion' in a statement announcing his death. O'Grady became a household name in the early noughties, known for his wit and love of animals, and hosted a string of television programmes including his self-titled daytime chat show, The Paul O'Grady Show, which began airing in 2004. He also took over the reins from Blind Date's long-running presenter and his close friend Cilla Black, who died in 2015, to host the Channel 5 reboot of the show in 2017. And he fronted Blankety Blank, as well as ITV's award-winning For The Love Of Dogs. The father-of-one's cause of death wasn't immediately known, but he had previously spoken of surviving heart attacks in 2002, 2006 and 2014, and also kidney failure. He also had a debilitating Covid battle that left him unable to work for two months. O'Grady married Portuguese lesbian barmaid Teresa Fernandes in 1977 to stop her deportation. They divorced in 2005 and he wed ex-ballet dancer Mr Portasio in 2017. Decades earlier in 1974, he had his only child, a daughter called Sharyn Mousley, with his dear friend Diane Jansen. Located in south Manchester and created by artist Chris Moore, who is also known by the name Manchester Murals, the artwork featured a portrait of O'Grady next to a dog, with a caption reading 'For Paul' O'Grady is also a grandfather to Sharyn's son Abel, who was born in 2006 and is now aged 16, and Sharyn's daughter Halo, born in 2009. Mr Portasio said early this morning: 'It is with great sadness that I inform you that Paul has passed away unexpectedly but peacefully yesterday evening. 'We ask, at this difficult time, that whilst you celebrate his life you also respect our privacy as we come to terms with this loss. 'He will be greatly missed by his loved ones, friends, family, animals and all those who enjoyed his humour, wit and compassion. 'I know that he would want me to thank you for all the love you have shown him over the years.' O'Grady and Portasio were married during a low-key wedding ceremony in 2017. She has completed an extraordinary transformation from royal mistress to Queen Consort of King Charles III - and now Camilla will finally be known as Her Majesty The Queen. Buckingham Palace announced last night - alongside a new official portrait of the royal couple - that after the Coronation the monarchs wife will be known as Queen Camilla. There was a time when honouring Camilla, 75, with the ultimate royal title would have been highly controversial. But Camilla's public image has been transformed after she was initially cast as the 'third' person in Diana, Princess of Wales, and Charles's marriage, before becoming a campaigning member of the monarchy prepared to serve the nation. It took time for the nation to warm to the future Queen following Diana's death in 1997 and when Camilla wed Charles in 2005 the subject of her future title was a point of contention. Fittingly dressed in royal blue, the King and Queen Consort pose for a new official portrait At the time, Palace guidance said she would only ever be known as 'Princess Consort' - until Queen Elizabeth II ended years of uncertainty over the issue by assuring Camilla's future status in an historic Platinum Jubilee statement. In her surprise announcement in February 2022, Her late Majesty declared it was her 'sincere wish' for her daughter-in-law to be fully acknowledged upon Charles becoming King. And the first clue that the Kings long-held dream of having his wife crowned Queen at his side was finally to be realised came in the wording of the Coronation invitation itself: The Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Officials released an image of the elaborately illustrated invitation last night that will be sent out later this month to 2,000 guests who have secured a much-coveted place at Westminster Abbey on May 6. Asked about the title when the accompanying press release itself still referred to Camilla as the Queen Consort a senior royal aide confirmed: It made sense to refer to her Majesty as The Queen Consort in the early months of His Majestys reign, to distinguish from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Queen Camilla is the appropriate title to set against King Charles on the invitation. The Coronation is an appropriate time to start using Queen Camilla in an official capacity. All former Queen Consorts have been known as Queen plus their first name. It is understood that Buckingham Palace will amend its website to reflect the change next month. The move marks the incredible journey of Camilla over more than five decades, from romantic involvement, to mistress and finally wife of the King - and will end with her formally being crowned Queen alongside the new monarch. Diana and Camilla at Ludlow Races in 1980 Charles chats to Camilla at a polo match in 1972 It's a stark contrast to how Camilla was viewed in the early years of her and Charles's relationship - with even the late Queen initially 'wanting nothing to do with her'. Just 12 months after the crash in Paris in which Princess Diana was killed, Charles went to see his mother, looking for approval and support for his relationship with Camilla, then Mrs Parker Bowles. It was not a happy meeting. As a highly placed royal confidante told The Daily Mail then: The Queen told her son she never wanted to talk about that wicked woman, and wanted nothing to do with her. However, the late monarch personally endorsed 'Queen Camilla' in the end, accepting Charles's former mistress as a respected member of the 'Firm'. Meanwhile, The Daily Mail was the first to reveal back in December that the Palace planned to drop the word Consort from Camillas title organically this year. This was confirmed by The Mail on Sunday in February, when it reported that she would be referred to as Queen after the Coronation. Charles and Camilla at the Service of Prayer and Dedication blessing their marriage at Windsor Castle on April 9, 2005 Charles and Camilla leaving The Ritz hotel in London after attending a 50th birthday party for Camilla's sister in their first official outing together in 1999 The change, once unthinkable, sets the seal on a remarkable transformation for Camilla in the nations affections. When she married the then Prince of Wales in 2005 in a civil ceremony which Queen Elizabeth declined to attend it was announced that Camilla intended to be known as Princess Consort when her husband acceded to the throne. The use of the word intended was designed to give royal aides room for manoeuvre, but at the time many still blamed her for the breakdown of Charless marriage to Diana, Princess of Wales. Since then, however, Camilla, 75, has won many over with her warmth, sense of humour, lack of complaining and work championing the victims of domestic violence, as well as the promotion of literacy. One royal insider said last night: His Majesty has always seen it as a matter of honour. He is King so, therefore, it follows that his wife should be Queen. Its rather like telling someone they cant be known as Mrs So-and-So. Its entirely up to them whether to chose to be called that, but its still fundamentally their right to do so. Seen here for the first time, King Charles' official Coronation invitation is a riot of flora and fauna centred around an ancient folklore symbol, the Green Man In February 2022, a poll for the Mail of more than 1,000 adults conducted by pollsters JL Partners found that Britons enthusiastically back Queen Camilla by a margin of two to one. READ MORE: Which days are Bank Holidays for King Charles' Coronation? King Charles (pictured) will be officially crowned on Saturday, 6 May at Westminster Abbey Advertisement The survey found 55 per cent of people back the move, almost double the 28 per cent opposed. However, the public still believe Princess Diana would have made the better Queen. It showed people feel their views of Camilla have become more positive over the last ten years and since Dianas death in 1997. A clear majority of all age groups backed Camilla getting the title, and about half said they had a great deal or a fair amount of respect for her. More than not thought Camilla would make a good Queen, and that Charles and Camilla would be an asset to Britain as monarchs. But there was an age split, with the younger generation of 18-44 year olds narrowly believing that Camilla would not make a good Queen, and that she and Charles would not be an asset to Britain during their reign. And despite Camilla winning the affections of the public, they remain united in believing Princess Diana would have made a better Queen, with 58 per cent saying so, compared with only 16 per cent choosing Camilla. '[Camilla's] warm, she is fun, she is friendly,' says one who has calibrated Camilla's progress over the years to The Daily Mail. 'She's found a balance between maintaining a regal independence while being able to join in. She can take a joke and those she meets now really warm to her.' A TikToker has revealed all the reasons why life as a female mechanic can be quite tough, and highlighted what she faces in the male-dominated industry. Kirsten Vaughn, from the US, took to the video-sharing platform to discuss the trials and tribulations of living her dream amidst constant doubts. Her video was met by huge support from her 1.3 million followers who echoed her sentiments - with one revealing that they too 'had to fight the whole way' into the auto technician industry. In a step-by-step guide, Kirsten began sharing exactly what a woman needed to do to gain access into the field. She said if you want to become a mechanic, you must get a job as a lube technician or go to school. Kirsten Vaughn, from the US, has revealed all the reasons why life as a female mechanic can be quite tough, and highlighted what she faces in the male-dominated industry She added that you would need to amass your fair share of experience whether you begin your mechanic education in a classroom or not. She further quantified her experience by disclosing the male-to-female ratio in her industry, dubbing it a 'boys'club' which certainly didn't sound very promising. 'It seems to be a pretty common thread', she said. She added: 'Not all the guys are going to be bad, but most shops are boys' clubs'. 'You're also going to have people that are going to doubt you'. 'I was doubted the entire time in college by a few of my professors, simply because I was a woman'. She continued 'You're going to get patronized. People are going to think you're a unicorn just for doing an oil change, which is one bolt'. As a woman in the industry, Kirsten warned future gearheads to be on the lookout for pay discrepancies, revealing that starting out would be 'hard' and that most shops in the US would make you pay for your own tools. She explained that if your shop offers you a flat-rate immediately, it will be hard, too, since you'll be slower as a starter compared to the shop's other mechanics. But it wasn't all doom and gloom, as the influencer reassured her followers, advising them to take it easy because mistakes were bound to happen from time to time. Responses were largely supportive, with fellow TikTokers praising the woman for her grit and honesty. One viewer wrote: 'Very good tips. All extremely accurate'. And echoing this sentiment, another added: 'I feel you on a whole level'. 'I've been in automotive since college and had to fight the whole way. Now I have my dream job. Keep up the good work!' The viral video comes as another female mechanic recently revealed 'four things she was sick of hearing at work' including people mistaking her for a receptionist instead of a mechanic. Natalie Hope, from the UK, went viral on TikTok after opening up about some of the everyday sexism she experienced at work. The Audi mechanic posted a video listing the most common reactions she got from customers. Surprisingly, Natalie shone the light on her fellow women who she claimed made assumptions about her role in the male-dominated workplace. 'I asked for a mechanic, not a receptionist' were just some of the mind-blowing responses she dealt with in the workplace. What's more, Natalie said men often talked down to her and asked to see one of her male colleagues instead. She revealed that middle-aged men went as far as requesting the opposite sex and remarked: 'That's okay love, I'll wait for one of the boys'. The popular video has since racked up hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok. The selection from 1761 to 1953 features selection of vintage admission tickets The Royal Family has shared historical throwbacks to past Coronations on its social media, as the official invite for King Charles and The Queen Consort has been revealed. Ranging from 1761 to 1953, the collection's oldest artefact featured is a weathered admission ticket for the crowning of King George III and Queen Charlotte - at Westminster Abbey in London - from 262 years ago. It also shows an archived blue-and-black hued design - believed to have been designed by Sir William Congreve - which was used for King George's Coronation in 1821. Next, exactly ten years on, is a minimalist, crisp slip for the royal inauguration of King William IV and Queen Adelaide. An invite from 1838 - a bright crimson red ticket written out to the Duchess of Kent - was also used for the Coronation of Queen Victoria in 1838. The Royal Family has shared historical throwbacks to past Coronations on its social media, as the official invite for King Charles and The Queen Consort has today been revealed Also shown in a specially illustrated invite - for the current King himself - to his mother Queen Elizabeth II's 1953 Coronation. It features a lion, unicorn and several soldiers as well as two arches - one marble, and the other, a tree - across which Union Jack banners are draped. The late monarch's historic Coronation may still be a fond memory for many attending her son's crowning later this Spring. Last year the Queen had died peacefully at Balmoral, at the age of 96, with members of the extended royal family, including Charles - the oldest and longest serving heir apparent in British history - by her bedside. It has been just over 70 years since the late royal's life was transformed forever. King George VI died in his sleep at Sandringham in the early hours of February 6, 1952 and the young Princess Elizabeth, who was on holiday in Kenya at the time, became Queen long before she might have expected to. It was a day steeped in history unchanged for centuries. Preparations began immediately for a ceremony essentially unchanged since the coronation in AD 973 of the Anglo-Saxon King Edgar. Elizabeth's Coronation had to go smoothly as it would be a global occasion; never before had so many people witnessed the same event at the same time. In her Christmas broadcast in 1952 the Queen said: 'Pray for me on that day. Pray that God may give me wisdom and strength to carry out the solemn promises I shall be making.' The most recent invite, for May's upcoming festivities, is also included in the Royal Famiy's social media line-up. 'The official invitation for the Coronation of The King and The Queen Consort has been revealed,' the caption reads. Designed by Andrew Jamieson, the invitation features the motif of the Green Man, an ancient figure from British folklore, symbolic of spring and rebirth, to celebrate the new reign. Also shown in a specially illustrated invite - for the King himself - to his mother Queen Elizabeth II's 1953 Coronation An invite from 1838 - a bright crimson red ticket used by the Duchess of Kent - was also used for the Coronation of Queen Victoria in 1838 Pictured from 1831 is a minimalist, crisp slip for the royal inauguration of King William IV and Queen Adelaide It also shows an archived blue-and-black hued design which was used for King George's Coronation in 1821 Ranging from 1761 to 1953, the collection's oldest artefact features a weathered admission ticket for the crowning of King George III and Queen Charlotte from 262 years ago 'Their Majesties' arms, the emblematic flowers of the UK, and a British wildflower meadow and wildlife are all included on the design, which was hand-painted in watercolour and gouache, and will be reproduced and printed on recycled card, with gold foil detailing, for the 2,000 invited guests. 'Take a look through our gallery to see some historic Coronation invitations from the @royalcollectiontrust and the Royal Archives.' Seen for the first time yesterday, King Charles' official Coronation invitation is a riot of flora and fauna centred around an ancient folklore symbol, the Green Man. One of the country's best-known pagan symbols, which features in many medieval churches, it is emblematic of spring and rebirth and fitting for a new reign. Although the Green Man is a fairly modern term, dating back to the 1930s, the origins of the image are so ancient that they are lost in the mists of time. Many experts believe that it provided a reassuring bridge between Dark Ages paganism and early Christianity, which is why it also features in so many historic places of worship. In the spirit of the Old Religion and its association with ancient woodlands, King Charles's Green Man is crowned in natural foliage leaves of oak, ivy and hawthorn and the emblematic flowers of the United Kingdom. A new portrait of King Charles and the Queen Consort has been released as the invitation to the Coronation was unveiled And, according to tradition, he has leaves spouting forth from his mouth. The invitation, which will go out to 2,000 guests, has been designed by Andrew Jamieson, a heraldic artist, calligraphist and manuscript illuminator with 40 years of experience. He is a brother of the Art Workers' Guild, a body of more than 400 artists, craftspeople and architects working at the highest levels of excellence in their professions. The King is an honorary member. A scribe and illuminator for His Majesty's Crown Office in London, where he produces royal letters patent and documents of state, Mr Jamieson illuminated the royal letters patent issued in 2011 creating Prince William the Duke of Cambridge, the Earl of Strathearn and the Baron Carrickfergus when he married. READ MORE: Which days are Bank Holidays for King Charles' Coronation? King Charles (pictured) will be officially crowned on Saturday, 6 May at Westminster Abbey Advertisement His design is a world away from the significantly more formal and pared-back monochrome invitation sent out by his late mother, Queen Elizabeth. But it feels very 'Charles' and reflects the new monarch's lifelong passion for the natural world. The original artwork for the invitation was hand-painted in watercolour and gouache, a paint made from pigments bound in water-soluble gum, rather like watercolour but with the addition of a white pigment in order to make it opaque. Recalling the Coronation emblem created by former chief Apple designer Sir Jony Ive, it will be reproduced and printed on recycled card with gold foil detailing. The wildflower meadow bordering the invitation features lily of the valley, cornflowers, wild strawberries, dog roses, bluebells and a sprig of rosemary for remembrance. With an impressive attention to detail, flowers appear in groupings of three, signifying the King becoming the third monarch of his name: King Charles III. Among the blooms is a variety of wildlife including a bee, a butterfly (apparently a male chalk hill blue), a ladybird, a wren and a robin. A lion, a unicorn and a boar taken from the coats of arms of Charles and Camilla can be spotted among the flowers. Camilla's arms to the right of the invitation are enclosed by a garter, following her installation as a royal lady of the Order of the Garter last summer. Two thin gold lines encase the lettering and the stamp of the Duke of Norfolk. Organising the Coronation (as well as funerals, the state opening of parliament and other royal occasions) falls to the Earl Marshal. The first to hold the position was John, 1st Duke of Norfolk in 1483. It became the family's by hereditary right and the incumbent is Edward Fitzalan-Howard, the 18th duke. This is the first time the title Queen Camilla has been used in an official capacity. Camilla had been referred to as Queen Consort since the death of Queen Elizabeth II, but is named as Queen Camilla alongside King Charles III on the invites due to be sent to more than 2,000 guests. The move marks the incredible journey of Camilla over more than five decades, from romantic involvement, to mistress and finally wife of the King - and will end with her formally being crowned Queen alongside the new King. Future king Prince George will play an important role in the coronation of his grandfather alongside seven schoolboys and girls, with all been named as Pages of Honour who will 'attend their majesties during the coronation service'. The group are either family friends or close relatives of Charles and Camilla, including three of the Queen's grandchildren, and will be expected to carry the robes of prominent figures during the day. With the coronation almost a month away, a new double portrait of the King and Queen has been released showing them smiling in Buckingham Palace's blue drawing room. A man said he's been 'judged' for refusing to sleep with his wife when she comes to bed without taking a shower and instead sleeps on the couch in protest. Posting on American social site Reddit, the US man divided opinions when he asked if he was an 'a****** for defiantly leaving the matrimonial bed in favour of his 'health'. The 33-year-old revealed the wedge it had placed in his marriage, hoping to spot solutions in the comments although his wife had argued that the whole ordeal was unnecessary. He admitted that he was proud of his gynecologist wife whose daily toil included long nights at a hospital. He further added that the 32-year-old wore gloves, regularly changed her scrubs and even took precautions to avoid any contamination ensuring the highest standards of hygiene were rigorously adhered to. Unfortunately, her hubby still felt 'uneasy' and his views on the matter incited arguments in what otherwise would've been a happy home, but his position on the conflict divided opinion among readers. A husband has divided opinion after claiming he now sleeps on the sofa because his wife, who is a gynecologist, refuses to shower after work before she gets into bed. He posted his predicament on Reddit's AITA forum (stock image) At a loss over how best to resolve the domestic matter- yet cosying up to his wife at night was clearly out of the question he wrote: 'I don't think it's an unreasonable request for her to take a quick shower before bed.' Posting anonymously, he continued: 'My wife is a gynecologist and works at a hospital.' 'She recently mentioned that she is exposed to a lot of bodily fluids during her workday. While I'm proud of her for doing such an important job, I'm uncomfortable with the idea of sleeping in the same bed as her without her showering first'. 'I've asked her to take a shower before coming to bed, but she thinks it's unnecessary and feels like I'm being unreasonable.' 'However, I still feel uneasy about the potential exposure to bodily fluids, and I don't think it's an unreasonable request for her to take a quick shower before bed.' 'Since my wife doesn't want to shower before bed, I have been sleeping on the couch in the living room instead.' He then detailed exactly how the lovebirds had arrived at the deadlock, while still feeling incredulous over his wife's reaction. 'My wife thinks I'm overreacting and being ridiculous by sleeping on the couch,' he wrote. 'But I don't want to compromise my comfort and health.' 'Am I the a****** for choosing to sleep on the couch when my wife comes home from work without showering?' he asked. His full disclosure sparked a fierce debate among fellow Redditers, with many tag-teaming either the husband or wife. In staunch agreement with the original poster, one user wrote: 'I am trying to understand how she can jump into her bed without bathing. It's just basic hygiene to me.' Another added: 'It's not unreasonable to want someone who has been in a hospital all day to take a shower.' Sympathy for the man continued to pour in as another person wrote: 'There is absolutely nothing wrong with a quick shower after coming home. And nothing wrong with staying away from someone until they do.' However, in aggressive opposition, some took to the comments to call the poster out. One person asked: 'My guy, do you know the precautions they take? 'She's not getting fluid on herself and just leaving it there, you are basically calling her unsanitary when she's probably cleaner than you are.' Another added: 'Your wife sees multiple patients a day. If this was any threat to you she'd have to shower between patients.' 'I bet she doesn't have to do that. Of course she gloves up and wears whatever gear is necessary to not bring 'fluids' home.' Finally, the man conceded to 'overestimating the hazard' and confessed that he felt 'judged'. 'I will try to find a compromise with her,' he announced. The news comes as a study on adult-spooning revealed that couples who sleep together in the same bed enjoy an array of physical and mental health benefits over those who sleep alone. Although a growing number of couples are choosing to sleep in separate rooms for a better night's kip, they may want to have a rethink - or risk the onset of depression, anxiety, stress and fatigue. In addition, couples that bunk together feel closer to their partner emotionally, feel more secure in their relationship and enjoy a better quality of life. Dr Michael Grandner, a sleep expert at the University of Arizona who led the study, said he was 'very surprised to find out just how important this could be'. He added: 'Very few research studies explore this, but our findings suggest that whether we sleep alone or with a partner or family member, it may impact our sleep health'. The research involved analyzing data from 1,000 working-age men and women from Pennsylvania. The Prince and Princess of Wales have praised Dame Deborah James' 'incredible legacy' after more than 11million was raised for her Bowelbabe Fund. Prince William, 40, and Kate, 41, shared their support of the fund on Twitter and Instagram today, writing: 'An incredible legacy which continues to impact so many. We couldn't be more proud of the work of the @bowelbabe Fund.' The Prince had met the mother-of-two last year in the weeks before she died at her parent's home in Surrey, where he awarded her a Damehood and enjoyed a glass of champagne with her family in the garden. It comes after Dame Deborah's mother has praised her late daughter's bowel cancer fund - which has now raised a whopping 11.3 million - as she admitted that working on campaigns for health awareness helps her deal with the grief of losing her. Deborah died last June aged 40 following a five-year battle with bowel cancer. The Prince and Princess of Wales have praised Dame Deborah James' (pictured with Prince William) 'incredible legacy' after more than 11million was raised for her Bowelbabe Fund She had launched the Bowelbabe cancer research fund to raise money for research into personalised medicine for cancer patients. Speaking on Lorraine today, Heather James, 65, thanked 'every supporter' for their contribution. 'She'd set a target of 250,000,' the mother-of-three said, explaining the fund's origins. 'I think within a day it hit a million and she was overwhelmed as we all were and I just wish she was here to see it was 11.3 million. 'But we're not going to stop there. We're gonna make it even bigger.' She then expressed her awe at Deborah's recorded message - which was broadcast for the first time yesterday in a never-before-seen video - calling her daughter's work 'amazing'. Heather praised the importance of raising money for cancer research - which she credits as giving Deborah 'over five years'. The grandmother-of-four also candidly opened up about dealing with grief as she continues to work on efforts to tackle the disease and help funding efforts - explaining that the 'go go go' nature of the work helps her from slipping into despair. 'Deborah was always "go go go" and full of energy,' she told Ranvir Singh. 'If I have too much time on my hands...you do think "this is real, she's not here anymore". Prince William, 40, and Kate, 41, shared their support of the fund on Twitter and Instagram today, writing: 'An incredible legacy which continues to impact so many. We couldn't be more proud of the work of the @bowelbabe Fund.' 'But she's such...in our lives - so much, in everything she's left behind - that I will keep campaigning and if we can do that for Deborah's legacy that's great but grieving-wise I think it's more hard now reality's set in.' Heather revealed she felt feeling 'numb' with grief before realising that the loss 'is real'. It comes as last night Deborah thanked supporters for helping her raise more than 11million for bowel cancer in the final seven weeks of her life in previously unseen footage from an upcoming documentary about the campaigner. Never-before-seen video recorded shortly before her death shows the so-called Bowel Babe telling her 'awesome' supporters that she is beyond grateful for their donations. At the same time, she announced she was receiving end-of-life care and would be looked after at her parents' home in Surrey. A new documentary about Dame Deborah's life - titled 'Bowelbabe: In Her Own Words' - will air on BBC 2 in the coming weeks and give fans an intimate insight into the campaigner's bittersweet journey from living with incurable disease, to Damehood and to her untimely death. Deborah, who was made a dame by Prince William for her fundraising efforts, died last June aged 40 following a five-year battle with bowel cancer. Pictured with her mother Speaking on Lorraine today, Heather James, 65, thanked 'every supporter' for their contribution Deborah's family and Cancer Research UK (CRUK) revealed today that the former deputy head teacher helped raise 11.3million before she died. She also left behind a video message expressing her gratitude over the success of her campaign and her plans for how the funds raised would be used. 'One thing I wanted to do before I passed away was to set up the Bowelbabe fund,' Dame Deborah said in the video. 'I wanted to set it up to ensure that more people can benefit from some of the things that I benefited from. 'We will ensure that more people have access to personalised medicine, clinical trials, cutting edge technology to help more and more people live longer with cancer.' She added: 'Every penny counts. I cannot thank you enough for your support of the Bowelbabe fund. You are awesome.' Footage recorded before her death shows Dame Deborah James telling her 'awesome' supporters that she is beyond grateful for their donations. She is pictured in the video Dame Deborah (pictured) launched the Bowelbabe cancer research fund last May to raise money for research into personalised medicine for cancer patients CRUK has also announced the initial research projects that will receive Bowelbabe funding. One study will look at laying the foundations for new precision treatment that could stop bowel cancer spread. It will be led by Professor Trevor Graham, director of the Centre for Evolution and Cancer at the Institute of Cancer Research, London. Another project, involving a team of leading scientists, will look at targeting microbes that might cause bowel cancer. This team has already discovered a type of bacteria that increases the risk of bowel cancer in some people under 50 and is exploring whether it might be possible to target these bacteria to reduce bowel cancer risk. A further project, led by Dr Oleg Blyuss from Queen Mary University of London, will look at using artificial intelligence and blood tests to detect the earliest signs of cancer. At the Royal Marsden cancer hospital in London, an advanced IR X-ray machine will also offer better imaging resolution that will allow more patients to be treated. The projects announced today, collectively totalling around 4 million, are the first round of funding, with more projects due to be confirmed later this year. Dame Deborah's husband, Sebastien Bowen, said that his wife would be 'incredibly proud' of the campaign's success and the 'huge impact' it will have on life-saving bowel cancer research. A portion portion of the money donated to her Bowelbabe Fund has now been earmarked to fund five projects in partnership with some of the UK's leading cancer charities 'I'm immensely proud and humbled to continue the work that Deborah started,' he said today. 'We've taken some time to select the first round of funded projects, and are pleased to announce them today. 'There is some fantastic, cutting-edge bowel cancer research and brilliant awareness activity taking place, and we know that Deborah would be behind this every step of the way.' He added: 'As a family, we've been overwhelmed by all the support the fund has received, and to raise 11.3million is just incredible.' Dame Deborah and Mr Bowen share two children - Hugo, 15 and Eloise, 13 - who are understood to be 'really excited' about the upcoming projects. Mr Bowen also told The Sun that his family has 'committed to continuing Deborah's legacy' by finding more ways to help people suffering from and 'prevent this horrible disease.' He stated: 'The kids and I are immensely proud of their mum and her legacy.' Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive of CRUK, added: 'Dame Deborah James was a force of nature, doing all she could to raise awareness, fundraise and campaign. Dame Deborah's husband, Sebastien Bowen, said that his wife would be 'incredibly proud' of the campaign's success and the 'huge impact' it will have on life-saving bowel cancer research. The couple are pictured together in April 2019 'The overwhelming support the fund has received is a true testament to how many lives she touched. 'We're deeply honoured to be working with Deborah's family to continue her legacy through the Bowelbabe Fund and are grateful to everyone who has donated. 'The fund will be fuelled by Deborah's spirit of rebellious hope, and the projects announced today are the first step in continuing Dame Deborah's legacy to bring hope for a better future for people affected by cancer.' The fund will continue to raise as much money as possible, CRUK has said. Dame Deborah was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016. She continued to raise awareness about the disease until her death on June 28, 2022. The former deputy head teacher, who was known to many as Bowel Babe, intimately detailed the last five years of her life online. Her candid posts about her progress and diagnosis - including videos of her dancing her way through treatment - won praise from the public and media alike. She launched the You, Me And The Big C podcast in 2018, alongside Lauren Mahon and Rachael Bland. In May 2022, the podcaster revealed that she had stopped active treatment and was receiving end-of-life care at her parents' home in Woking, Surrey, with her husband and their two children on hand. The Dame also wrote and published her second book How to Live When You Should Be Dead , while suffering from cancer In the months leading up to her death, Deborah had Prince William over for tea, who made her a Dame. Living life on her own terms despite her illness, she designed Charity T-shirts a clothing line to raise millions more for her Bowelbabe fund. The Dame also wrote and published her second book How to Live When You Should Be Dead, while suffering from cancer, detailing how developing a positive mindset was key to enabling her to cope with her diagnosis. She told her children to 'take chances and experience life now' and to marry for love in a heartbreaking final letter. Turning 100 is a cause for celebration. And one centenarian marked her special day in style with a trip to Disneyland - almost seven decades after she attended the California park's grand opening in 1955. Dee Kolafa from Sacramento took a trip down memory lane courtesy of Disney - which also marked its 100th anniversary on April 4 - with some of her children and grandchildren in tow. While wearing personalized Minnie Mouse ears and beaming ear to ear, the Californian told ABC News: 'I was a little surprised myself, that I woke up, to tell you the truth. I didn't know they were going to do this much. I was just real pleased that they were going to bring me to a celebration. Dee Kolafa from Sacramento took a trip down memory lane courtesy of Disney - which also marked its 100th anniversary on April 4 - with some of her children and grandchildren in tow A vintage photo of Dee on one of her many outings to Disneyland with her husband and children All of the stops were pulled out for Disneyland's grand opening in 1955, which Dee remembers attending The lavish televised launch included parades, celebrity visitors and Walt Disney himself making an appearance 'It's really great, I guess it's just seeing how great life is... I have had a lot of neat things happen to me.' Dee was lucky enough to snag tickets for Disneyland's debut on July 17, 1955. Although 6,000 tickets were initially sold, a whopping 28,000 hopefuls showed up, most clutching forged tickets. The lavish televised launch included parades, celebrity visitors and Walt Disney himself making an appearance. Fast-forwarding 68 years, Dee's latest trip to Disneyland in Anaheim on March 29 came about after her grandson, Eric Sawyer, wrote to the company. Explaining the chain of events, he said: 'I just thought about it... I thought it was kind of cool my grandma was turning 100 this year and the Disney company is turning 100. 'I knew my grandma well enough to know she'd be happy with just a letter but instead they actually sent gifts and then a note saying "come and join me."' Grandma Dee and her family were welcomed to Disneyland by the resort's president Ken Potrock. He said on the day: 'Grandma Dee, as her family calls her, is celebrating her 100th birthday this month, which is incredibly exciting. The celebratory trip to Anaheim came about after Dee's grandson, Eric Sawyer (pictured), wrote to Disney Grandma Dee and her family were welcomed to Disneyland by the resort's president Ken Potrock (pictured) Dee, a mother of five, said she took her family to Disney many times over the years and 'loved it every time' Vintage photographs show the Kolafa family enjoying the park, with one image taken in 1962 capturing Dee's daughter Lynne Sawyer having a whirl on the teacups 'It's really great, I guess it's just seeing how great life is... I have had a lot of neat things happen to me,' Dee said while at the park with her family 'She remembers everything about opening day and all of her experiences across so many different decades. What a treat for us to be able to host her here at Disneyland today.' Dee, a mother of five, said she took her family to Disney many times over the years and 'loved it every time.' She added: 'I remember just sitting and watching the carousel with a lot of my grandchildren on it and great grandchildren on it.' Vintage photographs show the Kolafa family enjoying the park, with one image taken in 1962 capturing Dee's daughter Lynne Sawyer having a whirl on the teacups. Lynne told DailyMail.com that sadly she couldn't attend the Disneyland opening with her mother as she was only 18 months old at the time. She recalls there being a lot of excitement around the park's opening and her her grandparents 'had orange groves nearby, so we could see it being built.' When her mom said she wasn't allowed to go because she was too young she remembers being 'so upset.' Lynne said going with her mom to the park for her 100th and being treated like a VIP made up for the fact she missed the 1955 opening day. She added that her mom's favorite ride in the park is It's a Small World and this meant they would have to take her on it 'at least once if not two or three times.' Meanwhile, Dee's favorite park snack is beignets. Along with getting access to the park, the family were greeted by Mickey Mouse given a personal tour of Walt Disney's apartment. Dee's grandson expressed his thanks to Disney for making her 100th so special. He mused: 'I don't know if there's anything else I can do to make this more special. 'She was very excited.' A woman who lives in a trailer on her driveway while renting out her house on Airbnb has revealed that she now rakes in up to $9,500 a month from the endeavor - and is on track to earn roughly $100,000 this year. Alexi McKinley, 26, from Washington, decided to quit her 'corporate' job in 2020 after giving birth to her first child and realizing that she didn't want to 'pay someone else to watch her kid.' Desperate to make money, she and her husband, who owns his own construction company, then opted to move into an RV while offering up their newly-built home to travelers and charging a hefty price - $600-a-night during peak and $450-a-night during off-peak - and it quickly turned into a booming business. Within one year, Alexi said she made equivalent to the $45,000-a-year salary she earned from her previous profession, and they're now on track to bring in $100,000 this year. A woman who lives in a trailer on her driveway while renting out her house on Airbnb has revealed that she now rakes in up to $9,500 a month from the endeavor Alexi McKinley, 26, from Washington, decided to quit her 'corporate' job in 2020 after giving birth to her first child and realizing that she didn't want to 'pay someone else to watch her kid' She and her husband then opted to move into an RV while offering up their newly-built home (seen) to travelers and charging a hefty price - and it quickly turned into a booming business She's documented the process on her TikTok account - where she is also very open about her journey with cystic acne - and has racked up more than 481,000 followers along the way. 'My husband and I built our house in 2019, at the time I was pregnant with my first son,' she explained in one of her videos. Within one year, Alexi said she made equivalent to the $45,000-a-year salary she earned from her previous profession, and they're now on track to bring in $100,000 this year. The RV they live in is pictured 'After my maternity leave ended, I was like, "I am not gonna pay someone to watch my kid while I go back to a corporate job that I absolutely hate." I quit my job, and we were like, "What the Hell do we do?" Alexi explained that the idea to start renting out their home came from one of her cousins during a Fourth of July trip they took together. She continued: 'My cousin was like, "Hey, I know these people in Alaska who rent their house out for just the summer months and they make like $60K." We were like, "OK, let's try it." 'So we get home from that Fourth of July weekend trip and we put our house up, and within two weeks, it was booked for the next month. It was crazy.' She told Business Insider that they purchased the trailer - a 2018 32-foot MPG - for $23,000 (which was loaned to them by her grandparents) in October 2020. The RV comes with two bedrooms - one with a queen bed for Alexi and her husband, and another with two sets of bunk beds for their kids. Social media star: She's documented the process on her TikTok account - and has racked up more than 481,000 followers along the way She told Business Insider that they purchased the trailer - a 2018 32-foot MPG - for $23,000 (which was loaned to them by her grandparents) in October 2020 The RV comes with two bedrooms - one with a queen bed for Alexi and her husband (left), and another with two sets of bunk beds for their kids (right) It also boasts a kitchen with a stove, oven, microwave, and double sink, a living room with a flat-screen TV and a couch that folds out into another bed, a dining area, and a 'tiny' bathroom equipped with a shower and bathtub. There's also 'so much' built-in storage, including two closets, and many multi-functional furniture pieces, like one of the kid's bunks that can transform into a table. Alexi explained on TikTok that they only get rentals about 38 per cent of the year, which means she, her husband, and their two sons split their time between the RV and their house. 'We still have a really good chunk [of time in the house]. We're in Washington so it's pretty seasonal here, people don't want to come in the winter because it's dark, sad, and gray,' she dished to her followers. Transforming their home into a place for strangers to stay wasn't easy. She told Business Insider that they had to buy all new sheets, comforters, pots, pans, and utensils. 'We moved all of our personal items into the locked master bedroom or the garage, which we used as personal storage,' she added. 'We simplified the house and rid it of anything fragile or important to us. We cleared the pantry and refrigerator except for items like flour and spices. It also boasts a kitchen (left) with a stove, oven, microwave, and double sink, a living room (center) with a flat-screen TV and a couch that folds out into a bed, and a dining area (right) Lastly, there's a 'tiny' bathroom equipped with a shower and bathtub Alexi explained on TikTok that they only get rentals about 38 per cent of the year, which means she, her husband, and their two sons split their time between the RV and their house (pictured) 'The final step was to clean the house from floor to ceiling. Our first renters told us that we had the cleanest rental they'd ever stayed in, and that's still a common response in most of our reviews.' Located about 45 minutes from Seattle, she admitted that she never expected to get so many customers. 'I never thought people would [want to come here] but they come here for weddings, family reunions, gatherings, hiking trips, or just because they want to visit the pacific northwest,' she said on TikTok. On average, she told Business Insider that she makes between $3,000 to $5,700 a month, but in their highest month, they earned $9,500. On top of making so much money, Alexi said there are tons of other benefits that come with living in the trailer. She said it 'forces them to get out of the house more,' while admitting that they used to 'spend so much time hunkering down indoors.' On average, she told Business Insider that she makes between $3,000 to $5,700 a month, but in their highest month, they earned $9,500 On top of making so much money, Alexi said there are tons of other benefits that come with living in the trailer - like being more minimalistic and flexible, and getting outdoors more 'Also, it makes us more minimalistic, it makes us more flexible,' she gushed. 'We travel more, see the world more, and just do more things. It's a win-win for us.' The social media star explained that moving into the RV lead to them to 'getting rid of a lot of things,' and taught them a valuable lesson about what they really need The social media star explained that moving into the RV lead to them to 'getting rid of a lot of things,' and taught them a valuable lesson about what they really need. It's has also helped them make tons of new friends and form strong bonds with many of their guests. 'A lot of them actually invite us to hang out with them,' said Alexi on TikTok. 'These renters we have right now, they're staying with us a little bit long term than we normally would. 'They're local and their pipe burst in their house. They're super sweet and they have kids the same age as ours so we've hung out a lot. 'It's cool that we get to meet the people we do and develop these relationships. We've had people come back.' But there are some downsides - like the very little space, 'thin' walls, and not having stuff like a washer or dryer and dishwasher in the comfort of their own home. In the end, however, Alexi said 'it's not for everyone,' but they 'love it.' A woman who grew up in a 'rich white neighborhood' has candidly revealed more secrets of the uber wealthy. Madison Van Doren, who grew up in Denver, Colorado, had previously delighted TikTok by exposing the 'weird' rules about wealth and status that were ingrained in her from a young age. And, following the video's success, she returned once again with another installment of her fascinating observations. This time they included steering clear of suburban mansions and the news, but lapping up drug store lotions and at-home movie theaters. Madison Van Doren, who grew up in Denver, Colorado, had previously delighted TikTok by exposing the 'weird' rules about wealth and status that were ingrained in her from a young age And, following the success of her first video, she returned once again with another installment of her fascinating observations In the clip, which has so far been viewed more than 15,000 times, Madison speaks to camera and references her previous video. She then briefly adds a caveat to her thoughts, as she states: 'Just a gentle reminder, this is not intended to be aspirational content. I'm not trying to tell you how to behave like old money. 'Instead, it's more of a cultural anthropology exploring the funny and quirky behavior of people I grew up around.' Madison, who works as a digital marketing strategist, then jumps right into exposing the secrets. She begins: 'So many people have a middle name that they use as their first name - my family included. 'First name is actually like a family name - like a grandparent, great grandparent, whatever - and then they use their middle name as their first name. 'They'll be out in the world being like, "Hi my name is Francis," but their first name is Gertrude.' She continues by listing the preferred footwear of the wealthy, saying: 'This one is very location, seasonal dependent - but Tevas and Hunter boots. Madison, who went to boarding school in England, has candidly revealed more secrets of the uber wealthy This time the secrets included steering clear of suburban mansions and the news, but lapping up drug store lotions and at-home movie theaters 'For skincare and makeup it's really funny, it's like a flex to not need it so heavy makeup seems to be somewhat frowned upon but for skincare, oh my god, the drugstore lotions are just making a killing - I'm talking about Eucerin, Vaseline.' And Madison's list does not stop there as she continues to add that rich people love 'converting an extra bedroom' in order to have a movie theater at their house. Going further, she reveals: 'Now onto things that the brand of rich white people I've spent a lot of time around are not into.' The TikTok star said to forget about suburban mansions because it was 'all about the luxury condo or the remote chalet.' She also said that rich people are 'not into' the news, adding: 'They don't care what's going on in the world - except for The Economist, they love The Economist.' She previously revealed to her followers that she grew up in a 'rich white neighborhood' where she learned bizarre rules about wealth and status And once again the content creator's clip was flooded with comments as social media users rushed to praise the candid insight Madison, who went to boarding school in England, concludes: 'At the end of the day, people are people and they're different everywhere no matter who they are or where they come from. 'So if the people in your area behave really differently, I am so curious, please tell me more.' And once again the content creator's clip was flooded with comments as social media users rushed to praise the candid insight. One user wrote: 'As a sociology major you had me at "cultural anthropology." This is actually great work you are doing and breaking boundaries.' Another added: 'So informative... a whole culture I knew nothing about.' And a third simply said: 'Please continue this.' Uh oh. Those Westminster think-tanks have been thinking again. This time an organisation called Labour Together has decided the next election will be decided by a group of voters they have collectively named 'Stevenage Woman'. Remember Mondeo Man? Worcester Woman? Workington Man? Old news. These days it's all about Stevenage Woman, the lady Labour must woo if they're to have a chance at the polls. Last week the Shadow Cabinet were presented with the facts: in 88 of the party's top 100 target seats, the largest group of voters fall into this category. According to Labour Together's director Josh Simons, 'the battle for the next election is the battle for Stevenage Woman'. Who is this shadowy and uber-influential creature? She's in her early 40s, has children, works, has money worries, lives in the suburb of a provincial town, is pretty socially conservative but more left wing on economic issues... Hang on a minute: it's me! I am Stevenage woman. In case Sir Keir is reading and wants to know what would win over this Stevenage Woman, let me set it out Living in a suburb far from London: check. Early 40s: check. Working mother: check. Panicking about the bills: check. Suddenly I feel rather powerful. The next election hinges on my vote. The destiny of the nation is in my hands . . . although it isn't, of course, because this practice of targeting made-up demographics is a load of unhelpful baloney. Picture the scene: an airy office in SW1, a load of earnest political apparatchiks creating mood boards to capture different voter groups. 'Stevenage Woman? Buys her weekly shop from Sainsbury's. Likes a scented candle or two around the house. Does DVD workouts at home to save on gym membership. Wants more spending on the NHS and defence.' These wonks claim to know what gets my political juices going, do they? What do they reckon I think about foreign aid? A waste of money? No, I'm all for it, if spent sensibly. Do they imagine I'd like to raise the salaries of teachers by 10 per cent to stop the strikes that will affect my children? No! We can't afford it. Do they think I'd quite like my taxes cut? Actually, I'd rather modest tax rises to improve the state of the public finances. It is maddeningly patronising to think that you can lump hundreds of thousands of people together in one bracket, and safely predict what they will think on any given issue, yet politicians have been at it for years. Uh oh. Those Westminster think-tanks have been thinking again. This time an organisation called Labour Together has decided the next election will be decided by a group of voters they have collectively named 'Stevenage Woman'. Pictured: Stevenage town centre Tony Blair's campaign in 1997 was a love song to 'Mondeo Man'. Boris Johnson's victory in 2019 was put down to his appeal to the red wall's Workington Man. In between we've had 'alarm clock heroes', 'Aldi Mums', 'Bacardi Breezers' and my personal favourite: William Hague's Pebbledash People. Between 2008 and 2015 I wrote speeches for the Conservative party. Though we didn't have a picture of Essex Man on our office corkboard, there was no doubt it was the white van drivers we were out to woo. Cue lots of praise for those we would label 'grafters'. Stevenage Woman' also falls into the trap of treating vast numbers of the population as similar people. Labour have form on this front. Before the 2015 election they sent a pink campaign bus around the country so that Harriet Harman, then Labour's deputy leader, could 'talk to women' about their concerns, as though they were observing a little-known Amazonian tribe and not half the population. When politicians target voters in this way it isn't only patronising. It corrodes strong leadership. Who is this shadowy and uber-influential creature? She's in her early 40s, has children, works, has money worries, lives in the suburb of a provincial town, is pretty socially conservative but more left wing on economic issues... Hang on a minute: it's me! I am Stevenage woman. I doubt Margaret Thatcher's reforms were driven by a desire to please Sheffield Woman, but they were essential to reviving our ailing economy. Even those who loathe Thatcher must admit her leadership was guided by her own strongly-held convictions, not by what she thought would play well in swing seats. That made her bold, while Stevenage Woman-style targeting makes politicians timid, as they become terrified of irritating key voters, or taking a clear position. This is why Sir Keir Starmer is getting into an ever-deeper hole over the issue of trans rights. He said the other day that 99.9 per cent of women don't have a penis, a bizarre fudge that was undoubtedly meant to appease both Stevenage Woman and what we might call the Earnest Student, Left-leaning 18 to 24-year-olds. In appealing to different camps, you end up in a muddle. I don't think most voters have a checklist of policies and vote for the party that offers the most boxes ticked. We go more on mood, tone, general impressions of a party and its leader. If that leader seems to be guided by focus groups rather than their gut instincts, it is a turn-off. Remember Mondeo Man? Worcester Woman? Workington Man? Old news. These days it's all about Stevenage Woman, the lady Labour must woo if they're to have a chance at the polls. Pictured: a polling station in Stevenage In case Sir Keir is reading and wants to know what would win over this Stevenage Woman, let me set it out. I'm looking for genuine leadership; the kind that makes tough decisions in the national interest, even if they are unpopular. Forget what you think some imaginary voter wants. Consider from first principles what the country needs. Devise a plan accordingly. Sell it to us straight, whoever we are. Above all, treat us not as lemming-like 'types' but as intelligent individuals. Excellent news that Justice Secretary Dominic Raab is planning to force criminals to stand in the dock to face those whose lives they've ruined, but sad that it comes too late for the mother of murdered 9-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel. Auditioning for Ab Fab, Florence? Isn't the Rothmans vibe rather refreshing, amid all the holier-than-thou wellness guff most of Hollywood obsesses over? Swathed in Valentino and sucking on a ciggie, on a modelling shoot last week, Florence Pugh looked like she was auditioning to play a young Patsy Stone in the next Ab Fab movie. Isn't the Rothmans vibe rather refreshing, amid all the holier-than-thou wellness guff most of Hollywood obsesses over? It is not hard to imagine Ms Pugh demanding more garlic sauce on her 1am doner kebab, and for that I like her. Why arrest is Donald's Trump card The way the polls are looking, you'd be a fool not to put a sneaky bet on President Trump 2024 Yes, we are all meant to despise everything Donald Trump says, but his uncontrollable ego does make me laugh. Following his arrest, his supporters said his mugshot, even this fake one, would become 'the most famous one in the history of the world'. Given Trump's genius for turning lemons into lemonade, I don't doubt it. I have a hunch this trial may provide the springboard for the most shocking comeback in history. The way the polls are looking, you'd be a fool not to put a sneaky bet on President Trump 2024. The pictures of Paris Hilton and her new son born by surrogate are delightful, but the trend for celebrity surrogacies is unsettling. When surrogacy is the only chance for a woman to have a baby, it's a miracle. But when it means wealthy women renting the wombs of relatively poor women because they don't want to give birth, it's deeply troubling. Nine kids and still time for an affair! Ee bah gum! Yorkshire shepherdess Amanda Owen has been having an extramarital affair for five years Ee bah gum! Yorkshire shepherdess Amanda Owen has been having an extramarital affair for five years. While sorry for all wronged parties, I am also fascinated. With nine children, how on earth did she have the time to write love notes and send sneaky texts? Ive got a third of her number of children and barely have time to brush my teeth, let alone book hotel rooms for the next illicit encounter. It comes after Jinger, 29, spoke about the environment the group grew up in Jinger Duggar reunited with her mom and all eight of her sisters after speaking out to slam her 'cult-like' upbringing. The 19 Kids and Counting star, 29, met up with the female members of her family last week at a coffee shop in Arkansas. The group included mother Michelle, 56, as well as sisters Jana, 33, Jill, 31, Joy-Anna, 25, Johannah, 17, Jennifer, 15, Jordyn-Grace, 14, and Josie, 13. The outing comes just days after Jinger spoke about the environment that the siblings had grown up in which was intensely focused on 'purity' due to their religion. Jinger Duggar reunited with her mom and all eight of her sisters last week at a coffee shop in Arkansas The 19 Kids and Counting star, 29, took a series of snaps including alongside 56-year-old mother Michelle Jinger met up with her mother and all of her sisters before posing for a series of sweet snaps. The image of the whole group was shared on Instagram by Jessa alongside a caption that read: 'The older everyone gets, the busier life gets - which means it's always extra special when we manage to get all nice of us sisters and mom together again in the same place at the same time! Last week was golden.' The family - and particularly Michelle - became synonymous with their conservative attire that mainly consisted of maxi skirts and long-sleeved shirts. But the group had seemingly broken away from the restrictions during the latest outing - and dozens of fans were quick to flood the comments with praise for the new look. One wrote: 'Momma Duggar is wearing pants!! This is actually cool.' Another added: 'Wow! Look at all the pants. Times have changed.' And a third said: 'So cool seeing Michelle wearing pants!!!" The family (pictured together previously) - and particularly Michelle - became synonymous with their conservative attire that mainly consisted of maxi skirts and long-sleeved shirts And dozens of fans were quick to flood the comments with praise for the Duggar women sporting the new look Jana, Jill, Jessa and Jinger had previously explained that their parents enforced a strict dress code due to their traditional, religious values. In the book Growing Up Duggar, released in 2014, they wrote: 'We do not dress modestly because we are ashamed of the body God has given us, quite the contrary. 'We realize that our body is a special gift from God and that He intends for it to be shared only with our future husband.' Jinger shared her own series of photos from the outing with a caption which said: 'We had the best time in Arkansas visiting my family. 'Girl time with all of my sisters and sweet mama, meeting some new nieces and nephews, eating lots of good food, and many late night conversations.' It comes just days after Jinger spoke about the environment that the family had grown up in which was intensely focused on 'purity.' It comes just days after Jinger spoke about the environment that the family had grown up in which was intensely focused on 'purity' Speaking on a recent episode of the Relatable podcast, hosted by Allie Beth Stuckey, which aired last month, she said: '[There was] talk about purity about keeping yourself pure. Josh Duggar was initially sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for his child porn conviction 'Almost viewing talking about sex with your kids, all of that at appropriate ages, and like about how your bodies are changing, thats totally pushed out. 'There's not even a healthy view of like, "OK, marriage is a gift from God. Within marriage youre to be able to enjoy this." There's such a focus on pushing out all of that as almost like evil - even attraction.' The former TLC star was raised by her parents Jim Bob, 57, and Michelle, who were both devout followers of the Institute in Basic Life Principles - a denominational Christian organization that acts as an umbrella organization for other ministries and was established by shunned minister Bill Gothard. She previously noted that Gothard's teachings were 'based on fear and superstition' and left her questioning what God actually wanted from her - leading her to believe that she would be 'harmed' if she strayed from the rules or made a mistake. During the podcast, Jinger also fiercely railed against pedophile brother Josh after saying he had 'dragged the glory of God through the dirt.' Josh was initially sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for his child porn conviction - but this was recently extended. The mother-of-two was pictured without her wedding ring last month Princess Charlene of Monaco publicly supported her husband Prince Albert yesterday as the pair attended a memorial mass for his father Prince Rainier III. Today marks the 18th anniversary of Rainier's death. The late royal passed away following a heart attack in April 2005. Before his sudden death at the age of 82, the father-of-three had been Monaco's ruler for just shy of 56 years. A celebration of Rainier's life was held at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Monaco-Ville yesterday - which is where Rainier and his former Hollywood actress wife Grace Kelly are buried. As they arrived at the mass, Charlene and Albert - who were recently rumoured to have split after the Princess was pictured without her wedding ring - briefly brushed hands as they climbed the steps to the cathedral. Prince Albert and Princess Charlene pictured leaving the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Monaco-Ville following the memorial mass For the sombre occasion, Charlene donned a minimal grey coat - which she wore over a black-and-white checked top. The mother-of-two wore a matching grey geometric pleated skirt with an oversized black leather belt. To finish off her sleek ensemble, Charlene wore a pair of black leather stiletto heels and sheer tights. She styled her short blonde hair in a side parting and wore minimal jewellery for the memorial - opting for two diamond stud earrings. Meanwhile, her husband Albert looked suitably smart in a black suit and tie as he paid his respects to his late father. The ceremony was presided over by the Archbishop of Monaco Dominique Marie David - who has held the position since March 2020. Before heading into the cathedral, Albert and Charlene were pictured exchanging pleasantries with the Archbishop and other members of the church before heading inside. Afterwards, Charlene - who was by her husband's side for the entire occasion - took the time to thank the Archbishop for putting together the memorial. Princess Charlene looked chic in a minimal grey coat, pleated skirt and black high heels for the service The couple - who hit back at rumours of a split last month - briefly brushed hands as they arrived The couple pictured greeting members of the church ahead of the memorial for Prince Rainier - who died 18 years ago Prince Raininer III and Grace Kelly in January 1956 shortly after their engagement was announced During an appearance in Milan last month, 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 wearing her wedding ring - pouring cold water on the split rumours. 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'. 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.' Great artwork has the power to depict thoughts and feelings that every human can recognise. But a select few gallery-goers may find the experience altogether too recognisable - if they happen to stumble across their art doppelganger. Art lovers across the globe have shared photos from the moment they discovered their spitting image in old paintings and statues. From a Renaissance Italian clergyman to a late 19th-century flute player, modern-day visitors to some of the worlds best-loved museums and galleries have identified a striking resemblance between themselves and the portraits of the past. I thought, Wow, that is really funny, he looks just like me, said Ross Duffin, who found his bearded-double in the form of a 17th century warrior in a Jan van Bijlert - hanging on the wall of a Pasadena museum in California. In San Franciscos Fine Arts Museum, one woman found her dead ringer in The Broken Pitcher by William-Adolphe Bouguereau which depicts a French farm girl at a water pump Modern-day visitors to some of the worlds best-loved museums and galleries have identified a striking resemblance between themselves and the portraits of the past A select few gallery-goers may find the experience altogether too recognisable - if they happen to stumble across their art doppelganger Art lovers across the globe have shared photos from the moment they discovered their spitting image in old paintings and statues I thought, Wow, that is really funny, he looks just like me, said Ross Duffin, who found his bearded-double in the form of a 17th century warrior Great artwork has the power to depict thoughts and feelings that every human can recognise One man found his twin in a 2000-year-old portrait of an Egyptian man Dr Duffin told the New York Times that his wife, Beverly Simmons, was even more stunned than he was when she made the discovery. She came running after me and said, You have to come back and look at this painting! In San Franciscos Fine Arts Museum, one woman found her dead ringer in The Broken Pitcher by William-Adolphe Bouguereau which depicts a French farm girl at a water pump. One man found his twin in a 2000-year-old portrait of an Egyptian man while a young woman found hers in a neo-impressionist portrait of Belgian artist Georges Lemmens sister. This man looks more cheerful than his similar counterpart hanging on the wall People have even found statues resembling their own appearance in galleries Even though this man has fairly uncommon long blond and curly hair he still spotted his doppelganger This statue is missing half of its head and has a chipped nose but still looks similar to the man posing next to it This woman found a painting that appears to look like her paying a wind instrument This man has the long brown hair to match the painting but is just missing a loyal dog by his side Nostalgic customers are begging Kmart to bring back its 'iconic' in-store cafes. In the 80s and 90s - long before self-serve checkouts, stylish decor and affordable products were introduced - Holly's Cafe was a popular feature in every store across Australia. Millions of shoppers would stop by and enjoy a cup of coffee and cake, crinkle cut hot chips and gravy or even a jelly cup. Now a video published by TikTok account @australianafarmer shared a detailed insight into the cafes, capturing the attention of thousands. Scroll down for video Vintage photographs show shoppers relaxing at Kmart's Holly's Cafe, with one woman (far right) appearing to smoke at her seat while chatting away to her friend The retailer chain allowed its customers to take a break from shopping and enjoy meals at its in-store cafes across the country 'It was made up of four cafeterias and snack corners, depending on the size and location of the particular Kmart store,' the voiceover said in the clip. 'Holly's staff were required to wear a different uniform to the Kmart employees an apricot shirt and a navy skirt.' A former Holly's Cafe worker also claims staff were paid in the evening and used the term 'pay night' instead of 'payday'. Some signature dishes included the 'super burger', roast beef, toasted sandwiches, chicken nuggets, and milkshakes. From the late 1980s, the cafes progressively shut its doors with the last Holly's Cafe at the Horsham store in western Victoria closing down on July 25, 2010. A video published by TikTok account @australianafarmer shared a detailed insight into the cafes, capturing the attention of thousands The clip sparked an uproar of responses from customers who desperately want Kmart to bring back the beloved cafes. Others had no idea the cafes existed The video sparked an uproar of responses from customers who desperately want Kmart to bring back the beloved cafes. Others had no idea the cafes existed. 'Honestly, bring this BACKKKKK!' one commented, another said: 'Bring it back. If I can have a break and eat, I'm going to stay even longer and spend more.' 'I worked at Holly's, I loved it - so upset when they closed it. BRING BACK HOLLY'S,' a third added. However a Kmart spokesperson confirmed with Daily Mail Australia, Kmart currently has no plans to bring back the beloved Holly's Another suggested: 'I think if they reopened the cafes for the 24hour Kmarts it would go off. Where else do you go at 1am and you're bored? Competition for Macca's haha.' Another person said Aussies need 'cheap places to eat again', like 'all you can eat Pizza Hut'. 'I forgot all about this! Had lunch there so many times and I remember their chips and gravy was the best! Would be so cool if they brought it back,' one wrote. 'God, so many great memories at the Pacific Fair Holly's (on the Gold Coast). Anyone remember the TV ad jingle?' another said. 'Forgot about the jelly with the chocolate frog and cream on top,' said another. However a Kmart spokesperson confirmed with Daily Mail Australia, Kmart currently has no plans to bring back the beloved Holly's. Foodies have discovered a little-known trick to easily open Chupa Chups lollipops. The confectionery brand is somewhat infamous for difficult packaging that wraps around delicious sweets. But the struggle is finally over after the brand recently introduced new sustainable and more accessible packaging. You simply have to hold the lollipop's head in place with one hand, use two fingers to pinch the bottom of the wrapper, and twist in opposite directions around the candy treat. The wrapper will loosen immediately and you will be able to easily pull the packaging off. Sydney Purl, from the UK, demonstrated the simple trick to opening a Chupa Chups lollipop A woman officially revealed a fool-proof method to open Chupa Chups lollipops in seconds. Sydney Purl, from the UK, demonstrated the simple trick in a video. 'There's a new way to open Chupa Chups!' Sydney said. 'You no longer have to wrestle the wrapper off.' She simply placed her grip on the bottom of the wrapper and the lollipop's head and then twisted in opposite directions to unravel the packaging. 'Now you know how to open your Chupa,' she captioned the clip. You simply have to hold the lollipop's head in place with one hand, use two fingers to pinch the bottom of the wrapper, and twist in opposite directions around the candy treat Her post amazed thousands of people, with many previously unaware of how to properly open the sweet treat. 'You mean after all these years, there's a way to open them without a struggle? And nobody told me?' a man asked. 'OMG why didn't I know this?' another commented. 'My kids will be so thrilled to see this!' But not everyone was impressed, and a few even claimed to already know the hack. 'I thought everyone knew how to open them,' a woman said. 'This has been how you open them since they were made.' 'It's common sense.' A young Australian woman and her American best friend have roasted each other over the 'quirky' words in both of their countries. Kira LeMarshall, 21, from Queensland, moved to Hawaii in 2022 and has since documented strange cultural discrepancies between the two nations. The woman was shocked that Americans call wardrobes 'closets' and thongs 'flip flops'. She recently asked one of her American friends, Michael, to describe common objects so that they could compare colloquialisms. The duo also argued over whether a 'budgie smuggler' was an acceptable term for speedos - or the American 'banana hammock'. A young Australian woman poked fun at American terms for common words, and revealed the phrases that left her scratching her head Kira and Michael went through a long list of photos that showed places, food, and items of clothing. 'I'm Australian, I'm here with my American bestie, and we're gonna compare the names of things,' Kira said in the video. Michael's first mistake was describing popular Aussie favourite dish potato gems as 'tater tots'. He went on to call a torch a 'flashlight', chips turned into 'french fries', and soft drinks became 'soda'. There were several other differences, including: a rubber as an 'eraser', a wardrobe was called a 'closet'; and popular sweet treat fairy floss is called 'cotton candy' in the US. Michael was stunned by Kira's Australianisms and often repeated words like cutlery, fringe, and tea towel. The best friends often slipped into each other's accents in order to repeat their native words in another tongue. Kira also accidentally mispronounced a 'zebra crossing' - using the American vocalisation of 'zee-bra' rather than the Australian 'zeb-ra'. Kira recently asked one of her American friends, Michael, to describe common objects so that they could compare colloquialisms American versions of common Australian words Australia Potato gems Torch Chips Banana hammock Soft drink Fringe Sand pit Tea towels Wardrobe Cutlery Fairy floss Jumper Rubber Thongs Zebra crossing America Tater tots Flashlight French fries Budgie smugglers Soda Bangs Sand box Dish towels Closet Silverware Cotton candy Hoodie Eraser Flip flops Crosswalk Advertisement Australians and Americans alike were amused by Kira's video, with many offering their own input. 'It's a servo, not a petrol station,' an Australian said. 'Are you even Aussie???' 'No one calls it a petrol station!' 'Fairy floss sounds kinky,' an American added. 'As an American, potato gems sound so much better.' A pet dog has died from bird flu, sparking concerns that the deadly virus is another step closer to causing carnage in humans. Officials in Canada, where the dog died, did not reveal what breed or how old it was. It caught the virus after eating a dead, wild goose that was contaminated. Doctors revealed the dog passed away just days after becoming sick. The same strain of bird flu has fuelled the world's biggest ever outbreak and sparked fresh pandemic fears. Officials in Canada, where the dog died, did not reveal what breed or how old it was. It caught the virus after eating a dead, wild goose, and passed away just a days after becoming sick. The same strain of bird flu has fuelled the world's biggest ever outbreak and sparked fresh pandemic fears An outbreak of bird flu cases in humans emerged in February in Cambodia and saw an 11-year-old girl die from the virus and her 49-year-old father test positive for the H5N1 strain. Pictured above, a worker carries chickens at a market in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, on February 24, 2023 The unprecedented crisis has seen dog owners warned to keep a close eye on pets while walking, given some are attracted to dead or dying birds. The incident occurred in Oshawa, in the Canadian province of Ontario. Bosses at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said the dog had developed 'clinical signs' of bird flu - but did not clarify what these were. Testing showed it was positive for the strain H5N1. However, the agency reassured that the risk to the general public 'remains low'. The virus is thought to have an actual case-fatality rate of around 50 per cent in humans. Pet owners are 'encouraged to take appropriate precautions to protect their pets and themselves', the CFIA said in a statement. They are also advised not to feed pets any raw meat from game birds or poultry, nor allow pets to consume or play with dead wild birds found outside. Instead, those concerned about their pet's health should contact their vet, the agency added. Several cases have been detected in pet dogs, as well as cats, since the outbreak began. According to newswire BNO News, Dr Scott Weese, the director of the Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses at the University of Guelph, said the case was 'concerning but not surprising' and 'not a doomsday scenario'. He added: 'It's concerning because any spillover into mammals raises concerns about continued adaptation of this virus to spread outside birds. 'It's not surprising because when you have millions of infected birds internationally, it's inevitable that domestic and wild mammals will be exposed.' Dozens of mammals across the world have been struck down by bird flu in recent months, raising the prospect of the strain acquiring dangerous mutations. This development means the virus may be one step closer to beating the hurdle that has stopped it taking off in humans. It is not the first time H5N1 has proven fatal for pets. In 2004, Thai heath chiefs confirmed a puppy died after eating a H5N1-infected duck carcass. Over 700 confirmed cases of H5N1 have been detected among wild birds in England since September 2022, according to the UKHSA. Pictured above, a bird flu outbreak in February in Queens Park, Heywood, Rochdale The UKHSA also confirmed last month that it had updated its modelling scenarios of how an outbreak among humans could take off in the UK. All of the scenarios were assumed to have an R rate a measure of a virus' ability to spread of between 1.2 and 2 The UKHSA graph shows the number of bird flu detections at premises in England between October 2022 and March 2023, colour-coded by where the cases have been spotted The UKHSA map shows detections of avian influenza in wild birds in England between October 2022 and March 2023 Overall, avian flu has been detected in 23 samples of 219 collected from wild mammals since October 2021. Nine were in Scotland, while 12 were in England and two in Wales UKHSA scientists looked at how long it would take for health chiefs to spot that bird flu was spreading among people. In a worst-case scenario, there would be 9,254 cases before the virus was spotted (shown in graph). This could occur if just ICU admissions were tested for the virus, the R rate was 2 and the virus was hospitalising 5 per cent of those it infects Alan Gosling (pictured above), a retired engineer in Devon, caught the virus after his ducks, some of which lived inside his home, became infected. No one else caught the virus British farms are currently under tough biosecurity rules in efforts to combat the deadly disease. A housing order keeping birds indoors - even those reared as free range - to avoid contact with wild birds, has been in place since mid-November. Animal and Plant Health Agency, an arm of DEFRA, is reviewing the bird flu risk to humans every week. The group is also looking at potential candidate vaccines for humans if the virus spills over into people. The UKHSA has currently set the threat level to level three, given there is 'evidence' of changes in the virus genome that could trigger 'mammalian infection', it said. Any 'sustained' mammal-to-mammal transmission of the pathogen would raise the threat level to four, while human-to-human would push it to five. The UKHSA also confirmed last month that it had updated its modelling scenarios of how an outbreak among humans could take off in the UK. All of the scenarios were assumed to have an R rate a measure of a virus' ability to spread of between 1.2 and 2. This means that every 10 infected people would pass the virus on to 12 to 20 others and that the outbreak would double every three to 11 days. Under a worst case scenario, the scientists estimate up to one in 20 people who catch bird flu would die due to the virus. There has only been one case of a British person becoming infected with H5N1 since the ongoing outbreak took off in October 2021. Alan Gosling, a retired engineer in Devon, caught the virus in early 2022 after his ducks, some of which lived inside his home, became infected. No one else is known to have caught the virus. Tests confirmed that he had stage four colon cancer that had spread to his liver Joshua Sanchez, 38, first became concerned when blood cropped up in feces A New Yorker went to the doctor with what he thought were hemorrhoids only to be told he had late-stage cancer. Joshua Sanchez, now 38, from Harlem, first became concerned when he noticed blood appearing in his stool in 2021. But after visiting doctors at Mount Sinai, scans revealed he had stage four colon cancer that had also spread to his liver where it is deadly. Doctors warn hemorrhoids or lumps or vein swelling in the anus and colon cancer can trigger similar symptoms, making the latter difficult to catch early on. He is now raising awareness about the cancer so that others don't have to go through the same ordeal. Joshua Sanchez, 38, from East Harlem in New York City, went to see doctors after blood kept cropping up in his stool. He thought it was hemorrhoids, but the freelance artist found out he was actually suffering from stage four colon cancer. (Pictured above with his mother) Bowel cancer can cause you to have blood in your poo, a change in bowel habits, a lump inside your bowel which can cause an obstruction. Some people also suffer from weight loss as a result of these symptoms Colon cancer triggers other warning signs, however, distinct from hemorrhoids including diarrhea, frequent cramps and unexplained weight loss. About 100,000 Americans are diagnosed with colon cancer every year and there are some 56,000 deaths annually. The American Cancer Society is warning that rates of the disease are surging in younger age groups, with the number of under-55s diagnosed with the disease doubling over the last 25 years. The age group is now behind one-in-five cases. Alarmed by the trend, US health officials are now recommending Americans start getting cancer screenings at age 45 years, down from the previously recommended age 50. The disease is the third most deadly cancer in the United States, with about 63 percent of patients surviving beyond five years from diagnosis. The problem is how hard it is to detect in its earliest stages. It can grow without causing symptoms and among those who do get symptoms, they are often so general they are dismissed as other things. Mr Sanchez, who is also deaf, told Today via an interpreter: 'At first, I thought I had a hemorrhoid. '[But] I felt like something still wasn't great because I had noticed some blood.' He has opened up about his story to urge others, especially people who are deaf, to get checked if they have a health problem. Mr Sanchez went to doctors in 2021 after he became concerned, and had an endoscopy and colonoscopy, which detected two masses in his colon and liver. Biopsies were taken which confirmed that he had stage four colon cancer. The patient had surgery to remove the tumors and was then put on a three-week course of chemotherapy. But during a procedure to administer the treatment to his liver, his arms became numb and difficult to move. Mr Sanchez, who relies on sign language to talk to others, said: 'I couldn't communicate at all. I was having a really tough time in the hospital.' He was discharged but returned in 2022, however, after multiple lesions were detected on his liver that raised cancer concerns. Doctors treated this using radiation and gave him instructions via a virtual-reality headset which showed someone communicating what he needed to do in sign language. Mr Sanchez is still yet to be declared cancer free. He is currently receiving radiation to treat lesions on his pelvis. After that, doctors will perform more tests to find out whether his cancer has stopped growing. He added: 'We're Latino so we don't really focus on our health and we don't talk about that and we don't discuss vulnerabilities very often. So it's a serious thing that needs to be communicated more.' Hemorrhoids affect about half of Americans at some point in their lives. They are typically caused by added pressure to the anus, likely from straining during bowel movements, constipation, heavy lifting, prolonged periods of standing and aging. They can also be caused by pregnancy. For comparison, colon cancer or bowel cancer in the UK is typically seen as an 'old man's disease' not normally striking until someone is over 55 years old. Rates of colon cancer have risen among adults aged 20 to 49. Scientists say more than 40 percent of diagnoses are among those aged 45 to 49 years old Dr Ryan Williams, an oncologist at Bayfront Health in New Jersey, previously explained the warning signs for hemorrhoids. 'A bowel movement that has blood, small lumps at the anal opening or pain could be serious,' he said. 'In most cases, the problem traces back to a benign condition called hemorrhoids. 'But sometimes those same symptoms can indicate the onset of colorectal cancer, the third-leading cause of cancer deaths.' Here are the early warning signs of colon cancer: Blood in stool The most common early warning sign of colon cancer is blood in a person's stool. The blood can also be caused by damage to the rectum or hemorrhoids. But doctors recommend that if someone frequently finds red in the toilet they should get checked out. Colon cancer usually starts in the mucosa or the innermost lining of the intestine. But as the tumor forms it can damage blood vessels lining the colon, leading to bleeding. As stool passes through the colon it can then mix with the blood, causing blood to appear in the toilet bowel. Tears can also appear on the tumor itself, which can also result in bleeding that then mixes with stool. In some cases, blood in the stool can also cause it to turn a very dark color instead of red. Doctors say this should not be overlooked. Change in bowel habits Shifts in how often someone needs to use the bathroom could also be a warning sign of colon cancer. People with the disease may suddenly begin to go to the bathroom less often. They can also start to experience constipation or diarrhea for long periods or have 'pencil-shaped' feces. These shifts occur because the tumor is narrowing a person's rectum, making it harder to go to the bathroom more regularly and disrupting digestion. Cold hands and feet Suddenly suffering from cold hands and feet could also be a warning sign of the cancer, doctors say. People with the cancer often face anemia, a condition where not enough oxygen-rich blood cells are traveling in the body. This happens because they are often bleeding in the rectum, depleting the blood supply in the body. The reduction leads to the body conserving blood for the internal organs and sending less to the extremities the hands and feet causing a drop in temperature. Abdominal pain Doctors say that people with colon cancer may also face dull and constant pain in their abdomen. This happens because as the tumor grows it starts to push against a person's organs, bones, nerves and other tissues. Abdominal pain is one of the most obvious signs of cancer and doctors will immediately warn patients facing it to get checked. Unexplained weight loss Another sign of the cancer is losing weight without expecting to, doctors say. As the tumor grows, it can begin to disrupt how the body processes food and lead to them extracting fewer calories from food. This means they burn more calories per day, leading to weight loss. The cancer can also speed up someone's metabolism by turbo-charging the immune system to start fighting the cancer, further driving weight loss. Problems with digestion can also lead to someone eating less food than normal. Covid's natural origin theory was today seemingly dealt a huge blow by China's very own scientists. In a fresh twist to the never-ending saga, Beijing-affiliated researchers ruled there was no proof to definitively say the virus jumped from animals to humans at a now-infamous market in Wuhan. Swathes of patients struck down at the start of the pandemic visited or had links to its stalls, which sold bats, raccoon dogs, pangolins and other exotic species either proven to harbour similar coronaviruses or thought to. As such, top virologists agreed with the Chinese government's argument that Covid likely emerged naturally inside the busy market. However, in one of the most eagerly-awaited papers on the topic, experts from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said: 'The evidence provided in this study is not sufficient to support such a hypothesis... Studies point to Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan (pictured) as being the epicentre of the outbreak. Many of the earliest cases in December 2019 and January 2020 had visited the site, where live animals were sold Ever since the pandemic began, the Huanan Seafood Market had been held up as the source of the pandemic as the earliest cases were linked to the market. Pictured: Workers in protective gear catch a giant salamander that was reported to have escaped from the Huanan Seafood Market in January 2020 'The possibility of potential introduction of the virus to the market through infected humans, or cold chain products, cannot be ruled out yet.' The explosive paper, sharing data that scientists across the world have demanded ever since the pandemic kicked off, suggests the virus was prevalent at the Huanan Seafood Market when the outbreak began. But the researchers argued that people could have brought the virus to the market, which then acted as a super-spreader in December 2019. To understand the market's precise role in the origins of Covid, the team, including the former head of the Chinese CDC Dr George Gao, looked at samples taken from the site after the outbreak was first detected. This included 923 samples from in and around the market and 457 from animals including strays, their faeces and meat kept in fridges and freezers. The paper, published in journal Nature, states that 73 of the samples taken from the market (7.9 per cent) tested positive for Covid. While most of were concentrated in the West of the market, the virus was detected on stalls selling a range of products from wildlife to vegetables. The researchers said this suggests Covid 'may have been circulating in the market' for 'a while' in December 2019, leading to 'extensive distribution', which may have been facilitated by crowds. Some say it's possible the coronavirus leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (pictured), where researchers were conducting controversial research on the world's most dangerous pathogens But none of the 457 animal samples tested positive for the virus, they said. The researchers concluded that it 'remains possible that the market may acted as an amplifier of transmission due to the high number of visitors every day'. The market is less than 1km from Hankou Railway Station, described by the scientists as a 'major travel hub'. Sharing their results in the journal, they said: 'These environmental samples cannot prove that the animals were infected. 'Furthermore, even if the animals were infected, our study does not rule out human-to-animal transmission occurred.' READ MORE Is this more proof that Beijing hid COVID truth from the world? Doctors believe German man had illness in December 2019 - days BEFORE China raised the alarm Do these CT scans of 71-year-old German man's lungs taken on December 30 2019 prove Covid was spreading in the country one month before the first official case? Advertisement None of the authors were linked to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the secretive site behind the lab leak theory. Independent experts today said the data was one of the most important sets 'weve had since the emergence of the pandemic'. Others argued that, despite knocking back the natural origin theory, it did not give any weight to the lab leak theory because the 'extent of circumstantial evidence is greater than one can find for the alternate hypothesis'. The same team of Chinese scientists published an earlier version of this study back in February 2022. Yet they did not include any analysis of the genetic material of the swabs or publicly share them. It comes after a study last month suggested that raccoon dogs sold at the market in Wuhan could be the origin of the pandemic. The paper, which has not been peer-reviewed, found genetic material from raccoon dogs and several other animals known to harbour Covid were located in some of the same stalls where SARS-CoV-2's genome was also present at the time of the initial outbreak. US magazine The Atlantic, which was leaked the research, billed it as the 'strongest evidence yet that an animal started the pandemic'. That controversial report was based on the exact same data from this Chinese team, who dismissed the findings and insisted the question over how Covid started remained 'open'. Experts stumbled across the data by chance on a public data repository site, before it was suddenly removed. In the wake of that analysis, World Health Organization officials to moan that the data 'could have and should have been shared three years ago'. The question of whether the global outbreak began with a spillover from wildlife sold at the market or leaked out of the Wuhan lab just eight miles across the Yangtze River has given rise to fierce debate about how to prevent the next pandemic. New studies point to a natural spillover at the Huanan wildlife market. Positive swab samples of floors, cages and counters also track the virus back to stalls in the southwestern corner of the market (bottom left), where animals with the potential to harbour Covid were sold for meat or fur at the time (bottom right) While China has insisted the virus originated elsewhere, academics, politicians and the media have contemplated the possibility it leaked from a high-level biochemical lab in Wuhan - raising suspicions that Chinese officials simply hid evidence of the early spread Professor Alice Hughes, a conservation biologist at the University of Hong Kong, said the new analysis 'is incredibly weak', has 'major flaws' and is littered with errors. She said that the analysis suggests there were animals in the market that could not possibly be there, suggesting the scientists incorrectly identified the animals or that the samples were contaminated when examined in the lab. Professor Hughes said: 'This either relates to very poor species assignment, or contamination of the genomic samples (or both). She added: 'The issue of the origins of SARS-CoV-2 is so important. 'It's a shame there couldn't have been more collaboration in working on this analysis, as there do appear to be errors. 'We should be looking for further analysis on these datasets, where necessary care is applied to ensure reliable and accurate results.' Scientists claim it is vital to understand how the Covid pandemic began to prevent future outbreaks. Studies point to Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan as being the epicentre of the outbreak. However, others believe the virus was leaked accidentally or on purpose from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), which was conducting experiments on live bats. Dr Shi Zhengli, a virologist at the WIV nicknamed 'Bat Woman', was overseeing 'gain of function' experiments, which can involve purposely manipulating pathogens to make them more dangerous. China has repeatedly denied it was to blame for the outbreak blaming a wet market in Wuhan as the source of the outbreak and even pointing the finger at the US. China's secrecy in not providing vital access to scientists probing the origins and accusations of covering up evidence from the early days of the pandemic by wiping key databases has only added fuel to the fire. The truth on how Covid emerged will likely never be known, however. Air pollution can cause lung cancer by 'waking up' dormant cells, researchers have found. Just three years of breathing in toxic air belched out by cars and buses is enough to reactive silenced, mutant cells. Scientists said their findings, published in the journal Nature, help to explain why so many non-smokers get lung cancer. And experts claimed their discovery could lead to statin-like pills being developed to 'stop this from happening inside the body'. Professor Charles Swanton, of the Francis Crick Institute and UCL and Cancer Research UK chief clinician, who is lead investigator on the study, said: 'Our study has fundamentally changed how we view lung cancer in people who have never smoked. Scientists have discovered how air pollution triggers lung cancer for people who have never smoked He added: 'Cells with cancer-causing mutations accumulate naturally as we age, but they are normally inactive. 'We've demonstrated that air pollution wakes these cells up in the lungs, encouraging them to grow and potentially form tumours. 'The mechanism we've identified could ultimately help us to find better ways to prevent and treat lung cancer in never-smokers. 'If we can stop cells from growing in response to air pollution, we can reduce the risk of lung cancer.' Lung cancer kills almost 35,000 people each year in the UK and more than 127,000 in the US, figures show. Smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer, accounting for more than 70 out of 100 cases, according to the NHS. However, even people who have never smoked can also develop the disease, which mainly affects older people. More than four out of 10 people diagnosed are over 75. It is estimated that nearly 6,000 people who have never smoked die of lung cancer in the UK each year. Air pollution causes millions of deaths worldwide each year, including more than 250,000 from a type of lung cancer called adenocarcinoma. Air pollution is also understood to increase the risk of other conditions, including heart attack, stroke and diabetes. As part of the study, which received 14million in funding from Cancer Research UK, the scientists examined data from more than 400,000 people from the UK, South Korea, and Taiwan. They focused on a type of lung cancer that is caused by a mutation in the EGFR gene. Known as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutant lung cancer, it is commonly found in people who have never smoked. Tests on mice showed PM2.5 particles promoted rapid changes in airway cells which had EGFR mutations. Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of Asthma + Lung UK, said: 'This important research is further evidence of air pollution having a role in causing lung cancer, the deadliest cancer in the UK, in non-smokers. 'It also helps us to challenge and change attitudes around lung cancer, that only smokers can get this debilitating disease. 'The truth is, air pollution affects everyone's lungs and is responsible for worsening existing lung conditions and creating new ones in healthy people. 'Up to now the Government has failed to match the ambition that's needed to tackle this problem. 'We need to see bold action, including plans to get the most polluting vehicles off our roads, if we are to reduce toxic air and protect people's health.' Scientists say they have identified a brain switch that gets people hooked on alcohol, drugs and cigarettes. The finding opens the door to developing treatments to fight addictions like the opioid epidemic gripping the US. Researchers in New York exposed mice to a particular sound before giving them either a reward sugar water or 'punishment' water. Scans showed that key neurons in the amygdala started to fire in response to the noises, teaching the animals to associate them with a specific reward. But when these neurons were inhibited, the mice were unable to learn what the sounds meant. The above scan shows an amygdala inside the brain of a mouse (red dot on the left). Humans and mice carry this brain structure The amygdala are parts of the brain responsible for processing emotional stimuli. Each person has two of the parts in their brain matter, located in the lower portion of the brain below the ears. It is responsible for how the brain reacts to certain stimuli. For example, it will release dopamine, a hormone that triggers a sense of euphoria, as a reward for what it determines to be a positive experience. The brain region has long been speculated to play a key role in addiction, as it will eventually become trained to release rewards when a person uses their vice. This makes a person seek out the poor behavior or substance even more. It also leads to cravings for drugs, alcohol and other goods to trigger the dopamine release. The research team from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, on Long Island, New York, looked into the role this region played in addiction by testing the reward system of mice. Published Wednesday in the journal Nature, mice in the study were exposed to specific sounds before being administered a reward or punishment. The rewards would be a light electric shock while the rewards were being allowed to drink water after long restrictions or receiving sugar or food Using brain scans, researchers found that the amygdala was being stimulated in response to the sounds after the mice had gotten used to the reward and punishment cycle. Responses changed depending on the sound, though. This signaled to researchers that the mice were learning what each byte of audio meant. In the next stage of the experiment, the scientists inhibited the neurons in the amygdala. They then repeated the tests using the same sounds and rewards or punishments. But they found that the mice could not be trained to associate a sound with a particular reward or punishment without the neurons. They also found that the brain's normal dopamine response was suppressed. Lead author Dr Bo Li, a neurologist who led the research, said: 'This is entirely new to us. 'These neurons really care about the nature of each individual stimulus. It's almost like a sensory area.' He added: 'While previous research had linked the central amygdala to dopamine neurons, it was unclear exactly how they were connected. 'We found those neurons are required for normal function for dopamine neurons, and therefore are important for reward learning. 'That is direct evidence of how they regulate the function of dopamine neurons.' Dr Li and colleagues now plan to examine the relationship between the amygdala and addiction. Their trials are currently in mice but could eventually advance to other animals and humans. The research could one day lead to better treatments for opioid and methamphetamine addiction. For the experiment, mice heard a signal before either being offered water or sucrose. Scans showed they had learned to associate specific sounds with specific rewards or punishments Dr Li said: 'Our study provides a basis for developing more specific ways to regulate these neurons in different disease conditions.' The US is currently in the grips of an opioid epidemic, with a record 108,000 Americans having died from overdoses. The rising deaths are being attributed to fentanyl, which is up to 100 times more potent than morphine, being mixed with other drugs with people being unaware that the drug they are using contains heroin. There are also mounting concerns over drugs being mixed with xylazine, an animal tranquilizer, which overdose medication naloxone does not work against. Tens of thousands of Virgin Media customers will not receive automatic refunds despite being left without broadband, television and landline connection for hours yesterday. Downdetector, a website which which tracks network issues, received 26,000 reports from people unable to connect to the internet. Virgin Media claims no refunds are needed because network issues were resolved within two working days the minimum period of loss of service required for reimbursement. Nothing to see here: Virgin Media claims no refunds are needed because network issues were resolved within two working days This comes just days after the broadband provider hiked prices by an average of 13.8 per cent. Consumer champion Martyn James says: 'Broadband has become an essential service. For many people working from home, the internet going down can have a major impact on whether they keep their job or not.' The telecoms giant has signed up to regulator Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme, which means it credits customers for prolonged outages. However, services must be down for a full two working days before any money is paid out at which point it is 9.33 for every day. A Virgin Media spokesman says: 'We've restored broadband services but are closely monitoring the situation.' L'Oreal has splashed 2billion on fancy hand wash maker Aesop in its biggest deal in decades. The world's largest cosmetics company has added Aesop, best known for its 31 soap, to its luxury division, alongside brands like Kiehl's and Lancome, where Hollywood star Julia Roberts is a brand ambassador. It marks the French group's first major acquisition since Nicolas Hieronimus took over as boss two years ago, and the biggest for years. Hollywood star Julia Roberts is a brand ambassador for L'Oreal's brand Lancome Its takeovers tend to be of smaller companies that have not been rolled out internationally. But Aesop is already sold across 400 locations, including in Asia and Europe, and its products have attracted a cult-like following. The 2billion price tag makes it one of L'Oreal's biggest purchases over the past quarter-century, according to S&P Global Capital IQ data. Hieronimus said: 'I am very excited to welcome Aesop and its teams to the L'Oreal family. Aesop is the epitome of avant-garde beauty.' Aesop, which also sells hair and skincare products, 'taps into all' consumer trends that L'Oreal is keen to cash in on, such as for vegan products, Hieronimus said. The Garnier and Maybelline owner said Aesop would be propelled further into China, where the soap-maker opened its first store last year. Hieronimus, 59, who took over in May 2021, said the purchase would help Aesop 'unleash its massive growth potential' in both China and travel retail hubs like airports. Aesop was founded in the 1980s by an Australian salon owner who mixed sage and rosemary essential oils into his products to hide the chemical smells of hair dye. He started offering customers the products, growing to a business that made 430.3million sales last year. It has been owned by Brazils Natura & Co which owns The Body Shop and Avon since 2012. The Confederation of British Industry has postponed all public events as it looks into more allegations of drug abuse and sexual misconduct including rape at a staff party. The group which is the UK's biggest business lobbying organisation said its high-profile annual dinner due to take place next month was among those that will not go ahead as planned. Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey was due to speak at the event on May 11 where tickets cost 440 for an individual or more than 4,000 for a table. Rishi Sunak gave a speech at the dinner last year while he was Chancellor, and Philip Hammond and George Osborne have also attended in the past. Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey was due to speak at the event on May 11 But the CBI said it has decided to 'temporarily pause its external programme of events' in the wake of 'very serious allegations' against staff. The group, which claims to speak for 190,000 British businesses with nearly 7million employees, was already reeling after complaints against CBI director general Tony Danker emerged last month. Danker agreed to step down while an investigation takes place. The fresh allegations are understood not to relate to Danker, with the widening inquiry plunging the CBI into its biggest crisis since it was set up by Royal charter in 1965. More than a dozen women approached The Guardian newspaper claiming to be victims of sexual misconduct by senior figures at the lobbying group. One woman said she was raped by a senior colleague at a CBI boat party on the Thames in the summer of 2019. Other allegations include an attempted sexual assault by a manager at the same boat party and a senior manager sending explicit images to junior female staff over several years. Senior managers have also been accused of behaving inappropriately towards younger female colleagues, with one former board member allegedly touching a woman's bottom. A manager allegedly propositioned women after pushing them to drink more alcohol, while cocaine use was reportedly widespread at CBI events. One of the women said: 'There are some kind men who work at the CBI. But there are also men who prey on younger women. 'The experience of being targeted destroyed my confidence at work and in other parts of my personal life.' Complaints against CBI director general Tony Danker emerged last month The latest claims emerged a month after a female CBI employee alleged she had been sexually harassed by Danker. An independent inquiry has been launched and Danker, 51, has stepped aside until a decision is reached. None of the new claims, which have been included in the inquiry, relate to him. Labour MP Lisa Nandy has withdrawn from an appearance with the CBI due to the latest claims. The shadow secretary for levelling up, housing, communities and local government was due to appear at the CBI Political Engagement Dinner on April 25. A CBI spokesman said: 'In light of the very serious allegations that are currently subject to independent investigation, the CBI has decided to temporarily pause its external programme of events, including the annual dinner on May 11. 'After Easter, the board hopes to have preliminary findings and actions from the first phase of the investigation and, among other steps, will review this pause in event activity at that point.' Fears are mounting that more and more older workers will reach retirement ill-prepared for the soaring cost of funding their golden years. To help get us thinking about preparing for retirement, so-called 'mid-life MOTs' are being expanded. These MOTs are essentially online or in-person tests and classes to help people in their 40s, 50s and 60s take stock of how secure their finances really are and get back on track. So how ship-shape are your finances? Take Money Mail's mid-life money quiz and find out. We've worked with pension giant Aviva which, along with other large providers and the Government website, offers free tests to craft the questions below. Choose the answer that's the closest match to how you run your life and finances. For each A answer, give yourself 3 points; B scores 2; and C just 1 point. Tot it up and see how you score then follow the advice from our experts. Mid-life MOTs are essentially online or in-person tests and classes to help people in their 40s, 50s and 60s take stock of how secure their finances really are 1. Have you set a monthly target for your spending and saving? a) Absolutely. I know exactly how much I spend and log it all in a colour-coded spreadsheet. I have several savings and investment accounts and top them up monthly. b) I spend as I go, but I keep an eye on my budget. I send money to a savings account or investment plan about once a month. c) No. I'm hopeless at keeping track. I have all my money in one account and hope there's some left at the end of the month. 2. Do you need to borrow money to make ends meet? a) I would never buy anything I couldn't afford to pay for outright and I don't have a credit card. I've always lived by the principle that all debt is to be avoided apart from a mortgage. b) I have occasionally had to use a credit card in emergencies or for big bills, such as fixing my car or mending a leaky roof. However, I have always paid it off within a few months. c) I've got several credit cards and have found I'm putting more and more on them as costs rise. I can't afford to pay them off every month, but I need to keep using them to cover the basics. 3. How much cash have you set aside for emergencies? a) I have saved around six months' worth of living expenses (or more) in an account I can access easily. b) I have several thousand pounds in a savings account that would see me through if it came to the worst. But it would last only about two to three months. c) I have very little in savings and there's no way I can set anything aside at the moment. Every penny goes on day-to-day living costs. 4. Have you calculated when you can afford to retire? a) Yes, I know when I want to stop working, have figured out how much I need to save before then and have a clear plan of how I'll achieve that. b) I know how much I've got in my pension but am not sure how much I'll need. I plan to stop work when the time feels right. c) No, I have no idea how much I've got in a pension. And I haven't even thought about how much I'll need for a retirement that could last 20 years or more. 5. Do you know how much the state pension is worth today? a) Yes, and I can tell you how much it will be rising to next week for the new tax year: 10,600 a year. b) I have a rough idea that it's around 10,000 a year. c) No, it would be a guess but I hope it's enough to pay the bills! 6. Do you know how much you are regularly saving into your personal and workplace pension(s)? a) Yes, and I've even opted to increase the amount that I put in every month. b) I know it comes out of my salary and have an inkling of the percentage, but I've never taken the time to check exactly. c) Does my employer pay into a pension for me? If so, I haven't a clue how much goes in. 7. Do you know where your personal and workplace pension(s) are invested? a) Absolutely. I've transferred old pensions from former employers into my new one and have kept on top of them throughout every job move. b) Yes, I know the names of the companies with which I hold a pension but I have never tried logging in. c) I have no idea and wouldn't even know how to find out. 8. Have you calculated how much your personal and workplace pension(s) could be worth when you take them? a) I know exactly how much my various workplace and personal pensions will add up to and how much income they will give me in my retirement. b) The income my workplace pension will provide is on my pension statements but I can't remember what it is. c) I wouldn't even know how to go about finding that out. 9. Do you see your retirement from work as a process over time, rather than as a fixed date? a) Yes, I plan to go part-time and slowly wind down over the course of a few years. I couldn't face the cliff edge of working one day and stopping completely the next. b) It depends what my options are when I reach retirement age. I would like to stop working completely, but if I need the money I will carry on until I feel that enough is enough. c) Not at all. I have always imagined the day I get to retire and look forward to celebrating the end of my working life. 10. Do you regularly seek career guidance from others at work? a) I may be middle-aged but I still want to further myself, so I regularly seek advice from my managers and other trusted colleagues. b) I ask my boss about my future during appraisals once a year. c) At my age I don't need career guidance. I just get on with it. 11. Do you have a good work/life balance? a) I have clear boundaries between my work and family life. I never take on more than I can handle and I also make sure not to take it home with me at the end of the day. b) Work can get busy at certain times of the year, but during quieter periods I usually make sure that I can get home to do some exercise, and spend a few hours with my family. c) My job has taken over my life and spills into my evenings. I don't have enough energy left over to do things right at home and I don't get enough sleep. 12. Do you have control over your time? a) I leave work on time and have a clear routine with my family that lets me exercise, do chores and eat and sleep at regular times. b) Some weeks are better than others but I do have the odd stressful day. c) Work usually spills over into weekends and my days off. I have a lot of family demands at home, too, and feel exhausted at the end of the day. My to-do list often seems never-ending. Since 2015, nearly 5,000 bank branches have disappeared from our high streets, making it increasingly difficult for many customers to do their banking in person. Yet, according to banking insiders, there is far worse around the corner the equivalent of bank branch Armageddon. Over the course of this year and the next, a further 4,000 branches could be shuttered as the big banks radically remodel the way they provide their services. Currently, there are 5,500 bank and building society branches countrywide. It means around eight in ten could be closed. End of an era: Major bank NatWest will be closing around 40 banks this year alone Although high street banking will still be available in big towns and cities, branches will disappear elsewhere, in some cases jeopardising the commercial livelihood of the communities they desert. Even in those areas where a bank decides to keep its branch open, it is likely to be a shadow of its current self. Opening hours will be restricted, counter services will be pared back to a minimum and customers will be encouraged to use in-branch machines ATMs and cash deposit services. The personal touch will be gone. Speak to a bank manager? Forget it. If the banking insiders are correct and they have nothing to gain from painting a bleak picture it would reduce the country's network of bank branches to no more than 1,000, leaving hundreds of communities (small towns and villages) bankless. Insiders say the banks are holding back on significant branch cuts until legislation on access to cash is passed later this year by Parliament. They are playing this waiting game to ward off criticism that they are pre-empting the new rules. But once legislation is in place, they will use the regulatory focus on 'banking hubs' to strip their branch networks down to the bare bones. > Check our interactive map to see how many banks will shut in YOUR region Although some of the deserted communities might benefit from the new-style banking hubs (where multiple banks use the same premises to serve their customers), experts fear the roll-out of these community banks will not be quick enough, resulting in irreparable damage to High Streets up and down the country before they are in situ. Already, towns promised a hub, such as Welshpool in Powys, have been left bankless while waiting for it to open causing a sharp downturn in business for local retailers. All the signals are ominous. According to consumer group Which?, branches have been axed at a rate of 54 per month over the past eight years. Yet the closure rate has now ratcheted up a notch or three. Already this year, 213 branches have been put on notice of closure an average of 71 a month. The latest batch of impending closures, confirmed late last month by NatWest and Lloyds, will result in 81 branches shutting in the coming months. Experts fear this monthly average is about to shoot up further, with Lloyds leading the way. Across its High Street brands Bank of Scotland, Halifax and Lloyds it has far more branches than any other rival: 1,319 compared to NatWest's 738. But a ruthless cull is predicted. Caroline Abrahams, director of charity Age UK, says the scale of bank branch culling 'only seems to be getting worse'. She adds: 'It is a serious blow for the millions of older people who rely on branches, particularly those who are not online or confident with mobile banking. These problems are exacerbated when branch closures coincide with poor local public transport, a lack of ATMs, substandard internet service and mobile black spots, making it extremely difficult for customers to access their money.' In February this year, the number of free-to-use ATMs fell below 40,000 less than half the number eight years ago. Ms Abrahams adds: 'The banks have a clear responsibility to do everything they can to ensure the continued provision of essential banking services for years to come. Bank branches are a lifeline for many older people, but their best interests are losing out, it seems, to the allure of higher bank profits.' Martin McTague, chair of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), says the impact of bank closures on retailers has been colossal, resulting in a sharp drop in business and acute difficulties in banking cash takings. He says: 'Three-quarters of small businesses based on high streets have been affected adversely by bank branch closures, with more than a third saying footfall has dropped as a result. 'Loss of the 'last branch' in a town or village can be especially damaging to high street businesses, as it takes away an important reason for shoppers to visit, hurting footfall.' Maurice O'Brien, a retired local newspaper editor who lives in Tilehurst, Reading, has witnessed the village lose bank after bank in recent years Barclays, Lloyds and HSBC have all disappeared. Even building society Nationwide, normally branch-friendly, pulled out last November. Come June, NatWest will shut, meaning Tilehurst will be left without a bank. Access to cash will then be available through two post offices at either end of the village, plus two ATMs. Maurice, 73, says: 'I have been a Lloyds customer since the day I picked up my first pay packet. 'After I retired eight years ago, its small, friendly Tilehurst branch proved extremely handy, saving me a tiresome trek into Reading. But when the pandemic ended, the branch became a ghost operation and it was no surprise Lloyds pulled the plug on it coincidentally, on the same day as Nationwide shut up shop.' He adds: 'The closure of our last bank, NatWest, will be a body blow to the 14,000-strong community and local traders.' A petition launched by local Liberal Democrats is seeking to get NatWest to reverse its decision. In an open letter to the bank, Anne Thompson, Lib Dem Councillor for Tilehurst, says the branch's closure will create a 'banking desert' in Berkshire having 'a chilling effect on local communities, residents and independent businesses'. Under a voluntary agreement struck between the big banks, the FSB and charities (including Age UK), communities such as Tilehurst qualify to be assessed for a banking hub as soon as notice on the last bank branch standing is served. These hubs are run by the Post Office, but funded by the big banks through an organisation called Cash Access UK. Customers from all the banks are able to use them to deposit cash or make withdrawals, while on specific days, representatives from individual banks are on hand to help with more complex customer inquiries. The job of assessing whether a community such as Tilehurst qualifies for a hub is the responsibility of cash machine network Link. But its decisions are strictly dictated by terms laid down by the banks for example, the size of the community left bankless and access to banking services within the immediate hinterland. Tilehurst, one of 42 branches included on NatWest's latest closure list, failed to qualify for a hub as did other locations such as Rothwell in Leeds and Heald Green in Cheshire, both of which are set to lose their last bank. So far, only four hubs have been opened while a further 43 have been promised. Derek French is a long-standing campaigner for a national network of banking hubs. He is pleased the idea, which he first called for in the 1990s, has at long last been adopted. But he says the rules governing hub set-ups are a mess. 'They are too restrictive,' he says. 'There are plenty of towns in this country that are screaming out for a banking hub, but are being denied one.' For example, the presence of a Nationwide branch automatically disqualifies a community from a hub, even though the building society does not offer all-important banking services to small businesses such as local retailers. Also, communities that have lost all but one of their banks do not qualify for a hub, even though Mr French argues it would provide a better solution for all bank customers personal and business. Mr French also says many bankless communities are being fobbed off with new-style automated deposit services in libraries or shops when a hub, manned by people, would be a far better solution. The slow introduction of banking hubs is resulting in towns losing their last branch before a community bank can be established. Only HSBC and NatWest among the big banks have so far agreed to delay its last-bank-in-town closures until a hub is in place. Legislation requiring banks to ensure High Street access to cash is currently passing through Parliament at a snail's pace. Mr French says this delay their enabling the banks to 'dabble with solutions cheaper than hubs'. When legislation is introduced, it is likely the regulator (the Financial Conduct Authority) will insist on the banks ramping up the setting up of hubs. Whether Cash Access UK will be able to cope remains open to debate. But this hub revolution will come at a price the death of the small-town, village bank branch. The call for greater energy production was politically significant and lucrative for Burisma which generated revenues of at least $400million Former White House stenographer Mike McCormick told DailyMail.com that press were briefed on Biden's strategies to boost Ukraine gas production Joe Biden pushed for Ukraine to frack gas during his 2014 vice presidential visit just days after his son Hunter joined the board of a firm set to profit from it. The first son joined the board of allegedly corrupt Ukrainian gas firm Burisma on April 18, 2014, the company announced in a press release at the time. Three days later, Joe was aboard Air Force 2 for an official visit to the East European country. One of his senior officials briefed reporters on the plane that the VP was pushing 'medium- and long-term strategies to boost conventional gas production, and also to begin to take advantage of the unconventional gas reserves that are in Ukraine.' Joe Biden made a visit to Ukraine as vice president on April 21, 2014, to push for greater energy production, just three days after his son Hunter joined the board of Ukrainian gas firm Burisma. He is pictured in Kyiv with former Ukrainian prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk in 2014 Biden's push for greater energy production proved to be a lucrative move for his son's company Burisma, which generated revenues of at least $400M The president's current national security advisor, Jake Sullivan (pictured in Kyiv in November), was the senior official who briefed reporters on Biden's trip at the time The 'unconventional' reserves were a reference to fracking, a gas extraction method for which Burisma was one of the few firms in Ukraine to have a license at the time. The official said Joe was also promising help for Ukrainian energy firms from US experts. Biden's push for greater energy production was politically significant making Ukraine more economically independent from Russia. But the move also led to millions of dollars for the company his son was then working for. According to Burisma's website, it ramped up production from 100million cubic meters in 2010 to 1.3 billion cubic meters in 2018 when it generated revenues of at least $400million, according to a Reuters estimate. In 2019 Burisma held 35 licenses for hydrocarbon production in Ukraine's main oil and gas basins. According to energy industry publication KeyFactsEnergy.com it began using hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, in 2016 and by May 2019 used the technology in 10% of its wells. A Burisma executive explained how the company benefited from the help of US expertise in Ukraine, in a 2017 interview with Ukrainian trade publication Nefterynok. White House stenographer Mike McCormick, was aboard Air Force 2 when Sullivan briefed reporters on Biden's 2014 trip, he told DailyMail.com Head of country operations Taras Burdeinyi said Burisma partnered with US firms Schlumberger and ProPetro Services for fracking in Ukraine, allowing it to grow the 'largest modern rig fleet' in the country, three years after Biden's intervention. Mike McCormick, a White House stenographer who was on board the April 2014 Air Force 2 flight, told DailyMail.com that the anonymous 'senior official' who gave the briefing was Jake Sullivan, who now serves as President Biden's National Security Advisor. 'Our job basically was to record everything that was said to the press, or public facing, and very quickly make transcripts that the White House could release,' McCormick said. 'The flight was on April 21, Easter Monday. We flew from DC to Ukraine on Air Force Two. My job was to sit in the back with journalists, with a tape recorder and microphone in case there was a statement to the press. 'Sullivan came to the back and did a briefing as a "senior administration official". They wanted to publicize what he said, they weren't afraid of it. But as a senior administration official, so no name attached to it. 'He talked about what Joe was going to do with energy security for Ukraine.' Then-vice president Joe Biden was snapped shaking hands with the ambassador in Ukraine Geoffrey R. Pyatt as Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya (center) looked on, after landing at the Boryspil airport in Kiev on April 21, 2014 Transcripts of the briefing show Sullivan was identified only as a 'senior administration official' to avoid 'attaching a name to it' Sullivan's comments were reported, as an anonymous official, in several outlets at the time including NPR and Reuters. '[Biden] will speak about both the short- and long-term energy situation in Ukraine,' the transcript says. 'As he arrives, there will also be a team on the ground from the United States, a team of experts working on the reverse flow issue. 'That team will be in Kyiv and then will travel also to Slovakia, Poland and Hungary to help address the issue of reversing the flow of natural gas to provide Ukraine with some measure of short-term supply of natural gas as they look to replenish their stores. 'But also he'll discuss with them medium- and long-term strategies to boost conventional gas production, and also to begin to take advantage of the unconventional gas reserves that are in Ukraine.' McCormick, a conservative author who wrote a book on Joe Biden, said nothing seemed amiss at the time but that was before Hunter's connection to Burisma had been publicly revealed. 'At the time, it sounded fine. No one on the plane knew that Hunter had already signed up to be with Burisma. That wouldn't be announced publicly for another three weeks in mid May. 'Now that I've looked in Hunter's laptop, I realize that Sullivan was telling the press we're going to be helping Ukraine's fracking industry. 'Burisma Holdings was one of the only companies licensed to do fracking in Ukraine. And Joe Biden would have known that.' It is unclear whether Biden received specific briefings on Burisma ahead of his April trip to Ukraine. But the then-VP was tasked with handling Ukraine relations, and focused his trip on pushing for the countrys energy independence. Biden has repeatedly denied discussing foreign business deals with his son. Vice President Joe Biden at a meeting with Ukrainian legislators, April 22, 2014. At the time, the VP was also promising help for Ukrainian energy firms from US experts, a White House official said The president, pictured with Hunter in August 2022, has repeatedly denied discussing foreign business deals with his son A general view of a Burisma Group building in Kyiv in October 2019 The Vice Presidents trip to Ukraine was announced on April 12, 2020, after Hunter was already in conversations to join Burismas board and was discussing energy deals involving the firm, his emails reveal. Hunter emailed his business partner and fellow Burisma board member Devon Archer on April 22, 2014 with an excerpt from a news story quoting Joe Biden talking about the need for Ukraine to increase its gas production, and an offer of US assistance to do so. We need to make sure this rag tag temporary Government in the Ukraine understands the value of Burisma to its very existence, Archer replied. You should send to Vadim [Pozharsky, a Burisma executive] - makes it look like we are adding value, Hunter said. A September 2020 report on Hunters shady dealings with Ukraine and China by the Senate Homeland Security Committee described Burisma as a corrupt Ukrainian gas company and said State Department officials viewed its owner Mykola Zlochevsky as a corrupt odious oligarch. In 2016, Ukraines top prosecutor, Viktor Shokin, had an active and ongoing investigation into Burisma and its owner, Mykola Zlochevsky, the report said. The FBI were also assisting MI5 in a case against Zlochevsky to seize corrupt assets, according to Geoffrey Pyatt, then-US ambassador to Ukraine, the report noted. Both the FBI and Republican-controlled House committees are currently investigating Hunter's business dealings in Ukraine, over alleged tax crimes, illegal foreign lobbying and money laundering. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has said he is investigating whether Joe knew about, or even profited from, Hunter's work for Ukrainian and Chinese companies. As well as hiring Hunter, Burisma also paid former Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski 1million (about $1million) to join its board from January 2014. McCormick pointed to Biden's public comments he transcribed during a trip to Poland in March 2014, revealing a potential close relationship between Kwasniewski and the then-VP. According to a White House transcript from a joint press conference with Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski on March 18 2014 at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Biden told the Polish premier: 'there's a Polish cavalryman's sword presented to me by your predecessor, by your government, that hangs proudly in my family home.' The comment could be a reference to Kwasniewski, who served as president from 1995 to 2005. He was succeeded by Lech Kaczynski. Komorowski took power following Kaczynski's death in 2010. Biden would have been required to report a substantial present such as a ceremonial sword in the State Department's annual register of foreign gifts. But no such gift appears in the records between 2014 and 1999, the year of the earliest report on the Federal Register website. The only Polish sword in the records was given in June 2009 by General Franciszek Gagor to the Pentagon's Admiral Michael Mullen, then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mullen handed it over to General Services Administration officials. Kaczynski did, however, give Biden a pen with a 14 karat white gold nib worth $580 in October 2009. Layla was discovered still alive on Thursday night, shot in the head: her life support machine is now being switched off Sheriff Billy Woods confirmed in a press conference there are 'multiple suspects' but refused to say if the victims themselves were involved in gang activity The murders of 16-year-old Layla Silvernail and two other teens in Ocklawaha, Florida, may be linked to 'hybrid gangs', Marion County officials said Tuesday Three teenagers shot and killed in a tiny Florida community may have been the victims of 'hybrid' gang activity, the sheriff leading the hunt for their killer or killers revealed Tuesday. Two 16-year-old girls and a 17-year-old boy were discovered dumped in three locations in the town of Ocklawaha and over a period of three days. Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods revealed 16-year-old Layla Silvernail and the other two unidentified victims knew each other and 15 detectives are working furiously on the case. The murders of 16-year-old Layla Silvernail and two other teens in Ocklawaha, Florida last week may be linked to 'hybrid gangs', Marion County officials said Tuesday Speaking in a press conference Tuesday, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods confirmed there are 'multiple suspects' in the case 'The detectives also have information that it's possibly tied to what we classify as hybrid gangs,' he revealed today at a news conference in Ocala. 'A wannabe gang in a little more plain English. Wannebe gangs is what they are.' Asked to clarify if the victims were in a gang, he replied: 'I don't havethere is information that we are being given that is a possibility of hybrid gangs and that is about it. 'I can't tell you who's associated, what gangs associated with, or anything like that.' Pressed again if he was alluding to the trio being in a gang, he said: 'That's not what I'm saying. I'm not going to give an answer to that question without knowing for sure that that person was. 'It's a possibility because it's information that we were given. 'What we are investigating is a murder, not necessarily what their association is with a gang. We are investigating their murders.' Sheriff Woods said he did not know if the slayings were part of a turf war, but added: 'Everything is a possibility.' The law chief said he could not answer if the victims had ever been in trouble before they were killed. But getting back to the gangs theme, he said: 'I can't answer that. Because I don't have all the information at the moment. Silvernail was found, still alive, inside this dumpster in Marion, County Florida Layla was found on Thursday shot in the head and left in a dumpster, but still alive. She has since died, and police have found two more teenage victims one 17-year-old boy, and another 16-year-old girl who they believe are connected 'Let's be frank, anybody that associates with a gang at some point in their life has done something. Whether they've been arrested or not. 'So when I tell you hybrid gangs, it's not a game because it's all unicorns and everything else. It's because they do illegal stuff.' Sheriff Woods vowed to catch those responsible. In a message to the victims' families, pointing backwards in the direction of the county jail he declared: ' We're gonna get 'em. 'Their a**es are going to be right over there. In that jail.' The sheriff also revealed there are multiple suspects although there are no pictures of them available and no information about suspect cars at any of the scenes. He refused to reveal a lot of other information about the case, such as why the victims were discovered in different locations or if they were shot where they were found. Asked if there were multiple shooters, he replied: 'I ain't gonna tell you.' But he did reveal: 'All on the individuals that we have been given tips on are persons of interest. I can tell you it's more than one. 'We have multiple suspects.' Forensics information about whether the teenagers were shot with the same weapon has not been revealed yet, he said. The sheriff repeated his message that he did not believe there is a fourth victim. 'No we are not looking for anyone else at this time,' There is no new information or new evidence to indicate that we have a fourth victim out there.' The families of the unnamed victims have invoked Marsy's Law, a Florida statute that is designed to protect victims of crime. The relatives have the right to insist names do not appear on police or public reports. Layla Silvernail was described by her friends and relatives as a talented softball player In an earlier Facebook post, Sheriff Woods insisted he was not hunting a serial killer. Layla was still alive when she was found on Thursday night shot in the head and left in a dumpster near Forest Lakes Park in the town, northwest of Orlando. Her family said she was declared dead. And on Tuesday, the sheriff's office announced she had passed away. A second victim the 17-year-old boy was found Friday morning less than a mile away, lying by the side of the road. The other 16-year-old girl was found Saturday inside Layla's car, which was partially submerged in a pond. Sheriff Woods refused to say where in the car third victim was discovered. 'That's the type of information that could compromise the case,' he said. But he added: 'Yes, they were friends. 'It's still to be determined,' if they were discovered in the order in which they were killed. Of the suspects, he said: 'I'm not implying the suspects are teenagers.' He also said he did 'not have all the information right now' about whether the victims knew the killer or killers. Sheriff Woods blasted some keyboard warriors from social media for spreading speculative information. 'You don't know what occurred,' he said. 'Or if you do you're not coming in and talking to us, and you need to. 'Because we need to solve this and put the pieces of the puzzle together so we can put the individuals who committed the crime behind bars.' A University of Georgia student diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor is fighting to survive - and daily prayers are giving her the strength to keep going, her mother said. Liza Burke, 21, suffered a brain bleed while she was on vacation in Mexico on March 10 - and air lifted to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida where she has been receiving treatment. After a biopsy, doctors confirmed that Burke had a grade four astrocytoma glioma, a malignant and aggressive tumor located on the brain stem that grows rapidly. The young woman started radiation treatment immediately. Liza's mother Laura McKeithen told DailyMail.com that doctors had 'the talk' preparing her for the worst, but miraculously her daughter has been fighting the fight. 'In Mexico the doctor said they'd take her off sedation to see if there was any brain activity. They expected nothing and had prepared me for that then Liza moved intentionally and we were all stunned ... total elation,' McKeithen said. Liza Burke, 21, suffered a brain bleed while she was on vacation in Mexico on March 10 - and air lifted to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida where she has been receiving treatment Liza's family surrounds her with love at her bedside at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida Liza and her mother, Laura McKeithen smiling Liza Burke, pictured right, suffered a serious brain bleed during a spring break trip to Mexico 'Here they've prepared me for several worst case scenarios. It's very upsetting but I get why they have to. So far, thank God, we've not faced any,' McKeithen said. Burke has been undergoing daily radiation treatment that will last for the next few weeks. Liza's mom said the biggest concern right now is her daughter's respiratory system while the radiation seems to be effective. Doctors reassured her that her daughter is progressing exactly as expected. 'Liza is holding her own,' she said describing her as her Sleeping Beauty/Princess Warrior. McKeithen has been giving DailyMail.com regular updates on her daughters condition. She also shared how grateful she is for the prayers of healing and outpouring of support. 'I think its a combination of Liza's strength and willpower along with prayers and support of so many people all over the word who are sending healing energy to her. I know it has filled me with hope.' Later this week her daughter is scheduled for another MRI that she said will give them more information on her prognosis. 'My faith is in her and God. She is a fighter and in God's grace. We are expecting miracles around here.' McKeithen describes her daughter as fearless. A day before she came down with the brain hemorrhage, McKeithen said Liza was jumping off cliffs and enjoying a boat ride and bonfire Liza's mom Laura McKeithen wrote on a GoFundMe that if 'you feel led to send a note of encouragement, please send to Liza's attention at Mayo clinic in Jacksonville' Liza and her boyfriend taking a photo together during their spring break trip to Mexico McKeithen told DailyMail.com that her daughter started complaining around 2019 - around the time she started college - of head pain and at times of being lightheaded. 'Liza said maybe four times, "I think there is something wrong in my head," and three times she told me she felt like she was going to faint.' But, like most college kids McKeithen figured it was from lack of sleep and the stress from her studies. 'I assumed it was just a 20-something girl who is under a lot of pressure. The way she said it - it was never a plea... she never seemed like there was an urgency.' The day before she experienced the brain hemorrhage her mom said her daughter was in Cabo San Lucas with her boyfriend, his fraternity brothers, their girlfriends and other friends. They were going cliff diving, enjoying a boat ride and a bonfire later in the night. The mom recalled: 'She was feeling great and she sent me a photo of her doing a handstand.' The next day, she came down with a massive headache after she finished a workout at the gym. McKeithen said that she told her boyfriend she was going to take a nap. When he went back to check on her a few hours later, he was not able to rouse her and rushed her to the hospital. When she got the gut-wrenching news about her daughter, doctors told her they placed an EVD line into her brain to drain the fluid - but also told her they were not sure how much brain damage she sustained. McKeithen jumped on the first plane out to Cabo San Lucas as her daughter was experiencing some cardiac issues. A series of events took place prompting many roadblocks to get Liza out of Mexico and to the Mayo Clinic in Florida. The medical air ambulance was unable to get to Mexico to transport her daughter via plane because the airport in San Diego was closed because President Biden was in town. McKeithen was racing against the clock to get her daughter the immediate life-saving medical care she needed. 'You can't make this up. It was insane. I have friends who had to call their friends who work for the FAA who were able to get the plane off the ground.' 'My faith is in her and God,' Lisa's mom said. 'She is a fighter and in God's grace. We are expecting miracles around here.' Her friends called an ambulance after she complained of a headache and than didn't get up from a nap she had taken When Burke first arrived at the Mayo Clinic her mom said she became responsive once the sedatives wore off - pulling the tube away from her mouth and moving her fingers - but a few days later she had a setback and was no longer responding. Last week when radiation began she started making some strides by wiggling her toes and squeezing the doctor's hands. Over the last few days other responses include an eyebrow raise and she puckered her lips when her mom asked her for a kiss. And on Tuesday night McKeithen said that Liza again raised her eyebrows for the doctor this morning and did some toe wigging during the day. 'An amazing friend shared, McKeithen said: 'This week is going to feel like turbulence but trust that you're on the way to your destination. Hang on Liza- lovers. Miracles here we come.' Sources say he has been honest on drug use to officials in US visa application Prince Harry did tell US authorities about his history of drug use when he applied for his visa, it was reported last night. Sources close to the Duke of Sussex insisted that the royal told officials the truth about his past use of cannabis, cocaine and magic mushrooms when he applied for residency in California. Harry revealed in his bombshell memoir Spare that he had used recreational drugs, raising questions over how the royal could have been allowed to enter the States in the first place. The admission led to a conservative think-tank using Freedom of Information(FOI) laws in the US to find out who let the duke into the country. A source close to Harry has now told the Telegraph that he was 'truthful' on his visa application, which suggests that he did disclose his past drug use. In Spare and in a 'therapy session' with toxic trauma expert Dr Gabor Mate to promote his book last month, Harry admitted using psychedelic drugs. They included the hallucinogenic Amazonian plant ayahuasca, whose effect he described as 'the cleaning of the windshield, the removal of life's filters'. But under US law, an admission of drug use usually results in a person being denied entry to the States. Prince Harry did tell US authorities about his history of drug use when he applied for his visa, it was reported last night Sources close to the Duke of Sussex insisted that the royal told officials the truth about his past use of cannabis, cocaine and magic mushrooms when he applied for residency in California The issue of immigration is expected to become one of the main focuses of the 2024 presidential election, with Republicans attacking President Joe Biden for what they see as his lax border controls. And there are fears that Harry's friendships with prominent Democratic Party figures such as former president Barack Obama and major donors including Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry could see him become an 'unwitting pawn in a highly political game'. The Heritage Foundation says his visa application must be released so taxpayers can understand whether Harry declared his drug use. US immigration law has harsh penalties for lying to immigration officials, including deportation and being barred from applying for citizenship. Mike Howell, director of the Heritage Foundation's Oversight Project, said: 'This request is in the public interest in light of the potential revocation of Prince Harry's visa for illicit substance use and further questions regarding the prince's drug use and whether he was properly vetted before entering the United States.' US immigration authorities have until April 12 to respond to the Heritage Foundation's FOI request seeking to determine how the Duke of Sussex was allowed to enter the States after admitting using substances in the past. Under US law, anyone applying for a visa to live and work in America has to tick a box to answer 'yes' or 'no' to the question: 'Are you or have you ever been a drug abuser or addict?' Prince Harry outside The Cuckoo Club in August 2006 A source told The Telegraph that Harry was 'truthful' on his visa application There is a history of authorities releasing immigration documents about public figures. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services website has an electronic reading room which contains the immigration files of people such as Shyamala Gopalan Harris, mother of US Vice-President Kamala Harris, and George Michael and John Lennon. Other celebrities whose files are open to the public include Canadian-born Superman actress Margot Kidder and British actress Lynn Redgrave. Samuel Dewey, a lawyer for the Heritage Foundation in its FOI case, said: 'An admission of drug use doesn't automatically ban you for ever. 'There is a waiver process and a lot of people get a waiver on a case-by-case basis. If Prince Harry was given a waiver, who authorised it? Was the correct protocol followed? It's something the American people deserve to know.' Often a ban is overturned after an in-person interview at a US consulate or official immigration office, where a waiver can be issued. In 2014, chef Nigella Lawson was prevented from entering the US after admitting during a court case to taking cocaine, despite telling a judge: 'I have never been a drug addict. I've never been a habitual user.' She was later granted a visa after being interviewed at the US Embassy in London, while Amy Winehouse was twice refused entry because of her drug use. Mr Dewey added: 'There is no suggestion Prince Harry did anything wrong and, if he was granted a waiver, he may not be aware of any political strings that may have been pulled, if indeed they were. But there is a danger he could become an unwitting pawn in an issue which has become a political hot potato.' Harry revealed in his memoir Spare that he had used recreational drugs, raising questions over how the royal could have been allowed to enter the States in the first place Reports in the US have suggested Harry was admitted on an 'O' visa given to people of extraordinary ability. Nile Gardiner, a director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at the Heritage Foundation, said: 'This is a much bigger issue than Prince Harry. It is about enforcing immigration law and ensuring that no one is above the law. Prince Harry is simply the tip of the iceberg. 'There are many who believe that under President Biden immigration laws have become lax and are not being properly implemented. 'Prince Harry openly talked about his drug use and he has done so for commercial and financial gain, to sell books. In our opinion, there is no case for privacy here.' The Mail on Sunday previously sought comment on Prince Harry's immigration status from the US Department of Homeland Security, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, US Customs and Border Protection, California Border Patrol and the Sussexes' Archewell organisation. None responded. Brittany Higgins has shared a message of support for the woman Jarryd Hayne raped. Hayne, 35, was on Tuesday found guilty of sexually assaulting the woman without her consent at her Newcastle home on the night of the NRL grand final in September, 2018. Tuesday's verdict marked the end of the third criminal trial against Hayne - the first was in Newcastle in 2020 and ended in a hung jury. Hayne was convicted in the second trial but appealed the decision and his convictions were quashed, and a re-trial was ordered. Ms Higgins shared the news of Hayne's guilty verdict to her Instagram story on Tuesday. 'Managing to persevere through three trials requires an extraordinary amount of personal strength and bravery,' she wrote. 'I hope today's outcome affords the victim some resemblance of closure.' Brittany Higgins said she hoped the woman sexually assaulted by Jarryd Hayne would found some 'closure' after his guilty verdict Ms Higgins shared a message of support to Jarryd Hayne's victim after he was found guilty of sexual assault Ms Higgins had given evidence in a trial at the ACT Supreme Court where she alleged Bruce Lehrmann raped her in Parliament House in March, 2019. Mr Lehrmann faced a trial in October, but the charges against him were dropped after it was derailed due to juror misconduct. The charge of sexual intercourse without consent was then dropped altogether, and a retrial was abandoned amid concerns for Ms Higgins' mental health. Mr Lehrmann had pleaded not guilty, and continues to deny raping Ms Higgins. Following Hayne's conviction on Tuesday, Ms Higgins' fiance David Sharaz also shared a post saying he hoped the victim was 'doing okay'. 'My thoughts are with the victim who has suffered through relentless trials and cross-examination. I hope she's doing okay,' he tweeted. Following Hayne's conviction on Tuesday, Ms Higgins' fiance David Sharaz also shared a post saying he hoped the victim was 'doing okay' The jury of six men and six women in the trial of Hayne came to their verdict of guilty after six days of deliberations following the 11-day NSW District Court trial. Before the jury was empaneled on March 13, Crown prosecutor John Sfinas and defence barrister Margaret Cunneen SC underwent four days of pre-trial argument before Judge Graham Turnbull. During those hearings, the court was told about a 'social media campaign' in relation to the trial. Hayne's lawyer, Ms Cunneen, told the court Ms Higgins and Grace Tame had posted messages in relation to the trial, criticising Hayne's legal team after they made an application to have the victim come back on the witness stand to address further evidence. 'Brittany Higgins, Grace Tame and others have been highly critical of Mr Hayne's lawyers for pursuing this application,' she said. Judge Turnbull said the woman had chosen to give evidence herself. When asked by the Judge what she could do about it, Ms Cunneen said it was a 'matter for the jury'. On Tuesday, Hayne (pictured with wife) pledged to appeal against the verdicts when he spoke to reporters outside Sydney's Downing Centre District Court 'Eventually it will be our application that you will have to reinforce with the jury whatever applications were made, social media should be ignored,' she said. Judge Turnbull said he would make it 'absolutely clear' there could be no access to social media. On Tuesday, Hayne pledged to appeal against the verdicts when he spoke to reporters outside Sydney's Downing Centre District Court. He is facing a maximum sentence of 14 years behind bars, but he will be allowed to return to his home on the Central Coast with his wife before he goes into custody. Hayne is expected to be sentenced on Thursday. With Easter just around the corner, shoppers are racing to stock up on supplies before the major retailers shut up shop over the four-day long weekend. Good Friday and Easter Sunday are restricted trading days, with supermarkets and bottle shops such as Coles and Dan Murphy's seeing almost all their stores shut. Independent retailers and shopping centres will close in most states and territories, and the post office will be shut for all four days. Here's your guide to what is and isn't open over the Easter long weekend. Good Friday is a national public holiday and recognised as a 'restricted trading day', Bottle shops are among those closed (Pictured: A woman buying wine in Melbourne) Most IGA stores will be open over all four days across the country while Coles and Woolworths will mostly be closed on Good Friday and Easter Sunday (pictured: a woman shopping at a supermarket) What is open on Good Friday? Good Friday is a national public holiday and is recognised as a 'restricted trading day', meaning restricted trading hours apply. Supermarkets including Coles, Woolworths, and Aldi will be closed across the country, except in select locations in South Australia. South Australian Coles stores in Victor Harbor, Murray Bridge Green and Mount Barker will remain open as will almost all IGA stores across the country. Bottle shops such as Dan Murphys, and Vintage Cellars will all be closed, so if you want to stock up for the long weekend you will need to get in before Friday or wait until Saturday. However, if you live in South Australia you may still be able to grab a case as select Liquorland stores will open. Shoppers should get in quick to buy their easter eggs before they are all sold out (pictured: A child collecting eggs during an Easter Egg hunt) All Bunnings stores will shut as will Westfield Shopping Centres, except for select stores in Western Australia. Major retailers such as Big W and Kmart will close stores Australia-wide. The majority of McDonald's will trade on Friday, with the exception of those in food courts, which will close for the day. Dominoes will trade on Good Friday and over the long weekend, but have told customers to check hours of operation as they will vary. All 7-Eleven's stores will also operate at normal hours over the long weekend for all coffee, petrol, ice and food needs. What is open on Easter Saturday? Easter Saturday will see most stores trade as normal from 10am until 4pm and supermarkets and bottle shops will almost all return to normal operating hours. All major supermarkets and shops will open with regular trading hours across the country, except for a few stores in South Australia. Bottle shops, Dan Murphy's and BWS, will reopen their doors on Saturday with pubs, clubs, restaurants, breweries, and wineries trading as normal. Bottle shops, Dan Murphy's, and BWS will reopen their doors on Saturday with pubs, clubs, restaurants, breweries, and wineries trading as normal (Pictured: worker in Dan Murphy's serving a customer) All Kmart, Bunnings and Big W stores across the country will open but opening hours may differ from store to store. Most Westfield shopping centres will open around the country on Easter Saturday, however, opening hours will vary from state to state. What is open on Easter Sunday? Easter Sunday will see each state enforce its own rules regarding trading hours and openings. All Woolworths stores will open with standard trading hours in most of the country - with the exception of NSW, and the ACT, where some stores will be closed. Victorian stores will all open except for Moama, and all Western Australian stores will be open except for Esperance. Coles stores across the country will also open on Easter Sunday, except for select stores in South Australia which will be closed. Easter Sunday will see each state enforce its own rules regarding trading hours and openings (pictured: A man buying seafood in Sydney) In South Australia, the Coles stores open are; Port Lincoln, Port Pirie, Port Augusta, Adelaide Rundle Place, Whyalla, Murray Bridge Green, Mount Gambier, Victor Harbor and Mount Barker. Aldi stores in Victoria and Western Australia will open on Easter Sunday but trading hours will vary from store to store. While IGA stores in every state will remain open on Easter Sunday. The majority of Kmart stores in NSW and South Australia will close on Easter Sunday, with shoppers told to look up their local stores' opening hours in all other states. Bunnings will be open on Easter Sunday for most of the country except for some stores in NSW, forced to close due to Easter Trading regulations. Most bottle shops will be open across the country but will observe reduced trading hours. What is open on Easter Monday? Easter Monday will see businesses open but with shorter trading hours. Most Woolworths stores will be open, with the exception of some Woolworths Metros in NSW, Victoria and Queensland. All Coles stores across the country will be open, except for select stores in South Australia. South Australian Coles stores in Port Lincoln, Port Pirie, Port Augusta, Adelaide Rundle Place, Whyalla, Murray Bridge Green, Mount Gambier, Victor Harbor, Mount Barker and Berri will all open. Westfield shopping centres will welcome people everywhere except a select few in South Australia, with shoppers told to check online for exact opening hours. Most major retail outlets and bottle shops will open on Easter Monday. It comes 24 hours after the Senate passed one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the country The bill also bans minors from receiving puberty blockers and prescriptions The Florida Senate approved a bill Tuesday that will prohibit minors from having gender reassignment surgery, hormone therapy as well as stopping them from accessing puberty blockers. In addition, the bill also sets new rules for adults who want to receive gender reassignment surgery, forcing them to request the surgery in official paperwork from the Florida Department of Health. It comes 24 hours after the Florida Senate passed one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the country. The bill, which was sponsored by Senator Clay Yarborough, a Republican from Jacksonville, passed easily 27-12. A similar bill is also being undertaken in the Sunshine State's House under Rep. Randy Fine of Melbourne Bach. Both Fine and Yarborough are loyalists to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. In 2022, the potential 2024 presidential candidate asked medical boards in the state to ban the practice of gender affirming care for minors. 'We have a responsibility to all of the children of Florida not to allow this to happen in our state. A decision of this magnitude absolutely cannot be made by a child in mental distress. This bill will allow children to be children,' Sen. Yarborough told the chamber on Tuesday. Senator Clay Yarborough, a Republican from Jacksonville, speaking Tuesday prior to the bill's passage A day before the vote, pro LGBTQ+ protesters held a rally outside of his home. Among those who opposed the bill was Boynton Beach Democrat Sen. Lori Berman. She compared the new bill to 'banning healthcare' during the debate. 'This state should not be stepping in to override parents decisions about healthcare for their children. This bill is wrong on the way it attacks transgender adults,' Berman added. Children who are currently receiving treatment for gender dysphoria are exempt from the new rules. Yarborough said during the debates that the new bill is most important to children who are being told that 'the only option for curing mental health issues is gender affirming treatments and surgeries, which causes permanent disfigurement.' The conservative said that the gender surgeries can reduce a persons ability to have their own children and can cause 'devastating long term damage.' The law will allow the state to take emergency custody of a child if they have been 'subjected to, or is threatened with being subjected to sex reassignment prescriptions or procedures,' according to Florida Voice. This latest decision comes 24 hours after the Senate in Florida approved a bill to ban abortions after six weeks, another measure that was heavily backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The vote prompted demonstrations at the state's capital that resulted in the arrest of the leader of the Florida Democratic Party and a state senator by city police. The proposal must still be approved by the House before it reaches the governor's desk. Florida currently prohibits abortions after 15 weeks. A day before the cote, pro LGBTQ+ rights protesters showed up at Yarborough's home A six-week ban would more closely align Florida with the abortion restrictions of other Republican-controlled states and give DeSantis a political win on an issue important with GOP primary voters ahead of his potential White House run. Florida Democrats and groups advocating for abortion rights say this proposal disproportionally affects low-income women and people of color. The party said that Nikki Fried, chair of the Florida Democratic Party, and Lauren Book, Florida's Senate minority leader, were arrested late Monday at a sit-in protest outside the Florida State Capitol. Images shared on social media showed the two women and other demonstrators as they are handcuffed by police officers. In a news release, the Tallahassee Police Department said that protesters against the abortion ban were told they would have to leave after sunset, but 11 people refused to go and were arrested for trespassing. They did not identify them by name. The bill would have larger implications for abortion access throughout the South, as the nearby states of Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi prohibit the procedure at all stages of pregnancy and Georgia bans it after cardiac activity can be detected, which is around six weeks. The proposal allows exceptions to save the life of the woman and exceptions in the case of pregnancy caused by rape or incest until 15 weeks of pregnancy. In those cases, a woman would have to provide documentation such as a medical record, restraining order or police report. DeSantis has called the rape and incest provisions sensible. From expanding gun rights to going after 'woke' investors, the Florida Legislature is quickly moving on a list of bills that will give Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis conservative-pleasing policy successes as he prepares to launch a presidential campaign. More than a dozen states have restricted access to abortions following the overturning of Roe V Wade Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at the 2023 Pennsylvania Leadership Conference in East Pennsboro Township, Pa., Saturday, April 1, 2023 The usually slow-moving Legislature ended the week by sending DeSantis bills to shield businesses and insurance companies from lawsuits, allow any Floridian to get a government-paid voucher for private schools and an affordable housing bill that prevents local governments from enacting rent control ordinances. 'We have a lot of the governor's priorities in a really good spot. We'll pass them,' House Speaker Paul Renner said in March. 'We're moving quickly ... Some of what the governor has proposed is monumental and good, and we support it 100%.' That will give DeSantis more time to boast about successes while avoiding any perception of infighting if his priorities are held hostage until the closing moments of session. When the 60-day session opened, DeSantis predicted his priorities would pass quickly. 'They are mindful that it's probably better not to have kind of an eight-car pileup the last week of session where the whole agenda gets through in the last 72 hours,' DeSantis said. 'I think you're going to see more earlier.' The registered Democrat accused Trump of falsifying business records to conceal information that could have harmed his 2016 bid Top Republican lawmaker Kevin McCarthy has doubled down on his warning that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg will face a Congressional investigation over his case against Donald Trump. The House Speaker lashed out at the prosecutor for bringing 'politicized charges' against the former president over allegations he paid hush money to two women, including ex-porn star Stormy Daniels. McCarthy, a nine-term Congressman representing California's 22nd district, accused the 49-year-old of trying to derail the real estate mogul's bid to return to the White House. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has warned Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg he will face a Congressional investigation over his case against Donald Trump. 'Alvin Bragg is attempting to interfere in our democratic process by invoking federal law to bring politicized charges against President Trump,' he wrote on Twitter. '(His) weaponization of the federal justice process will be held accountable by Congress,' the GOP leader added. A spokesman for McCarthy did not immediately reply to questions asking when such an investigation would be opened or what it hoped to achieve. The 58-year-old made his remarks after Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felonies linked to the payments totaling $310,000. A court filing said hush money was given to porn star Stormy Daniels, Playboy model Karen McDougal, and a former Trump Tower doorman who claimed to have information that Trump had a child out of wedlock. But Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg argues the one-time reality TV star stumped up the cash to conceal information that could have stopped his 2016 White House run. The registered Democrat told reporters: 'What this case is about: 34 false statements made to cover up other crimes. These are felony crimes in New York state, no matter who you are. We cannot and will not normalize serious criminal conduct.' The court filing said Trump and others involved in the scheme 'violated election laws and made and caused false entries in the business records of various entities in New York.' The document adds that Trump and his allies 'also took steps that mischaracterized, for tax purposes, the true nature of the payments.' Trump, with his legal team at his arraignment, denies any wrongdoing, repeatedly claiming on social media that the case is politically motivated New York City's famed Flatiron Building - one of the first skyscrapers in Manhattan - could go on the market once again, after a man who successfully bid $189.5 million for the landmark failed to pay the initial 10 percent deposit. The building was sold on March 22 on the orders of the New York state Supreme Court. The five owners - four real estate companies and one individual, Nathan Silverstein - had fallen out about the renovation of the building, which has sat empty since the last tenant, Macmillan Publishing, moved out in 2019. They filed competing law suits in 2021, and the sale was ordered as a result. The in-person auction was held and an obscure 31-year-old Virginia-based real estate developer, Jacob Garlick, managing partner at Abraham Trust, made the highest bid. The Flatiron Building was sold at auction on March 22, but is now likely to be sold again, after the winning bidder failed to come up with the cash Jacob Garlick (pictured holding the number two sign), won ownership of the iconic Flatiron Building in New York City with a $190 million bid, but failed to make the first $19 million down payment Garlick celebrated his winning bid on March 22. His joy was short-lived, however In an unusual move, the auction did not require that a deposit be put down in advance. Some speculated that the sellers did not imagine that anyone would want to buy the 1902 structure, which is losing thousands of dollars a month and requires an estimated $100 million in investment to make it usable. In an interview with NY1, Garlick said that he was achieving a childhood dream with the nine-figure purchase. 'It's been my lifelong dream of mine since I'm 14 years old. I've worked every day of my life to be in this position,' Garlick said. 'We are honored to be a steward of this historic building, and it will be our life's mission to preserve its integrity forever.' Garlick was required to pay the 10 percent deposit two days after the sale, but has failed to do so. He has now officially declared he is no longer interested in the purchase. 'I've often seen people's face change in an instant when they actually win the auction,' said Greg Corbin, of Rosewood Realty Group. He told Crain's: 'They go from a look of excitement and pride to one of fear and regret. 'When Jacob Garlick fell to his knees after the auction, I'm not sure if it was from joy or from buyer's remorse in a 'what have I done' moment.' Auctioneer Matthew D. Mannion (pictured right) speaks to bidders during the auction of the 'Flatiron Building'. Jacob Garlick is holding the number two panel; Jeffrey Gural is standing to his right, in a beige sweater Jeffrey Gural (pictured) is chairman of GFP Real Estate which owns a share in the historic building The building has now been offered to the current deed holders - the four companies and Silverstein - but the CEO of one of the companies, Jeff Gural, said they do not want to pay the almost $190 million cost. The building will now likely be sold at auction once more. Gural, who had a 75 percent stake in the building and was allowed to use that as equity, is considered likely to make a lower bid. Garlick will still be liable for auction fees and could be forced to pay the 10 percent deposit, but The Real Deal website said that was thought unlikely. Bidding on March 22 begun at $50 million, and Gural, a veteran developer, said he was shocked by Garlick's bid. 'I was kind of shocked, to tell you the truth,' said Gural. 'I never thought that someone would bid so much for the building. 'It's a beautiful building, but it needs $100 million of upgrades. It's basically empty.' Traffic moves along 5th Avenue past the Flatiron Building seen from the 86th-floor observation deck of the Empire State Building on February 18 The iconic Flatiron Building in New York City has been protected by scaffolding for several years In recent years, the Flatiron's interior did not match up with its spectacular exterior. Its water-powered elevators were famously slow and leaky, and it often took several minutes to ascend from the lobby to the top offices. The 121-year-old landmarked building has been empty since Macmillan Publishers, which occupied all 21 floors, moved out in 2019. The building was originally designed to serve as office for the George A. Fuller Company, a major Chicago contracting firm. The architect in charge opted for the distinctive triangular shape to maximize its footprint on the narrow piece of land it sits on. Its odd triangular shape was a source of fascination - and horror, initially, with people worrying it could topple over. Eventually it became one of the most popular in the city, and was declared a city landmark in 1966. Musk's net worth fell to just $180billion in 2022, $39billion less than it was last year, as Arnault's wealth grew more than $50billion to $211billion He fell to second place this year after buying Twitter for $44billion Elon Musk has been dethroned from the top spot of Forbes' annual billionaire list following his decision to purchase Twitter for $44billion. He had earned the number one spot on Forbes World Billionaires list last year, when he had an estimated net worth of $216billion, overthrowing Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. But Musk, 51, is now just the second richest billionaire in the world, falling to Bernard Arnault, the chairman of French luxury goods giant LVMH which owns brands like Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Tiffany & Co. The two had been trading places on the outlet's daily Real-Time Billionaires list over the past few months, CNN reports, but Arnault was able to supersede Musk in the annual list after his net worth grew more than $50billion to $211billion. At the same time, Musk's net worth fell to just $180billion $39billion less than it was last year, according to Forbes' calculations. Tesla founder Elon Musk lost the top spot on Forbes' annual list of billionaires due to his $44billion purchase of Twitter. He was superseded by Frenchman Bernard Arnault, the chairman of French luxury goods giant LVMH which owns brands like Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Tiffany & Co. Tesla shares plummeted 50 percent over the past year after Musk leveraged shares to buy Twitter in October At the same time, LVMH stock increased 35 percent over the past year The outlet explains that Musk's standing plummeted after he purchased Twitter for $44billion funded by Tesla shares. Investors in the electric car giant worried at the time about its share value plummeting as Musk took over the social media giant. Tesla eventually gained back much of its losses, but is still selling at about half of what it was before Musk took over Twitter in October. 'Musk has mostly tweeted himself out of the top spot on the ranks,' Forbes writes, apparently referring to his controversial tweets about Twitter's actual value and subsequent decisions to change the company. He was able to keep much of his wealth, however, as SpaceX valuation increased from $13billion to $140billion in just the past year. Still, that proved to not be enough to compete with Arnault, 74, who had a 'banner year' in 2022 due to record-high profits at his conglomerate. The Frenchman first appeared on Forbes' billionaires list in 1997, when he was worth just $3.6billion. But as revenues grew at the more than 70 luxury brands he owns, Arnault was able to vault into the top 20 richest people by 2005, when he was worth $17billion. For the past three years, Forbes reports, he has been trailing Musk and Bezos in third place on the World Billionaire's list, but he was able to surpass his competitors in 2022 when shares of LVMH climbed 35 percent and he pulled in revenues of $21.7billion or 20billion. Arnault is now planning his succession, proposing a reorganization of his holding company, Agache which holds the bulk of his stock to give equal shares to his five children. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was knocked to the third position on the list after losing $57billion Among those who were kicked off the list this year are embattled FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, who lost 94 percent of his wealth in just one day, and Kanye West, who lost many of his sponsors after he went on an anti-Semitic tirade Despite Arnault's success, Forbes reports that it was a difficult year for many of the world's billionaires as the total number of billionaires on the list fell for a second straight year from 2,668 to 2,640. Among those who were kicked off the list were Kanye West, who lost much of his sponsorships after tweeting anti-Semitic remarks, and embattled FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, who infamously lost 94 percent of his wealth in just one day. But among those who are still billionaires, Forbes reports, none lost as much money as Bezos, who is $57billion poorer than he was a year ago thanks to a 38 percent decline in Amazon stock. Bezos is now just in the third position on the list, with an estimated net worth of $114billion. 'It's been another rare down year for the planet's richest people,' Chase Peterson-Withorn, Forbes' senior editor of wealth said in a statement. 'Nearly half the list is poorer than they were 12 months ago, but a lucky few or billions or even tens of billions of dollars richer.' Roman numerals have been found on the Stone of Destiny after a 3D-printed replica of the sacred royal relic was examined by experts. The Stone has had significance in coronations for centuries and is steeped in controversy which is why exact timings of the carefully planned military operation to move it are being kept secret. The 3D replica, created as part of preparations for the King's Coronation on May 6, allowed the ancient object to be viewed from different perspectives in higher detail than before. Researchers from Historic Environment Scotland (HES) care for the stone on behalf of the Commissioners for the Safeguarding of the Regalia. Ewan Hyslop, head of research and climate change at HES, said that the tooling marks on the Stone revealed that it has been roughly worked by 'more than one' stonemason with various different tools. Roman numerals have been found on the Stone of Destiny after a 3D-printed replica of the sacred royal relic was examined by experts (pictured, the Stone being scanned to create the 3D version for inspection) The Stone has had huge significance in coronations for centuries and is steeped in controversy which is why exact timings of the carefully planned military operation to move it are being kept secret Created as part of preparations for the King's Coronation next month, the 3D-print allowed the ancient object to be viewed from different perspectives in higher detail than before The Stone of Destiny, also known as the Stone of Scone, is normally displayed at Edinburgh Castle and plays an important role in Scotland's history. Its origins are lost in time but it is rumoured to have biblical connections and it may have played a role in the enthronement of Scottish kings for over a century before its first recorded use in 1057, when Macbeth's stepson Lulach was proclaimed king at Scone in Scotland He said: 'The high level of detail we've been able to capture through the digital imaging has enabled us to re-examine the tooling marks on the surface of the Stone, which has helped confirm that the Stone has been roughly worked by more than one stonemason with a number of different tools, as was previously thought. 'The discovery of previously unrecorded markings is also significant, and while at this point we're unable to say for certain what their purpose or meaning might be, they offer the exciting opportunity for further areas of study.' The Stone of Destiny, also known as the Stone of Scone, is normally displayed at Edinburgh Castle. Its origins are lost in time but it is rumoured to have biblical connections and it may have played a role in the enthronement of Scottish kings for over a century before its first recorded use in 1057, when Macbeth's stepson Lulach was proclaimed king at Scone in Scotland. The stone is believed to have been used in ceremonies to crown Scottish monarchs from that date until it was seized in 1296 by King Edward I and taken to England. It was placed in a specially constructed coronation chair which has since remained at Westminster Abbey and will be used for Charles's enthronement. The stone made headlines on Christmas Day 1950 when four Scottish students removed it from the abbey, and it was found three months later at the high altar of Arbroath Abbey. It was officially returned to Scotland in 1996. X-ray fluorescence analysis was used to examine the composition of the stone and discovered traces of copper alloy on its surface, coinciding with a dark stain near its centre, suggesting the Stone had at some point been in contact with a bronze or brass object. Microscopic traces of gypsum plaster were also found, possibly traces of a cast. The Stone of Destiny, also known as the Stone of Scone, is normally displayed at Edinburgh Castle and plays an important role in Scotland's history (the 3D model is pictured) The stone made headlines on Christmas Day 1950 when four Scottish students removed it from the abbey A study in 1998 by the British Geological Survey concluded the artefact was indistinguishable from sandstones of 'Scone Sandstone Formation' from the area around Scone Palace near Perth. The coronation chair has been undergoing restoration work before the crowning of Charles and conservators have found previously unrecorded decorations on the object. It was made around 1300 for Edward I to house the stone and was constructed from oak, decorated with coloured glass, gilded with gold leaf and painted by Master Walter, the King's Master Painter. Monarchs may have sat on the stone itself, with a cushion for comfort, but at some point a seat was constructed within the chair and the 3D model of the stone is being used to help the fitting of the original. Finance guru Scott Pape, otherwise known as the Barefoot Investor, was left gob-smacked by a reader's suggestion about how to get out of debt by simply refusing to repay it. Pape published a letter in his Sunday column from 'Lisa' who claimed she and her husband had prospered by not taking Pape's advice to work more and instead employing an underhand method to get out of debt. In her previous letter to Pape, Lisa had told him she and her husband were heavily in debt and found it 'overwhelming'. 'Now my husband and I are debt free, our credit score is excellent, we have money in the bank, and were paying off a mortgage,' Lisa wrote. 'How did we do it? Barefoot Investor Scott Pape was appalled at one reader's advice that the way to get out of credit card debt is to simply not repay it 'Not by listening to your advice, which was to get two jobs each and slug it out paying thousands in interest and principal to banks to pay off our huge credit card debt. 'No, instead we simply stopped paying the credit cards back.' Lisa said the coupled owed $30,000, which with accruing interest grew to $50,000. However, she said as credit cards 'are unsecured loans, you dont actually have to pay them back'. 'So we sat and waited for seven years and, lo and behold, we are no longer in debt, and have excellent credit scores,' she said. 'I would love you to share this with your readers unlikely, I know!' A Barefoot Investor reader called Lisa claimed she and her husband racked up $50,000 in debt on credit cards but got out of it by simply not paying it off (stock image) Lisa ended her letter gloating about her alternative strategy. 'Its probably a better tip than working your bum off giving billion-dollar profitable companies money they dont deserve,' she wrote. In reply, Pape expressed his disbelief at what Lisa claimed to have got away with and said it was a first for him in all his years as a financial counsellor. 'Ive never seen a lender roll over and not try and recover a $30,000$50,000 debt (which they have every right to do because you are legally liable to repay the debt),' he said. Pape said in his experience he had never known an institutional lender not take legal action to get back money it is owed Unsurprisingly he was not impressed with the morality of Lisa's approach. 'Lets be clear about whats going on here: Someone lent you money in good faith and you intentionally ripped them off,' he wrote. He said Lisa's parting shot about not 'working your bum off giving billion-dollar profitable companies money they dont deserve' left him speechless. 'I cant help but wonder how having this mindset spills over to other areas of your life,' he wrote. 'Like, how you fill out your timesheet at work, how you write in financial questions to a newspaper, and what sort of example this sets for your kids. 'You may think youve got away with this, but you really havent. 'You went bankrupt seven years ago.' The Australian Banking Association advises that if you fail to make credit card repayments over a period of time, a bank can cancel the cards. 'In rare circumstances, your bank may sell your credit card debt to a debt collector,' the advice says. 'Debt collectors also have legal obligations to consider any hardship request you make in relation to paying this debt off. 'If you dont contact your bank during this period and agree to put an arrangement in place, the bank could commence legal action to recover the unpaid balance.' The Association also advises that not repaying a debt affects a person's credit rating. 'The longer your payment is past due, the greater the negative impact it will have,' the Association says. 'If your bank takes legal action against you, this can further impact your credit rating. A poor credit rating can affect your ability to receive finance in the future.' Daria Trepova reportedly believed she was being tested for a Ukrainian news job A Russian woman who killed a Kremlin propagandist in a bomb attack told FSB thugs interrogating her after she was arrested that she thought she was auditioning for a job in journalism in Ukraine, Russian media have claimed. Daria Trepova, 26, reportedly believed she was on a 'propaganda resistance' test for a Ukrainian media outlet when she handed pro-Putin blogger Vladlen Tatarsky a small statue laced with explosives that blew him to pieces, Russian news outlet Fontanka reported. Fontanka cited leaked transcripts of Trepova's interrogation by Russian FSB security officials. Trepova has since been charged with committing 'a terrorist act by an organised group that caused intentional death'. Following the blast, she was detained by police and escorted to Moscow from St Petersburg under armed guard. On Tuesday, Trepova was hauled into a closed-door hearing at a Russian court and ordered to remain in custody for two months pending an investigation. She could face up to 20 years in prison. Daria Trepova is escorted inside a court building before a hearing in Moscow, Russia, April 4, 2023 Vladlen Tatarsky, 40, is seen moments before the explosion with the small statue at a St Petersburg cafe Daria Trepova sits behind a glass wall of an enclosure for defendants during a court hearing in Moscow, Russia, April 4, 2023 Knowing nothing about the explosives, Trepova said she was offered a job as an editor at a Ukrainian media platform but was told she first had to complete a form of internship by carrying out a series of tasks. Trepova was told her first task was to see Vladlen Tatarsky speak at one of his events and become acquainted with the pro-Kremlin blogger and staunch supporter of Russia's war in Ukraine. Fontanka reported that she was given a 'secret item' by a Moscow taxi driver - who also was said to have no knowledge of what they were doing. Reports said the statue laced with explosives was ordered through the Telegram messaging app and was delivered anonymously to an intermediary. Trepova then received her next task which was to meet up with Tatarsky again and give him the package. Reports even said a ticket was purchased from Pulkovo international airport in St Petersburg to Uzbekistan as part of her safe travel to Ukraine. The blast took place when the Kremlin propagandist had been speaking at a political event at the Street Food No. 1 cafe in St Petersburg when the bomb exploded next to him, killing him and injuring 32 others. Russian authorities described the bombing as an act of terrorism and blamed Ukrainian intelligence agencies for orchestrating it. Daria Trepova (pictured at court) has been charged with terrorism over the blast that killed Russian blogger Vladlen Tatarsky Trepova, 26, was kept in a glass cage during her court hearing in Moscow this afternoon The anti-war Russian woman attracted a lot of attention as she walked into the Basmanny District Court with her hood up Russian police guard the glass cage that Trepova was being held in, while photographers trying to take pictures can be seen in the reflection Police arrested Trepova, who was seen on video moments before the blast presenting Tatarsky with a statuette that is believed to have contained explosives. Russia's Interior Ministry released a video in which Trepova told a police officer that she brought the bust to the cafe. When asked who gave it to her, she said she would explain later. The circumstances under which Trepova spoke were unclear, including whether she was under duress. The Kremlin's National Anti-Terrorist Committee, which coordinates counterterrorism operations, claimed the bombing was 'planned by Ukrainian special services.' They did not provide any evidence to back up this claim. The committee added that Trepova was an 'active supporter' of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Last year, she was arrested and spent 10 days in custody after taking part in an anti-war rally. Ukrainian authorities did not directly respond to Russia's accusations, but President Volodymyr Zelensky said in reference to the attack that he doesn't think about events in Russia, and his top adviser said the bombing as part of Russia's internal turmoil. While Trepova was arrested in St Petersburg, her case was sent to Moscow, where the country's top investigative agencies are headquartered, an apparent reflection of its high priority. In a closed-door hearing, Moscow's Basmanny District Court ordered Trepova to remain in custody until June 2 pending the investigation. Russian law suggests a life sentence for terrorism-related crimes, but life terms aren't handed down to women, who instead face sentences of up to 20 years in prison. Investigators have charged Trepova (left) with terrorism over the bomb that killed Tatarsky (right) Video footage showed the handcuffed bomb suspect being escorted through Moscow airport 'Statue assassin' Trepova (pictured) has been told she faces up to 20 years in jail after being charged today According to Russian media reports, Trepova told investigators she was asked to deliver the bust but didn't know what was inside it. The bombing injured 40 other people, 25 of whom have been hospitalised. It was the latest attack inside Russia on a high-profile pro-war figure. Last year, a nationalist TV commentator was assassinated when a bomb exploded in her SUV outside Moscow. Tatarsky was the pen name of Maxim Fomin, who had accumulated more than 560,000 followers on his Telegram messaging app channel. Tatarsky, who joined separatists in eastern Ukraine after a Moscow-backed insurgency erupted there in 2014, fought on the front lines for years before turning to blogging. Military bloggers have become increasingly visible in Russia, supporting the war but occasionally exposing flaws in military strategy while the Kremlin has shut down independent media outlets and muzzled any criticism of the war. It comes after Trepova was on Monday filmed with her hands chained to a radiator while being interrogated by Russian investigators yesterday. Speaking for the first time since the bomb, she admitted to carrying the statue laden with explosives but pleaded her innocence by claiming she was 'set up' and did not known what was in the bust. Head of the Wagner private army Yevgeny Prigozhin visited the bombed cafe - which he owns - earlier today, where he was filmed speaking to a group of people. He had handed the cafe over to a patriotic group for meetings. According to Russian media reports, police tracked Trepova down using surveillance cameras, though she reportedly cut her long blonde hair short to change her look and rented a different apartment in an apparent attempt to escape. In the interrogation video, Trepova said she understood why she has been detained. When asked why, she said: 'For... I'd put it this way, for being at the assassination site of Vladlen Tatarsky.' 'I brought the statuette there that exploded,' Trepova said. When asked who gave her the statuette, she replied that she would say 'later'. Head of the Wagner private army Yevgeny Prigozhin visited the bombed cafe - which he owns - earlier today Chilling video appeared to show Trepova, a St Petersburg resident who has previously been detained for taking part in anti-war rallies, walking into the cafe carrying a box containing what may have been statuette containing 450g of TNT - just minutes before it exploded. The Russian Interior Ministry put Trepova on Russia's wanted list on suspicion of murdering Tatarsky after she fled from the scene - but she was arrested within hours of the warrant being released. Trepova's partner, Dmitry Rylov - also in his 20s and a member of the so-called Russian Liberation Army - has insisted that she had been 'set up' too. Wagner chief Prigozhin has previously declared that he does not believe Ukrainian forces were behind the attack. 'It is indeed similar to the murder of Darya Dugina [daughter of a Putin ideologue who was killed aged 29 last year in a car explosion],' he said. 'I would not blame the Kyiv regime for it. 'I think it was a group of [Ukrainian] Right-wing radicals who did it, which is unlikely to be linked to the government.' An image shows Daria Trepova when she was put on Russia's wanted list as published by the Interior Ministry. She has since been arrested and charged Tatarsky was killed in a blast at the Street Food No. 1 cafe, located in the St Petersburg city centre, on Sunday It comes after the millionaire Wagner leader claimed that Russia had taken control of Bakhmut - an eastern city which Moscow had spent months trying to capture. He spoke on camera, holding aloft a Russian flag which was inscribed with Tatarsky's name on it in a tribute. Russian investigators also said they had identified a second female suspect, Maria Yaran, 40, as being involved in the blast. She is reportedly in hospital in St Petersburg following the bombing. Warrant has now been issued for his arrest A man who vanished on one side of the country before being spotted on the other years later is now being hunted by police after they issued a warrant for his arrest. Alfred Keith Crozier, who typically goes by Keith and would now be 69, disappeared 10 years ago after a 'family dispute' in Western Australia. Mr Crozier was last seen in by his wife at their home in Canning Vale, in Perth's south, on March 29, 2013. While fears were initially held for Mr Crozier's safety, attention has now turned to arresting him after Western Australia Police issued a warrant to find him. The arrest warrant was issued over child abuse allegations. Alfred Keith Crozier, who would now be 69, (pictured) disappeared 10 years ago after a 'family dispute' in Western Australia Western Australia Police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia an active warrant was out for Mr Crozier's arrest but were unable to provide specifics on individuals. Rumoured sightings have been reported in Tasmania, where Mr Crozier is believed to potentially be living under a new identity. An active missing person's profile on Crime Stoppers said details on his disappearance were scarce. 'It is unknown what clothing Alfred was wearing and there are serious concerns for his health and welfare,' the profile read. An active warrant for his arrest has now been issued by WA police stemming from alleged child abuse accusations He was declared a missing person following the 2013 family dispute when his wife reported he failed to return home the following day. Several appeals to find Mr Crozier have been published by Tasmanian Police in the years after his disappearance, with several verified sightings around the Hobart area. The first sighting was in 2013, where it was first suspected he may be living under a different name. Another confirmed report came in 2017 in the suburbs of Sorell or Midway Point where someone was seen matching his description. Mr Crozier is described to be 175cm with grey hair and blue eyes. Anyone who has any information about Mr Crozier is urged to call police. Meridian Energy Limited (Meridian) and New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Limited (NZAS) have entered into a conditional agreement for NZAS to reduce its consumption of electricity at the Tiwai Point smelter by up to 50MW and provide demand response flexibility during 2023 and 2024. The agreement is conditional on receiving approval from the Electricity Authority under the materially large contract provisions recently introduced to the Code. Meridian will make an application to the Authority for approval today. Under the Code the Authority has 45 business days to make a decision on the application. If approved by the Authority, the demand response agreement would give Meridian the ability to require NZAS to reduce consumption by up to 50MW. This is likely to be valuable at times of hydro shortage or when the electricity system is otherwise under stress, for example over winter peak periods or when generation or transmission is on outage or not available. Meridian Energy Chief Executive Neal Barclay welcomes the agreement. New Zealand needs to build more flexibility into its electricity market and we believe demand response has an important role to play. We appreciate the work of the team at NZAS in making this option available over the next two years. There are a number of separate tranches of demand response flexibility that Meridian can call (ranging from 15MW to 50MW), with each tranche having different ramp-down and ramp-up requirements. Meridian would pay NZAS a fixed price for each MW reduced by NZAS under the demand response agreement. Meridian and NZAS have also agreed to amend the smelter demand response provisions in the current electricity agreement. Any MW of demand response provided by NZAS under the demand response agreement will be deducted from the 250GWh reduction that NZAS would otherwise have been required to provide in the event Meridian called a smelter demand response. In addition Meridian and NZAS have agreed to delete from the current electricity agreement the ability for Meridian to terminate that agreement in the event that NZASs consumption of electricity falls below 540MW for 3 months or more. The demand response agreement terminates on 31 December 2024, the same date as the current electricity agreement. Meridian and NZAS are in discussions about a possible new agreement that would apply after that date. Those discussions are ongoing. A copy of the demand response agreement and amendments to the current electricity agreement is available on Meridians website at https://www.meridianenergy.co.nz/about-us/investors/reports/nzas-contract. Meridian / NZAS signed demand response agreement Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. 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In a statement after the visit on Tuesday, Mr Smith said 'The Australian government is clear in its view that Mr Assange's case has dragged on for too long and should be brought to a conclusion.' Earlier, he said it was 'very important that the Australian government is able to discharge its consular obligations'. Australia's High Commissioner to the UK Stephen Smith has visited jailed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (pictured) - who is Australian - at a British prison Julian Assange's wife Stella (pictured) said she was pleased Mr Smith was meeting her husband 'I'm very keen just to have a conversation with him, check on his health and wellbeing and hopefully see whether regular visits might be a feature of the relationship with Mr Assange going forward,' Mr Smith said. But Assange wants diplomatic support, not just a consular visit, from Australia in his battle to avoid extradition to the US and to be freed from jail. Among the services an Australian embassy or consulate provides is to visit prisoners from Australia in the countries they operate in. This consular obligation is very different from the diplomatic support Assange wants, which if granted would mean Australia would advocate for him to be released. An email sent by Assange's lawyers to the Australian High Commission in February when the prison visit was being negotiated, was obtained by the ABC. 'Mr Assange would welcome such a meeting ... to inform and obtain diplomatic support to be advanced by the Australian government in his case,' the email said. Speaking outside the prison before the visit, Assange's wife Stella said she was pleased Mr Smith was about to meet her husband. 'We welcome that the Australian High Commissioner has agreed to come to this visit and I hope that it will be a constructive and positive step,' she said. After his visit Mr Smith would not comment on whether that issue had been discussed. Stephen Smith (pictured outside the British Prime Minister's residence at 10, Downing Street) is Australia's High Commissioner to the UK 'In accordance with usual consular practice, and as agreed with Mr Assange, I do not propose to comment on any details of our meeting,' he said. Appeals to stop Assange from being extradited to the US are still before the UK courts. On the weekend Assange's father John Shipton welcomed news that Mr Smith would visit his son. 'It will provide an opportunity for the high commissioner to see the appalling conditions Julian is kept in and the terrible toll that his ongoing incarceration is having on his health and on his family,' he said. Mackerel has long been seen as the most sustainable fish on the menu being in plentiful supply. But the Good Fish Guide is warning that it is now being overfished in the north-east Atlantic, which accounts for nearly all mackerel sold in the UK. The fish has been downgraded by the Marine Conservation Society from green to amber, meaning we should think twice about ordering it. The MCS said it recommends seeking alternatives where possible, such as North Sea herring, Bay of Biscay anchovies and Cornish sardines. It added that mackerel are being overfished due to a lack of cooperation on quotas between countries including Norway, Iceland, the UK and EU states. Charlotte Coombes, Good Fish Guide manager, said: 'The north-east Atlantic mackerel population has been declining since 2015, which is concerning. Fishing communities and wildlife depend on this species, but continued overfishing is putting both at risk.' The Good Fish Guide is warning that mackerel is now being overfished in the north-east Atlantic The fish has been downgraded by the Marine Conservation Society from green to amber, meaning we should think twice about ordering it However, Ian Gatt, chief executive of the Scottish Pelagic Fisherman's Association, disputed the claim that mackerel are being overfished. He said: 'It's completely untrue to say mackerel stock is unsustainable at this moment in time. The mackerel stock is close to 4million tonnes, scientists say we should be concerned when it reaches 2million tonnes'. The Marine Conservation Society reviewed 186 ratings on the Good Fish Guide this spring. Amongst those ratings that did not change were European eel and Celtic cod, which stay on the red-rated, 'Fish to Avoid' list. Jack Clarke, Sustainable Seafood Advocate at the Marine Conservation Society said, 'Eel is still appearing on menus across the country, despite being more endangered than the Bengal tiger. 'Populations have declined by as much as 95% in the past decade and recent scientific advice couldn't be clearer- it's time to stop eating eel. 'It's the most trafficked animal on the planet, with an illegal eel trade estimated to be worth 2.5 billion every year.' All cod caught in UK waters, including Celtic Cod caught in the Irish Sea is red-rated, according to the guide. But most cod sold in the UK is Icelandic cod, which gets the green rating, according to the MCS. Former President Donald Trump prepared to return to his gilded comfort zone of Mar-a-Lagos grand ballroom, where he had planned to address a bank of TV cameras and media members after being arraigned and arrested in Manhattan Tuesday. Trump flew back to his home in West Palm Beach, Florida shortly after he became the first former president to be charged with a crime, leaving the immediate post-arraignment messaging to his team of lawyers. Tonight in the same ballroom where he announced his presidential campaign and where he has popped in on Saturday night weddings, Trump was preparing to once again tee off on the case New York prosecutors are bringing against him. Donald Trump in his motorcade from the Palm Beach International Airport as he returns from being indicted in New York There had been indications that Trump might want to somehow address the media in New York, but instead he was preparing to confront the new legal charges against him at the home he called the winter White House. His prime-time speech comes after District Attorney Alvin Bragg unsealed the 34-count indictment against him, charging Trump with a series of false business statements he described as part of an overarching plan to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. Braggs grand jury indictment not only referenced the Stormy Daniels matter, but an alleged catch and kill scheme involving former Playboy model Karen McDougal and another payoff involving a former doorman. The charges, categorized as class E felonies, could lead to an accumulated 136 years in jail if Trump is convicted on all of them. He pleaded not guilty inside the Manhattan Criminal Court, where his image was captured by still photographers and a court sketch artist. Inside the ballroom, die-hard Trump supporters gathered under coffered ceilings and crystal chandeliers, with the usual Trump play list refrains of Elton John and Macho Man. Kari Lake, the failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate who was endorsed by Trump and remains one of his staunchest allies, called the former president's enemies the 'worst people in the world.' 'I love the man for hwat he does for our country, but I love him even more when I realize: when you look at the enemies he has - those are the worst people in the world,' she told DailyMail.com inside the private club. 'It looked like a bunch of copy and paste if you ask me,' she said of the indictment. 'Desperation.' Among the early arrivals was My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell, who advised Trump during his last weeks in the White House while the president fought to overturn the election results another area that has Trump facing legal exposure. Trump supporters filled the ballroom at Mar-a-Lago as they wait to hear from former president Trump will adddress his MAGA faithful and the media now that he's been indicted Trump Force One comes in for a landing at Palm Beach International Airport Trump supporters line the route for his motorcade He was unimpressed by what was in the unsealed indictment. They didnt do anything back then. In fact, I think he got money from Stormy Daniels. Its disgusting, bringing up a misdemeanor, trying to turn them into felonies, he said of the prosecutions decision to link state false business records charges to an underlying alleged crime that was only alluded to in the indictment. He said he had his own lawyer look at it, and that its a joke. A crime covering a crime or some crazy law. Its just a reach. Its weaponizing, weaponization of our government and it is quite frankly its political motivation. Its all for politics. Thats what theyve done with our country: FBI, CIA all of it. Lindell did allow that the vast legal challenges Trump is facing carry a weight. What do you think I do? said Lindell, who faces a massive Dominion lawsuit over his claims of election fraud that were tossed out of courts. I got to do media. Ive got all these corrupt companies. Youve just got to put them - Its a distraction. He has one thing. He wants to save our country, he said of Trump. This is part of the battle. Hes getting hit. His focus he loves this country. He loves people, and he will keep going and hes not going to let this stop him. Is it a distraction? Yes. But thats all hes going to make it. Its a distraction. Hes going to use it for positive, just like his numbers have been up ten points today. Its going to be a great positive. If you go back 20 years you can pick out anything and make anything up and it would hurt somebody. I know this like myself, said Lindell, who wrote about his struggles with addiction. I told everything so you couldnt attack me. I wrote a book about it. I was a crack addict. So you couldnt attack me. Longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone was at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday night My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell is on hand to cheer on Trump Trump's motorcade makes its way from the Palm Beach airport to Mar-a-Lago Also there was Hogan Gidley, a former Trump White House spokesman who has no formal role with Trumps camp. Polling is more in Trumps camp solidly than anywhere else as far as the countrys concerned, said Gidley, who days ago joked that Trump would be able to milk a mugshot if the NYPD were to take and release one. The American people dont like the weaponizing government, they dont like the politicization of the justice system, he said. I would imagine youre going to hear some information about how important it is to stand up and protect people in this country, said Gidley, who was at Mar-a-Lago but has no formal role with Trumps camp. A federal Appeals Court panel in the District of Columbia ruled that key aides including former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows must testify in Special Counsel Jack Smiths separate grand jury investigation of the election overturn effort. Meadows was a key advisor who kept close touch with Trump and a web of Trump allies through his last days in the White House even traveling to Georgia amid the election overturn effort there. A deadly infection spread through tick bites has been found in several parts of the country for the first time, health officials have warned. Three cases of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in patients have been confirmed by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) in Yorkshire, Norfolk and on the border of Hampshire and Dorset. Further tests on ticks across the country have found the disease - which until now was commonly found in parts of Europe and Asia - is now widespread in the UK, with experts warning it is unlikely that TBEV will disappear. A surveillance programme has been established, with the NHS asked to send samples from suspected cases to the UKHSA. Public health officials say the risk is low but have urged walkers to take precautions and seek medical help if they fall ill after being bitten. Three cases of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in patients have been confirmed by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) in Yorkshire, Norfolk and on the border of Hampshire and Dorset. [File image] Dr Helen Callaby, of the UKSA, said: Although the risk to the general public is very low, it is important for people to take precautions to protect themselves from tick bites, such as covering their ankles and legs, applying insect repellent and checking clothes and your body for ticks, particularly when visiting areas with long grass such as woods, moorlands and parks. The virus typically causes mild flu-like symptoms but can lead to severe infection in the central nervous system such, as meningitis or encephalitis. More serious cases can include a high fever with headache, neck stiffness, confusion or reduced consciousness. Ticks are becoming more common in parts of the UK, mainly due to increasing deer numbers. They live in undergrowth and latch on to humans when they walk through long grass. It is thought infected ticks may have arrived in the UK via migratory birds. Further tests on ticks across the country have found the disease - which until now was commonly found in parts of Europe and Asia - is now widespread in the UK, with experts warning it is unlikely that TBEV will disappear. [File image] Ticks live in undergrowth and latch on to humans when they walk through long grass. [File image] Scientists had suspected the virus had arrived in the UK in 2019, following a couple of cases but complexities involved in testing meant these could not be confirmed. Now the first confirmed domestically-acquired case of TBEV has been identified in a man who was bitten by ticks in Yorkshire. Another probable human case has been detected in the Loch Earn area of Scotland, according to research being presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) in Copenhagen, Denmark. Vaccines can provide protection, but only for a limited time, and there is no cure. Ian Jones, a professor of virology at the University of Reading, said: Tick Borne Encephalitis Virus (TBEV) was reported in ticks in Thetford forest in 2019 and todays update would suggest that it has now become established at other sites and caused sporadic disease in people. Genetically the UK viruses have been close to European or Scandinavian strains so they may have originally arrived from the near continent in ticks attached to birds. The virus is found naturally in some ticks and gets transferred to a person if they are bitten (only if the tick is infected), usually on bare arms and legs whilst walking through undergrowth. Wearing appropriate clothing essentially removes the risk. Now here, its unlikely that TBEV will disappear, but the general threat level is very low and there is no reason to suppose cases in people will be any more than sporadic in nature. A vaccine is used in areas of high incidence in Europe and could be considered here for individuals with outdoor occupations in areas where the virus is found. For the general public, however, the risk is minimal. Israeli forces raided Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City early on Wednesday and attacked Palestinian worshippers, Palestinian media reported, raising fears of wider tension as Islamic and Jewish holidays overlap. Tensions have been high in east Jerusalem and the West Bank for months, and fears of further violence have been fuelled with the convergence of the Muslim holy fast month of Ramadan and the Passover. Such confrontations at the contested holy compound, the third holiest shrine in Islam that is also the most sacred site in Judaism and referred to as the Temple Mount, have sparked deadly cross-border wars between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers in the past, the last of which was in 2021. Videos on social media purportedly showed Israeli police officers beating Palestinians with batons and rifle butts at the mosque. Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that dozens of worshippers, who spend all the night during Ramadan praying, were injured when the police raided the mosque. It was not immediately clear what sparked the violence. The Israeli police said it used force to evacuate worshippers who were holed up at the mosque with fireworks, rocks, and sticks. They added that an officer's leg was injured by a stone and that dozens of 'rioters' were arrested. The violence in Jerusalem triggered a wave of protests and condemnations from Palestinians. In Gaza, Hamas called for large protests and people began gathering in the streets, with calls to head for the heavily guarded Gaza-Israel frontier for more violent demonstrations. Footage appeared to show heavily armed Israeli forces storming the Al-Aqsa mosque in Easy Jerusalem and firing rubber bullets into the Qibli prayer hall An image on social media appeared to show worshippers with their hands cuffed behind their backs and laying the ground after Israeli forces stormed the Al-Aqsa mosque On Tuesday, a Palestinian suspect stabbed two Israelis near an army base south of Tel Aviv, police said, in the latest incident in a year-long spate of violence. The Magen David Adom paramedic service said first responders treated two men for serious and light stab wounds in the incident on a highway near the Tsrifin military base. The men were taken to hospital for treatment. Israeli media identified the victims as soldiers. Police said that civilians at the scene apprehended the suspected attacker, who was taken into police custody. Israeli-Palestinian violence has surged over the last year, as the Israeli military has carried out near-nightly raids on Palestinian cities, towns and villages and as Palestinians have staged numerous attacks against Israelis. At least 88 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire this year, according to an Associated Press tally. Palestinian attacks against Israelis have killed 15 people in the same period. The Palestinian Red Crescent said in a statement that Israeli forces were preventing its medics from reaching the mosque. 'I was sitting on a chair reciting [Koran],' an elderly woman told Reuters while sitting outside the mosque, struggling to catch her breath. 'They hurled stun grenades, one of them hit my chest,' she said as she began to cry. Israeli police said in a statement that it was forced to enter the compound after 'masked agitators' locked themselves inside the mosque with fireworks, sticks and stones. 'When the police entered, stones were thrown at them and fireworks were fired from inside the mosque by a large group of agitators,' the statement said, adding that a police officer was wounded in the leg. Muslim worshippers perform Friday prayers outside the Dome of Rock Mosque at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound Israeli border police near Al-Aqsa compound, which is known to Jews as the Temple Mount Videos on social media purportedly showed Israeli police officers beating Palestinians with batons and rifle butts at the mosque Israeli police force people out of the Chain Gate as they raid the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem overnight on Wednesday Muslims perform a tarawih prayer after breaking their fasts during the holy month of Ramadan at the courtyard of Masjid al-Aqsa compound on Wednesday Dozens of worshipers were attacked by Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa mosque, witnesses said Witnesses said Israeli forces attack Palestinian worshippers inside the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem Israeli police force people out of the Chain Gate as they appeared to raid the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem Friction at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, known to Jewish people as the Temple Mount, has set off violence in recent years An Israeli officer holds a riot shield as police force people out of the Chain Gate overnight on Wednesday There are fears that violence in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank could escalate this month, when the Muslim holy month of Ramadan coincides with Judaism's Passover and Christian Easter. Palestinian groups condemned Israel's attacks on worshippers, which they said was a crime. 'We warn the occupation against crossing red lines at holy sites, which will lead to a big explosion,' said Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. This comes after a top Israeli rabbi moved on Tuesday to prevent Jewish activists from breaking a ban on holding a traditional Passover sacrifice at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in annexed east Jerusalem. The Western Wall is the holiest site where Jews can pray and sits below the mosque compound, which they revere as the Temple Mount. Palestinian groups condemned Israel's attacks on worshippers at the Al-Aqsa mosque, which they said was a crime Friction at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, known to Jewish people as the Temple Mount, has set off violence in recent years Palestinian groups condemned Israel's attacks on worshippers Israeli police said in a statement that it was forced to enter the compound after 'masked agitators' locked themselves inside the mosque with fireworks, sticks and stones The Israeli police said it used force to evacuate worshippers who were holed up at the mosque with fireworks, rocks, and sticks Israeli border policemen set up a fence near Al-Aqsa, while tension arises during clashes with Palestinians in Jerusalem's Old City overnight Wednesday Passover begins on Wednesday and traditionally sheep and goats are sacrificed on the eve of the Jewish holiday. In previous years, Jewish activists have tried to smuggle animals into the mosque compound to reenact the sacrifice as described in the Bible. A statement from the Western Wall Heritage Foundation read: 'Following reports of intent to bring a Passover sacrifice up to the Temple Mount: Rabbi of the Western Wall to prevent bringing animals to the Mughrabi area.' Referring to the entrance to the mosque compound used by non-Muslims, the statement continued: 'Under the direction of the rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, (we) will work to prevent bringing animals to the Mughrabi ramp area.' The Returning to the Mountain movement, a radical Jewish group, said it will pay 20,000 shekels ($5,570) to anyone who succeeds in the 'holy mission' of carrying out a sacrifice at the compound. The organisation's director was arrested Monday as a preventative measure, Israeli police said. Israel's Sephardi chief rabbi, Yitzhak Yosef, published a notice on Tuesday barring the faithful from visiting the Al-Aqsa compound because it is 'a severe breach of Jewish law'. Hamas, which rules Gaza, warned on Monday that permitting Jewish sacrifice in the compound 'would fuel an already explosive situation, for which the Israeli occupation government bears full responsibility'. Actress Laura Linney revealed she was worried about her childhood friend Brooke Shields when the star appeared in her first advertisements in elementary school. Linney, 59, also recalled how the pair would 'duck and cover' when Shields' alcoholic mother, Teri, would come home in a drunken rage. The revelations came in Shields' new documentary Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields, which explores the model and actress' complex life and career, along with her relationship with her mother. Shields, 57, spent her life in front of the camera, first as a child model, and then as a model and actress throughout her teenage years. Her mother looked on as Shields was turned into a sex symbol - even appearing nude in movies and photoshoots - despite being underage. The two-part documentary was released on Hulu on April 3. Laura Linney recalled the drunken rages of Brooke Shields' mother in the new documentary Laura Linney (left) and Brooke Shields (right) were childhood friends in elementary school Brooke Shields (right) and her mother Teri (left). Teri served as Brooke's manager In the documentary, Linney recalled being a child in elementary school and watching Shields travel from New Jersey to California to appear in some of her first advertisements. 'The sort of whispers around the school, like "She's gone to California," third graders, fourth graders like "Where'd she go?"' Linney said. 'And I would remember seeing the ad campaigns come in, like opening the paper and seeing her face, and it was hard to comprehend. 'I just always remember thinking I hope she's okay,' she added. As one of Shields' good friends, Linney saw firsthand the two sides of Brooke's mother - a huge personality one moment, a terrifying drunk the next. 'When Teri was sober she was raucous and fun and loud and big and took up space,' she said. 'And when she was not in a good way it was duck and cover.' Linney recounted many situations where she and Brooke would be playing at the Shields' house alone, and then Teri would come home drunk. She said Brooke always sprang into action and knew how to avoid conflict. 'I would follow her lead, she would know what to do, how to do it, how to protect herself, what room to go into, what doors to lock,' Linney said. 'We could both hear the keys would rattle, we would go to a room, we would make sure we were safe, Teri would come home very drunk and then we would wait until it got quiet, and then we would come out.' Linney said she understood the complicated situation Brooke found herself in, being frightened of who her mother could be but loving her all the while. 'You want to protect the people you love even if they're deeply flawed and damaged and damaging,' Linney said. Brooke Shields with her mother Teri. The two had a complicated relationship Brooke and Teri Shields in 1981. Teri was an alcoholic whose moods would often swing In the documentary Shields discussed complicated moments with her mother, like the time she looked on while at just 11-years-old she was forced to seductively kiss Keith Carradine, then 27, in the 1978 film Pretty Baby in which she played a prostitute. Shields said she struggled to understand how her mother did not intervene as she revealed her own daughters, Rowan, 19, and Grier, 16, refuse to watch it. In the documentary, Rowan said: 'It's child pornography! Would you have let us [do that] at the age of 11?' Shields replied 'No' as she was overcome with emotion. The star's mother died in 2012. Shields, an only child, said she could not be angry at her as her mother was so insecure. The actress long deflected the blame faced by her mother - who allowed Shields to pose nude for a Playboy publication at the age of 10 - but Shields now admits: 'I don't know why she thought it was all right. I don't know.' The incidents weren't the first time she was sexualized by the media. At 15 she shot The Blue Lagoon and then Endless Love. Both featured sex and nudity, while she also appeared scantily clad in a Calvin Klein denim advertisement campaign at the same age. The much-loved Strictly Come Dancing judge (right) has died aged 78 in a hospice in Tunbridge Wells in Kent following a short illness, sparking an outpouring of grief from his family, fans and his Strictly co-stars. The dance maestro had bone cancer and passed away peacefully on Saturday night, surrounded by his family. He would have been 79 tomorrow - the same age his father Leonard was when he died (together left). In December 2022, just weeks after retiring as head judge on Dancing with the Stars , the US version of Strictly, he told the Mail: 'My dad had the right idea. He loved gardening and he had a stroke while he was out in the garden. He was 79 so if I go the way of my dad, that'll be next year.' Len (inset dancing with his first wife Cherry) said he was retiring to spend more time with his wife Sue, and his grandchildren, Alice, seven, and Jack, four. He then suggested that his interviewer, Jenny Johnston, could write his obituary. He told her: 'Just write: "He was a dance teacher from Dartford who got lucky". Because that's just about the truth of it.' Fans have pondered whether he already knew he was seriously ill. Goodman was diagnosed with prostate cancer in March 2009, which was treated with surgery. In September 2021 it was reported that he had undergone surgery the previous year for a small facial melanoma. He told the Mail: 'I don't make a fuss about stuff like that. It's like when you have a car - you keep it serviced but even so, you'll have some trouble with your carburettor and you'll need to get it fixed, and eventually the whole thing will conk out, and there you go. It's more about the journey, and mine has been lovely.' Melania Trump was glaringly absent from her husband's side on Tuesday as he delivered a defiant speech at Mar-a-Lago, condemning the New York prosecutor and judge who presided over his historic arraignment. The former president was supported by three of his five children - Don Jr, Eric and Tiffany - after his indictment over a $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels and the first appearance by a former president in a New York courtroom. Teenage Barron is rarely seen, and Ivanka Trump - who previously played a pivotal role in her father's political career - announced before Christmas she was playing no part in his new chapter. But Melania's absence was keenly felt, especially given that she was seen at Mar-a-Lago as recently as Thursday. Some speculated that her absence was due to the nature of the indictment, and the fact it was connected to allegations he cheated on her with Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal. The charges against him are related to a $30,000 payoff to a doorman trying to sell information about a child that Trump allegedly fathered out of wedlock; $150,000 to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, and a $130,000 payment to porn star Daniels. But hours after the indictment was announced last week, Melania was by her husband's side in a very public show of strength. The couple dined together with friends at their usual, highly-visible table, at Mar-a-Lago. She wore a bright red dress, making her easy to spot by his side. Donald Trump addresses his supporters at Mar-a-Lago after being indicted in New York on Tuesday afternoon The former president was supported by his children and their partners - but not by his wife. Eric and Lara Trump are pictured far left; Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos are seen to the right. Don Jr and his fiancee Kimberly Guilfoyle are in the center of the group The last time Donald Trump was seen in public with his wife Melania, on March 30 Yet on Tuesday she was nowhere to be seen - and was left out of her husband's speech in which he sang the praises of his other family members for their support. Before the indictment was announced last week, a source told PEOPLE that Melania, 52, 'is leading her own life' and 'still feels happy' at Mar-a-Lago, but 'remains angry and doesn't want to hear' about the alleged $130,000 in hush money to Daniels. But, despite the anger, she would support her husband, a person close to her told DailyMail.com. 'Mrs. Trump is strong. She is focused on her family and stands behind her husband, as she always has,' the source told DailyMail.com exclusively. 'For the past 7 years, the left has made multiple attempts to smear and attack her family and this is just the latest attempt to bring him down.' The former president, meanwhile, made it clear he would fight the charges against him. Donald Trump used his speech to tear into the judge and district attorney in New York who oversaw his arraignment on Tuesday, going after Judge Juan Merchan's family and calling Alvin Bragg a 'criminal.' In a burst of fury during his 25-minute remarks to a packed crowd of family and supporters at Mar-a-Lago, Trump let his frustration with the case shine through. He slammed his legal opposition, despite a warning from Merchan to use his words carefully in order to avoid a gag order. The former president described his foes as a 'Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and a family whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris,' which drew groans from the crowd. Trump also said the real criminal in the case is Bragg, accusing him of leaking grand jury information. 'The criminal is the district attorney because he illegally leaked massive amounts of Grand Jury information for which he should be prosecuted, or at a minimum he should resign,' he said, to cheers. Ivanka Trump was spotted getting out of her black van at an office building in Miami on Monday, but did not attend her father's speech at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday Crowds of cheering people watch Trump's speech after his arraignment What are Trump's 'catch and kill' charges? Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to 34 counts of falsifying business records as he faced a New York judge - and became the first President of the United States to be arraigned and charged with a crime. The case, based on prosecutor statements and a statement of facts document, appears to involve three different payments, two of which involve the publisher of National Enquirer magazine and one of which involves a $130,000 hush-money payment that his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in the final days of the 2016 campaign. The first involved the Enquirer paying $30,000 to Dino Sajudin, a former Trump Tower doorman, who claimed that Trump fathered a child out of wedlock. The tabloid later determined that was not true. The Enquirer then made another payment to Karen McDougal, Playboy's playmate of the year in 1998. She wanted to sell her story of an affair with Trump during the 2016 campaign. The tabloid paid her $150,000 for rights to her story and then suppressed it a practice known as 'catch and kill.' The third involves the payment to Daniels. Cohen said he made the payment at Trump's direction to ensure Daniels would not go public with her story of a sexual encounter with the married Trump. Trump reimbursed Cohen while he was president and prosecutors said that is when the fraud accord. Trump's company falsely classified the repayment to Cohen as legal expenses but prosecutors say there were no such expenses. The alleged affair with Daniels happened in 2006, long before Trump entered politics, and shortly after his wife Melania gave birth to their son Barron. Trump denies both affairs with both McDougal and Daniels. He also denies any legal wrongdoing. Advertisement There were some leaks about how many charges Trump would face and related to what matters - but the indictment remained sealed until the former president was officially charged on Tuesday. Trump was told he was free to speak but with some caution about what he could say. Merchan did not slap a gag order on Trump as the former president's lawyers feared may happen but the judge warned during the arraignment on Tuesday that he could hand down a gag order against the ex-president if he makes social media posts inciting violence. A gag order would prevent Trump and his legal team from discussing the case publicly, which would extend to the defendant's favorite form of communicating with his base social media. It's unclear if Trump skirted that line in his remarks on Tuesday evening. He went after Judge Merchan's daughter and Bragg's wife in his attacks. Loren Merchan, the judge's 34-year-old daughter, is partner and president of Authentic Campaigns, a progressive digital firm, and worked on several high-profile Democratic campaigns including for President Joe Biden. Loren worked as the director of digital for Kamala Harris' 2020 presidential campaign from February 2019 until December of the same year, according to her LinkedIn. Merchan's firm, Authentic, continued working for Harris and then-candidate Joe Biden after Harris ended her unsuccessful campaign for president and joined Biden's ticket. She concluded her work with the campaign to move to fill the same role at Authentic Campaigns' progressive digital strategies firm. She climbed the ladder over five years at the firm and is now partner, president and COO of Authentic Campaigns. Bragg's wife Jamila Ponton Bragg had been active on Twitter until recently, posting derisive tweets about Trump. She locked her account after the former president targeted her. In his remarks, Trump tore into the investigations against him, calling them an 'insult to our country,' and he lashed out at prosecutors investigating him and complained about the probes he faces. 'I never thought anything like this could happen in America. The only crime that I've committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it,' he said. His focus was not as much on the crimes he was indicted for on Tuesday but on every other investigation and alleged wrong-doing he has faced since he entered politics. Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos at Mar-a-Lago Manhattan Judge Juan Manuel Merchan and his daughter, Loren Merchan, 34, who works for progressive digital strategies firm Authentic Campaigns Trump also attacked Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg A court sketch of Donald Trump on Tuesday Trump arrives before delivering remarks at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida Justice Juan Merchan speaks during Tuesday's arraignment Trump, 76, went through a litany of crimes he claims have been committed against him, including both impeachments; his false claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him; that the government spied on his 2016 presidential campaign; the FISA warrants against his advisers; and investigations into reports Russia tried to influence the election in his favor. He attacked Bragg, saying the Manhattan District Attorney wanted to get him at 'any cost and this before he knew anything about me.' Trump rambled between topics during his 25-minute speech, moving from his presidential campaign talking points, his accomplishments in the White House and what he says President Joe Biden did to harm America. He abruptly ended his remarks after 25 minutes - a short speech by his standards - after spending much of his time complaining about the investigations he still faces. He repeated his argument he is the victim of the weaponization of the legal system and under political attacks from Democrats who don't want to see him return to the White House. 'Now they have really stepped up their efforts by indicting the 45th President of the United States,' he said, as the crowd booed in response. And he slammed the other investigations into his actions - including the state of Georgia's examination of whether he and his supporters tried to illegally overturn the election results there. He also condemned a federal investigation into the classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago. His focus on those two cases could be an indication of the legal fights he is most concerned about. Some experts see the New York case as the weakest of all those Trump faces. Trump launched a long, detailed defense on why he thinks he committed no crime by having his White House records at his Florida home. The Presidential Records Act says all material from a presidential administration is the property of the federal government and must be turned over to the National Archives. 'There is no criminality under the Presidential Records Act,' he said. 'That is not what it's all about. We were negotiating in very good faith, a proper way in order to return some or all of the documents that I openly, and in very plain sight, brought with me to Mar-a-Lago from our beautiful White House just as virtually every other president has done in the past.' He condemned the August raid that revealed he had more documents on hand, despite a subpoena from the Justice Department to return all the material he had with him at his Florida home. Much of his ire was focused on President Biden. Trump is running for another term in the White House but first must win the Republican presidential primary before he can face off against Biden. Trump claimed other presidents from Joe Biden to Barack Obama to Jimmy Carter also took documents. Biden was revealed to have classified documents in his possession but no other former president has. He said the charges against him in that case 'has absolutely nothing to do with openly taking boxes of documents and mostly clothing and other things to my home, which President Obama has done.' Donald Trump walks into the Mar-a-Lago ballroom, surrounded by security Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle at Mar-a-Lago to support the former president Eric Trump and Lara Trump joined the supporters at Mar-a-Lago The former president claimed Biden has more classified documents on hand than he did, and committed a worse crime. Biden's lawyers say they turned over the classified material as soon as it was discovered. Trump claimed - with no proof - Biden still has documents in his possession. 'He has 1,850 boxes in Delaware, which he is refusing to give up,' Trump said of Biden. There is no evidence of this and the Justice Department has searched both of Biden's Delaware homes, saying no more documents are there. 'As President I have the right to declassify documents and the process is automatic. If I take them with me, it's automatic. Declassified,' Trump claimed, which is false. He pointed out that Biden's classified documents date back to when he was vice president. 'He had absolutely no right to declassify as vice president. He doesn't come under the non criminal Presidential Records Act. He comes under the very criminal Federal Records Act. 'Unfortunately for him, but it's not going to matter because they don't follow the law, which has very severe penalties. He had classified documents that he took while he was a senator which is absolutely inexcusable,' he said. Trump mentioned the members of his family - those who were there and those who weren't - as he thanked them for their support. Those included Donald Trump Jr. and his fiancee Kimberly Guilfoyle; Eric Trump and his wife Lara; and Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos. 'I have son here has done a great job and I have another son here has done a great job,' the former president said referring to Don Jr. and Eric. 'And Ivanka,' he added. 'And Barron will be great someday - he's tall, and he's smart, but I have a great family and they've done a fantastic job and we appreciate it very much. They've gone through a lot.' Trump flew back to his home in West Palm Beach, Florida after he became the first former president to be charged with a crime. He left the courthouse to go straight to LaGuardia Airport, where he boarded his private jet for the flight to Palm Beach International Airport. He left the immediate post-arraignment messaging to his team of lawyers. But the judge in the case didn't issue a gag order against the former president - which his lawyers feared might happen - leaving Trump free to comment on the case. And Trump made his first public comments on the arraignment in his 'safe space' - his private club in Florida - before his supporters, including Representatives Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene; longtime adviser Roger Stone; MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell and failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake. He spoke in the same ballroom where he announced his presidential campaign and where he has made appearances at Saturday night weddings held by members of the club. When he was president, he referred to his estate as the 'Winter White House.' Trump greeted supporters, shaking hands as he worked the rope line Donald Trump in his motorcade from the Palm Beach International Airport as he returns from being indicted in New York His prime-time speech came after Bragg unsealed the 34-count indictment against him, charging Trump with a series of false business statements he described as part of an overarching plan to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. Bragg's grand jury indictment not only referenced the Stormy Daniels matter, but an alleged 'catch and kill' scheme involving former Playboy model Karen McDougal and another payoff involving a former doorman at Trump Tower in New York. The charges, categorized as class E felonies, could lead to an accumulated 136 years in jail if Trump is convicted on all of them. He pleaded not guilty inside the Manhattan Criminal Court, where his image was captured by still photographers and a court sketch artist. For a man of many words, he spoke fewer than a dozen in court on Tuesday, two of which were in answer to the judge's question about how he would plea. 'Not guilty,' Trump said. After the arraignment, his die-hard supporters gathered under coffered ceilings and crystal chandeliers of Mar-a-Lago's ballroom, with the usual Trump play list refrains of Elton John and 'Macho Man.' Kari Lake, the failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate who was endorsed by Trump and remains one of his staunchest allies, called the former president's enemies the 'worst people in the world.' 'I love the man for what he does for our country, but I love him even more when I realize: when you look at the enemies he has - those are the worst people in the world,' she told DailyMail.com inside the private club. 'It looked like a bunch of copy and paste if you ask me,' she said of the indictment. 'Desperation.' Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (left), who led a Trump protest in New York City on Tuesday morning, arrives at Mar-a-Lago, waving to the crowd; and staunch Trump ally Kari Lake (right) was on hand to cheer on the former president Representative Matt Gaetz at Mar-a-Lago to support Donald Trump with his wife, Ginger Luckey Trump supporters filled the ballroom at Mar-a-Lago as they wait to hear from former president Trump addressed his MAGA faithful and the media after he was indicted Trump's plane comes in for landing at Palm Beach International Airport Trump supporters line the route for his motorcade Among the early arrivals was My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell, who advised Trump during his last weeks in the White House while the president fought to overturn the election results another area that has Trump facing legal exposure. He was unimpressed by what was in the unsealed indictment. 'They didn't do anything back then,' said Lindell. 'In fact, I think he got money from Stormy Daniels. 'It's disgusting, bringing up a misdemeanor, trying to turn them into felonies.' He said he had his own lawyer look at it, and that 'it's a joke.' Lindell continued: 'A crime covering a crime or some crazy law. It's just a reach. It's weaponizing, weaponization of our government and it is quite frankly it's political motivation. It's all for politics. That's what they've done with our country: FBI, CIA all of it.' Lindell heaped praise on Trump, describing him as a savior of the United States. 'He has one thing. He wants to save our country,' he said. 'This is part of the battle. He's getting hit. 'His focus he loves this country. He loves people, and he will keep going and he's not going to let this stop him. 'Is it a distraction? Yes. But that's all he's going to make it. It's a distraction. He's going to use it for positive, just like his numbers have been up ten points today. It's going to be a great positive.' Longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone was at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday night My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell is on hand to cheer on Trump Trump's motorcade makes its way from the Palm Beach airport to Mar-a-Lago Also there was Hogan Gidley, a former Trump White House spokesman who now has no formal role with Trump's team. 'Polling is more in Trump's camp solidly than anywhere else as far as the country's concerned,' said Gidley, who days ago joked that Trump would be able to make the most of a mugshot, if the NYPD were to take and release one. Ultimately the prosecutors declined to take a photo - although that did not stop Trump's team from mocking one up, and using it on t-shirts they are selling. 'The American people don't like the weaponizing government, they don't like the politicization of the justice system,' said Gidley. 'I would imagine you're going to hear some information about how important it is to stand up and protect people in this country.' In Tuesday's historic hearing, Trump sat in one of the places he seemed to think he would never be - at the defense table in the court of law. The former president sat alongside his defense team in the Manhattan courtroom with his hands folded on his lap and a stony-faced look for the unprecedented hearing. The prosecution claims the incidents show Trump plotted to buy damaging stories about himself to keep it under wraps and help his chances of winning the 2016 presidential race. Donald Trump made history on Tuesday when he stood in a Manhattan court and became the first former President of the United States in history to be indicted on criminal charges 'It's not just about one payment,' District Attorney Alvin Bragg said at a press conference after the hearing. 'It is 34 business records - 34 false statements and business records. They were concealing criminal conduct.' All together, the charges - falsifying business records in the first degree - carry a maximum sentence of more than 100 years in prison under New York law, but even if convicted on all charges, it's unlikely Trump would be sentenced to that much time. Each charge is a low-level felony that carries a maximum of four years in prison for each count. There was no formal conspiracy charge, but the state of facts released by prosecutors describes how Trump 'orchestrated a scheme' with others 'to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit the Defendant's electoral prospects.' During the hearing, Assistant District Attorney Christopher Conroy argued the payments were part of 'an unlawful plan to identify and suppress negative information that could have undermined' Trump's presidential campaign. The hearing lasted about an hour. The former president was silent as he entered the courtroom and then as he left. He was released on his own recognizance. The next court hearing is set for December 4th. Trump attorney Joe Tacopina, after the hearing, told reporters: 'This was not a good day. 'There's nothing the indictment itself. It is boilerplate. 'It doesn't allege any federal crime and the state crime that's been violated. It doesn't allege what the false statement is, and it's really disappointing. It's sad and we're going to fight it. We're going to fight it hard.' Tacopina said Trump is 'frustrated.' He continued: 'He's upset, but I'll tell you what, he's motivated. And it's not going to stop him, and it's not going to slow him down.' Dino Sajudin, a former Trump doorman, claimed the president had a love child and was paid hush money. Trump allegedly paid $150,000 to former Playboy model Karen McDougal to keep quiet about an affair - which he denies. Donald Trump and Stormy Daniels - the case is tied to $130,000 hush money payments made to Daniels President Trump with his defense team in Manhattan court: (left to right) Todd Blanche, Susan Necheles, Joe Tacopina and Boris Epshteyn A stony-faced former President Donald Trump snubbed reporters and walked silently into the courtroom after being fingerprinted and processed at the New York Criminal Court on Tuesday afternoon As part of Tuesday's court process, Trump surrendered, was placed under arrest and fingerprinted. He avoided handcuffs and being placed in a cell but glared at the cameras as he made his way from the booking area to face the judge. He did not have his mug shot taken. And he did not have to pay bail to be released. At the end of the hearing, Trump spoke briefly to his lawyers before turning to the door and walking slowly out, staring ahead and not meeting anyone's gaze with four Secret Service agents and eight lawyers behind him. Ahead of the arraignment, Trump expressed disbelief about his situation. While his motorcade drove him from Trump Tower to downtown Manhattan early Tuesday afternoon, he posted on Truth Social that he couldn't 'believe this is happening in America'. The president didn't speak in public but raised his fist in a gesture to the crowd - and the cameras. Judge Juan Merchan ruled against cameras in the courtroom - depriving the former reality TV star of a made-for-television moment - but allowed still photographers inside to take photos. Trump had been defiant ahead of the arraignment hearing, declaring himself to be the victim of a weaponized legal system and a political target by Democrats who don't want to see him win another term in the White House. The case, based on prosecutor statements and a statement of facts document, appears to involve three different payments, two of which involve the National Enquirer and one of which involves a $130,000 hush-money payment that his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in the final days of the 2016 campaign. The first involved the Enquirer paying $30,000 to Dino Sajudin, a former Trump Tower doorman, who claimed that Trump fathered a child out of wedlock. The tabloid later determined that was not true. The Enquirer then made another payment to Karen McDougal, Playboy's playmate of the year in 1998. She wanted to sell her story of an affair with Trump during the 2016 campaign. The tabloid paid her $150,000 for rights to her story and then suppressed it a practice known as 'catch and kill.' The third involves the payment to Daniels. Cohen said he made the payment at Trump's direction to ensure Daniels would not go public with her story of a sexual encounter with the married Trump. Trump reimbursed Cohen while he was president and prosecutors said that is when the fraud accord. Trump's company falsely classified the repayment to Cohen as legal expenses but prosecutors say there were no such expenses. The alleged affair with Daniels happened in 2006, long before Trump entered politics, and shortly after his wife Melania gave birth to their son Barron. Trump denies both affairs with both McDougal and Daniels. He also denies any legal wrongdoing. Ahead of the trial, Trump took an aggressive approaching, demanding his supporters rise up in protest and attacking Bragg, a Democrat. And polls show Trump's strategy may be working as he is more popular than ever with Republican voters and getting a massive political boost as he seeks a second term in the White House. National polls and state surveys in New Hampshire and Massachusetts show voters are still supporting his third bid for president. Trump leads his closest competition, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, by double digits. DeSantis originally took a few digs at Trump - saying he didn't know what went into paying hush money to porn stars - but as polls showed Trump's popularity, the Florida governor switched tactics, saying he would block New York if it attempted to extradite Trump. The former president voluntarily went to Manhattan and appeared in court, meaning an extradition attempt was unnecessary. Other Republicans have spoken in Trump's defense, saying the former president is a victim of politics. Donald Trump raises his fist as he leaves Trump Tower on the way to the Manhattan Criminal Court to turn himself in Caitlyn Jenner was among celebrities who heralded Trump after his indictment today Additionally, Trump's campaign said it had raised $10 million since news of his pending indictment broke. A conviction would not prevent Trump from running for or winning the presidency in 2024. Defiance and defensive attacks are the cornerstones of any Trump strategy - tactics he has used throughout his business career, his two presidential runs, and his time in the White House. It helped him when he was impeached twice by the U.S. House of Representatives - but he was never convicted in the U.S. Senate. The former president faces other possible indictments: the Justice Department is investigating him on two separate cases: the discovery of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home and attempts to overturn the 2020 election results. Georgia is also examining Trump's attempts to overturn the election results there. The only other U.S. president charged with a crime was Ulysses S. Grant, arrested in 1872 for speeding down the streets of Washington, D.C., in his horse and buggy. He was taken to jail and paid a $20 fine. Officers rushed to the scene and found Elliott's body lying in a pool of blood He described how he was showing Elliott his .40-caliber handgun when it 'went off' and shot her in the chest An Ohio man living out of his car has been arrested and charged with murder after he walked up to cops and told them he shot dead his friend in what authorities say is an 'unusual' case. Brian E. Mason, 58, was caught on body camera footage telling police in Miamisburg, Ohio that he accidentally shot dead his friend, Michelle L. Elliott, 57, while demonstrating how to use his .40-caliber gun on March 26. 'I was showing an old friend of mine how to use this gun that she asked for and it went off, and I shot her in the chest,' Mason told officers very matter-of-factly. Miami County deputies were then dispatched to North Montgomery County Line Road in rural Union Township, where they found Elliott sprawled on the ground in a pool of blood suffering from what appeared to be a gunshot wound. Mason has since been arraigned on murder charges and is being held on a $1million bond, WHIO reports, as authorities continue to investigate Elliott's death. Brian E. Mason, 58, told Miamisburg police officers on March 27 he fatally shot his friend Michelle L. Elliott, 57, the day before Mason has been arraigned on murder charges and is being held on a $1million bond Police body camera footage posted online shows Mason approaching an officer outside of the Miamisburg Police Department on March 27. 'I'm here to turn myself in,' he tells the officer as he approaches in a blue sweatshirt and carrying a water bottle. He then tells the officer about the accident, and says he 'has ben running around scared' ever since. The officer then asks what happened to his friend as he places Mason in handcuffs, to which Mason says, 'They're deceased,' and that he is unaware if any others knew about her death. At that point, officers dispatched sheriff's deputies to Elliott's home to conduct a welfare check. When they arrived, WHIO reports, there was no response at the door, prompting the deputies to look through a window, where they saw blood. The deputies then forced entry into the house, and found Elliott's body on the floor between the living room and kitchen. Deputies then rushed to the Miamisburg Police Department to question Mason, who allegedly told officers he had been living in his car and was helping Elliott with something at her house when the shooting occurred. A probable cause affidavit obtained by the Dayton Daily News further notes that he said Elliott had told him she 'wanted a different firearm to have at her household because she felt unsafe,' so he showed her his .40-caliber handgun. Following the fatal shooting, he said, he panicked, covered Elliott's body in a blanket and left in a pickup truck. He then spent the night driving around Montgomery County, parking in various gas stations, before going to the Miamisburg Police Department almost 24 hours later. Sheriff's deputies rushed to Elliott's house on North Montgomery County Line Road in rural Union Township where they found her body lying dead on the ground Mason said he decided to turn himself in in body camera footage posted online Mason was detained at the scene as police officers sent sheriff's deputies to investigate his claims An investigation into the shooting is ongoing, with Miami County Sheriff Dave Duchak telling WHIO the department has not received any calls of violence at the address. He said the case was 'unusual' given Mason's apparent confession, but authorities are continuing to look into his and Elliott's relationship. Mason had just said they were friends from high school. Once the investigation is complete, a case will be presented to the Miami County Prosecutors' Office for review of formal charges. In the meantime, anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call (937) 440 - 3965. The White House announced on Wednesday morning that President Joe Biden will visit Ireland next week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. He will fly into Belfast in Northern Ireland on Tuesday before heading south to Dublin, capital of the Republic of Ireland a day later. Biden has talked excitedly of his plans to visit the country of his forebears as president and planning has been in the works for weeks. His family hails from County Louth in the east of the country and County Mayo on the West, and his trip will include visits to both, as it did when he last came in 2016. Next week's four-day visit is one of the year's worst kept secrets and both counties have been smartening themselves up for his return. Joe Biden last visited in 2016 as vice president. He is seen here being welcomed by Taoiseach Enda Kenny at Knock Airport, Ireland White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said: 'He will discuss our close cooperation on the full range of shared global challenges. 'He will also hold various engagements, including in Dublin, County Louth, and County Mayo, where he will deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people.' Local media reported that the highlight is expected to a speech delivered at a location outside St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina, Co Mayo. It was from Ballina that Biden's maternal great-great-great-grandfather Edward Blewitt struck out for America after the potato famine of the 1840s, settling in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Biden frequently riffs on his Irish ancestry and had let it be known that he wanted to visit as president. However, wrangling between the United Kingdom and the European Union over Northern Ireland's trade status caused a diplomatic logjam that would have made a high-profile presidential visit politically problematic. That obstacle was removed last month with a deal for a new mechanism for handling goods shipped from mainland Britain to Northern Ireland. It means Biden can now visit both north and south to mark the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. President Joe Biden said a higher terror alert level in Northern Ireland would make little difference to plans for a visit. 'They can't keep me out,' he said Biden arriving in County Mayo in 2016 during his last visit to Ireland in an official capacity. The then vice president spent six days in the country, visiting Dublin, Mayo and Louth Biden with Enda Kenny in Dublin in 2016 on his last visit to Ireland, which was part official and part personal - just like the plans for his visit next week The agreement was signed on April 10, 1998. It cemented Northern Ireland's place in the United Kingdom, and set up a new government for the province, while allowing that it could join the Republic of Ireland if that was the wish of a majority. It brought an end to 30 years of armed struggle against British rule, a period known as 'the Troubles.' Biden is among the American politicians who can claim a role in helping push through the deal. He was a a member of the Senate foreign relations committee which nudged the Clinton administration to deploy its political clout and broker the deal. His Irish heritage has been a frequent touchstone for his political speeches, and he has described how his family left their homeland 'because of what the Brits were doing.' Last year, on St. Patrick's Day, he set out what his Irish heritage gave to him and other Irish emigrants. 'Hope is what brought forth on the Emerald Isle a nation of poets and patriots, saints, scholars, artists, and engineers,' he said at the White House. 'Hope kept us looking toward the far horizon. It urges us over every obstacle. It tells us to try again when we fall short, to rise each time we fall.' Joe Blewitt and his wife Deirdre drink champagne underneath a mural of their third cousin Joe Biden as locals celebrate Biden's election in the County Mayo town of Ballina in 2020 Biden with restaurant staff outside Fitzpatrick's Restaurant and Pub after a family lunch, in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland, during his 2016 visit Biden last visited Ireland in an official capacity in 2016 as vice president. That visit included stops in Dublin, Mayo, and Louth. And he has repeatedly told Irish politicians and relatives that he will be back as president. Soon after he took office, Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin said: 'When I invited President Biden to Ireland, he just said, "Try and keep me out." So it won't be any lack of enthusiasm on his side.' Rumors have repeatedly swirled through the Irish media that a presidential visit was coming. And diplomats saw the 25th anniversary of the peace deal as the perfect moment. Last week brought a minor wrinkle when Northern Ireland raised its terror risk level from 'substantial' to 'severe.' But Biden told DailyMail.com it would make no difference. 'They can't keep me out,' he said. Ambassador Levan S. Dzhagaryan emphasizes the importance of learning and respecting the true history of the countries we work with, as well as the need for open dialogue and modesty in diplomatic interactions. Exclusive by Our Diplomatic Affairs Editor Recently, Our Diplomatic Affairs Editor had the opportunity to conduct an exclusive interview with the Russian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Levan S. Dzhagaryan, at the Russian Embassy in Colombo. The interview covered a range of topics including the longstanding relationship between Sri Lanka and Russia, the current state of bilateral relations, the de-dollarization campaign of Global South, and the Ambassadors message to foreign diplomats. Ambassador Dzhagaryan shared his thoughts and insights on these important issues, providing valuable perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing Sri Lanka and the wider international community. The interview provided a unique opportunity to gain deeper insights into the perspectives of one of the most senior Russian diplomats in the region, and sheds light on the current state of relations between Sri Lanka and Russia, as well as the broader geopolitical dynamics shaping the world today. Levan S. Dzhagaryan as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Sri Lanka talking to Sri Lanka Guardian [ Photo: Laknath Seneviratne] Levan S. Dzhagaryan has an extensive diplomatic career that includes working in various regions around the world, including the Middle East. He has served as a diplomat for over three decades, beginning his career in 1987. He has worked in Iran, Afghanistan, and other countries in the region, gaining invaluable experience in dealing with complex political and diplomatic situations. In the late 1980s, Dzhagaryan served as a diplomat in Afghanistan during the Soviet military presence in Afghanistan, a period of intense conflict and political turmoil. This experience provided him with a unique perspective on international relations, conflict resolution, and the importance of dialogue and cooperation between nations. Read the excerpts from the interview; Question: Mr. Ambassador, thank you very much for accepting our request. Lets start this interview with your assessment of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. How is the situation there now? Answer: This is not a conflict between Ukraine and Russia, but rather a conflict between Russia and Western countries, particularly the United States of America. What we are expecting is for Ukraine to announce that it is a NATO country. Then they can officially deploy their forces, which they are currently doing unofficially, near the Russian border by forcing a direct threat. Imagine if Russia deployed our missiles close to the United States, as happened in Cuba in 1962, and everyone knows what happened. Now the same thing is being done by the United States in our border countries. How on earth can that be justified? When they do it, it is justifiable, but when others do it to ensure their borders, it is not acceptable and is called an unprovoked war or invasion. This is nothing but a double standard. Question: You are pointing at the West, but the more the crisis drags on, the more people suffer. Responsible parties must take immediate steps to solve this problem. Do you have anything in mind in terms of conflict resolution? Answer: To resolve this crisis, China is playing a significant and remarkable role. To cease the ongoing violence and find a lasting solution, China last month proposed a 12-point peace plan. Some provisions of this plan that may lay a foundation for peace negotiations, but Ukraine is continuing to play a hoodwink as they cannot decide by themselves. Ukraine is obviously a puppet government. They are under American and certain European countries control. Ukrainians are not decision-makers..... Click here to read the full text of this exclusive interview on our main website Soft-touch justice is telling young men that the 'first time's free' after a rapist escaped jail, JK Rowling warned yesterday. The author joined a backlash after Scottish child rapist Sean Hogg, 21, was given community service despite attacking a 13-year-old girl. Hogg was spared jail after the judge said he had to take his age into consideration under guidelines from the SNP government's Scottish Sentencing Council (SSC). Offenders under 25 can be given more lenient treatment because of their alleged brain immaturity. Last night rape victims voiced their anger while a Tory MSP demanded the SSC review its guidelines 'with a view to scrapping' them. Tweeting yesterday, Ms Rowling said: 'Progressive Scotland 2023, where a man gets no jail time for raping a 13-year-old girl in a park. Young Scottish men are effectively being told 'first time's free'.' Hogg was found guilty of attacking the child at Dalkeith Country Park in Midlothian. On Monday judge Lord Lake said the age of the rapist, who was 17 at the time, had to be taken into account. It means Hogg, of Hamilton, will only have to carry out 270 hours of unpaid work. The author joined a backlash after Scottish child rapist Sean Hogg (pictured), 21, was given community service despite attacking a 13-year-old girl JK Rowling said yesterday: 'Young Scottish men are effectively being told 'first time's free' Prosecutors have a month to challenge the sentence. The Mail can reveal that a logjam caused by Covid may have played a part in Hogg staying out of jail. Sources said the case had a 'complex' which together with backlogs meant it did not come to court until four years after the offence, in 2019. The SSC guidelines on under-25s came into force in January last year. If the case had been tried before, Hogg may have been sent to prison. In a letter to the SNP government, MSP Jamie Greene said: 'It is outrageous and appalling that such a despicable crime has not even been punished with a prison sentence... The soft-touch approach to justice taken by the Scottish government is at least partially to blame.' Miss M, who was raped at St Andrews University, described the Glasgow court's decision as 'abhorrent'. She added: 'If you are found guilty of rape, it's clear that the person is a danger to society.' Policy analyst Lucy Hunter Blackburn said the sentence 'has just made Scotland more dangerous for teenage girls'. An SSC spokesman said: 'The sentencing young people guideline... is based on robust, independently-assessed evidence from around the world into the cognitive development of young people.' SSC guidance also states: 'If a custodial sentence is imposed on a young person, it should be shorter than that which would have been imposed on an older person for the same, or a similar, offence.' First Minister Humza Yousaf said: 'I shouldn't, and no minister should, intervene in sentencing decisions.' A young family face financial ruin after their new home was torched in a suspected arson attack by tradies seeking payback for the Porter Davis collapse. Firefighters tried in vain to save the near-finished house when it erupted in flames on the Riverfield estate development in Clyde on Melbourne's south-east outskirts. The inferno ripped through the building - two months away from completion - destroying the roof and gutting the interior on Monday afternoon. Police now suspect a firebug may have been behind the attack after neighbours say they saw someone enter the building shortly before the fire broke out. The blaze has destroyed the dreams of a heartbroken couple and their three children who were just weeks away from moving in, and left them with a financial nightmare. Scores of tradies have been left unpaid in the company's collapse, with some said to have taken out their frustration on the Porter Davis homes they worked on. A young family (pictured outside the smouldering remains) have spoken of their heartbreak after their new home was torched in a suspected arson attack by tradies seeking payback for the Porter Davis collapse They revealed they had just reached lock-up stage and paid $94,000 to Porter Davis the day before the builder went bust on Friday, leaving around 1,800 homes unfinished in Victoria and Queensland. The family also have a $400,000 loan for the home which was wrecked in the fire and may not be covered by insurance. 'We are in absolute agony,' the couple, who did not want to be identified, told Nine's Today show after inspecting the smouldering remains. 'This was our dream home. It's heartbreaking. How we will survive from this situation, we don't know. We are stuck. 'No one wants to see these sort of things even in a bad dream, but this is reality. We have been in tears since we left here - we couldn't sleep last night. 'In a couple of months this could have been our house. Now we don't have a house.' They now hope someone will come forward to help them with legal advice as they desperately fight for a way to escape the financial hell they have been left in. Tradies seeking revenge are suspected to be behind a fireball attack on a Porter Davis home (pictured) in pay-back over unpaid work after the builder went bust on Friday Matt Burns, of Grant Thorburn, the liquidator appointed after Porter Davis went bust, warned there was little they could do. 'It's an incredibly difficult situation for those homeowners - it's a devastating story,' he told the show. 'We're limited in what we can do - we're not in funds. The company had run out of funds by the time we got appointed so we can't go in and put security on 1800 homes. 'What we're trying to do at the moment is work with as many of those homeowners as we can to try and facilitate them getting quickly into their homes. 'We think we can help a number of those families and mom and dads get into their home. 'But the reality is there won't be an answer for all of those homeowners unfortunately.' One owner estimated vandals had caused $50,000 worth of damage to her home in Berwick, in Melbourne's south-east. She claimed furious subcontractors intentionally left taps running in the sink and bathroom, flooding the property with more than seven centimetres of water. They also scratched and slashed the doors and walls with a knife or key. Other Porter Davis homes had their windows smashed and their doors scratched The woman believes angry tradies left the taps running in her bathroom, flooding the house The woman said she informed police after another Porter Davis house in the area had suffered similar damage on the same night. Others also reported Porter Davies properties being targeted by vandals, with three buildings on a block reportedly having their windows smashed. The woman believed their home was targeted by tradies who had been left out of pocket. 'What they have done has not affected Porter Davis at all but unfortunately only us as now the damages are more than what we had remaining on the house,' she said. 'It's devastating to understand that someone would actually break in and do this to our home.' She and her partner were expected to move into the property with their 13-day-old baby on Thursday. 'We worked so hard and put a lot of money into this house to only hope we could bring our new baby home this week. 'Twelve days ago was the happiest day of our lives when we welcomed our first baby boy. 'We were meant to have handover on Thursday until the news broke through. Today our house was completely vandalised making everything extremely difficult to move forward.' Matt Burns, of Grant Thorburn, the liquidator appointed after Porter Davis went bust, warned there was little they could do to secure homes abandoned by the developer Victoria Police said detectives were hunting for a suspected arsonist for the firebug attack on the family's unfinished home. 'Emergency services responded to a fire at a property in Clyde North on Monday, April 3 about 4.30pm,' a spokesman told Daily Mail Australia. 'The building on Adante Court was not occupied at the time and no one was injured. 'Investigations are ongoing into the cause of the fire, which is being treated as suspicious at this stage.' Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley has dispelled rumours she's considering a tilt at her party's top job, insisting she's 'incredibly honoured' to be 'vice-captain'. Peter Dutton is facing mounting pressure as Opposition leader after woeful results in the Aston by-election and the NSW state election. Since taking over leadership of the party he has worked to soften his image, and his colleagues are still publicly backing him as the man to lead them to victory in the 2025 election. The poor electoral results fanned rumours Ms Ley was 'eyeing off' the job, but the pair put on a united front once again on Tuesday, releasing a smiley photo sitting side-by-side. 'I am vice-captain of the team, incredibly honoured to have been voted the deputy leader of my party,' she told Sky on Wednesday. 'My ambition is for Peter Dutton to become the next prime minister and for me to be a senior member of a Dutton government. We have a lot of work to do and I accept the messages from Aston about that.' There had been rumours Ms Ley was 'eyeing off' the job, but the pair put on a united front once again on Tuesday by releasing a smiley photo sitting side-by-side Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley has dispelled rumours she's considering a tilt at her party's top job, insisting she's 'incredibly honoured' to be 'vice-captain' Peter Dutton is facing mounting pressure as Opposition leader after woeful results in the Aston by-election and the NSW state election 'He is doing an astounding job as leader, bringing the party together and leading the troops.' The duo visited Ms Ley's electorate of Farrer in New South Wales on Wednesday to meet with small business owners, local manufacturers and women in business to discuss the future of the party. 'Looking forward to taking Peter to Corowa, the birthplace of Federation & Albury, the birthplace of our Party,' Ms Ley said alongside the happy picture. Mr Dutton admits he has 'a lot of work to do' to restore faith in his party after enormous swings against the Liberals at both federal and state levels. 'We didn't win the seat, so by definition, we have a lot of work to do. I accept responsibility and I'm the leader of the party,' he told ABC's Insiders on Sunday. 'We've failed that test Now, the question is how we rebuild from here, the policies that we have, the brand rebuilding that we need to do in Victoria and it is a very significant issue for us.' Mr Dutton (pictured with his wife and kids) has been working to soften his hardman image since taking over leadership of his party Labor's win in Aston last weekend was the first time a sitting government has won an opposition-held seat in a by-election in more than a century. While Mr Albanese has promoted Labor as a positive force for change, the Coalition - once perceived as a safe pair of hands - has lost the faith of even once loyal voters. The loss leaves the Liberal Party with just two seats in the entire metropolitan area of Melbourne after 20 years of underperforming in Victoria. As the outcome became clear, federal Liberal MP Keith Wolahan was among the first to voice support for his party leader. He said: 'I saw good and bad leaders in the most trying of circumstances and he has all the qualities of a good leader.' His comments were backed by fellow Victorian and senator Jane Hume, who said she 'cannot imagine there would be any mood in the party room for (a change of leader)'. 'There is no doubt this is a blow but he is a leader with a solid team behind him,' she told the ABC. Ms Hume said she was sad to see Roshena Campbell lose out on the seat, but denied the result would trigger a move on Mr Dutton as leader. Labor's win in Aston last weekend was the first time a sitting government has won an opposition-held seat in a by-election in more than a century 'There's no agitation in the party room,' she said. 'He holds a united team.' There is no obvious replacement waiting in the wings to replace Mr Dutton. Mr Dutton has been working to soften his hardman image since taking over leadership of his party. When volunteering for the position, he said while the public had grown accustomed to seeing him in 'tough portfolios' like defence and home affairs, he hoped to show them a different side. 'I hope now, in moving from such tough portfolios, the Australian public can see the rest of my character, the side my family, friends and colleagues see,' he said. 'The side my community sees where they have elected me eight times. I come from the suburbs and I have never changed my values or forgotten where I have come from.' His wife Kirilly, a successful businesswoman, gave her insight into the man vying to one day become PM, revealing that he has a 'great sense of humour'. Peter Dutton (centre right) is pictured with his wife Kirilly (centre left) to celebrate winning the seat of Dickson against Ali France in the 2019 federal election She said he was incredibly compassionate, especially when it came to the protection of women and children. 'He hides a lot of his emotion from the public but he gets most upset at reports of children or women being sexually abused or harmed. It obviously stems from his time as a policeman working in that area, but it's also from being the eldest of five kids growing up in the suburbs,' she said. The president of the Liberal Party in Victoria also described Mr Dutton as 'surprisingly lovely' in an underwhelming endorsement after the Aston loss. When asked about his opinion of Mr Dutton, Greg Mirabella told ABC's Q+A on Monday night there is a big difference between a politician's capability versus his electability. 'The Labor Party played a very personal campaign against Peter Dutton. The booths were covered in the most unflattering photo of [him] they could find,' Mr Mirabella said. 'Peter, he's a surprisingly lovely bloke.' A centuries-old mystery found in deserts across the world has finally been solved after researchers finally reached out to the Indigenous Australians that had been living among them for thousands of years. The large circles of hardened dirt, found in Australia's deserts and parts of Africa and colloquially known as 'fairy circles', are actually formed by termites living beneath the surface. Spinifex termites have been documented for generations in paintings and stories by Aboriginal people in the area, who watched them evacuate their nests after heavy rainfall. Scientists had originally concluded the evenly-spaced, sparse circles of dirt were caused by plants competing for water below the soils. Researchers working with the elders dug through the ground below the rock-solid surface in multiple locations, including in Nyiyaparli country, east of Newman in Western Australia's Pilbara region, and in Warlpiri country in the Northern Territory to confirm the information. Mysterious 'fairy circles' have been a mystery for centuries until Indigenous Australians recently pointed researchers towards answers A team (pictured) discovered the hardened dirt atop these circles were caused by termites below the surface, not plants competing for water The circles where the termites live are called 'linyji' in Indigenous cultures, who used the hardened dirt and insects below for food and meal prep. 'We gathered and ate the Warturnuma [flying termites] that flew from linyji,' Martu elder Gladys Bidu said. 'I learnt this from my old people and have seen it myself many times.' Lead researcher on the project, ethnoecologist Fiona Walsh said that studying central Australian land had made up part of her life's work. 'I've been living here for 30 years now and we first learnt about the circles in the '80s,' Ms Walsh told Daily Mail Australia. 'My first knowledge of their hard areas were people who used them for and other purposes in their daily lives.' Ms Walsh's interest in the fairy circles was renewed in 2016 when she compared aerial shots of the circles to Aboriginal art and noticed they were almost exactly the same. 'Aboriginal people told us that these regular circular patterns of bare pavements are occupied by spinifex termites,' Ms Walsh said previously. 'The pavement surface is concrete hard - after we dug and then dusted to clean the trenches, 100 per cent of them had termite chambers seen horizontally and vertically in the matrix.' Although the mysterious circles were first noted in Africa in the 1970s, ms Bidu said her people had been using them for generations to break open seeds to use in food. Ethnoecologist Fiona Walsh (pictured) led the team after 30 years in central Australia made her question previous conclusion on the cause Ms Walsh said she had seen Aboriginal people using the 'concrete hard' surface of these circles in numerous ways After heavy rain would fall, linyji held pools of water and would attract Mulyamiji, a desert skink, which used the reserves when breeding and forced the termites to flee. A story from Lee Nangala and Alice Nampijinpa about the termites was used in the research to help prove that plants weren't behind the mystery. Mr Nangala was a child when pamapardu, flying termites, would swarm outside the ranger house he and Ms Nampijinpa were sleeping in. 'Ngapa (rain) fall down, rain(s) every day,' Mr Nangala said. 'Flying termites come out of the ground and termite pavements,' Ms Nampijinpa said. Shared knowledge is the driving factor for new discoveries in research, Ms Walsh told Daily Mail Australia, and would continue to drive her own research. 'We will continue to learn from Aboriginal people, and their prime knowledge came from the elders,' she said. The 17-year-old son of the former president was noticeably absent from the rally at Mar-a-Lago, as was his mother, Melania He said his children Donald Jr., Eric, Ivanka and Tiffany are doing great things and noted that Barron 'will be great someday' Trump made a point to call out his children in his post arraignment speech Tuesday night In his post-indictment speech on Tuesday, former President Donald Trump gave his teen son Barron a very gracious shoutout. Addressing his family in the crowd at Mar-a-Lago, Trump said his children Donald Jr. Eric, Ivanka and Tiffany are doing great things. He then noted that Barron 'will be great someday,' noting that his 17-year-old son is 'tall and smart!' The former president's teenage son was not in the crowd as Trump gave his first address following his arraignment Tuesday morning, nor was his wife Melania, who have maintained a low profile since Trump left office in 2021. Also notably absent was his daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner, who worked with Trump in the White House, but said earlier this year they were taking a step back from politics. In his post-indictment speech Tuesday night, Trump shouted out his children Notably absent from Trump's speech Tuesday night were Barron, right, and Melania, center. They are pictured here at the funeral of Ivana Trump in July In his speech Tuesday night, Trump made a point to single out his children: 'I have a son here who's done a great job, and another who's done a great job. 'And Tiffany, and Ivanka.' He referenced his son Barron, saying he 'will do a good job', and joked: 'He's certainly tall.' He added: 'They've gone through hell.' The Trumps were accompanied by a throng of their most fervent supporters - among them the My Pillow founder, Mike Lindell, and conservative political operative Roger Stone. Kari Lake, who failed in November to be elected as governor of Arizona, was also at the gathering. There was a festive atmosphere in the ballroom, with Trump's supporters energized by Tuesday's proceedings as he railed against the 34 count felony indictment against him. The former had been charged formally on Tuesday for allegedly falsifying business records by paying off individuals when he was first running for president in 2016. He has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges, and lambasted the investigation as a 'witch hunt.' Donald Trump Jr is seen at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday night with his fiancee, Kimberly Guilfoyle Eric and Lara Trump applaud on Tuesday evening at his father speaks Tiffany Trump is seen with her husband Michael Boulos. The pair married at Mar-a-Lago in November Sources have said that Melania and Barron were trying to maintain a low profile in the wake of the indictment. A source familiar with the family told PageSix last week that 'Melania is lying very low. 'She hasn't been coming out for the dinners and events at Mar-a-Lago. He is acting like everything is normal, but she hasn't been social,' the person said. 'She wants to be away from it. She wants to protect Barron,' the person added. In fact, Barron has not been seen publicly since Ivana Trump's funeral in July. He was pictured at the memorial service at St. Vincent Ferrer Church on the Upper East Side with his father and mother, who waved to supporters in the streets as the yelled their support. Barron was later pictured standing by his father's side after the funeral service concluded. Australians are dying at a rate not seen since wartime but politicians are ignoring demands to find out why, critics say. In 2022 there were 25,235 more deaths than would be expected in a normal year, 10,095 of which were directly caused by Covid with another 3,000 where the virus was 'a contributing factor'. The rate of 'excess deaths' is calculated on a historical average of mortality for a given period and is weighted for shifting demographics, such as an aging population. Last year saw excess mortality running at 15 per cent above the expected number of deaths, which is a rate of death Australia has not seen in the 80 years since World War II, according to Australian Bureau Statistics (ABS) figures released last week. The final ABS figures for 2022 are higher than the 12 per cent rate of excess mortality reported for that year by an Actuaries Institute report in March. The jump in deaths led to a Senate motion two weeks ago, sponsored by Victorian UAP Senator Ralph Babet, to hold an inquiry into excess deaths but this was voted down by the government and crossbench Senators. Official statistics show that excess deaths in Australia are running at 15 per cent above the historical norm (stock image) Queensland LNP Senator Gerard Rennick spoke in support of the motion saying that statistically such a jump in deaths was a 'one in a thousand event'. We deserve an inquiry, he said. On Wednesday Sydney talkback radio 2GB host Ben Fordham joined calls for a probe into why Australians are dying in such comparatively high numbers. 'Sadly people in power dont want to talk about it,' Fordham said. 'Does it have something to do with our one-track focus on coronavirus and other diseases and illnesses that were forced into the back seat while we fought off Covid?' Fordham pointed to a warning issued by Cancer Australia in September 2021 noting that biopsies, scans and surgeries for the disease had plummeted in 2020 because of Covid lockdowns, meaning up to 20,000 cases may have been missed. Sydney radio host Ben Fordham (pictured) has called for an inquiry into why Australians are dying in numbers not seen since World War II In 2022 the ABS recorded 10,000 more cancer deaths than the historical norm, representing a five per cent increase in mortality from the disease. However, according to the ABS the majority of excess deaths in 2022 were Covid-related. The bureau said 10,095 people died because of Covid, with an estimated 3,000 others deaths recorded where the virus was 'a contributing factor'. There was also a 19 per cent increase in those dying of diabetes and a 15 per cent jump in dementia mortality. There were marginal increases in the number of heart-related and respiratory infection deaths. Fordham said without an inquiry the issue of excess deaths will be 'weaponised'. He said on one side are those who want a return to lockdowns or other heavy restrictions on Covid spread. 'As we know Australians wont cop that,' Fordham argued. On the other hand there are those who are blaming the Covid vaccines for an increase in deaths. He noted the Therapeutic Goods Administration, the watchdog on medical safety, had received reports of 900 deaths occurring within days of getting a Covid vaccine but had investigated those cases and found only 14 were because of the jab. In calling for a parliamentary inquiry into excess deaths, Queensland LNP Senator Gerald Rennick said the number had jumped after the Covid vaccines were administered Fordham said the TGA had been so resistant to his inquiries about potential vaccine-related deaths that it raised suspicions. 'If we dont investigate and come up with some firm answers those whispers will grow louder,' he said. The TGA has consistently insisted the Covid vaccines are extremely safe and severe, and adverse reactions are 'rare'. 'COVID-19 vaccinations are safe and save lives,' the agency says on its website. 'They are closely monitored in the largest global vaccine rollout in history. 'Most side effects are mild and go away in a couple of days.' In promoting the push for an inquiry, Senator Rennick claimed it was suspect that there was a jump in deaths after vaccine rollouts. This is despite just 14 deaths being caused by vaccines in Australia, compared to 10,000 deaths caused by the virus itself last year alone. The jump in deaths also aligned with the time Covid became widespread among the populations, meaning a larger proportion of the population were coming into contact with the illness - and dying. But Senator Rennick said while there had been a jump in deaths in 2020 associated with the original Covid wave, that year had seen excess deaths suppressed by the national lockdown and lengthier ones in states such as Victoria. Lockdowns prevent road deaths and other accidents that befall people in the ordinary course of life. Senator Rennick argued after the vaccine rollout in April, 2021, all-cause excess deaths jumped by 1,000 and later 2,000 a month. He argued that states with low or no Covid such as Western Australia and Queensland saw jumps of 9 and 10 per cent in deaths respectively. 'We need to look to see how many people died within a number of days from the vaccine, we need to look at the average rate of daily deaths,' Senator Rennick said in parliament. Nations around the world are experiencing a surge in excess deaths, not all of which is explained by Covid. In Britain, 650,000 extra deaths were registered in 2022, which represented a nine per cent increase compared to the more 'normal year' of 2019. AMA President Professor Steve Robson said that more research is needed to show why more Australians are dying than expected, which mirrors what is happening in Britain and other countries Peak doctors' body the Australian Medical Association (AMA) told Daily Mail Australia in September it was 'worrying' that deaths are climbing in Australia, but it reflected what is being seen overseas. 'We have seen the ABS statistics that mirror a worrying trend in other countries like the UK,' AMA President Professor Steve Robson said. Prof Robson said it was unclear what was driving the excess deaths. 'There needs to be some research into why this is happening,' he said. However, he pointed to some 'likely factors' that could be a hangover from the Covid period of isolation and restrictions. A major likely cause was that people either couldn't, or were scared of, seeing a doctor because of infection risk. 'People have avoided going to see the doctor for regular checks or to talk about a problem with their health or delayed a trip to the doctor and consequently seen their condition become more serious,' Prof Robson said. 'We need to do more to prepare the health system, both to address the impact of COVID on things like waiting lists but also to deal with those patients who have delayed accessing care and now require more serious intervention.' Health Minister Mark Butler has been contacted for comment. The grandfather of one of cult mom Lori Vallow's children says he wants her husband, Chad Daybell, to face a firing squad if he is convicted of murder in Idaho. Larry Woodcock, the grandfather of JJ Vallow, called for the death penalty during a heartbreaking interview Tuesday on NewsNation's Banfield program. When asked if that was the method he would like Daybell to face if he was found guilty and sentenced to death, a smiling Woodcock replied: 'Absolutely.' Last month, Republican Gov. Brad Little signed a bill allowing execution by firing squad, making Idaho the latest state to turn to older methods of capital punishment amid a nationwide shortage of lethal-injection drugs. Vallow and Daybell have pleaded not guilty to murder, conspiracy and grand theft charges in connection with the deaths of her children, Joshua Vallow, 7, and Tylee Ryan, who was last seen a few days before her 17th birthday. They are also charged in connection with the death of Daybell's late wife, Tammy Daybell. The case is now in the jury selection phase. In March, the judge in the case ruled that the death penalty was not on the table for Vallow but that Daybell could still face that fate. Lori Vallow in a courtroom in Hawaii on February 26, 2020, after her arrest Chad Daybell (left) sits in a courtroom alongside his attorney on August 4, 2020 Vallow is accused of killing her kids, seven-year-old Joshua (JJ) and 16-year-old Tylee The new law passed in the legislature on March 20 with a veto-proof majority. Under it, firing squads will be used only if the state cannot obtain the drugs needed for lethal injections. Pharmaceutical companies increasingly have barred executioners from using their drugs, saying they were meant to save lives. One Idaho death row inmate has already had his execution postponed repeatedly because of drug scarcity. The shortage has prompted other states in recent years to revive older methods of execution. Only Mississippi, Utah, Oklahoma and South Carolina have laws allowing firing squads if other execution methods are unavailable, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. South Carolina's law is on hold pending the outcome of a legal challenge. During their NewsNation interview, Woodcock and his wife, Kay, said that they still have not been told if they are permitted to be inside the courtroom in Boise before they are due to testify in the trial. Vallow's defense team is fighting to keep them out of the court, arguing that they aren't officially the children's grandparents. The judge has yet to rule on the defense's request. That has left the couple feeling 'powerless,' Kay Woodcock said. The couple are also accused of killing Daybell's ex-wife, Tammy Daybell, who died in 2019 Lori Vallow Daybell grins in a police car after a hearing at the Fremont County Courthouse in St. Anthony, Idaho, on August 16, 2022 Lori with her daughter Tylee, who she accused of murdering along with her young son It was earlier reported that Larry and Kay Woodcock of Louisiana, were increasingly worried about the kids in 2019. For the first half of the year, Lori Vallow was still married to JJ's father, Charles Vallow, but the two were estranged and he had filed for divorce. Formal voire dire questioning of prospective jurors, who have all completed questionnaires, got underway in Ada County Courthouse, Boise, Monday morning and is likely to take several days. The proceedings have already been delayed more than a year as Vallow was initially ruled 'incompetent' to stand trial and placed in the custody of Idaho Department of Health and Welfare for 10 months. Vallow's lawyers still contend that she is a 'mentally ill person' and said so when they argued for the death penalty to be taken off the table earlier this month. Ultimately Judge Steven Boyce removed the threat, not because of that argument, but on a technicality. Prosecutors failed to meet the deadline by which they had to share evidence with the defense. Police looking for human remains at the home of Chad Daybell in Salem, Idaho, in 2020 Prosecutors say the couple used doomsday-focused religious beliefs to further a plan to kill the kids and Tammy Daybell, and that it was part of a plot to steal social security funds and insurance money. Idaho law enforcement officers started investigating the couple in November 2019 after extended family members reported that the children were missing. During that period, police say the couple lied about the children's whereabouts. Their bodies were found buried later on Chad Daybell's property in rural Idaho. The couple married just two weeks after Chad Daybell's previous wife, Tammy Daybell, died unexpectedly. Tammy Daybell's death was initially reported as due to natural causes, but investigators had her body exhumed after growing suspicious when Chad Daybell quickly remarried. Vallow is separately charged with conspiracy to commit murder in Arizona in connection with the July 2019 death of her previous husband, Charles Vallow. He was shot and killed by Vallow's brother, Alex Cox, who claimed it was self-defense. The Arizona legal proceedings are on hold while the Idaho case is underway. Vallow claimed to be a deity, her estranged husband wrote in divorce papers. She called the children 'zombies' before they vanished, a friend told police. A handful of followers seemed to buy into her doomsday claims, Arizona investigators reported. Following her divorce from Charles Vallow, she moved the family to eastern Idaho, and JJ's grandparents struggled to reach him by phone. The Woodcocks said Vallow wouldn't tell them why their grandson was constantly unavailable. They grew suspicious and called the police. Rexburg police performed a welfare check in November of 2019, and said the couple lied about the children's whereabouts. When police returned the next day, the couple had left town. Police determined Tylee Ryan was last seen in September headed into Yellowstone National Park with her mom and other family for a day trip, and JJ was last seen by school officials several days later. The search spanned several states and continued until June 2020, when the children's bodies were found buried in the yard of Daybell's eastern Idaho home. Several family members and friends described to detectives a group led by Lori and Chad that met to pray, believing that they could drive out evil spirits and seek revelations from 'beyond the spiritual veil.' Though the beliefs Vallow's friends described to detectives were loosely based in theology from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they veered into the extreme. Former President Donald Trump lobbed repeated insults at Special Counsel Jack Smith during his angry speech at Mar-a-Lago hours after he was arrested and arraigned in New York on a day Smith gained access to powerful testimony in his January 6 probe. Smith, who also is heading a investigation into Trump's election overturn effort as well as classified documents uncovered at Mar-a-Lago, has been blazing ahead on both fronts, and got a ruling from an appeals court panel that former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and others must appear to testify before a grand jury. The ongoing probes were clearly on Trump's mind during the 25-minute speech where DA Alvin Bragg's new 34 count grand jury indictment for falsifying business records related to the Stormy Daniels payoff was just one of the targets of Trump's rage. 'This lunatic special prosecutor named Jack Smith' is how the former president referred to the man Attorney General Merrick Garland tapped to run the investigation, in what Garland said was a move to 'protect commitment to both independence and accountability' of the Justice Department amid the race for the White House. 'This lunatic special prosecutor named Jack Smith. I wonder what it was prior to a change? Who others of his ilk say he's even worse than they are is only looking at Trump,' Trump said. Former President Donald Trump ripped special counsel Jack Smith on a day of an adverse Appeals Court ruling. He also tore into Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan, Manhattan DA Alvin Brag, Hunter Biden, the Biden family, the FBI, the Justice Department, and Big Tech Trump accused the special counsel of 'threatening people' and of using squeeze tactics on witnesses by dangling relief. 'We have this Jack Smith lunatic threatening people every single day through his representatives. They're threatening jail terms. But talk about Trump and you'll go free. This is where we are as a nation. Who would have thought? They can't beat us at the ballot box, so they try and beat us through the law. That's the country in which we live.' Trump denied wrongdoing and denied a sexual relationship with Daniels. Trump's claims about pressure from Smith came on a day when a three-judge panel on the D.C. Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled Meadows and other top aides who have been subpoenaed must testify. Trump attacked special counsel Jack Smith as a 'lunatic' Trump suggested he might have won the election had Hunter Biden's 'laptop from hell' come out sooner, and went after the FBI and big tech Trump attacked Judge Juan Merchan hours after getting a warning about 'words or conduct which could jeopardize the rule of law as it applies to these proceedings in this courtroom Trump railed against investigators in a speech at his private Mar-a-Lago club Meadows provided critical advice to Trump, and traveled to Georgia on his behalf amid Trump's election overturn effort. Meadows was on Trump's infamous call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffesnperger where Trump told him: 'I just want to find 11,780 votes' one more than he needed to win the state. He also went after 'the illegal and unconstitutional raid on Mar-a-Lago right here' in reference to the FBI search for classified material under a subpoena. Trump railed at Smith after hitting out at judge Juan Merchan, who is presiding over the Stormy Daniels case, and previously oversaw proceedings that saw longtime Trump Org. CFO Allen Weisselberg sentenced to five months in jail after pleading guilty to tax fraud. 'We recently had another trial and the same judge told the fine man who worked for me for many, many years that if you admit your guilt, you will be in jail for 90 days. But if you don't if we go through a trial and you're found guilty you're going away for 10 years and maybe longer. Trump also attacked Merchan as a 'Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and a family whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris,' in an attack that drew groans from a packed crowd of supporters and Mar-a-Lago members. Trump also spent time going after Hunter Biden and his infamous laptop during his remarks, which came just hours after he was arrested and pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Manhattan. He appeared to suggest he would have won the election had media companies and government agents acted differently regarding the laptop, which contains a trove of personal information about the president's son as well as emails about an array of business relationships. A court sketch of Donald Trump in court in NYC on April 4 'And just recently the FBI and DOJ in collusion with Twitter and Facebook, in order not to say anything bad about the Hunter Biden laptop from hell, which exposes the Biden family as criminals in which according to the pollsters would have made a 17 point difference in the election result we needed a lot less than that like about 16.9m; Trump said. 'It would have been in our favor. Not my favor, our favor because our country is going to hell.' Trump allies obtained a copy of the laptop from a Delaware computer shop owner, who said he also gave it to the FBI. The New York Post reported on its contents weeks before the elections. Trump's attacks on Judge Merchan came despite warnings to both sides inside the Manhattan courtroom earlier. 'Id encourage counsel for both sides to speak to your witnesses, defense counsel speak to you client and remind them to please refrain from making statements that are likely to incite violence and civil unrest,' he said. Refrain from engaging in conduct which has the potential to incite violence or create civil unrest,' he warned. Dont engage in words or conduct which could jeopardize the rule of law as it applies to these proceedings in this courtroom. Trump lawyer Todd Blanche, agreed, and told the judge: Theres only so much we can do. On the documents probe, Trump said he had done nothing wrong despite government investigators finding hundreds of documents marked 'classified.' 'As president, I have the right to declassify,' he said, whereas Joe Biden did not when he was vice president. He said he was 'negotiating in good faith' with the National Archives and Records Administration, a group he also attacked. 'We were negotiating in very good faith, proper way, in order to return some or all of the documents that I openly and in very plain sight brought with me to Mara Lago from our beautiful White House,' he said. Culture Kings boss Simon Beard has shrugged off losing a staggering $500million in a sharemarket bloodbath, insisting he only needed $30million anyway. The cult street fashion chain, which started as a market stall on the Gold Coast in 2008, sold out to US company a.k.a Brands in 2021 in a deal worth $307million plus 23.3 million shares. It catapulted Mr Beard and his wife Tahnee into Australia's Rich List with a combined worth of $626million, which increased further when a.k.a Brands share price later soared. At one stage, the 23.3 million shares hit $22.09 each and were worth $514.6million before a huge Wall St sell-off saw them plummet to just $0.69 by Wednesday. The price crash means the Beards' $500million-plus shareholding nest egg is now worth just $16million. Culture Kings boss Simon Beard (pictured with wife Tahnee) has shrugged off losing a staggering $500million in a sharemarket bloodbath At one stage the 23.3million shares hit $22.09 each and were worth $514.6million before a huge Wall St sell-off saw them plummet to just $0.69 by Wednesday But in a video posted to TikTok by Brisbane business partner and property developer Emil Juresic, Mr Beard took the loss in his stride and remained philosophical. 'You take risks, roll the dice, sometimes you win - sometimes you lose,' he said in the video, filmed in a garage filled with luxury cars including a Bentley Continental. The Culture Kings founder smiled bashfully as he admitted he'd just read about his loss as Mr Juresic asked him: 'How does it feel to lose $500million, Simon?' 'It sucks, just checking out and watching that share price every day,' he said. 'But it's an entrepreneur's journey. You de-risk some - it's all house money, but...f***!' He said he was grateful to have taken the $307million in cash when they sold out instead of accepting additional shares. 'I'm very thankful my wife didn't let me bet the farm and roll the dice on the whole lot again, which I wanted to,' he admitted. 'As an entrepreneur you just want to bet yourself. But it's an important lesson to de-risk because even though everything in the business is ripping, it's just the market.' Mr Juresic quizzed him on whether he thought there was a difference between $30million and $300million - but Mr Beard said no. '$30million is the ticket to get to because above that is honestly - you can buy all the toys,' he said. 'Yachts and planes are the only thing above that.' Mr Juresic joked that he would take the rest of Mr Beard's money above $30million, but Mr Beard fired back: 'I wanna hold onto it for a bit longer just to make sure...' Culture Kings became a global cult after attracting the attention of stars like Snoop Dogg who appeared at the stores selling exclusive sneakers and streetwear. It turned over $200million in 2020 prior to the sale to a.k.a. Brands, with a $20million net profit. Culture Kings became a global cult after attracting the attention of stars like Snoop Dogg who appeared at the stores selling exclusive sneakers and streetwear The sale of the company to US firm a.k.a Brands catapulted the Beards into Australia's Rich List with a combined worth of $626million which increased further when Brands shares soared Huge queues outside stores are a regular occurrence as teenagers, including eshays, line up to get inside to see DJs and snap up special offers. In March, it was revealed the Beards had now cut their day-to-day ties with the chain though following the glitzy opening of their showcase store in Las Vegas. 'As the founder it's my baby, and Tahnee has delivered the Las Vegas store and is beating expectations,' Mr Beard told The Australian. Since selling out, they have been quietly building an impressive property portfolio, snapping up a $15million penthouse in Surfers Paradise and a $12 million mansion on the Isle of Capri in the Mediterranean. 'Tahnee and I are entrepreneurial to our core and the public company or holding company role it's not for me, not my best fit,' he added. 'We have built a great team there and I believe they can go and run it, I am still on the board. I'm there whenever I can help and guide it but for us, we are entrepreneurs.' Eric Trump on Tuesday night accused the Manhattan district attorney of putting lives at risk with his decision to charge his father, claiming that 38,000 New York police officers were 'distracted from their job', in a bid to thwart the 2024 campaign. The 39-year-old said Donald Trump was 'an absolute rock', describing him as resolute throughout the days since Thursday's indictment. On Tuesday afternoon the former president presented himself at Manhattan Criminal Court for arrest, and appeared before a judge to be arraigned. The unprecedented process of arresting a former president passed off uneventfully, leaving the New York authorities to heave a sigh of relief - but Eric Trump said the security measures were excessive. Eric Trump on Tuesday night accused the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, of putting New Yorkers' lives at risk by 'distracting' NYPD officers A member of the NYPD is seen clearing the street on Tuesday amid the arraignment Police officers stand guard outside the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse on Tuesday 'We hopped in the motorcade,' said Eric, who flew to LaGuardia airport with his father on his private jet. 'Every single intersection was closed. The FDR was closed. There was an army around Trump Tower. There was an army around the courthouse. There were barricades all over New York.' He told Fox News host Sean Hannity that the decision by Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, to indict his father put New Yorkers at risk. 'Literally Alvin Bragg caused 38,000 NYPD officers to be distracted from their job, over $200 million they are estimating that trip was - for what? For a $130,000 payment? It's insane,' Eric said. 'How many people in New York died because the entire NYPD wasn't doing their job because they were dealing with Alvin Bragg's political charade?' Eric echoed his father and his father's legal team in calling the 34-count indictment a politically-motivated farce. 'They're doing this to persecute a guy that's winning the Republican nomination by 35 points. It's not even close,' said Eric. 'They want to take him out of the race.' He said it begun 'when they subpoenaed 11 million documents from the Trump Organization.' 'They couldn't find a damn thing.' In January, the Trump Organization was fined $1.6 million following the investigation. The company was punished for a scheme in which the former president's top executives dodged personal income taxes on lavish job perks. A fine was the only penalty a judge could impose on the Trump Organization after its conviction in December for 17 tax crimes, including conspiracy and falsifying business records. The amount was the maximum allowed by law. Eric tweeted a photo of the television in the main cabin with an image of Trump's plane Police are seen around the Manhattan court district Police prepare for the arrival of former President Donald Trump and his motorcade outside of Manhattan Criminal Courthouse on Tuesday Trump is seen in court on Tuesday in a sketch illustrating the arraignment Judge Juan Merchan, presiding over Trump's arraignment, is seen on Tuesday in court Eric on Tuesday told Hannity that critics of his father have 'weaponized the system.' 'They want a tsunami of legal challenges to weigh over the president,' he said. 'They think he'll give up. My father will never ever give up. 'He's going to fight and I promise you, mark my words. I promise you, he is going to win in 2024. Americans see through this charade.' Donald Trump is being investigated by a special prosecutor, Jack Smith, for attempting to overturn the 2020 election, but Eric insisted that in fact it was Trump's opponents who were trying to rig the vote. 'They weaponize the system. They weaponize every institution that they can put their claws into,' Eric said. 'They will win using any methodology that they can. 'It's not about fair elections. 'It's not about winning at the ballot box. 'It's using any method to gain an unfair advantage over your opponents. They put our father and our family through hell.' Eric said his father - who is widely disliked in Manhattan - was given a rapturous reception on returning to his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, on Tuesday night. Donald Trump's supporters are seen on Tuesday lining the road waiting for his motorcade The 76-year-old is seen being driven back to his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago, on Tuesday evening Trump fans were out in force on Tuesday evening to welcome him back to Mar-a-Lago Fans of the former president cheer and waive their fists as he passes on Tuesday evening Donald Trump officially switched his main residency to Florida in November 2019, in part because of the tax implications, and also because of the distain with which he is greeted in his hometown. 'When we got off that plane and you saw tens and tens of thousands of people lining the street from Palm Beach airport to Mar-a-Lago waving Trump 2024 flags,' said Eric. 'Sean, the love is incredible. No one has ever seen that kind of love. 'This is coming off the day the 45th president of the united states was indicted and the streets are lined with people literally singing God Bless America.' The Ukraine War did less visible damage to the Russian fleet than to the army (very heavy losses) and air force (mediocre leadership and equipment exposed). The navy lost one of its few destroyers, which was the flagship of the Black Sea fleet, and several smaller warships along with a few amphibious warfare ships and some even smaller ships. These losses were minor compared to the damage the war did to the navys upgrade and expansion plans. The unprecedented economic sanctions imposed on Russia for its Ukraine misadventure means drastically less money for the navy and its rebuilding effort. Since the 1990s, the navy has been trying to recover from the damage done by the collapse of the Soviet Union. That was all about poor economic performance and national bankruptcy. Over two decades of massive overspending on the military eventually led to national bankruptcy and a sharp reduction in the navy budget after 1991. This quickly led to the loss of 80 percent of military personnel as well as the inability to maintain, much less operate all the vehicles, aircraft and ships purchased since the 1960s. Thousands of armored vehicles were literally abandoned somewhere, sometimes in such large quantities that surveillance satellites could see and count them. Some of these vehicles were kept in reserve in guarded facilities with minimal maintenance to keep them available for service if needed. Most surplus armored vehicles were simply abandoned. Many were left in small collections of a few dozen or hundred armored vehicles in remote areas of the country near one of the many abandoned military bases. Locals soon began plundered the abandoned tanks and other armored vehicles for anything useful or valuable to someone else. The same happened with the air force and the many abandoned air bases, or near airbases that had some activity and plenty of space for aircraft that had no crews or maintainers, all of which soon became unflyable because of exposure and looters. With the navy it was a little different. On average, each ship was a lot larger and more expensive than any tank or aircraft. Ships had to be left at or near a port or naval base, preferably anchored or secured at dockside. In 1991 the Soviet navy was the second largest in the world, right behind the U.S. Navy., The Soviet fleet actually had more ships than the Americans because Russia needed a lot of smaller patrol ships and armed patrol boats to guard a huge coastline. In the early 1990s the admirals running the new Russian fleet tried to keep as many ships as possible operational. This meant staffing many ships with skeleton crews and not sending the ships to sea at all. These ships needed some maintenance and they werent getting much at all because of untrained skeleton crews and no budget for needed parts or basic items like paint and rust remover. It was worse with the many submarines the Soviets accumulated. Since the 1960s the Soviets built about 260 nuclear ships, nearly all submarines, that were still in service. After 1991 Russia was unable to keep most of those subs in service. Russian nuclear boats were expensive to maintain, and many were not worth keeping in service because they were too noisy, too old and had too many other flaws. These ships were also radioactive and, if simply allowed to sink, posed a threat to marine life and fishermen in the region and people who ate that fish. This threat led to an international effort to pay for safely dismantling Russias nuclear-powered submarines. Most of the cost (over $15 billion) was covered by the United States with technical help from other NATO member nations. This was part of 1990s agreements with Russia and a coalition including the United States, Britain, Canada, Japan, Italy and Norway that contributed cash and technical assistance to this effort. Throughout the 1990s, Russia only decommissioned two, three or four nuclear subs a year. Many nuclear subs were taken out of service in the early 1990s, although lots of older boats were being decommissioned in the late 1980s. By the end of the 1990s, Russia had 150 decommissioned nuclear subs waiting to be dismantled. Russia hoped to complete dismantling these submarines by 2007, but things went much slower than expected for lack of funding. It cost up to $10 million to dismantle each boat. The primary task was to safely take apart the nuclear reactor and move its radioactive components to a secure storage facility. The foreign nations contributing to this effort are all maritime nations that were concerned about the old Soviet subs falling apart while still in the water. What got this aid program going was the late 1990s discovery that the Soviets had just dumped some of its old ship and submarine nuclear reactor radioactive components into Arctic waters. Russia was more willing than the Soviets to do the right thing, and only needed Western aid to do so here. The early 21st century foreign financial assistance in this effort also enabled Russia to afford new nuclear subs to replace the aging Soviet-era fleet. The dismantling plan was still operating until Russia attacked Ukraine in 2014 to seize the Crimean Peninsula and the Donbas (two eastern provinces). That led to a low-level war with Ukraine as the Ukrainians mobilized to halt the Donbas attack and the first round of Western economic sanctions on Russia. It also brought in NATO aid for Ukraine and more activity in the Black Sea by NATO nation warships, including American destroyers and maritime surveillance aircraft. While Russian seized some Ukrainian shipbuilding facilities in Crimea, even more vital Ukrainian manufacturing operations were in Ukrainian controlled territory and these firms stopped deliveries to Russia. That halted or disrupted the construction of new Russian frigates and corvettes. There were no new large warships planned but several very large ships were scheduled to be refurbished, as was Russias only aircraft carrier. This effort was not only facing financial shortfalls because of the 2014 sanctions, but shortages of skilled shipyard workers. Despite all that, by 2022 180 obsolete or unneeded Russian nuclear subs had been safely decommissioned, despite incidents where naval personnel were caught stealing nuclear fuel rods in the hope of finding a buyer. These fuel rods are not weapons grade and often no longer suitable for nuclear fuel but they are very radioactive. This makes them easier to track but still a health threat to the thieves and anyone close to them. Theres a lot of nun-nuclear material, like copper wire, that is also pilfered for resale. There are more people willing to buy copper wire rather than nuclear fuel rods. The extent of the looting of Russian military equipment, retired or not, became obvious as Russia scrambled to find working armored vehicles to replace losses in Ukraine. After 2014 the Russian defense budget suffered several substantial cuts and faced more if the sanctions continued or got worse. This was bad because the remaining Soviet-era ships were rapidly reaching, approaching or past retirement age. Its cheaper and more effective to build new warships, or substantially modernize older ones than trying to keep overage ships in service. Russia had developed contingency plans for current procurement programs. For the navy that meant fewer new submarines and instead more major refurbishment of boats worth keeping in service. What money the navy has left for new construction will go towards a new class of SSBN (ballistic missile carrying nuclear powered boat, also called "boomers") because the old ones are less capable of getting the job done with each passing year. The SSN (attack boats) and SSGNs (anti-ship missile carrying boats) will get production cut severely and see many more recent boats get refurbished. This approach gets the refurbed boats many of the capabilities of new designs but not as much time they can remain in service. Russia has a centuries old solution for that; use the refurbed subs much less. This was actually the norm doing the Cold War largely because Russian nuclear sub tech was far behind what American boats had and the Russians quickly figured out that whenever one of their nukes (nuclear powered subs) went to sea it was quietly (enough so the Russians could rarely detect their stalker) followed by an American SSN which considered this excellent practice for wartime operations. Cold War era Russian subs rarely went far from coastal waters or stayed at sea for long each time out. Russia confirmed after the Cold War that the American SSNs would often quietly enter Russian territorial waters (less than 22 kilometers from the coast) for training and espionage. The post-Cold War Russian submarine admirals were hoping they would get the money to build more competitive nuclear boats and put the Americans on the defensive some of the time. But now that goal has to be deferred. The refurbed boats will have better sensors, but little can be done to improve their noise control (how quiet the sub is under water). They will not be able to go to sea as much as the American boats but that will mean Russia will have a nuclear submarine force nearly half the size of the American one and, with China building more nuclear boats, the West will still feel threatened at sea. For this strategy to work Russia needs better weapons for its remaining subs. This meant replacing most of the older heavy anti-ship (carrier killer) missiles on its subs with a more recent design that is very similar to the American Tomahawk. The Russian equivalent is 3M54 (also known as the SS-N-27, Sizzler or Klub/Kalibr), which many Russian and some Indian, Vietnamese, Algerian and Chinese subs are already equipped with. The Kalibr (Klub is the less capable export version) had growing pains that the Russians appear to have remedied. For example, India was an early adopter but encountered reliability problems in 2010 when there were repeated failures of the Klub during six test firings. The missiles were fired off the Russian coast, using an Indian Kilo class submarine, INS Sindhuvijay. That boat went to Russia in 2006 for upgrades. India refused to pay for the upgrades, or take back the sub, until Russia fixed the problems with the missiles, which Russia eventually did. The 3M54 officially entered service in 2012 and has since used the surface ship and air launched versions of Kalibr in combat against targets in Syria. The Russians are responding to the U.S. Navy discovering that, given current sensor (sonar, magnetic, heat, chemical) technology, it is possible to detect very quiet submerged diesel-electric sub. This includes the new ones using AIP (Air-Independent Propulsion) systems that allow diesel-electric sub to stay under water, silently, for several weeks at a time. Since 2000 the United States has done a lot of work on improving systems used to detect submerged subs. This included lots of tests on diesel electric and AIP subs that led to many small tweaks to existing sensors on subs and surface ships. AIP boats, in particular, were found to have many vulnerabilities. The AIP technology generated more noise and heat than just using batteries for underwater propulsion. The more the U.S. studied AIP subs in operation the more ways they found these subs could be detected. The passive (listen only) sonar systems in the new Virginia class SSNs (nuclear attack sub) were tweaked considerably to better find diesel-electric and AIP boats. The sensors on the Virginia are also among the best (if not the best) available for finding surface ships or other nuclear subs. But it depended on how noisy the other ships were. Diesel-electric subs operating submerged using battery power are theoretically the quietest. But the older a sub gets the more components become noisy and some diesel-electric sub designs are simply quieter. Even the older and noisier diesel-electric subs tend to be quieter than most nuclear subs, which have to run pumps at all times to circulate cooler water around the hot nuclear reactors. The most recent nuclear sub designs have found more ways to conceal the pump noise along with noise in general. Add that to more effective noise detecting sonar and you have a Western edge that Russia was getting close to matching when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Before 1991 the Russians had managed to steal a lot of the silencing tech and smuggle in special manufacturing equipment to create the quieter components. But all that ended in the 1990s and all the Russians had left were less than a dozen quiet nuclear subs that had been completed by 1991. After that Western, especially American, silencing and sensor tech continued to improve, although not as fast as during the Cold War. Stealing tech is one thing, being able to use it in new submarines is another matter. An example of this is the Russian Yasen-Class SSNs. These are the Russian answers to the American Virginia class. The Virginias are a more recent design while the Yasen is a late Cold War effort that had some tech upgrades in the two decades it took to build the first one. The first one entered service in 2017 and currently only four have been completed and only seven more are being built. Thats all Russia can afford. The first Virginia entered service in 2004. So far 22 have been built, with six more presently under construction and plans to build 66 or 70 total. The 9,500-ton Yasens were built after the Cold War but from Cold War era designs, and are armed with Klub/Kalibr anti-ship or cruise missiles and ten torpedo tubes (8 650mm and two 533mm). What Russia has not been able to do is keep up with silencing and detection (sensor) tech. American sub commanders are not being overconfident about all this but base their assessments on growing opportunities for the quieter American SSNs (especially the Virginias) to detect a Russian SSN (or diesel-electric boat) and stalk it for days or weeks without ever being discovered. This was a Cold War practice as well and how the U.S. Navy discovered, in the 1980s, that the latest Russian SSNs were much quieter. But there are few of them and now improved American sensors make them easier to detect. The U.S. was apparently able to detect and stalk the Yasen, getting a good sense of how much quieter (apparently not enough) it is. As improved as Yasen is, it had lots of problems getting into service. Russian submarine building has been on life support since the Cold War ended in 1991. Many subs under construction at the end of the Cold War were canceled, and the few which avoided that spent a decade or more waiting for enough money to resume construction. The first Yasen crew was put together in 2007 and then spent years training, and waiting. The crew finally got their new boat in 2014, after record delays and time spent in the shipyard getting tweaked. Russia has not tried to use its ramshackle post-Soviet fleet in the Ukraine War, at least not since suffering several major losses in the first months of the fighting. Since then, the few ships of the Black Sea fleet have served as a potential threat to shipping. The Ukrainians continue to search for and attack the Black Sea fleet. The Russian ships concentrate on defensive measures against the growing threat of Ukrainian attack. The other three fleets (Baltic, Northern and Pacific) are also maintaining a low profile. Not just because of potential attack but because the loss of any warships to hostile action or accidents means replacements will not be available for years, if ever. Chicago has elected a liberal community organizer with a progressive approach to crime as the city's new mayor A liberal community activist and union organizer with a progressive approach to crime was elected as Chicago's new mayor following a nail biting tallying of votes in the Windy City on Tuesday. Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, 47, was declared as the city's new mayor after defeating fellow candidate Paul Vallas, 69, who had the backing of Chicago's police union, by around 13,000 votes. Vallas has called Johnson to concede the election, reports ABC Chicago's Rob Elgas. 'I am optimistic that better, brighter days are on the horizon,' Vallas told supporters after his concession. During the campaign, Johnson called for $80 million to be raised by taxing the wealthy. He has also called for a freeze in property taxes. Vallas, who had strong support from the business community, said the tax plan would be disastrous for Chicagos economy. The woman who Johnson will replace, Lori Lightfoot, said in January that despite his endorsements: 'Brandon Johnson isn't going to be the mayor of this city.' On Tuesday, Lightfoot issued her congratulations to the Elgin native. Brandon Johnson, a Cook County commissioner and an organizer for the Chicago Teachers Union, was declared the new mayor of the Windy City on Tuesday night 'My entire team and I stand ready to collaborate throughout the transition period. As always, I will continue to root for the city I call home, and to work toward more equity and fairness in every neighborhood,' Lightfoot said in an official statement as she called for unity in Chicago. Taking to the stage following his victory, Johnson thanked his supporters for helping usher in 'a new chapter in the history of our city.' He promised that under his administration, the city would look out for everyone, regardless of how much money they have, whom they love or where they come from. 'Tonight is the beginning of a Chicago that truly invests in all of its people,' Johnson said. Johnson, who is black, recalled growing up in a poor family, teaching at a school in Cabrini Green, a notorious former public housing complex, and shielding his kids from gunfire in their west side neighborhood. He referenced Civil Rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and the Rev. Jesse Jackson and called his victory a continuation of their legacies. He also noted that he was speaking on the anniversary of Kings assassination. 'Today the dream is alive,' Johnson said, 'and so today we celebrate the revival and the resurrection of the city of Chicago.' Like many U.S. cities, Chicago saw violent crime increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, hitting a 25-year high of 797 homicides in 2021, though the number decreased last year and the city has a lower murder rate than others in the Midwest, such as St. Louis. The tough on crime candidate, Paul Vallas, 69, a former public schools chief in the Windy City and Philadelphia who ran unsuccessfully for Chicago mayor in 2019, addresses supporters on election night Vallas supporters watching the results coming in on Tuesday night Vallas had called for more police on the streets in the city to tackle the crime epidemic that continues to thrive in the nation's third largest city. Meanwhile, Johnson said he would invest in youth summer employment programs for at-risk youth and spend more on mental health treatment. Johnson says he will promote 200 new detectives from the existing pool of police officers. He also wants to strengthen police accountability. On day one, the winner will have a variety of other issues to address, including a struggling public school system, the city's fiscal woes and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic that closed many businesses and offices. The two faced off after after incumbent Lori Lightfoot finished third out of nine candidates in the previous round when no one managed to cross the 50 percent line in March's election. The Chicago race is technically non-partisan, but every candidate identifies as a Democrat in the heavily left-leaning city. Polls showed public safety is by far the top concern among residents of the third-largest US city. Former President Barack Obama's chief strategist David Axelrod described the race between Vallas and Johnson as the battle between the 'candidate of the Fraternal Order of Police' and the 'candidate of the Chicago Teachers Union,' reports the Chicago Sun-Times. Axelrod described Vallas' campaign as 'brilliant' and 'disciplined' thanks his being 'monomaniacal' on the issue of violent crime. '[Johnson] is the candidate of the Chicago Teachers Union and, if he is elected, he will owe it to the Chicago Teachers Union. The question is, do you want a mayor who is entirely beholden to the union,' Axelrod added in his interview. Vallas' rivals sought to paint him as a Republican thanks to his endorsement from the city's confrontational police union. Just last week the same union hosted likely GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis at an event in Illinois, reports ABC Chicago. 'I wholeheartedly agree with Governor Pritzker that there is simply no place in Chicago for a right-wing extremist like Ron DeSantis, and I am disappointed in FOP leadership for inviting him to speak to officers,' Vallas said in distancing himself from the Florida governor. Lightfoot had blasted him for welcoming support from the police unions controversial leader, who defended the Jan. 6 insurrectionists at the Capitol and equated Lightfoots vaccine mandate for city workers to the Holocaust. The 2023 campaign has tested Democratic messaging on policing in the U.S., three years after widespread protests following the police murder of George Floyd and months after Republicans sought to bludgeon Democrats over the issue in the 2022 midterm elections. Former television personality Andrew OKeefe has fronted a Sydney court for allegedly testing positive for methamphetamine after a roadside breath test. Mr OKeefe, 51, was stopped in his car by NSW Police at Wunulla Road in Point Piper in Sydney's ritzy eastern suburbs on January 20 this year. He underwent a random roadside breath test before he was taken to Waverley Police Station where he was given a secondary oral fluid test and his drivers licence was suspended. Police will allege in court the secondary test came back positive for methamphetamine. Andrew OKeefe, 51, was stopped in his car by NSW Police at Point Piper on January 20 earlier this year. Over a 17-year career with Seven, O'Keefe hosted Weekend Sunrise and game shows The Chase Australia and Deal or No Deal He was arrested at his Vaucluse home about 10.50am on Tuesday and was charged with driving a vehicle with an illicit drug present in blood and breaching his bail conditions. He was held in custody by police until he appeared before Waverley Local Court on Wednesday. The former Deal or No Deal host was granted bail on the condition he undergo drug and alcohol testing, not take alcohol or non-prescription drugs and that he undergo treatment by a psychologist or psychiatrist. He will next appear before Sydneys Downing Centre Local Court on May 2. In February this year unrelated charges relating to allegations that Mr OKeefe had choked a sex worker without her consent were dropped. Andrew O'Keefe (pictured) underwent a random roadside breath test before he was taken to Waverley Police Station where he was given a secondary oral fluid test and his drivers licence was suspended Police will allege in court the secondary test for troubled TV star Andrew O'Keefe (pictured at the rear of his former home in Paddington in 2021) came back positive for methamphetamine He is also due to face court in November where he will contest a string of unrelated charges including two counts of common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of possessing a prohibited drug and two counts of contravening an AVO. For 17 years, OKeefe appeared as the face of many programs on Channel 7, including Weekend Sunrise and Deal or No Deal. He served on the National Council for the Prevention of Violence Against Women and chaired the National Leadership Group of the well-known White Ribbon Australia organisation dedicated to the cause in 2005. He has not played any part in White Ribbon Australia since it was bought out of liquidation in 2020. In 2017, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his charity work and accomplishments in television. The man who abducted Cleo Smith from a remote campsite 18 months ago has been sentenced to 13 years and six months in prison, as disturbing details about the little girl's kidnapping were heard for the first time. Terence Darrell Kelly, 37, pleaded guilty last year to one count of forcibly taking a child under 16. He abducted the four-year-old girl and held her captive for 18 days. Kelly snatched Cleo from a tent on October 16, 2021, as she slept with her mother, stepfather and baby sister at the Blowholes campsite, near Carnarvon, about 960km north of Perth. 'There are no truly comparable cases to assist in determining the length of a sentence,' Chief Judge Julie Wager told the court on Wednesday. The court also heard chilling new details about Cleo's ordeal locked in a bedroom alone for 18 days, including the moment she heard on the radio that her parents were looking for her. Kelly had turned up the radio volume to drown out the little girl's desperate pleas to go home to her mum. He kept Cleo at his Carnarvon home for the entirety of her captivity, locking her in a bedroom for much of that period after modifying the door and leaving her home alone for long periods of time while he went shopping and visited relatives. He later told police he had felt bad for detaining Cleo but also admitted becoming angry with her, saying he had 'roughed her up a few times' when she became 'bossy' by asking for chocolate. Kelly also tried to tie the terrified girl's hands and feet to a chair with sticky tape but ditched those plans because 'she was a bit of a fighter'. Terence Darrell Kelly (pictured centre) was sentenced to 13-and-a-half years on Wednesday Cleo Smith (pictured) was held captive for 18 days after she was abducted from her family's campsite in October 2021 'I wasn't planning to keep her forever, you know. I was getting guilty every day and it was just more weight on my shoulders,' Kelly said during a police interview, according to Judge Wager. The judge said Cleo had pleaded to be returned to her parents and Kelly, who was aware of the desperate search for Cleo, had used a loud radio to drown out her pleas. 'When the young victim heard her name on the radio, she said "they're saying my name",' Judge Wager said. Cleo's hair had also been cut and coloured pink during her ordeal. Kelly later told police he had been injecting methamphetamine at the time, including shortly before he arrived at the Blowholes campsite. Cleo's mother Ellie Smith and stepdad Jake Gliddon made a surprise appearance at the sentencing and were seen arriving at the District Court of WA in Perth on Wednesday to hear the outcome. It was the first time the pair have been seen since they were interviewed by 60 Minutes last year. The couple were reportedly paid $2million for the world exclusive television interview. Cleo's mother Ellie Smith and stepdad Jake Gliddon arrive at the District Court of WA in Perth on Wednesday for the sentencing for the man who abducted the little girl in October 2021 Kelly, who sat silently in the dock wearing a green shirt, will be eligible for parole after serving 11 years and six months in prison. His sentence will be backdated to his arrest in November 2021, and he had been looking at up to 20 years behind bars. Kelly will be 48 by the time he's eligible for parole in May 2032. Judge Wager described the fear, distress and trauma caused to Cleo and her parents as 'immeasurable'. 'Eighteen days without contact or explanation, and with hours totally on her own and no access to the outside world, would have been very traumatic,' she said. 'In the world of a four-year-old, one day is a very long time. In the world of a four-year-old, 18 days is a very, very long time indeed.' The court heard Kelly had a 'significant interest' in dolls and Facebook pages with 'fantasy children'. Cleo was reported missing on October 16, 2021, sparking one of the biggest missing persons investigations in Australia's history. She had been staying with her family at the remote Quobba Blowholes campsite, about 960km north of Perth. Mother Ellie Smith (pictured with Cleo and partner Jake Gliddon) awoke in the early morning to find four-year-old Cleo Smith missing from the family tent, sparking a major police investigation Western Australian detectives were also at District Court of WA in Perth for Terrence Kelly's sentencing Kelly arrived at the campsite looking for items to steal before coming across the Smith family's two-room tent, where Cleo and her younger sister were sleeping in a separate compartment. Kelly made the opportunistic decision to snatch Cleo, lifting her up along with her sleeping bag and carrying her to his car in 'relative silence' and going unnoticed by her sleeping parents. Cleo's parents had woken at the campsite, 'not knowing if she was alive or dead for the next 18 days'. 'They didn't know what happened to her or if she would ever return,' Judge Wager said. '(They) were sad, scared and confused. They described being too fearful to sleep ... of feeling completely empty and broken. 'They stayed at the place that caused them so much pain, hoping their little girl would be located.' Judge Wager noted Kelly's deprived childhood and complex personality and developmental dysfunction. She accepted Kelly would have been 'far less likely' to commit the crime if he had not been disinhibited by illicit drug use. Earlier on Wednesday, Police Commissioner Col Blanch described Cleo's rescue as 'greatest moment of WA Police history' and hoped the sentencing would provide some closure for the family. 'This is a really important day for the family to get closure,' the commissioner told the ABC. 'What everyone has to remember is it's been a long time since this incident occurred, over 500 days. This will stir up a lot of feelings and emotions for the family and in a lot of way (they will) relive that. 'So we have to be very mindful of how sensitive we need to be for Cleo and their extended family.' Terence Kelly (pictured) will be eligible for parole in May 2032. He has already spent almost 18 months behind bars Cleo was reported missing on October 16, 2021. She had been staying with her family at the remote Blowholes campsite (pictured), about 960km north of Perth More than 100 police were involved in the extensive search for Cleo titled Taskforce Rodia. The Western Australian government issued a $1million reward for information on Cleo's whereabouts. Police body cameras captured the moment the little girl was found playing with toy cars in a locked bedroom in the early hours of November 3 2021 when officers asked the girl what her name was, to which she famously replied: 'My name is Cleo.' In a much-anticipated 60 Minutes interview last year, Ms Smith and her fiancee detailed how Cleo at the time needed her bedroom door kept open and lights on to be able to fall asleep. Cleo would also wake up screaming from nightmares. They added they still didn't know all the details about what happened, partially because Cleo had 'blocked out' the trauma and they were hesitant to push her to speak about it before she's ready. 'Her emotions are very up and down... she's blocked out a lot as to what's happened, she kind of went into survivor mode and pushed it very far away,' Ms Smith said. The couple also revealed the Quobba Blowholes campsite was their family's favourite spot, but they will never go back again. Opposition leader Peter Dutton has announced the Liberal Party will campaign against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's Indigenous Voice to Parliament because it's not in Australia's 'best interests'. Mr Dutton slammed Mr Albanese's constitutionally enshrined Voice, which he dubbed the 'Canberra Voice', and instead said his party will support the formation of 'local and regional' Voice-style bodies during a press conference on Wednesday. The announcement followed a two-hour meeting in Canberra earlier the same day where the Liberal Party held a vote to decide its official approach to the referendum proposal. 'The Liberal Party resolved today to say yes to constitutional recognition for Indigenous Australians and yes to a local and regional bodies so we can get practical outcomes for Indigenous people,' Mr Dutton said in what is a brave move by the Opposition leader. 'There was a resounding 'No' to the Prime Minister's 'Canberra Voice',' he continued. 'It should be very clear to Australians by now the prime minister is dividing the country and the Liberal Party seeks to unite the country. 'Having a Canberra Voice won't resolve the issues on the ground for Indigenous communities.' Opposition leader Peter Dutton (above) announced his Liberal Party will campaign against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's proposed Indigenous Voice to Parliament Under Mr Albanese's proposed model, the Voice will make representations to both Parliament and executive government on issues that affect Indigenous Australians. Australian citizens will be asked to either approve or reject the Voice to Parliament at a referendum slated to be held in October. Mr Dutton said his party will rally Australians to vote against the Voice and urged Labor to be more open about its policies regarding the proposed body. Poll Will Peter Dutton's decision change your vote? Yes No Will Peter Dutton's decision change your vote? Yes 133 votes No 302 votes Now share your opinion 'I don't think this is in our country's best interest,' he said. 'I have spent literally months, like many Australians, trying to understand what it is the prime minister is proposing. 'We cannot get the basic detail out of them. 'The fear with the Voice is it changes our system of government forever and we end up with no practical benefit to people in Indigenous communities.' Mr Dutton also announced the Liberal Party would be willing to compromise and work with Labor to find an improved wording for the proposed constitutional amendment. 'The Prime Minister has so far changed the wording to be put to the Australian people on three occasions,' he said. 'The latest version was against the advice of the Solicitor-General and the Attorney General. It's clear he's not going to change the wording of that proposal.' While Liberal backbenchers will be free to advocate their own opinion on the Voice, as per the party's usual policy, frontbenchers - like Shadow Indigenous Minister Julian Leeser - will be required to stick with the offical party position. Mr Albanese (above) told reporters in Canberra 'Peter Dutton has, with every utterance, sought to undermine support for a "Yes" vote at the referendum' and defended the Voice as a 'modest proposal' Labor Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney responded to the Liberals' position shortly after Dutton's conference ended. 'Mr Dutton's criticism is predictable,' she told a press conference. 'Despite his obsession with the prime minister, this is not about politics. 'This is about closing the gap... A 2023 referendum will unite Australia, bring people together and move Australia forward for a better future.' Ms Burney also called out Mr Dutton's proposal of regional Voices as 'misleading'. 'The Labor Government supports regional Voices. Regional Voices have already been rolled out in places like South Australia and Victoria where great progress is being made,' she said. 'A national Voice will make sure Voices in remote and regional areas are heard and it's misleading for Mr Dutton to suggest otherwise.' The Indigenous Minister also called out Mr Dutton's claims a Voice to Parliament would see no 'practical' change 'on the ground'. 'Our guiding principle has always been the Uluru Statement from the Heart which came from regional dialogue with thousands of First Nations people about constitutional recognition,' Ms Burney said. 'Recognition makes practical change on the ground. 'Mr Dutton is tying himself in knots... [His position] is as clear as mud.' In a final blow against the Opposition leader, Ms Burney reminded Australians how Mr Dutton abstained from former prime minister Kevin Rudd's historic apology for the Stolen Generations - a move he has since apologised for. Labor Indigenous Minister Linda Burney (above) responded to the Liberal Party's position by rebuking Dutton's claims and reminding Australia the Opposition leader refused to take part in Kevin Rudd's 2008 apology to the Stolen Generations 'In 2008 Kevinn Rudd apologised alongside Anthony Albanese and almost all other members,' she said. 'Mr Dutton boycotted that apology. I hope he doesn't repeat the mistakes of his past.' Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Albanese commented on Mr Dutton's Voice position, saying: '[Peter Dutton] has, with every utterance, sought to undermine support for a 'Yes' vote at the referendum... I wish that wasn't the case.' He also said calls from the Liberal Party to delay a referendum on an Indigenous Voice were absurd. 'This is a nation-building effort and I call upon everyone to support it,' Mr Albanese told reporters in Canberra. 'This is not controversial and should not be an issue of partisan politics. It's a modest proposal. 'The idea that you can simply ignore or dismiss the views of the referendum working group in my view contradicts the very concept of a voice which is about listening.' The Leader of the Nationals David Littleproud announced in November his party would oppose the Voice while the Greens announced its support in February. A Newspoll reported by The Australian on Tuesday found 54 per cent of voters support Indigenous recognition in the constitution and a Voice to Parliament. The poll indicates the upcoming referendum will likely meet the double majority test, meaning the majority of national voters and majority of states support the Voice. More than 300 undercover Los Angeles police officers filed legal claims against the city and police department Tuesday after their names and photographs were released to a technology watchdog group that posted them online. The watchdog group Stop LAPD Spying Coalition posted more than 9,300 officers' information and photographs last month in a searchable online database called 'Watch the Watchers' following a public records request by a reporter for progressive news outlet Knock LA. Chief Michel Moore admitted previously that the department had 'made a big mistake' and said that he 'deeply regrets that the mistake happened.' It comes just a week after an LAPD union announced it is suing a website called killercop.com, claiming it put bounties on officers' heads after their pictures and personal details were released to the public. Hundreds of undercover officers were included in the database, although it's not clear exactly how many because the database doesn't specify which officers work undercover. More than 300 undercover Los Angeles police officers filed legal claims against the city and police department Tuesday after their names and photographs were released to a technology watchdog group that posted them online The watchdog group Stop LAPD Spying Coalition posted more than 9,300 officers' information and photographs last month in a searchable online database called 'Watch the Watchers' The officers were not given advance notice of the disclosure, and the backlash has roiled the department. The inspector general is investigating Chief Michel Moore and the agency's constitutional policing director Liz Rhodes after an officers' union filed a misconduct complaint. Rhodes 'should have ensured that any officer working in an undercover capacity was excluded,' LAPD sources told the LA Times. While the city attorney's office determined the agency was legally required to turn over the records - which includes a photograph and information on each officer including name, ethnicity, rank, date of hire, badge number and division or bureau - under California law, exemptions are often made for safety or investigative reasons. The Stop LAPD Spying Coalition opposes police intelligence-gathering and says the database should be used for 'counter-surveillance.' Attorney Matthew McNicholas said 321 undercover officers filed legal claims, the precursor to a lawsuit, through his office and more are expected to come forward. The officers' names were not listed on the court documents. 'Only time will tell how many there are total,' McNicholas said Tuesday during a news conference announcing the filings. The claims allege negligence and seek unspecified damages. The plaintiffs say they can no longer work as undercover officers and, in some cases, may not be able to work in policing altogether going forward. Chief Michel Moore (pictured) admitted previously that the department had 'made a big mistake' and said that he 'deeply regrets that the mistake happened' Attorney Matthew McNicholas announces the filing of a lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Police Department McNicholas said his clients fear for their safety - as well as that of their families - and want to know whether the city will provide protection for them. He said he's aware of several investigations involving undercover officers, such as cases into gangs, drugs and sex traffickers, that have been stopped in the wake of the disclosure. He would not provide additional details. Tuesday's claims follow separate lawsuits filed last month by the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union that represents the department's rank-and-file officers. The union has sued the police chief in an attempt to 'claw back' the undercover officers' photographs and prevent further disclosure. 'We erred in the sense that there's photographs that are in there that should not have been in there,' Moore told the Los Angeles Times, which first reported the disclosure. 'Now...that ship has sailed.' Officer Jeff Lee, a spokesperson for the department, said the agency would not comment on the pending litigation. The LA times reported last week that 'Stop LAPD Spying Coalition,' an anti-police group, posted information of officers in an online database called 'Watch the Watchers' which allows users to search for police by name or serial number. Users are then taken to a profile page on the searched officer, including their photo, serial number, ethnicity, and year of hire. The inspector general is investigating Chief Michel Moore and the agency's constitutional policing director Liz Rhodes (pictured) after an officers' union filed a misconduct complaint 'This website is intended as a tool to empower community members engaged in copwatch and other countersurveillance practices,' the group wrote on its website. 'You can use it to identify officers who are causing harm in your community. The website's ease of use also makes it a political statement, flipping the direction of surveillance against the state's agents. 'Police have vast information about all of us at their fingertips, yet they move in secrecy.' It was later revealed that the LAPD had provided the names and information of undercover officers to the anti-police group as part of a public request for information hundreds of whom will likely have their positions compromised as a result. 'I understand personally, given my own death threats and on matters of me as a public figure and my family has endured as a chief and even before that, how troubling this can be to a member of this organization, and even more so to those that are involved in sensitive and or confidential investigations,' Moore said to lawofficer.com. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, a Democrat, called the release 'an unacceptable breach that puts the lives of our officers and their families at risk.' 'I expect there to be a full accounting of how this happened and a clear plan to prevent this sort of incident from happening again,' she added. Los Angeles has started to blast loud classical music at one of its downtown subway stations in a brazen attempt to deter homeless people and crack down on crime. LA Metro operations and security, in cooperation with local law enforcement, started playing piano sonatas, symphony orchestra pieces and concertos by Vivaldi, Beethoven and Mozart on repeat in the Westlake/MacArthur Park Metro station in January. It was part of a safety pilot program that also includes adjustments to security cameras and lighting, as well as the addition of more officers and 'Transit Ambassadors' who connect homeless people in the subway system with resources. Metro officials said the move was necessary due to a high number of drug overdoses, calls to police from transit customers and even a stabbing death in recent months as scores of the city's homeless people took to the underground system to protect themselves from wild weather. Although classical music is often thought to be peaceful, critics say it is a form of 'psychological torture,' noting that the high volumes may disrupt people's thoughts and cause them to disassociate. Many homeless individuals have sought shelter in the underground tunnels to protect themselves from the wild weather that has been afflicting California in recent months LA Metro officials started blasting classical music at the Westlake/MacArthur Park in January in an effort to deter homeless people. A homeless man is seen her at a metro station in 2016 I had to see the Westlake/MacArthur Park station myself. Playing the high energy classical music really gives it the Clockwork Orange feel. The station was being cleaned and I saw the ambassadors. pic.twitter.com/Rvm7598QZQ henryfung@onewilshire.la (@calwatch) March 23, 2023 In a statement to the Los Angeles Times, LA Metro spokesman Dave Sotero said the classical music is being used 'to restore safety at the transit station' and 'as a means to support an atmosphere appropriate for spending short periods of time for transit customers who wait an average of five to 10 minutes for the next train to arrive.' The move follows the deaths of 22 people from suspected overdoses on Metro buses and trains in just the first three months of 2023, and after the system saw crime surge 24 percent last year. So far, Metro officials say, the music has resulted in an 'improvement in public safety,' citing a '75 percent reduction in calls for emergency services, an over 50 percent reduction in vandalism, graffiti and cleanups; and a nearly 20 percent drop in crime.' The music is 'not loud' Sotero claimed, saying the compositions inside the station are being played at just 72 decibels. He also claimed that the music in the station is quieter than walking on the sidewalk outside the station, which he said exceeds 80 decibels. But reporters for the LA Times, using a handheld decibel reader, found that just a few notes were ringing in at 73dB, while the majority of the music was clocking in at an average of 83dBs. During some string flourishes, the sound peaked at 90dB thanks to the acoustics of the underground tunnel, though the volume diminished depending on where one was standing in relation to the speakers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention puts decibel levels between 80 and 85 on a par with gas-powered lawnmowers and leaf blowers, and notes that hearing could be damaged after two hours of exposure. Metro officials said the move was necessary due to a high number of drug overdoses, calls to police from transit customers and even a stabbing death at the Westlake/MacArthur Park station (pictured here in 2017) Metro officials said the music is 'not loud' but an investigation by the Los Angeles Times found that much of the music was ringing in at 83 decibels Some commuters are now calling for the music to stop, saying the constant concertos are 'psychological torture' The music has become so loud, the Times reports, that when two police officers approached homeless individuals on a recent Monday and tried to talk to them, one person had to cup her hands over her ears to hear the officers demands. He then leaned in closer to the two homeless people and started shouting to be heard over the blasting symphony. Meanwhile outside the station, reporters for the Times found, ambient street noise was only hovering at an average of 72dBs. 'We want it off,' commuter Cody Johnson, 31, told the Los Angeles Daily News last month. 'It is driving us crazy.' He said the music has not changed in days, and has become monotonous. Johnson also claimed he thought the music was having an opposite effect from what officials had hoped. Musicologist Lily Hirsch said that by using classical music, the Metro is seeking to attract more upscale residents while deterring poor and homeless individuals 'Our blood pressure is going up,' he said. 'People are getting more irritable with this music. I don't think it's working.' In fact, loud music has been used throughout history as a form of torture with terrorists at Guantanamo Bay being forced to listen to hours of Metallica. And by using classical music, musicologist Lily Hirsch explains, the LA Metro is seeking to attract more upscale residents while deterring poor and homeless individuals. 'You're trying to attract and make certain people feel comfortable based on the association with classical music,' she said. 'And you see that in fancy cheese shops that play classical music because they hope people will feel like they're part of some elite upscale world and then they'll spend more money.' At the same time, Hirsch, the author of Music in American Crime Prevention and Punishment, said the classical music will signal to lower-income and homeless individuals that they are not welcome. 'It's like a bird marking its territory when you hear the signal and you go, "OK, this is not for me. This is for the old money crowd,"' she said. 'And that technique seems to work. There are examples of teenagers leaving an area that's playing classical music, not because they don't like the music, but because of the associations,' Hirsch continued, citing 7-Eleven' efforts to use classical music to deter loitering outside its Los Angeles area stores. Los Angeles has been plagued by an onslaught of homeless individuals. A man is seen here walking past tents housing some homeless back in 2021 Critics say the LA Metro's plan does not address the root causes of homelessness Homeless individuals are seen here lining the streets of Los Angeles in December But when classical music is used for aggressive purposes, Hirsch said, it can feel dystopian and creepy. One Twitter user even said the intense string symphony blaring at the station 'really gives it the Clockwork Orange feel,' referring to the psychological thriller. And at the loud volume that the music is being played, Hirsch said, it is making anyone passing through the Westlake/MacArthur Park station feel uncomfortable. Constant exposure to that volume of music, experts say, can disrupt sleep and thought, and make people feel disassociated. At a LA Metro citizen-public-safety committee meeting recently, one member said it is a 'psychological torture chamber.' Moreover, critics say, the loud music is not solving any of the root causes of the homeless epidemic affecting California. 'The city should address homelessness and people with mental health problems,' said Hamid Khan, an organizer with Stop LAPD Spying Coalition. 'You can't close your eyes and expect people to go away. 'So called hobos riding trains is an old American phenomenon,' he added. About a third of the entire US homeless population 171,521 people are in California. That includes more than half of the country's unsheltered homeless population, 115,491 people California, and especially Los Angeles, have been hit the hardest by America's homeless epidemic recording the largest numbers of unsheltered people in the country. A recent DailyMail.com review of US Department of Housing and Urban Development data found that about a third of the entire US homeless population 171,521 people are in California. That includes more than half of the country's unsheltered homeless population, 115,491 people. The state also added 9,973 homeless people between 2020 and last year's survey, and has the country's highest rate of homelessness, with 44 non-housed people out of every 10,000 residents. Los Angeles has been hit the worst, the review found, with 65,111 homeless people. The heads of Australia's biggest airports have told travellers to not arrive 'any earlier' than advised as they prepare for the busiest Easter since before the pandemic. Millions of passengers are expected to stream through the airports of Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Adelaide for this week's Easter long weekend. Combined, the cities said they expect at least 6.7million travellers to pass through the airports throughout April, with the majority coming as Easter and school holidays collide. Although advice on how to handle the rush is varied from terminal to terminal, all representatives agree on one thing: book a car park spot as soon as possible if that's something you require. Uber is also jumping in to remind customers that cars can be pre-booked so that nobody is left on the curb waiting for a ride that never comes. Spokespeople from Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Adelaide's airports have said 6.7 million passengers are expected through April All airports are reporting that this will be the largest influx of travelers since before the pandemic Melbourne Airport updated its advice, warning people not to arrive early to overload staff who already have their hands full. Chief of aviation in Melbourne, Jim Parashos, said they were preparing for 2.1 million people, almost the same levels as before the pandemic and a 30 per cent increase over the last Easter period. 'Travellers should plan to arrive 1-2 hours before a domestic flight and 2-3 hours before an international flight but not earlier than that, as some airlines don't open check-in and will be managing large passenger volumes, so we want to avoid passengers waiting unnecessarily,' he said. 'We know this is an exciting but busy time, so we ask people to be patient and respectful as the team works to get you where you need to be as quickly and safely as possible.' All airports are each preparing for their busiest weekends since 2019, with Sydney Airport chief executive Geoff Culbert saying crowds had doubled since last year. 'The ongoing momentum in the international recovery is also exciting, with international passenger volumes forecast to be more than double what they were during Easter 2022,' Mr Culbert said. Sydney officials are advising to not arrive too early to avoid too much pressure on staff, who are still recovering from 2022's mass labour shortages. 'It has been a mammoth job to build back and train the workforce and we're really happy to be getting back towards the level of service our passengers expect,' Sydney Airport chief operating officer Sidone Thomas said. Unlike Melbourne and Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide have simply reaffirmed their existing guidelines. Official advice from Sydney Airport (pictured) is not to arrive too early as the aviation industry recovers from last years' severe labour shortages While Melbourne and Sydney have updated their guidelines to avoid people arriving early, Brisbane and Adelaide are sticking with existing guidelines Brisbane Airport expects to see 1.4 million people pass through over April, but is reminding them to adhere to the pre-existing guidelines. 'We do ask domestic travellers to continue arriving 90 minutes before domestic departures, and three hours prior for overseas travel, so that you build in a buffer to cope with busy roads, parking, terminals or delays to your Uber or taxi,' Brisbane Airport head of public affairs Stephen Beckett said. Adelaide Airport is gearing up for a rush of 800,000 flyers, a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. South Australians should arrive at least 90 minutes before their flight, Adelaide Airport's executive general manager of people, culture and customer, Dermot O'Neill said. 'It is still going to be extremely busy at the airport with the combination of Easter, school holidays and major events, so we recommend passengers arrive 90 minutes before a domestic flight and at least 2.5 hours before an international flight,' he said. 'Between April 3rd and 28th, the terminal will also open from 3.45am for those keen to beat the busy early morning peak.' Uber have told their customers to prepare for the rush early, reminding users that they can pre-book rides between 30 minutes and 30 days in advance. A constable who shot dead an Indigenous teenager during an outback arrest will appeal his sacking by the Northern Territory Police Force. Zachary Rolfe shot Kumanjayi Walker, 19, three times in the remote community of Yuendumu, north-west of Alice Springs, on November 9, 2019. Mr Rolfe was found not guilty of murdering Mr Walker following a high-profile, five-week trial in 2022. He later became the subject of a wide ranging coronial inquest into Mr Walker's death, which was told Mr Rolfe had previously been issued with a notice of the intention to stand him down from duty. Mr Rolfe's lawyer Luke Officer confirmed on Wednesday that his client would appeal the decision to dismiss him. Zachary Rolfe (pictured) shot Kumanjayi Walker, 19, three times in the remote community of Yuendumu, north-west of Alice Springs, on November 9, 2019 'Constable Rolfe's intention is to ... exercise the full legal options available to him challenging the validity of the decision, the failure to afford fairness and the process by which it was made, the lawfulness of the decision, and also the merits of the decision,' he said in a statement. On Tuesday, the NT Police confirmed it had sacked Mr Rolfe over a breach of discipline. 'A 31-year-old male police officer has been dismissed from the Northern Territory Police Force effective April 4, 2023,' a spokeswoman said. 'The officer was dismissed under section 78 of the Police Administration Act 1978 due to serious breaches of discipline during their policing career.' In March, NT police assistant commissioner Bruce Porter told the coronial inquest of the force's intent to retire Mr Rolfe based on psychological and risk assessments. Zachary Rolfe was found not guilty of murdering Kumanjayi Walker (pictured) following a high-profile, five-week trial in 2022 'We were of the opinion that he had the inability to continue as a member of the police force,' he told the inquest. The police force has been under pressure over Mr Rolfe's dismissal. Chief Minister Natasha Fyles is expected to hold a press conference after speculation Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker may be dismissed. The NT police union, which had previously funded Mr Rolfe's legal fees, criticised the force's decision. 'The impact that the 9th of November 2019 has had on him, and many involved, has been difficult to fathom,' NT Police Association president Paul McCue said. 'To be dismissed by the NT Police Force in these circumstances, once again, highlights deficiencies in police disciplinary processes.' Mr Rolfe had been on personal leave since August 2022. Former Northern Territory Police Constable Zachary Rolfe (pictured) is appealing his dismissal from the force He left Australia in February after writing a 2,500-word open letter defending his character and criticising NT Police and its commissioner for how they handled the inquest. 'The coronial focus is still on me rather than on areas that could improve the circumstances of the NT,' he wrote in the letter published on the 'I support Zach Rolfe' Facebook page. Mr Porter had told the inquest that police had served Mr Rolfe with a notice relating to what he had written. The inquest resumes later this year when Mr Rolfe is scheduled to give evidence, pending the outcome of his appeal against an earlier Supreme Court decision that he could be compelled to take the stand. A family is fearing for their safety after receiving a chilling letter from an anonymous neighbour threatening to kill their dog with poisoned treats if it continues to bark. Queensland father Patrick Chambers received the ominous letter from a local resident on Bribie Island, north of Brisbane. The father-of-three shared the letter to a community Facebook page on Tuesday and said it was the second time the person has threatened to harm his dog Pixel. The anonymous neighbour claims the letter is Mr Chambers' 'final warning' and will kill his dog by throwing poisonous treats over the fence if it doesn't stop barking. 'You have been warned previously about your annoying constantly barking dog,' the anonymous neighbour wrote. Bribie Island resident Peter Chambers received a letter from an anonymous neighbour threatening to kill his dog with poisonous treats if he did not stop it from barking (pictured) 'This now is definitely your FINAL WARNING and I would strongly suggest to you to fix the problem once and for all (especially when the dog is left unattended). 'Because if this problem continues I will have no problems at all by poisoning the dog with a tasty treat thrown over the fence.' The angry local claims the dog is just as loud inside the house and adds the 'end result will remain the same' even if the family pet is locked inside the home. 'I realise there are other annoying dogs close by, however yours remains the main ongoing offender,' the neighbour wrote. 'This is not a bluff! Fix this, or you will be to blame for the outcome.' Mr Chambers sarcastically called the neighbour a 'legend' and explained he was taking the letter to the police as it threatened the safety of his dog and his children. 'Our dog (Pixel) doesnt deserve to be poisoned because she barks a little bit,' Mr Chambers wrote. 'Neither do our kids who pick up (and often put in their mouth) anything they can find in the yard.' The worried dad said he understood barking dogs are a nuisance for some people but added there were nicer ways to deal with the issue - suggesting the neighbour opt for a friendly conversation instead of a threatening letter. Mr Chambers explained he received a similar threat two years ago when he first moved to Bribie with Pixel and took the necessary steps to calm his pup down. 'Shes honestly not that bad,' Mr Chambers wrote. 'This opinion has been reinforced by my interactions in the last 24 hours with every other neighbour in the block.' Mr Chambers said he was taking the letter to police as it threatened the safety of his children and their family dog Pixel. He added Pixel's barking was 'not that bad' and did not deserve to be poisoned (stock image) He added that fellow residents told him Pixel was 'hardly a nuisance' and agreed that the author behind the ridiculous letter 'must be a real piece of work'. Mr Chambers said he was taking the letter to the police and urged the unknown local not to throw poison anywhere. 'If you come onto my property, please smile - you're on camera,' Mr Chambers wrote. Queensland Police told Daily Mail Australia said the matter was reported on April 4 and an investigation into the letter is ongoing. A school leaders' union has overwhelmingly rejected a government pay offer. Nine in 10 members of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), who took part in an online consultative ballot, voted down the deal. Nearly four in five (78 per cent) said they would be prepared to vote for industrial action, up to and including strike action, if the offer was rejected. The union's executive will meet to discuss next steps which could include a second formal ballot on industrial action. Last week, NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman said industrial action would be 'necessary' if members decided to reject the Government's 'inadequate' pay offer. Nine in 10 members of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), who took part in an online consultative ballot, voted down the deal. Pictured: Teachers march from Hyde Park towards Trafalgar square on March 15, 2023 Paul Whiteman (pictured), general secretary of the NAHT, said industrial action by school leaders would be 'necessary' if its members decided to reject the Government's 'inadequate' pay offer Schools in England face five days of teacher walkouts in the summer term and possible action in the autumn as the National Education Union (NEU) is set to re-ballot members in the ongoing dispute over pay. Delegates at the NEU's annual conference on Tuesday voted in support of a three-day strike in late June/early July. The teaching union announced two further strike days on April 27 and May 2 on Monday after 98 per cent of its members, who responded in a consultative ballot, voted to turn down the Government's pay offer. After a period of intensive talks with unions, the Government offered teachers a 1,000 one-off payment for the current school year (2022/23) and an average 4.5 per cent pay rise for staff next year (2023/24). Overall, 64 per cent of NAHT members in England responded to the consultative ballot, with 90 per cent voting to reject the offer. More than nine in 10 (92 per cent) said the offer was unaffordable and they said they did not have the room in their budget to be able to afford the proposed pay offer for the next academic year (2023/24). A classroom at Oasis Academy South Bank, London, ahead of expected teacher strikes at the start of this year Members of the National Education Union (NEU) striked in London as they marched to a rally in Trafalgar Square to protest on March 15 Delegates at the NEU's annual conference on Tuesday voted in support of a three-day strike in late June/early July On the result of the vote, Mr Whiteman said: 'This is a conclusive response to the Government's offer. It has been judged inadequate and unaffordable. 'Our members do not recognise the Government's calculations on the affordability of the offer, with the vast majority of head teachers and school business leaders saying they could not pay the rise from their existing budgets. 'This is a very clear stumbling block and one the Government must listen to and solve if we hope to bring this dispute to an end.' He added: 'The Government must now come back to the table and solve this dispute. To do otherwise would be to stick two fingers up to a dedicated profession whilst at the same time turning their backs on children.' READ MORE: Schools face MORE closures from strikes as largest teaching union urges members to reject fresh pay offer - just weeks before millions sit their GCSE exams Advertisement In January, a ballot of NAHT members failed to meet the mandatory 50 per cent turnout threshold required for strike action. But the NAHT has suggested it could move to a second formal industrial action ballot. Members of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and the NASUWT teaching union have also been asked for feedback on the pay offer. Overall, 87 per cent of ASCL members, who took part in a survey on the pay offer, voted to turn down the deal. The turnout was 56 per cent in the consultative ballot. The ASCL's executive committee will reconvene after the Easter break to consider its next steps. A Department of Education (DfE) spokeswoman said: 'After costing children almost a week of time in the classroom and with exams fast approaching, it is extremely disappointing that the NEU are re-balloting for more strike action up until Christmas this year.' She added: 'The offer was funded, including major new investment of over half a billion pounds, and helps tackle issues teachers are facing like workload. 'NEU, NAHT and ASCL's decision to reject this offer will simply result in more disruption for children and less money for teachers today.' Israel and Russia have become more open about their cooperation in Syria. Russian and Israeli senior officials frequently meet in Russia and Israel to discuss details of this partnership and often release details of their Syria alliance and any new developments. Israel and Russia have been cooperating in Syria for decades but in 2015 that relationship had to be modified. For the first time Russia had substantial combat forces in Syria and at a time when Israel was carrying out airstrikes against Syrian or Iranian forces that were threatening Israel. Soon after Russian ground and air forces arrived in Syria during September 2015 it became apparent that Russian and Israeli forces were behaving like allies. Russia later revealed that this intervention was carefully planned and those plans included negotiating an agreement with Israel on how to avoid Israelis and Russians from accidentally firing on each other. With this agreement Russia recognized the Israeli need to stop Iran or Syria from transferring weapons to Hezbollah or attacking Israel. Russia agreed to not interfere with Israeli aircraft or ground forces attacking Iranian munitions being transported into Syria. Russia recognized the Israeli need to retaliate against rebel and Syrian forces that were fighting near the Israeli border, with bullets, rockets or shells from Syria landing in Israel. Israeli warplanes had carried out dozens of retaliation attacks in Syria since 2013. Several airstrikes destroyed Russian weapons being moved to Lebanon by Hezbollah. Israel made it clear that it would not back off on using air power to protect their Syrian and Lebanese borders and Russia later revealed that it understood the Israeli situation and did not want any problems with Israel defending itself. Part of the Russian planning for entry into Syria was establishing procedures with Israel to keep each other informed when Russian and Israeli warplanes or ground forces might encounter each other. This involved a hotline and frequent meetings between Russian and Israeli officials. As time went on more details of this alliance became public. In 2017 Russia revealed that their forces would remain in Syria for as long as required to end the civil war there. Russia also revealed details of their cooperation with Israel since 2015. Many people had figured out that Russia and Israel seemed to be cooperating in Syria but official confirmation of that cooperation was not available for nearly two years. By 2017 senior Russian military officials were openly visiting Israel to meet with their Israeli counterparts. One of those meetings was the first time a Russian Minister of Defense had visited Israel to discuss anything, much less the agreement. Some details of what the two nations agreed to were made public. Israel and Russia confirmed some modifications to their agreement on what Russia would do to keep Iranian forces (including Iranian backed Shia militias like Hezbollah) away from the Israeli border. Israel wanted the Russians to keep the Iranians at least 60 kilometers from the border but the Russians have agreed to smaller buffer zones (10-20 kilometers) and were willing and able to enforce those buffer zones. In part this was done by telling the Assad government that continued Russian assistance for the Assads was contingent on the Assads cooperating with the Russians in keeping the Iranians away from the Israeli border. At the same time the Russians would continue not interfering with Israeli air and missile strikes on Iranian weapons shipments moving from Syria to Lebanon for Hezbollah. Syria protests via the media but does little beyond that. This cozy relationship with Israel is more valuable to Russia than any deals it has with Iran. Russia recognizes that Israel has the strongest economy in the region as well as the most capable military power. Israel also has nuclear weapons. After the Russian delegation left, a senior Israeli official visiting Japan repeated that Israel would, if necessary, use military force to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons. In 2018 Israel and Russia revealed that there was no Russian blanket pledge to not interfere with Israeli attacks inside Syria. There was, however, no change in the existing policy of Russian forces not confronting Israeli attacks on Iranian targets. Russian diplomats told Israel that Russia would support Israel if Iran attacked Israel directly. Russia revealed that their cooperation with Israel sometimes had to be negotiated on a case-by-case basis. The Russians made it clear they did not want to fight the Israelis, especially when the Russians have growing evidence that Russian military equipment would not do well if there were clashes. Israel later revealed cases where they cancelled an airstrike at Russian request. Apparently, there were Russian troops in the target area and Israel, once informed, was able to divert that airstrike to another area in need of attention. By 2019 Russia had treaties with the Assads that allowed Russia to lease territory for a major airbase and a smaller port facility in western Syria. Israel had no formal objections, apparently because this arrangement was made after consultations with Israel. Russia agreed to these treaties to give the Assads an opportunity to move away from the long dependence on Iran. As far as the Assads were concerned the Iranians were trying to turn Assad-controlled Syria into something like Hezbollah, the Shia militia Iran helped create in the 1980s and has sustained ever since. That turned southern Lebanon into a region controlled by Hezbollah which, in turn, took orders from Iran. Israel had long sought to get Iran out of Lebanon and now most Lebanese agreed and were openly fighting with Hezbollah over the issue. The Assads agreed to informally make peace with Israel in an arrangement that would be monitored and enforced by Israel and Russia. Russia considers this a major achievement in Syria and most of the world will agree if the changes do not prompt Iran into starting a major war over it. October 25, 2021: In the south (Quneitra province) an Israeli airstrike using missiles hit Syrian and Iranian targets outside the town of Baath. One of the targets was a SAM (surface to air missile) anti-aircraft battery recently moved to the area, which is too close to the Israeli border for such weapons. October 24, 2021: In the northwest (Latakia and Idlib provinces) pro-Turkey Islamic terrorists from Idlib have been actively going after smaller factions that refuse to cooperate with Turkey in order to be allowed to leave Syria as refugees. Some of the unacceptable factions still committed to continuing their terrorist activities. Many foreign critics accuse the Turks of supporting terrorism but the alternative is to kill several hundred people trapped in Idlib in order to eliminate the Islamic terrorist threat resident there. Nearly all the 20,000 or Islamic terrorists in Idlib ended up there because of the Syrian tactic of avoiding costly (to Syrian troops) attacks against Islamic terrorists surrounded and willing to fight to the death. The deal used time and again was that the Islamic terrorists and their families would be given safe passage to Idlib province, a rebel stronghold throughout the civil war. Russia later stepped up to guarantee safe passage when some Islamic terror groups refused to trust the Syrian offer. There was no plan about how the concentration of determined Islamic terrorists in Idlib would ultimately be resolved. Syria and Russia were willing to kill them all and let the Turks deal with those who tried to cross the heavily protected Turkish border. Turkey persuaded Russia and Syria to wait while the Turks used their influence with the more moderate Islamic terror groups who were willing to deal with the more extreme groups in Idlib. Many of these groups were already waging a low-level war with the Islamic terrorist government of Idlib. There is still a problem with the fact that no country really wants to offer asylum for the Idlib moderate Islamic terrorists. Turkish voters will not accept these Islamic terrorist Syrians as long-term residents and the current Turkish government risks getting voted out of office if these unwanted Idlib Syrians are allowed in. October 23, 2021: In the north (Aleppo province) a Turkish UAV used a missile to destroy a vehicle outside the border town of Kobane and kill the three people in it. The target was apparently the leader of a local group that cooperated with the Kurdish SDF (Syrian Defense Forces) militia. The Turkish UAVs resemble the American Predator and have been conducting surveillance in this area for nearly a week, apparently in preparation for more attacks like this as well as gathering information for another ground offensive in the area. In neighboring Raqqa province an American UAV used a missile to kill Abdul Hamid al Matar, a senior al Qaeda leader who was in charge of planning and organizing attacks in foreign countries, especially Europe or the U.S. The pro-Turkish Islamic terrorists in Idlib are also providing Turkey with information on Islamic terrorists who are still actively planning terror attacks in Syria and elsewhere. Turkey shares some of their information with their allies, including NATO nations it wants to improve relations with. October 22, 2021: In Russia, the Israeli and Russian leaders met to discuss their cooperation in Syria and Russia agreed to the unofficial cooperation agreement October 20, 2021: In the east (Deir Ezzor province), near the Tanf /Walweed (on the Iraqi side) border crossing (on the Iraqi side) border crossing explosions were heard in the American base near Tanf. The Americans confirmed the explosions but said there were no casualties. The U.S. later revealed that they had advance warning of the attack and flew out 200 of American troops at the base, leaving only a few dozen who took shelter in fortified bunkers. Civilians in the area reported that the attacks came from several small UAVs carrying explosives and several rockets which appeared to have been launched from the ground. Syria, Russia and Iran want the American base gone and their ground forces have tried to get close but were turned back by American airstrikes. The attacker in this case used Iranian UAVs and rockets and the UAVs were used as cruise missiles. Iran has several local militias on the payroll that they could have used to carry out the attack. The Americans have controlled the Syrian side since 2017 while a pro-American Iraqi militia controls the Iraqi side. This is one of the three main Syria/Iraq border crossings and controls access to the main Baghdad-Damascus highway. The crossing is near where the borders of Jordan, Syria and Iraq meet. In the west, (Damascus) three roadside bombs were used against a Syrian army bus that was used to transport Iranian officers to work. Two of the three bombs went off and killed fourteen of the Iranian passengers. A third bomb did not go off and was disabled by army bomb disposal specialists. No one took credit for this attack but Israel was at the top of the usual suspects list. October 17, 2021: So far this year 21 Turkish soldiers have been killed in Syria and another 73 wounded. President Erdogan is being challenged by a coalition of opposition parties who want to remove him as the Turkish president before 2023 elections. Sending Turkish troops to Syria in 2016 and Libya three years later were unpopular moves for most Turks. Erdogan has been in power since 2003 and one of the first things he did was to get parliament to approve increasing the power of the presidency. Seemed like a good idea at the time, but this made it possible for Erdogan to send Turkish troops quickly and quietly into Syria and Libya. Erdogan believed these decisive actions would increase his popularity. It did not because as more Turkish soldiers were killed in Syria and the cost of the five years of Turkish operations in Syria mounted so did public anger whenever a Turkish soldier was killed or badly wounded. There have been about a thousand casualties among Turkish troops in Syria since 2016 and over 200 of them were fatal. Government controlled or influenced media in Turkey have been ordered to play down the deaths and the well-attended funerals but this bad news eventually gets out, despite efforts to crack down on Internet-based treason (anti-government messages). Opinion polls show most voters want to oust the current government during the next (2023) national elections, where the voting will be for the president and members of parliament. The new political effort to remove Erdogan is made possible by his reluctance to bring Turkish troops home. Erdogan has hired over 20,000 Syrian Arabs as mercenaries to do most of the ground combat and the cost of payroll and medical care (and death benefits) has been an economic scandal in Turkey. October 16, 2021: In the south (Quneitra province) an Israeli sniper killed Midhat as Saleh, a Syrian Druze politician who was working for Iran in southern Syria to establish an Iranian military presence on the Israeli border. Saleh was born in the Israeli Golan Heights and was jailed several times for anti-Israel activities. After getting out of jail he moved to the Syrian side of the border and went to work for the Assad government, a position he held until his death. Syrian and Israeli Druze have become more pro-Israel over the last decade and Saleh was one of pro-Assad Druze trying to change that by any means necessary. October 15, 2021: In central Syria (Homs province) Israeli airstrikes hit the T4 airbase for the second time this week. The targets were the same Iranian training areas and weapons warehouses. One Syrian soldier was killed and five wounded. The attacks were launched from jets flying over the area where the borders of Iraq, Syria and Jordan meet. Air-to-surface missiles are used and some are intercepted by Syrian S-200 SAMs (Surface-to-Air missiles) that have less success against Israeli fighters that are equipped with countermeasures and pilots who know how to avoid the SAMs. The T4 airbase, near the ancient ruins of Palmyra, has been hit at least three times a year since 2018. T4 is the largest airbase in Syria and Iran has constantly built new structures for storing weapons and housing personnel, usually to replace buildings destroyed by the air strikes. T4 is where Iran moved its UAV operations in 2018 after its original UAV base in Syria was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike. October 13, 2021: In northern Syria (western Aleppo and northern Raqqa provinces) Turkish airstrikes hit several U.S. backed SDF (Syrian Kurd militia) units. While mainly Kurdish, SDF also includes Syrian Arabs and Turkmen and was a major reason for the defeat of the Islamic State in eastern Syria, leading the offensive to drive ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) out of their capital, Raqqa. The SDF continues to provide security in eastern Syria against the remaining ISIL factions that hide in the mountains and deserts and carry out occasional attacks. The U.S. provides air support for these SDF counterterror operations. Russia has generally stayed out of this war between Turkey and the SDF but recently the SDF warned its senior leaders and other key personnel to avoid travelling. The SDA believes Russia has agreed to target these personnel with attacks using airstrikes. Turkey was already doing this with their own locally made UAVs armed with laser guided missiles. This new UAV policy would also improve relations between Turkey and Russia. October 12, 2021: In the east (Deir Ezzor province) an airstrike once again hit an Iran-backed militia facility and largely destroyed it. The air strike was near the Al Bukamal crossing into Iraq. Iran is seeking to provide a safer environment for its Iraqi militias. Inside Iraq, Kataib Hezbollah is subject to attack by security forces and pro-government militias. In eastern Syria the biggest threat is Israeli airstrikes and the occasional American one. Todays attack left three Iraqis dead along with one Syrian and several Iranians. These constant attacks are causing Iraqis belonging to pro-Iran militias to reconsider their loyalty to Iran. October 8, 2021: In central Syria (Homs province) Israeli airstrikes again hit the T4 airbase, with several explosions heard inside the base. There were two dead and several wounded. Israeli warplanes launch air-ground missiles while still in Israel or just across the Syrian border in areas not covered by Syrian air defenses. In the east (Deir Ezzor province) another airstrike hit Iranian weapons storage sites outside Al Bukamal City, which is on the Euphrates River and a few hours by road, to a border crossing into Iraq. The attacking aircraft could not be identified but were believed to be Israeli UAVs and part of a campaign to cripple Iranian efforts to build up a large force in Syria that would be capable of launching thousands of guided and unguided rockets into Israel. There have been several airstrikes like this in 2021 and Israel is the chief suspect because of their frequent airstrikes against Iranian targets throughout Syria October 3, 2021: In eastern and central Syria (Homs, Hama, Aleppo, Raqqa and Deir Ezzor provinces), Russian warplanes carried out over a hundred air strikes against ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) targets over the weekend. Over fifty Islamic terrorists were killed or wounded and secondary explosions indicated that a lot of ammo and fuel supplies were destroyed. There were probably also civilian casualties as Russia ignores their presence even if ISIL is deliberately using the civilians as human shields. Russia also bombed some al Qaeda affiliated Islamic terrorists in northwest Syria, ignoring the neutral zone Russia and Turkey had agreed not to attack if the Islamic terrorists did not enter the zone. Russia says the Islamic terrorists have violated the neutral zone while Turkey considers those violations either minor or accidental. Russia is more inclined to agree with the Syrian (Assad) government, which has never been on good terms with Turkey. September 30, 2021: In northwest Syria (Aleppo province) Syrian Kurdish separatists of the YPG (Peoples Protection Units) fired a guided missile into Turkey, killing two policemen. Turkey said it would retaliate because the YPG had done this before and were warned that a repeat would have consequences. Turkey considers the YPG a component of the Turkish PKK (Turkish Kurdish separatists). The U.S disagrees with Turkey about YPG/PKK cooperation and has found the YPG an effective and reliable component of the SDF that controls much of northeast Syria (mainly Kurd majority Hasaka province). SDF forces have clashed with Turkish troops and their Syrian mercenaries in Syria frequently, usually in response to a Turkish attack or attempt to gain control of more territory occupied by the SDF. One thing Turkey and the U.S. do agree on is that the YPG is the most unpredictable faction of the SDF. September 29, 2021: Russian and Turkish leaders met in Russia to discuss economic and military matters. Russia and Turkey have ongoing disputes in Syria, Libya, Ukraine and the Caucasus. The two also disagree on Islamic terrorism in general. Russia described the talks as useful but did mention that the Russian leader reminded his Turkish counterpart that Turkish troops were in Syria illegally and should leave, along with the Americans. Only Russia and Iran have Syrian permission to be there. Less was said about Libya. Russia and Turkey both have forces in Libya illegally and Russian and Turkish forces have clashed because they are backing different factions. September 27, 2021: The recent return of the Afghan Taliban to power in Afghanistan is having an impact on the Syrian Civil War. Afghan refugee resettlement is a major domestic political issue in Turkey, which already has too many Syrian refugees. Economic stress from hosting Syrian refugees is a major reason for getting directly involved in the Syrian civil war since 2016. More Afghan refugees would bring more violence, from cultural differences and the threat of Islamic terrorists using refugee status as a cover. Turkey currently hosts over four million refugees. About 92 percent of them are Syrian. Over 200,000 Afghans were already living in Turkey when the Taliban returned to power in mid-August. Many of the current refugees have been in Turkey since mid-2011. Refugees, legal and illegal, have put a major stress on the Turkish economy and many individual Turks. Over 500,000 Syrian school children attend Turkish schools and will get worse if more Afghan refugees get in. Some Turkish provinces are feeling the stress more than others. In southern Turkey, on the Syrian border, Kilis province has a population of 140,000 Turks and provides refuge for 105,000 Syrians. Fear of Islamic terrorism is another reason Turks are concerned about an Afghan refugee influx. Al Qaeda and ISIL have launched attacks within Turkey for years. Turkey is seen by smugglers as a gateway to Europe, especially for the lucrative business of smuggling people. Often the refugees fail to get into Europe and end up stuck in Turkey. All this puts more pressure on the Turks to end the Syrian Civil War and give many of the refugees an incentive to go home. Meme-makers had a field day as former president Donald Trump was arrested in Manhattan Tuesday on multiple felony charges of false business practices. As the first former president to face criminal charges, Trump was arraigned, fingerprinted and photographed at the downtown Manhattan courthouse after spending the night at Trump Tower in NYC. He entered a plea of not guilty before immediately returning to his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida where he delivered a rousing 25-minute speech in front of crowds of supporters. The former president lambasted the 'Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife' and a 'real criminal' DA, who he claimed leaked grand jury information, to rapturous applause. Donald Trump appears in a Manhattan courtroom during his arraignment on Tuesday But the circus proved a real treat for the best of social media's meme makers who poked fun at Melania Trump's notable absence from Trump's rally, likening her to Julia Roberts singing in a bathtub in the film Pretty Woman. Another showed Donald Trump Jr. reading a kids book titled 'The Night Dad Went to Prison,' and a third showed a forecast calling for 'mostly stormy' weather Tuesday with a picture of Stormy Daniels - the porn star who Trump's hush-payments to sparked his indictment - instead of a cloud icon. Not all the memes poked fun at the Trumps, however, with some commenting on how the former president's arrest would bolster his supporters in a way they'd never been rallied before. It came after a former Trump lawyer compared the former president to hip-hop artists Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G., whose record sales reached new heights after they were arrested and embroiled in legal battles. Here, DailyMail.com provides a round-up of some of the best memes on Trump's arraignment day. Brits have been left furious after a TV programme showed naked adult bodies to a group of children. Channel 4's Naked Education broadcast its first episode yesterday evening. Many viewers were shocked to see a group of adults strip naked in front of children aged 14 to 16. The show is promoted as being 'all about body positivity' with celebrity presenters Anna Richardson, former Love Island contestant Dr Alex George and Yinka Bokinni 'on a mission to normalise all body types, champion our differences and break down stereotypes'. The programme shows what different bodies look like to help quell people's insecurities, but some viewers took to social media to express their disgust at adults stripping naked in front of children as part of this quest. Some Brits have been left furious after a TV programme showed naked adult bodies to a group of children in a bid to promote body positivity The show demonstrates what different bodies look like to help quell people's insecurities, but some viewers took to social media to express their disgust Twitter user Lisa Hursey said: 'They get naked in front of kids. Why oh why is this being allowed?' Another viewer said: 'Showing children under 16 strangers standing fully naked in front of them. Why? Absolutely not. They do not need to see strangers fully naked to be educated on the body.' A third said it was 'tacky TV', while another wrote: 'Oh give me a f***ing break. Is it really necessary for a group of adults to be getting their kn*** and fannys (sic) out in front of kids in the name of ''education''? It's gutter TV.' Some viewers were shocked to see adults strip naked in front of children aged 14 to 16 Other viewers defended the programme and said it was 'empowering and positive' Who is behind the controversial Channel 4 programme Naked Education? Clemency Green, Senior Commissioning Editor for Channel 4 Daytime and Features, who commissioned the show Clemency Green studied politics at the University of Nottingham before joining Channel 4 in 2008. She has spent 15 years at the company, where she has been a commissioning editor for the past seven. She looks after shows including Made in Chelsea and Escape to the Chateau. She said: 'I like ideas that engage with real world trends, although not niche, and have grabby titles. I want populist shows with scale. Territory-wise I am very open as long as they feel broad and accessible - body image and makeover are of particular interest to me.' Nicole Streak, executive producer Nicola Streak has worked on a slew of reality TV shows including Big Brother, Britains Next Top Model and and The Bachelor. She also worked on Miss Naked Beauty with Gok Wan. Helen Cooke, Executive producer Helen Cooke studied mechanical engineering at the University of Leeds before moving into the world of TV. She was a series producer for Come Dine With Me, The X Factor. She previously produced Channel 4s celebrity documentary Born Famous, co-created Channel 4s The Fantastical Factory of Curious Craft, and developed ITVs fixed rig show The Savoy and the Gordon, Gino and Fred: Roadtrip series. Betty TV, company that made the show The company says it has been 'at the cutting edge of compelling storytelling' for more than 20 years. The firm is also responsible for making The Undateables. Advertisement Betty TV, which makes the programme, also made The Undateables. Presenter Anna Richardson, 52, who also fronts Channel 4's Naked Attraction dating show said the show was 'educational, emotional [and] joyous'. She added: 'If you're curious about your body, and your life's journey (whatever that may be), then tune in. We all need connection right now.' She told The Sun's TV Mag: 'Naked Education is one step further than Naked Attraction. 'I like to make shows that are controversial, that break taboos and that make a difference, and with every single show that I've done you can tick one of those boxes.' 'Naked Education is a body positive, educational series that is basically aiming to normalise all body types and champion everybody's differences, so that we can accept that with our clothes off we're all normal.' Dr Alex George took to Instagram to tell his followers: 'I'm so, so excited. It'll really help people. I think you'll find it a powerful watch.' Other viewers were more positive about the show and praised it on social media. Carl Malkin said to one critics: 'Kids who grow up knowing the human body is a work of art and nudity is natural are clearly far better adjusted than you.' Another viewer said: 'What an awesome idea. Only in Britain would they show fully naked people on TV at 8pm, but I love that!! Seems like a very empowering and positive show about tackling insecurities.' Clemency Green, a Senior Commissioning Editor at Channel 4, said: 'Celebrity culture, social media and filtered and edited photos have all impacted on our body image. 'This is a hugely important series which will show the diversity in normal bodies and how they inevitably change due to things like age, weight gain or loss, illness or accidents. 'This celebratory show will inform audiences, break taboos and normalise bodies of all shapes and sizes.' A Channel 4 spokesperson told MailOnline: 'All the teenagers who participated in Naked Education did so with appropriate consent. 'They and their guardians were fully aware and prepared to take part in the item about body taboos and they all had support throughout.' Rhiley Kuhrt, 22, may not have had his pilot licence A young father-to-be who was tragically killed in a plane crash alongside his wife and unborn child, may not have held a pilot licence as specialist police continue the 'difficult' task of retrieving their bodies from remote bushland. Rhiley Kuhrt, 22, and his partner Maree, 24, set off from cattle station Natal Downs, south of Charters Towers in rural Queensland, on Sunday afternoon. The white and green Piper Cherokee they had purchased five months earlier failed to arrive at Lakeside Airpark, west of Prosperine, prompting a frantic search by authorities before the wreckage was discovered on Monday. It has since been revealed Mr Kuhrt, the son of a local police officer, had not received his recreational pilot licence (RPL) from the local Darling Downs Aero Club where he had completed 30 hours of flying prior to the crash. Club CEO Allan Bougoure said Mr Kuhrt had left the local aero club before obtaining his licence, the Courier Mail reports. His Flightradar24 history indicates he received no further training. Rhiley Kuhrt, 22 (pictured), had not received his recreational pilot licence (RPL) from the local Darling Downs Aero Club prior to the plane crash (he is pictured in his beloved Piper Cherokee) The couple had intended to make the 140km journey from the cattle station to Lakeside Airpark in Bloomsbury, sparking concern when they failed to arrive. They were due to have a baby girl in June and were flying to a medical appointment at a local hospital in Prosperine. Recreational pilots are only permitted to fly 25km from their departure point without a navigation endorsement, an additional course offered by most aero schools. Without an RPL, Mr Kuhrt couldn't legally fly alone or with passengers. An investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) restricts the Civil Aviation Safety Authority from commenting on his licence status. The revelation comes as specialist officers battle difficult terrain and weather conditions during efforts to retrieve their bodies from remote bushland. A specialist police unit flew to the Whitsundays on Tuesday before travelling to the scene west of Proserpine where they were winched into the scrub. The couple (pictured) were due to have a baby girl in June and were flying to a medical appointment at a local hospital in Prosperine when they crashed on Sunday afternoon Photos and videos from the couple's social media pages have revealed Mr Kuhrt had a passion for flying while his wife was a keen horsewoman (the couple is pictured) Mackay Inspector Andrew Godbold said recovery efforts began on Wednesday as the Disaster Victim identification squad wrapped-up their investigation. ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said were still compiling evidence into what caused the crash. Mr Mitchell said information on the pilot's flying experience and qualifications, weather conditions and aircraft maintenance records was being collected. Meanwhile, devastated relatives of the young couple have revealed the name they would have given their unborn child if she had survived. Mr Kuhrt's sister Beccarah Markham-Gaudion broke her silence on Tuesday, revealing her brother and his wife were considering calling their child Phoebe. Darling Downs Aero Club CEO Allan Bougoure said Mr Kuhrt (pictured) had completed 30 hours of flying but had left the club before obtaining his licence The pair (pictured) were married last October and shared several photos of them kissing on a hillside and astride horses in a spacious paddock She has started a GoFundMe to raise money for their funerals and shared a heartbreaking photo of an unborn baby's ultrasound. Photos and videos from the couple's social media pages have revealed Mr Kuhrt had a passion for flying while his wife was a keen horsewoman. The pair were married last October and shared several photos of them kissing on a hillside and astride horses in a spacious paddock. 'My complete happiness,' Mrs Kuhrt captioned the pictures. Her husband's last Facebook post was a video recording of one of his many flights over rural southwest Queensland. Mackay police district inspector Andrew Godbold said the couple (pictured) would have encountered 'lots' of showers, thunder, and minimal visibility' during their final flight 'Wick afternoon run over the sorghum harvest and a bit of fun,' the post read. In another video, Mr Kuhrt is seen smiling and laughing at the camera before showing a handful of dogs sitting patiently in the back seat. Mackay police district inspector Andrew Godbold said the couple would have encountered 'lots' of showers, thunder, and minimal visibility during the flight. A police spokeswoman said recovering their bodies would be 'challenging'. 'Queensland Police Service and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau will investigate the incident and police will prepare a report for the coroner in relation to the matter,' she said. This will be one of his last moves as director of the Swedish Migration Agency The head of the Swedish Migration Agency is using his last days in office to deport an elderly British woman with Alzheimer's who cannot walk or talk, and rip her away from her loved ones. In a move that has been branded 'cruel' and 'inhumane', Mikael Ribbenvik has rejected desperate pleas for bedbound Kathleen Poole, 74, to remain with her family in Sweden, where she has lived for 18 years. He has ordered for Mrs Poole to be sent back to the UK, a journey the pensioner's family fear she won't survive, because she does not have an up-to-date passport or financial statements to demonstrate her right to be in the country post-Brexit. And now it has emerged that this will be one of Ribbenvik's last moves as director-general of the agency before he is ousted after a stormy seven years in the role. The Swedish government refused to extend Ribbenvik's contract beyond May amid accusations of ineptitude. Under his tenure, the agency has been criticised for failing to confirm identities of those applying for residence permits in Sweden and long wait times. In a move that has been branded as 'cruel' and 'inhumane', Mikael Ribbenvik (pictured) has rejected desperate pleas for bedbound Kathleen Poole, 74, to remain with her family in Sweden, where she has lived for 18 years Kathleen Poole with her son Wayne and daughter-in-law Angelica who are fighting her deportation from Sweden where she has lived for 18 years Instead, Ribbenvik has ordered for Mrs Poole to be sent back to the UK - a journey the pensioner's family fear she won't survive - because she does not have an up-to-date passport or financial statements to demonstrate her right to be in the country post-Brexit. Pictured: Mrs Poole in her care home 'It's not a secret that I would have wanted to stay,' Ribbenvik told Sweden's TT news agency. Ribbenvik, whose wife Martine Ribbenvik Cassar is a human rights lawyer 'committed to social justice and human rights', has so far refused to bow to the desperate pleas of Mrs Poole's family. Mrs Poole moved from Macclesfield, Cheshire to Sweden 18 years ago to be close to her son Wayne, his Swedish wife Angelica and their four children. But the pensioner developed dementia 11 years ago and has been in a care home for the past decade. She is now bed-ridden and so incapacitated by the degenerative illness she cannot feed herself or go to the bathroom unaided. And despite this, she still faces being kicked out of the country after her family's bid for her to stay was rejected. Mrs Poole's loved ones had told authorities she did not have a passport because she was too ill to travel and didn't need one. Mrs Poole's family now fear she won't survive the journey to the UK if she is forced to return. Angelica, 42, said: 'We don't know just how long she has left which is why we're fighting so hard to keep her in Sweden with us. 'We don't know if she would even survive the journey to England because her health is so poor, there's a significant risk that she wouldn't.' News that the pensioner would be thrown out of Sweden was met with outrage in the UK, with politicians branding it 'cruel' and 'deeply shocking'. Mrs Poole developed dementia 11 years ago and has been in a care home for the past decade. She is now so incapacitated by the degenerative illness she cannot feed herself or go to the bathroom unaided Mrs Poole cuddles one of her grandchildren. She now faces being ripped from her family and deported to the UK, having not lived there for 18 years On Monday night, her family was given fresh hope after Swedish authorities claimed they would look again at the pensioner's case. Officials told her loved ones to supply them with a doctors' letter outlining her condition so that authorities can 'reassess her situation'. 'We have just been told to get a medical certificate detailing her condition, explaining that she cannot move and is confined to bed, that she cannot eat or speak and is extremely fragile,' Angelica told MailOnline from her home in Tanumshede in south-west Sweden. 'Once we give that to the Migration Agency, an official there told us they will reassess the situation. 'It's positive news but I won't get too far ahead of myself because they don't seem to be communicating with the Swedish Police Authority who are continuing to pressurise the British Embassy in Stockholm into finding alternative accommodation and care for Kathleen in the UK. 'They haven't done so yet and neither have my husband and I because I made a promise to my children that their grandmother will stay in Sweden. And I always keep my promises.' Angelica continued: 'Kathleen's family is here. She has a sister and brother who live in Buxton in Derbyshire but they haven't seen her in 10 to 15 years. 'The simple fact is that Kathleen's life were her grandchildren. It's been incredibly tough on them to watch her slowly slip away but we aren't giving up.' In 2004, Mrs Poole, gave up her job as a hotel chambermaid and with her husband Ron, followed her son and daughter-in-law to the town of Tanumshede, just north of Gothenburg and close to the Norwegian border. Ron passed away a few years ago from a stroke and Mrs Poole developed Alzheimer's when she was 63. The degenerative illness has meant she is now no longer able to look after herself. In 2004, Mrs Poole, gave up her job as a hotel chambermaid and with her husband, Ron, followed her son and daughter-in-law to the town of Tanumshede, just north of Gothenburg and close to the Norwegian border. She is pictured with her late husband Mrs Poole is seen clutching a box of chocolates in a photo shared by her family She needs to be hoisted from her bed by carers to get into a wheelchair. She also uses continence pads. Her loved ones said they made an application for her to remain in Sweden before the 2021 deadline. However, it was rejected as she did not have a passport. Last year, they were told she would be deported in September. Police reportedly showed up at the care home a few months later in January when her loved ones, who do not have power of attorney, were unable to provide the documents needed for her to stay in Sweden. Officers went through the pensioner's wardrobes and rifled through her clothes before quizzing carers about her, the family said. Campaigners have criticised the decision to try and deport the grandmother. Labour MP Hilary Benn called it 'deeply shocking'. Councillor Laura Jeuda, who represents Macclesfield South at Cheshire East Council, told MailOnline: 'I think it's very cruel... I'm really surprised at Sweden. We know them for being very caring their social care is really good. 'It's just bizarre they should pick on a woman of that age who has this added complication of dementia. 'We don't know what will happen to that poor woman if she's ripped away from her family and taken to a strange county she won't remember.' The Labour councillor called on Whitehall to step in and oppose the decision. Branding the fiasco as 'another downside of Brexit', Ms Jeuda added: 'We need to get something from government on this, otherwise what are we saying about our old people that they really don't matter?' 'Cruel' and 'deeply shocking': Labour MP Hilary Benn, left, has lashed out at the move by Sweden to deport Mrs Poole, formerly from Macclesfield. While local councillor Laura Jeuda (right), who represents Macclesfield South at Cheshire East Council, blasted the decision to deport the pensioner, labelling it 'cruel' David Milstead, a British professor of physics in Sweden who is part of the British in Sweden group, criticised the country's police. He said they were 'just doing a box-ticking exercise' about what she can take with her instead of saying 'this is preposterous, this should not be happening'. Under the withdrawal agreement for Brexit, UK citizens living in the EU before the 2016 referendum were granted the right to remain. However, in several countries, it involved completing applications and paperwork to prove historical rights under free movement rules. Mrs Poole and her family are being supported by the Foreign Office. A spokesperson for the Swedish government has said it is 'against the law' to comment on any immigration matter. The European Commission said it was 'aware' of Mrs Poole's case and that it was 'in touch' with Swedish authorities. More than 520,000 people in the UK have dementia caused by Alzheimer's disease. MailOnline has contacted the Swedish Migration Agency for comment. This is the incredible moment thirteen people escaped from a minibus in South Africa after it burst into flames at a petrol station. The incident took place in the suburb of Bramley, in Johannesburg, on March 27. Dramatic footage shows the van, which is described as a taxi, on the petrol station forecourt as flames start to erupt from underneath the front wheels. The man in the passenger seat struggles to open the door as one person crashes through a rear window. Petrol station attendant Abdullah James, 36, heroically rushes over to the passenger's window and tries to pull it open as others jump out of windows in desperation. In the video, petrol station attendant Abdullah James, 36, heroically rushes over to the passenger's window and tries to pull it open as others jump through the windows to escape The man in the passenger seat jumps out of the back window and others are then helped to safety a split second before the front of the vehicle explodes, with black smoke billowing from it After a few seconds, the man in the passenger seat escapes through the window. Others are helped to safety a split second before the front of the vehicle explodes, with black smoke billowing from it. The remaining passengers are then pulled from the back of the van, with one returning to quickly grab an item from beside the flaming vehicle. James can then be seen running back with a fire extinguisher to put out the blaze. Other members of staff also come over to help. The fire started beneath the front wheels of the van. Many passengers had to resort to jumping out of windows to escape James and other members of staff at the petrol station used extinguishers to put out the fire James said: 'When I saw the fire coming underneath that taxi, I immediately ran to it to help those inside so they could survive. 'I was not even thinking about myself, there was at least 13 people in there and I knew I could not leave them stranded in the fire.' He said that he acted after hearing one of the petrol station employees shout: 'Help, the taxi is burning.' James said that no one died in the accident, but two passengers sustained minor injuries when they escaped through the van's windows. Finland joining the NATO alliance could prompt Russia to increase its nuclear arsenal stationed in the Arctic circle, analysts have warned. The Nordic country officially joined the world's biggest military alliance on Tuesday, becoming its 31st member in a historic realignment of Europe's defences spurred by Vladimir Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine. Helsinki's strategic shift, which ended decades of military non-alignment, has doubled the length of the US-led alliance's land border with Russia and drew an angry warning of 'countermeasures' from the Kremlin. While Moscow did not specify what these measures could be, Russia's defence chief said on Tuesday that Belarusian warplanes had been upgraded to carry Russian nuclear warheads, while Putin has said he plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in the neighbouring country. Analysts have also warned Moscow's hawkish leaders will view Finland's NATO ascension as a threat to the Kola Peninsula, where Russian military bases house the world's largest concentration of nuclear weapons. Finland joining the NATO alliance could prompt Russia to increase its nuclear arsenal stationed in the Arctic circle, analysts have warned. Pictured: Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with workers as he visits the Tulazheldormash plant, a Russian leading machine-building enterprise, in Tula on April 4 The Nordic country officially joined the world's biggest military alliance on Tuesday, becoming its 31st member in a historic realignment of Europe's defences spurred by Vladimir Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine. Pictured: The Finnish flag is raised outside NATO HQ on Tuesday Finland's border with Russia stretches 833 miles from the Baltic Sea at its southern-most point to a tripoint where the Russian, Finnish and Norwegian borders meet some 65 miles south of the Barents Sea. To the east, sits the Kola Peninsula, which is home to the city of Murmansk, where Russia hosts its northern fleet. This includes nuclear-capable submarines. In October 2022, Norwegian reports said Russia had deployed bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons to Kola Peninsula. Satellite images later appeared to confirm an increase in the bombers stationed in the region. Russia also carried out tests of all three legs of its nuclear triad in the Arctic. Writing for security website War on the Rocks, Heli Hautala, a Finnish diplomat, and Nicholas Lokker, of the Center for a New American Security think-tank, warned that with Finland in NATO, Russia will view their northwestern flank as being vulnerable. 'Nuclear weapons will assume greater prominence in Russian strategy until the country can reconstitute its forces,' which for now have been diverted to Russia's war efforts in Ukraine, the analysts write. 'As Russia attempts to meet the apparent increased threat in northern Europe while its army remains tied down elsewhere, it is likely to double down on aggressive nuclear signalling in the region,' the pair add in their analysis. 'Any new NATO infrastructure in Sweden and Finland such as upgraded airfields, intelligence facilities or, most critically, nuclear weapons will only intensify Russia's aggressive posture.' Hautala and Lokker said 'Russia's northwestern flank becomes more vulnerable' with Finland, and possibly Sweden, joining NATO, noting that 'the Kola Peninsula is particularly relevant to Russias threat perception'. They described the region as being of 'central importance' to Russia's national security. NATO's borders are now also closer to Russia's second city of St Petersburg. The expansion could also be perceived as a threat to Russian naval exercises in the Baltic Sea as well as its Kaliningrad exclave, which will soon be surrounded by NATO member states, the pair note. Joining NATO is significant both symbolically and strategically. From a military point of view, it would allow NATO to reinforce the Baltic states (NATO members Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) from the north in the case of a Russian invasion. With Norway and Finland both in NATO and Sweden looking to join, it also protects other European nations from any Russian incursions from the North. On the symbolic significance, Hautala and Lokker highlight an interview given by Finnish president Sauli Niinisto in 2022, who recalled a warning he was given by Vladimir Putin himself in 2016. 'When we look across the border now, we see a Finn on the other side,' Niinisto said Putin told him at the time. 'If Finland joins NATO, we will see an enemy.' Pictured: A nuclear missile test is carried out on the Kola Peninsula (file image) In October 2022, Norwegian reports said that Russia had also deployed bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons to Kola Peninsula. Satellite images (pictured) later appeared to confirm an increase in the bombers stationed in the region Russia's Kola Peninsula is home to the city of Murmansk, where Russia hosts its northern fleet. This includes nuclear-capable submarines (pictured, file photo) Pictured: A map showing how NATO has expanded since it was founded in 1949 Finland's foreign minister formally sealed Helsinki's membership by depositing the accession papers before the Finnish flag was raised between those of France and Estonia to the singing of a choir outside NATO's gleaming Brussels headquarters. How does Finland joining NATO benefit the alliance? As a NATO member, Finland is bound by the alliance's mutual defence clause, Article 5. It will benefit not only from its allies' conventional military assistance but also from their nuclear deterrence. In return, the Nordic nation, which intends to boost its defence budget by 40 percent by 2026, could contribute some of its military resources to defend the alliance. The country of 5.5 million people counts just 12,000 professional soldiers. But it trains more that 20,000 each year through its conscription service programme, giving the army a pool of 900,000 Finns as potential reserves. This means that in case of war, the army can deploy 280,000 Finnish citizens at any one time. It has a fleet of 55 F-18 US combat aircraft, which it plans to replace with more advanced F-35s from 2025 onwards, as well as 200 tanks and more than 700 artillery guns. But the country joining NATO also means hundreds of extra kilometres of border to defend for the alliance. Advertisement 'Finland now has the strongest friends and allies in the world,' NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said. Putin, he said, had 'wanted to slam NATO's door shut. Today we show the world that he failed, that aggression and intimidation do not work'. Joining NATO puts Finland under the alliance's Article Five, the collective defence pledge that an attack on one member 'shall be considered an attack against them all'. This was the guarantee Finnish leaders decided they needed as they watched Putin's devastating assault on Ukraine. 'NATO membership strengthens our international position and room for manoeuvre,' President Niinisto said. US President Joe Biden said the alliance was strengthened by its newest member and promised to 'defend every inch of NATO territory'. But Moscow erupted in fury at the move, which takes its frontier with NATO member states to 1,550 miles, branding it an 'assault' on Russia's security and national interests. 'This forces us to take countermeasures... in tactical and strategic terms,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Invaded by its giant neighbour, the Soviet Union, in 1939, Finland stayed out of NATO throughout the Cold War. Now its membership brings a potent military into the alliance with a wartime strength of 280,000 and one of Europe's largest artillery arsenals. Senior NATO military commander Admiral Rob Bauer told AFP Finland had so far not requested its new allies station troops on its soil. NATO officials say the war in Ukraine has sapped Moscow's forces, but the alliance is monitoring how Russia responds to gauge its future steps. Turkey and Hungary, attempting to gain leverage over allies in separate political battles, had delayed Finland's bid to come under the NATO umbrella - and Stockholm's progress remains blocked. Pictured: A Russian fighter jet from the country's Northern Fleet's naval aviation group takes off in the Kola Peninsula (file photo) But last week, the Turkish parliament voted to clear Finland's final hurdle. Completing the ratification in well under a year still makes this the fastest membership process in the alliance's recent history. NATO was created as a counterweight to the Soviet Union at the onset of the Cold War era that began immediately after the Allies defeated Nazi Germany. Finland's arrival nevertheless remains a bittersweet moment for the alliance as the hope had been for Sweden to come on board at the same time. Helsinki's first act as a new member was to back Stockholm's bid. Budapest and Ankara remain the holdouts after belatedly agreeing to wave through Helsinki's bid. Sweden has upset Hungary's leader Viktor Orban - one of Putin's closest allies in Europe - by expressing alarm over the rule of law in Hungary. It has also angered Turkey by refusing to extradite dozens of suspects that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan links to a failed 2016 coup attempt and the decades-long Kurdish independence struggle. The United States and other NATO members led the calls for Sweden to join as soon as Finland's flag was fluttering in the cold Brussels breeze. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he believed both countries would take part in a NATO summit in Vilnius this summer as new members. Ukraine is also pushing for eventual NATO membership, but Western diplomats say that remains a distant prospect. 'There is no better strategic solution to ensuring strategic security in the Euro-Atlantic region than the membership of Ukraine in the alliance,' Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said. Mr Stoltenberg said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was invited to NATO's Vilnius summit in July. The focus for the alliance remains on bolstering Kyiv's capacities to win the war, while moving it towards NATO membership only over the longer term. Finland's ascension came as Zelensky and his wife arrived in Poland on Wednesday for a state visit that is meant as a gesture of thanks to the neighboring nation for its crucial support in Ukraine's defence against Russia's invasion. The visit is a rare foray for Zelensky out of Ukraine since Russia unleased the war in February 2022. A plaque along with Finland's flag is seen at a roundtable discussion during a joining ceremony at the NATO foreign ministers' meeting at the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels, April 4 While it follows visits to the US, Britain, France and Belgium, it stands out from the others because it was announced in advance without the secrecy of past visits. It is also unusual that the president is joined by the first lady, Olena Zelenska. Marcin Przydacz, the head of Polish President Andrzej Duda's foreign policy office, described it as Zelensky's first visit of this kind since the war began. The trip shines a light on Poland's rising international role in a new security order that is emerging after Russia's aggression against Ukraine. Poland is modernising its military with orders of tanks and other equipment from US and South Korean producers, while the US has also beefed up its military presence in Poland. Thousands of Environment Agency staff are set to become the latest public workers to strike this month, blaming government inaction for putting communities and wildlife at risk. UNISON said its members in England will take four days of industrial action, claiming the government refuses to invite unions for pay talks despite months of strikes and other action where workers have put themselves off 'on call' incident response rotas. It means staff working on coastal sea defences, protecting communities from floods, tackling water pollution, waste fires and fly-tipping will leave their posts. They will not work from 7pm next Friday, April 14, to 7am Monday, April 17. The importance of the Environment Agency's work was highlighted only last month when hundreds of workers helped to clean up the Poole Harbour Oil spill. After 200 barrels of reservoir fluid was released into the Harbour due to a leak in a pipeline at Wytch Farm oil field, staff worked tirelessly to clean the affected area and contain the spillage. The scene of the oil leak where Environment Agency workers helped oil workers clean up the residue Workers in a field during the clean-up operation at Ower Bay at Poole Harbour in Dorset However, Unison said 'endemic' low pay means the Environment Agency (EA) is struggling to hold on to experienced staff and recruit new employees. The longer the government persists with its 'do nothing' approach to staffing problems, the worse the situation will become, the union said. Unison said the government's refusal to allow the Agency to improve a pay increase of 2 per cent plus 345 given to staff in the autumn means workers have no alternative but to 'reluctantly' strike again. Emergency 'life and limb cover' has been agreed where there is a threat to life or property. Unison's head of environment, Donna Rowe-Merriman, said: 'Every community in England needs these experienced employees to help keep their local environment safe. 'All talk and very little action best describe the Government's approach to environmental policy. 'Announcements come and go, but nothing much happens to clean up England's seas, rivers, lakes, and canals. 'This must change. The Government needs a properly staffed Environment Agency if natural habitats and water sources are to be protected. 'But with too few experts on its books, the Agency can't possibly punish the polluters and keep everyone safe. 'Therese Coffey [Environment Secretary] should stop ignoring the plight of these invaluable workers and start tackling the growing staffing problems at the Environment Agency. 'Hourly rates are so low, some staff had to be given an emergency pay rise at the start of the week or their employer would have been in breach of minimum wage laws. 'It's time the Government called in the employer and the unions to settle this damaging dispute once and for all.' An Environment Agency spokesperson said: 'As a public sector organisation the Environment Agency remains bound by the pay policy of the government of the day. 'We have plans in place to minimise disruption to our essential work to protect the environment and respond to critical incidents.' Sick cop David Carrick recieved more than 30,000 of taxpayers cash to mount his defence over sex crimes against 12 women victims. Carrick, 48, was jailed for a minimum of 30 years after admitting 85 serious offences over 17-years. The serial rapist believed his position made him 'untouchable' as he inflicted 'irretrievable devastation' on his victims. His legal representatives received 31,216.51 in legal aid to defend his crimes before he was sentenced in February. He did not express regret or remorse for what he had done. David Carrick, 48, was jailed for a minimum of 30 years after admitting 85 serious offences over 17-years His legal representatives received 31,216.51 in legal aid to defend his crimes before he was sentenced in February The Legal Aid Agency, which is a part of the Ministry of Justice, said: 'Anyone facing a Crown Court trial is eligible for legal aid, subject to a strict means test. 'Depending on their means, applicants for criminal legal aid can be required to pay contributions up to the entire cost of the defence if they are convicted of at least one offence with which they are charged.' Justice Cheema-Grubb slammed Carrick for taking 'monstrous advantage of his position' while serving as a Metropolitan Police officer for more than 20 years. She revealed the 'self-pitying' sex monster tried to kill himself while in custody. And she told Carrick that he 'behaved as if you were untouchable', adding it was a 'spectacular downfall for a man charged with upholding the law' having lost his liberty, job and status. Following his sentencing, Home Secretary Suella Braverman branded his crimes a 'scar on our police', while Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: 'David Carrick's crimes were unspeakably evil. The detail is harrowing.' Southwark Crown Court heard harrowing accounts of abuse, sexual assault, rape, false imprisonment and coercive control. Carrick used cameras he installed at home to monitor women while he was at work. He made another woman choke on her vomit, assaulted one with a sex toy and urinated on one of his victims. The serial rapist believed his position made him 'untouchable' as he inflicted 'irretrievable devastation' on his victims The armed officer tortured and abused women for 17 years despite coming to police attention nine times before his arrest and developing the nickname 'B*****d Dave' at work. He called women 'fat and lazy' and treated them like as his 'sex slaves' as well as controlling them financially. Victims were isolated from their family and forbidden from speaking with other men. He also used his police baton as a threat and handcuffs in an attack. Carrick's crimes were all carried out while serving with the force - he guarded sites including embassies and the Houses of Parliament, and completed training courses, including one on domestic abuse in 2005. In one event, in 2003, Carrick boasted to a victim that 'I am the safest person you can be around, I'm a police officer' in order to get her back to his London flat. He raped her after pointing a black handgun at her head and putting his hands around her throat. The victim sustained external and internal injuries including bite marks to the neck and collar bone, bruising to the breasts, thighs, buttocks, wrists and ankles, where she had been pinned down and dragged on the floor. She had clumps of hair missing and was bleeding in several places. Another said she was convinced she would not be believed if she reported Carrick due to his position as a parliamentary protection officer. She said she had it drilled into her: 'He was the police, he was the law and he owned me'. Upsetting photographs showing the cupboard under the stairs where he locked one woman naked as a form of punishment, a black whip he used and surveillance cameras to spy on victims were released. Describing his offending as 'systematic', prosecutor Tom Little KC said: 'The reality was that it did not matter who the victim was. 'She could be a new girlfriend, as a number were, a long-term partner, as a number were, a police officer that he worked with or that he did not work with... a friend, or just a stranger. 'The reality was he would rape them, sexually abuse and assault them and humiliate them.' Continuing her sentencing remarks, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb told Carrick he showed an 'astonishing degree of moral corruption'. The judge listed a number of key themes in Carrick's offending, including asserting authority and enacting 'extreme domination' over his victims. Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb also highlighted the 'reluctance of victims to report your offending' because of their knowledge of his 'status as a police officer'. She spoke of the 'irretrievable devastation' Carrick's crimes has had on his victims, including 'long-lasting psychological harm' and 'damaged mental health' She said: 'Each one is traumatised, one woman feels as those she has been lost for the last 19 years. 'You have shaped their lives, deprived them of the ability to form lasting relationships with men. They continue to question their own judgments. They don't trust the police.' Jermaine Scott infected his partner with HIV and then fled A man who infected his partner with HIV has been extradited to the UK and jailed but only after 12 years of legal anguish for his victim who is 'forever marred by his actions'. At Chester Crown Court yesterday, Jamaica-born Jermaine Scott was jailed for three years for the incident after pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm. Scott had been diagnosed with the virus in 2005 and had been prescribed medicine to control the condition and prevent it spreading to others. The victim had previously been in a relationship with Scott, which the pair struck up again 2009, four years after his diagnosis. But Scott did not regularly take his tablets or tell his victim he was carrying the virus and proceeded to have unprotected sex with her, infecting her with HIV. Jermaine Scott was extradited to the UK from Jamaica to face the charges He was jailed for three years at Chester Crown Court yesterday After she tested positive, Scott left Cheshire and was the subject of a police manhunt. When he was arrested in 2011, police lacked 'sufficient evidence to charge him' and he was released, being deported to Jamaica nine months later after he was found to have been in the UK illegally. Meanwhile, his victim, who was living with the virus and taking pills to control her condition, asked authorities to reopen the case. Together with medical experts, police worked to identify a 'number of genetic links between the strain of HIV that the victim had been diagnosed with and that of the offender'. When these were established, police were able to issue a charge of grievous bodily harm against Scott in February 2020 and he was extradited to the UK in 2022. In post-sentencing remarks, Detective Sergeant Emma Myers said the victim would 'live the rest of her life forever marred by the actions of Scott'. She said: 'It has taken more than 12 years to reach this point, and having supported the victim throughout the investigation, I have seen first-hand the pain and suffering that she has endured, both physically and psychologically. 'Scott's actions have also affected her relationships with others and she no longer trusts men. 'While no sentence will ever be enough, I do hope that the fact that Scott is now behind bars and has been held accountable will provide her with some closure.' Vietnamese nationals smuggled into Britain from France by a mother and son duo as they pretended to be on a day trip to Paris would have been trafficked and put to work by gangs once they arrived in the UK, a judge said today. James Liddiard, 30, and his mother Andrea Cavanagh, 52, were among six people-traffickers from Merseyside caught attempting to transport stowaways within the space of a week. Canterbury Crown Court heard that the smugglers 'worked in pairs', with the first such journey being detected on December 9, 2018. On this occasion, two hidden Vietnamese passengers were discovered in the boot of a car being driven by Charli White, with then 17-year-old companion Erin Burns 'acting as a decoy' next to her in the front. Then, on December 13, Liddiard was stopped while driving with his mum Andrea Cavanagh with a further two concealed migrants. The same day, Louisa Harrison and David Finn were caught transporting three stowaways locked in the trunk. UK Border Control stopped a total of four vehicles at Coquelles between December 8 and 13, 2018. Checks showed that each had booked short-notice trips to France which would allow them visits of less than 24 hours. These cars had one front-seat passenger alongside the driver, but a total of 11 'undocumented' Vietnamese men and women were also found hidden in the boots. They were subsequently 'served illegal entry papers and presented to the French authorities'. When arrested, the occupants of the vehicles 'expressed surprise that anyone was in the boot of their respective cars' and 'denied any involvement with assisting illegal entry to the UK'. Investigations found that 'expenditure for the trips was inconsistent with their financial situation', with all the suspects having been unemployed at the time. Sentencing, Judge Mark Weekes told the court: 'I consider it inevitable they would have been exploited and trafficked once in this country, and all of you played your part.' Andrea Cavanagh, 52, and her son James Liddiard, 30, were two of six people traffickers from Merseyside caught trying to smuggle people (pictured) into the UK from France in the space of a week Charli White, 33, Louisa Harrison, 44, David Finn (right), 36, and Erin Burns, 22, all admitted facilitating unlawful immigration alongside Cavanagh and Liddiard (left). Charli White, also known as Maddock, 33, Louisa Harrison, 44, David Finn, 36, and Erin Burns, 22, all admitted facilitating unlawful immigration alongside Cavanagh and Liddiard. Liddiard was jailed for two years, while Finn was handed 22 months. White received a two-year term suspended for two years and a six-month electronically-monitored curfew from 7pm to 7am. Cavanagh and Harrison each received 22 months suspended for two years and six-month curfews from 8pm to 8am. Burns was given a 15-month sentence suspended for two years and a six-month, 7pm to 8am, curfew. Several pleaded guilty as long ago as August 2019, with delays in the case through the court system being cited among reasons that some were allowed to walk free. All six defendants and their counsel appeared via video link yesterday afternoon. Liddiard, of Huyton, was said to have 'agreed to do it because he owed money'. Zoe Chapman, defending, told the court her client was 'taking drugs every day' at the time. The illegal immigrants (pictured) were 'served illegal entry papers and presented to the French authorities' The 30-year-old's conviction was said to have been a 'catalyst for change' in his life, including tackling his substance abuse issues. Finn, of Walton, was described as having a 'lengthy and unattractive' criminal record. Daniel Robinson, appearing for him, said Finn was 'heavily in debt' due to a cannabis addiction and was 'offered an opportunity to earn a small sum of money'. Mother-of-five White, from Fleetwood, moved to Liverpool 'due to being a victim of domestic violence' but has since returned to Lancashire. Cavanagh, of Huyton, was described by her counsel Oliver Saddington as 'in poor health'. The 52-year-old suffers from fibromyalgia and used a wheelchair in court. She was said to have 'believed the intention was to visit the French capital'. Harrison, of Waterloo, was described as 'in significant debt' and 'believed she was going to get cigarettes and alcohol' from France before discovering the true nature of her trip shortly before leaving England. Ms Chapman said in her submissions that the former carer has otherwise lived a 'commendable life' with no past convictions. Burns, who was 17 at the time of her offending, of Toxteth, has no previous convictions. Canterbury Crown Court heard on Tuesday that the smugglers 'worked in pairs', with the first such illicit journey being detected on December 9, 2018. Two hidden Vietnamese passengers were discovered in the boot of a car being driven by Charli White, with her companion Burns 'acting as a decoy' in the front. Then on December 13, Liddiard was stopped while driving with his mother Cavanagh with a further two migrants. The same day, Louisa Harrison and David Finn were caught transporting three stowaways locked in the trunk. When arrested, the occupants of the vehicles 'expressed surprise that anyone was in the boot of their respective cars' and 'denied any involvement with assisting illegal entry to the UK' The Home Office said Border Control stopped four vehicles at Coquelles, near Calais, between December 8 and 13 2018. Checks showed each had booked short-notice trips to France that would allow them visits of less than 24 hours. These cars had one front-seat passenger but 11 'undocumented' Vietnamese men and women were also found hidden in the vehicles' boots. They were 'served illegal entry papers and presented to the French authorities'. When arrested, the vehicle occupants 'expressed surprise that anyone was in the boot of their respective cars' and 'denied any involvement with assisting illegal entry to the UK'. Investigations found that 'expenditure for the trips was inconsistent with their financial situation', with all suspects having been unemployed at the time. The Home Office said Border Control stopped four vehicles at Coquelles, near Calais, between December 8 and 13, 2018 The probe also used the services of a specialist mechanical engineer to show it 'would have been obvious to the drivers' that people were in the boot, due to factors including a change in handling. Meanwhile, one was clocked by a speed camera travelling over the limit back to Coquelles, with the captured image identifying the motorist and showing a Vietnamese man in the back seat. Sentencing, Judge Mark Weekes said: 'This was obviously done for profit and part of carefully organised criminality. 'These type of offences create an inherent risk to the safety of the UK's borders and undermine public confidence in the immigration authorities. 'Once in the country, the authorities are unlikely to know of a person's existence - undocumented, with all the problems that may concern. 'I consider it inevitable they would have been exploited and trafficked once in this country, and all of you played your part.' Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick said following the sentencing: 'This brazen attempt to cram illegal migrants into an incredibly tight space and smuggle them over our border is unacceptable, and we will not stand for it. 'These sentences show that we are bringing to justice these gangs, who put profit before lives by smuggling vulnerable people into the country so dangerously.' A lawyer who took her neighbour to court over his barn conversion plans amid fears the work would disturb her 'forever home' and horse riding has lost her case. Zoe Bucknell had clashed with game-shooting beef farmer Mark Stoneham over his plans to convert his storage building next door to her farmhouse in Kent into two homes - and use her drive as access for heavy construction traffic. Mrs Bucknell, a keen horse rider with her own stables, said 'noise disturbance, vibration [and] fumes' from traffic on the 55-metre driveway past her 'quiet and secluded forever home' posed a threat not just to her peace but to the fabric of the driveway and of her home itself. Mr Stoneham's company had a right of way over Mrs Bucknell's drive, granted 'for all time and for all purposes' to Mr Stoneham's father and uncle in 1972. In 2021 she obtained an interim injunction banning construction vehicles from using the drive - but Mr Stoneham pressed ahead with the work - so the lawyer sued him. But High Court judge Paul Matthews has thrown out her bid to ban the extra traffic, saying she 'is not automatically entitled to the maintenance of the same rural peace and quiet' that she enjoyed when she bought the 1.3million farmhouse in 2014. The lawyer said her enjoyment of horse riding will be 'adversely affected' because of 'increased traffic' and claimed vibrations from building trucks could be damaging the foundations of her Grade-II listed home, Holywell Farmhouse, near Sevenoaks Mark Stoneham outside High Court after hearing in barn conversion dispute, which he won Mrs Bucknell, a keen horse rider with her own stables at home, said 'noise disturbance, vibration [and] fumes' from traffic passing up the 55-yard driveway past her house to the construction site poses 'a threat' not just to her peace but to the fabric of the driveway itself Mrs Bucknell claimed her enjoyment of horse riding would be 'adversely affected' because of more traffic from the new houses when they were completed and that vibrations from building trucks could damage the foundations of her Grade-II listed home, Holywell Farmhouse, near Sevenoaks. The High Court heard that Mrs Bucknell and her family moved into Holywell Farmhouse in 2014, while Mr Stoneham's company bought the next-door yard and barns from his family, with plans to develop them, in 2020. Mr Stoneham now breeds pedigree shorthorn beef cattle on an 800-acre estate in Oxfordshire and describes himself as 'a keen game shot' but grew up on the family farm in Kent. Zoe Bucknell (right, on her wedding day) was fighting game-shooting pedigree beef farmer Mark Stoneham's plans to convert a barn into two houses next door to her 1.3million farmhouse Mr Stoneham (pictured with his wife Hayley) who has a right of way over the drive, pressed ahead with the conversion despite the lawyer's objections Nicholas Isaac KC, for Mr Stoneham's company Alchemy Estates (Holywell) Ltd, told Judge Matthews a right of way over Mrs Bucknell's drive to the barns was granted 'for all time and for all purposes' to Mr Stoneham's father and uncle in 1972 and he wanted to use that right to complete the build and provide access to the new houses. But Richard Clegg, for Mrs Bucknell, told the judge this would be 'wrongful use' of the right of way over her driveway, and would put her 'forever home' in 'jeopardy'. In 2021 she went to court and obtained an interim injunction banning construction vehicles from using the driveway to access the barn conversion site. But Mr Stoneham pressed ahead with the barn conversion despite the lawyer's objections, making an alternative access track to the site over fields. Mrs Bucknell then sued at the High Court, seeking a permanent injunction to ban building traffic from her driveway and stop anyone living in the two houses from using it, as well as forcing the farmer to pay her damages. The disputed driveway at Holywell Farmhouse in Kent which belongs to Zoe Bucknell But Mr Stoneham fought the claim, insisting the lawyer was 'catastrophising' the situation. The High Court judge said: 'Demolition and construction are facts of everyday life, and there must be give and take in relation to them. 'It is clear from the evidence of the traffic management experts that the additional use imposed on the driveway by the habitation of two houses built on the yard would be very small in comparison with the existing use. 'There is no evidence that any damage would be caused to the (driveway) surface by the increase in traffic movements as a result of two extra houses being inhabited. 'Use by the occupants of two houses on the yard would, in my judgment, not interfere unreasonably with use by others having the like right, nor with the enjoyment by the claimant of her land. 'I do not consider that it would amount to excessive use or that it would cause an actionable nuisance, even in the locality as it was in 2014, or indeed 1972. 'The claimant is not automatically entitled to the maintenance of the same rural peace and quiet that she enjoyed when she bought in 2014. 'A grant of a right of way is not to be restricted to access to the land merely for such purposes as were reasonably required at the date of the grant,' the judge concluded. The ruling means that the construction can be completed using the driveway as access and the occupants of the new houses can also use the drive. A tech mogul who helped create Android and Cash App, has been stabbed to death in San Francisco. Bob Lee, 43, was attacked in the city's plush downtown residential Rincon Hill neighborhood at 2.35am on Tuesday. Police were called to the 300 block of Main Street near the entrance of a high-rise close to the waterfront and found the dad-of-two suffering from multiple stab wounds. Friends told the San Francisco Standard that he had been visiting the area for business and decided to stay an extra day when he was stabbed. Twitter and Tesla CEO Elon Musk also commented on the horrific incident, asking the San Francisco DA what she is doing to 'incarcerate repeated violent offenders'. He said: 'Very sorry to hear that. Many people I know have been severely assaulted. Violent crime in SF is horrific and even if attackers are caught, they are often released immediately. Tech executive and investor Bob Lee, who helped create Android and Cash App, was stabbed to death in San Francisco on Tuesday night Police were called to the 300 block of Main Street near the entrance of a high-rise and found the dad-of-two suffering from multiple stab wounds 'Is the city taking stronger action to incarcerate repeat violent offenders Brooke Jenkins?' Former MMA fighter Jake Shields remembered the tech executive as a "loyal friend', with Musk responding to his Tweet. Shields claimed that Lee was 'targeted' in a 'random mugging and attack' despite being in a 'good ' part of the city. The tech mogul had been living in a $1.8million apartment in Miami, while his wife Krista appears to still be living in San Francisco. Authorities confirmed that he was rushed to hospital but died from his injuries in the early hours. Officials have yet to make an arrest, and San Francisco Police have not released any details of a suspect. In a statement, they said: 'Officers rendered aid and summoned medics to the scene. The victim was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries,' police said in a statement. 'Despite efforts by first responders and medical personnel, the victim succumbed to his injuries.' Twitter and Tesla CEO Elon Musk also commented on the horrific incident, asking the San Francisco DA what she is doing to 'incarcerate repeated violent offenders' Bob, pictured with his wife Krista and two daughters, had decided to stay an extra day in San Francisco on a business trip Other friends claim that Lee was 'targeted' in a 'random mugging and attack' despite being in a 'good ' part of the city Officials have yet to make an arrest, and San Francisco Police have not released any details of a suspect Lee, who was dubbed 'Crazy Bob' by friends, was an active investor in numerous companies, such as SpaceX, Clubhouse and Figma. Heartbroken friends and colleagues paid tribute to the tech executive, with Joshua Goldbard saying: 'My heart is broken tonight'. He added: 'Bob was a force of nature. Helped to birth Android and CashApp into our world. 'Moby was his dream: a privacy-protecting wallet for the 21st Century. I will miss him every day.' Bill Barhydt added: 'Bob was a dad, the former CTO of Square where he created Cash App & CTO of Mobile Coin. 'He was a generous decent human being who didn't deserve to be killed.' Co-Founder of Twitter Jack Dorsey said: 'It's real. Getting calls. Heartbreaking. Bob was instrumental to Square and Cash App. STL guy.' The founder of cryptocurrency and payments firm MobileCoin had worked with Lee for two years, where he served as chief product officer since November 2021. Lee had formerly been chief technology officer at Square - which has recently renamed itself to Block - when it had developed and launched Square Cash in 2013. Heartbroken friends and colleagues paid tribute to the tech executive, with Joshua Goldbard saying: 'My heart is broken tonight' Lee, who was dubbed 'Crazy Bob' by friends, was an active investor in numerous companies, such as SpaceX, Clubhouse and Figma Authorities confirmed that he was rushed to hospital but died from his injuries in the early hours Since that time, the brand has grown into Cash App, with tens of millions of users in the US and the UK. Prior to that, Lee had worked as a software engineer at Google from 2004 to 2010, where he helped design the core library for Android. So far this year in the city there have been 39 murders, which is up two from this time last year as an increase in crime is leaving residents worried. Democrat Mayor London Breed said in February she is requesting nearly $30 million in additional funding for the city's police force. The San Francisco Police Department has encountered rising overtime costs for current officers as the force is experiencing a shortage of workers. Between 2021 and 2022, the department saw a 121 percent increase in total overtime, according to KPIX. SFPD officials have also been making targeted attempts to address crime in certain pockets in the city which are prone to incidents. The San Francisco Police Department is currently experiencing a shortage of 541 officers. Police are urging anyone with information to come forward by calling the SFPD tip-line 415-575-4444. Local authorities could be paid up to 3,500 per person to accept migrant barges in ports as ministers try to see off a wave of opposition to docking the boats off the coast. Portland in Dorset is expected to be confirmed as the first location for one of the flat-bottomed accommodation craft as the Government tries to cut its astronomical asylum seeker hotel bill. But the scheme, which would also see them housed on former military bases, is facing a major fightback from Tory MPs and councils who do not want the vessels in their back yards. South Dorset MP Richard Drax and other critics are threatening legal action against the plan to anchor the Bibby Stockholm, which can house 500 people, in Portland Harbour. The harbour is a stop-off for international cruise ships close to the Jurassic Coast Unesco World Heritage Site. The money would be paid to the local council to cover the cost of providing services to those aboard the vessel, to avoid the taxpayer having to stump up, the Telegraph reported. Tory MP for South Dorset Richard Drax told The Times: 'We are looking at all legal routes. We will look at any way we can stop this.' Portland Harbour is a stop-off for international cruise ships close to the Jurassic Coast Unesco World Heritage Site. The Bibby Stockholm costs around 4,500 a day to run, plus a 15,000 daily chartering fee from owner Bibby Marine. Further costs would include utilities, catering, and healthcare utilities, it has been reported. The barge was recently refurbished after an inspection by a regulator, which described it as an 'aggressive and oppressive environment' after being used by the Dutch government to house asylum seekers a few years ago. The barge can house 506 people and has 222 en-suite bedrooms. It also has a restaurant, a TV and games room, a gym as well as a furnished bar. The Home Office is seeking ways to cut the 6million-a-day it is paying to house more than 50,000 migrants in hotels. The border watchdog today warned ministers to seize the 'opportunities' the new plan presents to reform immigration accommodation and avoid chaos at transit camps in Kent last year. Writing in the Telegraph David Neal, the independent chief inspector of immigration and borders, said: 'While the Government is keen to emphasise that provision for asylum seekers at the new ex-military sites will ''meet their essential living needs and nothing more'', the new facilities offer an opportunity, if the Home Office will take it, to provide more appropriate housing and support to residents than was available to them in hotels, while providing the taxpayer with much better value for money. 'The cost of hotel accommodation frequently and rightly described as ''eye-watering'' is clearly unsustainable, but it must also be acknowledged that hotels have been entirely unsuitable places for asylum seekers to reside in for extended periods of time. 'All too often, placement in hotels has left vulnerable people isolated, with limited access to the local services and support they need. 'Dedicated asylum accommodation facilities may or may not be the best alternative, but they do at least offer the potential for an increased concentration of resources, with access to medical care, catering, cleaning services, transport, opportunities for purposeful activity and legal advice all in one place. 'The Home Office needs to plan carefully for the provision of these services and to make sure they are accessible at the new sites from day one. Close liaison between the Home Office and the community, local authorities, health services, police, contractors and sub-contractors will be necessary if migrants are to be housed appropriately at the facilities now being developed.' One punter said he had 'finished the whole thing' A serving of hot chips smothered with melted gummy bears and sprinkles has horrified punters at Sydney's Royal Easter Show. The bizarre 'Gummy Bear Loaded Fries' received a mixed response online with most agreeing the snack was 'downright disgusting'. However, one man who tried the wacky chips told Daily Mail Australia he enjoyed contrasting textures and 'finished the whole thing'. Bruno Bouchet, who manages KIIS 106.5 radio host Kyle Sandilands, encouraged punters attending the Easter Show this month to give it a go. A serving of hot chips smothered with melted gummy bears and sprinkles (pictured) has horrified punters at Sydney's Royal Easter Show Bruno Bouchet, who manages KIIS 106.5 radio host Kyle Sandilands, encouraged punters attending the Easter Show this month to give them a try Poll Would you try the Gummy Bear Loaded Fries? I'm curious No way Would you try the Gummy Bear Loaded Fries? I'm curious 11 votes No way 46 votes Now share your opinion 'I tried it I finished the whole thing. It's definitely worth a try because there are a lot of different textures and tastes coming together in one mouthful,' he said. 'The sweetness and sloppiness of the melted gummies work well with the saltiness and greasiness of the chips. 'The hundreds and thousands sprinkled on top of it all provides a bit of crunchiness which adds a heartier texture to the dish. I think it's 100 per cent worth trying.' However, others weren't so convinced. 'And we make fun of Americans for their food,' one wrote. 'Ok, I love novelty food as much as the next girl. But nah, that's gross,' a second said. 'That, is a bloody disgrace and an absolute outrage,' a third agreed. One man who tried the wacky chips told Daily Mail Australia he had enjoyed contrasting textures and 'finished the whole thing' (pictured, punters at the 2021 Easter Show) 'I can understand, and even appreciate, the sweet/savoury combo, but this is so gross,' a fourth commented. The Easter Show will begin on Thursday and run for 11 days from April 6 to April 23. Other bizarre culinary treats on offer at the show include colourful Dagwood dogs and and the Elvis burger - which consists of slab of fried chicken between two Krispy Kreme donuts. Ride operators at the iconic show will be banned from playing rap music as strict new rules come into force at the annual event. NSW Police will crackdown on anti-social behaviour following the fatal stabbing of carnival worker Uati 'Pele' Faletolu, 17, at Sydney Showground in 2022. The Easter Show will begin on Thursday and run for 11 days from April 6 to April 23 Dangerous teenagers and young adults linked to postcode wars will be stopped at the front gates while guests showing anti-social behaviour will be escorted out. The carnival will close at 9.30pm every night, more police will patrol the grounds, while lighting will be increased. NSW Police are already prepared to stop a list of dangerous teenagers and individuals from setting foot in the show. They have issued Public Safety Orders which allow them to target individuals and ban them from attending a specific event. The blacklisted individuals are linked to Sydney's postcode wars, a form of violent rivalry between members of different suburbs across the city. King Charles' official coronation ceremony will take place on Saturday, 6 May, 2023 at Westminster Abbey. Having ascended to the throne after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, Charles will be officially crowned as King of the United Kingdom. His coronation ceremony falls in the middle of a Bank Holiday weekend, allowing people an extra day to mark the occasion on Monday, 8 May, 2023. So, who is on the guest list for King Charles' coronation ceremony? Will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle be there? Read on for more as MailOnline reveals which royals and foreign dignitaries could make the cut. Charles and Camilla, pictured together in Buckingham Palace before the coronation ceremony Which royals will attend the coronation? With Charles now the reigning monarch, Prince William is now heir to the throne. As a result, he and Princess Catherine are set to play an important part in the ceremony. Prince George has been handed a notable role in the ceremony, as one of Charles' four Pages of Honour. George will be required to carry the King's robes alongside three other Pages of Honour - schoolboys Lord Oliver Cholmondeley, 13, Nicholas Barclay, 13, and Ralph Tollemache, 12. All three are sons of His Majesty's friends. Because she is being crowned as Queen, Camilla has made her three grandsons - twins Gus and Louis Lopes, 13, and Freddy Parker Bowles, 12, as well as her great-nephew, Arthur Elliot, 11 - Pages of Honour. The Duchess of York also revealed that she had not yet received an invitation to attend the coronation. 'I'm travelling at the moment, so maybe it [invitation] has gone to another place,' she said, per The Telegraph. Will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend the coronation? There has been intense speculation surrounding the potential attendance of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at King Charles' coronation. The couple's need to make money from media deals 'linked to their royal status' has reportedly angered the Royal Family. Furthermore, the release of Spare and the airing of Harry & Meghan have laid bare the grievances the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have with other members of the Royal Family. In a recent television interview to promote his book, Harry refused to confirm whether he and Meghan would attend the Coronation. He has since confirmed that the pair have been invited. Which MPs are going to the coronation? After initial plans to invite just 20 MPs provoked outrage in Westminster, those numbers have more than doubled, according to reports. Additional spots will be reserved for former prime ministers, Cabinet ministers and a select number of Privy Council members. 400 extra tickets have been created for MPs, as they will be allowed to stand in a cordoned-off area in Parliament Square. Another event will give more MPs the chance to meet the King, in the form of a special reception in Westminster Hall. This will take place on Tuesday, 2 May, 2023 with the King in attendance. Can I go to the coronation? Members of the public will not be allowed into Westminster Abbey to witness the coronation ceremony. However, people will be allowed to line the streets as part of a procession through London to mark the event. There will also be street parties as well as a coronation concert to commemorate the occasion, which will be held at Windsor Castle on Sunday, 7 May, 2023. Monday, 8 May, 2023, has been designated as a Bank Holiday as part of the celebrations. Pictured: The official invitation to the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla Which other royal families are attending? Heads of state and representatives from a number of key British allies and Commonwealth nations are expected to be part of the guest list for the coronation. Heads of state from Ireland, France, Spain, Belgium, Japan, Hungary and Monaco will be at the coronation. All three presidents of the European Union Ursula von der Leyen, Roberta Metsola and Charles Michel will attend. Andrzej Duda, the current president of Poland, was the first head of state to be confirmed as attending the event. Will Camilla be crowned Queen? The potential naming of Camilla as Queen was avoided by Buckingham Palace for many years, during Charles' period as heir to the throne. In what is a break from tradition, Charles' wife Camilla will be crowned as Queen during the ceremony. This means plans for her to be referred to as Camilla, Queen consort, have been scrapped. Will Joe Biden be there? Current US President Joe Biden will not be attending the event, in line with previous American policy to skip such occasions. Dwight D. Eisenhower - who was serving as US President at the time of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953 - did not attend the event, but a US delegation was sent. In similar fashion, current First Lady Jill Biden will attend the event in place of her husband. A Christian youth festival founder honoured with an MBE and an award by the Archbishop of Canterbury has stepped back from the Church of England amid claims he took part in 'inappropriate massages'. Ministry bosses said they are investigating the 'safeguarding' complaints made against the Rev Canon Mike Pilavachi, who established the Soul Survivor series of summer festivals. The move was confirmed in a statement on Sunday, which was read to a congregation in Watford, where he is senior pastor. The allegations relate to 'non-recent' matters and there is no suggestion that the situation was subject to a 'criminal investigation' or a 'clergy disciplinary matter'. Ministry bosses said they are investigating the 'safeguarding' complaints made against the Rev Canon Mike Pilavachi, who established the Soul Survivor series of summer festivals However, Rev Canon Pilavachi is understood to have had 'inappropriate intimate relationships' with young people linked to the Soul61 scheme - a Christian gap year project which trains young adults as disciples. The 65-year-old was made an MBE for services to young people in 2019 and is best known for hosting the Soul Survivor festival, which ran for more than a quarter of a century from 1993, with around 30,000 teenagers attending each summer. Then the following year he was given an award by Archbishop Justin Welby at Lambeth Palace for 'his outstanding contribution to evangelism and discipleship amongst young people in the United Kingdom'. Rev Canon Pilavachi is understood to have had 'inappropriate intimate relationships' with young people linked to the Soul61 scheme - a Christian gap year project which trains young adults as disciples The statement read to his congregation, and seen by the Telegraph, confirmed that 'non-recent safeguarding concerns relating to Mike Pilavachi have been reported to the national Church' and that the claims were being looked into according to the CofE's House of Bishops guidelines. The statement added: 'It was mutually agreed with Mike that he would step back from all ministry, while this investigation is carried out. We would like to stress that the police are not involved; this is not a criminal investigation and Mike has not been suspended. 'It is also not currently a clergy disciplinary matter. 'We cannot say any more while this process is carried out, though we can assure you that support is being offered to all those involved.' Rev Canon Pilavachi has been approached for comment. Advertisement Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell are at the centre of a massive police investigation into missing donations given to the SNP to fund its independence drive. Police officers, including forensics experts and others with riot shields are going through the family home in Glasgow and the nationalist party's Edinburgh headquarters after arresting Mr Murrell, 58, early this morning. He was held by detectives investigating what happened to more than half a million pounds donated to the SNP to pay for a second independence referendum campaign that never materialised. The extraordinary scenes that have left Scottish politics in a state of turmoil come just a week after Ms Sturgeon handed over power to Humza Yousaf. This morning he was forced this morning to defend her surprise departure as SNP leader and First Minister, insisting it was noting to do with the police investigation. But political opponents demanded answers. Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: 'We need Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon to urgently state what they knew and when.' Scottish Conservative shadow constitution secretary Donald Cameron added: 'Senior SNP politicians, including Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf, must cooperate fully with the investigation into this very serious case and commit to openness and transparency.' The ex-leader faced questions in the weeks before she stepped down over a 107,000 loan from her husband to the SNP, of which he was chief executive during her time in office There was a heavy police presence outside the modest Glasgow home Ms Sturgeon shares with Peter Murrell, 58, this morning, including police vans and a forensics tent Police with riot shields outside Ms Sturgeon's home in Glasgow Ms Sturgeon faced questions in the weeks before she stepped down over a 107,000 loan from her husband to the SNP, of which he was chief executive during her time in office Her decision to quit last month took Scottish politics by surprise, with the SNP ahead in the polls Weeks earlier she had used an interview to say she had 'plenty' in the tank Further officers were seen at the SNP's headquarters in Edinburgh Ms Sturgeon and Mr Murrell married in 2010. Challenged over the loan, the former FM said she 'can't recall' when she first discovered he had given money Mr Yousaf this morning denied that the arrest was the reason behind Ms Sturgeon's resignation Why is the SNP under investigation? The SNP is being investigated over donations of more than 600,000 it received between 2017 and 2020 to bankroll a new attempt to split the United Kingdom. Questions have been raised over what happened to that money after Boris Johnson, as prime minister, blocked the new vote. SNP accounts showed it had less than 100,000 in the bank at the end of 2019, plus assets of 272,000. An investigation was launched in July 2021 after complaints were received. Detectives are looking at claims that the cash was diverted elsewhere. Mr Murrell was the party's chief executive from 1999 until he resigned in the middle of the leadership election to replace his wife last month. In May 2021 MP Douglas Chapman resigned from his role as the party's treasurer, saying he had not been given enough information to do his job. Joanna Cherry, a vocal internal critic of the party's leadership, also resigned from her role on the national executive committee (NEC). Mr Murrell and Ms Sturgeon have faced questions over an interest-free loan he made to the party. Mr Murrell gave 107,620 to the party to 'assist with cashflow' on June 20, 2021, Electoral Commission documents revealed in December. Advertisement Ms Sturgeon's decision to quit last month took Scottish politics by surprise, with the SNP ahead in the polls. Weeks earlier she had used an interview to say she had 'plenty in the tank'. Mr Yousaf this morning denied that the arrest was the reason behind Ms Sturgeon's resignation. 'Nicola's legacy stands on its own,' he said. 'Nicola's legacy, whether it's in relation to care-experienced young people and keeping The Promise, whether it's on tackling child poverty, there are many legacies she can stand on, and I think that's what she'll be judged on.' He continued: 'I believe her very much when she says how exhausted she was. 'I think anybody who watched her over the course of the pandemic during those daily briefings, day after day, I think anybody could understand how exhausting that is. 'So, no, I don't think this is the reason why Nicola Sturgeon stood down.' He said the party's national executive committee had agreed to a review of governance and transparency. Asked if the arrest would hurt the SNP in the polls or at a potential by-election, he said: 'It certainly doesn't do us any good. 'People will have questions, there will be some concerns. Our party membership will have concerns too. 'What I can commit to as party leader is that we want to be absolutely transparent.' When she announced her resignation, Ms Sturgeon said: 'Part of serving well is to know when the time is right to make way for someone else, and when the time comes to have the courage to do so. 'In my head and in my heart I know that time is now, that it is right for me, my party and the country.' Ms Sturgeon insisted her decision came from duty and was not linked to 'short-term' issues. She said she had been wrestling with whether 'carrying on' was right for her and Scotland. Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: 'We need Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon to urgently state what they knew and when' According to a new Redfield & Wilton Strategies poll, conducted at the end of Humza Yousaf's first week as leader, the SNP would be backed by 36% of Scottish voters at a general election Mr Yousaf (pictured playing indoor tennis during a visit to a school holiday club in Ayr) has been warned he is facing what has been dubbed a 'unionist pincer movement' that could hammer his party at the next general election Scotland and the SNP's former power couple Until the former first minister's resignation, Nicola Sturgon and Peter Murrell were Scotland's premier political power couple. The Scottish National Party's former chief executive, 58, stood down from the role during the recent leadership campaign. Mr Murrell had been at the helm of the party since 1999, when he took over from the first holder of the role, Michael Russell. The party official had previously worked in the Banff and Buchan constituency office of the former SNP leader, Alex Salmond. The couple met through their work with the SNP in the late 1980s, and were first announced to be in a relationship in early 2003. They married in 2010 in Glasgow, while Ms Sturgeon was deputy leader of the party and serving as the Scottish Government's health secretary. During Mr Murrell's 20-year stint at the helm of the party, Ms Sturgeon - who is six years his junior - rose through the ranks after first being elected to the Scottish Parliament in 1999. She unsuccessfully stood for leader in 2004, before agreeing to a joint ticket with Mr Salmond, standing as his deputy. The SNP won power as a minority government in 2007, often attributed to Mr Murrell's organisational skills, and made huge electoral gains in the 2011 election. After Mr Salmond's resignation in 2014 following the result of the independence referendum, Ms Sturgeon was elected unopposed as successor. Questions were raised at the time about the close working and personal relationship between husband and wife, but they insisted there was a strict division of power within the party's governance. Advertisement In a statement this morning, Police Scotland said: 'A 58-year-old man has today, Wednesday, 5 April 2023, been arrested as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party. 'The man is in custody and is being questioned by Police Scotland detectives. 'Officers are also carrying out searches at a number of addresses as part of the investigation. 'A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.' The SNP released a statement this morning, saying: 'Clearly it would not be appropriate to comment on any live police investigation but the SNP have been co-operating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so. 'At its meeting on Saturday, the governing body of the SNP, the NEC, agreed to a review of governance and transparency that will be taken forward in the coming weeks.' Mr Murrell gave an interest-free loan of 107,620 to the party to 'assist with cashflow' on June 20, 2021, Electoral Commission documents show. A day earlier, the SNP's national executive committee (NEC) held a meeting, after which treasurer Colin Beattie issued a statement reassuring members that a 600,000 ring-fenced fund would be spent on campaigning for independence. An investigation was launched in July 2021 after complaints were received. Detectives are looking at claims that cash earmarked for campaigning for a second independence referendum had been diverted. In January, Police Scotland confirmed it had asked the Crown Office, the Scottish public prosecution service, for 'advice and direction' in the case. The SNP has since been reprimanded by the Electoral Commission for failing to properly declare the loan, having missed three deadlines required for transparency. The arrest is another headache for Ms Sturgeon's successor. The SNP's poll lead in Scotland has been cut to just five points amid a warning Mr Yousaf faces a 'unionist pincer movement' that could hammer his party at the next general election. According to a new Redfield & Wilton Strategies survey, conducted at the end of his first week as First Minister, the SNP would be backed by 36 per cent of Scottish voters at a general election. This is a fall of three percentage points from the pollster's previous survey at the beginning of last month, while Labour has risen two points to 31 per cent. The Scottish Tories are third on 19 per cent, a three-point fall from the beginning of last month. The results of the poll will boost the hopes of unionist parties that they could soon end the SNP's dominance of Scottish elections, amid reports of deal-making between anti-independence parties. It is claimed the Scottish Tories, led by Douglas Ross, 'won't bust a gut' in Westminster constituencies where Labour are the nearest challengers to the SNP. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern bowed out of parliament on Wednesday, making an impassioned plea during her tearful final speech to 'please take the politics out of climate change'. Ardern shocked New Zealand earlier this year when she announced she was stepping down as Prime Minister and retiring from politics, saying she no longer had 'enough in the tank'. Draped in a korowai - a traditional Maori feather cloak - Ardern recalled her humble beginnings in a working class family, and how she never expected to lead the country. 'It was a cross between a sense of duty to steer a moving freight train... and being hit by one,' she quipped during her valedictory address. And that's probably because my internal reluctance to lead was matched only by a huge sense of responsibility.' Ardern steered New Zealand through natural disasters, the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2019 Christchurch mosque massacre - in which a white supremacist gunman killed 51 Muslim worshippers. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern bowed out of parliament on Wednesday, making an impassioned plea during her tearful final speech to 'please take the politics out of climate change'. Pictured: Ardern is seen on Wednesday wearing a a traditional Maori feather cloak while delivering her final speech to parliament But she singled out the climate crisis as the defining issue of her time in politics. 'Climate change is a crisis. It is upon us,' she said. 'And so one of the very few things I will ask of this house on my departure is that you please take the politics out of climate change.' The 42-year-old, once the youngest woman leader in the world, choked up at several points during the speech, which she started and finished in the Maori language. Her voice was thick with emotion as she recalled the pain caused by the Christchurch attack, which she said had left her 'bereft'. 'Having sadly seen our nation in horrific moments of grief, I've concluded that countries don't move on from tragedy, rather they become part of your psyche,' she said. Ardern ended her speech by saying she hoped she had shown that being tough and ruthless were not the only hallmarks of good leadership. 'I cannot determine what will define my time in this place,' she said. 'But I do hope I've demonstrated something else entirely - that you can be anxious, sensitive, kind and wear your heart on your sleeve.' Ardern left the debating chamber to thunderous applause and a standing ovation, before colleagues and opponents alike broke out into a series of Maori folk songs. She will now devote herself to stamping out online extremism as part of the Christchurch Call project, which she set up as prime minister in the wake of the mosque attack. French President Emmanuel Macron, who took part in the first Christchurch Call summit, said he was reassured to see Ardern continuing to 'fight terrorist and violent extremist content online'. Ardern will also become a trustee of Prince William's Earthshot Prize, which hunts for solutions to the planet's most urgent environmental challenges. Despite her glittering reputation on the international stage - she graced the cover of Time Magazine in 2020 - Ardern was far from universally adored at home. Ardern steered New Zealand through natural disasters, the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2019 Christchurch mosque massacre - in which a white supremacist gunman killed 51 Muslim worshippers. Pictured: Former New Zealand PM Jacinda Urden makes emotional final speech Jacinda Ardern, second left, is hugged by Finance Minister Grant Robertson after Ardern made her final speech to New Zealand's Parliament in Wellington, on Wednesday, April 5 She became a lightning rod for online abuse as her premiership wore on, and was regularly targeted in social media posts filled with violent and sexist language. A recent study by the University of Auckland found Ardern was targeted by 50 times more abuse online than any other high-profile figure in New Zealand. Earlier this year, a New Zealand man was sentenced to spend more than a year in prison after threatening to kill her. But Ardern has been reluctant to blame such attacks for her resignation, instead emphasising the desire to spend more time with her fiance, Clarke Gayford, and her young daughter, Neve. An 'Amazon for crime' online marketplace selling millions of sets of stolen personal information for 56p each has been blown open by UK and international investigators. A sting on the site which was called Genesis Market unfolded last night and saw raids on users across the globe. It was led by the FBI and Dutch police forces and 17 other countries, including the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA), which made 24 arrests in and around Grimsby. Around the world, about 120 people were arrested and more than 200 searches were carried out. Genesis had 80million sets of credentials available for sale and two million victims. They included online banking, Facebook, Amazon, PayPal and Netflix account information, as well as digital fingerprints with mobile device data. It could be exploited by criminals to bypass online security by pretending to be the victim. Today visitors to the site, which the NCA said had hundreds of UK users, were greeted with a page showing the FBI investigation name Operation Cookie Monster. Visitors to the Genesis marketplace today are greeted by this splash page after the takedown Click here to check if you have been hacked by the Genesis Market Advertisement Tens of thousands of British victims are feared to have been targeted by the site. It worked through a group of attackers that created a program which infected millions of users over the world to harvest their data. Those who wanted to use Genesis could only join by invite from an already established member. The referrals were offered for sale on some places on the net for around 25. The marketplace could be found using normal internet search engines, as well as on the dark web, and users were offered step-by-step guides on how to buy stolen details as well as how to use them for fraud. The site contained easy-to-follow instructions telling offenders how to masquerade as their victim, getting around banking systems that require biometric data. It even advised how to buy bitcoin to avoid law enforcement tracing transactions. Data on sale included account log-ins, passwords, cookies, search history and autofill form data enabling fraudsters to build up a detailed picture about their prey. Offenders were also able to infiltrate victims computers to install secret malware which notified them in real-time if their target changed their passwords. Armed with the information, fraudsters were able to empty bank accounts, indulge in mass spending sprees or steal valuable data to blackmail victims into handing over even more cash through ransomware. Chillingly, many criminals have also used the stolen digital fingerprints to obtain information about their prey such as the names of friends and family, relationships and work colleagues to target them for further offences such as investment or romance fraud. The site also provided gangs a one-stop shop for digital identities and a custom browser so they can mimic a victims device and drain their accounts in a few clicks. Prices started from 70 cents US (56p) and went up to several hundreds of dollars, depending on the type of information available. Operation was led by the FBI and Dutch police forces and 17 other countries, including the UK's National Crime Agency, who made 24 arrests in and around Grimsby Police and the NCA arresting a UK suspect in connection with the criminal Genesis Market site William Lyne, NCA senior manager for cyber intelligence, hailed the raids Have you been hacked by Genesis? - Visit Check Your Hack and input your email address to find out if your data has been compromised. - Signs of infection can include a slow running device that is rebooting by itself or pop-up boxes from programs you dont recognise that may ask you to do unexpected things. - If you suspect your PC, tablet or phone has been infected with a virus or malware, follow the NCSC guidance to remove the infection and restore your device. - Check your online accounts to see if there has been any unauthorised activity, such as attempted log-ins from strange locations, messages sent from your account or money transfers you dont recognise. - Ensure your computer and mobile devices always have the latest security updates installed where possible. - Apply updates as soon as they are available, do not ignore these prompts. Turn on automatic updates in your devices settings, if available. - Use three random words to create a strong password for each of your online accounts thats different to all your other passwords, to prevent criminals accessing your personal information. - Always use 2-step verification (2SV) where possible to protect your most important online accounts. It helps to keep criminals out of your online accounts, even if they know your passwords. - Use your browsers password manager to safely store passwords. Password managers are easy to use, hard to crack and will save you from having to memorise your passwords. Web browsers will offer you the opportunity to save your password when you log into an account. - If your data has been comprised or accessed by criminals on Genesis or if you have fallen victim to fraud or cyber crime more generally, report it any time to Action Fraud. - In Scotland, report it to Police Scotland by calling 101. If you are a victim of fraud, you should also report it to your bank. - If a law enforcement officer contacts you in relation to a suspected fraud, you can verify their identity by calling the police on 101 or the NCA Control Centre on 0370 496 7622. - If youve received a suspicious email, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk to help stop criminal activity and prevent others falling victim to scams. Advertisement William Lyne, head of cyber intelligence for the NCA, said: 'Genesis Market is one of the top criminal access marketplaces anywhere in the world. 'Genesis Market is an enormous enabler of fraud and a range of other criminal activity online by facilitating that initial access to victims, which is a critical part of the business model in a whole range of nefarious activity.' Software company Netacea had warned about the site two years ago and had even written a report about its dangers. It said: 'Although highly illegal, its operations are run in a professional and even user-friendly manner. 'The Genesis marketplace includes terms and conditions, an FAQ, frequently updated utility software, and even a support desk with ticket system for customer queries. 'This Aladdins Cave of criminally obtained data is growing at an alarming rate.' Rob Jones, director-general of the National Economic Crime Centre, said it was 'very, very easy' for anyone to access Genesis Market to commit crime. 'This is the problem for us in the online world - you don't need to know a criminal to start,' he said. 'So you can completely self-start and go looking for this and get everything you need to perpetrate a crime. 'And so that is why this is so damaging. You don't have to go and meet somebody, you don't have to go into a shadowy forum. 'You can get into it, pay your money, and then you've got the tools to commit a crime. 'And that's why it is so damaging, and it is very, very easy.' Businesses as well as individuals had their information sold on Genesis Market, which facilitated fraud; ransomware attacks where hackers block access to data and demand payment to release it; sim-swapping, where mobile phone numbers are hijacked; and the theft of source code from companies. NCA investigators have already set up spoof distributed denial-of-service sites, which bring down servers by flooding them with requests, to harvest the details of criminals. They may use similar tactics when it comes to fraud sites. Mr Jones said: 'Our approach to tackling the criminal marketplace is that cyber criminals won't know who they're interacting with and won't know for certain that they are dealing with a criminal. 'And that could be a site that a partner or the NCA has access to and we're getting their credentials.' He added: 'If you're a cyber criminal, you're not going to know whether we've got your credentials and whether you're going to get a knock on the door in the morning.' Members of the public can click here to find out if their credentials featured on Genesis. Her mother Ellie Smith said she will always feel 'anger' Cleo Smith's mother says she will always feel 'anger' towards her daughter's abductor after he was sentenced to 13 years and six months jail. Terence Darrell Kelly, 37, was sentenced in WA's District Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty last year to one count of forcibly taking a child under 16. Kelly kidnapped the four-year-old as she slept with her family at the Blowholes campsite, near Carnarvon, about 960km north of Perth, on October 16, 2021. She was held captive at his Carnarvon home for 18 days before it was raided by police. 'I think the anger always will be there,' Cleo's mother, Ellie Smith, told 60 Minutes shortly after Kelly's sentence was handed down. Cleo Smith's mother, Ellie Smith (pictured left with partner Jake Gliddon pictured centre), says she will always feel 'anger' towards her daughter's kidnapper after he was sentenced to 13 years and six months behind bars Four-year-old Cleo Smith (pictured) was kidnapped by Terence Kelly at a campsite, near Carnarvon, about 960km north of Perth, on October 16, 2021 However, she added that her and her partner Jake Gliddon 'also feel contentment he is behind bars'. 'And we do have a number to hold with us of how long he is away. 'But there is always going to be anger, always - how could there not be?' she added. Cleo's parents made a surprise appearance at the sentencing to watch on as justice was served. It was the first time the pair have been seen since they were interviewed by 60 Minutes last year. They were reportedly paid $2million for the world exclusive television interview. The couple left WA's District Court without saying a word to media. Cameras crews followed the couple as they left the courthouse after the emotional ordeal. Ms Smith, who wore a burgundy shirt, black pants and sunglasses, held onto her phone and water bottle as she paced to an awaiting car. Mr Gliddon followed closely behind wearing a light blue button-up shirt, black pants, shoes and sunglasses. The couple left WA's District Court without saying a word after Kelly's sentence was delivered Ms Smith, who wore a burgundy shirt, black pants and sunglasses, avoided eye contact as she left the courthouse While the pair opted to initially remain tight-lipped, WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch condemned the kidnapper and suggested the 13-year-sentence was not long enough. 'Early on in my career I spoke to a father of a victim of a serious crime. And he said to me, as a dad, a million years isn't enough and that's driven by emotion - and as a father I understand that,' he said. 'And I would expect that the community would never think that 13-and-a-half years is enough. 'But Judge (Julie) Wager had to weigh up many things, and there were many mitigating circumstances and I respect the court's decision.' He added that the investigation to track down and rescue Cleo was the 'gold standard' for an operation of this type. 'This is an evil crime. He committed a heinous crime. A parent's worse nightmare. As I said before, I'm Police Commissioner and I respect the rule of law, but as a father, that's something I could never forgive,' he said in a press conference. 'We don't want these crimes in Western Australia. This is a horrific crime, an evil crime.' Terence Darrell Kelly (pictured centre) was sentenced to 13-and-a-half years on Wednesday WA police commissioner Col Blanch (pictured) slammed Kelly's 'evil' crimes following sentencing while praising the tireless efforts of police to find Cleo Commissioner Blanch described the investigation as 'the greatest story in Western Australian policing history'. 'The importance of that investigation is what culminated today in bringing the offender of those evil crimes to justice'. He also delivered a personal message to Cleo: 'We owe you your privacy, we owe you to grow up and have your dreams come true. So from all of us, it's time we give you the space to do so.' Commissioner Blanch said he hadn't been in contact with Cleo's parents, Ellie and Jake, on Wednesday nor did he intend to any time soon. 'My concern for the family, today would have been a very emotional time, I think they've got enough to deal with as it is, it's been over 500 days since the incident, my time, and the police time, is to leave them alone.' Commissioner Blanch delivered a personal message to Cleo, saying, 'We owe you your privacy, we owe you to grow up and have your dreams come true. So from all of us, it's time we give you the space to do so' Kelly, who sat silently in the dock wearing a green shirt, will be eligible for parole after serving 11 years and six months in prison. His sentence will be backdated to his arrest in November 2021, and he had been looking at up to 20 years behind bars. Kelly will be 48 by the time he's eligible for parole in May 2032. Judge Wager described the fear, distress and trauma caused to Cleo and her parents as 'immeasurable'. 'Eighteen days without contact or explanation, and with hours totally on her own and no access to the outside world, would have been very traumatic,' she said. 'In the world of a four-year-old, one day is a very long time. In the world of a four-year-old, 18 days is a very, very long time indeed.' Vladimir Putin has set up identical offices across Russia to confuse assassins in another sign the despot is paranoid about his safety, a Russian intelligence officer who fled the country over the Ukraine war said. The Russian president designed offices in his luxury mansions in St Petersburg, Sochi and Novo-Ogaryovo to look the same, according to Gleb Karakulov, an officer in the Kremlin leader's secretive elite personal security service. The rooms are identical, with matching details such as desk and wall hangings, and official reports sometimes say he's in one place when he's actually in another. When Putin was in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, security officials would pretend he was leaving and deploy a plane and motorcade, when he was in fact still in the city, the defector revealed. 'This is, firstly, a ruse to confuse foreign intelligence and secondly, to prevent any attempts on his life,' Karakulov told the Dossier Center, a Russian investigative journalism project. Putin speaking to Andrey Kostin in his Novo-Ogaryovo office in 2017 This confirmed previous media reports by Russian outlet Proekt Media showing how Putin's office in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi and his residence in Novo-Ogaryovo near Moscow were identical Karakulov confirmed Putin has a 1billion cliff-top palace, pictured, at Gelendzhik, near Sochi, on the Black Sea, as revealed by Russia's independent media Putin's alleged palace in Valdai in Novo-Ogaryovo, Russia, where the leader has an identical office to the ones in Sochi and St Petersburg Putin has become so obsessed with his own safety that he designed the offices in St Petersburg, Sochi and Novo-Ogaryovo to look exactly the same, Gleb Karakulov (pictured), an officer in the Russian president's secretive elite personal security service, said This confirmed previous reports by Russian outlet Proekt Media that showed how Putin's Sochi office and his residence in Novo-Ogaryovo near Moscow were identical. The Kremlin had released photos of his meeting claiming he was in Novo-Ogaryovo when in fact he was in Sochi. Karakulov depicted Putin as an increasingly isolated leader who lives in an 'information vacuum' in heavily guarded residences, which he called 'bunkers'. The Russian president refuses to use a mobile phone out of fear of being bugged by the West and prefers to travel on a special armoured train because he is paranoid a plane can be tracked, Karakulov said. He added that Putin is 'mortally afraid' of Covid and is isolating for the fourth year. 'He's simply afraid,' Karakulov said. 'He has shut himself off from the world. His take on reality has become distorted.' Karakulov, who was responsible for secure communications and is thought to be the highest-ranking member of Russia's special services to have defected since the start of the war, said moral opposition to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and his fear of dying there drove him to speak out, despite the risks to himself and his family. 'Our president has become a war criminal,' he said. 'It's time to end this war and stop being silent.' He said Putin's paranoia has deepened since he invaded Ukraine and detailed how the despot ordered a bunker to be set up at the Russian Embassy in Kazakhstan and secured with a secure communications line last October. 'It is a kind of paranoia,' Karakulov said. 'He is pathologically afraid for his life.' As an engineer in a field unit of the presidential communications department of the Federal Protective Service, or FSO, Karakulov was responsible for setting up secure communications for the Russian president and prime minister wherever they went. He was part of an advance team, often with enough specialised communications equipment to fill a truck. The officer said he has taken more than 180 trips with the Kremlin leader and, contrary to widespread speculation, Putin appears to be in better shape than most people his age. Putin has only cancelled a few trips due to illness, he said. Unlike the prime minister, Putin does not require secure internet access on his trips, Karakulov said. 'I have never seen him with a mobile phone,' he said. 'All the information he receives is only from people close to him. That is, he lives in a kind of information vacuum.' This means his knowledge of events is filtered via the secret services and what he watches on state-controlled Russian TV. The Russian leader is so concerned about Western bugging that he takes a special box with him on foreign trips to prevent his secret talks from leaking. Putin has become so obsessed with his own safety that he designed the offices in his luxury mansions in St Petersburg, Sochi (pictured) and Novo-Ogaryovo The palace is part of a huge complex located on the Black Sea coast near Gelendzhik, by Sochi, Russia Pictured: A large room with grand ceilings inside Putin's palace is shown in pictures released by Navalny's team Other images show Putin's alleged bedroom, a second bedroom and his office, and as well as a swimming pool, they claim The identical offices were also found in Valdai in Novo-Ogaryovo, the Russian defector said This is said to be the dining room at the mansion owned by Vladimir Putin in Novo-Ogaryovo New pictures are said to show the inside of the Putin hideaway at Valdai for the first time This photo provided by the Dossier Center shows the Russian Federal Protective Service (FSO) identification card of Gleb Karakulov, in October 2022 in Turkey Karakulov said Putin is 'mortally afraid' of Covid. Pictured: Putin sits across a vast table from French president Emmanuel Macron in Moscow, February 2022 Western analysts have long suspected that Putin has not been receiving accurate reports from his generals and others in his close-knit circle about the situation on the ground in Ukraine, out of fear of his wrath should he be told bad news. This is demonstrated by his guards, who 'call him the Boss, worship him in every way and only ever talk of him in those terms', according to Karakulov. Asked if Putin is always in 'lockdown', Karakulov replied: 'Yes, he is. We still have a self-isolating president. We have to observe a strict quarantine for two weeks before any event, even those lasting 15 to 20 minutes. 'There is a pool of employees who have been cleared who underwent this two-week quarantine. They are [considered] "clean" and can work in the same room as Putin.' However, asked about rumours of Putin being terminally ill, he appeared unaware of credible information that the dictator has had or still has cancer. 'It was not something my colleagues discussed,' he told Dossier. 'If he has any health issues, they must be due to his age. Well, he probably does have them. But it is nothing too serious, I guess.' He added: 'I can tell you that I went on many business trips with him, and he went on many trips before 2020. 'After that he stayed in his bunker and maybe made just one, maximum, three business trips a year. 'Given the fact that there had been many business trips, only one or two were cancelled because of his health.' Putin would often travel across Russia to shore up his image as a man of the people. However, since the Covid-19 pandemic and his invasion of Ukraine, these trips have declined in number. When he does travel, his trips are heavily stage-managed - with some suggesting that he even employs a body double. Rumours about Putin's declining health, mental state and unstable position within the Kremlin have swirled since long before he ordered the illegal invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. In the year since, the rumours have only intensified as the war appears to have taken its toll on the president, who has been seen in frequent videos released by Russia clutching on to a desk to steady himself and awkwardly shuffling his feet. Some reports have suggested he has cancer or Parkinson's disease. In addition, Karakulov seemed unaware of Putin's private life with gymnast Alina Kabaeva, 39, and their young children. But he confirmed Putin has a 1billion cliff-top palace at Gelendzhik on the Black Sea, and the private yacht Scheherazade, as earlier revealed by Russia's independent media. Reports of the despot's extravagant wealth and of his secret lover, believed to be hidden from the public, are understood to have infuriated Putin, who styles himself as a hero of the people of Russia, where the standard of living is low. Karakulov said his work brought him to luxury hotels for summits, beach resorts in Cuba, yachts - and aboard an armoured train outfitted for the Russian president. Putin's train looks like any other, painted gray with a red stripe to blend in with other railway carriages in Russia. He began to use the train regularly in the run-up to the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Karakulov said. Even last year, Putin continued to insist on strict anti-Covid measures and FSO employees took shifts in two-week quarantine so there would always be a pool of people cleared to travel with Putin on the train, he said. While he was not a confidant of Putin's, Karakulov spent years in his service, observing him from unusually close quarters from 2009 through to late 2022. Karakulov, his wife and his child have gone underground since he defected. The Dossier Center confirmed the authenticity of Karakulov's passport and FSO work identity card, and cross-checked details of his biography against Russian government records, leaked personal data and social media postings. The FSO is one of the most secretive branches of Russia's security services. 'Even when they quit, they never talk, but they know a lot of details of the private life of the president and the prime minister,' said Katya Hakim, a senior researcher at the Dossier Center. Karakulov said Putin's guards had to observe a strict quarantine for two weeks before any event, even those lasting 15 to 20 minutes. Pictured: Putin with a blanket over his lap at Russia's 2022 victory day parade in Moscow The defection was a surprising turn for a family steeped in patriotic military tradition. Karakulov's father is a former military man and his brother is a local government official. The former intelligence officer said he could not tell his parents about his disillusionment, because their minds had been molded by years of watching Russian state television. So he never told them he was leaving. He denies that he is unpatriotic and urged others to break their silence to stop the war. 'Patriotism is when you love your country,' he said. 'In this case, our homeland needs to be saved because something crazy and terrible is happening.' Peter Murrell is best known for being the husband of former Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon. Sturgeon recently resigned as First Minister of Scotland, with Humza Yousaf replacing her as the leader of the SNP. Mr Murrell resigned from his position on Friday, 18 March, 2023 with immediate effect ahead of a no-confidence vote. Murrell has been arrested following an investigation into the handling of SNP finances whilst he served as Chief Executive Officer of the party. So, who is Peter Murrell? How did Nicola Sturgeon meet him? Where did the pair get married? Here is everything you need to know about Peter Murrell, explained. Peter Murrell (pictured) was the former Chief Executive Officer of the SNP, holding the post between 1999 and 2023 Who is Peter Murrell? Peter Murrell was the former Chief Executive Officer of the SNP, holding the post between 1999 and 2023. Born and raised in Edinburgh, Morrell went on to study at the University of Glasgow. He was praised in the aftermath of the 2007 Scottish Parliament elections, that saw Alex Salmond elected as First Minister, for his organisation of the party. Murrell was known for rarely giving interviews during his stint with the SNP and remained extremely reluctant to speak publicly about his relationship with Sturgeon. Commenting after her husband's resignation from the SNP, Sturgeon said her husband had 'obviously taken responsibility for the recent issue with membership', adding that he had intended to step down when a new leader was in place. She said: 'I think he was right to make that announcement today. 'Peter has been a key part of the electoral success we have achieved in recent years and I know there will be a recognition of that across the party.' Why was Peter Murrell arrested? The subject of finances within the SNP has long been a subject of controversy, and came into the spotlight again following the arrest of Mr Murrell on Wednesday, 5 April, 2023. Mr Murrell gave an interest-free loan of 107,620 to the party to 'assist with cashflow' on June 20, 2021, Electoral Commission documents show. A day earlier, the SNP's national executive committee (NEC) held a meeting, after which treasurer Colin Beattie issued a statement reassuring members that a 600,000 ring-fenced fund would be spent on campaigning for independence. An investigation was launched in July 2021 after complaints were received. Detectives are looking at claims that cash earmarked for campaigning for a second independence referendum had been diverted. In a statement this morning, Police Scotland said: 'A 58-year-old man has today, Wednesday, 5 April 2023, been arrested as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party. 'The man is in custody and is being questioned by Police Scotland detectives. 'Officers are also carrying out searches at a number of addresses as part of the investigation. Peter Murrell pictured at his wedding ceremony in 2010, where he married former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon What is Peter Murrell's salary? Prior to his arrest, eyebrows had been raised within the SNP about the salary of Mr Murrell. His salary was published by the party for the first time in nearly a decade in 2021, revealing that he took home 79,750. He was also paid 109,492 in 2011, the year the SNP earned a majority in the Scottish Parliament. Where did Nicola Sturgeon get married? Murrell first met Sturgeon in 1988, when she attended an SNP youth camp organised by him. However, the pair did not become a couple until 2003. They subsequently married at a ceremony in Glasgow in 2010. The couple do not have children, but the first minister was praised in 2016 when she spoke openly and emotively about how she'd suffered a miscarriage in 2011. When announcing her resignation as First Minister, she praised her loved ones, saying: 'Few people understand the price families of politicians pay for the jobs we choose to do. Mine have been my rock throughout.' Another top energy boss in Russia has been found dead in mysterious circumstances - after he was accused of taking a bribe. The body of Igor Shkurko, 49, deputy general director of Russian energy company Yakutskenergo, was discovered yesterday in his cell in a detention centre in Yakutsk, a port city in eastern Siberia. The day before his death the executive had submitted appeals against what he claimed was an unjust bribery allegation. A spate of unexplained deaths of high-ranking energy officials have taken place since the start of Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine more than 13 months ago. The Russian authorities have provided no details on how Shkurko died, but asserted there were no signs of a 'criminal death', based on 'preliminary data'. Igor Shkurko, 49, was found dead in mysterious circumstances - after he was accused of taking a bribe The body was discovered in his cell in a detention centre in Yakutsk. Shkurko was deputy general director of Russian energy company Yakutskenergo His company issued a statement saying: 'We will remember him as an open, hospitable person with a big heart and a good sense of humour, the caring head of a close-knit family.' Shkurko, who was a high earner, was accused of demanding a 5,000 bribe. He was a member of the pro-Putin United Russia political party but his membership was suspended when the bribe allegation was made. The Russian Federal Penitentiary Service said in a statement: 'On April 4, the accused was found in a cell of the pre-trial detention centre with no signs of life. 'Arriving medical workers ascertained his death. 'An investigative team was called to the scene. According to preliminary data, no signs of a criminal death were found.' Shkurko, who was married with two sons, was in charge of the technical management side of Yakutskenergo, which supplies power to the world's coldest region, Yakutia. Last month Novaya Gazeta Europe, a leading investigative news outlet, and Transparency International Russia linked a series of suspicious deaths related to Russian energy giant Gazprom to a complex 'money-laundering scheme' benefiting a top gas executive's family and his cronies from Putin's security services and military. Among suspicious energy industry deaths were Alexander Tyulyakov, deputy head of corporate security at Gazprom's United Settlement Centre, the energy giant's 'treasury', who allegedly took his own life the day after war was declared. He died in Gazprom's guarded Leninsky corporate village in Leningrad region, near St Petersburg on February 25, 2022. The day before Shkurko's death the executive had submitted appeals against what he claimed was an unjust bribery allegation. Pictured: The Yakutskenergo building The Russian authorities have provided no details on how Shkurko, circled, died but asserted that based on 'preliminary data' there were no signs of a 'criminal death' Igor Shkurko greeting energy workers. A high-earner, the energy boss was accused of demanding a 5,000 bribe Shkurko was married with two sons Shkurko, circled, was a member of the pro-Putin United Russia political party. His membership was suspended when the bribe allegation was made In April last year, Vladislav Avayev, 51, a vice-president of Gazprombank and former Kremlin official, was found dead in Moscow, alongside the bodies of his wife Elena, 47, and daughter Maria, 13. They were discovered by his adult daughter, Anastasia. Investigators rapidly concluded Avayev had killed them, before taking his own life, but this was strongly disputed at the time including by a former top Gazprombank official who claimed Avayev had access to the private accounts of elite clients, including Vladimir Putin's circle and possibly the president himself. 'These top managers worked in structures that we suspect were linked to financial fraud in multi-billion dollar contracts with Gazprom,' said Novaya Gazeta Europe and Transparency International Russia. This was 'benefiting the family' of a Russian gas monopoly executive 'and his close friends from the security services and the military'. Another energy manager, Leonid Shulman of Gazprom Invest, died in the same settlement as Tyulyakov. He was found with multiple stab wounds in a pool of blood on his bathroom floor. A Gazprombank vice-president who quit to fight for Ukraine in the war, Igor Volobuev, earlier expressed the view that Avayev had been murdered. 'It is hard to believe that Avayev shot his daughter, 13, [his wife] and committed suicide,' he said. Among suspicious energy industry deaths related to Gazprom for a complex 'money-laundering scheme' was that of Alexander Tyulyakov. The deputy head of corporate security at Gazprom's United Settlement Centre, the energy giant's 'treasury', allegedly took his own life the day after war was declared Another energy manager, Leonid Shulman of Gazprom Invest, died in the same settlement as Tyulyakov Vladislav Avayev, 51, a vice-president of Gazprombank and former Kremlin official, was found dead in Moscow, alongside the bodies of his wife Elena, 47, and daughter Maria, 13. They were discovered by his adult daughter, Anastasia 'In my opinion, this is a staged suicide. His suicide was staged.' He made the same claim about multimillionaire Sergey Protosenya, 55, a former deputy chairman of Novatek, who died several days after Avayev. He was found hanged in Spain, after evidently killing with an axe his wife Natalia, 53, and their teenage daughter. 'All these stories are strange. I don't believe in suicide. It will not fit into my head.' A 64-year-old grandmother was murdered when she was stabbed to death with a fork 29 years ago, a fresh inquest has heard. Doreen Morris, 64, was found dead by police after she suffered horrific burns when a blaze ripped through her home but a post-mortem later revealed she died before the fire started - and detectives believed it was a bungled burglary. Her mystery death remained unsolved since March 1994 and her family fought for an inquest to take place with Mrs Morris' daughter now calling for the criminal investigation into her mother's death to be re-opened. Suspect Joseph Carl Westbury was charged with murder but was later cleared by a jury at Chester Crown Court in 1996. Another man was arrested in connection to her murder but there were no convictions. Doreen Morris was stabbed to death in her home with a fork 29 years ago Mrs Morris' death in Holyhead, Anglesey, was recorded as 'not ascertained' at an inquest following her death. But her daughter Audrey Fraser spent years battling for it to be changed to unlawful killing. Coroner Kate Sutherland reopened the inquest last year and her findings and conclusion have now been revealed. The inquest heard Mr Westbury, known as Carl, confessed to wife Emma that he had been at the property during the burglary. But he claimed accomplice Stuart Queen stabbed Mrs Morris and denied being responsible for her murder. The coroner found despite his claims to his wife it was Mr Westbury who stabbed the grandmother in her own home. Giving evidence, Mr Queen, who now lives in Saudi Arabia, said he was not involved in the burglary and did not play any part in her death. Coroner Ms Sutherland found the pair went to the bungalow with the intention of burgling it. She said: 'Mr Queen went up on the roof whilst Mr Westbury broke in through the back door, smashing the glass. 'Once inside the property Mr Westbury had a confrontation with Mrs Morris where he bit her ear, stabbed her in the neck with a fork. 'Together, they removed property and set the bungalow ablaze.' The inquest heard Mr Westbury took his own life in 2016. The fork that was found under Doreen Morris' body has been identified as the murder weapon Doreen's family are calling for the criminal investigation into her death to be reopened Ms Sutherland concluded that Mrs Morris died 'having sustained traumatic injuries from being stabbed with a fork.' She said: 'The evidence is indicative of murder, and I am satisfied that the appropriate conclusion of the inquest into the death of Doreen Morris is unlawful killing.' Daughter Ms Fraser has praised the 'correct' verdict and is now calling for the criminal investigation into her mother's death to be re-opened. She said: 'After 29 years I now have the correct verdict for my mother she was unlawfully killed.' After the inquest, a North Wales Police spokesman said: 'We will now review and consider the findings of the inquest.' A businesswoman died after slipping down steps while on a waterfall walk with her family, an inquest heard. Mother-of-three Carly Farrington, 40, had travelled from her home in Bristol to visit a beauty spot area of the Brecon Beacons when the tragedy happened. She was with her family when she slipped on loose ground at steps and 'screamed' her fiance's name. She landed 10-15 metres from where she fell and suffered devastating injuries on the 'Four Waterfalls Walk' near Ystradfellte. Ms Farringdon, who ran her own estate agent business called Carly & Co, was flown by air ambulance to University Hospital Wales, Cardiff, but died two days later on May 17 last year. Carly Farrington, 40, had travelled from her home in Bristol to visit beauty spot in Wales Ms Farrington landed 10-15 metres from where she fell and suffered devastating injuries on the 'Four Waterfalls Walk' near Ystradfellte Her partner Joshua said the group was descending a steep section of path when Ms Farringdon slipped. He wrote online: 'I glanced back when I heard Carly screaming my name as she slipped on loose ground to the waterfall below. 'My daughters didn't see her fall but were haunted by my reaction. I got them tucked into the hill before I ran down to find Carly unresponsive and with significant injuries to her body and head. 'The air ambulance and coastguard were called, and my sister and I carried my kids off the hill. 'Once I got them back to safety back home, I spent two days in Cardiff hospital with Carly on life support. I asked the chaplain to marry us but she never regained consciousness and a ceremony couldn't be conducted.' Ms Farrington was with her family when she slipped on loose ground and fell Ms Farrington, who ran her own estate agent business called Carly & Co, was flown by air ambulance to University Hospital Wales, Cardiff, but died two days later An inquest was held into Ms Farringdon's death at Pontypridd coroner's court after she died on her daughter's 10th birthday. Coroner Patricia Morgan said: 'She sustained a catastrophic head injury and sadly despite extensive medical efforts including helicopter transfer, neurology care, and intensive care she did not survive.' The hearing in Pontypridd was told the medical cause of death was given as traumatic brain injury and right brachial artery thrombus (operated) and right upper limb ischaemia. Ms Morgan returned a verdict of accidental death. Josh is raising money for the Welsh Air Ambulance in memory of Ms Farringdon by walking from Lands End to John O'Groats. Joe Biden will travel to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland next week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, it has been confirmed. The White House said the US President will make a visit from 11 to 14 April to 'mark the tremendous progress' since the peace deal was signed in 1998. But while Mr Biden has decided to travel across the Atlantic to mark the Agreement's anniversary, he will not be heading to London for King Charles's coronation next month. The US President informed the monarch he would not be attending the historic ceremony in a phone call last night, as first revealed by DailyMail.com, with his wife Jill Biden to attend on their country's behalf. Mr Biden's decision has been branded 'foolish' and 'crass', with other foreign heads of state set to travel to Britain for the occasion. It is thought the President may instead meet the King during his visit to Northern Ireland next Tuesday and Wednesday. Joe Biden will travel to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland next week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement Buckingham Palace released a picture of King Charles and Camilla ahead of the coronation next month Heads of state from Ireland, France, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Japan, Hungary and Monaco are expected to attend the coronation - but the US President won't be there DUP MP Sammy Wilson said it was 'a bit odd and probably a bit crass' for Mr Biden not to attend the King's coronation Tory MP Bob Seely, a member of the Commons foreign affairs committee, has said it's 'foolish' for the US President not to come to London The White House this morning announced Mr Biden will travel to Belfast next week, before visiting the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. He will visit Dublin, County Louth and County Mayo, where he will give a speech to 'celebrate the deep, historic ties' between Americans and the Irish, his press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. Mr Biden can trace his ancestry to Irelands west and east coasts, specifically Ballina in County Mayo and the Cooley Peninsula in County Louth. His great-great-grandfather Owen Finnegan emigrated to the US from the Cooley Peninsula while another great-great-grandfather, Patrick Blewitt, was born in Ballina, leaving during the Irish famine in 1850 to sail to America. Distant relatives in Ireland celebrated Mr Biden's election win in November 2020 and gathered again in January 2021 to mark his inauguration. Mr Biden's visit to Northern Ireland comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently struck a deal with the EU in a bid to end a bitter dispute over post-Brexit trade arrangements. The US President had previously been accused of meddling in the UK-EU row over the Northern Ireland Protocol, both when running for office and since entering the White House. The PM's failure to win DUP support for his Windsor Framework, which he agreed with Brussels in late February as a means of solving the Protocol dispute, has seen the unionist party continue to rebuff efforts to restore powersharing at Stormont. Ahead of the US President's visit to Northern Ireland, DUP MP Sammy Wilson today claimed Mr Biden had chosen to prioritise an issue that's 'dead on its feet' - referring to the Good Friday Agreement - over something that's going to be 'a very live issue for years to come'. He told MailOnline: 'King Charles is obviously going to feature very heavily in the future of the United Kingdom. 'It shows his priorities - he's an Irish Republican. There's probably not many votes among Democrat supporters in America for seeing King Charles. 'But there is for this nonsense about "coming to the old homestead" and everything else. He's coming to celebrate something which is lying in shatters at the moment. 'What's he going to see? The Northern Ireland Assembly is not working, the cross-border bodies are not working, east-west bodies are not working. 'The central premise of the Good Friday Agreement, the principle of consent, has been ripped apart. So what is there to celebrate really? 'He'll be coming knowing that unionists resent the very fact that he's backed the EU and all of their machinations to try and annex Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK. 'I think for many people it will just seem a bit odd and probably a bit crass that he ignores the King of England and a once-in-his lifetime occasion of the celebration of the coronation.' Tory MP Bob Seely, a member of the Commons foreign affairs committee, has previously said it would be 'foolish' for Mr Biden not to attend the King's coronation on 6 May at Westminster Abbey. 'It seems pretty remiss, and I'm tempted to say more fool him for not coming,' Mr Seely said last month. 'This is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and you would have thought he should come because he's a head of state. 'If I was the President of the United States, I would come to the coronation of the King of England there's no two ways about it. It just seems to be a foolish decision.' Heads of state from Ireland, France, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Japan, Hungary and Monaco are expected to attend the coronation, as well as the EU's Ursula von der Leyen, Roberta Metsola and Charles Michel. But senior Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, the chairman of the Commons defence committee, played down suggestions that King Charles had been snubbed by Mr Biden. 'Whilst wed hope Joe Biden would be invited, there is no historical protocol for a US president to attend royal coronations, so we should not read too much into any absence,' he said. Mr and Mrs Biden both travelled to London for the funeral of the Queen last September. But no US president has ever attended a coronation ceremony. Following Mr Biden's phone call with the King last night, a White House statement read: 'President Joseph R Biden Jr spoke today with King Charles III, underscoring the strength of the relationship between our countries and the friendship between our peoples. 'The President congratulated the King on his upcoming coronation and informed him that First Lady Jill Biden looks forward to attending on behalf of the United States. 'The President also conveyed his desire to meet with the King in the United Kingdom at a future date.' Celeb croc wrangler Matt Wright has questioned why he was the 'main target' of investigations into a fatal helicopter crash after a toxicology report detected 'cocaine derivatives' in the pilot's blood. The crash on February 28 came as his Outback Wrangler co-star Chris 'Willow' Wilson, 34, was collecting crocodile eggs in a remote area of West Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. Mr Wilson was killed when the helicopter he was dangling from collided with trees and plunged to the ground. Wright, 43, was later hit with seven criminal charges over Mr Wilson's death, including destroying evidence and attempting to pervert the course of justice. Now, however, he says a toxicology report that detected 'cocaine derivatives' in the blood of pilot Sebastian Robison raises 'serious questions as to why I have been the main target of investigations'. Celeb croc wrangler Matt Wright (pictured in blue) was hit with seven criminal charges over Mr Wilson's death, including destroying evidence and attempting to pervert the course of justice Chris 'Willow' Wilson (pictured) died in the crash in west Arnhem Land while collecting crocodile eggs Mr Wilson was collecting crocodile eggs in a remote area of west Arnhem Land when the helicopter he was hanging 30 metres below collided with trees and the ground Mr Robinson was piloting the Robinson R44 chopper when it crashed during the egg collecting trip in Arnhem Land. Wright was charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice, destroying and fabricating evidence, unlawful entry, making a false declaration and issuing threats in relation to a criminal investigation. The reality TV star is yet to enter a plea, but his barrister Greg Jones previously said Wright denies any wrongdoing and intends to fight the charges. In court on Wednesday, Wright's lawyers sent a letter to prosecutors revealing the brief of evidence against him contained 'a toxicology report of the pilot's blood sample taken after the crash which records the detection of cocaine derivatives'. The 'cocaine derivatives' in Mr Robinson's blood had not previously been disclosed. In a statement issued after the proceeding was adjourned, Wright said if he had 'any suspicion the externally contracted pilot' had been using drugs, 'he would not have been allowed to fly'. He told Daily Mail Australia: 'I've seen the damage drugs do to Indigenous and other communities. If I had any suspicion the externally contracted pilot had been using them, he would not have been allowed to fly. 'While not commenting on processes currently before the courts, this does also raise serious questions as to why I have been the main target of investigations, instead of the cause of the crash. Wright was charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice, destroying and fabricating evidence, unlawful entry, making a false declaration and issuing threats in relation to a criminal investigation Matt Wright (centre, with Chris Wilson, right). In a clip posted on Instagram on Tuesday, Mr Wilson held a beer in a swimming hole and said: 'I've had one of the best days of my entire life' 'With the rampant crime across the NT and the fact police have had access to this information for some time - it's concerning that I appear to have been the major focus. 'Nothing will bring Willow back, which will always be the worst part of this. But trying to lay blame on me is not fair or accurate.' He previously penned a powerful post about how his co-star 'had a sparkle in his eye' and 'made the most of life'. 'One year ago we lost a father, son, brother and mate,' Wright wrote. 'Willow lived for adventure, from the very first day I met him he had a sparkle in his eye that would carry him through some of the most amazing experiences across the world. 'We miss our mate more than anything and his memory will live on through all of us. Willow will go down in the history books as one of Australia's truest legends. Love ya brother it's only time and will see each other again.' Judge Alan Woodcock adjourned the case until May 31. The mayor of the port town where a giant barge housing 500 asylum seekers will be docked today compared it to having a 'housing estate plonked on them at a moment's notice'. Home Secretary Suella Braverman plans to ease Britain's migrant crisis by putting them in a three-deck ship in Portland Port, at the heart of the World Heritage Jurassic Coast. But Portland mayor Pete Roper has hit out at the government for not consulting local residents or providing any additional support for the island. The Dorset port was used in the 1990s to berth a prison barge, HMP Weare, a Category C prison housing up to 400 prisoners. But Mr Roper said the floating asylum seeker centre would be different because the migrants would be free to come and go, which would have an impact on local services. The Portland Harbour area in Dorset will soon be home to a floating migrant barge The Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge is a 222 bedroom, three-storey vessel which can house up to 506 people It could be the first to be used to house asylum seekers under new Government plans Mr Roper said: 'From a Portland point of view there has been no consultation with local councillors or even our local member of parliament, it has just been between the Home Office and Portland Port. 'My major worry is this barge is going to be plonked on Portland Port with five hundred people on the vessel and we haven't heard of any increase in support services for the residents of the barge or indeed for the island itself. 'It is like having a housing estate plonked in at a moment's notice without recognising the need for medical, security and hospitality services. 'This is not a prison ship, we have to assume people will be free to come and go. 'There's a distinction between the prison ship berthed at Portland 20 years ago and this as these asylum seekers will be allowed to come and go. 'Our health services on the island are being diminished so it's not just an impact on Portland but the surrounding area as well. 'I do worry about the number of asylum seekers moving through the system. There's a large backlog of asylum claims, how many accommodation barges will be required to take these people out of hotel accommodation? 'To misquote from the Jaws movie, I think the Home Office are going to need a bigger barge.' The barge has a host of communal areas for socialising and dining The type of barge would normally be used for offshore construction projects It comes with a fully equipped games room where migrants will be able to socialise The floating barge comes with its own exercise room featuring tread mills and rowing machines It's thought the vessel will cost taxpayers more than 20,000 a day to run The Bibby Stockholm vessel, which will reportedly cost taxpayers more than 20,000 a day to run, could accommodate 506 people in its 222 en-suite bedrooms. The type of barge would normally be used for offshore construction projects. Carralyn Parkes, a local Labour councillor, said it would be inhumane to house people on a barge in the port and pointed out that the prison ship had not worked, due to a myriad of problems, including people getting seasick from the swaying. She said: 'Every time I think that this government have plumbed the depths when it comes to its treatment of asylum seekers, it manages to go further down. It is unspeakably inhumane to take people who are the most vulnerable and traumatised people in the world and put them on a barge. 'It's like going back to Great Expectations and the prison hulks. 'There's no infrastructure on Portland to deal with people who are going to have complicated needs. Some of these asylum seekers have travelled thousands of miles, they are brutalised and will have complex psychological and physical needs. 'We have one GP surgery with two practices serving the whole island, we don't have a hospital. Portland Port is a secure area so I don't know how they are supposed to access the sort of regular services like shops that most of us take for granted. The imposing barge is set to dominate Portland Harbour for the foreseeable future The news has sparked outrage from locals who believe the town is too small to cope with the new arrivals 'It is outrageous. Shame on Portland Port and shame on the government for even thinking about doing this in the 21st century.' Dorset Council is opposed to the use of the port as the site and MP for the area Richard Drax has called for Ms Braverman to scrap the idea. It is not the first time the isle of Portland has been considered for housing migrants. In 2003 the Home Office planned to turn ex-naval buildings at RNAS Osprey into a refugee camp housing 750 asylum seekers. The plans were vigorously opposed by locals and after a heated public meeting there was an arson attack on the empty premises. Many have argued that Portland is already 'institutionalised' as it has two prisons - HMP Verne, which houses sex offenders, and Portland YOI. A gallery of Britain's 24 most wanted men has been released, amid pleas from police chiefs not to approach them. The National Crime Agency has published mugshots of suspects it is trying to track down in connection with a number of crimes. The fugitives include fraudsters, rapists and drug traffickers, but the NCA insists anyone who spots them should call 999 and not engage with them directly. A spokesperson said: 'We pursue criminals and bring them to justice. By informing communities and supporting other agencies, we can help identify criminals and speed the law enforcement process.' Here, MailOnline profiles each of the suspects included on the agency's list. Alex Male Alex Male Believed to be between 25 and 30, Male is alleged to be a regional distributor of drugs across the south west of England. He is said to buy and sell drugs and manage other distributors who operated under his instruction using the EncroChat encrypted communications network. He is accused of conspiracy to supply cocaine and ketamine, money laundering, conspiracy to acquire a firearm. Male is around 6ft tall and has a number of distinctive tattoos including a skull on his Adam's apple and a full sleeve on his left arm with a family tree. 'Love' is tattooed on his left hand along with a swallow and he has three stars tattooed on his left wrist. He also has a full tribal sleeve tattoo on his right arm going onto his chest with an angel on his back and 'live' tattooed on his right hand. Derek McGraw Ferguson Derek McGraw Ferguson Born in Glasgow in 1964, Ferguson is sought in connection with the murder of Thomas Cameron. The barman was shot dead on June 28, 2007 at the Auchinairn Tavern, Bishopbriggs. He is between 5ft1 and 5ft3 tall, with green/blue eyes and short balding brown/grey hair. Ozgur Demir Ozgur Demir A Turkish national, Demir is wanted in connection with conspiracy to supply 17.83 kg of diamorphine. The NCA says three others have already been convicted in connection with this offence. Jack Mayle Jack Mayle Mayle is wanted in suspicion of the supply of MDMA, methylphenidate (a pharmaceutical drug) and diazepam, having fled after being charged. He allegedly ran a drug line in South London and Surrey called the Flavour Quest. Mayle worked with a dark web drug dealer buying and selling drugs between each other for onward sales through their respective drug networks. They sold LSD and various pharmaceutical medication. Born in Croydon, he is described as being muscular and around 5ft11 in height. He has a number of tattoos including a diamond under his left eye, one on the outside of his left forearm that reads 'Croydon', and art on his left hand that says 'money never sleeps', '12-20' and a small heart. His right hand has an eye design tattoo with hands around it and word 'Littles'. On both hands he has tattoos on his fingers reading 'trap star'. His neck is tattooed with warriors and religious figures on horses and he has a full back tattoo. The NCA says he may have tried to alter his appearance and that he is known to carry weapons; is a regular gym goer and vegan. Allan Foster Allan Foster Foster is alleged to have murdered David 'Noddy' Rice at the Marsden Bay Car Park, South Shields on May 24, 2006. He is also wanted for two offences of conspiring to supply controlled drugs and for the theft of a diamond ring. Described as slim, with short black hair, Foster has links to the Canary Islands and Majorca and is also known to use the alias Shaun Michael Wilkinson. Ersin Mustafa Ersin Mustafa Between 2006 to 2008, Mustafa is believed to have been involved in insider dealing with seven other individuals. While employed at the London branch of investment bank JP Morgan Cazenove, he allegedly obtained information about future acquisitions and mergers, which were provided to others who then traded using this information. Over a two-year period, the group made approximately 2.5 million in criminal profits. In July 2008 Mustafa was arrested by the City of London Police and then released on bail. It is believed he fled the UK around December 2009. He is described as having a stocky build, with dark hair and a Mediterranean ethnic appearance. Asim Naveed Asim Naveed Aged between 29 and 30 and standing at 6ft2, Naveed allegedly had a leading role in a highly organised crime group. Using encrypted comms platform EncroChat, he is accused of acquiring large quantities of cocaine from upstream suppliers and onward distribution through Cardiff and Wales. It is estimated he and his OCG brought 46 kilos of cocaine into Wales during the period worth up to 7,885,680. Described as being of muscular build, Naveed has a surgical scar along his left wrist. Kevin Thomas Parle Kevin Thomas Parle Also known as Hemp, Parle is wanted in connection with the murders in Liverpool of 16yr old Liam Kelly in 2004 and Lucy Hargreaves in 2005. Liam was shot dead in the street over a 200 debt, while young mother Lucy was killed on her sofa as gangsters hunted her boyfriend. Parle is described as being stocky, with short ginger hair and a height of 6ft4. Christakis Philippou Christakis Philippou Between 2004 and 2006, Philippou was involved in conspiracies where he and his co-defendants repeatedly set out to acquire, or sometimes to set up from scratch, travel agency businesses which were used as vehicles for fraud. The travel agencies attracted customers by offering holidays at prices so low that legitimate companies could not compete with them. In each case, the travel agency ceased to trade, leaving customers without a holiday, ultimately defrauding an estimated 20,000 people. Described as having dark, receding hair and a Mediterranean ethnic appearance, he is also known to use the alias Christakis Chrysostomou. Calvin Parris Calvin Parris Aged 31-32, Parris is wanted for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and is alleged to be a customer of Asim Naveed's OCG, buying cocaine from them and selling it on within Cardiff. Parris is said to have used an Encro phone to strike deals with the OCG including once buying seven kilos of cocaine for 89,000. He is 5ft11 tall and of medium build and has gold upper teeth. Fatah Benlaredj Fatah Benlaredj Benlaredj, who also uses the nickname Samir, is wanted for the rape of a seven-year-old girl. The agency has not published any more information about him. Timur Mehmet Timur Mehmet Mehmet is wanted for his role in a conspiracy to cheat the public revenue by operating a Missing Trader Intra-community (MTIC) fraud, causing a 25m loss to the UK. He appeared in court in June 2007 and was told that failure to return for his trial in October 2007 could result in him being tried and sentenced in his absence. Mehmet failed to attend and was subsequently found guilty, being sentenced to eight years. He is described as being around 5ft9 tall, of slim build with black hair. John James Jones John James Jones Jones is wanted for wounding with intent, Jones (and a co-accused) allegedly assaulted two people by stabbing them numerous times with a knife causing serious injuries in April 2018. It is believed Jones fled the UK in the immediate aftermath. There is information to show he stayed at a hotel in Madrid the night after the stabbings but left rapidly the next morning. Aged 31-32, he is 6ft tall and stocky with dark hair. Shashi Dhar Sahnan Shashi Dhar Sahnan Sahnan is accused of being involved in the importation of controlled Class A drugs, heroin, into the UK. The huge quantity of drugs, which were concealed in packaging surrounding air conditioning units, was seized by HMRC during a joint operation with Leicestershire Police in July 2007. Customs officers found the drugs hidden in the struts of pallets upon which the machinery was being transported. Born in India, Sahnan has brown eyes and wears an overt hearing aid in his right ear which sits over the ear. He is stocky, around 5ft7 tall with short grey hair. Costas Sampson Costas Sampson On August 25, 2012, Sampson was convicted of raping a girl he met at a nightclub in London in February 2010. The girl was taken unwell after accepting a drink from a stranger, and Sampson and a friend offered to take her home. Sampson told one of the girl's friends that he was a medical expert but he later raped the girl at her flat while she was incapacitated. A Cypriot national known to use the alias Kostas, he was also convicted of stealing her mobile phone, plus her flatmate's laptop and games console. He is described as being around 5ft8, of large build, with black cropped hair and a Mediterranean ethnic appearance. Callum Michael Allan Callum Michael Allan Allan is wanted on suspicion of a range of offences including: possession with intent to supply Class A (heroin), supply Class A (cocaine), possession of cannabis, assaulting an emergency worker, affray and dangerous driving. On June 11, 2019, police raided a house suspected to be used for drugs deals. Allan fled and assaulted two officers who restrained him. He was in possession of 113.29 grams of heroin. Allan was charged and appeared at court in April 2020 where he was given unconditional bail and failed to return. Aged 23-24, he is 5ft10 tall and of slim build, with fine hair, blue eyes and a Tyneside accent. John Barton John Barton Barton was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in 2003 after being convicted in his absence for conspiring to import a commercial amount of heroin into the UK between 1999 and 2000. He is believed to have links to Fuengirola in Spain. Barton is around 5ft7 tall, of medium build with dyed, receding hair. Mehmet Salih Mehmet Salih Between December 2010 and November 2011 Salih is accused of being involved in a conspiracy to supply cocaine. It is believed he was contacted on a regular basis by an associate for the purposes of buying cocaine, delivering it and collecting payments. In May 2011 Salih allegedly visited Lincolnshire to deliver a quantity of cocaine that was subsequently recovered by the police. He was arrested and was in possession of 20,000. Salih was released on bail to appear at a police station later in the year but failed to attend. Salih is a Cypriot national and has a scar on his right eye. Mark Francis Roberts Mark Francis Roberts Roberts is wanted for Grievous Bodily Harm and attempted robbery of a mans 60,000 Richard Mille watch. The victim was attacked by two men with a blade at around 1.30am on 30 September 2016 after he parked his car on his home driveway. The victim refused to surrender his watch and was so badly injured he suffered life-threatening injuries and was treated in a critical care unit for puncture wounds, a collapsed lung and many lacerations. The victim heard one of the attackers say hed cut himself in the attack, and Robertss blood was later identified at the scene. Aged 28-29, from Liverpool, Roberts is 6ft1 of medium build with a 7.6cm scar down his right leg. Rezgar Zengana He also potentially has a scar on his arm, sustained during the attempted robbery and is described as having heavy eyebrows and green eyes. Rezgar Zengana An Iraqi national, Zengana posed as a private hire taxi driver on December 10, 2006 in Glasgow to pick up a 25-year-old girl. He then drove her to a private dwelling where he raped his victim. He was convicted of the rape but is still to be sentenced for this offence. Shazad Ghafoor Shazad Ghafoor Ghafoor took a courtesy car from a dealership in Manchester in August 2013 using a driving license in another persons name. Police spotted the car and the pursuit ended in the Halifax area when he crashed. His wife and two children, who were also in the car, suffered minor injuries. Cash to the value of 80-100,000 was recovered and there were traces of heroin, cocaine and cannabis on the notes. He was charged with fraud, possession of criminal property, dangerous driving and disqualified driving. Ghafoor was also charged with possession of cannabis with intent to supply after a vehicle was searched in Withington in November 2013 and cannabis worth 245,000 was found. In May 2014 Ghafoor pleaded guilty to dangerous driving. He was due to appear at court in February 2015 in relation to the other charges but failed to answer his bail and a warrant was issued for his arrest. In addition, Ghafoor was charged with possession of cannabis with intent to supply in relation to a separate seizure of cannabis worth 24,000 that was found at a house on Kingsway Avenue, Burnage, in September 2014. He was due to appear in court but failed to answer his bail and another warrant was issued for his arrest. Ghafoor is described as being 5ft11, of medium build, and having a pock mark on right cheek, a scar on right of the nose, and a scar on the top of his right hand. Daniel Dugic Daniel Dugic Originally from Serbia, Dugic is suspected of being involved in a conspiracy to import 255 kilos of cocaine. A number of other individuals were convicted in June 2011. The conspiracy involved a small UK vessel meeting a commercial container ship in the English Channel from which the drugs were transferred. Although Dugic was not on board either vessel, he is alleged to have played a major part in organising the importation. Osman Aydeniz Osman Aydeniz A Cypriot national, Aydeniz, like Ozgur Demir, is wanted in connection with conspiracy to supply 17.83 kg of diamorphine. He is also wanted for conspiracy to commit theft and transferring criminal property. Three others have already been convicted. No other information on him has been released by the agency. Jonathon Kelly Jonathon Kelly Kelly is wanted by Police Scotland on recall to prison to serve a remaining sentence of 9 years 10 months for a number of serious assaults. Kelly, who is extremely violent and poses a high risk to both police and members of the public, was convicted at various courts of a number of offences between 2002 and 2010. He received sentences in excess of 16 years, and in September 2013 he was released on licence but failed to adhere to conditions set. The offences he was convicted of included an assault to severe injury and danger of life, robbery, assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement, breach of the peace and having a sharply pointed implement in prison. In one of the most serious assaults Kelly stabbed and paralysed his victim using a machete. He is described as being 5ft10 tall, of heavy build, with blue/grey eyes, short brown hair, a Scottish accent, and occasionally has a beard. Kelly also has scars to the left and right side of the face, on his arms and his right hand. A mother attacked another parent with a dog lead wrapped around her hand as they picked their children up from school 'for no good reason,' a court has heard. Victim Carla Hardy was waiting to pick her child up from school when Jordan Lawless, whose child went to the same school, approached her, Fiona McNeill, prosecuting, said. The 30-year-old said 'look at me again or I will slash your face' to which the victim responded 'what do you mean?' 'The next thing she recalled was the defendant on top of her and being repeatedly hit,' Ms McNeill said. 'She remembered tasting blood in her mouth but it was not till later when she realised she had been hit with a dog lead.' Lawless appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to one count of wounding. She was sentenced to two years imprisonment suspended for 18 months. Jordan Lawless told her victim 'look at me again or I will slash your face' Ms McNeill said a witness saw Ms Hardy being hit with the dog lead, and that Lawless had been seen wrapping it around her hand before punching the victim. The victim suffered a three centimetre laceration to her forehead, a one centimetre laceration to the bridge of her nose, one of her teeth was loosened and the cap on another tooth was knocked out. Lawless voluntarily went to the police station the day after the attack on November 16, 2021, and during her interview said she had been at the school to pick up her child. The mother-of-one said she had previously had trouble with Ms Hardy but could not give any specific examples of what had been said. She claimed Ms Hardy came towards her and she felt under threat, and said she had a diagnosis of PTSD. Lawless accepted she hit the victim three times and that she had made comments towards her but denied using a dog lead. In a statement given by the victim three months after the incident and read by the prosecution, Ms Hardy said she still suffered pain and nausea and did not go out in the weeks immediately after. She said she is conscious of the scarring on her face caused by the injuries, and the incident 'significantly altered her outlook and behaviour'. In a later victim personal statement written in February this year, Ms Hardy said she is 'existing rather than living' and still suffers with panic attacks when she talks about the incident. Lawless was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court (pictured) to two years imprisonment suspended for 18 months, and ordered to complete 40 rehabilitation activity days and mental health treatment requirements for 12 months Lawless, of Everton, has three previous convictions for five offences, two of which were in November and December of 2011, the first for breaching the peace and the second for assault of a designated person carrying out their public duty. In 2022, she received a suspended sentence for assault occasioning actual bodily harm, which occurred shortly after she was released under investigation for the attack on Ms Hardy. Martine Snowden, defending, said her client had significant mental health difficulties at the time of the offending, including a diagnosis of PTSD shortly before. She said the victim's father died in violent circumstances and she experienced violence within her family. Ms Snowden said Lawless then became involved with men that were violent towards her - two of which have been sent to jail for assaulting her. It was not until June 2021, months prior to this offence, that she was diagnosed with PTSD, and that her 'unresolved trauma was resulting in volatility and anger'. She said: 'She has been existing in a long-standing fear of violence. The irony in this case is that this defendant's violent outbursts relate to everything that you can see in relation to her background as it is rooted in the damage caused to her throughout her life as a consequence of violence perpetrated towards her and in her life.' Ms Snowden added that since receiving therapy, Lawless has made very good progress and is doing well complying with the requirements of her suspended sentence. In sentencing, Judge Andrew Menary KC said: 'This was a pretty outrageous offence committed by you. 'She had done nothing wrong to you at all, she was a completely innocent victim. 'For no good reason at all you began to abuse her and threaten her and then without any warning at all you repeatedly hit her to the face using a dog lead that you had wrapped around your hand as a weapon. 'In this case however, I am satisfied that there is a genuine underlying mental health issue which requires treatment, is being treated and you are responding positively to therapy. That is the only reason I am pulling back from imposing the prison sentence you otherwise deserve.' Lawless was sentenced to two years imprisonment suspended for 18 months, and ordered to complete 40 rehabilitation activity days, mental health treatment requirements for 12 months. A victim surcharge was also applied and a restraining order barring Lawless from contacting the victim or attending within 50 metres of her child's school was imposed for five years. A senior ally of Humza Yousaf was blasted today after saying critics of the new First Minister were racists. MSP Karen Adam used a column in the pro-separatist newspaper The National to claim 'disgusting tropes' were being used to attack the SNP leader, who is of migrant heritage. It comes as Mr Yousaf struggles to assert himself in his new role. He has been nicknamed 'Humza Useless' by some of his political opponents. He has faced criticism over his decision to appoint a taxpayer-funded minister for independence and another for 'NHS recovery' - after he spent two years in charge of the health service. Yesterday it was revealed more than a third of recent attendances at accident and emergency units were not seen within the four-hour target time, according to new figures. Scottish Labour warned that the new Health Minister had been left with a 'deadly mess' in A&E by his predecessor, Mr Yousaf. Ms Adam, who represents Banffshire and Buchan Coast in north east Scotland, told the SNP-aligned paper: 'I'm not opposed to people being scrutinised, particularly in public roles, but the level of racism and the sheer ignorance was astounding.' But Pam Gosal, a Tory shadow minister for education who is of Indian heritage, said: 'I have experienced racism and to throw accusations so flippantly is extremely damaging. 'Critics of Humza Yousaf are right to question his woeful record in government. It's our job to hold Humza Yousaf to account. Did Karen Adam miss the memo?' MSP Karen Adam used a column in the pro-separatist newspaper The National to claim 'disgusting tropes' were being used to attack the SNP leader, who is of migrant heritage. It comes as Mr Yousaf struggles to assert himself in his new role. Pam Gosal, a Tory shadow minister for education who is of Indian heritage, said: 'I have experienced racism andf to throw accusations so flippantly is extremely damaging.' He has handed another problem today with the news that Nicola Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell has been arrested in a police investigation into the SNP's finances. The former chief executive of the party has been taken into custody and was questioned by detectives as police searched their house in Glasgow on Wednesday morning. A large police tent was set up outside their home, which was taped off. Officers are also at the SNP's HQ offices in Edinburgh, with police vans seen parked outside and uniformed officers standing inside the building. Police Scotland have been investigating the spending of about 600,000 which was earmarked for Scottish independence campaigning. Mr Yousaf, who took over from Ms Sturgeon last week, described the arrest as a 'difficult day' for the party. Stormy Daniels must pay nearly $122,000 of Donald Trump's legal fees that were racked up in connection with the porn actor's failed defamation lawsuit, an appeals court ruled Tuesday. The decision in California came at about the same time that Trump became the only ex-president to be charged with a crime when he was arraigned at a Manhattan courthouse yesterday, so will come as a small silver lining amid the torrid legal battle he faces. Trump pleaded not guilty in a New York City courtroom to a 34-count felony indictment accusing him of falsifying business records in a scheme to hush up allegations of extramarital affairs with Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal that broke during his first White House run. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, alleges she had an affair with Trump in 2006 and was paid $130,000 as part of a nondisclosure agreement days before the 2016 presidential election. She sued him for defamation after he dismissed her claims of being threatened to keep quiet about the tryst as a 'total con job.' A judge threw out the case in 2018. An appeals court ruled Tuesday, April 4, 2023, that Daniels must pay nearly $122,000 of Donald Trump's legal fees that were racked up in connection with the porn actor's failed defamation lawsuit Former U.S. President Donald Trump walks, ahead of delivering remarks on the day of his court appearance in New York after being indicted by a Manhattan grand jury following a probe into hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., April 4, 2023 On Tuesday, a commissioner for the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Trump's attorneys 'reasonably spent' more than 183 hours on an appeal of the case but denied a request for another $5,150 in other fees because it wasn't itemized. In all, Daniels has been ordered to pay more than $600,000 in Trump's legal fees, tweeted Harmeet Dillon, one of his attorneys in the case. That includes some $300,000 in attorney's fees that Daniels previously was ordered to pay. After a federal appeals court upheld that award last year, Daniels stated: 'I will go to jail before I pay a penny.' Messages seeking comment from her attorney, Oklahoma lawyer Clark Brewster, weren't immediately returned after hours Tuesday. News that Daniels will be forced to shell out more money into his coffers will be welcomed by Trump, who last night begged his supporters to keep donations flowing in after claiming he would spend hundreds of millions to fight the court case and clear his name. 'If you are doing poorly, as many of you are, do not send anything. If you are doing well, which was made possible through the great policies of the Trump administration send your contribution to donaldjtrump.com,' he declared via his Truth Social network. It came as his campaign sent out marketing emails to subscribers flogging a t-shirt with a mocked-up mugshot of Trump following his arraignment yesterday. Former US president Donald Trump leaves after speaking during a press conference following his court appearance over an alleged 'hush-money' payment, at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, on April 4, 2023 No mugshot YET but that's not stopping Trump from fundraising using a fake picture as the former president's campaign claims $10M in donations since the Manhattan indictment In another email message to supporters yesterday, Trump said: 'You are why I could NEVER give up our mission to save America no matter how nasty and vicious the attacks ever got.' Claims that his campaign has pulled in $10 million in just five days could not immediately be verified because fundraising data is only recorded with federal authorities until the end of each quarter. But in recent days the campaign said it had received a surge in small donations - a quarter of them from first time donors, averaging out at $34 apiece. Trump, who was impeached twice by the U.S. House but was never convicted in the U.S. Senate, is the first former president to face criminal charges. The former reality TV star has been hyping that narrative to his political advantage, raising millions of dollars since the indictment on claims of a 'witch hunt.' A conviction would not prevent Trump from running for or winning the presidency in 2024. Donald Trump and his legal team started Wednesday in attack mode. The former president blasted the indictment against him as 'morally disgusting' and called on the Justice Department to be defunded. Trump was off to a fighting start after one of his darkest days, when he became the first former president in U.S. history to be indicted and had to face something he had tried long to avoid: the inside of a courtroom. The charges against him are related to a $30,000 payoff to a doorman trying to sell information about a child that Trump allegedly fathered out of wedlock, $150,000 to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, and a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. Trump also railed against the Justice Department, which appointed a special counsel to investigate the classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago. Defiance and defensiveness are the cornerstones of any Trump strategy - tactics he has used throughout his business career, his two presidential runs, and his time in the White House. Donald Trump started his Wednesday on the attack after being arraigned in a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday (above) He used that strategy after the indictment, when he spoke to supporters at Mar-a-Lago, using the safe space of his private club and MAGA faithful to rail against New York Judge Juan Merchan and Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg. Trump kept up the criticism on Wednesday morning, taking to his Truth Social platform to call on the Justice Department and FBI to be defunded. And he argued the statute of limitations has expired on the New York case, which involves a hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. 'Almost every legal and political analyst has said that the unfair and morally disgusting Indictment filed against me yesterday has NO MERIT, and is not even a case. There was no crime and, anyway, the Statute of Limitations has been violated by many years,' Trump wrote. During his speech on Tuesday night, Trump focused on the other legal investigations into him, including two separate cases by the Justice Department: one related to the classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago and a second on his actions to try and reverse the results of the 2020 presidential election. The former president called on his fellow Republicans to defund the federal agencies behind the probe. But GOP lawmakers don't have enough votes in Congress to make that happen. 'REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS SHOULD DEFUND THE DOJ AND FBI UNTIL THEY COME TO THEIR SENSES. THE DEMOCRATS HAVE TOTALLY WEAPONIZED LAW ENFORCEMENT IN OUR COUNTRY AND ARE VICIOUSLY USING THIS ABUSE OF POWER TO INTERFERE WITH OUR ALREADY UNDER SIEGE ELECTIONS!,' Trump wrote. Trump's attorney Joe Tacopina called the charges against the former president a 'zombie case' Meanwhile, Trump's attorney Joe Tacopina was on NBC's Today Show Wednesday morning to slam the New York indictment as a 'zombie case.' 'The indictment did not list what these charges are. These false business record entries, which are not false, are misdemeanor counts. Statute of limitations is long gone,' he said. 'This is just rehashing a zombie case,' he added. Tacopina has long been the face of Trump's defense in television interviews. He mimics the former president's style - tough talk, snappy language and going on the attack. He argued the case would be dismissed before it made it to a jury. 'We're not going to get to a jury,' Tacopina said. 'I think this case is going to fall on its merits, on legal challenges well before we get to a jury.' In fact, he noted, the actual indictment was a relief as it has 'no new evidence.' 'It was a little disappointing, a little bit of a relief quite frankly to see that indictment, but we're ready to move,' he said. The statute of limitations argument being tried by Trump and his team may not work as it does not count the time a defendant spends outside New York state. Trump lived in Washington, D.C., while he was president and has lived in Florida since leaving office in 2021. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg listed 34 charges against Trump Dino Sajudin, a former Trump doorman, claimed the president had a love child and was paid hush money. Trump allegedly paid $150,000 to former Playboy model Karen McDougal to keep quiet about an affair - which he denies. Donald Trump and Stormy Daniels - the case is tied to $130,000 hush money payments made to Daniels Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his prosecutors unveiled their charges against Trump in court on Tuesday. The indictment listed 34 counts of bookkeeping fraud related to Trump's reimbursement in 2017 to his former lawyer Michael Cohen. Just before the 2016 election, Cohen made a $130,000 hush payment to Daniels, who said she and Trump had an extramarital affair. Trump has denied the affair and any legal wrongdoing. The payments to Cohen were listed as legal fees. In New York, the falsification of business records on its own is a misdemeanor, which is punishable by a sentence of less than one year. It is considered a felony punishable by up to four years in prison if it is done to conceal or further other crimes. Prosecutors claim the former president falsified business records partly for a plan to deceive state tax authorities and help him win the presidential election. They brought up meetings the Trump team had with David Pecker, the former CEO of American Media the parent company of the National Enquirer - about investigations the tabloid was conducting into a claim that Trump fathered a child out of wedlock and had an affair with a Playboy playmate. The Enquirer paid $30,000 to Dino Sajudin, a former Trump Tower doorman, who claimed that Trump fathered a child out of wedlock. The tabloid later determined that was not true. The Enquirer then made another payment to Karen McDougal, Playboy's playmate of the year in 1998. She wanted to sell her story of an affair with Trump during the 2016 campaign. The tabloid paid her $150,000 for rights to her story and then suppressed it a practice known as 'catch and kill.' 'It's not just about one payment,' Bragg said at a press conference after the hearing. 'It is 34 business records - 34 false statements and business records. They were concealing criminal conduct.' All together, the charges - falsifying business records in the first degree - carry a maximum sentence of more than 100 years in prison under New York law. Even if convicted on all charges, it's unlikely Trump would be sentenced to that much time. Each charge is a low-level felony with a maximum of four years in prison for each count. There was no formal conspiracy charge, but the state of facts released by prosecutors describes how Trump 'orchestrated a scheme' with others 'to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit the Defendant's electoral prospects.' During the hearing, Assistant District Attorney Christopher Conroy argued the payments were part of 'an unlawful plan to identify and suppress negative information that could have undermined' Trump's presidential campaign. But the Trump team has argued that the payments weren't tied to the campaign as it was the former president's money. They also could argue the payments were made simply to avoid embarrassment or because Trump didn't want his family to hear about the allegations of an affair. 'The prosecutor wants a story and a theory that the jury is going to find compelling and moving. ' Cheryl Bader, an associate professor at the Fordham University School of Law, told The Washington Post that technical violations and false records are not that. 'So the prosecutor is going to have to show that the real underlying story is about how Trump deceived the American public to get elected.' And Jeremy Saland, a former member of the Manhattan district attorney's office, told Reuters that prosecutors know they 'have a very long road ahead with these charges' as they will have to prove that Trump intended to break election law even though he is not criminally charged with doing so. During Tuesday's hearing, which lasted about an hour, Trump sat with his defense team at a table before the judge with a dour look on his face and his hands folded on his lap. He said less than a dozen words, and when the judge asked him his plea, he responded: 'Not guilty.' Crowds of cheering people watch Trump's speech after his arraignment What are Trump's 'catch and kill' charges? Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to 34 counts of falsifying business records as he faced a New York judge - and became the first President of the United States to be arraigned and charged with a crime. Based on prosecutor statements and a statement of facts, the case appears to involve three different payments, two of which involve the publisher of National Enquirer magazine and one of which involves a $130,000 hush-money payment that his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in the final days of the 2016 campaign. The first involved the Enquirer paying $30,000 to Dino Sajudin, a former Trump Tower doorman, who claimed that Trump fathered a child out of wedlock. The tabloid later determined that was not true. The Enquirer then made another payment to Karen McDougal, Playboy's playmate of the year in 1998. She wanted to sell her story of an affair with Trump during the 2016 campaign. The tabloid paid her $150,000 for rights to her story and then suppressed it a practice known as 'catch and kill.' The third involves the payment to Daniels. Cohen said he made the payment at Trump's direction to ensure Daniels would not go public with her story of a sexual encounter with the married Trump. Trump reimbursed Cohen while he was president and prosecutors said that is when the fraud accord. Trump's company falsely classified the repayment to Cohen as legal expenses but prosecutors say there were no such expenses. The alleged affair with Daniels happened in 2006, long before Trump entered politics, and shortly after his wife Melania gave birth to their son Barron. Trump denies both affairs with both McDougal and Daniels. He also denies any legal wrongdoing. Advertisement The former president, meanwhile, made it clear he would fight the charges against him. On Tuesday night, he used his speech at Mar-a-Lago to go after Judge Juan Merchan's family and call Alvin Bragg a 'criminal.' In a burst of fury during his 25-minute remarks to a packed crowd of family and supporters at Mar-a-Lago, Trump let his frustration with the case shine through. He slammed his legal opposition, despite a warning from Merchan to use his words carefully in order to avoid a gag order. The former president described his foes as a 'Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and a family whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris,' which drew groans from the crowd. Trump also said the real criminal in the case is Bragg, accusing him of leaking grand jury information. 'The criminal is the district attorney because he illegally leaked massive amounts of Grand Jury information for which he should be prosecuted, or at a minimum he should resign,' he said, to cheers. There were some leaks about how many charges Trump would face and related to what matters - but the indictment remained sealed until the former president was officially charged on Tuesday. Trump was told he was free to speak but with some caution about what he could say. Merchan did not slap a gag order on Trump as the former president's lawyers feared may happen but the judge warned that he could hand down a gag order against the ex-president if he makes social media posts inciting violence. A gag order would prevent Trump and his legal team from discussing the case publicly, extending to the defendant's favorite form of communicating with his base social media. It's unclear if Trump skirted that line in his remarks on Tuesday evening. He went after Judge Merchan's daughter and Bragg's wife in his attacks. Loren Merchan, the judge's 34-year-old daughter, is partner and president of Authentic Campaigns, a progressive digital firm, and worked on several high-profile Democratic campaigns including for President Joe Biden. Loren worked as the director of digital for Kamala Harris' 2020 presidential campaign from February 2019 until December of the same year, according to her LinkedIn. Merchan's firm, Authentic, continued working for Harris and then-candidate Joe Biden after Harris ended her unsuccessful presidential campaign and joined Biden's ticket. She concluded her work with the campaign to move to fill the same role at Authentic Campaigns' progressive digital strategies firm. She climbed the ladder over five years at the firm and is now partner, president and COO of Authentic Campaigns. Bragg's wife Jamila Ponton Bragg had been active on Twitter until recently, posting derisive tweets about Trump. She locked her account after the former president targeted her. In his remarks, Trump tore into the investigations against him, calling them an 'insult to our country.' He lashed out at prosecutors investigating him and complained about the probes he faces. 'I never thought anything like this could happen in America. The only crime that I've committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it,' he said. His focus was not as much on the crimes he was indicted for on Tuesday but on every other investigation and alleged wrong-doing he has faced since he entered politics. The former president was supported by his children and their partners - but not by his wife. Eric and Lara Trump are pictured far left; Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos, are seen to the right. Don Jr and his fiancee Kimberly Guilfoyle are in the center of the group Manhattan Judge Juan Manuel Merchan and his daughter, Loren Merchan, 34, who works for progressive digital strategies firm Authentic Campaigns A court sketch of Donald Trump on Tuesday Trump arrives before delivering remarks at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida Justice Juan Merchan speaks during Tuesday's arraignment Trump, 76, went through a litany of crimes he claims have been committed against him, including both impeachments; his false claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him; that the government spied on his 2016 presidential campaign; the FISA warrants against his advisers; and investigations into reports Russia tried to influence the election in his favor. He attacked Bragg, saying the Manhattan District Attorney wanted to get him at 'any cost and this before he knew anything about me.' Trump rambled between topics during his 25-minute speech, moving from his presidential campaign talking points, his accomplishments in the White House and what he says President Joe Biden did to harm America. He abruptly ended his remarks after 25 minutes - a short speech by his standards - after spending much of his time complaining about the investigations he still faces. He repeated his argument he is the victim of the weaponization of the legal system and under political attacks from Democrats who don't want to see him return to the White House. 'Now they have really stepped up their efforts by indicting the 45th President of the United States,' he said, as the crowd booed in response. And he slammed the other investigations into his actions - including the state of Georgia's examination of whether he and his supporters tried to illegally overturn the election results there. He also condemned a federal investigation into the classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago. His focus on those two cases could be an indication of the legal fights he is most concerned about. Some experts see the New York case as the weakest of all those Trump faces. Trump launched a long, detailed defense of why he thinks he committed no crime by having his White House records at his Florida home. The Presidential Records Act says all material from a presidential administration is the federal government's property and must be turned over to the National Archives. 'There is no criminality under the Presidential Records Act,' he said. 'That is not what it's all about. We were negotiating in very good faith, a proper way in order to return some or all of the documents that I openly, and in very plain sight, brought with me to Mar-a-Lago from our beautiful White House just as virtually every other president has done in the past.' He condemned the August raid that revealed he had more documents on hand, despite a subpoena from the Justice Department to return all the material he had with him at his Florida home. Much of his ire was focused on President Biden. Trump is running for another term in the White House but first must win the Republican presidential primary before he can face off against Biden. Trump claimed other presidents, from Joe Biden to Barack Obama to Jimmy Carter, also took documents. Biden was revealed to have classified documents in his possession, but no other former president has. He said the charges against him in that case 'has absolutely nothing to do with openly taking boxes of documents and mostly clothing and other things to my home, which President Obama has done.' Donald Trump walks into the Mar-a-Lago ballroom, surrounded by security Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle at Mar-a-Lago to support the former president Eric Trump and Lara Trump joined the supporters at Mar-a-Lago Tiffany Trump and her husband, Michael Boulos at Mar-a-Lago The former president claimed Biden had more classified documents than he did and committed a worse crime. Biden's lawyers say they turned over the classified material as soon as it was discovered. With no proof, Trump claimed that Biden still has documents in his possession. 'He has 1,850 boxes in Delaware, which he is refusing to give up,' Trump said of Biden. There is no evidence of this, and the Justice Department has searched both of Biden's Delaware homes, saying no more documents are there. 'As President, I have the right to declassify documents and the process is automatic. If I take them with me, it's automatic. Declassified,' Trump claimed, which is false. He pointed out that Biden's classified documents date back to when he was vice president. 'He had absolutely no right to declassify as vice president. He doesn't come under the non criminal Presidential Records Act. He comes under the very criminal Federal Records Act. 'Unfortunately for him, but it's not going to matter because they don't follow the law, which has very severe penalties. He had classified documents that he took while he was a senator which is absolutely inexcusable,' he said. Trump mentioned the members of his family - those who were there and those who weren't - as he thanked them for their support. Those included Donald Trump Jr. and his fiancee Kimberly Guilfoyle; Eric Trump and his wife Lara; and Tiffany Trump and her husband , Michael Boulos. 'I have a son here who has done a great job, and I have another son here has done a great job,' the former president said, referring to Don Jr. and Eric. 'And Ivanka,' he added. 'And Barron will be great someday - he's tall, and he's smart, but I have a great family and they've done a fantastic job and we appreciate it very much. They've gone through a lot.' Trump faces other possible indictments: the Justice Department is investigating him on two separate cases: the discovery of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home and attempts to overturn the 2020 election results. Georgia is also examining Trump's attempts to overturn the election results there. The only other U.S. president charged with a crime was Ulysses S. Grant, arrested in 1872 for speeding down Washington, D.C. streets in his horse and buggy. He was taken to jail and paid a $20 fine. The boyfriend of a woman killed in a horrific car crash alongside three children has been charged with domestic violence offences, which allegedly occurred moments before the tragedy. Tania Murphy, a mother-of-six, was driving near the intersection of Research Road and Toorak Road in Yanco, near Leeton in southern NSW, about 11.15pm Tuesday with two of her children, Nathaniel, 11, and Jeremiah, 10, and her nephew, 12. All four were killed after the 36-year-old's Hyundai hatchback struck a pole and then crashed down an embankment into a water channel before landing upside-down. On Wednesday, Ms Murphy's boyfriend Dean Ingram, 32, and his mother Wendy Chattaway, 50, were arrested as part of investigations into the fatal crash. She has since been released without charge. While no charges had been laid in relation to the fatal crash, Mr Ingram is accused of two counts of stalking with intent to cause harm, and one count of aggravated break and enter. 'Officers attached to Murrumbidgee Police District have been told the rear door of a home in Cudgel Street, Yanco, was allegedly kicked in and a resident threatened shortly after 11pm Tuesday (4 April 2023),' NSW Police said in a statement. 'About 15 minutes later, a vehicle being driven along Research Road left the road and crashed, resulting in the deaths of a 36-year-old woman and three boys aged 10, 11 and 12.' Mr Ingram has been refused bail to appear in Griffith Local Court on Thursday. Tania Murphy, 36, was driving with her two sons and another male relative when her car smashed into a pole Ms Murphy's boyfriend Dean Ingram has been charged with domestic violence offences Ms Murphy and the three boys, who lived just 3km from the crash site in Yanco, died at the scene before paramedics arrived. The mother also has a nine-year-old daughter who was not in the vehicle at the time of the devastating crash. Police taped off Ms Murphy's home on Wednesday, which is owned by the Leeton and Districts Aboriginal Corporation. Mark Sins, a close family friend, told Daily Mail Australia that Ms Murphy's daughter was not in the car at the time. He said Ms Murphy was in a relationship with his brother, who is not the children's father. 'The kids were beautiful and mum was amazing to me - always on my case saying "are you alright?",' he said. 'She gave me a roof over my head.' Nathaniel (left) and his brother Jeremiah (right) died on Tuesday night with their mother, Tania Murphy, and another male relative The Hyundai Getz the young kids were travelling in after it smashed into a pole '[My brother] was happy and to see him now hurts.' Julieanne Abraham, who says she is Ms Murphy's best friend, said she had to tell the dead woman's daughter she had died. 'She has been the best mum, best friend and best lady I have ever met,' Ms Abraham said. 'I only spoke to her yesterday and I had to tell her daughter that she wasn't coming home. 'She was awesome, we had lots of fun when we spent time together the kids used to call me nanny we were all one big family.' His mother Wendy Chattaway, 50, was also arrested. She was released without charged Rescue workers at the scene of the tragic crash near Leeton in which a mother and three boys died on Tuesday Mr Sins said Jeremiah was his fishing buddy. Meanwhile, Nathaniel was a 'good kid... always nice to me'. 'The family, mum and kids, were my family. They brought me in'. The tragedy has rocked the Leeton region, with the mayor Tony Reneker telling ABC 'it's just a feeling of despair'. 'It's terrible news to wake up to, people are just shocked.' Detectives are still investigating the the circumstances surrounding the incident. Anyone with any information about the incident is urged to call Crime Stoppers. A child killer who took the government to court claiming it was a breach of the Human Rights Act and EU law to ban him from voting has been released from jail after 45 years behind bars. Peter Chester, now 68, got a life sentence for raping and strangling his seven-year-old niece, Donna Marie Gillbanks, in Blackpool in 1977. He was one of Britains longest serving prisoners and had previously had 11 parole bids rejected. MailOnline can reveal that Chester was successful on this 12th parole board hearing and was quietly released on licence in early 2022'. Chester, also known as Peter Chester Speakman, had denied raping and murdering Donna Marie at the home of his sister June Gillbanks in Blackpool in October 1977. Peter Chester - who was jailed for the rape and murder of Donna Gillbanks in 1977 - was released in 'early 2022' Donna Marie was raped and strangled by her uncle at her home in Blackpool At his trial at Chester Crown Court in March 1978, the jury was told that Chester, then 22, went to his sisters flat while drunk and while looking for the bathroom, entered his nieces bedroom and raped and strangled her. The married killer then placed Donna Marie back under the bed covers as though she was asleep and put her favourite cuddly toy alongside her. Her mother found the body of her daughter the following morning. Ms Gillbanks said: I walked into Donnas room calling her a sleepy head. I shook her but she didnt move. As I pulled back the sheets I saw the strangle marks around her neck and the foam and blood mouth. We rung for the doctor who told me the terrible news. I just remember collapsing in a corner. I can still feel the pain. Chester was found guilty of rape and murder and sentenced to life with a recommended minimum term of 20 years in jail. That tariff expired in October 1997. In 2008, Chester tried to join the electoral roll so that he could vote in the elections for the European Parliament. The Ministry of Justice said he could not until the law was changed. He took the government to court, with his case dismissed by the Administrative Court in October 2009 and again by the Court of Appeal in November 2010. In 2013, his lawyers argued in the Supreme Court that the UKs ban on prisoners voting breached his human rights and EU law. The legal reviews caused an outcry when it emerged that he had been given tens of thousands of pounds in legal aid. The Legal Aid Agency said at the time: Peter Chester was only granted legal aid after the Supreme Court gave permission for his case to be heard. Anyone who applies for legal aid must pass strict financial means and legal merits tests. The funding is being managed by a specialist team to ensure costs are carefully controlled. A Scottish killer, George McGeoch from Glasgow, also demanded voting rights in the same case. Seven Supreme Court justices conducted a two-day hearing, before dismissing their appeals. Handing down the decision, Lord Mance said that in relation to both appellants claims under EU law: Eligibility to vote in member states is basically a matter for national legislatures. David Cameron, then prime minister, tweeted that he agreed with the Supreme Court's decision David Cameron, prime minister at the time, welcomed the unanimous supreme court decision. He tweeted: The supreme court judgment on prisoner voting is a great victory for common sense. When details of the case first emerged, Ms Gillbanks said: He gave up the right to vote when he strangled and raped my daughter. Prisoners have enough rights and victims very little. Chester had served 25 years over his minimum term when he was granted his freedom in 2022. His earlier parole hearings had repeatedly reported that he had struggled to show empathy or remorse and had been reluctant to engage in sex offender treatment programmes. In his sixth review in September 2008, the Parole Board found that there was no substantial discernible indication of a reduction in risk, and his risk factors had not been addressed. Up until last year, the Parole Board had concluded that the risk Chester posed was still too high for him to be granted parole. Ms Gillbanks spent years campaigning for child killers to be kept in jail under the banner make sure life means life. In 2008 she told the Blackpool Gazette: Life should mean life. Small prison sentences are no deterrent. She added: Donna was my world. But now Ive got my strength back. Im fed up with all those innocent children getting murdered, strangled and raped. Ms Gillbanks concluded: I will fight to my dying breath to keep him behind bars and make sure that all the others serve the proper sentences. A Parole Board spokesperson told MailOnline: We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board has directed the release of Peter Chester following an oral hearing in October 2021. Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community. A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims. Members read and digest hundreds of pages of evidence and reports in the lead up to an oral hearing. Evidence from witnesses such as probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, officials supervising the offender in prison as well as victim personal statements may be given at the hearing. It is standard for the prisoner and witnesses to be questioned at length during the hearing which often lasts a full day or more. Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority. Under changes to prisoner voting rights incorporated into UK law in 2017, limited categories of inmates were given the right to vote at various UK elections. These categories include unconvicted, unsentenced and civil prisoners who can vote postally or by proxy, prisoners on temporary release or home detention curfew who can vote when outside of prison, and people serving sentences of up to one year in Scotland who can vote in devolved and local elections. But she added that her refusal to sleep with him led him to abruptly ignore her The actress revealed that her first kiss with Kennedy was 'the best' of her life Brooke Shields said her first and only date with JFK Jr. was 'less than chivalrous' Brooke Shields has revealed that she refused to sleep with JFK Jr. on their first and only date despite admitting she was infatuated with him for years. Although the bombshell insisted that Kennedy was 'the best kiss' she ever had, her years-long crush went sideways after he repeatedly told her she looked like his mother, former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Revealing all on The Howard Stern Show, Shields said her one dalliance with the former president's son came during their only meeting on a ski trip to Aspen, Colorado. But she said his behavior was 'less than chivalrous', including failing to get her a cab home after she declined to bed him, then ignoring her when they met on the ski slopes the next day. Brooke Shields revealed the story of her brief romance with JFK Jr. during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show Kennedy, left, apparently repeatedly told Shields she looked like his mother, former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, right The actress and model said ever since her days of child stardom, her mother would point out JFK Jr. and tell her: 'That's the boy you're going to marry'. But while describing their only meeting, Stern's insistence that men 'don't say no' to her was met with laughter from Shields. 'I wish I was that confident,' she said, before noting that after the two skied together on the trip, he failed to help her when she got stuck on the mountain. Despite their early ski slope fiasco, Shields said she still agreed to go on a brief date with him soon after, which again got off to a rocky start. 'He kept saying I looked like his mother' she revealed. 'Which was really interesting, it was a compliment, but also like "I don't know how to feel about this?"' Brooke Shields said her kiss with Kennedy was 'the best' of her life, but insisted she was relieved she decided not to sleep with him on their one and only date Their 'date' saw JFK Jr. take the actress back to his ski chalet after they both attended a Kennedy family drinking session on the vacation, which led to a passionate embrace that she described as 'the best kiss I have ever had in my life'. 'It was beyond not disappointing', she added. 'The lips are beautiful, and the face is amazing, and the body and the person... and he was down to earth'. But while her childhood fantasy was finally coming true, Shields said she 'froze', and declined to take the date to the bedroom because she feared her 'love' for him wouldn't be reciprocated. 'I was so afraid of being really hurt, because if I slept with him, I would have given him by entire universe, my heart, my everything,' she added. Their brief romance came to an abrupt halt, however, when the playboy made her get her own cab home, a move she described as 'a little less than chivalrous'. 'He didn't have to though, he had women falling at his feet,' continued Shields, noting Kennedy's many famous girlfriends including actress Daryl Hannah and Madonna. Kennedy dated a string of celebrity bombshells, including fashion icon Carolyn Bassette, his only wife The playboy reportedly had a brief fling with Madonna in 1988, which was allegedly ended after his mother Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis disapproved of their relationship Also among his notable exes included Sarah Jessica Parker, who said she never knew 'real fame' until dating Kennedy Shields said she saw Kennedy once more, the next day on the ski slope, where he 'didn't talk' to her - another move that made her relieved she'd decided not to sleep with him. The actress said her initial reaction was to think, 'Thank God... because he might still not have talked to you, even if you had [slept with him]. 'He showed his true colors in that,' she added. Before his death in a tragic plane crash in 1999, Kennedy was known internationally as a playboy who dated a string of high-profile celebrity bombshells. Among his many romances was fashion icon Carolyn Bassette, who shot to fame as both Kennedy's first and only wife as well as her work with Calvin Klein. As the son of 35th President John F. Kennedy, the playboy entertained numerous starlets through the years, which also included a reported fling with Madonna. According to the Irish Central, his romance with the music icon occurred in 1988, the same year he was named Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine. While that alleged affair was reportedly ended by Kennedy's mother Jacqueline, other starlets to have dated him included actress Daryl Hannah, who was on-off with Kennedy for over five years. Acting icon Sarah Jessica Parker also had a brief relationship with Kennedy, but she admitted she never knew 'real fame' until dating him and later said their relationship failed because he was 'a public domain kind of guy'. Advertisement Famed American author Jon Steinbeck's Hamptons compound has sold to a local nonprofit for $13.5million, about $3million less than the number for which it was originally listed. Heirs of Steinbeck's listed the house in 2021 for $16.75million, the first time the property had been on the market in 60 years. The Long Island home is where Steinbeck wrote 'The Winter of Our Discontent' and 'Travels with Charley.' When the late author's former part-time residence hit the market, local preservationists saw it as an opportunity to establish an artists' retreat. To make that vision a reality, the Sag Harbor Partnership has purchased the compound and will work with a number of institutions to manage and run the property. The three-bed, three-bath home where American author John Steinbeck wrote several of his seminal works sold to a local nonprofit for $13.5million The cozy home features a wainscoted living room and dining area that opens into its lush surroundings The University of Texas Foundation and the Michener Center for Writers will handle a residency program at the 1,220-square-foot quiet summer home. Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman told the New York Post last year that the town would 'like to honor that piece of local history by preserving the place where he wrote.' Members of the public who wish to visit the residence will be able to do so on select summer days, holiday weekends and by reservation on other days. The latter of the two titles famously recalls Steinbeck's 11-week long trip from Sag Harbor across the country with his dog Charley. Steinbeck, who won both the Nobel and Pulitzer Prize, lived in Sag Harbor from 1955 until his death in 1968. Following a weekend trip to Sag Harbor, the then 53-year-old Steinbeck bought the property in 1955 while married to his third wife Elaine Anderson Steinbeck. The grounds feature a small writer's room in the gazebo style, where Steinbeck went to work The den/Great Room is a sunny haven for relaxed conversation, reading, and board games The sunny home is surrounded on three sides by views of the Morris and Upper Sag Harbor Coves The home features an airy, open kitchen with a spacious island that provides ample counter space The property comes with a 60 foot dock that extends into the Morris and Upper Sag Harbor Coves, which Steinbeck used to use to fish One of the two bedrooms in the main house, where Steinbeck's two children slept The roughly 1.3 acre property also contains a small guest house and two-car garage Steinbeck frequently referred to his Hamptons retreat as his personal 'Eden' and my little fishing place Steinbeck purchased the modest waterfront residence in 1955 after spending a weekend in Sag Harbor The property is situated on 1.27 acres of lush green land and features a pool, two-car garage, as well as a 60-foot dock that leads to the waters of Morris Cove and Upper Sag Harbor Cove. The house was originally built in 1929. It has three bedrooms and three bathrooms, and a small guest house and gazebo-like writing room where Steinbeck used to work. It is not clear what Steinbeck originally paid for the home nearly 70 years ago, but comparable homes in the area have recently sold for prices in the $6-$7million range. Steinbeck, who grew up in California but moved to New York in 1941, often described the home as his personal 'Eden' and often referred to as my little fishing place. The double Upper East Side townhouse that Steinbeck owned also hit the market last year for a total price of $18million. It has been called the city drenched in blood from violent crime. But Chicagos incoming Democrat mayor Brandon Johnson has promised a new chapter in the history of our city, despite his prior support for defunding the police. His election marks a sea change in US politics, with his winning platform a rejection of the tough-on-crime mantra that has gripped local politics in recent years. The former teacher faces a mountainous in-tray to turn life around in the Windy City, where a pandemic-era rise in crime has left residents frightened and angry. Johnson, 47, also has an uphill battle to win over Chicagoans who backed his more conservative Democrat rival, Paul Vallas, whom he defeated by around 13,000 votes. In his concession speech Vallas, 69, noted the narrow margin showed the city is deeply divided. Chicago's incoming Democrat mayor Brandon Johnson, pictured celebrating his victory in Tuesday's vote, has promised 'a new chapter' in the history of the city Johnson's opponent Paul Vallas (above) lost narrowly and warned that the city was still divided Vallas promised to bolster the police, but Johnsons opponents fear he will gut it instead. So who is Chicagos new union-backed, liberal mayor and what does his election mean for America's third largest city? How did he win? The Cook County Commissioner from Elgin, south Chicago, began his career as a public school teacher at Jenner Academy in Chicagos Near North Side. He has been employed by the powerful Chicago Teachers Union for the last dozen years and their support proved crucial to his success. In one early poll, Johnson garnered just 3 per cent support, but unions poured millions of dollars into his campaign, providing key endorsements and volunteers. Some analysts, including former President Barack Obamas chief strategist David Axelrod, questioned whether voters would want a mayor beholden to a union that has clashed repeatedly with the citys last two mayors. But Johnson successfully played up his background growing up in a poor, black family, teaching at a school in a notorious former public housing complex, and recounted stories of shielding his children from gunfire in their west side neighborhood to great effect. He also drew backing from key figures on Democratic left, including Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Squad member Ayanna Pressley, as well as Chicago-born rapper and actor Common. Johnson cited Jesse Jackson - who also backed him - and Martin Luther King Jr. in his victory speech and called his election a continuation of their legacies. Johnson won the support of key Democrats, including Bernie Sanders and Ayanna Pressley How is he different? Axelrod described the mayoral election as the battle between the candidate of the Fraternal Order of Police and the candidate of the Chicago Teachers Union. Although both Democrats, Vallas was the more moderate, conservative candidate, compared to Johnsons liberal, progressive vision, with their differences playing out over voters' main concern - public safety. Vallas vowed to make Chicago the safest city in America by expanding its police force and taking a hard line on minor crime. He slammed outgoing mayor Lori Lightfoot for overseeing an utter breakdown of law and order and pledged to fully fund city police departments. Lightfoot, the first openly lesbian black woman to serve as mayor of a major US city, had embraced calls to defund law enforcement in the wake of George Floyds killing, cutting around $58million from Chicagos police budget in 2021. In a similar vein, Johnson introduced a resolution in 2020 calling for Cook County to redirect funds from policing and incarceration to public services not administered by law enforcement', according to the Chicago Tribune. In a radio interview the same year, he said defunding is not just a slogan but 'an actual real political goal', and he sponsored a nonbinding resolution on the county board to redirect money from policing and jails to social services. During his mayoral campaign, Johnson distanced himself from his past support of defunding police and promised to promote 200 new detectives from the existing pool of officers, while strengthening police accountability. But he has said he wants to tackle crime by ploughing money into mental health care, education, jobs and affordable housing, rather than the police. Johnsons other priorities included environmental justice, gender equity and education, according to his campaign website. Johnson backed defunding law enforcement in the wake of George Floyd's killing in 2020, but has since distanced himself from theidea The former teacher believes the way to tackle crime is not more police funding but investment in social programs, paid for by more taxes His opponent Vallas campaigned on a 'tough-on-crime' approach, promising to fully fund the police and take a hard line on minor crimes Johnson's supporters also sought to depict Vallas as too conservative for Chicago, citing his support for charter schools and past comments that he saw himself as more Republican than Democrat. They also seized on his association with the Fraternal Order of Police, a nationwide organization representing sworn law encroachment officers across the US that has supported Republican politicians, while its leader, John Catanzara, has defended the insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol on January 6. Tax was another major dividing line. Johnson called for vast expansion of social programs in the city, with $80million to be raised by taxing the rich. Vallas, who had strong support from the business community, said the plan would be disastrous for Chicagos economy. Race is also a factor in the city. Vallas, a white Chicagoan, had stronger support downtown and in largely white areas of the Northwest and Southwest sides. He tried but failed to win over enough voters in majority-black neighborhoods. Johnson, on the other hand, was able to expand his base of white progressive voters on the North Sides lakefront. What challenges does he face? Lightfoot became the first incumbent to lose reelection in the Windy City in four decades, with opponents blaming her for a sharp rise in crime. When Lightfoot lost her bid for reelection, conservative broadcaster Megyn Kelly tweeted: Turns out her rallying cry of I am a black woman (literally - this was her reminder) did not win over voters in a city drenched in blood from violent crime. Democrat Mayor Lori Lightfoot lost her re-election bid over criticisms of her soft-on-crime approach amid a steady spike in violence. Pictured: Lightfoot at her election night rally on February 28 According to the Chicago Police Department's latest report, rapes have shot up by 16 percent so far this year compared to the same time in 2022. Robberies are also up 13 percent, with aggravated battery and burglaries both up 11 percent. Theft in the windy city is up 31 percent, and vehicle thefts, specifically, have soared up 143 percent. Homicides and shooting incidents were the only category to see decreases, falling by 18 percent and 8 percent, respectively. While overall violent crime is up 52 percent from the same time last year, it's up 102 percent when compared to 2021. Johnson, who takes office in May, also faces a wider post-pandemic malaise, with its population in decline, a drop in public school enrollment and fewer people using public transport. BRANDON JOHNSON Brandon Johnson wants to tax the rich Former teacher, 47, from Elgin, north Chicago. Previously backed defunding the police, although has subsequently distanced himself from the movement. Believes the way to tackle crime is not more money for police but more social investment. Backed by the powerful, progressive Chicago Teachers Union. Wants to fund social programs by taxing the rich. Advertisement A doctor unsuccessfully tried to revive him An Australian man has died while trekking in a remote region in Nepal. The 63-year-old man died while hiking to Tumlingtar in the Lukla region of Nepal, according to Inspector Ram Kishore Sha from the Solukhumbu District Police Office, who confirmed the man's death to SBS. 'He fell unconscious, and an Australian doctor present at the scene tried to revive him but couldn't,' Inspector Sha said. The region is popular with tourists wishing to trek Nepal's peaks including Mount Everest. Inspector Sha said the man had only arrived in the region on Monday. An Australian man has died in a region popular with tourists wishing to trek Nepal's peaks including Mount Everest The 63-year-old man died while hiking to Tumlingtar in the Lukla region The man fell unconscious and could not be revived by a doctor who attended to him (stock image) The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) confirmed the death to NCA NewsWire. 'The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to the family of an Australian man who died in Nepal,' a DFAT spokesperson said. 'We offer our deepest condolences to his family and friends.' The cause of death is currently unknown. Britain's top toilet chief has called criticism of dual-flush loos 'unfair' as ministers look to ban variable flush toilets. Raymond Martin, managing director of the British Toilet Association (BTA), says the industry can 'hold their head up high' after national efforts to reduce water usage. The 67-year-old was flush with fury as he claimed dual-flush loos are not as leaky as the Government believe. Under a proposal to make everyone use as little as 110 litres per day by 2050 under the 25 Year Environment Plan, environmental Tsars are hoping to cut personal water consumption by 20 per cent for 2038 Dual-flush toilets intended to save water lose BILLIONS of gallons in leaks Thames Water found as many as half of its customers use the wrong button - or press both Dual flush loos intended to save water in fact waste billions of gallons every year. Frequent leaks and users being confused by the buttons causes them to lose more than they save, a report by the Waterwise Project revealed. When used correctly the highly-efficient models save more than two thirds more water than a conventional toilet. But leaks caused by mineral deposits or debris keeping a special drop-valve open can cause the loo to fill continuously. And Thames Water found as many as half of its customers use the wrong button - or press both. The dual-flush rose to prominence in water-deprived Australia and is common across Europe. Asia and the Middle East. Advertisement This comes as the double-flush lavatories could be axed alongside power showers under Government plans to save water. Under a proposal to make everyone use as little as 110 litres per day by 2050 under the 25 Year Environment Plan, environmental tsars are hoping to cut personal water consumption by 20 per cent for 2038. But Mr Martin believes dual-flush toilets are part of the solution - not the problem. He said: 'There's no leakages really from dual-flush toilets, except where you have a real limescale buildup from time to time - and that's probably true even if it was an ordinary flush toilet. 'Dual-flush toilets were brought out to reduce the amount of water being used to wash away urine. 'They are a water saving device so we can't see any way that the government would want to ban them. 'We can understand things like power hoses, power showers - in a world where water is such a vital resource we are absolutely 100 per cent behind the government. 'But we don't see where dual-flushes comes into this at all.' The Government's Plan for Water comes three years after an Environment Agency report warned of 'a serious risk that some parts of the country will run out of water in the next 20 years'. The new plan states: 'We are improving water efficiency in homes by developing minimum product standards for showers, taps, and toilets.' But some ministers want to go even further, banning 'high flow' products from sale, The Telegraph reported. And following a 2020 report from the Waterwise Project, dual-flush loos could be in the firing line. They say mineral deposits can cause the mechanism's drop valve to be stuck open, causing the toilet to fill continuously. They claim between 5 and 8 per cent of UK toilets are leaking, adding up to about 88 million gallons of water a day - and most are dual-flush models. Toilet boss Raymond Martin, 67 (right) says that he has talked to the BTA's big suppliers and they don't have exceptional water bills in the places where dual-flush toilets are prevalent But Mr Martin says he has talked to the BTA's big suppliers and they don't have exceptional water bills in the places where dual-flush toilets are prevalent. And he praised new technology, such as the Cistermiser infrared flush control for urinals, which can cut water consumption by over 80 per cent, and Propelair, which uses an air pump to clean the bowl with less water. He continued: 'The industry is doing what it can to make sure that water saving on and the overuse of water is stamped out. 'But I think we've been lobbed in here, picked up and thrown into the same bath. 'I think the toilet industry and bathrooms are a different thing. 'I think the people in this industry have done a lot to cut down. 'This industry is up there and working with government that we have to reduce the amount of water it takes to flush away poop. 'I think the toilet industry can hold its head fairly high and say we've done a lot. I think it's very unfair. 'The way people use showers and the way we use water generally - I think we're a wasteful nation and over the last 20 years we've become more wasteful.' Former Georgia politician Stacey Abrams accepted a job at Howard University after her failed run as governor of The Peach State. Abrams, 49, appears to be putting aside her political ambitions for office as she is set to start her new position as the inaugural Ronald W. Walters Endowed Chair for Race and Black Politics, the university announced on Wednesday. The politician served as a state representative from 2007 up until 2017 when she reigned to run for governor in 2022. Abrams nearly won the gubernatorial race but was defeated in a slim win by Republican Brian Kemp. While Abrams' political endeavors have failed in the past year, she will start her term at the university in September to teach about the issues black people have faced in politics and provide knowledge on how they can find 'real-world' solutions to combat struggles, according to the university. Stacey Abrams accepted a multi-year position at Howard University as the inaugural Ronald W. Walters Endowed Chair for Race and Black Politics Abrams, who recently lost the Georgia gubernatorial race to Republican Brian Kemp, appears to be taking a step back from the political playing field. Pictured: Howard University 'We are at an inflection point for American and international democracy, and I look forward to engaging Howard University's extraordinary students in a conversation about where they can influence, shape and direct the critical public policy decisions we face,' Abrams wrote in a statement. Aside from Abrams' political resume, her non-profit work centered around social issues, voter engagement and democracy has made her the perfect fit for the position, Wayne A.I. Fredrick, Howard University President, wrote in a statement. 'Stacey Abrams has proven herself an essential voice and eager participant in protecting American democracy not just for certain populations, but for everyone with the fundamental right to make their voices heard,' Fredrick wrote. 'As the inaugural Ronald W. Walters Endowed Chair, Ms. Abrams selection not only honors the work and legacy of renowned political strategist and scholar Dr. Ronald Walters, it expands on that legacy by bringing Howard students in dialogue with a contemporary candidate whose work has directly influenced todays political landscape,' the statement continued. Anthony K. Wutoh, Howard University Provost and Chief Academic Officer, added that Abrams' extensive experience would make her a key figure on campus for people of color and women. 'Stacey Abrams is a respected voice in American politics, known for her advocacy for voting rights, criminal justice reform, environmental justice, and economic empowerment for marginalized communities,' Wutoh wrote. 'She continues to be an influential figure in the Democratic Party and a role model for young women and people of color who aspire to enter the policy arena.' Wayne A.I. Fredrick, Howard University President, wrote in a statement that Abrams' extensive career makes her a perfect fit for the role It's unclear how much Abrams will be paid but the former gubernatorial candidate owed vendors $1million for the lavish $100m campaign she lost in November. As of December, Abrams owed her campaign vendors $1million after she spent thousands a month renting a TikTok 'hype house' and a swag truck to win over young voters. At the time, her campaign manager, Lauren Groh-Wargo, confirmed to Axios that the wannabe-governor owes more than $1million. Abrams lavished $12,500 a month on the TikTok house - near Piedmont Park - to make content for her campaign, only to barely use it. Staffers eventually turned the five-bedroom home into an a makeshift office, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She also used a swag truck with her face on it to hand out sweatshirts and t-shirts in the hopes of winning over young voters - however, staffers complained Abrams had no real strategy for the truck and it ended up being costly. Judge Steven Boyce, who has banned cameras from the courtroom, denied the application In a filing obtained by DailyMail.com, brother Benjamin Douglas said he can't travel but argued it's his 'right and responsibility to bear witness' to the hearing Both the brother and father of Chad Daybell's first wife Tammy asked to 'virtually attend' trial The judge presiding over 'Doomsday cult mom' Lori Vallow's murder trial has denied requests made by the family of her alleged victims to be able to view the proceedings remotely, DailyMail.com can reveal. Jury selection is currently underway for the 49-year-old's trial in Ada County, Idaho - which is being heard separately from that of her husband, co-accused, Chad Daybell, 54. Both stand accused of multiple counts of murder in the first degree and conspiracy to commit murder in relation to the deaths of Vallow's children from previous marriages seven-year-old Joshua, aka 'JJ', and 16-year-old Tylee as well as Daybell's first wife, Tammy, 49. JJ and Tylee's murders are believed to have taken place in Madison County while Tammy was allegedly killed in neighboring Fremont County. The prosecutorial offices in those small counties have joined forces to bring this case. However, the trial is taking place more than 200 miles west in Boise. 'Doomsday cult mom' Lori Vallow is set to stand trial on conspiracy to commit murder charges in Idaho in the coming weeks. She is pictured in August 2022 Vallow is charged with the murder of Tammy Daybell (second left) seen here with siblings Matthew Douglas, Michael Douglas, Samantha Gwilliam and Benjamin Douglas Vallow is accused of killing her kids, seven-year-old Joshua (JJ) and sixteen-year-old Tylee Presiding Judge Steven Boyce has ruled that the proceedings will only be streamed to a room inside the Boise courthouse and another at the Madison County Courthouse in Rexburg. Now DailyMail.com has learned that both Tammy's youngest sibling, Benjamin Douglas, and her elderly father, Ronald, who both live in Utah, filed requests with the court begging to be able to watch the trial of the woman who allegedly conspired to kill the mother of five. According to his request Benjamin, 36, believes it is his 'right and responsibility to bear witness' to the proceedings, but family and work commitments make it impossible to do so in person. His application was denied last week. He said he could not attend the trial in person because he couldn't afford to take 10 weeks off work and it would put too much stress on his wife who would have to look after their three-year-old twins without his help. 'I would be happy to comply with any and all guidelines or rules set forth by the court in order to attend virtually,' he wrote. At 80 years old and 76 respectively, Tammy's father, Ronald, and mother, Phyllis, are too frail to make the more than 300-mile trip from their home to Boise where the trial is scheduled to last two months. Media and members of the public who wish to watch proceedings in Ada County Court can do so by reserving seats in screening rooms in both Ada's courthouse and four hours away in Madison County Courthouse, where a live link to the courtroom will be aired. Yet, despite the fact that strangers may take a ringside seat, the family members' applications were denied last week. Matthew Douglas, one of Tammy's three brothers who also lives in Utah, reacted to the judge's decision on social media last month, revealing he too had planned to file the same request. 'I was working on filing my own request this afternoon, but seeing as they denied my Dad, no reason to bother. The closer we get to trial, the more hearings that are held, the more disappointed I've been in Judge Boyce,' he wrote in a March 21 Facebook post. Tammy's death in 2019 was initially ruled as natural after Chad declined an autopsy, but was reclassified as suspicious when the case was reopened after JJ and Tylee were reported missing In a filing obtained by DailyMail.com, Tammy's brother Benjamin said he's unable to travel but argued it's his 'right and responsibility to bear witness' to the proceedings Matthew Douglas, one of Tammy's three brothers who also lives in Utah, reacted to the judge's decision on social media last month, revealing he too had planned to file the same request 'The accused deserve every right afforded to them, I strongly believe that. Lady Justice is supposed to be blind and the scales balanced and equal FOR ALL, at all stages of the process. But when it feels that the accused's rights continually outweigh and trump those of the victims and their surviving family, you begin to lose faith in our justice system,' he added. Judge Boyce has yet to rule on Vallow's attempt to thwart JJ's grandparents Larry and Kay Woodcock's desire to sit through proceedings after she argued that they aren't officially the children's grandparents. Both are potential witnesses and not, Vallow's counsel contends, legally victims as such they would be excluded from hearing the testimony of others. The Woodcocks have also voiced the belief that family members of the victims who are unable to attend the lengthy trial should be allowed to view it virtually. Jury selection began Monday after 1,800 juror questionnaires were sent out to residents of Ada County and a pool drawn from respondents. The trial was moved to Ada County in a bid to find a jury pool untainted by the fierce pre-trial publicity. As jury selection continued it seemed to have proved a successful strategy as a surprising number of the prospective jurors claimed to have little to no prior knowledge of Vallow and her alleged crimes. Prospective jurors were questioned in groups of 15 broad brushstroke enquiries from both sides. Freemont County Prosecutor Lindsey Blake and Madison County Prosecutor Rob Wood asked potential jurors for 'brutal honesty,' and pressed them on whether viewing disturbing materials related to the deaths of children would 'overcome their commons sense and reason.' Special Prosecutor Rachel Smith wanted to know if they could be 'firmly convinced' by a case which is largely circumstantial. Defense attorneys Jim Archibald and John Thomas wanted assurances that they understood the concept of presumption of innocence and were able to abide by it. Group by group jurors were dismissed some for financial or personal reasons that would make serving on a trial slated to last eight weeks a hardship, others for 'cause' such as a professed inability to come to a verdict without having an eyewitness account of the alleged crime. Tylee was last seen on September 8, 2019 while JJ was last seen with his uncle Alex Cox on September 22. Their bodies were found in Daybell's backyard in June 2020 Vallow is also trying to thwart JJ's grandparents, Larry and Kay Woodcock's wish to sit through proceedings, but the judge is yet to make a decision Lori with her daughter Tylee, who she accused of murdering along with her young son In this fashion a long list of 42 potential jurors will be reached. The twelve jurors and six alternates will be chosen from this group following closer questioning during which the state and the defense will be able to exercise a limited number of pre-emptory strikes, meaning they can reject a potential juror without giving the court any reason. The process is expected to take several days. The proceedings have already been delayed more than a year as Vallow was initially ruled 'incompetent' to stand trial and placed in the custody of Idaho Department of Health and Welfare for 10 months. Vallow's lawyers still contend that she is a 'mentally ill person' and said so when they argued for the death penalty to be taken off the table earlier this month. Ultimately Judge Steven Boyce removed the threat, not because of that argument, but on a technicality. Prosecutors failed to meet the deadline by which they had to share evidence with the defense. Yet it is hard to square the twisted nature of Vallow's alleged crimes with a sound mind. The Eastern Idaho mother and her husband rocketed to national infamy in November 2019 when the Woodcocks asked for a welfare check as neither JJ nor Tylee had been seen or heard from since September. Tylee was Vallow's daughter from her first marriage to Joe Ryan which ended in divorce in 2006. The couple also had a son, Colby, 26, who made repeated attempts to contact his sibling only for his mother to fob off his mounting concerns. But Vallow's claims that Tylee was at university and JJ was with friends quickly fell apart and while officers searched and relatives begged for information she and Daybell flew to Hawaii, refusing to say where the children were. Authorities now believe Tylee was killed around September 9, just two weeks short of her seventeenth birthday. She was last seen visiting Yellowstone National Park with Vallow, JJ and Vallow's brother, Alex Cox on September 8. They believe JJ was killed around September 22. Vallow informed his school leaders that she was removing him in favor of homeschooling the following day when the child failed to show for lessons. Lori Vallow, 49, had been due to stand trial alongside her husband Chad Daybell, 54, but their cases were separated earlier this month The couple are also accused of killing Daybell's ex-wife, Tammy Daybell, who died in 2019 Police looking for human remains at the home of Chad Daybell in Salem, Idaho, in 2020 By the time her children and Tammy Daybell were killed Vallow had allegedly bought wholesale into a bizarre belief system espoused by her lover, self-proclaimed prophet and ex-communicated Mormon, Daybell. Vallow swallowed his ideas that the 'end days' were near and that she and he would play a unique and important role in the salvation of 144,000 'chosen' souls. Most disturbing of all, was Vallow's apparent conviction that her own children did not number not among the 'chosen,' but were 'zombies' possessed by evil spirits. Former grave digger turned author, Daybell, had carved out a niche writing best-selling books inspired by the apocalyptic prophecies and visions he preached at 'prepper' conferences across the country. It was at one such conference that Vallow and Daybell met in 2018. Both were married at the time - Vallow to second husband Charles, Daybell to the mother of his five children, Tammy. Tammy died in October 2019. Two weeks later, on November 5, Vallow and Daybell married in an intimate beach ceremony in Hawaii. The speed of the union was one of many red flags to emerge as authorities dug into the couple in the wake of the children's disappearance. They also learned that Daybell had 'prophesied' his spouse's death and upped her life insurance policy to the maximum pay out just one month before that 'prophecy' was fulfilled. The month after the children were first reported missing, in December 2019, Tammy's body was exhumed for autopsy and her death reclassified from natural to suspicious. Liberals captured control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court Tuesday after a Milwaukee judge with Democratic backing prevailed by a substantial margin prompting a furious diatribe by the defeated Republican who called the victor a 'serial liar.' 'I wish Wisconsin the best of luck, because I think it's going to need it,' said former Justice Dan Kelly at the end of his election night speech. 'I wish that in a circumstance like this, I would be able to concede to a worthy opponent,' he said during a campaign event Tuesday night. 'But I do not have a worthy opponent to which I can concede,' he said, after Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Janet Protasiewicz, 60, defeated him. Kelly had previously worked for Republicans and had support from the state's leading anti-abortion groups. Defeated Republican candidate Judge Dan Kelly accused Democratic candidate Judge Janet Protasiewicz of running 'the most deeply deceitful, dishonorable, despicable campaign,' after she routed him, with a lead of 11 percentage points Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Janet Protasiewicz, 60, defeated former Justice Dan Kelly, who previously worked for Republicans and had support from the states leading anti-abortion groups. The state Supreme Court is expected to take up the state's 1849 law banning abortion except in cases to save the mother's life. Kelly refused Tuesday night to call his opponent to concede, calling Protasiewicz's campaign 'deeply deceitful, dishonorable and despicable,' the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Kelly began his remarks with typical comments thanking his supporters for their work on the campaign. Then he unleashed a series of personal attacks on his rival, even while accepting the result of the outcome. 'This was the most deeply deceitful, dishonorable, despicable campaign I have ever seen run for the courts. It was truly beneath contempt. And I say this not because we did not prevail. I do not say this because of the rancid slanders which were launched against me,' he said. 'I wish Wisconsin the best of luck, because I think it's going to need it,' said Kelly. He accused the state's voters of choosing the 'rule of Janet' over the rule of law. Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Janet Protasiewicz has won a 10-year term Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Janet Protasiewicz celebrates with her husband Greg Sell, after the race was called for her during her election night watch party in Milwaukee The victory speaks to the importance of abortion as an issue for Democrats in a key swing state, with turnout the highest ever for a Wisconsin Supreme Court My opponent is a serial liar. She has disregarded judicial ethics. She has demeaned the judiciary with her behavior. This is the future that we have to look forward to in Wisconsin. He defended his commitment to the rule of law. 'We could have the rule of law, or the rule of Janet,' he said. 'The people of Wisconsin chose the rule of Janet's.' The attack in the face of a substantial loss came on a day former President Donald Trump brought back many of his own claims of election fraud and railed against probes against him at an event at Mar-a-Lago on the day he was arrested. The victory speaks to the importance of abortion as an issue for Democrats in a key swing state, with turnout the highest ever for a Wisconsin Supreme Court race that didn't share the ballot with a presidential primary. As of Wednesday morning, more than 1.8 million votes were reported. The court, with a 4-3 conservative tilt, came within one vote of overturning President Joe Bidens win in the state in 2020. In a jubilant scene at her victory party, the other three liberal justices on the court joined Protasiewicz on the stage and raised their arms in celebration. Protasiewicz tried to downplay the importance of abortion as an issue in her victory, even though she and her allies, including an array of abortion rights groups including Planned Parenthood, made it the focus of much of her advertising and messaging to voters. 'It was really about saving our democracy, getting away from extremism and having a fair and impartial court where everybody gets a fair shot in the courtroom,' Protasiewicz told The Associated Press after her win. 'That's what it was all about.' The race determined majority control of the court headed into the 2024 presidential election Kelly's speech came on a night former President Donald Trump attacked an array of probes against him on a day he was arrested in New York The new court controlled 4-3 by liberals is expected to decide a pending lawsuit challenging the states 1849 law banning abortion enacted a year after statehood. Protasiewicz said during the campaign that she supports abortion rights but stopped short of saying how she would rule on the lawsuit. She had called Kelly an 'extreme partisan' who would vote to uphold the ban. In addition to abortion, Protasiewicz's win is likely to impact the future of Republican-drawn legislative maps, voting rights and years of other GOP policies. It will also ensure that liberals will have the majority leading up to the 2024 presidential election and immediately after. Four of the past six presidential elections in Wisconsin have been decided by less than a percentage point and Trump turned to the courts in 2020 in his unsuccessful push to overturn his roughly 21,000-vote loss in the state. The current court, under a 4-3 conservative majority, came within one vote of overturning President Joe Bidens win in the state in 2020, and both major parties are preparing for another close race in 2024. Kelly is a former justice who has also performed work for Republicans and advised them on a plan to have fake GOP electors cast their ballots for Trump following the 2020 election even though Trump had lost. Ahead of the vote, Protasiewicz called Kelly 'a true threat to our democracy' because of his advising on the fake elector scheme. Kelly had expressed opposition to abortion in the past, including in a 2012 blog post in which he said the Democratic Party and the National Organization for Women were committed to normalizing the taking of human life. He also had done legal work for Wisconsin Right to Life. Kelly was endorsed by the states top three anti-abortion groups, while Protasiewicz was backed by abortion rights advocates. Kelly was appointed to the state Supreme Court by then-Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, in 2016. He served four years before being defeated in 2020 on the same ballot as the Democratic presidential primary. Kelly was endorsed by Trump that year. Trump did not endorse this year. Protasiewiczs endorsements included Hillary Clinton. Kelly tried to distance himself from his work for Republicans, saying it was 'irrelevant' to how he would work as a justice. He tried to make the campaign about Protasiewiczs record as a judge, arguing that she was soft on crime and accusing her of being 'bought and paid for' by Democrats. The Wisconsin Democratic Party gave Protasiewiczs campaign more than $8 million, leading her to promise to recuse herself from any case brought by the party. Protasiewicz said that while she anticipates many of the issues raised in the campaign will come before the court in the coming years, she pledged to be impartial and not beholden to Democrats and her liberal backers who poured an unprecedented amount of money into the race. 'Ive told everybody on the entire time that I was running, despite the fact that I was sharing my personal values, every single decision that I will render will be rooted in the law,' she said. 'And that is the bottom line. Theyre independent and rooted in the law.' Kelly, in a statement after his loss, said Protasiewicz 'made her campaign about cynical appeals to political passions, serial lies, and a blatant disregard for judicial ethics and the integrity of the court.' 'I wish Wisconsin the best of luck,' he said. 'I think it will need it.' Protasiewicz was outspoken on Wisconsins gerrymandered legislative maps, calling them 'rigged.' Kelly accused her of prejudging that case, abortion and others that could come before the court. The state Supreme Court upheld Republican-drawn maps in 2022. Those maps, widely regarded as among the most gerrymandered in the country, have helped Republicans increase their hold on the state Legislature to near supermajority levels, even as Democrats have won statewide elections, including Tony Evers as governor in both 2018 and 2022 and Biden in 2020. Protasiewicz will serve a 10-year term starting in August replacing retiring conservative Justice Pat Roggensack. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has slammed the Liberal Party's decision to formally oppose the adoption of an indigenous Voice in an upcoming referendum The Liberal Party room voted on Wednesday to reject the government's proposed model for an indigenous body, known as the Voice, which would be formally recognised in the constitution and give advice on any proposed laws which affected Aboriginal and Torres Strait people. The Liberals will now campaign against the Voice in the upcoming referendum and would instead propose local and regional Voices which would be legislated but not embedded in the Constitution. Mr Albanese said he was disappointed but not surprised by the Liberals' decision and took aim at Peter Dutton's suggestion the party would support symbolic constitutional recognition for Indigenous people without the element of the Voice. 'It appears some people don't want a Voice; they'd rather have a whisper,' Mr Albanese said. The Uluru Statement accused the Liberal Party of voting for the continued 'domination of Canberra politicians and Canberra bureaucrats in the lives of grassroots communities.' 'It seeks to entrench the status quo which is failing our people,' Uluru spokeswoman Megan Davis said in a statement. 'We will not be deterred. Our focus remains on educating the Australian people about how important this reform will be to the lives of First Nations peoples.' The Albanese government has maintained that amending the Constitution is the form of recognition Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders asked for in the 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart Indigenous leaders for the Voice say they will not be deterred by the Liberal Party's decision to formally oppose constitutionally enshrining an Indigenous Voice to parliament. Pictured Megan Davis Anthony Albanese says he knows Liberal frontbenchers who want to support a constitutionally enshrined Indigenous Voice to parliament as he took a swing at the party for deciding to turn its back on it after months after pushing back on it. Key moderates Andrew Bragg and Bridget Archer were quick to break ranks to signal their support for the Voice after their party room agreed to allow backbenchers a conscience vote on the matter. Ms Archer almost immediately confirmed she would defy the party line and campaign for a 'yes' vote and said the Liberals' verdict on the Voice was the latest in a series of decisions which had tested her faith in the party. The outspoken Tasmanian backbencher, who has crossed the floor to vote with Labor in the past, told the ABC after the party room meeting that she thought the Voice was worth fighting for and there was a 'moral imperative' to back the proposal. Senator Bragg released a statement saying he maintained an open mind as a long-term supporter of the Voice 'concept', adding he was committed to achieving the 'best' possible constitutional amendment to both empower communities and protect 'institutional framework'. 'The process to date has been poor, but that is not a good enough reason to oppose the referendum in my opinion,' Senator Bragg said. Senator Bragg and Ms Archer will be allowed to support the referendum because neither of them sits on the Opposition frontbench. But Liberals in the shadow cabinet will have to oppose the Voice, meaning any MPs who support the proposal will need to fall in line behind the Coalition's position or resign from their frontbench positions. Speaking after the Liberals' party room meeting on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said he was aware of shadow ministers who would like to cross the floor to support the government's proposal. The Liberal party room voted on Wednesday to reject the government's proposed model for the Voice in favour of establishing local and regional Voices which would be legislated but not embedded in the Constitution Anthony Albanese says he knows Liberal frontbenchers who want to support a constitutionally enshrined Indigenous Voice to parliament 'But it's a matter for them,' Mr Albanese told ABC Radio Sydney. Later on Wednesday, Mr Albanese told ABC's Hack radio program he had met with Mr Dutton 'in good faith' on seven occasions to discuss the Voice. He said the Coalition had done nothing in the eight months it had had to propose changes to the draft constitutional amendment he initially proposed at Garma Festival in Arnhem Land last July. 'No Liberal or National Party leaders came forward with any alternatives or any suggestions, in spite of the fact that I made it very clear it was just draft wording,' he said. The Opposition Leader confirmed after the Liberals' party room meeting he would actively campaign against the Voice before the referendum on enshrining the advisory body in the Constitution is held sometime between October and December. 'I don't think this is in our country's best interests,' Mr Dutton said. 'I have spent literally months, like many Australians, trying to understand what it is the Prime Minister is proposing. We cannot get the basic detail out of them. We think it is deliberate. We are waiting, waiting for advice.' The Albanese government has maintained that amending the Constitution is the form of recognition Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders asked for in the 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart, saying the finer details will be ironed out through the usual parliamentary processes when the Voice is legislated. Mr Albanese revealed a fortnight ago how the Constitution would most likely be changed to embed the Voice - which would be allowed to make representations to cabinet ministers who form the executive government as well as the parliament of the day. Flanked by Indigenous leaders who sat on the government's referendum working group, Mr Albanese had tears in his eyes as he revealed the proposed constitutional amendment and referendum question in an emotional press conference in Canberra. Australians will be asked: 'A Proposed Law: to alter the constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?' Parliament will finalise the wording of the question and the proposed constitutional change when it votes on the Constitution Alteration Bill no later than June, with a bipartisan committee reviewing the legislation due to report back by mid-May. Mr Dutton characterised the government's proposal as 'the Prime Minister's divisive Voice to Canberra', claiming it would be steered by Indigenous academics and do little to close the gap or improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The federal National Party - the junior Coalition partner - announced last year it would oppose the Voice. The Liberals' decision to reject the Voice drew praise from Nationals leader David Littleproud, who told reporters in Toowoomba he wasn't surprised. 'Obviously, they have strong views on both sides, but they've been able to get to a juncture where in principle they cannot support the proposal that's been put forward,' he said. 'The fact that it took the Liberal Party longer to get there (than us) is something we respect.' But Greens leader Adam Bandt lashed the Liberals as a 'small racist rump sliding into irrelevance' in the wake of their announcement on Wednesday. 'It's incredible that the Liberals could have looked at the results in NSW and Aston and decided that the solution was a race-based culture war,' he said 'They've got nothing to offer this country.' The Liberals' decision on Wednesday comes after fresh polling found a majority of Australians in a majority of states supported the government's Voice proposal. The Newspoll, conducted for The Australian newspaper, suggests 54 per cent of all Australian voters support the proposal which would constitutionally recognise Indigenous Australians and enshrine an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to parliament. According to the poll, 38 per cent of Australians are opposed. Queensland is the only state which does not have majority support, with 49 per cent of respondents backing the Voice and 43 per cent against. Additional reporting: Ellen Ransley, Courtney Gould Migrants continued to cross the English Channel today as good weather continued with border force officials guiding another small boat to the safety of the shore. A group of around 20 asylum seekers are thought to have been brought into the harbour at Dover, Kent before 9am this morning after making the perilous journey across the 21-mile Dover Straits in an inflatable dinghy. The asylum seekers could be seen dressed in orange lifejackets as RNLI officials escorted them off the vessel amid chilly conditions in the Channel. The latest rescue comes on the same day the government intends to dock a 20,000-a-day migrant barge housing 500 asylum seekers in the South West of England despite fierce local opposition. More migrants are expected to arrive later today as the conditions in the Channel remain relatively calm. A group of around 20 asylum seekers are thought to have been brought into the harbour at Dover today The group were spotted by the RNLI who sped towards them to offer assistance They were then taken onboard and taken back to shore to be processed It comes after 201 made the crossing on Tuesday in six incidents, according to official figures from the Home Office. The latest crossings are the first to reach the UK in almost a week, following severe gales in the Channel with the onset of Storm Mathis last Thursday (March 30), which saw the Met Office issue a yellow wind warning for coastal areas of southern England. According to official Government figures, just 840 migrants made the treacherous journey in 21 boats in March - an average of 40 people per vessel - compared to 1,770 in February and 1,180 in January. This brings the total number of asylum seekers who have made the crossing so far in 2023 to 3,991 in 95 boats - an average of 42 people in each inflatable. The busiest day this year came on January 22 when 442 people reached British soil in a 24-hour period. Last year saw a record 45,728 migrants cross the Channel - significantly more than 2021's total of 28,526. But officials have warned that as many as 80,000 migrants could enter the UK on small boats this year. A Home Office spokesperson said: 'The unacceptable number of people risking their lives by making these dangerous crossings is placing an unprecedented strain on our asylum system. 'Our priority is to stop this illegal trade, and our Small Boats Operational Command is working alongside our French partners and other agencies to disrupt the people smugglers. 'The government has gone further by introducing legislation which will ensure that those people arriving in the UK illegally are detained and promptly removed to their country of origin or a safe third country.' The Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge is a 222 bedroom, three-storey vessel which can house up to 506 people The barge has a host of communal areas for socialising and dining It comes with a fully equipped games room where migrants will be able to socialise Meanwhile the mayor of the port town where a giant barge housing 500 asylum seekers will be docked today compared it to having a 'housing estate plonked on them at a moment's notice'. Home Secretary Suella Braverman plans to ease Britain's migrant crisis by putting them in a three-deck ship in Portland Port, at the heart of the World Heritage Jurassic Coast. But Portland mayor Pete Roper has hit out at the government for not consulting local residents or providing any additional support for the island. The Bibby Stockholm vessel, which will reportedly cost taxpayers more than 20,000 a day to run, could accommodate 506 people in its 222 en-suite bedrooms. The type of barge would normally be used for offshore construction projects. International law enforcement agencies led by the FBI have seized a sprawling dark web marketplace popular with cybercriminals, where stolen passwords were sold for as little as $1 each, officials announced Wednesday. The hacker cyber-bazaar, known as Genesis Market, was seized in a multinational crackdown dubbed 'Operation Cookie Monster' after the site's specialization in stolen digital fingerprints, known as cookies. According to the FBI, Genesis Market offered access to data stolen from more than 1.5 million compromised computers around the world, containing over 80 million account access credentials. The stolen data included passwords for services such as online banking, Facebook, Amazon, PayPal and Netflix, as well as digital fingerprints that can be exploited by criminals to bypass online security checks by spoofing the victim's device. In coordinated raids around the world, more than 200 searches were carried out and about 120 people were arrested, including 24 arrests in and around the British town of Grimsby, UK law enforcement officials said. A senior FBI official told DailyMail.com that suspects were also arrested within the US in connection with the bust, but did not offer details on the number of arrests or the charges. Visitors to the Genesis marketplace today are greeted by this splash page after the takedown The FBI official said the total estimated losses to victims of the hacker marketplace ran in the tens of millions of dollars. The person said that Genesis Market users relied on stolen credentials to perpetrate a wide range of scams, including identity theft targeting individuals, and large-scale ransomware attacks on companies and other organizations. 'These criminal marketplaces are services that facilitate cybercrime globally, and enable criminal cyber actors to conduct operations against public and private organizations worldwide,' the official said. Click here to check if you have been hacked by the Genesis Market Advertisement The US Treasury Department called the Genesis Market 'one of the world's largest illicit marketplaces' in a statement announcing full blocking sanctions against the site. 'Today's takedown of Genesis Market is a demonstration of the FBI's commitment to disrupting and dismantling key services used by criminals to facilitate cybercrime,' said FBI Director Christopher Wray in a statement. The investigation into Genesis is ongoing, officials said. US Justice Department Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a statement that many of the forum's users around the world had been arrested. The raid on Genesis follows similar US-led enforcement actions in the past year against other darknet hacker marketplaces, including Hydra Market and BreachForums. But experts warned that hacker gangs are often slippery, and similar markets often soon re-emerge. 'Unfortunately, when one of these sites is removed, it creates a vacuum that could be quickly filled by others,' Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity expert at NordVPN, told DailyMail.com. Warmenhoven said the seizure of Genesis was 'a step in the right direction for clamping down on bot markets, but there is a long way to go if the goal is to eradicate the illegal trade in online identities.' Senior DOJ officials say Genesis was operated by a group of hackers, who ran a sophisticated malware program which infected millions of users over the world to harvest their data. The marketplace essentially sold subscriptions to the compromised computer systems, allowing users to access stolen credentials at will, even if the victim updated their passwords. 'Today's takedown of Genesis Market is a demonstration of the FBI's commitment to disrupting and dismantling key services used by criminals to facilitate cybercrime,' said FBI Director Christopher Wray (file photo) Britain's National Crime Agency said Genesis sold stolen credentials from as little as $0.70 USD, to as much as hundreds of dollars apiece, depending on the stolen data available. Personal data on sale included account log-ins, passwords, cookies, search history and autofill form data enabling fraudsters to build up a detailed picture about their prey. Those who wanted to use Genesis could only join by invite from a previously established member, however those referrals were also available for sale online. The marketplace could be found using normal internet search engines, as well as on the dark web, and users were offered step-by-step guides on how to buy stolen details as well as how to use them for fraud. The site contained easy-to-follow instructions telling offenders how to masquerade as their victim, getting around banking systems that require biometric data. It even advised how to buy bitcoin to avoid law enforcement tracing transactions. Offenders were also able to infiltrate victims' computers to install secret malware which notified them in real-time if their target changed their passwords. The NCA said 17 countries were involved in the operation, which was led by the FBI and Dutch National Police. A banner plastered across Genesis Market's site late on Tuesday said domains belonging to the organization had been seized by the FBI. Logos of other European, Canadian, and Australian police organizations were also emblazoned across the site, along with that of cybersecurity firm Qintel. Police and the NCA arresting a UK suspect in connection with the criminal Genesis Market site Operation was led by the FBI and Dutch police forces and 17 other countries, including the UK's National Crime Agency, who made 24 arrests in and around Grimsby Contact information for Genesis Market's administrators was not immediately clear. The FBI seemed eager for information about the site's owners as well, saying in its seizure notice that anyone who had been in touch with them should 'Email us, we're interested.' Genesis specialized in the sale of digital products, especially 'browser fingerprints' harvested from computers infected with malicious software, said Louise Ferrett, an analyst at British cybersecurity firm Searchlight Cyber. Because those fingerprints often include credentials, cookies, internet protocol addresses and other browser or operating system details, they can be used by criminals to bypass anti-fraud solutions such as multi-factor authentication or device fingerprinting, she said. 'To get up and running on this you just have to know of the site, potentially be able to get yourself an invite which given the volume of users probably wouldn't be particularly difficult,' said Will Lyne, NCA Head of Cyber Intelligence. 'Once you become a user, it's really easy to then ... perpetrate criminal activity.' The NCA said countries involved in the investigation also included Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. The Genesis site had been active since 2018, officials said. Software company Netacea had warned about the site two years ago and had even written a report about its dangers. It said: 'Although highly illegal, its operations are run in a professional and even user-friendly manner. 'The Genesis marketplace includes terms and conditions, an FAQ, frequently updated utility software, and even a support desk with ticket system for customer queries. 'This Aladdin's cave of criminally obtained data is growing at an alarming rate,' the report warned. People can check if they were victims by visiting this database created by Dutch authorities. Four tragically killed by the man, while another four have been hospitalised A 25-year-old man was arrested after turning himself in following the attack Four children have been killed after a hatchet-wielding man scaled the wall of a nursery in Brazil and carried out a shocking attack before turning himself in to police. The 25-year-old man, named locally as Luiz Henrique de Lima, arrived at the pre-school in Blumenau, southern Brazil, on a motorbike before going on a horrifying rampage, attacking the children who were playing in a park behind the school. Local media reported the victims as four-year-old children Bernardo Pabest da Cunha and Enzo Marchesin Barbosa, Bernardo Cunha Machado, aged five, and Larissa Maia Toldo, aged seven. A fifth child is said to be in a serious condition, while three other casualties were taken to Santo Antonio Hospital. The hospital confirmed that children, aged between 'zero and two-years-old', had arrived for treatment. The tragic attack was carried out at the CEI Cantinho do Bom Pastor pre-school in the Velha neighbourhood of Blumenau at around 9am local time (12:00GMT). Local media reports claim 25-year-old Luiz Henrique de Lima carried out the attack before turning himself in The alleged killer was also filmed behind bars in a video that has since gone viral on social media Four children have been killed after a hatchet-wielding man scaled the wall of a nursery and carried out a shocking attack in Brazil. Pictured: The scene of the attack in Blumenau As emergency services rushed to the scene, Henrique de Lima was arrested after turning himself in at a state police station. Images broadcast on television showed weeping parents outside the private daycare centre, known as the Good Shepherd Center, while motorists were seen racing through red lights to get to the scene. Governor Jorginho Mello confirmed the tragedy and expressed his condolences in a statement: 'It is with great sadness that I receive the regrettable news that the private day care centre Cantinho do Bom Pastor, in Blumenau, has been invaded by an assassin who attacked children and staff. 'Unfortunately four died. I immediately determined the action of our security forces, who are already on the spot. The killer is already arrested. 'I leave here my full solidarity. May God comfort the heart of all families in this moment of deep pain.' Amid rumours on social media of other potential attacks, Blumenau's mayor, Mario Hildebrandt, said the city suspended classes and will declare a 30-day mourning period. Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva condemned the attack as a 'monstrosity.' 'There is no greater pain than a family that loses children or grandchildren, even more so when it is in an act of violence against innocent and defenseless children,' he wrote on Twitter. The 25-year-old man arrived at the pre-school in Blumenau, southern Brazil, on a motorbike before going on a rampage. Pictured: Police speaking to members of the public outside the school President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also condemned the attack as a 'monstrosity.' Pictured: Forensic officers at the pre-school The man was arrested by Brazilian police after turning himself in following the attack today. Pictured: Emergency services at the scene The tragic attack was carried out at the Centro de Educacao Infantil Cantinho do Bom Pastor pre-school 'My thoughts and prayers are with the victims' families... For any human being who has the Christian feeling, a tragedy like this is unacceptable, a behavior, an absurd act of hate and cowardice like this.' The State Board of Criminal Investigations has confirmed it will lead the investigation for the savage attack. Violence in schools has been increasing in Brazil in recent years. Last week, a 13-year-old boy killed a teacher in a knife attack at a school in Sao Paulo. In November, a 16-year-old shooter killed four people and wounded more than 10 others in twin attacks on two schools in the southeastern city of Aracruz, in Espirito Santo state. In 2019, two former students shot dead eight people at a high school in Suzano, outside Sao Paulo, then also took their own lives. The country's deadliest school shooting left 12 children dead in 2011, when a man opened fire at his former elementary school in the Rio de Janeiro suburb of Realengo, then killed himself. Triple-killer Saju Chelavalel, 52, has pleaded guilty at Northampton Crown Court to the murders of his NHS nurse wife Anju Ashok and their children, six-year-old Jeeva Saju and Janvi Saju, aged four. The two children died after being found with serious injuries at a property in Kettering, Northamptonshire, on December 15 last year alongside their mother - who died at the scene. Chelavalel was arrested by police at the same house after they were called to reports three people had been injured and was charged with all three murders days later. A forensic post-mortem examination at Leicester Royal Infirmary concluded that all three died of asphyxiation, but at the opening of the inquests into their deaths a coroner said the medical cause of death for the children had been listed as strangulation, while Ms Ashok died of asphyxia. Saju Chelavalel pleaded guilty to all three murders at Northampton Crown Court Chelavalel spoke with the aid of an interpreter to confess his guilt Janvi Saju, 4, and her mother Anju Ashok, 35, were killed after being asphyxiated, an inquest heard Jeeva Saju, 6, was strangled to death along with his sister in December, the inquest heard The case against Chelavalel was not opened after he pleaded guilty to three counts of murder during a 12-minute hearing. Assisted by an interpreter in the dock, Chelavalel answered 'guilty' to two of the counts he faced, but in relation to the charge of murdering Jeeva he replied: 'I don't know what happened to the children, but I plead guilty.' Adjourning the case until July 3, Judge David Herbert KC said: 'There can only be one sentence in law, namely a life sentence, but the judge dealing with your case on that day will have to set the appropriate minimum term.' It's thought that the family travelled to the UK from Kerala in India only months before the triple murder with Mrs Ashok becoming an NHS nurse last September. Northamptonshire Police had previously confirmed that Ms Ashok worked as a nurse at Kettering General Hospital. Northamptonshire Police confirmed after the hearing that the victims were the wife and children of Saju Chelavalel. Police at the scene of the triple murder in Kettering last December Floral tributes left in memory of the family In a statement issued after the case, senior investigating officer, Detective Inspector Simon Barnes, said: 'This was an absolutely tragic case and there are no words to articulate the devastation Saju Chelavalel caused when he chose to end the lives of Anju, Jeeva and Janvi. 'I am pleased that he has pleaded guilty and spared Anju's family and friends the pain of a trial. He will have to live with what he has done forever and I hope one day, he truly comprehends the pain his actions have caused. 'Anju Asok will be remembered as so much more than this man's victim. She was a dedicated nurse, loving mother, and loyal friend. 'My thoughts remain with her loved ones and will continue to do so long into the future.' Nicola Sturgeon's enemies in the separatist community were quick to jump on news of her husband's arrest today. Peter Murrell, 58, was held by police after raids on their Glasgow home and SNP headquarters in Edinburgh. Detectives are investigating what happened to more than 500,000 donated to the SNP to fund a second independence referendum campaign that never materialised. The news was shared on Twitter by SNP MP Joanna Cherry, who had quit as a Westminster frontbencher over Ms Sturgeon's controversial gender law reforms. She backed Ash Regan to replace her but Humza Yousaf was chosen instead. Former SNP leader and first minister Alex Salmond, who fell out with Ms Sturgeon over an investigation into his behaviour in which he was cleared of wrongdoing, also came out of the woodwork swiftly this morning as the news broke. He professed himself 'sad' as he walked smiling into the BBC's Edinburgh office, just 25 metres away from the headquarters of the SNP. Alex Salmond professed himself 'sad' as he walked smiling into the BBC's Edinburgh office, just 25 metres away from the headquarters of the SNP The news was shared on Twitter by SNP MP Joanna Cherry. She quit as a frontbencher at Westminster over Ms Sturgeon's gender law reforms Mr Yousaf this morning denied the arrest was the reason behind Ms Sturgeon's resignation 'It's a very live investigation, so I couldn't really comment on the specifics,' said Mr Salmond, 'I led the SNP for a long time, so I'm very sad about what's happening to it, and indeed what it's become. 'We should remember the cause of independence, and the case for it, has never been stronger and that's what myself and Alba are concentrating on putting forward.' Mr Salmond is now leader of the pro-independence Alba party. It came as Mr Yousaf was forced this morning to defend her departure as SNP leader and First Minister, insisting it was nothing to do with the police investigation. Ms Sturgeon's decision to quit last month, with the SNP ahead in the polls, took Scottish politics by surprise. Weeks earlier she had used an interview to say she had 'plenty in the tank. Mr Yousaf this morning denied the arrest was the reason for her resignation. 'Nicola's legacy stands on its own,' he said. 'Nicola's legacy, whether it's in relation to care-experienced young people and keeping The Promise, whether it's on tackling child poverty, there are many legacies she can stand on, and I think that's what she'll be judged on.' He added: 'I believe her very much when she says how exhausted she was. I think anybody who watched her over the course of the pandemic during those daily briefings, day after day, I think anybody could understand how exhausting that is. 'So, no, I don't think this is the reason why Nicola Sturgeon stood down.' He said the party's national executive committee had agreed to a review of governance and transparency. Asked if the arrest would hurt the SNP in the polls or at a potential by-election, he said: 'It certainly doesn't do us any good. People will have questions, there will be some concerns. Our party membership will have concerns too. 'What I can commit to as party leader is that we want to be absolutely transparent.' When she announced her resignation, Ms Sturgeon said: 'Part of serving well is to know when the time is right to make way for someone else, and when the time comes to have the courage to do so. 'In my head and in my heart I know that time is now, that it is right for me, my party and the country.' Ms Sturgeon insisted her decision came from duty and was not linked to 'short-term' issues. She said she had been wrestling with whether 'carrying on' was right for her and Scotland. The family of a British grandmother who died after Brazilian Butt Lift surgery in Turkey are still battling to get the results of her autopsy more than 11 months on, MailOnline can reveal. Carol Keenan, 54, paid 7,000 to undergo the buttock enhancement procedure and a tummy tuck at a private hospital in Istanbul after becoming anxious about the way her body looked. Her family revealed that she accepted an offer to get free abdominal muscle repair surgery shortly before she was taken into the operating theatre. But Ms Keenan of Glenrothes, Fife, collapsed and died before she was due to have a final check up and fly home, just six days after her surgery. Her daughter Leonie Keenan, 32, is still waiting for the results of an autopsy carried out in Turkey to establish how she died. Carol Keenan of Glenrothes, Fife, collapsed and died before she was due to have a final check up and fly home, just six days after her surgery Ms Keenan, right, who died after complications following Brazilian Butt Lift surgery in Istanbul, Turkey, last year. Pictured with her daughter Leonie A spokesperson for the Onkoloji Hastanesi hospital said it had hired out its operating theatre for the use of the surgeon who operated on Ms Keenan But she is convinced that her mother's previously unreported death on April 20 last year was linked to the surgery that she underwent, with the most likely cause being a blood clot or a fat embolism which went to her heart or brain. Leonie is now urging others to be aware of the risks of undergoing cut price cosmetic surgery as so-called 'medical tourists' in countries such as Turkey. She spoke out after it was revealed that another Scottish woman, 28-year-old Shannon Bowe, had died last Saturday after travelling to Turkey for a gastric band operation. Leonie said: My mother was a fit and healthy individual. She was a very petite size 10 and she kept in shape by walking everywhere and going swimming. 'She was a very active grandmother who loved bouncing on the trampoline with the kids but she was not happy with her body even though everyone told her she looked great. She set her heart on having surgery after seeing stories about other people and celebrities having procedures. I dont know if it was like a mid-life crisis. Leonie said her divorced mother, a support worker for vulnerable adults, settled on ordering her surgery through the Clineca health tourism agency in Turkey after being impressed by the companys reviews Ms Keenan flew to Istanbul with her fiance Steven Anderson, 55, to have her Brazilian Butt Lift and tummy tuck after saving up for 18 months. Pictured, Ms Keenan with her brother and grandchildren From time to time, she would talk about her looks. If she read stories about tummy tucks or saw stories about the Kardashians and their bums, she would say, Look at that. She went on Facebook and WhatsApp groups for people getting surgery, and that just encouraged her even more. She just felt she wanted to look more sculpted. I was worried about her getting anything done. I told her that there was nothing wrong with her and she was fine the way she was. But some people struggle with their body image. She didnt see what others saw when they looked at her. Leonie said her divorced mother, a support worker for vulnerable adults, settled on ordering her surgery through the Clineca health tourism agency in Turkey after being impressed by the companys reviews. She flew to Istanbul with her fiance Steven Anderson, 55, to have her Brazilian Butt Lift and tummy tuck after saving up for 18 months. Shortly before undergoing her double operation, Carol was offered and accepted the chance to get a third procedure free of charge at the same time to sculpt her abdominal muscles and improve how they looked Ms Keenan with her son, Andrew, daughter Leonie and grandson Ms Keenan underwent a series of checks including blood tests the day before being cleared to have surgery the next day at the private Onkoloji Hastanesi hospital in Istanbul. Shortly before undergoing her double operation, she was offered and accepted the chance to get a third procedure free of charge at the same time to sculpt her abdominal muscles and 'improve how they looked'. Her Brazilian Butt Lift involved removing fat by liposuction from her back and injecting it into her bottom. Leonie said: She had the three procedures done in one session. It took about three hours longer than was expected. But afterwards she seemed to be quite happy and was doing all right. She spent three days in hospital and then was moved to a hotel for three days to recuperate. After the operation Ms Keenan was visited in her hotel by medical staff who removed her drains and gave her a lymphatic massage on the night of April 19 The hotel was full of other British people who had undergone procedures ranging from hair transplants to boob jobs. 'I spoke to her every day on Facetime and she seemed to be fine. She was eating in her room and her partner was helping her get to the loo. She was a bit sore which was not surprising after three surgeries. 'She sent me photos of herself and said she could see the change in her abdomen, but was unsure whether she could see anything on her bottom. 'I only found out later that a BBL was one of the riskiest procedures you can have. I dont think my mum realised at the time how dangerous it was. 'Various reviews for the company which organised her surgery and stories on Facebook were painting a picture about the surgery being inspirational and positive.' Mother-of-three Leonie, a pupil support worker, said her mother was visited in her hotel by medical staff who removed her drains and gave her a lymphatic massage on the night of April 19. She added: 'The next day she got up and was feeling really good. She got dressed to go back to the hospital for a check up before flying home. 'But just as she reached the taxi outside the hotel with her fiance Stevie, she suddenly collapsed. She was breathing, but unresponsive. 'A lady who was a nurse stopped to help Stevie, and stroked my mums head. It was 20 to 30 minutes before an ambulance arrived. 'Stevie was not allowed to join her in the ambulance and the lady who stopped took him to the hospital. 'Sadly my mums heart stopped in the ambulance and she was given CPR by the paramedics, but they could not save her. 'When Stevie arrived at the hospital, they kept telling him that things were OK, but then someone came over and told him she had passed. 'He was left figuring out what to do with all the language barriers. My mum was taken to a mortuary, but Stevie said it looked like it was in a disgusting condition and he insisted on her being moved to a funeral home.' Leonie said she was 'devastated' to receive a text message from Stevie informing her that her mother had died. She said: 'It was hard to process because I wasnt with her. She was always so healthy. She went out there healthy, and she didnt come back. It was hard to accept. 'I was trying to get hold of the British consulate to get help, and we had to arrange for her body to come home.' Leonie said her mother had medical insurance which paid the for her body to be brought back to Scotland, although faced the indignity of seeing her coffin being wheeled from the plane to the cargo centre at Edinburgh airport on a luggage trolley. Her body was accompanied by a death certificate, saying that an autopsy had 'determined' her cause of death, but it did not give further details. Leonie said she tried in vain to get an explanation about how her mother died, but failed to get a 'detailed response' or the conclusion of the autopsy. Instead, she was sent two A4-sized pieces of paper, filled in halfway down and listing medication that her mother had been given, a description of her operation and the names of medical staff involved with her. She was finally contacted by the British consulate last week to say that files about her mothers death and the autopsy results had been released in Turkey and would be sent to her within two or three weeks. Leonie added: 'My mum was a big personality. You always knew when she was in the room. 'At her funeral, she was described as a person with fire in her belly and a passion in her heart. She had a love for life. 'Above everything she was devoted to her grandchildren. She would see them three days a week, take them for tea, pick them up after school and take them on days out. 'Her death is clearly linked to the surgery. We as a family believe that if she did not have these procedures, she would still be alive today. 'We have questions about how well she was monitored after the operation. I understand that blood clots can give people a burning sensation. If she had something like that, it should have alerted the people looking after her. 'I think the Turkish authorities make it too easy for people to jump on planes and get these procedures. People think they are going out on a medical package holiday to make themselves look better but they need to realise that it could cost their lives.' Istanbul-based Clineca which boasts on its website that it offers 'a complete cosmetic surgery experience focusing on beauty, safety and comfort', did not respond to requests for comment. The company's website states that it arranges surgery 'in prestigious hospitals with intensive care units and doctors from all specialties to maximise safety', along with airport transfers and 'special discounts in luxurious hotels'. A spokesperson for the Onkoloji Hastanesi hospital said it had hired out its operating theatre for the use of the surgeon who operated on Ms Keenan. But they added that the surgeon was no longer connected with the hospital and was unable to comment further. The bereaved parents and children of victims of the tainted blood scandal should receive immediate 100,000 interim compensation payments, an inquiry has said. Chair of the Infected Blood Inquiry Sir Brian Langstaff has today called for the families who lost loved ones to receive the funds to 'alleviate immediate suffering'. He said an interim payment scheme launched last October - which saw 400million awarded to infected individuals and bereaved spouses - should be extended to include the wider family. Sir Brian said he was recommending further interim compensation payments 'to recognise the deaths of people who have so far gone unrecognised'. 'I believe this is necessary to alleviate immediate suffering. It is a fact that around 380 children with bleeding disorders were infected with HIV. Some of them died in childhood. 'But their parents have never received compensation. 'Children who were orphaned as a result of infections transmitted by blood transfusions and blood products have never had their losses recognised.' It is estimated at least 3,500 deaths have so far gone unrecognised and their surviving parents or children could be eligible. Chair of the Infected Blood Inquiry Sir Brian Langstaff has called for the families who lost loved ones to receive the funds Sir Brian said a longer term compensation plan should draw inspiration from a scheme set up in the wake of 9/11 which paid promptly paid out up to 7billion to victims. He said the parents, siblings, children as well close relatives and friends of living or deceased victims should be for compensation eligible if their mental, physical or emotional health was impacted. The inquiry team was not able to put a figure on how many more people or their families could be eligible for compensation but payouts could run into billions. The scandal which saw thousands of people were infected with HIV and hepatitis via contaminated blood between 1970 and 1991 has been described as the 'worst treatment scandal in NHS history'. Sir Brian said that he was taking the unusual step of publishing the recommendation ahead of the publication of his full report into the scandal so that victims would not face any more delays. 'I could not in conscience add to the decades-long delays many of you have already experienced due to failures to recognise the depth of your losses,' he said in his statement. He said that 'wrongs were done at individual, collective and systemic levels'. Michelle Tolley, from Norfolk, who has been living with hepatitis C and cirrhosis for 25 years and runs a support group for 500 people broke down in tears after watching the video message from Sir Brian Gary Webster, a former pupil of Lord Mayor Treloar College, giving evidence at the Infected Blood Inquiry last year Victims see 'light at the end of the tunnel' Victims attended the release of the interim report where they heard a video message from Sir Brian. Michelle Tolley, from Norfolk, who has been living with hepatitis C and cirrhosis for 25 years and runs a support group for 500 people, broke down in tears after watching. The 57-year-old mother of four, who was infected during a blood transfusion after giving birth, said 'no compensation will ever make up for this' but she was 'pleased' that more people would receive financial support. 'The emotion is overwhelming,' she said. 'I'm tired of fighting, I'm tired of campaigning. 'It's been a long time coming - four decades is a hell of a long time. We've been living through a horror film, but it's a traumatic reality.' Ms Tolley said she lives in constant fear she will be diagnosed with liver cancer, adding that she cried at her daughter's wedding in October because she had not believed she would still be alive to see it. 'Westminster has got blood on its hands,' she said. 'They should have stopped this when they first knew it was happening. The Government needs to take action on the latest recommendations now.' Gary Webster, 58, and Adrian Goodyear, 52, said their lives had been 'devastated' by HIV and hepatitis C after they were infected as pupils at Lord Mayor Treloar College in Alton, Hampshire. Mr Webster said dealing with the stigma of having 'full-blown Aids' in his 30s was 'horrendous' and he had to quit his job as his illness worsened - but he could now see 'light at the end of the tunnel'. He said: 'Ade and myself went to a school where over 70 people died - our friends that we went to school with - we went there from the age of 10 up until 18 and then we started losing people, so it's been awful. 'But thankfully today, we can see a light at the end of the tunnel. It's all we could have asked for, the report today - I don't think it's left anything out.' Mr Goodyear, 52, who lost his brothers Gary and Jason after they were infected, said the scandal has dominated his life since he contracted hepatitis B and C at the age of seven. 'We have found our faith in each other, the camaraderie in campaigning, and trying to achieve the answers and justice that we so rightly deserve. And today, we feel that Sir Brian has come forward with that.' 'We can't bring anyone back, and we can't bring our health and lives back, but what we can do is recognise that through financial support and psychological support - because it has been an immensely long psychological battle for so many people, people were sent to die behind closed doors from HIV and Aids and they did - so for them we carry them, we carry them all.' Advertisement Sir Brian said that 'not only do the infections themselves and their consequences merit compensation, but so too do the wrongs done by authority, whose response served to compound people's suffering'. He said: 'This has been described as the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS, and we have much to learn as a nation to help ensure that people never suffer in a similar way again. I will be setting that out in my full report.' The inquiry's second interim report on compensation also made a series of recommendations including a 'bespoke' psychological support service in England for victims and their loved one. Kate Burt, chief executive of the Haemophilia Society, said: 'After decades of delay and denial by successive governments, today's report has exposed the unparalleled scale of suffering and loss endured as a result of the contaminated blood scandal. 'The case for swift and meaningful compensation is now beyond doubt and we welcome the recommendation that everyone, including bereaved parents and children, should receive compensation as soon as possible. 'This report highlights the huge psychosocial harm caused by government's repeated failure to acknowledge wrongdoing. 'Too much time has been wasted by politicians intent on denying the consequences of this NHS disaster. 'Now Government must atone for its shameful avoidance of this scandal and pay compensation to all those whose lives have been devastated. 'Money cannot compensate for a lost future, the death of a child, a parent, a partner, or a sibling. Nor can it resurrect careers, marriages and shattered mental and physical health. But compensation is the first step towards the Government accepting blame, acknowledging loss and, crucially, an apology which explains what went wrong.' Rachel Halford, chief executive of the Hepatitis C Trust, added: 'This is a clear call to action for the Government, which lays out the strong moral case for them to accept and compensate for the harm done to everyone affected by the contaminated blood scandal.' The inquiry was established in 2017 to examine how thousands of patients in the UK were infected with HIV and hepatitis C through contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s. About 2,400 people died in what has been labelled the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS. Thousands of adults and approximately 380 children received infected blood products or transfusions during treatment by the NHS, the inquiry has heard. Many had the blood-clotting disorder haemophilia and were given injections of the US product Factor VIII. The inquiry has been gathering evidence and holding hearings for four and a half years. The last day of hearings took place on February 3 and it is expected that the final report will be published in the autumn. A Government spokesman said: 'The infected blood scandal should never have happened. 'Sir Brian Langstaff's interim report will help the UK Government and devolved administrations to meet our shared objective to be able to respond quickly when the inquiry's final report is published in the autumn. 'We thank the chair and the inquiry team for this detailed interim report and the Government is continuing preparations for responding to the final report when it is published.' The full report is expected to be published in October. The Government will wait for the full report into the infected blood scandal before considering whether to extend the compensation scheme for victims, the Prime Minister has said. Asked by broadcasters in Peterborough whether he would extend the compensation scheme as recommended by the inquiry's chairman, Rishi Sunak said: 'I am grateful to the work of the independent committee for their interim recommendations - not just to the Government - that will help us and the devolved administrations ensure that we can respond appropriately to the full report when it comes.' He added: 'In the interim, we have made available payments of about 100,000 for those who have been infected or bereaved. 'We will of course wait to find the full report when it comes, and then take forward recommendations as we can and will consider them then.' Three brave officers who took down Nashville shooter Ashley Hale said they 'just wanted to save the kids' as they spoke for the first time since the mass shooting. Transgender Hale, 28, opened fire with 152 rounds in just 14 minutes and killed three children and three staff members at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee. Detective Michael Collazo and Officer Rex Englebert were the first on scene to rush into the school and take down Hale who had positioned herself to fire at the police cars as they arrived on site. Both officers remained silent following the shooting on March 27, but during a press conference, they opened up about their actions which saved dozens of lives. They revealed that they had never worked together before that day, with Englebert explaining that they gave each other clear commands as they worked their way around the school. Three of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Officers who rushed into the school after being alerted to the active shooter. (L-R) Jeff Mathes, Michael Collazo and Rex Englebert Detective Michael Collazo (right) and Officer Rex Englebert (left) were the first on the scene to rush into the school and take down Hale who had positioned herself to fire at the police cars as they arrived on site Police Chief John Drake said that the officers went in 'immediately' because they 'just wanted to save kids.' Hale murdered Hallie Scruggs, William Kinney, Evelyn Dieckhaus, all nine, and headmistress Dr. Katherine Koonce, 60, substitute teacher Cynthia Peak, 61, and chef Mike Hill, 61. Detective Sgt. Jeff Mathes, who has not been identified before, is one of the officers who entered the school with Englebert. Speaking at the press conference, he said: 'The smell of gunpowder was in the air. All of us stepped over a victim 'I, to this day, do not know how I did that morally. But training is what kicked in.' Englebert then detailed that he got a call for a 'code 9000', which means an 'active deadly aggressor'. He said that he had heard calls like that before, which were false alarms, but he knew that it was different. The officer said: 'I couldn't get to it fast enough. I looked for the nearest staircase I could find because I could tell it was above my head.' Detective Collazo explained how he saw the body of custodian Mike Hill lying on the floor as he first entered the school through the shot-out glass Hale, who was transgender born female, used the names Audrey and Aiden but her preferred pronouns were he/him according to a LinkedIn page Englebert is one of the officers who fired a fatal shot at Hale, and was told to sit in his car after he was relieved from duty. He added: 'That was pretty difficult to do, because I could tell there was more work to be done.' Detective Collazo then explained how he saw the body of custodian Mike Hill lying on the floor as he first entered the school through the shot-out glass. He relayed the information about Hill over the video but continued moving through the school to hunt for Hale. The detective explained that they heard gunshots, and that is when everything 'kicked into overdrive'. 'We made our way to a locked door, and at the time I was upset that we hit a locked door but now I'm thankful that we hit a locked door because that was the school doing what they were trained to do. 'I ran into that second victim laid on the ground. We had to push past the victims because we continued to hear more shots being fired. It was very distinctive you could tell it was rifle rounds being fired. Police recovered these three weapons from the scene and later revealed she fired 152 rounds Detective Sergeant Jeff Mathes said: 'The smell of gunpowder was in the air. All of us stepped over a victim' 'Smoke was everywhere. Our training academy has put us through this countless times.' Chief of Police Drake added that the teachers at the school had recently gone through active shooter training. He said: 'Their efforts also saved lives. They knew how to have kids on the wall away from the windows, out of the hallways, where we could have had a lot more casualties, they were able to protect these kids as well.' It comes after police revealed that they found journals which referred to other school shootings and 'firearms courses', a suicide note and two shotguns. Police who searched the house also found five yearbooks from the school, other weapons equipment and 11 'home videos'. Metro Nashville Police Department revealed Hale, 28, planned the massacre for months in advanced. Audrey Hale, 28, had detailed writings plotting her sick attack months before she butchered three kids and three adults at The Covenant School last week Englebert then detailed that he got a call for a 'code 9000', which means an 'active deadly aggressor' 'Description of seized property' records following the search of the Nashville school shooter's home reveal police found two shotguns, journals which referred to other attacks, a suicide note and other evidence including 'home videos' Cops also said on Monday that she fired 152 rounds from two assault rifles and a handgun during the shooting. Further information about what Hale wrote in her journals and the content of her suicide note have not yet been released - but the new disclosures could finally reveal Hale's motive for the sickening atrocity. The warrant says a shotgun was found in a bedroom closet at the home and another was next to a desk. Other discoveries include 'notepads w/ passwords', empty ammo boxes and a 'bag w/ targets'. A statement from police on Monday said: 'The ongoing investigation into the March 27 murders of six persons inside The Covenant School continues to show, from all information currently available, that killer Audrey Hale acted totally alone. 'In the collective writings by Hale found in her vehicle in the school parking lot, and others later found in the bedroom of her home, she documented, in journals, her planning over a period of months to commit mass murder at The Covenant School. Evelyn Dieckhaus, 9, was one of the victims shot by transgender shooter Audrey Hale, 28, after she opened fire at the private Christian school on Monday Tributes have flooded in for a second victim, Will Kinney, (pictured) who was shot and killed along with Hallie Scruggs, both 9, in the massacre Katherine Koonce, head of school (left), and Cynthia Peak, a substitute teacher (right) were among those shot dead by Audrey Hale Hallie Scruggs, 9, was killed in the shooting and is pictured with her father, a pastor at the church, Chad Scruggs 'The writings remain under careful review by the MNPD and the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit based in Quantico, Virginia. 'The motive for Hale's actions has not been established and remains under investigation by the Homicide Unit in consultation with the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit. 'It is known that Hale considered the actions of other mass murderers. 'The investigation shows that Hale fired a total of 152 rounds (126 5.56 rifle rounds and 26 nine millimeter rounds) from the time she shot her way into the school until she was killed by police.' To prevent a school mass shooting from occurring again in the state, Tennessee Governor Lee announced a proposal on Monday to have an armed guard present at every school in the state. Audrey Hale is pictured in a school yearbook photograph in 2003 from the same site she shot up last month The daughter of Mike Hill (pictured), who had worked at the school for more than a decade, said that she 'never thought' he would be killed in a mass shooting 'There was no excuse to no have a guard at every school,' Lee said. He estimated the budget to employ and train guards would cost $140 million. The governor also revealed other plans to dedicate $8 million toward mental health services in schools. Hale was born female but used the names Audrey and Aiden and stated on a LinkedIn profile that her preferred pronouns were he/him. Police Chief John Drake said that Hale had been suffering from an 'emotional disorder' at the time of the shooting. Hale has been described as having 'high-functioning' autism, but police revealed she also was under doctors' care. Her parents - Norma and Ronald Hale - knew that she had a weapon at one time, but told her to sell it because they thought she couldn't be trusted with it. Instead, she hid her stockpile and added to it, buying seven different weapons in total from five local stores. Chief Drake added: 'Law enforcement knew nothing about the treatment, and it is apparent that she should not own weapons.' Authorities also confirmed that Hale's mother, Norma, had asked her what was in a red backpack she was carrying on the morning of the murders but she dismissed her question. Stormy Daniels has seen a dramatic spike in searches for her raunchy Pornhub videos amid the historic arrest of Donald Trump. After the former president was snared for criminal activity relating to an alleged hush money payment made to the porn star in 2016, Daniels has been catapulted back into the spotlight which has resulted in a sharp rise in searches. The adult video site told TMZ that the same day Trump appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court, searches for Daniels went through the roof, with over 650,000 people seeking out her racy clips throughout the day. This figure equaled a striking 32,400 percent increase compared to the first three months of the year. Donald Trump is facing 34 criminal charges related to an alleged hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016 Daniels, pictured, enjoyed a striking 32,400 percent rise in searches for her racy online videos at the same time Trump was arrested in New York Seven years after she allegedly received $130,000 from Trump to keep quiet about a romp, which he denies, recent weeks saw a sharp rise in her raunchy online fame. Last Wednesday, there were a reported 34,500 searches for her racy videos on the adult site. And the next day, when a Manhattan grand jury historically voted to indict Trump on criminal charges, her online search data rose dramatically to 630,000. By Tuesday, when Trump captured headlines across the world as the first president to ever be hit with criminal charges, the site projected the number to rise even higher, peaking at 650,000 searches. While the worldwide media flocked to the courthouse in anticipation of the former president's motorcade's arrival, searches for the woman behind the case were six times their normal level at 1pm Eastern Time. Searches for Stormy Daniels' racy online videos went through the roof Tuesday, alongside searches for key words including 'jail' and 'prison' Trump's historic arrest Tuesday stemmed from an alleged affair with adult film star Stormy Daniels, which he has denied for years After Trump flew back to his Mar-a-Lago resort to deliver a barnstorming speech about his arrest, the adult site also revealed that searches for keywords 'prison' and 'jail' were far more popular than usual. Daniels, whose videos have been viewed over 36 million times on the site, was previously ordered to pay Trump more than $120,000 in legal fees resulting in a 2018 defamation lawsuit she filed against him. And while the porn star allegedly received a huge payday to keep quiet about an affair with the embattled 2024 candidate in 2016, the adult video site declined to say how much she has made off her latest online surge. Donald Trump pictured at his arraignment hearing in a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday Stormy Daniels has seemingly enjoyed her rising public profile in recent times, with the adult film star repeatedly mocking former president on social media. She was also featured this week in an interview with Vogue magazine, where she hit out at Trump for their alleged affair and said she 'didn't understand' how the alleged fling even occurred. Her controversial online presence also included a salacious tweet immediately after Trump's arrest, where she gloated that it was 'definitely more fun being under my sexy man instead of under arrest.' The former president is now facing a maximum of 136 years behind bars after being charged with 34 felonies for a 'catch and kill scheme'. Alongside the alleged hush money payment to Daniels, other bombshell charges are related to a $30,000 payoff to a doorman trying to sell information about a child that Trump allegedly fathered out of wedlock, and a $150,000 payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Blood, brass knuckles and intravenous sedatives were discovered in a car owned by a plastic surgeon who is facing a murder charge. It comes after the presumed death of a missing lawyer whose body has not been found, court documents said. Dr. Tomasz Kosowski, 44, was arrested by Largo police in a traffic stop on March 25, according to an arrest affidavit obtained through the Pinellas County, Florida, court website. Steve Cozzi, an attorney specializing in bankruptcy and commercial litigation at Blanchard Law, was reported missing on March 21, police have said. Cozzi's mother, Lois Cozzi, told WFLA on Sunday: 'As a family, we are frantic with worry and numb with fear over Steven's disappearance.' Pictured: Steve Cozzi with his husband Michael Montgomery Cozzi's husband Michael Montgomery told news sources his husband 'loved fighting for the little guy' Kosowski has pleaded not guilty and remains in jail. Cozzi was discovered missing by a colleague, after the lawyer left his wallet, car, car keys and cell phone at the Blanchard Law office on South Belcher Road. The report said the colleague found blood smeared on the door, stall wall, and the bottom of a toilet in a bathroom. Other employees told police that there was an 'aroma of bleach' coming from the restrooms after Cozzi disappeared. The lawyer vanished into thin air from his 'bloodied' office bathroom Cozzi's wallet, phone and keys were found with pools of blood in a bathroom at the Blanchard Law office on S Belcher Road .Police said Sunday that a search of Kosowski's house had revealed undisclosed evidence that the plastic surgeon was responsible for Cozzi's disappearance Surveillance footage from a CCTV camera placed near the office, shows the man pulling into the parking lot in a Toyota Tundra, then leaving two hours later, as he struggled to get a heavy cart into the truck. According to court reports, an additional video obtained by police shows that a bag or covering inside the cart, which was in the bed of the truck, appeared to contain what looked like a human body. After police searched Kosowski's home as well as the truck, they discovered blood in the truck bed, on the driver's side headrest, driver's side floorboard, and garage floor. The suspect was halted by police during a traffic stop in a Toyota Corolla. Dr. Tomasz Kosowski, who was arrested on a first-degree murder charge Saturday, March 25, 2023, by Largo Police, in Florida After they searched the vehicle, the officers found a ballistic vest, a substantial amount of blood, a bag containing masks, a taser, brass knuckles, duct tape and intravenous sedatives with syringes, the documents add. Kosowski, who owns Kendall Plastic Surgery Center in Miami and worked at the Laufer Institute of plastic surgery from 2016 to 2018, graduated from Dartmouth and specialized in breast reconstruction. Kosowski filed a lawsuit suing his former employer, Dunedin Surgical Consultants, LLC., in 2019. The lawsuit claims Dunedin Surgical Consultants hired a new insurance biller and that biller allegedly improperly handed insurance claims, and misrepresented claims and the manner in which they were filed. In several court filings, Cozzi is listed as a legal representative of the defendants in the case, but police are yet to establish a motive. Fox13 reported Cozzi's husband, Michael Montgomery as saying: 'He loved fighting for the little guy. 'When he first told me he was an attorney, I was envisioning slicked-back hair and all of that, and then when I met him, he genuinely loved the law. He genuinely loved helping people.' 'Our hearts are collectively broken as we process the loss of our fellow board member and friend, Steven Cozzi,' said Hutch Pinder, the president of the St. Petersburg Bar Association. Anyone with information regarding the case is asked to call the Largo Police Department at 727-587-6730. Bill Clinton has confessed that he made a 'terrible' mistake in forcing Ukraine to give up its nuclear weapons in 1994. The disgraced former president, whose term in office was marred by a sex scandal with a White House intern, demanded Kyiv surrender its atomic arms in a deal with Moscow. But in a rare show of humility, Clinton admitted Russia's illegal invasion would never have happened if the Ukrainians had been allowed to keep their nuclear deterrent. The 42nd president of the United States now admits he was wrong to insist that a once-again independent Ukraine should surrender its Soviet-era stockpiles 'I feel terrible about it because Ukraine is a very important country and I feel a personal stake because I got them to agree to give up their nuclear weapons,' he told Irish network RTE. 'None of them believe that Russia would have pulled this stunt if Ukraine still had their weapons,' the 76-year-old added. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, a once-again independent Ukraine possessed the third-largest atomic arsenal in the world with some 1,900 nuclear warheads. The international agreement to give them up was struck in January 1994 with then Russian leader Boris Yeltsin. The deal also included commitments from the Kremlin to respect Ukrainian independence. But those pledges were first ignored by Vladimir Putin when he seized Crimea and the eastern Donbas region in 2014. Clinton said that Putin never planned to stick to the deal agreed with Boris Yeltsin and Leonid Kravchuk, Ukraine's president at the time, in Moscow The Russian tyrant dismissed them yet again when he launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year. 'I knew that President Putin did not support the agreement President Yeltsin made never to interfere with Ukraine's territorial boundaries - an agreement he made because he wanted Ukraine to give up their nuclear weapons,' Clinton said. 'They were afraid to give them up because they thought that's the only thing that protected them from an expansionist Russia,' he added. And in a thinly-veiled swipe at would-be Republican nominee Donald Trump, the two-term ex-commander-in-chief said taxpayers should continue to back Kyiv's armed forces. Clinton, seen here at a White House event with Joe Biden in February, told Ireland's RTE network that Washington should stand by Ukraine and its bid to expel Russian invaders from its territory Joe Biden's administration has stumped up more than $77 billion in financial aid to the war-torn country, according to German think-tank the Kiel Institute for the World Economy But that has angered some Republican lawmakers who say that those sums would be better spent at home fighting crime and illegal immigration. 'I think what Putin did was very wrong, and I believe Europe and the United States should continue to support Ukraine,' Clinton said. 'There may come a time when the Ukrainian government believes that they can think of a peace agreement they could live with, but I don't think the rest of us should cut and run on them,' he added. Earlier this year, Trump said he had an 'easy negotiation' strategy to end the conflict within 24 hours but refused to be drawn on the details of his peace plan Trump has hinted that he would force Ukraine to the negotiating table if the war is not over by the end of next year's presidential election. 'If it's not solved, I will have it solved in 24 hours with (President Volodymyr) Zelensky and with Putin, and there's a very easy negotiation to take place,' he told Fox News last month. The real estate mogul, who was charged with 34 felonies in Manhattan on Tuesday, has also said supporting Ukraine is not a vital US strategic interest. 'That is why Europe should be paying far more than we are, or equal,' he said. DailyMail.com has approached the Ukrainian government for comment. A homeowner who lost a court battle to stop her neighbour's barn conversion faces legal bills of up to 1.4million and possibly losing her home. Zoe Bucknell had taken game-shooting beef farmer Mark Stoneham to the High Court to try and stop his plans. But after losing the case to save the peace and tranquility of her home she also faces the real prospect of losing the property herself. Mrs Bucknell - who lives in her Kent farmhouse with her husband - faces an estimated 1.4million legal bill, having been ordered to pay 300,000 already and the matter of over 1million being discussed at a future costs hearing. She could not be reached for comment yesterday. Mr Stoneham pressed ahead with the work anyway - and the houses he built are now ready and are up for sale. They are up as a pair for a whopping 2.6million, boasting seven bedrooms and being advertised as in an 'idyllic location'. The homeowner said her enjoyment of horse riding will be 'adversely affected' because of 'increased traffic' and claimed vibrations from building trucks could be damaging the foundations of her Grade-II listed home, Holywell Farmhouse, near Sevenoaks Mark Stoneham outside High Court after hearing in barn conversion dispute, which he won Mrs Bucknell, a keen horse rider with her own stables at home, said 'noise disturbance, vibration [and] fumes' from traffic passing up the 55-yard driveway past her house to the construction site poses 'a threat' not just to her peace but to the fabric of the driveway itself Mrs Bucknell claimed her enjoyment of horse riding would be 'adversely affected' because of more traffic from the new houses when they were completed and that vibrations from building trucks could damage the foundations of her Grade-II listed home, Holywell Farmhouse, near Sevenoaks. The High Court heard that Mrs Bucknell and her family moved into Holywell Farmhouse in 2014, while Mr Stoneham's company bought the next-door yard and barns from his family, with plans to develop them, in 2020. Mr Stoneham now breeds pedigree shorthorn beef cattle on an 800-acre estate in Oxfordshire and describes himself as 'a keen game shot' but grew up on the family farm in Kent. The new properties made by the neighbour are already finished and are now up for sale Zoe Bucknell (right, on her wedding day) was fighting game-shooting pedigree beef farmer Mark Stoneham's plans to convert a barn into two houses next door to her 1.3million farmhouse Mr Stoneham (pictured with his wife Hayley) who has a right of way over the drive, pressed ahead with the conversion despite the lawyer's objections Nicholas Isaac KC, for Mr Stoneham's company Alchemy Estates (Holywell) Ltd, told Judge Matthews a right of way over Mrs Bucknell's drive to the barns was granted 'for all time and for all purposes' to Mr Stoneham's father and uncle in 1972 and he wanted to use that right to complete the build and provide access to the new houses. But Richard Clegg, for Mrs Bucknell, told the judge this would be 'wrongful use' of the right of way over her driveway, and would put her 'forever home' in 'jeopardy'. In 2021 she went to court and obtained an interim injunction banning construction vehicles from using the driveway to access the barn conversion site. But Mr Stoneham pressed ahead with the barn conversion despite the lawyer's objections, making an alternative access track to the site over fields. Mrs Bucknell then sued at the High Court, seeking a permanent injunction to ban building traffic from her driveway and stop anyone living in the two houses from using it, as well as forcing the farmer to pay her damages. The disputed driveway at Holywell Farmhouse in Kent which belongs to Zoe Bucknell But Mr Stoneham fought the claim, insisting the lawyer was 'catastrophising' the situation. The High Court judge said: 'Demolition and construction are facts of everyday life, and there must be give and take in relation to them. 'It is clear from the evidence of the traffic management experts that the additional use imposed on the driveway by the habitation of two houses built on the yard would be very small in comparison with the existing use. 'There is no evidence that any damage would be caused to the (driveway) surface by the increase in traffic movements as a result of two extra houses being inhabited. 'Use by the occupants of two houses on the yard would, in my judgment, not interfere unreasonably with use by others having the like right, nor with the enjoyment by the claimant of her land. 'I do not consider that it would amount to excessive use or that it would cause an actionable nuisance, even in the locality as it was in 2014, or indeed 1972. 'The claimant is not automatically entitled to the maintenance of the same rural peace and quiet that she enjoyed when she bought in 2014. 'A grant of a right of way is not to be restricted to access to the land merely for such purposes as were reasonably required at the date of the grant,' the judge concluded. The ruling means that the construction can be completed using the driveway as access and the occupants of the new houses can also use the drive. A barge housing up to 500 people will accomodate migrants in Portland, Dorset, the Home Office confirmed today. Immigration minister Robert Jenrick hailed the move as part of Government efforts to trim down the current 6million-a-day cost of housing asylum seekers in hotels. He also claimed it would help 'prevent the UK becoming a magnet for asylum shoppers in Europe'. The Bibby Stockholm barge will provide 'basic and functional accomodation' as well as healthcare and catering facilities when it is berthed off the Dorset coast, the Home Office said. There will also be around-the-clock security on board to 'minimise the disruption to local communities'. The Home Office said people will be moved onto the barge, which is currently in Italy, in the 'coming months'. But the Government is facing stiff local opposition to its plans to utilise the Bibby Stockholm as a migrant accommodation centre. This is despite suggestions that local councils could be paid up to 3,500 per migrant to accept barges in their ports. The Bibby Stockholm barge will provide 'basic and functional accomodation' as well as healthcare and catering facilities, the Home Office said The barge can house 506 people and has 222 en-suite bedrooms. It also has a restaurant, a TV and games room, a gym as well as a furnished bar There will also be around-the-clock security on board to 'minimise the disruption to local communities' The Government is facing stiff local opposition to its plans to utilise the Bibby Stockholm as a migrant accommodation centre South Dorset MP Richard Drax, a Tory backbencher, and other critics are threatening legal action against the plan to anchor the flat-bottomed craft in Portland Harbour. The harbour is a stop-off for international cruise ships close to the Jurassic Coast Unesco World Heritage Site. Mr Drax this week despaired at the barge being 'dumped on our door' without consultation by the Home Office as he urged Home Secretary Suella Braverman to scrap the idea. 'Every option is being looked at including legal action,' he said. 'We want to get this consigned to the dustbin before anythings signed. 'We want to activate ourselves and say "look Home Secretary, sorry, this is not the right place, can you please cancel this".' Mr Drax raised concerns about the practicality of keeping hundreds of vulnerable individuals in a 'very, very restricted area' - placing extra pressure on the ports 'very small' police force - as well as the impact on businesses in the seaside resort of Weymouth. But, confirming the use of the Bibby Stockholm barge in Portland for at least 18 months, Mr Jenrick said today: 'The Home Secretary and I have been clear that the use of expensive hotels to house those making unnecessary and dangerous journeys must stop. 'We will not elevate the interests of illegal migrants over the British people we are elected to serve. 'We have to use alternative accommodation options, as our European neighbours are doing including the use of barges and ferries to save the British taxpayer money and to prevent the UK becoming a magnet for asylum shoppers in Europe. 'All accommodation will meet our legal obligations and we will work closely with the local community to address their concerns, including through financial support.' Prime Minister Rishi Sunak defended the use of the barge, insisting it would 'save the taxpayer money' while being a 'fair' approach to tackling small boat crossings. On a local election campaign visit to Peterborough, he said: 'We are spending, as a country, 6 million a day housing illegal asylum seekers in hotels that cant be right.' South Dorset MP Richard Drax, a Tory backbencher, and other critics are threatening legal action against the plan to anchor the flat-bottomed craft in Portland Harbour. Portland Harbour is a stop-off for international cruise ships close to the Jurassic Coast Unesco World Heritage Site Portland Port chief executive Bill Reeves said: 'We encourage everyone in the community to approach this with an open mind and help us show other areas just how successful this type of initiative can be, both for the migrants and the local community. 'There will be close co-operation with local agencies, including the health and emergency services during the preparations for the vessels arrival and its operation. 'We will also work closely with local community and voluntary groups.' According to the Telegraph, councils will be offered 3,500 per migrant for housing them on barges. The Bibby Stockholm costs around 4,500 a day to run, plus a 15,000 daily chartering fee from owner Bibby Marine. The barge was recently refurbished after an inspection by a regulator, which described it as an 'aggressive and oppressive environment', after being used by the Dutch government to house asylum seekers a few years ago. The barge can house 506 people and has 222 en-suite bedrooms. It also has a restaurant, a TV and games room, a gym as well as a furnished bar. Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the Home Office's announcement about the Bibby Stockholm today was 'a sign of the Conservatives' total failure to clear the asylum backlog, tackle the criminal smuggling gangs or get any kind of grip on the system'. 'This barge is in addition to hotels, not instead of them and is still more than twice as expensive as normal asylum accommodation,' she added. 'It will house just 0.3 per cent of the current Tory backlog which has sky-rocketed and is continuing to grow under the Conservatives. 'Until the Government takes serious action to clear the backlog, this problem is going to keep getting worse with more people in costly accommodation, not less.' Steve Valdez-Symonds, Amnesty International UKs refugee and migrant rights director, said: 'Confining hundreds of people in isolation on a barge is just more of the political theatre that the Government has created to obscure its gross mismanagement of the asylum system. 'Along with the disastrous Rwanda scheme, all talk of barges, cruise ships and former military barracks should be abandoned. 'Anyone seeking asylum in this country should be housed in decent accommodation with proper facilities and, crucially, their claims should be properly and consistently processed.' The Home Office is seeking ways to cut the 6million-a-day it is paying to house more than 50,000 migrants in hotels and, as well as barges, has announced plans to turn surplus military sites into asylum centres. The borders watchdog today warned ministers to seize 'opportunities' to reform immigration accommodation and avoid a repeat of the chaos seen at the centre in Manston, Kent, last year. David Neal, the independent chief inspector of immigration and borders, said: 'The Government is keen to emphasise that provision for asylum seekers at the new ex-military sites will ''meet their essential living needs and nothing more''. 'The new facilities offer an opportunity, if the Home Office will take it, to provide more appropriate housing and support to residents than was available to them in hotels, while providing the taxpayer with much better value for money. 'The cost of hotel accommodation frequently and rightly described as ''eye-watering'' is clearly unsustainable. 'But it must also be acknowledged that hotels have been entirely unsuitable places for asylum seekers to reside in for extended periods of time. 'All too often, placement in hotels has left vulnerable people isolated, with limited access to the local services and support they need. 'Dedicated asylum accommodation facilities may or may not be the best alternative, but they do at least offer the potential for an increased concentration of resources, with access to medical care, catering, cleaning services, transport, opportunities for purposeful activity and legal advice all in one place. 'The Home Office needs to plan carefully for the provision of these services and to make sure they are accessible at the new sites from day one. 'Close liaison between the Home Office and the community, local authorities, health services, police, contractors and sub-contractors will be necessary if migrants are to be housed appropriately at the facilities now being developed.' Eight women are among 21 members of a child sex ring who have been convicted over the 'abhorrent and cruel' abuse of children who were no older than 12. The gang subjected seven victims to horrific abuse spanning more than a decade in Wolverhampton and Walsall. Their depraved offending was uncovered when a hospital visit by one victim sparked concerns leading to the largest ever child sex abuse case investigated by West Midlands Police. The sheer number of defendants meant three separate trials were held, in which a court heard how the children were subjected 'systematic sexual abuse'. Of the 21 offenders involved, 13 have so far been jailed for sentences totalling more than 145 years at Wolverhampton Crown Court. Reporting restrictions were in place until the verdict of the third trial yesterday, which saw the conviction of three further defendants. In one of the biggest child sex abuse cases in Britain, members of the paedophile gang have been sentenced to a total of 145 years at Wolverhampton Crown Court. Seven of the eight women involved, and the sentences handed down to them, are pictured. From top left: Ann Marie Claire, 43, Kirsty Webb, 36, Natalie Wellington, 44. From bottom left: Natasha Webb, 37, Pamela Howells, 58, Tracey Baker, 41, and Violet Griffiths, 66. Ann Marie Clare, 43, left, was sentenced to eight years while Tracey Baker, 41, right, was jailed for 16 Violet Griffiths, 66, left, was found guilty of two child sexual abuse related offences and is due to be sentenced at a later date. Pamela Howells, 58, right, was sentenced to seven years Natalie Wellington, 44, left, was sentenced to 17 years imprisonment and Kirsty Webb, 36, pictured right, was sentenced to ten years Natasha Webb, 37, gave evidence for the Crown. She is due to be sentenced at the conclusion of the third trial next week Jurors were told how the sex ring came to light in 2017, leading to 70 suspects being interviewed. Officers worked with Social Services to safeguard the children and uncover what had happened to them at the hands of their male and female abusers. Detectives investigating the case described it as one of the most difficult and complex they had ever worked on. Head of the investigation, Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Drover, said: 'This has been a challenging and complex investigation, and the biggest of its kind I have known for the force. 'But at the heart of it has been seven children who suffered the most abhorrent and cruel abuse, not just physically but psychologically, leaving them in extreme trauma. 'Their welfare has been at the heart of this investigation and support for them will continue for many years to come. 'I commend their bravery in being able to tell us about their abuse. 'I am grateful to everyone who worked so hard to get justice for them, and the jurors who had to listen to such a catalogue of depravity to reach their verdict. A total of 21 people, including eight women, have been found guilty of their roles in one of the biggest child sex abuse cases to be investigated by West Midlands Police. Above, 17 of the guilty and their sentences Evans, 38, left, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 18 years. David Baker, 41, was sentenced to 21 years 'We have improved the way we work in the Public Protection Unit over recent years putting victims at the heart of our investigations, and this case has given us valuable learning to keep improving. 'I hope that this conviction shows that we are determined to bring offenders to justice and anyone who has suffered or is still suffering sexual abuse should not be afraid to tell someone, either to police, a teacher, a doctor or anyone else they feel they can trust. 'We have specialist officers who are trained to help and we work with many partners and charities who can offer support.' A report into what took place which will include 'lessons to be learned' is being co-ordinated by Walsall Safeguarding Children's Board. Joanne Jakymec, CPS chief crown prosecutor, said: 'The offenders in this case perpetrated the most appalling catalogue of sexual abuse of the utmost gravity, causing the victims physical harm and extreme psychological harm. 'With the exception of one of the offenders who admitted what they had done, none of the rest have shown the slightest remorse.' She praised the 'bravery' of victims and witnesses, adding: 'Without their support it would not have been possible for the prosecution team to convict this large network of child abusers.' The paedophile gang, named: Of the 21, four are yet to be sentenced on 12 May 2023. They are: Matthew Evans, 32, found guilty of two child sexual abuse related offences John Griffiths, 66, found guilty of two child sexual abuse related offences Violet Griffiths, 66, found guilty of two child sexual abuse related offences Natasha Webb, 37, gave evidence for the Crown in all three trials. She is due to be sentenced at the conclusion of the third trial In trial one: James Evans, 38, was found guilty of 20 child sexual abuse related offences and sentenced to life imprisonment with minimum term of 18 years. Indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) imposed. Indefinite Restraining Order imposed in respect of the victims. Notification requirement for life. Kirsty Webb, 36, was found guilty of five child sexual abuse related offences and sentenced to ten years imprisonment. SHPO for 30 years. Indefinite Restraining Order imposed in respect of the victims. Notification requirement for life. Mark Smith, 34, was found guilty of four child sexual abuse related offences and sentenced to 19 years imprisonment with an extended licence period of 6 years (total of 25 years). SHPO for 30 years. Indefinite Restraining Order imposed in respect of the victims. Notification requirement for life. Pamela Howells, 58, was found guilty of three child sexual abuse related offences and sentenced to seven years imprisonment. SHPO for 15 years. Indefinite Restraining Order imposed in respect of the victims. Notification requirement for life. Lee Webb, 40, was found guilty of three child sexual abuse related offences and sentenced to six years imprisonment. SHPO for 30 years. Indefinite Restraining Order imposed in respect of the victims. Notification requirement for life. Ann Marie Clare, 43, was found guilty of four child sexual abuse related offences and sentenced to eight years imprisonment with an extended licence period of three years (total of 11 years). SHPO for 30 years. Indefinite Restraining Order imposed in respect of the victims. Notification requirement for life. Dean Webb, 35, was found not fit to plead and the jury decided that he had committed the acts alleged. He was given a supervision order for two years. SHPO imposed for 40 years. Stephen Webb, 65, was also found not fit to plead and the jury decided that he had committed the acts alleged. He was given an absolute discharge. In trial two: Tracey Baker, 41, was found guilty of five child sexual abuse related offences and sentenced to 16 years custody, SHPO and Restraining Order in relation to all of the complainants. Both orders to last until further order. Indefinite Restraining Order imposed in respect of the victims. David Baker, 41, was found guilty of seven child sexual abuse related offences and was sentenced to 21 years imprisonment (including an extra year on extended licence). Restraining Order and SHPO granted indefinitely. Luke Baker, 22, was found guilty of two child sexual abuse related offences and sentenced to two years and four months. Restraining Order to last until further order and a SHPO for 15 years. David Evans, 72, was found guilty of two child sexual abuse related offences and was sentenced to three years six months imprisonment. Restraining Order and SHPO granted indefinitely. Jane Evans, 71, was found not fit to plead and the jury decided that she had committed the acts alleged and was sentenced to a Supervision Order and SHPO granted. Philip Wellington, 50, was found guilty of three child sexual abuse related offences and sentenced to nine years custody, SHPO and Restraining Order in relation to all of the complainants. Both orders to last until further order. Natalie Wellington, 44, was found guilty of four child sexual abuse related offences and was sentenced to 17 years imprisonment (including an extra year on extended licence). Restraining Order and SHPO granted indefinitely. Jason Evans, 25, was found guilty of three child sexual abuse related offences and sentenced to two years and six months. Restraining order to last until further order and a SHPO for 15 years. Ryan Evans, 23, was found guilty of one child sexual abuse related offence and was sentenced to a community order for three years. Restraining order to last until further order and a SHPO for 15 years. Philip Wellington, 50, left, was sentence to nine years. Mark Smith, 34, right, was handed a 25-year extended sentence with 19 years in jail David Evans, 72, left, was jailed for three-and-a-half years, and Jason Evans, 25, right, was handed a two-and-a-half year sentence Luke Baker, 22, left, was jailed for two years and four months. John Griffiths, 66, right, is due to be sentenced on 12 May after being found guilty of two child sexual abuse related offences Matthew Evans, 32, left, has been found guilty of two child sexual abuse related offences and will be sentenced on 12 May. Lee Webb, 40, right, was jailed for six years Mr Drover praised the victims, some of whom are now adults, for coming forward. He said that they had suffered 'shocking and abhorrent' abuse, adding: 'They have been through a significant amount of trauma. 'It has had a significant and ongoing impact on their physical and mental wellbeing. 'To get the confidence to come forward and talk to care professionals, to police is huge. I am genuinely thankful, and also to the juries involved in this. 'The safeguarding of children is at the forefront of police, of health workers, of school teachers, this to me is a perfect example of how we work together to bring a significant case to the stage where... offenders will be found guilty of significant offences and receive up to life terms in prison. 'This is an ask from me, for those subject to sexual harm to have the confidence to come forward, talk to teachers, nurses and doctors, police officers, tell us what is going on. 'We spent several years on this investigation, and we continued to run this until we got to the conclusion we have seen. 'So I am hoping this gives some confidence[to those victims] out there to come forward to talk to professionals.' And Senior Investigating Officer Joanne Floyd, who spent six years working on the case, said that the team endured a 'difficult' journey in exposing the paedophile gang. Ms Floyd said: 'Our hearts go out to the victims. From a personal perspective I want to stress how difficult this journey has been and how much courage these young people have shown. It's a particularly sad case and no one has been left unaffected, whether directly involved or working as a professional. 'It will remain with us.' Sally Hodges, Independent chair of Walsall Safeguarding Partnership, praised the victims on their 'courage and bravery' in coming forward, saying that they 'should be be commended and our collective thoughts are very much with them on their journey of rebuilding their lives'. She continued to say: 'These sad, and frankly horrific, events happened many years ago. Local agencies continue to support and care for several children and young people who were affected, and they have provided stability, care and safe homes which has helped the children build trust and be able to confide in professionals. 'This investigation highlights what can be achieved when partner agencies work together. As a Safeguarding Partnership we always want to learn and develop and we will support all agencies to ensure that we continue to review and strengthen multi-agency arrangements. We are committed to protecting children and young people across the borough.' Sutherland Springs church shooting victims and their families have reached a $145million settlement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) after 26 people were massacred in the horrific 2017 incident. The DOJ's 'agreement in principle' will go to 75 victims and their families who have spent six years mourning the loss of their loved ones as they await the tentative $144.5 million settlement currently 'pending appeals.' The settlement still has to be approved by a top Justice Department official and a federal judge, according to the Texas Tribune. A judge ruled in 2021 that the Air Force was 60 percent negligent for not reporting the Devin Patrick Kelley's history of domestic violence to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), which could've prevented him from buying firearms from a federally licensed dealer. Kelley purchased four guns from federally licensed dealers in Texas and Colorado, three of which he carried into the church. During the shooting, Kelley fired over 450 rounds at worshippers, who tried hiding behind pews, authorities said. Victims sued the Air Force after the 2017 shooting for failing to report shooter Devin Patrick Kelley's history of domestic violence to the FBI database Kelley killed 26 people and injured dozens of others in November 2017 when he shot up Sutherland Springs church. If the military had reported the 2012 domestic violence conviction to the FBI database NICS, it would have prevented Kelley from purchasing firearms from a federally licensed dealer Dozens of victims sued the Air Force after the 2017 shooting after the military failed to report Kelley's 2012 conviction for domestic violence to the FBI background check system. Kelley was dismissed from the Air Force over the conviction. The Air Force failed six times to report information that could have prevented Kelley from purchasing a gun, according to a government report released in 2018. It blamed gaps in 'training and compliance measures' at the time for the lapses and said it made changes to prevent failures in the future. 'No words or amount of money can diminish the immense tragedy of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs,' Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said in a statement on Wednesday. 'Today's announcement brings the litigation to a close, ending a painful chapter for the victims of this unthinkable crime.' On November 5, 2017, Kelley shot and killed two people outside First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, before walking inside to kill 24 more and then taking his own life. It was the worst mass shooting in the history of Texas at the time and the worst shooting at a place of worship in American history. Kelley worked in logistics and supply in the Air Force before being dishonorably discharged in 2014 after he admitted to assaulting his wife and infant stepson in a 2012 court martial. Kelley took the lives of 26 people (pictured four of them) after firing over 450 rounds at worshippers, who tried hiding behind pews, authorities said He was able to purchase guns - including three he used in the 2017 massacre - after he was discharged because his past criminal record was not submitted to the FBI database. US District Judge Xavier Rodriguez in San Antonio said at the time that the Air Force was '60 percent responsible' for the massacre. 'The trial conclusively established that no other individual - not even Kelleys own parents or partners - knew as much as the United States about the violence that Devin Kelley had threatened to commit and was capable of committing,' Rodriguez said of the Air Force in his ruling. Rodriguez also wrote that 'it is more likely than not that Kelley would have been deterred from carrying out the Church shooting' if the information had been entered into the database. The DOJ admitted on Wednesday that the NICS 'plays a critical role in combating gun violence' and said the 'federal government is always striving to improve the functioning of that system.' 'The department continues to work actively to combat gun violence as part of its comprehensive violent crime reduction strategy,' the statement read. Kelley purchased four guns from federally licensed dealers in Texas and Colorado, three of which he carried into the church (pictured: one of Kelley's guns) The Department of Defense inspector general's report in 2018 detailed Kelley's decade-long history of violence, interest in guns and menacing of women. That history culminated in Kelley's November 2017 attack on the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, the church his wife and mother-in-law attended. The dead included several children, a pregnant woman and a 77-year-old grandfather. The report said Air Force investigators who spoke to Kelley failed four separate times to fingerprint him and turn those prints over to the FBI. The report also revealed the Air Force failed twice to submit its final report of the case to the FBI. Air Force investigators were not trained to submit fingerprints or the final report to the FBI, the inspector general found. The Air Force squadron that investigated the assault 'used on-the-job training as its primary method of instruction for fingerprint collection and submission,' the report stated. 'However, this training was insufficient and was not based on any established curriculum or policy requirements.' The report also details some of the many warning signs against Kelley. It was the worst mass shooting in the history of Texas at the time (pictured: victims Robert Scott and Karen Marshall pictured in an undated photo) His first wife, Tessa Kelley, accused him of choking her multiple times and once holding her head under a showerhead and saying: 'I'm going to waterboard you.' Waterboarding is an interrogation technique that the United Nations says is considered torture. After Air Force authorities opened an assault investigation against him, Kelley was ordered to be detained before trial because his commander believed he was 'dangerous and likely to harm someone if released'. Kelley had searched online for body armor and weapons, according to the report. He was later charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty after someone saw him punch a dog several times. He was also investigated for sexual assault in his hometown of New Braunfels, Texas, but authorities didn't pursue the investigation in what the local sheriff has since called 'an error.' The report also says Kelley was reprimanded in 2012 for using a 'disparaging word' against a female supervisor and then denying it. Four years later, his former supervisor received a Facebook message from Kelley in which he used expletives and said: 'You should have been put in the ground a long time ago. Better hope I don't ever see you.' A Utah mother has been located after she was reported missing when she did not board her cruise ship in San Francisco Monday evening. Alaina Marie Adams, 33, vanished before boarding the Celebrity Solstice cruise in San Francisco Sunday which was supposed to depart from Pier 27 Monday. It remains unclear whether the 33-year-old had already boarded the 7-day cruise liner from its original destination in Los Angeles or was joining the cruise from San Francisco. Police said they received a call around 6pm, from an unknown caller, an hour after the cruise was slated to exit the harbor, reporting the woman missing. On Wednesday afternoon, police confirmed the missing mother had been located in the 1200 block of Columbus Street and appeared to be 'in good health and foul play is not suspected.' No reason has been given as to why she didn't board the Celebrity Solstice before it left Pier 27 on Monday. A Utah mother has been located after she was reported missing after she did not board her cruise ship in San Francisco on Monday evening Alaina Marie Adams, 33, vanished before boarding the Celebrity Solstice cruise in San Francisco Sunday which was supposed to depart from Pier 27 Monday. This is Pier 27 in San Francisco where Adams was set to re-board the cruise Monday According Adams social media, she appears to have at least one daughter but it remains unclear whether she was with her at the time of her disappearance. In a tweet sent out Tuesday evening, the San Francisco Police Department asked the public for assistance locating the missing mother. Adams, who identifies herself as a Midvale, Utah resident on Facebook, was reportedly on a Celebrity Cruise ship which had an overnight stop in the Bay Area. It's unclear who she was with at the time and who reported her missing, although police described the caller as a woman. DailyMail.com has reached out to the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) for more information but did not immediately receive a response. The cruise was slated to depart from the city's Pier 27 at 5pm, according to the port's schedule, and Adams never made it to the ship. Several family members and friends were also reached out to for comment. 'At this time, there are no known (imminent) risk factors associated with Adams and there is no evidence of foul play,' police wrote. According to her social media pages, Adams has a daughter but it remains unclear whether she was with her at the time Adams, who identifies herself as a Midvale, Utah resident on Facebook, was reportedly on a Celebrity Cruise ship which had an overnight stop in the Bay Area It's unclear who she was with at the time and who reported her missing, although police described the caller as a woman The SFPD Special Victims/Missing Persons Unit is leading this investigation A pensioner accused of murdering a prostitute almost half a century ago has appeared in court today. John Apelgren, 79, is alleged to have killed 22-year-old sex worker Eileen Cotter in Highbury, north London. She was found strangled outside a block of garages behind Hamilton Park on the afternoon of June 1, 1974. The pensioner is also charged with indecently assaulting an 18-year-old female guest at his wedding to his ex-wife Ann Smythe, two years before Ms Cotter's death, on October 14, 1972. Dual UK and South African national Apelgren, who has since re-married and has at least one son, was charged with murder in June of last year. He denies the allegations against him. John Apelgren, 79, is accused of killing 22-year-old sex worker Eileen Cotter in Islington, north London almost 50 years ago The pensioner appeared at the Old Bailey on Wednesday wearing a blue jumper and grey tracksuit bottoms assisted by a hearing loop. His trial was due to begin on June 12 but was brought forward by a week to June 5 because his poor hearing is getting worse. Defence barrister Katrina Charles said: 'Mr Apelgren is approaching his 80th birthday. He is hard of hearing and his hearing is getting worse. We may have to go a lot more slowly than usual.' The trial will take place in one of the more modern courtrooms where they are more microphones which can work with a hearing loop. Mrs Justice May said a lot of the factual evidence in the case would simply be read out as many witnesses in the case have now died. Eileen Cotter, 22, was found dead on this street in Islington, north London on June 1, 1974 Ms Cotter was discovered face-down with her buttocks exposed in an area frequented by prostitutes and their clients, accessible via a single track. A post-mortem examination confirmed the cause of death as manual strangulation, and there was evidence she received a black eye and bruising to her face and neck. A murder investigation was launched at the time, but nobody was ever charged. Apelgren was arrested 48 years later, on June 22, on suspicion of murder. He was remanded until his trial. Prosecutors in Georgia must decide on the next steps As his multi-pronged attacks on an array of investigators Tuesday night made plain, the Stormy Daniels charges President Donald Trump is confronting in New York are just the beginning of his legal worries. Trump is facing legal exposure on a number of fronts, with prosecutors across regions and at the state, local, and national levels. It is conceivable that by the time the 2024 campaign is in full swing, he will face multiple indictments while still contending with civil cases. Trump spoke Tuesday of his refusal to settle one case against him, and amid his combative approach to raising funds by highlighting the potential 136 years of prison he could face for alleged false business statements alone. Here is a summary of the probes Trump is up against now through various parts of the judicial system. Former President Donald Trump faces legal peril in multiple jurisdictions amid several probes. He attacked many of his investigators on Tuesday at Mar-a-Lago January 6 investigation Special Counsel Jack Smith is overseeing the sprawling probe over January 6 and the effort by Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election results. Smith has said almost nothing about the avenues he is pursuing, but there have been notable clues in the people his team of prosecutors have brought before a federal grand jury. Among them are top former White House advisors to Trump, including former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, who was on the call when Trump phoned the Georgia secretary of state and said he needed to find 11,780 votes. Prosecutors are also examining the fake electors scheme played out in multiple states Joe Biden won where Trump allies claimed fraud. This was an area that the House January 6 committee, which turned over its report and materials to the Justice Department, also explored. With his subpoenas holding up in court, the array of key witnesses who have spoken to a grand jury have armed Smith with new information. CNN reported Wednesday that top national security officials testified that they repeatedly warned Trump that the feds didnt have the authority to seize voting machines. The testimony suggests Smith is examining Trumps demands to overturn the election even while being advised against the validity of many of his claims. If the legal peril could be reflected in the velocity of Trump's attacks on Smith. On Tuesday, he called him a 'lunatic.' Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as they storm the US Capitol in Washington, DC on January 6, 2021. Trump attacked special counsel Jack Smith as a 'lunatic' Documents at Mar-a-Lago AG Merrick Garland gave Smith control of a probe of Trumps possession of material marked classified at Mar-a-Lago an inquiry that could implicate both the Presidential Records Act and laws governing potential obstruction. Trump addressed some of the legal issues that prosecutors may be exploring during his blistering 25-minute speech from Mar-a-Lago, when he claimed he had the authority as president to declassify government material, and said he brought clothes and other items to his Florida home in broad daylight. The matter isnt as clear cut as Trump described it. Records laws make presidential records the government's property when the chief executive leaves office, and if Trump did declassify the material, no evidence has emerged of any formal process to do so. Other prominent people have been found to possess classified material, and some have been convicted of illegally possessing it. And as Trump noted, President Joe Biden has also been found to have material marked classified in his possession some from his time as vice president. In his Tuesday night speech, it wasn't immediately known whether Trump's latest statement about the case would have value as evidence, when he referenced negotiations and said he brought materials 'with me' to his home. 'We were negotiating in very good faith, proper way, in order to return some or all of the documents that I openly and in very plain sight brought with me to Mar-a-Lago from our beautiful White House,' he said. Trump spoke about bringing materials 'with me to Mar-a-Lago' when he left the White House Election overturn in Georgia The Georgia case has been advancing, and Fulton County DA Fani Willis has already obtained a sealed indictment from a special grand jury. The decision now lies with her whether to bring charges before a grand jury to try to charge Trump with illegally seeing to interfere in the presidential election in the state. Some of the key evidence has already been revealed, including Trumps call to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in early 2021. Willis began her probe in February 2021 after the infamous call and Trumps lawyers are trying to bump her from the case. The separate special grand jury forewoman gave a string of TV interviews where she seemed to indicate a slew of people could face charges. With the ball in Willis court, the next move is expected this spring. FILE - Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, right, must decide whether to convene a grand jury after a special grand jury completed its work New York civil case that could hobble Trumps businesses New York State AG Letitia James sued the Trump Organization after rolling out a trove of information about company business practices. She has accused the company of vastly inflating valuations of properties when seeking financing, then low-balling the numbers in tax filings. Trump defended his company on Tuesday night. Theyve got a problem with the case, he said. He said his company had very little debt, and accused James of investigating me to save banks. But Trump said the lenders, who include Deutsche Bank and others, made almost $200 million off Donald Trump, and they liked me very much. We never missed a payment, he said. In this case, Trump is fighting for more than money. James wants Trump executives, including Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump, to be prohibited from running any business in the state. Trump on Tuesday talk up his younger son, Barron, as having a future role. And Barron will be great some day. Hes tall and hes smart, Trump said. Sometimes such matters get dispensed with through negotiations, a fine, and a negotiated statement of guilt. But Trump has shown no interest in this path. 'They want to settle the case, but I want no part of that,' he said Tuesday. New York AG Letitia James has sued the Trump Organization over its accounting practices Stormy Daniels case The case that brought Trumps legal woes to a head is Manhattan DA Alvin Braggs case about the $130,000 hush payments he reimbursed to porn star Stormy Daniels. Although the indictment and statement of facts unsealed Tuesday only sketch out the case, it indicated how prosecutors might weave together a case. In his press conference, Bragg, who Trump has attacked repeatedly, calling him 'soft on crime' and going after his wife for partisan affiliations, described the payoff to Daniels as a way to influence the 2016 presidential election. The statement of facts for the case also mentions an intent to mask payments to Trump fixer Michael Cohn as 'legal fees' as part of a plan to conceal the true purpose from state tax authorities. Trump allies have attacked the case as less than meets the eye, but it will linger for months unless Trump's lawyers can prevail by quickly dismissing it. The next hearing is set by Judge Juan Merchan, who Trump also attacked, in December. Washington DC officers released bodycam footage of an officer shooting a 17-year-old father found asleep behind the wheel of a stolen car. Dalaneo Martin, who has a 5-month-old baby, died on March 18 after he was ambushed and shot five times from behind by unidentified US Park Police and Metropolitan Police Department officers. The shocking bodycam footage showed two officers creep into the backseat of the white Hyundai Tucson Martin was sleeping in while parked at the River Terrace neighborhood around 9am that day. Four officers at the scene believed the car was stolen because the ignition was 'punched out' and proceeded to creep into the back of the car to arrest Martin as he reclined in the driver seat. The footage showed cops quietly planning the sneak attack and peeking through the car without announcing themselves before Martin jolted awake and drove away. The officer behind him fatally shot him in the back causing him to crash into a house. Dalaneo Martin, a father of a 5-month-old, died on March 18 after he was ambushed and shot five times from behind. The shocking bodycam footage showed two officers creep into the backseat of the white Hyundai Tucson Martin was sleeping in while parked at the River Terrace neighborhood around 9am. Pictured: Martin with his 5-month-old son Cops shouted 'police' while attempting to place handcuffs on Martin and within seconds, he started driving with one officer in the back seat and another who got dragged outside the car. 'Stop, stop, or I'll shoot,' the officer in the back of the car told Martin. The shocking clip shows the cop deploying his gun five times into Martin's back after ignoring his pleas to stop and let him out. Martin yelped as he was hit before crashing into a home on Kenilworth Avenue and 36th Street. Footage then shows officers performing CPR on Martin next to the vehicle, with one calling out: 'Hey, you got an AED?' (automated external defibrillator). Shortly after, Martin was pronounced dead at the scene. Police later uncovered a gun inside the white SUV, though it isn't clear if it belonged to Martin. Officers have not revealed who they believe stole the car. The officers involved are on paid leave. The police departments involved weren't immediately available for comment. The footage showed the officers quietly plan the sneak attack and peek through the car before striking and eventually shooting Martin five times after he drove away with an officer in the backseat 'Stop, stop, or I'll shoot,' the officer told Martin as he drove away with the officer in the backseat Martin, who is a father of a five-month-old, yelped as he was hit before halting the car and flopping backward In another bodycam video, an MPD officer can be heard telling the three others, 'If [Martin] takes off just let him go, but don't get inside that car.' An attorney for Martin's family pointed out the instruction that was blatantly ignored. 'The MPD officer specifically told all the officers not to get in the vehicle and if the driver takes off, let him go and do not chase him,' Attorney Mathis wrote in a statement. 'As a result of this officer's reckless disregard for the advisement from a 20-year police veteran, Mr. Martin was murdered. We are now asking for an independent DOJ investigation and for this officer to be held accountable.' The victim's mother Terri Martin was devastated upon watching the released bodycam footage released on Tuesday. 'He murdered my son,' Terri previously told Fox 5 while demanding the police department release the name of the officers involved. 'I want the name of the officer released to the public and for the officer to be terminated and prosecuted.' In another bodycam video, an MPD officer can be heard telling the three others, 'If [Martin] takes off just let him go, but don't get inside that car.' Pictured: Martin with his son The victim's mother Terri Martin was devastated upon watching the released bodycam footage. Pictured: Terri Martin His sister, Rahketa Steele (left), is also demanding justice for Martin. She is seen above at a vigil shortly after his death Several remembered him as being a reliable figure who was always there for his family and for always making them laugh. Pictured: Terri Martin, center bottom, and Rahketa Steele (far right) Martin's family held a vigil and protest for justice for the 17-year-old near the neighborhood where he died on March 26. 'Why wasn't a taser deployed? Why was the officer in the back of the car? Why was Dalaneo shot,' Terri said, according to ABC7. Several of Martin's family members remembered him at a press conference on Wednesday as Terri called for the officers involved to be arrested. 'The video self explains everything that they did to my son. How can you justify this? The officer can't justify this. He's at home with his kids. I'm kidless, planning his funeral,' Terri said on Wednesday. Terri described her son as her 'protector' that was taken away and recalled he was 'always dancing.' He was one of ten children. 'He's my baby. That's my baby,' Terri said. Martin was also remembered as a reliable figure who was always there for his family and for always making them laugh. 'He was the life of the party, my man,' Rahketa Steele, Martin's sister, said. She added: 'My brother deserves justice. My brother deserves to be here.' Federal prosecutors announced on Wednesday that they've launched a civil rights investigation into Martin's death. The U.S. Attorneys Office wrote in a statement that the investigation is ongoing and no further information was available. The most anticipated indictment in modern history has been released. And, believe it or not, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg found an alleged crime. Only it's not the supposed offense that he's prosecuting. The only potential criminal wrongdoing identified after months of investigation by experienced professional prosecutors appears to be extortion. But I'm talking about extortion of Trump, not by Trump. That's what it's called when an individual threatens to release damaging information about someone else unless they're paid to keep quiet. Now, of course, I'm not calling for Stormy Daniels to be prosecuted. I wish her only the best. But this indictment speaks to how laughable and blatantly political this prosecution really is. It's a tragedy. Bragg labored mightily - ultimately he produced a mouse. Read the indictment documents for yourself. At first glance, the layman may assume that it holds some evidence of wrongdoing. 34 counts laid out over 13-pages of an accompanying statement and couched in intimidating legalese. As expected, the central narrative focuses on the payment of hush money to a former porn in exchange for a non-disclosure agreement. But the document also broadens out the alleged Trump scheme to include payments to suppress the story of a former Trump Tower doorman, who was peddling an unconfirmed and likely false story of a child that Trump fathered out-of-wedlock, and another payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal to hide the tale of her alleged extra-marital affair with Trump. Now look closer. All 34 counts are relatively similar. Bragg has sliced the salami very thin. In essence, this is a case about book-keeping. The only potential criminal wrongdoing identified after months of investigation by experienced professional prosecutors appears to be extortion. But I'm talking about extortion of Trump, not by Trump. Bragg labored mightily - ultimately he produced a mouse. Trump is accused of not accurately recording hush money payments on public financial documents. Consider how ridiculous that is. As I've written before, while immoral, such payments are legal and, in fact, common among high-profile people. It is also not uncommon to withhold why the actual hush money is paid. Obviously, to do so would be to disclose that which the hush money was paid to keep hush. And in order to turn these questionable financial misdemeanors into even more questionable felonies, Bragg has alleged that the reason Trump made the false entries was to cover up other crimes. Here the indictment is at its weakest. Tellingly, the document itself does not even specify which crimes Trump tried to cover up. Although the law doesn't require it, such specifications are often provided in indictments. Bragg's theory is that Trump concealed the true purpose of these payments, which Bragg alleges was done to protect Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, rather than to hide the adulterous affairs from his wife, children, and business associates or shield his brand. But there's no apparent evidence to support Bragg's claim beyond the questionable evidence of Michael Cohen. Moreover, in order for Bragg's theory to hold water, Trump would have had to have known that he was committing a crime to benefit his campaign when he allegedly made the false entries. But how could he possibly have known that he would benefit? In the end, the revelation of his consensual adulterous affair with Daniels got out anyway - but it did not turn the election to Hillary Clinton. I wish it had. I am a Hillary Clinton supporter. I voted for her, and I contributed to her campaign. But Trump won. For his part, Bragg attempted to play the hero at his news conference following the indictment. He looked the American people in the eye and claimed that he was acting in good faith to fulfill the mission of his Manhattan office overseeing the business capital of the world. 'We regularly bring cases involving false business statements,' he claimed. That's totally disingenuous. I challenge you, DA Bragg. Find me one example of someone prosecuted for paying hush money and not having recorded it on business records. The case doesn't exist. Why? Because responsible prosecutors generally don't prosecute crimes where there is no victim. Bragg's theory is that Trump concealed the true purpose of these payments, which Bragg alleges was done to protect Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, rather than to hide the adulterous affairs from his wife, children, and business associates or shield his brand. Now, of course, I'm not calling for Stormy Daniels to be prosecuted. I wish her only the best. But this indictment speaks to how laughable and blatantly political this prosecution really is. It's a tragedy. Stormy Daniels is not a victim. She willingly accepted Trump's money. The American people are not victims. They elected Trump regardless of his behavior. Ironically, Bragg - who has failed to go after criminal predators in the streets - has devoted time and resources, which could have been spent going after real killers and rapists and Ponzi schemers to instead go after a man for a victimless, alleged crime. Clearly, none of the matters to Bragg. He finally has the case that he told the voters of Manhattan he would deliver to them. During the 2021 race to elect the next Manhattan District Attorney, a New York Times headline blared, 'Two Leading Manhattan D.A. Candidates Face the Trump Question.' As the article noted, Bragg wore his animosity towards Trump on his sleeve. 'I have investigated Trump and his children and held them accountable for their misconduct with the Trump Foundation,' Mr. Bragg told a December 2020 candidate forum. 'I know how to follow the facts and hold people in power accountable.'' In November 2021, Bragg was elected. Now, those same voters will make up the pool from which Trump's jury will be selected. And by voting to convict Trump, these future jurors would help Bragg to fulfill the pledge he made to them. This does not seem to assure a fair trial. The anti-Trump passions in New York City are incredible. I've experienced them myself. My acquaintance of many years, Caroline Kennedy, told me at a dinner party: 'Alan, if I had known you, who have defended Trump on the floor of the Senate, was going to be at this dinner party, I would not have come. But I am too polite to get up and leave now.' A friend, comedian Larry David, confronted me outside a store shouting, 'Alan, you're disgusting,' over my defense of Trump. Despite our friendship, they were furious with me, because I simply disagreed with them. You cannot reason with people, who have Trump Derangement Syndrome. My acquaintance of many years, Caroline Kennedy, told me at a dinner party: 'Alan, if I had known you, who have defended Trump on the floor of the Senate, was going to be at this dinner party, I would not have come. But I am too polite to get up and leave now.' The anti-Trump passions in New York City are incredible. I've experienced them myself. That is why Trump's lawyers will undoubtedly appeal to the judge for a change of venue, which Bragg will strenuously oppose. The last thing he wants is a fair trial. He wants a trial that will allow him to realize his campaign promise. This case should be moved to one of the New York City boroughs, such as Staten Island, or to another part of New York state. But the judge, also an elected Democrat, is unlikely to grant that request. The American legal system took a body blow yesterday. Trump's appearance in a courtroom to become the first former president and the first current presidential candidate ever to be indicted, arrested and charged marked a sad departure from precedent. And this deeply flawed indictment will now create a new precedent under which elected prosecutors of both parties will search for possible crimes against their political opponents. Whatever the outcome of this Bragg prosecution, Trump should eventually prevail. An appeals court should never uphold such an obvious misapplication of the law. But I don't know if the American legal system can come back from this as easily. This is a perversion of justice. And if Trump is convicted, it will be a travesty of justice. Americans everywhere now have cause for concern, because today it is Trump - but tomorrow it could be you. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's deputy supports soft sentences for violent criminals and backed restorative justice over jail time for a man who killed his friend. Meg Reiss, the Chief Assistant District Attorney in Bragg's office, has said prosecutors need to challenge the view that criminals are 'bad dudes'. Bragg and his team have come under intense scrutiny for their decision to charge Donald Trump over alleged hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels and others. Critics say the case is without merit and have accused Bragg of pursuing Trump while failing to keep New York safe by handing criminals soft sentences or loose bail conditions. Bragg installed Reiss, a former prosecutor in Brooklyn and Nassau County, as head of his executive team in January 2022. She said at the time she was looking forward to advancing 'innovative reforms in the criminal legal system'. Before taking the position, she was Chief of Social Justice in the Brooklyn district attorney's office, where she spoke passionately about restorative justice, whereby a criminal meets their victim - or those impacted by their crimes - as part of the punishment and rehabilitation process. Meg Reiss, the Chief Assistant District Attorney in Bragg's office, has said prosecutors need to challenge the view that criminals are 'bad dudes' Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks during a press conference on Tuesday following Donald Trump's appearance in court. Bragg and his team have come under intense scrutiny for their decision to charge the former president over hush money payments Donald Trump appeared in court on Tuesday facing charges brought by Bragg's office In a discussion in May 2021, she talked about an 'extraordinary' ongoing manslaughter case in which it 'seemed appropriate for restorative practice rather than a carceral sentence'. Reiss explained the killer knew his victim 'very well' and the incident involved a 'fight that ended up in one person dying.' Reiss said in a 2017 talk that prosecutors should challenge the view that criminals are 'bad dudes' She added: 'The only survivor of the victim's family was his daughter who actually had never met her father and because they're going through a restorative practice right now, it's the first time that she's actually ever getting to know her dad through the person who has been charged with his death. 'I think it's such a complex process for both people but I think that everybody comes out of it in certainly in a new way,' Reiss said. Several years earlier in 2017, Reiss was serving as Executive Director at the progressive Institute for Innovation in Prosecution at John Jay College. In that role, she appeared in a discussion titled 'Justice in the Trump Era' and said prosecutors must challenge the notion criminals are 'bad dudes'. 'Should we use labels like that - when you say violent people versus people that commit violence?' she asked. 'People have committed violent offenses, but it doesn't mean that person is permanently violent,' she said in the March 2017 talk. 'I think this is all part of the language that we need to consider that we use in the system.' DailyMail.com reported on Tuesday that Bragg and his team have let many violent and career criminals free in New York during their pursuit of Trump. The former president was supported by his children and their partners - but not by his wife. Eric and Lara Trump are pictured far left; Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos are seen to the right. Don Jr and his fiancee Kimberly Guilfoyle are in the center of the group Donald Trump addresses his supporters at Mar-a-Lago after being indicted in New York on Tuesday afternoon They include a crook arrested more than 100 times and a serial criminal released last week on $1 bail. Following his court appearance on Tuesday, Trump called Bragg a 'criminal'. In a burst of fury during his 25-minute remarks to a packed crowd of family and supporters at Mar-a-Lago, Trump let his frustration with the case shine through. He slammed his legal opposition, despite a warning from the judge presiding over the case, Juan Merchan, to use his words carefully in order to avoid a gag order. The former president described his foes as a 'Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and a family whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris,' which drew groans from the crowd. Trump also said the real criminal in the case is Bragg, accusing him of leaking grand jury information. 'The criminal is the district attorney because he illegally leaked massive amounts of Grand Jury information for which he should be prosecuted, or at a minimum he should resign,' he said, to cheers. He is accused of ripping up documents and photographs of his former co-host Kayla Phillips Don Lemon has again been accused of being a 'misogynist' after being 'disrespectful' to several members of staff including CNN stalwarts Nancy Grace and Soledad O'Brien. But the allegations this time date back to 2008 years before he was accused of being sexist against GOP Candidate Nikki Haley by saying she 'isn't in her prime'. Sources have told Variety that Lemon, 57, was rude to Grace on the air, and O'Brien during an editorial meeting attended by roughly 30 staffers. It is also claimed that producers and supervisors had to pull Lemon off the air while he was co-anchoring CNN's 'Live From' with Kyra Phillips because of his 'provocative antics'. Tensions reportedly mounted between the pair, to the point that Lemon is accused of ripping up notes and pictures of Phillips on the desk they shared. Don Lemon has again been accused of being a 'misogynist' after being 'disrespectful' to several members of staff including CNN stalwarts Nancy Grace and Soledad O'Brien Two sources told Variety that the incident happened while Phillips was on assignment in Iraq something which Lemon had been disappointed to be passed over for. He then reputedly sent her two text messages from an unknown number, saying: 'Now you've crossed the line and you're going to pay for it'. Phillips asked CNN's higher-ups to help identify the sender, with the messages eventually being linked back to Lemon, sparking an internal investigation. Despite the findings never being disclosed to the wider staff, Lemon was reportedly pulled from his co-anchor role and 'demoted' to weekend work, according to Variety sources. Working with Phillips was the last time he was paired with a female anchor until CNN decided to place him alongside Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow on CNN's This Morning show. Phillips, who joined ABC as a Washington-based correspondent in 2018, declined to comment when approached by Variety. A spokesperson for CNN told DailyMail.com: 'Don says the alleged incident never occurred and that he was never notified of any investigation. CNN cannot corroborate the alleged events from 15 years ago.' Sources also told Variety that he showed an 'open hostility' to many female co-workers and would regularly brag about how litigious he was. Lemon is also accused of calling one of his producers fat to her face, before mocking Nancy Grace live on air by mimicking her Sources have told Variety that Lemon was rude to Grace on the air, and O'Brien during an editorial meeting attended by roughly 30 staffers Lemon is also accused of dating a 22-year-old staff member at CNN, with many raising the issue of a 'power imbalance' according to Variety. They would drive to work together in his car and engaged in a long-term relationship despite dating a junior employee being frowned upon. One senior executive told Variety at the time: 'As fast as you could make a rule, Don would bend it.' Lemon is also accused of calling one of his producers fat to her face, before mocking Nancy Grace live on air by mimicking her. Grace has refused to comment on the incident, but sources told Variety that she 'thinks he's an 'a**' and was always 'rude, dismissive and really unfamiliar with the [news] content being discussed.' A source who witnessed the incident added: 'That was the beginning of when you knew that Don was kind of volatile and didn't say good things about women.' Phillips asked CNN's higher-ups to help identify the sender, with the messages eventually being linked back to Lemon, sparking an internal investigation Lemon was seen in Miami as furor over his sexist comments about women's prime rocked CNN - but he has since returned to the screen A spokesperson for Lemon told DailyMail.com that he strenuously denied the claims, adding: 'The story, which is riddled with patently false anecdotes and no concrete evidence, is entirely based on unsourced, unsubstantiated, 15-year-old anonymous gossip. 'Its amazing and disappointing that Variety would be so reckless.' Lemon is also accused of being upset that Soledad O'Brien hosted CNN's high-profile 'Black in America' docuseries in 2008. During a call attended by staffers, he claimed that O'Brien wasn't black, according to Variety, with a witness telling them: 'Don always wanted to be front and center on anything high profile, especially anything involving race.' Another former colleague said: Don always wanted to be front and center on anything high profile, especially anything involving race.' A spokesman for CNN added: 'Don, Soledad and others have in the past correctly referred to her Afro-Cuban heritage as it is a unique part of her personal story. But Don denies making any related remark in a derogatory way.' Other colleagues claim that Lemon exhibited 'diva-like behaviour', and skipped editorial calls and showed up late. In 2009 Lemon complained that he got less airtime that Anderson Cooper, who was outside, from inside the Michael Jackson memorial in the Staples Center. Lemon is also accused of being upset that Soledad O'Brien hosted CNN's high-profile 'Black in America' docuseries in 2008 CNN's Chairman Chris Licht, who has slammed Lemon's remarks, sent a memo to staffers saying that Lemon has agreed to participate in training following the Nikki Haley comments A senior executive at the time told Variety: 'That led to a come-to-Jesus moment. 'Don was told, 'Look, you've got to address your behavior. Your performance as a reporter is great. It's your behavior that's gotta improve. It's what's going to derail you if you're not careful.' Goldie Taylor, a former CNN consultant who appeared frequently as a guest on Lemon's weekend show, said she was blacklisted at the network for critiquing Lemon's controversial comments. She complained on Twitter in 2016, and told Variety: 'I'm never surprised when Don gets in trouble. 'It makes me neither happy nor sad to see him undermine his own success. There was a time when it appeared that Black people were most often the subject of his ire. 'Now, it seems to me that when he says something offensive, there's almost always a woman on the other side.' Another female colleague complained that Leon changed after disgraced CEO jeff Zucker took the helm, telling Variety: 'I saw a new Don emerging, and I didn't like the new Don. Lemon cut a glum figure as he walked to the CNN offices in New York after recievin 'He likes celebrity. He likes fame, likes power. He was no longer the same person.' Lemon was also dragged into a court case with shamed actor Jussie Smollett in 2021, after he claimed he received a message saying that Chicago Police doubted his story from the CNN host. As the case developed, it was proven that Smollett set up the attack himself, but Lemon refused to hand over his phone records to cops when asked to assist in the case. One colleague told Variety of the incident: 'He should have been benched in that instance. No question.' But a CNN spokesperson rebutted with: 'CNN reviewed the incident in question at the time and found that any interaction was an act of journalism as Don was attempting to prompt a response from Mr. Smollett and book him for his show.' The 56-year-old was reportedly upset when he realized that CNN bosses also expected him to work alongside his two co-anchors Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow rather than as a solo operator. Network insiders told Puck that there were problems with the struggling morning program before it even launched in November. Lemon's actions toward women are coming to light, especially after he allegedly screamed at Kaitlan Collins off-air for interrupting him on December 8, sources say Collins, 30, the youngest chief White House Correspondent on CNN, reportedly wants to be on set with the anchor 'as little as possible' after the incident. Pictured: Lemon with co-stars Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins at an NBA game Lemon reportedly 'expressed unease' with his new position after his 10pm show Don Lemon Tonight was axed amid a reshuffle at the network. He was also 'under the impression' that his name would be included in the new morning show, which he was told was a 'promotion'. CNN Chairman Chris Licht pitched his new role as a positive, giving him a contract extension and a salary increase, with Lemon also publicly saying it was 'not a demotion'. Lemon added: 'For all of those who are out there saying, 'Oh, he moved me, and without my input'he asked me and I said yes. I could have said no.' However, he was reportedly upset that his colleagues believed it was a step down for him, despite his insistence it was a promotion. He has also clashed several times with White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins live on air, with the pair repeatedly talking over each other. The incident resulted in a bust-up between the pair, with Lemon 'screaming' at Collins on December 8, which resulted in her running from the set in tears. After that, he was reportedly told to take a day to 'cool off' by boss Chris Licht but instead blew up on staffers after a company newsletter featured a story about his altercation with the White House Correspondent. Licht slammed Lemon's remarks as 'upsetting, unacceptable and unfair to his co-hosts, and ultimately a huge distraction to the great work of this organization' The star has reportedly been forced to have 'formal training' after his comments about GOP Nikki Haley being 'past her prime' Lemon went 'ballistic' at staffers who highlighted the spat with Collins, according to RadarOnline with the host claiming she 'interrupted him' during a December broadcast. Since the incident in December, Lemon has been sent to Memphis and on other assignments, while Collins worked remotely from Washington DC on several occasions in January. It came after he was forced to undergo 'formal training' after making sexist comments about 2024 presidential hopeful Nikki Haley, 51, being past her prime. Harlow took a 'well timed' bathroom break and was followed into the bathroom by Collins after the comment with a source adding the tense relationship has been 'smoldering for months'. Lemon missed the show for three days straight, with insiders saying he is aware that he is on his 'final warning' after a series of insulting blunders on the early-morning show. Licht, who has slammed Lemon's remarks, sent a memo to staffers Monday saying that Lemon has agreed to participate in training. According to a memo sent to staffers on, Licht said: 'I sat down with Don and had a frank and meaningful conversation. 'He has agreed to participate in formal training, as well as continuing to listen and learn. We take this situation very seriously. 'It is important to me that CNN balances accountability with a fostering a culture in which people can own, learn and grow from their mistakes.' Lemon returned to the show, but did not acknowledge the backlash he faced live on air instead issued a groveling apology online moments before the show started. Licht previously said that the remarks were 'upsetting, unacceptable and unfair to his co-hosts, and ultimately a huge distraction to the great work of this organization' during an editorial call. Iconic couple John Lennon and Yoko Ono separated from 1973 to 1975 with the latter giving her blessing for the Beatle to begin a relationship with his much younger live-in employee. Lennon's personal secretary May Pang, who was then only 23, recalls 50 years later the two-year period that has come to be known as the 'Lost Weekend' with fond memories, but says that it began tearfully. Pang says she cried when she first had sex with the Beatle because she 'didn't know where it was going to lead.' In a new documentary 'The Lost Weekend,' slated to hit theaters on April 13, the music producer details their romance that lasted in one way or another until Lennon's tragic death in 1980. Ono, who had been married to Lennon for four years, wanted time apart and instructed Pang to spend time with her husband and be his girlfriend. 'I refused,' Pang told People. 'I respected their marriage. I said, 'That's not what I want to do.' I was very happy as a worker.' But, Lennon, who was 10 years her senior, eventually convinced Pang to make the 'jump.' The couple fell head over heels for each other, but Ono was still very present in Lennon's life - calling up to 15 times a day, Pang said - and eventually won Lennon back, causing heartbreak for the young Pang. A photo of the then 23-year-old Pang with Beatle John Lennon during their romance that took place between 1973 and 1975. The couple are pictured at The Beacon Theater in New York City on November 17, 1974 attending 'Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band On the Road' A photo of Yoko Ono and John Lennon taken at Heathrow Airport in 1969 John Lennon and Yoko Ono speak at a news conference in New York City April 2, 1973 Yoko Ono in the kitchen of an apartment during an interview in New York June 28, 1973 Despite their difficult end, Pang also spoke of the exciting time she spent with the British rock icon traveling to Los Angeles to hang with other rock royalty - Harry Nilsson, Ringo Starr and Mick Jagger. And, accompanying him to the studio when he was creating albums Walls and Bridges and Rock 'n' Roll. Pang recalled her former lover as 'just an interesting person.' 'He really loved everything, and wanted to explore,' she said. 'He loved to get up, have his coffee in the morning. He loved blueberry pancakes, he loved swimming. He was just an awesome person who wanted to discover things.' The unconventional couple moved in together in 1974. May Pang, 72, releases her new documentary The Lost Weekend on April 13 Lennon and Pang were in love and though Lennon and Yoko Ono reconciled the couple continued to see each other romantically until his tragic death in 1980. The couple are photographed at the Jim Stacey Benefit on March 24, 1974 in New York City Lennon and Pang together during an evening were smitten with each other during their 18-month romance John Lennon and May Pang photographed together had a whirlwind romance in the mid 1970s A playful photo of May and Lennon 'Yoko Picked ... Lennon's New Lover' She said the couple shared their passion for music, saying that was 'the one thing that [Lennon] loved the most.' And recalled those times she'd be part of an impromptu jam session with former Beatles bandmates Paul McCartney and George Harrison. Pang says in the documentary, 'George once said, 'I'm so happy you're with John,' and that was a nice thing of him to say to me.' At one point during their separation, Ono had asked Lennon for a divorce, which he agreed to. The legal separation, however, never happened because Ono was taken aback by his willingness to permanently part and the couple reconciled. Ono's surprise and was the impetus to end the so-called 'lost weekend' and get her husband back. She said she 'knew' their relationship was over when Lennon, at the encouraging of Ono, went to a hypnotist to stop smoking. 'You just know,' Pang says. 'He was not the same when I saw him [again].' The heartbreak that followed was not easy, Pang admits, saying there wasn't 'any sense of closure.' Despite Lennon and Ono reuniting, Pang said she still continued seeing him romantically over the next five years. 'He'd secretly come over to see me. He would say, 'You know, I still love you,' she recalls. Yoko Ono and John Lennon in a scene from the documentary John Lennon and May Pang kissing passionately as fellow singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson is enjoying a cocktail during a gathering with friends at the Troubadour on March 12, 1974 in West Hollywood, California. Nilsson would later be kicked out of the show for drunken heckling Lennon and Pang at a gathering have a grand time with friends Yoko Ono and John Lennon reconciled amid a hiatus during the mid 1970s'. The couple pictured at their home in England, December 1968 'He said things to me that were really very intimate, and you could sense there was something still. It was gnawing at him. It was not a finished situation.' The couple were still quietly together until Lennon's unexpected death in 1980 when he was shot by deranged fan, Mark David Chapman. 'The beginning was still raw. Now, I see it as a gift. Our relationship was a gift and it was meant to be,' she says. 'I was happy I could give him something that he felt good about, that he never felt before.' In addition to the forthcoming documentary, Pang will also host two photo exhibitions at City Winery in New York City (April 8 and 9) and Philadelphia (April 15 and 16). The award-winning classical musician wife of James Bond director Sir Sam Mendes has been banned from driving after clocking-up her fourth offence when she was caught speeding. Lady Alison, 44, received a six-month ban despite her barrister pleading with magistrates for a shorter disqualification. The trumpet soloist, who lives in Buckinghamshire, is also an arranger, producer and music educator and has won three Classic BRIT awards. She pleaded guilty to driving her black 2019 Tesla at 38mph in a 30mph zone on the A40 Westway Flyover, Shepherd's Bush on August 15, last year. Lavender Hill Magistrates' Court heard Lady Mendes, who married Academy Award-winning film director Sir Sam in 2017, already had nine penalty points on her driving licence. Alison Balsom and filmmaker Sam Mendes attending the 92nd Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 9, 2020 Lady Alison is a trumpet soloist, arranger, producer and music educator and has won three Classic BRIT awards. Pictured: Alison Mendes, whose maiden name is Balsom, at the Royal Albert Hall for the BBC Proms in 2009 Lady Mendes' previous penalty points were imposed in March, 2020 and July, 2022 for three separate driving offences. Today's three points took Lady Mendes - who was awarded an OBE in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to music - to twelve penalty points, which triggers an automatic six-month disqualification. Prosecutor Sarah Will said it was 10.53am when a speed camera captured Lady Mendes - a Visiting Professor of Trumpet at the Guildhall School of Music and drama - breaking the limit. Her barrister, Tunde Okewale, told the magistrates: 'The objective is to identify a period of time commensurate with the offending and we submit the circumstances can persuade you to pass a disqualification as low as possible. 'One of the hallmarks was that this was an incident without incident. It was eight miles per hour over the speed limit, it was during daylight and there were no vehicles in front or behind. Lady Mendes pleaded guilty to driving her black 2019 Tesla at 38mph in a 30mph zone on the A40 Westway Flyover, Shepherd's Bush on August 15, last year Alison Balsom is an award-winning classical musician and has won three Classic BRIT awards 'There was no danger to any other vehicles or people or a high volume of traffic or pedestrians in the vicinity.' However, bench chair Vanessa Weguelin announced: 'The mandatory disqualification is a period of six months.' Lady Mendes, a trumpet soloist at the BBC's Last Night of the Proms and one-time principal trumpet of the London Chamber Orchestra, elected not to give evidence and claim 'exceptional hardship' to avoid the disqualification. She was fined 666, with 90 costs and a 266 victim surcharge and received three penalty points on her driving licence. 'As has been pointed out that makes you a totter and you will be disqualified from driving for six months and you will need to reapply for your licence towards the end of the disqualification,' the magistrate told Lady Mendes. California's reservoirs are nearing capacity after months of inclement wet weather that ended the drought across many parts of the state. Among the reservoirs that were once close to empty but are now positively brimming is the San Luis Reservoir, which was just about one-quarter full at the beginning of December, and is now 98 percent full. The reservoir is California's fifth largest and located near Los Banos in Merced County. It supplies water to the State Water Project. Following the wet weather of the last few months, its level now sits at 114 percent of its historical average, according to the LA Times. This time last year, the reservoir sat at less than half capacity and continued to lose water in the warmer months. It settled at around 25 percent full through November and December. A year prior, before meek winter rains replenished the supply, the reservoir sat at 10 percent capacity. Slide me Satellite pictures showing the difference in the San Luis Reservoir between last summer and now California has has 11 atmospheric rivers this year, leading to record snowpack and dangerous flooding in some parts of the country This year, however, the roughly dozen atmospheric rivers that have occurred in California, have delivered significant amounts of rain and snow, bringing record snowfall to some areas of the Sierra Nevada mountain range and flooding across the state. An atmospheric river is a narrow corridor of concentrated moister, or, water vapor, carried in the air from the tropics. They can bring with them significant bouts of rain. Due to the rain, snow and flooding, the area surrounding the reservoir has been transformed entirely from a brown, dry landscape, to a lush green one. Across the state, reservoirs are currently at or above their historical average levels. In late March, state reservoirs stood at about 73 percent capacity, four percentage points above the 30-year average of 69 percent. In March, severe storms pummeled California with hailstones the size of quarters and devastating floods which saw 10,000 people evacuated from their homes several weeks ago - as a rare tornado warning was issued for Fresno County. Funnel clouds were spotted in the heart of California's Gold Rush on Saturday afternoon and the weather service issued a tornado warning for the Sierra Nevada foothills as severe thunderstorms, hail and high winds blanketed the region. Extreme weather has recently plagued California with excessive amounts of snow falling in both areas surrounding the Bay Area and in the mountain ranges surrounding Los Angeles. The state has experienced 11 atmospheric rivers this season, storms that have brought enormous amounts of rain and snow to the state and helped lessen the drought conditions that had dragged on for three years. Rainstorms threatened to cause flooding in Big Bear as snow from the 100 inch deposit began to melt and flow through residents' yards. Rock and mudslides jeopardized freeways that had been shuttered on and off for use in previous weeks due to the snow. The snow blocked not just major freeways that connect the mountain to the greater Los Angeles area, but also smaller residential streets between homes and supermarkets. The flooding, though dangerous and inconvenient in some parts of the state, has also replenished many of the state's reservoirs State reservoirs are now at 73 percent capacity, four percentage points above the 30-year average of 69 percent Extreme weather in California plagued the state for weeks, from snow and hail storms to massive rain and wind storm all up and down the coast, the state has experienced 11 atmospheric rivers this year Following heavy rainfall on Friday, one area of Big Bear City got flooded The water is running down from the mountain and becoming a river running through the city In March, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for more than a dozen counties including San Bernardino, and sent support and resources to the snowed in area to assist with relief efforts Earlier in March, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for more than a dozen counties including San Bernardino, and sent support and resources to the snowed in area to assist with relief efforts. Residents of the mountain range outside of Los Angeles have been battered by storms in recent weeks, which have included nearly 10 feet of snow leading to shuttered stores, homes without power, and a supply chain in jeopardy. At least a dozen people were found dead after those storms blocked roads and left residents stranded. Kevin McCarthy greeted Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen in his home state of California on Wednesday amid rising threats from China warning the two leaders against bilateral talks. The House Speaker is leading a bipartisan group of lawmakers to meet with Tsai and her delegation as they wrap up a highly controversial and closely-watched tour through Central and North America. A crop plane circled the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California with a banner opposing Taiwanese autonomy, reading: 'One China. Taiwan is part of China.' Meanwhile, a group of about 100 supporters of Taiwan gathered outside the library holding signs, waving banners and banging drums as they chanted in favor of Tsai's visit. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy greeted Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California on Wednesday despite warnings from China not to go forward with the meeting The carefully orchestrated trip was branded by Tsai's team as her 'transiting' through the United States by way of California to Taiwan on her way back from official engagements in Central America McCarthy introduces Tsai to Iowa Rep. Ashley Hinson during a bipartisan meeting in California on Wednesday, April 5, 2023 Taiwan's defense ministry said Wednesday, coinciding with Tsai's meeting with McCarthy, that a Chinese aircraft carrier group appeared in the waters off the island's southeast coast. McCarthy will hold bilateral remarks for press following his meeting with Tsai on Wednesday, followed by a press conference at the Ronald Reagan Library, the location of the historic meeting. Before a group of bipartisan lawmakers discussed ongoing issues in the South China Sea with Tsai, McCarthy and No. 3 House Democratic Rep. Pete Aguilar, also of California, made short remarks on the U.S. commitment to Taiwan. McCarthy said they are looking forward to hearing Tsai's perspective at the bipartisan meeting in order to 'work together to promote freedom, democracy and peace.' China ramped up its demonstrations in opposition of the meeting, which signals the U.S. enduring support for the small island nation's autonomy from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Taiwan's Defense Ministry provided two pictures of the alleged boat presence. One is a grainy black and white aerial image of the carrier, and the other of a Taiwanese sailor looking at another unidentified ship in the distance. Chinese boats in the waters off Taiwan's coast on Wednesday send a clear threat after China warned of unspecified retaliation if McCarthy and other lawmakers go forward with their meetings. McCarthy introduced Tsai to a group of bipartisan lawmakers present for the meeting in Simi Valley, California on Wednesday including No. 3 House Democrat Pete Aguilar of California (left of Tsai) McCarthy said in short remarks welcoming Tsai that he looks forward to hearing her perspective in order to 'work together to promote freedom, democracy and peace' in Taiwan The meeting comes despite warnings from China not to go forward, and Taiwan's defense ministry claimed Wednesday that there were Chinese boats off its coast in the wake of the meeting 'The Chinese communists continue to send aircraft and ships to encroach in the seas and airspace around Taiwan,' the ministry said in a statement on the actions. 'In addition to posing a substantial threat to our national security, it also destroys the status quo of regional security and stability,' it added. 'Such actions are by no means the acts of a responsible modern country.' Beijing continues to claim Taiwan as its territory and insists it should be recognized as such by the international community. When then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met with Tsai last August in Taiwan, the CCP also staged war games around the island. Tsai's carefully orchestrated travel through America has been branded as her 'transiting' through the United States by way of California to Taiwan on her way back from official engagements in Central America. The Taiwanese president reportedly already met with Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries while 'transiting' through his home state of New York. The meeting in California Wednesday does not satisfy McCarthy desire to still visit Taiwan in support of the small island nation's autonomy from China as House Republicans continue to take a hardline stance against the CCP. A school manager who lost her job of 25 years just days before she was eligible for her pension has won an age discrimination case. Suzanne Millar was shown the door in an 'accelerated' redundancy process at Fir Bank Primary School less than three weeks before her 55th birthday, an employment tribunal heard. When Mrs Millar begged to stay on until she could withdraw from her pension, she was accused of being focussed only on 'self-gain'. Bosses at the school's trust in Oldham, Lancashire, also told her they couldn't possibly extend her employment as it would be a 'failure of the responsibility as guardians of the public purse'. Mrs Millar, who was dismissed despite her pleas, took The Oak Trust - which runs Fir Bank - to an employment tribunal and can now expect a payout. Fir Bank Primary school in Oldham, which is run by the Oak Trust. A judge ruled that Suzanne Millar's redundancy process had been rushed through by bosses there The senior manager won claims of age discrimination and unfair dismissal after a judge ruled that the redundancy process had been rushed through. The tribunal, held in Manchester, heard she started working at Fir Bank as a school business manager in 2004, having done a different role at a linked college in Oldham from 1996, giving her 25 years service. The primary school is a community school and therefore funded by the local authority. The Oak Trust was formed in 2017, including Mrs Millar's school and two others - with 'centralisation' of roles taking place. As a result, a review was carried out in March 2021 about the suitability of existing roles given the changing landscape of school administration. In a 'proposal' report, it was suggested by co-CEO Gillian Hindle that Mrs Millar's school business manager role be 'deleted', along with two others. The tribunal heard Mrs Millar was not entitled to a 'strain' payment from the school under the Local Government Pension Scheme, because she was under 55. If Mrs Millar's dismissal was delayed from August 31 - past her birthday on 18 September - the panel heard she would have been entitled to a strain payment of 25,000 to 32,000. In a 'proposal' report, it was suggested by Oak Trust co-CEO Gillian Hindle (pictured) that Mrs Millar's school business manager role be 'deleted', along with two others The tribunal panel described the following 'urgency of completing the process' by the trust as having taken place to avoid incurring a 'large, avoidable additional cost'. After a meeting at the end of April 2021, Mrs Millar was sent a letter, where 'for the first time', she understood the proposal was not for a restructure - but instead for her to be made redundant. The tribunal heard Mrs Millar was left 'shocked and upset'. After a meeting on May 4, in which Mrs Millar had experienced technical difficulties, she emailed bosses requesting a one to one meeting. She also asked several questions regarding redundancy termination as well as notice period, the amount of redundancy pay and her pension. Under UK legislation, people can start withdrawing from their pension once they turn 55, with 25 per cent of this available as a tax-free lump sum. On her pension, Mrs Millar asked Mrs Hindle: 'I am 55 on September 18 and would like the early pension option without reduction in my benefits. As I am 17 days out can the Trust consider this?' Two days later, Mrs Hindle replied: 'As you are not 55 on 31st August, the trust are unable to release your pension early.' The panel heard a one to one meeting never materialised, before Mrs Millar went off sick from May 10 due to 'stress at work'. In a later meeting Mrs Hindle gave a 'seriously misleading statement' to the Trust saying she had met with Mrs Millar when in fact she hadn't, before Mrs Millar's redundancy was confirmed. The panel heard Mrs Millar's appeal was dismissed in June, and was told: 'The Trust would be failing in its duty as a guardian of the public purse if they manipulated a timeline for your financial self-gain.' Despite finding the reason for dismissal was justified in terms of the role now being 'redundant', the panel said there was 'significant criticism' which could be made of the consultation process and being 'wedded to a fixed timetable'. Employment Judge Joanne Dunlop said: 'The proposed timetable shows that the procedural safeguards of the trust's own policy were to be jettisoned in favour of an accelerated process. 'We feel satisfied that if the trust's focus had been on offering a fair and genuine process, and not on meeting the artificial deadline, there would have been a significant extension to the process involving Mrs Millar, and that the act of giving her notice of dismissal would have been delayed by, on our best estimate, around six weeks. 'A delay of that length would, on the case as put forward by both parties, have unlocked her entitlement to enhanced pension and caused the trust to have to make a 'strain' payment to the pension scheme to fund the same.' The judge ruled Mrs Millar's upcoming 55th birthday was a 'significant motivator' to the trust's approach. The judge added: 'Mrs Millar's 55th birthday was the key moment, had she already reached that milestone or had she been comfortably younger than it, we are satisfied that many of the errors in this process would have been avoided or corrected. 'However, the point which takes much more prominence is the argument that Mrs Millar wishes to restart the process for her own gain and that the Trust would not be acting as guardians of the public purse in allowing her to do so,' she continued. 'The trust's main concern was therefore to avoid paying the strain payment and to avoid Mrs Millar obtaining what it saw as a windfall. 'That is a concern which is inextricable from her age. We find that the failure to re-start the process was an act of discrimination on the grounds of age.' A hearing will now take place to decide how much compensation she will be paid. The NEU activist also claimed the PM thought 'hate and abuse is fine' A left-wing teacher was forced to apologise yesterday after she claimed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was 'supporting the murder' of trans teen Brianna Ghey by blocking the SNP's gender reforms laws. Shelby Millard also accused Mr Sunak of supporting 'far-Right' attacks during her speech to hundreds of teachers at the National Education Union's (NEU) annual conference. She claimed the Prime Minister thought 'hate and abuse is fine' before being forced to retract her allegations. The NEU conference saw support for several LGBT+ initiatives, including union members voting yesterday to back drag queens being invited to schools to hold storytelling events for children. Shelby Millard also accused Mr Sunak of supporting 'far-Right' attacks during her speech A left-wing teacher and union activist was forced to apologise yesterday after she claimed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was 'supporting the murder' of trans teen Brianna Ghey by blocking the SNP's gender reforms laws Transgender teenager Brianna Ghey, from Birchwood, Warrington, was found with fatal stab wounds on a path in Culcheth Linear Park on February 11 Ms Millard, a teacher from Greenshaw High School in Sutton, south London, issued her allegations against Mr Sunak during the debate over LGBT initiatives. She told delegates: 'The fact that Rishi Sunak has used section 35 [the Westminster Government's powers to overrule the Scottish Parliament] to stop the Scottish Gender Recognition Reform Act is sickening. 'He is supporting the far right attacks on Drag Queen Storytime. He is supporting the murder of beautiful souls like Brianna [Ghey]. He is saying hate and abuse is fine. We won't stand for this.' Ms Millard is just eight months into her role as a geography teacher at the high school. She graduated from Bournemouth University in 2017 with a degree in archaeology. Just hours after making the allegations, Ms Millard apologised and withdrew the claim against the Prime Minister. An NEU spokesman said: 'The teacher concerned unreservedly apologises for the wording in her conference speech. She apologises and withdraws the specific allegation that Rishi Sunak supported the murder of a young trans girl. 'Many trans and non-binary teachers feel strongly that the Government is not doing enough to support them but it is essential that we always debate policy solutions in calm and measured ways.' Brianna Ghey was stabbed to death in a park in Warrington, Cheshire, in February. A boy and girl, both 15, have been charged over her death. The NEU suggested teachers should support drag queen story time events to create a 'more inclusive atmosphere' (pictured: drag storytelling event held at the Tate in February) A drag queen story time event was held at the Tate Britain in February with protests errupting outside the gallery During yesterday's debate union members voted to support events aimed at creating a 'more inclusive atmosphere' in schools. They supported ideas like 'Drag Queen Storytime', which some critics have accused of peddling woke 'gender ideology' and sexualised material to children. The union will now 'publicly support initiatives like Drag Queen Storytime to develop a more inclusive atmosphere in schools'. It also proposes to 'create a guidance booklet on how to set up an LGBT+ space/lunch clubs' in schools so that they become 'usualised'. Responding to the debate, Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: 'The NEU is committed to sharing and disseminating teaching resources and strategies to help members support success and positive school experiences for all LGBT+ students, including trans and non-binary students. 'Teachers need time and support to develop curriculum resources which are inclusive and representative, and such time for building a creative curriculum is in very short supply. 'The government is seriously failing to support trans people which means the creation of LGBT+ spaces and networks in schools and colleges is now more necessary.' A Downing Street spokesman said: 'We took action on the [Scottish] bill because it has real implications for how these issues are treated on a UK-wide basis. 'This includes impacting single sex spaces and services, and the creation of two gender recognition regimes in the UK. The motion came after a far-Right protest was held outside Tate Britain in February, where a drag queen storytelling event was being held for children 'We have a long established UK-wide equality framework that protects everyone - including transgender people - from discrimination, harassment and victimisation and advances equal opportunity for all.' The motion came after a far-Right protest was held outside Tate Britain in February, where a drag queen storytelling event was being held for children. Darren Nuttall, a teacher from Rotherham who advocated for the initiative, said: 'There are still pupils and teachers that will pick on LGBT+ students. 'Let's give the kids the support they deserve and the spaces they deserve.' The motion, which was passed at the conference in Harrogate, said some schools 'have not allowed LGBT+ authors into schools'. Delegate Sara Hope told the conference it took her almost a decade to find an LGBT+ safe space when she was a student, adding: 'For many of our LGBT+ students in schools right now things haven't really changed. 'Help protect our LGBT+ students in schools by creating more safe spaces and LGBT+ clubs.' Vladimir Putin today accused Western spies of helping Ukraine carry out acts of terrorism and sabotage against Russia. The Russian despot made the allegations during a call with members of his Security Council about the illegally-annexed provinces of Ukraine seized by Moscow in September, without providing any evidence. 'There are reasons to believe that the capabilities of third countries, Western special services, have been involved in preparation of acts of sabotage and terror attacks,' Putin baselessly claimed. It came as his predecessor Dmitry Medvedev threatened to 'exterminate' leading Russian opposition figures exiled in Britain after the killing of a pro-Kremlin war propagandist. Medvedev, once regarded as a liberal and now a hectoring hardliner, blamed Putin's exiled foes for the bombing in a cafe in St Petersburg on Sunday that killed blogger and Russian ultranationalist Vladlen Tatarsky. In a chilling rant on his Telegram channel, the ex-President branded Daria Trepova, the prime suspect in the blast, a 'dumb-headed accessory' to Western and Ukrainian special services. Vladimir Putin claimed Western intelligence agencies are helping Ukraine carry out acts of sabotage across Russia at a meeting with members of the Security Council on Wednesday Dmitry Medvedev (left) threatened to 'exterminate' leading Russian opposition figures, including one living in Britain The moment of the explosion that killed Kremlin top war blogger Vladlen Tatarskiy at a cafe in St Petersburg on Sunday In his claims earlier today, Putin noted that the four illegally annexed provinces have faced Ukrainian shelling and acts of sabotage aimed at scaring the local population. He called on his authorities to act 'harshly and effectively to ensure control over the situation.' Several Moscow-appointed officials in the newly incorporated provinces have been killed and wounded in a slew of bombings and other attacks. Putin urged officials to strengthen efforts to fully integrate the four regions into Russia and protect local residents from Ukrainian attacks. 'They must see and feel that all our great country stands behind them and we will do everything to protect them,' Putin said in televised remarks at the meeting. When Putin sent troops into Ukraine on February 24, 2022, he charged that Russia's 'special military operation' was intended to 'demilitarise' Ukraine, block its potential accession to NATO and protect the country's Russian speakers - the rhetoric Ukraine and its allies have described as a cover for an unprovoked act of aggression. After failing to capture Kyiv in the initial weeks of the fighting, Russia has focused its military efforts on gaining control of Ukraine's industrial heartland of the Donbas that includes the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces. The Russian military captured the province of Kherson and part of the province of Zaporizhzhia in the south early during the conflict, but withdrew from the city of Kherson and nearby areas on the western bank of the Dnieper River in November under the brunt of the Ukrainian counteroffensive. Speaking during a separate Kremlin meeting where he received credentials from foreign ambassadors, including the newly appointed U.S. Ambassador Lynne M. Tracy, Putin charged that Washington's support for mass protests in Kyiv that ousted Ukraine's Moscow-friendly president in 2014 lay at the roots of the current conflict. 'The relations between Russia and the United States, which directly impact global stability and security, are in a deep crisis,' he said. 'It's rooted in principally different approaches to shaping the modern world order.' Ukrainian service members in their trenches after incoming fire at the frontline, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine in the region of Bakhmut, Ukraine, April 5, 2023 Ukrainian soldiers of the Aidar battalion training at an undetermined location in Donetsk oblast, April 4, 2023 Ukrainian service member from 28th mechanised brigade launches an RPG at the frontline, Bakhmut, Ukraine, April 5, 2023 Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a ceremony to receive credentials from foreign ambassadors at the Alexander Hall of the Kremlin earlier today This came as Dmitry Medvedev set off on his latest rant calling on the 'extermination' or leading Russian opposition figures following the death of Kremlin propagandist Vladlen Tatarsky. The Putin supporter was blown to pieces when suspected assassin Daria Trepova was believed to have handed him a statuette laced with explosives. Medvedev said Trepova was a 'dumb-headed' accessory who was 'likely' unwittingly used. But he said this would not save her from 'just punishment' even though she was 'lucky to survive' the blast, amid speculation she could face up to 20 years in jail. In his sinister post on Telegram, Medvedev, without citing evidence, blamed Kremlin opposition for funding and inspiring the strike. He attacks 'those main b******* who fed and financed the hired killers, who dictated plans to them' but who currently 'remain without retribution'. He blamed 'our so-called irreconcilable opposition, which has been fighting against its own country for several years now with the active support of the West'. In particular he named anti-Putin leader Alexei Navalny, 46, now jailed in Russia and seen as a political prisoner, his associate Leonid Volkov, 42, now based in the West, ex-Russian MP Ilya Ponomarev, 47, now in Ukraine, and Mikhail Khodorkovsky, 59, a prominent opposition campaigner and once Russia's wealthiest man, exiled in Britain. Vladlen Tatarsky, 40, is seen moments before the explosion with the small statue believed to have been laced with explosives at a St Petersburg cafe on Sunday Head of the Wagner private army Yevgeny Prigozhin visited the bombed cafe - which he owns - on Tuesday Daria Trepova (pictured at court) was charged with terrorism over the blast that killed pro-Kremlin blogger Vladlen Tatarsky In a vicious threat demanding extra-judicial killings, Medvedev said: 'All these stinking Navalnys, Volkovs, Ponomarevs and other Khodorkovskys have become just ordinary terrorists and murderers. 'They voluptuously enjoy the sight of the blood of Russian citizens. They flare their nostrils with excitement at the sight of wounded and mutilated bodies. 'They devoutly swore allegiance to darkness and terror, along with the murderers of their native Kyiv Nazi regime.' His sinister threat goes on: 'Don't negotiate with terrorists. They are exterminated like rabid dogs with poisonous saliva flowing from their mouths. No extra pompous words. 'As soon as the opportunity arises. Even if sometimes it takes years. Forgiveness is not applicable....this is what the highest justice is.' He also singled out as enemies the FBK anti-corruption campaign run by Navalny's team which has relentlessly run exposes on Putin's circle, and MBKh-media, run by Khodorkovsky, who was earlier jailed by Putin for a decade on bogus charges. Volkov responded by saying: 'Dmitry Medvedev called me personally and my colleagues terrorists and murderers.' Suggesting that Putin's close henchman may have succumbed to alcohol - as often rumoured - he stressed: 'Medvedev has nothing to lose - he has taken his place on the list of war criminalsand he knows that there is no way out for him. 'This allows him to publicly threaten extrajudicial executions and spit curses. It doesn't get any worse than that, does it?' He urged the West to act against his foreign property. 'Still, at this moment, I would like to remind you that Medvedev's estate in Tuscany still stands unarrested by anyone, having escaped any sanctions penalties. Which, of course, is amazing.' Daria Trepova sits behind a glass wall of an enclosure for defendants during a court hearing in Moscow, Russia, April 4, 2023 Daria Trepova is escorted inside a court building before a hearing in Moscow, Russia, April 4, 2023 Medvedev's outburst came as an outfit called the National Republican Army claimed responsibility for the killing of hardline pro-war blogger Tatarsky - real name Maxim Fomin. A statement released on a partisan's telegram channel read: 'We organised and carried out an action on 2 April 2023 against a group of Z-activists and personally against the notorious warmonger and war propagandist, war criminal Maxim Fomin, known as Vladlen Tatarsky. 'This action has been prepared and carried out by us independently, and we have no connection to and we have not received assistance from any foreign structures and especially the special services.' Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee earlier claimed the killing of Tatarsky had been masterminded by Ukraine's special services with help from agents collaborating with jailed opposition leader Navalny's anti-corruption foundation. The Russian Investigative Committee said Trepova acted on orders from 'figures based in Ukraine'. She committed a 'terror attack by an organised group' at a cafe in St Petersburg. The former art student handed Tatarsky a gold-coloured statuette made to resemble him. It exploded causing his death and wounding more than 40. Vladimir Putin (right) is pictuerd with then Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev (left) in April 2008 Dmitry Medvedev is the deputy chairman of Russian Security Council and was the president of Russia between 2008 and 2012 Medvedev - president of Russia between 2008 and 2012 - also claimed: 'Terrorism is once again on our streets, in our cities. 'However, this time round terrorism is perpetrated by forces that our sworn Western friends have recently seen as the 'most honourable and conscientious' - the opponents of [Putin's] 'authoritarian regime'. 'The fearless knights of justice in the fight against corruption. The masks have come off. 'Here it is 'the creme de la creme' of our non-systemic opposition - it is fighting against its own people, it is blowing up and killing. 'Not only do these scumbags openly wish for Russia's defeat and the death of our motherland, but they are now also executing their compatriots. 'They have killed an unarmed journalist and wounded several dozen innocent attendees at his event.' Playboy model Karen McDougal broke her silence on social media after the historic Trump indictment, quipping 'I hope I didn't miss anything' along with photos of her enjoying vacation at a ski resort. 'Ive been out and about enjoying Gods country,' the 52-year-old model and actress wrote on Instagram. The indictment of former President Trump included charges not only for hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, but also two lesser-followed indirect payments that kept Playboy model Karen McDougal and a doorman quiet about Trump's alleged sexual rendezvous. McDougal allegedly had a 10-month affair with Trump in 2006 and Trump property doorman Dino Sajudin purported to know about a love child Trump had with a former housekeeper. Both McDougal and Sajudin were paid off by the Trump-aligned National Enquirer. The former housekeeper in questioned denied ever having an affair with Trump and Sajudin's ex-wife later called him a 'serial liar.' Playboy model Karen McDougal broke her silence on social media after the historic Trump indictment, quipping 'I hope I didn't miss anything' along with photos of her enjoying vacation at a ski resort 'Ive been out and about enjoying Gods country,' the 52-year-old model and actress wrote on Instagram McDougal allegedly had a 10-month affair with Trump in 2006 In 2016 McDougal was paid $150,000 for the rights to the story of her affair with Trump by American Media Inc., the parent company of the National Enquirer. In a practice known as 'catch and kill,' the Enquirer bought the rights but never ran the story. American Media Inc.'s former CEO David Pecker has admitted to doing so to help the Trump campaign. That same year, American Media Inc. gave Sajudin $30,000 for rights to the story he had to tell but imposed in the contract a $1 million penalty if he gave the story to anyone else. They then spiked the story. Trump's lawyers said that the former president did not know of the payment until after the deal was done. Pecker also testified before the grand jury in the Trump case last week, where he reportedly tied Trump directly to the deal and to a broader scheme to suppress negative stories about him during the 2016 election. Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen has said he arranged for the Enquirer to make the payment and made recordings of a conversation where he spoke with Trump about the payment. Cohen also admitted to speaking to the Enquirer about the payout to Sajudin. At one point, Trump asked Cohen: 'What do we got to pay for this? One-fifty?' Trump denies ever having the affair. McDougal posted photos of herself on vacation All together Tuesday's charges - falsifying business records in the first degree - carry a maximum sentence of more than 100 years in prison under New York law but, even if convicted on all charges, it's unlikely Trump would be sentenced to that much time. Each charge is a low-level felony that carries a maximum of four years in prison for each count. There was no formal conspiracy charge but the state of facts released by prosecutors describes how Trump 'orchestrated a scheme' with others 'to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit the Defendant's electoral prospects.' In 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance charges related to the Daniels and McDougal payments. He testified that Trump had directed him to buy silence from Daniels and to work with Pecker on quashing the McDougal story. McDougal said Trump first tried to pay her in 2006 after their first sexual tryst at a bungalow at the Beverly Hills hotel. She said the relationship continued for about 10 months after that but she broke in off in April 2007 because she felt bad. The Federal Election Commission found in 2021 that Pecker and American Media Inc. had made an unlawful campaign donation through the payment but declined to prosecute after Pecker's cooperation in the Cohen case. When McDougal approached the Enquirer with the story of her affair, Pecker alerted Cohen before paying McDougal $150,000 for her story and telling her they would run magazine covers and articles on her in exchange for her not talking to any other outlet about the affair. Cohen signed an agreement to pay $125,000 to buy the nondisclosure part of the agreement, but Pecker later called off the deal and told Cohen to rip up the agreement. The FEC fined American Media Inc. $187,500, deeming the McDougal deal as a 'prohibited corporate in-kind contribution.' Pecker stepped down as CEO of the publisher in 2020. Cohens lawyer Lanny Davis said Sunday on CNNs State of the Union that The other central case against Trump involves a $130,000 hush-money payment that Cohen made to Daniels in the final days of the 2016 campaign. Cohen said he made the payment at Trump's direction and it was to ensure Daniels would not go public with her story of a sexual encounter with the married Trump. The alleged affair happened in 2006, long before Trump entered politics and when he was married to Melania. It was shortly after she gave birth to their son Barron. Trump denies both the affair and any legal wrongdoing. At issue is the Trump Organization's later reimbursement of Cohen for the payments, and Bragg's office is reportedly looking into whether Trump falsified business records to conceal the payment. During a 2018 tell-all interview interview with Anderson Cooper, McDougal said she left her first date with Trump 'crying in the backseat of a car' because he offered to pay her after they had sex During a 2018 tell-all interview interview with Anderson Cooper, McDougal said she left her first date with Trump 'crying in the backseat of a car' because he offered to pay her after they had sex. 'After we had been intimate, he tried to pay me, and I actually didn't know how to take that,' she said. She said she was hurt by the cash offer, which she turned down. 'I don't even know how to describe the look on my face,' she said. 'It must have been so sad.' Later that year she said was also given an apartment in New York City as a Christmas gift, but lost it after the two split. McDougal also tearfully recalled feeling guilty when she went to Trump's apartment in Trump Tower and he showed her Melania Trump's bedroom. McDougal thought it was odd that Trump's wife slept in a separate bedroom. 'I thought maybe they were having issues,' she said. McDougal recalled feeling uncomfortable walking into the apartment of a married man whose wife just had a baby. 'I couldn't wait to get out of the apartment, I think,' she said. 'Doing something, doing something wrong is bad enough, and when you're doing something wrong, and you're in the middle of somebody else's home or bed or whatever, that just puts it a little old stab in your heart, and I just couldn't wait to get out of the apartment. 'I wanted to go back to my hotel room.' McDougal expressed regret over the affair, saying she felt guilty. Nonetheless, despite the guilt, she carried on with Trump for the better part of a year. 'When I look back, I know it's wrong,' the 1998 Playmate of the Year said. 'I'm really sorry for that. I know it's the wrong thing to do.' Three people including a child are fighting for their lives after a fire ripped through a four-storey home. The blaze at the house in Erleigh Road, Reading killed a grandmother in her 60s early this morning. Five people were rushed to hospital with injuries, including at least one child, and are in critical condition. Police launched an investigation into the cause of the fire, which they said was not being treated as suspicious. A spokesman said: 'One person has tragically died following the residential fire at a property in Erleigh Road, Reading... The fire has now been extinguished but tragically, one person, a woman aged in her 60s, has died in the fire and five others have been injured.' Three people including a child are fighting for their lives after a fire ripped through a four-storey home. The blaze at the house in Erleigh Road, Reading killed a grandmother in her 60s early this morning Five people were rushed to hospital with injuries, including at least one child, and are in critical condition. Police launched an investigation into the cause of the fire, which they said was not being treated as suspicious Superintendent Steve Raffield, the Local Policing Area Commander for Reading, said: 'Tragically, as a result of this fire, a woman has died of her injuries. 'Five other people, two adults and three children, have been injured and are being treated in hospital, and three are currently in a critical condition. 'There does not appear to be any suspicious circumstances to this fire, although we are conducting an investigation alongside Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service on behalf of the Berkshire Coroner. 'This incident is an absolute tragedy and first and foremost, our thoughts are with the family and friends of the person who has died. 'They are being offered support by officers at this extremely difficult time.' For months, Chipotle loyalists have been questioning online whether the chain has increased the spice levels of their hottest salsa option: the Tomatillo-Red Chili Salsa. On Reddit, in the r/Chipotle thread, users have debated for more than a year whether the beloved brand 'change[d] the hottest sauce recipe?' TikTok users have also made a number of videos questioning the suddenly-much-hotter sauce. One user said the new sauce was so spicy as to render the food it touches 'inedible.' While some were pleased with the apparent uptick on the spice-meter, other users find the new tingle to be unbearably hot. The company has repeatedly denied changing its recipe. Loyalists believe the beloved chain pumped up the heat its spiciest hot sauce, to the surprise and delight of some, and horror of others One woman, who spoke to the Wall Street Journal about the allegedly hotter sauce, said she, at first, thought it was all in his head. 'I thought maybe it was just in my head and it was always that spicy and maybe I was just being a wimp, I guess. I was like, maybe I cant handle hot salsa anymore,' said Jordan Strickland. 'I think they should go back to the way it was. It was spicy enough.' Others disagree and have told the haters to opt for a less spicy option if they're dissatisfied with the new kick. 'It's called hot salsa. If you can't handle it, get the medium,' said Jordan Black. Back in December of 2022, Kristi Howard posted a video of herself eating Chipotle tacos with the spicy sauce that she swore had recently grown hotter. The user Sophia then responded to her video saying she used 'to drench her Chipotle in the red sauce,' but now says she can't even stomach a tiny bit of the sauce on a lone chip. 'That thing is not edible for the regular person. It should be a hot sauce challenge kind of hot sauce,' she said. On the 50,000 strong r/Chipotle reddit thread, users for months have speculated about the reality of their favorite sauce getting spicier. Whereas one user enjoyed the change, writing: 'I Get Chipotle about once a week, and I had this exact same experience a few days ago. I even submitted an online survey to say, 'this is awesome, I hope you keep it spicy like this.'' Other users, however, had less enthusiastic responses: 'I'm eating the red sauce now. For the second time it has been incredibly hot. Way hotter than before. I'm dying.' Among the heard of loyalists, some visit the restaurant multiple times a week to purchase the same bowl, burrito, or other menu offering. They believe they know the flavor profile of their favorite meal to a t. Any change, then, is a noticeable one, including a much hotter hot sauce drizzled across their food. One TikToker jokes that the spicy sauce is now so much hotter than it once was that she has to carefully moderate the amount that lands on her food A Wall Street Journal analysis found that the chain's red sauce was, on the upper end of it Scoville unit test, spicier than some of the hottest brand name hot sauces out there The Wall Street Journal sent samples of the chain's hot sauce to a lab in New Mexico that tested the Scoville units of chile peppers, hot sauces and salsas. Scoville Heat Units, which measure spiciness, range from zero to more than 2million. Samples from across the country were submitted and the lab determined that the Scoville units ranged from 2,730 to 3,420. The higher end of that range, according to the outlet, is hotter than some popular hot sauce brands that are known to be on the spicier end of the most commonly purchased brands - including Cholula, Tapatio and Sriracha. What the brand ultimately discovered was that some of the chiles it gets from certain regions of India had a bit more of a kick to them this season than in years past. The company has repeatedly said that it did not alter its recipe for the hot sauce, but has continued to monitor its chile mix. Doctors were rushed to the Russian woman accused of assassinating a pro-Putin blogger with a bomb after she was interrogated by FSB thugs for nine hours, it emerged today. Daria Trepova a former art student, reportedly became disoriented during the interrogation by Russian special services over the explosion at a cafe in St Petersburg on Sunday. The 26-year-old woman had admitted giving the statuette to hardline war supporter Vladlen Tatarsky, a pro-Kremlin propagandist who had more than half a million social media followers. But she has denied being aware the gold-coloured statuette depicting Tatarsky was stuffed with explosives. 'I was set up. I was just being used,' she reportedly told state investigators. Daria Trepova reportedly became disoriented during nine hours of interrogation by the FSB. She is pictured chained to a radiator amid her detention by Russian officials Daria Trepova, 26, is pictured with a bust. She reportedly admitted giving the statuette to hardline war supporter Tatarsky Handcuffed bomb suspect Daria Trepova, 26, arrives at a Moscow airport escorted by Russian law enforcement on Tuesday Ren TV - which claimed to have close law enforcement contacts - said she was subjected to nine hours of interrogation recorded on video after she was moved to Moscow where she was formally arrested. 'During the interrogation Trepova complained of feeling unwell, saying that she could not hear well and could not get her bearings,' the channel reported. 'Medics were called in to examine and assist Daria. According to preliminary reports, the woman's condition may have been caused by concussion [as a result of the blast]'. Ren TV is part of a media group headed by 70 year old Vladimir Putin's mistress Alina Kabaeva, 39, a former MP and Olympic gold-winning rhythmic gymnast. Trepova is under investigation for terrorist offences and could be jailed for up to 20 years if convicted. She was charged with committing 'a terrorist act by an organised group that caused intentional death' and was detained by police and escorted to Moscow from St Petersburg under armed guard. Russian media claimed yesterday following Trepova's arrest that she had thought she was auditioning for a job in journalism in Ukraine. She reportedly believed she was on a 'propaganda resistance' test for a Ukrainian media outlet when she handed pro-Putin blogger Vladlen Tatarsky a small statue laced with explosives that blew him to pieces, Russian news outlet Fontanka reported. Fontanka cited leaked transcripts of Trepova's interrogation by Russian FSB security officials. Knowing nothing about the explosives, Trepova reportedly said she was offered a job as an editor at a Ukrainian media platform but was told she first had to complete a form of internship by carrying out a series of tasks. Investigators have charged Trepova (left) with terrorism over the bomb that killed pro-Kremlin blogger Vladlen Tatarsky (right) Video footage showed the handcuffed bomb suspect ,Trepova, being escorted through Moscow airport This is the moment of the explosion that killed Kremlin top war blogger Vladlen Tatarskiy at a cafe in St Petersburg on Sunday Russian police guard the glass cage that Trepova was being held in, while photographers tried to take pictures Darya Trepova, a 26-year-old St Petersburg resident suspected of involvement in a bombing at a St. Petersburg cafe, is escorted by officers in Moscow on Tuesday Trepova was told her first task was to see Vladlen Tatarsky speak at one of his events and become acquainted with the pro-Kremlin blogger and staunch supporter of Russia's war in Ukraine. Fontanka reported that she was given a 'secret item' by a Moscow taxi driver - who also was said to have no knowledge of what they were doing. Reports said the statue laced with explosives was ordered through the Telegram messaging app and was delivered anonymously to an intermediary. Trepova then received her next task which was to meet up with Tatarsky again and give him the package. Reports even said a ticket was purchased from Pulkovo international airport in St Petersburg to Uzbekistan as part of her safe travel to Ukraine. The blast took place when the Kremlin propagandist had been speaking at a political event at the Street Food No. 1 cafe in St Petersburg when the bomb exploded next to him, killing him and injuring 32 others. Russian authorities described the bombing as an act of terrorism and blamed Ukrainian intelligence agencies for orchestrating it. Former President Donald Trump has been officially been entered into New York's searchable criminal database - as case number IND-71543-23. The entry shows Trump's birth year - 1946 - but contains no information about his arrest, just then name of one of his defense attorneys, Gedalia Moshe Stern, and Stern's contact information. The database also notes that Trump's next day in court isn't until December 4. On Wednesday, Trump, a 2024 presidential hopeful, pushed out a statement applauding the professionalism of the cops and court employees he encountered during his stint in custody the day before. 'The GREAT PATRIOTS inside and outside of the Courthouse on Tuesday were unbelievably nice, in fact, they couldn't have been nicer,' Trump said. 'Court attendants, Police Officers, and others were all very professional, and represented New York City sooo well.' IT'S OFFICIAL: Former President Donald Trump is now listed in New York's criminal database, as case number IND-71543-23. The entry shows Trump's birth year - 1946 - but contains no information about his arrest Trump sits in court in Manhattan Tuesday surrounded by his defense team. On Wednesday he sent out a statement commending the professionalism of the cops and court workers he encountered the day before Former President Donald Trump's name is displayed as a defendant in the database of the New York State Unified Court System. On Tuesday he was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records 'Thank you to all!' the former president added. Trump was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in relation to the Stormy Daniels hush-money scheme in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election. He pleaded not guilty at the New York Criminal Court Tuesday afternoon, as Thursday's 16-page indictment was unsealed. Additionally, a 13-page statement of facts was released by the Manhattan district attorney's office. It said that between August of 2015 to December of 2017, Trump 'orchestrated a scheme with others to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit the Defendant's electoral prospects.' The alleged crimes included writing monthly checks to his former lawyer Michael Cohen throughout 2017 as part of a 'retainer agreement,' with prosecutors saying that there was no such retainer agreement and those payments were actually to pay Cohen back the $130,000 given to Daniels to keep her quiet about her 2006 tryst with Trump ahead of Election Day 2016. The statement of facts said that Trump and Cohen even met in the Oval Office, where Cohen secured a commitment from the then-president to get paid back. Trump ignored reporters during his afternoon in New York court, but then returned to Mar-a-Lago where he railed against those working in what he viewed as a politicized justice system. 'As it turns out, virtually, everybody that has looked at this case, including RINOs and even hardcore Democrats, say there is no crime and that it should never have been brought, never have been brought, everybody. Even people that aren't big fans have said it,' the former president said. At Mar-a-Lago, Trump went through the cast of characters working in the justice system that he viewed as problematic. Trump blasted Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, saying that he campaigned 'on the fact that he would get President Trump.' He also went after Judge Juan Manuel Merchan, who's presiding over the New York hush-money case. 'I have a Trump-hating judge, with a Trump-hating wife and family, whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris and now receives money from the Biden-Harris campaign and a lot of it,' Trump charged from the podium at his Florida home and resort. He also blasted Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis - calling her a 'local racist Democrat district attorney in Atlanta.' Willis, who is black, is overseeing a case where Trump could be charged over his role in trying to overturn the 2020 election result in the state of Georgia. Trump also called New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is also black, a 'racist in reverse' for pursuing fraud cases against his businesses. The ex-president also labeled Special Counsel Jack Smith a 'lunatic.' Smith, who was appointed by President Joe Biden's Attorney General Merrick Garland, is handling two federal, Trump-related probes - his handling of classified documents after leaving the White House and his role in the January 6 Capitol attack. During his 2020 campaign - and now again in his 2024 campaign - Trump has proclaimed his support for rank-and-file police officers, yet at the same time, characterized local and federal prosecutors and top officials at the DOJ and FBI as corrupt when they've looked into his dealings. The former Trump Tower doorman who was named in Donald Trump's indictment Tuesday says that he was given no warning that he would be involved in the former president's history-making criminal case. 'I was in complete shock when I was informed by my attorney that I was cited in the statement of facts related to former President Trump's Indictment as I was not given any forewarning that I would be included,' former doorman Dino Sajudin said in a statement to DailyMail.com. 'I was never asked to appear before the Grand Jury, nor was I ever interviewed by the District Attorney's Office,' he added. The indictment says that Sajudin claimed that Trump fathered a child out of wedlock and was paid $30,000 by the National Enquirer for his story. The tabloid later claimed that his story was not true. Dino Sajudin, a former Trump doorman, claimed the president had a love child and was paid hush money. Sajudin said in a statement to DailyMail.com: 'I was in complete shock...I was not given any forewarning that I would be included' Donald Trump made history on Tuesday when he appeared in a Manhattan court and became the first former President of the United States to be indicted on criminal charges Trump pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to 34 counts of falsifying business records as he faced a New York judge, becoming the first President of the United States to be arraigned and charged with a crime. The charges are related to the $30,000 payoff to Sajudin; $150,000 to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, and a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. The prosecution claims the incidents show Trump plotted to buy up damaging stories about him to keep them under wraps and help his chances of winning the 2016 presidential race. 'It's not just about one payment,' Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said at a press conference after the hearing. 'It is 34 business records 34 false statements and business records. They were concealing criminal conduct.' Trump pleaded not guilty to all counts. All together, the charges falsifying business records in the first degree carry a maximum sentence of more than 100 years in prison under New York law, but even if convicted on all charges, it's unlikely Trump would be sentenced to anything close to that much time. Each charge is a low-level felony that carries a maximum of four years in prison. 'I was in complete shock when I was informed by my Attorney that I was cited in the statement of facts related to former President Trump's Indictment as I was not given any forewarning that I would be included,' former doorman Dino Sajudin told DailyMail.com The National Enquirer paid $30,000 to Sajudin for his story and never ran it, in what is known as a 'catch and kill' practice The former president waves to waiting crowds before walking into the Manhattan District Attorney's office to be processed There was no formal conspiracy charge, but the statement of facts released by prosecutors describes how Trump 'orchestrated a scheme' with others 'to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit the Defendant's electoral prospects.' During the hearing, Assistant District Attorney Christopher Conroy argued the payments were part of 'an unlawful plan to identify and suppress negative information that could have undermined' Trump's presidential campaign. The hearing lasted about an hour. Judge Juan Merchan did not put a gag order on Trump but did warn him not to post anything on social media that could cause unrest among his supporters. Trump attorney Joe Tacopina, after the hearing, told reporters: 'This was not a good day. 'There's nothing in the indictment itself. It is boilerplate. It doesn't allege any federal crime and the state crime that's been violated. It doesn't allege what the false statement is, and it's really disappointing. 'It's sad and we're going to fight it. We're going to fight it hard.' Tacopina said Trump is 'frustrated. He's upset, but I'll tell you what, he's motivated. And it's not going to stop him, and it's not going to slow him down.' Former President Donald Trump tore into Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan, Manhattan DA Alvin Brag, Hunter Biden, the Biden family, the FBI, the Justice Department, and Big Tech Trump attacked Judge Juan Merchan hours after getting a warning about 'words or conduct which could jeopardize the rule of law as it applies to these proceedings in this courtroom Trump railed against investigators in a speech at his private Mar-a-Lago club Trump lobbed repeated insults at judge Juan Merchan, during his angry speech at Mar-a-Lago hours after he was arrested and arraigned in New York. Judge Merchan, who is presiding over the Stormy Daniels case, previously oversaw proceedings that saw longtime Trump Org. CFO Allen Weisselberg sentenced to five months in jail after pleading guilty to tax fraud. 'We recently had another trial and the same judge told the fine man who worked for me for many, many years that if you admit your guilt, you will be in jail for 90 days. But if you don't if we go through a trial and you're found guilty you're going away for 10 years and maybe longer,' Trump said. Trump also attacked Merchan as a 'Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and a family whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris,' in an attack that drew groans from a packed crowd of supporters and Mar-a-Lago members. Trump's attacks on Judge Merchan came despite warnings to both sides inside the Manhattan courtroom earlier. 'I'd encourage counsel for both sides to speak to your witnesses, defense counsel speak to you client and remind them to please refrain from making statements that are likely to incite violence and civil unrest,' he said. 'Refrain from engaging in conduct which has the potential to incite violence or create civil unrest,' he warned. 'Don't engage in words or conduct which could jeopardize the rule of law as it applies to these proceedings in this courtroom'. Trump lawyer Todd Blanche, agreed, and told the judge: 'There's only so much we can do'. Melania Trump's father Viktor Knavs was present for Donald Trump's speech at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday night, sandwiched between the former president's two eldest sons, while the former first lady was mysteriously absent. Knavs, 79, didn't speak but was in the room as Trump railed against the indictment for the alleged 'catch and kill' scheme' and the other legal investigations he's subject to, hours after he appeared in court. He was in a prominent position in the front row, with Eric and Lara Trump on the left and Don Jr and his fiancee Kimberly Guilfoyle on the right. Further down was Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos. The former president thanked his family for their support - name checking daughter Ivanka and Barron, his son with Melania - but notably left his wife of 18 years out of his remarks. His speech came hours after he was hit with 34 felony charges related to a $30,000 payoff to a doorman trying to sell information about a child that Trump allegedly fathered out of wedlock; $150,000 to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, and a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. Viktor Knavs - Melania Trump's father - stands between Eric and Lara Trump and Don Jr and his fiancee Kimberly Guilfoyle; Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos are seen to the right It's unclear why Melania Trump didn't attend her husband's speech on Tuesday night. She's reported to be hurt and angry about the allegations he had an affair with Daniels, but is said to be willing to support him. Multiple inquiries to Trump spokespeople and outreach to those close to the couple were not returned. Ivanka Trump also wasn't present for her father's remarks. Nor was Barron, but the teenager rarely appears in public. The Knavs - Viktor and Amalija - are close to their daughter, son-in-law and their grandson. They frequently travel with the Trumps - splitting their time between New York, Bedminister, and Palm Beach, going where the rest of the Trumps go. When Donald was president, the two bought a house in suburban Washington D.C. and helped care for their grandson Barron. They were regulars at White House events - like the annual turkey pardon - traveled on Air Force One, and attended campaign events. Knavs takes out his phone to take a photo as Trump shakes hands with his son Donald Trump Jr. Knavs and his daughter Melania are seen together at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club. The father also spends time at the Bedminster golf club owned by the former president Melania's absence on Tuesday night was a stark contrast to last week, when, hours after the indictment was announced, she was by her husband's side in a very public show of strength. The couple dined together with friends at their usual, highly-visible table, at Mar-a-Lago. The former first lady wore a bright red dress, making her easy to spot by his side. She also was present in November when Trump announced he would seek a second term in the White House. Never a fan of the campaign trail, she is not expected to be out glad handling voters. Before the indictment was announced last week, a source told PEOPLE that Melania, 52, 'is leading her own life' and 'still feels happy' at Mar-a-Lago, but 'remains angry and doesn't want to hear' about the alleged $130,000 in hush money to Daniels. But, despite the anger, she would support her husband, a person close to her told DailyMail.com. 'Mrs. Trump is strong. She is focused on her family and stands behind her husband, as she always has,' the source told DailyMail.com exclusively. 'For the past 7 years, the left has made multiple attempts to smear and attack her family and this is just the latest attempt to bring him down.' In previous scandals, Melania Trump has stood beside her husband. During the 2016 presidential campaign, when an old 'Access Hollywood' interview came to light, showing Donald Trump speaking disparagingly of women, she supported him, publicly defending him in an interview on CNN. But the former first lady was furious when news of the Stormy Daniels affair broke five years ago. She had been blind-sided by it when it broke. So it was notable, when the payment to Daniels was revealed by the Wall Street Journal in January 2018, Melania Trump went silent. The Knavs - Viktor and Amalija (pictured above at the White House in November 2019) are close to daughter Melania The Knavs step off Marine One in August 2018, following then-President Donald Trump, Melania Trump and Barron Trump Viktor Knavs and Amalija Knavs go where Donald Melania Trump go - above they are with them in Mar-a-Lago for Christmas 2019 Donald Trump walked into the Mar-a-Lago ballroom, surrounded by security with wife Melania Trump notably not at his side The last time Donald Trump was seen in public with his wife Melania, on March 30 Ivanka Trump was spotted getting out of her black van at an office building in Miami on Monday, but did not attend her father's speech at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday Daniels was paid just before the 2016 election to keep quiet about an affair that she said she had had a decade earlier with Donald Trump when the Trumps were newlyweds and soon after Melania had given birth to their son, the report said. Then-President Trump promptly denied everything. At the time, Melania Trump, then the first lady, canceled her plans to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos with Trump. She had been scheduled to go. Instead she visited Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. with her mother and then flew to Mar-a-Lago, taking time to enjoy herself in the on-site spa. A newly released 911 call has revealed that Tekashi 6ix9ine refused medical attention when he was beaten up in a Florida gym bathroom last month. The March 21 assault left the rapper, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, with 'non-life-threatening' injuries to his jaw, ribs and back, officials said. A female staffer at LA Fitness in Lake Worth, Florida, spoke in a calm voice when she made the 911 call as she told the dispatcher: 'There's blood all over the place.' She then could be heard asking Tekashi if he needed a paramedic. He responded in the background: 'Nah, nah, I'm good.' Last week, the alleged attackers - Rafael Medina Jr., 43, Anthony Maldonado, 25, and Octavious Medina, 23, were arrested on robbery and assault charges. A newly released 911 call has revealed that rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine, 26, refused medical attention after he was beaten up inside a bathroom at an LA Fitness in Florida on March 21 The March 21 assault left the rapper, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, with 'non-life-threatening' injuries to his jaw, ribs and back, officials said A female staffer at the LA Fitness spoke in a calm voice when she made the 911 asked the rapper if he needed a paramedic, but he's heard saying: 'Nah, nah, I'm good' In the call obtained by Page Six, the unidentified woman can be heard calling 911 just two minutes after the assault. 'Some, I think, guys, they just jumped one of the members in the bathroom and there's, like, blood all over the place,' the woman says. The dispatcher asks if a paramedic is needed, which the caller then relays to Tekashi, who is heard in the background: 'Nah, nah, I'm good.' When asked if any weapons are involved, she says no and tells the dispatcher that three men beat up the rapper and had left but were in the parking lot. The caller was not able to give a clear description of the attackers but told the dispatcher: 'We have security cameras too, so we can look at them and see if we can see them but I don't know if you can actually see how they look.' Tekashi was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Rafael Medina, Jr. (left) and Octavious Medina (pictured right) - were arrested last month Anthony Maldonado (pictured), 25, was also arrested for the assault Security footage released a few days later showed the minutes just before a group of men ambushed and attacked the rapper Security footage released a few days later showed the minutes just before the group of men ambushed and attacked the rapper. Three men dressed in black approach the front desk employee who they briefly chat with before they walk directly toward the bathroom where the brutal attack took place. The group of men who beat him later boasted about the attack on social media. In videos circulating online, they called him a 'rat' who wouldn't be tolerated in their 'hood.' While kicking and punching him, one could be heard yelling to another: 'Take a picture, take a picture - I am going to be famous now.' The alleged attackers were arrested on March 31 and Tekashi took to social media to call his assailants 'nothing but cowardly.' Three men dressed in black approach the front desk employee who they briefly chat with before they walk directly toward the bathroom where the brutal attack took place Views of LA Fitness in Palm Beach Florida, where Rapper Tekashi6xine9 was beaten 'to a pulp' 'For 2 years I been walking around with no security,' he captioned a video of the attack. 'Not saying I promote that BUT now you see I really never hid from anything.' Tekashi 6ix9ine, known for his rainbow-colored hair and '69' tattoo on his forehead, previously faced decades in prison as part of a racketeering case in which he was accused of using a violent gang as a 'personal hit squad.' Instead, his sentence was reduced to about two years after his testimony against the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, earning him a label as a 'snitch.' It was part of a widespread crackdown on gangs in New York, during which nine members of the same gang were taken into custody. He quickly abandoned his co-defendants, cutting a deal with the prosecution instead and agreeing to be their star witness. In court, he took the stand to describe the inner workings of the gang and his own ascent through it. 'We participated in a lot of crimes. Robberies, assaults, drugs,' he said. As a result, Anthony Ellison - one of his co-defendants - was sentenced to 24 years in prison. Tekashi 6ix9ine, known for his rainbow-colored hair and '69' tattoo on his forehead, has done little to keep a low profile, even showing off stacks of cash on Instagram Tekashi previously faced decades in prison as part of a racketeering case in which he was accused of using a violent gang as a 'personal hit squad' Tekashi was sentenced to two years in prison in December 2019. By then, he had already completed 13 months. He was released early in April 2020 and allowed to serve the remainder of his term on house arrest. He had pleaded with corrections officials to be released, saying he was afraid of contracting COVID behind bars. Since then, he has done little keep a low profile. He continues to boast about money and women on social media, where he has more than 24million followers, and is still making music. Her former political allies slammed her 'betrayal' in switching sides Cotham had been criticized for posting the American flag on social media A North Carolina lawmaker has defected from the Democrats after she faced the ire of liberals for posting the American flag on social media. Tricia Cotham, 44, announced her departure to the Republicans at a heavily-anticipated news conference after days of rumors of her possible switch. 'The modern-day Democratic Party has become unrecognizable to me and to so many others throughout this state.' 'The party wants to villainize anyone who has free thought, free judgment,' the former schoolteacher added. 'If you don't do exactly what the Democrats want you to do, they will try to bully you, they will try to cast you outside,' she told reporters. 'What happened to the concept of a big tent party? What happened to these ideas that were inclusive, were tolerant, were so welcoming to everybody. No, youre not.' Tricia Cotham, seen here announcing her defection to the Republicans, lashed out at Left-wing Democrats who she said had mocked her for posting images of the American flag on social media She accused her now-former political allies of 'calling me names, coming after my family, coming after my children.' Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel blamed her Democratic rivals for pushing Cotham into the arms of the conservative Right. 'Even in a Biden district in a purple state, Democrats are reading the writing on the wall: liberal policies are too extreme and theyre failing Americans,' she said. 'Ahead of 2024 (and the presidential election), Republican momentum is growing and we are proud to welcome Tricia Cotham to the Republican Party.' Cotham previously served a ten-year stint as a Democrat in North Carolina's House of Representatives from 2007 before losing her seat in 2017. She succeeded last year in returning to the Tar Heel state's legislature, winning in the 112th district near Charlotte. She won nearly 49 percent of the vote in a four-candidate Democratic primary and then picked up 59 percent in the general election. The United States has a state legislature in each of its 50 states that approves local laws and budgets. In most cases, lawmakers sit in a local House of Representatives and Senate where they wield considerable powers to pass legislation on gun rights, abortion and same-sex marriage. And Cotham's decision to join the GOP now gives the party a veto-proof majority to push through a wide range of reforms. It means Republicans can now force through changes without needing to compromise with Democratic Governor Roy Cooper. A budget that pushes extreme policy changes and more tax breaks for the wealthy over the basic needs of students and parents is wrong for our state and legislators should get back to the drawing board. 5/5 Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) April 4, 2023 On Tuesday, Cooper went on a bizarre and bitter Twitter rant, slamming the state's latest draft budget as 'extreme policy.' He urged lawmakers 'to get back to the drawing board' over proposals that he claimed offered 'even more tax breaks to wealthy people.' Anderson Clayton, seen here speaking to reporters, demanded that Cotham quit North Carolina's House of Representative Anderson Clayton, the chairwoman of the North Carolina Democratic Party, called Cotham's move 'a betrayal' and called on her to stand down. 'She no longer represents the values constituents trusted her to champion, and should resign immediately,' she said. Harvard-educated lawyer Kaivan Shroff, a Left-wing commentator based in New York, branded Cotham as 'a traitor to democracy'. 'Not only did she betray her voters. Now the entire state will be held hostage by an extremist Republican legislature,' he fumed. A pilot was forced to make an emergency landing when he realised that a cobra was 'crawling up his shirt' over South Africa. Rudolph Erasmus, 30, was flying a private aircraft from Bloemfontein to Pretoria with four passengers when he noticed a fifth had made its way under his seat and up his back. Flying at 11,000ft , had to stay calm as he worked out what was going on and informed passengers they would be unexpectedly landing in Welkom. Erasmus said: 'You could hear a needle drop and I think everyone froze for a moment or two.' Pilot Rudolph Erasmus (pictured) was forced to land suddenly in Free State, South Africa The Cape Cobra's venom affects the nervous system and can lead to respiratory failure, paralysis, and death if left untreated Erasmus told the BBC that he thought the cold feeling up his back was water from his water bottle at first. As he turned to see the four-foot snake 'receding its head backwards underneath the seat', he had to make a snap decision as to whether to tell the four passengers behind him what was going on. Erasmus realised it was a snake because two others had said they had seena snake near the plane before takeover in Worcester. He said he was 'so scared' the snake might have made its way back and caused panic. A bite from the snake can kill a human in half an hour. Calmly, he explained the situation and said they would be making an immediate and unplanned stop in Welkom, the second largest city in South Africa's Free State province, about 90 miles northeast of their Bloemfontein starting point. Silence followed. Erasmus was able to safely land the plane in Welkom, by which time the snake had disappeared. Poppy Khosa, the South African Civil Aviation commissioner, said Erasmus was a hero for his controlled landing. The private aircraft was flying from Bloemfontein to Pretoria, but had to land abruptly Talking to News24, the pilot humbly brushed off praise and acknowledged 'it's also my passengers that remained calm as well.' He told TimesLive: 'This was definitely a first and not something you get trained to handle.' The Cape Cobra is a highly venomous snake found in southern Africa, especially South Africa, Namibia and Angola. Adult snakes can measure up to 5ft long and is recognisable from its hood, used to intimidate potential predators. Baby cobras are often more dangerous as they cannot limit their venom releases, however. The Cape Cobra's venom affects the nervous system and can lead to respiratory failure, paralysis, and death if left untreated. If treated promptly with antivenom, the chances of survival are high. EMS was called to evaluate the pilot, who refused treatment The pilot was forced awake after midnight and interrogated for 45 minutes until the group realized their mistake A man was handcuffed and interrogated inside his own hotel room for roughly an hour after law enforcement agents went to the wrong room during a training exercise. FBI and DOD agents knocked on the room occupied by the man - a Delta Air Lines pilot according to WBZ - and burst in, holding him in cuffs for 45 minutes before they realized their mistake. The case of mistaken identity occurred just after midnight on Wednesday, on the 15th floor of Boston's Revere Hotel. An FBI official told DailyMail.com their agents were assisting in a DOD mock investigation to 'simulate a situation their personnel might encounter in a deployed environment.' EMS was called to the scene to evaluate the man, according to WBZ, and he told the outlet he would be speaking with his employer before publicly commenting. The mishap occurred on Wednesday on the 15th floor of Boston's Revere Hotel Sources told WBZ that agents knocked on Room 1505 late Tuesday evening and demanded to be let in. The unidentified pilot who was a guest at the hotel was sleeping when the agents arrived. The man - who is said to be in his 30s - woke up and opened the door. The group then barged in and began a nightmare interrogation scenario. The agents handcuffed him and placed him in the shower. The pilot was handcuffed for more than 45 minutes until the agents realized their mistake, took the cuffs off, and apologized to him. Hotel security was told about the incident and Boston police was contacted. WBZ reports that police officers who responded were wearing body cameras and were told that FBI and DOD agents were conducting a training exercise. EMS came to the hotel to evaluate the pilot who refused treatment. The Delta employee has not been publicly identified at this time. WBZ spoke to the man, however, and he told them he would need to talk with his company before speaking out. A Delta Air Lines pilot was handcuffed and interrogated inside his own hotel room for roughly an hour after law enforcement agents went to the wrong room during a training exercise DailyMail.com reached out to the Boston Police Department and the DOD for comment but did not hear back by the time of publication 'Safety is always a priority of the FBI, and our law enforcement partners, and we take these incidents very seriously,' the FBI told DailyMail.com The FBI released the following statement to DailyMail.com: 'At approximately 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, the FBI Boston Division was assisting the U.S. Department of Defense in conducting a Department of Defense (DOD) training exercise at a hotel in Boston to simulate a situation their personnel might encounter in a deployed environment. 'Based on inaccurate information, they were mistakenly sent to the wrong room and detained an individual, not the intended role player. 'Thankfully nobody was injured. The Boston Police Department was called and responded to the scene to confirm that this was indeed a training exercise. 'Safety is always a priority of the FBI, and our law enforcement partners, and we take these incidents very seriously. The Boston Division is reviewing the incident with DOD for further action as deemed appropriate.' DailyMail.com reached out to the Boston Police Department and the DOD for comment but did not hear back by the time of publication. A request for any potential photos or videos taken during the simulation or the responding police call was also made. This is the hilarious moment CNN's royal correspondent cut himself off while describing the intricacies of King Charles III's coronation invitation by admitting he risked boring viewers to death. Buckingham Palace gave the public its first glimpse of the official invitation on Wednesday and royal commentators were quick to pore over the various design details of the card. But a weary Max Foster began his report for CNN by saying: 'It's a long story. There's one bit of card here Sara [Sidner, the CNN anchor] and there's an awful lot in itThere's a huge amount in there.' He went on to discuss the symbols in the invitation's design, which he described as containing 'oh so much significance', before adding: 'I don't know how deeply you want me to go.' He then spoke for 30 seconds uninterrupted detailing how a 'little green man' at the bottom of the card was a 'mythical British figure representing rebirth and a new reign', how flowers were bunched into threes for Charles III, and that a unicorn, a boar and a lion reflected Charles and Camilla's coats of arms. The invitation was shared on Tuesday by Buckingham Palace. The cards will be sent out in due course to over 2,000 guests who will form the congregation in Westminster Abbey for the coronation of King Charles III The invitation is the first time Camilla, Queen Consort, has been referred to as Queen Camilla He then delivered his withering punchline: 'There's loads more, but I'll bore you to death with it.' READ MORE: Ultimate reward for Queen who played the long game: How 'warm, fun and friendly' Camilla won over the hearts of the nation despite once being a pariah who Elizabeth II 'wanted nothing to do with' Charles and Camilla at the Service of Prayer and Dedication blessing their marriage at Windsor Castle on April 9, 2005 Advertisement The card is due to sent to more than 2,000 guests in the coming days and weeks. The design echoes a special, hand painted invitation to the late Queen's ceremony that was made especially for the future King when he attended the 1953 ceremony aged four. It reads: 'The Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla. 'By command of The King, the Earl Marshall is directed to invite to be present at the Abbey Church of Westminster on the 6th day of May 2023.' During the ceremony, the King will be crowned alongside Camilla, the Queen Consort. But the invitation is the first time the latter has been referred to as Queen Camilla, as per the wishes of the King. Charles and Camilla met long before the future king married Diana in 1981 and their relationship continued throughout the tumultuous marriage. That made Camilla an object of scorn among Dianas many fans, who rallied around the princess as her marriage collapsed. But Camilla has won over much of the British public with her warmth and down-to-earth humor since she married Charles in a civil ceremony in 2005. The late Queen Elizabeth II early last year issued a statement saying she hoped Camilla would be known as 'queen consort' when Charles became king. Camilla will be crowned alongside her husband on May 6 at Westminster Abbey. Coronation plans, code-named Operation Golden Orb, have been closely guarded. The palace released a few more details on Tuesday, announcing that nine-year-old Prince George, the kings eldest grandson, who is second in line to the throne, would be one of four pages of honor attending the monarch during the service. Camilla will also have four pages. The eight young pages are either family friends or close relatives of Charles and Camilla and will carry the robes of prominent figures during the day. The coronation invitations feature the ancient motif of the Green Man in a nod to the monarchs record of supporting conservation and environmental protection. The Green Man is 'an ancient figure from British folklore, symbolic of spring and rebirth, to celebrate the new reign,' the palace said. The design echoes a special, hand painted invitation to the late Queen's ceremony that was made especially for the future King when he attended the 1953 ceremony aged four Flowers for Queen Camilla: Thomas, three, hands a bouquet to Camilla during royal visit to Talbot Yard Food Court in Yorkshire The visit to Talbot Yard Food Court in the picture postcard town of Malton marks King Charles' and Queen Camilla's first engagement since the official invitation to their coronation was revealed last night Camilla stepped out today in a visit to a food market in North Yorkshire after the King firmly cemented her place in the royal pecking order 'The shape of the Green Man, crowned in natural foliage, is formed of leaves of oak, ivy and hawthorn, and the emblematic flowers of the United Kingdom.' The design, created by heraldic artist and manuscript illuminator Andrew Jamieson, will be printed on a recycled card with gold foil detailing. The day itself is both the symbolic religious ceremony in which a sovereign is crowned and the physical act of placing a crown on a monarch's head. It also formalizes their role as the head of the Church of England. A monarch does not have to be crowned to become King or Queen. Edward VIII reigned without a coronation and Charles III automatically became King the moment Queen Elizabeth II died. The devastated family of a woman stabbed to death by a wanted felon who was out on bond have said she was a 'shining light' in all of their lives. Christy Bautista, 31, was stabbed at least 30 times by career criminal George Sydnor Jr, 43, after he broke into her hotel room in Washington DC. Family members say she was visiting the area from Virginia to attend a concert, and have paid tribute to her on a GoFundMe page. They said in a statement: 'Our family is devastated by the loss of our beloved Christy. 'She brought joy to everybody who knew her and was a shining light in all of our lives. Please respect our privacy as we mourn her at this time.' Bautista had checked into the Ivy City Hotel just an hour before and had parked her car directly in front of room 116, where she was staying Christy Bautista, 31, (left) was stabbed at least 30 times by career criminal George Sydnor Jr, 43, after he broke into her hotel room in Washington DC Bautista was caught on surveillance footage screaming for help as Sydnor pushed his way into her room. A mugshot of the suspected killer has not been released by Washington Police, but he has been charged with first-degree murder. Bautista had checked into the Ivy City Hotel just an hour before and had parked her car directly in front of room 116, where she was staying. Shortly after, Sydnor rode up to the hotel on a bike and was seen on surveillance footage listening through the door before entering. Ten minutes later, DC police arrived at room 116 and Sydnor told officers everything was fine. However, when police noticed his bloodied hands through the blinds, they retrieved the master key and went into the room according to court documents seen by DailyMail.com. When police entered the room around 7pm, they noticed Bautista on the floor with multiple stab wounds while Sydnor was trying to smoke a cigarette. Bautista was declared dead on the scene 11 minutes later, with cops finding a large kitchen knife with a broken blade on the bed next to his jacket. The Virginia's James Madison University graduate's family said they do not believe the pair knew each other Bautista had checked into the Ivy City Hotel just an hour before and had parked her car directly in front of room 116, where she was staying. Sydnor was found with blood on his pants, shoes, and vest. The Virginia's James Madison University graduate's family said they do not believe the pair knew each other. Her family's GoFundMe page has already exceeded its $10,000 goal to raise $11,260 as of Wednesday afternoon. The alleged murderer was taken to the hospital to be treated for lacerations before being discharged and taken to the police station for questioning. Sydnor has pleaded not guilty and he is being held without bond. He was out on bond at the time of the alleged murder on suspicion of an armed robbery in October. The 43-year-old, who has a lengthy rap sheet including 25 prior arrests, was originally denied bond in December over the robbery due to his criminal history. However, another judge released him two weeks later. He's also wanted in Maryland and is set to be extradited there next month, according to NBC Washington. When he attacked Bautista, he was wanted in DC and Prince George's County for failing to appear in court. Sydnor will appear back in court on May 8. Bautista was declared dead on the scene at 7.11pm, nearly 30 minutes after Sydnor entered her room Labour was split last night over major reforms that would see transgender women barred from female-only spaces. A Shadow Cabinet member said it was right to 'tidy' up equality law on the basis of biological sex rather than gender identity. But a prominent backbencher branded the proposals being considered by Conservative ministers an attack on transgender rights. It risks opening a new front in Labour's civil war over gender, which earlier this year saw male Labour MPs jeering a female colleague in the Commons when she stood up for women's rights. Opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer is now under pressure to declare whether or not he agrees with the plan to rewrite the Equality Act. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is under pressure to declare whether or not he agrees with the plan to rewrite the Equality Act He recently admitted the introduction of 'self-ID' for transgender people in Scotland did not have public backing even though Scottish Labour supported it. However, his party remains committed to modernising the law that allows adults to change their legal sex. Sir Keir has been accused of failing to defend women's rights and his own female MPs, and just this week was mocked for suggesting that a small number of women have penises. Yesterday Labour justice spokesman Steve Reed agreed there was a need to clarify the Equality Act, as proposed by the Equality and Human Rights Commission watchdog on Monday. Labour justice spokesman Steve Reed agreed there was a need to clarify the Equality Act, as proposed by the Equality and Human Rights Commission watchdog on Monday He told Times Radio: 'The legislation as we currently have is unclear. It's ambiguous as to what is meant by sex, as to whether that would be a biological sex or not. And I think it's absolutely right that this needs to be clarified.' He added: 'What we want to achieve out of all of this is really about fairness. And it's about protection... It's important that women always feel safe and always feel protected.' But he stressed: 'Also, we would, of course, wish to properly support trans people who are subject to an awful lot of vilification and abuse and discrimination. And the two things do not compete with each other.' Under the plan being considered by ministers, organisations could restrict access to single-sex spaces on the basis of biology, meaning that transgender women would not be allowed on female-only hospital wards or in support groups even if they had legally changed sex or had surgery. Mr Reed said: 'I do believe that safe spaces for women, like a women's refuge, there are very good reasons why that should be for biological women. Of course, we need to protect women from those who might seek to abuse them and where that means biological women, yes, it must mean biological women primarily.' However, just hours later Left-wing backbencher Nadia Whittome wrote on Twitter: 'This proposal is an attack on the limited rights and protections that trans people currently have... We must stand with them and resist this.' Last night another Labour MP, Mick Whitley, spoke out against the plan. Asked about the proposed changes last night, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: 'We should have enormous compassion and understanding for anybody who is thinking about their gender and identity. But it's important that we also protect and support and ensure women's rights. And I fundamentally believe that biological sex is important in that regard.' Former Vice President Mike Pence has decided not to appeal a judge's ruling that requires him to testify before a grand jury but acknowledges his constitutional role as president of the Senate. The decision is just the latest move that allows an array of top officials with key information about the last days of the Trump administration to testify in special counsel Jack Smith's January 6 probe. Pence had earlier spoken favorably about aspects of the decision by District Court Judge James Boasberg to carve out elements of his role, but had said he wanted time to meet with his legal team to decide. His announcement comes a day after a federal Appeals court panel ruled that former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and other top former Trump aides must testify, adding to the growing list of people who will answer questions in the ongoing investigation into the January 6 Capitol riot. Former Vice President Mike Pence has decided not to fight a subpoena requiring him to testify in the January 6 probe after a judge's ruling carved out part of his role that will allow him to avoid answering some questions It remains unclear just how far he will go in revealing details of the president's months-long effort to undermine the election results and later seek to overturn the outcome. Pence advisor Devin O'Malley talked up that aspect of the ruling, saying the former VP had prevailed even while being required to respond to the subpoena for his testimony. Pence did not speak to House January 6 Committee during its investigation, although some of his top aides joined a chorus of officials undermining former President Donald Trump's move to try to pressure Pence to refuse to count votes certified by states that went for Joe Biden. Pence's lawyers had referenced his unique role as President of the Senate as protected under the Constitution's 'speech or debate' clause, which protects lawmakers for things they say as lawmakers. 'The court's landmark and historic ruling affirmed for the first time in history that the speech or debate clause extends to the vice president of the United States,' O'Malley said. 'Having vindicated that principle of the Constitution, Vice President Pence will not appeal the judge's ruling and will comply with the subpoena as required by law. The decision comes weeks after he unloaded on Trump, saying 'history will hold Donald Trump accountable' Trump attacked special counsel Jack Smith as a 'lunatic' Trump pressured Pence into refusing to count votes certified for Joe Biden on January 6 Judge James Boasberg's ruling will stand Smith subpoenaed Pence earlier this year. The development comes weeks after Pence delivered his harshest criticism yet of Trump's role on January 6. 'President Trump was wrong,' Pence said at the Gridiron dinner in March in D.C. 'I had no right to overturn the election. And his reckless words endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol that day. And I know that history will hold Donald Trump accountable.' But he has continued to praise the accomplishments of the Trump administration, and while in office regularly attested to his 'broad shouldered' leadership. Pence trails Trump in early presidential polls, and may launch his own campaign for the 2024 nomination. The ruling still requires Pence to testify about any potentially illegal acts. Pence's decision follows Trump's delivery Tuesday night of a defiant speech at Mar-a-Lago where he attacked prosecutors and judges, as well as the DOJ and FBI, and called Jack Smith a 'lunatic.' 'The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it,' Trump told supporters hours after getting arrested in New York following his indictment in the Stormy Daniels case. Some 500 migrants will be housed on a barge off the Jurassic coast in a landmark 18-month deal, it was confirmed last night. The vessel will be moored at Portland in Dorset with Home Secretary Suella Braverman expected to announce similar barges at a later date. It came as pictures emerged of the interior of the Bibby Stockholm barge, which offers luxury living and facilities including a gym, games room and bar. It also has delicious, nutritious food in its restaurant and Wi-Fi throughout the ship. The barge, operated by Liverpool-based Bibby Marine, can house up to 506 people in 222 en-suite bedrooms. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who has vowed to stop the boats as one of his key voter pledges, said the barge would save taxpayers money. We are spending, as a country, 6million a day housing illegal asylum seekers in hotels that cant be right, he said. The Bibby Stockholm barge will be moored at Portland in Dorset off the Jurassic coast The barge, operated by Liverpool-based Bibby Marine features a games room and bar Ive committed to reducing that number, moving asylum seekers out of hotels and that means we need to find alternative sites, including barges like the one weve brought forward. Thats going to save the taxpayer money, reduce pressure on hotels and its part of our broader plan to stop the boats. However the plan has sparked opposition from local Conservative MP, Richard Drax, and the Tory-run Dorset Council. Backbencher Mr Drax said earlier this week that legal action to halt the plan was still under consideration, adding: All options are on the table. Last night a council spokesman said it remained resistant, adding: We still have serious reservations about the appropriateness of Portland Port in this scenario and we remain opposed to the proposals. ;There are a number of questions which the Home Secretarys announcement does not address, we will continue to press the Home Office for answers and await further information. Single adult males will be housed on the barge while their asylum claims are processed. They will not be detained and will be free to come and go. Immigration minister Robert Jenrick said: The Home Secretary and I have been clear that the use of expensive hotels to house those making unnecessary and dangerous journeys must stop. We have to use alternative accommodation options, as our European neighbours are doing including the use of barges and ferries to save the British taxpayer money and to prevent the UK becoming a magnet for asylum shoppers in Europe. The barge offers delicious, nutritious food in its restaurant and Wi-Fi throughout the ship The vessel can house up to 506 people in 222 en-suite bedrooms who will be free to come and go while their asylum claims are processed Single adult males will be housed on the barge while their asylum claims are processed Facilities on the 'luxury-living' barge also include a gym, with Suella Braverman expected to announce similar barges at a later date It will be the first time asylum seekers in the UK have been housed on an accommodation barge which is normally used for maritime or offshore workers All accommodation will meet our legal obligations and we will work closely with the local community to address their concerns. A Home Office spokesman said the department was in discussions with other ports and further vessels will be announced in due course. The Bibby Stockholm will offer basic and functional accommodation, healthcare provision, catering facilities and 24/7 security to minimise the disruption to local communities, the spokesman added. However Refugee Council chief executive Enver Solomon said the barge would be completely inadequate to house vulnerable people who have come to our country in search of safety, having fled beatings and death threats in countries such as Afghanistan and Iran. It will be the first time asylum seekers in the UK have been housed on an accommodation barge which is normally used for maritime or offshore workers. Typical charter costs for accommodation barges range from 8,000 to 15,000 a day, according to reports, putting the annual cost at between 2.9million and 5.5million. This doesnt include mooring fees plus catering and other costs. But the Bibby Stockholm, built in 1976, is still expected to be cheaper than housing Channel migrants in hotels. The Bibby Stockholm will offer basic and functional accommodation, healthcare provision, catering facilities and 24/7 security Typical charter costs for accommodation barges range from 8,000 to 15,000 a day, according to reports, and doesnt include mooring fees plus catering and other costs The Bibby Stockholm barge will be moored at Portland in Dorset (pictured: Portland marina and the Portland Harbour area in Dorset) Official figures show 3,994 Channel migrants have reached Britain since the start of the year, including 201 on Tuesday. Yesterday several dozen were brought into Dover port by the RNLI. The Home Office has forecast this years total could be as high as 85,000, up from 45,700 last year. Suella Braverman last night won a Tory selection contest dubbed the Battle of Waterlooville. The Home Secretary had to fight fellow Hampshire MP Flick Drummond for the right to represent the Conservatives in the new seat at the next election, after their constituencies were redrawn. Mrs Braverman won by 77 votes to 54 and was chosen to stand in Fareham and Waterlooville. Left-wing Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has accused Donald Trump of setting 'violent' supporters on the judge set to rule on his criminal case. The firebrand progressive from New York, 33, also alleged Trump was 'publicly intimidating' Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan with a series of inflammatory remarks. The former president had called the top jurist 'a Trump-hating judge with the Trump-hating wife and family whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris.' AOC said the real estate mogul 'is publicly intimidating a judge and pointing a spotlight on their family to his supporters - many of whom have admitted in court to committing violence in his name.' 'He knows what hes doing,' she added. Left-wing Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez repeatedly clashed with Donald Trump during his tenure in the White House. In a string of tweets in 2019, he had told AOC and fellow liberal female lawmakers, known as the Squad, to stop lecturing him on how to run the US government. Trump asked: 'Why dont they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came?' Merchan, 60, had asked Trump to refrain from making statements that could 'incite violence or civil unrest.' The former star of NBC's 'The Apprentice' pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to 34 separate criminal charges that he allegedly falsified business records. According to court filings, prosecutors claim Trump illegally wrote off hush money payments as business expenses to help conceal information that could have derailed his 2016 bid for the White House. The case has been brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who Trump says merely wants to stop his latest presidential run. Born in Colombia, Merchan emigrated as a six-year-old and grew up in New York City. The first member of his family to go to college, he worked his way through school and went on to earn a law degree from Hofstra University in 1994. He was a Manhattan prosecutor and worked in the state attorney generals office before then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg appointed him as a family court judge in 2006. Judge Juan Merchan's 34-year-old daughter Loren works for consulting firm Authentic Campaigns, which counts, Vice President Kamala Harris, the Biden-Harris campaign, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Rep. Adam Schiff among its past clients Donald Trump Jr, the former president's son, said on social media that his father was being subjected to a 'hand-picked Democrat show trial. Trump himself attacked the judge and his family during his Tuesday night speech at his Mar-a-Lago estate, citing Loren Merchan's previous consultancy work for Vice President Kamala Harris. Former President Donald Trump appears in court for his arraignment on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in New York. Judge Juan Merchan is adjudicating a criminal case against Trump brought by the Manhattan D.A. over hush money payment to a porn actor during his 2016 campaign. Merchan and his family have received "unsubstantiated threats" since the former president's hearing on Tuesday, sources told the NBC news network. There have been 'dozens; of such threats recently to the judge and his chambers recently. One of Donald Trumps lawyers Joe Tacopina said on Wednesday that the former US presidents case is not going to get to a jury. 'I think this case is going to fall on its merits,' he said in an interview with NBC. Trump denies the charges of falsifying business records in a scheme to hush up allegations of extramarital affairs with ex-porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal that broke during his first White House run. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, alleges she had an affair with Trump in 2006 and was paid $130,000 as part of a nondisclosure agreement days before the 2016 presidential election. Israeli police clashed with Palestinians at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City for the second time on Wednesday, witnesses said, just hours after officers raided the compound and arrested more than 350 people. The confrontations, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and on the eve of the Jewish Passover holiday, triggered a cross-border exchange of fire in Gaza and stoked fears of further violence. In the second instance, late at night, police entered the compound and tried to evacuate worshippers, using stun grenades and firing rubber bullets, said staff of the Waqf, the Jordanian-appointed Islamic organisation managing the complex. Witnesses said worshippers threw objects at police. The Palestinian Red Crescent said six people were injured at the holy compound - the third holiest shrine in Islam that is also the most sacred site in Judaism and referred to as the Temple Mount. The confrontation came less than 24 hours after Israeli forces stormed the mosque overnight Tuesday evening. Videos on social media from the initial raid purportedly showed Israeli police officers beating Palestinians with batons and rifle butts at the mosque. Footage showed Israeli police clashing with Palestinians at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City for second time on Wednesday Israeli police were deployed in the Old City of Jerusalem, hours after police raided the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Wednesday A demonstrator is pictured on a horse as Palestinians take part during a protest over tension in Jerusalem on Wednesday night In a statement, Israeli police said dozens of young people brought rocks and firecrackers into the mosque and had tried to barricade themselves inside. The Waqf, however, said police entered the mosque before prayers were over. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said: 'Israel's raid into Al-Aqsa mosque, its assault on worshippers, is a slap to recent U.S. efforts which tried to create calm and stability during the month of Ramadan. Israeli police said the initial raid was to try to remove what they said were masked agitators who locked themselves inside the mosque after attempts to remove them by dialogue failed. The Palestinian Red Crescent said 12 Palestinians were injured in the earlier clash, including from rubber-tipped bullets and beatings. Israeli police said two officers were injured. The Al-Aqsa Mosque sits in a hilltop compound sacred to both Jews and Muslims, and conflicting claims over it have spilled into violence before, including a bloody 11-day war between Israel and Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza. The U.S. appealed to ease the tensions. White House national security spokesman John Kirby voiced concern about the violence at the mosque and said it was imperative that Israelis and Palestinians de-escalate tensions. But this came as Palestinian militants fired at least nine rockets from Gaza into Israel after the first clash, drawing air strikes which Israel said targeted weapon production sites for the Islamist group Hamas that controls the blockaded coastal enclave. No casualties were reported on either side of the Gaza border. Hamas did not claim responsibility for the rocket attacks but said they were a response to the raid on Al-Aqsa, where clashes in 2021 set off a 10-day war with Gaza. People clear the carpet after clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem on Wednesday Footage appeared to show Israeli forces entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Wednesday for the second time in 24-hours Israeli police clashed with Palestinians at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City for second time on Wednesday, witnesses said police entered the compound and tried to evacuate worshippers, using stun grenades and firing rubber bullets, said staff of the Waqf Just before the second Al-Aqsa clash, two more rockets were fired from Gaza. The Israeli military said one fell short and the other in an open space 'We are not interested in an escalation but we are ready for any scenario,' Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said earlier in the day. Al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem's Old City is Islam's third holiest site where tens of thousands pray during Ramadan. It is also Judaism's most sacred site, revered as Temple Mount, a vestige of the two biblical Jewish temples. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed the situation on 'extremists' who barricaded themselves inside the mosque with weapons, stones and fireworks. 'Israel is committed to maintaining freedom of worship, free access to all religions and the status quo on the Temple Mount and will not allow violent extremists to change that,' he said in a statement. Under a longstanding 'status quo' arrangement governing the compound, non-Muslims can visit but only Muslims may worship. Some Jewish visitors have increasingly prayed there despite that arrangement. The Waqf described the police actions as a 'flagrant assault on the identity and the function of the mosque as a place of worship for Muslims alone'. Israeli police are seen in the Old City of Jerusalem, hours after police raided the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Wednesday Israeli border policemen take position near Al-Aqsa compound also known to Jews as the Temple Mount Tension rise amid clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians in Jerusalem's Old City on Wednesday night Israeli police move in around Jerusalem's Old City amid high tensions with Palestinians following succesive raids on the Al-Aqsa Mosque Israeli police (pictured) said the initial raid was to try to remove what they said were masked agitators who locked themselves inside the mosque after attempts to remove them by dialogue failed In a statement, Israeli police (pictured) said dozens of young people brought rocks and firecrackers into the mosque and had tried to barricade themselves inside A woman looks on as Israeli border policemen take position near Al-Aqsa compound also known to Jews as the Temple Mount on Wednesday Israeli border policemen take position near Al-Aqsa compound also known to Jews as the Temple Mount, while tension arise during clashes with Palestinians in Jerusalem's Old City The U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, said: 'Leaders on all sides must act responsibly and refrain from steps that could escalate tensions.' The Arab League held an emergency meeting after which it condemned the raid and said it endangered regional stability. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and China asked the 15-member United Nations Security Council to discuss the situation behind closed doors on Thursday, said diplomats. The UAE's foreign ministry also said 'worshippers should not barricade themselves inside the mosque and places of worship with weapons and explosives'. Jordan and Egypt, both involved in U.S.-backed efforts to de-escalate Israel-Palestinian tensions, condemned the incident, as did Turkey. Saudi Arabia, with which Israel hopes to normalise ties, said Israel's 'storming' of Al-Aqsa undermined peace efforts. Hamas commander Bilal al-Arfan speaks at a rally organised by the Islamist group that rules the Gaza Strip in the city of Rafah, bordering Egypt, amid the raids at the Al-Aqsa Mosque Hamas supporters wave green Islamic flags in Gaza City during a protest against an Israeli police raid of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Wednesday Hamas supporters wave green Islamic and Palestinian national flags during a protest against an Israeli police raid of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City early Wednesday, at the main square in Gaza City Palestinians organized a demonstration on Wednesday night in the city of Gaza in response to Israel's violations against the Al-Aqsa Mosque Hamas movement supporters carry placards as well as party and national flags during a rally organised by the Islamist group that rules the Gaza Strip in the southern city of Rafah Palestinians organized a demonstration in the city of Gaza in response to Israel's raid of the Al-Aqsa Mosque The Palestinian foreign ministry said: 'Israel's aggression against the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound is an egregious assault on the basic right of Palestinians to worship freely in their holy site.' In Gaza, thousands rallied in protest. With Israel still reeling from weeks of protests over Netanyahu's plans to rein in the powers of the Supreme Court, the incident added to an already fevered political atmosphere. Far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for a harsh response. 'Hamas rockets require more than blasting dunes and empty sites. It's time to rip heads off in Gaza,' he said in a tweet. In the West Bank town of Beit Ummar, Palestinian protesters burned tyres and threw rocks and explosive devices at Israeli soldiers, one of whom was shot and wounded, the military said. Attorneys for Delphi murder suspect Richard Allen, accused of murdering two Indiana teenage girls in 2017, say he's been treated like a prisoner of war and is sleeping in a cell the size of a dog kennel, as they ask for him to be moved to a new jail. Allen was charged in October with two counts of murder in the slayings of Liberty German, 14, and Abigail Williams, 13. His attorneys filed an emergency motion Wednesday in an attempt to get him out of the Westville Correctional Facility, where he was placed given the high-profile nature of the case, saying it would be beneficial to his well being. They included a photo of him taken earlier this week showing him looking gaunt. They say he's been sleeping on a pad on the floor of his 'cold, concrete,' six by ten foot room, isn't given a change of clothes for days and isn't given visitation with his wife or family. They argue that this treatment - which includes 'little, if any, time outside' the cell - has deteriorated Allen's physical and mental health, which in turn has harmed their defense of him. Attorneys for Delphi murder suspect Richard Allen (pictured left in the years leading up to the alleged murder) say he's been treated like a prisoner of war, and is looking gaunt and unhealthy in this recent photo (right) 'It is difficult, if not impossible, for Mr. Allen's Attorneys to share confidential and sensitive information with Mr. Allen due to the logistical challenges associated with Mr. Allen's segregation and isolation to the extent that Mr. Allen is being deprived of his constitutional right to assist in his defense,' they wrote in the filing. They add that he is treated worse than already convicted criminals, who can at the very least have visits with friends and family, according to Fox 59. His legal team is making this request due to what they describe as a 'steep decline' in Allen's demeanor. They say that he has gone from being polite and in good humor to an inability to communicate to his lawyers. 'Simply put, this version of Richard Allen was a very different version than counsel for Mr. Allen had interacted with over the past five months,' they wrote. 'The conditions under which Mr. Allen has been forced to endure are akin to that of a prisoner of war,' his attorneys concluded. They want him taken to Cass County Jail, located 20 miles from the courthouse where the trial is taking place. They say Westville has led to them taking hours-long trips just to access Allen. Allen's legal team notes that prosecutor Nick McLeland has not objected to the relocation. Allen was charged in October with two counts of murder in the slayings of Liberty German (pictured right), 14, and Abigail Williams (pictured left), 13 Delphi murder suspect Richard Allen, accused of murdering two Indiana teenage girls in 2017, was seen hobbling down the stairs leaving court in January 'Mr. Allen asserts that said denial is a deliberate attempt to impose conditions upon him that are intended to frustrate his purpose in defending against the charged allegations and create hardship on him which would drive any human to mental breakdown,' the motion said. They claim Carroll County Sheriffs have declined to move Allen out of Westville, what they call an untenable situation not just for his well being but his defense and add that he could be 'placed in further jeopardy' if not. On February 13, 2017, the girls, known as Libby and Abby, went hiking on a trail near the Monon High Bridge, just outside of the girls hometown of Delphi. The next day, their bodies were found in a rugged area near the trail. An unspent bullet found between the girls' bodies 'had been cycled through' a pistol owned by Allen, according to redacted court documents released in November. DailyMail.com has learned that, shortly after his arrest, one of Allen's neighbors recalled seeing police digging in his yard. County Judge Fran Gull said in court that attorneys for Richard Allen, 50, of Delphi and the county prosecutor must decide within a week from which county that jury should come Allen's attorneys in November requested the trial location be changed, arguing it would be difficult to form an impartial jury in Carroll County because of intense public scrutiny and media attention surrounding the case DailyMail.com was then told they were digging up the family's dead cat, whose hair proved a match for the samples found on one of the victims. Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland has openly stated that he believes 'Allen is not the only actor involved in this.' And while Allen has not been charged with kidnapping, prosecutors have alleged he attempted it. Sources close to the investigation have claimed that Allen was acting with at least two other men and was involved in a child sex ring. Kegan Kline, 28, was linked to the case last December In November, DailyMail.com revealed pedophile Kegan Kline, 28, of Peru, Indiana, who is currently awaiting trial on a slew of child pornography charges, was cooperating with State Police and prosecutors in a bid to reduce his own charges. Sources told DailyMail.com: 'The girls met Kegan Kline online and he arranged to meet them that day but didn't go. Instead, he set them up to be kidnapped for the porn ring.' During one of several police interviews reviewed by DailyMail.com, Kline admitted to soliciting underage girls for nude pictures by catfishing them, posing as teenage girl 'Emily Anne' or hunky actor model, 'Anthony Shots.' It was as Shots that he communicated with German. Chillingly, 'Shots' was one of the last people to communicate with the girls before they took their fateful walk on Delphi's Monon High Bridge Trail. Police interrogating Kline told him they did not believe he committed the murders but was protecting the identity of whoever did. The source then revealed that Kline has 'cut a deal with prosecutors.' 'The search warrants [on Allen's home and property] were carried out based on Kegan's testimony,' the source told DailyMail.com exclusively. Indiana State Police, Carroll County spokesman Sgt. Jeremy Piers would neither confirm nor deny any of the details when put to him by DailyMail.com. He said: 'Law enforcement has not released any of those details or anything beyond what is in the probable cause.' The source claimed that Kline, from whose devices police retrieved a slew of child pornography, knows Allen, and that the men met when both lived in Peru, roughly 40 miles northwest of Delphi. The source also claimed that both men knew Ron Logan, whom police first pegged as a suspect in the killings after the girls' bodies were found on his property, some 1,400 feet from his home. An FBI search warrant served on Logan's home and property dated March 17, 2017, revealed that on February 14, the day after the killings, Logan asked a relative to provide him with a false alibi. He told a cousin to say that a friend had picked him up and taken him to a fish store between 2.00pm and 2.30pm and that he didn't return home until 5.30pm. A photo shows Richard Allen, 50, smiling with his wife - while over his shoulder, a police sketch strongly resembling him is posted on the wall inside Bob Matlock's bar Both Allen and Kline are alleged to have had ties to Ron Logan (pictured) who authorities previously pegged as a suspect in the case after the girls' bodies were found on his property. Logan, who died in January 2022, was never formally named as a murder suspect The last time the girls were known to be alive was at 2.13pm, when German made a brief cell phone recording of the now infamous 'Bridge Guy' approaching with the words: 'Guys, down the hill.' Logan's alibi was shown to be a lie, and text messages retrieved from his phone showed that he was out of his house and 'in the vicinity of the murders' on the evening of February 13. The FBI document also noted Logan asked his relative to lie for him the following morning, before the crimes were even discovered. Logan died at the age of 84 on January 24, 2022, and was never named as a suspect. But sources told DailyMail.com that Logan, who had a history of violence against women, was involved. Family members of Liberty German and Abigail Williams at a press conference after Allen's arrest Mike and Becky Patty, German's grandparents, speak to the press after Allen's arrest According to the source, investigators believe that the plan had been for Allen to kidnap the girls and bring them to Logan's home where he and, allegedly Kline, would rape them. They said: 'The girls were supposed to be kidnapped for the sex ring, but something went wrong, and he knifed and raped one and almost decapitated the other. 'Logan and Kline never met the girls.' Police have been tight lipped about the girls' cause of death, saying only that there was 'a lot of blood' at the scene.' But DailyMail.com was told that the murder weapon was a knife and that both girls 'bled out.' Speaking well ahead of the probable cause affidavit's release, the source revealed that the girls were killed 'near the river' information since confirmed but then moved and posed, naked, under a tree. The FBI search warrant served on Logan's home also included law enforcement's belief that the killer may have taken 'souvenirs.' The lifeless bodies of Libby (left) and Abby (right) were found the day after they went missing, about half a mile from the Monon High Bridge, on property owned by Ronald Logan Abbie was seen in a Snapchat video posted by her friend Libby in February 2017, moments before both were murdered The last video taken on their cellphones showed a man in a blue Carhartt jacket and jeans approaching the two teens DailyMail.com was told that underwear and a cell phone were taken from the scene. The probable cause affidavit also revealed that one of the girls could be heard saying the word 'gun.' According to the source, the killer was wearing a gun on his waistband. Police recovered a Sig Sauser Model P226 as well as knives from Allen's home. Allen's wife Kathy, 50, confirmed that the weapons were his. Forensic testing of an unspent round found near the girls' bodies showed that it had been 'cycled through' Allen's gun. According to the probable cause affidavit, even though the bullet had never been fired, it bore tell-tale and unique signs of having been in Allen's weapon. The affidavit stated: 'Between October 14, 2022 and October 19, 2022, the Indiana State Police Laboratory performed an analysis on Allen's Sig Sauer Model P226. 'The laboratory performed a physical examination and classification of the firearm, function test, barrel and overall length measurement, test firing, ammunition component characterization, microscopic comparison and NIBIN (National Integrated Ballistic Information Network). 'The laboratory determined the unspent round located within two feet of Victim 2's body had been cycled through Richard M. Allen's Sig Sauer Model P226.' Allen could not explain how a bullet that had been through his gun could have ended up there. He denied ever having been on the property or having lent his gun to anybody. Flowers were placed at the Monon High Bridge Trial in Delphi, Indiana, on October 31, 2022, near where Liberty and Abigail were last seen and where the bodies were discovered The case had gripped the nation as it remained unsolved for five years, with no known suspect Allen has strenuously denied any involvement in the killings, though he admitted to police that he was at the trail on the day that the girls went missing. According to the probable cause affidavit, several youngsters saw him there ahead of the murders. His lawyers say he's simply 'the wrong guy.' They have dismissed the probable cause affidavit as 'flimsy,' and described the forensics relating to the unspent bullet as 'junk science.' A bond hearing for Allen, who is currently being held without bond, has been set for February 17 and he is set to go to trial March 20, 2023, though it could be moved back. He stressed this would rely on Kyiv forces reaching the border with Crimea Ukraine renewed Western hopes for peace talks last night after suggesting it could be 'ready' to discuss the future of Crimea with Russia once Kyiv's forces reached the border of Putin's illegally occupied peninsula. Andriy Sybiha, a top advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky and deputy head of his office, told the Financial Times that Kyiv could soon be 'ready' to enter talks. This is the first time such discussions have been entertained by Ukraine since it broke off talks with Moscow in April last year, two months after Putin sent his forces over the border to topple Zelensky's Government. But the news came as a series of loud explosions were heard in the occupied city of Melitopol on Wednesday, as Russian collaborators warned that Kyiv's spring offensive was starting to get underway. The southern city, known as the 'Gateway to Crimea' in the Zaporizhzhia region, reported blasts yesterday but did not provide further detail. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers a speech in the courtyard of the Royal Castle in Warsaw, Poland, on Wednesday. He is pictured with his wife, First Lady Olena Zelenska Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at the Kremlin in Moscow on Wednesday A view of a street at night in Simferopol, Crimea on March 17, 2023 Speaking to the FT, Sybiha said: 'If we will succeed in achieving our strategic goals on the battlefield and when we will be on the administrative border with Crimea, we are ready to open [a] diplomatic page to discuss this issue.' But he stressed: 'It doesn't mean that we exclude the way of liberation [of Crimea] by our army.' Western officials are largely sceptical of the potential for Kyiv's forces to reclaim the peninsula and fear it would only lead to a potential nuclear escalation of the war. Sybiha's remarks suggesting an openness for talks may now relieve those officials. Peace talks have been categorically ruled out by Ukraine so far until all Russian troops have left its territory. The signaling of potential talks comes as Ukraine readies itself for its Spring counter-offensive amid continued fighting in the eastern city of Bakhmut. British defence attache in Washington, Rear Admiral Tim Woods, Kyiv needed 'a political solution because of just the concentration of force that is there and what it would mean for the Ukrainians to go in there'. He told the FT: 'I don't think there's going to be a very quick military solution... hence we need to see what are favourable conditions for Ukraine to negotiate and I think Ukraine would be up for that.' Following the invasion in February last year, Ukraine was open to negotiations with Russia over the future of Crimea. But since then, communication between Kyiv and Moscow has only centred around prisoner exchange and returning Ukrainian children who were detained and moved to Russia. Kyiv also broke off any potential for talks after the discovery of alleged Russian war crimes in Bucha, Kyiv, in March 2022. Flame and smoke rise from Crimean Bridge after what Russian authorities said was a bomb caused fire and partial collapse of the bridge, in Kerch, Crimea, October 8, 2022 Ukrainian service member from 28th mechanised brigade launches an RPG at the frontline, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine in the region of Bakhmut on Wednesday Ukrainian service member from 28th mechanised brigade adjust his communication unite before heading to the frontline in Bakhmut, Wednesday Ukrainian service member repositions his machine gun during a fire exchange at the frontline, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine in the region of Bakhmut, Wednesday But despite the openness for talks, Zelensky has recently been clear that Ukraine is interested in seeing all its land returned, including annexed Crimea. Crimea has been under Russian occupation since 2014 following a Kremlin mock referendum. Amid the news, the ousted Ukrainian mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov - who was elected in 2020 before his removal by the Russians - said blasts were heard in the southern city. 'Collaborators of the temporarily occupied part of Zaporizhzhia region have sounded the alarm. It turns out that the orcs are abandoning their own,' Fedorov reported. Zelensky made a rare foreign visit to Warsaw in a show of thanks for Poland's support since the start of Russia's offensive on Wednesday Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addresses wellwishers in the courtyard of the Royal Castle in Warsaw, Poland Polish President Andrzej Duda and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shake hands after addressing a Polish-Ukrainian economic forum in Warsaw Earlier on Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin accused Western security services of having helped Kyiv stage 'terror attacks' in Russia, after giving an icy welcome to the new US and EU ambassadors. Zelensky meanwhile made a rare foreign visit to Warsaw in a show of thanks for Poland's support since the start of Russia's offensive. Putin spoke at a meeting of the Kremlin's security council dedicated to ensuring law and order in four Ukrainian territories he claimed to have annexed last year. 'There are grounds to assert' that other countries and Western intelligence services were involved 'in staging sabotage and terrorist attacks', Putin said in televised remarks. In what appeared to be a reference to the Ukrainian authorities, Putin said 'neo-Nazis and their accomplices were acting' in Russia as well as the annexed territories including the regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Putin's remarks come days after an explosion at a cafe in Russia's second city, Saint Petersburg, killed a high-profile military blogger and staunch supporter of Moscow's assault on Ukraine, Vladlen Tatarsky. Moscow said the attack had been orchestrated by Ukraine with help from supporters of jailed critic Alexei Navalny. Kyiv has blamed it on Russia's domestic infighting. But Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Wednesday the blogger's death would be 'one of the topics of discussion' at the UN Security Council, where Moscow has taken over the rotating presidency. Hours earlier, Putin had received the new foreign ambassadors to Moscow at a ceremony in the Kremlin. He told US ambassador Lynne Tracy that Washington was responsible for the 'Ukrainian crisis', adding that ties between Russia and the United States were in 'deep crisis'. Putin also told the new EU envoy to Moscow, Roland Galharague, that the bloc instigated 'geopolitical confrontation' with Moscow. Polish President Andrzej Duda (second right) and his wife Agata (right) wave to wellwishers alongside Zelensky (second left) and his wife Olena (left) at the Royal Castle in Warsaw Also on Wednesday, Russian state media cited the FSB security service as saying that it detained a pilot of a Ukrainian light aircraft that crashed in the southern Bryansk region that borders Ukraine. 'The aircraft, for unknown reasons, crashed near the settlement of Butovsk in Bryansk region. The pilot (a citizen of Ukraine), who tried to escape to Ukrainian territory, was detained by a border patrol,' the FSB was quoted as saying by state news agency RIA Novosti. In Warsaw, Zelensky expressed Ukraine's gratitude to Poland, one of its staunchest backers since Russia's offensive, providing it with weapons and welcoming refugees. 'Today we are trying to get for Ukraine... additional guarantees, security guarantees, which will strengthen Ukraine's military potential,' Polish President Andrzej Duda said after talks with Zelensky. These guarantees are an 'introduction to Ukraine's full membership in NATO', Duda added, saying Poland 'firmly' supported Kyiv's bid to join the alliance. Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech at a ceremony to receive credentials from newly appointed foreign ambassadors to Russia at the Kremlin on Wedneday Putin sits with Leonid Pasechnik, head of the Russian-controlled Luhansk region, and Vladimir Saldo, the head of the Russian-controlled Kherson region, at a Security Council meeting on Wednesday Putin has used Ukraine's desire to join NATO to justify Russia's military operation there, though Ukraine was a long way from joining when fighting started in February 2022. Zelensky thanked Poland for supporting Kyiv's efforts to enter both the European Union and NATO. 'I would like to convey to our partners, who are constantly looking for compromises on our way to NATO, that Ukraine will be uncompromising in this as well,' Zelensky said. Poland, Ukraine's western neighbour, became the first NATO member to pledge the MiG-29 fighter jets that Ukraine had been calling for. Warsaw said on Monday it had transferred some of its already promised fighter jets to Ukraine, after fellow NATO member Slovakia announced it had shipped an initial batch of its own. 'I think that in the future we will be able to transfer our whole remaining fleet of MiG-29s to Ukraine, if there is still such a need,' Duda said of the 28 MiG-29 jets in Poland's possession. He would require NATO's authorisation for such a move, he added. Follows declarations lawyers would not prosecute in cases with climate activists A barrister who successfully prosecuted a group of climate activists who scaled a bridge has said he is proud to have done his public service during their trial. Adam King's comments come after a group of more than 120 leading lawyers declared they would not prosecute 'peaceful' climate protesters. Morgan Trowland, 40, and Marcus Decker, 34, were yesterday found guilty of causing a public nuisance after using ropes and other climbing equipment to shuffle up the bridge's cables on the Dartford Crossing. The bridge was closed by the authorities on October 17 last year, causing more than 24 hours of gridlock after the pair climbed 200ft above the road, unfurled a giant Just Stop Oil banner and rigged up hammocks. Following the conviction, Mr King, who prosecuted the case, said: 'I'm proud to have done a bit of public service in prosecuting this trial. 'To assert 'conscientious objection' in cases like this is to encourage the identification of counsel with their clients which is obviously bad for justice generally.' Adam King said he was 'proud to have done a bit of public service in prosecuting this trial' A 'Just Stop Oil' banner attached to the Dartford Crossing bridge in October last year The barrister was referring to the declaration from top lawyers, which was backed by Good Law Project founder Jolyon Maugham and Sir Geoffrey Bindman KC, chairman of the Human Rights Institute, that they would not prosecute cases involving climate activists. The declaration defies the 'cab rank rule,' which means chambers accept the next case that becomes available. Mr King told Basildon Crown Court that criminal barristers were not there to litigate the Government's climate change policy. The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links the M25 in Essex and Kent, was closed from 4am on October 17 last year to 9pm the following day, he said during the trial, adding: 'This closure caused gridlock for miles around. It was because of the disruption that the incident made national news. Morgan Trowland, one of two climate change protesters prosecuted after climbing the Dartford Crossing bridge and hoisting a 'Just Stop Oil' banner Marcus Decker (left) and Morgan Trowland (right) have been found guilty of conspiracy to commit a public nuisance 'Small businesses lost, in some cases, hundreds of thousands of pounds, people missed loved ones' funerals, children were left on the side of the road waiting for buses.' He said the men came down at about 5.30pm on October 18 'with the help of police and a very tall cherry picker crane', but the bridge was not reopened to traffic until later. Trowland had said in evidence: 'We climbed it to deliver a warning message and to speak that message through interviews with journalists.' He said the group's goal is to get the Government to stop licensing oil and gas production. Judge Shane Collery KC remanded them in custody to be sentenced on April 13 and said it was possible they would be jailed. Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps said he welcomed the court's decision. Kevin McCarthy says that the United States should ramp up the weapons sales to Taiwan and speed it up while brushing off concerns of rising threats from China by saying he won't let Beijing dictate where he travels. The House Speaker, flanked by a bipartisan group of lawmakers at the Ronald Reagan Library in California on Wednesday, said his meeting with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen is an effort to prevent conflict from arising between China and the small island nation. China warned against McCarthy and other lawmakers meeting with Tsai, but the Speaker said he would not be deterred. He also said he is considering a trip to Taiwan in the future with another bipartisan group of lawmakers. Taiwan's defense ministry said earlier in the day that coinciding with Tsai's meeting with McCarthy, a Chinese aircraft carrier group appeared in the waters off the island's southeast coast. Speaker Kevin McCarthy led a bipartisan group of lawmaker for a meeting with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen in California on Wednesday McCarthy (right) and Tsai (left) held meetings Wednesday morning before delivering joint remarks to the press, followed by the press conference with the Speaker and a bipartisan group of lawmakers The military drills increased threats from China over the U.S. support for Taiwan after the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) warned of unspecified retaliation if the meeting went forward. 'My first message there's no need for retaliation,' McCarthy told reporters gathered outside the library in Simi Valley, California on Wednesday. McCarthy's Democratic predecessor Nancy Pelosi praised his meeting and show of bipartisan support for Taiwan. 'Today's meeting between President Tsai of Taiwan and Speaker McCarthy is to be commended for its leadership, its bipartisan participation and its distinguished and historic venue,' Pelosi wrote in a statement Wednesday. The House Speaker also said that China needs to recognize his position as the top lawmaker in the United States House of Representatives and realize they cannot dictate where he goes. 'The one thing I would say to China, too, at no time I am the Speaker of the House. There's no place that China's going to tell me where I can go or who I can speak to, whether you be foe or whether you be friend,' he added. 'I'm not the general manager of the Houston Rockets.' Giving credit where due, McCarthy said that the Biden administration has signaled to him and other lawmakers that they want to continue sending arms to Taiwan and are committed to helping speed up the process. 'I think this administration, and my communications with them too, see the importance of speeding up the weapon delivery systems,' McCarthy said, adding when asked if he thinks they need to do more: 'I'm not feeling the same differences based upon your question.' 'And I do believe in the motto of President Reagan 'peace through strength' and deterring,' claiming that sending arms will help stop China from thinking they can bully Taiwan and take it under its 'One China' policy. McCarthy said while speaking in front of a piece of the Berlin Wall at the Reagan Library that he would not let China dictate where he travels or whom he meets and speaks with in response to questions over threats of retaliation Security guards separate Taiwan supporters as they confront protesters opposed to Taiwanese independence outside the hotel where Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen is staying in California Asked if the administration should do more than send weapons and increase trade, McCarthy took responsibility and said it's Congress' job to act. 'The one thing I always believe we should keep communication going,' McCarthy said. 'I think from policymakers here, the more we are able to speak with one voice, I think the greater understanding China will understand where we stand. More importantly, it would help them to understand, don't send a balloon over our heads, don't use authoritarian bully tactics it's not going to go far.' McCarthy did, however, concede that the flip-flopping in administration the last few decades has sent a message to China that the U.S. stance on Taiwan's autonomy is up for debate. 'The idea of America in the last number of years flip-flopping in administrations, I think it sent the wrong message to China,' he said. He said that a consistent message needs to be sent from the White House and lawmakers in Washington, D.C. that they stand with Taiwan. Tsai did not join the lawmakers for the press conference following their meetings, but did make brief remarks to the press thanking McCarthy for showing Congress' support for Taiwan's autonomy. 'The members here today make clear we take our support for the people of Taiwan seriously and are determined to speak with one voice,' McCarthy said at the press conference Wednesday afternoon. 'The relationship between the people of the United States and Taiwan have never been stronger in my lifetime.' Speaking briefly after McCarthy were No. 3 House Democratic Pete Aguilar, Chairman of the Select Committee on China Mike Gallagher, Democratic Ranking Member of the Select Committee on China Raja Krishnamoorthi and Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith. President Tsai shakes hands with Iowa Rep. Ashley Hinson ahead of a meeting with a bipartisan group of lawmakers led by McCarthy Speaker McCarthy greeted President Tsai at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California on Wednesday, April 5, 2023 Those at the meeting who did not speak at the press conference were Republican Reps. Ashley Hinson of Iowa; Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana; John Curtis of Utah; Carlos Gimenez of Florida; Trent Kelly of Mississippi; John Moolenaar of Michigan; Adrian Smith of Nebraska; Michelle Steel of California and Rob Wittman of Virginia. The list of Democrats was a bit smaller with Reps. Julia Brownley of California; Seth Moulton of Massachusetts; Haley Stevens of Michigan; and Ritchie Torres of New York. During talks with President Tsai and her delegation on Wednesday morning, McCarthy said lawmakers were able to get an insight into what actions they could take to help Taiwan amid rising threats from China. This includes three things continuing arms sales, strengthening economic cooperation and promoting shared values, like democracy and freedom. 'We covered the crucial ways to further our bonds,' McCarthy said. 'Based on our conversations, it's clear that several actions are necessary,' the Speaker added. 'First, we must continue the arms sales to Taiwan and make sure such sales reach Taiwan in a very timely basis. Second, we must strengthen our economic cooperation, particularly with trade and technology. Third, we must continue to promote our shared values on the world stage.' The final moments of a tech entrepreneur stabbed to death in San Francisco show him staggering towards a car and asking for help before the driver speeds away and he collapses. Surveillance camera footage, obtained by The San Francisco Standard, shows Bob Lee, 43, desperately seeking assistance in the early hours of Tuesday. Lee was the chief financial officer of Square, the app founded by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, before launching the mobile payment company Cash App. Dorsey was among those expressing shock and sadness at Lee's murder. In the images - which DailyMail.com has not independently verified - Lee can be seen walking up Main Street at 2:30am on Tuesday, near Rincon Park and the Ferry Building in a bustling and central part of the city. He is clutching his side with one hand, and holding his phone with another, the paper reported. Tech executive and investor Bob Lee, who helped create Android and Cash App, was stabbed to death in San Francisco on Tuesday night Lee was stabbed and walked up Main Street (pictured), with the Bay Bridge behind him, at 2:30am on Tuesday He asked a driver for help, but the driver sped off: Lee then collapsed in front of this building Authorities confirmed that he was rushed to hospital but died from his injuries in the early hours of Tuesday Walking with the Bay Bridge behind him, he crosses the intersection with Harrison Street and approaches a waiting white Toyota Camry - that some speculated could be a ride share he called for help. Lee lifts up his shirt to show his stab wounds, and the car drives away. Lee then staggers up the hill and collapses in front of 403 Main Street, an apartment complex named the Portside. San Francisco police are yet to make any arrests. 'Police responded to the stabbing on Main Street around 2:35 a.m. to find a man with stab wounds,' they said in a statement. 'The victim was rushed to the hospital where he died.' Lee, a father of two young daughters, had moved to Miami in October 2022, and was living with his father. Police were called to the 300 block of Main Street near the entrance of a high-rise and found the dad-of-two suffering from multiple stab wounds Bob Lee, pictured with his wife Krista and two daughters, had decided to stay an extra day in San Francisco on a business trip Lee, who was dubbed 'Crazy Bob' by friends, was an active investor in numerous companies, such as SpaceX, Clubhouse and Figma But he was back in San Francisco for a business trip, and extended it for one night. Some reports said his wife Krista was still living in San Francisco. Lee's father referred to him as 'a bachelor', but it was unclear whether Lee and his wife were still married. Elon Musk was among those commenting on Lee's murder, and asked the San Francisco district attorney, Brooke Jenkins, what she is doing to 'incarcerate repeated violent offenders'. Musk said, in response to a tweet expressing sorrow at Lee's death: 'Very sorry to hear that. Many people I know have been severely assaulted. Violent crime in SF is horrific and even if attackers are caught, they are often released immediately. 'Is the city taking stronger action to incarcerate repeat violent offenders Brooke Jenkins?' Twitter and Tesla CEO Elon Musk also commented on the horrific incident, asking the San Francisco DA what she is doing to 'incarcerate repeated violent offenders' 'I just lost my best friend, my son Bob Lee when he lost his life on the street in San Francisco early Tuesday Morning,' Ricky Lee wrote Lee's father Ricky Lee posted on Facebook on Wednesday afternoon confirming his death Former MMA fighter Jake Shields remembered the tech executive as a 'loyal friend', with Musk responding to his tweet. Shields claimed that Lee was 'targeted' in a 'random mugging and attack' despite being in a 'good' part of the city. Lee, who was dubbed 'Crazy Bob' by friends, was an active investor in numerous companies, such as SpaceX, Clubhouse and Figma. Heartbroken friends and colleagues paid tribute to the tech executive, with Joshua Goldbard saying: 'My heart is broken tonight'. He added: 'Bob was a force of nature. Helped to birth Android and Cash App into our world. 'Moby was his dream: a privacy-protecting wallet for the 21st Century. I will miss him every day.' Bill Barhydt added: 'Bob was a dad, the former CTO of Square where he created Cash App & CTO of Mobile Coin. 'He was a generous decent human being who didn't deserve to be killed.' Dorsey said: 'It's real. Getting calls. Heartbreaking. Bob was instrumental to Square and Cash App. STL guy.' The founder of cryptocurrency and payments firm MobileCoin had worked with Lee for two years, where he served as chief product officer since November 2021. Lee had formerly been chief technology officer at Square - which has recently renamed itself to Block - when it had developed and launched Square Cash in 2013. Heartbroken friends and colleagues paid tribute to the tech executive, with Joshua Goldbard saying: 'My heart is broken tonight' Since that time, the brand has grown into Cash App, with tens of millions of users in the US and the UK. Prior to that, Lee had worked as a software engineer at Google from 2004 to 2010, where he helped design the core library for Android. So far this year in the city there have been 39 murders, which is up two from this time last year as an increase in crime is leaving residents worried. Democrat Mayor London Breed said in February she is requesting nearly $30 million in additional funding for the city's police force. The San Francisco Police Department has encountered rising overtime costs for current officers as the force is experiencing a shortage of workers. Between 2021 and 2022, the department saw a 121 percent increase in total overtime, according to KPIX. SFPD officials have also been making targeted attempts to address crime in certain pockets in the city which are prone to incidents. The San Francisco Police Department is currently experiencing a shortage of 541 officers. Police are urging anyone with information to come forward by calling the SFPD tip-line 415-575-4444. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is officially challenging President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination. Kennedy, 69, filed a statement of candidacy Wednesday with the Federal Election Commission, according to the Associated Press. He's the son of the late Attorney General and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in California in 1968 during a run for the presidency. Kennedy is the nephew of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, in 1963. This Kennedy has made a name for himself by being a prominent anti-vaxxer. He joins spiritual guru Marianne Williamson in the not-so-crowded Democratic presidential field. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is officially challenging President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the son of Robert F. Kennedy (left), the late attorney general and U.S. senator who was assassinated in 1968 during a presidential run. He's the nephew of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963 Biden has yet to officially announce a reelection campaign but has indicated he does plan to run for a second term. This will not mark the first time someone from the Kennedy clan challenged a sitting Democratic president. The late Sen. Ted Kennedy took on President Jimmy Carter for the Democratic nomination in 1980. Carter was plagued by low approval ratings and a sluggish economy. Biden has had to deal with his own lackluster approval numbers and has had to rebuild the economy after it tumbled during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March, Kennedy started teasing a presidential bid. 'If it looks like I can raise the money and mobilize enough people to win, I'll jump in the race,' he tweeted at the time. 'If I run, my top priority will be to end the corrupt merger between state and corporate power that has ruined our economy, shattered the middle class, polluted our landscapes and waters, poisoned our children, and robbed us of our values and freedoms.' But more than 15 years ago, he became fixated on a belief that vaccines are not safe. He emerged as one of the leading voices in the anti-vaccine movement, and his work has been described by public health experts and even members of his own family as misleading and dangerous. Kennedy had been long involved in the anti-vaccine movement, but the effort intensified after the pandemic and development of the COVID-19 vaccine. His anti-vaccine charity, Children's Health Defense, prospered at the time, with revenues more than doubling in 2020 to $6.8 million, according to filings made with charity regulators. His organization has targeted false claims at groups that may be more prone to distrust the vaccine, including mothers and black Americans, experts have said, which could have resulted in deaths during the pandemic. Kennedy released a book in 2021, The Real Anthony Fauci, in which he accused the U.S.s top infectious disease doctor of assisting in 'a historic coup d'etat against Western democracy' and promoted unproven COVID-19 treatments such as ivermectin, which is meant to treat parasites, and the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine. His push against the COVID-19 vaccine has linked him at times with anti-democratic figures and groups. Kennedy has appeared at events pushing the lie that the 2020 presidential election was stolen and with people who cheered or downplayed the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6. A photo posted on Instagram showed Kennedy backstage at a July 2021 Reawaken America event with former President Donald Trump's ally Roger Stone, former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and anti-vaccine profiteer Charlene Bollinger. All three have promoted the lie about the 2020 election being stolen. The photo was posted but later removed by Bollinger, who has appeared with Kennedy at multiple events. She and her husband sponsored an anti-vaccine, pro-Trump rally near the Capitol on January 6. Bollinger celebrated the attack and her husband tried to enter the Capitol. Kennedy later appeared in a video for their Super PAC. Kennedy has repeatedly invoked Nazis and the Holocaust when talking about measures aimed at mitigating the spread of COVID-19, such as mask requirements and vaccine mandates. He has sometimes apologized for those comments, including when he suggested that people in 2022 had it worse than Anne Frank, the teenager who died in a Nazi concentration camp after hiding with her family in a secret annex in an Amsterdam house for two years. Kennedy has at times invoked his family's legacy in his anti-vaccine work, including sometimes using images of President Kennedy. His sister Kerry Kennedy, who runs Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, the international rights group founded by their mother, Ethel, said her brother has at times removed some of the content at her request. She told the Associated Press in a 2021 interview her brother is 'completely wrong on this issue and very dangerous.' King Charles has sent a message to his wife's detractors - including Prince Harry - that she is firmly at the top of the pecking order after confirming her new title as Queen Camilla, royal experts said today. Officials revealed the news last night when they shared an image of the Coronation invitation that will be sent out later this month, which read: 'The Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla.' Royal commentators said the title, which will take hold after the ceremony on May 6, marked the 'end of a remarkable journey' for Camilla, who was once depicted as the most hated woman in Britain in the wake of Princess Diana's death in 1997. It comes after the Duke of Sussex, 38, branded his stepmother 'dangerous' and a 'villain' during a publicity blitz for his bombshell memoir Spare earlier this year, accusing her of 'trading information' with the press in exchange for positive coverage of herself. Royal author Phil Dampier told MailOnline: 'It certainly sends out a message to Harry and everyone else that Camilla is firmly there at the top of the pecking order.' King Charles has sent a message to his wife's detractors - including Prince Harry - that she is firmly at the top of the pecking order after confirming her new title as Queen Camilla, royal experts said today Fittingly dressed in royal blue, the King and Queen Consort pose for a new official portrait READ MORE: Ultimate reward for Queen who played the long game: How 'warm, fun and friendly' Camilla won over the hearts of the nation despite once being a pariah who Elizabeth II 'wanted nothing to do with' Charles and Camilla at the Service of Prayer and Dedication blessing their marriage at Windsor Castle on April 9, 2005 Advertisement He added: 'The late Queen Elizabeth made it clear that she wanted Camilla to become Queen and that made it a lot easier for Charles. 'After just a few months we are dropping the consort and just calling her Queen, which is how it should be, as every previous Queen has been known by that title. 'So far Camilla hasn't put a foot wrong but now she faces a gruelling series of overseas tours and major public events at an age when most of us are putting our feet up. It's going to be quite a test but hopefully she is up to the task.' Meanwhile, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline today that Camilla's new title marks 'the end of a remarkable journey.' He said: 'Since she married Charles, then Prince of Wales, in 2005, she has worked tirelessly to support him and carry out her duties in an exemplary way. 'She never defended herself or attacked her critics. 'The ferocity with which she was once reviled and her handling of what must have been a devastating period after Diana's tragic death are vivid memories to those who followed royal matters at the time. 'There was also a worldwide fascination with what had gone so wrong in Charles's marriage.' He added: 'Camilla was ''non-negotiable'' for Charles and the photograph released by the Palace of them in the Blue Drawing Room of Buckingham Palace shows how happy they are together. 'The King will have undoubtedly been outraged by Harry's recent attack on her in an interview to promote his memoir Spare, saying she was ''dangerous'', citing ''the need to rehabilitate her image'' as the reason. 'However it is the Sussexes whose image may need rehabilitating because of their arrogance - as polls are now showing.' Asked about the title when the accompanying press release itself still referred to Camilla as the Queen Consort a senior royal aide told the Mail: 'It made sense to refer to her Majesty as The Queen Consort in the early months of His Majesty's reign, to distinguish from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. 'Queen Camilla is the appropriate title to set against King Charles on the invitation. The Coronation is an appropriate time to start using 'Queen Camilla' in an official capacity. All former Queen Consorts have been known as Queen plus their first name.' Charles and Camilla at the Service of Prayer and Dedication blessing their marriage at Windsor Castle on April 9, 2005 Seen here for the first time, King Charles' official Coronation invitation is a riot of flora and fauna centred around an ancient folklore symbol, the Green Man Charles and Camilla leaving The Ritz hotel in London after attending a 50th birthday party for Camilla's sister in their first official outing together in 1999 Diana and Camilla at Ludlow Races in 1980 READ MORE: Which days are Bank Holidays for King Charles' Coronation? King Charles (pictured) will be officially crowned on Saturday, 6 May at Westminster Abbey Advertisement It is understood that Buckingham Palace will amend its website to reflect the change next month. The Daily Mail was the first to reveal back in December that the Palace planned to drop the word Consort from Camilla's title 'organically' this year. This was confirmed by The Mail on Sunday in February, when it reported that she would be referred to as Queen after the Coronation. The change, once unthinkable, sets the seal on a remarkable transformation for Camilla in the nation's affections. When she married the then Prince of Wales in 2005 in a civil ceremony which Queen Elizabeth declined to attend it was announced that Camilla 'intended' to be known as Princess Consort when her husband acceded to the throne. The use of the word 'intended' was designed to give royal aides room for manoeuvre, but at the time many still blamed her for the breakdown of Charles's marriage to Diana, Princess of Wales. Since then, however, Camilla, 75, has won many over with her warmth, sense of humour, lack of complaining and work championing the victims of domestic violence, as well as the promotion of literacy. One royal insider said last night: 'His Majesty has always seen it as a matter of honour. He is King so, therefore, it follows that his wife should be Queen. 'It's rather like telling someone they can't be known as Mrs So-and-So. 'It's entirely up to them whether to chose to be called that, but it's still fundamentally their right to do so.' Tomorrow will mark a month to the Coronation but invitations to the historic event, the first of its kind for 70 years, will not be sent out until around two weeks in advance. They are set to be collector's items, featuring an exquisitely designed border of flora and fauna cantering around a Green Man, an ancient traditional symbol of spring and rebirth, to represent the new reign. The change, once unthinkable, sets the seal on a remarkable transformation for Camilla in the nation's affections Charles chats to Camilla at a polo match in 1972 Queen Elizabeth II poses with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on June 2, 1953, before her coronation Buckingham Palace has also confirmed the King and Queen Consort's Pages of Honour led by Charles's grandson Prince George, who will take part in the two-hour ceremony aged nine. The then Princess Elizabeth was 11 when she watched her own father being crowned in 1937 but she did not have an official role. Neither did her son, Prince Charles, who was only four, at her own coronation in 1953. Prince George will not merely watch but has been asked to carry his 74-year-old grandfather's robe along with three other pages, Lord Oliver Cholmondeley, 13, Master Nicholas Barclay, 13, and Master Ralph Tollemache, 12. The Queen Consort's Pages of Honour will be Her Majesty's grandsons, Master Gus and Master Louis Lopes, both 13, and Master Freddy Parker Bowles, 13. The fourth is Camilla's great-nephew, Master Arthur Elliot, 10. The new portrait of Their Majesties released last night was taken last month in the Blue Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace by Hugo Burnand, who will also take their official Coronation photographs. Camilla is wearing a favourite Fiona Clare dress with a diamond clasp pearl necklace and pearl earrings. Artemis was the twin sister of Apollo and goddess of the moon in Greek mythology. NASA has chosen her to personify its path back to the moon, which will see astronauts return to the lunar surface by 2025 - including the first woman and the next man. Artemis 1, formerly Exploration Mission-1, is the first in a series of increasingly complex missions that will enable human exploration to the moon and Mars. Artemis 1 will be the first integrated flight test of NASAs deep space exploration system: the Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the ground systems at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Artemis 1 will be an uncrewed flight that will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration, and demonstrate our commitment and capability to extend human existence to the moon and beyond. During this flight, the spacecraft will launch on the most powerful rocket in the world and fly farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown. It will travel 280,000 miles (450,600 km) from Earth, thousands of miles beyond the moon over the course of about a three-week mission. Artemis 1, formerly Exploration Mission-1, is the first in a series of increasingly complex missions that will enable human exploration to the moon and Mars. This graphic explains the various stages of the mission Orion will stay in space longer than any ship for astronauts has done without docking to a space station and return home faster and hotter than ever before. With this first exploration mission, NASA is leading the next steps of human exploration into deep space where astronauts will build and begin testing the systems near the moon needed for lunar surface missions and exploration to other destinations farther from Earth, including Mars. The will take crew on a different trajectory and test Orions critical systems with humans aboard. Together, Orion, SLS and the ground systems at Kennedy will be able to meet the most challenging crew and cargo mission needs in deep space. Eventually NASA seeks to establish a sustainable human presence on the moon by 2028 as a result of the Artemis mission. The space agency hopes this colony will uncover new scientific discoveries, demonstrate new technological advancements and lay the foundation for private companies to build a lunar economy. Who is Victor Glover? The man set to become NASA's first black astronaut to orbit the moon Victor Glover (pictured) was selected as an astronaut in 2013 and became the first African American ISS expedition crewmember to live on the ISS seven years later NASA is set to send the first-ever black astronaut to the moon. Victor Glover, 46, was selected to take part in the space agency's Artemis II mission the US' first lunar mission in a half-century. The Pomona, California, native will be the first person of color to travel into deep space, hundreds of thousands of miles beyond the low-Earth orbiting International Space Station (ISS). NASA officials say the diverse crew assignments signify the cultural shifts that have taken place since the original Apollo missions, which ended in 1972, at a time when white men dominated space exploration. Glover was also the first black man to ever live on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2020 and is among 15 African Americans to be selected as an astronaut. In his esteemed career since being selected as an astronaut in 2013, Mr Glover has logged over 3,000 flight hours in 40 different aircraft. Artemis II - which will launch in November 2024 - will see the four-man crew orbit the moon in the Orion spacecraft but not land. Their goal is to test new technology, including heat shields that protects Orion as it travels 24,500 mph in 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit on its way back. If successful, NASA plans to launch an expedition to land on the moon titled Artemis III. Another success would spell out a trip to Mars for NASA. I wanna thank God for this Amazing opportunity, Mr Glover said during a new conference Monday. This is a big day. We have a lot to celebrate. Its so much more than the four names that have been announced. We need to celebrate this moment in human history. 'Artermis II is more than a mission to the Moon and back. Its more than a mission that has to happen before we send people to the surface of the moon. It is the next step on the journey that gets humanity to Mars. This crew will never forget that. Mr Glover was born in 1976 in Pomona, around 30 miles east of Los Angeles. The city is far from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, known for its high poverty rate and relatively high crime. Mr Glover grew up in Ponoma, CA, 30 miles east of Los Angeles He said his parents and teachers served as mentors as him growing up. 'Early on in life it had to be my parents; they encouraged me and challenged me and held me to high standards. Outside of home, I had teachers that did the same,' he told USA Today in 2017. 'They all challenged me, and they encouraged me.' Mr Glover continued that his teachers and parents urged him to go the engineering school and eventually become a test pilot leading to him becoming an astronaut. He graduated from Southern California's Ontario High School in 1994, and went on to attend California Polytechnic State University, before completing his graduate education at Air University and the US Naval Academy. 'Im the first person in my family to graduate from college, and being at graduation with my mom and my dad and my stepdad and my little brothers and my grandparents,' he said to USA Today. 'That was unreal, that was cool and it was special for me.' In 1999 he was commissioned as part of the US Navy. After completing flight training in Corpus Christy, Texas, he was 'given his wings' and awarded the title of pilot in 2001. He then moved to San Diego to learn to fly the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, known as one of the Navy's more versatile aircraft. After spending the next two years training in Florida and Virginia, he was deployed to Iraq in 2004 for six months. Mr Glover was working in the office of the late Sen John McCain as a legislative fellow when he was selected by NASA to become an astronaut in 2013. NASA only selects a handful of the thousands of people that apply to be a member of the nation's astronaut corps each year. Only 15 black astronauts have ever been selected out of 348. A vast majority of the 41 current astronauts have a military background, like Mr Glover. He completed his astronaut training in 2015. Three years later, he was selected to be a part of the first ever operational flight of SpaceX's Crew Dragon, a reusable aircraft designed by the firm Elon Musk found in 2002. As part of that mission, he would live on the ISS from November 17, 2020 to May 2, 2021. The nearly six-month-long stay on the station makes him the first black astronaut to inhabit it. Jeanette Epps, 52, who was selected to be an astronaut in 2009 is set to become the second African American, and first black woman, to live on the ISS after the launch of Boeing Starliner-1 in 2024 or later. In 2020, Mr Glover said it was an honor to be the first black person selected to the ISS. 'It is something to be celebrated once we accomplish it, and I am honored to be in this position and to be a part of this great and experienced crew,' he said during a news conference. 'I look forward to getting up there and doing my best to make sure, you know, we are worthy of all the work that's been put into setting us up for this mission.' In an interview with The Christian Chronicle later that year, he said there were qualified black astronauts that should have earned the honor before him. 'I've had some amazing colleagues before me that really could have done it, and there are some amazing folks that will go behind me,' he said. 'I wish it would have already been done, but I try not to draw too much attention to it.' Who is Christina Koch? The first female NASA astronaut set to orbit the moon Christina Koch is set to become the first woman to go around the moon when NASA's Artemis II mission takes off next year. Christina Koch, 44, from Grand Rapids, Michigan, is set to become the first woman to go around the moon The Grand Rapids, Michigan native, 44, is already the record-holder for the longest amount of time a woman has spent in space, 328 days, and for taking part in the first all-female spacewalk in 2019. Selected to become an astronaut in 2013, Ms Koch said she has not followed a 'checklist' in order to become an astronaut but instead chased her passions whether this be rock climbing, sailing or even learning to surf in her 40s. She said in 2020: 'I really don't remember a time when I didn't want to be an astronaut. 'For me, I learned that if I was going to be an astronaut, it was because my passions had turned me into someone that could contribute the most as someone contributing to human space flight.' While she's exploring space, her husband Robert will be left taking care of housework and the couple's puppy, LBD. It is not believed that they have children. 'Am I excited? Absolutely!' she said at a news conference at the crew's announcement Monday. The one thing I'm most excited about is that we will carry your excitement,your aspirations, your dreams, on this mission. She also said: We are going to launch from Kennedy space center, we are going to here the words go for launch on top of the most powerful rocket NASAs ever made. NASA has sent a total of 355 people to space so far, of which some 55 have been women or 15 percent. It has also sent 24 people to orbit the moon and 12 to walk on the lunar surface who were all men. Russian Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman to ever leave the earth's atmosphere setting off in 1937. American women did not get sent to space until 1983. Ms Koch, however, will make history on the Artemis II mission when she completes her long-awaited trip around the moon. She revealed her love of space in a video when she was announced as a member of the Artemis I team in 2020. The astronaut said: 'I am someone who has loved exploration on the frontier since I was little. 'I used to be inspired by the night sky and throughout my career, it's been this balance between engineering for space science missions and doing science in really remote places all over the world. 'I loved things that made me feel small, things that made me ponder the size of the universe, my place in it and everything that was out there to explore.' She added: 'I didn't necessarily live my life following check boxes of how you could become an astronaut. 'But I followed those passions and one day I looked at what I had become and the skills I had gathered and I asked "could I sit across from a table and present myself as someone who could do this well?". And I thought, I'm going to give this a shot.' She went to North Carolina State University in Raleigh to get a bachelor's and a master's in Electrical Engineering. She then became an Electrical Engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, before becoming a research associate for the United States Antarctic Program living an entire year in the Arctic. Ms Koch was one of eight selected as part of NASA's 21st class of astronauts in 2013. After two years of training, she became a full-fledged astronaut. Her first space flight came in 2019 when she was sent to the International Space Station (ISS) to work as a flight engineer. She stayed up there for 328 days, taking the record for the longest spaceflight by a woman. The previous record holder, Peggy Whitson, was in space for 288 days. While in space she also took the record for the first all-women space walk when an astronaut gets out of a vehicle while in space with Jessica Meir. The pair spent seven hours and 17 minutes on the side of the ISS as they worked to replace a power controller. The walk also included a brief call with President Trump. Upon her return to Earth in 2020, Ms Koch said she felt 'like a baby' who was two weeks old and working hard to hold up its head. Back on Earth, she lives in Galveston, Texas, just outside of the Houston area. Among her interests are backpacking, running, yoga, photography and travel. Now she will be a part of a groundbreaking mission in NASA's goal towards putting a man on Mars. The Artemis II mission marks NASA's first trip to the moon in half a century. It says it will be performed to help test kit in preparation for getting humans onto Mars. The agency sent an empty Orion capsule around the moon last year before it returned to Earth in a long-awaited dress rehearsal. If this latest mission goes well, then another flight to land people on the moon will be sent in 2025 as part of tests ahead of getting people onto Mars. Ever had a hankering for a hot meal when you're out and about, but had to settle for a meal deal sandwich instead? Well, the days of cold pasta pots may soon be over, as Japanese tool manufacturer Makita has unveiled a cordless, portable microwave oven. The MW001G is able to deliver 500W of power for up to eight minutes to heat up your food, without being connected to a socket. It weighs about 19.4 lbs (8.8 kg), so can easily be carried to a worksite, campsite or charging point, but a shoulder strap can be purchased and attached too. The microwave is currently only available in Japan, and has gone on sale for 110,000 ($840, 670), but this excludes tax, the cost of the battery and charger. The MW001G is able to deliver 500W of power for up to eight minutes to heat up your food, without being connected to a socket It weighs about 19.4 lbs (8.8 kg), so can easily be carried to a job site, campsite or charging point, but a shoulder strap can be purchased and attached too The microwave has a storage capacity of eight litres, and internal dimensions of 10 x 4.7 x 9.5 inches (255 x 120 x 241 mm), so Makita says it can 'hold a large lunch box'. MAKITA MW001G Device: Wireless microwave Weight: 19.4 lbs (8.8 kg) Power: 350 W or 500 W Maximum battery life : Up to 8 minutes Capacity: 8 litres Dimensions: 10 x 4.7 x 9.5 inches (255 x 120 x 241 mm) Extra features: Phone charging port, shoulder strap Advertisement 'Because it is a flat table, it is easy to clean and maintain,' the company adds. It is also perfect 'for meals on site and in the car, and for disaster preparedness'. The microwave has space for two 40V lithium-ion battery packs, but only needs one to function, so the other can be used as a backup. When both are used, it gives the oven enough power to reheat around 11 lunch boxes or 20 cups of coffee. However, inputting batteries with higher capacity can extend its battery life. Two 2.5 Ah packs give up to eight minutes of cooking time, but two 33.5 Ah packs increase this nearly an hour and a half. It can also be switched between providing 500W and 350W of power, depending on whether the user wants to conserve its charge. But the MW001G isn't just a microwave, it is also a portable phone charger. On the back is a dedicated USB slot that allows the owner to use its powerful batteries to charge other devices, with a maximum output of 2.4A. The top has a display which shows the operating time and battery life, and four buttons which turn it on, start cooking, stop cooking and switch between the two power modes. While it doesn't have a familiar rotating table, it does have a sponge filter which collects any crumbs or debris, and can be cleaned with a vacuum. It has a storage capacity of 8 litres, and internal dimensions of 10 x 4.7 x 9.5 inches (255 x 120 x 241 mm), so Makita says it can 'hold a large lunch box' The company says it is perfect 'for meals on site and in the car, and for disaster preparedness' But the MW001G isn't just a microwave, it is also a portable phone charger. On the back is a dedicated USB slot that allows the owner to use its powerful batteries to charge other devices, with a maximum output of 2.4A The microwave comes with safety features, as it will power off immediately if the door is opened while it is on or it is tilted. While currently only available in Japan, it is featured in a teaser video on the TikTok channel for Makita Netherlands, suggesting it will soon be released elsewhere. While the company is most well known for making power tools, the microwave is not its first foray into portable cookware. Makita also offers a coffee maker, kettle and cooler box, all of which are compatible with the same batteries that power its cordless screwdrivers and drills. The official Instagram for Makita Denmark even released a promotional image of a Makita Air Fryer, but as this was put up on April 1, it is unclear if it is a practical joke. They are all designed in the same teal blue colour, and with a rugged, toolbox-ready look. The top has a display which shows the operating time and battery life, and four buttons which turn it on, start cooking, stop cooking and switch between the two power modes The microwave has space for two 40V lithium-ion battery packs, but only needs one to function, so the other can be used as a backup Severed human hands found in Egypt may have belonged to enemy warriors who were captured around 3,500 years ago, a gruesome new study shows. Twelve hands were found in Hyksos palace in northern Egypt's ancient city of Avaris, former territory of the ancient Hyksos people and now an archeological site. Researchers in Germany think the appendages were likely dissected from the right arms of 11 adult males and one female potentially when they were still alive. They hint at a grisly ceremony that was performed at the palace on the orders of the royal members of the dynasty. It's possible they belonged to enemy warriors who were captured before having their hands chopped off and thrown into pits for public display. Archaeologists have discovered 12 severed hands in an Egyptian palace after 3,500 years. The hand bones are 'soft and brittle and very difficult to excavate', researchers say in their paper It is unclear if the hands were taken from dead or living individuals. It's possible that the unlucky victims were alive at the time and died soon after their limbs were mutilated Taking a hand from an enemy became a traditional practice in warfare in the dynasties that followed Hyksos, according to iconographic records, but this is the first physical evidence of the practice. The Hyksos dynasty Hyksos was a dynasty of Palestinian origin that ruled northern Egypt as the 15th dynasty (c. 16301523 BC). The Hyksos kings were most likely individuals from the local population with strong cultural connections to the Levant or western Asia. The rise of the Hyksos kings in Egypt was made possible by an influx of immigrants from Palestine into Egypt beginning about the 18th century BC. The immigrants brought with them new technologies, including the horse and chariot, the compound bow, and improved metal weapons Advertisement The finds were analysed by a team of German and Austrian researchers, led by Julia Gresky at the German Archaeological Institute in Berlin. 'Although this kind of practice is known from tomb or temple inscriptions and reliefs from the New Kingdom onwards, this is the first time that physical evidence has been used to learn more about the procedure and the individuals whose hands were taken,' they say in their paper. 'Here, we show that the right hands belonged to at least 12 adults, 11 males, and possibly one female. 'It is unclear if the hands were taken from dead or living individuals.' The finds date back to the time of Egypt's Hyksos dynasty a powerful dynasty of Palestinian origin that ruled from the city of Avaris in the Nile delta from approximately 1630 and 1523 BC. They were found in the forecourt of the Hyksos palace, a royal building in Avaris from which Hyksos kings ruled that dates as far back as 1640 BC. According to the team, the hands were found in three separate pits in what would have been the entrance court of the palace, directly in front of the throne room. This particular placement suggests that they were 'intended to be seen' and possibly acted as a gruesome warning for palace visitors. According to the team, the hands were found in three separate pits in what would have been the entrance court of the palace, directly in front of the throne room. Here, yellow the marks location of the hands that were found placed on their dorsal surface (with palms pointing up) while red marks the ones found the other way They were found in the forecourt of Hyksos palace in northeastern Egypt's ancient city of Avaris, former territory of the Hyksos dynasty and now a archeological site Artist's impression of Avaris, a former city and the Hyksos capital of Egypt. Avaris was located at the modern site of Tell el-Dab'a in the northeastern region of the Nile Delta Because the hands were not all fully intact and there were some lone flingers, the actual number of victims is unclear. READ MORE: Hyksos people who usurped Egyptian pharaohs were NOT invaders It is thought the Hyskos people were living peacefully in Egypt for centuries before rising to power Advertisement The team had to estimate a minimum and maximum number of individuals that made up the collection of remains. They concluded that 12 was the minimum number, while 18 was the maximum. Determining the sex and age of death of the individuals was a challenge because hands don't have the same sort of anatomical clues as other parts of the body like the pelvis or skull. However, the researchers have offered a minimum age at time of dismemberment of somewhere between 14 to 21 years, as the bones were fully formed and post adolescent. With no signs of age-related degeneration, the upper age range was estimated to be below 60. Because male index fingers to be longer than their ring fingers compared with women, 11 of the hands were determined to be male. It could not be ruled out that the twelfth hand was that of a female, however. 'Severed hands offered in the "gold of honour" ceremony belonged to foes, generally male individuals of fighting age, killed in battle,' the experts say in their paper. 'At the same time, the presence of a female individual advocates for a less gender-rigid approach to the reconstruction of this procedure.' The hands were uncovered from the forecourt of Hyksos palace, a former palace that dates back somewhere between 1640 and 1530 BC Researchers point out that it 'is unclear if the hands were taken from dead or living individuals', although they 'must have been soft and flexible when they were placed into the pit', before rigor mortis set in or after it had ended. The most likely scenario is they were placed into the pit somewhere between 24 and 48 hours after being removed from the rest of the body. Another interesting feature is the lack of any sign of the forearms the hands were once attached to. This indicates that a level of care was taken in removing any sign of the appendage so that only the anatomical hands would be on display. However, it is impossible to tell if the hands were taken cleanly off the arms or were cleaned up after a messy removal procedure. While the hands cannot be attributed to a specific ethnic or cultural group, the study, published in Scientific Reports, suggests severing enemy hands may have originated in the communities from which the Hyksos leadership originated. Iconographic evidence of severed hands: Inscription in the tomb of Ahmose at El-Kab depicting a very realistic representation of an outstretched palm The Hyksos ruled northern Egypt as the 15th dynasty from approximately 1630 to 1523 BC although they did not control all of Egypt. Instead, they co-existed with the 16th and 17th Dynasties, which were based in Thebes, another ancient Egyptian city further south. Warfare between the Hyksos and the pharaohs of the late 17th dynasty eventually culminated in the defeat of the Hyksos by Ahmose I, founder of the 18th dynasty, who continued the custom of severing enemy hands. Early 18th dynasty tomb inscriptions and temple reliefs from the 18th to the 20th dynasties consistently depict hand counts on the battlefield following major battles. It has stops in all of the lower 48 states and takes nine days nonstops driving Millions have dreamt about driving across the US but now science has taken the guesswork out of planning the epic trip. An Orgeon-based data scientist used a sophisticated algorithm to generate the perfect journey, factoring in things like logistics for traffic and the most scenic routes for a three-month vacation. Each stop is a national natural landmark, national historic site, national park or national monument, all in the lower 48 states. In total the route boasts 50 iconic sights. The 13,699-mile-long route stops at Mount Rushmore, the San Francisco Cable Cars, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and other well-known spots. And the glory of the path is that it can be started at any point. The map was created by a data scientist who factored in logistics for traffic, turns and alternate routes for a three-month vacation to 50 iconic landmarks Randy Olsen, who is also an AI researcher and over a decade of experience as a data scientist, created the map in 2015, but it has since resurfaced online as summer is just around the corner and many Americans are planning to see the nation. Olsen used an algorithm he designed to crack every Where's Waldo puzzle when Discovery News challenged him to plot the best route across continental America. He was asked to follow several rules when creating the ultimate trip, including having at least one stop in all 48 states and it cannot travel into Canada or Mexico. The list of landmarks was proposed by Discovery News's Tracy Staedter, who gave Olsen specific spots from her own bucket list. 'I also included Washington, D.C. and added two stops in California to get us to an even 50 stops,' Staedter wrote in 2015. Olsen harnessed the power of Google Maps and wrote code to calculate the distance and time it would take to drive between all 50 landmarks. This resulted in 2,450 different routes. 'Instead of exhaustively looking at every possible solution, genetic algorithms start with a handful of random solutions and continually tinker with these solutions - always trying something slightly different from the current solutions and keeping the best ones - until they can't find a better solution anymore,' Olsen wrote in the blog post. 'After less than a minute, the genetic algorithm reached a near-perfect solution that makes a complete trip around the U.S. in only 13,699 miles of driving.' Spring Grove Cemetery, Ohio is one of the landmarks on the map. Each stop is a national natural landmark, national historic site, national park or national monument, all in the lower 48 states The route, however, would take nine days and 33 hours to complete if you were to drive without stopping. But then you would miss seeing the Columbia River Highway, Oregon Genetic algorithms start with just a few random solutions. It then manipulates these solutions while trying something slightly different each time until it finds one it can't improve. He explained that the route would take nine days and 33 hours to complete if you are driving non-stop, but stopping to enjoy each landmark increases the time to no more than three months. 'You'll hit every major area in the U.S. on this trip, and as an added bonus, you won't spend too long driving through the endless cornfields of Nebraska,' Olsen wrote on his blog. If this map still does not spark adventure, MailOnline Travel asked two chatbots - ChatGPT, created by California AI firm OpenAI, and Google's Bard - to plan a variety of trips. A CHEAP HOLIDAY SOMEWHERE SUNNY For a budget break in the sun, Bard recommended jetting off to Bulgaria, where it says that you can find a week-long all-inclusive holiday for as little as $250.' ChatGPT, meanwhile, suggested heading to Bali in Indonesia for 'affordable accommodation, food, and activities.' The Moroccan city of Marrakech and Phuket in Thailand were other 'affordable' destinations it pitched visiting. AN ADVENTURE HOLIDAY For those that crave adventure, Bard proposed tackling the Inca Trail in Peru. It said: 'It is a four-day trek that takes you through the Andes Mountains to the ancient city of Machu Picchu. The trek is challenging, but it is also incredibly rewarding. You will see some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.' ChatGPT suggested venturing to Costa Rica in Central America, saying: 'Costa Rica is known for its lush rainforests, volcanic peaks, and abundant wildlife, and it offers a variety of activities for adrenaline-seekers.' Whitewater rafting, ziplining and surfing were among the activities it recommended trying out during a trip. The trip also includes routes with gas stations to ease the journey, which you will see Arizona's Grand Canyon A FAMILY HOLIDAY Bards top recommendation for a family getaway was the Greek island of Crete. 'It is home to a variety of family-friendly activities, including swimming, sunbathing, hiking, and exploring ancient ruins,' the chatbot said of the island, adding: 'If you are looking for a family holiday that is both relaxing and exciting, Crete is the perfect choice.' ChatGPT said: 'I would suggest a trip to the Grand Canyon National Park in the United States. This iconic natural wonder is a breathtaking sight that the whole family can enjoy. There are a variety of activities available, including hiking, camping, and guided tours, and the park offers stunning views, diverse wildlife, and fascinating geological formations. The instructions are clear. Stop complaining about the past and stop worrying about the future. This isnt the traditional blessing Im expecting from the Mayan shaman standing in front of me, but I like it. Its early evening and were face to face on a small wooden platform covered with an animal skin and flowers, over a beautifully lit cenote (natural pool). Hes in traditional headdress and robes, with clusters of clinking seashells around his ankles and, as a woman beats two drums behind us, he speaks a lot of sense. The blessing, usually for couples followed by dinner al fresco, is one way that all-inclusive TRS Yucatan resort stands out from its neighbours on Mexicos Riviera Maya. The 125 miles of beaches on this Caribbean coast runs from hard-partying Cancun and hippy-lite Tulum (where thrusting New York bankers strut their stuff), and half of all the hotels are in this middle stretch, hidden behind wildly grand entrances. The region is so popular that in just eight months last year, 13.5 million people arrived at Cancun airport. The TRS Yucatan oddly unromantic name is a good hour south of Cancun on the Playa del Carmen and suitably vast. There are three sister properties on the same site, but this one is adults only and the most luxurious. Lifting the spirits: Kate Johnson checks into the all-inclusive TRS Yucatan resort, which lies on the Playa del Carmen (above) on Mexicos Riviera Maya The adults-only TRS Yucatan resort is the most luxurious of three sister properties on the same site Spread out over 300 acres with a lagoon, theres nothing smaller than a suite on offer, and all 454 of them are unobtrusive, as the whole low-level resort is built around the gorgeous mangrove copses and is so spread out that you might never quite find your way around or recognise the faces of other guests. Its easy to walk the resort but the way to get about is by a buggy, after asking your butler to summon one. It sounds preposterously over the top, but its informal, friendly, not at all flashy and its quite shaming how quickly you can acclimatise to such luxury. It outsources all of the usual faffing at reception, or making reservations, or thinking about anything at all except the crucial decisions of a land-n-lounge holiday (theres no need to even remember your key as its all done by wristband). Sitting on 300 acres with a lagoon, theres nothing smaller than a suite on offer at the resort The whole low-level resort is so spread out that you might never quite find your way around or recognise the faces of other guests, Kate reveals. Above is the plunge pool in one of the suites The menus at the hotel's restaurants are all generous and delicious and theres no dress code Naturally, the first question is where to sunbathe. The immaculate infinity pool with the four-poster sun loungers, bar and grill on-site (and DJ come the afternoon) is beachside, with skyscraper palms, and the most popular, the quiet pool with its winding waterways and the seawater pool are more peaceful. The second crucial decision is dinner. There are countless restaurants from Japanese, Italian, French and Mexican even a cabaret and theres no cutting corners. The menus are all generous and delicious and theres no dress code. The other guests are mostly groups of Americans, though I chat to a returning Canadian couple and some Brits on holiday with their grown-up children, and there are a surprising number of younger couples, plenty from the UK, some on honeymoon. Kate goes snorkelling off Puerto Morelos (above), a sleepy village with a permanently tilted lighthouse on the dock TRAVEL FACTS British Airways has return flights from London Gatwick to Cancun Airport from 810 pp (ba.com). Suites at TRS Yucatan Hotel from about 417 per night for two adults, all inclusive with butler service (palladiumhotelgroup.com). Tours By Locals has four-and-a-half-hour private tours from 46 per person (toursbylocals.com). Advertisement With open-air yoga, in-pool stationary bike sessions, cookery classes and the services of a photographer wandering around, its still worth venturing out for a day. Tours By Locals is a good place to find local guides online for a custom-made private jaunt, in this case an enlivening swim in a pristine cenote and snorkelling off Puerto Morelos, which is still a sleepy village, with a permanently tilted lighthouse on the dock. The village was battered by Hurricane Beulah in 1967, around the same time that the government decided to make this once wild coast with barely any roads and a few plantations into a tourist hotspot. It was chosen for its year-round sunshine, gorgeous beaches and Mayan archeological sites, and because it had the fewest hurricanes. The National Reef Park, the worlds second biggest reef (after the Great Barrier) has brain coral, a turtle, barracudas and grumpily named bluestriped grunt, chic as Parisiennes midnight parrotfish, and the Mardi Gras-ready angelfish by the hundreds. Back to my enormous suite, with its own plunge pool and a final trip to the spa, which, unusually, is set largely outdoors. Taking the shamans advice to heart, if Im not moaning about the past or stressing about the future. All I can do is enjoy the present, and this is just the right spot for that. Picassos legacy is felt all over the world - but nowhere more keenly than in Barcelona. Indeed, when speaking of home, Picasso was undoubtedly referring to this great city. The Spanish artist lived there from the age of 14 and his talent blossomed while studying at its Escola de la Llotja art school. This year marks the 50th anniversary of his death, and Barcelona is pulling out all the stops. Picasso Celebration 1973-2023, funded by the Spanish government, will see many exhibitions and events to honour Spains best-loved artist in places with a strong Picasso connection, such as Malaga, Madrid and here in Barcelona. Picasso fell happily in with a crowd that liked to mix art with drinking, Dani, from Get Your Guide tours, tells me. Senor Pablo enjoyed a good time drinking, bull-fighting, women and wine, these were his passions. Picasso lived in Barcelona from the age of 14, Kate Wickers learns as she follows in the artist's footsteps in the city. Above is Picasso with one of his sculptures, circa 1960 Were standing in Picassos local, Els Quatre Gats (The Four Cats) cafe where the painter shared not only wine but artistic and political ideas with Catalan artist Ramon Casas i Carbo, and where he had his first exhibition aged 18. The walls are still filled with paintings (often how artists paid their bar bills), and Dani points out the cover of the menu, one that a strapped-for-cash young Picasso designed. To see more of the artists work, we head to the Museu Picasso, which is marking its 60th anniversary, and has a collection of 4,251 of Picassos artworks. The tender realist portrait of his mother Maria in Portrait de la mere de lartiste (1896) touches me the most. The inky blue-hued roofscapes in Terrats de Barcelona (1903) from Picassos Blue Period is another highlight. Kate heads to the Museu Picasso (above), which is marking its 60th anniversary, and has a collection of 4,251 of Picassos artworks Later this year, the museum will be hosting the Miro-Picasso exhibition on both Picasso and the surrealist artist Joan Miro with the Joan Miro Foundation. Across from the Museu Picasso sits El Xampanyet, one of the citys longest-running bodegas/tapas bars, which opened in 1929. Its chaotic, and diners are packed in like the sardines I order. On a self-guided tour of the Gothic Quarter, I go the extra mile in seeking out number 44 Carrer dAvinyo, distinguishable due to its large wooden door. It once housed the brothel that inspired Picassos Les Demoiselles dAvignon, a seminal Cubist work of art. I admire one of Picassos early studios from outside on Carrer de la Plata, then call in at Sala Pares, where Picasso held his first commercial exhibition in 1901. 'Picassos legacy is felt all over the world - but nowhere more keenly than in Barcelona,' says Kate. Above is Gaudis Park Guell in the city On the bustling Placa Nova, I gaze up at the facade of The Architects Association of Catalonia, home to Picassos only piece of public art: a series of naive drawings of children and giants etched into sand-cast friezes. Suddenly, a passer-by asks if Id like to hear a story. Picasso was in a cafe in Paris when he heard that Joan Miro had been commissioned to design the frieze and was so angry that he grabbed a napkin and began to draw, boasting that he could easily better whatever Miro could do. A waiter, on hearing this, sent the drawings to the Architects Association and Picasso got the job, says the man. He quickly admits that, in all probability, its an urban myth as Miro and Picasso were such great friends. Just one more legendary tale about this great artist in a city that still reveres him. Domenica Calarco was not happy with Kerri-Anne Kennerley during Tuesday's episode of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! after finding out she was allowed to bring makeup into the jungle. The former Married At Sight star was fuming over the TV and media personality's special privileges, and how she managed to negotiate a special contract with Channel Ten before agreeing to sign on to the show. Dom, 30, complained to the rest of the participants in the jungle while Kerri-Anne wasn't present. 'Why does she think it's okay that she gets makeup and no one else does get skincare and makeup?' she asked her fellow participants. 'I feel as though there's a power imbalance there.' Domenica Calarco was not happy with Kerri-Anne Kennerley during Tuesday's episode of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! after discovering she's allowed to bring makeup into the jungle Ian 'Dicko' Dickon weighed in and said Dom's question was 'valid' but encouraged her to approach asking Kerri-Anne 'in a way that's not overly combative and not disrespectful'. 'I don't think that the question is disrespectful,' Dom replied. The ex-MAFS star was later seen storming off before breaking down in tears over her Dicko's constructive comments. Dom, 30, expressed her distaste while complaining to the rest of the participants in the jungle while Kerri-Anne wasn't present Ian 'Dicko' Dickon weighed in and said Dom's question was 'valid' but encouraged her to approach asking Kerri-Anne 'in a way that's not overly combative and not disrespectful' The ex-MAFS star stormed off before breaking down in tears over her Dicko's constructive comments While he tried to console the star, Dom cried, 'No I don't want to talk to you right now, please.' She slumped herself on the ground before celebrity chef Anna Polyviou and comedian Peter Helliar comforted her. 'I'm sorry but the way that Dicko spoke to me is not okay,' she said through tears. She slumped herself on the ground before celebrity chef Anna Polyviou and comedian Peter Helliar comforted her 'I'm sorry but the way that Dicko spoke to me is not okay,' she said through tears 'The question I want to ask... It's not aggressive! I'm sick of it!' Shortly afterwards, Dom sat down with Kerri-Anne at camp and addressed her makeup privileges while attempting to be respectful like Dicko suggested. 'I was just wondering, how does one get around face wash and makeup in the jungle?' Dom asked. 'One gets allowed it when one makes it a condition of coming in,' Kerri-Anne replied kindly. 'And that was an actual deal breaker. That's the reality. That's a truth. Because I asked.' Shortly afterwards, Dom sat down with Kerri-Anne at camp and addressed her makeup privileges while attempting to be respectful like Dicko suggested 'So, if you've got any questions about anything that you want answered for me, I'm always here because I promise you. I will.' Kerri-Anne Kennerley is one of the more famous celebrities starring on I'm A Celebrity this year. She made sure to negotiate a special contract with Channel Ten before agreeing to sign on to the show. The veteran TV star said she would only take part if she was allowed to bring her beauty products with her and not take part in the more risky stunts. Kerri-Anne said that 'one gets allowed (makeup) when one makes it a condition of coming in' She also encouraged Dom to always ask her questions and promised she'll answer truthfully 'Look I'm not going in without makeup and my skincare. I wear 50+ sunscreen and I want a little blush or a little lippie,' she told Woman's Day. 'Nothing over the top. I'm not going to go unnatural.' She also revealed she won't be completing any extreme stunts such as jumping out of a helicopter or scaling a cliff after recently undergoing knee surgery. 'My surgeon said "Please don't muck up my operations" because It does take a year-and-a-half to heal so I can't really afford to screw it up too much,' she added. As soon as Married at First Sight ends, the fame-hungry participants are chomping at the bit to cash in on their newfound fame by becoming Instagram influencers. But there is bad news for this year's brides and grooms, as Channel Nine have banned them from launching social media careers following the success of the show. In previous years participants have been handed back their Instagram accounts just two weeks after the finale, but the likes of Evelyn Ellis, Bronte Schofield and Harrison Boon will have to wait a lot longer and by then their 15 minutes of fame may have faded. 'They won't be getting their socials back until May 8 after the show has finished airing in the UK,' an insider told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday. The source said that 'Nine and the production company cannot risk the cast going rogue on social media' while season 10 is still airing in the UK. Channel Nine is banning the Married At First Sight cast from becoming Instagram influencers and cashing in on their newfound fame (Pictured: Bronte Schofield and Lyndall Grace) 'It's also another opportunity to hold their blue ticks hostage if they're caught going to the press about their "horrible edits",' they added. According to the insider, Nine and production company are considering handing over some participants account back without verification badges, which may force the cast to have to fork out their own money for that coveted 'blue tick'. 'A few people are worried they won't get verified and they will have to pay for their blue tick,' the insider added. While in previous seasons the participants have been handed back their Instagram accounts within two weeks of the finale, things are different this year. (Pictured: Melinda Willis) By the time the MAFS cast get access to their Instagram accounts, their engagement levels will have dropped significantly, affecting their potential earnings. While the show was airing, participants were allowed to write their own captions on photos supplied by Nine's publicity team, but that is the extent of their permitted social media activity. In the past few days, Nine have allowed the brides and grooms to supply photos and captions to be posted on their behalf. By the time the MAFS cast get access to their Instagram accounts, their engagement levels will have dropped significantly, affecting their potential earnings Comments have also been disabled on their posts and the cast aren't allowed to access their direct messages, which is how sponsors would contact them. One angry unnamed bride told Daily Mail Australia she doesn't have time to wait to get her social media accounts back. 'I've met up with a few brand managers and they told me they tried to contact me via Instagram DM's but couldn't,' they said. 'I'm super pi**ed off, we won't even get your messages.' While previous seasons have seen brides soar to half a million followers during the show's run, the new batch of brides haven't attracted the same level of attention. While previous seasons have seen brides soar to half a million followers during the show's run, the new batch of brides haven't attracted the same level of attention. Claire Nomarhas' (pictured) following has gone from 2800 to 122,000 followers Claire Nomarhas' following has gone from 2,800 to 122,660, while Melinda Willis - who was already an influencer before the show - has grown her audience from 150,000 to 294,287 followers. Intruder bride Evelyn Ellis has doubled her fan base from 65,000 to 162,000, which is impressive, but far from the heights of Martha Kalifatidis, Domenica Calarco or Ella Ding. Other stars have had only moderate success in building their social media brands. Bronte Schofield, for example, has garnered just 71,700 new followers, while Tahnee Cook sits on 82,300 followers. Melissa Sheppard has attracted 23,000 new followers, and Tayla Winter has seen an even more modest growth of 31,100 followers. Intruder bride Evelyn Ellis has doubled her fan base from 65,000 to 162,000, which is impressive but far from the heights of Martha Kalifatidis, Domenica Calarco or Ella Ding Considering the fact MAFS draws up to two million viewers per episode, this growth is pretty underwhelming. The social media expansion of this year's brides pales in comparison to Dom and Ella from last year's season, who left the show with a whopping 500,000 followers each. As the tenth season is still underway in the UK, the brides' accounts may continue to grow in the coming weeks. A non-binary activist has revealed they were abused on the streets of Melbourne while wearing a Trans Lifes Matter T-shirt. Deni Todorovic, 34, who was assigned male at birth but uses they/them pronouns and identifies as non-binary, recalled the incident on ABC's Q&A on Monday during a discussion about transphobia and gender diversity. The podcaster recently launched a Trans Lives Matter movement in Melbourne, and said they were left feeling 'unsafe' in Brunswick after being 'verbally attacked' six times on a single day, despite the area being 'super queer'. Deni began by explaining that they recently moved from Barwon Heads near Geelong, to the inner-city suburb of Brunswick. 'I've been a Geelong boy born and bred my whole life and I'm so proud of Geelong, but it's a really bloody difficult place to live when you're a trans person,' they said. Deni Todorovic has revealed they were abused on the streets of Melbourne while wearing a Trans Lives Matter T-shirt The author recalled how one person ran down the window of their car to call Deni a 'f*g', while another person confronted them in the street. 'I was asked by a man, because I was wearing a Trans Lives Matter T-shirt, "What's between your legs?" I was like, really taken aback. And then his girlfriend started filming me,' Deni lamented. 'And this is one micro aggression. It's actually not very micro at all. And then you compartmentalise, "Who am I? Why am I here? I don't feel safe",' they added. Deni, who was assigned male at birth but uses they/them pronouns and identifies as non-binary, recalled the incident on ABC's Q&A on Monday during a discussion about transphobia and gender diversity It comes after Deni sparked backlash after claiming they were an 'ambassador' for Seafolly, which is known for its advertisements featuring the world's most famous female models including Miranda Kerr and Gigi Hadid. Deni's role at Seafolly was celebrated by a number of celebrities, including former brand ambassador Jesinta Franklin. Many shoppers also left positive comments on Seafolly's official Instagram account to celebrate the label's commitment to diversity. 'As some one who hasn't shopped at Seafolly for years I'll be back now! Love seeing brands be inclusive and that is where I want my money to go,' one woman wrote. 'So amazing to see this, Seafolly. I love to see brands pioneering the celebration of pride and inclusion,' another added. However, some consumers were less than impressed by Deni's role with the brand. 'I was asked by a man, because I was wearing a Trans Lives Matter T-shirt, "What's between your legs?" I was like, really taken aback. And then his girlfriend started filming me,' Deni lamented Deni recently starred in a campaign for Seafolly which is known for its advertisements featuring the world's most famous female models including Miranda Kerr, Gigi Hadid, Shanina Shaik, Lara Worthington, Samantha Harris and Jesinta Franklin 'This is a joke. We support diversity and individuals' decisions, but we don't want to see women's clothing that we want to purchase on a male body...' commented one. 'There are other ways to support pride and individuals' choices, but not this way. Sincerely, one of your long-time loyal customers.' Another wrote: 'As a woman, this is not what I want to look like in a bikini. 'I won't be buying this product. People need to get back to reality. Stop making our world into a circus.' Due to the negative comments, Seafolly was forced to put out a statement condemning the 'hateful language'. 'We are here to celebrate the Australian beach lifestyle and inspire one another to feel confident at the beach,' the brand said. 'In this community, we do not tolerate abusive, offensive, hateful language, trolling, deliberate disruption of discussion, or spam. Please be respectful of each others differences and remember to always be kind.' In 2021, Deni was criticised for turning Melbourne Fashion Week into a 'pride parade' while working on the event as a stylist and curator. While Deni was hired to work backstage at the event, they shocked onlookers by storming the runway with a pride flag and a T-shirt with 'they/them' on the front, which overshadowed the models in the fashion show. Aussie actress Melissa George showed off her Parisian sense of style as she stepped out in London on Tuesday. The former Home and Away star, 46, kept a low-profile as went shopping in swanky Mayfair wearing a beige designer trench coat and a blue headscarf. Melissa, who rose to fame playing Angel Parrish on the iconic soap, also carried a black Hermes handbag. She appeared in high spirits, chatting away with a female friend who also looked chic in a checkered coat and carried a garment bag in her arms. The former soap star currently lives in Paris with her two sons, Raphael, nine, and Solal, seven. Aussie actress Melissa George showed off her Parisian sense of style as she stepped out in London on Tuesday In 2012, Melissa was left furious when The Morning Show hosts Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies played clips of her soap star days and asked her about her time on Home And Away. News Corp reported the actress had threatened to walk off set if her time on Home And Away was mentioned. 'She kept saying she's had so many bigger roles since Home And Away that it was offensive to talk about it - she even said she'd send Seven an invoice because she inadvertently promotes it through the media,' a source told The Daily Telegraph. The former Home and Away star, 46, kept a low-profile as went shopping in swanky Mayfair wearing a beige designer trench coat and a blue headscarf Melissa broke her silence about the incident in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, explaining she wasn't going to come back to Australia for a while because of the stress local media interviews caused her. 'I don't need credibility from my country any more, I just need them all to be quiet. If they have nothing intelligent to say, please don't speak to me any more,' she said. 'I'd rather be having a croissant and a little espresso in Paris or walking my French bulldog in New York City.' She appeared in high spirits, chatting away with a female friend who also looked chic in a checkered coat and carried a garment bag in her arms In 2012, Melissa was left furious when The Morning Show hosts Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies played clips of her soap star days and asked her about her time on Home And Away (pictured) But during a radio interview with KIIS FM's Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson in 2017, Melissa claimed she never said the words attributed to her, despite the journalist standing by her story. 'I never said that at all and I let it go and it was huge, but we were laughing and I never said anything negative about my country,' Melissa told the KIIS FM stars at the time. 'It was all swapped around and put in the wrong context. 'You know I think it's obvious I'd rather be having a chardonnay in Perth or eating a Vegemite sandwich than having a croissant in Paris.' Melissa starred as Angel Parrish on Home and Away from 1993 to 1996, and made her Hollywood debut in 1998 film Dark City. She also featured in 2001's Mulholland Drive and 2005's Derailed. One of her most recent projects was on The Mosquito Coast. Her character is the wife of protagonist Allie Fox, played by Justin Theroux. Before fans delve into Season 3 of The Kardashians next month, they'll get a behind-the-scenes look at Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's wedding with the new Hulu special 'Till Death Do Us Part Kourtney & Travis. Hulu released a new trailer for the special on Tuesday (via Hulu YouTube), which begins with Kourtney explaining the special is comprised of, 'our personal archive footage' of their wedding in Portofino, Italy last May. The couple started dating in January 2021 after many years as friends, with the Blink-182 drummer popping the question in Montecito, California in October 2021. They had an unofficial wedding exactly one year from yesterday in Las Vegas after the Grammy Awards, but had an official religious ceremony in Italy. The special debuts Thursday, April 13 on Hulu, and is comprised of, 'Private and personal footage' showcasing, 'an intimate family event full of beautiful moments.' Trailer: Before fans delve into Season 3 of The Kardashians next month, they'll get a behind-the-scenes look at Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's wedding with the new Hulu special 'Till Death Do Us Part Kourtney & Travis Special: Hulu released a new trailer for the special on Tuesday (via Hulu YouTube), which begins with Kourtney explaining the special is comprised of, 'our personal archive footage' of their wedding in Portofino, Italy last May Special: The special debuts Thursday, April 13 on Hulu, and is comprised of, 'Private and personal footage' showcasing, 'an intimate family event full of beautiful moments' The trailer begins with a shot of Kourtney in a white bathing suit in the water with Travis, still in a hoodie, as they share a kiss. 'This is our personal archive footage that we are sharing with the world,' Kourtney says, as the couple is seen inside making out some more. The trailer features footage of the couple in their full wedding outfits, along with a shot of the couple in their bedroom, as Kourtney says, 'Can you believe we got married three times?' Between their Vegas nuptials and the full Italy wedding, they also made their wedding official at a Santa Barbara courthouse in mid-May. Travis added of the three weddings, 'It's like choosing a child. I can't pick the best one,' as the trailer shows footage from all three ceremonies. The trailer shows footage of them being married by an Elvis impersonator as they both wore black leather jackets, with Travis describing that as their, 'rock star wedding.' One shot showed Kourtney laying on the ground as Travis patted her butt as Kourtney added, 'I'm gonna cry.' Travis added, 'Santa Barbara was like as traditional as everybody else's wedding could have been,' as we see the couple drive off in an old Cadillac convertible with a Just Married sign and cans stringed to the car as they drove off. Water: The trailer begins with a shot of Kourtney in a white bathing suit in the water with Travis, still in a hoodie, as they share a kiss Inside: 'This is our personal archive footage that we are sharing with the world,' Kourtney says, as the couple is seen inside making out some more Rock star: The trailer shows footage of them being married by an Elvis impersonator as they both wore black leather jackets, with Travis describing that as their, 'rock star wedding' Cry: One shot showed Kourtney laying on the ground as Travis patted her butt as Kourtney added, 'I'm gonna cry' Second marriage: Travis added, 'Santa Barbara was like as traditional as everybody else's wedding could have been,' as we see the couple drive off in an old Cadillac convertible with a Just Married sign and cans stringed to the car as they drove off They're seen on the sidewalk next to their Caddy - Kourtney in a white wedding dress and Travis in a black-on-black suit - as Kourtney asks, 'I thought we say vows?' as someone off camera says, 'That's coming.' The trailer then cuts to footage of their Italian wedding, which Kourtney describes as, 'just really romantic and classic.' There is footage from the picturesque cliffside wedding venue, as Kourtney admitted, 'I felt like I had so much anxiety, because it's such a vulnerable moment you're sharing.' The trailer also shows Kourtney's mother Kris Jenner walking her down the aisle, while Travis explains in their bedroom, 'I just felt like I was going to marry the love of my life and it was like, Oh my God I'm about to marry the love of my life, and it all set in.' Kourtney added that her and Travis, 'provided the feeling and the vibe and then really trusted (Dolce & Gabbana designer) Domenico (Dolce) to like carry it out.' The trailer also shows Domenico, who designed Kourtney's wedding dress, getting things ready for the wedding, while Travis admits he was so nervous that he wouldn't be able to recite his vows without crying. The trailer also shows footage from after the wedding, with the family dancing and Kourtney sloppily feeding Travis wedding cake. The trailer also shows part of Kim Kardashian's speech, where she says, 'There's really no love story like you guys.' Kris is heard breaking down in her speech, adding, 'I love you so much, and it's not even the martini talking.' The trailer winds down with a number of other shots from the wedding including the new blended family's kids all posing together and a brief shot of Machine Gun Kelly performing at the reception. 'Our wedding felt like time didn't exist, and it just felt perfect,' Kourtney says as the trailer comes to a close. Til Death Do Us Part Kourtney & Travis, an inside look at the wedding of the year, will premiere exclusively on Disney+ in the U.K. on Thursday, April 13th, and all new episodes for The Kardashians Season 3 will launch from 25 May on Disney+. Vows: They're seen on the sidewalk next to their Caddy - Kourtney in a white wedding dress and Travis in a black-on-black suit - as Kourtney asks, 'I thought we say vows?' as someone off camera says, 'That's coming' Romantic and classic: The trailer then cuts to footage of their Italian wedding, which Kourtney describes as, 'just really romantic and classic' Kris and Kourt: The trailer also shows Kourtney's mother Kris Jenner walking her down the aisle, while Travis explains in their bedroom, 'I just felt like I was going to marry the love of my life and it was like, Oh my God I'm about to marry the love of my life, and it all set in' Domenico: Kourtney added that her and Travis, 'provided the feeling and the vibe and then really trusted (Dolce & Gabbana designer) Domenico (Dolce) to like carry it out' Kim's speech: The trailer also shows part of Kim Kardashian's speech, where she says, 'There's really no love story like you guys' Kris' speech: Kris is heard breaking down in her speech, adding, 'I love you so much, and it's not even the martini talking' Married At First Sight star Josh White is making up for lost time after failing to find love with horny bride Melissa Sheppard on this year's season of the dating show. The advertising director, 40, hosted a Q&A on Tuesday with MAFS fans on Reddit and was inundated with offers to take him out on a date - which he happily accepted. 'Hi Josh can we go on a date? Thanks,' one hopeful user asked him and Josh responded: 'Sure, are you in Sydney?' Upon confirming they were in the same city, Josh readily accepted their offer. Another user said they were just outside Newcastle in NSW and asked Josh if that was too far to meet. Married At First Sight star Josh White is making up for lost time after failing to find love with horny bride Melissa Sheppard (pictured together) on this year's season of the dating show Meanwhile, one user from Tasmania told Josh to contact them for a date if he ever visited their state. Josh was matched with 41-year-old hairdresser Melissa Sheppard on the dating experiment, who quickly developed a racy reputation due to her sexual appetite. Back in February, the pair broke up on camera after Melissa ridiculed Josh for not meeting her relentless sexual demands. MAFS expert John Aiken made the unprecedented decision to allow Josh to leave the show during their final commitment ceremony. Viewers were appalled after Melissa made shocking and insensitive claims about the couple's sex life. The advertising director, 40, hosted a Q&A on Tuesday with MAFS fans on Reddit and was inundated with offers to take him out on a date - which he happily accepted Upon confirming they were in the same city, Josh readily accepted their offer When one of the experts asked why things were going downhill in their romance, Melissa said: 'Josh is really conservative and I respect that. But then it's just like it suppresses me and then I feel like I'm the alpha in the relationship.' Melissa went on to reveal having sex with Josh 'felt like a transaction' - a bombshell that sent shockwaves through the show. Josh told Daily Mail Australia he was particularly hurt by Melissa's claim he shed 'crocodile tears' for sympathy. 'They weren't crocodile tears,' he said. 'They were real tears from someone who had gone through a difficult experience.' He said her remarks were so spiteful he is still upset by them to this day. Josh was matched with 41-year-old hairdresser Melissa Sheppard on the dating experiment, who quickly developed a racy reputation for her sexual demands Chris Pratt opened up about meeting his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, while on The Drew Barrymore Show on Tuesday. The Guardians of the Galaxy actor, 43, gushed over seeing her for the first time when he was at church while he was on the Ever After actress's talk show to promote his new film, The Super Mario Bros. Movie. He explained to Barrymore, 48, that 'there was a moment in my life where I was really struggling and felt really broken,' before he met Katherine, 33. Pratt went on to tell the whole story about how he met the rising author 'five, maybe six years ago. God has a fast-forward button, you know, when it's right, boom. 'You get hit, you fall in love, you get married, now we have two beautiful daughters to add to my family. It feels really great.' Opening up: Chris Pratt opened up about meeting his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger while on The Drew Barrymore Show Broken: The 43-year-old gushed over seeing her for the first time when he was at church The Jurassic World actor also shares his 10-year-old son Jack with his ex-wife Anna Farris, who he was married to from 2009-2018. 'There was a moment in my life where I was really struggling and felt really broken. For me, my own journey of finding a higher power and leaning on that and feeling like, "Please save me," and feeling saved,' Pratt shared. 'And shortly later, meeting the woman of my dreams. It's all about timing. There's a perfect plan out there for you. You have to have faith.' The Charlie's Angels actress then asked him if he had met his now-wife in a place of faith, to which he responded, 'Yeah, we met at a church. I was in the front row of church. 'And you kind of don't want to be like, "Woah, who's that?" at church. But I was sneaking some glances and wondering, "Who is that? Anyway, what am I doing? Come on, I'm broken, help me. But who's that?"' He continued, 'So we hit it off. We didn't start dating right away, but we met there and, later on, ended up going out.' The pair welcomed their first daughter Lyla in 2020, only a year after they got married, and their second daughter Eloise in 2022. Last month, Katherine made an appearance on Drew's show to talk about her book The Gift of Forgiveness, which was brought up during Chris's interview. Chatting: He explained to Barrymore that 'there was a moment in my life where I was really struggling and felt really broken,' before he met Katherine Sharing his story: He was on the actress's talk show to promote his new film, The Super Mario Bros. Movie Having faith: 'You get hit, you fall in love, you get married, now we have two beautiful daughters to add to my family. It feels really great' Forgiveness: 'There was a moment in my life where I was really struggling and felt really broken' Promoting: The Guardians of the Galaxy actor also talked about his wife's new book, which she wrote about forgiveness Cutest couple: The pair recently attended a special screening of his new movie in Los Angeles The Scream actress mentioned that when Katherine was on the show, 'I bonded with her on her book about forgiveness, which I think is such a powerful thing.' The book 'chronicles seven different stories and their own journeys with forgiveness, and there's nothing about it that says you need to do it one way, or you need to do it another,' according to Pratt. 'She was just really looking at people in their forgiveness journeys, and it's a fabulous book.' He then joked, 'And when I screw up, I say, "Hey, remember your book. Remember, forgiveness is a gift, honey, so you should probably forgive me."' The Passengers actor was a guest on the show as a part of the press tour for his newest film, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which releases in theaters on April 5. Since being cast as the titular character, there has been some discourse from fans on whether he was the right choice to voice the iconic Italian video game character. During an interview with Gizmodo that was released last week, Pratt spoke about the controversy regarding his casting. He expressed that he understood that the longtime fans of the Mario franchise were particularly invested in the integrity of the character. Ski trip: The pair welcomed their first daughter Lyla in 2020, only a year after they got married, and their second daughter Eloise in 2022 Lots of love: The Jurassic World actor also shares his 10-year-old son Jack with his ex-wife Anna Farris, who he was married to from 2009-2018 Big-time author: Katherine has written several books, including a children's book New take: The Passengers actor was a guest on the show as a part of the press tour for his newest film, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which releases in theaters on April 5 Casting controversy: Since being cast as the titular character, there has been some discourse from fans on whether he was the right choice to voice the iconic Italian video game character 'I totally get it, man. There's a passionate fan base, and I'm one of the fans. I get it. Mostly, people don't want something like this to get screwed up. They're precious about it. They're careful. And I'm grateful for that,' he said. The Parks and Recreation alum then remarked that he had put in his best effort to faithfully represent the Nintendo character while working on the feature. The performer stated: 'I care just as much as everyone else to make sure that doesn't get screwed up.' Pratt also stars alongside several big-name actors in the film, including Charlie Day (Luigi), Jack Black (Bowser), Anya Taylor-Joy (Princess Peach), Keegan-Michael Key (Toad), and Seth Rogen (Donkey Kong). Robert De Niro is in negotiations with Paramount+ to star in and produce a crime drama for the streaming service titled Bobby Meritorious. The series is set in the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York, with the two-time Oscar winner portraying the role of Avery 'The Sage' Accomando. Accomando is an informant in the office's biggest case who is 'poised to tear this storied institution apart,' according to a studio synopsis. 'Only one man can stop him, a fabled ex-cop-turned prosecutor affectionately known as Bobby Meritorious,' the synopsis continued. 'The battle between these two giants is a fight for justice itself.' The 79-year-old actor, according to Deadline, would be working on the crime drama with Preet Bharara, the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, who is also an executive producer on the show. The latest: Robert De Niro, 79, is in negotiations with Paramount+ to star in and produce a crime drama for the streaming service titled Bobby Meritorious. Pictured last year in NYC Paramount Television Studios committed to develop the series after securing a bid to the rights to Bhararas book Doing Justice: A Prosecutors Thoughts on Crime, Punishment, and the Rule of Law. Billy Ray, who penned and directed The Comey Rule for Showtime, is set to write and produce the forthcoming series. De Niro will be an executive producer with his Tribeca Productions partner Jane Rosenthal and Berry Welsh. It's the second streaming project the legendary actor has been linked to as of late, as he is slated to appear in the Netflix series Zero Day. The busy actor also has a number of upcoming projects slated to hit the silver screen, such as Killers of the Flower Moon, which will mark his 10th project with Martin Scorsese; and Wise Guys for venerated director Barry Levinson. He also appears in the forthcoming comedy Inappropriate Behavior from Tony Goldwyn and featuring a cast including Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, Vera Farmiga, Rainn Wilson and Whoopi Goldberg. The forthcoming series for the streamer comes after its successful first season of the Sylvester Stallone crime drama Tulsa King, which it renewed in November weeks after its debut. De Niro would be working on the crime drama with Preet Bharara (pictured), the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, also an an executive producer on the show Bruce Willis' wife Emma Heming Willis appeared to be in a reminiscing mood on Tuesday. The former model, 44, re-posted a black and white snap of her husband, 69, and his ex-wife Demi Moore, 60, taken from a birthday tribute to the actor, who recently turned 68. 'Yeah. Me too. I liked them together as well,' Emma - who recently celebrated her 14th wedding anniversary with Bruce - wrote in a text overlay underneath the photo, adding a smiling face with hearts emoji. The original black and white snap of Bruce and Demi - who were married for 13 years - was taken at the opening of Planet Hollywood at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota on December 12, 1993. It has been a tough year for the blended Willis family, after the Pulp Fiction actor was diagnosed with a rare form of dementia in February. Reminiscing: Bruce Willis' wife Emma Heming Willis, 44, re-posted a black and white snap of her husband, 69, and his ex-wife Demi Moore, 60, to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday Sweet: 'Yeah. Me too. I liked them together as well,' Emma wrote on the black and white snap of the exes, who were married for 13 years; Bruce and Emma pictured 2019 The original post from @lovefool.99 shared sympathies for the actor and his family, with the caption reading, 'My heart goes out to him and his family as they are dealing with his illness of dementia.' Bruce and Demi were married from 1987 until 2000, and share three daughters together: Rumer, 34; Scout, 31; and Tallulah, 29. Willis married Heming in 2009, the couple share two daughters Mabel, 11, and Evelyn, eight. Bruce and Demi have remained close throughout the years, famously spending the Covid quarantine in the same house, though last month Emma shut down the claim that Demi has 'moved in' with them to help care for actor following dementia diagnosis. Demi took to social media to wish her ex-husband a happy 68th birthday last month. The Indecent Proposal star shared a video of their entire family gathered around the Die Hard actor and singing happy birthday to him, before presenting him with a candlelit apple pie, while he was heard speaking for the first time since his diagnosis. Emma was also seen in the clip, as she presented him with the confection as well as an affectionate kiss on the cheek. Bruce and Emma's two daughters were also there to celebrate their dear dad's birthday. 'Happy birthday, BW! So glad we could celebrate you today,' Demi wrote in the caption of the post. OG: The original black and white snap of Bruce and Demi was taken at the opening of Planet Hollywood in Minnesota on December 12, 1993 Iconic duo: Bruce and Demi were married for 13 years - from 1987 until 2000; Pictured 1993 at the opening of Planet Hollywood in London Big family: They share three daughters together: Rumer, 34 (L); Scout, 31 (R); and Tallulah, 29 (C) Close: Bruce and Demi have remained close throughout the years, famously spending the Covid quarantine in the same house, and recently celebrating his birthday together 'Love you and love our family,' she continued. 'Thank you to everyone for the love and warm wishes - we all feel them.' Emma also posted an emotional message addressing her husband's devastating dementia diagnosis. In her video post, Emma described feeling particularly sad as she described making a reel for Bruce and called watching his videos 'a knife in my heart.' 'So today is my husband's birthday,' she began. 'I have started the morning by crying. As you can see by my swollen eyes and snotty nose, I just think it's important you see all sides of this.' Emma went on to say: 'I always get this message or people always tell me like, "Oh you're so strong, I don't know how you do it." I'm not given a choice. I wish I was. But I'm also raising two kids in this. 'So sometimes in our lives we have to put our big girl panties on and get to it. And that's what I'm doing. But I do have times of sadness every day. Grief everyday. And I'm really feeling it today on his birthday.' She fought back tears in a second video describing the montage that she had been working on for Bruce. 'So I worked on this reel that I'm posting for my husband's birthday. I don't know why I do that because the videos are like a knife in my heart.' 'But as much as I do it for myself I do it for you. Because I know how much you love my husband and - don't cry Emma - but it means so much to me so thank you.' Blended family: Willis married Heming in 2009, the couple share two daughters Mabel, 11, and Evelyn, eight; Pictured 2008 Renewing: Emma recently reminisced on renewing her wedding vows with Bruce as they celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary Heartbreaking: Bruce was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) less than one year after he retired from acting due to his battle with brain disorder, aphasia News: Willis' family said the star's condition had 'progressed'. FTD affects the lobes of the brain behind the forehead, which deal with behavior, problem-solving, planning and emotions; Bruce, Emma and Demi pictured with their daughters Bruce's family revealed the actor has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) - less than one year after he retired from acting due to his battle with brain disorder, aphasia. The Sixth Sense star withdrew from acting last year as he began his fight with the illness that caused his language abilities to deteriorate - and now his condition has 'progressed' according to a joint statement from his family. FTD affects the lobes of the brain behind the forehead, which deal with behavior, problem-solving, planning and emotions - with symptoms including personality changes, obsessive behavior and speaking difficulties. Highland Cops Rating: Rain Dogs Rating: Like a toxin seeping into every artery and vein, illegal drugs are now poisoning even the most remote parts of Britain. If you think its not in your community, you would be surprised, warned Acting Sergeant Andy McKay, preparing to raid the house of a suspected dealer on Scotlands northern coast, in Highland Cops (BBC2). At least Sgt McKay and his colleagues are still trying to stem the flow. At his desk in Thurso, the officer from the Highlands and Islands Division tested the contents of two bags that turned up at the local Post Office. One contained a white crystalline powder, as the sarge called it with heavy suspicion. The other was stuffed with grey-green florets that looked like stale supermarket broccoli but was actually cannabis so pungent that postal workers recognised the stink without opening the package and raised the alert. Incredibly, the dealer appeared to be ordering fresh supplies from the internet, via the Royal Mail. More disheartening still, the police knew they had no chance of a successful prosecution on that evidence alone: the criminal could simply pretend to know nothing about the drugs. We used to say that ignorance is no defence in the eyes of the law but apparently, it is now. Its remarkable that, with just five officers to police a town of 20,000 inhabitants, the force had the time and will to carry out a raid The Highland bobbies have to contend as well with crimes that are less common in Manchester or London, such as poaching Instead, the coppers called round . . . and the dealer let them in, without the need for breaking the door down. Drugs might be everywhere, but there are still some vestiges of common sense in the UK, though dont count on that surviving much longer. Its remarkable that, with just five officers to police a town of 20,000 inhabitants, the force had the time and will to carry out the raid. If only their example were followed elsewhere in the country. The Highland bobbies have to contend as well with crimes that are less common in Manchester or London, such as poaching. PC Dan Sutherland, a wildlife crime officer, was searching for evidence of illegal hunting on private land, after the fresh bodies of two stags were spotted in the back of a pick-up truck. Drug dealers, when caught red-handed, have been known to eat the evidence. Poachers can do this too, but it takes a bit longer. Other cases included drunk drivers, a missing hiker, and boy racers causing a nuisance in a car park in Inverness. The sheer variety of the police work showcased in this eight-part series makes it an absorbing watch, and quite different to other detective documentaries. Every kind of petty crime is showcased in the seedy comedy-drama Rain Dogs (BBC1), starring Daisy May Cooper as a single mum who is made homeless with her young daughter. Fans of Coopers rural sitcom This Country know what a strong actress she is, able to deliver coarse punchlines with such cynicism that her characters misery becomes bitterly funny. But its hard to sympathise with her as part-time nightclub waitress and would-be writer Costello, who seems incapable of keeping her daughter safe. She takes her to a launderette for the evening and, when they are kicked out in the rain, breaks into a car to take shelter then ends up in a grotty bedsit with a man who expects sexual favours as part of the terms and conditions. Every kind of petty crime is showcased in the seedy comedy-drama Rain Dogs (BBC1), starring Daisy May Cooper as a single mum When daughter Iris (Fleur Tashjian) reveals shes got a fiver, Costello spends it on scratchcards instead of food, and cadges a stale sandwich. Her situation would be more desperate if her louche-but-violent ex-boyfriend (Jack Farthing) didnt happen to have three grand to bail her out. I can have sympathy for someone whos fallen on hard times, but when they put a child at risk, my patience runs out. Gerard Butler plays a CIA operative trying to make it out of Afghanistan in one piece in the explosive new trailer for Kandahar. The film was written by former military intelligence officer Mitchell LaFortune, who based the story on his experiences working for the Defense Intelligence Agency in 2013 while being deployed to Afghanistan during the Snowden leaks. Butler - who most recently starred in the action-thriller Plane - plays Tom Harris, an undercover CIA operative stuck deep undercover in Afghanistan when he learns that his mission has been compromised. The soldier and his interpreter must make it 400 miles in 30 hours to their extraction point in Kandahar province in the film from director Ric Roman Waugh, who has directed Butler in Along the way there will be a slew of Afghan forces trying to kill them both before they can make it home safely. Trailer: Gerard Butler plays a CIA operative trying to make it out of Afghanistan in one piece in the explosive new trailer for Kandahar Interpreter: The soldier and his interpreter must make it 400 miles in 30 hours to their extraction point in Kandahar province in the film from director Ric Roman Waugh, who has directed Butler in The trailer begins with Tom asking Roman (Travis Fimmell) why he's there, as Roman explains, 'I need you. We're gonna destroy their whole nuclear program.' The interpreter and Tom drive by a pair of men hanging from nooses as the interpreter says, 'They knew the risks, trust me.' Tom gets undercover and takes out the target, with his actions celebrated back home... though it's learned that the mission has been compromised. Tom is seen destroying maps, telling the interpreter their, 'cover is blown. We leave in 15 minutes.' They head out in a pickup truck as Roman tells them their, 'extraction point is an old CIA base in Kandahar province.' The interpreter says, 'I just want to go home,' and Tom says, 'I'll be with you,' as they encounter quite a bit of resistance. It's revealed that they have 400 miles to go in just 30 hours, as Roman explains, 'It's not the distance, it's what's in between.' Roman is heard saying, 'Whoever catches my guy will sell him to the highest bidder,' while another shot shows Tom and the interpreter approached by many soldiers. Why: The trailer begins with Tom asking Roman (Travis Fimmell) why he's there, as Roman explains, 'I need you' Roman: Roman explains, 'We're gonna destroy their whole nuclear program' Mission: Tom gets undercover and takes out the target, with his actions celebrated back home... though it's learned that the mission has been compromised Truck: They head out in a pickup truck as Roman tells them their, 'extraction point is an old CIA base in Kandahar province' With you: The interpreter says, 'I just want to go home,' and Tom says, 'I'll be with you,' as they encounter quite a bit of resistance 'Show them your hands. Do it, before they get trigger happy,' Tom says, while a woman is being interrogated though she insists she's not a spy. 'I need names,' the man says, though she says they did not get names and asks the man to believe her. The interpreter asks Tom, 'what's truly going on,' but all he'll say is, 'we're cutouts in a truly bigger game.' 'No one is coming to rescue us,' Tom says plainly before more action-packed shots are shown from the trailer. The final shots show a minefield setting off a chain reaction explosion in the desert, while Tom and the interpreter must continue on, exhausted, on foot. The film also stars Ali Fazal, Bahador Foladi, Olivia Mai-Barrett, Nina Toussaint-White and Rebecca Calder. Butler also serves as a producer alongside Basil Iwanyk, Scott LaStaiti, Christian Mercuri and Alan Siegel. Open Road Films has set the film for release in theaters nationwide on May 26. No spy: 'Show them your hands. Do it, before they get trigger happy,' Tom says, while a woman is being interrogated though she insists she's not a spy ESPO: , ... Married At First Sight's Claire Nomarhas has revealed that she once defecated on her ex-boyfriend's car. Appearing on Nova's The Fitzy and Wippa Show with Kate Richie, the bride, who was married to Jesse Burford on the show, was asked if the rumours were true that she 'took a dump' on an ex-boyfriends car. The 31-year-old kindergarten assistant laughed and admitted to the disgusting behaviour, saying that it was only 'one time'. Host Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli later clarified that apparently it wasn't even her ex boyfriend's vehicle - she claims it was her cousin's ex. He explained that he spoke to Claire at Nova's recent red carpet event and she revealed that she 'did it into a plastic bag and approached the car.' Married At First Sight's Claire Nomarhas has revealed that she went to the toilet on her ex-boyfriends car 'That's how committed she was in getting revenge on somebody,' Wippa said, while Fitzy added it was 'a lot of effort'. According to So Dramatic!, a source close to Claire previously told the publication that she 'bragged' about the incident. 'She took a s**t in her hand and wiped it on my mates windscreen handle,' they said. Claire was spotted jetting into Sydney last week with a pink and red T-shirt with the provocative feminist slogan 'dump them' 'She then bragged about it to her friends afterwards saying how this guy did dirty to her. He broke up with her, so she took a s**t and wiped it on his car.' The MAFS bride infamously cheated on her on-screen husband Jesse with another groom, Adam Seed. She was spotted jetting into Sydney late last month wearing a pink and red T-shirt with the provocative feminist slogan 'dump them'. The shirt was perhaps her way of sending a message to Jesse, after she ran into the arms of another groom when he didn't live up to her expectations. Claire was accompanied by fellow bride Sandy Jawanda, who was unsuccessfully paired on MAFS with ocean-loving oddball Dan Hunjas Claire was accompanied by fellow bride Sandy Jawanda, who was unsuccessfully paired on MAFS with ocean-loving oddball Dan Hunjas. The two women strutted through Sydney Airport looking like the ultimate girlbosses as they sported matching sparkly handbags. The twosome were in Sydney for a fan event where they will be discussing their MAFS experience alongside their fellow cast members. Despite cheating on her husband, Claire won over some viewers for her willingness to stand up for herself and encourage others to do the same. Kacey Musgraves brought along a very special lady to opening night of Broadway's new musical Shucked on Tuesday night in New York City. The Grammy Award-winner was joined by her grandmother Barbara Musgraves, who is in her 80s. She kept an arm wrapped around 'Nana' as they posed for photographers ahead of the show. Kacey, 34, looked ultra stylish in a striking snakeskin trench coat worn over a matching mock neck top. The Butterflies hitmaker belted her coat at the waist to create an hourglass silhouette. Plus one: Kacey Musgraves was joined by her grandmother Barbara Musgraves at opening night of Broadway's new musical Shucked on Tuesday night in New York City She carried a black leather purse with a chunky gold chain strap in one hand while the other rested on her hip. Kacey's silky brunette strands were styled straight and she rocked a mod-inspired graphic eyeshadow look. It was paired with a matte nude lip and luminous bronzing powder for a sun-kissed glow. The Texas native's plus one looked proud to be standing beside her famous granddaughter. Barbara got gussied up for the evening in a blue dress with a strand of pearls wrapped around her neck. Barbara famously appeared in the Kacey Musgraves Christmas Show, which aired on Amazon Prime Video in 2019. Despite having a slew of celebrity guests, including Lana Del Rey and Camila Cabello, it was Barbara who stole the show. 'This is Nana's Christmas special if you hear from her. I'm just in it,' she told the AP at a screening of the special. Sizzling: Kacey looked ultra stylish in a striking snakeskin trench coat worn over a matching mock neck top Glam: Kacey's silky brunette strands were styled straight and she rocked a mod-inspired graphic eyeshadow look Glowing: Kacey rocked a matte nude lip and applied plenty of luminous bronzing powder for a sun-kissed glow Proud grandma: Barbara got gussied up for the evening in a blue dress with a strand of pearls wrapped around her neck She admitted to the outlet that she was initially unsure if her grandmother would be comfortable in front of the camera. 'I was like, OK, this is my 80-something-year old grandmother. Is she gonna come in like, forget the lines, like, you know. She's not used to this,' Kacey said. But she ended up being a total pro. 'She came in, she gave us ad-libs, she was like giving us different inflections like she knew what to do. It was really cute.' Kacey attended Tuesday's premiere in support of her songwriting partner and fellow Grammy Award-winner Brandy Clark, who co-wrote the score for Shucked. The pair have worked together a number of times over the years - including on Kacey's breakout hit Follow Your Arrow. Shucked is a new Broadway musical comedy that follows a brave small-town girl who seeks help from the big city after the cornfields that once sealed off her small-town from the outside world suddenly die. Clark composed the show's score with Grammy Award-winning songwriter Shane McAnally. It has a book by Tony Award-winning playwright Robert Horn and fellow Tony Award-winner Jack O'Brien helmed the production. It stars John Behlmann, Kevin Cahoon, Andrew Durand, Grey Henson, Caroline Innerbichler, Ashley D. Kelley and Alex Newell. Kacey has kept a low-profile since attending the 65th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, where she performed a stunning tribute to the late Loretta Lynn. There she is! Barbara famously appeared in the Kacey Musgraves Christmas Show, which aired on Amazon Prime Video in 2019 Despite having a slew of celebrity guests, including Lana Del Rey and Camila Cabello, it was Barbara who stole the show Honor: Kacey has kept a low-profile since attending the 65th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, where she performed a stunning tribute to the late Loretta Lynn; seen on February 5 Loretta died of natural causes in October of last year at age 90. Kacey played the country legend's hit song Coal Miner's Daughter on a 1963 Epiphone acoustic guitar that was previously owned by Loretta, according to Billboard. '10 year old me singing Loretta's songs would never have imagined I'd be putting my hands right where she made magic for decades,' Kacey gushed in a tweet published just hours after she took the stage. She continued: 'Thank you to @LorettaLynn's daughters for trusting me with this moment of honor tonight. She paved my path.' Brooke Shields says Tom Cruise mysteriously stopped sending her a coconut cake every Christmas. The Manhattan native, 57, speaking to People Tuesday, said that she 'was on the list for a while' until the cakes suddenly stopped. Cruise annually sends those in his Hollywood circle the $126 bundt cake put out by Doan's Bakery in Woodland Hills, California, according to the publication. The actress and model said she 'was very happy' about receiving the cake each holiday season. 'I was on the list for a while - I had a good 10-year run, and I got the coconut cake every year,' said the actress, who has been on the promotional trail for her new Hulu doc Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields. The latest: Brooke Shields, 57, says Tom Cruise, 60, mysteriously stopped sending her a coconut cake every Christmas. The actress was pictured in NYC Tuesday Shields noted to the magazine that the cakes were initially a gift from Cruise, his ex-wife Katie Holmes, 44, and their daughter Suri, 16, and that he took the names of the latter two off the accompanying cards and slowly stopped sending the cakes. 'It was from them and Suri, so it was the three of them, and then soon it was no Suri and no Katie and just Tom,' Shields said. 'Then it went from just Tom for a while, but not every holiday. And then the cake stopped.' Cruise and Holmes - who were first romantically linked in 2005 - split in June of 2012 after five years of marriage. The last time he was publicly seen with Suri was in 2013, and a source told Dailymail.com last month that the Top Gun leading man 'has no part' in his daughter's life. Cruise and Holmes welcomed Suri on the same day in the same hospital as Shields gave birth to her second daughter Grier, with husband Chris Henchy, in April of 2006. The next year, the celeb couples hosted a joint birthday party for the children. Shields said that Cruise and Holmes 'invited us to their wedding' in Italy in November of 2006. She said, 'I was like "Hell, yes, I going,"' adding that the experience 'was extraordinary.' Shields was mentioned in Cruise's 2005 Today show interview in which he spoke about his opposition to her use of antidepressants as she dealt with postpartum depression following the birth of her child Rowan. In the infamous interview with former Today show host Matt Lauer, Cruise said of Shields' stated use of antidepressants, 'The thing that I'm saying about Brooke is that there's misinformation. Holmes, Cruise and their daughter were seen in Italy prior to the couple's wedding in November of 2006 Tom and daughter Suri were pictured with one another in June of 2012, the same month he and Holmes announced they were parting ways The former couple was seen at the 2012 Vanity Fair Oscars party, months ahead of their split The star said she hasn't a clue 'what happened' that led Cruise to stop sending the cakes, adding, 'I want to get back on that cake list' 'She doesn't understand the history of psychiatry ... she doesn't know what these drugs are, and for her to promote it is irresponsible.' Shields answered back in a July 2005 piece in The New York Times, and the issue did not impact the pair's friendship. She said she hasn't a clue 'what happened' that led Cruise to stop sending the cakes, adding: 'I want to get back on that cake list. It's the best cake - Tom, I need to be back on the cake list.' The actress has been on the promotional trail for her new Hulu doc Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields. She made headlines as the doc revealed she ran 'butt naked' from the room after losing her virginity to Superman star Dean Cain when she was 22. In the documentary, Shields said she felt 'regret' about how she first had sex with Cain, and that he was 'more comfortable with the sexual part' of their relationship than she was. The couple dated when they were both students at Princeton University, and Shields recalled how she was more interested in 'the love and the commitment' side of their relationship, and that they taught each other about one another while together. In the documentary Shields explores her complex life, which included posing nude as a young girl and being publicly sexualized in show business throughout her teens. Shields laughingly recalled her first time sleeping with Cain when she was a junior in college. 'When we finally had sex, I immediately ran out of the room, ran down the hall butt naked, just running. I didn't know where I was going,' she said 'He ran after me with the duvet and grabbed a hold of me and said, "Where are you going?" He said "I'm not going anywhere, I'm not leaving you, you're the same person." He got it immediately and I just cried. Brooke Shields with Dean Cain in 1995. The two started dating when they were in college Brooke Shields' explosive new documentary was released on Hulu April 3 in two parts 'I wanted to jump into the personal relationship and the love and the commitment,' she said in the documentary. 'We had to teach each other about each other.' She explained how she was baffled by her reaction to sex at the time, saying: 'I feel bad for that girl. 'She was old enough to own her own body for real. And just I couldn't get there at that moment.' In her 2015 memoir, There Was a Little Girl, The Real Story of My Mother and Me, Shields previously described how her reaction was spurned by her mother's possessiveness. 'I believe she wanted me to stay hers alone,' Shields wrote. 'She believed in an absolute hold she had on me and growing up, and having sex, would mean that I was leaving her.' 'It should have been what I had wished for myself, but in an instant, guilt slapped me in the face. Instead of giving in to what was a loving, and emotionally safe, relationship, and escaping into the most intimate and deserved moment, I began to cry deeply and silently and I got so overwhelmed that I jumped out of my bed.' In the two-part documentary which aired April 3, Shields explored her complicated relationship with her mother, who looked on while she was forced to seductively kiss Keith Carradine, then 27, in 1978 film Pretty Baby in which she played a prostitute at just 11-years-old. Shields said she struggled to understand how her mother Teri Shields did not intervene as she revealed her own daughters, Rowan, 19, and Grier, 16, refuse to watch it. In the documentary, the 57 year old said she felt 'regret' about how she first had sex with Cain, and that he was 'more comfortable with the sexual part' of their relationship than she was Dean Cain is pictured in his heyday Brooke Shields told how she lost her virginity to Dean Cain in her new documentary on Hulu Brooke Shields as a teenage model with and her mother Terri in New York City in 1971 The explosive new documentary Pretty Baby was released on Hulu on April 3 in two parts In the documentary, Rowan said 'It's child pornography! Would you have let us [do that] at the age of 11?' Shields replied 'No' as she was overcome with emotion. The star's mother was an alcoholic who died in 2012. Shields, an only child, said she could not be angry at her as her mother was so insecure. The actress long deflected the blame faced by her mother - who allowed Shields to pose nude for a Playboy publication at the age of 10, but Shields now admitted 'I don't know why she thought it was all right. I don't know.' The incidents weren't the first she was sexualized by the media. At 15 she shot 'Blue Lagoon,' then came 'Endless Love.' Both featured sex and nudity, while she also appeared scantily clad in a Calvin Klein denim advertisement campaign at the same age. When she was 16 and a global star, a family friend and photographer tried to sell nude photos he took of her when she was only 10. Her mother sued and the family went to court but the photographer won. Shields has been approached about documentaries before and always said no. But now with a kid going off to college, and with the encouragement of her friend Ali Wentworth and a secure feeling about her life brought on by years of therapy, Shields felt the time was right. She has recently admitted that even in her books, she wasn't telling the whole truth when it came to the nude photos of her as a child. 'It was too much for me to cop to that, really,' Shields said. 'Writing about it just broke me. It was her that I was protecting.' Sister Wives star Kody Brown's daughter Gwendlyn has accused him and his wife Robyn of overspending their money and living above their means. The 21-year-old shared a video to YouTube reacting to an episode of Sister Wives where she revealed her thoughts on her father's spending habits and how his former wives are 'better off.' In the video, she responded to a fan's question asking if her father, 54, ever made it right financially with exes Janelle and Meri Brown. 'I think that my dad and Robyn have a terrible habit of spending very crazy and, like, not within their means at all.' Gwendlyn, who is one of Kody's 17 children, then explained that her former stepmothers are 'kind of similar' to her mom Christine Brown, 50, who Kody has also split from. Speaking her mind: Sister Wives star Kody Brown's daughter Gwendlyn has accused him and his wife Robyn of overspending Big spenders: 'I think that my dad and Robyn have a terrible habit of spending very crazy and, like, not within their means at all' 'They're not gonna be salty or petty and try to take money from him even though they totally deserve it because he's been spending all of their money on whatever.' Kody's polygamous marriages with first wife Meri and second wife Janelle ended in December, more than a year after Christine left the group marriage in November 2021. Robyn is now the only one of the women who remains married to Kody after tying the knot in 2014. The TLC star then explained that Janelle, 53, and Meri, 52, will 'probably be a lot better off now that they're no longer with him, and they're no longer financially tied to him because you still make a lot of money separately.' The Northern Arizona University student hasn't held back in the past from slamming her dad's life choices in her YouTube videos. Back in February, she expressed her disapproval over her dad's decision to string along his first wife, Meri, at the end of their marriage. The beauty expressed sympathy for Meri after seeing her father publicly declare that he did not 'consider' himself married to her and would be fine with the mother-of-one moving on. 'The thing is, he is just leading her on at this point,' she said as she watched the confessional play out. Her thoughts: The 21-year-old shared a video to YouTube reacting to an episode of Sister Wives; Kody and Robyn Brown in 2014 Reactions: She also shared that she thought his ex-wives are 'better off' without him Entertaining: Gwendlyn then explained that her former stepmothers are 'kind of similar' to her mom Christine Brown Last one standing: Robyn is now the only one of the women who remains married to Kody The pair tied the knot in 2014 The reality star then shared, 'It is so unfortunate to see my dad going off on how he and Meri basically have this done relationship.' '[Meri] doesn't know that. They haven't had a conversation about it. And I think that's what's so important about what my mom [Christine Brown] did with him because she said, "We are done." She told him to his face that they were over and Kody hasn't done anything.' Gwendlyn then said it felt 'completely manipulative' of him to keep that 'information from her' as the decision trapped her in a 'loveless relationship with this false hope that it's going to be fixed.' 'How does it benefit him to stay with all of these women? Does he consider them trophies?' she wondered aloud. 'Does he consider them his path into heaven? I don't understand why he feels this humongous necessity to be with them still.' Kody met first wife, Meri, through his sister, who was a mutual friend and introduced them when she was only 19 and he was 22 Janelle entered the picture three years into their marriage, in 1993, while Christine joined the family one year after that. Kody then married his third 'spiritual wife' Robyn in 2010 - and all three of Kody's other partners have admitted in the series that if it hadn't been for Meri's willingness to enter into a polygamous marriage, none of them would have gotten with Kody. The family endured a major shakeup when Kody divorced Meri to legally marry Robyn in order to adopt the three children that she welcomed during a past relationship. While only one of his four marriages is technically official - having more than one spouse is not legal in the US - Kody, who has said it's 'God's testimony' for him to have numerous spouses, calls his other partners his 'spiritual wives.' But the family would be changed forever when Christine made the decision to leave Kody in November 2021. Meri and Janelle would follow suit as they both announced in late 2022 that they had also decided to leave the relationship. This means that Kody is now down to one wife: Robyn. All the wives: Kody's polygamous marriages with first wife Meri and second wife Janelle ended in December, more than a year after Christine left the group marriage in November 2021 Family: Gwendlyn is one of Kody's 17 children and her mom is Christine Brown, who married him in 1994 Selfie: In the past, she has not held back from slamming her dad's life choices in her YouTube videos Kody first rose to fame in 2010, on the show which documented life with his four wives, Meri, Christine, Robyn and Janelle (who was also his stepsister). It also showcased some of the many struggles that come with being married to multiple women at the same time. For over a decade, the five-some seemed to make their bizarre relationship work, living in four separate homes on the same cul-de-sac in Las Vegas, Nevada, with their joint children. However, along the way, the Mormon reality star and his four wives faced a series of problems - stemming from jealousy over who Kody liked most, and leading to bitter rivalries between the women over his attention - all of which, was put on display for the world to see throughout the 17 seasons of their show. He's used to shocking listeners with his racy breakfast radio show. But it was Kyle Sandilands who lost his cool on Wednesday as he endured a terrifying tour his namesake attraction, Kyle And Jackie O's House of Horrors, at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Sandilands visited the creepy ride on Wednesday ahead of its official launch, and footage from inside the haunted house shows the 51-year-old screaming as he's confronted with animatronic ghouls and actors dressed as monsters. One Instagram clip shows Sandilands and his producers Jaimee 'Mayo' Hassos and 'Intern' Peter Deppeler looking tense as they gingerly creep down a dark hallway. Suddenly an arm reaches out from behind a wall and grabs at Sandilands, send him jumping back and screeching in terror. Another clip shows Sandilands posing outside the house next to a group of actors dressed in spooky costumes. Kyle & Jackie O's Haunted House has been a regular installation at the Sydney Easter Show since 2016, and this year's attraction is said to be scarier than ever before. It features 13 rooms, including a replica of the KIIS studios, as well as 16 trained actors and 12 animatronics. Kyle Sandilands, 51, (pictured) screamed uncontrollably during a terrifying haunted house tour at the Sydney Royal Easter Show on Wednesday One Instagram clip shows Sandilands and his producers Jaimee 'Mayo' Hassos and 'Intern' Peter Deppeler looking tense as they gingerly creep down a dark hallway. Suddenly an arm reaches out from behind a wall and grabs at Sandilands, send him jumping back and screeching in terror This year's Sydney Royal Easter Show will also bring back the popular KIIS Eye ferris wheel. It comes after Kyle and Jackie O dominated in the latest Australian podcast rankings, climbing two spots to number one. According to the Australian Podcast Ranker results released last month, Kyle and Jackie O was downloaded 4.7 million times in February and had more than one million listeners - numbers no podcast has seen since Casefile in October 2021. Hosted by the iHeartPodcast Network, the KIIS FM show has been the number one radio catch-up podcast since records began, and is now top in all categories. Netflix has announced that Chris Hemsworth's newest film Extraction 2 will be released on the streaming service on June 16. The news comes after reports the A-lister is taking a step back from acting following his worrying health diagnosis. The 39-year-old will be taking on fewer roles after discovering he has an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's. In November, the Thor star revealed that he is between eight and ten times more likely to develop the disease than the general population as he has two copies of the gene APOE4. Despite the scary news, the Home And Away alum threw himself into the Extraction sequel, in which he reprises the character of Tyler Rake. Netflix has announced that Chris Hemsworth's newest film Extraction 2 will be released on the streaming service on June 16 In the exciting new action movie, Chris doesn't hold back as he performs his own outrageous stunts. The trailer shows the actor getting in on all the action as he throws punches, shoots down a helicopter and even gets set on fire. After barely surviving the events of the first movie, Tyler Rake is back as the Australian black ops mercenary and is tasked with another deadly mission: rescuing the battered family of a ruthless Georgian gangster from the prison where they are being held. Chris stars alongside Golshifteh Farahani, who reprises her role from the first film, as well as Adam Bessa, Olga Kurylenko, Daniel Bernhardt and Tinatin Dalakishvili. Extraction was released on the streaming giant in 2020 and became the most-watched original film in its history, reaching 99 million households in its first four weeks of release. Based on the graphic novel Cuidad by Ande Parks, the film was praised for its jam-packed fight scenes, as well as giving Rake emotional depth and backstory. He is back as Tyler Rake in Extraction 2, but Chris is reportedly taking on fewer roles after he found out that he is more at risk to developing Alzheimer's The Thor star currently has four projects in the works - including an upcoming Avengers sequel where he returns as his character Thor, and an untitled biopic about wrestling icon Hulk Hogan. However a source told Page Six his schedule is looking clear beyond these films. 'He doesn't plan to take on many roles because of [learning about his high risk for] Alzheimer's,' an insider told the the publication. The actor found out he was at greater risk of the disease after filming a confronting episode about death for his Disney+ docuseries Limitless. After having bloodwork done for the program, he was informed he is 'between eight and 10 times' likelier to develop Alzheimer's than the general population, because he is one of only two to three percent of people with two copies of the gene APOE4. The actor reacted to the news of his own predisposition to Alzheimer's by following a healthier lifestyle. Despite the scary news, the Home And Away actor threw himself into the sequel movie of Extraction, where he returned as the character Tyler Rake 'For me, the positive of it was like: "Right, if I didn't know this information, I wouldn't have made the changes I made,"' he told Vanity Fair. 'I just wasn't aware of any of it, so now I feel thankful that I have in my arsenal the sort of tools to best prepare myself and prevent things happening in that way.' As a result, Chris lives in dread of developing the illness and forgetting his wife Elsa Pataky as well as their daughter India, 10, and twin sons Sasha and Tristan, eight. 'The idea that I won't be able to remember the life I've experienced, or my wife, my kids, is probably my biggest fear,' he said. Kate Hudson shared a collection of images to her Instagram account on Tuesday. The performer donned a form-revealing yellow bikini top and a matching bottom as she posed for the camera during pool day. Hudson showed her affection for her partner, fiance Danny Fujikawa, by pretending to lick his face in one of the snaps. The actress, who was recently seen while leaving a business meeting in Los Angeles, was also seen in the company of Danny in two of the photos. The 43-year-old performer gave her nearly 17 million followers a look into her personal life in the snaps, many of which featured her daughter Rani Rose, aged four. Photoset: Kate Hudson shared a collection of images to her Instagram account on Tuesday Glimpses: The 43-year-old performer gave her nearly 17 million followers a look into her personal life in the snaps She accessorized with a pair of Pepper Eyewear sunglasses and much of her bright blonde hair shot out from underneath a black cap. The Academy Award-nominated performer also shared a photo in which she watched Fujikawa spend time with a friend. The actress also shared a shot of notes she had jotted down regarding her views on music. Hudson included numerous snaps that showed her spending time with Rani Rose. The Glass Onion actress shares her daughter with Fujikawa, whom she began seeing in 2016. The performer was previously married to Chris Robinson from 2000 until 2007, and they welcomed a son named Ryder, aged 19. She went on to begin seeing Matt Bellamy, and they brought a son named Bingham, aged 11, into their lives in 2011. Hudson and her former fiance split up in 2014, although they have since remained on friendly terms. Deep thoughts: The actress also shared a shot of notes she had jotted down regarding her views on music Happy couple: The Glass Onion actress shares her daughter with Fujikawa, whom she began seeing in 2016 Adding another: The happy couple went on to announce that the performer was pregnant in April of 2018, and she gave birth to Rani Rose that September before revealing her engagement two years later Ecstatic: Hudson spoke about coparenting with the fathers of her children during an interview with The Sunday Times, where she expressed that she was happy about having established a large family The actress eventually began seeing Fujikawa, with whom she had been friends for several years before they started dating. The happy couple went on to announce that the performer was pregnant in April of 2018, and she gave birth to Rani Rose that September before revealing her engagement two years later. Hudson spoke about coparenting with the fathers of her children during an interview with The Sunday Times, where she expressed that she was happy about having established a large family. 'It might not look traditional from the outside, but on the inside I feel like we're killing it,' she said. The performer went on to state that she had established close relationships with her kids and their respective fathers over the years. 'The unit that I've created with three children with three different fathers is a seriously strong unit,' she said. Hudson then spoke about how she had managed to embrace co-parenting with her former husband and partner. 'You can have an amazing time with an ex-partner because you're really only focused on the love of your child,' she said. On Tuesday, former child star Brooke Shields glammed up and brought her second husband Chris Henchy and their daughter Grier Hammond Henchy to the New York Academy of Art's Tribeca Ball in Manhattan. Tuesday just so happened to be the 57-year-old Holiday Harmony actress and the 59-year-old Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga producer's 22nd wedding anniversary. Brooke - who divorced first husband Andre Agassi in 1999 due to his alleged crystal meth addiction - originally met Chris in 1999 on the Warner Bros lot. Shields slipped her 6ft statuesque figure into a b&w polka dot turtleneck midi-dress, black pumps, and a red clutch selected by stylist Deborah Watson. Hairstylist Tim Nolan coiffed the native New Yorker's signature brunette mane and make-up artist Jenna Scavone brought out her bushy brows and applied her bright red pout. Family affair! On Tuesday, former child star Brooke Shields (M) glammed up and brought her second husband Chris Henchy (L) and their daughter Grier Hammond Henchy (R) to the New York Academy of Art's Tribeca Ball in Manhattan Congratulations! Tuesday just so happened to be the 57-year-old Holiday Harmony actress and the 59-year-old Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga producer's 22nd wedding anniversary Brooke kissed and embraced her youngest child - celebrating her 17th birthday on April 18 - who plans on following in her modeling footsteps. 'You know, I fought it for so long, but [Grier] is so poised and stubborn,' Shields lamented on Monday's episode of TODAY with Hoda & Jenna. 'So in a way, I was like, "Oh, she's going to be just fine." If I was worried, I don't need to, but I'm going to steer her in the right direction because it's hard work, modeling. It's really hard.' Missing from the family fun at Tuesday's benefit was the two-time Golden Globe nominee's 19-year-old daughter Rowan Francis Henchy, who's a freshman at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC. Brooke's daughters had opposite reactions to Lana Wilson's two-part documentary Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields, which premiered Monday on Hulu. 'My older one is 19, so [Rowan] was able to say, "Women need to see this,"' Shields said on TODAY. 'Grier looked at it as all the things that I kept from her. She was outraged and she was very sad. She said, "Nothing you say to me, Mom, is going to make it better." She said, "I hate seeing bad things happen to you." 'She just sobbed and ran out of the screening room. Then my husband was upset because I wasn't protecting her. I was like, "They're not interested in my life like besides having Suddenly Susan on a loop."' Still going strong! Brooke - who divorced first husband Andre Agassi in 1999 due to his alleged crystal meth addiction - originally met Chris in 1999 on the Warner Bros lot 'Downtown upscale attire': Shields slipped her 6ft statuesque figure into a b&w polka dot turtleneck midi-dress, black pumps, and a red clutch selected by stylist Deborah Watson Fierce after 50! Hairstylist Tim Nolan coiffed the native New Yorker's signature brunette mane and make-up artist Jenna Scavone brought out her bushy brows and applied her bright red pout Future catwalker! Brooke kissed and embraced her youngest child - celebrating her 17th birthday on April 18 - who plans on following in her modeling footsteps Shields lamented on Monday's episode of TODAY with Hoda & Jenna: 'I fought it for so long, but [Grier] is so poised and stubborn. So in a way, I was like, "Oh, she's going to be just fine." If I was worried, I don't need to, but I'm going to steer her in the right direction because it's hard work, modeling. It's really hard' College kid: Missing from the family fun at Tuesday's benefit was the two-time Golden Globe nominee's 19-year-old daughter Rowan Francis Henchy (L, pictured March 25), who's a freshman at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields has already scored a 'certified fresh' 91% critic approval rating (out of 32 reviews) on Rotten Tomatoes. The Princeton University grad will be spending much of April at two Anantara luxury resorts in Phuket, Thailand filming her titular role in Mark Waters' rom-com Mother of the Bride for Netflix alongside Benjamin Bratt and Miranda Cosgrove. Brooke associate produced and starred as Dr. Wright in Kelsey Bascom and Arnon Manor's upcoming comedy Quarter with Eric Roberts, Breckin Meyer, Ali Wentworth, Raven-Symone, and Mindy Sterling. Shields will also portray Daniella in Guy Jacobson's upcoming double jeopardy comedy Out of Order! with Luis Guzman, Brandon Routh, Sandra Bernhard, and Sam Huntington. '[Rowan] was able to say, "Women need to see this": Brooke's daughters had opposite reactions to Lana Wilson's two-part documentary Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields, which premiered Monday on Hulu Shields recalled on TODAY: 'Grier looked at it as all the things that I kept from her. She was outraged and she was very sad. She said, "Nothing you say to me, Mom, is going to make it better." She said, "I hate seeing bad things happen to you"' The Princeton University grad added: 'She just sobbed and ran out of the screening room. Then my husband was upset because I wasn't protecting her. I was like, "They're not interested in my life like besides having Suddenly Susan on a loop"' I'm A Celebrity is set to get steamy on Wednesday night as the campmates are filmed stripping down for a shower. In scenes set to air, Below Deck star Aesha Scott confesses to Geordie Shore's Nathan Henry that despite spending several days in the South African camp, she hasn't showered, instead making do with swimming in the waterfall near the camp. 'I haven't showered yet because I just can't be bothered,' Aesha says in a confessional. 'It's going to be my moral duty and obligation to get this girl clean,' Nathan adds. Nathan is left shocked by her lack of cleaning, and joins her for her first shower to make sure she gets properly cleaned. I'm A Celebrity is set to get steamy on Wednesday night as the campmates are filmed stripping down for a shower In scenes set to air, Below Deck star Aesha Scott confesses to Geordie Shore's Nathan Henry that despite spending several days in the South African camp, she hasn't showered, instead making do with swimming in the waterfall near the camp The pair are joined by MAFS star Domenica Calarco, who strips down naked with Aesha. Nathan joins them, but keeps his Speedos on, instructing her to wash her arms, armpits, legs and feet. 'Why?' questions Aesha, before adding, 'I genuinely think humans wash too much'. Nathan clearly disagrees and calls the pair a 'hot mess'. Nathan (right) is left shocked by Aesha's (left) lack of cleaning, and joins her for her first shower to make sure she gets properly cleaned 'I'm hot, she's a mess,' he adds. The celebrities are competing for $100,000 to be donated to their chosen charity. Aesha, 31, is the Chief Steward on Bravo's Below Deck: Down Under and Below Deck: Mediterranean. The series follows a group of young people who work aboard megayachts. The New Zealand beauty is joined by an array on Aussie stars in the camp. Among the others battling it out in the jungle are veteran presenter Kerri-Anne Kennerley, Australian Idol judge Ian 'Dicko' Dickson and actress Debra Lawrance. Joining them in the jungle is Adam Cooney, with the AFL star playing for The Cerebral Palsy Support Network. The Project's Peter Helliar said he was 'up for new challenges' after leaving the current affairs show, and is hoping to win to raise funds for Legacy. If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this story, please visit https://www.mind.org.uk/ for more information Bianca Gascoigne has revealed her pre-natal depression was so bad that at some points she 'wondered what the hell I was doing having a baby'. The adopted daughter of Paul and Sheryl Gascoigne, 36, announced she had welcomed baby girl Blake Sunshine just six weeks ago with her partner Aaron Wright, sharing a gallery of sweet snaps. The former Celebrity Big Brother star has revealed she was so disconnected with her unborn baby that she is ashamed of how she felt. As she posted up some throwback pictures of herself in white underwear which showed off her pregnancy bump, Bianca said she was depressed, overwhelmed and unsure about her future for the majority of the nine months she was pregnant. However she added that things have changed so much for her since giving birth that she now wants a second child. Worrying time: Bianca Gascoigne revealed that she 'wondered the hell what I was doing' before she gave birth to baby Blake Sunshine after suffering from pre-natal depression New parents: The glamour model, 36, welcomed baby girl Blake Sunshine just six weeks ago with her partner Aaron Wright Glamour model Bianca wrote on her Instagram page: 'My pregnancy truth...My beautiful Blake Sunshine has made my world it seems incredible she has only been here for 6 weeks, I feel like she has been here forever..' However the star then went on to reveal the torment she had been through before giving birth, adding: 'To think that when this picture was taken I was in such a different headspace. 'I'm ashamed to say at points during my pregnancy I wondered what the hell I was doing having a baby! I felt so disconnected and so down right up 'til delivery.' She said: 'I want to reach out to any expectant Mums out there going through something similar, you are not alone and things will totally change once you hold your gorgeous bundle in your arms.' Bianca said wishful thinking got her through the worst of it, explaining: 'Please believe me, I got by on the hope that his would be true whilst still harbouring serious doubts. 'It really does happen... to think during the majority of those nine months depressed, overwhelmed unsure of my future.....I want to have another!!??? 'Yes I am actually thinking towards having a second. Obviously not right now.... I am enjoying this precious time with Blake Sunshine but to be thinking ahead to a second baby??? 'You could knock me down with a Pampers! Honesty: Bianca admitted her doubts during pregnancy but shared her positive experience since giving birth Blake Sunshine: Bianca and her partner Aaron Wright have had their daughter's name illuminated in lights on her nursery wall above Blake's cot New mother: It comes after Bianca took to Instagram to share a sweet snap of her newborn baby girl 'Thank you to the amazing @staceyclarkephoto for my special pictures that I will cherish forever.' Back in January Bianca had shared that she was 'finding everything a little bit scary' as she previously opened up about her antenatal depression. Bianca got together with her partner precious metal broker Arron Wright in August 2021 and the two officially announced they were together in December 2021. The reality personality announced the news with a gallery of sweet snaps of her cradling her first born along with the name announcement. The snap revealed that Bianca and her partner Aaron Wright have had their daughter's name illuminated in lights on her nursery wall above Blake's cot. The star was wearing a white chiffon robe with feathery cuff sleeves, while she kept her look glam with perfect hair and make-up. In the caption, she wrote 'Our little Blake Sunshine.' It comes after Bianca shared that she had to take her newborn baby girl back to hospital for a blood spot screening. 'I wanted to cry when they did it!' Bianca shared that she had to take her newborn baby girl back to hospital for a blood spot screening on Saturday Adorable: Later, Bianca posted a picture of her Baby's uncle Regan taking a picture of her in a sweet dinosaur costume She took to Instagram to share a video of her latest trip to hospital with her baby, revealing her concern. The former Big Brother star wrote: 'Took the little lady to hospital to have her blood spot checks today. I wanted to cry when they did it.' Newborn blood spot screening involves taking a blood sample from a newborn's heel to find out if they have any of the nine rare health conditions. The tests can help ensure early treatment to improve newborn health and prevent disability and death. Later, Bianca posted a picture of her Baby's uncle Regan taking a picture of her in an adorable dinosaur costume. Prior to this, Bianca took to Instagram on Friday to share a sweet snap of her newborn baby girl. She gave birth to Baby B, who is her first child, at The Portland Hospital in London. News in English The Greek Shipping Hall of Fame has announced that this years annual Induction Ceremony will take place as an outdoor dinner event on the evening of Wednesday 5 July 2023 at Megaron, The Athens Concert Hall. Caroline Lowry, Director of Phoebe Media & Events Ltd, the exclusive event organiser comments: We look forward to welcoming event sponsors and their guests as well as other senior figures in Greek and international shipping to this years Induction Ceremony & Dinner to honour the Hall of Fames Inductees. The Greek Shipping Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Dinner 2023 will celebrate the industrys leadership, history, and culture during a unique evening which is recognised as Greek shippings most prestigious annual dinner event. The Induction Ceremony 2023 will feature an exciting and unique programme of content celebrating the 36 shipping greats already inducted as well as unveiling the latest Inductees - the 2022 Inductees. Greek childrens charity Hellenic Hope will again receive a donation from the event proceeds to support its work with Greek NGOs across a range of childrens projects. The Greek Shipping Hall of Fame is pleased to acknowledge the support of our event sponsors: ABS, IRI/The Marshall Islands Registry and Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co. have agreed to be Co-Lead Sponsors of the Induction Ceremony & Dinner 2023. Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS Chairman, President, and CEO comments: "ABS is a proud, long-standing partner to Greek shipping. We have worked with many of the legends of the Greek Shipping Hall of Fame and seen at first hand their incredible energy, entrepreneurial spirit, and inspirational achievements. We stand ready to support the next generation who will continue their legacy." Theo Xenakoudis, Director Worldwide Business Operations & Managing Director Greece, International Registries Inc. comments: The Greek shipping community continues to be a pioneer in sustainability, efficiency, and moving global trade. International Registries, Inc. (IRI) and the Marshall Islands Registry are privileged to celebrate the latest honourees to the Greek Shipping Hall of Fame for their spirit of innovation and advancement. Wang Qi, Chairman of Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding, comments: SWS looks forward to being in Athens this summer to attend the 2023 Greek Shipping Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Dinner. It will be a great pleasure to meet with all of our Hellenic and international industry friends to celebrate the lifetime achievements of the Hall of Fames Inductees. The ambition, dedication, and leadership of great figures from the past inspires all of us at SWS to continue to tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow. We cherish more than 20 years of close friendship with the Greek shipping community, and we remain dedicated to provide low carbon, high efficiency, smart and safe shipping solutions. Premium Sponsors confirmed to date are Cayman Islands Shipping Registry, Citi Private Bank, Moore Greece, and Optima Shipping Services. Bank Julius Baer will again enhance the Greek Shipping Hall of Fames support for Hellenic Hope. Standard sponsors so far include Anglo Eastern Ship Management, Cass Technava, China Classification Society, ClassNK, Isle of Man Ship Registry, Lloyds Register, Marichem Marigases Worldwide, Marine Tours and Seascape Marine & Trading. Air France KLM Group as our exclusive Airline Partner. The Greek Shipping Hall of Fame thanks all sponsors for their kind support. Sponsorship & General enquiries: . JavaScript . The Greek Shipping Hall of Fame resides at www.greekshippinghalloffame.org Jessie Wynter has revealed her plans to stay in the UK 'long term' and move in with her Love Island boyfriend Will Young. The reality star, 26, is a personal trainer from Tasmania and was living in Sydney, before her second stint on UK Love Island after she entering the Australian series in 2019. She has been living in Buckinghamshire on her beau's family farm since leaving the South African villa last month, but her visa expires soon. Speaking in a new interview she admitted that herself and Will are 'so happy and content' that she can't see them ever not being 'side by side.' She told OK! Magazine: 'The plan is to come back to the UK for the long term. I love it here and I haven't experienced the warmer weather yet, so I'm not going back to Australia before I get some sunshine.' Cute: Jessie Wynter, 26, has revealed her plans to stay in the UK 'long term' and move in with her Love Island boyfriend Will Young, 23 Travelling: The reality star, is a personal trainer from Tasmania and was living in Sydney, before her second stint on UK Love Island after she entering the Australian series in 2019 Jessie continued: 'This is my first time proper in the UK. It's just so weird, I was saying to Will that usually people plan it when they move to a different country but I've just kind of ended up here. I am loving the UK. It feels like home to me.' The personal trainer explained that 'sparks flew' from the second she met Will in January and they are currently 'looking at places to live' but needs to return to Australia first, to renew her UK visa. Jessie added that they are hoping to stay close to Will's family, but the commute into London is too far, so they might settle for a place in-between. 'It may seem to others that it's moving really fast, but for us, we just feel so happy and content. And we don't see us not being side by side,' she said. Earlier this week, Jessie said she will be returning to Australia as her visa runs out soon. The PT revealed she will be jetting back home to Oz in May and Will hopes he can join her Down Under, before she returns to the UK. She told The Sun: 'I am looking to go back to Australia at the end of May because I think that's when my visa is until. Will might be coming with me, which is really exciting, and then we're going to look at what other types of visas I can have when I get back over here. 'I do see myself long-term in the UK, if Will doesn't enjoy Australia too much. Everyone I know from the UK has been saying Will's going to love Australia, so I'm concerned.' Cute: She has been living in Buckinghamshire on her beau's family farm since leaving the South African villa last month, but her visa expires soon Loved-up: The persona trainer explained that 'sparks flew' from the second she met Will in January and they are currently 'looking at places to live' but needs to return to Australia first Jessie has not seen her family since January except for when her mum and sister visited her while on the show. The bombshell revealed she has been 'homesick' at times but Will and his family have been there to 'comfort' her and now she'd be 'lost without them'. Jessie continued: 'I feel if I hadn't gone back to the farm it might have been too overwhelming coming straight into a new country, the hustle and bustle. I know it's different. It's not the typical Love Island setting, but we're so happy with how it's worked out.' It comes after Will gushed about having found the love of his life on the ITV2 show and how he has big hopes for their future. He told The Mirror: 'I wouldn't be with her if I thought she wasn't marriage material. Our plan is to split our time between the UK and Tasmania.' She told OK! Magazine: 'The plan is to come back to the UK for the long term. I love it here and I haven't experienced the warmer weather yet, so I'm not going back to Australia before' Finding fame: Will and Jessie missed out on the Love Island final by one day after failing to secure the public vote Will and Jessie missed out on reaching the show's final by one day after failing to secure the public vote after all of the couples were asked to pick which pair they thought was the least compatible. But that doesn't seem to have deterred any future plans for the pair, with Will being open to travel in order to keep their relationship alive. After leaving South Africa, the sheep farmer said: 'I think it's very fair to say I would go to Australia. 'A relationship is a two-way thing. It would be unfair for me to rely on Jessie moving here 100%. Australia has always been a place I'd like to go to and travel.' Jett Kenny has showed his support for women's mental health after losing his sister Jaimi to a long battle with an eating disorder. The Aussie Ironman, 29, donned bright red lipstick in an Instagram post on Wednesday as he promoted the fundraising campaign by the Liptember Foundation. As the new ambassador for the inaugural Lip-Stick It Campaign, he encouraged his male followers to wear lipstick on May 11 in support of the women in their lives. 'As you all know, my sister Jaimi passed away a few years ago after a lengthy battle with her mental health,' he began his lengthy caption. 'What people dont know is what goes on behind the closed doors of those families, like mine, who have someone close to them struggling with their mental health.' Jett Kenny has showed his support for women's mental health after losing his sister Jaimi to a long battle with an eating disorder. Both pictured He went on to say: 'It can also be hard to know how we can best support the mental health struggles of our female friends and family.' 'Thats why, I am thrilled to announce that I am the ambassador of the inaugural Lip-Stick It Campaign - a new and Australian-first fundraising campaign by Liptember Foundation.' 'On May 11th us lads will Lip-Stick It to womens mental health issues by donning a beautiful shade of lippy to support the women in our lives - stay tuned for more.' The Aussie Ironman donned bright red lipstick in an Instagram post on Wednesday as he promoted the fundraising campaign by the Liptember Foundation Jett went on to encourage his followers to join in on the campaign and make a donation through the link in his bio. The Kenny-Curry family announced Jaimi's death on social media on September 15, 2020, one day after her passing. It was later reported that Jaimi had battled alcoholism and an eating disorder before her death at a Sunshine Coast hospital. For free and confidential support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Butterfly Foundation for eating disorder concerns on 1800 ED HOPE. ABC newsreader Loretta Lohberger was forced to endure a series of 'excruciating' technical difficulties during her 7am bulletin on Wednesday. The ABC Hobart star was the consummate professional as she dealt with a string of audio problems lasting about 10 minutes. The first two stories which included a package about former President Donald Trump's arraignment went off perfectly. However, by the time the third story was being presented which was about China's unhappiness about a government Tik-Tok ban, it started. After Loretta's introduction, the audio being played was from a story about a fundraiser after a fire at the Don River heritage rail centre in Devonport. ABC newsreader Loretta Lohberger was forced to endure a series of 'excruciating' technical difficulties during her 7am bulletin on Wednesday. Pictured Loretta made her first apologies for the problematic audio. The newsreader then attempted a story about China's response to Tik-Tok, but again the incorrect audio was played. This time a story about a Melbourne woman's $2.6 million payout for abuse in Victoria's foster care system aired. Another story about Chris Minns saw a package about Donald Trump being played to listeners, to Loretta's surprise. Another a lengthy pause, Loretta then introduced story about the Coral Princess being docked in Tasmania. The ABC Hobart star was the consummate professional as she dealt with a string of audio problems lasting about 10 minutes Yet another introduction to a story saw the package cut-off with the ABC theme as Loretta attempted again to get control of the bulletin. Eventually, the program was switched over to the Victorian bulletin while Hobart attempted to work out what was happening in the control room. Media commentator Tim Burrowes described the bulletin as 'the longest 10 minutes of radio I've heard,' on Twitter. 'The poor presenter of the ABC bulletin in Tasmania had something go wrong with the tech,' he added. ABC Hobart breakfast host Ryk Goddard returned after the break to apologise for the technical difficulties. 'Thank you, Loretta will be encouraged by all your kind messages after that bulletin,' Goddard said. 'We're working out what went on there as quickly as we can and thank you for being understanding, really appreciate it. That's what we love about local radio we're caring people here, we're not 'meanie paninis', as we would describe it in my home.' Kevin De Bruyne went for a leisurely stroll with his glamorous wife Michele Lacroix and their son Suri on Wednesday. The Manchester City player, 31, made the most of the sunny weather as he joined the beauty, also 31, in Alderley Edge, Cheshire. Michele, who is also from Belgium, seemingly went makeup free for their outing and pulled her brunette hair back into a sleek updo. The mother-of-three wore a white turtleneck jumper with a pair of charcoal leggings and chunky white trainers. She layered a long black padded jacket over the top, that she clinched in at her waist with a belt. Out and about: Kevin De Bruyne, 31, went for a leisurely stroll with his glamorous wife Michele Lacroix, also 31, and their son Suri on Wednesday Kevin opted for a low-key dark grey tracksuit consisting of a sweater and matching loose fitting bottoms. He could be seen as he pushed their youngest son, Suri, two, in a pram through the village. Kevin and Michele tied the knot back in 2016 after the Belgium international proposed under the Eiffel Tower during a romantic trip to Paris. The couple have been together since 2014 and are parents to sons Mason, six, Rome, three, and Suri. Michele often documents the couple's travels and family live on her Instagram where she boasts over 350,000 followers. The outing comes after insisted that there are higher expectations on him compared to other players in the Premier League, as he has responded to criticism over his form. The Man City midfielder has been one of the best players in the top flight over recent seasons, helping his side to four titles under Pep Guardiola. Parents: Michele, who is also from Belgium, seemingly went makeup free for their outing and pulled her brunette hair back into a sleek updo However, this campaign there have been questions over his form, with just five starts in his last nine games in all competitions - coming on as a substitute in Saturday's 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace. The Belgian international - renowned for his incredible deliveries and vision - has still managed to produce impressive numbers despite claims of a dip in form, with four goal and 12 assists in the Premier League so far. As reported by the Manchester Evening News, De Bruyne admits that while he might not be playing at his best, he has no concerns over his form. Jack Whitehall has admitted he is unsure about his path in life after losing some friends to 'rehab' while his other pals have had children. The comedian, 34, spoke about his relationship with his girlfriend Roxy Horner as he shared that they have bought a house together. He explained that although he has now 'settled down' with Roxy, 31, he is still unsure about his future plans as he hinted he has not yet decided if he wants children. Appearing on Wednesday's Capital Breakfast with Roman Kemp, Jack said he has lost friends to 'rehab' and to having 'babies' as he spoke about his own path in life. Speaking to stand-in host Will Manning, he explained: 'I've settled down, I've got a long-term partner, I've bought a house with her, we've got a dog and doing all of that stuff. Future: Jack Whitehall has admitted he is unsure about his path in life after losing some of his friends to 'rehab' while his other pals have settled down and had families 'I don't want to say [my tour] is me raging against the dying of the light [laughs] but it's giving me a sense of this man-child getting through this moment in my life, losing half my friends to rehab, half of my friends to babies and trying to find out which path I'm going to take.' Jack's new stand-up comedy tour is titled Settle Down and sees him talk about the recent big changes in his life and his struggles to settle down as an adult. A description of the show explains: 'This is my most personal show yet, with plenty of material about the big changes that have happened in my life. 'It's about my struggle to settle down gracefully. I've got a long-term partner, a ridiculous dog and am now hurtling towards middle aged without a clue. It's about a foppish man-child's crack handed attempt at adulting!' Jack has been dating Roxy for more than two years and they reside in a 17.5million, five-bedroom home in Notting Hill with their pooch Coco. His comments come after Jack revealed Roxy collapsed at the Brit Awards in 2021 while he was hosting the ceremony. The model, 31, revealed that she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes back in 2021. But before she was diagnosed, Roxy had a health scare and had to be resuscitated by paramedics. Romance: The comedian, 34, spoke about his relationship with his girlfriend Roxy Horner as he shared that they have 'settled down' and bought a house together What's next? He explained that although he has now 'settled down' with Roxy, 31, he is still unsure about his future plans as he hinted he has not yet decided if he wants children Jack told The Sun: 'We found out she had diabetes the night I was hosting the Brits. She had something called a diabetic hypo and she fainted. 'Paramedics were trying to resuscitate her and her sugar levels were spiking dangerously. What is Type 1 Diabetes? Type 1 diabetes causes the level of glucose (sugar) in your blood to become too high. It happens when your body cannot produce enough of a hormone called insulin, which controls blood glucose. You need daily injections of insulin to keep your blood glucose levels under control. Managing type 1 diabetes can take time to get used to, but you can still do all the things you enjoy. This guide is here to help. Type 1 diabetes is not linked with age or being overweight these things are linked with type 2 diabetes. Source: NHS Advertisement 'We ended up in A&E on the night of the Brits, which definitely made for a slightly different vibe of an after-party. A hypo, also called hypoglycaemia, is a low blood sugar level, and happens when the level of sugar (glucose) in blood drops too low. People who struggle with diabetes need daily injections of insulin to keep your blood glucose levels under control. A low blood sugar level can be dangerous and cause brain death if it's not treated quickly. Roxy now wears an electronic device which monitors her blood glucose level and sends a message and alarm to her and others phones when it is dangerously low. She previously admitted to having a 'rough time' with the condition as she struggled to handle her glucose levels. Opening up to her 199k Instagram followers, she explained: 'I've been having a really rough time managing my glucose levels the past few weeks, they are yo-yoing for absolutely no reason. 'I throw up when I go too high and I've had a few too many hypos for my liking lately. Back in March, Roxy praised Jack for being her 'rock' amid her Type 1 diabetes diagnosis. 'Jack's been my absolute rock, he's so lovely. He was there when I got diagnosed. My parents and my family live in Australia, so he has been my family. We're amazing,' she told The Sun. She explained to the publication how her symptoms got worse during the pandemic, pushing her to seek medical advice. Shock: His comments come after Jack revealed Roxy collapsed at the Brit Awards in 2021 while he was hosting the ceremony before being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes Health: Roxy now wears an electronic device which monitors her blood glucose level and sends a message and alarm to her and others phones when it is dangerously low 'I felt extremely tired and exhausted for a long time, I had no energy. I couldn't even go for a walk, it was draining, I felt like I was dying. I was drinking four to eight litres of water a day,' she recalled. Despite 'knowing something was really wrong' with her body and visiting the doctors on numerous occasions, Roxy was not tested for diabetes due to not fitting the criteria. The model took herself to A&E out of desperation, where she was finally diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes - which causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high. Listen to Capital Breakfast with Will Manning [in for Roman Kemp] weekdays from 06:30 10:00 and on Global Player. Tom Felton visited the Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden on Wednesday, 12 years after starring in the Harry Potter film franchise. The actor, 35, who played Draco Malfoy in all eight movies from 2001 to 2011, went to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London The Making of Harry Potter. He took to Instagram to share a picture of himself in the real life Great Hall at Hogwarts, which was used in the films. Tom captioned the snap: 'There's no place like home x' followed by a snake emoji to represent his Slytherin character. Hilariously, the picture also showed a couple taking a selfie together, dressed up as Harry Potter students. Return home: Tom Felton visited the Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden on Wednesday, 12 years after starring in the Harry Potter film franchise Iconic role: The actor, 35, who played Draco Malfoy in all eight movies from 2001 to 2011, went to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London The Making of Harry Potter Slithered in: Tom captioned the snap: 'There's no place like home x' followed by a snake emoji to represent his Slytherin character One person commented: 'Can you imagine being those two girls on the left in Slytherin scarves.... Seeing this posted and not realizing it was THE Draco Malfoy behind you?' Tom stood behind them, with the pair apparently completely unaware that the famous villain was photobombing their picture. One person commented: 'Can you imagine being those two girls on the left in Slytherin scarves.... Seeing this posted and not realizing it was THE Draco Malfoy behind you?' It comes after it was revealed that executives from Warner Bros. Discovery are currently looking to finalize deals regarding a streaming project based on the Harry Potter book series. According to Bloomberg, the upcoming show will be taken directly from J.K Rowling's seven fantasy novels, with each season set to center on a single book. The author, who recently called out an activist who burned her books, is set to retain a level of creative involvement with the upcoming project. However, she will not serve as the project's showrunner, nor will she be credited as the series' creator. Various sources spoke to the media outlet and expressed that the franchise's creator is still in early talks with producers regarding her commitment to the project. Rowling has been the subject of controversy regarding her views on issues centered on transgender people, and her comments have been criticized by many figures involved with her franchise over the past few years. When asked for comment, a spokesperson for HBO Max declined to make any public statements. The first novel in the book series, entitled Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, was released in 1997. Six further installments in the wildly popular series were later released, and the final novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, debuted in 2007. The Harry Potter film series began with the premiere of its first feature in 2001. The flick was followed by seven sequels, and the last installment in the hugely successful series debuted in 2011. A spinoff film series based on Rowling's 2001 novel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them began with the premiere of its first feature in 2016. Various video games based on the novels have been released over the years, and the settings and characters of the books have been the inspiration for various theme park attractions. In the works: Executives from Warner Bros. Discovery are currently looking to finalize deals regarding an upcoming streaming project based on the Harry Potter series of novels Big plans: According to Bloomberg , the upcoming show will be directly taken from J.K Rowling's seven fantasy novels, with each season being planned to center on a single book Staying on: The author is set to retain a level of creative involvement with the upcoming project; she is seen in 2022 Starting off strong: According to Variety, a streaming adaptation of the series entered the early development stage in 2021 According to Variety, a streaming adaptation of the series entered the early development stage in 2021. The media outlet reported that talks regarding the project had taken place for several years prior to then. Warner Bros. and HBO Max issued a statement to deny that the series was in development, although several sources suggested otherwise. The Harry Potter streaming series currently does not have a prospective release date. Gemma Collins is filming a new secret show with a host of fellow reality stars. The GC, 42, was pictured with camera crews at an Essex seaside luxury property alongside Love Island's Amber Gill, Vicky Pattison and radio DJ Nick Grimshaw earlier this week. Gemma cut a bright figure in a bright pink co-ord teamed with peep toe heels as she headed into filming with show runners. Vicky, 35, looked like she meant business in a stone coloured suit and slicked back hair, while Amber was dressed for summer in denim hotpants and a bright green blazer. Former Geordie Shore star Vicky seemed distracted as she gazed down at her phone before the cameras started rolling and was spotted chatting to her fiance Ercan Ramadan. Action! Gemma Collins is filming a new secret show with a host of fellow reality stars Reality stars: The GC, 42, was pictured with camera crews at an Essex seaside luxury property alongside Love Island's Amber Gill [left] and Vicky Pattison [right] earlier this week Elsewhere, staff could be seen carrying furniture into the property as they got ready for the cameras to roll. Not much is known about the new show, but sources say it is for Channel 4 and it will air later this year. A source told The Sun: 'It's never been done before and is completely genius - it has the potential to be legendary like Big Brother and run for years. 'Its brilliant, and viewers are going to love it.' MailOnline has contacted Channel 4 for comment. Gemma rose to fame on TOWIE before going on to become a breakout star with her own show, Diva Forever. Vicky, meanwhile, starred on Geordie Shore before going on to win I'm A Celebrity back in 2015. Amber won Love Island with Greg O'Shea but they quickly parted ways and she is now in a relationship with Arsenal player Jen Beattie. Gemma's signing comes after she was a hit on Great British Bake Off. Ready to go: Gemma cut a bright figure in a bright pink co-ord teamed with heels as she headed into filming with show runners Glamorous: Gemma was dressed to impress and her hair was style d into a big bouncy blow-dry Bright: She arrived dress in a bright blue hoodie and appeared in high spirits Couple: Vicky was spotted chatting to her fiance Ercan Ramadan She had viewers in stitches throughout the show, as she confessed a long-term crush on Paul Hollywood, and remained positive amid her baking disasters. Gemma began the show by making a pink Victoria sponge with raspberries and rose icing for her Signature Bake. She soon declared: 'I'm a genius, I'm a cooking genius'. The former TOWIE star also admitted to a crush on judge Paul Hollywood, calling him 'gorgeous' and confessed: 'He's the only reason I did the show.' Her appearance on the show comes after she made the decision to get a life-saving gene test after her mother Joan was diagnosed with breast cancer. She 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. 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'. Mysterious: Nick Grimshaw also arrived for filming. Not much is known about the new show, but sources say it is for Channel 4 and it will air later this year Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick's son Travis Bacon is in love. On Tuesday the rocker left a gushing note for his lady love Angie Alaska as he wished her a happy birthday. The 33-year-old music expert, who worked on his parents' recent film Space Oddity, also posted several images with his better half. 'Anyone can find a "partner,"' began his note. 'Not everyone finds someone who truly loves their manic, clumsy, moody, carnivorous, anxious, crazy selves unconditionally.' He ended with, 'Thank you for taking me as I am @angiealaska I love you so much. Happy birthday from me and the furry (and one weird and bald) kids.' She was seen with him as they cuddled. And she was also pictured with their pet cat. Angie responded with her own comment: 'Thank you my perfect human. I love you so much.' Loved up: Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick's son Travis Bacon is in love. On Tuesday the rocker left a gushing note for his lady love Angie Alaska as he wished her a happy birthday His famous family: The musician seen with his parents in 2017 Travis is in the heavy metal band Black Anvil and he worked with his parents on their new film Space Oddity in the music department. Space Oddity was a family affair: Kyra directed the movie, while Kevin starred in it. Also in the film are Kyle Allen, Madeline Brewer, Carrie Preston. Travis took to Instagram shortly after the film's release to talk about working on the movie: 'Music brings people together in exceptionally interesting ways. Check out @spaceodditymovie if you have a chance.' Kevin spoke to Hello about working with his son Travis. 'We've collaborated on amazing stuff because I'm a musician too,' he said, adding of his kids: 'They support us and we support them. We all work together in different kinds of capacities.' He previously also directed his daughter on 2005's Loverboy, which has Kyra as its lead. The musician added: 'We like to work together, we don't do it just because it's family, we do it because we like the work, the creative process.' Aw: The 33-year-old music expert, who worked on his parents' recent film Space Oddity, also posted several images with his better half. 'Anyone can find a "partner,"' began his note. 'Not everyone finds someone who truly loves their manic, clumsy, moody, carnivorous, anxious, crazy selves unconditionally' Fun couple: He ended with, 'Thank you for taking me as I am @angiealaska I love you so much. Happy birthday from me and the furry (and one weird and bald) kids' Their fur children: She was seen with him as they cuddled. And she was also pictured with their pet cats She replied to this love note: Angie responded with her own comment: 'Thank you my perfect human. I love you so much' He also opened up about what it's like to be directed by his own wife: 'I loved being directed by my wife She's a fantastic director. 'She has a very clear vision both with the way things look and feel,' and that what makes him the proudest is when she gives him tips and tweaks.' Travis has some pretty famous roots. His parents stand out in show business because they have stayed together for over 30 years, which is highly unusual in Hollywood. His mom's cousin is Andy Warhol favorite, model Edie Sedgwick, who died in 1971. Travis's sister is 31-year-old Sosie who was in the horror movie Smile. His grandfather is noted venture capitalist Henry Dwight Sedgwick V. Kevin is one of Hollywood's most lasting movie stars. He was in 1984's smash hit film Footloose. In 1986 came the film Quicksilver and in 1996 he was in the thriller Sleepers. Faves: His parents stand out in show business because they have stayed together for over 30 years, which is highly unusual in Hollywood; seen on March 30 in NYC He had another big film in 1988 with She's Having a Baby opposite actress Elizabeth McGovern. The 1990 horror film Tremors still has a following to this day, as does his 1990 feature Flatliners with Julia Roberts. His 1991 hit was He Said, She Said, and he had a notable role opposite Tom Cruise in 1992's A Few Good Men. Kevin played the bad guy in 1994's The River Wild with Meryl Streep which was followed by his role as Jack in Apollo 13 (1995), Sleepers (1996), Picture Perfect in 1991 with Jennifer Aniston and Wild Things with Denise Richards in 1998. Mystic River in 2003 was another standout, and he won laughs as a recurring actor on Will & Grace from 2002 until 2006. His serious work includes playing Jack Brennan in 2008's Frost/Nixon and an agent opposite Mark Wahlberg in Patriot's Day in 2016. Travis' mom is Kyra, star of TV's The Closer. For her starring role as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson on the TNT crime drama, she won a Golden Globe Award in 2007 and an Emmy Award in 2010. Dad has done well: Kevin is one of Hollywood's most lasting movie stars. He was in 1984's smash hit film Footloose. In 1986 came the film Quicksilver and in 1996 he was in the thriller Sleepers. Kevin has also been in Apollo 13 and Picture Perfect. Father and son seen in 2007 Smart mom: His mom is Kyra Sedgwick, star of TV's The Closer. For her starring role as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson on the TNT crime drama, she won a Golden Globe Award in 2007 and an Emmy Award in 2010. Seen in 2019 All stars: His sister, seen here with their parents in 2014, is Sosie Bacon who was in Smile She also had a recurring role as Madeline Wuntch on the sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Kyra has an impressive Hollywood resume as well. In 1989 she starred with Tom Cruise in the critically acclaimed Born On The 4th Of July, then starred as Ruth Bridge on Mr & Mrs Bridge the following year. She also had a starring role in 1992's hit movie Singles, and popped up in Hearts and Souls (1993), and Murder in The First (1995). In 1995 she co-starred with Julia Roberts in Something To Talk About. Next came Phenomenon in 1996 with John Travolta, and in 2000 she starred in Labor Pains. The Closer, which aired from 2005 until 2012, revived her career. After that she starred in dozens of movies like 2016's The Edge Of Seventeen and 10 Days in the Valley. Kyra's famous cousin was Edie Sedgwick, an actress and fashion model in 1960s New York City. Fame game is the name: His mom's famous cousin was Edie Sedgwick, who was an actress and fashion model in New York City. Seen in the 1960s She is known as one of Andy Warhol's superstars as she frequented his 'Factory' and hung out with his pals, like fashion designer Halston and movie icon Liza Minnelli. Edie became known as The Girl of the Year in 1965 after starring in several of Warhol's short films in the 1960s. She died in 1971. Edie's mother, Alice, was the daughter of Henry Wheeler de Forest, the president and chairman of the board of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Love Island's Tasha Ghouri has revealed that she was nearly cast in a huge movie last year. The beauty, 24, took to Twitter on Wednesday to tell how she got to the final round of dancer auditions for Greta Gerwig's Barbie film but didn't get the job. She went on to explain that filming was at the same time as her stint in the villa - where she met now-boyfriend Andrew Le Page. Barbie will star Margot Robbie as the titular character and Ryan Gosling as Ken, with Emma Mackey, Will Ferrell, Simu Liu, Michael Cera and America Ferrera also in the cast. Tasha penned in a Tweet: 'Fun fact I got to the final round of the Barbie film audition as a dancer but didn't get the job. Wow! Love Island's Tasha Ghouri has revealed that she was nearly cast in a huge movie last year Impressive: The beauty, 24, took to Twitter on Wednesday to tell how she got to the final round of dancer auditions for Greta Gerwig's Barbie film but didn't get the job Change: She went on to explain that filming was at the same time as her stint in the villa - where she met now-boyfriend Andrew Le Page 'Filming was at same time as LI, crazy how the universe works.' She also posted it above one of the Barbie Selfie Generator snaps where she wrote: 'This Barbie is a model with a superpower' - referring to her use of a cochlear implant after having been born deaf. Andrew and Tasha came fourth place in last year's series and the relationship appears to be going from strength to strength. The couple moved in together in east London two months after leaving the villa and have already discussed getting married. After years of anticipation, Greta's long-awaited Barbie film will soon be coming to life. The comedy is set to land in theaters on July 21, 2023 and the first trailer was released on Tuesday. The cast is a who's who of Hollywood powerhouses, with Will Ferrell playing the CEO of Mattel, and Helen Mirren as the narrator. Marvel star Simu Liu, Issa Rae, Michael Cera, and Kate McKinnon star as inhabitants of Barbieland, while Rhea Perlman, America Ferrera, and Alexandra Shipp are also attached to the film. Revelations: Tasha penned in a Tweet: 'Fun fact I got to the final round of the Barbie film audition as a dancer but didn't get the job. Filming was at same time as LI, crazy how the universe works' Huge names: Barbie will star Margot Robbie as the titular character and Ryan Gosling as Ken, with Emma Mackey, Will Ferrell, Simu Liu, Michael Cera and America Ferrera also in the cast Dua Lipa, who also plays one of the Barbies, will be releasing a hit written especially for the movie, MailOnline has revealed. The film is directed by Greta, who wrote the screenplay with her partner Noah Baumbach. Photos from the set of the film have been whetting the appetites of fans for over a year, and viewers got another official glimpse of what to expect in a new trailer released Tuesday. Following an initial first teaser that paid homage to Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, fans have now been given a proper look at the dazzling world of 'Barbieland'. In what appears to be a fish-out-of-water comedy, Margot's Barbie is seen having fun with Ryan's Ken in a hyper-real Barbie-inspired world - dubbed 'Barbieland' - where there are many iterations of the iconic dolls in existence. Playing on the quirky premise of what the Mattel dolls would get up to if left to their own devices, the teaser features a comical scene between Ryan and Margot about spending the night together. 'I thought I might stay over tonight,' Ryan's Ken asks Margot's Barbie. 'To do what?' she replies innocently. After a brief awkward pause he responds: 'I'm not actually sure.' However, their plastic-fantastic lives are turned upside down (quite literally) when they are seen traveling to the 'real world' in a car that spins up into the air. Will Ferrell is also seen playing the CEO of the toy company as he somehow brings his figures to life, welcoming them into civilization. Strong: Andrew and Tasha came fourth place in last year's series and the relationship appears to be going from strength to strength We're all ready! After years of anticipation, Greta's long-awaited Barbie film will soon be coming to life Hi Ken! Gosling displays his abs while channeling Barbie's love interest in new imagery from the film released on Tuesday The film is based on the fashion doll line by Mattel, where the CEO Mattell Ynon Kreiz said the company expected the Barbie product to continue growing, adding: 'We couldn't be more excited about Barbie's long-term prospects.' The Barbie brand generated over 1 billion in gross sales last year and the doll turned 64 this week, first debuting the original on March 9, 1959. Previously speaking of turning the iconic Barbie doll into a film, she told British Vogue in 2021: 'It comes with a lot of baggage!' 'And a lot of nostalgic connections. But with that come a lot of exciting ways to attack it. People generally hear "Barbie" and think, "I know what that movie is going to be," and then they hear that Greta Gerwig is writing and directing it, and theyre like, "Oh, well, maybe I dont..."' Christine Ko, 34, stopped by Good Morning America on Wednesday to discuss the third season of Dave. But before the Only Murders In The Building actress got down to business she revealed news of a more personal nature. During a recent trip to Japan, her boyfriend, producer, writer and actor Alan Yang, 39, got engaged. The Handmaid's Tale alum looked absolutely stunning in a figure-hugging red, long-sleeved boucle mini dress with silver metallic detailing at her hips and neckline. She completed the look with a pair of sky-high stiletto-heeled patent leather boots and kept her long, black hair simple and sleek. Red hot: Christine Ko, 34, stopped by Good Morning America on Wednesday to discuss the third season of Dave and to reveal she is engaged Surprise proposal: During a recent trip to Japan, her boyfriend, producer, writer and actor Alan Yang, 39, got engaged Successful couple: Yang is the creator of the AppleTV+ show Loot starring Maya Rudolph 'He proposed in Japan, that was our very first trip together and when he did it the ring box was really big, so it kind of looked like a box of chocolates, so he was just standing there and I'm thinking why are you giving me a box of chocolates,' she said. 'And then he got down on one knee and I blacked out and started fanning myself. I was totally caught off guard,' she continued. And she also revealed that her Dave co-star Gata predicted a year ago that she was about to get engaged. 'That was a year ago, and here we are,' she gushed as she held her hand up to show off her engagement ring. When she got down to dish on the upcoming third season of FX's Dave, she revealed she got to film with her dream guest star - Usher. 'Usher, that was my dream, being from Georgia. He's on one of the episodes that you'll see when we head to Atlanta and just the kindest, nicest man in the world,' she said. 'And I was all if we could just do a scene together I'd be so happy and we do and we dance together.' She also met Justin Bieber when he was on an episode of Dave too, revealing that she appeared in his music video of Hold On just from being on the show. The ring! She wore the ring on March 10, but did not share the happy news until Wednesday Put a ring on it: But before the Only Murders in the Building actress got down to business she revealed news of a more personal nature Dreams come true: 'You never know, dreams come true and which is exactly what the show is. It's just a fun comedy about a guy having his dreams come true' 'You never know, dreams come true and which is exactly what the show is. It's just a fun comedy about a guy having his dreams come true.' Season three of Dave premieres on April 5 on FX and streams on FX on Hulu. Christine's career is red hot at the moment and her fiance is no slouch either. Yang was a writer and producer for the Parks and Recreation, which garnered him his first Emmy nomination. He also wrote for The Good Place. He also co-created the Netflix series Master of None with Aziz Ansari. The series was awarded the prestigious Peabody Award, and won an Emmy in 2016 for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for Master of None. He went on to created the Amazon Prime series Forever, starring Fred Armisen and Maya Rudolph in 2018. Yang also created the series Little America for AppleTV+ which he described as 'like Black Mirror, but instead of being super-dark sci-fi stories, it is immigrant stories.' Currently Yang is the co-creator and showrunner for the AppleTV+ series Loot, starring Maya Rudolph and Adam Scott. Lukas Gage and Chris Appleton are rumored to be secretly engaged just days after being seen sharing PDA in New York City. The 27-year-old The White Lotus star and 39-year-old hairstylist of Kim Kardashian are not ready to tell the public the happy news yet but have told close confidants according to an UsWeekly source on Wednesday. The insider told the publication: 'Theyre not telling the public yet, but they have told friends they are engaged. 'They got engaged before they even had rings and then went to pick them out together.' Though it may seem like the two got engaged rather quickly as they only confirmed their romance last month, those around them are excited about the news. 'Theyre not telling the public yet, but they have told friends they are engaged': Lukas Gage and Chris Appleton are 'secretly engaged' according to a source for UsWeekly on Wednesday; the handsome couple are pictured in LA last month The source explained: 'Friends think they are a great couple. Even though they moved very quickly, everyone around them is very excited about their relationship.' Just last week Gage raved about his new relationship with the hairdresser for the stars, Chris Appleton, while on Today in New York City on Monday, March 27. The actor addressed the speculation surrounding his relationship with Kim Kardashian's hairstylist and confirmed that the two are dating. He shared with the hosts of the show that he is 'very much in love' with his new beau after the pair seemingly confirmed their relationship via several Instagram posts last month. After receiving a comment about his 'phenomenal' hair and being asked what Appleton felt about it, the actor joked, 'I think this mane needed to be tamed.' The You star then continued the joke by saying: 'I also needed to be tamed.' Lukas then took on a more serious tone to share his true feelings about his relationship with Appleton. 'I feel very happy, very lucky, and very much in love,' Lukas expressed as photos of the pair then popped up on the screen. He's in love: Just last week Gage raved about his new relationship with the hairdresser for the stars, Chris Appleton, while on Today in New York City on Monday, March 27 He's in love: The White Lotus actor had addressed the speculation surrounding his relationship with Kim Kardashian 's infamous hairstylist; seen at the Fashion Trust U.S. Awards 2023 He added: 'Hes a good-looking man. Theres something about being in London. I think I got a taste of the Brits andI couldn't help myself.' After he enjoyed looking at several more photos of himself and the hair professional, he said: 'We have fun together. We go on adventures, and it's the best.' While on Today, the actor also talked a bit about his newest role as Adam, a social climber on the fourth season of the hit Netflix show You. 'It's bonkers. This show is completely bonkers. My character is bonkers. He is full of secrets, and it's such a thrill to be a part of a show that's just so fun and crazy.' He then revealed that he had originally auditioned for the lead role of the show back in its beginnings as the titular character Joe, who is played by Penn Badgley. 'I auditioned for pretty much every character in every season and did not get it,' Lukas shared while laughing. 'Persistence pays off, guys,' the actor said, having finally been cast in the newest season of the thriller. Back in February, Lukas and Chris seemed to confirm their relationship after they posted a slew of photos on their personal Instagram accounts while on vacation together. Chatty: He shared with the hosts of the show that he is 'very much in love' with his new beau Hair stuff: After receiving a comment about his 'phenomenal' hair and being asked what Appleton felt about it, the actor joked that 'I think this mane needed to be tamed' Acting: The actor also talked a bit about his newest role as Adam, a social climber on the fourth season of the hit Netflix show You Cute: 'I feel very happy, very lucky, and very much in love' They enjoyed each other's company as they took a vacation to Punta de Mita, Mexico, at The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort. In a series of photos, the men were seen riding a four-wheeler on a trail, with both donning helmets, bandanas, and goggles on the outdoor excursion. Gage captioned the post in Spanish, 'la mejor' - which translates in English to 'the best' - and tagged the resort in the post. Appleton shared the same pictures, captioning the post 'Joyride,' and an extra one of both enjoying an outing on the shore while standing in the Pacific Ocean. The hairstylist has worked with notable names such as Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, and Ariana Grande, with his work appearing in publications such as Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, and Vanity Fair. Lukas has films on tap, including Down Low, Road House, and Parachute. He compared navigating his Hollywood career with his love life in an interview for The Hollywood Reporter earlier in February. Officially official: Lukas and Chris seemed to confirm their relationship after they posted a slew of photos on their personal Instagram accounts Vacation time: They enjoyed each other's company as they took a vacation to Punta de Mita, Mexico, at The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort Couple things: The men were seen riding a four-wheeler on a trail, with both donning helmets, bandanas, and goggles on the outdoor excursion You: He also then revealed that he had originally auditioned for the lead role of the show back in its beginnings as the titular character Joe, who is played by Penn Badgley; (L to R) Penn Bedgley as Joe, Lukas Gage as Adam 'I do think everything works out the way its supposed to, but I wasnt always able to see that,' he said. 'Im getting better at it every year. The older I get, the more I realize I have no control over anything. 'Its kind of like dating - when youre seeking a partner, you never find somebody. People can feel that youre trying too hard.' Gage said that 'the best thing to do in this industry is to build a full life outside of your work and have your work be just a part of that life.' He added: 'This is an accessory to my happiness, not the source of my happiness.' Sam Thompson joked he 'looked like a dad' as he struggled to cope with the hot weather in the Maldives. The former Made In Chelsea star, 30, shared a comparison photo of himself hiding in the shade with a straw hat on, while his girlfriend Zara McDermott sunbathed on a lilo on Instagram on Wednesday. Zara, 26, sported a golden tan as she lay on her front in a cheeky spotty bikini to soak up the sun, but unfortunately for Sam he had to retreat to the shade. A few days prior, Sam revealed he had got sunburnt after Zara didn't apply enough suncream and so was having to stay out of the sunshine. Posing in his blue board shorts, Sam wrote: 'Good morning from the Maldives. I look like a dad', before he then uploaded a photo of Zara with the caption: 'Some people can do this...' Sunburnt: Sam Thompson joked he 'looked like a dad' as he struggled to cope with the hot weather in the Maldives He then shared a photo with sunglasses on in the shade with a towel covering his chest. Sam wrote: 'Others have to do this. How does she not burn?' The couple have jetted to the Maldives after an amazing trip on safari in Africa. Zara looked sensational as she took to Instagram to share some snaps on Tuesday. The former Love Island star gave fans a glimpse at her toned stomach as she wore a pink floral print crop top with a plunging neckline. She had on a matching skirt which reach down to her ankles and featured a thigh-high split at the side. The ensemble perfectly showed off her hourglass figure and she sported a glowing tan as she posed on the beach at sunset. Reality star Zara stood barefoot on the white sand and held her arms up behind her head. Golden: The former Made In Chelsea star, 30, shared a comparison photo of himself hiding in the shade with a straw hat on, while his girlfriend Zara McDermott sunbathed on a lilo Whoops: A few days prior, Sam revealed he had got sunburnt after Zara didn't apply enough suncream and so was having to stay out of the sunshine Stunning: Zara looked sensational as she took to Instagram to share some snaps on Tuesday Holiday mode: The former Love Island star gave fans a glimpse at her toned stomach as she wore a pink floral print crop top with a plunging neckline She accessorised with a pair of hoop earrings and wore lashings of make-up to highlight her pretty features. Zara captioned her post: 'Memories to last a lifetime.' It comes after Zara insisted she doesn't feel any pressure to take the next step with Sam Thompson. She also insisted that women can be 'more than a wife and a mother' as she discussed being asked about potential engagement plans. Zara added that she understands the interest in how her relationship with Made In Chelsea's Sam is progressing. But, the reality star explained how she's focused on 'building a bigger narrative' of how she wants her life to go, that exists outside of the traditional role of a woman. Zara also insisted that she and Sam have a 'very normal relationship,' and create their funny online videos as a hobby they can enjoy together. She told the Mirror: 'I think we've been together too long now to feel any kind of pressure, I was thinking back to my relationships before Love Island, it's very different. 'Everything is private, nobody knows anything about what you're doing and all of a sudden, it's this weird paradox life where everything is online all the time but we both really enjoy it. So for us, there's no pressure at all. She said: 'I think nowadays, we're in the 21st Century, we can be more than a wife and more than a mother. I'm all about empowering women to be exactly who they want to be and not feeling any kind of pressure. 'We don't live in a world where we need to be traditional anymore, I wouldn't say I get fed up with it but I understand it.' Zara and Sam have been together since 2019. Tom Daley shared a first look at his new baby boy in a sweet gallery of images on Instagram on Wednesday. The post came just hours after it was revealed the Olympic diving champ and his husband Dustin Lance Black have welcomed their second child via surrogate - and the baby has a very unusual name. Tom, 28, wrote: 'Phoenix Rose Black-Daley. Our family has grown in the last week, we welcomed Phoenix to the world on 28/03/23 and hes just perfect. 'Robbie is loving being a BIG BRO!' Phoenix was dressed in a cardigan, knitted by Tom, which had a heart motif on the back and Robbie could be seen tenderly giving the baby a kiss on his forehead. Tom Daley shares first look at baby boy! Olympic diving champ showed off 'perfect' newborn Phoenix Rose on Instagram on Wednesday, hours after he and husband Dustin Lance Black announced they had welcomed their second child via surrogate Happy: Tom looked every inch the proud father as he cuddled the baby who was kitted out in a cardigan which had been lovingly knitted by the sportsman Happy time: Tom accompanied the images with these sweet words in the caption Tom and his husband, 48, shared their surprise baby news earlier in the day, having not previously revealing they were expecting another child. The news was revealed in The Times with an announcement that their second son, Phoenix Rose, was born on March 28 via surrogate. It read: 'Black-Daley on 28th March to Thomas Robert Daley and Dustin Lance Black, a son, Phoenix Rose.' The couple welcomed their first child together, a son called Robert Ray, via surrogacy on June 27, 2018, after announcing in February the same year that they were expecting. They named their first child after Tom's late father Robert, who died of a brain tumour in May 2011 aged 40. The couple, who married in 2017, decided to go through the surrogacy process in the US, with Tom previously explaining how in the UK surrogates and parents are not afforded the same legal rights. He said: 'We looked into it in the UK and in the US. In the UK it's a lot more complicated because surrogates aren't as well protected legally, intended parents aren't protected legally, it's just not safe, there's a lot of hurdles to have to jump over. 'In the US, everything is regulated in a way that keeps everyone safe and in the US the surrogacy process is a lot more streamlined.' Tom previously revealed that he and American screenwriter Lance were drawn to surrogacy when they decided to have a child as they wanted to continue their family lineage. Overjoyed: Tom and his husband, 48, shared their surprise baby news on the morning of April 5. They are pictured with their first child Robert Ray Surprise news: The announcement was revealed in The Times Family: The couple, who married in 2017, welcomed their first child together, a son called Robert Ray, via surrogacy on June 27, 2018 Speaking to Giovanna Fletcher on her Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast in May 2022, Tom said: 'Lance and I [] had lost so many people in our families and there was something about surrogacy that we were drawn to that just meant that we could pass on the people that we'd lost, their genes and their thoughts, their feelings, their personalities and being able to bring someone into the world, that felt so extremely special.' Tom previously explained they both provided sperm to fertilise their surrogate's eggs, but did not wish to know who the biological father of their first child is. Hinting at the possibility of having another child, he told The Times in 2020: 'We found an egg donor and we are the sperm donors, we have fertilised half the eggs each. 'We put in a boy embryo and a girl embryo and we don't know whose is whose. The next time we will do it the other way around.' Tom also opened up about the complications around having children as same sex parents as he revealed his worries that came when he first realised that he was gay. He said: 'Once I started to realise that I was gay, it was like, how am I going to have children in the future? What does this look like for me? What are the options? 'Having to figure out exactly how that was going to work, looking down the routes of adoption, surrogacy and all of those different things.' In October 2021, Tom said he hoped to have more children with Lance, who is 20 years his senior, because he wanted their son Robert, now five, to have siblings. Speaking to The Guardian, he shared his desire but admitted that it's trickier for same-sex couples. 'It's not quite as easy as a bottle of wine and a good time. A lot of thought has to go into it,' he said. 'But absolutely, I'd love more kids.' Asked about the 20-year age-gap between the couple, Tom said that he barely notices it. Surrogacy: Tom previously revealed that he and Lance were drawn to surrogacy when they decided to have a child as they wanted to continue their family lineage Loved-up: Tom and filmmaker Lance, who started dating ten years ago, married at Bovey Castle in Devon in May 2016 He said: 'If anything, Lance is very much the big kid in the house. I consider myself to be an older soul, hence I have nearly 200 houseplants, and I knit, and I like to be able to have conversations with people who have experienced a similar amount as I have. 'That's where Lance and I connected a lot he had lost his brother, I'd lost my dad, and then he lost his mum. 'We'd also experienced the highs of a career and having that comedown afterwards. That was something we really were able to connect on.' Tom and Lance, who started dating ten years ago, married at Bovey Castle in Devon in May 2016. 365 Days star Anna-Maria Sieklucka has been cast alongside Charlotte Kirk in the Hollywood erotic thriller, Compulsion. The Polish actress, 30, the breakout star of hit Netflix franchise 365 Days, 365 Days: This Day and The Next 365 Days, will take a lead role in the project, overseen by Game Of Thrones director Neil Marshall. She will play Evie, a seemingly innocent young woman with a troubled past and a dark secret, MailOnline has exclusively learned. Charlotte - an award winning actress, writer and producer - co-stars as Diana, a flamboyant and ruthless thief. The Kent-native is best known for The Lair and Oceans Eight and is soon to be headlining with her latest action flick Duchess, due for release later this year. EXCLUSIVE: The star of a HUGE Netflix franchise has been cast in a Hollywood erotic thriller - where she'll work with Lizzie Cundy, Charlotte Kirk AND a Game Of Thrones director The original script is written by her fiance Neil, best known for classic genre movies Dog Soldiers, The Descent and Centurion along with epic Netflix series Lost In Space and episodes of HBO's Westworld. Compulsion is inspired by the erotic, box-office-hit thrillers from the 80's and 90s such as Fatal Attraction, Basic Instinct and Single White Female, centering around the dynamically twisted relationship between the two women. Both become embroiled in a series of horrific murders on the island of Malta. Neil described the film as 'Cat-&-Cat thriller' paying homage to elements of Italian Giallo cinema and Hitchcock suspense. Starring alongside the leading ladies is Zach McGowan, known for his roles in Dracula Untold, Shameless and Black Sails, Giulia Gorietti from Suburra and Solo per amore Also starring is cult Italian actress Cinzia Monreale, star of horror classics The Beyond and Dark Signal. Harvey Dean, star of Sea Dragon and more recently, Duchess, will also take a lead role. Compulsion is being produced by Kristyna Sellnerova for Kristyna Sellnerova Ltd with executive producer Emily Corcoran in association with Cork Films, on their second collaborative production after Neil and Charlotte's feature film, Duchess. The picture is shooting entirely on location in Malta over the period of April and May with local production servicing company, DO Productions Malta, headed up by Andre Loggenberg. Exciting: Polish actress Anna-Maria Sieklucka, 30, is the breakout star of hit Netflix franchise 365 Days, 365 Days: This Day and The Next 365 Days Talented: Charlotte - an award winning actress, writer and producer - co-stars as Diana, a flamboyant and ruthless thief (pictured in January 2023) Dream team! The original script is written by Charlotte's fiance Neil, best known for classic genre movies Dog Soldiers, The Descent and Centurion It is being financed in conjunction with the Malta film cash rebate incentive with Media Finance Capital providing debt, a post deal with M2 Mediapost and private equity investors. Charlotte previously told MailOnline: 'Compulsion is my fourth feature film collaboration with Neil. We work well together and make great movies winning countless awards. 'The Reckoning was critically-acclaimed and Duchess, a gritty gangster movie, is now in post production and will be hitting the cinema screens later this year. 'Compulsion is a dark psychological thriller featuring two female protagonists. It will certainly keep you on the edge of your seat! 'I play Kimberly Diana - this is a hot steamy thriller - action packed and full of twists and turns not just in the bedroom. 'Lizzie is going to do an amazing job, playing the owner of the Burlesque club. Shes got legs that go on forever to start with - and she can act! The part was made for her. 'This movie certainly has undertones of Alfred Hitchcock running through its veins, with a nod to the classic 80s erotic thrillers, Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct. 'Watch out for our famous face... a blonde bombshell has been cast and she's going to make Sharons iconic scene look tame!' Coronation Street viewers couldn't believe their ears after Mary Taylor told a very X-rated story during Wednesday's episode. The beloved florist (played by Patti Clare) left fans of the ITV soap in shock as she recounted a filthy tale from her youth to Brian Packham (Peter Gunn). It all began when the headteacher revealed he'd found a cousin who lives in Italy and that he had plans to visit her. He'd asked Mary if she could help make the trip happen, hoping she would offer to run The Kabin, a newsagents, during his absence. But she'd misinterpreted Brian's request and thought he'd invited her to come along. 'I can't un-hear it!' Coronation Street viewers couldn't believe their ears after Mary Taylor told a very X-rated story during Wednesday's episode What?! The beloved florist (played by Patti Clare) left fans of the ITV soap in shock as she recounted a filthy tale from her youth to Brian Packham (Peter Gunn) 'Oh how lovely,' Mary said, 'You know I passed through there once many moons ago when I was young, care-free and full of spunk. 'In fact there was a memorable afternoon by the Castel Nuovo with an ice cream vendor. 'Sadly I've forgotten his name now but I'll never forget the colour of his eyes or indeed the taste of his frutti di scusa.' While Brian told her it was a 'very moving story', audiences at home were left aghast at her confession, taking to Twitter to share their disgust. One wrote, 'Bloody hell mary. Full of #spunk ??? #coronationstreet #ITV #share #viral,' while another added, '@itvcorrie I can't un-hear Mary's line #Corrie.' A third penned, 'Mary travelling through Naples full of spunk. What an image #Corrie,' with another asking, '@itvcorrie Did Mary just say she was full of spunk?!' Someone else concluded, 'Did she... Did she just say she was full of spunk? #Corrie.' During the previous episode, Corrie viewers claimed they already know how Aaron Sandford will pay for his crimes, amid his distressing rape storyline. Hilarious: Audiences at home were left aghast at her confession, taking to Twitter to share their disgust Aaron (played by James Craven) sexually abused Amy Barlow (Elle Mulvaney) in a previous episode, but she soon opened up to her mother Tracy (Kate Ford). During Monday's installment of the ITV soap, Tracy designed her own rape awareness posters and plastered them all over town. An appalled Aaron was left outraged and tore several of the signs down, causing Peter (Chris Gascoyne) to come to the conclusion that Aaron was guilty. When Mary (Patti Clare) found a flyer on the florist printer, a furious Peter told Steve and Tracy, which left Amy anxious that others knew about the incident. She soon opened up to her uncle Peter about what happened. Fans soon rushed to Twitter, where they claimed Peter will 'sort out' Aaron, with one even hinting at murder. One viewer wrote: 'Aaron will end up in boot of Peter's car like Billy the Vicar #Corrie,' while another added, 'Peter is gonna knock Aaron clean out #Corrie.' A third penned, 'Peter needs to team up with Tracy to get rid of Aaron #corrie,' to which someone else responded, 'I feel like everyone on that street is going to know maybe someone will murder him.' One more concluded, '#Corrie Peter Barlow will sort Aaron out.' The Rape Crisis national freephone helpline is available on 0808 802 9999 (12 to 2.30pm and 7 to 9.30pm every day of the year). Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX. Ariana Madix is learning just how brutal heartbreak can be after learning her partner of nine years had been having an affair with a mutual friend. Fellow Vanderpump Rules star Lala Kent, 32, recalled seeing Ariana, 37, for the first time after Tom Sandoval's affair with Raquel Leviss, 28, came to light. The star, who underwent a similar heartbreak after her ex-fiance Randall Emmett was accused of cheating on her, said the situation made Ariana understand Lala's own post-breakup weight loss. 'When I saw Ariana for the first time since all this happened, she said to me, "It now makes sense how you lost so much weight. It is a different kind of pain,"' Lala said on her podcast, Give Them Lala. 'Its a gut-wrenching sadness that you cant explain,' she said. 'Its a gut-wrenching sadness that you cant explain': Ariana Madix is learning just how brutal heartbreak can be after learning her partner of nine years had been having an affair with a mutual friend; Madix pictured returning to her home in Los Angeles on Wednesday Ariana had been dating Tom for nearly a decade, and the couple had even purchased a home together during their relationship. Despite the betrayal, Ariana and Tom continue to live under the same roof. 'Sandoval won't leave the house. I don't know if he will now, but for a very long time he was like, "I plan on being here all week and I plan on using every room in the house,"' Lala claimed. She noted her friend no longer had a 'safe' space to 'recharge' from the affair. Right now, both Ariana and Tom are still living in the five bedroom, five-and-a-half bath home in Valley Village, according to TMZ. The outlet reports both Ariana and Tom, 39, co-own the house which they paid $2.075 million for in 2019. Both parties are not always at the house at the same time. Raquel was recently seen at the house saying goodbye to Tom before he visited family in St. Louis. 'It now makes sense': The star, who underwent a similar heartbreak after her fiance Randall Emmett had been allegedly unfaithful to her, said Ariana understood how she was able to lose 'so much weight' after the break-up A house divided: Madix still lives at the house she shares with her ex Tom Ariana was reportedly in Washington state shooting a film. Her IMDB page lists a film called Buying Back My Daughter as being in production. She is co-starring with Meagan Good, Roger Cross and Faith Wright in the story of a mother fighting to find her missing daughter after she discovers the teen is being trafficked on a prostitution website. Now that the news of the Scandoval is out in the open, many Vanderpump Rules stars are looking back and seem to be recalling signs that there was trouble brewing. Alum Brittany Cartwright told Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live 'There were times whenever we went to certain events when [Tom and Raquel] came together and I was like, "This is kind of odd."' Homeowners: Both Ariana and Tom, 39, are said co-own the house for which they paid $2.075 million for in 2019 (Pictured in Santa Monica in June 2022) Movie: Ariana was reportedly in Washington state shooting a film called Buying Back My Daughter. She is co-starring with Meagan Good in the story of a mother fighting to find her missing daughter who is being trafficked on a sex website (Pictured in Los Angeles in March 2022) Out of town: Tom is reportedly out of town and visiting family in St. Louis Influenced: Vanderpump Rules alum Jax Taylor told Andy Cohen he thought Tom focused on Raquel because she is 'easily influenced' and 'can be controlled.' LaLa Kent told Jeff Lewis on Sirius XM, 'If Raquel were not dear friends with Ariana, I would say that Tom groomed her' (Pictured in New York in October 2022) She said she thought, 'Tom Sandoval makes friends, like, really fast with different people, so I was, like, maybe theyre just close friends right now.' Brittany's husband, Jax Taylor expressed his opinion that the restaurateur focused on Raquel because she is 'easily influenced' and 'can be controlled.' Lala Kent referred to something similar on the Jeff Lewis show on Sirius XM, saying, 'If Raquel were not dear friends with Ariana, I would say that Tom groomed her.' Beauty guru Zoe Foster-Blake has fled Sydney with her husband Hamish Blake and their two young children as the Australian beauty company that owns her Go-To skincare brand collapsed. The embattled entrepreneur, 42, revealed on Wednesday she had whisked her family away to the New South Wales Southern Highlands for a trip to her childhood hometown of Bundanoon. Posting to Instagram, the author shared photos of her family attending Bundanoon's annual Scottish-themed festival Brigadoon, as well as paying a visit to Zoe's quaint childhood home. In her caption, Zoe explained that she was proud to introduce her son Sonny, eight, and daughter Rudy, five, to a slice of her past. 'Once a year the town I grew up in (Bundanoon) goes tuutally Scottush (Brigadoon) and I thought it was time my wee ones saw the majesty of this highland gathering,' the cosmetics queen wrote. Beauty guru Zoe Foster-Blake, 42, has fled Sydney with her husband Hamish Blake and their two young children, a day after the Australian beauty company that owns her Go-To skincare brand collapsed. (Zoe is pictured at her childhood family home on Wednesday) 'Can you believe they loved the haggis?!? Don't. They didn't,' she added, referring to a popular Scottish pudding. Zoe also included a childhood photo of herself participating in a Brigadoon parade, wearing eye makeup. 'Last pic is me leading the school contingent of the Brigadoon parade, circa 1989. I am wearing winged eyeliner. Why?' she wrote. The embattled entrepreneur revealed on Wednesday that she'd whisked her family away to the New South Wales Southern Highlands for a trip to her childhood hometown of Bundanoon. (Pictured: Hamish and their children Sonny, eight, and daughter Rudy, five, attending Bundanoon) Zoe also included this childhood photo of herself participating in a Brigadoon parade, wearing eye makeup In her caption, Zoe explained that she was proud to introduce her kids to a slice of her past. (Pictured: A reveler at Brigadoon) As Zoe was busy enjoying a relaxing getaway, the directors of cosmetics business BWX were busy scrambling to find a buyer for her Go-To brand. BWX, a publicly listed company that owns labels including Sukin and a controlling stake in Go-To, was placed into voluntary administration on Monday. In an ASX statement released Tuesday, the company said it had appointed FTI Consulting as administrators, but that Go To was being sold off separately. 'The directors have been actively working to find a compatible buyer for BWX's 50.1 per cent shareholding in Go-To,' the statement said. As Zoe was busy enjoying a relaxing getaway, the directors of cosmetics business BWX were busy scrambling to find a buyer for her Go-To brand. Zoe and Hamish pictured in November 2022 'The administrators intend to continue this sales process.' BWX had breached debt covenants with its lender Commonwealth Bank since November. The bank extended a waiver until March 31, but BWX announced on Monday a new refinancing agreement with the CBA could not be achieved. Zoe founded Go To in 2014 and sold a majority stake in the company to BWX in 2021 in a multi-million dollar windfall 'In light of recent communications from the company's lender, the Company's board is considering how to best protect the interests of the company and the group as a whole in the absence of an agreed refinancing,' the company said in a statement to the ASX. BWX suffered losses of $335million in the 2022 financial year, when mining magnate Andrew Forrest stepped in to bail the company out. The company on Tuesday insisted Go To was a self-contained and healthy business, and they were confident of finding a buyer. Zoe can exercise a put option included in the initial deal to offload her remaining stock in Go To in 2024 'Go-To is run and managed independent of BWX, with a wholly separate treasury function as well as separate cash flow management including accounts payable.' It added Go-To does not share manufacturing or development capabilities with BWX, and sales and retail partners was handled by its own team. BWX bought its controlling stake in Go-To for $89million in 2021. The initial deal included an option for the remaining shares to be sold to BWX in 2024 for an estimated $59.2million. BWX said a 'range of issues' had affected the company's financials, including 'destocking, inventory and working capital issues'. Zoe's company distanced itself from BWX in an earlier statement The company previously said in June 2022 it had discontinued its practice of 'investment buys' in which more stock is sold to retailers than there is demand for. It's understood new cashflows for BWX became a problem as retailers offloaded their backed-up stock. Zoe's company distanced itself from BWX in an earlier statement. 'Go-To operates as an independent entity, managing its own treasury, formulations, manufacturing and retailer relationships, ' the brand said. 'We have an independent Sydney-based team led by our CEO, Brad Dransfield, and no financial, manufacturing or supplier affiliations with BWX.' 'The Go-To business is in a strong position with year-to-date performance seeing double-digit growth.' Go-To launched in Europe recently via the German cosmetic chain Douglas. Tamera Mowry-Housley got emotional while learning the history of her enslaved ancestors on a new episode of Finding Your Roots on PBS. The Sister, Sister star, 44 - who is of mixed race, with a father of European descent and a mother from the Bahamas - learned that an ancestor on her mother's side was an enslaved field laborer. The mother-of-two was emotional and shed tears as she found out that Margaret Rolle, born in 1825, was listed as a slave on an official document at the young age of nine. 'You want to protect them, you want them to keep that innocence. But for Margaret, that did not exist,' Tamera - who previously defended her husband Adam Housley against accusations of being a racist - told host Henry Louis Gates Jr. 'This is what's crazy about being biracial. I have blood that started it and then I have blood that was enslaved by it,' the actress later added. Difficult history: Tamera Mowry-Housley, 44, got emotional while learning the history of her enslaved ancestors on a new episode of Finding Your Roots on PBS Emotional: The actress - who is of mixed race, with a father of European descent and a mother from the Bahamas - learned that an ancestor on her mother's side was an enslaved field laborer Though slavery was abolished in the British empire when Margaret was 9, there was a period of four years where formerly enslaved people had to work for former owners without pay. Due to that period, Rolle was not fully free until she was 13-years-old, according to the documents presented on the show. 'What do you think Margaret wouldve made of you?' Gates asked Tamera, which made her tear up. 'Shed be proud,' she replied after a long reflective pause. 'Oh, no question, she would be proud,' Gates concurred. 'But you just feel sad that she had to go through that as a child. I wonder what she went through to escape her current situation.' She then pondered how her ancestor handled her circumstances, and how she felt upon being finally freed. 'Then, to finally be free ... and what that felt like, that first breath.' Touching: The mother-of-two was emotional and shed tears as she learned that Margaret Rolle - born in 1825 - was listed as a slave on an official document at the young age of nine Protective: 'You want to protect them, you want them to keep that innocence. But for Margaret, that did not exist,' she told host Henry Louis Gates Jr Historical: She also learned that several of her family members appeared to have been involved in a historical event called Pompeys Revolt Identity: 'This is whats crazy about being biracial. I have blood that started it and then I have blood that was enslaved by it,' the actress added She also learned that several of her family members appeared to have been involved in a historical event called Pompeys Revolt. Some of her ancestors were likely owned by a British baron, John Rolle in 1830. Pompeys Revolt happened when 43 slaves - led by an enslaved man named Pompey - rebelled against Rolle on his estate. Though they did not gain their freedom, the rebellion helped to prevent a transfer order of around 77 people, which would have separated men, women and children from their families. 'Thats beautiful,' Tamera noted. Gates then wondered if the newfound knowledge changes the way Tamera sees herself. 'You know when you always say, "I got it from my mama?" Well, I definitely see that line of strength picking up and carrying on. Thats what I get out of all of this,' she said. Tamera found fame in her teen role as Tamera Campbell on the sitcom Sister, Sister, where she played alongside her twin sister Tia Mowry. The show aired from 1994 through 1999. The twins' mom, Darlene Renee Mowry, is of Bahamian descent, while their father Timothy John Mowry, is of English and Irish ancestry. Claim to fame: Tamera (R) found fame in her teen role as Tamera Campbell on the sitcom Sister, Sister, where she played alongside her twin sister Tia Mowry (L); Pictured in 1994 still Danniella Westbrook has revealed she is heading to hospital for 'major surgery'. The EastEnders star, 49, took to Instagram on Wednesday to share that it was 'about time' she was having her final procedure, and has spent several weeks preparing herself with a relaxing break in Portugal. Danniella had previously shared her plans to have more facial surgery on the NHS after being quoted 500,000 by a private surgeon. The actress has undergone various reconstructive operations in a bid to fix her 'collapsing' face due to her previous cocaine addiction and osteoporosis. Revealing she was heading to hospital for her surgery, Danniella shared an image of a motivational quote which read: 'This comeback is personal, it's an apology to myself.' Update: Danniella Westbrook has revealed she's heading to hospital for 'major' facial surgery after the health effects of her abuse left her hospitalised Not long now! The EastEnders star took to Instagram on Wednesday to share that it was 'about time' she was undergoing the facial procedure In the caption, she added: 'Major surgery in 24 hours its all about my time now #westie.' Danniella had previously revealed she needed five operations to correct her 'collapsing' face due to a previous cocaine addiction and osteoporosis, and was planning to have it done on the NHS. The star insists that she needs the surgery to 'survive' and that it isn't for 'vanity' but purely for health reasons after her septum collapsed from excessive drug use in 2002. She told The Sun: 'I've spent the last seven years trying to get somebody to do it, but they said no in case it failed and they got struck off. 'Plastic surgeons wanted 500,000 to change my face, so I thought I was never going to get it done. It was only because I went into intensive care before Christmas. 'I couldn't breathe because I had a cold. There was a build up of fluid and after I fell asleep I couldn't wake up properly and ended up in ICU. 'I was sent over to Aintree Hospital in Liverpool and it's only because I was put in front of the right doctors, or else I'd still be waiting now to find someone. 'They're doing it for me under the NHS now.' Danniella previously underwent a rib insertion procedure in 2018, after osteoporosis rotted away her cheekbones and gums and, after spending the last year getting lip filler and Botox, in addition to surgery on her face, she is hoping to get back to her best. Living it up! Ahead of her surgery, Danniella has been soaking up the sunshine on a relaxing break in Portugal Damage: Danniella previously revealed she needs five operations to correct her 'collapsing' face due to a previous cocaine addiction and osteoporosis In April Danniella stepped out with a bandage over her nose after another procedure. The actress' battle with drugs has been well-publicised, and she famously had her nose reconstructed after her septum collapsed from excessive cocaine use in 2002. At the height of her use it was reported she would take up to five grams of cocaine a day, blowing close to 250,000 on the drug. The star has since embarked on multiple rehab stints in order to battle her demons - and revealed she was finally clean in June 2021, after attending a clinic in Mijas, Spain. Danniella first appeared in EastEnders in 1990 at the age of 16 and acted on the soap for three years. Tough: The actress' battle with drugs has been well-publicised, and she famously had her nose reconstructed after her septum collapsed from excessive cocaine use in 2002 (pictured left in 2009 and right this year) She returned in 1996 but her time was cut short when her off-screen behaviour got her sacked. She returned again shortly after, but was axed again in 2000 after further disruptive behaviour, admitting she blew 100k on cocaine at the time. The part was recast between 2002 and 2005, and played by Kim Medcalf, but Danniella returned to the role once more in 2009 until 2010. She was back once more in 2016 for the storyline surrounding on-screen mother Peggy Mitchell's death, which is to date her final appearance. Press Release April 5, 2023 PH Senate Meets PM Kishida On Wednesday, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio held an audience with Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and the rest of the Senate delegation, as part of the delegation's official parliamentary visit to Tokyo, Japan. Zubiri noted that the visit comes at an opportune time, right when "the strategic partnership between the Philippines and Japan is evolving to even higher levels, as we adapt to the heightened global security situation, particularly the continuing maritime tensions, in our region." "On a daily basis, our Philippine Coast Guard records cases of harassment from foreign actors, which is depriving our country of its sovereign right to use its exclusive economic zone. That is why the Philippines is thankful for Japan's strong support of the 2016 Arbitration Ruling and for providing us modern ships and other equipment such as radars to monitor our skies and seas." Along with Zubiri, the delegation is composed of Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito, Sen. Sonny Angara, Sen. Imee Marcos, Sen. Pia Cayetano, Sen. Win Gatchalian, Sen. Grace Poe, Sen. Nancy Binay, Sen. Lito Lapid and Sen. Mark Villar. "With almost half of the Senate here with us, we hope to show to you the importance that we accord to our strategic partnership." In February, Zubiri had also called on the Prime Minister, as part of the Philippine delegation headed by President Ferdinand Marcos. Zubiri was happy to report to Kishida that right after that visit, the Senate has given its concurrence to the ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement, which is expected to strengthen the trade and industry exchanges between the Philippines and Japan. It was also during that February visit that Zubiri raised the need to explore a Philippines-Japan Visiting Forces Agreement. "This visit, particularly the briefing from the Ministry of Defense, has given us a clearer understanding of the current defense and security realities facing both our nations," he said. "These meetings have also prompted us to act with greater urgency to support a possible Philippines-Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement that will boost the inter-operability of our armed forces." In light of Kishida's plans to make an official visit to the Philippines, Zubiri also extended an invitation for him to address the Senate and the House of Representatives in a joint session. Gordon Ramsay and his wife Tana shared a passionate kiss at the GQ Food & Drink Awards on Wednesday evening. The celebrity chef, 65, was also joined by their daughters Holly and Tilly. British GQ recognised the top innovators shaking up the food and drinks industry at the ceremony which was held at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London. Gordon cut a dapper figure in a black blazer and trousers, teamed with a white t-shirt and red trainers. The star was then presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by pop star Ed Sheeran, 32. Loved-up: Gordon Ramsay and his wife Tana shared a passionate kiss at the GQ Food & Drink Awards on Wednesday evening (pictured with daughters Holly and Tilly) Pals: The celebrity chef, 65, was then presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by pop star Ed Sheeran, 32 Tana looked effortlessly chic in a white shirt and black trousers, while her brunette locks were styled in loose curls. Holly and Tilly looked sensational as they donned matching black mini dresses at the star-studded event. Hosted by television presenter Miquita Oliver, this years ceremony paid tribute to the pioneering culinary talents across fourteen categories. Guests and presenters at this ceremony also included Ed Gamble, Miquita Oliver, Reece King and Vick Hope. Adam Baidawi, Head of Editorial Content at British GQ and Deputy Global Editorial Director at GQ, said: 'We are proud to recognise the grand institutions and bold industry newcomers continuing to push the envelope on what true dining greatness is. 'We are honoured to toast tonight's winners, who have demonstrated their commitment to consistently delivering world-altering experiences.' It comes after Gordon's Next Level Chef was cancelled after just one series. The ITV cooking competition - which saw 12 aspiring chefs battling to impress the star along with judges Paul Ainsworth and Nyesha Arrington with the winner getting a 100,000 prize and year of mentoring - hasn't been renewed for a second run. Family: Gordan and Tana were joined by their children Holly and Tilly Dashing: Gordon cut a dapper figure in a black blazer and trousers, teamed with a white t-shirt and red trainers Gorgeous: Tana looked effortlessly chic in a white shirt and black trousers, while her brunette locks were styled in loose curls Looking good: Holly and Tilly looked sensational as they donned matching black mini dresses at the star-studded event Support: Jack congratulated his father on the big win Star-studded: Hosted by television presenter Miquita Oliver, this years ceremony paid tribute to the pioneering culinary talents across fourteen categories Friends: Gordon and Ravinder Bhogal posed for a snap together An insider told The Sun newspaper's TVBiz column: 'Gordon is highly competitive and he's gutted the series wasn't given a second run. 'These types of shows always take a while to get going and for viewers to connect, so he thinks it wasn't really given a proper chance. 'But he accepts TV is a brutal world and sometimes shows just don't work out.' The first and only series aired earlier this month with social media chef Jade Greenhalgh winning the competition. An ITV spokesman said: 'There are no current plans for a second series but viewers can watch series one on ITVX.' Gordon has Future Food Stars returning to BBC One for a second series starting later this year. As with the first series, the show will see 12 contestants looking for investment in culinary businesses as they take on a range of food challenges. Meanwhile, Gordon will be returning for another Road Trip on ITV with Fred Sirieix, while bosses are hoping Gino D'Acampo will change his mind and return to the show despite some contract issues. Event: British GQ recognised the top innovators shaking up the food and drinks industry at the ceremony which was held at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London On his bike: It comes after Gino D'Acampo announced he would not be returning for another series of ITV's Gordon, Gino and Fred: Road Trip (L-R: Gino D'Acampo, Gordon Ramsay and Fred Sirieix) An insider recently told the Mail Online: 'Bosses hope to convince Gino to stay on with Gordon and Fred, because they genuinely have fun together and make great telly.' Gino had revealed he 'decided not to film any more' road trips, but insisted it was 'nothing to do with Gordon or Fred', noting their 'friendship is very strong'. He said in an Instagram video: 'It's just because we can't get the dates together and sometimes when we do get the dates together sometimes they get changed and it causes a lot of problems for me because I have other stuff that I have to do. 'Personal problems as well because when I have to change things with my family it is very complicated and also because [of] contracts.' Maisie Smith and her boyfriend Max George have broken their silence after fans were left fuming over their 'pregnancy' prank. The Wanted star, 34, appeared to make light of the situation as he shared a photo of the couple sipping on huge milkshakes. He captioned it: 'Never. Eating. Again' while Maisie reshared the snap. Former EastEnders actress Maisie, 21, and Max are currently enjoying a sun-soaked break in Dubai. They faced backlash when Maisie took to Instagram to pose with her hands cradling her stomach. 'Never eating again': Maisie Smith and her boyfriend Max George have broken their silence after fans were left fuming over their 'pregnancy' prank Oh no: Former EastEnders actress Maisie, 21, and the Wanted star, 34, faced backlash when Maisie took to Instagram to pose with her hands cradling her stomach She hid her belly behind a heart emoji, while Max looked down in shock, with his hand over his mouth. Captioning the snap, Maisie wrote: 'We've got some really exciting news...' But in the next post, she revealed the couple were only joking, writing: 'I just had the best five course meal of my life'. Max shared the same teasing post to his Instagram Stories, while adding the caption: 'Look at that lovely belly'. And while the pair thought their post was hilarious, many of their fans disagreed as they flocked to Twitter to blast them for being 'disgusting' and 'insensitive'. One wrote, 'Pregnancy jokes are not, and never will be funny. You've hurt many people, fans, with those thoughtless stories tonight. People who have lost children. People who cannot conceive for whatever reason. Please do better.' Others chimed in with, 'Max George and Maisie smith are so insensitive for that,' and, 'maisie smith and max george joking about being pregnant is disgusting. just not something to be joking about.' A fourth penned, 'Not @maisie_smith_ and @MaxGeorge making out that she's expecting, such a s***ty joke! Kick to all of us who struggle with fertility.' One more concluded, 'Joking about fake pregnancies is disgusting. Really made me think. Do I really like them anymore.' Seeing red: And while the pair thought their post was hilarious, many of their fans disagreed as they flocked to Twitter to blast them for being 'disgusting' and 'insensitive' The couple are currently enjoying a romantic Dubai getaway and have shared lots of glimpses into their trip so far. Maisie kicked off their lavish holiday by sharing a very racy snap to Instagram earlier in the week. She left little to the imagination as she went completely naked for a risque bathtub shot, while enjoying a glass of champagne. Resting her legs on the edge of the basin, she ensured to protect her modesty as she wrote, '...and relax,' in her caption. However, Maisie resisted a dip in the sea in a hilarious video shared by The Wanted star. The actress re-posted the video, which saw her run back onto the beach after realising just how cold the water was, while wearing a skimpy blue bikini. Max wrote, 'Cold water ain't for my girl,' while Maisie added, 'Can't say I didn't try.' Max and Maisie looked on cloud nine as they kicked back and relaxed at the beach together. The smitten couple have jetted off on holiday and immediately made the most of the warm weather as they worked on their tans. Admiring: Max shared the same teasing post to his Instagram Stories, while adding the caption: 'Look at that lovely belly' Maisie showcased her toned figure as she slipped into a light blue bikini with orange straps while relaxing on a beach chair. Sharing a photo of his girlfriend from the back, Max wrote: 'Cheeky. I wouldn't be anywhere else in the world right now '. Max went shirtless for the outing, with Maisie sharing a playful snap of him posing on the beach in a pair of dark green shorts. The pair also posted a snap from their flight as they snuggled beside each other, with Maisie writing: 'And we're off'. "There is mystery in this story!" exclaims Stephane Guegan at the entrance to the splendid Manet-Degas exhibition at the Musee d'Orsay, of which he is, with Isolde Pludermacher, the curator - in partnership with the Metropolitan Museum of New York. The mystery of course lies in the true nature of the relationship between the two geniuses, each of whom can claim the title of father of modern art. Friendship, rivalry, jealousy, emulation? One word won't be enough! But we will have some reading keys by stopping in front of four essential paintings of the route, which are also four works of breathtaking beauty. Edouard Manet and his wife, by Edgar Degas, Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art, Japan "This painting dates from 1868-1869, a time when the two painters were close: Manet even invited Degas to accompany him to London to test the waters of the English market. Music is an important element. The friendship of the artists was woven over musical evenings at the Morisot's, at the Stevens'... Suzanne, Manet's wife, was first the piano teacher of the Manet brothers before marrying Edouard in 1863. It is as a token of friendship that Degas painted this painting where we see Suzanne at her keyboard and Manet enjoying the music. The reference to Dutch iconography is clear, like a harmony of choirs around a keyboard. Suzanne is from the Netherlands, Degas must have thought that this iconography would suit him. However, the physical appearance he gives to Suzanne greatly displeases Manet, who decides to mutilate the painting. Degas then enters into one of those black rages of which he was accustomed, he recovers the painting and restores to Manet a still life, perhaps this basket of nuts that we are exhibiting right next to it. So here is a painting that leaves us with the enigma of a first open conflict. Degas, already a realist, may have gone very far in the accuracy of the portrayal of Suzanne. Manet, on the contrary, in his own painting of his wife at the piano, is more poetic, he suggests the charm, the particular beauty of Suzanne. Considering the rules of the time, this marriage is almost a downgrade, Manet had to overcome many conventions. Hence no doubt his susceptibility which Baudelaire mentions in his correspondence. This says two things: that Manet is very attached to Suzanne and to the public image that can be given of her, and that Degas is already able to go very far in the realism of the portrait. The Rest, by Edouard Manet. Bequest of Mrs. Edith Stuyvesant Vanderbilt Gerry, Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Providence, USA "What an exceptional piece of work! This painting dates from 1870. It echoes the famous Balcony where Manet represented his future sister-in-law, a woman he was very close to, a great painter, Berthe Morisot. Here, the face is less hard, less tense than in Le Balcon where Berthe was the word is hers a femme fatale. We are in an interior with a Japanese print in the background. Manet, without abandoning the criteria of realistic painting, takes us into the reverie of this young woman. It is also an opportunity to show how the women in her circle were able, thanks to the Second Empire, to define an existence which is not quite that prescribed by the code of bourgeois life. A freer, more assertive existence... so much so that this painting was perceived at the time, at the 1873 Salon where it was exhibited, as slightly indecent. This theme of rest is weighted with suspicion. And then the young woman slides towards us instead of being wedged into the couch. Look at those almost unfinished, very tapered hands. Here, the fan is not justified by the scene, but it is a poetic accessory. It is an ode to the modern, profound and poetic young woman. Sea Baths, Little Girl Combed by Her Maid, by Edgar Degas. The National Gallery (UK, London) This painting allows the exhibition to reflect on the Impressionist destiny of the two artists. Manet seems by his painting, his subjects, his clarity to announce the evolution of the cadets Monet, Renoir, Pissarro. Degas, him, becomes one of the central actors of the impressionism, but by hardly modifying his formal language, even whereas he exposes his pastels and his paintings in the middle of the work of the impressionists. At the end of the 1860s, Manet and Degas saw each other a lot, including in the north of France, on the places of the bourgeois resort. They even plan to sell their "products" on the London market where there is interest in these views of seaside towns. Degas allowed himself to be invited by the Morisots to go and produce this type of image in the wake of the beaches of Boudin, but showing seaside customs in a different way. This painting from the National Gallery is a real masterpiece, with this beautiful theme of long hair (a theme that will recur a lot in Degas' late pastels), expressed with great gentleness in the central scene. . We observe all around more incongruous, dissonant notes: these children who have just been forced to bath in the sea (at the time, very cold baths were recommended because they believed it was good for the health), the meeting of a woman with an umbrella and a gentleman with his dog This is what Duranty calls social chiaroscuro. In Degas, there is always a note that disturbs the narration, the psychological climate, a reminder of the fact that modern life is on the side of the unexpected, of heterogeneity. Nana, by Edouard Manet. Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany "It is from L'Assommoir that Manet invents this figure of Nana which is only potentially in Zola's novel. Manet will insist to journalists to say that he is not behind the text, on the contrary. He is already projecting himself into what Nana is going to become, when Zola finally devotes a novel to her. This painting reveals the artist's debt to a whole 18th century imagery. It starts with the accessories, some of which belonged to him (like some collectors of Impressionism, he went so far as to buy rock furniture). These curves and counter-curves are associated plastically with the central figure. We find this sovereign, immodest feminine allure, which he knew how to exploit magnificently in Olympia in 1865. Nana is dressed only in her underwear, she is shown in her toilet like a portrait of Pompadour. The Japanese screen with this strange bird, and then the extinguished candles indicate that we are at a courtesan. The gaze is magnificent, it makes the spectator its accomplice at the expense of the male character who is cut off by the canvas, placed in an uncomfortable and humorous situation. He is not the dominant male dear to our time, but a figure dominated by the beauty of Nana. The balance of power is reversed, it is the woman who dictates the circulation of desire. It took determination and patience for Genevieve Chevallier to complete the French translation of Nancy Cunard's Negro Anthology. The 900-page book includes 250 texts by 155 authors from the United States, South America, the Caribbean, Africa and Europe. A "sum made up of odds and ends", according to Romuald Fonkoua, professor of French-speaking literature at Paris-Sorbonne University, which brings together articles, poems, press clippings, testimonies, archival documents and statistics, as photographs, drawings and sheet music. The result is exceptional in more ways than one. By its format (240 x 260 mm), its weight (almost 4 kg), its chic brown fabric cover and golden letters. By the quality of the texts and authors it brings together. By the pugnacity it took Nancy Cunard to publish it in 1934 in London, definitively marking her break with the middle of the white bourgeoisie of her time. Born in 1896, the wealthy English heiress frequented the avant-garde Bloomsbury Group, of Virginia Woolf and her husband, Leonard, in the 1920s before fleeing the puritanism of British society for France. Nancy Cunard rubbed shoulders with the surrealists there, posed for Brancusi and Man Ray, published Samuel Beckett's first text, frequented Aragon... In 1928, she met the African-American pianist Henry Crowder and the rejection that their union would arouse, his mother, will inspire him an announcing pamphlet, Black Man and White Ladyship. Alongside Henry Crowder, Nancy Cunard discovers the black condition of the time: segregation, lynchings, hangings... but also the artistic effervescence of the Harlem Renaissance. The heiress has already been confronted with colonial questions alongside the surrealists but also Leonard and Virginia Woolf, who since the 1920s have published authors from the British Empire or texts denouncing imperialism. A woman of letters and editor, she then embarked on a gigantic collection of texts, the first part of which is devoted to the United States, while the second evokes the Caribbean, Europe and Africa. "A social outreach tool" The genre of the anthology is important in the discovery of the black world, explains Romuald Fonkoua. That of Nancy Cunard follows that of Alain Locke, The New Negro, published in 1925, as well as the Anthologie negre of Blaise Cendrars, published in 1921. It precedes the Anthology of the new black and Malagasy poetry in French language, by Senghor, prefaced by Sartre in 1948. The anthology has become a genre in which we could group together minorities to show what they write, who they are. It is a tool for social or socio-literary visibility. In this "documentary" project which aims, according to Nancy Cunard collaborator Raymond Michelet, to "demonstrate that racial prejudice has no justification [and] that black people have a long social and cultural history behind them, and that those who reject as sub-humans ignorant of their past history, their civilization, their struggles", Nancy Cunard appeals mainly to those who are not heard: African-Americans and the colonized. She can count, moreover, on the surrealists, who sign, among others, the article "A murderous humanitarianism". Samuel Beckett ensures the English translation of French-language texts. Raymond Michelet wrote several articles, including the indictment "White people are killing Africa", which was republished in 1945 by one of the figures of Pan-Africanism, George Padmore, who also contributed to the anthology alongside the future father of independence of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta, of Nnamdi Azikiwe, who will become the first president of Nigeria, or even of the South African Thabo Edwin Mofutsanyana, member of the African National Congress (ANC). Among the many other signatories, we find major figures of African-American thought and struggle, such as W.E.B. Du Bois, Alain Locke, Langston Hughes, Zora Neal Hurston, but also the Malagasy poet Jean-Joseph Rabearivelo, the Haitian Jacques Roumain, the Cuban Nicolas Guillen... Linking Africa, Americas and Europe, the Negro Anthology invites you to travel within what Paul Gilroy called "the Dark Atlantic". And raises the question of the emancipation and liberation of black peoples. Commercial fiasco and success of esteem Printed in 1,000 copies, it will experience both a commercial fiasco and a success of esteem. The anthropologist Nicolas Menut, who signs the preface to the French translation, estimates that "the sales figures were rather low, around 300 to 400 copies maximum". However, the work will be hailed in African-American intellectual circles by personalities like Alain Locke, who does not hesitate to see in it "the best anthology, in every sense of the word, ever produced about blacks". But the book will suffer several blows of fate. It is censored in the British West Indies. And the unsold copies, stored in the Norman house of Cunard, will be destroyed during the Second World War, participating in the legend of this work which has become rare... until the text is republished identically by Sarah Frioux-Salgas (curator of the exhibition "L'Atlantique noir" by Nancy Cunard, mounted by the Quai Branly museum in 2014) and the New Place editions, in 2018. And that its French translation is finally accessible thanks to Genevieve Chevallier. The latter devoted four years of work to this, including a year and a half to seek out all the legatees of the contributors in order to obtain their agreement. Only a few could not be identified. "I made an effort to find the French originals that Samuel Beckett had translated, so as not to have to do the back-translation work which had been refused to us by his legatee. As far as possible, I worked from the languages in which the texts had first been written, including for Spanish, Ewe and Krou, for which I consulted specialists, because the translation into English had not always been well done, "says the former academic. Editions du Sandre have chosen to publish the French translation identically. Same sepia and same edition of 1,000 copies. Biographies of authors have been added. Nearly ninety years later, the primitivism and essentialism of certain texts can be variously appreciated, but "this translation has the merit of showing the French public that the black question was already being posed in France as early as the 1920s. -1930, believes Romuald Fonkoua, and that a number of current ideas, such as decolonial issues, were already present in France at that time. Homegrown smart metering firm Gram Power is eyeing a multi-fold growth in topline in the current fiscal as it is set to ramp up the manufacturing capacity to 10 million units per annum, according to a top company official. We have set up a manufacturing unit with a capacity of up to 3 million smart meters per year, and we aim to ramp up production to 10 million meters in the next 12-15 months to meet the growing demand for smart metering systems in the country, Yashraj Khaitan, Founder and CEO of Gram Power, told PTI. With the capacity expansion, Gram Power is eyeing about 10 per cent of the countrys 300 million metering market over the next five years. Khaitan said that that once the additional capacity is functional, Gram Powers topline turnover will increase by 20 times in 2023-24. However, he did not disclose specific financial details. Recently, the company raised USD 100 million from I Squared Capital for capacity expansion works. Under the Smart Meter National Programme, the government aims to replace 25 crore conventional meters with smart meters. Smart meters are connected through a web-based monitoring system which help to reduce commercial losses of utilities and enhance their revenues. As part of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), the power ministry aims to improve operational efficiencies and financial sustainability for beleaguered power distribution companies (discoms) and state power departments. Recently, Gram Power was awarded a 10-year contract for Ladakh and Kargil Energy operations. The contract entails redesigning the entire distribution network cabling and installing 61,000 smart meters. The terrain and scattered locations make this the most challenging project in the country, Khaitan said. According to him, India is a flourishing market for advanced metering infrastructure and with the governments push towards digitisation and smart cities, the demand for smart metering solutions is expected to increase further. The company, which has achieved good traction in the competitive smart metering industry, is executing various projects, including works related to the national grid, and help entities reduce their energy costs by up to 30 per cent. The American version of "Citadel" had a star-studded premiere here and lead actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas said she couldn't have asked for a better start to the international promotional campaign of the spy-thriller series. "Citadel", executive produced by Joe and Anthony Russo, features Chopra Jonas as elite spy Nadia Sinh opposite Richard Madden's Mason Kane. The Prime Video show had its first premiere here at PVR ICON, Palladium, on Tuesday night with the lead cast, including Chopra Jonas and Madden, as well as some of the biggest names from the Indian film industry -- veteran actor Rekha, Varun Dhawan, Raj & DK, Kabir Khan -- walking the blue carpet. "I'm very excited to be starting the global campaign for 'Citadel' in India, my home. We will be travelling across the globe after this, but I've got good luck from millions from my country and I will carry it wherever I go, like I always do," Chopra Jonas told reporters. The actor also spilled the beans about her first meeting with co-star Madden, known for shows such as "Game of Thrones" and "Bodyguard". "Richard and I met for the first time at a social dinner. We got along when we met for the first time. Then we met at award functions and after parties. But when I met him for work, I knew he was a disciplined actor who likes to prepare like me. That's why we get along so well," she said. The duo walked the blue carpet together. While Chopra Jonas opted for a turquoise green Versace dress, Madden chose a charcoal black suit. Madden said it was an honour to work with Chopra Jonas and he was happy that the show had its first premiere in India. "It's a wonderful feeling to have the show premiere for the first time in India. I love the first time of things and it's the first premiere for 'Citadel' and my first time in India. I just wish I was here for longer," the Scottish star, who was on three-day visit to the country, said. "Citadel" follows elite agents Mason Kane and Nadia Sinh, who had their memories wiped as they narrowly escaped with their lives after independent global spy agency Citadel's fall. It sees the two protagonists build new lives under new identities, unaware of their pasts. Until one night, when Mason is tracked down by his former Citadel colleague, Bernard Orlick (Stanley Tucci), who desperately needs his help to prevent rival agency Manticore from establishing a new world order. Mason seeks out Nadia, his former partner, and the two spies embark on a mission that takes them around the world in an effort to stop Manticore, all while contending with a relationship built on secrets, lies, and a dangerous-yet-undying love, the official synopsis read. The premiere was also attended by Chopra Jonas' mother Madhu Chopra, filmmakers Tanuja Chandra, Shonali Bose, Madhur Bhandarkar, Anubhav Sinha, Nikkhil Advani, Siddharth Roy Kapur and Vasan Bala in attendance. "Citadel" is produced by Amazon Studios and the Russo Brothers' AGBO. The first two episodes of the series will premiere on Prime globally on April 28 in 40 languages. It will also act as the flagship show that will blend with local shows already under production in India and Italy, starring Matilda De Angelis, Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, respectively. "Farzi" creators Raj & DK are on board as directors and showrunners for the Indian installment. The duo said they have been working together with international teams for the show and having the first version premiere in India was exciting. "It's exciting to be one of the firsts to watch 'Citadel'. I expected it ofcourse.We have been working together. Several teams are working together and this is the first stop for the show," DK said. Dhawan said the huge scale of the show is pushing them to work harder. "It's a tough job for all of us now. We are going to work really hard because we know what we are following. "It's just a very amazing process to be a part of the universe created by the Russo Brothers. For us, it is like the Russo Brothers coming together with Raj & DK, so I couldn't be happier being part of 'Citadel'. It's great to work under the leadership of these two and here I speak for myself and Samantha," the actor said at the event. Asked to drop a spoiler about the show, Dhawan said all he can share is that the American and Indian versions are "interconnected". "PC and I spoke about the relationship between the Indian and American 'Citadel'. They are interconnected. That's the only spoiler I can give you." Actors Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor, Saqib Saleem, Mohit Raina, Shreya Dhanwanthry, Shweta Tripathi, Kubra Sait, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Patralekha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Rakul Preet Singh, Jim Sarbh, Neha Dhupia, Bhuvan Arora and Nora Fatehi were also present at the premiere. Growing up in various global cities, the world was his oyster. Only fitting perhaps that Shubh Saran's music reflects a certain eclecticism with strains of pop, Indian fusion, rock and jazz. The New York-based guitarist and composer, who has released two albums, amalgamates his various influences in his work. "I'm genuinely drawn to music that is a combination of many different things. Sometimes it's difficult that I don't come from one particular tradition, Saran, the son of diplomat parents, told PTI. I don't come from the Hindustani classical tradition or the Western classical tradition. I come from a hybrid mix of many different things, the 31-year-old added. He said he was "exposed to a lot of different people and lots of different kinds of music" from a very young age. With his parents posted in various countries, Saran grew up and studied in India, Egypt, Switzerland and Canada before moving to the US. An alumnus of the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Saran often touches on themes of identity and ethnicity in his music. "I grew up listening to pop music, rock music, and then found Indian fusion music, and then kind of got into jazz and all the associated styles that come out of that. So I think my world-moving upbringing resulted in me liking many different things at the same time and trying to fuse it together," Saran said during a recent visit to India. Saran has released two albums - Hmayra (2017) and Inglish (2021) -- both reflecting his experiences as a musician trying to make a mark in a foreign country. " 'Hmayra' was released in 2017 and that was very much influenced by a lot of the reading that I'd been doing. But really, a lot of it has just come out of trying to be a musician in a new city -- a very competitive, very expensive city called New York. "It was just the struggle of figuring out how I'm going to do this. And more importantly, why I am doing it. I'd released two EPs in between that were sort of just experimentations." His second album came four years later. " 'Inglish' was heavily inspired by my Indian identity and questioning what it meant to be Indian for me and what Indian tradition means to me. "... There is a little bit of disconnect that you feel living in a different part of the world. But also being Indian, you inhabit both these worlds. You never feel like you fit in really in either of them. That album was basically an exploration of that feeling." Saran, whose music fuses Hindustani classical, progressive rock and jazz, said he doesn't want his work to be too inaccessible to people. "I'd like my music to feel accessible even though traditionally instrumental music that exists in a modern and contemporary jazz context seems to feel inaccessible. Jazz music, he said, started as an answer to elitism in India and elsewhere in the world. Now, however, it has come to be associated with "fine wine and dining". He said the art form had nothing to do with elitism when it started. Jazz music finds its roots in New Orleans in the US where African American musicians in the early twentieth century developed the style from ragtime and blues with heavy emphasis on improvisation. "The story of jazz in India but also everywhere in the world, especially in the US, doesn't come from a place of elitism at all. In fact, jazz was the answer to elitism. It was a kind of music for the people, especially the African American diaspora in the US in the early 20th century, Saran said. The spirit of jazz, he said, lies in storytelling, especially in the US. "It's Black individuals who are telling their stories. I think that's an important part of the tradition that we cannot forget. "In India, it was brought to India by visiting artists from America, but they were Black artists telling their stories. And then they resonated deeply with the struggles of Indian folks as well." A lot of Bollywood music in the mid-20th century was heavily inspired by, written and arranged by jazz musicians, Saran added. "Now it's gotten to this point where it's considered elite... It is truly a beautiful art form and has a lot of resonance with Indian classical and folk music, especially because it's based on improvisation, expression and creativity. "Those are the tenets of jazz that I think we should hold onto for sure. And the elitism of it is an unfortunate consequence," Saran said. The meeting of the second Tourism Working Group held under Indias G20 presidency concluded here with discussions on green tourism, skill development, and creating livelihood opportunities for local communities in the tourism sector. The meeting, being held in Darjeeling and Siliguri in West Bengal from April 1 to 3, is being attended by more than 130 participants, including delegates of G20 members, invitee countries, international organisations, industry partners, state tourism officials, and local tour operators. The working group meeting was preceded by a side event on April 1 on the theme Adventure Tourism as a vehicle for achieving Sustainable Development Goals. At the panel discussion panellists held discussions highlighting the best practices, success stories, prospects, and issues in the field of Adventure tourism. The panel discussion was attended by representatives from the United Kingdom, Mexico, Canada, Germany, Japan, and Brazil. Among other topics, discussions were held on promoting adventure tourism and presentations on global and Indian scenarios of adventure tourism were given. Giving opening remarks at the meeting, Tourism minister G Kishan Reddy said the vision of the conference is to project domestic tourism in mission mode. It will also make India maximise its potential in the tourism sector, he said. The Union Ministry of Tourism has also formulated a comprehensive tourism policy with holistic flavour for a sustainable and responsible growth of the tourism sector in the country, he stated. The delegates also visited the tea estates and participated in the moonlight tea leaf plucking and tea tasting. A delegate from Germany said several hours of discussions were held and now time is to see the hard work getting translated on ground. A lot of discussion was held on Green tourism, skill development and livelihood opportunities for local communities which is important for all of us, the delegate told PTI, after coming out from the closed door meeting. He said a roadmap was laid for the next meet in Goa. Another delegate said her main takeaway from the meeting was how MSMEs can play an important role and what can different countries learn from it. Another delegate told PTI discussions were also held on how to overcome the impact of Covid and the practices followed by different countries to tackle it. Welcoming the delegates to Siliguri, Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs John Barla said West Bengal is the land from where India got its national anthem. India and Bhutan on Tuesday reviewed the whole spectrum of their bilateral ties including issues of respective national interest during talks here between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. When asked if the Doklam issue came up for discussion, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said India and Bhutan remained in close touch relating to security cooperation. He made this observation while briefing the media about the talks between Prime Minister Modi and King of Bhutan. He arrived here on Monday for a two-day visit at the invitation of President Droupadi Murmu. Kwatra also said India was closely following developments that have a bearing on its national interest and would take all necessary measures to safeguard them. King of Bhutans visit came amid some concerns in New Delhi. Chinas attempts to expand influence over Thimphu. Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in a 73-day long face-off at the Doklam plateau near Sikkim in 2017 after China tried to construct a road there and India objected. Bhutan claims Doklam to be its territory. Certain remarks by Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering last week during a visit to Europe on the Doklam tri-junction were seen by many as the Himalayan nation cosying up to Beijing though Bhutan maintained that there is no change in its stance on the border dispute. Tshering reportedly told a Belgian newspaper that he hopes to complete boundary demarcation talks on disputed areas in the next one or two more meetings and that a visit by a Chinese technical team is expected shortly in Bhutan. His comments on discussing the Doklam tri-junction dispute trilaterally, with Bhutan, India and China as equal interlocutors reportedly caused some concern in New Delhi. However, Tshering later reportedly clarified his comments saying he had said nothing new and there is no change in position. Giving details of the talks between Prime Minister Modi and King of Bhutan, the Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said the visit provided opportunity to sketch a roadmap to further expand cooperation in diverse areas. With the objective to forge more close defence ties between India and Sri Lanka, the 10th edition of Indian and Sri Lankan navies bilateral maritime exercise SLINEX-23 is scheduled at Colombo from April three to eight. The exercise is being conducted in two phases: the Harbour Phase from 03-05 April followed by a Sea Phase from 06-08 April. Indian Navy is being represented by INS Kiltan, an indigenous Kamorta class ASW corvette and INS Savitri, an Offshore Patrol Vessel, navy officials said here on Tuesday. The Sri Lanka Navy is being represented by SLNS Gajabahu and SLNS Sagara. Maritime Patrol Aircraft, helicopters and Special Forces from both the sides would also participate in the exercise. The previous edition of SLINEX was conducted off Visakhapatnam in March last year. The SLINEX aims at enhancing interoperability, improving mutual understanding and exchanging best practices while jointly undertaking multi-faceted maritime operations. Professional, cultural and sporting events, as also social exchanges are planned during the harbour phase to further bolster the bonds of friendship and camaraderie between both the navies. The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the West Bengal Government to file a report on fresh clashes in Rishra in Hooghly district after lawyers representing senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari mentioned the matter before a division bench. Also, the Union Home Ministry on Tuesday sought a detailed report from the State Government on the violence during Ram Navami in Howrah, said officials. Meanwhile, Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Tuesday launched a fresh attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar over incidents of violence. After being criticised by the BJP over failing to control violence, Mamata accused the BJP of organising violence during Ram Navami processions and asserted that she would not let any rioter go scot-free and warned that strict action would be taken against dangabaaz (rioters). Addressing a rally in Purba Medinipur district, Mamata also took a dig at Union Home Minister Amit Shah without naming him and pointed out that BJP had said if it comes to power in Bihar, it would hang rioters upside down and wondered why such action was not being taken against their goondas. Clashes and instances of fire-bombing were reported from towns in the industrial belt of Hooghly and Howrah districts related to Ram Navami processions over the last few days, including last night. Thakur accused Nitish and Mamata of indulging in appeasement politics for minority votes. Such kind of vote bank politics creates many problems and poses many challenges before the country, the Information and Broadcasting minister said while addressing an event organised here to observe the World Peace and Harmony Day on the 2,622nd birth anniversary of Jain Tirthankara Mahavir. Parts of West Bengal and Bihar witnessed incidents of violence on Ram Navami last week. This is a very relevant topic in the present times. One part of the world has been witnessing a war for a long time. When I see the situation in India, there is an atmosphere of peace, but Ram Navami processions are not allowed to be taken out peacefully, Thakur said. Referring to the violence during Ram Navami processions in West Bengal, Thakur asked whether the Chief Minister of the state is resorting to dividing the society as she said Hindus should not pass through certain areas. Thakur said violence has no place in a civil society and the problems should be solved with dialogue and discussion. The Minister said teachings of Bhagwan Mahavir holds more relevance today and called for taking them forward across the globe for the benefit of mankind. Taking potshots at the CPI(M), Mamata alleged that Baam (Left) and Ram (BJP) have joined hands against the TMC. I am on the phone constantly because we dont know when and where BJP will start violence, she said, adding that people in the processions organised by BJP have been found carrying weapons. Bengal Police have arrested a man from Bihars Munger for allegedly carrying a gun during a Ram Navami procession in Howrah district last week, a senior officer said on Tuesday. He has been arrested from Bihars Munger. During interrogation, the youth admitted that he carried a revolver with him during the Ram Navami procession. He was seen in the video. We have handed over him to the state CID, the officer told PTI. The unfolding of events also saw Bengals Governor Dr CV Ananda Bose rushing from Darjeeling to visit violence-hit areas on Tuesday. He said hooligans will not be allowed to take law into their hands. The Centre and the State Government will work together to root out mobocracy and there will be solid action on the part of law enforcement agencies, he promised reporters. Clashes were reported in Rishra on Sunday evening during a Ram Navami procession in which BJP national vice president Dilip Ghosh and partys Pursurah MLA Biman Ghosh were present. The MLA was injured and hospitalised. Parts of nearby Serampore also witnessed incidents of vandalism following which prohibitory orders were imposed and Internet services suspended. Meanwhile, BJPs West Bengal president Sukanta Majumdar on Tuesday was stopped for the second consecutive day from visiting the riot-hit areas of Hooghly district by the police citing prohibitory orders. The BJP State president who later met the Governor to appeal to him to intervene on the issue also wrote a letter to Shah in the afternoon pointing at the worsening law and order situation in the riot-hit areas and sought bringing in of central forces to control the situation. Majumdar, demanded that Central forces be immediately deployed in the trouble-hit areas and an NIA probe as the State police have completely failed to control the situation, said if he is not allowed to join the protest at Battala, he will launch a sit in on that spot. His party colleague Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly similarly demanded that, Article 355 of the constitution be invoked and central forces be deployed in the violence affected areas of Rishra and Shibpur. A day after China gave new names to 11 more places in Arunachal Pradesh, India on Tuesday categorically rejected the exercise and said assigning invented names does not alter the fact that the eastern State is an integral part of the country. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of its territory and calls the State Zangnan, the southern part of Tibet. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said here India outrightly rejected Chinas renaming of the places in Arunachal Pradesh. We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has made such an attempt. We reject this outright, Bagchi said. Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Attempts to assign invented names will not alter this reality, he said. It was the third batch of standardised geographical names for Arunachal Pradesh issued by Chinas Civil Affairs Ministry. The first batch of the standardised names of six places in Arunachal Pradesh was released in 2017 while the second batch of 15 places was issued in 2021. The official names of the 11 places were released on Sunday by Chinas Ministry of Civil Affairs. It also gave precise coordinates, including two land areas, two residential areas, five mountain peaks and two rivers and listed the category of places names and their subordinate administrative districts, state-run Global Times reported on Monday. Chinas renaming of the places in Arunachal Pradesh came in the midst of the lingering eastern Ladakh border standoff that began in May 2020. Following the standoff, India bolstered its overall military preparedness along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Arunachal Pradesh sector as well. Last month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the situation along the LAC in eastern Ladakh remained very fragile and is quite dangerous in military assessment because of close deployments of troops of both sides in some pockets though substantial progress has been made in the disengagement process in many areas. The Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a nearly three-year confrontation in certain friction points in eastern Ladakh even as the two sides completed disengagement of troops from several areas following extensive diplomatic and military talks. India has been maintaining that its ties with China cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border areas. According to The Global Times, which is part of the ruling Communist Partys mouthpiece Peoples Daily group of publications in China, the Chinese authorities are calling this move standardised geographical names. The first set of names was announced by China in 2017 days after the Dalai Lamas visit to Arunachal Pradesh. China was sharply critical of the Tibetan spiritual leaders visit. The Dalai Lama fled from Tibet through Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh and sought refuge in India in 1959 after China took military control of the Himalayan region in 1950. India and Chinese troops had clashed along the LAC in the States Tawang sector last December, in a face-off that came amid a months-long border standoff in eastern Ladakh. Following the standoff, India bolstered its military preparedness along the LAC in the Arunachal Pradesh as well. Even as relations between the two countries are strained due to tension on the border for the last more than two years, China has said it is ready to boost ties with New Delhi besides Moscow. Beijing also said the three countries are major emerging countries with notable influence. This assertion was made by Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning on Tuesday. She said India, Russia and China are emerging major powers with notable influence and Beijing was ready to boost ties with Moscow and New Delhi. She made this claim while responding to TASS Agencys question about Russias new foreign policy concept. China, Russia and India are all major emerging major countries with notable influence. As the international and regional landscape is facing profound and complex changes, we are ready to strengthen communication with the international community, including Russia and India, and send a positive signal to the world about defending true multilateralism and jointly responding to global challenges, according to the Spokesperson of Chinese Embassy in India, Wang Xiaojians tweet. She further said, China and Russia are dedicated to growing a new type of major-country relations featuring mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation. The bilateral relationship does not target and is not affected by any third party. Last month, President Xi Jinping paid a successful state visit to Russia. The two heads of state drew a blueprint for the future course of China-Russia relations. The two sides are comprehensively following through on the important common understandings between the two leaders. We are fully confident about the future of China-Russia relations. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the new Foreign Policy Concept last Friday, which said strengthening and deepening relations with China and India is a diplomatic priority for Russia. The 42-page document singled out ties with China and India, stressing the importance of the deepening of ties and coordination with friendly sovereign global centres of power and development located on the Eurasian continent. India and Russia maintained a close strategic, military, economic, and diplomatic interaction during the Cold War. Both Russia and India refer to this alliance as being unique and privileged. The strategic partnership between India and Russia is based on five main pillars -- politics, defence, civil nuclear energy, counter-terrorism cooperation, and space. India and Russia celebrated the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. According to the document, Russia will continue to build a particularly privileged strategic partnership with India with a view to enhancing and expanding cooperation in all areas on a mutually beneficial basis and place special emphasis on increasing the volume of bilateral trade, strengthening investment and technological ties, and ensuring their resistance to destructive actions of unfriendly States and their alliances. In order to help adapt the world order to the realities of a multipolar world, Russia intends to make it one of its priorities to enhance the capacity and international role of the interstate association of BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the RIC (Russia, India, China) and other interstate associations and international organizations, as well as mechanisms with strong Russian participation, read the document. Delhi Education Minister Atishi on Tuesday said the AAP Government stands in solidarity with MCD contractual teachers and that their contracts will be renewed soon. Atishi and Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi met with the contractual teachers from MCD schools on Tuesday and addressed their concerns. They assured the teachers of streamlining the process of renewing their contracts. Empowering government school teachers and providing them with improved working conditions has always been the priority for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. We stand in solidarity with MCD contractual teachers and are working towards resolving all their issues pertaining to contract renewal, Atishi said. The education minister emphasized the need to provide a better working environment for teachers in government schools and said, Before 2015, the renewal of guest teachers contracts was a major issue in Delhi government schools, but since the AAP government came to power in Delhi, the contracts of contractual teachers are automatically renewed, without any applications. Now that the Aam Aadmi Party is also in power in the MCD, education will continue to be our priority in the MCD as well, she said. PNS/ In a shocking incident, a Punjab Police Assistant Inspector-General of Police (ASI) killed his wife, son, and pet dog with his service revolver in Bhumli village of Gurdaspur district, before shooting himself. As per the initial investigations, family strife is believed to be the reason behind the incident. ASI Bhupinder Singh, posted in Amritsar, allegedly killed his wife Baljit Kaur (40) and son Lovepreet Singh (19) with his service weapon. He also shot his pet dog and fled, the police said. Hours later, the cop shot himself. Gurdaspur Police has sent the bodies for postmortem. The accused even kidnapped a teenage girl, said to be his neighbour, who reportedly saw him committing the crime. As per reports, ASI took the girl to a house in Shahpur Jajjan village in Dera Baba Nanak police station, 35 km away from Bhumli, in his car, and allegedly threatens to murder her. Senior officers of Gurdaspur and Batala police districts have reached Shahpur Jajjan, and persuaded upon the cop, following which they succeeded in rescuing the girl safely. But the cop refuses to surrender. Seeing himself surrounded by the police, the ASI eventually shot himself as well. He was taken to the hospital in an unconscious condition. UTKAL DIVAS CELEBRATED IN NAIROBI Bhubaneswar: The Shree Jagannath Samaj founded by Odia people in East Africa celebrated the Utkal Divas in Nairobi of Kenya with much fanfare. Reciting Bande Utkal Janani, the State song of Odisha, the members enthralled the audience in a function that was followed by several cultural programmes. They also visited a local orphanage and donated foods, clothes and plastic articles among the inmates. Later in a blood donation camp, 38 units of blood were collected. TPCODL LAUNCHES CONSUMER AWARENESS MONTH Bhubaneswar: On the Utkal Divas, the TP Central Odisha Distribution Limited (TPCODL) launched a programme Apananka Mitra, Apananka Sathire to make consumers aware of various consumer-friendly initiatives and facilities introduced by the company to change the power distribution landscape in its licensed area of operation. The awareness programme will be carried out through the month of April. The initiative was inaugurated by TPCODL CEO M Shenbagam in the presence of 20 senior citizens and members of various Resident Welfare Associations in and around Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. POONAM NEW FLO BHUBANESWAR CHAIRPERSON Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Chapter of the FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) has announced the appointment of its new chairperson, Poonam Mohapatra, for the year 2023-24. The multifaceted Poonam is the director of companies including MGM Agritech & Research Institute. LVPEI AMONG TOP 10 GLOBAL EYE INSTITUTIONS Bhubaneswar: The LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) has been ranked among the top 10 global eye health institutions for its research output by the SCImago rankings agency. The LVPEI is ranked eighth in the world (second in Asia) in the ophthalmology (health) category, making it the only eye health institution from India to be listed among the top ten global eye research institutions. SHUBHASHREE, SUNITA ENTHRALL DELHI ODISSI AUDIENCE Bhubaneswar: Visushi Kasturi Pattanaiks young disciples and Sankalp Foundations Shubhashree Pradhan and Sunita Biswal staged solo performances, Hansadhwoni Pallavi and Abhinaya Mare Bana Dhara Shravana ki, respectively, in the Delhi Odissi Ustav-2023 organised by the Odissi International Forum and enthralled the audience with the splendour and sublimity of their performances. DIEGO TO CONTINUE IN ODISHA FC TILL 2025 Bhubaneswar: Odisha FC has announced that Diego Mauricio has signed a new contract that keeps him at the club till 2025. Mauricio previously joined Odisha FC in the 2020-21 season. JSW HOLDS HEALTH CAMP; 463 BENEFITTED Paradip: A mega healthcare camp was organised at Nuagaon in the proposed area of Ersma block of JSW Foundation. It was held in association with the Jagannath Cancer Aid Foundation. Mainly cancer diagnosis tests were conducted. Dr Shishir Shetty from the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital in Mumbai gave advice on diagnosis, post-treatment and surgery. As many as 463 patients were given health checkup along with free medicines. Senior Officer of Paradip unit of JSW Utkal Steel N Purohit and Chief Officer of Paradip Project CSR Abhijit Mohanty were present. GANJA SEIZED; 4 HELD IN PALLAHARA Pallahara: A Pallahara police team led by IIC Parao Tudu seized 52 kg ganja from an Indigo car near the College Square on National Highway-49 on Sunday during patrolling. Another car which was escorting it was also seized. Four persons identified as Salila Sahoo (33), Deepak Sahoo (22), Babun Behera (27) and Kalia Behera (37) were arrested in connection with the contraband seizure. The approximate market value of the seized ganja is around Rs 4 lakh. The seized contraband was being transported to Jamshedpur. PARTNERSHIP TO DEVELOP AWADI CENTRES AS PRESCHOOLS Bhubaneswar: Sesame Workshop India Trust and LTIMindtree have partnered to enhance early childhood education and provide quality education to children aged 3-6 years who are enrolled in the Anganwadi Centres in Odisha. Their joint initiative "Learn, Play, Grow" has already begun in the districts of Kalahandi and Jharsuguda with the aim of improving Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) delivery in 100 Anganwadi Centres. TPNODL COMPLETES 2 YRS OF OPERATIONS Baleswar: The TP Northern Odisha Distribution Ltd (TPNODL) has completed its two years of successful operations. A function at the NOCCI Business Park here was attended by TPNODL Independent Director KN Srivastava and other dignitaries. MAN GETS 10 YRS IN JAIL FOR KILLING VILLAGER IN SGARH Rourkela: The Additional Sessions Judge, Sundargarh, on Monday sentenced a man of Sundargarh district to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for killing a man of his village five years ago as the man had not returned his bank passbook. Abhibaran Seth of Jadakudar village had given his SBI savings passbook and some money to Dubraj Kharsel to deposit the same in his (Abhibarans) account. The Delhi Cabinet has approved several proposals including the extension of the Delhi Chief Minister Advocates Welfare Scheme, procurement of mechanical sweepers and water sprinkling machines to control dust pollution and to extend its power subsidy scheme for one year and to provide artificial limbs and other aides to physically disabled persons through a government agency.The Sugamaya Sahayak Scheme for the divyangs aims to enhance the mobility of individuals with benchmark disabilities. Under the scheme, they will be provided aids and appliances such as smart canes, hearing aids, wheelchairs, motorised tricycles, and artificial limbs to enable them to overcome physical barriers, improve their mobility, and pursue education and employmen. The social welfare department of the Delhi Government will enter a five-year agreement with a Government company to organise awareness camps and provide individuals with benchmark disabilities the necessary equipment. In the Cabinet meeting, Delhi Law Minister Kailash Gahlot proposed the continuation of the earlier Delhi Chief Minister Advocates Welfare Scheme with similar conditions to provide group term insurance and group medi-claim insurance respectively to advocates registered with the Bar Council of Delhi & named in the Electoral Roll of Delhi under the Chief Ministers Advocates Welfare Scheme. The scheme provides group term insurance and group Medi-claim coverage to lawyers practising in Delhi, offering significant financial support in unforeseen circumstances such as death or illness. The group (term) insurance payments will be directed to the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), while payments for the medi-claim coverage will go to New India Assurance. Addressing a press conference, Delhi ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj said the scheme for advocate welfare was introduced to provide social security to the practising advocates enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi (and also on the Delhi voters list) and their families. The scheme was first announced in December 2019 and has been providing group (life) insurance of Rs. 10 lakhs per advocate and group Medi-claim coverage for the advocate, their spouse, and two dependent children up to the age of 25 years for a family floater sum insured of Rs. 5 lakhs. The scheme was initially applicable for one year, and the Delhi Cabinet has been further extending it since. The Kejriwal government has spent around Rs 100 crore on the welfare of advocates under the Delhi Chief Minister Advocates Welfare Scheme. This includes more than Rs 32 crore for life insurance and over Rs 66 crore for medical insurance. The scheme has benefited over 4,100 lawyers and their families since December 2020, with more than 200 families receiving a claim of Rs 10 lakh each under the group life insurance policy. The cabinet approved a proposal of the Environment department for purchasing 70 mechanical sweeping machines to remove dust on bigger roads maintained by the Public Works Department (PWD). It also decided to purchase 250 water sprinkling machines fitted with anti-smog guns, Bharadwaj said. A sum of Rs 2,388 crore will be spent on this in the next seven to 10 years and in the first year, the expenditure will be Rs 257 crore, he said. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami demanded new trains and rail projects for Uttarakhand during his meeting with the Union Railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in New Delhi on Tuesday. In the meeting he requested that a new Jan Shatabdi train should be sanctioned between Tanakpur- Dehradun and a Shatabdi express should ply between New Delhi and Ramnagar. Dhami told the union minister that a tunnel based rail project connecting Dehradun to Saharanpur via Mohand should be approved and the railway ministry should examine the Uttarkashi- Rishikesh rail project and sanction it. The CM also requested that the Vande Bharat express train should be sanctioned between Haridwar to Varanasi. This service would provide major assistance to the pilgrims and tourists, he said. He demanded that the union government should bear the entire cost of the Kichha- Khatima rail project. The CM requested Ramnagar- Haridwar- Dehradun service and said that special trains from New Delhi, Mathura and Lucknow should be operated to Tanakpur during Purnagiri fair. Dhami said that at present one has to go through Haridwar to travel by rail from Dehradun to New Delhi. Since Haridwar-Dehradun rail line is single lane and most of it is under Rajaji National Park, the speed of the train is also highly controlled from the point of view of the safety of wildlife due to which the entire journey takes relatively longer time. If the rail line from Dehradun to Saharanpur via Mohand, some part of which will pass through a tunnel, is constructed, then the rail traffic between New Delhi and Dehradun will also become faster. As a result, apart from facilitating the movement of tourists in the state, commercial activities will also get a boost, he suggested. --From Kendrapada, she reminisced horror of 1999 Super Cyclone --Narrates steps at grassroots level to tackle disaster : Dalit Sarpanch Sibani Bijuli (27) of far-flung Batighar Gram Panchayat of coastal Mahakalapada area in Kendrapada district won accolades by sharing her experience on the horrors of1999-Super Cyclone and the steps taken by the State Government ever since towards disaster preparedness and disaster management at the 1st G20 Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group meeting at Gandhinagar in Gujarat. About 130 delegates from G20- member countries along with 11 invite countries and 14 international organisations participated in the three-day meeting from March 30 to April 1. While addressing the delegates, Bijuli stated that when she was only three years old, she had lost two of her elder brothers to the 1999- Super Cyclone at Kunjakothi under Erasama block of Jagatsinghpur. There was no modern gadget at that time for creating awareness and alerting the people to save themselves from Natures fury. Though the scar remains fresh, but the things have changed since then and Odisha is now better prepared to face such eventualities, she said. Most of the sea side villages have developed a lot. Thatched mud walled houses have turned into pucca houses in most of the vulnerable pockets and one can find cyclone shelters all due to Naveen Patnaik and his Government, she said. Meanwhile, the Odisha Government has been giving emphasis on zero causalities. The State has now a world class disaster management procedure, she said. Even, the State Government has set up the OSDMA in 2001 to deal with natural calamities in the State, she added. I am married in Batighar GP. As the Batighar GP is a coastal area, my first priority was to save the life and property of the locals. I formed a Disaster Preparedness Management Committee and became the president of the committee. I and my team have been creating awareness and alerting the locals and motivating them for evacuation, stated Bijuli. Local MLA and Minister of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak praised Bijulis presentation. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that there was a lot of respect and honour for daughters on the land of India, but a time came when daughters were considered a curse. The foeticide became rampant. Only 900 daughters were born against 1000 sons in the state. Right from the beginning, there was a yearning in my heart to restore the lost respect of the daughters. Once I was said in a meeting "Do noyt commit foeticide, let the daughters be born", then an old Amma said will you arrange dowry for the daughters. At that moment, I took a vow that I will make daughters a boon in Madhya Pradesh. I worked day and night for their welfare and now daughters are a blessing on the land of Madhya Pradesh. Chief Minister Chouhan was addressing sisters at Ladli Bahna Maha Sammelan in Khandwa today. At the beginning of the programme, letters written by about one lakh sisters were presented to Shivraj Bhaiya. The sisters welcomed CM Chouhan by tying Safa and offering Nimadi Pahravani. The sisters also presented to Chouhan a picture of his made of rakhis. Chouhan started his address by singing Phoolon Ka Taron Ka Sabka Kehna Hai, Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Bahna Hai and concluded it with the the same song. The sisters also sang in harmony with their Shivraj bhaiya. Chouhan said that today a large number of sisters of the state have shown me their faith by writing letter and tying rakhi, I will not let it break. I will follow this bond of raw thread for the rest of my life. I will live for my sisters and if I have to die for them, I will not back down in that too. The Chief Minister said that many schemes are operated in the state for the welfare of sisters and daughters. Ladli Laxmi Yojana was first made in the state. Savings certificates are bought at the time of birth of daughters, through which they get money from time to time and on completion of 21 years they get one lakh rupees. Mukhya Mantri Kanya Vivah / Nikah scheme is going on for the marriage of poor daughters. More than half of the sisters are elected representatives in the panchayat and urban bodies. Sisters are also given 50 percent reservation in the recruitment of teachers. Sisters get 30 percent reservation in police recruitment. If a property is purchased in the name of sister, then there will be exemption in stamp duty. Pradhan Mantri Awas is approved in the name of both husband and wife. Land to live on is being given to every poor in the state. The wife's name is mandatory in the lease for this. Chouhan said that he is the real brother of all the sisters of the state. Brother gifts his sister once a year in the month of Sawan on Rakhi. I too wanted to give gifts to my sisters, but I thought this gift should be given every month instead of once in a year. The Chief Minister said that once he woke up at 4 in the morning and told his wife that he had a scheme for the sisters, in which they should be given an amount of Rs one thousand every month to make them self-dependent. With this thought, the Ladli Behna Yojana came into being. Chouhan said that Ladli Bahna Yojana will change the lives of sisters. The benefit of this scheme will be given to every family the annual income of which is less than Rs 2.5 lakh, that does not own 5 acres or more of land and does not own a four-wheeler. Family means husband, wife and children. For this, the age of the beneficiary should be between 23 and 60. Forms will be filled in the scheme by April 30 and money will start coming into the accounts of the beneficiary women from June 10. He said that women should take advantage of this scheme and help other women to get it as well. Ladli Bahna should form an army in every village. A day after five infamous Maoists were killed in an encounter in Naudiha forest under Lavalong police station of Chatra district, State DGP Ajay Kumar Singh today reached the place and rewarded the jawans and officers involved in the anti naxal operation. Additional Director General of Police, CRPF, Vitul Kumar, Additional Director General of Police, Abhiyan, Jharkhand, Sanjay Anandrao Lathkar, Inspector General of Police, CRPF, Vidhi Kumar Birdo, Inspector General of Police, Campaign, Jharkhand, Amol V. Homkar and other senior officers also accompanied the DGP on the occasion. The Director General and Inspector General of Police, Jharkhand, Ranchi was welcomed at the temporary helipad at Lavalog by Narendra Kumar Singh, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Utchho area, Hazaribagh with a bouquet, after which the Guard of Honour was given to the DGP. All the senior officers reached to address the police meeting organized at CRPF Camp located at Lavalong Jharkhand Police, CRPF, Cobra-203, JAP. The DGP, while encouraging the officers/personnel of jawans and officers said that it is a well known fact that the encounter that took place on April 3 is a very important incident from the point of view of eradication of Maoists from the State and it is a unique success of the Jharkhand Police. Encouragement was given to continue the work in Jharkhand and Maoists active in the State of Jharkhand were called upon to join the mainstream as soon as possible under the government's surrender and rehabilitation policy. Along with this, the martyrdom of Chatra police was also remembered. ADG, CRPF said that CRPF has been involved in the anti-Naxal campaign in the state of Jharkhand for a long time and CRPF and Jharkhand Police have been consistently successful in the last few years. In the light of intelligence, many top Naxalites of CPI Maoist organization have been killed in intensive operations at various places under the state and many Naxalites have surrendered. On this occasion, the police officers/personnel involved in the encounter were rewarded by the Director General and Inspector General of Police. Superintendent of Police Chatra, Rakesh Ranjan and his team were highly appreciated by all the officials present there. After this, a detailed discussion was also held on the Naxal strategy. On this occasion, apart from the above officials, Dilip Chowdhary, Deputy Inspector General of Police, CRPF Bokaro, Rakesh Ranjan, Superintendent of Police, Chatra, Manoj Kumar, Commandant CRPF 190 Bn, Chatra, Rajeev Kumar, Commandant Cobra 203 Bn, Barhi Ved Prakash Tripathi, Commandant CRPF 11 Bn, Latehar and other senior officers were present. Haryana Government on Tuesday launched the Drone Imaging and Information Service of Haryana Limited (DRIISHYA) for surveying infrastructure projects, monitoring of agriculture and horticulture crops, and surveillance of sensitive areas for security purposes. While inaugurating the Startup Symposium and Industry Ignite, 2023 in Chandigarh, Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal said that the Government of India has emphasized the need of utilizing drones and capture images to understand the crops yield and crops damage due to inclement weather, so that the compensation can be given to the farmers accordingly. The Haryana government is using drones for surveying infrastructure projects, monitoring agriculture and horticulture crops, and surveillance of sensitive areas for security purposes. The Chief Secretary said that DRIISHYA will impart drone pilot training to the youth in the state which would generate employment opportunities for them. He said the state government is also using drones to curb illegal mining activities and ensure sustainable mining practices in the state. The government has been using drones to monitor and prevent stubble burning in the state. With this step, stubble-burning cases have come down to 47 percent as compared to the previous year. Now we are working to bring down the stubble burning cases to zero active fire incidents, he said. Speaking about the startups in Haryana, he said that the state is becoming a hub for a vibrant startup ecosystem in the country. Kaushal said Haryana may be a small state geographically, but it contributes 6.5 percent to the total GST revenue collected by the Union Government which itself speaks about the industrial progress of the state. He said that the state government has offered both fiscal and non-fiscal incentives for startup culture in the state. The state has productive manpower with 65 per cent of the population in the working age group of 15-59 years. A grand farewell was organized in respect of Prof. (Dr.) Neelkamal Kapoor on her superannuation and completion of deputation tenure of Prof. (Dr.) Manisha Shrivastava. The function was attended by Director, all Deans, Faculties, other officers and officials of AIIMS Bhopal. Prof. (Dr.) Neelkamal Kapoor shared her life experiences with the audiences and advised the youngsters to be dedicated, honest and upright so that you enjoy your profession with full satisfaction. Director AIIMS Bhopal praised the calm and cool behaviour of Prof. (Dr.) Kapoor and wished that Dr. kapoor continue to guide the PG students of the Department of pathology. Dr.Manisha Shrivastava described her tenure as full of challenges and successes. She said the past seven months of working with the present Director was a period of learning and achievements. Director described Dr. Shrivatava a brave lady and a tough administrator. Some faculty members shared their memorable moments spent with the outgoing personalities. The audience had swing expressions from emotions to cheers. Amit Sharma, one of the accused in the abduction and murder of a businessmans minor son in Jharsuguda, on Tuesday tried to kill himself at the Reserve Battalions bathroom here during his remand period. Amit had gone to the bathroom in the morning, during which he shattered its mirror. He then slit his wrist and throat with a piece of glass of the broken mirror. He was rescued by police and admitted to the Jharsuguda District Headquarters Hospital for treatment. Amit and another accused of the murder case Dinesh Agrawal were later produced before a local court. Police had taken the duo on a three-day remand for questioning. Samarth Agrawal, a 15-year-old son of businessman Sunit Agrawal of Sarbahal in Jharsuguda, had been kidnapped and killed over a ransom of Rs 50 lakh on March 28. His body was recovered from Bheden of Bargarh district. Miscreants had abducted Samarth from Jharsuguda in the evening of March 27 and sought a ransom of Rs 50 lakh from his father. They killed the boy in the night of March 28 after his family did not pay the ransom. Investigating into the case, police had apprehended Amit of Biju Nagar in Jharsuguda and Dinesh of Gandhi Chhak in Brajarajnagar. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that Ladli Bahna Yojana is not a ritual but it heralds social revolution in Madhya Pradesh. Earlier Ladli Laxmi Yojana was started. Now the Ladli Bahna scheme has been started for the sisters. If the sisters are prosperous then the family will be prosperous. Economic problems of middle and poor class sisters will be solved. This scheme will bring prosperity in their life. When women have money, the condition of the house will change. Women are being given their rights in Madhya Pradesh. Their dignity is being taken care of. The pension of old women will be increased from Rs 600 to Rs. 1000. Chief Minister Chouhan said that women should live with self-respect, atrocities will not be allowed on the land of the state. To make women strong, Ladli Bahna Sena will be formed in every village. Sisters will be involved in this, who will work for the safety of women. He said that the homeless would be given land to live on. The tribal class also has the right on water, forests and land. They have been given powers under the PESA rules. Chief Minister Chouhan attended Mukhya Mantri Bhu Adhikar (Chief Minister Residential Land Rights) patra distribution and Women's Conference at Betul Police Ground on Monday. CM Chouhan said that Maa Tapti Corridor will be built in Multai. Its complete outline will be prepared. He also announced to name institutions after revolutionaries. The Chief Minister dedicated and performed bhoomi-pujan of development works worth more than Rs. 680 crore. Chouhan said that I am always ready for the welfare of women. Many decisions have been taken by the state government for the empowerment of sisters. For political empowerment along with providing reservation to women in elections for Panchayat and urban bodies, arrangements have been made for 50 percent reservation in teacher recruitment and 30 percent in police recruitment to provide opportunities in government services. The daughters also proved their talent in this. The state government gives exemption in the registration fee for getting the land registered in the name of a woman. The Chief Minister said that Ladli Bahna Yojana is a scheme that came out of my heart. Through the scheme, now an amount of Rs 1000 per month will be given in the accounts of our poor, lower middle class sisters. This amount will prove beneficial for women struggling with financial constraints. The nutritional level of children will improve and there will be sweetness in the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Chief Minister Chouhan said that the work of submission of women's applications will continue till April 30. He also made the sisters aware about the eligibility and application process of the scheme. The Chief Minister said that e-KYC is very important in the scheme, so that the amount can go directly to the accounts of the sisters. Funds are being made available by the state government for the e-KYC of the sisters. An FIR should be lodged immediately on getting information about any person demanding money for this. Chouhan instructed the district administration that proper arrangements for seating and drinking water should be made for the sisters at the application centres. In villages and wards where there is a problem of e-KYC due to network, arrangements should be made for vehicles to take sisters to other villages or wards to get e-KYC done. Chouhan said that under the Mukhya Mantri Awasiya Bhu Adhikar Yojana, all the homeless will be given free land for living. No one will be remain homeless. There is a need to provide international-level training to MCD schoolteachers so that they can impart quality education to students, Education Minister Atishi said on Tuesday. Holding a review meeting with Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi, officials of Directorate of Education, MCD, and SCERT, Atishi expressed the need to prepare a roadmap for international-level training of MCD school teachers. To deliver quality education in Delhi, the DoE and the MCD will work in an integrated manner. Global training of Delhi government school teachers played a vital role in Delhis education revolution and now, there is a need to prepare a roadmap for international-level training of teachers of MCD schools as well, Atishi said. With the help of this training, our MCD school teachers will be able to provide quality education to the children studying in their schools, she added. The minister directed the officials of the SCERT, or State Council of Educational Research and Training, to prepare a joint action plan for the training of teachers of schools under the DoE as well as Municipal Corporation of Delhi. She also directed the officials to hold a joint orientation of principals of schools under the two agencies. This will create an excellent opportunity for both to learn from the best practices of each other. This training will not only help in the professional development of teachers from both departments but will also be an opportunity for teachers to understand the challenges that they face together, Atishi said. During the meeting, Atishi also directed the DoE, MCD, and SCERT to form a joint action group to work on the content and curriculum development, assessment, and teacher training. Taking inspiration from these changes, we will transform the MCD schools into finest schools and work towards providing quality education to every child. The decision of MCD and Delhi government schools working together will benefit lakhs of children in Delhi, Oberoi said. Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Vice-Chancellor Tariq Mansoor resigned from the post on Tuesday, a day after he was nominated as a member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council. The resignation of Mansoor, 66, who hails from Aligarh, came weeks before his tenure was to end in May. Mansoor, who became the AMU vice-chancellor in 2017, has been associated with the university for several decades. Pro Vice-Chancellor Mohammad Gulrez will officiate as the VC till Mansoors successor is appointed, a notification issued by AMU Registrar Mohammad Imran said. According to a notification issued by the state government on Monday night, Mansoor is among six people nominated by Governor Anandiben Patel as MLCs against eight vacancies. In an open letter to the university students and staff on Monday, Mansoor said, As I demit office, this is the last time I address you as the Vice-Chancellor. I had the opportunity of serving the institution for six years during good and challenging times. He thanked the AMU community for standing by him during this time, especially in facing the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Having studied, taught, served and led the university for so many memorable years, I am filled with emotions which will forever remain an integral part of me, said Mansoor, who graduated in medicine from AMU and later joined Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College as a teacher. As the country enters the path of New India and is poised to play a central role in world affairs, I am confident that AMU will continue to play a prominent role in the task of nation-building, he said. He took charge as the AMU VC on May 17, 2017, for a period of five years and his term was to end in May 2022. However, amid exceptional circumstances prevailing in the wake of the pandemic, the Centre extended his tenure by a year. Senior AMU officials said the procedure for selecting the next vice-chancellor has not even begun. Mansoors departure could mark a period of uncertainty since under normal circumstances, the incumbent vice-chancellor presides over the process of selecting his successor. The other nominated to the UP Legislative Council are Saket Misra, Lalji Prasad Nirmal, Rajnikant Maheshwari, Hansraj Vishwakarma, and Ramsurat Rajbhar. Saket Misra, son of former Principal Secretary to Prime minister, Nripendra Mishra. Saket Mishra is an investment banker and an adviser in Purvanchal Vikas Board in Uttar Pradesh. An alumnus of IIM-Calcutta, Mishra is said to have been actively involved with the BJP in Shravasti in east UP for the past 4-5 years. Another nominated candidate is Lalji Prasad Nirmal, who is a prominent Dalit leader, social worker and president of Ambedkar Mahasabha Trust. He is also the chairman of UP Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation. Rajnikant Maheshwari belongs to Kasganj district and served as president of BJPs Braj regional unit for two terms. Last week, he was replaced by Dhruvvijay Singh Shakya. Hansraj Vishwakarma, an OBC leader, is the president of BJPs Varanasi district unit. He participated in the Ram temple movement. Ramsurat Rajbhar is also an OBC leader, who lost the Assembly election from Phoolpur-Pawai in Azamgarh district last year. The Bara Bazar police of Hazaribag town arrested two persons including a woman with 35 kg marijuana from the new bus stand of the town. Both the arrested persons carried the marijuana in the two suitcases and were going to Delhi to supply. The SDPO of town Mahesh Parjapati in a press conference in his office said that police received a tip off that two persons including a woman from Odisha will purchase the marijuana and carry it to Delhi. The Bara Bazar police started to search the bus, which was going to Delhi from Hazaribag. During the search two persons were found to be travelling to Delhi with two suitcases. As they opened the suitcases the police found that both the suitcases were full of marijuana. The police arrested both the persons and seized the marijuana. The SDPO said that after the weight the total weight of the banned drug was 35 kg, which costs more than Rs 5 lakh in the International market. Police are interrogating both the arrested persons. Parajapati said that now-a-days the suppliers are using women for smuggling the items. Both the arrested persons accepted that they supply marijuana, but who is the purchaser and who is the seller they dont know. After reaching Delhi, they will ring on a number and further they receive the order that at place they have to supply. Police have started searching for those persons involved in the illegal trade. Both the arrested persons are from Bhubneswar, Odisha. PNS : Thousands of teachers from all Panchayats of Odisha led by NIOS DELED Teachers Association national president Er Debashisha Hota held a demonstration on Tuesday at the Lower PMG. They demanded declaration of a pension policy for the private school teachers, giving priority to DEl.Ed teachers during appointment in Government schools, regularising job of NC- cleared Government teachers from May 22, 2019 and teachers of Catholic Mission Minority Board Schools. The teachers of private schools like Saraswati Sishu Vidya Mandir, Sri Aurobinda Purnanga Sikhya Kendra, Vivekananda Vidya Mandir and Gurukul are leading a miserable life after their retirement, because they are getting very small salaries from their schools. They work hard for 10 to 12 hours per day in these schools but their future is uncertain as they have neither any chance for regularization of job nor pension after retirement, Hota said and urged the CM to frame a Pension Policy for the category of teachers in the State. Benefit, Bahrains innovator and leading company in Fintech, has received the Gold Level Certificate from the Ministry of Health (MoH) for the Health-Promoting Workplace programme. Following an extensive evaluation, Benefit was awarded with the Health Promoting Workplace Certificate in Gold Level, one of the programme's three tiers, which are Silver, Gold, and Diamond. The certificate was awarded in the presence of attendees from the Ministry of Health, including Dr Ejlal Al-Alawi - Assistant Undersecretary for Public Health and Dr Wafaa Al-Sharbaty - Director of the Health Promotion Department. Workplace health guidelines The programme adheres to workplace health guidelines, encompassing five key aspects: proper nutrition, physical activity, tobacco control, psychological health, and occupational health. Benefit held several key initiatives tied to each core element of the programme in line with their empowerment and sustainability values. This included implementing an obesity prevention programme for employees, conducting annual events to promote sports, a dedicated time for office exercise, first aid training, organising a competition to quit tobacco, a social event for employees and their families, amongst many others. Benefit has expanded its value throughout the years to a variety of initiatives related to corporate social responsibility, reflecting its dedication to being a positive force within society. Furthermore, this holistic health programme supports the company's purpose of giving back to its employees, while also improving their general health. Second home Benefit Senior Manager, Compliance & MLRO, Maryam Kamal, said: At Benefit, we recognise that employees represent the most important resource for a company, and we continually strive to take important steps to safeguard them in all capacities. With the support and guidance of the executive management, we were able to create and promote such an environment where employees feel that Benefit is their second home. The healthy workplace programme is well aligned with our values of empowerment as it supports our people in all their ambitions, within and outside of the business, also this programme is one of the initiatives to support and achieve the sustainable development goals SDGs 2030. The Healthy Workplaces programme is one of the Ministrys core initiatives introduced by the Health Promotion Directorate to promote individual health and raise health awareness through partnerships with various organisations to ensure the health and safety of their employees. This is consistent with Bahrains Vision 2030 fairness principle, according to which everyone in society is treated equally under the law, everyone has equal access to health care, and those with limited resources are assisted through a targeted social safety net.-- TradeArabia News Service The Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) on Tuesday arrested fifth accused in the forest guard recruitment examination cheating case 2021 from Haryana. The arrested accused named Praveen Kumar Rana leased the Swami Darshananand Institute of Management and Technology (SDIMT in Haridwar, one of the examination centres where UKSSSC conducted examination, said the senior superintendent of police of STF, Ayush Agrawal. He said that the accused has revealed in the preliminary investigation that he, along with his accomplice Nishant Chaudhary, allegedly took the SDIMT on lease for 11 months at the rate of Rs 50 for each computer to ensure the online forest guard exams are conducted there. Subsequently, they contacted the online examination conducting agency NSEIT and reportedly signed an agreement with it to conduct examinations there. A total of 150 candidates participated in the online examination there from July 16 to July 25, 2021 in various phases where many candidates cheated with the help of lab technician Sachin, arrested earlier by STF, said Agrawal. He said that each candidate paid between Rs eight lakh to Rs 10 lakh to Rana and his accomplice. he SSP said that NSEIT agency allegedly paid Rs 1.71 lakh to Rana for conducting examination but he did not make any payment to SDIMT and fled along with his accomplice. Rana is a property dealer in Haryana and met his accomplice Chaudhary in 2020, who belongs to Uttar Pradesh after which they allegedly hatched the plan to conduct cheating in the examination in 2021, said Agrawal. The STF is checking the criminal history of the accused. STF registered a case in the cyber police station in September last year against the alleged irregularities found in the online forest guard recruitment examination after initial investigation in other UKSSSC cheating cases confirmed the cheating in the exam. The STF has already arrested four accused in this case. Agrawal said that this is the 56th arrest in UKSSSC recruitment examination cheating cases. A delegation from Italy headed by Carlotta Bonvicini, Deputy Mayor of Italy's Reggio Emilia on Tuesday visited Ranchi Smart City and assed the infrastructure work going on in the area. The delegation apart from Bonvicini includes two other members under the Euro U Pian Uni U Yun International Urban Urban and Regional Cooperation Program. The Deputy Mayor of Italy's Reggio Emilia city and his colleagues understood and got to know closely the specialties and important aspects of Ranchi Smart City under construction in Ranchi. He inquired about the state-of-the-art facilities being developed on 656 acres of land, what are some of the best facilities in Lasalai city and what will be the benefits of these to the urban citizens. Rakesh Kumar Nandkeolyar, General Manager, Ranchi Smart City Corporation, informed the delegates about various aspects of Smart City through power point presentation. During this, discussion was also held on the command control and community welfare center set up by Ranchi Smart City and the traffic system of Ranchi which is self-operated. The delegation members also saw several live demo days and learned how this system can simultaneously address the entire city while sitting in the command center. They were told that the center has an important role in crime control and investigation of criminal incidents. Public bicycle wheel ringing system was also discussed. It was told by Ranchi Smart City Corporation that in order to promote non-motorized transport, a public bicycle wheel ringing system is working in Ranchi city, the benefits of which are being taken by people of all classes. For educational purposes, many people are using cycles for commuting and many youths are also using cycles for their livelihood. In this sequence, the members of the delegation enjoyed the cycle service going on in Ranchi. The members also got information about the UTI Lite Service SEZ being developed in Ranchi Smart City and visited the entire RayBD area. The GM and other officials of Ranchi Smart City informed about the development of the city, the state-of-the-art facilities being provided in it, their three-day visit and the measures taken for the environment. The technical director of Reggio Emilia also gave a presentation based on their city and told what facilities are being provided for sustainable mobility in his city. The delegation members took a bicycle tour of the ABD area of Ranchi Smart City and praised the work being done in the Smart City. Carlotta Bonvicini, Deputy Mayor of Reggio Emilia City, Panagiotis Kara as Convener on behalf of IURUC, Paolo Gandoli, Director of Technology, Reggio Emilia Municipality, Rakesh Kumar Nandkyolyar, GM of Ranchi Smart City and others were present. The Delhi University is paving the way to give professors and senior professors an extension of five years following retirement to promote research culture and re-employ research-oriented academicians, a senior varsity official said on Tuesday. At present, the retirement age of the faculty is 65 years and no extension was given to teachers. The university has prepared a set of guidelines for the re-employment of research-oriented academicians. The official, however, stated that the guidelines will only apply to professors teaching at the varsity departments, centres, schools, and institutions, and are not applicable to colleges of the university. The re-employed professors will hold the positions on a contract basis, he said. The 14-point guidelines, prepared by a committee, will be presented during the upcoming meeting of the Executive Council (the highest decision-making body of the university) on April 10 for approval. The retirement age of academicians at the university is 65 years. However, the university wishes to bring provisions to give an extension of five years for professors. We are hopeful that the guidelines will be approved in the next meeting. This step will help in promoting a research culture and for the re-employment of research-oriented academicians, the official said. According to the guidelines, the application for the same should be submitted before the date of superannuation of the teacher. The application will be then placed before the screening committee for further processes. The screening committee will have a chairperson nominated by the vice chancellor. Besides the chairperson, the panel will also have chairperson of the research council; Dean of Research; Dean of the faculty concerned; Dean of Academic Affairs; Head of the Department concerned, and Joint Registrar, as members. The re-employed professor will not hold any administrative position and the financial power will be limited to him, the guidelines stated. In an effort to make the villages of Uttar Pradesh clean and beautiful, the Yogi Adityanath government will now impart training to gram pradhans, block motivators, panchayat assistants and cleaning staff. A total of 21 training centres will be set up across the state and 83,000 people will be trained in different sessions. As per the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, preparations are underway to take appropriate steps regarding the management of solid and liquid waste in all the villages of the state and to train the gram panchayat officials for this. In the second phase of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural), more than 25,000 gram panchayats of the state have been included for the financial year 2023-24. The training of master trainers has been completed recently. Additional Chief Secretary, Panchayati Raj, Manoj Kumar said that as many as 25,145 gram panchayats have been included for the financial year 2023-24 in the second phase of Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural). Under this, a target has been set for 43,242 revenue villages. Several campaigns will be launched to manage solid and liquid waste, in addition to maintaining the achievements made in these villages during the first phase of the mission, Kumar said. In this sequence, training will be provided to about 83,000 people like village heads, block motivators, and panchayat assistants, who will actually work in the villages. Training to these 83,000 people will be imparted at 20 District Panchayat Resource Centres (DPRCs) apart from the PRIT office in Lucknow. Six master trainers have been deployed at each training centre to provide training to gram pradhans, panchayat assistants, and motivators. A total of 126 master trainers have been deployed across the state. All these master trainers have recently received training at the Directorate of Panchayati Raj, Kumar said. He said that a number of villages prior to fiscal year 202223 have been targeted for the ODF Plus model more than seven times. Activities like management of solid and liquid waste, management of plastic waste and faecal sludge, construction of bio-gas units under the Gobardhan project and construction of individual toilets are to be conducted in these villages. He said that the gram panchayat would work on this by making a strategy so that targets could be achieved within the stipulated time. Uttar Pradesh is turning into an export state of India as among the 43 Centers of Export Excellence selected by the Central government, 12 are from Uttar Pradesh. The Central government, while releasing the countrys Foreign Trade Policy-2023 recently, declared four more places, including three in Uttar Pradesh Varanasi, Moradabad and Mirzapur as Centres of Export Excellence, which speaks volumes about the development being witnessed in the state. Mirzapur is known for its handmade carpets, Moradabad for carpets and Varanasi for handloom and handicrafts. The other nine cities of UP, which are already on this list, include Kekhra (for handloom), Malihabad (for horticulture), Kanpur (for leather products), Agra (for leather products), Firozabad (for bangles-glass items), Saharanpur (for handicrafts), Bhadohi (for carpets) and Noida (for apparel products). Being included in this list means that these cities will have priority access to the Export Promotion Fund and all these cities will be able to get common service provider benefits for fulfillment of exports under the Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG) scheme. Uttar Pradesh, despite being a landlocked state, has seen a remarkable growth in its exports in the last six years of the Yogi government going up from Rs 88,967 crore to Rs 1.57 lakh crore. As per the intention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is laying special emphasis on exporting traditional products of Uttar Pradesh along with ensuring ease of doing business in the state. With the establishment of dry ports and opening of a water route between Varanasi to Haldia, the state government has opened new doors of possibilities for entrepreneurs investing in UP. CM Yogi has set the target of developing the state into a $1-trillion economy in the next five years in order to establish it as the countrys growth engine in line with PM Modis resolve of making the country a $5-trillion economy. In this context, the government is focusing on taking the exports further from Rs 1.57 lakh crore to Rs 2 lakh crore at the earliest. Various facilities are being provided to investors as well as to entrepreneurs from the state. The government has also introduced 25 sectoral policies to boost industrial growth in diverse sectors. A framework is being prepared to implement investment proposals worth Rs 35 lakh crore received through the Global Investors Summit (UP GIS-2023). The Yogi government has introduced the concept of dry ports through the UP Warehousing and Logistics Policy-2022 to facilitate transportation of export cargo to sea ports and many entrepreneurs are investing in it. As Uttar Pradesh is a landlocked state with various export clusters, emphasis is being laid on development of dry ports in the state. An inland port is made under dry ports, where the customs formalities between the exporter and the importer are completed. After this the containers are sent to the port The dry ports operating currently are Moradabad Rail Linked Joint Domestic and Exim Terminal, Rail Linked Private Freight Terminal and Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Kanpur, and ICD at Dadri Terminal. To encourage UP in the field of exports, PM Modi inaugurated a waterway between Varanasi and Haldia in the past. The Haldia Multimodal Terminal connects Varanasi and is also connected to the India-Bangladesh Protocol route and the Northeast. It also connects Kolkata port and Bangladesh. The waterway, in future, will facilitate export of goods from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal to Bangladesh. Since Varanasi is at the centre of the waterway, it is set to give wings to UPs exports. Meanwhile, work is going on fast to connect Prayagraj with this waterway. Xavier School of Management celebrated its 67th Annual Convocation at the Tata Auditorium, XLRI Jamshedpur. The institute will also be celebrating its Platinum Jubilee of XLRI between October 11, 2023 - October 10, 2024. XLRI conferred the prestigious Sir Jehangir Ghandy Medal for Industrial and Social Peace to Mr. Harsh Mariwala, Chairman of Marico. In deep appreciation of his enduring dedication to the high standards of business leadership & of his tenacious efforts to make our society a better place, XLRI is honored to present the Sir Jehangir Ghandy Medal to Mr. Mariwala. The 67th Annual Convocation of XLRI Jamshedpur witnessed 484 students graduating - 14 students from Fellow Program in Management, 176 students from Human Resource Management, 180 students from Business Management, 114 students from General Management (15 months program). 14 students received the Medals for Academic Excellence by Prof. Sanjay K Patro, Dean - Academics, XLRI Jamshedpur. 18 employees of XLRI Jamshedpur received Long Service Medals for their 15 years of dedication & commitment towards the Institute by Fr. Donald DSilva, SJ, Dean - Administration & Finance, XLRI Jamshedpur. Fr. S George S.J., Director, XLRI, congratulated the graduating students and shared that XLRI will be celebrating their Platinum Jubilee this year. He also thanked the Chairman for his constant support. We welcome our Chief Guest, Mr. Harsh Mariwala to the 67th Convocation of XLRI for the graduating batch of 2023. We thank you for accepting the Sir Jehangir Ghandy Medal for Industrial and Social Peace. Congratulations to our 484 students & heartfelt appreciation to our faculty and staff members for making XLRI a place of learning and integrity. On the special occasion, the Director also paid tribute to the departed souls, Dr. J J Irani, Chairman of XLRI from 1993 - 2003 & Mr. Bushen Raina, Former President and Board Member - we lost them in 2022. He also announced the Academic Medal Winners names, student achievements for the academic year & the XLRI long service medal winners for 15 years. TV Narendran, Chairman, XLRI addressed the crowd by congratulating the students and shared 4 key pointers with them; Change is the only constant and you learn while experiencing things. In this highly interconnected world, be aware geopolitically. Be aware of what's happening around. Climate change or transition is going to play a huge role in the next 30 years. Know about the growing inequality in this world and make sure you always stand for the greater good and stick to the values that XLRI has instilled in you. He also presented the Sir Jehangir Ghandy Medal to Mr. Harsh Mariwala. Accepting the medal from the Chairman on the 67th Convocation, Mariwala congratulated all the graduating students and shared that his HR Head is an XLRI Alumni and expressed his heartfelt gratitude to XLRI for having him on stage. He further said, HRs play an important role in businesses. Create a culture of innovation and it will help you achieve success when you have less resources and high aspirations. Be a strong believer of strength based approach and identify your skills and use them efficiently and effectively. Fear is the biggest failure and you should not be afraid of failures. Failures lead to introspection, learning, improvements. You will have a mix pack of success and failures. He also asked the students to thank their parents for making them who they are today. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission, as an integrated panel, should be formed as a corporate body by giving a unified look to various teachers selection commissions. This commission will prove useful in ensuring timely selection process of teachers, better utilisation of human resources and financial discipline, Yogi said while reviewing teachers recruitment process conducted in various educational institutions here on Tuesday. He gave necessary guidelines to the officers regarding the formation of Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission. The chief minister said separate authorities, boards and commissions have been constituted for the selection of qualified teachers in basic, secondary, higher and technical educational institutions. Apart from the Examination Regulatory Authority, Secondary Education Service Selection Commission and Higher Education Service Selection Commission, teachers are also being selected through the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission. The selection process is conducted through the Board of Management for minority institutions of higher and secondary education level, Board of Governors and Board of Directors for technical institutions. In order to make practical reforms, considering the future requirements, it would be appropriate to set up a unified commission for teachers selection, CM said. Yogi said that the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission should become an autonomous corporate body. Guidelines will be prepared by the commission regarding direct recruitment of teachers. In relation to the appointment of teachers, after completing the process of selection through selection test and interview, a recommendation should be made by the commission to the appointing authority for the appointment of candidates. He gave instructions to the officials to submit necessary proposals while fixing the outline regarding the nature of the new commission, qualification of the chairman and members, powers and functions of the commission. The chief minister said that a person holding a post like vice-chancellor of a university or having a long experience of Indian Administrative Service should be made the chairman of the commission. Similarly, senior judges and experienced educationists should be given place in the appointment of members. Other backward classes, scheduled castes/tribes and women and minorities should also be represented in the commission, he added. The Uttar Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test (UP TET) should also be conducted through this new commission, the CM said. Recruitment of different categories of teachers in the council junior basic schools, non-government aided junior high schools, affiliated primary schools, non-government aided minority junior high schools and affiliated minority primary schools, government high schools/intermediate colleges, non-government aided high schools/ intermediate colleges, government and aided Sanskrit schools as well as non-government aided minority high schools/intermediate colleges should be made through the new commission, he said. The selection process should be conducted by the newly-integrated commission in government colleges, non-government aided colleges, Sanskrit colleges and minority colleges, government engineering colleges, aided polytechnic colleges and non-government aided madrasas. Additional Chief Secretary (CM) SP Goyal, Additional Chief Secretary (Secondary and Basic Education) Deepak Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary (Minorities Welfare) Monika S Garg, Principal Secretary (Technical Education) Subhash Chand Sharma, Principal Secretary (Higher Education) Sudhir Mahadev Bobde, Director-General of School Education Vijay Kiran Anand were present in the meeting along with senior officers. Donald Trump, the first former US President to be criminally charged, has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records at his arraignment in a Manhattan court on charges relating to hush money payments made to a porn star before the 2016 presidential election. The 76-year-old former Republican president, who ruled the country for four years till January 2021, was arrested when he arrived to surrender at the Manhattan criminal court on Tuesday. Trump, who became the first former US president to be indicted, arrested and arraigned on criminal charges, pleaded not guilty to 34 criminal charges of falsifying business records in person before State Supreme Court Justice Juan M Merchan. Wearing a dark blue suit and red tie, a stone-faced Trump walked into the courtroom with his steps heavy and slow and said not guilty in a firm voice while facing the judge. He sat silently throughout almost the entire proceedings and only spoke when he was required to, either by pleading not guilty or by answering to the judge when addressed directly. Speaking outside court after the arraignment, Trump's attorney Todd Blanche said that his client is "frustrated" and "upset." He accused the prosecutor of turning a "completely political issue" into a "political prosecution." On the charges against Trump, Blanche said: "we're going to fight it, fight it hard." The historic indictment against Trump, was unsealed on Tuesday, providing the public and Trump's legal team with details about the charges against him for the first time. It includes charges of falsifying business records in connection with a hush payment that Trump's former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen made to porn star Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 election. Prosecutors alleged Trump was part of an unlawful plan to suppress negative information, including an illegal payment of USD 130,000 that was ordered by the defendant to suppress the negative information that would hurt his presidential campaign. The reason he committed the crime of falsifying business records was in part to promote his candidacy, the indictment alleges. Trump hid reimbursement payments to Cohen by marking monthly checks for legal services, according to the statement of facts, in a deal the two worked out in the Oval Office. The payments stopped after December 2017, according to the document. Trump left the Manhattan courtroom after his arraignment on Tuesday without making any statement. He left the building and got into his motorcade parked outside. The next in-person hearing date for Trump's case is set for December 4 in New York, CNN reported, adding that the former president has departed New York en route to Florida. Trump flew back back to his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida, where he addressed a crowd in a roughly 25-minute speech. He repeated many of his campaign talking points and argued that he has been the victim of a Democratic conspiracy to tank his re-election bid. Trump said he "never thought anything like this could happen in America" on Tuesday night after he was arraigned in New York City. "The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it," Trump said in Florida. He criticised the indictment levelled against him, saying he is going through a fake investigation that turned out to be a sham. "Let me be as clear as possible: I am Innocent. The only offense I have committed is to defend America from those who seek to destroy it. What we've witnessed is election interference in the highest order, he said. Let me assure you I have never been more determined than I am right now. They will not beat me. They will not break me. They will not stop me from fighting to save this country. The more they try to frame me, slander me, and destroy me, the stronger my resolve to complete our mission, Trump said. He did not even spare the judge Juan Merchan who is overseeing his case. The former president alleged that he is a Trump hating judge with the Trump hating wife and family whose daughter works for Kamala house and now receives money from the Biden Harris campaign". Trump's speech came after the judge did not place a gag order on him but warned him that the issue would be revisited if the ex-president continued with his heated rhetoric about the case. A gag order would have prohibited Trump, his attorneys, other parties and witnesses from speaking about the case publicly. The former president earlier arrived at the specially secured Manhattan courthouse in an eight-car motorcade. He was arrested as he arrived at the court. Shortly after Trump was put under arrest, his campaign released a mugshot picture of him on a t-shirt saying not guilty. A large crowd had gathered in front of the courtroom ahead of his arraignment. President Joe Biden did not respond to questions from reporters on the issue at the White House. Trump's attorneys earlier said the Republican leader, eying the White House for a second time in 2024, will plead not guilty to the criminal charges he is facing in connection with hush money payments to adult film star Daniels. Trump has denied all wrongdoings in connection with the payments made to 44-year-old Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. "Heading to Lower Manhattan, the Courthouse. Seems so SURREAL - WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Can't believe this is happening in America. MAGA!" Trump posted to Truth Social as he was en route to the courthouse. Security was tightened in New York, in particular the courthouse in lower Manhattan, as hundreds of Trump's supporters landed in the city to rally behind him. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has warned against any breaking of law and order. The White House refrained from making a comment on the developments in New York except for saying that it's a legal matter. "It's an ongoing case, so we're just not going to comment on the case specifically itself, but the president is going to focus on the American people like he does every day. This is not something that is a focus for him," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference. "He is going to focus on things like making sure that continue to lower prices for the American people, she said. "Of course, this is playing out on many of the networks here on a daily basis for hours and hours, so obviously he will catch part of the news when he has a moment to catch up on the news of the day, but this is not his focus for today, she said in response to a question. President Joe Biden, she said, was not given a heads-up on Trump's indictment. "He was briefed by his chief of staff and he learned about this just like all of you through the reporting. Our focus right now is on the American people. I'm just not going to comment on any ongoing case, she said. News outlets were not allowed to broadcast Trump's arraignment. Trump flew in his aircraft to New York City from his Mar-a-Lago home on Monday. The development comes as Trump faces legal hurdles in other potential criminal cases. Trump is currently the front-runner among all declared and potential contenders for the 2024 Republican White House nomination. But there is nothing in US law that prevents a candidate who is found guilty of a crime from campaigning for and serving as president -- even from prison. Trump was twice impeached by the House of Representatives. He was acquitted by the Senate both times. Trump and his aides are using the indictment to rile up his supporters and bolster his 2024 re-election campaign. Hours before his arraignment, Trump sent an email to his supporters, which he claimed was the last one before his arrest, saying that the United States is becoming a "Marxist Third World" country and took to social media to question the fairness of the judiciary. "My last email before my arrest," Trump said in the subject line of the email. "Today, we mourn the loss of justice in America. Today is the day that a ruling political party ARRESTS its leading opponent for having committed NO CRIME," Trump wrote. "As I will be out of commission for the next few hours, I want to take this moment to THANK YOU for all of your support. I am blown away by all of the donations, support, and prayers we have received. It's sad to see what's happening - not for myself - but for our country, he said. In less than 24 hours after being indicted he raised more than USD 4 million. "A sad day for our nation, even as we pay the highest price to prove that we are a nation of laws: no one is above the law, and now former President Trump stands indicted with 34 counts and is protected, like every American, with every Constitutional protection, including presumptive-innocence and the all-powerful right to confront the witnesses against him," Indian-American attorney Ravi Batra said after the former president pleaded not guilty. Indian American, who campaigned for Trump during his 2016 and 2012 elections, believe that the former president will emerge even stronger after his arraignment on Tuesday. Trump is a textbook on positive thinking, he can convert any grave situation against him, to his best possible advantage. He will convert this week's New York case, as a stepping stone to win back the White House in 2024, Al Mason, a die-hard supporter of the former president, said in a statement. Since news of his indictment first broke, the Trump campaign has raised millions and his poll numbers are skyrocketing, he said, adding that more Democrat and independent voters are moving to his side. Australia has become the last of the Five Eyes security partners to ban the Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok from its federal governments devices. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said in a statement on Tuesday that based on intelligence and security agencies advice, that ban would come into effect as soon as practicable. The so-called Five Eyes intelligence-sharing partners the United States, Canada, Britain and New Zealand have taken similar steps. TikTok objected to the decision. We are extremely disappointed by this decision, which, in our view, is driven by politics, not by fact, the companys general manager for Australia, Lee Hunter, said in a statement. Again, we stress that there is no evidence to suggest that TikTok is in any way a security risk to Australians and should not be treated differently to other social media platforms. He urged the Australian government to treat all businesses fairly, regardless of country of origin. Western governments are worried that TikTok poses risks to cybersecurity and data privacy, and that the app could be used to promote pro-Beijing narratives and misinformation. TikTok is owned by the Chinese technology company Bytedance and has long maintained that it does not share data with the Chinese government. It is carrying out a project to store US user data on Oracle servers, which it says will put the information out of Chinas reach. The company has disputed accusations it collects more user data than other social media companies, and insists that it is run independently by its own management. The European Parliament, European Commission and the EU Council, the 27-member blocs three main institutions, have also imposed bans on TikTok on staff devices. Under the European Parliaments ban, which took effect last month, lawmakers and staff were also advised to remove the TikTok app from their personal devices. India imposed a nationwide ban on TikTok and dozens of other Chinese apps, including the messaging app WeChat, in 2020 over privacy and security concerns. The ban came shortly after a clash between Indian and Chinese troops at a disputed Himalayan border killed 20 Indian soldiers and injured dozens. In early March, the US gave government agencies 30 days to delete TikTok from federal devices and systems. The ban applies only to government devices, though some US lawmakers are advocating an outright ban. China has lashed out at the US for banning TikTok, saying it is an abuse of state power and is suppressing companies from other countries. More than half of the 50 US states also have banned the app from official devices, as have Congress and the US armed forces. (AP) ZC Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has expressed his apprehension about emergency or martial law in the country if a larger Supreme Court bench was not constituted to hear the case regarding the postponement of provincial elections in Punjab, according to a media report on Tuesday. Bilawals concerns stem from the ongoing political and judiciary crisis in the cash-starved country wherein the Supreme Court is hearing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insafs petition against the Election Commission of Pakistans decision to postpone the Punjab Assembly polls. Bilawal, who is also the head of the Peoples Party (PPP), spoke with the media on Monday in Larkana, his seat in the Sindh province, and said his party would not accept whatever decision of the three judges on elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab, The News International reported. Pakistans Supreme Court on Tuesday termed as unconstitutional the election commissions decision to postpone polls in the Punjab province till October 8, in a major blow to the federal government that has been trying to delay the provincial election citing security issues and the economic crisis. The party will embrace (only) the decision of the full court and implement the same, he said. He said that PPP is defending the Constitution. He added that Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the PPP founder, had given the nation the 1973 Constitution which was breached by dictators, including Pervez Musharraf, but former president Asif Ali Zardari had restored it. He said that the sons and daughters of dictators are in the PTI and added that party supremo Imran Khan was the chief polling agent of Pervez Musharraf in a held referendum. He said that a three-judge decision would not be accepted because one of them, through his judgment, had handed over the Punjab government to PTI by rejecting some votes in the election of the chief minister last year. He asked the Chief Justice of Pakistan to constitute a full court in the larger interest of the nation. Pakistan has a history of military rule and so far generals have ruled almost half of the history of the creation of the country. Bilawals warning comes as the country is gripped with bitter political, judicial and economic crises. King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah today (April 5) welcomed the first regular scheduled direct flight between Saudi Arabia and Iraq, reported SPA. The resumption of regular flights between the Kingdom and Iraq is the result of the ongoing efforts of the Saudi-Iraqi Coordination Council, and of the support and guidance of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. Flight No. XY612 of Flynas arrived in Jeddah from the Iraqi city of Erbil this morning with 174 passengers aboard. The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) officials said Flynas will fly directly from Erbil to Jeddah twice a week - on Wednesdays and Sundays, and other carriers such as flyadeal and Saudi Airlines are expected to follow suit beginning May, stated the report. These flights are bound to boost economic ties and investment, improve trade relations, and facilitate the movement of passengers, tourists, pilgrims and Umrah performers between the two brotherly countries. As part of its national aviation strategy, the GACA seeks to increase air connectivity to 250 destinations, carry 330 million passengers and increase the capacity of air cargo to 4.5 million tonnes by 2030, it added. Finlands parliamentary website was paralysed by a denial-of-service attack on Tuesday, just before the country made its historic entry into NATO, a move that more than doubles NATOs border with Russia and has angered Russian President Vladimir Putin. The attacks in which participants flood targets with junk data made the parliaments site hard to use, with many pages not loading and some functions not available for a time. A pro-Russian hacker group known as NoName057 (16) claimed responsibility, saying the attack was retaliation for Finland joining NATO. The hacker group, which has reportedly acted on Moscows orders, has taken part in a slew of cyberattacks on the US and its allies in the past. The claim could not be immediately verified. For the most part, Finns went about their business as usual on the bright cold day, belying the historic nature of Finland becoming the 31st member of NATO. Its membership was formalised with a series of steps in Brussels. Its a moment that most Finns had never previously wanted as they balanced friendly ties with both the West and Russia. But all that changed with Russias full-scale and brutal invasion of its neighbour Ukraine last year, creating a sudden and strong sense of insecurity that pushed the nation toward membership in the security alliance. Finland joined the NATO military alliance Tuesday, dealing a major blow to Russia with a historic realignment of the continent triggered by Moscows invasion of Ukraine. The Nordic countrys membership doubles Russias border with the worlds biggest security alliance and represents a major change in Europes security landscape: The nation adopted neutrality after its defeat by the Soviets in World War II. But its leaders signalled they wanted to join the alliance just months after Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine sent a shiver of fear through Moscows neighbours. The move is a strategic and political blow to Putin, who has long complained about NATOs expansion toward Russia and partly used that as a justification for the invasion. Russia warned that it would be forced to take retaliatory measures to address what it called security threats created by Finlands membership. It had also warned it would bolster forces near Finland if NATO sends any additional troops or equipment to what is its 31st member country. The alliance says it poses no threat to Moscow. Neighbouring Sweden, which has avoided military alliances for more than 200 years, has also applied. But objections from NATO members Turkiye and Hungary have delayed the process. Alarmed by Moscows invasion of Ukraine last year, Finland, which shares a 1,340 kilometre (832 mile) border with Russia, applied to join in May, setting aside years of military non-alignment to seek protection under the organisations security umbrella. Im tempted to say this is maybe the one thing that we can thank Mr. Putin for because he once again here precipitated something he claims to want to prevent by Russias aggression, causing many countries to believe that they have to do more to look out for their own defence and to make sure that they can deter possible Russian aggression going forward, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said just before accepting the documents that made Finlands membership official. The US State Department is the repository of NATO texts concerning membership. Earlier, Russias Foreign Ministry said the country will be forced to take military-technical and other retaliatory measures to counter the threats to our national security arising from Finlands accession to NATO. It said Finlands move marks a fundamental change in the situation in Northern Europe, which had previously been one of the most stable regions in the world. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, meanwhile, Tuesday that Finlands membership reflects the alliances anti-Russian course and warned that Moscow will respond depending on what weapons NATO allies place there. But Peskov also sought to play down the impact, noting that Russia has no territorial disputes with Finland. Its not clear what additional military resources Russia could send to the Finnish border. Moscow has deployed the bulk of its most capable military units to Ukraine. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg earlier said that no more troops would be sent to Finland unless it asked for help. There will be no NATO troops in Finland without the consent of Finland, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters at the alliances headquarters in Brussels a few hours before the country joins. The country is now protected by what Stoltenberg called NATOs iron-clad security guarantee, under which all member countries vow to come to the defence of any ally that comes under attack. But Stoltenberg refused to rule out the possibility of holding more military exercises there and said that NATO would not allow Russias demands to dictate the organisations decisions. We are constantly assessing our posture, our presence. Pakistans Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Tuesday directed the registrar of the Supreme Court to not relinquish the charge of his office amidst the worsening row between the government and the top judiciary in the coup-prone country. Chief Justice Bandial took the step after the cabinet removed Ishrat Ali, ordering him to report at the Establishment Division, the top government offices supervising the transfer and posting of senior officers, Dunya News reported. The row began when the Cabinet on Monday threw its weight behind the senior Supreme Court judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa who had ordered Alis removal the other day. Ali had irked Justice Isa by issuing a circular of Bandial in which he disregarded the judgment of Isa of March 31 regarding taking up suo motu actions. Pakistans Supreme Court on Tuesday termed as unconstitutional the election commissions decision to postpone polls in the Punjab province till October 8, in a major blow to the federal government that has been trying to delay the provincial election citing security issues and the economic crisis.The apex court also fixed May 14 as the date for polls in the politically crucial Punjab province, in a boost to ousted prime minister Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Meanwhilie, Pakistans federal Cabinet on Tuesday rejected the Supreme Courts unanimous verdict on advancing the elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces which were earlier postponed by the election commission. The development came during the Cabinets meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial announced the apex courts verdict on the matter which it had reserved on Monday, Geo News reported.On March 22, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) delayed assembly polls in the politically crucial Punjab province by more than five months, citing the deteriorating security situation in the cash-starved country, a move criticised by Khans PTI.The verdict on the issue was delivered by a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Ijazul Ahsan. Heavy security was deployed outside the apex courts building, with a large contingent of police guarding the main entrance.The top court declared the ECP decision as illegal and unconstitutional. The impugned order dated 22.03.2023 (EC Order) made by the Election Commission of Pakistan (Commission) is declared to be unconstitutional, without lawful authority or jurisdiction, void ab-initio, of no legal effect and is hereby quashed, the ruling said. 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 competitors? We will compare Forge Global to related companies based on the strength of its valuation, institutional ownership, earnings, analyst recommendations, dividends, profitability and risk. Analyst Recommendations This is a summary of recent ratings for Forge Global and its competitors, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Get Forge Global alerts: Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Forge Global 0 4 2 0 2.33 Forge Global Competitors 144 899 1198 31 2.49 Forge Global presently has a consensus target price of $3.48, suggesting a potential upside of 104.41%. As a group, Security & commodity brokers, dealers, exchanges & services companies have a potential upside of 29.42%. Given Forge Globals higher possible upside, equities research analysts clearly believe Forge Global is more favorable than its competitors. Insider and Institutional Ownership Valuation and Earnings 13.7% of Forge Global shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 69.0% of shares of all Security & commodity brokers, dealers, exchanges & services companies are owned by institutional investors. 20.0% of Forge Global shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 6.9% of shares of all Security & commodity brokers, dealers, exchanges & services companies are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term. This table compares Forge Global and its competitors revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Forge Global $69.38 million -$111.86 million -1.17 Forge Global Competitors $7.42 billion $656.15 million 31.11 Forge Globals competitors have higher revenue and earnings than Forge Global. Forge Global is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its competitors, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry. Profitability This table compares Forge Global and its competitors 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% 20.57% 5.50% Risk & Volatility Forge Global has a beta of 2.29, indicating that its stock price is 129% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Forge Globals competitors have a beta of 1.37, indicating that their average stock price is 37% more volatile than the S&P 500. Summary Forge Global competitors 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. Invesco Income Growth Trust Plc (LON:IVI Get Rating)s stock price traded up 1.5% on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as GBX 278 ($3.45) and last traded at GBX 278 ($3.45). 47,441 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 35% from the average session volume of 73,272 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 274 ($3.40). Invesco Income Growth Trust Trading Up 1.5 % The firm has a market cap of 162.22 million and a P/E ratio of -5.42. The firms fifty day moving average is GBX 278 and its two-hundred day moving average is GBX 278. The company has a quick ratio of 0.08, a current ratio of 0.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.32. About Invesco Income Growth Trust (Get Rating) Invesco Income Growth Trust plc is a close-ended equity mutual fund launched and managed by Invesco Fund Managers Limited. It is co-managed by INVESCO Asset Management Limited. The fund invests in the public equity markets of the United Kingdom. It seeks to invest in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Invesco Income Growth Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco Income Growth Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. iShares Canadian Select Dividend Index ETF (TSE:XDV Get Rating) shares traded down 0% during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as low as C$27.80 and last traded at C$27.93. 44,432 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 1% from the average session volume of 43,979 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$27.94. iShares Canadian Select Dividend Index ETF Stock Down 0.0 % The business has a 50 day moving average price of C$27.84 and a 200 day moving average price of C$27.33. iShares Canadian Select Dividend Index ETF Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a monthly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, February 28th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 28th were paid a $0.10 dividend. This is an increase from iShares Canadian Select Dividend Index ETFs previous monthly dividend of $0.10. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 22nd. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.30%. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for iShares Canadian Select Dividend Index ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Canadian Select Dividend Index ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Local Bounti (NYSE:LOCL Get Rating) is one of 33 public companies in the Agricultural production crops industry, but how does it weigh in compared to its rivals? We will compare Local Bounti to similar businesses based on the strength of its analyst recommendations, dividends, risk, earnings, profitability, institutional ownership and valuation. Analyst Recommendations This is a breakdown of current ratings and target prices for Local Bounti and its rivals, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Get Local Bounti alerts: Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Local Bounti 0 1 4 0 2.80 Local Bounti Competitors 96 168 487 23 2.56 Local Bounti presently has a consensus target price of $2.85, indicating a potential upside of 431.72%. As a group, Agricultural production crops companies have a potential upside of 57.55%. Given Local Bountis stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, research analysts plainly believe Local Bounti is more favorable than its rivals. Institutional and Insider Ownership Profitability 65.3% of Local Bounti shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 26.7% of shares of all Agricultural production crops companies are held by institutional investors. 41.5% of Local Bounti shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 16.8% of shares of all Agricultural production crops companies are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth. This table compares Local Bounti and its rivals net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Local Bounti -570.35% -97.51% -51.03% Local Bounti Competitors -339.13% -25.67% -16.18% Risk & Volatility Local Bounti has a beta of 1.75, suggesting that its share price is 75% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Local Bountis rivals have a beta of -24.12, suggesting that their average share price is 2,512% less volatile than the S&P 500. Earnings and Valuation This table compares Local Bounti and its rivals top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Local Bounti $19.47 million -$111.07 million -0.42 Local Bounti Competitors $1.63 billion $21.77 million -0.12 Local Bountis rivals have higher revenue and earnings than Local Bounti. Local Bounti is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its rivals, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry. Summary Local Bounti rivals beat Local Bounti on 7 of the 13 factors compared. Local Bounti Company Profile (Get Rating) Local Bounti Corporation grows fresh greens and herbs in the United States. It produces lettuce, herbs, and loose-leaf lettuce. The company sells its products to food retailers and food service distributors. Local Bounti Corporation was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Montana. Receive News & Ratings for Local Bounti Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Local Bounti and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Mizuho Financial Group (NYSE:MFG Get Rating) was downgraded by equities research analysts at StockNews.com from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report released on Tuesday. Separately, Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Mizuho Financial Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, January 24th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Mizuho Financial Group presently has an average rating of Hold. Get Mizuho Financial Group alerts: Mizuho Financial Group Price Performance Shares of MFG stock remained flat at $2.91 during trading hours on Tuesday. 706,432 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,296,946. Mizuho Financial Group has a twelve month low of $2.10 and a twelve month high of $3.30. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $3.06 and a two-hundred day moving average of $2.68. The firm has a market capitalization of $36.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.08, a PEG ratio of 1.23 and a beta of 0.47. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Mizuho Financial Group Company Profile Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. increased its stake in Mizuho Financial Group by 6.3% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 8,435,393 shares of the banks stock valued at $21,679,000 after buying an additional 502,830 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. increased its stake in Mizuho Financial Group by 30.0% in the 3rd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 7,100,083 shares of the banks stock valued at $15,691,000 after buying an additional 1,637,617 shares during the period. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. increased its stake in Mizuho Financial Group by 7.0% in the 4th quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. now owns 4,415,317 shares of the banks stock valued at $12,539,000 after buying an additional 288,522 shares during the period. Jane Street Group LLC acquired a new position in Mizuho Financial Group in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $9,695,000. Finally, Millennium Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Mizuho Financial Group by 7,883.4% during the 4th quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 1,147,852 shares of the banks stock worth $3,260,000 after purchasing an additional 1,133,474 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 0.53% of the companys stock. (Get Rating) Mizuho Financial Group, Inc operates as a holding company which engages in the provision of financial services such as banking, trust banking, securities, and others. It operates through the following segments: Mizuho Bank Ltd. (MHKB), Mizuho Trust & Banking Co, Ltd. (MHTB), and Mizuho Securities Co, Ltd. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Mizuho Financial Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mizuho Financial Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Walmart (NYSE:WMT Get Rating) updated its FY24 earnings guidance on Tuesday. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of $5.90-$6.05 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.11. Walmart also updated its Q1 guidance to $1.25-$1.30 EPS. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research firms have recently weighed in on WMT. Tigress Financial raised Walmart from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $170.00 to $176.00 in a report on Thursday, January 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $164.00 target price on Walmart in a report on Wednesday, February 22nd. StockNews.com started coverage on Walmart in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a strong-buy rating for the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price target on Walmart from $164.00 to $169.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 22nd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. set a $155.00 price target on Walmart in a research note on Tuesday, February 21st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating, twenty-three have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Walmart has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $163.06. Get Walmart alerts: Walmart Trading Down 1.0 % WMT traded down $1.46 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $147.23. The companys stock had a trading volume of 5,904,982 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,535,129. Walmart has a twelve month low of $117.27 and a twelve month high of $160.77. The company has a quick ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $142.24 and its 200-day moving average price is $141.82. The firm has a market capitalization of $396.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.74, a PEG ratio of 4.41 and a beta of 0.48. Walmart Announces Dividend Walmart ( NYSE:WMT Get Rating ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 21st. The retailer reported $1.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.51 by $0.20. Walmart had a return on equity of 20.45% and a net margin of 1.91%. The firm had revenue of $164.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $158.67 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.53 earnings per share. The companys revenue was up 7.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts anticipate that Walmart will post 6.08 EPS for the current year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, January 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, December 8th will be issued a dividend of $0.57 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, December 7th. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.55%. Walmarts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 53.27%. Insider Buying and Selling at Walmart In other Walmart news, CEO C Douglas Mcmillon sold 9,708 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $143.57, for a total value of $1,393,777.56. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 1,432,515 shares in the company, valued at approximately $205,666,178.55. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, CEO C Douglas Mcmillon sold 9,708 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $143.57, for a total transaction of $1,393,777.56. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 1,432,515 shares in the company, valued at approximately $205,666,178.55. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director S Robson Walton sold 1,504,039 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $145.51, for a total value of $218,852,714.89. Following the transaction, the director now owns 245,711,516 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $35,753,482,693.16. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 21,053,710 shares of company stock worth $2,982,527,217 in the last quarter. 47.06% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. AMI Investment Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Walmart by 1.6% during the 1st quarter. AMI Investment Management Inc. now owns 8,269 shares of the retailers stock worth $1,231,000 after purchasing an additional 132 shares in the last quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. lifted its holdings in Walmart by 36.8% during the 1st quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 4,820 shares of the retailers stock worth $718,000 after purchasing an additional 1,296 shares in the last quarter. Covestor Ltd lifted its holdings in Walmart by 31.7% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,162 shares of the retailers stock worth $173,000 after purchasing an additional 280 shares in the last quarter. Ergoteles LLC lifted its holdings in Walmart by 123.9% during the 1st quarter. Ergoteles LLC now owns 10,566 shares of the retailers stock worth $1,573,000 after purchasing an additional 5,847 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mackenzie Financial Corp lifted its holdings in Walmart by 1.7% during the 1st quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 857,839 shares of the retailers stock worth $127,749,000 after purchasing an additional 13,985 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 31.27% of the companys stock. Walmart Company Profile (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. American Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in iShares Gold Trust (NYSEARCA:IAU Get Rating) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 92,755 shares of the exchange traded funds stock, valued at approximately $3,208,000. iShares Gold Trust makes up approximately 3.7% of American Asset Management Inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 4th biggest position. Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Jane Street Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of iShares Gold Trust during the third quarter worth about $264,003,000. Bank of Montreal Can increased its position in shares of iShares Gold Trust by 93.3% in the third quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 4,573,365 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $150,602,000 after buying an additional 2,207,676 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its position in shares of iShares Gold Trust by 24.1% during the first quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 7,397,408 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $272,323,000 after purchasing an additional 1,436,094 shares in the last quarter. GM Advisory Group Inc. increased its position in shares of iShares Gold Trust by 107.9% during the first quarter. GM Advisory Group Inc. now owns 2,486,906 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $91,593,000 after purchasing an additional 1,290,420 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Toronto Dominion Bank raised its stake in iShares Gold Trust by 309.8% during the third quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 1,229,400 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $38,759,000 after purchasing an additional 929,400 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.40% of the companys stock. Get iShares Gold Trust alerts: iShares Gold Trust Price Performance IAU stock remained flat at $38.35 during mid-day trading on Wednesday. 3,219,118 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 5,447,895. iShares Gold Trust has a one year low of $30.69 and a one year high of $38.52. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $35.95 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $34.21. About iShares Gold Trust iShares Gold Trust (the Trust) is to own gold transferred to the Trust in exchange for shares issued by the Trust (Shares). Each Share represents a fractional undivided beneficial interest in the net assets of the Trust. The assets of the Trust consist of gold held by the Trusts custodian on behalf of the Trust. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for iShares Gold Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Gold Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. AMF Tjanstepension AB grew its holdings in shares of Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE Get Rating) by 791.5% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,356,502 shares of the utilities providers stock after acquiring an additional 1,204,338 shares during the quarter. Sempra Energy accounts for approximately 2.4% of AMF Tjanstepension ABs investment portfolio, making the stock its 9th largest position. AMF Tjanstepension AB owned 0.43% of Sempra Energy worth $209,740,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. ClearBridge Investments Ltd bought a new position in Sempra Energy in the first quarter valued at about $130,223,000. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Sempra Energy by 2.3% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 28,199,642 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $4,228,254,000 after buying an additional 625,052 shares during the period. Prudential Financial Inc. raised its holdings in Sempra Energy by 154.6% in the 2nd quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. now owns 876,292 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $131,680,000 after buying an additional 532,093 shares during the last quarter. Jennison Associates LLC raised its holdings in Sempra Energy by 75.8% in the 3rd quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 1,046,771 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $156,953,000 after buying an additional 451,191 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. raised its holdings in Sempra Energy by 22.2% in the 1st quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 2,287,516 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $384,577,000 after buying an additional 416,022 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 84.75% of the companys stock. Get Sempra Energy alerts: Sempra Energy Stock Up 2.2 % NYSE SRE traded up $3.34 on Wednesday, hitting $153.60. 189,644 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,339,557. The company has a current ratio of 0.60, a quick ratio of 0.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87. The company has a market cap of $48.33 billion, a PE ratio of 22.70, a PEG ratio of 3.11 and a beta of 0.73. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $152.15 and a 200-day moving average of $154.65. Sempra Energy has a 12 month low of $136.54 and a 12 month high of $176.47. Sempra Energy Increases Dividend Sempra Energy ( NYSE:SRE Get Rating ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 28th. The utilities provider reported $2.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.06 by $0.29. Sempra Energy had a net margin of 14.74% and a return on equity of 10.53%. The company had revenue of $3.46 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.79 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.16 EPS. The businesss revenue was down 10.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts forecast that Sempra Energy will post 8.95 earnings per share for the current year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Saturday, April 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 22nd will be issued a dividend of $1.19 per share. This is an increase from Sempra Energys previous quarterly dividend of $1.15. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 21st. This represents a $4.76 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.10%. Sempra Energys payout ratio is currently 71.90%. Insider Transactions at Sempra Energy In related news, CEO Jeffrey W. Martin sold 19,260 shares of Sempra Energy stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $146.09, for a total value of $2,813,693.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 1 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $146.09. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, CEO Jeffrey W. Martin sold 19,260 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $146.09, for a total value of $2,813,693.40. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 1 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $146.09. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Jeffrey W. Martin sold 15,964 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $161.92, for a total value of $2,584,890.88. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 19,261 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,118,741.12. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 52,504 shares of company stock valued at $8,045,547 over the last ninety days. 0.14% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of brokerages recently issued reports on SRE. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on shares of Sempra Energy from $180.00 to $174.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, March 1st. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Sempra Energy in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Bank of America dropped their price objective on shares of Sempra Energy from $173.00 to $165.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, March 28th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price objective on shares of Sempra Energy from $169.00 to $166.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, March 1st. Finally, Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on shares of Sempra Energy from $158.00 to $150.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, March 21st. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $168.45. Sempra Energy Company Profile (Get Rating) Sempra Energy is an energy-service holding company, which engages in the development and operation of energy infrastructure, and provision of electric and gas services. It operates through the following segments: San Diego Gas and Electric Company (SDG&E), Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), Sempra Texas Utilities, Sempra Mexico, and Sempra LNG. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SRE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Sempra Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sempra Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Antofagasta plc (LON:ANTO Get Rating) has earned an average rating of Hold from the seven ratings firms that are covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and five have given a hold rating to the company. The average 12 month price objective among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is GBX 1,401.67 ($17.41). ANTO has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on Antofagasta from GBX 1,280 ($15.90) to GBX 1,260 ($15.65) and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 22nd. Barclays restated an equal weight rating and set a GBX 1,390 ($17.26) price objective on shares of Antofagasta in a report on Wednesday, February 22nd. Royal Bank of Canada restated a sector perform rating and set a GBX 1,400 ($17.39) price objective on shares of Antofagasta in a report on Tuesday, February 28th. Bank of America boosted their price objective on Antofagasta from GBX 1,500 ($18.63) to GBX 1,760 ($21.86) and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Monday, January 23rd. Finally, Peel Hunt restated a reduce rating and set a GBX 1,400 ($17.39) price objective on shares of Antofagasta in a report on Tuesday, February 21st. Get Antofagasta alerts: Antofagasta Price Performance Shares of Antofagasta stock opened at GBX 1,507.50 ($18.72) on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of 14.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1,240.24, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of -1.08 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 28.14, a quick ratio of 2.78 and a current ratio of 3.25. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of GBX 1,624.67 and a 200-day moving average price of GBX 1,455.22. Antofagasta has a one year low of GBX 971.20 ($12.06) and a one year high of GBX 1,837.50 ($22.82). Antofagasta Increases Dividend Antofagasta Company Profile The company also recently announced a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 12th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, April 20th will be issued a $0.51 dividend. This represents a dividend yield of 2.38%. This is a boost from Antofagastas previous dividend of $0.09. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 20th. Antofagastas dividend payout ratio is currently 4,065.04%. (Get Rating) Antofagasta plc operates as a mining company. It operates through Los Pelambres, Centinela, Antucoya, Zaldivar, Exploration and Evaluation, and Transport Division segments. The company holds a 60% interest in the Los Pelambres mine, a 70% interest in the Centinela mine, a 70% interest in the Antucoya mine, and a 50% interest in the Zaldivar mine located in Chile. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Antofagasta Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Antofagasta and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ballast Inc. lessened its stake in Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) by 24.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 5,690 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 1,865 shares during the quarter. Ballast Inc.s holdings in Wells Fargo & Company were worth $235,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Kistler Tiffany Companies LLC lifted its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 5.7% during the 3rd quarter. Kistler Tiffany Companies LLC now owns 4,062 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $163,000 after acquiring an additional 220 shares during the period. Capital Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Wells Fargo & Company by 0.4% in the third quarter. Capital Investment Advisors LLC now owns 62,426 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,511,000 after acquiring an additional 237 shares in the last quarter. Heritage Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 1.7% in the 3rd quarter. Heritage Wealth Management LLC now owns 14,387 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $579,000 after purchasing an additional 237 shares during the last quarter. Buttonwood Financial Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in Wells Fargo & Company by 3.5% in the 3rd quarter. Buttonwood Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 7,171 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $304,000 after buying an additional 241 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Asahi Life Asset Management CO. LTD. increased its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 1.5% during the 3rd quarter. Asahi Life Asset Management CO. LTD. now owns 16,400 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $660,000 after purchasing an additional 250 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 72.24% of the companys stock. Get Wells Fargo & Company alerts: Insider Activity at Wells Fargo & Company In related news, EVP Kleber Santos sold 34,698 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $46.27, for a total value of $1,605,476.46. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 19,590 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $906,429.30. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.07% of the companys stock. Wells Fargo & Company Stock Down 0.4 % Shares of WFC traded down $0.16 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $36.65. The companys stock had a trading volume of 6,716,035 shares, compared to its average volume of 22,973,857. Wells Fargo & Company has a 12-month low of $35.25 and a 12-month high of $50.19. The stock has a market cap of $138.43 billion, a PE ratio of 11.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.77 and a beta of 1.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.08, a current ratio of 0.84 and a quick ratio of 0.84. The companys 50 day moving average is $43.53 and its 200 day moving average is $43.66. Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 13th. The financial services provider reported $0.67 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.63 by $0.04. Wells Fargo & Company had a return on equity of 9.28% and a net margin of 15.91%. The business had revenue of $19.66 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $20.04 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.38 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 5.7% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that Wells Fargo & Company will post 4.73 EPS for the current fiscal year. Wells Fargo & Company Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 1st. Investors of record on Friday, February 3rd were given a $0.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 2nd. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.27%. Wells Fargo & Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 38.22%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of brokerages recently issued reports on WFC. Jefferies Financial Group downgraded Wells Fargo & Company from a buy rating to a hold rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $49.00 to $46.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 17th. Barclays lifted their target price on Wells Fargo & Company from $58.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 3rd. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their target price on Wells Fargo & Company from $45.00 to $42.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a report on Friday, March 24th. Odeon Capital Group cut Wells Fargo & Company from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, March 13th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $60.00 to $50.00 in a research report on Friday, January 6th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $51.09. Wells Fargo & Company Profile (Get Rating) Wells Fargo & Co is a diversified, community-based financial services company. It is engaged in the provision of banking, insurance, investments, mortgage products and services, and consumer and commercial finance. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WFC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Wells Fargo & Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Wells Fargo & Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bank of Montreal Can raised its holdings in shares of Envestnet, Inc. (NYSE:ENV Get Rating) by 3,828.1% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 369,278 shares of the business services providers stock after purchasing an additional 359,877 shares during the quarter. Bank of Montreal Can owned approximately 0.67% of Envestnet worth $23,080,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in ENV. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Envestnet by 0.9% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 5,417,317 shares of the business services providers stock worth $240,528,000 after purchasing an additional 49,658 shares during the last quarter. Impactive Capital LP lifted its stake in Envestnet by 1.5% in the third quarter. Impactive Capital LP now owns 3,983,406 shares of the business services providers stock worth $176,863,000 after acquiring an additional 60,321 shares during the period. State Street Corp lifted its position in Envestnet by 2.7% during the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 1,713,638 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $127,563,000 after buying an additional 44,600 shares during the period. Echo Street Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Envestnet by 5.4% during the third quarter. Echo Street Capital Management LLC now owns 1,503,759 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $66,767,000 after buying an additional 76,910 shares during the period. Finally, Brown Advisory Inc. boosted its position in shares of Envestnet by 0.7% during the third quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. now owns 1,381,375 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $61,333,000 after buying an additional 9,855 shares during the last quarter. Get Envestnet alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts recently issued reports on ENV shares. JMP Securities reiterated a market outperform rating and set a $80.00 price objective on shares of Envestnet in a research note on Monday, March 13th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on Envestnet from $40.00 to $47.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 21st. DA Davidson upped their price objective on Envestnet from $70.00 to $74.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 4th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Envestnet in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a sell rating on the stock. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on Envestnet from $53.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, January 23rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Envestnet presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $63.75. Envestnet Trading Up 0.2 % Insider Buying and Selling at Envestnet Envestnet stock traded up $0.09 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $59.41. 122,374 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 449,164. Envestnet, Inc. has a 52-week low of $41.72 and a 52-week high of $84.58. The company has a market capitalization of $3.21 billion, a P/E ratio of -35.95 and a beta of 1.22. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 0.93 and a quick ratio of 0.93. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $61.22 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $57.07. In related news, insider Shelly Obrien sold 8,800 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $56.84, for a total transaction of $500,192.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 23,709 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,347,619.56. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, SVP Barry D. Cooper sold 530 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $56.93, for a total transaction of $30,172.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 30,242 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,721,677.06. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Shelly Obrien sold 8,800 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $56.84, for a total value of $500,192.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 23,709 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,347,619.56. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 1.44% of the companys stock. Envestnet Company Profile (Get Rating) Envestnet, Inc engages in the provision of intelligent systems for wealth management and financial wellness. It operates through Envestnet Wealth Solutions and Envestnet Data and Analytics segments. The Envestnet Wealth Solutions segment provides unified wealth management software and services to empower financial advisors and institutions. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Envestnet Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Envestnet and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund, Inc. (NYSE:EGF Get Rating) declared a monthly dividend on Wednesday, April 5th, Wall Street Journal reports. Stockholders of record on Friday, April 14th will be given a dividend of 0.041 per share on Friday, April 28th. This represents a $0.49 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.96%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 13th. BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund Trading Up 2.4 % Shares of NYSE EGF traded up $0.23 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $9.92. The companys stock had a trading volume of 3,706 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,990. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $9.87 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $9.81. BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund has a 1 year low of $9.24 and a 1 year high of $10.94. Get BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund alerts: Institutional Trading of BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund A hedge fund recently raised its stake in BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund stock. Morgan Stanley boosted its position in BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund, Inc. (NYSE:EGF Get Rating) by 53.4% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 5,744 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 2,000 shares during the quarter. Morgan Stanleys holdings in BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund were worth $56,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. About BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund, Inc is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by BlackRock, Inc It is managed by BlackRock Advisors, LLC. The fund invests in fixed income markets. It primarily invests in a portfolio of United States government and government agency securities, including the U.S. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Surge Energy Inc. (TSE:SGY Get Rating) has been assigned an average rating of Buy from the seven ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is C$14.04. A number of analysts have recently commented on SGY shares. Raymond James cut their target price on Surge Energy from C$15.00 to C$14.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, January 16th. Stifel Firstegy reiterated a buy rating on shares of Surge Energy in a research report on Thursday, January 12th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on Surge Energy from C$10.25 to C$12.00 in a research report on Monday, March 13th. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group dropped their price target on Surge Energy from C$14.75 to C$13.75 in a research report on Wednesday, March 29th. Get Surge Energy alerts: Surge Energy Stock Down 0.3 % SGY opened at C$9.28 on Wednesday. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is C$8.96 and its 200-day simple moving average is C$9.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 41.50, a quick ratio of 0.40 and a current ratio of 0.46. Surge Energy has a one year low of C$7.15 and a one year high of C$13.68. The stock has a market capitalization of C$912.50 million, a P/E ratio of 3.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.59 and a beta of 2.79. Surge Energy Announces Dividend Surge Energy Company Profile The business also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 17th. Investors of record on Friday, March 31st will be given a $0.04 dividend. This represents a $0.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.17%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 30th. Surge Energys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 17.71%. (Get Rating) Surge Energy Inc explores for, develops, and produces oil and gas in western Canada. The company holds interest in the Greater Sawn Lake assets located in Northern Alberta; Valhalla/Wembley property located in northwestern Alberta; Sparky assets located between Provost and Wainwright in eastern Alberta and western Saskatchewan; and Shaunavon properties located to the southwest of Swift Current, Saskatchewan. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Surge Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Surge Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Catalyst Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSEARCA:IWM Get Rating) in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund acquired 4,714 shares of the exchange traded funds stock, valued at approximately $822,000. Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Mine & Arao Wealth Creation & Management LLC. lifted its position in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 8.7% during the 2nd quarter. Mine & Arao Wealth Creation & Management LLC. now owns 1,703 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $288,000 after buying an additional 136 shares during the last quarter. Kingsview Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in iShares Russell 2000 ETF during the 2nd quarter worth $3,411,000. Triumph Capital Management purchased a new stake in iShares Russell 2000 ETF in the third quarter valued at $2,953,000. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC boosted its stake in iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 4.8% in the third quarter. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC now owns 3,761 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $620,000 after acquiring an additional 172 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First Manhattan Co. grew its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 21.0% during the third quarter. First Manhattan Co. now owns 1,026 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $169,000 after purchasing an additional 178 shares during the last quarter. Get iShares Russell 2000 ETF alerts: iShares Russell 2000 ETF Stock Down 1.3 % Shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF stock traded down $2.32 on Wednesday, hitting $173.03. The stock had a trading volume of 17,173,687 shares, compared to its average volume of 28,509,164. iShares Russell 2000 ETF has a 52-week low of $162.50 and a 52-week high of $204.80. The companys 50 day moving average price is $184.72 and its 200 day moving average price is $180.21. iShares Russell 2000 ETF Company Profile iShares Russell 2000 ETF (the Fund) is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell 2000 Index (the Index). The Index is a float-adjusted capitalization weighted index that measures the performance of the small-capitalization sector of the United States equity market and includes securities issued by the approximately 2,000 smallest issuers in the Russell 3000 Index. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IWM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSEARCA:IWM Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Russell 2000 ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Russell 2000 ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Equitable (NYSE:EQH Get Rating) had its target price lowered by equities researchers at Wells Fargo & Company from $37.00 to $33.00 in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an overweight rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Companys target price would suggest a potential upside of 34.64% from the companys current price. Several other analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Equitable from $44.00 to $48.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 10th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered Equitable from a buy rating to a hold rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $36.00 to $34.00 in a research note on Friday, December 9th. Raymond James began coverage on Equitable in a research report on Wednesday, February 8th. They issued a market perform rating for the company. Royal Bank of Canada cut shares of Equitable from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $34.00 to $33.00 in a research report on Tuesday, December 6th. Finally, TheStreet cut shares of Equitable from a b rating to a c+ rating in a report on Wednesday, February 8th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $37.22. Get Equitable alerts: Equitable Stock Down 2.3 % NYSE:EQH opened at $24.51 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $8.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 5.60 and a beta of 1.40. Equitable has a 52 week low of $22.58 and a 52 week high of $33.24. The stocks fifty day moving average is $29.21 and its two-hundred day moving average is $29.38. Insider Buying and Selling Equitable ( NYSE:EQH Get Rating ) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 8th. The company reported $1.11 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.29 by ($0.18). The business had revenue of $1.90 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.27 billion. Equitables revenue was down 48.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.54 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Equitable will post 5.68 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. In other Equitable news, Director Kristi Ann Matus sold 19,297 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, March 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.34, for a total value of $450,391.98. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, CAO William James Iv Eckert sold 8,100 shares of Equitable stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $25.38, for a total transaction of $205,578.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 27,062 shares in the company, valued at approximately $686,833.56. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Kristi Ann Matus sold 19,297 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, March 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $23.34, for a total transaction of $450,391.98. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.98% of the companys stock. Institutional Trading of Equitable A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. AXA S.A. acquired a new position in Equitable during the third quarter worth approximately $3,491,000. Neuberger Berman Group LLC boosted its stake in Equitable by 24.3% during the 3rd quarter. Neuberger Berman Group LLC now owns 3,917,357 shares of the companys stock worth $103,222,000 after purchasing an additional 766,449 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in Equitable by 80.9% during the 3rd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,588 shares of the companys stock worth $43,000 after purchasing an additional 710 shares during the last quarter. M Holdings Securities Inc. increased its stake in Equitable by 4.3% in the second quarter. M Holdings Securities Inc. now owns 20,619 shares of the companys stock valued at $538,000 after purchasing an additional 850 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can raised its holdings in shares of Equitable by 39.4% in the third quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 58,876 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,821,000 after buying an additional 16,642 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.17% of the companys stock. Equitable Company Profile (Get Rating) Equitable Holdings, Inc engages in the provision of financial services. It operates through the following segment: Individual Retirement, Group Retirement, Investment Management and Research, and Protection Solutions. The Individual Retirement segment includes annuity products, which primarily meet the needs of individuals saving for retirement or seeking retirement income. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Equitable Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Equitable and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. State Street (NYSE:STT Get Rating) had its price objective dropped by analysts at Evercore ISI from $92.00 to $87.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports. Evercore ISIs price target suggests a potential upside of 18.16% from the companys current price. Several other analysts also recently commented on STT. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on State Street from $95.00 to $91.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Monday. Barclays increased their price target on State Street from $95.00 to $116.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on shares of State Street from $98.00 to $97.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Monday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on shares of State Street from $82.00 to $85.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 11th. Finally, Bank of America initiated coverage on shares of State Street in a report on Thursday, January 12th. They issued a neutral rating and a $86.00 target price on the stock. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $88.35. Get State Street alerts: State Street Stock Performance Shares of State Street stock opened at $73.63 on Wednesday. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $84.68 and its 200-day simple moving average is $77.92. State Street has a 12 month low of $58.62 and a 12 month high of $94.74. The stock has a market capitalization of $25.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.57, a PEG ratio of 0.99 and a beta of 1.56. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.56 and a quick ratio of 0.56. Insider Transactions at State Street State Street ( NYSE:STT Get Rating ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 20th. The asset manager reported $2.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.00 by $0.07. State Street had a net margin of 20.92% and a return on equity of 12.03%. The company had revenue of $3.16 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.06 billion. As a group, equities analysts forecast that State Street will post 8.58 earnings per share for the current year. In related news, EVP David C. Phelan sold 15,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $86.63, for a total value of $1,299,450.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 72,491 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,279,895.33. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other State Street news, EVP David C. Phelan sold 15,000 shares of State Street stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $86.63, for a total transaction of $1,299,450.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 72,491 shares in the company, valued at $6,279,895.33. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Ian Appleyard sold 6,725 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $88.42, for a total transaction of $594,624.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 14,493 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,281,471.06. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 32,893 shares of company stock valued at $2,923,987 in the last 90 days. 0.25% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On State Street A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of STT. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. boosted its stake in shares of State Street by 3.2% during the third quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 88,280 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $5,368,000 after acquiring an additional 2,719 shares during the last quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main boosted its stake in shares of State Street by 25.3% during the 2nd quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main now owns 15,760 shares of the asset managers stock worth $972,000 after purchasing an additional 3,180 shares during the last quarter. Pathstone Family Office LLC grew its holdings in shares of State Street by 36.1% during the third quarter. Pathstone Family Office LLC now owns 15,008 shares of the asset managers stock worth $924,000 after buying an additional 3,978 shares in the last quarter. Crumly & Associates Inc. raised its position in shares of State Street by 14.9% in the third quarter. Crumly & Associates Inc. now owns 4,499 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $274,000 after buying an additional 583 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Victory Capital Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of State Street by 83.6% during the third quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 1,214,809 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $73,872,000 after buying an additional 553,285 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.41% of the companys stock. About State Street (Get Rating) State Street Corp. engages in the provision of financial services to institutional investors. It operates through the Commercial and Financial, and Commercial Real Estate segments. The company was founded in 1792 and is headquartered in Boston, MA. See Also Receive News & Ratings for State Street Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for State Street and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Greenwood Capital Associates LLC grew its holdings in Kimberly-Clark Co. (NYSE:KMB Get Rating) by 5.6% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 7,280 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 389 shares during the quarter. Greenwood Capital Associates LLCs holdings in Kimberly-Clark were worth $988,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Kimberly-Clark by 97.1% in the third quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC now owns 3,707 shares of the companys stock valued at $417,000 after acquiring an additional 1,826 shares during the period. LVM Capital Management Ltd. MI lifted its position in Kimberly-Clark by 7.6% in the third quarter. LVM Capital Management Ltd. MI now owns 2,259 shares of the companys stock worth $254,000 after purchasing an additional 160 shares during the period. CBOE Vest Financial LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Kimberly-Clark by 0.6% during the third quarter. CBOE Vest Financial LLC now owns 68,578 shares of the companys stock valued at $7,718,000 after acquiring an additional 440 shares during the period. Stock Yards Bank & Trust Co. lifted its holdings in shares of Kimberly-Clark by 94.8% during the second quarter. Stock Yards Bank & Trust Co. now owns 14,094 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,905,000 after acquiring an additional 6,860 shares during the period. Finally, Wealthspire Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Kimberly-Clark by 7.3% during the third quarter. Wealthspire Advisors LLC now owns 10,019 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,128,000 after acquiring an additional 685 shares during the period. 74.16% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Kimberly-Clark alerts: Kimberly-Clark Trading Up 1.2 % KMB stock traded up $1.64 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $136.10. The stock had a trading volume of 361,048 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,703,301. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $128.27 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $128.06. The company has a quick ratio of 0.47, a current ratio of 0.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 10.83. The firm has a market cap of $45.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.51, a PEG ratio of 2.30 and a beta of 0.40. Kimberly-Clark Co. has a twelve month low of $108.74 and a twelve month high of $144.53. Kimberly-Clark Increases Dividend Kimberly-Clark ( NYSE:KMB Get Rating ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 25th. The company reported $1.54 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.51 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $4.96 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.99 billion. Kimberly-Clark had a return on equity of 264.67% and a net margin of 9.59%. The companys revenue was up .0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.30 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts expect that Kimberly-Clark Co. will post 5.92 EPS for the current fiscal year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 4th. Investors of record on Friday, March 10th were given a $1.18 dividend. This represents a $4.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.47%. This is a positive change from Kimberly-Clarks previous quarterly dividend of $1.16. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 9th. Kimberly-Clarks dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 82.52%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research analysts have issued reports on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised Kimberly-Clark from a sell rating to a hold rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $122.00 to $123.00 in a report on Monday, March 20th. Jefferies Financial Group cut Kimberly-Clark from a buy rating to a hold rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $137.00 to $139.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 4th. Citigroup began coverage on Kimberly-Clark in a research note on Thursday, February 16th. They issued a sell rating and a $120.00 target price for the company. Barclays lowered their target price on Kimberly-Clark from $146.00 to $126.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 27th. Finally, UBS Group raised their target price on Kimberly-Clark from $129.00 to $136.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, January 23rd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $128.50. About Kimberly-Clark (Get Rating) Kimberly-Clark Corp. engages in the manufacture and marketing of products made from natural or synthetic fibers. It operates through the following segments: Personal Care, Consumer Tissue, and K-C Professional. The Personal Care segment offers disposable diapers, training and youth pants, swim pants, baby wipes, feminine and incontinence care products, and other related products. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding KMB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Kimberly-Clark Co. (NYSE:KMB Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Kimberly-Clark Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kimberly-Clark and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hudbay Minerals (TSE:HBM Get Rating) (NYSE:HBM) had its price target upped by research analysts at Bank of America from C$7.00 to C$8.00 in a report released on Wednesday, BayStreet.CA reports. Bank of Americas price objective suggests a potential upside of 13.48% from the stocks previous close. Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the company. Scotiabank lifted their price target on Hudbay Minerals from C$9.00 to C$10.00 in a research report on Tuesday, March 14th. TD Securities lowered their price objective on Hudbay Minerals from C$10.50 to C$10.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 27th. National Bankshares raised their price objective on Hudbay Minerals from C$8.50 to C$8.75 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Monday, February 13th. CSFB lowered their price target on shares of Hudbay Minerals from C$9.00 to C$8.50 in a research report on Friday, March 3rd. Finally, Haywood Securities raised their price objective on Hudbay Minerals from C$7.00 to C$10.00 in a research report on Thursday, February 2nd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of C$9.65. Get Hudbay Minerals alerts: Hudbay Minerals Price Performance TSE:HBM traded up C$0.33 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting C$7.05. 1,006,135 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,381,118. The firm has a market cap of C$1.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.92, a P/E/G ratio of 3.97 and a beta of 1.99. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 79.22. Hudbay Minerals has a 52 week low of C$4.07 and a 52 week high of C$9.80. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is C$6.90 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is C$6.74. Hudbay Minerals Company Profile Hudbay Minerals Inc, a diversified mining company, together with its subsidiaries, focuses on the discovery, production, and marketing of base and precious metals in North and South America. It produces copper concentrates containing copper, gold, and silver; silver/gold dore; molybdenum concentrates; and zinc metals. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Hudbay Minerals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hudbay Minerals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Invesco Bond Fund (NYSE:VBF Get Rating) declared a monthly dividend on Monday, April 3rd, Wall Street Journal reports. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 17th will be given a dividend of 0.0635 per share by the financial services provider on Friday, April 28th. This represents a $0.76 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.88%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 14th. Invesco Bond Fund has decreased its dividend payment by an average of 3.9% per year over the last three years. Get Invesco Bond Fund alerts: Invesco Bond Fund Stock Down 0.3 % NYSE:VBF opened at $15.61 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $16.04 and a 200-day moving average of $15.56. Invesco Bond Fund has a 52 week low of $13.83 and a 52 week high of $17.95. Institutional Inflows and Outflows About Invesco Bond Fund Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Wells Fargo & Company MN increased its position in Invesco Bond Fund by 8.9% in the second quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 275,074 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $4,475,000 after buying an additional 22,415 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley increased its holdings in shares of Invesco Bond Fund by 3.5% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 226,678 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $3,554,000 after acquiring an additional 7,624 shares during the period. UBS Group AG lifted its position in Invesco Bond Fund by 14.7% in the 3rd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 49,280 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $710,000 after purchasing an additional 6,305 shares during the last quarter. Finally, NewEdge Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Invesco Bond Fund by 13.3% during the 2nd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 12,796 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $208,000 after purchasing an additional 1,504 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 44.21% of the companys stock. (Get Rating) Invesco Bond Fund is a close ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Invesco Ltd. The fund is co-managed by Invesco Advisers, Inc, INVESCO Asset Management (Japan) Limited, INVESCO Asset Management Deutschland GmbH, INVESCO Asset Management Limited, Invesco Hong Kong Limited, INVESCO Senior Secured Management, Inc, and Invesco Canada Ltd. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Invesco Bond Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco Bond Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Pacer CSOP FTSE China A50 ETF (NYSEARCA:AFTY Get Rating) shot up 0.3% during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $16.32 and last traded at $16.31. 687 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 18% from the average session volume of 839 shares. The stock had previously closed at $16.27. Pacer CSOP FTSE China A50 ETF Trading Down 0.4 % The firm has a 50 day moving average of $16.57 and a 200-day moving average of $15.91. The company has a market cap of $5.05 million, a P/E ratio of 12.77 and a beta of 0.43. Get Pacer CSOP FTSE China A50 ETF alerts: Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pacer CSOP FTSE China A50 ETF Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in AFTY. Jane Street Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Pacer CSOP FTSE China A50 ETF by 3.6% in the 3rd quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 46,637 shares of the companys stock worth $723,000 after purchasing an additional 1,625 shares during the period. UBS Group AG boosted its holdings in Pacer CSOP FTSE China A50 ETF by 61.7% during the 1st quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 3,051 shares of the companys stock valued at $55,000 after acquiring an additional 1,164 shares during the period. Finally, Flow Traders U.S. LLC boosted its holdings in Pacer CSOP FTSE China A50 ETF by 100.0% during the 1st quarter. Flow Traders U.S. LLC now owns 31,236 shares of the companys stock valued at $567,000 after acquiring an additional 15,615 shares during the period. About Pacer CSOP FTSE China A50 ETF The Pacer CSOP FTSE China A50 ETF (AFTY) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the FTSE China A 50 index. The fund tracks an index of the 50 largest China A-shares listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges. AFTY was launched on Mar 12, 2015 and is managed by Pacer. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Pacer CSOP FTSE China A50 ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pacer CSOP FTSE China A50 ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Lineweaver Wealth Advisors LLC cut its position in shares of Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM Get Rating) by 5.4% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 3,274 shares of the companys stock after selling 187 shares during the quarter. Lineweaver Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $332,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in Philip Morris International by 1.1% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 132,480,611 shares of the companys stock worth $10,997,216,000 after purchasing an additional 1,451,582 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. increased its position in Philip Morris International by 1.0% in the third quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 100,951,462 shares of the companys stock worth $8,379,979,000 after buying an additional 962,801 shares during the period. State Street Corp increased its position in Philip Morris International by 0.7% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 57,777,797 shares of the companys stock worth $4,868,937,000 after buying an additional 389,746 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its position in Philip Morris International by 22.7% in the third quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 35,468,228 shares of the companys stock worth $2,944,500,000 after buying an additional 6,558,762 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in Philip Morris International by 1.7% in the third quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 16,050,540 shares of the companys stock worth $1,332,355,000 after buying an additional 260,832 shares during the period. 75.85% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Philip Morris International alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts have recently commented on PM shares. UBS Group raised Philip Morris International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their price target for the company from $106.00 to $116.00 in a report on Wednesday, March 1st. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on Philip Morris International from $109.00 to $118.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, February 2nd. Jefferies Financial Group raised Philip Morris International from a hold rating to a buy rating and raised their price target for the company from $86.00 to $118.00 in a report on Thursday, January 19th. StockNews.com began coverage on Philip Morris International in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating for the company. Finally, Citigroup reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a $109.00 target price on shares of Philip Morris International in a research note on Tuesday, December 13th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $110.36. Philip Morris International Stock Performance Shares of NYSE PM traded up $0.78 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $98.32. The stock had a trading volume of 943,697 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,596,599. The company has a market capitalization of $152.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.79, a P/E/G ratio of 3.09 and a beta of 0.68. The firms 50-day moving average price is $99.07 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $96.71. Philip Morris International Inc. has a 52 week low of $82.85 and a 52 week high of $109.81. Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM Get Rating) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 9th. The company reported $1.39 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.29 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $8.15 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.54 billion. Philip Morris International had a negative return on equity of 127.24% and a net margin of 11.22%. The firms quarterly revenue was up .6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.35 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.31 EPS for the current fiscal year. Philip Morris International Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 11th. Investors of record on Thursday, March 23rd will be issued a $1.27 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 22nd. This represents a $5.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.17%. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 87.44%. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, insider Werner Barth sold 8,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.35, for a total value of $786,800.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 87,321 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,588,020.35. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, insider Werner Barth sold 8,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.35, for a total transaction of $786,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 87,321 shares in the company, valued at $8,588,020.35. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Chairman Andre Calantzopoulos sold 80,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $100.35, for a total value of $8,028,000.00. Following the transaction, the chairman now owns 1,007,048 shares of the companys stock, valued at $101,057,266.80. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 117,064 shares of company stock worth $11,738,763. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Philip Morris International Profile (Get Rating) Philip Morris International, Inc is a holding company engaged in the manufacturing and sale of cigarettes, tobacco, and nicotine-containing products. Its products include cigarettes and reduced-risk products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products. The firm operates through the following geographical segments: European Union, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, South and Southeast Asia, East Asia and Australia, and Americas. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Philip Morris International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Philip Morris International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. SevenBridge Financial Group LLC lifted its position in iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:HYG Get Rating) by 10.6% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 72,991 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after purchasing an additional 7,010 shares during the quarter. iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF comprises about 1.6% of SevenBridge Financial Group LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 15th biggest position. SevenBridge Financial Group LLCs holdings in iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF were worth $5,374,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Fairfield Bush & CO. purchased a new stake in iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF during the first quarter valued at $118,000. Baird Financial Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF by 0.9% during the first quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 130,396 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $10,730,000 after buying an additional 1,159 shares during the period. Covestor Ltd grew its stake in shares of iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF by 89.8% during the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 2,194 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $181,000 after buying an additional 1,038 shares during the last quarter. Flow Traders U.S. LLC bought a new position in shares of iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF during the first quarter valued at approximately $36,580,000. Finally, Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV raised its holdings in shares of iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF by 125.8% in the first quarter. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV now owns 48,261 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $3,971,000 after buying an additional 26,892 shares during the period. Get iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF alerts: iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF Trading Down 0.1 % HYG stock traded down $0.05 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $74.88. The company had a trading volume of 895,753 shares, compared to its average volume of 45,772,695. iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF has a 52-week low of $70.40 and a 52-week high of $81.40. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $74.64 and a 200-day simple moving average of $74.21. iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF Company Profile iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the Markit iBoxx USD Liquid High Yield Index (the Index), which is a rules-based index consisting of liquid the United States dollar-denominated, high yield corporate bonds for sale in the United States, as determined by the index provider. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cascade Investment Advisors Inc. boosted its holdings in U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB Get Rating) by 71.3% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 62,492 shares of the financial services providers stock after acquiring an additional 26,012 shares during the quarter. U.S. Bancorp comprises about 2.3% of Cascade Investment Advisors Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 2nd biggest holding. Cascade Investment Advisors Inc.s holdings in U.S. Bancorp were worth $2,725,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in U.S. Bancorp by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 115,121,643 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $4,641,705,000 after purchasing an additional 1,441,430 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its stake in U.S. Bancorp by 0.4% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 58,898,088 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,402,820,000 after buying an additional 210,054 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in U.S. Bancorp by 7.9% in the 1st quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 22,052,957 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,172,115,000 after buying an additional 1,622,711 shares during the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp boosted its stake in U.S. Bancorp by 1.7% in the 1st quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 17,793,541 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $945,727,000 after buying an additional 303,443 shares during the last quarter. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP lifted its stake in shares of U.S. Bancorp by 7.6% in the 3rd quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 7,038,610 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $283,797,000 after purchasing an additional 496,016 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 71.83% of the companys stock. Get U.S. Bancorp alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities research analysts recently commented on USB shares. DA Davidson initiated coverage on U.S. Bancorp in a report on Tuesday, December 20th. They set a neutral rating and a $47.00 target price on the stock. UBS Group upgraded U.S. Bancorp from a neutral rating to a buy rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $47.00 to $55.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 10th. Robert W. Baird upgraded U.S. Bancorp from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and set a $52.00 price objective for the company in a report on Monday, March 20th. Barclays raised U.S. Bancorp from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $62.00 to $68.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 3rd. Finally, Piper Sandler reduced their price objective on U.S. Bancorp from $57.00 to $53.00 in a research note on Friday, March 10th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, U.S. Bancorp currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $52.68. U.S. Bancorp Stock Performance Shares of U.S. Bancorp stock traded down $0.21 on Wednesday, hitting $34.85. The stock had a trading volume of 5,686,512 shares, compared to its average volume of 12,825,932. The stock has a market cap of $53.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 0.93. U.S. Bancorp has a twelve month low of $32.72 and a twelve month high of $53.88. The company has a quick ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.90. The businesss 50 day moving average is $43.67 and its two-hundred day moving average is $43.52. U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB Get Rating) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 25th. The financial services provider reported $1.20 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.11 by $0.09. U.S. Bancorp had a return on equity of 16.13% and a net margin of 21.26%. The firm had revenue of $6.37 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.61 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.07 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 12.0% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts forecast that U.S. Bancorp will post 4.94 EPS for the current year. U.S. Bancorp Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 17th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 31st will be paid a $0.48 dividend. This represents a $1.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.51%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 30th. U.S. Bancorps payout ratio is 51.75%. U.S. Bancorp Company Profile (Get Rating) U.S. Bancorp operates as a bank holding company, which offers financial services including lending and depository services, cash management, foreign exchange and trust and investment management. The firm also offers mortgage, refinance, auto, boat and RV loans, credit lines, credit card services, merchant, bank, checking and savings accounts, debit cards, online and mobile banking, ATM processing, mortgage banking, insurance, brokerage and leasing services. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding USB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for U.S. Bancorp Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for U.S. Bancorp and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Uranium Energy Corp. (NYSEAMERICAN:UEC Get Rating) crossed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $0.00 and traded as high as $2.99. Uranium Energy shares last traded at $2.98, with a volume of 4,880,663 shares trading hands. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Separately, HC Wainwright restated a buy rating and set a $8.25 price objective on shares of Uranium Energy in a research note on Tuesday, March 14th. Get Uranium Energy alerts: Uranium Energy Price Performance The firm has a market capitalization of $998.47 million, a P/E ratio of 142.07 and a beta of 2.01. Insider Buying and Selling Institutional Investors Weigh In On Uranium Energy In related news, CEO Amir Adnani purchased 20,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 24th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $2.73 per share, with a total value of $54,600.00. Following the acquisition, the chief executive officer now owns 3,635,101 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,923,825.73. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website . In related news, EVP Scott Melbye acquired 21,000 shares of Uranium Energy stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 24th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $2.50 per share, with a total value of $52,500.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the executive vice president now directly owns 773,781 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,934,452.50. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . Also, CEO Amir Adnani acquired 20,000 shares of Uranium Energy stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 24th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $2.73 per share, with a total value of $54,600.00. Following the acquisition, the chief executive officer now directly owns 3,635,101 shares of the companys stock, valued at $9,923,825.73. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here . In the last 90 days, insiders have purchased 79,500 shares of company stock valued at $207,585. Insiders own 3.70% of the companys stock. Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of UEC. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its holdings in Uranium Energy by 24.8% in the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 208,719 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $958,000 after purchasing an additional 41,471 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in Uranium Energy in the 1st quarter valued at about $47,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its holdings in Uranium Energy by 6.8% in the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 800,581 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $3,675,000 after acquiring an additional 50,810 shares during the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Uranium Energy by 25.6% in the 1st quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 218,733 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $1,005,000 after acquiring an additional 44,536 shares during the last quarter. Finally, MetLife Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in Uranium Energy by 38.3% in the 1st quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 122,621 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $563,000 after acquiring an additional 33,941 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 40.37% of the companys stock. About Uranium Energy (Get Rating) Uranium Energy Corp. engages in the provision of uranium mining and related activities. It includes the exploration, pre-extraction, extraction, and processing of uranium and titanium concentrates. It operates through the following geographical segments: United States, Canada, and Paraguay. The company was founded by Alan P. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Uranium Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Uranium Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Outfitter Financial LLC trimmed its holdings in shares of Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM Get Rating) by 1.4% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 18,852 shares of the business services providers stock after selling 260 shares during the period. Waste Management makes up approximately 2.7% of Outfitter Financial LLCs holdings, making the stock its 4th largest position. Outfitter Financial LLCs holdings in Waste Management were worth $2,958,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in WM. Community Bank & Trust Waco Texas grew its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 2.9% during the third quarter. Community Bank & Trust Waco Texas now owns 2,262 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $362,000 after buying an additional 63 shares during the last quarter. Marcum Wealth LLC boosted its position in shares of Waste Management by 3.5% during the third quarter. Marcum Wealth LLC now owns 1,934 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $310,000 after buying an additional 66 shares during the last quarter. Allworth Financial LP boosted its position in shares of Waste Management by 0.7% during the third quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 9,952 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $1,594,000 after buying an additional 66 shares during the last quarter. LWM Advisory Services LLC boosted its position in shares of Waste Management by 3.5% during the third quarter. LWM Advisory Services LLC now owns 1,966 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $315,000 after buying an additional 66 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Revolve Wealth Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Waste Management by 5.0% during the third quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,398 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $224,000 after buying an additional 67 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.48% of the companys stock. Get Waste Management alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research analysts have weighed in on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their target price on Waste Management from $157.00 to $151.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 6th. UBS Group downgraded Waste Management from a buy rating to a neutral rating and lowered their target price for the company from $190.00 to $165.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 10th. Raymond James lowered their target price on Waste Management from $167.00 to $166.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 6th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on Waste Management from $177.00 to $179.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Thursday, February 2nd. Finally, StockNews.com assumed coverage on Waste Management in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $172.27. Waste Management Price Performance WM traded up $0.57 on Wednesday, hitting $164.10. 255,115 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,839,072. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $153.22 and its 200-day simple moving average is $157.79. The firm has a market cap of $66.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.34, a P/E/G ratio of 2.48 and a beta of 0.73. Waste Management, Inc. has a one year low of $138.89 and a one year high of $175.98. The company has a current ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.12. Waste Management (NYSE:WM Get Rating) last issued its earnings results 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 business had revenue of $4.94 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.97 billion. Waste Management had a net margin of 11.36% and a return on equity of 32.91%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.26 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Waste Management, Inc. will post 6.04 EPS for the current year. Waste Management Increases Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 24th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 10th were issued a dividend of $0.70 per share. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.71%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 9th. This is a boost from Waste Managements previous quarterly dividend of $0.65. Waste Managements dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 51.95%. Waste Management declared that its Board of Directors has approved a share buyback 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 reacquire up to 2.2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are generally an indication that the companys board believes its shares are undervalued. Insider Buying and Selling at Waste Management In other Waste Management news, CAO Leslie K. Nagy sold 800 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $151.11, for a total transaction of $120,888.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 5,210 shares in the company, valued at approximately $787,283.10. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other news, CFO Devina A. Rankin sold 200 shares of Waste Management stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $155.00, for a total value of $31,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 64,317 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,969,135. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CAO Leslie K. Nagy sold 800 shares of Waste Management stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $151.11, for a total value of $120,888.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 5,210 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $787,283.10. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 31,027 shares of company stock worth $4,806,619 in the last quarter. 0.27% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Waste Management Company 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. Associated Banc (NYSE:ASB Get Rating) had its price objective cut by analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $28.00 to $25.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an overweight rating on the banks stock. Wells Fargo & Companys price objective suggests a potential upside of 40.45% from the companys current price. A number of other brokerages have also recently weighed in on ASB. UBS Group assumed coverage on shares of Associated Banc in a report on Wednesday, March 15th. They set a neutral rating and a $22.00 target price on the stock. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Associated Banc in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $23.00. Get Associated Banc alerts: Associated Banc Stock Performance Shares of ASB stock opened at $17.80 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.57, a PEG ratio of 0.91 and a beta of 0.98. Associated Banc has a one year low of $17.00 and a one year high of $25.50. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $21.48 and its 200-day simple moving average is $22.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20, a quick ratio of 0.95 and a current ratio of 0.95. Insiders Place Their Bets Associated Banc ( NYSE:ASB Get Rating ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 26th. The bank reported $0.70 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.65 by $0.05. Associated Banc had a return on equity of 9.70% and a net margin of 25.65%. The company had revenue of $452.94 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $347.92 million. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.49 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Associated Banc will post 2.47 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. In other news, Director John B. Williams sold 1,840 shares of Associated Banc stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.95, for a total transaction of $44,068.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 57,576 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,378,945.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In related news, CEO Andrew J. Harmening acquired 4,850 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 9th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $20.57 per share, for a total transaction of $99,764.50. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer now directly owns 287,394 shares in the company, valued at $5,911,694.58. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director John B. Williams sold 1,840 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $23.95, for a total transaction of $44,068.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 57,576 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,378,945.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.49% of the stock is owned by insiders. Institutional Trading of Associated Banc A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in Associated Banc by 62.2% during the first quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 15,246 shares of the banks stock worth $347,000 after purchasing an additional 5,846 shares in the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its stake in Associated Banc by 11.7% during the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 8,451 shares of the banks stock valued at $192,000 after buying an additional 884 shares in the last quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund bought a new position in Associated Banc during the first quarter valued at about $91,000. Acadian Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Associated Banc during the first quarter worth about $262,000. Finally, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS raised its position in Associated Banc by 10.2% in the first quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 54,829 shares of the banks stock worth $1,248,000 after acquiring an additional 5,073 shares in the last quarter. 78.95% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Associated Banc Company Profile (Get Rating) Associated Banc-Corp. is a holding company, which engages in banking and non-banking financial services to individuals and businesses through its subsidiaries. It operates through the following segments: Corporate and Commercial Specialty, Community, Consumer and Business, and Risk Management and Shared Services. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Associated Banc Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Associated Banc and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. LSUs Memorial Tower displays the time on Monday, March 20, 2023, on Tower Drive in Baton Rouge. (Photo by Matthew Perschall) Sen. Stewart Cathey does not want to abolish tenure for professors at Louisianas public universities. Yet. Cathey, a Monroe Republican known for his anti-tenure stance, is sponsoring legislation to put annual faculty review and tenure revocation processes in state law. His proposal, Senate Bill 174, does not go as far as many in higher education feared when Cathey announced when he would file legislation despite never having called a meeting of the tenure review committee he created last year. In an interview with the Illuminator, Cathey stood by his belief that its time to abolish faculty tenure, but said he stopped short of bringing legislation to do that because of the prevalence of tenure protections in other states that would make it difficult for Louisiana universities to recruit. I would want the best and brightest talent. I also would not want to be stuck in a system where we would be mired by having teachers with substandard talent, Cathey said. And so this legislation would help us make sure that we are retaining the best faculty that we can retain. Catheys bill codifies employment practices that many of Louisianas institutions of higher learning already have in place, at times reading more like a faculty handbook than a state law. The current version of the bill seems to attempt to establish a uniform approach to annual evaluation, promotion and tenure across the 28 public postsecondary schools serving people all over the state,University of Louisiana-Lafayete Faculty Senate President Philip Auter said. Post-tenure assessment protocols are already in place, and much of the bills language is currently put into practice Tenure provides an indefinite academic appointment to qualifying faculty members who have demonstrated excellence in their field. Academics with tenure can only be terminated for cause, and it typically only happens in extreme circumstances. Higher education leaders view tenure as a key part of academic freedom at public universities and a shield against political, business and religious intervention. While the bill would not dramatically alter tenure practices in Louisiana, some higher education leaders have expressed concern that it amounts to a public relations problem that could impact faculty recruitment efforts, an at-times tenuous process made more difficult by comparatively low faculty pay in Louisiana. Dramatic reforms to tenure have taken root in Florida and Georgia, and attempts have surfaced in several states nationwide. The proposals are uniformly met with faculty outrage. As far as abolishing tenure goes, Cathey said he hasnt changed his mind and still feels like a nationwide tenure rollback would be a step in the right direction. I would love to see tenure abolished across all college campuses, Cathey said. But thats not reality. I think this at least allows us to continue to operate in the system weve got, but also putting some parameters around how you maintain the greatest privilege that a professor could have and that is the job security that tenure affords you. Cathey conceded it would be hard for Louisianas universities to recruit faculty if Louisiana is one of the few states that does not allow tenure protections. Brian Kelly doesnt have tenure. Kim Muley doesnt have tenure, Cathey said. If he does what we deem to be a substandard job, well fire him. Shouldnt we require the same of our professors? he asked. The post Anti-tenure Louisiana legislator wants to require annual college faculty reviews appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator. Voya Financial (NYSE:VOYA Get Rating) had its price target decreased by Wells Fargo & Company from $89.00 to $86.00 in a report issued on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an overweight rating on the asset managers stock. Wells Fargo & Companys target price would suggest a potential upside of 20.21% from the stocks previous close. Other analysts have also issued reports about the company. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on Voya Financial from $74.00 to $78.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, February 21st. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on Voya Financial from $78.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 10th. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on shares of Voya Financial from $70.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Thursday, February 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of Voya Financial from $77.00 to $80.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, February 8th. Finally, Piper Sandler lifted their price target on shares of Voya Financial from $78.00 to $84.00 in a research note on Thursday, February 9th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Voya Financial currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $82.92. Get Voya Financial alerts: Voya Financial Price Performance Shares of VOYA opened at $71.54 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57, a quick ratio of 0.31 and a current ratio of 0.31. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.96 billion, a PE ratio of 16.26, a P/E/G ratio of 0.62 and a beta of 1.15. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $71.31 and a 200 day simple moving average of $66.66. Voya Financial has a 52-week low of $56.20 and a 52-week high of $78.11. Insider Buying and Selling at Voya Financial Voya Financial ( NYSE:VOYA Get Rating ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 7th. The asset manager reported $2.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.53 by $0.65. Voya Financial had a net margin of 9.37% and a return on equity of 13.09%. The company had revenue of $880.00 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $259.86 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.90 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Voya Financial will post 8.13 EPS for the current fiscal year. In related news, CEO Rodney O. Martin, Jr. sold 109,588 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.23, for a total value of $8,134,717.24. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 220,882 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,396,070.86. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In related news, CEO Rodney O. Martin, Jr. sold 109,588 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $74.23, for a total value of $8,134,717.24. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 220,882 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,396,070.86. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Rodney O. Martin, Jr. sold 70,774 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $73.59, for a total transaction of $5,208,258.66. Following the sale, the director now owns 228,208 shares of the companys stock, valued at $16,793,826.72. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 223,650 shares of company stock worth $16,595,760 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 1.44% of the companys stock. Institutional Trading of Voya Financial Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its stake in shares of Voya Financial by 7.5% in the first quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 7,488,929 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $496,890,000 after acquiring an additional 519,701 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its position in shares of Voya Financial by 5.8% in the third quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 6,285,547 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $380,275,000 after buying an additional 345,161 shares in the last quarter. Samlyn Capital LLC boosted its stake in shares of Voya Financial by 6.2% in the third quarter. Samlyn Capital LLC now owns 4,915,556 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $297,391,000 after buying an additional 286,571 shares during the period. State Street Corp grew its position in Voya Financial by 0.9% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 3,291,225 shares of the asset managers stock worth $199,119,000 after buying an additional 29,593 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its stake in Voya Financial by 3.2% during the 2nd quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 2,571,104 shares of the asset managers stock worth $153,058,000 after acquiring an additional 80,147 shares during the period. Voya Financial Company Profile (Get Rating) Voya Financial, Inc is a retirement, investment, and insurance company, which engages in the provision of financial services. It operates through the following segments: Retirement, Investment Management, and Employee Benefits. The Retirement segment offers tax-deferred, employer-sponsored retirement savings plans and administrative services. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Voya Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Voya Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. 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Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe What a glorious day for democracy in Britain, the turkeys in parliament who wallowed in a dead parliament avoiding the vote of the people like the plague, finally have Christmas foisted on them, as they are carried off flailing to the slaughterhouse, to be later presented on Christmas plates filled with cheer. Justice finally done One thing they could not avoid eventually was the vote of the people, as they previously incessantly tried to thwart democracy over and over again in parliament. The horrid anti-democratic Brexit blockers are now thwarted, some losing their seats completely like the deluded Jo Swinson, who wanted to revoke Article 50 completely in some undemocratic nonsensical policy, she is now the Prime Minister of No Seat Land. Soubry, Umunna, Grieve, Gauke, Bercow, Berger, Campbell, Millar, Maugham, Swinson.all gone, their pathetic carcases never to inhabit the halls of parliament again. The people saw what happened in parliament, they watched as Boris Johnson was ganged upon by the Remainiati shisters. They saw how John Bercow, the Speaker of the House sided with the undemocratic remainers, and the people voted these fuckers out, because in the end democracy is an important thing and the peoples vote must be respected. These Labour and Lib Dem maniacs have now had their turkey necks firmly squeezed, and the vote of 17.4 million people who voted in 2016, will now be respected, as these shisters did not respect that vote and tried with all their dirty tricks, lawsuits, to dishonour the EU Referendum vote. To watch Bercow smirking in disgust when the exit polls came in on election night, was a joy to behold in itself. His corruption and perversion of parliamentary process in favour of Remain, should be a lesson to others in how not to be impartial. News to MPs, respect the voter, for if you dont, youll eventually have your turkey neck rung and presented on a plate to ravenous Christmas diners. Bon appetit. A van from the NOLaToya recall effort is parked in front of New Orleans City Hall. (Greg LaRose/Louisiana Illuminator) NEW ORLEANS The city of New Orleans is in the midst of an unusual budget dilemma. It has more money than it can spend, and officials say thats a problem. City revenues were more stable than predicted during the COVID-19 pandemic. On top of that, the city has taken in hundreds of millions of dollars in federal pandemic relief funds. Amid the rare surplus, however, departments remain woefully understaffed, struggling to provide basic services. Weve reversed 180 degrees, Councilman and budget chair Joe Giarrusso told Verite. For too long weve said money is our problem, we cant do anything because we dont have the money. And now the money is there to do a lot of these things. So what is actually being done? A report from Mayor LaToya Cantrells administration in early March indicates the city is on track to spend just 65% of its already reduced personnel budget for 2023. Some departments are on pace to spend as little as 37% of their budgets for the year. The March report also shows the citys fund balance which comes from unspent surpluses grew to $274 million in late February, up from $238 million in December. Meanwhile, the city is sitting on a huge pile of federal funds. Mayor LaToya Cantrells administration still hasnt spent the bulk of the $388 million the city received in federal COVID relief aid. The city has only used $600 million out of $1.6 billion in FEMA infrastructure funds from Hurricane Katrina, risking blowing a federal deadline and losing the unspent dollars, the citys infrastructure czar Joe Threat said at a Monday council meeting. And he said the city has only spent $171 million of more than $500 million in voter-approved bonds intended for infrastructure projects. Frustrated city officials and residents alike have questioned why a city with so many problems and a need for quality jobs is sitting on cash it could be using to hire desperately needed employees. Having money in the bank when you cant manage the city properly doesnt benefit anyone, Councilman JP Morrell told Verite. We all know how the money should be spent. The question is why isnt it being spent? The answer to that question goes back to the onset of the COVID pandemic in early 2020, when Cantrell instituted cost-saving measures to brace for the financial fallout. She avoided layoffs, but did institute a hiring freeze. As a result, the city largely stopped replacing departing employees, and the workforce declined. As much as I like my job, love working for the city, love doing what I do, love being a paramedic, ultimately I have to pay my bills too. Leslie Bean, New Orleans EMS paramedic The citys financial outlook drastically changed in 2021, when New Orleans learned it would receive $388 million in federal pandemic relief aid. The Cantrell administration gave the green light for departments to start hiring and spending again. The city used the federal funds to raise 2021s general fund budget from the $633 million originally approved by the City Council to $711 million close to pre-pandemic spending levels. It appeared that the Cantrell administration would avoid a serious budget crisis and services would return to normal. But the city never returned to pre-pandemic staffing levels. By the end of 2021, the city had spent just $610 million, even less than the original bare-bones budget. The problem continued into 2022. And now it appears that 2023 could see more of the same. Officials have offered various explanations for why the problem continues to confound the city, including ongoing pandemic impacts, a national labor shortage, lengthy hiring processes and poor working conditions. But repeatedly, officials and employees have pointed to a central factor low salaries that cant compete with the private market. Its everyones bottom line, said New Orleans EMS paramedic Leslie Bean, who has been involved in city union organizing efforts. As much as I like my job, love working for the city, love doing what I do, love being a paramedic, ultimately I have to pay my bills too. The Cantrell administration has recently taken steps to try to address the labor shortage with salary bumps. By far the biggest incentives went to the New Orleans Police Department, which received the vast bulk of a $37.5 million retention and recruitment package. Police staffing is lower than its been in decades. But its not the only department facing shortfalls. Practically every department has fewer employees than it is authorized to have, and some of the most vital departments are facing worker shortages even more severe than the NOPD. But non-police employees didnt get the same raises last year. The city approved a second, similarly sized incentive package of $38 million for all City Hall workers, but that money had to be split between a much larger group of employees, including the police employees who had already received dedicated pay bumps. That second retention package gave City Hall employees a one-time bonus worth 5% of their salaries, a 5% raise this year and 2.5% raises in 2024 and 2025. That isnt enough to really make a difference in hiring and retention, Morrell said. The positions have not fundamentally changed, except for those in law enforcement, Morrell said. The average position in City Hall, other than small bumps to employees, theres nothing thats definitively made the positions more attractive. Cantrells office didnt respond to interview requests or questions related to staffing shortages. Hiring issues continue in 2023 The City Council got a chance this week to probe the citys inability to spend money as it kicked off its first quarterly budget hearings a new process introduced this year in part to manage the staffing shortage and more than $2.5 billion in one-time funds. On Monday (March 27), the first day of hearings, a clear theme emerged: Many departments dont have enough staff to utilize their budgets and meet the publics expectations. In the first presentation, the Department of Code Enforcement revealed its on pace to spend only 37% of its personnel budget this year. The department is responsible for several major council priorities, such as fighting blight and illegal dumping. Code Enforcement Director Thomas Mulligan told the City Council that in order to fully do its job, his department would need a major influx of employees. I would say [we need] roughly double, but I dont have high confidence in that, Mulligan said. On top of that, Mulligan estimated he needs 39 additional staff to fully implement the new Healthy Homes Ordinance, a law the council approved last year to create rental housing standards and renter protections. I think its an important piece of legislation, Mulligan said, referring to the Healthy Homes law. But again it goes back to people. The best-intentioned notion, if it isnt resourced with people, wont have the effect we desire. Mulligan said that the full enforcement of the ordinance would be phased in over time. In an interview, he couldnt provide an estimate for when the office will hire all the necessary staff or when all rental properties will have to register with the city as required in the new law. All in all, Code Enforcement needs to more than triple its current workforce of 33 people. I can't compete with the $50 to $75 an hour that a hospital or contractor is paying somebody. William Salmeron, New Orleans EMS director Several other departments reported similar problems to the council. The second presentation was from Parks and Parkways, which currently has 26 vacancies. Its a revolving door, Director of Parks and Parkways Michael Karam told the council. For every employee we hire, there seems to be employee terminations on par. I think this year we have six new hires and five terminations. The department after that, Emergency Medical Services, has a well-known staffing problem. Right now we are only operating with only 60% of our needed staff, EMS Medical Director Meg Morino said. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US Several officials and workers said that the city is stuck in an unfortunate cycle that began with the pandemic the city became understaffed, the remaining workers were forced to take on a bigger workload. That caused higher rates of burnout and attrition and made it hard to hire more employees than the city is losing, perpetuating the staffing shortage. Its a feedback loop that has to be interrupted, library employee and union organizer Lee Abbott told Verite. Chief of EMS William Salmeron said the lack of staff is not only bad for overworked paramedics and the residents that rely on them, but also bad for the citys bottom line. He said that billing for ambulance services brings in up to $25 million a year above whats needed to run the department. We definitely are a revenue-generating department, Salmeron said. But low staffing has forced the city to supplement EMS through a contract with a private ambulance service, Acadian Ambulance. On top of the multimillion-dollar cost of the contract, Salmeron estimates that the city is losing out on an additional $6 million to $7 million because Acadian has taken over 23 percent of ambulance calls. Were paying them to take revenue away from us, Bean told Verite. People can get jobs elsewhere with better pay and benefits The lack of sufficient staff is, at this point, a widely recognized issue among the public, the Cantrell administration and the City Council. The question is how to fix it. One repeatedly suggested solution is raising wages. I cant compete with the $50 to $75 an hour that a hospital or contractor is paying somebody, Salmeron said. Those are just things we just chalk up to a loss. But we need to continue to make sure our hourly salaries are at least competitive. Some say the Cantrell administrations recent wage hikes simply arent enough. Even though there have been attempts by the city to add little pay bumps here and there, we need a cost of living adjustment to really make working for the city a viable thing for people, Abbott told Verite. Because otherwise, people can get jobs elsewhere with better pay and benefits. Morrell said that if departments arent able to fill jobs at a certain price point, they should be aggressively trying to raise salaries through the Civil Service Commission, the agency that controls salary issues for most city employees. Bean, the paramedic, told Verite that she believes her department leaders do all they can to advocate to the mayor and Civil Service. She believes theres a need for another force to advocate for city employees a union. One of my goals with unionizing would be to make a New Orleans EMS where employees are happier and able to have a long term career, because as it is right now the average retention for an EMS employee is about 18 months, Bean told Verite. If we have better benefits and salaries, it would ultimately benefit everyone because we would have more people available, more experienced people on the street, people who arent burnt out. Bean and Abbott are both part of the ongoing fight to revive a city workers union, which once represented City Hall employees before going dormant in 2018. They believe the effort is one piece of the puzzle to solving the citys staffing problems. So do council members Morrell and Helena Moreno. A union for city workers would be tremendously helpful for the city to fill positions, Morrell said. If we had a group we could work to give us an idea of what we need to do to keep people with the city, it would give tremendous stability to our labor force, because right now its completely unstable. Abbott said that along with big things like salaries and healthcare, a union can help pinpoint ways to improve city services, or smaller workplace issues that can impact employee retention. People want public services they can trust, Abbott said. The issue then is, how do these services become more efficient and high-quality. And that really begins from a bottom up perspective rather than a top down perspective. It has to have that piece of the workers knowledge of their workplace. The union has made some recent progress toward real representation in recent months, and has won support from the City Council. But organizers still face roadblocks signing up members and getting the Cantrell administration to sit down to collective bargaining negotiations. Bean said she believes that well over 50 percent of EMS field employees have now signed union cards. It appears to be a department with one most broad union buy-ins so far. But Bean said that ultimately, departments are interconnected and that for the city to work properly as a whole, all departments needed to be properly staffed. She pointed out that the only 22 out of the citys 45 ambulances were currently serviceable, in part due to understaffing at the citys Equipment Maintenance Division. All the departments are interconnected, Bean said. The way to improve overall city services is to unionize all city workers. This article first appeared on Verite and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE The post New Orleans government remains understaffed despite abundance of cash, dire needs appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator. MUNICH - Germany - The expansionist strategies employed by the European Union are necessary for the empire, however, there are drawbacks. All of the discussion of European member states talking about their defence needs and capabilities is moving towards the formation of an EU Army. Something apart from NATO is being called for emphatically by EU members, because for them, NATO is not enough to defend Europe. The EU is an expansionist mechanism, and like every empire to have existed, it must grow or die. One could easily postulate that it was the EUs expansionist policies in Ukraine in 2014 that eventually activated Russia to act. Where the EU technocrats constantly regurgitated the words that the EU was created to stop war in Europe, the EU alternatively could be accused of creating war in Europe because of its expansionist actions. The Daily Squib predicted the EU Army many years before it was mentioned either by the EU publicly or via corporate media in a strangely prophetic satirical article. Europe is now working towards a comprehensive strengthening of Europe as a whole, where complete integration of former national entities are comprehensively amalgamated as a single EU unit. Friend or foe, the EU is caught between the USA, Russia and China. The immense amount of variables to consider are spoken of during the MSC, and it is clear that the undercurrent is more European unity and its own dedicated defence/attack force. Munich Security Conference The Munich Security Conference is an annual event bringing together security experts and politicians, military leaders and the defence industry from around the world. Schedule Sunday, February 19 09.30 11.00 CET Main Stage I: Panel Discussion Back to the Future? Visions for the European Security Architecture Scene-Settting: Josep Borell Fontelles, Vice-President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, European Commission Radosaw Sikorski, Member of the European Parliament Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister, Republic of Estonia Ulf Kristersson, Prime Minister, Kingdom of Sweden Moderator: Nathalie Tocci Director, Istituto Affari Internazionali 11.30 13.00 CET Main Stage I: Panel Discussion A Dream Come Due: Towards European Strategic Sovereignty Ben Haddad, Member of the French Parliament Ingrida Simonyte, Prime Minister, Republic of Lithuania Antonio Tajani, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italian Republic Lars Klingbeil, Co-Chairman, Social Democratic Party of Germany, German Bundestag Moderator: Rym Momtaz, Consultant Research Fellow for European Foreign Policy and Security, International Institute for Strategic Studies 13.00 13.05 Main Stage I: Closing Remarks by the Conference Chairman Christoph Heusgen, Ambassador; Chairman, Munich Security Conference NEW YORK - USA - Republican politicians and citizens are under threat of persecution if they live and work in Democrat-run cities. If youre a Republican candidate or politician in any capacity; to operate and own multiple properties within a Democrat far-leftist city like New York is in itself asking for trouble. Trump should have known how vindictive prosecutors would dig through his dirty laundry looking for morsels to indict him. Show me the man, and Ill show you the crime, was the mantra of Stalins Soviet Union, and the same quote was used by the corrupt racist DA who vowed to take Trump down. Escape From New York Never go to fucking New York city or state ever again. There is a reason in the timing of these indictments directly before the coming 2024 election. Where Democrats like Hillary Clinton were given free rein to get away with their crimes, including the myriad of corrupt business dealings of the Biden family. Crooked Joe Biden was even let off by the FBI for recently being caught with Top Secret documents in his home. Democrat politicians are given freedom to commit fraud or crime at a grand level without prosecution. There is one rule for Democrats and another for Republicans in a Democrat held state. Multiple prosecutors and legislators dismissed the Trump indictment and did not see any cause to indict Trump, yet the race spurred DA of New York is out to get Trump for his own agenda. Republicans should be weary about doing any form of business, or owning any property in Democrat held states, especially when these animals use weaponised Federal agencies and departments to politically attack their opponents to take them out before the elections. The law in a Democrat state cannot be trusted, and neither can any of the compromised agencies working for the far-left partisan corrupt officials. Democrats who live in Republican states and cities are not bothered, because generally Republicans are not corrupt vindictive far-left communists who use federal agencies for political witch-hunts. Trump is 39% ahead in the election polls currently, and rising. The rule of law in America is dead today. If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit The Bhutan King had briefed Modi about initiatives to transform and reform the Himalayan kingdom. Source: Twitter New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bhutans King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck held talks here on Tuesday on the entire gamut of bilateral ties between the two nations and security issues that encompassed the border territorial dispute between Bhutan and China, including the Doklam plateau issue as well as Indian development assistance to Bhutan in sectors like hydroelectric power. New Delhi said later that it was following the border issue closely and would take all measures to protect its national interests. The visit comes amid Chinese efforts to strengthen its communication channels with Bhutan and a perception that Bhutan too has considerably softened its stand on China, that has raised some concerns in New Delhi. Modi tweeted: "Pleased to receive His Majesty the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. We had a warm and productive meeting. Deeply value our close friendship and the vision of successive Druk Gyalpos in guiding India-Bhutan relations to new heights." The Bhutan King is on a three-day visit to India that will end on Wednesday. At a special MEA briefing on Tuesday, foreign secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said at the talks, the Bhutan King had briefed Modi about initiatives to "transform and reform" the Himalayan kingdom, with the PM assuring all support for the socio-economic development of Bhutan and cooperation. India also agreed to step up its support to Bhutans upcoming 13th Five-Year Plan. At Bhutans request, India also agreed to work to extend an additional standby credit facility that would be over and above the two existing standby credit facilities operating between the two countries. New Delhi also agreed to develop long-term bilateral arrangements for supply of critical commodities to Bhutan including petroleum, fertilisers and coal. India also agreed to consider positively the Bhutanese request to sell power from its Basochhu hydroelectric project. The foreign secretary referred to Indias extremely close security ties with Bhutan and hailed these as "intertwined and indivisible", adding that New Delhis position on the tri-junction border between the three nations (India, China and Bhutan) was well-known. "The Government of India very closely follows all developments which have a bearing on our national interest and we would take all necessary measures to safeguard them, as necessary," he said. It may be noted that India also has a territorial dispute with China in the area, with New Delhi and Beijing reportedly differing on where the tri-junction border should be. Observers point out that while Bhutan is seen to be keen to resolve its own territorial disputes with China, the issue cant be clinched in totality unless all three nations India, China and Bhutan agree on the tri-junction border separating all three nations. It may be recalled that a military face-off had taken place between Indian and Chinese troops in Doklam in Bhutanese territory in 2017. "Both the Bhutan King and the Prime Minister covered the entire gamut of ties and issues of national interest. India and Bhutan are in close touch on their national interests," Mr Kwatra said, adding the visit had also provided an excellent opportunity to sketch a roadmap to further strengthen bilateral ties. Speaking on other aspects of bilateral ties, the FS said: "India and Bhutan share an exemplary relationship which is characterised by trust, goodwill, and mutual understanding. Its a time-tested nature of our friendship which was reflected in the support that we provided to Bhutan during the Covid-19 pandemic, including the Vaccine Maitri programme, as also in the expansion of our partnership into digital domain, space, financial connectivity and increasing interoperability." On the border issue, last week, Bhutan PM Lotay Tshering had said: "Last month, a Bhutanese delegation visited China, and we are now awaiting the arrival of a Chinese technical team in Bhutan. After one or two more meetings, we will probably be able to draw a line." On the Doklam issue, the Bhutan PM was quoted as having said: "Doklam is a junction point between India, China and Bhutan. It is not up to Bhutan alone to fix the problem. There are three of us. There is no big or small country; all are three equal countries, each counting for one-third." Warangal city police commissioner A.V. Ranganath. (File photo: Twitter) Hyderabad: In sharp contrast to the remand report, Warangal city police commissioner A.V. Ranganath on Wednesday categorically ruled out BJP MP Bandi Sanjay orchestrating the leak of the SSC Class 10 Hindi question paper found in several WhatsApp groups on Tuesday. The police made Sanjay A1 and arrested him in connection with the Hindi question paper leak. However, in the remand report submitted to the local court at Hanmakonda, the police accused Sanjay of hatching a plan with other accused "to leak out ongoing SSC papers by taking a photo of a question paper in cellphone" as part of a conspiracy and "put it in social groups to defame the government" Explaining the conspiracy, the Commissioner told mediapersons that conspiracy did not mean that bribes were paid and question paper was brought out. "The conspiracy starts after the question paper came out and (conspiracy is) sharing with media as part of game plan," he said. Much to the shock of the officials as well as parents, the Commissioner said it was quite normal that question papers would come out and answer chits would be sent into examination halls in several places. "In interior places, it is just limited to copying, but in this case, the paper was widely circulated in WhatsApp to defame the government," he pointed out. Asked how a person could enter the examination centre, climb onto the first floor and take a photo of the question paper with a mobile phone, the Commissioner maintained that there were limitations in guarding the examination centres. "It is a sprawling campus. We will post two constables. Normally, question papers come out and answer chits were sent back. In Kamalapur, police chased away people when they noticed them trying to climb trees," he said. The Commissioner ruled out a political witch-hunt in the arrest of Sanjay and said though the question paper was shared with other BJP leaders, including Etala Rajender, police did not arrest him. He also defended police taking Sanjay into custody without issuing notice under 41A of CrPC. The police commissioner repeatedly questioned Sanjay Kumars decision to not hand over the mobile phone to the police and asserted that more details would have been revealed if the mobile phone is handed over by the A1 (main accused). Police were in possession of the mobile phones of other accused, including A2 (second accused) B. Prashanth, who allegedly sent messages and made phone calls to Sanjay. The commissioner highlighting the "missing" mobile phone of Sanjay came in handy for the supporters of BRS leader K. Kavitha, who faced allegations of destroying mobile phones in the Enforcement Directorate probe in the Delhi liquor scam. She later submitted phones to ED. Her supporters circulated the video of CP questioning Sanjays refusal to hand over his mobile on social media. Ranganath built the case against Sanjay Kumar mainly depending on the WhatsApp chat between him and Prashanth in which the A2 provided inputs on the leak of papers, highlighting the failure of the government and seeking an answer on paper leaks from the tech-savvy minister K.T. Rama Rao. "Sanjay used the same inputs in his statement after receiving them from Prashanth," said the Commissioner. Interestingly, the remand report clearly stated that Prashanth, a former journalist, had now been working as social media adviser to the state BJP president. BJP Telangana state chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar, after being arrested for his alleged role in the SSC Hindi question paper leak, was lodged in 14-day judicial custody at the Karimnagar sub-jail. (DC) WARANGAL: BJP Telangana state chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar, after being arrested on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday for his alleged role in the SSC Hindi question paper leak, was lodged in 14-day judicial custody at the Karimnagar sub-jail. The entire episode, starting with Sanjay Kumars arrest around 12.45 am on Wednesday from his in-laws residence in Jyothinagar of Karimnagar and subsequent police action to thwart BJP members efforts to cause a furore, was akin to the plotline of a political thriller movie. Sanjay was at his in-laws residence on Tuesday to attend the ninth-day rites of his recently deceased mother-in-law. While he was about to dine at night, a 40-member police team led by ACP T. Srinivas entered the residence and asked Sanjay to accompany them. They informed him that they were placing him in preventive arrest over the SSC Class 10 Hindi question paper leak, following which his family members and followers blocked passage to the police. After a 15-minute struggle, the police forcibly shifted him to their vehicle and ferried him to the Bommalaramaram police station under the Rachakonda commissionerate of Hyderabad, where Sanjay Kumar spent the night. On Wednesday morning, he was handed over to the Warangal police, but not without drama. The police covered the windows of the vehicle Sanjay Kumar was travelling in, moved towards Bhongir and then took a detour towards Warangal. Upon reaching Station Ghanpur, they diverted the convoy towards Palakurthy of Jangaon district to get his medical tests done at the Palakurthy government hospital. However, BJP activists, upon learning of the police detours and Sanjay Kumars arrival at Palakurthy, gheraoed the government hospital and staged a protest in front of the police convoy. The police, however, tackled the crowd and moved Bandi Sanjay to Wardhannapet. But, facing strong resistance from the BJP contingent here, the police diverted their vehicles to Jafargadh and then to the Police Training Centre in Mamnoor. While he was being transported to the principal magistrate court in Hanamkonda, BRS activists who were staging a protest at Adalath Circle followed the convoy, hurling slippers and throwing eggs at the vehicles. Some even climbed atop the vehicles and travelled until they reached the court complex, around 4.15 pm. The police personnel deployed at the court intervened and brought the situation under control by detaining the BRS activists. Earlier in the day, a large contingent of BJPs women activists reached the Warangal Court Complex after learning that the police officials would be producing Bandi Sanjay in the district court. As the police tried to disperse the crowd, a heated argument ensued, following which the police placed the BJP members under preventive custody in nearby police stations. Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. (Photo: Twitter) Vijayawada: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy will officially launch the Family Doctor programme -- a major initiative of his government -- at Lingamguntla in Chilakaluripet mandal of Palnadu district on April 6, Thursday, with the aim of expanding the medical and health services to the doorsteps of every family in the state. The scheme also aims to provide the services of specialist doctors to all families. The Family Doctor concept was Jagan Mohan Reddy's own brainchild. Trial runs have already been conducted step-by-step and it has been a reigning success. As many as 2,873 doctors and 15,516 medical staff are forming part of the family doctor initiative across 26 districts. Health minister Vidadala Rajini said the Family Doctor Programme is a role model for the country in preventive care. CM Jagan Mohan Reddy formally will inaugurate the Family Doctor programme in Lingamguntla village and address a public meeting there. She said the aim is to provide free medical treatment in every village without the people having to go to doctors for treatment. Good modern medicine would be supplied to all the needy patients, free of charge, in the village where they live. Necessary medical treatment would be given to the bed-ridden patients in each village, right inside their homes. Minister Rajini said that there would be at least two PHCs for each mandal, two doctors in each PHC, with one 104 vehicle linked to each. If one doctor is in the PHC, the other doctor will visit the YSR village clinic, school and Anganwadi centres in the assigned villages every day and provide medical services. Each doctor visits the village assigned to him at least twice a month and provides medical services. When a doctor visits the same patient in the same village many times, the bonding between the patient and the doctor is formed. The doctor will gain a complete understanding of the patient's health profile and this makes it easier for him or her to provide better treatment. Officials said that, for the Family Doctor programme, 936 mobile medical units (104 ambulances) were specially made available by the government to provide medical services by connecting these with 10,032 YSR village clinics and with the cooperation of CHO, ANM and Asha workers of family doctor village clinics. Fourteen types of tests and 105 types of medicines are available in each village clinic. Patients who need better treatment are referred to Aarogyasri hospitals through the Family Doctor YSR Health Clinic. Patients treated by Aarogyasri are also provided with post-treatment follow-up by the family doctor and Aarogyasri referral services at the village clinic. The medical services provided by family doctors are: General Medical Services, Maternal Healthcare Services, Infant Healthcare Services, Anaemia Tests and Treatment, Health Tests and Treatment for Non-Communicable Diseases, School Medical Programme, Anganwadi Centre Visit and Home Visit for Bedridden Patients. Further, there will be treatment of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as BP, diabetes, heart disease, cancer identified through chronic disease survey, regular follow-up and preventive health services to monitor disease progression. As per protocol, the Chief Minister must receive the Prime Minister as well as see him off at the airport. (File Photo) Hyderabad: While the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) received invitations from Union ministries inviting Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao to participate in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's launch of development programmes in Telangana on April 8 in Hyderabad, sources said the Chief Minister will not attend the Prime Ministers official programmes. According to sources, Chandrashekar Rao would not receive Modi at the airport or attend the Prime Minister's official events, especially at this time when the BRS and BJP were embroiled in a bitter political battle over the leakage of TSPSC and SSC question papers and the subsequent arrest of BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar in the SSC question paper leakage case. Instead, Chandrashekar Rao is likely to depute ministers Vemula Prashanth Reddy and Talasani Srinivas Yadav for the Prime Ministers programmes in the city, party insiders disclosed. Chandrashekar Rao last met the Prime Minister in New Delhi in September 2021, and he has avoided him since then due to a political tussle between the BRS and the BJP ahead of the Huzurabad Assembly bypoll in October 2021. Since these are the Prime Ministers official programmes, as per protocol, the Chief Minister must receive the Prime Minister as well as see him off at the airport. However, the Chief Minister has not been receiving the Prime Minister since February 5, 2022, when he arrived in Hyderabad to inaugurate the Statue of Equality at Chinna Jeeyar Swamy ashram on the city outskirts and to take part in the diamond jubilee celebrations of ICRISAT. Modi arrived in Hyderabad again in May 2022 to take part in the 20th anniversary celebrations of ISB-Hyderabad. The CMO cited PM's "private visits" as the reason for the Chief Minister not following protocol on both instances. Further, Modi arrived in Hyderabad again in July 2022 to take part in the BJP's national executive meeting at HICC and addressed a public meeting at Parade Ground, Secunderabad. Since these were party programmes and not official programmes, Rao avoided Modi. However, the Prime Minister arrived in Telangana state again in November 2022 to inaugurate Ramagundam Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited (RFCL) in Ramagundam. Although it was an official programme, the CM skipped the event. The CM deputed Talasani to receive and see off the PM at the airport on all these occasions. Rescue operations underway on the second consecutive day following an avalanche, near Nathu La pass in Sikkim, Wednesday, April 5, 2023. (Photo: PTI) GANGTOK: A Sikkim government official Wednesday said it is now "almost certain" that no tourist is left strapped under the snow at 15th Mile, the site of the devastating avalanche and search operations by the Army and the Border Road teams have been called off. But helpline numbers will remain active for the time being to help tourists get information about their kin, Gangtok district collector Tushar Nikhare told reporters here. "We are almost certain that no more tourists are trapped under the snow near 15th Mile," Nikhare said. The Army, NDRF, ITBP, GREF, Sikkim Police and two personnel from Tiranga Mountain Rescue Team equipped with radars searched all possible areas near 15th Mile to find out any tourist lodged under the snow. But nobody was found there during the rescue and search operations that were carried out from 8AM to 3PM before being halted, the Gangtok DC said. The rescue teams used digging and trenching machines and other modern equipment to find people trapped under the debris at the place, which is a few km short of Nathu La, but none was found, he said. The road between Nathu La and Gangtok is open but no tourist vehicle will be allowed to ply till permission is granted after taking note of the weather conditions, he said. The avalanche that took place near the high Himalayan pass between Tibet and India on Tuesday has claimed seven lives and trapped under it an estimated 25-30 people, besides six vehicles, officials said. Nikhare said that the incident was not an avalanche but a 'snow slide' and it has been clarified by top authorities. A snow slide is an avalanche of snow, while an avalanche is a large mass of snow, ice, earth, rock or other material down a mountainside or over a precipice. Describing a snow slide as a "once in a life time incident", he asserted that Sikkim is otherwise is a safe place for tourists and other visitors. Lessons have been learnt from the 'snow slide' and precautionary measures like signages indicating dangerous areas, no parking zones and instruction about not crossing the limits of visiting areas will be put up at 15th Mile and surrounding areas, the official said. Meanwhile, the post mortem of all seven retrieved bodies were carried out at the STNM here and five of them been handed over to their next of kin. The bodies of the remaining two persons will be taken by the relatives tomorrow, officials said. The state government will provide all assistance to the kin of the victims and the injured will be provided treatment free of cost, they added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hailed the Stand Up India campaign on the completion of its seven years and pointed out that the initiative had played a role in empowering the SC/ST communities and women. Stand up India Scheme was launched on April 5, 2016, with a focus on economic empowerment and job creation. The scheme aims to encourage all bank branches in extending loans to borrowers from SC, ST and women in setting up their own greenfield enterprises. "Today we mark #7YearsofStandUpIndia and acknowledge the role this initiative has played in empowering the SC/ ST communities and ensuring women empowerment. It has also boosted the spirit of enterprise our people are blessed with," Modi said in a tweet. In another tweet on National Maritime Day, the prime minister said, "We in India have been blessed with a rich maritime heritage and we are very proud of that." "On National Maritime Day, we recall all those who contributed to India's strides in the maritime world and reaffirm our commitment to further port-led development," he said. The TFFWA along with NFFVWA association members on Wednesday filed a petition with Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. (Representative image: DC) Hyderabad: QNET, a Malaysia-based company involved in fraudulent activities has been operating for the past 11 years, hoarding crores of rupees from job aspirants, in six metro cities across India. This was revealed by Telangana Financial Frauds Victims Welfare Association (TFFVWA) and National Financial Fraud Victims Welfare Association (NFFVWA). They said that the company had multiple sister companies including Vihaan Direct Selling Pvt Ltd. Addressing the media on Wednesday, NFFVWA secretary Gurupreet Singh Anand said that there are multiple fraudulent companies that include Vihaan Direct Selling Pvt Ltd, and QNET which are under the umbrella of international fraudulent Malaysia-based company QI. QIs managing director was Vijay Eswaran, a former LTTE operative who was arrested by the Interpol on May 16, 2007 in Jakarta, Indonesia. He is wanted by Indian and Sri Lankan agencies. "Easwaran has been involved in terror-related activities and financially aiding Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, who is wanted by the Indian investigation agencies," Gurupreet Singh said. I have strong evidence that proves Vijay Eswaran was an LTTE operative and funded the LTTE," Gurupreet Singh said. "The Serious Frauds Investigation Office (SFIO) in its report dated March 5, 2012 declared the activities of QNET scam which were previously being conducted in India by the name of GoldQuest & QNET Vihaan Direct Selling Pvt Ltd, QuestNet and several other fraudulent companies running across the country and world under the Umbrella of QI company as illegal", TFFVWA vice president Ravinder Reddy said. The first victim of Vihaan Direct Selling Pvt Ltd Gopal Das Ramu who had filed a case of cheating with Mahankali police received a threatening call from a woman stating that she would register cases for sexually abusing her, TFFVWA president Shyam Gopaldas Madanani said. The TFFWA along with NFFVWA association members on Wednesday filed a petition with Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, requesting the setting up of a Special Investigating Team (SIT) to investigate the fraudulent companies that are still existing in the state with different names and are being operated by Vijay Easwaran. The association has also met with the senior officials of the Enforcement Directorate and submitted a detailed report with documentary and technical evidence against QI founder Vijay Easwaran. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Chief Secretary K S Jawahar Reddy, Minister Meruga Nagarjuna, MP Nandigam Suresh, MLC Mondithoka Arun Kumar paying tributes to Babu Jagjivan Ram's portrait during the 115th birth anniversary at the camp office on Wednesday. (Photo By Arrangement) VIJAYAWADA: Rich tributes were paid to freedom fighter, veteran Congressman and former Union minister Babu Jagjivan Ram, during his 116th birth anniversary celebrations in AP on Wednesday. Governor S. Abdul Nazeer paid rich tributes to Jagjivan Ram at an event held in Raj Bhavan and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy did so at the CMs Camp Office. YSRC leaders held a meeting in the party headquarters and recalled the services of Jagjivan Ram, who hailed from a Dalit family in Bihar. At Raj Bhavan, the Governor offered floral tributes to Jagjivan Ram on his portrait. Nazeer described Jagjivan Ram as a great freedom fighter, crusader for social justice, an outstanding Parliamentarian and a true democrat. "Jagjivan Ram served as a Union minister for a long time and also championed the cause of the poor and the oppressed classes," the Governor noted. In the CMs camp office, besides Jagan Mohan Reddy, social welfare minister Merugu Nagarjuna, MP Nandigama Suresh, MLC Arun Kumar, chief secretary K.S. Jawahar Reddy and officials from the CMO were present. The birth anniversary celebrations were organised at the YSR Congress central office in Tadepalli. Party chief whip in the legislative council, Ummareddy Venkateswarlu said Jagjivan Ram's life is an inspiration for today's generation. In Telugu Desam party office, politburo member Varla Ramaiah, former ministers Nakka Ananda Babu and K.S. Jawahar and other leaders paid floral tributes to Jagjivan Ram. They alleged "suppression of Dalits" in the state under the YSR Congress government for the past four years. Naidu describes Jagjivan Ram as ideal leader Telugu Desam chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu has described Babu Jagjivan Ram as an ideal leader who strove hard for establishing a casteless society. The TD chief said Jagjivan Ram played a key role in modernizing the Indian agriculture sector and came up with laws to safeguard the interests of the workforce. AP BJP chief Somu Veerraju paid tributes to Jagjivan Ram, along with his other leaders by garlanding the portrait of Jagjivan Ram at the party office. He described Ram as an ideal leader and opined that his services to the farmers could never be forgotten. In Congress partys state office, APCC president Gidugu Rudraraju along with APCC leaders Sunkara Padmasri and others paid floral tributes to Jagjivan Ram and recalled his services. The Congress leaders went to gymkhana grounds and paid floral tributes to the Jagjivan Ram statue. Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar, BJP national OBC Morcha president K Laxman and senior leaders inspect the arrangements at Secunderabad Railway Station on Tuesday, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit. (S. Surender Reddy/DC) Hyderabad: The BJP amidst a multi-front battle with the BRS over various issues, is hoping that Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Hyderabad on April 8, and his address at a public meeting in the city, will set the tone for the campaign for the Assembly elections due in the state sometime in November this year. Modi on his one-day visit to the city, is expected to lay foundation stones for a slew of Centrally-sponsored development programmes, and dedicate to the nation and state several other completed projects. But it is his public meeting that the party is looking to the most for a booster dose of energy as it prepares itself for the coming elections. The April 8 public meeting at the Parade Ground in Secunderabad will be Modis second at the venue in less than a year. The last time Modi addressed the meeting, he was visibly impressed at the size of the crowd and appreciated state BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar for the effort in organizing the meeting. Despite the obvious political over, and undertones for Modis visit, party leaders say this is not a political event. The Prime Minister in his address at the public meeting, they say, will focus on the contribution of the BJP led Central government to Telangana over the years laying emphasis on the BJPs push for development and progress in the country irrespective of which party is in power in a particular state. "There has been constant sniping from the BRS party leaders about how the Modi government does not do anything for Telangana. This meeting will set all those questions to rest. The Prime Minister will be focusing his address on the programmes, projects, and schemes that the Centre has taken up, completed, and is in the process of executing in Telangana," a senior BJP leader said. Further, the programmes that Modi will inaugurate and projects for which he lay the foundation stones are expected to invigorate BJP leaders and workers in countering what the party says is deliberate slander against the Modi government by BRS leaders. While the eagerness among BJP leaders and workers for Modis visit and the public meeting message from him that will surely target the BRS government for not sharing the same enthusiasm the Centre has for developing Telangana is expected to give a fillip to the party, the challenge of doing one better than the July 22 public meeting at the same venue with crowd spilling over is something the party is currently grappling with, with the event scheduled for the morning. Top state BJP leaders, including state party president Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Union minister G. Kishan Reddy, and several others have been spending hours with the city BJP leaders chalking out plans to ensure a very large attendance for the meeting. Kishan Reddy, at a meeting with city and Ranga Reddy district BJP leaders on Tuesday, called on them to make the meeting a grand success. "Start an extensive outreach in person and on social media platforms about the meeting and decorate the city greeting the Prime Minister," he told the leaders. The medical council created by the Public Defender has published the results of the visit to Mikheil Saakashvili at the 'Vivamed' clinic on Sunday, April 2.It is emphasized in the information that due to the visit on a non-working day, unfortunately, it was not possible to interview the attending physician or review the medical documentation on the spot.According to doctors, the patient's condition worsened after February 19 (previous visit to the patient) and the objective examination found severe sarcopenia, a muscle degeneration.Doctors wrote that Mikheil Saakshvili has lost another 4 kilograms at the expense of significant muscle relaxation and that his movement is significantly limited due to weakness."Currently, unsupervised movement of the patient is dangerous, as the risk of falling, body damage/fractures is very high. In the case of the latter, the resource of the cachexic body to heal the wound or fracture is very low, which will lead to the cascading development of other critical complications (hemorrhage, infection, deep vein thrombosis, etc.) with a high probability of lethal outcome," the statement reads.Lelo's leader Ana Natsvlishvili stated that she could not get permission from the speaker of the parliament to visit Lazare Grigoriadis in prison."As a member of the parliament, I asked for permission to visit Lazare, which I have the right to do as a deputy. Unfortunately, the Speaker of the Parliament refused me to visit Grigoriadis in prison. This happened without any explanation. It was reported that his rights were being violated in prison. The chairman of the parliament refuses to allow the MP to use the constitutional right without explaining any reason. Under these conditions, the suspicion deepens that his rights are under serious risk" said Natsvlishvili.In response to Ana Natsvlishvili, Shalva Papuashvili stated that entering a penitentiary institution and visiting a prisoner is not the right of a deputy, it is the right of the chairman of the parliament, which he can delegate to a member of the parliament.Papuashvili said that this right is used extensively by the members of the parliament and sometimes exceeds the limit defined by the rule.Papuashvili added that he sees the 'danger' of politicizing this issue. Adani group told investors that several top Japanese and European banks have reaffirmed confidence in the embattled conglomerate after it was pummeled by a US short seller's critical report, a company document showed. Led by billionaire businessman Gautam Adani, the group's seven listed stocks have lost about $120 billion in market value since a Jan. 24 report by Hindenburg Research accused it of improper use of offshore tax havens and stock manipulation, allegations the group has denied. Also Read: Adani's Dhamra LNG terminal in Odisha receives 1st cargo, to start gas revolution in East Adani group shares and bonds have regained some lost ground over the past month or so after it repaid some debt and attracted a $1.9 billion investment from boutique investment firm GQG Partners. Still, Adani is battling an investigation by India's market regulator which is looking into Hindenburg's allegations as well as the groups related party dealings following a Supreme Court directive. In a series of roadshows from Hong Kong to New York held in recent weeks for fixed income investors, the group committed to achieving 20 per cent year-on-year growth in core earnings and to diversify its debt portfolio, the document showed. Global banks such as "MUFG, SMBC, Mizuho, Standard Chartered, Barclays, DBank (Deutsche Bank), consortium lender banks have reaffirmed confidence in Adani group," said the document which stated its goal was to assuage investors. The document, which was reviewed by Reuters, did not elaborate on how the lenders reaffirmed their commitment to the Adani group. Several of the banks already have business relationships with the group, ties which the conglomerate has previously pointed to as a sign of its strength to counter Hindenburg's allegations. Adani group did not respond to a request for comment. Barclays PLC declined to comment. Also Read: Sebi probing some Adani offshore deals for possible rule violations Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc (MUFG), Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc's SMBC unit, Mizuho Financial Group, Standard Chartered and Deutsche Bank did not immediately respond. Concerns about debt The Hindenburg report had sparked concern among investors about banks' exposures to the Adani group. Brokerage CLSA estimated in a Jan. 26 report that the consolidated debt of the top five Adani group companies, with some element of double counting, stood at $25.56 billion, with Indian banks forming 38 per cent of that. "The group has consistently diversified its long term debt portfolio and has reduced its exposure to banks by using other sources of capital," the document said. Now, 39 per cent of Adani's debt is currently in the form of bonds, 29 per cent is from global banks and 32 per cent comes from public or private banks in India, the Adani document added. Adani was forced to shelve a $2.5 billion share sale due to the stock market rout that followed the Hindenburg report in which the short-seller also raised many questions on Adani's debt levels. The State Bank of India (SBI) and other public sector lenders "have raised no red flags" and were comfortable with its financial position, and lenders "have reaffirmed they will continue to lend to Adani", the document added. SBI did not respond to a request for comment. French oil major TotalEnergies confirmed it had reached an agreement with the Iraqi government on a long-delayed $27 billion energy project, reviving a deal which Baghdad hopes could lure back foreign investment in the country. The deal was signed in 2021 for TotalEnergies to build four oil, gas and renewables projects with an initial investment of $10 billion in southern Iraq over 25 years. But it has been held up by disputes over the terms of the contract. Also Read | Johnson & Johnson to settle talc cancer claims for $8.9 bn After the Iraqi government said on Tuesday it had agreed to take a smaller than initially demanded stake in the project of 30 per cent, TotalEnergies said in a statement it would own a 45 per cent stake, with QatarEnergy holding the remaining 25 per cent. The French company said the deal reached with the Iraqi government "is a strong and positive signal for foreign investment in the country." The Gas Growth Integrated Project aims to improve the country's electricity supply, including by recovering flared gas on three oil fields to supply power generation plants. TotalEnergies said it would in addition develop a 1 GW solar power plant to supply electricity to the Basrah regional grid, inviting Saudi company ACWA Power to join the project. Amid buzz that he would join the BJP ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections 2023, actor Kichcha Sudeep clarified that he is not contesting the upcoming polls. He added that he has not sought a ticket from any party. On the threat letters sent to him, the Kannada superstar said that he would let the police handle the case. More to follow... President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday accused Western security services of having helped Kyiv stage "terror attacks" in Russia, after giving an icy welcome to the new US and EU ambassadors. His Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy meanwhile made a rare foreign visit to Warsaw in a show of thanks for Poland's support since the start of Russia's offensive. Putin spoke at a meeting of the Kremlin's security council dedicated to ensuring law and order in four Ukrainian territories he claimed to have annexed last year. "There are grounds to assert" that other countries and Western intelligence services were involved "in staging sabotage and terrorist attacks," Putin said in televised remarks. Also Read | Finland joins NATO as Russian war prompts shift In what appeared to be a reference to the Ukrainian authorities, Putin said that "neo-Nazis and their accomplices were acting" in Russia as well as the annexed territories including the regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. His remarks come days after an explosion at a cafe in Russia's second city, Saint Peterburg, killed a high-profile military blogger and staunch supporter of Moscow's assault on Ukraine, Vladlen Tatarsky. Moscow said the attack had been orchestrated by Ukraine with help from supporters of jailed critic Alexei Navalny. Kyiv has blamed it on Russia's domestic infighting. But Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Wednesday the blogger's death would be "one of the topics of discussion" at the UN Security Council, where Moscow has taken over the rotating presidency. Hours earlier, President Putin had received the new foreign ambassadors to Moscow at a ceremony in the Kremlin. He told US ambassador Lynne Tracy that Washington was responsible for the "Ukrainian crisis", adding that ties between Russia and the United States were in "deep crisis". Putin also told the new EU envoy to Moscow, Roland Galharague, that the bloc instigated "geopolitical confrontation" with Moscow. In Warsaw, Zelenskyy expressed Ukraine's gratitude to Poland, one of its staunchest backers since Russia's offensive, providing it with weapons and welcoming refugees. Also read | Kremlin warns of 'countermeasures' over Finland NATO membership "Today we are trying to get for Ukraine... additional guarantees, security guarantees, which will strengthen Ukraine's military potential," Polish President Andrzej Duda said after talks with Zelenskyy. These guarantees are an "introduction to Ukraine's full membership in NATO," Duda added, saying Poland "firmly" supported Kyiv's bid to join the alliance. Putin has used Ukraine's desire to join the alliance to justify Russia's military operation there, though Ukraine was a long way from joining when fighting started in February 2022. Zelenskyy thanked Poland for supporting Kyiv's efforts to enter both the European Union and NATO. "I would like to convey to our partners, who are constantly looking for compromises on our way to NATO, that Ukraine will be uncompromising in this as well," Zelenskyy said. "I am grateful that Poland will be with us on this path," he added. Poland, Ukraine's western neighbour, became the first NATO member to pledge the MiG-29 fighter jets that Ukraine had been calling for. Warsaw said on Monday it had transferred some of its already promised fighter jets to Ukraine, after fellow NATO member Slovakia announced it had shipped an initial batch of its own. "I think that in the future we will be able to transfer our whole remaining fleet of MiG-29s to Ukraine, if there is still such a need," Duda said of the 28 MiG-29 jets in Poland's possession. He would require NATO's authorisation for such a move, he added. Warsaw has also delivered Leopard 2A4 tanks, which Kyiv had long sought to help its efforts to dislodge Russian troops from its territory. Since the start of Russia's offensive, Zelenskyy has visited Washington, London, Paris and Brussels. The visit to Poland was kept secret until its announcement on Monday. Zelenskyy's team had said the programme in Warsaw would be focused on defence issues, as fighting in Ukraine rages. The Ukrainian leader however was also due to meet volunteers and rescue workers, as well as mayors of Polish cities along the border with Ukraine, his office said. Since the beginning of the offensive, Poland has hosted an influx of Ukrainians fleeing the war. "I will never get tired of thanking the ordinary Polish people who have been helping the ordinary Ukrainian people since the beginning of the Russian invasion," Zelenskyy told journalists in Warsaw. "Ukraine will never forget your humane attitude towards Ukrainians." Despite its support, Poland has recently seen a wave of protests by farmers over Ukrainian grain exports, which they say are driving down market prices. On Wednesday, Poland's agriculture minister announced he was stepping down following the protests and blamed the European Union for inaction in helping the farmers. According to Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, the imports of grain and other agricultural products from Ukraine will be discussed during the talks with Zelenskyy. The visit is the sixth time that the Polish and Ukrainian leaders have met, Poland's head of state having travelled to Kyiv four times over the last year. A massive fire engulfed the residential camps of a Chinese company managing the construction of a remote hydropower dam in northwestern Pakistan, according to media reports on Wednesday. The fire started in the early morning on Tuesday at the Dasu hydropower projects warehouses and residential camps of Chinese engineers and workers in the Barseen area of Lower Kohistan, The Dawn newspaper reported. Also Read: Fire guts one of the biggest clothing markets in Bangladesh's Dhaka Rescue 1122 fire tenders and fighters rushed to the spot after receiving emergency calls and started extinguishing the blaze, it said. The fire which took five hours to be put out completely is believed to have been caused by a short-circuit, police said. No loss of life or injury was reported. The enraged flames engulfed the entire area and gutted camps and warehouses, Khaliq Dad, the district emergency officer of Rescue 1122, Upper Kohistan, was quoted as saying. The Chinese engineers and workers were shifted to nearby safer places. We have launched an inquiry into the incident and it would be completed in three days as it is part of our standard operational procedures, Anwarul Haq, Dasu Dams General Manager, told reporters. In 2017, Pakistans water ministry awarded the construction contract for the Dasu dam to the China Gezhouba Group Company, reported Dunya News. The camp housed Chinese engineers, surveyors and mechanics, the report said. India and Bhutan recognised that their long-standing development partnership is reflective of strong ties of cooperation and friendship based on trust and mutual understanding, a joint statement by the two countries said on Wednesday. The document was released a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck held wide-ranging talks to further expand the already close ties between the two countries. The talks between Modi and the king came days after Bhutan's Prime Minister Lotay Tshering said that China has an equal say in resolving the border dispute relating to Doklam tri-junction. Also Read- PM Modi holds talks with Bhutan King; focus on bilateral ties Tshering's comments were seen by many in New Delhi as an attempt by the Himalayan nation to cosy up to Beijing though Bhutan maintained that there is no change in its stance on the border dispute involving the tri-junction. "India and Bhutan share an exemplary bilateral relationship characterised by trust, goodwill and mutual understanding at all levels, strong bonds of friendship and close people-to-people contacts," the joint statement said. It said Modi and the king agreed to closely work together for progress and development in the region as economies recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. "The King of Bhutan shared valuable perspective and insights on the significant reforms process underway in Bhutan," it said. The statement said the King conveyed appreciation for the invaluable support that India continues to provide for Bhutan's socio-economic development. "Guided by the philosophy of gross national happiness, and in consonance with the priorities of the people and royal government of Bhutan, both sides recognised that the long-standing Bhutan-India development partnership, is reflective of strong ties of friendship and cooperation based on trust and mutual understanding," it said. In the talks, it was also agreed to extend India-Bhutan energy partnership in the area of non-hydro renewables, such as solar and wind as well as in green initiatives. "On the proposed trilateral hydropower cooperation among Bhutan, Bangladesh and India, both sides expressed their commitment towards greater sub-regional cooperation, including in the energy sector, which would lead to increased inter-linkages between the economies for mutual benefit of all stakeholders," the statement said. It said both sides agreed to further expand bilateral cooperation in areas of trade, technology, cross-border connectivity, and mutual investments, following was agreed upon: The two sides also agreed to work on long-term sustainable arrangements for export of agricultural commodities from Bhutan and import of essential agricultural commodities from India. They also decided to explore long-term bilateral arrangements for assured supply of critical commodities from India to Bhutan such as petroleum, fertilizers, and coal. The statement said the two sides also agreed to take forward the project on the proposed cross border rail link connecting Kokrajhar in Assam to Gelephu in Bhutan based on the engineering and technical survey completed by Indian Railways. "This will be a historic project as it will be the first ever rail link between India and Bhutan and will enhance the regional connectivity infrastructure as well," it said. It said to expedite the operationalisation of the third international internet gateway for Bhutan, India is extending a concessional rate to reduce the cost of its operations. The statement said the King's visit provided an opportunity for both countries to review the entire gamut of bilateral cooperation and to advance our close bilateral partnership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hailed the achievement of around 40,000 water bodies having been developed under the Mission Amrit Sarovar in the last 11 months, saying the speed at which work is being done in this direction infuses new energy in our resolves of 'Amrit Kaal'. Around 40,000 water bodies have been developed under the Mission in the last 11 months, achieving around 80 per cent of the target under the scheme, according to the Rural Development Ministry. In a tweet, Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said Mission Amrit Sarovar is moving towards achieving its goal. Also Read | Capacity of 1,335 water bodies in Karnataka rises sharply "More than 40,000 Amrit Sarovars have been dedicated to the nation. There is a target of constructing 50,000 Amrit Sarovars by August 15, 2023," he said. Responding to Shekhawat's tweet, Modi said on Twitter, "Many congratulations! The speed with which 'Amrit Sarovars' are being constructed across the country is infusing new energy in our resolutions of 'Amrit Kaal'." Amrit Kaal, which roughly translates to Golden era, refers to the 25-year period from 75 years to 100 years of India's independence. The Mission launched by Prime Minister Modi on April 24 last year aims at developing and rejuvenating 75 water bodies in each district of the country as part of the "Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav". The total number of Amrit Sarovars to be developed under the scheme is around 50,000, which was set to be completed by August 15 this year. Responding to a tweet on a Gujarat tourism promotional video, Modi said, "A lovely thread on Kutch. When the deadly quake struck in 2001, people wrote obituaries of Kutch but there is something remarkable about the people of this district. They rose again and propelled the district to new heights. Today Kutch is a great destination for tourism." A lovely thread on Kutch. When the deadly quake struck in 2001, people wrote obituaries of Kutch but there is something remarkable about the people of this district. They rose again and propelled the district to new heights. Today Kutch is a great destination for tourism. https://t.co/8PfHRjyLtj Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 5, 2023 Hailing the development of Ladakh getting GI tag for its wood carving, Modi said this will make Ladakh's cultural traditions even more popular and benefit artisans. Modi also responded to Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who said that Golden Jubilee Border Illumination Programme is in sync with the vision of the PM that border villages aren't the last but first to be transformed. "Mago village in my Mukto assembly constituency is witnessing a new dawn.As many as 50 stand-alone mini and micro hydel projects will be developed near the international border with an estimated cost of Rs 200 crore, ensuring 24x7 power supply to villagers and border guarding forces," Khandu said. Tagging Khandu's tweet, Modi said, "A welcome development in the border areas, which will empower those living in border villages." Modi also responded to Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri's tweet on City Gas Distribution Network taking massive strides to offer convenient and affordable fuel. "From just 66 districts in 2014, CGD network covers 630 districts in 2023; taking the number of domestic PNG connections from merely 25.40 lakhs in 2014 to a whopping 103.93 lakhs now," Puri said. Reacting to it, Modi said these were good numbers and he appreciates all those who worked hard over the years to make this coverage happen. In another tweet, Modi said AIIMS Mangalagiri crossing 10 lakh outpatient consultations is a good achievement by the institution. "In one of the recent Mann Ki Baat programmes I had discussed this issue including interaction with a doctor and someone who has benefitted from tele-consultations," the prime minister said. Modi also responded to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's tweet on Madhavpur Mela. "Great cultural synergy between Gujarat and the Northeast thanks to the Madhavpur Mela," Modi said. Chhattisgarh Police have solved the case of a home theatre music system explosion in Kabirdham district and arrested former lover of a newly married woman for allegedly planting a bomb in the electronic device with an intention to kill the couple, an official said on Wednesday. The woman's husband Hemendra Merawi (30) and his brother Rajkumar (32) were killed following the explosion in the music system, gifted by accused Sarju Markam (33), a married man from Chhapla village in Balaghat district of neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, they said. Markam was arrested from Balaghat on Tuesday after his involvement in the crime surfaced during the investigation, Kabirdham Superintendent of Police Lal Umed Singh told PTI. Read | Chhattisgarh: Two girls killed, four injured in hit-and-run accident "The accused told the police that he had planted the explosive in the home theatre and gifted it to the newly married couple in a bid to kill them," he said. Merawi, a resident of Chamari village under Rengakhar police station limits, got married to a 29-year-old woman from nearby Anjana village on March 31 and the wedding reception was held in his house on April 1, he said. On Monday, when Merawi was trying to switch on the home theatre received as the wedding gift, it exploded. Merawi died on the spot and five others including his elder brother suffered injuries, the official said. His brother later succumbed during treatment at the district hospital, he added. The forensic team spotted traces of gunpowder during investigation of the spot following which family members of the bride and groom were questioned, he said. The questioning and call details revealed that Merawi's wife was in constant touch with Markam. The duo had an affair and Markam was unhappy since the woman stopped talking to him after her marriage got fixed with Merawi, the official said. Merawi's call details also revealed that he spoke to Markam on March 30, the day when the former's wedding rituals began, he said. Based on the investigation, police reached a shop in Mandai area of Balaghat from where the music system, which had Sony brand name printed on it, was purchased and questioned the shop owner who confirmed that Markam had bought it, he said. The police subsequently zeroed-in on Markam, who worked as an auto mechanic in Birsa (Balaghat), and arrested him, the official said. Markam told the police that he "committed the crime and revealed that he used ammonium nitrate, petrol and gunpowder retrieved from firecrackers, weighing about 2 kg, to make the bomb and fitted it inside the home theatre." Read | Chhattisgarh: Three labourers killed, 2 hurt as concrete mixture machine comes in contact with live wire He used the device power supply as a mechanism to trigger the blast, the police official said. Markam came on a motorcycle to Chamari on April 1, the reception day, and placed the wrapped music system along with other gifts and went from there, he said. Singh said Markam had worked in a stone crusher plant in 2015-16 in Indore and learnt from there how to make bombs using ammonium nitrate. The accused had collected ammonium nitrate from the same crusher plant and kept it with him, the official said. After the woman refused to break up her marriage and stopped talking to Markam, he hatched a conspiracy to kill the couple, he added. So far, the role of any other person has not been surfaced in the offence, the SP said, adding that further investigation is underway. The accused has been booked under sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and provisions of the Explosives Substances Act, he added. An FIR has been registered against Bandi Sanjay in Karimnagar & Warangal districts in connection with 10th class exam paper leak, on Wednesday. Sanjay was detained by the police in the small hours of Wednesday, triggering protests by his party workers. Telangana police detained BJP MLAs Raghunandan Rao and Eatala Rajender and other leaders while the BJP has called for state-wide protests against arrest of the party's state unit president. A tense situation prevailed around the police station as scores of BJP workers reached there to stage a protest against the arrest of Sanjay. Following his detention, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) demanded disqualification of Sanjay, who is the Lok Sabha MP from Karimnagar. More to follow... On the face of it, India has little reason for concern over the health of its relationship with Bhutan. The recent visit of Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck to New Delhi saw India continue to extend strong support to the Himalayan kingdom. In addition to stepping up support to Bhutans 13th Five-Year Plan, India is extending Thimphu additional standby credit facility and is raising the tariff it pays for power from the Chhukha hydroelectric project as requested by Bhutan. Indian and Bhutanese officials decided to expedite connectivity projects, including the proposed Kokrajhar-Gelephu rail link project, the first railway link between the two neighbours. It does seem therefore that India-Bhutan cooperation on economic issues remains robust and poised to grow. And yet, there is mounting concern in New Delhi over security issues. Bhutan and China are engaging in talks to settle their disputed border and there are apprehensions in Delhi that Bhutan could agree to a settlement that will undermine Indias national security. Such apprehensions have deepened after an interview that Bhutans Prime Minister Lotay Tshering gave a Belgian daily revealed that a border settlement between Bhutan and China will be reached in the next one or two more meetings. Tshering also spoke of discussing the Doklam trijunction trilaterally with Bhutan, India and China as equal interlocutors. More importantly, Tshering claimed that there is no intrusion (into Doklam) as mentioned in the media. Tsherings denial of Chinese intrusion into Doklam is of serious concern. The India-China stand-off at Doklam in 2017 was over Chinas bid to build a road into the strategic plateau. Although Chinese troops pulled back in late August of that year to end the crisis, satellite images have since revealed the return of the PLA and the resumption of Chinese infrastructure-building activity in the Doklam area. Chinese villages have come up there. Bhutan was silent all these years on this Chinese occupation of its territory. Tsherings denial of this occupation now suggests that his government may be ready to quietly cede this territory to China to get Beijing to accept Bhutanese sovereignty over disputed territory in northern Bhutan. Doklam has little strategic value for Bhutan. Hence its willingness to cede control over it to China. But Bhutanese control over Doklam is vital for Indias defence of its North-East. Under the 2007 Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, India and Bhutan agreed to cooperate on issues of national interest and to continue working for their common security. Defending Doklam must therefore be a shared priority for both India and Bhutan. It is only through robust cooperation that Chinese expansionism in the Himalayas can be stopped. S. N. Johnson-Roehr at JSTOR Daily: A major exhibition on the art and influence of Japanese printmaker Katsushika Hokusai recently opened at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Hokusais Great Wave is possibly the most recognized woodblock print on Earth, but as a digital collection from nearby Boston College demonstrates, many of Hokusais predecessors and contemporaries were skilled in the design and production of woodblock prints, or ukiyo-e, as well. Ukiyo-e translates literally as picture(s) of the floating world. Ukiyo, the floating world, was originally a Buddhist concept of the transitory, insubstantial nature of human existence, explains art historian Donald Jenkins. But by the Tokugawa (Edo) period (16151868), the phrase evoked the pleasures of human life, especially those associated with the brothel districts and the amusement quarters, even while some remnants of its earlier connotations remained. more here. The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, is a country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The country is known for its UNESCO world heritage monuments, historical towns, fairytale castles, beautiful parks, folklore traditions, and grand architecture that is a mix of Gothic structures, Renaissance palaces, and Baroque chapels. The Czech Republic is among the top 10 safest countries in the world with an active social life. In recent times, we have seen many Indian students opting to pursue an MBBS in the Czech Republic. The MBBS colleges of the Czech Republic are recognised and accredited by some of the worlds renowned organisations like the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Medical Council of India (MCI). Entry requirements into the Czech medical programmes include: 60% and above in Grade 12. Subjects in 12th grade or 2nd PUC should include Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics and English. NEET exam is compulsory. An entrance exam is conducted by each University. These are MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions) in Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics. IELTS or TOEFL or PTE exam is mandatory to prove proficiency in English. Most medical faculties in the Czech Republic offer a six-year general medicine programme, 5 years dentistry programme, and 5 years pharmacy programme. The leading universities that offer MBBS are Charles University, Palacky University, Masaryk University, University of Ostrava, and the University of West Bohemia. Charles University was founded in 1348, making it one of the oldest universities in the world. Yet it is also renowned as a modern, dynamic, cosmopolitan, and prestigious institution of higher education. Charles University is ranked amongst the top 2 % of world universities. The university has five independent faculties of medicine. Three of them are located in Prague, one in Pilsen and one in Hradec Kralove. These faculties offer English programmes in general medicine and dentistry. The degrees they award are comparable. Each section has its own entry requirements and entrance exams. All five faculties of medicine follow the historical tradition of medical teaching. Students can apply to all five medical faculties but will need to complete a separate application for each faculty. Palacky University Olomouc established in 1573 as a public university is the second-oldest in the Czech Republic. Olomouc is a good place to study. The university has a fine record of good education and excellent research. The medical faculty is closely integrated into the clinical facilities of the university hospital. During the first three years of the programme, students have compulsory classes in the Czech language as a good grasp of Czech is required for communication with patients and colleagues. The six-year General Medicine programme has been accredited by the US, Canada, and the Association of Medical Schools in Europe (AMSE). Masaryk University in Brno is the second-largest university in the Czech Republic. Brno is the second-largest city in the Czech Republic after Prague. The Faculty of Medicine at Masaryk offers three full-time Masters degrees taught in English- General Medicine, Dentistry and Physiotherapy. The University of Ostrava is a public university in the city of Ostrava, Czech Republic. Founded in 1991, it is the newest public university in Ostrava. Ostrava Universitys Faculty of Medicine ranks among Central Europes most modern centres of teaching and research in medical studies. The core degree programme offered by the faculty is the six-year Masters degree in General Medicine (this Masters degree does not require a prior Bachelors degree); this programme gives students a complete range of knowledge and practical skills that are necessary to pursue a career in medicine. The faculty works closely alongside the Ostrava University Hospital (which includes several highly specialized departments), the Ostrava City Hospital, the Vitkovice Hospital, and a range of other medical and healthcare institutions across the region, both in the public and private sectors. University of West Bohemia in Pilsen founded in 1991, offers bachelor programmes in nursing, midwifery, and physiotherapy, and prepares future medical lab technicians, rescue paramedics, and orthotists/prosthetists. It also offers a follow-up master's programme in nursing. The tuition fees in these universities vary from private universities to public universities. On average, they range between 10000 euros to 20,000 euros per year. Living expenses are 200 to 300 euros per month. An Indian student who successfully completes the 6 years MBBS course in the Czech Republic can come back to India, appear for the MCI screening test, and start practising medicine. The Medical Council of India Screening Test, also known as the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination, is a licensure examination conducted by the National Board of Examinations in India. People in Czechia are generally friendly and welcoming of foreigners. In smaller towns, communicating in English may be a challenge. So, if you are considering getting a PR in the Czech Republic and working there, it might help if you learn the local language. The Czech Republic offers free education in the Czech language to all nationalities, including Indian students. Those interested will be able to take a Czech language preparatory course in the Czech Republic before commencing their studies at a Czech university. If you want to enrol in an English-taught programme at a Czech University as a fee-paying student, you are still given the option to learn the local language either at a nominal cost or for free. The Czech Republic being in the centre of Europe has easy access to a number of major cities across Europe via rail, road, or air. Prague and Brno are among the most highly ranked student cities in the world. Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its stake in Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. (NYSE:ARI Get Rating) by 3.6% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 1,340,829 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after buying an additional 46,836 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corps holdings in Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance were worth $11,128,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance by 721.0% during the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 4,310 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $60,000 after acquiring an additional 3,785 shares during the last quarter. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $42,000. Covestor Ltd lifted its stake in shares of Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance by 131.9% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 7,213 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $100,000 after acquiring an additional 4,102 shares during the last quarter. CFO4Life Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $83,000. Finally, Point72 Hong Kong Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $114,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 54.57% of the companys stock. Get Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Separately, StockNews.com initiated coverage on Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating for the company. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance Trading Down 1.2 % Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance Announces Dividend Shares of NYSE ARI opened at $9.13 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 36.70, a current ratio of 36.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $10.89 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $10.91. The firm has a market cap of $1.29 billion, a PE ratio of 5.74 and a beta of 1.59. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. has a twelve month low of $7.91 and a twelve month high of $14.26. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 14th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 31st will be given a $0.35 dividend. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 15.33%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 30th. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finances payout ratio is 88.05%. About Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance (Get Rating) Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc engages in the provision of real estate investment trust. It offers loan programs that include senior loans, subordinate debt, bridge loans, and preferred equity. The company was founded on June 29, 2009 and is headquartered in New York, NY. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ARI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. (NYSE:ARI Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its stake in shares of Employers Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:EIG Get Rating) by 5.1% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 322,112 shares of the financial services providers stock after buying an additional 15,723 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corps holdings in Employers were worth $11,110,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. US Bancorp DE raised its position in shares of Employers by 31.6% during the third quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 2,140 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $74,000 after buying an additional 514 shares during the last quarter. Mutual of America Capital Management LLC raised its position in Employers by 16.6% in the third quarter. Mutual of America Capital Management LLC now owns 5,432 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $187,000 after purchasing an additional 773 shares in the last quarter. Eaton Vance Management raised its position in Employers by 4.7% in the first quarter. Eaton Vance Management now owns 17,818 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $731,000 after purchasing an additional 798 shares in the last quarter. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd raised its position in Employers by 510.1% in the first quarter. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd now owns 970 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $40,000 after purchasing an additional 811 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MetLife Investment Management LLC raised its position in Employers by 6.4% in the third quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 14,459 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $499,000 after purchasing an additional 872 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.14% of the companys stock. Get Employers alerts: Employers Trading Down 0.8 % NYSE EIG opened at $41.50 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $1.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.31 and a beta of 0.24. The company has a 50 day moving average of $42.86 and a 200-day moving average of $41.61. Employers Holdings, Inc. has a 1-year low of $32.58 and a 1-year high of $46.73. Employers Announces Dividend Employers ( NYSE:EIG Get Rating ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 17th. The financial services provider reported $1.25 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.76 by $0.49. Employers had a net margin of 6.78% and a return on equity of 8.21%. The company had revenue of $221.80 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $197.02 million. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.06 earnings per share. The companys revenue was up 11.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts forecast that Employers Holdings, Inc. will post 3.05 earnings per share for the current year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 1st were paid a dividend of $0.26 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 28th. This represents a $1.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.51%. Employerss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 58.43%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth EIG has been the subject of several recent research reports. Janney Montgomery Scott initiated coverage on shares of Employers in a research report on Friday, February 24th. They issued a buy rating and a $50.00 price target for the company. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Employers in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Finally, Truist Financial increased their price target on shares of Employers from $52.00 to $53.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 21st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $51.50. About Employers (Get Rating) Employers Holdings, Inc engages in the provision of workers compensation products and services. It operates through following segments: Employers, Cerity, and Corporate and Others. The Employers segment includes traditional business offered under the EMPLOYERS brand name through agents. The Cerity segment operates under the Cerity brand name, which includes direct-to-customer business. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EIG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Employers Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:EIG Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Employers Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Employers and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp reduced its position in CoreCivic, Inc. (NYSE:CXW Get Rating) by 4.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,294,585 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 65,086 shares during the quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corps holdings in CoreCivic were worth $11,445,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of CXW. Employees Retirement System of Texas acquired a new stake in shares of CoreCivic in the first quarter valued at approximately $10,889,000. Flat Footed LLC boosted its holdings in shares of CoreCivic by 27.0% in the third quarter. Flat Footed LLC now owns 1,882,048 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $16,637,000 after acquiring an additional 399,873 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its holdings in shares of CoreCivic by 71.6% in the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 907,088 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $10,132,000 after acquiring an additional 378,577 shares during the period. Teacher Retirement System of Texas boosted its holdings in shares of CoreCivic by 137.8% in the third quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 580,918 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $5,135,000 after acquiring an additional 336,635 shares during the period. Finally, Tudor Investment Corp Et Al lifted its holdings in shares of CoreCivic by 823.4% during the third quarter. Tudor Investment Corp Et Al now owns 293,950 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $2,599,000 after purchasing an additional 262,118 shares during the period. 80.87% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get CoreCivic alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several brokerages recently weighed in on CXW. Wedbush reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $15.00 price target on shares of CoreCivic in a report on Thursday, February 9th. StockNews.com began coverage on CoreCivic in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating for the company. CoreCivic Trading Down 1.7 % NYSE:CXW opened at $9.09 on Wednesday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $9.94 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $10.59. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.74 and a beta of 0.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a current ratio of 1.14. CoreCivic, Inc. has a 1 year low of $8.69 and a 1 year high of $14.24. CoreCivic (NYSE:CXW Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 8th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.33 by ($0.11). The business had revenue of $4.71 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $469.05 million. CoreCivic had a return on equity of 4.88% and a net margin of 6.63%. The companys revenue was up 898.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.48 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that CoreCivic, Inc. will post 1.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Insiders Place Their Bets In other CoreCivic news, EVP Cole G. Carter sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.45, for a total value of $57,250.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 192,250 shares in the company, valued at $2,201,262.50. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, CFO David Garfinkle sold 7,500 shares of CoreCivic stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.43, for a total transaction of $85,725.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 324,187 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,705,457.41. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Cole G. Carter sold 5,000 shares of CoreCivic stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.45, for a total value of $57,250.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 192,250 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,201,262.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.89% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. About CoreCivic (Get Rating) CoreCivic, Inc operates as a government solutions company, which engages in the development and management of prisons and other correctional facilities. It operates through the following segments: Safety, Community, and Properties. The Safety segment consists of correctional and detention facilities. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CXW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for CoreCivic, Inc. (NYSE:CXW Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for CoreCivic Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CoreCivic and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. A recent meeting of Maghera Town Centre Forum was updated regarding the recent announcement of significant Levelling Up funding for three key elements which comprise the Maghera Regeneration Project. A major financial announcement was made in January but more details, have just emerged, as to the extent of this key investment, with total investment now reaching 10.65 million. Forum members present included representatives of Mid-Ulster District Council, Department of Communities (DFC) Mid-Ulster Disability Forum, Department of Infrastructure (DFI Roads), PSNI and town centre businesses. Speaking to the County Derry Post, forum chairperson, Cllr. Brian McGuigan (Sinn Fein) spoke of fantastic, game changing opportunities that this funding opportunity will bring in terms of positively transforming Maghera and improving lives. Cllr. McGuigan (pictured below) said: As Chairperson of Maghera Town Centre Forum I want to begin by thanking the officers and staff of Mid-Ulster District Council for bringing this successful bid to fruition and securing a funding award of nearly of 9.6 million from the Levelling Up Fund with extra money, over 1.6 million, also being provided by Mid-Ulster District Council - bringing over 10.65 million into Maghera by way of much needed and very welcome investment. We cannot understate the enormity of this financial investment regarding opportunities for everyone living in Maghera and its neighbouring townlands and villages. The tenacious elected representative continued: This was an extremely competitive process and the success of the bid is testament to councils hard work and the proper identification of projects needed to regenerate our community. Just this week Mid-Ulster District Council has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the funders for delivery of what is referred to as the Maghera Regeneration Project Forty per cent of the funding envelope award is earmarked for the Maghera Public Realm Scheme ( 4.055 million), while forty-two per cent (4.152 million) of the award is going to the development of Maghera Business Park. Mid-Ulster District Councils recently purchased farmland at Mullagh will be developed with eighteen per cent of the funding award (1.857m) for the development of a Wetlands Park to meet our needs in relation to green recreational space and the challenges regarding biodiversity, climate and well-being. Concluding his comments Cllr. McGuigan said: Whilst it is extremely satisfying to know that such a funding award awaits delivery of the projects, much work has yet to be done in order to maximise the potential of this transformative project. There will be further community consultation on elements of the proposed schemes with a procurement process anticipated to commence in Spring/Summer 2023. It is expected that capital works will commence later in Autumn/Winter 2023/24, with the entire projects completed by March 2025. Now is the time that we must all join together, in putting our shoulder to the wheel, and maximising the opportunities that these game changing, social, environmental and economic benefits will bring to everyone who live, work and shop in Maghera. It has been my pleasure, to have been given the opportunity to play a lead role in the development of Maghera Regeneration Project, when having chaired the local town centre forum, over the past four years, through turbulent times. Police in Derry are appealing for information and witnesses to a fire in a derelict building in Gransha Park in the Waterside during the early hours of today, Wednesday 5th April. The blaze was reported to police at 1.25am and has now been brought under control and extinguished. The building has sustained significant structural damage and, at this time, the fire is being treated as arson. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service said crews attended the scene of a fire at the old Stradreagh Hospital site. Four pumping appliances were in attendance from Crescent Link, Northland and Limavady stations in addition to specialist appliances from Strabane, Dungiven and Crescent Link. The PSNI urged residents to be aware of subsequent dust/smoke, and to please keep doors and windows closed. Anyone with information about this fire is asked to call police at Strand Road on 101, quoting reference number 64 of 05/04/23. A report can also be made online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/ makeareport/ or by calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. The White House has confirmed the visit of US President Joe Biden to Ireland next week. In a statement, The White House said: "President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland from April 11-14. "President Biden will first travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland from April 11-12 to mark the tremendous progress since the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago and to underscore the readiness of the United States to support Northern Irelands vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities. "The President will then travel to Ireland from April 12-14. He will discuss our close cooperation on the full range of shared global challenges. He will also hold various engagements, including in Dublin, County Louth, and County Mayo, where he will deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people. "Additional information about the trip will be forthcoming." The Democratic politician can trace his ancestry to Irelands west and east coasts, specifically Ballina in Co Mayo and the Cooley Peninsula in Co Louth. His great-great-grandfather Owen Finnegan emigrated to the United States from the Cooley peninsula, while another great-great-grandfather, Patrick Blewitt, was born in Ballina, leaving during the Irish famine in 1850 to sail to America. Distant relatives celebrated his election win in November 2020 back in Ireland and gathered again in January 2021 to mark his inauguration. It looks like the first Apple Store in India will be located in the city of Mumbai. This news comes officially from the company in the form of a banner that states Apple BKC Arriving Soon. The banner itself looks to be inspired by the iconic Kaali Peeli taxi art unique to Mumbai. The banner also includes colourful interpretations of the decals combined with many Apple products and services available. The Apple BKC creative also greets passersby with a Hello Mumbai. Back in January, we reported that Apple was looking to hire positions in a rumoured physical store that will open in India. It turns out that this is true. Apple BKC store coming soon to Mumbai Just last year, reports were swirling around that Apple was planning to open a store spanning 22,000 square feet in Mumbai at the beginning of 2023. The reports also state that the company is looking at opening a 10,000 - 12,000 square foot store in New Delhi, and others in the country. As of now, there are no official dates on when the Apple BKC store will open but we expect to hear more about it in the coming months. You can also download the new Apple BKC wallpaper here and if youre more musically inclined you can check out the sounds of Mumbai with a specially curated playlist on Apple Music The fact that Apple is also looking at manufacturing its devices here as well bodes well for the company in a market like India. With Apples phones being more widely adopted in the country as compared to a few years ago, India could be the next big market for the American tech giant. With China taking a backseat in expansion plans for the company, India is looking more like it will be the focus and the Apple BKC store is proof of that. As we stated in our earlier report, India also represents a large smartphone market, and though only a select few in the country can purchase Apple products, going by the population, even that small demographic represents a large number of consumers. EMI options on e-commerce websites have increased the pool of willing consumers too. For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page. Motorola's flagship phone the Motorola Edge 40 Pro was announced today. It has all the top-of-the-line specifications. This is the same as the Moto X40 which was previously announced in China. The phone is launched in Europe at a price of EUR 899.99 which is approximately 81,000 but it is not confirmed when the smartphone is going to arrive in India. Here are the specifications of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Motorola Edge 40 Pro specifications It is packed with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and one should note that the Motorola Edge 40 will offer a cleaner UI to the users which is quite close to the stock Android 13 experience. It will come with a 6.67 AMOLED display offering a refresh rate of 165Hz. In addition to this, the phone has 2.5D curved sides along with Gorilla Glass Victus front and back. The fingerprint scanner will come under the display and the selfie shooter is placed inside a punch hole. Motorola Edge 40 Pro offers a triple camera setup with two 50-megapixel shooters along with a third 12-megapixel camera. You can shoot videos in 8K from the rear camera. It also has a 60-megapixel front-facing camera which shoots videos in 4K. On the battery front, the Motorola phone will be powered by a 4,600 mAh battery. The charger which comes with the box promises to charge the phone from 0% to 50% in just 7 minutes. According to that, within 20 minutes your phone will be fully charged. In addition to this, it supports 125W wired, 15W wireless, and 5W reverse wireless charging. The European and Latin American versions of the smartphone will run on a 12GB+ 256GB memory setup and it will be available in two colour variants - Blue and Black. For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page. The Chinese brand recently rolled out its new flagship series, Xiaomi 13. Xiaomi 13 series contains two models which are Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro. The Xiaomi 13 Pro was launched in India at a price of 79,999, and the Xiaomi 13 Ultra is considered to sit above. A known tipster, Yogesh Brar has leaked the specifications of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, lets check out what he suggests. Xiaomi 13 Ultra leaked specifications Xiaomi 13 Ultra is rumoured to have a 6.7-inch QHD+ AMOLED display with the support of up to 120Hz refresh rate. The tipster also revealed that this flagship could be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset paired with two RAM and storage options which could be 12GB and 16GB and storage up to 256GB and 512GB. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra might be having a triple camera setup holding a 50-megapixel primary camera which could be used for ultra-wide angle shots also and along with that a 50-megapixel depth sensor and a 50-megapixel telephoto lens. On the front, it will reportedly sport a 32-megapixel selfie shooter. Additionally, the tipster also revealed the Leica tuning in the Xiaomi 13 Ultra. The smartphone is more likely to run on the latest MIUI 14 operating system which is based on Android 13. In terms of battery, the tipster suggested it could pack a 4900mAh battery with the support of 90-watt fast charging and 50-watt wireless charging. That was pretty much all about the smartphone which surfaced on the internet for now, however, Xiaomi has not said a word about these leaks but it is expected that the Xiaomi 13 Ultra will launch in China in the coming weeks. Although, it is more likely that Xiaomi 13 Ultra might not make it to India. For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page. US President Joe Bidens visit to the island of Ireland next week is about welcoming a son of Ireland home, Leo Varadkar has said. The White House confirmed the trip earlier on Wednesday, and said it would mark the tremendous progress since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago. Mr Biden is to visit Belfast first, before travelling on to Dublin, with visits also planned to Co Louth and Co Mayo, where his ancestors hail from. The president will deliver a public address outside St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina, Co Mayo on Friday evening, which will be open to the public to attend. He will also address the Irish parliament in the Dail chamber next Thursday, becoming the fourth US president to do so following John F Kennedys address in June 1963, Ronald Reagans in June 1984 and Bill Clintons in December 1995. Irish premier Mr Varadkar told reporters that the visit offered an opportunity to advance issues that had been discussed during the Washington DC visit more than two weeks ago. The number one objective of President Bidens visit to Ireland is to welcome a son of Ireland home, to welcome home a great Irish American president and to cement and strengthen the really good relationship that we have at the moment with the US. I dont think relations have ever been stronger or closer between Ireland and the US, and we want to cement that and use the opportunity of the meetings that were going to have. He added: The United States was a steadfast partner throughout the peace process over many decades, and through many administrations, its role was immense and indispensable. The presidents visit will allow us to celebrate and honour that contribution. When I met him in the White House on St Patricks Day, President Biden made it very clear the way he celebrates all that has been achieved, especially in the period since the Good Friday Agreement. Our shared focus should be on the future, not the past. And thats why there will be an opportunity to look ahead to the next chapter, the next 25 years. He said it was not clear how much the US presidential visit would cost, but added most of the costs would be on security. He also said that it was understood that the First Lady, Jill Biden, would not be travelling to Ireland. When asked whether he hoped Mr Bidens visit would encourage the restoration of Northern Irelands institutions, Mr Varadkar said: I hope it can help. Certainly in the past when the White House has turned its attention to affairs in Northern Ireland, theyve been able to push the British government to do a little bit more, theyve been able to push us to do more and sometimes they have an influence on the different political parties in Northern Ireland. So I think it can only help. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed the visit would last from April 11-14 and would take in four locations. She said: President Joseph R Biden Jr will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland from April 11-14. President Biden will first travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland, from April 11-12 to mark the tremendous progress since the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago and to underscore the readiness of the United States to support Northern Irelands vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities. The president will then travel to Ireland from April 12-14. He will discuss our close co-operation on the full range of shared global challenges. He will also hold various engagements, including in Dublin, County Louth and County Mayo, where he will deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people. It will be a privilege and an honour for us to welcome President Biden to Ireland @POTUS pic.twitter.com/8H4C6lGP8b Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) April 5, 2023 Sinn Fein MLA Conor Murphy said it was a missed opportunity that the visit was occurring at a time when the Stormont Assembly in Northern Ireland was not sitting as part of a DUP protest at post-Brexit trading arrangements. He said: President Biden is coming here, it is the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, the entire international focus is on this place and, from the DUP perspective, there is nobody at the wheel. There is an economic focus to President Bidens visit, there is an economic focus to the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement and we have nobody here to talk on behalf of the businesses and economy here. DUP MLA Gordon Lyons said he hoped the visit would emphasise the economic opportunities available in Northern Ireland. The president can trace his ancestry to Irelands west and east coasts, specifically Ballina in Co Mayo and the Cooley Peninsula in Co Louth. His great-great-grandfather Owen Finnegan emigrated to the United States from the Cooley peninsula while another great-great-grandfather, Patrick Blewitt, was born in Ballina, leaving during the Irish famine in 1850 to sail to America. Distant relatives celebrated his election win in November 2020 back in Ireland and gathered again in January 2021 to mark his inauguration. The presidential visit to the island will have a strong focus on the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday peace agreement. Recently, Mr Biden made clear an increase in activity by violent dissident republicans opposed to the peace process in Northern Ireland would not deter him. No. They cant keep me out, he told reporters. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had invited Mr Biden to come to Northern Ireland to mark the agreements anniversary. Last month, Mr Varadkar told the president that his trip to the island of Ireland would be a visit like no other. I promise you that were going to roll out the red carpet, he pledged to Mr Biden during their St Patricks Day meeting in Washington DC. White House officials and Secret Service personnel have already visited proposed locations as part of planning for the visit. Former US president Bill Clinton and his wife and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton will be in Belfast the week after Mr Biden for more events to commemorate the landmark accord that largely ended the Troubles. Other key figures involved in securing the deal are also due to travel to the city. Click the 'Next >' arrow above or 'Next Story' below to go through the gallery Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) says it was delighted to welcome the Tanaiste, Micheal Martin, on to campus on Tuesday 3 April. During Mr. Martins visit to the Institute, he met with DkIT President Dr. Diarmuid OCallaghan, Governing Body Member Clifford Kelly and the Institutes Executive Board Members before undertaking a short campus tour. Micheal Martin was warmly welcomed to the 87-acre campus by Dr. Sheila Flanagan, Vice President for Academic Affairs & Registrar, on behalf of all the students and staff of DkIT. Dr. Flanagan spoke about the Institutes accomplishments, from the 97% graduate employability rate, the Institutes new state of the art STEM science building due to open this year, which will allow for additional students on campus and DkITs growing apprenticeship provision. She expanded on the award winning and revolutionary research projects that are currently being undertaken in the Institute. Dr Flanagan highlighted the importance the Institute has on the development of the region both economically and socially, and how DkITs vision is to make life better for students, staff, society both nationally and internationally. The Tanaiste started his tour by visiting DkITs Regional Development Centre (RDC) where some of Irelands largest and most successful companies have benefitted from the business expertise and specialist supports on offer. He was welcomed to the centre by Aidan Browne, Head of Innovation & Business Development and Prof Fergal McCaffrey, Head of School of Informatics and Creative Arts. Since 2001, 235 companies have incubated in the RDC and over 1700 entrepreneurs have been supported by the centre. The RDC also acts as a soft landing for multi-nationals, including foreign direct investments via the IDA. Companies who have utilised the supports offered by the RDC include Overhaul, the supply chain integrity technology company. The Tanaiste met with the Overhaul team, and they discussed the support they have received from the Institute which they claimed has been integral to their current international success. Micheal Martin continued his conversations in the RDC by being introduced to the Smooth Muscle Research Innovation centre by Dr. Tim McCormac, Head of Research. The Smooth Muscle Project has received several grants and awards for their revolutionary internationally renowned research accomplishments in the field of health science. The Tanaiste continued to the Department of Engineering accompanied by the recently appointed Head of School of Engineering, Dr. Breda Brennan. Her team introduced the Tanaiste to some of DkITs motor mechanic apprentices who have just started their 6-week block in the Institute. The Tanaiste spent time among the new arrivals. DkIT recently reported the highest number of enrolments ever in their extensive 52-year history of Craft Apprentices. The Institute has seen over 1000 apprentices register recently in Electrical, Plumbing, Motor Mechanics and Carpentry & Joinery (C&J) with that number likely to increase in the future. DkIT says it has a "long, proud, and award-winning history" of educating apprentices and these recent enrolments have seen DkIT increase its apprentice numbers by 100% since 2018/2019. The Tanaiste was also treated to a Renewable Energy Research demonstration by Dr. Paul MacArtain, Head of Department, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering who highlighted the work to date that has been accomplished by the Institute in regard to sustainable energy for the future. The final part of the Tanaistes trip was a visit to DkITs Nursing building where he toured the Institutes state-of-the-art facilities. Mr. Martin was welcomed to the building by Dr. Edel Healy, Head of School, Health & Science and Dr. Myles Hackett, Head of Nursing who showcased the Institutes facilities while discussing the importance of graduate entry nursing and undergraduate expansion for the future. The Tanaiste got a demonstration of the ProAct Platform which is currently being developed by NetwellCASALA and the purpose of this research is to support better quality of life for people living with age-related health challenges. DkIT President, Dr. Diarmuid OCallaghan said, We were absolutely delighted to welcome the Tanaiste, Micheal Martin, onto our Campus. This visit gave us the opportunity to showcase some of our Institutes facilities and supports to the community. "It was fantastic to have the occasion to present some of our current research projects, which are ground-breaking developments in the world of human centric health care and environmental sustainability for the future. We were also thrilled that this visit allowed Mr. Martin to meet some of our fantastic students, apprentices and staff too." ABOVE: Tanaiste Micheal Martin in the Clinical Skills Lab in the Nursing Dept at DkIT A new Louth County Council social housing scheme has been shortlisted for an Irish Construction Excellence (ICE) award. The 22 new A-Rated energy efficient residential homes completed under the Coxs Demesne Phase 2 Housing Project in Dundalk were delivered by Louth County Council Housing Capital section under the Governments Housing For All Plan. The scheme, which consists of eight houses and 14 apartments, has been shortlisted as a Project of the Year finalist in the Residential - Social and Affordable Housing (up to 5million) category. Construction was carried out by contractor M.L Quinn Construction Ltd on behalf of Louth County Council. New tenants began moving into the state of the art housing units following completion in September 2022. All of the houses and apartments are now occupied, and offer unique energy saving measures for people living there. The units have a BER A2energy rating, with additional benefits to tenants including seven Photovoltaic (PV) panels on each roof of the eight houses. Each of the 14 apartments have five PV panels, with a total of 70 panels fitted to the apartment blocks. These measures have already led to reduced energy costs for tenants at the Coxs Demesne development. Founded in 1993 the Irish Construction Excellence Awards (ICE Awards )recognise performance excellence for the contracting sector in Ireland. Entry to the ICE Awards is open to: Building Contractors, Construction Management Services Companies, Civil Engineering Contractors, Specialist M&E Contractors, Specialist Contractors, Construction Product Manufacturers/Suppliers based in the ROI, Design Consultants and Third Level Colleges in Ireland offering certain construction related courses. Established by Irish Building Magazine, the awards provide an opportunity for the industry to highlight best performance across the full range of construction disciplines and project categories. Director of Service at Louth County Council, Paddy Donnelly, welcomed the nomination, saying: The Housing Capital section are delighted that the Cox's Demesne project in Dundalk has been nominated for the Irish Construction Excellence (ICE) Awards 2023, and that the scheme is now providing 22 energy efficient homes for individuals and families from the social housing waiting list. The winners in all categories will be announced at an ICE Gala event in The Convention Centre, Dublin on April 27th. The Department of Education has confirmed that as of 31st March, 444 Ukrainian pupils are enrolled in schools across Louth. Out of that figure, 267 of these pupils are attending primary schools while 177 pupils have enrolled in post-primary schools. The figure represents a slight increase on the 437 Ukrainian pupils enrolled in schools across Louth at the beginning of March. Nationally, just over 15,000 students from Ukraine have been enrolled in Irish schools up to the start of this month. The Department of Education has confirmed that as of 31st March, 15,282 Ukrainian pupils have been enrolled in schools across Ireland. Out of that figure,9,877 of these pupils have been accommodated in primary schools while5,405 pupils have enrolled in post-primary schools. Current data indicates an enrolment rate of 90% among Ukrainian children aged 5-18. To assist with the transition of Ukrainian students and their families into Irish schools Regional Education and Language Teams (REALT) continue to operate, hosted by the 16 regional education and training boards around Ireland and staffed by regionally-based education support personnel. The department say these teams are ensuring that clear, accessible information flows are in place between schools, local education support services and national support structures in relation to people arriving from Ukraine. Information for parents in Ukrainian and Russian on accessing school places is available on gov.ie/Ukraine. The Department say they will continue to publish figures on the enrolment of Ukrainian children each month. Artist Michael Stafford said he is delighted to be unveiling his latest body of work in the Iontas Arts centre in Castleblaney tomorrow eevening. Michael's exhibition 'Talking it Back/Exile' will be launched in the Iontas Arts centre on Thursday, April 6th at 7.30pm with the show running for two months until May 30th. The Dundalk artist, who graduated in Fine Art from Dun Laoighaire Art, Design and Technology and Sligo IT, said his latest work started to develop during the beginning of the lockdown through a series of new experiments working with and drawing on the experience obtained from completing an Abode Associate certificates in Photoshop and illustrator in 2020. Michael explained that the title of his exhibition has a double meaning as Taking it Back deals with the process of how the work is built and 'Exile' is the theme which is somewhat biographical referring to the nature of living in exile from a social belonging. Michael said: The biographical elements appeared in the work subconsciously and once identified were pursued. My Family moved to Dundalk in the late 1970s from Belfast. Like many other families in Dundalk at the time, they were finding themselves exiled in a nation that they were affiliated with but had strong cultural and social differences. My work is not about highlighting the differences but its more about my memories, identity, and place. A question of where do I belong? Michael continued that it's an exhibition of paintings which has a strong visual conversation hiding behind its graphic graffiti-esque aesthetic. The images used, even though taken from my personal archive are symbolic and have universal meaning. The young boy holding a watering bucket, which features in some of my paintings, can have a multitude of meanings to different people. All the paintings have figures in them, with some being family members, taken from photographs that my ma used to love taking. But also people will identify with the symbolic characters in their own way that makes the art pieces personal to them. Michael said the work with its Pop sensibilities appeals to the contemporary eyes that is used to smart screens and clever Gifs. The viewer is asked to look beyond the plastic vector-like facade of the paintings; question the graphic commercial like product in an exhibition environment, he continues. With cartoon like colours from enamel paint; repetition from screen printing, haze, blurs and dots from spray paint and detailing from oil paint the viewer may be overwhelmed by visual content as if they have entered the world of the surreal. Michael has had many solo and group exhibitions including in the Basement Gallery in An Tain, the Mill Arts centre in Dundrum, The Crow Gallery Temple Bar and The Niland Gallery, Sligo. He is a member of AAEX which have done numerous community art projects including art in the Park, and the creation of the pink flamingo installation that was ercted at the Square during the lockdown and who most recently made an appearance in Dundalk's St Patrick's Day parade. Michael is also a member of Creative Spark's print studio and was their Artist in Residence in 2017. He was also awarded the Tyrone Gutherie Burary funded by Create Louth for an Artist in Residence in Annaghmakerrig. 'Talking it Back/Exile' runs in the Ionas Arts Centre from April 6th to May 30th. The number of Ukrainian students enrolled in Irish schools has now edged over the 15,000 mark, latest figures show. The Department of Education has confirmed that as of 31 March, 15,282 Ukrainian pupils have been enrolled in schools across Ireland. Out of that figure, 9,877 of these pupils have been accommodated in primary schools while 5,405 pupils have enrolled in post-primary schools. This figure is up from the total of 14,931, recorded on March 1, for Ukrainian pupils who had been enrolled in schools across Ireland. Current data indicates an enrolment rate of 90% among Ukrainian children aged 5-18. To assist with the transition of Ukrainian students and their families into Irish schools Regional Education and Language Teams (REALT) continue to operate, hosted by the 16 regional education and training boards around Ireland and staffed by regionally-based education support personnel. These teams are ensuring that clear, accessible information flows are in place between schools, local education support services and national support structures in relation to people arriving from Ukraine. Information for parents in Ukrainian and Russian on accessing school places is available on gov.ie/Ukraine. The Department confirmed that it will continue to publish figures on the enrolment of Ukrainian children each month. The influx of Ukraininan students has been particularly welcomed in rural schools where enrolment numbers were low. EBRD and Green Climate Fund lend US$ 100 million to Red Sea Wind Energy for new wind farm in Gulf of Suez area Largest wind farm in Africa, expected to reduce CO 2 emissions by around one million tonnes per year First EBRD project under the Nexus on Water, Food and Energy (NWFE) programme The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) continues its support for Egypts green transition by issuing a senior secured loan of up to US$ 100 million to Red Sea Wind Energy. The loan will fund the development, construction and operation of a new 500 MW onshore wind farm located in the Gulf of Suez area. The loan consists of a portion of up to US$ 50 million from the EBRD and a portion of up to US$ 50 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) in favour of Red Sea Wind Energy. The loan is co-financed by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation and private commercial banks insured by Nippon Export and Investment Insurance, and is the Banks first project to be co-financed by those Japanese institutions. Red Sea Wind Energy is a joint-stock company incorporated in Egypt and owned by a consortium of sponsors, including Engie, Orascom Construction, Toyota Tsusho Corporation and Eurus Energy. This will be Egypts third private wind farm and it is expected to be the largest in Africa. It will help reduce around one million tonnes of CO 2 emissions per year, the equivalent of taking about 217,000 cars off the road. The energy generated will be sold to the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) over a period of 25 years. This wind farm is one of the first to be built under the Energy Pillar of Egypts Country Platform for NWFE programme, which was launched by the Government of Egypt at COP27 with many institutions, including the EBRD as the lead development partner for the Energy Pillar. It is the first step in deploying an additional 10 GW of renewable energy capacity between 2023 and 2028. It will also help the country achieve its renewable energy target. Dr. Mohamed Shaker, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, said: We want to harness Egypts natural resources and make full use of the countrys renewable energy potential. To achieve this, the Egyptian government has created an environment that welcomes private sector investment and builds investor confidence to create a diverse and robust mix of international and local investors in renewable energy projects. The 500 MW Gulf of Suez windfarm by the consortium of Engie, Orascom Construction, Toyota Tsusho Company, and Eurus Energy is perfect example of what can be achieved. Renewable energy projects such as this will also help to cut the countrys carbon emissions, which is in line with Egypts vision of 42 per cent of energy consumption coming from renewable sources by 2035, Egypts 2030 vision, and Egypts National Climate Change Strategy 2050, which aims to mitigate the effects of climate change for sustainable economic development. Egypt has also been working with neighbouring countries to expand its cross-border electricity transmission network, increasing its ability to export its green energy to Europe, Asia and Africa. This project underlines Egypts capacity to attract foreign investment. It also shows the importance of national institutions in creating a low risk investment environment and of collaboration with financial institutions such as the EBRD, which has worked with the ministry to maximise the contribution of renewable energy in the energy mix through its partnership with the private sector. To accelerate progress towards the green transition, international cooperation that fosters private sector investment is key. This is the core of Egypts country platform for the Nexus of Water, Food and Energy (NWFE) program, where EBRD is Egypts lead partner in the energy pillar. Adopting innovative finance tools to foster green solutions, the Red Sea Wind Energy project in the Gulf of Suez effectively utilizes the partnership between the EBRD and GCF, in cooperation with several private sector companies. This project is in line with the countrys commitment to transition towards clean energy and reduce CO2 emissions across the continent, said Minister of International Cooperation and Governor of the EBRD in Egypt H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat. Nandita Parshad, Managing Director of the EBRDs Sustainable Infrastructure Group, said: We are very proud to support this significant wind farm in the Gulf of Suez, the first for us as lead development partner for the energy pillar of the countrys ground-breaking NWFE initiative. This is a milestone project that will advance a fundamental shift away from Egypts reliance on hydrocarbons, create new green business and employment opportunities, reduce pollution and avoid CO 2 emissions. The EBRD is and will proudly continue to be one of Egypts key partners on its green transition journey. Kavita Sinha, Director of GCFs Private Sector Facility, said: GCF is proud to support this initiative, which will be the first wind farm under the programme and the largest in Africa. It is a strong example of the importance of innovative financing models, as Egypt rapidly scales up the deployment of private sector capital to facilitate the adoption of clean technologies at scale. Egypt is a founding member of the EBRD. Since the start of its operations there in 2012, the EBRD has invested more than 10.2 billion in 162 projects. Citeste in romana The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is concerned by the unfolding crisis on Romanias insurance market. After due diligence, in October 2021, the EBRD invested a minority equity position in Euroins Insurance Group in Bulgaria (EIG), the parent of Euroins Romania Asigurare-Reasigurare SA (EIRO). As a shareholder, the EBRD has engaged with the Board of EIG to further improve operations and performance, particularly in Romania. The EBRD notes the announcement on March 17 by ASF, Romanias financial regulator, that EIROs license was withdrawn due to perceived corporate governance shortfalls. This was in light of a Permanent Capital Report (PCR) published by ASF on 2 February, which identified a capital shortfall of over EUR 400 million. In follow-up to the PCR, the EIG Board, supported by the EBRD, commissioned an independent actuarial analysis of EIRO by a leading global actuarial expert. The analysis does not provide a basis to revise EBRDs view of the strong financial standing of EIRO at the time its license was withdrawn. The EBRD is actively engaging with all responsible parties to achieve a solution to the market disruption caused by the withdrawal of EIROs licence, which EIRO has disclosed triggered clauses effectively eliminating an array of reinsurance coverage for insurance claims in Romania, and created a large mass of orphaned liabilities. The EBRD is keen to help secure a solution at no additional costs to policy holders or tax-payers, and along with EIG has made a resolution proposal to ASF. Constructive discussions about the resolution proposal are ongoing between the EBRD, EIG and ASF. Euroins Insurance Group (EIG) remains one of the largest independent insurance groups in the central and south-eastern European region, with leading positions in Bulgaria, Romania, North Macedonia and a broad presence in other countries such as Poland, Greece, Ukraine, and Georgia. The EBRD will continue to work with EIG management and the other stakeholders to find a workable solution in Romania, for the benefit of the company, the Romanian people and the Romanian insurance market. EBRD is a long-term investor in Romania, having deployed over 10 billion overall with a current portfolio of 2.5 billion and with 2022 investments of about 710 million. The EBRD is owned and governed by over 70 countries, including Romania and the EU. A MAN in his fifties has died following a house fire in Douglas. It was confirmed yesterday evening that the man was pronounced dead at the house on Douglas Rd West. A Garda spokesperson said the mans body was removed to Cork University Hospital (CUH) where an autopsy will take place at a later date. The road was closed, and local diversions were put in place while the scene was attended by emergency services. Among those who attended were members of the National Ambulance Service, along with An Garda Siochana. A spokesperson for Cork City Fire Brigade confirmed to The Echo that three units responded to the callout. Speaking to The Echo, Lord Mayor of Cork Deirdre Forde said: We are grateful for the prompt assistance of the fire brigade and gardai at the scene. Fianna Fail councillor for Cork City South-East Mary Rose Desmond also credited the emergency services for their response to what she described as a tragic scene. Its important that the emergency services responded in a timely manner, particularly with the location and proximity of so many other homes and businesses, she said. The man who died in a house fire in Douglas yesterday has been named locally as 57-year-old Conor Downey, a convicted killer and sex offender. Downey is understood to have been pronounced dead following a house fire at his home on Douglas Road West on Tuesday afternoon. Gardai at the scene of the fatal house fire in Douglas yesterday. Picture; Eddie O'Hare He was jailed in 1993 in London after confessing to the 1988 manslaughter of 26-year-old Donegal native Suzanne Redden. Downey admitted to strangling Ms Redden after, he claimed, she had withdrawn consent during sex. Information given to Surrey police by Downey led to the recovery of parts of Ms Reddens body, but her torso was never recovered. Downey served only three years for the killing, returning to Cork after his release. In May of 2001, Downey was arrested by gardai in Cork on suspicion of the attempted rape of a woman in Cork in 1988 after he had broken into her apartment and sexually assaulted her and beaten her. Investigating gardai testified that the Cork woman had been so badly beaten that her facial injuries caused them initially to think she was wearing a Halloween mask. Downey was jailed in 2004 for 12 years after a trial in the Central Criminal Court in Dublin, and was later released early with remission, with the final 12 months suspended. He was also convicted in 2004 for assaulting the doctor who had collected blood samples from him for the DNA test which connected him to the attack against the Cork woman. Downey had burst into the doctor's surgery with a knife while the doctor was seeing a patient and had threatened to stab the doctor. I am in the Central Criminal Court because of you, Downey told the doctor as he held a knife to his stomach. It is understood that Downey had kept a low profile since he returned to Douglas in 2012, spending much of his time caring for his sister. The fire in Downeys home broke out shortly before 3:15 pm on Tuesday afternoon, and three units from Cork City Fire brigade responded. Gardai confirmed yesterday that they were at the scene of a fatal house fire that occurred at a property on the Douglas West Road. It is understood that the formal identification of Downeys remains required an examination of dental records. While the cause of the blaze has yet to be established, the death is not believed to be suspicious. Conor Downeys body was removed to Cork University Hospital and an autopsy is expected to be carried out later today. MEMBERS of the Garda Armed Support Unit rushed to a residential area in Cork City following a report of a man pointing what appeared to be a gun at others, a court has heard. These were the allegations made in the case against 42-year-old Gediminias Stalionis of Orchard Court, Blackpool, at Cork District Court. Judge Olann Kelleher accepted jurisdiction and adjourned the case until May 22 to allow time for prosecution statements to be sent to solicitor Eddie Burke. Sergeant John Kelleher said: On May 2, 2022, at 6.40pm, gardai were made aware of an incident where it was alleged that a man produced a firearm and threatened others, which occurred within Orchard Court, Blackpool. Sergeant John Gleeson and Detective Garda Shane Walsh proceeded immediately to the scene with support from the Armed Support Unit. On arrival at the scene, a witness said that a Polish man at an address in Orchard Court had exited the house armed with a gun, and threatened him and others with the firearm. The witness then provided a recording from his phone to Sgt Gleeson. This recording verified the events as described. A man wearing a grey hoody and black tracksuit bottoms exited the house and pointed it at this witness before walking towards him. Armed Support Unit officers secured the scene and the man and then recovered two suspected firearms from within the house, which were handed to Sgt Gleeson. He then said the firearm was a toy gun, but accepted it looked real. He said he did not threaten anyone with the replica firearm and only intended to scare individuals. The charge against the 42-year-old states that he produced an imitation AK-74 at Orchard Court, Blackpool, on May 2, 2022. Judge Kelleher adjourned the case until May 22 to allow time for a copy of the prosecution evidence to be supplied to the defence. Former Monkstown Sea Scouts leader Jerry Aherne will spearhead a fundraising walk for the Edith Wilkins Street Children Foundation, India (EWSCF) on Good Friday. The walk originated in the early 1980s and was a significant event in the Monkstown Sea Scouts social calendar until their disbandment in 2004. On Good Friday in 2015, Jerry set off to complete the 16 mile walk for his own leisure where he bumped into two of his former scouts partaking in the walk with their own children. We decided that we would do it [the walk] thenceforth every Good Friday. This year some of the children of the old Sea Scouts will be doing the walk for the eighth time, Jerry Aherne said. The 16-mile walk starts at 9:45am at Belvelly Castle, to East Ferry Marina, through Marlogue Wood and along the seashore to Cuskinny into Cobh and out along the walkway to the Carrigaloe cross-river ferry terminal at about 4pm. Jerry is aiming to raise 500 for the EWSCF. I'm going to get my family and my friends here to sponsor me for a couple of Euro and I will be raising 500. That's what I'm aiming for, so I hope I can reach the 500 goal, Jerry said. The EWSCF provides support for children in India who run the risk of trafficking, child labour and other forms of abuse. Cork native Edith Wilkins moved to India in 1982 to provide support for impoverished children. The qualified nurse intended to stay in India for a couple of years but ended up staying in the country for 28 years. Boys from Edith Wilkins Street Children Foundation playing chess. Edith set up the EWSCF in 2003 and has run the Non-Profit Organisation since. The EWSCF provides shelter and counselling in the hopes to motivate the children to return to education. Edith has noticed a spike in the trafficking of girls since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. We're getting a huge amount of badly trafficked girls since COVID happened in India, and we badly need money to run the homes. It's proven very hard to kind of get them back to school. It always happens when you have a disaster and child trafficking and everything just goes sky high. We're getting a large number of kids and so we really, really need funding to support the children at the homes because we have counselling and a rehabilitation programme for the children, Edith stressed. Donate at edithwilkinsfoundation.enthuse.com or click here. THREE Cork weather stations broke records for the amount of rain that fell last month, in what Met Eireann described as an unusually wet and dull March. According to the national forecasters weather statement for March 2023, the majority of monthly rainfall totals were above their 1981-2010 Long-Term Average (LTA). In Cork, the weather station at Cork Airport had its wettest March since 1981, with 211.3mm of rain falling over the course of the month. Additionally, the station on Sherkin Island, just off the southwest Cork coast, recorded its wettest March since 1989 with 179.6mm of rain. Meanwhile, the Moorepark weather station in Fermoy also had its wettest March since 1996 with 144.4mm of rain reported. Met Eireann also revealed that nearly all mean air temperatures were above their LTA for the month. Mean temperatures for the month ranged from 6.0C (0.3C above its LTA) at Knock Airport in Mayo to 8.4C (0.1C below its LTA) at Sherkin Island. All stations reported ground frost during the month. The number of days with ground frost ranged from three days at Sherkin Island to 16 days at a few stations. The March report showed that all available monthly sunshine totals were below their LTA. Monthly sunshine totals ranged from 46.7 hours at Cork Airport to 105.5 hours at Belmullet in Mayo. The number of dull days characterised as a day with less than 30 minutes of sunshine - ranged from six days at Malin Head in Donegal to 14 days at both Cork Airport and Johnstown Castle in Wexford. Monthly mean wind speeds ranged from 6.2 knots (11.5 km/h) at Ballyhaise in Cavan to 14.7 knots (27.2 km/h) at Sherkin Island. Gales were reported on seven days during the month. The number of days with gale force winds ranged from zero days at most stations to three days at both Roches Point at the entrance to Cork Harbour, and Mace Head in Galway. Iarnrod Eireann has awarded construction partner John Cradock Ltd the 8m contract for the construction of Corks new Kent Station through platform. It is the first of a series of separate but interrelated projects being progressed under the Cork Area Commuter Rail (CACR) Programme to reach construction phase. The project will see John Cradock Ltd build an extension to the existing Platform 5 at Kent Station, delivering an extra platform to increase capacity at the station and facilitate through running services. Along with the completion of the Glounthaune to Midleton twin tracking, signalling and communications upgrades, the through platform will facilitate more capacity, trebling train service frequency on the Cork network, and dramatically increasing passenger capacity. The plan is to provide improved passenger experience by creating direct services through Kent Station from Mallow and on to Midleton or Cobh, and a more reliable service for commuters and other rail users to and from Cork city. The three projects are an integral part of the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS), developed by the National Transport Authority. Infrastructure consulting firm, AECOM, was the consultant responsible for designing and planning the platform extension. Funded under the EUs Recovery and Resilience Plan (EURRP) 2021, works are set to start this summer. Works will include a 220m long, 6m-wide, double sided extension to Platform 5. This will provide for the proposed new Platform 6 and allow ease of integration and connectivity to the existing station. Track reconfiguration will support future through running services and proposed service increases, while there will be a re-instatement of the eastern access to the existing station subway from Platform 5. Jim Meade, CEO of Iarnrod Eireann said: The construction of a through platform at Kent Station, along with the broader package of improvements that are planned for Cork, will significantly enhance and improve the existing rail infrastructure and offer public transport users a more efficient and reliable rail service. In partnership with John Craddock Ltd, we look forward to completing this critical piece of infrastructure for the Cork metropolitan area and are delighted to highlight this milestone in delivering a more sustainable transport network for Ireland. John Cradock, Director of John Cradock Ltd said: "We are delighted to be awarded the Kent Station Through Platform contract. We have a long history of successful collaboration with Iarnrod Eireann, both locally in Cork and across the country. We look forward to delivering this challenging scheme, which is a key element of the wider Cork Area Commuter Rail project, which will deliver significant benefit to the local community." A RESIDENTS association in Cork City has called on the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) to establish a dedicated investigation unit to identify unregistered, privately rented properties. Last month, the Magazine Road and Surrounding Areas Residents Association claimed that a sample check conducted by residents living near University College Cork at the start of the year showed over one-in-three privately rented properties in the area appeared not to be registered by landlords with the RTB. Following a meeting this week with representatives of the RTB, the association said the board has committed to following up on the most recent file of unregistered properties sent to it by residents in September, and to respond within four to five weeks. While they also committed to a new statement of strategy, which will include a new and revised compliance and enforcement policy, they stated that at present, they do not have a system in place to proactively investigate and identify unregistered privately-rented properties, stated the association. They depend on landlords to volunteer to register and/or act on third-party complaints. It called on the RTB to put in place a dedicated proactive investigative unit to identify unregistered, privately rented properties. The association said it believes that relying on landlords to self-register their property is clearly not working and that non-compliance by some has serious consequences for tenants security of tenure, neighbours, and the local community. A spokesperson for the RTB told the board would consider the points raised by the association and revert in due course. During the meeting, the RTB discussed a range of issues with the RA [residents association] and explained our current processes for responding to information about potential non-registered tenancies. "The RTB is committed to being a regulator that works in the public interest. The RTB briefed the RA, as to the main points of the RTB strategy which is in the final stages of development. Part of this strategy is the RTBs commitment to a process of ongoing organisation development to support improvement and consistent delivery of quality services. The RTB also highlighted the plan regarding our regulatory risk framework, which, when implemented, will provide clarity and escalation pathways where landlords are non-compliant with their obligations. Sean McCarthaigh An inquest has heard claims that an infection that caused the sudden and unexpected death of a healthy young Dublin teenager was present when he visited his family doctor two days before he died. A sitting of Dublin District Coroners Court also heard the boys parents express regret they were unaware about the symptoms of sepsis at the time of his death five years ago. Sean Hughes (15) of Cardiff Castle Road, Finglas died at Childrens Health Ireland at Temple Street on January 12th, 2018 just hours after collapsing at his home from a cardiac arrest. Post-mortem results showed the student from Colaiste Eoin in Finglas, who was an up-and-coming young rapper known as Lil Red, died from sepsis which had resulted from a combination of influenza B and a bacterial infection known as staphylococcus aureus. Several medical witnesses agreed with the familys solicitor, Damien Tansey, that he was beyond repair after suffering the cardiac arrest. Mr Tansey claimed it defied logic that the fatal infection was not present when Sean was seen by his GP around 36 hours earlier. Following an inquest lasting over seven hours, the coroner, Clare Keane, returned a narrative verdict based on the evidence which she said had contained conflicts which she could not resolve. Mr Tansey had called for a verdict of medical misadventure by pointing out that Seans parents who had launched a campaign, Lil Reds Legacy, after his death to raise awareness about the danger of sepsis were haunted by the fact that the GPs visit was the last opportunity he had for appropriate intervention. Seans mother, Karen Phoenix, told the inquest on Tuesday that her son first became unwell with flu-like symptoms on January 8, 2018 after coming home from school. High fever He stayed at home the following day and complained of feeling rotten when he woke on January 10th, 2018. After hearing a crackling in her sons chest, Ms Phoenix brought Sean to see his doctor, Katrina McCrory, at the Finglas Family Practice later that morning. Ms Phoenix said the GP told her that Sean had a high fever, a very bad chest infection and influenza. She recalled Dr McCrory had prescribed antibiotics and painkillers and expressed concern that his condition could develop into pneumonia. Ms Phoenix said Sean had complained that night that he felt like he was going to die which she now recognised was a symptom of sepsis. She said she only realised after his death that he had not been passing urine at the time despite drinking lots of water which was also another warning sign of sepsis. Ms Phoenix said her son was still feeling unwell the following day as he was pale, breathless and had no appetite, while his chest was also very sore. By that evening, she remembered his skin had become mottled, while he was also lethargic and irritable. Flu season Ms Phoenix said she had an instinct that something was terribly wrong but had not brought her son to hospital due to the HSEs advice against attending hospitals during the flu season. They also felt reassured as he had been seen by his GP the previous day. Ms Phoenix said she and Sean had been watching TV in their sitting room when at about 11.30pm she thought he was asleep but then realised he wasnt breathing. The inquest heard her husband came running down the stairs and placed their son on the floor before starting CPR on him. Ms Phoenix said a green/black substance was coming out of Sean's nose and mouth. Paramedics, who brought Sean to Temple Street, intubated the teenager after finding he had no pulse and had suffered a cardiac arrest. His parents were subsequently informed at the hospital that he would have brain damage if he survived. In evidence, Seans father, Joe Hughes, said they were allowed to see him at around 1am and were informed two hours later to contact other family members as he was unlikely to pull through. He told the coroner that he formally identified his sons body after he had passed away at 6.28am. Mr Hughes said a hospital doctor subsequently told him that Seans chest X-ray was the worst he had ever seen. The day our son died it destroyed us and destroyed our family. Nothing at all will ever be the same again, said Mr Hughes. In reply to questions from the coroner, Ms Phoenix acknowledged she had not known about the symptoms of sepsis at the time. In hindsight, she said her son would probably have died in the hospital if they had brought him in earlier that night. Ms Phoenix told the inquest that Dr McCrory called to their home in July 2019 and had apologised for her poor judgement in not recommending that Sean should have gone to hospital. However, the GP disputed using such words. Ms Phoenix recalled another doctor at Temple Street telling her that Seans chest had been full of puss. Becoming tearful, Ms Phoenix described her son as a little gentleman who had respect for everyone and who was known for his red hair and his smile. She said he had lots of plans about his future which hoped to follow his passion for music by working in a recording studio. He produced and wrote all his own music, she added. The inquest heard the couples other child, Zoe, has since had a baby boy whom she named Sean in honour of her late brother. It was also informed that the Hughes family has instituted civil proceedings relating to Seans death. In evidence, Dr McCrory said she had formed the opinion that Sean was likely to have had flu from his visit to her surgery. The coroner welcomed the fact there was now an annual flu vaccine free for children which had not been available in 2018. She said she would also make a recommendation about the communication of public health warnings that should contain specific criteria about when to visit hospitals rather than stating when people should not go. Reacting to the verdict on behalf of Seans parents, Mr Tansey said they had fought a battle to vindicate their sons memory. Jonathan McCambridge, PA US president Joe Bidens visit Ireland from April 11th to 14th, it has been confirmed. Mr Biden will make a public address in Co Mayo next week "to celebrate the deep historic ties", the White House confirmed. His visit to Northern Ireland will mark the tremendous progress since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago, the White House added. Mr Biden will also visit the Republic to discuss close co-operation on shared global challenges. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed the visit would last from April 11th to 14th and would take in Belfast, Dublin, Louth and Mayo. She said: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland from April 11th-14th. President Biden will first travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland, from April 11-12 to mark the tremendous progress since the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago and to underscore the readiness of the United States to support Northern Irelands vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities. The President will then travel to Ireland from April 12th-14th. He will discuss our close co-operation on the full range of shared global challenges. He will also hold various engagements, including in Dublin, County Louth and County Mayo, where he will deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people. The public speech in Ballina is expected to be the last enagegment before Mr Biden returns to the US. The president is also likely to address a joint sitting of the Houses of the Dail and Seanad on Thursday, April 13th, Oireachtas sources told The Irish Times. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar tweeted that it would be a privilege and an hour to welcome Mr Biden to Ireland. It will be a privilege and an honour for us to welcome President Biden to Ireland @POTUS pic.twitter.com/8H4C6lGP8b Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) April 5, 2023 The US president can trace his ancestry to Irelands west and east coasts, specifically Ballina in Co Mayo and the Cooley Peninsula in Co Louth. His great-great-grandfather Owen Finnegan emigrated to the United States from the Cooley peninsula while another great-great-grandfather, Patrick Blewitt, was born in Ballina, leaving during the Irish famine in 1850 to sail to America. Distant relatives celebrated his election win in November 2020 back in Ireland and gathered again in January 2021 to mark his inauguration. The presidential visit to the island will have a strong focus on the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday peace agreement. Recently, Mr Biden made clear an increase in activity by violent dissident republicans opposed to the peace process in Northern Ireland would not deter him. No. They cant keep me out, he told reporters. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (right) invited Mr Biden to Northern Ireland (Leon Neal/PA) UK prime minister Rishi Sunak had invited Mr Biden to come to Northern Ireland to mark the agreements anniversary. Last month, Mr Varadkar told the president that his trip to Ireland would be a visit like no other. I promise you that were going to roll out the red carpet, he pledged during their St Patricks Day meeting in Washington DC. White House officials and Secret Service personnel have already visited proposed locations as part of planning for the visit. Former US president Bill Clinton and his wife and former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton will be in Belfast the week after Mr Biden for more events to commemorate the landmark accord that largely ended the Troubles. Other key figures involved in securing the deal are also due to travel to the city. 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 has contributed to a major loss of coral reefs, and now, a three-year-long study has identified further threats to reef systems as ocean temperatures increase. Ocean warming can trigger viral outbreaks that impact coral reefs, according to the newly published research. The researchers looked at corals in the South Pacific in one of very few studies to explore how heat can impact viral outbreaks in corals, particularly across entire reefscapes. The study is the first to look into dinoflagellate-infecting RNA viruses (dinoRNAVs), from what triggers them to how they impact the coral. These dinoRNAVs are viruses that infect the algae living within corals. The study, published in the journal ISME Communications, investigated how viruses could attack the photosynthetic algae that live inside corals and give them their vibrant colors. The algae, which have a symbiotic relationship with coral, can experience more attacks from viruses as ocean temperatures increase. Researchers collected samples from 54 coral colonies, with different reef zones, around Moorea island in French Polynesia. They retrieved samples twice per year from August 2018 to October 2020, noting the most ocean warming during March 2019. During this time of heightened ocean warming, reefs experienced heat-related stress, including coral bleaching. Our work provides the first empirical evidence that exposure to high temperatures on the reef triggers dinoRNAV infections within coral colonies, and we showed those infections are intensified in unhealthy coral colonies, Lauren Howe-Kerr, lead author of the study and postdoctoral researcher at Rice University, said in a statement. The team found dinoRAV infections in more than 90% of the colonies at any point of the study period. Howe-Kerr explained that the viruses differed in composition and variety for different reef zones, showing that the corals environment can also affect outbreaks. About half of the sampled colonies experienced partial mortality, and ocean-facing forereefs experienced the worst of these impacts. In 2019, when ocean temperatures were at their highest during the study period, the team found more variety of RNA viruses, which could mean an increase in viral production. This was especially true in the areas that were impacted by partial mortality. Viral productivity will likely increase as ocean temperatures continue to rise, said Adrienne Correa, marine biologist and co-author of the study. Its important to learn as much as we can about host-virus interactions, because they have the potential to alter the foundational symbiosis that underpins coral reef ecosystems. The authors concluded that dinoRNAVs may increase their productivity under warming temperatures, and individual and reef system health may both further influence viral productivity. Further, the researchers warned that viral outbreaks can be expected to worsen with ongoing climate change and ocean warming. Cindy H. McCain today officially joins the World Food Program as its new Executive Director, underlining that the world is grappling with an unprecedented food crisis that requires the United Nations body to urgently raise more resources, further innovate and to develop new ambitious partnerships. McCain, who has been the US Ambassador to three UN food and agriculture agencies in Rome since 2021, takes the helm of an organization that provided food assistance to a record 158 million last year of people around the world. Food insecurity remains at historic levels in 2023 as conflict, economic shocks, extreme weather conditions and rising fertilizer prices continue to challenge food production globally. Hunger continues to grow, resources are dangerously depleted and there will be ration cuts without the necessary funding to get food to those who need it most. Without the funds, we simply can't feed that many people", McCain said. "My priorities are clear: increase our resources, improve our effectiveness, and expand partnerships and innovation to deliver modern solutions to those most in need." The new executive director stressed that no organization can solve world hunger alone and that global cooperation is essential to saving millions of lives at risk. McCain said one of his first actions at the helm of WFP will be to set up an innovation task force, bringing together the best minds in both the public and private sectors to help identify measurable actions to tackle hunger. According to WFP estimates, 2023 will see more than 345 million people worldwide grapple with food insecurity at crisis levels, an increase of almost 200 million since early 2020. Of these, 43 million are just one step away from famine. We need even closer collaboration with our partners to reverse this unparalleled crisis, McCain said. Today we are asking new friends especially from the private sector to step up and join us. The world must not turn its back on the hungry. In her role as US Ambassador to the UN Food and Agriculture Agencies in Rome, McCain has seen WFP operations up close, traveling to Laos, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Zambia, Tajikistan and Madagascar in the last twelve months. McCain succeeds former South Carolina Governor David Beasley, who served as Executive Director since 2017. I am deeply honored to lead WFP and thrilled to be a part of the team. WFP has been a part of my life for decades and has been an inspiration for my humanitarian career," McCain added. The perpetrators of the ransomware attack against Oakland have leaked more of the data from the hack. The city has confirmed that Play, the hacker group claiming responsibility for the ransomware, has shared a second batch of info on the dark web. While officials aren't sharing more details, The Oaklandside sources say the dump was 600GB and included confidential Oakland Police Department files (including disciplinary records), council members' communications and city staff's medical records. The first release from early March was a comparatively modest 10GB, but included city employee rosters and police records. The incident was serious enough that the Oakland police union is now demanding $25,000 per officer for the damage done through the leak. The union also wants to pressure the city into tightening its security. The February attack prompted the city to declare a state of emergency and take its network offline in a bid to limit the damage. That left many non-emergency services unavailable, including the systems to issue licenses and permits. Oakland closed some buildings and warned of delayed responses to non-urgent complaints. Access to some systems came back in late February. Play group has been linked to numerous attacks, including Rackspace and the Belgian city of Antwerp. The gang first emerged in June of last year, when BleepingComputer forum users reported attacks attributed to the outfit. Subscribe to the Engadget Deals Newsletter Great deals on consumer electronics delivered straight to your inbox, curated by Engadgets editorial team. See latest Subscribe Please enter a valid email address Please select a newsletter By subscribing, you are agreeing to Engadget's Terms and Privacy Policy. The city still hasn't outlined Play's demands. However, the second wave of leaks suggests Oakland isn't bowing to pressure to pay the ransom. That's not a surprising decision. While the exposed data increases the risk of fraud, the city risks encouraging more ransomware attacks if it gives in. 15 UK businesses to join intl exhibition on education technology in HCM City As many as 15 British businesses will attend the International Exhibition of Educational Technology, Information Technology, Equipment, Toys and School Supplies scheduled for April 21 - 22 in Ho Chi Minh City, heard a press conference on April 5. An overview of the press conference to unveil the BESS VIETNAM 2023 (Photo: VNA) BESS VIETNAM 2023 themed "Education 4.0 to Industry 4.0" aims to introduce cutting-edge educational technology solutions, equipment, toys, school supplies from UK businesses, along with international and Vietnamese partners across 100 pavilions. Addressing the press briefing, Caroline Wright, president of the British Education Providers Association (BESA), revealed that participating UK businesses will consist of EdTech teachers and STEM providers, and suppliers of innovative educational products and services. She expressed her desire to work more closely with state management agencies, universities, and high schools in Vietnam in order to share knowledge and experience in the field of education. Through the event, Vietnamese education managers, teachers, and students will have the opportunity to gain access to advanced educational technologies, experience smart classroom models, and share their experiences with international experts. A number of seminars will be held during the exhibition to help improve management efficiency and training quality, introduce new trends in higher education technology and share solutions in the application of digital transformation in enrollment, training, assessment, and scientific research. Microsoft has announced a new, slightly more sustainable Xbox controller. Arriving as an Earth Day promotion, the Xbox Remix Special Edition wireless controller uses recycled materials from old gamepads, auto headlight covers and reclaimed CDs (among other sources) to give each accessory a unique look but no special functionality. Im totally OK with that. Microsoft describes the combination of recycled resins with regrind as creating custom, earth-tone colors with subtle variations, swirling, markings, and texturing giving each Remix Special Edition controller its own look and feel. While its hard to see that on the press images, it should result in a satisfying textured pattern on the bumpers and side grip. The company also bundles an Xbox Rechargeable Battery Pack with each gamepad, ensuring fewer AA batteries head to landfills. Mat Smith The Morning After isnt just a newsletter its also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here. Subscribe to the Engadget Deals Newsletter Great deals on consumer electronics delivered straight to your inbox, curated by Engadgets editorial team. See latest Subscribe Please enter a valid email address Please select a newsletter By subscribing, you are agreeing to Engadget's Terms and Privacy Policy. The biggest stories you might have missed We can build immortal celebrities from ChatGPT and their existing back catalogs Catan creator Klaus Teuber has passed away at 70 Motorola's Edge 40 Pro offers 125W fast charging and a 165Hz screen Microsoft's Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock is a high-speed laptop and tablet hub Hyundais Ioniq 6 is a value-packed EV sedan Jury reduces Tesla's $137 million racism lawsuit penalty to $3.2 million Apple's Mac Mini M2 is back on sale for $549 The president has met with advisors to discuss the 'risks and opportunities' of AI. According to reports, President Joe Biden has met with his science and technology advisors, which include academics and executives from Google and Microsoft, to discuss the "risks and opportunities" of artificial intelligence. While the meeting is unlikely to lead to a ChatGPT ban like in Italy, the president doesn't seem to be convinced that AI is perfectly safe at this point in time. When asked if AI is dangerous, he responded: "It remains to be seen. Could be." He told the group: "Tech companies have a responsibility, in my view, to make sure their products are safe before making them public. Continue reading. Kindles are no longer your only options. After staring at screens all day, you deserve a break. E-readers are the perfect way to unwind with a book. They're easy on your eyes, portable and have a huge selection of titles. Amazon still dominates in this market, but that doesnt mean there arent worthy competitors. We tested out some of the best e-readers available here are our picks. Continue reading. The company recently shut down its space launch operations. Virgin Orbit has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection a few days after officially shutting down its space launch operations. The private space company has been burning money for a while now and reported a loss of $49.2 million in its last fiscal quarter. Its financial issues came to a head after its Start Me Up mission didn't quite go as expected. It was supposed to be a historic event as the first orbital launch from UK soil, but it failed to reach orbit due to a dislodged fuel filter. Continue reading. The company will fix 'drifting' Joy-Cons at no cost even if they're no longer under warranty. Nintendo has been repairing Switch players' Joy-Con "drift" issues for free, even if they're no longer under warranty, in North America since 2019. It then launched the same program in France and Latin America. Now, the gaming giant has expanded its free unlimited repair service for drifting Joy-Cons to the European Economic Area (EEA), UK and Switzerland "until further notice." On its UK website, the company said it's offering repairs in those areas "for responsiveness syndrome relating to control sticks." And, it will fix the known problem for users even if it's "caused by wear and tear." Continue reading. Online alcohol recovery startups Monument and Tempest got caught sharing confidential user data with advertisers without their consent, as originally reported by TechCrunch. Everything came to light after an internal review revealed a data breach impacting 100,000 users, forcing the companies to issue a formal disclosure to the user base. The violations started in 2017 and were ongoing until last month's review. Monument and Tempest started as two entirely different platforms, but the former acquired the latter several months back. Parent company Monument confirmed not only the data breach but that the companies shared private information with advertisers via a notification filed with Californias attorney general. Data shared with advertisers, without user consent, includes patient names, dates of birth, email addresses, postal addresses, phone numbers, insurance information and more. Unfortunately, that is just the beginning. In a cruel insult to those seeking recovery, the companies also shared data related to appointment information, assessment information and survey responses, which includes alcohol consumption data. Monument continues to tout its commitment to privacy on its website, saying that survey responses are protected" despite the recent disclosure The companies blame third-party tracking systems for the issue, stating that they have removed the offending tracking codes from their websites. The companies do not admit to sharing this information on purpose to increase profits, indicating that the tracking pixels provided by third parties did the deed all on their own. Subscribe to the Engadget Deals Newsletter Great deals on consumer electronics delivered straight to your inbox, curated by Engadgets editorial team. See latest Subscribe Please enter a valid email address Please select a newsletter By subscribing, you are agreeing to Engadget's Terms and Privacy Policy. Though this is an especially egregious example, it is important to remember that most companies have a less-than-pristine record regarding data privacy, even in the case of medical records. There is a near-endless list of similar violations, like the time a mental health startup shared patient information without consent and when Meta was caught with its own hand in the digital cookie jar. Be careful out there folks. The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held another away meeting of the Staff - the first was in Dnipro, now - in Chernihiv. Generals Syrskyi and Tarnavskyi reported by secure communication line, and not in person, from the hottest areas of the front. We visited Yahidne, an ordinary small village of our Chernihiv region, which Russian savages turned into one of the world's biggest examples of human abuse last year, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed. Russian soldiers made a command post at the school in Yahidne, and drove all the villagers into the basement of the school. Its been dubbed the River Walk Ketchup Bottle case. According to court papers, a guest dining in 2018 on a balcony of the Omni La Mansion del Rio bumped a room service cart and knocked over a miniature glass bottle of Heinz Tomato Ketchup. The 2.25-ounce bottle toppled off the cart and through the balconys railing, tumbling six floors to the River Walk and striking 1-year-old Jacob Francisco while he was being pushed in a stroller. The bottle fractured the boys skull, causing a brain bleed. Nearly five years later, his family worries he has medical issues that will affect him the rest of his life. Jacobs family sued Omni Hotels Management Corp. and the guest for negligence and other claims in 2020, seeking more than $1 million in damages but not more than $150 million. The family was dealt a setback in their case when state District Judge Cynthia Marie Chapa in San Antonio last week tossed four of the six claims made against Omni. The hotel wanted all six causes of action dismissed in its motion for summary judgment. Lawyers for the parties didnt respond to requests for comment so its not known if either side will appeal. For now, at least, the ruling means the case will go forward on claims of negligence and premise liability against the hotel. The parties will attempt to mediate the dispute April 12. If a resolution cant be reached, it's set to go to a trial before a jury in September. 'Fluke accident' This is a very interesting case, Chris Blanton, a Grapevine lawyer representing the hotel, told Chapa during a March 20 hearing on its motion to have the claims struck. Its a case that would make a very good first-year tort exam question in a torts class as to what the responsibility is. He described the incident as a fluke accident but added that no hotel employee was involved in any negligent activity at the time the ketchup bottle fell off the cart. Omni has no reason to be in this case whatsoever, Blanton said. Steven Marquez, a lawyer for the family suing the hotel and guest, took offense at the description of the case as interesting with a cute and funny fact pattern that should be taught to first-year law students. This is not a fluke, said Marquez of the Thomas J. Henry law firm. Its not an act of God. Its a foreseeable thing. Marquez represents Jacobs mother, Cassandra De La Cruz, who also is acting on behalf of Jacob and his two siblings, and his grandmother, Norma Linda Chavez. She cared for Jacob before and after he was injured. In August 2018, the Houston family was sightseeing on the River Walk while celebrating Jacobs first birthday. To this family this is the worst day of their lives, Marquez told the judge. 'Ordinary care' Up in room 620 of the La Mansion, Eric McCoy and his family were celebrating their own good fortune. His wife had told him and their 2-year-old son that she was pregnant. The McCoys ordered room service. A tray of three hamburgers and glasses of water, along with seven bottles of condiments, were wheeled up on a service cart by a hotel employee. The McCoys subsequently moved the cart out to the balcony to have their meal. Eric McCoy photographed his wife and son seated at the service cart moments before the father accidentally jostled the cart with his knee, causing the ketchup bottle to fall, a court document says. He also has been named as a defendant in the lawsuit, accused of failing to exercise ordinary care by keeping objects from falling from the balcony. McCoy, 41, who lives in Granbury, was not involved in the March 20 hearing. He has invoked the doctrine of proportionate responsibility and has asked that the negligence of all parties be decided by a jury. A lawyer for the insurance company representing McCoy didnt respond to a request for comment. The plaintiffs also allege in their complaint that the Omni had a duty to keep their property from harming members of the public. Omni knew or should have reasonably known that their customary operating procedures had become outdated and posed a danger to the Plaintiffs and the millions of visitors arriving to San Antonio, the suit adds. Blanton, the Omnis lawyer, disputed that take. 'No evidence' They say that Omni failed to adhere or stood by while all the other hotels in the industry changed their operating practices and did certain things from Omni Omnis some sort of dinosaur that messed up causing an unreasonably dangerous condition, he said. Theres absolutely no evidence of that. They have not cited a single expert on the standard of care or argue that Omni somehow dropped the ball. As a result, he added, the plaintiffs' claims all fail. The judge didnt agree entirely, striking four of them including gross negligence, loss of consortium and bystander claims. Loss of consortium relates to damages suffered by those whose family member is injured. Bystanders who witness an accident can sue for damages for mental anguish. She didn't elaborate on her written decision. Jacobs family and the hotel offering differing views on Jacobs current condition. Marquez said there are concerns about his cognitive development and potential hearing loss. Blanton said four years of wellness check-ups would indicate that the kid has luckily, happily, survived and is doing fine and has no cognitive deficits. The San Antonio Water Systems board of trustees has signed off on a $94,000 bonus for SAWS President and CEO Robert Puente. Puente will have to remain in his current job for another two years to receive the bonus, as part of a deferred compensation plan the board approved in 2021. Puentes annual salary is $516,381. Puente has been SAWS president and CEO since 2008. He previously served in the Texas Legislature. SAWS serves 511,300 water and 457,600 wastewater customers in Bexar County and parts of Atascosa and Medina counties. The city-owned utility expects to bring in revenue of $979 million this year and to spend as much on operations and maintenance, debt payments, system upgrades and a revenue transfer of $33.6 million to the city of San Antonio. Our schedule requires us to culminate all our performance activity every March and I reminded everybody of some major achievements in the last year, said Jelynne LeBlanc Jamison, chairwoman for the SAWS board. More here: SAWS wants to reshape its wastewater service area This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 Robin Jerstad Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Lisa Krantz/Staff photographer Show More Show Less The board cited SAWS' completion of the Environmental Protection Agencys consent decree projects to rehabilitate city sewer systems and the completion of the W6 sewer project near Joint Base-San Antonio Lackland. LeBlanc Jamison also pointed to a resiliency program SAWS implemented with CPS Energy and the City Council-approved new rate program. Puente could have received a maximum bonus of $150,000, had he achieved all performance goals set by the SAWS board. The board rated him at 62.7 percent achievement rate, which equated to a bonus of $94,192. Puente received a bonus of just over $100,000 last year, which is also part of the deferred compensation package. LeBlanc Jamison said SAWS' deferred bonus setup encourages retention and rewards job performance. This keeps us very focused and it sets a schedule for us, she said. It allows us to look at historical performance and set new targets so we maintain resilience and reliability and affordability for our customers. Puente was set to receive a $100,000 performance bonus in 2021. But SAWS trustees decided on Puentes recommendation to give the money instead to the utilitys emergency payment assistance program for residential customers, many of whom fell behind during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, SAWS trustees awarded Puente a performance bonus of $100,000 and gave him a 5 percent raise. Puente turned down bonuses in 2010 and 2018. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Howard Schultz, the former three-time CEO of Starbucks who passed the companys reins to Laxman Narasimhan on March 20, didnt get to start enjoying retirement right away. Instead, Schultz testified nine days later, under threat of being subpoenaed, before the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee chaired by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., regarding Starbucks handling of unionization at several of its stores a much less enjoyable experience than receiving a gold watch. Sanders questions and Schultzs testimony focused on how Starbucks has treated its employees seeking to unionize, including allegations of union-busting activity, the most interesting labor story of the past 18 months. In Schultzs public communications, he has always portrayed himself as what we in the 1990s might have called a third way capitalist. While he proudly grew profits as a self-described merchant, he also he regarded his employees as partners, going out of his way to offer health care, 401(k) plans and free college education to those working at least 20 hours per week at his stores. UNIONIZING IN TEXAS: Taylor: Starbucks unionization a story to watch in 2023 With Schultz out, its worth catching up on how the conflict between labor and Starbucks is going. In January 2023, two Houston-area Starbucks stores and one Dallas-area store voted to unionize. No new petitions to unionize have been filed since December, and the number of union stores in Texas stands at 15. Nationally, 290 of Starbucks roughly 9,000 locations about 3 percent have unionized, as it was in December. One factor that may be playing to Starbucks advantage is the passage of time, particularly as collective bargaining between Starbucks and Workers United the union that employees have joined has still not begun. The same sticking point from last fall, whether to meet in person or to allow video conferencing, divides the union and the corporation even before they address employment-related issues. Each side claims the other is being obstructive about the method of collective bargaining, but the balance of the pain seems to fall on the unions side, since it cannot show substantial gains through unionization without a negotiated deal. Meanwhile, the corporation has withheld enhanced benefits from unionized store workers, claiming that they cant be given to those stores employees, pending a collective bargaining agreement. The usual roles While bargaining between Starbucks and the union hasnt happened, Workers United has inundated the company with allegations of unfair labor practices. This includes 34 in Texas since one year ago, with nine complaints in the first three months of 2023. Nationwide, more than 500 allegations of labor law violations have been filed with the National Labor Review Board. Starbucks, for its part, has fired back in Texas with five complaints against the union in 2023. The NLRB, in an administrative decision issued in March, found Starbucks responsible for hundreds of misdeeds in its treatment of unionizing workers. The company was ordered to reinstate fired workers, as well as to reimburse workers. Also, the NLRB restricted and admonished the company from doing anything that could be construed as anti-union. S.A. WORKERS THREATENED: Labor board: Starbucks threatened, interrogated employees about union and fired one in San Antonio Such activity spurred Sanders to convene his Senate committee hearing with Schultz. It was a letdown for me that everyone at the hearing played their usual roles: the pro-labor Democrats, the self-made billionaire and the pro-ownership Republicans. We didnt get much in the way of breakthrough third way thinking. Sanders played the mad-as-hell friend of labor, saying Starbucks has waged the most aggressive and illegal union-busting campaign in the modern history of our country. Those are some fighting words. Schultz played the aggrieved, up-from-his-bootstraps billionaire who doesnt like being called a billionaire, which he described as an unfair moniker. My parents never owned a home. I came from nothing. I thought my entire life was based on the achievement of the American dream, he said. Yes, I have billions of dollars. I earned it. No one gave it to me. So Schultz feelings were hurt at the hearing. Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky called the hearing a witch hunt. Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana said, These hearings are anything but a fair and impartial proceeding. FIGHTING THE UNION: Taylor: Union, management vie for the soul of Starbucks At least Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, acknowledged the strange alliances and crosscurrents involved in defending Schultz and Starbucks as he alluded to the former CEOs various musings about some day running for president as a Democrat. I recognize at the outset, Romney said, theres some irony to a non-coffee-drinking Mormon conservative defending a Democrat candidate for president in perhaps one of the most liberal companies in America. Whos winning? Whats being lost? At this point, it seems like Schultz and Starbucks are winning this war. New unionization at stores has stalled. Schultz denied any wrongdoing. Unionized employees feel gaslit, targeted and disheartened by Starbucks' corporate response. The company has made more than $20 billion in profit during each of the last three years. Narasimhan, the new CEO, wont want to do worse on the profits side than his predecessor. At the corporate scale of 9,000 locations and 200,000 employees in the United States, can capitalism that puts employee rights on par with customers and profits deliver? I still think thats the central question posed by the Starbucks labor movement of the last 18 months. If Schultz and Starbucks management are still scoring the most points, the labor movement isnt the only the loser. The ideal that Schultz and Starbucks have championed for decades also loses. Can capitalism be both profitable and good to workers? Maybe when you win the war, you destroy the battleground of ideas on which you stood. As Schultz stepped down for the third time as CEO and received a Senate grilling as his going-away present, does he feel like he won? In his mind, what does fairness mean? This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate State Sen. Charles Schwertner knew his proposal to spend $10 billion on a bespoke, white elephant of a backup power system for the Texas grid was going over like a lead balloon before energy executives and experts lined up to testify against it. The Republican chairman of the Senate Business and Commerce Committee badgered and pleaded with electric industry representatives to support his Texas Energy Insurance Program. He wants to build massive natural gas-fired power plants that would sit idle at least 97 percent of the time. Twenty-two out of 24 people who took a position on Senate Bill 6 spoke against it. Julia Rathgeber, representing Berkshire Hathaway Energy, was the only industry representative who voiced support. Berkshire first proposed building the backup generators in 2021 and would be a leading candidate to win the $10 billion contract. The near-universal opposition did not dissuade Schwertner. On Monday, he pushed through SB 6 and other regressive bills with only Republican votes. The bills move to the full Senate, possibly Thursday, where Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick will ramrod them through. Rarely have I seen so many groups with opposing views hate a piece of legislation. The Association of Electric Companies of Texas found common ground with the Sierra Club. Texas Competitive Power Advocates agreed with the South Texas Electric Cooperative. Energy giant NRG joined the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen in declaring SB 6 a lousy idea. Electric power generators already in Texas adamantly opposed what they consider a heavy-handed solution that will likely lead to less power on the grid managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, not more. Three years ago, Houston-based Wattbridge began spending $2 billion on the kind of quick-start, natural-gas power plants Texas needs during hot, still days and cold, still nights. But changes imposed by the Legislature and the Public Utility Commission, plus Schwertners new bills, have made it impossible to build more. The market we invested in over the last 36 months is not the market that exists today, Mike Alvarado, CEO of Houston-based Wattbridge, testified. We do not anticipate investing any further in ERCOT, the current market conditions simply do not allow it, and the current legislation considered by the Senate makes it that much more challenging for our business. We believe there are more cost-effective ways of achieving reliability in a way that is more sustainable to the market, he added. Texas has a competitive wholesale market where ERCOT only buys electricity when needed. Politicians do not want a competitive market where power generation companies compete to offer the cheapest emergency electricity options. SB 6 is the kind of overly simplistic solution only an ill-informed politician loves: Force Texans to pay $10 billion for a brand-new backup power system that we will never need if the grid is managed correctly. Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, proposes a more subtle and practical solution with Senate Bill 2112. His plan would guide the design and development of standard backup power packages using commercially available equipment and standardized installation and deploy them at critical facilities across the state. By standardizing the backup power, the state would lower the cost of publicly-owned microgrids at rural police stations, hospitals, senior living centers and other critical facilities. The bill allows private companies to compete for installation contracts. When they power up, the facilities would reduce demand on the grid and allow electricity to go to residences. By upgrading the grid to accommodate more microgrids, transmission companies could more easily rotate outages when necessary. Instead of a handful of giant power plants on the outskirts of big cities, small towns across Texas could afford backup power for lifesaving services during a statewide freeze or a local tornado or hurricane. Each microgrid would have at least two days of fuel. I want to promise the people they are not going to lose power for more than four hours, even in a crisis, Johnson told the committee. If you string enough of these microgrids together, you get the same reliability benefit for the grid as giant powerplants, alongside better public safety for smaller towns at much lower prices. The chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, Nim Kidd, testified that a generator is one of the most requested items during a disaster. Providing backup power in advance is a great idea. SB 2112 is only one of the many good ideas for making the grid more resilient. But, instead, Schwertner and Patrick give us SB 6, a boon for big corporations and a disaster for consumers. Birds in the market for a swanky new home are in luck. Architects with 10 award-winning firms from across the country are designing birdhouses as part of a fundraiser at Brackenridge Park benefiting the Brackenridge Park Conservancy. After the event on Tuesday, they will be displayed on the grounds of the McNay Art Museum through the end of November. Then they will return to the park. The tiny abodes include a nesting structure designed for hummingbirds by Roberto de Leon, co-founder and principal of Kentucky-based de Leon & Primmer Architecture Workshop; a birdhouse made from a series of hoops designed by Ted Flato, co-founder of San Antonio-based Lake | Flato; and a one designed by San Antonio-based Michael G. Imber, principal of Michael G. Imber Architects, to fit in with other man-made elements in the park. Hopefully, its fun and engaging for the next generation of park-goers, said Imber, who spent a lot of time in Brackenridge as a boy and is still taken with it. READ MORE: Lewis Fisher book links Brackenridge Park to citys history and future The fundraiser, Party in the Park: Birdsong Brackenridge, is the brainchild of Suzanne Mathews, director at Lucifer Lighting, an architectural lighting manufacturer. In addition to raising money, it is designed to spotlight the parks charms and potential as well as celebrating its fine feathered residents. Great parks are so important to cities, because theyre a place of calm, said Mathews, who serves on the conservancy board. Its an oasis in the middle of whatever youre doing, whether youre taking a picnic lunch or youre jogging or biking. Just to be there, even for 20 minutes, is a reset. The fundraiser was inspired by For the Birds: The Birdsong Project, a sprawling collection of avian-related music, poetry and visual art curated by Grammy-winning music supervisor Randall Poster, who is known for his work with directors Wes Anderson and Martin Scorsese. Poster is co-hosting the event with Mathews. It will include Champagne on the train that circles the park, dinner by the waterfall and the opportunity to chat with the architects. Those who go will be treated to a bird song sound bath curated by Poster. The evening also will include selections from For the Birds. Theres a lot to choose from. More than 220 artists took part, including Beck, Tilda Swinton, Elvis Costello, Laurie Anderson, Esperanza Spalding and Yoko Ono. All of the work was pulled together into a 20-LP box set benefiting the National Audubon Society. It also has a Spotify playlist. The top two levels of sponsorships for the fundraiser, which go for $25,000 or $50,000, include a copy of the box set. Party in the Park: Birdsong Brackenridge What: Fundraiser benefiting the Brackenridge Park Conservancy. When: 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 11 Where: Brackenridge Park, 3700 N. Saint Mary's St. Details: Sponsorships range from $3,000 for two tickets to $50,000 for a table of up to 14; birdsongbrackenridge.com. See More Collapse The project grew out of the quarantine stage of the pandemic, when Poster started to take note of natural sounds that hadnt registered for him before. He hoped For the Birds would do that for others. It would be a way to celebrate bird life but also to draw peoples attention to the challenges of bird life without having to politicize it, he said. Pretty much nobody wants to see birds die. Poster has done several events across the country connected to For the Birds. When Mathews asked him if he might be interested in helping with the Brackenridge fundraiser, he immediately said yes. She caught the fever of utilizing the arts to celebrate bird song and bird life and also to focus people on some of the challenges, and bringing together a community of creative people to joyfully approach the situation, Poster said during a visit to San Antonio in November. So there was no arm twisting at all it was, lets go, lets do this for San Antonio. The architects who designed the birdhouses had a similar response. All worked on the project pro bono. Some who are based outside of Texas have connections to the city. Judy Peske, an interior designer with Gensler, grew up near San Antonio and enjoyed visiting Brackenridge Park as a child. She designed a sleek white abode intended to evoke a Faberge egg. Craig Dykers, an architect with Snhetta, also visited the park in his youth. He said in a statement that he thinks the park helped foster his love for landscape architecture. He and colleague Elaine Molinar designed a nest consisting of a re-purposed ostrich egg with a branch below it to give birds a spot to alight. Other participating architects include Marlon Blackwell, Everett L. Fly, David Jameson, Tom Kundig and Angie Brooks and Larry Scarpa. Courtesy de Leon and Primmer Architecture Workshop De Leon said yes to the project because birdsong has become an important part of his routine. For the past year and a half or so, his firm has started each day by playing a recording from a book about North American birds published by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Its a constant source of inspiration for us every day in the office, he said. For the benefit, he decided to build something for hummingbirds. In researching them, he learned that they dont use birdhouses. Instead, they build intricate nests for their eggs with found materials that they bind with spider web silk. The structure is built so that it expands as the fledglings grow. We wanted to emulate the kind of craft and care that goes into whats really a very tightly structured hummingbird nest and celebrate all the intricacy that goes into that, he said. Our installation is really about providing a habitat for the hummingbirds to build their nest on, but also its scaled to the hummingbird. RELATED: Brackenridge Park low water crossing was a splashy rite of passage Imber didnt have a particular bird in mind when he designed his contribution. And, he said, if some other creature were to take up residence in it, hes OK with that. I dont know a lot about birdhouses, and functionally, which ones work for which kind of birds, he said. Honestly, I dont care if a squirrel lives in it. He looked to the park itself for inspiration. Among the most distinctive man-made elements are the faux bois or fake wood footbridge and other pieces designed by Mexican artist Dionicio Rodriguez. Its something that creates this visual delight within the park as well as this kind of playfulness, Imber said. I really wanted to do something that spoke to that unique, fun history of what Brackenridge is. He designed the structure and asked artist Carlos Cortes to build it. Cortes, a great-nephew of Rodriguez, has continued the family tradition of working in faux bois. Carlos was the perfect candidate, not only because hes capable but because hes connected to this lineage of not only the Rodriguez brothers, but this unique San Antonio tradition of faux bois, Imber said. So I could think of no better monument to this idea of what Brackenridge is than a faux bois birdhouse. My greatest wish is that 10 years from now, it doesnt feel like somebody just recently placed this in the park. I want it to feel that its always been there and has always been a part of what the park is. San Antonio artist David Alcantar knows its not easy being Superman. Starting in 2020, Alcantar has donned his own version of Supes' costume, including the blue tights, and run down various streets carrying a flag bearing the word VOTE. He hoped to motivate folks to do just that in San Antonio and also in Georgia. The election runs, which Alcantar titled The American, are a performance element of The Superman Project, a large body of work that he began seven years ago. The series uses Superman iconography and history to dig into such issues as patriotism, political power, identity and immigration. In this desire for saviors that we have, you certainly could do worse than looking at Superman as an example, he said. Superman Project (Part IV): Person Today, an exhibit drawn from the series, opens Friday at Mercury Project. In addition, an installation spotlighting the series can be found in The Studio in the lobby of the McNay Art Museum. Alcantar, 44, bears a bit of a resemblance to the superhero. Hes a tall, fit, handsome man with short, dark hair and chiseled features. But to really sell it when hes racing down the street in character, he said, he has to be careful about how he carries himself. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 David Alcantar Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Priscilla Rubio Show More Show Less On ExpressNews.com: Netflix star Sammi Haney inspires book about a superhero in a wheelchair The grandpa running doesnt cut it, he said. The thing that propels you forward is, if I dont do this, then people are missing out on the message. And if I dont do this well, then theyre not going to be inspired to go vote. Roberta Nina Hassele, one of the artists at Mercury Project, said The American was the first piece in Alcantars Superman Project that caught her attention. Davids continuation of this project has me wanting to see more as he shares truth, justice and the American way through his art, Hassele said via email. Kin Man Hui/Staff photographer Alcantar is the second artist to be featured in The Studio at the McNay, a community-oriented space that opened last summer. Among other things, it is designed to illustrate connections between pieces in the museums collection and works by local artists, said Jenelle Esparza, the interim director of the McNays education department. Part of the idea was making art fun for younger audiences but still having an opportunity to have some complex thoughts, Esparza said. The most eye-catching element in the space may be a foliage-covered wall with tabs visitors can tug to open tiny doors concealing artworks. It currently includes two puckish pieces by Alcantar that explore some of the more mundane aspects of Supermans everyday life. In Untitled (The Hero Carrying Groceries), he is carrying his shopping and one bag is at his feet, purchases such as veggies and cookies spilling onto the ground. And Untitled (The Hero Does His Taxes) features a clearly frustrated Superman clutching a form in one hand, receipts and other paperwork strewn all around. 'Superman Project' exhibitions Mercury Project: The gallery, 538 Roosevelt, will show "The Superman Project (Part IV): Person Today." The opening reception is from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, and the Second Saturday reception is from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday. The closing reception is from 2 to 4:30 p.m. April 30 and will include a talk by artist David Alcantar at 2:30 p.m. McNay Art Museum: The museum, 6000 N. New Braunfels, is showing works from David Alcantar's "Superman Project" in The Studio, a community space in the lobby. It can be seen through July 2. See More Collapse You never see that in the comic books. You never see them just be normal people, Alcantar said. I think its more interesting and helpful to include those moments as opposed to just completely omitting them. So Superman getting frustrated at the fact that he has to do his taxes, thats what it means to be part of a society. You have to do your part, and paying taxes is part of that. Alcantar has been exploring all things Superman since the 2016 presidential election. He could see that the ramifications of that election would be huge, and he wanted to find a way to capture it in a new project. I landed on Superman as the ideal metaphor because of this notion of heroism and power and identity and the brand of America that is associated with Superman, he said. All of those characteristics overlapped quite perfectly with talking about legislative power. He started the project by researching Superman. The Marshall High School graduate was much more taken with the Flash as a kid I wanted to be fast, he said so he had a lot to catch up on. He started with the characters debut in the first issue of Action Comics in 1938 and went well into the 21st century. He was fascinated both by what the character does and by what he doesnt do. One of the things that I find interesting is this idea of the conquered, and that the winner is the one that writes the story. And whats interesting about Superman in that context is Superman has all the power, he said. He has all the opportunity to subjugate the human race but he doesnt. Because he believes in us. Even more than we do. David Alcantar Many pieces in the series recall news events of the past few years. A small portrait of Kanye West sporting a Make America Great Again cap references Wests 2018 visit to the White House, during which he compared the cap to Supermans cape. When Alcantar shows the piece, he juxtaposes it with a cap reading Let America be America Again, a nod to a Langston Hughes poem. A larger piece, A Test of Superiority, features a panel in which Superman says he sees his role as trying to help humans get better, atop a second panel featuring a scene from the 2017 march by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Va. On ExpressNews.com: 'Monsternomicon' is a San Antonio Dungeons & Dragons improv show to die for Alcantar originally expected that the project would take two years, but as with so many things these days, the pandemic impacted that timeline. Then theres the fact that placing Superman into a real-world context swiftly became second nature. He has been able to delve into other projects, including one using tattoos as a way to explore how people value various forms of art, and another using tables and chairs as metaphors for negotiation. He would like to devote more energy to that work, though he suspects Superman will remain in the mix. I dont think its ever going to be done, he said. The idea of the negotiation of power, that is always going to be relevant, so I think Im going to continue making work about this, probably forever. Its just going to be a parallel track to my regular painting practice. Citing a critical threat to public safety, Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales urged Commissioners Court to increase prosecutors salaries to reduce turnover in his office. Gonzales said hes continuing to lose staff amid ever-increasing caseloads to other counties that pay higher wages. With dozens of staff members applauding his remarks, he pleaded for county leaders to follow through on a compensation study and adjust pay in his office to make it more competitive. The study would examine pay for all of the roughly 5,000 county employees. They see shootings. They see stabbings. They see cases involving the sexual assault of children, Gonzales said during the citizen comment portion of Tuesdays Commissioners Court meeting. RELATED: Attorneys are leaving Bexar County DAs Office His employees applauded when he added, But they love what they do. Thats why they do it. Commissioners approved a 5 percent pay hike last year for county employees, including the DAs office, at $14.7 million. At the time, Gonzales said hed lost more than 10 percent of his prosecutors in 2022 27 from his staff of 250. He said a major backlog of cases that accumulated during the COVID-19 pandemic added stress to the staff. Gonzales asked commissioners to provide relief from the crisis that we continue to find ourselves in. In an aside, he referenced a local television news report last week that suggested prosecutors are micromanaged in a toxic environment. He dismissed the segment as an unfair news account. Commissioners Tommy Calvert and Justin Rodriguez spoke favorably of a need to raise salaries. Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai said he hopes to have an item for Commissioners Court to act on in the next 30-45 days. Theres nothing lost on me on what your employees do, said Sakai, a former longtime district court judge who took office Jan. 1 as the countys top elected official. In a gesture of appreciation, Sakai applauded the district attorneys office staff, clapping from the dais. But he cautioned there are many other funding needs in the community. Ive got an entire county to take care of, Sakai said. RELATED: County directs funds for in-school mental health support In a related matter Tuesday, commissioners approved an agreement to accept a $1.6 million U.S. Department of Justice grant for a competency restoration pilot program in the Bexar County Jail to ensure due process for inmates with mental health or substance abuse issues. County officials said there are more than 2,500 incarcerated people in Texas, including 288 in Bexar County, who need help after being deemed incompetent to stand trial. The pilot program will provide medical, psychological and psychiatric staffing to assist 40 inmates at the jail this year and 80 in 2024. The jail population is now at about 4,300. But Sheriff Javier Salazar said hes worried it will be near its capacity of 5,100 this summer with routine cycles of criminal activity. Noting that judges, lawyers, court staff and jurors are filling the halls of Bexar County Courthouse and Justice Center these days, helping relieve the backlog of cases that formed during the pandemic, Sakai said hes asking everyone to work as hard they can to move the docket, relieving stress on the jail. I want that jail under control, guys, he said. After years of rising suicides among troops in Americas armed forces, the Pentagon has some good news. Suicides were down in 2022, falling by 35 self-inflicted deaths from 2021 and by even larger numbers going back well into the previous decade. Experts who track suicides and research to counter them cant explain why things improved last year. This is good. I mean, its good in the sense that its not as bad as the previous years, said retired Army Col. Carl Castro, professor and research director of the University of Southern Californias Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans and Military Families. But if youre looking to say, 'Has (the Department of Defense) figured this out? 'I think the answer is no. Those numbers are still really, really high, he added. The Defense Suicide Prevention Office reported late last week that 488 soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines had died in suspected and confirmed suicides last year, dropping from 523 in 2021 and 581 in 2020. That made the 2022 mark the lowest for total suicides since 2016, when 480 service members took their lives, though the numbers overall have been bad over the past three decades and trending worse. Castro noted the drop from 2020 to 2022. I look at it from the standpoint of lives. Those 90, close to, I think, 100 lives are really important, and so I wouldnt in any way minimize that, he said. RELATED: Military suicides could be prevented with better messaging on locking up guns, researcher says Castro and Alan Peterson, division chief of behavioral medicine and director at UT Health San Antonios STRONG STAR Consortium, saw the downturn in suicides as positive but added they couldnt infer much from the data. The consortium is the nations largest combat-related research effort on post-traumatic stress disorder. I think its hard to draw conclusions from that, said Peterson, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Its nice to see the numbers moving in the direction we want in the downward trajectory thats there. Its hard to say what that is related to. Suicides defy simple solutions After two decades of research in the wake of a tide of military suicides that accompanied the repeated deployment of troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, no one has found a solution. But there has been promising research, including a study by Ohio State University researcher and psychiatry professor Craig Bryan. Bryan found that well-crafted messaging from the right sources such as those in law enforcement can convince troops to secure their weapons safely and possibly save lives. Bryan also was involved in a study released earlier this year by an independent committee that sought feedback from troops and their families on what does and does not work in suicide prevention. Established last spring by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee looked at clinical and nonclinical suicide prevention and response programs. A Pentagon spokesman told reporters in March that Austin had directed multiple, immediate actions following the committees recommendations. Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said the defense secretary agreed to 10 recommendations made by the panel, one of which was expediting the hiring process for behavioral health professionals. The panel issued an additional 117 recommendations. While we recognize that suicide has no single cause and that no single preventative action, treatment or cure will eliminate suicide altogether, we will exhaust every effort to promote the wellness, health and morale of our total force, be there for one another and save lives, Ryder said. Bryan cautioned that those examining the trends over the past two decades have noted brief downward dips that prompted false hope that things might be changing. One of the recommendations that we have in the report is to stop trying to interpret these numbers in these impossibly short, meaningless time frames, he said Monday. We realize that actually theres a lot of external pressure for the (Defense Department) to do that. Theyre asked by the media, Congress, 'What does it mean that the numbers went down this year? ' and the correct answer to that is its too soon to tell. A growing focus on guns Researchers havent found a way to accurately predict or prevent suicides in a way to intervene successfully, but reducing self-inflicted gunshots could make a huge impact. Thats because most military suicides involve firearms roughly eight in every 10 fatalities, far higher than in the civilian world, where women are less likely to use guns than men. In his study, Bryan noted that more than half of the 45,979 people who died by suicide in the United States in 2020 did so with a gun. A recommendation not followed by the Defense Department was the panels call for tightening access to firearms for those considered at risk for suicide, an issue that goes to the heart of research for Bryan, who once worked in San Antonio. He said theres still a task force looking at what can and cant be implemented. Some of the recommendations strongly emphasize firearm availability and access on base to include firearm purchases on military installations and taking steps to encourage secure storage of guns as well as limits on who can buy them on installations. And another related recommendation there was waiting periods, said Bryan, an Iraq veteran who did his clinical psychology residency at Wilford Hall Medical Center. So after someone has purchased a firearm legally, hell be required to wait several days to actually acquire it, like to pick it up or receive it, because that has been shown to be a really, really effective way to reduce suicides. Other recommendations include a seven-day waiting period for any firearm purchased on Defense Department property and raising the minimum age for purchasing firearms and ammunition on installations to 25 years. Committee members also suggested requiring anyone living in military housing to register all privately owned firearms with the installations arming authority and to store all privately owned firearms securely in a locked safe or with another locking device, and establishing a Defense Department policy restricting the possession and storage of privately owned firearms in military barracks and dormitories. The recommendations go to the heart of the gun culture that pervades the armed services and promise to be controversial among troops across the service. Panel calls for fixes in pay, working conditions Castro, former director of the Defense Department and Armys Military Operational Medicine Research Program, has seen the evolution of suicide research since the Iraq War era and called it a complex matter that defies simple solutions more than a few of which were used by the services for years with little impact on the numbers. At one time, people in the military were far less likely to die by suicide, but as the war on terrorism ensued, it soon became the other way around. My own personal view is that there are certain things you have to do in the military to get this fixed because people die by suicide for a lot of reasons, he said. Thats the one thing we know from the literature. If you look at people who tried to take their lives and asked them why, theres a variety of reasons why people take their lives. Its not just one thing, Castro added. But at the fundamental level, people die by suicide because they cannot live with themselves or what they think other people will think about them. Fundamentally, thats why people are dying. And weve got to give people reasons to live. Youve got to treat people with dignity and respect. The commission also pointed to issues they and their families are likely to want changed, such as required moves to new units and bases every few years, a signature in the promotion system often called up or out either earning a higher rank or being pushed back into civilian life. It recommended reducing the frequency of assignments and extending the time commanders spend in their jobs. The commission called on the Defense Department to reassess the pay scale for junior enlisted service members to ensure it is competitive with comparable civilian jobs and take on short staffing issues that have worn out troops and badly degraded family life. Peterson, a psychiatrist and deputy chair of the Military Collaboration Department of Psychiatry at UT Health San Antonio, said the committee underscored the daily stress of life in the armed services. For example, Peterson said waiting for delayed reimbursements can add to the stress of moving. We know these individuals do things like go to combat and that type of thing, but this report was more like hassles. What are all the hassles that people deal with that can add up to significant stress? As you know, the trends over time have been not specifically related to combat necessarily, but the kind of stresses of the military and thats what that report seems to indicate, he said. In another likely controversial recommendation, the panel urged senior leaders to ban the promotion of alcohol and energy drinks on installations and educate troops on healthy sleep habits during military training and regularly scheduled unit formations. Energy drinks and booze are real problems, Bryan said. Theres actually a lot of data showing that military personnel are significantly more likely to consume energy drinks with high levels of caffeine, about twice as likely as civilians. Heavy energy drink consumption has been shown to increase compulsive behaviors, and they correlate with aggression, sleep problems, suicidal ideation, and so all of these things are risk factors for suicide, he said. 'Delaying access' saves lives Air Force spokeswoman Laurel Falls said she couldnt comment on trends based on the 2020-22 figures but can tell you that were focused on connectedness and a shared sense of purpose as key factors in suicide prevention. She said the Air Force, which set a record in 2019 with 112 suspected and confirmed suicides among active-duty, Reserve and Air National Guard personnel, encouraged using safes, locks or outside storage of lethal means such as firearms, toxic chemicals and pharmaceuticals. The 2019 deaths were adjusted to 110 after further analysis but remain a record dating as far back as 2016. Weve found that delaying access to lethal means by as little as five minutes can save the lives of airmen and guardians who are having thoughts of self-harm, Falls said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate There will be "victims" aplenty. There will be ambulances and stretchers and medical personnel running to and fro. If you happened to drive past, you'd think something terrible had happened. You would be wrong. The whole thing is an illusion a carefully orchestrated simulation designed to test our region's disaster response capabilities. Here's what you need to know. When is it? It's scheduled for Thursday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. at a parking lot outside the Freeman Coliseum on the near East Side. What is it? They're calling it the San Antonio Mass Casualty Exercise and Evaluation, SAMCEE-23 for short. What's it all about? In the organizers' words, it's "a multi-disciplinary, multi-jurisdictional exercise designed to allow emergency responders, public-safety officials and hospitals within South Texas the opportunity to activate, test, and validate portions of their response plans/procedures, required to respond to a simulated mass casualty event." To simplify, they're going to stage a pretend mass casualty event to gauge whether first responders, medical personnel and hospitals are ready to handle the real thing. Who's 'they'? It's being organized by the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council, a.k.a. STRAC, an agency that plans and coordinates emergency care in a 22-county region of South Texas. Who going to participate? Hospitals, fire departments and EMS crews across the region. Who else? "Nearly 600 volunteers and role players will act as victims, friends and family members to stress the system," according to STRAC. 'Stress the system?' Why? STRAC wants to assess hospitals' "surge capabilities" whether they can triage, treat and track a whole lot of "patients" all at once. What else do they hope to learn? How the region's emergency communication system works, and how EMS crews perform. They also want to assess something called WebECO. What's that? It's a web-based emergency management system that's supposed to improve communications and coordination in a crisis. What else should we be on the lookout for? Moulage. What's that? Its a kind of special effects makeup that simulates injuries. Student volunteers will be transformed through moulage to look like trauma patients, according to STRAC. It won't be pretty. Will the exercise be confined to the Freeman Coliseum? No, it also will play out at hospitals and at the Bexar County Emergency Operations Center on the city's Southeast Side. At the end of the day, what's the point? "The results from this exercise should be used to improve plans, identify equipment shortcomings and point to training needs," STRAC says. Mayor Ron Nirenberg has come out staunchly against Proposition A, joining the growing opposition to the package of police reform measures. Nirenberg said he wont vote for Proposition A in the May 6 election because of its proposed changes to the San Antonio Police Department's cite-and-release policy and he encouraged voters to reject the city charter amendment, too. Cite-and-release allows police to issue a citation instead of arresting someone for select nonviolent, low-level crimes. My biggest objection is how Prop A treats theft and property damage, Nirenberg told the Express-News on Wednesday. These are not victimless crimes. They hit small businesses, nonprofits, working families, and thats an important distinction. Proposition A would take away police officers' ability to arrest suspects for these misdemeanor offenses: Possession of 4 ounces or less of marijuana or synthetic marijuana Theft of up to $750 in property or services Criminal mischief causing up to $750 in damages Graffiti causing up to $2,500 in damages Possessing contraband in a correctional facility Driving with an invalid license All Class C misdemeanors, with the exception of public intoxication These are all offenses for which the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure allows an officer to issue someone a citation, which is a notice to appear in court at a later date to address the charge. Misdemeanor graffiti is the only offense that's not currently part of the SAPDs cite-and-release policy, established in 2019. Graffiti on places of worship, schools, community centers and public monuments ramps up to a state jail felony when damages exceed $750, making it ineligible for a citation. Police were able to issue citations for any Class C misdemeanor well before before the Texas Legislature approved the use of citations for select Class A and Class B misdemeanors in 2007. CITE-AND-RELEASE FAQ: What to know about cite-and-release, a key and controversial part of Prop A Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer In a Tuesday evening interview with KSAT 12 the first time Nirenberg took a public stance on Prop A he said he was concerned about the measures lack of consequences for theft and graffiti. That language mirrors talking points used by the San Antonio Police Officers' Association, business organizations and a new political action committee called San Antonio Safe, which was formed to fight the measure. Act 4 SA Executive Director Ananda Tomas said this portrayal is absolutely untrue. Act 4 SA, a police reform group, was one of the lead organizers who got the measure on the ballot by collecting signatures of more than 20,000 registered San Antonio voters. A citation can involve jail time. It can involve fines and fees. It can involve time that you have to take away from your job or your family to participate in a pretrial diversion program, Tomas said. Theres a whole list of consequences that happen because of this, even if the charges are dropped. Pressed Wednesday to clarify his comments to KSAT, Nirenberg instead focused on how the proposition would remove the discretion an officer has to make an arrest for these offenses that have victims. Under Prop A, an officer could only make an arrest if someone lacks sufficient identification, has an outstanding warrant for a non-citation-eligible offense or demands to be taken before a magistrate, according to the ballot language. City Attorney Andy Segovia has said the city would not enforce these changes to its cite-and-release policy because they are inconsistent with Texas law. A tense relationship First elected mayor in 2017, Nirenberg has had a fraught relationship with police reform supporters. Initially seen as an ally, hes increasingly left them frustrated. In 2021, he declined to support Proposition B, a citizen-led charter amendment that was seen as San Antonios most consequential ballot measure on policing in decades. It would have stripped the police union of its right to collectively bargain with the city, something supporters said would have given the city greater leverage in labor negotiations, particularly over police discipline. The measure failed by just under 3 percentage points. On the last proposition campaign, I didnt campaign, but I did support anybodys right to collectively bargain, Nirenberg said Wednesday. READ MORE: Frustrated with government: Why citizen-driven propositions are on the rise in San Antonio Nirenberg said he is not seeking SAPOA's endorsement as he seeks his fourth and final term in May. The union has yet to make an endorsement in that race. Though he faces eight contenders, none are considered serious challengers, making this Nirenberg's easiest re-election bid. Tomas expressed frustration over the mayors unwillingness to meet with her and other Prop A supporters to discuss the changes they want to see. His comments to KSAT, she said, really shows theres been a lack of understanding of the (cite-and-release) policy and what it does, and I know this because his office refuses to speak with us on this. Knocking at the wrong door? The mayor Wednesday also toned down his earlier comments to KSAT in which he encouraged voters to join me in voting against Prop A. Let me make my position very clear. What Im telling people is to do their research, he said. This is a long, multi-issue proposition, but you only get one up or down vote. If you like some of it, but you dont like others, youre forced to take the good with the bad. Proposition A would also amend the city charter to decriminalize low-level marijuana possession and abortion, meaning police would not investigate or make arrests for these crimes. It would ban police from using chokeholds and no-knock warrants, and would create a city justice director to oversee public safety policy. Several of these measures are already in practice in San Antonio, Nirenberg said. He highlighted the Bexar County district attorney's decision not to prosecute people for possession of 1 ounce or less of marijuana, and City Council's August adoption of a resolution asking the city not to use its resources to investigate abortions. Local government is not where activists should be working to expand abortion access and loosen marijuana laws, the mayor said. Those are state policy decisions that are up to the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature. We live in Texas. We cant create a micronation inside San Antonio, as much as we would like to, Nirenberg said. The measures that weve taken currently are effectively doing the things that we need to do to move in the right direction. But lets be clear: We need change to happen among state leadership. The city attorney has said all of the propositions provisions, except for the justice director, conflict with state law and thus aren't enforceable. Prop A supporters, however, read state law differently. For her part, Tomas believes local government is the place to be pushing for these changes. She pointed to cities like Austin and San Marcos, where voters in 2022 passed ordinances decriminalizing low-level marijuana possession. The San Marcos City Council also adopted an ordinance in 2020 requiring police to issue citations except in the same circumstances outlined in Proposition A. These types of things are already happening in the city venue, Tomas said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Two Black artists who created murals on San Pedro Creek Culture Park will discuss and celebrate their work in a public unveiling Saturday. The theme of one of the murals is wrapped around slavery and the African American experience. They will be just north of the restored 1870s St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church site, one of Texass oldest Black church sites. In the years after the Civil War and the abolition of slavery, the church, founded in 1867, was a lifeline for formerly enslaved Texans to social, political and cultural life in San Antonio. Members of St. James, which remains an active parish in San Antonio, observed Juneteenth with a ceremony at the site last year. RELATED: A reminder of Black resistance: San Antonio safe spaces listed in Green Book in Jim Crow era Artists Tyson Davis and Jocelyn Van Taylor will discuss their murals in a forum moderated by Texas Public Radios Worth Repeating host Tori Pool in the Malu & Carlos Alvarez Blackbox Theater at Texas Public Radio. The festivities hosted by the San Antonio River Foundation will then move outside for an unveiling starting at 2 p.m. The artist talks and unveils under the bridge at Travis and Houston streets are free and open to the public. TPR is located at the rear of the Alameda Theater, 318 W. Houston St. Davis work, Rise, provides an interpretation of the early African slave trade and is a representation of how strong the Black families are currently now here in America, the artist told KSAT-TV. Davis and Taylor are with The Art of Four initiative, which was selected to create murals on the historic creek through a Bexar County-funded flood control and beautification project downtown. The initiative highlights the work of Black artists in visual, performing and literary arts and film. Refreshments will be served at the St. James AMEC Culture Crossing. Lawyers for survivors and families of the victims of the Sutherland Springs church shooting have reached a tentative $144.5 million deal with the Justice Department to settle litigation filed over the government's failure to prevent the massacre. If approved by Attorney General Merrick Garland, the settlement would end the government's appeal of a judge's verdict last year ordering the feds to pay more than $230 million in damages. The Sutherland Springs families are heroes," Jamal Alsaffar, the lead lawyer for the families, said in a written statement. "The country owes them a debt of gratitude. They have gone through so much pain and loss in the most horrific way. But despite that, these families fought for justice, endured and won two trials against the Federal Government, and made this country safer as a result." ExpressNews.com: Military suicides are down, but experts say it's not enough Their lawsuit stemmed from the Nov. 5, 2017, mass shooting at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, a small, tight-knit community about 45 minutes east of San Antonio. During a Sunday service, disgraced former airman Devin Kelley opened fire at the church with an AR-556 rifle, killing 26 people and wounding more than 20 others. His wife attended the church, but Kelley had tied her up at their New Braunfels home before going on the rampage in Sutherland Springs, about 35 miles to the south. Kelley was booted from the Air Force in 2014 because of his propensity for violence. Before his discharge, he was convicted of domestic violence for seriously injuring his infant stepson and sent to jail for a year. He also was barred from Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico because he threatened superiors and brought firearms onto the base. During a federal trial in San Antonio in spring 2021, testimony showed that for more than 30 years, the Air Force failed to report thousands of violent felons, including Kelley, to the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System. That system is designed to prevent convicted criminals from purchasing or possessing firearms. Without that flag, Kelley was able to buy guns from licensed dealers. U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez ruled that the Air Force was 60 percent responsible for the shooting and Kelley, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound shortly after his rampage, was 40 percent responsible. After a second trial to determine damages, Rodriguez in February 2022 ordered the U.S. government to pay families of victims and survivors more than $230 million in damages. The verdict was meant to compensate more than 80 family members of victims and survivors who filed the suit. But the Justice Department appealed the verdict to the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. The settlement, if finalized, would end the government's appeal. It was the kind of evidence the state of Texas uses every day to convict drunk drivers. A blood-alcohol content of .177. Erratic behavior at the scene. Failing a field sobriety test. Witnesses in the trial of Jonathan Paul Jones, 43, a former deputy U.S. marshal, added some twists: He attempted to flee after he drove the wrong way up an exit ramp on Loop 1604 and crashed his pickup head-on into the car of a young UTSA graduate and church volunteer who later died from her injuries. But one by one, four defense experts chiseled away at the prosecution testimony and convinced a jury that Jones wasnt drunk. He was found not guilty of intoxication manslaughter. The panel did convict Jones of manslaughter and sentenced him to a substantial prison term for causing the crash that killed Taylor Angelle McCowan, 23, in 2020. The performance by the defense team, San Antonios Donald Flanary and Mark Thiessen of Houston, drew a daily throng of local lawyers to the 144th District Court gallery to watch and listen. They were impressed, but noted afterward that the defense won only half the battle. The regulars in the audience included Mark Stevens and Karen Corby, who serve on the board of the San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, and Mario Del Prado, a former Bexar County prosecutor now back in private practice. The defense did an amazing job of mitigating punishment by destroying the blood evidence and poking holes in the states case with reasonable doubt, Corby said, adding, You saw a lot of defense attorneys in there because we support each other. We wanted to learn. Added Stevens, It was like a CLE (continuing legal education) for me. Jones was 40 when San Antonio police charged him with intoxication assault following the head-on crash on Jan. 31, 2020. McCowan tried to swerve to miss Jones' Ford F-150 pickup but was hit, trapped in her sedan and had to be cut out of the vehicle. She died two weeks later at a Houston hospital. To Corby, Stevens and Del Prado, the states case broke down on three issues: the field sobriety test, the blood draw and the laboratory that tested the blood-alcohol content. Ive never seen such a thorough job than those two lawyers did in rebutting point-by-point the states case on intoxication, Stevens said. He recalled the states expert, Janine DeKing, who works for Quality Forensic Toxicology, the lab that conducts testing for Bexar County, testified that Jones' blood-alcohol content was .177. The legal limit for drivers in Texas is .08. They shook her up, Del Prado said of defense questioning of DeKings training, grades and credentials to attempt to discredit her. Defense expert Amanda Culbertson disputed DeKings results because DeKing did not wait for the specimen to get warm enough to conduct a test with meaningful results. The blood had clotted, and some of it was thrown away, Del Prado said, noting, Thats evidence. Culbertson and another defense expert, Lance Pratt, each suggested that Jones didnt look drunk in the body camera video or in his mug shot photo. Pratt, who was a law enforcement officer before he became a consultant, testified that the field sobriety test given to Jones by San Antonio police Officer Emilio De La Rosa was not conducted correctly and did not follow SAPD procedures. On video, Jones complained that his hand hurt. Later he found out it was broken, from using it to brace himself in the crash. At some point in the video during the field sobriety test, Jones also said his head hurt, likely from the airbag deployment and hitting his head on a window, Corby said. Then, the defense focused on the nurse who drew his blood. Video captured from De La Rosas body camera showed Aubrianna Caffey preparing Jones' arm before she inserted the needle, filled two vials and inverted them to mix the testing solution. The nurse admitted the inversions were not done properly, Stevens said, adding that between testimony and the experts going point-by-point the defense was able to show the jury why the tests were so problematic. Corby commended jurors for following instructions as to the law and in determining the facts of the case. I think the jury took their oath and the burden of proof seriously, she said. The state could not prove it (the intoxication case) beyond a reasonable doubt because of the blood and the fact that he possibly had a head injury. Although the defense succeeded in getting a not guilty verdict on the intoxication manslaughter charge, Corby said ultimately Jones did not win. The defense had an uphill battle, she said, because at the end of the day, youve got a 23-year-old girl with a very bright future who lost her life at no fault of her own. Jurors ended up sentencing Jones to 11 years, six months in prison. He had hired his own lawyers, including Thiessen, one of the states top DWI attorneys, and paid for expert witnesses. Can money bring you a free ride or a walk? It didnt in this case, Corby said. As Texas legislators continue debating the possible expansion of the state's medical marijuana program, many Texans already have prescriptions to use the drug legally, under certain conditions. Eligible Texans suffering from specific ailments have been able to legally use medical marijuana since 2015 when the Compassionate Use Act was passed. The compassionate use program grants qualified physicians the ability to prescribe "low THC" cannabis to patients with certain medical conditions. Marijuana has multiple components, including Cannabidiol, better known as CBD, and THC, both of which can be used to fight pain. Products containing only CBD do not require a prescription, come in myriad delivery methods such as oils, topical gels and pills and can be sold anywhere from smoke shops and gas stations to specialty stores. Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, however, is the portion of marijuana generally known to give some users a "high," which is why it is regulated by the state and requires a prescription based on medical need. Despite this side effect, medical marijuana patients are prescribed the drug for relief of their symptoms, including pain and muscle spasticity. A House committee in late March unanimously approved the bill presented by state Rep. Stephanie Klick (R-North Richland Hills), which would boost the maximum allowable THC level in medical marijuana from 1 percent to 5 percent and allow the Department of State Health Services to add additional qualifying conditions. Low THC is derived from the plant Cannabis Sativa L, according to the state's website. "All parts of the plant and any resulting compounds, salts, resins, oils and derivatives that contain no more than 0.5 percent by weight of THC are considered Low-THC," it says. Medical use of these prescribed doses of low THC can only be swallowed, not smoked, according to current law. Here's a list of the conditions that qualify a resident to be prescribed medical marijuana in Texas: Other requirements needed to use cannabis in Texas In addition to a diagnosis for one of the qualifying medical conditions, Texans also must meet a few more requirements to obtain a medical marijuana license, including: Being a permanent resident of Texas Having a physician registered with the compassionate care program prescribe the cannabis Having a qualified physician decide whether the benefit of medical marijuana use outweighs the risk There is no age limit for prescriptions, but patients under 18 might need a legal guardian. The process of obtaining a prescription requires the physician to enter the patient's information into the Compassionate Use Registry of Texas. Once complete, the patient or legal guardian can go to any licensed dispensary to purchase medical marijuana. The patient or legal guardian must provide ID and the patient's last name, date of birth and the last five digits of his or her Social Security number, according to the state government's website. A lawsuit accusing Galveston County elected officials of violating the Voting Rights Act when establishing a redistricting map can move to trial, after a federal judge recently denied the countys request to dismiss most of the claims against it. Judge Jeffrey Brown of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas in Galveston last week ruled the U.S. Department of Justice and other plaintiffs against Galveston County have standing to proceed to trial because they have a plausible racial gerrymandering and vote dilution claim, among other arguments, according to court records. MORE ON CASE: DOJ sues Galveston County, alleging redrawn commissioner precincts dilute Black, Hispanic voting strength A trial tentatively is set for Aug. 7 in the case against the county. The U.S. Department of Justice led a host of plaintiffs in March 2022 when it sued Galveston County over its new redistricting map, accusing Republican county officials of violating the Voting Rights Act when they carved up the commissioner court precincts into four majority-white districts. The lawsuit accuses the county of violating Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which broadly bars racially discriminatory voting practices, including those that minimize the voting strength of racial minority groups. The redrawn map dismantles the precinct represented by Commissioner Stephen Holmes, the only Democrat and minority member of the court, all but ensuring his defeat in 2024 if the map remains intact. Under the new layout, Republicans are poised to gain a 5-0 majority on the governing body for Galveston County, where 38 percent of voters cast their ballots for Democrat Joe Biden. Attorneys for Galveston County in June sought to have the case dismissed, arguing the claims were moot because the court now had two Black commissioners, that the court couldnt stop the redistricting because it was a partisan gerrymander, that one of the plaintiffs didnt live in the district in question and that the plaintiffs didnt show enough evidence the court acted with illicit intent. But Brown in his orders last week rejected most of the courts claims, except for granting a dismissal against the plaintiff who didnt live in the district in question. The defendants have proffered no evidence that Dr. (Robin) Armstrong is the candidate of choice of Black and Latino voters and simply tout the fact that he is Black, Jones wrote. On the other hand, the NAACP plaintiffs have provided substantial factual allegations supporting Commissioner Holmess status as the candidate of choice for Black and Latino voters since he was first elected as commissioner for Precinct 3 in 1999. This is not the first time Galveston County has faced scrutiny over its voting maps. In 2012, federal officials struck down the countys commissioner, constable and justice-of-the-peace maps, finding they ran afoul of the Voting Rights Act by diminishing the power of minority voters. A severe storm that made its way quickly over Frio County just southwest of Bexar County on Tuesday petered out before reaching San Antonio, according to the National Weather Service. The storm caused hail and severe weather in other parts of Texas but failed to reach the Alamo City. That doesn't mean that San Antonio has escaped the clutches of thunder and hail, however, according to Mack Morris, a meteorologist with NWS in New Braunfels. In fact, there's a threat for some hail this morning, although the main threat in terms of weather throughout the day will be rain, Morris noted. "We're not expecting any severe weather in the coming days, there's a marginal risk that partially touches southeast San Antonio, but the main threat is rain," Morris said. "There's also likely a few small hail reports. It will get much cooler with the rain tomorrow. The threat is more locally heavy rainfall." The rain is expected to help minimize the chances of critical fire weather conditions, according to NWS New Braunfels. The local chapter issued a Red Flag Warning for Wednesday morning and afternoon, citing very dry air with high winds. The warning was for the area west of the Interstate 35 corridor, and people in that area are warned to avoid any activities that could inadvertently promote the ignition and spread of wildfires. Read more: 'Don't touch it': Stinging caterpillars are coming back with the warm weather, Texas AgriLife warns That expected heavy rainfall creates a possibility of flooding, Morris said, but it's a small one, and not a cause to be overly concerned. Due to the dry weather previously after the precipitation expected in the coming days, San Antonio will still remain a foot or so behind where it should be for rainfall there will also be some run-off early on, as the dry ground is slow to absorb rain. "We're not expecting four to five inches, only a couple of them," Morris said. "Especially considering what San Antonio deals with in terms of precipitation, I wouldn't be too concerned." Morris said that there will be thunderstorms coming to the area, bringing thunder and rain. However, in order for more severe thunder, an area needs instability, and San Antonio will be stable in the high 50s and low 60s on Thursday and Friday. shepard.price@express-news.net Ive seen the effects of underfunding public education, as a teacher, as the leader of an educators union, as a mother and as a grandmother. Attacks on public education are not new. The difference today is the attacks are turning our classrooms into a political battlefield, confusing some parents through a distorted and false narrative of school choice, which would destroy public schools. The push for vouchers is not about parental empowerment. If it were, then why did Gov. Greg Abbott, who is pushing this narrative, veto a bill in 2017 that would have empowered parents with the knowledge of whether their childs school had a nurse during all instruction hours. Certain powerful money groups want to privatize education for their own gain, at the expense of our students. The school privatization movement has a smart plan: starve public schools funding, criticize them for their shortcomings, which is often due to lack of funding; erode public trust schools through fear and division; pit parents against schools and teachers; and replace them with private, religious, online, and home schools that lack accountability. This would destroy public education and leave the students with the greatest needs in public schools with limited resources. Vouchers leave most of our 5.5 million Texas kids in public schools with fewer resources by diverting funds away from their education to subsidize the education of a small group of privileged students. Data show voucher programs in other states are funneling taxpayer money to parents whose children were already in private schools. In states such as Arizona, Missou ri and Wisconsin, 70 to 80 percent of students receiving a voucher were already in private school before taxpayers picked up the tab. In New Hampshire, 9 out of 10 students receiving vouchers were already in private school settings. Students with disabilities will suffer most, as private schools do not have to follow federal protections to meet those childrens needs. Students in urban districts whose parents cant afford private school tuition exceeding the amount provided by a voucher would also pay a price. According to the Education Data Initiative report released March 24, the nation's average cost of K-12 private school tuition is $23,839. The $8,000 promised in Senate Bill 8 wouldnt come close to covering the tuition. That doesnt even address the cost and hassle of transportation to a private school without busing. Meanwhile, students in rural school districts who dont have access to private options would be left out in the cold. With a voucher program, the most vulnerable of our students will get left behind. Is that the future we find acceptable? Is that the Texas our kids deserve? Our state has a roughly $33 billion budget surplus. We should be spending more money on the public schools that educate the vast majority of Texas kids, not siphoning money to unaccountable private schools. In a 2023 poll from the Charles Butt Foundation, 89 percent of Texans said they approve of their public schools and teachers, a higher percentage than the national average. So, I wonder who exactly benefits from this school choice push. Dont let this be a partisan issue. This is a moral issue. It is a Texas issue, and one that affects us all. On behalf of teachers like me and public school students across Texas, I am asking you to call on your legislators to reject vouchers and respect public schools. Wanda R. Longoria is president of Northside AFT, which represents Northside ISD teachers and support staff. Since 1789, when George Washington became our first chief executive, no U.S. president, current or former, had ever been indicted. That changed Tuesday afternoon when Donald Trump was arraigned in a Manhattan courtroom on 34 counts of falsifying records related to hush-money payments his fixer, Michael Cohen, made in 2016 to Stormy Daniels, a porn star. Cohen has said Trump directed the payments to Daniels to suppress news of the alleged affair during the presidential election. Prosecutors have said Trump, while serving as president, then paid Cohen back under the pretense of legal services, citing a false legal retainer. And it is here that prosecutors allege fraud. Donald J. Trump repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal crimes that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement. The 34 counts are Class E felonies, the lowest-level felony in New York. While each count carries a maximum sentence of four years, a conviction could also result in probation. For such a large moment, it was also underwhelming. Trump has pleaded not guilty, fundraised heavily and gave a defiant speech from Mar-a-Lago. In a corresponding statement of facts, prosecutors outlined an alleged pattern of behavior in other circumstances, but they also didnt outline anything new. Bragg said Trump also hatched a scheme with David Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer, to kill a story about an affair with Playboy model Karen McDougal a $150,000 payment to the ex-model Trump said was for legal fees. This simply was not true, Bragg said. Arrested after surrendering to authorities at the courthouse, Trump took an elevator to the 15th floor, where a video camera captured him entering the courtroom a glimpse that lasted about four seconds, long enough for viewers to see the anger on his face. Inside the courtroom, where the judge barred video cameras, still photographs showed the ex-president seated at a table with his lawyers, his expression more somber. While legal experts say his lawyers will try to get the charges dismissed or reduced and there is much criticism and concern about the novel approach Bragg is taking it was a sad day for America, plunging the country into a crisis whose denouement we cannot predict. The indictment would have imploded the campaign of any other candidate, but Trump is not any other candidate. And his legal woes are far from over. Investigators are looking into other cases, including the handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago and undermining the presidential election in Georgia. In Manhattan, the investigation that led to the indictment seemed dead a year ago, leading two members of the prosecutorial staff to resign. Then Bragg resurrected the probe. Why? We got new information, he said simply during a brief press conference on Tuesday. The road to an indictment was, obviously, much more complicated than that. Demonstrations outside the courtroom were peaceful, but the memory of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot is fresh. Partisans rarely see beyond the next news cycle, but the trial may last more than a year, and what happens in the months ahead will impact the country for generations. History illuminates the past, but it unfolds in the present. We owe it to our judicial infrastructure, the American people and Trump, to let the process play out. Nothing has been weaponized here. Democrats say no man is above the law. Republicans say no man should be persecuted by the law. One principle does not preclude the other. The indictment, regardless of your political leanings or assessment of its merits, represented a sad day in our history. It will be sadder still if we allow partisanship to taint the legal process. The nation, more than ever, needs the strength and resolve to show restraint. But such qualities may be hard to come by at a moment when a former president is facing charges for alleged hush money payments to a porn star. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Houston City Councilmember Mike Knox has announced his bid for Harris County Sheriff, with a platform centered on placing public safety at the top of the county's agenda. After eight years on council, the Republican veteran and former police officer said he envisions a safer Harris County and said he plans to address issues such as human trafficking and jail conditions as the countys next top law enforcement official. ELECTION NEWS: Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee is running for Houston mayor, scrambling the race for City Hall's top job His campaign will kick off at a West Houston Pappasito's Cantina on April 25, featuring a host committee that includes Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, Congressmen Wesley Hunt, R-Houston, Pappas Restaurants CEO Chris Pappas, and State Representatives Charles Cunningham, R-Humble, and Mano DeAyala, R-Houston, among others. It is unacceptable that Harris County is a human trafficking hub, Knox said. It is unacceptable that criminals come to Harris County to commit crimes because they know they will be held less accountable here than in neighboring counties. It is unacceptable that our county jail is dangerous for staff and inmates. "Simply put, it is high time public safety is priority number one in Harris County and that will be my mission as Harris County Sheriff, he continued. My campaign and my work as sheriff will focus on how to resolve these issues and make public safety the top priority for Commissioners' Court." PUBLIC SAFETY: Harris County signals support for adding courts, public defenders The council member is entering the race more than 19 months before the election, scheduled for November 2024, and will run against current Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, a Democrat who confirmed Friday his plan to seek re-election. Sheriff Gonzalez loves his job, is good at it, and has every intention to run for re-election, Grant Martin, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez' campaign spokesperson, said. He appreciates people who want to serve their communities and looks forward to a healthy, positive and productive debate about the future of Harris County. Amid heightened controversies surrounding the Harris County Jail, which has been cited for violating state standards and faced criticism from civil rights activists for poor conditions and inmate deaths, the incoming sheriff also will need to tackle public concerns over violent crime as the head of the county's law enforcement. Knox, a 64-year-old native Houstonian, is a veteran of the United States Air Force and served as a Houston police officer for more than 15 years. In 2016, Knox defeated prominent Third Ward activist Georgia Provost in a runoff to become the At-Large Position 1 council seat. He secured his second and final four-year term in 2020. JAIL CRISIS: What would fix the Harris County Jail crisis? Sheriff says the entire system needs to change During his tenure on the City Council, Knox has not hesitated to challenge Mayor Sylvester Turner. Positioning himself as a check on the mayor and an advocate for cutting city spending, Knox has said city government should limit its responsibilities primarily to public safety, infrastructure, and trash pickup. Knox was the sole member to vote against Turner's historic pension reform proposal in 2016 and opposed a $650,000 contract to boost participation in the 2020 Census. Most recently, he accused the administration of massaging the process when awarding a lucrative airport concession contract to a new company in early March. WASHINGTON As Donald Trump turned himself in at a Manhattan courthouse Tuesday, the political world was bursting with speculation about how the criminal case would impact his run to retake the White House. RELATED: Texas Republicans decry 'sham' Trump indictment, call it an 'attack on the American people.' The situation is unprecedented. A former president has never been charged with a crime, much less while seeking election. But Texas may hold some clues for how it all plays out. Voters here, especially Republicans, have made it clear they dont mind when politicians face criminal charges or are connected to those caught up in alleged wrongdoing. We already see a situation in our state where an indictment or criminal trial does not equate to losing an election, Republican strategist Brendan Steinhauser said, pointing to Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has been under indictment for alleged felony securities fraud since 2015. Paxton easily won a third term in office in November, beating Democratic challenger Rochelle Garza by nearly 12 percentage points. He has cruised to re-election, Steinhauser said. Were just so partisan, and people arent even going to consume the facts theyll just make their minds up. Paxton is the only current elected official facing outstanding criminal charges, but several others have weathered high-profile investigations or allegations against close associates. Political experts attribute their durability to the rise of hyperpartisan politics and to growing anti-institutional attitudes in the Republican Party. BACKGROUND: Trump pleads not guilty to 34 felony charges Ultimately, its not going to have an impact on your political career, especially here in Texas, said Joshua Blank, research director at the University of Texas at Austins Texas Politics Project. It is very easy to take these sorts of situations, for a lot of voters, and just take it as Democrats versus Republicans. Its not seen as somehow being separate from the political process. To supporters, the case against Trump feeds into the narrative the former president has spun for years about a system rigged against him. Ultimately, an indictment does more to reinforce those views than it does to undo them, Blank said. There are several other recent examples in Texas of politicians brushing off clouds of suspicion. Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and his staff have been at the center of a handful of ethics complaints and two Texas Rangers investigations since he first ran for statewide office eight years ago, including a case that led to the indictment of Millers campaign spokesman and political consultant on bribery and theft charges last year. Still, the Republican won re-election by nearly 13 percentage points. The FBI searched the campaign headquarters and home of U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Laredo Democrat, last year. While he was never charged with any crime, his political opponents wielded the investigation against him through a Democratic primary and the general election, which he won by more than 15 percentage points. A much smaller version of Tuesdays scene in Manhattan has even played out in Austin. In 2014, then-Gov. Rick Perry was indicted on two felony charges related to abuse of power. He turned himself in to a Travis County courthouse and posed smiling in suit and tie for a mug shot that swiftly went viral. The charges, which Perry argued were purely political, were eventually dropped. But not before Perry launched a presidential campaign in 2015. He eventually served as the secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy in the Trump administration. Texas Republicans have remained united behind Trump, who faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records for alleged payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly attacked the investigation, with the Texas GOP following suit and arguing the case is politically motivated and accusing Democrats of weaponizing the justice system. Alvin Bragg is an activist district attorney following through on an unhinged campaign promise, not the rule of law, Harris County Republican Chair Cindy Siegel said. The Republican grassroots and voters of Harris County see this for exactly what it is, and thats a gross abuse of power that makes a mockery of what was once one of the premier district courts in this nation. Bobby Eberle, the GOP chairman in Fort Bend County, said the case has been energizing for Republicans in a county that has been a political battleground for years. This has been a galvanizing moment for people to just say, 'This is wrong' and Im talking about people who are not Trump supporters, Eberle said. Its about the rule of law and its about abuse of power, and thats how people see it. Fairfield, MT (59436) Today Rain ending this evening. Partial clearing overnight. Thunder possible. Low 38F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Rain ending this evening. Partial clearing overnight. Thunder possible. Low 38F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. The Montana State Capitol on March 21, 2023. (Photo by Nicole Girten/Daily Montanan) A bill that would eliminate party primaries in U.S. Senate races, targeting Democrat U.S. Sen Jon Testers race for re-election, passed the Montana Senate on Tuesday. Senate Bill 566 would establish a jungle primary system, where the top two vote getters regardless of party affiliation advance to the general election, exclusively for the upcoming U.S. Senate election in 2024, with a sunset date in 2025. Tester, the lone-statewide Democrat in the state, announced his bid for re-election in February. The race will be watched nationally as Democrats seek to keep their thin majority in the U.S. Senate. Lets just call this bill what it is. Its nothing but a partisan power grab, said Sen. Ryan Lynch, D-Butte. But bill sponsor Rep. Greg Hertz, R-Polson cited U.S. Senate races where candidates won with less than 50% of the vote, in 1996, 2006 and 2012. He said the sunset date was in 2025 so the legislature could re-evaluate whether to move forward with potentially applying this system to future races during the next legislative session. We want to make sure that the winning U.S. senator has more than 50% of the supporting people in Montana, Hertz said. Tester won 50% of the vote in the 2018 general election against now U.S. Rep Matt Rosendale. Senate Minority Leader Pat Flowers, D-Belgrade, said all the U.S. Senate races after 2012 were won with over 50%. So your logic seems at best to be 10 years behind, Flowers said. Flowers said this bill was brazen partisanship targeting a single race. This isnt fair. This isnt what Montanans want. They dont want one party rule. They want us to have fair elections, and this bill is not that, Flowers said. Sen. Mike Cuffe, R-Eureka, asked, rhetorically, whats unfair about the majority of voters in Montana picking one candidate? Sen. Carl Glimm, R-Kila, said he thought it was a good deal. Republicans currently hold a supermajority in the legislature. The only reason you need to be scared of it is if you dont think your guy can win, Glimm said. The vote passed on third reading Tuesday on a 27-23 vote, with seven Republicans joining Democrats in opposition, including:. Jeff Welborn of Dillon, Russ Tempel of Chester, Jason Small of Busby, Dan Salomon of Ronan, Walt Sales of Manhattan, Brad Molnar of Laurel, Theresa Manzella of Hamilton. Following that vote, discussion turned to another bill, which would ban ranked-choice voting. Its, not currently used in Montana but was proposed in reaction to a rank-choice election in Alaska where Democrat Mary Peltola beat out Republican Sarah Palin. Both Democrats and Republicans critiqued Senate Bill 598 as code clutter seeing as a separate bill would need to be brought for ranked choice voting to take place. You know how you change that? You bring a bill to do a top two jungle primary system, just to pull an example out of a hat, said Sen. Forrest Mandeville, R-Columbus. Sen. Jeremy Trebas, R-Great Falls, said the ranked choice system stood to benefit the majority party. In Montana, and the way things are going politically, currently, do we want to shoot ourselves in the foot? Trebas asked. Trebas and Mandeville voted against the bill. It passed 29-21. The post Bill targeting Tester U.S. Senate race passes Montana Senate appeared first on Daily Montanan. Dozens of people packed the Capitol rotunda in Helena on Feb. 1, 2023, to call on lawmakers to stop trying to amend the Montana Constitution. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan) Only one of the proposed constitutional amendments from the 2023 legislature appears to have a strong chance of being sent to Montana voters in 2024 among seven remaining, though several still have long-shot chances after third reading in their initial chambers Tuesday. The House and Senate voted on the remaining referendum proposals all sponsored by Republicans on their third readings on Tuesday prior to the deadline for referenda to pass at least one chamber. A proposal to strip admission authority to the state bar from the Supreme Court from Rep. Jerry Schillinger, R-Circle, did not get enough House votes Monday to be sent to the Senate for consideration. Each remaining proposal will need to get at least 100 votes between the House and Senate out of 150 in a legislature controlled by a Republican supermajority that has 68 Republicans in the House and 34 in the Senate. Best chance of making the ballot Senate Bill 563: Mental Health Trust Fund The Senate passed Senate Bill 563 from Sen. Kenneth Bogner, R-Miles City, in a 40-10 vote on third reading one fewer vote than the measure received on second reading on Monday. Five Democrats and five Republicans voted against the bill. The referendum would ask voters if the state should create a mental health trust fund for up to $50 million whose guidelines would be determined by the next legislature. Long shots, but still possible House Bill 551: Put constitutional carry into the Montana Constitution Malta Republican Sen. Casey Knudsens measure, which seeks to strike a prohibition on concealed-carry weapons in the Constitution, passed third reading with 65 votes, meaning it will need to pick up 35 votes in the Senate in order to be sent to voters. If all Senate Republicans vote in favor of the measure, they would still need one Democrat to vote along with them for the proposal to make the ballot. House Bill 372: Establish the right to hunt in the Constitution House Bill 372, sponsored by Rep. Paul Fielder, R-Thompson Falls, aims to ask voters to amend the Constitution to say that hunting, trapping and fishing is the primary but not exclusive means of managing wildlife in Montana. The Constitution currently says the right to harvest wild fish and game is a heritage that shall forever be preserved by Montanans, but Fielders bill would change that so Montanans have the right to hunt, fish and trap fish and wildlife. After getting 62 votes on Monday, the measure received 64 votes on third reading and will need 36 votes in the Senate to make the ballot in 2024. Senate Bill 534: Constitutional amendment on redistricting Billings Republican Sen. Tom McGillvrays Senate Bill 534 lost the vote of Sen. Walt Sales, R-Manhattan, on third reading and heads to the House with 30 votes needing 70 there to make the ballot. The proposal would change the Constitution to say that the redistricting commission may not consider any data pertaining to the political affiliation of electors or prior election results and says communities of interest do not include relationships with political parties, candidates or incumbents. Most likely not on the ballot House Bill 517: Board of Regents House Bill 517 from Rep. Mike Hopkins, R-Missoula, got 61 votes on third reading Tuesday after receiving 66 on second reading on Monday. It will need 39 votes from the Senate in order to make the ballot. The proposal would change the Constitution to create exceptions from the board of regents, which currently has full power to supervise the university system. The change would allow the legislature to require the board of regents to adopt and maintain policies and practices that protect the rights and associated civil liberties provided in the Constitution and also allow the state to provide judicial remedies in that pursuit. House Bill 915: Have governor appoint Supreme Court justices Billings Republican Rep. Bill Mercers measure aims to change the Constitution so voters do not elect Supreme Court justices, as is currently the case. It would have the governor appoint justices to be confirmed by the Senate and makes tweaks to the judicial vacancy process. Mercer said the proposal would make the process more like the federal system, but Democrats have said the vast majority of Montanans oppose having a partisan governor appoint justices. The bill received 59 votes on third reading, five less than it did on Monday, and will need 41 votes in the Senate to make the ballot. Senate Bill 272: Constitutional sheriffs While the measure from Sen. Theresa Manzella, R-Hamilton, will move to the House for consideration, it is all but dead on arrival. Her proposal received just 22 votes on third reading in the Senate one fewer than on Monday, as McGillvray switched to a no vote Tuesday and would need 78 votes in the House to make the ballot. That is extremely unlikely as all Republicans and 10 Democrats there would need to vote for the measure. It seeks to put into the constitution constitutional sheriff parameters that would make the elected sheriff the ultimate authority of their county. The post Most remaining constitutional amendment proposals face long chances at Montana legislature appeared first on Daily Montanan. West Virginia goes out of its way to block health care competition. Investors cannot open skilled nursing homes, launch opioid treatment programs, expand long-term care facilities or add residential beds for people with intellectual disabilities anywhere in the state. Strict moratoriums criminalize all of these economic pursuits, even when doctors line up their own funding. Other health care projects are possible, but most entrepreneurial activity cannot move forward in West Virginia without a government permission slip called a certificate of need or CON. Getting the piece of paper is not easy. Applicants must demonstrate a need for their services, meaning they must prove to the states satisfaction they wont take market share from established providers. If a startup threatens the status quo, then industry insiders can rally to squash the competition before it begins. West Virginia sanctions this interference. State law allows established providers to participate in the CON application process, giving them an official platform to sabotage potential rivals. Business leaders in other industries would love similar veto power. The Home Depot could stop mom-and-pop hardware stores from opening nearby. Planet Fitness could block smaller gyms. And McDonalds could push away rival burger joints. Even when investors clear the CON hurdles, the process wastes time and money. Conning the Competition, a nationwide report from our public interest law firm, the Institute for Justice, shows West Virginia CON applicants must pay up to $35,000 and wait two months or longer for government approval. The report also documents an expansive CON regime in West Virginia unseen in many parts of the nation. California, Texas and 10 other states representing about 40 percent of the U.S. population completely repealed their CON laws years ago. Ohio, Indiana and Montana apply CON requirements only to long-term care facilities, and Arizona targets only ground ambulance services. West Virginia, in contrast, targets just about everything. No other state maintains a moratorium on opioid treatment programs. And few other states enforce CON requirements in more categories of care. Until recently, West Virginia hospitals even had to navigate the entire CON process just to add ventilator services. COVID-19 prompted 24 states and Washington, D.C., to adopt emergency measures, suspending their CON requirements during the early weeks of the pandemic. But West Virginia refused to budge. The state passed its CON law in 1977, meaning government bureaucrats have been picking winners and losers in health care for nearly 50 years. The protectionism runs deep, but state lawmakers took a step toward leveling the playing field with Senate Bill 613. The measure, which Gov. Jim Justice signed on March 28, scales back some of West Virginias most onerous CON requirements. The new law exempts birth centers, for example, allowing service providers to create these niche facilities without begging the state for approval. The law also allows hospitals to add services without a CON, and increases the expenditure threshold for requiring a CON from $5 million to $100 million. Entrepreneurs will benefit from lower barriers to entry. Health care professionals will benefit from expanded job opportunities. And patients will benefit from increased consumer choice. Ultimately, the entire economy will benefit. The reform should be celebrated, but West Virginia still has far to go. The ultimate goal should be total CON repeal. Hospital associations disagree. They claim CON laws are necessary to keep balance in the health care system, preventing redundant investments and reducing waste. Yet federal antitrust agencies debunked these arguments long ago. By their very nature, CON laws create barriers to entry and expansion to the detriment of health care competition and consumers, the U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission concluded in 2008. Decades of real-world experience confirm this finding. States without CON laws have more hospitals and surgery centers per capita, along with more hospital beds, dialysis clinics and hospices. Why would West Virginia try to prevent this type of growth? Rather than artificially restricting health care investment, the state should kill its CON law and expand opportunities for everyone. Jaimie Cavanaugh is an attorney and Daryl James is a writer at the Institute for Justice in Arlington, Va. Our Ohio-grown ear corn is great for deer, squirrels and all other backyard wildlife! states the sales listing on Amazon. Behind the listing is Matthew Ruff, who created a dry corn cob business in Circleville, Ohio. Ruff is a freshman attending Ohio State University, but he started the corn business while a sophomore in high school at Westfall High School. Focused. The business began as an FFA-supervised agricultural experience. This is a project where students participate and gain work experience, said Ruffs adviser, Rachel Scior. The experience could be an internship or a job with whatever is available to them. It has to be work-based. She said she didnt know what to think when he proposed the idea, but after visiting, she realized how focused he was. The business is now a full time enterprise and Matthews younger brother, Mitchell, manages it while Matthew is at college. My family has always been a great help. They have been a crucial part of the operation. They have been very helpful in the harvest, processing and packaging process, Matthew Ruff said. We ended up finding that Amazon lacked good quality ear at a good price. Pandemic. The project turned into a business because it gained a lot of attention and traction during the pandemic. Covid helped him a lot, Scior said. It gained speed. Matthews mother, Marcia Ruff, said the shutdown created a market. People were home watching squirrels, and sales of corn went through the roof, she said. He was selling 150 boxes a day. His phone just dinged all the time when a box sold, and I would have to drive him to the post office to drop off packages because he didnt drive yet. The project gained recognition as a proficiency finalist in grain production at the National FFA Convention in 2021, landing it in the top four nationally that year. Matthew Ruff considers his parents support to be a key reason for the success. Customer feedback. Sales are primarily through Amazon, with customers across the U.S. Customer comments include: It seems a little silly to rave about a product as pedestrian as corn on the cob, but I feel The Ruff Farms folks deserve a pat on the back for turning out this superior ear corn. The price is amazing since it includes shipping. And Ive come to learn that the seller of this corn is a member of the FFA. As long as its for sale, I will be ordering! Each box is hand packaged and a note of thanks is placed in each box. In return, customers send pictures and videos of the squirrels to Ruff. Scior has high praise for Ruff. Hes really focused and driven and humble, she said. I hope he comes back to the farm and influences the rest of the community. He is an amazing young man, and I really want to see him succeed. Ruff also attributes his businesss success to Sciors support. She always pushed me to improve, he said. New legislation has given police greater powers to evict travellers from illegal encampments, with industry analysts calling specialist security and clearance agencies 'indispensable' in this often challenging process. Under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, officers may now ban trespassers from re-entering a section of land for a year, as opposed to three months. This will act as a solid deterrent to people considering setting up illegal camps on unsuspecting landowners' turf. The interpretation of harm has also been widened. Local police may now take more forceful measures when members of the community - not just the landlord - are distressed by illegal residents. Responsible eviction Now that police have greater capacity to expel travellers, SafeSite's security and professional clean-up services are in even greater demand. The company supplies security guards to ease the eviction process, specialist cleaners to restore the site and security experts who install protection against further intrusions. It's the law: property owners have the power to evict trespassers. These legal changes make it easier to do so, to the benefit of communities frustrated by illegal land occupation. The advantages of working with a security and clean-up company are clear, says Michael Knibbs, managing director of SafeSite Security Solutions. "Our business is vetted and qualified to handle such cases sensitively and competently. We appreciate the value of evicting travellers in a way that upholds their dignity. "Illicit settlements can create a considerable health and safety hazard to communities and the wider environment, so it is crucial to have a team of professionals equipped to address this safely and effectively." A clean, fresh start SafeSite Security Solutions understands that when unauthorised encampments are present, a considerable amount of litter and waste can be left behind on people's land. To address this frustration, the company deploys superior resources to remove and safely dispose of waste. The teams are well-versed in handling hazardous materials and ensuring that the land is clean and free of undesirable rubbish. SafeSite provides professional removal services for needles and sharps, which is an essential requirement when dealing with land that has been illegally occupied. Experts carry out the procedure using the right equipment, adhering to strict protocols to ensure that the task is completed with the utmost care and precision. Michael Knibbs at SafeSite believes collaboration with a reputable and trustworthy company is imperative for this dangerous job. "In working with seasoned professionals to remove needles and sharps, property owners can rest easy knowing that the job is handled by a team of experts who take their duties seriously. "Safety cannot be compromised. Attempting this task on your own could be very dangerous indeed." Secure what's yours To further prevent unauthorised encampments on property owners' land, SafeSite Security Solutions can provide concrete blocks to stop travellers from returning with vehicles. These blocks are a highly effective deterrent and can be quickly and easily installed. Any vacant buildings are quickly secured by the SafeSite team using industry-standard steel doors and bespoke steel window shields. If it's a commercial building and you're a victim of squatters, you might have to jump through a lot of legal hoops to have your new guests removed. Better to secure any outbuildings at the first opportunity. Hoarding and signs are the best way to keep land safe from future trespasses. SafeSite Security Solutions are experts at erecting timber hoarding that provides a secure barrier around public or private land, keeping out unwanted visitors. The company's hoarding is made from high-quality materials and is constructed to withstand the elements, ensuring that it remains sturdy and effective for as long as needed. Professionals understand the importance of providing a secure environment and take great pride in delivering solutions that achieve peace of mind. Whether it's a temporary or permanent barrier, experts like SafeSite work with landowners to design and install bespoke hoarding. Putting the eye in bye-bye Landowners might also consider CCTV to ensure their land is continuously monitored and the authorities are alerted about encroachments. SafeSite offers perimeter CCTV linked to an Alarm Receiving Centre, whose trained personnel alert the owners and police if anything looks suspicious. Portable CCTV systems offer numerous benefits here. These handy CCTV units can be easily moved when points of attempted entry change, providing strategic, round-the-clock monitoring for land and outbuildings. Such mobile CCTV units are also a good idea when facing travellers because they can be used temporarily until they've been evicted. This allows property owners to monitor the situation without making a long-term, more expensive commitment to a permanent surveillance system. Mr Knibbs says: "These new legislative measures deliver important protections for public and private landowners in addressing illegal travellers. "For help in evicting these unexpected residents, cleaning up after an unauthorised encampment, and installing security measures, trust the professionals." Theres just a few weeks to go until Farm Shop & Deli Show returns to the NEC, Birmingham, opening its doors once more as part of the UK Food & Drink Shows. With the show fast approaching, weve rounded up our top 10 reasons to visit and register ahead of the shows opening on 24 April. Get your free badge here. A Showcase of Innovation Experience a burst of innovation on the Farm Shop & Deli show floor, with a fantastic range of exciting new products set to launch. Among the highlights is Spice N Tice's latest offering, Curries Around the World (Stand R310), which promises authentic and healthy vegan-friendly dinner party meals showcasing delicious curries from various parts of the globe. Or head over to Stand S311, where you can discover Fieldfares Light bites range which is coming to market for the first time. Connect with rising stars and existing suppliers while exploring over 190 innovative products at the Farm Shop & Deli Show, all bearing the 'Innovation' seal of approval. Find out more here. Big Name Exhibitors Expect a vast array of products on display with over 400 exhibitors set to take to the show floor. Cawston Press (Stand T331), Pip & Nut (Stand T362), Cook (Stand S310), Silent Pool Distillery (Stand M289), Godminster (Stand Q279), EcoBags (Stand P281), Love Corn (Stand U348) and The Cape Cornwall Rum Company (Stand Q350), are just a handful of the brands preparing to showcase their wares at the show in April. See the full list of exhibitors here. Unrivalled Expertise The Grocer Live Stage boasts an impressive line-up of industry heavyweights, including Kate Nicholls OBE, Chief Executive at UKHospitality, Will Shu, CEO & Founder of Deliveroo, and Tom Athron, CEO at Fortnum & Mason who will be tackling many of the hot-topic issues facing the sector today. Visitors can also participate in Q&A sessions after each panel discussion, gleaning insights from the speakers' knowledge and asking their own burning questions. See the full line up of speakers and seminars here. Farm Shop & Deli Product Awards For the second consecutive year, the Product Awards return to the Farm Shop & Deli Show, bringing real value to the winning regional food and beverage producers and highlighting industry excellence. This year, the awards will be the biggest yet, with eleven categories to be judged. An esteemed panel of judges will assess sustainability, ethical brand narratives, and provenance of the very best that the UK has to offer. Find out more about the Farm Shop & Deli Product Awards here. Farm Shop & Deli Retailer Awards The Farm Shop & Deli Retailer Awards return with a bang. This exclusive event will assess retailers in twelve categories across nine regions, applauding those who are making a difference by playing their part in sustainable initiatives whilst supporting their customers and suppliers. Join us to crown the winners on The Grocer Live stage on Tuesday 25 April from 3.15pm. Learn more about the Farm Shop & Deli Retailer Awards here. The Grocer Live Programme: Dragons Pantry Ready to witness the ultimate retail test? Watch and learn as brave entrepreneurs meet our fearsomely experienced industry dragons to make their 15-minute pitch. Success could bring a new listing and coverage in The Grocer, while everyone gets invaluable insights into what works in-store (10:00am 11:00am, Tuesday 25 and 2.30pm 3:30pm, Wednesday 26 April). The Grocer Live Programme, Dragons Pantry Workshop: Travel Retail: Would you like to supply your products onto planes, trains and cruises? Have you ever considered the travel sector as a route to market and dont know where to start? Quite often underestimated, this channel is the perfect route to consistent high volumes, advanced engagement and great brand exposure. Learn more from the industry expert, Heerum Fleary, on why planes, trains and cruises should to be on your radar for 2023 and beyond (12:00pm - 12:45pm, Wednesday 26 April). Cutting-Edge Event Technology For the first time, Farm Shop & Deli Show will be offering visitors a unique way to experience the show thanks to its partnership with Sitka which will be supplying advanced technology including indoor show navigation, digital show guides and more. All accessible via smartphone, the technology will revolutionise at-show navigation allowing visitors to make the most of their time on the show floor as well as improving networking opportunities. Co-Located Shows Farm Shop & Deli Show will run alongside Foodex Manufacturing Solutions, National Convenience Show and Food & Drink Expo as part of the UK Food & Drink Shows. The 3-day event is a fantastic opportunity to see what is happening in the industry at-large, with visitors able to take just one day out of the office, kitchen, warehouse or retail site to experience a huge amount of innovation and insight across food development, grocery, manufacturing, specialist retail, wholesale and foodservice at the NEC Birmingham from 24 26 April 2023. Dont take our word for it! Heres what our 2022 visitors had to say... Alison Kaye, director of Eva Bold said: This is one of the biggest shows in the UK to come to. I attended one of the seminars yesterday on latest product trends and it had a really interesting panel. Day 2 and its proving a really great show. Well worthwhile coming! Tom Willday, founder of Willsow added: We have a sensory product and to be able to put it into the hands of retailers and grocery buyers is so important for us. "Being at the show allows us to have old school conversations with important contacts, having a laugh, building a rapport. Its 100 times better than an email! The UK Food & Drink Shows are a product of the award-winning team at William Reed. Register now for free here. Broken world literature: A piece carrying the text of the eleventh tablet of the Epic of Gilgamesh. This copy was created in the seventh century b.c. in Nineveh. Bild: Bridgeman He who saw the Deep, the countrys foundation, he who knew the hidden things, he who was wise in all matters Gilgamesh ..." The beginning of this epic from ancient Mesopotamia is one of the most memorable beginnings of world literature but until 1998, no one knew it. Hardly anything was legible beyond the words Deep, country" and wise." The powerful first lines of the four-thousand-year-old poem about Gilgamesh, the Sumerian king and ruffian in search of immortality, were effectively lost until an American researcher came across a fragment of a cuneiform tablet in the British Museum's stacks, which had been stored there unseen for more than a hundred years. In 2007, another fragment was published and only then was the prologue complete. Ulf von Rauchhaupt Redakteur im Ressort Wissenschaft der Frankfurter Allgemeinen Sonntagszeitung. Folgen Ich folge This is a typical problem of Assyriology, the science of cuneiform texts, especially those written in Akkadian, which has two dialects Assyrian and Babylonian: Virtually no tablet has remained intact, and, in the case of many of them, only small fragments are known, meaninghardly any of these texts have come down to us without gaps. Of the Gilgamesh epic, for example, a good third is still missing today, although its most prominent version has survived in some 75 manuscripts. Yet these are all fragmentary, and they only partially complement each other. However, sometimes they overlap, and this opens up the possibility of assigning fragments to a work. So far, this has been a laborious undertaking whose success depends very much on chance. And although Assyriologists have always dreamed of it, there was not even a comprehensive index of the known fragments. Search mission in the rubble: It is suspected that there are still people in some of the collapsed buildings in Antakya. Bild: Lucas Bauml The peoples anger following the devastating earthquake in Turkey primarily continues to be vented against the state, which is accused of being incompetent and caught off-guard by a disaster of this kind. What is left of the state we are now pulling out from under the rubble," said the leader of the opposition Iyi party, Meral Aksener, visibly upset while he was visiting the disaster area. But the anger of those affected is also increasingly directed against the construction companies, which have often violated the building regulations that have become much stricter over the years, and, consequently, have to be made largely responsible for the high number of deaths. The anger is directed against building contractors such as Servet Atlas, who had completed, among others, the Guclu Bahce housing complex in Hatay only three years ago. His buildings were also among those that did not withstand the quake on Monday. "You can't ask me about the building," he told the daily newspaper Sozcu evasively. "After all, this was an earthquake with the force of an atomic bomb." Many German economists are pursuing highly successful careers in the US but what does Germany get out of that? Bild: Peter von Tresckow Johannes Stroebel knows the answers to questions that are relevant to many Germans. How well have the people who had fled Syria become integrated into German society today? Did Bavaria do a better job than Lower Saxony? And what determines success in this context? Johannes Pennekamp Verantwortlicher Redakteur fur Wirtschaftsberichterstattung. Folgen Ich folge The 37-year-old researcher knows the answers because he was able to use data available on Facebook to find out how many German contacts Syrians now have. His key findings: in rural areas such as in parts of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Lower Saxony social integration works better than in cities. One determinant is the peoples readiness to participate in social integration courses. In areas where those courses are easily available Syrians have actually made more contacts with Germans and learned to speak the German language better. Humanity will find alien life in the next 20 years. Humans are likely to find alien life by 2043 Professor Sasha Hinkley, associate professor of astrophysics at the University of Exeter, believes it is "increasingly likely" that evidence of extraterrestrial life will be discovered by 2043. The scientist argues that devices like NASA's James Webb space telescope are on the brink of spotting 'biosignatures' - atmospheres on exoplanets with gases emitted by living things. Professor Hinkley wrote in an article for The Spectator magazine: "The likelihood of life existing in some form in the universe is quite high. Indeed, I would go as far as to say that it is looking increasingly likely that the detection of life on an exoplanet will happen in my lifetime." However, the boffin warned that the human race may not necessarily have an encounter with little green men. Professor Hinkley added: "To be clear, the detection of life on another planet will not necessarily mean an alien civilisation exists on another planet, nor that we are about to have some form of communication with such lifeforms." Vladimir Putin has built perfect replicas of his Kremlin office in his residencies across Russia. Vladimir Putin has built perfect replicas of his Kremlin office in all of his Russian residencies One of the warmonger's former bodyguards has revealed that the offices have been designed to look the same to confuse possible assassins. Gleb Karakulov, the ex-bodyguard who has defected from Russia, told the anti-Putin media group Dossier Centre: "He has offices in St Petersburg, in Sochi, in Novo-Ogaryovo. They are identical. "This is, firstly, an attempt to confuse foreign intelligence, so that there are no assassination attempts." Karakulov revealed that Putin even sends his motorcade speeding to Sochi airport while he remains in his property overlooking the Black Sea. He said: "It gives the impression he is flying off. They bring the plane, the cortege rides. But in fact, he remains in Sochi." Karakulov explained that Putin is so concerned about being bugged by the West that he refuses to use the internet or a mobile phone and even takes a special box on foreign trips to prevent his secret conversations from being leaked. He said: "I mean, in all my years of service, I haven't seen him once with a mobile phone. "With Putin... he doesn't use the internet or a mobile phone. He only receives information from his closest circle, which means he lives in an information vacuum." Vladimir Putin's health has "worsened" and he is suffering from crippling stomach pains. Vladimir Putin's health has taken a turn for the worse The Russian president is rumoured to be battling a number of health issues and new claims made by the Telegram channel General SVR say that Putin's health took a turn for the worse last weekend. The channel - which has made several unverified claims about the despot's health since the start of the war - said: "Over the weekend, Putin's health worsened. "He practically ate nothing and periodically complained of pain in the abdomen, coming bouts of nausea. "After taking the medicine, for a while, the symptoms disappeared. "Putin, although he spends time at his residence on weekends, is almost constantly in bunker-type premises, fearing possible air strikes." Speculation about the tyrant's health has been fuelled by his bloated look and twitching feet and political analyst Valery Solovey has alleged that Putin is "high on speed" during important meetings as he receives treatment for cancer and neurological issues from Israeli and Chinese doctors. Solovey said: "When he makes public appearances (Putin) is 'high on speed' as young people put it - very strong stimulants. "His eyes are shining, and the brain falls behind (his) tongue." Solovey, who claims to have sources close to the Russian leader, revealed that Putin required intense preparation to be fit for the recent visit of Chinese president Xi Jinping. He said: "Doctors were preparing him for the meeting with Xi Jinping for two or three days. "It was necessary to rest, to receive certain medications to be able to 'last' three or four hours of negotiations and to look convincing." Nigella Lawson has broken her silence over the death of her late Conservative MP dad Nigel Lawson. Nigella Lawson has broken her silence over the death of her late Conservative MP dad Nigel Lawson The 63-year-old TV chef had remained silent after her fathers passing aged 91 was confirmed on Monday (03.04.23), but spoke out on Tuesday to thank fans for their support. She tweeted: Thank you for all your kind messages. And Ill be back on here properly tomorrow. Lord Lawsons political career spanned nearly five decades, with the former chancellor serving in Margaret Thatchers cabinet from 1981 to 1989, and earning himself a reputation as a fearless tax-cutter among contemporary politicians such as the current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Nigella is one of Mr Lawsons six children alongside journalist Dominic Lawson, 66, and the headmaster of Eastbourne College, Tom Lawson. The late politician had Nigella with his fifth wife Vanessa Salmon, who died aged 48 from liver cancer in 1985 when the chef was 25. Lord Lawson represented the old Leicestershire constituency of Blaby from 1974 to 1992, and joined the House of Lords in 1992 before retiring in January. Among the tributes that flooded in as soon as his death was announced was one from Mr Sunak. He said: One of the first things I did as chancellor was hang a picture of Nigel Lawson above my desk. He was a transformational chancellor and an inspiration to me and many others. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed Lord Lawson as a giant who helped millions of British people achieve their dreams through his work on the economy. He said on Twitter: Nigel Lawson was a fearless and original flame of free market Conservatism. He was a tax-cutter and simplifier who helped transform the economic landscape and helped millions of British people achieve their dreams. He was a prophet of Brexit and a lover of continental Europe. He was a giant. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. Foreign Secretary James Cleverley tweeted: Sad news that Nigel Lawson has died. A true statesman. His contributions to this nation will not be forgotten. Tory Chairman Greg Hands praised the late politicians clarity of thinking. Born in Hampstead, North London, on 11 March, 1932, Lord Lawson completed National Service in the Royal Navy before he became a journalist at the Financial Times in 1956, where his son Dominic later worked. He unsuccessfully stood in the 1970 general election for the Eton and Slough seat, before he became an MP for Blaby, central Leicestershire. Rupert Murdoch and Ann Lesley Smith have reportedly called off their engagement. Rupert Murdoch and Ann Lesley Smith have reportedly called off their engagement The 92-year-old media baron proposed to the former dental hygienist, 66, with an 11-carat diamond ring thought valued at up to 2 million last month, but a report on Tuesday (04.04.23) said their marriage plans are now off. A friend close to the couple told the Daily Mail about how Ann had struggled with the idea of spending her life in the spotlight like Rupert: She just could not cope with being in the public eye. She is very private. They sat down and talked yesterday and agreed it was better for them to part. He accepts that he will always be in the public eye and there is nothing he can or would do to change that. Another insider told the publication about how the split was amicable and how Rupert still adores Ann: He admires her, respects her and thinks she is an amazing woman. He loves the fact she is so calm and so strong and she shares his religious convictions. The pair were said to have been planning to marry this summer, but their engagement was reportedly abruptly called off on Tuesday (04.04.23) after they apparently reluctantly came to the mutual decision to split after talks the previous night. The couple had described their romance as a gift from God and the marriage would have been Anns third time down the aisle and Ruperts fifth. Rupert, said to be worth $17 billion, told his newspaper the New York Post about their relationship: I was very nervous. I dreaded falling in love but I knew this would be my last. It better be. Im happy. Breaking the news just seven months after his divorce from fourth wife Jerry Hall, 66, the media titan sad he and his fiancee were looking forward to spending the second half of our lives together. Ann was introduced to Rupert in September 2022 at a wine event at his Moraga vineyard in California when he waited a fortnight before asking to see her again. Tom Daley has become a father for the second time. Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black have had a second son The 28-year-old diver and his husband Dustin Lance Black posted a birth announcement in The Times newspaper, revealing they welcomed Phoenix Rose into the world last week, a brother for five-year-old Robbie. The announcement read: "Black-Daley on 28th March to Thomas Robert Daley and Dustin Lance Black, a son, Phoenix Rose." The couple hadn't announced they were having another child but Tom previously admitted he'd like siblings for his son, though he acknowledged it wasn't an easy process for same-sex couples. He told The Guardian newspaper: "It's not quite as easy as a bottle of wine and a good time. A lot of thought has to go into it. "But absolutely, I'd love more kids." The 'Splash' star has also explained why he and Lance - who married in 2017 - opted to use a surrogate in the US. He said: "We looked into it in the UK and in the US. In the UK it's a lot more complicated because surrogates aren't as well protected legally, intended parents aren't protected legally, it's just not safe, there's a lot of hurdles to have to jump over. "In the US, everything is regulated in a way that keeps everyone safe and in the US the surrogacy process is a lot more streamlined." Tom and Lance both provided sperm to fertilise their surrogates eggs, but didn't want to know which of them was Robbie's biological father. Tom told The Times in 2020: "We found an egg donor and we are the sperm donors, we have fertilised half the eggs each. "We put in a boy embryo and a girl embryo and we don't know whose is whose. The next time we will do it the other way around." Cambodia's economy is projected to grow by 5.4 per cent in 2023, following an estimated 5.1 per cent growth in 2022, according to a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Manufacturing played a crucial role in the country's recovery. Cambodia's economy is expected to grow 0.8 per cent higher than the average growth rate of the real gross domestic product (GDP) among the member states of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN), which is forecast at 4.6 per cent in 2023. Furthermore, the country's GDP growth will increase to 5.9 per cent in 2024, OECDs Economic Outlook for Southeast Asia, China and India projected. Cambodia's economy is set to grow by 5.4 per cent in 2023, following an estimated 5.1 per cent growth in 2022, due to a recovery in manufacturing. OECD's report states that de-dollarising the economy efforts are ongoing, and Cambodia's economy is expected to grow 0.8 per cent higher than the average ASEAN GDP growth rate, projected at 4.6 per cent in 2023. Efforts to de-dollarise the economy are also underway, Cambodian media reports said quoting the report. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DP) In February 2023, German exports were up by 4.0 per cent month-on-month (MoM) and imports by 4.6 per cent MoM on a calendar and seasonally adjusted basis. While exports increased by 7.6 per cent, imports jumped by 3.8 per cent on a year-on-year (YoY) basis. After calendar and seasonal adjustment, Germany exported goods to the total value of 136.7 billion and imported goods to the value of 120.7 billion in February 2023. The foreign trade balance showed a surplus of 16.0 billion in February 2023. The calendar and seasonally adjusted surplus of the foreign trade balance had also been 16.0 billion in January 2023, in February 2022 it had totalled 10.7 billion, according to provisional data by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). Germany's exports increased by 4.0 per cent month-on-month (MoM) while imports increased by 4.6 per cent MoM on a seasonally adjusted basis in February 2023. The country exported goods worth around 136.7 billion and imported goods with a value of 120.7 billion. Germany's foreign trade balance recorded a surplus of 16.0 billion in February. On a calendar and seasonally adjusted basis, Germany exported goods to the value of 73.9 billion to the member states of the European Union (EU), while it imported goods to the value of 62.8 billion from the same countries in February 2023. Compared with January 2023, calendar and seasonally adjusted exports to EU countries rose by 2.0 per cent and imports from those countries by 5.1 per cent. The value of the goods exported to euro area countries in February 2023 totalled 52.2 billion at 1.6 per cent and the value of the goods imported from there was 41.7 billion at 3.3 per cent. In February 2023, goods to the value of 21.7 billion2.9 per centwere exported to EU countries not belonging to the euro area, while the value of the goods imported from those countries was 21.1 billion at 8.8 per cent, on a calendar and seasonally adjusted basis. Exports of goods to countries outside the EU (third countries) amounted to 62.8 billion in February 2023, while imports from those countries totalled 57.9 billion on a calendar and seasonally adjusted basis. Compared with January 2023, exports to third countries increased by 6.6 per cent and imports from those countries by 4.0 per cent, Destatis said. Most German exports went to the US in February 2023, with goods exports up 9.4 per cent on January 2023 after seasonal and calendar adjustment. Exports to the US thus rose to 14.0 billion. Exports to China increased by 10.2 per cent to 8.5 billion and exports to the UK by 2.5 per cent to 6.3 billion. Most imports came from China in February 2023. Goods to the value of 13.6 billion were imported from there, which was a 6.7 per cent increase compared with the previous month, after calendar and seasonal adjustment. Imports from the US were down 8.7 per cent to 7.6 billion. Imports from the UK dropped by 4.0 per cent to 3.1 billion in the same period. Exports to Russia declined a calendar and seasonally adjusted 14.3 per cent to 0.9 billion in February 2023 compared with January 2023 and dropped 59.9 per cent from February 2022. Imports from Russia fell 67.2 per cent to 0.3 billion in February 2023 from January 2023. Germany exported goods to the value of 132.3 billion and imported goods to the value of 115.4 billion on a nominal basis (not adjusted for calendar or seasonal effects) in February 2023. Compared with February 2022, exports increased by 6.3 per cent and imports by 2.6 per cent in February 2023. The unadjusted foreign trade balance showed a surplus of 16.9 billion in February 2023. In February 2022, the surplus had been 12.1 billion. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NB) According to his complaint, Sanjay stated that Adipurush is based on the biography of Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram from the religious book Ramcharitmanas. He alleged that the new poster of the film shows Lord Ram in a costume contrary to the natural spirit and nature of Ramcharitmanas. According to the report by a leading news agency, the complainant further asserts that none of the Ramayana's characters is wearing the Janeu, a garment with special significance in Hindu Sanatana Dharma. An FIR has been filed under Sections 295 (A), 298, 500, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. A brand-new Adipurush poster, starring Prabhas, Kriti Sanon, Sunny Singh, and Devdatta Nage, was revealed by the movie's makers on March 30, the auspicious day of Ram Navami. The film also stars Saif Ali Khan and is directed by Om Raut. The film is scheduled for a theatrical release on June 16. See Also: Kriti Sanon, Prabhas starrer Adipurush to start the promotional campaign from Ram Navami The complaint has been filed by Sanjay Dinanath Tiwari, who describes himself as a preacher of Sanatan Dharma, at Mumbai's Sakinaka police station through Mumbai High Court Advocates - Ashish Rai and Pankaj MishraAccording to his complaint, Sanjay stated that Adipurush is based on the biography of Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram from the religious book Ramcharitmanas. He alleged that the new poster of the film shows Lord Ram in a costume contrary to the natural spirit and nature of Ramcharitmanas.According to the report by a leading news agency, the complainant further asserts that none of the Ramayana's characters is wearing the Janeu, a garment with special significance in Hindu Sanatana Dharma. An FIR has been filed under Sections 295 (A), 298, 500, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.A brand-new Adipurush poster, starring Prabhas, Kriti Sanon, Sunny Singh, and Devdatta Nage, was revealed by the movie's makers on March 30, the auspicious day of Ram Navami. The film also stars Saif Ali Khan and is directed by Om Raut. The film is scheduled for a theatrical release on June 16. Adipurush, starring Prabhas and Kriti Sanon, released a brand-new poster on the occasion of Ram Navami, kicking off the film's promotional campaign after getting harsh criticism for its teaser last year. However, new issues have arisen for the Adipurush team as a complaint has been made against the director and producer.As per reports, the FIR has been filed regarding the new poster for hurting the religious sentiments of people by depicting a figure from Hindu mythology inappropriately. Kalidas Jayaram has gone to Taiwan to act in Kamal Haasan's Indian 2 directed by Shankar. Indian is a 1996 film directed by Shankar and starring Kamal Haasan. It became a mega blockbuster centered around the Indian freedom struggle and the fight against bribery. After this, the second part of the film was planned to be made after many years. Accordingly Indian 2 film was started. Lyca came into production. The first look of the film was released and the shooting started in 2019, but due to some problems, the shooting was stopped. After that, the shooting started again in 2020 in full swing. A crane collapsed and an accident occurred during the hectic shooting that started in 2020. Three people, including Shankar's assistant directors, died tragically in this accident. The shooting was halted again amid much controversy and Indian 2 was shelved for the past two years. Due to this, many people thought that the movie Indian 2 was mostly abandoned. Kamal Haasan also acted in Vikram and gave a mega hit. Due to this, it was said by many that Indian 2 will definitely not be relaunched. In such a situation, Red Giant also came forward to produce Indian 2 in collaboration with Lyca. After this, the shooting of Indian 2 started again in last year September. Shooting took place briskly in places like Chennai, Hyderabad, Tirupati. Also photos of Kamal Haasan on the shooting spot with Indian 2 stuntmen were released. It is said that Shankar is planning to release Indian 2 for Diwali and has accelerated the shooting for it. In this context, the shooting of Indian 2 is currently underway in Taiwan. Kamal Haasan, Shankar and others have gone to Taiwan for this. Meanwhile, Kalidas Jayaram, who played Kamal Haasan's son in Vikram, has joined the shooting of Indian 2. He has also shared a photo of himself with Shankar from Taiwan on his Instagram page. Mahira Sharma Paras Chhabra Breakup Reason According to a report in a leading daily, Paras and Mahira parted ways after a 'prolonged series of fights'. Mahira Sharma decided to end their relationship after her fights with the Vighnaharta Ganesha actor, almost a month back. The two celebs were staying together in the same building in Chandigarh, the report added. However, Mahira has now shifted base to Mumbai. Mahira Sharma 'Extremely Hurt' With Breakup Mahira Sharma, who has worked in shows like Naagin 3 and Kundali Bhagya, is not 'dealing well with the breakup', the report further said. A source close to her told the daily that the actress 'is extremely hurt'. However, she has moved on and is focusing on her career. Paras Chhabra Breaks Silence On Breakup Rumours Paras Chhabra, in an interaction with Hindustan Times, reacted to the rumours about his breakup with Mahira Sharma. He maintained that he was never in a relationship with Mahira, adding there's no question of a breakup. The actor said that he is still friends with Sharma, saying that were not dating each other. "Humara koi relation tha hi nahi jo break up hoga. We are still friends," the Splitsvilla 5 winner was quoted as saying by HT. Rakhi Sawant trolled: Drama queen Rakhi Sawant has become a pro at grabbing eyeballs with her atrocious antics. Her weird activities in real life and on social media get her huge attention as she manages to stay relevant amongst people. She was in the news after she lodged an FIR against her husband, Adil Khan Durrani, claiming an extramarital affair, theft, and domestic violence. Let us tell you, Rakhi's husband, Adil, is in jail in Mysore on charges of rape. In the meantime, Rakhi, who gets papped in the city every day, has been seen multiple times wearing a burqa and claiming that she has accepted Islam and is also following the religion. But on Wednesday, the dance-actress got brutally schooled by netizens for performing namaz the wrong way. RAKHI SAWANT DOES NAMAZ IN THE WRONG WAYS The Bigg Boss favourite took to her Instagram account to share a video of herself performing namaz as the holy month of Ramadan is ongoing. She is seen wearing short leggings above the ankle and has also applied nail paint, which has left many Muslims offended on the internet. She has also used a yoga mat and didn't even follow all the rules while offering the prayers. Though many appreciate her for trying it, several netizens were displeased with her outfit and said that she was just making a mockery of their religion. Check out the video here:- 'Itna Late Kyun Bol Rahi Hai: Rakhi Sawant Calls Out 'Friend Priyanka Chopra For Her 'Cornered Remark NETIZENS SCHOOLED FOR WEARING INDECENT CLOTHES WHILE PERFORMING NAMAZ Rakhi Sawant's outfit irked many Muslims online who believe that one should cover their entire body while offering prayers during namaz. Several of them took to the comment section and trolled her brutally. One said, "Namaj pad hi rahe ho to pura badan kavar karke padlo." Another person added, "She is not praying salah/namaz, com'on you guys.. she is just pretending to get famous thats it. It's all fake." One comment read, "Namaz me nail polish Nahi Laga sakte ibadath Dil se karo Nek irade show off ke liye kahi b kisi b yoga mat par Nahi." Rakhi Sawant accepted Islam and changed her name to Fatima after her secret marriage to Adil Khan Durrani in 2022. However, even after separation, she is following the religion and recently told paps that she is learning how to offer namaz. Unke Jo Dushman Hai..: Rakhi Sawant Gives Befitting Reply To Salman Khan Naysayers Sending Death Threats Paras, Mahira Breakup Reason According to a report in a leading daily, Mahira decided to end her relationship after she had a prolonged series of fights with Paras, almost a month back. The duo failed to resolve their differences and opted to part ways. As they never made their relationship official, they have refrained from commenting on the matter. Paras, Mahira Were Staying Together In Same Building? One of Sharma's close friends told Hindustan Times, "They were staying together or staying in the same building in Chandigarh. She hasn't spoken about the reason behind the split, but she is doing well. She is focusing back on her work." Mahira Sharma 'Extremely Hurt' With Breakup A source told the daily that Mahira Sharma is not 'dealling well' with the split. She is said to be 'extremely hurt' following her breakup with Paras Chhabra. The Naagin 3 actress has shifted base to Mumbai, leaving her rumoured boyfriend. It is being also said that Paras has also returned to Mumbai following their separation. Paras Chhabra-Mahira Sharma Love Story Love blossomed for the two when they participated in Bigg Boss 13. Paras had a liking for Mahira Sharma, who took her time to form a bond with him. Once they became close friends in the show, they continued to support each other till her mid-week eviction. Paras and Mahira started dating after they came out of the BB 13 house. They even appeared together in several music videos, creating ripples with their sizzling chemistry. On The Work Front Mahira Sharma, who has worked in shows like Kundali Bhagya and Naagin 3, will be next seen in a Punjabi film titled Lehmberginni. She also has a couple of other exciting projects in her kitty. Talking about Paras Chhabra, he was last seen in the music video 'Kashmiri Apple'. Sheezan Khan's family is currently cherishing some happy moments as the Ali Baba actor returned home after getting bail in the Tunisha Sharma suicide case. Sheezan's sisters, Falaq and Shafaqq, strongly supported him when he was in jail. For the unversed, Sheezan Khan was arrested on charges of abetment of suicide of Ali Baba lead actress, Tunisha Sharma. Tunisha committed suicide on the sets of the serial in December 2022. He was released on bail on March 4. SHAFAQQ NAAZ ENGAGEMENT Now as per the latest buzz, Sheezan's sister Shafaqq is all set to get exchanged. The engagement will take place this month. A source close to the actor confirmed the news to Hindustan Times. The source was quoted as saying, "its an arrange- turned- love marriage": "Yes, she is getting engaged. They are currently deciding the date and the venue. Everything happened on such short notice. Everyone's happy with it and hopes everything works out fine." The source even revealed that Shafaqq's to-be-fiance doesn't "belong to the industry." They added, "His family is very wary of the media. So they don't really wish to get the limelight." SHAFAQQ NAAZ FIANCE Reports also say that Shafaqq and her soon-to-be fiance are dating each other "for almost two-and-a-half years". The said boy is a businessman from Muscat (Oman). Shafaqq, however, is yet to respond to the rumors. Meanwhile, Shafaqq shared a family picture after Sheezan was out on bail. Through the post, she thanked all those who stood by their side when her brother was in jail. She wrote, "Shukaran sukoon, Thank you each and everyone who supported us and prayed for us." Meanwhile, on the work front, Shafaqq has appeared in several shows including, SAB Tv's popular show, Chidiya Ghar, and as Kunti in Star Plus 2013 show, Mahabharat, among others. Mahira Sharma Paras Chhabra Breakup Reason Mahira Sharma and Paras Chhabra's breakup has become the talk of the town. The duo, who never officially confirmed their relationship, is said to have parted ways after dating for three years. According to a report in Hindustan Times, Mahira Sharma decided to end their relationship after she had a prolonger series of fight with his Bigg Boss 13 co-contestant. The two rumoured lovebirds have been together since the time they stepped out from the Bigg Boss 13 house. Abdu Rozik's Height Increases Abdu Rozik, who was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency during childhood, shared a post to inform his fans about the increase in his height. "Can you see a difference?? Doctors told us that I would not grow and that I have 0 percent growth hormone. Allhamdulillah a miracle, with all your love, support and prayers I'm growing (sic)," he wrote on his Instagram handle. Abdu became a household name in India after participating in Bigg Boss 16. Priyanka Choudhary Reacts To Junooniyatt Promo Ankit Gupta's Junooniyatt has been making waves ever since the show went on air on Colors channel. The musical drama co-starring Gautam Vig and Neha Rana has been churning out drama-packed episodes. As Colors channel released a new promo of Junooniyatt on Instagram, Priyanka Choudhary liked the post. Earlier, the Bigg Boss 16 second runner-up jammed to the title track of the daily soap. Ankit and Priyanka were recently seen in the music video Kuch Itne Haseen. Karan Kundrra's Cryptic Tweet Karan Kundrra set several tongues wagging when she shared a cryptic post on Wednesday afternoon. He tweeted, "Lol silence in the studio' gang ke pet mein bohot dard ho rai hogi aaj." While the Tere Ishq Mein Ghayal actor didn't explain things in his post, we were able to decode the meaning behind it. Remember when Tejasswi Prakash won Bigg Boss 15, celebrities including Gauahar Khan, Kamya Panjabi and Anita Hassanandani shared posts, questioning her victory and asking why Pratik Sehajpal didn't win the show. Well, it seems Karan took a dig at such celebs after Tejasswi bagged a new Marathi film, which will release on April 14, 2023. The Naagin 6 actress is currently busy promoting the flick along with Rohit Shetty. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 4, 2023 / Gold Terra Resource Corp. (TSXV:YGT)(Frankfurt:TX0)(OTCQX:YGTFF) ("Gold Terra" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has signed a binding letter of agreement pursuant to which it has granted until April 30, 2023 the exclusivity rights to Midas Minerals Limited (ASX: MM1) ("Midas Minerals") to enter into a definitive option agreement with Gold Terra (the "Definitive Agreement"). The Definitive Agreement, among other things, will provide that Midas Minerals can earn up to an 80% participating interest in two stages for only the "Critical Minerals" (pegmatite hosted lithium, tantalum and tin (LI, TA, SN), Lithium-cesium-tantalum (LCT), and rare earths or other rare earth deposits) contained within the Quyta-Bell and Eastbelt blocks totaling 544.7 square kilometres on the Company's 100% owned Yellowknife property holdings excluding the potential gold belt area. Chairman and CEO, Gerald Panneton, commented, "We are pleased to partner with Midas Minerals, a company with great expertise on lithium and critical minerals exploration. Our large Yellowknife land holdings have tremendous exploration potential for critical minerals in addition to the prolific abundance of gold that the Yellowknife gold district is known for. The deal allows us to continue with our focus on gold exploration in the gold belt area along the Campbell shear while keeping our exposure to the potential for critical minerals discovery at no cost to Gold Terra until a positive bankable feasibility study is completed. The Lithium prospective area is to the East and completely outside our main gold target, the Campbell Shear Gold corridor. In essence, this is a partnering that is expected to bring value to both companies and their shareholders." Highlights Gold Terra is to receive up to C$ 1.2 million over 3 years, 2.20 million shares of Midas, and retain a 1% Gross Revenue Royalty (GRR) after the 51% earn in. Midas Minerals has exclusivity to earn 51% interest in the first 3 years, and up to another 29% interest over the next following 2 years for up to 80% interest in the Critical Minerals rights over a 544.7 square kilometre portion of the Company's Yellowknife property (YP) rights over a 544.7 square kilometre portion of the Company's Yellowknife property (YP) The Yellowknife Lithium Project (YLP) is located East and North in close proximity to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. More than 100 LCT pegmatites are known in the region, including historic references to lithium and tantalum occurrences within the YLP tenure. Midas Minerals plans to commence exploration at YLP in June 2023 and expects to have initial drill targets identified by August 2023. Definitive Option Agreement To earn a 51% participating interest, over a period that ends on September 30, 2026, Midas Minerals must pay to the Company the sum of $1.2 million in cash, must deliver to the Company approximately $300,000 worth of common shares of Midas Minerals, must incur exploration expenditures of $5.0 million and must grant Gold Terra a 1% gross revenue royalty on the basis of 100% production of Critical Minerals. Midas Minerals may purchase one-half of the 1% gross revenue royalty (in whole but not in part) for the sum of $5.0 million. Out of the foregoing earn-in requirements, Midas Minerals is committed to pay $100,000 in cash (already paid), issue the Midas Minerals common shares for total value of $300,000, and must incur exploration expenditures of $250,000, on or before September 30, 2023, with the remainder of the earn-in requirements being optional. If Midas Minerals exercises the option to earn a 51% participating interest, then Midas Minerals can elect to earn an additional 29% participating interest by incurring by no later than September 30, 2028, an additional $5.0 million in exploration expenditures. If Midas Minerals does not elect to earn the additional 29% participating interest (after having earned the 51% participating interest), then Midas Minerals must transfer a 2% participating interest to Gold Terra (so that the participating interests between Gold Terra and Midas Minerals will be 51%/49%). Gold Terra and Midas Minerals will form a Critical Minerals joint venture upon the exercise by Midas Minerals of the first option (to acquire the 51% participating interest). If Midas Minerals earns the 80% participating interest, the interest of Gold Terra in the Critical Minerals joint venture will be fully carried until the Critical Minerals joint venture has approved a bankable feasibility study for the development of a Critical Minerals project on any part of the Quyta-Bell and Eastbelt Block of Gold Terra's holdings in Yellowknife, NWT. The execution and delivery of the Definitive Agreement is subject to standard conditions precedent, including without limitation, the receipt by Gold Terra and Midas Minerals of all requisite regulatory and stock exchange approvals and third party consents, approvals and waivers. Additionally, the Definitive Agreement, the joint venture agreement and the gross revenue royalty agreement must be negotiated by the parties and must be mutually acceptable to Gold Terra and Midas Minerals. Project Area The Yellowknife Lithium Project (YLP) comprises the two adjoining Quyta-Bell and Eastbelt blocks for a total of 544.7 square kilometres: Eastbelt - Located 4 kilometres east to 30 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife and totalling approximately 173 square kilometres. The Eastbelt block lies adjacent to the Bluefish hydroelectric power station, and road access is reasonable. The Eastbelt block is also subject to an underlying royalty agreement with Osisko Royalties which has an option to purchase up to a 3% NSR. Quyta-Bell - Located 30 kilometres to 60 kilometres north of Yellowknife and totalling approximately 371 square kilometres. The Quyta-Bell tenements cover a larger underexplored area with favourable geology for both gold and lithium. The YLP area is shown in Figure 1 below. Both areas have been covered by detailed airborne magnetics and radiometrics, LiDAR and high-resolution aerial imagery providing a foundation defining initial lithium exploration targets. Figure 1 - Location Map Geological Setting and Lithium Mineralization The Yellowknife LCT pegmatite field is situated in the southern part of the Slave Craton and hosted in metamorphosed turbiditic sediments of the Archean age Burwash Formation (ca. 2650-2661 Ma). A number of granitoid bodies intrude the Burwash including the predominately S-type granites of the 2592-2596 Ma Prosperous Lake plutonic suite. There are at least 15 separate intrusions of the fertile Prosperous Lake suite, six of which occur on or adjacent to the YLP. A large number of LCT pegmatites have been recorded in the Yellowknife LCT pegmatite field particularly in the south, in areas with better access during the 1940s and 1950s, when demand for tantalum was high. Spodumene is a common constituent of many of the LCT pegmatites. Spodumene and tantalum pegmatites have been recorded on the Eastbelt section of the YLP at the western extent of the western end of the Cassidy - Big North pegmatite swarm however records are very limited. Odin B (Tom Li) is a spodumene, tantalum pegmatite, Odin A is reported as a tantalum pegmatite. The Prosperous tantalum and Cassidy lithium pegmatite localities have been recorded by the NWT Geoscience showing database, but no records on the mineralogy have been located. The southern extent of Nite pegmatite located on the neighbouring property is within 500m of the YLP boundary. The Nite pegmatite extends for at least 880m and is on average 9m wide in trenching, the pegmatite appears to contain spodumene. Large pegmatite swarms have been noted in the Quyta-Bell section of the YLP related to Prosperous Lake intrusions however there are no records on the mineralogy of the swarms. Qualified Person Joe Campbell, P. Geo., Senior Technical Advisor for Gold Terra, is a Qualified Person within the meaning of NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. About Gold Terra The Yellowknife Project (YP) encompasses 800 square kilometers of contiguous land immediately north, south and east of the City of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories. Through a series of acquisitions, Gold Terra controls one of the six major high-grade gold camps in Canada. Being within 10 kilometers of the City of Yellowknife, the YP project is close to vital infrastructure, including all-season roads, air transportation, service providers, hydro-electric power, and skilled tradespeople. Gold Terra is focusing its exploration activities on the prolific Campbell shear, where 14 million ounces of gold has been produced, and most recently on the CMO property claims immediately south of the past producing Con Mine (1938-2003). The YP project lies on the prolific Yellowknife greenstone belt, covering nearly 70 kilometers of strike length along the main mineralized shear system that host the former-producing high-grade Con and Giant gold mines. The Company's exploration programs have successfully identified significant zones of gold mineralization and multiple targets that remain to be tested which reinforces the Company's objective of re-establishing Yellowknife as one of the premier gold mining districts in Canada. About Midas Minerals Midas Minerals is a junior mineral exploration company with a primary focus on lithium and gold. Midas Minerals' Board and management has a strong track record of delivering value for shareholders through mineral discoveries and mine development and growing microcap explorers into successful ASX100-ASX300 companies. The Company has three projects located in Western Australia, as well as the Greenbush Project in Ontario, Canada. Newington Lithium-Gold Project: located at the north end of the Southern Cross and Westonia greenstone belts, prospective for lithium and gold. Exploration in 2022 has outlined anomalous lithium and LCT indicator elements over at least 20km strike. Weebo Gold Project: Located within the Yandal greenstone belt between the Thunderbox and Bronzewing gold mines, prospective for gold and nickel. Drilling in 2022 intercepted significant gold mineralization on several prospects. Challa Gold, Nickel-Copper-PGE Project: A number of significant PGE and gold-copper exploration targets have been defined and drilling is expected to commence in 2023. Greenbush Lithium Project: located proximal to infrastructure, with little outcrop and no historic drilling. A 15 metre by 30 metre spodumene bearing pegmatite outcrop was discovered in 1955 on the northeast shore of a lake and sampled by the Ontario Geological Survey (OGS) in 1965. Visit our website at www.goldterracorp.com. For more information, please contact: Gerald Panneton, Chairman & CEO gpanneton@goldterracorp.com Mara Strazdins, Manager of Investor Relations Phone: 1-778-897-1590 | 604-689-1749 ext 102 strazdins@goldterracorp.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements made and information contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation ("forward-looking information"). Generally, this forward-looking information can, but not always, be identified by use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events, conditions or results "will", "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotations thereof. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information regarding the Company's large Yellowknife land holdings having tremendous potential for critical minerals exploration in addition to the prolific abundance of gold that the Yellowknife gold district is known for, the deal allowing the Company to continue with its focus on gold exploration in the gold belt area along the Campbell shear while keeping the Company's exposure to the potential for critical minerals discovery at not cost to the Company until a positive bankable feasibility study is completed, the deal expected to bring value to both companies and their shareholders; the potential for Midas Minerals to earn a participating interest in the Critical Minerals contained within the Eastern and Northern Parts of the Company's YCG Project; the entering into of the Definitive Agreement being subject to standard conditions precedent; the Definitive Agreement, the joint venture agreement and the gross revenue royalty agreement being subject to negotiation by the parties; and the Company's objective of re-establishing Yellowknife as one of the premier gold mining districts in Canada. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as the Company's actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information as a result of the factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section in the Company's most recent MD&A and annual information form available under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that would cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on information available to the Company as of the date of this news release. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. All of the forward-looking information contained in this news release is qualified by these cautionary statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information due to the inherent uncertainty thereof. Except as required under applicable securities legislation and regulations applicable to the Company, the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information. SOURCE: Gold Terra Resource Corp View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/747635/Gold-Terra-Partnering-with-Midas-Minerals-Limited-Solely-on-the-Rights-for-Lithium-and-Rare-Earth-Minerals-Covering-5447-Square-Kilometres-of-Its-Yellowknife-Property-Northwest-Territories-Canada San Diego, California--(Newsfile Corp. - April 4, 2023) - Direct Communication Solutions, Inc. (OTCQX: DCSXD) (CSE: DCSI) (FSE: 7QU0) ("DCS" or the "Company"), a leading provider of information technology solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT) market, is excited to announce the addition of two new board members with extensive experience in the IoT industry. On March 20, 2023, Mr. John Hubler and Mr. Michael Ueland were appointed to the DCS board of directors. "We are excited to have Mr. Hubler and Mr. Ueland bring their extensive experience and knowledge in the IoT market to the DCS board of directors," said Chris Bursey, CEO of Direct Communication Solutions. "The appointment of John and Michael provide key industry insight to the IoT market and strengthen our board of directors with industry veterans. I look forward to working with our strong board of directors as we execute on our growth strategy in the IoT market." Mr. Hubler is currently a partner in BH IoT Group, LLC, a consultancy firm providing companies across all industries and verticals with IoT go-to-market strategy and execution services. He has held this position since January 2019. Previously, Mr. Hubler was a partner in 151 Advisors, LLC, another IoT consultancy firm, from December 2015 to December 2018. In addition, Mr. Hubler was previously a director of the Company from February 2020 to July 2022. Mr. Hubler has held senior sales and management positions with T-Mobile, Verizon and RACO Wireless. Mr. Ueland is currently the Chief Revenue Officer of Cognosos, Inc., a software company specializing in wireless sensor transmitters. From October 2016 to August 2021, Mr. Ueland was President IoT Products and Services of Digi International, Inc., a global provider of business and mission critical IoT products, services and solutions. Mr. Ueland has held senior sales and management positions with Telit Wirless and Motorola. About DCS DCS is a technology solutions integrator focusing on connecting the Internet of Things. We provide real solutions that solve real problems. Our software applications and scalable cloud services collect and assess business-critical data from all types of assets. DCS is headquartered in San Diego, California and is publicly traded on the OTCQX ("DCSXD"), Canadian Securities Exchange ("DCSI") and Frankfurt Stock Exchange ("7QU0"). For more information, visit www.dcsbusiness.com. DCS and the DCS logo are among the trademarks of DCS in the United States. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners. Contacts Bill Espley, Director billespley@gmail.com 604-630-3072 Chris Bursey, CEO cbursey@dcsbusiness.com 858-525-2483 Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements reflecting management's current views of future events and operations. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause results to differ materially. We believe that these potential risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Company's dependence on third-party manufacturers, suppliers, technologies and infrastructure; risks related to intellectual property; industry risks, including competition, online security, government regulation and global economic conditions; and the Company's financial position and need for additional funding, Statements in this release should be evaluated in light of these factors. These risk factors and other important factors that could affect our business and financial results are discussed in our Management's Discussion and Analysis, periodic reports and other public filings available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and posted with the OTC Disclosure and News Service. DCS undertakes no duty to update or revise any forward-looking statements. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161324 SINGAPORE, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- FutureGrail, the premier investment advisory firm for high-end watches, announces the grand opening of its new location in Singapore on April 26th. The firm will also launch the world's first online Fractionalised Auction of investment-grade fine timepieces in April, as well as a Watch Museum displaying over 200 ultra-rare vintage Patek Philippe and other historical timepieces from the 19th and 20th centuries. FutureGrail was started by renowned watch collector and investor Ali Nael and business partner Mohsin Rizvi. The company also recently welcomed the renowned horology historian Arnaud Tellier, as Head of Curation. Tellier was head of the Patek Philippe Museum for eleven years and brings his unparalleled expertise and experience to FutureGrail. The company offers expert advice and guidance to watch collectors and investors interested in this new and increasingly popular alternative asset class to help them make informed decisions when collecting, buying and selling. They will pioneer the world's first all-online auction of high-end timepieces with both traditional and on-chain fractionalised watches. (See Appendix 1 for more details on fractionalised auctions.) FutureGrail is proud to unveil its highly anticipated Watch Museum, featuring one of the world's rarest collections of watches and artefacts. Housing over 200 rare and historically significant timepieces dating back to the early 1800's, the Museum offers a unique opportunity to explore the fascinating history and evolution of high-end watches. The exhibit is open to the public by appointment, providing visitors with an immersive and luxurious setting to inspire and deepen their knowledge of horology. In addition to the permanent display, the Museum and gallery will also host thematic exhibitions and regular events for watch collectors, connoisseurs, and businesses. FutureGrail's headquarters also includes a tax-free storage facility, designed to accommodate and safeguard the world's rarest collections. The vault's value-added services cater to the needs of collectors and investors at every stage of their collecting journey, from acquisition to exit. FutureGrail's facility boasts unparalleled security measures provided by both FutureGrail and global security experts Malca-Amit. Clients can rest assured that their collections are in safe hands with round-the-clock surveillance, advanced access controls, and full insurance coverage. To celebrate the occasion, the company is hosting a three-day launch event from April 26-28. The event will commence with an exclusive VIP and Media Day, featuring a guided tour of the facility and watch museum, informative talks on the investment landscape for high-end watches, and an after-party to top off the celebrations. The following two days will be open to the public via online registration, with tours and talks scheduled throughout the day, and a cocktail reception in the evening. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the rare collection of timepieces on display, interact with industry experts, and discover FutureGrail's innovative suite of solutions. Those interested in attending can register to visit the facility and museum online at https://www.futuregrail.com/. Download Images here Issued for and by Bless Inc Asia Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2045211/image_5027682_35988813.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2045212/image_5027682_35988941.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2045213/Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/watch-investment-advisory-firm-futuregrail-set-to-open-in-singapore-this-april-hosting-worlds-first-online-fractionalised-auction-of-high-end-watches-museum-of-rare-timepieces-and-tax-free-storage-vaults-301789440.html Following Guangzhou, KCG will bring the exhibition to Wuhan, Hong Kong, Paris and other global cities to share this celebration of Chinese Savoir-Faire. Guangzhou, China--(Newsfile Corp. - April 4, 2023) - K11 Craft & Guild Foundation (KCG), the renowned Hong Kong based charity for arts and culture, is delighted to announce the start of its Voyage de Savoir-Faire exhibition at K11 Art Mall in Guangzhou. The exhibition is the second stop on its world tour. The Voyage de Savoir-Faire exhibition is a celebration of craftsmanship and the beauty of traditional techniques in creating gilt-decorated lacquer. The exhibition explores the cultural and artistic zenith of "The Time When East Meets West" alongside a diverse range of exquisite crafts from old and contemporary China showcased in a new and unique digital light, running from 30 March to 25 June. Voyage de Savoir-Faire: K11's first immersive digital exhibition on Chinese craftsmanship. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/161345_3b459c5204505b0d_001full.jpg Curated to examine a period in history where Chinoiserie fascinated a European audience, Voyage de Savoir-Faire presents breathtaking traditional and contemporary craft seen as never before, using innovative technology to invoke an artistic magic from the past that lives on to this day. Visitors to the exhibition can expect to see a collection of 14 unique antiquities, each one intricately crafted by skilled artisans using time-honored skills. Visitors will embark on a cultural journey to witness the far-reaching global influence of Chinese craft and culture. With 14 sets of intricately detailed gilt-decorated lacquer antiquities collected by the Foundation thoughtfully positioned among vivid contemporary digital displays, the exhibition recreates a whimsical, imaginative world of gold-gilt black lacquer craftsmanship for viewers, transcending time and space. KCG was founded in 2018, in the hope of conserving and rejuvenating the intangible cultural heritage and creating it as a shared value in society. By showcasing historical treasures and the masterpieces of contemporary artists, KCG encourage young people to explore their own historical and cultural roots, enhance their creativity and expand their horizons to help the development of creative industries and showcase the new power of Chinese culture on the world stage. Dating back to the early Warring States period and earlier, the craftsmanship of gilt-decorated lacquer has been passed down from generation to generation. By gaining a deeper understanding of this unique Chinese craft, viewers are able to enjoy a deeper level of appreciation when studying these works, as well as other associated crafts and traditions. In addition to the antiquities themselves, the exhibition also provides an opportunity to learn about the cultural significance and history behind each piece. The Reve recreates the whimsical experience of "imaginary touring" through an immersive, multi-sensory experience To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/161345_3b459c5204505b0d_002full.jpg To create Voyage de Savoir-Faire, contemporary artists and artisans joined hands to present a modern perspective on a thousand-year tradition. The exhibition also serves as a way to conserve and rejuvenate this unique and fast-disappearing Chinese craftsmanship. Winning the admiration of European royalty, including wealthy collectors like Queen Marie Antoinette of France, Chinese lacquerware rose to great popularity beginning in the late 17th century. So great was the demand for these beautiful works that the Palace of Versailles employed craftsmen specifically to produce lacquerware in the Chinese style. Across five exhibition areas, Voyage de Savoir-Faire takes viewers taken back in time. In Derive, the birth story of Chinese traditional gilt-decorated lacquer is told and the journey of exploration into "The Time When East Meets West" begins. In Voyage, we see the start of trans-continental shipping and the ancient worlds of China's Kangxi, the "Light of Asia" and Louis XIV, the "Sun King" intersect. The Reve recreates the whimsical experience of "imaginary touring" through an immersive, multi-sensory experience, perfectly presenting exquisite lacquer craftsmanship in the oriental aesthetic. Here, the essence of enjoying the fruits of the craft is reimagined through the experience of simply sitting or lying within this enchanting space. Gilt-decorated black lacquer artworks by contemporary artist Vincent Cazeneuve To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/161345_3b459c5204505b0d_003full.jpg Returning to the present day, the Savoir-faire spotlights efforts to conserve and rejuvenate the craft, with interactive devices detailing the lacquerware creation process intended to educate all visitors. To complete this incredible journey, two sets of gilt-decorated black lacquer artworks by contemporary artists Weng Jijun and Vincent Cazeneuve are displayed together with a set of digital art by 'Obvious Art' in the Au-dela du Reve finale, demonstrating a modern revival and new application for gilt-decoration. Traditional Chinese craftsmanship requires active conservation and rejuvenation, but by uniting contemporary artists, art aficionados and new fans alike, K11 Craft & Guild Foundation hopes this exhibition will take visitors on a journey through the history of traditional crafts, highlighting the beauty and value of handmade objects. 'Vovage de Savoir-Faire' is a must see for anyone interested in the beauty of traditional crafts and the irreplaceable art of handmade objects. About K11 Craft & Guild Foundation Founded by Adrian Cheng in 2018, K11 Craft & Guild Foundation (KCG) is a registered charity for arts and culture in Hong Kong. We are cultural crafters who conserve and rejuvenate fast-disappearing Chinese artisanship to create a craft ecosystem with a sustainable, positive social impact. By incorporating Creating Shared Value (CSV) to bring crafts, business and society together, we make crafts more accessible to the community, educate the public with research initiatives and curate collaborations with artisans, aiming to bridge the gap between culture and economy. Cultural entrepreneur and the founder of K11 Art Foundation and Culture for Tomorrow, Adrian Cheng established the charity with aims to conserve and rejuvenate fast-disappearing Chinese artisanship, in addition to Creating Shared Value (CSV) for society. Adrian believes that the power of business lies not only in generating profits, but also in supporting and empowering other community stakeholders, as well as promoting a new vision of CSV to bring a sustainable, positive impact to the local community. For media enquiries, please contact: Ogilvy Shanghai zito.zheng@ogilvy.com sabrina.duan@ogilvy.com Contact Info: Name: Rachel Yang Email: RachelYang@K11.com Organization: K11 Group Address: Chow Tai Fook Financial Center, No. 6, the Pearl River East Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou Website: https://www.k11.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161345 The tea-themed campaign will promote the best in Britain and offer something for every type of traveler DUBAI, UAE, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Wego, the largest online travel marketplace in MENA, teamed up with VisitBritain, Britain's National Tourism Agency, to launch an exciting new campaign aimed at attracting more travelers from the GCC to Britain. The "Spill the Tea" awareness co-marketing campaign, which runs until June 2023, seeks to showcase Britain's unique blend of activities and attractions, culture, and modernity, enticing travelers to explore the country's iconic landmarks and hidden gems. It will be broadcast across a mix of channels ranging from short films and co-branded content across social media including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube to digital display advertising, radio and VOD and AOD platforms. Mamoun Hmedan, Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director, Middle East, North Africa (MENA) and India of Wego, said: "Building on the success of the previous campaigns, we're delighted to partner with VisitBritain for the seventh year. By leveraging Wego's data driven insights and Britain's diversified offerings, we were able to create customized travel experiences that resonate with GCC travelers. We look forward to inspiring even more travelers to explore this must-see destination." Through this collaboration, VisitBritain and Wego will inspire travelers to book a trip to Britain and create unforgettable memories. VisitBritain's Interim Deputy Director Carol Maddison said: "The GCC is a very important tourism market for Britain and we are delighted to be running this dedicated campaign in partnership with Wego. By tapping into motivations for travel now and telling the story of our vibrant and varied destinations we want to inspire visitors from the GCC to discover more of Great Britain, stay longer and to explore year-round." The tea-themed campaign includes video commercials and dedicated websites in both Arabic and English and it emphasizes Britain as a welcoming, dynamic, exciting and inclusive destination in the multi-media advertising campaign called "Spilling the Tea on Great Britain." Using Britain's love of tea, VisitBritain has shaped a story about the new and exciting experiences on offer, from adrenaline filled coastal and countryside adventures to iconic summer festivals, from street food tours to street art tours to afternoon teas with a magical twist, showing visitors that "whatever your cup of tea," Britain has got it. About Wego Wego provides award-winning travel search websites and top-ranked mobile apps for travelers living in the Asia Pacific and the Middle East regions. Wego harnesses powerful yet simple to use technology that automates the process of searching and comparing results from hundreds of airlines, hotels, and online travel agency websites. Wego presents an unbiased comparison of all travel products and prices offered in the marketplace by merchants, both local and global, and enables shoppers to quickly find the best deal and place to book whether it is from an airline or hotel directly or with a third-party aggregator website. Wego was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Dubai and Singapore with regional operations in Bangalore, Jakarta and Cairo. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2047299/Wego_London.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/visitbritain-and-wego-partner-for-the-7th-year-running-301789369.html 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. Regulatory News: While confirming all the terms of the Development Production Contract signed in 2021, TotalEnergies (Paris:TTE) (LSE:TTE) (NYSE:TTE) and the Iraqi Government have, through exchanges in the past months, including in 4 occasions between Prime Minister Al-Sudani and Chairman CEO Patrick Pouyanne, jointly defined the necessary conditions and mutual insurances to move forward with the Gas Growth Integrated Project (GGIP). The Iraqi Government and TotalEnergies have agreed on a 30% stake for the Basrah Oil Company (BOC) in the GGIP. Furthermore, in agreement with the Iraqi Government, TotalEnergies has invited QatarEnergy to take a 25% stake in the GGIP. The consortium will thus be composed of TotalEnergies (45%), Basrah Oil Company (30%) and QatarEnergy (25%). TotalEnergies welcomes the continuity of the voice of the State of Iraq on this Development Production Contract, which is a strong and positive signal for foreign investment in the country. Signed in September 2021, the GGIP has for main purpose to enhance the development of Iraq's natural resources to improve the country's electricity supply. According to these agreements, TotalEnergies and its partners will invest approximately $10 billion (100% share): to recover flared gas on three oil fields in order to supply gas to power generation plants, to build a seawater treatment plant in order to provide water injection for pressure maintenance to increase regional oil production, as an alternative to the use of fresh water from rivers and aquifers. Furthermore, TotalEnergies will develop a 1 GW solar power plant to supply electricity to the Basrah regional grid. In agreement with Iraqi authorities, TotalEnergies will invite the Saudi company ACWA Power to join this solar project. About TotalEnergies TotalEnergies is a global multi-energy company that produces and markets energies: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables and electricity. Our more than 100,000 employees are committed to energy that is ever more affordable, cleaner, more reliable and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, TotalEnergies puts sustainable development in all its dimensions at the heart of its projects and operations to contribute to the well-being of people. @TotalEnergiesTotalEnergiesTotalEnergiesTotalEnergies Cautionary Note The terms "TotalEnergies", "TotalEnergies company" or "Company" in this document are used to designate TotalEnergies SE and the consolidated entities that are directly or indirectly controlled by TotalEnergies SE. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" may also be used to refer to these entities or to their employees. The entities in which TotalEnergies SE directly or indirectly owns a shareholding are separate legal entities. TotalEnergies SE has no liability for the acts or omissions of these entities. This document may contain forward-looking information and statements that are based on a number of economic data and assumptions made in a given economic, competitive and regulatory environment. They may prove to be inaccurate in the future and are subject to a number of risk factors. Neither TotalEnergies SE nor any of its subsidiaries assumes any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information or statement, objectives or trends contained in this document whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Information concerning risk factors, that may affect TotalEnergies' financial results or activities is provided in the most recent Registration Document, the French-language version of which is filed by TotalEnergies SE with the French securities regulator Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF), and in the Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230404006129/en/ Contacts: TotalEnergies Media Relations: +33 (0)1 47 44 46 99 l presse@totalenergies.com l @TotalEnergiesPR Investor Relations: +33 (0)1 47 44 46 46 l ir@totalenergies.com CARGOTEC CORPORATION, PRESS RELEASE, 5 APRIL 2023 AT 10.00 AM EEST MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has received a significant repeat order with a total value of more than EUR 20 million for comprehensive packages of RoRo equipment for a total of five Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTC) vessels. These vessels will be built at China Merchant Heavy Industries for Grimaldi Group. This deal will extend MacGregor's supply of RoRo equipment from five to ten of Grimaldi's new PCTC vessels. The orders were booked into Cargotec's 2023 first quarter orders received. The vessels are scheduled to be delivered to the shipowner between the third quarter of 2024 and the third quarter of 2026. MacGregor's scope of supply encompasses design, supply and installation support of RoRo and car deck equipment to all of the five ordered vessels. The equipment includes quarter stern ramps, internal ramps, covers and doors, both liftable and electrical hoisted car decks. MacGregor's equipment is designed for multi purpose use with a high level of flexibility. The vessels have a loading capacity of over 9,000 CEU and have been designed to transport Electric Vehicles. The vessels have received the Ammonia Ready class notation by Rina, which certifies that the ships have been designed and will be built to be later converted to use ammonia as marine fuel. The vessels will also be equipped with mega lithium batteries, solar panels and shore connection, which will allow them to achieve the Zero Emission in Port . Another main technical innovations are the air lubrication system, an innovative propulsion and optimized hull design, which aim to reduce the carbon footprint. "With our recent orders for the construction of new PCTC vessels, our Group has reaffirmed its commitment to its customers, especially the world's leading car manufacturers who continue to reward us with their trust. In this way, we will continue to live up to their high expectations and meet their evolving needs, with our offer of increasingly efficient and environmentally sustainable shipping solutions", stated Emanuele Grimaldi, managing director of the Grimaldi Group. "I'm proud to see shipowner's and shipyard's continued strong trust in the MacGregor brand and our long experience and great track-record with RoRo solutions. We very much value the solid relationship that we have with both China Merchant Heavy Industries and Grimaldi Group. MacGregor supported Grimaldi already in the planning stage by finding cost savings and giving technical guidance for optimised cargo flow. We are extremely committed to maintaining this trust in future," says Magnus Sjoberg, Senior Vice President, Merchant Solutions, MacGregor. For further information, please contact: Magnus Sjoberg, Senior Vice President, Merchant Solutions Division, MacGregor Tel. +46 31 850 919, magnus.sjoberg@macgregor.com Or Camilla Adrians, Communications Manager, MacGregor Tel. +703 556 868, camilla.adrians@macgregor.com MacGregor is a leader in sustainable maritime cargo and load handling with a strong portfolio of products, services and solutions, all designed to perform with the sea. Shipbuilders, shipowners and operators are able to optimise the lifetime profitability, safety, reliability and environmental sustainability of their operations by working in close cooperation with MacGregor. www.macgregor.com MacGregor is part of Cargotec. Cargotec's Attachment From Bali to Boots, the powerhouse botanical brand launches into 100 Boots stores nationwide! LONDON, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Having launched in 2018 and inspired by Bali beauty, Coco & Eve began their journey with the award winning Like a Virgin Hair Masque, known to transform your hair taking it back to its virgin state. Coco & Eve are a fast-growing brand with over 240% growth from 2021 - 2022. From gaining over 1 million followers on social media and currently stocked in over 40+ retailers to date across 24 countries, Coco & Eve are taking their products to 100 of the UK's largest beauty and wellness stores, Boots. Inspired by native ingredients, Coco & Eve utilises unique formulas such raw virgin coconuts, clinically proven actives and tropical botanicals. Coco & Eve strive to deliver only the best ethically sourced, vegan and cruelty free ingredients that benefit your hair, body and skin without any nasty chemicals, toxins, parabens or sulphates. From coconut oil and cocoa to ripe, juicy mangoes, papayas and guava, Coco & Eve has spent years perfecting their formulas to make sure they perform. With over 22 beauty awards under their belt, 1.5 million units sold of the original Like a Virgin Hair Mask, a quadruple sell-out self-tan (Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam), an impressive 47,000 waitlist for their Super Hydrating Shampoo and Cream Conditioner and currently 6 individual ranges that cover the categories such as hair, tan and body, the possibilities are endless. With an engaged social media presence and over 200 million hashtag views on cocoandeve. The brand is passionate about their customers and know what they are looking for within their ever-growing beauty routine. Boots will carry the full haircare range online and house the below products in stores: Like A Virgin Super Nourishing Coconut & Fig Hair Masque & Travel Size Like A Virgin Super Hydrating Shampoo & Cream Conditioner Like A Virgin Hydrating & Detangling Leave-In Conditioner Like A Virgin Miracle Hair Elixir Bond Building Pre-Shampoo Treatment Sweet Repair Repairing & Restoring Hair Mask & Travel Size RRP: Starting from 20 available online and in stores. For further information, imagery and samples please contact Cheyne.bentham@halpern.co.uk View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/coco--eve-launches-into-boots-301789908.html Completely moving away from purchasing soybeans from the Amazon as part of its Seed Project to preserve the environment UBERLANDIA, Brazil and SEOUL, South Korea, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CJ Selecta, the Brazil-based Soy Protein Concentrate (SPC) producer and a subsidiary of South Korea-based CJ CheilJedang, announced on April 5 that it would no longer purchase any soybeans from the Amazon rainforest starting this year. This decision comes just two years after the company declared itself "deforestation-free" in 2021, achieving the goal ahead of schedule. Initially, the commitment was set for 2025, but the company managed to accomplish it early on by gradually reducing its soy purchases from the Amazon region. CJ Selecta's Seed Project, launched to replace soybeans sourced from the Amazon, has seen a steady increase in participation, with around 200 farmers currently engaged. The program provides seed and financing to Brazilian farmers outside of the Amazon forest, and commits to purchasing their entire soybean harvest. CJ Selecta has been focused on building a virtuous cycle in which soybeans purchased through the Seed Project can be repurposed after processing. This involves utilizing CJ's fermentation technology to reprocess the byproducts from the processing of the SPC into environmentally-friendly specialty fertilizers and bioethanol. These serve as sustainable alternatives to conventional chemical fertilizers and the gasoline used as fuel for automobiles, respectively. The company aims to reduce its carbon emissions in the entire SPC production. In particular, further cut-down in carbon emissions from inland transportation is expected by shifting its soybean purchases to Minas Gerais, where CJ Selecta is located. CJ Selecta is committed to extending ESG management efforts beyond its own business sites into the wider value chain including its supply chain and partner companies (Scope 3 emissions). At the end of last year, CJ Selecta began supporting farmers in obtaining an international certification from RTRS (Round Table on Responsible Soy Association), a non-profit organization based in Switzerland. RTRS certifies that the soybeans have been produced and transported in an environmentally-responsible manner. This year, the volume of RTRS-certified soybeans is expected to increase by 30 percent from last year, amounting to 60,000 tons. In addition, CJ Selecta has also created an "agrosatellite" system that guards against and prevents any intake of soybeans that do not comply with its ESG policy in the purchase of regular soybeans. This system monitors farmland for any potential illegal activities related to soybean cultivation. The Soy Trace app allows customers to also track the entire process of soybean production from harvest to warehouse, ensuring higher transparency and traceability throughout the supply chain. CJ Selecta's commitment to the environment has inspired its global customers to join the effort. Companies such as Unilever and Nestle have recognized the environmental value of CJ Selecta's deforestation-free soybean oil and pledged their support for environmental protection activities. In fact, CJ Selecta was selected as the winner of the sustainable impact category at the Partner with Purpose Award hosted by the multinational giant Unilever in the UK on March 29. "CJ Selecta is committed to meeting the growing demand of multinational players for ESG-certified products and to aligning with the environmental policies of Europe, our major export market," said Patricia Sugui, ESG manager of the company. "We will continue to advance our ESG management initiatives to create a circular economy where markets operate in a virtuous cycle that promotes sustainability with eco-friendly products." CJ Selecta is the number one global producer of SPC based in Brazil. SPC is primarily used as a feed ingredient for aquaculture and is gaining attention as a future replacement for traditional fish meal. CJ Selecta is maintaining its total carbon footprint below one-third of the average for Brazilian soybean processors across its entire value chain from soybean cultivation to SPC production and product delivery to customers. ### About CJ Selecta CJ Selecta, a subsidiary of South Korea-based global food & bio company CJ CheilJedang, has pioneered the manufacture of soy products for different segments since 1984. Headquartered in Uberlandia (MG), an industrial unit in Araguari (MG), a commercial office in Sao Paulo (SP) and several branches throughout Brazil. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2048166/CI_CJ_Selecta_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/cj-selecta-accelerates-esg-management-to-stop-amazon-deforestation-301790557.html "More women in the Gulf are dominating the media scene and the potential for our region to create its own 'wood' is now becoming greater than ever," Sheikha Abrar Khaled Al Sabah, Founder of Abbey's Productions - Kuwaiti professionals have a role in contributing to Saudi's evolving film industry as they are currently being acquired by Saudi producers and film-makers - Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah is elevating the cinematic and drama content of the Gulf to originate an inclusive 'Khaleeji-wood' (a metonym for the Arabian Gulf cinema), and highly position its content on global motions through Abbey's productions KUWAIT CITY, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- There is no doubt that the appetite for film, drama, and media is rapidly increasing in the MENA region. The film and media industry in the Arab world is exponentially growing and currently being perceived as an untapped and lucrative economic opportunity. A recent outlook report by PwC showed that MENA's cinema revenue will increase by 4% in 2024 comparing to the global cinema revenue, which is to decrease by 2.4%. The report also showed that the revenue of MENA alone constitutes almost 2% of the global cinema revenue (including Asia). Gulf countries such as the UAE and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have been actively harnessing the power of this industry. The neighboring countries have been heavily investing in culture and media to unlock an opportunity for economic diversification, promote tourism, and attract investors to their countries. Kuwait hasn't been diligently involved in the economic game of cinema and media until recently. Kuwaiti drama and film content have always been on the forefront of renowned channels attracting a large pool of audience. However, the industry hasn't been tapped as an investment opportunity to boost the nation's non-oil economic sectors. Discerning the golden opportunities that this booming industry is offering, a young Kuwaiti female entrepreneur from the royal family, Sheikha Abrar Khaled Al Sabah, founded a productions company in the midst of a global pandemic to foster Kuwait's presence in this field. Abbey's Productions, a Kuwait-based production house that was founded in 2019 by the Sheikha, is dedicated to elevate the cinematic and new media content in the region. Most importantly, produce content that will depict an accurate representation of Kuwait and the region to the global audience. "It is no secret that for the past ten years, our region was identified and perceived by the west in different forms. You'd find those who use 'Dubai' as a landmark to refer to the Gulf countries. And, those who signify our region with Islamic extremism, gender oppression, tents, and camels. None of that portray an accurate and fair representation of our world," stated Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah. "I founded Abbey's Productions to achieve three goals. Highlight this thriving investment opportunity for Kuwait to consider it as a non-oil economic sector because it is completely overlooked. Show the world an authentic image of our region through raw stories and elevated content that would align with the current standards of the international production market. And, originate an inclusive 'Khaleeji-wood' that would fairly represent our region and people to the world," added Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah. Women and media in the Gulf While the global gender norms and policies are shifting to promote equality in all areas of life, women in the Gulf have indeed broke so many constraints and are matching their ambitions in establishing social, political, and economic roles for them. Numerous articles have reported the transformation of the women's situation in a country like Saudi Arabia. Statistics have also shown that Arab women film makers are outpacing their counterparts in the US and Europe and leading voices in the industry. Arab News published various articles showing that women in the Gulf are changing long-held stereotypes through the media. There is an obvious emerge of Saudi women in the field and Kuwaiti women have recently started to lead the scene. This was noticed through the recent breakthrough of Netflix's drama series, The Exchange, which was written by a Kuwaiti writer and acted by Kuwaiti women. The rise of women filmmakers, writers, content creators, and directors prompted Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah's efforts to enter the field and contribute to its growth as a Kuwaiti female producer. "Female filmmakers in the Gulf are breaking the stereotypical roles of women in our region and they are highly contributing to the industry. However, more women in Kuwait need to explore other fields than acting because we are in need of Kuwaiti female writers, directors, and producers depicting accurate pictures and narrating raw stories of women in our country and the region," explained Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah. She added that women in the Gulf have the power to eradicate the misrepresentation of the region on global motions, and that Kuwaiti women can reshape the nation's policies and contribute to the country's global position by capitalizing on this wide-open window that will expose the real power of Kuwaiti women in different areas of life. Kuwait's royal family member affirmed that her goal is to elevate the media content produced in the Gulf to align with the international standard of cinema and television. Accordingly, her production house, Abbey's productions, focuses on the technicalities of the produced content by adopting the most authentic stories and well-written scripts, using latest film-making and production equipment, and producing the highest quality of content. She explained: "It is not about the story. It is about how the story is portrayed, narrated, and broadcasted. My role as a female producer is to ensure the depiction of our human stories in the most real and innovative manner to impact the viewer." "For years, we've been watching Arab women being misrepresented in Hollywood. Only highlighting the passive parts of our societies and not depicting the full picture of what Arab women can do, be, and their life really is. Just like in the west, we have women who struggle in our societies. Nevertheless, we also have women entrepreneurs, CEOs, great mothers, substantial leaders, and many more. Our new media need to highlight all parts of our societies and narrate accurate raw stories of our lives. And, that's what we are doing through our produced content at Abbey's Productions. We simply narrate accurate and authentic stories of our lives as Arabs," explained Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah. Elevating the standards of Arab media Praising Saudi Arabia's efforts in expanding the role of women in the industry and providing stupendous opportunities through events like the Red Sea Film Festival, Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah highlighted Kuwait's role in the industry. "Kuwait has always been a key player in the Gulf's drama and film industry, and now, more than ever, Kuwait needs to invest in this field and reposition itself in the 'Khaleeji-wood,'" said the Kuwaiti royal family member. She also stressed on the importance of nurturing Kuwait's film-makers, story tellers and content creators; noting how Kuwaiti film-makers are currently being acquired by Saudi Arabia and contributing to the Kingdom's emerging film industry. She added: "Kuwaiti film-makers have had their prints in the region's film and drama industry. In addition to so many Khaleeji (Gulf) drama and movies, Al Sattar (2022) on Netflix is a Saudi film but was directed by the prominent Kuwaiti director, Abdullah Al Arak. Kuwait's TV drama industry is considered to be the largest and most active drama industry in the Gulf. Our film-makers, actors, and actresses were the first to pave the way for TV drama and film in the region. Our country must capitalise on this opportunity and reposition itself through Kuwaiti media professionals." Media entrepreneurship in the Gulf Entrepreneurship is a trending topic in the Arab world. There is an obvious rise in startups and a well-promoted understanding on the importance of entrepreneurship in the region. The region's governments and officials have been putting entrepreneurship as one of their priorities for economic development and youth empowerment. Governments in the Gulf have been strategically placing bolstering investments to create an ecosystem for entrepreneurs that would foster their innovation, upskill their capacities, and growth. Underlining the importance of supporting media entrepreneurs, Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah pointed that media entrepreneurship is underscored in the region. "We always hear about tech entrepreneurs, startups, social media influencers, and lifestyle businesses. However, media entrepreneurship is rarely tackled in our region despite this field's hulking revenues," she noted. "I believe that festivals such as the Red Sea Film Festival and Gona Film Festival can have a larger impact on media entrepreneurs. Our region's festivals mainly target top-notch names in the field and film-making enthusiasts. Startups and media entrepreneurs need space and recognitions in such notable events," underscored Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah. The potential and rapid success of investing in the media business is yet to be recognised by entrepreneurs and angel investors. Tracing the success record of Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah's production house, Abbey's Productions, the company has managed to quickly become one of the most promising production entities given the impact of its produced drama series and content, and above all, drive sustainable profits. Abbey's Productions started off on a small-scale offering services such as redrafting scripts and providing production support. In less than three years, the company was able to allocate large investments in the latest high-tech cinematography equipment and tools. The team places strong emphasis on all the details related to production and content. Despite the market challenges during the pandemic, the company produced so many hits. One of which is the series In Mecca's Time (Bi Tawqeet Mecca), the first TV drama to be filmed at the Kabaa, the holiest site in Islam, located in Mecca. It was ranked as the #1 most viewed in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait on Shahid.net. Abbey's last Ramadan's produced series, the Honourable Position (Hadret El Mawkef) was acquired by major Pan-Arab channels such the MBC and Dubai TV as well as the leading Middle-East streaming platform, Shahid.net. The series was ranked as one of the most viewed series in the Gulf on the platform during Ramadan 2022. In addition, Abbey's produced two seasons of At Street No. 9 (E'and Share'a 9), a drama series that quickly gained the top viewed spots on Shaid.net. Conclusively, there is so much power that the media holds in shaping societies, decisions, forming identities and influencing state systems. The demands, lifestyle, and interests of the public audience is also rapidly changing. Accordingly, Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah explained that elevating Arab film and drama content is now becoming a vital pillar to sustain any media business. "Our region's audience is now heavily exposed to great quality of content produced by other sides of the world. We must align with these international standards to maintain the interests of Arabs in their own stories. On the other hand, we have a responsibility to voice our own real stories, especially as Arab women, to the global audience. We don't have to abandon our social traditions and values to fit in the global 'woods.' We can still heavily contribute and impact the industry without opposing our own voices. I don't see that there is any contradiction between working in the media and being an Arab woman. I come from a Royal family and I am still committed and dedicated towards my mission and hopes for my country, Kuwait, to be globally positioned through the Global 'wood," concluded Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah. Website: www.abraralsabah.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2048176/Sheikha_Abrar_Al_Sabah_1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2048175/Sheikha_Abrar_Al_Sabah_2.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/how-sheikha-abrar-al-sabah-a-kuwaiti-royal-is-forging-media-entrepreneurship-in-the-region-301790558.html Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - Exploits Discovery Corp. (CSE: NFLD) (OTCQX: NFLDF) (FSE: 634) ("Exploits" or the "Company") is pleased to announce assay results from drill holes numbered four, five and six, at its Bullseye property in Central Newfoundland. Visible gold grains have been observed within three of the six holes reported to date in close proximity to the Appleton Fault Zone as it tracks across Exploits' wholly owned mineral claims. Highlights of BE-23-005: Five occurrences of visible gold observed within veining encountered at 27.50 - 28.16 m depth downhole. Intersected 12.55 g/t Au averaged over 3.50 m core-length located at a vertical depth of approximately 20 m below surface. Including 68.39 g/t Au contribution from a 0.45 m sample where fine grains of visible gold were noted within a network of quartz veining. Intersected 2.61 g/t Au over 1.15 m core-length located at a vertical depth of approximately 100 m below surface. Ken Tylee, Vice President of Exploration: "It's impressive to see visible gold again in our fifth hole, 45 m away from the 14.2-gram intercept reported in our first hole drilled at Bullseye. We are excited to find these locally high-grade vein sets at such an early exploration stage coming from a property with no previous drilling history. Our drilling operations continue, and we plan on providing further updates as the assays arrive." To date, a total of 15 holes consisting of 5,128 metres of NQ drilling, have been completed of the results-oriented drill program. This initial drilling program is designed to determine the potential for high grade gold mineralization along Exploits' 1.2 kilometre segment of the Appleton Fault Zone. Figure 1: Plan Map displays Exploits' Bullseye property with location of drill holes BE-23-004, BE-23-005, BE-23-006 shown within yellow dashed box. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6393/161331_722e8acd44f5dbf6_002full.jpg Figure 2: Plan Map showing assay results along trace of the Appleton Fault Zone. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6393/161331_722e8acd44f5dbf6_003full.jpg Figure 3: Photograph of NQ core from Hole BE-23-005 showing the distribution of fine Visible Gold observed at 27.50 m downhole depth. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6393/161331_722e8acd44f5dbf6_004full.jpg Figure 4: Photo of NQ drill core from hole BE-23-005. Five flecks of visible gold observed throughout interval from 27.50 - 28.16m shown by the yellow highlights. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6393/161331_722e8acd44f5dbf6_005full.jpg Other Highlights from Recent Drilling include: BE-23-004 Intercepts: 2.46 g/t Au over 0.55 m core-length located at a vertical depth of 52 m below surface. Intersected 2.00 g/t Au over 0.60 m core-length located at a vertical depth of 117 m below surface. BE-23-006 Intercepts: 2.34 g/t Au over 1.15 m core-length located at a vertical depth of 40 m below surface. Bullseye Drilling - Selected Assays Bullseye Drilling 2023 - Selected Assays (exceeding 1.00 g/t Au value) from Sawn NQ Drill Core Hole ID From (m) To (m) Sample Length (m) Vertical Depth (m) Below Surface Sample # Analysis Method Au Assay (ppb) Comment WEIGHTED AVERAGE GRADE (g/t Au)* BE-23-004 72.10 72.55 0.45 ~52m 752764 FA-AA 1,057.00 1.83 g/t Au over 1.00m 72.55 73.10 0.55 752765 FA-AA 2,457.00 142.20 142.55 0.35 ~100m 752867 FA-AA 1,361.00 1.04 g/t Au over 0.80m 142.55 143.00 0.45 752868 FA-AA 786.00 146.00 146.40 0.40 ~103m 752874 FA-AA 576.00 1.18 g/t Au over 0.85m 146.40 146.85 0.45 752875 FA-AA 1,716.00 166.00 166.45 0.45 ~117m 752902 FA-AA 682.00 1.44 g/t Au over 1.05m 166.45 167.05 0.60 752903 FA-AA 2,003.00 220.00 220.55 0.55 ~155m 752975 FA-AA 1,860.00 1.86 g/t Au over 0.55m BE-23-005 27.00 27.45 0.45 ~20m 755078 Screen-Met 2,460.13 12.55 g/t Au over 3.50m 27.45 28.00 0.55 755080 Screen-Met 3,636.15 28.00 28.45 0.45 755082 Screen-Met 68,385.20 VG Noted 28.45 29.00 0.55 755084 Screen-Met 8,879.73 29.00 29.45 0.45 755086 Screen-Met 3,764.73 29.45 30.10 0.65 755088 Screen-Met 3,705.73 30.10 30.50 0.40 755090 Screen-Met 2,648.26 139.85 140.40 0.55 ~99m 100738 FA-AA 2,931.00 2.61 g/t Au over 1.15m 140.40 141.00 0.60 100739 FA-AA 2,315.00 BE-23-006 55.00 56.15 1.15 ~40m 100909 FA-AA 2,344.00 1.87 g/t Au over 1.70m 56.15 56.70 0.55 100911 FA-AA 866.00 *All intersections are core intervals and do not represent true thickness Table 1: Selected drill assays Hole ID Easting Northing Elevation (m) Azimuth Dip Length (m) BE-23-004 659641 5430854 42 300 -45 352 BE-23-005 659649 5430884 43 300 -45 244 BE-23-006 659861 5431080 37 300 -45 298 Coordinates Reported in NAD-83 Table 2: Drill collar data Bullseye Gold Target Exploits' Bullseye gold target is fully permitted for exploration activities and located approximately three kilometres north of the Town of Appleton easily accessible via existing forestry roads and trail networks. Bullseye is considered a highly prospective drilling target that borders New Found Gold's recent gold discoveries along the Appleton Fault Corridor. The property is directly contiguous to New Found Gold and Labrador Gold properties where over a dozen drill rigs have been recently operating. Quality Assurance - Quality Control ("QA/QC") All prospective NQ core is logged and delineated for sampling by an Exploits' professional geologist. The core is subsequently halved by a diamond-bladed core saw by Company's technicians with one half being placed in a bag with a unique sample identification. The remaining half core is retained within the Company's secure storage facility in Gander, Newfoundland. Sample bags are sealed and then shipped directly to Eastern Analytical Ltd. Certified standards and blanks are inserted at defined intervals following the Company's QA/QC documented procedures, representing approximately 5% of all samples sent for assaying. All core samples are analyzed at Eastern Analytical Ltd. of 403 Little Bay Road, Springdale, NL, a commercial laboratory that is ISO/IEC 17025 accredited and completely independent of Exploits Discovery Corp. Samples are analyzed using fire assay (30g) with AA finish (Au-FAA 30 ppb process) and/or a four-acid digestion followed by multi-element ICP-OES analysis. All samples with visible gold or assaying above 10.0 g/t Au are further assayed using metallic screen to mitigate the presence of the nugget effect of coarse gold. National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure Ken Tylee, P.Geo., VP of Exploration with Exploits, is a qualified person within the Provinces of Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Tylee has reviewed and approved the technical information presented herein. About Exploits Discovery Corp. Exploits is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of mineral projects in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The Company is actively exploring its gold projects in the Exploits Subzone, covering approximately 2,000 square kilometres of mineral tenements. The Company's Exploration 2.0 methodology is focused on discovering high-grade structurally hosted epizonal gold similar to New Found Gold's success at the Keats and Lotto Zones in the Appleton zone. Exploits is leveraging its local team and geologic understanding to become one of the most extensive explorers in the Exploits Subzone. On Behalf of the Board /s/ "Jeff Swinoga" President and CEO For more information, please contact: Shanda Kilborn VP, Investor Relations +1 (778) 819-2708 investors@exploits.gold https://exploitsdiscovery.com Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as the term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this news release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected including, but not limited to, market conditions, availability of financing, actual results of the Company's exploration and other activities, environmental risks, future metal prices, operating risks, accidents, labor issues, delays in obtaining governmental approvals and permits, and other risks in the mining industry. All the forward-looking statements made in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements and those in our continuous disclosure filings available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances save as required by applicable law. Acknowledgments Exploits Discovery would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Junior Exploration Assistance Program from the Department of Natural Resources, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161331 5 April 2023 This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of the UK version of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 which is part of UK law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended ("MAR"). Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain. DRUMZ PLC ("Drumz" or the "Company") Director/PDMR Shareholdings Drumz plc (AIM: DRUM), was notified of the following transactions in ordinary shares of 0.1 pence each in the Company ("New Ordinary Shares") by Directors of the Company. Certain Directors have signed commitments in respect of a conditional placing and subscription announced earlier today. The number of New Ordinary Shares (arising from the share reorganisation) are set out below: Directors Number of Placing Shares or Subscription Shares Number of New Ordinary Shares as at the date of Admission Percentage of issued Ordinary Shares Capital on Admission (%) Simon Bennett 222,222 422,222 0.35% Angus Forrest 1,555,556 4,711,556 3.89% John Wakefield 222,222 388,822 0.32% The New Ordinary Shares are to be issued to the Directors, subject to approval at the General Meeting, at the Issue price of 4.5 pence. The Directors' participation in the Placing and Subscription constitutes a related party transaction under the AIM Rules for Companies. Nick Clark is an independent director for the purposes of this transaction, and considers, having consulted with WH Ireland Limited, the Company's nominated adviser, that the terms of the Directors' subscription are fair and reasonable insofar as the shareholders of the Company are concerned. Definitions Capitalised terms used in this announcement have the meanings given to them in the announcement, released at 7.00 a.m. this morning, unless the context provides otherwise. For further information: Drumz plc 020 3582 0566 Angus Forrest, Chief Executive Officer WH Ireland (NOMAD & Joint Bookrunner) www.whirelandcb.com Mike Coe / Sarah Mather 020 7220 1666 Peterhouse Capital Limited (Joint Bookrunner) Lucy Williams / Duncan Vasey 020 7469 0936 Clear Capital Markets Limited (Joint Bookrunner) Andrew Blaylock 020 3869 6080 Notification and public disclosure of transactions by persons discharging managerial responsibilities and persons closely associated with them. 1 Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities/person closely associated a) Name Simon Bennett 2 Reason for the notification a) Position/status Chairman b) Initial notification/ Amendment Initial Notification 3 Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor a) Name Drumz plc b) LEI 213800JHJFKALDJA5X97 4 Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted a) Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument Identification code Ordinary shares of 0.1p each GB00BR0WHY71 b) Nature of the transaction Subscription for cash c) Price(s) and volume(s) Price(s) Volume(s) 4.5p 222,222 d) Aggregated information 222,222 9,999.99 e) Date of the transaction 5 April 2023 f) Place of the transaction London Stock Exchange, AIM 1 Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities/person closely associated a) Name Angus Forrest 2 Reason for the notification a) Position/status Chief Executive b) Initial notification/ Amendment Initial Notification 3 Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor a) Name Drumz plc b) LEI 213800JHJFKALDJA5X97 4 Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted a) Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument Identification code Ordinary shares of 0.1p each GB00BR0WHY71 b) Nature of the transaction Subscription for cash c) Price(s) and volume(s) Price(s) Volume(s) 4.5p 1,555,556 d) Aggregated information 1,555,556 70,000.02 e) Date of the transaction 5 April 2023 f) Place of the transaction London Stock Exchange, AIM VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (TSX:NDM)(NYSE American:NAK) ("Northern Dynasty" or the "Company" or "NDM") advises that Isabel Satra has joined the Board of Directors. Isabel has spent over 20 years in investment management, most recently as a Principal and CFO of Kopernik Global Investors ("Kopernik"), where she is a Co-Portfolio Manager, Equity Analyst, and oversees management of the firm's finances as well as serving on its Board of Directors and Investment Oversight Committee. Isabel has also held Analyst and Portfolio Manager positions at several investment firms, including Vinik Asset Management and Tradewinds Global Investors, after transitioning from engineering positions at Boeing North America and Rockwell International. Isabel has an M.B.A. from the University of California, Irvine and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Rutgers University. "On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am excited to welcome Isabel to the team," said Bob Dickinson, Chairman of Northern Dynasty. "Isabel is a very accomplished executive that brings extensive institutional investor and public markets experience to the Board, and, along with the recently announced appointment of Siri Genik has increased the diversity on the Board and made it even stronger. Kopernik is a significant shareholder of Northern Dynasty, and we appreciate their support of NDM and the Pebble Project by endorsing her appointment to our Board." "I am honored to join the Northern Dynasty Minerals Board of Directors and look forward to working on this project, which is of such importance to a wide variety of stakeholders," said Isabel Satra, Director of Northern Dynasty. About Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. Northern Dynasty is a mineral exploration and development company based in Vancouver, Canada. Northern Dynasty's principal asset, owned through its wholly owned Alaska-based U.S. subsidiary, Pebble Limited Partnership, is a 100% interest in a contiguous block of 1,840 mineral claims in Southwest Alaska, including the Pebble deposit, located 200 miles from Anchorage and 125 miles from Bristol Bay. The Pebble Partnership is the proponent of the Pebble Project, an initiative to develop one of the world's most important mineral resources. For further details on Northern Dynasty and the Pebble Project, please visit the Company's website at www.northerndynastyminerals.com or contact Investor services at (604) 684-6365 or within North America at 1-800-667-2114. Review Canadian public filings at www.sedar.com and U.S. public filings at www.sec.gov. Ronald W. Thiessen President & CEO U.S. Media Contact: Dan Gagnier, Gagnier Communications (646) 569-5897 Forward Looking Information and other Cautionary Factors This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and under applicable provisions of Canadian provincial securities laws. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, which address permitting, development and production for the Pebble Project are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of factors and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by NDM as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies and such statements should not be in any way be construed as guarantees that the Pebble Project will secure all required government permits, establish the commercial feasibility of the Pebble Project, achieve the required financing or develop the Pebble Project. For more information on the Company, Investors should review the Company's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov and its home jurisdiction filings that are available at www.sedar.com. SOURCE: Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/747159/Northern-Dynasty-Isabel-Satra-Joins-Board-of-Directors HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / PARAMOUNT BED, known around the world for its durable and safety-first hospital beds and assistive mobility devices, chose US Med-Equip (USME) to become the exclusive U.S. distributor of its medical equipment. Paramount A6 Series Medical Surgical Bed with 15.7" low deck Available from US Med-Equip USME now offers thousands of hospitals and clinicians around the country PARAMOUNT's beds, built stronger for a lifespan surpassing many others in the industry. The bed's Japanese-engineered design helps accelerate early mobility and makes preventative maintenance and repairs simple and easy. The portfolio of top-quality PARAMOUNT equipment for sale includes the A6 Series Medical Surgical Bed and ALiUS Medical Surgical/ICU Bed, a sought-after low-height bed with an early mobilization tool. Both have a 562 lbs. capacity and include advanced patient features such as simple controls and buttons for ease of use, grip assists for patients to hold on to support mobility and help keep them safe, stable, and balanced when standing, and built-in USB ports to charge their phones. Other available mobility equipment for rent includes the Sittan Rehabilitation Table, which promotes early, upright ambulation by helping patients balance when sitting on the side of their bed, and PARAMOUNT's walking aid, which comes with two sets of brakes for enhanced safety and an adjustable height to suit most patients. All overbed tables come with an auto or a manual-locking brake to reduce the risk of patient falls when they lean on them while getting out of the bed. "We chose USME as our partner because of their proven record providing the best service to top clinicians and staff seeking the best equipment for their patients," PARAMOUNT BED USA President Kazuya Takahashi said. "We are excited to work with a dedicated team working from more than 90 locations, USME has the best resources and processes to best serve hospital partners nationwide." US Med-Equip partners with thousands of hospitals across the nation for the rental, sale, service and asset management of medical equipment-diagnostic and clinical devices ranging from ventilators to therapeutic patient beds. In 2022, US Med-Equip acquired Freedom Medical, known for its beds and therapeutic mattresses with WAVE technology, which helps protect patients' skin from pressure injuries. "We continue to align ourselves with the best partners in the industry to bolster support for hospital partners focused on their patients' healing," said US Med-Equip CEO Greg Salario. "As a leader in patient bed safety, quality and durability, we share with PARAMOUNT an unwavering commitment to helping healthcare heroes." ### Contact Information Matthew Stanford Communications Specialist news@usme.com 877-677-7767 SOURCE: US Med-Equip View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/747398/PARAMOUNT-BED-Chooses-US-Med-Equip-as-Exclusive-Distributor-of-Patient-Beds-and-Assistive-Mobility-Equipment-for-Hospitals-Across-the-Nation CRANBROOK, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Eagle Plains Resources Ltd. ("EPL":TSX-V, or "Eagle Plains") has acquired a strategic mineral disposition within its' Pine Channel Gold Property tenure that covers the historic Algold Bay mineralization. Apogee Minerals Ltd (TSX-V-"APMI") holds the exclusive option to acquire an 80% interest (less 2% NSR) in the Pine Channel Property. About Algold Bay The Algold Bay tenure has been in good standing since 1979 and covers several Au mineralized showings on the north shore of Lake Athabasca. Gold mineralization at Algold Bay was first reported in 1935 and subsequent work has included prospecting, trenching, geophysical surveys, and 5 short diamond drill holes, with the last recorded work in 1988 by Colchis Resources. The MEL-CEC showing is a vertically dipping shear zone exposed for approximately 300m strike length. Historical chip sampling has returned values ranging from trace to 100.1 g/t (3.24 oz/t) Au over 0.8m, 26.4g/t Au over 1.9 m, 16.5 g/t Au over 1.31m, and 11.2 g/t over 1.3m. Drill intercepts at the MEL-CEC returned values ranging from trace to a high of 63.5 g/t (2.04 oz/t) Au over 60cm. The Algold Creek occurrence, a 3.7m wide quartz-tourmaline vein, returned values from trace to a high of 9 g/t Au from a grab sample. At the Occurrence 3 Au Showing, quartz stringers with arsenopyrite and visible gold returned values from trace up to 5.7 g/t Au. Rock grab samples are selective samples by nature and as such are not necessarily representative of the mineralization hosted across the property. These results are historical in nature and have not been confirmed by Eagle Plains, but are considered to be reliable and will form a basis for ongoing work. Pine Channel Gold Property Summary View Pine Channel Project/Highlight Map here The Pine Channel Property consists of 29 mineral dispositions covering 6,519 hectares located approximately 40 km west of Stony Rapids, Saskatchewan which is the logistics/business hub for northern Saskatchewan. The property can be accessed year-round by float- or ski-equipped aircraft from Stony Rapids or Fort McMurray, AB. The eastern and northern part of the property is transected by a high voltage powerline. Most geological fieldwork is limited to late May to October but other operations such as geophysical surveys and diamond drilling can be completed year-round. The main deposit type that is being explored for at Pine Channel is structurally controlled vein-quartz (lode) gold deposits. Mineral occurrences on the Pine Channel Property contain predominantly gold, with rare base metal occurrences. Within the Pine Channel tenures there are twenty historical showings reported by the Saskatchewan Mineral Deposit Index (SMDI). Highlights from documented historical work and previously reported results include: North Norite Bay (SMDI 2183): 407.96 g/t Au over 0.5 m (drill hole) ELA (SMDI 1574): 39.96 g/t Au over 0.55 m (drill hole) Holes G-1 and G-3 (SMDI 2329): 3.20 g/t Au over 1 m (drill hole) Occurrence No. 6/Occurrence No. 8 (SMDI 1581): 90.6 g/t Au over 0.2 m (trench sample) Cole Lake Ni-Cu (SMDI 1583): 0.45% Ni over 7.0 m (drill hole), 6.2 g/t Au, 0.01% Ni and 0.06% Cu over 3.0 m (trench sample) The above results were summarized from SMDI descriptions and assessment reports filed with the Saskatchewan government. Management cautions that historical results were collected and reported by past operators and have not been verified nor confirmed by a Qualified Person, but form a basis for ongoing work in the Pine Channel property area. In 2019-2020, Eagle Plains completed field programs focused on prospecting and mapping in areas of known mineral occurrences. The work confirmed the widespread occurrences of auriferous quartz veins and associated shear systems in the Pine Channel property. Analytical results from the seventy-two rock samples collected in 2020 range from 6 ppb Au to 68,400 ppb Au. Twenty-three of the samples returned greater than 1 g/t Au, and eight returned greater than 10 g/t Au. The most encouraging of the known showings are the ELA Shaft showing (SMDI 1574) and Occurrence No. 6 and No. 8 (SMDI 1581), which both demonstrate anomalous gold geochemical results and potential for extension of known mineralization along strike. 2022 work included a helicopter-borne high-resolution aeromagnetic and radiometric survey covering 380 line-km. The survey was completed by Precision Geosurveys Inc. of Langley, British Columbia. In addition, a 70 km2 Lidar and orthophoto survey was conducted by Eagle Mapping Ltd. of Langley British Columbia. Lineation analyses of the Lidar imaging, combined with the aeromagnetic data, defined a number of new target areas adjacent to and along strike from known mineralization, which will be priority targets for future exploration. Pine Channel Option Agreement Details In May 2021, Apogee entered into an option agreement with Eagle Plains. To earn an 80% interest in the Pine Channel property, Apogee agrees to complete CAD $3,000,000 in exploration expenditures, issue 2,000,000 voting class common shares to Eagle Plains and make $150,000 in cash payments over a 4-year period. A 2% NSR is reserved on the claims comprising the property. Under the terms of the agreement Eagle Plains is designated as the Operator of the project. Qualified Person Charles C. Downie, P.Geo., a "qualified person" for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and a director of Eagle Plains, has prepared, reviewed, and approved the scientific and technical disclosure in the news release About Eagle Plains Resources Based in Cranbrook, B.C., Eagle Plains is a well-funded, prolific project generator that continues to conduct research, acquire and explore mineral projects throughout western Canada. The Company was formed in 1992 and is the ninth-oldest listed issuer on the TSX-V (and one of only three that has not seen a roll-back or restructuring of its shares). Eagle Plains has continued to deliver shareholder value over the years and through numerous spin-out transactions, has transferred over $100,000,000 in value directly to its shareholders, with Copper Canyon Resources and recently Taiga Gold being notable examples. The Company is committed to steadily enhancing shareholder value by advancing our diverse portfolio of projects toward discovery through collaborative partnerships and development of a highly experienced technical team. In late 2022 Eagle Plains announced the formation of a separate division within the Company; Eagle Royalties Ltd. ("ER") which holds many of Eagle Plains' diverse portfolio of royalty assets. The restructuring will enhance the valuation of Eagle Plains' extensive royalty interests, enabling ER to market and develop its royalty assets while seeking additional royalty acquisition opportunities. Eagle Plains' royalties cover a broad spectrum of commodities on projects controlled by Cameco Corp., Iso Energy Corp., Denison Mines Corp., Skeena Resources Ltd. and Hecla Mining Co./Banyan Gold Corp., among others. Planning is underway to spin-out Eagle Royalties during H22023 which will enable Eagle Plains to continue to focus on its core business model of acquiring and advancing grassroots critical- and precious-metal exploration properties. Expenditures from 2011-2022 on Eagle Plains-related projects exceed $30M, the majority of which was funded by third-party partners. This exploration work resulted in approximately 45,000m of diamond-drilling and extensive ground-based exploration work facilitating the advancement of numerous projects at various stages of development. Throughout the exploration process, our mission is to help maintain prosperous communities by exploring for and discovering resource opportunities while building lasting relationships through honest and respectful business practices. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Eagle Plains "Tim J. Termuende" President and CEO For further information on EPL, please contact Mike Labach at 1 866 HUNT ORE (486 8673) Email: mgl@eagleplains.com or visit our website at https://www.eagleplains.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. SOURCE: Eagle Plains Resources Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/747342/Eagle-Plains-Acquires-Strategic-Disposition-at-Pine-Channel-Gold-Project-Saskatchewan Next Wave of Reactors Utilizing AP1000 Technology Moving Forward Westinghouse Electric Company congratulates CNNC Sanmen Nuclear Power Company Limited and their partners for the pouring of first nuclear concrete for Sanmen Unit 4. This significant milestone will further demonstrate the economic and schedule benefits of utilizing AP1000 technology through its Nth-of-a-kind deployment and modular construction. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005373/en/ Courtesy: Sanmen Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. Sanmen Unit 3 and 4 were officially approved by China's State Council as Phase II projects on the site in April 2022 and Sanmen Unit 3 poured first nuclear concrete in June 2022. Once the two units reach commercial operation, they will reduce carbon emissions by 30 million tons per year. "This is an exciting moment to see such progress on another AP1000 reactor to join the global AP1000 fleet," said Patrick Fragman, Westinghouse President and CEO. "We take pride in supporting China's carbon neutral climate goals through offering our best-in-class nuclear technology." The AP1000 reactor is the only operating Generation III+ reactor with fully passive safety systems, modular construction design and has the smallest footprint per MWe on the market. In addition to the four AP1000 units currently setting operational performance records in China with six additional reactors under construction, one AP1000 reactor has begun operating at the Vogtle site in Georgia while the second Vogtle unit is nearing completion. Poland recently selected the AP1000 reactor for its first-ever nuclear power program, nine units have been announced for Ukraine, and the technology is under consideration at multiple other sites in Central and Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom, and in the United States. Westinghouse Electric Company is shaping the future of carbon-free energy by providing safe, innovative nuclear and other clean power technologies and services globally. Westinghouse supplied the world's first commercial pressurized water reactor in 1957 and the company's technology is the basis for nearly one-half of the world's operating nuclear plants. Over 135 years of innovation makes Westinghouse the preferred partner for advanced technologies covering the complete nuclear energy life cycle. For more information, visit www.westinghousenuclear.com and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005373/en/ Contacts: media@westinghouse.com Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - Endurance Gold Corporation (TSXV: EDG) (OTC Pink: ENDGF) (FSE: 3EG) (the "Company") is pleased to report that it has been informed by the British Columbia government that the Company's Notice of Work Application for Amendments to a Multi-Year Area-Based ("MYAB") Permit on its Reliance Gold Project (the "Property") in southern British Columbia has been approved. The Amended MYAB Permit facilitates a significantly expanded diamond drilling program at the Property and extends the permit expiry for several years. The road accessible Property is located 4 kilometres ("km") east of the village of Gold Bridge, and 10 km north of the historic Bralorne-Pioneer Gold Mining Camp which has produced over 4 million ounces of gold. During 2022 the Company completed thirty-eight (38) diamond drill holes for 8,274 metres ("m") and thirty-three (33) reverse-circulation drill holes for 2,455 m. Since initial issuance of the original MYAB Permit in October 2020 the Company has completed sixty (60) diamond drill holes for 12,606 m and eighty-four (84) reverse-circulation drill holes for 6,045 m. Due to the exploration success at the Property the MYAB Permit needed to be increased in scope to address the anticipated need for much more aggressive drilling campaigns in 2023 and beyond. The company is now moving forward in finalizing plans for a 10,000 to 15,000 m diamond drilling program with a deeper drilling component. The field program is expected to commence in late April with a drilling startup in early May. The Amended MYAB Permit, now expiring in early 2028, allows for the completion of several additional kilometres of drill trail construction and significantly increased number of permitted drill sites along the two km trend of mineralization and encouraging drill intersections. Increased security bonding has also been submitted by the Company. The Company is proud of its efforts to engage and inform the local communities including the First Nation communities. Prior to the submission of its amendment application for the MYAB Permit the Company engaged with the affected First Nation communities to seek for any input. As announced on October 24 2022, the Company executed an exploration agreement with the Bridge River Indian Band ("Xwisten") that expresses the intent for a mutually beneficial arrangement in respect of the current and proposed exploration activities within the Xwisten traditional territory. Since commencement of field activities in 2020 about 23% of our manpower requirements have been sourced from the nearby community of Shalalth and the Tsal'alh First Nation. Endurance Gold Corporation is a company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of highly prospective North American mineral properties with the potential to develop world-class deposits. ENDURANCE GOLD CORPORATION Robert T. Boyd FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT Endurance Gold Corporation (604) 682-2707, info@endurancegold.com www.endurancegold.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. This news release may contain forward looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results that may prove to be inaccurate as a result of factors beyond its control, and actual results may differ materially from the expected results. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161333 Brampton, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. (CSE: SNA) (OTC Pink: SNAVF) (FSE: S3O) ("Star" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the listing of its common shares on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange ("FSE") under the trading symbol S3O. The Company shares are now cross listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange ("SNA.CN"), the OTC US ("SNAVF") and now the Frankfurt Stock Exchange ("FSE"). The FSE is one of the world's largest international trading centers for securities. Operated by the Deutsche Boerse AG, FSE, is the largest of Germany's seven stock exchanges, and is responsible for approximately 90 percent of all securities traded in Germany. The FSE facilitates advanced electronic trading, settlement and information systems and enables cross-border trading for international investors. The Company would also like to announce that it has signed a three-month contract with Apaton Finance for creating and distributing corporate articles and disseminating Company news in both English and German to European investors. Anoop Brar, Interim-CEO commented "We are excited to expand our corporate market awareness and give European investors better access to invest into Star via the FSE. This is the next logical step for Star as it looks to expand its capital markets strategy offering our shareholders increased liquidity as well as enhancing our global visibility." About Star Navigation Systems - www.star-navigation.com Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. manufactures the In-flight Safety Monitoring System, STAR-ISMS, the heart of the STAR-A.D.S. System. The STAR-A.D.S. System has real-time capability of tracking, performance trends and predicting incident-occurrences which enhances aviation safety and improves fleet management while reducing costs for the operator. Star's MMI Division (Military and Defence) designs and manufactures high performance, mission critical, flight deck flat panel displays for defence and commercial aviation industries worldwide. Forward Looking Information Certain statements in this news release may constitute "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements are statements that address or discuss activities, events or developments that Star expects or anticipates may occur in the future. When used in this news release, words such as "estimates", "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "projects", "will", "believes", "intends" "should", "could", "may" and other similar terminology are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations and beliefs of Star's management. Because forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, actual results, performance or achievements of Star or the industry may be materially different from those implied by such forward-looking statements. Examples of such forward-looking information that may be contained in this news release include statements regarding; growth and future prospects of our business; our perceptions of the industry and markets in which we operate and anticipated trends in such markets; expectations regarding the operation of our app; and our future revenues. Material factors or assumptions that were applied in drawing a conclusion or making an estimate set out in the forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, our ability to execute on our business plan, increase visibility amongst consumers and convert users to revenue producing subscribers and the success of the business of our partners. Forward-looking statements involve significant uncertainties, should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be an accurate indication of whether or not such results will be achieved. Should one or more of these factors or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Accordingly, readers should exercise caution in relying upon forward-looking statements and Star undertakes no obligation to publicly revise them to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law. NEITHER CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Please visit www.star-navigation.com or contact Anoop Brar, Interim-Chief Executive Officer at 1-416-252-2889 anoop.brar@star-navigation.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161365 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Skeena Resources Limited (TSX:SKE)(NYSE:SKE) ("Skeena" or the "Company") announces that, effective immediately, Hochschild Mining PLC ("Hochschild") has terminated its option to earn into 60% of the Snip Gold Project ("Snip" or the "Project") in the Golden Triangle of British Columbia, Canada. This results in Skeena reassuming management of the Project and retaining 100% ownership. Hochschild informed Skeena that they have satisfied the minimum annual expenditure requirements as highlighted in Skeena's September 19, 2018 news release. This implies that, at minimum, Hochschild has spent C$15 million on Snip to date. Skeena will receive all data and information generated by Hochschild since their notification of intent to earn into a 60% interest on October 15, 2021. Randy Reichert, Skeena's President & CEO, commented "We are thrilled to have 100% of Snip back in our portfolio. In the months ahead, Skeena plans to investigate opportunities to bolster the Eskay Creek mine life by processing Snip ore at the Eskay Creek mill." About Skeena Skeena Resources Limited is a Canadian mining exploration and development company focused on revitalizing the past-producing Eskay Creek gold-silver mine located in Tahltan Territory in the Golden Triangle of northwest British Columbia, Canada. The Company released a Feasibility Study for Eskay Creek in September 2022 which highlights an after-tax NPV5% of C$1.4B, 50% IRR, and a 1-year payback at US$1,700/oz Au and US$19/oz Ag. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Skeena Resources Limited, Walter Coles Jr. Randy Reichert Executive Chairman President & CEO Contact Information Investor Inquiries: info@skeenaresources.com Office Phone: +1 604 684 8725 Company Website: www.skeenaresources.com Qualified Persons In accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, Paul Geddes, P.Geo., Senior Vice President, Exploration & Resource Development, is the Qualified Person for the Company and has prepared, validated, and approved the technical and scientific content of this news release. The Company strictly adheres to CIM Best Practices Guidelines in conducting, documenting, and reporting the exploration activities on its projects. Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements Certain statements and information contained or incorporated by reference in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). These statements relate to future events or our future performance. The use of words such as "anticipates", "believes", "proposes", "contemplates", "generates", "targets", "is projected", "is planned", "considers", "estimates", "expects", "is expected", "potential" and similar expressions, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "might", "will", "could", or "would" be taken, achieved, or occur, may identify forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Specific forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the results of the Feasibility Study, processing capacity of the mine, anticipated mine life, probable reserves, estimated project capital and operating costs, sustaining costs, results of test work and studies, planned environmental assessments, the future price of metals, metal concentrate, and future exploration and development. Such forward-looking statements are based on material factors and/or assumptions which include, but are not limited to, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, metal prices, taxation, the estimation, timing and amount of future exploration and development, capital and operating costs, the availability of financing, the receipt of regulatory approvals, environmental risks, title disputes and the assumptions set forth herein and in the Company's MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2022, its most recently filed interim MD&A, and the Company's Annual Information Form ("AIF") dated March 21, 2023. Such forward-looking statements represent the Company's management expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events or circumstances on the date the statements are made, and are necessarily based on several estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date hereof, are not guarantees of future performance. Actual events and results may differ materially from those described herein, and are subject to significant operational, business, economic, and regulatory risks and uncertainties. The risks and uncertainties that may affect the forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others: the inherent risks involved in exploration and development of mineral properties, including permitting and other government approvals; changes in economic conditions, including changes in the price of gold and other key variables; changes in mine plans and other factors, including accidents, equipment breakdown, bad weather and other project execution delays, many of which are beyond the control of the Company; environmental risks and unanticipated reclamation expenses; and other risk factors identified in the Company's MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2022, its most recently filed interim MD&A, the AIF dated March 21, 2023, the Company's short form base shelf prospectus dated January 31, 2023, and in the Company's other periodic filings with securities and regulatory authorities in Canada and the United States that are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com or on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and the Company does not undertake any obligations to update and/or revise any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE: Skeena Resources Limited View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/747670/Skeena-Retains-100-Ownership-of-the-Snip-Gold-Project VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Fabled Copper Corp. ("Fabled Copper" or the "Company") (CSE:FABL)(FSE:XZ7) announces the results of 2022 surface field work on its Muskwa Copper Project. See Figure 1 below. Figure 1 - General Property Location The Project is comprised of the Neil Property, the Toro Property and the Bronson Property all located in northern British Columbia. See Figure 2 below. Figure 2 - Location Map The eastern extension of the Eagle Creek copper occurrence is located on the Neil Property roughly 1.5 km east of the 6400 Eagle Vein adit where the 2022 underground LIDAR survey was completed. The Eagle creek flows northward into the Yedhe Creek and it is located in the same valley that contains the eastern end of the 6400 adit & Eagle Vein exposure that are located on the west cliff face of the valley. During the summer of 2022 the Eagle Creek (See Release dated February 7, 2023), east extension of the Eagle Creek copper occurrence (See Release dated March 1, 2023), the western extension, north extension, southern extension and the backside of the Eagle vein were visited on separate occasions. This release pertains to the western side of the Eagle Creek Copper occurrence site visit, see Figure 3 below. Figure 3 -West Side of Eagle Creek Copper Occurrence Location Peter Hawley, President, CEO reports; "The western side of the Eagle Creek copper occurrence was visited by a 3-person field team consisting of two geologists and a geo technician on July 7th 2022 during the summer field season. Over the course of the traverse a vertical altitude of 158 meters was examined and sampled. A total of 12 float samples were collected, of the 12 samples collected, 11 assayed greater than 0.5% copper, 7 greater than 10% copper and 4 greater than 20% copper. See Table 1, Photo 1 below. Photo 1 - West side of Eagle Creek Float sample D-723669 taken at the 1,702-meter elevation consisted of massive sulphides weathered black / brown and brassy yellow and a broken fresh surface with minor white and peacock blue spec's. The sample contained with 95% chalcopyrite and 2% bornite and 3% quartz. This sample returned an impressive 19.55% copper. See Table 1 and Photo 2, below. Photo 2 - Sample D-723669 - 19.55 % copper. At the 1,696 meter altitude float sample D-723672 was taken and consisted of white / beige colored quartz with moderate malachite and trace azurite copper alteration, up to 6% chalcopyrite occurs as patches and this sample returned 5.50% copper. See Table 1 below Float sample D-723674 taken at the 1,704 meter altitude consisted of semi massive sulphides and quartz veining was brassy yellow with white patches and thin seams on a fresh surface. This sample contained 80% chalcopyrite and a trace of bornite and assayed an impressive 18.75% copper. See Table 1 below. At an elevation of 1,801 meters, 97 meters vertically above the sample described above, float sample D-723675 consisted of massive sulphides and minor quartz veining and brassy yellow on fresh surface with white patches and seams and contained 95% chalcopyrite and trace of bornite. This high grade sample assayed 20.10% copper. See Table 1, Photo 3 below. Photo 3 - Sample D-723675 - 20.10 % copper. Down slope at an elevation of 1,704 meters float sample D-723676 was taken. It consisted of massive sulphides, brassy yellow on a fresh surface with white patches and minor sediment fragments and consisted of 92% chalcopyrite and 3% bornite which returned a very high copper assay value of 22.00%. At an elevation of 1,776 meters the next float sample was taken, D-723678 which consists of massive sulphides, brassy yellow on a fresh surface with peacock blue specs and moderate malachite staining. This sample contained 90% chalcopyrite and 7-8% bornite and returned a staggering 29.30% copper. See Table 1 and Photo 4 below Photo 4 - Sample D-723678 - 29.30 % copper. Float sample D-723679 taken at an elevation of 1,710 meters was composed of quartz and iron carbonate and abundant malachite copper alteration with a trace of azurite. Sulphides were composed of 40% chalcopyrite and 2% bornite which returned 22.10% copper. See Table 1 below. Two meters below of the sample described above float sample D-723681 and was composed of quartz with black siltstone fragments with abundant malachite copper alteration and contained 10-12% chalcopyrite as fracture filling, blebs and disseminations. This sample returned 15.10% copper. See Table 1 below. Table 1- West Side of Eagle Creek Occurrence Sample Results Sample No. Elevation (m) Copper % Sample Type D-723668 1,654 1.23 Float D-723669 1,702 19.55 Float D-723670 1,644 0.29 Float D-723671 1,683 0.52 Float D-723672 1,696 5.50 Float D-723674 1,704 18.75 Float D-723675 1,801 20.10 Float D-723676 1,704 22.00 Float D-723678 1,776 29.30 Float D-723679 1,710 22.10 Float D-723681 1,708 15.10 Float D-723682 1,802 1.79 Float 1% copper = 22.2 pounds As per protocol, all sample locations were taken with GPS along with GPS enabled field cameras of photos of the sampled units. The photos, sample locations and all assay data pertaining to the assay taken, (36 elements were assayed) were tagged in a geo tag format for plotting in .kml / .kmz GIS systems such as Google Earth. An additional releases on the 2022 exploration of the Eagle Vein area of the Muskwa Project will be forth coming in the following weeks. QA QC Procedure Analytical results of sampling reported by Fabled Copper Corp represent rock samples submitted by Fabled Copper Corp staff directly to ALS Chemex, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada. Samples were crushed, split, and pulverized as per ALS Chemex method PREP-31, then analyzed for ME-ICP61 33 element package by four acid digestion with ICP-AES Finish. ME-GRA21 method for Au and Ag by fire assay and gravimetric finish, 30g nominal sample weight. Over Limit Methods For samples triggering precious metal over-limit thresholds of 10 g/t Au or 100 g/t Ag, the following is being used: Au-GRA21 Au by fire assay and gravimetric finish with 30 g sample. Ag-GRA21 Ag by fire assay and gravimetric finish. Fabled Copper Corp. monitors QA/QC using commercially sourced standards and locally sourced blank materials inserted within the sample sequence at regular intervals. About Fabled Copper Corp. Fabled Copper is a junior mining exploration company. Its current focus is to creating value for stakeholders through the exploration and development of its existing copper properties located in northern British Columbia. The Muskwa Project is located in the Liard Mining Division in northern British Columbia. In addition, Fabled has the newly acquired Volt 1, 2 and OHM lithium properties in the Abitibi area of Quebec. Mr. Peter J. Hawley, President and C.E.O. Fabled Copper Corp. Phone: (819) 316-0919 peter@fabledcopper.org For further information please contact: info@fabledcopper.org The technical information contained in this news release has been approved by Peter J. Hawley, P.Geo. President and C.E.O. of Fabled, who is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions, including, that the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events and that the Company obtains any required regulatory approvals. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: impacts from the coronavirus or other epidemics, general economic conditions in Canada, the United States and globally; industry conditions, including fluctuations in commodity prices; governmental regulation of the mining industry, including environmental regulation; geological, technical and drilling problems; unanticipated operating events; competition for and/or inability to retain drilling rigs and other services; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility; volatility in market prices for commodities; liabilities inherent in mining operations; changes in tax laws and incentive programs relating to the mining industry; as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company as set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com . The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law. SOURCE: Fabled Copper Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/747736/Fabled-Copper-Reports-Multi-10-Copper-Values-Including-2930-Copper-on-West-Side-of-the-Eagle-Creek-Copper-Occurrence EDMONTON, AB and VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Optima Living ("Optima" or the "Company") and Axium Infrastructure ("Axium") are pleased to announce the acquisition by their Yarrow joint venture of seven high-quality seniors living assets adding 1,200+ beds to its portfolio in Alberta. The strategic acquisition expands the joint venture's footprint in Alberta and positions it among top operators by bed count in the Edmonton region. "This acquisition deepens our collaboration with Axium and demonstrates our ability to create value through acquiring, integrating, and managing a sizable and varied portfolio of seniors living communities, which significantly solidifies Optima's presence in Western Canada," said Karim Kassam, Optima's Co-Founder and Principal. "We believe there are strong tailwinds ahead for seniors housing due to sector demographics and a shortage of seniors living options creating long wait lists, especially for government funded beds. From an investment perspective, construction for seniors living communities is at historically low levels; this sector continues to see asset appreciation with dependable income, making investing in this sector attractive." This acquisition increases Optima's operations in Alberta and aligns with the Company's portfolio strategy to add geographic and bed-type diversification and gain scale in Western Canada. Optima will leverage its robust operational framework and strong leadership team regionally located throughout Alberta and British Columbia to deliver high-quality service to the residents at the seven new locations. "We are pleased to partner once again with Optima, a best-in-class operator," said Dominic Chalifoux, Chief Asset Management and Valuation Officer of Axium Infrastructure. "Today's announcement is consistent with our strategy of investing in core social infrastructure facilities that offer essential services to the community in partnership with strong operators that provide high quality of care and services to residents," added Mr. Chalifoux. Optima's overarching organizational goal remains to meet the vast and increasing demand for seniors living and assisted care facilities in a sustainable manner. "The acquisition of these seven trophy assets adds to the track record of achievement of this objective," added Mr. Kassam. "Over the last three years, we have delivered on our intentional growth, focusing only on Alberta and British Columbia. We have identified markets where we see potential for Optima and our investors, and opportunistically deployed capital to acquire institutional quality assets in synergistic markets, leveraging economies of scale to gain critical market share." Dentons and National Bank Financial acted as legal and financial advisors, respectively, to the joint venture for the acquisition. Laurel Heights, Edmonton, Alberta Sage Hill, Calgary, Alberta About Optima Living Canadian owned and operated in Western Canada, Optima Living strives to deliver high service standards and adapt to resident needs. Optima offers a range of senior living options through its portfolio of 33 assets (3,400+ beds), including Independent Living, Assisted Living, Supportive Living, Long-Term Care, and Memory Care. With over 2,000 employees in Alberta and British Columbia caring for over 4,000 residents, Optima's dedication to building partnerships and integrating communities remains guided by our North Star - Let us welcome you home. Learn more at OptimaLiving.ca. About Axium Infrastructure Axium Infrastructure (comprised of Axium Infrastructure Inc. and its affiliated entities) is an independent portfolio management firm dedicated to generating long-term investment returns through investing in core infrastructure assets. Axium Infrastructure had over C$10 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2022, as well as C$1.7 billion in co-investments. With offices in Montreal, Toronto, New York, and London, the firm benefits from the capabilities of a group of specialists with decades of experience acquiring, developing, financing, operating and managing infrastructure assets. Focus is placed on assets that are supported by robust market demand and under long-term contract with creditworthy counterparties. Since 2010, the firm has invested in a diversified portfolio of over 255 infrastructure assets. For further information, including information about other infrastructure assets the firm has invested in, please visit www.axiuminfra.com. This release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy securities of any entity. Contacts: Alyssa Barry Media Relations 604-997-0965 communications@optimaliving.ca Anne-Sophie Roy Senior Vice President, Investor Relations Axium Infrastructure Inc. asroy@axiuminfra.com 514-954-3781 SOURCE: Optima Living View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/747040/Optima-Living-and-Axium-Infrastructure-Acquire-Seven-High-Quality-Seniors-Living-Properties-in-Alberta Multiple High-Potential Drill Targets, Rigs Scheduled, Permits Approved Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - Summa Silver Corp. (TSXV: SSVR) (OTCQX: SSVRF) (FSE: 48X) ("Summa" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has finalized plans for a spring drill program at it's Hughes Project in Nevada. The program is scheduled to begin in early May and will consist of both reverse circulation (RC) and core drilling in a minimum of seven holes testing five targets. Key Highlights High-Potential Targets: Epithermal gold and silver targets were selected based on detailed interpretations of geophysics, geochemistry and geological mapping completed by the Company (see attached figures). Follow-Up Drilling at the Ruby Discovery: Holes are planned to aggressively step out from the holes drilled in this area in 2020 and 2021. These holes intersected local zones of mineralization, wide zones of veining, and extensive hydrothermal alteration 1.3 km along strike from the historic mines of the Tonopah district. New Targets include Emerald, Diamond, Sapphire, and Topaz: These four new target areas, which were previously unrecognized, represent significant discovery opportunities just outside of the historic Tonopah mining district. Drill Rigs Scheduled: Contracts have been signed for both RC and core drilling rigs with work scheduled to begin in early May. Permit Application Approved: The Bureau of Land Management has approved an application for all required drill pads and the Company is in the process of providing the required reclamation bond. Fully Funded: The Company remains fully funded for exploration with approximately $10.5M in working capital. Galen McNamara, CEO, stated: "After extensive background work, we have defined numerous targets across the eastern side of the Hughes project that will be systematically drill tested in the coming weeks. These targets, which are within sight of one of the most prolific American high-grade silver districts known, represent unique discovery opportunities and the team is very eager to start drilling here again before returning to the Mogollon project in the fall." Hughes Exploration Drill Program The focus for this phase of exploration drilling is on testing previously undrilled epithermal vein targets identified by Summa over the course of multiple ground-based exploration programs (see Summa's August 16, 2021, and June 22, 2021 news releases). Drilling is scheduled to begin in early May. Three key targets will be tested: Ruby: The Ruby discovery has been drilled by the Company in three holes completed in 2020 and 2021 (see Figures 1 and 2). The area is characterised by a broad zone of pyrite-rich, phyllic alteration transitioning to strong argillic + silica alteration peripheral to a wide zone of strong epithermal-related gold and silver mineralization hosted in quartz-rich breccias and veins. All three holes intersected zones of local mineralization highlighted by hole SUM20-10 which intersected 469 g/t silver equivalent (258 g/t Ag and 2.63 g/t Au) over 2m (see December 17, 2020 news release). Subsequent 3D IP geophysical survey work identified coincident chargeability and resistivity anomalies immediately along strike to the east of the drilled area. The coincident anomalies are interpreted to represent broad zones of sulfide-rich, quartz-dominant hydrothermal-related alteration. Modelling suggests an east-west trend to the structural zone. Drilling will investigate the eastern strike-extent of Ruby mineralization and the exploration target is an extension of the Tonopah district. Emerald: The Emerald target is centered on an outcropping zone of polymictic, carbonate-rich hydrothermal breccia (see Figure 3). The zone is spatially associated with a broad arsenic-in-soil geochemical anomaly and proximal to a property-scale, north-trending normal fault. The breccia occurrence is interpreted to represent the paleosurface and/or upper level expression of a low-sulfidation epithermal vein system. Drilling will target the breccia at depth to test the gold and silver potential of the system below the paleosurface. Topaz, Diamond and Sapphire: These targets comprise a series of coincident soil and geophysical anomalies with local zones of outcropping chalcedonic quartz-cemented breccias. Zones of near-surface and coincident high-chargeability and high-resistivity anomalies located proximal to magnetic lineaments are interpreted to represent epithermal vein-hosted targets. Reconnaissance-style RC holes will test three targets over a 2 kilometer east-west trend. At Ruby, two holes are planned to be drilled with RC pre-collars followed by core tails through the target zones. At the other targets, four holes are planned to be drilled via RC. A pXRF (portable Xray fluorescence) instrument will provide close to real-time geochemical data focused on key pathfinder elements (e.g., arsenic, antimony, lead, zinc and copper). Based on these early results, additional holes may be drilled. Figure 1: Project map showing location of new drill targets with arsenic-in-soil and IP anomalies. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7983/161312_776010d7945fdaa9_002full.jpg Figure 2: Ruby discovery underground schematic showing drill holes and IP anomalies. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7983/161312_776010d7945fdaa9_003full.jpg Figure 3: Emerald target calcite-cemented polymictic breccia. These textures and alteration minerals are interpreted to represent the upper expression of a prospective epithermal vein system at depth (~100 to 300m deep). To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7983/161312_776010d7945fdaa9_004full.jpg Qualified Person The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Galen McNamara, P. Geo., the CEO of the Company, and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. About Summa Silver Corp Summa is a Canadian junior mineral exploration company. The Company owns a 100% interest in the Hughes property located in central Nevada and has an option to earn 100% interest in the Mogollon property located in southwestern New Mexico. The Hughes property is host to the high-grade past-producing Belmont Mine, one of the most prolific silver producers in the United States between 1903 and 1929. The Mogollon property is the largest historic silver producer in New Mexico. Both properties have remained inactive since commercial production ceased and neither have seen modern exploration prior to the Company's involvement. Follow Summa Silver on Twitter: @summasilver LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/summa-silver-corp/ ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Galen McNamara" Galen McNamara, Chief Executive Officer info@summasilver.com www.summasilver.com Investor Relations Contact: Giordy Belfiore Corporate Development and Investor Relations 604-288-8004 giordy@summasilver.com www.summasilver.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements This news release contains certain "forward looking statements" and certain "forward-looking information" as defined under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "plans" or similar terminology. The forward-looking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. These forward-looking statements or information relate to, among other things: the release of assays, and the exploration and development of the Company's mineral exploration projects including completion of surveys and drilling activities. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual actions, events or results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: the requirement for regulatory approvals; enhanced uncertainty in global financial markets as a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic; unquantifiable risks related to government actions and interventions; stock market volatility; regulatory restrictions; and other related risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information are based on management of the parties' reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on such management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161312 Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - Athabasca Minerals Inc. (TSXV: AMI) ("AMI" or the "Corporation") announces its subsidiary AMI Silica LLC ("AMIS" or the "Company") has signed a multi-year transload agreement (the "Transload Agreement") for the delivery of its silica sand into the Grande Prairie, Alberta region. In addition, AMIS has signed an eighteen-month Sand Supply Agreement (the "Sand Agreement") with a commitment to provide various product specifications to a leading North American oilfield services firm. The Sand Agreement provides a minimum commitment of 20,000 U.S. tons per month of 40/70 frac sand with the option for the customer to purchase additional volumes. The total minimum commitment for the Sand Agreement is 360,000 tons, subject to pricing adjustments. This agreement increases the Company's offtake capacity for frac sand in Western Canada and protects the Company from medium-term market fluctuations. The Transload Agreement gives AMI Silica LLC the capability to build on its strategic logistics network by adding additional supply into the growing Canadian oil and gas market. The Grande Prairie transload gives AMIS the ability to transport and sell a minimum of 30,000 Metric Tonnes of product per month into the Montney, Eastern Duvernay, and Deep Basin regions. This agreement has a two-year term with the option to extend, by mutual agreement, for up to two additional terms of twelve months. Chief Executive Officer Dana Archibald states, "Combined with our multi-year transload agreement previously announced on November 24, 2022, we continue to add to our network in Western Canada. These transload partnerships provide AMI Silica LLC with the ability to adjust our business model from selling at our mine gate to selling directly to our customers, in-basin. This new business model increases our revenue per ton, insulates the Company from increased supply pressures in Wisconsin, allows us to better serve our customers, and to build the AMI Silica LLC brand in key markets served by our transloads. Our team continues to focus on producing a high-quality sand, increasing our production capacity and solidifying long-term sales of our products." The Corporation owns a 50% interest in AMI Silica LLC with its partner JMAC Energy Services LLC ("JMAC") owning the other 50% interest. JMAC is controlled by Jon McCreary, a director of Athabasca Minerals Inc. ABOUT ATHABASCA MINERALS INC. Athabasca Minerals is an integrated industrial minerals company focused on the production and delivery of frac sand to Canada and the United States. Athabasca also operates aggregate operations in Western Canada and maintains the largest platform for buying, selling and transporting of aggregates through its 100% owned technology platform, AMI RockChain. For further information, please contact: Cheryl Grue, Director, Corporate Affairs Tel: 587-392-5862 / Email: cheryl.grue@athabascaminerals.com W: www.athabascaminerals.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains certain statements or disclosures relating to Athabasca that are based on the expectations of its management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Athabasca which may constitute forward-looking statements or information ("forward-looking statements") under applicable securities laws. All such statements and disclosures, other than those of historical fact, which address activities, events, outcomes, results or developments that Athabasca anticipates or expects may, or will occur in the future (in whole or in part) should be considered forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of the words "would", "will", "anticipates", believes", "explores" and similar expressions. Athabasca believes the material factors, expectations and assumptions reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable at this time but no assurance can be given that these factors, expectations and assumptions will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Furthermore, the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Corporation does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any of the forward-looking statements, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Additional information on these and other factors that could affect the Corporation's operations and financial results are included in this news release and may be accessed under Athabasca's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161309 TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Bold Ventures Inc. (TSXV:BOL) (the "Company" or "Bold") is pleased to provide the following update to Bold's Koper Lake Project located in the Ring of Fire area of the James Bay Lowlands region of Northern Ontario. On February 24, 2023, KWG Resources Inc. announced the completion of a magnetotelluric survey over portions of the Black Horse Chromite deposit located in the Ring of Fire area, James Bay region of northern Ontario. Preliminary results of the magnetotelluric survey indicated that the two target areas, 1 km (Target 1) and 4 km (Target 2) northeast of the Black Horse Deposit, have . "clearly distinguished the ultramafic host rock, known as the Ring of Fire intrusion, from the enclosing country rock. This permits the results from the two target areas to be interpreted with confidence." (see Bold press release dated March 6, 2023 and KWG press release dated February 24, 2023). On March 30, 2023 KWG announced that it is in receipt of the final report (the Quantec Report) of the magnetotelluric survey recently completed over portions of the Blackhorse Chromite project in the Ring of Fire area of northern Ontario. The purpose of the survey was to confirm the existence at depth of the Ring of Fire intrusion and identify targets for further exploration. The results of the survey are being combined with other geophysical and geological data leading to the creation of a three-dimensional model of the previously discovered chromite resource and the newly identified mineral exploration targets for chromite mineralization. In order to access the March 21, 2023 TVO production of "Will a Road Make the Ring of Fire a Reality" follow the link here or on Bold's Critical and Battery Minerals page here. About the Koper Lake Project: The Black Horse Chromite Deposit is part of the Koper Lake Project where KWG is the Operator of the chromite exploration effort. Bold owns a 10% carried interest (through to production) in the Black Horse Chromite NI 43-101 Inferred Resource of 85.9 Mt grading 34.5% Cr2O3 at a cut-off of 20% Cr2O3 (KWG Resources Inc., NI 43-101 Technical Report, Aubut 2015). Additionally, Bold owns a 40% working interest in all other metals found within the Koper Lake claims and has the right to earn up to an 80% working interest in all other metals. Bold has the Right of First Refusal on a 1% NSR covering all metals found within the claim group. The Black Horse is contiguous with the Blackbird Chromite deposits owned by Ring of Fire Metals (formerly Noront Resources Inc.). Of additional note, the Koper Lake claims are located approximately 300 m from Ring of Fire Metal's Eagle's Nest Ni-Cu Massive Sulphide Deposit that is in the permit acquisition stage. Chromite, nickel and copper are critical minerals that will play an important role in the electrification plans of Ontario and North America. The Company is encouraged by these ongoing developments in this emerging critical mineral mining camp. The environmental assessment process for all-weather road access to the Ring of Fire is being developed as three proposed road projects: the Northern Road link, the Marten Falls Community Access Road and the Webeque Supply Road. Information and progress regarding these projects may be accessed via the links provided on Bold's critical and battery metals page. The technical information found within this news release has been reviewed and approved by Gerald D. White, B.Sc., P.Geo., a qualified person (QP) for the purposes of NI 43-101. Bold Ventures management believes our suite of Battery, Critical and Precious Metals exploration projects are an ideal combination of exploration potential meeting future demand. Our target commodities are comprised of: Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni), Lead (Pb), Zinc (Zn), Gold (Au), Silver (Ag), Platinum (Pt), Palladium (Pd) and Chromium (Cr). The Critical Metals list and a description of the Provincial and Federal electrification plans are posted on the Bold website here. About Bold Ventures Inc. The Company explores for Precious, Battery and Critical Metals in Canada. Bold is exploring properties located in active gold and battery metals camps in the Thunder Bay and Wawa regions of Ontario. Bold also holds significant assets located within and around the emerging multi-metals district dubbed the Ring of Fire region, located in the James Bay Lowlands of Northern Ontario. As a result of the current COVID-19 virus concerns, the Company's management and contractors are following public guidelines and taking recommended steps to protect the health and safety of all personnel while carrying out operations. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic giving rise to local and national anti-virus measures, the scheduling of activities is subject to change. COVID-19 impacts may affect timing and availability of goods and services for the foreseeable future. For additional information about Bold Ventures and our projects please visit boldventuresinc.com or contact us at 416-864-1456 or email us at info@boldventuresinc.com. "David B Graham" David Graham President and CEO Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This Press Release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. When used in this document, the words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to such risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from the statements made, including those factors discussed in filings made by us with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties, such actual results of current exploration programs, the general risks associated with the mining industry, the price of gold and other metals, currency and interest rate fluctuations, increased competition and general economic and market factors, occur or should assumptions underlying the forward looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, or expected. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. SOURCE: Bold Ventures Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/747715/Bold-Ventures-Provides-Update-at-Koper-Lake Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - Pegmatite One Lithium and Gold Corp. (CSE: PGA) ("Pegmatite One" or the "Company") announces that the board of directors of the Company accepted the voluntary resignation of Mr. Ross Mitgang as the Company's Chief Executive Officer and President. Mr. Mitgang will stay on as a director of the Company. Effective immediately, the Company appointed Mr. Kelly Abbott as the new Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company. Mr. Abbott has over 15 years of experience in entrepreneurship and has founded multiple companies ranging in size and industry. Mr. Abbott has extensive experience in public markets and has helped secure millions of dollars in capital in private and public ventures. Mr. Abbott's expertise is in marketing, corporate strategy, venture capital and business development. He previously oversaw the corporate development function of various private and public companies within the mining and resource, technology, cannabis and psychedelic sectors. Stock Option Grants The Company granted an aggregate of 1,250,000 stock options ("Options") to certain officers, directors and consultants of the Company pursuant to its incentive stock option plan, approved by the shareholders of Pegmatite One at its annual general and special meeting of shareholders held on March 17, 2023. Each option vests immediately and is exercisable into one common share in the capital of the Company at a price of $0.065 for a period of three years from the date of grant. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this News Release. About the Company: Pegmatite One is a publicly traded company exploring for lithium and gold. The Company is committed to responsible mining practices and operates 2 mining properties in Northwest Ontario and on Vancouver Island. The Morrison River Property consists of 222 claims and 335 cell claim units in Morrison River Area, Muskrat Dam Lake, Northwestern Ontario. The Morrison River Property is Pegmatite One's flagship lithium asset, we see its potential lithium production to be part of the world's continued shift towards electric vehicles and green technologies. The Georgina Property, a gold prospect located in the Nanaimo Mining Division, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, consists of one mineral claim covering an area of 2,069 hectares. For more information, please contact: Ross Mitgang Director T: 416-481-2222 E: rmitgang@plazacapital.ca Forward-Looking Information and Cautionary Statements Forward-Looking Information and Cautionary Statements Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "expect", "potential", "believe", "intend" or the negative of these terms and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements relating to the Morrison River Property potential in lithium production; and the world's shift towards electric vehicles and green technologies. Forward-looking information in this press release are based on certain assumptions and expected future events, namely: the Company's ability to manage and meet the timing and costs of future activities on the Company's Properties; the Company's ability to maintain its mineral tenures and concessions in good standing; the Company's ability to manage the economic conditions or financial markets; the Company's ability to manage the inherent hazards associates with mineral exploration and mining operations; future prices of metals; changes in general economic conditions; the potential for new discoveries; the ability of the Company to obtain the necessary permits and consents required to explore, drill and develop the its projects located on its Properties, and if obtained, to obtain such permits and consents in a timely fashion relative to the Company's plans and business objectives for such projects; the general ability of the Company to monetize its mineral resources; and changes in environmental and other laws or regulations that could have an impact on the Company's operations, compliance with environmental laws and regulations, dependence on key management personnel and general competition in the mining industry. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including but not limited to: the Company's inability to manage and meet the timing and costs of future activities on the Company's properties; the Company's inability to maintain its mineral tenures and concessions in good standing; the Company's inability to manage the economic conditions or financial markets; the Company's inability to manage the inherent hazards associates with mineral exploration and mining operations; adverse changes to future prices of metals; adverse changes in general economic conditions; the lack of new discoveries; the inability of the Company to obtain the necessary permits and consents required to explore, drill and develop the its projects located on its properties, and if obtained, its inability to obtain such permits and consents in a timely fashion relative to the Company's plans and business objectives for such projects; the inability of the Company to monetize its mineral resources; and adverse changes in environmental and other laws or regulations that will have an impact on the Company's operations, the Company's inability to maintain compliance with environmental laws and regulations, the adverse effects resulting from its dependence on key management personnel and adverse changes due to the general competition in the mining industry. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and reflect the Company's expectations as of the date hereof and are subject to change thereafter. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161288 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - Palamina Corp. (TSXV: PA) (OTCQB: PLMNF) has received approval of the modification of its Environmental Impact Study or Declaracion de Impacto Ambiental permit ("DIA") to include the newly acquired Sol de Oro ("SDO") and Cayos Zones. The DIA allows for up to 40 drill pads. Five drill pads were constructed in the Veta Zone during the initial drill program and 35 permitted drill pads sites remain available under the DIA. The diamond drill rig remains at site where construction of pads and roads to newly selected drill target areas in the SDO and Cayos zones is set to commence at the end of the rainy season in late April. "In May of 2022, Palamina made the decision to shut down its inaugural drill program in the Veta Zone to focus on consolidating the entire 4.5 km mineralized gold trend at the Usicayos Gold Project before resuming drilling. Palamina has since acquired 100% interest of the entire gold trend and intends to next drill in the newly permitted Sol de Oro and Cayos zones which have never been drill tested. The drill remains at site and Palamina will recommence exploration once the rainy season concludes." commented Andrew Thomson, President of Palamina. Usicayos Gold Project To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4727/161357_67a23e23646479c6_002full.jpg Select Assay results from the Sol de Oro gold zone: The SDO gold zone was acquired in June of 2022 At SDO North informal miners have excavated short adits into the hillside and dug out small pits targeting two gently-dipping quartz vein structures where channel samples returned assays values grading up to 5.1 g/t Au over 6.2 m at surface and 15.4 g/t Au over 2.7 m from underground workings. The highest grade rock sample from an underground adit returned 46.2 g/t Au over 0.3 m. At SDO South, channel sampling returned a broader zone of up to 3.4 g/t Au over 14.0 m at surface and 23.0 g/t Au over 0.7 m underground. The best chip sample from surface returned 200 g/t Au over 0.9 m. A channel sample from SDO South West returned up to 37.5 g/t over 1.8 m at surface with the broadest zone returning up to 1.4 g/t Au over 18.8 m. A chip sample from SDO South East returned up to 2.0 g/t Au over 16.0 m with the broadest zone returning 1.10 g/t Au over 21.1 m. Select Assay results from the Cayos Gold Zone: The Cayos Zone returned up to 30.5 g/t Au over 3.0 m in a continuous channel sample at surface and a grab sample from surface up to 75.4 g/t Au. These results, along with completed heliborne geophysical survey work and a comprehensive structural study have played an important role in defining the SDO and Cayos zones as priority drill target areas. SDO is a 1.5 km wide zone of intermittent quartz veining at the heart of the 4.5 km mineralized Usicayos gold trend. Nine zones of quartz veining, which returned anomalous gold values, have been identified in the SDO zone post its acquisition in 2022. Further underground channel sampling is planned in SDO North and at the Cayos zone to further refine individual drill targets. Palamina has applied for its Authorization to Initiate Exploration Activities ("AIEA") permit to commence drilling at Usicayos. The AIEA is expected to be issued in 1 to 3 months. While awaiting the AIEA, road construction to provide access is expected to commence from the west side of the property, across to the SDO north zone, then northeast to the Cayos Zone. A separate road will be built south from SDO North down through the SDO South East, SDO South and SDO South West zones. The drill remains at site in the Veta Zone 300 m from the Cayos Zone. The reported assays herein are summarized from previous exploration results disclosed by Palamina on July 7, 2020, September 18, 2022 and January 30, 2023. Readers can see fully reported results for these programs in press releases available at the Company's website and on SEDAR. The technical information reported herein has been reviewed and approved by William McGuinty (P. Geo.), a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. McGuinty is a technical advisor to Palamina. About Palamina Corp. Palamina has participation in nine gold projects in south-eastern Peru hosted within the Puno Orogenic Gold Belt (POGB). The Company also has rights to the Galena silver-copper project in the Santa Lucia district and two additional copper-gold projects in Southern Peru. Palamina holds a 19.9% equity interest in Winshear Gold Corp. who are advancing the Gaban Gold Project to the drill discovery phase. Winshear is also awaiting a judgement after concluding its arbitration proceedings against the Government of Tanzania in February of 2023 for the expropriation of its SMP gold deposit. Winshear is seeking in excess of CDN$130M for the loss of its investment in Tanzania. Palamina has 65,284,836 shares outstanding and trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol PA and on the OTCQB Venture Market under the symbol PLMNF. On Behalf of the Board of Directors: Andrew Thomson, President Phone: (416) 204-7536 or visit www.palamina.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of such statements under applicable securities law. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this news release. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the use of proceeds of the Offering and the Company's future business plans. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law. A more complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company appears in the Company's continuous disclosure filings, which are available at www.sedar.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161357 Oceana urges coastal developing states to call out the unjust financing of foreign fishing in their waters and demand greater transparency WASHINGTON, D.C., April 05, 2023, published in Marine Policy, finds harmful fisheries subsidies from wealthy nations like China, Spain, and the United States are disproportionately impacting poorer nations like Guinea-Bissau, Somalia, and Namibia that depend on fish for food security and livelihoods. The paper, which expands on analyses prepared for Oceana's Transparent Oceans Initiative, reveals that 20-37% of all harmful fisheries subsidies support distant-water fishing in other countries' waters or on the high seas. That equates to about USD $5.3 billion each year. More than 40% of the harmful subsidies that support fishing in "very poor" nations, as measured by the Human Development Index, originate from the wealthiest fishing nations. "Harmful fisheries subsidies, initially designed to boost economic growth by reducing fishing costs, can actually deepen inequity and threaten marine biodiversity," said Dr. Daniel Skerritt, Oceana's Senior Analyst, and lead author of the paper. "This subsidized overfishing is damaging poorer nations' fisheries at a time when climate change has already placed billions of people at risk of food and economic insecurity." The study comes as the World Trade Organizationwas struck by Members last June, Oceana says important issues were left unresolved, including prohibiting subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing. Co-author, Director of the University of British Columbia's Fisheries Economics Research Unit, and Oceana Board Member Dr. Rashid Sumaila said, "It is vital that WTO Members come together to take bold steps to eliminate subsidies that lead to overcapacity and overfishing, whether in their own waters or the waters of other nations. It is essential to address these longstanding power imbalances to ensure our ocean remains healthy and productive for future generations." The authors encourage the nations most impacted by subsidized fishing to strengthen and enforce rules of access to their waters. This could be achieved through an improved WTO Agreement, bilateral access agreements, or other country-to-country negotiations. Some regions, particularly Africa and Oceania, may require funding to help manage their fisheries, rebuild diminished stocks, and effectively undo the damage caused by subsidized fishing in their waters. "Redirecting funds that prop up distant-water fishing toward more equitable coastal development, fisheries management, and enforcement, in heavily affected regions would be a positive step," said Skerritt. "WTO Members should seriously consider adopting the 'polluter pays principle' - where those who cause ecological and social harm bear the cost of the repair." Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana is rebuilding abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in countries that control one-quarter of the world's wild fish catch. With more than 275 victories that stop overfishing, habitat destruction, oil and plastic pollution, and the killing of threatened species like turtles, whales, and sharks, Oceana's campaigns are delivering results. A restored ocean means that 1 billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal every day, forever. Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world. Visit Oceana.org to learn more. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - Nova Mentis Life Science Corp. (CSE: NOVA) (FSE: HN3Q) (OTCQB: NMLSF) ("NOVA" or the "Company"), a biotechnology company and global leader in first-in-class psilocybin-based therapeutics and complementary diagnostics for neuroinflammatory disorders, is pleased to provide a corporate update, including planned catalysts for 2023. "NOVA executed on several key research and drug development milestones in 2022, which has set the stage for a meaningful 2023. Our focus remains on advancing our proprietary psilocybin drug (NM-1001) and conducting the first-ever human trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of oral microdose psilocybin therapy for fragile X syndrome (FXS), the leading genetic cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD)," says William Rascan, NOVA's President & CEO. "We look forward to a busy 2023 as we continue in our efforts to deliver new and life-changing therapies for those with autism, the fastest growing developmental disability in the world. We believe psilocybin has the potential to offer new hope to patients who are searching for safe and effective treatment solutions to help with the behavioural and cognitive symptoms associated with autism," says Dr. Marvin S. Hausman, the Chairman of NOVA's Scientific Advisory Board. "I joined the NOVA team this year because I see the incredible potential of this new area of medicine and was impressed with the accomplishments NOVA achieved in such a short amount of time. From promising preclinical data and securing Orphan Drug status, to producing a large supply of synthetic psilocybin and earning Health Canada approval for a human study - the level of promise ahead of us is very exciting," says Derek Ivany, NOVA's Executive Chairman. The Nova 2022 Story: Accomplishments Formed a tactical partnership with KGK Science Inc. to develop NOVA's psychedelic psilocybin drug portfolio in Canada and jointly submit a psilocybin clinical trial application to Health Canada. Successfully completed an oral microdose psilocybin preclinical study in the laboratory of Dr. Viviana Trezza at Rome Tre University in Rome, Italy. The results exceeded all expectations with the findings that a very low dose of the Company's proprietary psilocybin drug (NM-1001) significantly modulated behavioural and cognitive defects, such as recognition memory, in a genetic model of FXS. Begun the patient enrollment process and enrolled 100+ participants into NOVA's North American Observational study: Establishing a Diagnostic and Therapeutic Index in ASD and FXS . Partnered with the Toronto Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology (TIPT) to complete production of a large supply of >98% pure psilocybin capsules for clinical studies and commercialization following drug approval. Received the necessary permits from Health Canada and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to ship the Company's proprietary psilocybin drug (NM-1001) from its manufacturing partner to the labs at TIPT. Signed a research agreement with the University of Central Florida (UCF) Research Foundation to develop a saliva serotonin assay that will measure serotonin levels in the saliva samples collected as part of NOVA's autism observational study. Bolstered its IP with the filing of provisional patent applications to protect data it obtained during its psilocybin preclinical studies and provide protection for the Company's therapeutic paradigm for treating neuroinflammatory disorders with psilocybin and psilocybin-based tryptamine derivatives. Submitted to Health Canada the first-ever Phase IIA clinical trial application testing the safety and efficacy of oral microdose psilocybin therapy for FXS. NOVA's psilocybin preclinical study results were published in Psychopharmacology, a fully peer-reviewed, international science journal. Received Health Canada approval for first-of-its-kind psilocybin ASD clinical trial. The human study will evaluate the Company's proprietary psilocybin drug (NM-1001) in the treatment of FXS. Anticipated 2023 Milestones: 2023 kicked off with promising developments, as NOVA received an exemption under Section 56 of Canada's Controlled Drugs and Substances Act allowing the Company to proceed with the first-ever Phase IIA clinical trial assessing repetitive, oral microdose psilocybin therapy for adults with fragile X. Other planned catalysts for 2023 include: Recruiting participants for NOVA's Health Canada approved psilocybin study in fragile X syndrome. Evaluating potential corporate partners with interest in NOVA's psilocybin drug portfolio and clinical research supplies. About Nova Mentis Life Science Corp. Nova Mentis Life Science Corp. is a Canadian-based biotechnology company and global leader in developing diagnostics and psilocybin-based therapeutics for neuroinflammatory disorders. Nova is the first biotech company to achieve orphan drug designation in both the United States and European Union for the use of psilocybin in the treatment of FXS. NOVA's goal is to diagnose and treat debilitating chronic conditions that have unmet medical needs, such as ASD and FXS. For further information on the Company, please visit www.novamentis.ca or email info@novamentis.ca. On Behalf of the Board Will Rascan, President & CEO Nova Mentis Life Science Corp. Phone: 778-819-0244 Toll Free: 1-833-542-5323 Twitter: @novamentislsc Instagram: @novamentislsc Facebook: @novamentislsc Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Nova Mentis Life Science's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161303 The new solution will improve student success while saving time and money. WATERLOO, ON, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- DigitalEd and Edufide have announced today a new partnership that will expand the grading capabilities of Mobius and bring Edufide's Assign2 solution to a broader global market. Introducing Mobius Grading, a collaborative grading solution to transform how you grade bubble sheet multiple-choice, paper-based, and remote offline assessments. The Mobius platform auto-grades and provides feedback to students for online questions and problems used within Mobius assessments and assignments. The new solution, Mobius Grading, will enhance the quality and efficiency of grading by: Allowing administrators to reuse and grade legacy paper-based assessments and assignments by a document upload instead of recreating existing assessment materials such as pdfs or paper tests. Providing a simple and user-friendly grading interface that can handle large number of tests Increasing productivity by enabling grading teams to work collaboratively and simultaneously without interfering with each other's work Improve student outcomes by using customizable rubrics and comment libraries providing consistency in grading Offering data on student performance and assessment effectiveness that can help improve assessment design Accommodating and/or replacing proprietary bubble sheets and scanner-required testing materials "Joining forces with Edufide, the creators of Assign2, is an exciting opportunity for DigitalEd. We are united by a common vision of creating software solutions that empower educators and inspire STEM students. Providing a grading solution that can put instructors back in the classroom instead of performing administrative tasks shows our commitment to helping institutions enhance student outcomes - we think of this as a way for our educator customers to Take Back Teaching." Marty Callahan, CEO, DigitalEd Mobius Grading is powered by Edufide's Assign2, a solution designed by and for educators to enhance automated grading solutions and reduce instructor workload. Assign2 supports institution-level or departmental implementation with features such as PDF and image uploads, scanning of submissions with bulk scanners or directly by students with mobile phones, and compliance with global security and privacy protocols. Students can easily and quickly access their results, including instructor feedback based on identified rubrics and have their results pushed to their LMS to further engage students in the learning process. "Our partnership with DigitalEd lets us focus on accelerating the development of advanced grading features of Assign2 that powers Mobius Grading. At the same time, we can use DigitalEd's expertise in digital learning and the Mobius platform to connect us with its global network of educators and learners." Asim Aziz, CEO & Founder, Edufide." About DigitalEd DigitalEd is an online learning company with a simple and resonant purpose: to shape the world through digital learning. We've used our beliefs, values and core pillars of software development to build Mobius , the most innovative and comprehensive learning platform for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Mobius helps higher education institutions deliver online STEM courses, assignments, and assessments. It improves students' math skills with adaptive assignments and reduces dropout rates. It also enables instructors to design interactive lessons and practice assignments for effective active learning and auto-grades complex math problems from online assignments. About Edufide Edufide Inc specializes in software solutions for higher education. It was established in 2019 to enhance the quality of teaching and learning with creative and easy-to-use tools. Their flagship product, Assign2, is an assessment management and grading solution created with the help of top educators at leading Canadian universities. Assign2 helps instructors grade assignments more quickly and easily, facilitates collaboration among their peers and allows them to provide rich feedback to students. For further information: Siobhan Paul, 519-746-5207 x215, spaul@digitaled.com View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/digitaled-and-edufide-join-forces-to-launch-mobius-grading-a-game-changing-solution-for-grading-assessments-301790250.html NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Verizon: Art teacher Lourdes Fuller firmly believes art class is a lab. The design cycle, she argues, is very much like the STEM process: You get an idea, draft it out and then step back and redesign. Fuller explains, "The scientific process is that you basically test your hypothesis. In art, you're testing your idea." Fuller argues that art and science have much in common: "In order to be any kind of scientist, you have to have a curiosity, and you have to observe the world, and all of that is art." In her art classes at Shenandoah Middle School Museums Magnet in Miami, FL, students use technology, including 1-1 devices provided by Verizon Innovative Learning to analyze plants, insects and more, all through the eyes of an artist. "They think they are doing nothing, but they are doing so much," Fuller says. "They are doing science." While students inspected the school grounds for plants and insects to classify through the use of an app, sixth grade student Karen Eglantin commented on the hands-on nature of art, saying, "I learned about real life things, not just from a book." When inside the classroom, Fuller regularly uses a document camera - a device that can project and magnify images - to zoom in on her hand and what she is drawing. She then projects her artwork onto each student's individual device. "They all have access to what I'm drawing from their desk," Fuller explains. "They can raise their hands and say, 'Wait, I didn't see that. Can you do that again?'" Fuller's passion for art extends to the social and emotional growth of students. "The most exciting moment for me is [when] students find and discover something with their eyes," she says. "The more you see, the more you know and how you fit into the world." For educators interested in interdisciplinary lessons that combine STEM with art, visit Verizon Innovative Learning HQ for free resources and apps. Using tech to inspire the creative process, sixth grader Karen Eglantin snaps a photo of flowers on her school's grounds that she can later transform into a work of art. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Verizon on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Verizon Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/verizon Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Verizon View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/747777/Miami-Art-Teacher-Melds-Science-With-Art-To-Teach-Students-About-the-World The licensing of the thematic indexes provides investors with access and exposure to the national defense and the oil services industry MarketVector IndexesTM ("MarketVector") announces the licensing of the MarketVectorTM Global Defense Industry Index (ticker: MVDEF) and the MarketVectorTM US Listed Oil Services 10% Capped Index (ticker: MVOIC) to underlie the VanEck Defense UCITS ETF and the VanEck Oil Services UCITS ETF. The MarketVectorTM Global Defense Industry Index (ticker: MVDEF) tracks the performance of the companies which generate at least 50% of their revenues from the military or defense industries including related national/federal governmental departments. It is weighted by modified float-adjusted market capitalization and is calculated in USD as a price index and a total return net index. The MVDEF Index is reviewed on a quarterly basis. "We're proud to launch the MarketVectorTM Global Defense Industry Index. We developed this unique index to enable pure-play exposure to global companies operating in the defense industry," said Jesse Nacht, Index Research Associate at MarketVector. "Investors' geopolitical concerns have been exacerbated by recent international conflicts, but the opportunities to invest in companies supporting defense efforts are rising in importance." "The defense sector has traditionally been a sensitive topic in Europe. However, since the start of the war in Ukraine, the views on security and defense policy have started shifting, as the need for security policy has become more obvious," explains Martijn Rozemuller, CEO at VanEck Europe. "Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, tensions in Asia, and global uncertainty, security, and defense are back on investors' minds after being shunned for several years." The MarketVectorTM US Listed Oil Services 10% Capped Index (ticker: MVOIC) tracks the performance of US-listed companies involved in oil services to the upstream oil sector. It is weighted by free-float market capitalization and is calculated in USD as a price index, a total return net index, and a total return gross index. The MVOIC Index is reviewed on a semi-annual basis and is the same as the MVIS US Listed Oil Services 25 Index (ticker: MVOIH), with a different capping scheme. "Ongoing geopolitical tensions are likely to continue moving oil prices, with higher oil prices likely to benefit oil service companies. Furthermore, long-term structural shifts can also benefit oil services companies, many of which are focused on returning cash flow to investors, reducing costs, and increasing efficiency," said Steven Schoenfeld, CEO of MarketVector. "We believe that exposure to a pure-play oil services index can be an important allocation solution for investors, and we are proud to license the MVOIC to VanEck Europe for their Oil Services UCITS ETF." "With geopolitical tensions dominating the headlines since 2022, oil gas supply has once again become an issue of critical importance to most countries around the world. As part of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, for example, energy supplies were used as political leverage," explains Martijn Rozemuller, CEO at VanEck Europe. "As a result, fossil fuels have become a matter of national security in many countries, and the importance of the security of energy supply and independence has become apparent. Due to higher commodity prices and supply shortages, investments in fossil fuels are making a comeback. Several countries have reconsidered their energy mix, placing increased emphasis back on traditional fossil fuels." Detailed information about the indexes, including methodology details and index data, is available on the MarketVector Indexes website. Key Index Features MarketVectorTM Global Defense Industry Index (ticker: MVDEF) Number of Components: 31 Base Date: December 31, 2020 Base Value: 1000 Key Index Features MarketVectorTM US Listed Oil Services 10% Capped Index (ticker: MVOIC) Number of Components: 25 Base Date: December 30, 2011 Base Value: 1000 About MarketVector Indexes www.marketvector.com MarketVector IndexesTM ("MarketVector") is a regulated Benchmark Administrator in Europe, incorporated in Germany and registered with the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin). MarketVector maintains indexes under the MarketVectorTM, MVIS and BlueStar names. With a mission to accelerate index innovation globally, MarketVector is best known for its broad suite of Thematic indexes, a long-running expertise in Hard Asset-linked Equity indexes, and its pioneering Digital Asset index family. MarketVector is proud to be in partnership with more than 25 Exchange-Traded Product (ETP) issuers and index fund managers in markets throughout the world, with approximately USD28.01 billion in assets under management. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005523/en/ Contacts: Media Eunjeong Kang, MarketVector +49 (0) 69 4056 695 38 media-enquiries@marketvector.com Sam Marinelli, Gregory FCA on behalf of MarketVector 610-246-9928 sam@gregoryfca.com NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / MAC Cosmetics Founded in 1984 by two men and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, MAC Cosmetics is a place where LGBTQIA+ people have been welcomed since day one to express their creativity and where they can feel comfortable being their true selves.? MAC was proud to continue this legacy of support and to celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) this year by organizing a toiletry drive at the MAC Cosmetics offices to benefit The Hetrick Martin Institute (HMI). HMI is a New York City based non-profit organization devoted to serving the needs of LGBTQIA+ youth between the ages of 13 and 24 as well as their families. MAC has been partnering with the organization through VIVA GLAM for over 15 years! Toiletries are HMI's most significant area of need for the clients they serve, and MAC Cosmetics was proud to share that the TDOV toiletry drive resulted in over 20 boxes of supplies being donated for LGBTQIA+ youth in need in the greater NYC area.?? MAC shared a recap of the toiletry drive on the brand's Global Instagram, as well as an impactful video in-feed featuring MAC employees in honor of Transgender Day of Visibility, with a call to action to help support equal rights for the transgender community by purchasing MAC VIVA GLAM - the Lipstick that gives back 100%. Learn more about MAC VIVA GLAM. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from MAC Cosmetics on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: MAC Cosmetics Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/mac-cosmetics Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: MAC Cosmetics View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/747780/MAC-Cosmetics-Celebrates-Transgender-Day-of-Visibility DZ BANK AG Frankfurt am Main - Pre Stabilisation RNS Number: residue number system Frankfurt am Main, 5. April 2023 Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful. Pre-Stabilisation Notice International Bank for Reconstruction and Development DZ BANK AG (contact: Ralph Ockert; telephone: +49 69 7447 7051) hereby announces, as Stabilisation Coordinator, that the Stabilising Managers named below may stabilise the offer of the following securities in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU Regulation 596/2014). The security to be stabilised: Issuer: IBRD Guarantor (if any): Aggregate nominal amount: Size: EUR 2 billion Description: 3.10%, due 14. April 2033 Offer price: 99.645% Other offer terms: Fixed, Annual, Act/Act, XS2611177382 Stabilisation: Stabilisation Coordinator: Stabilising Managers: DZ BANK DZ BANK CA-CIB BNP Paribas NatWest Markets Stabilisation period expected to start on: 05. April 2023 Stabilisation period expected to end on: no later than 30 days after the proposed issue date of the securities Existence, maximum size and conditions of use of over-allotment facility. The Stabilising Managers may over-allot the securities to the extent permitted in accordance with applicable law. Stabilisation trading venue: Luxembourg Stock Exchange In connection with the offer of the above securities, the Stabilisation Manager(s) may over-allot the securities or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the securities at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, there is no assurance that the Stabilisation Manager(s) will take any stabilisation action and any stabilisation action, if begun, may be ended at any time. Any stabilisation action or over-allotment shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable laws and rules. This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction. In addition, if and to the extent that this announcement is communicated in, or the offer of the securities to which it relates is made in, any EEA Member State that has implemented Directive 2003/71/EC, as amended (together with any applicable implementing measures in any Member State, the "Prospectus Directive") before the publication of a prospectus in relation to the securities which has been approved by the competent authority in that Member State in accordance with the Prospectus Directive (or which has been approved by a competent authority in another Member State and notified to the competent authority in that Member State in accordance with the Prospectus Directive), this announcement and the offer are only addressed to and directed at persons in that Member State who are qualified investors within the meaning of the Prospectus Directive (or who are other persons to whom the offer may lawfully be addressed) and must not be acted on or relied on by other persons in that Member State. ZenGo Rapidly Patches Wallet Security Issue After In-Depth Evaluation From CertiK New York, NY, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CertiK, the leading blockchain security solutions provider, announces a successful collaboration with the ZenGo Wallet, the popular self-custodial MPC wallet provider, to fortify the security of its wallet application against privileged user attacks. The joint effort demonstrates CertiK's commitment to conducting proactive in-house research and collaborating with external parties to raise the standard of security and transparency across the Web3 world. CertiK's SkyFall team conducted a comprehensive evaluation of ZenGo's security design and implementation, focusing on the wallet's ability to protect against advanced threats, such as advanced malware and rooted devices. Despite ZenGo's robust security features, including its two-party signature scheme, TEE-based device protection, and biometric-enforced user sign-up and recovery, CertiK identified an inappropriate protected cryptographic management API issue that could be exploited in certain scenarios. ZenGo responded quickly to CertiK's findings, deploying a patch to fix the identified issue. CertiK's thorough review of the patch confirmed its effectiveness, significantly bolstering the wallet's security against privileged user attacks and rendering it more secure than traditional wallets which are still vulnerable to this type of attack. This collaboration demonstrates the importance of proactive security evaluations and the value of working with experienced security firms like CertiK to identify and address potential vulnerabilities. "I'm proud of the work our engineers did to identify and address this security issue in one of the most secure mobile wallets," said Kang Li, CertiK's Chief Security Officer. "Even the MPC technology provides a strong defense, the specific implementation details can expose security risks if not designed well. This collaboration with ZenGo highlights the need for comprehensive security evaluations and reinforces CertiK's commitment to raising the industry standard of security and transparency." "It was a pleasure to work closely with the CertiK team in a clear, professional, and proactive manner to quickly fix this issue and jointly publish a report to increase community awareness. CertiK's discovery and ZenGo's fix helped ensure that ZenGo is hardened against privileged attacks that traditional wallets cannot protect against," said Tal Be'ery, ZenGo's CTO and co-founder. This partnership between CertiK and ZenGo showcases the shared commitment of both companies to create a more secure and transparent ecosystem for the rapidly expanding Web3 world. Builders, founders, and users can take confidence in the knowledge that CertiK's comprehensive security suite and proactive research are raising the bar for security standards across the entire industry. To learn more about CertiK's suite of security solutions for Web3, visit certik.comand follow along on Twitter at @CertiK and @CertiKCommunity. To learn more about the ZenGo wallet, follow @ZenGoon Twitter and visit ZenGo.com. About CertiK CertiK is a pioneer in blockchain security, leveraging best-in-class AI technology and expert manual review to protect and monitor blockchain protocols and smart contracts. Founded in 2018 by professors from Yale University and Columbia University, CertiK secures the Web3 world, by applying cutting-edge innovations from academia to enterprise, enabling mission-critical applications to scale with safety and correctness. CertiK has audited more than 3,900 Web3 projects and secured hundreds of billions of dollars of market capitalization. LONDON, April 5, 2023 SCI Canada Award 2023 dinner, seminar and presentations to take place on 18 th April in Toronto Seminar theme is 'Unlocking the potential of Science Talent enabling impact on Canada's economic growth' Award winners include the first indigenous community members Dr Paul Smith , Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics receives the 2023 Canada Medal /PRNewswire/ -- The best of Canada's scientific talent will debate its role in boosting economic growth at a special awards event on 18th April in Toronto. Winners of the 2023 SCI Canada Awards include a pioneer in the polyethylene catalyst technology field, an adviser to the UN on water treatment, experts on chemistry in Inuit life and an innovator whose foundational science paved the way for the development of a Covid-19 vaccine. They will join industrial leaders and science and engineering professionals to celebrate lifetime achievements of both experienced and emerging leaders in the business of chemistry. The winners will be formally honoured at an in-person dinner in Toronto with Dr Paul Smith due to receive the SCI Canada Medal. This medal was first awarded in 1939, making it one of the most established innovation awards in Canada. Leaders from both science and business, including Canada's chemical and industrial community, will honour the achievements of SCI Canada Award and Student Merit Award Winners. Prior to the award presentations, a panel discussion around 'Unlocking thepotential of Science Talent enabling impact on Canada's economic growth' will take place. This seminar will explore specific Canadian government programmes, the policies that help promote Canada's science talent development and how these enable economic growth, whilst also positioning Canada as a global leader in technology and innovation. The panellists will include Rory Francis, Executive Director, PEI BioAlliance (Purvis Memorial Award winner, 2023), Dr Alison Ewart, Dean of Centre for Research & Innovation at Fanshawe College and Professor Howard Alper, Distinguished Professor at University of Ottawa. Dr Fiona Hess, Process Chemist and Member of the SCI Canada Committee will be the moderator of the panel. The afternoon panel discussion as well as the awards ceremony dinner will be broadcast live online. To register for the online event, please register here - https://www.soci.org/events/canada-group/2023/sci-canada-awards Dr Ravi Ramachandran, Chair of SCI Canada Awards Nomination Committee and Territory Research & Development Head with Syngenta Canada said "Since its formation in 1902, SCI Canada has recognized achievements in the Canadian chemical industry to bolster the drive for innovation and its value to society. Today more than ever, innovation calls for diverse minds and skill sets from academia and industry to come together to address complex global challenges. I am pleased to announce that this year's awards cover a truly diverse set of innovators from all over Canada - from British Columbia in the west to Atlantic Canada in the East, Nunavut in the North and Southern Ontario in the south. In addition to geographic diversity, we are also celebrating diverse cultures - including the first South Asian award winner and the first indigenous community winners." 2023 winners: Canada Medal Dr Paul Smith, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics Purvis Memorial Award Rory Francis, PEI BioAlliance LeSueur Memorial Award Dr Rupert Spence, DuPont Canada International Award Dr Vaikuntam Iyer Lakshmanan OC, Process Research ORTECH Inc Julia Levy Award Prof. Pieter Cullis, The University of British Columbia Kalev Pugi Award Prof. Francesca Kerton, Memorial University Outreach Award - Grenfell Campus, Memorial University: Prof. Geoffrey Rayner-Canham Chaim Christiana Andersen Rosalina Naqitarvik SCI Canada Student Merit Award winners will also be honoured at this event, celebrating the highest achieving students in the final year of chemistry, biochemistry or chemical engineering undergraduate programmes. NOTE TO EDITORS About SCI: where science meets business: SCI is a unique global multidisciplinary innovation network bringing together scientists, inventors and entrepreneurs to develop scientific solutions to biggest challenges facing society today. SCI works across crucial sectors as diverse as renewable energy, sustainability and new forms of cancer treatments. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2048324/SCI_Canada_Award_Winner_2023.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/sci-canada-award-event-to-showcase-nations-diverse-scientific-talent-301790841.html NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / On March 7th, Paramount Global coordinated with the Partnership for New York City on Career Discovery Week. Career Discovery Week is part of NYC Public Schools Student Pathways, an expansion of career-connected learning that provides work-based learning opportunities and career exposure. More than 85 of the city's major employers joined forces this year to help build a bridge from the city's classrooms to the world of business. This year, Paramount partnered with students from the Manhattan Early College of Advertising (MECA) for a day full of career and advertising-focused workshops and employee-led sessions. The morning kicked off at Paramount's Times Square headquarters with a Paramount Culture & CSR presentation for the students, followed by an Internship & Skill-building 101 workshop from Rosa Agnello on the Talent Acquisition team. From there, Harold Anderson, Coordinator for Paramount's Social Responsibility team, moderated a powerhouse executive Career Path Panel + Q&A featuring: Lydia Daly (SVP, Audience Impact & Intelligence), Anne Becker (VP, Trade Marketing & Communications), Daphne Leroy (SVP, Sales Strategy & Culture) and Debbie King (SVP, Sales Strategy), all of whom shared hugely inspirational advice with the class! The day culminated with an immersive Storytelling workshop utilizing storyboards. Groups of students were paired up with employees from Paramount's Advertising division to create a 30-second spot for Paramount+ using giant animation-inspired storyboard templates. Each team presented their work at the end of the activity, and the ideas shared were incredible, including spots focused on themes of inclusion, female empowerment and self-expression. The teachers and students of MECA expressed great appreciation for the opportunity. The teachers were impressed by how confidently the students presented their storyboards and engaged in insightful conversations with multiple Paramount teams. One student shared the following feedback with their teacher, "I learned that you should be confident and know your worth." Another student added, "the most memorable part for me was working with the employees and getting feedback on ideas and questions." Paramount looks forward to furthering our commitment to unleashing the power of content for good to inspire change. Our partnership and experience with the MECA students was a great reminder of this commitment. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Paramount on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Paramount Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/paramount Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Paramount View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/747798/Career-Discovery-Week-at-Paramount NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Edison International Edison International is leading the transition to a clean energy future. Take a look below to see how we're putting these words into action this Earth Day and every day. All-Electric Buildings: Clean Energy's Next Frontier SCE's plan to replace gas-powered appliances can help save the planet - and lower your bill. Residential and commercial buildings generate significant annual greenhouse gas emissions globally, and their carbon footprint is growing. In California, they're responsible for roughly 14% of emissions; that number increases to 25% when considering electricity use in homes and businesses. READ MORE Transportation Electrification Gains Momentum Edison International and SCE outline plans to seize the "huge opportunity" of preparing the grid for exponential EV growth. When record-high temperatures brought California's electric grid to the brink of rotating power outages last September, skeptics of the state's aggressive efforts to promote the widespread adoption of electric vehicles had a field day. READ MORE Going Green for St. Patrick's Day SCE offers tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint while celebrating the Irish icon. St. Patrick's Day is an ideal time to begin, renew or revive your commitment to clean energy and reducing your carbon footprint. With spring just days away, you can volunteer to plant trees or clean up local rivers, lakes and beaches to help reduce pollution. You may even find a lucky shamrock along the way. READ MORE For more stories on Clean Energy, visit ENERGIZED by Edison. For more about Edison International's commitment to a clean energy future, visit edison.com/clean-energy. For the latest news and information, visit: Edison.com SCE.com View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Edison International on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Edison International Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/edison-international Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Edison International View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/747802/Celebrating-Earth-Day-Every-Day--Leading-the-Transition-to-a-Clean-Energy-Future NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Principal Financial Group Originally published on principal.com Look up the word "responsible" in the dictionary, and you'll find definitions you can probably relate to-"accountable for one's actions," "having an obligation to do something," or "reliable, trustworthy." But what does it mean to be a responsible company? More and more, individuals, institutions, and companies themselves are asking just that. Sometimes, that answer can be found in internal policies and priorities-a company deciding for itself what it means to be responsible. Insight might also come from outside acknowledgements and awards. In recent years, Principal has focused on the former, and been recognized with the latter. An internal focus on responsibility As a business, Principal has a primary fiduciary responsibility to deliver returns to shareholders. Corporate governance also directs management to do what's good for customers and shareholders-and to do it with integrity; that's known as the Global Code of Conduct. "Our strategy is grounded in our purpose," says Dan Houston, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Principal. "We are united and inspired by our belief that everyone deserves access to financial security." That can (and does) look like a lot of different things in practice, and impacts everything from sourcing to cybersecurity to hiring. For example, when it comes to hiring, integrity ensures a commitment to a diverse, inclusive workplace. Cybersecurity focuses on what Principal can do to protect customer data-training employees, for example. Our fiduciary responsibility also figures into guidelines for ESG-environmental, social, and governance. Often misunderstood, ESG is very much connected to a company's integrity as well as the ethical and social choices that support its values. Take the "E" in ESG: If a company dumps waste illegally, it may be more at risk, legally and financially; that, in turn, may impact its potential for growth. Investing in that company may pose a risk to our goal of maximizing returns for shareholders over time. "S" is found in our commitment to micro-finance that supports businesses owned by women and people of color, or in the dedicated time off provided to employees volunteering in their communities. "G," in turn, refers not just to transparency in record keeping, but in our promise to build an inclusive leadership team. "When it comes to investing, there are a lot of factors that figure into an analysis," says Syd del Cid, senior ESG research analyst for Principal Asset ManagementSM. "Those ESG factors are another way of thinking about how to mitigate risk and maximize return in a holistic way. It's additional information that's material to help make those investment choices." External recognition of responsibility All sorts of awards aim to help people substantiate the responsibility claims that companies make. But are they reliable or even relevant? One of the more well-known is the Newsweek list of America's Most Responsible Companies. The Newsweek ranking reviews a whole assemblage of data: sustainability and corporate social responsibility reports, a survey asking U.S. citizens about perceptions, and financial report information, to name just a few. The final list of 500 gives a nod to the most responsible companies in the United States, representing 14 industries. In 2023, Principal made notable progress on this list: Not only did it move up from the 334th position in 2022 to 79th in 2023, but it also moved up 20 spots in its industry and was the highest-ranking investment company on the list. The Newsweek award is just one step along a continuous journey for Principal: Create more solutions for greater financial inclusion so more people can create their own version of financial security. That includes everything from external efforts like the 2022 launch of the Global Financial Inclusion Index to public promises like our 2020 commitment to double support of small businesses owned by women and people of color by 2025. "Helping our customers build a strong financial future while increasing financial inclusion within communities worldwide is important work we are deeply passionate about," Houston says. Learn more about our corporate responsibility commitments and progress. Integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors is qualitative and subjective by nature. There is no guarantee that the criteria used, or judgment exercised, will reflect the beliefs or values of any particular investor. There is no assurance that any strategy or integration of ESG factors will be successful or profitable. Global Financial Inclusion Index is a proprietary model output based upon certain assumptions that may change, are not guaranteed and should not be relied upon as a significant basis for an investment decision. Principal Asset Management is a trade name of principal Global Investors, LLC. Principal Global Investors leads global asset management and is a member of the Principal Financial Group. ? Insurance products issued by Principal National Life Insurance Co (except in NY) and Principal Life Insurance Company. Plan administrative services offered by Principal Life. Principal Funds, Inc. is distributed by Principal Funds Distributor, Inc. Securities offered through Principal Securities, Inc., member SIPC and/or independent broker/dealers. Referenced companies are members of the Principal Financial Group, Des Moines, IA 50392.? 2023 Principal Financial Services, Inc. 2802105-032023 View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Principal Financial Group on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Principal Financial Group Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/principal-financial-group Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Principal Financial Group View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/747804/What-Does-It-Mean-To-Be-a-Responsible-Company NORWALK, Conn., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- LBB Specialties (LBBS), a leader in North American specialty chemical and ingredients distribution, announced Mike DeGennaro will join the company as Senior Vice President, Food and Nutrition. DeGennaro will be responsible for establishing, implementing, and executing the business and commercial strategy for the Food and Nutrition vertical. DeGennaro brings a wealth of experience to LBB Specialties that spans 25 years in specialty chemicals and ingredients. He has held senior leadership roles with Lonza and Arxada LLC in Human Nutrition, Hygiene, and Home & Personal Care, driving growth strategies and people development across global teams in Sales, Marketing, Science, and Product Management. His prior experience includes leading Supply Chain and Logistics teams at Magruder Color Co, working in the Audit Group at Deloitte, and serving as Board Director for the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN). DeGennaro holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from St. Peters University. "I am thrilled to be joining LBB Specialties as Senior Vice President, Food and Nutrition," said Mike DeGennaro. "With a depth of technical and operational expertise and a comprehensive product portfolio from world-class Ingredient manufacturers, LBB Specialties provides excellent value to customers and consumers in the market. I look forward to building on this success in my new role." "Mike has a strong background in raw materials, services, and solutions. His expertise in strategic planning and execution, coupled with his experience leading high-performing teams, makes him uniquely qualified to drive the long-term growth objectives of the Food and Nutrition vertical," said Hank DeWolf, President and CEO of LBBS. LBB Specialties is a leader in North American specialty chemicals and ingredients. It is a diversified supplier serving end-markets including personal care, food & nutrition, advanced materials, and life sciences. LBB Specialties generates approximately $500 million in revenue and employs over 110 commercial team members. www.LBBSpecialties.com Media Contact: Courtney Flood media@lbbspecialties.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1887398/3972387/LBB_Specialties_LLC_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/lbb-specialties-appoints-senior-vice-president-for-food-and-nutrition-301790443.html NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / This Spring, The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation (BLHF) and kate spade new york are teaming up to create more accessible mental health resources for women and girls, and together are announcing the launch of 'She Care Wellness Pods,' a new program that aims to reach over 25,000 Black women on HBCU campuses with frontline mental wellness care. This first-of-its kind program was concepted by actor, filmmaker and founder of The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, Taraji P. Henson, and Tracie Jade Jenkins, Executive Director of The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation. In partnership with trusted community resources, the program will take a multifaceted approach through the opening of 'She Care Wellness Pods,' physical structures installed on campuses that offer a range of services, including: Free mental health virtual and in-person therapy sessions for women students experiencing an exacerbation of stress, anxiety and depression. Hangout spaces will provide psychoeducation sessions that allow students to connect with peers and mental wellness professionals to address students' specific challenges. Self-regulatory practices including yoga, meditation, art, sound and dance therapy, all provided by certified practitioners. Workshops and seminars on a variety of student requested topics. Rest pods for silence and respite, to reset from daily stressors. Founded in 2018, The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation's mission is to eradicate the stigma around mental health in the African American community. As the U.S.'s pioneering Black mental health advocacy group, BLHF provides access to localized and culturally competent therapy and integrated wellness resources through a network of clinicians, practitioners, counselors, and thought leaders. 'She Care Wellness Pods' is a part of BLHF's broader initiative, 'Meeting You Where You Are,' offering hassle-free access to mental health resources in traditional and non-traditional spaces where African-Americans convene. The initiative also includes 'He Care' and 'They Care Pods.' Women's empowerment has been at the forefront of kate spade new york's social impact work for over a decade and is a core pillar of the brand. Over the last ten years, kate spade new york and its Foundation have invested $25M in women's mental health and empowerment partnerships. This year alone, kate spade will invest over $5M dollars to help destigmatize the mental health conversation and provide access to resources for women and girls globally. "Tracie and I grew up in a community where women were expected to store the pain and struggles of inequities and disparities faced daily in education, healthcare, and the workplace. We believed that mental health was a commodity for the rich and those who didn't look like us. We are grateful for this partnership with kate spade new york. Together, we are changing the narrative and charting a new course for women who are experiencing the 'Strong Black Woman Syndrome," says Taraji P. Henson. Tracie Jade continued, "In this revolutionary endeavor, Black women on HBCU campuses will be afforded the opportunity of empowerment through the modality of self-regulation experiences. Soon they will enter a world, essentially not designed to support them. A world where the value of women and women's rights are still being challenged. This is a space for respite, preparation, and for actualizing joy." "Our social impact mission is to empower women and girls across the globe by putting mental health at the heart of our approach. Women and girls' mental health has long been underfunded, undervalued and under-acknowledged, and we are so proud of our partnership with Taraji, Tracie and The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, an organization that shares our commitment to providing mental health resources to communities that need it the most," says kate spade new york CEO and Brand President, Liz Fraser. Fraser continued, "Over the past 10 years, we have seen firsthand how interconnected a woman's positive mental health is to her empowerment, and as we kick off our 30th anniversary this year, we're doubling down on our commitment to reach more women and girls with direct access to resources and support. Through our partnership, we'll work with the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation to provide accessible resources to over 25,000 young women across HBCU campuses through the She Care program and make a tangible difference in their everyday lives." "The Alabama State University Family is honored and humbled to be selected as the first ever HBCU to partner with two amazing advocates of mental health and wellness such as the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation and kate spade new york," says Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Alabama State University President. "ASU is synonymous with innovation and history making, working alongside our partners enables us to fulfill our commitment to what we deem as "Communiversity" which allows us to impact not only our campus, but also the broader community by advocating and raising the level of awareness regarding the absolute importance of mental health and wellness." "The stress of balancing college life, separation anxiety, relationship issues and depression commonly occur on college campuses," says Dr. Joyce Loyd-Davis, Alabama State University Sr. Director of Health Services. "The She Care Wellness pods will be impactful for helping students cope with these issues and focus on a healthy mental well-being, ultimately restoring JOY." The She Care initiative is a continuation of Henson's work with the kate spade brand, having served as a member of kate spade new york's Social Impact Council since its inception in January 2022. Alongside Henson, the Social Impact Council includes women's empowerment and mental health leaders from around the globe such as Jazz Thornton, Latham Thomas, Elisha London and more, who bring unique expertise and work hand-in-hand with kate spade to propel positive change, and encourage more conversation, education and research around the cause. Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation and kate spade new york will launch their first 'She Care Wellness Pod' at Alabama State University, a public historically Black university in Montgomery, Alabama. The She Care initiative will officially launch in April 2023, ultimately rolling out to additional HBCU campuses. The She Care Wellness Pods were built by S.I. Container Builds, a woman-owned modular construction company that specializes in repurposing shipping containers and building with sustainable materials. The She Care Wellness Pods were designed by Saudah Saleem Interiors in collaboration with Kiyonda Powell Design Studio. The design of the She Care Wellness Pods embodies and evokes a sense of joy and empowerment, serving as a haven and place of renewal. About Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation: Founded in 2018, BLHF has built its reputation on providing trusted referrals and demonstrating a deep understanding of the population health of communities of Color. Through timely and relevant programming and awareness campaigns, BLHF encourages mental wellness, raises awareness of the stigma and the use of stigmatizing language when referring to mental illness, and provides mental health resources to the Black community. The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation is charting a new course that encourages Black individuals to own their history, heritage, and collective wounds in empowering, empathic, and transformative ways. For more information, visit https://borislhensonfoundation.org/. About kate spade new york: Since its launch in 1993 with a collection of six essential handbags, Kate Spade New York has always stood for color, wit, optimism, and femininity. Today, it is a global lifestyle brand synonymous with joy, delivering seasonal collections of handbags, ready-to-wear, jewelry, footwear, gifts, home decor and more. Known for its rich heritage and unique brand DNA, Kate Spade New York offers a distinctive point of view, and celebrates communities of women around the globe who live their perfectly imperfect lifestyles. Kate Spade New York is part of the Tapestry house of brands. About Alabama State University: Alabama State University is a public historically black college and university based in Montgomery, Alabama. Founded in 1867, Alabama State University has a history of legacy of perseverance, progress and promise, and a keen focus on developing history makers through its 63 degree programs. Alabama State University Health Services is a full service onsite health clinic meeting the needs of the student population. The clinic manages acute and chronic conditions and referrals are made appropriately to specialists as needed. The health center also treats mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. They work closely with the campus Counseling Center to meet the challenges students face related to stress, anxiety and depression. The staff of healthcare professionals are committed to exceptional customer service that cultivates a healthy community to live, work, and learn. About S.I. Container Builds: The She Care Wellness Pods were built by S.I. Container Builds, a woman-owned modular construction company that specializes in repurposing shipping containers and building with sustainable materials. The company's mission is to make a positive impact on the health and living conditions of our community and the wellness of our planet. SICBS proudly works with clients across North America. For more information, visit www.sicbs.com Media Contacts: LaForce, katespade@laforce.nyc View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Tapestry, Inc. on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Tapestry, Inc. Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/tapestry-inc Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Tapestry, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/747809/The-Boris-Lawrence-Henson-Foundation-and-Founder-Taraji-P-Henson-Partner-With-Kate-Spade-New-York-To-Spearhead-a-Program-That-Provides-Mental-Health-Resources-for-Women-on-HBCU-Campuses Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc - Transaction in Own Shares For immediate release 5 April 2023 FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC (the "Company") MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES The Company announces that it has today purchased 125,000 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 896.62 pence per Ordinary Share. Such shares will be held in treasury by the Company. The transaction was made pursuant to the authority granted at the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 17 January 2023. Following this transaction, the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury is 17,141,747; the total number of Ordinary Shares that the Company has in issue, less the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury following such purchase, and therefore, the total number of voting rights in the Company is 207,849,556. . The figure of 207,849,556 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for calculations of interests in the Company's voting rights in accordance with the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules. For and on behalf of Frostrow Capital LLP Company Secretary For further information, please contact: Victoria Hale Frostrow Capital LLP Tel: 020 3 170 8732 NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Whirlpool Corporation has been recognized by Fortune as one of America's Most Innovative Companies in 2023. The inaugural list celebrates companies that have demonstrated success across three areas, including product innovation, process innovation, and innovation culture. "A spirit of innovation is embedded in our culture and we are proud to be named one of Fortune's most innovative companies," said Marc Bitzer, chairman and CEO of Whirlpool Corp. "With a diverse and growing product portfolio across several trusted U.S. brands, this recognition is a testament to our employees who work tirelessly to create innovative solutions that improve life at home for consumers." The best and the brightest engineers and designers, collaborating globally on shared appliance architectures, have been able to unleash innovation in its truest sense and help shape the modern home." For more than 111 years, Whirlpool Corp.'s innovation strategy has changed how people around the world care for their families and loved ones - from cooking and entertaining to laundry and household chores. The company is committed to sustainable manufacturing, environmental and social responsibility, leading-edge design, unparalleled craftsmanship, and leveraging emerging digital technologies. "From the first electric wringer washer in 1911 to our current line-up of leading-edge home appliances, we are obsessed with developing technology that is purposeful in saving time or eliminating work for consumers," said Roberto H. Campos, senior vice president of Whirlpool Corp.'s Global Product Organization. "The best and the brightest engineers and designers, collaborating globally on shared appliance architectures, have been able to unleash innovation in its truest sense and help shape the modern home." In the past two years, Whirlpool Corp. launched several innovative new products, including the Maytag Pet Pro System, the Whirlpool 2 in 1 Washer with Removable Agitator, a revolutionary large capacity third rack for dishwashers, and added air fry functionality to select smart ovens via an over-the-air update. The company also announced it plans to bring Matter support to its smart appliance models and continues to find innovative solutions to accelerate its ESG strategy, most recently announcing Zero Waste to Landfill Gold or Platinum status (self-certification) at 29 of 29 large manufacturing sites worldwide. To develop the list, Fortune partnered with Statista Inc., a leading provider of market and consumer data, to survey internal and external stakeholders who have direct exposure to company processes, products, and culture. Statista also worked with LexisNexis PatentSight and used their platform to analyze the quantity and value of a company's patents. Click here to see the full list of America's Most Innovative Companies. View original content here. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Whirlpool Corporation on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Whirlpool Corporation Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/whirlpool-corporation Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Whirlpool Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/747823/Whirlpool-Corporation-Named-One-of-Fortunes-Most-Innovative-Companies-for-2023 Kansas City, Missouri--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - From The Earth, known for their community-focused approach with five recreational marijuana dispensaries in Missouri, is thrilled to announce that one of their budtenders was the only customer-facing employee in the industry to be recognized in the latest Best of the Industry: Readers Choice 2023 from Greenway Magazine. From The Earth Dispensary Employee Wins Best Budtender Award To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9209/161404_rachelwhitman-fromtheearth.jpg Every year, over 100,000 individuals nominate companies, brands, leaders, products, and businesses that they consider the finest in the industry to the magazine. After numerous votes were cast, From The Earth's Rachel Whitman was named "Best Budtender." Initially hired as a part-time employee in February 2022, Whitman was a full-time employee by August, and promoted to General Manager of the Westside Kansas City location in January 2023. "What an honor to be nominated my first year in the industry! Working with such knowledgeable people is a great way to start in the industry. From The Earth provided excellent training on the science of cannabis and really set me up for success. If I didn't know the answer to a customer's question, there was always someone nearby ready to assist," explained Whitman. "A big thanks to Mark, Sam, and Maxwell for being such great teachers. Last but not least, to quote the great Snoop Dogg, 'I wanna thank me for being me at all times.'" As a token of appreciation for Whitman's hard work, dedication, and achievements, From The Earth gifted her a $1,500 cash prize and a luxury weekend at a private lakeside residence at the Lake of the Ozarks. About From The Earth From The Earth has five recreational cannabis dispensaries across Kansas City, Independence, and Raytown, Missouri. As a fully-licensed dispensary group built with their community in mind, their business is made up of Missouri locals of all ages and walks of life. From The Earth aims to help people understand the benefits of cannabis, while also working towards undoing years of stigma and disinformation about these incredible plants. Media Contact: David Craig, VP of Marketing, dcraig@mrkt-theagency.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161404 CHICAGO, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Arizton's latest research report, the Middle East data center construction market will grow at a CAGR of 7.59% during 2022-2028. To Know More, Download the Free Sample Report: https://www.arizton.com/request-sample/3759 Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, and Turkey are the Middle East's top data center construction markets. The Middle East region has several smart cities, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which saw investments in data center construction because of the rising need for data processing and storage. During 2023-2028 seven submarine cables are expected to come online, which is anticipated to increase demand for data centers. MIDDLE EAST DATA CENTER CONSTRUCTION MARKET REPORT SCOPE Report Attributes Details Market Size (2028) USD 2.86 Billion Market Size (2022) USD 1.84 Billion CAGR by Revenue (2022-2028) 7.59 % Market Size - Area (2028) 2.59 Million Square Feet Power Capacity (2028) 505 MW Base Year 2022 Forecast Year 2023-2028 Market Segmentation Infrastructure, Electrical Infrastructure, Mechanical Infrastructure, Cooling Systems, Cooling Technique, General Construction, Tier Standards, and Geography Geographic Analysis UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain, and Other Middle Eastern Countries LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION? DOWNLOAD THE FREE SAMPLE REPORT: https://www.arizton.com/request-sample/3759 KEY INSIGHTS The surge in data center activities across the country will be a major source of revenue for construction contractors. Some prominent local and global construction contractors in the Middle East data center construction market include AECOM, Laing O'Rourke , Dar Group, AlDar Properties, Mercury Engineering, Deerns, Anel Group, ENMAR Engineering, Arup, DC Pro Engineering, Edarat, HHM Building Contracting, and Red Engineering. For instance, Laing O'Rourke is selected by Khazna Data Centres to design and build a facility and office space in Dubai Design District. data center construction market include AECOM, , Dar Group, AlDar Properties, Mercury Engineering, Deerns, Anel Group, ENMAR Engineering, Arup, DC Pro Engineering, Edarat, HHM Building Contracting, and Red Engineering. For instance, is selected by Khazna Data Centres to design and build a facility and office space in Dubai Design District. Colocation Service Providers such as Khazna Data Centres and Gulf Data Hub are the major data center operators with over ten existing facilities in the region. At the same time, the Middle Eastern region is witnessing potential growth through these providers by developing more facilities across UAE, Saudi Arabia , Oman , Kuwait , Qatar , and Bahrain which are expected to be operational during the forecast period. , , , , and which are expected to be operational during the forecast period. The increase in demand across different industries in the region has led operators to sign several M&A contracts and enter joint ventures (JVs) to expand their portfolios in Saudi Arabia . For instance, In September 2022 , Khazna Data Centers and BEEAH Digital formed a JV termed One Data Center SPV. The newly formed company plans to build a 9-MW data center in Sharjah , UAE. CUSTOMIZE YOUR REPORT NOW:??? If our report does not include the information you are searching for, you may contact us to have a report tailored to your specific business needs https://www.arizton.com/customize-report/3759 Deployment of Modular Data Centers Major Drivers in the Middle East Data Center Construction Market The Middle East is a developing data center market dominated by telecommunications operators investing in colocation data center facilities. To reduce network latency, many telecommunication providers are deploying modular data centers. They are usually deployed in remote locations to balance the demand for low latency with investment and power usage and can also be used to meet the demand for high power density in many cases. Modular data center facilities handle systems with a UPS capacity of less than 500 kVA and lower rack density. Deploying modular data centers will also increase the demand for innovative modular infrastructure offerings, including rack PDUs, UPS systems, cables, and sensors. Hence, vendors are innovating to cater to the requirement of modular data center adopters. Vendors like Huawei Technologies, Vertiv, Schneider Electric, and ABB offer modular data center solutions. GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS The UAE data center construction market is expected to reach $822 million by 2028. The UAE is becoming a trending and upcoming market for cryptocurrency mining. The demand for cryptocurrency data centers will boost the development of data centers with high-performance computing infrastructure. Cryptocurrency mining involves building data centers, colocating spaces, and increasing mining on cloud platforms. The UAE has several free trade zones across Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Abu Dhabi, and Fujairah, which provide multiple benefits to investors, such as exemption of corporate tax for up to 50 years, full exemption of import and export tax, and support with local labor recruitment. In the Middle East data center construction market, the presence of smart cities in the region also drives investments. For instance, the NEOM project in Saudi Arabia is under development as a part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030, which will also comprise the data center development under a joint venture firm ZeroPoint DC. THE REPORT INCLUDES THE INVESTMENT IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: Infrastructure Electrical Infrastructure Mechanical Infrastructure General Construction Electrical Infrastructure UPS Systems Generators Transfer Switches & Switchgear PDUs Other Electrical Infrastructure Mechanical Infrastructure Cooling Systems Racks Other Mechanical Infrastructure Cooling Systems CRAC and CRAH Units Chillers Units Cooling Towers, Condensers, and Dry Coolers Economizers & Evaporative Coolers Other Cooling Units Cooling Techniques Air-based Cooling Liquid-Based Cooling General Construction Core & Shell Development Installation & Commissioning Services Engineering & Building Design Fire Detection & Suppression Physical Security DCIM/BMS Solutions Tier Standard Tier I & Tier II Tier III Tier IV Geography The UAE Saudi Arabia Israel Oman Qatar Kuwait Jordan Bahrain Other Middle Eastern Countries MAJOR VENDORS Prominent Data Center Support Infrastructure ABB Airedale Alfa Laval Canovate Caterpillar Cummins Delta Electronics EAE Group EATON Envicool HITEC Power Protection Johnson Controls Legrand Rittal Rolls-Royce Schneider Electric Siemens STULZ Vertiv Prominent Data Center Construction Contractors AECOM AlDar Properties Anel Group Arup Ashi & Bushnag Atkins Dar Group DC Pro Engineering Deerns Edarat EGEC ENMAR Engineering Harinsa Qatar (HQ) HATCO HHM Building Contracting Hill International ICS Nett INT'LTEC ISG Laing O'Rourke Linesight M+W Group (Exyte) Mace Mercury Engineering McLaren Construction Group MIS NDA Group Prota Engineering Qatar Site & Power RED Engineering RW Armstrong Sudlows Telal Engineering & Contracting Turner & Townsend Prominent Data Center Investors Adgar Investments and Development Amazon Web Services (AWS) Batelco Bynet Data Communications Equinix Etisalat EdgeConneX Future Digital Data Systems (FDDS) G42 Gulf Data Hub Google Khazna Data Centers Moro Hub MedOne MEEZA Mobily Microsoft Oman Data Park Ooredoo stc Serverfarm Turkcell Turk Telekom Telehouse Tencent Cloud New Entrants Compass Datacenters Digital Realty Infinity EDGNEX Global Technical Realty Quantum Switch ZeroPoint DC CHECK OUT SOME OF THE TOP-SELLING RESEARCH REPORTS: Middle East and Africa Data Center Colocation Market - Industry Outlook & Forecast 2022-2027: The Middle East and Africa data center colocation market is estimated to reach USD 2.61 billion by 2027, growing with a CAGR of 8.68% during 2022-2027. Middle East and Africa Data Center Market - Industry Outlook & Forecast 2022-2027: The Middle East and Africa data center market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 10% from 2022 to 2027. It is projected to cross $12 billion by 2027. Africa Data Center Market - Industry Outlook & Forecast 2022-2027:Africa data center market will witness investments of USD 5,464 million by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 12.73% during 2022-2027. Middle East Data Center Market - Industry Outlook & Forecast 2022-2027: The Middle East data center market will witness investments of USD 6.73 billion in 2027, growing at a CAGR of 9.56% during 2022-2027. TABLE OF CONTENT 1 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 2 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 3 RESEARCH PROCESS 4 SCOPE & COVERAGE 4.1 MARKET DEFINITION 4.2 BASE YEAR 4.3 SCOPE OF THE STUDY 4.4 MARKET SEGMENTS 4.4.1 MARKET SEGMENTATION BY INFRASTRUCTURE 4.4.2 MARKET SEGMENTATION BY ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE 4.4.3 MARKET SEGMENTATION BY MECHANICAL INFRASTRUCTURE 4.4.4 MARKET SEGMENTATION BY COOLING SYSTEMS 4.4.5 MARKET SEGMENTATION BY COOLING TECHNIQUE 4.4.6 MARKET SEGMENTATION BY GENERAL CONSTRUCTION 4.4.7 MARKET SEGMENTATION BY TIER STANDARDS 4.4.8 MARKET SEGMENTATION BY GEOGRAPHY 5 REPORT ASSUMPTIONS & CAVEATS 5.1 KEY CAVEATS 5.2 CURRENCY CONVERSION 5.3 MARKET DERIVATION 6 PREMIUM INSIGHTS 6.1 KEY HIGHLIGHTS 6.2 SEGMENTAL ANALYSIS 6.3 MARKET TRENDS 6.4 GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS 6.5 KEY MARKET PARTICIPANT INITIATIVES 7 MARKET AT A GLANCE 8 INTRODUCTION 8.1 DATA CENTER SITE SELECTION CRITERIA 8.1.1 KEY 9 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES & TRENDS 9.1 RISING ADOPTION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES 9.2 INCREASE IN 5G DEPLOYMENTS FUELING EDGE DATA CENTER INVESTMENTS 9.3 DEPLOYMENT OF SUBMARINE CABLES AND INLAND CONNECTIVITY 9.4 SMART CITY INITIATIVES DRIVING DATA CENTER INVESTMENTS 9.5 INCREASE IN AI ADOPTION 10 MARKET GROWTH ENABLERS 10.1 CLOUD ADOPTION DRIVING DATA CENTER INVESTMENTS 10.2 IOT & BIG DATA FUELING DATA CENTER INVESTMENTS 10.3 ON-PREMISES INFRASTRUCTURE MIGRATING TO COLOCATION & MANAGED SERVICES 10.4 DEPLOYMENT OF MODULAR DATA CENTERS 11 MARKET RESTRAINTS 11.1 SECURITY CHALLENGES IN DATA CENTERS 11.2 DEARTH OF SKILLED WORKFORCE 11.3 LOCATION CONSTRAINTS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF DATA CENTERS 11.4 SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS IN DATA CENTERS 12 MARKET LANDSCAPE 12.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 12.2 INVESTMENT: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 12.3 AREA: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 12.4 POWER CAPACITY: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 12.5 FIVE FORCE ANALYSIS 12.5.1 THREAT OF NEW ENTRANTS 12.5.2 BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS 12.5.3 BARGAINING POWER OF BUYERS 12.5.4 THREAT OF SUBSTITUTES 12.5.5 COMPETITIVE RIVALRY 13 INFRASTRUCTURE 13.1 MARKET SNAPSHOT & GROWTH ENGINE 13.2 ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE 13.2.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 13.2.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 13.3 MECHANICAL INFRASTRUCTURE 13.3.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 13.3.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 13.4 GENERAL CONSTRUCTION 13.4.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 13.4.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 14 ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE 14.1 MARKET SNAPSHOT & GROWTH ENGINE 14.2 UPS 14.2.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 14.2.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 14.3 GENERATORS 14.3.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 14.3.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 14.4 TRANSFER SWITCHES & SWITCHGEAR 14.4.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 14.4.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 14.5 POWER DISTRIBUTION UNITS 14.5.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 14.5.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 14.6 OTHER ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE 14.6.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 14.6.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 15 MECHANICAL INFRASTRUCTURE 15.1 MARKET SNAPSHOT & GROWTH ENGINE 15.2 COOLING SYSTEMS 15.2.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 15.2.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 15.3 RACKS 15.3.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 15.3.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 15.4 OTHER MECHANICAL INFRASTRUCTURE 15.4.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 15.4.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 16 COOLING SYSTEMS 16.1 MARKET SNAPSHOT & GROWTH ENGINE 16.2 CRAC & CRAH UNITS 16.2.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 16.2.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 16.3 CHILLER UNITS 16.3.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 16.3.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 16.4 COOLING TOWERS, CONDENSERS & DRY COOLERS 16.4.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 16.4.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 16.5 OTHER COOLING UNITS 16.5.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 16.5.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 17 COOLING TECHNIQUE 17.1 MARKET SNAPSHOT & GROWTH ENGINE 17.2 AIR-BASED COOLING 17.2.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 17.2.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 17.3 LIQUID-BASED COOLING 17.3.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 17.3.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 18 GENERAL CONSTRUCTION 18.1 MARKET SNAPSHOT & GROWTH ENGINE 18.2 CORE & SHELL DEVELOPMENT 18.2.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 18.2.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 18.3 INSTALLATION & COMMISSIONING SERVICES 18.3.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 18.3.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 18.4 ENGINEERING & BUILDING DESIGN 18.4.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 18.4.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 18.5 FIRE DETECTION & SUPPRESSION 18.5.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 18.5.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 18.6 PHYSICAL SECURITY 18.6.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 18.6.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 18.7 DCIM/BMS 18.7.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 18.7.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 19 TIER STANDARDS 19.1 MARKET SNAPSHOT & GROWTH ENGINE 19.2 OVERVIEW OF TIER STANDARDS 19.3 TIER I & II 19.3.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 19.3.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 19.4 TIER III 19.4.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 19.4.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 19.5 TIER IV 19.5.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 19.5.2 MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 20 GEOGRAPHY 20.1 INVESTMENT: MARKET SNAPSHOT & GROWTH ENGINE 20.2 AREA: MARKET SNAPSHOT & GROWTH ENGINE 20.3 POWER CAPACITY: MARKET SNAPSHOT & GROWTH ENGINE 21 UAE 21.1 MARKET SNAPSHOT & GROWTH ENGINE 21.1.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 21.2 INVESTMENT: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 21.3 AREA: MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST 21.4 POWER CAPACITY: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 21.5 SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 22 SAUDI ARABIA 22.1 MARKET SNAPSHOT & GROWTH ENGINE 22.1.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 22.2 INVESTMENT: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 22.3 AREA: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 22.4 POWER CAPACITY: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 22.5 SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 23 ISRAEL 23.1 MARKET SNAPSHOT & GROWTH ENGINE 23.1.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 23.2 INVESTMENT: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 23.3 AREA: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 23.4 POWER CAPACITY: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 23.5 SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 24 OMAN 24.1 MARKET SNAPSHOT & GROWTH ENGINE 24.1.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 24.1.2 INVESTMENT: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 24.2 AREA: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 24.3 POWER CAPACITY: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 24.4 SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 25 QATAR 25.1 MARKET SNAPSHOT & GROWTH ENGINE 25.1.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 25.2 INVESTMENT: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 25.3 AREA: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 25.4 POWER CAPACITY: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 25.5 SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 26 KUWAIT 26.1 MARKET SNAPSHOT & GROWTH ENGINE 26.1.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 26.2 INVESTMENT: MARKET FORECAST & FORECAST 26.3 AREA: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 26.4 POWER CAPACITY: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 26.5 SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 27 JORDAN 27.1 MARKET SNAPSHOT & GROWTH ENGINE 27.1.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 27.2 INVESTMENT: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 27.3 AREA: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 27.4 POWER CAPACITY: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 27.5 SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 28 BAHRAIN 28.1 MARKET SNAPSHOT & GROWTH ENGINE 28.1.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 28.2 INVESTMENT: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 28.3 AREA: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 28.4 POWER CAPACITY: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 28.5 SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 29 OTHER MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES 29.1 MARKET SNAPSHOT & GROWTH ENGINE 29.1.1 MARKET OVERVIEW 29.2 INVESTMENT: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 29.3 AREA: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 29.4 POWER CAPACITY: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 29.5 SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 30 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE 30.1 SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE 30.2 CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS 30.3 DATA CENTER INVESTORS 31 PROMINENT DATA CENTER SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDERS 31.1 ABB 31.1.1 BUSINESS OVERVIEW 31.1.2 PRODUCT OFFERINGS 31.2 AIREDALE 31.3 ALFA LAVAL 31.4 CANOVATE 31.5 CATERPILLAR 31.6 CUMMINS 31.7 DELTA ELECTRONICS 31.8 EAE GROUP 31.9 EATON 31.10 ENVICOOL 31.11 HITEC POWER PROTECTION 31.12 JOHNSON CONTROLS 31.13 LEGRAND 31.14 RITTAL 31.15 ROLLS-ROYCE 31.16 SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC 31.17 SIEMENS 31.18 STULZ 31.19 VERTIV 32 PROMINENT DATA CENTER CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS 32.1 AECOM 32.1.1 BUSINESS OVERVIEW 32.1.2 SERVICE OFFERINGS 32.2 ALDAR PROPERTIES 32.3 ANEL GROUP 32.4 ARUP 32.5 ASHI & BUSHNAG 32.6 ATKINS 32.7 DAR GROUP 32.8 DC PRO ENGINEERING 32.9 DEERNS 32.10 EDARAT 32.11 EGEC 32.12 ENMAR ENGINEERING 32.13 HARINSA QATAR 32.14 HATCO 32.15 HHM BUILDING CONTRACTING 32.16 HILL INTERNATIONAL 32.17 ICS NETT 32.18 INT'LTEC 32.19 ISG 32.20 LAING O'ROURKE 32.21 LINESIGHT 32.22 M+W GROUP (EXYTE) 32.23 MACE 32.24 MERCURY ENGINEERING 32.25 MCLAREN CONSTRUCTION GROUP 32.26 MIS 32.27 NDA GROUP 32.28 PROTA ENGINEERING 32.29 QATAR SITE & POWER 32.30 RED ENGINEERING 32.31 RW ARMSTRONG 32.32 SUDLOWS 32.33 TELAL ENGINEERING & CONTRACTING 32.34 TURNER & TOWNSEND 33 PROMINENT DATA CENTER INVESTORS 33.1 ADGAR INVESTMENTS AND DEVELOPMENT 33.1.1 BUSINESS OVERVIEW 33.1.2 SERVICE OFFERINGS 33.2 AMAZON WEB SERVICES 33.3 BATELCO 33.4 BYNET DATA COMMUNICATIONS 33.5 EQUINIX 33.6 EDGECONNEX 33.7 FUTURE DIGITAL DATA SYSTEMS 33.8 GULF DATA HUB 33.9 GOOGLE 33.10 KHAZNA DATA CENTERS (G42 & ETISALAT) 33.11 MORO HUB 33.12 MEDONE 33.13 MEEZA 33.14 MOBILY 33.15 MICROSOFT 33.16 OMAN DATA PARK 33.17 OOREDOO 33.18 STC 33.19 TURKCELL 33.20 TURK TELEKOM 33.21 TELEHOUSE 33.22 TENCENT 34 NEW ENTRANTS 34.1 COMPASS DATACENTERS 34.1.1 BUSINESS OVERVIEW 34.1.2 SERVICE OFFERINGS 34.2 DIGITAL REALTY 34.3 DAMAC DATA CENTRES (EDGNEX) 34.4 GLOBAL TECHNICAL REALTY 34.5 INFINITY 34.6 QUANTUM SWITCH TAMASUK (QST) 34.7 SERVERFARM 34.8 ZEROPOINT DC (NEOM) 35 REPORT SUMMARY 35.1 KEY TAKEAWAYS 36 QUANTITATIVE SUMMARY 36.1 MIDDLE EAST DATA CENTER CONSTRUCTION MARKET 36.1.1 INVESTMENT: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.1.2 INFRASTRUCTURE: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.2 MARKET SEGMENTATION 36.2.1 ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.2.2 MECHANICAL INFRASTRUCTURE: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.2.3 COOLING SYSTEMS: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.2.4 COOLING TECHNIQUES: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.2.5 GENERAL CONSTRUCTION: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.2.6 TIER STANDARDS: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.3 MARKET BY GEOGRAPHY 36.3.1 INVESTMENT: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.3.2 AREA: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.3.3 POWER: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.4 UAE 36.4.1 INVESTMENT: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.4.2 INFRASTRUCTURE: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.5 SAUDI ARABIA 36.5.1 INVESTMENT: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.5.2 INFRASTRUCTURE: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.6 BAHRAIN 36.6.1 INVESTMENT: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.6.2 INFRASTRUCTURE: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.7 OMAN 36.7.1 INVESTMENT: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.7.2 INFRASTRUCTURE: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.8 KUWAIT 36.8.1 INVESTMENT: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.8.2 INFRASTRUCTURE: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.9 QATAR 36.9.1 INVESTMENT: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.9.2 INFRASTRUCTURE: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.10 ISRAEL 36.10.1 INVESTMENT: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.10.2 INFRASTRUCTURE: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.11 JORDAN 36.11.1 INVESTMENT: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.11.2 INFRASTRUCTURE: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.12 OTHER MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES 36.12.1 INVESTMENT: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 36.12.2 INFRASTRUCTURE: MARKET SIZE & FORECAST 37 APPENDIX 37.1 ABBREVIATIONS ABOUT?US:?????? Arizton Advisory and Intelligence is an innovative and quality-driven firm that offers cutting-edge research solutions to clients worldwide. We excel in providing comprehensive market intelligence reports and advisory and consulting services.????? We offer comprehensive market research reports on consumer goods & retail technology, automotive and mobility, smart tech, healthcare, life sciences, industrial machinery, chemicals, materials, I.T. and media, logistics, and packaging. These reports contain detailed industry analysis, market size, share, growth drivers, and trend forecasts.????? Arizton comprises a team of exuberant and well-experienced analysts who have mastered generating incisive reports. Our specialist analysts possess exemplary skills in market research. We train our team in advanced research practices, techniques, and ethics to outperform in fabricating impregnable research reports.????? CONTACT US???????????? Call: +1-312-235-2040??????????? ????????? +1 302 469 0707?????????? Mail:?enquiry@arizton.com???????????? Contact Us:?https://www.arizton.com/contact-us???????????? Blog:?https://www.arizton.com/blog???????????? Website:?https://www.arizton.com/?????? Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2048259/ME_data_center_construction_market.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/818553/Arizton_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/middle-east-data-center-construction-market-to-double-up-in-the-next-6-years-the-investment-is-set-to-reach-2-86-billion-in-2028--arizton-301790784.html WINNIPEG, MB / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Medicure Inc. ("Medicure" or the "Company") (TSXV:MPH)(OTC PINK:MCUJF), a company focused on the development and commercialization of pharmaceuticals and healthcare products for patients and prescribers in the United States market, will present the 2022 Year End Financial Results on a Conference Call on April 10, 2023 at 8:30 am Eastern Time. The 2022 Year End Financials will be filed after closing on April 6, 2023 ahead of the Good Friday holiday on April 7, 2023 (markets closed). Conference Call Info: Topic: Medicure's 2022 Year End Results Call date: Monday, April 10, 2023 Time: 7:30 AM Central Time (8:30 AM Eastern Time) Toll Free: 1 (888) 506-0062 International: 1 (973) 528-0011 Participant Access Code: 878699 Webcast: This conference call will be webcast live over the internet at the following link: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2965/48119 You may request international country-specific access information by e-mailing the Company in advance. Management will accept and answer questions related to the financial results and operations during the question-and-answer period at the end of the conference call. A recording of the call will be available following the event at the Company's website. About Medicure Inc. Medicure is a pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of therapies for the U.S. cardiovascular market. The present focus of the Company is the marketing and distribution of AGGRASTAT (tirofiban hydrochloride) injection and ZYPITAMAG (pitavastatin) tablets in the United States, where they are sold through the Company's U.S. subsidiary, Medicure Pharma Inc. Medicure also operates Marley Drug, Inc. ("Marley Drug"), a pharmacy located in North Carolina that offers an Extended Supply drug program serving all 50 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. Marley Drug is committed to improving the health status of its patients and the communities they serve while reducing overall health care costs for employers and other health care consumers. For more information visit www.marleydrug.com. To learn more about The Extended Supply Generic Drug Program call 800.286.6781 or email info@marleydrug.com.For more information on Medicure please visit www.medicure.com. For additional information about AGGRASTAT, please visit www.aggrastathdb.com or refer to the full Prescribing Information. For additional information about ZYPITAMAG, please visit www.zypitamag.com or refer to the full Prescribing Information. To be added to Medicure's e-mail list, please visit: http://medicure.mediaroom.com/alerts Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Information: Statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "believes", "may", "plans", "will", "estimates", "continues", "anticipates", "intends", "expects" and similar expressions, may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. federal securities laws (such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are hereinafter collectively referred to as "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements, include estimates, analysis and opinions of management of the Company made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors which the Company believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances. Inherent in forward-looking statements are known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors beyond the Company's ability to predict or control that may cause the actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, and as such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include, among others, the Company's future product revenues, expected results, including future revenue from P5P, the likelihood of receiving a priority review voucher from the United State Food and Drug Administration, expected future growth in revenues, stage of development, additional capital requirements, risks associated with the completion and timing of clinical trials and obtaining regulatory approval to market the Company's products, the ability to protect its intellectual property, dependence upon collaborative partners, changes in government regulation or regulatory approval processes, and rapid technological change in the industry. Such statements are based on a number of assumptions which may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to, assumptions about: general business and economic conditions; the impact of changes in Canadian-US dollar and other foreign exchange rates on the Company's revenues, costs and results; the timing of the receipt of regulatory and governmental approvals for the Company's research and development projects; the availability of financing for the Company's commercial operations and/or research and development projects, or the availability of financing on reasonable terms; results of current and future clinical trials; the uncertainties associated with the acceptance and demand for new products and market competition. The foregoing list of important factors and assumptions is not exhaustive. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements or the foregoing list of factors, other than as may be required by applicable legislation. Additional discussion regarding the risks and uncertainties relating to the Company and its business can be found in the Company's other filings with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities or the US Securities and Exchange Commission, and in the "Risk Factors" section of its current Form 20F. AGGRASTAT (tirofiban hydrochloride) injection, ZYPITAMAG (pitavastatin) tablets, and Marley Drug are registered trademarks. For more information, please contact: Dr. Albert D. Friesen Chief Executive Officer Tel. 888-435-2220 Fax 204-488-9823 E-mail: info@medicure.com www.medicure.com SOURCE: Medicure, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/747641/Medicure-To-Present-Financial-Results-on-April-10-2023-Call-at-830-AM-ET-for-Quarter-and-Year-Ended-December-31-2022 For 2022, the Adelaide brokerage group maintains a strong performance above its objectives The Adelaide group, which includes Verlingue, Generation and Cocoon, has achieved 338 million in turnover in 2022, up 9.3%. These results are in line with its ambition of achieving a turnover of more than 400m by the end of the IMPACT 2024 Plan. "In a consolidating industry, being a family-owned broker with a long-term vision allows us to pursue a strong growth, combining sustainability and profitability. We are proud of these results, which highlight the dedication of our teams," states Jacques Verlingue, Chairman of the Adelaide Group. Specialising in corporate protection, Verlingue achieved a turnover of 239m this year, up 8.6%, of which 6% was organic growth. The broker also pursued its external growth with two acquisitions, Depeyre in France and RT Global Insurance in Portugal. Generation, which specialises in the management of healthcare and personal protection benefits, is stepping up its momentum with a 13.8% growth rate (86m in turnover). Lastly, Cocoon, which specialises in the digital distribution of healthcare insurance products to private individuals, confirms its ambition with a stable turnover of 14m in 2022. "2022 confirms that the Adelaide Group's growth is buoyant and controlled, in line with the 2024 strategic plan, with the aim of offering our customers even more added value," says Gilles Beneplanc, CEO of the Adelaide Group. Adelaide reaffirms its ambition is to become a leading broker in Europe through its family-owned and independent model The Adelaide Group is implementing this European ambition through strong organic growth and acquisitions. Verlingue is consolidating its international position with an international turnover share of 29%. After five acquisitions in five years (Switzerland, France, United Kingdom, Portugal), Verlingue wishes to accelerate this trend in new geographical areas and new businesses. "These results reflect the group's commitment to its European strategy. We have the ambition to continue to build on this momentum through new acquisitions in new countries as opportunities arise," explains Benjamin Verlingue, Deputy CEO of the Adelaide Group. Controlled change in governance and ambitious recruitment The excellent results for 2022 also support the business plan of the group, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year. In 2024, the group's governance will evolve as Benjamin Verlingue will take over from Jacques Verlingue as Chairman. This handover is part of the continuity and the desire to preserve the group's spirit. Benjamin Verlingue will continue to step up the diversification and geographical expansion of the group's operations. In this context, the Adelaide Group announces the appointment of Anne-Jacques de Dinechin as CEO of Verlingue. He will manage Verlingue with the aim of continuing to achieve profitable growth in each of its business segments. Currently employing 2,200 people, Adelaide aims to recruit 300 people by 2023. About Adelaide The Adelaide Group specialises in insurance consultancy, intermediation, distribution and management, with the aim of enabling its clients to run their businesses through effective risk management by helping them protect their operations and employees. Over the past 90 years, the Group has been tirelessly innovating, growing and reinventing itself to become one of the main players in insurance brokerage in France, with three successful companies to date: Verlingue, Generation and Cocoon. Organic growth, strategic acquisitions and international expansion and digital transformation are the four priorities that the Group has set itself to achieve its objective of building a large, family-owned and independent insurance brokerage group with a European dimension. 2,200 employees 2,600 m in premiums negotiated 2.2 million policy holders (health and life insurance) 27 offices in France and Europe (the UK, Switzerland and Portugal) www.adelaidegroup.fr (*): growth based on proforma 2021 turnover View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005671/en/ Contacts: Press Adelaide Group Thomas Barbelet thomas.barbelet@verlingue.fr +33(0)6 72 75 49 14 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Pampa Metals Corp. ("Pampa Metals" or the "Company") (CSE:PM)(FSE:FIRA)(OTCQX:PMMCF) advises that the Option granted to Austral Gold Limited (ASX:AGD)(TSXV:AGLD) ("Austral" or the "Company") whereby Austral could acquire up to an 80% interest in the Cerro Blanco and Morros Blancos properties held by Pampa, as detailed in a July 28, 2021 news release, has been varied to now exclude the Cerro Blanco property. Pampa Metals looks forward to advancing Cerro Blanco as part of its broader, 100% owned portfolio. ABOUT PAMPA METALS Pampa Metals is a Canadian company listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE: PM), and the Frankfurt (FSE: FIRA) and OTC (OTCQB: PMMCF) exchanges, which wholly owns a 47,400 hectare portfolio of seven projects highly prospective for copper, molybdenum and gold located along proven and highly productive mineral belts in Chile, one of the world's top mining jurisdictions. The Company is actively advancing its projects through systematic exploration and drill testing of the highest priority targets, with a current focus on the Buenavista target and the Block 4 project more broadly. The Company's vision is to create significant value for shareholders and stakeholders through the application of its technical and commercial expertise towards exploring for a major copper discovery along the prime mineral belts of Chile. For more information, please visit Pampa Metals' website www.pampametals.com. The latest Company Presentation can be accessed at https://pampametals.com/investor/. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Joseph van den Elsen | President & CEO INVESTORS CONTACT Joseph van den Elsen | President & CEO joseph@pampametals.com Neither the CSE nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that Pampa Metals expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will" or "may" occur. These statements are subject to various risks. Although Pampa Metals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guaranteeing of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. SOURCE: Pampa Metals Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/747852/Variation-to-Austral-Option-Agreement Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - Founders Metals Inc. (TSXV: FDR) ("Founders" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an overview of the newly acquired Antino Gold Project ("Antino") in southeastern Suriname and within the Guiana Shield gold belt (Figure 1). The 200 km2 Antino Project is the most advanced active gold exploration project in Suriname with over 30,000 m of historical drilling, 35,000 auger samples, airborne geophysics, and recently acquired LiDAR data. The concession covers an area of historical artisanal gold production with more than 500,000 reported ounces1. Project Highlights Fully permitted for exploration, drilling, and small-scale mining on the property An established camp that can accommodate up to 100 workers is available on site, and it is fully connected to water, electricity, and internet services Easily accessible by commercial flights from Paramaribo or by boat along the Lawa river 5 km from Maripasoula (pop. 12,000), providing access to a skilled local workforce Year-round exploration possible, including rainy season (May-Jul) Lack of systematic exploration provides significant potential for large-scale expansion and new discoveries Highlights from historical drilling include: Drill hole Length (m) Grade (g/t Au) Location UA003 62.00 9.59 Upper Antino UA004 9.64 33.25 Upper Antino UA008 4.00 35.71 Upper Antino UA002 8.00 11.57 Upper Antino ADH010 10.00 8.53 Buese ADH011 9.00 5.40 Buese ARC128 15.00 6.10 Buese ADH075 4.50 8.71 T1A Figure 1. Map of the Guiana Shield Greenstone Belt with significant gold deposits and occurrences shown. The Antino Project is in southeastern Suriname and less than 10 km from the Yaou gold deposit. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7574/161441_3caf3818d4bdeb91_002full.jpg The Antino Gold Project The Antino Gold Project is an advanced-stage gold exploration project located in southeastern Suriname, within the Guiana Shield Gold Belt (Figure 1). The project is approximately 270 km from the capital city of Paramaribo and is accessible by air to the Antino Camp airstrip or by barge along the Maroni/Lawa River bordering French Guiana. The over 200 km2 exploration and mining concession (Figure 2) holds Rights to the Exploitation of Gold (Suriname mining titles), and all necessary permits for exploration, drilling, and mining have been obtained. The Project covers a significant area of alluvial and small-scale saprolite open pit gold mining with ~500,000 oz of reported gold production to date1. Alluvial gold was first discovered in the Antino area in 1891, with small-scale open-pit mining operations commencing in 1999. The current and historical mining is concentrated in two areas known as the Upper Antino and Buese camps (Figure 2), where open pit operations are limited to the weathered saprolite layer. Historical placer mining operations found success along the many creeks on the property. The ongoing permitted mining activity in the area provides significant infrastructure and support for exploration and drilling programs. Local operators provide Founders with already on-site accommodations, communications, exploration equipment, heavy machinery, and personnel resulting in very cost-effective exploration and drilling work. Figure 2 - Map of the Antino Project. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7574/161441_3caf3818d4bdeb91_003full.jpg Geology and Mineralization Overview The Antino Gold Project is in southeastern Suriname, in the heart of the Guiana Shield. This underexplored region is home to numerous world-class gold deposits with combined gold resources of over 110 million ounces. Regionally extensive greenstone belts (Figure 1) consisting of metamorphosed volcanic and sedimentary rocks variably intruded by granitic bodies, host most of the Guiana Shield's gold deposits. In Suriname, the gold-rich greenstones extend throughout much of the northeast and east portions of the country. The Marowijne Group volcano-sedimentary stratigraphy that underlies the Antino Project is a well-known host of major gold deposits in the region including, Suriname's Rosebel mine (22.1 M oz1), and the Yaou gold deposit (1.63 M oz2) located less than 10 km from Antino across the Suriname-French Guyana border. The Marowijne Group rocks at Antino consist of an arcuate package of amphibolite, andesite, chlorite-sericite schist, metagraywacke, siltstone, and tonalitic intrusions crosscut by several regional-scale shear zones3. These shears make ideal fluid pathways for transporting gold-rich fluids from depth and are an important control on mineralization at Antino. These shear structures commonly contain high-grade, gold-bearing quartz and quartz-carbonate veins and local quartz breccias systems surrounded by lower-grade halos. Where they cut intermediate intrusive rocks, mineralization is more widespread making these bodies excellent moderate to high-grade bulk-tonnage targets. Figure 3. Map of elevated Au in soil/auger samples in target zones and along regional NW structure. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7574/161441_3caf3818d4bdeb91_004full.jpg The property's most prominent structural feature is the kilometre-scale Antino Shear Zone (Figure 3 - mineralized structural corridor) that transects the Upper Antino and Buese mining camps. Gold mineralization along this structure is commonly linked to abundant higher-order faults or splays off the main structure. Auger sampling data show gold mineralization occurring over more than 8 km of strike length, supporting a link between the Upper Antino and Buese Camps. In addition, these data show other km-scale gold trends, providing future exploration upside through near property-wide, large-scale gold mineralization (Figure 3). Upcoming in 2023 Preparations and planning are underway for an early summer 2023 diamond drill program and details of this year's exploration plan will follow in future news. Founders' technical team is also working on the preliminary results from a recent bedrock and alteration mapping program that included an extensive surface sampling program. The results of that work are pending and will be released as they become available. Founders' CEO, Colin Padget, commented, "The historical mining on the property shows us there is plenty of gold in the weathered surface material and historical drill results confirm mineralization continues to depth. Our team is very excited to be moving ahead at Antino and looking forward to the results from the upcoming 2023 drill program. As the most advanced gold exploration project in Suriname, we see Antino as having the potential to grow into a significant gold asset in Suriname and the Guiana Shield." About Founders Metals Inc. Founders Metals is a Canadian exploration company focused on advancing gold projects in the Guiana Shield. Its flagship project is the over 20,0000 ha Antino Gold Project in South America's underexplored and mining-friendly country of Suriname. Historical surface/alluvial gold mining on the property has produced over 500,000 gold ounces to date1. Historical exploration work at Antino includes, over 30,000 m of historical drilling, >35,000 auger gold-in-soil samples, property-wide aeromagnetic survey data, and a 2022 LiDAR survey, providing numerous opportunities to expand known high-grade greenstone gold mineralization and delineate new targets. 12022 Technical Report - Antino Project; Suriname, South America. K. Raffle, BSc, P.Geo & Rock Lefrancois, BSc, P.Geo. 2March 31, 2022 Orea Mining Press Release ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Per: "Colin Padget" Colin Padget President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director For further information, please contact: Dave Burwell Vice President, The Howard Group Telephone: +1 (403) 410-7907 Email: dave@howardgroupinc.com Nick Stajduhar Director, Founders Metals Telephone: +1 (780) 701-3216 Email: nicks@fdrmetals.com FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release may contain certain "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking information speaks only as of the date of this news release. Except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether because of new information or future events, or results or otherwise. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161441 Cybereason, a Boston, MA-based XDR company, raised $100M in funding. The round was led by SoftBank Corp. The company intends to use the funds to growth and advance its innovation in XDR, EDR, and EPP solutions. Cybereason partners with defenders to end attacks at the endpoint, in the cloud, and across the entire enterprise ecosystem. The companys AI-driven Cybereason Defense Platform provides predictive prevention, detection, and response against modern ransomware and advanced attack techniques. The Cybereason MalOp instantly delivers context-rich attack intelligence across every affected device, user, and system with unparalleled speed and accuracy. The company has customers in more than 40 countries. In addition to the funding, Cybereason announced that Eric Gan will serve as the companys new CEO, subject to confirmation by the companys board and pending customary regulatory approvals, while current CEO and Co-Founder Lior Div will transition to the role of advisor. FinSMEs 05/04/2023 Eli Health, a Montreal, Canada-based healthcare technology company, raised CAD$5M in funding. The round was led by Muse Capital, accompanied by RH Capital and Cake Ventures. Other funds such as TELUS Pollinator Fund For Good, Garage Capital, and Leva Capital, also contributed. Longtime supporters, such as Real Ventures, Panache, Vectr, and pan-Canadian consortium MEDTEQ+, reaffirmed their commitment to Eli. The company intends to use the funds to finalize product development and move through clinical validation and regulatory approvals leading to launch. Led by Marina Pavlovic Rivas, CEO, Eli is a womens health company focused on improving lifelong health by continuously monitoring hormones in saliva. Its at-home technology provides personalized hormone profiles continuously to help how women manage their hormonal health in key areas like menopause, fertility, contraception, and endocrine conditions. FinSMEs 05/04/2023 Magenta Mobility, an Indian e-mobility company, raised $11m in funding. The investment from bp ventures was part of a $22m Series A1 equity round. Led by Maxson Lewis, Founder and Managing Director, Magenta Mobility specialises in the electrification of logistics and last-mile delivery the journey from a distribution centre to a home or business. The company also provides delivery optimisation software to its customers, including some of the largest e-commerce, food, and online delivery companies in the country. Magenta Mobility is already present in seven cities across India, namely Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Mysuru, Hyderabad, Gurgaon and Noida. This capital will support the companys market expansion into eight additional cities in the next two years. bp and Magenta Mobility will also collaborate on electric fleet management software. The company plans to expand its fleet to 4,000 three and four-wheel EVs across the country over the next year. Jio-bp part of bps joint venture with Reliance will be the exclusive EV charging partner for Magenta Mobilitys fleet. FinSMEs MRM Global, an Edinburgh, Scotland-based provider of marketing technology to the global drinks and hospitality sector, raised 2m in funding. BGF made the follow-on investment. The company intends to use the funds to support the delivery of a major multi-year contract recently won with one of North Americas largest wine and spirits distributors. Led by Craig Letton, CEO, MRM is a marketing technology company that works with global drinks manufacturers and wholesalers to improve their product marketing in restaurants and bars. The technology allows sales reps and customers to create on-demand marketing materials that increase brand visibility and product sales. The flagship product Brand Creator is used by MRM clients across Europe and trades in over 30 countries, including Australia, USA, Canada and most recently Singapore. The company has 74 employees. FinSMEs SJ Semiconductor Corporation, a JianGyin, China-based provider of first-class Middle-End-Of-Line (MEOL) manufacturing and testing services, signed $340m Series C+ financing. The closing of US dollar funding has been made while RMB funding will be closed after the completion of necessary ODI (outbound direct investment) approval procedures. The participating investors include Legend Capital, Goldstone Investment, Jade Stone Venture, Shang Qi Capital, Leafoison Capital, TCL Capital, China Fortune-innovation Capital and GLP-C&D Capital, etc. Existing shareholders who added more include Oriza Rivertown and Oriza Hua Capital. The company will keep open for more US dollar funding to join. After the completion of Series C+ financing, the total capital raised will exceed $1 billion and bring company valuation close to $2 billion. Previously, Shenzhen Yuanzhi, CFTC, Hengxu Capital and Legend Capital have become the shareholders of the Company by the share transfer of IC Fund. SJSemi is the pioneer of 12-inch MEOL (Middle-End-Of-Line) foundry in China. It has been known by its 12-inch high-density bumping, WLCSP (wafer level chip scale package) and Testing service, and serving IC companies overseas and domestically. Utilizing Bumping and RDL technologies, leveraging its advantage of front-end fab management and quality system, SJSemi now is able to provide high performance advanced packaging based on silicon interposer, fan-out wafer and substrate to satisfy increasing strong demand in markets such as smart phone, networking, data center, artificial intelligence and automotive industry. FinSMEs 05/04/2023 Teton.ai, a Copenhagen, Denmark-based health tech startup building an AI companion for nurses, raised $5.3M in funding. The round was led by Plural with participation from Finn Murphy, formerly at Frontline Ventures. The company intends to use the funds to expand its engineering and commercial teams to help roll out the product in Denmark and internationally. Founded in 2020 by Mikkel Wad Thorsen (CEO) and Esben Klint Thorius (CTO), Teton.ai offers an AI assistant provides a holistic overview of everything happening on the ward to alert nurses when care is needed, from monitoring sleep to fall warnings. Its cameras use computer vision to understand the patients status and communicate relevant information back to staff. This will include sleep tracking to minimise having to wake a patient, bed sore or ulcer warnings and mobilisation reminders to move patients regularly, fall warnings with alerts for risk situations and regular documentation of activities to reduce the administrative pressure on nurses. To ensure patient confidentiality and privacy, analysis takes place within a closed system and no personal data is uploaded to a central server. In Denmark, Teton.ai is already working with hospitals including Nykbing Falster Hospital and Nstved Hospital. The company expects to have over 25 employees by the end of the year and plans to expand beyond its home market of Denmark to the wider Nordic region, as well as further into Europe including Germany, the UK and US. Eventually, the company will build a full virtual nurse to support critical healthcare workers wherever they are in the hospital. FinSMEs 05/04/2023 New Delhi: US exports of aircraft to China has taken a major hit with deteriorating relations between Beijing and Washington and the decoupling is likely to cause a further decline in aviation trade in the future, according to a report. Since 2018, China and the US have been locked in a bitter trade war, and the two countries are fiercely competing in technology and defence, and as well as for international influence. According South China Morning Post, citing data from the United Nations COMTRADE Database, in 2022, US exports of aircraft, engines and parts to China, its largest export market, were worth $5.53 billion, a small rise from $4.71 billion in 2021, but less than a third of the record $18.22 billion shipped in 2018. I do not see decoupling happening in the short term due to the close link between China and the rest of the world. But in the long term, decoupling is a trend that will continue, the media outlet quoted Henry Gao, an associate professor of law at Singapore Management University, and a long-time researcher of international trade issues, as saying. Exports plunge due to geopolitical differences According to the US-based Peterson Institute of International Economics (PIIE), the plunge of US aviation exports to China, once a big buyer of Boeing jets, is owing to geopolitical differences. Out of dependency concerns, China may be especially hesitant to buy Boeing products, after observing how Western countries imposed sanctions on exports of aircraft parts and services to Russian commercial airline fleets, following Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, South China Morning Post report quoted PIIE as saying in a report last month. Stephen Olson, a senior research fellow at the Hinrich Foundation and a former trade negotiator with the Office of the US Trade Representative, said that the decline in trade could be a case of interests diverging when it comes to civilian aircraft. China has prioritised the development of a domestic competitor and Chinas home-grown C919 appears capable of favourably competing with Boeings workhorse aircraft such as the 737. As the C919 comes online, demand for Boeing jets is likely to decline further, Oslon told the media outlet. Boeings sales in China have been declining since 2018. Its 737 MAX aircraft only returned to service in January after being grounded for nearly four years due to two deadly crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. In an interview to Bloomberg in January, Dave Calhoun, chief executive of Boeing, had voiced hopes that US Secretary of State Antony Blinkens visit to China would lead eventually to robust plane orders. However, Blinken subsequently postponed his visit to Beijing after a suspected Chinese spy balloon was tracked flying across the US in what Washington called a clear violation of its sovereignty. Other US business executives in aviation have argued a loss of access to the Chinese market would mean a reduction in US manufacturing output, falling revenues for the firms involved, and thus American job losses and reduced research and development spending. Delicate balance in economic ties Gao said it would be difficult for the US to manage economic relations with China while stepping up export controls. That would require a delicate balance which I am not sure is possible under the current political environment, Gao told South China Morning Post. But the US could learn from the EUs approach, especially the recent call to de-risk rather than decouple from China by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Gao added. Ahead of her three-day visit to China with French President Emmanuel Macron, which starts today, Von der Leyen said it was not viable to decouple from China, but it was critical to focus on reducing the risks posed to Europe. Economically, the European Union needed to rebalance the relationship and reduce its reliance on China, she said. Wary of growing restrictions on its access to US technology, China has been focusing on increasing its manufacturing capability to reduce reliance on imports 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. At a time when the state of Karnataka gears up for the upcoming Assembly elections, political parties are already racing into the fray with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also looking forward to elevating their efforts to retain its power in the state. As a part of BJPs ongoing campaign, two big names from the Kannada film industry are said to be joining hands with the party, just days before the polls. Speaking of which, Kannada superstar Kiccha Sudeepa will reportedly join BJP on Wednesday in the presence of Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and other party leaders. As the news has already started making headlines, a section of people in the state seem unhappy and are allegedly threatening the actor over the same. As per fresh developments, Kiccha Sudeepa has received certain letters that use derogatory language against him and further threaten him of leaking his private videos if he goes on with the decision of joining the BJP. Taking immediate action against it, the actor has lodged a police complaint. In a statement, the actor said, Yes, I have received a threat letter and I know who sent it to me. I know it is from someone in the film industry. I will give a befitting reply to them. I will work in favour of those who stand by my side in my tough times: Kannada actor Kichcha Sudeep. Yes, I have received a threat letter and I know who sent it to me. I know it is from someone in the film industry. I will give a befitting reply to them. I will work in favour of those who stand by my side in my tough times: Kannada actor Kichcha Sudeep pic.twitter.com/yjX8mZGkKW ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2023 He also added, I will only campaign for the BJP, not contest the elections: Kannada actor Kichcha Sudeepa, in Bengaluru. I will only campaign for the BJP, not contest the elections: Kannada actor Kichcha Sudeepa, in Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/tw5oewOAXd ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2023 Kiccha Sudeepa lodges police complaint According to a TV9 Kannada report, the actor was apprised of the threatening letters by his manager Jack Manju following which he immediately registered a complaint at the Puttenahalli Police Station. The report further notes that the case has been lodged under IPC sections 506 and 504 and an investigation is also being carried out. Notably, the incident came in the light of speculations that have been making rounds on the internet suggesting that the actor will join the saffron party ahead of the state elections. However, Sudeepa has now also cleared the air over this and confirmed that he will not join any party for the time being. While addressing the media on Wednesday, the actor said that he will just campaign for BJP and support CM Basavaraj Bommai. In the meantime, the actor who is known for playing negative roles was last seen in R Chandrus Kannada-language period action film, Kabzaa. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Picture this: A former United States president with a sombre face and surrounded by Secret Service agents walking into a courthouse as a defendant during his arraignment. Thats exactly what happened on Tuesday when Donald Trump, dressed in his usual attire of suit and red tie, entered the Manhattan criminal court to face charges in connection to hush money payments made to porn start Stormy Daniels. Its the first time in United States history that a former president faces criminal charges. And the indictment only marks the beginning of Trumps legal troubles given that he is the target of several additional ongoing civil and criminal probes. But what exactly happened inside the courtroom? How did the former US president react as he faced 34 counts of falsifying business records? What about his mug shot? And what happens to Trump next? We breakdown the entire court proceedings for you and give you the full picture of Trumps arraignment. Trumps Day in Court After travelling from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida to New York on Monday, Donald Trump made his way to the court from Trump Tower in Manhattan. As he stepped out of the gilded building in Manhattan, Trump raised a fist defiantly and waved to onlookers before he entered a motorcade that took him to court. It has been reported that Secret Service agents had toured the courthouse earlier to plan his entry and exit. They had mapped out multiple routes to plan his route on Tuesday morning from his private apartment in Trump Tower to the courthouse. As he entered the court, Trump held a stoic expression and according to a BBC report, his steps seemed heavy and slow as he walked down the courtrooms centre aisle to take his place at the front, where his defence attorneys waited for him. The People of New York v Donald Trump Once the hearing began, Trump was made aware that he was facing 34 counts of falsifying business records. Its important to note here that until his day in court, the former president was unaware of the charges he was facing. Though falsifying records is treated as lesser misdemeanours, Trump is accused of committing felony offences. That denotes a more serious crime, which could include prison time if a maximum sentence is given. As New York City District Attorney Alvin Bragg said, At its core, this case today is one with allegations like so many of our white-collar cases. Allegations that someone lied, again and again, to protect their interests and evade the laws to which we are all held accountable. Bragg alleges that Trump falsified the true nature of payments he made to his then lawyer Michael Cohen because those payments were made in support of a crime. While hush-money payments are not by themselves illegal, spending money to help a presidential campaign but not disclosing it violates federal campaign finance law. Moreover, Bragg states that Trump made two other hush-money payments and these, Trump knew, were part of an illegal attempt to influence the 2016 presidential election. The indictments Statement of Facts document reads, The defendant orchestrated a scheme with others to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit the defendants electoral prospects. In order to execute the unlawful scheme, the participants violated election laws and made and caused false entries in the business records of various entities in New York. After being read the charges by Judge Juan Merchan, he replied: Not guilty. Then at one point, Judge Merchan addressed Trump directly, reminding him that he had a right to be present at all proceedings related to his case. Asked if he understood this, Trump replied: Yes. Afterwards, Trumps lawyers told reporters outside the courthouse after his arraignment that Trump is frustrated with the indictment, but determined to fight the allegations both legally and politically. Read all about Donald Trumps historic indictment Donald Trump to be charged over hush money payment to porn star: Whats the case all about? Donald Trump indicted: Whos who in the hush money payment case Not Just Stormy Daniels: Donald Trumps affair with Playboy model Karen McDougal and the hush-money deal Will Donald Trumps prosecution in hush money case help his 2024 US presidential bid? After arriving back home in Florida, Trump addressed his supporters saying he never thought something like this could happen in the US. He said, The only crime that Ive committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it. Our country is going to hell. This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election and it should be dropped immediately, he added amid cheers and claps from his supporters, who gathered at his Florida house. A mug shot that never happened One of the questions that everyone was asking before the arraignment was whether the former president would be handcuffed and would he do a perp walk. He wasnt handcuffed nor did he do the perp walk. Another question was about the infamous mug shot. Trump was not subjected to be photographed, but was still fingerprinted and given a booking number. Trumps battle has just begun Tuesdays appearance in court is known as discovery and now the next date has been set for 4 December. There are chances that Trumps lawyers will ask for a transfer of venue. Matthew Galluzzo, a former prosecutor in the New York District Attorneys office told Al Jazeera, This man (Trump) is very unpopular in Manhattan. Moreover, Trump has claimed that Judge Juan Merchan, who recently presided over a criminal tax fraud trial involving the Trump Organization, hates him and was hand-picked by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who is overseeing the case. Interestingly, the court hasnt issued a gag order on the case. This means that Trump can speak about the matter, though hes been warned against making any statements that could further foment unrest or lead to violence against an official. Reuters has reported that the case would go to trial in January next year, but that is still a long way to go. The charges against Trump are Class E felonies and carry a maximum prison sentence of four years per count, though if Trump was convicted a judge could sentence him to probation. So, 2024 elections are a go Does this mean that Trump can still run for US president in 2024? Yes, it does. For now, Trump can continue his bid for a second time in the White House. However, as per the judge, Trump will be required to make an appearance in court during the proceedings, even if the hearings fall in the heat of the presidential campaign season. This could impede Trump, but by law, the businessman-turned-reality-star-turned-politician can run for president and, who knows, even win the polls. 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. In a shocking twist, the husband of Scotlands former first minister was arrested on Wednesday. Peter Murrell, the husband of Nicola Sturgeon, was arrested as part of a police investigation into the finances of the Scottish National Party (SNP). In a statement, Police Scotland said they had taken a 58-year-old man into custody for questioning over the partys funding and finances. Officers are also carrying out searches at a number of addresses as part of the investigation, the police force said, without naming the man. But what is the investigation about? Lets take a closer look: Murrell, 58, was the SNPs chief executive for the past 25 years. According to the BBC, the police probe began a year and a half ago after enquiries were made about how funds amounting to 600,000 raised between 2017 and 2020 ostensibly for an independence campaign were spent. Sturgeon in March 2017 announced plans for a Scottish referendum even as Murrell launched a money-raising website, as per The Herald. By June 2019, the SNP had raised 482,000. But in the meantime, it had lost nearly two dozen MPs in a snap general election. Though the plans were put on hold, the party vowed the money was earmarked for the specific purpose of a referendum campaign. The partys accounts published by the Electoral Commission, the independent watchdog, showed that at the end of 2018 the party had around 411,000 pounds in cash or cash equivalents. But then it was revealed that the partys accounts had just 97,000 at the end of 2019, as per BBC. Then it emerged that Murrell had loaned the party 100,000 to help with cash flow issues money it repaid by October. BBC quoted an SNP spokesman as saying that the loan was a personal contribution made by the chief executive to assist with cash flow after the Holyrood election. Meanwhile, the party treasurer Douglas Chapman, claiming he did not have the financial information needed for his job, resigned. As per The Herald, it was activist Sean Clarke who raised the red flag leading to Operation Branchform being launched in July 2021. Murell quit as SNPs chief executive last month after the party falsely denied to media that it had lost 30,000 members. The revelation came as it held a bitter election to replace Sturgeon as leader and first minister. Politico quoted an SNP spokesperson as saying: Clearly it would not be appropriate to comment on any live police investigation but the SNP have been co-operating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so. At its meeting on Saturday, the governing body of the SNP, the NEC, agreed to a review of governance and transparency that will be taken forward in the coming weeks. Sturgeon said in February that she lacked the energy to carry on and that she would step down after eight years at the helm. She was succeeded as SNP leader and first minister by Humza Yousaf. Yousaf said it was a difficult day for the party, as per Politico. Scottish Daily Express quoted Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie as saying: This is a deeply concerning development and the Police Scotland investigation must be allowed to proceed without interference. For too long, a culture of secrecy and cover-up has been allowed to fester at the heart of the SNP. We need Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon to urgently state what they knew and when. In a referendum in 2014, Scots rejected ending the more-than 300-year-old union with England by 55% to 45%. Britains vote to leave the European Union two years later when a majority of Scots wanted to stay, and Scotlands handling of the coronavirus pandemic brought new support for independence. However, the Conservative government in Westminster refuses to permit a new referendum. Polls show support for the SNP and Scottish independence has dropped since Sturgeons departure. Police Scotland said a report would be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Scotlands prosecutors. 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. Paris: Finland on Tuesday becoming the 31st member of NATO is a strategic step that doubles the military alliances border with Russia and provides the coalition with additional military capacity. Here are the key facts: Russia more vulnerable Finland broke with decades of non-alignment to ask to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation after Russia invaded its pro-Western neighbour Ukraine in February last year. For Moscow, which has repeatedly warned NATO against expanding, Finlands accession extends the blocs presence right on its western doorstep. Russia which shares a 1,300-kilometre (800-mile) border with Finland said on Monday it would boost its military presence in its west and northwest in response. With Finland joining NATO, Russias northwestern flank becomes more vulnerable, security experts Nicholas Lokker and Heli Hautala wrote on Friday on defence-focused website War on the Rocks. Its border with the alliance will then extend from the Arctic Ocean to the Baltic Sea. More NATO border to defend As a NATO member, Finland is bound by the alliances mutual defence clause, Article 5. It will benefit not only from its allies conventional military assistance but also from their nuclear deterrence. In return, the Nordic nation, which intends to boost its defence budget by 40 per cent by 2026, could contribute some of its military resources to defend the alliance. The country of 5.5 million people counts just 12,000 professional soldiers. But it trains more than 20,000 each year through its conscription service programme, giving the army a pool of 900,000 Finns as potential reserves. This means that in case of war, the army can deploy 280,000 Finnish citizens at any one time. It has a fleet of 55 F-18 US combat aircraft, which it plans to replace with more advanced F-35s from 2025 onwards, as well as 200 tanks and more than 700 artillery guns. But the country joining NATO also means hundreds of extra kilometres of border to defend for the alliance. Allied forces The only military equipment that NATO actually owns are a fleet of Airborne Warning and Control System planes (AWACS) which can monitor an area almost as big as Poland and five Global Hawk high-altitude surveillance drones. For all other military gear, each NATO member chooses what to contribute, though all have promised to reinforce the alliances eastern flank. Also Read: Finland gets a yes. But, why is Turkey sitting on Swedens NATO bid? France dispatched 500 troops to join US soldiers in Romania last year right after Russia invaded Ukraine. Dutch and Belgian soldiers soon joined them. As of December, some 5,000 foreign troops were stationed in Romania the largest contingent of allied forces on the blocs southeastern flank. NATO conducted nine joint exercises last year, from the eastern Mediterranean to the Baltic Sea, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) says. The troops Together NATO allies represent 50 per cent of the worlds military might, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday welcoming Finland into the alliance. As long as we stand together and protect each other there will be no military attack against a NATO ally. According to the Supreme Headquarters of Allied Powers in Europe (SHAPE), NATO can count on up to 3.5 million soldiers and personnel. The three nations providing most military staff are the United States with 1.47 million active troops plus 800,000 reservists, Turkey with 425,000 soldiers and 200,000 reservists, and France with 210,000 troops and 40,000 reservists. NATO has since 2004 had a multinational response force of some 40,000 soldiers on top of the 100,000 US troops already on European soil. It says it hopes to increase this to 300,000 soldiers. It has also set up a spearhead force within it, dubbed the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force or VJTF, able to deploy 5,000 personnel in two to three days. Renewed unity NATO had in recent years faced an existential crisis. French president Emmanuel Macron in 2019 famously said that NATO was experiencing brain death after it failed to respond to Turkeys unilateral invasion of northeast Syria. But Russian president Vladimir Putins re-invasion of Ukraine has provided the fuel for the alliances renewed unity and recommitment to cooperative security, crisis management, and collective defence, retired general Philip M Breedlove, who used to head US European Command, wrote in February. According to IISS, the alliance has since doubled its deployment from four battle groups in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to eight, including Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia. But it is likely that most of the high-readiness forces will need to be European, it said in an annual assessment for 2023. 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 arrival of summer brings with it worries about skin cancer, wrinkles, peeling, and other sun-related problems. These sun phobias can be treated by either avoiding the sun altogether or applying sunscreen generously. Recently, Hugh Jackman also urged his fans and followers to slather on sunscreen this summer after sharing that he has been undergoing fresh tests for skin cancer as a result of a recent medical exam. But do sunscreens really prevent skin cancer? Lets find out. Hugh Jackman reveals new skin cancer scare In his video post on Twitter, the Australian actor best known for playing Wolverine, said, I wanted you to hear it from me, just in case someone sees me on the street or whatever. Ive just had two biopsies done. His doctor had noticed little things that could be, or could not be, basal cell carcinomas. The 54-year-old actor said, Just to remind you, basal cells in the world of skin cancers are the least dangerous of them all. He further assured his followers that basal cells are typically simple to treat, however, also recommended them to use protection from the sun. However, if I may just take this opportunity to remind you, summer is coming. For those of us here in the Northern Hemisphere, please wear sunscreen. It is just not worth it. No matter how much you want a tan, Trust me, he said, adding that he expects test results within the next few days. Youve heard me talk about my basal cell carcinomas before. And Im going to keep talking about them, if need be. If just one person remembers to put on sunscreen with a high SPF, Im happy. pic.twitter.com/J1srAzWQt0 Hugh Jackman (@RealHughJackman) April 3, 2023 What is basal cell carcinoma? Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) typically appears as a tiny, bright pink or pearly-white lump with a transparent or waxy appearance, according to the UKs National Health Service (NHS). It may also resemble a scaly, red patch. The lump gradually increases in size and could crust over, bleed, or turn into an ulcer without any discomfort. According to Mayo Clinic, signs of basal cell carcinoma can appear on the head, face and neck. As per the Skin Cancer Foundation, cancer rarely spreads beyond its initial site and is easily curable when discovered early. Also read: Explained: Can gel manicures cause skin cancer? What causes skin cancer? According to the American news website Vox, UVA and UVB are the two primary lights that can damage your skin and induce cancerous cell mutations. Your skin is burned by UVB rays, increasing your risk of developing cancer. Wrinkles and sun spots develop as a result of UVAs deeper skin damage, which causes the skin to lose its elasticity. Before, UVA light was thought to mostly cause cosmetic damage, but we now know it is also associated with cancer. How sunscreen protects us from skin cancer? According to Skin Cancer Foundation, when used as directed, sunscreen can decrease the risk of skin cancers and skin precancers. It can also help prevent premature skin ageing which is caused by the sun, including wrinkles, sagging and age spots. The sun protection factor is referred to as SPF. It determines how well your skin is guarded against sunburn. Yet it is not a cancer prevention measure. SPF does not indicate UVA light protection; it just evaluates how well lotion shields you from UVB rays, reported Vox. Because of this, dermatologists advise checking for the term broad spectrum, which denotes the inclusion of both UVA and UVB protection. According to Environmental Protection Agency, It is important to know that an SPF of 30 does not provide double the protection of an SPF of 15; rather, when applied properly, an SPF of 15 shields the skin from 93 per cent of UVB radiation, while an SPF 30 sunscreen offers 97 per cent protection. The Canadian Dermatology Association also recommends the use of an adequate dose of a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor of at least 30 for most children and adults. According to Dr Jaishree Sharad, there is no proof that the chemicals in sunscreen are harmful or dangerous to human health. She says these guidelines are supported by current FDA regulations as well as scientific research that demonstrates sunscreen is an efficient strategy to lower the risk of skin cancer. Contradictory studies Although it is conceivable that sunscreen protects skin cancer, the strong proof is difficult to find. According to review research that was published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, sunscreen is a multibillion-dollar industry, and its effectiveness in preventing skin cancer is frequently believed to be true. Despite this, there are only four prospective studies that look at the effectiveness of sunscreen in preventing skin cancer, and none of them looks at how well it works in preventing skin cancer in people who are otherwise healthy, reported Undark magazine. Robert Califf, a former FDA commissioner, and Kanade Shinkai, the journals editor-in-chief, asserted in an editorial that the cultural certainty we have about sunscreen is unjustified. They wrote that despite decades of widespread use, (S)unscreens have not undergone standard drug safety testing. Users reasonably presume that companies that manufacture and sell sunscreens have conducted basic studies to support the safety and effectiveness of their products and that the medical profession would demand high-quality evidence. The consequences on young children and newborns, who may absorb toxins more quickly, are an urgent question. The amount that people breathe in or absorb through the numerous personal care items that now incorporate UV filters is another issue, the authors of the editorial said. 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. Is a new intifada in Israel in the offing? After Palestinian youths hurled fire crackers at Israeli police, authorities raided the historic Al-Aqsa mosque a highly sensitive site in Jerusalem sacred to both Islam and Judaism in the early hours of Wednesday. Gaza militants responded with rocket fire on southern Israel which in turn led to an airstrike from the Israelis. But what is an intifada? What does it mean? Lets take a closer look: What is it? As per DW, the word is often loosely translated into English as a rebellion or an uprising. But in Arabic it means to shake off. In this context, it specifically refers to the Palestinians rebelling against the Israelis in an attempt to create their own state. There have been two previous intifadas. First intifada The first intifada kicked off on 9 December, 1987. The catalyst was an accident at the Jabaliya refugee camp on the Gaza strip when four Palestinians were run over by an Israeli lorry. On 10 December, 1987, the victims were laid to rest. Meanwhile, violent clashes had erupted between the Israeli army and Palestinian demonstrators in eight camps. As per Vox, the intifada took the form of Palestinians boycotting Israel and refusing to work as well as throwing rocks, Molotov cocktails and using guns. Around one and a half million people engaged in open conflict with Israel. The Israelis responded by cracking down hard. Then defence minister Yitzhak Rabin gave the order to break bones. Israeli troops responded by turning their automatic weapons on the protesters. Meanwhile, Israel accused Syria, Iran and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) of fomenting the violence, but PLO leaders in exile were themselves taken by surprise. The intifada ended in September 1993 with the signing of the Oslo Accords in Washington between Israel and the PLO. The accords gave the Palestinians limited autonomy over the territories where they reside. On 24 September, the PLO ordered militants to halt their attacks. By then, 1,258 Palestinians had been killed in the conflagration a quarter of them under the age of 16. Around 150 Israelis were also killed. Rabin the next year claimed between 120,000 and 140,000 people passed through Israeli prisons during the intifada. Rabin was assassinated in 1995 by a Jewish extremist opposed to the peace process. Second intifada The second intifada began in September 2000 after right-wing Opposition leader Ariel Sharon visited the Al-Aqsa mosque. The next day, the first Palestinians died in the conflict. An advisor to the Palestine Liberation Organizations leader Yasser Arafat accused Sharon of sparking a religious war. This was an entirely different beast compared to the first one. As per Vox, this time the Palestinians resorted to suicide bombings, rocket attacks and sniper fire. Hamas, founded during the first intifada, targeted Israeli civilians at bus stops, hotels and restaurants, as per DW. In February 2001, Sharon became prime minister. In March 2022, he led the biggest Israeli offensive in the West Bank since 1967, destroying the main section of the PLOs headquarters. Arafat was confined to two rooms without electricity. Israel began building a security wall, and its army reoccupied nearly the whole of the West Bank. Palestinian activists were targeted and leaders in Islamist group Hamas killed and arrested as part of Israels liquidation operations. As per DW, some claim the demise of Yasser Arafat in November 2004 was the moment the second intifada ended. However, it is important to note that the attacks continued after his death. Others point to February 2005, with a joint announcement by Sharon and Mahmud Abbas, successor to the Arafat as the moment the second intifada concluded. In September 2005, Israel withdrew its last soldier from Gaza. As per Vox, the second intifada hardened Israels view on Palestine. The public support for the dovish argument land in exchange peace dimmed, as per Vox. Third intifada imminent? Some fear a third intifada might be imminent, but it isnt a sure thing. Abu Mustafa, a fighter in the first intifada, told AFP for a third intifada to take place there has to be agreement among the factions. But this is not the case: Hamas seeks international legitimacy, the left has grown weak, Fatahs clinging on to power and Islamic Jihad is Islamic Jihad it was ready yesterday, is ready today and will be ready tomorrow. In December 2022, as Israel prepared for its most right-wing government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu to take over, outgoing public security minister Omer Bar-Lev warned of a third intifada if Ben Gvir manages to convince Netanyahu, or orders the police to change the behaviour of Israeli citizens on the Temple Mount. Hamas in 2017 attempted to call a third intifada after then US president Donald Trump moved the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. In October 2015, both sides were convinced that a third intifada was likely after violence left 18 Palestinians dead and 18,00 injured, as per Foreign Policy. Thankfully, it didnt happen then. Lets hope it doesnt happen this time either. 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. Frances Emmanuel Macron is heading to China. The French president, who last year drew fire from Western allies for a call not to humiliate Russia in the backdrop of its war with Ukraine, faces a delicate balancing act in Beijing. Lets take a closer look at what we can expect from Macrons visit: Macron is slated to kick off his visit on Wednesday with a speech to the French community. On Thursday, Macron will meet with the head of the National Peoples Congress, Zhao Leji, and Chinas new No. 2 leader, Premier Li Qiang, in addition to a meeting and a state dinner with Xi Jinping in the presence of von der Leyen. As per Politico, Macron and Xi are likely to hold talks for several hours. An adviser to Macron, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the outlet, You can count with one hand the number of world leaders who could have an in-depth discussion with Xi. Macron is also expected to warn China against sending weapons to Russia and instead ask that the country use its influence to support peace efforts. We arent going to threaten, but send some warnings: The Chinese need to understand that [sending weapons] would have consequences for Europe, for us We need to remind them of our security interests, a senior French official told Politico. Antoine Bondaz, a senior lecturer at Sciences Po Paris, told Euronews, President Macron, of course, has the legitimacy to ask and raise the issue with China for two reasons. First, France is, of course, a nuclear weapon state. And second, France, unlike the US and the UK, is not part of any nuclear sharing agreement as these two countries are. The French president must be and should be very aware of the limited leverage he has over Xi Jinping. France, compared to China, is a lightweight today, even though France is a permanent member of the UN Security Council. The relationship is very asymmetric and there is little that Macron can convince Xi Jinping of. Its good to try. Its good, of course, to leave channels of communication open, but we need to be very realistic in our expectations and to keep very limited expectations. (The EU) wants to underline the message (to China) to not support Russia any more than is already being done, otherwise the bilateral relationship is doomed, an EU official speaking anonymously told who was not cleared to speak to the media told RFE/RL. History will show if all this traveling [to China] is a good thing or not. China is the only country in the world capable of having an immediate and radical impact on the conflict, in one direction or the other, an official from Macrons office told reporters Friday on condition of anonymity. Macron will look to stand firm towards President Xi Jinping on Ukraine while taking another path from the directly confrontational tone often heard from Washington, the official added. China has refused to criticize Russia for its actions in Ukraine. A top French official acknowledged that Paris isnt expecting to see a major shift in that position. The Europeans wont hold Xi back from arming Russia by saying nicely what he shouldnt do, said Antoine Bondaz of the Paris-based Foundation for Strategic Research (FRS). He predicted instead that the leaders would warn him off arms deliveries in public while dangling the threat of sanctions in their private talks. But France will push for initiatives helping ordinary Ukrainians and for possible avenues toward reaching a halfway solution to the war, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with the French presidencys customary practices. Paris and Beijing may find a point of convergence following Putins recent announcement that his country plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. China, without naming Russia, made clear its opposition to the planned deployment. Macron will also seek to involve China deeper in global discussions on climate-related issues, as things are getting more complicated for him at home. Concerns over mention of human rights Though Macrons office said human rights issues will be mentioned during the visit, some remain concerned. President Macron and von der Leyen should not sweep the Chinese governments deepening authoritarianism under the rug during their visit to Beijing, Benedicte Jeannerod, France director at Human Rights Watch, told Politico. They should use their public appearances with Xi Jinping to express strong concerns over widespread rights abuses across China, heightened oppression in Hong Kong and Tibet, and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang. Macron must strongly denounce privately but also publicly the repression against Chinese activists and human rights advocates, Hong Kongs people, Uyghurs and Tibetans, Frances Human Rights League President Patrick Baudouin said in a statement. On Friday, Macron will head to the southern Chinese metropolis of Guangzhou, where Xis father used to work as provincial governor in the 1980s. The French president will answer questions there from some of the 1,000 Chinese students at Sun Yat-Sen university. He will then meet Xi again for a private dinner and later meet with Chinese investors. The visit also comes amid ever-rising tensions between the US and China, the worlds two largest economies. Trade in focus Trade will also be a major focus as Macron has asked European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen to join him for a meeting with Xi thats meant to show European unity especially on economic issues. The French president said last month that he took such an initiative because he is attached to European coordination. China is both the EUs commercial partner and a rival, Thierry Breton, EU Commissioner for Internal Market, said Monday on French news broadcaster FranceInfo. Breton said the message to Chinese authorities is that they must stop trying to play one country against another. Of course, China still is an important market for many European companies. But the (EU) internal market is a crucial market to China, Breton added. Macron will be accompanied by a delegation of over 50 CEOs including from French energy giant EDF, rail transport manufacturer Alstom and European plane-maker Airbus. The top French official said negotiations were still being held on a potential deal with Airbus that would come on top of Chinas 2019 order for 300 aircraft. Macron previously travelled to China in 2019 before the COVID-19 crisis. Von der Leyen last week complained that far from being put off by the atrocious and illegal invasion of Ukraine, President Xi is maintaining his no-limits friendship with Putins Russia recalling a phrase coined immediately before the invasion last February. How China continues to interact with Putins war will be a determining factor for EU-China relations going forward, she added. 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. Sweden has expelled over 1,100 British nationals since Brexit. The statistics come in the backdrop of news that authorities had planned to deport a 74-year-old British woman with severe Alzheimers. Lets take a closer look: What happened? According to The Guardian, European Commission statistics reveal that Sweden is deporting far more British nationals than any other EU member. The figures, put out by Eurostat on 31 March, show France and Germany ordered the deportation of 115 and 40 citizens respectively. Netherlands deported 720 British nationals, followed by Malta at 135. Meanwhile, not a single British national was deported from Spain, Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Luxembourg in 2021 and 2022. The EU in total deported 2,610 British nationals over the same period, as per the newspaper. The Local quoted Swedish migration minister Maria Malmer Stenergard as saying the numbers were complete news to her. Stenergard, vowing to look into the matter, said, We want them [Brits] here. So why is this happening? For many that are being deported, it all comes down to mistakes or simply lacking the proper post-Brexit paperwork. The Guardian quoted Swedish authorities as saying the most people were deported for Uncompleted applications Late applications without reasonable grounds Applicants not fulfilling the requirements for residence status Under the EU-UK withdrawal agreement, citizens of the UK had till 31 December, 2020, to apply for permanent resident status in their host country. Katherine Pool, the 74-year-old grandmother at the centre of the row, had moved to Sweden with her husband nearly two decades ago. Pool and her husband made the move in order to be close to her Swedish son and daughter-in-law as well as her four young grandchildren. The couple reportedly sold their home in UK and purchased a new one in Sweden. Years later, her husband passed. At the age of 63, she was diagnosed with Alzheimers. Poole was granted permanent residency in Sweden, however, after Brexit she needed to update her documents. Unfortunately, Pool cannot speak, walk or feed herself. She is bedbound in a care home. Her family submitted an application on her behalf, but it was denied because her passport was out of date and there was no proof of her financial independence. Pooles son, Wayne, said he was afraid that obtaining a new passport for her might hasten the deportation procedure. He added he was attempting to delay this in the hopes that someone would intervene to save his mother. I am really worn out by all of this. The entire experience is taxing. There is always hope, and we will take all necessary measures to put an end to it. It just isnt right, Wayne added. Thankfully, the deportation has been placed on hold after efforts from the European Commission, Labour MP Hilary Benn and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, as per The Guardian. Broader issue But some say this is part of a broader issue. As David Milstead, part of the British in Sweden campaign group, told the BBC, Swedens approach to implementing the Withdrawal Agreement has led to a lot of long-standing residents being forced out of their homes. Sweden has issued more deportation notices to UK nationals during 2021-2022 than any other EU country. This is in spite of the Withdrawal Agreement containing protections that should ensure that people like Mrs Poole get to stay. These protections clearly arent working. Milstead further told The Guardian, They also need to provide an explanation for why Sweden has issued around 50% of all deportation notices in the Schengen zone to Brits during 2021-22 and, likely related to this, why Sweden has rejected more residence applications than other EU countries for withdrawal agreement protections. This has been a growing and obvious problem no more looking the other way. The case of Mrs Poole is not unique a number of longstanding residents have been forced to leave, he said. Added Jane Golding, chair of the British in Europe group, The problem that Kathleen Pooles family has come up against is that the UK and some EU countries including Sweden, decided to go for a system where citizens had to reapply for their status post-Brexit. We warned that it would be vulnerable and elderly people who would suffer as a result. People like Kathleen Poole someone who has lived in another country for years and whose residence now depends on a successful application and is not capable of making the application herself. Each EU country implements the Withdrawal Agreement nationally and there are differences in approach. That is why guidance across the EU on cases involving the vulnerable and elderly who have problems applying would help, the lawyer based in Berlin said. 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. New Delhi: With India having already deployed the first two squadrons of the S-400, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is scheduled to carry out the first trial of the air defence system from Russia on Indian soil. According to a report by ANI, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is going to carry out trial of the S-400 missiles in the near future. The Indian military had carried out trials of the S-400 in Russia, but the missile system is yet to be fired in India. The firing is planned to be held very soon using one of the small or medium ranges missiles against a fast-moving aerial target, defence officials were quoted as saying by ANI. According to them, the S-400 air defence missile system has a variety of missiles that have a maximum range of 400 km and can shoot down cruise missiles, fighter jets and other aircraft or projectiles. The first two squadrons of the S-400 have been stationed in various areas mostly along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) against from where they cover the sensitive Chickens Neck Corridor in West Bengal and the Ladakh sector. The first squadron of the S-400 has been deployed in Punjab, and is intended to watch over the border with Pakistan as well as the LAC with China in Ladakh and the western areas. The S-400 missile system is capable of engaging adversary fighter jets, drones, ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as cruise missiles with a 400-kilometer range. Five squadrons of S-400 air defence missiles were purchased by India and Russia in a deal for over Rs 35,000 crore. All deliveries are expected to be finished by the end of 20232024. The Indian Air Force feels the S-400 will be a game-changer for it. It just received the indigenous MR-SAM and Akash missile systems as well as the Israeli Spyder fast responses surface-to-air missile systems. The air defence capabilities of the Indian Air Force (IAF) have greatly increased in recent years. Both China and Pakistan have reportedly been disturbed by the participation of the S-400 missile systems in exercises because they are aware of the Indian systems better capabilities to those of the Chinese system. China and India both have S-400 air defence systems deployed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at the moment. 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 signs are ominous. A close reading of tea leaves suggests that the inhospitable regions of high Himalayas, through which runs thousands of kilometres of undemarcated border between India and China, may again witness Beijings renewed attempts at incursion or other forms of mischief. The joining of seemingly disparate yet coordinated dots leads to an unsavoury conclusion that India must be on highest alert for yet another Chinese misadventure along the LAC. PLAs western theatre command may probe and test Indian preparedness in more than one place. The geopolitical moment is opportune. Russia, an important cog in Indias China strategy, is getting increasingly beholden to Beijing. The United States, meanwhile, is distracted by the war in Ukraine and the need to punish and degrade Russia. Washington is simultaneously casting a wary eye out for Taiwan. This leaves China with the chance to resume its grey zone tactics against India and focus towards achieving its strategic goals just under the conflict radar. Top-ranking US military officials are hinting at increased Chinese activity along the LAC. Worth noting that India had anticipated and repelled a Chinese offensive on 9 December last year in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh when PLA troops armed with spiked clubs and tasers sought to overrun an Indian outpost at Yanki in the Yangtse area of Tawang sector and sought to unilaterally change the status quo, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had told the Parliament. There were multiple injuries from both sides in the ensuing fisticuff, but no one died. American media has claimed that India was able to force Chinese troops to retreat on that occasion due to real-time and actionable intelligence about Chinas force position and strength provided by the US military to counterparts in New Delhi. The unprecedented intelligence sharing had caught PLA troops off guard, according to a report by Paul Shinkman for US News in March this year. The same outlet is again reporting of renewed Chinese activities along the LAC and quoting General Charles Flynn, commander of US Army Pacific Command, US militarys top officer in the Indo-Pacific region, to report of potential for new Chinese offensives due to the activities [of] Western Theater Army in and along that area that have been concerning for a number of months. The Indian establishment prefers to remain tightlipped about its assessments and threat perception in the border regions from China, but if we string together recent comments made by Indias politicians and armed forces, the discomfort is evident, and the worry is floating to the surface. In March, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said at a conclave that the situation between India and China in Ladakh is fragile and dangerous. Last Monday, at a strategic dialogue held in Pune on Chinas rise and implications, Indias chief of army staff General Manoj Pande warned that Chinas LAC transgressions could be a potential trigger for escalation and said that Indian army is ready for any eventuality and is ready to deal with the PLA in a firm, resolute and measured manner while ensuring the sanctity of our claims. General Pande also said that China has over the years accrued significant capacities for force mobilisation, application and sustenance of military operations. Consequent to the development of infrastructure of military significance- be it roads, airfields, helipads and or belating structures. Last Saturday (1 April), Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing top military commanders in Bhopal, asked the three service chiefs to be ready to tackle new and emerging threats, and said the government is taking all steps to equip the Armed Forces with necessary weapons and technologies. The substance and timing of these comments could either be coincidental, or more likely, an indication that India anticipates some more probing manoeuvres from China. Theres more. On Sunday, in a fresh provocation, the Chinese Communist Party announced that it is renaming 11 places that lie within Indias Arunachal Pradesh and claimed that it is standardizing some geographical names in what it referred to as southern Tibet. This is the third time since 2017 that the CCP has done so. While New Delhi gave a testy response, reiterating that Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Attempts to assign invented names will not alter this reality, the Chinese foreign ministry on Tuesday claimed the name changes were completely within the scope of Chinas sovereignty. Renaming is a low-cost, grey zone tactic frequently adopted by China in contested zones on its periphery like the LAC or South China Sea. It is a probing tool to create false legal claims and facts on the ground to contest domains belonging to its adversaries. These incremental steps are often accompanied by the salami-slicing of territories by the PLA. These coercive mechanisms right below the threshold of kinetic action or conflict make it difficult for the affected nation to counter these tactics. Worth noting that China in its official communication has given no indication of its intent. After the failed 9 December offensive by the PLA in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, the Chinese foreign ministry refused to answer questions on the issue and a spokesperson, days later, said the situation was generally stable. Right now the Chinese official discourse on India is conciliatory to the point of delusion. A Chinese diplomat last Friday in Kolkata said that emergency control at the India-China border is a matter of the past, and the border situation is overall stable at the moment despite the deployment of thousands of troops from both sides, armed to the teeth, facing each other at several locations still. On Tuesday, Mao Ning, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said India and Russia are major powers and China is ready to boost ties with both Moscow and New Delhi to send a positive signal to the world about defending true multilateralism. Chinese words and actions, as we have seen in the past, are unrelated and quite often the former is used as a subterfuge mechanism to mislead the adversary. Chinas increased activities along the LAC, provocative renaming of Indias sovereign territories along with conciliatory official discourse should therefore be treated with alarm. This sense of alarm is intensified if we see what is happening at the Myanmar-administered Coco Islands which lie 55 kilometres to the north of Indias Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a strategic naval base. A report in Chatham House, based on satellite imagery, reveals that the islands are getting undergoing a thorough military makeover and could become a staging ground for a new intelligence facility and an airbase that poses a grave a security challenge to India. Authors Damien Symon and John Pollock write, If China were to further apply pressure to the Tatmadaw, leveraging naval intelligence acquired from surveillance flights from Great Coco for desperately needed economic investment, it would give Beijing a key regional advantage over New Delhi. Under these circumstances, Indias best bet could be a more intensified external balancing strategy by coordinating with like-minded partners to nullify the Chinese threat, as well as strengthening border deployment. China believes that its expanding power gap with India and superior military strength should be enough to draw deference from India on contested issues such as the border dispute and it is apprehensive about Indias growing strategic closeness with the US and its allies. As ORF scholar Antara Ghosal Singh, who keeps a keen eye on Chinese strategic community, points out that according to Chinese assessment, New Delhi is using the power of the international community to deal with China. Instead of relying solely on its own strength to negotiate with China on the border issue, it hopes to internationalise the matter, allow multiple forces to participate in it, and increase its own bargaining chip vis-a-vis China. India should take part in more joint military exercises with the US in locations such as the Himalayas without worrying about China trying to veto the move. The US has expressed it keenness to do bilateral military exercises, especially in the Himalayas, more frequently. India is also taking part in a bilateral air combat games with the US at the Kalaikunda airbase in West Bengal this month, with Japan as the observer, according to a Times of India report. The April COPE India exercise, as Brookings scholar Tanvi Madan has pointed out, is one among many as there has been an uptick in the Indian Air Forces engagements with the US in recent years. Washington has recently reiterated that partnership with India would be Americas most important bilateral relationship in the 21st century. India should make the most of this partnership. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Honduras, a Latin American country, has recently announced that it is breaking diplomatic ties with Taiwan as it no longer recognises the latter as an independent country and it supports the controversial One China policy. Under the One China policy, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been working to increase its sphere of influence massively and gobble up independent countries like Taiwan. It has already ensured that now Taiwan is officially recognised by only 13 countries in the world. Out of these 13 seven are in Latin America. Thus, this is a crucial region for China where it is flexing its economic muscle to compel small and developing nations to break ties with Taiwan and accept Chinese hegemony. Before Honduras, Panama (2017), El Salvador (2018), the Dominican Republic (2018), and Nicaragua (2021) succumbed to the Chinese pressure and severed their diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The recent development should send the alarm bells ringing as Honduras might be a small country but there is a clear indication that China has now a strong presence in Latin America and the United States has failed to counter it. The Chinese market accounted for less than 2 per cent of Latin Americas exports in 2000. From 2000 to 2010 China-Latin America trade grew at an average annual rate of 31 per cent, reaching a value of $180 billion in 2010. By 2021, this trade had touched $450 billion. According to estimates of various experts this figure could exceed $700 billion by 2035. At present China is the second-largest trade partner for Latin America as a whole. The largest trade partner is the United States but it could soon be left behind with China moving towards controlling governments of many countries in the region. The pattern of trade clearly indicates that China is colonising Latin American countries (LAC). The exports from Latin America to China primarily consist of oil, petroleum, copper, soyabeans, minerals and other raw materials to support Chinese industrial development. The Chinese exports to this region consists of manufactured products having a much higher price. The Chinese imports have also destroyed the local industries as Chinese have undercut them with predatory pricing. According to a US Congressional Research Service Report in December 2022, Chinas imports from LAC amounted to $221 billion in 2021, consisting primarily of natural resources, including ores (42%), soybeans (16%), mineral fuels and oils (10%), meat (6%), and copper (5%). Chinas exports to the region in 2021 amounted to $227 billion, with major exports including electrical machinery and equipment (21%), machinery and mechanical appliances (15%), and motor vehicles and parts (7%). China has become the top trading partner of Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay and the second largest trading partner for many other countries. China has free-trade agreements with Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru and it announced an FTA with Ecuador earlier this year. Next on the block is Uruguay. At least 20 Latin American countries have also signed on to Chinas controversial and hegemonic Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The Chinese presence in Latin America has grave implications for not only world peace but also for global business as Latin America houses some of the biggest oil reserves in the world. The region also has huge iron ore reserves and plenty of other minerals and natural resources which would be monopolised by the Chinese and exploited to the hilt. A number of Latin American countries have already taken huge debts from China and could soon be following in the footsteps of Sri Lanka. The state-owned China Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China together loaned around $137 billion to LAC between 2005 and 2020. This debt is given in the garb of funding mega energy and infrastructure projects in this region. Venezuela, which also has some of the biggest oil reserves in the world, is already in the debt trap as it is the biggest borrower with a Chinese debt of more than $62 billion piled up since 2007. China made the first big foray in the region in 2006 when it signed the first FTA with Chile. Since then it has expanded its presence rapidly across the region. According to a Council of Foreign Relations (CFR) report (Chinas growing influence in Latin America), While Chinese loans often have fewer conditions attached, dependence on them can push economically unstable countries such as Venezuela into what critics call debt traps that could result in default. Critics also say that Chinese companies bring lower environmental and labour standards, and they warn that Chinas growing control over critical infrastructure such as energy grids poses national security risks. There are also fears of economic dependency in countries such as Chile, which sent nearly 39 percent of its total exports to China in 2020. Incidentally, there is a misconception that the Chinese interests in LAC are limited only to the economic sphere. The Chinese interests go much beyond the economic interests. According to the CFR report, Venezuela became the regions top purchaser of Chinese military hardware after the U.S. government prohibited all commercial arms sales to the country beginning in 2006. Between 2009 and 2019, Beijing reportedly sold more than $615 million worth of weapons to Venezuela. Bolivia and Ecuador have also purchased millions of dollars worth of Chinese military aircraft, ground vehicles, air defence radars, and assault rifles. Cuba has sought to strengthen military ties with China, hosting the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army for several port visits. According to a Centre for International Maritime Security(CIMSEC) report, Chinas military influence in Latin America is mainly through soft power, not physical presence. China has fostered significant military relationships through arms sales, exchange programs, and training engagements. China has found a fruitful market for arms sales in Latin America Military sales may have started as simply small arms, but Chinas expansion in this market now includes aircraft, armoured vehicles, and radars. But these sales are not simply about the equipment; the sale is just the beginning of a relationship. Opportunities for training and maintenance follow each transaction leading to greater interaction between these countries, their militaries, and China. As these deals continue to grow, Chinese personnel and military bases in the region could follow. China has also made major inroads with Latin American militaries through professional military education (PME) programs and exchange officer programs of significant scale. These programs steep Latin American service members in Chinese military and political doctrine and anti-US sentiment, while creating stronger relationships between the respective country and China. To attract military talent to these programs, China has also offered perks to Latin American military personnel. China will pay for business-class travel for exchange students, provide five-star hotels, and pay for other expenses while they live in China.13 Since 2015, China has trained more Latin American military officers than the United States, and the difference has grown every year since. India and Latin America India, it seems, is also recalibrating its Latin America policy. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay from 22 August to 27 August last year. It was the first trip of an External Affairs minister in the region after 2003. Speaking at an event in Delhi in February 2023, Jaishankar reiterated that LAC is a high priority region for India now. The trade between LAC and India stands at around $50 billion and 15 percent of Indias energy requirements are fulfilled by this region. Under the Modi government, India has strengthened its presence by opening resident missions in Paraguay and Dominican Republic. But much more needs to be done to counter the Chinese influence in the region as the reckless Chinese policies would surely wreck the LAC in the next few years. And this will have grave implications for the rest of the world. At present, it appears that the road ahead for the LAC is full of Chinese potholes. The writer, an author and columnist, has written several books. His latest book is Taliban: War and Religion in Afghanistan. He tweets @ArunAnandLive. 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. Some will undoubtedly point to the Indian roots of both the British Prime Minister and the Home Secretary when analysing the reasons for and implication of the newly announced UK policy to no longer hide the ethnicity of members of the countrys notorious grooming gangs. Charges of racism and dog whistling have been levelled by the opposition, implying that only a particular South Asian community is in the crosshairs of the ruling Conservatives. For quite a while now, its been Good things South Asian, bad things Indian in at least the English-speaking West, with the additional caveat that under no circumstances should other parts of the subcontinent be named if the narrative is unpleasant. So when it comes to the latest US bugbearcasteit was okay to mention India, but Pakistani Britons were never to be cited in the context of grooming gangs preying on young white girls across cities in Britain. Old habits die hard, of course, so most of the UK media when reporting on Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks new initiative still go only as far as to say British-Asian, stopping short of the P-word. This despite the fact that a 2020 Home Office investigation into the gangs concluded that cultural sensitivities prevented authorities from cracking down on perpetrators, implying ethnicity was a factor. That this would further embolden criminals was clearly overlooked. Sunaks revelation that cases and whistle-blowers had been often ignored by social workers not to mention policeno doubt abetted by local politiciansin Telford, Rotherham and Rochdale because of political correctness is shameful. And the UK oppositions predictable response that grooming gang predators are mostly white simply proves that conscious bias (unlike the unconscious one cited by western wokerati) is increasingly acceptable in liberal circles. Nazir Ahmed, the vociferously anti-India British Labour Party peer of Pakistani originLord Ahmed of Rotherhamwho forfeited his seat after being convicted in January 2022 for three sex crimes that he perpetrated in the 1970s, is just the tip of a very seamy iceberg. In other Rotherham cases, five British-Pakistani men were convicted in 2010, and then after sustained public and media pressure a total of 19 men and two women were also found guilty in 2016 and 2018. In the case of the Rochdale grooming gang trial over a decade ago, of the nine men (ranging in age from 24 to 59) convicted of sex trafficking, rape and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child, eight were British Pakistani and one an Afghan asylum-seeker. Three of them were stripped of their British nationality later and Pakistani media was more forthright in its reportage of those trials and convictions than their politically correct UK counterparts! After restrictions were lifted on reportage of the trial of grooming gangsters of Huddersfield in 2018, the public learnt that 19 of those convicted were of Pakistani origin, with only one a (non-practising) Sikh. They were found guilty of 120 counts of raping and sexually abusing 15 girlssome only 11 years oldbetween 2004 and 2011. The Sikh community was outraged that one of their own had done such despicable acts; presumably, Pakistani circles were too. Sajid Javid, the Pakistani-origin Home Secretary in 2018, had called them sick Asian paedophiles in a tweet and added the victims had been ignored for too long and that there will be no no-go areas on his watch. Labour Party had objected at that time too, calling it a toxic racist agenda but Javid did not back down. Instead, he went further and said those convicted for gang-based child sexual exploitation were mostly from Pakistani heritage backgrounds. The current British Home Secretary Suella Braverman almost echoed Javid last week when she said, Whats clear is that what weve seen is a practice whereby vulnerable white English girls, sometimes in care, sometimes who are in challenging circumstances, being pursued and raped and drugged and harmed by gangs of British-Pakistani men whove worked in child abuse rings or networks. She has certainly been braver than most white men on this issue! Squeamishness about crimes committed by minorities has had unfortunate consequences in other parts of the world. It has not only made larger communities fearful, it has also led to more muscle flexing by minority gangs who see restraint as a sign of weakness, which only exacerbates tension rather than reducing it. Anonymity and evasion of prosecution in UK because of ethnicity is unthinkable for white criminals today; so why should non-whites ones be exempt? Logically speaking, in todays Britain, only South Asian-origin political leaders would have the gumption to take on the wokerati and call out political correctness as being inherently detrimental to justice and good governance. Their white counterpartsin politics and other sphereshave lost the will to take a resolute stand on this matter long ago, as they now fear accusations of unconscious bias more than anything else. They also now believe that white is never right. Points often cited about grooming gangs are that the Home Office report had said they mostly comprised white men under 30 and that there was not enough proof that such sex offenders were more likely to be Asian or Black. Considering the prevailing zeitgeist of pulling no punches when it comes to anything to do with whites, why had minding cultural sensitivities become so important then for investigators if the perpetrators are not mostly Pakistani-Brits anyway? The West, including the UK, never misses a chance to deliver homilies to India about the criminal justice system, where factors like community, caste or political affiliations still determine whether cases are even registered, much less followed through till conviction. Now it seems UKfrom whom India inherited many procedures, laws and punishmentshas been going the desi way for some time, following the dictum, Show me the person and I will show you the rule. What the UK needs is open and very well-publicised trials of grooming gangswhatever their ethnicity. If most of the men caught and convicted indeed turn out to be white, it will go a long way in calming existing racial mistrust and tensions. If they are from ethnic minorities then their respective communities can be mobilised to counsel the men to dissuade them from continuing their activities. Any which way, an honest approach is better than a politically correct one. And it is time Britain and the rest of the worldespecially their mediarealise that there are many ethnicities and communities among the two billion people who live in or hail from South Asia. Calling non-white members of criminal British grooming gangs South Asian is as ignorant and insulting as describing rampaging British lager louts as West European. And Indians are not the only South Asians who feel offended at being tarred by the same brush. The author is a freelance writer. 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. When visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping toasted a glass of wine with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at a reception at the Kremlin in Moscow on 21 March 2023, it sent out the message of a reaffirmed alliance challenging the supremacy of the US-led world order. For the world, China has demonstrated unwavering support for Russia amid the Ukrainian conflict, even though most NATO countries and other traditional US allies have withdrawn their support for Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine. However, in that display of deepening bilateral ties and strong bonding between Russia and China what Moscow and Beijing hid are the territorial aspirations of the Xi Jinping regime that had laid eyes on Far East as far as eastern Siberia. Renaming Regions: Chinas strategy for asserting its territorial claims There is nothing on this planet that can hide the territorial ambitions of China. Be it land, river or mountains, China wants everything for itself no matter which country it belongs to in its neighbourhood. Chinas behaviour is more or less like a school bully who is habituated in snatching tiffin boxes from others. It is no rocket science to figure out that by unilaterally renaming places in disputed areas, China is attempting to assert its territorial claims and undermine the claims of other countries. If India is the latest victim of this Chinese arrogance, Russia too had to suffer a similar behaviour from China ahead of the much-touted successful state visit to Moscow by President Xi Jinping. Despite criticism by other countries including those that have territorial claims in the disputed areas, the renaming spree only highlights Chinas assertive stance on territorial issues and as an attempt to increase its influence in the region. A VOA News piece said that China resorts to such tactics to remind their own citizens of their claims while keeping up pressure on their opponents in disputes around Asia, especially in preparation for any International Court of Justice or world arbitration court hearings. I think the Chinese view is that part of narrative warfare, part of shaping a narrative about what a conflict is about, is wrong-footing or putting your adversary or rival claimant or disputant in a position where they are disadvantaged, and China holds an advantage, the VOA News piece said quoting Scott Harold, a Washington-based senior political scientist with RAND Corporation research group. Thaw in Moscow, cold in Siberia In February this year, the Ministry of Natural Resources of China issued new regulations regarding map toponymy, which included the naming of eight Russian cities and territories that Beijing claims were occupied by the Russian Empire during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This move represented an assertion of Chinas territorial claims which could perhaps raise tensions between China and Russia in the future. The Specification for the Representation of Public Map Content approved by the Chinese ministry said: The national border of the Peoples Republic of China shall be drawn in accordance with the standard sample map of the Chinese border drawing method approved and published by the State Council. The historical boundaries of China shall be drawn based on relevant historical materials and actual historical boundaries. Following the adoption of new regulations on map toponymy by the Ministry of Natural Resources of China in February of this year, several Russian regions were given new Chinese names. Among them were Vladivostok, now referred to as Heishenwai in Chinese; Ussuriysk, which has been renamed Shuanchenzi in Chinese; Khabarovsk, now known as Boly in Chinese; and Blagoveshchensk, which has been given the Chinese name Hailanpao. Additionally, Sakhalin Island is now referred to as Quedao in Chinese, while Nerchinsk has been renamed Nibuchu, and Nikolaevsk-on-Amur is now referred to as Miaoze. Finally, Stanovaya Ridge has been given the Chinese name Waisin anlin. Despite a subdued response from Russia in light of current circumstances, the territory in question has long been a major point of contention between China and Russia. Historical records indicate that the disputed region was initially incorporated into the Qing Empire in 1689, under the terms of the Treaty of Nerchinsk. However, the Qing dynasty was later compelled to sign the Aigun Treaty of 1858 and the Peking Treaty of 1860, which effectively overturned the previous agreement and transferred control of the area to Russia. In spite of the prior treaties, Sino-Russian relations experienced a violent border altercation in the 1960s, leading to losses on both sides. Nonetheless, on 9 and 10 December 1999, the Heads of State of China and the Russian Federation, Jiang Zemin and Boris Yeltsin, respectively, signed protocols that unambiguously affirmed the sovereignty of Russia over disputed territories including the Outer Xingan Mountains region, Sakhalin Island, Udong region, Tangnu Ulianghai region, Vladivostok region among others, totalling an area of over 1.25 million square kilometres. In 2005, the Russian Federation and the Peoples Republic of China announced that they had successfully resolved all outstanding border disputes, marking the culmination of forty years of negotiations. A document released by the Chinese embassy in the United States confirmed this achievement. Both Russia and China share a 4,300-kilometre-long border. Ironically, the latest move by China nullifies the significance of all the past territorial treaties it signed with Russia and Moscow, despite knowing the reality. Moscow now seeks to downplay the Chinese move as support from Beijing is critical at this juncture. There is also a fear that President Xi might end up annexing the newly disputed territory if Russia fails to defend it. Hattrick for China in renaming Arunachal Pradesh Chinas persistent interference in the affairs of Arunachal Pradesh has continued, with the country making a third attempt to rename 11 locations in the region. Chinas Ministry of Civil Affairs released a list of official names for two land areas, two residential areas, five mountain peaks, and two rivers in the southern part of Tibet, which China refers to as Zangnan. The list also included precise coordinates and the respective administrative districts for each location. This move by China constitutes a blatant disregard for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of India and is a clear violation of international norms and conventions. Indias Ministry of External Affairs rejected the attempt outright confirming that nothing changes on the ground. Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India and even the US recognises the same. China made its first such attempt by seeking to change the names of six locations in Arunachal Pradesh in 2017 followed by another attempt for 15 locations in 2021. In December last year, soldiers of the two countries came to blows in the Tawang sector although the matter was resolved after the intervention of the local commanders from both sides. Significantly, the renaming stunt happened just a day before the King of Bhutan Jigme Wangchuk landed in Bhutan for a three-day state visit. The visit by the Bhutan king is important as it happened just a few weeks after the countrys prime minister surprised India by calling Doklam a territorial dispute and giving China an equal say on the matter despite Indias assistance to Thimphu to defend its territory. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has repeatedly said that India-China ties are not normal while Army Chief General Manoj Pande did not deny the possibility of a wider conflict with China just a week ago. India definitely will have to keep the legal aspect in mind and prepare a counterstrategy accordingly. Instead of assuming that China might exploit the situation at the slightest chance, India should be convinced that China will certainly work against New Delhis interests no matter what level of depth the bilateral ties are, for now, they are rather shallow. Despite Chinas enormous military and diplomatic advantage, India must find loopholes and lacunae in the Chinese strategy, which are bound to be there owing to Chinas arrogance and overconfidence, and keep a few aces up its sleeve. Unlike Russia, India has boldly rejected Chinas renaming exercises, but New Delhi must keep an eye on how a big country like Russia has been nearly forced to subjugate itself despite the obvious humiliation. China can stoop to any level to conquer, and India cannot forget this ugly truth. Old habits die hard As a matter of strategy or scheming, China has often renamed several disputed territories over the years involving other countries apart from Russia and India. China has designated the South China Sea as the Nanhai or South Sea and maintains a comprehensive claim of sovereignty over the majority of the area. The Diaoyu Islands, known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan, have similarly been asserted as Chinese territory, with the Chinese appellation of Diaoyu Dao being applied. China has also claimed exclusive jurisdiction over the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, which it refers to as the Huangyan Island. Then there are the Spratly Islands, which China refers to as the Nansha Islands, and the Paracel Islands, which China designates as the Xisha Islands. China also claims sovereignty over the Macclesfield Bank in the South China Sea, which it calls the Zhongsha Islands. Likewise, China refers to Hainan Island in the South China Sea as the Hainan Province. Qing and Xi Jinping It is unclear whether President Jinping aspires to leave a legacy that rivals or exceeds the Qing Dynastys, which governed China from 1644 to 1912 and expanded its territory to its largest extent. Regardless of his ambitions, he might have been inspired by Chinese mythology, where the figure of Jie or Jie Zitui is notorious for his arrogance and abuse of power. Similarly, the mythical Yellow Emperor (Huangdi), who is said to have lived around 2600 BC, is often associated with territorial expansion and military conquest and probably motivates the Chinese president for his territorial ambitions. In his quest to expand Chinas boundaries as far as possible, perhaps President Jinping should remember about Xiaolin Village, a fake city in the animated Chinese TV series Xiaolin Showdown that does not exist in reality. For the world, Arunachal is real and Zangnan is Xiaolin Village, an imagination or illusion! Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Cherkasy Region (Ukraine): One of Ukraines newest military units Border of Steel is one of eight new storm brigades totalling 40,000 soldiers that Ukraine wants to use during a counter-offensive against Russian troops in coming weeks or months. The units have benefited from an aggressive recruiting campaign on social media and billboards with the aim of attracting highly motivated volunteers. The recruiting drive of soldiers comes as Kyiv faces growing challenges recruiting new troops. The new brigades, drafted by the Interior Ministry, will fight alongside regular army units held up by new Western battle tanks and thousands of fresh troops trained by allied armies outside Ukraine. The brigades have catchy names: Hurricane, Spartan, Chervona Kalyna, Frontier, Rage, Azov and Kara Dag, a mountain in Crimea. More than a year into the conflict, the countrys forces have been facing a Russian onslaught for months in towns like Bakhmut in the east, where thousands of soldiers have already been killed. Ukraine does not disclose its military losses. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko has said he believes Ukraine still had considerable mobilisation potential and that his recruits included women, people with no military experience and former police officers and servicemen. A lot is at stake for the war-ravaged country and a successful counter-offensive may swing the war in Kyivs favour. Ukraine beat back Russian forces from Kyiv last year before liberating swathes of the northeast and of the southern Kherson region. But Russian forces still occupy tracts of the east, the strategically important south and the key Crimean Peninsula. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine wants every inch of its land back from Moscow, which has unilaterally declared five regions of Ukraine to be part of Russia despite not controlling them all. For them, the objective is to liberate Ukraine, Klymenko said of the recruits during an interview in Kyiv. We are writing the great history of our state for many future decades. Ukraine launched its recruitment campaign for the storm brigades at the beginning of February, this year. The Interior Minister said it would take up to four months to train civilians without experience, but that ex-police officers or soldiers could be trained in two. Border of Steel is commanded by Valeriy Padytel, who led Ukraines border guard forces in the defence of now-occupied Mariupol where he was captured after holding out in a huge steel works. He was freed in a prisoner swap last September. He did not reveal as to when or where Ukraine would launch its counter-offensive. We will keep training, will train all the time while the brigade is being formed and while we are waiting for battle orders. Klymenko said 2.5% of the brigades were made up of female fighters: Our women are patriotic enough, strong and they hate the enemy no less than men, they want to serve. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Poland has emerged as one of Ukraines most ardent supporters during Russias invasion. This comes despite historical differences between the neighboring nations that stir up bad feelings to this day. The tensions between the country at war and its staunch ally were acknowledged Wednesday when Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a state visit to Poland, where president Andrzej Duda received him with honors. Duda promised that Poland would keep helping Ukraine fight off Russias aggression, but he also acknowledged at a joint news conference with Zelesnkyy that the relationship between the two nations was complicated. There are still open wounds in the memory of many people, Duda said, a reference to the massacres of some 100,000 Poles by Ukrainian nationalists during the 1940s. Poland considers the killings genocide. Ukraine & Polands historical differences The difficult part in Poland-Ukraine relations goes back even further than that. In a part of Europe where entire nations have disappeared from maps for generations before returning from the ashes of collapsed empires, sometimes at the expense of neighbours, Poles and Ukrainians share a history of existential rivalry. Ukrainians, for example, harbour resentment from centuries spent under Polish rule, a period which is not remembered as completely benign. The Second Polish Republic and Ukrainian forces fought a war from November 1918 to July 1919. Polish and Ukrainian officials have avoided mentioning the old grievances amid concerns that Russia could exploit any divisions. Zelenskyy said the two nations would be able to address the lingering hard feelings more fully after the war in Ukraine. In the future, there will be no borders between our peoples: political, economic and what is very important historical, Zelenskyy said in a Telegram message before his meeting with Duda. But for that we still need to gain victory. For that, we need to walk side by side a little more. By addressing the past even tangentially in the context of talks on military aid and Ukraines economic reconstruction, the two leaders seemed to acknowledge that thorny issues could not be swept under the rug forever, even with the war dragging on. Duda and other nationalist authorities face pressure from their political base, which includes many older Poles, to make sure Polish suffering at Ukrainian hands is not forgotten. A parliamentary election in Poland before the end of the year will be a test for the ruling party, Law and Justice, and determine whether it wins a third term. On Wednesday, though, Zelenskyy was met with red carpets and pomp. Duda bestowed on his visitor Polands oldest and highest civilian distinction, The Order of the White Eagle. You are surely one of the most outstanding people who has received the distinction, the Polish president said. Zelenskyy called Duda a friend and said Polish-Ukrainian relations have never been so good. At the same time, Duda insisted the past must not be forgotten and now was the right time to confront it. We cannot forget those who have perished in the past, Duda said. There are no taboo themes between us. Stepan Banderas legacy Probably the touchiest point of contention is how to remember one of Ukraines national heroes, Stepan Bandera, the far-right leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists who briefly allied himself with Germanys Nazis. Efforts by Bandera-led forces to carve out an independent territory for Ukraine led them to perpetrate atrocities against Poles, Jews and Soviets. Such subjects were off-limits during the Soviet era, when Ukraine was a Soviet republic and Moscow also controlled Poland. Historians say that more than 100,000 Poles, including women and young children, perished at the hands of their Ukrainian neighbours in areas that were then located in southeastern Poland and are mostly in Ukraine now. The peak of the violence was on 11 July 1943, known as Bloody Sunday, when the Ukrainian insurgent fighters carried out coordinated attacks on Poles praying in or leaving churches in more than 100 villages, chiefly in the Volhynia region. Polish officials insist that only the full truth can strengthen the nations ties. Poles were angered in January when Ukraines parliament commemorated Bandera on the 114th anniversary of his birth by tweeting an image of the current commander of the Ukrainian armed forces against a portrait of Bandera. The post was later deleted. Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki said his government took an extremely critical stance toward any glorification or even remembrance of Bandera. With inputs from AP 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 U.S. will send Ukraine about $500 million in ammunition and equipment and spend more than $2 billion to buy an array of munitions, radar and new weapons to help Kyiv counter drones in the coming months, the Pentagon said Tuesday, as Ukrainian troops gear up for a spring offensive against Russian forces. The aid to be taken from military stockpiles so it can be in the war zone quickly includes ammunition for U.S.-provided HIMARS, air defense interceptors, and artillery rounds that Ukraine is using to defend itself, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. HIMARS are multiple rocket launchers. The package includes at least two new weapons systems that are designed to counter drones specifically the Iranian-made Shahed, which Tehran has provided to Russia and has been heavily used in attacks on Ukrainian cities. The U.S., for the first time, will send nine 30mm gun trucks and an undisclosed amount of ammunition for them, and 10 mobile laser-guided rocket systems, also developed to counter drones. The wide array of ammunition being sent from Pentagon stocks includes 155 mm artillery rounds for howitzers as Ukraine burns through the rounds fighting back against Russias ground invasion. The Pentagon does not provide the amounts of munitions in most cases. The immediate assistance also includes anti-armor systems, small arms, heavy equipment transport vehicles, 61 fuel tankers and maintenance support, the Pentagon said in a statement. A senior defense official said the focus is on helping Ukraine change the dynamic on the ground. Right now, the official said, the battle lines are relatively static and neither side has gained much territory. The official, who briefed Pentagon reporters on condition of anonymity to provide military details, said the U.S. wants to help Ukraine advance and hold its positions in the expected counteroffensive. We very much appreciate everything that the United States has done specifically in the last month to help our army prepare itself for the counteroffensive, said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, speaking at NATO headquarters in Brussels before a meeting with with Blinken. The Biden administration has upheld its commitment to provide Ukraine with a lot of what we need and set an example to other allies. The $2.1 billion in longer-term aid, which is being provided under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, will buy missiles for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, or NASAMS, as well as radar, additional satellite terminals and fuel tanker trucks, anti-armor rockets and bridging systems. It also will fund additional training for Ukraines forces. The defense official said weapons already bought using the security assistance funding in previous packages are beginning to make their way to the battlefield. That is key because in some cases such as with the 155 mm rounds the Pentagon had been sending its own stocks, which are also needed for American troop training, and there is a finite supply. Now, the official said, the deliveries of 155 rounds Ukraine is getting include ammunition that was bought a number of months ago through the USAI program. The new weapons and money come as Russia has continued to bombard Ukraine with long-range missiles and the hotly contested battle for the eastern city of Bakhmut drags on. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview that unless his country wins that fight, Russia could begin building international support for a deal that could require Ukraine to make unacceptable compromises. Zelenskyy said if Moscows forces take Bakhmut, Russian President Vladimir Putin would sell this victory to the West, to his society, to China, to Iran. The latest U.S. package, with its mix of short-term and long-term aid, involves a wide variety of ammunition from Pentagon stocks, 23 million rounds of small arms ammunition and 200,000 grenades, mortars, rockets and an array of precision guided munitions. It brings the total amount of U.S. security assistance to Ukraine to more than $35.1 billion since Russia invaded in February 2022. Defense leaders testifying on Capitol Hill last week said the U.S. is prepared to support Ukraine for as long as needed. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has echoed that sentiment, saying the alliances foreign ministers meeting in Brussels were discussing how to step up support for Ukraines armed forces. Our support is for the long haul, he said before the meeting Tuesday. The White House said last week that it has new evidence that Russia is looking again to North Korea for weapons as it also prepares for a spring offensive. Russia would provide Pyongyang with needed food and other commodities in return. U.S. officials also are concerned that the president of Belarus has warned that Russian strategic nuclear weapons might be deployed in his country, along with part of Moscows tactical nuclear arsenal. Putin has said he planned to place tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus. Those weapons are comparatively short-range and low-yield. Strategic nuclear weapons, such as missile-borne warheads, would be a greater threat. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, while talking up the possibility of nuclear weapons, has also called for a cease-fire in Ukraine. He said a truce must have no preconditions and all movement of troops and weapons must be halted. Russia, however, has rejected a cease in fighting, claiming that Ukraine has refused to enter talks under pressure from its Western allies. 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: Weeks after India asked a Chinese journalist to leave the country, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) decided to freeze the visas of two Indian journalists based in Beijing, indicating that more counter measures could follow against other Indian journalists, unless New Delhi offers reciprocal visa and tenure terms to Chinese journalists in India. According to a Hindustan Times report, citing people familiar with the matter, state-run Prasar Bharatis representative in Beijing, Anshuman Mishra, and The Hindus correspondent, Ananth Krishnan, were informed by Chinese officials that they should not return to China as their visas were frozen. Both Mishra and Krishnan had recently visited India for personal reasons. The move followed the Indian side informing a New Delhi-based correspondent of state-run Xinhua news agency last month that his Indian visa would not be renewed. The Xinhua correspondent was asked to return to China by 31 March and has since gone back, according to the report. Counter-measures Meanwhile, two other journalists belonging to the news agency PTI and the Hindustan Times, currently in China, have been informed by the MFA that they could stay on for now even as it is considering its options and counter measures against what it claims is Indias unfair treatment of Chinese journalists. The MEA declined to comment formally on the move. However, sources denied that India had taken any action against Chinese journalists in the recent past. They said that many Chinese reporters based in Delhi had left during the Covid pandemic and not returned, and it was factually incorrect to suggest any measures that merited counter-measures had been employed against them, according to The Hindu report. China demanding more visas China is reportedly demanding more visas for its correspondents to cover India. It is also asking for current visa tenures, that need to be renewed every three months, to be increased to 12-month visas, as the Chinese MFA provides Indian journalists with year-long visas. From about a dozen correspondents a decade ago, there were only about four Chinese journalists based in India by the end of 2022. In 2016, India had expelled three journalists belonging to State media network Xinhua after security agencies accused them of indulging in activities beyond their journalistic brief. Since then, the rift in India-China ties has grown, especially after the standoff between the armies of the two countries over Chinese troops transgressions along the Line of Actual Control in April 2020. The matter is reportedly now being discussed between the Indian Embassy in Beijing and the Chinese MFA. 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. New Delhi: Zangnan (Arunachal Pradesh) is part of Chinas territory is within Chinas sovereign rights, said Beijing, hours after India outrightly rejected Chinas attempt to rename 11 places in the Indian state. In accordance with relevant stipulations of the administration of geographical names of the State Council, competent authorities of the Chinese government have standardised the names of some parts of Zangnan. This is within Chinas sovereign rights, said Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning at a press conference late on Tuesday. China on Sunday released names of 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh which it calls Zangnan, the southern part of Tibet. It was for the third time Beijing made an attempt to lay claims to areas inside the Indian territory after 2017 and 2021. Releasing a list of standardised names in Chinese, Tibetan and pinyin characters, the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs said the renaming was in accordance with regulations on geographical names issued by State Council, Chinas cabinet. These places include two land areas, two residential areas, five mountain peaks and two rivers. Also Read: China again renames 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh as part of Southern Tibet, India says ground situation wont change The move was strongly condemned by the Indian government with the countrys Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) outrightly rejecting Chinas attempt of renaming 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh. We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has made such an attempt. We reject this outright. Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Attempts to assign invented names will not alter this reality, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a statement on Tuesday. But the question remains, why China has been persistently renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh? Must Read: Attempts to assign invented names wont alter reality: India reacts as China renames 11 places in Arunachal For the unversed, China claims the entire state of Arunachal Pradesh as its territory and called it Zangnan, the southern part of Tibet. China has been assigning new names to Arunachal regions as part of its strategy to make territorial claims to the Indian state. The Line of Actual Control (LAC) divides Indias territory from Chinas but there has been a dispute over it for several decades. While India considers LAC to be 3,488 km long, China puts it somewhere around 2,000 km. Dont Miss: India again rebuffs Chinas renaming of places for Arunachal Pradesh. But, why does Beijing keep doing it? In the Eastern Sector of the LAC Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim the McMahon Line acts as the de facto boundary between India and China. This McMahon Line was agreed upon in 1914 at the Convention Between Great Britain, China, and Tibet or Simla Convention and marked out borders between Tibet and British India. China was represented by the government of the Republic of China, which ruled the mainland from 1912 to 1949. Also Read: China is looking to stir up border tensions again; India must be on highest alert, intensify military engagement with US The current communist government came to power in 1949, declaring the Peoples Republic. Also, China has been constantly expressing strong reservations every time any Indian leader visits Arunachal Pradesh. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram London: UK is reportedly expelling a group of Indian and Nepalese security guards who were rescued from Afghanistan during Taliban take over in 2021. Amid the chaos, thousands of people who had worked alongside British government and military personnel were evacuated from Kabul. But now, UK is disowning many of them even after initially promising shelter and citizenship. The 13 Gurkhas, or former Nepalese military personnel, were assigned to protect the British embassy in Kabul. Their attorneys claim that the 10 of them were detained recently from the migrants hotel where they were living and working in the kitchen to serve other migrants. They added that the home office voided their legal right to stay in the UK and also cancelled their biometric permits that were equivalent to permanent visas. The men, who are of Nepalese and Indian descent and range in age from 37 to 60, were employed by a private security company to watch over the Kabul compound containing the British and Canadian embassies. In August 2021, as President Ashraf Ghanis administration was overthrown and he left the country, the Taliban took control of the Afghan capital. The UK home office has also been accused of making bizarre demands from these migrants against their immigration status. Just a few days ago, Home office had asked Afghani migrants to bring Talibans permission get their immigration approved. Must read: UK tells Afghans seeking to emigrate bring permission from Taliban Detained and Handcuffed A representative for some of the security guards claimed that during a dawn raid on their west London hotel last week, 10 of them were taken into custody and handcuffed. They had been residing in the hotel and working in the restaurant, supplying other evacuees from Afghanistan with food. Since then, they have been detained in deportation facilities near to Gatwick and Heathrow airports from where they are supposed to be deported on Thursday, April 6. The 37-year-old Bam Gurung, a security guard for an embassy for ten years, told the BBC he had planned to start a new life in the UK and join the Army. We are very, very grieved, he said. Ive been crying with my buddy and my mother for the past two days. I could have lived comfortably in the UK and given something back to the government there. Disowned and Misbehaved Two of the men who are being expelled reportedly had the biometric permit which grants them indefinite stay in the UK. The permit allows a perpetual right to exist, to labor, and to receive benefits in UK. However, the home office cancelled the permits. It is still unclear to the attorneys, why the UK has changed the way they were treating these individuals. Jamie Bell of Duncan Lewis Solicitors said, We have not received any explanation from the Home Office as to why these brave men are now being treated inhumanely and cruelly after being evacuated. Five of the men, according to Bell, looked to have settled immigration status prior to the unexpected raid. After the Home Office submitted an application on their behalf following the Kabul rescue, eight additional people received word that they were unsuitable for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) status. Home offices response According to a Home Office spokesman, We continue to be dedicated to providing protection for vulnerable and at-risk individuals fleeing Afghanistan and have so far repatriated approximately 24,500 individuals affected by the situation to the UK. In this case, the immigration status of those who have been granted Indefinite Leave to Remain has not changed, and it would be incorrect to suggest that this has been revoked. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. A team of doctors in the UK are advising other doctors and patients not to use ChatGPT for medical guidance after a recent study showed it made up statistics and other information when asked about cancer. One out of every ten queries about breast cancer screening was answered incorrectly by various AI chatbots, including ChatGPT and Bing AI, both of which use OpenAIs GPT models. For those who are unaware, the paid version of ChatGPT uses GPT-4 whereas the free version uses GPT-3.5. Microsofts Bing AI, on the other hand uses GPT-4. Even the answers that the chatbots got right were not as comprehensive as those discovered through a basic Google search. The Chatbots had truncated the answers and left out some vital pieces of information. Some startling revelations The study was carried out by the University of Maryland School of Medicine. In the study, researchers asked 25 questions to both, ChatGPT and BingAI, revolving around screening for breast cancer. The researchers had to ask the chatbots to generate responses thrice, as most of the time, the responses were very vague, and non-descriptive. Once the researchers had the final set of answers, they were reviewed by three mammography-trained doctors. Also read: ChatGPT better than trained doctors: How the AI bot saved a dogs life when a trained vet couldnt Of the responses generated, about 88 per cent were something that a potential patient may be able to comprehend and take some action on, whereas the rest of them were incoherent. However, even the responses within those 88 per cent had some major red flags. ChatGPT also gave conflicting answers to queries about the chance of developing breast cancer and where to get a mammogram. The research discovered that answers varied considerably each time the same query was asked. Making up evidence to support their answers One frightening thing that the study revealed that while Bing AI cited some sources, which included a few sketchy ones, ChatGPT, created fake journal papers to back up its assertions in some instances. Moreover, not all of the responses in that 88 per cent was correct the three doctors reviewing the information, had to flag a considerable number of responses as inaccurate or even fictitious. Also read: AI goes bonkers: Bings ChatGPT manipulates, lies and abuses people when it is not happy When GPT hallucinates: Doctors warn against using AI as it makes up information about cancerThis incident again forces users and potential customers of AI chatbots, that users should proceed with caution when using AI bots, because the application still has the propensity to hallucinate or make things up. Weve seen in our experience that ChatGPT sometimes makes up fake journal papers or health societies to back its claims, said the studys co-author, Dr Paul Yi. Overall, the results were positive The results, which were published in the journal Radiology, also revealed that a straightforward Google search yielded a more comprehensive response. ChatGPT, according to lead author Dr Hana Haver, relied on only one set of guidelines issued by one group, the American Cancer Society, and did not give differing recommendations issued by the Disease Control and Prevention or the US Preventative Services Task Force. Also read: AI develops cancer drug in just 30 days, predicts patients life expectancy based on medical notes Dr Yi, on the other hand, indicated that the findings were generally favourable, with ChatGPT accurately responding to questions about breast cancer signs, who is at risk, and the cost of treatment, age groups at risk, and frequent suggestions for mammograms. He described the percentage of correct responses as pretty amazing, with the added benefit of summarising information into an easily digestible form for consumers to easily understand. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Paris, France: Ask any pet owner if their beloved companion has a personality and youll most often get an emphatic yes. But now tiger researchers can nod along too a study published Wednesday reveals that the worlds largest felines have individual character traits. The behaviour of the 248 Siberian tigers observed through a personality test showed that the endangered cats had unique traits influencing both their success in reproduction and survival, researchers reported in the journal Royal Society Open Science. We found that tigers are very individual and that people whove worked with them and know them well see their individual personalities, co-author Rosalind Arden of the London School of Economics told AFP. The study adopted a commonly used human personality test to explore tiger traits such as confidence, sincerity, bullying and savagery in two separate populations of tigers held in semi-captivity in China. Questionnaires with a list of 70 personality indicators were filled out by veterinarians and feeders who work with the tigers on a daily basis. The combined results found that both tiger populations displayed characteristics that fell into two overarching personality categories: majesty and steadiness. Tigers scoring higher for majesty were healthier, preyed more on live animals, and ate and mated more. They were also regarded by their human raters as having higher group status among tigers, the study said. But being collaborative and gentler had its evolutionary benefits too: steady tigers were shown to be gentler, more sincere and more loving. Such traits may play a role in the unusual length of time two to three years that tiger cubs remain with their mothers. The study found very few sex-related differences in tigers personalities, however, and father tigers have also been observed taking part in raising their young. Its pleasant to see that you dont have to be dominant, fierce, competitive and aggressive in order to succeed as a tiger, said Arden. Similar studies illuminating the personality and mental abilities of primates have helped humanise them, Arden said. There is evidence that it does, in fact, improve animal welfare and conservation, she added. Siberian tigers are endangered due to poaching and habitat loss. Only around 500 remain living in the wild. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Moscow: The European Union (EU) instigated a geopolitical confrontation with Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin while accepting credentials from ambassadors in the Kremlin, told the new envoy for the EU on Wednesday. In a televised remark, Putin said The European Union initiated a geopolitical confrontation with Russia, initiated a confrontation with our country, Meanwhile, Putin told the new US ambassador in Moscow that Washington was responsible for the Ukrainian crisis while accepting her credentials in a Kremlin ceremony. Relations between Russia and the United States, from which global security and stability directly depend, are going through a deep crisis, Putin told new US envoy Lynne Tracy. Russian President started the ceremony of accepting diplomatic credentials from 17 new foreign ambassadors at the Alexander Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace earlier on Wednesday. Some of the ambassadors who represented their countries and territories included US Ambassador Lynne Tracy. She was approved for this post in December 2022 and became the first woman to head the US diplomatic mission in Russia. The ceremony is also attended by diplomats Jacob Henningsen of Denmark and Robert Kvile of Norway and Roland Galharague of the EU. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Islamabad: Every Muslim woman must be considered chaste, the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) in Pakistan has ruled, claiming that chastity is a quality held by someone pure, modest or celibate. While hearing a case on Tuesday, the Pakistani court further observed that the Islamic concept of Al Ihsan requires Muslim men to refrain from questioning a womans character without evidence, Dunya News reported. Chastity is a quality held by someone pure, modest or celibate. A virgin is an example of chastity. Faithful married couples are examples of chastity, the Federal Shariat Court stated. The Case The court in Pakistan was hearing a petition filed by a woman against a decision of an additional district and sessions judge in the case involving her former husband. During the hearing, the petitioner pleaded that her marriage was dissolved by way of Khula in 2017, which later led to litigations over the custody of their two sons before a judge in Chakwal. However, Asad the ex-husband of the petitioner while submitting his affidavit before the judge, questioned his former wifes chastity. A criminal complaint was filed by the woman under Section 8 of the Offence of Qazf (Enforcement of Hadd) Ordinance, 1979 before the sessions judge, but he rejected it after statements of the complainant and two other witnesses were recorded. Apology The womans former husband later tendered an apology before the court. He also regretted uttering indecent words against his ex-wife. Later on, the additional sessions judges order was set aside and the matter was further remanded to the trial court, asking it to deliver a verdict within 90 days. Further, the trial court has been asked to record statements of the complainant and the two witnesses. (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. Rome: Italys former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, known for his infamous bunga bunga parties with young starlets, was in intensive care on Wednesday for heart problems. Widely known as the Cavaliere, the 86-year-old Italian senator remained a dominant player in his nations politics for two decades. Berlusconi is admitted to Milans San Raffaele Hospital, a member of his entourage was quoted as saying by AFP. As per a report by Italian news agency Ansa, Berlusconi was admitted early Wednesday and that his current condition was stable. Leader of the right-wing Forza Italia party, Berlusconi has been in and out of the hospital in recent years. Last month he spent four days at the same hospital for what Italian news reports called heart issues. I have already started working again ready and determined to commit myself, as I have always done, to the country I love, he said in a message posted on social networks on Friday. He was discharged on 30 March. He also posted a photo of himself on Sunday grinning in front of a vast lawn of tulips in his villa in Arcore, in northern Italy. Ordeal In September 2020, Berlusconi was hospitalised for 11 days for Covid-related pneumonia. He had contracted the virus while on holiday in Sardinia. The following year, Covid-related complications caused a series of hospital stays. Berlusconi, who started his political career in 1994, served as prime minister three times. He had open heart surgery in 2016 and three years later, he underwent surgery on his intestine. Forza Italia is a member of Prime Minister Giorgia Melonis right-wing coalition government, although the party attracts only about 10 percent of voters. Matteo Salvini, whose League party is also a member of the coalition, tweeted get well wishes Wednesday, saying Forza Silvio, Italy is waiting for you! Berlusconi won a seat in Italys Senate during general elections in September, nine years after he was kicked out from the upper house of parliament following a conviction on tax fraud. He said he would act as a political fatherly figure to Meloni, but has made headlines instead for his refusal to cut ties with his longtime friend Russian President Vladimir Putin. Berlusconi entered politics in 1994 and for millions of Italians he represented a golden age of the Italian economy and the self-made man. He has held a soft spot in many Italians hearts since then, despite a series of sex scandals and court cases that threatened to tarnish his image. In his most high-profile case, Berlusconi was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2013 for paying for sex with Karima El-Mahroug, known as Ruby the Heart Stealer. It was later overturned after the judge said there was reasonable doubt that he knew she was underage. He celebrated his latest legal victory as recently as February, when he was acquitted of bribing witnesses to lie about his notorious bunga bunga parties, after arguing that he showered the starlets with money and gifts out of pure generosity. With inputs from AFP Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Edinburgh: In connection with an investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party, husband of former PM of Scotland and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeons husband Peter Murrell was arrested. According to agencies, detectives are questioning the former SNP top executive while her husband is being held in custody at his home. Police of Scotland verified Wednesday afternoon that 58-year-old Murell was reportedly detained as part of an ongoing inquiry. Search raids at multiple houses of the couple is also underway, as per reports. Outside the couples Glasgow home, a sizable police tent has been erected, and police have also been spotted in Edinburgh, where the SNPs offices are located. According to multiple reports, the cops are investigating a spending of about 600,000 for Scottish independence agitation by the SNP leaders. The SNP issued a statement in which it stated: Clearly, it would not be proper to comment on any ongoing police investigation, but the SNP has been and will continue to be completely cooperative with this investigation. It comes just a week after Humza Yousaf was legally sworn in as Scotlands sixth first minister replacing Sturgeon after her shock resignation in February. The SNPs political opponents have called for full transparency from Yousaf and Sturgeon. Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: This is a deeply concerning development and the Scotland Police investigation must be allowed to proceed without interference. She added: We need Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon to urgently state what they knew and when. Mr Yousaf said it was a difficult day for the SNP following Murrells arrest. He said: My reaction, as youd imagine, much like anybody involved in the SNP, is that this is a difficult day for the party. But, again, Id just reiterate and emphasise its so important for me not to comment on a live police investigation and be seen to prejudice that in any way, shape or form. He added: I think therell be concern from the public but, again, there is a live police investigation under way and we will wait to see what comes at the conclusion of that police investigation. Asked if the investigation was the real reason Ms Sturgeon resigned, he said: I believe her very much when she says how exhausted she was. 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: Fatter American will now be able to join the US Air Force as the military branch has opted to ease its recruiting struggles by inducting millions of obese young people, according to a report. According to Military.com website, citing US Air Force Recruiting Service spokeswoman Leslie Brown, as per the new guidelines male recruits will be allowed to carry up to 26 per cent body fat, while females will have a limit of 36 per cent body fat. The previous limits were 20 per for males and 28 per cent for females. I cant stress enough, we are not lowering our standards, the website quoted Brown as saying. Rather, the Air Force is aligning its rules with a Pentagon directive issued last year, she added. She said that policy document required that all service members maintain a level of fitness and body composition to successfully perform all of their duties. Obesity is defined as a body fat percentage of 25 or higher in men by the American Council on Exercise. For women, the obese category begins at 32 per cent. Allowing obese recruits will provide the Air Force with a large pool of potential recruits. According to the US Centers for Disease Control, 39.8 per cent of Americans aged 20 to 39 are obese. The US Army and Navy offer physical fitness preparatory courses called pre-boot camp in the Armys case to give prospects who exceed body fat limits a chance to get in good enough shape to enlist. 50 to 100 new enlistees each month According to the report, the Air Force has estimated that it will be able to recruit an additional 50 to 100 new enlistees each month under its revised body fat limits. The new hires will later need to pass standard fitness tests, including a requirement for waist-to-height ratio, to stay in the Air Force, the report added. Of the 34 million Americans in Generation Z those born after 1997 nearly 71 per cent are ineligible for military service, most commonly because of obesity, according to 2017 Pentagon data. Other common disqualifying factors include medical conditions, criminal records, drug use and failure to earn a high school diploma. The Air Force has estimated that it will miss its recruiting goal for this year by around 10 per cent, even after taking various steps to attract more enlistees. For example, it relaxed rules to allow recruits with tattoos on their neck and hands, and it launched a programme to allow those who tested positive for THC to retest. Student loan repayment of up to $65,000 is included in recruiting bonuses. 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. Investigators recovered black boxes from two U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopters that crashed last week in Kentucky, killing all nine soldiers aboard, the military announced Tuesday. A U.S. Army aviation safety team from Fort Rucker, Alabama, found the flight data recorders, which are commonly referred to as black boxes in civilian aircraft, from the HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, a news release from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) said. The helicopters crashed near Fort Campbell during a nighttime training exercise on March 29. The recorders have been sent to Fort Rucker for further analysis. The duration of the investigation is determined by the thorough analysis of all factors, division spokesman Lt. Col. Tony Hoefler said in the news release. The pilots were using night-vision goggles during the exercise, Army officials said. Brig. Gen. John Lubas, the 101st Airborne deputy commander, has said the accident occurred while the helicopters were flying and not during a medical evacuation drill. The soldiers remains have been taken to Dover Air Force Base, which is home to the Joint Service Mortuary Affairs Office, officials said. Three of the soldiers killed in the crash were posthumously promoted to the next higher grade, officials said: Sgt. Emilie Marie Eve Bolanos, 23, of Austin, Texas; Chief Warrant Officer 3 Zachary Esparza, 36, of Jackson, Missouri; and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Aaron Healy, 32, of Cape Coral, Florida. The others killed were Warrant Officer 1 Jeffery Barnes, 33, of Milton, Florida; Sgt. Isaacjohn Gayo, 27, of Los Angeles, California; Staff Sgt. Joshua C. Gore, 25, of Morehead City, North Carolina; Staff Sgt. Taylor Mitchell, 30, of Mountain Brook, Alabama; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Rusten Smith, 32, of Rolla, Missouri; and Sgt. David Solinas Jr., 23, of Oradell, New Jersey, the Army said. Investigators recovered black boxes from two U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopters that crashed last week in Kentucky, killing all nine soldiers aboard, the military announced Tuesday. A U.S. Army aviation safety team from Fort Rucker, Alabama, found the flight data recorders, which are commonly referred to as black boxes in civilian aircraft, from the HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, a news release from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) said. The helicopters crashed near Fort Campbell during a nighttime training exercise on March 29. The recorders have been sent to Fort Rucker for further analysis. The duration of the investigation is determined by the thorough analysis of all factors, division spokesman Lt. Col. Tony Hoefler said in the news release. The pilots were using night-vision goggles during the exercise, Army officials said. Brig. Gen. John Lubas, the 101st Airborne deputy commander, has said the accident occurred while the helicopters were flying and not during a medical evacuation drill. The soldiers remains have been taken to Dover Air Force Base, which is home to the Joint Service Mortuary Affairs Office, officials said. Three of the soldiers killed in the crash were posthumously promoted to the next higher grade, officials said: Sgt. Emilie Marie Eve Bolanos, 23, of Austin, Texas; Chief Warrant Officer 3 Zachary Esparza, 36, of Jackson, Missouri; and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Aaron Healy, 32, of Cape Coral, Florida. The others killed were Warrant Officer 1 Jeffery Barnes, 33, of Milton, Florida; Sgt. Isaacjohn Gayo, 27, of Los Angeles, California; Staff Sgt. Joshua C. Gore, 25, of Morehead City, North Carolina; Staff Sgt. Taylor Mitchell, 30, of Mountain Brook, Alabama; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Rusten Smith, 32, of Rolla, Missouri; and Sgt. David Solinas Jr., 23, of Oradell, New Jersey, the Army 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. Dakar, Senegal: Former rebels accused Malis governing junta of provocation on Wednesday, claiming that military fighter planes flew low over four of their bases, raising concerns of resumed fighting. The Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA) accused the Malian jets of flying at deliberately provocative altitudes over the strategic town of Kidal and surrounding bases at the height of tensions linked to the stalled peace process. Malian authorities have not responded to the charge. Prior to reaching a peace accord in 2015, the CMA, an alliance of mostly Tuareg factions, engaged in conflict with the Malian government. But, the arrangement is fraying. The escalation occurred a day before the 11th anniversary of separatists declaring independence after seizing major northern cities. In a statement, signed Wednesday by spokesman Almou Ag Mohamed, the CMA described the unfortunate incident as a clear violation of a 2014 ceasefire and a serious provocation. Vast swathes of the north are under CMA control, a major irritant for the junta, which has made sovereignty its mantra. The CMA in December announced that it, along with other armed groups, was suspending participation in the peace deals implementation, accusing authorities of lacking political will. In January, the alliance announced it was withdrawing from the commission in charge of finalising a draft new constitution. International mediators, especially Algeria, have for weeks worked to bring the two sides closer together. Mali is in the throes of an 11-year-old security crisis. The regional revolt in the north later developed into a full-blown jihadist insurgency. Since August 2020, the Sahel country has been ruled by the military. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Rio De Janeiro: Four children were killed and five more injured when a 25-year-old man armed with a small axe attacked a day-care centre in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina on Wednesday, local police and a hospital said. According to the local police, the man responsible for the attack in the city of Blumenau has been arrested. Local security chief, Marcio Alberto Filippi, said the attacker gained entry to the private school by scaling its walls. The assailant turned himself in at a police station and did not appear to have any connection with the day-care centre, which offers nursery services, preschool education and after-school activities. The Santo Antonio Hospital in Blumenau said that in addition to the four children killed, five others aged between three to five are under its medical care. Wednesdays attack took place in the playground of the day-care centre, according to the local affiliate of television network Globo. NSC, the affiliate, showed a photo of the suspect with a closely shaved head. Police are yet to confirm his identity. The attack, dubbed by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as a monstrosity, happened nearly a week after a 13-year-old student stabbed a teacher to death and wounded five others in a Sao Paulo school. A tragedy like this is unacceptable, an absurd act of hate and cowardicean act of violence against innocent and defenceless children, Lula said in a Twitter post. 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: French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Beijing on Wednesday, Chinese state media said, beginning a three-day visit during which he will meet his counterpart Xi Jinping. French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived in Beijing to kick off his state visit to China from April 5 to 7, state broadcaster CGTN reported. The French president, who last year drew fire from Western allies for a call not to humiliate Russia in the backdrop of its war with Ukraine, faces a delicate balancing act in Beijing. On Thursday, Macron will meet with the head of the National Peoples Congress, Zhao Leji, and Chinas new No. 2 leader, Premier Li Qiang, in addition to a meeting and a state dinner with Xi Jinping in the presence of von der Leyen. As per Politico, Macron and Xi are likely to hold talks for several hours. An adviser to Macron, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the outlet, You can count with one hand the number of world leaders who could have an in-depth discussion with Xi. Macron is also expected to warn China against sending weapons to Russia and instead ask that the country use its influence to support peace efforts. China is the only country in the world capable of having an immediate and radical impact on the conflict, in one direction or the other, an official from Macrons office told reporters Friday on condition of anonymity. Macron will look to stand firm towards President Xi Jinping on Ukraine while taking another path from the directly confrontational tone often heard from Washington, the official added. China has refused to criticize Russia for its actions in Ukraine. A top French official acknowledged that Paris isnt expecting to see a major shift in that position. The Europeans wont hold Xi back from arming Russia by saying nicely what he shouldnt do, said Antoine Bondaz of the Paris-based Foundation for Strategic Research (FRS). He predicted instead that the leaders would warn him off arms deliveries in public while dangling the threat of sanctions in their private talks. But France will push for initiatives helping ordinary Ukrainians and for possible avenues toward reaching a halfway solution to the war, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with the French presidencys customary practices. Paris and Beijing may find a point of convergence following Putins recent announcement that his country plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. China, without naming Russia, made clear its opposition to the planned deployment. Macron will also seek to involve China deeper in global discussions on climate-related issues, as things are getting more complicated for him at home. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram One of the hidden aspects of the global AI race is who works with what processors, or chips. The AI developer with the fastest and most optimised processor, will have a massive advantage over anyone and everyone else whos using an outdated processor. Now, Google claims that its latest generation of Tensor chips, or Tensor Processing Units is the fastest, most energy-efficient and most optimised chips. Currently, all major software studios are using NVIDIAs A100 processors. The A100 chips are the most commonly used chips that development studios use for AI and Machine Learning workloads. Google claims that its latest Tensor chips outperform NVIDIAs offering in every conceivable parameter. As good as NVIDIAs A100 processors are, they are not the best that they have to offer that will be the H100. Googles Tensor Processors make a massive jump Google recently revealed new information about the supercomputers it uses to teach its artificial intelligence models, claiming the systems are both faster and more power-efficient than similar Nvidia Corp systems. Google created its own special processor, known as the Tensor Processing Unit, or TPU. It employs those processors for more than 90 per cent of the companys artificial intelligence training, which is the process of putting data into models to make them usable. The Google TPU has reached its fourth iteration. Google released an article on Tuesday outlining how it connected over 4,000 of the chips into a supercomputer using its own custom-developed optical switches to help link individual machines. Because large language models that fuel technologies like Googles Bard or OpenAIs ChatGPT have exploded in size, they are far too large to hold on a single chip. Hence, improving these connections has become a crucial point of rivalry among companies that create AI supercomputers. The computational power needed to train AI models Instead, the models must be distributed across thousands of processors, which must then collaborate for weeks or months to train the model. Googles PaLM model, the companys biggest publicly revealed language model to date, was trained over 50 days by splitting it across two of the 4,000-chip supercomputers. Google claims that its supercomputers make it simple to reconfigure links between processors on the run, thereby avoiding problems and optimising performance. In a blog article about the system, Google Fellow Norm Jouppi and Google Distinguished Engineer David Patterson wrote, Circuit switching makes it easy to route around failed components. We can even change the topology of the supercomputer interconnect to accelerate the performance of an ML (machine learning) model because of this flexibility. A healthy line of processors in the pipeline While Google is only now disclosing information about its supercomputer, it has been operational since 2020 in a data centre in Mayes County, Oklahoma. Google stated that the system was used by the startup Midjourney to train its model, which creates new images after being given a few lines of text. According to the study, Googles chips are up to 1.7 times quicker and 1.9 times more power-efficient than a system built on Nvidias A100 chip, which was on the market at the same time as the fourth-generation TPU. Google stated that it did not compare its fourth-generation processor to Nvidias current top H100 chip because the H100 was introduced after Googles chip and uses newer technology. Google hinted that it was working on a new TPU to contend with the Nvidia H100, but gave no further information. All they said was that they have a healthy line of chips in the pipeline. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Geneva: India has abstained from voting on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution for an extension of the mandate of the investigation into alleged war crimes by a year. The resolution was, anyhow, adopted as 28 countries supported the draft Resolution, while 17 countries abstained, including India and only two countries were against this. It is pertinent to mention that China is one of the countries that were against the resolution. Delegations of 28 countries supported the draft Resolution on Situation of human rights in Ukraine stemming from the Russian aggression at UNHRC. Delegations of two countries opposed the resolution while that of 17 countries including India abstained. pic.twitter.com/t4LPSNSatX ANI (@ANI) April 4, 2023 After the voting, the Ukrainian permanent representative to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya tweeted, We salute delegations @UN_HRC that supported draft Res Situation of human rights in Ukraine stemming from the Russian aggression Extension of the mandate of Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine. We note just 2 dels were against. War crimes accountability now! Earlier also, India abstained from any resolution on the Russia-Ukraine war. Last time, when India abstained in February, Indias Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ruchira Kamboj said that India remains committed to multilateralism while reiterating calls for dialogue and diplomacy. She made the statement after India abstained from voting on a resolution in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on the need to reach a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine. India remains steadfastly committed to multilateralism and upholds the principles of the UN Charter. We will always call for dialogue and diplomacy as the only viable way out. While we take note of the stated objective of todays Resolution, given its inherent limitations in reaching our desired goal of securing a lasting peace, we are constrained to abstain, Kamboj said. Kamboj added that Indias approach to the Ukraine conflict will continue to be people-centric. She stated that India continues to provide both humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and economic support to neighbours in the Global South. She noted that reports from the ground reveal a complex scenario, with the conflict between the two nations intensifying on several fronts. Notably, 141 nations voted in favour of the resolution, while 32, including China and India, abstained, and seven voted against it at the UNGA. Indias approach to the Ukraine conflict will continue to be people-centric. We are providing both humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and economic support to some of our neighbours in the Global South under economic distress, even as they stare at the escalating costs of food, fuel, and of fertilizers, which has been a consequential fallout of the ongoing conflict, Kamboj said. The overall objective of todays Resolution seeking a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in line with the UN Charter is understandable. We also note the emphasis on increasing support by member states for diplomatic efforts to achieve peace, as well as support for the Secretary Generals efforts to promote a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine. However, reports from the ground portray a complex scenario, with the conflict intensifying on several fronts, Indias permanent envoy to the UN added. Kamboj stated further that India remains concerned over the situation in Ukraine as the conflict has resulted in the loss of countless lives, with millions being rendered homeless. She added that the reports of attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure were deeply worrying. In her address, Kamboj reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modis statement that this cannot be an era of war. 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: With an eye on boosting bilateral defence cooperation, India and the Philippines are mulling the possibility of the deployment of an Indian defence attache in Manila. This suggests that an official Indian representative who monitors defence plans and security developments in the Philippines may soon be appointed. The delegation of visiting officials from the Department of National Defense-Armed Forces of the Philippines attended the 4th Philippines-India Joint Defense Cooperation Committee (JDCC), which was held on March 31, under the leadership of Defense Assistant Secretary for Strategic Assessments and International Affairs Pablo Lorenzo. Representatives met for the second time in service-to-service on March 29 prior to the JDCC. While there, the nations decided to expand their cooperation on maritime security issues and suggested looking into cooperative projects in the areas of cyber security, military medical, joint training, humanitarian aid, and disaster response, as well as space security. While the Philippines provided an update to its counterparts on the security situation in the area, India also talked about its Act East Policy. Representatives from the two nations also talked about the Philippines-India Military Engagement Strategy for the years 2023 to 2025. The 2006 Philippines-India Agreement Concerning Defense Cooperation, which was signed during the visit to the Philippines by the former Indian President Abdul Kalam, was reaffirmed by Manila and New Delhi. The Philippine and Indian delegations also shared best practices on their respective defense indigenization or self-reliant defense posture program, and updates on procurements and acquisitions, the Philippine DND said in a statement. Recall that the Philippines has consented to purchase an Indian anti-ship missile system in January 2022. The BrahMos Aerospace company received the over $375 million contract for the Philippine Navys anti-ship missile system. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Tehran: Iran has appointed Reza Ameri as ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, nearly eight years after his predecessor departed, as relations with the Gulf Arab states improve. The foreign ministry has named Reza Ameri as the Islamic Republic of Irans new ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, reported Irans official IRNA news agency. The action was taken after Iran welcomed an Emirati ambassador in September of last year, ending a six-year absence. The UAE had cut the level of its diplomatic representation after neighbouring Saudi Arabia severed ties in 2016 following the ransacking of its diplomatic missions in Iran by protesters angered by its execution of a leading Shiite cleric. After several of its Gulf allies led the way, Riyadh restored diplomatic relations with Tehran last month in a fence-mending deal brokered by Beijing. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has accepted an invitation to Riyadh from Saudi Arabias King Salman, First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber confirmed on Monday. Iran and the United Arab Emirates have long had close economic ties which continued even during the diplomatic chill. Ameri, a seasoned diplomat who most recently held the position of director general of the foreign ministrys diaspora affairs division, has previously served in Algeria, Sudan, and Eritrea. 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. New Delhi: Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reaffirmed on Tuesday the countrys mandatory hijab law, saying that removing the Islamic head covering is forbidden. According to a report in the Al Arabiya, Iran has recently indicated that it will not retreat from its strict dress rules for women. On Saturday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi reiterated calls affirming that Iranian women should wear the hijab as a religious necessity. Hijab is a legal matter and adherence to it is obligatory, he said. Women flouting hijab mandate to face $60,000 fine in Iran Women in Iran will have to pay a fine of $60,000 for flouting the countrys hijab mandate after a new law to enforce strict dress codes is passed by the parliament. Lawmaker Hojjat ol-Eslam Hossein Jalali said that other punishments for not wearing a hijab will include revocation of passports and a ban on internet access for women. The penalties will apply to women who are caught flouting the mandatory hijab rule in public spaces like restaurants, government offices, schools and universities. Man pours yoghurt on women for not wearing hijab A video of a man attacking two women with yoghurt for not wearing the mandatory hijab in Iran has gone viral on social media. In the video, the two women entered a local shop following which a man engages in a verbal altercation with the women. The man can then be seen assaulting the two women by pouring in what appears to be yoghurt. Later, the man is apprehended by the shopkeeper and pushed out of the store. Iranian authorities ordered the arrest of two women, the judiciary said Saturday, after a viral video appeared to show them being attacked by a man for not wearing the hijab. Authorities issued an arrest warrant against the man on charges of committing an insulting act and disturbance of order, the judiciarys Mizan Online website reported. But it added arrest warrants were also issued for the two women for committing a forbidden act by removing their headscarves. Necessary notices have been issued to the owner of the shop where this happened in order to comply with legal and Sharia principles according to the regulations, it added. It comes after the death in custody of Iranian Kurd Mahsa Amini in September sparked months of protests after the 22-year-olds arrest for an alleged breach of the strict dress code for women. Hundreds of people were killed, including dozens of security personnel, and thousands arrested in connection with what Iranian officials described as riots fomented by Israel and the West. With inputs from AFP 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 police raided Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalems Old City early Wednesday and attacked Palestinian worshippers, Palestinian media reported, raising fears of wider tensions as Islamic and Jewish holidays overlap. The incidents sparked a wave of Palestinian protests, condemnations and violence. The Israeli military said sirens warning of incoming rockets sounded in Israeli communities around the Gaza Strip. Tension has already been high in east Jerusalem and the West Bank for months, and fears of further violence were fueled with the convergence of the Muslim holy fast month and the Passover. Such confrontations at the contested holy compound, the third holiest shrine in Islam that is also the most sacred site in Judaism and referred to as the Temple Mount, have sparked deadly cross-border wars between Israel and Gazas Hamas rulers in the past, the last was in 2021. Videos on social media purportedly showed Israeli police officers beating Palestinians with batons and rifle butts at the mosque in the contested hilltop site revered by both Muslims and Jews. The official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, reported that dozens of worshipers, who spend all the night in Ramadan praying, were injured when the police raided the mosque. It was not immediately clear what sparked the violence. The Israeli police said it used force to evacuate worshippers who were holed up at the mosque with fireworks, rocks, and sticks. They added that an officer was injured in his leg by a stone and that dozens of rioters were arrested. Talab Abu Eisha, 49, said more than 400 men, women and children were praying at Al-Aqsa when the police encircled the mosque. The youths were afraid and started closing the doors, he said, adding that police forces stormed the eastern corner, beating and arresting men there. It was an unprecedented scene of violence in terms of police brutality and intention to hurt the youths, he said, denying police claims that young men were hiding fireworks and rocks. He added that the police prevented all men under 50 years old from passing through the Old Citys gates leading to the compound for the dawn prayers. The violence in Jerusalem triggered protests and condemnations from Palestinians. in Gaza, Hamas called for large protests and people started gathering in the streets, with calls to head for the heavily guarded Gaza-Israel frontier for more violent demonstrations. The Palestinian leadership condemned the attack on the worshippers. The spokesman of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, warned Israel that such a move exceeds all red lines and will lead to a large explosion. In Gaza, Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad also called for Palestinian residents of Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Israel to go and gather around Al-Aqsa Mosque and confront Israeli forces. The Israeli military said Gaza militants fired two barrages of rockets toward southern Israel. Five rockets were intercepted and four landed in open areas. There were no reports of casualties or damage. Earlier on Tuesday, a Palestinian suspect stabbed two Israelis near an army base south of Tel Aviv , police said, in the latest incident in a yearlong spate of violence that shows no sign of abating. The Magen David Adom paramedic service said first responders treated two men for serious and light stab wounds in the incident on a highway near the Tsrifin military base. The men were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment their injuries. Israeli media identified the two victims as soldiers. Police said that civilians at the scene apprehended the suspected attacker, who was taken into police custody for questioning. Israeli-Palestinian violence has surged over the last year, as the Israeli military has carried out near-nightly raids on Palestinian cities, towns and villages and as Palestinians have staged numerous attacks against Israelis. At least 88 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire this year, according to an Associated Press tally. Palestinian attacks against Israelis have killed 15 people in the same 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. New Delhi: In an effort to strengthen the defence capabilities of like-minded nations that uphold shared values, such as the rule of law, Japan announced on Wednesday that it will provide equipment to their militaries. Japans Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno did not go into detail about which nations will get the new grant aid from the nation during a press conference, but according to official sources, the Philippines and Malaysia are likely to get the aid, Kyodo News reported. According to Matsuno, the Overseas Security Assistance (OSA) programme of Japan will be run independently from the Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) programme, which has been funding civil infrastructure projects like roads, dams, and other infrastructure for decades, reported Reuters. By enhancing their security and deterrence capabilities, OSA aims to deepen our security cooperation with the countries, to create a desirable security environment for Japan, according to the statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as reported by Reuters. However, the aid will not be used to purchase lethal weapons that recipient countries might use in wars with other countries. This is in keeping with the three principles that govern the export of arms. According to Japans foreign ministry, specific projects will likely include radio and satellite systems for maritime surveillance. Work is also being done to finish first aid within this fiscal year. A government source told Reuters that Philippines and Bangladesh are likely to be included as the first recipients of the aid, Japans Yomiuri newspaper on Monday reported that the country is considering giving the Philippines radars to help it monitor Chinese activity in the disputed South China Sea. Japan is also considering Fiji and Malaysia as potential recipients of the aid. The choice to broaden the scope of foreign aid to military-related initiatives comes in response to Japans announcement in December of a military buildup that will double defence spending within five years as part of an effort to counter Chinas expanding military might in Asia. 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. Washington: Joe Biden will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland next week. The US President will travel to Belfast to mark the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. He will travel to Belfast from 11 to 12 April to mark the tremendous progress made since the signing of the agreement. The US President will then travel to Ireland between 12 and 14 April where he will deliver an address to mark US-Irish ties. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Bidens trip to Belfast intends to underscore the readiness of the United States to support Northern Irelands vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities. He will discuss our close co-operation on the full range of shared global challenges, Jean-Pierre said. The White House Press Secretary said Biden will also hold various engagements, including in Dublin, County Louth and County Mayo, where he will deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people. In February, Britain and the European Union settled a festering dispute over Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland that ensures that there would be no new checks on goods crossing the land border between Northern Ireland and the republic to the south, which is part of the EU. The agreement eased a source of tension between London and Washington. The Biden administration had voiced concern over the continued success of the Good Friday agreement which ended most of the violence in Northern Ireland that had prevailed since the late 1960s. In Ireland, Biden will meet with Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, who visited the White House in mid-March for a traditional St. Patricks Day visit. Varadkar hailed the Biden visit as an opportunity to welcome a great Irish-American President home. Over many decades, and to this day, he has supported the cause of peace in Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement. He stood with us as we navigated the difficult consequences of Brexit, Varadkar said. His visit is an opportunity to celebrate and renew the strong political, economic and personal ties that bind our two countries together, he added. Biden will visit Dublin, County Louth and County Mayo, where he will deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people, the White House said. With inputs from AFP Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Los Angeles: US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy sits down with Taiwans president on Wednesday for a highly symbolic meeting in California that has already prompted outrage and dire warnings from China. The meeting outside Los Angeles comes on what is technically a stopover for President Tsai Ing-wen, after her two-country trip in Latin America to visit Taiwans few remaining official allies. Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory and balks at any official contact Taipei has with other countries. This week it warned McCarthy, a Republican and California native who is second in line to the US presidency, that he was playing with fire by meeting Tsai. China is strongly opposed to the US arranging for Tsai Ing-wen to transit through its territory, and is strongly opposed to the meeting between House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the third-ranking US official, and Tsai Ing-wen, Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters. It seriously violates the One-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, and seriously undermines Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity, she said. Taiwan, a flourishing democracy, has been self-governing for decades. It has its own military, an independent judiciary and all the trappings of a fully functioning state. But only a handful of countries acknowledge it as a sovereign nation. The United States formally recognizes Beijing, but is an important backer of Taiwan, and maintains strong unofficial ties. Taipei enjoys strong bipartisan support in the US Congress, and has grown closer to Washington under Tsais leadership. Resolve to defend ourselves Last year, McCarthys predecessor, Democrat Nancy Pelosi sparked fury in Beijing by becoming the most senior US politician to visit the island in over two decades. That prompted Beijing to launch its largest-ever military exercises in waters around Taiwan. McCarthy had originally planned to go himself, but has opted instead to meet Tsai at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. His office said that the meeting would be bipartisan, while US media reported that over a dozen other members of Congress would attend. The decision to meet in the United States was viewed as a compromise that would underscore support for Taiwan but avoid inflaming tensions with China. Tsais visit to southern California comes after trips to Guatemala and Belize and after a brief stop in New York last week, where she was greeted by flag-waving Taiwanese expatriates. We have demonstrated a firm will and resolve to defend ourselves, that we are capable of managing risks with calm and composure and that we have the ability to maintain regional peace and stability, she said in New York. Bonnie Glaser, Managing Director of the Indo-Pacific Program at the German Marshall Fund, said China had been quite outspoken about the visit in recent days, and may feel that it has to keep up the rhetoric. China has already said some fairly threatening things which suggests to me that they have to respond in some way, she told AFP, adding that otherwise (President) Xi Jinping could end up looking weak. But Chinas response will be shaped in part, Glaser said, by what McCarthy says publicly after the meeting. Chinas consulate in Los Angeles said on Monday the meeting in California would greatly hurt the national feelings of 1.4 billion Chinese people and undermine the political foundation of China-US relations. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Beijing: On a three-day state visit to China, French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday said that Beijing could play a major role in finding a path to peace in Ukraine. Addressing the French citizens after touching down in the Chinese capital, Macron said, China, with its close relationship with Russia, which has been reaffirmed in recent days, can play a major role. Speaking about his countrys role, he said France would engage in this shared responsibility for peace and stability. Macron is in China for a visit in which he hopes to dissuade Beijing from supporting Russias invasion of Ukraine, while also forging closer ties with a crucial trade partner. Also visiting Beijing this week is European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who met Macron in Paris on Monday to coordinate preparations. In his speech at the French embassy in Beijing, Macron said that Europe must not separate from China economically. We must not disassociate ourselves, separate ourselves from China, Macron told a gathering of Beijings French community, saying France would commit proactively to continue to have a commercial relationship with China. 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. New York: Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch and a dental hygienist-turned-conservative radio host have abruptly called off their engagement, a report said Tuesday. The 92-year-old announced his planned nuptials less than a month ago, telling his own New York Post that he would wed Ann Lesley Smith and the pair would spend the second half of our lives together. But Vanity Fair, citing unnamed sources close to Murdoch, said the wedding plans were suddenly halted. The magazine reported one source saying Murdoch had become uncomfortable about 66-year-old Smiths evangelical views. The ceremony had been planned for summer, a year after Murdochs divorce from his fourth wife, model Jerry Hall. The Australian Murdoch, whose media empire includes The Wall Street Journal, Fox News and other influential outlets, is worth more than $20 billion, according to Forbes. Last month, he was enthusiastic about the relationship. I was very nervous. I dreaded falling in love but I knew this would be my last. It better be, he told the New York Post. Im happy. The pair met last year at an event he hosted at his vineyard in California. In perspective, its not my first rodeo. Getting near 70 means being in the last half, said Smith. I waited for the right time. Friends are happy for me. Murdoch, who has six children, was first married to Patricia Booker, an Australian flight attendant, whom he divorced in the late 1960s. He and his second wife, Anna Torv, a newspaper reporter, were together more than 30 years before divorcing in 1999. His third marriage to Wendi Deng ended in 2013. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Moscow, Russia: President Vladimir Putin alleged, on Wednesday, that personnel of Western security agencies assisted Kyiv in staging terror acts in Russia and Ukrainian territory taken by Moscow. Putin spoke at a Kremlin security council meeting devoted to maintaining peace and order in four Ukrainian provinces he claimed to have seized last year. There are grounds to assert that the potential of third countries, Western intelligence services are being used to stage sabotage and terrorist attacks, Putin said without providing any evidence. In an apparent reference to Ukrainian authorities, Putin said that neo-Nazis and their accomplices were acting in Russia as well as the annexed Ukrainian territories including the regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. He also warned that various criminal groups including drug traffickers were seeking to take advantage of the current situation. He urged officials to act in a tough and effective manner against what he called neo-Nazi and other radical groups. Control over the situation must be reliably ensured, he added. He claimed that an absolute majority of citizens in the new regions favours ties with Russia. They must know, see and feel that our entire country is behind them, and we must do everything to protect them, 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. It seems that the layoffs that Elon Musk ordered when he first took control of Twitter simply wont go away. The tech mogul has been sued in multiple cases across various courts in the US for violating labour laws during Twitters layoffs. Now, a fresh lawsuit has been filed against Musk, this time for illegally laying off contract workers without notice. Twitters multiple cases Twitter is currently involved in a number of cases ranging from terminating people improperly, to not paying the rent of several properties that Twitter operated out of. In one particular case, Musk was sued for terminating differently-abled employees, employees on paternity and maternity leaves, as well as employees on medical leaves. Also read: Twitter sued for disproportionately targeting women and staff on family leave during mass layoff In the most recent lawsuit that was filed, Twitter and Musk have been accused of illegally laying off contract workers without notice after Elon Musk bought the company last year. The proposed class action, filed in federal court in San Francisco, claims Twitter fired numerous employees hired by hiring firm TEKsystems Inc in November without providing the necessary 60 days notification under US and California law. Five other cases are ongoing in the same court, alleging that Twitter violated those laws by selecting female workers for termination and discriminating against employees with impairments. Twitter has refuted any misconduct. In early November, Musk, who paid $44 billion to purchase Twitter, laid off approximately 3,700 workers, or half of its workforce. Musk also fired thousands of content moderators who were working on a contractual basis for the platform. Following this, hundreds of more employees also quit. The contractors who were fired The contractors who Musk fired, were placed through TEKsystems, a global provider of IT staffing, talent management and services. While Elon Musk appears to think hes saving the company money by avoiding these obligations, said Shannon Liss-Riordan, who represents the claimants in all of the cases, in an email, we plan to show him that not meeting his responsibilities can be a lot more costly. Also read: Twitter in freefall: After firing 50 top executives on the weekend, Musk sacks 200 more workers Liss-Riordan also stated that she has submitted private arbitration grievances on behalf of over 1,700 former Twitter workers and freelancers who signed agreements to adjudicate legal conflicts. She claimed that TEKsystems employees did not execute arbitration agreements. Liss-Riordan also represents employees who have submitted complaints against Twitter with a U.S. labour commission, alleging that they were fired for criticising the business, trying to organise a strike, and engaging in other protected behaviour under federal labour law. Twitters most recent round of layoffs In the most recent round of layoffs, Musk asked some of the top managers of the social media platform to list out the best performers they have on their teams, so they could be promoted and given fat bonuses. However, Musk then went on to fire these managers and promote the employees from the list to the former managers positions. Also read: Musk got managers at Twitter to list their best employees for promotion, then fired the managers Following this, Musk went on to terminate another 200 people for unknown reasons. It will be interesting to see if any of the other groups of employees who were terminated, take any legal actions against Musk. Insiders from Twitter, report that Musk, following the latest round of terminations had increased his security, and wouldnt even go to the restroom without his security detail. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Elon Musk sure knows how to turn heads with his special edition products, most of which have turned out to be great collectors item. First, there was The Boring Companys iconic flamethrower. Then, Musk turned into a perfumer when he launched a limited edition perfume called Burnt Hair. Also read: Perfume Salesman Elon Musk sold over 10,000 bottles of his new fragrance in just under one hour after launch Now, the tech mogul has turned into a craftsman brewer, with his own limited edition of beer. Customers in Europe who have pre-ordered a Tesla Cybertruck can now enjoy a beer that looks like the Cybertruck and that has been formulated and developed under Musks guidance. A power-packed pint Teslas GigaBier went on sale online on Thursday, with boxes of three costing 79, or about $99. For those wondering what each bottle costs, its about 26.3 ($32.85). per bottle. Each 330ml (11oz) bottle comes in a sleek black metallic box with a glow-in-the-dark Giga emblem. Tesla describes the beer itself to have notes of Italian bergamot citrus and sweet fruit. The beer was first revealed 17 months ago to promote Teslas Gigafactory, an then unfinished vehicle production facility in Brandenburg, Germany. According to Tesla, the design aims to emulate the form of the Cybertruck while honouring the 500-year tradition of German Reinheitsgebot beermaking. Each of the three GigaBiers in a box costs more than $30, which is more than the price of 33 cans of Budweiser, the most commonly sold beer in the US. Whats up with Teslas Gigafactory in Germany? Teslas Gigafactory has been beset by delays since 2016, when Musk vowed it would be finished by 2017. Brandenburg officials eventually gave Giga Berlin-Brandenburg the final environmental approvals required to commence manufacturing of their Model Y Tesla vehicles in March of last year. However, according to one anonymous worker, the plant has been in total chaos all year, sliding behind output targets and failing to recruit and retain employees. Some individuals are off ill for longer than they work, a source revealed to a publication. There are some individuals I havent seen working in six months. Many individuals are signed off ill because they lack motivation. However, no such issues have been noted for the GigaBier, which is produced by Cyberhops in Germany and sold by BrouwUnie. Brewed for cyborgs, produced by humans, Tesla bragged last week on Twitter. Not the first time Tesla has sold, niche alcohol The pilsner is Teslas second venture into the niche, novelty spirits market, following the release of Tesla Tequila in 2020. The companys lightning-shaped tequila flasks retailed for $250 and sold well enough to warrant a second run in 2021. Also read: Elon Musk confirms a Tesla-branded tequila, called Teslaquila, is coming soon Another batch was released in April 2022, priced at Tesla owner Elon Musks favourite marijuana-joke price range of $420. Apart from lightning-shaped tumbler, we saw a slightly less aged form of the same tequila that was usually available for $45 from the California-based firm that distils it. So one can only imagine at what premium Tesla is selling its GigaBier. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Bali: Officials in Indonesias Bali have reported that a Russian tourist has been deported from the island after posting a photograph of himself half-naked atop a sacred mountain. The palm-fringed hotspot has vowed a crackdown on misbehaving tourists after a spate of incidents including acts of disrespect to the predominantly Hindu islands culture. The 24-year-old Russian national, who calls himself Yuri Chilikin on social media, posed naked from the waist down on Mount Agung, Balis highest peak, which Hindus on the island believe to be home to their gods. He was deported Tuesday to Moscow via Dubai, and was barred from entering Indonesia for at least six months, the immigration office in Bali said in a statement Wednesday. After being detained and questioned when the image surfaced last month, he apologised before being forced to take part in a cleansing ritual in front of the mountain. Chilikin posted an image Monday of the ritual on Instagram with a caption that read I did everything to correct this situation, and that it was a good lesson on how not to behave. Complaints about tourists behaving badly in Bali have been increasing in recent weeks, with Russians accused by some angry Balinese on social media of being repeat offenders. Bali Governor Wayan Koster last month sent a letter to Indonesias government calling for the removal of visa-on-arrival privileges for Russian and Ukrainian tourists. Last year, a Canadian actor was deported from Bali after a video went viral of him naked at Mount Batur, which is considered holy, while doing the Haka, New Zealands Maori ceremonial dance. Please enjoy the beauty of nature in Bali by adhering to the regulations, immigration official Barron Ichsan said Wednesday. If you commit a violation, we will not hesitate to take firm action. 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: More than 350 people have been arrested for violently barricading themselves inside Al-Aqsa mosque, which is Islams third holiest site. Clashes were reported on Wednesday at the mosque in the Old City of annexed east Jerusalem. In a statement, police said they had arrested and removed over 350 individuals that violently barricaded themselves inside the mosque. Al-Aqsa mosque clash: Who have been arrested? Police informed those arrested included masked individuals, stone and firework hurlers/throwers, and individuals suspected of desecrating the mosque. Why people barricaded themselves in Al-Aqsa mosque It all started late on Tuesday when Palestinian militant group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, called on West Bank Palestinians to go en masse to the Al-Aqsa mosque to defend it. Rockets were fired overnight from Gaza into Israel, prompting retaliatory Israeli air strikes. Protesters burnt tyres on Gazas streets and chanted: We swear to defend and protect the Al-Aqsa mosque. Built on top of what Jews call the Temple Mount, Judaisms holiest site, Al-Aqsa mosque has been a frequent flashpoint, particularly during Ramzan. Notable, clashes in the mosque in May 2021 set off the latest Gaza war that raged for 11 days. Al-Aqsa clash Israeli police clashed with Palestinians inside Al-Aqsa mosque early on Wednesday, sparking an exchange of rockets and air strikes. Clad in riot gear, armed police stormed the mosques prayer hall before dawn, with the goal of dislodging law-breaking youths and masked agitators who had barricaded themselves inside following evening prayers. Police video showed rocks were hurled on the officers. The arrests drew threats from Palestinian groups and wide condemnation from Muslim countries. Calm had returned to the mosque compound by late Wednesday morning, when Israeli police escorted a small group of Jewish visitors through the site. Eye-witness account Abdel Karim Ikraiem, a 74-year-old eye witness, charged that police, armed with batons, tear gas grenades and smoke bombs, burst into the mosque by force and beat the women and men worshipping there. Israels far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir later offered his complete backing to police and their swift and determined actions. Israeli Police action In the statement police said: After many and prolonged attempts to get them out by talking to no avail, police forces were forced to enter the compound in order to get them out with the intentions to allow the Fajr (dawn) prayer and to prevent a violent disturbance. When the police entered, stones were thrown at them and fireworks were fired from inside the mosque by a large group of agitators, police said, adding that one officer was injured in the leg by a stone. Police detained the rioters, who had caused damage to the mosque and desecrated it. Within hours, at least nine rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, the army said, adding that five were intercepted by air defences, and four struck uninhabited areas. In response Israeli fighter jets struck two suspected Hamas weapons manufacturing sites in the Gaza Strip, the army said. 1/9 The Israel Police arrested and removed over 350 individuals that violently barricaded themselves in the Temple Mount, including masked individuals, stone and firework hurlers/throwers, and individuals suspected of desecrating the mosque pic.twitter.com/XT6sXHNBVt Israel Police (@israelpolice) April 5, 2023 The air strikes were followed by new rocket fire from Gaza, and at around 6:15 am (0415 GMT), Israeli jets carried out fresh strikes, AFP journalists reported. No casualties were reported in the first salvo of strikes. Jordan, which administers the mosque, condemned its "storming", and called on Israeli forces to leave the compound immediately. Saudi Arabia expressed its "categorical rejection" of actions that contradict "international principles and norms in respect of religious sanctities". Egypt, which has frequently mediated in the conflict, said it "holds Israel, the occupying power, responsible for this dangerous escalation which could undermine the truce efforts in which Egypt is engaged with its regional and international partners". The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has descended into intensifying violence since the most right-wing government in Israel's history took office in late December under veteran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. With inputs from AFP Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Paris: The last-ditch meeting between French unions and Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne to ease tensions over a divisive pension reform yielded no results as the leader refused to revoke the changes, according to union representatives. After the meeting, the disgruntled union heads called for French people to take to the streets and strike en masse on Thursday during an 11th day of coordinated nationwide action against the bill. After barely an hour-long meeting, one of the representatives of the countrys eight main unions Cyril Chabanier said,Its clearly a failure when the prime minister wont even allow a way in to that discussion. We again told the prime minister that the only democratic outcome could be the texts withdrawal. The prime minister replied that she wished to maintain the text, a grave decision, he added. Because of his flagship pension reform, President Emmanuel Macron is facing the most difficult challenge of his second term. The reform includes raising the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64. After PM Borne invoked a controversial executive order to ram the bill through parliament without a vote despite months of mass protests on 16 March, unrest erupted across the country. Unions had warned ahead of Wednesdays meeting with Borne that they would storm out if she refused to discuss going back on a minimum retirement age of 64. 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. Poland: Polish President Andrzej Duda said on Wednesday that his country was prepared to send all its MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine in the future, having already pledged 14 Soviet-made planes to Kyiv. I think that in the future we will be able to transfer our whole remaining fleet of MiG-29s to Ukraine if there is still such a need, President Duda told a news conference alongside visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Duda said the move, however, would require a green light from NATO allies as the remaining fighter jets in Polands possession had been adapted to NATO standards. Well still need some, he said, adding that Poland would be able to pass on its old MiG-29s to Ukraine as it receives new South Korean FA-50 fighter jets and US-made F-35 stealth jets on order. The first of the 50 FA-50 fighter jets should arrive in Poland before the end of the year, while the first of the 32 F-35s are expected as of next year. Since the beginning of Russias invasion of Ukraine, Poland has been one of the war-hit countrys greatest allies, being among the first to extend military support to Kyiv. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Warsaw: Amid rising anger among farmers over the impact of Ukrainian grain imports on crop prices, Polands agriculture minister Henryk Kowalczyk resigned from his post on Wednesday. Kowalczyk said he decided to quit from his ministerial post due to the European Commissions decision to extend duty free imports for Ukrainian grain until June 2024. A majority of Polish farmers had earlier called for the introduction of tariffs. Soon after putting in his papers, the minister expressed his reservations about the future course of action of the European Commission. It is clear that this demand will not be met by the European Commission at this point, so I decided to resign from the post of agriculture minister, Kowalczyk said. Huge logistical bottlenecks cause large quantities of Ukrainian grain, which are cheaper than those produced in the European Union have ended up in Central European states, having a cascading effect on prices and sales of local farmers and creating a worrying trend for Polands ruling nationalists law and Justice (PiS) in an election year. Earlier last week, the prime ministers of five states including Poland wrote to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to demand action on Ukrainian agricultural imports. They said tariffs may have to be reintroduced if the influx of grain and other products from Ukraine cannot be stopped by other means. 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, United States: On Wednesday, US voters evaluated a particularly unpredictable 2024 presidential election environment in which the main Republican contender, Donald Trump, is already facing trial and the incumbent, Joseph Biden, has yet to announce his candidature. On Tuesday, Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts stemming from his attempts to quiet harmful personal information during his victorious 2016 presidential campaign. Donald Trump rose from 1980s playboy real estate billionaire to TV reality show star in the 2000s, then right-wing populist president became the first current or former commander-in-chief to face criminal charges. Despite the humiliation of being arrested in a New York courthouse, surveys show Trump to be the GOP candidate with the most support. Moreover, his poll numbers have risen as his legal troubles have grown, making it difficult for his closest competitor, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, to get traction. Far from cowed, Trump is doubling down on extreme rhetoric, painting himself in a speech after his release Tuesday as the victim of a Trump-hating judge and massive election interference. On Wednesday, he called on his Truth Social app for Republicans in Congress to DEFUND THE DOJ AND FBI in response to what he claimed is the ABUSE OF POWER by the Department of Justice and chief federal law enforcement body. Trump attorney Todd Blanche said his client is upset. Troubles pile up Notwithstanding his bluster, Trump, 76, is in serious jeopardy. Over his decades in the public spotlight, he has demonstrated an extraordinary ability to avoid legal trouble, whether during his numerous business battles or as president, when Republicans acquitted him in an unusual two impeachment proceedings. Yet, Trump is now in the hands of the New York state court system, where Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is waging a ferocious prosecution. He also risks the wrath of Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing his case in New York and cautioned against comments that have potential to incite violence. Even if some observers have questioned the strength of Trumps argument in New York, his biggest troubles may be elsewhere. According to reports, a high-level investigation into his stockpiling of top-secret White House papers at his private Florida Mar-a-Lago property is gathering steam. Another criminal investigation over his efforts to reverse the 2020 election, which he lost to Biden but refused to acknowledge, is underway in Georgia. Next year, the legal and political calendars will most certainly overlap, creating unprecedented degrees of instability. The Manhattan court will reconvene on 4 December, with a trial scheduled for early in 2024. Trump, meanwhile, would in theory be campaigning hard for the Republican presidential nomination with the first contests scheduled for 5 February and 13 February in Iowa and New Hampshire. Not a focus At the White House, Biden appears content to sit back and watch the fall of a man he has branded a toxic presence. Asked Wednesday about the presidents view of the spectacle, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reemphasized that Biden is not focused on this indictment. Our focus is on what the president was elected to do, which is make sure we deliver to talk about the issues that matter, she added. Biden and his party got another piece of good news overnight Tuesday with victory for the Democratic candidate in an especially fierce battle for a vacant Wisconsin Supreme Court seat. This creates a liberal majority on the court, which will play a key role in refereeing electoral disputes in 2024 in one of the tightest swing states in the country. But Biden is also injecting uncertainty into 2024. His age is a constant source of concern, even to allies. Now 80, he would be 86 by the time he left office after a second term. And he has yet to confirm he is running, despite strongly hinting on several occasions that he will. After repeated delays to the expected announcement, Axios has reported that it may now only land in July or even later. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Islamabad: Rana Tanveer Hussain, the Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training, said a letter is being written to Cambridge to remove a highly objectionable chapter about same-sex family in an O-level sociology book. This comes after Pakistani Senators Mohsin Aziz and Faisal Saleem Rehman raised concerns over the contents of the book. According to them, it is contrary to Islamic and cultural teachings and values of Pakistani society, The News reported. We are immediately writing to Cambridge to either delete the related chapter or we shall not allow such books here. The government will also write to the provinces to take necessary measures in this connection, the minister said. He asserted that the content of the book had nothing to do with Pakistan and its values and culture. The Shehbaz Sharif-led government has evolved a consensus on the national curriculum, Hussain stated, adding that during the Imran Khans regime apart from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the other three provinces of Pakistan had reservations. He added that today all the provinces are signatories to the new national curriculum. He further stated that multiple countries, including Hong Kong, which were previously associated with Cambridge, have now opted for Islamabads federal exam system following reforms, The News reported. Same-Sex Family The chapter on same-sex family could not be discussed even in family system in Pakistan, Senator Mohsin Aziz said. What kind of education is being imparted to a child, hardly 14, 15 and 16 years old, he asked. While reading out some portions of the content of the book, he regretted terms like lesbian and gays used in the chapter. He further wondered how such things were looked at by the Cambridge authorities. Education Minister uses cuss words at convocation Recently, Pakistans Education Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain was in news after a video of him using inappropriate language during the convocation at the Government College University (GCU), Lahore, went viral. In the video, Hussain can be heard telling the convocations attendees that he once met Rana Iqrar, the vice chancellor of a Faisalabad agriculture university, and telling him that although members of the Rana tribe are regarded as rulers, you (********) work in the agriculture sector. If you are looking for the shocker of the day then here is Pakistan's minister for education #PakistanBankrupt pic.twitter.com/N02r2DoOGe #SengeSering (@SengeHSering) March 18, 2023 Later, the Pakistani minister said that it was a slip of tongue, and he felt sorry about it. Yesterday at GC University Lahore, I had a slip of tongue during my speech. I feel sorry about that and take my words back, he tweeted. (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. Moscow: A Russian war volunteer spent 20,000 on drones for Vladimir Putins soldiers, but hackers intercepted the shipment and reportedly replaced them with sex toys. Mikhail Luchin, 34, raised the enormous sum of money especially to aid the Russian military in wreaking havoc throughout Ukraine. But because of interference from the Cyber Resistance Group, he ended up with tens of thousands of pounds worth of sex stimulation devices that are allegedly non-returnable. Il volontario e blogger russo Mikhail Luchin invece dei droni, grazie agli hacker ucraini, ha "ordinato" giocattoli sessuali per l'esercito russo per oltre 25mila dollari. I dettagli di questo caso sono stati raccontati nella comunita di intelligence internazionale InformNapalm. pic.twitter.com/SZLbAk6iiY Gianluca (@Gianl1974) April 3, 2023 The hackers declared: Instead of drones, Misha Mikhail will now send to the invading troops trucks of dildos, strap-ons, and other useful items that we ordered and paid for with his card on AliExpress. Luchin initially tried to return the goods to AliExpress for a refund. However, he came to know later that it was impossible to do that. He has since vowed, I will open a sex shop here [in Russia], make a 300% profit, and buy three times more drones. He also said on social media that it would be good to have a Kalibr missile to launch at the cyber operatives. The hackers group told InformNapalm site that their mission was important. He collected money and spent it on the purchase of drones for the Russian army, they said. So it was important to write it off for something else. We decided to order him a bunch of sex toys. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Moscow: United Nations nuclear head Rafael Grossi on Wednesday met with Russian officials in Kaliningrad for talks to ensure the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Grossis trip came a week after he visited the embattled plant, where he said he was working on a safety plan that would suit both Ukraine and Russia. Days after Russias President Vladimir Putin sent troops across the border in March of last year, Russian forces took control of the six-reactor plant in southern Ukraine. There have been persistent fears over the safety of the plant, which is Europes largest atomic power station. Grossi wrote on Twitter, I met high level officials from several Russian agencies in Kaliningrad. I continue my efforts to protect the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, he said, adding that this was in everyones interest. He did not provide further details. The head of Russias nuclear agency Rosatom, Alexei Likhachev, was among the officials Grossi met. Likhachev had informed Grossi of the steps that are being taken by the Russian side to ensure the safe operation of the plant, Rosatom said in a statement. The statement added that the Russian side was ready to work on initiatives put forward by Grossi. On a visit to the plant last week, Grossi said he was trying to prepare and propose realistic measures that will be approved by all parties. We must avoid catastrophe, he warned and expressed hope that Russia and Ukraine would agree on safety principles. Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of shelling the plant, increasing fears of a disaster. UN has called for a demilitarised zone around the site. 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. Seoul: Amid growing concerns that North Korea may conduct a nuclear test, the United States flew nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to the Korean Peninsula again on Wednesday in a show of strength South Koreas Defense Ministry said that it was the first deployment of U.S. B-52 bombers to the peninsula in a month. The long-range bombers took part in joint aerial drills with U.S. and South Korean fighter jets over the Korean Peninsula, it added. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Lt. Gen. Park Ha Sik, commander of the South Korean air force operation command said that the drills show the strong resolve of the (South) Korea-U.S. alliance and its perfect readiness to respond to any provocation by North Korea swiftly and overwhelmingly. The South Korean and U.S. militaries have been expanding their combined military drills in response to North Koreas nuclear and missile threats. The allies conducted their biggest field exercises in five years and computer simulations last month. The U.S. also sent the nuclear-powered USS Nimitz aircraft carrier for joint naval training with South Korea last week and U.S.-South Korea-Japan anti-submarine drills this week. North Korea sees such drills as provocations that show its rivals intention of attacking the North. A day after the last flight by a B-52 bomber to the peninsula on March 6, Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, warned that her country was ready to take quick, overwhelming action against the United States and South Korea. North Korea has since test-launched a series of nuclear-capable weapons designed to attack South Korea and the United States. They included the Norths longest-range Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile, a developmental nuclear-capable underwater drone and cruise missiles fired from a submarine. Last week, North Korea unveiled a new battlefield nuclear warhead to fit on short-range weapons targeting South Korea. That touched off speculation that it may want to carry out its first nuclear test since 2017 because its last two nuclear test detonations happened after it disclosed other new warheads. If conducted, it would be the Norths seventh nuclear weapons test. Whether North Korea has functioning nuclear-armed missiles remains a subject of debate. Some experts say a nuclear detonation would be aimed at testing a miniaturized warhead for short-range missiles because the countrys recent weapons tests have focused more on weapons that place key military installations in South Korea, including U.S. military bases there, within striking distance. Kim Jong Un has said North Korea wont return to denuclearization talks with the U.S. unless Washington drops hostile policies toward the North, an apparent reference to its joint military drills with South Korea and U.S.-led international economic sanctions. Some observers say Kim wants to use his growing weapons arsenal to pressure Washington to accept it as a nuclear power and lift the sanctions. On Friday, the chief nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan are to meet in Seoul to discuss how to respond to tensions caused by North Koreas recent weapons tests, according to Seouls Foreign Ministry. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol during a policy meeting Wednesday, said that security cooperation among Seoul, Washington and Tokyo is crucial in dealing with North Korean nuclear threats and other challenges. Yeol said South Korea must bolster its preemptive strike, missile defence and retaliatory attack capabilities while strengthening the deterrence capacity of the South Korea-U.S. alliance. The South Korean, U.S. and Japanese navies also contacted their first anti-submarine drills in six months on Monday to boost their coordination against increasing North Korean missile threats. In recent years, North Korea has been testing sophisticated underwater-launched ballistic missiles and pushing to build bigger submarines including a nuclear-powered one. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Los Angeles: Over 300 undercover agents of Los Angeles police have filed a criminal law suit against its own department after their names and mugshots were reportedly given to a tech journalists group that posted them online. As per reports, a journalist allegedly accessed the data of nearly 9300 officers via a public records request. All of which was later found on Stop LAPD Spying Coalitions website in a searchable database called as Watch the Watchers. In an earlier statement, Chief Michel Moore acknowledged that the department had made a big mistake and expressed his deep regret that the mistake occurred. It happens just a week after the LAPD union disclosed it was suing killercop.com, alleging that the website placed rewards on the heads of officers after their photos and personal information were made public. The database contains hundreds of undercover officers, but its unclear how many precisely because it doesnt say which officers are involved in covert operations. The revelation was not disclosed in advance to the officers, and the response has rocked the department. An investigation was launched by the inspector general against the Chief Michel Moore and the Director of Constitutional Policing for the organisation immediately after receiving misconduct report by the journalists union. According to LAPD sources, Rhodesshould have ensured that any officer operating in an undercover role was excluded. The records include a photograph and details on each officer, including name, ethnicity, rank, date of hire, badge number, and division or bureau. According to the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition, the database should be used for counter-surveillance, not police information gathering. Attorney Matthew McNicholas reported that 321 undercover cops used his office to submit legal claimsthe first step in starting a lawsuitand that more are anticipated. The court papers did not include the names of the officers. During a news conference to announce the filings on Tuesday, McNicholas said, Only time will tell how many there are in total. The allegations of negligence and the requested penalties are vague. To quit or not to quit According to the plaintiffs, they are no longer able to serve as undercover officers and, in some instances, they may not be able to continue working in policing at all. According to McNicholas, his clients are concerned for their own safety as well as the safety of their families and want to know if the city will offer them security. He claimed to be aware of several undercover cop investigations into gangs, drugs, and sex traffickers that have been put on hold as a result of the revelation. He refused to give any more information. The Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union that represents the departments rank-and-file officers, filed two distinct lawsuits last month, which were followed by Tuesdays allegations. According to Moore, who first revealed the disclosure to the Los Angeles Times, We erred in that there are photographs in there that should not have been in there. Now, that ship has left port. The departments spokesperson, Officer Jeff Lee, stated that the organisation would not remark on the ongoing litigation. How it works The LA Times revealed last week that an anti-police organisation called the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition had uploaded information about police officers in a database called Watch the Watchers that allowed users to look up police by name or serial number. The user is then directed to the officers profile page, which includes the officers photo, serial number, ethnicity, and year of employment. According to the organisations website, this website is intended as a tool to empower community members engaged in copwatch and other countersurveillance practises. You can use it to find out which cops are hurting your neighbourhood. Because it is so simple to use, the website also serves as a political statement, turning the tide of surveillance against the governments employees. Despite having access to a wealth of knowledge about each of us, the police operate in secret. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Following the public release of AI-powered chatbots such as ChatGPT, Bing AI, and Bard, there is a growing worry about AI taking away human jobs. Because these chatbots can write articles, evaluate codes, and even create images based on text inputs, there is concern that AI will place authors, software developers, and creators out of work. During a podcast with the New York Times, Pichai expressed his worries while emphasising the benefits of generative AI tools such as Bard and ChatGPT. When questioned if Google software engineers should be concerned about their employment, Pichai stated that one must adjust to any technology. I believe there will be a lot of societal adaptation with this one. And as part of that, we may all need to alter our paths. However, without directly addressing these issues, Pichai highlights the positive aspects of generative AI tools. I think there are two things that will also be true for software engineers, he says. One is that some of the menial labour you do as part of programming will improve. So perhaps it will become more enjoyable to code over time, similar to how Google Docs has made it simpler to write. And so if youre a programmer, over time, having these collaborative IDs with the assistance built in, I think, is going to make it easier. Pichai also thinks that ChatGPT and Bard-like tools will make programming more accessible to a wider range of individuals. This would enable users to make new objects, potentially leading to the creation of new roles. Google has yet to expand Bard to other nations, and for the time being, it is only available to a restricted number of users in a few countries. Bard, unlike ChatGPT by OpenAI or Bing Chat by Microsoft, had an uneven start. Google claims to be enhancing its technology, but it is currently trailing its rivals. Pichai addressed the worries as well, saying that Bard would grow over time. Pichai says he is not shocked by OpenAIs success when questioned if it surprises him. We had been following GPT 2 and GPT 3, he explained. We knew the quality of the people there, so that portion came as no surprise. The Google CEO also stated that the LaMDA-powered Bard was used to organise his fathers 80th birthday. Pichai believes AI tools can inspire creativity. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Riga: After being turned down for her request to perform no music by Russian composers, a violinist from Latvia has chosen to leave the orchestra where she spent more than ten years working. In light of the war in Ukraine, Marta Sparnina, a seasoned musician who has been a member of the orchestra since 2009, claimed that promoting the nations culture is inappropriate. The public was made aware of the conflict at Latvias Sinfonietta Riga state chamber ensemble last Friday by the Culture Shock programme on Latvian Television. (LTV). The orchestra group was only established three years before she started working there, and Normunds Schne had been the creative director ever since. His selection of Russian artists music for the orchestras programme drew criticism from Sparnina. We pick Russian music for our tours and in doing so popularize this culture, willingly or not, at a time when I believe it should be silenced, she explained. Schne rejected the notion and made it clear during a group meeting with musicians that it is up to him to decide what will be played in the program. We do not have a collective discussion of the repertoire in principle. People know where they come to work. They know me and know my principles for choosing the repertoire, he told Russian media. The Sinfonietta Riga does not perform anything based on cooperation with the Kremlin regime or glorifies the rule of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Schne added. LTV claims that Sparnina originally asked to stay a member of the Sinfonietta Riga but be given permission to take unpaid days off in order to avoid playing Russian music. The proposal was rejected by its leadership, who claimed that doing so would set a poor precedent. They explained that the next time, a Lutheran could abstain from a performance at a Catholic church for comparable reasons. According to the report, Sparnina received some support from other musicians. In a group chat, 11 individuals declared their support for Sparnina, eight others defended Russian music, and three suggested that the orchestra should forbid works by contemporary Russian artists. On its website, the Sinfonietta Riga features 34 performers. Many Western countries made calls to cancel Russian art in retaliation after the beginning of Moscows military campaign in Ukraine in February 2022. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Celebrating 20 years and a future of possibilities: Flagler College Public Administration Program Its been two decades since Flagler College launched its Public Administration (PAD) program, established with the expressed purpose of preparing individuals for leadership roles in government agencies and other organizations. In 2003, President Emeritus William Abare worked alongside a team of faculty and administrators to establish the unique program which allows students to complete their course of study in 5 semesters for a lower cost than the traditional bachelors degrees offered by the College. Since PAD enrolled its first 35 students 20 years ago, more than 700 graduates have earned their bachelors degrees in Public Administration from Flagler College. I take great pride and satisfaction in helping to establish our public administration program, Abare said. In terms of its impact on the local community, I think it is one of the most significant programs offered by our institution. What makes Flaglers PAD stand out from other programs at the College is its draw in the non-traditional student community. The majority of these graduates were working toward their degree while they were employed full-time in various positions, including law enforcement, public safety, and government agencies, Abare said. One PAD alumna, Kelly Purcell, who is now a registered paralegal in Florida, said a Public Administration degree from Flagler is a valuable baseline for people looking to go into a variety of professions. This program prepares you to lead and provides practical knowledge for everyone across all public, nonprofit, and private sectors, Purcell said. To be an effective public leader, one must think critically, communicate effectively, and motivate others, and I improved these skills during my time at Flagler. PAD offers a curriculum based on public policy, covering topics like operational structures of state and local government, public relations, administrative law, emergency management, public accounting, and grant writing. While Bolante and Professor Richard Parker act as the only two full-time faculty members for the PAD program, they turn to experts in the community for adjunct instruction. Bolante said these instructors are eager to bring their knowledge to the students and mainly cover courses in law, accounting, and economics. Recruiting is not very hard because all of these adjuncts are lifelong practitioners and public servants, Bolante said. They want to give back, they want to share their knowledge, and they want to share their experience with students who are going to be future leaders for public organizations. As Flaglers PAD program dives into its third decade, Bolante said their recent shift from offering only in-person instruction to either hybrid or fully online instruction has noticeably increased enrollment. Where before, only students within driving distance of St. Augustine could feasibly enroll, now he said PAD is seeing enrollment from Leon County, Lake County, and Volusia County. Were hoping to expand on that throughout the state, Bolante said. To ensure PAD students are properly engaged with the program, online instructors must have synchronous classes weekly or meet the students face-to-face at least three times for a four-hour session during the eight weeks of the course. One of the things I tell students right up front is that if you want to go online, it takes a lot of self-discipline and self-initiation, he said. Through feedback from Flagler PAD alumni, Bolante said the rigor of the curriculum is comparable to the level of graduate Public Administration work former students are completing at other institutions. Students understand the quality of education theyre getting here at Flagler College, Bolante said. Julio Cruz, the St. Johns County Clerk of Court, is just one alumnus of the PAD program to recognize the invaluable nature of a Public Administration degree from Flagler College. Anyone aspiring to become a better leader will find so much value in the PAD program, Cruz said. Life is full of challenges, and none of us know what tomorrow holds, but by enrolling in PAD, you are investing in your future and preparing yourself for those unknown opportunities. On the horizon of the PAD programs evolution are aspirations to establish a Master of Public Administration program at Flagler College, differing from the bachelors program in the rigor of coursework and level of expectations in terms of research requirements. In a community like St. Johns, where nearly half the population age 25 or older has earned at least a bachelors degree, Bolante said it is especially important to hold local officials and public leaders to high standard qualifications. Its my strong belief that our public servants should be just as educated as the populations they are serving and policing, he said. Tagged As TODAY-3PM ET: New 'Sovereignty Coalition' Unveils Campaign to Prevent the Surrender of American Freedom Seeks US Removal from a Dangerous World Health Organization on Steroids NEWS PROVIDED BY Sovereignty Coalition April 5, 2023 WASHINGTON, April 5, 2023 /Standard Newswire/ -- A remarkable, non-partisan group of patriotic, public policy-minded leaders, organizations and individuals will announce at 3:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, April 5, the formation of the new "Sovereignty Coalition." The Coalition is rooted in a shared, profound commitment to the U.S. Constitution and the God-given freedoms it guarantees. Its participants are determined to protect these foundations of our Republic by defending our national sovereignty against all enemies, foreign and domestic. The Coalition's immediate priority is to prevent efforts to create unaccountable global governance arrangements and authorities wholly at odds with our sovereign, constitutional form of representative, limited government. Foremost among such initiatives is the attempt by the Chinese Communist Party, Bill Gates, the pharmaceutical industry and other globalists -- including the Biden administration, to empower the World Health Organization (WHO) to dictate U.S. and other nations' public health policies. To that end, the Coalition has adopted and is seeking public support for the "American Sovereignty Declaration." We believe that our sovereignty, constitutional republic and personal freedoms must be protected from such a supranational threat. Therefore, the first mission of the Sovereignty Coalition is to ensure that the United States no longer underwrites, participates in or is subject to the World Health Organization and to seek, in the WHO's stead, to create well-defined and limited arrangements for voluntarily collaborating multilaterally in the event of transnational pandemics. To register for the Sovereignty Coalition's virtual roll-out, visit www.sovereigntycoalition.org/rollout-event. For more information about the Sovereignty Coalition, to join us and to urge your elected representatives to stop U.S. funding of and withdraw from the World Health Organization, visit www.SovereigntyCoalition.org. SOURCE Sovereignty Coalition CONTACT: Richard Jefferson, Deborah Hamilton, Hamilton Strategies, 610-584-1096, ext. 105 Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts 1. Mansa Musa leaves on his pilgrimage to Mecca (1324) Mansa Musa was the ruler of the Mali Empire from 1312-1337. He is often said to be the richest person ever to have lived, but how wealthy he actually was is not really known. Musa was a Muslim and established many mosques and centres of Islamic learning throughout his territory. In 1324 he undertook the Hajj pilgrimage to the city of Mecca taking with him a procession that reportedly consisted of 60,000 men and 80 camels. 2. Nelson Mandela is freed from prison (1990) Nelson Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist in South Africa who was jailed for life in 1962 for conspiracy to overthrow the state. South African President FW de Klerk freed Mandela in 1990 after he'd spent 27 years in prison. Mandela and de Klerk then worked to end apartheid. Mandela was elected president of South Africa in 1994. 3. Start of the Mau Mau rebellion (1952) The Mau Mau rebellion was a conflict in the area of modern day Kenya between the Kenya Land and Freedom Army (KLFA), known as the Mau Mau, and the ruling British colonists. The conflict started in 1952, and ended with the start of the Kenyan transition to independence in 1960, although the majority of the rebellion had been suppressed by 1956. The rebellion was brutally stopped by the British authorities although there were massacres committed by both sides during the conflict. Widespread public support for the KLFA was lacking and it is debatable how much influence the rebellion had on Kenya's path to independence. The Mau Mau rebellion was a conflict in the area of modern day Kenya between the Kenya Land and Freedom Army (KLFA), known as the Mau Mau, and the ruling British colonists. The conflict started in 1952, and ended with the start of the Kenyan transition to independence in 1960, although the majority of the rebellion had been suppressed by 1956.The rebellion was brutally stopped by the British authorities although there were massacres committed by both sides during the conflict. Widespread public support for the KLFA was lacking and it is debatable how much influence the rebellion had on Kenya's path to independence. 4. Genocide sees over 500 000 of the Tutsi people killed (1994) The Rwandan genocide took place during the Rwandan Civil War, a conflict which occurred between 1990 and 1994. The civil war was fought between the rebel Rwandan Patriotic Front and the Rwandan Armed Forces of the ruling regime; the conflict grew out of the long standing dispute between the Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups in Rwanda. The genocide occurred following the assassination of the Hutu president Jevenal Habyraimana, which led to a power vacuum and resulted in the systematic killing of those of Tutsi ethnicity. It is estimated that between 500,000 and 800,000 Tutsi people were killed during the roughly 100 day period of the genocide. 5. Destruction of Carthage by Roman troops (146 BC) Carthage was an ancient city near modern day Tunis in Tunisia. The Roman Empire and the Carthaginians fought a series of wars known as the Punic Wars. During the Third Punic War the city of Carthage was besieged by Roman troops this siege was to last three years from 149 BC-146 BC. The Romans began their final assault on Carthage in the spring of 146 BC during which they destroyed the city and killed the inhabitants, along with taking 50,000 slaves. The Romans then made the previously Carthaginian territories into the Roman province of Africa and had their capital at Utica. 6. Siege of Khartoum (1884/5) The siege of Khartoum occurred in 1885 in Sudan during the Mahdist Revolt against Egyptian rule (although by this time Egypt was essentially a British protectorate). With the Egyptian forces unable to put down the rebellion and not wanting to have British troops involved in fighting in Sudan, British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, ordered the evacuation of Egyptian forces in Sudan and appointed General Gordon to oversee the evacuation. On arrival in Khartoum, Gordon found the other Egyptian garrisons in Sudan besieged and became determined to rescue them rather than evacuating Khartoum and abandoning the other garrisons. Gordon started to fortify the city of Khartoum which was then besieged by the Mahdi. With food running short the British government sent troops in to rescue the garrison however two days before they arrived the Mahdists attacked the city at night, killing the entire garrison including General Gordon. 7. Robert Mugabe is ousted as leader (2017) Robert Mugabe holds a complex place in the history of Zimbabwe. Originally he was a freedom fighter who resisted white minority rule and was instrumental in the negotiations of the Lancaster House Agreement of 1979 which created a fully democratic Zimbabwe. Once elected Prime Minister he took to using force to suppress dissent and his political rivals; and by the time he was ousted in 2017 was regarded as an oppressive dictator. Mugabe was ousted as leader following moves by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces to take control of key buildings in Harare on 14 November 2017. Following this the ruling party of Zimbabwe removed Mugabe as leader and called on him to resign the Presidency. When Mugabe failed to do so Parliament met to impeach him, however, before the impeachment could take place Mugabe resigned the presidency. Mugabe died in September 2019 at the age of 95. 8. President Nasser nationalises the Suez Canal (1956) The Suez Canal was originally operated by the Suez Canal Company, with both Egyptian and French shareholders. Egypt was forced to sell its shares in the company in 1875 to the British government due to a financial crisis. President Nassar had become Egyptian president in 1954 and nationalised the Suez Canal Company in 1956. The nationalisation of the canal led to the Suez Crisis with Israel invading Egypt in October 1956; followed by support from British and French troops in early November of that year. The invasion resulted in major embarrassment for the French and the British as they were forced to withdraw after pressure from the USA, USSR and the UN. The Suez Canal was originally operated by the Suez Canal Company, with both Egyptian and French shareholders. Egypt was forced to sell its shares in the company in 1875 to the British government due to a financial crisis. President Nassar had become Egyptian president in 1954 and nationalised the Suez Canal Company in 1956.The nationalisation of the canal led to the Suez Crisis with Israel invading Egypt in October 1956; followed by support from British and French troops in early November of that year. The invasion resulted in major embarrassment for the French and the British as they were forced to withdraw after pressure from the USA, USSR and the UN. 9. Addis Ababa falls to Italian troops (1936) The Second Italo-Ethiopian War was fought from 1935-1937 as part of Mussolini's attempts to increase Italy's colonial territories in the years preceding the Second World War. The war saw an invasion of Ethiopia from Italian controlled Eritrea. The Italians waged a brutal war using mustard gas, and expanding or dumdum bullets, in violation of the Geneva Convention and the Hague Convention. General Pietro Badoglio led a column of mechanised infantry into the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on 5th May 1936 signifying the fall of the city, although the Ethiopian ruler, Haile Selassie I had already escaped the city. 10. Civil war between the MPLA and UNITA begins (1975) The Angolan Civil War came about following Angola's independence from Portugal which resulted in a power struggle between those who supported communist rule and those against it. The civil war was fought between the communist People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and the anti-communist National Union for the Liberation of Angola (UNITA). Against the backdrop of the Cold War the two groups had significant foreign support from countries who ideologically were pro/anti communism. The war lasted from 1975 to 2002, with periods of fighting interspersed with more peaceful times. The war finally ended following the killing of Jonas Savimbi, the leader of UNITA, after which UNITA ceased fighting and became a political party. Source: Author Stoaty This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ponycargirl before going online.Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system. A local poet, Linda Chisholm, has dedicated a book of poetry, What Does One Say, to the Corvallis Sister Cities Association Refugee Fund prior to her passing. Copies are for sale at $25 each. Contact Carol Trueba, Caroltrueba@gmail.com or 541-760-8081, for details. Local artists Isabella and Allessandra Bakker have painted two sunflower pictures, Field of Hope and Rise. They were reproduced by Kathy Rackham King and are available as greeting cards or posters. Four notecards (two of each print) are $25, and 8x10 prints are $25 each. Contact Carol Trueba, Caroltrueba@gmail.com or 541-760-8081, to purchase. felicilin at 4-04-2023 10:09 PM (2 weeks ago) (f) The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has finally broken the silence over the leaked audio conversation between him and Bishop David Oyedepo, founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, better known as Winners Chapel. The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has finally broken the silence over the leaked audio conversation between him and Bishop David Oyedepo, founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, better known as Winners Chapel. The audio clip released by an online newspaper, Peoples Gazzete, has set social media on fire since on Saturday, April 1. In the audio, Obi was heard begging Oyedepo to help him mobilize Christian voters ahead of the election, especially those in the North Central states of Kwara, Kogi and Niger, declaring the election was a religious war. The former governor of Anambra State was repeatedly heard saying, Yes Daddy, while the conversation lasted. Daddy, I need you to speak to your people in the South-West and Kwara, the Christians in the South-West and Kwara. This is a religious war. Like I keep saying: if this works, you people will never regret the support, he said in the audio. The audio generated so many reactions, not just on social media. While his supporters claimed the audio was doctored, Obis media team gave different accounts of the leaked conversation. Obi who took an unusual break from the microblogging platform after the leaked conversation returned on Tuesday morning to congratulate the winner of an academic prize. But reacting to the leaked audio that has made the major headlines in days, Obi alleged that a campaign of calumny had been directed at my person in the past few days. The presidential candidate, who neither denied nor confirmed the audio recording, also said his campaign was not based on ethnicity or religion Obi tackled Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, who accused him of treason, saying there were efforts to portray him in a bad light. Taking to his verified Twitter handle in a series of tweet, He wrote, In the past few days, I have observed various campaigns of calumny directed at my person, with the latest being allegations attributed to the Information Minister, Lai Mohammed from Washington DC. It is most unfortunate that these consistent efforts to portray me quite contrary to what I am, and my core values, are coming from such high quarters. Minister Lai accusing me of stoking insurrection is totally malicious and fictitious. He added. He further stated that I have never discussed or encouraged anyone to undermine the Nigerian state; I have never sponsored or preached any action against the Nigerian state. Those initiating these actions have increasingly used their official positions and agents to make false allegations against me. I am on record as always, advocating for peace and issue-based campaign and never campaigned based on ethnicity or religion. I am committed to due process, and presently seeking redress in Court. I urge those engaged in this demarketing process to stop presenting Nigeria in a such bad light. Our future generations deserve a new Nigeria, where they can live a secure and decent life like their counterparts in other climes. It is possible. The audio clip released by an online newspaper, Peoples Gazzete, has set social media on fire since on Saturday, April 1.In the audio, Obi was heard begging Oyedepo to help him mobilize Christian voters ahead of the election, especially those in the North Central states of Kwara, Kogi and Niger, declaring the election was a religious war.The former governor of Anambra State was repeatedly heard saying, Yes Daddy, while the conversation lasted.he said in the audio.The audio generated so many reactions, not just on social media. While his supporters claimed the audio was doctored, Obis media team gave different accounts of the leaked conversation.Obi who took an unusual break from the microblogging platform after the leaked conversation returned on Tuesday morning to congratulate the winner of an academic prize.But reacting to the leaked audio that has made the major headlines in days, Obi alleged that a campaign of calumny had been directed at my person in the past few days.The presidential candidate, who neither denied nor confirmed the audio recording, also said his campaign was not based on ethnicity or religionObi tackled Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, who accused him of treason, saying there were efforts to portray him in a bad light.Taking to his verified Twitter handle in a series of tweet, He wrote, In the past few days, I have observed various campaigns of calumny directed at my person, with the latest being allegations attributed to the Information Minister, Lai Mohammed from Washington DC.It is most unfortunate that these consistent efforts to portray me quite contrary to what I am, and my core values, are coming from such high quarters. Minister Lai accusing me of stoking insurrection is totally malicious and fictitious. He added.He further stated that Post Reply Posted: at 4-04-2023 10:09 PM (2 weeks ago) | Addicted Hero amasan1 at 5-04-2023 07:51 AM (2 weeks ago) (m) Former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi has said that Nigeria has not been this divided since the end of the civil war. Former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi has said that Nigeria has not been this divided since the end of the civil war. Sanusi spoke at the event alongside the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II; wife of Lagos State governor, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, and other dignitaries. The speakers stressed the need to make Nigerias institutions independent enough to protect democracy and the economy. Specifically, Sanusi noted that any candidate vying for office must be compelled to face the people and discuss issues. Sanusi pointed out that because of the elections, the country is now dangerously divided along ethnic and religious lines, adding that it had put the integrity of public institutions in question. The people now have suspicions about policies, policing, judiciary and the election umpire, he said Sanusi, who gave his address via Zoom, said: In October 2022, speaking at the Kaduna Investment Forum, I told Nigerians that if anyone told them that dealing with Nigeria post-2023 would be easy, they should not vote for that person. I meant it. I dont think Nigeria has been in a place as difficult as this since the civil war. We have a challenge of nation building. We have a country that has been divided dangerously along ethnic and religious lines. We have an economy that is in the doldrums, and unfortunately, we seem to be having a dearth of leadership. He added that Nigeria needs to look critically at the process through which the leaders emerge. He said: No process is perfect. We have seen so in the United Kingdom and the United States. At the very least, the people should know who they are voting for. I think we need to begin to look at the Electoral Act, 2022 much more earlier than elections. We need to have a system where one cannot just go to participate in party primaries without being exposed to public scrutiny. This is what happens everywhere. People need to know what they are voting for. In other climes, they are compelled by law to participate in public debates to discuss issues of policy. This is the only country I know where we elect a President first before knowing if he knows what he is doing or whether he understands what the job is. He also said the process through which Nigerians choose their leaders must be more transparent. Sanusi spoke at the event alongside the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II; wife of Lagos State governor, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, and other dignitaries.The speakers stressed the need to make Nigerias institutions independent enough to protect democracy and the economy.Specifically, Sanusi noted that any candidate vying for office must be compelled to face the people and discuss issues.Sanusi pointed out that because of the elections, the country is now dangerously divided along ethnic and religious lines, adding that it had put the integrity of public institutions in question.The people now have suspicions about policies, policing, judiciary and the election umpire, he saidSanusi, who gave his address via Zoom, said: In October 2022, speaking at the Kaduna Investment Forum, I told Nigerians that if anyone told them that dealing with Nigeria post-2023 would be easy, they should not vote for that person. I meant it.I dont think Nigeria has been in a place as difficult as this since the civil war. We have a challenge of nation building.We have a country that has been divided dangerously along ethnic and religious lines.We have an economy that is in the doldrums, and unfortunately, we seem to be having a dearth of leadership.He added that Nigeria needs to look critically at the process through which the leaders emerge.He said: No process is perfect. We have seen so in the United Kingdom and the United States. At the very least, the people should know who they are voting for. I think we need to begin to look at the Electoral Act, 2022 much more earlier than elections. We need to have a system where one cannot just go to participate in party primaries without being exposed to public scrutiny. This is what happens everywhere. People need to know what they are voting for. In other climes, they are compelled by law to participate in public debates to discuss issues of policy.This is the only country I know where we elect a President first before knowing if he knows what he is doing or whether he understands what the job is.He also said the process through which Nigerians choose their leaders must be more transparent. Post Reply I am an investigative reporter at Gistmania, I conduct fact-finding investigative journalism. Posted: at 5-04-2023 07:51 AM (2 weeks ago) | Hero felicilin at 5-04-2023 08:13 AM (2 weeks ago) (f) Justices Efe Ikponmwonba and M Itsueli of Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City have convicted and sentenced five internet fraudsters, popularly known as Yahoo Boys to prison. Justices Efe Ikponmwonba and M Itsueli of Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City have convicted and sentenced five internet fraudsters, popularly known as Yahoo Boys to prison. They were arraigned on Tuesday by the Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on separate one-count charges bordering on fraudulent impersonation, retention of proceeds of crime, intent to defraud, and possession of fraudulent documents. The charge against Osagie Junior reads, That you, Osagie Junior (m) sometimes between 2020 to 2022 in Benin, Edo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did take possession of the sum of N21,723,755.59 (Twenty One Million, Seven Hundred and Twenty-Three Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fifty-Five Naira, Fifty-Nine kobo) knowing that same represent proceeds of your criminal conduct to wit: cybercrime and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 17(b) Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004. Upon arraignment the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges, prompting the prosecution counsel, K.Y. Bello, I. K. Agwai, Al-Amin A. Ibrahim, and Ibrahim Falsal to ask the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly. However, counsel to the defendants pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy as they were first-time offenders who had become remorseful for their actions. Justice Ikponmwonba convicted and sentenced Obaro, Godstime, and Junior to three years imprisonment with an option of Two Hundred Thousand Naira fune, while Igbinosa bagged three years imprisonment or a fine of One Hundred Thousand Naira. Justice It Uche to two years imprisonment or a fine of Two Hundred Thousand Naira. Justice Ikponwonba also ruled that the balance of N25,786.15 domiciled in Sterling Bank belonging to Osagie Junior and phones recovered from the defendants be forfeited to the Federal government of Nigeria. All the defendants are to undertake in writing to be of good behaviour. They were arraigned on Tuesday by the Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on separate one-count charges bordering on fraudulent impersonation, retention of proceeds of crime, intent to defraud, and possession of fraudulent documents.The charge against Osagie Junior reads,Upon arraignment the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges, prompting the prosecution counsel, K.Y. Bello, I. K. Agwai, Al-Amin A. Ibrahim, and Ibrahim Falsal to ask the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.However, counsel to the defendants pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy as they were first-time offenders who had become remorseful for their actions.Justice Ikponmwonba convicted and sentenced Obaro, Godstime, and Junior to three years imprisonment with an option of Two Hundred Thousand Naira fune, while Igbinosa bagged three years imprisonment or a fine of One Hundred Thousand Naira. Justice It Uche to two years imprisonment or a fine of Two Hundred Thousand Naira.Justice Ikponwonba also ruled that the balance of N25,786.15 domiciled in Sterling Bank belonging to Osagie Junior and phones recovered from the defendants be forfeited to the Federal government of Nigeria. All the defendants are to undertake in writing to be of good behaviour. Post Reply Posted: at 5-04-2023 08:13 AM (2 weeks ago) | Addicted Hero Gmail 'Undo Send' Timer Can Recall, Cancel, Or Unsend An Email: Heres How To Use The Hidden Tool Tips Tricks oi -Alap Naik Desai An email is a powerful tool for communication. Emails are simple to create, quick to send and offer a reliable way to keep records of information exchanged with multiple parties. However, errors such as missing an attachment, including the wrong people or sending them unintended content, typing an incorrect email id, and more, are quite common. An email that's sent with errors, is not just nearly impossible to stop or but users can't prevent unintended recipients from accessing content. Google's Gmail does have a simple trick to stop the email from shooting out. Let's see how to use the feature. Gmail Has An Option To Delay Sending Out An Email While there were several email providers in the early years, Google's Gmail has emerged as the favorite of the masses. It offers a very simple and intuitive user interface. Frequently needed actions are clearly marked and easily accessible. The "Compose" button in Gmail is a good example. It is big and marked clearly. However, unlike composing and sending an email, it can be difficult to recall it. Gmail does offer an option to actually delay sending out an email after hitting the send button. Gmail calls the feature to delay sending an email "Undo Send", and it is easy to use the same. However, the feature needs to be correctly configured. To access the feature, head over to Gmail from a web browser, preferably from a desktop computer or laptop. In the top right corner, click Settings and then See All Settings. Head over to Undo Send and select the cancellation period. Although Google allows 5, 10, 20, or 30 seconds, it would be wise to select the most time available. At the bottom, click on Save changes. Can Gmail's "Undo Send" Actually Recall Sent Emails? Gmail's Undo Send might not be the right name. It can be a little confusing because the feature does allow recalling an email, but for a short duration of time only. Specifically speaking, Gmail holds on to the email even after a user has hit send. With Undo Send activated, an email that has been sent does not head over to the recipients immediately. Instead, the email moves from the Drafts folder to a temporary location, which could be called an "Outbox". According to the timer set by the user, the Undo Send can be used to pull the email that has been sent. However, Undo Send is unable to recall an email that has been sent a few minutes ago. Basically, the feature cannot call back an email that has left the user's account and is on its way. Hence, it is prudent to set the maximum allowable time in the Undo Send setting. Thereafter, every time an email is sent, users will have 30 seconds to reconsider and prevent the email from actually being sent on its way. With the setting activated and timer set, immediately after an email is sent, Gmail will show a floating pop-up within the main window which says: "Message sent", and the option to "Undo" or "View message". Needless to mention, clicking on Undo, will halt the email in its tracks and pull it back into the Drafts folder. Best Mobiles in India Mobile Phone Inventor Decries Smartphone Addiction; Believes Humanity Hasnt Figured Them Out Yet Features oi -Nachiket Mhatre Mobile phones have become an essential part of modern life, with many people unable to imagine a day without them. However, the inventor of the mobile phone, Martin Cooper, has expressed concerns over the way device usage has evolved in the past 50 years. The 94-year-old American engineer, dubbed the "Father of the cell phone," admitted that he is "devastated" when he sees people recklessly crossing streets while glued to their phones. Although that may make Cooper sound like a luddite, the iconic inventor is nevertheless deeply entrenched in the technology world. Cooper is a member of the FCC's Technological Advisory Council, and runs Dyna LLC-a California based incubator helping commercialize innovations in the consumer and enterprise technology space. The nonagenarian continues to test drive the latest iPhones, while keeping himself abreast of wearables, apps, and mobile technology trends. Smartphones Will Transform Society That also explains why, despite his worries, Cooper still believes that mobile phones have immense potential to positively transform society. He envisions that within a generation or two, cell phones could revolutionize education and healthcare, even helping to conquer diseases. Cooper suggests that phones will one day be connected to an array of bodily sensors that will detect illness before it fully develops, similar to how his watch monitors his heart rate while swimming and his phone controls his hearing aids. Interestingly, contemporary wearables such as the Apple Watch indeed fit Cooper's description. Modern wearables already combine biosensors with advanced AI and deep learning models to pre-empt medical emergencies and save lives. How Cooper Pioneered Mobile Telephony Cooper made the first-ever mobile phone call on April 3, 1973, using a heavy block of wires and circuits while working for Motorola. His team of designers and engineers aimed to create truly mobile technology that could be used anywhere, eventually unveiling the DynaTAC (Dynamic Adaptive Total Area Coverage) phone. The bulky prototype weighed in at the wrong side of a kilogram, but could deliver a mere 25 minutes of talk time. However, Cooper is no stranger to modern mobile technology. He flaunts the latest iPhone and wears an Apple Watch to boot, while testing almost every new phone model. However, he confesses that the vast array of apps and features can be overwhelming. "I will never, ever understand how to use the cell phone the way my grandchildren and great-grandchildren do," he declared. The first mobile phones cost around $5,000 per handset, but early adopters, such as real estate professionals, saw the advantage in their cutting-edge functionality. Cooper recalled, "Now they could do both at the same time; it doubled their productivity." Humanity Hasn't Adapted to Smartphones Yet Cooper remains hopeful that people will learn to use mobile phones more effectively and responsibly. He compared the current "mindless staring phase" with the initial hypnotic effect of television and believes that future generations will be smarter about their phone usage. "Humans sooner or later figure it out," he stated. As the world becomes more reliant on mobile devices, the challenges and opportunities they present will continue to evolve. It remains to be seen how people will adapt and harness the true potential of this groundbreaking technology while mitigating its negative effects. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Xiaomi 13 Ultra Launch Imminent: After Specs Leak, Flagship Android Smartphone Secures IMDA Certification News oi -Alap Naik Desai Xiaomi launched the Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro at the MWC 2023 in February. These flagship Android smartphones are available in multiple markets in and outside China. There's one more smartphone in the series which is positioned above these two, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra. As the name implies, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra is the top-end model in the Xiaomi 13 series. The smartphone's specifications and features have leaked online, and now the Xiaomi 13 Ultra has received its own listing on Singapore's IMDA certification website. It may launch globally soon. Xiaomi 13 Ultra Spotted In IMDA and 3C Databases Suggesting Imminent Launch Rumors about the Xiaomi 13 Ultra suggest the smartphone won't be limited to China. Xiaomi is expected to launch the premium Android smartphone in multiple regions. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra has been spotted on Singapore's IMDA bearing model number 2304FPN6DG. This strongly suggests confirms Xiaomi is planning to launch the smartphone in international markets, which may include India. Incidentally, the flagship smartphone's predecessor, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, never made it to India. There have been conflicting reports about the Xiaomi 13 Ultra's launch timeline. While few reports suggest that Xiaomi may launch the smartphone next month, a poster that surfaced on Weibo hints that the device could launch on April 17 in China. Incidentally, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra has secured China's 3C certification. Xiaomi 13 Ultra Leaked Specifications, Features There's no official confirmation of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra. Hence, the specifications and features of the flagship Android smartphone have been collated from leaks and rumors. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra may feature a 6.7-inch Quad HD+ AMOLED LTPO display with a 120Hz variable refresh rate. The screen may have flat edges and could alter the refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz depending on the content being displayed. There could be an under-display fingerprint scanner for biometric authentication. Xiaomi has reportedly embedded the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC inside the Xiaomi 13 Ultra. The powerful SoC could be paired with up to 16GB of RAM. Buyers may get 512GB of internal storage. The exact specifications of the RAM and storage aren't known yet, but they will likely be the latest technology such as LPDDR5X and UFS 4.0. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra is tipped to feature quad cameras on the back, headlined by a 50MP primary camera with a 1-inch Sony IMX989 sensor. The other sensors are rumored to be a 50MP ultra-wide-angle lens and two 50MP telephoto cameras, one of which may offer 3x optical zoom. The flagship smartphone may have a 32MP shooter on the front for selfies, video calls, and face unlock. Needless to mention, this is the biggest difference between the Xiaomi 13 Ultra and the Xiaomi 13 Pro. The Xiaomi 13 is expected to run MIUI 14 custom skin which is based on Android 13. The leak claims the Xiaomi 13 Ultra is expected to pack a 4900mAh battery with support for 90W fast charging and 50W wireless charging. The Xiaomi 13 Pro supports 120W wired fast charging. Best Mobiles in India Google Pixel Tablet Arrives on FCC With UWB Connectivity News lekhaka -Anu Joy The Google Pixel Tablet was spotted on the FCC database, suggesting that the upcoming tablet will include support for ultra-wideband (UWB) connectivity. The device was teased last year at Google's I/O 2022 conference. What is UWB? The Google Pixel Tablet arrived on FCC with the model number GTU8P. The listing reveals that the tablet will support Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, as well as UWB connectivity. For those in the dark, UWB is a short-range wireless communication technology. Thanks to its directional accuracy, the UWB tech can be utilized for precise location tracking. Devices equipped with UWB can transmit data at extremely high speeds within short distances. UWB radio waves can track down an object's location with high accuracy. Although other types of tracking methods such as Bluetooth and GPS are fairly accurate, UWB is even more precise. In addition, the technology consumes less power. UWB has already been adopted by tech firms such as Apple in the manufacture of AirTags and Samsung for its Galaxy SmartTag+. Google's flagship Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 6 Pro also support UWB. So far, the Pixel series of smartphones appear to have underutilized UWB, using it as a digital car key. We can't expect the same feature on the Google Pixel Tablet, since the tablet will have a larger form factor. According to a 9To5Google report, the upcoming Pixel Tablet could get a Tap-to-transfer system. It is speculated that UWB could also be used to track the device. Google Pixel Tablet Expected Features The upcoming Google Pixel Tablet will be powered by a Google Tensor G2 processor. According to rumors, the device could sport a 10.95-inch LCD panel with a resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 pixels. In addition, the tablet could come in 128GB and 256GB storage models. The device will also get a magnetic dock and 18W fast charging support. We can expect more details regarding the Pixel Tablet to surface in the coming weeks. Source Best Mobiles in India CENTCOM Month in Review, March 2023: The Fight Against ISIS in Iraq and Syria U.S. Central Command USCENTCOM Apr. 4, 2023 Release Number 20230404-02 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TAMPA, Fla. -- During the month of March 2023, U.S. Central Command, along with coalition and other partners, conducted a total of 37 D-ISIS operations, resulting in 9 ISIS operatives killed and 18 detained. The following is a breakdown of D-ISIS operations for March 2023 by country: In Iraq In Syria 28 partnered operations 9 partnered operations 0 U.S.-only operations 0 U.S.-only operations 7 ISIS operatives killed 2 ISIS operatives killed 7 ISIS operatives detained 11 ISIS operatives detained These operations targeted ISIS members responsible for planning attacks inside Iraq and Syria, including plans for attacks on ISIS detention facilities in Syria. At least 8 detained ISIS militants were involved in those plans. These operations were conducted under the authority of the CENTCOM commander who retains authority for operations against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, and under the command of Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve. Our local partners play a critical role in this fight. Their competence, professionalism, and dedication to the enduring defeat of ISIS allow continued pressure against the terror group. In Iraq, CENTCOM troops advise, assist and enable Iraqi Security Forces, including the Kurdish Peshmerga, who lead our shared fight against ISIS in Iraq. In Syria, CENTCOM partners with the Syrian Democratic Forces to continue the fight against ISIS. "The fight against ISIS continues," said Col. Joe Buccino, a CENTCOM spokesperson. "Though its capability is degraded, ISIS retains the ability to direct and inspire attacks in the region and abroad." -30- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Armed Forces to receive new helicopters by May Ministry of Defence & Armed Forces of the Czech Republic 4.4.2023 Author: by editorial staff (ob) First Deputy Minister of Defence Frantisek Sulc and Czech Air Force Commander Brigadier General Petr Cepelka participated at the ceremony marking the handover of the first H1 helicopter to the Czech Armed Forces in the Bell Textron factory in Amarillo, Texas. Eight UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters and four AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters represent an important step towards the modernization of the Czech Air Force, as they shall replace the obsolete Mi 24V/35 helicopters. The first Vipers are slated for delivery in the spring of this year to the Namest Air Base, the Venoms shall follow. "I am delighted to return to Amarillo after almost exactly a year and see the first AH-1Z helicopter, which will soon be sent to the Czech Armed Forces," said First Deputy Minister Frantisek Sulc. "It is an important step in the modernization of the Czech Armed Forces." Every new helicopter manufactured must be first taken over by the U. S. Government and only then can the Czech Armed Forces accept them. The first units will arrive the Czech Republic next month. Integrated system According to BG Petr Cepelka, the U.S. machines will bring whole new capabilities, employment scenarios and represent an integrated system that will usher the Czech Helicopter Air Force into the 21st century. "The Czech Armed Forces shall receive two types of helicopters with similar performance capabilities, which can keep up with each other. The Vipers provide offensive close air support and Venoms provide, alone or in cooperation, maneuvering, airlift and close air support," BG Cepelka underscored. The advantages of the of the new machines include a glass cockpit with large LCD panels, automated air control system with integrated satellite and inertial navigation, as well as commonality in both design (engines, rotors, electronics and avionics) and flight envelope. "The pilots are able to switch between the two types, which allows among other interchangeability of parts for Venom and Viper and therefore simpler logistics," BG Cepelka emphasized and added that the Czech Armed Forces shall receive corresponding weapons along with the helicopters: Hellfire air-to-ground missiles and Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. The 22nd Helicopter Air Force Base is currently equipped with Mi-24V/35 attack helicopters and Mi-171Sh multipurpose helicopters. Both types became obsolescent many years ago, which is why the then Minister Lubomir Metnar and his counterpart Secretary Mark Esper signed a G2G agreement on the acquisition of 12 new H1 helicopters in 2019. The Czech Republic shall receive additional eight, used but fully serviceable, machines (2x UH-1Y Venom and 6x AH-1Z Viper) from the U.S. free of charge to backfill the Czech support provided to Ukraine. Thanks to the agreement between the Minister of Defence Jana Cernochova and Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, the total number of helicopters received shall increase to 10 UH-1Y and 10 AH-1Z. Introductory training in the U.S. completed, simulator recently arrived the Czech Republic The pilots and mechanics from the Helicopter Air Base in Namest nad Oslavou were retrained for the operation of new helicopters at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton starting last July. The flight personnel even received helmets tailored to their measurement in the United States. The demanding seven-month basic training included IFR flying, formation and low level flying, sling load and hoist training. The highlights of the training were the flights with life fire at ground targets with cannon and unguided rockets and night flights. Each pilot spent approximately 80 hours airborne. The following courses shall continue in the Czech Republic under the command of the U. S. Mobile Training Team (MTT) for the next two years, until the pilots and mechanics learn the full extent of the operation and maintenance of the aircraft. In March, the first of two training simulators arrived to the Czech Republic. LOM Praha shall operate them in the simulation center at the Namest nad Oslavou Air Base. The building designated H1 shall provide the trainees with lecture rooms, mission planning offices and facilities necessary for the ground and flight personnel. The simulator offers all controls and weapon systems of a real helicopter. The software is connected to the planning system, which the pilots use to prepare for missions. LOM Praha shall also provide life cycle support including higher levels of maintenance. Local specialists are currently being trained for the maintenance of H1 helicopters. The Czech Air Force already received the initial sets of spares for the Venom and Viper, as well as ground support equipment to check the helicopters, aircraft maintenance stands, electrical start cart and other equipment. This materiel shall be delivered to the Czech Republic in phases in a total of eighty 40ft shipping containers. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 4, 2023 By Jim Garamone , DOD News Finland's Accession to NATO Strengthens Alliance Security Finland has formally become a NATO ally. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg today welcomed the new member when Finland's flag was raised alongside those of the 30 other nations in the alliance during a ceremony at NATO headquarters in Brussels. "From today, 31 flags will fly together a symbol of our unity and our solidarity." "Joining NATO is good for Finland, it is good for Nordic security, and it is good for NATO as a whole," Stoltenberg said. "Finland brings substantial and highly capable forces, expertise in national resilience, and years of experience working side by side with NATO allies. I am deeply proud to welcome Finland as a full-fledged member of our alliance, and I look forward to also welcoming Sweden as soon as possible." Earlier, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto presented the accession instrument to U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken. Finland has long exercised with NATO countries, but never joined the defensive alliance. Russian President Vladimir Putin's unprovoked war on Ukraine pushed the nation and Sweden to apply for membership last year. The secretary general said Putin had hoped his invasion of Ukraine would divide and break NATO. "President Putin wanted to slam NATO's door shut," he said. "Today, we show the world that he failed, that aggression and intimidation do not work." "As an ally, Finland will contribute to NATO's collective deterrence and defense," the Finnish president said. He promised Finland would be "a reliable ally that strengthens regional stability." He said that Finland's NATO membership "is not targeted against anyone nor does it change the foundations or objectives of Finland's foreign and security policy. Finland is a stable and predictable Nordic country that seeks peaceful resolution of disputes. The principles and values that are important to Finland will continue to guide our foreign policy also in the future." Finland joined the alliance on the 74th anniversary of the signing of the Washington Treaty, which established NATO. In the beginning, there were 12 nations dedicated to the defensive alliance against the Soviet Union. NATO has grown and morphed over the years. Its strength was one of the reasons the Soviet Union dissolved, and the nations that were under the boot heels of Soviet tyranny rushed to join the democratic organization. Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership in May 2022. "Both countries are strong democracies with highly capable militaries, who share our values and vision for the world," President Joe Biden said in a statement released by the White House. "Less than a year later, we are welcoming Finland as a member the fastest ratification process in NATO's modern history. I look forward to welcoming Sweden as a NATO member as soon as possible and encourage Turkey and Hungary to conclude their ratification processes without delay." Biden, too, said Putin made a colossal strategic mistake. "When Putin launched his brutal war of aggression against the people of Ukraine, he thought he could divide Europe and NATO," the president said. "He was wrong. Today, we are more united than ever. And together strengthened by our newest ally Finland we will continue to preserve transatlantic security, defend every inch of NATO territory, and meet any and all challenges we face." North Macedonia was the last nation to join the alliance, becoming part of NATO in March 2020. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Operation Vigilant Resolve US Marine Corps News 4 Apr 2023 | Master Sgt. John Jackson Headquarters Marine Corps ARLINGTON, Va. -- On March 31, 2004, armed insurgents ambushed and killed four American civilian security contractors who were driving through the city of Fallujah, Iraq. Within hours of the attack, shocking images of the Americans' desecrated bodies - burned, and hung from a bridge - were broadcast around the globe. When the horrific killings occurred, Marines were finalizing their turnover with U.S. Army units in the area and had just assumed command of security operations. Marine leaders understood the severity of the attack and immediately condemned the brutal murders, but simultaneously recommended not to launch an immediate offensive reaction. When writing the 1st Marine Division's daily report on April 1, 2004, then-Brig. Gen. John F. Kelly, the assistant division commander, wrote "we must avoid the temptation to strike out in retribution." Despite initial calls for restraint, on April 3, 2004, the combined joint task force commander issued the order for Marines to go on the offensive in Fallujah, and on the next day Operation Vigilant Resolve began. On the night of April 4, 2004, Marines launched their assault on the city, and by sunrise the following morning, Fallujah was surrounded by U.S. Marines. Throughout the next five days, Marines engaged in fierce urban combat with a level of intensity not seen since the Battle of Hue City. "Several infantry battalions, tanks battalions, some (U.S. Navy) Seabees, and some aviation units were all focused on securing Fallujah," said 19th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Troy E. Black, who was a company gunnery sergeant with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines during Operation Vigilant Resolve. "Amazingly, in those five days a good portion of the city was cleared." While being engaged in constant, violent combat, Marines successfully gained control of strategic areas within the city, cutoff insurgent withdrawal routes, and destroyed several key insurgent defensive positions. "1st Battalion, 5th Marines; 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, and a handful of other units fought their way into Fallujah and took a ton of ground - inch by bloody inch, and then held (that ground)," said Sgt. Maj. David A. Wilson, the current II Marine Expeditionary Force sergeant major. Although the Marines were having success and driving the insurgency back, the newly formed Iraqi Governing Council quickly grew concerned with the intensity of the urban combat happening in Fallujah. Following increased skepticism and vocal criticism, the United States announced it would unilaterally institute a ceasefire within the city of Fallujah beginning at noon, April 9, 2004. Despite the ceasefire, insurgents continued to assault Marines throughout the following weeks. On May 1, 2004, then-Lt. Gen. James Conway, the I MEF commanding general, announced he was turning over all remaining operations in Fallujah to the newly formed Iraqi Fallujah Brigade, and all Marines would depart the city. The withdrawal of Marines from the city officially ended Operation Vigilant Resolve. "I think a lot of learning happened during that deployment. Not because of a lack of training, we had the best training we could possibly have, but it doesn't matter how well you are trained, you learn to apply that training," Sgt. Maj. Black said. "We went from turnover with the Army, directly into that first battle, and then learning how to operate in a counterinsurgency environment. I think every Marine came away from that deployment with an understanding of what they would face over the course of the next 12-15 years of deployments." Twenty-seven U.S. service members died during the 1st Battle of Fallujah, and roughly 200 insurgents were killed. Six months later, Marines would once again find themselves back on the streets of Fallujah, engaged in violent house-to-house fighting - Operation Phantom Fury. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Finland joins NATO as 31st Ally NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 04 Apr. 2023 Finland became NATO's newest member today (4 April 2023), upon depositing its instrument of accession to the North Atlantic Treaty with the United States at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. NATO Allies signed Finland's Accession Protocol on 5 July 2022, after which all 30 national parliaments voted to ratify the country's membership. "We welcome Finland to the Alliance!," said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, as Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto deposited Finland's instrument of accession with the government of the United States, represented by Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The Secretary General then welcomed Finnish President Sauli Niinisto to NATO Headquarters for a flag-raising ceremony to mark the country's accession to the Alliance. Speaking ahead of the ceremony, the Secretary General thanked President Niinisto for his outstanding leadership and for leading Finland into the most successful Alliance in history. "I am deeply proud to welcome Finland as a full-fledged member of our Alliance and I look forward to also welcoming Sweden as soon as possible," he said. "Joining NATO is good for Finland, it is good for Nordic security and it is good for NATO as a whole," he added. The Secretary General also noted that Finland's accession shows the world that President Putin failed to "slam NATO's door shut." "Instead of less NATO, he has achieved the opposite; more NATO and our door remains firmly open," he said. The Finnish national anthem and the NATO hymn were played, as Finland's flag was raised outside NATO Headquarters for the first time, in the presence of President Niinisto, Foreign Minister Haavisto, Defence Minister Kaikkonen, the foreign ministers of all NATO Allies and invitee Sweden. Simultaneous flag-raising ceremonies took place at Allied Command Operations (SHAPE) in Mons (Belgium) and Allied Command Transformation in Norfolk, Virginia (United States). Standing alongside President Niinisto, the Secretary General said: "Finland is safer and NATO is stronger with Finland as an Ally. Your forces are substantial and highly capable, your resilience is second to none and for many years troops from Finland and NATO countries have worked side-by-side as partners. From today, we stand together as Allies." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran, Taliban Discuss Release Of Iranian Nationals From Afghan Prisons By RFE/RL's Radio Azadi April 04, 2023 The Taliban government is compiling a list of Iranian nationals imprisoned in Afghanistan for possible release following Tehran's recent handover of hundreds of Afghan prisoners. Taliban Prosecutor-General Shamsuddin Pahlawan met with Iran's deputy ambassador to Afghanistan, Hasan Mortazavi, in Kabul on April 3 to discuss the ongoing prisoner-release efforts. The development comes amid increased diplomatic activity between the Taliban government and Tehran. Earlier this year, representatives of the Taliban Prosecutor-General's Office visited Tehran, resulting in the release of 857 Afghan prisoners held in Iran, according to Iran's semiofficial Mehr news agency. During the follow-up meeting in Kabul, Pahlawan said that the Taliban government was reviewing the cases of Iranian nationals imprisoned in Afghanistan and will soon complete a list of those suitable for release. Those prisoners would then be handed over to Iran's judicial authorities. It is unclear how many Iranian nationals are currently imprisoned in Afghanistan. Following the Taliban's seizure of power in August 2021, some Iranian dissidents opposed to Iran's Shi'ite clerical establishment expressed fears that they could be targeted by the hard-line Sunni Islamist group. The previous Afghan government had granted asylum to Iranian nationals, allowing them to live freely without fear of political persecution. The Taliban government is not officially recognized by any government, but is engaged in efforts to increase cooperation with outside states. The Iranian government has recently established closer relations with Kabul, including the handover of the Afghan Embassy in Tehran to the Taliban government. In March, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid announced that it had sent diplomats to 14 countries, including Iran, as it took charge of diplomatic missions abroad. In January, the Taliban said it was seeking international recognition of Afghanistan's seat in the United Nations, which is currently held by the former government led by ex-President Ashraf Ghani. With reporting by Mehr and AP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-iran-prisoners- released/32348801.html Copyright (c) 2023. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Plans to Return Heavy Tanks Into US Land Combat Forces Could Backfire, US Marine Corps General Warns Sputnik News 20230404 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Efforts to reintroduce heavy US armored tank forces into land battles could backfire because of advances in missile, artillery, drones and targeting technology and increase the risk of mission failure and defeat instead, Brigadier General Mark Clingan told a Washington conference. "We may be reaccepting risk as we try to reintroduce tanks into the battlefield," US Marine Corps Combatant Development Command Chief Brigadier General Mark Clingan told a conference at the Atlantic Council on Monday about the lessons to be learned from the first year of combat hostilities in Ukraine. The Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS) Distinguished Research Fellow Thomas X. Hammes agreed that a new generation of far more accurate, targeted easily deployable weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones had made traditional armored columns and concentrations far more vulnerable to destruction in combat and that the Ukraine conflict so far had demonstrated these developments. "Everyone is building new systems to kill armored [formations] at a distance," Hammes said. The M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) supplied by the United States to Ukraine had demonstrated its ability to hit key Russian command and logistics bases or nodes in Ukraine and thus reduce the quantities of ammunition reaching front line fighting troops by 50% to 70%, Hammes said. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address High-Ranking Member of the Sinaloa Cartel Extradited from Mexico to the United States to Face International Drug Trafficking and Firearm Charges FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, April 4, 2023 A Mexican national made his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia yesterday to face international drug trafficking and firearms charges. According to court documents, between August 2009 and January 2016, Jorge Ivan Gastelum Avila, aka Cholo Ivan, 42, was a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel, an international drug trafficking organization that was headed by Joaquin Guzman Loera, aka El Chapo, and Ismael Zambada Garcia, aka El Mayo. The Sinaloa Cartel is a violent, transnational drug trafficking organization based in Mexico that engaged in the manufacture, distribution, and importation of ton quantities of cocaine and marijuana from Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru, Panama, Costa Rica, and Honduras to Mexico and into the United States. Court documents also allege that at the time of his arrest, Gastelum Avila was a lead sicario, or assassin, for the Sinaloa Cartel and worked closely with Guzman Loera. He allegedly operated as the "plaza boss" for the Mexican city of GuamAchil, Sinaloa, and in that role, he supervised at least 200 armed men and controlled the drug-trafficking activities in that city and the surrounding area. In January 2016, Mexican authorities arrested Gastelum Avila and Guzman Loera together in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, as they attempted to flee arrest. In December 2018, a grand jury returned an indictment against Gastelum Avila. The United States requested his provisional arrest in February 2020 and Mexican authorities arrested Gastelum Avila based on that request in March 2020. Gastelum Avila remained detained in Mexico pending his extradition. He was extradited from Mexico to the United States on April 1. Gastelum Avila is charged with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana intending and knowing that those substances would be imported into the United States. He is also charged with knowingly and intentionally using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm, including a destructive device, during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Gastelum Avila faces a maximum penalty of life in prison for the drug conspiracy charge and a mandatory consecutive sentence of 30 years for the firearms offense. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Guzman Loera was extradited to the United States in January 2017. In July 2019, he was sentenced to life in prison for being a principal leader of a continuing criminal enterprise, narcotics trafficking, using a firearm in furtherance of his drug crimes, and participating in a money laundering conspiracy. This case is supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, Acting Executive Associate Director Steve K. Francis of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division, and Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement. The HSI Nogales Office and the FBI Washington Field Office are investigating this case. Trial Attorney Kirk Handrich of the Criminal Division's Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section is prosecuting the case. The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance with securing the arrest and extradition of Gastelum Avila. The Criminal Division's Office of Enforcement Operations also provided significant assistance. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Topic(s): Drug Trafficking Firearms Offenses Component(s): Criminal Division Criminal - Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section Criminal - Office of Enforcement Operations Criminal - Office of International Affairs Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces Press Release Number: 23-367 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Europe Faces Narrow Path In Balancing Relations With China As Macron Goes To Beijing By Reid Standish April 04, 2023 French President Emmanuel Macron will go to Beijing for a three-day trip as the European Union grapples with its desire to pursue economic interests with China while dissuading Chinese leader Xi Jinping from deepening ties with Russia. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is traveling with Macron to Beijing on April 5, where they will seek to strike a balance between EU geopolitical goals and its China-linked economic ambitions. They are expected to call on China to urge Russia to work toward a cease-fire in Ukraine and get Moscow to refrain from escalating its nuclear weapons rhetoric. But the tightrope Europe is walking is becoming increasingly difficult, especially as Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and Beijing's position toward the war -- including China's moves to appear as a peace broker in the conflict -- reshape Brussels' ties with Beijing. This shift was reflected in a March 30 speech by von der Leyen in which she called for a reassessment of the bloc's relations with China and warned that "we cannot close our eyes to the fact that China is not only an economic partner but also a systemic rival." Macron, meanwhile, is looking to add a more personal touch to his discussions with Xi as part of an ambitious diplomatic push to create distance between Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin -- who recently hosted the Chinese leader for a lavish state visit. Speaking ahead of the visit to Beijing, Macron said his goal was to "try and involve China as much as possible to put pressure on Russia" on topics such as nuclear weapons, with aides saying Macron will try to gauge Xi's reaction to Russia's threat to host nuclear missiles in Belarus. Macron's efforts will be closely watched by the international community, but EU officials told RFE/RL that expectations remain low for the visit, especially given that the French president has minimal leverage in talks and has not succeeded in previous diplomatic gambits, including to stop Putin from using military force in the run-up to the invasion of Ukraine or in a stalled bid to revive the Iran nuclear deal. "[The EU] wants to underline the message [to China] to not support Russia any more than is already being done, otherwise the bilateral relationship is doomed," an EU official who was not cleared to speak to the media told RFE/RL. "History will show if all this traveling [to China] is a good thing or not." A New Tightrope Brussels' difficulty in striking a balance in its relationship with China is not new. As a recent report by the Asia Society Policy Institute notes, the bloc remains "caught between the United States, which is pushing for a tough approach, and China, which is pushing for closer economic ties." Those economic ties took a hit in 2021, when Beijing blacklisted a group of European lawmakers, experts, and diplomats over the bloc's placing of sanctions on four Chinese officials for rights violations in Xinjiang. The fallout from the incident led to an EU-China investment treaty being frozen and China's growing ties with Russia amid the war in Ukraine -- with Beijing emerging as one of Moscow's closest partners -- has worsened internal divisions within the EU on how to shape its China policy. While Beijing has stopped short of providing Moscow with lethal military support for the war in Ukraine, China has extended a crucial economic lifeline to Russian and Chinese customs data, as well as documented reports, show the growing trade in dual-use commercial goods that are repurposed for military means. EU officials say this leaves them with few good options moving forward. "The most important thing is what China doesn't do as opposed to what they do," an EU official told RFE/RL about Beijing's support for Moscow. The 27-country bloc will continue to pursue cooperation with China on issues such as climate change, and the EU can't afford to alienate Beijing, which is a key trade partner and a major player in global affairs. But there is also a greater push within the EU for a stronger stand for its values and interests such as democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. This had led to the European Commission taking a harder stance toward China as part of a "bad cop" approach, the European Council on Foreign Relations, a Brussels-based think tank, said in a recent report. In March, the French president said that he had "suggested to von der Leyen that she accompany him to China" so they could speak "with a unified voice." But the tougher approach risks backlash from Beijing that could throw off the bloc's delicate balancing act, as evidenced by the Chinese reaction to remarks by von der Leyen in a March 30 speech in Brussels. Fu Cong, China's ambassador to the EU, told reporters afterwards that he was "a little bit disappointed" and said in an interview with the Chinese state-owned broadcaster CGTN that von der Leyen's speech "contained a lot of misrepresentation and misinterpretation of Chinese policies and the Chinese positions" and was written by someone who "does not really understand China." China's Peace Power The visit by Macron and von der Leyen comes on the heels of a similar trip to China by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who also discussed the situation in Ukraine with Xi and urged the Chinese leader to discuss peace plans with Kyiv directly. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has repeatedly said that he is ready to speak directly with Xi, but the two leaders have not spoken since before Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. In the lead-up to Xi's March visit to Moscow, reports circulated that Beijing was ready to break its top-level silence, but a call with Zelenskiy did not materialize. China has gone on a global public-relations push in the last month to paint itself as a country advocating for peace in Ukraine, with Beijing marketing a 12-point proposal that could open the door to peace talks. Western capitals have mostly shrugged off the document and criticized it as freezing the conflict along lines favorable to Moscow, but China's diplomatic push has received support from some countries in the Global South, such as Brazil, Kazakhstan, and South Africa. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told the Financial Times during a March 29 interview that he believes that "China is testing the ground, in terms of the peace process" but that it hasn't yet made a decision on what role to play. He added that Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang assured him earlier in March that China would not provide weapons to Russia. In going to Beijing, Macron is hoping to capitalize on China's desire to paint itself as a peace broker on the global stage, even if the path forward for him is increasingly narrow amid tensions with China and widespread protests in France after the increase of the retirement age -- issues that analysts say may diminish his standing with Xi. In addition to visiting Beijing, Macron will also travel with Xi to Guangzhou, where the Chinese leader's father served as provincial governor. French officials have said they hope the side trip will allow for private, candid discussions between the leaders. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-china-macron- russia-arms/32348706.html Copyright (c) 2023. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trade, Ukraine Top Agenda as France's Macron, EU's von der Leyen Visit China By Lisa Bryant April 04, 2023 French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrive in China Wednesday for a three-day state visit aimed at discussing trade, human rights, and especially Ukraine with President Xi Jinping, amid ever closer ties between Beijing and Moscow. The trip will be Macron's first to China since 2019, and von der Leyen's first as head of the European Union's executive arm. Analysts and officials have downplayed expectations for any major outcome, though the two leaders will likely prod China to limit its support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "My understanding is it is very much about reengagement," said Tara Varma, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, who specializes in Indo-Pacific issues. Macron and von der Leyen are expected to hold talks with President Xi on Thursday. Macron is also scheduled to visit the southern city of Guangzhou. The trip aims to present a common European front toward China, analysts say, amid growing friction on several fronts. The stakes for improving ties are high for both sides, including China's position as a top EU trading partner. In a recent speech that Chinese officials criticized, von der Leyen warned Beijing against directly supporting Moscow in its war on Ukraine and described EU-China relations as "more distant and more difficult." Von der Leyen characterized China as becoming "more repressive at home and more assertive abroad." And she dismissed hopes of resuscitating a stalled investment deal with China, saying it had to be "reassessed" within Europe's larger China strategy. Von der Leyen, however, also said the EU did not need to "decouple" from its relations with China. "That was the hardest hitting and most critical speech that we've had on China from a European leader in recent decades," said Andrew Small, senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, and author of a recent book on China, titled, "The Rupture: China and the Global Race for the Future." "Although there are elements of this visit that will be about diplomatic reengagement, I think she laid out pretty starkly where the balance of European thinking is really moving," he added. Red line? Macron, who had earlier hoped to visit China at least once a year as president, appears to have greater ambitions for success. At a minimum, the French presidency reportedly wants China to draw a red line on providing arms to Russia while the war rages in Ukraine. "Macron also has this hope to secure some form of Chinese support for a peace process, for putting pressure on Russia," analyst Small said, even as he characterized broader European expectations for that happening as "extremely low." Last month, Beijing laid out a 12-point plan to end the war that included calls for a cease-fire, peace talks, and an end to sanctions against Russia. But it did not label Moscow as the aggressor in the war and offered no specifics on its stance toward Ukraine's territorial integrity. Last week, von der Leyen said any peace plan that consolidated Russian seizures of Ukrainian territory was not viable. Still, Small said, "there is value in delivering a strong message to the Chinese side that says, 'The relationship with Europe will be conditioned by how you handle the Ukraine question and your relationship with Russia.'" Along with Ukraine, Macron and von der Leyen will focus on human rights and economics. Trade rivalry Macron is accompanied by a hefty business delegation, composed of CEOs from the energy, transport and aviation sectors. The Reuters news agency reports Macron's visit coincides with talks on a possible new Chinese order for Airbus planes. The Europeans have been pressing for a more level playing field when it comes to trade and investment. For its part, China is particularly eager to resurrect an EU investment deal put on hold three years ago, Brookings analyst Varma said. "I'm pretty sure the Chinese authorities will put the issue to both President von der Leyen and President Macron," she added. "But there will need to be some guarantees provided by the Chinese authorities in terms of a level playing field, and reciprocity in terms of market access a which is not the case today." Ahead of the trip, European Commissioner Thierry Breton warned of the EU's capacity to inflict economic damage on China as a major market for Chinese goods. "China is a trade partner, but China is also a systemic rival," Breton told French radio, "If the (EU) internal market ever closes to China, which I hope will not be the case, that's four to five GDP points fewer for China." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address France to Develop New Nuclear Aircraft Carrier by 2036, Defense Minister Says Sputnik News 20230404 PARIS (Sputnik) - The new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, designed to replace the French navy's only operational flagship aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, will undergo its first tests at sea in 2036-2037, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Tuesday. The new aircraft carrier model will be developed by defense industry companies Naval Group and TechnicAtome. The first 5 billion euros ($5.4 billion) for this initiative will be allocated from the new 2024-2030 budget. "The development of a new French nuclear aircraft carrier, which should replace the 'Charles de Gaulle,' will begin in late 2025 - early 2026, and the first tests at sea will take place in 2036-2037," Lecornu told a briefing broadcast by the Elysee Palace on Twitter. Earlier in the day, Lecornu unveiled the 2024-2030 military budget draft law to the government. The defense ministry's budget will increase to 400 billion euros, compared to 295 billion euros allocated for military spending in 2019-2025. The French military's total financing for the period from 2024-2030 will amount to 413 billion euros, including all off-budget expenditures. In 2023, the French Defense Ministry's budget will reach 43.9 billion euros, including additional 1.5 billion euros requested for urgent ammunition replenishment. In 2024, the military budget will increase by 3.1 billion euros, and then by another 3 billion euros until 2027. Starting from 2028, the ministry will receive additional 4.3 billion euros in funding per year. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran says ICJ ruling "historic defeat" for U.S. People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 10:53, April 05, 2023 TEHRAN, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Iran said on Tuesday the recent ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against U.S. freezing of Iran's assets was a "historic defeat" for Washington. The ICJ ruling confirmed Iran's legitimacy on the issue, semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted Iranian government spokesman Ali Bahadori Jahromi as saying at a weekly press conference on Tuesday. On March 30, the ICJ ruled that the United States had "illegally allowed its courts to freeze Iranian companies' assets" and ordered Washington to pay compensation to Iran, the amount of which will be determined later. During the press conference on Tuesday, Jahromi also accused the U.S. of being accustomed to violating international laws. In 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Iranian assets of close to 2 billion U.S. dollars frozen in the U.S. must be paid to American families of the victims of the bombing of a U.S. Marine Corps barracks in Beirut in 1983 as well as other attacks blamed on Iran. Tehran has repeatedly and vigorously rejected all claims about its involvement in the Beirut bombing and other similar allegations. The case before the ICJ was initially brought by Tehran in 2016 against the U.S. breach of a 1955 friendship treaty by allowing its courts to freeze Iranian companies' assets. Washington pulled out of the treaty in 2018. However, the ICJ ruled that the accord was in place at the time of the Iranian assets' freezing. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Up to 1 Million Iraqis Are Victims of Enforced Disappearance By Lisa Schlein April 04, 2023 A U.N. watchdog committee is urging the Iraqi government to take action to stop the practice of enforced disappearances, which has resulted in the abduction and disappearance of up to a million people in the past five decades. A report issued Tuesday by the U.N. Committee on Enforced Disappearances, a body of 10 independent experts, is based on a visit to Iraq from November 12-15, 2022. Its authors express "deep concern" that the practice, which has persisted in much of the territory of Iraq since 1968, continues to be widespread and practiced with impunity today. "The Iraqi state has not yet criminalized enforced disappearances," said Mohammed Ayat, vice chair of the committee, noting that the committee received allegations of enforced disappearances from different governorates during the visit. "It is therefore understandable in this context ... to remind Iraq of the extreme urgency to criminalize enforced disappearance in the terms of the convention," Ayat said, referring to the U.N. Human Rights Committee's 2010 International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. "The committee recommends the eradication of the omnipresent impunity of enforced disappearance." During their visit, the human rights experts interviewed 171 victims and civil society organizations and met with more than 60 authorities from Anbar, Bagdad, Erbil, Kirkuk, Mosul and Sinjar. The delegation also visited several prisons and received frequent allegations of secret places of detention. "It is worth noting that the state party strongly contested those allegations," Ayat said. Committee vice chair Barbara Lochbihler described some of the people interviewed as "victims of enforced disappearance who survived and had just disappeared for a certain period ... or organizations who worked on enforced disappearances." She said the committee met victims from all periods of time, including those who disappeared or had relatives who disappeared during the U.S. military invasion, which began in 2003, and during the proclamation of an Islamic caliphate over part of the territory of Iraq by the Islamic State a also known as IS, ISIS and ISIL a a decade later. Lochbihler said some people testified that they were threatened by Islamic State militants and by armed groups that supported the Iraqi army and were behind the disappearances of many people. "And we also met relatives who are searching for them, and they think they are alive, but they have no answers for that," she said. The report finds that during the period of the U.S. military invasion of Iraq, at least 200,000 Iraqis were captured, "of whom 96,000 were held at some point in prisons administered by the United States or the United Kingdom." Authors of the report said they received allegations that detainees were arrested without a warrant for their involvement in insurgency operations, while others were "civilians in the wrong place at the wrong time." The report documented new rounds of abductions and mass killings of Iraqi army soldiers or security forces from 2014 to 2017, when IS was in control of parts of the country. Lochbihler said groups or cells that harbor IS militants reportedly exist in some places. Though they may not be active now, she said "they can be activated quickly." She said many people disappeared during IS's occupation of Mosul. "Those people are still in the hands of networks that enslaved these people, and they are either in neighboring countries or they are already in places of the Gulf Peninsula," she said. During its latest two-week session, the committee received 1,577 urgent actions from 22 countries to search for and investigate the disappearances. Most of those urgent actions, 578 cases, were received from Iraq. The committee is calling on Iraq to establish a comprehensive search and investigation strategy for all cases of disappearances and to set up an independent commission to carry out a fact-finding mission to verify whether secret places of detention exist. Iraq has four months to make comments on the report. The committee, which will publicize Iraq's response, will follow up on the implementation of its recommendations to the country "through the procedure of reporting." The independent experts are urging Iraq to address the needs and rights of victims and to ensure that all "have access to truth, justice and integral reparation" regardless of their ethnic, religious or national origin. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Junta raids kill 2, force 5,000 to flee Sagaing region villages Troops shot and killed a man as he tried to flee and a woman was hit by a shell. By RFA Burmese 2023.04.04 -- Two people have been killed and around 5,000 have abandoned their homes as junta troops raided two villages in Tigyaing township, in Myanmar's northern Sagaing region, residents told RFA. Locals said that a junta column with more than 70 troops fired heavy artillery and entered Nyaung Pin Thar village on March 30. A 20-year-old woman named Zar Chi Win was killed by a shell. "Zar Chi Win was hit by the junta's heavy artillery shell and died on March 30, while she was trying to escape," said a resident, speaking on condition of anonymity for safety reasons. "The shell landed in the vicinity of Nyaung Pin Thar village." Another column with more than 70 troops raided nearby Sit Tan village killing 30-year-old Than Pe Lay as he tried to escape, the local told RFA. "Than Pe Lay was shot dead by a column that entered Sit Tan village on April 2, while he was trying to escape near the village monastery," he said. On the evening of April 3, the column that entered Nyaung Pin Thar village and the column that entered Sit Tan village combined and left the township. Calls to the military junta spokesman for Sagaing region, Aye Hlaing, went unanswered. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, between Feb. 1, 2021, when the military seized power in a coup, and April 3, 2023, a total of 3,206 people, including pro-democracy activists, were killed by the junta. Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Mike Firn. Copyright 1998-2023, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content April not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia says suspension of New START will thwart US intel collection Iran Press TV Tuesday, 04 April 2023 7:35 PM Moscow says leaving the New START nuclear arms control treaty has given Russia new security options, blaming the United States for collapsing bilateral relations. In an interview with Russia 24 TV news channel, aired on Tuesday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stressed that through the suspension "we have gained additional opportunities for ourselves to ensure our security." Washington is employing "any channel, any window to see into our military world," he said, adding that closing off inspections and data-sharing agreements through New START would prevent the US from intelligence gathering. He also blamed Washington for severely straining relations with Moscow, saying that he could "probably describe the current state of these relations in one word - collapse. The relations are destroyed, and the responsibility for this lies with the US." Last year, Russia stopped allowing American inspectors onto its military sites, responding to travel restrictions imposed by the US on Russian inspectors in reaction to the initiation of a military operation by Moscow in Ukraine. The Kremlin said it was foolish to share information on Russia's nuclear capabilities at a time when the US could pass that information to Ukraine. Back in July 1991, START, which later was called START I, was signed by the then US president George H. W. Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev, the last president of the Soviet Union, barring both countries from deploying more than 6,000 nuclear warheads atop a total of 1,600 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and bombers. In January 1993, President Bush and Boris Yeltsin, the then Russian president, signed START II, but it collapsed and never went into effect. START I expired in late 2009 and its replacement, the New START or START III, was signed in April 2010 by the then US president Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev, under which both sides agreed to halve the number of strategic nuclear missiles and restrict the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550, the lowest level in decades. However, it does not limit the number of operationally inactive nuclear warheads that remain in the high thousands in the US and Russian stockpiles. The New START agreement was extended in February 2021 until February 4, 2026, by US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. On February 21, Russia suspended its participation in New START. However, it did not withdraw from the treaty, clarifying that it would continue to abide by the limits on the number of nuclear warheads that can be deployed under New START. Furthermore, Ryabkov also said the West should take account of Russia's decision to deploy part of its tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus. "Our opponents have to see the reality of what is happening around them. Don't escalate, don't provoke us," he added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address As Questions Swirl Over A Pro-War Russian Blogger's Killing, Analysts Say It's Clear What Comes Next: More Repression By RFE/RL's Russian Service, Todd Prince April 04, 2023 Two days after a bomb hidden in a statuette exploded inside a crowded St. Petersburg cafe, killing a prominent blogger who avidly supported Russia's war on Ukraine, questions are swirling about who masterminded what seemed like a professional hit. But amid a swirl of speculation and claims focusing mainly on Ukrainian special forces or infighting in the Russian elite, there is one thing analysts and government critics agree on: The Kremlin will use the bombing to clamp down further on opponents of its authoritarian rule. "It is clear that the authorities will do everything with this story to maximize repression," Maksim Reznik, a former St. Petersburg lawmaker and member of the opposition, told RFE/RL's Russian Service. Reznik said he did not believe that the attack was carried out specifically as a pretext for further tightening the screws, pointing to Ukraine and to disputes among factions in Russia as more likely explanations. Kyiv has denied that it played any role in the bombing. The Kremlin had been steadily moving down the path of greater repression for years and did not need a violent act to justify more, said Reznik, who has himself been subject to persistent political pressure as a prominent opposition figure in St. Petersburg. The April 2 attack at a cafe in the center of the city killed Maksim Fomin -- a widely read pro-war blogger who went by the name Vladlen Tatarsky -- and injured at least 32 other people, authorities said, some seriously. Tatarsky was giving a presentation about his war zone experiences when the bomb went off. The cafe was formerly owned by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner Group, an ostensibly private mercenary company that has played a major role in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russia's Investigative Committee, the country's top state criminal investigation agency, arrested 26-year-old Darya Trepova the following day on suspicion of involvement in the killing of Tatarsky, accusing her of handing the blogger a bust - apparently in his likeness -- that it said contained the bomb. Meanwhile Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee claimed the same day that the attack was planned by Ukraine's special services and by "agents" allegedly collaborating with Aleksei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK). It provided no evidence. Navalny, Russia's most popular opposition leader, was imprisoned in 2021 on charges that he and his supporters contend were trumped up to sideline him from politics. In 2020, he barely survived a nerve-agent poisoning he blames on Putin and Russia's Federal Security Service. Before his imprisonment, Navalny had organized some of the largest anti-government protests held over Putin's nearly quarter-century in power as president or prime minister. The government also banned the FBK, which produced hard-hitting investigations on Kremlin corruption, branding it an extremist organization. Trepova joined spontaneous anti-war protests in St. Petersburg on February 24, 2022, the day Russia invaded Ukraine. She was detained and sentenced to 10 days in jail. The FBK said Trepova was not a member of its organization and denied any involvement in the bombing. 'Political Benefits' Fyodor Krasheninnikov, a political analyst who is now based outside Russia, said that Russia's security services, having failed to stop a bombing in Putin's hometown and the nation's second-largest city, are nonetheless trying to reap "political benefits" by alleging the direct connection between Ukrainian security forces and Navalny's organization. The 46-year-old Navalny, who has vehemently opposed Russia's invasion of Ukraine, still remains an influential voice inside Russia despite being behind bars. Krasheninnikov said he feared Russian authorities could start jailing individuals they don't like as terrorists if they find even the most remote connection to Navalny, such as attending one of his rallies or liking one of his posts. "Of course, this scares me very much. It could seriously affect the remaining members of the opposition in Russia, activists who once participated in opposition activities," he said. It would not be the first time Putin has used an incident deemed a terrorist attack as a trigger for political repression. In 2004, after attackers seized a school in the town of Beslan, setting off a hostage crisis that ended with more than 330 people killed, the then second-term president took several steps that rolled back political plurality and democracy in Russia. Krasheninnikov and Andrei Kolesnikov, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in Berlin, see a precedent in the 1934 murder in St. Petersburg of Sergei Kirov, a member of the Soviet Politburo. The motive for Kirov's killing is unknown, but Soviet leader Josef Stalin used his slaying to justify further political repression in the country. "Politically, this will probably be a cause of further reprisals against civil society and increased pressure on Ukraine," Kolesnikov told Current Time, the Russian-language network run by RFE/RL in cooperation with Voice of America. Tatarsky was born in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region and joined pro-Russian forces in 2014 after escaping from prison, where he was serving a sentence for bank robbery. He later launched a blog where he wrote about Russia's invasion of Ukraine, garnering more than 500,000 followers. Though Tatarsky was just one of many Russian military bloggers commenting on the war, analysts said he might have become a symbolic target for Kyiv because of his presence at an event in the Kremlin in September 2022 and the notorious comments he made there. Tatarsky attended a ceremony during which Putin signed documents that Moscow baselessly claims made Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions parts of Russia. In a video shot at the event and posted on the Internet, Tatarsky said "we will defeat everyone, we will kill everyone, we will rob everyone as necessary. Just as we like it." Tatarsky had also called for the "total annihilation of Ukraine." Putin posthumously awarded him the Order of Valor, a state medal, citing his "courage and boldness," according to a published decree. A senior aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Mykhaylo Podolyak, suggested that Tatarsky's killing was the result of an internal conflict in Russia, saying that "spiders are eating each other in a jar." Reznik did not discount that possibility. He said that members of the Russian elite understand that Moscow has lost the war in Ukraine and are positioning themselves for an eventual post-Putin world. "There is a struggle for power, for one's own life. People need to take positions that will allow them to bargain with the West for their own skin. Therefore, today they are solving internal issues, getting rid of competitors," he told RFE/RL. Tatarsky reportedly had ties to Prigozhin and Wagner, and the explosion took place near Prigozhin's headquarters. Intended As A Warning? The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said Tatarsky's assassination may have been intended as a warning to Prigozhin. Prigozhin's public criticism of Russia's military leadership has been the most visible evidence of tension between rival camps in Moscow over the war, in which Russia has suffered numerous setbacks in the more than 13 months since an invasion that Putin apparently expected to bring Kyiv to its knees within days. Tatarsky and other nationalist "milbloggers" have urged the military to conduct the offensive more aggressively. Krasheninnikov, however, dismissed the notion that Tatarsky's killing was part of an internal struggle, saying the blogger was a low-level figure. He said that, if Putin needed to rein in Prigozhin, he could do so in other ways that were less detrimental to stability, pointing to the arrest and conviction of former Economy Minister Aleksei Ulyukayev on a bribe-taking charge that he said was the result of a set-up. Ulyukaev was sentenced in 2017 to eight years in prison but was released last year. Prigozhin, meanwhile, said that radicals not affiliated with the Ukrainian government may have been responsible for the killings of Tatarsky and Darya Dugina, the daughter of Aleksandr Dugin, a far-right ideologue who backs Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Dugina died in a car-bomb blast in August 2022. Krasheninnikov and Reznik dismissed the idea that Russian partisans were behind Tatarsky's murder. Krasheninnikov said Russia's security services keep a close eye on anti-government groups and that it would have been near impossible for them to get explosive material and access to a laboratory to make a bomb. Ivan Preobrazhensky, a Russian political scientist now based outside the country, suggested that, given Russian law enforcement agencies' history of fabricating evidence and prosecuting people based on political expediency, it may never be clear "who blew up the cafe." However, he told Current Time, "the Russian authorities will probably use this [killing] to advance some sort of political aims. There's almost no doubt about that. Absolute cynicism is a classic for the Russian authorities." Regardless of who was behind it, Reznik said the bombing in St. Petersburg would undermine public perceptions of Putin, who has portrayed himself as a guarantor of stability and security. "This will deliver a huge blow to Putin's image," he said. Current Time contributed to this report. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-tatarsky- blogger-bombing-repression-analysts/32349355.html Copyright (c) 2023. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Charges Woman With Terrorism Over Cafe Bombing That Killed War Blogger By RFE/RL's Russian Service April 04, 2023 Russia's Investigative Committee has formally charged Darya Trepova for terrorism offenses for her alleged role in the assassination of a prominent Russian war blogger at a St. Petersburg cafe. The committee, the country's top state criminal investigation agency, said on April 4 that Trepova, 26, was charged with committing "a terrorist act by an organized group that caused intentional death" in the blast, which killed Vladlen Tatarsky, the pen name of prominent blogger Maksim Fomin. Tatarsky was known for backing Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and support for Russia-backed separatists in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region. The committee added that Trepova was working on the instructions of people representing Ukraine, which Moscow invaded in February 2022, sparking a war that has killed thousands. Trepova, who was transferred to Moscow where she is expected to have a court hearing placing her in pretrial detention for at least two months, has been described in Russian media as a Russian national and St. Petersburg resident who had been previously detained for taking part in anti-war rallies. The Interior Ministry named Trepova on April 3 as a suspect in Tatarsky's killing and added her to its Most Wanted list. Following her detention, the Interior Ministry posted a video of Trepova, who may have been speaking under duress, telling an interrogator that she "brought a statuette there that exploded." When asked who had given her the bust, she replied that she would say "later." Tatarsky was killed when an explosion tore through the cafe along the banks of the central Neva River where he was leading a discussion. Russian media have said that Tatarsky was meeting with attendees when a woman presented him with a box containing a small bust of him that apparently exploded. A witness said in video remarks to the local publication Fontanka that a woman who had identified herself as "Nastya" had asked questions and exchanged remarks with Tatarsky during the event. The witness said Nastya had told Tatarsky that she had made a bust of the blogger but had been told by security guards to leave it at the door because they suspected it was a bomb. Nastya then went to the door, retrieved the bust and gave it to Tatarsky. After he placed the bust on a table, the explosion occurred, according to the witness. REN-TV posted a video shot by an eyewitness that appears to show Tatarsky receiving the bust. Surveillance video from outside the Street Bar cafe and posted on the Russian Telegram channel 112 showed what it said was the moment of the blast that occurred at about 6:15 p.m. The video showed an explosion that blew out cafe windows, collapsed part of a large sunroom, and scattered debris onto the street. The Russian state news agency TASS reported that the explosive device contained more than 200 grams of TNT. Trepova allegedly then fled the scene. Reports initially indicated that she was detained on April 2, but it was subsequently reported that her mother and sister had been summoned for questioning, and that she was allegedly on the run. The news site Baza said that Trepova's husband, identified as Dmitry Rylov, is also being sought. Rylov is believed to be a member of the Libertarian Party, which has said he has been abroad and had nothing to do with the incident. The Street Food Bar No. 1 cafe, located on the University Embankment near St. Petersburg University on the city's central Vasilyevsky Island, was formerly owned by Yevgeny Prigozhin, also known as "Putin's chef." St. Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city, is President Vladimir Putin's hometown and the place where his political rise began. Prigozhin is a Kremlin-connected businessman who controls the Wagner mercenary group, a private force that is playing a prominent role in Russia's war effort in Ukraine. Prigozhin said in April 3 comments posted by his press service that he handed the cafe over to a patriotic group called Cyber Z Front for meetings. Tatarsky was a well-known social media figure and supporter of Russia's unprovoked war against Ukraine. His blog has about 500,000 subscribers and his appearance drew about 100 people to Street Food Bar No. 1 on April 2. He fought alongside pro-Russian forces fighting against Kyiv's forces in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, where he was born, after Russia's invasion and annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014. During a ceremony in September hosted by President Putin in celebration of Russia's illegal annexation of four Ukrainian regions, Tatarsky posted a video from inside the Kremlin saying: We will defeat everyone, we will kill everyone, we will rob everyone as necessary. Just as we like it." Tatarksky is widely considered by Ukrainian media to have been a Kremlin propagandist, and pro-Kremlin media have accused Ukraine of being behind his death. No groups or individuals have claimed responsibility for the blast. While Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in response to Tatarsky's death that his activities "won him the hatred of the Kyiv regime," Prigozhin said he doubted the attack was related to the Ukrainian government, and was likely carried out by a "group of radicals." Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee also has claimed that the attack was planned by Ukraine's special services and by "agents" allegedly collaborating with Aleksei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation. Navalny is a prominent Kremlin opponent who survived a near-fatal poisoning in Siberia in 2020 that he blames on Putin. The opposition politician and anti-corruption activist, who tried to run against Putin for the presidency in 2018 but was kept off the ballot, is currently serving a nine-year sentence for fraud that his supporters say is politically motivated. Navalny has been an outspoken critic of Russia's war against Ukraine, and his Anti-Corruption Foundation has been banned as an "extremist" organization. Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak has said that the assassination was part of an internal conflict in Russia. Tatarsky's death marks the second assassination of a prominent advocate of Russia's war against Ukraine. In August, nationalist TV commentator Darya Dugina was killed in a car bombing near Moscow. Russian authorities blamed Ukrainian military intelligence for the death of Dugina, whose father is well-known Russian war supporter and idealogue Aleksandr Dugin. Kyiv denied involvement in Dugina's death. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-tatarsky- assassination-trepova-charged/32349112.html Copyright (c) 2023. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Transferred Iskander Missile System to Belarusian Armed Forces: Shoigu Sputnik News 20230404 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia transferred the Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system that is capable of using nuclear missiles to the Belarusian armed forces, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday. "The Iskander-M tactical missile system has been transferred to the armed forces of Belarus. This system can use missiles of both conventional and nuclear variants," Shoigu said at a meeting with the leadership of the Russian armed forces. Training of Belarusian units on the use of the missile system to protect the Union State has begun at one of the training grounds in Russia on April 3, the minister added. According to him, a part of the Belarusian attack aircraft have received the ability to strike using nuclear weapons. "A part of the Belarusian attack aircraft have gained the ability to strike enemy targets with nuclear weapons," Shoigu said at a meeting with the leadership of the Russian armed forces. NATO is strengthening the anti-Russian course, which leads to an escalation of the conflict, Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday. "At the same time, NATO is stepping up its anti-Russian course, which is leading to an escalation of the conflict," Shoigu said at a meeting with the leadership of the Russian armed forces. The US and allies are increasing military assistance to Ukraine and ready to supply over 200 tanks and over 400 modern armored fighting vehicles, the minister added. Russia has destroyed in Ukraine since the beginning of the year some 59 M777 howitzers, 13 Paladin self-propelled howitzers, 14 US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, as well as 30 self-propelled guns from Poland, Germany, France and the Czech Republic, Shoigu said. "Since the beginning of this year alone, 59 M777 howitzers, 13 Paladin self-propelled howitzers, 14 US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, as well as 30 self-propelled guns from Poland, Germany, France and the Czech Republic have been destroyed," Shoigu said at a meeting with the leadership of the Russian armed forces. The Russian armed forces have disrupted the production of a number of Ukrainian weapons, as well as the transfer of ammunition and fuel to the front, with high-precision strikes, Shoigu stressed. "We are delivering high-precision strikes against Ukrainian military targets. This resulted in the disruption of the production of a number of weapons, as well as the supply of Ukrainian armed forces' groups with ammunition and fuel," Shoigu added. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address By Azernews Elnur Enveroglu Iran's crimes against Azerbaijan have taken a large scope since the notorious armed attack on the embassy of Azerbaijan in Iran. There is a lot of evidences that the recent terror attack against the Azerbaijani MP Fazil Mustafa has been of menacing plan by Iran's clandestine networks in Azerbaijan. The nature of the crime, the identity of the accomplices, and the methods used clearly show that the Iranian special services, especially the IRGC, are behind this terrorist act. Unfortunately, the ugly manifestation of Iran's state-level terrorist policy against Azerbaijan does not end with this. Generally, if the primary mission of Irans intelligence agencies is believed to keep the Islamic regime in power. However, their missions overlap extensively because their agendas are broad. Iran's successive provocations against Azerbaijan actually serve one purpose: to put Azerbaijan in a completely suppressed position in the region. For this, Iran uses any means against the country. In this regard, the most widely used tool by Iran is the promotion of terrorism and provocations under the guise of religion. The other day, in front of the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Tabriz, the Huseyniyyun terrorist group affiliated with Iran's IRGC tried to send a message to the state of Azerbaijan by demonstrating another show. Undoubtedly, Tabriz is the most vulnerable side of the regime in Iran. Because the mullahcracy has intended to open the consulate of Armenia, its only brotherly partner in the region, for a long time. For this reason, the regime has unleashed its trained organizations and ordered an attack on the state bodies of Azerbaijan. How Iran gets armed its gangs in Azerbaijan? Iran's terrorist and espionage groups and organizations operate under different names all over the world. Those organizations can become active participants in threats and even armed attacks if necessary. One of the terrorist groups that spread widely inside and outside of Iran under religious slogans and are affiliated with the IRGC is the 'Huseiniyyun' terrorist organization. In Azerbaijan, a number of activists of that organization participated in attempts at coups. However, many members of the organization are currently under arrest. So placing flags and causing another provocation in front of Azerbaijan's Consulate General in Tabriz by Huseyniyyun's unbridled groups enboldned by the regime, once again demonstrates Iran's disregard to international norms. However, there are other radical-terrorist gangs of Iran circulating inside Azerbaijan. Generally, in the four decades since its Islamic Revolution, Iran has formed and supported an expanding number of allied fighting forces throughout the Middle East. Irans Quds Force, part of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), serves as the main point of contact with these groups, providing them with training, weaponry, and funds to promote Iranian regional objectives. Back to years of occupation of Azerbaijan's Karabakh, Iran was cooperating with Armenian separatist-terrorist groups through which they used to smuggle weapons and drugs in Azerbaijani territory. After Azerbaijan's victory in the Second Karabakh War, it was not surprising that Iran was aghast at Azerbaijan's possession of own lands, as well as being very concerned about the opening of the Zangazur corridor. Iran is ultimately unhappy of the processes in the region assuming that the results would cut its relations with Armenia despite the fact that Azerbaijan has offered Iran underground and overground route crossing through Zangazur corridor to Armenia. Because Zangazur is the only option that sustains access for Iran's terrorist organizations serving the regime to reach in the South Caucasus and beyond. Seeing that hope are vanishing in the South Caucasus, Iran is currently interfering in the internal affairs of Azerbaijan which is the only country obstructing Iran's illegal plans in the region, and is threatening statesmen, officials, and ordinary citizens in the country. The fact of this kind of crime committed against MP Fazil Mustafa revealed Iran's terrorist activity once again. Now Iran is using the same methods against Azerbaijan, and this situation equates Iran with Armenia in the Azerbaijani community. It is for this reason that working for Iran, cooperating with its special services and religious-ideological centers means cooperating with Armenia. Iran's use of religion to achieve its goals, turning religion into a tool of terror policy, is a betrayal of Islam. All members of the network established by Iran in Azerbaijan should be exposed and answer to the law. Because the people of Azerbaijan do not forgive betrayal and will never forgive it. NATO Expansion Forces Russia to Take Countermeasures to Ensure Its Security: Moscow Sputnik News 20230404 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Finland's accession to NATO is another aggravation of the situation, and Moscow considers the expansion of the alliance an infringement on its security, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday. "The Kremlin believes that this is another aggravation of the situation. The expansion of NATO is an infringement on our security and Russia's national interests," Peskov told a briefing. The expansion of NATO forces Russia to take countermeasures to ensure its own security, the spokesman added. "Naturally, this forces us to take countermeasures to ensure our own security both tactically and strategically," Peskov said. The situation with Finland's accession to NATO is fundamentally different from the problem with Ukraine, as this country has never had an anti-Russian rhetoric, Peskov said. "The situation with Finland, of course, is radically different from the situation with Ukraine, because, firstly, Finland has never had anti-Russian rhetoric, and we have had no disputes with Finland. With Ukraine, the situation is the opposite and potentially much more dangerous," Peskov said. On Monday, the office of Finnish President Sauli Niinistoe and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Finland will officially become the member of NATO on April 4. Moscow has urged to refrain from overly optimistic conclusions in light of media reports that German insurance firms decided to renew insurance of the damaged Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, Peskov said. "Firstly, it has been destroyed, if we talk about Nord Stream 1. Now I would refrain from making any overly optimistic conclusions in this regard. We are monitoring the situation very carefully," Peskov told reporters. Russia is convinced that the Nord Stream pipelines are extremely important for Europe's energy security, the official said. When asked about a possibility of launching the pipeline, he said that supplies are usually resumed when there are not only sellers, but also buyers. Earlier in the day, media reported, citing sources, that German insurance companies Allianz and Munich Re had resumed insurance for the damaged Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline. The insurance reportedly covers damage to the gas pipeline and problems associated with business interruption. The availability of insurance will also facilitate the repair work needed to resume gas supplies across the Baltic Sea to Europe. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes, Iran's deputy minister says Tehran to help Syria boost air defenses Iran Press TV Tuesday, 04 April 2023 3:39 PM A senior Iranian defense official has reaffirmed Tehran's commitment to the security of friendly countries, saying the Islamic Republic considers itself "obliged" to help reinforce Syria's air defense capabilities in repelling Israeli attacks on the Arab country. Brigadier General Hamzeh Qalandari, deputy defense minister for international affairs, made the remarks on the sidelines of a ceremony to mark the International Mine Awareness Day and Assistance in Mine Action in the capital, Tehran, on Tuesday. "We find ourselves committed to help friendly countries, like Syria, improve their air defenses and fend off aerial attacks," he said, as he talked about the export of defense products at the event. The deputy defense minister further noted that Syria used to be a "defenseless" country in the face of Israeli aerial attacks in the past, but now Damascus is repelling a large number of air strikes carried out by the occupying Israeli regime. Elsewhere in his remarks, General Qalandari stated that Iran has assisted many of its neighbors and friendly countries "not only in terms of equipment and arms, but also in the field of technology of manufacturing military equipment." He also highlighted the growing interest in the purchase of Iranian military and defense equipment, saying "After the removal of a UN arms embargo against Iran in 2020, we are witnessing many countries that seek to employ Iranian weapons." The Israeli regime frequently violates Syrian sovereignty by targeting military positions inside the country, especially those of the resistance movement Hezbollah, which has played a key role in helping the Syrian army in its fight against foreign-backed terrorists. Syria's official SANA news agency quoted an unnamed military source as saying that the Israeli regime had launched a fresh missile strike against Syria, this time targeting positions in the vicinity of the country's capital city of Damascus. The new missile attack was carried out early Tuesday from the direction of the occupied Golan Heights, and in addition to Damascus, hit some other areas in the southern part of the country. The military source added that the country's air defenses intercepted Israeli missiles, shooting down most of them. The attack, however, left two civilians dead and caused some material damage. Syria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates has warned Israel against the consequences of these attacks, saying such hostile policies will lead to insecurity and instability in the region. Israel mostly keeps quiet about its attacks on the Syrian territories, which many view as a knee-jerk reaction to Syrian government's increasing success in confronting terrorism. The Tel Aviv regime has been a main supporter of terrorist groups that have battled the government of President Bashar al-Assad since foreign-backed militancy erupted in Syria in early 2011. Syrian has repeatedly complained to the UN over Israeli assaults, urging the Security Council to take action against Tel Aviv's crimes. The calls have, however, fallen on deaf ears. Iran and Syria signed a comprehensive agreement to enhance their cooperation in the military and defense sectors in July 2020. Back in February, Iranian and Syrian military officials agreed on the delivery of missile systems to Damascus to boost the Arab country's air defenses amid increased Israeli air raids. Iran was the first country to rush to Syria's assistance following the outbreak of the foreign-backed violence in the Arab country. Back in 2017, military advisory assistance provided by the Islamic Republic helped the Arab nation score a monumental victory over the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syria: Israeli aggressive policies threaten region with all-out escalation Iran Press TV Wednesday, 05 April 2023 2:49 AM Amid the Israeli regime's back-to-back attacks against Syria, the Arab country warns that the occupying regime's aggressive policies threaten the region with all-out escalation and a new phase of instability. Syria's foreign ministry issued the warning on Tuesday while making mention of the regime's several rounds of aggression against the capital Damascus, the western Syrian city of Homs, and the cities' suburbs over the past few days, the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported. The latest of the attacks hit the vicinity of Damascus earlier in the day, causing the death of two civilians and leaving some material damage. This was the fourth missile strike to be carried out by the occupying regime against Syria in less than a week. The attack came after the regime conducted an airstrike against positions across the country's central Homs Province on Sunday, injuring five soldiers. Two earlier attacks on Damascus were carried out on Thursday and Friday. The Friday attack led to the martyrdom of two members of the Iranian military advisory mission that is present in the Arab country at Damascus' request to help its forces in their fight against foreign-backed terrorist groups. On Sunday, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) issued a stern warning to the Israeli regime, vowing retaliation for Tel Aviv's killing of the advisors. The Tel Aviv regime mostly keeps quiet about its attacks on Syrian territory, which many views as a knee-jerk reaction to the increasing success of the country's government and its allies in confronting terrorism. To escape from the repercussions of its acts of aggression, however, the Israeli regime tries to "hide behind the umbrella of immunity and unlimited support from its protectors," the Syrian foreign ministry added. The ministry was referring to the United States and its allies and their provision of unreserved protection for the regime against the slightest instance of accountability across the international organizations for its violations and atrocities. Tel Aviv, the ministry added, even "follows in the footsteps of its sponsors in Washington and other Western capitals in exporting crises and escaping from internal problems to external aggressions and crimes," the ministry concluded. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese military planes enter ADIZ, as Tsai set to meet McCarthy ROC Central News Agency 04/04/2023 02:50 PM Taipei, April 4 (CNA) A total of 20 Chinese military aircraft and three warships were detected in areas around Taiwan from 6 a.m. Monday to 6 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND). Chinese military aircraft flew 20 times in Taiwan's general vicinity, and in one of them, a high-altitude, long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Harbin BZK-005 used for reconnaissance crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, the MND said in a statement Tuesday. Eight flights, seven of which were flown by J-16s fighter jets and one by a Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane, shot into the southwestern part of Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ), the MND said. The ministry did not release the flight paths of the other planes or identify or disclose the path of the three warships spotted in areas around Taiwan. It noted, however, as it always does when talking about incursions of People's Liberation Army aircraft into Taiwan's ADIZ, that the military scrambled combat air and naval patrols and deployed defense missile systems to track the Chinese military aircraft and warships. The latest sortie of Chinese military aircraft and warships, which was generally in line -- both in terms of flight numbers and where they went -- with similar sorties in recent weeks, came as U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced overnight he would meet with President Tsai Ing-wen (ee) in California on Wednesday. Tsai will be in California at the end of an overseas trip that has taken her to New York, Guatemala, and Belize. Asked about the planned meeting between McCarthy and Tsai, Mao Ning (a), a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry, said on Monday that Beijing strongly opposes "any form of official interaction and contact between the U.S. side and Taiwan authorities" and "will take resolute measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity." In a statement, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Tuesday that China's reaction to Tsai's transit in the United States was "ridiculous and unfounded." MOFA said China's aim to take resolute measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity regarding Tsai's trip was "divorced from reality" as Taiwan has never been part of the People's Republic of China (PRC), and the PRC has never ruled Taiwan. The Republic of China (Taiwan) is an independent sovereign nation that has the right to decide to engage with any other countries, MOFA said, and Taipei will not accept interference or suppression or be deterred by threats by any other country. Tensions across the Taiwan Strait escalated after then U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, McCarthy's predecessor, made a 19-hour visit to Taipei in August 2022. That prompted China to launch massive military exercises around Taiwan a few days later, and since then, Chinese military planes have repeatedly crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, showing Beijing's intention to set up a new normal toward Taiwan. (By Huang Ya-shih, Y.F. Low and Frances Huang) Enditem/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China slams plan for Taiwan president to meet US House Speaker Tsai Ing-wen is set to meet Kevin McCarthy in California Wednesday. By RFA Staff 2023.04.04 -- China on Tuesday reacted angrily to an announcement that U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will meet with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen in California, saying the meeting will "further damage" China-U.S. relations. On Monday, despite warnings from Beijing, McCarthy's office announced that the Speaker will "host a bipartisan meeting with the President of Taiwan at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library" in Simi Valley on Wednesday. It will be the first ever meeting between a Taiwan president and a U.S. House Speaker in the United States. Tsai is currently in Belize on an official visit to Taiwan's two remaining allies in Central America that also took her to Guatemala. The third ally in the region - Honduras - has just broken ties with Taipei, switching allegiance to Beijing. The Taiwanese president will make a transit in Los Angeles on her way back to Taipei. A similar stopover was made in New York last week. The Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles said in a statement that the Tsai-McCarthy meeting will "greatly hurt the national feelings" of the Chinese people and is "not conducive to regional peace, security nor stability," according to news reports. China considers Taiwan one of its provinces and has repeatedly warned against what Beijing sees as a "separatist campaign" by the current Taiwan government, assisted by "external forces." When asked about the meeting that China labeled a "provocation" and whether it would retaliate with military action, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing "will take resolute measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity." She did not elaborate on the measures. 'Absurd and unreasonable' Taiwan's Defense Ministry on Tuesday morning said that over the previous 24 hours, 20 Chinese aircraft and three warships were detected in areas around the island. Nine of the aircraft crossed the median line in the Taiwan Strait which serves as the de facto boundary between Taiwan and China's mainland. The Taiwanese Foreign Ministry hit back on Tuesday, saying that Taiwan has never been part of nor ruled by China. This is "an objective fact that is clearly recognized internationally," it said. The ministry added that China's reaction to Tsai Ing-wen's trip has "become increasingly absurd and unreasonable." Taiwan is a sovereign and independent country, it said, and "has the right to independently choose to communicate and develop relations with other countries in the world." The meeting between Taiwan's president and the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives was reportedly relocated from Taiwan to California due to concerns about China's retaliation. When then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August last year, China staged a week-long military exercise around the island. The change of venue is seen by some analysts as a tension-reducing measure. Meanwhile, former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou is in China on a visit criticized by the island's ruling Democratic Progressive Party. Ma, who is a member of the opposition Kuomintang party, met with Chinese officials and called on both sides "to do everything possible to avoid war," Chinese media reported. Edited by Mike Firn. Copyright 1998-2023, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content April not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy Prime Minister of Canada - Justin Trudeau April 4, 2023 Ottawa, Ontario Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Prime Minister reaffirmed Canada's unwavering support for Ukraine as it continues to resist Russia's brutal and unjustifiable aggression. The two leaders discussed Ukraine's current needs, as well as Canada's ongoing support and recent announcements, including military, financial, and humanitarian assistance. President Zelenskyy welcomed these announcements, and expressed gratitude for Canada's continued contributions to Ukraine's security and stability. The Prime Minister expressed support for Ukraine's ongoing diplomatic efforts. He conveyed Canada's commitment to continue supporting Ukraine in its efforts toward a just peace and a free and democratic future. Finally, the Prime Minister conveyed admiration for the resilience of the Ukrainian people as they continue to fight for democracy and freedom, and reaffirmed Canada's commitment to supporting Ukraine for as long as it takes. The two leaders affirmed their intention to remain in close and regular contact. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Visit to Ukraine: Secretary General meets President Zelenskyy Council of Europe Secretary General Strasbourg 4 April 2023 Secretary General Marija Pejcinovic Buric has met the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and key personalities during her visit to Ukraine on 3 April. The Secretary General expressed the Council of Europe's full solidarity and support to Ukraine in the face of the ongoing Russian aggression, highlighting concrete steps in the area of accountability. "The Organisation is prepared to play a leading role in the establishment of a register to record and document evidence and claims of damage, loss, or injury because of the Russian aggression in Ukraine. The register is an important part of current international initiatives to set up a compensation mechanism for Russia's crimes of aggression", she said. The President and the Secretary General also discussed the situation of Ukrainian children forcibly deported to the Russian Federation, and the possible contribution of the Council of Europe to address this major concern. They finally discussed the preparations for the upcoming Fourth Summit of the Heads of State and Government in Reykjavik (16th-17th May). President Zelenskyy and the Secretary General took part in a ceremony at Yahidnyanska School to mark one year of the liberation of the Chernyhiv Region. "Russia's disregard for people's lives and its determination to inflict destruction and human sufferings are unspeakable. Yahidne has been liberated thanks to the bravery and determination of Ukrainian fighters, a step towards the just goal of a free Ukraine. The Council of Europe will continue to stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes, until this goal is achieved, and justice is done", underlined Marija Pejcinovic Buric. The Secretary General also met Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Oleksandre Kornienko, First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzheparova, and Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin. Discussions focused on the implementation of the new Action Plan for Ukraine "Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction" (2023-2026), taking into account Ukraine's EU candidate status. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 4, 2023 Release Biden Administration Announces Additional Security Assistance for Ukraine Today, the Department of Defense (DoD) announces critical new security assistance for Ukraine. This includes the authorization of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance with more ammunition for U.S.-provided HIMARS, air defense interceptors, and artillery rounds that Ukraine is using to defend itself, as well as anti-armor systems, small arms, heavy equipment transport vehicles, and maintenance support essential to strengthening Ukraine's defenders on the battlefield valued at up to $500 million. In addition, we are announcing a significant package of air defense capabilities, as well as artillery and tank ammunition, mortar systems, rockets, and anti-armor systems using $2.1 billion in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds. The Presidential Drawdown is the thirty-fifth such drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine that the Biden Administration has authorized since August 2021. The capabilities in this package include: Additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems; Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS); 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds; 120mm mortar rounds; 120mm and 105mm tank ammunition; 25mm ammunition; Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles; Approximately 400 grenade launchers and 200,000 rounds of ammunition; 11 tactical vehicles to recover equipment; 61 heavy fuel tankers; 10 trucks and 10 trailers to transport heavy equipment; Testing and diagnostic equipment to support vehicle maintenance and repair; Spare parts and other field equipment. Under USAI, the DoD will provide Ukraine with: Additional munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS); Nine counter-Unmanned Aerial System 30mm gun trucks; 10 mobile c-UAS laser-guided rocket systems; Three air surveillance radars; 30mm and 23mm anti-aircraft ammunition; 130mm and 122mm artillery rounds; 122mm GRAD rockets; Rocket launchers and ammunition; 120mm and 81mm mortar systems; 120mm, 81mm, and 60mm mortar rounds; 120mm tank ammunition; Javelin anti-armor systems; Anti-armor rockets; Precision aerial munitions; Approximately 3,600 small arms and more than 23,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition; Seven tactical vehicles to recover equipment; Eight heavy fuel tankers and 105 fuel trailers; Armored bridging systems; Four logistics support vehicles; Trucks and ten trailers to transport heavy equipment; Secure communications equipment; SATCOM terminals and services; Funding for training, maintenance, and sustainment. Unlike Presidential Drawdown, USAI is an authority under which the United States procures capabilities from industry rather than delivering equipment that is drawn down from DoD stocks. The announcement of this USAI package represents the beginning of a contracting process to provide additional capabilities to Ukraine's Armed Forces. The United States will continue to work with its Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its immediate battlefield needs and longer-term security assistance requirements. https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3350958/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 4, 2023 Transcript Senior Defense Official Holds a Background Briefing on Ukraine Senior Defense Official STAFF: Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining us today for this background call. Joining us today is (inaudible) will be on background today with attribution to "a senior defense official". And with that, I will turn it over to (inaudible). SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Great, thank you. Good afternoon, everyone. I am proud to announce a substantial new package of security assistance for Ukraine. Let me first offer some broader context, and then what I'll do is I'll summarize the capabilities that are included in this package today. The war is at an important stage. Fighting continues in the east, but there have not been significant recent shifts in territorial control. The front lines are relatively static with significant exchanges of artillery, but without significant maneuver gains by either side. As we have said previously, our focus is on supporting the Ukrainians to change the dynamic on the ground. We want to help Ukraine advance and hold its positions in what we expect will be a Ukrainian counteroffensive. We continue to pursue that objective in several ways, including by working with allies and partners to provide new and significant capabilities and training. First, we have focused on enabling a layered and integrated approach to air defense; second, we are delivering a steady flow of artillery rounds and other ammunition, as well as spare parts and maintenance support to help sustain Ukraine's fight; third, we have marshalled commitments of important armor capabilities to enhance Ukraine's ability to conduct complex maneuvers; and fourth, to bring all of these capabilities to bear in a coordinated manner, we have expanded U.S.-led training of Ukraine's forces to focus on combined arms and joint maneuver operations. We are putting all of these pieces together to provide full, lasting, combat-credible capabilities covering all of the steps from the donation, to the training, to the maintenance and sustainment. The substantial resources the United States has committed to Ukraine reflects the American interests and values that are at stake. Judging from the significant commitments that our allies and partners have made, the stakes for Europe and the larger world are widely-recognized, as well. Allies stepped up again two weeks ago at the last meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group chaired by Secretary Austin. In fact, when you look at security assistance for Ukraine as a percentage of GDP, among the top 20 donors, the United States is roughly in the middle. And today, on all days, as we welcome Finland's accession to NATO, I want to point out that Finland is one of the highest contributors to Ukraine both in percentage of GDP terms and in total dollars spent on military assistance. We look forward to an even closer relationship with Finland now that it has officially become the 31st NATO ally. The package we are announcing today will complement many of the capabilities our allies and partners are providing. So this is a two-part package. It includes $2.1 billion in additional commitments for procurement under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, as well as a drawdown of equipment from U.S. inventories valued at $500 million. As you know, drawdown and USAI authorities operate on different timelines, and our dual approach demonstrates our commitment to Ukraine's near-term needs, as well as its enduring strength over the longer term. The full list of capabilities in this package was posted on the DOD website as always, so I'm not going to actually run through every single capability, but I want to summarize by describing three main categories of items. First, the package includes important capabilities for air defense and to counter Russian unmanned aerial systems. This includes additional interceptors for both Patriot and NASAMS air defense systems, and it also includes new counter-UAS capabilities such as the 30-mm gun trucks to detect and intercept drones such as the Iranian-built Shaheds. Second, in the category of fires, the package includes a range of items to help Ukraine sustain its fight. This includes additional Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, or as we call them, GMLRS, as well as 155-mm artillery rounds, including Excaliber precision-guided rounds. It also includes additional mortar rounds, which continue to help ensure Ukraine has a layered indirect fires capability, including to support the close fight as its forces maneuver to push back Russian lines. Third, the package includes several capabilities to support U.S.-provided armor. That includes 120-mm ammunition, which will support Ukraine's newly-formed armored tank battalions, as well as Abraham -- Abrams tanks that the United States has committed, 25-mm ammunition, which can be used on the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles that the United States previously committed, and also recovery vehicles and refuelers to keep the armor in the fight. As I said at the top, we are focused both on the here and now and on the future. This dual package combining drawdown and procurement reflects that approach. The U.S. remains committed to the cause of a free and secure Ukraine. And now, I look forward to taking your questions. STAFF: Great. Thank you to our senior defense official. For anyone that just joined, again, this call is on background with attribution to "a senior defense official". And with that, we'll take our first question from Lita Baldor, Associated Press. Q: Hi. Thank you. Two things. If you could just update us, for the senior defense official. Can you give us an update on training numbers, the total that have been trained, including on the -- on the Abrams, but as well, on all of the other training that's been going on in Europe? And secondly, can you give us a better sense of the -- the communications, the satellite communications that's being provided. Is that Starlink, or is that paying for the -- an ongoing capability that the Starlink has provided, or is it a -- a different capability? Can you just help us understand what that is? Thank you. SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Sure. I took down three -- three things then. In terms of the -- the training numbers, at this point, I think our numbers stand at more than 4,000 Ukrainian soldiers making up two brigades that were trained recently. Now, one of those brigades was for the Bradleys, and one was equipped with the Strykers. That was the training program in Grafenwoehr. But you know, when you look at the total training numbers since -- since the invasion last year, we -- we're up to more than 7,000 members trained of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Abrams training has not yet begun, so we will -- we will give you a heads-up as we start that training program. We are still working on the equipment procurement, so we haven't -- we have not yet begun the training, but I would expect that that will happen relatively soon. In terms of satellite communications, in this particular package, we are looking at a number of equipment items, but I can't comment on specific vendors because there is a -- a contracting process that is -- that is underway, so I just -- I can't get into that. And did I -- did I get all your questions, Lita? I feel like I missed one. Q: No, -- you did. Thank you. And do you have a time when you think the Abrams training will actually begin, since they did speed up the acquisition? SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Yes, we just -- we just sped up the acquisition. I don't have a specific training date, a start date for you yet but, you know, when we do, we will -- we will get that for you. STAFF: Great, thank you. Our next question, we'll go to Howard Altman, War Zone. Q: Thank you so very much. I actually have a couple of questions. One is equipment specific. Can you provide more details about what kind of gun trucks -- the 30 millimeter gun trucks, what kind of counter-UAS laser-guided rocket systems and what kind of precision aerial munitions are in this package? That's the first question. Second question is is there any concern about the equipment that's been provided to Ukraine being used in Bakhmut? And is there any concern about the amount of effort and casualties that Ukraine is taking to defend that city, in terms of a -- a -- whether that affects the counter-offensive that's looming? Thanks. SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Thank you. OK, several things. So on the equipment, the specific equipment items, the gun trucks are a new item from -- from the United States. We're providing nine. They're called counter-UAS 30 millimeter gun trucks, and our expectation is that these will be able to detect and intercept drones, including the Iranian-built Shaheds, and it's -- it's a -- it's literally what it sounds like, a 30 millimeter gun mounted on a truck. Because that's procurement, it's going to take several months to be able to actually provide that to Ukraine. And then I think you also asked about the 10 -- these are 10 mobile counter-UAS laser-guided rocket systems. These are going to enable -- this is also a new item -- this will enable Ukraine to fire precision rockets from mobile positions and they will use the APKWS, Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System, laser-guided munitions, again, to counter the drone threat, and the APKWS is something that was previously provided. And then let's see here. On the precision -- the precision aerial munitions, that is -- that is a reference to JDAM, the Joint Direct Attack Munitions, and that also is through -- through procurement. So it will take a bit of time. And in terms of your question more broadly about, you know, equipment being used in -- in Bakhmut, as -- as you know, we are in very close communication with the Ukrainian leadership team, the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Ukrainian political leadership, and, you know, we -- we understand the -- the strategy that they have decided to pursue. We absolutely are seeing the devastating loss of life that Russia is experiencing, with Wagner forces essentially being, you know, thrown -- thrown into a meat grinder and Russian forces being fixed in position because of the -- the robust Ukrainian defenses. And so certainly we understand Ukraine's strategy and we are very confident that they do have the equipment that they need and that, as we are -- as we are helping them to field these newly trained forces, they do have the capabilities to be able to pursue whatever this next phase -- next phase looks like on the battlefield. STAFF: Great, thank you. Our next question, we'll go to Alex Horton, Washington Post. Q: Hey, thanks for doing this, SDO. I -- I -- I'm glad you brought up Bakhmut and equipment there. I was just outside the city a couple of weeks ago and I spoke to a battery commander who has D-30s. He wants M777s, doesn't have them, and his problem is running out of artillery shells for that. I see USAI is going to provide the 122 millimeter that would be used for this -- for this piece but it's simply becoming a math problem. Your ability to sustain artillery rounds is for the M777, not -- not what they mostly have, which is Soviet caliber. So I'm -- I'm curious if -- if you are doing anything to combat this math problem? Are there any issues that you could, you know, address, like procuring the Soviet ammunition? And do you think maybe that the drip and drab approach to meter, you know, U.S. and NATO stockpile of howitzers, have -- have you come to see any flaws in that, now that they're running out of ammunition that you can't readily supply? SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Great. So yeah, there's a lot of things that we are doing collaboratively with the Ukrainians on this question of both -- both the howitzers and the actual ammunition supplies. So I'll start with just the fact that we're incredibly transparent with the Ukrainians. So they have a really good understanding of what ammunition we are planning to provide, when we are planning to provide it, you know, what caliber is this for -- you know, for the M777, as -- as you mentioned. Is this for Soviet-type artillery pieces? So that enables them to be able to plan their operations and understand where they need to flow their -- their equipment. So that's the first thing. And again, we have this continual conversation with them, not just about what they need right now but what - but what are they going to need in the future, and that's where we can plan to be able to time our deliveries to support what they need on the battlefield. In terms of the -- you know, the challenge of -- of maintaining sufficient supply of ammunition of whatever caliber, I think we're at this really helpful inflection point right now because previously, the U.S. and most of the allies were just drawing down from their own stocks when it came to Western caliber -- you mentioned the, you know, 155 for the -- for the -- say, the M777 howitzer, for instance. And obviously, there's a finite supply in our own stocks. But now, we're at this point where we are also doing a healthy amount of procurement because of increased production of ammunition. And the U.S. was -- was really at the front end of this wave, increasing production and procurement of 155 ammunition. So today, when Ukraine gets their deliveries of 155 from the United States, they're getting deliveries that include ammunition we procured from USAI many, many months ago. So that is starting to come online. But other allies are also starting to boost production. You -- I'm sure you heard about the EU announcement to significantly increase ammunition production in Europe. So all of this is coming online in the next several months to be able to enable -- enable this to be a sustainable support mechanism for Ukraine. Now, you also mentioned the -- the availability of -- of howitzers, and I want to emphasize that this is another area where we feel like we have provided the right -- the right capability, the right numbers of -- of howitzers, both the M777, as I mentioned, but also we've had a number of allies providing other Western-type howitzers, whether you're talking, you know, the -- the French CAESAR or other capabilities. We want to make sure that those howitzers can be kept in the fight, and so that's why you see us focusing also on things like barrel replacement. These -- these howitzers are getting a lot of use. So we have redoubled our efforts on -- on -- on making sure that they are capable. And then on maintenance, we -- we have tele-maintenance that -- that is possible so that, whether it's a howitzer or -- or -- or, you know, an infantry fighting vehicle, Ukrainian Armed Forces, you know, soldiers far -- far into the field can call back and get assistance from U.S. and allied partners to be able to repair and not necessarily have to actually take that capability offline. But lastly, you can tell this is a topic I like to talk about. Lastly, in terms of the -- the, what we call non-standard caliber, this is basically Soviet-type artillery and ammunition, we have found many sources of this around the world. So, you'll -- you did notice, I think, in this USAI package we have a number of different caliber of non-standard ammunition, mortars, et cetera. And so, we will continue to procure the use -- the use capabilities for the Ukrainians because we recognize that they still do have a lot of Soviet-type equipment. And if we can keep it in the fight we can enable their effectiveness. All right, thank you. Q: Great. What about -- a question to that. I appreciate it. What's the plan when they run out -- the Soviet and Russian-type of ammunition and they don't have enough M777 to replace them? SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Well, I think we're always looking at what their total capability needs are. And we are always able to look at providing them with more, whether it's through procurement or through our own stocks. And that -- and that's not just true of Howitzers, that's -- that's across the board true. So, we're always evaluating those -- those total requirements. STAFF: Great. Our next question will go to Carla Babb, "VOA." Q: Hey, thanks for doing this. Appreciate it. I just wanted to follow up some of the news we're hearing about Wagner Group, that there are reports out there from the U.K. Defense Ministry that they're seeing signs that the Russians are looking to replace Wagner Group. What can you tell us about that? SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Well, I'm not familiar with the -- the specific report that you mentioned, Carla. But I can say, you know, in general, what we have seen from Wagner on the battlefield is an incredible brutality in their -- in their operations. And on the part of their leadership, a real disregard for the lives of these Russian Wagner fighters. We also do certainly see, you know, tension and infighting at the leadership levels. This is not just in terms of, you know, Wagner leadership but really across the board within, you know, Russian leadership we certainly are seeing a good deal of squabbling, I would say. STAFF: Great, thank you. We'll get through a few more here. James Levinson, "Fox." Q: Hey, thank you very much. I have two questions really quickly. First, General Valery Zaluzhny talked today to Milley and he said that there was -- the attention was paid to weapons and ammunition supplies issue. I was wondering if you can go a little bit more. Is that the issue that potentially that we're having short-term supply of getting onto the specific ammunition into the front or is it in terms of the medium-term, as Alex had asked? And then also, in terms of the Patriot Defense System that you announced that there was going to be additional munitions, where are we on that in terms of the potential delivery and trending in country? I know that they finished in their initial training, but is that mean that the training and the system is going to be imminently coming into this -- into the country? SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: OK, great. So, in terms of the specifics of today's call, I don't have a detailed readout for you, but I can say that, you know, in general, we are constantly talking to Ukrainian military leaders about their supplies, whether it's ammunition or other capabilities. And, you know, constantly seeking to calibrate and adjust what we can provide to make sure that it meets their needs. So, I would imagine this would be another one of those conversations in a long line of conversations on availability of equipment. In terms of Patriots, it is true that the training at Fort Sill has concluded. I am not going to comment on the specifics of, you know, timelines for -- for the capability delivery for operational security reasons. STAFF: Thank you. Next, we'll go to Heather with USNI. Q: Hi, thank you so much. So I was calling to ask if you can go a little bit over what's going on in the Black Sea. I know that that's not really your area of expertise, but we haven't gotten an update kind of on what the ships are. And now I'm hearing that the Russians may have some more abilities to mine the rivers in Ukraine. So I'm just wondering, have you heard anything from Ukraine in terms of things that they might need in the future or if you can just give some update in general about what's going on there. SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Well, Heather, I -- I hate to disappoint, but I don't really have much new in terms of the Black Sea or Black Sea operations. And if you -- you may be tracking -- you mentioned riverine operations, in previous packages, really in our last drawdown package, in fact, we did provide some riverine capabilities. So we will continue to support the Ukrainians as they -- as they consider riverine operations for the future. But I don't have any -- any substantial changes to report in the Black Sea. STAFF: All right. Thank you. And want to be sensitive of our senior defense official's time, so I'll take one last question from Sam Skove, Defense One, I -- I'm sorry if mispronounced your last name. Q: No, that's perfect, ma'am. Thank you. So as regard to the mobile UAS laser-guided rocket systems, is that part of the January JCO test that was aimed at finding systems like that? And if so, is this the first time the U.S. has sent a new experimental system that was designed explicitly for Ukraine in mind to Ukraine? Or is this part of an ongoing effort? Thank you. SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Thanks. I would characterize this as part of an ongoing effort. But I am not familiar with the specifics of that -- that test. So I'd have to -- I'd have to get back to you with -- with that very specific detail. Q: No worries. And -- and these are for the Shaheds as well, right? SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: I'm sorry, yes. This is -- this is aimed at countering the Shaheds, among other -- among other drone threats. Q: Great. Thanks very much. STAFF: Right. Thank you all. Thank you to our senior defense official. And with that, we will wrap up today's call. https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3351824/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 4, 2023 By David Vergun , DOD News Large Quantity of Defensive Munitions Earmarked for Ukraine Today, the Defense Department announced critical new security assistance for Ukraine, including ammunition for a wide range of weapons, a senior defense official said today at the Pentagon news conference. The U.S. and allies have been stepping up the production of munitions to keep Ukraine in the fight as the country tries to repel a Russian invasion and reclaim its territory from Russia, the official said. The war is at an important stage. Fighting continues in the east, but there have not been significant recent shifts in territorial control. The front lines are relatively static, with significant exchanges of artillery, but without appreciable ground gains by either side, the official said. "Our focus is on supporting the Ukrainians to change the dynamic on the ground. We want to help Ukraine advance and hold its positions in what we expect will be a Ukrainian counteroffensive," the official said. As a percentage of donor nations' gross domestic product, the United States is roughly in the middle of the top 20 nations donating to Ukraine's security assistance, the official said. Finland, the newest NATO member, is one of the highest contributors to Ukraine, both in percentage of GDP and in total dollars spent on military assistance the official pointed out. The department is in constant talks with Ukraine regarding its needs, be it munitions or other materiel, and continual adjustments are made based on conditions on the battlefield, the official said. Besides munitions, the department has expanded training of Ukraine's forces to focus on combined arms and joint-maneuver operations. Also, maintenance and sustainment support are being provided, the official said. "The substantial resources the United States has committed to Ukraine reflects the American interests and values that are at stake. Judging from the significant commitments that our allies and partners have made, the stakes for Europe and the larger world are widely recognized, as well," the official said. The capabilities in this military aid package, valued at up to $500 million, includes: Additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems. Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems. Artillery rounds: 155 mm and 105 mm. Mortar rounds: 120 mm. Tank ammunition: 120 mm and 105 mm. Ammunition: 25 mm. Tube-launched, optically-tracked, wire-guided missiles. About 400 grenade launchers and 200,000 rounds of ammunition. Tactical vehicles to recover equipment: 11. Heavy fuel tankers: 61. Heavy equipment transport: 10 trucks and 10 trailers. Testing and diagnostic equipment to support vehicle maintenance and repair. Spare parts and other field equipment. In addition, DOD will provide Ukraine with $2.1 billion in assistance from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funds. Those funds will provide: Additional munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems. Nine counter-unmanned serial system 30 mm gun trucks. Mobile counter-unmanned aircraft system, or C-UAS, laser-guided rocket systems: 10. Three air surveillance radars. Anti-aircraft ammunition: 30 mm and 23 mm. Artillery rounds: 130 mm and 122 mm. Grad rockets: 122 mm. Rocket launchers and ammunition. Mortar systems: 120 mm and 81 mm. Mortar rounds: 120 mm, 81 mm, and 60 mm. Tank ammunition: 120 mm. Javelin anti-armor systems. Anti-armor rockets. Precision aerial munitions. About 3,600 small arms and more than 23,000,000 rounds of small-arms ammunition. Seven tactical vehicles to recover equipment. Eight heavy fuel tankers and 105 fuel trailers. Armored bridging systems. Four logistics support vehicles. Trucks and 10 trailers to transport heavy equipment. Secure communications equipment. Satellite communications terminals and services. Funding for training, maintenance and sustainment. Unlike presidential drawdowns, Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative is an authority under which the United States procures capabilities from industry rather than delivering equipment that is drawn down from DOD stocks. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary General welcomes Foreign Minister of Ukraine to NATO NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 04 Apr. 2023 NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to NATO Headquarters on Tuesday (4 April 2023), at the start of the two-day meeting of Allied Foreign Ministers. The Secretary General commended Ukraine's continued push-back against Russia's war of aggression, saying that today's meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission will address "how to sustain and further step up the urgent support to Ukraine. Both military support, but also economic and financial support". He added that Allies will also discuss "increasing our political support to Ukraine in the longer-term and ways to help you on your path to Euro-Atlantic integration". NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO mulls multi-year support program for Ukraine: Stoltenberg People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 14:38, April 04, 2023 KIEV, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Jens Stoltenberg said Monday that the alliance will discuss a multi-year support program for Ukraine, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported. The program will be on the agenda of the meeting of NATO foreign ministers on April 4-5, Stoltenberg said. "I expect that the ministers will agree to start work on the development of a multi-year program for Ukraine," Stoltenberg told a press conference in Brussels, Belgium. Along with providing support for Ukraine in the conflict with Russia, the program is important for the long-term perspective of the development of relations between Ukraine and NATO, said Stoltenberg. At their meeting, the foreign ministers of NATO countries will also discuss ways to strengthen the support for Ukraine's Armed Forces and ensure their transition to NATO standards, he added. On April 4, the meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Commission will be held within the framework of the NATO foreign ministers summit. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Zelenskiy, Von Der Leyen Discuss Fresh EU Sanctions On Russia By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service March 04, 2023 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has spoken by phone with the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to discuss fresh EU sanctions on Russia for its war in Ukraine. "Areas of support for Ukraine were touched upon during the call, in particular, the need to prepare the 11th package of sanctions against Russia," Zelenskiy's office said an April 4. On February 24, a day that marked the anniversary of the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the EU adopted the 10th package of sanctions since the start of the war. That contained "targeted restricted measures against individuals and entities supporting the war, spreading propaganda or delivering drones used by Russia in the war." Von der Leyen tweeted after the meeting that Ukraine will be an important topic during her meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron will visit China from April 5 to April 7. Overnight, Russia launched a wave of Iranian-made drones on the southwestern region of Odesa, causing damage to civilian infrastructure but without casualties, the Ukrainian military said early on April 4, as fighting for the control of Bakhmut in the eastern Donetsk region continued despite Russian claims that it had captured the city. A total of 17 Shahed drones were launched on Odesa region, and "14 of them were destroyed by the air defense force of the southern command," the Ukrainian Air Force reported in its morning update. Reports on social media said that loud explosions could be heard in Odesa. "A drone hit one civilian facility in the Odesa region, causing a fire that the rescuers managed to eliminate by morning. There were no casualties," said Serhiy Bratchuk, a spokesman for the region's military administration. Russia has denied hitting civilian targets despite having launched numerous attacks on Ukrainian civilian and energy infrastructure since October, causing casualties and extensive damage to electricity supply lines that left millions of Ukrainians without light or heating during the cold season. In the east, the Russian military continued to launch repeated assaults on Bakhmut, the mining city in the eastern region of Donetsk that has been the focal point of the battle to control the Donbas. Faced with stiff Ukrainian resistance in Bakhmut, Russian forces have extended their directions of attack toward other cities in Donetsk such as Lyman, Avdiyivka, and Maryinka. Ukrainian defenders repelled 69 Russian attacks over the past day, with "the fiercest battles continuing in Bakhmut, Avdiyivka, and Maryinka," Ukraine's General Staff said in its daily report on April 4. The Russian Army is continuing its unsuccessful attempts to take full control of Bakhmut, it said. The latest battle report came as a U.S. official said the fight for the battle-devastated city is not over, despite claims by Wagner that the Russian mercenary force had captured the center of Bakhmut. John Kirby, spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council, told reportersvon April 3 that the Ukrainian military had not been driven out of Bakhmut. He described fighting there as "quite, quite violent and quite close." "Even if the Russians do get it, it isn't going to change the battlefield dynamics from a strategic perspective," Kirby said, reflecting views in the West that the city holds more of a symbolic value for Moscow seeking a victory to hail than actual strategic worth. Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address on April 3 that he had held another meeting with senior military commanders and that "the preparation of active measures for the liberation of Ukrainian lands" was in full swing, but did not explicitly mention an anticipated counteroffensive. "Full meeting. Full coordination. Full preparation of our active actions for the sake of liberating Ukrainian lands," he said. With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-drones- odesa-bakhmut/32348418.html Copyright (c) 2023. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Outlines Details Of New Military Aid Package For Ukraine Valued At $2.6 Billion By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service April 04, 2023 The United States has unveiled details of $2.6 billion in new military aid for Ukraine to assist the country in its war against Russian forces. The package includes a wide variety of ammunition from Pentagon stockpiles meant to arrive quickly on the battlefield. About $500 million of the package is to be drawn from U.S. stockpiles, while the remaining $2.1 billion is to come in the form of Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funding, which pays for the procurement of equipment directly from the defense industry. The drawdown -- the 35th from U.S. Defense Department inventories that the Biden Administration has authorized for Ukraine since August 2021 -- provides ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and for Patriot air defense systems. The drawdown will provide "artillery rounds that Ukraine is using to defend itself, as well as anti-armor systems, small arms, heavy equipment transport vehicles, and maintenance support essential to strengthening Ukraine's defenders on the battlefield," the Pentagon said in a news release. The $2.1 billion in USAI funds will provide Ukraine with additional ammunition for U.S.-provided National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), laser-guided rocket systems, air surveillance radar, and gun trucks designed to shoot down drones. "The United States will continue...to provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its immediate battlefield needs and longer-term security assistance requirements," the Pentagon statement added. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba commented on the aid package ahead of a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at NATO headquarters in Brussels. "We very much appreciate everything that the United States has done specifically in the last month to help our army prepare itself for the counteroffensive," Kuleba said. "The Biden administration has upheld its commitment to provide Ukraine with a lot of what we need and set an example to other allies," he added. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy referred to the package in a video address on April 4 to the U.S. National Governors Association. "Our cooperation will allow for the new enhancement of your security, for our economy and yours, for jobs in both our countries," Zelenskiy said. "The main thing is not to lose time, not to lose the chance we have. Act now, help now. Ukrainians act so that Americans don't have to fight -- and together we gain new strength for our countries," he said. The Russian Embassy in Washington reacted to the announcement by accusing the United States of wanting to drag out the conflict. "The decision to supply weapons to Kyiv is a step toward escalating the Ukrainian crisis and increasing the number of civilian casualties," TASS cited an embassy statement as saying. The new weapons and funding come as Ukrainian troops prepare for a spring offensive against Russian forces, which continue to bombard Ukraine with long-range missiles. With reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-us-military- aid-himars-patriot/32349456.html Copyright (c) 2023. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Stoltenberg Says NATO 'Ramping Up' Arms Production For 'War Of Attrition' In Ukraine By Zoriana Stepanenko April 04, 2023 BRUSSELS -- NATO member states are "ramping up" production of military supplies to ensure the Western alliance can continue to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia's full-scale invasion, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told RFE/RL in an interview. "The main challenge [facing NATO] is that this war now has become a war of attrition, which means the battle of logistics is about getting ammunition, weapons, supplies to the front lines." Stoltenberg, speaking at NATO headquarters in Brussels ahead of an April 4 meeting of foreign ministers from the military alliance's members, said that early in the war, which began in February 2022 with Russia's unprovoked full-scale invasion, NATO countries looking to aid Kyiv with weapon supplies "were depleting our own stocks." "So now we're also working hard ramping up production, so we can ensure that we can continue to support Ukraine, because this is extremely important to continue to do so." He said it would be "a tragedy for Ukraine if [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin wins, but it's also dangerous for the NATO allies." Stoltenberg said his message for alliance members was: "We should support Ukraine because it is in our security interest to demonstrate that President Putin [will not] win in Ukraine." Speaking on current battlefield developments, the NATO chief said the "whole world" was impressed by the "quality, the courage, determination" of Ukrainian forces. "And what we see is that the Russian troops -- there is low morale, the equipment is often bad, training is not very impressive. "Leadership is not really working in many of the operations.... But what the Russian troops lack in quality, they try to make up in quantity. So they are throwing in thousands and thousands of troops, many of them ill-equipped, ill-trained. But, of course...they're also able to inflict casualties on the Ukrainian side." As the war drags on, Stoltenberg said it was "our responsibility" to ensure that the conflict does not fall into a long-lasting stalemate. "What we would like to see is, of course, Ukraine being able to liberate more land, to push back President Putin's soldiers, and then that may create the conditions for some kind of negotiations," he said. He stressed that it was "for Ukraine to decide what are acceptable conditions for negotiations." "But what we know is that what happens through the negotiating table is inextricably linked to the strength of the battlefield. So if we want a negotiated solution where Ukraine prevails as an independent sovereign nation tomorrow, then we need to provide military support today," Stoltenberg said. Asked whether he believes the West will continue to support Kyiv as the war drags on, the NATO chief said that "we are ready to support Ukraine for as long as it takes." "We support Ukraine's right to self-defense [and to protect its] territory. This is a right which is enshrined in the UN charter. There's no doubt that what we see now is a war of aggression against Ukraine, and we support Ukraine's right to self-defense, and we will do that as long as it takes." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-nato-stoltenberg- interview/32348518.html Copyright (c) 2023. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Still Refusing to Engage UN Investigative Mission in Ukraine, Says Envoy in Geneva Sputnik News 20230404 GENEVA (Sputnik) - Russia will not engage the United Nations' Independent International Commission of Inquiry in Ukraine, the head of the Russian mission to the UN Office at Geneva said Tuesday. "Last year, Russia decided not to engage this mechanism. We will stick to this position," Gennady Gatilov was quoted as saying by the mission. The diplomat accused the UN body of being openly "anti-Russian and highly politicized." "It is only independent on paper. If you look closer, you will see that this mechanism was created by the West to peddle a carefully crafted narrative that is biased against Russia," Gatilov explained. The commission was created in March 2022 by the UN Human Rights Council to probe Russia's alleged war crimes in Ukraine. Twenty-eight countries voted on Tuesday to extend its mandate for another year, four countries fewer than during the inaugural vote. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Erdogan Says in Constant Contact With Putin, Zelensky to Resolve Ukrainian Crisis Sputnik News 20230404 ANKARA (Sputnik) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday that he has been in constant contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to facilitate the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. "I am in contact with Putin and Zelensky almost every week. I am making a sincere effort to stop the conflict. I believe that a just peace is possible," Erdogan said at a dinner with ambassadors accredited in Ankara. Later in the day, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that currently "everyone appreciates Turkiye's unbiased stance" and that everyone "is jealous" that Erdogan has been communicating with both sides of the Ukrainian conflict. The last telephone conversation between the leaders of Russia and Turkiye took place on March 25. The call addressed the steps to strengthen bilateral relations, as well as the situation around Ukraine. During the conversation, Erdogan also thanked Putin for the Russian leader's positive stance on the extension of the grain deal allowing exports of Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports. On March 25, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said that Erdogan intends to hold telephone talks with Zelensky to discuss the settlement of the conflict. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Foreign Ministry Summons French Charge d'Affaires Sputnik News 20230404 MOSCOW4 (Sputnik) - The Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday summoned French Charge d'Affaires Jay Dharmadhikari to lodge a protest over the French embassy's statement about provocation in Bucha, Ukraine. "On April 4, Charge d'Affaires of France in Russia J. Dharmadhikari was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry, a protest was lodged in connection with the statements published by the embassy on social networks about 'atrocities committed by the Russian armed forces in Bucha and other Ukrainian cities," the ministry said in a statement. Ukraine accuses Russia of committing war crimes in Bucha, where dozens of dead civilians were found after the withdrawal of Russian forces. The Russian Defense Ministry rejected the claim as a provocation. It said no civilians had been hurt while Russian troops were in control of the town and blamed Ukrainian artillery forces for pummeling residential areas. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Announces $2.6Bln in Military Aid for Ukraine, Including HIMARS Ammunition Sputnik News 20230404 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The Biden administration has announced a new package of military assistance for Ukraine in the amount of $2.6 billion, which includes additional ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and the Patriot air defense system, the US Department of Defense said in a press release on Tuesday. In addition, the Biden administration will spend $2.1 billion from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds to purchase additional air defense capabilities, as well as artillery and tank ammunition, mortar systems, rockets, and anti-armor systems for Kiev, the release said. "Today, the Department of Defense announces critical new security assistance for Ukraine. This includes [...] more ammunition for US-provided HIMARS, air defense interceptors and artillery rounds that Ukraine is using to defend itself, as well as anti-armor systems, small arms, heavy equipment transport vehicles, and maintenance support essential to strengthening Ukraine's defenders on the battlefield valued at up to $500 million," the release said. Ukraine will also be provided munitions for the US-supplied National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), three air surveillance radars, ten mobile c-UAS laser-guided rocket systems and nine counter-Unmanned Aerial System 30mm gun trucks, the release said. Moreover, the United States will provide Ukraine with 69 fuel tankers and 105 fuel trailers, 18 tactical vehicles to recover equipment, armored bridging systems and 3,600 small arms along with more than 23 million rounds of small arms ammunition, among other military assistance, the release said. The new package includes secure communications equipment, SATCOM terminals and associated services, as well as funding for training, maintenance and sustainment, the release added. The provision of security assistance under the USAI authority means that the security equipment for Ukraine will not be drawn directly from the Defense Department stocks but will be instead procured from respective manufacturers and this process can take up to several months, according to Pentagon officials. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba Before Their Meeting Remarks Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State NATO Headquarters Brussels, Belgium April 4, 2023 SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, good afternoon, everyone. As always, a great pleasure to be with my friend and colleague, Dmytro Kuleba, the foreign minister of Ukraine. And we're here, of course, at NATO where we've seen over the last year very strong support and solidarity for Ukraine, countries coming together to make sure that Ukraine has the means to defend itself, defend its people, defend its future, and that solidarity is fully on display here. We're looking forward to being with NATO colleagues in just a short while, and of course we're also at NATO doing preparatory work for the Vilnius Summit with leaders coming up this summer. But this is an opportunity, as always, for us to compare notes on where things are in Ukraine, and again, all the work that we're doing and other countries are doing to support Ukraine. FOREIGN MINISTER KULEBA: We remain in regular contact and we talk a lot, but it's always a special pleasure to sit down with you in person and have this conversation. I think it's very symbolic that this is the first time that we're actually seeing each other at NATO. And one of the issues that we will a SECRETARY BLINKEN: You've always been on the video screen prior to this, right. FOREIGN MINISTER KULEBA: Yes, yes, but physically on the birthday of NATO, we are here at the headquarters, and I think that gives us an excellent opportunity to discuss how to make our meetings at NATO happen more often. But seriously, a lot is on the plate, as usually. We will be discussing issues related to the deliveries of ammunition and weapons, and we very much appreciate everything that the United States have done specifically in the last months to help our army prepare itself for the - for the (inaudible). The Biden administration has fulfilled its commitment to providing Ukraine with a lot - what we need - and to set an example, to give an example to other allies. So, as always, everything we do aims at victory - victory of democracy over authoritarianism, victory of Ukraine over Russia, and victory of security over repression. SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thank you. Thanks, everyone. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian aggression proves that only collective preventive security guarantees can be reliable - address by the President of Ukraine President of Ukraine 4 April 2023 - 22:42 Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians! I have just addressed the Parliament of Chile - another country that heard Ukraine, heard what we are striving for. It does not matter what the distance is between our nations. We equally value life and defend the international order. We must deprive rashism of even the hope of support in Latin America. I also addressed the governors of the US states - this is the first time that I delivered such a special address to the representatives of each state elected by the citizens. I thanked them for their support, emphasized how we, together with America, can not only win the ongoing battle, but also prove that freedom and cooperation always restore normal life after the strikes of aggression. I also had several international conversations with our partners today. I thanked Canada and Mr. Prime Minister Trudeau personally for the unwavering support. For another manifestation of it - financial assistance in the amount of 2 billion 400 million Canadian dollars, which our budget has already received. The situation on the battlefield and the security needs of our country were discussed in detail. In order to drive the enemy out of our land faster and thereby end this war faster, we need to mobilize the world, our partners, all the peoples who do not agree with the chaos that Russian aggression is bringing to the world even more. I spoke with Ursula von der Leyen, Mrs. President of the European Commission. Our steps in European integration, our joint measures that we are preparing... The new sanctions package of the European Union, which must continue the line of pressure on Russia, pressure to reduce its terrorist potential, its threat. Today, by the way, a historic event took place for our region, for all of Europe, for the entire Euro-Atlantic community. Finland becomes the 31st member of NATO. The alliance is getting stronger on the eastern flank. I congratulate all the people of Finland and Mr. President personally on a reliable security guarantee - a collective guarantee. Russian aggression clearly proves that only collective guarantees, only preventive guarantees can be reliable. That's what we always talked about. We also talked about speed - the speed of security decisions matters. Now we can see how fast the procedures can be. By the way, this year's NATO Summit in Vilnius deserves to be quite ambitious. The more ambitious the one who protects freedom, the less opportunities for aggression the one who wants evil has. The day will come when security will be guaranteed for our country as well. I am constantly in touch with our commanders who are confronting the evil state on the battlefield. A special format of our military meeting was held today. General Syrskyi - regarding Bakhmut, Commander-in-Chief, Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate - regarding the overall military situation. The Ministry of Defense - regarding the supply of ammunition and everything else according to the needs of our defenders. Decisions are already being implemented. We have also been preparing all day for the international events planned for this week. They are important, brave, ambitious. As it is a rule for Ukraine. We also keep the internal situation under control, in particular regarding spiritual independence. We also guarantee it. No one will succeed in breaking Ukraine - neither from the outside nor from the inside. I thank everyone who is fighting for Ukraine! Avdiivka and Bakhmut, Maryinka and Krasnohorivka, every hot direction... I thank you, warriors! Thank you to everyone who helps Ukraine! I would like to highlight two decisions today. The U.S. is providing a $2.6 billion defense support package. Ammunition for HIMARS, for air defense, for artillery is just what we need. Thank you Mr. President Biden, thank you Congress, thank you every American! And the second decision. Today, the work of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Russian crimes against Ukrainians has been extended. Each such international legal step brings the Rashists closer to inevitable, fair responsibility. Glory to Ukraine! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The enemy of freedom must lose, that is why we ask the USA for support - speech by the President of Ukraine at an online meeting with members of the U.S. National Association of Governors President of Ukraine 4 April 2023 - 19:53 Thanks for this opportunity! Ladies and Gentlemen! Ambassador! Dear representatives of the entire U.S. - from the east coast to the west coast. Actually all cities and communities in the United States are represented at this meeting, and it is an honor to address you all. I have just completed my visits to those regions of Ukraine that were liberated from the Russian army, or that are bordering the combat zone. This is a colossal territory. The line of active hostilities in Ukraine now is more than 1,200 kilometers long. It's like from Washington, D.C., to Chicago and back! The total frontline is even more than that. Millions of people live in the cities and villages from which we have either already expelled the Russian flag or are preparing to do so. Think about this number - almost nineteen hundred cities and towns in my country need reconstruction. Schools and churches, residential buildings and enterprises, transport and power plants... All of you know very well what is to rebuild your life after a devastating tornado. You are doing it! We are doing it! But we are doing it because of the human element, human evil, and not a natural cataclysm. The reconstruction of Ukraine will be the largest economic project in Europe in lifetime of several generations. And I believe America will stand with us in this reconstruction! Your companies, your jobs... Just like you are with us now - in our defense. Ladies and Gentlemen! Who, if not you, state governors, know what is really behind the words "reconstruction" and "defense". Russia unleashed this war not so much against our country, but against freedom in Europe and around the globe in general. And when asking why America should help Ukraine and invest in our defense, the answer is - just look at reality. Millions of Ukrainian families are torn by the war, millions are forced to seek protection from Russian terror in other countries. Hundreds of Ukrainian cities and villages have been burned by Russian artillery, missiles, aircrafts and Iranian drones used by Russia. There was a city... Vuhledar. Fifteen thousand inhabitants lived there. The aggressor burned it. Mariupol. More than four hundred thousand inhabitants lived there. Russia left only ruins from it. Thousands of fields are mined. A significant part of our economy is broken. Hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people have been forcibly deported to Russia... This is what the evil state has brought to Ukraine. And what if all this spreads further across Europe? Through the cities and lands of your allies... Those whom you have a sacred obligation to protect. How much will it cost America then? The Kremlin dreams to humiliate America and Europe and the whole free world. The Kremlin dreams to split NATO and to provoke a conflict that will force Your nation to choose whether to fight or not. It is Ukraine, that is your last frontier, your last reliable border. Thanks to our strength, in particular your people will not have to make this choice - a choice about your men and women - brave soldiers, whose lives would be laid on the Altar of protecting the most precious - freedom. One thousand two hundred kilometers of fighting in Ukraine. And how much more can there be in Europe? Ukraine is capable of preventing the expansion of the war. We are able to defeat Russia on our land. The enemy of freedom must lose - quickly and surely where he came with a criminal and unprovoked war of aggression. That is why we ask the USA for support, for weapons and finances. If Ukraine endures - your peace, your allies and partners endure as well. And I want to thank all Americans - each and every one, leaders and ordinary people who see this reality, who know how important it is to protect freedom now, who support Ukraine. We are grateful to President Biden, to both parties and houses of Congress, and to every state that is involved in one way or another in protecting freedom. Grateful to those who are ready to work with us in reconstruction. Thanks to all of you. Thanks to Arkansas and all employees of the defense industry of the state - for the excellent HIMARS systems, which really change the course of military actions and force the Russian army to the defense. Thank you, Alabama, and all the employees of the state's enterprises that produce, in particular, Javelin anti-tank systems, which saved lives of thousands and thousands of Ukrainian soldiers. Thanks to Arizona and Oklahoma, where our military trained, in particular on the Patriots. Thanks to every US state involved in the production of the Patriots. "Harpoons" and "Stingers", "NASAMS" and "Bradley", other systems and products, - not only in the field of security, - also other services and solutions that bring Ukrainian victory closer, that give Ukrainians stability of a normal life despite the war, - are produced by you, by your states, your people. Texas and Nevada, Maryland and California, Indiana and Oregon, Washington and New York and many others... Each of the states already has experience helping us. Not only for defense, but also for our people, in particular in the treatment of soldiers and civilians - adults and children who were injured by Russian terrorist attacks and mine explosions. Hundreds and hundreds of American companies, banks and factories are already doing business with Ukraine. Thousands of companies will join our reconstruction project. From Pennsylvania and Michigan, New Jersey and Virginia, Missouri and Georgia, Connecticut and Colorado... I know that some states are negotiating special cooperation. The one, that is about recovery. Ohio and our Kharkiv region, Illinois and our Kyiv region, Minnesota and our Chernihiv region. We must expand this direction of cooperation - from state to region, from city to city. Something that will powerfully complement interstate work. It is with Ukraine that America has the opportunity to protect its values, which match ours. And also - our cooperation creates new growth for our security and yours, for our economy and yours, for jobs - in both our countries. The main thing is not to waste time, not to lose the chance we have. To act now, and help now. The Ukrainians do it so that the Americans do not have to fight. Together, we are gaining new strength of our nations. And I am sure that we will always be successful. Thanks for your attention! Thank you, America for the help that lets us win! I invite you, who have not yet been to Ukraine, to visit our country. And to see that protecting our home, our people - is protecting our common dream about freedom and dignity for every human being. By the way, governor Murphy who visited Lviv region last February can confirm - we are a hospitable nation and we always welcome guests who visit us with an open heart. God bless America! NNN! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with a delegation of politicians, businessmen and representatives of charitable organizations of the United States led by Mike Pompeo President of Ukraine 4 April 2023 - 10:28 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with a delegation of politicians, businessmen and representatives of charitable organizations of the United States of America led by former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Welcoming the delegation to Kyiv, the Head of State emphasized the importance of such visits and meetings, which are a powerful signal of support for Ukrainians in our struggle for freedom and democracy. "Glad to see that you came with your friends. Comprehensive American support is extremely important for us," said the President, addressing Mike Pompeo. Volodymyr Zelenskyy also thanked the entire American people. "Unfortunately, the war has been ongoing for over a year now, and we are glad that the United States is standing by our side and fighting with us for common goals. We feel both bipartisan support and support from the White House," the President emphasized. During the meeting, the Head of State invited American business to actively invest in Ukraine. "We are open to this, ready to provide you with full assistance. It is very important for us," said Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He informed about the opportunities of business development in the fields of construction, agriculture, IT technologies, etc. The President also emphasized the importance of continuing and strengthening defense assistance and joint development of defense technologies, taking into account the experience gained by Ukraine during the war. "Invest in business, because business is what creates jobs. We are interested in people being able to find a job and the budget receiving revenue to increase our capabilities on the battlefield," the Head of State summarized. A number of other topical issues were also discussed, including Ukraine's movement towards NATO and the importance of further strengthening sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation. Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted the activities of American charitable organizations, whose representatives attended the meeting, which focused on helping displaced persons, rebuilding the destroyed housing stock, providing medical assistance, providing drinking water and food to those who need it most. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Latest in Ukraine: US Providing $2.6 Billion More in Aid for Ukraine By Carla Babb April 04, 2023 New developments: U.S. is providing $500 million in immediate assistance from Pentagon stocks using the presidential drawdown authority and $2.1 billion in future aid using Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds. Ukraine's military said Russia attacked with 17 Iranian-made drones overnight, with Ukrainian forces destroying 14 of them. Ukraine said 13 of the destroyed drones were over the Odesa region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday visited the village of Yahidne in north Ukraine on the anniversary of its liberation and commemorated the brutal captivity of nearly 400 civilians by Russian invaders in a school basement for 27 days before they were freed. The U.S. government is pushing hard for the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who is being detained in Russia on charges of espionage, the White House said Monday. International Atomic Energy Agency Chief Rafael Grossi will meet with a Russian delegation Wednesday in Moscow to discuss the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station. The U.S. is providing Ukraine with a $2.6 billion military aid package that includes munitions for Patriot air defense systems and three surveillance radars. The package also includes hundreds of thousands of ammunition rounds along with 155 mm and 105 mm artillery rounds, which Ukrainian forces have continued to quickly burn through as they counter Russia's illegal invasion. A senior defense official, who spoke to reporters Tuesday on the condition of anonymity, said new equipment in the package such as nine 30 mm gun trucks could "detect and intercept drones such as the Iranian-built Shahed[s]" that Moscow is currently using in the fight. About $500 million of the aid package announced Tuesday will provide ammunition and equipment from U.S. military stockpiles using the presidential drawdown authority. Another $2.1 billion will buy an array of munitions and weapons for Ukraine in the future. The U.S. has now pledged more than $30 billion worth of security assistance to Ukraine since the invasion. When viewed as a percentage of donor country GDP, the U.S. ranks about 10th in its security donations to Kyiv. Meanwhile, European Union foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell said Tuesday that European leaders are sending a message to China that it cannot be militarily supporting Russia's aggression against Ukraine. Speaking in Brussels where NATO foreign ministers are meeting, and ahead of his own visit next week to China, Borrell said the EU has been "clear with China that its position on Russia's atrocities and war crimes will determine the quality of our relations with Beijing." He said other EU leaders visiting China, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron bring the same message. Borrell addressed reporters alongside U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken who said there would be a focus on further reducing Europe's dependance on Russian energy supplies and on increasing clean energy production. Both diplomats were due to take part in a NATO foreign ministers meeting as the alliance formally welcomes Finland as a new member. The raising of Finland's flag at NATO's headquarters comes less than a year after the country submitted its application in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The ceremony falls on NATO's own birthday, the 74th anniversary of the signing of its founding Washington Treaty on April 4, 1949. Russia warned Monday that it would bolster forces near Finland if NATO sent any additional troops or equipment to what will be its 31st member country. NATO has said that it has no immediate intention to step up its presence in Finland. Some members have deployed troops there for war games over the past year. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters Tuesday that over the course of many years, Russia has built up its military in the north and that President Vladimir Putin has shown he is willing to use military force against his neighbors. Stoltenberg said Finland's joining NATO is the result of Putin's "war of aggression against Ukraine." Describing the defensive nature of the NATO alliance, Stoltenberg said, "The purpose of NATO's deterrence and defense is not to provoke the conflict, it's to prevent the conflict." Sweden applied to join NATO alongside Finland but has seen its bid slowed by objections from Turkey, which says Sweden has been too lenient toward groups that Turkey considers terrorists. "It is a great day to have Finland as a member, but we will ensure that also Sweden will become a full member," Stoltenberg said Tuesday. Some material in this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address How Will Bulgarian Election Impact Country's Support for Ukraine? By Tatiana Vorozhko April 04, 2023 After a relatively low turnout of 40% in Bulgaria's parliamentary elections that were held on Sunday, results show there was no outright winner, and the parties are headed to coalition talks. Analysts say the results could influence Bulgaria's position on Russia's war in Ukraine. The two-party coalition of GERB-SDS, led by former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, won the early parliamentary elections with 26.51% of the votes, Bulgaria's Central Election Commission announced on its website, based on unofficial regional results. The pro-Western reformist coalition We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria, or PP-DB, is in second place with 25%. Revival, with 14% of the votes, is in third place, ahead of DPS, receiving nearly 14% of voter support. The Bulgarian Socialist Party, an heir to the Bulgarian Communist Party, finished with a historically low 9%. "The biggest setback was the rise of the Russophile Party to third place, gaining 5 percentage points more than last year," said Margarita Assenova, an analyst at The Jamestown Foundation. "This will boost Moscow's influence in Bulgaria and potentially increase calls for a peace settlement of Russia's war against Ukraine, favoring the Kremlin-desired partition of Ukraine." At the same time, both likely winners share pro-European, pro-NATO positions and strong support for Ukraine. During former Prime Minister Kiril Petkov's government, a secret supply of Bulgarian-made ammunition made its way to Ukraine as early as April 2022, as VOA reported. PP and GERB voted to provide Ukraine with military aid last November. After casting his ballot, Borissov said a stable government in Bulgaria was the only way out of the crisis. "With this terrible war in Ukraine, with this redistribution of the world and the entire supply chain, we very clearly have to stand with the democratic world," The Associated Press reported Borissov as saying. Borissov was first elected as Bulgaria`s prime minister in 2009. In an earlier interview with VOA, Petkov called on EU leaders to introduce the toughest sanctions against Russia in the early days of the full-force invasion and also emphasized his pro-European position at the polls. "I voted for a normal European life, to have a normal European government, normal European roads, normal European health care, normal European education," he said, according to the AP. Petkov led the Bulgarian government formed by a coalition of four parties between December 2021 and August 2022. Despite their similar political positions, forming a coalition between two political forces is not a given, experts say. "Too much hostility has accumulated in the last year to the point that it has been the official political strategy to deny any possibility of future cooperation," Hristo Panchugov, assistant professor at New Bulgarian University, told VOA. The PP and its ally, Democratic Bulgaria, vowed to never collaborate with GERB and its leader, accusing the party of presiding over rampant corruption during its lengthy rule, Borissov has denied the accusation. "Even small collaborations on shared policy positions will be extremely difficult. With the local elections coming up in the autumn, the parties will be even more hesitant to enter a partnership that might lead them to lose support," Panchugov said. But the strong showing of the Russophile parties in this election, Assenova, said, might force two likely winners to cooperate and form a stable two-party coalition. "It will be a historic chance for GERB and PP to return the country to its hard-earned place and role within Europe and NATO and to wash its face from shameful pro-Russia rhetoric as Moscow's brutal genocidal war against independent Ukraine continues," she said. Ognyan Minchev, professor of political science at the University of Sofia, Bulgaria, points to other forces that push both political forces to form a coalition. The first one comes from regular Bulgarians who are "fed up with the so-called caretaker government of the president, which practically in many important aspects did not govern," he said. "Secondly, there is significant pressure from Bulgaria's partners in the European Union within NATO to create a parliamentary majority and normal functional government, because there are many issues that Bulgaria has to address separately and together with its allies in the context of present-day European and world developments," Minchev said. Thirdly, Minchev said both political forces would benefit from joining the government coalition, which would allow GERB to restore its legitimacy after the massive protests in 2020 against corruption in Borissov's government. It would also help Petkov's political force maintain its electoral support, which has decreased during the last three election cycles. If the two leading parties cannot form a coalition, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev will form another caretaker government and schedule another national election. For most of the last two years, except for Petkov's eight-monthslong government from December 2021 to August 2022, Bulgaria has been ruled by technocratic caretaker governments. Radev is considered friendly to Russia. Both Panchugov and Assenova point to his opposition to sending military aid to Ukraine. "He has been exploiting gaps in legislative decisions to limit or reduce support towards Ukraine," Panchugov said. "He even disregarded the parliament's decision to do so. So, we will see another six months of the same, not only regarding the policy towards Ukraine in the war that is going on there, but also in foreign policy, defense policy, rearmament and modernizing of the Bulgarian army," Assenova said. She pointed out that the president, whose constitutional role is primarily ceremonial, made most foreign policy and defense decisions during the last two years. Some information for this report comes from The Associated Press, Reuters and RFE/RL. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Carson City, April 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Carson City, Nevada - Talisman Casualty Insurance Company is offering insureds tailored claims management using robust technology for all their protected captive cell insurance needs. Talisman Casualty helps businesses operating in industries that have been ignored by traditional insurers. They help businesses mitigate risk by entering a captive cell. 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While big cities boast up to twenty-three attorneys per thousand residents, almost half of U.S. counties have less than one lawyer per thousand residents. Cory Sprunger A vital reason these legal deserts exist? Lawyers often find it difficult to build a profitable firm based in these areas not because the clients arent there, but because so much of the lawyers time is consumed by administrative tasks like processing payroll. Luckily, an enterprising firm is closing the gap with a new idea. Sprunger PEO recognized that with such a simple problem, the solution is just as simple: work together and consolidate the firms administration. In rural Indiana, Sprunger PEO is leveling the playing field between rural and urban practices - and its working. Attorneys who consolidate their administration through Sprunger PEO increased their daily billable hours from 2.4 (the statewide average in Indiana) to more than 5. By doubling the capacity of each lawyer to serve their communities, the shortage is immediately cut in half. Further, the disincentive to practice in a small town (inability to earn enough) is gone, clearing the way for a future supply of attorneys to flow into the small towns. Attorneys working with Sprunger PEO, a professional employer organization designed specifically for law firms, can outsource a comprehensive range of services like payroll processing, IT support, mail handling, employee benefits, and more. They handle the behind-the-scenes non-legal work, which typically takes up far too much of a small-town lawyers time and makes it harder to build a client base and expand a firm. Its the brainchild of attorney and Sprunger PEO managing partner Cory Sprunger, a highly qualified lawyer who once worked in the big cities himself until he felt a calling to the small town. His lifelong focus has been on improving rural quality of life. America needs both its big cities and small towns, he says. Right now, rural areas dont have the access to the lawyers they deserve because attorneys have to focus too much on administrative duties instead of practicing law. What were offering is a way for them to delegate those tasks so they can expand their firms and help their communities. The need to increase access to lawyers in small-towns and rural areas is evident, as recently highlighted by a Pew study that found 1,272 out of 3,141 U.S. counties, or about forty percent, are deemed legal deserts meaning they have fewer than a single lawyer available for every one thousand people. 54 counties in America have zero lawyers; 182 have only one or two. In rural states like Indiana, Arizona, Texas, and Idaho, there are huge areas with less than one attorney per thousand people, all while cities like New York and San Francisco contain fourteen and twenty-three per thousand, respectively. Thats a major setback for these small communities, who may find it impossible to secure legal support for building their own businesses, preparing wills, buying or selling real estate, criminal defense, and more. Everyone deserves access to an attorney, and we make small-town living more viable for lawyers. The clients are there; a professional can have a waiting list of clients on day one in a rural area, says Sprunger. Demand is so high in small towns that you dont have to give up big city income, but you do need to solve the problem of administration. IT, processing invoices, bookkeeping, banking all of these have nothing to do with excelling as a small-town lawyer, Sprunger notes. But highly-qualified attorneys cant make a good income because they have to reduce their billable hours to do all of this work themselves. Innovative private solutions, like the one Sprunger PEO provides, may be the perfect solution. By connecting individual small-town law firms into a network of administrative professionals, they free lawyers to devote all their time to helping clients, building their firms, and providing the access to the justice that small-town America deserves. Los Angeles County, CA, April 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Los Angeles County Yarn Crawl (LACYC) will kick off its 11th crawl while also celebrating Earth Week. The event is scheduled for Thursday, April 20th through Sunday, April 23rd 2023. The Crawl hours for every store will be from 10 am 6 pm Thursday Saturday and Sunday 10 am 4 pm. This event is free to register. The Crawl features 13 yarn stores across the county. Fiber enthusiasts will get a glimpse of what southern California yarn stores have to offer. From the Beach to the city and from the Valley to the suburbs, Angelinos and visitors alike can travel through Los Angeles County for a cultural and creative jaunt around the yarn sun. The cities on the route include Bellflower, Claremont, Encino, Inglewood, La Verne, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Pasadena, Redondo Beach, Valley Village and Santa Monica. This event is for knitters, crocheters, weavers, artists and those who just want to experience something new, see old friends and visit areas across the county. Friends can schedule meet-ups or travel together across LAs highways and byways with a mission of visiting every participating yarn store. This four-day adventure will offer a one-of-a-kind, family friendly yarn extravaganza. The LACYC is a non-profit group for Los Angeles County yarn stores. All of the shop owners are part of the organization and work together throughout the year to create this showcase of artists, designers, curated fiber accessories and of course yarn. Participating stores in this years crawl include Alamitos Bay Yarn Company, The Altered Stitch, Buku Yarns, Gather DTLA, The Knitting Tree, LA, LAtelier, LAtelier On Ventura, The Little Knittery, Phebies Needleart, Stitches in Time Yarn, Wildfiber Studio, Wollhaus and Yarnaholic Store and Boutique. Each store offers their own personality and interpretation of what makes the fiber industry diverse, contributing to the wellness of many and continuing to educate their communities about the traditions and current trends in the fiber space. Whats a Yarn Crawl Lets answer the question, What is a yarn crawl? The concept of a yarn crawl is similar to a pub crawl. These events use the concept of a crawl or progressive meal experience to promote a neighborhoods boutiques, stores or eateries scheduled at a specific time. Los Angeles County Yarn Crawl members work together to offer this Shop Hop experience but, for fiber enthusiasts throughout the county. The Yarn Crawl, like most crawls, is a very predictable event where attendees know the participating yarn stores, featured events, planned demonstrations and of course the main event: Yarn. LACYC members agreed collectively that this is An open-house celebration of all-things yarn related featuring Los Angeles County yarn stores. Rideshare Your Way Through The Crawl The Los Angeles Yarn Crawl covers about 250 miles throughout Los Angeles County. Coincidentally, Earth Day, April 22, 2023 and oftentimes a celebratory week is happening simultaneously to the crawl. This is a great time to make the trek with friends or hop on a Metrolink train and make your fiber rounds. The Crawl and shops would love to see your snapshots of helping Mother Earth with your carpooling buddies. Gather DTLA is close and participants can take the Metro Red or Purple train to Pershing Square Station. They are one and a half blocks away! Phebies Needleart and Yarnaholic Store are located north of the Metrolinks San Bernardino line exiting at the Claremont station. For Wildfiber Studio, take the Expo line and get off at 17th St. Yarn stores encourage participants to check their Metrolink and other public transportation systems if they would like to use this method. Yarn Crawl Happenings The Los Angeles County Yarn Crawl stores are preparing for the hundreds of visitors that will be crossing their thresholds in a few short weeks. Their mission is to bring continued awareness to this age-old tradition of knitting, crocheting and the fiber arts as well as peaking the interest for newcomers to the artform. While each store has their own distinct personality, during the four-day yarn crawl, all stores will offer some key promotions and activities that crawlers look forward to experiencing. One of the first to-dos is to download your 2023 Los Angeles Yarn Crawl passport. Fiber enthusiasts will get their passports stamped at each shop that they travel to. At the end of the crawl, participants will get entered into an opportunity drawing for a chance to win prizes based on the number of shops visited. Each store will offer 10%- 20% off of one to two yarn brands; the infamous Yarn Crawl Tote Bag that can be purchased at each shop for $18. The bag can be pre-ordered and picked up at the participants' selected yarn shop and is perfect for collecting skeins every day of the crawl. Last, shoppers and on-lookers should not forget to pick up their free Yarn Crawl shop pins from each store. They are perfect to adorn on their Crawl totes. Some stores will also be offering free patterns that will be a great addition to any fiber lovers project to-do list. Yarn Store Special Events The Altered Stitch will have several trunk shows like Baby Cat Yarns, Jam Jar Yarns, Teach Torch Knits, Forbidden Fiber, Slipped Stitch Studios and more; Buku Yarns will have Maridee Creates doing crochet demos on Friday, Pam Powers of Ikigai trunk show with demo of embroidery on your knits on Saturday; Gather DTLA will have trunk shows from Waifu Yarns, Baby Cat Yarns, and Murky Depths Dyeworks all four days and will also feature Maridee Creates Crochet trunk show Saturday, April 22 from noon 3 pm; LAtelier (Redondo Beach) will feature designer and owner of Trendsetter Yarns Barry Klein on Saturday, April 22. They will also feature a Prism Yarn, Lana Grossa and Tahki trunk show all four days; LAtelier On Ventura will feature an Artyarns and Stacy Charles trunk show all four days; Wildfiber Studio will feature Apple Tree Yarns, Kim Dyesa trunk shows. They will also have Nicole Mmork from Mork Made Fiber Co. and spinning demos; and Yarnaholic Store and Boutique will be featuring trunk shows from Trendsetter Yarns, Universal Yarns including their Danish Handmade MUUD Lifestyle leather project bags and an Urth Yarns trunk show as well as yarn tastings all four days of the crawl. Please see the websites and social media accounts for Alamitos Bay Yarn Company; Buku Yarns; The Knitting Tree, LA; The Little Knittery; Phebies Needleart; Stitches in Time Yarn and Wollhaus for their scheduled events. To keep up-to-date with store happenings, please visit the Los Angeles Yarn Crawl Event Page as well as visiting each store, their website or social media pages. Yarn Crawl Sponsors The Los Angeles County Yarn Crawl has industry sponsors that work in partnership with the local yarn stores to provide high-quality fibers. This year attendees will see these partners and their diversity of products. Many of the participating shops will feature trunk shows from specific vendors. Please see each yarn shops website and Yarn Crawl website for the trunk shows that will be shown at a participating shop. Trunk shows featured at this years crawl are chosen by the shop owner and team to showcase their unique fashion sense and choice of yarns. The trunk shows from The Yarn Crawl sponsors that will be featured this year will be from Lana Grossa, Tahki Yarns, Stacy Charles Yarns, Trendsetter Yarn Group, Universal Yarns and Urth Yarns. The sponsors for this year include Anzula, Art Yarns, Berroco Yarns, Cascade, Circulo, Clover Needles & Notions, Dream In Color, Ikigai Fiber, King Cole, Lana Grossa, Lykke Needles, Noro, Plymouth, Prism, Skacel, String Yarns, Tahki/Stacey Charles, Trendsetter Yarn Group, Universal Yarns and Urth Yarns. History of Fiber Arts Knitting is connecting yarn or another fiber with needles creating a series of loops. These stitches today are commonly referred to as knitting and purling. They form the basic stitches and evolve from there creating a myriad of stitches and designs. These fibers intertwine row by row creating fabric that emerges from the crafters hands as scarves, hats, bags, sweaters, jackets, blankets, socks, dish cloths, baby clothes and a little something even for the fur baby. The art of knitting has been said to have originated in the Middle East between 500 A.D. and 1200 A.D. using natural fibers such as silk, cotton and wool. Crochet like knitting uses yarn or another fiber to create a series of knots using a crochet hook. Crafters can create clothing to jewelry to toys. A range of fibers can be used including threads and wire. Knitting can also use these same materials. While documentation of crochet is not as prolific as knitting, evidence seems to emerge in the early nineteenth century in Europe. However, there are theories that there is earlier evidence of the artistry from Iran, South America and China. Crochet, Knitting and other fiber arts can be done alone or with social groups. And the participating yarn shops see a combination of the aforementioned. But, promoting the social aspect with their Los Angeles County Yarn Crawl event is a highlight that brings friends and their community together. Whats next The Los Angeles County Yarn Crawl participants will quickly segue into their next event which is Local Yarn Store Day April 29, 2023. Think of this as an international yarn crawl day. This is where fiber lovers everywhere show their shop some love with a visit and hopefully a purchase of more glorious yarn. This is an individual yarn shop event and once again these unique shops will have their own unique promotions, giveaways, special kits, patterns and guests to promote fiber arts. If you are interested in finding out more about what stores may be doing for this national event, please visit the yarn shops websites or social media for more information. For more information about the Los Angeles Yarn Crawl please visit www.layarncrawl.org For press inquiries please email layarncrawl@gmail.com Media Communications: adamtorres@missionmatters.com Attachment Columbia, Missouri, April 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Healium, a virtual and augmented reality biofeedback company, announces that it has entered into a know-how agreement with Mayo Clinic. Healiums products and patented technologies bring biometric data from fitness trackers to life inside virtual, augmented, or mixed reality stories so the user can see and interact with their own EEG brain patterns, heart rate, skin conductance, blood pressure or other biomarkers. Through this know-how agreement, Mayo Clinic will provide subject matter experts to assist in the development of immersive mental health and fitness capabilities utilizing virtual and augmented reality. By collaborating with Mayo Clinic, weve built an important bridge between biometric data, generative AI, and XR content, said Sarah Hill, Healiums CEO who developed the technology with Dr. Jeff Tarrant in 2016 to counteract the traumatic media images she encountered as a former TV broadcaster. Media images can be hurtful but when compounded differently into something soothing, they can also heal, said Hill. These are powerful, drugless, portable coping mechanisms for this mental health emergency that quickly interrupt the stress response. Healiums immersive products, including Sleepium, are used worldwide in schools, with frontline healthcare workers, elite athletes, and the US military to self-manage anxiety, burnout, and downshift the nervous system before sleep or stressful events. In 7 peer-reviewed journals, Healium has been shown to have clinical benefit in as little as 4 minutes. Healium works by spatializing bio-data from consumer wearables that are commonly available in users' homes into a 3D solar system, butterflies, or even a jaguar that will stop pacing if they quiet their minds. VR goggles are optional, and Healium has a mobile augmented reality version that works just with a phone or tablet. Healiums iOS and Android mobile apps are currently compatible with Apple Watch and some most consumer-grade EEG headbands, with more fitness trackers to be added. According to Healium, 700,000 people worldwide take their own lives each year. Emotional stress is the cause of 90% of doctors visits, and up to 50% of the population struggles with insomnia. With the rise of the opioid epidemic, not everyone wants to take anxiety or sleep pharmaceuticals due to concerns about side effects and addiction. Stress is the 21st century epidemic according to the World Health Organization. Stress and insomnia cost US businesses more than $300B each year due to absenteeism, reduced productivity, poor decision-making, and mistakes. While meditation helps, it can be difficult to know whether its working. Users may find it difficult to quiet their minds if they can't see or interact with it. Healium allows users to not just track the EEG brainwave and heart rate data from their wearables, as well as see and interact with their feelings as 3D objects, helping them learn to self-regulate their calm, focus, and pre-sleep routine. Most VR goggles now come with blue light filters or night mode settings to help users fall asleep. Healium recently completed a successful seed raise, totaling more than $3.6M in oversubscribed rounds with numerous venture capital funds participating. Mayo Clinic has a financial interest in the technology referenced in this announcement, and Mayo Clinic will use any revenue it receives to support its not-for-profit mission in patient care, education, and research. Lais Botella de Campos +1-573-268-1968 hello@tryhealium.com NEW ORLEANS, April 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC (KSF) and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until April 25, 2023 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Catalent, Inc. (the Company) (NYSE: CTLT), if they purchased the Companys securities between August 30, 2021 and October 31, 2022, inclusive (the Class Period). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. What You May Do If you purchased securities of Catalent and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-ctlt/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by April 25, 2023 . About the Lawsuit Catalent and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. On November 1, 2022, the Company reported its financial results for 1Q2023 ending September 30, 2022, disclosing that its earnings had fallen to zero, a slashed fiscal year 2023 revenue guidance from $4.975B to $5.225B to the range of $4.625B to $4.875B, and that it was anticipating negative P&L [profit and loss] effects, due to regulatory issues. On this news, shares of Catalent plummeted by 31.7% over two trading sessions, to close at $44.90 per share on November 2, 2022. The case is City of Warwick Retirement System v. Catalent, Inc., No. 23-cv-1108. About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nations premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California, Louisiana and New Jersey. To learn more about KSF, you may visit ksfcounsel.com. Contact: NEW ORLEANS, April 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC (KSF) and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until May 1, 2023 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Dutch Bros Inc. (Dutch or the Company) (NYSE: BROS), if they purchased the Companys securities between March 1, 2022 and May 11, 2022, inclusive (the Class Period). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. What You May Do If you purchased securities of Dutch and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-bros/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by May 1, 2023 . About the Lawsuit Dutch Bros and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. On May 11, 2022, the Company disclosed dismal 1Q2022 financial results including a net loss of $16.3 million, compared to a net loss of $4.8 million for the first quarter of 2021 and an adjusted net loss of $2.5 million (a loss of $0.02 per share), which fell below analysts expectations, due to its failure to perceive the speed and magnitude of cost escalation within the quarter, among other things. On this news, shares of Dutch fell $9.26, or 26.9%, to close at $25.11 per share on May 12, 2022. The case is Peacock v. Dutch Bros Inc., et al., No. 23-cv-01797. About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nations premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California, Louisiana and New Jersey. To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. Contact: Dallas, Texas, April 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LifeSavers Foundation announce a grant from an international architectural firm, for a new clinic offering free care for impoverished women and children. The architectural firm has selected LifeSavers Foundation through their employee service program that offers pro-bono designs. The new clinic is being created to increase support for the underserved population of women and children in poverty in Dallas county. When children are not given proper medical care during early childhood, studies report a higher mortality rate than those with ready access to health facilities. In response to this issue, LifeSavers Foundation is providing resources for these vulnerable groups and improving their health outcomes by giving them the preventative and primary care that is critical for catching conditions before they become potentially life threatening. The new LifeSavers Foundation clinic, The Doctor Spot, will be around 2,000 square feet in size with four exam rooms, a workstation for clinical staff, a conference room, counselors office, and more. Two exam rooms will be primarily dedicated to children and the remaining two will be for treating women, including sonograms. Counselors will be available for emotional and spiritual support and to provide relevant information on a patients choices for medical care, social services evaluations, and other services obtainable through referrals. With 21.2% of children below five years old living in poverty in Dallas county, and additionally has the second highest number of uninsured children in the nation, as well as a higher than average poverty rate nationally. Access to healthcare is the number one obstacle disadvantaged people face in Dallas county. The clinic will be built in one of the largest food banks in the state of Texas, located in Pleasant Grove, a medical desert in South East Dallas, with an expected 8,000 patient visits forecasted per year. LifeSavers Foundation is a provider of free primary health care for children and women. The organization was created to fulfill the emotional, physical, and spiritual needs of disadvantaged communities, so they are more likely to escape the cycle of poverty. LifeSavers Foundation wants to reduce the number of circumstances that cause women and children to neglect their health. We want a safe and nurturing environment for all the people we serve. Our new clinic will be a direct way for us to connect with underserved communities and further support them with social issues theyre facing, says LifeSavers Foundation CEO, Bill Denton. Media Contact: Bonnie Lang Communication Liaison Name: Bonnie Lang Email: bonnielang@lifesaversfoundation.org NEW YORK, April 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Trinseo PLC (NYSE: TSE) resulting from allegations that Trinseo may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public. SO WHAT: If you purchased Trinseo securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=13711 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. WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On March 27, 2023, The Inquirer published an article entitled Bristol plant that spilled chemicals into Phillys water supply had other mishaps over the last decade. The article reported a chemical plant in Bristol that authorities said caused a toxic spill, threatening Philadelphias drinking water, has a long history of mishaps including at least four recent contamination incidents. In addition, the article stated over the past decade, the U.S. Coast Guard twice before detected releases of acrylates [commonly used to produce glass-like acrylics] from the Bristol facility into the Delaware. The EPA had separately flagged two other acrylate releases. The article cites, David Salas-de la Cruz, a Rutgers University associate professor of chemistry, worked at the Bristol plant during its Rohm and Haas days. He said the number of incidents over the past decade was unusual. On this news, the price of Trinseos stock fell $1.09, or 5.26%, to close at $19.62 per share on March 27, 2023. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. ------------------------------- Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 lrosen@rosenlegal.com pkim@rosenlegal.com cases@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com April 5, 2023 Oslo, Norway: PGS will release its Q1 2023 results on Thursday April 27, 2023 at approximately 08:00 am Central European Summer Time (CEST). The earnings release and the earnings presentation will be published on www.newsweb.no and on PGS website www.pgs.com. President & CEO Rune Olav Pedersen and EVP & CFO Gottfred Langseth will present the results the same day at 09:00 am CEST at PGS' headquarters, Lilleakerveien 4C, Oslo, Norway. The presentation is open to the public and will also be webcasted live. To join the webcast, copy and paste the link below into your browser, or go to PGS website www.pgs.com. Webcast link: https://channel.royalcast.com/landingpage/hegnarmedia/20230427_7/ Webcast YouTube link: https://youtube.com/live/tDHpzo2Xp8M A replay of the webcast will be made available on PGS website shortly after. FOR DETAILS, CONTACT: Bard Stenberg, VP IR & Corporate Communication Mobile: +47 99 24 52 35 *** PGS ASA and its subsidiaries (PGS or the Company) is an integrated marine geophysics company, which operates on a worldwide basis. PGS business supports the energy industry, including oil and gas, offshore renewables and carbon storage. The Companys headquarter is in Oslo, Norway and the PGS share is listed on the Oslo stock exchange (OSE: PGS). For more information visit PGS website www.pgs.com. --END-- English French Press Release Paris, April 5, 2023 Convening to the Combined Shareholders Meeting of April 27, 2023 Danone informs its Shareholders that its Combined Shareholders Meeting will take place on Thursday April 27, 2023, at 2:30 pm (Paris time), at Salle Gaveau, 45 rue La Boetie, 75008 Paris, France. The preliminary notice to the meeting and the notice of meeting were published in the French Bulletin des Annonces Legales Obligatoires on March 1 and April 5, 2023 respectively. Pursuant to applicable legal and regulatory provisions, the information and documents related to this Shareholders Meeting are available to Shareholders and may be consulted on Danones website ( www.danone.com ), section Investors / Shareholders / Shareholders' Meeting / 2023. This includes notably the brochure of the meeting, which comprises the draft resolutions presented at the Shareholders Meeting, the Board of Directors' report on those resolutions and information regarding the formalities to participate and to vote at the Shareholders Meeting, as well as the annual report of the Mission Committee to the Shareholders Meeting. About Danone ( www.danone.com ) Danone is a leading global food and beverage company operating in three health-focused, fast-growing and on-trend categories: Essential Dairy & Plant-Based products, Waters and Specialized Nutrition. With a long-standing mission of bringing health through food to as many people as possible, Danone aims to inspire healthier and more sustainable eating and drinking practices while committing to achieve measurable nutritional, social, societal and environment impact. Danone has defined its Renew strategy to restore growth, competitiveness, and value creation for the long-term. With 100,000 employees, and products sold in over 120 markets, Danone generated 27.7 billion in sales in 2022. Danones portfolio includes leading international brands (Actimel, Activia, Alpro, Aptamil, Danette, Danio, Danonino, evian, Nutricia, Nutrilon, Volvic, among others) as well as strong local and regional brands (including Aqua, Bledina, Bonafont, Cow & Gate, Mizone, Oikos and Silk). Listed on Euronext Paris and present on the OTCQX market via an ADR (American Depositary Receipt) program, Danone is a component stock of leading sustainability indexes including the ones managed by Vigeo Eiris and Sustainalytics, as well as the Ethibel Sustainability Index, the MSCI ESG Indexes, the FTSE4Good Index Series, Bloomberg Gender Equality Index, and the Access to Nutrition Index. By 2025, Danone aims to become one of the first multinational companies to obtain global B Corp certification. Attachment ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. (OTCQB: KBLB) ("Company" or "Kraig Labs"), the biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of spider silk, announces today that it is preparing a response to the United States Air Force under the Defense Production Act Investments (DPAI) program. In its efforts to strengthen the U.S. bio-industrial manufacturing capabilities, the U.S. Government is seeking input from industry to identify target areas for governmental investment. Under the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act and through executive order, the Secretary of Defense has been authorized to "incentives the expansion of domestic, flexible industrial biomanufacturing capacity for a wide range of materials." Biosynthetic fibers such as spider silk were specifically identified as a material/technology of interest under this directive. Kraig Labs is preparing a detailed response for submission to the U.S. Air Force by its April 19 deadline. While this request for information does not guarantee a subsequent request for proposal or that funding will be available, it does signify the importance that materials, such as spider silk, can play both economically and defensively. "We are very pleased to see the renewed support and interest from the Department of Defense (DoD) to strength the U.S. industry supply base for bio-engineering and bio-manufactured materials," said Company COO Jon Rice. "I believe that Kraig Labs is and will remain a key player in our domestic biomanufacturing capabilities, and we welcome the opportunity to bring the DoD up to date with our progress and the opportunities that lie ahead." To view the most recent news from Kraig Labs and/or to sign up for Company alerts, please go to www.KraigLabs.com/news About Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. ( www.KraigLabs.com ), a reporting biotechnology company is the leading developer of genetically engineered spider silk based fiber technologies. The Company has achieved a series of scientific breakthroughs in the area of spider silk technology with implications for the global textile industry. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information Statements in this press release about the Company's future and expectations other than historical facts are "forward-looking statements." These statements are made on the basis of management's current views and assumptions. As a result, there can be no assurance that management's expectations will necessarily come to pass. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by phrases such as "believes," "plans," "expects," "anticipates," "foresees," "estimated," "hopes," "if," "develops," "researching," "research," "pilot," "potential," "could" or other words or phrases of similar import. Forward looking statements include descriptions of the Company's business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions and goals. All such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brixton Metals Corporation (TSX-V: BBB, OTCQB: BBBXF) (the Company or Brixton) is pleased to announce that it has received the third payment in the amount of USD$500,000 for the Hog Heaven Project, which is currently being operated under a definitive earn-in JV Agreement with Ivanhoe Electric Inc. (NYSE/TSX: IE; see news release dated March 2nd, 2021). Ivanhoe Electric holds the option to acquire up to 75% interest by completing USD$44.5 million of total project spending. Hog Heaven is an advanced-stage, high-sulphidation, epithermal copper-silver-gold project with porphyry potential and historical production located in the state of Montana, USA. Hog Heaven Project Update Recent work at Hog Heaven has been focused on evaluating the historic drill hole database. This work has included re-logging 14,500m of drill core and assaying 3,600 drill core pulps for processing using current mineral assay technologies. The historic drill core has been selectively analyzed with a handheld Terraspec Halo (NIR & SWIR), a mineral analysis system that allows for the identification and evaluation of alteration minerals and alteration mineral zoning. Additionally, expanded soil, gravity and 3D IP surveys were completed on the property. Future Exploration Plans for Hog Heaven The Company understands that Ivanhoe Electric Inc. will continue to compile and create a comprehensive geological model for the property. Geochemical and geophysical anomalies have been identified, and based on these results, drill target identification is currently underway. An exploration drill program is expected to begin this summer to identify potential porphyry copper-gold mineralization. Future work shall be based on the success of the next program. Chairman and CEO, Gary Thompson, stated, We are delighted to see the continued interest by Ivanhoe Electric on the Hog Heaven Project. With the momentum in electrification of the economy, we believe projects like Hog Heaven have the potential to be a significant contributor to the supply of critical minerals in the USA. Summarized Terms of the JV Earn-In Agreement (All terms are in United States Dollars, unless otherwise indicated.) Ivanhoe Electric has the right to earn a 51% interest in the Hog Heaven Project by making a total of $4.5 million in cash payments and incurring $15 million in exploration expenditures over six years. Further, Ivanhoe Electric may earn an additional 24% interest (for a total of 75% interest over 11 years) in the Hog Heaven Project by incurring an additional $25 million in exploration expenditures. As the operator of the project, Ivanhoe Electric has paid $1.5 million cash to Brixton and has incurred over $3 million of exploration expenditures to date. Figure 1. The Hog Heaven Cu-Ag-Au Project Location Map. About the Hog Heaven Cu-Ag-Au Project Montana, USA The Hog Heaven copper-silver-gold Project is an advanced-stage exploration project which historically produced high-grade silver, gold, and copper. Between 1913 and 1975, Anaconda Copper Mining and lessees produced 6.7M oz Ag, 3,000 oz Au, 23M lbs Pb, and 0.6M lbs Cu from 0.23Mt of direct-ship ore, grading 29 opt Ag. The road-accessible property is located in Flathead County, 55 miles south-southwest of the town of Kalispell, northwestern Montana, USA. Over 700 drill holes were completed over the Main Mine and Ole Hill Targets by previous operators. Qualified Person Mr. Corey A. James, P.Geo., is a Senior Project Geologist for the Company who is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. James has verified the data disclosed in this press release. Corporate Update The Company has granted an aggregate of 3,202,500 Incentive Stock Options to officers, directors, employees and consultants to the Company at a per share price of $0.20 for a period of ten years from the date of grant. About Brixton Metals Corporation Brixton Metals is a Canadian exploration company focused on the advancement of its mining projects. Brixton wholly owns four exploration projects: its flagship Thorn copper-gold-silver-molybdenum Project, the Langis-HudBay silver-cobalt-nickel Project in Ontario, the Hog Heaven copper-silver-gold Project in NW Montana, USA (Optioned to Ivanhoe Electric Inc.), the Atlin Goldfields Projects located in NW BC (Optioned to Pacific Bay Minerals). Brixton Metals Corporation shares trade on the TSX-V under the ticker symbol BBB, and on the OTCQB under the ticker symbol BBBXF. For more information about Brixton, please visit our website at www.brixtonmetals.com . On Behalf of the Board of Directors Mr. Gary R. Thompson, Chairman and CEO Tel: 604-630-9707 or email: info@brixtonmetals.com For Investor Relations, please contact: Neil MacRae, Investor Relations Tel: 604-630-9707 or email: neil.macrae@brixtonmetals.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as anticipate, believe, plan, estimate, expect, and intend, statements that an action or event may, might, could, should, or will be taken or occur, including statements that address potential quantity and/or grade of minerals, potential size and expansion of a mineralized zone, proposed timing of exploration and development plans, or other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mineral exploration; fluctuations in commodity prices; title matters; and the additional risks identified in the annual information form of the Company or other reports and filings with the TSXV and applicable Canadian securities regulators. Forward-looking statements are made based on managements beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cd6bc9c4-2b5e-41e5-b535-4c7e41f22cb9 Atlanta, Georgia, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) has announced an educational donation to support students at Atlanta Technical College (ATC), which is located less than five miles from its U.S. headquarters. The gift was announced at the opening of a second public driving track and new Porsche Classic facility, the centerpieces of expanding the PCNA headquarters campus in Atlanta. As a company committed to its local community, PCNA seeks to continue supporting educational initiatives in Atlanta. The donation will go towards the Gap Funding program (GFP) at Atlanta Technical College, which covers the cost of a student's education after federal or state financial aid has been exhausted. Supporting educational initiatives is crucial to the success of our community and our company, said Kjell Gruner, President and CEO of PCNA. In our 25th year in Atlanta, we are proud to support our neighbor, Atlanta Technical College, and contribute to their efforts in providing gap funding to deserving students. The average Gap Funding aid per student at ATC is $1,000 helping to bridge relatively modest shortfalls that could hinder students from reaching their educational goals. With PCNA's donation, the Atlanta Technical College Foundation can provide Gap Funding to hundreds of students to help continue their education and create opportunities for better-paying jobs with livable wages. Atlanta Technical College is a local, accredited post-secondary institution that offers associate degrees and technical certificates of credit for a variety of academic programs focused on career and workforce development. Educating Georgia's workforce has been the mission of Atlanta Technical College for nearly six decades, and PCNAs donation is meant to help continue this mission. This donation is part of PCNAs ongoing commitment to its community and supporting education. PCNA has a proud history of making similar local community donations when it opened the Porsche Experience Center Atlanta in 2015 and Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles in 2016. For more information on the Atlanta Technical College Foundation and the Gap Funding Program, please visit https://atlantatech.edu/foundation 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 www.atlantatech.edu Attachments FOREST HILLS, N.Y., April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brain Power Wellness, a holistic, school-based wellness organization supporting happy, healthy, and focused school environments, recently held another successful Certified Teacher Leader Retreat. This Brain Power Wellness retreat , held from March 29th - 31st at Honors Haven Retreat and Conference Center in Ellenville, New York, gathered together thirty teachers/staff members who previously received the foundational training of the BPW program and were identified by their Principals to be the leaders of Brain Power in their schools. These participants were from schools throughout the five New York City boroughs. The organizations CEO and Executive Director, Dave Beal, and Deputy Executive Director, Katie Brisley-Logue, led the major breakout sessions, while several Brain Power Wellness field coordinators and instructors supported participants in smaller groups throughout the three days of training. My experience at Honors Haven has truly been eye-opening, BPW instructor Julydia explained. It has been such a pleasure to connect with like-minded people who have the same goals as myself, to better our community and focus on building a better tomorrow, starting in education. Having the opportunity to be a part of this retreat has been so rewarding. I am beyond grateful! Retreat participants received more than 100 mindfulness, wellness, and SEL exercises that they can use to support their teachers in sustaining and expanding the Brain Power Wellness program in their school communities. They studied and practiced advanced-level activities for classroom management and creative problem-solving and participated in dynamic team-building activities that included an obstacle and ropes course. Connecting with the natural environment to help participants connect with themselves and each other was a huge focus of the retreat. Each day included time spent outdoors going on nature hikes and waterfall meditation so as to take full advantage of natures healing and restorative powers. In addition to participating in the organized activities on the agenda, attendees were given free time to explore the various facilities, exercise, or spend quiet time in reflection or journaling. Lastly, attendees were also trained in the Brain Power Wellness Advisory Curriculum, Content Links Curriculum and Student Leadership Reinforcement curriculum., As Amy Infante from C.S. 112 The Bronxwood School described: This Brain Power Wellness retreat has been an amazing experience. I would recommend to any employer to add this program for their employees, being that it is an exceptional tool to have for educators. Mindfulness is something that I never thought I could achieve or even needed because I love what I do. After experiencing what Brain Power has to offer and seeing what they equipped us with, I see how achieving mindfulness can make me a more present and productive employee. LeRon Barrino, from X124 Children's Aid College Prep, shared similar sentiments: This program is amazing and gives me so much hope for my school community. I already reached out to my brother, who is a school Dean in Vermont, and told him how much BPW will help him personally as well as his students. I am so grateful to be here. These Certified Teacher Leader Retreats are offered two to three times per school year. Brain Power Wellness has been offering this retreat since 2016 and the March retreat was the eighteenth term. Select teacher leaders from other cities and countries also attend these events, and so the benefits of the holistic organizations mindfulness, SEL, and wellness techniques are spreading. Brain Power Wellness reviews its curriculum, tools, strategies and services frequently, to ensure that it stays current in meeting the specific needs of its school communities, and proactively supporting the health and wellness of its teachers, paraprofessionals, teaching assistants, students, administrators, and parents. About Brain Power Wellness Brain Power Wellness is a holistic, school-based wellness organization that supports healthy, happy, and focused school environments. The mission of Brain Power Wellness is to help transform the culture of its partner schools through self-development, mindfulness, community building, retreats, SEL, holistic wellness, and brain training for teachers, students, parents, and administrators. Recently, corporate groups have begun attending Brain Power Wellness retreats, where participants receive powerful tools for creating healthy, sustainable, and happy work environments. Media Contact Name: Rebecca Wheaton Organization: Brain Power Wellness Location: Forest Hills, NY Website: https://www.brainpowerwellness.com/ Phone Number: 718-275-8326 Email: contact@brainpowerwellness Eden Prairie, Minnesota, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Starkey is proud to announce its all-new Genesis AI hearing aids have received a Red Dot Award: Product Design 2023, marking the second award won by the completely redesigned hearing technology, just weeks after its launch. This is the seventh year Starkey has won this award, which is one of the most renowned international product competitions in the world. The annual awards program recognizes the years best products that are aesthetically appealing, functional, innovative, and most importantly, have outstanding design. At Starkey, product development begins by pushing the edge of whats possible, said President and CEO, Brandon Sawalich. Five years ago, we set out to make the impossible possible when we began to imagine our next-level product offering. Receiving this honor is a tribute to the amount of research and development we devoted to producing our all-new hearing technology, which is making a real impact on reducing the stigma around hearing aids. Starkeys Genesis AI is leading the hearing industry in redefining the future of hearing health, not just with incremental improvements, but with breakthrough benefits. The all-new Starkey Neuro Processor within Genesis AI features the industrys most advanced processor technology, which mimics the function of the central auditory system through an on-chip Deep Neural Network accelerator. It is the smallest processor ever by Starkey, but also the most powerful with 6X more transistors. It is also loaded with 5X more computational memory and 10X the amount of non-volatile memory. Moreover, with a power-efficient architecture, Genesis AI offers more than double the battery life compared to previous technology. Congratulations to the entire Starkey team for rearchitecting the hearing aid both inside and out, said Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Engineering, Achin Bhowmik, Ph.D. Genesis AI is a once-in-a-decade development in advanced technology, packed within a beautiful design that has turned hearing aids into a device that people will want to wear. To learn more about Starkey, please click here. ### About Starkey Starkey is a privately held, global hearing technology company headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Founded by Bill Austin in 1967, Starkey is known for its innovative design, development and distribution of comprehensive digital hearing systems. Led today by President and CEO Brandon Sawalich, Starkey is the only American-owned provider of hearing technologies. The company has more than 5,000 employees, operates 29 facilities and does business in more than 100 markets worldwide. Learn more at starkey.com. Attachments Calgary, Alberta, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RAM Consulting (RAM), a British Columbia-based project delivery firm, announced today the opening of its new office and innovation hub in Alberta. The move marks the companys first interprovincial expansion and is expected to bring up to 200 jobs to the region over the next four years. The Calgary office will develop, test and implement ideas that will benefit infrastructure development. The centre in Bow Valley Square is already operating with more than 20 employees and will be supported by the expertise of Encepta Corp., which the company acquired in 2021. RAM chose Alberta for its expansion in part due to the provinces can do attitude, which aligns with the companys corporate culture. Calgarys affordability and availability of strong technical talent to support RAMs diverse clients solidified the companys decision. Invest Alberta supported RAM along the way by providing market and funding information and facilitating partner connections. Ranked one of Canadas Top Growing Companies for five consecutive years, RAM specializes in project and construction management, multi-discipline engineering services, and quality and safety management in the transportation, telecommunications, utilities and energy sectors. By delivering high-impact local projects, RAM will contribute to Albertas world-class infrastructure, which keeps companies globally connected. QUOTES Our mission to create vibrant communities through safe and sustainable infrastructure extends to supporting those communities through local partnerships, such as with the Women in Consulting Engineering Calgary Chapter and Brown Bagging for Calgarys Kids. In moving to Alberta, we are expanding our business and investing in the community. Joe Di Placito, President, RAM Consulting As a hub for innovation, Alberta is attracting leading companies like RAM and innovative ideas that will influence our future. With access to skilled talent and a reputation for being an ideal place to live, work, and grow a business, Alberta has what it takes to help ambitious companies like RAM expand their reach. Rick Christiaanse, CEO, Invest Alberta About Invest Alberta: Invest Alberta is engaging the world and providing high-end tailored support to companies, investors, and major new projects. With team members strategically positioned in key markets around the world, Invest Alberta works to break down barriers so businesses can start up, scale up, and succeed without limits. Since 2020, Invest Alberta has supported the commitment of nearly $20 billion in investment that created more than 24,000 new high-value jobs for Albertans. For more information, please visit: investalberta.ca. About RAM Consulting: RAM Consulting (RAM) is a project delivery firm founded in 2007 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Our clients trust us with the successful management of Canadas largest infrastructure projects, from major highways to renewable energy. The dedicated professionals at RAM provide innovative, solution-oriented expertise to your projects. Our comprehensive service offerings allow our clients to engage us through all aspects of project delivery, including; multi-disciplinary engineering, project delivery and all project services like quality and safety management. For more information, please visit: ramconsulting.com. Attachment Philadelphia, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Holy Family University is a private Catholic institution in Philadelphia, PA, composed of four schools offering education in subjects of liberal arts and professional studies. A recent report released by The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) shows the extreme shortfall in nursing staff in Pennsylvania as among the most severe in the nation. Holy Family University recognizes this shortfall as well as the evolving healthcare system. To address this shortage, the University has now introduced its Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree as an online nursing program. It is an innovative distance learning option to meet aspiring nurses where they are, offering flexibility through an online format. It allows second-degree students across Pennsylvania and eight other states to educate themselves through a high-quality course and become registered nurses. Holy Family University, founded in 1954, is a private Catholic institution located in Philadelphia. It is composed of four schools, namely, Arts & Sciences, Business & Professional Studies, Education, and Nursing & Health Sciences. The University enrolls more than 3100 students in undergraduate, graduate, and certification programs at its Philadelphia and Newtown campus locations. Holy Family University is a reputable, accredited institution nationally recognized by U.S. News & World Report for its BSN program. It is also lauded for its above-average national passing rates. Its BSN program is approved by the PA State Board of Nursing and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The institution is reputed for offering high-quality education at an outstanding value. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, it is the lowest net-cost private University in Pennsylvania and one of the lowest options in the region. For more information, visit https://onlinenursing.holyfamily.edu/ Holy Family University has been educating nurses since 1971. Recently, it has expanded its offerings to include a 14-month Distance Hybrid BSN program that allows students to earn their degree in a flexible and convenient format. The program is designed for students with a bachelors degree in any field. In this format, students are trained to become registered nurses online with a one-week intensive skill learning experience at the campus. The expert faculty includes real-life clinicians who bring real-world experience to the online classrooms and the on-campus residency. Holy Family University has partnered with Keypath Education, a global market-leading Edtech company specializing in online program management focusing on healthcare programs. This allows them to leverage the latest technology and instructional design strategies to create an even better learning experience for the students. Through this partnership, students can avail a range of services that support the online nursing program, including marketing and recruitment, instructional design, and student support services. Additionally, the online format eliminates many costs associated with attending traditional classes on campus, such as commuting, parking, and housing. Holy Family University, founded by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, has a long history of providing quality education to students from all walks of life. It seeks to foster an inclusive and healthy educational and work environment based on respect, the dignity of each person, and the oneness of the human family. The BSN program aims to develop nurses who are holistically trained to be critical thinkers, collaborators, and professionals focused on patient-centered care, providing its graduates with the knowledge and leadership skills to advance in the profession. Ultimately, its mission is to develop competent and compassionate nursing care providers for individuals, families, and communities in our evolving healthcare system. About the University: Holy Family University is a leading provider of higher education located in Philadelphia, PA, offering undergraduate, graduate, and certification programs. It is composed of four schoolsArts & Sciences, Business & Professional Studies, Education, and Nursing & Health Sciences and campuses in Philadelphia and Newtown. Its top-ranking Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree is now offered in an online format and designed to meet the growing demand for highly skilled nursing professionals. It is an accredited institution and well-known for providing high-quality education at a low net cost. The Distance Hybrid BSN program is available for students across Pennsylvania and eight other states. ### For more information about Holy Family University, contact the company here: Holy Family University Ashley McGuire ashley.mcguire@keypathedu.com 9801 Frankfort Ave, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Lafayette, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lafayette, Colorado - Encore Data Products, Inc., based in Lafayette, CO, is pleased to acknowledge that they are continuing the successful Great Headphone Giveaway program, initially launched in 2016. Since its launch at the Future of Education Technology Conference, Encore has given away countless headphones to organizations in education. At regular intervals, Encore gives away headphones, earbuds, or headsets to one randomly selected entrant as part of an ongoing contest. The contest is open to all non-profit charitable organizations, K-12 public, private, charter, or parochial schools and public libraries. The giveaway is held through the Encore microsite, www.freeclassroomheadphones.com. Teachers, PTO members, and administrators of qualified organizations may enter if they so wish. To this day, Encore sees submissions from districts and nonprofits all over the United States. Program participation is open to non-profit charitable organizations classified as a 501(c)(3) public charity by the Internal Revenue Service; a K-12 school or public library; or a K-12 public, private, charter or parochial school as listed by the U.S. Department of Educations National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). It is also open regionally to all 50 states across America. Participants may submit an entry each month. Entries should be submitted online. Entrants are asked to share their name, organization, education technology needs, how winning products would be utilized, and how their organization would benefit from winning. The Great Headphone Giveaway entry information will be shared publicly online. One new winner is picked each month, so anyone can participate each month for a chance to win. Winners are notified by email, and their stories will be shared on the website. No purchase is necessary to enter or win. Learn more here: Great Headphone Giveaway at FreeClassroomHeadphones.com. According to the Encore Data Products representative, we offer school classroom headphones, cases, document and web cameras, podcasting equipment, docking stations, and cables of all kinds in addition to charging options. You would be wise to contact Encore Data Products if you want to make your classroom capable of utilizing every available technological accessory. We cordially invite you to call us, visit us at a conference, or browse our online catalog if you'd like to learn more about what we have to offer your institution or discover our future goals. Encore Data Products is an international supplier of technology accessories for listening, learning, testing, and training. The company supplies the education, health, fitness, hospitality, business, and government industries with high-quality audio-visual equipment and technology accessories. With an ever-expanding product selection from top brands, free shipping options, competitive pricing and easy ordering, Encore Data Products enables customers to maximize their investment in equipment needed to enrich their learning, health, and business environments. For more information on the companys services and products, customers may call 866-926-1669, visit their official website or contact Sabrina Manno of Encore Data Products. Recent news: Encore Data Products Wows at 2023 TCEA Conference in San Antonio. ### For more information about Encore Data Products, contact the company here: Encore Data Products Sabrina Manno 866-926-1669 sabrina.manno@encoredataproducts.com https://www.encoredataproducts.com/ 1729 Majestic Drive, Suite 2 Lafayette, Colorado 80026 New York, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to Market.us, The smart packaging market is expected to achieve a CAGR of 6.3% from 2023 to 2032, resulting in a market value of approximately USD 52.1 billion by 2032 from USD 28.7 billion in 2022. Smart packaging is advanced packaging that allows transparency through an instantaneous ability to track and trace the exact location of a product in a supply chain using barcodes, RFID, and QR codes. To get additional highlights on major revenue-generating segments, Request a Smart Packaging Market sample report at https://market.us/report/smart-packaging-market/request-sample/ Key Takeaway: By type, the modified atmosphere packaging segment generated the largest revenue share of 38% in 2022. segment generated the largest revenue share of in 2022. By material type, the solid segment generated the largest revenue share of 58% in 2022. generated the largest revenue share of in 2022. By end-user, the food & beverage segment generated the largest revenue share of 34% in 2022. generated the largest revenue share of in 2022. In 2022, Asia Pacific dominated the market with the highest revenue share of 33% . dominated the market with the highest revenue share of . North America is expected to grow at a significant CAGR from 2023-2032. Smart packaging protects the product and improves the customer experience by providing exact information about the product. Data-embedded barcodes and quick response (QR) codes on packaging can be scanned to access essential data, improving traceability. It helps in predictive planning and more efficient inventory management. It also protects packaged products from external environmental conditions and helps to maintain product quality for a long time. Factors affecting the growth of the smart packaging market Several factors can affect the growth of the smart packaging market. Some of these factors include: Increasing use in healthcare: Smart packaging in pharmaceutical products helps to maintain the quality of drugs and helps to protect drugs from the external environment. The main benefits of smart packaging in drugs are that it protects drugs from physical damage and prevents them from biological degradation. In addition, smart packaging protects sensitive drugs that need protection from light, water, and other sensitive substances. Smart packaging in pharmaceutical products helps to maintain the quality of drugs and helps to protect drugs from the external environment. The main benefits of smart packaging in drugs are that it protects drugs from physical damage and prevents them from biological degradation. In addition, smart packaging protects sensitive drugs that need protection from light, water, and other sensitive substances. Increasing use of personal care products: Worldwide, individuals are more aware of their personal health and hygiene, and due to this, they are more inclined to use personal care products. Consumers prefer products with ingredient information on the packaging. Due to this, the demand for smart packaging in personal care products is increasing. Worldwide, individuals are more aware of their personal health and hygiene, and due to this, they are more inclined to use personal care products. Consumers prefer products with ingredient information on the packaging. Due to this, the demand for smart packaging in personal care products is increasing. Growing demand for packaged ready meals: With increasing globalization, individual lifestyle is also changing. With increasing disposable income, consumers are shifting towards ready-packaged foods. Therefore, demand for smart packaging is growing in dairy products and packaged ready meals, which provides more shelf life and helps retain the food's flavor. To understand how our report can bring a difference to your business strategy, Inquire about a brochure at https://market.us/report/smart-packaging-market/#inquiry Top Trends in Smart Packaging Market Key companies in the smart packaging market are focusing on attractive packaging to attract consumers. Automobile industry manufacturers started using smart packaging to reduce physical damage to vehicle parts. Due to increasing health concerns, individuals are more inclined towards ready food and dairy products. Increasing food wastage coupled with growing concerns about food insecurity, companies are focusing on various intelligent packaging solutions to overcome food insecurity. Food & beverage industries started smart food packaging to protect food from external environmental conditions and provide fresh food to consumers. Market Growth Smart packaging solutions protect high-value goods and parts. The production of vehicles requires engines, small mechanical elements, decorative interiors product, and smart packaging to protect these from being damaged. Increasing globalization and growing automotive industries are driving the demand for smart packaging in automotive industries. Sensors and barcodes on the packaging of products give the exact location of the product during transportation of products, which helps industries to preplan their manufacturing strategies which helps to develop effective business activities and save time. The increasing use of smart packaging in pharmaceutical industries also drives the growth of the global smart packaging market. Regional Analysis The smart packaging market was dominated by Asia Pacific, which acquired the most significant revenue share of 33% in 2022. The presence of key players in the Asia Pacific region, such as Ester Industries Ltd. and TCPL Packaging Ltd., is fueling the market growth. Market growth in the Asia Pacific region is propelled by increasing demand from manufacturing industries in emerging economies such as China, Japan, and India. In addition, the increasing adoption of smartphones and the emergence of online shopping channels drive the demand for smart packaging in e-commerce industries. North America is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period due to changing lifestyles and increasing demand for packaged foods in developed countries such as the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, and Germany. Also, the presence of key players in the smart packaging market, such as International Paper Co., Berry Global Group Inc., and Crown Holdings Inc., is driving the growth of the market. Competitive Landscape The market for smart packaging is very fragmented. This is due to numerous players entering the market and small players having high competition between them. Major key players are now focusing on expanding their businesses in foreign countries. Key players focus on business strategies such as merging, joint ventures, and acquisition to gain a competitive edge in the market. Some major key players in the smart packaging market include 3M Company, Avery Dennison Corporation, Ball Corporation, BASF SE, Amcor Plc, International Paper, R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, Stora Enso, Sysco Corporation, Zebra Technologies Corp., Sealed Air Corporation, Huhtamaki, and Other Key Players. Recent Development of the Smart Packaging Market In January 2022, Huhtamaki acquired the joint venture with the Polish Smith Anderson Group. Huhtamaki Smith Anderson had manufactured paper packaging bags. In March 2021, Amcor collaborated with JD Farm to develop the next generation of packaging for more effective and interactive consumer engagement. Have Queries? Speak to an expert, or To Download/Request a Sample, Click here. Scope of the Report Report Attribute Details Market Value (2022) USD 28.7 Billion Market Size (2032) USD 52.1 Billion CAGR (from 2023 to 2032) 6.3% Asia Pacific Revenue Share 33% Historic Period 2016 to 2022 Base Year 2022 Forecast Year 2023 to 2032 Market Drivers Consumers are more aware of freshness, nutrition, purity of food, and protection against dirt, dust, smell, heat, and other environmental factors. Due to this, the demand for smart packaging is increasing in the food & beverages industries. Changing lifestyles worldwide and the high demand for fresh foods are driving the need for smart packaging in the market. Also, individuals prefer products with packages including preparation instructions, nutritional facts, cautions, and ingredient information. In addition, increasing self-health concerns in individuals are driving the market's need for personal care products. Beauty and personal care products use solid packaging due to their properties, such as cost-effectiveness and versatility. Market Restraints Increasing costs of advanced packaging materials are the primary factors restraining the market growth. Increasing governmental restrictions on the use of plastic packages also restrain the market growth. Some packaging materials, such as plastics, do not get decomposed, which causes harm to the environment, and this has a negative impact on market growth. Market Opportunities smart packaging provides high safety for sensitive parts of vehicles in the automotive industry, increasing its demand automotive industry. Growing applications of smart packaging in the food & beverages and healthcare industries are expected to create lucrative growth opportunities in the global market. The increasing emergence of e-commerce driving the need for smart packaging with advanced technologies such as QR codes, RFID, and sensors for product safety and security is anticipated to drive the market during the forecast period. Grow your profit margin with Market.us - Purchase This Premium Report at https://market.us/purchase-report/?report_id=99081 Report Segmentation of the Smart Packaging Market Type Insight Based on type, the modified atmosphere packaging segment was dominant in the market with the largest market share and is expected to continue its dominance during the forecast period. Modified atmosphere packaging is the imposition of a gas atmosphere, which contains inert gases, such as nitrogen, combined with antimicrobials, and active gases like CO2 in packaged food, to improve packaged food shelf life. Worldwide demand for ready-to-eat packaged food is increasing. Due to this, the demand for modified atmosphere packaging is also increasing to protect food quality and nutrition. Material Type Insight The solid segment dominated the market based on material type, with the largest global revenue share in 2022. Solid packaging material is environment-friendly, moisture-resistant, compact, and can supply high-quality printing. Solid packaging is highly demanded in the pharmaceutical industry due to its high applications in packaging tablets and capsules. The liquid packaging segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR due to the increasing need for the packaging of dairy products. Worldwide consumption of dairy products is increasing, and due to this, the liquid segment is anticipated to grow to protect the product quality and maintain its nutritional values. End-User Insight Based on end-user, The food & beverages segment was dominant in the market with the largest market revenue share of 34% in 2022 and is anticipated to remain dominant during the forecast period. Smart packaging in food & beverages helps monitor the condition of packaged foods and the environment around the food. Changing lifestyles and increasing food safety concerns among individuals are driving the need for smart packaging in food products. For more insights on the historical and Forecast market data from 2016 to 2032 - download a sample report at https://market.us/report/smart-packaging-market/request-sample/ Market Segmentation By Type Active Packaging Intelligent packaging Modified Atmosphere Packaging By Material Type Solid Liquid By End-User Food & Beverages Healthcare Automotive Personal Care Others By Geography North America The US Canada Mexico Western Europe Germany France The UK Spain Italy Portugal Ireland Austria Switzerland Benelux Nordic Rest of Western Europe Eastern Europe Russia Poland The Czech Republic Greece Rest of Eastern Europe APAC China Japan South Korea India Australia & New Zealand Indonesia Malaysia Philippines Singapore Thailand Vietnam Rest of APAC Latin America Brazil Colombia Chile Argentina Costa Rica Rest of Latin America Middle East & Africa Algeria Egypt Israel Kuwait Nigeria Saudi Arabia South Africa Turkey United Arab Emirates Rest of MEA Key Market Players 3M Company Avery Dennison Corporation Ball Corporation BASF SE Amcor Plc International Paper R. Donnelley & Sons Company Stora Enso Sysco Corporation Zebra Technologies Corp. Sealed Air Corporation Huhtamaki Other Key Players Browse More Related Reports: About Us: Market.US (Powered by Prudour Pvt Ltd) specializes in in-depth market research and analysis and has been proving its mettle as a consulting and customized market research company, apart from being a much sought-after syndicated market research report-providing firm. Market.US provides customization to suit any specific or unique requirement and tailor-makes reports as per request. We go beyond boundaries to take analytics, analysis, study, and outlook to newer heights and broader horizons. Follow Us On LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Our Blog: CENTREVILLE, Va., April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Parsons Corporation (NYSE: PSN) received its fourth Nunn-Perry Award from the Department of Defense (DOD) Mentor Protege Program for demonstrating excellence in teamwork with KODA Technologies to support the warfighter by delivering capabilities across major defense programs. The pair was recognized for their work to support the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) at the DOD Mentor Protege Summit, held on March 30 in Orlando, Florida. The goals of our mentor protege agreement with KODA Technologies focused on project management, business strategy, business development, approved accounting systems, technology transfer, and the curation of a test concept development lab and associated toolkit, said William Clark, project manager for Parsons Defense and Intelligence sector. The Parsons team takes pride in being a strong industry partner to work with and we are thrilled that this partnership resulted in KODAs first prime contract awarded by the MDA. We look forward to the continued sharing of best practices and technology development to help them be successful. Additional achievements realized through the Parsons and KODA Technologies Mentor Protege agreement include, the development of a new Defense Contract Accounting Agency (DCAA) accounting system and two digital engineering, modeling and simulation technical labs supporting MDA, Army, and Navy projects. As a direct outcome of this program, KODA's new lab and upgraded modeling and simulation capability are already providing value to multiple customers in the missile defense, hypersonics, and space domains by developing innovative concepts for flight test design, launch vehicle instrumentation, and space-debris mitigation. With these enhancements to our existing technical capability and the programs additional investment in our operations infrastructure, we are postured to be a key contributor in national-priority technology and modernization projects going forward," said KODA Technologies founder and CEO Julie Schumacher. We thank the Office of the Secretary of Defense, MDA and our mentor, Parsons, for the difference youve made in our company's growth and future." The DOD Mentor Protege Nunn-Perry Award is named for the contributions of Senator Sam Nunn and former Secretary of Defense William Perry, who played critical roles in the implementation of the DOD Mentor Protege Program. Established in 1990, the program assists DOD prime contractors in meeting small, disadvantaged business subcontracting goals. The program has since expanded, providing developmental assistance to women-owned small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, and others. To learn more about Parsons defense capabilities, please visit parsons.com/national-security/. About Parsons: Parsons (NYSE: PSN) is a leading disruptive technology provider in the national security and global infrastructure markets, with capabilities across cyber and intelligence, space and missile defense, transportation, environmental remediation, urban development, and critical infrastructure protection. Please visit Parsons.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook to learn how we're making an impact. About KODA Technologies: KODA provides engineering and analytical services that support advanced technology development and modernization for defense and civil space programs. KODA specializes in systems engineering, integration, and testing for aerospace systems, using advanced methods such as digital / model-based engineering. Please visit www.kodatech.com and LinkedIn to learn more about our capabilities and current career opportunities. Media Contact: Angie Benfield +1 803.334.5277 Angie.Benfield@parsons.com Investor Relations Contact: Dave Spille + 1 703.775.6191 Dave.Spille@Parsons.com VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arras Minerals Corp. (TSX.V: ARK) (Arras, or the Company) is pleased to announce assay results from holes Bg22014, Bg22015, & Bg22017 from the ongoing drill program at the Beskauga copper-gold deposit and surrounding area (Beskauga or the Project). Highlights Include: Bg22015: 778.2m of mineralization grading 0.40% copper-equivalent (CuEq) (0.31 g/t gold (Au), 0.13 % copper (Cu), 0.94 g/t silver (Ag) starting at 40.8m. Including: 95.2 m grading 0.61 % CuEq (0.47 g/t Au, 0.20% Cu, 1.27 g/t Ag) starting at 268.0m depth down-hole. Including: 322.4 m grading 0.51 % CuEq (0.40 g/t Au, 0.16% Cu, 1.15 g/t Ag) from 446.0m depth down-hole. (0.31 g/t gold (Au), 0.13 % copper (Cu), 0.94 g/t silver (Ag) starting at 40.8m. Bg22014: 335.6m of mineralization grading 0.24 grams per ton (g/t) gold-equivalent (AuEq) (0.16 g/t Au, 0.05 % Cu, 0.39 g/t Ag, starting at 44.0 m to the end of the drill hole. Including: 7.0 m grading 1.57g/t AuEq (1.47 g/t Au, 0.06% Cu, 1.75 g/t Ag) starting at 44.0m depth down-hole. Including: 8.0 m grading 1.14g/t AuEq (0.56 g/t Au, 0.45% Cu, 1.12 g/t Ag) starting at 369.0 m depth down-hole. (0.16 g/t Au, 0.05 % Cu, 0.39 g/t Ag, starting at 44.0 m to the end of the drill hole. Bg22017: 499.8m of mineralization grading 0.22g/t AuEq (0.15 g/t Au, 0.05% Cu, 0.45 g/t Ag) starting at 32.5 m to the end of the drill hole. Including: 12.0 m grading 1.65g/t AuEq (1.27 g/t Au, 0.21% Cu, 3.28 g/t Ag and 204.63 ppm Mo) starting at 376.0m depth down-hole. Including : 7.7 m grading 1.14g/t AuEq (0.94 g/t Au, 0.09% Cu, 2.34 g/t Ag and 165.28 ppm Mo) starting at 465.3m depth down-hole. (0.15 g/t Au, 0.05% Cu, 0.45 g/t Ag) starting at 32.5 m to the end of the drill hole. Consistent mineralization was seen for the entire length of hole Bg22015 (1,109.8m) and further defines a high-grade core to the Beskauga deposit within a lower grade halo. Holes Bg22014 & Bg22017 were drilled 3.2km to the south of the main Beskauga deposit and show widespread low-grade gold and copper mineralization and suggest another mineralizing system close-by. Very high molybdenum results were intercepted towards the bottom of hole Bg22017. Tim Barry, CEO of Arras, commenting on these latest results stated, Our drilling on the Beskauga Project has continued to produce long intercepts of continuous copper-gold mineralization starting at a depth of 40 meters below the surface. Our recent drilling has demonstrated the continuity of the mineralization to over one kilometer of vertical depth and has defined a high-grade zone that dips to the SSW. Mineralization remains open both laterally and at depth and suggests that the Beskauga ore body is much larger than has been recognized in the NI43-101 report. Mr. Barry continued, Apart from the Beskauga deposit, Arras has begun exploration on the Beskauga South area, located about 3.2 kilometers to the south of the main deposit. Although the mineralizing system at Beskauga South is not yet well understood, the presence of broad zones of low-grade gold mineralization punctuated by high-grade zones suggests there is potential for a bulk mineable target. A summary of the results announced in this news release is outlined in the table below. Table 1. Summary table for drill holes Bg22014, Bg22015 and Bg22017 Notes: Copper Equivalent (CuEq) grades reported for the drill holes at Beskauga were calculated using the following formula: CuEq % = Copper (%) + (Gold (g/t) x 0.8264) + (Silver (g/t) x 0.0107) + (Molybdenum (ppm) x 3.3333). Gold Equivalent (AuEq) grades reported for the drill holes at Beskauga were calculated using the following formula: AuEq g/t = Gold (g/t) + (Copper (%) x 1.2100) + (Silver (g/t) x 0.0129) + (Molybdenum (ppm) x 4.0334). Assumptions used for the copper and gold equivalent calculations were metal prices of US$3.00/lb. Copper, US$1,700/oz Gold, US$22/oz Silver, US$10/lb. Molybdenum, and metallurgical recoveries were assumed to be 100%. Results of Bg22014, Bg22015 and Bg22017: Bg22014: was drilled just north of the Beskauga South target, located approximately 3.2 kilometers south of the Beskauga Main deposit. The aim of the drill hole was to test the major NE-SW trending structure that links Beskauga South to Beskauga Main and to test for the first time a large IP anomaly along this part of the structure that coincides with strong Au-Cu-Bi anomalies identified in KGK drilling. The drill hole intersected andesite basalts and tuffs cut by multiple intrusions of porphyritic quartz monzonite. The andesite basalts are weakly propylitic altered (chlorite, smectite, magnetite, and epidote), while the porphyritic quartz monzonite shows weak potassic alteration (K-feldspar, magnetite, epidote, and rarely biotite). The best mineralized intercepts are hosted in the porphyritic quartz monzonite intrusions and are related to weak quartz-pyrite veining with occasional zones of chalcopyrite magnetite. The same style of veining can be seen sporadically in andesite basalts but with much weaker intensity. Bg22015: was collared 90.0 m to the NW from Arras drill hole Bg21006 (689.2m @ 0.76 % CuEq, including 120.9m @ 2.35% CuEq), and drilled at angle of 85 degrees toward the northeast with final depth of 1,109.8m. The purpose of the hole was to test a deep Audio-magentotelluric AMT anomaly which started at a depth from 725m It also aimed to further test mineralization intersected at 595m in depth by drill hole Bg21002 (431m @ 0.68% CuEq). The drill hole started in moderately, to very strong, argillic altered diorite. The argillic alteration consists of intense illite-smectite with local kaolinite, before transitioning to very weak illite-smectite alteration. Preserved remnants of sodic (albite-hematite) alteration starting appeared below depth of 675.0m. Diorite is cut by three post mineral argillic altered dykes of porphyritic diorite with average thickness of 35.0m at depths of 363.0m, 420.0m and 620.0m and lastly with 22.0m thick barren basalt dyke at 768.4m depth. Mineralization occurs as quartz-tennantite-chalcopyrite-pyrite stockwork, and sheeted veining followed by tennantite stringers and weak dissemination of copper sulphides close around the veins. The presence of bornite is scarce while molybdenite is found in quartz veins beyond depth of 841.0 m. Bg22017: was collared in fence 450m to the east from hole Bg22014, to test a magnetic anomaly supported by anomalous gold up to 6 g/t in historical KGK drill holes. After 32.5m of overburden the drill hole intersected a small interval of porphyritic quartz monzonite before continuing through andesite basalts and their associated tuffs. From 109.0m the quartz monzonite continued to the end of drill hole, interspersed with several small intervals of andesite basalt between depths of 301.0m and 331.0m. Andesite basalts are weakly propylitic (chlorite, smectite, magnetite) altered while quartz monzonite is altered by weak potassic (K-feldspar, magnetite and rare biotite) alteration. Mineralization is related with quartz-pyrite veining that has weak presence of chalcopyrite and rarely magnetite. Figure 1. Location of the holes completed to date as part of Arras planned 30,000-metre drill program on the Beskauga Main deposit and wider area. The surface projection of the block model from the current NI-43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate is shown for copper. The inset map in Figure 2 below shows the location of Beskauga Main relative to Beskauga South. Figure 2. Location of the holes completed to date at the Beskauga South area, located approximately 3.2 kilometres SSW from the Beskauga Main deposit, and outside of the current NI-43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate. The inset map shows the location of Beskauga South relative to Beskauga Main. Figure 3. Cross-section showing drill holes Bg22015 in relation to historical drill hole Bg-094. Also shown are grade contours based on the Beskauga block model for copper (only) developed for the purposes of the current Mineral Resource Estimate for Beskauga (for further details, please see Arras press release on June 20, 2022). CuEq grades of key intercepts in Bg22015 and historical holes are shown. The cross-section demonstrates the steep dipping high-grade copper-gold-silver trend observed through Arras exploration to date. This trend is observed beginning at the paleo-bedrock surface (41 m in depth) and averages between 200-300 m wide and to be consistently mineralized down to at least 1000 meters. Figure 4. Cross-section showing drill holes Bg22014 and Bg22017 with generalized interpretation of intersected rock units. Key intercepts of AuEq grades in Bg22014, Bg22017 are shown. About the Beskauga Deposit: The Beskauga deposit is a gold-copper-silver deposit with an Indicated Mineral Resource of 111.2 million tonnes grading 0.49 g/t gold, 0.30% copper, and 1.3 g/t silver for 1.75 million ounces of contained gold, 333.6 thousand tonnes of contained copper, and 4.79 million ounces of contained silver and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 92.6 million tonnes grading 0.50 g/t gold, 0.24% copper and 1.1 g/t silver for 1.49 million ounces of contained gold, 222.2 thousand tonnes of contained copper, and 3.39 million ounces of contained silver. The constraining open pit was optimized and calculated using a Gross Metal Value (GMV) cut-off of $20/tonne based on a price of $1,750/oz for gold, $3.50/lb for copper, $22/oz for silver, and with an average recovery of 85% for copper and 74.5% for gold and 50.0% for silver. Assay and QAQC Procedures: The drill core is cut in half lengthwise with one half (same half, consistently) collected for analysis, and one half preserved as a record. Bagged samples are sealed to ensure integrity during transport. All sample preparation and geochemical analysis are undertaken by ALS Global at its laboratories in Karaganda (Kazakhstan) and Loughrea (Republic of Ireland), respectively. A 30 g split of the pulp is analyzed for gold content by fire assay with an Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) finish (ALS method: Au-AA25) at ALS Karaganda. A second pulp split is then air freighted to ALS Loughrea and analyzed for 48 elements by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) after four-acid digestion on a 0.25 g aliquot (ALS method: ME-MS61). Any samples exceeding 1% copper are re-analyzed using a 4-acid digest ICP-MS ore grade method (ALS method: Cu-OG62). Arras Minerals operates according to its rigorous internal Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) protocols, which are consistent with industry best practices. This includes the insertion of certified standards, blanks, and field duplicates comprising of quarter drill core into the sample stream at an insertion rate of 2.5%, 2.5%, and 5%, respectively, which is deemed appropriate for this stage of exploration. The blanks and standards are Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) supplied by Ore Research and Exploration, Australia. Internal QA/QC samples are also inserted by the analytical laboratories and reviewed by the Company prior to release. Qualified Person: The technical information of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Tim Barry, a Chartered Professional Geologist MAusIMM CP(Geo), and a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101. On behalf of the Board of Directors "Tim Barry" Tim Barry, MAusIMM (CP(Geo)) Chief Executive Officer and Director INVESTOR RELATIONS: +1 604 687 5800 info@arrasminerals.com Further information can be found on the Companys website https://www.arrasminerals.com or follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arrasminerals About Arras Minerals Corp. Arras is a Canadian exploration and development company advancing a portfolio of copper and gold assets in northeastern Kazakhstan, including the Option Agreement on the Beskauga copper and gold project. The Company has established the third-largest license package in the country (behind Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals Group) prospective for copper and gold in the country. The Companys shares are listed on the TSX-V under the trading symbol ARK. Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors concerning estimates of Measured, Indicated, and Inferred Resources: This press release uses the terms measured resources, indicated resources, and inferred resources which are defined in, and required to be disclosed by, NI 43-101. The Company advises U.S. investors that these terms are not recognized by the SEC. The estimation of measured, indicated and inferred resources involves greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic feasibility than the estimation of proven and probable reserves. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that measured and indicated mineral resources will be converted into reserves. The estimation of inferred resources involves far greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic viability than the estimation of other categories of resources. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that estimates of inferred mineral resources exist, are economically mineable, or will be upgraded into measured or indicated mineral resources. Under Canadian securities laws, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. Disclosure of contained ounces in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations, however the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute reserves by SEC standards as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. Accordingly, the information contained in this press release may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies that are not subject NI 43-101. Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events and Arras future results that are subject to the safe harbors created under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Exchange Act, and applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements regarding the use of net proceeds from the recent private placement, plans and expectations of the drill program Arras is in the process of undertaking, including the expansion of the Mineral Resource, and other aspects of the Mineral Resource estimates for the Beskauga project. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections about Arras exploration projects, the industry in which Arras operates and the beliefs and assumptions of Arras management. Words such as expects, anticipates, targets, goals, projects, intends, plans, believes, seeks, estimates, continues, may, variations of such words, and similar expressions and references to future periods, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond managements control, including undertaking further exploration activities, the results of such exploration activities and that such results support continued exploration activities, unexpected variations in ore grade, types and metallurgy, volatility and level of commodity prices, the availability of sufficient future financing, and other matters discussed under the caption Risk Factors in the Management Discussion and Analysis filed on the Companys profile on SEDAR on February 24, 2023 and in the Companys Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2022 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed on February 24, 2023 available on www.sec.gov. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by the Company in this release is based only on information currently available and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f441116d-88e1-4c0d-afcb-beb743e8a603 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8ecc6364-3ce4-4207-ad62-3e534a270756 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c40008a9-a72c-47c0-afac-c4c425f6a1d0 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c322abcc-ab52-4634-8e05-a0bf8f92e552 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b0692b3f-afdf-4c9b-8129-de05ac01a565 Pittsburgh, PA, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FOMO WORLDWIDE, INC. (US OTC: FOMC) has issued the following letter to the Board of Directors and management of Peer to Peer Network (listed on OTCMarkets.com) demanding a special meeting of the shareholders be held immediately to review the Companys corporate actions and books and records since 2015. Peer to Peer Network shareholders are encouraged to join such demand and are urged to not consent to any corporate actions currently being solicited by management unless and until a quorum and majority is assembled and verified to vote on shareholder matters including potentially appointing a new Board of Directors. A copy of the correspondence is below: April 2, 2023 Josh Sodaitis Chief Executive Officer Peer to Peer Network aka Mobicard Inc. https://www.ptopnetwork.com/ https://freemobicard.com/ Corporate Office: 45 Prospect Street Cambridge, MA 02139 Registered Agents Inc.: 30 N Gould St. Ste R Sheridan, WY 82801 via certified mail, first class mail, and e-mail: joshsmobicardinc@gmail.com & info@freemobicard.com Mr. Sodaitis, I represent a group of shareholders holding 2,432,797,448 common shares of Peer to Peer Network aka Mobicard Inc. (listed on OTCMarkets.com), which are 13.4% of the Companys issued and outstanding common shares of 18,098,761,412 as of March 31, 2023 on OTC Markets. We hereby demand you immediately call for a special meeting of shareholders as allowed and required by State of Wyoming Statute 17-16-701 and the Companys own bylaws. We demand you notify all shareholders and hold such meeting in both a physical location and virtually in order to respond to and address the following items, subject to amendment: Document and provide evidence of shareholder meetings, votes for and approvals of, and explanations of corporate developments and actions taken since January 1, 2015 on or around the time the change of control transaction with Code2Action was initiated, Provide access to the books and records of the Company for inspection, Approve appointments to the companys Board of Directors as nominated by shareholders. Our shareholder group has not been provided access to or notice of corporate events, including meetings or opportunities to vote on corporate actions, which may be a violation of state rules and the Companys bylaws if you did not obtain majority approval in writing of said actions. We have not been asked to vote on corporate actions including equity financings, planned reverse splits, numerous authorized share increases, or the recent re-domestication to Wyoming from Nevada, despite the Companys filings with the Secretaries of States of Nevada and Wyoming indicating that management obtained majority shareholder approvals as required by their states corporate statutes. To my knowledge, the Companys re-domestication was not filed with regulators or approved by FINRA which appears to be a disclosure issue. Further, we were not provided notification on a post hoc basis of any prior corporate actions, even if dragged along by consent as your counsel has indicated. To be clear, our investor group demands proof of meetings notices to shareholders, the actual votes by shareholder name and class on all corporate actions, and minutes of said meetings signed and attested to by you and/or Peer to Peer Networks Secretary since 2015. Its Time to be Transparent and Do Right by Shareholders It has come to my attention that you have notified certain service providers and shareholders in previous years to have no contact with my office. I can only surmise it was in the hopes of avoiding having the above basic business questions answered because, many years ago, I was very involved in the Code2Action (C2A) change of control as C2As advisor on the Peer to Peer Network transaction, and then as the Companys V.P. of Corporate Finance and advisor after I left Wall Street in mid-2015. Its time for you to demonstrate and prove that you have been acting in the best interests of shareholders since your appointment as CEO and sole Director several years ago. The Company appears to have inadequate corporate governance. Further, the Company has not delivered on years of mobile business card promises (i.e., the mobicard) made to the myriad of investors you have attracted to the stock since your appointment. It appears the Companys patents are obsolete, invalid and/or incomplete, its service does not function properly on the Apple and Google app stores possibly due to non-payment of vendors, and there is no strategy or idea how to monetize a working app if one could be completed. Further, the Company has diluted its stock so substantially that it is now almost zero with no liquidity. As an alternative reporting entity, Peer to Peer Network has little hope of completing a proper recapitalization and drastic measures are called for to save the business. We would like to help Peer to Peer Network pursue a turnaround. To put it mildly, our prior communications to your office have failed. We are open to working with management and mutually agreeable third parties if and only if it will serve the best interests of all shareholders, which means a new Board of Directors must be appointed at the requested Special Meeting. For further discussions, and for any shareholder interested in participation in this process, I can be reached at the following: Vik Grover Chief Executive Officer FOMO WORLDWIDE, INC. 831 W North Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15233 (630) 708-0750 info@fomoworldwide.com FOMO WORLDWIDE, INC. reserves all rights. There is no litigation underway or contemplated in this matter. Further, this is not an offer of settlement, nor is it a solicitation for investment in FOMO WORLDWIDE, INC. or its subsidiaries or affiliates. Time is of the essence. Sincerely, Vikram Grover Chief Executive Officer FOMO WORLDWIDE, INC. cc: Dale Bergman, Esq. (FOMO WORLDWIDE, INC. SEC counsel), Scott Olson, Esq. (Peer to Peer Network SEC counsel), FINRA Corporate Actions Group, OTC Markets Issuer Services, Securities Exchange Commission (by EDGAR), Secretary of State of Nevada, Secretary of State of Wyoming, Andy Sanjani, CEO Think Latitude (owner of 1,662,455,448 common shares), James Bento, former CEO, CFO & Secretary Peer to Peer Network (owner of 390,000,000 common shares), Marc Lasky, former CEO Peer to Peer Network (owner of 135,529,500 common shares), Michael Lasky, former Chairman Peer to Peer Network (owner of 34,812,500 common shares), Vikram Grover, CEO FOMO WORLDWIDE, INC. (owner of 210,000,000 common shares; proxy for above). About FOMO WORLDWIDE, INC. FOMO WORLDWIDE, INC. (https://www.fomoworldwide.com/) is a publicly traded company focused on business incubation and acceleration. The Company invests in and advises emerging companies aligned with a growth mandate. FOMO is developing direct investment and affiliations - majority- and minority-owned as well as in joint venture formats - that afford targets access to the public markets for expansion capital as well as spin-out options to become their own stand-alone public companies. Forward Looking Statements: Statements in this press release about our future expectations, including without limitation, the likelihood that FOMO WORLDWIDE, INC. will be able to meet minimum sales expectations, be successful and profitable in the market, bring significant value to FOMOs stockholders, and leverage capital markets to execute its growth strategy, constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time, and our actual results could differ materially from expected results. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this statement or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. FOMOs business strategy described in this press release is subject to innumerable risks, most significantly, whether the Company is successful in securing adequate financing. Additionally, although the Company has announced letters of intent to acquire additional companies, there is absolutely no assurances that any such transactions will result in a completed acquisition. No information in this press release should be construed in any form, shape, or manner as an indication of the Companys future revenues, financial condition, or stock price. FOMO WORLDWIDE, INC. Investor Relations (630) 708-0750 IR@fomoworldwide.com VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Prime Mining Corp. (Prime, or the Company) (TSX.V: PRYM) (OTCQX: PRMNF) (Frankfurt: O4V3) is pleased to report its operating and financial results for the year ended December 31, 2022. Unless otherwise stated, all amounts are presented in Canadian dollars. Prime is focused on the exploration and development of its wholly owned high-grade Los Reyes Gold-Silver Project in Sinaloa State, Mexico (Los Reyes or the Project). Prime Chief Executive Officer Daniel Kunz commented, Our performance in 2022 exceeded our expectations with metres drilled well above plan. Excellent results from this and prior Prime drilling are anticipated to contribute to an increase in the quantity and quality of the upcoming Los Reyes resource update. Phase 3 drilling, that is already underway, is further expanding the three main resource zones and also focused on developing new deposits outside of the main resource areas. Prime expects to release an updated mineral resource estimate for the Los Reyes Gold-Silver Project in May 2023 to include Primes Phase 1 and 2 drilling results through December 2022. Corporate Highlights During the Quarter On December 22nd, the Company announced the closing of a C$21.0 million bought deal private placement issuing 14,030,000 units at $1.50 per unit which also included one common share purchase warrant exercisable at a price $2.00 until December 22, 2025, with a $2.50 early call provision. Exploration Highlights During the Quarter On October 11th, the Company highlighted drill results from 5 key step out holes in the Z-T area. Highlight intercepts include: 2.36 g/t Au and 177.8 g/t Ag over 13.2 m etw and 0.91 g/t Au and 139.0 g/t Ag over 7.4 m etw) and 1.39 g/t Au and 12.7 g/t Ag over 3.9 m etw; 3.86 g/t Au and 88.5 g/t Ag over 5.6 m etw), including 9.24 g/t Au and 223.0 g/t Ag over 2.1 m etw, and 2.70 g/t Au and 333.04 g/t Ag over 0.8 m etw; 1.17 g/t Au and 207.4 g/t Ag over 5.3 m etw. On October 14th, the Company announced exceptional drill results from the Guadalupe area. Highlight intercepts include: 27.9 g/t Au and 509 g/t Ag over 2.2m etw; 23.2 g/t Au and 2,550 g/t Ag over 0.6m etw; 6.08 g/t Au and 913 g/t Ag over 1.9m etw; 10.5 g/t Au and 284 g/t Ag over 1.8m etw. On November 28th the Company announced multiple bonanza and high-grade intercepts at Guadalupe. Highlight intercepts include: 6.8 g/t Au and 166 g/t Ag over 18.3 m etw; 12.8 g/t Au and 646 g/t Ag over 1.1 m etw, and 4.2 g/t Au and 212 g/t Ag over 12.7 m etw; 8.8 g/t Au and 289 g/t Ag over 5.6 m etw, including 33.2 g/t Au and 1,072 g/t Ag over 1.4 m etw; 6. 8 g/t Au and 208 g/t Ag over 6.8 m etw. Maintaining Health and Safety Protocols The Company continues to successfully mitigate the impact of Covid-19 on operations. To-date Covid-19 has not had a material effect on the Companys activities. Prime remains engaged with local stakeholders and is proactive in monitoring employees and contractors during this uncertain period. The Company continues to closely adhere to the directives of all levels of government and relevant health authorities in Mexico and Canada. Community Engagement and Environmental Stewardship Strategy We continued to gather environmental and community data in the quarter to help support our ESG programs, including completion of a materiality assessment, strategic plan and disclosure matrix. We strive to minimize the environmental impact of our activities and ensure that Los Reyes has a positive impact on our host communities. We expect to release our initial sustainability report in Q2 of 2023 that establishes a baseline and a new yardstick to measure our progress in meeting our commitments regarding sustainability and stewardship of the environment, relevant social issues and corporate governance. Selected Financial Data The following selected financial data is summarized from the Companys consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto (the Financial Statements) for the year ended December 31, 2022. A copy of the Financial Statements and MD&A is available at www.primeminingcorp.ca or on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Year ended December 31, 2022 Eight months ended December 31, 2021 Loss and comprehensive loss $27,372,260 $14,297,342 Loss per share - basic and diluted $0.24 $0.13 December 31, 2022 December 31, 2021 Cash $23,811,434 $27,413,707 Total assets $38,105,206 $41,785,376 Total current liabilities $1,209,140 $1,372,458 Total liabilities $2,092,161 $2,470,784 Total shareholders equity $36,013,045 $39,314,592 Qualified Person Scott Smith, P.Geo., Executive Vice President of Exploration, is a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical content in this news release. Los Reyes Gold and Silver Project Los Reyes is a rapidly evolving high-grade, low sulphidation epithermal gold-silver project located in Sinaloa State, Mexico. Historic operating results indicate that an estimated 1 million ounces of gold and 60 million ounces of silver were recovered from five separate operations at Los Reyes between 1770 and 1990. Prior to Primes acquisition, recent operators of Los Reyes had spent approximately US$20 million on exploration, engineering, and prefeasibility studies. The Project remains underexplored and holds potential for additional discovery and resource expansion. Since acquiring Los Reyes in 2019, Prime has spent approximately US$30 million on direct exploration activities and has completed two phases of comprehensive drilling totaling over 110,000 m. Results to date suggest the three known main deposit areas, Guadalupe, Central and Z-T are much larger than previously reported. Potential exists for new discoveries outside of the current defined resource areas. About Prime Mining Prime Mining is an ideal mix of successful mining executives, strong capital markets personnel, and experienced local operators focused on unlocking the full potential of the high-grade Los Reyes Gold-Silver Project in Mexico. Prime Mining has a well-planned capital structure with significant team and insider ownership. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Daniel Kunz Chief Executive Officer For further information, please contact: Daniel Kunz Chief Executive Officer and Director Prime Mining Corp. 1307 S. Colorado Ave. Boise, Idaho 83706 Telephone: +1 (208) 926-6379 office email: daniel@primeminingcorp.ca Scott Hicks Executive Vice President Prime Mining Corp. 710 1030 West Georgia Street Vancouver, BC, V6E 2Y3 Telephone: +1 (604) 428-6128 office email: scott.hicks@primeminingcorp.ca Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Information This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation as may be amended from time to time, including, without limitation, statements regarding the perceived merit of the Companys properties, including additional exploration potential of Los Reyes, potential quantity and/or grade of minerals, the potential size of the mineralized zone, metallurgical recoveries, the timing and results of permitting and the Companys exploration and development plans in Mexico. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts which address events, results, outcomes or developments that the Company expects to occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Companys management on the date the statements are made, and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Certain material assumptions regarding such forward-looking statements were made, including without limitation, assumptions regarding the price of gold, silver and copper; the accuracy of mineral resource estimations; that there will be no material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties; that all required approvals will be obtained, including concession renewals and permitting; that political and legal developments will be consistent with current expectations; that currency and exchange rates will be consistent with current levels; and that there will be no significant disruptions affecting the Company or its properties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements involve significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These risks include, but are not limited to: risks related to uncertainties inherent in the preparation of mineral resource estimates, including but not limited to changes to the cost assumptions, variations in quantity of mineralized material, grade or recovery rates, changes to geotechnical or hydrogeological considerations, failure of plant, equipment or processes, changes to availability of power or the power rates, ability to maintain social license, changes to interest or tax rates, changes in project parameters, delays and costs inherent to consulting and accommodating rights of local communities, environmental risks, title risks, including concession renewal, commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations, risks relating to COVID-19, delays in or failure to receive access agreements or amended permits, risks inherent in the estimation of mineral resources; and risks associated with executing the Companys objectives and strategies, including costs and expenses, as well as those risk factors discussed in the Company's most recently filed management's discussion and analysis, as well as its annual information form dated April 22, 2022, available on www.sedar.com. Except as required by the securities disclosure laws and regulations applicable to the Company, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if managements beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. 18,432,500 Units issued in Private Placement for total gross proceeds of CA$7,373,000. The Company currently has 60,244,764 common shares issued and outstanding. The Company has received approval for a three-year extension of its Rubia Permit at the Lomero Project. The Department of Mines in Huelva has also granted the Palomarejo Permit to the Company giving it access to a 151-hectare area adjacent to and on strike with its mineralized Rubia Permit at Lomero. Denarius Metals expects to have its Phase 2 drilling results at Lomero available later in April and plans to continue its exploration work in Spain in 2023 with 10,000 m of drilling at its Lomero Project and 7,000 m of drilling at the Toral Project. TORONTO, April 04, 2023 -- Denarius Metals Corp. ("Denarius Metals" or the "Company") (TSXV: DSLV; OTCQB: DNRSF) announced today the completion of its private placement (the "Private Placement") announced on March 6, 2023. The Company also provided an update on its polymetallic exploration projects in Spain. Serafino Iacono, Executive Chairman and CEO of Denarius Metals, commented, "With the closing of the Private Placement and our earlier Rights Offering and termination of our Guia Antigua Project, we have raised approximately CA$18.7 million to fund our exploration and development programs at our projects in Spain, to prepare our Zancudo Project in Colombia to commence operations later this year and for working capital and general corporate purposes. The granting of the neighboring Palomarejo Permit from the Department of Mines is a very important step which allows us to start testing the potential western extension of the existing mineralization at our Lomero Project that remains open along strike to the west and at depth. The Department of Mines has been very helpful in getting the Palomarejo and Rubia Permits at Lomero granted for the exploration stage and we will continue to work closely with them. We are finalizing the preparation of the validation drilling in the 2023 campaign at our Lomero Project which is expected to commence in approximately two weeks. We are also excited to proceed with the next phase of confirmatory and in-fill drilling at the Toral Project in Northern Spain as part of our commitment under the First Option that will allow us to acquire an initial 51% interest in the project." Private Placement The Private Placement resulted in the issuance of 18,432,500 units of the Company ("Units") for total gross proceeds of CA$7,373,000. Each Unit consists of one common share and one transferrable common share purchase warrant ("Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share at a price of CA$0.60 per share until April 4, 2026. Following completion of the Offering, the Company has 60,244,764 common shares issued and outstanding. The common shares and Warrants underlying the Units in respect of the Private Placement are subject to a four-month hold period and are therefore not freely tradeable until August 5, 2023. Pursuant to the Offering, insiders of the Company, including Mr. Serafino Iacono (Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer), Mr. Michael Davies (Chief Financial Officer), Mr. Federico Restrepo-Solano (Director) and Mr. Hernan Juan Jose Martinez Torres (Director), acquired a total of 3,050,000 Units of the Company for total gross proceeds of CA$1,220,000. In connection with the Offering, Mr. Iacono and companies to which he provides investment advice or in which he has a beneficial interest, acquired a total of 2,500,000 Units for CA$1,000,000. As a result of the Offering, Mr. Iacono beneficially owns and controls 8,991,913 common shares, which represents approximately 14.93% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares, 150,000 stock options and 9,976,995 warrants. Prior to the completion of the Offering, Mr. Iacono beneficially owned and controlled 6,491,913 common shares, representing approximately 15.63% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares. The Warrants issued to Mr. Iacono will bear a legend stating that until Denarius Metals' disinterested shareholder approval is received, he will be prohibited from exercising any warrants if at the time of such exercise he owns 19.9% or greater of the shares of the Company on a non-diluted basis. Mr. Iacono acquired the securities under the Offering for investment purposes. In conjunction with the Offering, the Company paid a total of CA$173,430 of fees in cash to certain arm's length agents and brokers who acted as finders. The Company also issued 266,625 Units to an arm's length agent in satisfaction of their finder's fee. A copy of Mr. Iacono's early warning report will be available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com or by contacting Ms. Amanda Fullerton, General Counsel and Secretary at investors@denariusmetals.com or (416) 360-4653. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering (i) to continue its exploration drilling campaign, metallurgical testing and other technical work at its flagship Lomero Project in the Iberian Pyrite Belt in Southern Spain, (ii) to meet its obligations under the Definitive Option Agreement executed on November 22, 2022 related to the Toral Project in Northern Spain and (iii) for working capital and general corporate purposes. Update on Exploration Projects in Spain Lomero Project, Iberian Pyrite Belt, Southern Spain Denarius Metals announced today that it has received approval from the Mining Department in Huelva for its proposed extension of the Investigation Permit "Rubia" N 14.977, covering the areas occupied by the former Lomero-Poyatos Concessions in the Iberian Pyrite Belt in Southern Spain, for a further three years. The extension of the Rubia Permit has been granted by the Department of Mines in Huelva in conjunction with its approval of the Company's planned drilling program of approximately 10,000 m for 2023 as described below. The Company also announced today the granting of Investigation Permit "Palomarejo" N 14.978 to the west of the Rubia Permit. The Palomarejo Permit covers an area of 151 hectares in the Cortegana area (Huelva), increasing the Company's exploration area by about 30%, and is in a similar geological setting as the adjacent polymetallic Lomero-Poyatos deposit. The Palomarejo Permit has an initial three-year term and may be extended for another three years. Refer to Attachment 1 for a map showing the locations of the Palomarejo and Rubia Permits. Previous exploration programs near or over the Palomarejo Permit, including surface geological mapping and high-resolution helicopter-borne time-domain electromagnetic (NRG Europe's high-resolution XciteTEM/MAG) and ground-based gravimetric geophysical surveys, have identified significant new targets and demonstrate that conductors associated with the known Lomero-Poyatos deposit persist along strike to the west and at depth. A parallel shear-zone detected by field mapping below the Devonian hanging-wall unit and located approximately 1 km north of the Lomero-Poyatos deposit, named the Northern Shear Zone, has also been outlined. Refer to Attachment 2 for a map showing the potential extension of the Lomero-Poyatos deposit by interpretation of data from TDEM geophysical survey. The Company completed its Phase 2 drilling program at the Lomero Project in mid-February. Results are expected to be announced later in April as a large number of assay results are still pending related to the check samples submitted to the umpire laboratory. Directional drilling completed at the end of Phase 2 drilling has already validated some of the expected higher grades. The Company expects to complete a Mineral Resource estimate ("MRE") update incorporating the results of its Phase 2 drilling program. For 2023, the Company has designed an exploration program at the Lomero Project with three main objectives: (i) to conduct a follow up phase of the ground-based gravimetric survey on the prospective areas not covered by the initial 2022 gravimetric survey; (ii) to complete up to 4,000 m of conventional drilling aimed at validating the higher grades near surface to be incorporated in the planned preliminary economic assessment ("PEA") to be completed in 2023; and, (iii) to complete up to 6,000 m of exploration drilling aimed at increasing the tonnage of the MRE update based on Phase 1 and Phase 2 drilling, targeting the Las Merinas and Alianza areas located along two main shear zones discovered in 2022 by field mapping, located to the south and to the north of the shear zone that hosts the Lomero-Poyatos deposit and both of which are E-W trending. The contract for the diamond drilling program at the Lomero Project has been awarded to Explomin Perforaciones Ue who have mobilized equipment and personnel to site to commence preparatory work immediately. Toral Project, Leon Province, Northern Spain The Company entered into a definitive option agreement with Europa Metals Ltd. ("Europa") (AIM: EUZ) dated November 22, 2022 (the "Definitive Agreement"), pursuant to which the Company has been granted options to acquire, in two stages, up to an 80% ownership interest in Europa Metals Iberia S.L. ("EMI"), a wholly owned Spanish subsidiary of Europa which holds the Toral Zn-Pb-Ag Project, Leon Province, Northern Spain. The Company and Europa have recently agreed on a budget of approximately US$1.95 million (EUR 1.8 million) for 2023 for the work programs that will comprise a comprehensive drilling program at the Toral Project and completion and submission of a mining license application to the Junta of Castilla y Leon. Details on the 2023 work programs at the Toral Project are as follows: Drilling of approximately 7,000 m, which has already commenced with an initial rig followed by a second rig to be added in April, the program represents a combination of confirmatory drilling followed by a series of in-fill drillholes designed to corroborate the existing Indicated MRE. The results will then be incorporated into the existing database to update a new MRE later in the year. A desktop review and necessary application route for additional permits close to the Toral Permit has commenced and will run over the next 3-6 months to identify and complete outstanding questions to enable an exploration application to be submitted to the Junta of Castilla y Leon. Work on the Mining License Application was resumed in January 2023 following the initial payment of US$100,000 by the Company and is progressing rapidly due to the work carried out by Europa Metals over the last 12-18 months regarding resources, hydrogeology, geotechnical measurements, environmental and social studies. This work will continue and is currently on track with our internal timeline for the submission of the application to the Junta of Castilla y Leon. No U.S. Offering or Registration This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction, including the United States, other than the provinces and territories of Canada. The securities being offered pursuant to the Offering have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "US Securities Act"), or the securities laws of any state of the United States. Such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, any U.S. Person (as defined in Regulation S of the US Securities Act) or person in the United States except in a transaction exempt from or not subject to the registration requirements of the US Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. About Denarius Metals Denarius Metals is a Canadian junior company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development and eventual operation of polymetallic mining projects in high-grade districts, with its principal focus on the Lomero Project in Spain. The Company signed a definitive option agreement with Europa Metals Ltd. in November 2022 pursuant to which Europa has granted Denarius Metals two options to acquire up to an 80% ownership interest in the Toral Zn-Pb-Ag Project, Leon Province, Northern Spain. The Company's 100%-owned Zancudo Project in Colombia provides an opportunity to develop near-term production and cash flow through local contract miners and long-term growth through exploration. Additional information on Denarius can be found on its website at www.denariusmetals.com and by reviewing its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains "forward-looking information", which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the Offering, TSX Venture Exchange conditional approval and the use of proceeds of the Offering. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Denarius to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Readers cannot be assured that the Private Placement and the closing thereof will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements are described under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form dated November 23, 2022 which is available for view on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and Denarius disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For Further Information, Contact: Michael Davies Chief Financial Officer (416) 360-4653 investors@denariusmetals.com Attachment 1 - Map showing location of Palomarejo and Rubia Permits at the Lomero Project https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3ad3a6e5-e57c-44fe-b277-08aef06a3139 Attachment 2 - Potential extension of the Lomero-Poyatos deposit by interpretation of data from TDEM geophysical survey https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3ad3a6e5-e57c-44fe-b277-08aef06a3139 NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES Vancouver, April 04, 2023 - Spey Resources Corp. (CSE: SPEY) (OTC: SPEYF) (FRA: 2JS) ("Spey" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has sold (the "Sale") all of the Company's interest in certain mineral claims located in the James Bay Region of Quebec (the "Claims") to Prospectus Capital Inc. ("Prospectus Capital"), a non-related, privately held British Columbia corporation. In consideration for the Sale, the Company has received from Prospectus Capital $250,000 in cash. In addition, Prospectus Capital (or an affiliate thereof) intends to list its shares on a recognized stock exchange ("Go Public Event"), with its assets being comprised of the Claims, and certain other mineral claims it has or is in the process of acquiring, and will, in conjunction with such Go Public Event, issue 1,500,000 common shares to the Company ("Share Payment"). Prospectus Capital has agreed with the Company that the Go Public Event and Share Payment will occur no later than December 31, 2023. About Spey Resources Corp. Spey Resources is a Canadian lithium-focused mineral exploration company, which has an 80-percent interest in the Candela II lithium brine project located in the Incahuasi salar in Salta province, Argentina. Spey also holds an option to acquire a 100 percent interest in the Kaslo silver project, west of Kaslo, B.C. For more information, please contact: Phillip Thomas Nader Vatanchi, CEO, President VP, Corporate Finance, Director phil@speyresources.ca nader@speyresources.ca +61433747380 +1778-881-4631 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, ????including with respect to the issuance of the Share Payment to the Company and the completion of a Go Public Event. The Company ??provides forward-looking statements for the purpose of conveying ??information about current ??expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that ??such statements may not be ??appropriate for other purposes. By its nature, this information is subject to ??inherent risks and ??uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that ??expectations, ??forecasts, predictions, projections, or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that ??assumptions may not ??be correct, and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. ??These risks and ??uncertainties include but are not limited those identified and reported in the Company's ??public filings ??under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has ??attempted to identify ??important factors that could cause actual actions, events, or results to differ ??materially from those ??described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause ??actions, events or ??results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that ??such information ??will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from ??those ??anticipated in such statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or ??revise any ??forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or ??otherwise unless ??required by law.? The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed, approved, or disapproved the contents of this ?press release.? Jervois Global Ltd. ("Jervois" or the "Company") (ASX:JRV) (TSXV:JRV) (OTC:JRVMF) advises that its Q1 2023 Quarterly Results and Investor Call will be held on Thursday 27 April at 0900 Australian Eastern Standard Time ("AEST"). Registration for the investor call can be undertaken at the link below: https://s1.c-conf.com/diamondpass/10030057-j8pcwe.html After registering participants will receive email confirmation with access details. A recording and transcript will be made available shortly after conclusion of the webinar. On behalf of Jervois Global Ltd., Alwyn Davey, Company Secretary For further information, please contact: Investors and analysts: James May Chief Financial Officer Jervois Global james.may@jervoisglobal.com Media: Nathan Ryan NWR Communications nathan.ryan@nwrcommunications.com.au Mob: +61 420 582 887 Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. VANCOUVER, April 5, 2023 - Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. (TSX: ASM) (NYSE American: ASM) (FSE: GV6) ("Avino" or "the Company") a growing silver producer in Mexico, is pleased to announce metallurgical results from the testwork program on its oxide tailings project ("Oxide Tailings" or the "Project"). The Project hosts gold and silver from past producing historic operations in an inactive tailings facility located on the Avino property with a 5.7 million tonnes of measured and indicated resource grading 95 g/t of silver equivalent. Historically, near surface oxidised material was not recovered well by Avino's conventional flotation mill, which has created this opportunity for re-processing the tailings with a cyanide leaching process. These results below will form the basis for the metallurgical analysis of a Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") on the Project. In addition, a table can be viewed at the end of this release showing a comparison between the 2021 and 2023 mineral resource estimate on the Oxide Tailings as contained in the respective technical reports which can also be viewed on Avino's profile on SEDAR. "We are very pleased with these metallurgical results, which demonstrate excellent metal recoveries that would be suitable for a precipitating into bullion," commented CEO David Wolfin. "Metallurgy is an important component in understanding the potential economics of our Oxide Tailings project. This Project has been in our portfolio for many years and factors prominently into our five-year growth plan to become an intermediate silver producer in Mexico. These results also build on the work done in 2017 Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") and increase the level of confidence in the Project from the extensive testwork completed. When comparing the most recent mineral resource estimate to the one completed in 2021, we see in the measured and indicated category an impressive 408% increase in tonnage, as well as a 287% increase in AgEq ounces. The potential of the Oxide Tailings resource has been known for many years but buried under the active tailings dam. With the new state of the art Dry-Stack Tailings facility now fully operational, we can advance the oxide tailings project to the prefeasibility study level. These results along with the ongoing testwork program will allow us to make sound decisions on the processing route to maximize the project value." Highlights of Metallurgical Test Results The project consists of three types of tailings that are categorized by grade as well as identified in three stratigraphic layers within the deposit based on the time period when they were processed. They are, Ancient Oxides, Recent Oxides and Sulphides, and each type was sampled and tested separately. The average grades are shown below. Table 1: Average Grade of Each Tailings Type Sample Description Au g/t Ag g/t Ancient Oxides Original Duplicate 0.45 0.43 101.0 92.0 Recent Oxides Original Duplicate 0.48 0.49 37.0 49.0 Sulphides Original Duplicate 0.24 0.25 21.0 19.0 The project exhibits an excellent response using conventional metallurgical techniques. Recovery Highlights include: Ancient Oxides Gold Recovery up to 89.5% and silver recovery of up 90.4% in a conventional bottle roll. Recent Oxides Gold Recovery up to 85.8% and silver recovery of up 83.4% in a conventional bottle roll. Sulphides Gold Recovery up to 82.8% and silver recovery of up 76.1% in a conventional bottle roll. The conventional bottle roll test parameters for the three samples were achieved at a particle size of eighty percent passing 75 microns using 500 to 1000ppm sodium cyanide and a retention time of 60-72 hours. The metallurgical test program was completed by SGS de Mexico ("SGS"), a leading metallurgical testing and consulting firm based in Durango Mexico. The testwork was completed on a composite sample from approximately 437 kg of HQ core from a sonic drill from 127 drill holes drilled into the oxide tailings resource in 2021 and 2022. Each type of tailings was identified and separated so that a composite for each style of tailings could be created. Both the deposition style and appearance of the tailings within the drill core allowed for relatively straight forward categorization. The sulphides section used 158.9 kg of sample, the ancient oxides used 135.5 kg and the recent oxides 142.7 kg. The testwork program included chemical analysis, size fraction analysis, agglomeration, bulk leaching extractable gold test, bottle roll test to simulate agitated leaching, column leaching tests to simulate heap leaching, flotation, and cyanide detoxification using sodium hypochlorite. Testwork Program Results Flotation was investigated at a variety of grind sizes, reagent levels and operating conditions. A Bulk leach extractable gold test was performed to understand the leaching response of each respective size fraction on each sample. While each size fraction of each sample did show a variation in leaching performance it was determined that there were not significant portions of gold locked away rendering any sample unleachable. With that in mind, various leaching conditions and three particle sizes were investigated per sample. Each sample performed best with a 75um ("micron") grind size, furthermore it did not appear that the addition of lead nitrate or oxygen provided superior leach results. Finally, a column leach test was performed on each sample in order to replicate the performance of a potential heap leach. The flotation, agitated leach and column leach results are shown per sample are shown below. Table 2: Summary of Recoveries for the Sulphides Sample Description Au % Ag % Flotation Agitation leaching Heap leaching 45.8 82.7 74.0 46.5 68.9 88.8 Table 3: Summary of Recoveries for the Ancient Oxide Sample Description Au % Ag % Flotation Agitation leaching Heap leaching 46.3 88.2 75.5 45.5 86.0 76.2 Table 4: Summary of Recoveries for the Recent Oxide Sample Description Au % Ag % Flotation Agitation leaching Heap leaching 47.6 85.7 76.0 45.5 78.6 63.7 Ongoing Testwork In addition to these leaching and flotation results, ongoing testing consists of the thickening, filtering, communition optimization, cyanide detoxification, gravity testwork as well as specific gravity and bulk density testwork that will be fed into the PFS for appropriate flowsheet design, sizing and costing. Oxide Tailings Mineral Resource Comparison Table 2023 Mineral Resource Estimate 2021 Mineral Resource Estimate Net Change Measured Resources Mt 3,809,000 - ?% Grade Ag g/t 63 - ?% Grade Au g/t 0.48 - ?% Grade AgEq g/t 102 - ?% Metal Contents Ag Moz 7.7 - ?% Metal Contents Au Koz 59 - ?% Metal Contents AgEq Moz 12.5 - ?% Indicated Resources Mt 1,877,000 1,120,000 68 % Grade Ag g/t 41 89 -54 % Grade Au g/t 0.49 0.42 17 % Grade AgEq g/t 81 124 -35 % Metal Contents Ag Moz 2.5 3.2 -22 % Metal Contents Au Koz 30 15 100 % Metal Contents AgEq Moz 4.9 4.5 9 % Measured and Indicated Resources Mt 5,686,000 1,120,000 408 % Grade Ag g/t 56 89 -37 % Grade Au g/t 0.48 0.42 14 % Grade AgEq g/t 95 124 -23 % Metal Contents Ag Moz 10.2 3.2 219 % Metal Contents Au Koz 88 15 487 % Metal Contents AgEq Moz 17.4 4.5 287 % Inferred Resources Mt 278,000 1,230,000 -77 % Grade Ag g/t 65 85 -24 % Grade Au g/t 0.44 0.47 -6 % Grade AgEq g/t 101 125 -19 % Metal Contents Ag Moz 0.6 3.4 -82 % Metal Contents Au Koz 4 19 -79 % Metal Contents AgEq Moz 0.9 5.0 -82 % Reference: Mineral Resource Estimate Update for the Avino Property, Durango, Mexico with an effective date of November 30, 2022, and SEDAR filed on SEDAR on February 16, 2023 Reference: Amended Resource Estimate Update For The Avino Property, Durango, Mexico with an effective date of January 13, 2021 and SEDAR filed on December 21, 2021. To view these reports in their entirety, please refer to Avino's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Qualified Person(s) Peter Latta, P.Eng, MBA, VP Technical Services, Avino who is a qualified person within the context of National Instrument 43-101 has reviewed and approved the technical data in this news release. About Avino Avino is a silver producer from its wholly owned Avino Mine near Durango, Mexico. The Company's silver, gold and copper production remains unhedged. The Company's mission and strategy is to create shareholder value through its focus on profitable organic growth at the historic Avino Property and the strategic acquisition of the La Preciosa property. Avino currently controls mineral resources, as per NI 43-101, that total 368 million silver equivalent ounces, within our district-scale land package. We are committed to managing all business activities in a safe, environmentally responsible, and cost-effective manner, while contributing to the well-being of the communities in which we operate. We encourage you to connect with us on Twitter at @Avino_ASM and on LinkedIn at Avino Silver & Gold Mines. To view the Avino Mine VRIFY tour, please click here. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "David Wolfin" ________________________________ David Wolfin President & CEO Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (together, the "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including the amended mineral resource estimate for the Company's Avino Property located near Durango in west-central Mexico (the "Avino Property") with an effective date of November 30, 2022, and the Company's updated mineral resource estimate for La Preciosa with an effective date of October 27, 2021, prepared for the Company, and references to Measured, Indicated, Inferred Resources referred to in this press release. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and the dates of technical reports, as applicable. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the future circumstances, outcomes or results anticipated in or implied by such forward-looking statements will occur or that plans, intentions or expectations upon which the forward-looking statements are based will occur. While we have based these forward-looking statements on our expectations about future events as at the date that such statements were prepared, the statements are not a guarantee that such future events will occur and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors which could cause events or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and assumptions include, among others, the effects of general economic conditions, the price of gold, silver and copper, changing foreign exchange rates and actions by government authorities, uncertainties associated with legal proceedings and negotiations and misjudgments in the course of preparing forward-looking information. In addition, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Known risk factors include risks associated with project development; the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mining and mineral processing; the COVID-19 pandemic; volatility in the global financial markets; fluctuations in metal prices; title matters; uncertainties and risks related to carrying on business in foreign countries; environmental liability claims and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the potential for conflicts of interest among certain of our officers, directors or promoters with certain other projects; the absence of dividends; currency fluctuations; competition; dilution; the volatility of the our common share price and volume; tax consequences to U.S. investors; and other risks and uncertainties. Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. We are under no obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statements except as required under applicable securities laws. For more detailed information regarding the Company including its risk factors, investors are directed to the Company's Annual Report on Form 40-F and other periodic reports that it files with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. References to Measured & Indicated Mineral Resources and Inferred Mineral Resources in this press release are terms that are defined under Canadian rules by National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101"). On October 31, 2018, the US Securities and Exchange Commission adopted Item 1300 of Regulation S-K ("Regulation SK-1300") to modernize the property disclosure requirements for mining registrants, and related guidance, under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All registrants are required to comply with Regulation SK-1300 for fiscal years ending after January 1, 2021. Regulation SK-1300 uses the Committee for Mineral Reserves International Reporting Standards ("CRIRSCO") based classification scheme for mineral resources and mineral reserves, that includes definitions for inferred, indicated, and measured mineral resources. U.S. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part of the mineral resources in these categories will ever be converted into probable or proven mineral reserves within the meaning of Regulation S-K 1300. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/favourable-metallurgical-results-from-avinos-oxide-tailings-project-301790446.html SOURCE Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. Highlander Silver Corp. (CSE:HSLV) (the "Company" or "Highlander Silver") is pleased to announce that it has negotiated term extensions and suspension of monthly cash payments at both the Alta Victoria and Politunche projects in Central Peru. Highlights Alta Victoria: Option term extended by up to 5 years and monthly payments of USD$10,000 per month suspended for up to 18 months. Politunche: Option term extended by 6 months, and monthly payments of USD$5,000 per month suspended for 6 months. David Fincham, President & CEO commented "We are very pleased to have agreed with our partners at the Alta Victoria and Politunche projects to extend the terms of both option agreements and suspend monthly cash payments for 18 and 6 months respectively. I would like to thank the owners of both the Alta Victoria and Politunche concessions for granting the extensions and their continuing strong support for the projects. The results from our 2022 drilling campaign at Alta Victoria (see news release of December 28, 2022) returned several significant intercepts of silver and base metals plus manganese sulphide that closely resemble the upper portions of the high grade Uchucchacua silver mine, located 90 kms along strike to the northwest of the project. Based on these encouraging results, our updated exploration model predicts that as at Uchucchacua a potential ore body could be hosted some 100 m to 300 m below the current depth of drilling. The next phase of drilling will therefore require deeper drill holes that will target the projection of mineralisation encountered to date within the prospective Santa Formation limestones, host rocks for the Santander and Iscaycruz mines, 20 kms and 80 kms northwest along strike respectively. Given the highly prospective nature of the project and the deeper drilling required, we believe that it is in the best interests of our shareholders to find a partner to fund the next stage of exploration, whilst retaining exposure to the discovery potential at Alta Victoria. The option to extend the agreement term by 5 years and suspension of monthly cash payments gives us the time to find a suitable partner for the project. At our Politunche project 15 kms southwest of Alta Victoria the December 2022 mapping and rock sampling program defined a significant zone of dome intrusion and mineralisation which has yet to be drill tested - the Central Dome Target, and validated the potential for high grade vein hosted mineralisation at the North Vein target. 62 additional rock chip samples were collected with 53 samples returning anomalous to bonanza grades ranging from 29.9 g/t AgEq up to 1522.6 g/t AgEq, with 33 samples grading over 500 g/t AgEq*. The 6 month option term extension at Politunche gives us time to plan work at Politunche and at our recently acquired advanced exploration stage La Estrella silver - gold project (see news release of March 23, 2023), plus continue to seek acquisition opportunities that create value for our shareholders. We look forward to providing regular updates on our project portfolio over the coming months." *Note that AgEq calculations in this press release are based on the following parameters: $1700/oz Au, $20/oz Ag, $3.00/lb Cu, $0.90/lb Pb, $1.20/lb Zn (all prices in US$). Headline changes to Option Agreements Alta Victoria Option agreement term extended by up to five (5) years and six (6) months to September 2028. Monthly cash payments of USD$10,000 suspended for up to eighteen (18) months from March 2023 to September 2024. Total acquisition cost for 100% ownership of the project increased from USD$4 million to USD$5 million such cost to include the cumulative monthly payments plus final option payment. Highlander Silver may terminate the agreement, in its sole discretion, at any time. Politunche Option agreement term extended for six (6) months from February 2026 to July 2026. Monthly cash payments of USD$5,000 suspended for six (6) months from March 2023 to September 2023. Monthly cash payments of USD$5,000 to begin September 2023 and end June 2024. Monthly cash payments of USD$10,000 to begin July 2024 and end June 2026. Final option payment of USD$1,735,000 due on July 17th 2026 the Company elects to acquire 100% of the project. Total acquisition cost increased for 100% ownership of the project increased from USD$2 million to USD$2.1 million. Highlander Silver may terminate the agreement, in its sole discretion, at any time. Qualified Person All scientific and technical information contained in this news release was prepared and approved by Walter La Torre, (Qualified Person), MAusIMM (CP). Mr. La Torre has verified the scientific and technical information disclosed in this news release by reviewing the sampling, analytical and drilling data from the Property. About Highlander Silver Highlander Silver Corp. is a mineral exploration company focused on the exploration of silver-polymetallic projects in central Peru, as well as targeting the acquisition of additional mineral projects by leveraging the team's significant experience in Peru and South America more widely. Additional information about Highlander Silver and its mineral projects can be viewed on the Company's SEDAR (www.sedar.com) profile at www.sedar.com and its website at www.highlandersilver.com Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. For further information, please contact: David Fincham Chief Executive Officer Highlander Silver Corp. (604) 283 7630 info@highlandersilver.com Forward-Looking Information Certain information contained in this news release constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. This includes, but is not limited to, information or statements with respect to the future exploration plans of the Company, permitting, timing of future exploration and potential partners on the Company's projects. Such forward looking information or statements can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipates", "plans", "suggests", "targets" or "prospects" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "will" be taken, occur, or be achieved. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company and/or its subsidiaries to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, the actual results of current exploration activities,changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, , accident, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, and delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that could cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking information contained herein are made as of the date of this news release. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change, except as required by applicable securities laws. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. New Age Metals Inc. (TSXV:NAM); (OTC:NMTLF); (FSE:P7J2) ("NAM" or "Company") is pleased to report that it has acquired 19,321 hectares of mineral exploration license (MEL) area at McLaughlin Lake, Manitoba. The MEL covers approximately 30 kms strike length of the Stull-Wunnummin Fault structure. The property hosts spodumene-bearing pegmatites with historical assay values up to 2.87% Li2O 1 and numerous prospective LCT-style pegmatites. The newly acquired property is located in Northern Manitoba's Oxford Lake - Knee Lake Greenstone belt (figure 1) which is largely underexplored for LCT Pegmatites. All the claims are held by Lithium Canada Development, a 100% owned Lithium Division of New Age Metals. The Company is looking to find a strategic partner to advance the project to a drill ready stage. KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MCLAUGHLIN LAKE LITHIUM PROPERTY Spodumene-bearing pegmatites have been historically documented at McLaughlin Lake. A channel sample taken across the main dyke assayed 1.32% Li2O over 1.52m and more recent whole-rock sampling conducted by the Manitoba Geological Survey (MGS) on this dyke assayed 1.64% Li The dyke was traced at surface for a reported length of 400 meters and varies in thickness from 1.2 - 2.2 meters. Spodumene forms up to 40% of the dyke locally with individual crystals noted to be up to 35 centimeters long and 7 centimeters wide In a later report by Barry (1962), a second spodumene-bearing dyke was described ~20 meters west of the main showing. Two representative grab samples taken from a second spodumene bearing dyke in the area assayed 2.87% and 0.98% Li The pegmatite has an exposed width of up to one meter and was traced for 10 meters before disappearing under overburden. The nearby and related Magill Lake pluton contains abnormally high Rb (8 samples range from 238 to 692 ppm Rb), and a high degree of fractionation is inferred; the associated pegmatites therefore have a potential for rare-element mineralization 4,5 Analysis of regional till sampling conducted by the MGS returned coincident Li-Cs-Rb anomalies with the McLaughlin Lake pegmatite indicating an effective exploration tool and shows additional anomalies occurring west on the property that have yet to be investigated . Harry Barr, Chairman and CEO of New Age Metals Inc. commented "With the strong competition in today's lithium market for available and prospective projects, we are thrilled to acquire such a large, underexplored area with mapped occurrences of lithium-bearing pegmatites. The acquisition of the McLaughlin Lake Lithium Project expands our Manitoba Lithium Division land position by 79% to an amalgamated 43,870 hectares confirming our commitment to delivering shareholder value through project generation and development. The company looks forward to working with local First Nation(s), local stakeholders, and the Province of Manitoba to increase the lithium economic potential in the region." Click Image To View Full Size Figure 1: Overview of Newly Acquired McLaughlin Lake Lithium Project EXPLORATION PLANS New Age Metals and its technical consultants from Axiom Exploration Group Ltd., are working on a go-forward exploration plan for the upcoming field season that will include: Permitting and consultation with the local First Nations and Government representatives to support initial exploration plans. Combined airborne magnetics, radiometrics, and LiDAR survey over the central spodumene bearing structure. First pass prospecting and geological mapping focusing on historical showings. Surficial geochemical surveys including Mobile Metal Ions to expand upon regional till sampling anomalies identified by the government. Identify and prioritize drill targets by integrating historical data with new exploration surveys and datasets. New Age Metals continues to expand it's Manitoba Lithium Division's land holdings as a leading explorer for battery metals in the province. Other projects include the recently announced South Bay Lithium Project and 11 projects in Southern Manitoba which are under option to Mineral Resources Ltd., one of the top 5 lithium producers worldwide. About NAM New Age Metals is a junior mineral exploration and development company focused on the discovery, exploration, and development of green metal projects in North America. The Company has two divisions: a Platinum Group Metals division and a Lithium/Rare Element division. The PGM Division includes the 100% owned, multi-million-ounce, district-scale River Valley Project, one of North America's largest undeveloped Platinum Group Metals Projects, situated 100 km by road east of Sudbury, Ontario. The company plans to have an updated Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) completed on the project by mid-summer and will announce it's exploration plans within the next 60 days. In addition to River Valley, NAM owns 100% of the road accessible Genesis PGM-Cu-Ni Project in Alaska and plans to complete a Option-Joint Venture arrangement with a third party mining company to develop the project. The Company's Lithium Division is one of the largest mineral claim holders in the Winnipeg River Pegmatite Field, where the Company is exploring for hard rock lithium and various rare elements such as tantalum, rubidium, and cesium. The company recently completed a phase two drill program at Lithium Two Project and is beginning to receive initial assay results. Further exploration plans for 2023/24 include continued mapping/sampling field programs following up on prospective trends outlined in the magnetic data and 2022 surface sampling, additional geophysical surveys, and diamond drilling. The company has a partnership with Mineral Resource Limited (MRL, ASX: MIN), a top global lithium producer to explore and develop the Company's lithium project portfolio. The 2023/24 budget for our Manitoba Lithium Division has been submitted to MRL and a final budget is expected by mid-April 2023. The company is currently completing its 2022/23 $2.3 million budget. Our philosophy is to be a project generator with the objective of optioning our projects with major and junior mining companies through to production. The Company is actively seeking an option/ joint venture partner for our newly acquired McLaughlin Lake Li Project, the SouthBay Lithium Project in Northern Manitoba, and its road-accessible Genesis PGM-Cu-Ni Project in Alaska. Investors are invited to visit the New Age Metals website at www.newagemetals.com where they can review the company and its corporate activities. Any questions or comments can be directed to info@newagemetals.com or Harry Barr at Hbarr@newagemetals.com or Farid Mammadov at faridm@newagemetals.com or call 613 659 2773. Qualified Person The technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Lynde Guillaume (Senior Geologist, Axiom Exploration Ltd.), a Qualified Person, and a Professional Geoscientist (P.Geo) who is a registered member of the 'Engineer and Geosciences of Manitoba' (no. 47952). Opt-in List If you have not done so already, we encourage you to sign up on our website (www.newagemetals.com) to receive our updated news. On behalf of the Board of Directors "Harry Barr" Harry G. Barr Chairman and CEO Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements: This release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements may differ materially from actual future events or results and are based on current expectations or beliefs. For this purpose, statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements include statements in which the Company uses words such as "continue", "efforts", "expect", "believe", "anticipate", "confident", "intend", "strategy", "plan", "will", "estimate", "project", "goal", "target", "prospects", "optimistic" or similar expressions. These statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially depending on a variety of important factors, including, among others, the Company's ability and continuation of efforts to timely and completely make available adequate current public information, additional or different regulatory and legal requirements and restrictions that may be imposed, and other factors as may be discussed in the documents filed by the Company on SEDAR (www.sedar.com), including the most recent reports that identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to review or confirm analysts' expectations or estimates or to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. References VANCOUVER, April 5, 2023 - Desert Mountain Energy Corp. (the "Company") (TSXV: DME) (U.S. OTC: DMEHF) (FSE: QM01) From the President of the Company. The Company is in the final stage of development that will lead to commercial production. The recently completed financing will allow the company to build all the infrastructure necessary and complete the start-up work necessary to bring six helium wells into production. The McCauley Helium Processing Facility (MHPF) is operational. Nitrogen and atmospheric air was injected into the facility at 250-500 psi and it successfully isolated all of the component elements. Nitrogen was vented off and other elements were separated during the process with trace amounts of helium identified at the end of the processing test. Helium Wells 4, 5, 6 and 7 were shut-in with KCL fluid to prevent any unwanted release, migration or loss of any gas prior to putting them into production and to address the general security of the wells. After the MHPF was delivered in December 2022, the wells were physically connected (via underground piping and metering manifold) to the MHPF. The Company is currently securing a swabbing rig in order to remove the fluid via tubing swab. Once that is accomplished, gas can start flowing into the MHPF. Each well will need approximately 3 to 7 days of work. DME expects the 60-to-90-day optimization program that will lead to commercial production will be completed by the end of April 2023. "This small final step, leading into the plant operating and processing raw gas is a relatively low-risk operation," said Robert Rohlfing, CEO of DME. "We expect to be a vertically integrated primary producer of helium, selling commercial gas this quarter." By the end of June or early July 2023, individual well performance should be completed and stabilized at the "optimum" long-term production rate. The Company will then know the production capability of the MCauley Helium Field (flow rates, pressures and final gas composition). VALORIE FARLEY ACCEPTS THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER ROLE AT Desert Mountain Energy Corp. The Company is pleased to announce that Valorie Farley has accepted the role as the next CFO of Desert Mountain Energy Corp. Valorie is a CPA with experience in power generation and distribution, natural resources, regulatory and financial reporting, audits and real estate development. Scott Davis will continue to administer the Canadian side reporting, financial and audits to assure a smooth transition over the next number of months. This transition will also be including a change to the US GAP procedures and practices. "I look forward to working with Scott Davis as we transition the accounting into the U.S.," said Valorie Farley. "One of the first jobs will be identifying tax rebates and government grants that the Company should be eligible to receive, based on our solar and hydrogen initiatives." Valorie will immediately assume the accounting for all of the Company's US corporations. "We'd like to thank Cross Davis & Company's accounting team for the thorough work they have done and we look forward to maintaining that relationship as our company transitions and continues to experience growth," said Robert Rohlfing, CEO of DME. "This move is another significant step forward in fully developing our own internal accounting team facilitating our growth goals in North America and elsewhere." ABOUT DESERT MOUNTAIN ENERGY Desert Mountain Energy Corp. is a publicly traded resource company primarily focused on exploration, development and production of helium, hydrogen and noble gases. The Company is primarily looking for elements deemed critical to the renewable energy and high technology industries. We seek safe harbor "Robert Rohlfing" Robert Rohlfing Exec Chairman & CEO Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in polices of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The statements made in this press release may contain certain forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results may differ from the Company's expectations. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forward looking statements and information herein include but are not limited to statements regarding the Company's anticipated performance in the future the planned exploration activities, receipt of positive results from drilling, the completion of further drilling and exploration work, and the timing and results of various activities. Forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company and its operations to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such factors include, among others, changes in national and local governments, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in Canada and the United States; financial risks due to helium prices, operating or technical difficulties in exploration and development activities; risks and hazards and the speculative nature of resource exploration and related development; risks in obtaining necessary licenses and permits, and challenges to the Company's title to properties. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to the continued operation of the Company's exploration operations, no material adverse change in the market price of commodities, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or information, there may be other factors that cause results to be materially different from those anticipated, described, estimated, assessed or intended. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company does not intend to, and nor does not assume any obligation to update such forward-looking statements or information, other than as required by applicable law. SOURCE Desert Mountain Energy Corp. Contact Don Mosher, President & Director, (604) 617-5448, E-mail Don@desertmountainenergy.com The Companies are targeting a high-grade underground resource at the bottom of the past-producing Clear Creek Mine pit. WALLACE, April 5, 2023 - Magellan Gold Corp. (OTCQB:MAGE) ("Magellan" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that the company has entered into a Joint Venture Agreement with Gold Express mines on their Kris Project. The Kris Project is a high-grade underground target located in Plumus County, California. The property package at the Kris Project consists of 79 unpatented mining claims covering about 1580 acres that contain much of the best part of a 10-mile-long gold belt that historically produced over 250,000 ounces of gold from the 1850s to the 1940s. Project logistics are excellent with abundant Forest Service roads and past drill roads. The Project lies very near paved highway, and a few miles to rail siding, and power lines. The Company is targeting a high-grade underground resource at the bottom of the past-producing Clear Creek Mine pit. Surface sampling suggests a mineralized zone 1500' long and 30' wide and unknown depth. Many other similar targets are indicated along the 10-mile-long thrust fault zone. Mineralization is a classic orogenic thrust fault-related or Mother Lode-type deposit with excellent potential for ore-grade mineral to extend thousands of feet below the historical production from the open pit. The newly acquired properties fit perfectly with the Company's focus to acquire, explore, and develop early to mid-stage exploration targets or near-term production plays. The Company continues to remain focused in the State of Idaho and to leverage current managements many years of experience in the mining industry in the state. In the near future the Company will be speaking more specifically about each of the new property acquisitions, and we look forward to updating our current shareholders and the investing public about these new acquisitions and our Center Star Mine project as well. "The Kris Project represents a tremendous opportunity for Magellan Gold's shareholders", said Mike Lavigne, Magellan Gold's CEO. "The Kris Project is a great example of the type of near-term production potential properties we are seeking to add to our portfolio", he further stated. Mr. John Ryan, CEO and President of Gold Express Mines, said, "We are pleased to be teaming up with Magellan Gold to move the exploration and development of the Kris Project forward" He also stated, "The Kris Project offers a high-grade target in a proven past-producing area with significant upside potential". About Magellan Gold Corporation Magellan Gold Corp. (MAGE) is focused on the exploration and development of precious metals in North America and more specifically the Western United States. Magellan controls six projects: The Center Star Gold Mine, Golden, Idaho Project, Seafoam District, Blacktail District, Bit-It Project, and Terror Gulch (Capparelli Group), all located within the State of Idaho. To learn more about Magellan Gold Corporation, visit www.magellangoldcorp.com. About Gold Express Mines, Inc. Gold Express Mines is a US-based, multi-commodity mining company focused on the discovery, development and production of precious and base metal assets and focused on historic mining districts and other known mineralized areas. Gold Express Mines prioritizes sustainability in its operations. We will utilize best practices to ensure that the economic, social and environmental impacts of our projects are in harmony with the goals and desires of the local towns, regions, and indigenous organizations where we operate. Our aim is to be a part of a new era of low-impact, socially responsible mining which provides an abundance of newly mined metals critical to our nation's security, economic growth, and reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. Cautionary Statement The United States Securities and Exchange Commission permits mining companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only those mineral deposits that a company can legally extract or produce. Under SEC Industry Guide 7 standards, a "final" or "bankable" feasibility study is required to report reserves. Currently we have not delineated "reserves" on any of our properties. We cannot be certain that any deposits at our properties will ever be confirmed or converted into SEC Industry Guide 7 compliant "reserves." Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of any "resource" estimates will ever be confirmed or converted into reserves or that they can be economically or legally extracted. Forward Looking Statements This release contains "forward-looking statements." Such statements are based on good faith assumptions that Magellan Gold Corp. believes are reasonable but which are subject to a wide range of uncertainties and business risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from those anticipated are discussed in Magellan Gold Corp.'s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Contacts: Magellan Gold Corp. Mike Lavigne, CEO mblavigne@magellangoldcorp.com SOURCE: Magellan Gold Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/747594/Magellan-Gold-Enters-Joint-Venture-Agreement-With-Gold-Express-Mines Vancouver, April 5, 2023 - Minaurum Gold Inc. (TSXV: MGG) (OTCQX: MMRGF) ("Minaurum") is pleased to provide an update on its corporate strategy as well as the Alamos, Santa Marta and Aurifero projects. Minaurum's exploration strategy is to develop and acquire a pipeline of potential Tier One precious metals projects. Through a portfolio containing silver projects totaling 37,928 hectares; gold projects totaling 25,933 hectares; and copper projects totaling 12,856 hectares, Minaurum provides significant exposure to precious metals. Key initiatives for each flagship project include: Alamos Silver Project Ongoing underground rehabilitation to be followed by mapping, sampling and underground drilling. Results will serve as a basis for an initial resource estimate. Santa Marta Copper-Gold Project Initial drill program has been designed and is awaiting a drill permit from SEMARNAT, the Mexican federal environmental permitting agency. Aurifero Gold Project Drill program to test deep targets has been designed and drill permits have been applied for, actively working to further consolidate the district. Minaurum expects to advance the remainder of its projects through strategic joint ventures in exchange for a combination of royalties, carried interests, and payments such as it received in option agreements with Fortuna Silver Corp. and Infinitum Copper Corp. "We believe gold and silver will begin a significant and sustained multi-year rally in 2023 and we are working to maximize our shareholders' exposure to it by advancing our portfolio of potential tier one gold and silver projects. Our robust pipeline of district-scale projects offers investors a single company alternative to a basket of junior explorers," stated Darrell Rader, President and CEO of Minaurum Gold. "Exploration results to date indicate that the Alamos Silver project is a Tier 1 silver project, and we are actively quantifying its silver endowment to determine if it will make a low-cost, long-lived mine." FLAGSHIP SILVER, GOLD, AND COPPER PROJECTS Alamos Silver Project The 100% owned 37,928-hectare Alamos silver project completely encompasses a major historic silver district that hosted multiple mines and had not seen modern exploration until Minaurum acquired it. Minaurum discovered 26 separate silver vein zones carrying by-product gold, copper, lead, and zinc credits. To date, 42,000 m of core drilling has been completed. In 2022, Minaurum transitioned from surface to underground exploration through initiating an extensive underground mine rehabilitation program at the historic Promontorio mine, one of the largest historical silver producers within the district. Entering previously inaccessible old mine workings returned significant high-grade silver and gold sampling results. Recent mine backfill sampling results have ranged from anomalous to 308 g/t silver, 5.7 g/t gold, 1.57% copper, 3.91% lead and 8.19% zinc (see Minaurum news release dated March 2, 2023) with a surface dump boulder of massive sulfide vein assaying 3,320 g/t Ag, 54.7 g/t Au, 25% Cu, 6.5% Pb, and 1.1% Zn (see Minaurum news release dated November 15, 2022). Minaurum is now preparing to refurbish a number of the historic shafts in order to access the lower mine levels and higher-grade portions of the mine. Underground rehabilitation includes the stabilization of ground and dewatering of internal shafts to provide safe access for detailed sampling and mapping of vein exposures, and underground drilling. These activities, along with compilation of drilling data, will generate a 3D geologic model, which will serve as the basis for a resource estimate. Alamos Project website page: https://minaurum.com/projects/alamos/ Santa Marta Copper Project The Santa Marta project, in Oaxaca state, hosts an un-drilled copper-gold volcanogenic massive sulphide ("VMS") deposit. Drill targets include a 700-metre-long gossan exposure that has been demonstrated by rock-chip sampling to be mineralized in base metals for its entire length. Additional scattered exposures of gossan bring the entire strike length of prospective ground to over 900 m. Historical and Minaurum sampling has yielded copper values ranging from 1% to 3.7% copper and gold values as high as 2 g/t gold. David Lowell, considered the world's greatest explorer having made over a dozen major discoveries in his career, noted, "Santa Marta has a number of early geological indicators leading us [Lowell Copper] to believe it could be a significant VMS deposit." (See Minaurum news release March 25, 2014). Minaurum has designed an initial drill program and is waiting for a drill permit from SEMARNAT, the Mexican federal environmental permitting agency. Santa Marta Project website page: https://minaurum.com/projects/santa-marta/ Aurifero Gold Project The Aurifero gold project encompasses a swarm of gold- and silver-bearing epithermal veins measuring 3 km long and more than 400 m wide and lies approximately 35 km northwest of the Alamos silver project. A large number of high-grade gold results from shallow historical drilling suggests the potential top of a large underlying gold system. Drill results include: 58 m of 3.65 g/t Au (hole CI-09); 24.5 m of 3.12 g/t Au (hole 07-MN-10) and 3.1 m of 18.37 g/t Au (hole DMDDH-01) (see news release dated January 29, 2020). Historical drilling typically reached less than 100 m from the surface: the deepest reaching a vertical depth of 135 m from surface. Minaurum has compiled historical exploration data including the re-logging of historic drill core, designed a drill program, applied for drill permits and is actively working to further consolidate the district. Aurifero Project website page: https://minaurum.com/projects/aurifero PROJECT PORTFOLIO Aurena Gold Project At the Aurena gold-skarn/VMS discovery, two principal zones of fracture-controlled gold mineralization occur along a strike length of 1.8 km. The largest zone of mineralization discovered by drilling occurs along a steeply north-dipping contact between metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks. The second zone hosts significant gold mineralization directly on surface including: 29.05 m of 1.99 g/t gold (hole AURC-11-005); 43.50 m of 1.01 g/t gold (hole AURC-11-006); and 20.50 m of 1.01 g/t gold (hole AURC-11-001); (see news releases May 9 and June 14, 2011). Minaurum is in joint venture discussions with several interested third parties. Aurena Project website page : https://minaurum.com/projects/aurena Biricu and Vuelcos del Destino Gold Projects Biricu and Vuelcos del Destino are located in the heart of the multimillion-ounce Guerrero Gold Belt ("GGB"). The projects were hand-picked by the late David M. Jones, Co-founder and Director, who on behalf of Teck Corp. discovered the 4-million-ounce Los Filos gold deposit that has now grown to over 15 million ounces. His discovery model is still used today and referenced in several NI 43-101 reports within the GGB for his geometallurgical domains by which the domains are used to separate rock of different metallurgical characteristics and identified in the block models as the "Jones codes". Besides Los Filos, Mr. Jones is also credited with the discovery of the Aguita, Independencia, Norte and Media Luna deposits in the GGB. Click here to view videos by David M. Jones about the Guerrero Gold Belt Biricu and Vuelcos del Destino represent the last remaining projects held by a junior in the center of the belt and are completely surrounded by miners including Equinox Gold, Agnico-Eagle, Torex Gold, and Osisko Development Corp. Recently Heliostar Metals Inc. raised CDN $24M to fund the exploration and development of its Ana Paula acquisition (see Heliostar Metals news release dated March 17, 2023) in the northern most portion of the GGB. Both of Minaurum's projects exhibit typical GGB host rocks cut by intrusive rocks identical to those seen in the neighbouring Los Filos Mine and nearby Media Luna deposit. Vuelcos del Destino hosts the largest untested intrusive complex measuring 12 sq km in the GGB. At Biricu, drilling focused on 3 principal target areas, where one hole intercepted 26.98 m grading 1.07 g/t Au (hole GV2014-011) (see news release dated January 20, 2021). Minaurum is in joint venture discussions with interested third parties on its Guerrero Gold Belt projects as well as reviewing further consolidation opportunities. Biricu and Vuelcos del Destino Project website pages: https://minaurum.com/projects/vuelcos-del-destino/ https://minaurum.com/projects/biricu/ Follow us and stay updated: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/MinaurumGold Twitter: @minaurumgold LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/minaurum-gold-inc Subscribe to our email list at www.minaurum.com Minaurum Gold Inc. (TSXV: MGG) (OTCQX: MMRGF) (FSE: 78M) is a Mexico-focused explorer concentrating on the high-grade Alamos silver project in southern Sonora. With a property portfolio encompassing multiple additional district-scale projects, Minaurum is managed by one of the strongest technical and finance teams in Mexico. Minaurum's goal is to continue its founders' legacy of creating shareholder value by making district-scale mineral discoveries and executing accretive mining transactions. For more information, please visit our website at www.minaurum.com and our YouTube Minaurum Video Channel. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Darrell A. Rader" Darrell A. Rader President and CEO For more information, please contact: Sunny Pannu - Investor Relations and Corporate Development Manager (778) 330 0994 or via email at pannu@minaurum.com The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. 2710 - 200 Granville Street Telephone 778 330-0994 Vancouver, BC V6C 1S4 www.minaurum.com info@minaurum.com Stephen R. Maynard, Vice President of Exploration of Minaurum and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, reviewed and verified the assay data, and has approved the disclosure in this News Release. Historical data reported in this news release has not been verified. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information: This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof. In making the forward-looking information in this release, Minaurum has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on Minaurum's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Minaurum. Although Minaurum considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking information in this release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Minaurum does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161354 Volcanic Gold Mines Inc. (TSXV:VG) ("Volcanic" or the "Company") announces that its management has determined that it is in the best interests of the Company to extend the expiry date of certain common share purchase warrants exercisable at $0.70 per share which were issued in October 2020 pursuant to the Company's public offering and concurrent private placement. The original expiry date of these warrants of April 20, 2022 was previously extended to April 20, 2023, and it is now proposed, subject to TSX Venture Exchange acceptance, that the expiry date of: 6,273,250 outstanding warrants issued pursuant to the public offering, and 1,558,550 outstanding warrants issued pursuant to the concurrent private placement, be extended by a further year, to April 20, 2024. About Volcanic Volcanic brings together an experienced and successful mining, exploration and capital markets team focused on building multi-million-ounce gold and silver resources in underexplored countries. Through the strategic acquisition of mineral properties with demonstrated potential for hosting gold and silver resources, and by undertaking effective exploration and drill programs, Volcanic intends to become a leading gold-silver company. For further information, visit our website at www.volgold.com. Volcanic Gold Mines Inc. Simon Ridgway, President and CEO Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking statements Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward- looking statements and include, without limitation, statements about the proposed warrant extension. Often, but not always, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "estimate", "estimates", "estimated", "potential", "open", "future", "assumed", "projected", "used", "detailed", "has been", "gain", "upgraded", "offset", "limited", "contained", "reflecting", "containing", "remaining", "to be", "periodically", or statements that events, "could" or "should" occur or be achieved and similar expressions, including negative variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Such uncertainties and factors include, among others, whether the proposed warrant extension will be completed as intended; the uncertainties inherent in the mineral resource estimates; whether the Company's planned exploration work will be proceed as intended; whether the Company will acquire any new property interests in Guatemala; changes in general economic conditions and financial markets; the Company or any joint venture partner not having the financial ability to meet its exploration and development goals; risks associated with the results of exploration and development activities, estimation of mineral resources and the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; unanticipated costs and expenses; and such other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's quarterly and annual filings with securities regulators and available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements contained herein are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management, including but not limited to: that the proposed warrant extension will be completed as intended; that the Company's stated goals and planned exploration and development activities will be achieved; that there will be no material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties; and such other assumptions as set out herein. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. After the Australian Grand Prix, George Russell suggested that Red Bull Racing are deliberately holding back to avoid FIA intervention. Christian Horner responded to the allegations by the Mercedes driver, whose team, he said, "knows very well what it is like" to be ahead of the rest. Article continues under ad Horner answers Russell Max Verstappen managed to take victory at the Albert Park circuit for the first time in his Formula 1 career, but did so at a less dizzying pace than Red Bull managed in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia (Perez was victorious). This prompted Russell to suggest that Red Bull are holding something back in order to prevent the FIA from taking action. Horner, for his part, sees the irony in this, according to Crash.net. "That's very generous of him. Hed know too well from his team about those kinds of advantages," the Red Bull team boss hit back. In doing so, he echoed the words of Verstappen, who also dismissed Russell's claim. According to the 49-year-old Brit, Red Bull's slower pace had everything to do with tyre management. "Theres always an element of management that goes on in any race. Because it was a one-stop race and a very early one-stop race, of course there was an element of tyre management going on," Horner concluded. The 2023 car is "too slow" but Alpha Tauri boss Franz Tost says the Red Bull-owned team is making changes. Recently, it was rumoured that Red Bull's new CEO Oliver Mintzlaff was so unhappy with the Faenza based team's on-track and financial performance that it could be sold. But while a sale was subsequently ruled out, boss Tost admits that changes are now being made. "We must now find ways to get out of the dilemma," he told Sport1. "But we're on the right track. "This includes making better use of the Red Bull wind tunnel in England. I was in Milton Keynes last week for that." Austrian Tost also caused a stir recently by suggesting that he no longer "trusts" the team's engineers because they had promised a step forward in 2023. "Yes. The aero department has been reorganised," the 67-year-old revealed. "We have separated from some employees and I am now expecting an increase in performance from the new people. I don't want to name any names just yet." But in other ways, Tost said the team is "intensifying" its cooperation with Red Bull Racing and Red Bull Technologies, even though there are some regulatory limits. "You can't just copy parts," he insisted. "We can only accept Red Bull parts that are officially allowed. "But the parts relevant to performance, we have to develop ourselves. The FIA keeps a close eye on that." As for the drivers, Tost says Nyck de Vries is being given time to get up to speed whilst he's happy with Yuki Tsunoda. Tost was very close with both Ralf and Michael Schumacher, but as for Michael's son Mick he regrets that there is no room at Alpha Tauri for now. "I would have liked to work with him, but he was always a Ferrari academy driver so he didn't catch our attention. But he deserves a place in Formula 1," he said. "I also agree with his uncle Ralf that if his father had been by his side, Mick would still be in Formula 1. One hundred percent. "Michael's personality alone would have made everything go differently for him. I don't want to criticise the people around Mick, but it would have just been a different story if Michael Schumacher was dealing with a team boss," Tost added. (GMM) Formula 1 teams have apparently approved CEO Stefano Domenicali's plan to spice up the 'sprint' race weekend format. It emerged in Australia that the sport's Italian chief wanted to replace a practice session with a second qualifying session. "Of course the drivers need time to practice," Domenicali told Sky Deutschland. "But the people in the stands come to see power and performance. "The more often you give the teams and drivers the chance to show who they are, the better the show is. "Together with the drivers and teams we are thinking about what could be the best plan for that," the F1 CEO added. It is believed Domenicali wants the 'plan' to be voted on and approved before the very next race at Baku - and according to Sky Deutschland, the agreement of the teams has at least been achieved. Now, there will be separate qualifying sessions for both Saturday's sprint race and the main grand prix on Sunday. Qualifying for Sunday's race will now apparently take place on Friday afternoons, with another separate qualifying for the sprint to then occur on Saturday. "Stefano put a little bit more of his vision out there for the future," said Haas boss Gunther Steiner, "because that is what he has to do for FOM - have a vision, where are we going?" (GMM) Asiedu-Mante, former Deputy Bank of Ghana Governor is dead Maxwell Akalaare Adombila Business News Apr - 05 - 2023 , 16:13 A former Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Emmanuel Asiedu-Mante, has died. Mr Asiedu-Mante died Monday night aged 81. He passed on at the Bank Hospital in Accra after battling with ill health, his son, Daniel Asiedu-Mante, told Graphic Online Wednesday. Born in June 1942, he was the Deputy Governor of the central bank from May 29, 2001 to May 31, 2006. The junior Asiedu-Mante said the family was devastated. It is sad but we will take it a day at a time, he said. It also brings closer to this thing because we saw it coming, he said, adding that his father had been unwell for sometime. The son said the family was due to meet this weekend to decide on the burial and funeral arrangement. BoG days The late Asiedu-Mante worked with BoG for 38 years prior to his retirement in 2006 as Deputy Governor. Also a former Chairman of the Board of Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited, he was instrumental in the introduction of the rural banking concept into the country. He chaired the central banks Transitions Apex Steering Committee that was put together to formulate modalities for a regulatory regime for rural and community banks (RCBs). The committees work led to the setting up of todays ARB Apex Bank, a mini central bank for the RCBs, and the operationalisation of RCBs nation wide. Mr Asiedu-Mante published a book on rural banking titled Rural Banking in Ghana in 2011. In December last year, the Association of Rural Banks honoured him for his stellar contributions to their industrys success at the fourth Rural Banking Excellence Awards in Koforidua. He was also often referred to as the rural banking encyclopedia due his vast knowledge and experience on the sector. Mr Asiedu-Mante was also a present and revered voice on national issues, especially those pertaining to banking and the economy. He was often featured in news articles and commentaries in the Daily Graphic and the Graphic Business. John Lewis has won a court battle with an author who claimed the retailer had copied one of her designs in an advert. The department store's Christmas advert in 2019 featured a fire-breathing but friendly green dragon named Edgar. Visiting the sins of unlicensed lawyer on client Goodnuff Appiah Larbi Opinion Apr - 04 - 2023 , 14:03 In recent years, some judgements of our courts appear to have the unintended consequence of visiting the sins of defaulting lawyers on their clients. Some clients have had their cases struck out by the courts because their lawyers failed or neglected to secure a valid practising licence as required of them by Section 8(1) of the Legal Profession Act 1960 (Act 32). In the Supreme Court case of Henry Nuertey Korboe v. Francis Amosa (2016 Unreported), Sophia Akuffo, a former Chief Justice of Ghana, held as follows: if the Applicant (or any member of the public for that matter), whether out of diffidence or ignorance, fails to exercise his clear right to verify the credentials and legal capacity of his lawyer to perform the services he is engaged to undertake, that cannot give rise to an exceptional circumstance which has resulted in a miscarriage of justice such as would merit the exercise of our review jurisdiction". Though the principle places the responsibility on clients to ascertain the status of lawyers before procuring their services, the discharge of this duty on a majority of clients in developing countries, such as ours, may be seriously undermined, because of the high illiteracy level. The ethical questions are: how does an illiterate client differentiate a fake lawyer licence from the genuine one? How does a client who lacks knowledge of courtroom procedure assess the quality of his or her lawyers performance? And lastly, what is the likelihood that a hungry lawyer would disclose his or her lack of capacity to perform legal services? Analysis The Bible in 2 Corinthians 5:10 instructs that for we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each one may be repaid according to practices he has practised. However, clients whose cases are struck out due to the sins of their lawyers are made to suffer consequences of the misconduct of their lawyers. Lawyers are officers of the courts (as said by Lord Denning MR) and the consequences of their mistakes should not be borne by unfortunate clients, but should be remedied by the courts themselves. Notably, clients who suffer the consequences of the mistakes of their lawyers are not given the audience to express their thoughts before such harsh decisions are taken, which are against the rule of natural justice encapsulated in the legal maxims audi alteram partem (no party should be condemned unheard). The case of Awuni v. West African Examinations Council emphasises that, where a judicial decision breaches the principle of audi alteram partem, the decision reached becomes void. Therefore, striking out the cases of clients out due to mistakes of their lawyers without giving them audience is unfair and unjust. This view is shared by Akoto-Bamfo JSC (as she then was) in Henry Korboe v Francis Amosa (Civil Appeal No.J4/56/2014) it is my considered view that nullifying processes filed on behalf of clients by such errant lawyers, would be manifestly unjust to the said client. To promote the rule of law and good governance, Lord Denning, MR again admonished Judges to heed to the advice given in R v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. His Lordship said, We will never use this jurisdiction as a means to uphold our dignity. That must rest on a surer foundation. Nor will we use to suppress [Others]. Conclusion All lawyers, except the Attorney-General and officials of his department, are required to obtain a valid annual lawyer's licence to enable them to practise their trade as required by Section 8(1) of the Legal Profession Act, 1960 (Act 32). However, if these lawyers ignore their annual duty as required by Act 32, innocent clients who are ignorant of the status of their lawyers licence should not be made to suffer the consequences (Nyameneba & Ors v. The State). The writer is a Legal Researcher. Ghana Education News GES directs SHS schools to observe Easter break, vacation for SHS 1 students continues till June 2023 Kweku Zurek Education Apr - 05 - 2023 , 06:08 The Ghana Education Service (GES) has issued a directive for all senior high and technical schools to observe a break from April 6 to celebrate Easter. Additionally, the GES has informed the management of second-cycle institutions operating under the Transitional Calendar that SHS One (I) students will remain on vacation until their scheduled resumption in June 2023. To ensure a seamless academic year, the GES has tasked the Regional Directors with ensuring that the Heads of Second Cycle Schools in their respective regions comply with the directive. Read the entire statement below; ALL REGIONAL DIRECTORS OF EDUCATION EASTER BREAK FOR SECOND CYCLE SCHOOLS Management wishes to remind Heads of all Senior High Schools/Senior High Technical Schools that student should break on Thursday April 6, 2023 for the Easter Holidays Management also wish to inform Heads of Second Cycle Schools running the Transitional Calendar that SHS One (1) students are to continue with their vacation until their scheduled re-opening in June, 2023. Regional Directors are by this letter directed to ensure that Heads of Second Cycle Schools in their respective regions take note and comply accordingly to facilitate a smooth running of the academic year. Counting on your usual cooperation. Thank you. DR. KWABENA BEMPAH TANDOH DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL (Q&A) FOR DIRECTOR-GENERAL cc: The Chairman, GES Council, Accra The Director-General, GES, Accra The Ag. Deputy Director-General, MS, GES, Accra The Director, Schools & Instructions Division, GES, Accra The President, CHASS Bawku: Ghana Immigration Service condemns shooting of 3 officers Kweku Zurek Apr - 05 - 2023 , 06:30 The Ghana Immigration Service has confirmed that three of its officers were shot, with one dying, in an incident in Bawku on Monday, April 3, 2023. In a statement, the Service said that the officers were off-duty and travelling in a private car at the time of the attack. Eric Ayibiya and Laurence Afri were shot and are currently receiving treatment at the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital while 42-year-old Philip Motey died from his gunshot wounds. "The Officers were rushed to the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital where one of them was confirmed dead on arrival. The remaining two officers are currently responding to treatment," the statement said. The Service has condemned the attack and will send a delegation to Bawku to review the security situation. It will also collaborate with other security agencies to apprehend the culprits. "The Ghana Immigration Service Management condemns the dastardly attack in no uncertain terms and wishes to assure all Officers and Men that the Service will take necessary measures to ensure their safety," the statement said. "Meanwhile, a high-powered delegation is scheduled to visit the Sector Command to review the security situation in relation to the operations of Immigration Officers in the Command. "The GIS, the Ghana Police Service and other agencies will collaborate to investigate and find the culprits of the attack". The reasons for the attack are unknown, but some residents have suggested it could be linked to the long-standing Bawku ethnic conflict. Read the entire statement below; Alleged coup plotters trial: Court expunges Dr Mac-Palms records Justice Agbenorsi Apr - 05 - 2023 , 06:32 The Accra High Court has expunged the evidence given by Dr Frederick Mac-Palm, the man accused of masterminding a coup to overthrow the government. That was after a three-member panel of the Court received the certificate confirming his death. We have received the confirmation of the passing of Dr Mac-Palm. We pray the Lord will grant him peace, the President of the panel, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, told the court. His lawyer, E.A. Vordoagu, whose brief was held by Livingston Ameyivor, was subsequently discharged. The trial, according to the judge, would continue on April 17, 2023, with the second accused person, Donya Kafui, to open his defence. Mac-Palm had mounted the dock to open his defence but passed on March 25, 2023. Trial The other accused persons standing trial with Dr Mac-Palm 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 Il 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. They have pleaded guilty and are on bail. Prosecution's case The facts of the case, as presented by the prosecution, were that TAG plotted to destabilise the country and overthrow the government. The prosecution claims that as part of the plot, Dr Mac-Palm, along with Kafui and Debrah, planned on kidnapping the President, the Vice-President, the Speaker of Parliament and the Chief of the Defence Staff, and to force the President to announce his overthrow. "Again, there were discussions on whether or not to kill the President in the process of overthrowing the government," the prosecution said. The prosecution added that in June 2018, the security agencies picked up intelligence that the accused persons, under the auspices of TAG, had planned to overthrow and take over the government. It said as part of the plan, Col. Gameli recruited Zikpi, who was a signal specialist with the GAF, to help jam the radio signals of the National Communications Authority. TAG, the prosecution said, planned to jam all radio stations, with the exception of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation. The prosecution said in furtherance of the plot, Dr Mac-Palm invited Kafui, who was a blacksmith at Alavanyo in the Volta Region, to Accra to manufacture explosives and pistols for the group. With regard to ACP Dr Agordzo, the prosecution said he donated GH2,000 to TAG to aid its cause and also drafted a speech for Dr Mac-Palm to be read at a planned demonstration by TAG. Writers mail; justice.agbenorsi @graphic.com.gh GTA launches 50th anniversary Delali Sika Apr - 05 - 2023 , 06:44 The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, has announced a collaboration between the ministry and the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) to leverage and develop tourism to contribute massively to the countrys Gross Domestic Product (GDP). He said with the right policies and interventions, tourism could be harnessed to become a top foreign exchange earner for the country and further contribute to ensure sustainable development in the country. "As has been seen in other countries, tourism in Ghana has the potential. Tourism will take over the mining, cocoa, oil and gas industry in terms of GDP growth, job creation, among others, and we will do it. I want to urge all staff of the GTA and stakeholders in the tourism industry to acquire critical skills so that we can meet new challenges," he said. Dr Awal was speaking yesterday at the launch of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the GTA. GTA at 50 The anniversary launch brought together representatives from the various stakeholders in the tourism industry, including the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, hoteliers, caterers, car rental companies and the Ghana Tourism Federation. The anniversary of the GTA will be climaxed with a 50th Jubilee Musical Concert in December, this year. Other activities outlined for the celebration will include paragliding, a float, staff durbar, health walk and screening, a summit on tourism and an awards and dinner night. Tourism potential Dr Awal said apart from having many ideal tourist attractions, Ghana was also blessed with a rich and diverse culture that made tourism to thrive. As the body charged with formulating policies for the sector, he said, his outfit was working with the GTA to put in place the right structures and also create a conducive atmosphere for tourism to thrive. Again, he said the ministry and GTA would continue to work on training and skill acquisition to help improve on the services in the tourism sector. We are going to train about 6,000 people in the tourism ecosystem to improve the quality. When you have quality, tourists will not just come and go, they will spread the word for others to come with their families and spend more. Therefore by extension, more money into the economy," he said. Significant increase In his address, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GTA, Akwasi Agyeman, said the sector had shown strong growth in the past year, with a significant increase in international and domestic arrivals. " We have seen significant increases in international arrivals with a growth of 47 per cent . While most African countries are doing 65 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, Ghana did 81 per cent," he said. Mr Agyeman noted that the number of licensed tourist facilities had increased by six per cent this year alone. "This is an indication that the private sector is investing in the tourism industry and recognising its potential for growth and profitability. We also acknowledge that the private sector is a critical partner in the development of the tourism industry, so we will work with them. "We believe that by leveraging our collective strengths and expertise, we can continue to drive growth and create opportunities for the industry," Mr Agyeman said. Point of sales For his part, the CEO of Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Yofi Grant, encouraged stakeholders in the tourism sector to utilise people in the Diaspora to market Ghanas world-class tourist sites to the world. "Ghana has a lot of attractive things; we all have people living abroad, let's use them to sell our tourism. We should not underestimate our potential. Together, we will win," he said. President swears in 5 ministers, deputy into office Donald Ato Dapatem Apr - 05 - 2023 , 07:46 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday swore in three ministers, two ministers of state and a deputy minister at the Jubilee House in Accra, saying that although they were joining the government 19 months to the end of its tenure, there was still enough time for them to make a difference and significant contributions. He said their various competencies, experiences and talents made that distinctly possible. The ministers are the Minister of Trade and Industry, Kobina Tahir Hammond; the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, and the Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Stephen Asamoah Boateng. The rest are the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam; the Minister of State at the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Osei Bonsu Amoah, and the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Stephen Amoah. They took the oaths of Office, Secrecy and Allegiance administered by the President, who also gave each of them the scroll of office. Hard work President Akufo-Addo said the country would soon reach an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to set the stage for the strong recovery of the economy. All of us have a duty to help make sure we get back to the years of high economic growth which characterised the years before the outbreak of the COVID-19 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he added. He reminded the new appointees that the quality of integrity which would permeate their work was extremely important, and that they should remember at all times the solemn commitment the New Patriotic Party (NPP) membership had made collectively and individually to serve the Ghanaian people honestly and competently. He said they had been called to the public appointments to provide public service, not to promote their personal gains. The President also reminded them to file their asset declarations promptly and remain above reproach in their public lives. He further noted that as members of the Executive, what they did would determine the fate and fortunes of the NPP in the upcoming and succeeding decades. He explained that the success of their work would be seen in the hard work they brought to bear and indicated that they had been carefully chosen for their portfolios based on their educational and professional backgrounds, life experiences and characters. President Akufo-Addo described their appointment as an opportunity to serve their country in an elevated capacity, and that they must seize the opportunity with humility and determination and perform, guided always by the Almighty God. Gratitude Mr Asamoah Boateng, on behalf of the group, thanked the President for the honour done them and gave an assurance that they would work hard to help the government achieve its aim of developing the country. We stand by our position on LGBTQI - Pentecostal Council Juliet Akyaa Safo Apr - 05 - 2023 , 05:59 The First Vice-President of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), Right Reverend Dr Gordon Kisseih, has reiterated that the Council would not change its position on homosexuality even in the face of crisis. He firmly stated that the Council was against LGBTQI practices in Ghana and therefore would not condone it in any way. He said they would continue to stand by faith, since God, whom they trust and believe in, would deliver them in any crisis. We are not neutral, we are not undecided, we know our Redeemer lives and we know that he holds the powers of the world so we will not deny our God in the face of crisis. The family is the basic unit of life and the home is where families are nurtured. It is critical to note that any attempt to change the definition of man, woman, boy, girl, or marriage will be an attack on the family, he added. New President Rt. Rev. Dr Kisseih said this during a ceremony to induct the Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Kwabena Nyamekye, as the current President of GPCC. The President of the Apostolic Church-Ghana, Apostle Dr Aaron Ami-Narh, was also inducted as the Second Vice President of the Council. At the same ceremony, a farewell service was held for the Outgoing President of GPCC, Reverend Professor Frimpong Manso, for his dedicated service to the Council and the country at large. The ceremony was attended by members of the National Executive Council (NEC) of GPCC, representatives from the Ga Mantse, some Members of Parliament and Ministers of State, and the clergy, among other personalities. Thirst for God In view of the mandate of the Council, Mr Kisseih stressed the importance of unity and urged the members to live in harmony. He said Christians should rather hunger for righteousness, thirst for God, and also defend their faith wherever they find themselves. Let us become each others keepers and foster unity. Let us hunger and thirst for God and also defend the faith. When our churches get together and the members set their heart on the Supreme target to hunger after righteousness, God will by all means come and give us our victory, he said. The First Vice-President GPCC prayed for the Council and asked for Gods blessings upon their lives. He also prayed that the inductees would find meaning and personal fulfillment in the induction and deliver their mandate to ensure the achievements of the Council. Immigration officer shot dead in Bawku Gilbert Mawuli Agbey Apr - 05 - 2023 , 08:07 Three officers of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), stationed at Bawku, were last Monday evening shot by some unknown assailants. The incident left one person dead, while the other two sustained serious injuries and are now receiving treatment at the hospital. The deceased, identified as Assistant Inspector Philip Motey, stationed at the Missiga post, and two other colleagues, were shot by the gunmen in front of the Bawku Police Station around 8p.m., while they were in a private car. According to information gathered, the gunmen who were lurking in the shadows, surfaced and shot into the vehicle and bolted immediately. Motey was in the company of Assistant Inspector Lawrence Afari, stationed at Kulungugu post, and Assistant Inspector Eric Ayidiya, who is also stationed at the Polimakom border post. They are said to be on their way to Bawku to buy food when the incident happened. Sector Commander Confirming the incident, the Bawku Sector Commander, GIS, Assistant Commissioner of Immigration (ACI) Emmanuel Ntim Dankyi, said the officers were rushed to the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital to receive emergency medical care. Unfortunately, Motey was confirmed dead upon arrival at the hospital while the two others are currently in a critical condition after sustaining severe gunshot wounds. He noted that due to the severity of the injuries sustained by Adidiya, he was transferred to the Tamale Teaching Hospital the same day for further treatment while Afari is still at Bawku Presbyterian Hospital receiving treatment. He said both officers who survived the attack were currently responding to treatment. Meanwhile, the body of Motey has been deposited at the morgue of the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital for autopsy and preservation. Volta Region: Ghana Water Company Limited avoids disconnection over GH17 million ECG debt GraphicOnline Apr - 05 - 2023 , 07:25 The planned disconnection of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) from the national power grid in the Volta Region by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has been suspended. ECG says that the GWCL owes more than GH17 million, leading to a meeting between the two organisations. Benjamin Obeng Antwi, the Public Relations Officer for ECG in the Volta Region, has confirmed that a repayment roadmap has been adopted. The Ho Teaching Hospital has also committed to paying its debt, with a payment of GH50,000 and a promise to pay GH40,000 monthly. As a result, disconnection notices for both GWCL and the Ho Teaching Hospital have been suspended. There is now a payment plan for the GWCL. So there is a clear roadmap for them to settle their bills. The regional accountant has come for their bills, so they said we will hear from them, Mr Antwi said in an interview with Citi FM. The notice of disconnection to the Ho Teaching Hospital expired on Monday. They responded to us by paying GH50,000 and promised to pay GH40,000 every month. So instead of disconnecting them yesterday, we met with them and gave them timelines to settle the debt. CODEO calls for resignation of 2 Electoral Commission board members over political affiliations Kweku Zurek Politics Apr - 05 - 2023 , 12:36 The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has urged Dr Peter Appiahene and Hajia Salima Ahmed Tijani to resign from their positions on the board of Ghana's Electoral Commission. The appointments of Dr Appiahene and Hajia Tijani, made by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in March 2023, have sparked some controversy in some political circles due to their alleged political ties with the governing New Patriotic Party. Dr Appiahene for instance has been linked to the students wing of the NPP - TESCON - with the allegation that he was once a patron of TESCON in the Bono Region. For Hajia Tijani, it is not very clear how her association is with the NPP except that some have said she has family members who have close ties with the NPP. Speaking at a press conference today (April 5, 2023) in Accra, Rev. Dr Fred Deegbe, a leading member of CODEO, called for the pair's resignation to safeguard the cross-party trust in the commission. The appointments were made in accordance with Article 43 (1 and 2) of the 1992 constitution, which stipulates the composition of the Electoral Commission. We are painfully aware that voluntary and constitutionally grounded revocation of these unfortunate and democratically problematic EC appointments by the President is extremely unlikely," Dr Deegbe said. "However, nothing stops the affected appointees, namely Dr Peter Appiahene and Hajia Salima Tijani from voluntarily and honourably resigning from the EC. This will be in the supreme interest of our countrys continued democratic progress, election peace and credibility and indeed overall national interest. Established by the Electoral Commission Act (Act 451) of 1992, the commission oversees the management of all public elections and referenda in Ghana. It will be recalled that Kofi Adams, the NDC Member of Parliament for Buem, had claimed that Dr Appiahene was an NPP activist and a former patron of TESCON, a university wing of the party. Dr Appiahene and Hajia Tijani were inducted into office alongside Reverend Akua Ofori Boateng on Monday, March 20, 2023, at the Jubilee House by President Akufo-Addo. They replaced Mrs. Hajia Sa-Adatu Maida, Mr Ebenezer Aggrey-Fynn and Mrs. Rebecca Kabukie Adjalo who retired from their posts. The trio joined Mrs. Jean Mensa as Chairperson, Mr. Samuel Tettey as Deputy Chairman for Operations, Dr. Bossman Eric Asare, Deputy Chairman for Corporate and Ms. Adwoa Asuama Abrefa as Commissioner on the seven-member EC Board. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has visited a statue of Ismoil Somoni in the Memorial Complex of National Solidarity and Revival of Tajikistan at Dusti Square in Dushanbe. A guard of honor was lined up for the Azerbaijani President here. President Ilham Aliyev laid a wreath at the statue. Possible Presidential aspirant? Vice President Bawumia sends cryptic social media post GraphicOnline Politics Apr - 04 - 2023 , 21:52 In a cryptic social media post on Tuesday evening, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, declared "It is Possible!", alongside the Ghanaian flag and the flag of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The message was well-received by his followers on social media, with many interpreting it as a declaration to contest the NPP flagbearership and the presidential race. The NPP flagbearership race is set to begin next month, with the election scheduled for November this year. Dr Bawumia has been the running mate of President Akufo-Addo for four consecutive general elections in Ghana, from 2008 to 2020. Dr. Bawumia has been hailed as the most effective Vice President in the history of Ghana, considering the number of initiatives and policies he has spearheaded as Vice President. Read some of the replies below; Group14 Technologies, a global manufacturer and supplier of advanced silicon battery technology, has begun construction of a second commercial-scale US Battery Active Materials (BAM-2) factory in Moses Lake, WA, in support of domestic efforts to advance the electric vehicle (EV) market. The one-million-square-foot campus will be home to the worlds largest factory of advanced silicon battery materials for EV programs to meet global decarbonization targets. Leveraging a $614-million Series C round backed by Porsche AG and Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, and a subsequent $100 million-grant from the US Department of Energy, Group14s second BAM factory at 13400 East Wheeler Road in Moses Lake, WA, will join its first factory (earlier post) in Woodinville, WA, in manufacturing commercial quantities of SCC55, a a stable silicon-carbon composite anode with five times the capacity of graphite (current anode materials) that affords up to 50% more energy density than conventional graphite for lithium battery anodes. SCC55 is a combination of carbon, silicon, and void space and is readily available as a drop-in ready for any blend ratio with graphite or as a complete displacement to deliver unmatched energy density and cycle life stability.Fully compatible with graphite, SCC55 boosts energy density by 30% over 1000 cycles even with a 20% blend, the company says. The BAM-2 factory in Moses Lake will begin with two large-scale manufacturing modules, each capable of delivering 2,000 tons per year of SCC55. The production lines for the two initial modules are expected to come online and begin manufacturing SCC55 for customers in 2024. Built to run on renewable energy in the form of Washington State's abundant hydropower, the factory is expected to be part of a larger Group14 campus, comprising at least six modules, as the company looks to continue to expand its footprint in Moses Lake. Group14 has committed to purchase more than $30 million in US steel for the first two BAM-2 modules, buildings and equipment and plans to work with American suppliers to secure necessary components, from asphalt to HVAC systems, to build a more robust domestic energy supply chain. By working closely with American suppliers, Group14s goal is to ensure greater supply chain security and mitigate potential delivery disruptions. To support the scale of the factorys construction and operations, Group14s project will employ more than 400 employees for the construction alone, partnering on the build with Clayco, Inc., a full-service engineering, design and construction firm with offices across the US. Group14 expects to hire an additional 200 employees in Moses Lake across manufacturing, engineering and more to support the factorys day-to-day operations for the first two modules. To date, Group14 has raised $650 million in financing from investors and customers such as Porsche AG, Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, OMERS Capital Markets, Decarbonization Partners, Amperex Technology Limited (ATL), BASF, Showa Denko and SK Inc. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate VERNON Family and friends will gather Saturday to mourn the death of Bianca N. Colon Hernandez, a former Bridgeport teacher who was killed in a crash with a police officer who was responding to an emergency call last week. Calling hours for Colon Hernandez, 26, will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Funeraria Luz de Paz, or the Peaceful Light Funeral Home, in Bridgeport where she grew up and previously worked as an educator, according to her obituary. Born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Colon Hernandez lived in Bridgeport most of her life, the obituary says, relocating to Vernon with her fiance Philip Vargas. She graduated from Fairfield University in 2019 with a degree in special education and worked as a teacher for the Bridgeport Board of Education, according to her obituary. She most recently taught at Springfield Preparatory Charter School in Springfield, Mass. In the obituary, her family described her as a vibrant, head-strong character with a caring personality. As an impactful spirit ... she empowered others by becoming a voice of encouragement and support anywhere she went, the obituary says. It was evident that she was a force to be reckoned with. Before she went to Fairfield, she was a student at Bullard-Havens Technical High School in Bridgeport, graduating in 2015. There, she was a multi-sport athlete and a member of the National Honor Society, said Kerry Markey, director of communications for the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System. Loi Le, owner of House of Pho in Stratford, said Colon Hernandez drove from Vernon every other weekend to work at the restaurant, where she has been employed for years. She didnt work here because she needed to, she worked here because she wanted to," Le said. "Shes family here. She loved the place, and she also wanted to help lead the new servers here to become better. We here at House of Pho we all love her. In addition to Vargas, she is survived by her son, Damian Vargas. According to police, the crash happened Sunday at dusk when Vargas was driving a Nissan Sentra west on Hartford Turnpike, or Route 30, in Vernon with Colon Hernandez in the front passenger seat and Damian in the back seat. An oncoming police SUV struck the car broadside as Vargas started to turn left onto Bolton Road. The officer behind the wheel, Andre Lisee, was responding to another officer's call for help at a domestic violence incident, police said. The impact and what led up to it was captured on a camera outside the nearby Vernon police station. The patrol vehicles lights were on at the time of the crash, but police said they are not sure if the siren was activated. Colon Hernandez was pronounced dead at the scene. Vargas was seriously injured, police said, and Damian, who police said is 18 months old, suffered minor injuries. They and Lisee were taken to hospitals to be treated. A regional traffic squad is investigating the crash, and the Manchester Police Department is in charge of the investigation. Anyone who saw the crash or had information about it may call Manchester Sgt. Justin Gaudino at 860-645-5565. Correction: This story has been updated to reflect calling hours will be held on Saturday. GREENWICH With a tie-breaking vote, the Board of Estimate and Taxation denied the Old Greenwich School renovation projects construction budget, ultimately postponing the start of construction for at least another year. After spending all day Tuesday going over the 2023-24 proposed budget, the BET failed to fully fund the construction budget by a 7-6 vote. Were obviously disappointed that the BET delayed the OGS renovation for another year, said James Waters, chair of the OGS building committee. We have communicated that we will be ready to start construction in the spring of 2024 if construction funding was provided and it was not provided. So, we were all disappointed, I think, and residents of Old Greenwich are disappointed, of course, that once again, were delayed another year. BET Member Stephen Selbst made the motion to fund the OGS construction for $34.9 million. Waters presented budget numbers to the Board of Education on March 16 that included the funds needed for architectural and engineering designs. Selbst's number only includes construction funding. Selbsts motion had conditions, including that OGS construction be funded at $34.9 million if the Central Middle School building committee does not submit "a funding request or a funding proposal to the State of Connecticut by June 20. What this does is leaves open the possibility for funding Old Greenwich School if, as I fear, not because I wish, but as I fear CMS doesnt get there, Selbst said. This preserves for this board every inch of the flexibility that it has asked for and also solves some of the issues that weve now been talking about for the last hour which are the possibility of duplicative work or unnecessary work. BET members who voted against the motion said it was because they wanted solid cost estimates for the construction project. Theres a possibility in a couple months, maybe a few months, were going to have far better cost estimates, particularly from the building committee itself given the work theyre doing, said BET Chairman Dan Ozizmir. I think at that point When they have a proposal with accurate numbers and understand the context of what a new school costs, then we will take that information. The community is going to remember this vote, Selbst said, when the motion failed. The BET did pass a motion 9-1, with two abstentions, to appropriate $1.085 million to complete the A&E designs for the renovation of OGS. The motion, made by Ozizmir, came with three conditions, including completing a BET independent estimate of the partial renovation of the current school versus a new school building. Old Greenwich community members have begged officials not to build a new school, which, according to the condition, must be 72,000 gross square feet, whether at the same location or elsewhere on the site. The BET has already appropriated $1 million in 2023 for A&E designs. The additional $1.085 million is to complete the pre-construction process, said Ozizmir. Along with the additional A&E funds, Arora made a motion to appropriate just over $1.003 million to go toward Americans with Disabilities Act compliance projects at OGS, including installing a three-stop elevator, a ramp and lift in the lower area of the ground floor and ADA bathrooms on all levels of the school. There are some who are going to say that providing for these now is an attempt to delay the overall renovation, Arora said. The reason we accelerate and provide this separately is to underline our values and the commitment of this budget to our values. Arora added that elevators are on backorder for at least 24 months. The motion passed 9-3. Selbst, who is on the OGS building committee, voted in favor of the motion but said he was afraid it would be a temporary fix. So if the BET determines to approve this, I think they should do it with eyes wide open that you are likely to both approve some work that is likely to come down when the full project is being done and secondly that you have added to the cost on an incremental basis, Selbst said. Lastly, the BET tackled sewage flooding in OGS, with Arora putting a motion on the table of allocating $500,000 to fix the problem. The motion passed 7-5. BET Member Harry Fisher called the sewage flooding the worst embarrassment this town could ever have. Those who voted against the motion said that renovating the school would solve the sewage flooding. "I have no idea where this $500,000 comes from," said BET Member Miriam Kreuzer. "There's no back up. There's no information. This feels like a 'let them eat cake' motion and so did (the ADA motion). Both of these are covered in the full building ed specs of renovating this building ... The action is (to) approve moving forward with the building. That not only solves these issues, but that gives that school deserving of a more modern school that is able to meet its desires." Even though the BET did not fully fund the renovation projects construction budget, Waters said the building committee will continue to urgently prepare for the OGS renovation. We intend to complete the schematic design process in June and then move into design development and local land use approvals this summer and into the fall, Waters said. The Old Greenwich community can rest assured that we will do everything we can to get this project done, even if the BET hasnt fully funded the project. At some point, we hope the BET will realize how important this project is to the community and to other school projects that are being delayed as a result. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) Risking China's anger, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy hosted Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday as a great friend of America" in a fraught show of U.S. support at a rare high-level, bipartisan meeting on U.S. soil. Speaking carefully to avoid unnecessarily escalating tensions with Beijing, Tsai and McCarthy steered clear of calls from hard-liners in the U.S. for a more confrontational stance toward China in defense of self-ruled Taiwan. Instead, the two leaders stood side by side in a show of unity at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California, acknowledging China's threats against the island government but speaking only of maintaining longstanding U.S. policy. Americas support for the people of Taiwan will remain resolute, unwavering and bipartisan, McCarthy said at a news conference later. McCarthy evoked Reagan's peace-through-strength approach to foreign relations and emphasized this is a bipartisan meeting of members of Congress, not any one political party. He said U.S.-Taiwan ties are stronger than at any other point in his life. He and Tsai spoke to reporters with Reagan's Air Force One as a backdrop. She said the unwavering support reassures the people of Taiwan that we are not isolated." Still, the formal trappings of the meeting, and the senior rank of some of the elected officials in the delegation from Congress, threatened to run afoul of Chinas position that any interaction between U.S. and Taiwanese officials is a challenge to Chinas claim of sovereignty over the island. More than a dozen Democratic and Republican lawmakers, including the House's third-ranking Democrat, joined Republican McCarthy for the daylong talks. During a private session they spoke of the importance of Taiwans self-defense, of fostering robust trade and economic ties and supporting the island governments ability to participate in the international community, Tsai said. They made no mention of calls from hard-liners in and out of Congress for a greater U.S. commitment to Taiwans defense if China should attack. Tsai said she stressed to lawmakers Taiwans commitment to defending the peaceful status quo where the people in Taiwan may continue to thrive in a free and open society. But she also warned, It is no secret that today the peace that we have maintained and the democracy which have worked hard to build are facing unprecedented challenges." We once again find ourselves in a world where democracy is under threat and the urgency of keeping the beacon of freedom shining cannot be understated. The United States broke off official ties with Taiwan in 1979 while formally establishing diplomatic relations with the Beijing government. The U.S. acknowledges a one-China policy in which Beijing lays claim to Taiwan, but it does not endorse Chinas claim to the island and remains Taiwans key provider of military and defense assistance. For Tsai, this was the most sensitive stop on a weeklong journey meant to shore up alliances with the U.S. and Central America. The U.S. House speaker is second in line of succession to the president. No speaker is known to have met with a Taiwan president on U.S. soil since the U.S. broke off formal diplomatic relations. China has reacted to past trips by Taiwanese presidents through the U.S., and to past trips to Taiwan by senior U.S. officials, with shows of military force. After then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan last August, China responded with its largest live-fire drills in decades, including firing a missile over the island. Chinese officials have pledged a sharp but unspecified response to the meeting with McCarthy. Later Wednesday, China said it firmly opposes and strongly condemns Tsais visit, in a statement by China's official Xinhua News Agency. China will take resolute and forceful measures to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, the statement said, citing an unnamed Foreign Ministry spokesperson. It urged the U.S. not to walk further down the wrong and dangerous road. There was no sign of a large-scale military response as of Thursday morning as China had done previously. Chinese vessels were engaged in a joint patrol and inspection operation in the Taiwan Strait that will last three days, state media said Thursday morning. Taiwans Ministry of National Defense said Wednesday evening it had tracked the Chinas Shandong aircraft carrier passing through the Bashi Strait, to Taiwans southeast. The Biden administration insists there is nothing provocative about this visit by Tsai, which is the latest of a half-dozen to the U.S. "Beijing should not use the transits as an excuse to take any actions, to ratchet up tensions, to further push at changing the status quo," Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters Wednesday during travel in Europe. The Taiwan president's visit to America comes as China, the U.S. and its allies are strengthening their military positions and readiness for any confrontation between the two sides, with Taiwan and its claim to sovereignty a main flashpoint. Confrontation between the U.S. and China, a rising power increasingly seeking to assert its influence abroad under President Xi Jinping, surged with Pelosi's visit and again this winter with the cross-U.S. journey of what the U.S. says was a Chinese spy balloon. Democratic Rep. Pelosi said in a statement, "Todays meeting between President Tsai of Taiwan and Speaker McCarthy is to be commended for its leadership, its bipartisan participation and its distinguished and historic venue. Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war and have no official relations, although they are linked by billions of dollars in trade and investment. For their part, Taiwanese officials in the United States and Taiwanese presidents on a succession of visits aim for a delicate balance of maintaining warm relations with their powerful American allies, without overstepping their in-between status in the U.S, or unnecessarily provoking China. To that end, no Taiwanese flag flies over the former Taiwan Embassy in Washington. Taiwanese presidents call their stops in the U.S. transits rather than visits, and they steer clear of Washington. McCarthy, the newly elected House speaker, is making an early foray into foreign policy. Joining him for the meeting were the Republican chairman and ranking Democrat on a new House Select Committee on China, along with the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee that handles tax policy important to Taiwan, among others. Seated to McCarthys right was the third-ranking House Democrat, Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, who spoke of the long history of U.S.-Taiwan cooperation and an overwhelming bipartisan commitment in Congress, working with the Biden administration, to strengthen the relationship. ___ Mascaro and Knickmeyer reported from Washington. AP writers Nomaan Merchant and Fu Ting in Washington, Huizhong Wu in Taipei and Matthew Lee in Brussels contributed. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) In her final speech to New Zealand's Parliament on Wednesday, Jacinda Ardern described in emotional terms how she'd navigated a pandemic and a mass-shooting during her tumultuous five-year tenure as prime minister. She also told humorous anecdotes like how a European leader so admired the striking hair of Ardern's chief-of-staff that he fluffed it like a hairdresser which she joked had helped secure a free-trade deal and how her mother once sent her a uplifting, if somewhat grandiose, message: Remember, even Jesus had people who didnt like him. On a more serious note, she urged lawmakers to take the politics out of climate change. There will always be policy differences," Ardern said during her valedictory address, wearing a traditional Maori cloak called a korowai. "But beneath that, we have what we need to make the progress we must." When Ardern finished speaking after about 35 minutes, she she was greeted with a standing ovation by lawmakers from across the political spectrum and rousing renditions of several Indigenous Maori songs. A global icon of the left and an inspiration to women around the world, Ardern in January stepped down as prime minister, saying, I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It is that simple." But she stayed on as a lawmaker until April to avoid triggering a special election ahead of the nations general elections in October. Later this month, Ardern will begin a new, unpaid role combating online extremism as Special Envoy for the Christchurch Call. It's an initiative she started with French President Emmanuel Macron in May 2019, two months after a white supremacist gunman killed 51 people at two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch. She has also announced she's joining the board of trustees for The Earthshot Prize, an environmental charity started by Britains Prince William. Ardern said she entered politics based on her convictions but got used to her tenure being defined by a different list. A domestic terror attack. A volcanic eruption. A pandemic. A series of events where I found myself in peoples lives during their most grief-stricken or traumatic moments, she said. Their stories and faces remain etched in my mind, and likely will forever. She also described how she and fiance Clarke Gayford thought they couldn't have children after a failed round of IVF. Rather than process that, I campaigned to become prime minister, she joked. A rather good distraction as far as they go. Imagine my surprise when a couple of months later, I discovered I was pregnant. Ardern became just the second elected world leader to give birth while holding office after she and Gayford had daughter Neve in 2018. Ardern described how she'd approached the COVID-19 pandemic on a scientific basis and how New Zealand had fared best among developed nations when measuring excess mortality. She said she once tried to argue with a lone protester about a false conspiracy theory. But after many of these same experiences, and seeing the rage that often sat behind these conspiracies, I had to accept I was wrong, she said. I could not single-handedly pull someone out of a rabbit hole. Ardern said she worried that during the pandemic, the nation had lost a sense of security, and the ability to engage in robust debate in a respectful way. She also described how she never thought she was meant to have the role of prime minister, and how it came about through a surprising chain of events. While she couldn't control how her tenure would be defined by others, Ardern said, she hoped it had demonstrated something else. That you can be anxious, sensitive, kind and wear your heart on your sleeve, she said. "You can be a mother, or not, you can be an ex-Mormon, or not, you can be a nerd, a crier, a hugger, you can be all of these things, and not only can you be here, you can lead, just like me. News featured Lawmakers to discuss 'sick child predators' Department of Corrections Washington The Guam Police Department in 2018 never investigated a complaint against an Upi Elementary School teacher who in February was charged with sexually assaulting several other students, according to Sen. Chris Barnett, who said he will hold a hearing to address the issue of student safety. Elementary school teacher charged with criminal sexual conduct involving students A teacher from Upi Elementary School was being held at the Department of Corrections on $50,000 cash bail after being charged with criminal sexual conduct involving four children, according to a magistrates complaint filed in Superior Court. Barnett, who is chairman of the education committee, said he agrees with Republican Sens. Joanne Brown and Telo Taitague, who on Wednesday requested an oversight hearing on the issue of sex crimes in the public schools. Not only are we concerned about the media reports on child sex-related crimes in our schools, but we are also concerned about the possibility of these same crimes not being reported or underreported by the victims, Brown stated in a letter to Barnett. Guam DOE: Teacher charged in sex assault will be reassigned An Upi Elementary School teacher who was arrested and charged with four counts of criminal sexual conduct will be reassigned from his classroom job, according to the Guam Department of Education. Teacher Miles Reyes Washington in February was charged with four counts of criminal sexual conduct. He allegedly followed three students into the restroom in recent months and sexually assaulted them, according to a magistrates complaint. He faces life in prison if convicted, according to prosecutors. During their investigation officers learned that there was a fourth victim who had filed a report in 2018 concerning the same teacher, the complaint states. Barnett said he spoke with police Chief Stephen Ignacio, who told him police never investigated the 2018 complaint lodged with the education department against Washington. It is disappointing and disgusting to know that an investigation into the initial complaint could have prevented further abuse and assault from happening, Barnett said. An oversight hearing will be scheduled within a month, he said in a letter to Brown and Taitague, adding he is committed to finding ways to improve policies and protocols to ensure students and schools are safe. Not following up on complaints and not investigating complaints is failing our children and their families, especially because it takes a great deal of courage and strength for victims to come forward, Barnett said. Sometimes, sick child predators escape the attention of law enforcement, and that is why we must act urgently to address complaints of this nature when we receive them. Related The GTA Cable Landing Station No. 2 building is shown under construction in Piti in this Sept. 1, 2020, file photo. The sihek, Guams endangered kingfisher bird species, which has been extinct in the wild since the 1980s, will be released on a remote Pacific atoll, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which late last year solicited public input on the experiment. The goal of releasing the birds at Palmyra Atoll is to gather information about the species in order to eventually reintroduce the birds to Guam, provided Guams brown tree snake population has been adequately suppressed or eliminated, according to Fish and Wildlife. The agency this week published its kingfisher plan in the Federal Register. The atoll has no known predators, according to Fish and Wildlife, which determined the islands in the atoll can support as many as 15 breeding pairs of Guam kingfisher. The experiments plan calls for the birds to be fed, if necessary, to increase their chances of survival. The birds, which are about eight inches long and weigh as little as 1.7 ounces, used to be fairly common on Guam, according to Fish and Wildlife, but the population declined rapidly in the mid-1900s, mostly because they were being eaten by invasive brown tree snakes, which arrived in Guam sometime before 1950. The last wild kingfishers were captured in Guam between 1984 and 1986 and have been considered extinct in the wild since then, with the only remaining birds in captivity. There currently are about 139 sihek in captivity at 25 different facilities, including on Guam, and only a small number will be released at the atoll for the experiment. The current islandwide presence of brown tree snakes on Guam currently precludes consideration of Guam as a viable reintroduction site for sihek, according to Fish and Wildlife. Future reintroductions to Guam could be considered only if brown tree snakes were suppressed or eradicated at a scale that would allow for the survival of a reintroduced population of sihek. According to Fish and Wildlife, in order for the kingfisher to be considered threatened instead of endangered, at least 500 birds must be successfully reintroduced to Guam one group in the north and one in the south and the birds must maintain a stable or increasing population for at least five consecutive years. According to Fish and Wildlife, there has been incremental progress in addressing Guams brown tree snakes, including aerial delivery of bait which is toxic to the snakes, but some snakes, based on their size, do not eat the bait and would require additional suppression measures. The baits have only reduced the number of snakes, according to Fish and Wildlife, which stated it currently lacks adequate tools to eradicate the snakes from Guam. The Guam Police Department in 2018 never investigated a complaint against an Upi Elementary School teacher who in February was charged with sexually assaulting several other students, according to Sen. Chris Barnett, who said he will hold a hearing to address the issue of student safety. Barnett, who is chairman of the education committee, said he agrees with Republican Sens. Joanne Brown and Telo Taitague, who on Wednesday requested an oversight hearing on the issue of sex crimes in the public schools. Not only are we concerned about the media reports on child sex-related crimes in our schools, but we are also concerned about the possibility of these same crimes not being reported or underreported by the victims, Brown stated in a letter to Barnett. Teacher Miles Reyes Washington in February was charged with four counts of criminal sexual conduct. He allegedly followed three students into the restroom in recent months and sexually assaulted them, according to a magistrates complaint. He faces life in prison if convicted, according to prosecutors. During their investigation officers learned that there was a fourth victim who had filed a report in 2018 concerning the same teacher, the complaint states. Barnett said he spoke with police Chief Stephen Ignacio, who told him police never investigated the 2018 complaint lodged with the education department against Washington. It is disappointing and disgusting to know that an investigation into the initial complaint could have prevented further abuse and assault from happening, Barnett said. An oversight hearing will be scheduled within a month, he said in a letter to Brown and Taitague, adding he is committed to finding ways to improve policies and protocols to ensure students and schools are safe. Not following up on complaints and not investigating complaints is failing our children and their families, especially because it takes a great deal of courage and strength for victims to come forward, Barnett said. Sometimes, sick child predators escape the attention of law enforcement, and that is why we must act urgently to address complaints of this nature when we receive them. On the eve of a Thursday legislative oversight hearing on the Guam Visitors Bureau, Sen. Jesse Lujan said the Office of Public Accountability is investigating GVB board directors. Lujan, vice chairman of the tourism committee conducting the oversight hearing, said the OPA investigation is related to a 2022 review of a committee that found conflicts between the law that created GVB and the bureau bylaws. In prior meetings, GVB President Carl Gutierrez and other members of the management team said the committee review found "oversight" or illegal actions made during the terms of the last two bureau administrations and last two boards. Gutierrez and others earlier said they are "legal risks," and include potentially requiring board members to return public funds. "I knew there was a report sent to the Office of the Public Auditor regarding the investigation, so I sent the (Freedom of Information Act), requesting the Business Risk Compliance and Control Committee report showing the findings of the investigation," Lujan said. No immediate response from OPA could be obtained as of press time. 'Troubling' GVB Vice President Gerry Perez on Wednesday said GVB didnt ask OPA to investigate anything but said the findings and issues raised from the compliance committee report were "troubling." They were given to OPA, the Guam Ethics Commission and the Office of the Attorney General, he said. "GVB isnt the qualified party to take it further so it was referred to the proper people that can look into these matters," Perez said, in response to Pacific Daily News questions. Oversight hearing Lujan issued the statement late Wednesday afternoon, a day before the oversight hearing on GVB, whose management led by Gutierrez and board members have been at odds for more than a year now over ethics, legalities and incongruencies between the bureaus enabling law and its bylaws, among other things. The hearing that Tourism Committee chair Sen. Amanda Shelton called comes about two months after the cancellation of a Feb. 10 hearing that Lujan scheduled. At the time, senators had different views on who should participate in the oversight hearing. "Although I didnt get to have the oversight hearing held as I initially planned two months ago, I am grateful that Chairperson Shelton decided to hold it now. In saying that, I want to be as prepared as possible for tomorrow. I sent the FOIA to GVB so I can get a better understanding of the situation. That way, I can know how to best approach the challenges, address the concerns, and resolve the issues," Lujan said. Gutierrez in early 2022 started publicly accusing board members of violating Guams Open Government Act, and accused them of being unethical for taking part in discussions that would directly benefit their businesses. Since then, new GVB board directors came on board. Lujan was co-campaign manager for Gutierrez in the latters unsuccessful 2018 bid for the Democratic gubernatorial primary, and the senator has been a part of GVB-paid travels in recent months. Lujans press release said he sent a FOIA request to Gutierrez on Monday, "seeking documents pertaining to an investigation being conducted on members of the GVB Board of Directors." The committee report has been posted on the GVB website since 2022. He said in preparation for the oversight hearing, he wanted to have "insight into the problems facing the leadership as well as a better idea on how to address and resolve these issues." He said he got a response from the bureau Wednesday. "We need to rebuild our tourism industry, and we need to rebuild it right. This means working with the key players of our industry to make sure our main economic engine is running smoothly and properly," Lujan said. The hearing will cover GVBs finances, its board and membership, the bureaus management of Guam as a tourist destination, tourism industry recovery updates, and what bureau officials have been describing as conflicts between GVBs enabling legislation and its bylaws. Roads into Humatak and around San Dionisio Church were closed Wednesday after an LP gas tanker veered off the road and into a ravine in the village, according to a joint statement from Adelup, the Guam Fire Department and the Department of Homeland Security. The tank, carrying 1,300 pounds of LP gas, separated from the chassis and was breached. Firefighters and first responders were on the scene monitoring the release of the gas. No information was available about the driver. Neighbors were advised to evacuate to the mayors office, and firefighters were monitoring air quality. As a result of the monitoring, the scene was isolated from the public. Fire Department units from the Hagat and Humatak, along with Rescue 3 and Guam Police Department, HazMat, Guam Environmental Protection Agency and the Coast Guard responded. Responders remained upwind from the site as the gas vapors purge completely. As of 5:45 p.m., the road was still closed, and there was no estimated time for reopening. While the news release said there were no dangerous health impacts to the community from the gas, people were advised to refrain from burning or having open flames if in the area. Although the air quality is deemed safe for the community upwind from the incident, it is advised to stay indoors, especially those with respiratory issues, the release stated. Haiti - FLASH : More than 4 kidnappings on average every day (1st quarter of 2023) In its bulletin # 11, the Crime Observation Unit (COC) of the Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights (CARDH) reveals that 389 kidnappings were recorded for the first quarter of 2023 (January, February, March), an increase of more than 72% compared to the same period in 2022 and + 175% compared to 2021... 29 foreign nationals from 3 countries were kidnapped during the first quarter against 40 from 9 countries in 2022 for the same period, i.e. a decrease of 27% The CARDH explains that several reasons can explain the increase in kidnappings, compared to the decrease observed in the last quarter of 2022, including : "i) The need to compensate for financial loss due to the sanctions; ii) The pre-electoral context; iii) The fact that new areas are controlled by gangs and new alliances are created (Haut Bel-Air allied with Gran-Ravin and Village-de-Dieu / Ti Makak allied with Vitelhomme etc...; "Faced with the inability of an under-equipped police to protect lives and property and the posture of international cooperation that is bogged down in the rhetoric of meetings, promises" the population begins to organize to protect themselves against the gang cruelty, (natural right) ."Bandits are executed, in retaliation citizens are also killed" https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-39212-haiti-flash-the-neighborhood-self-defense-brigades-are-multiplying-and-worrying.html "Given the gravity of the situation and to avoid the worst, international cooperation should get out of its cycle of 'promises, meetings, sending missions to Haiti..." For its part, the Government must assume its responsibilities by making changes in the public administration, by initiating the police vetting process The population must be mobilized responsibly in this quest for security. Download the full CARDH report (In French) : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/CARDH-Kidnapping-Bulletin-Janvier-Fevrier-Mars-2023-1.pdf HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - NOTICE : Upward adjustment of ONA pensions Marguerite Berthe Marescot Director General of the National Old-Age Insurance Office (ONA) informs policyholders in general and pensioners in particular that the ONA has decided to set from April 2023, to five thousand Gourdes (Gdes 5,000.00), the minimum amount of the full-rate pension. Consequently, all the full rate pensions previously liquidated will be indexed. In addition, the pensions of pensioners, in particular the most vulnerable, will be adjusted to enable them to cope with the high cost of living. The following adjustment rates will be applied: + 15% for any amount of annuities less than 25,000.00 Gourdes; + 10% for any annuity amount of 25,000.00 Gourdes and less than 75,000.00 Gourdes; + 5% for any amount of annuities of 75,000.00 Gourdes and more. HL/ HaitiLibre By William Schwartz | Published on 2023/04/04 It has been seven years since the release of director Na Hong-jin's last project, "The Wailing" back in 2015. In a recent interview, Na Hong-jin claimed that scene-by-scene, he started to get ideas for "HOPE 2023" back in 2017 and 2018, and this was how the story started for the science fiction thriller. Serious talks for production kicked off last year when Na Hong-jin was able to get Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung and Jung Ho-yeon interested in the project. Advertisement As Na Hong-jin tells the story, one day he was just eating dinner at a restaurant and had an eerie experience alongside a bright light. Shortly thereafter a news broadcast on a nearby television introduced the subject. Na Hong-jin started working the concept from that scene. The full concept for "HOPE 2023" takes place in three parts, and the number used for investors for funding the full project was eighty million dollars. However, Na Hong-jin admitted that even just a single film in the series could be the most expensive South Korean film of all time. He said that "HOPE 2023" has more big budget spectacle scenes than "Alienoid" which is the current cost leader in South Korean film. Na Hong-jin said that while three films is preferable, he's confident that the story can be told in one if necessary. Na Hong-jin said that while he has scenarios for all three movies, so far he's only written the first one. Na Hong-jin clarified that "HOPE 2023" is not envisioned as a series, despite his concept of multiple parts and stories. Na Hong-jin stated that "HOPE 2023" is intended as cinematic form, not just for South Korean audiences but also worldwide ones. However, Na Hong-jin also admitted that "HOPE 2023" may end up being distributed by streaming services, regardless of this theatrical intent in the design of the story. "HOPE 2023" has also attracted interest for casting Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander as a married couple. Both have reportedly been moved by Na Hong-jin's work, is why they agreed to appear in this movie. Na Hong-jin said that the two really wanted to do another film together and that his agency in the United States, UTA Agency, contacted them about the new project. It is not yet known when or where "HOPE 2023" will be made available to public audiences. Written by William Schwartz 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 By Tim Garner Avery County government officials are asking for input from the countys citizens about National Opioid Settlement Funds during a special meeting on Monday, April 24th in the Board of Commissioners room suite on the second floor of the countys administration building, located at 175 Linville Street in Newland. The meeting will be held from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon, during which time frame county government officials will get input from Avery citizens attending of their opinions concerning how to best use the $1.7 million the county will receive in funds over the next 18 years from the National Opioid Settlement. The county officials will seek ideas about using those funds for the opioid epidemic, support treatment, recovery, harm reduction, and other life-saving programs and services. With more than 200 Americans, including eight in North Carolina, still dying of drug overdoses each day, in states and counties within each are beginning the high-stakes task of deciding how to spend billions of dollars in settlement funds from opioid manufacturers and distributors. Their decisions will have powerful implications for families and communities that have borne the brunt of the opioid crisis. North Carolina will receive at least $750 million, and perhaps as much as $850 million, of the opioid settlement funds from the agreement reached with drug companies for their alleged roles in fueling the opioid epidemic. Most of the money will be sent to North Carolinas County governments to help people and communities impacted by the overdose crisis. The funds come from a multitude of lawsuits, most notably a $26 billion settlement resulting from more than 3,000 cities, counties and states suing manufacturer Johnson & Johnson and distributors McKesson, AmerisourceBergen and Cardinal Health for their roles in the opioid crisis. Payments from that case began in the summer of 2022 and will continue for 18 years, setting up what public health experts and advocates are calling an unprecedented opportunity to make progress against a drug epidemic that has ravaged America. With various individuals and groups advocating for their share of the funds from those dealing with addiction and their families to government agencies, nonprofits, health care systems and others the moneys impact could depend heavily on what programs need the money most. And thats what Avery County officials plan to determine through various meansespecially the community input meeting on April 24th. They believe tracking the funds from who and/or what agencies receives the money and how those decisions are made is key to a successful and useful distribution of resources. The lawsuit agreement specifies that states must spend at least 70 percent of the money for opioid-related expenses in the coming years and includes qualifying expenses, like expanding access to treatment and buying the overdose reversal medication naloxone. Fifteen percent of the funds can be used for administrative expenses or for reimbursement for past opioid-related expenses. Only the remaining 15 percent can be spent any way the governments choose. If states dont meet those mandates, they could face legal consequences and also have their future payouts reduced. In North Carolina, online dashboards show how much money each locality is receiving and will track how it is spent. For more details, log online to: [email protected]. For further information about Averys Opioid Settlement meeting, call the county managers office at (828) 733-8201. Share this: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pocket LOCAL BRIEFS: Saluda Train Tales, Cider & Wine & Dine, Walk Hendo survey James Metcalf Early history opens Saluda Train Tales James Metcalf, a direct descendant of one of the towns earliest pioneer families, kicks off the first Saluda Train Tales of the year at 7 p.m. Friday, April 21, at the Saluda Historic Depot and Museum. Metcalf will tell the story of Saludas roots, focusing on history long before 1881, when Saluda became chartered and even before 1878, when the first railroad locomotive crested the steep hill known as the Saluda Grade. In those very early years, the region was known as Paces Gap, named for the Pace family, who were among the early settlers. In addition to the Paces, families with surnames such as Metcalf, Guice, Staton, Thompson and Morris molded the mountains into a community of trading posts, churches, farms and mills. Metcalf will share their stories, including local tales of battles during the American Revolution and Civil War, along with other challenges and triumphs of the early settlers that led to the founding of Saluda. Metcalf, a member of the Fork Creek community of Saluda, has been a board member of the Polk County Historical Association for many years and is chief docent at the Polk County Historical Museum in Columbus. Metcalf has also been a local radio announcer for 20 years, currently at WWQT 1160, and is a musician and songwriter. He has been the music director of Fork Creek Baptist Church for several decades. The program is free and open to the public. Cider, Wine & Dine Weekend features 50 events More than a dozen venues will offer tastings, tours, new releases, picnics, pairing dinners, live music and vineyard hikes during the three-day Cider, Wine & Dine Weekend April 21-23. Approximately 50 events take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday including dining, dancing and discovering new delights. Its fun to see all of these local, craft producers come together for a weekend of events, said Michelle Owens, executive director of Visit Hendersonville, the event sponsor. Each one does an excellent job on its own, but when they pair their beverages with local foods, local bands playing music and other outdoor activities, it elevates the experience for visitors. The weekend is designed to encourage patrons to get out to the vineyards, orchards and tasting rooms and see where these wines and ciders begin their journey from field to bottle. Participating wineries are part of the Crest of the Blue Ridge AVA, North Carolinas newest wine region. The cideries draw on decades of apple-growing heritage and a bounty of fresh fruit from area orchards. Souther Williams Vineyard, which celebrates its one-year anniversary this spring, hosts hike-and-sip tours throughout the day on Friday, April 21. At N.C. Bicentennial Farm, which has been in owner Ken Parkers family since 1800, guests will hear how he transitioned the property from traditional agricultural crops into a vineyard, all while sampling five different wines. Marked Tree Vineyard will serve a savory vintners dinner with sunset views Friday evening featuring four courses, each paired with a Marked Tree wine produced from meticulously tended European vinifera and French-American hybrid grapevines in surrounding vineyards. On Saturday, visitors can be among the first to see Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards new on-site winery and taste wines straight from the barrel. Across the road, folks can enjoy live music while sipping dry, European-style ciders and overlooking a hillside orchard at Appalachian Ridge Artisan Hard Cider. Sundays finale at Point Lookout Vineyards features a Celtic band and the opportunity to taste a variety of meads and wines at the mountaintop tasting room. Events are both free and ticketed. For a full schedule and weekend lodging options, visit VisitHendersonvilleNC.org/cider-wine-dine-weekend or call 828-693-9708. Walk Hendo seeks input on citys pedestrian plan The citys Walk Hendo Steering Committee will host a drop-in public meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 2, at the City Operations Center, 305 Williams St., during which anyone who lives in, works in or visits Hendersonville is invited to share their thoughts about a proposed set of pedestrian projects. An online survey will also go live that day. The Walk Hendo Steering Committee developed the set of pedestrian infrastructure projects out of last summers community input sessions in collaboration with the transportation consulting firm Traffic Planning & Design. Walk Hendo is Hendersonvilles pedestrian planning process to draft recommendations for creating safe places to walk. The project began in the spring of 2022 and is expected to be completed in the late summer or early fall of this year. The public input will be used to further develop the Walk Hendo Pedestrian Plan. Once the plan is adopted, the city and North Carolina Department of Transportation can use it to make policy choices, design programs and events and apply for grants. Steven Young joins Carolina Village board Steven Young has been elected to the board of Carolina Village, the retirement community announced. Chief information officer at Blue Ridge Community College, Young holds a masters degree in Information Systems Management from Carnegie Mellon University and a bachelors degree from the University at Buffalo. He also serves on the Safe and Secure Online Program Committee, working to increase public knowledge about cyber threats and to raise awareness about technology careers. We are excited to have Steves expertise as we move forward with strategic planning for Carolina Village, said Trina Stokes, Carolina Village board president. Future growth depends on keeping people at the front and center of all plans, as well as incorporating technological advances. There is nobody better suited to helping us execute this strategic forward movement than Steve. Pardee opens applications for junior volunteers UNC Health Pardee is accepting applications for the 2023 Junior Volunteer Summer Program through April 21. The 2023 summer session begins with orientation on Wednesday, June 14, or Friday, June 23, and continues through Aug. 4. Young adults who are at least 14 years old by April 1 are eligible to apply and can complete the applications and forms found online. As junior volunteers, students will learn the value of community service and will get exposure to the health care field. They also have the opportunity to volunteer in specialized areas such as information technology or biomedical engineering. Responsibilities include but are not limited to escorting patients and visitors to their destinations, transporting patients and visitors in wheelchairs, volunteering in the Orchards Cafe and assisting various other departments. Junior volunteers are expected to work at least four hours a week between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. They will not volunteer on weekends. To be considered for a junior volunteer position at Pardee, applicants must be at least 14 years old by April 1, complete and return all application documents to Karla Reese by April 21, and attend the mandatory orientation meeting from 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 14, or Friday, June 23. Volunteers must attend one of the orientations in its entirety, no exceptions. Applicants must mail the completed application packet to Karla Reese c/o Pardee UNC Health Care, Volunteer Services Box 2, 800 N. Justice St., Hendersonville, NC, 28791. While Pardee does not require vaccination of its employees or volunteers, it does request documentation if you are vaccinated or have an exemption. Additionally, masks are required at all Pardee facilities for staff, contractors and volunteers working within six feet of a patient in clinical treatment or procedure rooms. This applies to everyone, regardless of vaccination status. Masks are optional elsewhere. There is a limited number of volunteer opportunities. For additional information, contact Reese at 828-696-4240. United Way offers free online tax filing The United Way of Henderson County is providing online tax filing software, accessible through MyFreeTaxes.com, to help taxpayers easily and accurately file their taxes from their computer or smartphone. MyFreeTaxes is a free and easy way to file federal and state tax returns. The online tool: Screens for credit and deduction eligibility such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit to ensure filers receive their maximum tax refund, and lets filers check for any missed stimulus payments Shows filers how and why their refund amount is changing in real time Allows individuals to use their mobile phone, tablet or computer to file taxes Includes from a real person trained by the IRS via the MyFreeTaxes Helpline. Includes access to additional financial products and resources, including free access to a student debt management tool that will help employees easily lower payments or find loan forgiveness. MyFreeTaxes is free for all returns and includes schedule C options. A list of the tax forms included in this free offering is available by visiting MyFreeTaxes.com. The meeting of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev with President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon in an expanded format has kicked off in Dushanbe. Welcoming the President of Azerbaijan, President Emomali Rahmon said: - Dear Ilham Heydarovich, Dear Azerbaijani friends. It is with great pleasure that I am welcoming you to Tajikistan. We are sincerely pleased with your state visit, dear Ilham Heydarovich. We consider this visit as a good opportunity to discuss in detail the topical issues of Tajik-Azerbaijani relations and identify new points of growth. The peoples of Tajikistan and Azerbaijan share the traditional bonds of friendship that have long historical roots. It is gratifying that the interstate cooperation between our countries is now consistently developing on a wide range of issues. It covers political, trade, economic, scientific, technical, cultural, humanitarian and many other spheres. We are paying constant attention to the comprehensive expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation with the Republic of Azerbaijan both on a bilateral basis and within international and regional organizations. I am confident that the agreements we are going to reach today will fill the agenda of our relations with a qualitatively new content. Welcome again! You have the floor, dear Ilham Heydarovich. Please. X X X President Ilham Aliyev said: - Thank you, dear Emomali Sharifovich, for the invitation and for the hospitality. I am very glad to visit your beautiful country again to continue our very active and friendly political dialogue with you. As you have noted, the peoples of our countries have been actively interacting for a long time, and it is very gratifying that for the duration of our interstate relations, which have been developing for more than 30 years, we have managed to build a very solid and strong foundation and then build our friendship on this foundation. As you noted, we are actively cooperating both in the multilateral format and especially in the bilateral format. We always cooperate very sincerely and as good friends. During the state visit, of course, new decisions will be made, many documents will be signed that will determine the further development of our relations. We will discuss in detail the broad agenda the trade and economic component, very great prospects in the transport and logistical sector, and in the field of investment policy. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you and the entire fraternal people of Tajikistan on the great achievements in the way of socioeconomic development and such a rapid growth of the city of Dushanbe. I have been to Tajikistan many times and have the opportunity to see firsthand positive dynamics in the development of both the country and, of course, the capital, and I would like to congratulate you on this. Once again, thank you very much for the hospitality and we look forward to working together in the future. Thank you. One cannot doubt the popularity of Instagram. Can you? With over 1 billion monthly users, Instagram is the most popular social media site that grabs people's attention like no one. And in the 21st century, this attention is white gold. However, growing on Instagram is not too easy. You may create and post high-quality content, engage daily with others, use the proper hashtags, and still strive to make a strong presence and attain many followers. For many businesses, Instagram's slow growth rate is extremely demoralizing and consumes time you could spend making new content. Despite all these challenges, here's some good news: Instagram's growth services can be a great solution and make growing on Instagram smoother. Manipulating an Instagram growth service for your brand can be somewhat complex. However, when performed appropriately can certainly build a strong base of your Instagram audience, make your brand stronger, easily discover and reach out to new leads and boost your earnings. And doing all that on your own demonstrates adding more aggravating tasks to your timetable that you never have sufficient time for. Hence, plenty of Instagram growth services have started coming out for your help. These tools work like excellent backlinks for a new website, ensuring higher traffic. Its a fantastic idea; however, choosing the finest Instagram growth service for your business can be challenging with numerous alternatives available. Hence, we have come up with something that can put you out of trouble. You can consider this guide a checklist that you can follow to grow your brand on Instagram organically and determine the best one for your brand. If You Are In Hurry, We Have Picked Up The Top Instagram Growth Services For You If you have been a consistent Instagram user, you will understand that in order to grow your account, one has to put in a lot of effort, and the grind is real too. Instagram's growth services can help you in improving the quality of your content and overall strategy. Numerous growth services propose analytics and insights to help you determine the most efficient kinds of content and posting times to optimize your engagement. There are several kinds of Instagram growth services obtainable, such as fully managed services, where a group of professionals handles your account for you, and DIY services, where you have more command over the process. Some services may focus on certain tactics, such as employing Instagram influencers or paid advertising to grow your account. Moreover, Instagram growth services can be a valuable tool for brands and people seeking to expand their presence and engagement on the platform. Nevertheless, choosing a reputed service that employs safe and law-abiding methods is vital to avoid possible hazards such as account suspension or termination. Hence, after thorough research, we have come up with some of the best, safest, and most reliable Instagram growth service options for you lets check them out! Thunderclap Gpc.fm 1. Thunderclap Thunderclap employs unique technique to pinpoint potentially interested users. Thunderclap is one of the most reliable and robust tools for organic Instagram growth. It makes the best use of a proprietary AI algorithm to enable businesses automatically engage with targeted followers for their accounts. It lets users pick target profiles with the followers they wish to attract. Thunderclap is readily one of the finest and most desired Instagram growth services. It helps you in getting real followers that are niche-pertinent and not bots, spam, or artificial. Thunderclap employs unique technique to pinpoint potentially interested users based on benchmarks such as hashtags, location, and identical accounts and engages with them by liking their posts. This results in improved visibility and followers for your Instagram account. So if you are in a hurry and looking for the best and most effective organic Instagram growth service providers, then Thunderclap would be a great option for you! 2.Gpc.fm Gpc.fm is an online Instagram growth service. Gpc.fm is an online Instagram growth service designed to aid people and businesses in growing their Instagram following and increasing engagement with their target audience. Dissimilar to other growth services that make use of bots or automated tools, Gpc.fm uses organic engagement techniques to attract genuine followers. With Gpc.fm, you can save a lot of your time and effort on manual outreach and concentrate on devising high-quality content that resonates with your audience. Whether you're an influencer, brand, or business, using services from Gpc.fm will be an efficient and sustainable way to boost your Instagram presence, strengthen your brand, and grow your online impact. Therefore, if you are in a rush and seeking the most useful and persuasive Instagram growth service providers, then Gpc.fm would be an excellent choice! What Is an Instagram Growth Service? An Instagram growth service is a tool or service that aims to boost your Instagram following and engagement. It generally employs different techniques to grow your Instagram account, such as content strategy, targeted following, and engagement. The services are usually furnished by a third-party organization or a software program that automates tasks such as liking, commenting, following, and unfollowing on your behalf. These activities are usually based on hashtags, locations, or other targeting benchmarks to reach potential followers who might be curious about your content. Instagram's growth services are a famous and useful method for brands and people to grow their Instagram following and engagement. The major advantage of utilizing an Instagram growth service is that it can save you time and effort by automating specific tasks such as liking, commenting, and following different accounts in your niche or industry. It can attract more followers, which can result in boosted engagement and visibility for your account. List of Best Instagram Growth Services to Scale Your Instagram Account Instagram's growth services have become increasingly famous among people and businesses seeking to grow their following and engagement on Instagram. These services employ different strategies to attract real followers who are inquisitive about your content and engage with all your posts. With plenty of alternatives available, picking the most useful Instagram growth service that fulfills your requirements can be difficult. But for your ease and after some careful research, we have come up with a list of some of the finest Instagram growth services, emphasizing their features and advantages to assist you in making an informed decision and scaling your Instagram account. So lets take a look at some of the best Instagram growth services mentioned below. 1. Krootez Krootez offers an increase in rankings. Outperform your social media competitors with exclusive services and help from Krootez. Krootez gives you smart and quick solutions that help you gain more organic views, likes, and more Instagram followers from real people globally! Krootez offers an increase in rankings that come from premium accounts as well as microblogs produced by real people, interacting with the latest posts and stories, mentioning other people, and putting likes and comments. One of their team's crucial day-to-day practices is understanding all the transformations and innovations on Instagram, which enables them to be mindful of the newest trends on social media and which consequently motivates them to do their best while processing orders. This is why millions of people and numerous agencies have faith in them. 2. Signals Signal is a human-powered, data-driven Instagram growth service provider. When you illegally purchase Instagram followers, you are at risk of either getting spammed, getting your account banned, or ultimately squandering your money, as Instagram forbids fishy activities and accounts. However, with Signals, you are secure, as we have assisted more than 100,000 brands and influencers in gaining millions of followers. With more than 5 years of industry experience and 10,000+ customers, our team has operated across industries and yielded top-notch outcomes across social media networks. Signal is a human-powered, data-driven Instagram growth service provider that delivers the best Instagram growth services customized only for you. 3. Social Hackettes Social Hackettes is one of the most famous and highly-solicited Instagram growth services. Social Hackettes is one of the most famous and highly-solicited Instagram growth services, adored & suggested by numerous brands, businesses, influencers, and people. Social Hackettes propose 100% real targeted and organic Instagram followers that will follow your account and will be there in your following list permanently. The most pleasing aspect of Social Hackettes' Instagram growth service is that you get a 5-Day Free Trial and other services at low costs. They work straight with influencers and businesses to grow your account. Different from other Instagram Account Growth Service Providers, Social Hackettes assure you don't get bots or fake followers, and all the followers will be authentic and relevant to your niche. 4. MVRQ Growth MVRQ Growth works in-house with their crew in Vienna, Austria. MVRQ Growth is a 100% Human Powered and manual Instagram growth service provider that helps you grow your Instagram account manually. MVRQ Growth work only in-house with their crew in Vienna, Austria. All the interactions transpire in the Instagram app directly. Different from other providers, MVRQ Growth do not employ bots or simulate smartphone devices. Moreover, MVRQ Growth dont give you fake followers, which is usually done by their rivals to exaggerate growth rates. They promise to save you time and money, whether you use your account privately or professionally. MVRQ Growth employ two distinct approaches to grow on Instagram. It depends on the plan you pick. #1 Outreach Strategy MVRQ Growth interact especially with accounts that have an interest in your niche. For this purpose, they interact through smartphones with the followers of the accounts you target. Via these targeted interactions, your target account's followers likewise become conscious of you, and your account gets more followers, reach, likes, and comments. #2 Niche Account Strategy MVRQ Growth have devised the finest and most compelling Instagram strategy for noteworthy artists, influencers, and brands, wholly dominating the Instagram market via niche accounts. These accounts are established in a manner to draw niche-targeted followers, which in response help in driving the traffic back to the primary account. 5. Social Grow Engine Social Growth Engine is the one-stop solution for the tech-savvy generation. Social Growth Engine can be your next best Instagram marketing strategy! Here you get genuine, risk-free Instagram growth services such as: Increasing likes Scaling services for influencers Marketing eCommerce, Growing your account with additional followers. Social Growths capacity to deliver exceptional, data-driven outcomes through a sustainable style stands them apart from their competitors. It is because they never depend on phony accounts and bots to supply engagements. Everything is performed organically and manually. Social Growth Engine is the one-stop solution for the tech-savvy generation. From leading influencers to budding entrepreneurs, they deliver an exceptional social media experience that lets you connect with the world through leveraging the World Wide Web. Social Growth greet you to a world of advanced social networking solutions prepared to augment your scope and enhance the presence of your online platform. 6. Goldstar Social Goldstar Socials ordering method allows users to choose which photos and videos they need engagement on. Are you seeking to buy real Instagram followers? Look no further than Goldstar Social. A brand that has helped millions of IG accounts with authentic and high-quality followers. Commencing from just $3, you can increase your visibility and engagement on Instagram. Goldstar Socials ordering method allows users to choose which photos and videos they need engagement on. Goldstar Social's Instagram likes service is the finest kind of service you will ever find, keeping you at the top of your competitors. Their services are offered in a manner that retains your account safe and increases your organic Instagram reach. Choose a package now and grow with Goldstar Social. At Goldstar Social, their service quality is essential so that you can get the best outcomes. They likewise offer their services discreetly to maintain their users' privacy and reputation. Goldstar Social is so proud to provide value to their customers, so reach them online today and avail the best offers. 7: Cheap IG Followers Cheap IG Followers has over a decade of experience. Enhance your Instagram likes, views, and followers with Cheap IG Followers. They are known as digital promotion leaders for their exceptional services. They offer exclusive social signals that are useful for both people and businesses. Select from quick or natural delivery profiles of genuine users, remote starters, or large packs with remarkable outcomes. They have everything you require to grow your Instagram account successfully! Furthermore, it is legal, and they don't violate any laws or policies. They work as per the social platform's terms and conditions, and these activities don't break any rules either. They are one of the largest and most well-recognized dealers, with plenty of people reaching out to them every day. Cheap IG Followers has over a decade of experience delivering entrusted and required service with multiple five-star ratings and positive reviews. Their support team is also keen to resolve any of your issues related to their services and is open 24/7. 8. Social Sensei Social Sensei doesnt ask for your password so that you can stay assured that your account is completely secure. Social Sensei employs Instagram influencer marketing techniques to boost your profile. It equips its users with different filters to define and limit their target audience and later runs a loop giveaway through a micro-influencer or celebrity. The regulations of this giveaway include the following accounts, comprising yours, and this is how you achieve followers in massive numbers. Notably, Social Sensei doesnt ask for your password so that you can stay assured that your account is completely secure. 9. Social Buddy Social Buddy seeks to boost your followers count slowly. Social Buddy is quite the same as Kicksta. As you sign up, it requests details such as your niche, industry, target hashtags, competitors, and location. After that, it looks for and targets Instagram users who correspond to your choices, enabling you to achieve real followers that are pertinent to your brand. Social Buddy seeks to boost your followers count slowly. Its analytics report likewise delivers great insights such as average likes, and comments, engagement rate to keep a record of your performance and growth. 10. Combin Combin is one of the most amazing Instagram growth tools. Combin is one of the most amazing Instagram growth tools for individuals and businesses. It lets you select the posts or profiles you would wish to engage with and the activities you would want to perform, such as liking, commenting, following, and then they do it for you at a rate that Instagram wont mark as spam. You can even make comment templates and determine whenever you wish to use them accordingly. It correspondingly furnishes a large number of Instagram stories views, state-of-the-art targeting, automation, audience management, and performance statistics. Moreover, you can schedule and plan posts while using their services. 11. Nitreo Nitreo mainly performs and offers the following services liking, viewing stories, and reacting to live videos. Nitreo mainly performs and offers the following services liking, viewing stories, and reacting to live videos are some of the features that will put your account under the nose of the appropriate people and boost your followers. All you'll require to do is provide it access to your account and select your niche. It initiates functioning after 48 hours, benefiting you in attracting real and apposite followers. Furthermore, it guarantees your Instagram feed will not get bombarded with posts from everyone it follows. It automatically mutes these profiles so that you can have a better experience and merely see the posts you wish to see. 12. Ektora Ektora employs human-made intelligence. Ektora is an Instagram growth service that has operated in Instagram marketing for some time. It works like an Instagram bot, giving its clients increased followers by making use of relevant hashtags, usernames, and locations. Ektora was operating as ektor.io till 2020. As soon as the beginning of 2021, they rebranded their agency and began operating as Ektora with a few variations! Ektora employs human-made intelligence. Thus, dissimilar to AiGrow, it does not use Instagram account managers to give you organic growth. Ektora can follow your contenders followers and fetch you niche-relevant followers. Ektora can view multiple stories so that they notice your page too. However, this technique merely works if those people are curious about your niche. Their other features are: Hashtag Targeting Story viewer Follow and unfollow activity Auto like and comment Real-time analytics. 13: Inflact Inflact's growth-oriented option is based on state-of-the-art AI. Inflact is a type of service provider that brands and label itself as a marketing toolkit for Instagram. They deliver a broad assortment of tools to assist you in selling more effectively on Instagram. Their services are automation-rich so that you can preserve time and effort. Inflact's growth-oriented option is based on state-of-the-art AI and is capable of boosting your profile activity to assist you in generating massive followers. With automated story views, auto-likes of comments, follow/unfollow strategies, and likes, there are a bunch of methods that attract followers. They have three pricing tiers based on what you prefer to select from their multiple automation alternatives. The Standard plan centers on promotion or growth, incorporating a VPN and hashtag generator for $54 per month. Moreover, you can select Advanced for $64 per month, which has a quantity of messages for your audience. The top tier, Pro, is $84 monthly and has a pre-planned posting option, stories saver, along with a downloader. The Main Features of Inflact Are: Money-Back Warranty Trial Period for $3 Supplemental Instagram Automation Alternatives. 14. Blast Up Its quite straightforward to use Blastup. Blastup is our next Instagram growth service that we will talk about, which assures real views, likes, and followers. They assert that they vend high-quality followers instead of blank profiles. Its quite straightforward to use Blastup; select a package, checkout, and notice your likes and followers getting boosted. To buy followers from Blastup, you can select from three separate packages: One hundred followers for $2.99. Five hundred followers for $6.99. One thousand followers for $9.99. The Main Features of Blastup Are Quick delivery 24/7 support Free trial accessible. 15. Skweezer Skweezer allows you to purchase Instagram likes, comments, and followers. Skweezer allows you to purchase Instagram likes, comments, and followers. This Instagram growth service contends to provide you with real followers from profiles that are created by Skweezers network that get disbursed a share for following you; therefore, purchasing followers is apparently safe here. Decide what you wish to buy, enter your profile details, and Skweezer will give you whatever you want. The fee differs based on the number of likes or followers you buy. The Main Features of Skweezer Include: Quick Delivery 1-Year Refill Warranty Free Trial. 16. Hublaagram Hublaagram services are absolutely reasonable. Hublaagram is an Instagram growth service that lets you attain likes, comments, and followers on Instagram for free. It functions by swapping these interactions with different users worldwide. By utilizing their services, you will get likes, comments, and follows from different users, and concurrently you will be doing the same too to help them. Hublaagram services are absolutely reasonable. You can buy 1,000 post likes for $2.50. You can likewise sign up for auto-likes for $20 monthly and acquire likes whenever you post. Their website needs to be more transparent on how to buy followers. The Main Features of Hublaagram Are Simple to use Affordable. 17. Social Boost Social Boost is one of the most impressive Instagram marketing agencies that help you in increasing your following by employing an organic growth technique. Social Boost is one of the most impressive Instagram marketing agencies that help you in increasing your following by employing an organic growth technique. When you start a campaign with Social Boost, you are given an account manager to ask queries regarding your target audience. As per Social Boost, they perform handwrought growth by real people. It incorporates owning a growth manager that will perform activities such as liking, following, and commenting on behalf of its users based on their targeting choices. Pricing ranges from $59 to $249 monthly for their Turbocharged plan a high cost for what they name turbocharged growth. Nevertheless, the precise details of this top-tier plan are not plainly defined. The Main Features of Social Boost Are Hand wrought Growth Authentic Followers Authentic Instagram Marketers. 18. InstaGrov InstaGrov helps its users and clients expand their reach among their chosen demographic. It's time to say adieu to artificial bots and tools and welcomes an entirely human-powered growth service. InstaGrov, one of the foremost Instagram Organic Growth Service providers of 2023, who delivers its clients and users effective and real Growth. Whether you are a blogger, influencer, brand, social media manager, or agency InstaGrov has the ideal plan to boost your influence and visibility online. With its advanced organic growth services, InstaGrov helps its users and clients expand their reach among their chosen demographic. Their service proposes features including: Competitor targeting Geolocation targeting Targeting using hashtags Gender Targeting Niche targeting. Each of these services is devised to make it simple for users and clients to reach their target audience conveniently. You can pick from three suitable pricing alternatives, including Monthly Basic at $99 per user, Monthly Growth at $149 per user, and Full Growth at $299 per user monthly. So wait no more and elevate your social media presence with InstaGrov now. 19. RankingGrow RankingGrow is also one of the top providers that deliver organic Instagram growth services at affordable rates. RankingGrow is also one of the top providers that deliver organic Instagram growth services at affordable rates. Being a leading digital marketing company, it has all the newest, most advanced, and resourceful online marketing tools and solutions. For brands seeking to boost their online presence, forge more leads, and increase sales, RankingGrow delivers an all-inclusive platform that uses a combination of cutting-edge techniques. Their service features comprise: Gender Targeting Hashtag Targeting Day-to-day interactions 100% human-powered organic growth Geo-location targeting 24/7 customer assistance. You can pick from three reasonable pricing alternatives: Basic ($99 per month) Growth ($175 per month) Full Growth ($299 per month) You can choose any of these plans to accomplish your objectives and enhance your online presence. Reach out to RankingGrow now for more exciting plans and features. 20. SimplyGram SimplyGram provides the best features that deliver outcomes quickly. SimplyGram distinguishes itself from other Instagram growth service providers with its promise to deliver results and responsibility. Their buyers can experience the effectiveness and goodness of their services. By focusing on brands and people, SimplyGram provides the best features that deliver outcomes quickly. They help their clients grow their Instagram accounts organically and efficiently. They do it so that you can profit from their years of expertise in this industry. They have more than 5 years of industry experience, and you can trust us when we say they can assist you the best way and in every path of your Instagram journey. Buyers Guide Instagram growth services are designed to assist people, businesses, and brands in increasing their presence on various famous social media platforms. If we are to talk about the advantages, features, and reasons why Instagram growth services are becoming massively crucial for people and businesses, then there will be numerous reasons. Let's find them out one by one. #1 The advantages of Instagram Growth Services: Boosted Followers:Instagram growth services can help you grow your followers by targeting users who like and are curious about your content and will possibly follow you. Enhanced Engagement:With more followers, your engagement rate will likewise grow, which can result in more likes, comments, and shares on your posts. Improved Brand Awareness: As your followers and engagement rate boost, your brand awareness will likewise increase, which results in more business opportunities and improved earnings. Saves Time:Instagram growth services can save you time by automating the process of growing your account, letting you concentrate on other aspects of your business. #2 The helpful features of Instagram Growth Services: The helpful features of Instagram Growth Services Targeted Following: Instagram growth services make use of targeted following to help you attract users who are interested in your brand and content and wish to follow you. Hashtag Targeting: Hashtag targeting lets you reach users who are curious about specific topics by employing appropriate hashtags in your posts. Automated Engagement: Instagram growth services can automate engagement by liking, commenting, and following other users. Analytics and Reporting:Numerous Instagram growth services offer analytics and reporting to allow you to track your progress and make good decisions about your social media strategy. #3 The significance of Instagram Growth Services: Boosted Reach:Instagram growth services help you reach a more extensive audience, which can boost your brand awareness and the possibility of new business opportunities. Competitive Edge:By using Instagram growth services, you can attain a competitive edge by growing your account quickly and more effectively than your contenders. Enhanced ROI:With augmented followers and engagement, you can enhance your return on investment (ROI) by forging more leads and sales through your Instagram account. Instagram growth services will give you multiple advantages, features, and importance for people and brands seeking to improve their presence on social media. By keeping in mind and using these services, you'll be able to save time, grow your followers, engagement, and brand awareness, and attain a competitive edge in your industry. Are Instagram Growth Services Legit? The legitimacy of many Instagram growth services can differ depending on the agency, service provider, and their strategies to grow your Instagram account. Some growth services may utilize dishonest or black-hat techniques, such as purchasing fake accounts and followers or employing bots, which can affect your account's credibility and infringe Instagram's terms of service. Nevertheless, numerous legitimate Instagram growth services make use of organic growth strategies, such as targeted following and engagement, to aid you in increasing your followers and engagement safely and effectively. These services can deliver useful insights and analytics to help you optimize your Instagram strategy and attain your social media objectives. When picking an Instagram growth service, it's essential to do your research and select a reputed provider or agency that utilizes ethical and legitimate strategies. You can discover services with positive reviews and testimonials, offer transparency about their techniques, and have explicit service terms and conditions. Furthermore, while there are some illegitimate Instagram growth services out there, there are numerous legitimate alternatives too that can assist you in growing your account safely and effectively. How Do Instagram Growth Services Work? Even though most Instagram growth services function uniquely, they still have a major identical objective: to help you gain more followers and engagement on your Instagram profile. Numerous people mistake Instagram growth services with organizations that offer and sell followers; however, they are different. Most of the Instagram growth services are devised to aid Instagram users in increasing their followers, engagement, and total reach on the platform. These services make use of a combination of tactics and approaches to allow users to increase their Instagram following and achieve their goals. Explained below are some of the ways most Instagram growth services work: Targeted Following:Instagram growth services usually use automation tools to follow accounts that match specific benchmarks, such as those that follow identical accounts or those based in a distinct geographic location. The idea is that these targeted followings will lead to more followers for the user. Hashtag Method:Numerous Instagram growth services will allow users to determine and use hashtags pertinent to their niche or industry. By utilizing proper hashtags, people can attract new followers who might be inquisitive about the same topics. Engagement Pods: Some Instagram growth services organize groups of Instagram users who consent to like and comment on each other's posts. It helps increase engagement and visibility for each member of the pod. Content Strategy: A sound content strategy is vital to succeeding on Instagram. Instagram's growth services may assist users in creating and curating engrossing and shareable content, and offer suggestions on optimizing posts for maximum reach. Analytics and Reporting:Numerous Instagram growth services furnish users with thorough analytics and reporting on their Instagram accounts, such as information on follower growth, engagement rates, and post-performance. It helps users track their improvement and revise their approach as needed. What Are the Benefits of an Instagram Growth Service? Instagram growth services have several benefits for users who wish to grow their following and engagement on the platform. One of the primary advantages of using an Instagram growth service is the possibility of reaching more people. By growing your follower count and engagement rate, you can improve the visibility of your posts and reach a more expansive audience. Growing an Instagram account can be a time-consuming process. An Instagram growth service can help automate some of the tasks involved in growing an account, including targeted following and engagement, so that you can concentrate on producing content and other characteristics of your business or brand. Besides that having an extensive and active following on Instagram can help amplify your credibility and power in your niche or industry. This can make it more straightforward to attract new followers and clients. Moreover, Instagram Growth services can help enhance engagement on your posts by connecting you with users who may be interested in your content and might also engage with it. Furthermore, multiple Instagram growth services deliver thorough analytics and insights on your Instagram account, such as follower growth, engagement rates, and post-performance. This information will allow you to adjust your technique and optimize your content for better outcomes. It's essential to cite that an Instagram growth service's effectiveness will depend on different aspects, such as the quality of the service, the niche or industry you are in, and the quality of your content. Therefore, it's essential to do your research and pick a reputed and convincing Instagram growth service that will help you attain your goals on the platform. How To Find A Quality Instagram Growth Service Provider? Finding the best and quality Instagram growth service provider can be challenging, as there are numerous agencies and providers to pick from. However, not all of them deliver the exact level of quality and dependability. Mentioned below are some suggestions to help you find a quality Instagram growth service provider: Do Your Research: Take the time to research various Instagram growth service providers or agencies to determine what they propose and what their importance is. Look for reviews and feedback from other users to get a notion of the quality of their service. Carefully Go Through Their Website:A quality Instagram growth service provider or agency will have a professional and informational website that plainly defines their services, pricing, and policies. Assess Their Tactics And Approaches: Make sure the Instagram growth service provider's tactics and approaches align with your objectives and values. Some providers employ unscrupulous or spammy techniques that could damage your account's reputation. Hence, choosing a provider that uses secure and ethical techniques is crucial. Aim for Personalized Service: Aim for a provider that delivers personalized service and assistance. The right provider will take the time to comprehend your objectives and tailor their service to fulfill your exact requirements. Evaluate Pricing: Pricing is an essential factor to keep in mind, but it shouldn't be the sole factor. Never pick a provider just based on cost, as the most inexpensive alternative may not be the most useful or trustworthy. Contact Them:Reach out to the provider and inquire about their service, how they operate, and what outcomes you can expect. It will give you an idea of their responsiveness and professionalism. Trial Run:Numerous Instagram growth service providers and agencies render a free trial or money-back warranty. Take benefit of these proposals to test their service and see if it works for you. By following the abovementioned suggestions, you can find a quality Instagram growth service provider that will help you accomplish your goals on the platform. Conclusion To sum up, Instagram growth services are certainly a great option to create a strong presence on different social media platforms. With the amazing qualities and advantages of these tools and services, you get rid of manually executing tasks such as liking, commenting, following, and viewing stories which consume a lot of your time and effort. Once you have embraced the appropriate usage of these Instagram services and tools, you will witness immense growth in your sales, lead generation, and marketing, and this will help you grow your overall business too. FAQs Q. 1: What are Instagram growth services? Ans:Instagram growth services are third-party organizations or people that offer services to grow your Instagram account. They commonly employ strategies such as targeted follow/unfollow, engagement pods, and hashtag research to boost your followers, likes, and comments. Q. 2: Are Instagram growth services safe to use? Ans: It depends on the service you are using. Some services employ bots and automation that infringe Instagram's terms of service, which can lead to your account being suspended or restricted. Nevertheless, some services use organic and manual techniques that are within Instagram's guidelines and are secure to use. Q. 3: How much do Instagram growth services cost? Ans: The price of Instagram growth services differs depending on the provider and the package you select. Some services deliver a one-time fee for a specific number of followers or engagements, while others charge a monthly fee for continuous services. Q. 4: Can Instagram growth services ensure results? Ans:Not every reputed Instagram growth service assures results because there are numerous factors that contribute to Instagram growth, such as the quality of your content, your niche, and your audience. Nevertheless, some services may assure a certain percentage boost in followers or engagement. Q. 5: Should I use Instagram growth services to grow my account? Ans:It depends on your objectives and preferences. If you're seeking a prompt way to boost your followers and engagement, Instagram growth services may seem like an appealing alternative. Nevertheless, if you're concentrating on building a genuine and active audience, it's more reasonable to invest time and effort in producing high-quality content and engaging with your followers organically. Q. 6: How do Instagram growth services work? Ans: Instagram growth services function by using different strategies to boost your account's visibility and engagement on the platform. Some services may employ targeted follow/unfollow methods to attract new followers, while others may use engagement pods or hashtag research to increase engagement. The specific techniques used can differ depending on the service provider and the package you have selected. Q. 7: Are Instagram growth services effective? Ans:The effectiveness of Instagram growth services can differ depending on the provider and the techniques employed. Some services may use spammy methods that lead to low-quality followers or engagement, while others may use organic and manual techniques that result in real growth. Researching and picking a reputed provider that utilizes ethical and convincing strategies is essential. Q. 8: What are the risks associated with Instagram growth services? Ans:The risks associated with Instagram growth services are account suspension or even a ban if the service provider has used bots or automation that infringes Instagram's terms of service. Moreover, some services may use spammy tactics that result in low-quality followers or engagement, which can affect your account's credibilty. It's essential to carefully research and pick a provider that uses ethical and effective techniques in order to avoid these risks. Q. 9: Can Instagram growth services benefit me in monetizing my Instagram account? Ans: While Instagram growth services can help grow your followers and engagement, monetizing your account demands more than an extensive following. You must have a niche that appeals to brands and a robust engagement rate to attract sponsorships and collaborations. While Instagram growth services can help boost your visibility, it's up to you to make quality content and engage with your followers to assemble a faithful and engaged audience that brands desire to work with. Q. 10: What are some of the best ways to discover the most promising Instagram growth services? Ans: Instagram has become one of the most famous social media platforms, with more than one billion active users. There's no wonder that businesses and people are looking for ways to grow their Instagram presence. A social media strategy, especially with reference to Instagram, is indeed vital nowadays for every brand or business. That is to say; for numerous business owners and directors, it can be quite challenging to gather the time to work on their Instagram accounts or to discover the most useful technique to employ. One way you can accomplish this is by using Instagram growth services. Nevertheless, with plenty of Instagram service providers reachable, discovering the most suitable one can be challenging. But with the help of these tips, you can find the best Instagram growth services for your brand: Research And Contrast: You must research the different Instagram growth services that are available. Correspond their services, fees, and reviews to discover the one that fulfills your requirements. Seek Organic Growth: Dodge services that assure immediate results and fake followers. Seek services that deliver organic growth through targeted engagement and audience interaction. Pay Heed To The Quality of Followers:The follower's quality matters more than the quantity. Seek services that target real users who are genuinely interested in your content and niche. Review For Safety:Make sure the service you select acts in accordance with Instagram's terms of service to avoid getting your account restricted or flagged. Customer Support:Pick a provider that proffers adequate customer support. Disclaimer: This article is a paid publication and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times. Hindustan Times does not endorse/subscribe to the content(s) of the article/advertisement and/or view(s) expressed herein. Hindustan Times shall not in any manner, be responsible and/or liable in any manner whatsoever for all that is stated in the article and/or also with regard to the view(s), opinion(s), announcement(s), declaration(s), affirmation(s) etc., stated/featured in the same. Instagram has become one of the most engaging social media platforms people use to share content. 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When you purchase followers from this company, you can expect them to be highly engaged with your content. As a result, they may like and comment on your Instagram posts or any blog post, ensuring you become popular like an influencer. Another significant benefit of buying Instagram followers from them is that they offer instant delivery. Hence, you do not need to wait longer to have real Instagram followers on your account. Also, when you buy Instagram followers from them, your information will be kept safe and secure. Here, we will share the benefits of getting UK Instagram followers and the best sites to buy Instagram followers UK. What Are the Best Sites to Buy Instagram Followers in the UK? Social media platforms are a complex field in which you must obtain the right skills and experiment with every hack to become a leader. When you first step into the market of Instagram marketing, you may find it challenging and hectic to boost the number of your Instagram followers. 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Why You Should Buy Instagram Followers? We live in a digital world where social media marketing services have become crucial for reaching more global customers. With fierce competition in the business market, brands and influencers are leaning towards Instagram to boost their online visibility. As per the statistics, the number of Instagram users is 2.5 billion in 2023. It is worth noting that the numbers will only increase with time. So, it is high time for you to have real UK followers to get constant Instagram growth. Consider finding the best sites to buy Instagram followers UK to get an excellent opportunity to spot and buy real Instagram followers. As the quality of the content is gradually increasing on Instagram, marketers, and creators are buying Instagram followers to increase IG followers eventually. Here, we will highlight the most significant reasons behind investing in buying Instagram followers to boost follower count. 1. 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It is possible as many people search for the brands through social media accounts. As per the statistics, 81% of people use their Instagram accounts to research specific products, companies, or services. So, the more followers brands have on their Instagram accounts, the more brand value they will receive. 4. Better Response Depending on how many followers you have on your Instagram account can determine the number of positive responses your brand gets. Having many Instagram followers can help you establish a community around your company. When Instagram users notice you have more followers than your competitors, they will trust your brand and become your customers. However, you must remember that you must not purchase fake Instagram followers. The fake accounts will not benefit your brand as they will never engage with the content. So, purchasing fake followers will only damage your reputation and put your company at high risk. 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Once you become an influencer with more real Instagram followers, you will get access to several advantages that come with endorsement deals. It is a great way to get the maximum benefit of having many Instagram followers. Big companies or brands will instantly hire you or pay you if you have many followers. However, it is worth mentioning that you must keep interacting with your Instagram followers to avoid losing them over a period. 7. Increased Channel Management Channel management mainly refers to developing unique sales and marketing strategies to satisfy customers. Buying followers from a reputed website is a great channel marketing strategy to reach potential customers more efficiently. Having a massive follower count on your Instagram account helps your brand grab many buyers' attention. As a result, you can form a great bond with those people to make them your loyal customers. Eventually, the sales will increase, and you can get better conversion and ROI. Conclusion Purchasing UK followers on Instagram is an excellent way to stay ahead of competitors. Consider opting for any of the websites mentioned above to purchase followers on Instagram to increase the client base exponentially. It offers marketing opportunities for individuals and brands to boost their profit and business growth. Often people ask, 'can a company legally buy Instagram followers?' But first, you must remember that buying followers for your Instagram accounts is entirely legal and beneficial. There is no need to deal with legal issues in the long run. However, always invest in the correct website to buy followers on Instagram so that people can view the quality content you post on your account. FAQs 1. Is GPC a reliable IG growth service provider? GPC.fm is one of the most trustworthy IG growth service providers offering premium-quality IG followers to grow your account without hassle. Furthermore, there is zero risk associated with GPC.fm as the website offers its services via adequate security checks and protocols. 2. What is an Instagram growth service? Instagram growth service is an effective solution to buy followers to boost your Instagram profile. It helps you to grow the number of your followers by delivering them safely and securely. Simply put, it engages your potential followers automatically on your company's behalf. 3. Which is better: Thunderclap or GPC? Both GPC.fm and Thunderclap are great websites that offer real and active followers. But, as the pricing structure differs between these two websites, you can select whatever suits you best. Otherwise, both of them offer their services instantly at affordable prices. 4. Can Thunderclap help me grow my followers for an influencer network? As Thunderclap only concentrates on delivering real UK followers, it can help you grow your followers for the influencer network. The company's expert will make your content viral and help you receive more engagement and reach. 5. How can I use GPC to grow followers? Due to the automation process, you do not need to do anything to grow your followers using GPC. After filling out all the necessary credentials, you must select the package you wish to purchase. Once the payment is made, GPC will start its service. 6. What are the pricing packages of Thunderclap to grow IG followers? The pricing package of Thunderclap starts from $2.49 for 100 followers and ends at $99.99 for 20k followers. However, you can visit their website to get the detailed pricing structure and select any of them according to your requirements. 7. Will GPC scan the profiles before adding followers to my IG account? Yes, it is crucial. Scanning the profiles helps the website spot potential followers from your niche. When the website scans the followers, it knows whether the IG accounts will benefit your business. 8. Should I trust GPC to get more followers for my business account? Indeed, you can rely on GPC to get more followers on your business account. It is one of the popular websites that helped many companies over the years and helped them sustain their business growth by delivering quality followers on time. Disclaimer: This article is a paid publication and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times. Hindustan Times does not endorse/subscribe to the content(s) of the article/advertisement and/or view(s) expressed herein. Hindustan Times shall not in any manner, be responsible and/or liable in any manner whatsoever for all that is stated in the article and/or also with regard to the view(s), opinion(s), announcement(s), declaration(s), affirmation(s) etc., stated/featured in the same. New Delhi (India), April 1: Dogecoin (DOGE) and RenQ Finance (RENQ) are two popular cryptocurrencies in the market that have been making waves recently. DOGE, created as a joke, has gained massive popularity due to endorsements by high-profile individuals like Elon Musk, while RENQ is a cutting-edge, multi-chain, decentralized exchange with a focus on providing comprehensive DeFi solutions. RenQ Finance has secured more than $4.2 million from its investors, and the third-stage presale is almost filled, with only 1.33% remaining. Both cryptocurrencies have seen significant growth in their prices in recent times, but the question on everyone's mind is: where is Elon Musk more interested now? Dogecoin (DOGE) Despite being created as a joke, Dogecoin has garnered a significant fan base and has been used to raise funds for numerous charitable initiatives. Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a vocal supporter of Dogecoin on social media, tweeting about it and even integrating it into his companies' business plans. Musk's tweets about Dogecoin often lead to a surge in its value, suggesting that he remains interested in the cryptocurrency. Elon Musk's tweets about Dogecoin hold significant influence over its value due to several factors. First, Musk has a large following on social media, with millions of people reading his tweets. As a result, he can generate a lot of buzz about Dogecoin with a single tweet. Second, many people view Musk's tweets as an endorsement of Dogecoin, and his followers may interpret this as a signal to invest in cryptocurrency. This increased demand for Dogecoin can drive up its price. Finally, the cryptocurrency market is notoriously volatile and susceptible to a variety of factors, including social media activity. Musk's tweets are just one of many variables that can impact the value of Dogecoin. However, it is important to note that DOGE lacks the technological innovation of RENQ and charges higher transaction fees. It also does not provide the same level of cross-chain interoperability as RENQ. RenQ Finance (RENQ) RenQ Finance is a decentralized exchange that enhances decentralized trading by allowing direct trading through the user's wallet app. It is also non-custodial, meaning no third party owns the funds saved in users' wallets, in contrast to centralized exchanges like Binance or Coinbase. RENQ also provides essential support and infrastructure and broadens cryptocurrency usage globally to the DeFi ecosystem. Its minimal transaction costs are another factor in RENQ Finance's appeal, with substantially lower transaction fees than other cryptocurrencies. This is because the protocol is based on a Layer 2 scaling solution, allowing for transactions to be completed more quickly and for less money. Additionally, RenQ Finance's commitment to security and interoperability, as well as its innovative approach to DeFi, has earned the trust of investors through its CertiK audit. This has resulted in a growing community of supporters, which is a positive indicator for any cryptocurrency. Overall, RenQ Finance stands out as an appealing investment option for investors seeking long-term growth and stability in the cryptocurrency market. Its multi-chain approach and Layer 2 scaling solution enable increased interoperability and low transaction costs, while its commitment to security ensures that investors' assets remain safe. As such, RenQ Finance is poised to make significant strides in the DeFi space, making it a worthwhile investment for those looking to diversify their crypto portfolios. Conclusion While DOGE has gained a lot of attention due to endorsements from Elon Musk, it is important to consider that RENQ Finance is a more innovative and technologically advanced cryptocurrency. Elon Musk's recent interest in AI and potential interest in RenQ Finance's AI blockchain have raised speculation. However, the future of Dogecoin remains uncertain, while RenQ Finance offers strong potential for growth and stability in the DeFi space. Investors need to weigh their decisions based on the cryptocurrency's potential rather than simply relying on endorsements by high-profile individuals, as they can often be unpredictable. Visit the links below for more information about RenQ Finance (RENQ): Website: https://renq.io Whitepaper: https://renq.io/whitepaper.pdf Disclaimer: This article is a paid publication and does not have journalistic/ editorial involvement of Hindustan Times. Hindustan Times does not endorse/ subscribe to the contents of the article/advertisement and/or views expressed herein. The reader is further advised that Crypto products and NFTs are unregulated and can be highly risky. There may be no regulatory recourse for any loss from such transactions. Hindustan Times shall not in any manner, be responsible and/or liable in any manner whatsoever for all that is stated in the article and/or also with regard to the views, opinions, announcements, declarations, affirmations etc., stated/featured in same. The decision to read hereinafter is purely a matter of choice and shall be construed as an express undertaking/guarantee in favour of Hindustan Times of being absolved from any/ all potential legal action, or enforceable claims. The content may be for information and awareness purposes and does not constitute a financial advice. New Delhi (India), April 5: Entrepreneurs arent those who label themselves; true entrepreneurs are those who are labelled by others, which in turn view the accomplishments and success achieved by the former. Hence, being known as an entrepreneur is a huge triumph nowadays, especially with the huge rise of those who are trying to grow themselves in the market. Issa Shammathis name isnt weird anymore for anyone even slightly familiar with the world of digital marketing and entrepreneurship. Issa Shamma is one of the youngest and leading entrepreneurs in Lebanon. Unfortunately, success nowadays is measured by the amount of money earned after a business deal or by the strong relationships that help a businessman achieve things and tasks easily. But indeed, the true meaning of success shines from within through hard work, ambition, self-reliance, and confidence. Those whose success is related to currency and humans are not really successful. Hence they are never labelled as "entrepreneurs." With the huge rise of entrepreneurs globally, only a few of them were able to turn the tables on others with their intelligence, vast knowledge, and tactics. When talking about entrepreneurs, Issa Shammas name must be mentioned blindly. Issa Shamma is a 24-year-old Lebanese entrepreneur and digital marketer who started doing his thing with the rise of the Coronavirus. Quarantine was the shot of Issa, who was fascinated with the world of digital marketing. In no time, Issa Shamma was able to catch the attention of thousands of followers and clients, who were really thrilled with his outstanding and breathtaking content. What was amazing the most, according to the people, was his vast knowledge and intelligence, yet he is still in his 20s. Besides, Issa Shamma is the CEO and founder of Daemedia, a social media agency based in Lebanon. Daemedia was founded in 2018 by Issa Shamma from zero, reaching a large number of clients and increasing the profits of his company. This digital marketing company specializes in marketing brands, among many other things. Daemedia is considered Issas first step in Lebanon, and he is willing that he will grow it in the future and open more branches to make the company bigger inside and outside of Lebanon. Issas dream for the future is to grow and let his name shine more outside the Middle East, along with opening new branches for his own company. He wants to show the whole world that he never stops to dream or calming down. Disclaimer: This article is a paid publication and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times. Hindustan Times does not endorse/subscribe to the content(s) of the article/advertisement and/or view(s) expressed herein. Hindustan Times shall not in any manner, be responsible and/or liable in any manner whatsoever for all that is stated in the article and/or also with regard to the view(s), opinion(s), announcement(s), declaration(s), affirmation(s) etc., stated/featured in the same. YouTube monetization has become a popular way for content creators to earn money. However, managing a YouTube channel and monetizing it can be a complex task. This is where YouTube monetization agencies come in to help creators manage their channels and increase their revenue. 1. Trace Presence YouTube Monetization Agency Check out the website link- https://monetize.tracepresence.in/youtube Trace Presence is one of the leading YouTube monetization agencies in India. It offers a range of services, including content creation suggestion, channel optimization, criteria fulfilment. The agency has worked with several popular You Tubers and has helped them increase their revenue. They have helped over 7700+ YouTube clients in last 5 years who are in initial phase of content creation. Issues with YouTube content Creators in 2023 They are waiting for 2 years but not able to monetize channel till date. Confused between to make long videos or shorts? Title, thumbnail, tags, description issues. Copyright issues. Services: They have expertise in 4 segments Channel monetization - Their expert team monetize channel within 14 days. Promotion of specific videos to get more viewership via Google ads. They are one of rare agency which are official Google partner 2. KudoMetrics Technologies Private Limited A mobile advertising platform that also offers YouTube monetization services. The agency helps creators monetize their YouTube channels by integrating ads into their videos. They also offers analytics and reporting tools to help creators track their revenue and performance. 3. PV Techies PV Techies is a digital media company that offers YouTube monetization services. The agency has a network of over 700 creators and offers a range of services, including channel optimization, content creation, and revenue management. 4. Apple Info way Apple Infoway is a content creation and management company that offers YouTube monetization services. The agency has worked with several popular YouTubers and offers a range of services, including content creation, channel management, and revenue management. 5. Raga Designers Raga Designers is a digital media company that offers YouTube monetization services. The agency has worked with several popular YouTubers and offers a range of services, including content creation, channel optimization, and revenue management. 6. JustSee Info Services JustSee Info Servicesis a digital media company that offers YouTube monetization services. The agency has a network of over 1000 creators and offers a range of services, including content creation, channel optimization, and revenue management. 7. Famebit Famebit is a YouTube influencer marketing platform that also offers monetization services. The platform helps creators monetize their YouTube channels by connecting them with brands and advertisers. Famebit also offers analytics and reporting tools to help creators track their revenue and performance. 8. Vidsaga Vidsaga is a video production and marketing company that offers YouTube monetization services. The agency has worked with several popular YouTubers and offers a range of services, including content creation, channel optimization, and revenue management. 9. AdPushup AdPushup is an ad optimization platform that also offers YouTube monetization services. The platform helps creators optimize their ad revenue by integrating ads into their videos. AdPushup also offers analytics and reporting tools to help creators track their revenue and performance. 10. Webenza Webenza is a digital marketing agency that offers YouTube monetization services. The agency has worked with several popular YouTubers and offers a range of services, including content creation, channel optimization, and revenue management. In conclusion, YouTube monetization agencies offer a range of services to help creators manage their channels and increase their revenue. The above-listed agencies are some of the best in India and have worked with several popular YouTubers. If you are a content creator looking to monetize your YouTube channel, these agencies can help you achieve your goals. For More Details Visit Now: YouTube Monetization Agency in India Disclaimer: This article is a paid publication and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times. Hindustan Times does not endorse/subscribe to the content(s) of the article/advertisement and/or view(s) expressed herein. Hindustan Times shall not in any manner, be responsible and/or liable in any manner whatsoever for all that is stated in the article and/or also with regard to the view(s), opinion(s), announcement(s), declaration(s), affirmation(s) etc., stated/featured in the same. The International Committee of the Red Cross said on Tuesday that it will reduce some of its operations and lay off about 1,500 employees as a result of expected cuts to funding for humanitarian assistance. The ICRC flag is seen on the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva, Switzerland.(REUTERS) "Approximately 1,500 jobs worldwide will have to be cut over the coming 12 months," ICRC statement read. At least 20 of currently 350 locations around the world will close where, for example, the area can be covered by another ICRC office, or where other humanitarian or development partners can take over. We will also be scaling back and closing some of our programmes," the statement added. The cost-cutting measures are being adopted because, according to the ICRC, numerous end-of-year donor pledges did not materialise as expected, and expenses in the final quarter of 2022 tightened the budget. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), established in 1863, works to assist those affected by war and military conflict in countries like Afghanistan, Syria, Ethiopia, Ukraine. According to ICRC website, the organisation administers a number of funds established over the past century by special donations from individuals or organisations. The company employs approximately 20,000 people in over 100 countries and is based in Geneva, Switzerland. The bulk of the ICRC's financing comes from governments and national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies through voluntary donations. An army officer's brother succumbed to injuries in Bengaluru after three drunken men allegedly assaulted him and his sister for raising objection to loud music, police said on Wednesday. Bengaluru: Army colonel's brother beaten up for protesting loud music, succumbs Also Read - Karnataka: Puneeth Kerehalli arrested in alleged cattle trader murder case Lloyd Nemaiah succumbed to his injuries at a hospital on Tuesday, police said. The incident happened on April 2, between 3 and 4 am when a group of men were allegedly playing loud music in a car outside the deceased's home, they said. "When Lioyd raised objections to loud music being played outside his home, the drunken men unleashed an assault on Nemaiah," police said. "He was admitted to hospital but he succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday," they said. The alleged incident happened in Vignan Nagar in the HAL police station area of Bengaluru. Police said they are working to eshtablish the identify of the people involved in the attack on Lloyd Nemaiah. "No arrests have yet been made in connection with the incident," an officer said. Police said the deceased's brother is a colonel in the Indian army. "A case of assault has been registered at HAL police station Bengaluru. We may change the section and file a murder case," the officer added. Karnataka police on Wednesday arrested right wing activist Puneeth Kerehalli, who is accused in the alleged murder of a cattle trader in Ramanagara district. Puneeth along with four others were caught in Rajasthan and they were arrested by the police. According to police, Kerehalli runs Rashtra Rakshana Pade (Nation Protection Army), a right-wing organization. He had also organized campaigns against halal meat and sought a ban on Muslim traders at Hindu temple fairs in the past. Karnataka: Puneeth Kerehalli arrested in alleged cattle trader murder case Also Read - Cow vigilante, aides booked for killing cattle trader in Karnataka The accused is a key suspect in the alleged murder of 39-year-old cattle trader who was assaulted by a group of cow vigilantes for transporting cattle in Karnatakas Ramanagara district, police said on Sunday. The deceased - Indrees Paasha - body was recovered and Kerehalli, along with his team members were absconded. The police arrested them on charges of murder. Police said the FIR was filed under sections 302 (murder), 323 (assault) 341 (wrongful restraint), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of Indian Penal Code. Former CM and Congress leader Siddaramaiah has condemned the incident and alleged that home minister Araga Jnanendra is responsible for the death. He wrote, The murder of a young man in Sathanur is a testament for @BJP4Karnataka's goonda politics in the name of protecting religion. Incompetent Home Minister @JnanendraAraga is directly responsible for the death. . SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON An Independent Member of Parliament from Karnatakas Mandya Sumalatha Ambareesh - met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the national capital on Wednesday. She invited the PM for her sons wedding which is scheduled in June this year. Sumalathas son, actor Abhisek Ambareesh was also seen along with her mother at New Delhi. Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambareesh meets PM Modi, invites him for son's wedding Also Read - Mandya independent MP Sumalatha extends 'full support' to BJP Sumalatha Ambareesh tweeted, I firmly believe that India and Karnataka need such promising leaders and leadership. My son Abhishek and I visited the PM to invite him for the wedding and was given an invitation and blessed. Sumalatha also said that they even discussed state politics during the meeting. On this occasion many issues about the state and my Mandya Constituency were discussed. The Honorable Prime Minister remembered the way he was received by my self-respecting people when he came to Mandya and praised him. My heartfelt thanks to him for his immense admiration for Mandya and Karnataka, she tweeted. In March this year, Sumalatha Ambareesh extended her full support to the BJP in the upcoming Karnataka assembly elections. "After consulting my well-wishers and supporters, I have arrived at a decision. I am extending my full support to th BJP and the Narendra Modi government," the wife of iconic Kannada actor late Ambareesh said in a press conference. After actor Ambareeshs death, Sumalatha contested from the Lok Sabha seat of Mandya and defeated former prime minister H D Deve Gowda's grandson and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy. Election duty officials on Tuesday seized 8.6 kg of gold worth 1.47 crore and cash of 3.37 crore in Bengaluru. Around 47,030 litres of liquor was also seized.(PTI Photo/For representative purposes) In its daily bulletin, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Karnataka said the flying squad and police seized gold worth 1.47 crore in C V Raman Nagar constituency whereas the Income Tax Department seized 3.37 crore cash in Padmanabha Nagar constituency. This besides, 47,030 litres of liquor was seized. ALSO READ | Kannada actors Kiccha Sudeep, Darshan likely to join BJP today: Report Cumulatively, cash worth 17.36 crore, 3.28 lakh litres of liquor worth 22.35 crore, 82.85 kg drugs worth 42.66 lakh, 22.691 kg gold worth 8.51 crore and 93.563 kg silver worth 65.19 lakh and freebies worth 11.79 crore were seized. ALSO READ | Owaisi-led AIMIM to field 25 candidates in Karnataka polls, eyes alliance with JD(S) The worth of total seizures made by all the teams together since the Model Code of Conduct came into effect includes cash, material, liquor, drug, etc of about 61 crore, the bulletin said. Karnataka goes to polls on May 10. AMRITSAR : Three members of a family, including a 9-year-old boy, died while five others were injured after a fire broke out in their house in Rose Enclave locality of Islamabad area in Amritsar on Wednesday. Neighbours at the fire-ravaged house where three members of a family died at Rose Enclave Islamadad in Amritsar on Wednesday. (Sameer Sehgal/HT) The victims were identified as Tejinder Singh (35), his wife Mandeep Kaur (29) and their son Dilvansh (9). Police have identified the injured as Tejinders daughter Sukhman Kaur (14), his younger brother Vicky (31) his sister-in-law Kiran, nephew Sehaj (9), and father Gurwinder Singh (55). Tejinder mother Sukhchain Kaur (54) was also in the house at the time of the incident, but she managed to escape unhurt. The neighbours noticed the flames around 5am and informed the fire department. It took five fire tenders three hours to douse the flames, the police said. Gurwinder runs clothes shop in Shimla Market of Amritsar. His sister Swaran Kaur said the fire broke out when the family was sleeping. Sukhchain managed to come out of the house unhurt while the other members were stuck in the house, she said. The police rushed them to private hospital where three of them were declared brought dead. Additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP-city 2) Prabhjot Singh Virk said the fire might have broken out due to short circuit. He said: It appears the three members of the family died of asphyxiation. The condition of other members of the family is stated to be out of danger, he added. A private airline, Neos Airlines flight, will be starting a flight from Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport, Amritsar, to Toronto on Thursday. A private airline, Neos Airlines flight, will be starting a flight from Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport, Amritsar, to Toronto on Thursday. While addressing a press conference, airline CEO Stradiotti said it would be once a week flight i.e. on Thursdays, with a short international stop at Milan in Italy. The number of flights will be increased gradually, depending upon the response of the travellers, he added. The launch of the flight sparked a new wave of excitement among local NGOs and Punjabi diaspora of Canada. Earlier, flights to Toronto used to have more than one stops and it took longer time. Amritsar Vikas Manch president Harjap Singh Aujla and North America for FlyAmritsar Initiative convenor Anantdeep Singh Dhillon said the new one-stop connectivity between Amritsar and Toronto via Milan would emerge as a booster for the economic development of the city and the region. It will not just benefit people, but also open new opportunities for farmers to export their products directly from Amritsar, instead of going through Delhi, they said. Activists of the NGO, Manmohan Singh Brar and Kulwant Singh Ankhi, said the Punjabi community must make the move successful so that more airlines look into the market. Nainital police have booked around 800 unidentified people for allegedly indulging in violence, blocking the Nainital-Haldwani national highway and staging a protest near the Haldwani police station creating a ruckus, officials said. Communal tension erupted in Uttarakhands Haldwani on Monday (HT Photo) Haldwani station house officer (SHO) Harendra Choudhary said, We have booked 700-800 people under sections 147 (rioting), 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and (Mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) for blocking the highway, indulging in violence. Also Read: JD (U) leader acquitted, 9 others held guilty for 1993 Bihar killings We are trying to identify the accused, the SHO said. The case pertains to an incident that took place on Monday night after a group of Muslim men offering Taraweeh (namaz), were allegedly assaulted by another group of men on Monday night in the Haldwani district. On Monday, after the alleged attack on worshippers came to the fore, police said a large crowd of Muslim men gathered outside the Haldwani police station and staged a protest. At around 2am, on the persuasion of an Imam, the protesters were pacified, police said. Following the Monday night incident, earlier, the police had booked an identified man, Mukesh Bhatt alias Mukki, and 40 others for allegedly attacking the Muslim worshippers in Bhotia Parao, a Hindu-dominated area. The FIR was registered on the complaint of Imam Shahid Hussain, police said. In his complaint, Hussain alleged, A group of Hindu men led by Bhatt reached outside the house of advocate Zaffar Siddique to create religious turmoil and kill Muslim worshippers. They locked us inside and were planning to kill us by setting the house on fire. They were carrying weapons. They subsequently broke the door, entered inside and beat Muslim men mercilessly despite the presence of policemen. The mob threatened to kill people from the Muslim community if they were ever seen on Nainital Road. The incident left many of us injured and hurt our communitys sentiments. Police said the activists belonging to the Hindu community created a ruckus in the Bhotia Padao area on Monday night when 30-40 protestors gathered outside the house belonging to a lawyer situated on a nazul land (government land given on lease for non-agricultural purposes). They alleged that Muslims had been using this house for offering prayers. The incident triggered communal tension in the city. The Delhi high court last month asked the authorities to explain charges of the offences of forgery made out against Air India pilot Arvind Kathpalia, who had skipped the breath analyser test in 2017 during the Delhi-Bengaluru flight operation following which he was suspended. On January 19, 2017, the Air India pilot flew a Delhi-Bengaluru flight without going through the mandatory breathalyser test (Representative Photo) Justice Yogesh Khanna passed the order while hearing a plea by Kathpalia seeking to quash a forgery first information report (FIR) against him contending that once he has been given a clean chit in the departmental proceedings, he cannot be tried for forgery separately. On January 19, 2017, Kathpalia flew a Delhi-Bengaluru flight without going through the mandatory breathalyser test. Following this, an FIR was lodged against him in August after the pilots union alleged the episode of Kathpalia missing his test involved forgery, intimidation of a doctor, and violations of rules. Also Read: Varanasi-Bengaluru IndiGo flight makes emergency landing in Hyderabad The high court in 2017 also directed both the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Air India to examine the interpretation and functioning of CAR to ensure that there is no possibility, in the future, of anyone circumventing the mandatory requirement of the pre-flight breath analyzer examination, with impunity. Following this order, a departmental enquiry was conducted against Kathpalia, which fully exonerated him for the offence of forgery. It was the petitioners case that despite the clean chit in the departmental proceedings, the police filed a charge sheet against various sections of the Aircraft Act. Appearing for Kathpalia, his counsel told the court that in accordance with Ashoo Surendranath Tewari vs. Deputy Superintendent of Police, EOW [Economic Offences Wing], CBI [Central Bureau of Investigation] and Anr (2020), once his client (Kathpalia) has been exonerated in the departmental proceedings, no criminal case could be fastened against him. The senior counsel also added that there was no iota of evidence against Kathpalia of committing any forgery. The court, after hearing the arguments, noted that the investigation has revealed that Kathpalia committed an offence u/s 465/466/468/471 IPC & 11 Aircraft Act, 1934 for his actions for not taking the BA Test before operating the flight AI-174 Delhi to Bangalore and by interpolating his name, signature and other details in pre-flight breath analyser register of the crew who had taken the pre-flight breathalyzer test. The judge also noted that a charge sheet against Kathpalia (name and address mentioned in column no 11) has been prepared and the same is being sent for trial. Taking this into account the court directed, ..let a status report be filed by the State how the offence of forgery is made out, prior to the next date with an advance copy to the counsel for the petitioner. Also Read: Controversial Air India pilot gets, then loses new posting The court has set the next hearing on May 19. Kathpalia joined Air India in 1987 as a trainee pilot. Besides working as the airlines executive director and director of operations, he has handled the lucrative post of flight operations inspector for the DGCA and acted as the flight safety chief for Air India. On November 11 last year, Kathpalia tested positive for alcohol in two breath analyser (BA) tests before he was to fly Air Indias New Delhi-London flight. The next day, DGCA suspended his flying licence for three years, and on November 13, the Ministry of Civil Aviation issued an order to remove him from the position of Director of Operations. However, a week later, Air India posted him as Executive Director. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A hippopotamus and a gaur (also known as the Indian bison) were born at the National Zoological Park in Delhi last month, both of which were released into the animal enclosure for public viewing, officials said on Wednesday. The zoo is also planning to release its two white tiger cubs in the open soon, making it their first appearance in front of the public since they were born in August last year. Zoo officials said the white tiger cubs have not only grown stronger but have also received all vaccines required for public viewing purposes. On August 24, 2022, three white tiger cubs were born to the white tigress Sita but only two survived. (Credit: Delhi zoo) The two white tiger cubs received the last of their vaccines in the last week of March and we can soon release them into the white tiger enclosure. After all necessary precautions are taken, it is likely they will be available for public viewing by the end of April, said Akanksha Mahajan, director of the Delhi zoo. On August 24, 2022, three white tiger cubs were born to the white tigress Sita, making it the first time in seven years that there was successful breeding of white tigers at the Delhi zoo. However, in December, one of the cubs died after falling ill. In February this year, 17-year-old white tigress, Vina Rani, also died at the zoo, owing to complications arising from old age. With this, there are five white tigers at the zoo, including the two cubs, their mother, and two adult males. These tigers are white in colour owing to the lack of the pigment pheomelanin in their bodies, which is found in Royal Bengal tigers that makes their fur orange. Currently, there are four Royal Bengal tigers at the Delhi zoo. Mahajan said the latest birth among animals includes the baby gaur, which was born on April 1, while the hippopotamus calf was born on March 11. With this, the zoo now has six hippos, four of which are adults. Meanwhile, the gaur count has increased to 10, following the birth of the gaur calf. We had a gaur baby last year too and now this new calf was born recently. Visitors at the zoo are taking to the hippo baby in particular as it stays in the open pond enclosure with its mother, Mahjan added. Currently, there are over 90 different animal species at the Delhi zoo, with the white tiger being one of the zoological parks star attractions in recent years. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday informed a Delhi court that they will be filing a supplementary prosecution complaint (charge sheet) in the 200-crore money laundering case filed against alleged con artist Sukesh Chandrasekhar. The Delhi Patiala House Court has listed the matter for further hearing on April 18. (File PTI image) Additional sessions judge Shailendra Malik also asked ED to place on record the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report on the next date of hearing as it has been abnormally delayed. Actor Jacqueline Fernandez, who has been made co-accused in the case by ED, was also present before the court. Also Read: Sukesh Chandrashekhar claims he gave 60 crore to AAP; probe likely The court had earlier granted Fernandes permission to travel to Dubai to attend the PepsiCo India Conference from January 27 to January 30. Taking note of EDs submissions that they will be filing a supplementary prosecution complaint (chargesheet) and also be placing on record the FSL report, Delhi Patiala House Court has listed the matter for further hearing on April 18. ED has been conducting investigations in the money laundering case in which Sukesh is the prime accused. He is also accused in several other cases being investigated by ED, Delhi Police and Economic Offences Wing (EOW). The EDs case is based on an FIR filed by Delhi Polices EOW against Sukesh for cheating and extorting Aditi Singh, wife of the former promoter of Fortis Healthcare Shivinder Singh. Names of various Bollywood actors and jail officials have surfaced during the investigation being carried out in the case. ED had earlier arrested three Tihar Jail officials regarding their connection in the money laundering case. ED is also conducting investigations against Sukesh on a complaint filed by Japna Singh, wife of Malvinder Singh, former promoter of Religare Healthcare, on allegations of extortion of 3.5 crore. Hanuman Jayanti celebration at northwest Delhi's Jahangirpuri, which was hit by communal violence during the festival last year, is being regulated in consultation with its organisers, police said on Wednesday. The police took out a flag march in Jahangirpuri area on Tuesday. Hanuman Jayanti will be celebrated on Thursday. (HT Photo/Amal KS) It said the organisers had applied for the permission to take out a Hanuman Jayanti procession in the area, and the route has been regulated. Also read: Delhi sees 509 Covid-19 cases in 24 hours; no deaths reported "Hanuman Jayanti celebration at Jahangirpuri is being regulated in consultation with the organisers. We are ensuring that it takes place in safe and secure manner," Special Commissioner of Police (law and order) Deependra Pathak said. The police took out a flag march in Jahangirpuri area on Tuesday. Hanuman Jayanti will be celebrated on Thursday. The Union Home Ministry on Wednesday asked all states to ensure law and order during Hanuman Jayanti and monitor any factor that could disturb peace and harmony in society. The MHA's advisory to all states and Union territories aimed at sensitising law enforcement agencies following the communal violence last week. Also read: Delhi HC refuses to pass order on alleged illegal construction in Sainik Farms "The MHA has issued an advisory to all states in preparation for Hanuman Jayanti. The governments are encouraged to ensure the maintenance of law and order, peaceful observance of the festival, and monitoring of any factors that could disturb communal harmony in society," the Home Minister's Office tweeted. Eight police personnel and a local resident were injured in stone-pelting and arson after clashes broke out between two communities in Jahangirpuri during a Hanuman Jayanti procession on April 16 last year. Some vehicles were also torched. The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed in West Bengal to assist the state police in maintaining law and order during Hanuman Jayanti celebrations tomorrow, the ministry of home affairs said. This comes after the Calcutta high court asked the state government what steps it had been taking to ensure peace during the celebrations tomorrow. It directed the state government to requisite central forces to assist the police. Security personnel deployed amid tension after clashes broke out between two groups during a 'Ram Navami' procession in Hooghly district on Tuesday.(PTI) Considering the largeness of the issue and in order to avoid any breach of peace, the state government should requisition the assistance of paramilitary forces from the central government. The assistance of the paramilitary forces will definitely help the state police, the bench stated. Following the high court order, the Bengal government has decided to deploy paramilitary forces in Howrah, Hooghly and Kolkata during Hanuman Jayanti celebrations. "There will be an ample number of state police forces deployed at sensitive areas in the state and also at those places where violence was witnessed recently, Apart from that, we have decided to deploy three companies of paramilitary forces in Kolkata, Hooghly and Barrackpore," a senior official told PTI. Bengal witnessed violent clashes in Shibpur town of Howrah and Rishra in Hooghlyn during Ram Navami celebrations last week. The home ministry had sought a report from the Mamata Banerjee government over the violent clashes in the two districts. Earlier in the day, the home ministry it directed all states and union territories to ensure peaceful observance of Hanuman Jayanti. The MHA has issued an advisory to all states in preparation for Hanuman Jayanti. The governments are encouraged to ensure the maintenance of law and order, peaceful observance of the festival, and monitoring of any factors that could disturb communal harmony in society", the home ministry tweeted. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Union minister and BJP leader Narayan Rane on Wednesday issued a veiled warning to Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray that the BMC would soon take cognisance of illegalities at the latters two bungalows - Matoshree and Matoshree 2 - in Bandra East. Mumbai, India - April 05, 2023: Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Narayan Rane during a press conference, at BJP Office, Nariman Point, in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, April 05, 2023. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO) I am not going to lodge a complaint. I do not believe in personal attack, but dutiful civic officials will look into the illegalities, Rane said at a press conference. His remarks came a day after Thackeray called deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis a useless home minister over an incident in which a woman functionary belonging to the Sena (UBT) was allegedly assaulted by workers from CM Eknath Shindes camp in Thane. MLC Sachin Ahir from the Thackeray faction dismissed the charges as baseless. Rane became a leader of the Shiv Sena and later chief minister due to the blessings of Matoshree and now he is making baseless allegations. That shows his mindset. There will be no effect on Matoshree of such attacks. Seconding his party colleagues opinion, former minister and Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab said, A lot of inquiries have been made about the new bungalow. It is perfectly legal. Rane has to protect his chair and his job is to bark at us. Shiv Sena deputy leader and spokesperson Kiran Pawaskar defended Rane, saying he knows every detail of Matoshree. Rane rose from the rank and file of the Shiv Sena. He is a central minister and a former CM as well. No one knows about the Shiv Sena better than him. The BMC must act accordingly. Law should be equal for all. Ranesaheb just said that he expected action against the illegal construction, Madhav Bhandari, vice president of Maharashtra BJP, said. There is no need for any formal complaint; it is the duty of the authorities. I am not sure if there would be any formal complaint by the party. At the press conference, Rane also alleged that the action against his Juhu bungalow was initiated by the BMC at the behest of Thackeray when he was the CM. Thackeray and his wife would call the (BMC) commissioner every day to Varsha (CMs official residence) to pressure him for action against my residence. He would tell them that officially it was not possible but they would push him to raze the structure. However, nothing happened to my home; it is intact. There was no illegal construction in it. I have been growing vegetables on the terrace. I have presented my case in the court, the union minister said. The BJP leader further said that the wicked leader paid the price for his actions (against Juhu bungalow) and lost his chief ministership. We have been sparing Thackeray just because he is the son of our god (Bal Thackeray), otherwise he does not deserve to be out (of jail), he said, adding it would cost Thackeray dearly if he continued attacking BJP leaders. Ahir slammed Rane for his warning of action against Saamana - mouthpiece of Thackeray camp. Despite being a union minister, Rane talking about action against Saamana shows his level of frustration. The Bombay high court had ordered removal of the illegal portions in Ranes Adhish bungalow at Juhu after the BMC initiated action against it last year. Matoshree 2 is a ground-plus seven-storey structure near the Thackerays old residence, Matoshree, in Kala Nagar. It was purchased by the family for 11.60 crore in late 2016, and the BMC issued it the occupancy and completion certificates in 2018. The mansion had hit a hurdle in utilisation of TDR (transfer of development rights) after the urban development department headed by the then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis denied it permission in 2017. It was only after the intervention at a higher level that the issues were sorted, officials at Mantralaya said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON KANPUR The picture of a Hindu deity and a trident on the birthday cake of the son of Kanpur Dehats district magistrate Neha Jain has stirred a fresh controversy. The pictures of the cake in question -- which was cut during the birthday celebration on April 1 -- have gone viral on social media platforms over the last two days, with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal staging a protest for hurting religious sentiments. DM Neha Jain has issued a statement saying that the image on the cake was of a super hero who embodies the victory of good over evil. (Sourced) In the wake of the row, DM Neha Jain has issued a statement saying that the image on the cake was of a super hero who embodies the victory of good over evil. Its use was not intended to hurt anyones sentiment but if someone felt that way, I extend an apology, the DM added. However, the statement didnt have the desired impact as the controversy continues to gather steam. In fact, VHP Gauraksha chief Aditya Shukla and state government employees joint councils district convener Amit Pandey have alleged that the DM called them to her residence on Tuesday and then their mobiles phones were forcibly taken away. The two leaders added that they were made to sit for seven hours. The mobile phones were returned only on Wednesday, they further said. Reacting to the episode, VHP Gauraksha chief said that it was an insult to our culture and heritage (sanskriti). Meanwhile, Amit Pandey said that he has submitted a complaint to SP Kanpur Dehat about the incident. On the other hand, the DM has said that sharing photos of her personal life is a breach of privacy. I have written to the Kanpur Dehat SP requesting an investigation into how the pictures were leaked. A probe should reveal who were the people behind it, said DM Jain. When queried about the matter, Kanpur Dehat SP BBTGS Murthy said that the police are looking into both the complaints. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Prof Mukul Sharad Sutaone took over as the new director of Indian Institute of Information Technology-Allahabad (IIIT-A) on Wednesday. He took charge from prof Rama Shanker Verma, the director of Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT)-Allahabad, who was officiating director of IIIT-A since April 2, 2022 when the regular director prof P Nagabhushan stepped down after completing his five-year term. Prof MS Sutaone takes charge as IIIT-A director (sourced) Union ministry of education through its official twitter handle had confirmed Prof Sutaones appointment as IIIT-A director in September 2022. Prof Sutaone is professor in the electronics and telecommunication department at college of engineering, Pune (COEP). With over 30 years of experience in academics, research and industry, prof Sutaone has taken over as first Vice Chancellor of COEP Technological University and has handled various responsibilities such as director, deputy director, dean academics, dean-international relations, head of the department, etc. at COEP. His areas of work and interests in teaching and research are statistical and adaptive signal processing, wireless communication and networks and statistical modeling of data. He has conceived, practiced, executed and steered many innovative academic experiments in curriculum design and delivery for the students and faculty of his institute, SP Pune University and other aspiring institutes, mentored by him. In the capacity of Principal Investigator (PI) of the Center of Excellence in Signal & Image Processing, a World Bank funded project by MHRD-GoI (under TEQIP), prof, Sutaone has been associated with the development and conversion of prototypes from mere proof of concept (PoC) to transferrable technologies. Sutaone is a recipient of Prof SVC Aiya IETE National Award for Excellence in Telecommunication. Several social workers associated with One Country similar education drive decided that a memorandum be sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to protest the unnecessary change in the syllabus of NCERT books, on Wednesday. The meeting of social activists underway in Varanasi on Wednesday (HT Photo) The social activists held a meeting in Varanasi and decided to raise a voice against the changes in NCERT curriculum, if any. What is the intention behind these changes, it is beyond understanding, they said. Pandey said, The unnecessary change (in the curriculum of NCERT books) is inappropriate. We have decided to protest the tampering of historical facts and literature. In protest against the unnecessary changes, we will send a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Pandey said, I belong to Kashi. PM Modi is our MP too. I hope he will certainly look into our demand. Activists said that both history and literature are necessary for building the personality of a student. Unnecessary changes in facts and literature will mislead the youth. Similarly, removing some particular segment regarding a period from history will deprive children of knowing the heritage of their country and many stories of the struggle of our heroes, added Pandey. Vinay Kumar Singh, Vallabhacharya Pandey, Mohammad Arif, Mahendra Rathore, Rajkumar Gupta, Dr Indu Pandey were present at the meeting. The Tripura government has imposed a ban on import of pigs from outside the state as a precautionary measure against sporadic cases of swine flu in several parts of the country. Animal resource development department minister Sudhangshu Das added strict action will be taken against violators. (Representative file image) No import of pigs is allowed in the state without any departmental inspection. Stern action will be taken against anyone if found violating the order, animal resource development department minister Sudhangshu Das informed media persons on the sidelines of a review meeting of fisheries department. Also Read: Swine flu cases on the decline in Maharashtra The Assam government had banned import of pigs and poultry from other parts of the country last month amid rise in cases of bird flu and African swine fever outside the northeast region. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has sent a letter to all central universities, including Allahabad University (AU), detailing the scheme of marks to be awarded for each correct answer of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET)-2023, along with other details. For representation only (HT Photo) The exam will be conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) that conducted the exam last year too. Admission to undergraduate courses at the AU and its constituent colleges will also be conducted through CUET like last year, AU officials said. According to the instructions of the UGC (dated April 3), five marks will be awarded for each correct answer in the entrance test, while there will be minus marking too. For every wrong answer, one mark will be deducted. In the CUET exam, questions will be asked from three sections in the undergraduate entrance test. The first section will be of language (could be Hindi / English of any other regional language) which will include 50 questions. Out of these, the candidate will have to answer any 40 in the stipulated time of 45 minutes, said prof Jayanta Kumar Pati, director (admissions)-2023, AU. The second section will be questions from an optional subject which a candidate has chosen. In this, the candidate will have to answer 40 out of 50 questions, again in the period of 45 minutes, he added. The third section will be general knowledge. In this, 50 out of 60 questions are to be answered. These questions will relate to current affairs, mental ability, numerical ability and quantitative reasoning, and will have to be answered in an hour. Last time, in this section, the candidates had to answer 60 out of 75 questions. This year, 10 questions have been reduced. The UGCs letter also informs that if there are more than one correct option of any question, the candidate will be given one mark only. Likewise, if any question is found to be incorrect and hence dropped after completion of the exam, every candidate who has attempted the given question will be awarded five marks. Information about the city of the examination center will be issued on April 30. The exam would be conducted between May 21 to May 31 and the days between June 1 to June 7 have been kept as reserve dates. The entrance test will be conducted online in 34 cities of the country. For the first time, admission to eight professional courses (468 seats) of AU, run by Institute of Professional Studies (IPS) will be done through CUET. These courses include BVoc (media production) and BA (media studies), BCA (three years), BCA (five years), MCA (data science) and BVoc (software development). Other UG professional courses also on offer include five-year food and technology programme and three-year BVoc (food processing), officials added. PRAYAGRAJ Delivering on its promise, the Yogi Adityanath government has released over 18.62 crore to purchase uniform saree for 3,72,509 mid-day meal cooks. These cooks are working in more than 1.6 lakh government-run primary and upper primary schools of the basic education department along with other government and government-aided schools spread across the 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh. This is for the first time that the state government has released funds to purchase uniform for the cooks. (HT Photo) This is for the first time that the state government has released funds to purchase uniform for the cooks. The money has been sent to the bank accounts of these cooks via direct benefit transfer. Each cook is to get a pair of sarees worth 500 worth, said state education department officials. This would be annual thing which means that the cooks will get money for a new pair of saree unform every year, they added. Earlier in December 2021, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath had promised to give two sarees per year to each cook in a meeting with cooks and instructors which was held in Lucknow. During this meeting, the CM had also announced to increase the honorarium being given to these cooks by 500 from 1,500 to 2,000 per month. Following the meeting, a government order in this regard was issued on April 28, 2022. The increased honorarium of the cooks was first released on September 13, 2022. The amount reached their respective bank accounts the same day. However, the sum of 500 promised for a pair of saris could not be released then. It has been done now. Now, only the governments promise of providing 5 lakh group insurance cover to these cooks remains to be fulfilled. Notably, the decision to release the fund for sarees has been conveyed by Vijay Kiran Anand, director (school education) and head of U.P. mid-day deal authority, to all district magistrates through a missive dated March 14, 2023. The missive, a copy of which is with HT, also specifies the amount for each of the 75 district out of the total released sum of 18,62,54,500. At 54.75 lakh, Sitapur has pocketed the highest fund among all 75 districts. It is followed by Hardoi ( 51.17 lakh), Prayagraj ( 46.6 lakh), Bahraich ( 46.36 lakh), Lakhimpur Kheri ( 47.95 lakh), Agra ( 30.1 lakh) Kanpur Dehat ( 22.53 lakh), Varanasi ( 20.88 lakh), Lucknow ( 19.4 lakh), Kanpur Nagar ( 18.66 lakh), and Meerut ( 12.30 lakh). Confirming the development, Praveen Kumar, basic shiksha adhikari (BSA), Prayagraj, said, For Prayagraj, a budget of 46,60,500 has been received for 9,321 cooks covered under the mid-day meal scheme. This has been sent to the accounts of the beneficiaries concerned. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Pimpri-Chinchwad police have detained two minors for the murder of a 17-year-old girl over her alleged affair with another person. The incident occurred on April 1 at Chikhali. The Pimpri-Chinchwad police have detained two minors for the murder of a 17-year-old girl over her alleged affair with another person. The incident occurred on April 1 at Chikhali. (REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE) According to police, a missing complaint of the 17-year-old was filed at Chikhali police station on April 2. While investigating the case, the police sought help of a mobile service provider to get her details. Post the technical analysis, police traced her last known location near Gharkul Chikhali area. Her body was found on Tuesday evening after a search operation. The mother of the victim has filed a complaint, said officials. Rajendra Barge, police inspector (Crime) said, Prime accused was in a relationship with the victim. Two-three days before the incident, the girl told the accused that she is dating someone else in jest. However, the accused took it seriously and hatched a plan to kill the girl. On April 1, the accused asked the girl to meet him. He took her to an under-construction site in Gharkul area. He and his aide allegedly killed her with a sickle and fled from the spot, said officials. According to Barge, last year, the victim has registered a case against the accused under charges of rape and impregnating her. The accused is an on-record criminal and was earlier booked under sections of 307 and 376 of the IPC. Police have detained both the minors. A case under sections of 302,364,363, and 34 of the IPC has been registered and investigation is underway. A shirtless image of actor Bobby Deol from the sets of Animal has been circulating on social media that has left fans surprised at the actor's physical transformation. Bobby, who is currently shooting in London with Ranbir Kapoor for Animal, looked ripped in the photo. (Also read: Ranbir Kapoor spotted shooting for Animal at a hospital, fans are reminded of Kabir Singh) Bobby Deol on the sets of Animal. The picture that has been posted by several paparazzi and fan accounts on Instagram, and Bobby's ripped avatar has left many impressed. In the picture, Bobby is seen standing in front of his vanity van in just a track suit and sneakers. The actor flaunted his toned body for the camera. A paparazzo account posted the picture with the caption, "Bobby Deol breaks the internet with his shirtless picture from the sets of his upcoming film Animal. We are totally smitten by his massive dedication (heart eyes face emoticon)." Fans gushed about the actor's ripped avatar in the picture and commented on his look. "Lord Bobby!" wrote one fan in the comment, while another said, "Wow great look." Many also commented with fire emoticons in the post. A few days ago, Bobby Deol and Ranbir Kapoor were also spotted posing with a few eager fans for selfies after the shoot in London. Both the actors were seen in casual outfits, as they interacted with the fans. Last month, Ranbir was spotted in a hospital shooting for the Sandeep Reddy Vanga film. In a small clip that was uploaded on Twitter by the actor's fan page, Ranbir was seen in a huge beard and unkempt long hair as he walked towards the lift while taking his mobile from the unit boy standing beside him. Fans compared Ranbir's look with Kabir Singh. Animal has also been filmed in Himachal Pradesh as well as actor Saif Ali Khan's Pataudi Palace near Delhi. Bobby Deol is married to fashion designer Tanya Deol. They share two sons Aryaman Deol and Dharam Deol. Bobby was last seen in season 3 of Prakash Jhas web series Aashram, which was released in June 2022. His upcoming projects include Animal and Apne 2. Animal will be released in theatres on August 11, 2023. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON After making a stunning joint appearance at the NMACC gala during the weekend, Hrithik Roshan and girlfriend Saba Azad were out for a date night on Tuesday. The two were seen twinning in black as they were captured by the paparazzi upon their exit from a Mumbai restaurant. They have been in a relationship since last year. Also read: Hrithik Roshan wins hearts as photo of him holding Saba Azad's heels at event emerges online: 'Love how casually he...' Hrithik Roshan and Saba Azad seen walking out of a restaurant on Tuesday. (Varinder Chawla) A paparazzo account shared a video of Hrithik and Saba on Instagram. Many showered them with heart emoticons and heart eyes emojis in the comments section. A fan wrote, Hrithik has suddenly become this 18yrs old lover boy of college reminds me of kaho nah pyar hai. Another commented, But they look good together you guys hating on this couple are just jealous. Hrithik is currently winning praise for his gesture at the NMACC gala as a new picture from the event surfaced online this week. It shows Hrithik casually holding Saba's heels while talking to a guest, while Saba is not seen in the picture and was spotted barefoot in another picture from the event. At the NMACC gala on Saturday, Hrithik and Saba were spotted together in their stylish avatars. While Hrithik was in a black kurta pyjama paired with a black jacket, Saba was in an Indo-western gown with a thigh-high slit, paired with heels. Hrithik had even shared their pictures on Instagram along with the caption, With lady in red. On Tuesday, Hrithik was also confirmed as the lead actor in War 2, to be directed by Ayan Mukerji of Brahmastra fame. The original War was made in 2019 and directed by Siddharth Anand, who is currently basking in the success of Pathaan. Overwhelmed by the response for the film, Hrithik had said back then, "We wanted to make a film that raises the bar of action films in India and could truly compete with the best of action spectacles being made in the West." Hrithik is currently working on Siddharth's aerial action entertainer Fighter, alongside Deepika Padukone. It will hit screens around Republic Day next year. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Salman Khan attended a press conference in Mumbai where he announced the news of hosting the upcoming Filmfare Awards this year. The actor made a dashing appearance in a black suit with a grey shirt and interacted with the media. During the conference, he also talked about giving new generations of actors a run for their money. Also read: Salman Khan raises the temperature online as he goes shirtless to flaunt abs Bollywood actor Salman Khan to host Filmfare Award 2023. (Photo by SUJIT JAISWAL / AFP)(AFP) At the event, Salman was asked about his thoughts of new actors in the film industry. To this, the actor gave a witty reply. Referring to Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar, Salman said that all of them won't be giving it up to the new actors. He said, All of them are hard-working. All (are) very focused. But the five of us are not going to give it up so easily. He further explained, Av five mein kaun hai (who are these five people)? Shah Rukh, Aamir, me, Akki and Ajay. After a pause, Salman continued, We will give them a run for their money. We will tire them out. Hum logo ke picturein chalti hai, hum price badha dete hai. Woh uske chakkar me, jab hume nahi milta, price badha dete hai. Kyu bhai (We increase our fees after the success of our films. Now to combat that, these people too increase their prices when we are not available for films. Why so). Salman joined others at the felicitation ceremony of the press conference. He will be hosting the award night which will be held on April 27. Besides talking about new actors, he also touched upon several other topics. While he showed support for the censorship of OTT content, he also talked about the importance of opening more theatres across India to provide more job opportunities for the people working in the film industry, as per reports. He also mentioned states like Uttar Pradesh and Haryana which are offering concessions to cut back on production costs. He also admitted about films not working and said that there's a need to work for theatrical on demand films. He added that films based on Indian roots have worked so far. He slightly ever so touched upon the increase in prices of movie tickets. Salman is currently waiting for the release of Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, on the occasion of Eid. He has Tiger 3, with Katrina Kaif as his next. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Shah Rukh Khan was literally the highlight of the NMACC gala held this weekend as he grooved to his hit number Jhoome Jo Pathaan. But when the actor wasn't dominating the stage, he was seen trying out paans at a stall at the newly launched Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultura Centre. German fashion blogger and model Caroline Daur, who attended the event in a yellow lehenga, shared a few glimpses from the night, including a video of her and Shah Rukh trying paan. Also read: How Shah Rukh Khan got to know about Divya Bharti's death: 'I was sleeping in Delhi and...' Caroline Daur shared a video in which she and Shah Rukh Khan are seen eating paan at NMACC gala. Sharing a few pictures and videos from the gala on Instagram, Caroline wrote, Deeply impressed by the extraordinary exhibition, India in Fashion showcasing the fine craftsmanship and elaborately embroidered works celebrating the creatives and the heritage of India @nmacc.india. The last video of her post shows her and Shah Rukh having paan at the stall. He is seen in a black pathani salwar kurta. Fans of Shah Rukh were overjoyed to see his love for paan. A fan commented on Caroline's post, Shah Rukh Khan, the king of Bollywood, just casually behind you eating from the buffet is the vibe I am living for. Another exclaimed, Oh my god last slide !!! You doesnt even know who is next to you!! Hes the dream of the millions of girls and youre eating next to him indifferent how its possible. One more fan commented, Them having paan, never thought it could happen. A person also asked, Is she casually eating with @iamsrk? How srk is eating, read a comment. Caroline did seem to know who Shah Rukh Khan was as she also shared a video of his stage performance. The video shows Shah Rukh dancing to Jhoome Jo Pathaan, with Varun Dhawan and Ranveer Singh also matching steps with him on stage. The launch of the India in Fashion exhibition at NMACC was high on star power, with Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas, Salman Khan and Hollywood stars Zendaya, Tom Holland and Penelope Cruz paying ode to the country's textiles and craftsmanship. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Actor Sonu Sood, who is currently shooting for his upcoming film Fateh, has shared a video of his son Eshaan Sood helping a crowd outside their home. Taking to Twitter on Wednesday, Sonu posted the clip in which Eshaan is surrounded by many people on the street. He spoke personally to each of them. (Also Read | Anupam Kher poses with Sonu Sood, calls them 'chote shehro se aye do mehnati dost') Sonu Sood praised son Eshaan Sood for doing 'good work'. Eshaan, seen in a black sweatshirt and pants, was also seen posing for pictures with the people. Sonu captioned the post, "It swells my heart with pride to see my son Eshaan carry on the good work in my absence. Puts me at peace to know able hands will continue doing what gives us the most joy and happiness." Reacting to the post, a person wrote, "You made him a good human being rather than transforming him into a businessman. Good work Eshaan, God bless you ...." Another tweet read, "That's really very noble and good thing. you gave very great parenting of serving humanity." A fan said, "Like father like son!! God bless your family Sonu ji." Sonu is known to help thousands of migrant workers reach their homes during the Covid time. He booked chartered flights and busses for the stuck migrant workers when the first lockdown was announced in 2020. Since then he has been regularly helping people in need. Last month, Sonu and Jacqueline Fernandez started shooting for the much-awaited action thriller Fateh. Taking to Instagram, Jacqueline dropped a series of pictures from her first day of the shoot. They filmed in Amritsar, Punjab, and also visited Gurudwara to seek blessings. Sharing the pictures, she captioned the post, "Beautiful first day for 'Fateh'." Recently, Sonu treated fans with the new announcement along with a caption, "On my next mission, #Fateh. The shoot begins today!" He gave an intense look while holding the clapboard with Jacqueline in the pictures. Helmed by Vaibhav Mishra, Fateh is based on cybercrime. As quoted by news agency ANI, Sonu had said, "The film is rooted in reality, and inspired by real-life incidents that I saw happen to people even during the lockdown." Announcing Fateh last year in December, Sonu had written, "Here you go! Welcoming 2022 with more action as we announce our next mission, #Fateh! Produced by @zeestudiosofficial and @shaktisagarprod @farhadsamji." The film also features Shivjyoti Rajput and Vijay Raaz in prominent roles. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON On April 1, 2003, actor Vivek Oberoi did the infamous press conference wherein he uncovered some harsh realities of Hindi film industry. And now, 20 years later the conversation around lobbying and bullying has resurfaced, this time courtesy actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who in a recent interview, said that she was, being pushed into a corner in the industry and had beef with people. Im glad that I emerged from that. I kind of came up through the trial by fire, and survived it. But not everybodys gonna be that lucky, Oberoi confesses. Vivek Oberoi speaks his heart out on lobbying and bullying, 20 years after his infamous press conference: It been a hallmark of our industry Recalling his journey as it marks 20 years since the conference, he says, In hindsight, I went through a lot of stuff that was unnecessary. A lot of lobbies, a lot of repressive stories - kind of what Priyanka has been alluding to also. Thats been a hallmark of our industry, unfortunately. Its been one of the dark sides of our industry. And Ive been on the receiving end of it. I know how frustrating it is, it can make one feel extremely, exhausted and tired. You feel like, Ive just delivered an award winning, commercially successful performance in Shoot out Lokhandwala and after that, Im sitting at home for 14 months, not getting any work. When I went through that, I kept thinking, I want to do something beyond, I wanna do something empowering, something that takes me beyond that. Oberoi shifted his focus to philanthropy and business . He adds, Priyankas latest statement is so inspirational in terms of, finding a new space. She went out and explored something different and got out of a rut and, something magical happened for her personally and professionally. The Dharavi Bank actor admits that bullying and other disgraced practices can kill young talents at a budding stage. The industry is a very insecure place. Artists by nature live in a very fragile state because theyre more vulnerable. Whether it was the MeToo movement, the casting couch, or just bullying, lobbying - all of these things take the joy out of the creativity. Im glad these things are being spoken about and slowly will go away, he opines. While twenty years ago the woke culture was missing, the 46-year-old confesses that the tsunami of fans support now scares a lot of people. Back in the day when I voiced against it, every well wisher would call me up and say, Dont talk about it. It is like a family secret. But if you have abuse going on in the family and you dont speak up about it because its a family secret? Thats stupid. How will the abuse get fixed? So, its a systemic issue in the industry which is getting better. People are being more vocal. There is more decentralization of power. Less and less people can play God and the fans are now aware. Sushant (Singh Rajput, late actor) should have never lost his life no matter what. Its just so sad. What a talented young guy and he should have had a better network of friends. You call the industry, a family, then the family should be there for each other, he signs off. The second teaser trailer of Greta Gerwig's Barbie released on Tuesday and since then, fans have taken over social media to share their reactions to the highly anticipated summer release. The new clip, which released with the official poster and character posters of the film, gave viewers a glimpse of the candy-coloured Barbie-world and introduced Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken. (Also read: Margot Robbie is 'everything' in the new Barbie poster, Ryan Gosling is just Ken. See pics) Stills from the teaser trailer of Barbie. The main poster features Margot Robbie as Barbie calls her 'everything'. There are other character posters for Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon, Nicola Coughlan, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Ritu Arya, Emma Mackey, Dua Lipa, Ana Cruz Kayne and Sharon Rooney. The teaser trailer shows the colourful world of the film where Barbie waves at everyone, and a feud ensures between Ryan and Simu Liu's Ken in no time. Twitter reacted enthusiastically to the posters and the teaser, and in no time director Greta Gerwig as well as Barbie started trending on the microblogging site. A fan posted the introduction shot of Barbie removing her heels to walk on her toes, and wrote: "I haven't gasped in astonishment at a single shot like this from any superhero movie since 2004." Another wrote, "me skipping Oppenheimer and sitting down for Barbie on 21st July 2023," alluding to the box-office clash with Christopher Nolan's film that is also releasing on the same date. A fan wrote, "Greta Gerwig carrying cinema on her back!" and posted the official posters of all the three films she has directed, including Lady Bird and Little Women. Some hilarious reactions also went viral when fans edited the posters of Barbie with other celebrities and created hilarious memes. Some of them are here below: Barbie also stars Emerald Fennell, Michael Cera, America Ferrara, Ariana Greenblatt, Will Ferrell, and Connor Swindells. Helen Mirren is credited in the poster as the narrator. Barbie is said to follow Margot's Barbie as she leaves the doll universe behind and tries to live in the human world. Produced by Warner Bros Pictures, and co-written by Noah Baumbach and Greta, Barbie will be released on July 21, 2023. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Malayalam actor Shane Nigam, who is currently shooting for Nahas Hidhayath's upcoming film RDX, has once again found himself in the middle of a controversy as he reportedly walked out of the sets recently. The shoot of the project came to a standstill as Shane walked out on Monday night while senior actors such as Lal and Babu Antony were present on set. Also read: Minnal Murali director Basil Joseph shares pic with newborn daughter Hope Elizabeth: 'She has already stolen our hearts Shane Nigam is currently working on RDX. Reports of Shane walking out of the film set took social media by storm on Tuesday after co-star Antony Varghese shared a cryptic Facebook post. Antony Varghese, who plays one of the central characters in the film along with Shane, took to his Facebook page to share a cryptic post which clearly indicated that he was not happy with the turn of events. He wrote: No drama, please. Dedicated to those who are playing real-life drama here. Shane, as per a report by Onmanorama, was hellbent that he be given more prominence in terms of screen presence, compared to the rest of the actors. There have also been reports that the shoot of the film has been disrupted multiple times due to his behaviour. A user on Twitter wrote: Issues again in the sets of #RDX. Shane Nigam walks out of the set in between midnight shoot with senior actors Lal, Babu Antony, Baiju Santhosh and co-stars Antony Varghese and Neeraj Madhav. Shoot is being interrupted many times coz of Shane's (sic). The film is tipped to be an action-thriller. Nearly 90 percent of the shoot of RDX is already over. It is said that the lead actors of the film underwent rigorous training for the action sequences. In the past, Shane courted controversy while he was working on the Malayalam film Veyil. The makers as well as the director of the film had complained in the past that he would come late to the sets on many occasions. They claimed that he had changed his hairstyle without consulting with them which resulted in stalling the shoot for over a month. Shane rose to fame after his work in Malayalam drama Kumbalangi Nights. In the same year, he starred in super hit Malayalam film Ishq, which was remade in Hindi as Operation Romeo. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Actor Nayanthara and her husband, filmmaker Vignesh Shivan, who revealed the full names of their twin boys earlier this week, on Wednesday were spotted at Trichy airport. They were on their way to the famous Kumbakonam temple. It seems like the couple werent accompanied by their kids on this trip. Also read: Vignesh Shivan shares Nayanthara's sweetest pic with sons, shows their faces for first time Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan visit Kumbakonam temple. As per reports, the couple is said to have performed a special pooja in the temple on the occasion of Panguni Uthiram. A video clip of them performing the pooja in the temple also surfaced on social media. While the actor opted for a salwar suit, Vignesh Shivan sported trousers with a blue t-shirt and a white jacket. In the clip, some kids from the nearby area surrounded the couple as they performed the pooja. Last year, the couple visited Vignesh Shivans ancestral temple just weeks before the wedding. Only a few days ago, Vignesh Shivan on Monday took to Instagram and treated fans to the full names of his twin boys, two days after Nayanthara shared the same at an event in Chennai. Along with the names, Vignesh also shared a glimpse of the boys' faces for the first time. They were seen resting on Nayanthara in the picture. In his post, Vignesh revealed the names of his boys in English as well as Tamil. He also wrote that the N in the name stands for Nayanthara, whom he described as the best mother in the world. #Uyir RudroNeel N Shivan N #Ulag Daiwik N Shivan N N stands for the best mother in the world #Nayanthara We are happy & proud to introduce our babies names :) our blessings and happiness," he wrote. Last year on June 9, Vignesh Shivn and Nayanthara got married in an intimate but lavish ceremony in Chennai. The wedding was attended by their families and a few close friends from the film fraternity, including Shah Rukh Khan and Rajinikanth. Four months after their wedding, Vignesh Shivan announced the news of his and Nayanthara's twins. They welcomed the boys via surrogacy. Meanwhile, Nayanthara was recently seen in the horror thriller Connect. Vignesh, on the other hand, is yet to officially announce his next directorial project. ott:10 SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Rana Daggubati's cousin Aashritha Daggubati recently shared a video with the actor. Aashritha, who lives in Spain and is a food and travel blogger, is the daughter of Rana's uncle, veteran actor Venkatesh. In a new video on her YouTube channel, she visited their old family home in Hyderabad, which has now been turned into a posh restaurant with chic interiors. Also read: Rana Daggubati gives witty response when asked about not being cast as Baahubali Rana Daggubati and Aashritha Daggubati at their old family home. As they entered their old-home-turned-into-a-restaurant, Rana said, "Welcome home. I have lived here for 20 years." Aashritha said this was her first visit to the place after it was turned into a restaurant. She recalled living in their old family home during her college years. The main gate had an antique wooden carving and was followed by lots of plants and trees of different sizes. The walls inside the main building were a bright yellow, and were decorated with huge paintings belonging to Rana's family. Colourful artefacts were also seen on walls as Rana and Aashritha walked around, recalling different nooks and rooms belonging to various family members. The two then walked up a spiral wooden staircase with black railing, which was one of the many design elements retained from the original home. Framed art and animal-inspired artefacts were used on the wall along with it. Rana recalled the first floor of the house was 'his floor' as he pointed towards his old room. Lots of glass doors were seen on the first floor. Giving a glimpse of what was now a bar, Rana said, "This bar is where I used to watch all the movies growing up. It is pretty amazing." Next, he walked into his old bedroom, which now had statement black chandeliers and more seating for the restaurant. Keeping with the brown theme, all air conditioners were covered with wicker cases. Rana and Aashritha also showed Rana's 'favourite balcony growing up, which is 'still a balcony'. Rana then walked towards the leafy outdoor space of the old home, which now had a pizza place, and lots of palm trees, coconut trees and mango trees. Looking at the trees, Rana said, "I can't believe these are now full sized." Rana and Aashritha were later joined by the actor's wife Miheeka Bajaj as they ate some pizza made by the cousins. Miheeka and Rana married in 2020. Rana was last seen in the Netflix show Rana Naidu based on the US series Ray Donovan. ott:10 SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Yet another showmance has run its course. Three years after dating, reality show alumni Paras Chhabra and Mahira Sharma have parted ways, we have exclusively learnt. From what we have gathered, Sharma decided to end the relationship after a prolonged series of fights between the two, almost a month back. Mahira Sharma and Paras Chhabra A reliable source confirms that the two broke up and adds, Sharma is not dealing well with the breakup. She is extremely hurt. One of Sharmas close friends further shares, They were staying together or staying in the same building in Chandigarh. She hasnt spoken about the reason behind the split, but she is doing well. She is focusing back on her work. Furthermore, we learnt that the Naagin actor shifted her base to Mumbai a month ago, leaving Chhabra. On Monday, even Chhabra shared pictures of him shifting to Mumbai. When we reached Chhabra, 32, he refused to acknowledge the relationship between the two. He says, Humara koi relation tha hi nahi jo break up hoga. We are still friends. Meanwhile Sharma, 25, despite repeated attempts, chose to not comment. The two met inside the glass walled house of controversial reality show Bigg Boss 13. Interestingly, back then Chhabra was dating actor Akanksha Puri and broke up with her on national TV while the show was ongoing. On work front Sharma, will soon debut with a Punjabi movie Lehmberginni. DJ Envy, the popular morning radio host, has confirmed that he and his family have been approached several times to join the cast of the Real Housewives of New Jersey, but he has turned down the offer each time. The Queens native, whose real name is RaaShaun Casey, told Page Six that he refused to be the token black person on the show and added that the beef and drama on the show are not his style. DJ Envy with wife Gia Casey(Getty Images) We have been asked a couple of times about joining the Real Housewives, but I dont think thats for us, said Envy. When I see you fighting each other and flipping tables, thats not my family. Envy, who is married with six children, has known some of the cast members, including Teresa Giudice, for many years, but he doesn't see himself hanging out with them often. He told Page Six, When they go out and do certain things, it is just not my vibe. Also read | From mozzarella to makeover, RHONJ's Jennifer shares transformation journey Although Envy is not interested in joining the popular reality show, he has a lot going on in his career. He and his co-host Charlamagne Tha God have signed a deal with BET and VH1 to air a one-hour edition of their radio show, "The Breakfast Club," starting on April 17. Additionally, Envy and his wife are releasing a book called Real Life Real Family, and he has a new real estate reality show in the works with rapper 50 Cent. Also read | Real or fake? Bravo stars expose shocking truth behind the Real Housewives of Atlanta Despite turning down the offer to join the Real Housewives of New Jersey, Envy's career is clearly on the rise, and he's excited about the new opportunities that are coming his way. Actor Caterina Scorsone, known for playing Dr Amelia Shepherd in Grey's Anatomy, has penned a long note talking about her house that burnt down a few months ago. Taking to Instagram, Caterina Scorsone also shared several pictures of her pets she lost in the fire. One of the photos, clicked ahead of the disaster, showed Caterina playing with her three children in their home. She also gave a glimpse of her burnt house. (Also Read | Grey's Anatomy's Meredith Grey bids farewell to Seattle Grace after 18 years) Grey's Anatomy's Caterina Scorsone talked about how her house burned down. Caterina captioned the post, Hello friends (cw: fire/loss). A couple of months ago my house burned down. While getting my kids ready for bed and finishing bath time, smoke began to seep up through the grout around the tub. When I looked down the hallway a river of thick black smoke had already formed and was filling the house. She also added, "One thing about fires: they happen fast. I had about two minutes to get my three kids out of the house, and we escaped with less than shoes on our feet. But we got out. And for that I am eternally grateful. Heartbreakingly, we lost all four of our pets. We are still sitting with that loss, but we are lucky we got to love them at all." Caterina continued, This is not a post about a fire. This is a post about community. This is a love letter to the incredible people that showed up and the incredible ways that they did. Thank you to the firefighters and the investigators (thank you Trey!) Thank you to my neighbor who answered our frantic knocks at her door. "Thank you to the parents at my kids school who sent toys and books, my friends at @greysabc and @shondaland who sent clothing and supplies, my sisters who flew in to handle logistics so that I could be with my kids. Thank you to my team who made everything easier," she also wrote. "What we learned is that the only thing that matters are the people (and beings) that you love. The only thing that matters is community. We would not be here without it and we are so grateful. Thank you. Here are some photos to honor the space we once called home, to say goodbye to the animals that loved us so well, and to celebrate that we have the only thing we ever really needed: each other. -Love, Caterina," concluded her post. Caterina has three daughters--Eliza (born in 2012), Paloma Michaela (born in 2016) and Arwen Lucinda (born in 2019). She was married to Rob Giles and separated from him in March 2020. They filed for divorce after ten years of marriage. Apart from Grey's Anatomy, Caterina also featured in Shock Treatment, The Devil's Arithmetic, Rated X, Common Ground, My Horrible Year, Alice, Private Practice and Station 19. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON If a person were to take a flight from Washington to Detroit to Amsterdam to Cairo and back, they would be responsible for 1295.6 kg (1.2956 tonnes) of carbon emissions. PREMIUM Private jets parked at the Prestwick Airport in Scotland in November 2021. (Reuters) Multiply that by 1.9 to reflect the non-CO2 emissions as is the standard measure, according to the department of business, energy and industrial strategy (BEIS), UK and you get the total greenhouse gas emissions from such a journey: 2461.64 kg (2.46164 tonnes) Why this specific route? The COP (UN Climate Conference) summit last year was held in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt. Since few cities have a direct flight to the resort town, most delegates from the West took connecting flights to Amsterdam and then flew to Cairo the other port of landing specified by the organisers. Assuming 400 delegates fit into one jetliner, a single flight would have led to 518307.60 kg (518.3076 tonnes) of carbon emissions. Just how high that is can be captured when contrasted with the per capita carbon emissions in India for the entirety of 2021: 1,900kg, or 1.9 tonnes. The per capita carbon emissions in India for the entirety of 2021 were 1.9 tonnes. (Shutterstock) And then, there are private jets, which spew out hundreds of tonnes of greenhouse gases per flight, but fly only a handful of people dramatically raising the per-person carbon budget. According to an analysis of FlightRadar data by the BBC, 36 private jets landed at Sharm el-Sheikh between November 4 and 6, and an additional 64 at Cairo. At the climate conference the preceding year, there was an even higher number of private jet activity at and around Glasgow, Scotland, where the summit took place. Some reports suggested 400 private jets took people, including then UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Amazon chairman Jeff Bezos, to Cop26, while some others put this number at 118. Then British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was among the leaders who flew to Glasgow on government-chartered flights for the COP26 summit. (Reuters) On top of that are national chartered flights, which ferry heads of state and ministerial delegations. These numbers quantify what has long been one of the biggest targets of climate activists: the aviation sector. According to estimates by JETNET, there were 23,241 private jets in operation worldwide till last year. Of these, 63% are registered in the United States alone. Per flight emissions vary depending on size, occupancy levels and efficiency. Several celebrities came under fire last year after a report revealed that private jets affiliated with celebrities emitted an average of over 3,376 metric tonne of CO2 over a year, which is nearly 480 times more than an average persons annual emissions. While some of the biggest offenders dismissed the report, saying the claims were exaggerated, the report did shine a light on the contribution of aviation sector to global emissions. A report by IEA last year said that in 2021, the sector accounted for over 2% of global energy-related CO2 emissions, reaching around 720Mt. While climate activists campaign for alternative modes of transport, like trains and cars, these options may not be feasible for longer distances or for heads of countries, given the security risks. With governments around the world still looking for green fuel options these include biofuel, hydrogen-based fuel, and ammonia and synthetic fuels the World Wildlife Fund says that air travel is the most carbon-intensive activity and individual can make. It is unclear when a solution might arrive. Late last year, Rolls-Royce, in collaboration with easyJet, conducted a ground test of a jet engine that used hydrogen produced from tidal and wind power, in a major step towards zero-carbon aviation fuel. The world, however, falls far short on the production of green hydrogen to make the switch to green fuel. Enjoy unlimited digital access with HT Premium Subscribe Now to continue reading Start 14 Days Free Trial Already Subscribed? Sign In A special court Keralas Palakkad on Wednesday sentenced 13 accused persons in tribal man Madhus lynching case to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and 1 lakh fine each, public prosecutor Rajesh M Menon said. They were also ordered to pay 1 lakh fine each and half of the fine collected will be given to Madhus mother. (Representative file image) Madhu, a man suffering from mental illness, who led a solitary life in caves and forests, was lynched by a mob alleging theft in Attapadi in Palakkad district on February 2018. The court had found 14 accused persons guilty on Tuesday while acquitting two others. The 14 were held guilty of voluntarily causing hurt, culpable homicide, unlawful assembly, and under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Two of the accused were acquitted for want of evidence. Also Read:14 held guilty of thrashing Kerala man to death in 2018 The first accused was convicted for offence under Section 304 (2) (culpable homicide) and Section (1) (D) of the SC/ST atrocities prevention act. Others were sentenced under Section 326 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 367 (kidnapping or abducting) and relevant provisions on the SC/ST Act. They were also ordered to pay 1 lakh fine each and half of the fine collected will be given to Madhus mother, said Menon adding the 16th accused was sentenced to only three months simple imprisonment with a fine of 500. Menon added that the case had weakened after 24 of the 100-odd witnesses had turned hostile during the trial. We started with direct evidence but in the end, we were depending heavily on circumstantial and digital evidence. But we still managed a relatively good verdict, he said. Special court judge KM Ratheeh Kumar also ordered action against nine of the 24 witnesses who turned hostile during the trial. Though many witnesses turned hostile, digital evidences, including photos and videos posted by the accused on social media, were effectively used by the prosecution. However, Madhus mother Malli said she will move an appeal against the acquittal of two others. We are partially happy. We will move the higher court against the acquittal of two, she said. Kerala SC/ST welfare minister K Radhakrishnan said if the mother wanted to appeal in a higher court, the government will help her. The conviction is a lesson for those who take weaker sections for a ride, he said. The case dates back to 2018 when Madhu was captured from a cave in a forest on February 22, and forcibly taken to Mukkali in Attapadi by a group of people who accused him of stealing food items from shops in nearby areas. With his hands tied, he was forced to walk around 5 km with people taking turns to assault him. Later, he was handed over to the police but the same night he succumbed to his injuries. The case saw several delays with witnesses turning hostile, three public prosecutors were changed, the mans mother was threatened that forced her to approach court for protection. The high court had then supervised the complete trial. The high court had stayed the trial proceedings for two weeks last year in June after brazen attempts were made to influence witnesses. A special court in Keralas Palakkad district on Wednesday sentenced 13 accused in tribal man Madhus lynching case to seven years imprisonment and a fine of 1 lakh each, public prosecutor Rajesh M Menon said. A Kerala court sentences 13 accused in tribal mans lynching case to seven years of jail term. (HT) Madhu, a mentally- challenged man who led a life of a vagabond in caves and forests, was lynched by a mob alleging theft in Attapadi in Palakkad district in February 2018. The court had found 14 accused guilty on Tuesday and acquitted two persons. The first accused was convicted for offence under Section 304 (2) (culpable homicide) and Section (1) (D) of the SC/ST atrocities prevention act. Others were sentenced under Section 326 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 367 (kidnapping or abducting) and relevant provisions on the SC/ST Act. They were also ordered to pay 1 lakh each fine and half of the fine collected will be given to Madhus mother, said Menon adding 16th accused was sentenced to only three months simple imprisonment with a fine of 500. He said the case was weakened a bit after 24 of the 100-odd witnesses turned hostile during the trial. We started with direct evidence but in the end we were depending heavily on circumstantial and digital evidences. But still we managed a relatively good verdict, Menon said. Special court judge K M Ratheeh Kumar also ordered action against nine of 24 witnesses who turned hostile during the trial. Though many witnesses turned hostile digital evidences, including photos and videos posted by the accused in social media, were used effectively by the prosecution. But Madhus mother Malli said she will move an appeal against the acquittal of two. We are partially happy. We will move the higher court against the acquittal of two, she said. Kerala SC/ST welfare minister K Radhakrishnan said if the mother wanted to appeal in a higher court the government will help her. The conviction is a lesson for those who take weaker sections for a ride, Menon added. The special investigation team said case is that Madhu was captured from a cave in a forest on Feb 22, 2018, and forcibly taken to Mukkali in Attapadi by a group of people who accused him of stealing food items from shops in nearby areas. With his hands tied, he was forced to walk around 5 kms and some members of the crowd took turns to assault him on way to Mukkali. Later he was handed over to the police but the same night he succumbed to his injuries. The five-year-old case witnessed many twists and turns_ many witnesses had turned hostile, three public prosecutors were changed, poor mother had to face threats forcing her to approach the court for protection and later the high court supervised the whole trial. There were brazen attempts to sabotage the case by offering money to influence witnesses and threatening survivors forcing the HC to stay trial proceedings for two weeks in June last. In a tragic incident, five persons drowned inside a public tank in Chennai on Wednesday while performing temple rituals, police said. According to police, when one of the persons drowned, the other four had jumped to save him but they also died. (Representative image) According to police, when one of the persons drowned, the other four had jumped to save him but they also died. All five of them have died, minister TM Anbarasan told reporters after chief minister MK Stalin had asked him to visit the spot. This work should have been done with due caution. This accident occurred because necessary protection was not taken, he said. Also Read: 6 drown in drain after flash flood in UPs Sonbhadra, 4 bodies recovered CM Stalin ordered a compensation of 2 lakh from the chief ministers relief fund to be given to each of the deceased family members. We are all pained by this accident. The youngsters were students. This is an irreparable loss to parents, the minister said. The accident occurred in the Dharmalingeshwarar Temple pond in Chennais Nanganallur for the Theerthavari festival. All those who drowned have been identified. I asked them (temple authorities) if they had informed the police station in advance that they were going to conduct such a festival, the minister said. Chennai police commissioner Shankar Jiwal said the bodies were immediately recovered and sent to the government hospital in Chrompet. While doing a particular ritual, one person slipped and fell into the deep end of the pond, said Jiwal. We are told that those who tried to save him drowned too. We need to investigate further. Our first job here is to rescue everyone. We will discuss with the panchayat and see what can be done so that such accidents dont occur in the future, he said. The Cyberabad police in Telangana are probing into the possibility of involvement of a vast network of people behind the theft and sale of personal and confidential data of 66.9 crore individuals and organisations from across the country. Computer hacker stealing data from a laptop concept for network security, identity theft and computer crime (HTfile) On April 1, the Cyberabad police arrested a man, identified as Vinay Bharadwaj, based out of Faridabad in Haryana, who was involved in the data theft of people and organisations spread over 24 states, including eight metropolitan cities in the country and selling them to fraudsters. Cyberabad police commissioner Stephen Ravindra disclosed that Bharadwaj was found to have gathered the data of even defence personnel, including their personal information such as phone numbers, residential address, email id, date of birth etc. We are investigating the sources through which Bhardwaj managed to gather such voluminous data, Ravindra said. A senior police official privy to the investigation said on condition of anonymity that it would not be possible for a single person to resort to the theft of such a huge data, but involved a big network of people. Inquiries revealed that Bharadwaj worked as an ordinary web designer in the past. But eight months ago, he launched his own website InspireWebz for selling the database to his customers through cloud drive. We suspect that it was not his idea alone but there are more people with sound technical knowledge of data theft, the official said. The commissioner named two other individuals Amer Sohail and Madan Gopal, who had allegedly provided the voluminous data to Bhardwaj who sold the data to his clients through his website. Both Sohail and Gopal are absconding. We have sought the court to grant the police custody of Bharadwaj for questioning to find out his modus operandi and the actual people behind him. The arrest of two others might also throw some more light on the probe, the police official quoted above said. Senior officials of the Cyberabad police, who had a meeting on Monday to study the case, have decided to send special teams to major cities in the country, including Delhi, Gurgaon, Faridabad etc where the data theft is believed to have taken place. Preliminary investigation revealed that Bharadwaj and his accomplices might have got access to dark web to collect the sensitive and personal data of individuals and organisations. Cyber security expert Nallamothu Sridhar said through the dark web, private computer networks can communicate and conduct business anonymously without divulging identifying information. Unlike other world-wide webs like Google, dark web has its own network and configuration, which requires authorisation to access information. Bharadwaj appears to have gained access to it using his links, he said. The police said Bharadwaj might have acquired data through other means such as hacking the customer and consumer data from e-commerce companies. The Cyberabad police are also thoroughly examining Inspirewebz, the portal launched by Bharadwaj, on the transactions he had made. It has been designed in such a way that the data is transferred to the client soon after he pays money online. The entire client data appears to be on cloud and we are trying to decipher the same with the help of experts, the official said. Soon after the arrest, the Cyberabad police commissioner revealed that Bhardwaj holds consumer and customer data base of GST payers, Road Transport Corporation customers, Amazon, Netflix, YouTube, Paytm, Phonepe, Big Basket, Book My Show, Instagram, Zomato, Policy Bazaar, Upstox, Byjus and Vedantu etc. The data is classified into 104 different categories including banks, insurance and financial services, doctors, software engineers, telecom, trading & stock broking, consulting services. Investigations revealed that Bharadwaj was selling data to his clients for a price ranging from 5,000 to 1 lakh, depending on the volume of the data and the requirement of clientele, the official said. Meanwhile, the Cyberabad police issued notices to as many as 11 companies and organizations through which the accused was believed to have collected the consumer data. We are confident of breaking the nation-wide network of these data theft gangs who are operating through call centres and offices set up in different parts of the country. Online advertisement and business portals are used by the gangs to carry out their illegal business, the official added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Assam government is yet to reply to a request from the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change to submit a report on alleged anomalies in the last rhino census undertaken in the states Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR). HT Image In February, the wildlife division of the ministry and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), which falls under the same ministry, asked Assams chief wildlife warden (CWW) to submit a status report on the census at the earliest and urgently. The request for status reports on the exact number of rhinos in Kaziranga, the worlds largest habitat for one-horned rhinos, came following a submission made by RTI and wildlife activist Rohit Choudhury. In the 14th rhino census carried out in Kaziranga last March, state wildlife officials said the total number of endangered animals had increased from 2,413 in 2018 to 2,613. Questioning the census process and the official numbers, Choudhury filed RTI applications; an analysis of replies received by him from the forest department showed a difference in the number of rhinos listed by enumerators of the census and a subsequent tally made public later. Data sheets submitted by enumerators after surveys done on March 26-27 last year showed the total number of rhinos in Kaziranga as 2,042. But the state forest department then conducted a sample survey in 22 randomly selected compartments (of the total 84 in the park) on March 28 and counted 1064 rhinos much more than the 472 rhinos counted by enumerators in the same 22 blocks on March 26-27. The number was then revised upward. The RTI reply revealed that no independent or media observers were present during the sample survey or during computation of final data and animal estimation rules were not followed during the census. Adding that the figures were statistically unsound Choudhury wrote to the union environment and forest ministry in January this year seeking inquiry into the grave anomalies. The Centre wrote to the Assam government in February seeking replies on the allegations. We are looking into the requests made by the union ministry. I will be able to give more details of the same after a few days, Assam forest minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said when questioned about the delay. Newly appointed chief wildlife warden Sandeep Kumar, who took charge this week following removal of his predecessor MY Yadava over alleged misuse of tiger conservation funds, couldnt be reached for his comment. Director of KNPTR, Jatindra Sarma, declined to comment on the issue. It is astonishing to see that despite the seriousness of the issue, the Assam government has not replied to the Union forest ministry and NTCA even after a considerable amount of time has elapsed, said Choudhury. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Babu Jagjivan Ram, populary known as Babuji, was a national leader, freedom fighter, and advocate for social justice. He was born on April 5, 1908, in Chandwa village, Bihar to Sobhi Ram and Vasanti Devi. Jayaprakash Narayan and Jagjivan Ram (right), former Deputy Prime Minister of India, at a Janata Party rally in New Delhi on 06 February 1977(N Thyagarajan/HT Photo) Also Read | Nation remembers Ram Manohar Lohia on 113th birth anniversary Despite facing discrimination due to his caste, he passed his matriculation with guidance from his mother. He later completed his Inter Science Examination from Banaras Hindu University and graduated from Calcutta University. Babu Jagjivan Ram devoted his life to fighting for equal rights for the oppressed classes. On his 116th birth anniversary on April 5, the nation commemorates his legacy. More facts about Dalit Icon Babu Jagjivan Ram -Babu Jagjivan Ram began his public life as a student activist and freedom fighter. At the age of 28, he became a legislator in 1936, as a nominated member of the Bihar Legislative Council. In June 1935, he married Indrani Devi, who was also a freedom fighter and an educationist. -Babu Jagjivan Ram played a key role in the establishment of the All-India Depressed Classes League in 1935. This organisation was dedicated to achieving equality for the untouchables, a cause that Babuji was deeply committed to. Also Read | Stephen Hawking death anniversary: Everything to know about legendary scientist -He held several important positions in the Indian government, including minister of labour and minister of communications under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. He also served as India's defence minister during the Indo-Pak war of 1971. -Jagjivan Ram left the Congress party in 1977 to protest against the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He joined the Janata Party alliance along with his newly formed party, Congress for Democracy. He was later appointed as the deputy Prime Minister of India, a position he held from 1977 to 1979. -He holds the world record for being a parliamentarian for 50 uninterrupted years, from 1936 to 1986. In addition, he is the longest-serving cabinet minister in Indian history, having served for a remarkable 30 years. -Meira Kumar, a prominent Congress leader and former diplomat, is the daughter of Babu Jagjivan Ram. She also served as 15th Lok Sabha Speaker from 2009 to 2014. -Babu Jagjivan Ram passed away on July 6, 1986, leaving behind a legacy of social and political activism that continues to inspire people across India. In his honour, a memorial was built at the place of his cremation, now known as Samta Sthal, meaning Place of Equality. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Welcome to hindustantimes.com 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 KOLKATA: The Calcutta high court on Wednesday ordered the West Bengal government to seek the assistance of central police forces to ensure peace on Thursday, observing that an additional and sessions judge in Hooghly failed to get requisite security for his family when clashes over Ram Navami processions broke out in the district last week. West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose visited the violence-afftected area after clashes broke out between two groups during a Ram Navami procession in Hooghly district. (PTI) The bench also reviewed a list of 27 conditions introduced by the Kolkata Police for groups allowed to take out Hanuman Jayanti processions and told West Bengal that more stringent conditions need to be imposed. Considering the largeness of the issue and in order to avoid any breach of peace, the state government should requisition the assistance of paramilitary forces from the central government. The assistance of the paramilitary forces will definitely help the state police, the bench of acting chief justice TS Sivagnanam and justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya said in course of a hearing on a petition by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari to seek a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and deployment of central police forces in the state for Hanuman Jayanti in the state. For Hanuman Jayanti processions on Thursday, the high court told the state that the police could cap the number of participants, set up barricades, refuse permission where prohibitory orders have been issued and record the procession on video. The list of 27 Dos and Donts issued by the Kolkata Police bars motorcycle rallies, use of fireworks, loud music and weapons including lathis. Violence erupted in the Howrah district on March 30 when stones were allegedly thrown at a Ram Navami procession. It spread to North Dinajpur and Hooghly districts over the next three days. The high court was told that 1,000 rallies were organised on Ram Navami across the state and that the police has received about 2,000 applications for permission to organise Hanuman Jayanti on April 6. The states top law officer, advocate general Soumendra Nath Mookherjee, said it was not usual for so many Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti processions in West Bengal and that there had been an increase in requests over the last five years due to influences from outside the state. The bench agreed but stressed that once a practice comes to the state, the administration had to take the requisite steps. We want to ensure that there is no breach of peace, the court said. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has blamed BJP supporters for provoking the Ram Navami violence and told the state police to be on alert ahead of Thursdays Hanuman Jayanti celebrations. Trinamool Congress (TMC) spokesperson Kunal Ghosh reiterated Banerjees accusation. It is a court order and the TMC leadership will definitely analyse it. But central forces are not coming here for the first time. The BJP violate directions issued by the police and their workers are seen brandishing guns. It is a BJPs problem. The BJP deliberately wanted to trigger riots. Now when the central forces come the BJP will not trigger any violence and hold peaceful rallies. This would prove their intentions further Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson, told reporters. BJP vice president Dilip Ghosh welcomed the high court order. In all the incidents, we have seen how the police was kept ineffective. Police were beaten up and stone pelting and torching of vehicles happened in front of the police. The Centre is always there to help states. The chief minister is blaming it on the BJP to shield her own failure, Ghosh said. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday issued an advisory to all the states and Union territories ahead of Hanuman Jayanti, which will be celebrated tomorrow. The MHA has issued an advisory to all states in preparation for Hanuman Jayanti. The governments are encouraged to ensure the maintenance of law and order, peaceful observance of the festival, and monitoring of any factors that could disturb communal harmony in society", the ministry said in a tweet. The home ministry's advisory comes in wake of recent incidents of violence in some states including Bihar, Bengal and Maharashtra on the occasion of Ram Navami last week. The Union home ministry has issued a notification to reserve seats for terror victims in MBBS and BDS courses in Jammu and Kashmir. (File Photo) On Wednesday, the Delhi Police conducted flag march in Jahangirpuri area ahead of the Hanuman Jayanti. The police have denied permission to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and another group to undertake processions in the area, ANI reported. Communal clashes had erupted in this area last year on Hanuman Jayanti, injuring eight cops and a local resident. The state of West Bengal witnessed ugly violence in Howrah and Hooghly on the occasion of Ram Navami this year. The Calcutta high court has asked the state government to requistion central forces to assist the police in maintaining peace during Hanuman Jayanti. The court also directed the Centre to make swift arrangements for such deployment on receipt of requisition from the state. The court said in view of events in the recent past, the order was being given to assure the general public that they are safe and will not be affected by any disturbance. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In videos being widely circulated online, Congress MLA Brihaspat Singh is purportedly seen hitting two bank employees in Chhattisgarh. According to a report by news agency PTI, Singh allegedly assaulted the workers of a cooperative bank in Balrampur-Ramanujganj district on Monday. Brihaspat Singh allegedly assaulted the workers of a cooperative bank in Balrampur-Ramanujganj district. (Twitter) As videos of the incident went viral on social media, staff at cooperative banks under the Surguja division, which comprises five districts, announced mass leave for two days from Wednesday demanding action against Singh. Also read: AAP MLA accuses BJP legislator of slapping MCD worker, shares video as proof The Ramanujganj MLA reportedly admitted to thrashing the employees of the Ramanujganj branch of the Zilla Sahkari Kendriya Bank due to complaints of financial discrepancies and misbehaviour. According to Singh, a 70-year-old farmer, Lakhan Singh, a resident of Mahaveer Ganj, who had come to withdraw money at the bank, allegedly faced misconduct. Misbehaviour with farmers will not be tolerated, PTI quoted the legislator in a statement. On Tuesday, a group of employees submitted a memorandum addressed to chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, to the Inspector General of Police (Surguja range) in Ambikapur town seeking action against Singh. As per the notice, Singh allegedly slapped and abused clerk Rajesh Pal and peon Arvind Singh in front of hundreds of farmers during office hours. President of Zilla Sahkari Kendriya Bank Karamchari Sangh Ambikapur, R K Khare, said cooperative bank workers were disappointed and outraged over the incident. It is the responsibility of public representatives to protect government employees and their interests, but if they themselves start torturing them where they will go? he asked. Khare also warned that the employees will stage protests if no action was initiated against Singh. The opposition BJP has also called for the step down of Singh as MLA. The Congress party should immediately take action against Singh for committing such a violent act. He should be dismissed from the post of MLA, state BJP spokesperson Kedar Kashyap told PTI. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The governments latest list of commercial coal mines up for auction includes at least two coal blocks in central India with dense forest cover, critical for biodiversity and wildlife in the region, according to people familiar with the matter. On March 29, the Centre announced the 7th round of its coal mine auction, which has 101 mines, including Tara block in Chhattisgarhs Hasdeo Arand forests and Mahan coal block in Madhya Pradesh. (Representational image) On March 29, the Centre announced the 7th round of its coal mine auction, which has 101 mines, including Tara block in Chhattisgarhs Hasdeo Arand forests and Mahan coal block in Madhya Pradesh. Tara has a forest cover of 81%, of which very dense forest (VDF) cover is about 15.96sq km (1,596 ha) of the block; Mahan has a forest cover of 97% with very dense forests covering 3.72sq km (372 ha) of the block. Also read: Murder of Bengal businessman accused of coal smuggling triggers BJP-TMC tussle Both Tara and Mahan fall in the category of inviolate areas for mining as per an exercise undertaken by the Union environment ministry in 2012 to identify sites that are significant for conservation of biodiversity and forest types that are ecologically important. The environment ministry through an order on March 30, 2012 constituted a committee under the chairmanship of then secretary, MoEF, to formulate parameters for identification of pristine forests where non-forestry activity would lead to irreversible damage. These were to be conserved for the larger objective of long-term conservation of forests in India and were informally termed no-go areas. According to a list dated December 5, 2014 reviewed by HT, 32 coal blocks, including Mahan and Tara , were in the inviolate category. The decision on keeping these blocks in the inviolate category was not finalised thereafter according to government officials who asked not to be named. According to the summary of coal mines available on MSTC Limited , the company which facilitates auctions of coal mines, less than 1% area (approx. 0.2sq km) of Tara block is overlapping with Lemru Elephant Reserve in the south-western boundary. Stage 1 forest clearance was granted to the mine through an MoEF letter dated July 5, 2011 and its mining capacity is 6 million tonnes per year (as per the approved mining plan). Mahan is approximately 15.7km to the Sanjay Dubri WLS from the western boundary and 24.5km to the Guru Ghasi Das Sanjay National Park from the southern boundary. Stage 2 or final forest clearance was granted to the mine through an MoEFCC letter dated February 12, 2014. Experts are concerned that loss of these primary forests will be a blow to the rich biodiversity in central Indias forests. We must be extra careful when considering diversion of natural forest there, as this region is not only unique because of the climate, the landscape and biodiversity. This region has a great history of nature-dependent lifestyle and a larger part of the population are tribal people living in very close association with forests. There has already been massive irreversible damage to this region from mining, thermal power and damming of rivers with very few patches left with good forests and clean rivers, said Debadityo Sinha, Lead- Climate & Ecosystems, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy. In response to why coal blocks with such dense forest cover have been put up for auction, the coal ministry said in a statement: The Tara mine was cleared for open cast mining based in Biodiversity study of Hasdeo Arand coal field prepared by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE). Secondly, Mahan mine has been proposed as an underground mine considering the high forest area. After the auction, the required forest and environmental clearances would have to be obtained by a successful bidder. The ministry of coal on March 29 launched the process for the 7th round of commercial coal mines auction with a total of 106 coal blocks on offer. The mines offered are a mix of coal mines under Coal Mines Special Provisions (CMSP) Act and Mines and Minerals (MMDR) Act. Out of 106 coal mines, 101 are being put up for auction under the 17th/ 7th Tranche under CMSP/ MMDR Act and 5 coal mines are being offered under the second attempt of 16th/ 6th Tranche. Also read: Chhattisgarh: ED seeks action against bureaucrats for alleged graft During the launch, coal minister Pralhad Joshi said coal production is expected to touch a record figure of 880 million tonnes this fiscal . Coal production exclusively from captive /commercial mines has crossed 100 million tonnes for the first time, he added. Coal sector is fully geared to meet the growing demand. All efforts are on to further enhance production and export of thermal coal by the year 2025-2026, he added in a statement issued by the ministry. Hasdeo Arand is one of the largest contiguous stretches of very dense forest in central India spanning 170,000 ha and has 22 coal blocks underneath. In 2009, the environment ministry categorised Hasdeo Arand a no go area for mining because of its rich forest cover but opened it again for mining as this policy of inviolate zones was never finalised. Ahead of the release of his memoir 'Azaad', former J&K chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has again opened up about his differences with the Congress which prompted him to leave the party after decades of association. In an interview, the former Congress leader said he has no difference with the Congress ideology and does not want to 'expose' or 'demolish' the party. Digvijaya Singh has now reacted to Ghulam Nabi Azad's observation on Congress and advised him to save his party on J&K. Read | Ex-Cong leader calls PM Modi a statesman, says 'he was...' Digvijaya Singh slammed Ghulam Nabi Azad for his comments on Congress and asked him to save his party in J&K. After leaving the Congress, Ghulam Nabi Azad founded his party in J&K -- Democratic Progressive Azad Party. "Ghulam Nabi bhaijaan, what will you expose and demolish; first save your party in Kashmir. After staying at the party for 40 years, you betrayed the party. Now what will you achieve with the help of the crutches of BJP and Modiji!" Digvijaya Singh tweeted. Read | I wont consider myself an Oppn leader, I will stay neutral: Ghulam Nabi Azad Ghulam Nabi Azad in an interview with the ANI on Tuesday heaped praises on PM Modi and said PM Modi has always behaved like a statesman, though he (Ghulam Nabi Azad) never spared him -- as the Leader of Opposition. To HT, Azad said he thinks PM Modi has been a good prime minister, while the Congress fell short. "I praised and criticise the BJP as and when needed. There is no doubt that PM is very hardworking. But BJP too must believe in live and let live. I criticise BJP too. I don't abuse PM Modi 24X7. BJP can also meet the same fate as the Congress if it does not give political space to other parties," Azad said. I am hopeful that the Congress will rectify its mistakes. It is unfortunate that everyone asks what is the alternative party to the BJP, Azad said SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A 27-year-old man from Delhi was detained in Maharashtras Ratnagiri on Wednesday and handed to the Kerala Police over his suspected involvement in the fire which left three people, including a child, dead on the Kannur Express on Sunday night. Shahrukh Saifi. (PTI) Maharashtras Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) nabbed Shahrukh Saifi based on inputs from the central agencies. A police officer said Saifi was admitted to a hospital in Ratnagiri after he fell from a train near Khed on April 3 and sustained injuries to his forehead. Saifi is suspected to be the man, who poured petrol on fellow passengers and set them afire on the Kannur Express. Kerala Police suspect Sahramath, her aunt M Rehmat and M Noufeeq, a fish merchant, jumped out of the moving train in panic and died. The bodies of the three, who received head injuries, were recovered from the railway tracks. An eye-witness said soon after the train was stopped, the suspect wearing a red shirt and jeans jumped out of it and fled. The train was stopped on a bridge on the Korapuzha River and it triggered more panic. The suspect, who loitered around the train before pouring petrol on co-passengers, also suffered burn injuries. Police recovered a bag with a bottle of petrol, two mobile phones, a lunch box, and a pair of clothes from the train. They released the sketch of the main suspect based on the description the witnesses provided. The Kerala Police registered a case including under the Explosive Substances Act as chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan called the incident shocking and ordered a probe. People aware of the matter cited preliminary investigation and said Saifi told police that he was standing at the door of the train in Ratnagiri when he lost his balance on April 3. The train was slow, but he sustained severe injuries. Central agencies alerted Maharashtra ATS when Saifis location was traced to Ratnagiri on Tuesday. The Kerala Police also informed their counterparts in Maharashtra about his presence in Ratnagiri. The local police helped the ATS and the suspect was handed over to the Kerala Police after basic verification. An ATS officer said Saifi was not cooperating with the investigators and not revealing how he came to Ratnagiri. Five young men drowned in a temple pond in Chennai while performing rituals to mark Theerthavari festival on Wednesday, police said. Five drown while carrying out temple rituals in Tamil Nadu. (Representational Image) The accident took place when a group of more than 20 people, carrying an idol, entered the pond in Dharmalingeshwarar Temple at Nanganallur, for some rituals. While one person drowned initially, four others also went under the water while saving him, police said. All five of them have died, state minister TM Anbarasan, who visited the spot on the directions of chief minister MK Stalin, told reporters. This work (ritual performance) should have been done with due caution, he added. The deceased were identified as Surya (22), Vanesh (22), Raghavan (22), Yokeshwaran (21) and Raghavan (18). The temple does not fall under the care of the states Hindu religious and charitable endowments department. I asked them (temple authorities) if they had informed the local police in advance that they were going to conduct such a festival, Anbarasan said, adding that the matter needed to be investigated. Chennai police commissioner Shankar Jiwal, who rushed to the spot after the accident, said the bodies were immediately recovered and sent to a government hospital in Chrompet. While doing a particular ritual, one person slipped and fell. We were told that those who tried to save him drowned too. We need to investigate further. Our first job was to rescue everyone. We will discuss with the panchayat and see what can be done so that such accidents dont get repeated, Jiwal said. Stalin announced a relief of 2 lakh from the chief ministers relief fund for each kin of the deceased. We are all pained by this accident. This is an irreparable loss to (the deceaseds) parents, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and Congress rebel Ghulam Nabi Azads memoir, titled Azaad, documents politics over the past five decades. Providing a ringside view to the corridors of power, Azad is critical of his former party in his memoir, describing its behaviour as bloopers and bombast. In a conversation with Sunetra Choudhury , he argued that while senior BJP leaders would like to see competition from a strong Congress party, the latter isnt doing enough. Azad, who is seen to be close to PM Narendra Modi, also spoke about the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Edited excerpts: PREMIUM Ghulam Nabi Azad in New Delhi on Tuesday. (PTI Photo) Do you consider yourself an opposition leader? I dont think I have reached that stage because I must win some seats first in the state to claim to be in the opposition. I can say my voice will be totally neutral. I will not work on preconceived things. I will call a spade, a spade. Whatever is good, I will appreciate. Whatever is bad, I will oppose. Whatever is in the interest of the country, I must appreciate as a countryman, and whatever is not in the interest of the country, I will definitely oppose, whosoever he or she may be, which political party, irrespective of what their ideology may be. Does that make you something like what the YSR Congress Party and Naveen Patnaiks Biju Janata Dal are? Everybody else apart from these two parties is critical of the BJP. I think it cannot be compared with any of them. My ideas are not regimented. My ideas are totally open. I am totally independent. Thats why my last name is Azad (free). My party is also named Azad and my book is also Azaad. I dont want opposite parties to be called as enemies. We are just competitors. You praise Narendra Modi but also point out he didnt talk about his foreign trips inside Parliament... He was always very friendly. As Prime Minister, to some extent, I must say, whatever his perception outside may be, is not the same. I think hes broad minded in that sense. I never attended his official function, I never spared him on the floor of the House. Yet he was so generous in praising me. I think this everybody cannot do. And I found some similarity in him with AB Vajpayee. So, according to you, Modi is a good Prime Minister? I would say so. I am nobody to give judgment but my personal experience is that whenever he would meet me in the lobby, he never said that Congress should be finished. In fact, he said that an alternate national party should exist. He would say how long will we continue and you people are not doing enough. Im quoting this for the first time and I think that was the opinion of most of the BJP leaders who are senior there. Senior leaders want that Congress, which has a history, should also survive and become a competitor. But Congress itself is not ready to accept that. How can we blame others? We just saw Rahul Gandhi getting disqualified and he has been asked to vacate his residence. I dont approve of that. Thats not a good thing in democracy. That is not a good idea. Moreover, he should be given a house from a security perspective. Because with Z-plus security, one is not supposed to be in a crowded area. The government may take the money, but the security should be done. In your party, there are those who allege that because youve become close to the BJP, youre allowed to stay on in government accommodation two years after retirement. I pay every month. I pay rent, I pay water bills, I pay electricity. If I take the house in some crowded area, people will know there is a soft target. We Kashmiris have more threat. Regarding Kashmir, I want to come to the episode you describe in your book about what happened post the abrogation of Article 370. You said that you immediately went and sat on a dharna in Rajya Sabha but people like Jairam Ramesh, your colleague, didnt. What happened? I dont think he thought it fit. Perhaps he was in the favour of the abrogation of Article 370. Everybody said that he remained in his seat. So Article 370 issue is still one factor that you have against the BJP? No. There may be other problems. Any rule or any political party who is in power, you cant say that they are doing everything good, but you cant also say that they are doing everything bad. And it is with each political party in government. The good and bad, they go together. Notifications for amendments to the rules for inducting former Agniveers into paramilitary forces have been issued for the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the government told Parliament on Wednesday. They were in the stages of preparation in the case of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Assam Rifles, it added The first batch of women Agniveers being trained in Bengaluru. (ANI) The army launched the first phase of recruitment of Agniveers last year under the Agnipath scheme for short-term induction of soldiers into the three services. The scheme marked a major departure from the militarys recruitment system. It was announced in June 2022 for the recruitment of soldiers for four years with a provision to retain 25% of them in regular service. The government last year announced a 10% reservation for former Agniveers in each paramilitary force and amended the rules for their lateral entry once they complete their mandatory four-year tenure. It relaxed the upper age limit for up to five years for the candidates of the first batch of Agniveers. The subsequent batches will get the relaxation by up to three years. Minister of state for home Nityanand Rai told Parliament that the government has approved the creation of a new category of former Agniveers for their recruitment as constables (general duty) and riflemen in the central armed police forces and Assam Rifles. The Agnipath scheme replaces the legacy system and seeks 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. Amid protests against the short-term recruitment plan across the country, the government announced the reservation for Agniveers in the paramilitary forces and Assam Rifles. HT on March 18 reported at least 2185 former Agniveers could be recruited each year under the 10% quota announced in six paramilitary forces based on the analysis of the rate of recruitments over the past five years. Renowned Karnataka artist Rashid Ahmed Quadri on Wednesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi after receiving Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award of the country, at a Civil Investiture ceremony in New Delhi. Quadri said he had lost hope of getting the honour after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government came to power as he thought the saffron party won't reward a Muslim, adding that PM Modi proved him wrong. The prime minister along with Union Home Minister Amit Shah interacted with the awardees after the investiture ceremony was over. The prime minister along with Union Home Minister Amit Shah interacted with the awardees after the investiture ceremony was over. When Modi wished Quadri and shook hands, he told the prime minister: "I was expecting a Padma award during the UPA government, but I did not get it. When your government came, I thought now the BJP government will not give me any award. But you have proved me wrong. I expressed my sincere gratitude to you". The prime minister reciprocated Quadri with namaste and a smile. I tried for 10 years to get this award. When the BJP government came, I thought I will not get this award because BJP never gives anything to Muslims, but PM Modi proved me wrong by choosing me for this award, he later told ANI. Watch: Sudha Murty, actor Raveena Tandon among Padma awardees Born on June 5, 1955, Quadri hails from a family of bidri artisans. Quadri received several awards for his work including the Karnataka State award in 1984, a national award in 1988, district Rajyotsava award in 1996. A total of eight people from Karnataka bagged the Padma awards. The list included Sudha Murthy for her contribution in the field of social work, SM Krishna, SL Bhyrappa in the field of Literature and Education, Khadarvali Dudekula in the field of Science and Engineering, S Subbaram in the field of Archeology, folk dancer, Rani Machiah, Nadoja Pindipapanahalli Minivenkatappa, and Shah Ahmed in the field of art. On the eve of this year's Republic Day, the president authorised the conferral of 106 Padma awards, including three duo cases. A total of 52 awardees were given the honour on Wednesday -- two Padma Vibhushan, five Padma Bhushan and 45 Padma Shri. The awards are given in certain select categories which include Art, Social Work, Public Affairs, Science & Engineering, Trade & Industry, Medicine, Literature & Education, Civil Service and Sports. Awards are also given for propagation of Indian culture, protection of human rights, wildlife protection among others. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI: A high-level committee on urban development constituted last year to recommend urban planning reforms submitted its draft recommendations on urban planning reforms to the housing and urban affairs minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday. Senior officials said that the ministry will study the report and revert with its inputs to the committee. Keshav Verma, chairman of the committee, along with PSN Rao of School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) handed over the report to Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday (Twitter/HardeepSPuri) Keshav Verma, chairman of the committee, along with PSN Rao of School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) handed over the report to Puri on Tuesday. The govt led by PM @narendramodi Ji unleashed the most comprehensive, planned urbanisation program undertaken anywhere in the world in 2015. The High Level Committee is another step to redefine the urban space & spur the next level of reforms in the sector, Puri said in a post on Twitter on Tuesday Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the plan to appoint a high-level committee of experts in her budget speech for financial year 2022-23. In June last year, the ministry constituted a 10-member committee to identify gaps in urban planning, work out short and long-term measures and come out with state or UT specific reports highlighting the way forward to strengthen urban planning. A senior ministry official said: This is the first draft of the recommendations. We are in the process of analysing it and will share our views with the committee. The committee will then finalise the report. The 10-member committee is headed by former chairman of Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Keshav Varma. Another six-member team has been constituted to assist the committee. The committee includes principal economic advisor Sanjeev Sanyal, NITI Aayog adviser Kundan Kumar, Srinivas Chary (director of Centre for Urban Governance, Environment, Energy and Infrastructure Development at the Administrative Staff College of India), MoHUA additional secretary D Thara, School of Planning and Architecture director PSN Rao. The committee will also carry out a gap analysis by assessing the implementation status of recommendations of past committees, suggest measures to resolve issues related to the preparation of master plans in cities, draw up a roadmap for bringing about urban planning reforms in states, etc, said a senior ministry official. While preparing the recommendations, the committee held several stakeholder consultations, including with state governments. Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday asked why the Congress is trying to project Rahul Gandhi's personal legal fight as a fight for democracy. "This is now clear that Congress will leave no stone unturned to reach a new low and to play with India's democracy. They are doing everything to stay politically relevant. This is not a fight for democracy but an individual. Any criticism of this falls short," Scindia said in a press conference adding that Rahul Gandhi is not the first one to be disqualified from the Lok Sabha. Jayalalithaa and Azam Khan were disqualified in past, he said. "But why this time there is so much hue and cry? Why people are wearing black clothes," Scindia said. Read | 'Arrogant dynast': BJP rips into Rahul after fresh back-and-forth with reporter Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday addressed a press conference on Rahul Gandhi's disqualification. "Rahul Gandhi is being given a special treatment. When he went to the court, a fauz of Congress leaders accompanied him. If this is not an attempt to pressure the judiciary, then what is? Is this Gandhian politics? Why all this is being done for an individual?" the Union minister said. Read | Rahul Gandhi refusing to apologise, trying to put pressure on judiciary: BJP Rahul Gandhi's statement that he is a Gandhi and a Gandhi does not apologise is very surprising, Scindia said. A senior Congress leader even said that there should be separate rules for the members of the Gandhi family. This proves that for the party some people are first-class citizens, while you and I are third-class citizens, Scindia said. Read | 'Why did 'chote sarkar'' - BJP's sharp jab at Rahul over Surat court appearance Calling Congress's ideals as anti-national, Scindia said no one becomes little by apologising but some parties think they come first, before the country. 'What's the problem with black, hair is also black': Adhir Chowdhury Congress MP Adhir Chowdhury reacted to Jyotiraditya Scindia's comments and said Scindia should explain to the Congress why the party's demand for a JPC probe into the alleged Adani scam is wrong. "The BJP deployed former Congressmen to criticise us. What is your problem with the black colour? PM Modi's bodyguards too wear black. Unlike you, we love all colours and not only saffron. See, our hair is also black and we feel sad when our hair starts greying," Adhir Chowdhury said. "Rahul Gandhi was disqualified in lightning speed. A Gujarat MP got three years sentence in past but he was allowed to attend Parliament," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI: India was among 17 countries that abstained in a vote at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on extending the mandate of an investigative body probing allegations of war crimes during Russias invasion of Ukraine. The resolution related to Ukraine was among 43 resolutions adopted during the UNHRCs 52nd regular session to extend 19 thematic and country-specific mandates (UN Photo) The resolution related to Ukraine was among 43 resolutions adopted during the UNHRCs 52nd regular session to extend 19 thematic and country-specific mandates. India has traditionally abstained on votes related to human rights issues at UN bodies. With 28 votes in favour, the UNHRC extended the mandate of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine for one year. Two countries China and Eritrea voted against the resolution, which Ukraine said is essential for holding Russia accountable for war crimes. Among the 17 countries that abstained were Bangladesh, Cuba, Pakistan and South Africa. Last year, India abstained twice during voting on UNHRC resolutions against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In February last year, India had also abstained from on a UN Security Council resolution condemning the Russian aggression. India has refrained from publicly censuring the Russian invasion of Ukraine though it has called for respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. The Indian side has called for the immediate end of hostilities and a return to diplomacy and dialogue to settle differences. The Indian side voted in favour of a resolutions at the UNHRC that called on Israel to end its occupation of territories occupied since 1967, to reverse the settlement policy in occupied territories, and to immediately stop establishing new settlements and expansion of existing settlements, including in East Jerusalem. It also voted in favour of a resolution that backed the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, though it abstained on another resolution on the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. NEW DELHI: India and Bhutan have agreed on several new measures to enhance their cooperation in areas such as hydropower, trade and space, including the finalisation of a joint plan of action to deepen the space technology partnership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck,in New Delhi (PIB Photo) These measures were finalised during Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchucks visit to New Delhi which ended on Wednesday. The visit came against the backdrop of renewed focus on Bhutans efforts to resolve a border dispute with China, and Indian officials said the security concerns of New Delhi and Thimphu are intertwined and indivisible. The two sides will focus on new areas of cooperation such as startups, space and STEM education, following progress in the space sector, including the launch of the first satellite developed by India and Bhutan and the inauguration of the ground earth station in Thimphu, said a joint statement issued on Wednesday. The two countries will deepen the space technology partnership by expeditiously finalising a joint plan of action, the joint statement said. In the field of hydropower cooperation, a cornerstone of the bilateral economic partnership, both sides expressed their commitment to greater subregional cooperation, including with Bangladesh, and reviewed the functioning of projects totalling 2,136 MW. Bhutan receives a steady stream of revenue from the sale of power from hydropower plants and India benefits from the assured supply of energy. The two sides agreed to find a technically sound and cost-effective way forward for the Punatsangchhu-I plant. They also expressed satisfaction with the progress in constructing the 1,020-MW Punatshangchhu-II plant, which is expected to be commissioned by early 2024. Both sides have initiated tariff discussions and agreed to conclude the tariff protocol for this project speedily. The Bhutanese side welcomed Indias offer to revise the tariff for power from Chhukha hydropower plant to 3 a unit, representing a 17% increase over the earlier rate. The Indian side agreed to consider Bhutans request for sale of power into the Indian Energy Exchange from the 64-MW Basochhu plant. In the field of trade and connectivity, India and Bhutan agreed to work on long-term sustainable arrangements for the export of agricultural commodities from Bhutan and assured supply of critical commodities such as petroleum, fertilisers and coal from India. The two sides will set up the first integrated check post (ICP) along the border near Jaigaon and Phuntsholing, the busiest trading point between the countries. This will be done with the Indian governments support along with the development of mirror facilities on the Bhutanese side. They also agreed to expedite the operationalisation of the third international internet gateway for Bhutan, for which India is extending a concessional rate to reduce the cost of operations. Besides his meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu, Wangchuck interacted with Indian business leaders to find ways to expand economic and commercial ties. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON New Delhi : Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tsherings recent remarks about his countrys border dispute with China triggered a storm in India, leading to numerous assessments about what the comments could mean about Thimphus efforts to chart an independent foreign policy and the fallout for New Delhi. PREMIUM Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck in New Delhi on Tuesday. (PIB Photo) Privately, Indian officials acknowledge that what Tshering said aligns with New Delhis position. Tshering also told The Bhutanese newspaper that he had said nothing new and there is no change in position. On the first point, there appears to be no difference between what Tshering said and the position taken by India amid the 73-day standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam during June-August 2017. At that time, the external affairs ministry issued a statement saying India and China had reached an agreement in 2012 that tri-junction boundary points involving third countries will be finalised in consultation with the concerned countries. In an interview with Belgian newspaper La Libre during a visit to Europe, Tshering made three key points that efforts to resolve the dispute over the strategic Doklam plateau will have to involve Bhutan, China and India, since the feature is located at the tri-junction of the countries, that Bhutan hopes to settle the boundary dispute with China after one or two meetings, and that there are no Chinese intrusions into territory claimed by Bhutan. But Tsherings comments on the two other points are perceived in New Delhi as more problematic. Article 2 of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed in 1949 by India and Bhutan, which the external affairs ministry describes as the basic framework of bilateral ties, stated that the Bhutan government would be guided by the advice of its Indian counterpart in regard to its external relations. When the treaty was revised in 2007, Article 2 was replaced with more generic text about the two sides cooperating closely with each other on issues relating to their national interests. The Doklam standoff was triggered when Indian troops prevented Chinese workers backed by Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers from building a road leading to the strategic Jampheri or Zompelri Ridge in territory claimed by Bhutan. At the time, India said its actions were taken in coordination with the Bhutan government. The tensions generated by the standoff coincided with a growing feeling within Bhutans official circles and the public that the tiny Himalayan countrys foreign and security policies were too closely aligned with India, and might actually hamper Thimpus efforts to settle the 477-km disputed border with China. Though Bhutan began negotiations with China to address the boundary dispute in 1984, with the efforts initially led by the Bhutanese embassy in New Delhi, and 24 rounds of talks were held till 2016, the Doklam standoff gave fresh impetus to Bhutans attempts to move forward with the matter. Following disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Bhutan and China signed an agreement on a Three-Step Roadmap for Expediting the Bhutan-China Boundary Negotiations in October 2021. The two sides have also held about a dozen rounds of talks at an expert group meeting (EGM) and decided to push forward the three-step roadmap. It is these talks that Tshering referred to in his interview, saying a Bhutanese delegation visited China in February and Bhutan is now awaiting the arrival of a Chinese technical team. After one or two more meetings, we will probably be able to draw a dividing line, he said. Privately, Indian officials are deeply sceptical about the optimism displayed by Tshering, saying that it is extremely unlikely that such a protracted border dispute will be settled in a few more meetings unless, of course, Bhutan is willing to make sweeping concessions to China. In 1996, China reportedly offered to concede its claims on 495 sq km towards Pasamlung and Jakarlung if Bhutan would give up 269 sq km at Doklam and the nearby areas of Dromana, Shakhatoe and Sinchulung. This deal didnt go though because of Indias security concerns related to Doklam, which is located close to the Siliguri corridor or the so-called chickens neck that links the strategic northeastern states to the rest of India and also offers a commanding view of Chumbi Valley. According to the Indian side, even more problematic are the Bhutanese premiers remarks that his country is not experiencing major border problems with China and that there are no Chinese facilities in Bhutan. We have said it categorically, there is no intrusion as mentioned in the media, Tshering said. This claim has already been debunked by open source intelligence analysts such as Damien Symon, who used the official government map of Bhutan to show at least nine Chinese villages located deep within Bhutanese territory, including three near the site of the Doklam standoff. Bhutan has been a key beneficiary of Indias Neighbourhood First policy, and was the biggest beneficiary of Indias external aid in the 2023-24 budget, being allocated 2,400 crore out of the total outlay of 5,408 crore as assistance for foreign countries during the next fiscal. India has extended economic aid for Bhutans socio-economic development since the early 1960s, when the country launched its five-year plans. For the 12th five-year plan, Indias contribution of 4500 crore constitute 73% of Bhutans total external grant component. In recent years, India has also sought to foster closer physical and digital connectivity with Bhutan. As India strives to strike a balance between Bhutans efforts to carve out an independent foreign policy path, including the border negotiations with China, and India's own need to secure its strategic and security interests in the Siliguri Corridor to deny China any advantages, there will be a need for more nimble and agile diplomacy on the part of New Delhi. The Narendra Modi government has deployed deterrence capabilities in island territories of Andamans and Nicobar Islands to project dominance in the Indian Ocean and counter the expanding Chinese naval footprint in the region. Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan visited Andmans and Nicobar Islands to review military preparedness in January 2023. While the national security planners and armed forces are tight-lipped about the deterrence capabilities with the tri-service AN Command, India is monitoring the Chinese aided activity in the nearby Coco Islands of Myanmar and at Ream national park in Cambodia near a naval base in Sihanoukville province. Beijings strategic footprint can be seen in Hambantota port in Sri Lanka, Gwadar in Balochistan, Chah Bahar in Iran and at Khalifa port in UAE apart from its first overseas military base in east African nation of Djibouti. Intelligence inputs suggest that the Myanmar junta had extended and widened the runway at Coco Island strip from 1300 to 2300 meters as well as constructed sheds in 2021-2022 with transport aircraft operating from the strip for supplying the island, just 55 km north of Indian AN islands. While there is no permanent presence of Chinese on Coco Islands, they are frequently seen on the remote Myanmar outpost with some 150 Myanmar personnel posted on Coco. Deterrence capabilities have been deployed in the territories of Andamans and Nicobar Islands. Although there is no evidence as such, India expects an air defense and air surveillance capability to come up on the southern tip of Coco where the construction of a causeway, connecting the southern tip to the next island, and land clearing is currently taking place. A similar air defense and air surveillance capability with an expanded radar system is expected at Ream National Park, which US suspects will be the second Chinese overseas base after Djibouti and the first PLA base in the Indo-Pacific. Cambodia and Laos are the closest Chinese partners in ASEAN with the PLA and Cambodian Navy holding the first joint naval exercise in Cambodian waters last month. While both Myanmar and Cambodia deny that they are part of the Chinese gameplan, facts on the ground are to the contrary and both the nations are a part of Beijings Belt Road Initiative (BRI) and have no monetary resources to spare to develop air defence capabilities and hardened shelters. Given the Chinese expanding footprint in the Indo-Pacific and the frequent presence of its strategic vessels in the Indo-Pacific, the Indian security planners have speeded up military infrastructure upgrade at AN Islands as well as Lakshadweep Islands. Deterrence capabilities based on land and at sea have been deployed as work is being pushed in Great Nicobar Island for development of Campbell Bay. Similar deterrence capabilities have been deployed on the east coast of India in Andhra Pradesh with the Indian Navys eastern command to counter any military challenge. The AN Command in future will become the first line of defence for the Indian military and be part of a theatre command with focus on rising China. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON India witnessed a huge 46% rise in its daily Covid cases, as the health ministry's data on Wednesday morning showed as many as 4,435 fresh infections from the past 24 hours, taking the overall tally to 44,733,719. In the previous 24-hour period, there were 3,038 new infections. India reports 4,435 fresh Covid cases in 24 hours, active infections at 23,091 Meanwhile, as per the updated data, the total count of recovered cases stood at 44,179,712, accounting for 98.76% of the overall tally. There have been 530,916 (1.19%) pandemic-related fatalities thus far, while the number of active patients was at 23,091 (0.05%). Also Read: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, ex-CM Vasundhara Raje test positive for Covid-19 On the vaccination front, more than 2.2 billion doses of Covid vaccines have been administered thus far, of which 1,979 were administered in the past 24 hours. The nationwide inoculation drive had commenced on Jan 16, 2021. Cases on the rise in states In recent days, several states have seen an uptick in daily infections. On Monday, Maharashtra, for example, logged 186% more cases than it did on the previous day, with 711 people returning positive test results. Delhi, on the other hand, recorded 521 new infections. Both central and state governments have appealed to people to remain vigilant in the wake of fresh uptick in Covid cases. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON BENGALURU: Kannada actor Sudeep Sanjeev, popularly known as Kichcha Sudeep on Wednesday clarified that he will not contest the Karnataka elections scheduled for May 10 but will only campaign for chief minister Basavaraj Bommai. Kichcha Sudeeps announcement to campaign for Basavaraj Bommai comes weeks after he spoke of offers from Congress and BJP to join the parties Sudeep added that his decision to campaign for the BJP leader was driven by his intention to support Bommai in his hour of need, just as he stood by him when he was struggling in the film industry. Ive know Bommai since I was a kid and I address him as Mama. During my struggling days in the industry, only a few people stood by me, and Bommai is one of them. It is only my duty to stand by him now. I would like to extend my support to Bommai, Sudeep said at a joint press conference with Bommai in state capital Bengaluru. I will stand by my friends. Im here to render my support to Bommai sir. When I say I support him, I will go by what his needs are. But I cannot campaign for everybody, Sudeep said, a message for Bommais party colleagues. The announcement comes weeks after Sudeep said that he had offers to join from the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but hadnt picked a side. In February, Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar also met Sudeep at his residence in Bengaluru and sparked buzz about Suddeeps political plunge. Reiterating Sudeeps stance, Bommai said that the actor agreed to campaign for him in the elections at his request. He has not joined any political party, but is only showing his support to me. Since we have had a relationship for years and Id spoken to him that I needed his support, he obliged. He is very popular and it will help BJP We will win with a clear margin. The public will support the double-engine government in the state, Bommai said. Meanwhile, Sudeeps manager Jack Manju told the police that the actor received a death threat on Wednesday. According to police, Manju received a letter from an unknown person, threatening to release the actors private video on social media. The Puttenahalli police registered a first information report in this connection and are investigating the matter. The Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad, late on Tuesday, nabbed Shahrukh Saifi, 27, from Ratnagiri, three days after he sprinkled petrol on co-passengers in a moving train that had just left Kozhikode station in Kerala, resulting in the death of three passengers. Police carry out checks at Central Railway Station in light of the arson attack inside a train near Kozhikode, in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. (PTI) Also read: 3 die as man sets co-passengers on fire in Kerala train: Police He was arrested on the basis of inputs from Kerala Police and Central intelligence agencies. Saifis motive remains unclear, although Kerala Police believe the incident was planned, and that he was working with others. Saifi, a resident of Shaheen Bagh in south Delhi, appeared to have been injured either while trying to set his co-passengers on fire, or when he fell off a train in Khed in Ratnagiri district, and was admitted to a local hospital in Ratnagiri. The Kerala police was able to track his location when he switched on his mobile phone. When we reached the hospital, he was not there. We arrested him while he was trying to take a train to flee , said Maharashtra anti-terror squad chief Mahesh Patil. We received information from a central agency on Tuesday evening that the suspects mobile phone location was found in Ratnagiri. Accordingly, a team of Navi Mumbai ATS officials alerted the local police and visited Ratnagiri, where they found Saifi at the railway station, he told reporters. Patil said the ATS team handed Saifi over to the Kerala police team that arrived in Ratnagiri on Wednesday morning. Kerala police chief Anil Kant said the arrest was the result of effective co-ordination between different agencies and the Kerala police has searched his house in Shaheen Bagh. We have got some leads from the searches, he said, refusing to reveal more . Also read: Fresh communal violence in Bengals Hooghly, train services disrupted According to Delhi Police, Saifis family lodged a missing person complaint with Shaheen Bagh police and were not aware he was in Kerala. The oldest of three brothers, Saifi lives with his parents, siblings and grandmother at their two-storey home in a narrow unpaved lane of Abul Fazal Enclave Part 2 in Shaheen Bagh. His father, Fakrudddin, said the police came on Tuesday and took away some books and gadgets used by the class 12 pass-out. His neighbours said Saifi used to help out in his fathers carpentry business. Fakruddin said they lodged missing complaint at the Shaheen Bagh police station on April 2. By then, Saifi was at the other end of the country, although it is not clear how he got there , or why. On the night of April 2, according to Kerala Police Saifi took out two petrol bottles from his bag soon after Alappuzha- Kannur Inter-City Express train left Kozhikode station around 9.30 pm. At about 9.45 pm that night, he started sprinkling petrol on co-passengers of D-1 compartment and set them on fire before they could react. In the commotion some passengers jumped from the running train; two persons including a child died when they jumped out. Nine others sustained burns. Saifi is also believed to have suffered some burns. The Kerala Police suspect Saifi also jumped from the train. He left his bag containing another bottle of petrol and some identity documents behind. The CCTV footage of the train station and the documents helped the police identify him, and also ascertain his mobile number, which was switched off. A senior Kerala police officer said that they believe Saifi took the Sampark Kranti Express from Kannur to Mumbai and was planning to go to Gujarat . We are trying to find out the motive behind his attack. We believe he could not have carried out such a brazen attack without local support, this officer added, asking not to be named. . The officer said it was intriguing how Saifi travelled 800-odd kms from Kannur with his injuries, always a step ahead of the police. Police have recovered some CCTV footage from Kannur railway station in which he can be seen speaking to two other persons. The officer said that the police believe Saifis accomplices were elsewhere on the same train. Back in Delhi, Saifis parents, the Kerala officer added, have said that their son has not travelled overseas and doesnt know Malayalam.It may have even been a botched self-immolation to inflict maximum damage, the police officer said. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan congratulated the state police and other agencies for the quick arrest. (With inputs from Shiv Sunny in New Delhi) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The ministry of home affairs (MHA) on Wednesday issued an advisory to all states and Union territories to maintain law and order during Hanuman Jayanti on Thursday and monitor any factor that could disturb the communal harmony in society. Security personnel deployed as train services resume at violence-affected Rishra area, following clashes between two groups during a Ram Navami procession, in Hooghly district. (PTI) The move came close on the heels of communal violence in six states, including West Bengal, Bihar and Maharashtra, on and after Ram Navami on March 30. At least two people have died and several sustained injuries in the violence. Also read: Bengal violence: MHA seeks detailed report from state government MHA has issued an advisory to all states in preparation for Hanuman Jayanti. The governments are encouraged to ensure the maintenance of law and order, peaceful observance of the festival, and monitoring of any factors that could disturb communal harmony in society, the office of Union home minister (Amit Shah) tweeted. People familiar with the details in the Centres advisory said it asks police in states/UTs to deploy enough personnel in areas where processions are expected to be held by religious groups during Hanuman Jayanti to avoid a repeat of the violence that took place on Ram Navami last week. Incidents of clashes and fire-bombing were reported from Hooghly and Howrah districts of West Bengal over Ram Navami processions in the last few days, including on Monday night, prompting the home ministry on Tuesday to seek a report from the state government within three days. The Calcutta high court has also sought a detailed probe on the clashes. Communal tension also rocked Bihars Rohtas and Nalanda districts on and after Ram Navami. Shah also spoke to Bihar governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, on Saturday, to take stock of the situation. The home ministry has already sent additional paramilitary forces to Bihar to assist the state administration in handling the situation. Shah cancelled his proposed tour of Sasaram in Rohtas district on April 2 after prohibitory orders were put in place.Both the Bengal and Bihar governments have imposed section 144 and restricted internet services in some areas till normalcy returns. Also read: Hanuman Jayanti: Delhi Police to monitor situation at violence-hit Jahangirpuri MHA tweeted in evening that Central Armed Police Forces deployed in West Bengal to assist state police in maintaining law and order during observance of Hanuman Jayanti. Bihar riots were orchestrated: Nitish In another development, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday while reacting to the clashes that erupted in Sasaram and Bihar Sharif last week during Ram Navami, rejected the charges of administrative laxity and said that riots were orchestrated. Kumar asserted that there was no administrative laxity, but added the riots were orchestrated (jaan boojhkar karvaaya gaya) and those behind the incident will be known soon. The riots last week were planned thoroughly... those behind the incident will be known soon. Just wait, door to door searches are on, he said while talking to the reporters. The Belthangady police in Karnatakas Dakshina Kannada district arrested four persons on charges of moral policing on Tuesday, officials said. Based on the victims complaint, the police arrested four persons. (FILE) According to officials, the youths assaulted a 22-year-old Muslim boy for speaking with a girl from the Hindu community while travelling in a bus. Police identified the victim as Mohammed Zaheer, a native of Ujire. The bus was on its way from Mangaluru to Dharmasathala when the incident occurred. The victim boarded the bus and sat beside the girl whom he knew from before. While travelling, when the victim spoke with the girl, the youths who saw them informed other guys at Ujire, one of the officials said on Wednesday. When the bus reached Ujire, a group of four youths dragged him out of the bus and assaulted him for speaking with the girl. After the assault, Zaheer was admitted to Belthangady government hospital and is currently undergoing treatment, the official added. Based on the victims complaint, the police arrested four persons. This is a case of moral policing; the youth was assaulted just because he spoke with a girl known to him on a bus. We have arrested four persons, and stringent action would be taken against them, Dakshina Kannada superintendent of police (SP) Dr Amathe Vikram said. He said the arrested were identified as Nitesh, Sachin, Dinesh and Avinash - all natives of Belthangady taluk. The police have registered a case against the accused under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), and 506 (threatening with life) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). We will not allow anyone to take the law into their hands, the SP added. Meanwhile, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) workers visited the hospital and urged the police to take stringent action against the accused. Certain topics detailing the circumstances around Mahatma Gandhis assassination were among those removed from Class 12 textbooks last year as part of syllabus cuts meant to lower the burden on students wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) said on Wednesday. HT Image The clarification came in response to a report in the Indian Express that highlighted the deletion of topics that mentioned Mahatma Gandhis views on Hindu-Muslim unity antagonised extremist Hindu organisations and that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was banned for some time. NCERT director Dinesh Prasad Saklani said the changes were made and incorporated last year on the recommendations of subject experts and not for any political considerations, but he admitted that the details of the excluded portions may have, by oversight, not been mentioned in a list of rationalised topics released last June. NCERT doesnt take decisions on its own. These topics were rationalised last year on recommendations of the subject expert panel. One should not see that through the political prism. In this case, only a few lines have been removed. The important and relevant facts about Mahatma Gandhi are still there in the textbook. It is very much there that Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse, Saklani said. The idea behind rationalising the syllabus was to reduce students burden amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Any extra line or paraphrase would have invited extra questions in the exam, he added. Saklanis remarks came as Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accused the government of distorting history and whitewashing with a vengeance through the removal of certain content from NCERT textbooks. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hit out at the BJP and the RSS over the issue, saying no matter how much they try, they cannot erase history. After prominent Kannada film actor Sudeep Sanjeev, popularly known as Kichcha Sudeep, announced that he would campaign for the BJP in the forthcoming Karnataka Assembly elections, Congress MP Randeep Surjewala mocked Sudeep's show of support and said: "6.5 crore Kannadigas will determine the Karnataka elections, not actors." Kannada actor Kichcha Sudeep said that he has agreed to support the party only for Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai.(AFP) Speaking to news agency ANI, the Congress MP said, BJP can influence anybody. Let them influence. Karnataka elections will be decided by 6.5 crores Kannadigas brothers and sisters and not by film actors. Also read | On Prakash Raj's far more sensible tweet, Kichcha Sudeep says he might say Sudeep earlier confirmed his support for the saffron party during a press conference and said: I have come here to announce my support to Basavaraj Bommai, whom I adore and call him 'Mama' with affection and respect. Bommai Mama has stood by me during my difficult times. On being asked if he agrees with the ideology of BJP, Sudeep said, "As a citizen, I totally respect certain decisions PM Modi has taken, but that's my perspective. But that has got nothing to do with me sitting here today". Karnataka CM Bommai also said that Sudeep doesn't belong to any political party. Read - Congress announces first list of 124 candidates for Karnataka assembly elections Assembly elections in Karnataka are scheduled to be held on May 10 and the counting of votes will take place on May 13. Earlier in the day, an alleged threat letter was received by Kichcha Sudeep's manager Jack Manju and Sudeep's family members after which the police registered a case in the matter. He claimed that he knows the person who sent him the letter, adding that it was by someone from the film industry. "Yes, I have received a threat letter and I know who sent it. I also know, it was by someone from the film industry. I will give them a fitting reply," he told reporters at Bengaluru airport. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON BHUBANESWAR: The Enforcement Directorate has registered a case against Ramesh Swain, considered one of Odishas biggest imposters who was arrested by the state police last year on charges that he married 27 women in 10 states and cheated them of lakhs of rupees. The Odisha police also arrested one of Swains wives, Dr Kamala Sethi, his stepsister and driver. All of them have been granted bail by Orissa high court. (Sourced) Swain, also known as Bibhu Prakash Swain, was arrested in 2011 on charges of cheating people in Hyderabad of 2 crore, promising seats in MBBS courses for their children, and in 2006 for allegedly defrauding 13 banks in Kerala of 1 crore through 128 forged credit cards. In the Odisha case, police also arrested one of Swains wives, Dr Kamala Sethi, his stepsister and driver. All of them have been granted bail by Orissa high court. An ED official said the agency is in touch with the state police to access the documents seized from the suspect that would indicate how the 66-year-old laundered the proceeds of crime over the years. The official added that Swains financial transactions will be investigated and that the agency may seek his remand for questioning at some point. Swain was arrested on February 13 by a special squad of Odisha police that had been tracking him for eight months. He was arrested based on a complaint filed by one of his wives, a Delhi-based woman, in May 2021. She met him through a matrimony site in 2018 and got married. He had claimed to be the deputy director general in the health ministry. Swain is said to have rented at least three apartments in Bhubaneswar, where he would keep three wives at the same time, according to a police officer who has questioned him. His wives told the police that he would often tell his wives to lend him money and once he got the money, the search for the next wife would begin. Among the women that he married were an assistant commandant of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, a chartered accountant from Chhatisgarh, a doctor in Assam, two advocates of the Supreme Court and the Delhi high court and an officer of the Kerala Administrative Service. He would slink away for days together, saying he had an urgent inspection of medical colleges. After marriage, he would often tell his wives to lend him money, pleading that government has frozen his bank account for some reason. Once he got the money, he would look for another wife, the officer said, requesting anonymity. Amid the raging controversy over the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) allegedly removing certain portions on Mughal courts from class 12 history textbooks, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Wednesday took a swipe at the BJP government. Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal has reacted to the controversy over NCERT's alleged removal of certain portions on Mughal history from class 12 textbooks. (PTI) Taking to Twitter, Sibal remarked that the decision was in sync with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharat, where modern Indian history begins from 2014. The BJP government came to power at the Centre in 2014. Referring to reports that some parts of the 2002 Gujarat riots and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were excluded from the revised editions, the former Congress leader wrote, "NCERT textbooks: Effaced: 1) Gandhi's pursuit of Hindu Muslim unity 2) Banning of RSS 3) All references to Gujarat riots 4) Protests that turned into social movements in contemporary India. Consistent with Modi ji's Bharat modern Indian history should start from 2014!" Also read: Govt deleting Mughal history, China erasing present: Owaisi's jab However, NCERT director Dinesh Prasad Saklani on Tuesday told news agency ANI reports on the chapters on Mughals being dropped were false. It's a lie. (Chapters on) Mughals have not been dropped. There was a rationalisation process last year because due to COVID, there was pressure on students everywhere, he said. Calling it a transition phase under National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which is under the process of implementation, he said that the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for school education will be finalised soon. Textbooks will be printed in 2024 as per NEP. We have not dropped anything right now, Saklani asserted. Adding that childrens knowledge will not be affected by removing the unnecessary burden, the NCERT chief said an expert committee had recommended the dropping of the chapter. It was earlier reported that the state and CBSE board schools in Uttar Pradesh will incorporate the new textbooks into the current academic session. HT had earlier reported that the NCERT has removed topics related to Kings and Chronicles: The Mughal courts from the history book Themes of Indian History-Part II and Rise of popular movements, Era of one-party dominance from the politics textbook Politics in Indian since Independence taught in class 12. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON After actor-politician Prakash Raj called Kichcha Sudeep a far more sensible citizen to fall prey to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Kannada superstar on Wednesday said he respects Raj as a filmstar. Several media reports speculated Kichcha Sudeep's induction into the BJP which Prakash Raj termed as fake news and alleged that a desperate BJP was spreading it ahead of the Karnataka assembly polls. Karnataka chief minister BS Bommai and Kannada superstar Kichcha Sudeep. I strongly believe this is a Fake news spread by the desperate ,loosing BJP in Karnataka. @KicchaSudeep is far more sensible Citizen to fall prey (sic), Prakash Raj said in a tweet. When asked about his reaction to the tweet, Kichcha Sudeep said, Prakash Raj might say what he wants to say but I respect him as a filmstar. I'm looking forward to his films. He was addressing a press conference in Bengaluru alongside chief minister Basavaraj Bommai in Bengaluru where he extended his support for the BJP leader. The actor, however, dismissed speculations about him contesting the upcoming state elections and said he will only campaign for the BJP. "It is for some of the people he wants me to support. When I tell him that I'm supporting him I will go by what he wants [and] his requirements. I cannot campaign for everybody," Sudeep said. Earlier in the day, an alleged threat letter was received by Kichcha Sudeep's manager Jack Manju and Sudeep's family members after which the police registered a case in the matter. He claimed that he knows the person who sent him the threat letter, adding that it was by someone from the film industry. "Yes, I have received a threat letter and I know who sent it. I also know, it was by someone from the film industry. I will give them a fitting reply," he told reporters at Bengaluru airport. "They know me and my residential address, which is why they sent the letter by post. I will bring everything out. I will reply to the threat letter," he added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON All India Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday said the removal of all references to the 2002 Gujarat riots from NCERT books will make our kids intellectually poorer and susceptible to hate. Owaisi said that teaching the youth about the Gujarat riots would have made them learn from the mistakes of their elders. Hyderabad: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi addresses a press conference, in Hyderabad, Tuesday, April 4, 2023. (PTI Photo)(PTI04_04_2023_000345B)(PTI) The removal of texts from new class 12 NCERT textbooks, including Mahatma Gandhi's pursuit of Hindu-Muslim unity irking the extremists and the ban on the RSS for some time, has sparked a political row. Truth is that Godse belonged to Sangh & was a close friend of Savarkar. RSS was banned & Savarkar was implicated in Gandhis murder. The day isnt far when books will justify Godse & say 'we should hear both sides', Owaisi said in a tweet. Who knows, Why I Killed Gandhi may even become a lesson in moral science. In June last year, the NCERT rationalised the syllabi of Classes 6 to 12 to reduce the burden on students. Among the changes made was the removal of all references to the 2002 Gujarat riots, Cold War, and Mughal courts, industrial revolution. Some Dalit writers were also dropped from a Class 7 textbook. Teaching youth about Gujarat 2002 pogrom was important so that they learn from the mistakes of their elders. Removing it from syllabus will make our kids intellectually poorer & susceptible to hate, Owaisi added. In the Class 12 History textbook titled Themes in Indian History-3, a paragraph has been revised in the chapter Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement. The revised paragraph reads, At his daily prayer meeting on the evening of 30 January, Gandhiji was shot dead by a young man. The assassin, who surrendered afterwards, was Nathuram Godse. Earlier, it read: Gandhiji was shot dead by a young man. The assassin, who surrendered afterwards, was a Brahmin from Pune named Nathuram Godse, the editor of an extremist Hindu newspaper who had denounced Gandhiji as an appeaser of Muslims. In thenew Class 12 political science textbook, a reference to how Gandhis steadfast pursuit of Hindu-Muslim unity provoked Hindu extremists so much that they made several attempts to assassinate Gandhiji has been deleted. That Gandhi was particularly disliked by those who wanted Hindus to take revenge or who wanted India to become a country for the Hindus, just as Pakistan was for Muslims has also been deleted. The Indian Express was the first to report the deletions from the revised textbooks published for the academic year 2023-24. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi on Wednesday hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the recent violence in the state during Ram Navami celebrations, alleging that the saffron party creates riots. BJP wants riots to happen. The government will conduct an inquiry in which the truth will come out, she told the media. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Rabri Devi (ANI Photo) Also read: Bihar violence: CM holds high-level meet; announces 5L for kin of deceased On Friday, a violent clash broke out between two groups during a Ram Navami procession near Gagan Diwan Mohalla under Laheri police station in Biharsharif, and a day later, in Bihars Nalanda district and Sasaram town in Rohtas district - in which one person died, and at least 10 were injured. According to reports, the two groups in Biharsharif pelted stones and fired at each other. While in Sasaram, six people were injured in a bomb explosion. In view of the violence, the district administration suspended the mobile internet services in Rohtas and Nalanda. On Wednesday, the suspension was extended for another 48 hours. The internet services are suspended till April 6. It will be restored if the situation remains normal and peaceful, District Magistrate Bihar Sharif, Nalanda, Shashank Shubhankar told ANI. Meanwhile, after the violent clashes in Bihar and West Bengal, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday issued an advisory to all states to maintain law and order ahead of Hanuman Jayanti. "MHA has issued an advisory to all states in preparation for Hanuman Jayanti. The governments are encouraged to ensure the maintenance of law and order, peaceful observance of the festival, and monitoring of any factors that could disturb communal harmony in society," the MHA's statement read. (With inputs from agencies) Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Maharashtra government after meeting the Thane police commissioner regarding the alleged assault of a woman party worker by rival Shiv Sena workers. Thackery said that the woman worker, Roshni Shinde, was pregnant and was taking In vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) leader Aaditya Thackeray during a march against the alleged attack on a party worker by workers of Shiv Sena in Thane,(PTI) Speaking to reporters in Thane, Aaditya Thackeray alleged that farmers' suicide and violence against women are on a rise in Maharashtra under the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena coalition. In a state where law and order situation is so bad, in a state where farmers are committing suicide, in a state where atrocities on women are increasing, this is not the rule of Hindutva, it is the rule of Ravana and they have no right to go to Ayodhya, Thackeray said. He appealed to the "moral conscience" of the Thane police commissioner Jai Jeet Singh and asked him to take action in an objective manner and not only listen to the chief minister. A political slugfest started in Maharashtra after Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray dubbed Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis a "worthless" home minister and sought his resignation after a woman worker, Roshni Shinde, was allegedly attacked by activists of the rival Shiv Sena over her `derogatory' Facebook post on chief minister Eknath Shinde. The assault was caught on camera and went viral on Tuesday night, but the police refused to register a complaint. After hearing about the incident, Uddhav Thackeray rushed to Thane with his wife Rashmi Thackeray and son MLA Aaditya Thackeray to boost the morale of his party workers. "Maharashtra has got a worthless home minister. A helpless and servile man is the home minister here. He was not ready to act when his own party men were attacked by the 'Mindhe' (a derogatory term Thackeray's party uses for Eknath Shinde) group," Thackeray told reporters. "Should one call him (Shinde) the chief minister or a goonda mantri? I am not saying that, but people will decide. They should have a minister in charge of the goonda department when they expand their cabinet," a fuming Thackeray said. Speaking in Nagpur, Fadnavis said Thackeray had been a "weak" chief minister who couldn't ask two ministers in his cabinet who were jailed to resign, an apparent reference to Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik (both NCP MLAs). "I can respond to him (Thackeray) in the same language, but I will not use that kind of language. Uddhav Thackeray is frustrated. He was chief minister for two-and-a-half years but he never stepped out of his residence. He did all his work from home and never went among people, and people know it," he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Supreme Court on Wednesday set aside the Centres broadcast ban over national security concerns on Malayalam news channel channel MediaOne. A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice Hima Kohli rapped the home ministry for making claims out of thin air while asserting that a free press is crucial in a democracy. In 2022, MediaOne's license renewal request was refused by the Centre. The channel had telecast comprehensive reports around the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests around the country in 2020. In 2022, its license renewal request was refused by the Centre. The court added that a channel cannot be banned on the grounds of it being considered as anti-government. The apex court was hearing the plea of the channel against the Kerala High Court's order which had upheld the Centre's decision. Also read | Cant disclose reasons for seeking ban on MediaOne: Centre Here are the top 5 quotes of the Chandrachud-led bench: National security claims cannot be made on the basis of thin airto deny people their rights...it was raised by the MHA in a cavalier manner in this case. Centre can't claim absolute immunity against investigative reports when such reports impact rights of people & entities. Press has a duty to speak truth to power. The State can't impose unreasonable restrictions on the press as it would have a chilling effect on freedom of the press. Critical views of the channel MediaOne on policies of the government cannot be termed anti-establishment. The use of such a terminology in itself represents an expectation that the press must support the establishment. Courts should appoint an amicus curiae to assess the claims of confidentiality and assist the court in coming out with a reasoned order. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON When 24-year-old Shahrukh Saifi left his Shaheen Bagh home at 9 am on the morning of March 31, ostensibly for work, and did not return that night, his family was wracked with worry. For a day, they waited and made calls, but his phone was switched off, and there was no word. On April 2, they went to the Shaheen Bagh police station to make a missing persons complaint. Their worst fear was that he was dead. Shahrukh Saifi has been accused of using petrol to set fire to co-passengers on a Kerala train on April 2. (PTI) But at 10 am on April 4, when a Kerala police team knocked on their front door, his disbelieving family was confronted with a version of events that was even worse. Saifi was alive, the police team said, but accused of using petrol to set fire to co-passengers on the Alappuzha-Kannur InterCity Express on April 2. In the commotion that ensued, nine people were injured, and three people, including a child, who jumped from the burning train, lost their lives. On April 5, the Maharashtra Police confirmed that Saifi had been arrested from Maharashtras Ratnagiri. His motive is yet unclear. What we hear sounds worse than death to our ears. I cannot imagine that my soft-spoken grandson is a killer. There has to be some confusion, Akhtari Begum, Saifis grandmother said. The oldest of three brothers, Saifi lives with his parents, siblings and grandmother in a two-storey home of Abul Fazal Enclave 2, the road that leads to the home narrow and unpaved. A room on the top floor is rented out to another family, and the other three rooms in the structure is where the six member family resides. On Tuesday, when the police arrived at the home, they wanted his parents to lead them to Saifis bedroom. They were angry when I told them he had no separate room, and the family slept where they found space. They took away some books and gadgets, said his father Fakruddin. Family members and neighbours said that Saifi had completed school, studying up to class eight in a private school, and the other four in a government school, and worked as an apprentice in his fathers carpentry business. From what I know, he would only move between his familys carpentry workshop in Shaheen Bagh and a furniture shop they did business with in Noidas Nithari, said Mohammad Aslam, a neighbor and family friend. So, when he left home, ostensibly for Nihari at around 9 am on March 31, his family thought it was just another work day. But when I tried to call him that afternoon, I couldnt reach him. Thereafter, his phone remained switched off, his father Fakruddin said. He said that when the police teams told the family that he had allegedly carried out the attack in Kerala, and was arrested from Maharashtra, there was a sense of disbelief. My son has never visited these places earlier. I do not understand why he would travel so far to kill unrelated innocent people, Fakruddin said. Locals described Saifi as quiet and reserved, and while the family is still deciding on a future course of action, his father alleged that his two younger sons, and some other relatives were picked up by the police for questioning. A police officer, who didnt want to be identified, said the persons picked up for questioning were let off later in the day. Rajesh Deo, deputy commissioner of police(south east) said, No one from his family or friends have been detained. And when he was reported missing (on April 2), we followed protocol and began investigations. NEW DELHI: Sri Lankan high commissioner Milinda Moragoda stressed the importance of economic integration between Sri Lanka and India while addressing the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) on Wednesday. Sri Lankan high commissioner Milinda Moragoda addressed the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India (EAC-PM) at the invitation of its chairman, Bibek Debroy. (Twitter/SLinIndia) Moragoda addressed the council at the invitation of its chairman, Bibek Debroy, at the organisations office at NITI Bhavan in New Delhi. Over the past few weeks, several Sri Lankan leaders have sought a greater role for India in the island countrys economic recovery following an unprecedented crisis. The envoys address to the council dealt with key areas related to India-Sri Lanka relations, particularly bilateral economic integration and cooperation. Moragoda stressed the importance of economic integration between the two countries and requested the council to assist in that process through policy guidance, according to a statement issued by the Sri Lankan high commission. Moragodas address was based on the policy roadmap, Integrated Country Strategy for Sri Lanka Diplomatic Missions in India 2021-23. He also answered questions from members of the council. The Economic Advisory Council advises the government on economic and related issues. Over the past few months, Moragoda has met several key Indian officials, including principal secretary to the Prime Minister, PK Mishra, cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba, finance secretary TV Somanathan, and NITI Aayog chairman Parameswaran Iyer to discuss bilateral economic cooperation. India provided aid worth almost $4 billion, including lines of credit to purchase food, fuel and medicines and deferred payment of loans, to Sri Lanka last year. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Allahabad high court to take up on April 10 the plea filed by senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khans son Mohammad Abdullah Azam Khan seeking suspension of his conviction in a 15-year-old case for staging a dharna on a state highway. Abdullah Azam Khan (Hindustan Times) The Supreme Court also asked the high court to consider passing an order at the earliest since the election process for the Suar assembly seat, in Uttar Pradesh, vacated by him is to commence on April 13. Abdullah Azam Khan had approached the top court for staying his conviction in a 2008 case where he was held guilty of assaulting, use of criminal force against a public servant to deter him in discharging his duties. The trial court order of February 13 convicted him under Section 353 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and awarded him two years maximum punishment. Due to this, he incurred disqualification under the Representation of Peoples Act. Within two days, the Uttar Pradesh Assembly secretariat disqualified him. The bench of justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna noted that Khan had already filed a petition in the Allahabad high court for the stay of conviction. On March 17, the HC issued notice to the state government and directed the matter to be taken up after three weeks. Aggrieved by this interim order, Khan approached the top court apprehending that the EC will declare election to the Suar assembly seat left vacant by his disqualification. On March 29 when the top court took up Khans petition, the Election Commission announced election schedule to Suar constituency which declared the notification for poll to be issued on April 13. The court order said, We direct the appellant shall be present before the high court on April 10. We request the high court to call the case in question. The respondent (UP government) will cooperate in taking up the application (for stay of conviction). Referring to the EC decision to conduct polls, the bench further added, Needless to say, the high court will bear in mind the need for passing order at the earliest, while referring to the EC deadline for issue of poll notification. The state government represented by additional solicitor general (ASG) KM Nataraj informed the court that as on date, there is no election notification and it is up to the petitioner to request the HC for an early date. NEW DELHI Sealed cover procedures violate both principles of natural justice and open justice, the Supreme Court held on Wednesday, guiding the courts in the country to do away with the practice of relying on reports that are usually submitted by the Centre and states confidentially to help the courts reach final decisions. Sealed cover procedure, added the court, also leads to a non-reasoned order . (ANI) Disapproving of the sealed cover procedure, a bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, held that such a practice infringes the core of the principles of natural justice -- the right to a fair and reasonable hearing. Secrecy broods partiality, corruption and other vices that are antithetical to a governance model that is premised on the rule of law, said the bench, which also included justice Hima Kohli as it set aside the Kerala high court order affirming the Centres ban on Media One channel after relying on certain materials shown only to the judges in a sealed cover. Noting that neither the Centre nor the high court disclosed even the summary of the reasoning for denying security clearance to the channel, the court rued that the freedom of press which is protected under Article 19(1)(a) has effectively been trumped without providing them with an effective and reasonable avenue to challenge the decision. When relevant material is disclosed in a sealed cover, the bench said, there are two injuries that are perpetrated. First, the documents are not available to the affected party. Second, the documents are relied upon by the opposite party (which is most often the State) in the course of the arguments, and the court arrives at a finding by relying on the material. In such a case, the affected party does not have any recourse to legal remedies because it would be unable to (dis)prove any inferences from the material before the adjudicating authority, it pointed out. According to the bench, sealed cover procedure perpetuates a culture of secrecy and opaqueness, and places the judgment beyond the reach of challenge when the affected party would be unable to contradict errors, identify omissions, challenge the credibility of informants or refute false allegations. Sealed cover procedure, added the court, also leads to a non-reasoned order, which again perpetuates the non-application of judicial mind in assessing the veracity of the inputs and the nexus of the reasons to the order cannot be adjudicated upon if the reasons are not disclosed. It came down heavily both on the Centre and the high court for depriving the channel of the basic right to procedural fairness and natural justice. MHA (the ministry of home affairs), by not disclosing the reasons for denying security clearance, has rendered MBLs (Madhyam Broadcasting Ltd) procedural guarantees otiose. The summary of reasons for denying security clearance constitute the core irreducible minimum of the procedural guarantees under Article 14 (equality before law). By not disclosing the summary of reasons, MHA has undertaken an unreasonable and arbitrary means to fulfil its purpose, it said. The bench noted that the procedure followed by the high court left the channel in a maze where it was attempting strenuously to fight in the dark. The non-disclosure of reasons for denial of security clearance to the appellants and the disclosure solely to the court in a sealed cover has restricted the core of the principles of the natural justice -- the right to a fair and reasonable proceeding, it said. Instead of sealed cover procedure, the Supreme Court rooted for public interest immunity (PII) proceedings, where the material sought to be kept confidential by the State is removed from the process of adjudication so that neither any party nor the adjudicator can rely on such material. The bench called PII a less restrictive tool that allows the court to peruse the material and decide whether it should be kept away from the process of adjudication. At the same time, the court said the constitutional principle of procedural guarantees would require the appointment of an amicus curiae to balance concerns of confidentiality with the need to preserve public confidence in the objectivity of the justice delivery process. It said the amicus shall represent the interest of the applicant seeking disclosure of the material and would also get access to the secret documents to be able to assist the court effectively. In certain cases, the bench held, the courts could adopt the course of action of redacting the confidential portions of the document and providing a summary of the contents of the document instead of opting for the sealed cover procedure to fairly exclude the document from the proceedings on a successful public interest immunity claim. In all the cases, the court must pass a reasoned order for allowing or dismissing the claim in open court, said the bench, adding the redacted material from the reasoned order shall be preserved in the court records which may be accessed by the courts in future, if the need arises. While it would be beyond the scope of this judgment to lay down the possible situations when the sealed cover procedure can be used, it is sufficient to state that if the purpose could be realised effectively by public interest immunity proceedings or any other less restrictive means, then the sealed cover procedure should not be adopted, concluded the top court. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Supreme Court on Wednesday quashed the Centre's refusal to grant security clearance to Malayalam news channel MediaOne and pulled up the Union Home Ministry for raising national security claim out of 'thin air'. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud-led bench said critical views of a media organisation can't be termed anti-establishment. MediaOne case: Supreme Court said security concerns can't be cited out of thin air to ban a channel. The CJI-led bench said the Centre can't claim absolute immunity against investigative reports when such reports impact the rights of people and entities. "National security can't be raised to deny people their rights...it was raised by the MHA in a cavalier matter in the case," the bench noted. Read | Centre suspends transmission of Malayalam news channel MediaOne The State can't impose unreasonable restrictions on the press as it would have a "chilling effect" on free press and freedom of the press, the Apex Court noted. "Press has a duty to speak truth to power," the bench said. "The critical views of the channel MediaOne on policies of the government cannot be termed anti-establishment. The use of such a terminology in itself represents an expectation that the press must support the establishment," the Supreme Court said. Read | Cant disclose reasons for seeking ban on MediaOne: Centre What is the MediaOne channel ban case? In 2020, MediaOne TV was banned for 48 hours after the I&B ministry objected to its coverage of Delhi violence and said it violated the provisions of the Cable Television Network Rules 1994. In 2022, the channel was taken off air as its license was not renewed. The government cited 'security' concerns but did not reveal any details. Many of the investors of the channel are believed to be members of the Kerala chapter of Jamaat-e-Islami, which could be the reason for the ban, reports said. The channel approached the high court which deferred the operation of the ministry's ban order. In February 2022, a single-judge upheld the decision of the ministry. It said that some material was handed over to the court in a sealed cover. Those material prove that there is a sufficient reason for the ban. A division bench also upheld the ban following which the channel approached the Supreme Cour which stayed the ban last year allowing the channel to resume its operation. The Supreme Court on Wednesday cancelled the ban and also criticised the practice of submitting information to the court in sealed cover. "Sealed cover procedure infringes the principles of natural justice and open justice," the top court noted. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Following the expanded meeting of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, a ceremony of signing documents has been held. Minister of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mikayil Jabbarov and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan Sirojiddin Muhriddin signed an Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan on cooperation in the field of land utilization, land relations, cadastre, geodesy, cartography, remote sensing and geographic information system. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan Rakhimzoda Ramazon signed an Agreement on cooperation between the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan. Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Republic of Tajikistan Alimirzamin Asgarov and head of the Customs Service under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan Karimzoda Khurshed signed a Protocol between the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Customs Service under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan on arranging exchange of preliminary information on goods and vehicles transported between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Tajikistan. Minister of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mikayil Jabbarov and Chairman of the National Bank of Tajikistan Kholiqzoda Hokim signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Financial Monitoring Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Financial Monitoring Department under the National Bank of Tajikistan on cooperation in the exchange of financial intelligence information in the field of money laundering, related predicate crimes and terrorism financing. Minister of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mikayil Jabbarov and Minister of Economic Development and Trade of the Republic of Tajikistan Zavqizoda Zavqi signed an Action Plan for economic cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan until 2025. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Tajikistan Hakimzoda Qurbon signed a Roadmap on strengthening cooperation in the field of agriculture between the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Tajikistan for 2023-2024. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan Sirojiddin Muhriddin signed a Program of cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan for 2023-2024. First Deputy Minister, acting Minister of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan Adil Karimli and Minister of Culture of the Republic of Tajikistan Davlatzoda Zulfiya signed a Memorandum on cultural cooperation between the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tajikistan for 2023-2024. Minister of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mikayil Jabbarov and Chairman of the State Committee on Investment and State Property Management of the Republic of Tajikistan Qodirzoda Sadi signed a Draft agreement in the field of investments, start-up promotion and entrepreneurship between the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the State Committee on Investment and Property Management of the Republic of Tajikistan. Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Republic of Tajikistan Alimirzamin Asgarov and Chairman of the Committee of Tourism Development under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan Muminzod Kamoliddin signed a Memorandum on cooperation in the field of tourism between the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Committee of Tourism Development under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan. Chairman of the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan Taleh Kazimov and Chairman of the National Bank of Tajikistan Kholiqzoda Hokim signed a "Memorandum of Understanding between the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the National Bank of Tajikistan". Minister of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mikayil Jabbarov and Chairman of the State Committee on Investment and State Property Management of the Republic of Tajikistan Qodirzoda Sadi signed a "Memorandum of Understanding between the Export and Investment Promotion Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan and State Unitary Enterprise Tajinvest under the State Committee on Investment and State Property Management of the Republic of Tajikistan. Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Shusha district Aydin Karimov and Chairman of the city of Isfara of the Republic of Tajikistan Bahovaddin Bahodurzoda signed a "Protocol on the establishment of twinning relations between the city of Shusha of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the city of Isfara of the Republic of Tajikistan". Chairman of the Board of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan Orkhan Mammadov and Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Tajikistan Jamshed Jumakhonzoda signed a "Memorandum of Understanding between the Small and Medium Business Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Tajikistan". By striking down the action of the Union government in cancelling uplinking and downlinking permission to the Madhyamam Broadcasting Limited (MBL)-run Media One news channel, the Supreme Court on Wednesday may have set a precedent that could not only sound a virtual death knell on sealed cover procedures but also remind the other courts of their duty of ascertaining compliance with the principles of natural justice and the open court system. PREMIUM New Delhi, Jan 10 (ANI): A view of the Supreme Court building, the apex judicial body of India, in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI Photo) (Sanjay Sharma) To understand this, a little background to the case is essential. MBL approached the top court claiming violation of principles of natural justice in three forms. The company which runs the news and current affairs channel Media One was not allowed to continue transmission of its channel on January 31 last year after it was denied security clearance by Ministry of Home Affairs. That this was a non-reasoned order which formed the first plank of its arguments. Second, the underlying material to deny it security clearance was never disclosed and finally, in the Kerala high court, when it asked to know the reasons, the same was again denied when the high court closed the matter after examining the material placed before it in a sealed cover. In arriving at this conclusion, the bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud and justice Hima Kohli had to wade through the prevailing practice in foreign jurisdictions on the issue of admissibility of documents on which privilege is claimed. The judges posed to themselves a question whether national security can be an overwhelming ground to deny procedural guarantees to a citizen and finally, in the event of concerns of national interest and principles of natural justice, which concern should prevail. The judgment of the Court while dealing with MBLs arguments of being denied a fair hearing before the Kerala high court which accepted the Centres sealed cover to dismiss the companys petition on February 8 and March 2 last year, said that sealed cover procedures result in a non-reasoned order giving no scope for the affected party to seek judicial redress. Commenting on what went wrong in the case, the bench referred to international practices . In its 134-page judgment, the bench traversed through jurisdictions of foreign countries to understand how they treated the subject. The Court noted a 2011 judgment of the Supreme Court of United Kingdom which recognised that the closed material procedure causes a greater degree of harm as compared to so-called public interest immunity. Also read: Supreme Court refuses to entertain plea of 14 parties alleging misuse of CBI, ED The court distinguished between a sealed cover procedure and a public interest immunity (PII) proceeding. In a sealed cover proceeding, there are more restrictions on disclosure compared to PII proceeding, as prevailing in some common law countries, which is less restrictive. The PII proceeding essentially meant that the confidential portions of the documents would be redacted from the file and a summary of the contents of the document be shared with the other side. The bench found that courts in India, the United Kingdom, and Canada have held that the non-disclosure of relevant material affects public interest, and the interests of the party seeking disclosure. The non-disclosure of information injures the principle of open government which is one of the basic premises of a democracy... It denies the citizens an opportunity to initiate a discussion or question the functioning of the government, the judgment said. When it came to courts in the United States, the judgment found them to be deferential to the claim of non-disclosure, particularly on the grounds of national security. This was prevalent to such an extent that the court does not undertake a balancing exercise between the claims of disclosure and non-disclosure. This is also because the courts in the United States give prominence to the objective of non-disclosure as opposed to its effect, the bench said. It next examined Canada where the party seeking production of document is required to prove relevancy of the material sought after the PII claim is made by the state. The inclusion of the relevancy test as one of the tests imposes a heightened burden of proof than what is required otherwise, the top court observed. Once the injury due to disclosure is proved, the Courts in the UK and Canada follow the structured proportionality test to balance the conflicting claims of public interest, the top court noted. Laying down the test for courts to determine where sealed cover vis-a-vis PII proceeding is to be resorted to, the judgment said, While it would be beyond the scope of this judgment to lay down the possible situations when the sealed cover procedure can be used, it is sufficient to state that if the purpose could be realised effectively by public interest immunity proceedings or any other less restrictive means, then the sealed cover procedure should not be adopted. National security claims National security was one of the grounds cited by the government to deny disclosure of document to MBL. The court was clear that a claim cannot be made out of thin air without material backing . It examined the States claim and found that it had nothing to prove that non-disclosure was in the interest of national security. As a rule of guidance for courts in future when confronted with this question, the Court formulated a two-step test. The Court must assess the validity of the claim of purpose by determining whether there is material to conclude that the non-disclosure of the information is in the interest of national security and whether a reasonable prudent person would arrive at the same conclusion based on the material. In the case at hand, the court made it clear that judicial review would not be excluded on a mere mention of the phrase national security. The State is using national security as a tool to deny citizens remedies that are provided under the law. This is not compatible with the rule of law, the bench said. The security concern regarding MBL was its alleged link with Jamat-e-Islami- Hind, a socio-religious organisation. The Court on going through the MHA file found no evidence on the alleged link between the MBL shareholders and JEI-H. Even the other ground of confidentiality claimed by MHA to deny disclosure was not found by the court. Referring to the Intelligence Bureau inputs, the court noted: The report of IB is purely an inference drawn from information that is already in the public domain. There is nothing secretive about this information to attract the ground of confidentiality. Although the Centre argued that reports of investigative agencies enjoy blanket immunity from disclosure, the Court rejected this outright. It said: The reports by investigative agencies impact decisions on the life, liberty, and profession of individuals and entities, and to give such reports absolute immunity from disclosure is antithetical to a transparent and accountable system. Natural justice principles After finding no merit in the national security and confidentiality argument, the court was left to examine whether MBL made out a case of being denied a fair hearing based on priniciples of natural justice. The bench explained that these principles essentially require fulfilment of two rules audi alteram partem (rule of fair hearing) and nemo judex in causa sua (no person should be a judge of their own cause). MBL claimed that government did not comply with the first principle because the reasons for the denial of security clearance and the material relevant to the decision of revocation were not disclosed. The government claimed this was not essential as it concerned an issue of national security where the other side is not to be heard. Also read: 17 courts working in one court: Justice Gavai on benches of Supreme Court The bench formulated that principles of natural justice seek to achieve four purposes -- fair outcome, fair procedure, legitimacy of the decision and decision-making authority, and dignity of individuals. Natural justice principles breathe reasonableness into the procedure, it said. It further held: The non-disclosure of reasons for the denial of security clearance which is the sole ground for denying the permission to renew the license and the disclosure of relevant material only to the court in a sealed cover has rendered the appellants procedural guarantees under the Constitution otiose. The Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up the Nagaland government and the state election commission for violating its direction last month to implement 33% reservation for women in the upcoming urban local body polls and stayed the decision of March 30 cancelling the elections to 36 town councils and three municipal councils to be held on May 16. Supreme Court of India (Representative Photo) A bench of justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Ahsanuddin Amanullah said, You (Nagaland government), as well as the state election commission, are in breach of the order of this Court. Our March 14 order is quite clear that any endeavour to tinker with the election process would be in breach of the order of this Court. Nagaland assembly in September 2012 cancelled the 33% quota for women provided under Part 1X-A of the Constitution which was challenged by the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) in the Supreme Court in 2016. Though the assembly withdrew the resolution in November 2016, the letter of the law was not implemented due to opposition from state tribal leaders. Also Read: Nagaland civic polls cancelled; women leaders object repeal of municipal act On Wednesday, PUCL mentioned an application before the Supreme Court apprising it of the March 30 decision and the attempt being made to defeat the Courts directions. To this, the bench said, This is not acceptable. We will not allow this to happen. The state government counsel was present in Court and informed the bench that it was in the process of filing an application. The bench issued notice on the PUCL application demanding contempt action to be initiated against Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio, the chief secretary and the state election commissioner and posted the matter for hearing on April 17. The Court further ordered, In the meantime, the order of March 30 cancelling the election programme is stayed. The Court also asked the Centre to respond on a specific prayer in the application to ensure elections be held under the watch and guard of central paramilitary forces. In its order of March 14, the Supreme Court had noted the concerns of violence apprehended by the state government in going ahead with the polls. The Court said, Local elections with reservations of women cannot be postponed under such threats. The elections have to be held. It ordered the state election commission and Nagaland government to make all arrangements for the conduct of free and fair elections and said, Any violation by any authority or citizen in breach thereof would be an act in breach of the orders of this Court. Following the Courts order, on March 29 the Nagaland assembly repealed the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2001 under which the election process was announced. With the Act gone, the Nagaland election commission issued a subsequent order on March 30 cancelling the election schedule. Challenging the two orders of March 29 and 30, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves appearing for PUCL said, The elections to be held in Nagaland as ordered by this Court have been cancelled with the consent of the chief minister. The PUCL application referred to resolutions passed by various associations of urban local bodies threatening to disallow people of Nagaland to participate in elections. On March 27, the tribals hohos of Nagaland wrote to the state government raising certain demands to be met before conducting the elections. The hohos sought a guarantee that 33% women reservation does not infringe Article 371-A and proposed that the tenures or the time duration of the application of 33% women reservation be fixed. They desired that such reservations should not exceed more than two tenures. Until and unless the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 is reviewed and rewritten, urban local body election may be deferred, the hohos demanded. Also Read: Nagaland assembly resolves to repeal Nagaland Municipal Act It was after resolution, the assembly passed another resolution to repeal the 2001 Act in toto. The present resolution was in stark contrast to a consultative meeting held by the state government with tribal leaders and all stakeholders on March 9 where civil society groups, church organisations, tribal hohos, political parties and NGOs unanimously resolved to participate in the polls. All efforts are underway to sabotage the process of conducting free and fair elections, fuelled by political parties, with 33% reservation for women as provided by the Constitution of India and that this Court has finally ordered after over a decade of struggle by the women of Nagaland, stated the application filed by advocate Satya Mitra. The state achieved a milestone recently when the Assembly polls conducted early this year led to two women getting elected, with one of them even becoming a minister in the state cabinet, a first in the history of the state. On March 14, the Court commented, It is a peculiar scenario in the state. Society is educated and egalitarian in many ways. But somehow, this issue of gender (equality) still remains. In the custodial torture case against suspended IPS Balveer Singh, one of the affected families alleged that two minor boys were also allegedly tortured in custody on March 10 inside the Ambasamudram police station in Tamil Nadus Tirunelveli district. One of the victims family claims IPS Singh tortured two minor boys in custody. (Representational Image) I could hear my son crying inside the police station, said Rajeshwari at a press conference in Chennai on Wednesday accompanied by her elder son, Arun Kumar, 22 and younger son, 17. Arun Kumar showed five of his broken teeth at the press conference while his younger brothers identity was protected. The 17-year-old was taken into custody along with his friends of age 16 and 28 along with Kumar inside the Ambasamudram police station on March 10. According to victims who spoke to HT earlier, the issue started as a small dispute between two groups. E Esaikumuthu, one of the victims explained to HT on March 28 that it was an issue of an intercaste love interest between his family who belong to the Nadar community, the prevalent community in Tirunelveli and the other group who belong to the Scheduled Castes. Arun Kumar on Wednesday said that a person Subhash from Esakimuthus family attacked his friend Mahendran on March 10. Aruns younger brother and his friends had come in search of him. This is when the police rounded them all up and one group was Rajeshwaris sons and friends totalling four. In the other group there were six including Esakimuthu, his brothers Chellappa and Mariappan. All nine of them were taken to the Ambasamudram police station on March 10th. Both groups say that assistant superintendent of police (ASP) Balveer Singh kept shouting gang war repeatedly at them without letting them speak. Esakimuthus younger brother Chellappa was called first inside a room in the police station and they could hear him scream. After the case came to light, more than a dozen men have complained that Singh pulled out their teeth and Esakimuthu and Mariappan have said that the police officer crushed their testicles which led to his suspension and an investigation against him. Kumar reiterated that Singh changed from his uniform to track pants, a white vest and white gloves. Police in the station held everyones hands and legs while Singh used stones to break their teeth. ASP would come to each of us, ask who is doing rowdyism and break our teeth, Kumar said. ASP broke five peoples teeth from their side and two from our side. He made us clean so much blood. Then he changed back to his uniform. With a lathi he beat me all over my body. He hit both my palms and heels 20 times each, on my head, shoulders and below my knee. By this time, Rajeshwari was sent away from the Ambasamudram police station. Later, her sons and friends were shifted to V K Puram police station, she said. Around 3pm I saw my sons in the V K Puram police station. My older sons three teeth were broken into pieces, the mother said, adding that she saw another person for whom four teeth were brother. My son was shirtless and his pants were full of blood. He was crying a lot. He was sprawled on the floor. My younger son was made to stand in his underwear. He cried asking me to take him away because he was in pain. He said that the police hit him a lot, Rajeshwari said. Her 17-year-old son is a college student in neighbouring Thoothukudi district. His two friends had swollen lips and a broken finger, she added. She said that police told her that they were bleeding because they fell down and sent her to bring back change of clothes for both her sons and their two friends. She was also asked to arrange two cars to take them from the police station to the hospital and the magistrate. Rajeshwari showed a receipt from Selvam Cabs which she had booked and also a Google pay of 2500 made to one of the police personnel for their food. Around 6.30pm Kumar said that ASP Balveer came to the V R Puram police station. He took a stone again and said if anyone does rowdyism Ill break your leg. He also told us not to say that we were hit, Kumar said. Once the police knew they had custody of two minors, they produced them in front of the Juvenile Justice Board to be sent to an observation home. We were there for eight days, the minor said adding that they were instructed not to say that they were beaten. Madurai-based human rights NGO, Peoples Watch aided the familys press meet in Chennai. Advocate and executive director of the NGO, Henri Tiphange said that the case shows that the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 has been violated. One such is that uniformed police cannot be with juveniles, Tipahnge said. There has been no principle of innocence applied. What mistake did he make? He went in search of his brother. If an enquiry was conducted, police would have known. The wrongdoers must also be booked under the SC/ST prevention of atrocities act, he said. More cops face action Meanwhile, Tamil Nadus police department has ordered for six personnel in Tirunelveli to be placed on Vacancy Reserve which means the police have to report to the headquarters without any posting. This action has been taken against S Chandramohan (inspector, Ambasamudram police station), B Rajakumari (inspector, Kallidaikurichi Circle) A Perumal (inspector, V K Puram Circle), N Sakthi Natarajan (sub-inspector, Ambasamudram sub-division), M Santhanakumar (special branch staff, Ambasamudram police station) and V Manikandan (additional special branch staff, Ambasamudram). Previously, on Monday, the superintendent of police (SP) in Tirunelveli, P Saravanan was put on compulsory wait in connection with the case. Tamil Nadus home department announced the order with immediate effect and for Thoothukudi SP L Balaji to hold full charge until further orders. Earlier, on Sunday two constables (Bogan and Rajkumar) were transferred to the armed reserve amidst victims saying that police are pressuring them to turn hostile. On Wednesday night, the home department made N Silambarasan the new Superintendent of Police of Tirunelveli District. Silambarasan currently the Deputy Commissioner of Police, South, Coimbatore City. Singh, a batch 2020 officer, was in his first posting as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in Ambasamudram in Tamil Nadus Tirunelveli district. While the sub-divisional magistrate Cheranmahadevi and the State Human Rights Commission is conducting an enquiry on the complaints, chief minister M K Stalin announced in the assembly last week that he has ordered for Singhs suspension. Even as the DMK led government is being criticised for not filing an FIR against Singh, the IPS Officers Association Tamil Nadu Chapter (TNIPSA) on Tuesday called for a stop of the media trial in the case. Peoples Watch condemned TNIPSAs statement. They posed seven questions to TNIPSAs president Abhash Kumar inlcuding if the association has verified CCTV footage from the police stations where the alleged custodial torture has been reported. Clean your houseMr Abhash Kumar IPS --before issuing this kind of statement, said Peoples Watch. Media exposition and public pressure alone have led to the few follow-ups that we are witnessing today whether it is the suspension of Balveer Singh IPS and putting him on a compulsory waitlist; placing SP Saravanan again on a compulsory wait list SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A day after Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar demanded chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to reveal his post-graduate degree certificates, he alleged on Wednesday that he was detained by police in a late night operation. The BJP MP accused the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) of political vendetta by arresting him for questioning the ruling party. Telangana BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar. (ANI) Sharing visuals from the scuffle that ensued over polices attempts to take him into custody, he wrote, Fear is real in BRS.! First they stop me from conducting press meet & now arrest me late in night. My only mistake is to Question BRS govt on its wrong doings. Do not stop questioning BRS even if I am jailed. Jai Sri Ram ! Bharat Mata ki Jai ! Jai Telangana ! In the videos, a team of officers is seen at the BJP MP residence in Karimnagar, before dragging Sanjay into the police van amidst protests from supporters and party workers. According to news agency ANI, he was taken to Bommala Ramaram police station in Nalgonda district for alleged involvement in the secondary school exam question paper leaks. Holding the KCR government responsible for the leakage of question papers of Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) and class 10, Sanjay had earlier called for the resignations of KCR and son K T Rama Rao from the Cabinet. Also read: Bandi Sanjays remark on Kavitha stirs triggers row According to the latest report, an FIR has been registered against Sanjay in Karimnagar and Warangal districts for protests led by BJP workers on the secondary school examination paper leak and instigating students which may pose a threat to law and order in the state. State general secretary Premender Reddy told ANI that it was an illegal operation to disrupt the prime ministers scheduled visit to Telangana on Saturday to flag off the Vande Bharat Express train from Secunderabad to Tirupati. Alleging that the action was initiated for calling out the KCR-led government for the TSPSC paper leak, he said, "What was the need for this action against a Member of Parliament at midnight? What are the crime and case? They are not telling us anything. Reddy added that the party would launch a state-wide protest against the arrest. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya also took to Twitter to condemn the BRS government. In a midnight operation, Telangana police has arrested BJP state President Bandi Sanjay Kumar on fabricated charges of being involved in secondary school paper leak. This wont end well for KCR, Malviya wrote. While BJP leader Bangaru Shruthi moved a habeas corpus petition in the high court against the arrest of Sanjay, party workers organised protests outside the police station where the state chief was being held, as per ANI. Sanjay was later taken for a medical examination to a local hospital in Palakurthi, while party workers tried to stop the convoy and held demonstrations against his detention. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president and Lok Sabha MP Bandi Sanjay was arrested by the Warangal police after he was named as the mastermind in leakage of a Class 10 question paper a day ago, officers said. Telangana BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay being detained by the police from his residence after midnight in Karimnagar, on Wednesday. (PTI) BJP leaders and workers held protests across the southern state, calling unconstitutional the arrest of Sanjay, who represents Karimnagar constituency in the Lok Sabha. Late in the evening, a local court in Warangal remanded the state BJP chief to two-week judicial custody. Also read: Telangana announces cool roof policy to reduce impact of heat on buildings Warangal police commissioner AV Ranganath told reporters that Sanjay was arrested after police gathered concrete evidence about his involvement in Class 10 Hindi question paper leak. The BJP state president was booked under Section 5 of the Telangana Public Examinations (Prevention of Malpractice and Unfair means) Act, 1997, besides Section 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy) and Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code, Ranganath said. After images of a Class 10 Hindi question paper surfaced on the social media platform, police took up the investigation and apprehended a 16-year-old boy and arrested two others on Tuesday, who include a journalist and a lab assistant who had allegedly circulated the question paper on the app. Subsequently, Sanjay Kumar was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday along with another accused, a driver, police said, adding a total of 10 people have been named as accused in the case and five are absconding. When Sanjay was produced before Hanamkonda principal magistrate Anitha Rapolu, his lawyers claimed that it was a case of political vendetta and he was being fixed in the case for questioning the failure of the state government in preventing the leakage of question papers. In the first information report (FIR), registered by Kamalapur police in Hanamkonda district, Sanjay has been named as accused number 1 (A-1), besides nine other people, including a juvenile as accused. Of the other nine accused, three people journalist Boora Prashant, lab assistant G Mahesh and driver M Shiva Ganesh have arrested, the police commissioner said, adding the juvenile has been apprehended. Five others are absconding. Providing the details, Ranganath told reporters that Sanjay had spoken to Prashant on Monday evening and instructed him to exploit the situation of the SSC paper leak in Vikarabad the same day. The MP told Prashant that if a similar question paper leak could happen on Tuesday, it would defame the government and show it as a failure of the state government, Ranganath said. Also read: BJP MP distances himself from Bandi Sanjay's derogatory remarks about K Kavitha We feel that they wanted to create a sense of insecurity among students. There is no political motive in filing cases. This (the leakage of papers) was done under the direction of Bandi Sanjay, he added. The senior officer further said the leaked question paper found its way into the phones of several BJP leaders, including former minister and legislator Etela Rajender. Technical evidence by analysing the call details of the phones of the accused and WhatsApp chats of Prashant with Sanjay proved beyond reasonable doubt that Sanjay was involved in a conspiracy regarding the leaking and copying of the question papers on April 4, Ranganath said. The commissioner said the juvenile, along with his friend, wanted to help another write the examination at the Uppala Government School under Kamalapur police station limits. On Tuesday, the minor went through the rare gate inside the school at 9.30 am after the examination had begun. The teenager then went to the first floor and with the help of a mobile phone took a photo of the question paper. He then shared it with others and subsequently, it went viral, he said. Prashant circulated the question paper to his media friends on WhatsApp and also shared it with Sanjay and BJP MLA Eatala Rajender. According to call data records, Prashant had made 146 calls to various people, including Sanjay in about an hour, the commissioner said. He added that Sanjay refused to surrender his mobile phone to the police. If we can get access to it, the entire conversation with Prashant can be disclosed. We are confident of breaking the conspiracy in a couple of days, Ranganath added. Earlier, Sanjay was picked up from his residence by the Karimnagar police in the early hours of Wednesday, amid stiff resistance from his family members and BJP workers. He was first shifted to the Bommalaramaram police station in Yadadri-Bhongir district, from where he was taken to Palakurthy. Meanwhile, a tense situation prevailed all over Telangana, with the BJP leaders and workers resorting to agitations against Sanjays arrest. Workers of the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), too, held protests at several places in Hyderabad, Warangal and Karimnagar demanding Sanjays expulsion from Parliament for conspiring against the state government. Amid protest, police arrested BJP MLAs Eatala Rajender and M Raghunandan Rao, besides party general secretary G Premender Reddy and others, while they were leading demonstrations in Karimnagar and Hanamkonda. Calling it a case of illegal arrest, the BJP also filed a petition in the Telangana high court seeking immediate release of Sanjay. BJP general secretary and Telangana in-charge Tarun Chugh said Bandi Sanjays arrest would prove to be the last nail in the coffin of chief minister K Chandrashekar Raos repressive regime. He added: Our national leadership has taken this brazen attempt very seriously and KCR will pay heavily for his sins. BRS leader and state finance minister T Harish Rao alleged that the state BJP president was also behind the leakage of the Telugu question paper on Monday at Tandur. While Prashant involved in the Warangal case is a BJP party worker, the teacher involved in the Tandur incident is a member of a BJP-affiliated teachers organisation, he alleged, accusing the BJP of playing with the future of students for political gain. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A meeting of opposition parties which was called by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader and Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin has formed a body called All India Federation for Social Justice and made two key demands: a national census of backward communities (caste census) and reservations in the private sector. While the demands are not being raised for the first time, their reiteration by a meeting of opposition parties shows that reservations and caste census are going to be major political issues in the run-up to the 2024 general elections. Here are four charts which explain the political economy behind the renewed push for social justice politics. PREMIUM Technically speaking, India has not conducted a caste census since 1931. (Hemant Padalkar/HT Photo) Demand for a census to count OBCs is aimed at generating political legitimacy for higher reservations Technically speaking, India has not conducted a caste census since 1931. The decadal census the 2021 census has been indefinitely delayed by the Narendra Modi government only counts Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) groups. However, this does not mean that we have no idea about the demographic share of people who do not belong to SC-ST groups. There are various government surveys in India which give a share of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and persons who do not belong to SC-ST-OBC communities. Almost all of them put the share of OBCs upwards of 40%. To be sure, even the Mandal Commission report OBC reservations in India are a result of its recommendations had arrived at a 27% quota for OBCs by a deductive method to preserve the cap of 50% on all kinds of reservations. The population of OBCs, both Hindu and non-Hindu, is around 52% of the total population of India. Accordingly, 52% of all posts under the Central government should be reserved for them. But this provision may go against the law laid down in a number of Supreme Court judgments wherein it has been held that the total quantum of reservation under Articles 15(4) and 16(4) of the Constitution should be below 50%. In view of this, the proposed reservation for OBCs would have to be pegged at a figure which when added to 22.5% for SCs and STs, remains below 50%. In view of this legal constraint, the Commission is obliged to recommend a reservation of 27% only, even though their (OBC) population is almost twice this figure, the report says. While the 50% cap was preserved for a long time, the Narendra Modi government breached it by announcing 10% reservations for economically weaker sections (EWS) who do not belong to SC-ST-OBC communities. Since the decision has been ratified by the Supreme Court, it has generated traction for the idea that the overall quota for reservations can be pushed further. This is exactly what is encouraging demands for a caste census to count OBCs. Once the census results show that the share of the OBC population is much higher than 27% -- this is a given demand for a concomitant increase in OBC quota will be made. Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, the deputy chief minister of Bihar and Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) leader made this clear in the meeting on March 3. Our government has begun conducting a census in Bihar and the results are expected soon. Based on the outcome, we will decide on the quantum of reservation, he said. As is obvious, parties making these demands are hoping that such a demand will receive a big traction among OBCs in India. The importance of the OBC vote in BJPs post-2014 dominance As the single largest social group in India, OBC voters play a crucial role in making or breaking political fortunes in India. Data from CSDS-Lokniti National Election Studies shows that the BJP has doubled its vote share among OBCs between the 2009 and 2019 elections and bulk of these voters have shifted from non-Congress parties. The shift of OBC voters from regional parties to the BJP has been particularly pronounced between the 2014 and 2019 elections. Regional opposition parties realize that unless they can win back the OBC voter from the BJP, it is impossible to defeat the BJP in the 2024 elections. Will the promise of higher reservations resonate with OBC voters? India has seen a proliferation of agitations demanding reservations in the past two decades. Most of them have involved dominant peasant castes which have seen a squeeze on their socio-economic status because of the viability crisis in agriculture. An HT analysis of the PLFS data shows that OBCs do fare poorly when it comes to share in both government and private sector salaried jobs. This suggests a potential for political support behind an agitation which demands an increase in OBC quota in government and reservations in the private sector. But dominant-OBC capture of Mandal parties might limit the class appeal of Mandal 3.0 India saw a massive upper caste backlash to two rounds of OBC reservations; the first in jobs in 1990 and the second in central educational institutions in 2006. However, given the importance of OBC voters, no serious political party has ever taken an explicit stand against OBC reservations. The BJP, especially its ideological parent RSS, realized the costs of doing this in the 2015 Bihar assembly elections after the opposition exploited Mohan Bahgwats statement asking for a review of reservations to decimate the BJP. The BJP has since improvised its political pitch on OBC politics by arguing that the Mandal parties have betrayed the cause of upward mobility for all OBCs by ensuring the political and economic benefits of OBC assertion in politics are limited to a handful of dominant OBC sub-castes. The fact that BJPs support among OBCs is primarily among the non-dominant OBCs shows that this appeal has worked. The Narendra Modi government has also formed the Rohini Commission (and given multiple extensions to it) to explore the sub-stratification of OBC reservations. While a concrete acceptance or rejection of dominant OBCs capturing maximum benefits of reservations thesis will take a comprehensive socio-economic census, anecdotal data does support such claims. For example, the average asset levels of Samajwadi Party (SP) and BJP candidates in the 2022 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh were nearly identical. If the opposition wants to argue that the BJP represents a party of big capital and is against socio-economic equality, its grassroots organisation and its parliamentary representation will have to be a more inclusive representation of the poor OBC constituency to which the demand for caste census wants to appeal. This will require nothing short of a purge in regional parties. It is here that the proponents of Mandal 3.0 will face their biggest organisational challenge. Abhishek Jha contributed to the data analysis for this story Enjoy unlimited digital access with HT Premium Subscribe Now to continue reading Start 14 Days Free Trial Already Subscribed? Sign In SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday said that the recent violent clashes in the state during Ram Navami celebrations are a planned conspiracy to fuel riots. Speaking to the media, he asserted that the government will take strict action. I met the chief minister and DGP and they have expressed their views that those who are involved in this will not be spared, he said. Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav. (HT File Photo) Also read: Bihar violence: CM holds high-level meet; announces 5L for kin of deceased We are seeing that Bihar is being targeted continuously. Earlier an attempt was made to make Bihar fight with the people of Tamil Nadu and now these riots. We will not tolerate it, the deputy CM said. Earlier in the day, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar took a dig at union home minister Amit Shah over his rioters will be hung upside down statement. The riots last week were planned thoroughly. No wonder, one of the places, Sasaram, happened to be where he (Amit Shah) was supposed to visit. And the other was Bihar Sharif, a town that is dear to me, he added. Also read: Rabri Devi slams BJP on Bihar violence: The truth will come out Tensions prevailed in Bihar after a violent clash broke out between two groups during a Ram Navami procession near Gagan Diwan Mohalla under Laheri police station in Biharsharif last Friday. A day later, another clash broke out in Bihars Nalanda district and Sasaram town in Rohtas district - in which one person died, and at least 10 were injured. On Monday, another explosion took place in Sasaram. Soon after the clashes, the district administration suspended mobile internet services - which has been extended for another 48 hours on Wednesday. (With inputs from ANI) Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging the party is projecting the personal legal battle of Gandhi as a fight for democracy. New Delhi, Apr 05 (ANI): Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia speaks about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleging that the party was playing with the countrys democracy, in New Delhi on Wednesday. (ANI Photo) (ANI) They are doing everything to stay politically relevant. This is not a fight for democracy but an individual. Any criticism of this falls short, he told reports. Also read: 'How Rahul Gandhi's personal legal fight becomes...' Jyotiraditya Scindia Scindias comments come in the wake of continuous protests by the Congress against the disqualification of Gandhi from the Lok Sabha. Gandhi was disqualified as a member of Parliament on March 24, a day after he was sentenced to two years in jail by a Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case. Scindia accused the Congress of pressuring and intimidating the judiciary by taking its army of leaders and supporters to Surat when Gandhi filed appeal in a court there earlier this week. A special honour is being given to Rahul ji by the Congress. When he went for bail, he took the entire army of leaders. If this is not an attempt to pressure the court, then what is? the minister said. In the last few days, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party are putting pressure on the judiciary ; they have made his personal legal fight into a fight for democracy. Scindia, who quit the Congress and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2020, further said that Rahul Gandhi was not the first parliamentarian to be disqualified from the Lok Sabha. (Late AIADMK chief) Jayalalithaa and (Samajwadi Party leader) Azam Khan were disqualified in past, Scindia said. But why is there is so much hue and cry this time? Why are people wearing black clothes? Congress MPs have protested Gandhis disqualification by sporting black. Reacting to Scindias comments, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said: When Mr Scindia talks about doing things to stay politically relevant, I can think of his own example. To stay politically relevant, he changed his party, he changed his friends, he changed his loyalties and he is giving us a lecture on how to stay politically relevant. Khera added: As far as pressurising the judiciary is concerned, Union law minister Kiren Rijiju is constantly issuing threats to the judiciary, so we should ask Mr Scindia to advice his colleague to not threaten and pressurise the judiciary. His reference is to Rijijus constant criticism of the Supreme Courts collegium model of judicial appointments. Also read: 'India to become largest aviation market in next decade,' says Scindia Khera said the Congress is fighting to demand for a JPC (joint parliamentary committee) probe into allegations of wrongdoing by the Adani Group and against a conspiracy to shun Rahul Gandhi. The Congress and other opposition parties have been seeking the creation of a JPC to look into the report by Hindenburg Research that alleged that the Adani Group indulged in fraud and stock price manipulation. The groups promoter Gautam Adani is seen to be close to Prime Minister Modi. On Monday, a sessions court in Surat admitted Rahul Gandhis plea against conviction in the 2019 criminal defamation case that saw him expelled from Parliament. The court extended his bail till April 13, the next date of hearing on the plea. Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday made a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleging that the party was playing with the countrys democracy. The union minister added that the party was disrupting Parliament to stay politically relevant. (Jyotiraditya M Scindia | Facebook) Scindias comments come in wake of the Congress continuously holding protests against the disqualification of Gandhi. This is now clear that Congress will leave no stone unturned to reach a new low and to play with Indias democracy. They are doing everything to stay politically relevant. This is not a fight for democracy but an individual. Any criticism of this falls short, Scindia said while addressing media persons. A special honour is being given to Rahul ji by the Congress. When he went for bail, he took the entire army of leaders. If this is not an attempt to pressure the court, then what is? In the last few days, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party is putting pressure on the judiciary and how they have threatened it and made his personal legal fight into a democratic legal fight, Scindia added. Also Read: How Rahul Gandhis personal legal fight becomes... Jyotiraditya Scindia The union minister added that the party was disrupting Parliament to stay politically relevant. Scindia also said that Gandhi wasnt the first parliamentarian to be disqualified from the Lok Sabha. Jayalalithaa and Azam Khan were disqualified in past, he said. But why is there is so much hue and cry this time? Why are people wearing black clothes, Scindia said. Reacting to Scindias comments, Congress MP Adhir Chowdhury said the former should explain to the Congress why the partys demand for a JPC probe into the alleged Adani case is wrong. The BJP deployed former Congressmen to criticise us. What is your problem with the black colour? PM Modis bodyguards too wear black. Unlike you, we love all colours and not only saffron, Chowdhury said. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera also hit out at Scindia for his comments. Its funny how Jyotiraditya Scindia talks about political relevance because he himself changed his party to be politically relevant and it is rather surprising how Scindia is tutoring the Congress about staying relevant. Our fight is about the demand for a JPC against the Adani issue and how a conspiracy is being painted to shun Rahul Gandhi. This whole fight is to preserve the wellbeing of democracy and Scindia wont understand this. We even want to give a piece of friendly advice to PM Modi... Scindias political career was massively pushed by Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party, if he cant be ours, how will he be yours?, he said. While reacting to Scindias allegations that the Congress was pressurising the judiciary, Khera added, As far as pressurising the judiciary is concerned, union law minister Kiren Rijiju is constantly issuing threats to the judiciary, so we should ask Mr. Scindia to advice his colleague to not threaten and pressurise the judiciary. On Monday, a sessions court in Surat admitted Gandhis plea against conviction in the 2019 criminal defamation case that saw him expelled from Parliament. The court extended his bail till April 13, the next date of hearing on the plea. The Surat court has also asked respondents to file a reply by April 10 in the case. The case was filed against Gandhi based on a complaint lodged by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi for his alleged remark, How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?. The complainant had claimed that the controversial remark was made at a rally at Kolar in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections that has defamed the entire Modi community. In the wake of China unilaterally renaming 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh, the United States (US) has reiterated its long-standing position of recognising the state as a part of Indian territory and opposing unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during a press briefing at the White House. (AP) Asked about the Chinas move at a White House press briefing on Tuesday, the White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, The United States has recognised that territory for a long time. And we strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by renaming localities. And so, again, this is something that we have long stood by. The American position dates back to 1962 and has been consistently reiterated by successive administrations since. But with the tensions along the India-China border escalating, there has been a renewed support for Indias claims. Earlier this year, two powerful senators introduced a bipartisan resolution reaffirming that the Senate too recognised Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India. The White House also welcomed ambassador Eric Garcettis imminent departure for India. After the longest period of not having an ambassador in New Delhi in the history of the relationship, the Senate finally confirmed Garcettis nomination in mid-March. Vice president Kamala Harris swore-in the envoy, who has been meeting different stakeholders, both in the US government and outside, as he prepares for his assignment. Garcetti, a former mayor of Los Angeles, hasnt made any public remarks yet and is expected to do so after presenting his credentials to the President Droupadi Murmu, after arriving in Delhi. When asked what was the presidential message Garcetti was carrying, Karine Jean-Pierre said that the relationship with India is one of the most consequential relationships the US has in the world. Ambassador Garcetti will be leading an ambitious effort to deepen our cooperation with India in critical and emerging technologies, expand our defence cooperation, and strengthen our economic and people-to-people ties. Having Garcetti in office in Delhi is expected to help with the intense diplomatic calendar that lies ahead in terms of high level engagements between the two countries this summer. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden are expected to meet four times on Hiroshima on the sidelines of the G7 summit and in Sydney during the Quad leaders level summit in May, in Washington, when Modi pays his first state visit to the American capital in June, and in New Delhi when Biden visits India for the G 20 summit in September. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON LUCKNOW: In February, Uttar Pradesh announced the culmination of its global investor summit, sharing details that 35 of its departments signed around 20,000 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with various entities for investments in projects worth 35 lakh crore. Uttar Pradesh faces the big challenge of providing suitable land to investors to execute the agreements. (HT Archive) Now, as the entities involved start working on the projects -- MoUs do not necessarily translate into projects in the ground -- Uttar Pradesh faces the big challenge of providing suitable land to investors to execute the agreements, people aware of the matter said. According to these people , the government has received proposals related to 3,500 MoUs that together require 75,000 acres of land (this is almost half the size of Lucknow city). On March 27, chief secretary Durga Shankar Mishra issued guidelines, directing officials to identify government or private land for the projects. It is too early to figure out as to how much land will be required to execute around 20,000 MoUs as the exercise to identify projects needing land is still incomplete, industrial infrastructure development commissioner Manoj Kumar Singh said. However, I am told that proposals for 75,000 acres of land required for 3445 MoUs have been received so far, he said, caveating that in some cases, investors may already have land available for projects they want to set up. Singh admitted that arranging land for the projects is a challenge. But all efforts are being made to successfully meet the challenge by taking a number of steps in this regard, besides the government having created land bank for the purpose, he added. For instance, the MoUs concerned solar projects alone require 40,000 acres of land, according to UPNEDA director Anupam Shukla. Theguidelines issued by the chief secretary said that district-level MoU implementing units headed by the district magistrates will be responsible for making land available to investors and ensuring time-bound clearances. Investors will be required to file a form online for allotment of land for a project and the applications will be forwarded to the districts concerned, according to the guidelines. In case of requirement of government land for a project, the DM concerned will forward the request to the industrial development authority . In case of requirement of private land, the DM concerned will identify such land, they added. District MoU implementing unit/industrial development authority will inform the DM of availability of land or submit report on non-availability of land within 15 days of receiving the application, said the guidelines. Investors will have the choice to choose any of the land options suggested by the DM or reject them. A senior official of the industry department said: As we could see there is no dearth of investors eager to invest in UP and there is no lack of banks/ other financial institutions willing to give loan for projects. But the availability of undisputed, affordable and suitable land for setting up the new projects does remain a challenge and all possible steps are being taken to address this. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The West Bengal government on Wednesday based on the directions of the Calcutta high court decided to deploy paramilitary forces in three districts of the state, including Hooghly, Barrackpore and Kolkata ahead of Hanuman Jayanti celebrations on Thursday, a senior official privy to the matter said. Hooghly: Security personnel deployed as train services resume at violence-affected Rishra area, following clashes between two groups during a 'Ram Navami' procession, in Hooghly district. (PTI) Earlier in the day, the high court had directed the state government to seek assistance of paramilitary from the Centre during the Hanuman Jayanti celebrations in order to avoid any breach of peace. The division bench of acting chief justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya in an order stated: Considering the largeness of the issue and in order to avoid any breach of peace, the state government should requisition the assistance of paramilitary forces from the central government. The assistance of the paramilitary forces will definitely help the state police. Violent clashes had broken out in Howrah, Hooghly and Uttar Dinajpur districts last week and again earlier this week centering around the Ram Navami celebrations. Meanwhile, police said that the security personnel will be deployed in sensitive areas and the places where violence took place recently. There will be an ample number of state police forces deployed at sensitive areas in the state and also at those places where violence was witnessed recently, Apart from that, we have decided to deploy three companies of paramilitary forces in Kolkata, Hooghly and Barrackpore, an official said.We will abide by the high court orders, said a senior officer of Kolkata police. The court was hearing a petition filed by BJP legislator and leader of the opposition in the state legislative assembly Suvendu Adhikari seeking NIA probe into the clashes and deployment of central forces. The police have also issued at least 27 dos and donts for those seeking permission for Hanuman Jayanti rallies. All India Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday criticised the political parties for taking the issue of alleged misuse of central probe agencies to the Supreme Court and said the outcome has given the ruling BJP an opportunity to justify the action. Owaisi said that the opposition parties should have taken it to the masses and explained it to them how the Bharatiya Janata Party are settling scores by using agencies. AIMIM chief and Lok Sabha member Asaduddin Owaisi.(PTI) As many as 14 political parties, led by the Congress, had jointly filed a petition in the Supreme Court alleging arbitrary use of central probe agencies against opposition leaders and sought a fresh set of guidelines governing their arrest and remand. The apex court refused to entertain the plea asserting that laying down guidelines without facts of a criminal case will be dangerous. (Also Read | Delhi judge rejects Manish Sisodias bail application in CBI case) When asked about his reaction on Supreme Court's refusal to entertain the plea, Owaisi said, This was a wrong step. This is not a correct way of doing politics when we are facing a formidable opponent like BJP headed by Narendra Modi. "The opposition parties going to the Supreme Court was an unwise decision. Now, this has given BJP an opportunity to say that whatever we are doing Supreme Court is supporting us," the Lok Sabha member said. This should have been taken to the masses and explained that this is what BJP is doing, they are settling scores by using agencies. But a wrong decision was taken. If you take a wrong legal decision, the (court's) decision will come which will benefit, unfortunately, the ruling party only. A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala expressed disinclination to entertain the petition, saying courts are always there for taking up the grievances of political leaders as they do for common citizens. Political leaders do not enjoy an immunity higher than the common citizens...once we accept that political leaders are absolutely on same footing as common citizens with no higher immunity, then how can we say there can be no arrests unless there is a three-pronged test which is satisfied, the bench said. Sensing its disinclination, senior advocate A M Sighvi, appearing for the political parties, sought permission to withdraw the petition which was granted. Learned counsel seeks permission to withdraw the plea at this stage. The petition is accordingly dismissed as withdrawn, the bench ordered. You please come back to us when you have an individual criminal case or group of cases, the bench said, adding laying down general guidelines without having relation to facts of a case will be dangerous. After the court's decision, Union minister Anurag Thakur hit out at the opposition parties saying they have been exposed." "Congress is leading the corrupts. Investigative agencies have rights to take action against corrupts, ANI quoted the minister as saying. Instead of cooperating in probe, Congress makes excuses to try and keep cases pending in courts. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In a move that will have a significant bearing on the evolving global order, Finland on Tuesday joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as its 31st member. Finnish president Sauli Niinisto suggested it was a great day for Finland and NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg called it a proud day for him and the alliance. PREMIUM For all the talk of Russias desire to step up ties with India, the challenges are mounting on multiple fronts. (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO) The Russian invasion of Ukraine has given a new sense of purpose to an alliance that even five years ago was seen as a relic of the past. This was made possible by the changing priorities of nations committed to military non-alignment earlier, such as Finland or Sweden. Russian President Vladimir Putin may have put the onus of his aggression on the West and its drive for NATO expansion, but his actions have further enhanced the attraction for NATO in Europe. He was reminded of this by United States (US) secretary of state Antony Blinken recently when the latter said he was tempted to say this is maybe the one thing we can thank Mr Putin for, because he once again here has precipitated something he claims to want to prevent by Russias aggression. There has been a lot of focus on the tactical and operational challenges that Russian forces have faced on the battlefield since the invasion last February. The Ukrainians with help from the wider West have outperformed the supposed military behemoth at every level. Logistical problems compounded by command and control issues have marred the performance of the Russian forces. The Ukrainians, motivated by the desire to defend their homeland, have been relentless in giving the Russians a fight at every step. They have done well on the battlefield, and managed to shape the global narrative in their favour. In contrast, Russia, convinced that it would decimate Ukraine in a matter of weeks if not days, finds itself outmanoeuvred. Facing an unprecedented rout, Russia has relied on nuclear rhetoric to keep the pressure alive. Most recently, this has taken the form of stationing tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, with Russias short-range Iskander-M ballistic missile system, capable of carrying nuclear weapons, being handed over to Belarus. But the real issues for Russia are at the strategic level. In one fell swoop, Russian aggression has managed to unite the West and forced it to relook at their post-World War II security posture. Even for a nation such as Germany, this has been a turning point in its strategic outlook. NATO has been revived and traditionally non-aligned nations have been forced to reassess their long-standing policy positions. In Finland, public support for joining NATO jumped to 80%, making the choice easy for the nations policymakers. For Russia, this has meant an ever closer embrace of China, but not as an equal. Putins junior partner status to Xi Jinping was clear during the latters visit to Russia. Identifying one another as priority partners on the international stage, the two nations vowed to firmly support each other when it came to territorial integrity. Targeting emerging coalitions such as Quad, they also expressed their opposition to the cobbling together of a closed and exclusive bloc structure in the Asia-Pacific region. In its place, they expressed their commitment to building an equal, open and inclusive security system in the region that did not target third countries. Behind all the rhetoric of a partnership of equals, it remained clear who needed whom more. In its recently released foreign policy strategy, Russia identified China and India as its main allies on the global stage while giving priority to the elimination of vestiges of the dominance of the United States and other unfriendly countries in world politics. Moscow wants to enhance cooperation with India to ensure its ability to withstand the destructive actions of unfriendly states and their alliances. Yet, for all the talk of Russias desire to step up ties with India, the challenges are mounting on multiple fronts. The Moscow-Beijing entente is causing consternation in New Delhi and defence ties the mainstay of the India-Russia bilateral relationship are under strain with the Indian Air Force publicly stating that Moscow is unable to fulfil its commitment to provide Indias military with essential defence supplies due to the Ukraine war. This is not a sustainable position to be in for a nation that is facing a formidable military adversary in China across the border. India will do its best to keep ties with Russia on an even keel but underlying realities are changing rapidly as New Delhi looks to alternative sources of military supplies even as it doubles down on strengthening its defence manufacturing base. There are fundamental structural changes shaping the security landscape in Europe and they are also casting their shadow on Indian foreign policy and national security. The expansion of NATO and the bolstering of its structure is causing ripples in national capitals across the world. Indias relations with Russia are also feeling the heat. New Delhi will be hoping for the best but it should be preparing for the worst. Harsh V Pant is vice-president, Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi and professor at Kings CollegeThe views expressed are personal. Samsung S series smartphones come with the assurance of a good brand. The phones from the Samsung S series smartphones range are renowned for their cutting-edge technology, elegant design and unique features. To keep up with all the features and functionalities, nevertheless, can be difficult given the abundance of models and their ongoing evolution. For this reason, we've put together a Samsung S Series list of the finest smartphones for your reference. This blog offers a range of knowledge to help you make the most of your Samsung phone, from basic advice to advanced training. Let's get started with the top 8 choices for a detailed overview of Samsung S Series smartphones! This buying guide offers all the information you need to know about your Samsung phone, from feature details to professional tips and tricks. Product list 1. Samsung Galaxy S23 5G (Green, 8GB, 256GB Storage) The most recent model to join the Samsung S series smartphone is the Samsung Galaxy S23 5G. This smartphone has 256GB of storage and an eye-catching green hue. It has 8GB of RAM, providing plenty of room for all of your apps, pictures, and movies. The Galaxy S23 5G is equipped with the most recent 5G technology, guaranteeing super-fast internet and improved performance. Other amazing features of the smartphone include a potent processor, a high-resolution display, several cameras, and a long-lasting battery life. Specifications: Brand: Samsung Model Name: Samsung Galaxy S23 Network Service Provider: Unlocked for All Carriers OS: Android 13.0 Cellular Technology: 5G Memory Storage Capacity: 256 GB Colour: Green Pros Cons Lightning-fast performance High cost 2. Samsung Galaxy S22 5G (Phantom Black, 8GB, 128GB Storage) along with No Cost EMI/Additional Exchange Offers The newest smartphone in the Galaxy S series is the Samsung Galaxy S22 5G. This Samsung S Series smartphone has 128GB of storage and 8GB of memory, and it is available in the stylish Phantom Black colour. Also, it has 5G connectivity, which guarantees faster internet and improved performance. A number of other amazing features, such as a potent processor, several cameras, and a long-lasting battery life, are also included with the Samsung Galaxy S22 5G. The gadget is offered with no-cost EMI and other exchange incentives to increase user accessibility. Specifications: Brand: Samsung Model Name: Samsung Galaxy S22 5G Network Service Provider: Unlocked for All Carriers OS: Android 12.0 Cellular Technology: 5G Memory Storage Capacity: 128 GB Connectivity technologies: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB Colour: Phantom Black Screen Size: 7 Inches Wireless network technology: Wi-Fi Pros Cons 5G connectivity No expandable storage 3. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 5G (Green, 12GB, 512GB Storage) The most recent flagship smartphone from Samsung, the Galaxy S23 Super 5G, is renowned for its top-notch hardware and software features. The device has 512GB of storage, 12GB of RAM, and a dazzling green colour, giving customers plenty of room to store all of their apps, pictures, and videos. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 5G uses the most recent 5G technology to deliver super-fast internet and improved performance. The device also has a number of other outstanding characteristics, such as a potent processor, high-resolution display, and numerous cameras. This Samsung S Series battery life is good. Specifications: Brand: Samsung Model Name: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Network Service Provider: Unlocked for All Carriers OS: Android 13.0 Cellular Technology: 5G Memory Storage Capacity: 512 GB Colour: Green Wireless network technology: Wi-Fi RAM Memory Installed Size: 12 GB Connector Type: USB Type C Pros Cons Impressive hardware and software features Fragility 4. Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G (Cloud Lavender, 8GB RAM, 128GB Storage) along with No Cost EMI & Additional Exchange Offers A strong Samsung S series smartphone, the Galaxy S20 FE 5G (Cloud Lavender, 8GB RAM, 128GB Storage) is renowned for its remarkable features and sophisticated style. An immersive viewing experience and breath-taking images are provided by the device's 6.5-inch Full HD + Super AMOLED Infinity-O display. It has a potent Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, 8GB of memory, and 128GB of internal storage, making it ideal for running demanding apps and multitasking. Triple rear cameras on the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G include a 12MP primary sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and an 8MP telephoto lens. A 32 MP front-facing camera is also included for superb selfies and video calls. Specifications: Brand: Samsung Model Name: Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G Network Service Provider: VoiceStream Wireless Provider Type OS: Android 11.0 Cellular Technology: 5G Memory Storage Capacity: 128 GB Connectivity technologies: 5g Colour: Cloud Lavender Pros Cons 5G connectivity Plastic Build 5. Samsung Galaxy S10e (Black colour, 6GB RAM, 128GB Storage) This strong and little Samsung S Series price is affordable. It offers a strong Snapdragon 855 engine, a 5.8-inch Full HD + Dynamic AMOLED display, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of internal storage. The phone has a 10 MP front-facing camera for selfies and video chats in addition to a dual-camera arrangement on the back with 12 MP wide-angle and 16 MP ultra-wide lenses. Also, the Samsung Galaxy S10e is equipped with a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, wireless charging, and Samsung's One UI software, which is based on Android 9.0 Pie. The Samsung Galaxy S10e is a fantastic option for people searching for a high-quality smartphone that won't break the bank thanks to its small size, strong performance, and premium features. Specifications: Dual rear camera setup: 16 MP with f2.2 aperture ultra wide + 12 MP with f1.5 and f2.4 aperture wide | 10 MP f1.9 front facing camera Memory, Storage and SIM: 6GB RAM | 128GB with internal memory that is expandable up to 512GB | Dual SIM (nano+nano) dual stand by (4G+4G) 3100mAH lithium-ion battery Android Pie version 9.0 operating system with 2.7GHz + 2.3GHz + 1.9GHz Exynos 9820 octa core processor 14.61 centimeters (5.8-inch) Dynamic AMOLED multi-touch capacitive touchscreen along with 2220 x 1080 pixels resolution, 438 ppi pixel density. Pros Cons Impressive hardware and software features Fragility 6. Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (Prism Blue, 8GB RAM, 128GB Storage) A top-of-the-line experience is provided by the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus, a high-end smartphone. A fast Snapdragon 855 engine, a sizable 6.4-inch Quad HD + Dynamic AMOLED display, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of internal storage are all included in this device. This Samsung S Series smartphone has three cameras: a 12 MP wide-angle lens, a 12 MP telephoto lens, and a 16 MP ultra-wide lens on the rear. It also has two front-facing cameras: a 10 MP main camera and an 8 MP depth sensor for beautiful selfies and video calls. Specifications: Brand: Samsung Model Name: Galaxy S10 Plus OS: Android 9.0 Cellular Technology: 4G Memory Storage Capacity: 128 GB Colour Prism: Blue Screen Size: 6.4 Inches Wireless network technology: Wi-Fi SIM card slot count: Dual SIM Resolution: 3040 x 1440 Pros Cons Large, high-quality display Expensive 7. Samsung Galaxy S9 (Midnight Black colour, 4GB RAM, 64GB Storage) The high-end smartphone the Samsung Galaxy S9 was unveiled in 2018. It has an Exynos 9810 Octa-core processor, a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display with resolution of 1440 x 2960 pixels, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal storage which could be expanded up to 400GB using a microSD card. The phone has a dual-aperture 12 MP rear camera for excellent low-light shooting, as well as an 8 MP front-facing camera provided for selfies and video calls. In addition, the Samsung Galaxy S9 has a fingerprint reader, wireless charging, an IP68 grade for water and dust resistance, and Samsung's own user interface built on top of Android 8.0 Oreo. Specifications: Brand: Samsung Model Name: Galaxy S9 OS Android: 8.0 Cellular Technology: 4G Memory Storage Capacity: 64 GB Colour: Midnight Black Screen Size: 5.8 Inches Wireless network technology: Wi-Fi SIM card slot count: Dual SIM Pros Cons Great camera Battery life could be better 8. Samsung Galaxy S20 (Cosmic Gray, 8GB RAM, 128GB Storage) along with No Cost EMI/Additional Exchange Offers In 2020, Samsung unveiled their flagship smartphone, Samsung S Series smartphone the Galaxy S20. It has a potent Exynos 990 or Snapdragon 865 processor, a large 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED display along with a resolution of 1440 x 3200 pixels, 8GB of RAM, and a 128GB internal storage which can be expanded to 1TB with a microSD card. A 12 MP wide-angle camera, a 12 MP ultra-wide camera, and a 64 MP telephoto camera are all included in the phone's triple camera configuration. A 10 MP front-facing camera for selfies and video calls is also included. The Samsung Galaxy S20 has wireless charging, a fingerprint reader, IP68 water and dust protection, 5G connectivity, an IP68 rating, and Samsung's own user interface built on Android 10. Specifications: Brand: Samsung Model Name: Samsung Galaxy S20 OS: Android Cellular Technology: 4G Memory Storage Capacity: 128 GB Connectivity technologies: GSM, 4G, 3G, 2G, WCDMA, TDD, FDD, LTE Colour: Cosmic Gray Pros Cons Powerful hardware Expensive Three best features for consumers: Product Feature 1 Feature 2 Feature 3 Samsung Galaxy S23 5G (Green, 8GB, 256GB Storage) 5G connectivity High-quality camera Large storage capacity Samsung Galaxy S22 5G (Phantom Black, 8GB, 128GB Storage) with No Cost EMI/Additional Exchange Offers 5G connectivity High-quality camera Powerful processor Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 5G (Green, 12GB, 512GB Storage) High-resolution display Advanced camera system Massive storage capacity and powerful processor Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G (Cloud Lavender, 8GB RAM, 128GB Storage) with No Cost EMI & Additional Exchange Offers 5G connectivity High-quality camera Large, high-resolution display Samsung Galaxy S10e (Black, 6GB RAM, 128GB Storage) Compact size Powerful performance Impressive camera Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (Prism Blue, 8GB RAM, 128GB Storage) Large Infinity Display Powerful performance Dual front-facing cameras Samsung Galaxy S9 (4GB RAM, 64GB Storage, Midnight Black) Super AMOLED Display High-Quality Camera Water and Dust Resistant Samsung Galaxy S20 (Cosmic Gray, 8GB RAM, 128GB Storage) with No Cost EMI/Additional Exchange Offers Dynamic AMOLED Display High-Quality Camera 5G Connectivity Apple on Wednesday shared a glimpse of its first-ever retail store for India, thus confirming long-standing reports of the tech giant being in talks to open its maiden outlet in the country. Called BKC Apple, the shop is in Mumbai, India's financial capital. The country's financial capital will be home to Apple's first-ever store in India. Hello Mumbai. We are getting ready to welcome you aboard our first store in India. And raring to see where your creativity takes you at Apple BKC, the Steve Jobs co-founded company said on its official website. Here is all you need to know about Apple BKC: (1.) Apple BKC is located inside the Jio World Drive Mall at Bandra Kurla Complex, from where it gets the BKC bit in its title. (2.) The outlet's design is inspired from Mumbai's iconic Kaali Peeli (black and white) taxis; the store will welcome its customers with the classic Apple greeting, Hello Mumbai. (3.) Though the company is yet to announce the date on which it will throw open the shop, reports state Apple BKC will commence operations in April itself. (4.) To celebrate its first outlet in India, Apple has created a special play list, which is available on Apple Music. It has also listed various services that people will be able to avail at the BKC store. (5.) It has also been reported that Apple will open a second shop in India, most likely in Delhi. The Mumbai outlet, however, will continue to be the flagship store. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A regional Australian mayor said he may sue OpenAI if it does not correct ChatGPT's false claims that he had served time in prison for bribery, in what would be the first defamation lawsuit against the automated text service. ChatGPT is owned by OpenAI.(AP) Brian Hood, who was elected mayor of Hepburn Shire, 120km (75 miles) northwest of Melbourne, last November, became concerned about his reputation when members of the public told him ChatGPT had falsely named him as a guilty party in a foreign bribery scandal involving a subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of Australia in the early 2000s. Also read: ChatGPT assists user to get 17,000 unclaimed money. Here's how Hood did work for the subsidiary, Note Printing Australia, but was the person who notified authorities about payment of bribes to foreign officials to win currency printing contracts, and was never charged with a crime, lawyers representing him said. The lawyers said they sent a letter of concern to ChatGPT owner OpenAI on March 21, which gave OpenAI 28 days to fix the errors about their client or face a possible defamation lawsuit. OpenAI, which is based in San Francisco, had not yet responded to Hood's legal letter, the lawyers said. OpenAI did not respond to a Reuters email out of business hours. If Hood sues, it would likely be the first time a person has sued the owner of ChatGPT for claims made by the automated language product which has become wildly popular since its launch last year. Microsoft Corp integrated ChatGPT into its search engine Bing in February. A Microsoft spokesperson was not immediately available for comment. "It would potentially be a landmark moment in the sense that it's applying this defamation law to a new area of artificial intelligence and publication in the IT space," James Naughton, a partner at Hood's lawfirm Gordon Legal, told Reuters. "He's an elected official, his reputation is central to his role," Naughton said. Hood relied on a public record of shining a light on corporate misconduct, "so it makes a difference to him if people in his community are accessing this material". Also read: Why ChatGPT unavailable in Italy, Russia, China, North Korea? Australian defamation damages payouts are generally capped around A$400,000 ($269,360). Hood did not know the exact number of people who had accessed the false information about him - a determinant of the payout size - but the nature of the defamatory statements was serious enough that he may claim more than A$200,000, Naughton said. If Hood files a lawsuit, it would accuse ChatGPT of giving users a false sense of accuracy by failing to include footnotes, Naughton said. "It's very difficult for somebody to look behind that to say 'how does the algorithm come up with that answer?'" said Naughton. It's very opaque. French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are set to arrive in China on Wednesday for a three-day state visit that will see them meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, reported Al Jazeera. Emmanuel Macron, France's president, right, with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen. (Bloomberg) Macron and US President Joe Biden agreed in a telephone call ahead of the French leader's trip to engage China to hasten the end of the war in Ukraine, the Elysee Palace said on Wednesday. "The two leaders have mentioned their joint willingness to engage China to accelerate the end of the war in Ukraine and take part in building sustainable peace in the region," Macron's office said in a statement. Macron is determined to carve out a distinct role for Europe that avoids America's confrontation with an assertive China, and convinced that there is a place for China in ending the war in Ukraine. Macron will be accompanied by a delegation of more than 50 CEOs and meet with the French business community, but all eyes will be on how he and von der Leyen discuss the war in Ukraine with the Chinese leadership, reported Al Jazeera. Meanwhile von der Leyen during a speech in Brussels last week publicly criticised Beijing's "no limits" ties with Moscow in the face of an "atrocious and illegal invasion of Ukraine". "Any peace plan which would in effect consolidate Russian annexations is simply not a viable plan. We have to be frank on this point," von der Leyen said, while also taking aim at China's increasingly assertive posture on the South China Sea, the Chinese-Indian border and Taiwan, reported Al Jazeera. "How China continues to interact with Putin's war will be a determining factor for EU-China relations going forward," she said. Also read: Putin became war criminal, says his elite security officer: Simply afraid Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the Tulazheldormash plant, Russian leading machine-building enterprise, in Tula.(AFP) Beijing said it was "disappointed" by her speech, according to its European Union ambassador Fu Cong. China has so far not condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It has avoided use of the word "war" to describe the Russian assault. It has embraced a "no-limits," anti-Western partnership with Moscow, cemented last month by President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia and the joint declaration of a "new era" freed of what the two countries see as American dominance, reported The New York Times (NYT). "The primary issue that Macron and von der Leyen will probably want to push on is to help get some support from China in dealing with Russia and to help advance on that front," Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, an associate research fellow at Sweden's Institute for Security and Development Policy, told Al Jazeera. "Realistically, I don't think we can expect much, but I think clearly everyone agrees that that's the priority." At the G20 summit in November, Macron called for China to play a "greater mediation role" in the war but Beijing has yet to advance its role beyond issuing a 12-point peace plan that has received a lukewarm response in Kyiv and Western capitals, reported Al Jazeera. It is to be noted that Macron is facing protest over his decision to raise the French retirement age. Macron's trip is his first to China since the COVID-19 pandemic erupted in early 2020, when Beijing effectively shut its borders to travel. The French leader last visited the country in 2019. His trip follows one made by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in November but it has already taken a different tone. Scholz's trip was widely criticised in Europe as too conciliatory towards Beijing, with the German leader's efforts to shore up the country's business interests taking precedence over pushing China to join the negotiating table over Ukraine. EU-China relations have deteriorated sharply in recent years. Apart from disputes over China's claims in the South China Sea and crackdowns in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong, Beijing's attempts to punish EU member states like Lithuania for engaging with Taiwan and tit-for-tat sanctions on European parliamentarians have not gone over well. In 2021, the 27-country bloc put a significant trade and investment deal with China on ice amid growing tensions between the sides. Moreover, the United States has been dismissive of any Chinese role in Ukrainian peacemaking. It waved away a vague 12-point Chinese plan put forward in February. Yet another Hindu temple has been desecrated in Canada after being spraypainted with anti-India graffiti late on Tuesday night. HT Image This time the target of the vandalism was the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in the town of Windsor in the province of Ontario. A spokesperson for the BAPS organization told the Hindustan Times they were very shocked by the anti-Indian graffiti on our mandir walls. In an email to members of the Hindu Federation in Canada, a representative of the BAPS organization said the incident was reported to the local police for their immediate necessary action. Images attached to the email showed slogans against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is the fifth such incident where a temple has been defaced with such graffiti since July last year. On February 14, the target was the Shri Ram Mandir in the town of Mississauga in the GTA. Slogans spraypainted included those attacking India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and describing the founder of the separatist Khalistan movement, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, as a martyr. Prior to that on January 30, the Gauri Shankar Mandir in Brampton was similarly desecrated. Before 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 the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Toronto. Statues of Mahatma Gandhi have been targeted for vandalism with a similar modus operandi. The latest such incident involved the decapitation of a Gandhi sculpture located on the campus of the Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia. That incident occurred on March 27. Four days earlier, on March 23, a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, located at the City Hall in the town of Hamilton in Ontario was defaced and anti-India and pro-Khalistan graffiti spraypainted near its base. That incident is being investigated by Hamilton Polices Hate Crime Unit. None of these incidents have so far resulted in any arrests. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON China's foreign ministry on Thursday condemned the meeting between US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen in California, state media Xinhua reported. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) (R) and Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen (L) shake hands in the Air Force One Pavilion at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library after making statements to the press on April 5, 2023 in Simi Valley, California(Getty Images via AFP) Tsai met with a delegation of US politicians from the Republican and Democratic parties during a stopover in the United States on Wednesday after visiting Guatemala and Belize, two of Taipei's dwindling group of official allies. Also read: Don't, China tells US house speaker on meet with Taiwan president "In response to the seriously erroneous acts of collusion between the United States and Taiwan, China will take resolute and effective measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," the ministry said in a statement published by Xinhua. Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory and balks at any official contact Taipei has with other countries. China has vowed to one day seize it, by force if necessary. Wednesday's meeting "gravely violated the one-China principle," the ministry said, referring to the policy formally recognized by the United States for decades. "The Taiwan question is at the very core of China's core interests and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations," the ministry added. The Ministry of National Defense also condemned Tsai and McCarthy's meeting, Xinhua reported. "We firmly oppose all forms of official interaction between the United States and Taiwan and any visit by leader of the Taiwan authorities to the United States in any name or under whatever pretext," the ministry said in a statement, according to Xinhua. "The (People's Liberation Army) will resolutely safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," the ministry added. In Donald Trump's indictment released by prosecutors following arraignment, a previously unknown victim of the former president and the National Enquirers so-called catch-and-kill campaign was revealed. Donald Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen directed the head of American Media Inc to purchase the rights to a story being spread by a doorman at Trump Tower, prosecutors said. Donald Trump: Former US president Donald Trump holds a rally in Youngstown.(Reuters) The doorman claimed to have knowledge of an out-of-wedlock child supposedly fathered Donald Trump. Although, the story was not true, the company was told by Donald Trump's lawyer to hold on to rights for the story until after the November 2016 presidential election, the indictment revealed. Read more: Donald Trump's first remarks after arraignment: US justice system now lawless' [I]n or about October or November 2015, the AMI CEO learned that a former Trump Tower doorman (the Doorman) was trying to sell information regarding a child that the Defendant had allegedly fathered out of wedlock, reads the indictment. AMI purchased the information from the Doorman without fully investigating his claims, but the AMI CEO directed that the deal take place because of his agreement with the Defendant and Lawyer A. 11. When AMI later concluded that the story was not true, the AMI CEO wanted to release the Doorman from the agreement. However, Lawyer A instructed the AMI CEO not to release the Doorman until after the presidential election, and the AMI CEO complied with that instruction because of his agreement with the Defendant and Lawyer A," it continued. Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen is currently serving prison time over his involvement in the hush money scheme while Donald Trump was accused of falsifying business records in 34 separate instances. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Former US President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in New York court. Arriving at his Florida home, Donald Trump addressed his supporters, saying, I never thought anything like this could happen in America. The only crime I have committed to fearlessly defend our nation. Former US president Donald Trump arrives to speak during a press conference.(AFP) Our country is going to hell, Donald Trump said as the crowd of supporters clapped for him in support as he said that his campaign was a victim of election interference, lashing out at New York prosecutor Alvin Bragg for bringing criminal charges against him. Read more: Donald Trump scolded by judge. Reason: Social media rhetoric This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election and it should be dropped immediately," he said. Targeting the Joe Biden administration, Donald Trump- frontrunner in the race for the 2024 Republican nomination- said that "radical left" prosecutors were out to get him "at any cost." Prosecutors accused Donald Trump of orchestrating payments to two women before the 2016 US election to suppress publication of their sexual encounters with him. With this, Donald Trump became the first sitting or former US President to face criminal charges. The prosecutor said, The defendant Donald J. Trump falsified New York business records in order to conceal an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 presidential election and other violations of election laws. Donald Trump also made a series of social media posts, including one threatening "death and destruction", the prosecutors added as the judge asked the former US President to "please refrain from making statements that are likely to incite violence or civil unrest." SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Addressing his supporters after the historic arraignment, former US President Donald Trump targeted Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg saying, The real criminal is the district attorney because he illegally leaked. Donald Trump said that the leaking of information to the press should lead to his prosecution or at the very least his resignation. Former President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago estate.(AP) Read more: Donald Trump's first public remarks after arraignment: US is going to hell The former US President also condemned a tweet from Alvin Bragg's wife saying that the charges will "nail" Donald Trump. "She has since locked down her Twitter account," he claimed. Attacking the judge's family, Donald Trump said, I have a Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating family, whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris. Quoting unnamed analysts, Donald Trump said that no one believes there is any strong evidence against him in the case. "Every single pundit and legal analyst said there is no case," Donald Trump told the crowd, adding that when he was indicted, his lawyers told him "there's nothing here, they're not even saying what you did." On the charges being brought in New York, Donald Trump said, So here we are now, in a city that was so gracious 4 or 5 years ago. "They can't beat us at the ballot box so they try to beat us through the law," he added. Earlier in the day, Donald Trump posted on social media: "Heading to Lower Manhattan, the Courthouse. Seems so SURREAL - WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Can't believe this is happening in America." SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON As Pakistan security forces attempt to protect former prime minister Imran Khan during his court appearances, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief was seen with his entire head covered with what appeared to be a black bucket- like a bulletproof helmet. In the video shared by his party, Imran Khan could be seen walking towards the Lahore-based anti-terrorism court surrounded by commandos with black bullet-resistant shields. Imran Khan Bucket Helmet: Imran Khan is seen with the black bucket helmet. Imran Khan has claimed that there could be another assassination attempt against him. The former PM came under a life-threatening attack in November 2022 at a rally in Wazirabad. The video has been widely shared on social media as users made jokes on Imran Khan's black bucket gear. A user joked that Imran Khan was taking with him the container after consuming "South Indian bucket biryani," while another called him The Bucket Man. Imran Khan's presence was made mandatory in the court where he was granted bail in three cases. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Toronto: The head of an Indo-Canadian organisation in British Columbia has complained to local law enforcement about receiving death threats from Khalistani radicals after he organised a reception last month in honour of Indias High Commissioner to Ottawa. Protesters, some holding pro-Khalistan flags, block the entrance to the venue in Surrey which was to host Indias High Commissioner to Canada last month. (Supplied photo) In a letter to the interim Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Maninder Gill, president of the Surrey, BC-based Friends of Canada and India Foundation, said he was continuously getting death threats, and cited a 778 area code mobile number. They are threatening me that I will suffer the same fate as Ripudaman Singh Malik who was shot dead in Surrey, he wrote in the letter. Malik, who was acquitted in the 1985 Air India Kanishka bombing by the Canadian judiciary in 2005, was shot dead by assailants outside his Surrey office on the morning of July 14 last year. His death came weeks after he travelled to India. The daylight attack led to speculation that it may have been connected to Maliks past and, significantly, to his altered view on the Khalistani separatism in recent years. In January 2022, he had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, praising him for reopening the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases, among other initiatives, and also released an open letter to the community to renounce the demand for a separate Khalistan. Two persons, Tanner Fox, 21, Jose Lopez, 23, were arrested in this connection in July last year but the motive for the killing has yet to be revealed by police. Gill, who is also a mediaperson, was the principal organiser of the event at a convention centre in Surrey on March 19. Indias High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma was scheduled to attend the reception, but was forced to cancel his attendance as nearly 200 protesters, some wielding swords, gathered in front of the venue. Gill said that he has filed a complaint in this regard with the Surrey detachment of RCMP and has been informed the threat was being investigated. In the letter, he also wrote, I wonder what is my fault for me to suffer such assault, abuse and death threats? I was merely organising a peaceful public function. He pointed out that Canada released an Indo-Pacific Strategy to improve relations with India. That document, released in November, describes India as a critical partner in the region. My life and limb is in danger from Khalistani radicals every time I walk out of my house. Please look into this situation and ensure that Indo- Canadian Community can live peacefully in Canada and rule of law is restored in the city of Surrey, Gill added, in the letter. He had also emailed the office of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in this context, and received a response stating the comments had been carefully reviewed and forwarded to Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendocino. Gill also said that other members of the functions organising committee for the reception had also faced death threats. Several others have also received threats but they are afraid to come forward, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern bowed out of parliament Wednesday, ending a career marked by empathetic leadership during times of crisis even as she faced escalating abuse online. Outgoing New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern gives her valedictory speech in parliament in Wellington.(AFP) Ardern shocked New Zealand earlier this year when she announced she was stepping down as prime minister and retiring from politics, saying she no longer had "enough in the tank". The 42-year-old, once the youngest woman leader in the world, said in her final speech to parliament that she never expected to take the nation's top job. Read more: Yes, no, not guilty: Chatty Donald Trump spoke only 6 times during hearing "It was a cross between a sense of duty to steer a moving freight train... and being hit by one," she quipped during her valedictory address. "And that's probably because my internal reluctance to lead was matched only by a huge sense of responsibility." Ardern steered New Zealand through natural disasters, the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2019 Christchurch mosque massacre -- in which a white supremacist gunman killed 51 Muslim worshippers. "These stories and phases remain etched in my mind and likely will forever. That is the responsibility and privilege of the role of prime minister." Ardern dedicated a significant section of her speech to climate change, urging the country's politicians to band together. "Climate change is a crisis. It is upon us," she said. "And so one of the very few things I will ask of this house on my departure is that you please take the politics out of climate change." She will now devote herself to stamping out online extremism as part of the Christchurch Call project, which she set up as prime minister in the wake of the mosque attack. US President Joe Biden will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland from April 11-14, the White House said on Wednesday. Biden will first visit Belfast to mark the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement before traveling to Ireland, where he will deliver an address to mark US-Irish ties. US President Joe Biden.(AP) Biden in Belfast intends "to underscore the readiness of the United States to support Northern Ireland's vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities," the White House said. Also read: Joe Biden to skip King Charles' coronation in May. Here's why In late February, Britain and the European Union settled a festering dispute over Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland that ensures that there would be no new checks on goods crossing the land border between Northern Ireland and the republic to the south, which is part of the EU. The agreement eased a source of tension between London and Washington. The Biden administration had voiced concern over the continued success of the Good Friday agreement which ended most of the violence in Northern Ireland that had prevailed since the late 1960s. In Ireland, Biden will meet with Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, who visited the White House in mid-March for a traditional St. Patrick's Day visit. Varadkar hailed the Biden visit as "an opportunity to welcome a great Irish-American President home." Also read: World can face nuclear World War III if Joe Biden: Donald Trump "Over many decades, and to this day, he has supported the cause of peace in Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement. He stood with us as we navigated the difficult consequences of Brexit," Varadkar said. "His visit is an opportunity to celebrate and renew the strong political, economic and personal ties that bind our two countries together," he added. Biden will visit Dublin, County Louth and County Mayo, "where he will deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people," the White House said. French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed in a telephone call ahead of a visit to Beijing by Macron to engage China to hasten the end of the war in Ukraine, the Elysee Palace said on Wednesday. Russia-Ukraine War: French President Emmanuel Macron holds a press conference.(AFP) "The two leaders have mentioned their joint willingness to engage China to accelerate the end of the war in Ukraine and take part in building sustainable peace in the region," Macron's office said in a statement. Watch: Imran Khan dons bulletproof helmet. A black bucket for court The Elysee said Macron and Biden both hoped China could contribute to solidarity efforts between the global north and global south and build a joint agenda for the climate and biodiversity. It did not elaborate. Macron is visiting China from Wednesday to Friday. Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to hold talks with him to chart a course for bilateral relations, the Chinese foreign ministry said earlier. US President Joe Biden told Britain's King Charles in a phone call that he won't attend the coronation ceremony of the monarch, the White House said in a statement. First lady Jill Biden will instead attend the king's coronation in May, the statement added. Although Joe Biden did attend the funeral of Charles' mother, Queen Elizabeth, in September. King Charles' Coronation: US President Joe Biden.(AP) Read more: Kate Middleton wants Prince William to stand up for her more because Congratulating King Charles, Joe Biden said he would like to meet with him in the United Kingdom at a future date, the White House informed. King Charles and his wife Queen Consort Camilla, will be formally crowned on May 6 in a religious ceremony at London's Westminster Abbey which has been the venue for the coronation of kings and queens of Britain. Dozens of world leaders are expected to attend the ceremony. Traditionally, US presidents have not attended the coronation of the British monarch. Read more: Prince Harry desperate to prove hes more popular, powerful than King Charles'? Ahead of the coronation, the Buckingham Palace unveiled official coronation invites, which are expected to be sent to an estimated 2,000 guests. The palace also released a new portrait of King Charles and his wife Camilla. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy met Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in California on Wednesday, becoming the most senior U.S. figure to meet a Taiwanese leader on U.S. soil since 1979 despite threats of retaliation from China, which claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., right, and Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, second from right, arrive at a Bipartisan Leadership Meeting at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.(AP) Tsai thanked the U.S. Congress for standing by Taiwan when democracy was under threat and said she had cited former U.S. President Ronald Reagan in telling McCarthy and other Republican and Democratic lawmakers of her belief that "to preserve peace, we must be strong." Also read: Foxconn founder Terry Gou announces Taiwan presidential bid, again "I would like to add that we are stronger when we are together," she said standing side-by-side with McCarthy after their meeting at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. They stood in an atrium in front of a blue and white Boeing aircraft that Reagan flew on as president in the 1980s. "The friendship between the people of Taiwan and America is a matter of profound importance to the free world. And it is critical to maintain economic freedom, peace and regional stability, said McCarthy, a Republican who through his House position is number three in the U.S. leadership hierarchy. "We will honor our obligations and reiterate our commitment to our shared values behind which all Americans are united." China staged war games around Taiwan last August following then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei and Taiwan's defense ministry said a Chinese aircraft carrier group was in the waters off the island's southeast coast ahead of the meeting between Tsai and McCarthy. At a news conference in Brussels, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said there was nothing new in Tsai's transits and such stops were "private" and "unofficial." "Beijing should not use the transit as an excuse to take any actions to ratchet up tensions, to further push it changing the status quo," he said. Supporters waving Taiwan flags and pro-Taiwan and Hong Kong banners chanted Jiayou Taiwan - the equivalent of "Go Taiwan" - in the Reagan Library parking lot ahead of Tsai and McCarthys arrival for the highest-level meeting for a Taiwanese president on U.S. soil since Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979. A small plane flew over the library towing a pro-Beijing banner saying "One China! Taiwan is part of China!" The meeting is sure to draw a strong reaction from Beijing, which considers Taiwan part of its territory and has vowed to bring it under its control, by force if necessary. China repeatedly warned against the meeting between McCarthy and Tsai, who is on her first U.S. stopover since 2019, although some analysts expect its reaction to be more moderate than that to Pelosi's Taipei visit. A meeting in California is seen as a potentially less provocative alternative to McCarthy visiting Taiwan, something he has said he hopes to do. CHINESE CARRIER GROUP IN THE PACIFIC Taiwan's defense ministry said the Chinese carrier group was headed for training in the Western Pacific and that Taiwanese naval and air forces and land-based radar systems closely monitored them. It said the ships, led by the carrier Shandong, passed through the Bashi Channel separating Taiwan from the Philippines and then into waters to Taiwan's southeast. China has sailed its carriers near Taiwan before and at similarly sensitive times. It has yet to comment on the carrier group, whose appearance also coincided with the arrival in Beijing of French President Emmanuel Macron. In March last year, the Shandong sailed through the Taiwan Strait hours before the Chinese and U.S. presidents were due to talk. Tsai transited through New York last week en route to Central America to visit two of Taiwan's few remaining diplomatic partners, Guatemala and Belize. Also read: China warns of countermeasures if Taiwan Prez meets US speaker While Washington has called Tsai's stopovers a routine part of its unofficial relationship with Taiwan, it is bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself and has stepped up interactions with Taipei in recent years as Beijing's pressure on the island has increased. Xu Xueyuan, charge daffaires at Chinas Washington embassy, said last week McCarthy meeting Tsai could lead to another serious confrontation in the China-U.S. relationship. On Tuesday, Chinas foreign ministry said it would closely monitor" the meeting and "resolutely defend" Chinese sovereignty. Since Pelosi's visit, U.S.-Chinese relations have deteriorated to what some say is their worst level since 1979. February saw the dramatic shooting down of a Chinese spy balloon that drifted over U.S. territory, and fears have only grown that Beijing may eventually be emboldened by Russia's invasion of Ukraine to move militarily against Taiwan. A tick virus which can cause serious meningitis-like symptoms has been detected in several areas in England, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) informed. The agency advised changes to testing in hospitals to prevent the spreading of the tick virus. Following the alarm raised by the health agency, enhanced surveillance for the virus is now being carried out in England and Scotland, BBC reported. Tick Virus In UK: Ticks can carry a range of diseases, including tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease.(AFP) Read more: His daughter worked for Kamala Harris: Trump on judge overseeing his case The report added that health officials are also testing for the presence of the virus in blood samples of people with no symptoms in parts of Yorkshire as one case was confirmed there. Three cases of probable or confirmed tick borne encephalitis acquired in England have been found since 2019, the UKHSA said as last year the first case was confirmed in England. The virus has also been detected in the Hampshire/Dorset and Norfolk areas. The information on the virus has now been released because its the start of tick season, a health agency spokesperson said as per news agency Reuters. Our surveillance suggests that tick borne encephalitis virus is very uncommon in the UK, deputy director at the UKHSA Meera Chand said, adding, Ticks also carry various other infections, including Lyme disease, so take steps to reduce your chances of being bitten when outdoors in areas where ticks thrive. Watch: Imran Khan dons bulletproof helmet. A black bucket for court The virus carried by ticks is common in many countries globally. Symptoms from the virus include asymptomatic infection and in some cases severe infection of the central nervous system such as a high fever with headache, neck stiffness, confusion or reduced consciousness. Although UK's health agency said that the risk of the virus is low, early testing could be beneficial as the virus also presents itself asymptomatically. People should check their clothes and body regularly for ticks after being outdoors, the health agency advised. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in neighbouring Poland on Wednesday, a Polish presidential aide said, for an official visit to a close ally that has galvanised Western military and political support for Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to the media at a joint press conference with Slovakia's Prime Minister Eduard Heger, Moldova's President Maia Sandu, Slovenia's Prime Minister Robert Golob and Croatia's Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic during Bucha Summit in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, March 31, 2023. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)(AP) The visit to Poland, which has taken in more than a million Ukrainian refugees over the past 13 months of war, comes as Ukraine plans to conduct a counter-offensive in the coming weeks or months to recapture land in its east and south from Russia. Watch | Russia stalls Ukraines advance in Donetsk, wipes out over 65 soldiers; West waging religious war? Zelenskiy will meet President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on the trip, and speak to Ukrainian refugees and Polish members of the public as well as business leaders who could be involved in rebuilding Ukraine. "I can say that President Zelenskiy has crossed the Polish border," presidential aide Marcin Przydacz told private broadcaster TVN24 on Wednesday. In televised comments on Tuesday, Przydacz had said the visit "should be taken as a sign of trust and of thanking Poland and Poles". As well as welcoming refugees, the NATO member has played an important role in persuading other Western powers to supply battle tanks and other weaponry to Ukraine. Military deliveries have been vital for Ukraine to fend off and fight back Russian forces that poured over the Ukrainian border in February 2022. Swathes of Ukraine remain occupied in the south and the east. Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on Tuesday that Kyiv was grateful to Poland for clearing the way for deliveries of MiG fighter jets. Ukraine officials have also pressed for F-16 jet fighters to boost Kyiv's ability to hit Russian missile units with U.S.-made rockets but Przydacz said Poland would not decide any time soon on whether to send any. "F-16s are protecting Poland's skies." he said. "There are absolutely no such decisions at this stage." Watch | Cost of Zelensky's prestige battle; Ukraine 'losing 500 troops daily'| Details Polish officials had also said talks would focus on developments on Ukrainian front lines, international support and economic cooperation. Ukraine's presidential office, which avoids mentioning Zelenskiy's travel plans in advance for security reasons, did not outline anything about the trip or what it would focus on. The Polish public overwhelming supports Ukrainians in their war with Russia. An Ipsos poll said 82% of Poles think NATO and European Union countries should back Ukraine until it wins. Nonetheless, Zelenskiy's visit takes place amid mounting anger in rural Poland over the impact of imports of Ukrainian grain, which have pushed down prices in several states in the EU's eastern wing -- something the Polish prime minister had said would come under discussion. Tariffs on Ukrainian agricultural imports may need to be reintroduced if an influx of products pushing down prices in European Union markets cannot be halted by other means, the premiers of five eastern states said in a letter published on Friday to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The United States, Britain, Albania and Malta walked out on Russia's envoy for children's rights - whom the International Criminal Court wants to arrest on war crimes charges - as she spoke by video to U.N. Security Council members on Wednesday. The International Criminal Court last month issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin.(Reuters) Britain and the United States blocked the informal meeting on Ukraine, convened by Russia to focus on "evacuating children from conflict zones," from being webcast by the United Nations. Also read: Putin became war criminal, says his elite security officer; reveals 'his security is compromised' The diplomats left the U.N. conference room where the discussion was being held as Russian Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova spoke. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Linda Thomas-Greenfield, told reporters that the United States joined Britain in blocking the webcast so Lvova-Belova did not have "an international podium to spread disinformation and to try to defend her horrible actions that are taking place in Ukraine." The International Criminal Court last month issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Lvova-Belova, accusing them of illegally deporting children from Ukraine and the unlawful transfer of people to Russia from Ukraine since Russia invaded on Feb. 24, 2022. Moscow said the warrants were legally void as Russia was not a signatory to the treaty that established the ICC. Moscow has not concealed a program under which it has brought thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia but presents it as a humanitarian campaign to protect orphans and children abandoned in the war zone. Lvova-Belova said that since February 2022, some 5 million Ukrainians, including 700,000 children, had traveled to Russia. Some 2,000 children were from orphanages and accompanied by custodians, she said, adding that about 1,300 of those children had since returned to Ukraine, while 400 were now in Russian orphanages and 358 children were placed in Russian foster homes. "Russia claims it is protecting these children. Instead this is a calculated policy that seeks to erase Ukrainian identity and statehood," British diplomat Asima Ghazi-Bouillon told the meeting, returning to the room after Lvova-Belova had spoken. During her statement Lvova-Belova showed video of Ukrainian children in Russia, then said: "I want to stress that unlike the Ukrainian side, we don't use children for propaganda." Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told reporters last month that the informal meeting had been planned long before the ICC announcement and it was not intended to be a rebuttal of the charges against Putin and Lvova-Belova. Diplomats have said it is rare for a U.N. webcast to be blocked. However, last month China blocked the U.N. webcast of a U.S.-convened informal Security Council meeting on human rights abuses in North Korea. Former US president Donald Trump spoke just six times, including when he entered the not guilty plea, before a judge in a Manhattan court during the nearly hour-long hearing at his arraignment, according to court records. Former President Donald Trump appears in court for his arraignment.(AP) Trump, 76, the first former US President to be criminally charged, pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in relation to hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential elections at his arraignment here in Manhattan criminal court Tuesday afternoon. During the nearly hour-long court hearing before Judge Juan Merchan, Trump spoke, almost in monosyllables, six times, according to the transcript from his arraignment that has been released. When Merchan said Let's arraign Mr Trump, the court clerk responded, Donald J. Trump, the grand jury of New York County has filed indictment 71543 of 2023 charging you with the crimes of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. How do you plead to this indictment, guilty or not guilty? Read more: Donald Trump's first remarks after arraignment: US justice system now lawless' Trump replied, Not guilty. When Merchan said "Mr. Trump, as you know, you have an absolute right to conflict-free representation. The People have alleged that there is a potential, Mr. (Joseph) Tacopina has a conflict, and the basis for their belief is that he may have represented a former client who is a witness in this case.I simply want to inform you that because it is an important right. I also want to -- first, do you understand that right, Mr. Trump? Trump replied Yes. And therefore, People are not filing a motion at this time, but you are certainly welcome if you wish between now and then to consult with other counsel, run this issue by them and see how you feel about it when it's over, okay?, Merchan added. Trump replied, "Okay, thank you." Judge Merchan then said he is required by law to inform Trump that there are ways that he can waive his right to be present at these proceedings. Specifically, I would like to refer to two specific areas. You can waive your right to be present if you voluntarily absent yourself from the proceedings." "So, if it is determined that at some point down the road, you are not present at some stage because you chose not to be present, I do have the authority, I do have the right to find you voluntarily waived your right to be present and continue the proceedings in your absence. Do you understand that? the judge said. Yes, Trump replied. Eagle Point Hotel Partners(EPHP), a privately held independent platform focused on hotel real estate, has partnered with Missouri-based hospitality branding and design agency, Longitude, to open a new independent boutique hotel, The Ozarker Lodge. This is the first hotel acquisition, renovation, and repositioning for this partnership between EPHP and Longitude, who have plans to expand throughout the Midwest over the next several years. The Ozarker Lodge is the first Midwest property in EPHP's portfolio, but the company is well-known for its portfolio of unique, design-driven, independent hotels such as the Calistoga Motor Lodge in Napa Valley, Anvil Hotel in Jackson, WY, and Soundview in Greenport, NY. The partnership with Longitude, a branding and design agency with an international list of clients, brings together two creative and collaborative companies committed to creating exceptional guest experiences. Jeremy Wells and Dustin Myers, partners at Longitude, are proud Missouri natives and excited to engage with their community and shape the future of the Ozarks. They bring a fresh aesthetic and approach to hospitality in the region, which is reflected in The Ozarker Lodge's design and amenities. Opening Summer 2023, The Ozarker Lodge will be the first true independent hotel experience in Branson, Mo. - a localized nod to the spirit and people of the Ozarks in a playful and nostalgic lodge. The Ozarker invites guests to a design-forward, approachable hospitality experience with 102 all-new guest rooms, modern amenities, outdoor event space, and electrifying experiences among the wide-open Ozark Mountains. The brand-new grand lobby is the heart of the Lodge and social hub for its guests, greeting adventure seekers, explorers, and nomads with a vintage yet modern lounge, indoor floating fireplace, and inviting community pantry and dining area. The perfect place for outdoor gatherings, The Ozarker is adorned with outdoor fire pits and soaking tubs throughout the property in addition to a new heated outdoor pool with rotating food trucks. The onsite coffee bar and mercantile shop - Storeroom - sells specialty coffee, beer and wine, branded merchandise, and local products, featuring craftsmanship from around the region. The Ozarker's new guest rooms harness the energy and color palette of Branson, pulling inspiration from the destination to provide guests with an authentic experience of the Ozarks. The guest room design is evocative, encouraging guests to go out, explore, and connect with nature and each other. Starting at $109/night The lodge will offer guests complimentary flavored water, tea, and drip coffee. For kids and travelers with a sweet tooth, the Lodge also offers saltwater taffy and s'mores kits to enjoy by the outdoor fire pits. Coffee program. Served from the lodge's new lobby bar, Storeroom, The Ozarker Lodge has partnered with regional favorite roasters Kingdom Coffee to offer locally sourced pastries, coffee, and provisions for breakfast daily, along with paninis, sandwiches, locally curated charcuterie boards and Grandma Ruth's cinnamon rolls offered throughout the day. Guests can get a taste of local flavor by sipping on the lodge's official roast called "Scenic Blend," proudly roasted in the Ozarks! Wine & Spirits program. The Ozarker's Lobby Bar, Storeroom, showcases a carefully selected assortment of all-natural or "low-intervention" wines from small producers, seasonal cocktails, local craft brews, and Spring Branch kombucha in addition to non-alcoholic selections like delicious espresso drinks and flavored waters. Hotel website Set to become a regional flagship for the brand, Mercure Miri City Centre highlights the natural and cultural heritage of Borneo, with locally inspired design, a signature rooftop restaurant and cocktail bar. Accor, a world-leading hospitality group, has expanded its portfolio in Malaysia with the opening of Mercure Miri City Centre, a stylish and modern hotel that blends international hospitality, with a design concept that highlights the natural wonders of Borneo. The gateway to ecological attractions, such as Gunung Mulu National Park and the Niah Caves, Miri - the second largest city in the state of Sarawak - Miri attracts business and leisure travellers alike. Surrounded by local attractions, government offices, shopping malls and a heritage centre, Mercure Miri City Centre reflects the area's vibrant culture with a collection of curated artworks that showcase the region's abundant flora and fauna, as well as Sarawak's 32 ethnic groups. These nature-inspired interiors, bright colours and authentic crafts accompany guests throughout their journey. Mercure Miri City Centre is also set to become a social hub, where global explorers come to meet, dine and unwind. Belian is a lively all-day dining restaurant with a multi-cuisine concept and a space that transforms throughout the day to create a different vibe, while Atoti is a casual cafe and gelato parlour, that specializes in signature treats such as house-made gelato using traditional Italian recipes. As day turns to night and the sun sets over the sea, Cavakita is sure to become the new place to be in Miri. Perched on the rooftop, this Asian and Latin American-themed restaurant and bar serves chargrilled meats and fresh seafood, accompanied by locally-inspired beverages. With its contemporary theme and sensational views, Cavakita will be a popular hotspot for both hotel guests and visitors. Throughout their stay, guests can cool off in the rooftop infinity swimming pool, which is adorned with colourful illustrations, or enjoy a workout at the fitness centre. The 172 stylishly appointed rooms come fully equipped with comfortable king or twin beds and everything travellers need to stay productive, such as complimentary tea & coffee, a 55-inch TV, high-speed Wi-Fi, etc. Two floors of Mercure Privilege Rooms offer partial sea views, along with exclusive amenities such as coffee machines. Guests can also opt for the larger Junior Suites or Deluxe Junior Suites for more creature comforts such as a larger living area, with sofa set and a bathtub. For corporate travellers and meeting planners, two dedicated floors of conference and banqueting facilities set the stage for impressive events. The light-filled 292-square metre Terabai Grand Ballroom on Level 3A, with its 6.8-metre-high ceilings, can host up to 200 delegates for large functions or be divided into two. On a dedicated floor, the innovative and fully-equipped, Ruai Coworking Space, with stadium seating, private booths, and various styles of work stations - is great for the new generation of professionals that like to blur the boundaries between business and social interaction. Here, executives can find Merbau I, Merbau II, and Ruai Gawa boardrooms that seats 12 executives each. Mercure Miri City Centre is located just at a short 10 minutes' drive from Miri Airport, which offers direct connections to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and cities across Malaysia. It is also just 20 minutes from the border with Brunei. Aligned with the group's commitment to reducing environmental impact and strengthening efforts to combat plastic pollution, Mercure Miri City Centre is eliminating all single-use plastics from every touchpoint of the guest experience in all areas of the hotel. Hotel website Adrien Harel has recently been appointed as the new Resort Manager at Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort. Harel joins the Orlando property from Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, where he served as Resort Manager. A 15-year veteran of Four Seasons, Harel has travelled across three continents with the company, working at properties in Mauritius, Serengeti, Casablanca and Megeve, in addition to Bora Bora. A Mauritius native, Harel graduated from the Ecole Hoteliere Sir Gaetan Duval, formerly known as the Hotel School of Mauritius, where he discovered his passion for hospitality, as well as food and beverage. Harel gained experience working with various luxury hospitality brands, including Le Saint Geran in Mauritius, growing within the industry and eventually becoming a sommelier. His career with Four Seasons also began in Mauritius, when Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita opened in 2008 and Harel joined the team as Assistant Director of Food and Beverage. Later, he traded island living for a safari adventure to support the opening of Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti in Tanzania, where he served as Director of Food and Beverage. After three years in the remote Serengeti, Harel moved further up the African continent to open the urban Four Seasons Hotel Casablanca location as Director of Food and Beverage. He subsequently relocated to the stunning ski destination at Four Seasons Hotel Megeve, where he was promoted to Hotel Manager, followed by his move to Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora as Resort Manager. After three years at the picturesque beach Resort, Harel and his family are excited to embark on their next journey in the US and to establish a home in Orlando. In his free time, Harel enjoys barbecuing, wine tastings, fishing, and quality time with his wife and two children. Harel is looking forward to exploring all that the incredible destination of Orlando has to offer. As Executive Banquet Chef, Justus Depke will oversee banquet operations for the luxury non-gaming, non-smoking resort's 12,200 square feet of meeting and event space. A Las Vegas veteran, he brings years of invaluable local in-market experience having worked at Michelin Star restaurants such as Restaurant Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace and Joel Robuchon at MGM Grand, as well as Aureole Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay and Spanish Trails Club, among others. Social media is a powerful channel to connect with hotel guests and new audiences to increase awareness of a property and to boost direct bookings. This article will provide an overview of social media marketing for hotels, including how to get started, different strategies to use, and how to approach each specific platform. Before we dive in, be sure to visit our ultimate guide to hotel marketing to access an all-encompassing rundown of hotel marketing trends, data points, and insights. Source: Amadeus What is hotel social media marketing? Social media is an online form of communication that allows users to have conversations with their followers and post web content. It is a collective term widely used for internet platforms that focus on communication, community-based input, interaction, content sharing, and collaboration. Hotel social media marketing is the process of creating visibility and engagement for a hotel through social media channels. This may include everything from sharing photographs or videos of the hotel to responding to hotel guest reviews or comments on these platforms. Today, social media has gained enormous traction globally, with mobile applications making these platforms easily accessible. Popular examples of social media channels used by the hospitality industry are Facebook and Instagram (Phocuswire). Why is social media marketing important to hoteliers? In 2023, over 4.9 billion people are using social media worldwide, a number projected to grow to almost 6 billion by 2027. Having a presence on social media is critical for hotels to reach and engage with new audiences and be top of mind with people as they shop for accommodations. Most guests will visit a hotels Facebook or Instagram page prior to deciding on whether to book a hotel room. It is therefore crucial that a hotel not only has a presence and informs guests on these platforms, but also that the hotel is publishing content that entices people to visit and creates a sense of desirability. Additionally, social media allows clients to share and post reviews, which in turn provides the type of interactions that can inspire guest confidence, boost social media marketing performance, and support an online review management strategy. Because these are perceived as real-life experiences, these reviews often prove to be more effective than promotional content, paid advertising, and traditional sales messaging. Finally, when users like and share a hotels page, not only does it show how appreciated and liked that hotel is, but it also allows the hotel to collect information resulting in hotel media advertising opportunities based on likes and dislikes, demographics, and many other factors. Tips to promote a hotel using social media marketing The following tips can help promote a property through hospitality social media marketing: Think of Instagrammability; for todays traveler, a perfect photo opportunity is critical when it comes to booking their next trip. Hotels need to take advantage of their unique selling points and publicly advertise them online. For some hotels, this may include images and videos of landmark views, infinity pools or sunset dinners. Make sure you leverage partnerships with influencers: people with large audiences who post on social media about a hotel and are compensated for their efforts. With the rapid growth of influencer marketing, particularly in the visually appealing travel sector, a property will want to find the right person who can positively represent the brand and drive loyalty. Establish a community of brand advocates by monitoring social media mentions. See who is interested in the brand, communicates in a similar voice, or complements the brands values. Learn how to partner with brand advocates and the most loyal customers here. Take note of feedback gathered from social networks and make relevant improvements to guest experience. Establish a specific timeline to reply to all feedback, whether positive or negative, to demonstrate attention to guest opinions. When should hotels use social media marketing? Pre-trip: Publish inspirational content on social media to connect with travelers thinking about their next adventure. Build content around the emotions theyll feel at the property, show nearby attractions, and portray the lifestyle that guests will enjoy onsite. Be sure to use short, engaging videos or vibrant images, then optimize the posts to build trust with the brand. On-trip: When guests arrive at the hotel, its likely theyll share every element of their experience on social media from the lobby to the room, pool, restaurants, and so on. It is therefore critical that staff works to deliver an outstanding experience which will result in positive word-of-mouth and viral moments. Post-trip: Send an automated email to guests once theyve checked out, asking them to join a loyalty program or interact on social media. You can also ask them to like and follow the property Facebook page (or other relevant profiles) to stay on top of upcoming promotions or discounts, so they are enticed to return. How can hotels get started with social media marketing? Hotel social media marketing has drastically changed over the past decade, and it should be an integral part of any marketing strategy. The Amadeus Media Solutions team works with thousands of clients all over the world to deliver omni-channel marketing campaigns with great success. Whether its through metasearch, display ads, SEO or retargeting, weve helped our customers reach new audiences and achieve more bookings with a clear return on investment. To get started, please contact us and we can guide you on how to successfully kick start your hotels social media marketing! About Amadeus Amadeus powers more personalized and authentic travel experiences. Our solutions are designed to enrich every stage of the traveller journey and help hospitality providers acquire, service, and retain guests by profitably driving demand and converting them into loyal fans. Backed by over 30 years of experience, we design open, cutting-edge software to provide the most efficient, trusted, and reliable systems for our customers. With experts in 175+ countries, we have a deep understanding of the hospitality industry and a desire to enable our hotel partners to create memorable guest experiences. To find out more about Amadeus, visit www.amadeus-hospitality.com. Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Alison Guillot Amadeus View source Riyadh The PKF hospitality group recently held one of its 196+ spotlight events in Riyadh in recognition of the significant amount of projects that have been announced for Saudi Arabia, the largest sovereign state by landmass in the Middle East with a total of 2,150,000 km2 and 35 million inhabitants. The majority of these projects, many of which touted to be worth well in excess of $100 billion each, form part of the very ambitious Saudi Vision 2030. This strategic road map is set to harness the strength and strategic position of the Kingdom whilst reducing its reliance on oil. The focus areas, on which $800b + will be spent, are tourism, health infrastructure and education. Of course the improvement of the countrys image is another desired outcome of this massive effort. The initial push is to create product that attracts the local traveller, who currently doesnt find enough reason to travel within his/her own country. The millions of pilgrims who come to Saudi Arabia to visit the holy sites are the next obvious market to be targeted before the discerning international traveller in other markets is lured to come and visit the Kingdom. Names like NEOM, RED SEA PROJECT, QIDDIYA, DIRIYAH GATE are just some of these mega projects. There are of course voices that question how realistic these plans are and how they will be executed on time to meet the deadlines of Vision 2030 but the fact that many have already broken ground and are in the process of being started surprises some of those doubters. Nils Heckscher, Head of Africa also overseeing PKFs Middle East operations: Yes, I also think, that some may not be seen completed on time. It is a simple fact that know how, materials and in the end staff to run these places are not in high supply. Yet, some well see completed on time no doubt. First on that list will be Trojena, the official host location of the Asian Winter Games 2029. Much coverage was received about this venue of choice with obvious connotations about heat and desert coming to mind. Yet the region does actually see snow in winter and is in general 10 degrees cooler than the rest of the country. Impressive architecture and technical advances will make the holding of the competitions in the various winter sport disciplines possible. It is the mix of the projects makes them interesting. Whilst there is a definite focus on tourism The NEOM project, the size of Belgium, will, besides Trojena, feature a tech city, a seaside location and an international sea port, residential, retail and office space will complete this mega city between mountains and the Red Sea. Sustainability ranks high in the KPIs that these projects set themselves. Most are the aspects of running them on a sustainable basis. The construction and the clearing of land, in cases also of indigenous people, is not necessarily based on the same principles. It is heartening to see public-private partnerships that have a strong focus on ESG principles and that intend to build in a sustainable manner; source local materials as well as design and employ locals who will be trained and given ample opportunity to advance. These are fundamental building blocks in creating great and sustainable destinations , says Heckscher. So, whilst there is much controversy and even doubt about the development we are seeing right now, one thing is for sure, Saudi Arabia will surprise many and will be a changed country in the years to come. Way past 2030, many of the mega projects will be completed and house a transformed population. Whether this transformation will go without certain upsets and set backs remains to be seen. We will continue to add value to our clients projects and believe that there is a great need for the type of services we provide. Saudi Arabia currently represents the single biggest opportunity for hospitality and tourism, and that is set to continue for at least another five years , says Christian Walter, Global CEO PKF hospitality group. About PKF hospitality group PKF hospitality group is an internationally recognised leader in hospitality and tourism consulting. With a team of 100 consultants in 20 offices (including Kyiv) on all continents and an experience of almost 100 years, PKF hospitality group offers focused consulting services in the environment of the hotel, serviced living, tourism, and leisure investments - including feasibility studies, valuations, operator search, project development, financing and investment consulting, asset management, research & benchmarking as well as strategic consulting. www.pkfhospitality.com Martina Rozok +49 30 40044681 PKF hospitality group CHICAGO Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) has been recognized as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, an annual list of U.S. companies with outstanding workplace cultures according to global research and consulting firm Great Place to Work and Fortune. Hyatt has earned a spot on this list every year for the past decade. At Hyatt, we are committed to caring for our colleagues to be their bestand everything we do is through the lens of our purpose of care. This recognition every year for the past decade is a testament to the tremendous ways our colleagues come together each and every day to lead with empathy, care and respect. As we continue our transformative growth as a company, we remain inspired by the resilience and dedication of our colleagues. There has truly never been a more exciting time to be a part of the Hyatt family. Pete Sears, Group President Americas, Hyatt Hyatt continues to adapt and meet the evolving needs of its stakeholder groups through creating a culture rooted in care, belonging, and discovery, where colleagues are celebrated for who they are and can thrive in every stage of their career. Guided by its purpose of care and people first culture, the company differentiates itself through personalized experiences, wellbeing-focused programs and distinct benefits designed to support colleagues in being their best and authentic selves. Deeply embedded across all areas of its business, World of Care brings Hyatts purpose of care to life through our actions in advancing care for the planet, people, and responsible business. As part of the companys efforts in caring for people and creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome, Hyatts Change Starts Here commitments are focused on taking bold action to accelerate diversity, equity and inclusion efforts by 2025 with actionable goals across three areas: who we employ, develop and advance; who we support; and who we buy from and work with. The 2023 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For recognition adds to a growing list of workplace accolades Hyatt received in the past year, including: 2023 America's Best Large Employers Forbes 2023 World's Most Admired Companies Fortune 2023 Americas Most Innovative Companies Fortune 2023 Americas Best Employers for Diversity Forbes 2023 Americas Greatest Workplaces for Women Newsweek 2023 Americas Greatest Workplaces for Diversity Newsweek For more information or to find your place at a Hyatt hotel or office around the world, please visit careers.hyatt.com. To see the full list of the 2023 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For, click here. For the methodology behind the 100 Best Companies to Work For list, click here. The term Hyatt is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates. About Hyatt Hotels Corporation Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company guided by its purpose to care for people so they can be their best. As of June 30, 2022, the Company's portfolio included more than 1,150 hotels and all-inclusive properties in 72 countries across six continents. The Company's offering includes brands in the Timeless Collection, including Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt, Hyatt Residence Club, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, and UrCove; the Boundless Collection, including Miraval, Alila, Andaz, Thompson Hotels, Hyatt Centric, and Caption by Hyatt; the Independent Collection, including The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, Destination by Hyatt, and JdV by Hyatt; and the Inclusive Collection, including Hyatt Ziva, Hyatt Zilara, Zoetry Wellness & Spa Resorts, Secrets Resorts & Spas, Breathless Resorts & Spas, Dreams Resorts & Spas, Vivid Hotels & Resorts, Alua Hotels & Resorts, and Sunscape Resorts & Spas. Subsidiaries of the Company operate the World of Hyatt loyalty program, ALG Vacations, Unlimited Vacation Club, Amstar DMC destination management services, and Trisept Solutions technology services. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com. Forward-Looking Statements Forward-Looking Statements in this press release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "may," "could," "expect," "intend," "plan," "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "likely," "will," "would" and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable when made, are inherently uncertain, and are subject to numerous assumptions and uncertainties, many of which are outside of Kiraku, Inc. or Hyatt's control, which could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such statements. Forward-looking statements made in this press release are made only as of the date of their initial publication and neither party undertakes an obligation to publicly update any of these forward-looking statements as actual events unfold, except to the extent required by applicable law. If one or more forward-looking statements is updated, no inference should be drawn that any additional updates will be made with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. Anna Sczepanski Hyatt Our luxury hotel in the Barcelona CIty Center offers 231 rooms and suites with the atmosphere from the city. The rich Barcelonas artistic heritage inspires your experience while enjoying the local culture with all main attractions within walking distance. Discover our Unlock Art Programme, explore Palau Guell with your room key or indulge in our gastronomic options. Roasted coffee aroma greets you as soon as you enter the lobby. With views of Barcelonas renowned Las Ramblas, CentOnze Restaurant offers a market to table experience focused on bringing the freshest products to the fore, paying tribute to the traditional Spanish cuisine. After a long day of work, the Signature Cocktail Bar is the perfect place to relax or network while enjoying our Sparkling cocktails and Petit Plates, our signature tapas. If you prefer to nourish your mind and body, enjoy our Explore Spa Studio, an oasis in the heart of Barcelona. You're welcome to bring your furry friend along as our 5-star hotel is pet-friendly. $364 Avg. per night View Deals Millions of American workers may have skipped taking vacations last year even as many of them report feeling burned out and employers battle a tight labor market while trying bring workers back to the office as the COVID-19 pandemic wanes. A new survey from Eagle Hill Consulting, a management consulting firm based in Arlington, Va., finds that 39 percent of 1,001 U.S. workers who responded said they took none of their allowed time off during the 12-months ended Feb. 28. Workers under age 40 and those with household incomes under $50,000 a year were particularly likely to say they skipped out on skipping out of the office, with 59 percent of the latter saying they had taken no time off. Related: This Texas beach was just named one of the best in the United States Compounding the issue is that while 56 percent of respondents said they fully disconnect while on vacation, 27 percent continue to check emails and other messages from work. While the top impediment to taking a vacation was the cost, respondents said, self-imposed pressure to stay on top of work was the second-ranked consideration, weighing on 33 percent of employees. Melissa Jezior, president and chief executive officer of Eagle Hill Consulting, said in a statement that taking time off should be a priority for employees and employers alike. "Its critical to productivity and mental health that employees periodically and fully disconnect from the demands of the workplace," she said. "This means not checking email and (not) participating in virtual meetings during vacation." "Its not just employees who benefit from taking a break," Jezior continued. "Employers that encourage employees to take time off from work are far more likely to have an engaged workforce at its peak performance." Related: 'Unprecedented' passport backlog has U.S. travelers waiting months for approval, State Department says The survey found, however, that fewer workers say they're burned out, dropping to a rate of 46 percent in February from 58 percent in August 2020. That's still high, Eagle Hill suggested, considering that employers in most sectors are still struggling to hire in a tight labor market. The national unemployment rate stood at 3.6 percent in February, and 4.8 percent in the Houston area. The tight labor market is one of the reasons workers are feeling stressed, the survey found: 44 percent of employees said staff shortages were one of the reasons they're feeling burned out at work. Job growth at Houston's small businesses continues to lead that of the largest cities in the U.S., according to the latest data from Paychex and IHS Markit. According to the latest Paychex Small Business Employment Watch, Houston job growth in March continued to rise, pushing its index to 103.10, compared with a national index of 99.73. It was the fifth consecutive month that Houston topped this index, considered an industry benchmark. The average hourly wage in Houston also has grown, by 4.87 percent to $30.76, over the past twelve months, according to Paychex, ranking seventh on that list. Among the nation's 20 largest metro areas, Miami's wage growth has been strongest since March 2022, with an increase of 5.8 percent. Related: Houston is hiring: Job creation, wages grew at year-end Paychex, a Rochester, N.Y., payroll services company for small- and medium-size businesses in the U.S. and Europe, works with London-based analytics company IHS Markit to produce the monthly report, based on data from 350,000 clients with fewer than 50 employees. The latest report reinforces the impression that the Houston region is well-positioned to weather this year even if the national economy tips into recession, as many experts predict. In a statement, Paychex CEO John Gibson commended the resiliency of America's small- and medium-size business since the year began, but he cautioned against complacency in the wake of the March collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. "This is an encouraging start to the year," Gibson said, "and policymakers are going to need to carefully consider their next actions as the full impact of the recent banking disruptions on SMB's access to capital is still not fully understood." The nation's overall employment data, including the U.S. unemployment rate, will be released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The most recent report, released about a month ago, put the nation's jobless rate at 3.6 percent. West Houston soon is to welcome a diverse blend of new restaurants and stores, including 99 Ranch Market, Teso Life and Gen Korean BBQ House, as a redevelopment project aims to transform a run-down strip mall into a thriving 90,000-square-foot commercial center spotlighting international merchandise and cuisine. The shopping center, previously known as the Pavilion Center, was expected to relaunch under its new name, "West on West." It is to occupy a 10-acre site between South Dairy Ashford Road and South Kirkwood Road. HOUSTON DEVELOPMENTS: 20 game-changing developments coming to Houston in 2023 and beyond NewQuest Properties, the real estate firm spearheading the project, scoured the globe for innovative concepts to delight Houston's food enthusiasts, according to the company's development partner, Heather Nguyen. The goal was to provide Houston with a "wow factor," as suggested by the project's acronym. Were passionate about creating an adventurous dining destination that offers options to please every palate, Nguyen said in a statement. The resulting W-O-W acronym is so fitting for whats in store for guests from a food, fashion and fun factor. NewQuest Properties has announced three tenants slated to debut in late 2023 or early 2024: Asian-centric grocery store 99 Ranch Market, Japanese department store Teso Life and South Korean restaurant Gen Korean BBQ House. South Korean bakery chain Paris Baguette also filed a project plan to open a new location at the address. NewQuest Properties included other businesses in its site plan, such as the Ramen restaurant Tsujita La Noodle and bubble tea store The Alley Tea. The developer also has proposals to add a sushi restaurant, another bakery and a soft-serve dessert shop called Somisomi, none of which had officially been confirmed as of Tuesday. HOUSTON FAVORITES: For Houstonians, grocery store loyalty brings out strong feelings The Houston area is already home to three Ranch 99 Markets, including one in Sugar Land and one in Katy. Founded by a Taiwanese immigrant, the national chain is known for its groceries, snacks, home goods, cosmetics and other products from a range of Asian countries. Each location also features a food court and a bakery celebrated for its egg tarts and other fresh baked goods. Houston's newest Ranch 99 Market location is expected to open at the heart of the West on West Center in late 2023. It is expected to take $4 million to renovate the 33,029-square-foot space, according to project filings, as the market aims to become the focal point of the revitalized commercial center. Joining the supermarket is Teso Life, a value-oriented, New York-based department store chain that sells Japanese brands. Customers will find a wide array of low-cost, high-quality Japanese home goods, beauty and cosmetic products and grocery items in the 13,340-square-foot location the first and only Teso Life in Houston. Also coming to west Houston is Gen Korean BBQ House, which already has found success in this market through its two existing locations. The restaurant will occupy a 6,212-square-foot space. Both the South Korean eatery and the Japanese department store are expected to open late this year or early next year. Paris Baguette, which had not yet been formally announced, submitted plans with city and state regulators to open a new location at West on West, with an estimated construction cost of $490,000 and an October completion date. The South Korean bakery recently opened a location in Katy Asian Town and announced its plan to expand to Houston. Soon, Houstonians also will be able to enjoy its freshly-baked breads, delicious coffee and cakes. NEW BAKERY: Paris Baguette opens in Katy with plans for Houston expansion NewQuest Properties, also responsible for a similar project called Katy Grand, said the redevelopment was intended to serve the diverse community in its surrounding area, of which approximately 15 percent of residents within a five-mile radius are Asian. We are thrilled to be helming a significant redevelopment that not only further enhances, but also draws on, the unique attributes of this community, said NewQuest Properties President Austin Alvis, according to a statement. SAULT STE, MARIE, Mich. (AP) The president of a small university in Michigan's Upper Peninsula has resigned, setting the stage for a national search for his successor. Lake Superior State University's Board of Trustees announced Monday that it has accepted the resignation of Dr. Rodney S. Hanley, who had been the school's president since July 2018. He previously served as provost at Nicholls State University from 2015 to 2018. Houston Chronicle Two women were dead and deputies Wednesday were investigating the case as a possible murder-suicide, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said. Deputies around 1 p.m. responded to a report of a shooting in the 5600 block of Sage Manor Drive in west Harris County and found two women a mother and her teenage daughter dead at the scene, Gonzalez said. Houston Chronicle A man was in the hospital with serious injuries early Wednesday after an apparent stabbing involving two cousins in northeast Harris County, officials said. Detectives had detained a man in connection with the stabbing, Sgt. Charlotte Webster of the Harris County Sheriffs Office told Metro Video Services reporters. His name was not immediately released. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Community advocates are organizing protests on Thursday at schools across the city against state intervention in the Houston Independent School District. Community Voices for Public Education, a local nonprofit group, is inviting parents, teachers and students to gather before school to express opposition to the Texas Education Agency's plan to appoint a board of managers to govern the district. Methodist surgeons and health care workers felt they had a good sense of what theyd see in Ukraine before they traveled there last month to treat soldiers and civilians injured in the war with Russia. The team, part of a group of 13 health care workers from the U.S. and Canada, spent more than six months preparing to treat injuries from gunshots and high-velocity blasts. But it felt different once they arrived and met those patients in person, said Dr. Anthony Brissett, the director of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at Houston Methodist. You cant help but have this affect you emotionally in some way, Brissett said. A lot of these people are young men and women in their 20s that were living essentially normal lives, with young children. Their lives are now so severely affected. Brissett and Houston Methodist head and neck surgeon Dr. Joshua Kain were part of the team that performed 112 procedures on 30 different patients during an eight-day trip to Ukraine from March 25 to April 1. Most patients were young men injured in the war, but the team also treated women and older men, Brissett said. Also joining the trip from Houston Methodist were anesthesiologist Dr. Burke Bradley and surgical technician Heather Leard. Bradleys wife, Amy Bradley, who is a nurse, also made the trip. The Houston group was part of a team sponsored by the Face the Future Foundation, a Canadian nonprofit which organizes missions to provide reconstructive surgery around the world. Brissett, who was mission director for the Ukraine trip, has been working with the nonprofit since 2006. READ MORE: Houston doctors helping Ukraine diagnose, treat traumatic brain injuries from war with Russia Brissett had been part of Face the Future missions to Russia in the past, but the nonprofit suspended its work there after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The nonprofit instead sought to provide help in Ukraine. U.S. and European officials estimate that at least 120,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed or injured in the war. Additionally, the United Nations human rights office estimates that more than 8,400 civilians have been killed and more than 14,100 have been injured in Ukraine. Brissett asked Kain to join the trip late last year. Kain decided to go because he wanted to help, but also because he felt a personal connection to the mission. Kain is a descendant of Jewish relatives who were living in Poland and sent to Nazi concentration camps during the Holocaust. He wanted to help after Russia invaded and drove so many Ukrainians from their homes, he said. While I am not Ukrainian, I identify very closely to what they are going through, Kain said. That was a really powerful drive to me to go and try and bring some relief and some hope. Face the Future chose a hospital in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk, in western Ukraine, as the site of the mission. The team then met with Ukrainian surgeons every Saturday for three months to identify 50 patients and plan out their surgeries. Supplies are limited in Ukraine, so the team arranged to have some medical equipment shipped there. But they packed 99 percent of the items they needed including bandages, gauze and sutures in their luggage. READ MORE: A Houston Methodist nurse helped bring her Ukrainian cousins to the US after Russia invaded We knew what we were going to need, because we planned out the procedures ahead of time, Brissett said. The group flew to Poland on March 24 and drove to Ukraine. Ivano-Frankivsk was hit by Russian missiles earlier in the month, so the team was given the location of bomb shelters when they arrived. They had to evacuate for a bomb threat once during the trip, Brissett said. The mission also focused on education, so the first day featured a symposium where the team provided Ukrainian doctors with insight on how to manage trauma patients. They also live-streamed each surgery they performed over the next two days so the Ukrainian doctors could see them work, Brissett said. The team worked from 8:30 a.m. until at least 10 p.m. each day, totaling roughly 100 surgical hours over the course of the trip, Brissett said. Translators from a local university helped them communicate with patients and families. Most of the patients had injuries caused by gunshots or high-velocity blasts. Brissett and Kain had treated trauma patients before, but the injuries in Ukraine were more severe, they said. The magnitude of these injuries was really unlike anything I had seen in the States, Kain said. MORE ON DR. ANTHONY BRISSETT: Nose jobs can lead to cultural destruction. Ethnic rhinoplasties help to preserve identities. One patient, a 24-year-old man, had a blast injury that caused paralysis on the left side of his face. It also left him with a 10-inch scar. The team used nerve tissue from his leg as a bridge to the right side of his face. The surgery does not have an immediate effect, but the hope is that hell regain function in the left side of his face over time, Brissett said. Another man, around 55 or 60 years old, lost half of his nose in a blast. Brissett performed the first stage of a reconstructive surgery to rebuild his nose and will meet with Ukrainian doctors virtually to guide them through the next steps. The trip was highly rewarding, but also deeply emotional, Kain said. He spoke with one Ukrainian doctor whose wife was pregnant when Russia invaded. She fled to Poland, but decided to return so their baby could be born in Ukraine. These people have a deep, rich appreciation for their country and their way of life, Kain said. I think that was really mirrored and echoed across so many people we met while we were there. The trip was the latest example of Houstons health care community offering support to Ukraine during the war. Last year, Dr. Kenneth Podell from Houston Methodist and Dr. Mary Newsome from Baylor College of Medicine were part of an effort to help Ukrainian doctors set up sites where soldiers and citizens could be tested and treated for traumatic brain injuries. Brissett said he hopes the trip to Ukraine reinforces the support from Houston Methodist and the broader health care community, but also from others around the world. I think that what we recognize is that we're really delivering a message to Ukrainians that the world is standing with them, Brissett said. I feel like we really brought a message of hope. A partial eclipse will be visible across much of the country, from Oregon to Texas, later this year, according to NASA. And while the majority of residents can choose to experience the morning sunlight fading to black, one's location will determine how much of the sun will be obscured and how long the experience lasts. In Texas, the whole event will take a few hours, but prime viewing will only last a few short minutes Saturday morning, Oct. 14. What is the annular eclipse? During the annular (or partial) eclipse, the moon will block all but the outer edge of the sun, creating what's known as a "ring of fire" in the sky. Unlike during a total eclipse, the moon will not appear to entirely cover the sun. But not all viewing locations are created equal, so onlookers with the best views will get to see the moon cover as much of the sun as possible, whereas in other locations it will look as though the moon is only covering a small portion of the sun. NASA recently posted maps of the eclipse and although the path of annularity -- where viewers can see the fiery ring -- does not pass through Houston, San Antonio should be an ideal viewing location, provided there are clear skies. When is it going to happen? The partial eclipse will last about three hours, but annularity will only be seen for a few minutes. According to a breakdown on the Time and Date website, the duration of the partial eclipse will be just longer than 3 hours in San Antonio. However, the clock begins in San Antonio at 10:23 a.m., when the moon first touches the suns edge. While it won't end until 1:33 p.m., just 4 minutes and 21 seconds of those 3-plus hours are considered the "annular phase" of the eclipse, where only a ring of the sun is left uncovered. In San Antonio, the partial eclipse is so "full" it should appear 90 percent of the sun is covered. How can I see the eclipse? The closer you are to the path of the eclipse, the more coverage of the sun you will see. Although Houston will not see the annular ring, about 85 percent of the suns disk will covered by the moon, leaving a bright crescent. MORE ON TRENDING: Self-driving trucks will travel I-45 from Dallas to Houston by end of 2024, Aurora says Where should I go? If youre willing to take a road trip, head west. Even driving a relatively short distance to Katy or Sugar Land will allow better eclipse viewing than from downtown Houston. Eclipse expert Xavier M. Jubier created an interactive map of the solar eclipse using Google Maps, which people can use to navigate the location of the eclipse. The map follows the path of the eclipse as it moves from Oregon to Texas. The best views of the eclipse will be from San Antonio and Corpus Christi, as they are the closest to where the "ring of fire" will occur. Rice University created the Texas Nexus eclipse website to help people find the best locations to see both the annular eclipse of 2023 and total eclipse happening in 2024. The list is full of colleges, parks, aquariums, zoos and other public places enthusiasts can visit in Texas. When should I try to get a good view? Patricia Reiff, a professor at Rice University and Associate Director for Outreach Programs at Rice Space Institute, is planning to take a trip to Corpus Christi to see the partial eclipse. She said the key to finding a good spot is getting there bright and early. "Im planning to to be near the beach in Corpus, Reiff said. You want to get to your spot the night before if possible, even if you have to camp out, so that you can settled at least a couple of hours ahead of first contact, because the traffic will be crazy. MORE ON SUBURBS: Fort Bend ISD's $1.26 billion bond proposal is its biggest ever, includes Clements High School rebuild What are some tips I should know for the eclipse? Whatever you do, do not look at it. Looking directly at the sun can damage your retinas and cause permanent damage, including blindness. If you plan to experience the eclipse, take proper precautions with appropriate eyewear such as eclipse glasses, solar filters or safe materials such as filtered binoculars or a telescope. And don't believe myths about household goods making it safe, Reiff said. Do not use sunglasses, color film, smoked glass or floppy disks to look at the sun. Ways you can have fun during the eclipse Reiff said she understands it can be frustrating missing out on the eclipse, but you can still be creative and make it a good time. Whats really fun to do is to look under a tree and the leaves will make little images of the sun on the ground, Reiff said. Youll see these little crescents, which is what the sun will look like in Houston at the maximum of the annular. The sun will look like a little crescent moon. Another fun thing to try is taking out a colander or straw hat and looking at the shadow it casts. Reiff said the holes in the colander will cast little images of the shape of the sun. Theres fun things you can do, even without equipment, to see the progress of the eclipse as its getting darker and lighter again. As dry dock tours of the Battleship Texas come to a close this summer, many readers have been asking for a refresher on the Houston Ship Channel. The Houston Ship Channel has been around for over 100 years and has seen some of the largest ships ever constructed navigate the channel. BATTLESHIP TEXAS: Leaving dry dock in August, tours of the historic ship will soon be ending Here are a few things to know about the ship channel: What is the Houston Ship Channel? The Houston Ship Channel has historically been a link between Houston and Galveston Bay by way of Buffalo Bayou and the San Jacinto River. The 52-mile waterway was extremely navigable and, according to the Texas State Historical Association, it became to go-to route for early Houstonians, visitors and immigrants to travel before the railroad era. Cotton, oil, and petroleum were all important cargo transported through the ship channel in the early twentieth century. The Houston Ship Channel was formally opened in 1914 under President Woodrow Wilson along with the help of a few notable Houstonians such as Mayor Horace Baldwin Rice and Jesse H. Jones. Now, it is home to one of the largest petrochemical complexes in the world and the Port of Houston is the nation's leading port in terms of foreign tonnage. The Port of Houston owns and operates the Houston Ship Channel. What is the economic impact of the ship channel? The Houston Ship Channel has more than 200 public and private facilities along its port. According to 2018 data from the Port of Houston, the channel had $339 billion in state economic value and accounts for 20.6 percent of Texas' Gross Domestic Product. Also, the channel contributes to 1,350,695 jobs throughout Texas. What is the Houston Ship Channel expansion? The Port of Houston has been attempting to expand the Houston Ship Channel since 2010. It's a $1 billion improvement called Project 11. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Biden administration is funding $142 million under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. When Project 11 is complete, it is supposed to widen the channel from 530 feet to 700 feet. It will also deepen some segments of the channel from 41.5 feet to 46.5 feet, make safety and efficiency improvements, and create new environmental features, per a Corps of Engineers release. At some points of the channel, the waterway becomes so narrow that boats have difficulty passing each other and have to perform a "Texas Chicken" maneuver. Due to the danger of the narrow waterway, environmental advocates and local residents support widening the channel, but have asked the port to use less polluting equipment in order to do so. Project 11 is expected to be completed by 2025. How much pollution does the ship channel create? The Houston Ship Channel has been at the center of many studies surrounding pollution with numerous chemical and industrial facilities along the 52-mile throughway. These facilities emit significant quantities of air pollution while also having been the subject of numerous chemical leaks and petrochemical fires. The Environmental Integrity Project recently found that many facilities and refineries along the Houston Ship Channel have more "excessive" emissions events than any other industrial facilities in the state. Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services also found that the air pollution emitted between the Gulf of Mexico and the Port of Houston is "disproportionately shouldered by people of color, people living in poverty, and limited-English households." In addition to the air pollution, the discharges also contribute to Galveston Bay's water pollution, according to Texas Health and Human Services. As a result, eating wildlife caught in the Galveston Bay Estuary may cause adverse health effects. Is the Ship Channel Bridge being rebuilt? After months of uncertainty, the $1.3 billion redo of the Houston Ship channel bridge is underway again after work on the project stopped due to concerns with its design. Workers plan on opening a north and southbound portion of the new bridge in mid-2025. Then, crews plan to demolish the existing bridge and finish the second segment. The complete, four-lane bridge going both directions is expected to be completed by 2028. Each Humboldt Penguin at the Houston Zoo has its own distinct personality. One penguin, named Dora, is one of the youngest and bravest penguins to explore the Houston Zoo's new, state-of-the-art Galapagos Islands exhibit. Staff at the zoo recently posted a short video of its latest exhibit on social media, allowing people to get a glimpse of Dora and her new habitat ahead of the exhibit's public unveiling and grand opening Friday. Exclusive: 'Galapagos Islands' opens soon. Penguins, sea lions steal Houston Zoo's $70 million show Senior penguin keeper Amanda Perry said Dora "is definitely a keeper, and I'm sure (she) will be a guest favorite very soon." The zoo currently has 10 of the flightless, black and white birds, in hopes they will soon mate and become parents. Although the exhibit is named for the Galapagos Islands and the Galapagos penguins that live there, the 10 penguins who will live in Houston's new exhibit didn't actually come from the island, as the Galapagos are the most endangered penguin species in the world. Now Playing: Penguins, sea lions steal Houston Zoo's $70 million show as Galapagos Islands' ready to open on April 7 with never-before-seen animals and attractions that includes a unique under water tunnel where visitors can interact with the sea lions. Video: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle But the Humboldt penguins, which come from the warm climate of Chile and Peru, are closely related to the Galapagos. And zookeepers said their native environment makes them a great fit for hot and humid Houston, even though their new enclosure is a climate-controlled environment. The exhibit, which cost $70 million to create, can be found just inside the zoo entrance and will open to the public Friday. MEXICO CITY (AP) The killings of four men in the Mexican resort of Cancun was probably related to drug gang rivalries, authorities said Tuesday. The Caribbean coast state of Quintana Roo said drug gang leader Hector Flores Aceves, known by his nickname Pantera, or the Panther, was involved in the killings. The dead men were found Monday in the citys hotel zone near the beach. The killings came as Cancun kicked off the Easter Week vacations, one of its busiest times of the year. The state offered a $50,000 reward for Flores Aceves on Tuesday, saying he was involved in the killings. But it was the same reward offered for his arrest since a series of attacks and killings at bars in Cancun in May 2022. In 2022, Lucio Hernandez, the then-police chief of Quintana Roo, said Flores Aceves and a rival implicated in the bar attacks were members of the Sinaloa cartel, which split in the state. Two people were killed and eight wounded in shooting attacks on two bars in Cancun on May 6, 2022. At the time, Hernandez said the two are trying to control what they call the marketplace to carry out their criminal activities." He said the gangs' activities included drug dealing, kidnapping and extoring protection money from business owners, by threatening to attack or kill them if they didn't pay. The information offered Tuesday did not give any more details on the motive in the latest killings, in which two suspects were detained. But gangs in Mexico frequently stake out exclusive areas where only they can sell drugs to tourists, and kill anyone selling drugs for a rival gang. Monday's killings came less that a week after a U.S. tourist was shot in the leg in the nearby town of Puerto Morelos. The motive in that remains under investigation. The U.S. State Department issued a travel alert last month warning travelers to exercise increased caution, especially after dark, at Mexicos Caribbean beach resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, which have been plagued by drug gang violence in the past. In 2022, two Canadians were killed in Playa del Carmen, apparently because of debts between international drug and weapons trafficking gangs. In 2021, farther south in the laid-back destination of Tulum, two tourists one a California travel blogger born in India and the other German were killed when they apparently were caught in the crossfire of a gunfight between rival drug dealers. It's too early to surmise the fate of 34 felony charges brought against a man sometimes known as "Teflon Don" for his ability to emerge unscathed from scandal after scandal. But there's one thing we will never unstick from our minds: The somber, almost dazed look, of former President Donald Trump, at long last in the steely clutches of the long arm of the law. "WOW, they are going to ARREST ME," Trump shared on social media moments before walking into the courthouse. "Can't believe this is happening in America." Perhaps it's happening precisely because this is America. No amount of money or power can put someone above the law, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Tuesday, just after Trump pleaded not guilty to charges of allegedly falsifying business records in a "catch and kill" scheme to hide damaging information from the voting public before the 2016 presidential election. Elizabeth Williams/AP At a press conference, Bragg seemed to liken Trump to other white collar defendants whom the office had charged with falsifying business records in order to cover up wrongdoing, such as tax violations and sex crimes. In this case, Bragg alleged that Trump's 34 false statements were committed with the intent to violate other laws. He didnt specify which laws in the indictment but he told reporters after the hearing that they included violations of federal election law caps on political contribution amounts and a state election law against conspiring to promote a candidacy by unlawful means. Some argue Bragg's case is weak, a Rube Goldberg concoction of contingent offenses that the American public won't find nearly offensive enough to risk the backlash and even potential benefit to Trump's political prospects. We say that's not Bragg's problem. Leave the political strategy and public relations with the people who aren't sworn to uphold the law. Sure, prosecutors use discretion all the time in deciding which cases to pursue and which to let go. Bragg, an experienced prosecutor with a reputation for being meticulous and thoughtful, says he picked this battle carefully after gathering enough evidence, more than what his predecessor had, including texts, emails, phone records, to make a strong case. John Minchillo/AP And maybe he does have a strong case, especially, as Bragg argues, in the financial center of the world where accurate business records are all the more important. A grand jury thought so. Trump's camp can scream "political persecution" if they want. Bragg, known as reform-minded, has nonetheless not given us any reason to believe he sold his hard-earned integrity in a deal with "radical left" conspirators for the sole satisfaction of humiliating Donald Trump. He's given us every reason to sit up, pay attention, and watch the process work. On Tuesday, that process made history as Trump became the first former president to be charged with a crime. Scholars note that such a criminal charge, even a conviction, couldn't keep the 2024 presidential candidate from holding office because the Constitution makes no mention of criminal history among eligibility requirements for commander-in-chief. But nor does the Constitution mention any white-glove treatment that should be afforded a former occupant of the White House in such a scenario. To be sure, the scene at the Manhattan courthouse was like no other white-collar drama. Trump didn't get the mugshot he reportedly wanted but he fundraised off a fake one anyway. Supporters were encouraged to pay $47 for a T-shirt with the phony black-and-white image above the words NOT GUILTY. Mary Altaffer/AP It was almost dizzying to observe cable news coverage as it kept shifting between scenes of competing realities, moods and norms. Trump's sleek black motorcade moved with staggered, strategic presidential grace but felt like a funeral procession. His cottony coif of blond hair swept across his forehead as always but his mouth was a shockingly silent straight line. Even the familiar, comforting blitz of still camera clicks that greeted him as he turned toward the courtroom couldn't break his somber countenance. Trump moved through the halls, and a private elevator usually reserved for court officials, with an entourage that included two confidants, but also, a rigid formation of armed officers whose duties did not include holding the door for the wealthy mogul. Trump had to push it open himself. Outside, two distinct crowds had vied for the day's narrative: "Lock him up," went the refrain from hopeful Trump critics, who seized on the gleeful opportunity to co-opt the words of Trump's own crowds against his former Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. "U-S-A! U-S-A!" came the defiant calls of Trump supporters, many wearing his signature MAGA red. Their exhibition of patriotism for a democratic nation whose laws would allow such a prosecution of a person of privilege betrayed not a hint of irony. Despite the history and spectacle, there were few surprises in the unsealed indictments or findings of fact. As expected, Trump was charged in connection with allegedly repeated hush money payments, including $130,000 to keep adult film star Stormy Daniels from going public about their sexual relationship. Though Trump's lawyers described the indictment released Tuesday as "boilerplate," it was accompanied by a 13-page statement of facts that spelled out the stakes of the case, arguing that Trump "repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election." Andrew Kelly/AP Defendant Trump may have appeared more chastened than President Trump or Candidate Trump but even as he sat with his shoulders slumped inside the courtroom he was awaiting the chance to make public remarks later that evening back in Florida. "It's not going to stop him," Todd Blanche, who recently resigned from his firm to take the job defending Trump, told reporters outside the courthouse, referring to the indictments. "It's not going to slow him down." And it's not going to condemn him unjustly, either. If there's one thing money can buy you in America, it's a fair trial. And so it was that a man who hours earlier had momentarily surrendered his liberty and presumably, his thumbprints, to become just one of many criminal defendants in this country, ultimately left the courthouse to board his own private plane waiting for him at LaGuardia Airport. May justice be as swift. Regarding "TEA now intervening in Austin ISD just two weeks after Houston ISD takeover," (April 3): Your article proved to be both disappointing and shocking to me. As a retired special education teacher of 42 years in a number of Texas school districts, I know firsthand the numerous hardships of the special education process. The problems associated with the federal program that ensures educational services to students who qualify for special education are numerous and complex, to say the least. There may very well be a connection between the animus of our state's fed up philosophy and the directives from the feds to provide a "free appropriate public education" to qualifying students with disabilities. This animus was proven when our Texas Education Agency issued a directive and incentivized our school districts to place a cap of 8.5 percent on the identification and placement of students needing special education services in 2004. This was not only an evil directive, but illegal as well. The ramifications of TEAs illegal capping have yet to be fully seen, but rest assured they were significant to our students who needed special education services to succeed in school. Now we have the fox guarding the henhouse. Many of our educational programs succeed in spite of TEAs shenanigans, not thanks to its support. Hopefully TEA will come through and not only help Austin ISD but our public school districts that educate all our students. Joe Sosa, Katy I clearly remember when the TEA was suppressing special education enrollment throughout the state. After Katy ISD's Superintendent Leonard Merrell retired in 2004, the district made cuts to special ed. TEA said nothing then. It is ironic that the TEA seeks to punish school systems such as Austin's on this basis. What's next? Mandatory "Abbott Youth" and "DeSantis Youth"? Steve Howell, Katy Leaf blowers For the record, I am an ardent Republican. This isn't about climate change activism, but about pragmatism. This is about children because so many are going to see their lives and the lives of their loved ones cut short. That's thanks to the legions of poison squads that invade every suburban neighborhood and can be found on many municipal streets and commercial parking lots. They call themselves landscapers, but their activities are more akin to that of ecological assassins. The culprit? Leaf blowers, a tool we've deemed essential. How can this be when they were not present for most of my 64 years, but lawns always were? Landscapers cite cost considerations but ignore the cost that will be paid by their workers, the people that hire them and the innocent bystander. All are subjected to cancer-causing benzene and highly toxic microparticles for the sake of a presentable lawn or dust-free parking lot. And where does all of this contagion go? The portion that doesn't settle back down onto the ground will lodge securely in the lungs of the living. If toxins were to be found in a community pool, it would be shut down and the public would demand answers. The outrage would magnify if they were told that the municipality had placed them there. Why is the air being breathed at the community playground not considered in the same light? We send high-priced emissaries to far-off conferences to discuss the worldwide environmental impact of our behavior, but refuse to look under our own beds. The country needs education and awareness. Let your lawn go a little shaggy and have pride in doing so. I really hope that the time has come to understand the dangers of leaf blowers and file them away along with the guy smoking in the elevator. Jim Rea, Seaford, N.Y. Hidden gems Regarding "Thumbs: A&M streaker wasn't foolin.' Buc-ee's ancestor. Democrat lone survivor," (April 1): Thumbs has again overlooked Houstons Clear Lake region. No knocks on the other worthy funburb spots noted by Thumbs, but inner-Loopers should also consider setting their GPS southeast to the Clear Lake regions many hot spots. Inner-Loopers should consider exploring our Exploration Green hiking and biking trails; Armand Bayous alligator-strewn waters and nature center; Johnson Space Center attractions; and Kemah Boardwalks amusements. Then again, as a counter to Katys Dig World, maybe we Clear Lake outer-Loopers would prefer Houstons inner-Loopers stay away from the Gulf Freeways perpetual construction world. Despite Thumbs' blind spot, this outer-Looper will focus his fun in the Clear Lakes fun boating and fishing scene. Scott Grell, League City Harris County will spend $15 million to buy more than 100 single-family homes, many of which will go into the county's Community Land Trust program to provide and preserve long-term affordable housing. The homes will be purchased using federal American Rescue Plan Act funding. MORE ON HOUSING: Harris County is moving families into permanently affordable homes through community land trust The Harris County Community Land Trust aims to make home ownership attainable for county residents earning less than 80 percent of the Houston area's median income and who otherwise would struggle to buy a house. Under the 4-year-old program, the buyer purchases and owns the house, while the land it sits on is owned by the trust, dramatically reducing the buyers purchase price. Buying a property through the land trust can take $100,000 off the list price because the homebuyer is paying only for the cost of the structure. It also stabilizes tax bills for buyers because owners do not pay taxes on the land, which is the portion of the taxable value that is most likely to climb over time. Each property in the land trust program has a 99-year renewable ground lease, guaranteeing the housing will remain affordable in the long term. If the homeowner decides to sell the house, the land trust will buy it back or find another income-eligible buyer to purchase the home. "A Community Land Trust can be a great tool to provide low-income families the opportunity to become homeowners where land prices are significantly higher," said Julia Orduna, the Southeast Texas regional director at the nonprofit low-income housing advocacy group Texas Housers. "This can offer families a choice to live in these areas. We hope this program is made available in all residential areas in the county to maximize the choice of where to live." HOUSTON HOUSING: Affordable housing program in danger because critics say it's too slow at securing homes The Harris County Community Land Trust can acquire single-family and multifamily properties located anywhere in the county. Around 40 homebuyers currently are in the land trust's pipeline, actively working with real estate agents to look for homes and lenders to get mortgage-qualified, according to the county. The $15 million allocation, unanimously approved by the Commissioners Court, is part of a broader countywide plan to commit more than $200 million in ARPA funds to affordable housing. "By investing in single-family home acquisitions, we will create equitable housing outcomes for residents by moving privately owned housing into our Harris County Community Land Trust to avoid speculation, promote shared ownership and create permanently affordable housing," Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis said in a statement. "This preserves affordable homes and creates wealth-building opportunities through home ownership." So far, the land trust has taken an owner-driven approach in which a buyer works with a real estate agent to find a home that costs up to $275,000, then works with the land trust to reduce the sales price. With the ARPA funding, the program also will be able to identify and purchase homes, then market and resell them to buyers at a discounted cost, entering the land in the trust. "This is a big deal," County Judge Lina Hidalgo said after the vote to approve the funding at Tuesday's meeting. "It's not enough, but it's progress." In 2021, the countywide median sales price of a home was $285,000, about twice the price the countys median renter could afford to purchase, according to the Kinder Institute for Urban Research's 2022 State of Housing in Harris County and Houston report. Houston City Council on Wednesday approved a program that would allow the city to designate conservation districts in six neighborhoods, giving residents there a new lever to regulate certain aspects of development, from building heights to roof lines and off-street parking. Mayor Sylvester Turner and supporting council members say the new designation will serve as a tool to combat gentrification in the neighborhoods, where residents have sought added control to protect their communities. The pilot areas include Independence Heights, Freedmens Town, Acres Homes, Magnolia Park/Manchester, Pleasantville and Piney Point. Critics and land use experts, however, say it is unlikely to achieve that goal and may even make the neighborhoods less affordable by constraining the housing supply. There is an urgent concern in Houston neighborhoods, particularly among historical neighborhoods of color that do not have established deed restrictions, Turner said in a statement after the vote. These neighborhoods are rapidly losing their character and historical significance from demolition and increased development that conflicts with the look and feel of their community. BACKGROUND: Turner wants to fight Houston gentrification with conservation districts. Critics say it wont work. The 13-4 vote Wednesday begins the process of establishing conservation districts. Councilmembers Amy Peck, Dave Martin, Mary Nan Huffman, and Mike Knox voted against the measure. The Planning Department now will work with residents in those neighborhoods to review options and engage homeowners before the property owners vote to establish a zone. Then they would need approval from the historical commission and City Council to finalize the conservation district. The mayor has said his administration will not oversee the creation of any other districts during his last year of office, beyond the original six neighborhoods. City Attorney Arturo Michel said City Council would have to hold a public hearing and vote to amend the ordinance if it ever wants to expand the program beyond those neighborhoods. The program is designed to be less onerous than other options available to Houston communities, such as historic preservation districts and deed restrictions. A conservation district would require a lower share of owner support, 51 percent, than the historic option, which needs 67 percent, and deed restrictions that require 100 percent. The list of items residents can regulate under the ordinance includes: building height and number of stories; building size; lot size and coverage; front and side building setbacks; off-street parking; roof line and pitch; paving and hardscape covering; general site planning; architectural style and detailing; building materials; exterior alterations; garage locations; fences and walls; and building relocation or demolitions. At-Large Councilmember Michael Kubosh failed to win approval of an amendment that would let affected property owners opt out of the conservation district. The council rejected the idea on a 15-2 vote. Turner said it would undermine the policy, allowing anyone to opt out and develop a property as they see fit. The policy could face a similar challenge in the Legislature, though. State Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, and state Rep. Mano DeAyala, R-Houston, have proposed bills that would have the same effect, allowing property owners to opt out of the districts and any related restrictions. Huffmans bill passed out of a Senate committee on Tuesday. Knox, an at-large councilmember, expressed concern about the new districts' effects on existing deed-restricted neighborhoods. Could a cohort of homeowners use conservation districts, with their lower approval requirement, to circumvent that process and add new requirements? District I Councilmember Robert Gallegos, who grew up in Magnolia Park, argued that will not be case. He said he currently lives in a community with deed restrictions. There is no way that this conservation district would come into the neighborhood and change things, Gallegos said. RELATED: Mayor Turner narrows scope of conservation district program to 6 neighborhoods One expert, Anika Singh Lemar of the Yale Law School, has said conservation districts in other cities have not made gentrifying areas any less desirable to newcomers, and can even hurt affordability due to new constraints on the housing supply. Lemar has researched the concept in Dallas, Nashville, Cambridge, Miami, Boise and Chapel Hill. Supporters and some residents say the program could provide critical, and more accessible, tools to preserve their neighborhoods, which do not have deed restrictions. In Freedmens Town, representatives have come down on both sides of the issue. Charonda Johnson of the Freedmens Town Association and Zion Escobar of the Houston Freedmens Town Conservancy both have spoken in support of the district. They point out that most of the contributing structures to Freedmens Town have been lost in recent decades, despite federal recognition in the National Register of Historic Places. That designation did not impose any limits on homeowners. Less than 10 percent of the 500 original contributing structures remain. Those were federal protections. We had no local protections, Johnson said. What this conservation district will do, it will give us local protections so we can save what is left. Freedmens Town also was named the citys first heritage district in 2021, which allows nonprofits to pay for upkeep. RELATED: Freedmens Town to become Houstons first official Heritage District The support is not unanimous in the neighborhood, though. Gladys House-El, who helped spearhead the effort for federal recognition, asked City Council to remove the neighborhood from its plans. That led to an exchange with Turner during Tuesdays council session. This is another tool to preserve historical communities, historical neighborhoods, historical features, so that we dont lose them, the mayor told House-El. Its important that we preserve historical communities, just like those bricks. House-El responded: Since your administration, weve lost 11 buildings. Youre the mayor and you couldnt stop it. Turner later added: Its always good to see you. Always good to hear from you, and I know this will provide you with an opportunity to be right there in Freedmens Town expressing your view, and then we shall see whether or not your view is consistent with everybody else is Freedmens Town, because no one person speaks for the whole community. Perata Bradley, a native of Freedmens Town, said the focus should be on keeping the neighborhoods residents in place. People need to be preserved as well, not just the brick streets that yall know nothing about, Bradley said. She was referring to brick-paved streets in Freedmens Town that were laid by freed slaves in the early 20th century, after the city refused their request to pave streets. A city contractor dislodged a car-sized segment of them during a drainage project in 2016. They were reinstalled in 2018. Councilmember Abbie Kamin, whose District C includes Freedmens Town, said she hopes the new framework takes some of the onus off residents fighting to save their neighborhoods. Far too often there is an unfair burden falling on residents in Freedmens Town when it comes to protecting this area and community that for decades has been ignored, Kamin said. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon have made press statements. The President of Tajikistan made the statement first. Statement by President Emomali Rahmon - Dear representatives of the media, First of all, I would like to once again sincerely welcome the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, distinguished Ilham Heydarovich Aliyev, who is paying a state visit to the Republic of Tajikistan. I would like to begin by noting that over the 30 years of diplomatic relations, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan have been able to build effective mechanisms for interaction and achieve significant results that serve for the benefit of our fraternal peoples today. This is largely facilitated by close and trusting contacts at the highest level, at the origins of which was the outstanding son of the Azerbaijani people, my friend and senior associate Heydar Aliyev, whose 100th anniversary of the birth we will also be celebrating in Tajikistan next month. I always have warm recollections of our communication with this great statesman of fraternal Azerbaijan. At the most fateful time for the country, Heydar Aliyev became a truly national leader of his glorious people and led the country along the path of stability and development. The visit of the esteemed Ilham Heydarovich is a logical continuation of not only these ties, but also of the centuries-old relations of mutual communication between our peoples, at the origins of which stood the incomparable Nizami Ganjavi, who is revered in every Tajik home. Therefore, our talks, as always, were of constructive nature, aimed at promoting and deepening our bilateral cooperation. During the talks, we examined in detail the state of and prospects for the development of bilateral relations and exchanged views on all issues of relevance to us. The bilateral documents signed today are aimed at strengthening and supplementing the legal framework of our ties. As components of our multifaceted ties, we noted the progressive nature of inter-parliamentary cooperation, which has acquired a new content as a result of reciprocal visits by the heads of the parliaments of the two countries. We discussed in detail our trade and economic cooperation. We agreed that the volume of trade between our countries does not meet the potential the parties have. In this regard, we agreed to take urgent action to increase it. As part of the talks, we separately focused on cooperation in the areas of investment, industrial interaction, agriculture, transport, and the fuel and energy complex. In the field of industrial cooperation, we have identified ample opportunities for the implementation of joint projects in the light, chemical and mining industries, in the production of building materials, processing of aluminum, cotton fiber, precious and semi-precious stones and metals. In the energy sector, we confirmed the interest in the participation of Azerbaijani companies in the development of oil and gas fields in Tajikistan. We will continue to actively use the convenient transit opportunities of Azerbaijan and increase the volume of freight traffic of Tajik state and commercial entities. During our talks, special importance place was attached to the humanitarian direction of our relations in the field of education, science and culture. We have exchanged views on the entire set of topical issues of regional and international nature. We noted the importance of further interaction on the platforms of international and regional organizations. We have agreed to continue the practice of mutual support for each other's candidacies and initiatives at multilateral platforms, primarily at the UN. We have also expressed gratitude to the Azerbaijani side for supporting the global initiatives put forward by Tajikistan on water and climate issues. Our negotiations also focused on security issues. We have spoken in favor of strengthening cooperation in the fight against international terrorism, extremism, drug and arms trafficking, cybercrime and other forms of transnational organized crime. We have discussed in detail international issues and the situation in our regions. The results of today's talks allow us the opportunity to look at the development of relations between our countries with great optimism and good hopes. Now, it is with great pleasure that I am giving the floor to our dear guest, esteemed Ilham Heydarovich Aliyev. Please. X X X Then, the President of Azerbaijan made the statement. Statement by President Ilham Aliyev - Dear Emomali Sharifovich, ladies and gentlemen, First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the President of Tajikistan for the invitation to pay a state visit to fraternal Tajikistan. This is not the first time I have visited Tajikistan. This is my third official visit. I have also visited Tajikistan to participate in international events. And first of all, I would like to congratulate you, Emomali Sharifovich, and all the fraternal people of Tajikistan on the great achievements in the way of socioeconomic development of Tajikistan. I also wanted to note that I was very pleased to see the rapid development of the capital, the city of Dushanbe, which is getting prettier year by year. I last visited Dushanbe almost five years ago, and I can say with confidence that significant positive changes have taken place in this short time. What I see and what I was talking about with the President of Tajikistan regarding future plans suggests that the capital of Tajikistan will be even more beautiful and even more convenient for visitors and residents. I would also like to express my gratitude to the President of Tajikistan for the kind attitude to the memory of my father Heydar Aliyev, who, together with Emomali Sharifovich Rahmon, stood at the origins of the formation of interstate relations between our countries and, in essence, laid the foundation for these relations. Today, the successful development of fraternal relations between our countries is the result of precisely that activity in the early 1990s, when both Tajikistan and Azerbaijan experienced great difficulties, when public and political stability in our countries was disrupted, when, unfortunately, there was a civil war both in Tajikistan and in Azerbaijan. The most horrific war is a fratricidal war. Both President Rahmon and President Aliyev did everything in their power to turn the page of bloodshed and put our countries on the path of development. And they succeeded. Today Tajikistan and Azerbaijan are two stable states. Today, when we see pockets of instability in our region and, in general, in the world, I think everyone understands that stability is the basis of development, the basis of security. Without stability, there will be no investment, no progress and peace of mind for the people. Therefore, I think that the example of our countries, which pursue a policy based on the national interests of our peoples, shows that great results can be achieved with wise leadership, even starting from the lowest point of development. Tajikistan and Azerbaijan, of all the former republics of the Soviet Union, began the path of independence in the worst conditions, in the most difficult circumstances. Those who remember that period well can certainly confirm this. But it is necessary that the younger generation both in Azerbaijan and Tajikistan also know this. Our current successful development, as they say, did not fall out of the sky, it is the result of the work of great leaders, the leaders of our peoples, who, at the risk for themselves and for their lives, did everything to ensure peaceful and successful development. I am particularly pleased to speak about this here, in Tajikistan, a fraternal country where the memory of Heydar Aliyev is honored. As Emomali Sharifovich has said, next month we will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of the founder of the Azerbaijani state. I am grateful to our Tajik brothers that Heydar Aliyev will also be commemorated in Tajikistan. Emomali Sharifovich has covered all topics of the talks. I think we have held very productive talks. Both in a tete-a-tete conversation and at the meeting in an expanded format with the participation of delegations, we discussed the specific issue of future cooperation. In all the areas that Emomali Sharifovich has mentioned, we have a clear idea of how to move forward. In the transport and logistical sector, specific instructions have been given, as indeed on issues related to industrial cooperation and investment projects. We are ready to seriously consider investment projects in Tajikistan, because, firstly, Tajikistan is a close country, and secondly, a stable state. Investments go only to countries where there is stability and a good investment environment. The fact that many foreign companies are actively investing in Tajikistan means that investments, including foreign, are protected by the state. I have no doubt that tangible steps will be taken in the near future based on the results of the visit. We have agreed to hold the next meeting of the intergovernmental commission in Tajikistan this year, and by the time of the meeting of the intergovernmental commission, I am sure that all the instructions that we have given to the members of the delegations on the issues of transport and logistical interaction, investment policy, industrial cooperation will be fulfilled. I am sure that the results will please us all. I would like to specifically note the solid foundation of our ties, namely cultural interaction. Our peoples have lived for centuries in an atmosphere of friendship, accord. We have always been friends, and it is no coincidence that Tajik culture is highly valued in Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani culture is appreciated in Tajikistan. I would like to note that it is no coincidence that the monument to the outstanding son of the Tajik people Rudaki was created by the Azerbaijani sculptor Fuad Abdurrahmanov. In the 1960s, this monument was erected in Dushanbe. Another well-known Azerbaijani sculptor Omar Eldarov has created monuments to Ayni and Ibn Sina. So this speaks volumes. To entrust the creation of a monument to the outstanding representative of the Tajik people to someone from Azerbaijan is evidence of great trust, friendship and brotherhood. We are also aware that the people of Tajikistan love and revere the great Azerbaijani poet Nizami Ganjavi, who was born, lived and left this world in his native Ganja. And this is the cultural foundation that creates the prerequisites for active interaction in all areas today. I am sure that in the field of education and in indeed other areas, we will implement all the decisions that we made today. I would also like to mention that we noted with satisfaction that about 50 cadets from Tajikistan are currently studying at educational institutions of the Ministry of Defense and the State Border Service of Azerbaijan. And we decided to help increase the number of Tajik students. Also, of course, I am sure that Azerbaijani students can receive education here in Tajikistan with great joy and desire. I also want to express my gratitude to my dear friend and brother, Emomali Sharifovich Rahmon, for the hospitality and for cooperation. Taking this opportunity, I would like to invite you, Emomali Sharifovich, to visit Azerbaijan. Emomali Sharifovich has paid three official visits to Azerbaijan. I also paid three official visits to Tajikistan. This is evidence of the dynamics of our relations. I think that the intensity of these visits will grow further in the future. We will work together, make friends and build a common future. Thank you. President Emomali Rahmon: Thank you, Ilham Heydarovich. Thank you for the invitation to pay a visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan. I will certainly take advantage of your kind invitation at the first convenient opportunity. Tony Buzbee, the millionaire businessman and trial attorney who unsuccessfully challenged Mayor Sylvester Turner in 2019, is considering another run for City Hall's top job. Buzbee on Wednesday said supporters are urging him to run again, and he believes he is the only candidate who can defeat U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who told church parishioners last week that she would run. He emphasized, though, that he has not made a decision yet. Im most concerned about the safety and well-being of the people who live in Houston. We have decisions to make to ensure that Houston leads," Buzbee told the Chronicle, a comment he also posted on social media. "I can spend $15 to $50 million to win, if I think there is a path to victory. Im a moderate. Im not affiliated with any party, but I do lean a bit left. Houston deserves a motivated independent. Thats me. Not sure I would do it, but people are pushing me to do so. ELECTION PRIMER: A look at who is running in city elections and key things to know He predicted he would "step into a runoff" if he decides to run. The only question, he said, is whom he would face. Runoffs are necessary when no candidate garners a majority in the first round of voting, often the case in crowded city elections; the top two candidates then go to a runoff. "I haven't decided yet if I want to do that," Buzbee said. "Our firm is working on too many cases at the moment across the country." The crowded field already includes Jackson Lee who has not publicly acknowledged her campaign since addressing the City Cathedral Church on March 26 and state Sen. John Whitmire, along with former Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins, former City Council member Amanda Edwards, attorney Lee Kaplan, council member Robert Gallegos and former Metro Chair Gilbert Garcia, who was Buzbee's campaign treasurer during the 2019 race. Buzbee forced Turner into a runoff in that election and lost, 56 percent to 44 percent. He ran a boisterous campaign that offered a populist message, ridiculing political insiders, backroom deals and City Hall cronyism. At one point, he brought a wheelbarrow full of manure to reinforce his point that something "stinks" at City Hall. Along the way, he spent more than $12 million of his own money. Buzbee's entrance, like Jackson Lee's last week, would further scramble the contest, providing conservative voters with their most apparent option to date. Buzbee said Wednesday that he leans left, and he served as chair of the Galveston County Democratic Party, but he appealed heavily to conservative voters in the 2019 race, among whom he performed best in the general and runoff elections. GOP stalwarts like former Gov. Rick Perry, who once employed Buzbee's legal services, and state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, supported his campaign and made automated calls to voters. Buzbee hosted a fundraiser for former President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign, though he also held one for Turner, a Democrat, during the 2015 mayoral runoff. "Buzbee is not a true Republican in the sense that we associate Republicans today, but he's definitely seen as more conservative than all the other major contenders," said Brandon Rottinghaus, a professor of political science at the University of Houston. "(If) you've got a more bona fide conservative in the race, it takes some of the fuel away from Whitmire's fire." Whitmire, a Democrat, is positioning himself as a moderate voice who would be tough on crime, according to Rottinghaus. If Buzbee gets in, some of the more conservative voters to whom Whitmire could appeal may look elsewhere. DONOR TRACKER: Who's funding Houston's mayoral race? Search our tracker here. There also is the matter of money. Whitmire's $10 million war chest, amassed over decades in the Texas Legislature, has loomed over the mayoral race since late 2021. It is dramatically more than any other declared candidate has, but Buzbee's personal wealth likely will allow him to outspend any candidate. The $12 million he spent on his bout with Turner was second only to Bill White's $9.7 million in 2003, which when adjusted for inflation would have equaled $13.5 million in 2019. On Wednesday, Buzbee raised the specter of spending four times that sum, up to $50 million. "The only way to beat the front-runners currently running for mayor is with a lot of money, and Buzbee has a lot of money," Rottinghaus said. "He has, to some extent, endless pockets to keep going back to the well." Asked if he has a timeline in mind to make a decision, Buzbee said Wednesday: "We will see." The election is Nov. 7. Chicago, IL (60637) Today Cloudy skies with periods of rain late. Low near 40F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Cloudy skies with periods of rain late. Low near 40F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. 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[Fred Jacobs] Top broadcast radio consultant Fred Jacobs dissects his experience with the auto industry and what it means for the future of radio. by Fred Jacobs of Jacobs Media I cant tell you how long my love affair with cars has lasted. When youre born and raised in Detroit, cars are in your DNA. My best memories include GTOs, Bel Airs, Road Runners, and a soundtrack of the Beach Boys, Motown, and Mitch Ryder on AM radio that perfectly accompanied all that Motor City metal. Dad took us to Cobo Hall every frigid January for the Detroit Auto Show, the annual celebration of the citys #1 export the car. Its no wonder then that when Paul and I first went to CES back in 2009, we gravitated to the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center where this years models were on display. We got to meet many automotive experts who welcomed a couple of Detroit radio natives with open arms. But the storm clouds were already gathering on the horizon. Despite being partners in the dashboard for most of a century, the relationship between radio and automotive wasnt contentious or even frosty. It just didnt exist. Even though consumers instinctively connected radio to cars, neither industry had a whole lot to do with the other. The auto companies dutifully installed AM/FM receivers in their dashboards, and the radio industry gladly monetized the hell out of them. It wasnt until February 2013 when we all witnessed the first signs of the strain at a Radio Ink Convergence conference. It came during a panel moderated by Buzz Knight that included Valerie Shuman (Connected Vehicle Trade Association), Frankie James (General Motors), and Thilo Koslowski (then with Gartner). The session was going along smoothly, until Buzz began to wrap it up, asking his panelists for their final thoughts. And Thilo threw out the grenade suggesting that AM/FM radios might not be standard equipment in new cars, perhaps by 2025 or possibly as early as 2020. Frankie added that in Europe, some automakers were already manufacturing vehicles without over the air radios installed. Radio Ink publisher Eric Rhoads heard enough, jumped on stage brandishing a microphone, and demanded more information from his panel of experts. Thilo calmed the situation a bit, but Eric was sufficiently agitated at that point. And justifiably so. The next day he wrote, A Cold Harsh Reality for Radio: AM/FM Will be removed from The Dash. The die was cast. Later than year, we partnered with Eric and Radio Ink, along with Valerie Shuman, for the first of three DASH Conferences in Detroit. They were designed to bridge the differences between radio and car execs, seeking out areas of shared opportunity and collaboration. A few years later, the NAB launched its car committee, and Paul and I felt like we had accomplished something meaningful. But things never really progressed a whole lot as far as close relations with the auto industry were concerned. During that time, I remember hearing radio executives talk about the goal of letting automakers know our priorities as it pertained to how radio looked in car dashboards. Paul and I both felt this thinking fell somewhere between delusional and arrogant. And in recent years, weve watched the OEMs the auto manufacturers coalesce around both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Prior to these two tech giants taking over car dashboards, each automaker offered their own proprietary infotainment solution. No two systems were alike, and none was especially good. So it was no surprise when they eventually acquiesced around Apple and Google. But in just the past few months, were seeing what looks to be a different trend. More than ever before, the OEMs are operating independently of one another, making decisions that apparently impact each companys unique interests rather than falling in lock step with an industry trend. First, EV makers, starting with Tesla, began eliminating AM radio from their dashboard systems. And recently, Ford announced it would not include AM in any of its new models, a bold departure from other automakers like Stelllantis (which includes Chrysler Jeep) and Hyundai who vow to continue the century-old tradition of making AM radio standard in all their vehicles. L-R: Roger Lanctot, me | Photo: Media Confidential One of my go-to experts in the automotive field the past dozen years or so has been Roger Lanctot, the Director of Automotive Connected Mobility for Techinsights. Roger has earned his nickname the most connect person in the connected car space. He travels the world, he knows everybody in automotive, and he is always looking around the next corner. Based in the D.C. area, Roger is a radio fan (lots of TSL on WTOP and WAMU), and weve co-presented at NAB events over the years. Last week, Roger attended Radiodays Europe in Prague, and flew home thinking long and hard about automakers and where radio stands in the changing dash. He published an article in LinkedIn over the weekend Cars: Radio OUT! TV IN Yes, Roger is quoting Jerry Del Colliano, serial naysayer now predicting that FM radios days are numbered in the dash, at least as a free feature. Roger points out that Jerrys prediction, while dire, is difficult to dismiss. He also notes SiriusXM has been paying the auto manufacturers in exchange for their dashboard real estate. Roger foresees a world where an app like TuneIn will provide all the radio a driver will ever need. All this comes back to the evolving reality that each individual OEM will cut its own deals and make their own calls. And like so many other happenings in the media/tech world, things are moving fast. Over the weekend, GM announced theyre dropping Apple CarPlay from their EVs. These vehicles will still be equipped with Android Automotive at least for now. And as Roger posits, if these OEMs can dump Apple, dropping AM/FM radio may no longer seem so far-fetched. GMs move cannot be research-based because CarPlay is considerably more popular than Googles in-dash equivalent. (In fact, you have to wonder whether the car companies are querying their audience at all these days or just running their spreadsheets.) Below is another sneak peek from our new 2023 Techsurvey. Overall, 12% of our respondents look to have a new vehicle in their driveways before the year is out. We ask them about the infotainment-type features they deem most important. Theres a lot to unpack here. But clearly three in ten (30%) point to Apple CarPlay as a highly desirable new car feature, compared to fewer than one-fifth (18%) for Android Auto. And as the inset data show, CarPlays popularity is growing, up from 17% just two years ago. Still, GM has decided to base its EV future on Googles ecosystem. As was the case in last years Techsurvey, Bluetooth edges out FM. a telling stat, especially given that our sample is comprised mostly of core radio fans. Still, FM is mentioned as a very important feature among more than seven in ten (71%) of these new car buyers. AM, however, lags well behind, mentioned by only about one-third (32%). Its not a strong showing among those still actively listening to radio, adding to the speculation AMs days in the dash may be numbered. Radio broadcasters are now scrambling to drum up support. A story in Axios/Chicagoyesterday covered area stations pushing back against Fords decision to go AM-less. Like other major markets, Chicago has a rich tradition of AM radio, including WLS and WGN, call letters that still resonate today. And now, the NAB is stepping up with a new radio campaign, Depend on AM Radio. Theres a website, a call to action, and other tools stations can utilize to help make AMs case. A little too late? Clearly, automakers will do what theyre going to do that we know. Whether broadcasters and politicians can bring pressure to bear on the OEMs remains to be seen. Roger Lanctot offered up an additional observation while in Prague. He met with the Xperifolks and got a look at their near-real time data that comes right off of cars equipped with their DTS AutoStage system. As we know, in-car listening data has been virtually non-existent. Nielsens PPM ratings dont even show us the overall percentage of radio consumption in the car. Xperis data maven, Desmond Fuller, shared the heat map below. It represents actual listening in millions of vehicles equipped with DTS AutoStage over the last seven days. The data determines where drivers are listening to AM the darker the blue, the more listening is occurring. Maybe those Chicago broadcasters have a point. Desmond also told me that over the past 30 days, 1,455 unique AM stations have been listened to in DTS Auto-Stage equipped vehicles in the U.S. So much for the argument, No one listens to AM radio. After he saw this data, Roger Lanctot openly wondered why this data isnt being shared with automakers, analysts, and news media. And thinking down the road, it might not be a bad idea to start making the case for FM in cars. Our four-wheeled friends are experiencing a disruptive period, and broadcast radio should not be left on the sidelines. Making sure the OEMs arent just making decisions based on anecdotal information or even focus groups is of paramount importance. In this crazy first quarter of 2023, the radio industry has been mesmerized by Chat bot AI technology. Its fascinating, of course, but it is also something of a distraction. While it may not be as techie or sexy, the fate of AM radio in cars may prove to be an even bigger story this year. Radio broadcasters have had a lot on their plates these past couple decades. But no pressing issue may be bigger than the fate of radio in automotive dashboards. It looks like there will be a lot to talk about in Vegas. Note: The NAB has also put together this infographic available here: The Xperi team will be displaying at the NAB, a good chance to see DTS AutoStage up close. Ill be hosting a panel, Driving Revenue and Insights with Connected Car Listening Data, Sunday morning, April 16, featuring Xperis Joe DAngelo. More info here. Share on: About This Property Welcome to 38 A Glendale Rd. Set in the heart of the beautiful Berkshires, this sprawling 9 room, 3 bed-3 bath cape includes ample living space and all of the amenities one would desire! Boasting large rooms with high ceilings and beautiful hard wood flooring throughout. The grand dining room features double French glass doors that open up to the private back yard area for an indoor-outdoor living feel. The luxurious kitchen features all stainless appliances and a wood block countertop center island w/ a farmhouse style sink. Located far enough away for an overall feeling of serenity while only being minutes from the local downtown area. Interstate highway access is only minutes away, optimal for commuting. Come see for yourself and schedule a showing today! Land Details Community Details Acres Apx: 2.09 Parking Spaces: 2 Parking Type: Garaged Lot Description: Wooded Region: Middle Registry Elem School: Other Middle School: Monument Valley Reg. High School: Monument Mountain Exterior Details Interior Details Color: SHING Style: Cape Construction: Wood Frame Exterior: Shingle,Wood Water: Well Sewer: Private Underground Oil Tank: No Garage: Attached,Under Total Rooms: 9 Total Full Baths: 2 Total Half Baths: 1 Fuel: Nat Gas Hot Water: Nat Gas Electric: Other Floor: Wood Lead Paint: Unk Heat/Cool: Ceiling Fan,Radiant Appliances Incl: Built-In Electric Oven Search More Properties With these Features A draft concept of renovations or new buildings on the Greylock and Brayton school sites with new aspects in blue. PreviousNext North Adams School Building Committee Gets First Look at School Concepts NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Nearly a dozen options for Brayton and Greylock elementary schools were presented to the School Building Committee on Tuesday. The preliminary concepts covered new buildings, renovations and additions at both sites as well as different configurations of grades. These are not plans but rather possibilities for the committee consider as it determines its preferred choice for the city's elementary pupils. The city is currently in the feasibility stage of the Brayton/Greylock School Project with the Massachusetts School Building Authority. The options presented by Jesse Saylor of TSKP Studio focused on light, space, access, use of site and safe drop-off and pickup. "We're not coming forward today to help advise you as to where the benefits are so much as we're showing how these options can support your educational program, which I think is exciting," he said. "It's quite an improvement. So hopefully some of that will come through as well." Each building would have to change in size by about 20,000 square feet, whether they are used for prekindergarten through 6 or split into lower and upper grades. Greylock at 55,000 square feet would have to add square footage and Brayton at 97,000 would have to reduce. This is based on enrollment projections and the square footage standards of the MSBA. The concepts for Brayton would trim the building in the back and relocate vehicle traffic there to relieve the traffic crunch at the entrance and remove access along the front between the school parking lot and the YMCA parking lot. This would accommodate up to 10 buses should the committee chose it as a single school. "Brayton, of course, shares the site with the YMCA, which creates somewhat ambiguous security-type concerns about its parking and drop-off, which is shared with the YMCA," Saylor said. "The traffic report that was created as part of the study notes that the primary concern for this site is student safety during drop-off and pickups." The renovation idea would move the play area to the front, closer to the park and by the cafeteria, with the grade brought up to the cafeteria steps. It would also include larger windows on the basement level to better utilize that space and skylights to bring more light into the interior of the building. A new Brayton would continue with the traffic going around the back but with a new wing built into Brayton Hill that would connect with the park on the bottom level. The size of the school would be dependent on the grade configuration. There could be some play area in the back and Saylor said this area with the Cascade Trail and Notch Brook could make for an outdoors classroom. The school would continue to share the gym with the YMCA. Where the 5-acre Brayton site is somewhat limited by its topography, the YMCA and a brook, Greylock's is much larger at 12 acres with another five adjacent to it. It's also flatter and would allow for new construction while the current school remains in place. The traffic flow seems to work well, so only minor adjustments would be needed in a renovation. "We're proposing a two-story addition, which is in blue in the site plan there, and stretches across the north face of the building," Saylor said. "We think this is a good approach because it really provides a new space for the building and makes the entry allows us to remake the entry in a way that will be welcoming and open to the community." The plan would put preK into the new addition and shift the administration to the front of the entrance, creating a separate entrance on one side to the addition and another to the school proper. A new building would be oriented on the site to take the best advantage of light with an interior configured a couple different ways to accommodate a full preK-6 or a split grade. It would also keep Greylock's beloved courtyard design. All the concepts would include full accessibility to all floors, breakout spaces in corridors for gatherings, identifiable and secure entrances, community-use spaces that can be secured from the rest of the school, and lots and lots of light. Committee member Benjamin Lamb said he liked the new Greylock option because "it really encapsulate everything" but was also taken by the idea that Brayton have a river classroom. "I know that's like a minor piece of it, but I do feel like that's leveraging an amazing asset," he said. Committee member Richard Alcombright also liked the idea of the environmental piece at Brayton but questioned the fate of the Little League field at Greylock, saying residents would have a lot of questions if they saw these plans. "We were planning to relocate it but have it still be on site," said Saylor. "So we were constructing it just adjacent to where it's currently located." Mayor Jennifer Macksey also noted that Greylock School is situated closer to homes than Brayton and after seeing some entrance designs said that should be kept in mind. "I think we need to be really sensitive that that is really is a part of a neighborhood," she said. "We need to make sure that when we design that building that it kind of blends into the neighborhood." Committee members reiterated that these were conceptual plans and Saylor said further details would be pinned down as the committee closed in on its preferred option. This will occur during the schematic phase later this summer. In other business, Matthew Sturz of Colliers International, the owner's project manager, said the feasibility project is on track in terms of budgeting and noted dates that were coming up for presenting plans to the MSBA. Superintendent Barbara Malkas said she is looking for feedback on the draft educational plan to be submitted to MSBA. "We're still very much a work in progress, but I was hoping that if any of the committee members had any specific information that they wanted us to think about or include," she said. "Or if they feel that this is comprehensive in terms of an education plan that represents what the district is hoping for with our new building project." Lanesborough to Re-establish Public Safety Building Committee PITTSFIELD, Mass. After the town rejected a nearly $6 million police and EMS building proposal, the Select Board is preparing to start at square one in solving its problem of insufficient accommodations. On Tuesday, the panel voted to push the application deadline for a reinstated public safety building committee out for one week. Town Administrator Gina Dario reported that almost all of the standing members have resigned from the committee. Voting members included Chair Kristen Tool, William Cook, Bill Mahon, Glen Storie, and William Calderwood. Dario believes that Tool remains. "We're going to start from ground zero is where we're going to start with the exception of the knowledge that [Police Chief Robert Derksen] and [EMS Director Jennifer Weber] have and if [Tool] sticks around or whatever the story is," Select Board member Timothy Sorrell said. "But I guess we don't have an option." He asked if a week would be enough time for people to apply for the committee. Dario said there has been uncertainty about the committee and by dissolving and starting fresh, there will be the opportunity for anyone to apply or re-apply. The deadline is Monday, April 10, by noon; residents can download a citizen's interest form through the town's website. "Do we learn anything from this and decide to do it a little different with the committee?" Sorrell said, wondering if they should also have a group that could research grant sources for the project. The board could decide to set terms of reference for the committee to give them direction, Dario explained, or have a board member participate. The Police Station committee had recommended that the architect and the ad hoc committee as it stood be continued as a cost saving and to keep institutional memory but that a couple more members be added. The committee also advised that the name be changed to include the ambulance service and avoid confusion and that a Facebook page be created to keep residents better informed. Board members also said at last week's meeting that the committee should have at least some evening hours because its afternoon meetings did not allow for enough inclusion. Last month, voters shot down a proposed $5.9 million public safety complex 139-214 at a special town meeting. A steering committee was established to work on this proposal over the past year and after it was determined that the ambulance service would be added, designs were presented to the board late last year. The 7,300-square-foot design by architect Brian Humes includes two ambulance bays, a police sally port, sleeping quarters, offices, locker room and private changing and shower stalls, an emergency management center, and an in-house training room. The proposed site formerly housed the country club's driving range and is owned by Pittsfield's Mill Town Capital. The town has a $1 million commitment from the state for the project and the Baker Hill Road District provided $150,000 for the property purchase. With a 40-year U.S. Department of Agriculture loan at a 3.7 percent interest, property owners would have see an annual increase of between $46 and $183 on their tax bill if the project had passed. The Police Department is working out of temporary quarters because of the condition of the current station. The town leased 545 South Main St. for two years using American Rescue Plan Act funds. April Berkshire Green Drinks: Follow the Forest PITTSFIELD, Mass. Julia Rogers, the Senior Land Protection Manager at the Housatonic Valley Association (HVA), will present at the April Berkshire Green Drinks gathering on Wednesday, April 12, at 6:00 PM in person at Barrington Brewery, 420 Stockbridge Rd, Great Barrington, and online via Zoom. Julia will talk about Follow the Forest, a nationally significant conservation initiative led by HVA. The Housatonic Valley Association and partners across New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont are working together to connect and protect a forested, climate-resilient wildlife corridor stretching from the Bear Mountain Bridge through the Hudson Highlands, the Taconics, Litchfield and Berkshire Hills, the Rensselaer Plateau, Green Mountains and Adirondacks to Canada. The in-person gathering begins at 5:00 PM at Barrington Brewery in Great Barrington. The presentation will start at 6:00 PM. If you plan to attend in person, please RSVP at this link: https://April2023-Berks-Green-Drinks.eventbrite.com Pre-registration is required to attend the virtual presentation. Register at tinyurl.com/April2023-Berks-Green-Drinks According to a press release: Two aspects of Follow the Forest have created a "catch-fire" momentum: resonance across diverse audiencesfrom high-level academia to people of all agesand scalability to a hyper-localized level while demonstrating impact at a monumental scale. Follow the Forest makes GIS models relatable and easily understandable by land use decision-makers and the public. Julia's presentation will describe the Follow the Forest Initiative, how individuals and organizations can be involved, and how their work integrates with that of others, such as the Staying Connected Initiative and Berkshire Wildlife Linkage. To learn more, visit followtheforest.org. Berkshire Green Drinks (formerly Pittsfield Green Drinks) is an informal gathering on the second Wednesday of the month. A guest speaker talks for about 30 minutes beginning at 6 PM, and the presentation is followed by a discussion and Q&A. These nights are free and open to everyone with any environmental interest. Connecticut Man Arraigned on Weapon, Drug Charges GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. On Monday, April 3 Jake Pelloth, age 36 of Ansonia, Conn,was arraigned in Southern Berkshire District Court on 3 counts of carrying a firearm without a license, possessing a firearm in felony, 2 counts improper storage of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute a class-B drug, trafficking in more than 36 grams, less than 100 grams heroin and several civil motor vehicle infractions. Pelloth is currently being held at the Berkshire County House of Corrections on $50,000 bail with the following conditions: possess no dangerous weapon; not have any drugs or alcohol; receive treatment for drug dependence from Connections in Greenfield; provide signed releases; and have GPS monitoring. The arraignment stemmed from a traffic stop on Rt. 57 in New Marlborough on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023. The vehicle was driven by Pelloth and contained two passengers. According to a statemnt from the District Attorney's office, during the traffic stop, the responding officer (of the New Marlborough Police Department) was speaking with Pelloth at the driver side window. During the discussion, the officer saw a revolver (a loaded .32 magnum) between the passenger's seat and center console. The officer told the front seat passenger to exit the vehicle. Pelloth, who remained in the car, was asked if there were any other weapons to which he responded no. The officer than asked Pelloth to exit the vehicle at which point Pelloth reported that he had a gun on his person (loaded 9mm CZ). Pelloth was handcuffed. The officer retrieved the gun and 2 magazines from Pelloth's person on a holster. The officer asked if there were anymore weapons in the car to which Pelloth responded no. Following Pelloth's arrest the officer removed a bag from the center consul. The bag contained a handgun Sig Sauer .45 caliber handgun, plastic bags containing heroin and fentanyl, a vacuumed sealed marijuana package and four pill bottles with one in Pelloth's name. The pill bottles included one bottle of Adderall containing 4 pills (Pelloth's name); one bottle with 60 mg. OxyContin containing 24 pills; on bottle of 40mg OxyContin containing 53 pills; and one bottle of 20mg. Oxycodone containing 141 pills. Six 9mm bullets were found loose in the car along with other drug paraphernalia. Pelloth was transported to the Sheffield Police Station and was booked by New Marlborough Police without incident. Bail was set at $2,040 and was posted the same day. An arraignment was set for Southern Berkshire District Court to be held on Feb. 16, 2023. On Feb. 16 Pelloth failed to appear and a warrant was placed for his arrest. On March 2, 2023 the Ansonia Police Department in Connecticut with assistance from the Massachusetts State Police took Pelloth into custody on a Fugitive from Justice charge held on $250,000 bond. Pelloth was transported back to Massachusetts by the Berkshire County Sheriff's Department and was arraigned at Southern Berkshire District Court on Monday, April 3, 2023. Assistant District Attorney Cerbo asked that Pelloth be held as a danger pursuant to ch. 276 sec.58A or in the alternative, $100,000 cash bail. Judge Cafaro determined that although she found Pelloth dangerous, less restrictive conditions for release could be set. Pittsfield Superintendent of Schools Joseph Curtis says the continuation of a co-principal post at Morningside for another year is a matter of leadership stability. Pittsfield School Committee Digs Into FY24 Budget PITTSFIELD, Mass. The superintendent last week defended the need for a co-principal at Morningside Community School at a cost of $105,000. Superintendent Joseph Curtis told the School Committee at public hearing on the $78 million budget that the last time there was a co-principal at the elementary school, it was himself. The need to reinstate it came out of a near-dire staffing situation. "This model really developed out of a series of circumstances that happened last summer. So Principal Monica Zanin resigned and moved to another position of leadership in our county and then we immediately posted for the position of principal. We had two viable candidates for the position, one decided not to pursue the position anymore, and we were left with one," he said. "This is after an extensive search for a dean of Morningside Community School that also resigned in pretty close proximity to Monica leaving. So we went through a dean search, could not find any viable candidates, then Principal Zanin resigned and then we went through a principal search and again, was left with one candidate. This was going really through the summer, and the staff was growing quite nervous about their future at Morningside." He said staff members started resigning in July because they were unsure about leadership and that he was unsure if the school would be able to open in the fall. "I was reaching out individually to teachers that were resigning and begging them to reconsider," he explained. "I was preparing our bus operations director to formulate a plan that would divide Morningside children across the city because the staff was leaving because it didn't know who their leader would be." Curtis did not want to set up incoming Principal Jennifer Teichert for failure, as there was still no dean at the school, and he made a plan to have Elizabeth Lamoureaux begin as the co-principal. He told the committee that he does not want to disrupt Morningside again by switching up leadership in the coming year and after two years of stability, other options will be looked into for FY25. "I'm fearful with the with the large amount of new teachers there and the uncertainty of who their leaders would be, we would start to have the same impact as we did a year ago," Curtis said. "So that's why I proposed for this to occur only one more year for FY 24. That will bring two years of stability and then we would certainly go out and make decisions about FY25." Mayor Linda Tyer thought it a good explanation. "One of the things I appreciate so much in the Pittsfield Public Schools is that each school has the ability to work with you to create a structure and a culture that works for that school," she said. "That there isn't this sort of imposition on the schools that they must be this way." But a resident sent an email expressing concern about the position's salary and wondered how many administrators Morningside already has. "$105,000 is a very large price tag," they wrote. On the school's website, there are nine administrative staff listed: two co-principals, an assistant principal of teaching and learning, a family engagement coordinator, three student support paraprofessionals, and two secretaries. Several comments were also made about the "teacher of deportment" title. The budget proposes additional teachers of deportment in a handful of schools. These positions provide instruction to students who have been identified as needing assistance in appropriate behavior in daily interactions with staff and other students. Curtis said he was sold on the position by data that shows a dramatic decrease in suspensions with the extra layer of support. The resident who submitted written comments saw an issue with the title because the word "deportment" may be a concerning term for many students and families. Chair William Cameron asked for clarification, saying it seemed like a "perfectly good English word." The word "deportment" refers to a person's behaviors or manners. It was pointed out that it sounds like "deportation," or the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. "It probably has an impact on families of immigrants," Tyer commented. Committee members said they were initially taken aback by the term and had similar comments from the public. Curtis said the students don't know the teachers by their official titles but the district will certainly look at it. The committee will make recommendations on April 12 and there is an expected budget adoption on April 26. No later than June 1, there will be a joint meeting with the City Council to discuss the proposal. The $78,310,016 proposed spending plan for fiscal 2024 is an 8.17 percent or $5,911,754 increase from FY23's budget of $72,398,262. Eighty-three percent of the increase, about $4.9 million, is allocated for special education instruction and support, Career Technical Education/career pathways, and contractual obligations. Committee members took a couple of hours to query a variety of budget lines. iciHaiti - Education : Donation of 150 motorcycles and 4 vehicles from UNICEF On March 31, 2023 in Les Cayes, UNICEF during a ceremony handed over 150 motorcycles and four vehicles to the Departmental Directorates of Education (DDE) of Grand'Anse, Nippes and South. This donation is part of the cooperation between the Ministry of Education and UNICEF to improve access to education for children in the Great South, affected by the earthquake of 7.2 on the scale by Richter, August 14, 2021 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34479-haiti-flash-magnitude-72-earthquake-in-the-nippes-updated-10am.html The handover ceremony took place in the presence of the executives of the Ministry, Francois Kampundu Deputy Representative of UNICEF, inspectors of the DDE, beneficiaries of this donation and several personalities. The personalities who spoke underlined the usefulness of these vehicles for the supervision of school activities, allowing inspectors to collect data in the most remote schools. Read also about the 2021 earthquake : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34681-haiti-earthquake-latest-assessment-of-civil-protection.html IH/ iciHaiti Name: Arunava Bag Company: Digitate Job title: CTO, EMEA Date started current role: April 2018 Location: United Kingdom Arunava Bag is an experienced IT consultant and leader with 25+ years of experience in the industry, including deep expertise in AI and machine learning based software products, performance engineering, capacity modelling, IT optimisation, high performance computing, application development, and technology practice management. He has successfully evangelised emerging products, led technology practices, and delivered complex technology programs across various industry verticals and geographies. What was your first job? Im an electrical engineer by education. I began my career working in sales at Crompton Greaves. They were and still are one of the top electrical engineering companies in Indias private sector. Did you always want to work in IT? Yes, I knew from early on in my career that I wanted to work in information technology. A few decades ago, back when the IT industry was just starting to take off in India, it was difficult to transition into IT if you had a non-IT educational background. In those days, it was not as common or easy to shift into IT. But it was changing slowly. I did a certification course in IT and was able to make the switch afterward. What was your education? Do you hold any certifications? What are they? I earned a bachelors degree in electrical engineering from Jadavpur University in Kolkata, India. I have a TOGAF certification, which is a renowned and popular certification for IT professionals and architects, demonstrating expert proficiency using The Open Group Architecture Framework. Explain your career path. Did you take any detours? If so, discuss. After my tenure at Crompton Greaves, I moved to Tata Consultancy Services, where I have spent the last 25 years. I started as a software developer, then a project lead, and later became a tech lead. After that, I specialised in software performance engineering for a long time. I had many responsibilities over my tenure there, including consulting, project management, leading engineering labs and groups from across the globe. Later, I joined Digitate as a senior product evangelist, then became the regional CTO in 2018. What type of CTO are you? Generally speaking, there are two different kinds of CTOs. One focuses exclusively on technology - spearheading product strategy and development. The other talks to customers and analysts and helps with sales and market positioning. I do a mix of both. I focus on products and lead some product strategy initiatives, including some of the companys technology labs (e.g., benchmarking, integration, and accelerator) while working closely with the marketing team, taking part in sales efforts, doing public speaking, and serving as a spokesperson for analysts. Which emerging technology are you most excited about the prospect of? Im definitely excited about artificial intelligence. There are so many uses and applications of AI its a technology that will truly transform the world, and weve barely even scratched the surface. Beyond that, Im very interested to see how growing cloud adoption will reshape IT. IT markets are generally very fragmented. This is even true for many of the top players. Increasing cloud adoption can potentially break down some of the trends we are seeing and drive more consolidation. Are there any technologies which you think are overhyped? Why? There might be too much hype about remote working. Right now, theres this notion that remote work will be here forever. Its certainly going to have a big role in the foreseeable future, but I think well eventually see a lot more employees returning to the office (at least part time) once the pandemic is a couple of years in the rearview mirror, and the hybrid model will continue. AI definitely is extremely critical. But many organisations are trying to deploy AI without fully understanding what it has to offer and what its really capable of doing for them. Every AI deployment should serve a specific purpose and ultimately make business better and life easier for the organisation. Many people are a bit uninitiated on how to use AI or machine learning in a contextual manner. Things are changing fast, but we still have miles to go. I believe people should look for AI-based solutions targeted to specific areas, as they provide a lot of out-of-the-box capabilities and are fast to deploy and show value. What is one unique initiative that youve employed over the last 12 months that youre really proud of? Ive served as the primary spokesperson in most of Digitates conversations with analysts over the past year. These efforts are paying off as they have put us on the map in a relatively short period of time. Digitate is now featured in most of the major analyst reports on AIOps, giving us great visibility in the market. This has been a challenging task, as the analyst communitys definition of AIOps is diverse and has changed rapidly over the past couple of years. Ive also been a key part of Digitates product governance boards. In that role, Ive leveraged my understanding of the market and provided guidance on product strategy, for example, what features we should introduce to our products as well as how we can deliver the best in the market and maintain the leadership position. Are you leading a digital transformation? If so, does it emphasise customer experience and revenue growth or operational efficiency? If both, how do you balance the two? Yes. I lead several technology labs, including integration and benchmarking, as well as our niche technology lab (which looks at how we can bring future technologies into the product). These efforts are critical to driving greater digital transformation at the company. What is the biggest issue that youre helping customers with at the moment? Customers generally have an abundance of tools in IT, but many lack any real predictive and prescriptive analytics capabilities. Thats the biggest challenge weve really been prioritising: equipping customers with the tools/products that allow them to forecast, gain deeper insights, anticipate problems before they happen, and prescribe remediations based on a vast knowledge base and learning. Another part is breaking the silo between insights (what to do) and action (actually doing it), thus closing the loop and making enterprises autonomous. How do you align your technology use to meet business goals? Digitates technology ultimately enables better IT agility and resiliency. IT is fundamental to just about every enterprise today. So when you improve IT agility, you naturally improve business performance. Take a large retail company as an example: by deploying ignio, they made their warehouses more efficient while managing lower resource availability. Also, we introduced focused business solutions like Business Health Monitoring for Retail which is designed for smooth retail operations and high-quality customer experience. Do you have any trouble matching product/service strategy with tech strategy? When we launched ignio about seven years ago, the product was a bit ahead of the market at the time. We eventually realised that not many customers were quite ready to adopt this sort of technology in its entirety (e.g., self-healing of systems, a machine taking control of IT operations). So we made some readjustments and introduced features like collaborative triage so that people can have more control over automated actions but at the same time solve problems faster. The market has caught up over the last couple of years, though, as AIOps has proven its significant role in every modern enterprise. What makes an effective tech strategy? We have to learn from history - look at where people have relied on technology in the past but failed, then take lessons from that. I believe that technology should make things simpler. It should be easy to maintain and operate and must work at scale. If your tech isnt simple, easy to deploy, and scalable, thats a problem and adoption might be challenging. What predictions do you have for the role of the CTO in the future? The role of CTO will only become more crucial to organisations. Technology adoption is moving at a breakneck speed. In the last two years, people have really ramped up their adoption of digital technologies in particular. CTOs will be central to guiding organisations as they go through these rapid transformations. What has been your greatest career achievement? Two things come to mind. When I was at performance engineering group, I was really proud of my work establishing the practice in a new growth market. Here at Digitate, Id say my biggest success has been establishing and expanding our product mindshare into major markets, which has really expanded our business opportunities. Looking back with 20:20 hindsight, what would you have done differently? Earlier in my career, I would have shifted to product sooner. The sales and consulting experience definitely paid off down the road, but I knew that I really wanted to focus heavier on technology and should have jumped into it a little sooner. Further solidifying its position as a leader in financial technology innovations and services in the Philippines, GCash, has once again been awarded by The Asian Banker (TAB) as the Best Digital Wallet in Asia Pacific at the Global Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards 2023. GCash chief marketing officer Neil Trinidad receives the "Best Digital Wallet in Asia Pacific" award at the Global Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards 2023 in Vietnam The award highlights the impact of GCash in the lives of over 79 million Filipinos by making safe digital transactions accessible, in line with its vision of Finance for all. Proving to be a game-changer in the fintech sector, this recognition is also GCash's third consecutive year to be recognized by TAB, and serves as an addition to its multiple accolades from the award-giving body. We at GCash are proud to receive this award from The Asian Banker Global Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards 2023. Recognizing our efforts to champion financial inclusion in the country for three consecutive years fuels our motivation to strive harder to innovate for good by providing access to millions of Filipinos, wherever they may be, said GCash Chief Marketing Officer, Neil Trinidad, who received the award on behalf of the company in Vietnam. GCash continues to prioritize security, reliability, and relevant content and services in its app made to address its users needs, making it one of the largest digital ecosystems in its market. Currently, GCash serves 83% of the countrys adult population, with over 5.8 million partner merchants and social sellers. GCash offers a complete suite of products and services such as GCredit, GSave, GLoan, GGives, GInsure, GInvest, GCrypto, Send Money, Pay Bills, Buy Load, and has recently launched overseas services in countries like the US, Japan, and Australia. The TAB Global Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards is one of the most credible and longest-standing award-giving bodies in the industry. The program recognizes exceptional innovation, leadership, management, and performance in retail financial services, while it assesses the products and businesses of banks and non-banks through a comprehensive evaluation process covering more than 60 different award categories. It also extends coverage into Europe, North and South America. As the nation is rapidly adapting to the digital age, GCash leads the entire Filipino nation in its journey toward a brighter, financially inclusive future. The GCash app is available for free on Google Play, App Store, and the Huawei AppGallery. For more information, visit www.gcash.com The Philippines number one financial app, GCash, further expands its global reach as it officially rolls out in both the United Kingdom and Canada, enabling the first 1,000 Filipinos there to start using the e-wallet with their international mobile numbers. GCash officially launches in the UK and Canada with select users now able to sign up for the e-wallet using their international mobile numbers Filipinos in Canada and the UK can begin signing up for GCash regardless of their SIM cards and start supporting their families back home by sending money for free (GCash to GCash), paying bills, and buying them prepaid load credits. GCash is now available to our kababayans in the UK and Canada thanks to strong support from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), said Martha Sazon, president of GCash. As we prepare for the full launch of our overseas service later this year, well be sure to make their experience of using the app the best as possible. Were also gearing up to reach more Filipinos across the world as we hope to make significant headway in achieving our vision of Finance for All, added Sazon. Earlier this month, GCash received the green light from the BSP to start the initial beta launch of its overseas service which allowed Filipinos in Japan, Australia, and Italy to use GCash using any SIM from those countries. This has made GCash the first and only e-wallet in the Philippines to offer this kind of service overseas. In March, the e-wallet also rolled out the beta service in the US. In just a few easy steps, Filipinos in the UK, Canada, and the other mentioned countries can begin using GCash. First, they just need to download the app from Google Play Store for Android, the App Store for iPhone and iPad users, or the Huawei Gallery. Then, users can select their country and input their details. To verify their account, they just need to scan their Philippine passport or other valid IDs and take a selfie. Users in the UK and Canada can also cash in via Remitly. In the Remitly app, select GCash as the e-wallet; enter the recipients name and mobile numbers; confirm the details and transfer the amount; and receive the funds straight in the GCash Overseas wallet. Finally, fully verified users can start sending money, paying bills, and buying load credits wherever they are, with just a few taps on the app. Aside from making GCash services available to more Filipinos worldwide, the e-wallet has also been continuously expanding its international payments touchpoints in partnership with global fintech giant, Alipay+. GCash can now be used to pay in select merchants across countries like Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, and Qatar as well as top European destinations like the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy. To learn more about GCash Overseas, visit https://www.gcash.com/profile/overseas 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 }} Emmanuel Macron said China can play a major role towards establishing peace amid Russias war in Ukraine, in his first remarks while on a visit to the country. The French president reached Beijing on Wednesday with a delegation of 50 people, including business executives, filmmakers, artists and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, for a three-day visit. This is Mr Macrons first trip to China since 2019 and has been widely billed as an attempt to engage with Chinese president Xi Jinping on hastening the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine by wielding his influence with Vladimir Putin. Addressing a gathering of the French community in Beijing, Mr Macron said Europe should resist eroding trade and diplomatic ties even though its trade relations with Beijing posed risks and were unbalanced. He said France will work with China in this shared responsibility for peace and stability as China with its close ties with Russia can play a major role in bringing peace in Ukraine. We hear increasingly loud voices expressing a strong concern about the future of relations between the West and China that in some form lead to the conclusion that there is an inescapable spiral of mounting tensions, Mr Macron told reporters at the French embassy in Beijing. He dismissed the perception that there was tension between Beijing and the West and said there was an impression that de-coupling from the Chinese economy was already underway. I do not believe, in any case I do not want to believe, in this scenario. Ms Von der Leyen, who is on her first visit to China more than three years after becoming EU president, said in a speech last week that it is neither viable nor in Europes interest to decouple from China. Our relations are not black or white and our response cannot be either. This is why we need to focus on de-risk not decouple. Mr Xi and Mr Putin vouched for their no limits friendship before Moscows February 2022 attack on Ukraine. Beijing has refused to criticise the Kremlin but has tried to appear neutral and has called for a ceasefire and peace talks. French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a meeting with China's French community at the residence of France's ambassador in Beijing (AFP via Getty Images) Mr Macron said he would try to build, and somehow engage China toward a shared responsibility for peace and stability on international issues including Ukraine, Iran and North Korea. He also addressed the contentious topic of Chinas potential support to Russia by way of sending arms, something that is expected to be brought up during his talks with Mr Xi on Thursday. He said it was not in Chinas interests to provide weapons to Russia. Chinas interest isnt to have a lasting war, Mr Macron said. Mr Xi will accompany Mr Macron on a trip to southern Chinas Guangzhou city, a historic place in French-Chinese ties as this was where the first French ship reached Chinese shores in the 17th century. Mr Xi and Mr Macron will also attend a dinner and tea ceremony along with holding bilateral talks on Thursday. Mr Macron spoke to US president Joe Biden before the visit to Beijing. The two leaders reiterated their steadfast support for Ukraine in the face of Russias ongoing aggression, the White House said. The French presidents trip also comes at an embarrassing time amid his countrys roiling domestic politics that have seen sweeping protests against pension reform plans. Mr Macron likely hopes that his visit offers a chance for economic wins. He said several major deals are due to be signed between French and Chinese companies during his visit. A French official said last week that negotiations were underway on a potential deal with Airbus that would come on top of Chinas 2019 order for 300 aircraft. 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 government agency for education standards has reportedly deleted portions from the new standard 12 political science and history textbooks, including certain references to Mahatma Gandhi, sparking outcry among people who see it as an attempt to alter Indian history. Paragraphs on the attempts to assassinate Gandhi, the ban imposed on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) the ideological parent of Indias ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as well as all references to the 2002 religious riots in Gujarat have been removed from the school textbooks, according to reports. On Wednesday, The Indian Express reported that the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) deleted these sections from the political science curriculum of grade 12 students. The NCERT is an autonomous body that assists and advises the federal and state governments on school education. The report said that the deleted sentences include: He (Gandhi) was particularly disliked by those who wanted Hindus to take revenge or who wanted India to become a country for the Hindus, just as Pakistan was for Muslims In the aftermath of Indias independence from British colonial rule, the country was divided into two separate states India and Pakistan. The partition of the country was followed by largescale religious violence as millions of people were displaced. Hindus in Pakistan moved to India and Muslims in India moved to the new Muslim majority state of Pakistan. The effects of the bloody partition remain for both nations. The other sentences removed from the textbooks include references to Gandhis pursuit of Hindu-Muslim unity. His steadfast pursuit of Hindu-Muslim unity provoked Hindu extremists so much that they made several attempts to assassinate Gandhij, the report quoted one of the deleted sentences. Following Gandhis assassination on 30 January 1948 by Hindu extremist Nathuram Godse, who was affiliated to the RSS, the organisation was banned in the country for a short period. The textbook reference to this event in history has also been deleted. Gandhijis death had an almost magical effect on the communal situation in the country The Government of India cracked down on organisations that were spreading communal hatred. Organisations like the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh were banned for some time, the report quoted the deleted section as saying. Godses reference as a Brahmin from Pune and the editor of an extremist Hindu newspaper who had denounced Gandhi as an appeaser of Muslims has also been removed from from a history textbook. These deletions are part of the new books that have hit the market and did not figure in the list of rationalised content officially released by NCERT in June last year. The body had then announced the removal of content on the 2002 Gujarat riots, the Mughal rule in India, and the nationwide Emergency imposed in 1975. Other sections deleted from the textbooks that were not part of the rationalisation exercise to reduce load on students include the reference to Gujarat riots in grade 11 sociology textbook which spoke about segregation of residential areas on class and religious lines and how the violence furthered ghettoisation. In June last year, two other references to the riots in the grade 12 political science and sociology textbooks were removed. Also last year, the NCERT dropped passages dealing with the impact of the Emergency on peoples lives and institutions as well as several protest and social movements. The NCERT has said that the rationalisation was done last year and nothing new was done this year. NCERT director DS Saklani said to the outlet: There is nothing new this time. Rationalisation happened last year. We have not done anything new this time. The move to remove these sections has generated criticism from opposition parties and other observers. Former federal law minister Kapil Sibal tweeted: Consistent with Modijis Bharat modern Indian history should start from 2014 ! Mr Sibals comment was a dig at prime minister Narendra Modis BJP coming to power for the first time in 2014. Sitaram Yechury of the CPI(M) said: Communal rewriting of history intensifies. NCERT revises Class XII history book removing chapters on Mughal empire. The lands of India have always been the churning crucible of civilisational advances through cultural confluences. Trinamool Congress lawmaker Jawhar Sircar wrote: Why delete the chapter on Mughals in Class 12 History Books? They forget that India was the worlds richest economy, under the Mughals, with 20+% of global wealth. It were the British who left us at 4% !! The opposition Congress also lashed out at the BJP and accused Mr Modi of changing history. Modi ji, history is not changed... and history will remember you for Adanis dark deeds, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shriante said. The opposition demanded a discussion on allegations of fraud and stock manipulation against the Adani Group, a multinational conglomerate whose founder Gautam Adani is said to enjoy a close relationship with the prime minister. The Adani Group has strongly denied the allegations. The move has also been criticised by academics and observers. Ashok Swain, columnist and academic, wrote: "India's Hindu Nationalist government even deleting the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi by a Hindu Nationalist from India's history book." "This erasure of history is so dangerous. What they don't want us (public) to know/remember, the foremost episode in India's history. Who killed Gandhi?" wrote lawyer Kawalpreet Kaur. Journalist Swati Chaturvedi wrote: "Remember the Taliban bringing down the Bamyan Buddhas, after erasing the Mughals from our history books will the Taj Mahal & Red Fort be destroyed. Never thought India would have something in common with the Taliban." 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 }} Afghanistans only women-run radio station has vowed to fight back after the Taliban recently ordered it to cease operations. Sadai Banowan, which means womens voice in the Dari language, was ordered to shut down on 30 March by the hardline Islamist regime, which accused it of playing music during the holy month of Ramadan. A staff member at Sadai Banowan said the stations employees will call it a day and break all their equipment if the Taliban does not allow its operations to resume. Speaking to The Independent on a phone call, the staff member, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions, said her crew was tired of seeking the Talibans permission to speak about the basic rights of women in Afghanistan. She said she was ready to fight to save the radio stations existence, even if it meant being punished. The radio station operator said her team are pinning their last remaining hope on a conversation with the Taliban, expected to be held this week. I have now decided to speak with the Talibans cultural chief and apologise, if needed. If he does not agree, I will break up the equipment and all my materials and shut down operations for ever, the staffer said, adding that her hopes for a conversation with the Taliban leader remain bleak. But right now, I am not scared, and I will fight for my radio stations existence. Even if the Taliban wants to jail or kill me in their prison custody. The staffer said the Talibans move to shut the station without notice was likely due to the women-centric themes of its programmes, which are broadcast locally in the Badakhshan province. She also rejected the charge that the station had played music during the holy month of Ramadan. No, never! We never played any music during Ramadan. The Taliban does not allow for any music to be played, and we did not violate their diktat, she said firmly. All of our activity at the radio station has been about womens rights and education. We spoke of womens health, their education, their basic rights and role of women in business. We regularly held programmes discussing problems faced by women, the employee said. Sign The Independents petition calling for UK to support Afghan war heroes who served alongside Britain The staffer was present when four Taliban representatives visited the radio stations premises. She said the Talibans culture chief was asked by the governor to shut down the broadcasting service. Today I am not thinking about myself, but the radio station and the people employed there. The radio station should be reopened for every womans voice and right in Afghanistan, said the staff member. Sadai Banowan was opened 10 years ago when Afghanistan was run by a Western-backed administration. The better situation at the time allowed the then 18-member team to play music, broadcast jokes, and invite male guests to speak on radio shows. Even if the money was not good in the initial days, the administrations encouragement, along with local support, fuelled the teams wish to work for womens empowerment. Under the Taliban rulers, a day feels like a year, the staff member said. The fear of the radio stations staff was starkly visible in August 2021 when the Taliban stormed the presidential palace and overthrew Ashraf Ghanis administration. The employees ran from pillar to post to seek refuge, and the broadcasting office was shut for three months. I tried my best to leave. I tried, the woman recounted. Even today, the staffers options for fleeing Afghanistan are limited. Every day is spent in the fear of getting arrested, she said. It is a habit that has been nursed day after day. When the radio station gradually resumed broadcasting, its founder was handed a detailed list of dos and donts. The Taliban wanted us to change the name of our radio station, control the material that we spoke about and discussed, the staffer said. The themes were mostly forced to be about religion and Islam, as prescribed by the Taliban. The Talibans interpretation of Sharia law has dominated the domestic religious atmosphere in what has now been more than 18 months of rule by the organisation. I realise how important my radio station and I are to Afghanistan, because the Taliban is scared and wants to shut it down, said the staff member. According to the last few remaining local voices speaking up on women rights, the Taliban targeted Radio Banowans broadcasts because the station was known for its independent and critical reporting, which was seen as a threat to the Talibans control in the region. The station had also reported on Taliban atrocities, which made it a target for retaliation, said Aisha, an activist for womens and childrens rights, who wished to be identified by her first name only. Banowan Radio was popular, dealt with womens issues, and provided opportunities for womens voices to be heard, said Aisha, a member of the women-led Purple Saturdays movement, which seeks to empower women and children. Historically, the Taliban has been known for their strict interpretation of Islamic law, which includes strict restrictions on womens rights and freedoms, Aisha told The Independent. They have been known to close down womens schools, ban women from working outside the home, and restrict womens access to healthcare. It is possible they closed Sadai Banowan as part of their effort to reinforce their strict interpretation of Islamic law and limit womens voices and visibility in public life, she said. The Talibans director for information and culture in Badakhshan said they will allow the radio station to be active if its staff accept the policy of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and give a guarantee that it will not repeat such a thing again. A number of journalists have been left unemployed since the Taliban returned to power. Their current rule has mirrored the rule of the previous Taliban regime, when most television, radio and newspapers in the country were banned. 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 UN has criticised the Talibans decision to prevent Afghanistans women from working for the global agency as staff members. This comes a day after the agency asked 3,300 Afghan staffers to not come to work in the countrys UN office for the next two days as the Taliban moved to ban women staffers from working in the countrys Nangarhar province. The UNs secretary-general said on Wednesday that the Talibans move is a blow to womens involvement in the agencys life-saving work. I strongly condemn the prohibition of our Afghan female colleagues from working in Afghanistans Nangarhar province. If this measure is not reversed, it will inevitably undermine our ability to deliver life-saving aid to the people who need it, tweeted Antonio Guterres. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said UN officials received word of an order by the de facto authorities that bans female national staff members of the United Nations from working. The latest ban on women was another gross violation of their fundamental rights, said Richard Bennett, the UNs special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, who added that this was against the UNs charter. The Taliban should reverse their decision, he said. Nearly 3,900 people are working under the UN as staff in Afghanistan including approximately 3,300 Afghans and 600 international personnel, the official said. These numbers include 600 Afghan women and 200 women from other countries. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, the agencys political mission in the south Asian nation, is headed by a woman, Roza Otunbayeva, who was a former president and foreign minister of the Kyrgyz Republic. Sign The Independents petition calling for UK to support Afghan war heroes who served alongside Britain According to the mission and Mr Dujarric, there has been no response from the Taliban regarding the UNs senior leadership. Within a year of taking over Afghanistan, the Taliban has gradually rolled out restrictions, especially targeting women by shutting down schools, colleges and universities along with umbrella bans on education and NGO work, drawing fierce international condemnation. This has not pushed the Taliban into removing the bans, which it claims are temporary suspensions allegedly because women were not wearing the Islamic headscarf, or hijab, correctly and because gender segregation rules were not being followed. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate 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 Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Drone footage has revealed the scale of devastation across several rural communities in Missouri after a powerful tornado struck in the middle of the night. At least five people have been killed, according to law enforcement, after the twister touched down in Bollinger County, 50 miles south of St Louis, around 3.30am on Wednesday. At least another five people were injured after their homes were obliterated, one builiding flipped on its side, and trees were pulled from their roots. The townships of Grassy and Glen Allen were particularly affected, Bollinger County Sheriff Casey Graham wrote in a Facebook post. The tornado reportedly remained on the ground for about 15 minutes and traveled 15-20 miles. Throughout the early morning and continuing now, efforts for search and rescue are underway, he wrote. Its with great regret that I can confirm five fatalities; names will be withheld until we are sure all family members have been notified. Residents in the village of Glen Allen told The Associated Press that at least some of the victims were members of a family who lived in a trailer along a state highway. Storms which can spawn tornadoes are particularly dangerous at night. Missouri State Emergency Management Agency issued a detailed warning for residents to take extra precautions and remain alert ahead of the storms. The tornado was the third in a series of deadly storm systems to roll across the South and Midwest in recent weeks, killing at least 63 people. More extreme weather struck later on Wednesday when an EF-1 tornado touched down in Louisville, Kentucky, with maximum winds of 90 mph. Trees fell onto houses, an apartment building roof was torn off and power lines downed. More than 10,000 people remained without power in Kentucky on Thursday, according to utlity tracker poweroutage.us. Residents clean up after a tornado touched downon April 5, 2023 in Glenallen, Missouri. At least five people have been killed and multiple others injured (Getty Images) On Thursday, the National Weather Service (NWS) warned of more potentially dangerous weather with a slight risk of damaging thunderstorm gusts and isolated large hail over the Mid-Atlantic region this afternoon. Last week, a powerful storm system, which reportedly spawned dozens of tornadoes, left 32 people dead and destroyed buildings in 11 states including Arkansas, Iowa, and Missouri. In March, an EF-4 tornado tore across Mississippi and Alabama killing at least 26 people. Rivers cannot be restored to their highest ecological status without reversing the Industrial Revolution, Environment Secretary Therese Coffey has said. Speaking at the launch of the governments Plan for Water, Ms Coffey said the River Don in Yorkshire will never be given a high status without dismantling half of Sheffield. Only 14 per cent of rivers in England meet requirements for good ecological status with pollution being a major impediment to restoring all rivers to this level by 2027, the Environmental Audit Committee has said. Sign up to IndyEat's free newsletter for weekly recipes, foodie features and cookbook releases Get our Now Hear This email for free 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 IndyEats email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Before there were bao, there was BAO. Well, thats not strictly true bao has existed in Chinese culture for centuries. But in London, the proliferation of this fluffy steamed bun in London can largely be traced back to BAO, which began life as a street food stand in 2012. Today, founders Erchen Chang, Shing Tat Chung and Wai Ting Chung operate a small empire of Taiwanese small plates, expanding beyond bao to rice, noodles and various sharing dishes. The trio, consisting of married couple Erchen Chang and Shing Tat Chung, and Shings sister, Wai Ting Chung, run three small, but perfectly formed restaurants in Soho, Borough Market and Kings Cross. Each one is designed with specific customers and a story in mind whether its their emblematic lonely man, a single diner who just wants a quiet meal, or the busy commuter looking for a quick bite on his way home. As a result, all of BAOs spaces are warm and welcoming, while being supremely aesthetically pleasing. Given Erchens background in fine arts she and Shing met at University College London in 2010 while studying the subject its easy to understand how paramount good design is to the brand. But this is all secondary to the food it serves, which has earnt them a cult status even beyond London. So devoted are their fans that some get tattoos of Erchens illustrations for the restaurants; one pregnant woman whose water burst in BAO Soho even insisted on finishing her bowl of guinea fowl rice. Erchen, Shing and Wai Ting tell all these stories and more in their first ever cookbook, BAO. The tome goes into intricate detail about why design is such an important part of the restaurant group. It also includes recipes for nearly every dish that appears on their menus including how to make their signature fluffy baos. Theres no room for secrets in the BAO-verse, it seems. The first cookbook from Londons cult favorite restaurant BAO offers a taste of Taiwanese food culture (Phaidon) We sat down with Erchen and Shing to talk about their (fluffy, steamy) rise to the top. Shing, you grew up in your familys restaurant. What was that like? Shing: Yes, my grandparents came to the UK from Hong Kong and my granddad started as a potwasher here and worked his way up. He ended up in Nottingham where he became part of a restaurant. My mum, my uncles, my auntie, they were all in the business. So I grew up surrounded by that and I would live upstairs from the takeaway. Its been my life from pretty much day one. Erchen, what was your childhood like? Erchen: I didnt come from a restaurant background, so my experience is very different. But I grew up eating very well in Taiwan and food was always something I enjoyed. A lot of my family would comment that I eat really well or Im always the last person to leave the dining table, or that Im the one finishing the food. I think thats what brought us together, because when we were in university, we just loved eating out or cooking, and thats kind of where it started before it started. After you graduated from University College London, how did you come to the decision to open a restaurant? Shing: After graduation, one of the things on our to-do list was to go back to Taiwan. Erchen had been studying here for quite a while, so we said, lets go back to Taiwan for a longer period of time than just a holiday. My sister joined us as well. So all three of us were there, and food is so ingrained in our lives that we had planned to go to Taiwan just for food. We travelled around Taiwan, eating street food and at restaurants we wanted to go to, and it was so completely new to Wai Ting and I at the time, especially having lived in London. We had the classic gua bao, and it blew us away, we had tasted nothing like it. Were really proud that Taiwanese food is now so popular in London and weve been a part of inspiring and feeding people Its weird to think of it now, because its so normal to us and to London, but when we first tried serving it in London, most people were like, What is this? So that classic gua bao is really what connected all three of us and it kickstarted that conversation. I think also, subconsciously, because Id grown up in restaurants even though my parents always wanted me not to work in the business I always dreamed about them. Erchen: Throughout university, we always enjoyed trying to crack certain dishes wed eaten out at home, so when we came back from Taiwan, we said, OK, lets try doing the bao. We tried different recipes, like an old-school one or a really instant one, and then landed on this hybrid that uses tangzhou starter inside our dough. The reaction was, Oh my god, its so nice and fluffy! and we figured we could do a bao pop-up, which is where it all kicked off. It was a very exciting time, where we were a completely blank canvas and could imagine and build this thing that we didnt know at the time would become our future. In the years since BAO opened, bao has become really trendy. How do you feel about that? Shing: Were quite proud, in a way. Its funny because there are other, similar brands popping up all over the world doing the same thing even down to the logo! But its just a little bit off. Half of you is a bit annoyed, but the other half is like, you know, were doing something so good that its being imitated halfway across the world. But were really proud that Taiwanese food is now so popular in London and weve been a part of inspiring and feeding people. One of the things we did think about when we first opened was that everyone knew hirata buns but at the time no one understood what bao was. We used to get pissed off because we were like, You do know that Hirata is actually named after a chef in New York? (The buns were introduced by Masashi Hirata, executive chef of Ippudo restaurant in New York.) And then Wagamama started using the term here. Erchen: Back in 2013, wed have to explain that they arent called hirata buns because thats named after a chef. We were serving gua bao. So get it right guys! Is the open-faced nature of gua bao, so that you can see all the fillings on display, something that helps with your aesthetic? Erchen: Ive never thought about it that way, but I think it does. Some of the buns that are served at BAO Soho (BAO London) Shing: Theres more to play with and more to perfect. Like the way we perfected the classic bao, how you create the layers and what we call the bao centimetre, where you have to make sure theres a centimetre of bun around the braised pork. Its harder than it looks! And then when you put it onto the plate, you have to do it a certain way otherwise the peanuts just fall off and its messy. Erchen: Enclosed bao is great too but you also have a little more restriction in terms of what you can put in it. It cant be too pointy or too hard, and the textures have to be all soft with little variation. So in terms of flavour and food creation, gua bao does have more flexibility. Whats the process between deciding what goes on the menu and what it ends up looking like? Erchen: We always like simplicity. The way we talk about dish development is that it needs to hit three pillars: heritage, innovation and produce. It has to either come from a traditional dish or from a good story through travel, and youve got to use good produce from the UK or ingredients from Taiwan for example, sesame paste, you cant get that specific flavour here. The last thing is innovation, so it has to be a little bit playful but not too much, just 10 per cent to make it just a bit different but not in your face. In terms of aesthetics, we love simplicity but it has to make sense. For example, with the bao centimetre, it gives an impression of being clean around the edges, you know youre eating this pristine, fluffy, cute bun. If its messy with sauce dripping everywhere, its not BAO anymore. It has to be practical. Shing: All of our restaurants have different inspirations and stories, and from there, we think about the dishes and the story we want to tell. Sometimes its based on our own stories while travelling. I always remember sitting in a grill skewer place in Osaka and we had no idea what to order, so we just pointed at stuff or looked at Instagram. I read that there was a one-off ovary skewer, and I pointed it out to the chef but he just laughed, which was a bit weird. Then this lonely man came and sat down and had a chu hai (highball) first and then a beer. The chef gave him an ovary skewer and they were chit-chatting, then he came and presented the last one to us. It was such a perfect moment and it inspired our branch in Borough. Seeing a man dining alone in Taiwan after work inspired BAOs pit stop branch in Borough Market (BAO London) What gives our food the BAO touch is that, its innovative but its not bling bling bling. Its quite humble. It can be a slightly humorous touch, slightly interesting and quite fun, but its a small touch. A small happiness. How do you design your restaurants? Erchen: While we were creating BAO Soho, our first ever restaurant, its so small and only fits 30 people, so we have this bar in the middle so you can watch the bar people making drinks. And we were watching a lot of films by Yasujiro Ozu, and the way he shoots them is from eye level, so with all the plates you can see very clearly how high they are, we were really inspired by that. We wanted plates that can give you that floating-off-the-table aesthetic. And with Soho, everything is perfect and really cute, but with different iterations of the restaurants, our world would change and wed be like, Lets go, not rock and roll, but lets go a bit more gritty! In Borough, were under the bridge, theres this lonely man leaving work, hes so tired and wants to go for a drink and a grilled skewer before going home that vibe, how do we translate it into the venue, what sort of dishes do we serve? Thats where aesthetic feeds in, to give different feelings. Recipe from BAO by Erchen Chang, Shing Tat Chung, Wai Ting Chung (published by Phaidon, 29.95). Sign up to IndyEat's free newsletter for weekly recipes, foodie features and cookbook releases Get our Now Hear This email for free 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 IndyEats email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} On an 18-year quest spanning 24 countries and five continents a fast food lover hunting for the best KFC in the world has decided the finest finger-lickin good chicken is in Mongolia. Jacky Tan, a 41-year-old marketing consultant from Singapore, began his adventure to find the worlds best Kentucky Fried Chicken in 2005 after finding the Original Recipe tasted different abroad. Since then, he has taken every opportunity to try the deep-fried delicacy while traveling for work or with his wife Michelle, a 41-year-old assistant who he often has to persuade to take a reluctant detour from their holiday. Even on the couples honeymoon, Jacky managed to visit a KFC in Barcelona, but Spain had the worst he has tried, closely followed by Hong Kong and Australia. Jacky makes the same order in every country and has developed a ranking he has dubbed TaF-CA, an acronym for taste, freshness, crispiness and aroma the four key criteria he uses to evaluate each KFC. Asked why the quest means so much to him, Jacky said: I dont come from a very rich family, so I would have to save up to afford a KFC. So for me, its really a luxury. Now of course, I have my own income. I cant say exactly how many KFCs I have had, but definitely more than 1,000. While there are many strong contenders, Jackys research found Mongolia stood out from the rest, where he said he had to queue for an hour but the deep-fried poultry was unique. I visited the KFC in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in 2013 during a business trip with my colleagues, Jacky said. It had just opened and there were loads of people queuing so we had to wait for an hour. But the wait was totally worth it. I rank the chicken based on taste, freshness, crispiness and aroma, and the Mongolian fried chicken hit all of these indicators. Its very unique. I was totally impressed. (PA Real Life) After Mongolia, the next best chicken on Jackys list is more than 7,000 miles away in Cape Town International Airports departure terminal, which offers more than a good meal. The KFC in South Africa has a really nice view of Table Mountain, so they have one of the best spots. Their chicken also hit all the right notes but it still wasnt quite as good as Mongolia, he said. Completing Jackys top 10 are Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Chile, the Philippines and South Korea. Trying KFC across the world is not always easy for Jacky and one of the first hurdles is convincing his wife, who does not share the same enthusiasm. Sometimes its difficult to get my wifes approval because she says, how come you are doing this, were in another country, we should try something different rather than just getting a KFC, he said. When I spot a KFC from far away, shes like, oh no, dont do this, but Ill just keep talking about it and then towards the end of our trip, shell be like, OK, just go try it. (PA Real Life) I dont go looking for the KFCs but if I see one along the way then I want to try it. Ive travelled to 38 countries but not every one had a KFC. For example, when I visited Fiji in 2017, they told me that KFC had left the country, so its not always easy. To make sure his TaF-CA ranking is valid, Jacky has adopted a consistent approach when ordering KFC. So that the ranking is fair, I always order the Original Recipe chicken, two or four pieces if Im hungry, he said. If the chicken doesnt make it past my first criteria, taste because its too salty or bland, for example then I dont really bother with the rest. The UK did not impress Jackys experienced palate, ranking 21st, ahead of only Australia, Hong Kong and Spain. He said: I visited a KFC near Piccadilly Circus a long time ago and it wasnt necessarily bad, it just didnt really make an impression on me. I do remember the one in Spain though, because it was too dry and totally bland, like eating rubber. The best thing there was probably the soft drink. The US, where KFC is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, also failed to impress Jacky, who places it in 19th behind France and Bolivia. While he has certainly tried more KFCs than most people, there are still plenty of places to be discovered given the fast-food chain has more than 25,000 outlets in 145 countries. Sometimes Jacky spots a KFC at the wrong time after having already eaten, but this does not necessarily stop him from giving it a try. He said: There are times when I was already too full, like in South Korea, for example, so I had to take the KFC back to our hotel. I rank South Korea in 10th, because there is a lot of fried chicken there and so its difficult for the KFC to stand out. Jacky appreciates that not everybody will agree with his world ranking and says there are many other factors to take into account. He said: Though I ranked based on taste, freshness, crispiness, and aroma, the ranking was based on my opinion at the time when I was trying the food! The one that I ranked the lowest might not be indicative of the KFC standard in the country or that restaurant. I also often review my list. That is why Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore rankings are not always consistent. Jackys full global KFC ranking is as follows: 1. Mongolia 2. South Africa 3. Sri Lanka 4. Indonesia 5. Malaysia 6. Thailand 7. Singapore 8. Chile 9. The Philippines 10. South Korea 11. Vietnam 12. China 13. Japan 14. Peru 15. Taiwan 16. Italy 17. Bolivia 18. France 19. USA 20. Germany 21. United Kingdom 22. Australia 23. Hong Kong 24. Spain 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 }} Bella Hadid has shared a health update after revealing that a tooth infection caused a flare up of her Lyme disease. The 26-year-old model recently gave insight into her ongoing struggle with Lyme disease on TikTok. On 1 April, Hadid explained that the flare up occurred nearly one year after she had a root canal surgery for a problem tooth. In a video shared to TikTok, the model showed off her swollen face with inflammation around her eyes. Tooth update, she wrote in the TikTok videos lengthy caption. There was a low-grade infection underneath the tooth, NEXT to the tooth I thought was suffering (shes good) which is the one I got a root canal on a year ago. It continued to spread down, causing a low-grade infection in my jaw. I have felt in my heart for months that I needed this tooth out, to heal the rest, and if not, it was going to take me out! The Dutch-Palestinian model encouraged her followers to keep an eye on their health. Please listen to your bodies my friends please!!! This made my Lyme flare up, which means the Lyme is attacking the places that are suffering ie tooth, jaw, gut, brain, spine, bones etc oh, and the entire nervous system, she continued. Bella Hadid was first diagnosed with Lyme disease, which spreads to humans by infected ticks, in 2012. She went on to write that any minor trauma to the body can cause her Lyme disease to flare up. Since suffering from the tooth infection, she said her jaw has been so inflamed and her Lyme would flare-up/inflame randomly when I was/am overly stressed or overworking. While Hadid admitted that she wasnt worried because Lyme flare-ups happen all the time, she shared that her jaw is radiating with pain. Some days its okay! And some days are difficult, she added. Despite her ongoing health struggle, the model shared that shes turned to her love of horseback riding amidst the pain. I am okay though!! I feel better when Im riding! Hadid said, before noting how two rounds of antibiotics have also helped. I think my horses just really take my mind off the pain. Hadid informed her followers that shell be getting the problem tooth extracted on Monday, adding: Ive never been so excited to go to the dentist. Thank you for checking in on me, she concluded. I see you all!! Wish me luck!!! In a follow-up post, Hadid showed her fans a close-up view of the infected tooth as she gave an extensive history of her struggle with Lyme disease over the years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can be spread to humans by infected ticks. Its often diagnosed based on symptoms such as fever, headache, fatigue, or skin rash or laboratory testing. Hadid detailed some of the symptoms she endures during a Lyme disease flare-up in a separate TikTok video. My skin changes colour, I break out randomly, I get (what feels like) lesions, lethargy, chronic anxiety, zero motivation or purpose, leaky gut, adrenals, depression, she wrote over the clip. Hadid also said that she now hates looking in the mirror or taking pictures of herself because of the impact the disease can have on her appearance. If Im all dolled up, maybe Ill try for the girls but, man, is it hard to do this as your profession while also feeling/looking sick like this, she said. She went on to show a picture of herself from four weeks ago, when her Lyme disease symptoms were at the worst. The model noted how her jaw was inflamed, and she was suffering from chronic exhaustion, dehydration, depression and fatigue. If you look back at work pictures from the past eight years, you can tell the difference between me when my Lyme flares up and me when Im healthy, Hadid added. Shes a different girl. I feel so bad for her, my little body. Bella Hadid shows off inflammation due to Lyme disease flare up (TikTok/Bella Hadid) To treat her recent tooth infection, Hadid revealed that doctors prescribed her antibiotics and pain relief medication. Basically, the nerve pain from my jaw ended up going down the entire meridian of my body to the touch, all the way down my body through all my lymph nodes, she explained. This pain, man. Something real different. Real different. After she went into detail about her decade-long struggle with Lyme disease, Hadid thanked her fans for their continuing support. Thank you for watching this and knowing a little more about me that is a huge part of my everyday life, she said. It means more to me than you even know and I feel closer to you guys now. Love you all, a lot, a lot, a lot. My angels. The model gave fans a brief history of her struggle with Lyme disease over the years (TikTok/Bella Hadid) This isnt the first time Hadid has opened up about her health condition. In August 2020, the model revealed just some of the symptoms she experiences on a daily basis in a series of Instagram Stories, referring to Lyme as an invisible disease. In one post, Hadid shared a diagram of the ways Lyme disease can affect people, adding arrows to the symptoms she suffers from. Everyday I feel at least 10 of these attributes without fail, she wrote alongside the list. Since I was probably 14, but more aggressively when I turned 18. Some of the symptoms she highlighted were headaches, brain fog, sensitivity to light and noise, thyroid dysfunction, inflammation, joint pain and numbness. Bella Hadids mother, Yolanda Hadid, and her brother, Anwar Hadid, were also diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2012. 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 }} The White House has defended President Joe Bidens decision not to attend the coronation of King Charles III next month after it was announced First Lady Jill Biden would be attending on behalf of the United States. On 5 April, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about Mr Bidens decision as head of state not to attend the upcoming coronation of the King and Queen on 6 May during a press conference, and whether it would be construed as a snub. In response, Ms Jean-Pierre reiterated that Mr Biden had a 25- to 30-minute call with the British monarch on Tuesday, during which the president congratulated the King ahead of the coronation. They had a very friendly conversation. They have a good relationship, the press secretary continued, adding that Biden also talked about how much he and the first lady enjoyed visiting Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor in 2021 and that he hoped to visit again soon. According to Ms Jean-Pierre, during the call on Tuesday, the King invited Mr Biden to come for an official state visit, which the president accepted. However, she noted that she didnt have a timeline about when the state visit would be. So they will see each other again very soon, so Ill leave it there. But again, they have a very good relationship, there are many, key things that they both care about, key values and shared issues that they want to continue to discuss, like climate change, and that conversation will continue, the press secretary said. And there will be a visit in the near future. During the press conference, Ms Jean-Pierre also faced a question about whether there was concern that the British people might see it as a snub that Mr Biden will not be attending the coronation. I know presidents havent gone in the past, but now we have airplanes and modern technology that makes these kinds of trips easy to do, the reporter noted. In response, the press secretary denied the suggestion, stating: Not at all. Again, the president has a good relationship with the King, they had a friendly conversation, and I will leave it at that. It is not a snub. As for whether Mr Biden will meet with the King next week during his scheduled visit to Ireland and Northern Ireland, Ms Jean-Pierre said she did not currently have any information to share regarding who the president would be meeting with. However, she said Mr Biden is eager to visit the United Kingdom and Ireland, two nations who we have close ties with. The insistence that the presidents absence next month should not be taken as a snub comes after the White House announced in a statement Tuesday that the first lady would be attending the coronation without her husband. The President congratulated the King on his upcoming Coronation and informed him that First Lady Jill Biden looks forward to attending on behalf of the United States, the statement read. The President also conveyed his desire to meet with the King in the United Kingdom at a future date. On Tuesday, Buckingham Palace unveiled the official invites for the upcoming coronation, which will be reproduced on recycled card and invite some 2,000 guests to the coronation of their majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Close Prince Andrew's ex-wife Sarah Ferguson explains why she won't attend King Charles coronation 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 }} The classic song Im Gonna Be (500 Miles) by the Proclaimers has been removed from King Charles IIIs coronation playlist over the Scottish bands anti-monarchy views. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), who created the official playlist, removed the track after receiving complaints about Craig and Charlie Reids republican stance, it has been reported. Meanwhile, Meghan Markle has denied reports claiming that her decision not to attend her father-in-laws coronation was influenced by correspondence between herself and the then-Prince of Wales. On Friday (21 April), it was reported that the Duchess of Sussex had written to Charles about unconscious bias within the royal family. The letter was allegedly sent in the aftermath of Harry and Meghans appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show in March 2021. The Duchess of Sussex is going about her life in the present, not thinking about correspondence from two years ago related to conversations from four years ago, a statement issued by the Sussexes read. Any suggestion otherwise is false and frankly ridiculous. Meanwhile, Camillas ex-husband Andrew Parker Bowles will be attending the 6 May coronation. The pair were married for 22 years before they divorced in 1995. Camilla married the then-Prince of Wales in 2005. One of Camillas Queen Companions, the Marchioness of Lansdowne told the publication of Camillas relationship with her ex-husband: Through adversity, theyve kept a really good family ethic. It helps with their children and grandchildren. 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 }} An advert for the sex toy retailer Lovehoney that referenced the Duke of Sussexs tell-all memoir Spare has been banned. The digital billboard had large text stating: Silence is golden, Harry. In smaller text, it read: Spare ball gags available at https://lovehoney.co.uk. It was visible at Londons Clapham Junction train station on 8 February. However, it has since been banned for appearing where children could see it. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) received one complaint. The complainant claimed the advertisement was offensive and inappropriate for display, particularly in an untargeted medium visible to children. Lovehoney has stated that the ad was not offensive. They said it was a response to Harrys memoir, which elaborated on a number of indiscreet revelations, some of which had a sexual reference. When the ad was first published, Lovehoney said it was meant to be humorous and that not all family stories needed to be shared with the public. Lovehoney argues that the ad was appropriate for untargeted display because children would not recognise the ball gag as a sex toy, particularly as it has no explicitly sexual references. An empty platform at Clapham Junction station in south-west London (PA) The ASA understood a ball gag was a sex toy placed in a partners mouth to prevent speech. The advertising authority said that the ad was unlikely to cause widespread or serious offence, but some people would find it distasteful. We therefore considered that the ad was inappropriate for outdoor display where it could be seen by children. We concluded that the ad had been irresponsibly targeted. Its not the first time the online sex toy store has caused controversy over risque adverts. In 2018 four people reaching an orgasm featured in a Lovehoney UK TV ad. And in 2011, the first pre-watershed advert for sex toys was pulled by ITV. The 30-second advertisement featured a fully-clothed couple kissing before leaving for work. With additional reporting from PA. Israeli police stormed the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalems Old City, firing stun grenades at Palestinian worshippers in a move that drew widespread international criticism and raised tensions as Muslims mark Ramadan and Jews prepare to begin Passover. Palestinian militants in Gaza responded with rocket fire on southern Israel, prompting repeated Israeli airstrikes. Palestinian Red Crescent medics said that at least 50 people had been injured. Israeli police said 350 were arrested. Sign up for a full digest of all the best opinions of the week in our Voices Dispatches email Sign up to our free weekly Voices 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 Voices Dispatches email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The biological process behind ageing can potentially be stopped but not fully reversed, suggests new research. Researchers, including those from Gero, a biotechnology firm based in Singapore, used artificial intelligence and machine learning tools to assess if it is possible to reverse ageing in humans. The yet-to-be peer-reviewed research, posted as a preprint in BioRxiv, assessed a key component in aging in humans called resilience. Scientists particularly assessed a factor called thermodynamic biological age (tBA) that sheds light on the biological information lost in an organism with age. According to researchers, tBA tracks the extent of disorder produced in an organism as it ages. They said that as tBA increases with age, it could lead to lower resilience in the person, driving an exponential acceleration of chronic disease incidence and death risks. According to our measurements, the number of people demonstrating the loss of resilience increases in the population exponentially and doubles every eight years, exactly as fast as the mortality rate doubles, Peter Fedichev, a co-author of the study and Chief of Gero, said in a newsletter. This shift is irreversible, scientists said, adding that it could set severe constraints on age reversal possibilities. Studies have shown that ageing is a complex process that presents itself across different levels in an organism. The process of ageing leads to an exponential acceleration of the incidence of chronic diseases and ultimately the death of organisms. Researchers over the years have developed several biological ageing models that can assess biomedical data such as DNA modifications individuals to predict their biological age and risk of death. However, the exact link between these factors and biological ageing is not completely understood. Scientists said the loss of resiliency can be better understood as a process driven by an irreversible thermodynamic change. However, this thermodynamic nature of ageing sets severe constraints on the possibilities of age reversal. While recent studies have demonstrated potential age reversal in mice with hopes the process could be extended to humans, Dr Fedichev said the case may be different for humans. But not all hope is lost, scientists said. There could be a way to cool down an organism, control the chaos in the molecular interactions in its cells and reduce the rate of ageing. 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 man scaled the walls of a nursery with a hatchet and killed at least four children and injured several others in southern Brazil, authorities said. Police said a 25-year-old man turned himself in after the attack on Wednesday morning in the city of Blumenau, Santa Catarina, though his motive remained unknown. Local media cited police and hospital staff saying that three boys and a girl, aged between five and seven, were dead and two boys and two girls, aged between three and five, were among those injured. Another child was injured but had already been released, according to news site Folha. A crowd gathers as police and firefighters block the entrance to the Cantinho do Bom Pastor nursery (EPA) Firefighters said that around 40 children had been inside the nursery at the time of the attack. The killer arrived on a motorcycle and climbed a wall in order to gain entry to the building before targeting staff and children at random with his hand axe, police said. A teacher at the nursery, who identified herself only as Simone, told Folha she locked the room where the children were to try to protect them. On fleeing the scene, the attacker headed to the 10th Military Police Station of Santa Catarina, around two miles away, where he handed himself over to police. Ulisses Gabriel, head of the Civil Police of Santa Catarina, said the man was under arrest and would be questioned. Amid rumours on social media of other potential attacks, Blumenaus mayor, Mario Hildebrandt, said the city had suspended classes and will declare a 30-day mourning period. Images broadcast on television showed weeping parents outside the private early years facility, Cantinho do Bom Pastor on Rua dod Cacadores in the Velha area. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called the attack a monstrosity and shared his condolences on Twitter, writing: There is no greater pain than that of a family that loses its children or grandchildren, even more so in an act of violence against innocent and defenceless children. Children were led away from the nursery after attack (NSC Total) Santa Catarina governor Jorginho Mello said he received news of the attack with great sadness. May God comfort the hearts of all families in this moment of deep pain, he wrote on Twitter. School attacks in Brazil were once uncommon, but have been happening more often in recent years. Last week, a student in Sao Paulo stabbed a teacher, killing her, and also wounded several others. In 2021, an 18-year-old man killed two staff members and three toddlers in a creche in Saudades, also in Santa Catarina state. From 2000 to 2022, there were 16 attacks or violent episodes in schools, four of which happened in the second half of last year, according to a report from researchers led by Daniel Cara, an education professor at the University of Sao Paulo. The researchers prepared the report for the government of President Lula. Blumenau, a city of 366,000 people, is famous for its annual Oktoberfest festival. 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 }} More than 100 people have been arrested as part of an international operation to shut down a criminal online marketplace selling stolen personal data. Genesis Market was closed on 4 April following coordinated raids led by the FBI and Dutch police and involving law enforcement agencies across 17 countries, including the UKs National Crime Agency (NCA). The marketplace is one of the largest in the world and offered up 80 million sets of details for sale, affecting two million victims. Details including online banking, Facebook, Amazon, PayPal and Netflix account information could be bought alongside so-called digital fingerprints containing data from victims devices, allowing criminals to bypass online security checks. Prices started from 70 cents US (56p) and went up to several hundreds of dollars, depending on the information available. The most expensive would allow access to the victims online banking information. Have you been affected by this story? email rachel.flynn@independent.co.uk Genesis Market would offer buyers a custom browser which mimicked that of the victim, allowing them to make payments from the correct location without appearing suspicious. You can check whether your data has been stolen and accessed by criminals on Genesis Market on the certified Check Your Hack website. Run by the Dutch National Police (Politie) force, which worked on the investigation, it allows you to input your email address to find out if your data has been compromised and on which platform. Some 24 people were arrested in the UK, including two men who were detained in Grimsby on suspicion of the Computer Misuse Act and fraud offences. Rob Jones, NCA Director General, said of the operation to bring down the website: Behind every cyber-criminal or fraudster is the technical infrastructure that provides them with the tools to execute their attacks and the means to benefit financially from their offending. Genesis Market was a prime example of such a service and was one of the most significant platforms on the criminal market. Its removal will be a huge blow to criminals across the globe. Multiple crime agencies were involved in the operation to shut down Genesis Market. (NCA) The NCA Director General added: The NCA is attacking criminal infrastructure from all angles and those seeking to use such services should be aware that we are coming after them. The NCA has devised five steps to follow to protect devices and online accounts, which includes tips on how to check if youve been hacked, advice on ensuring the latest security updates are installed and how to choose a secure password. Anyone who believes they may have been a victm is encouraged to make a report, either to Action Fraud via their online portal, or if you live in Scotland by calling 101. A father has pleaded guilty to the murders of his wife and their two young children, but told a court I dont know what happened. Saju Chelavalel, 52, admitted the murders of NHS nurse Anju Ashok and their children, six-year-old Jeeva Saju and Janvi Saju, aged four, on Wednesday at Northampton Crown Court. Forensic post-mortem examinations at Leicester Royal Infirmary found they had died as a result of asphyxiation last December. 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 Government has won an appeal against a tribunals conclusion that a UK entry ban could not be imposed on an Irish former soldier convicted of membership of the so-called Islamic State (IS) terror group. Lisa Smith, 41, an ex-Defence Forces member, was found guilty in May last year of IS membership, but cleared of a separate charge of financing terrorism, after a nine-week trial at Dublins Special Criminal Court. She lost an appeal against the severity of her 15-month prison sentence last month. Before her conviction, Smith was made the subject of a Home Office-issued exclusion order, preventing her from entering the UK, from December 2019, on the grounds of public security. However, Smith successfully appealed against the order at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC), which concluded in May last year that the enforcement action in her case would be incapable of justification. Home Secretary Suella Braverman appealed against the SIAC decision, saying it was wrong to decide Smith had immunity from exclusion. In a ruling on Wednesday, senior judges allowed the Governments appeal. Smith, a convert to Islam, went to Syria in 2015 after terrorist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi called on Muslims to travel there. The legitimate aim is the protection of national security Lady Justice Elisabeth Laing Her father is originally from Belfast and her dispute with the Home Office centred on whether she is entitled to enter the UK as a result. The UK has a legal right to exclude non-British citizens from EEA (European Economic Area) countries, including Ireland, but that does not cover those of dual nationality. Smith was born in Ireland, but due to her parents being unmarried at the time, missed out on automatic British citizenship. Her lawyers said she is not responsible for this accident of birth and is entitled to be treated as a British citizen. Lady Justice Elisabeth Laing, in findings supported by Lord Justice Lewis, concluded that there had been no difference in treatment of Smith when she is compared with someone in similar circumstances but who was a dual British-Irish national. The judge said: In each case, the secretary of state used, or would use, the available tool which best neutralises the risk which each poses to national security, by ensuring that she cannot enter the United Kingdom. In (Smiths) case, that is an exclusion order; and in the case of the comparator, it would be deprivation of the second citizenship. Lady Justice Elisabeth Laing added that if there was a difference in treatment it had an objective and reasonable justification. The legitimate aim is the protection of national security, she said. In Wednesdays ruling, Lord Justice Underhill also said he would allow the appeal, but for different reasons. The judge approached the case on the basis Smith had established she was treated differently, but noted she had chosen not to apply for British citizenship. In those circumstances, it does not seem to me disproportionate to treat her in accordance with her chosen status as a foreign national, Lord Justice Underhill said, adding that it would be extraordinary for her to have the right to freely enter the UK as a British citizen without being willing to acquire that status. Ms Smith cannot have it both ways. If she wishes to be treated as a British citizen she must accept the obligations that go with that status, including allegiance to the Crown, which is owed by those who are British from birth just as much as by those who acquire nationality subsequently, the judge said. The court was told at a hearing in February that Smith, from Co Louth, does not want to be a British national nor dual Irish-British citizen, having previously said she identifies as Irish. The Governments lawyers accepted she had the right to apply to be a British national, after which it could decided whether to deprive her of citizenship and exclude her. Smiths lawyers claimed it was discriminatory to require her to apply for British nationality and take an oath of allegiance because it was not consistent with her right to self-identify as Irish, a right safeguarded by the Good Friday agreement. 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 mother and her monster boyfriend have been found guilty over the death of a two-year-old girl fatally attacked at her home in Wales. The gruesome death, in which two-year-old suffered catastrophic brain injuries and more than 100 bruises, has renewed concerns over social services failings during lockdown. Lolas stepfather Kyle Bevan denied murdering the youngster on 17 July 2020 a few months after moving in with the family in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, claiming she had fallen down the stairs after being jumped on by the pet dog. But a jury at Swansea Crown Court convicted the 31-year-old of murder while Lolas mother, Sinead James, was found guilty of causing or allowing her death. Lola James (PA Media) But Lolas tragic death was not the first time her family came to the attention of the authorities. Before step-father Bevan came into her life, social services raised concerns following reports of domestic abuse with James former partner at her home in January 2020. The agency also raised concerns about the condition of the home. James had been twice educated on how to spot signs of an abuser, but chose to prioritise her relationship with Bevan over the safety of her child, the court head. She was also told by the local authority not to invite adults into the family home if she did not know them well or if they were alcohol or drug abusers, but she ignored their advice too. Lolas mother met Bevan online in February 2020 and he moved in with her and Lola just a day after knowing each other. He would then go on to live with them during the early months of lockdown. Warning signs emerged early on, as Facebook messages between the pair from April 2020 revealed Lola suffered a bloodied nose while in Bevans care. That same month, Lola suffered a grazed chin again while in Bevans care - he simply blamed it on Lola calling her a crazy kid. Sinead James was found guilty overher daughters death after allowing a man she met online to move into her home a day after meeting him (Supplied) Lolas killer. stepfather Kyle Bevan, called himself a spice head (Supplied) In the months leading up to Lolas death, the accidents intensified. Messages between the couple in May said Lola had cut her lip falling from her bed while Bevan was in the room, then days later Bevan turned his rage on James destroying parts of the house with a hammer and attempting to headbutt her forcing James to flee with her children. A week before her death, Lola sustained an injury to the bridge of her nose causing her eyes to swell also. Bevan again blamed the two-year-old saying she had jumped from the sofa. The day before Lola died, Bevan claimed he stayed up late with her taking pictures on Snapchat and then put her to bed. However, a few minutes after midnight James said she heard a bang and a scream before she found Bevan comforting Lola in her bedroom. He said Lola had hit her head and he was dealing with it. 999 call made moments after man launches murderous attack on toddler Lola James James believed him and went back to bed, leaving her daughter in his care. Early the next morning, Bevan searched the internet about babies sustaining head injuries and loss of consciousness. Two photographs taken by Bevan at 6.38am and 6.39am show Lolas head, eyes and lips extremely swollen and bruised and she appears to be unconscious. Frantic now, Bevan calls his mother who is a healthcare support worker, but she does not answer, before later responding to images of Lolas injuries telling her son to take the toddler to the hospital. Social services raised concerns around the condition of the home Lola lived in. This is her bedroom (PA) Police crime scene investigators recovered a wet, vomit and blood-stained grey onesie from their home (CPS/PA Wire ) Minutes later, Bevan sends his mother a gruesome 22-second video of him trying to prop up Lola who is clearly in an unconscious state. When she inevitably falls to the floor with a thud, he comments: Shes gone. Shes gone. Bevan woke up his partner, James, and told her Lola had fallen down the stairs, and showed her a piece of the two-year-olds tongue on his finger. Eventually, James calls an ambulance arriving in minutes to treat Lola who was unconscious but still alive. Bevan shamelessly tells the paramedics I think the dog tripped her over. At Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest where Lola was transferred, Bevan became aggressive with doctors who were asking questions about Lolas injuries. Lolas father Daniel Thomas said his pain was unbearable (Sky News) Police officers later arrive at the scene capturing their conversation with Bevan through body-worn video cameras. Bevan again claimed Lola was pushed down the stairs by the dog and says he only feels partly responsible because he was making her a bowl of cereal at the time. During the four-week trial, prosecutor Caroline Rees KC said Bevan, a self-confessed spice head, had launched a murderous attack on Lola and used the moments after to cover his tracks, meaning it was an hour before the alarm was raised. Consultant community paediatrician Dr Nia John, who works in UHWs paediatric critical care unit, noted 101 surface injuries to Lolas body. She also noted swelling to the head, eyes and lips and bleeding from her ears which is a sign of serious head trauma. She considered Lolas injuries as highly suspicious and possibly non-accidental. Both James and Bevan were arrested on 17 July 2020 on suspicion of child neglect and subsequently suspicion of murder after Lola sadly died days later on 21 July 2020 as a result of her injuries. Lolas father Daniel Thomas said the pain and grief he felt was unbearable. Photographs of the couples home were shown in court (CPS/PA Wire ) The pain I feel thinking of all the smiles you gave to me and all the smiles I wont get a chance to give back to you hurts so much. Even to say your name shatters my heart to know you cant hear my voice anymore. The only reason I can stand here today is for hope that you can see me, see that you were loved and that you deserved to live a full, happy, safe life surrounded by the joy that you gave to others. Im so sorry your short life was filled with so much pain. You are so loved Lola and so missed every single day. Welcoming the verdict, senior investigating officer DCI Gareth Roberts of Dyfed-Powys Police said: Bevan delayed raising the alarm and seeking medical attention for at least an hour after he inflicted the fatal injuries and in the time since he has shown no remorse, emotion or any care for Lola. Consumed by his own self-preservation, Bevan lied and fabricated an accidental stair fall to try and cover his tracks but, with the help of medical experts, we have been able to prove that his actions on 17 of July 2020 were deliberate, abhorrent and evil. The pair will be sentenced on 25 April. Convicted sex offenders are serving in the Metropolitan Police, the force has admitted, as it re-investigates hundreds of officers flagged for sexual and domestic abuse allegations. An operation triggered by revelations that serial rapist David Carrick had been allowed to remain as a police officer, despite several reports of assault, examined more than 1,100 officers and staff who previously faced no action. A separate trawl of police databases uncovered that 161 Metropolitan Police officers roughly one in 200 have criminal convictions, including three who committed sex offences while employed by Britains largest force. 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 ongoing scandal of standards in the Metropolitan Police has deepened as the force admits convicted sex offenders are still serving as officers. The Met launched a review of cases of sexual assault and domestic violence in its ranks after it emerged that David Carrick, one of Britains worst serial rapists, was allowed to remain an officer despite the force hearing reports of his crimes. Almost 700 officers have been re-assessed over relevant allegations and commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said many faced losing their vetting approval in the coming months. The commissioner, who began the job in September, said he believes there are hundreds of corrupt officers serving in the force who should not be in the job. Since the Carrick case came to light in January, a steady drip of Met officers, serving and former, have been charged with sex offences, including child sexual abuse. The Independent has listed some of the notable cases: Wayne Couzens Couzens faced separate trials for murder and indecent exposure (PA) Couzens, better known for the rape and murder of Sarah Everard, was last month sentenced to 19 months in jail for three incidents of flashing. The former officer, 50, was already serving a whole life jail sentence for killing and assaulting Everard, 33, in March 2021. Following his murder conviction, Couzens, from Deal in Kent, was charged with six counts of indecent exposure he pleaded guilty to three. The incidents took place in woodland and at a fast food restaurant in Kent between November 2020 and February 2021. David Carrick Carrick was charged for at least 85 offences, 71 of which were sexual (PA Media) Carrick, 48, was handed 36 consecutive life sentences for a litany of rapes against a dozen women between 2003 and 2020 while he was a serving officer in an elite and armed unit of the Met. He pleaded guilty to 49 charges, including 24 counts of rape nine counts of sexual assault, five counts of assault by penetration, three counts of coercive and controlling behaviour, three counts of false imprisonment, two counts of attempted rape, one count of attempted sexual assault by penetration, one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent and one count of indecent assault. The charges relate to at least 85 separate offences, including at least 71 sexual offences and 48 rapes. Hussain Chehab Chehab, a Safer Schools officer, was jailed for five years over a string of child sex offences. He was sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court on 24 March for four counts of sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15 and offences linked to indecent images of children. The sexual activity offences took place between March and September 2019, before Chehab joined the Metropolitan Police the following year. They only came to light when the girls family reported in July 2021 that their daughter had been in a sexual relationship with Chehab, which it later emerged began when she was 14. Farhan Ghadiali Ghadiali was found guilty of sexual assault on 24 March after a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court. He sexually assaulted a child on Sunday 22 September 2019 at a party held in Buckhurst Hill, Essex, while he was off-duty. The officer was charged by Essex Police and originally appeared for trial at Chelmsford Magistrates Court in May 2022. That ended in a hun jury when no decision could be reached but he was retried and found guilty. Ireland Murdock Ireland Murdock is awaiting sentencing for rape conviction (Metropolitan Police) Former PC Murdock, 26, was found guilty of rape on Monday 3 April, following a trial at Inner London Crown Court. Murdock, who was attached to the Central North Basic Command Unit before he was dismissed, will be sentenced at the same court on 23 May. He was dismissed from the Met in July 2022 after he pleaded guilty to unauthorised access to computer material after he looked up the victims crime report in the police system. Liam Boshein Boshein was sentenced to 42 weeks in jail after admitting to possessing an extreme pornographic image on his phone. A judge told the constable the offence was too serious to avoid a jail term, and the Crown Prosecution Service said the image was frankly repulsive. The 25-year-old, of Waterworks Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court on Friday after pleading guilty last month to committing the offence between 7 November, 2019 and 4 April, 2021. Boshein had been a trainee Met officer for three months when he forwarded the image to a colleague on WhatsApp. Unnamed officer One Met officer remained in his job after being caught performing a sex act on a train. The officer escaped dismissal and was instead given a final written warning following the 2018 conviction for outraging public decency. MPs were told last month that he was having his case reviewed. Concerns have been raised about indecent exposure being a potential gateway to more serious crimes after the case of Couzens, who went on to commit murder after exposing himself at a McDonalds. Edward Oniba Oniba, a PCSO attached to the North West Basic Command Unit, was found guilty of sexually assaulting a female colleague in a police stations gym. He was convicted on 13 March of sexual assault by touching. Ben Smith Special Constable Sergeant Smith was charged on 16 February with two counts of sexual assault alleged to have taken place against two women in 2017 when the officer was off duty. 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 institutions established by the Good Friday Agreement are not working and need to be reviewed, a loyalist leader has said. Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) leader Billy Hutchinson said the concept of powersharing at Stormont had been usurped by control by the two largest parties who, he stated, had been unable to work together. The support of the PUP, which has long-established links with the UVF and other loyalist representatives was crucial in concluding the deal 25 years ago that largely ended decades of conflict in Northern Ireland. Mr Hutchinson, now a councillor in Belfast, was a member of the PUP negotiating party and was elected to the first Stormont Assembly. He said that while the deal signed in 1998 was not perfect, his party supported it. He said: It was mixed because everything wasnt positive from my point of view and the partys point of view. What we needed to work out was was this for the greater good? We recognised that if people had this aspiration for a united Ireland, that was quite all right, as long as they werent going to use violence to achieve it. You cant take peoples aspirations away from them. He added: But if you look at what is going on today, it isnt working. It isnt working for a whole lot of reasons. We need a review and that review needs to look at it and make it work. Mr Hutchinson said that some elements of the 1998 agreement were replaced during the 2006 St Andrews Agreement, following which the DUP and Sinn Fein, which had emerged as the largest unionist and nationalist parties, agreed to restore the Assembly. Mr Hutchinson said: I have always argued that the Good Friday Agreement was never implemented in full, we dont know what would have happened if it had been. All the things we had before St Andrews were removed. It really took the two partners to work together and from what I can see recently those partners were not been able to work together to resolve issues. The reality is we can't go back to the past so we need to find a path to the future and that future has to be with the political process working Billy Hutchinson He added: The reality is that the agreement was the agreement, warts and all, we agreed it. Even though there were things in it I wouldnt have agreed with personally, we got on with it. Things changed because people kept rewriting it and when you do that you are moving away from the fundamentals. It took the two largest parties to do that and they did it for their own gain. He added: It needs to be reviewed, it needs to be looked at. How do you do that? If I go out to my car and it isnt working, I take it to the mechanic to get him to analyse it and then he puts his computer on it and he works it out. That is what needs to happen at the Assembly. It will be the people in the Assembly that will have to do that. The reality is we cant go back to the past so we need to find a path to the future and that future has to be with the political process working. Mr Hutchinson said the principle of powersharing worked more effectively at council level than it did at Stormont. In Belfast City council it works differently. The councillors all sit in committees, the committees meet, make decisions and those decisions come to full council and the final decision is made there. If people think it is wrong then they change it. That is about sharing power. When you go to the Assembly you dont make decisions as an MLA, what you do is scrutinise, and what do you change? Very little. I was in the Assembly from 1998 until 2003 so I know. If they had done it the way we wanted to do we would have used this model. The ministers would have been the chair of each committee, that is how we wanted to do it but that didnt happen. Mr Hutchinson said one of the legacies of the agreement was that it had succeeded in bringing about an end to most violence. There is violence today, the threat level has been raised, but the majority of that is in the past. Life is totally different now than it was before. My son and daughter dont think the way I thought when I was 18. That is because they live in a different society. We all live in different times. More than 45,000 burglaries reported last year went unattended by the police in England, according to research, with critics blaming broken Conservative Party promises on law and order. The Liberal Democrats obtained data through Freedom of Information requests which it says show an equivalent of more than 120 break-ins a day occurred without an officer visiting the scene. Some 75% of reported burglaries were then closed without a suspect being identified, according to figures provided by 19 forces across the country. 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 }} Britain is spending more than three times the amount of aid money used to alleviate poverty in Africa on asylum seekers and refugees in the UK, figures show. Ministers were facing fresh criticism for diverting the overseas aid budget to the UK after it was announced that nearly 3.7 billion was spent on in-donor refugee costs (IDRC) last year. That was an increase of 2.6 billion from 2021, and dwarfs the 1.1 billion spent on Africa, according to provisional Foreign Office figures published on Wednesday. They came as the Home Office prepared to confirm it has acquired a barge to house hundreds of asylum seekers off the Dorset coast as Rishi Sunak tries to tackle small boat crossings. The official aid watchdog warned that the diverting of the budget to domestic issues meant very little was available for humanitarian crises like the floods in Pakistan and drought in Somalia. Nearly 29% of the 12.8 billion spent under Britains overseas aid budget already shrunk by the Prime Ministers cuts was focused on projects in the UK. In 2021, the share spent in the UK was a little over 9%. The Foreign Office attributed the increase in IDRC to spending on Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion and the resettlement of Afghans after the Taliban takeover. Africa remains the largest recipient of UK aid, receiving 1.1 billion last year, but that was down from 1.3 billion in 2021. Kathleen Spencer Chapman, a director at the Plan International UK childrens rights organisation, accused the Government of failing women and girls around the world. We are deeply concerned that the Government is using large chunks of an already reduced aid budget to pay for a domestic asylum system that is not fit for purpose, she said. In its relentless push to slash overseas aid, the Government is failing women and girls around the world. Its a complete break with the past, and a total transformation of our aid budget. No one could possibly justify these allocations on development grounds Ranil Dissanayake We need an effective and fully funded asylum system, but the funding must not come at the expense of communities facing crises overseas. Diverting overseas aid means less support for the east Africa hunger crisis, where children are dying from hunger. We urge the Government to allocate funds directly and transparently to the UK asylum system, and to urgently refocus the aid budget on to those areas for which it was intended chiefly tackling global poverty and the impacts of climate change, promoting gender equality and responding to humanitarian crises. Ranil Dissanayake, from the Centre for Global Development international aid think tank, described the figures as striking and discouraging. Its a complete break with the past, and a total transformation of our aid budget. No one could possibly justify these allocations on development grounds, he added. International aid rules mean the first-year costs of supporting refugees in a donor country can qualify as official development assistance, though the rule has been controversial. Tamsyn Barton, the chief commissioner of the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI), which scrutinises use of the aid budget, said: While it is permitted within the rules, allowing the soaring costs of asylum seekers and refugees in the UK to take such a high proportion of the aid budget meant that very little was available for humanitarian emergencies like the Pakistan floods and the drought in Somalia. The ICAIs earlier review found this to be an inefficient and inequitable use of UK aid and, by using the aid budget to cover these costs, the Home Office has been less incentivised to find a longer-term approach and achieve value for money for UK taxpayers. For years the Home Office has failed to look after taxpayers money by tackling the asylum backlog. Britain deserves better Preet Kaur Gill, Labour Preet Kaur Gill, Labours shadow cabinet minister for international development, said the statistics reveal the dire incompetence of policy to divert the aid budget to prop up (the Governments) failing asylum system. She added: For years the Home Office has failed to look after taxpayers money by tackling the asylum backlog. Britain deserves better. Labour will ensure that taxpayers money is treated with the respect it deserves, solve the Governments asylum chaos with our comprehensive plan to tackle Channel crossings, speed up decision-making and break up the criminal people smuggling gangs, and put in place a new model for development with the independence needed to meet the challenges of the 21st century and tackle the root causes forcing people to flee their homes in the first place. Mr Sunak, as chancellor in 2021, slashed the UKs aid spending from 0.7% of gross national income to 0.5%. He cited the economic hit from the coronavirus pandemic but has subsequently chosen not to restore the original spending level. Meanwhile, the number of people who crossed the English Channel on small boats has reached almost 4,000 this year. Government figures showed 201 irregular migrants were detected making the trip in six boats on on Tuesday, taking the total this year to 3,994. 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 }} Members of a school leaders union have overwhelmingly rejected the Governments pay offer. Nine in 10 members of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), who took part in an online consultative ballot, voted down the deal. Nearly four in five (78%) NAHT members said they would be prepared to vote for industrial action, up to and including strike action, if the offer was rejected. The unions executive will now meet to discuss next steps which could include holding a second formal ballot on industrial action. Schools in England face five days of teacher walkouts in the summer term and possible action in the autumn as the National Education Union (NEU) is set to re-ballot members in the ongoing dispute over pay. This is a conclusive response to the Governments offer. It has been judged inadequate and unaffordable Paul Whiteman, general secretary of NAHT Delegates at the NEUs annual conference on Tuesday voted in support of a three-day strike in late June/early July. The teaching union announced two further strike days on April 27 and May 2 on Monday after 98% of its members, who responded in a consultative ballot, voted to turn down the Governments pay offer. After a period of intensive talks with unions, the Government offered teachers a 1,000 one-off payment for the current school year (2022/23) and an average 4.5% pay rise for staff next year (2023/24). Last week, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT, said industrial action by school leaders would be necessary if its members decided to reject the Governments inadequate pay offer. Overall, 64% of NAHT members in England responded to the school leaders unions consultative ballot, with 90% voting to reject the offer. More than nine in 10 (92%) said the offer was unaffordable and they said they did not have the room in their budget to be able to afford the proposed pay offer for the next academic year (2023/24). On the result of the vote, Mr Whiteman said: This is a conclusive response to the Governments offer. It has been judged inadequate and unaffordable. Our members do not recognise the Governments calculations on the affordability of the offer, with the vast majority of head teachers and school business leaders saying they could not pay the rise from their existing budgets. This is a very clear stumbling block and one the Government must listen to and solve if we hope to bring this dispute to an end. NEU, NAHT and ASCLs decision to reject this offer will simply result in more disruption for children and less money for teachers today Department for Education He added: The Government must now come back to the table and solve this dispute. To do otherwise would be to stick two fingers up to a dedicated profession whilst at the same time turning their backs on children. In January, a ballot of NAHT members failed to meet the mandatory 50% turnout threshold required for strike action. But the NAHT has suggested it could move to a second formal industrial action ballot. Members of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and NASUWT teaching union have also been asked for feedback on the pay offer. Overall, 87% of ASCL members, who took part in a survey on the pay offer, voted to turn down the deal. The turnout was 56% in the consultative ballot. The ASCLs executive committee will reconvene after the Easter break to consider its next steps. A Department of Education (DfE) spokeswoman said: After costing children almost a week of time in the classroom and with exams fast approaching, it is extremely disappointing that the NEU are re-balloting for more strike action up until Christmas this year. She added: The offer was funded, including major new investment of over half a billion pounds, and helps tackle issues teachers are facing like workload. NEU, NAHT and ASCLs decision to reject this offer will simply result in more disruption for children and less money for teachers today. A victim of the infected blood scandal has said the Government must get their heads out of the sand and do whats right after Rishi Sunak confirmed that parents and children of those involved would not immediately receive compensation. Infected Blood Inquiry chairman Sir Brian Langstaff recommended in his interim report on Wednesday that reparations should be extended to bereaved parents and children, rather than victims and widowers only. While the move was welcomed by survivors, the Prime Minister later said that any extension of compensation would have to wait until after the full report is published. 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 }} The first and so far only British Council teacher to be brought to safety in the UK under the governments Afghan resettlement scheme has spoken of his relief, but urged politicians to help those left behind who face real danger. The teacher, who fled Afghanistan when the Taliban started regaining control of the country in 2021, said he feared for the lives of more than 100 of his colleagues who are still waiting for help. The former teacher arrived in the UK with his wife and baby daughter from Turkey at the end of March. He spoke to The Independent from his familys new home in Belfast, saying: We are safe here fortunately and we can now believe in our future and our childrens future. However, we are concerned about our families, friends and colleagues who are living inside Afghanistan and living an uncertain life. The accusation of being a British spy has been made against most of my colleagues. They have been accused that they are the real spies of the British government, and so if the Taliban captures them then their life will be in real danger, he said. It comes as The Independent launched a campaign calling on Rishi Sunak to support Afghan veterans who served alongside British forces after we revealed an Afghan pilot who came to the UK in a small boat is facing deportation to Rwanda. Many British Council teachers are living in hiding in Afghanistan, with many struggling to get the documents needed to flee to neighbouring Pakistan. Joe Seaton, a former deputy director at the British Council, said he knows of more than 100 teachers still waiting for relocation to the UK both in Afghanistan and neighbouring countries. The British Council has estimated that there could be up to 200 in this situation. Now we are in the UK and I see my future is bright, the teacher said (The Independent ) The scheme to help the British Council contractors relocate to the UK was launched on 6 January 2022, but only the aforementioned teacher and his family have been brought to safety. The resettlement route will allow 1,500 people to come to the UK in the first year and is only open to British Council workers, GardaWorld contractors and Chevening Alumni. The governments general scheme for at-risk Afghans, the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme, has resettled just 22 people since the Kabul evacuation. The teacher described the past two years of his familys life as a struggle to survive. He added: Our life was very very difficult in Turkey. I was working as a busboy in a hotel and my salary was about $280 per month. We had to borrow money from friends and relatives for legal fees when our visa extension was denied. We did not know what our future might be; whether we will stay in Turkey or be deported to Afghanistan? Our past two years have been wasted as we were only struggling to survive. Now we are in the UK and I see my future is bright. CEO of the British Council, Scott McDonald, said: We are delighted and relieved that our former colleagues and their families are starting to arrive in the UK. While we welcome this good news, we remain deeply concerned about those who are still in Afghanistan. The teacher is hoping to further his English studies in the UK (The Independent) He added that while a number of former contractors and their families have been informed that they are eligible for relocation, urgent action must now be taken to ensure they are granted safe passage to countries neighbouring Afghanistan. A significant number of teachers are still waiting on the outcome of their relocation applications, he added. Tory MP John Baron, chair of the British Council All Party Parliamentary Group, said: It is excellent news that the first teacher and his family have now arrived in the UK. However, many still remain in Afghanistan unable to obtain the necessary visa and paperwork to enter a third country. A travel agent is needed to obtain these documents but this costs money which many contractors do not have. Mr Seaton added: While it is encouraging that one former British Council teacher has at last made it to safety in the UK, serious concerns exist about the safety of all the others still in Afghanistan. Their work teaching UK values for the British Council made them all targets of Taliban hostility and, as a result, they have been living in hiding, with a number suffering violence at the hands of the Taliban. They were all eligible for the Arap scheme from the start, but were unfairly excluded. A government spokesperson said: We continue to work hard to resettle people from Afghanistan. Under the first year of ACRS pathway 3, we will offer resettlement to up to 1,500 people including British Council contractors at risk. Since April 2021, around 24,500 people have been brought to safety, including thousands of Afghans who served the UK and others identified as at-risk, such as campaigners for womens rights, human rights defenders and Chevening scholars. Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Nadine White Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter The Race Report 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 The Race Report email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Dozens of community groups have received 685,000 for initiatives to encourage more organs, blood and stem cell donation from within Black and Asian communities. The Community Grants Programme, managed by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), distributed the funds to some fifty organisations which include the Sickle Cell Society, African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust, British Islamic Medical Association and more. This comes amid all-time low shortages in these donations among ethnic minority groups which means that patients from these communities can have worse outcomes. People from the same ethnic background are more likely to be a match. It is important everyone has the best chance of receiving a potentially life-saving blood, organ or stem cell donation, regardless of their ethnic background and these organisations are helping to make a real difference, Health Minister Neil OBrien said. Were investing to encourage and increase education about donation among Black and Asian communities. Previous research has shown that enabling grassroots organisations to champion organ, blood and stem cell donation in a culturally relevant way increases awareness and engagement, helping move towards greater health equality and a more diverse donor base. Increased blood donations will provide lifesaving health benefits for many people, such as people with blood disorders like sickle cell disease - the fastest-growing genetic condition in the UK. In October, the NHS announced that a record number of Black blood donors were needed to treat the growing number of people in the UK affected by sickle cell disease and called on people to come forward because there is more demand for care than ever before. Sickle cell is It is more prevalent in people from Black African or Black Caribbean backgrounds. Black and Asian people also wait longer for organ transplants. People from Black, Asian, Mixed or other minority ethnic backgrounds make up one-third of all people on the transplant waiting list , due to the difficulties of finding a match. White patients have about 80-90 per cent chance of finding a stem cell match from a stranger, whereas Black, Asian and mixed-race people can only find a stem cell match from a stranger around 30-40 per cent of the time. We Are Donors, a national network of university student groups working to raise awareness of organ and blood donation, is among the recipients of this government funding. To raise awareness around organ donation, We Are Donors will be using their ten local groups across England and Wales to deliver educational talks and workshops to pupils aged 11-18 years in areas known to have higher proportion of people from Black African and Caribbean heritage. To raise awareness for blood donation, their programme will be targeted towards Black African and Caribbean university students aged 18-25 and sessions will run at their nine established university groups based in England, aiming to educate, raise awareness and register new blood donors through focused educational events and talks. Dr Charlotte Brathwaite-Shirley, Financial Lead and Trustee at We Are Donors, said: Our project aims to work with the young Black African and Caribbean population within schools and universities to provide education on the topics of organ and blood donation. We hope that this young population will drive future conversations regarding organ and blood donation. Altaf Kazi, Assistant Director, Partnerships and Community Engagement at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: We have seen first-hand the abilities of trusted individuals and community groups to prompt conversation, tackle misinformation, educate, and offer reassurance around donation. Often a persons best donor match will share their ethnicity, but too many donation opportunities are missed because families havent discussed organ donation, and Black and Asian people are seriously under-represented when it comes to donating blood and stem cells. We are really excited to work with these grassroots champions to address inequalities and help save more lives. Close Im surprised when one of my colleagues is arrested, says SNP leader 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 }} Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf insisted the SNP was not facing bankruptcy amid a financial scandal, as the UK government issued a threat to cut off the partys funding if it fails to find new auditors within weeks. Mr Yousaf addressed questions over the sustainability of SNP finances, telling reporters: We are definitely not facing bankruptcy, Im pleased to say we are on a steady footing, though he admitted the party stilled owed money to ex-chief executive Peter Murrell, Nicola Sturgeons husband. The new party leader was yesterday thrust into the role of overseeing the SNPs accounts, as treasurerColin Beattie quit after police detained him for questioning in an investigation into suspected fraud over 660,000 of SNP donations earmarked for independence campaigning. In Westminster, Commons leader Penny Mordaunt said if the SNP does not file audited accounts by 31 May their short money, payments to opposition parties for parliamentary work, will be cut off. SNP leader Humza Yousaf said the party was still in conversations with prospective new auditors after the previous firm quit last year. 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 }} One of the UKs largest housing providers has been accused of forcing a young family to live with a bed bug infestation and mould outbreak for nearly four years. Sanctuary Housing knew about the chronic issues within a Pimlico-based property before Jade and Tyrone Sullivan moved into the maisonette flat with their three children but have failed to adequately tackle the problem, the couple has said. The housing provider did not deny the claims when approached about it. Very quickly after their tenancy began in February 2019, the Sullivans say they realised that the entire building in south London was overcome with pests and mould. As their complaints have been inadequately handled over the years, the family endures daily bedbug bites and their health is failing due to the hazardous conditions, they have said. Mr Sullivan says he underwent urgent medical treatment to tackle a chest infection, thought to have been mould-induced, while Mrs Sullivan, who lives with bipolar disorder, is fearing an episodic breakdown which she says has been exacerbated by ongoing lack of sleep. The children, twins aged 10 and a seven-year-old, now have permanent skin scars from the bites and are struggling with school as a result of rest deprivation, their parents say. (Supplied) Since moving in we have had to endure despicable living conditions. Our health is being affected by the bed bug situation as we are unable to sleep properly at night and are ingesting mould, Mrs Sullivan, an activist and writer, told The Independent. I havent had a proper nights sleep in over 45 nights, at the moment. I feel like Im going to die! This is torture - were living in hell. Though the family has been moved out in temporary accommodation, known as a decant, three times in as many years while work on the damp and mould has been undertaken, they say the measures only provide temporary solutions to the issue while the whole building continues to be swamped. Heat treatments have been conducted which have failed to rectify the problem. While her husband goes to work, Mrs Sullivan says shes working like a slave indoors, locked in a seemingly endless cycle of washing blood-stained bed sheets, where bugs have been squashed in defence or bites have oozed, and trying to rescue moudy, damp clothing. The critters come down air vents and through walls around the clock, in a never-ending ordeal. At least three of their neighbours, who are experiencing the same issues, notified Sanctuary about the problem before them moving in, the Sullivans said. In an email seen by The Independent, Sanctuary acknowledged that the problem is affecting other residents in the building. Its too much stress and trauma, she added. I just want somewhere safe to live; a normal house. These are necessities and thats all were asking for. Im not just speaking out for my family. Im fighting for my neighbours and for the people who dont have a voice, experiencing substandard housing all around the country. Were dealing with this 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Sanctuary Housing? Its ironic. Jade Sullivan (Kivanc Sezen) The couple, who have been Sanctuary tenants since 2006, are both collectors of vintage clothes and items, and say theyve lost thousands of pounds worth of treasured possessions and their clothing due to damp conditions. My wife suffers with bipolar disorder and has relapsed into depression due to the continual stress of dealing with this, which in turn is affecting my work and career as I am having to take time off to care for her, Mr Sullivan told The Independent. Its just a nightmare - weve been in this situation for three and a half years, weve taken our money to try and make it as nice as it is for our family to try and make a nice home. But we havent been able to settle in the whole time weve been here. If its not damp and mould then were all being bitten by bedbugs and kept awake at night. You cant relax and you cant sleep properly. Mrs Sullivans mental health is deteriorating daily, her worried husband said. Jades not sleeping. This has created a toxic environment and all we wanna do is relax at home like anyone else would. This is putting strain on everything - from our relationship to the kids. Its frustrating because its just us against this organsation. (AFP via Getty Images) A spokesperson for Sanctuary said: We are in regular contact with Ms Sullivan and can reassure her that we fully understand her concerns and are committed to resolving them as soon as possible. We have already employed a specialist pest control company to carry out a number of treatments at this property temporarily moving Ms Sullivan and her family into alternative accommodation as necessary and have advised Ms Sullivan we have now arranged for weekly treatments to take place. We can also confirm that work has been scheduled to investigate the reports of damp and mould in Ms Sullivans home and strongly refute any allegations of discrimination in this case. Earlier this year, Sanctuarys CEO apologised to Conservative MP Grant Shapps who held the housing association bosses to account for its unacceptable treatment in his Hatfield constituency. 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 }} The government is considering a ban on plastic wet wipes as part of a plan to tackle water pollution. Conservative environment minister Therese Coffey said a ban could come in as early as next year after consultation. Wet wipes flushed down toilets cause 93 per cent of sewer blockages and cost around 100m a year to sort out, Water UK, the body representing the water industry has said. About 90 per cent of these wipes contain plastics - but there are alternatives to using these which is why the government is calling for a ban. Yet opposition and environmental groups have criticised the move, saying its weak and doesnt go far enough. So what does the wet wipes ban actually involve and how have people reacted to it? What is being proposed? The government is planning to ban the sale of plastic wet wipes from as early as next year. This is part of a wider government initiative called Plan for Water, which involves the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) working to improve Englands water quality. Under a ban, the government wants to see more investment from water companies, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement for those who pollute. It also includes a consultation on a ban of plastic in wet wipes and restrictions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in firefighting foam, textiles, cleaning products, paints and varnishes. And Ms Coffey said on Saturday that water companies could face unlimited penalties for dumping sewage. Conservative environment minister Therese Coffey said the ban could come in as early as next year after a consultation. (Jacob King/PA) (PA Wire) What would happen if it goes ahead? The sale of the vast majority of wet wipes - any that contain plastic - would be banned in the UK. A number of companies, including pharmacy chain Boots and supermarket giant Tesco have already stopped stocking and selling these wet wipes - and so other shops would follow this trend. Any fully biodegradable wet wipe options could still be sold but the vast majority of these products contain plastics which dont break down, meaning they block up pipes over time. The government said it will work with the industry to create environmentally friendly alternatives to wet wipes. What has the government said? The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said it has asked water companies to speed up investment in infrastructure to prevent sewage discharges, reduce nutrient pollution and improve the water supplys resilience to drought. Regulator Ofwat is considering approving 31 schemes worth 1.6 billion and is accepting comments from the public until April 24. Ms Coffey said: Our rare chalk streams and world-famous coastlines, lakes and rivers are hugely important to local communities and to nature. A sewage blockage caused by disposing of a wet wipe (PA Media) I completely understand the concerns that people have about the health and resilience of our waters, which is why I am setting out this plan for a truly national effort to protect and improve them. That includes higher penalties taken from water company profits which will be channelled back into the rivers, lakes and streams where it is needed. This is not straightforward, but I take this issue extremely seriously and things need to change. Thats why we have developed this plan and we are committed to delivering the progress that people want to see. Ms Coffey is set to lay out her departments plans in a speech on Tuesday at the London Wetland Centre. What do campaigners say? Campaigners have shown mixed support, with many saying the governments plan doesnt go far enough to tackle water quality and supply problems. River Action UK, an environment charity, told the BBC the government must have been asleep at the wheel for years, allowing rivers to fill up with untreated human effluent and toxic agricultural pollution. CEO Charles Watson said: How can Defra credibly announce stronger regulation and tougher enforcement when there is not one single commitment today by government to put its money where its mouth is and properly re-fund statutory environmental protection agencies? Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said: After years of burying their heads, ministers have finally surfaced to tackle the scourge of sewage and pollution in our waterways and along our coasts. Its clear the Conservatives can also smell a local election in the air and are only acting in response to public pressure. The actions are too little too late, and still leave the water industry in private hands able to profit from failure. The Green Party wants to see system change, with our water supply brought back into public ownership at the earliest practicable opportunity. Labours shadow environment secretary Jim McMahon said: This announcement is nothing more than a shuffling of the deck chairs and a reheating of old, failed measures that simply give the green light for sewage dumping to continue for decades to come. This is the third sham of a Tory water plan since the summer. Theres nothing in it that tells us how, if or when they will end the Tory sewage scandal. Responding to plans to speed up water infrastructure investment, Ali Morse, water policy manager for The Wildlife Trusts, said: This investment is imperative, and we urge Government to ensure that projects begin as soon as possible. Water companies develop long-term plans for water supply and wastewater, which include environmental improvements, but these are set to happen over decades; our waters and wildlife cannot wait. We need to take every opportunity to bring forward this essential investment if we are to stand any chance of halting natures decline by 2030, as the law requires and as society demands. 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 }} Madeleine McCann, a three-year-old girl from Rothley, Leicestershire, went missing from the Portuguese holiday resort of Praia da Luz on the Algarve on 3 May 2007, a case still unsolved and still the subject of intense interest among the public and press. Her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, posted a statement on the Find Madeleine website in May 2021 marking their daughters then-forthcoming 18th birthday, reiterating their hopes of being reunited with her one day. Every May is tough a reminder of years passed, of years together lost, or stolen, they wrote. We hang on to the hope, however small, that we will see Madeleine again. As we have said repeatedly, we need to know what has happened to our lovely daughter, no matter what. We are very grateful to the police for their continued efforts. Marking another grim anniversary earlier this year, they say that finding the truth remains essential. Here is a reminder of the events of the case, with the recent emergence of a new suspect in Germany reviving the prospect of the mystery finally being solved. The story began when the McCanns affluent doctors Kate and Gerry, their three-year-old daughter Madeleine and her two-year-old twin siblings joined a group of seven family friends and their five children on holiday at the Ocean Club in the village of Praia da Luz on the south western tip of Portugal on 28 April 2007. After a pleasant spring break by the sea, the adults in the party went out for dinner at the resorts open-air tapas bar on 3 May, gathering at 8.30pm. The children were left behind sleeping in their respective apartments with the doors unlocked and a rota system in place among the parents to ensure that someone returned every half-hour to check on them. When Kate McCann took her turn and returned to her apartment at 10pm, she raced back to the restaurant screaming Madeleines gone! Someones taken her! The police were quickly called and 60 staff and fellow guests searched the complex, calling out the girls name in vain until daybreak the following morning. Border police and airport staff were put on alert and hundreds of volunteers joined the efforts to find the missing girl over the coming days, the case fast becoming a sensation. Madeleine McCann (PA) The Portuguese authorities would later attract criticism over their conduct in the crucial earliest hours of the investigation when the trail might still have been warm, accused of making rudimentary mistakes like failing to conduct a house-by-house search of every local residence or interview all of the other guests at the resort, acting slowly to erect roadblocks and potentially compromising forensic evidence at the crime scene through carelessness and incaution. The police initially stated that they believed Madeleine was still alive and had been abducted from the room by a stranger as the parents described their anguish and despair over her vanishing, a worst fear realised for any parent. On 26 May, police issued a description of a suspicious man seen on the night of the girls disappearance. The individual in question was spotted by Jane Tanner, one of the McCanns dining companions, who said she had seen a Mediterranean man with dark hair and beige trousers carrying a child close to the apartment when she went to check in on her own children. Scotland Yard would later come to dismiss the sighting as a red herring. The search continued as the summer progressed amid a wild media circus and with huge fundraising activities underway, the McCanns setting up Madeleines Fund on 15 May to raise cash to support further investigation and keep the profile of the case high, attracting generous donations from celebrities like Richard Branson, Simon Cowell, JK Rowling and Coleen Rooney. By 30 May, the case was such a cause celebre that they were being flown out to meet the Pope at the Vatican in Sir Phillip Greens Learjet. A local man, Robert Murat, subsequently became its first suspect and had his house and car searched, his swimming pool drained and his electronic devices confiscated but no evidence was found to link him to Madeleine and the matter was soon dropped. By June, the Portuguese police admitted that they had failed to protect potentially useful evidence at the scene as frustration with the lack of developments grew and the media began to question whether the McCanns themselves had been involved in the matter. Lurid tabloid allegations suggested the couple and their friends might have been swingers and that the McCanns, as physicians, might have been in the habit of sedating their children, while others claimed inconsistencies in their version of events. Gerry and Kate McCann (AP) The intensity of the hostility towards the parents would later be described by Roy Greenslade of The Guardian as no journalistic accident, but a sustained campaign of vitriol against a grief-stricken family, singling out The Daily Express and Daily Star for particular condemnation. In July, assistance offered by former South African police officer Danie Krugel who claimed his handheld matter orientation system could help to find Madeleine was rubbished, while British police sent over two springer spaniel sniffer dogs to search for DNA. Relations with the local authorities would ultimately sour as the latter came to resent British intrusion into a Portuguese inquiry, according to Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swans book Looking for Madeleine (2014). By August, Madeleine has been missing for 100 days and police admitted for the first time that she may never be found. They also told the McCanns that they were no longer considering the matter an abduction case but, rather, a murder inquiry. The McCanns themselves were interviewed as arguidos (suspects) by Portuguese police in September, with the parents told that the dogs had discovered DNA evidence from the missing girl in the boot of their holiday rental car, lines of inquiry that had already been leaked to the British press. They vehemently denied having any part in her disappearance. Despite being listed as suspects (a designation that would linger until the following July), the McCanns were allowed to return to Britain on 9 September. A day later, chief inspector Tavares de Almeida of the Policia Judiciaria in Portimao signed a nine-page report concluding that Madeleine McCann had died in their apartment as a result of an accident, that the tapas dinner and rota checks on the McCann children had been part of a planned cover-up, that the familys friends had helped to mislead the police and that the McCanns had concealed the body and then faked an abduction. A public prosecutor subsequently applied for the confiscation of Kate McCanns diary and Gerry McCanns laptop plus the groups phone records. On 2 October, chief inspector Goncalo Amaral was removed from the case and transferred after alleging that the British police were only interested in pursuing leads favourable to the McCanns. He would later publish a book, Maddie: The Truth of the Lie, the following summer, resulting in a lengthy libel battle with the McCanns that would run back and forth through the courts until March 2017. Back in Britain, Gerry McCann issued a video that November in which he speculated that his family had been watched by a predator during their stay at Praia da Luz. His wife had come to believe that a potential perpetrator could have seen a note in the resorts guest book visible to all in reception noting their dining arrangements on the evening of Madeleines disappearance. The couple followed up on 20 January 2008 by releasing a sketch of a creepy man they said other holidaymakers had said they had seen loitering at the Ocean Club. In April, a month before the one-year anniversary of the fateful night, Portuguese police travelled to Leicestershire to conduct further interviews with the McCanns friends. Then, on 21 July, Portugals attorney general, Fernando Jose Pinto Monteiro, announced that there was no evidence to link either the McCanns or Robert Murat to the disappearance and closed the case, unsolved. With the trail cold and no closure in sight, the McCanns continued to publicise their cause, issuing computer-generated images of how Madeleine might look now that she had aged on 3 November 2009 and condemning the release of previously unseen Portuguese police files detailing possible sightings of their daughter to British newspapers in March 2010. The McCanns published a book of their own about their ordeal in May 2011, entitled simply Madeleine, which was serialised in The Sun as the newspaper led a campaign calling on British prime minister David Cameron to launch a new inquiry. He did so. Commenced by then-home secretary Theresa May, the Metropolitan Polices Operation Grange would be led by commander Simon Foy and comprise a team of three detective inspectors, five detective sergeants, 19 detective constables and six civilian staff. It began to yield results in 2013, with Scotland Yard formally announcing a new investigation in July and saying in October it had identified 41 potential suspects. That same month, BBC Crimewatch released an e-fit image of a man of particular interest who had been seen in Praia da Luz with a child matching Madeleines description in May 2007. Detectives arrived in Portugal in January 2014 promising new arrests and finally searched the village in June, interviewing four people the following month but without unearthing new information. The quartet would be definitively ruled out in April 2017, before the UK government said it would continue to fund the investigation until 2020, having already admitted it had cost 10m in its first four years of operation. That investment had enabled detectives to have tens of thousands of documents translated, investigate over 8,000 potential sightings, take 1,338 statements, collect 1,027 exhibits and investigate 650 sex offenders and 60 persons of interest, all without definitively establishing the truth. The Madeline McCann case lay dormant before suddenly exploding into life in June 2020 when German media revealed that Christian Brueckner, a 43-year-old prisoner with a track record of child abuse and drug trafficking, had been identified as a new suspect by the public prosecutor of the German city of Braunschweig. Christian Brueckner (Italian Carabinieri) He had reportedly been living in a Volkswagen camper van in the Algarve at the time of Madeleines disappearance and one woman has since come forward to suggest she saw a girl that might have been Madeleine speaking German in a supermarket in Portugal in 2017. German investigators classified their probe into his movements as a murder inquiry, saying they are working on the assumption that Madeleine is dead and reporting in July 2021 that they had found an abandoned cellar beneath his former allotment near Hanover where she could, theoretically, have been held captive. Hans Christian Wolters, the prosecutor leading the investigation into Brueckner, has said he is very confident the inmate is responsible for kidnapping her. If you knew the evidence we had you would come to the same conclusion as I do but I cant give you details because we dont want the accused to know what we have on him these are tactical considerations, he told the BBC. It was subsequently revealed that Madeleines Fund still had 773,629 to spend as of 31 March 2020, meaning the McCanns can continue to bankroll a private investigation to find their daughter long after the police hunt is finally drawn to a close, should they choose to. Mr Brueckner was formally made a arguido in relation to the case on 21 April 2022. On 19 September, the McCanns lost their libel case against Mr Amaral, the former chief inspector who had investigated the disappearance, before the European Court of Human Rights. The couple had attempted to argue that Mr Amaral was responsible for damaging their reputation and breaching their rights to respect for their private life and to be presumed innocent after taking exception to his book and associated media appearances in which he had repeatedly suggested they were responsible for the vanishing. Their complaint also argued that Portugals Supreme Court had failed to allow them proper redress over the alleged libel by Mr Amaral after judges threw out their earlier claim in 2017. The verdict left the McCanns with three months to appeal against the decision. In February this year, a Polish woman called Julia Faustyna made headlines by claiming she was Madeleine, using the Instagram name @iammadeleinemccann. Ms Faustyna, 21, did not provide any supporting evidence but asked for DNA tests to prove her origins. The results revealed that she is entirely of Polish origin, with no British heritage, disproving her claims for good. 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 government has laid out controversial plans to house around 500 asylum seekers on a barge off the coast of Dorset. The Home Office said the three-storey vessel, named Bibby Stockholm, would be berthed in Portland, where the local MP and council have threatened legal challenges. The 93-metre long barge, being leased from Liverpool-based Bibby Marine Limited, previously saw at least one person die and reports of rape and abuse on board when it was used by the Dutch government to detain asylum seekers. The Home Office said only single adult males would be housed on the vessel, and that it needed to move asylum seekers out of hotels that are currently costing more than 6m per day. It will provide basic and functional accommodation, and healthcare provision, catering facilities and 24/7 security will be in place on board, to minimise the disruption to local communities, a spokesperson added. Migrants are due to be moved onto the Bibby Stockholm in the coming months. The Home Office is in discussions with other ports and further vessels will be announced in due course. The government hopes the barge, as well as old military bases and a former prison, will lower costs but charities have labelled the sites unsuitable and called for the Home Office to speed up the processing of asylum cases amid record backlogs. Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said the muddled plans resulted from the governments failure to properly process asylum cases. Asylum seekers should have access to safe and appropriate accommodation including having proper physical and mental health support, access to education and community links, he added. A floating barge does not provide what they need nor the respect, dignity and support they deserve. Amnesty International UK called the announcement political theatre created to obscure its gross mismanagement of the asylum system, and said self-inflicted costs were being used by the government to justify further hardline and reckless policies. Immigration minister Robert Jenrick said the use of barges and ferries would save public money and prevent the UK becoming a magnet. All accommodation will meet our legal obligations and we will work closely with the local community to address their concerns, including through financial support, he added. The Home Office said it was doubling up the number of asylum caseworkers and speeding up the processing of claims, following the prime ministers pledge to clear part of the backlog by the end of this year. It is currently housing more than 50,000 refugees and asylum seekers in hundreds of hotels, at an average cost of 120 each per night. The plans have already sparked outrage, with local Tory MP Richard Drax threatening to look at any way to thwart Ms Bravermans proposal. Conservative-run Dorset Council is also opposed to the plans. Bibby Stockholm was previously used to house asylum seekers in the Netherlands (Bibby Marine/YouTube) Mr Drax, the MP for South Dorset, said the barge was being dumped on our door without consultation by the Home Office and threatened a legal challenge if the idea is not scrapped. He added: We want to get this consigned to the dustbin before anythings signed. We want to activate ourselves and say, look, home secretary, sorry this is not the right place, can you please cancel this. Separate plans to use two ex-military bases and a former prison were met with anger by local Tories when they were unveiled last week. The Bibby Stockholm was used to detain asylum seekers in the Netherlands in the 2000s, but was taken out of service after an undercover investigation by a Dutch newspaper uncovered mistreatment by prison officers, rapes by migrants and fire safety failings. Several migrants imprisoned on ships in the Netherlands are reported to have died, including an Algerian man on the Bibby Stockholm in 2008. The barge was later refurbished to be used as accommodation for Petrofac workers constructing a gas plant in Shetland. A current company brochure states that it contains 222 single en-suite bedrooms, a kitchen and restaurant, TV and games rooms, gym and bar. The use of barges and cruise ships to house asylum seekers was previously ruled out by the Treasury, while Rishi Sunak was chancellor. The Independent understands that formal research conducted during the Covid pandemic concluded that cruise ships and other vessels could be more expensive than hotels, and raised significant practical, legal and ethical issues. Hotels used to accommodate asylum seekers, such as in Knowsley, have been the target of local anger (PA) Scoping work by the Home Office warned that because asylum seekers could not be detained on vessels, there were significant practical issues in allowing them to move around busy ports and travel to schools, GP surgeries and other vital amenities. The government has defended the use of barges and military sites as an alternative to the eyewatering cost of hotels, but has not acknowledged a watchdog report accusing the Home Office of driving up soaring spending with its own failings. The Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) found it was spending 120 per person per night in hotels, including catering and other services, compared to 18 for longer-term accommodation in houses and flats. It found that the Home Offices failure to address a critical shortage of accommodation for refugees and asylum seekers, driven by its record asylum decisions backlog as well as rising Channel crossings, was driving spending on hotels. While the Home Office has recently started planning long-term solutions, the short-term nature of its response to date has contributed to the spiralling costs, the ICAI said, warning that the government did not effectively oversee the value for money from lucrative private contracts. Parliament is currently considering the Illegal Migration Bill, which the government claims will deter Channel crossings by enabling it to detain and deport anyone arriving via small boat. The government has not published the official impact assessment for the bill or information on how much the plans will cost, amid questions over immigration detention capacity. 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 }} US President Joe Bidens visit to the island of Ireland next week is about welcoming a son of Ireland home, Leo Varadkar has said. The White House confirmed the trip earlier on Wednesday, and said it would mark the tremendous progress since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago. Mr Biden is to visit Belfast first, before travelling on to Dublin, with visits also planned to Co Louth and Co Mayo, where his ancestors hail from. The president will deliver a public address outside St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina, Co Mayo on Friday evening, which will be open to the public to attend. He will also address the Irish parliament in the Dail chamber next Thursday, becoming the fourth US president to do so following John F Kennedys address in June 1963, Ronald Reagans in June 1984 and Bill Clintons in December 1995. Irish premier Mr Varadkar told reporters that the visit offered an opportunity to advance issues that had been discussed during the Washington DC visit more than two weeks ago. The number one objective of President Bidens visit to Ireland is to welcome a son of Ireland home, to welcome home a great Irish American president and to cement and strengthen the really good relationship that we have at the moment with the US. I dont think relations have ever been stronger or closer between Ireland and the US, and we want to cement that and use the opportunity of the meetings that were going to have. He added: The United States was a steadfast partner throughout the peace process over many decades, and through many administrations, its role was immense and indispensable. The presidents visit will allow us to celebrate and honour that contribution. When I met him in the White House on St Patricks Day, President Biden made it very clear the way he celebrates all that has been achieved, especially in the period since the Good Friday Agreement. Our shared focus should be on the future, not the past. And thats why there will be an opportunity to look ahead to the next chapter, the next 25 years. He said it was not clear how much the US presidential visit would cost, but added most of the costs would be on security. He also said that it was understood that the First Lady, Jill Biden, would not be travelling to Ireland. When asked whether he hoped Mr Bidens visit would encourage the restoration of Northern Irelands institutions, Mr Varadkar said: I hope it can help. Certainly in the past when the White House has turned its attention to affairs in Northern Ireland, theyve been able to push the British government to do a little bit more, theyve been able to push us to do more and sometimes they have an influence on the different political parties in Northern Ireland. So I think it can only help. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed the visit would last from April 11-14 and would take in four locations. She said: President Joseph R Biden Jr will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland from April 11-14. President Biden will first travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland, from April 11-12 to mark the tremendous progress since the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago and to underscore the readiness of the United States to support Northern Irelands vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities. He will discuss our close co-operation on the full range of shared global challenges White House statement The president will then travel to Ireland from April 12-14. He will discuss our close co-operation on the full range of shared global challenges. He will also hold various engagements, including in Dublin, County Louth and County Mayo, where he will deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people. Sinn Fein MLA Conor Murphy said it was a missed opportunity that the visit was occurring at a time when the Stormont Assembly in Northern Ireland was not sitting as part of a DUP protest at post-Brexit trading arrangements. He said: President Biden is coming here, it is the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, the entire international focus is on this place and, from the DUP perspective, there is nobody at the wheel. There is an economic focus to President Bidens visit, there is an economic focus to the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement and we have nobody here to talk on behalf of the businesses and economy here. DUP MLA Gordon Lyons said he hoped the visit would emphasise the economic opportunities available in Northern Ireland. The president can trace his ancestry to Irelands west and east coasts, specifically Ballina in Co Mayo and the Cooley Peninsula in Co Louth. His great-great-grandfather Owen Finnegan emigrated to the United States from the Cooley peninsula while another great-great-grandfather, Patrick Blewitt, was born in Ballina, leaving during the Irish famine in 1850 to sail to America. Distant relatives celebrated his election win in November 2020 back in Ireland and gathered again in January 2021 to mark his inauguration. The presidential visit to the island will have a strong focus on the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday peace agreement. Recently, Mr Biden made clear an increase in activity by violent dissident republicans opposed to the peace process in Northern Ireland would not deter him. No. They cant keep me out, he told reporters. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had invited Mr Biden to come to Northern Ireland to mark the agreements anniversary. Last month, Mr Varadkar told the president that his trip to the island of Ireland would be a visit like no other. I promise you that were going to roll out the red carpet, he pledged to Mr Biden during their St Patricks Day meeting in Washington DC. White House officials and Secret Service personnel have already visited proposed locations as part of planning for the visit. Former US president Bill Clinton and his wife and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton will be in Belfast the week after Mr Biden for more events to commemorate the landmark accord that largely ended the Troubles. Other key figures involved in securing the deal are also due to travel to the city. 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 parents of the one in a 1,000 newborn babies with hearing loss might soon have the reassurance that their childrens hearing aids are picking up speech thanks to a new test. University of Manchester scientists travelled across the UK in a research van to assess The Cortical Auditory Evoked Potential test or Cortical test on 103 babies aged three to seven months. In almost all cases, the test showed a positive response to speech played through the babys hearing aids when the child could hear the speech at a clear level. According to the findings, the test showed a negative result when the baby could not hear the speech. The project itself means so much to me as hearing loss in our family is hereditary, so this research will help massively not only for the future of infants with hearing loss but my son also Marsha Johnson Lead author Anisa Visram, a lecturer at The University of Manchester, said: One in a 1,000 babies are born with hearing loss and go on to have hearing aids fitted in the first months of life. The problem is, its not until they are around seven to nine months old at the earliest when we can use traditional tests of hearing. This can leave parents concerned about whether or not their babies are hearing the sounds the hearing aids are providing. However, our findings show the Cortical Auditory Evoked Potential test can help reassure parents about how babies are hearing through their hearing aids. This study would not have been possible without our research van which enabled us to get to parents across the country a brilliant innovation. Marsha Johnson, a parent who took part in the study, said: Having the research van come to our home has been hugely beneficial. When Logan was only a baby, having to disrupt his routine to attend the hospital was a nightmare. So having the ladies come to me and work around us was amazing. She added: They had lots of toys available to entertain Logan too and if I felt he was getting tired we could take a break, they did everything to accommodate us. The project itself means so much to me as hearing loss in our family is hereditary, so this research will help massively not only for the future of infants with hearing loss but my son also. While the cortical test has been used in Australia, the Manchester team in collaboration with the Interacoustics Research Unit (Lyngby, Denmark) developed a new protocol which used different types of sound stimuli. They also showed the benefit of repeat testing to improve its sensitivity. In the test, electrodes are placed on the scalp which then record activity in the brain to show whether the baby is perceiving the sound from their hearing aids. All newborn babies have a hearing screening test when they are born, but if they fail the screening test, they are given another test by audiologists while they sleep, with electrodes being placed on their scalp. If the follow up test known as the ABR shows a hearing loss, the babies are fitted with hearing aids, a process which can take up to three months. Researchers say there is currently no reliable way of testing how well babies are hearing through their hearing aids between the ages of three and seven months. Kevin Munro, professor of audiology at The University of Manchester and Manchester Biomedical Research Centre Hearing Health Theme lead, said: The ability to treat and diagnose hearing loss from an early age is partly down to the research we carried out at Manchester over the last few decades. Now we think its likely audiologists will be able to test how well a baby is hearing through their hearing aid during that crucial period from between three and seven months where no testing is currently available. Not only does this give parents the reassurance their childs hearing aid is working, but also in instances when the babies are still not hearing despite the hearing aids, it will set in motion the process of cochlear implantation more quickly. The study which was carried out before the pandemic is published in the journal Ear and Hearing and was funded by the National Institute for Health and care Research (NIHR) Research for Patient Benefit Programme, NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, the William Demant Foundation, the Marston Family Foundation, and the Owrid Foundation. 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 forum is to be held this summer to examine issues relating to Irelands defence capabilities, security and military neutrality. The forum will take place across four days in June at three locations in Galway, Cork and Dublin. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Micheal Martin announced plans for a consultative forum on international security policy. He said that cybersecurity, hybrid threats, critical infrastructure threats and the triple lock mechanism on Irelands neutrality will all be open for debate. There is a very clear need for an open, informed, respectful and evidence-based discussion on our foreign and our security policy, he said on Wednesday. Its a broad-based approach, its not down to a binary issue around military neutrality, but rather the broad spectrum of foreign and security policy, drawing on the principles along the line of the Citizens Assemblies model, but well hear from a range of voices, experts and citizens. There's no preconceived idea in terms of the outcome of the debate but I do think it's important that we have this national debate Defence Minister Micheal Martin Theres no preconceived idea in terms of the outcome of the debate but I do think its important that we have this national debate. The forum is not seen as a fully comprehensive review of Irelands security policy and is not intended to override the recommendations of the Commission on the Defence Forces. It is understood that contributors on up to 20 panels will come from a broad range of perspectives and include participants from other countries re-evaluating their national security position, like Finland and Swedens relationship with Nato, as well as neutral countries such as Austria and Switzerland. It is expected the forum will also assist in the upcoming Strategic Defence Review within the Department of Defence. The talks may also examine Irish involvement in peacekeeping efforts under UN obligations and EU foreign policy. One potential avenue for discussion is the risk of the misapplication of a veto from a UN Security Council permanent member limiting the deployment of Irish peacekeepers in jurisdictions the Ireland may want to engage in. Asked why a Citizens Assembly was not set up to examine the issue, Mr Martin said that two are already planned on drugs and on education. This model, I think, is a better model for the subject matter, because I think every citizen has an interest in this, every political party has a particular political perspective on this. This is a matter of core political philosophy and views and I think its important that the forum would facilitate the widest dissemination of those views and the public articulation of those views. Mr Martin subsequently told RTE Radio that the Government doesnt have any plans to change Irelands military neutrality stance, but added that a broader discussion was needed as things have changed fairly dramatically with the war in Ukraine. He said that Ireland needs to analyse newer threats such as the weaponisation of migration and the security of infrastructure such as undersea cables. Instinctively when we want to discuss issues like this, people focus in on the narrow subject of military neutrality, but its a much broader story and narrative that we want to focus on in terms of Irelands role in the modern world with the changing nature of that world, he said. Louise Richardson, president of the Carnegie Corporation and former vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford, was announced as the chairwoman of the forum. Mr Martin said: I am confident that Ms Richardson, who is a native of Co Waterford and a distinguished political scientist with a strong expertise in security policy in her own right, will play a hugely positive role in chairing the discussions. The forum will be held on June 22 at University College Cork, June 23 at the University of Galway, and on June 26 and 27 at Dublin Castle. It will also be open to the general public to attend in person or virtually, and to make written submissions. 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 }} Almost 70% of voters in Northern Ireland think the Windsor Framework could bring economic benefits to the region, an opinion poll carried out on behalf of Queens University in Belfast has suggested. The polling also indicates that two thirds of people believe that the Northern Ireland executive should be re-established following the deal between the EU and the UK. The framework was unveiled in February as a means of adapting the post-Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol to deal with trade disruption between the region and the rest of the UK. The deal has been formally signed off by the UK Government and the EU. However, the DUP, the largest unionist party in Northern Ireland, has expressed concerns about the framework and has shown no sign of returning to powersharing at Stormont. The polling, carried out by LucidTalk on behalf of researchers at Queens, indicates that 69% think that the framework could bring economic benefits for the region, and 66% think the executive at Stormont should return. Some 48% of respondents who identified as a strongly unionist do not see potential economic benefits from the framework. Seven in 10 of those who identify as slightly unionist see potential benefits, as do around nine out of 10 nationalists and others. The poll suggested that 72% of women and 60% of men wanted to see the powersharing institutions return. The report was compiled by Professor David Phinnemore, Professor Katy Hayward, and Dr Lisa Claire Whitten and is the eighth in a series of opinion panel polls conducted for Queens researchers as part of a three-year project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Polling was conducted from March 18-21, three weeks after the UK government and the European Commission announced the deal. The results of the polling are from a weighted sample of 1,201 respondents. The poll also indicated that 23% of respondents will only vote for candidates in the next Assembly election who are favour of scrapping the protocol and/or the Windsor Framework. It suggested that 25% would have preferred the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill to the Windsor Framework and 43% of respondents agree that the Stormont brake provides an appropriate means for MLAs to influence changes to EU law. Just over a third of respondents (35%) think that the Windsor Framework poses a threat to Northern Irelands position in the UK. Professor Phinnemore said: With the Windsor Framework, more voters in Northern Ireland have become accepting or supportive of the protocol. A clear majority believe genuine efforts have been made to address concerns raised and see potential economic benefits. Professor Hayward, from the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work at Queens, commented: The new UK-EU deal has provoked no discernible movement from those who previously wanted the protocol scrapped altogether. 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 }} One of the key negotiators of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement has urged that the sense of a covenant of honour between equally legitimate traditions with equally legitimate aspirations is restored to Stormont. The landmark 1998 accord is credited with having brought the worst violence of Northern Irelands troubled past to an end, but the often collapsed Assembly has been criticised. Former SDLP leader Mark Durkan said while there is room for justifiable criticism, there should be a return to that sense of a covenant of honour, where parties with political differences conduct themselves in the institutions of government in a spirit of reconciliation. In an interview with the PA news agency ahead of the 25th anniversary of the agreement, he said while he stands by what was negotiated, it needs to be brought forward by this generation in a positive way. This includes a call to return to the Assembly electing the First and deputy First Ministers, rather than the changes in the 2006 St Andrews Agreement to allow the largest two parties to nominate the top posts. Mr Durkan recalled heated exchanges and rows in the corridors of Castle Buildings in April 1998, and how securing the agreement had been touch and go with some distance remaining between the parties even in the final days. He said while unionists had their reservations, particularly around the release of prisoners and decommissioning, Sinn Fein was also sceptical and had posters erected saying no return to Stormont, as well as criticising an early paper as a partition solution. On paper when you looked at how far apart parties were on institutional models and on questions around decommissioning and policing, he said. But we (the SDLP) were determined so we worked on constantly refining our proposals, our ideas to take account of some of the criticisms we were hearing from others. He said a draft text produced by talks chairman George Mitchell was criticised by unionists over strand 2 around north-south institutions, while his party felt strand 1 around the political institutions was inadequate. There would have been angry corridor exchanges, and shouting matches on the stairwells of Castle Buildings, he said. On the evening of April 9, the parties came back together for talks, which Mr Durkan said they had expected to be difficult, but ended up going smoothly, being more productive than expected, and a number of pieces of the puzzle simply clicked. Mr Durkan went on to serve as finance minister and deputy first minister in the Stormont Assembly. He said there were political differences between the SDLP and UUP that could make their relationship seem terse and tetchy, they had a productive relationship within the power sharing institutions. He described the periods of suspension in the early years of the Assembly as due to issues such decommissioning and IRA activity, and not due to relations between the SDLP and UUP, or any of the other parties. There is a difference between the problems that stopped the Assembly sitting from 2017 to 2020, and again in the last year, that is because of a failure within the institutions and particularly due to changes made during the St Andrews Agreement, he said. But Mr Durkan said the British and Irish governments did not live up to their titles as co-guarantors, allowing periods of Assembly suspension to drag on, setting a dangerous precedent. When you have the governments signalling that you can still have the agreement and the process even without the institutions, you create a bit of a moral hazard, we see that now with Sinn Fein keeping the Assembly in abeyance for three years, and the DUP doing it now, so when the two governments criticise that, they maybe need to reflect they helped create that moral hazard, he said. Mr Durkan said the lack of a functioning Assembly on the anniversary of the agreement may mar celebrations slightly, but doesnt invalidate the achievement of the agreement itself. The most important part of the agreement is that it was endorsed overwhelmingly by the people in the north, and in the south, he said. By getting a clear majority of people in the north, it makes it legitimate for unionists in Northern Ireland, by having majorities north and south you clearly have a majority on the island as a whole so that means youre respecting and recruiting the sense and source of legitimacy for nationalists as well. Lets remind ourselves of the hope, and lets also remind ourselves that were not going to be able to just do away with that agreement just because there are frustrations and there have been difficulties, because youre not going to be agree anything better, or an alternative. The best thing to do is to go back and agree to better implement that agreement, adjust it so it lives and breaths in a more workable way for a new generation. We can uphold the agreement, keep its main principles, but also take it forward in a positive way that is healthy for everybody. Bill Clinton has said it is a miracle that Brexit did not destroy the Good Friday Agreement, the deal to end political violence in Northern Ireland. The former US president said Britains exit from the EU was aimed right at the heart of the 1998 agreement which led to peace and devolution in the province. Mr Clinton was speaking ahead of the 25th anniversary of the landmark agreement, the pact he helped broker with last-minute talks when in the White House. Cross-party groups formed by MPs and peers should be banned from receiving funding from foreign governments amid security concerns, a Commons watchdog has said. New rules must be adopted to prevent hostile states buying access by exploiting parliaments soft underbelly of All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs), the standards committee has warned. And senior Labour MP Sir Chris Bryant, the committee chair, said there has been more than one case involving an APPG which had been probed by the security services. Big questions are to be asked of the SNP leadership, Labour said on Wednesday, after Nicola Sturgeons husband Peter Murrell was arrested as part of the ongoing investigation into party finances. The 58-year-old, who quit as the partys chief executive last month, was taken into custody and questioned as officers and forensic experts, some carrying shovels, searched the couples South Lanarkshire home and back garden. Ms Sturgeon has come under pressure to reveal whether she knew about an impending arrest before her shock resignation in February at which time she cited the pressures of almost a decade in the job amid reports that senior party figures were interviewed by police in the days before she stood down. 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 }} For almost a decade Peter Murrell and Nicola Sturgeon were the husband and wife team in charge of the SNP. But now Mr Murrell is at the centre of an SNP finance investigation and has been arrested by Police Scotland in connection with the ongoing probe into the partys financing. Police Scotland said a 58-year-old man is in custody and is being questioned by detectives. Peter Murrell and Nicola Sturgeon were at the helm of the SNP for two decades (PA) Officers are also carrying out searches at a number of addresses as part of the investigation including the couples South Lanarkshire home, which has been cordoned off. Below we look at Mr Murrells career to date and how he and Ms Sturgeon became key figures in Scotlands political landscape. Who is Peter Murrell? Mr Murrell was born in Edinburgh in 1964 and attended Craigmount High School in the city before studying at the University of Glasgow. He was party chief executive since 1999, and was the man responsible for the day-to-day running of the SNP, which was at one point the second largest party in the UK. That job meant Mr Murrell was one of the most influential figures in Scottish politics, despite having never been an elected politician. However last month he announced he was resigning with immediate effect, amid a row over the partys membership numbers and transparency. It comes almost a quarter of a century after he succeeded Mike Russell, the current SNP president, as the partys chief executive. Ms Sturgeon on her wedding day with husband in 2010 Before that Mr Murrell had worked in the constituency office of former SNP leader Alex Salmond. Mr Murrell married Ms Sturgeon, then SNP depute leader and Scottish deputy first minister, in 2010, with Mr Salmond, the then first minister, among the guests. The pair had first met in 1988 at an SNP youth weekend but didn't become a couple officially in 2003. They didn't have any children and Ms Sturgeon recently spoke about her miscarriage when she was 40, shortly before the 2011 Scottish parliamentary election campaign. Ms Sturgeon, who became both SNP leader and Scottish First Minister in 2014, quit those roles last month making way for her elected successor Humza Yousaf. What role did Peter Murrell play in the SNP? Mr Murrell handled the day to day running of the SNP (PA) Mr Murrell is regarded by many as having played a key role in transforming the partys fortunes, helping to modernise SNP operations. While membership has fallen from the peak of about 125,000 achieved in 2018, to the recently revealed total of 72,186, the party remains easily the largest in Scotland. And with Mr Murrell and Ms Sturgeon at the helm, the SNP has cemented its electoral dominance, having been in power at Holyrood since 2007 and won every election north of the border since then. However, critics of the SNP under Ms Sturgeons leadership, both inside and outside the party, long questioned whether it is appropriate to have the key roles of leader and chief executive held by one couple. What has Peter Murrell been accused of? The home of Mr Murrell and Ms Sturgeon has been raided as part of an ongoing investigation (PA Wire) Police Scotland has been probing 660,000 raised by the SNP for Scottish independence campaigning after allegations of donations fraud an inquiry codenamed Operation Branchform. The probe was launched in 2021 after it was alleged money had been diverted from a ring-fenced fund to fight a second Scottish independence referendum sparking the resignation of several senior people from the SNP ruling body. Ms Sturgeon is under pressure to say if she knew about a possible arrest when she quit in February. Grilled about the police probe last month, Ms Sturgeon indicated she had not been interviewed by police. Asked if she had heard about a police interview, she told Sky News: No. I wouldnt comment on any ongoing police investigation and I am not going to comment on this one. 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 rebuked by the UKs official statistics watchdog for making false claims about the backlog of claims made by asylum seekers. The prime minister had told parliament in December that the backlog was only half of the number of claims in the system when Labour left office in 2010. But Robert Chote, chairman of the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) said this was incorrect and do not reflect the position shown by the Home Offices statistics. The number of asylum applications awaiting a decision was 166,000 at the end of December 2022, according to Home Office figures. The number of undecided asylum applications in June 2010 as Labour made way for the Tory-Lib Dem coalition was just under 19,000. This means that during the period from June 2010 to December 2022 there has been a net increase in undecided asylum applications of 147,307, not a halving, Mr Chote pointed. The UKSA correction came in response to a request from Labours shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock to investigate statements made by Mr Sunak and Tory immigration minister Robert Jenrick. Mr Kinnock has written to the PM to demand he corrects his statement in the Commons. If such misleading statements remain on the record uncorrected, this will mislead the public and could amount to a breach of both the official code of practice for statistics, he said. The Labour frontbencher added: I strongly urge you to lead by example and correct the erroneous use of figures in that statement at your earliest opportunity, and to call on the minister for immigration and the minister for safeguarding to do the same. Mr Jenrick also rebuked by the stats watchdog had claimed that the asylum backlog was 450,000 when the last Labour government handed over to us. Immigration minister Robert Jenrick (AP) The Home Office said the Tory minister had used the figures from a report by the then chief inspector of immigration, who estimated that the UK Border Agency was dealing with approximately 400,000 to 450,000 unresolved cases in 2010. But UKSA said this figure was unreliable because it involved duplications, errrors and other anomalies. Mr Chote said: Given the data quality issues at that time, it would not be reasonable to suggest that this management information from the UK Border Agency accurately represented half a million genuine undecided asylum applications then in the backlog. Last February, then PM Boris Johnson and his home secretary Priti Patel were both rebuked by the statistics watchdog for misleading claims that crime had fallen under their leadership. In May Mr Johnson was told off by the UKSA for a third time after he made misleading claims about employment he had already been warned were incorrect. 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 }} Conservative MP Scott Benton has had the Tory party whip removed pending an investigation into undercover footage of him offering to lobby for gambling industry investors. Mr Benton was prepared to leak market-sensitive information to an investment fund and ask parliamentary questions on its behalf, in breach of parliamentary lobbying rules, an undercover investigation for The Times found. A spokesperson for Chief Whip Simon Hart said: Following his self-referral to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards earlier this evening, Scott Benton has had the Conservative Party Whip suspended whilst an investigation is ongoing. The decision comes just hours after prime minister Rishi Sunak, who entered office last year promising integrity within the party, faced calls to strip the Blackpool South MP of the Conservative whip in light of the revelations. Mr Benton was caught on camera telling undercover reporters posing as investors how he was willing to take actions which would break Parliaments lobbying rules. They are also prohibited from serving as a paid parliamentary adviser or consultant or guiding firms on ways to influence Parliament. In a meeting in early March, Mr Benton described how he could support the fund, which he believed was set up by an Indian businessman looking to make investments in the UK betting and gaming sector, by attempting to water down proposed gambling reforms. It comes as the government is carrying out a major review of gambling laws, mulling stricter regulations that could affect operators profits. Mr Benton offered a guarantee to provide a copy of an upcoming gambling White Paper to the business at least two days before publication, potentially allowing it to benefit from market-sensitive information. He also said he could table parliamentary written questions and said he had previously done it on behalf of a company. Mr Benton said he could offer the direct ear of a minister who is actually going to make these decisions and speak to them outside the Commons voting lobby. The MP agreed with a fee proposed by the reporters in the range of 2,000 to 4,000 a month for two days work. In response to The Times report, Mr Benton said he had no further contact with the fake company after the meeting and had been concerned that what was being asked of him breached the rules. Opposition parties weighed in to put pressure on Mr Sunak to act over the revelation. Labours shadow Commons leader Thangam Debbonaire said: Rishi Sunak has lost control of his own MPs. He must get a grip of this new wave of Tory sleaze and take immediate action to stop this shameful cash-for-questions scandal spiraling even further. He must immediately remove the whip from all involved. Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: These shocking revelations are yet another damning indictment of the state of the Conservative Party. The British public are sick of Conservative sleaze. Rishi Sunak must strip Benton of the Conservative Party whip immediately. Anything less would make a mockery of his claim to restore integrity. Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner tweeted: That smell? The rotten stench of Tory sleaze. #CashForQuestions. Yet another Conservative MP looking to line his own pockets while Sunak does nothing. This PM is failing to deliver the integrity he promised. Only Labour will clean up politics. Scott Benton is being investigated after he offered to lobby for a gambling firm (UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor/PA) (PA Media) It comes after former cabinet ministers Matt Hancock and Kwasi Kwarteng drew criticism for offering to advise a bogus South Korean company for up to 10,000 a day in a sting by the campaign group Led By Donkeys last month, although there was no accusation of wrongdoing. In a statement released earlier Wednesday, Mr Benton said: Last month I was approached by a purported company offering me an expert advisory role. I met with two individuals claiming to represent the company to find out what this role entailed. After this meeting, I was asked to forward my CV and some other personal details. I did not do so as I was concerned that what was being asked of me was not within Parliamentary rules. I contacted the Commons Registrar and the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner who clarified these rules for me and had no further contact with the company. I did this before being made aware that the company did not exist and the individuals claiming to represent it were journalists. 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 }} SNP treasurer Colin Beattie has been arrested in connection with a police investigation into the partys finances, the latest development in saga engulfing the party in power in Scotland. It follows the arrest of chief executive Peter Murrell, Nicola Sturgeons husband, in connection with a Police Scotland probe. He was later released without charge pending further inquiries. The probe into 660,000 raised specifically for Scottish independence campaigning was launched after it was alleged money was diverted from the ring-fenced fund sparking the exit of senior people from the SNP. The Independent takes a closer look at how the story of the finance inquiry and the arrests have unfolded: July 2021 Investigation launched Police Scotland launched an investigation into potential criminality in the SNPs fundraising after claims around 660,000 raised since 2017 for a second independence referendum campaign was spent on other things. In the months preceding the announcement of the probe, three senior figures including SNP treasurer Douglas Chapman, SNP MP Joanna Cherry quit the partys National Executive Committee (NEC). Mr Chapman had complained that a lack of transparency about the finances had prevented him carrying out fiduciary duties. Police had initially said it was assessing complaints of irregularity. May 2022Operation Branchform It emerges that the Police Scotland probe has been codenamed Operation Branchform. Criminal complaints from at least 19 people were received by detectives to date, according to the Daily Record. Sean Clerkin, the campaigner who made the first formal complaint, called on police to step up their inquiries. The home of Peter Murrell and Nicola Sturgeon has been raided (PA Wire) December 2022 Murrell loan It emerges that Mr Murrell gave a personal loan of 107,620 to the SNP in June 2021. The chief executive gave the SNP the loan to help it out with a cash flow issue after the last Holyrood election, the party said. The loan came the day after a SNP leadership meeting discussed the funding being looked at by Police Scotland, according to The Herald. No interest was being charged by Mr Murrell and 47,620 was repaid in two instalments in August and October of 2021, according to Electoral Commission records. Nicola Sturgeon with husband Peter Murrell (PA) February 2023 Sturgeon resigns Nicola Sturgeon resigns as SNP leader, saying that the pressures of the job had become very difficult after eight years in charge. Grilled about the police investigation in March, soon after she resigned, Ms Sturgeon indicated she had not been interviewed by police. However, senior SNP figures were reportedly interviewed by police detectives in the days before she announced her exit, amid the ongoing probe codenamed Operation Branchform. Mr Chapman was among those interviewed in connection with the probe into claims of missing ring-fenced referendum cash, according to Scotlands Sunday Mail. Nicola Sturgeon resigned in February (PA) March 2023 Murrell resigns Mr Murrell resigns as SNP chief executive, following a row over transparency about party membership numbers and calls from party figures to make way after the departure of Ms Sturgeon. SNP media chief Murray Foote had quit after journalists were misled about the true membership figures, for which Mr Murrell took responsibility. The newly-elected SNP leader Humza Yousaf defended Mr Murrell at the time of his departure, saying he didnt know why anyone would demand to get rid of someone who had won countless elections. Police Scotland officers raid SNP headquarters (PA) April 2023 Murrell arrest Ms Sturgeons husband is arrested. Police Scotland said a 58-year-old man understood to be Mr Murrell is in custody and is being questioned by detectives. Officers are also carrying out searches at a number of addresses as part of the investigation including the South Lanarkshire home of Ms Sturgeon and Mr Murrell and SNP headquarters in Edinburgh. A luxury campervan was later seized by police investigating the SNPs finances. The motorhome reportedly taken from Mr Murrells mothers driveway in Fife was said by insiders to have been bought for use as a SNP battle bus. April 2023 Leaked Sturgeon emails and video Mr Yousaf faces calls to suspend Ms Sturgeon from the SNP following claims police are investigating attempts to shut down scrutiny of party finances. Detectives are investigating the partys finances have been handed emails showing Ms Sturgeon quashed the idea of a fundraising manager in June 2021, according to Scotlands Sunday Mail. The newspaper also published a video in which Ms Sturgeon told the partys National Executive Committee that there were no problems with the accounts, despite concerns. April 2023 Beattie arrest On 18 April, the 71-year-old party treasurer Colin Beattie was arrested and interviewed by police in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the SNP. Mr Beattie, who also serves as an MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, had held the treasurers job between 2004 and 2020, and again from 2021 to the present. 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 }} Suella Braverman has won a battle to be selected for the proposed new constituency of Fareham and Waterlooville, despite concern in the local Tory party over her stance on small boats. Constituency boundary changes meant the home secretary had to fight fellow Hampshire Conservative MP Flick Drummond to represent the new seat at the next election. Eligible party members backed Ms Braverman in the contest which was dubbed the Battle of Waterlooville by 77 to 54. Ahead of the vote, local Tory councillor Caroline Brook said she disagrees fundamentally with the minister and would struggle to campaign for her in a general election. Speaking to Times Radio, Ms Brook singled out the boat policy as a point of contention, in part due to the home secretarys admission that it will push the boundaries of international law. She said it jeopardises our people who live abroad as the attitude to law could irritate foreign governments. She added: Why should they treat our people in their countries fairly? Ms Braverman could prove her wrong, Ms Brook admitted. Im sure in time Id get to know her. And shed actually pick up the phone and speak to me, which she hasnt during the whole process. After her defeat in Hampshire, Ms Drummond told PA: I am incredibly disappointed but will continue to be Meon Valley MP and serve my constituents until the next election. Braverman in Yorkshire on Wednesday (PA) A number of constituency changes have been proposed across the UK as part of the 2023 boundary review. The review started in January 2021, and its final recommendations are due to be presented by 1 July this year, with changes expected before the next election. The Boundary Commission for England has closed its final consultation and is considering the feedback received. Its plans would remove the existing Meon Valley and Fareham constituencies, and the two MPs competed for the newly proposed constituency. Ms Drummond represented Portsmouth South between 2015 and 2017 and has represented Meon Valley since 2019. Ms Braverman has represented the Fareham constituency since 2015. 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 }} A Tory councillor in Suella Bravermans new constituency would struggle to campaign for the home secretary if she wins the nomination. Caroline Brook said she disagrees fundamentally with Ms Braverman and would find it difficult to knock on doors to get her re-elected. Ms Braverman is facing fellow Tory Flick Drummond in a party vote to become the partys candidate for a proposed new constituency, Fareham and Waterlooville. Constituency boundary changes will see the two Hampshire MPs go head to head in what has been dubbed the Battle of Waterlooville. But Ms Brook, a Conservative councillor in Winchester, where Ms Braverman is hoping to represent, said she would struggle to support her. Speaking to Times Radio, she said: Id struggle. Id struggle. Yeah, I would, Id struggle. I disagree fundamentally with her on some of her views. Im sure in time Id get to know her. And shed actually pick up the phone and speak to me, which she hasnt during the whole process. One issue on which Ms Brook disagrees with the home secretary is her plans to reduce the number of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats. As well as deporting some to Rwanda, the home secretary is planning to house Channel migrants on barges around the UK. Ms Braverman was expected on Wednesday to set out plans to put up more than 500 asylum seekers on a boat off the coast of Dorset. The proposal has faced opposition from the local Conservative MP Richard Drax as well as the Tory-run Dorset Council. Last month Ms Braverman said her crackdown on small boat crossings would push the boundaries of international law. And Ms Brook, a councillor since 2016, said: The boat policy, for example, I struggle with the way thats being implemented. Im not convinced that doing something that is borderline anti-international looking after international people, I fundamentally dont think that we should border that and go, We think its legal. Because that jeopardises our people who live abroad, our residents who live abroad, because if were straddling that we think its legal it might not quite be, why should they treat our people in their countries fairly? So fundamentally, I disagree on some real key points. A number of constituency changes have been proposed across the UK as part of the 2023 boundary review. The review started in January 2021 and its final recommendations are due to be presented by 1 July this year, with changes expected before the next election. The Boundary Commission for England has closed its final consultation and is considering the feedback received. Its plans would remove the existing Meon Valley and Fareham constituencies, and the two MPs are competing for the newly proposed constituency. Ms Braverman has represented the Fareham constituency since 2015. Ms Drummond represented Portsmouth South between 2015 and 2017 and has represented Meon Valley since 2019. The winner of the nomination is expected to be announced on Wednesday evening. 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 Scottish Governments tax changes came into effect on Thursday. With the beginning of the new financial year, the tax changes, which ministers have claimed would raise an extra half a billion pounds in 2023-24, laid out in the budget have come to fruition. Announced by former deputy first minister John Swinney in December and passed by MSPs earlier this year, the changes will see both the higher and top rates of income tax increased by 1p, rising to 42p and 47p respectively. While the threshold for the 42p tax rate will be frozen, the Scottish Government is proposing all Scots earning 125,140 a year or more will pay the very top rate of income tax. According to the Scottish Fiscal Commission, these specific changes will raise 129 million in 2023-24. The higher rate threshold will also remain at its 2022-23 level, applying to earnings over 43,662, which will increase revenue by a further 390 million when compared to uprating the threshold by inflation, according to Scottish Government estimates. Deputy First Minister Shona Robison said: The decisions we have made on income tax are fair and progressive by ensuring that those who can, contribute more. They strengthen our social contract with the people of Scotland who will continue to enjoy many benefits not available in the rest of the UK such as free prescriptions. The additional revenue will help us invest in our vital public services including the NHS, above and beyond the funding received from the UK Government. At the same time, the majority of taxpayers in Scotland will still be paying less income tax than if they lived in the rest of the UK. Now that the new financial year has started, Id also encourage people to check that the tax code is correct on the first payslip they get. If you think your tax code is wrong, you can check your details with HMRC who will be able to help. 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 }} Teachers should support drag queen story time events to create a more inclusive atmosphere in schools, an education union has suggested. More schools should be encouraged to set up LGBT+ spaces and lunch clubs for pupils, the National Education Unions (NEU) annual conference heard. A motion passed at the conference said initiatives, like drag queen story time, and inviting LGBT+ authors into schools can help challenge the heteronormative culture and curriculum in education. It comes after a far-right protest was held outside Tate Britain in February, where a drag queen storytelling event was being held for children. The motion called on the unions executive to publicly support initiatives like drag queen story time, to develop a more inclusive atmosphere in schools. The Government is seriously failing to support trans people which means the creation of LGBT+ spaces and networks in schools and colleges is now more necessary Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU Delegates voted for the union to work with LGBT+ educators to create guidance on how to set up LGBT+ spaces or lunch clubs so more schools participate and the spaces become usualised through practice. Darren Nuttall, a teacher from Rotherham, said: There are still pupils and teachers that will pick on LGBT+ students. Lets give the kids the support they deserve and the spaces they deserve. The motion, which was passed at the conference in Harrogate, said some schools have not allowed LGBT+ authors into schools. Delegate Sara Hope told the conference it took her almost a decade to find an LGBT+ safe space when she was a student, adding: For many of our LGBT+ students in schools right now things havent really changed. Help protect our LGBT+ students in schools by creating more safe spaces and LGBT+ clubs. The motion added: The Government is creating a hostile environment for trans people through the use of Section 35 to block the Scottish Gender Recognition Reform Act. This has encouraged the far-right to organise further attacks on drag queen story time and has created an atmosphere where hate crime can thrive. Help protect our LGBT+ students in schools by creating more safe spaces and LGBT+ clubs Delegate Sara Hope Shelby Millard, from Sutton, told the conference she had spoken to drag queens who run a story time session in London who said they were quite sick of having to go places with police escort just so they are safe. She added: The fact that Rishi Sunak has used Section 35 to stop the Scottish Gender Recognition Reform Act is sickening. He is supporting the far-right attacks on drag queen story time. He is supporting the murder of beautiful souls like Brianna (Ghey). He is saying hate and abuse is fine. We wont stand for this. Transgender teenager Brianna Ghey, from Birchwood, Warrington, was found with fatal stab wounds on a path in Culcheth Linear Park on February 11. A boy and a girl, both aged 15, have been charged with Briannas murder. After the debate on Wednesday, an NEU spokesperson said: The teacher concerned unreservedly apologises for the wording in her conference speech. She apologises and withdraws the specific allegation that Rishi Sunak supported the murder of a young trans girl. Many trans and non-binary teachers feel strongly that the Government is not doing enough to support them but it is essential that we always debate policy solutions in calm and measured ways. On the passing of the motion, Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: Teachers need time and support to develop curriculum resources which are inclusive and representative, and such time for building a creative curriculum is in very short supply. The Government is seriously failing to support trans people which means the creation of LGBT+ spaces and networks in schools and colleges is now more necessary. Sign up to our free US news bulletin sent straight to your inbox each weekday morning Sign up to our free morning US email news bulletin 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 US Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Bob Kroll, the former head of the Minneapolis police union, is now banned from working as a licensed officer in three Minnesota counties for the next 10 years as part of a lawsuit settlement reached on Tuesday. Mr Kroll, an ally of former President Donald Trump, was a well-known pro-police advocate in Minneapolis for years before he burst into the national spotlight following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020. In the aftermath of Mr Floyds killing, protests erupted in Minneapolis and St Paul and were, according to two class action lawsuits, brutally suppressed by members of the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD). According to the ACLU of Minnesota, the settlement with Mr Kroll stems from those two lawsuits. Lt Bob Kroll, head of the Minneapolis police union, shakes hands with Donald Trump during a rally at the Target Center in Minneapolis on 10 October, 2019 (Getty) In a statement given to KSTP on Tuesday, a ACLU of Minnesota Legal Director Teresa Nelson said the organisation hopes the settlement sends the message to other police that mistreatment of people trying to assert their First Amendment rights will not be tolerated. This settlement achieves a much-needed goal: It takes Bob Kroll, a police leader and union head with a long history of racist and inflammatory statements, off the beat and out of police leadership in the Twin Cities metro for a decade, the statement read. The case alleged that his actions as a de facto policymaker led to the use of excessive force against demonstrators. Not only will Mr Kroll not be allowed to serve as a police officer in Hennepin, Ramsey, or Anoka counties for the next decade, but he will also be barred from service on the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training. For Mr Kroll, its a remarkable development in a long tenure in public life in Minneapolis. He first joined MPD in 1989 and rose through the ranks of its union, the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis, until he was elected president in 2015. During Mr Krolls tenure in union leadership, MPD was accused of systematically racist policing and was the frequent target of protests that reached a boiling point with the murder of Mr Floyd. Mr Kroll was also outspoken politically, appearing at a rally with Mr Trump in 2019. In the aftermath of Mr Floyds murder, protesters in Minneapolis burned down a police precinct and demonstrated outside a union hall and outside Mr Krolls home in Twin Cities suburbs calling on him to resign. He eventually announced his retirement effective in January 2021. Mr Kroll was involved in multiple police shootings during his career and reportedly racked up more than 20 internal affairs complaints over his policing conduct. Sign up to our free US news bulletin sent straight to your inbox each weekday morning Sign up to our free morning US email news bulletin 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 US Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Bob Lee, the founder of the Cash App, was stabbed to death in San Francisco in an apparently random early morning mugging on Tuesday, according to friends and colleagues. The well-respected tech executive, who also served previous roles at companies Square and Block, was mourned by members of the tech community in San Francisco and beyond, including Twitter owner Elon Musk, who vented his frustrations about the citys violent crime. Many people I know have been severely assaulted, Mr Musk tweeted on Wednesday. Violent crime in SF is horrific and even if attackers are caught, they are often released immediately. Flowers have been left outside an apartment building where Bob Lee was fatally stabbed in San Francisco (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) (In 2020, Mr Musk moved to Texas from California, criticising the Bay Area and California at large for being entitled and having too much influence on the world.) Following Lees death, many on social media, particulary in the close-knit tech world, echoed the Tesla founders point, with one Redditor who said they knew Lee writing, Im getting so sick of all the needless violence in SF. How violent is San Francisco? Have city officials given up on fighting crime? And do San Francisco police really release violent offenders, as Mr Musk claims? The answer, as with so much when it comes to online debates, is far more complicated that whats playing out on social media. To start, the city isnt among the most dangerous in America, according to statistics. Despite being one of the countrys largest cities by population, San Francisco wasnt in the top 10 cities with the highest homicide rate in the US, according to an analysis of local and federal crime data from WLBT. Those cities Jackson, Mississippi; New Orleans, Louisiana; Birmingham, Alabama; St Louis, Missouri; Baltimore, Maryland; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Detroit, Michigan; Cleveland, Ohio; Memphis, Tennessee; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin were almost all concentrated in the Midwest and South in Republican-controlled states with high poverty rates. In fact, violent crime rates have largely been declining in San Francisco since peaking in the 1990s, with the beginning of 2022 marking the lowest level of reported violent crime since 1985, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The scene outside an apartment building below the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge where Bob Lee was fatally stabbed (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) The city of Jackson, Mississippi, the place with the highest per capita murder rate by some measures, had nearly 13 times more murders per capita than San Francisco, according to city police data. Meanwhile, the Bay Area tech hub, which saw 56 homicides in 2022, is in fact safer than cities with comparable populations like Indianapolis, where 210 people died last year in criminal homicides, or Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina, where 110 people were killed in 2022. As The Independent has reported, despite relentless depictions in the media of liberal states like California or Illinois as the leading zones of violence in the US, red states also typically suffer the highest rates of gun violence and gun death. Thats not to obscure San Franciscos struggles. The city has grappled for years with deep inequalities: it is home to some of the wealthiest corporations in the world, as well as one of the nations highest rates of unhoused people without shelter. According to a 2022 analysis from the San Francisco Chronicle, using household income data, San Francisco is the third most unequal city in the country. Some experts say it is this inequality that drives public safety issues in San Francisco. Bob Lee, who founded the Cash App, was stabbed to death in San Francisco in the early hours of Tuesday April 4 (Twitter / Bob Lee) There is not a crime spike happening, except in limited areas, James King, a criminal justice reform activist in the Bay Area with the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, told Jewish Currents last year. But what is, I hope, peaking is frustration with a diminishing quality of life as a result of the pandemic. The pandemic revealed serious inequities in our society, as well as a lack of social safety net infrastructure to mitigate them. He added that San Franciscans sometimes have a heightened perception of crime and disorder because of the visibility of problems like the lack of housing. That type of visibility causes genuine discomfort for people who have more resources, Mr King continued. Whats lacking is any type of plan to deal with the root causes of what were seeing. In the face of this reality, where Fortune 500 companies share blocks with encampments of homeless people, many within the tech and business communities have complained that city officials dont do enough to stop crime. Alan Alden, who works in finance in Palo Alto and knew Bob Lee, blamed San Francisco mayor London Breed for public safety issues, telling the mayor on Twitter her policies have claimed another life. The homicide of Bob Lee is a horrible tragedy and my sympathies go out to his family and friends. The Police are actively investigating what happened and will share details as soon as they can, the mayors office told The Independent in a statement. San Francisco is prioritizing public safety, including recently passing our budget supplemental so we have the police staffing necessary to have more police officers in our neighborhoods and to investigate violent crimes when they do occur. Im confident that when the Police make an arrest in cases like this, our District Attorney will do whats necessary to hold any individuals accountable for their actions. San Francisco police officers assist San Francisco firefighters during a medical call on May 24, 2022 in San Francisco, California (Getty Images) Despite initially overseeing a $120m reinvestment from the SFPD budget to other social service programmes aimed at minority communites, Ms Breed has emerged as a backer for increased police funding. Last month, she asked the city Board of Supervisors to approve a $27m budget supplemental to fund police overtime. Between 2019 and 2022, even with the $120m cuts, the SFPD budget still grew by 4.4 per cent, and none of the reinvestments cut active-duty officer positions, KGO reported. In the last five years, San Francisco police clearance rates for assault and robbery also declined. San Francisco police have said some issues are the result of staffing issues, and that the department is running at about 75 per cent capacity. The mayors stance on policing has even won plaudits from the conservative-leaning Wall Street Journal editorial board. Nonetheless, a perception remains that city officials are soft on crime, with much of the anger funneled at former DA Chesa Boudin, who was eventually recalled in 2022. He took steps alternatively celebrated by criminal justice reformers and reviled by critics, such as rolling back the use of often racially disproportionate sentence enhancements, and directing prosecutors to consider the immigration status of certain drug criminals and avoid high-level charges against non-violent offenders who could be deported. Bobs literal blood on their hands Matt Ocko, a Palo Alto tech venture capitalist and friend of Bob Lee Even after he left office in 2022, facing a well-funded recall effort, some were still blaming Mr Boudin for the citys crime problems. Matt Ocko, a Palo Alto tech venture capitalist who was friends with Bob Lee, blamed former San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin and what he called the criminal-loving city council for creating a lawless city. Take action, he urged city leaders on Twitter, claiming they have Bobs literal blood on their hands. Some argue this singling out is unfair, as one local prosecutor like Mr Boudin couldnt be blamed for a citys failure to ensure a social safety net. As a prosecutor, Boudin could not undo the root causes driving displacement, the Vera Institute of Justice, a liberal criminal justice reform group, wrote in a post-mortem of the recall effort. He decriminalized what are commonly referred to as quality-of-life crimes, like public camping and public urination. He also sought alternatives to incarceration to address substance use, including investments in diversion programs proven to reduce harm. Bob Lee pictured at the New York Stock Exchange in 2015 on the day that Square, now known as Block, was listed as a public company (Facebook / Bob Lee) Those policies drew the ire of people who wanted to police the housing crisis rather than invest in the public housing and support services needed to address it, the group added. Analysis from Mission Local shows that Mr Boudin filed about as many charges as any other prosecutor in the city since 2011, while city police data shows overall crime and larceny theft on a downward trend in the years before and during when Mr Boudin was in office. In some categories, like burglary, crime did go up while Mr Boudin was in office, rising by 45 per cent, though its worth noting the DA was also in power during the immense social dislocation of the pandemic. Critics like Mr Musk also appear to take issue with pre-trial release in California, where those accused of crimes can sometimes pay cash bail to be released until their case is over, or can otherwise by released by diversion programmes. As The Appeal reports, median bail in California is more than five times the national level, keeping thousands of people in jail despite having not been convicted of a crime because they cant afford release like their wealthier counterparts. According to research from UCLA, the statewide percentage of unsentenced people in California jail populations has been increasing since 2017. San Francisco DA Brooke Jenkins, who replaced Mr Boudin after the recall, has said she will continue his practice of rarely seeking cash bail. A study from the California Policy Lab at UC Berkeley and UCLA found that between May 2016 and December 2019, about one in six defendants released from jail pre-trial went on to commit a new violent offence, though experts say the data in the study excludes many low-level cases, and involves a San Francisco jail population where roughly a third of people are homeless and nearly three-quarters have a history of substance abuse. Sign up to our free US news bulletin sent straight to your inbox each weekday morning Sign up to our free morning US email news bulletin 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 US Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Clutching one side of his body where he is bleeding heavily from stab wounds, tech executive Bob Lee appears to approach a parked car in urgent need of medical care. The 43-year-old father of two lifts his shirt to show the driver the extent of his injuries, but rather than help, the motorist speeds off. Lees last tragic moments as he stumbled down Main St in San Franciscos downtown district at 2.30am on Tuesday in search of help were captured on surveillance footage and viewed by journalists from The San Francisco Standard. He was discovered at 2.35am outside a luxury residential building on the 300 block of Main St, near Rincon Hill and the Bay Bridge. The footage initially shows Lee walking along a deserted sidewalk on Main St with his mobile phone in one hand and holding his side with the other, The Standard reports. The Cash App founder then crosses at the intersection with Harrison St toward where a white Toyota Camry with flashing lights is parked. The footage reportedly shows Lee lift up his shirt in a plea for help, and then fall to the ground as the driver pulls away. Lee then gets back to his feet and starts to retraces his steps along Main St in the direction of the Bay Bridge before collapsing again outside of the Portside apartment building at 403 Main St. The Standard reported that it witnessed staff members cleaning what appeared to be blood from the side of the building on Wednesday. Bob Lee pictured at the New York Stock Exchange in 2015 on the day that Square, now known as Block, listed as a public company (Facebook / Bob Lee) San Francisco Police Department said in a statement that it found Lee with life-threatening injuries on the 300 block of Main St at 2.35am on Tuesday morning. He was treated at the scene but later died from his wounds in hospital. Police are yet to make an arrest in the case or reveal if they have identified a suspect. Lees father Rick Lee mourned the loss of his best friend in a tribute posted to Facebook on Wednesday. Friends of Lee, who was known as Crazy Bob, have speculated that the killing was a random attack in a city where an increase in muggings and robberies led to the recall of progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin last year. Police are yet to say whether they believe it was a targeted killing. The senseless murder has roiled San Franciscos tech community, where Mr Lee was a well-known and popular figure due to his two decades of work at Google, as Square chief technology officer, as MobileCoin chief product officer and as an angel investor and serial entrepreneur. Elon Musk called on San Francisco DA Brooke Jenkins to take tougher action on repeat violent offenders after Mr Lees killing. Block CEO Jack Dorsey said the murder was heartbreaking. Ms Jenkins tweeted her sincerest condolences to Mr Lees grief-stricken family and friends. We do not tolerate these horrific acts of violence in San Francisco, she added. Responding to Mr Musk, she said: No one who commits a violent crime, or whos a repeat offender are receiving overly lenient plea deals. Close Bob Lee, former Square chief technology officer and Cash App founder, killed in San Francisco Sign up to our free US news bulletin sent straight to your inbox each weekday morning Sign up to our free morning US email news bulletin 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 US Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Cash app founder Bob Lee was allegedly stabbed following an argument about his suspected killers sister, according to court papers. Nima Momeni, 38, is accused of stabbing the 43-year-old tech executive three times with a four-inch kitchen knife, including twice in the chest, the documents state, according to NBC News. Prosecutors say that at some point during the incident, Mr Momenis sister sent a text to Lee, which stated, Just wanted to make sure your doing ok Cause know nima came wayyyyyy down hard on you. Nima Momeni appeared in court for the first time on Friday after the case sparked a furious debate about public safety in San Francisco. The suspect was wearing an orange sweatshirt and sweatpants as his sister and another woman held up their hands in the shape of a heart as the suspect smiled at them. The facts will come out, whats basically in the press is inaccurate, Mr Momenis stand-in lawyer told the press. In a press conference announcing Mr Momenis arrest for murder on Thursday, San Francisco officials confirmed that the two men knew each other but declined to provide details. Lees family friend later told The San Francisco Chronicle that the two tech executives are thought to have known each other through Mr Momenis sister, who Lee had recently gotten to know. The two men were hanging out together on the night of the fatal stabbing, the friend said. Sign up to our free US news bulletin sent straight to your inbox each weekday morning Sign up to our free morning US email news bulletin 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 US Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} High-profile tech entrepreneur Bob Lee was stabbed to death outside a luxury apartment building in San Francisco in the early hours of 4 April. The 43-year-old was found at 2.35am outside a luxury high rise apartment on the 300 block of Main St, near Rincon Hill and the Bay Bridge, with life-threatening stab wounds, the San Francisco Police Department said in a statement. The tech executive was treated at the scene by first responders before being rushed to hospital where he died from his injuries, police said. Police arrested fellow tech executive Nima Momeni on 13 April in connection with the killing and he was booked into the San Francisco Sheriffs Jail. The reported arrest has yet to be officially confirmed by the San Francisco Police Department. Heres what we know so far about the murder. Attacked a block from Google HQ The San Francisco Police Department said in a statement that Lee was found with two stab wounds to the chest in Downtown San Francisco between Soma and the Financial District, a block from Googles San Francisco headquarters. Cash App creator Bob Lee has reportedly been stabbed to death in San Francisco (MobileCoin) Friend and MMA fighter Jake Shields tweeted that Lee appeared to have been the victim of a random mugging in the good part of the city. The tweet caught the attention of Twitter CEO Elon Musk, who offered his condolences and called on San Francisco district attorney Brooke Jenkins to take tougher action against violent criminals. Many people I know have been severely assaulted, Mr Musk tweeted. Violent crime in SF is horrific and even if attackers are caught, they are often released immediately. Is the city taking stronger action to incarcerate repeat violent offenders Brooke Jenkins? Elon Musk has been a frequent critic of efforts to reform criminal justice in San Francisco (Associated Press) Ms Jenkins later tweeted her sincerest condolences to Lees grief-stricken family and friends. We do not tolerate these horrific acts of violence in San Francisco, she added. Responding to Mr Musk, she said: No one who commits a violent crime, or whos a repeat offender are receiving overly lenient plea deals. A suspect arrested more than a week after attack On 13 April it was reported that San Francisco police had arrested fellow tech executive Nima Momeni in connection with the fatal stabbing. Mr Momeni has been booked into the San Francisco Sheriffs Jail. This is the first step toward justice, Ms Lee said from her home in Miami, where Bob Lee had moved from Mill Valley, California, last year. Police in San Francisco arrested Mr Momeni on Thursday. Mr Momeni, 38, allegedly stabbed the 43-year-old after being involved in an altercation while driving in San Franciscos Rincon Hill area early on 4 April. San Francisco Police Chief William Scott confirmed Mr Momeni had been charged with one count of murder at a press conference on Thursday. The suspect was arrested without incident at an address in Emeryville, a city in the Bay Area, early on Thursday. The Mission Local news site was the first to report the arrest and said that the pair were known to each other. Mr Momeni appeared in court for the first time on Friday after the case sparked a furious debate about public safety in the city. A crowd of reporters packed into the courtroom as the suspects sister Khazar Momeni, also called Khazar Elyassnia, attended the hearing with her husband, Dr Dino Elyassnia, and three other members of the family, according to Mr Momenis temporary lawyer Robert Canny, The San Francisco Standard reported. The suspect was wearing an orange sweatshirt and sweatpants as his sister and another woman held up her hands in the shape of a heart as the suspect smiled at them. Mr Momenis arraignment was initially set to take place on Friday, but it has now been rescheduled for 25 April. He will be represented for the rest of the proceedings by Mr Cannys sister, Paula Canny, a private lawyer from Burlingame, California who wasnt present on Friday, the paper noted. The facts of what occurred, or didnt occur, will come out over time, Mr Canny said, stepping in for his vacationing sister. Mr Momeni didnt speak in court except to say yes, your honour when he was asked if he agreed to decline his right to a quick trial. The suspect is set to remain in custody without bail. He didnt enter a plea on Friday and he didnt make any comments. His next appearance is set to take place at 9am PT on 25 April. Booking records from the San Francisco County jail show that Mr Momeni was booked in on a murder charge at 9.19am on Thursday. The arrest was earlier confirmed by Lees ex-wife Krista, his brother Tim Oliver Lee, and city officials on Thursday. Onlookers ignored Lees plea for help Surveillance footage appears to capture Lee approaching a parked car clutching one side of his body and bleeding heavily from stab wounds. The 43-year-old father of two lifts his shirt to show the driver the extent of his injuries, but rather than help, the motorist speeds off. Those last tragic moments as he stumbled down Main St in San Franciscos downtown district at 2.30am on Tuesday in search of help were caught on CCTV and viewed by journalists from The San Francisco Standard. The footage did not capture the stabbing, but shows Lee walking along a deserted sidewalk on Main St with his mobile phone in one hand and holding his side with the other, The Standard reported. Bob Lee, who founded the Cash App, was stabbed to death in the early hours of Tuesday morning in San Francisco (Twitter / Bob Lee) The Cash App founder then crosses at the intersection with Harrison St toward where a white Toyota Camry with flashing lights is parked. The footage reportedly shows Lee lift up his shirt in a plea for help, and then fall to the ground as the driver pulls away. Lee then gets back to his feet and starts to retrace his steps along Main St in the direction of the Bay Bridge before collapsing again outside the Portside apartment building at 403 Main St. He could be heard pleading for help on a 911 call made at 2.34am, according to The Standard. The news site reported that it witnessed staff members cleaning what appeared to be blood from the side of the building on Wednesday. Father says he lost his best friend In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Lees grieving father Rick Lee described the slain tech mogul as his best friend. Mr Lee Sr wrote that the pair had lived together in Mill Valley, California, since the death of his wife in 2019, before relocating to Miami in October last year. Bob would give you the shirt off his back. He would never look down on anyone and adhered to a strict no-judgment philosophy, his father wrote. Rick Lee wrote that life has been an adventure with two bachelors living together, and the pair had grown close in recent years: Bobby worked harder than anyone and was the smartest person I have ever known. He will be missed by all those that knew him. Bob Lee pictured at the New York Stock Exchange in 2015 on the day that Square, now known as Block, listed as a public company (Facebook / Bob Lee) Bob Lees brother Tim wrote in a separate post that he was saddened and disheartened over the senseless slaying. Lee reportedly separate from his wife Krista in 2019. They have two daughters, Dagny and Scout. Crazy Bob Bob Lee was a much-loved member of the San Francisco tech community, where he was affectionately known as Crazy Bob. After working as an open source code developer in Missouri, where he attended St Louis University, Lee moved to San Francisco in his early 20s in 2004 to work as an engineer at Google, according to the San Francisco Standard. There he led a team that developed the first Android app. Lee was headhunted by Square, becoming its 13th employee, where he helped launch the Cash App and became the payment firms first chief technology officer in 2011, a Linkedin profile shows. Bob Lee, known to his friends as Crazy Bob, was knifed to death in central San Francisco early on Tuesday morning (Twitter / Bob Lee) After leaving Square in 2014, he invested in several tech startups including Clubhouse, Beeper and Faire, and the female-focused social media and networking company Present. He identified as a stay at home dad in an online blog post during this period. In 2021, Lee joined MobileCoin, a crypto payment firm, as its chief product officer. Stabbing shakes San Francisco tech community Lees former boss Jack Dorsey was one of many well-known San Francisco tech entrepreneurs to express their shock and grief at his death. Its real, Mr Dorsey wrote on his social network Nostr. Getting calls. Heartbreaking. Bob was instrumental to Square and Cash App. STL guy, he wrote, in an apparent reference to Lees hometown of St Louis. MobileCoin CEO Joshua Goldbard wrote that Lee was an incredible human being. Bob was so much more than a technologist. Bob was an artist. Everywhere he went Bob breathed love into this world. He had so much deep heartfelt love. Traveling with Bob was like seeing the world for the first time, Mr Goldbard wrote. As a lifelong Bay Area resident I have more questions than answers tonight. I dont know how to fix whats wrong, but I know something isnt working in our grey city, he added. Tributes poured in for the slain tech founder from his many friends in Silicon Valley and beyond. Jack Dorsey at the Bitcoin 2021 conference in Miami, Florida (Marco Bello/AFP via Getty Images) He was a generous decent human being who didnt deserve to be killed, Bill Barhydt, CEO of Abra, posted on Twitter. So sad to hear of @crazybobs untimely passing, Figma CEO Dylan Field wrote on Twitter. I first met him in summer 2006 he didnt care that I was only 14 and we talked tech / geeked out about programming. We remained connected over the years and he was an early supporter of Figma. Its so hard to believe he is gone. Other Silicon Valley executives laid the blame for Lees death on Mayor London Breed and the citys Board of Supervisors. Congratulations, your policies have claimed another life, wrote Alan Alden, a Palo Alto financier who was friends with Lee. Venture capitalist Matt Ocko, another friend, wrote on Twitter that Chesa Boudin, & the criminal-loving city council that enabled him & a lawless SF for years, have Bobs literal blood on their hands. Mr Boudin was Ms Jenkins predecessor as San Francisco district attorney and had become publicly associated with liberal policies on criminal justice. On the San Francisco Reddit forum, friends and acquaintances of Lee expressed frustration at all the needless violence. Something seriously needs to change in this city, one wrote. Crime in San Francisco San Francisco is often portrayed as a lawless city where drug use and homelessness have fueled a surge in violent crime and robberies. That narrative led in part to former District Attorney Chesa Boudin being ousted in a recall election in June last year, after he sought to eliminate cash bail and reduce the prison population. Ms Jenkins took over as District Attorney on a platform of balancing criminal justice reform while making stiffer penalties for violent offenders, and won re-election last November, Members of the San Francisco Homeless Outreach Teams Encampment Resolution Team speak to with homeless people in San Francisco in 2022 (file) (Associated Press. ) Figures from the San Francisco Police Departments crime reports show the situation is more complicated than often portrayed. While some violent crime began increasing during the pandemic, rates were still much lower than in previous years. In 2022, homicide rates remained flat at 55, exactly the same number as the previous year. Homicides hit a 56-year low in the city in 2019, when 41 people were killed in the city. There have been 12 homicides in the city so far in 2023, preliminary data shows. Aggravated assault, robbery and rape increased in 2022, but was still much lower than in 2016, 2017 and 2018, according to San Francisco crime statistics. Sign up to our free US news bulletin sent straight to your inbox each weekday morning Sign up to our free morning US email news bulletin 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 US Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Cash App founder Bob Lee was stabbed to death in San Francisco in an apparent random mugging early on Tuesday morning, friends and colleagues have confirmed. Lee was found at 2.35am outside the luxury high rise apartment on the 300 block of Main St, near Rincon Hill and the Bay Bridge, with life-threatening stab wounds, the San Francisco Police Department said in a statement. The 43-year-old tech executive was treated at the scene by first responders before being rushed to hospital where he died from his injuries, police said. More than two days on, no arrests have been made and police are yet to release information about possible suspects. Lee founded the Cash App while working at Square, which was renamed Block in 2021, before becoming chief technology officer at the Jack Dorsey-led digital payment giant. He was chief product officer at crypto payment firm MobileCoin at the time of his death. Its real, Mr Dorsey wrote on his social network Nostr. Getting calls. Heartbreaking. Bob was instrumental to Square and Cash App. STL guy. MobileCoin CEO Joshua Goldbard told ABC7 News his slain colleague and friend was a force of nature. Moby was his dream: a privacy protecting wallet for the 21st Century. I will miss him every day, said Mr Goldbard. Bob Lee, who founded the Cash App, was stabbed to death in a random mugging in San Francisco (Twitter / Bob Lee) MMA fighter Jake Shields tweeted that Lee appeared to have been the victim of a random mugging while out working in a good part of the city. Elon Musk replied to Mr Shields that he knew many people who had been severely assaulted in San Francisco. Violent crime in SF is horrific and even if attackers are caught, they are often released immediately, Mr Musk tweeted. Is the city taking stronger action to incarcerate repeat violent offenders (San Francisco District Attorney) Brooke Jenkins? San Francisco police chief William Scott declined to say whether the stabbing was a random attack in his first public comments at a Police Commission meeting on Wednesday night, The San Francisco Standard reported. An apartment building below the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge where technology executive Bob Lee was found with fatal stab wounds on Tuesday. (Associated Press) At the same meeting San Francisco Police Commissioner Kevin Benedicto said it was premature and distasteful to try to fit this horrifying act of violence into a preconceived narrative and use it to advance a political agenda. Chief Scott later released a statement that the investigation was still in the early stages and extended his condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Mr Lee. There is no place for violent crime against anyone in our city, Mr Scott said. I want to assure everyone that our investigators are working tirelessly to make an arrest and bring justice to Mr Lee and his loved ones, just as we try to do on every homicide that occurs in our city. Friends in the San Francisco tech community said Lee had recently relocated to Miami, and had only been visiting his former home town for one day. Anyone with information is asked to call the San Francisco Police Department on 1-415-575-4444 or text TIP411. Sign up to our free US news bulletin sent straight to your inbox each weekday morning Sign up to our free morning US email news bulletin 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 US Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A Chick-fil-A restaurant drive-thru in Georgia became the scene of a deadly incident when two people were killed in an apparent murder-suicide. The shooting unfolded outside Truetts Chick-fil-A on Shorter Avenue in Rome at around 7am on Wednesday, according to the Rome Police Department. Police said Anthony Green, 56, shot and killed Cassie Lashae Davis, 39, in the pick-up lane of the drive-thru, causing her vehicle to roll down an embankment. The suspect then allegedly turned the gun on himself. Green and Davis, both residents of Rome, are believed to have been in a domestic relationship in the past. Police were initially called to the scene of what was described as a vehicular crash as Davis car continued to move forward after the shooting, giving the impression of an accident. Prior to arrival, officers received more information that the incident was a shooting rather than an accident, police said. Officers then arrived at the fast food branch to find the brutal scene. Assistant Police Chief Debbie Burnett said that one of the individuals was found inside a large silver SUV on Shorter Avenue while the other was found outside a vehicle near the drive-thru pickup station, reported Rome News-Tribune. Both Wayne and Davis were pronounced dead at the scene. The Chick-fil-A where the shooting unfolded (Google Maps) The initial investigation indicates that Wayne shot Davis and then shot himself in an apparent murder-suicide, she said. Davis had been shot three times with a revolver, according to the local coroner. The police chief added that the incident is not believed to have any connection to the Chick-fil-A restaurant. The incident is not related to Chick-fil-A but rather occurred on the property of the restaurant, she said. If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, the Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you. Sign up to our free US news bulletin sent straight to your inbox each weekday morning Sign up to our free morning US email news bulletin 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 US Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Elon Musk claimed many of his San Francisco friends have been severely assaulted after Cash App founder Bob Lee was stabbed to death in the city on Tuesday. The Twitter CEO offered his condolences to the 43-year-olds grieving friends and called on San Francisco district attorney Brooke Jenkins to take tougher action against violent criminals. Many people I know have been severely assaulted, Mr Musk tweeted. Violent crime in SF is horrific and even if attackers are caught, they are often released immediately. Is the city taking stronger action to incarcerate repeat violent offenders Brooke Jenkins? Mr Lee was found with fatal knife wounds outside a luxury apartment complex at 300 Main St, between Soma and the Financial District, at 2.35am on Tuesday. The San Francisco Police Department said in a statement that first responders treated the father of two at the scene before rushing him to hospital, where he died of his injuries. The city homicide department is investigating, and no details about a suspect have been released. San Francisco is often portrayed as a lawless city by conservative politicians and pundits, where drug use and homelessness fuels violent crime and robberies. Bob Lee, known to his friends as Crazy Bob, was knifed to death in central San Francisco early on Tuesday morning (Twitter / Bob Lee) That narrative led in part to former District Attorney Chesa Boudin being ousted in a recall election in June last year, after he sought to eliminate cash bail and reduce the prison population. Ms Jenkins took over as District Attorney on a platform of balancing criminal justice reform while making stiffer penalties for violent offenders, and won re-election last November, She did not immediately respond to a request by The Independent for comment about Mr Lees murder. Figures from the San Francisco Police Departments crime reports show the situation is much more complicated than often portrayed. In 2022, homicide rates remained flat at 55, exactly the same number as the previous year. Homicides hit a 56-year low in the city in 2019, when 41 people were killed in the city. Aggravated assault increased in 2022, but was still much lower than in 2016, 2017 and 2018. There have been eight murders in the city in the first two months of 2023, latest figures show. Figures from the San Francisco Police Department show homicide rates remained the same over 2021 and 2022 , while other violent crimes increase (SFPD CompStats) Mr Musk, who according to Forbes is the worlds second wealthiest person, headquartered his companies Tesla and SpaceX in California for years, but has grown increasingly hostile towards the states political leaders in recent years. He shifted the Tesla headquarters to Texas in 2021 and also took up residence in the Lone Star State. Elon Musk has called for San Francisco District Attorney to do more to target repeat violent offenders (Associated Press) In January, Mr Musk urged a federal judge to shift a Tesla shareholder lawsuit against him away from San Francisco as he claimed he wouldnt be able to receive a fair trial. Mr Lee founded the Cash App and was chief technology officer at the Jack Dorsey-led payment giant Square, which was renamed Block. He was chief product officer at crypto payment firm MobileCoin at the time of his death. Its real, Mr Dorsey wrote on his social network Nostr. Getting calls. Heartbreaking. Bob was instrumental to Square and Cash App. STL guy. On 4 April this year, Tashkent hosted a meeting between the Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan Laziz Kudratov and the Minister for Government Affairs of the United Arab Emirates Muhammad bin Abdullah al-Gergawi, who is in our country on an official visit. During the meeting, the current state and prospects for building up bilateral partnerships in trade, economic and investment areas, as well as further steps in the framework of ongoing projects to improve the efficiency of public administration in Uzbekistan, were discussed. The positive dynamics of growth in the volume of mutual trade was noted, the indicators of which doubled in the last year. Among the tasks already implemented to maintain such positive dynamics, a multiple increase in flights between the two countries was noted - up to 44 flights per week. The importance of taking systematic measures to further expand the range of mutual deliveries was noted. In this regard, the parties agreed to intensify cooperation in the framework of the preparation of the Strategy for the Development of the Export Potential of Uzbekistan. The meeting also considered the prospects for infrastructure development and increasing the industrial potential of the regions of our country. The Emirati side highly appreciated the new stage of reforms to reduce the states share in the economy, and expressed its readiness to expand cooperation in the preparation of master plans for cities and regions, taking into account the development of production capacities and the improvement of the public utilities sector. Issues of improving the efficiency of public administration and the widespread introduction of information technologies were discussed separately. In this context, the parties came to a common opinion on the need to form a Council for the Development of Cooperation in the Field of Artificial Intelligence. Following the results of the talks, the parties emphasized the importance of deepening active interaction between the responsible bodies of the two countries in order to successfully implement the discussed projects and initiatives. Sign up to our free US news bulletin sent straight to your inbox each weekday morning Sign up to our free morning US email news bulletin 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 US Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A woman accused of murdering her stepson allegedly compared the events surrounding the killing to a Lifetime movie while trying to convince her husband she was innocent. Letecia Stauch is facing trial in El Paso County, Colorado, for allegedly killing 11-year-old Gannon Stauch while his father was out-of-state on deployment with the National Guard on 27 January 2020. Prosecutors say Ms Stauch stabbed Gannon 18 times and then shot him in the head before driving across the country to dump a suitcase with his remains inside over the side of a bridge in Pensacola, Florida. The state has argued that Ms Stauch was unhappy in her marriage and resentful of being treated like an unpaid babysitter. Attorneys for Ms Stauch, who has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, told jurors that she suffered a major psychotic crack when she killed Gannon. Ms Stauch first reported Gannon missing on the day he died, telling police that the boy had gone to visit a friend but never returned home. However, her account of what had happened before Gannon was last seen continued changing and she later claimed a Mexican man broke into the residence, raped her and then abducted Gannon. On Tuesday, prosecutors played a recording of a phone conversation between Ms Stauch and Gannons father Al Stauch, who cooperated with FBI agents to question her, The Colorado Gazette reported. In the call, which took place before Gannons remains were found, Ms Stauch repeatedly denied having any involvement in the disappearance. My mind was completely [expletive] gone, Ms Stauch said. I tried. I didnt know what was going on. All of it was a blur. It was like I was in some Lifetime movie. Ms Stauch then accused her husband of treating her like a criminal. I cant believe youd ask me this. ... If you think Gannons dead thats horrible. What is wrong with you? she is heard saying in the recording. Authorities say Gannon Stauch was killed on 27 January 2020, the same day his stepmother reported him missing (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children) Over 200 volunteers searched for Gannon near his home after he was reported missing. Investigators found Gannons blood on Ms Stauchs shoe, found her DNA on a gun linked to his death and learned that she travelled to the Florida Panhandle shortly after he disappeared, prosecutors said. Presuming Gannon to be dead, authorities arrested Ms Stauch in South Carolina in 2020 and shortly after, the remains were found in Florida. Ms Stauch is facing charges of first-degree murder, tampering with a deceased human body and tampering with physical evidence. District Attorney Michael Allen argued during opening arguments that Ms Stauch was aware and conscious of her actions on the day she killed Gannon. Mr Allen said the murder suspect cleaned up the blood in Gannons bedroom and moved his body to different locations to hide it before disposing of it like garbage in a river that flows into the Gulf of Mexico in hopes it would never be found. Meanwhile, defence attorney Will Cook said she developed dissociative identity disorder as a result of being physically, emotionally and sexually abused by her absent mothers boyfriends. He said that she believed she was killing the demons when she hurt Gannon. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Sign up to our free US news bulletin sent straight to your inbox each weekday morning Sign up to our free morning US email news bulletin 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 US Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Al Stauch was on deployment with the National Guard when his 11-year-old son Gannon vanished from their family home in Colorado in January 2020. By the time he returned home, his wife Letecia Stauch had already reported Gannon, her stepson, missing, and a desperate search was underway. But despite efforts by authorities and hundreds of volunteers who combed through the vast woods near El Paso County, Gannons tragic fate would remain unknown for two months. During that time, Ms Stauchs account of what happened continued to change. She first claimed Gannon had failed to return home after saying he was going to visit a friend. Then she said that a Mexican man raped her and abducted the boy. Prosecutors later learned that Gannon likely died on the same day Ms Stauch contacted investigators, after finding his blood on her shoes and her DNA on a gun linked to Gannons death. She was arrested in March 2020 after the boy was presumed dead, and his remains were found later that month inside a suitcase near the Florida Panhandle. Gannon had 18 stab wounds all over his chest, a gunshot to the head, a fractured skull and cuts on his extremities, according to The Gazette. More than three years later, Ms Stauch is facing trial for murder. During opening arguments this week, her defence claimed she suffered a major psychotic crack during the brutal killing. But the state has argued that her attempts to cover up the murder and hamper the investigation prove she knew right from wrong. In gut-wrenching testimony on Tuesday (4 April), father Al Stauch remembered his son as a curious child and video game lover who couldnt have possibly expected the deadly attack. Sitting between her attorneys at the defence table, Ms Stauch was seen with her head down and her hair covering her face. One of the things about Gannon, he absolutely loved his mom, and had some of that same love for Letecia, Mr Stauch told the court through tears. He was a mamas boy. I think he had love in his heart for her, I dont think he was afraid of her. Heres everything we know about the case: Gannon goes missing Ms Stauchs version of what had happened before the little boy was last seen on 27 January 2020 changed repeatedly. Initially, she said Gannon had not returned from playing with a friend but she was unable to provide the names of any friends Gannon may have been with. She later claimed that a man she hired to repair a carpet raped her and then abducted Gannon after he hurt himself in a bike crash. Over 200 volunteers searched for Gannon near his home after he was reported missing. According to court documents obtained by The Denver Post, investigators found Gannons blood on the walls of his bedroom and his mattress. Blood traces were also reportedly found on Ms Stauchs car and in the garage. A 9mm found in the home had Ms Stauchs DNA. A missing persons poster shows a collage of photos of Gannon Stauch (El Paso County Sheriff's Office) Presuming Gannon to be dead, authorities arrested Ms Stauch in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on 2 March 2020. Eighteen days later, Gannons remains were found wrapped in bed covers and inside a suitcase in Florida. Prosecutors in Colorado say Ms Stauch stabbed Gannon 18 times and then shot him in the head before driving across the country to dump a suitcase with his remains inside over the side of a bridge in Pensacola. She cleaned up blood in Gannons bedroom, moving his body to various locations to hide it before disposing of it like garbage in a river that flows into the Gulf of Mexico in hopes it would never be found, prosecutors said. Ms Stauch was charged with first-degree murder, tampering with a deceased human body and tampering with physical evidence. I would never, ever, hurt this child Before her attorneys admitted Ms Stauch killed Gannon, she gave an interview to refute claims that she was involved in his death. Speaking with KKTV just days after Gannon went missing in January 2020, Ms Stauch denied conspiracies and insisted she was innocent. I would more like to talk about how the community needs to have faith and continue to work together and not make these false accusations, she said at the time. The rumours have gotten so bad. Ive pretty much been told ten different ways that people have these conspiracies, I guess that they see all of these law shows. She continued: Im ready for Gannon to come home. Most importantly for him to see his family, but secondly I am going to be so ecstatic when I am able to say to people that I hope they have a real sincere apology for all of the theories that they have come up with. Ms Stauch also claimed that police had violated [her] constitutional rights and thats why she was not cooperating with the investigation. She further alleged she was receiving death threats. Letecia Stauch is seen in her mugshot (El Paso County Sheriff's Office) Im like, What are you saying Gannon is death? Gannon is not dead, we are going to find Gannon. And thats the main goal that we have, my family has, Ms Stauch insisted. I would never ever hurt this child. Her attorney has since argued during the trial that said she developed dissociative identity disorder as a result of being physically, emotionally and sexually abused by her absent mothers boyfriends. He said that she believed she was killing the demons when she hurt Gannon. Her defence also urged jurors to put aside their impulse to make someone pay for such a brutal killing and keep an open mind because the judicial system requires Stauch to be presumed innocent. Im not telling you to like it. Im just telling you thats the way it is, an attorney for Ms Stauch said. Alleged attempts to cover up Gannons killing On the morning of Gannons killing, Ms Stauch searched for car rentals, Colorado investigator Kevin Clark told the court. She drove to the neighbouring Douglas County, where Gannons body is believed to have been initially dumped. Records also show that Ms Stauch sent a text to her daughter asking her to buy cleaning products, trash bags and baking soda on the day that she killed Gannon. While conducting searches in Douglas County, authorities found traces of Gannons blood but the whereabouts of his remains remained unknown. A month after the killing, Ms Stauch travelled in a van with her 17-year-old daughter from Colorado to Pensacola, Florida. They reportedly stayed at a hotel just three miles from the place where Gannons body was ultimately found on 20 March. Letecia Stauch is seen in court They then drove to South Carolina, where Ms Stauch was arrested before her extradition. Ms Stauch is also accused of trying to escape from jail after her arrest. She reportedly asked a fellow inmate to help her get out, explaining that she planned to use a broom handle to break the window in her cell and that she had already measured herself to make sure she could fit through. Ms Stauch compared killing to Lifetime movie On Tuesday, prosecutors played a recording of a phone conversation between Ms Stauch and Gannons father Al Stauch, who cooperated with FBI agents to question her, The Colorado Gazette reported. In the call, which took place before Gannons remains were found, Ms Stauch repeatedly denied having any involvement in the disappearance. My mind was completely [expletive] gone, Ms Stauch said. I tried. I didnt know what was going on. All of it was a blur. It was like I was in some Lifetime movie. Ms Stauch then accused her husband of treating her like a criminal. I cant believe youd ask me this. ... If you think Gannons dead thats horrible. What is wrong with you? she is heard saying in the recording. District Attorney Michael Allen argued during opening arguments that Ms Stauch was aware and conscious of her actions on the day she killed Gannon. Prosecutors have attempted to paint Ms Stauch as a manipulative person, who had a history of lying to her husband before killing his son. The judge presiding over the case has said that the trial might take several weeks. Sign up to our free US news bulletin sent straight to your inbox each weekday morning Sign up to our free morning US email news bulletin 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 US Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A search of Nashville school shooter Audrey Hales home has led to the seizure of a series of items by the police, including a suicide note, shotgun and old yearbooks from the elementary school where they shot dead six people. Hale, who was initially identified by the police by their birth name and who identified as transgender man Aiden, allegedly entered The Covenant School on 27 March and opened fire on students and staff, killing six people, three of whom were nine-year-old children. Police said on Monday that the 28-year-old planned the attack months in advance and is believed to have acted totally alone. Also on Monday, police conducted searches at Hales home and seized 47 items in total, reported the Daily Beast. The warrant said the seizures included five yearbooks from The Covenant School and a school photo. According to the police, Hale attended the religious school as a child and resentment toward teachers may have driven the shooting. A police spokesperson told The Daily Beast that an exact motive for the shooting has not been revealed. A Browning shotgun and miscellaneous firearm accessories in a shoe box, both of which were in a closet, as well as a Winchester shotgun resting next to a desk, have also been seized. Police said Hale legally purchased seven guns in total, but used three two assault rifles and a handgun to fire 152 rounds during the attack. The seizures also included two dozen writings, including Hales memoirs and journals. Three folders and nine journals allegedly filled with writings about school shootings and firearms courses that were stowed under Hales bed were also seized. Other seized items included home videos from the basement, targets and ammo boxes from a closet, as well as multiple electronics, car keys, healthcare cards, a psych folder, and a resume. In the collective writings by Hale found in her vehicle in the school parking lot, and others later found in the bedroom of her home, she documented, in journals, her planning over a period of months to commit mass murder at the Covenant School, police had said in a statement. The Nashville attack is the deadliest school shooting since the shooting at Uvalde in Texas last May, in which 21 people, including 19 children, were killed. Sign up to our free US news bulletin sent straight to your inbox each weekday morning Sign up to our free morning US email news bulletin 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 US Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Department of Justice has reached a $144.5m settlement with the victims of a 2017 mass shooting. A federal court ruled in 2021 that the US government was liable for damages related to a mass shooting at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. The shooting left 26 people dead and another 22 wounded. The shooter had been enlisted in the US Air Force but had been discharged for several years by the time of the attack. The USAF was found to be "60 per cent" responsible for the shooting, as an investigation found that the military branch failed to alert the FBI to the gunman's criminal history. Had the FBI known, he would not have been able to legally purchase the gun he used in the attack. No words or amount of money can diminish the immense tragedy of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs, Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said. Todays announcement brings the litigation to a close, ending a painful chapter for the victims of this unthinkable crime. The shooter, Devin Kelley, killed 26 people and injured more than 20 others during his 2017 attack on the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs. The USAF discharged him years prior for bad behaviour and a convinction for assaulting his wife and infant stepson. Judge Xavier Rodriguez, who ultimately ruled on the governments responsibility for the shooting, found that he Air Force was well aware of Kelleys violent threats and behavior. He said the military understood the threat Kelley posed moreso than the mans own parents or romantic partners. He died by suicide following the mass shooting. Kelley reportedly had a history of making violent threats against his superiors and threatened to carry out mass shootings. The judge ultimately determined that the Air Force failed to do the responsible thing and report the violent threats made by Kelley to the FBI. The government appealed an initial demanding it pay $230m to the families, arguing that it could not be more responsible for Kelleys actions than Kelley himself, NPR reported at the time. More than 80 family members of the victims sued the USAF, according to San Antonio Express-News. 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 }} Elon Musk-owned Twitter falsely applied a state-affiliated media label to an account for American public radio broadcaster and publisher NPR, putting it among accounts for authoritarian-run propaganda and state-controlled media groups like Russia Today and Chinas Xinhua News. NPRs president and CEO John Lansing said in a statement that the company was disturbed to see the label, a description that, per Twitters own guidelines, does not apply to NPR. NPR and our member stations are supported by millions of listeners who depend on us for the independent, fact-based journalism we provide, he said. NPR stands for freedom of speech and holding the powerful accountable. It is unacceptable for Twitter to label us this way. A vigorous, vibrant free press is essential to the health of our democracy. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended the independence of NPR journalists, telling reporters on 5 April that the outlets journalists work diligently to hold public officials accountable and inform the American people. The hard-hitting independent nature of their coverage speaks for itself, she said. Twitter defines state-affiliated media as outlets where the state exercises control over editorial content through financial resources, direct or indirect political pressures, and/or control over production and distribution. Seems accurate, Mr Musk wrote in response to the label on NPRs account. Except its not. According to NPR, less than 1 per cent of its annual operating budget comes from grants awarded through federal agencies and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a publicly funded nonprofit organisation with a board appointed by US presidents, and with a statutory obligation to a strict adherence to objectivity and balance in all programs or series of programs of a controversial nature. Since its founding more than 50 years ago, NPR has asserted editorial independence from any government agency. The outlet is repeatedly targeted by right-wing critics, from #DefundNPR campaigns to statements from members of Congress accusing the company of illegally using taxpayer funds. Until this week, Twitters own policy specifically stated that NPR as well as the BBC are not defined as state-affiliated media. That policy still mentions the BBC, but the reference to NPR was deleted some time on Tuesday, hours after Twitter applied the label to NPR. No such label has been applied to accounts for the BBC or the US-funded Stars and Stripes and Voice of America and its affiliates. The change to NPRs account comes after Twitter removed the verification badge for The New York Times following reports that the newspaper would not pay for Mr Musks newly rolled out verification scheme. Other major US outlets including The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Buzzfeed News, HuffPost and Politico also reportedly do not intend to pay. NY Times is being incredible [sic] hypocritical here, as they are super aggressive about forcing everyone to pay their subscription, Mr Musk wrote. (The newspaper does not force readers to pay for subscriptions; its content on Twitter, from which Mr Musk benefits, is free.) Twitter announced it would begin removing blue checks from verified accounts that did not pay for Mr Musks Twitter Blue service on 1 April, but it appears that the plan has not been rolled out en masse; The New York Times appeared to be singled out by Mr Musk, who responded to another Twitter user asking about the newspapers badge status by saying well take it off. On Sunday, Twitter changed the language in the description of verified users to make it unclear whether that user is paying for Twitter Blue or is a so-called legacy verified account, which were initially rolled out to ensure user authenticity. Now, they come as part of a paid subscription service. Stripping that verification from The New York Times and targeting NPR illustrates how Musk is the one running a propaganda outfit to fit with his political views, wrote Don Moynihan, chair of the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University. Musk labeling NPR as state-affiliate media is another example of how Twitter used to have reasonably sensible and transparent policies which are now being rewritten in obviously nonsensical ways to fit with the whims of its owner, he added. Its not the first time Mr Musk has targeted news outlets and journalists who have critically covered him and his businesses. In December, he suspended accounts for roughly a dozen journalists who reported on his companies and a Twitter account that tracked his jet travel. He effectively dissolved Twitters press operations; The Independents questions to Twitters press email autoreply with a poop emoji. 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 job advertisement on Indeed has left people horrified after a company asked for only white applicants. Dallas-based company, Arthur Grand Technologies, posted a job vacancy which asked for Only born US Citizens (White) who are local within 60 miles from Dallas, TX. The racial specification was not meant to be shared to the public however as a paranthetic note next to the requirement read: Dont share with candidates. Twitter user T.K. Finch noticed the post and tweeted the CEO of the company, Warren Buffet. Mr Finch wrote: Looks like one of Berkshire Hathaways vendors... Arthur Grand Technologies Inc... has some problematic hiring processes. Discrimination on race and national origin reduce a companys competitiveness, besides being a bad look. The company apologised on LinkedIn saying: At Arthur Grand, we do not condone or engage in any type of discrimination based of race, colour or religion. It said an investigation was conducted which found a new junior recruiter was responsible for the offensive description. The company added that the recruiters employement had been terminated. Twitter users were quick to call the apology mere damage control. One user, LE Murphy, said: Bravo to the junior staff member being blamed for this. They obviously blew the whistle on this company by posting the job req as-written. The company later posted an update emphasising that the job posting was neither authorised nor posted by Arthur Grand or its employees. A former employee took an existing posting and added discriminatory language, then reposted it through his own account. The update also said that necessary legal action had been intitiated against the job poster. 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 }} Trump Tower in Chicago was locked down and a SWAT team responded after a woman brandishing a rifle walked into the luxury building. Officers were called to the Trump International Hotel and Tower on Wednesday morning after the alarming incident took place at around 11.25am CT. Law enforcement sources told The Chicago Sun-Times that the incident was believed to be a domestic one in nature and not terrorism-related. The newspaper reported that once the woman entered the 100-storey building she made her way to an apartment on the 27th floor. Chicago Police Department told NBC 5 that they had responded to a call of service at the skyscraper on the citys Wabash Avenue. SWAT officers are on-scene in the 400 block of N. Wabash for a domestic-related incident. At this time, we believe this is an isolated incident and there is no threat to the public, CPD tweeted. Police radio traffic said that the woman had said that she was tired of being abused by her husband, reported the Sun-Times. A resident of Trump Tower, who identified himself only as Steve, told WBBM what he had seen. Steve lives at Trump Tower. He tells @WBBMNewsradio what happened when he stepped outside this morning. Some residents are still not allowed back into the building. Chicago Police say theyll have a statement shortly. pic.twitter.com/W0B5GrgZOK Rachel Pierson (@WBBMRachel) April 5, 2023 I was just doing some housework and some cooking and I decided to take some air, he told the radio station. I came down to the lobby and I was quickly escorted away from the lobby, out of the building and was told not to come back until it was clear. I asked several times what was going on and they wouldnt acknowledge. The incident was brought to a peaceful conclusion on Wednesday afternoon with one person taken to hospital for evaluation, according to NBC Chicago. No one was injured in the incident and no arrests were made. 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 }} Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York mocked Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia after the Republicans appearance at a rally to protest the arraignment of former President Donald Trump ended with her being drowned out by counter-protesters. Welcome to NYC! Ms Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. Where there are still social consequences for shameless bigotry. Ms Greene, among the most outspoken far right Republicans in Congress, travelled to heavily-Democratic New York to rally supporters of Mr Trumps supporters outside the courthouse in Manhattan where he was arraigned. It was not the easiest trip. Turnout for Ms Greenes rally was relatively light, with pro-Trump protesters reportedly outnumbered by reporters. Some members of the New York Young Republican Club were on hand for the event, joined, briefly, by Rep George Santos of New York. But it was hard to hear part of Ms Greenes remarks due to noise made by counter-protesters endevouring to drown out her hate speech as it was described this week by New York City mayor Eric Adams. Another reason it may have been hard to hear Ms Greene was that Trump supporters reportedly handed out whistles, apparently unaware of the effect the whistling would have on pro-Trump speeches. Those who could hear Ms Greenes remarks heard her strike out at a range of figures including Mr Adams and argue that charging former leaders for alleged crimes is something that happens in communist countries. Im here to protest and use my voice and take a stand, Ms Greene said during her speech. Every American should take a stand. This is what happens in communist countries not the United States of America. We have to take a stand against the injustice, the corruption, and the communist Democrats. On Tuesday night, Ms Ocasio-Cortez sounded a very different note after Mr Trump posted a picture of the daughter of the judge presiding over his criminal case on social media. Lets be very clear: intimidation and stochastic terror are the core tools of Trump and the fascist movements that support him, Ms Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. They rely on it to skirt consequence and silence others - and each time it works, they grow more brazen. One reason why accountability is so important[.] 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 Bill Clinton has revealed misgivings over his role in pressing Ukraine to accept nuclear disarmament during his presidency in 1994. Mr Clinton spoke to Irish news service RTE on Tuesday, and said he felt a "personal stake" in Ukraine's fate as it struggles to fend off an invasion from Russia under Vladimir Putin. He revealed that he did not think Russia would have invaded Ukraine in 2014 and again in 2022 if Kyiv was still armed with nuclear weapons. "I feel a personal stake because I got them [Ukraine] to agree to give up their nuclear weapons," Mr Clinton said. "And none of them believe that Russia would have pulled this stunt if Ukraine still had their weapons." Mr Clinton was the US president during high-stakes negotiations in 1994, which included then-Russian and Ukrainian presidents Boris Yeltsin and Leonid Kravchuk. The aims of the meeting were to remove the nuclear weapons stationed in Ukraine following the fall of the Soviet Union. It resulted in the Trilateral Statement, which in part traded Ukraine's nuclear weapons for security assurances. Ukraine agreed to the disarmament in the Budapest Memorandum later that year. The deal also included an agreement that Russia would respect Ukraine's borders and right to self-rule, which Mr Clinton said he now felt was shortsighted, as Russia violated that agreement in 2014 and again in its most recent invasion. "I knew that President Putin did not support the agreement President Yeltsin made never to interfere with Ukraine's territorial boundaries an agreement he made because he wanted Ukraine to give up their nuclear weapons," Mr Clinton said. "They were afraid to give them up because they thought that's the only thing that protected them from an expansionist Russia." In February 2022, Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko told Fox News that the assurances Ukraine was given in 1994 over giving up its nuclear weapons were not honoured by the rest of the world. Bill Clinton in Moscow in 1998 (EPA) "Where are these guarantees? Now we are bombed and killed," he said. There has been some push-back against the idea that Ukraine would have been spared Russia's invasion if it had retained its weapons after 1994. Clara Guest, a research assistant in proliferation finance at King's College London wrote in March 2022, just as the invasion was ramping up, that the nation would not have been able to maintain those weapons or manufacture new ones. "Ukraine would never have been able to maintain its nuclear weapons and facilities or manufacture and produce new components," she wrote, citing Ukraine's lack of funds for such endeavours. 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 has effusively thanked the staff and law enforcement officers at the New York courthouse where he was arraigned on Tuesday. In a statement on Wednesday, he said: The GREAT PATRIOTS inside and outside of the Courthouse on Tuesday were unbelievably nice, in fact, they couldn't have been nicer. Court attendants, Police Officers, and others were all very professional, and represented New York City sooo well. Thank you to all! This came after a court official failed to hold the door open for the former president just prior to his arraignment in Manhattan, delighting a number of observers who took the action as a sign of disrespect towards the first president ever to be indicted. Mr Trump was walking through a door after a court official on Tuesday, but the court official did not hold the door for him leaving Mr Trump to extend an arm and hold the door open for himself. He did not hold the door open for the person filing into the room after him either. The symbolism was not lost on some viewers of the courtroom action. You can be absolutely sure Trump will have HATED, HATED that, former BBC News US correspondent Jon Sopel tweeted. Guess when youre under arrest court staff dont hold doors open for you. For many who have spent much of the last eight years angry at Mr Trumps politics and personal behaviour, his arraignment on Tuesday was an enjoyable spectacle. Some took the opportunity to demonstrate outside of the courthouse, while others viewed the proceedings on television. Mr Trump is facing 34 felony counts related to his alleged $130,000 hush-money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the buildup to the 2016 presidential election, allegedly to prevent Ms Daniels from discussing their 2006 affair. Despite the charges, Mr Trump on Tuesday experienced better treatment than other, less privileged defendants in New York do: he was not handcuffed or forced to take a mug shot, though he reportedly wanted to take one for campaign purposes. Mr Trump did not, however, seem to get the courtesy of each court official holding the door open for him. Husband came running downstairs to make sure I rewound & appreciated this moment when it happened, academic Sarah Churchwell tweeted. 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 }} Right-wing media mogul Rupert Murdoch and Fox News leadership must testify in an upcoming defamation trial against the network if Dominion Voting Systems subpoenas them, according to a ruling from the Delaware judge overseeing the case. Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis said he will not stand in the way of potential subpoenas for Murdoch and his son and Fox Corporation CEO Lachlan Murdoch, board of directors Paul Ryan and other executives, who must appear at the courthouse if summoned. They are relevant to the case, Judge Davis said during a hearing on 5 April, according to CNN. If Dominion wants to bring them live, they need to issue a trial subpoena, and I would not quash it. Both parties have made these witnesses very relevant. A ruling in Delaware Superior Court on 31 March granted Dominion a partial victory in its motion for summary judgment in the blockbuster $1.6bn lawsuit against the network, which the judge determined broadcast false statements about the voting machine company and conspiracy theories surrounding Donald Trumps loss in the 2020 presidential election. Both sides sought a pretrial ruling to declare them the winner and avoid a high-profile trial. Jury selection is scheduled to begin on 13 April. In a partial ruling in Dominions favour last week, the court determined that statements made on Fox News were presented as statements of fact, not statements of opinion, for which Fox News is responsible. But the court left open whether a jury would find its parent company Fox Corporation responsible. The court also determined that Dominion is entitled to summary judgment for its defamation claims, but it will be up to the jury to determine whether actual malice is involved. Actual malice is the legal standard established by the US Supreme Court in defamation cases involving public figures alleged to have knowingly presented false claims with reckless disregard for the truth. Fox has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and argued that statements made on air were protected by the First Amendment. Theyve also said that because they were supported by the former president in his spurious efforts to overturn election results, those claims were newsworthy. Dominion clearly wants to continue generating misleading stories from their friends in the media to distract from their weak case, according to a statement from a Fox spokesperson given to Mediaite. Demanding witnesses who had nothing to do with the challenged broadcasts is just the latest example of their political crusade in search of a financial windfall. At Mondays hearing, Judge Davis rejected Foxs position that the Murdochs, Mr Ryan and Fox Corporation chief legal and policy officer Viet Dinh were not in control over what was published at Fox News, determining that Dominion presented sufficient evidence in their involvement. Corporations dont raise their hand on the stand, Judge Davis said, according to Mediaite. Their officers and directors raise their hand on the stand. Its the only way to get a corporation to testify. And not only are these people officers and directors, but theyre relevant to the case. The Murdochs already provided sworn depositions in the case, with court documents exposing a series of revelations about the inner workings of the network and communications among its top executives, producers and on-air personalities. Rupert Murdoch conceded that several of the networks top stars including Sean Hannity, Maria Bartiromo, Lou Dobbs and Jeanine Pirro endorsed at times this false notion of a stolen election, claims that the former president and his allies continue to amplify as he seeks re-election to office in 2024. He also did not deny discussing the Trump campaign with Jared Kushner. I was trying to help Mr Kushner ... Hes a friend of mine, he said. The behind-the-scenes revelations which have been stitched together in Dominions sprawling case alleging a media empire that relies on lying to its audience have painted a much-larger picture of the Fox organisation, its decision making, and its concerns over declining viewership with competition from other right-wing networks that indulged the former presidents conspiracy theories. 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 }} For the country and for Donald Trump, the indictment of a former president represented an unprecedented day. For TV news organizations, it felt like a throwback. Hour after hour on Tuesday, the story occupied the full attention of broadcast and cable news networks. They waited for glimpses of Trump's face to interpret his expression, followed his motorcade's movements from the air, speculated on how it must feel to be arrested. The coverage recalled better days for now-struggling cable news outlets, through two presidential campaigns and two impeachment trials, when Trump occupied hours of air time. Consumers eagerly followed along, the way they haven't for many stories since. For two days this week, Trump's indictment on 34 counts of falsifying business records, gave outlets the chance to go back in time. This is the most significant arraignment in the history or arraignments, Danny Cevallos, a legal analyst for NBC News, said on that network's special report. It's hard to over-dramatize what this means for Donald Trump, said MSNBC's Chris Jansing. Oh, but many tried. On Monday, Trump's travels from Florida to New York led cable news networks to revisit the worst of earlier excesses. Throughout the day, aerial camera shots followed Trump's plane as it took off from Florida and landed in New York, and as his motorcade traveled to Trump Tower in Manhattan the backdrop to hours of speculation about the case. At one point, Trump's son Eric posted on social media a picture of a television set inside the plane showing a Fox News Channel picture of the plane waiting on a Florida tarmac. Watching the plane ... from the plane, he said. Such coverage is ridiculous, former Ohio Gov. John Kasich said on MSNBC Tuesday. There are more interesting things happening, but I guess we're all fixated. Kasich spoke on a split screen, his face sharing time with a camera's view trained on the entrance to Trump Tower, waiting for Trump to walk out the front door and into a car to take him to a Manhattan courthouse for his arraignment. Tuesday was clearly newsier than Trump's travels the day before, but much of the coverage consisted of waiting for such fleeting moments. New York state Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan declined media requests for video coverage of the hearing where Trump heard the charges against him and pleaded not guilty. That led to constant, mostly empty talk about what might happen. Will Trump's motorcade to the court take Fifth Avenue or the FDR Drive? (The latter.) Will a mug shot of Trump be taken and released? (No.) Would the former president speak to the media before he goes into the court? (No.) After the hearing is done? (Also no.) CNN re-ran footage of Trump walking out of a doorway, a court officer declining to hold the door for him, and speculated about the last time something like this had happened to the former president. His walk out the door was judged five seconds of history by ABC's David Muir. Those views of Trump, along with still pictures of him during the arraignment, turned political and legal commentators into facial-expression and body-language experts. This does not look like someone who is celebrating the moment ... It looks like a man who is very unhappy to be there, said ABC's Jonathan Karl. Look at his face, look at his body language, said CBS' Robert Costa. I'm just a reporter. But it tells you something when you can see how someone is dealing with a moment. Said CNN's Jake Tapper: That is a very pissed-off Donald Trump. The former president planned his own primetime speech later Tuesday from his Mar-a-Lago resort, a test for networks on how they would cover his words. CNN interrupted its arraignment coverage briefly for news of a court decision in another Trump investigation. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Trump would often call him when Christie was a U.S. attorney with questions and observations about the legal process. No matter what his staff says, this is a very, very difficult day for Donald Trump, he said. Asked by ABC's Muir if Trump ever thought he would face charges, Christie said, I think he thought he was too clever to ever wind up in this situation too clever, too smart, too careful. On Fox News Channel, Trump's attorney general, William Barr, joined a discussion with commentators about whether prosecutors should bring charges against the former president in the New York case or in other investigations Trump faces over turning over presidential records, his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection or allegedly interfering in Georgia's presidential vote in 2020. One wonders about the wisdom of this case and one wonders about the wisdom of all the other cases that could be brought, Fox analyst Brit Hume said. Barr talked about prosecutorial discretion and said of New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg's charges before the indictment was unsealed publicly that this appears to be just a pathetically weak case. It's hard to believe Alvin Bragg would bring these charges against anyone except Donald Trump, Fox's Martha MacCallum 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 }} Prosecutors in New York City have finally laid out the full list of charges against Donald Trump, making him the first former president in US history to be charged with a criminal offence. The mercurial real estate tycoon stands accused of 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection to alleged hush money payments to porn actor and director Stormy Daniels plus two other people. "From August 2015 to December 2017, the defendant orchestrated a scheme with others to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit the defendants electoral prospects," said Manhattan prosecutors in a 13-page "statement of facts" that accompanied the indictment. "In order to execute the unlawful scheme, the participants violated election laws and made and caused false entries in the business records of various entities in New York. The participants also took steps that mischaracterised, for tax purposes, the true nature of the payments made in furtherance of the scheme." But beyond these historic claims, the prosecutors' statement also includes new details about the long-running saga of the president and the porn star. Mr Trump, for his part, pled not guilty to all charges. Here are the six key revelations. Trump wanted media mogul to be his 'eyes and ears' According to the statement of fact, Mr Trump's scheme began with a private meeting at Trump Tower in August 2015, not long after announcing his presidential run. At this meeting, which has been previously reported by US media, Mr Trump and his personal lawyer Michael Cohen allegedly met with news mogul David Pecker, whose company American Media Inc (AMI) was then the owner of a salacious tabloid newspaper called the National Enquirer. Prosecutors now allege that Mr Pecker agreed to be Mr Trump's "eyes and ears", looking out for negative stories about the candidate and alerting Mr Cohen (who is identified in this document only as "Lawyer A") so that he could squash them. AMI, today known as A360 Media, has since admitted its role in attempting to influence the election as part of a non-prosecution agreement with federal officials. It wasn't just Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal By now most Americans have heard of Stormy Daniels, to whom Mr Cohen has admitted paying $130,000 to squash information about her alleged relationship with Mr Trump back in the Noughties. Some news junkies will be aware that Mr Cohen also admitted to paying $150,000 to former playboy model Karen McDougal, who also allegedly had an affair with Mr Trump. But prosecutors say there was also a third person: a former doorman at Trump Tower, who hoped to sell information to reporters about a child that Mr Trump had allegedly fathered out of wedlock. AMI allegedly paid this doorman $30,000 for exclusive rights to his story and then sat on it as part of the agreement with Mr Trump and Mr Cohen. When AMI later concluded that the story was not true, the AMI CEO wanted to release the doorman from the agreement, says the statement. However, Lawyer A instructed the AMI CEO not to release the Doorman until after the presidential election, and the AMI CEO complied with that instruction. Trump wanted to renege on payments to Daniels Not content with killing Ms Daniels' story, prosecutors claim Mr Trump also plotted with Mr Cohen to renege on the agreement and withhold her money. "The Defendant directed Lawyer A to delay making a payment to Woman 2 as long as possible," the statement says. "He instructed Lawyer A that if they could delay the payment until after the election, they could avoid paying altogether, because at that point it would not matter if the story became public." However, pressure then mounted to the point where Trump's team allegedly felt they had no choice but to pay out after all. Cohen and Trump discussed their deal in the Oval Office Perhaps the most eyebrow-raising of the prosecutors' claims is one with relatively little legal import. According to the statement, in February 2017 not long after his inauguration Mr Trump met with Mr Cohen in the Oval Office to confirm their "arrangement". In that most iconic and hallowed chamber of American government, prosecutors allege, amidst all the famous symbols of national prestige the Resolute Desk, the plaster seal in the sealing, the paintings of past leaders the 45th president of the United States agreed with his personal lawyer to pay $35,000 per month for squashing the truth about his sexual indiscretions. Prosecutors also claim that Mr Trump invited Mr Pecker to dinner at the White House in 2017 to thank him for his help. Some of the money came from Trump's own bank account The monthly reimbursements were allegedly disguised as payments for a fictional retainer agreement, adding up to $420,000 over the course of 2017 though much of that was intended to cover income taxes. And from April through December 2017, it was Mr Trump who personally reimbursed Mr Cohen's agreements with Ms Daniels and the others, prosecutors claim. The statement says Mr Trump cut nine checks for Mr Cohen from his personal bank account, personally signing each one and logging them as payments for a fictional retainer agreement rather than compensations for hush money. You are making a very big mistake The statement contains new details about an alleged pressure campaign by Mr Trump and others designed to stop Mr Cohen from pleading guilty back in 2018. In 2019, CNN reported on leaked emails obtained by federal prosecutors from a lawyer named Robert Costello that offered to open a "back channel" for Mr Cohen to Mr Trump, telling him he could sleep well tonight because he had friends in high places. According to New York's investigation, Mr Costello named only as "Lawyer A" also urged Mr Cohen not to cooperate with law enforcement. The whole objective of this exercise by the [federal prosecutors] is to drain you, emotionally and financially, until you reach a point that you see them as your only means to salvation, Mr Costello allegedly wrote. You are making a very big mistake if you believe the stories these journalists are writing about you. They want you to cave. They want you to fail. They do not want you to persevere and succeed. 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 }} Mary Trump, the niece of former president Donald Trump, said on Tuesday that a five-second video of her uncle walking into the Manhattan courtroom was all that was needed to "figure out his state of mind". "And during that brief glimpse, we saw the uncertainty, the fear, and the humiliation," Ms Trump tweeted. Recordings were prohibited inside the courtroom while Mr Trump was being arraigned. However, he was photographed looking anxious while he entered the courtroom. The 45th president was formally charged with 34 felonies relating to falsifying business records around hush money payments during the 2016 presidential campaign. Mr Trump pleaded not guilty to all the charges during an appearance in the Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday. He raised a fist in defiance as he arrived at the courthouse amid heavy security presence from the New York Police Department and Secret Service after rival sets of protesters had earlier clashed outside the court. The one-time president surrendered to the office of Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg upon arrival at the court at 1.24pm. He was arrested and fingerprinted in a room on the 7th floor of the courthouse building. Ms Trump, a psychologist who holds a masters degree in English literature from Columbia University, emerged as one of her uncles staunchest critics during his presidency. "We learned a lot today, about the seriousness of the charges against Donald Trump, the professionalism of district attorney Alvin Bragg, the ridiculousness of Donalds legal team, and the extent to which the mainstream media really love showing footage of nothing," Ms Trump wrote. She continued: "TV cameras werent allowed in the courtroom but it turns out they werent necessary the video of Donald walking into the courtroom, all five seconds of it, was all we needed to figure out his state of mind." "The false bravado will return, and the middle-of-the-night posts will continue to be unhinged but Donald Trump has finally gotten a glimpse of what it looks like when his past, finally, at long last, catches up with him and hell never be able to outrun it," Ms Trump added. Previously, Ms Trump hailed her uncles indictment, calling it some measure of justice. 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 }} In her final speech to New Zealand's Parliament on Wednesday, Jacinda Ardern described in emotional terms how she'd navigated a pandemic and a mass-shooting during her tumultuous five-year tenure as prime minister. She also told humorous anecdotes like how a European leader so admired the striking hair of Ardern's chief-of-staff that he fluffed it like a hairdresser which she joked had helped secure a free-trade deal and how her mother once sent her a uplifting, if somewhat grandiose, message: Remember, even Jesus had people who didnt like him. On a more serious note, she urged lawmakers to take the politics out of climate change. There will always be policy differences," Ardern said during her valedictory address, wearing a traditional Maori cloak called a korowai. "But beneath that, we have what we need to make the progress we must." When Ardern finished speaking after about 35 minutes, she she was greeted with a standing ovation by lawmakers from across the political spectrum and rousing renditions of several Indigenous Maori songs. A global icon of the left and an inspiration to women around the world, Ardern in January stepped down as prime minister, saying, I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It is that simple." But she stayed on as a lawmaker until April to avoid triggering a special election ahead of the nations general elections in October. Later this month, Ardern will begin a new, unpaid role combating online extremism as Special Envoy for the Christchurch Call. It's an initiative she started with French President Emmanuel Macron in May 2019, two months after a white supremacist gunman killed 51 people at two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch. She has also announced she's joining the board of trustees for The Earthshot Prize, an environmental charity started by Britains Prince William. Ardern said she entered politics based on her convictions but got used to her tenure being defined by a different list. A domestic terror attack. A volcanic eruption. A pandemic. A series of events where I found myself in peoples lives during their most grief-stricken or traumatic moments, she said. Their stories and faces remain etched in my mind, and likely will forever. She also described how she and fiance Clarke Gayford thought they couldn't have children after a failed round of IVF. Rather than process that, I campaigned to become prime minister, she joked. A rather good distraction as far as they go. Imagine my surprise when a couple of months later, I discovered I was pregnant. Ardern became just the second elected world leader to give birth while holding office after she and Gayford had daughter Neve in 2018. Ardern described how she'd approached the COVID-19 pandemic on a scientific basis and how New Zealand had fared best among developed nations when measuring excess mortality. She said she once tried to argue with a lone protestor about a false conspiracy theory. But after many of these same experiences, and seeing the rage that often sat behind these conspiracies, I had to accept I was wrong, she said. I could not single-handedly pull someone out of a rabbit hole. Ardern said she worried that during the pandemic, the nation had lost a sense of security, and the ability to engage in robust debate in a respectful way. She also described how she never thought she was meant to have the role of prime minister, and how it came about through a surprising chain of events. While she couldn't control how her tenure would be defined by others, Ardern said, she hoped it had demonstrated something else. That you can be anxious, sensitive, kind and wear your heart on your sleeve, she said. "You can be a mother, or not, you can be an ex-Mormon, or not, you can be a nerd, a crier, a hugger, you can be all of these things, and not only can you be here, you can lead, just like me. 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 was arrested and charged on Tuesday for his role in a hush money scheme during the 2016 election. Much of the attention on Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs case against the former president has concerned Mr Trump allegedly falsifying business records on hush money payments made through his former fixer, Michael Cohen, as part of a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to keep her from revealing claims of a decade-old affair with Mr Trump in the waning days of the 2016 election. Mr Cohen, who served a year in federal prison and two additional years of home confinement for his part in the deal, has provided testimony and documentary evidence to the DA probe, where prosecutors ultimately charged Mr Trump with 34 felonies related to the hush money schemes. The twice-impeached and indicted ex-president was arraigned on Tuesday 4 April before New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, the same jurist who presided over the criminal tax fraud trial of two of Mr Trumps companies last year. While Ms Daniels may now be something of a household name, another lesser-known woman who received payments to stay silent about her alleged affair with Mr Trump may also play a significant role in the unprecedented criminal charging of a former American commander-in-chief. Karen McDougal is a former Playboy Playmate of the year (Getty) That woman is Karen McDougal, a former model for Playboy who was voted Playmate of the Year in 1998. Who is Karen McDougal? The 52 year-old was born in Merrillville, Indiana who studied ballet as a child before becoming a cheerleader in high school. In an interview with Playboy she described herself as a wholesome little Karen and said she had the nickname Barbie. She taught pre-kindergarten before becoming a model in the 1990s and going on to appear in music videos, TV shows and movies Ms McDougal isnt named in the Manhattan DAs indictment, but court documents describe a scheme between Mr Trump and American Media, Inc (AMI), which puts out the National Enquirer tabloid, to identify and suppress negative stories about him through buying the rights to various allegations as exclusive stories but never publishing them, a practice known as catch and kill. New York prosecutors allege that AMI paid $150,000 to an individual listed as Woman 1 in court records, who alleged she had a sexual relationship with the Defendant while he was married, in exchange for the accuser remaining silent and for AMI publishing two magazine cover features of Woman 1 and a series of articles that would be published under her byline. These details match up with Ms McDougals alleged experience with the president and his allies. Ms McDougal claims Donald Trump told her she was special (CNN) What does she claim about Donald Trump? Ms McDougal has told The New Yorker and other outlets about allegedly having an affair with Mr Trump, then being paid off by the media company to stay silent. Since then she has also appeared on the cover of AMI property Muscle and Fitness Hers and has written health and fitness columns. In 2018, the model settled a lawsuit with the owner of the National Enquirer, restoring her right to tell her life story. Ms McDougal said she was urged to sign her original deal with AMI under false pretenses, which the company denies. Ms McDougal has not spoken out publicly about the New York charges against Mr Trump since he was arrested. A recording obtained by CNN of a 2016 conversation between Mr Trump and Cohen which has been made public by the former fixer shows the two men discussing Mr Trump reimbursing the tabloid publisher for hush money payments. So, what do we got to pay for this? One-fifty? Mr Trump says at one point in the call. Stormy Daniels is at the centre of Mr Trumps current legal woes (Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) While its unclear if that reimbursement ever happened, Mr Trump denied being aware of any such arrangement during a 2018 interview with Fox News. But what is known is that Ms McDougal does claim to have had an affair with Mr Trump. In a handwritten note obtained by The New Yorker, she described one encounter with the future president. Ms McDougal wrote that they had dinner, with Mr Trump ordering steak and potatoes but no alcohol. We talked for a couple of hours, then it was on! we got naked and had sex, she wrote. She added that Mr Trump offered her money afterwards, to which she responded that she was not that kind of girl. In response, she said Mr Trump told her she was special. The former president has been indicted (EPA) Prosecutors argued in the indictment unsealed on Tuesday is that because the alleged payments were made amid the 2016 election season, they amounted to criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election. One witness who could shed light on the agreement is ex-American Media Inc boss David Pecker, a friend of Mr Trumps, who testified before the grand jury that indicted Mr Trump as recently as 27 March. Mr Pecker previously testified before federal grand jurors as part of the investigation which led to Cohens indictment and guilty plea, though he recieved immunity from prosecution in exchange for giving evidence. 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 }} Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina called on Americans to raise money for former president Donald Trumps legal defence after his arraignment on Tuesday. Mr Graham spoke on Sean Hannitys show on Fox News after Mr Trump pled not guilty to 34 felony charges in the Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday. Mr Trumps arraignment came after a grand jury voted last week to indict him for falsifying business records related to paying hush money during the 2016 presidential campaign. The South Carolina Republican called on supporters to help the former president and appeared despondent. Im sorry Im so upset, but please help President Trump, he said. If you can afford five or ten bucks, if you cant afford a dollar, fine, just pray. Mr Graham also said that supporters should vote as early as you can in their home states despite Mr Trump previously assailing early voting, preferring to keep voting to Election Day. Dont risk anything anymore, vote as soon as you can, he said. Pray for this president, pray for this country and if youve got any money to give, give it. Mr Graham said that people who give money to his website will have their money go to Mr Trumps legal defence instead of Mr Grahams campaign. Mr Graham is not up for re-election until 2026. The former president and Mr Graham have had a long relationship initially characterised by acrimony. Mr Graham called Mr Trump a jackass and a religious bigot when Mr Graham ran an ill-fated presidential campaign in 2016. Mr Graham also did not vote for Mr Trump in the 2016 presidential election. They healed their relationship after Mr Trump won the presidency, with Mr Graham becoming one of his most outspoken defenders in the United States Senate. At one point, Mr Graham ascended to the role of Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, in which he presided over the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, whom Mr Trump nominated to replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 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 }} Melania Trump skipped Donald Trumps indictment trip from Florida to New York as the former president was joined by son Eric Trump. The one-term president left his Mar-a-Lago estate on Monday to fly to New York City ahead of his historic arrest and appearance in court on hush money payment charges on Tuesday afternoon. The former first lady was not named among the group who travelled from Florida to New York onboard Mr Trumps private plane by The New York Times. Former US President Donald Trump sits at the defense table with his defense team in a Manhattan court on April 4, 2023 in New York City. (Getty Images) The newspapers Maggie Haberman reported that the former president was joined by a host of campaign aides on his New York trip, including his son Eric Trump, campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung, longtime communications aide Jason Miller, former White House aide Dan Scavino, and Boris Epshteyn, who was on the team of lawyers who launched a spurious legal effort to overturn 2020 results. After being placed under arrest and fingerprinted Mr Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors say the charges stem from payments he made to adult film star Stormy Daniels to prevent her from revealing an affair he had allegedly with her a decade earlier, before the 2016 presidential election. The twice-impeached former presidents plane landed at LaGuardia Airport in Queens and headed straight to his Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue where he stayed overnight on Monday before his court appearance downtown on Tuesday afternoon. Law enforcement was on high alert and barricades have been erected around Trump Tower and Manhattan Criminal Court, where Mr Trump appeared before Judge Juan Merchan at 2.15pm on Tuesday. Following the appearance, Mr Trump returned to LaGuardia Airport in Queens and returned to Florida on his private jet. This is far from Mr Trumps only legal troubles, with The Washington Post reporting that the US Department of Justice is pursuing an obstruction of justice case against the former president over the classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago. 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 }} Anti-vaccine activist Robert F Kennedy Jr, the son of assassinated presidential candidate Robert Kenedy and nephew of John F Kennedy, has filed to run for president in 2024 as a Democrat. Mr Kennedy, 69, filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission after announcing last month he was considering a run against Joe Biden, according to RawStory. His late father was a former New York senator, US attorney general and 1968 presidential candidate, who was shot and killed by Sirhan Sirhan in Los Angeles in June 1968. Robert F Kennedy Jr has had to apologise for comparing vaccine mandates to the Holocaust (AP) If it looks like I can raise the money and mobilize enough people to win, Ill jump in the race, Mr Kennedy Jr tweeted last month. If I run, my top priority will be to end the corrupt merger between state and corporate power that has ruined our economy, shattered the middle class, polluted our landscapes and waters, poisoned our children, and robbed us of our values and freedoms. Together we can restore Americas democracy. Mr Kennedy Jrs views on vaccines have been strongly criticised by Dr Anthony Fauci, who said in 2021 that the inflammatory rhetoric of the conspiracy theorist and others had accelerated violent threats and abuse directed at him and his family. Mr Kennedy Jr, who leveraged his ties to the political family dynasty to lend his anti-vaccine campaign credibility and to draw fundraisers, recently published The Real Anthony Fauci: Bill Gates, Big Pharma, and the Global War on Democracy and Public Health, in which he accuses the nations medical chief of launching a historic coup detat against Western democracy. And in 2022 he was forced to apologise for referring to Anne Frank during an anti-vax rant comparing vaccine mandates to the Holocaust. Mr Kennedy claimed imposing vaccine passports was similar to the extermination policies of Nazi Germany in a speech at an anti-vax protest march in Washington DC in January 2022. Even in Hitlers Germany, you could hide in the attic like Anne Frank did, he told the crowd. Those remarks provoked widespread condemnation. 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 }} Stormy Daniels has spoken out about her alleged sexual encounter with Donald Trump, revealing that she had a 90-second blank where she says I dont know what happened. Ms Daniels toldVogue in an interview released on Tuesday that, during the 2006 encounter in a hotel room in Nevada, she came out of the bathroom to be greeted by Mr Trump standing in the doorway in his underwear. The adult film star said that there was then a 90-second period that she has no memory of before she says she found herself on the bed. So at one point after wed been chatting for a couple hours, I got up to use the bathroom, she said. And then I come out, and its like, theres 90 seconds that dont exist. I dont know what happened. Im standing there, in the doorway, and all of a sudden hes there in his underwear, doing the worlds worst Burt Reynolds impression, and thats the thing I dont understand, I dont understand how I got from the doorway to being underneath him in the bed. Specifically, Ms Daniels claimed she had no memory of taking off her gold shoes. Thats what gets me. Because they were these gold shoes, with buckles kind of a pain in the ass to put on and take off, you know? And I know I took them off because I had to put them back on again. And I remember that, putting them on, she said. And it being a thing, because I wanted to leave. Afterwards. I know I didnt say no. But I also know I didnt say yes. I wasnt threatened... I dont know. I just dont know. Ms Daniels has previously said the sexual encounter was consensual but told Vogue that she remembers thinking that Mr Trumps bodyguard was just outside the door and feared that if she hit Mr Trump, the bodyguard could hurt her. I remember him saying, Do you want to go back to the trailer park? she said. I never said I lived in a trailer park; I didnt. I said we were poor The Independent has reached out to Mr Trumps attorney for comment. Stormy Daniels alleges she had an affair with Trump (AP) Ms Daniels first spoke out in 2018 about the alleged 2006 sexual encounter with Mr Trump at a hotel room in Nevada. During the 2016 presidential election, Mr Trump had allegedly paid Ms Daniels $130,000 through his fixer Michael Cohen to silence her over the alleged affair. On Tuesday, the former president was arrested in Manhattan and arraigned on 34 criminal charges surrounding the hush money payment to the adult film star. Ms Daniels told Vogue that she has been facing death threats ever since Mr Trump was indicted on criminal charges last week. But, despite the backlash, she hopes that Mr Trump will get whats coming. For my own sake, Id like vindication, Id like him to get whats coming for once, she said. But thats about me, and theres other stuff thats more, like, about the country, she added, referring to the other investigations circling the former president. Ms Daniels said that she understands how some Americans were drawn to him early on but struggles to see how people cant see who he is now. I do get it, in some ways his appeal, at least early on, she said. Coming out rough-around-the-edges, saying things other politicians just wont say I get how people could look at him and feel like, that guy is closer to me and my life and how I think than other people who run for office. I get that desire people have, for a person who gets them. But what I cant understand is how those people have stuck with him, after everything they ought to be able to see who he is now. Ms Daniels has found herself at the centre of Mr Trumps legal challenges as he has become the first current or former president to ever be indicted on criminal charges. In a historic day for America, the one-term president was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in order to conceal illegal activity connected to his 2016 presidential campaign. The catch and kill campaign allegedly involved Mr Trump and his then-attorney Michael Cohen making hush money payments during the 2016 run to suppress negative information about him by silencing individuals over alleged affairs he had with women . Former President Donald Trump is escorted to a courtroom Tuesday 4 April (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Three specific alleged affairs and hush money payments were mentioned in the charging documents the $130,000 payment to Ms Daniels, a $150,000 to former playboy model Karen McDougal and a $30,000 payment to a doorman at Trump Tower who claimed he had information that Mr Trump had fathered a child with a woman while married to Melania Trump. Mr Trump repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election, the charging documents read. Each of the 34 criminal charges relates to an individual entry in the Trump Organizations business records. Mr Trump surrendered to Manhattan authorities on Tuesday afternoon and was officially arrested on criminal charges. He then appeared in court for his arraignment before Judge Juan Merchan the same judge who sentenced the Trump Organization and its CFO last year. Cutting a glum figure, he defiantly pleaded not guilty to all the charges. After flying back to Mar-a-Lago in Florida, the former president launched into a speech railing against the criminal charges, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the judge in a move that could risk him being placed under a gag order. Despite much speculation, Judge Merchan did not issue a gag order on Tuesday but did warn Mr Trump not to incite violence towards people involved in the case. 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 }} Stormy Daniels has been ordered to pay Donald Trump $120,000 on the same day that the former president was charged in connection to a $130,000 payment to her. In a California courtroom 3,000 miles from Manhattan Criminal Court where Mr Trump was arraigned on 34 felony charges on Tuesday, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the adult film star to pay more than $121,000 for his legal fees. The fees come on top of the more than $500,000 she was previously ordered to pay Mr Trump. This comes after Ms Daniels lost a defamation lawsuit against the former president back in 2018 after he branded her claims that she was threatened by an unidentified man in a parking lot over their alleged affair a total con job. That year, District Judge S. James Otero sided with Mr Trump in the civil lawsuit claiming that his comments had been protected by the First Amendment. On Tuesday, the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals once again sided with the former president ruling that Ms Daniels must pay the legal fees after Mr Trumps attorneys reasonably spent more than 183 hours on the case. Ms Daniels appeared undeterred by the ruling giving a spicy response to a Twitter user who asked her: How much do you owe Donald ? Hundreds of thousands, right? Gotta wonder if your husband dreams of all the real hot, sexy women he could have had. He doesnt have to dream about it. Hes done over 5k sex scenes with some of the sexiest women on earth, Ms Daniels fired back. She has previously said that she will go to jail before I pay a penny to the former president. The ruling in California marked a minor legal victory for Mr Trump on the same day that his alleged affair with Ms Daniels helped land him with a staggering 34 felony charges. In a historic day for America, Mr Trump became the first current or former president to ever be indicted on criminal charges. The one-term president was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in order to conceal illegal activity connected to his 2016 presidential campaign. The catch and kill campaign allegedly involved Mr Trump and his then-attorney Michael Cohen making hush money payments during the 2016 run to suppress negative information about him by silencing individuals over alleged affairs he had with women . Adult film actress Stormy Daniels is at the centre of Trumps charges (Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Three specific alleged affairs and hush money payments were mentioned in the charging documents a $130,000 payment to adult film star Ms Daniels, a $150,000 to former playboy model Karen McDougal and a $30,000 payment to a doorman at Trump Tower who claimed he had information that Mr Trump had fathered a child with a woman while married to Melania Trump. Mr Trump repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election, the charging documents read. Each of the 34 criminal charges relates to an individual entry in the Trump Organizations business records. Mr Trump surrendered to Manhattan authorities on Tuesday afternoon and was officially arrested on criminal charges. He then appeared in court for his arraignment before Judge Juan Merchan the same judge who sentenced the Trump Organization and its CFO last year. Cutting a glum figure, he defiantly pleaded not guilty to all the charges. After flying back to Mar-a-Lago in Florida, the former president launched into a speech railing against the criminal charges, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the judge in a move that could risk him being placed under a gag order. Despite much speculation, Judge Merchan did not issue a gag order on Tuesday but did warn Mr Trump not to incite violence towards people involved in the case. 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 denounced the judge and prosecutor in his criminal case in a provocative speech from his Mar-a-Lago estate, just hours after being warned against rhetoric likely to incite violence. The former president addressed supporters from his home in Palm Beach, Florida, after pleading not guilty in the Manhattan court to 34 criminal charges over alleged hush-money payments. Defiant despite his arrest and court appearance, he criticised failed New York County district attorney Alvin Bragg and lamented the United States as a nation in decline. The criminal is the district attorney because he illegally leaked massive amounts of grand jury information, Mr Trump said to loud applause. For which he should be prosecuted, or at a minimum he should resign. Mr Trump also targeted Mr Braggs wife for tweeting the former president had been nailed. She has since locked down her Twitter account, Mr Trump said, calling the entire investigation politically motivated. He also attacked New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, who presided over his arraignment, also pointing out how his daughter worked for vice president Kamala Harris. I have a Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and family whose daughter work[ed] for Kamala Harris, he said. Mr Trumps words came despite the fact that Judge Merchan warned him to stop making threatening posts on social media that could inflame tensions or incite violence. The two have a history since Judge Merchan presided over the criminal tax fraud case of two Trump Organisation subsidiaries and the criminal fraud case against the companys chief financial officer. But Judge Merchan did not impose a gagging order on Mr Trump. Prosecutors have reportedly sought a January 2024 court date, which Mr Trumps attorneys opposed since they considered it too soon. Along with the arraignment in Manhattan, Mr Trump also decried the investigation from the district attorney in Fulton County, Georgia, for trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in the state. Mr Trump defended his call to Georgias Republican secretary of state Brad Raffensperger, asking him to help him move the state in his favour. This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election and it should be dropped immediately, he said. Mr Trump also faces an investigation from Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith for his handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate and his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, including the 6 January riot at the US Capitol. Former president lashed out at the judge hearing his case and the judges family (AP) The former president criticised the FBIs execution of a search warrant to obtain classified documents at his home last year. We were negotiating in very good faith, proper way in order to return some or all of the documents that I openly and in very plain sight brought with me to Mar-a-Lago from our beautiful White House just as virtually every other president has done in the past, he said. Mr Trump has shown no indication that his arraignment or any other investigations would deter him from seeking the presidency for the third time. We are a nation in decline, he said. And now these radical left lunatics want to interfere with our elections by using law enforcement, he said. With all of this being said, and with a very dark cloud over our beloved country. I have no doubt, nevertheless, that we will make America great again. Polling shows Mr Trump with a wide lead against his closest opponent for the Republican presidential nomination, Florida governor Ron DeSantis. 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 }} Roughly one month after Donald Trump entered the White House in 2017, the sitting president orchestrated secret cover-up payments with his attorney from inside the Oval Office, according to Manhattan prosecutors. The alleged meeting between Mr Trump and his now-former attorney Michael Cohen was to confirm so-called hush-money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels, a scene described by Cohen during his congressional testimony in 2019. Dont worry, Michael, Mr Cohen remembered then-President Trump telling him, according to his testimony to lawmakers. Your January and February reimbursement checks are coming. Mr Trump turned himself into New York Criminal Court on 4 April and was formally charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. The charges stem from similar payments in three cases allegedly made in an effort to conceal damaging information and unlawful activity from American voters before and after the 2016 election, according to prosecutors. He has pleaded not guilty. A statement of facts from the office of New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg claims that Mr Trump and Lawyer A, believed to be Cohen, met in the Oval Office at the White House and confirmed this repayment arrangement. The payments to Ms Daniels, delivered in the final days of Mr Trumps 2016 presidential campaign, are among a series of Mr Trumps so-called catch and kill operations to identify, purchase, and bury negative information about him and boost his electoral prospects, according to prosecutors. In 2018, Mr Cohen pleaded guilty to federal charges connected to such payments, claiming they were made under Mr Trumps direction. Cohen provided lawmakers with two of the 11 reimbursement checks he received; one was signed by Mr Trump and the other by his son Donald Trump Jr. Both were for $35,000. That figure also appears in court filings from Mr Braggs office, which alleges that Mr Cohen emailed the first invoice for $35,000 on or about 14 February 2017. According to prosecutors, a comptroller for the Trump Organization forwarded the invoice to the accounts payable supervisor with the following instructions: Post to legal expenses. Put retainer for the months of January and February 2017 in the description. Mr Cohen sent 10 similar monthly invoices to the Trump Organization throughout that year, according to court filings. Each invoice falsely stated that it was being submitted [p]ursuant to the retainer agreement, and falsely requested payment for services rendered for a month of 2017, according to prosecutors. Each check was processed by the Trump Organization, and each check was disguised as a payment for legal services rendered in a given month of 2017 pursuant to a retainer agreement, according to Mr Braggs office. The payment records, kept and maintained by the Trump Organization, were false New York business records, documents allege. In truth, there was no retainer agreement, and Lawyer A was not being paid for legal services rendered in 2017. The Defendant caused his entities business records to be falsified to disguise his and others criminal conduct. Close Trump claims NYC courthouse staff were crying when he was arrested 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 attacked Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for his overseas trip and Don Lemon for being ousted at CNN on his social media platform, Truth Social. The former president launched another attack on Mr DeSantis, claiming his trip to Japan was an emergency Round the World tour of U.S representative population countries. Mr Trump accused Mr DeSantis consultants of making him go on the trip to boost poll numbers. Recent polling shows Mr DeSantis trailing behind Mr Trump, though the Florida Governor seemed unconcerned as he has not formally announced a campaign for president. Meanwhile, the former president celebrated Lemons release from CNN calling it Good news. Mr Trumps attack on Lemon and Mr DeSantis comes as his civil trial brought by columnist E Jean Carroll begins this week in New York. Ms Carroll has claimed that Mr Trump raped her in the dressing room of the Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan in the 1990s. Jury selection begins on Tuesday in the case. Mr Trump is not expected to appear in person 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 }} A woman whose role in Donald Trumps catch-and-kill effort to suppress embarrassing allegations about his supposed extramarital affairs vaulted her into the national spotlight has just broken her silence after the former presidents indictment. Mr Trump was indicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records on Tuesday. The counts were related to the election-year scheme which involved his lawyer and other allies buying the silence, through various means, of women who came forward with claims of extramarital trysts with then-candidate Donald Trump. Former Playboy model Karen McDougal was one of several women identitfied as a target of that scheme. On Wednesday, Ms McDougal posted a series of photos of herself on vacation (without a location tag) and coyly alluded to the indictment media frenzy in the caption. Ive been out and about enjoying Gods country... I hope I didnt miss anything, she wrote, adding a smiling emoji. It was a subtle but timely dig at the former president, who found himself in a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday facing down news cameras as the first president in American history to face criminal charges. Mr Trump has loudly denounced another woman involved in the catch-and-kill effort, porn actress Stormy Daniels, as a liar on his various forms of social media since Ms Daniels first went public with her allegations in 2018. He has even stooped to demeaning her physical appearance a tactic that sharply contrasts with the utter silence with which he has reponded to the similar story that Ms McDougal has come forward to share. The former president pleaded not guilty to the charges in court on Tuesday and has long denounced the various legal investigations circling around him as politically-motivated. In a rambling address Tuesday evening after the indictment, Mr Trump reiterated those beliefs while clearly revealing that he expects another indictment to be the result of the grand jury investigation in Georgia probing his efforts to alter the states 2020 election results. 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 Trumps indictment in New York City has been met with ridicule by state TV in Russia, where hosts have enjoyed themselves by showcasing artwork depicting the former president wearing an orange prison jumpsuit and speculating about future jail time. Mr Trump appeared at Manhattan Criminal Courthouse on Tuesday afternoon to plead not guilty to 34 felony charges relating to the falsification of business records to conceal a series of hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels, Playboy model Karen McDougal and a former Trump Tower doorman on his behalf in exchange for their silence about his alleged extramarital affairs. The former president was fingerprinted but not handcuffed or photographed for a mugshot on Tuesday and said little in court before returning to his safe space of Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, and delivering a scathing press conference in which he insisted he was the victim of a fake investigation from a justice system weaponised against him by his political enemies, attacked New York County district attorney Alvin Bragg and Judge Juan Merchan and assured his audience: Our country is going to hell. None enjoyed Mr Trumps undignified return to the international spotlight more than the Russians, according to Daily Beast columnist Julia Davis, a seasoned Russia-watcher, who noted that the Kremlin feels let down by the 45th US presidents chaotic single term in office but has been encouraged since by his attitude towards the Ukraine war. Mr Trump has backed calls urging Kyiv to surrender disputed territory for the sake of peace and pledged to end costly American military aid to the country. But that did not stop the teasing. During Tuesday nights edition of Russia-1s 60 Minutes, host Olga Skabeyeva joked: Trump may soon be outfitted in an orange jumpsuit and handcuffed. Were getting lots of popcorn and waiting! Guest Andrey Kartapolov, chairman of Russias Defence Committee, meanwhile suggested that poor, poor Trump might have been ensnared in a honey trap sting operation with Ms Daniels orchestrated by Democrats, overlooking the fact that their alleged affair is thought to have taken place in 2006, when Mr Trump was a reality TV star rather than an aspiring politician. On Sunday Evening with Vladimir Solovyov on the same channel two nights earlier, the eponymous host responded to District Attorney Braggs initial announcement of the indictment by speculating on whether the scandal would actually help rather than hinder Mr Trumps presidential run in 2024, also enjoying the thought of him perched behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office in prison garb. Mr Solovyov further joked about Mr Trump being offered asylum in Russia. Should we afford the opportunity for Donald Trump to escape the unfair political persecution in Russia?, he asked. He went on to suggest that Donald Fredovych giving the former president a Russian-style patronymic could be given an apartment in Rostov-on-Don that was previously occupied by ousted Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych. First, one has to earn the spot in Rostov-on-Don... I am quite disappointed with Donald, responded Andrey Sidorov, deputy dean of world politics at Moscow State University. He disappointed me back on 6 January 2021. Another guest, Dmitry Mikheyev, once a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute who has since returned to Russia, spoke of a deep civilisational divide in polarised America and predicted that Mr Trumps arrest would exacerbate it. This is a serious conflict that is almost of a religious nature, chimed in the shows co-host Sergey Mardan. And were certainly glad! If everything is bad in America it will impact us, but the enemy has to be destroyed! Interestingly, Mr Solovyov also felt that the indictment would boost public support for Mr Trump and suggested that Florida governor Ron DeSantis (whom the panellists nicknamed No 2) might now be invited to be the former presidents running mate to avoid a rivalry, adding the caveat: Unless the United States falls apart before then. Mr Trump may be annoyed to find that he is being made the subject of mockery in Moscow, especially given that he has spoken out in defence of Vladimir Putins country so recently. Responding to derisive remarks made by Mr DeSantis in a video posted to Truth Social last week, Mr Trump said: Calling Russia a gas station with a bunch of nuclear weapons, or calling Putin, quote, an authoritarian gas station attendant with some legacy of nuclear weapons from the old Soviet Union is exactly the kind of simple-minded thinking that has produced decades of failed diplomacy and ultimately war. And where is that war going? Those such as Mitt Romney and Ron DeSantis, very much alike, who insist on arrogantly treating Russia as deeply inferior to the other nations of the world with no history or culture or pride, are not only ignorant and foolish, but their attitude makes it impossible to negotiate peace. Absolutely impossible. Mr Trump went on to claim his administration had a more nuanced understanding of Russia, its people and its history and that such neo-con rhetoric implying that Mr Putin must be tried and presumably executed as a war criminal, only increases the chances of nuclear escalation and betrayed a lack of sophistication on the subtleties and complexities of foreign policy. He continued: This is not the time for on-the-job training as we face the possibility of nuclear war. And our leaders, if you call them that, got us there. This is where we are. The word nuclear was never even mentioned during the Trump administration. Now its being mentioned every hour of every day. Mr Trump said the US needed a peacemaker in the White House, not someone who recites mindless and recycled talking points to win the approval of the failed foreign policy establishment that didnt know what they were doing. He added: In 2024, I am the only candidate who can prevent World War III. I will prevent World War III. Theres nobody else thats going to do that. 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 37-year-old man has been sentenced to 13 years and six months in prison for abducting a four-year-old girl from her familys tent at a remote Western Australian campsite. Following an extensive search, Cleo was found alone in a house in the small town of Carnarvon, 18 days after she went missing in 2021. The house belonged to Terence Darrell Kelly, who pleaded guilty in January 2022 to a single charge of abducting the girl. Kelly abducted a sleeping Cleo Smith from the campsite in the early hours of 16 October 2021, and then drove her 47 miles to his house, where he kept her locked in a bedroom, according to the court transcript. Judge Julie Wager, while imposing the sentence, said that Kelly has a severe and complex personality disorder and had injected methylamphetamine on the night he kidnapped the girl. "You pose a high risk of seriously psychologically harming any future victim in the event that you did re-offend," she said, according to a transcript of proceedings. Kelly will be eligible for parole after serving 11 years and six months of his jail time. The judge acknowledged Kellys troubled upbringing, his prenatal exposure to drugs and alcohol and a life surrounded by violence as contributing to his offending. I fully accept that your personality disorder was caused by the environment that you were raised and by the deprivation to you as a child, she said. A psychiatrist consulted in the case said Kelly suffered from a severe personality disorder that led him to create a "fantasy world" with the existence of multiple imaginary children by different women. Kelly appeared before judge Wagner in person, wearing a green, short-sleeved button-down shirt and dark shorts, with his long hair tied in a bun. He was flanked by two bailiffs, Nine News reported. The court heard how Kelly kept the girl in his house for over 18 days by locking the door from the outside. Kelly turned up the volume of the radio in the bathroom to cover up any noise that Cleo made, the court was told. "The young victim heard her name on the radio and she said they were saying her name." Kelly reportedly told the police that he tried to "rough Cleo up a bit a few times" and became angry when she got "bossy" asking for chocolate. However, he claimed he didn't want to hurt her and wanted to make sure she was "comfortable". Cleo cried often and Kelly was unsuccessful in tying her up. "I just used sticky tape, but it wasn't working. So, I thought, 'I won't tie her up any more with the sticky tape'. I tried to tie her to the chair and that with her hands, feet and mouth. I tried to do that. She was a bit of a fighter," he told police. The judge said Cleo was often alone at the house which was "distressing" for the child. "But 18 days without contact or explanation, and with hours totally on her own and no access to the outside world would have been very traumatic for the child," she said. "Her parents didn't know if she was alive or dead they didn't know what had happened to her, or if she'd ever return. This shattered her family, and has been damaging and traumatising for the child." Kelly is a member of Australia's Indigenous, or Aboriginal community. "Sadly, in Western Australia, many Aboriginal people have suffered the adverse impacts of colonisation," Judge Wager said. "I fully accept that you're one of them and I accept that you've turned to drug misuse because of the pain and trauma that you've suffered throughout your life." With input from agencies 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 }} Watch as New Zealands former prime minister Jacinda Ardern gives one final speech before quitting parliament for good. Ms Ardern stepped down as New Zealands leader earlier this year, in a surprise decision that brought ally Chris Hipkins to power as head of the centre-left Labour Party. The former prime minister, who guided New Zealand through the Covid pandemic, has already said she will not miss the weight of being the prime minister as she takes up the unpaid role of leading the countrys efforts against violent online extremism. She will serve as a special envoy for the Christchurch Call, a global initiative she founded in 2019 along with French president Emmanuel Macron to bring together countries and technology companies to combat online extremism. Click here to sign up for our newsletters. 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 }} Watch as Emmanuel Macron arrives at Beijing airport for a state visit to China. The French president touches down on Wednesday 5 April alongside European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen for a three-day trip that will see them meet with Chinese president Xi Jinping. Discussions about Russias war in Ukraine are expected to be high on the agenda. China is the only country in the world capable of having an immediate and radical impact on the conflict, in one direction or the other, an official from Mr Macrons office said ahead of the visit. Beijing claims to hold a neutral stance on the war, but has previously stressed its no-limits friendship with Russia. Mr Xi last month met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow and a top French official acknowledged that Paris isnt expecting to see a major shift in Chinas position. Click here to sign up for our newsletters. 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 }} Russias President Vladimir Putin will not be happy with Finland becoming the 31st member of Nato. The date is significant 4 April which marks the anniversary of the signing of the Nato treaty 74 years ago. Yet Putin has only himself to blame for this most significant enlargement of the Western alliance in some time. Before Putin invaded Ukraine last year, barely 30 per cent of Finns wanted their country to join Nato. Finland was largely comfortable with the dense network of security partnerships that it had devised since the end of the Cold War: close cooperation with Nato, participation in the EUs common security and defence policy and military integration with its neighbour, Sweden, and the other Nordic partners. Yet overnight public support for joining Nato shot up to around 80 per cent, and has stayed there ever since. Nato membership did not feature as an issue in last weekends Finnish elections despite the broad spectrum of parties participating. So, what has changed? Essentially two things. First, Finnish security policy since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 has rested on the assumption that Russia would accept the borders and new system of states that emerged from that collapse. Yet in annexing Crimea in 2014, and now seeking to annex more areas of Ukraines territory, Putin has made clear that all borders that are once part of the Czarist or Soviet system are open to revision. This has profoundly unsettled the Finns, who believed that they had a predictable if delicate relationship with Moscow. Second, Putins invasion of Georgia in 2008, as well as supporting separatists in eastern Ukraine in 2014 and this current war, have shown Finns that close partnership with Nato does not provide an immediate Nato response or protection. Only full membership and the obligation of collective defence under Article 5 of the Nato treaty can do that. The EU has a solidarity clause, and is stepping up its cooperation on defence issues. Yet only Nato has the forward deployed troops, command structures and reinforcement plans to actually implement collective defence. As Finland suddenly needed to upgrade its defence, Nato was the only credible option. Finlands membership of Nato will benefit both sides. Nato will gain a capable military actor with seven armoured brigades, one of the best reserve forces in the alliance and modern weapons such as artillery, Leopard 2A6 tanks and soon US F35 fighter aircraft. With a border with Russia, the Finns never stopped taking their collective defence seriously even when the rest of Europe was reaping the peace dividend after the Cold War. Of course, the sudden doubling of Natos borders with Russia as Finland takes its seat in the North Atlantic Council will give Nato a considerable extra security burden. Yet Putin knows that even if he has threatened unspecified retaliation measures against Helsinki, taking thousands of troops away from Ukraine to put them on the Finnish border will not help him to prevail against Kyiv. Moreover, Finland is not seeking to station large numbers of Nato troops on its territory at the moment, which would give Putin reason to act. Finland joining Nato will be a bittersweet occasion for both Nato and Helsinki, given that both were hoping that Sweden would join at the same time. Turkey and Hungary are still holding up the parliamentary ratification of Swedish membership. Yet Finlands membership is probably of greater immediate strategic importance to Nato, given that it will give the allies greater access to the Baltic Sea and capacity to reinforce the Baltic States and Poland. Turkey will also move on Sweden after the Turkish elections on 14 May so that Stockholm can be hopeful of joining Nato at its next summit in Vilnius in July. At least for the time being, Stockholm will be comfortably sandwiched between Nato member states. Jamie Shea is an associate fellow in the International Security Programme at Chatham House. He is a former Nato official and now professor of strategy and security at the University of Exeter 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 }} Still bruised from a gruelling battle over pension reform, Frances president Emmanuel Macron has arrived in China to assume the role of international statesman, something probably far more to his liking than the one of unpopular leader of a country on edge. The top aim for Macron and the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, during their three-day visit is to get president Xi Jinping to pressure Vladimir Putin to end or scale back ambitions for his 13-month invasion of Ukraine. The pair may end up playing the roles of good cop and bad cop with Von der Leyen very much the latter. The European Commission president has been vocal in support for Nato and has had strong words for Beijing. In a speech late last month, she said Europe needs to be bolder on China because Beijing has become more repressive at home and more assertive abroad. Von der Leyen also laid out a number of issues including accusations of human rights violations and bullying of other Asian nations. She concluded that Beijing had abandoned reform and openness in favour of control and security. As for Macron, he could do with being able to celebrate some trade deals given his domestic political troubles. He arrived alongside dozens of French and European corporate envoys. He and Von der Leyen will also dangle the prospect of improved trade and a proposed Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) between China and the EU that has been on the back burner for a decade. China, with its close relationship with Russia, which has been reaffirmed in recent days, can play a major role, Macron told a group of French citizens living in China on Wednesday. We must not disassociate ourselves, separate ourselves from China. Getting China to alter its stance on Putins war against Ukraine will be a challenge. France and other Western nations are backing Kyiv with weapons, cash and crucial diplomatic support. China has been giving Moscow diplomatic backing and limited equipment, and the US believes its considering sending significant arms. Macron has said Europe will not accept that. But France sees China as perhaps the only nation in the world with enough leverage over Russia to convince Putin to scale back his war ambitions. The business and economic dimensions of the trip are meant in part to sweeten the bitter diplomatic and geopolitical pill. There are two main goals for this trip: convey that it will be in Xis interests to push Putin for a peace deal that will be acceptable to Ukraine, and to repair diplomatic and trade relations between China and the EU after something of a chill, Mujtaba Rahman, senior Europe analyst at the Eurasia Group political consultancy, said. Macron reportedly consulted with US president Joe Biden before the trip, while Von der Leyen conferred with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. Few believe that Macron can succeed in convincing China to turn away from Russia. Though the French president fashions himself a world leader, he has had few diplomatic successes outside of Europe. During his six years in office, he failed to persuade Putin from launching the Ukraine invasion (although obviously wasnt the only one), failed to salvage the Iranian nuclear deal, failed to reset Frances image in Africa, and failed to prevent the US and UK from getting Australia to rip up a deal with Paris over submarines. However, the appearance of Von der Leyen on the trip will be heartening to both those in the EU that disagree with Frances approach, and the USs. Experts warn that Xi also may see the trip as a chance to work towards achieving a long-standing goal of driving a wedge between the EU and the US. Xi, who visited Moscow last month in a state visit loaded with pomp and ceremony, has already presented a Ukraine peace plan that has had a lukewarm response from both Moscow and Kyiv and a downright hostile one from Washington. Any peace plan which would in effect consolidate Russian annexations is simply not a viable plan, Von der Leyen said in a speech late last month. How China continues to interact with Putins war will be a determining factor for EU-China relations going forward. Macron last visited China in late 2019, just before the Covid-19 pandemic erupted. In the intervening years, major East-West rifts have emerged over security in Asian seas, the future status of Taiwan, and human rights abuses in Chinas Xinjiang province and Hong Kong. Both the West and China now fear a new global cold war is shaping up, pitting a United States-led series of partnerships (that includes European and some Asian nations) against an axis led by Beijing and Moscow (that includes Iran and Belarus). But France, Germany and the rest of Europe are loath to view the rivalry with China quite as starkly as the US. There remain strong economic ties and interdependencies. China is Europes largest source of imports and third-largest export market, with trade in 2022 totalling nearly $850bn. The Macron and Von der Leyen visit follows recent trips to Beijing by the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, the European Council president, Charles Michel, and Spains prime minister Pedro Sanchez. I dont think the Europeans and the French want to participate in the US-China rivalry, says Rahman. They are more cautious. The European approach is more nuanced. They dont want to cast the relationship in the same way as the Americans. Unlike the US or UK, France has also suggested that Putins Russia will have a major role in European affairs even after the war with Ukraine, and has hinted that Kyivs goal of regaining control of all of its territories is likely unfeasible. That could win the French president a warmer reception in Beijing when Macron and Xi are to begin meetings in earnest on Thursday. Macron also has a track record of rallying European nations toward security, as well as financial and diplomatic arrangements independent of the US. This gives him a bit more leverage with the Chinese, says Rahman. This might help him edge Xi a little closer to the Western position. Analysts have also speculated that Beijing will dangle the prospect of taming Russia and ending the war in Ukraine in order to secure trade deals and favourable diplomatic conditions with little intention of following through. China is growing increasingly adept at pushing its own narratives and throwing its diplomatic weight around. Taking aim at that tough talk from Von der Leyen late last month, the state-run Chinese nationalist mouthpiece Global Times said this week that Europe would suffer from any attempt to cut economic ties with Beijing. The EU is in a difficult struggle as it is under great pressure from the US to adjust its economic relations with China. China and EU decoupling will only serve US interests, but make both China and Europe suffer, it said. But China could overplay its hand. Sending Putin significant military aid for use against Ukraine would likely push France and the EU further into the American camp. Beyond Ukraine, military action or invasion of Taiwan will also be a red line. China is reportedly enraged by the visit of Taiwan president, Tsai Ing-wen, to the US, where there was due to be a meeting with House speaker Kevin McCarthy in California on Wednesday. In front of the cameras, Macron, Von der Leyen and Xi and a range of other Chinese officials will be all smiles. Behind the scenes, more tense discussions are anticipated. We will never be shy in raising... deeply concerning issues, according to Von der Leyen. Italys former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has been admitted to intensive care with heart problems and shortness of breath, according to media reports. He is in a stable condition at a hospital in San Raffaele, Milan where is being treated for pulmonary and cardiovascular problems, Corriere Della Sera reported. The 86-year-old media tycoon attended the same hospital last week for treatment, according to news agency Ansa. Close Related: 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 }} Ukrainian troops have taken up positions on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson, a US think-tank has said. Citing Russian military bloggers embedded with Moscows forces, the Institute for the Study of War said Ukraine had established positions on the eastern bank, though it was not clear at what scale or with what intentions. The Russian-installed head of Ukraines southern region denied the report. There is no enemy foothold on the left (eastern) bank of the Dnipro river ... our military completely controls that territory, Vladimir Saldo wrote on his Telegram channel. It comes as Russia has said their Black Sea Fleet repelled a drone attack on the Crimean port of Sevastopol in the early hours of Monday. According to the latest information: one surface drone was destroyed ... the second one exploded on its own, Moscow-installed governor Mikhail Razvozhaev wrote on the Telegram messaging app. Now the city is quiet. No damage was reported, Mr Razvozhaev added. Sevastopol, along with the rest of the Crimean peninsula, was declared annexed by Russia in 2014 but is internationally recognised as part of 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 }} Israels police chief is facing calls to be sacked after he was heard saying Arabs in the country have murderous nature in a leaked recording. Israeli police commissioner Kobi Shabtai allegedly made the racist remark in a private meeting with far-right national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir last week. During the meeting, Mr Ben Gvir was seeking to understand the record-high crime rates in Arab communities of the country and said they need a strong national guard to combat the issue. One murder after another. It has crossed every line. We need a strong national guard, Mr Ben Gvir was quoted as saying in the transcript of their leaked conversation by Channel 12 on Tuesday. The police chief responded: Mr minister, there is nothing that can be done. They kill each other. That is their nature. That is the mentality of the Arabs. The leaked conversation comes amid a growing dispute between the two after Israeli governments approval to form a national guard which would operate under Mr Ben Gvirs ministry. However, opponents, including the police chief and opposition party leaders, have warned against it, saying it will function as a "private militia" of Mr Ben Gvir, leader of the far-right Jewish Power party. The controversial leader who was given the national security ministers portfolio in Benjamin Netanyahus cabinet was convicted in 2007 of racist incitement against Arabs and backing a group considered by Israel and the US to be a terrorist organisation. File Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir arrives for a cabinet meeting (EPA) He has been charged more than 50 times on allegations of incitement to violence or hate speech. The police chiefs office said the remarks were taken out of context from a private conversation and expressed shock that the conversation was leaked. However, the statement did not seek to retract or apologise for Mr Shabtais comments. "The police are shocked that the minister and his office are recording personal conversations between the minister and the chief, and are outraged that things were taken out of context in a conversation that dealt with behavior patterns in Arab society that does not reveal the identity of the murderers even when it is known to the relatives of the victims, the statement said. This conduct calls into question the ability of the police to report to the minister without fearing the disclosure of sources and the distortion of the conversations," said the police. Israeli security forces remove Palestinian Muslim worshippers sitting on the grounds of the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem (AFP via Getty Images) The comments have sparked outrage, with opposition party members calling for Mr Shabtais resignation. Ayman Odeh, chair of the Joint List party, said: The number of Palestinians killed in [criminal incidents in] Israel is seven times higher than the number of Palestinians killed [in criminal incidents] in the West Bank, Gaza and Jordan. This is not the nature of the Palestinians, it is the nature of the racist establishment, he said, adding that racist commissioner like Shabtai should be sacked. Mansour Abbas, deputy speaker of the Knesset and chair of the United Arab List, said the commissioner should apologise and retract his obscene remarks about Arab society and the prime minister should condemn the remarks. I expect the police commissioner to retract his obscene remarks about Arab society and apologize to the Arab public or resign from his position, he said. Lawmaker Waleed Alhwashla of the United Arab List said Mr Shabtai is descending into the abyss of racism and prejudice, and this is without regard to the fact that the statement, in itself, is a form of embezzlement. The controversial comments against Palestinians come amid a wave of rising violence in the country between Israeli police force and Palestinian youths, sparking confrontation with Gaza militants. Israeli police stormed into the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalems Old City early Wednesday as Muslims marked holiday month of Ramadan and Jews prepared to begin the Passover festival. Around 14 people were injured after police fired stun grenades and rubber bullets following a pre-dawn raid. The clashes prompted Hamas to fire nine rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel, setting of alert sirens near Sderot. 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 }} US President Joe Biden has warned of the potential dangers that artificial intelligence poses to society, urging tech companies to ensure their AI products are safe before releasing them to the public Speaking to science and technology advisers on Tuesday, President Biden said that AI could help in addressing disease and climate change, but it was also important to address potential risks to society, national security and the economy. Tech companies have a responsibility, in my view, to make sure their products are safe before making them public, he said at the start of a meeting of the Presidents Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). When asked if AI was dangerous, he said, It remains to be seen. It could be. The US president said social media had already illustrated the harm that powerful technologies can do without the right safeguards. Absent safeguards, we see the impact on the mental health and self-images and feelings and hopelessness, especially among young people, he said. Recommended Tech chiefs call on scientists to pause development of AI systems He reiterated a call for Congress to pass bipartisan privacy legislation to put limits on personal data that technology companies collect, ban advertising targeted at children, and to prioritize health and safety in product development. Shares of companies that employ AI dropped sharply before President Bidens meeting, although the broader market was also selling off on Tuesday. Shares of AI software company C3.ai were down 24 per cent, more than halving a four-session winning streak of nearly 40 per cent through Monday. Thailand security firm Guardforce AI fell 29 per cent, data analytics firm BigBear.ai was down 16 per cent and conversation intelligence company SoundHound AI was down 13 per cent late on Tuesday. AI is becoming an increasingly contentious topic among regulators and policy makers. The tech ethics group Center for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Policy has asked the US Federal Trade Commission to stop OpenAI from issuing new commercial releases of GPT-4, which has wowed and appalled users with its human-like abilities to generate written responses to requests. Democratic US Senator Chris Murphy has urged society to pause as it considers the ramifications of AI. Last year the Biden administration released a blueprint Bill of Rights to help ensure users rights are protected as technology companies design and develop AI systems. In Europe, Italy has already blocked OpenAIs ChatGPT due to privacy concerns, while Germany is also reportedly considering a ban of the AI chatbot. In principle, such action is also possible in Germany, the countrys data protection chief told the Handelsblatt newspaper this week. Additional reporting from agencies. 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 }} Virgin Media has been hit by a host of frustrated users, complaints and threats to leave after two major outages. The internet company was forced to apologise twice after outages on Tuesday. Connections went offline at 2am, before being resolved; they then broke again on Tuesday afternoon. Unfortunately we have seen a repeat of an earlier issue which is causing intermittent broadband connectivity problems for some Virgin Media customers, the company said at the time. We apologise again to those impacted, our teams are continuing to work flat out to find the root cause of the problem and fix it. By Tuesday evening, service was restored to users and the company said it was monitoring for any more issues. But that outage had already led to a flurry of complaints from users, many of whom suggested they would be leaving for alternative internet providers. Customers complained not only about the break in their internet connections but about frustration with the customer service they had received, too. However, the issue did not last for long enough for customers to be issued with automatic compensation. Virgin Media is one of a number of internet companies signed up to Ofcoms automatic compensation scheme, having joined along with most other major providers in 2019. That scheme aims to make it easier for people to receive refunds for outages, without them having to chase customer service or explicitly ask for it. However, it only begins when the internet has stopped working and is not fully fixed after two full working days. There was less than a delay between even the first outage and the conclusion of the second, meaning that the latest problems were a long way from triggering that scheme. The Ofcom scheme also allows for automatic compensation in cases where an engineer misses an appointment or there is a delay in the start of a new service. Full details can be found on the regulators website. Companies can of course choose to offer refunds or other kinds of compensation whenever they want. But there is no indication that Virgin Media is planning to do so. 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 }} An Australian woman who has lived in Bali for more than two decades has reportedly been deported after arguing with police. Martia Daniell was riding a scooter on a busy road in North Kuta when she was pulled over by an officer for not wearing a helmet, reports Mail Online. The penalty for this offence is a 250,000 rupiah, or around 13.50. Her heated exchange with the police was captured on video and has since gone viral on social media. She can be seen gesturing to the officer and telling him that its not her fault, to which the officer calmly replies: We have rules. She responds: Ive lived here for 23 years. Ms Daniell explains that her helmet was stolen, and after another officer goes over to chat with her, she attempts to drive off, claiming shes going to purchase a new helmet. The footage has been viewed almost two million times at the time of writing. Ms Daniell was deported from Indonesia once the video started circulating online, reports Daily Mail Australia. One Twitter user said that the police officer should get a badge of honour for his calmness, while another wrote No helmet, no respect, no brain. Only last month, Bali announced plans to crack down on troublesome tourists, with reports suggesting billboards will be installed where local rules and customs are often flouted, such as Kuta, Seminyak, Legian, Canggu, Ubud, Sanur, Nusa Dua, and Uluwatu. Ida Bagus Agung Partha Adnyana, chair of the Bali Tourism, told The Bali Sun: The point is that tourists respect Balinese cultural customs by dressing well and neatly, following in an orderly manner, carrying out traffic activities and not doing things that are outside the provisions. A new motorbike ban for tourists has also been proposed due to traffic laws being repeatedly flouted. More than 171 international visitors to the Indonesian island broke traffic laws across February and March this year. Under the new plans, foreign nationals will have to use rental cars as their main mode of transport instead. The Governor of Bali, Wayan Koster, said during a press conference on 12 March: Borrowing or renting motorbikes is no longer allowed. If you are a tourist, then act like a tourist. Foreign nationals are regularly seen riding motorbikes without helmets or clothes, and violating traffic rules, Mr Koster claimed. A new photograph of King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, taken last month in the Blue Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace, has been released. Alongside the image, the palace has also shared the invitation for the Kings coronation, which will be issued in due course to over 2,000 guests who will form the congregation in Westminster Abbey. Charles is due to be crowned on 6 May alongside his wife Camilla, who will be using the title of Queen instead of Queen Consort at the ceremony. Click here to sign up for our newsletters. Aerial footage shows the barge docked off the Dorset coast that is being leased to house around 500 asylum seekers. The Home Office confirmed the plan to house migrants for at least 18 months despite legal threats made by local Tories. Basic and functional accommodation will be provided on the three-storey Bibby Stockholm along with 24/7 security. Tory-run Dorset Council and local Conservative MP Richard Drax are considering launching legal action to prevent the barge being docked near the seaside resort of Weymouth. Human rights organisations criticised the cruelty of confining hundreds of vulnerable people on a barge. Sign up for our newsletters. Leo Varadkar says it will be a "privilege" to welcome Joe Biden "home" to Ireland on his upcoming visit. Biden will travel to the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland next week, the White House has announced. Varadkar said Biden has "confidence" in Ireland's future, and spoke of the ties between the countries. "He's frequently spoken about his ancestors that left County Louth and County Mayo for the US in search of a better life ... there will be something particularly special in welcoming him home as president of the US." Sign up for our newsletters. The White House has confirmed that Joe Biden will visit both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in April. Biden will first travel to Belfast to mark the "tremendous progress" made over the past 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement. The US president will then travel to Dublin, along with County Louth, and County Mayo for various engagements during his stay. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed the visit will last from 11 April to 14, and he will "deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people." Sign up for our newsletters. Emmanuel Macron arrived at Beijing airport on Wednesday 5 April to begin his state visit to China. The French president touched down ahead of meetings with Chinese president Xi Jinping, where discussions about Russias war in Ukraine are expected to be high on the agenda. China is the only country in the world capable of having an immediate and radical impact on the conflict, in one direction or the other, an official from Mr Macrons office said ahead of the visit. Beijing claims to hold a neutral stance on the war, but has previously stressed its no-limits friendship with Russia. Click here to sign up for our newsletters. Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Poland for a rare trip outside of Ukraine in a gesture of gratitude for support in the war. The Ukrainian president and his wife were welcomed to their neighbour country with military honours at the start of their state visit. It shines a light on the rising international role Poland is playing in a new security order emerging following Russia's invasion. Unlike Zelensky's previous international visits, this visit stands out as it is the first one since the beginning of the war to be announced in advance. Sign up for our newsletters. 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 }} As Keir Starmer passes his third anniversary as Labour leader, some allies shy away from comparing his position to Tony Blairs commanding one before the 1997 election, knowing that Starmer has not yet sealed the deal with voters. They prefer a comparison to another Labour leader, Harold Wilson, ahead of the first of his four election victories in 1964. Wilson is the Labour leader Starmer cites when asked to name his favourite (he cant say Tony Blair because strangely it still offends some in his party to praise someone who won three elections). Wilson and Starmer have quite a lot in common. Both were grammar school boys from lower middle-class families. Both hailed from the Labour left, but led the party to the right as they managed its perennial divisions. Starmer has studied very closely the revealing biography of Wilson, The Winner by Nick Thomas-Symonds, the shadow international trade secretary. The author sees parallels between Wilsons inheritance in 1964 after 13 wasted years of Tory rule and the even worse economic position, with public services under huge pressure, he believes Starmer would face on entering Downing Street in 2024. Starmer has a lot to learn from Wilson. His famous white heat of technology speech in 1963 encapsulated Labours bold, forward-looking offer for a new era. Starmer has yet to find such an overarching theme, having tried 12 slogans at the last count from another future is possible in 2020 to build a better Britain recently. Perhaps the right one is staring Starmer in the face. With the government refusing to compete with Joe Bidens massive subsidies for green industries, Labour has pledged to spend 28bn a year on a green prosperity plan. We can transpose white heat to green heat, I suppose, Thomas-Symonds told a debate on the lessons to be learnt from Wilson staged last night by the Labour think tank Progressive Britain. Starmer should take Thomas-Symonds advice. A green jobs revolution is one policy the Tories cant convincingly steal from Labour, having filched its childcare and back-to-work plans. Jeremy Hunts decision on Bidens blitz last week was to put off a decision until the autumn. Yet Labour is not getting much bang for its huge number of bucks. Theres a fierce debate inside the shadow cabinet about whether the 28bn-a-year pledge should be sacrosanct or subject to the shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves tight fiscal rules. To be different to the Tories, Starmer should keep it and trumpet it. Glen OHara, professor of history at Oxford Brookes University, told the same event Starmer needed to do three things: find a short, snappy elevator pitch to voters; outline a vision for the future like Wilsons white heat, and show more passion. He saw another echo of 1964, Starmer must wrestle power from a Tory government with a big majority, and so could find himself with a small majority or even heading a minority government. Only one of Wilsons four victories was a big one a majority of 98 in 1966. I think Starmer should also adopt another Wilson mantra. He told Labours 1962 conference: This party is a moral crusade, or it is nothing. Starmer declines to condemn the governments plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda as immoral and wrong. Im told he came under pressure to do so at a meeting of Labours national executive committee last week, but he insists on attacking it as not practical. With some Labour figures thinking that an international crisis could be Starmers first big challenge given our uncertain world, he could take another leaf out of Wilsons book. Wilson rebuffed intense pressure from US president Lyndon B Johnson to send even a single UK battalion to join American troops in Vietnam. It was the polar opposite of Blairs promise to George Bush to be there a year before the US invaded Iraq. Starmer allies insist the three-stage strategy he decided three years ago is on track: reform the Labour Party after the Corbyn era; expose the governments failings (a task unexpectedly aided by the Tories) and then set out Labours positive alternative. Wilson and Blair along with Clement Attlee, the only Labour leaders to win an election both offered a successful mix of reassurance and change. Starmer has done well on reassuring those voters with doubts about Labour whether on the economy, patriotism, defence or immigration. But now he needs to press the change button. Wilsons experience proves that time for change is a powerful election weapon but only if the party wins positive support for its vision for the future. Three years on, its time for Starmer to answer the change to what? question. 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 }} Republicans met former president Donald Trumps formal indictment and arraignment with sound and fury on Tuesday. Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene and George Santos came to show their support for the former president, much to the chagrin of overwhelmingly liberal Manhattan. Similarly, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan criticised the first indictment of a former president who has politically benefited from them. Conspicuously absent from all the noise was one voice: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. One might be tempted to say that Mr McConnell could use the alibi that he has been recovering ever since he broke a rib and suffered a minor concussion. But Mr McConnell made time to welcome Finland to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. An old-school establishment Republican, Mr McConnell has been more than willing to support Ukraine in its efforts to defend itself from Russia and believes more in the post-war international order than many younger Republican Senators and surely more than House Republicans. Longtime McConnell watchers know that what he doesnt say matters just as much, if not more, than what he says. And Mr McConnell clearly sees any mention of the former president as a losing game. At the moment, Mr McConnell has one pressing priority: making sure Republicans take back the Senate and he clearly sees Mr Trump as a stumbling block to that goal. In December, he told friend of the newsletter Sahil Kapur at NBC News that Mr Trump cost Republicans with independent and swing voters. Mr McConnell knows Mr Trump has cost him seats in the past. After the 2020 presidential election, Mr Trump chose to stew over conspiracies that he had the election stolen from him rather than focus on defending two Senate seats in Georgia. The Senate candidates Mr Trump endorsed in Pennsylvania, Arizona and Georgia all lost their races last year, leading to Republicans losing a Senate seat despite President Joe Bidens unpopularity. His decision to announce his candidacy for president a week after the 2022 midterm election sucked out even more energy from Herschel Walkers runoff race against Senator Raphael Warnock in Georgia in an eminently winnable race. Now, with a 51-49 split in the Senate, Mr McConnell only needs to flip two seats. All of the circumstances should point to a good year for Republicans. A new Fox News poll shows 56 per cent of voters disapprove of President Joe Biden, and an all-time low of 41 per cent of suburban women disapprove of him. Democrats will be defending Senate seats in three states Mr Trump won twice (Ohio, Montana and West Virginia); four in states he won in 2016 (Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Arizona); and one in the perpetually swing state of Nevada. Indeed, if a rematch between Mr Biden and Mr Trump were to lead to both candidates winning the same states with Senate races they won in 2020, Democrats would still lose three Senate seats and end up in the minority. So far, Democrats have gotten a lucky break with Senators Jon Tester of Montana and Sherrod Brown of Ohio announcing their re-election in red states, but they still face uphill battles. Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada announced her re-election campaign for next year in a state that re-elected Catherine Cortez Masto last year but elected a Republican governor. Mr Trumps return to the national stage and the headache of defending a presidential candidate who is under multiple investigations would not help Republicans win these states. Indeed, the only state where Mr Trump being on top of the ticket would be in West Virginia, as it would likely knock off Senator Joe Manchin, who has yet to announce whether he will seek re-election. There is also the fact Mr McConnell still has not forgiven Mr Trump for inciting the January 6 riot that threatened Mr McConnells life and that of his colleagues. When Fox News host Tucker Carlson showed footage of the riot that depicted those who broke into the Capitol not as violent insurrectionists but as tourists, he said enraged it was a mistake in my view for Fox News to depict this in a way that is completely at variance with what our chief law enforcement official at the Capitol thinks. But as I wrote earlier this week, Mr McConnell cant wipe off the Trump stain from his clothes given that he did not vote to convict Mr Trump, essentially allowing him to still be a prominent figure within the GOP who can still seek the presidency. In addition, Mr McConnell facilitated perhaps the most enduring part of Mr Trumps legacy: the reshaping of the federal judiciary, including the 6-3 conservative majority on the Supreme Court. The latter part of the legacy led to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v Wade, which has had cataclysmic consequences for Republicans not just in Senate races but in local races such as Wisconsins Supreme Court race and gubernatorial campaigns. As a result, no amount of silence from the usually politically deft Mr McConnell can allow him to avoid the political hits his party would take by having Mr Trump at the top of the ticket. A murder investigation has been launched after a young woman was found dead following an assault at a home in Limerick. The fatal assault took place at 1.30pm on Tuesday at a property on Dock Road in the city. The woman, aged in her 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem was completed by State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan on Wednesday afternoon, the results of which are not being disclosed. An incident room has been established at Henry Street Garda Station and a family liaison officer has been appointed and will keep the family informed of the investigation. The Garda Technical Bureau is continuing with its examination of the scene. Gardai are appealing to anyone who has information to help their investigation to contact them. They are appealing to anyone who has camera footage from the Dock Road and OCurry Street areas of Limerick City between 1pm and 2pm to contact them. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Henry Street Garda Station on 061 212 400, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station. I am one of the cohort called forgotten farmers, and missed out on all Young Farmer Scheme payments. This amounted to roughly 2,000 a year, which some people might feel is not a huge amount of money, but remains a sore point for any young person entering into a new farm business. Ive been following the progress or lack of progress in regard to a redress scheme for forgotten farmers closely over the years. Under former Agriculture Minister Michael Creed, there was the admission that roughly 4,000 old young farmers existed. Those who were under 40 but missed out on payments. But most importantly there was no guarantee of a redress scheme. However, current Minister Charlie McConalogue has been strident from the get-go about his commitment to provide some form of redress scheme. It was leaked to the media that the scheme involved a 5,000 lump sum payout and enhanced access to certain TAMS measures. The Farming Independent reported back in November that the scheme criteria would be for those who: Did not benefit from installation aid; Were aged no more than 40 in 2015; Had the required Level 6 qualification by 2015; Had submitted a BPS application in 2015; Did not benefit previously under the national reserve in BPS or SPS under any category; Had set up as head of an agricultural holding before 2008. You might ask, Why should the government and the Minister worry themselves with a farm scheme for just 4,000 farmers? But the latest CSO statistics show that just 16,498 farmers are aged 35-44. This same category had 26pc more farmers in 1990. However, the number of farm holders under 35 has remained relatively static. There are many possible reasons for the higher drop-off in the higher age category. But the most glaringly obvious one is that when those farmers were given the opportunity to take on the family farm, they did not have access to Young Farmer supports. A couple of them, myself included, ploughed on and took on a farm with zero expectation of receiving any payments. Would the age demographic of farmers be different if Young Farmer payments had been available after the repercussions of the economic crash? Well never know for sure, but it is clear that the age demographic of farmers is rising. If any government is truly committed to supporting young farmers, they need to start by restoring faith in the young farmer community and showing they are capable of putting their money where their mouth is. I dont underestimate the issues involved in creating a fair redress scheme. I have been contacted by many forgotten farmers over the years and everyones circumstances are slightly different. For the record, Im under the 35-year-old age bracket, did not set up a farm holding before 2008 and did not have the Green Cert until 2016. So if the leaked details of the much-hyped scheme are true, I wont qualify for the scheme. If I am the only person who doesnt qualify then thats fine, but my suspicion is that a vast majority of other forgotten farmers will fall through the cracks in the red tape and there is nothing worse than an announcement that sounds like the hiss of a deflating balloon. The other issue is tax. Giving any farmer a lump sum of 5,000 on top of farm payments and their other farm earnings is going to create a headache that comes with an additional accountants fee in balancing the end-of-year tax bill. The fairest thing to do would be to create a set of criteria that allows forgotten farmers to apply for this years Young Farmers Scheme. I would happily accept being the only forgotten farmer to fail to meet the criteria if it meant that the other 3,999 farmers got through. Over the years, they have been tireless in trying to get governments and farm organisations to listen to their pleas, and most of the time theyve been met with a slammed door in the face. In December, Minister McConalogue had this to say to Sinn Fein agriculture spokesperson Matt Carthy: What is clear is the commitment from me to deliver on the promise I made to the forgotten farmers of Ireland, which was that if I got into government I would deliver on this. That is why I went into government to make differences such as this. Some 4,000 farmers stand by to judge that promise. Hannah Quinn-Mulligan is a journalist and an organic beef and dairy farmer; templeroedairy.ie Dairy sits alongside whiskey, tourism, arts and media as sectors reaping the rewards of an all-Ireland economy after the Good Friday Agreement. And Chestnutt Farm in Portrush is among the dairy producers benefiting from open trade across the island, supplying most of its milk to Green Pastures in Donegal. About a third of Northern Irelands milk output around 800 million litres is now exported to the Republic of Ireland, according to a report published by business group Ibec earlier this year. William Chestnutt, a fourth-generation dairy farmer, said: The dairy industry in Northern Ireland and the south of Ireland really took off over the last 20 years and the ability to supply outside of Northern Ireland has been crucial. Of the milk produced here, 95pc is exported out of Northern Ireland because we produce such a large volume of milk but have such a small population. The Dairy Council for Northern Ireland highlighted the impact of the Agreement in opening up an all-island dairy value chain delivering economic benefits to the industry in Northern Ireland, benefiting dairy farmers, processors and wider rural communities. Dr Mike Johnston, chief executive of the Dairy Council, said: The implementation of the Agreement made possible the free movement of milk with around one third of the milk produced in Northern Ireland now going south of the border annually to be processed, bringing economies of scale that contribute to an industry with an annual value approaching 1.5bn in Northern Ireland. The growth of the industry to become an economic driver for Northern Ireland is unparalleled; with economic efficiencies come the setting of high standards and environmentally efficient processes which have led to a global demand for our products. The combination of the GFA and the common EU standards that apply throughout the island have allowed investment to take place that has improved efficiency and maximised return on investment, all of which has benefited dairy farmers, their families and local communities in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. As anyone who worked in the industry before and after the implementation of the Agreement will attest, dairy is an outstanding example of the positive outworking of the GFA. William has worked on his family farm since he was a child, but joined the business full time in 2010 and completing his agriculture degree at Newcastle University and spending 10 months working and travelling in Australia and New Zealand. Chestnutts Farm is dairy-focused with a few head of beef cattle and some crops grown for the familys own use. We milk 250 cows on 350 acres, some our own and some rented, he said. There would be maybe 500 head of livestock altogether including dairy replacements and calves. Expand Close William Chestnutt on his 250 strong dairy farm on the Ballybogey Road outside Portrush (Credit: Martin McKeown) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp William Chestnutt on his 250 strong dairy farm on the Ballybogey Road outside Portrush (Credit: Martin McKeown) William farms alongside his parents, one full-time member of staff and two part-time relief milkers. A dairy farm will typically supply one processor, which sends out its own tankers to collect supply. Chestnutts Farm supplied its produce through the Milk Marketing Board up until it was disbanded around 1995, and then partnered with LacPatrick Dairies in Artigarvan, Co Tyrone. A series of mergers and acquisitions followed with LacPatrick eventually joining the Lakeland Dairies co-op in the Republic of Ireland. Then, four years ago, we started supplying a family-owned creamery in Donegal called Green Pastures, said William. I didnt like the way the co-op structure was set up and didnt feel the farmers in Northern Ireland had much say in it. The way the Green Pastures payment system works, it incentivises autumn and winter production as in Donegal they would have quite a few spring calving herds. The bonus payments suited our system, as we were going down the autumn calving route and having the majority of our cows in September and October. Green Pastures collects milk from the farm, which produces an annual 2.2 million 2.3 million litres, every other day. At peak production, we could be up as high as 16,000 litres every two days and then whenever were at our lowest point of production, which would be in August and September, we would be down as low as 6,000 litres, he said. Green Pastures main markets, meanwhile, are liquid milk for Dunnes Stores supermarkets in the Republic of Ireland and cream cheese and creme fraiche for the foodservice industry. Not all milk produced on Chestnutts Farm is destined for Donegal, with the family introducing the first on-farm vending machine on the island of Ireland, The Milk Hut, back in 2020. Expand Close Chestnutt Farms have recently incorporated a milk vending machine business and a recent expansion into the production of Greek style yoghurt (Credit: Martin McKeown) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Chestnutt Farms have recently incorporated a milk vending machine business and a recent expansion into the production of Greek style yoghurt (Credit: Martin McKeown) We initially looked at that partly because of our location, said William. In Portrush theres a large community of caravans and tourism on the North Coast and not just in the summertime, as we have the Giants Causeway and Bushmills Distillery which are year-round attractions. Also, Im really not a fan of the milk in supermarkets and think the way its processed changes its flavour. The vending machine opened up the opportunity to diversify and let other people find out what milk tastes like whenever its not as processed. Three main elements differentiate his milk from standard supermarket produce. We sell only whole milk in the vending machine, he said. The type of pasteurisation we use is called batch pasteurisation, which is not what most big creameries use because they just couldnt get the volume. It suits us because were only selling small volumes. The batch pasteurisation is done at a lower temperature for a longer time, 63 degrees for half an hour, in a stainless-steel pasteuriser. The other difference is milk in a supermarket is homogenised, so they push the cream through at very high pressure to break down the fat globules. Our milk is not homogenised so if you keep it in the fridge, a layer of cream will form at the top. And then the third difference is the standardisation, so whole milk in the supermarket would be 3.6-3.7% fat where our milk tends to not be any less than 4% and just that wee bit creamier. Vending machine sales will range from 30-40 litres on quiet days to upwards of 150-200 litres on high-volume days in the summertime. While a busy working farm, Chestnutts does host prearranged groups through Causeway Coast Foodie Tours and participated in last years Open Farm Weekend. Williams wife Alison also operates a small farm shop stocking its own milk and Greek yoghurt alongside around 35 local brands from Ballylisk cheese to preserves from Dundarave Estate in Bushmills. After 18 months of strong pricing, William said the trend is now going the other way. Because we have such a big reliance on exports, were very susceptible to changes in price in the world market, he said. Recently the market for the main export products that come out of Northern Ireland, the likes of whole milk powder, skimmed milk powder and cream and butter, has crashed and farmgate prices have crashed so were staring down the barrel of a period of very low milk prices. As much as the price of fertiliser has come back, our feed bill hasnt. The next six to nine months are going to be quite difficult and hard to predict. But you have to take the rough with the smooth. Weve had a period of high milk prices and I just hope they return sooner rather than later. Ireland's nitrates derogation needs to be phased out in a fair and orderly way, Social Democrat Leader Holly Cairns has said. With the party riding high in the polls after her election as leader and already dubbed by some political commentators as potential 'kingmakers' after the next election, confirmation of her and her parties position will come as a blow to the IFA. The organisation has been lobbying a host of TDs from across the political spectrum in recent weeks for the retention of the nitrates derogation and a rollback in some of the key measures of the Government's latest Nitrates Action programme. Among the IFA key concerns relates to a stipulation that farm stocking rates will be reduced in parts of the country next year if water quality is not improved. IFA estimates that the profit reduction on impacted farms will be between 6,522 and 18,336 depending on how farmers adapt to the reduced limit of 220kg/N/ha (either by acquiring extra land or reducing cow numbers). Speaking in the wake of her meeting with local IFA members in her Cork constituency where over 2,000 farmers avail of the derogation, Cairns highlighted that Ireland is one of only three countries with the arrangement and said that given increased scrutiny of our water quality, notwithstanding the positive results from the catchments programme, it is likely that the European Commission will not extend the derogation beyond 2025. "The Government should be putting in place plans now to help family farms who may be adversely impacted. "Unless the Minister for Agriculture takes the responsible decision to ensure a fair transition now, he is taking the risk of leading many farmers to a cliff edge come 2025. "Farmers are rightly deeply dissatisfied with constantly changing regulations. The derogation model is inherently volatile and leads to uncertainty in farming communities. "The Government needs to support more sustainable farming models rather than forcing farmers into more intensive methods just to make ends meet. This results in farming communities being blamed for poor government policy and its impact on the environment. Farmers deserve better policy, more engagement and more respect. "I had a very honest and constructive engagement with local IFA representatives recently who conveyed their concerns for family farms. I will be pushing the Minister for Agriculture to have a full, open and candid conversation on this issue," she said. Despite the opposition of the Social Democrats, the IFA campaign has succeeded in getting support from a myriad of other rural TDs. Over the past month, their campaign on the nitrates derogation has been mentioned dozens of times in both the Dail and the Seanad by politicians across a host of parties, including Fine Gael, Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein and a variety of independents. Among the supporters of the IFA campaign was Alan Dillion, a Fine Gael TB from Mayo, who said there are serious concerns among the farming sector about the looming crisis which could occur if the nitrates derogation is not maintained at the current level. "Any reduction of the 250 kg of organic nitrates per hectare rate to 220 kg will have a detrimental impact on the livelihoods of farmers in my constituency in County Mayo and across the country," he said. His comments were echoed by Fianna Fail Senator Timmy Dooley, who described plans for a review of the current Nitrates rules, based on comparing water quality between 2021 and 2022, as 'flawed' because some of the measures coming into place in 2022 and 2023 will have had no chance to improve water quality. He said a proposed lowering of farm stocking rates as a result of the review would have a significant economic impact and could potentially remove between 225 million and 230 million from the rural community and said the existing rules were already increasing the demand for land and leading to significant increases in land prices. Responding to Senator Dooley, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said he acknowledged the concern among many farmers, particularly those who are more highly stocked. "There is a particular concern among medium and small farmers on the impact any change from 250 to 220 would have on them. We had to agree to the mid-term review and to the fact that 250 could be reduced to 220 in certain catchments if water quality was not improving. "I am preparing a case to engage further with the European Commission to see if we can get further flexibility around time to show improvements in water quality. There is no guarantee there will be any change in that. As it stands, the situation is that it could drop to 220 in certain catchments if water trends do not improve," he said. Around 65,000 new residential units are tied up within planning appeals, judicial reviews, and Strategic Housing Developments processes, according to new data from Construction Information Services (CIS), a service that provides information for the sector. People within the construction sector have long identified the slowness and lack of certainty of the planning process as a significant factor in holding back new supply. CIS found around 18,000 new homes are currently subject to planning appeals to An Bord Pleanala having secured permission from local authorities. Approval of around 15,000 units is subject to judicial review and in the courts awaiting a decision, while 32,000 are awaiting an initial decision from An Bord Pleanala (ABP) under whats supposed to be the fast track Strategic Housing Developments (SHD) initiative. The numbers are based on a CIS analysis of over 700 projects on appeal as of March 2023. In total, there are over 18,000 units which are currently on appeal and awaiting a decision. In the case of just over 13,000 of these the appeal decision due date has passed. Dublin has the highest number of residential schemes currently on appeal with 151, followed by Cork with 63 and Wicklow with 31. Meanwhile judicial reviews are legal challenges to decisions made by local authorities or government agencies taken by residents and community groups opposed to developments. As of March 2023, there were 105 judicial reviews relating to large-scale residential development sites in Ireland. Of the 100 or so judicial reviews, 42pc are still ongoing, 5pc were won by An Bord Pleanala, 37pc were lost or conceded by An Bord Pleanala and 16pc withdrawn. The cases won and upheld by An Bord Pleanala equate to 1,200 units while the 16pc of judicial reviews withdrawn equated to 5,100 units and just under 700 student bed spaces. The cases that the Bord lost or conceded equate to just under 13,000 units and just over 1,000 student bed spaces. Meanwhile, the Strategic Housing Development (SHD) process which was set up to accelerate planning for large-scale housing developments still has 91 developments awaiting decisions mostly from last year equal to nearly 32,000 residential units made up of just over 7,000 houses and just under 25,000 apartments. 'The engagement ring business was completely unaffected by the inability to hold a wedding.' Photo: Getty Images Profits continued to sparkle at Dublin jewellery retailer Appleby as it recorded post-tax profits of over 440,000 last year. New accounts for the family-owned retailer, Appleby Jewellers Ltd, show that profits of 441,983 for the 12 months to the end of April last were a 7pc increase on profits of 412,184 during the previous year which covered the early stages of Covid-19. Commenting on the firms business performance, John Appleby, Director at Appleby Jewellers, said the business enjoyed a slight improvement in the sales of engagement rings during the Covid-19 period. Mr Appleby said that the rate of engagement ring business was completely unaffected by the inability to hold a wedding. He said: People were anxious to mark all the positive developments in their lives. If anything, Id say the engagement ring business improved. The business employs 50 people and Mr Appleby said: Overall we were very happy with how the business performed in the fiscal year. Clearly we were heavily impacted by the pandemic, but we recovered well. While, like most retail businesses, we were forced to close during lockdown. It was surprising how our customers were willing to continue to do consultations online. We believe that the pandemic made people even more determined to celebrate important life events. Thus, even when we were closed, we managed to continue to conduct a small level of business. He added: So, while Covid-19 had an absolutely massive impact on the business, it is surprising how resilient a good brand with a strong customer proposition has proven to be. Business bounced back very quickly and continues to be good. The family business was founded in the 1950s and the main activity of the business is the manufacture, sale and repair of fine hand-crafted jewellery. At the end of last April, the companys accumulated profits had increased to 2.6m. The company had shareholder funds of 3.99m and cash funds at the company doubled from 574,992 to 1.15m. The profit last year takes account of non-cash depreciation costs of 98,409 offset by 22,761 received in Government grants. Aggregate remuneration to directors increased by 85pc from 391,655 to 723,459. SSE Renewables is exploring an offshore wind park off the Kerry coast. Photo: Getty Images SSE Renewables is looking into building a large wind farm off the Co. Kerry coast. The sister firm of Irish electricity provider SSE Airtricity said it was seeking an investigative foreshore licence to do survey work for a possible new offshore wind farm, near Tarbert. The new offshore wind project could generate up to 1 gigawatt (or 1,000 megawatts) of renewable energy, SSE estimates. It amounts to one-fifth of the offshore wind power the Government aims to develop by 2030. Our plans to develop an offshore wind project off the coast of Tarbert, Co. Kerry is a natural step forward in our renewables ambitions for Ireland, said Martin Sweeney, SSE Renewables lead project manager. This will be our first project in the Atlantic Ocean. Pursuing development opportunities off the west coast is part of our long-term offshore wind strategy in Ireland. The selection of this site off the coast of Tarbert allows us to leverage SSEs existing energy infrastructure in north Kerry and maximise the use of complementary technologies. Another SSE company, SSE Thermal, currently operates an oil-fired power station in Tarbert, on the Shannon Estuary, but the station is required to close at the end of this year to comply with EU climate rules. SSE Thermal has provisionally secured 10-year agreements for two new sustainable biofuel power stations, one in Tarbert and the other in Co. Meath. It says the plants will provide flexible backup for the Irish renewables sector. It is SSE Renewables first licence application off the west coast of Ireland. The company is also behind the Arklow Bank Wind Park off the coast of Wicklow, the Celtic Sea Array off the south coast and the Setanta Wind Park project, located off the north-east coast, which, combined, have the power to generate up to 4GW of power. Arklow Bank is the countrys most advanced offshore wind farm, with a public consultation on its proposed 36-60 turbines currently underway. SSE Renewables owns 567MW of onshore wind farms across the country, including Irelands largest wind park in Connemara, Co. Galway. The Irish Infrastructure Fund (IIF) has completed the sale of Irish primary care centre developer and operator Valley Healthcare to British investor John Laing. The State-backed fund was first established by Irish Life Investment Managers in 2011 and is now managed by London-based InfraBridge. In 2011, IIF received a 250m cornerstone minority investment from the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF), which was then known as National Pension Reserve Fund, meaning the State is now in line for a share of the return released from the sale. The deal, which was first announced in December, has now been approved by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. The value of the sale was not disclosed. Valley Healthcare is Irelands largest developer and operator of primary care centres, with 20 centres currently operating here. The company said that a number of new centres are also currently in development. It leases all operating centres to the HSE. Valley Healthcare has delivered a strong realised return for the investors in the IIF while contributing to the delivery of local health services across Ireland, Irish Life Investment Managers CEO Patrick Burke said. The company enjoys a strong market position uncorrelated with economic cycles and the transaction builds on our extensive experience in the social infrastructure sector, John Laing acting CEO and CFO Jamie Christmas added. At the end of 2022, John Laing announced that it would purchase a bundle of Irish assets from the IIF in a deal understood to be worth around 1bn. This sale includes the rights to operate the Convention Centre Dublin, as well as Irish telecommunications tower company Towercom. The remainder of the sale is expected to be completed this year. Other IIF assets, including broadband business ENET, are not included in the John Laing deal. An Post is preparing to sell its stake in the National Lottery in a move that will fully end Government ownership of the games operator for the first time, the Irish Independent has confirmed. Industry sources said An Post is set to follow Canadian investor Ontario Teachers Pension Plan (OTPP) into a process to sell 100pc of Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI), the National Lottery operator which they own together with the An Post Pension Funds. OTPP hired investment bank UBS last month to manage the disposal of its 78.6pc share of PLI, which it acquired for 405m with An Post in 2014 in a Troika-ordered privatisation deal. The sale was for a 20-year licence to operate the National Lottery. Any buyer will have to continue to fund good causes in line with the terms of the existing licence. Under a drag and tag arrangement agreed as part of that deal, An Post is required to sell its minority stake if OTPP sells, but the Canadian fund must include An Post in any sale it undertakes. The terms effectively make An Post a forced seller while also ensuring it can influence the sales process despite being a junior partner. An Post declined to comment when contacted. Czech lottery operator Allwyn, Europes largest lottery group, is seen as a front-runner among a group of potential international bidders for OTPPs stake in PLI, having closed two sales with the Canadians in recent months. The Czech company won the contract to operate the UK national lottery licence starting next year and bought the current UK operator Camelot from OTPP last November. It bought Camelot Lottery Solutions, which runs online lottery systems and owns the Illinois state lottery, in a separate deal with OTPP in December. Allwyn has already held talks with the UBS bankers running the Irish sale, as well as management at PLI, according to a report in the Financial Times. That would put the National Lottery under foreign ownership for the first time since it was created in 1986. OTPP and PLI declined comment. Allwyn did not respond to a request for comment. If Allwyn secures OTPPs majority stake, the combined 21.4pc shareholding split equally between An Post and the An Post Pension Funds must automatically be a part of the deal, it is understood. That would put the National Lottery under foreign ownership for the first time since it was created in 1986. An Post was its sole operator until 2014. While the Irish lottery licence permits any of the shareholders, including An Post, to sell their interest in PLI, any deal will require the written consent of the Regulator of the National Lottery. The regulator confirmed that the National Lottery would continue to be operated by PLI under the same licence until the end of 2034 irrespective of any sale. A spokesperson for the regulator said it was not in a position to comment on speculation regarding a change of ownership of PLI. The National Lottery made sales of 1.05bn in 2021, its most successful year to date. Of that, 304m was distributed to what it calls good causes, while 586m was paid out in prizes. An Posts shareholding was valued at 31.75m at the end of 2021 and is made up of a shareholders loan at 9pc, preference shares and a small equity portion. The stake generated 6.4m in net cash in 2021. Today we were unlucky, the IRA said in an infamous statement claiming responsibility for the Brighton bomb in 1984. While five people had been killed, their target, Margaret Thatcher, emerged unscathed. But remember we have only to be lucky once, the IRA sneered. You will have to be lucky always. The British prime minister was indeed fortunate to survive the detonation of 100lb of gelignite in a room over her head in the early hours of October 12, 1984. Had she stayed in her bathroom two minutes longer, she might have been killed. Had one of the hotels massive chimney stacks toppled in a different way destroying the rooms ending in 9, rather than the ones ending in 8 the Iron Lady might have perished in the Napoleon Suite on the first floor, encompassing rooms 129 and 130. When it came to their arch-enemy, the IRA were never lucky: Thatcher eventually died peacefully in another hotel, the Ritz, at the age of 87. Ironically, however, in the investigation of the Brighton attack, the police got lucky several times, as Rory Carroll outlines in this compelling account of the IRA atrocity. So lucky were the police that within eight months they had caught the perpetrator, Patrick Magee. The first fortuitous circumstance was that, at the age of 15, Magee had been arrested in Norwich, where his family had settled in the 1960s. He was caught breaking into a butchers shop, and fingerprinted. His prints matched those on a broken window. Nearly two decades later, those same fingerprints would match those taken from the registration card of a Roy Walsh who had checked into Room 629 of the Grand about a month before the bombing. The match was made by a police analyst, Steve Turner, towards the end of a 12-hour shift as he worked through a database of the fingerprints of about 200 known IRA bombers. As Carroll explains, it was a gruelling process of elimination stare at the hotel print, stare at those of a known IRA suspect, stare again at the hotel print, back and forth, moving from fragment to fragment, hunting for 16 points of similarity that indicated a match. Twelve hours at a desk studying prints left the analysts eyes pulsing, backs aching and brains feeling like broiled mince. Yet at 8.30pm on January 17, 1985, in the fingerprint room on the fifth floor of Scotland Yards headquarters, Turner discovered who had planted the Brighton bomb. There was one more piece of serendipity: police decided to trail Peter Sherry, a commander of the IRAs East Tyrone Brigade, on a ferry trip from Belfast to Ayr. They followed him to Glasgow, and on to Carlisle railway station. There he met Magee, fresh from planting another bomb in a hotel in London. The discovery was a fluke, haphazard, a spin-off from an RUC operation in Northern Ireland, Carroll writes. The IRA was unlucky once again. The tailing of Magee and Sherry back to Glasgow, and their subsequent arrests, provides a thrilling climax to Carrolls book. The Ireland correspondent of the Guardian tells his story in leisurely fashion Magee only checks into the Grand Hotel on page 175. Also, Killing Thatcher has one eye on an international audience, since we are told on page 17 that Dublin is Irelands capital, soon afterwards given a list of the countries that comprise the UK, and on page 38 it is explained that unionist parties are so called because they prized Northern Irelands union with Great Britain. Carroll is an elegant writer, though, and there are many beautiful turns of phrase, such as the explanation that Methodists, Thatchers religion, are a puritanical Protestant denomination that abjured the bells and smells of Catholicism. Magee, we are told, had the stillness and intensity of a Renaissance portrait and spoke so softly you had to lean in to catch the words, while Muammar Gaddafi, the IRAs arms supplier, is memorably encapsulated as intelligent, capricious, with a cosmic ego, perched on the edge of the Mediterranean looking for entrees into global dramas. The research is equally impressive, since Carroll interviewed several senior Provisionals, including Michael Hayes, the second-in-command of their England Department, Sherry, and Magee himself, who was guarded but gracious. Hayes criticises Magees use of the alias Roy Walsh, the real-life name of another IRA bomber, albeit one incarcerated at the time of the Brighton attack. I could never come to terms with that, Hayes says of Magees choice. I called him an idiot. Theres also a notable contribution from Norman Tebbit, once regarded as Thatchers political heir. The bomb injured him, and paralysed his wife Margaret from the chest down. By August 1986, when he and Thatcher attended the reopening of a refurbished Grand Hotel, Tebbit had already decided to quit frontline politics to care for his wife, he tells Carroll. In that respect, at least, the IRA bomb changed the direction of British politics. Alternate history is a pointless pursuit, and Carroll overindulges in it somewhat when suggesting that Brexit, with all its implications for Northern Ireland, might never have happened had the Tory leader been killed in 1984, and that in the end it may be Margaret Thatchers legacy, not IRA bombs, that delivers a united Ireland. In stark contrast with the painstaking preparations made by the US Secret Service prior to presidential visits, the UK police were downright lackadaisical in the run-up to the Brighton bomb. The police redeemed themselves in the investigation of the attack, removing every crumb of rubble from the bombed hotel in 3,798 dustbins for forensic analysis. Having narrowed the bomb site down to four rooms 528, 529, 628 and 629 they tracked down every guest that had stayed in them in the preceding months. Only Roy Walsh could not be found. His alter ego, Magee, is now in his 70s and walks with a stick. He expresses regret for the pain he inflicted but still, somehow, defends the cowardly act of blowing up innocent people in their beds as a legitimate act of war. Expand Close Killing Thatcher by Rory Carroll / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Killing Thatcher by Rory Carroll Video of the Day Non-fiction: Killing Thatcher by Rory Carroll HarperCollins, 416 pages, hardcover, 25; e-book 12.99 Nope director Jordan Peele reportedly convinced Liam Neeson to make a cameo appearance in series three of US comedy Atlanta, in which he addressed controversial remarks he made in 2019. The Northern Irish actor was initially hesitant about appearing in the skit, but had been convinced it would actually be a good thing, Atlanta creator Donald Glover said. Neeson faced criticism in 2019 following an interview with The Independent in which he discussed once having violent thoughts about killing a black person in an act of revenge. He later apologised multiple times for the hurtful and divisive comments that do not reflect, in any way, my true feelings nor me. Expand Close Nope director Jordan Peele convinced Neeson to appear in the US series Atlanta, according to its creator, Donald Glover (Ian West/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nope director Jordan Peele convinced Neeson to appear in the US series Atlanta, according to its creator, Donald Glover (Ian West/PA) Speaking to British GQ, Glover recalled pitching the idea of a skit in his show poking fun at the interview to the actor, who told him he was trying to get away from the publicity surrounding it. When I got in touch with him, Liam poured his heart out, he said. He was like I am embarrassed. I dont know about this. Im trying to get away from that. And I was like Man, Im telling you, this will be funny! And youll actually get a lot of cream from it because itll show youre sorry. Glover said Neeson had asked whether he could think about it before eventually declining. Glover then approached Peele, one of several black industry members Neeson had contacted after his remarks were published, who thought the sketch was a hilarious idea. I hit Jordan Peele up and I was like Look, man, I got this idea. He said that he trusted you. Tell him its a good idea! Jordan thought it was hilarious! So Jordan talked to him. Liam hit me back and said he talked to Jordan and his son and thought itd actually be a good thing. Glover added that, with the excitement of having Neeson accept the proposal, he had forgotten to contact Peele again, leading Peele to wonder if he had been pranked. Video of the Day The scene in Atlanta sees its star, Brian Tyree Henry, encounter Neeson in a bar called the Cancel Club, and the Northern Irish actor apologise for his transgression and for hurting people with the remarks. British GQs first-ever Global Creativity Awards, which includes the full interview with Glover, is available via digital download and on newsstands on April 11. Representatives for Neeson have been contacted for comment. Sir David Attenborough has warned that human beings have a few short years left to make a choice on how to recover the natural world (Aaron Chown/PA) Sir David Attenborough has warned that human beings have a few short years left to make a choice on how to recover the natural world. The 96-year-old naturalist and broadcaster was speaking in a new documentary coming to BBC iPlayer about the people trying to combat the decline in nature as well as looking at the wildlife and habitats at risk in the UK. Expand Close Saving Our Wild Isles film crew on location at Lundy Island filming seals and seabirds aboard Obsession II. Diver and underwater camera operator Holly Tarplee prepares to swim with seals. (Laura Howard / Silverback Films) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Saving Our Wild Isles film crew on location at Lundy Island filming seals and seabirds aboard Obsession II. Diver and underwater camera operator Holly Tarplee prepares to swim with seals. (Laura Howard / Silverback Films) In Saving Our Wild Isles, Sir David said: In this film, well meet inspiring people, young and old, who are working to restore the natural world and we will discover that we all need to urgently repair our relationship with the natural world. We now have a few short years during which we can still make a choice, where just enough remains of the natural world for it to recover. This starts and ends with us. He also said the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world as one quarter of mammals and one third of birds are at risk of extinction. The film has been funded by charities WWF, the National Trust and the RSPB and has been produced by Silverback Films the team behind many of the BBCs landmark nature shows. It follows Sir Davids latest documentary series, Wild Isles, which showcases the natural wonders of the UK and Ireland, and which comes to an end on Sunday. The new film looks at how a Suffolk farm is increasing biodiversity by planting wildflowers and restoring ponds, the impact of fishing practices on a puffin raising their chick and how wildlife is being restored in the Cairngorms National Park. Expand Close A volunteer plants a downy willow tree in the Loch Aan basin, high in the Cairngorms mountains. ( Ben Cherry / Silverback Films) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A volunteer plants a downy willow tree in the Loch Aan basin, high in the Cairngorms mountains. ( Ben Cherry / Silverback Films) Outside the documentary, Sir David said: Whilst its tempting to think of those on the frontline as the only ones who can make a difference, the truth is, every one of us, no matter where we live, can and must play a part in restoring nature to our isles. Never has it been more important to do this for ourselves and for our wildlife. Last month, the RSPB, WWF and the National Trust launched the Save Our Wild Isles campaign, urging everyone in society to come together to halt the destruction of UK nature and take urgent action to save it. In a joint statement, Beccy Speight, RSPB chief executive, Tanya Steele, WWF chief executive and Hilary McGrady, National Trust director general, said: The scale of the crisis facing UK nature demands that all of us, from all parts of society, take action. Video of the Day They added: Incredible work is happening in every corner of the UK, but to turn the nature crisis around requires all of us to play our part. Inspired by the landmark Wild Isles series, we came together to bring to life and celebrate these stories in an effort to inspire more people, businesses and leaders to pick up the baton. Expand Close An aerial view of Malham Cove and the surrounding landscape as seen from Hill Top Farm. ( Ben Cherry / Silverback Films) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp An aerial view of Malham Cove and the surrounding landscape as seen from Hill Top Farm. ( Ben Cherry / Silverback Films) A spokesperson from the BBC has previously said the claim that the film was supposed to be a sixth episode of Wild Isles is totally inaccurate. They added the programme was always a five-part series and does not shy away from environmental content. The WWF, the RSPB and the National Trust also called it a complementary documentary and a separate film to the series. Before the announcement, The Guardian newspaper reported in March that the film was originally intended as part of the Wild Isles series, and that it had been pulled to avoid criticism from Tory politicians and right-wing newspapers due to it talking about controversial topics such as rewilding. Saving Our Wild Isles will be on BBC iPlayer from 8pm on Sunday April 9. Daisy May Cooper plays the homeless single mother of a 10-year-old girl in the strange and misfiring comedy-drama Rain Dogs Occasionally, theres a series that makes you wonder: Is it me? Is there something here that others saw which has passed me by? Did I wake up this morning inexplicably dimmer than I was last night? Did I just not get it? And then you think: Hang on here a moment. Maybe Im not the problem at all. Maybe its the series new drama/comedy/whatever you want to call it Rain Dogs (BBC1, Tuesday) thats the problem. Maybe theres really not all that much to get. In America, where Rain Dogs was shown last month by HBO, which co-produced it with the BBC, the TV critics were in raptures, flinging superlatives around as freely as confetti at a wedding. Interestingly, the only non-American review Ive read so far, in Londons Evening Standard, was also the only one to suggest Rain Dogs, which takes its title from a Tom Waits song and album, isnt all that. The themes, poverty and the homelessness caused by a chronic accommodation shortage, couldnt be any more bracingly topical or universal. But anyone expecting a Cathy Come Home for the 21st century is looking in the wrong place. Rain Dogs lacks the stark power of that famous television landmark. It also lacks the coherence youd expect from a collaboration between two of the worlds most prestigious broadcasters. Very loosely adapted by Cash Carraway from her memoir Skint Estate (its more a case of inspired by than based on), it stars current critical darling and Bafta-magnet Daisy May Cooper (This Country, Am I Being Unreasonable?) as Costello Jones, a single mother whos struggling to find a place she and her 10-year-old daughter Iris (newcomer Fleur Tashjian) can call home. Costello is a talented writer who got a First in English at university, but has been forced to earn a living as a sex worker in a Soho peep show club. Shes also a recovering alcoholic whos just about to hit 100 days sober. Iris, by the way, is the latest in the long list of those maddeningly precocious children who exist only in the worlds of TV and film. I feel like Im in a movie montage, she says, like no 10-year-old carbon-based life form in the known universe. 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 When we meet Costello, shes two months behind on the rent and the bailiffs are drilling the front-door lock and turning her and Iris out of their flat. She hails a black cab, then has Iris feign feeling sick so the driver will pull over. As they leg it without paying the fare, Costello apologetically shouts back to him, Im not usually a prick, I promise. The scene is written and played for larky laughs. So, weirdly, is a scene where Costello satisfies the peculiar appetites of a regular customer called Lenny (Adrian Edmonson), a pervy, wheezy old artist whose abstract paintings all resemble vaginas. While Costello, got up as a housekeeper, bustles around pretending to dust and polish Lennys home, the old git plays with himself under the bed covers. Video of the Day The tonal waywardness continues with Costellos best female friend Gloria (Ronke Adekoluejo), a party girl with a habit of waking up hungover in West End telephone boxes. Gloria works in the undertaking firm owned by her father, who doubts she has the necessary gravitas for the work. You cant blame him. When shes left alone with a man whos come to see the corpse of his estranged father, she accepts a can of beer from him and within minutes theyre having enthusiastic sex on a chair beside the coffin. Oddest of all is Costellos old university friend Selby (Poldarks Jack Farthing), a gay man from a fabulously wealthy family, whos just served a year in prison for assault. Hes devoted to Costello and Iris, yet at the same time a toxic, unpredictably volatile and sometimes violent presence in their lives whos prone to do more harm than good. I watched two episodes of Rain Dogs (critics were given all eight) and found it difficult to engage with them. Despite the serious subject matter and the series roots in Carraways actual experiences (she too was a university-educated sex worker living below the poverty line and raising a young daughter alone), it feels curiously detached from any sense of reality. Fancy a night in with some telly? Weve got you covered. Food Matters RTE One, 8.30pm Michael Kelly talks to historian Regina Sexton about Irelands traditional relationship with food, and heads to Ballymaloe to meet chef Rory OConnell, an advocate of seasonal eating. Expand Close Davys Toughest Team / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Davys Toughest Team Davys Toughest Team RTE One, 9.35pm Davy Fitzgerald visits each of his team at home to get a better idea of where theyre coming from, but a group meeting leaves him worried. Marie Antoinette RTE2, 9.35pm When Louis refuses to share his bed with the young queen, Marie Antoinette realises that producing a royal heir will not be straightforward. Expand Close Marlowe / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Marlowe Marlowe Sky Cinema Premiere, 8pm Philip Marlowe is drawn into a web of intrigue when a rich heiress asks him to track down her missing lover. Neil Jordans noir thriller stars Liam Neeson as the iconic detective. Jessica Lange, Diane Kruger and Colm Meaney co-star. The Good Mothers Disney+, Wednesday This multi-layered narrative follows the true story of three women born into the deadliest of the Mafia clans, and how they worked with a female prosecutor to bring it down from the inside. The Pope Answers Disney+, Wednesday Video of the Day Filmed in Rome, this meeting between the current head of the Catholic Church and 10 people in their early twenties focuses on the role of women in the Church, reproductive rights, loss of faith, LGBTQ+ rights, abuse within the Church, racism, mental health, and migration. Swarm Prime Video, streaming now Andrea Dre Greene, like most girls her age, is obsessed with a pop star (one can only assume is based on Beyonce). Unlike most girls her age, Dre lets this obsession consume her to the point of committing multiple murders. With a cracking soundtrack (including a unique take on a Pixies classic) plus cameos from the likes of Billie Eilish, youd forgive the (at times) ropey writing in lieu of the sensory feast. Kill Boksoon Netflix, streaming now Most parents feel like theyre leading a double life. And then theres Boksoon both a mother of a teenage daughter and a legendary professional killer at the top-tier killing agency MK Ent. Caught in between the dual missions of killing someone and raising someone, she refuses to take a case becoming the target of the whole hitman industry. Expand Close Law of the Jungle / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Law of the Jungle Law of the Jungle Netflix, streaming now In the jungle, the mighty jungle, there are no lions sleeping tonight mostly because there are 12 humans trying to take each other down for a chance at some cash. Expect much whinging. Expand Close The Class of '07 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Class of '07 The Class of 07 Prime Video, streaming now Your impending post-apocalyptic viewing this week comes courtesy of the Prime Video platform. Unlike the (understandably) puritan message from Extrapolations (AppleTV+), this cheeky Aussie offering instead touts the theme that bad things happen when youre giving it socks to The Ting Tings. Expand Close War Sailor / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp War Sailor War Sailor Netflix, streaming now Alfred Garnes and his friend are working on a merchant ship in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean when World War II breaks out. The sailors have one goal: to survive and to return home. Meanwhile, Alfreds wife Cecilia endures the war in Bergen, struggling to raise three children on her own. Both believe that the other has been bombed... do they have the will to keep trying to find each other? Richard Osman once said that coming up with a quiz show is the hardest thing in the world. He speaks from experience. Osman is the producer, and until recently co-presenter, of the incredibly popular BBC One quiz Pointless, and still hosts the excellent Richard Osmans House of Games every evening on BBC Two at 6pm, offering viewers a welcome chance to escape the misery of the news. Considering the wealth of home-grown creative genius in Ireland, it remains a surprise that RTE has never managed to make a quiz show which captures the imagination in the same way. Latest to try is Irelands Smartest (RTE One, Sunday, 7.30pm) which pitched a farmer, a science teacher and a lab technician against one another, with Claire Byrne asking the questions. The prize? Well, there isnt one, unless you count the chance to go forward to the next round, with the chance to win a trophy at the end of the series, as reward enough in itself. And why would you, unless you were a skinflint? Thats the first disappointment. The second is that its very hard to actually describe what makes Irelands Smartest different. Format, as Osman also once said, is everything. And there isnt really a unique format to this show at all. The best quizzes, from The Chase to The Weakest Link to Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, can be summed up with a snappy elevator pitch. Here, Byrne just asks the contestants a bog-standard set of general knowledge questions. Thats it. It feels old-fashioned. And incredibly, the credits at the end revealed it took nine question writers, eight question verifiers and one question producer to put it all together. The wait for a truly original Irish quiz show must, it sadly seems, go on a little longer. The Agreement (RTE One, Monday, 9.35pm/Tuesday, 10.15pm) was billed as a landmark documentary, made with symbolic cross-border cooperation between RTE and the Norths Fine Point Films, to mark the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Belfast Agreement. It consisted of two parts on consecutive nights the first covering the negotiations; the second, the referendum campaign. Presenter Miriam OCallaghan had access to all the main players in those talks, including US Senator George Mitchell, Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair, as well as representatives of unionist and loyalist parties and Sinn Fein. The only absences, poignantly, were of those no longer with us, from the SDLPs John Hume and Seamus Mallon to UUP leader David Trimble and the then Northern Secretary, Mo Mowlam. Video of the Day Spend enough time in the RTE News archive, of course, and this story basically tells itself. In fact, there were times, as the footage of talks was played alongside pop music from the time, that it felt like an extended edition of Reeling in the Years. As such an aide-memoire, it did what was required and no more, though it might have been interesting, with hindsight, to have an examination of the Belfast Agreements flaws, which have made it difficult to make political progress in the years since it was signed, as well as its strengths. OCallaghan did make a point of acknowledging a widespread feeling both then and now that the needs of victims and survivors were overlooked in the rush to get the backing of terrorists. Ultimately, though, she was there to celebrate a great achievement rather than to analyse in any great depth. The mood was one of nostalgia and reverence. That, arguably, is fair enough. Flawed or not, the negotiations did bring an end to three decades of bloody sectarian conflict. Those who called a halt to the slaughter deserve no ones gratitude for doing so, but we can all be relieved it finally stopped. Everyone has by now told their side of the story so often that its probably unrealistic to expect new flashes of insight anyway. I really wanted to like Rain Dogs (BBC One, Tuesday, 10.40pm). It stars Daisy May Cooper, and has been created by Cash Carraway, a smart, sharp, witty London-Irish writer known for her depiction of life on the breadline. Best of all it feels very timely, opening as it does with single mother Costello Jones (Cooper) and her daughter being evicted from their flat for non-payment of rent. How much more topical can a show be? Soon theyre wasting the last of their money on scratchcards in the fruitless hope of winning 40 to get a B&B for the night. All those aspects of this new comedy-drama (or dramedy, as that hideous hybrid word has it) are authentic and heartfelt. It really does convey the grinding desperation of everyday poverty. The despair and pain is real, even when played for laughs. Unfortunately, Rain Dogs is encumbered with so many other unrealistic and unpleasant scenes and characters that its hard to believe in the situation. Its as if the show is determined to rub viewers noses in squalor and sleaze to see how much they can endure before switching off in anguished disgust. From a writer known for her dark sense of humour, Rain Dogs should also be a lot funnier. I did genuinely laugh out loud at one line in the second episode which was so inappropriate that I couldnt actually reprint it here without needlessly offending a lot of people, but it was the only time that happened in an hour of screen time, which isnt a great return on the investment in time. Ill stick with it, because of my respect for the undoubted talent involved, but Rain Dogs mainly just made me feel disconsolate. The Court of Appeal has ruled that a couple who have sued a Dublin maternity hospital over the death of their new-born child must be given documentation concerning an internal inquiry into the incident. In what is believed to be an important decision regarding claims of confidentiality over internal inquiries into medical events the court found that Cliona O'Keeffe and Alan Doran are entitled to materials generated following a probe undertaken following the death of their baby Fiadh at the Rotunda Hospital on January 12, 2019. The couple claim that material, including statements taken by staff as part of the internal probe, is relevant to their action, and that the hospital should have provided them with the documents. The hospital had rejected this and said on grounds including that the material was confidential and should not be provided to them. In a written judgement a three judge Court of Appeal (CoA) comprised of Mr Justice Senan Allen, Mr Justice Seamus Noonan and Ms Justice Mary Faherty, overturned an earlier High Court decision that the parents were not entitled to the material sought. In its ruling the CoA expressed its surprise that given recent legislation and policy the hospital had sought to argue statements given by staff as part of the inquiry should not be provided to the parents because they were given in confidence. The appeal arises from the couple's personal injuries claim against the governors and guardians of the Hospital for the Relief of the Poor Lying in Woman, Dublin, for alleged negligence leading to the infant's wrongful death, the day after her birth at the Rotunda Hospital on January 11, 2019. The parents claims are denied, and the hospital says in its defence that the care provided to Fiadh was at an acceptable level. In a pre-trial application heard by the High Court last year, the couple, from Lusk in north Co Dublin, sought discovery of certain documents from the defendant which they claim are relevant to their action. They were provided with documents concerning the care provided to the infant and her mother and in relation to protocols and guidelines in place in January 2019 for the management of identified complications in labour and delivery. They were not provided with materials concerning the hospital's 'risk management enquiry', subsequently described as being a 'comprehensive systems analysis report', into the event, resulting in a contested hearing before Mr Justice Michael Twomey. The hospital argued that the material should not be discovered on grounds including that it was confidential, and those who had participated in it had been assured it would be confidential. It was not in the public interest to provide this material, it was submitted. In his decision Mr Justice Twomey ruled against the parents, who are represented in their action by Jeremy Maher SC instructed by solicitor Michael Boylan, and accepted the hospital's arguments. The High Court found that the internal inquiry was conducted in order to benefit future patients at the hospital, and to ensure that those who participated in the inquiry were as open as possible. That decision was appealed to the CoA and the hospital contested the appeal. Giving the CoA's unanimous decision to overturn the High Court's findings Mr Justice Allen said that confidentiality and public interest privilege are "separate and distinct". While a ground of privilege can be generally invoked as a right, confidentiality was "not a right, but something that can be taken into consideration in deciding a discovery application, he said. The judge said that in this matter there was "simply no evidence" to support the hospital's "core proposition" that the statements given when the internal inquiry was being conducted were obtained in confidence, with a view to safeguarding against a repeat of anything that might have gone wrong. Mr Justice Allen said there was no evidence before the court that the inquiry was clinician-led as claimed, nor was there any evidence about the purpose of the probe. There was no evidence that the terms of reference were agreed or what those terms were, or that it was based on a certain model contemplated by the HSE's Incident Management Framework. "And most of all there is no evidence that those who engaged with the inquiry were given an assurance of confidentiality," he said. The claim by the hospital about confidentiality, was the foundation of the High Court's consideration of the legal arguments regarding discovery. The High Court, Mr Justice Allen added had "entertained arguments" from the hospital without any factual basis to support its claims. The CoA, he said, was "not persuaded" by the hospital that the matter should be remitted back to the High Court so it could produce evidence to support its claim. The parents appeal regarding the discovery of documents should be allowed, he said. Mr Justice Noonan said in his decision that he was "somewhat surprised" to see a hospital actively arguing that full and frank statements given by those who treated Fiadh should not be made available on the basis they were given in confidence. The hospital's stance he said was "a somewhat retrograde step to adopt". It proceeds on the assumption that the healthcare professionals involved would be unwilling to comply with their own governing bodies ethical policies and standards under guidance of secrecy. Such a stance, he added, seems to be contrary to the direction of travel of open medical disclosure currently in existence. The judge said that "we live in an era where it is virtually impossible to read the news without seeing headlines about the latest medical catastrophe, be it systemic of individual". Many of the episodes have been characterised by a culture of cover-up, which has hopefully been consigned to history, he said. The duty of open disclosure has resulted in legislation and policies to ensure that when things go wrong patients have the fullest possible access to information from those entrusted with their care. In this case he said the documents sought were relevant to the claim, and he disagreed with the High Court's assessment that the public interest in this case lay in preserving the confidentiality of the statements in issue. Ms Justice Mary Faherty also agreed that there had been a manifest error in principle by the High Court in finding that those participating in the inquiry were entitled to confidentiality. The full hearing of the couple's claim against the hospital will be considered by the High Court at a later date. A FORMER jockey jailed last week week for a predatory attack on a woman is a serial offender who previously told gardai he was sick in the head. Maurice Fitzgerald was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a terrifying attack in which he gagged and bound a womans mouth, hands and ankles with duct tape in a laneway in Dublin last August. The 29-year-old was caught red-handed and arrested after residents living near the scene of the crime at Meeting House Lane, Marys Abbey, called gardai. Two residents overheard the victim (26) screaming get it off me, leave me alone and get away from me, to which the depraved sex offender laughed and responded shut up, before dragging her out of sight. It is just the latest time Fitzgerald has come before the courts for dangerous and predatory attacks on women. In 2016, a court heard how Fitzgerald googled girl, tape and gagged on the day before attacking a student. He had followed the student, bringing with him scissors and duct tape, after she had left a house in Tralee, Co. Kerry. He caught her in a headlock and knocked her to the ground. Fitzgerald then put his hands around her neck and told her to put her hands in front of her, telling her that if she didnt: I will kill you f***ing now. Two passers-by came on the scene and intervened bringing the attack to an end. Shockingly, Fitzgerald would commit an almost identical crime just months after he was released from jail in 2021. The once-talented jockey pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning and assaulting a woman, causing harm last August 27, 2022, at Meeting House Lane in Dublin city centre. Expand Close Maurice Fitzgerald during his time as a jockey / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Maurice Fitzgerald during his time as a jockey In CCTV footage shown to the court last Friday, Fitzgerald was seen standing over his victim as he bound her with duct tape he purchased from a store on Liffey Street earlier in the day. The court listened in horror as they heard the womans screams and the sound of Fitzgerald repeatedly pulling strips of the duct tape from the roll to restrain her. As Garda sirens began to sound in the distance, the Corkman could be seen dragging the woman underneath a parked car and as the patrol vehicle arrived on the scene, he attempted to flee on foot but was quickly detained. The court heard gardai were able to track his movements across Dublin on the day of the attack, Saturday, August 27, 2022. He boarded a train in Mallow, Co. Cork with a ticket to Kilkenny but did not disembark there, instead arriving at Heuston Station in Dublin just after 1pm. Throughout the evening he visited numerous pubs in different parts of the city. Just before 5.30pm, he visited Dealz on Liffey Street and purchased two rolls of silver duct tape and a claw hammer and a shopping bag. Following this he went to another pub where he bought a drink for a woman he was chatting to. At 6.45pm, he went to Eurogiant on Abbey Street, where he bought a third roll of duct tape. While there he got chatting to the cashier and they exchanged details and planned to meet later in the evening. The pair met and went to TP Smiths pub on Jervis Street, where they had three drinks. When he left the bar to walk her to a bus stop he left behind the bag containing his weapons. Its at this point in the night he first encountered his victim outside The Norseman pub in Temple Bar just after 10pm. The pair were seen on CCTV talking and chatting. They left the area together and tried to flag down a taxi on the Quays but didnt manage to do so. Instead the pair walked back to TP Smiths, where he retrieved his bag and went on to Marys Abbey and at 10.59pm the pair entered Meeting House Lane, where the offences occurred. A doorbell camera captured them on the lane at 11.14pm, until gardai arrived at 11.22pm. Gardai seized the packaging for two rolls of duct tape, one unopened duct tape, a claw hammer, and a gym bag containing clothes, Fitzgeralds passport and two condoms. They also seized his iPhone on which they found photos of women bound and gagged that he had downloaded online. They also found a photograph of an unknown woman that Fitzgerald had taken of an unsuspecting victim while on the Luas that day. After being taken to the Bridewell Garda Station, he was deemed unfit to speak to Gardai and so was not interviewed until the following day. During one of these interviews he admitted: Im guilty out. I did whatever. Im guilty of, dragging her across the floor. I obviously hit her. The victim, who suffers with chronic schizophrenia, was treated at the scene before being rushed to the Mater Hospital. Gardai said that the tape covering her mouth was so tight that they couldnt remove it by hand and instead had to use a knife. She was detained under the Mental Health Act and taken to a facility in the Midlands where she remains. She was unable to give a statement about the night to Gardai. Noting Fitzgeralds previous history, during sentencing at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin on Friday, Judge Nolan said he had certain interests and obsessions that are very unhealthy and very criminal. While he said he hoped that he would not re-offend, he couldnt rule it out. He was prepared to use force to apprehend and take a woman, Judge Nolan added, saying that if Gardai had not arrived when they did, something very serious would have occurred. Fitzgerald pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and assault, while the State entered a Nolle prosequi on two charges of possession of a weapon. While the prosecution asked for a life sentence, Judge Nolan gave Fitzgerald 10 years with 18 months suspended. Upon release from prison he will be on probation for five years. A headline sentence of 12 to 14 years was also set. Maurice was placed on the Sex Offenders Register when he was 20 years old, following an incident in 2013 where he attacked a woman who was urinating in a car park. He knocked the woman back and got on top of her, but she fought, punching and biting the Corkman until he got off her. After pleading guilty to sexual assault he was given a four-year suspended sentence and told to pay the victim 5,000 compensation. However, his sentence was reinstated after the sex attack on the woman in Tralee in 2015. In this attack, Fitzgerald gained the trust of a woman outside a nightclub when he was living in Kerry town while working at a nearby stud farm. He invited the woman back to his house where he said there was a party and assured the woman that she could sleep in a spare room. When they returned to the house there was no party and the woman went to bed fully clothed. She was then awoken by Fitzgerald who was making sexual advances towards her. The victim then left the house on foot and a few kilometres down the road she was attacked by Fitzgerald after he decided to chase after her, bringing with him duct tape and scissors. Two passers-by came to her rescue. It is only when gardai found the attacker in the bushes that the woman realised it was the same man who had sexually assaulted her earlier in the night. He pleaded guilty to five counts, including false imprisonment, assault, sexual assault and possession of a weapon. Detectives believe they have seriously disrupted the retirement plans of gang boss Barry Young after they carried out eight searches in the Alicante region of Spain last week. Officers from Sligo have identified two mid-range apartments and a bar that Young (37) is suspected of controlling at locations in Spains Costa Blanca. The raids were carried out in a joint operation with Spains Policia Nacional, the Gardas National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) and the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB). A total of 12 Garda personnel were involved, including six officers from Sligo, three from CAB and three from GNDOCB. The main focus of this phase of the operation was to get documentation and other relevant electronic items in relation to property that Barry Young is suspected of controlling in Spain, a source said. Expand Close Gardai enter a house during the searches in Spain / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gardai enter a house during the searches in Spain Investigations have established that he owns two apartments and has a major interest in a lucrative pub in the area. However, it is likely there is even more property and businesses linked to him in the locality and what will happen now is the documentation and information on devices will need to be translated from Spanish to English. Once this is done it will be primarily the job of the CAB officers to determine exactly what Young owns and then a decision will be made on what action can then be taken by law enforcement, the source explained. Professional premises such as legal firms were among the eight locations hit in the searches in Spain, which happened over a two-day period and involved targeting locations in some cases which are hundreds of kilometres away from each other. Barry Young has long-standing links to this part of Spain. Before the Covid pandemic, he spent a lot of time in Alicante but he almost got trapped back in Ireland when the health crisis began in 2020 and he was stuck at his home in Sligo. Expand Close A Garda with a Spanish police officer at the search scene / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Garda with a Spanish police officer at the search scene The benefit of this from a Garda point of view is that it helped when they were building their gangland case against him as he could be watched at close quarters. The belief is that Young will be fuming in prison about what took place in Spain during the week because what was targeted there is effectively his retirement plan properties and a major interest in a pub bought by the proceeds of drug trafficking. He will now know now that there is a risk of losing his assets and this will surely be a major concern for him, the source said. Sources confirmed that Young has close links to notorious gangster John Gilligan, who is also based in the Alicante area and is facing drugs and weapons charges after being arrested by police there in October, 2020. Yes, Young is associated with John Gilligan but there is barely an organised crime gang in the entire island of Ireland that he does not have some link to, a source said. This includes his long-running links to the Mr Big crime network, very close associations with drug traffickers based in Northern Ireland as well as numerous other criminal gangs, including some of the most dangerous criminals operating in the Clondalkin area. Put simply, this is a man that has made major wealth from crime. He is a very smart individual. He absolutely hates being in the media he hates that attention almost as much as being locked up a source said. Expand Close Gardai in Spain during the joint operation / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gardai in Spain during the joint operation The truth of the matter is that if he had put his intelligence to better endeavours, Barry Young is a person who could have been a CEO of a legitimate company or be in some other highly skilled role. But no, he has devoted his life to crime and is now paying the price for this, the source added. Young, with an address of Geldof Drive, Cranmore, Co. Sligo, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court last month to directing a criminal organisation. He was charged with directing the activities of a criminal organisation between October 4, 2019 and January 15, 2022, both within and outside the State. Young, who is in custody in Portlaoise Prison, appeared before the three-judge, non-jury court on March 10, where he replied guilty when the charge was put to him by the registrar. He faces the prospect of a very lengthy sentence on May 9 in a case which has been described as landmark and an example of excellent police work by sources familiar with the probe. It is understood the weight of evidence sparked him to plead guilty to the charge, which can carry a life imprisonment. When the evidence is outlined at that sentencing hearing many people will be astounded at how high-level Young had been operating at in terms of criminality. He is a huge player in this country, a senior source said. Convicted drug dealer Young muscled in on the lucrative turf of Sligo, Donegal and Leitrim and his network of dealers took control and even managed to bribe a disgraced garda to leak sensitive information over a five-month period. Former Garda Jimell Henry was jailed for 18 months after she accessed the forces Pulse system from her base in Sligo and passed on details to Youngs crew in Sligo. A court heard she had become compromised by a drug habit. Young was a close associate of slain gangster Mark Guinea Pig Desmond for years and the West Dublin enforcer moved to Sligo to work as a heavy before his murder in a Lucan park in December 2016. At one stage Young, the Guinea Pig and his gang were in a bitter dispute with dissident Republicans in Sligo and the drug dealers ended up coming out on top against the once feared terrorists. Meanwhile with Young locked up there are concerns his drug-dealing rival Patrick Irwin (41) may try to reassert his control of drug trafficking in the west of Ireland. On Thursday, Gardai announced details of their search operation. The force said in a statement: As part of an ongoing investigation targeting organised crime in Sligo, we worked with our Spanish colleagues Policias.es on a number of searches in Alicante. One of the countrys most feared gangland criminals has been arrested in prison today and is being questioned about the murder of The Monks brother Eddie Hutch in February 2016. The 42-year-old, who is originally from Finglas, is suspected of being one of the two gunmen in the attack which was organised by the Kinahan cartel as a revenge killing just days after the Regency Hotel bloodbath. This is the second time that the gunman has been arrested in relation to the long-running probe by officers based in the north inner city. He was arrested in his cell in Mountjoy Prison earlier today and must be returned to jail before any decision is made to potentially charge him in the case. Detectives believe the arrested criminal and another gangster from the north inner city were the shooters in the gruesome murder. Despite up to nine arrests in the case, no criminal charges have yet been brought, but senior sources have described tonights re-arrest as highly significant. Gardai have arrested a man in his 40s in connection with a fatal shooting which occurred on Poplar Row in Dublin 3 on 8th, February 2016, a garda spokesman said tonight. The man is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a garda station in north Dublin, he added. The arrested man is considered a notorious hitman for the Kinahan cartel and is serving lengthy sentences for firearms and other serious offences. Eddie Hutch (59) was murdered as part of the Hutch/Kinahan feud at his north-inner city home on February 8, 2016, in a revenge attack for the Regency Hotel shooting three days earlier. His younger brother, Gerry The Monk Hutch, is facing judgment at the Special Criminal Court in just 12 days time on the charge of the murder of Kinahan cartel gangster David Byrne in the Regency attack. A four man hit-team, including the two gunmen, were involved in the Eddie Hutch murder while several other people are believed to have provided logistical support to the murder gang. Last September an inquest into Mr Hutchs murder heard the investigation is proving long and complex. Mr Hutch, a father-of-five and taxi driver from Poplar Row, Ballybough, Dublin 3, was approached by two gunmen as he pulled up in his taxi outside his home in Dublins north inner city on February 8, 2016. A silver BMW 3 series vehicle, which was believed to be the getaway car, was found abandoned a short distance away on St Patricks Parade in Drumcondra. Eddie Hutch was the first of six people associated with the Hutch gang to be murdered by the Kinahan gang in 2016 in the aftermath of the Regency Hotel shooting in a gangland feud which has claimed a total of 18 lives to date since the killing of Gary Hutch. The opening of the inquest into Eddie Hutchs death in July 2016 heard a post-mortem had confirmed that he died as a result of gunshot wounds to the head. A brother of the deceased, John Hutch, who formally identified the victims body, subsequently died as a result of a fall at his home in Dublin in July 2019. It is believed that Eddie Hutch was targeted by members of the Kinahan crime cartel solely because he was the brother of Gerry The Monk. Brave little hero Fiadh OConnor, who had terminal cancer, has died peacefully at home in her Mammys arms, her heartbroken family announced today. The family of the little girl from Kilbride, The Ballagh, near Enniscorthy in Wexford, was forced in recent weeks to go public to secure palliative care so that she could die at home. In a poignant death notice today, her parents Laura and Rory said: "It is with the saddest of hearts we share that our beautiful, precious Fiadh passed away peacefully at home days before her 5th birthday, cared for by her loving family, after an illness so bravely borne on 5th April. "She died in her Mammys arms, holding her Daddys hand surrounded by love, with Paidi and all of her favourite people close by." They added: "We will miss her forever but take comfort that she died at home, where she belongs and was looked after with love by her aunties. Fiadh was an amazing, clever, kind, fun and most treasured and loved child. She captured everyones hearts. Fiadh was so brave throughout her illness and she approached every day with resilience and strength, more than we will ever know in our lifetime." She will be "forever loved and remembered by her parents Rory and Laura, her adored younger brother Paidi. Fiadh is predeceased by her beloved Grandad Jim and will be lovingly remembered by her Grandad Richard (Butch) OConnor, nana Ger OConnor, nana Mary Murphy, Great-Granny Peg Murphy, aunties Ciara, Sarah, Katie and Orlaigh Murphy and Ciara, Emma and Orla OConnor and her uncles Eoin and Paul Murphy. Read More "Fiadh loved her cousins Seimi, Jay, big Conor, Sophie, Aoife, Fionn, little Conor, Ellie and Millie and they will always love her. She will be greatly missed by her Godfather James, Mikey, extended family, friends, teachers at Taras Montessori and all who supported her throughout her illness. Fiadh wore her bravery like a crown and we will always be so immensely proud of her, heaven has gained an angel and a piece of our hearts forever." The family thanked everyone for their love, support, generosity and kindness during Fiadhs journey. "The oncology team in Crumlin hospital, particularly Dr Jane Pears & Nessa Mullin CNS, the staff of St. Gabriels Ward in Wexford and the team at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in America who helped us give her every chance to beat this horrendous disease. "We would like to wholeheartedly thank Dr Balding and her palliative care team at Harolds Cross Hospice, Dublin, for taking clinical responsibility and allowing Fiadh to die at home. Thanks also to Dermot and staff in Kavanaghs pharmacy, Fiadhs GP and all at Court St. Medical Centre, Enniscorthy. Liane and Laura for their support during Fiadhs final days. In recent weeks the family spoke of their relief at being promised a HSE package to allow her return home but said they should not have had to publicly beg for the service. They said: We are devastated to beg for services and have empathy for any family who has faced this problem in such a critical time in our lives. They received the dreaded news in March that Fiadh, who was diagnosed with aggressive neuroblastoma in 2019, had relapsed for a third time and would need end-of-life care. But the south-east of the country has been without a paediatric palliative care service since 2017 and they feared Fiadh would not be cared for with her family, including her three year old brother Paidi with whom she shared a special bond, Following an appeal by Fiadhs aunt Orlaigh Murphy, and contact from the media, the HSE said a comprehensive package of care would be provided. A spokesman said the HSE is very sorry this took so long. Fiadhs parents yesterday thanked people for the love and support shown to the family since they were informed of the devastating news about her prognosis. They said that since going public about the lack of paediatric palliative care services in the south east, they had received contact to promise clinical governance for Fiadhs palliative care treatment at home. Read More John Hume and Dick Spring arrivng at Dublin Castle for the inauguration of Mary Robinson as President of Ireland in 1990. Photo: Independent News and Media/Getty Images John and Pat Hume, with Aine in front and John Junior in his father's arms John Humes daughter is hopeful the agreed Ireland he envisaged will become a reality as future generations unburdened by the baggage of the past are capable of looking at the bigger picture. Aine Abbott (Hume) was 35 when the Good Friday Agreement was signed. Her father was an architect of that deal, which is viewed as the crowning moment of his political career. Mr Hume made it his lifes work to cast aside the divisive tendencies innate in green and orange tribalism. In 1998, Ms Abbott was a mother of four and the only child of John and Pat Hume still based in Derry. He had a strong spiritual perspective; he really believed that people were good When we were very young I remember Dad was great craic and very mischievous, she recalled. But we were all just saying recently that he got, kind of, more distant and worn down over the years, just because his work took up so much of his energy. My dad got dementia when he was very young, it started in his 60s, he had a brain injury and that had a big impact on him and things started from there. He had years of living at a crazy pace, travelling the world and sitting up all night he just worked really hard. He was a funny mixture. My dad wasnt at all fazed by the things that wouldve scared the life out of most of us and then small things made him anxious. Born into extreme poverty, Mr Hume lived in a single room with his father, mother and five siblings in his formative years. By the age of eight his father, who worked in the shipyard, was left unemployed after World War II and never worked again. An acute awareness of social and economic problems were engrained in John Hume. In a bid to assist people in his city, he established the Derry Credit Union, was Chair of the University for Derry Committee and Derry Housing Association. He was also a key member of the civil rights movement. Intensely appreciative of the fact he was the right age to do the eleven-plus in its first year, Mr Hume trained to be a priest at St Patricks College, Maynooth. He went on to be a teacher in Strabane before returning to his old school, St Columbs College in Derry. He truly believed in social justice and the importance of celebrating diversity All those experiences moulded him, his daughter said. The fact he had a strong spiritual perspective; he really believed that people were good and the teachings of the gospel, said Ms Abbott. He truly believed in social justice and the importance of celebrating diversity. Hed be very happy to see how many migrants are now coming to Ireland. He would have celebrated that, having seen how we have migrated around the world as a people for centuries. Now were in a position to offer hospitality to people who are fleeing difficult situations themselves. People used to say he had a single transferrable speech, but he said, Im doing it deliberately. I think that was because of his years of being a teacher, he wanted to say things in a way everybody could understand and believed if you say things over and over again, eventually people might start to hear it. From the moment the SDLP was founded in 1970, Mr Hume was pushing for reform of government alongside then leader Gerry Fitt. Power-sharing and a Council of Ireland was first agreed with the Unionist Party and the Alliance Party in 1973 under the Sunningdale Agreement. However, it was ultimately forced to end because of the Ulster Workers Union strike. Paramilitary groups helped to enforce the strike by blocking roads and intimidating workers. During the two-week strike, loyalist paramilitaries killed 39 civilians, of whom 33 died in the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. The house was wild busy. Anybody and everybody called. A lot of locals, journalists and political figures wouldve passed through The years leading up to power-sharing were relentless for Hume, it was evident that securing peace was at the forefront of his mind. Ms Abbott explained: The phone would ring. He would answer it and put it down, and it would ring again. The house was wild busy. Then in 1979 my dad got an office. But up until that point the house was bananas. Anybody and everybody called to the house looking for advice. A lot of locals, journalists and political figures wouldve passed through. Those were crazy years. As someone who was avowedly anti-violence and brave enough to voice those opinions, Mr Hume became a target for both republicans and loyalists. There were various periods of tension over the years, his daughter added. Throughout the 1970s, 80s and early 90s there was tension. Dad got it from all sides. He was very opposed to the use of any kind of violence which meant there was a lot of antagonism towards him. There was a lot of rioting on the streets. Various times, the level of threat and intimidation that Dad faced intensified. Many people lived with that tension. That was one of the ways that we as kids coped with it we saw that other families were living with the same tension. "Civil conflict is not good for anybodys health. So many families suffered and so much more than we did, losing livelihoods and homes. There were so many stories. Without Pat by his side, Mr Hume wouldnt have survived for as long as he did, Ms Abbott said. Dad went out and did the talking and the thinking and the listening. The reality that people lived through between the late Sixties and the late Nineties is just unimaginable now Mum did a lot of that as well but she kept him centred and made sure he ate and slept and looked after everything here at base when he was travelling. Its really important to say, there was a whole movement of people around them who were involved in that work. Power-sharing did not return until the Good Friday Agreement was signed. By that stage there had been immeasurable bloodshed, numerous failed attempts to restore government and broken ceasefires. By 1998 so many maybes had come and gone, Ms Abbott explained, but this time the UK and US governments devoted time and energy to it and there was a sense of now or never. The reality that people lived through between the late Sixties to the late Nineties is just unimaginable now. The level of fear, you wouldnt want anyone to live through that. We do have a long way to go and arent where we would have liked to have been in terms of trust. But the absence of violence is just enormous in terms of the quality of peoples lives. Ms Abbott said her dad would have been very disappointed by Brexit as a big believer in collaboration between countries. Jobs, the health service, homelessness and a decent quality of life would have been uppermost in his mind. Im hopeful well see the new Ireland he envisaged. Generations coming up arent burdened by the same baggage as the past," she added. Mum kept him centred and made sure he ate and slept We face big challenges as a planet and species. There are big challenges ahead so Id be hopeful that generations coming up will be able to think more broadly about things, to think about the bigger picture and not get stuck on small pictures. Unity is about people, its not about constitutions. He would have said its about an agreed Ireland. So the shape of that and how that looks maybe is yet to be imagined, but its ultimately about how the people of Ireland collectively agree to govern ourselves. A worker pulling down a colleagues trousers as a joke was among incidents of sexual harassment reported to a human resources consultancy firms support helpline. Peninsula Ireland says there has been a 62pc surge in such cases described to staff since thousands of workers returned to the office following the pandemic. A spokesperson said the number of calls related to sexual harassment increased from 444 to 720 last year. She said there are currently an average 60 calls a month on the issue, compared with 20 to 25 in previous years. She said the incident where the worker pulled down a colleagues trousers led to the other employee leaving work and filing a complaint. Following a disciplinary hearing, the employee involved was dismissed. In another call, it was reported that a manager had regularly leaned over an employee at their desk and rubbed their arm. The employee was uncomfortable and raised a complaint, stating they were too nervous to approach their manager directly, said Peninsula Ireland. It said they made a complaint, which was upheld following an investigation and the manager resigned. In another instance, dignity and respect at work training was given to employees at a firm after a supervisor greeted a worker with hey beautiful and good morning gorgeous every morning. This made the employee uncomfortable as the supervisor did not greet other employees in the same way, said Peninsula Ireland. The supervisor didnt realise they had done anything wrong and was upset that their actions had caused distress, but the complaint was upheld. Moira Grassick, chief operating officer at Peninsula Ireland, said sexual harassment related calls are now in the companys top five areas of concern for the first time. The last few weeks have seen a surge in the number of calls from clients around sexual harassment in the workplace, she said. She said the reasons are far-reaching, but a common denominator may be the phased move back to the office following three-years of pandemic-induced remote working. Since early 2020, many workers in Ireland have carried out their roles from their own homes, she said. And whilst video calls and chat functions have been a useful replacement for in-person interaction, now that were starting to see more and more companies move back to being fully site-based, it appears to be bringing about challenges in the way that colleagues interact with each other. She said there may be a need for some employees to become reacquainted with appropriate standards of workplace behaviour. Ms Grassick recommended that employers circulate handbooks outlining what is considered unacceptable behaviour. In addition, its beneficial to supplement policies with management training so that line managers can confidently, sensitively, and appropriately manage any instances of complaints being raised about harassment, sexual or otherwise, she said. Whether or not a person is acting with intent is irrelevant. If their actions are causing upset or discomfort to another employee then it is inappropriate, and the behaviour needs to be addressed. Likewise, the gender of either party involved is irrelevant. She said failure to follow a full and fair procedure will be considered if a case reaches court and could result in an employer being found vicariously liable. US President Joe Biden will give a homecoming speech in Co Mayo and has invited the public to attend. Mr Bidens address will take place on Friday, April 14, outside St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina. While the event is free, those who want to attend must register online at the US Embassys website ie.usembassy.gov. The embassy said that more details about Mr Bidens schedule for his visit will be announced in the coming days. US Ambassador Claire D Cronin said: Im so excited that President Biden will speak at a homecoming celebration event in Ballina, Co Mayo. This will be a once in a generation event and I hope families will come to see the President of the United States speak. "Ireland has a special place in President Bidens heart and I know this visit will be very special to him. "I have no doubt that he will receive a Cead Mile Failte from the people of Ireland. President Bidens great-great grandfather Patrick Blewitt was born in Ballina in 1832. Patrick migrated from Ireland in the autumn of 1850 to settle in America. He returned to Ireland the following year, to transport his parents Edward and Mary and his siblings to the US. Former British prime minister Tony Blair has described former taoiseach Bertie Ahern as a soulmate owing to the relationship they built while negotiating the Good Friday Agreement. The UK and Irish governments were often in a bad relationship with one another, Mr Blair said in an interview aired at the Fianna Fail Commemoration of 25 years of the Good Friday Agreement in UCD tonight. Tanaiste Micheal Martin, Mr Ahern, former FF minister Martin Mansergh and Professor Deirdre Heenan, from the University of Ulster, are speaking at tonights event. Mr Aherns attitude played a big part in overcoming massive difficulties, said the former Labour leader in a video shown to the commemoration. He also paid tribute to Mr Ahern going back to negotiations shortly after the death of his mother. Over a long period of time British and Irish governments had massive difficulties, he said. They had they often been in a bad relationship with each other. And in Bertie, I'd found a real soulmate. "His roots were in the Republican movement, but he was creative and good-hearted and he was committed. He showed that commitment even when his mother had just died. He came back straight into the negotiation again. And I always found when I was working with him that we could just have an honest conversation about what was what were the limits of acceptability for him and for me. Mr Blair said politics works best when people can have a really honest conversation. That's when politics works best, [it] is when people who could end up at an impasse sit down and have a really honest conversation about what the difficulty is and then find a way through that impasse. "And that's what we were able to do time and time again, actually, during those three days [before the agreement was reached]. In the video, Mr Ahern spoke about the leadership of the political party leaders involved in the Good Friday Agreement. He said he and Mr Blair defended one another. Tony [Blair] and I were new, so it was a bit, the kids, you know, lunacy or vibrancy, whatever way you want to look at it, have a go anyway.We defended each other, we took lines and that was the crucial part and the relationship. Mr Blair said being a leader is being prepared to step forward when other people step back. Most of all, you're prepared to lead your own supporters and not follow them, he said. You're prepared to tell them the things they don't want to hear, as well as the things that they would like to hear. We would never have got the Good Friday Agreement unless leaders had been leaders. "David Trimble was having to say things to the unionists they found extremely difficult. Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness were having to pull the Republicans along with them, the SDLP leadership, everyone [who] engaged in that process had to be prepared to step forward and to lead. And it would never, ever have happened without that quality of leadership coming through in those people I was dealing with. IRELANDS economy could be adversely impacted by low-paid and precarious work in so-called bad jobs, a new report by the Governments own economic and social advisers has suggested. The National Economic and Social Economic Council (NESC) has advised the Coalition to carry out research into the prevalence and impacts of bad jobs as well as the impact of low pay on productivity. It also advises the Government to set up a new pension reserve fund to store excess tax revenue in order to meet future obligations to pensioners. Such a move has already been signalled by Finance Minister Michael McGrath this week following similar advice from the States Fiscal Advisory Council. The NESC report, entitled Understanding the Irish Economy in a Time of Turbulence, is being discussed at Cabinet on Tuesday. The report was commissioned over a year ago to examine the cost of living crisis following the outbreak of war in Ukraine. However, ministers have been told that the Council recognised the turbulence surrounding Ireland's economy was no longer infrequent and had come part of the everyday context. The Council argues that having a vision and a number of core, supportive lines of action are an essential means of working in this era of turbulence. According to a briefing for ministers, the report identifies a cohesion challenge between the economy and wider society. It suggests there are cohorts of people who are weakly connected to the enterprise economy due to unemployment, poverty, weak labour market attachment, low pay and productivity and precarious work. Read More The report recommends that in order to make work more attractive, the Government should examine data on earnings, security and quality of jobs and the working environment. It should also undertake research into the prevalence and impacts of bad jobs as well as strengthen the national system of collective bargaining. Research into the link between low pay and productivity and a reexamination of the barriers to taking up employment should also be carried out. The report also identifies a capacity challenge across the economy which it states adds to vulnerability and lowers resilience. Specifically, ministers were told the NESC report identifies infrastructure, service, and labour constraints in key areas, including housing, healthcare, childcare, and transport. Elsewhere, the NESC report recommends ensuring a framework is in place for saving excess tax revenue and the establishment of a new pensions reserve fund to contribute to the future cost of paying pensions. It also recommends maintaining fiscal sustainability, public investment across economic cycles. It calls for a focus on investment in meeting the housing challenge noting its previous analysis on housing policy, which recommended that tax breaks for landlords who offer longer tenancies should be considered. It also recommends having an openness to new ideas and projects and pilots that will over time move the current system of housing, its institutions, and working arrangements and practices. To realise the Government target of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, the NESC report recommends energy demand reduction measures feature most prominent among policy actions, as well as devising further policies to meet climate action targets, and considering new mechanism for a fair and inclusive transition. It also recommends Ireland becoming a producer of and exporter of clean energy and increasing the proportion of firms that have concrete climate action plans in place. Cuts to the cost of childcare will be examined by the new unit CUTS to the cost of childcare, education and reforms to social welfare payments to parents will all be examined by a new Government child poverty unit. The Cabinet will today discuss the plan to formally establish a unit in Taoiseach Leo Varadkars department to coordinate efforts to reduce child poverty and improve child well being. Mr Varadkar announced plans to set up the unit when he returned to the Taoiseachs office last December. According to the memo to be discussed by ministers, the unit will look at; reducing the cost of education; further cutting the cost of childcare; potential welfare reforms; public health measures; preventing family homelessness; and well-being and taking part in sport and cultural activities. The Coalition has already committed to further reductions in childcare costs in the Budget later this year and further measures to help parents could now be in the mix. FORUM ON SECURITY Meanwhile, ministers will also discuss Tanaiste Micheal Martins plans to hold a consultative forum on international security policy in Dublin, Galway and Cork across four days in June. Mr Martin is establishing the forum, which is modelled on the Citizens Assembly, in the wake of the changed security situation in Europe brought about by the war in Ukraine. The future of Irelands longstanding neutrality policy is expected to be on the agenda. The forum, which will be open to the public and have an independent chair, will aim to initiate an informed discussion on the States foreign and security policy with a wide range of participants including civilian and military experts and officials. It is hoped the forum can build a deeper level of understanding of the threats faced by the State, including in areas such as cyber, hybrid and at sea, and to examine the security policy options available, and what these options would mean for Ireland, a Government source said. The source said the rules-based international order, engagement in peacekeeping, conflict prevention and peacebuilding; the lessons from our UN Security Council membership, global strategic stability, international arms control and proliferation challenges, and the challenges posed by new and emerging threats will also be discussed. NAVAL DEPLOYMENT Mr Martin will also seek approval to deploy a naval vessel as part of the EU Common Security and Defence Policys Operation Irini for a period of almost seven weeks during June and July 2023. Operation Irini aims to prevent arms trafficking into Libya as well as illicit petrol exports from the war-torn country. It also involves training the Libyan Coast Guard and Navy and disrupting human trafficking networks. The operation is on foot of a UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolution and its EU mandate has recently been renewed and extended until March 31, 2025. Some 23 EU member states contribute to Operation Irini with the Defence Forces currently having three personnel deployed at its Operational HQ in Rome. The deployment is subject to a valid UNSC resolution being in place at the time, and will require Dail approval as part of the States triple lock policy. CORPORATION TAX Meanwhile, Finance Minister Michael McGrath will update colleagues on the OECD International Tax Global Agreement and the recently agreed EU Minimum Tax Directive. It is planned that the 12.5pc corporate tax rate will remain in place for the vast majority of businesses and the application of the 15pc effective tax rate will only apply to multinationals with an annual turnover of 750m or above. MORE JUDGES Elsewhere, Justice Minister Simon Harris will seek Cabinet approval for a Bill to change existing legislation to increase the number of judges across the courts by 21. The legislation comes on foot of the Judicial Planning Working Group which recommended a dramatic increase in the number of judges to clear backlogs. It proposed that an increased allocation of resources should be phased, with the initial phase allowing for a total of 24 judges across the District Court (8), Circuit Court (8), High Court (6) and the Court of Appeal (2). The statutory limit on the number of ordinary judges of the Circuit Court has recently been increased by three under the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act 2023 The Courts Bill 2023 provides for a further increase of five ordinary judges of the Circuit Court and the additional judicial appointments will be made over the coming months Day trips to Old Trafford, poky old buildings and cold sandwiches are not what most people associate with the Good Friday Agreement but they are memories shared by Bertie Aherns daughters. The days around Easter 1998 were a bag of mixed emotions for Georgina and Cecelia Ahern, who knew their father was at the centre of a global story. At the same time, they were mourning the death of their Grandma Julia. It was as intense as it gets, Cecelia Ahern, who was 16 at the time, recalled. Im sure it was a pressure cooker of emotions for Dad. Expand Close Bertie Ahern with his daughters Georgina (back right) and Cecelia (left), and family members after he received an honorary doctorate from DCU. Photo: Kyran O'Brien Photography / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Bertie Ahern with his daughters Georgina (back right) and Cecelia (left), and family members after he received an honorary doctorate from DCU. Photo: Kyran O'Brien Photography Mr Aherns mother died on the Monday before Easter in 1998, with the removal the following day and a funeral on the Wednesday. Mr Ahern arrived in Dublin less than an hour before the mass and flew back to Belfast shortly after the burial. The following morning, the Irish Independent carried a front-page photo of the then-Taoiseach outside the church in Marino, north Dublin. It was accompanied with the caption: A sad moment in a hectic day. Read More Cecelia Ahern added: After the funeral, we went to the Skylon Hotel for the gathering. Dad came for a short time to thank people, then he left to go back to Belfast. It would be Friday night after the deal was done before the girls saw him again. Georgina Ahern was 18 and in her first year of college, She said the family understood he had to go. Expand Close Bertie Ahern with his mother Julia / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Bertie Ahern with his mother Julia I know she (Julia) would have wanted him to do exactly what he did and would be hugely proud for the betterment of millions of people, she told the Irish Independent. Mr Ahern was elected Taoiseach in the summer of 1997 as an IRA ceasefire kicked in. Cecelia Ahern says he was immediately consumed by the peace negotiations. Outside of politics, Mr Aherns daughters say sport was his passion. Sometimes, politics and sport merged. Sundays at his Drumcondra headquarters of St Lukes were intriguing to observe. I recall meeting Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness in St Lukes before matches in Croke Park, said Cecelia Ahern. They synchronised their meetings on big match days. Expand Close Bertie Ahern with daughters Georgina and Cecelia. Photo: Colin Keegan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Bertie Ahern with daughters Georgina and Cecelia. Photo: Colin Keegan It always felt very informal. Everyone was always so kind to me and conversational, asking me about school and my life. Dad met unionists in St Lukes on the rugby-game days. There was also a discreet meeting with Tony Blair at Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United, when the Aherns went to see United take on Newcastle. There were other, more unconventional secret meetings which Mr Aherns daughters also remember. She continued: There was so much that was publicised and documented but so much that wasnt. Expand Close Bertie Ahern with his mother Julia and daughters Cecelia and Georgina in 1994. Photo: Leon Farrell / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Bertie Ahern with his mother Julia and daughters Cecelia and Georgina in 1994. Photo: Leon Farrell For one meeting with an important group from Belfast, he sat in the back of a battered old van and was brought to a secret location. I always found conversations around those more risky meetings quite fascinating. She remembers unusual things from the period when talks entered the make-or-break phase in Belfast. I remember Dad not liking the Castle Buildings location (in Belfast). He said it was a poky old building with narrow corridors and small rooms, and that none of the others liked it either. It seemed negotiations [were taking place] under extreme conditions. I was worried about him not eating. He had said there was only cold food. Cold sandwiches and never enough of it, Mr Ahern would tell the girls. It conjured up images of Blair, John Hume, Adams, McGuinness and Mo Mowlam all around a table and in tiny dark rooms with small platters of cold sandwiches. Ms Mowlam, who as Northern Ireland Secretary of State played a key role in the peace breakthrough, was battling a brain tumour diagnosis during the talks. Cecelia Ahern added: I remember Dad telling me that when Mo Mowlam became exasperated with people in meetings, shed kick off her shoes, take off her wig, put her feet on the table and went at everyone. I love the picture it painted, some hilarity amidst the occasional chaos. Georgina Ahern says the impact of those days is something she fully appreciated as she got older, especially as she travelled with her future husbands band, Westlife. From 2001, I travelled up regularly to see Nickys band Westlife in the Odyssey Arena in Belfast. I remember fondly the feeling of how this was an amazing new way of life for Northern Ireland, where all communities came together and enjoyed music and togetherness, she said. More recently, she says her father has been sharing old stories with the family as her sons, Rocco and Jay, found themselves doing school projects on their grandfathers role in the Good Friday Agreement. Their studies have brought the chats back home around the dinner table, she said. When Dad speaks on this we could listen for hours. Nicky loves to ask in-depth questions and Dad gives us all a real first-hand insight. We are extremely proud. All mothers have their tipping point. Meals not eaten, tantrums in the middle of Dunnes, a lack of support, combined with, at times, debilitating levels of exhaustion. After hours and hours of placating and pacifying others, sometimes you snap. While thankfully there is a lot of space for mothers to talk about the anxiety and depression that can be triggered by parenting, there is less openness when it comes to discussing the maternal rage that can course through a body. Author Anne Lamott once wrote that the myth of maternal bliss is so sacrosanct that we [mothers] cant even admit these feelings to ourselves. While most parents will get angry from time to time, maternal rage differs in that it involves a loss of control, author Minna Dubin says. So a rage episode can actually be shorter than an anger episode, but if the mom feels like the rage is happening to her, like she is not the one steering the ship, its rage, not anger. Dubin lives in California and is a mother to two children (10 and six). She has experienced this rage first hand and her book Mum Rage: The Everyday Crisis of Modern Motherhood on the subject is out later this year. The feelings of fury came as a surprise to her there was little mention of anger in parenting books, or on discussion boards. I had never heard of it. It was absolutely terrifying, she says. I thought I was the worst mother in the world for feeling it part of it is that we dont understand it, and we dont know why were having it. Read More She realised that she was not in control of her rage when a relatively minor incident set off an intense emotional reaction. She and her son were crossing a busy road when he decided to stop walking and go limp. You know when youre holding your kids hand and they go boneless, she says. They just stop walking. She tried to coax him across the road. Cars were lining up with drivers watching the scene unfold. I pick him up and carry him in front of all the cars just watching me mother. Like, will she get control over her child? After the lights turned, she attempted to get her son to cross the road again. He refused. Dubin was becoming increasingly frustrated and told him if that was the case, he could sit on the path until he was ready to walk. Expand Close Mum Rage by Minna Dubin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mum Rage by Minna Dubin She placed her hands on his shoulders and pressed down. He sat, lost his balance, and hit his head on the pavement, and started crying. It was like this terrifying moment where I was like was I too rough with him? That was the moment where I was like, this is out of control. And I need to figure this out. Being angry and a woman is often stigmatised. A 2007 study from Yale University found that while male CEOs are admired if they express anger in the workplace, women conveying the same emotions are considered to be less competent and out of control. Expressions of anger often sit at odds with the idealised notion of motherhood. Mothers are supposed to be patient, gentle, self-sacrificing, Dubin says. So, when youre an angry mom, it is the opposite of what a mother is supposed to be essentially when youre an angry mom, youre being anti-mother. In recent years, there have been more depictions of angry mothers in films like The Lost Daughter, but they remain in the minority. Aoife Menton, senior clinical psychologist at the National Maternity Hospital, says the perfect mother myth can have a hugely corrosive impact on mums. The idea that to be a good mother, you have to sacrifice yourself at the altar of your children, almost to the extent that you lose yourself in this role, she says. It makes sense that if thats the expectation were trying to live up to, were going to fail. When we violate the expectation of trying to achieve this perfect mother myth, that violation can lead to a feeling of anger. Expand Close Cristalle Hayes, psychotherapist and author of Angry Mother Assertive Mother / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Cristalle Hayes, psychotherapist and author of Angry Mother Assertive Mother Menton adds: It can be very easy for women to have an automatic response that if Im an angry mother, theres something wrong with me, Im doing something wrong. Without any understanding of the context in which this mother is experiencing this anger or rage. There is so much upheaval when you have a child; you have gone through profound emotional, hormonal, physical and psychological changes. Many mothers feel a colossal increase in responsibility coupled with a lack of sufficient support systems in society, the workplace and at home. In 2018, a UK study showed that women did 40pc more household chores than their male partners. Women often find themselves isolated and tethered to their home and this can lead to feelings of frustration and rage. On top of this, familiar coping methods such as taking an exercise class or having some alone time, may no longer be available to them. When we get mad, we immediately think, and everyone around us thinks, whats wrong with her? As opposed to whats wrong with society that doesnt support mothers in any way?, Dubin says. Sometimes your childs reaction can also trigger an unexpected emotional response in you. It might be what this child is representing in that moment, Menton explains. [They may represent] a lack of freedom, [or an increase in] responsibility. Perhaps that child has been disrespectful in that moment, theres a sense of being underappreciated and undervalued. Menton says that a display of lack of respect may be upsetting to mothers as it reflects a wider societal problem. Because how much do we really value the role of mothers as mothers, and what they do, and the level of labour thats involved in being a mother? Circumstances can hugely impact the anger and rage a mother is feeling. Cristalle Hayes, psychotherapist and author of Angry Mother Assertive Mother, first experienced maternal rage during the pandemic. Hayes is mother to two boys, Zach (3) and Jake (5). While she experienced no feelings of rage with her first child, being housebound with two small children was much more testing. I felt angry with the world. Zach had colic and it was really hard to settle him and I could feel the anger building and building. It took me by surprise as I didnt have it with my first child. Theres a lot [written] about postnatal depression but no one gives you a heads up that early motherhood is going to actually provoke a lot of anger. It feels like road rage, Hayes says. I felt angry with the world. Zach had colic and it was really hard to settle him and I could feel the anger building and building. It took me by surprise as I didnt have it with my first child. Theres a lot [written] about postnatal depression but no one gives you a heads up that early motherhood is going to actually provoke a lot of anger. Cristalle says we should reframe our attitude to anger. Anger is a useful emotion; it means your needs arent being met. So it can be a useful way to listen to yourself and see if you can try and fix that, she explains. Hayes says it is important to examine what your triggers are. Do you get upset when your kids arent listening to you, when you feel isolated or exhausted? Perhaps you get upset in situations that remind you of your own childhood. Understanding what triggers angry episodes can help you manage them. Its also important to accept feelings of anger rather than ignoring or internalising them, and to let go of any shame that accompanies these feelings. Expand Close Angry Mother Assertive Mother by Cristalle Hayes / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Angry Mother Assertive Mother by Cristalle Hayes Theres a whole load of forgiveness of ourselves that moms need to do, Dubin says. Part of it is like getting out of the shame spiral. We are not terrible, terrible people because we got frustrated and lost it. Once we get out of the shame spiral, we can then repair, and we can apologise and we can talk about what happened. Expressing anger is a way of saying to another person Im struggling here; This is too much; or, Im finding it difficult to manage the significant workload. She adds: When we explode, we forget that before we exploded, there were like 99 times where we were gentle, and we used our soft voice. Menton says it is important to be compassionate towards yourself and acknowledge that anger is not reflective of who I am as a parent or my values around motherhood. Instead, we should view it as a reflection of the fact that maybe I havent got enough support today. Rage is often a result of parental burnout. We do tend to internalise it and interpret it as some kind of inherent flaw in us but its not, Menton says. It can be helpful to remind yourself and your partner of this. Expressing anger is a way of saying to another person Im struggling here; This is too much; or, Im finding it difficult to manage the significant workload, she says. Aside from being more compassionate with yourself, its also recommended to find a support network who you can turn to when feeling overwhelmed. During the pandemic, groups of mothers would meet up in the US to voice their frustrations by screaming in abandoned car parks. WhatsApp groups, classes, friends building the village it takes to raise a child is important to safeguard your mental health. If you are in a nuclear family, then it is crucial to work with your partner rather than pitching against them. Dubin and her husband created a safe and neutral phrase that he could use when he sensed she was becoming agitated. When he says it, she takes a moment to check in with herself and that gives her the space to see where the anger is generating from. Above all, Menton says that one must recognise that there will be a myriad of emotional responses to motherhood. Mothering is going to be experienced differently by everybody. Its multifaceted and complex just as we are as human beings. Mum Rage: The Everyday Crisis of Modern Motherhood by Minna Dubin, Hachette Book Group, is due out later this year Five ways to de-escalate anger and access support 1. Identify what your personal triggers are It is important to reflect on outbursts and see if there are patterns of behaviours or situations that make you agitated or angry. My triggers are if I feel like theres something about patriarchy happening, if Im feeling disrespected, if Im feeling not listened to or dismissed in some way that triggers me, author of Mom Rage Minna Dubin says. One of the things we can do, which involves using our partners as helpers instead of [making them] the enemy, is asking them to watch you and to notice if theres any physical things that you do before youre going to rage. Most of us have physical tells. She recalls an incident when her partner noticed her tells and intervened early, asking if she was alright. I stopped and closed my eyes and asked myself, Where are the hurt places? And I found them immediately and I burst into tears I found where the pain was underneath the anger. And once I'm in a sad place and not an angry place, he can come towards me and not retreat away from my anger. It changes the dynamic. Minnas tells include gesticulating and over enunciating words, when her partner sees her do this, he knows that he should offer support. 2. Agree on a safe phrase There is nothing more infuriating when you are angry than someone asking you to calm down. It almost always has the reverse effect. This is partially because it can appear dismissive of someones anger. Instead, if you are in a partnership, agree on a distinct safe word or phrase that can be used in tense situations that will help your partner check in with you in a way that you find non-confrontational. 3. Remove the shame and apologise When we snap at children, we often feel huge amounts of shame. Sometimes it is easier to sweep all those feelings under the rug, and move on and pretend that nothing happened. It is vital to apologise to your children if you lose your temper with them, then you can discuss what happened, and learn from it. 4. Understand that anger is a natural human reaction Becoming a parent results in a huge amount of emotional and mental upheaval. It is normal if you feel overwhelmed, angry, jealous, and sad at times. Dont be too judgemental of yourself for feeling a lot of complicated emotions. Greet your anger with as much compassion as you can, author of Angry Mother Assertive Mother, Cristalle Hayes says. The same way if you sit with a toddler and give them kindness when they have a tantrum, it will pass quickly, she affirms. 5. Build your own village For many mothers, they feel their most distressed when they are lacking support. Find a network you can connect with. No matter what were talking about when it comes to being a mother, the most important thing we can do is to try and build ourselves a community, senior clinical psychologist at the National Maternity Hospital Aoife Menton says. Joining baby led groups, attending mum yoga classes, or Facebook groups are ways you can feel connected and also give you the space to discuss anxieties, frustrations and angers that you may be feeling. London City Airport has scrapped the 100ml liquid rule for hand luggage after introducing high-tech CT scanners at security. The new rules came into effect on Tuesday as CT scanners will take high-resolution 3D images to check hand baggage and clothing for any dangerous or banned foods. It comes after the government set a June 2024 deadline for UK airports to install CT scanners at security. Teesside in Northern England is also using the new technology, meaning up to two litres of liquids and laptops no longer have to be removed from hand luggage at security. Liquids have been limited in volume to 100ml for hand luggage since 2006, after the rules were introduced as a temporary measure to protect against explosives in response to a terror plot to blow up transatlantic jets from London Heathrow to North America. CT scanners can analyse the molecular structure of the contents of a passengers bag, detect any potential threat and present security officers with a three-dimensional image. They can also analyse whether laptops and other electronic equipment present a danger. Read More All weapons, including firearms, knives or explosives, are also banned from hand luggage, and there are strict rules about larger quantities of liquids, aerosols, gels, pastes, lotions and cosmetics, extending even to yoghurt and soft cheese. In Ireland, Shannon and Donegal airports have invested in new passenger screening systems. "Due to our state-of-the-art seamless security screening system, which eliminates the need to remove liquids and electronics from your cabin bag, the average journey time from the carpark to the gate is less than 15 minutes, Mary Considine, CEO of The Shannon Airport Group, has said. It is expecting 73,000 passengers over Easter up 20pc on the same period in 2019. At Dublin Airport, DAA is trialling new x-ray technology that would end the need for liquid restrictions as well as the requirement to remove laptop computers from cabin baggage in security channels. It is expecting around 485,000 passengers over the Easter Bank Holiday Weekend. In the UK, Transport Secretary Mark Harper said in December that most major airports will roll out the new technology this year. By 2024, major airports across the UK will have the latest security tech installed, reducing queuing times, improving the passenger experience, and most importantly detecting potential threats, he said. Of course, this wont happen straight away this is going to take two years to be fully implemented. Until then, passengers must continue following the existing rules and check before travelling. - Additional reporting by Pol O Conghaile A FIRE which claimed the life of a convicted killer and sex offender is being treated as accidental. Conor Downey (57) died in a fire which erupted at the West Douglas property he was living at in Cork shortly before 3pm on Tuesday. The blaze erupted in the sitting room of the house and the house occupant, named locally as Conor Downey, was pronounced dead shortly after being removed from the property by emergency services. His formal identification required an examination of dental records. A full investigation is now underway to determine the precise cause of the blaze. However, the fire is believed to have been accidental. The deceased was apparently last seen on Tuesday morning when he went out to do some shopping. Neighbours raised the alarm when smoke was spotted billowing from the house around 3pm - and there was no answer to repeated knocks on the door. Downey was convicted of the manslaughter of a Donegal woman in the UK and of the attempted rape of another woman in Ireland. He was found guilty of the attempted rape in Cork and sentenced to 12 years in prison after being linked to the crime through a random DNA sample sought by gardai in respect of the murder of young woman in a Cork park in October 2000. While the DNA sample proved Downey had no involvement whatsoever in the murder, it implicated him in a separate and unrelated sex assault against a young woman who was attacked while sleeping in her home some years earlier. The Central Criminal Court was told in 2004 that, after realising he was being prosecuted in respect of the attempted sex attack, he went to the surgery of the doctor who had conducted the DNA sample and threatened him with a knife. Mr Justice Kevin O'Higgins was told that when the victim of the attempted rape presented herself at a garda station to report the attack, her facial injuries were so severe that detectives thought she was wearing a Halloween mask. Downey was previously jailed in 1993 in London for the manslaughter five years earlier of a 26-year-old Donegal woman he had been sharing a house with. Superintendent Brian Calnan told the Central Criminal Court, during the sentencing hearing for the attempted rape, that a woman in England had been reported missing in 1988 and had not been found until 1992. She was found when Downey went to the police in Surrey and confessed to having killed her. He told them they had been having consensual sex but she had withdrawn the consent at one stage. Downey said he then became angry and strangled her. He also gave information to the police on the basis of which some of her body parts were recovered. However, her torso remained undiscovered. Supt Calnan said British police had also found fingerprints matching Downey's on the bags in which the deceased woman's body parts were found. Downey was convicted of the attempted rape of the Cork woman in November 2003 by a jury which also found him guilty of indecently assaulting her on the same occasion. Supt Calnan said gardai arrested him for the attempted rape in May 2001. The arrest was made on the strength of the matching DNA, which showed there was only a one-in-a-thousand million chance of anyone else with the same DNA profile having attempted to rape the woman. Downey had also been convicted in February 2004 of assaulting the doctor who had collected the blood samples from him for the DNA test. He arrived at the doctor's surgery with a knife while he was examining a patient and threatened to use the knife on the medic. "I am in the Central Criminal Court because of you," he told the doctor as he held a knife to his stomach. The victim of the sex attack had been out with friends in 1988 and had gone to sleep in her apartment in a Cork city suburb. She woke suddenly to find a man, who had broken into her home and was naked from the waist down, standing at her bed. The shocked woman asked him what he was doing and he attempted to have sex with her. She said her attacker struggled with her for what seemed to be an hour and tried to strangle her to make her remain quiet. Downey received a 12 year prison sentence, with the final 12 months suspended, and returned to the Douglas area when he completed his jail term in 2012. His return to the area sparked concerns from Douglas residents in 2012 but the 57 year old was described by locals as being very quiet and having kept to himself over the past decade. Fr Paul Connell is congratulated by members of the congregation following the announcement of his appointment. Photo: Brian Farrell Bishop-elect Paul Connell gives his blessing to seven-month-old Cillian Gobl from Longford. Photo: Brian Farrell Father Paul Connell addresses the congregation in St Mel's Cathedral, Longford following the announcement of his appointment by Pope Francis as the new Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois. Photo: Brian Farrell Pope Francis has appointed educationalist Fr Paul Connell as the new bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois. He is chair of the Irish bishops Council for Education, who has worked with key bodies that support Catholic school managers, patrons and trustees. The Mullingar native is also Chair of the Catholic Education Service. Ordained in 1982, he served as principal and president of the well-known midlands school, St Finians in Mullingar. Read More Described by sources as warm and popular, in recent years Fr Connell (65) has been a central player in negotiations between the Department of Education and the Church in relation to the reconfiguration of Catholic primary school patronage. His experience as director of the Catholic Primary School Management Association (CPSMA) and a director and former president of the Secretariat of Secondary Schools (AMCSS/JMB) will be beneficial to the bishops, as divestment is considered a hot-button issue facing the church in Ireland at the moment. Fr Connell has also played a significant role in discussions on policy and partnerships with Education Training Boards and Catholic Trustees in relation to Community Schools and Designated Community Colleges. He oversaw St Finians transition from a diocesan all-male boarding school into a co-educational post-primary school. Expand Close Bishop-elect Paul Connell gives his blessing to seven-month-old Cillian Gobl from Longford. Photo: Brian Farrell / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Bishop-elect Paul Connell gives his blessing to seven-month-old Cillian Gobl from Longford. Photo: Brian Farrell According to one education source, this was culturally significant at the time and indicated his abilities as a change manager. Fr Connell is himself a past pupil of the college. Considered academically strong as well as a very capable administrator, he has driven the all-island Catholic Schools Week initiative in recent years. Education sources describe him as a straight talker with a warm personality and wide experience. Addressing the congregation today in St Mels in Longford, the new bishop said: As a Church we live in interesting times, facing many challenges. Our society is in danger of losing the sense of the sacred. As we look around we see difficulties for the church on all sides. The temptation to despair is great but we must rather take courage. Fr Connell is considered academically strong as well as a very capable administrator Responding to the news of Fr Connells appointment, Bishop Thomas Deenihan of Meath, the diocese where Fr Connell has served as diocesan Secretary for education and as chancellor, paid tribute to his visionary role in steering the development of St Finians. Catholic schools in the Diocese of Meath are located across counties Meath, Westmeath, Offaly, and parts of Louth, Longford, Cavan and Dublin. Up to his appointment by Pope Francis, all matters concerning the management of primary schools in this geographically large diocese have been handled by Fr Connell as Meath diocesan secretary for education. Expand Close Fr Paul Connell is congratulated by members of the congregation following the announcement of his appointment. Photo: Brian Farrell / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fr Paul Connell is congratulated by members of the congregation following the announcement of his appointment. Photo: Brian Farrell Although strongly academic, with a doctorate in local history, Fr Connell is also regarded as pastoral and was well liked as administrator of Multyfarnham parish and as chaplain to St Marys Hospital in Mullingar, where he has offered mass each Sunday for the residents over many years. Leader of the Irish Church, Archbishop Eamon Martin, said that since Fr Connells appointment in January 2019 as Executive Secretary of the Bishops Council for Education, and of the Catholic Education Services Committee, the Irish bishops have benefited greatly from his expertise in catholic education at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. He said the new bishop had provided guidance to the bishops and school communities specifically regarding the reconfiguration of patronage. The announcement of this latest episcopal appointment was made by Monsignor Julien Kabore, Charge dAffaires of the Apostolic Nunciature in Ireland. Bishop-elect Connell replaces Archbishop Francis Duffy, who left Ardagh and Clonmacnois when he was appointed Archbishop of Tuam. We live in a time of change, and it is a challenging time to be a priest or bishop, said Dr Connell. John McAreavey and Mickey Harte follow Michaela 's coffin as it makes its way to St Malachy's chapel in Ballymacilroy John and Michaela McAreavey on their wedding day in 2010 John McAreavey has revealed that he still wonders if his request for a hotel room upgrade played some role in his wife Michaelas death. Michaela McAreavey (27) was murdered while the couple were honeymooning in Mauritius in 2011. Michaela left her husband at the restaurant on their Mauritian honeymoon and headed for room 1025 of the Legends Hotel to collect chocolate to have with their tea. However, her killer or killers were in the room, and police believe she disturbed them as they were stealing the couple's belongings. As John waited, he watched a video on his phone and took pictures. Twenty minutes later when Michaela failed to return he went to check on her and was met with a scene that would change his life forever. No one has been convicted of murdering the daughter of GAA manager Mickey Harte. Two former workers at the luxury resort Sandip Moneea and Avinash Treebhoowoon were acquitted of murder after a high-profile trial on the holiday island in summer 2012. John McAreavey has revisited the incident as part of a new BBC Northern Ireland three-part series, called Murder In Paradise, that examines the circumstances of her murder and its aftermath. That particular hotel was actually very popular with Irish honeymooners. I guess there was a degree of security in that, he said on the documentary. I always have this habit whenever you go to a hotel you ask about an upgrade. Ive often wondered if I had not requested that would we have been in another room and that something like that couldnt have happened. Who is to know, who is to know. Expand Close John McAreavey and Mickey Harte follow Michaela 's coffin as it makes its way to St Malachy's chapel in Ballymacilroy / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp John McAreavey and Mickey Harte follow Michaela 's coffin as it makes its way to St Malachy's chapel in Ballymacilroy Michaelas death sent shockwaves through the GAA community. Her brother Mark Harte also took part in the documentary. He spoke of her trait of loyalty and how close she was to her family. "If Daddy had been into tiddlywinks, she would have been into tiddlywinks. It was more about family, he said. You look out for your sister and you want the best for them. In John, she found the best. The new documentary was led by journalists Darragh MacIntyre and Allison Morris, and it airs on BBC One NI on Monday, April 10, at 10.40pm. Allison Morris travelled to Mauritius after Michaelas died and speaking on the documentary she shared her impression of the hotel in the aftermath of the incident. It was day three [since the murder] by the time I checked into the hotel. There was no indication Michaela had been murdered, she said. Im a crime reporter of over 20 years. I went to that hotel expecting to find a crime scene and I found no such thing. Sandeep Moonea was rearrested in April last year after the Mauritian officials relaunched the unsolved case, however, the case against him was later struck out. Meanwhile, last March former hotel security guard Dassen Narayanen was charged with theft in relation to the McAreaveys' room. He was charged with conspiring with another hotel employee to steal a magnetic key card to the room occupied by Mrs McAreavey and her husband John to commit larceny. He was been admitted to hospital several times during his detention for mental health issues and his lawyer has heavily criticised how he has been treated by police. Expand Close John McAreavey and his wife Tara. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp John McAreavey and his wife Tara. John McAreavey has pursued a long campaign for justice and in 2017 offered a two million Mauritian rupee (50,000 euro) reward for information leading to a successful conviction. In January, Mr McAreavey and his wife Tara Brennan had a second child, a girl they named Lily. A man is being questioned by gardai in connection with a suspected arson which extensively damaged two period homes, located on one of Limerick Citys most distinguished roads, overnight. The adjoined large three-storey early 19th century red brick houses are located on the Ennis Road, an area where homes sell for between 700,000 and 2m, and where the late great actor Richard Harris was reared. Several units of Limerick City and County Fire and Rescue Service, supported by colleagues from Clare Fire and Rescue Service, fought the blaze for several hours. Gardai closed off the road and sealed off a section of the roadway outside the two joined semi-detached houses. At least one of the properties was completely gutted in the fire. Large plumes of smoke and flames were observed emanating from the roof of the property as firefighters doused the flames. Its understood both properties were vacant at the time, and no injuries were reported. Gardai said they were alerted to a fire at one of the houses at approximately 9.40pm and the fire had spread to an adjoining property. Fire services attended the scene and the fire was brought under control. Significant damage was caused to both properties, said a garda spokeswoman. The scene is currently preserved for a technical examination. Following enquiries by investigating gardai, a male (aged in his 40s) was arrested in the early hours of this morning, Wednesday 5 April 2023, and is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at a Garda station in Limerick. Investigations are ongoing. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has called on the HSE to take urgent steps ahead of the Easter bank holiday weekend to avoid overcrowding. The countrys biggest nursing union met with senior HSE management late last week, and set out a number of actions that can it wants implemented ahead of this weekend to alleviate pressure next week. The INMO said its members are concerned over the potential for very high levels of overcrowding in the days ahead. It has called on the HSE to increase discharges over the coming days and this weekend. It said additional capacity must be sourced from the private sector where necessary and all possible care pathways must be used. The INMO said it is awaiting a response from the HSE. This comes as 582 patients have been admitted to hospital without a bed today. University Hospital Limerick has the highest number of patients without a bed today at 98, followed by Cork University Hospital (73) and University Hospital Galway (59). Expand Close INMO general secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp INMO general secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha. INMO General Secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said: Our members are concerned at the very high levels of overcrowding leading into the Easter period and we have set out the necessary immediate steps that must be taken to alleviate pressure across hospital sites. We know that after every bank holiday there is a predictable surge in the number of people on trolleys. Therefore, all efforts to increase discharges, including over the long weekend period must be undertaken. Where it is available additional capacity must be obtained from the private sector and alternative care pathways in the community must be utilised. Independent.ie contacted the HSE for comment. The President's security detail vehicles were spotted arriving at Belfast International Airport one week prior to his arrival US President Joe Biden is set to address a joint sitting of the Dail and Seanad next Thursday after 3pm, Independent.ie understands. The Ceann Comhairle, Cathaoirleach of the Seanad, the Clerk of the Dail the Oireachtas management team met with the White House advance party in Leinster House this morning. The address will take place later in the day next Thursday, at approximately 3pm or 3.30pm. The Oireachtas officials told the advance party that whatever needs to be done to facilitate the visit, will be done, it is understood. White House security officials conducted a sweep of Leinster House this morning in preparation for the visit. The Dail will have to be recalled next week by the Taoiseach to allow this address to take place. TDs and Senators, who are on a two week Easter break as the Dail is in recess, will have to return to Leinster House. Mr Biden will also visit Aras an Uachtarain, Government Buildings, as well as Leinster House. Read More Its a great privilege to welcome the President of the United States of America but its particularly a privilege to welcome somebody who welcomes themselves as being Irish and the grandson of Irish immigrants, said Ceann Comhairle Sean O Fearghail. Earlier today Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said it will be a privilege and a special moment to welcome US President Joe Biden to Ireland. He was speaking as further details were confirmed in relation to the upcoming visit and his busy itinerary. A statement released this morning stated that Mr Biden will visit the Republic from Wednesday to Friday, April 12 to 14. Included in his visit will be engagements in Dublin, Mayo and Louth. The Democratic politician can trace his ancestry to Ireland's west and east coasts, specifically Ballina in Co Mayo and the Cooley Peninsula in Co Louth. His great-great-grandfather Owen Finnegan emigrated to the United States from the Cooley peninsula, while another great-great-grandfather, Patrick Blewitt, was born in Ballina, leaving during the Irish famine in 1850 to sail to America. "He will discuss our close cooperation on the full range of shared global challenges. He will also hold various engagements, including in Dublin, County Louth, and County Mayo, where he will deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people. Additional information about the trip will be forthcoming, the White House statement said. Expand Close Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Photo: Damien Storan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Photo: Damien Storan Meanwhile, Mr Varadkar said it will be a privilege and a special moment to welcome Mr Biden back as President of the United States. Joe Biden has always been a friend of Ireland. Over many decades, and to this day, he has supported the cause of peace in Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement. He stood with us as we navigated the difficult consequences of Brexit. When we spoke recently in the White House, President Biden was clear that in celebrating the Good Friday Agreement, we should be looking ahead, not backwards. We need to continue working together as true partners to fulfil the potential of all the people who call this island their home. His visit is an opportunity to celebrate and renew the strong political, economic and personal ties that bind our two countries together. Above all, it is an opportunity to welcome a great Irish-American President home. Mr Biden will begin his trip in Belfast, from April 11 to 12, to mark the anniversary of the Good Friday agreement. President Biden will first travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland from April 11-12 to mark the tremendous progress since the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago and to underscore the readiness of the United States to support Northern Irelands vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities. The President will then travel to Ireland from April 12-14, the White House statement also confirmed. It come as a fleet of security vehicles used to transport and protect US President Joe Biden have been pictured arriving in Northern Ireland. Expand Close The President's security detail vehicles were spotted arriving at Belfast International Airport one week prior to his arrival / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The President's security detail vehicles were spotted arriving at Belfast International Airport one week prior to his arrival The vehicles were spotted being off-loaded from a plane at Belfast International Airport before making their way down the M2 to a secure location. Leading the pack of cars is The Roadrunner - a Ford F-350 Super Duty complete with modified six-door SUV body and a large satellite dome antenna on the roof. Formally named the 'Sensitive Compartmentalised Information Facility', the heavy duty car is used by the White House Communications Agency's (WHCA) as a way of ensuring a secure connection between the President and his military commanders. The dome on the roof acts as a secure phone booth to ensure private conversations can be carried out without the danger of interference should the President need to communicate with the military quickly and in an emergency. Read More Additional reporting by the Belfast Telegraph. As Donald Trump seeks to mobilise his base, a big question is: Just how big is Trumps true-believer base? How many people are willing to stand by Trump no matter what? This matters both when it comes to any backlash against his indictment around which Trump has increasingly alluded to the prospect of violence and for Trumps 2024 presidential prospects. The answer: Die-hard support remains substantial. But the number has clearly shrunk. And its apparently not a majority of the Republican Party. This is a somewhat subjective exercise, but there are a number of measures we can isolate. One of the best ways to look at the question is to focus on how many Republicans view Trump not just favourably but very or strongly favourably. By this measure, Trumps support has declined significantly since his 2020 defeat. While Fox News polling in October 2020 showed that seven in 10 Republicans had a strongly favourable opinion of him, by last December, that 69pc had dropped to 43pc. Unfavourable views of Trump have increased from around one in 10 Republicans to around two in 10 over that span, but nearly as significant is the movement from strongly favourable to merely somewhat favourable. And the movement has been steady. While few pollsters have regularly broken down perceptions of Trump in this way, data from those who have done so echoes Foxs data. An Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research poll from January showed just 14pc of Americans overall viewed Trump very favourably. That was Trumps lowest number on record and it was half what it was in 2019. Similarly, the Pew Research Centre has employed something it calls a feeling thermometer on Trump basically asking people to assign a number to how they view the former president. The percentage of Republican-leaning voters who gave him a very warm number (between 76 and 100) was 41pc. That was his lowest mark since the 2016 campaign, and it was down from 61pc in April 2020. Another telling measure is how many Republicans view themselves as Trump-first rather than party-first. NBC News has asked this question frequently, gauging whether GOP-leaning voters view themselves more as supporters of Trump or supporters of the party. NBCs most recent poll, in January, showed 33pc viewed themselves as Trump-first. That is compared to a majority who often said so while he was in office. Related to the above is the percentage to profess to be 2024 dead-enders that is, those who would want Trump to run as an independent if he was denied the GOP nomination. This is an instructive measure, because it represents a scenario that would in all likelihood cost the GOP the presidency (whether its advocates realise that or not). It would effectively be a protest vote. In a Monmouth University poll last month, 27pc of Republican-leaning voters said they would want Trump to run as an independent. In another poll, 28pc said they would actually vote for Trump in that scenario, even if Florida governor Ron DeSantis was the GOP nominee. Which brings us to the indictment. Marist came out with a new poll on Monday that also sheds some light. What is perhaps most interesting about it is that it shows a majority of Republicans acknowledging that Trump has done something unethical related to the various investigations of him. The percentage who think hes done nothing wrong, by contrast, is 45pc. So 45pc say he has done nothing wrong, 41 to 43pc have a strongly favourable opinion of him, 33pc view themselves as Trump-first rather than party-first, and nearly three in 10 at least profess a willingness to back him as an independent. These are all different measures suggesting varying degrees of true devotion, but none are approaching a majority right now. And most used to be majority views in the GOP. That doesnt mean there couldnt be a rallying effect among GOP-leaning voters now Trump has been indicted; Trump retains substantial goodwill among Republicans, and perhaps enough Republicans will buy into his claims of persecution that it will resolidify his base. In addition, were still talking about significant numbers even in their depressed state that could just about be enough to deliver him the nomination again, or cause major problems if we see the unrest Trump is clearly toying with. I am not scared of many things. Public speaking and live radio? Thats my stock-in-trade. Buzzing insects or things with wings? Ill co-exist in harmony. I embrace the pitch dark, will swim out of my depth and please, please bring on all the new experiences. Ill eat anything except olives. But if I spot an unleashed dog, particularly one higher than my knee, my brain goes into auto-panic mode. I cant explain it. I wasnt bitten as a child or anything like that. My parents had dogs over the years and I even got a rescue cavalier spaniel when the kids were small. He resided with us for many years and was loved by all. So I dont hate dogs. Not at all. Im just terrified of them. My daily walk during Covid was a loop of my local park. A big sign says dogs can roam off lead before 10.30am. Because of this, I avoided going there until after 11 and still do. These very animals can end up living on housing estates, next door to small children I cross streets to avoid them. My brother has to tie up his enthusiastic golden retriever when I visit. Thats my bias out of the way, but I believe it is well founded. There were 179 reported dog attacks in 2021, and another 130 in 2022. Many were caused by restricted breeds; dogs which are often bred, unchecked and unlicensed. They are also often unchipped, which opens up the possibility of exporting them. Worse still, nefarious reasons such as dog-fighting could be on the agenda. These very animals can end up living on housing estates, next door to small children. And yes, it is the owner and not the dog who is the dangerous one. Expand Close Dogs are often let off their lead in the park. Photo: Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dogs are often let off their lead in the park. Photo: Getty Images Because they have refused to abide by our flimsy laws and not trained their animal sometimes deliberately so the animal remains effectively wild. Some cases are unbelievably tragic, such as that of little Alejandro Miszan last November. The nine-year-old had his face permanently disfigured after a dog attacked him outside his house while he was playing. There was also the case of a baby in the south of the country, savaged to death by a dog in 2021. Farmers increasingly report dog attacks on livestock 217 of them in 2021. In one single case last year, 82 sheep were found dead. They had been mauled to death by a dog that was never found or identified. So yes, Im in favour of the proposed new fines in the wake of further attacks Puppy farms abound, unchecked and unregulated. Our soft-touch environment makes Ireland a perfect place to harbour Instagramable breeds like snub-nosed pugs, but also dangerous ones like pit bulls, rottweilers and akitas. These breeds, according to the law, are supposed to be muzzled and leashed at all times in public. They are also supposed to be fitted with a collar bearing the owners identity. Additionally, they should be licensed and microchipped. When its a law that is largely seen to be unpoliced and unpunished, whats the point of it? So yes, Im in favour of the proposed new fines in the wake of further attacks. It is also positive to find out that 40 new dog wardens will be provided for. But is it enough? Ill be sticking to my side of the road in the meantime. Marking the anniversary of the historic Good Friday Agreement calls to mind just how troubled historic relations could be between Britain and Ireland, over so many centuries. The period of the Second World War marked a scratchy time indeed, when the UK was engaged in that conflict and Ireland was neutral. So the British sent a special envoy to Dublin, to help smooth relations (and to provide information). He was the poet John Betjeman, in the somewhat invented role of press attache to the diplomatic corps, who would usefully spend his time wandering around old churches, visiting Youghal, Dungarvan and Waterford, and Dublins Palace Bar with the likes of fellow-poet Patrick Kavanagh. As he was suspected of passing intelligence to London, the IRA intended to assassinate him. But an Old IRA man was a fan of Betjemans poetry and had the order rescinded. At first, Betjeman didnt want to be sent to Dublin in 1941. Aged 34, he had been rejected as unfit for military service, but he thought he should do something useful in England. Yet he soon developed a strong affection for Ireland, according to a delightful new book by Dominic Moseley, Betjeman in Ireland. His wife Penelope liked horses and religion, so the poet thought shed acclimatise well. Expand Close Poet Patrick Kavanagh. Photo courtesy of the Wiltshire Collection, National Library of Ireland. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Poet Patrick Kavanagh. Photo courtesy of the Wiltshire Collection, National Library of Ireland. In one way, she acclimatised too well subsequently converting to Roman Catholicism, which Betjeman disapproved of. He was a High Anglican, and claimed the Church of England as the true Catholic Church. Penelope was also a teetotaller and didnt much care for the boozy parties which were staple fare for the diplomatic and literary folk in Dublin. Betjeman was a quaint personality, and traditional in many of his inclinations. His poetry was criticised for not adapting to the modernist trend set by TS Eliot: it continued in conventional metre and rhyme. He was religious by temperament and loved church architecture, the bells, the smells, the matins, the evensong, the graveyards, although that didnt inhibit his interest in sex, and his propensity to fall in love quite frequently (even if he did occasionally fear hellfire). At his Irish visitation, he was smitten by Lady Elizabeth Cavendish, daughter of the 10th Duke of Devonshire, which took him frequently to their estate at Lismore, Co Waterford. Betjeman loved a lord, and was particularly drawn to remnants of the Anglo-Irish gentry living in reduced circumstances He also fell in love with the married Emily Villiers-Stuart, for whom he wrote the poem, Ireland in the Rain. It is replete with a sense of time and place: Bells are booming down the bohreens/White the mist along the grass./Now the Julias, Maeves and Maureens/Move between the fields to Mass. When he wrote to Emily later, he rhapsodised about the sunset behind Dublin church towers. St Anthony, pray for us! He loved the Irish trains which then ran on turf (slow, but wonderfully aromatic), the awesome stoniness of the Burren, the evocative memory of Oliver Goldsmiths Auburn, near Athlone, and the Irish language, which he learned. He even signed off some letters Sean O Betjeman (his surname came from a Dutch ancestor so it didnt really translate into any other language). Betjeman loved a lord, and was particularly drawn to remnants of the Anglo-Irish gentry living in reduced circumstances a poor Irish peer was just his cup of tea. He went searching for one Lord Trimlestown, whose Gothic family seat was near Kells. He came upon the earls brother who lived in a wheelbarrow deaf and drunk. He was also pals with Michael, the Earl of Rosse (the present incumbents father) at Birr, and Edward, Lord Longford at Tullynally. He enjoyed visiting the Marquess of Dufferin and Avas fabled Clandeboye in Co Down, Ireland was then a country where landscape and townlands had changed little since the Victorian era; that was what enchanted Betjeman. He was sad at leaving, and wrote that it was like a bereavement to depart. I am very depressed at going. So many friends made, so much kindness. He had been uplifted by the hospitality and the gaiety, and concluded, flatteringly, that Ireland was a wholly Christian country. Betjeman, who died in 1984, stuck to his anti-modernism his fiercest poem was a verbal attack on the new town of Slough and its artificiality (Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough/It isnt fit for humans now.) He might align quite well with the environmental movement of today, which cherishes conservation, and detests the throwaway culture. He probably did file intelligence reports back to London all diplomats are spies, to some extent and he had claimed that many Irish writers were pro-German (some strong republicans were, notably in the first years of the war). Yet he relished his time in Ireland, and the sights, sounds, and feel of the countryside fed his poetry. Betjeman almost certainly improved Anglo-Irish relations, too, at so many personal and political levels, behind the scenes. Who says irony is dead? Well, anyone who has been watching in utter shock and amazement at the latest developments to come out of the United Nations, thats who. From the start of this week, Russia has assumed the presidency of the UN Security Council, the most powerful and influential arm of the UN body. Yes, that will be the Russia which has launched the most destructive war Europe has seen since 1945. That will be the Russia whose leader, Vladimir Putin, faces arrest under an international warrant for the war crimes and the mass abduction of hundreds of Ukrainian children and their forced conversion to the Russian way of life. The Russia that is now a pariah state and whose reputation has been damned for a generation for the crimes that it has committed since it launched its special military operation into neighbouring Ukraine last February. The Russia which has seen its soldiers commit an almost unmentionable litany of atrocities against Ukrainian civilians, including but not limited to rapes, beheadings, castration of male civilians and mass executions. Most of us who grew up in the 1990s thought the charnel house that was the Balkans conflict at the time had witnessed the most appalling acts committed on European soil that we would ever encounter. That is no longer the case. The Russians have excelled themselves in the depths of depravity to which they are prepared to go, and their deliberate violations of all accepted means of legitimate warfare, and their specific targeting of Ukrainian women and children, using rape as a weapon of war, brings a shame on this once great nation which will never be forgotten. So what punishment has the UN delivered? Well, for the next month, Moscows ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, will take charge of all Security Council meetings and decide which agendas they follow. Its meant to be a mostly procedural function, but the charming Nebenzia has darkly warned that he will take this opportunity to discuss the establishment of a new world order to replace the unpopular one which currently exists. In other words, rather than taking their seat at the top of the table and discreetly hoping that nobody will pay much attention, they are intent on using their time to cause more havoc and diplomatic chaos than has already occurred. It really doesnt matter if people in the West refuse to believe that we are at war with Russia. What matters is that, as far as the Russians are concerned, they are war with us just look at the recent incursion of Russian ships into Irish territory. When a dog growls at you, its a good idea to pay attention. When a dog barks at you, its a good idea to start backing away slowly. Now the Russian dog is barking loudly at the rest of the world and the idea of handing them the presidency of the UN Security Council is sheer madness. The Ukrainians have called this appointment the worst April Fools joke of all time. The Americans have simply said that its a joke and morally unsustainable. But all sides have simply thrown their hands up in the air in despair and lamented that under the UN procedures and policies, there is nothing they can do. Well, there is something they can do and while it wont be a popular suggestion for many Irish people who cling to a misguided affection for the UN, the answer is simple its time to abolish this rotten institution and start anew. The UN has been a thoroughly discredited organisation, devoid of any moral authority for decades. One only needs to cast ones mind back to its failure to intervene in the slaughter of nearly a million people in Rwanda in those few short, hellish months back in 1994 to be reminded of the fact that the organisation which seems to specialise in sending strongly worded letters of condemnation to genocidal regimes, while doing precisely nothing to actually stop them, is simply no longer fit for purpose. In fact, given its repeated failures down the years, Im not entirely sure it ever was. The Ukrainians, understandably, have reacted with fury to the Russian appointment. According to their leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, the Russians need to be removed from the Security Council permanently or else the whole institution should be dissolved. One of his main advisers joined in the chorus of condemnation, and pointed out that this is: A rape of international law, supporting an entity that wages an aggressive war, violates the norms of humanitarian and criminal law, has destroyed the UN charter, neglects nuclear safety...surely it cant head the worlds most important security body? Yet head the body it does. And nothing will be done, because the Russians know that as long as they have the support of fellow permanent Security Council member China, they can simply veto any motion of censure against them with impunity and leave everyone else seething with frustration. The late senator and US presidential candidate John McCain had many daft ideas well, he was a politician, after all. But he had one proposal which made perfect sense abolish the UN and create a so-called League of Democracies, where membership would be predicated upon proper democratic structures, the full implementation of human rights, a refusal to invade their neighbours and the adoption of a new charter for universal rights for all citizens. At the time, he was laughed at and belittled for this eminently sensible suggestion, which would send a message to the global despots that the rest of the free world wasnt prepared to tolerate and even indulge acts of grave evil. Well, with Russia in the chair at the UN Security Council, people arent laughing any more and McCains idea seems more impressive, and pressing, than ever before. As the old song goes, rip it up and start again... We could call it the Michael Collins Roundabout but it will always be known as the Coolcower Roundabout, said Cllr Michael Creed. A BID to name the new bypass on the eastern approach to Macroom in honour of Cumann na mBan appears to have been stymied by an insistence by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) that its name be linked to its geographical location for navigational aids such as Google Maps. The issue was raised at Fridays meeting of Macroom and Millstreet Municipal District Council by Cllr Gobnait Moynihan who had made the suggestion at a Cork County Council meeting that the roundabout at Coolcower should be named in honour of Cumann na mBan due to vital role played by the organisation in support of the IRA during the War of Independence of a century ago. At Fridays meeting she sought clarification on whether there was any update on the motion which she had raised at a meeting of Cork County Council earlier this year regarding her suggestion. It was said there that it would be brought back to the Municipal District to be processed, said Cllr. Moynihan. There wasnt necessarily a process of doing it but that it would be up to the MD to carry it out,she said suggesting that, perhaps, a public consultation process would be in order. Read More Council Municipal District Officer Marie OLeary pointed out that as it was a Transport Infrastructure Ireland roundabout, these were generally named after their location. Theyre locationally named because of Google Maps and thats navigational. So Coolcower Roundabout is known as Coolcower Roundabout so that was my understanding of it. Ms. OLeary suggested that a picnic area at Coolcower opposite Kellehers Garage might be named in honour of Cumann na mBan as an alternative. She said that an application might be prepared and submitted to the Town and Villages Fund to put something in there if members were in agreement. She said there was also an idea that Cumann na mBan might be celebrated in a mural in the town or its environs. While she welcomed the suggestions regarding the picnic area and the mural, Cllr Moynihan said that the understanding she had taken from the meeting of the Full Council was that it was a matter for the Municipal Council and thats why she was seeking clarity at this stage. Cllr Michael Creed of Fine Gael said he didnt share Councillor Moynihans understanding and his impression that the Council would discuss it with TII and then it would be brought to the Municipal District. TII had a policy about naming roundabouts after geographical locations and I think the roundabout at Coolcower, no matter what wed name it, we could call it the Michael Collins Roundabout if we wanted to but it will be always known as the Coolcower Roundabout. Cllr Martin Coughlan agreed with Cllr Creeds interpretation. The kitten, nicknamed Sharpie, was found on the Luas Green Line A small black kitten has been found by a member of the public on the Luas line in Dublin. No owners have yet come forward to claim the unmicrochipped kitten, who has been given the name Sharpie by the DSPCA. The kitten was found last week on the green Luas line at Dundrum station. Read More We have named him Sharpie because he is a little black kitten, he is gorgeous, said Gillian Bird from the DSPCA. He is doing well, he had a touch of cat flu so he is recovering from that before he goes down to our rehoming shelter. We will be looking for a home for him, she said. Sharpie was found by a member of the public and brought to UCD veterinary hospital where he is being cared for. Once he has recovered he will go to the DSPCA rehoming shelter in Rathfarnham for adoption. The building on George's Street, owned by Dunnes Stores, has fallen into disrepair A petition has been launched to add an abandoned eyesore in Dun Laoghaire to the Derelict Sites Register. Councillor Lorraine Hall, who started the petition on Monday, is calling on Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to register the four buildings on Georges Street Upper as officially derelict. Cllr Hall said the neglected building, owned by Dunnes Stores, is a blight on the town and has fallen into a state of disrepair. The petition is aiming to hit 5,000 signatures and reached more than 400 in the first 24 hours of its launch. Read More These buildings are right in the heart of our town, they have been vacant for ten plus years, Ms Hall said. They are a total eyesore. Its completely at odds with the best interests of our town, its not what local residents or businesses want. It makes the town look vacant and derelict, she added. The local authority previously carried out an inspection of the building and it was deemed to be not derelict. However, to improve its appearance, the council has paid to erect murals on the front of the building. The windows at the back of the building are blocked to prevent access. Cllr Hall said it is appalling that the building has been neglected during a housing crisis and is calling for another inspection. We have four very large buildings within our town centre that are completely vacant and unused for many years, she said. Its a clear sign of dereliction, there is no light getting in and no ventilation. Its so unsightly. We need to activate these buildings. Cllr Hall said she wants to send a clear message to the local authority. In January, the Government launched a 150m fund for local authorities to tackle vacant and derelict buildings for housing. The local authority can compulsorily purchase buildings and Im calling on the council to add these buildings to the derelict sites register, said Cllr Hall. Sites entered on the Register are subject to an annual derelict sites levy of 7pc of market value which will continue to apply until the site is rendered non-derelict. The Derelict Sites Act 1990 provides that a local authority can compulsorily acquire a property on the derelict sites register. However, the derelict site cannot be compulsorily acquired by the council without the consent of An Bord Pleanala if an objection is made. Independent.ie has contacted Dunnes Stores for comment. Lord Mayor Catherine Conroy, author Derek Landy and poet Nithy Kasa join Isolde Lynch (8) and Jack Flynn (5) at the launch of this year's International Literature Festival Dublin Jack Flynn (5) at the launch of the 2023 International Literature Festival Dublin, taking place from May 19 to 28 Stanley Tucci, actor, at the Cheltenham Literature Festival on October 7, 2022 in Cheltenham, England. American actor Stanley Tucci is to attend this years International Literature Festival Dublin next month. The Devil Wears Prada and Inside Man star will be among the many talented writers to appear at the festival from May 19 to 28. Now in its 26th year, the festival is returning to its Literary Village home in Merrion Square Park with over 180 events, including over 36 alone for families. Therell be a diverse mix of authors, speakers, creatives, and performers from over 28 countries, including Tucci and Schitts Creek screenwriter, Monica Heisey. Read More Lord Mayor of Dublin, Caroline Conroy said: International Literature Festival Dublin is always one of the highlights of the year and once again Im looking forward to welcoming some of the worlds best authors, homegrown and from further afield, to the festival. Its great to see the Literary Village return to Merrion Square, watched over by one of our best loved authors, Oscar Wilde. With a programme of over 170 events, I encourage everyone to come out and celebrate the power of words with other literature fans in the heart of Dublin. Tucci is set to discuss his book Taste, while Heisey will chat about her debut novel Really Good, Actually. Expand Close Hollywood superstar Stanley Tucci / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Hollywood superstar Stanley Tucci Other speakers include Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse, who will discuss her powerful debut novel, All Your Children, Scattered, which deals with the aftermath of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Irish and Irish-based literary talent attending the festival includes hip-hop star Strange Boy, Niamh Mulvey and Joseph OConnor. Roddy Doyle will chat to 12-year-old Ukrainian Yeva Skalietska about her incredible diary detailing twelve days in Ukraine that changed European history. You can also join crime fiction writers, Catherine Ryan Howard, Claire Allan, and Jane Casey, who will come together to discuss the sinister side of stardom, suburbia, and the search for lost things. A key strand to the festival is the children and family programme. Aoife Dooley will discuss part two of her hugely popular graphic novel, Frankies World, while illustrator Ashwin Chacko will showcase his debut picture book, Wild City. Roz Lipsett at the launch of the Platinum VIP Style Awards in Cafe en Seine. Pic: Brian McEvoy Lorraine Keane at the launch of the Platinum VIP Style Awards in Cafe en Seine. Pic: Brian McEvoy Fionnuala Moran at the launch of the Platinum VIP Style Awards in Cafe en Seine. Pic: Brian McEvoy Erica Cody at the launch of the Platinum VIP Style Awards in Cafe en Seine. Pic: Brian McEvoy James Kavanagh at the launch of the Platinum VIP Style Awards in Cafe en Seine. Pic: Brian McEvoy Doireann Garrihy, who will host this year's awards, at the launch of the Platinum VIP Style Awards in Cafe en Seine. Pic: Brian McEvoy James Patrice Butler at the launch of the Platinum VIP Style Awards in Cafe en Seine. Pic: Brian McEvoy Pamela Uba at the launch of the Platinum VIP Style Awards in Cafe en Seine. Pic: Brian McEvoy Louise McSharry at the launch of the Platinum VIP Style Awards in Cafe en Seine. Pic: Brian McEvoy Celia Holman Lee, Arthur Gourounlian and Lorraine Keane at the launch of the Platinum VIP Style Awards in Cafe en Seine. Pic: Brian McEvoy Dancing With The Stars judge Arthur Gourounlian is at war with husband Brian Dowling after both were nominated in the same category for this years Platinum VIP Style Awards The nominees, announced earlier today, represent a number of things including bravery, confidence, happiness, and sustainability. Among the stylish celebrities making the list are Amy Huberman, Una Healy, Greg OShea, Imelda May, Dami Hope and Daithi OShea. Arthur and husband Brian are both nominated for Most Stylish Man. I feel amazing, and my husband is nominated too, the war. Sorry for my language, but back off b*tch, its my time to shine, Arthur said. Its good to be nominated, its like somebody saw me. Ive only been in Ireland for three years and it feels amazing to be nominated, its the best feeling ever. I love Brian, but now its a war. Whos going to win this? It really doesnt matter if you win or not, Id love to win but it is what it is. Expand Close Host Doireann Garrihy with some of the nominees at the launch of the Platinum VIP Style Awards at Cafe en Seine / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Host Doireann Garrihy with some of the nominees at the launch of the Platinum VIP Style Awards at Cafe en Seine Arthur and Brian became parents for the first-time last year, and theyre having a great time using their fashion expertise on baby Blake. Blake is going to take over papa and daddy soon. We love fashion, and we love transferring that to Blake, he said. We love dressing her up, people tell us to enjoy it while it lasts because by the time shes a certain age, shell have her own personality. Arthur isnt the only person from Dancing with the Stars nominated for the award, with presenter James Patrice also hoping he can scoop first place. Im delighted to be nominated, its such an honour. There are some great gentlemen in my category, Ill have to murder them all, so if I dont win, Ill win by default, he said. Im sequins 365 days a year between Panto and Dancing with the Stars, sequins are not just for Christmas. You have to bring the glitz. As someone who was bullied in school for years, now I dont give a sh**e. The key is that if you feel good wearing or doing something, do it, dont mind what anyone else says. I get trolls, I get people commenting on photos and videos of me, especially during DWTS. But I felt great in that suit, I felt amazing and thats all that matters. If anyone else has an opinion on what youre wearing they need to check themselves, he added. TV personality James Kavanagh is another nominated for Most Stylish Man and said he is not afraid of standing out. My style is so mood dependent. I will put on a gown going to Tesco and on a night out I might wear tracksuit pants and a t-shirt, he said. Irish guys get a bit of hammering for their style. I think everyone is getting a bit braver. Its been really elevated over the past 10 years, thats due to shows, TikTok, Instagram. James recently had his beloved yellow Prada coat stolen, but is still hoping itll find its way back home. My Prada coat was worth 3,000. The coat was stolen from the back of my chair at an event I was hosting. I was devastated, I saved up to get it, he said. I dont normally splurge on items like that but when I saw the coat my heart stopped, I needed it in my life. I was devastated, but the search continues. Expand Close James Kavanagh wearing his 3,000 Prada coat which was stolen recently / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp James Kavanagh wearing his 3,000 Prada coat which was stolen recently The Sustainable Style Award is getting more and more attention each year as people become interested in the slow fashion movement. Louise McSharry, who is no stranger to the award, said: Im very lucky that Ive been nominated in this category a number of times now. Ive had sustainability in my mind the whole time I shop. Its about doing your best, not everyone can live sustainably 100pc of the time, but if youre making an effort and doing your best. Plus size people dont have as many options when it comes to shopping. Second-hand or vintage clothing dont really have our sizes. We have extra challenges and its important to show you can make changes. That doesnt mean spending loads of money, but still, you can make smart choices. Women like me really struggle to access good clothes. When I see someone in a similar body to me wearing something nice, I ask them about their outfit, she added. Climate change expert Fionnuala Moran is another sustainable fashionista in the same category. Its a very surreal full circle moment for me. I used to report at the red-carpet event pre pandemic and now to be here as a nominee, Im having a bit of an out of body experience but its absolutely glorious, she said. The magic of the vintage and second-hand stuff, you tend to get really unique pieces. None of us should box ourselves into not wearing something. Whatever makes you happy, thats what you should wear. For me its the same colour head to toe, colour blocking, anything fun, loud pieces. Our wardrobes should make us happy. Fitting in isnt my vibe. People realising how much sustainability makes sense is really exciting for me. We all had this idea when we first heard of sustainable fashion that you were either going to wear a coffee bean sack or a 500 organic cotton shirt. The most sustainable thing is what we already have in our wardrobes. Its way cheaper to buy in charity shops, on Depop, Etsy or Thriftify. It can be better quality too. Panto queen and former Miss Ireland, Pamela Uba, is nominated in the Most Stylish Online Influencer category, and has the perfect tip for anyone wanting to feel comfortable in high heels. When it comes to style, its about my outfits and what works for me. I ask myself do I look and feel good? Your clothes should never wear you, you should wear your clothes, she said. One thing people might notice about me is that I wear pointed toe heels. I think thats the key for me, I cant deal with strap heels, theyre so uncomfortable. But once you find your comfort, keep going. I didnt know I was nominated until I got here. Its incredible and such an honour that people like my style, she added. Howden, an international insurance broker, has received a regulatory licence from the Central Bank of Bahrain to establish operations in Bahrain. This represents a significant step in Howdens strategic growth ambitions for the Gulf region. The establishment of Howden Bahrain adds another key territory to Howdens footprint in the Gulf, with existing operations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Oman employing over 200 people in the region. It will provide a full range of insurance broking and risk advisory services across multiple risk sectors including Aviation, Construction, Energy, Financial Institutions, Marine, Property & Casualty, Employee Benefits and Specialty Lines. Adam Knights, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Howden Bahrain, said: I am delighted to be involved in this new and exciting venture here in Bahrain, which has been my home for 26 years. Howden Bahrain will provide Bahraini clients with personalised insurance solutions bolstered by Howdens specialist expertise, data and analytics and technological capabilities. Our engagements with multiple renowned Bahraini enterprises have encouraged us that there is ample opportunity for an alternative insurance broker to provide services in the kingdom, and our strategy will be to grow a sizeable market share by adding value to Bahraini clients using our international capabilities and by attracting and developing local talent. Business friendly David Howden, Chief Executive Officer, Howden Group, added: Howden has operated in the Gulf for over a decade, and we were attracted to Bahrain due to its reputation for being business friendly, combined with its comprehensive regulatory environment and the availability of experienced and talented local individuals. Our goal is to provide choice for clients in Bahrain and the wider Gulf region. We are eager to grow our existing territorial presence and develop a range of specialist solutions, and look forward to building one of the leading brokers in the region, combining our international platform with local expertise. Dalal Buhejji, Executive Director of Business Development for Financial Services at the Bahrain Economic Development Board, said: We are thrilled to see Howden enter the market benefiting from Bahrains earned reputation as the regions most established financial hub with a forward-looking business ecosystem. In line with the Financial Services Sector Development Strategy under the kingdoms Economic Recovery Plan which outlines an overall objective to increase the financial services sectors contribution to GDP to 20% by 2026, further developing Bahrains insurance subsector is a vital deliverable alongside five priorities. Attracting leading players in the likes of Howden to set up operations in Bahrain is another positive step towards realising this target.-- TradeArabia News Service The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) have confirmed to The Kerryman that a former hotel in Kenmare is currently not being considered to accommodate refugees or asylum seekers. Riversdale House Hotel in Kenmare has been closed for several years but was known across Kerry for its nightclub, now also long closed. Work is currently being undertaken on the building in the town and rumours have circulated that the former hotel is to be used by the Government to either house Ukrainian refugees or to become a Direct Provision Centre in the town to house international applicants. Read More Kenmare has one operational Direct Provision Centre Atlantic Lodge and several locations are hosting Ukrainian refugees. In a statement to The Kerryman the Department said they had not been contacted about this property. In relation to the named property in Kenmare, This property is not known to IPAS (International Protection Accommodation Services) or UCTAT (Ukraine Crisis Temporary Accommodation Team) and no offer has been made to the Department in respect of this property. IPAS has not examined nor considered this property for use." The Department said that a detailed assessment must take place before any property can be deemed suitable as accommodation for international protection applicants/beneficiaries of temporary protection. School tours have changed a lot down the years but few students are lucky to enough to be able to say they met the Pope while on their trip abroad. However, one Killorglin school had the experience of a life-time after getting a Papal audience while in Rome on their school tour. Intermediate school Killorglin have been travelling to various locations around Italy on their school tour and were lucky enough to be part of an audience to meet Pope Francis during their busy itinerary. The fifth-year students visited Rome and Naples during the trip, and as well as enjoying a Papal audience, they visited Mt Vesuvius and Monte Casino. The trip has been described as a great opportunity to see these famous sites and leave lasting memories for all concerned. Sligo Sinn Fein has announced details of its forthcoming Easter Commemoration.The parade will assemble at Sligo cemetery at 3pm on Easter Sunday and proceed to the Republican Plot where the main ceremony will take place. This years oration will be delivered by Chris MacManus MEP. Commemoration committee member Blain Feeney said: Easter is an important time for Irish Republicans and we would ask that as many as possible join with us in what is the main Easter Commemoration to be held in County Sligo. We would also ask that people would wear an Easter Lily as a token of remembrance to all those who died for Irish Freedom, he said. A wreath laying ceremony will also be held at 12pm on Easter Sunday morning at the graveside of Martin Savage in Ballisodare. Read More Meanwhile, Barry Murray, of the Peadar ODonnell Socialist Republican Forum will deliver the oration at this years Annual 1916 Commemoration ceremony which takes place at the Republican Plot in Sligo cemetery on Easter Sunday at 12 Noon. Cllr Declan Bree will preside at the traditional event which is held under the auspices of Independents4Change and People First. Mr Murray, a life-long political activist, is a member of the National Executive Committee of the Peadar ODonnell Republican Socialist Forum. A former political prisoner who spent 9 years in the H-Blocks, he is a member of the Communist Party and is a founder member and Programme Manager of Turas Na nDaoine, a community initiative in Fermanagh established to help build sustainable peace and prosperity in areas suffering from high levels of economic and social deprivation. Its programme places particular emphasis on engaging with disaffected and marginalised young people who are vulnerable to recruitment by those opposed to the Peace Process. Those attending the commemoration ceremony are asked to assemble at Cairns Drive at 11.50 am on Easter Sunday morning. MEP Chris MacManus has praised the European Institutions for putting the protection of the Good Friday Agreement front and centre for the past 25 years. MacManus was speaking as he hosted an event in the European Parliament, alongside fellow Irish MEPs Barry Andrews, Ciaran Cuffe and Sean Kelly, to celebrate the legacy of reconciliation, and the cultural and sporting successes enjoyed as a result. This evenings symposium featured contributions from community and sporting leaders from Ireland who travelled to Brussels to attend the event. MacManus said: The Good Friday Agreement is a precious one. This historic agreement brought to an end the most protracted armed conflict in Europe, recognising the existence of different political objectives - maintaining the link with Britain or the pursuit of Irish unity. Read More It created a framework for the pursuit of these political objectives through peaceful and democratic means and ensured that it is for the people of Ireland - by majority vote north and south - to decide on the future constitutional status of the North of Ireland. It mapped a tentative peace and made it lasting, and did so without eroding identity. It asked more of us all. It put in place a new constitutional framework in the North of Ireland, along with a peace process, and a political process, that would finally guarantee equality, justice and human rights. We must never forget the pain and suffering this conflict inflicted upon so many families. My own family unfortunately, like many others, knows only too well that very real pain. The Good Friday Agreement came with us, and many other families, on an important journey of Forgiveness, understanding and reconciliation. The sense of loss never subsides, but the sense of pain does. The Good Friday Agreement prevented such tragedy and loss visiting other families. For me that is something worth fighting to protect. Having that first-hand understanding of the vital importance of the Good Friday Agreement, I made it my priority from day one of becoming an MEP to protect it from the very worst impacts of Brexit. At every point throughout Brexit negotiations, myself and my colleagues from across the European Union have always put the protection of the Good Friday Agreement front and centre. The European Institutions have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the Good Friday Agreement - in all its parts - on numerous occasions. I have no doubt that our friends across Europe will play an equally important role in the next 25 years as a new chapter of the Good Friday Agreement unfolds. I thank my MEP colleagues, Barry Andrews, Ciaran Cuffe and Sean Kelly for working with Sinn Fein to put together this evenings event. "This sent a clear message that all Irish political parties represented in the European Parliament are not only proud of the historic achievement, but we will fight tooth and nail to protect it. Eithne Sinnott, Geraldine Doyle and Bridget Brennan at the Nicola Doyle's Coffee Morning to raise funds for her trip to Arusha, in Tanzania, in Oulart Community Centre. MARSHALSTOWN-CASTLEDOCKRELL Happy Easter Wishing everyone in the Parish and from the Parish a very Happy, Holy, Easter especially those who are housebound for any reason. Get Well Wishes Get well to all from the Parish who are ill at home, in hospitals or nursing homes at present. Wishing all well for the future. Thanks to those caring for those who are ill or housebound especially family members/relatives. Webcam Both churches in the Parish have webcams. All church services in them can be viewed by those who are unable to attend church in their local area for whatever reason. Go to churchmedia.ie followed by either Marshalstown or Castledockrell church. Castledockrell also has a Facebook Pageallsaintschurchcastledockrell. Holy Week & Easter Ceremonies Holy Week & Easter Ceremonies for Enniscorthy Pastoral Area Wednesday, 5th April: Reconciliation Service for the Pastoral area7.30p.m. St Aidans Cathedral. Thursday, 6th AprilHoly Thursday: Mass 6p.m. St Aidans Cathedral followed by Adoration at the Altar of Repose; Mass 7.30p.m. St Senans followed by Adoration at the Altar of Repose; Mass 7.30p.m. Marshalstown. Please note no Adoration at the Altar of Repose this year. Friday, 7th AprilGood Friday: Reconciliation Service for the Pastoral area 12 noon St Aidans Cathedral; Passion 3p.m. Castledockrell. & St Senans; 5p.m. Stations of the Cross to Vinegar Hill; 7p.m. Commemoration of the Lords Passion St. Aidans. Saturday, 8th AprilHoly Saturday: Easter Vigil 7p.m. St. Senans; Easter Vigil 8p.m. Marshalstown; Easter Vigil 9p.m. St Aidans, Easter water will be blessed. Sunday, 9th AprilEaster Sunday: 6.30a.m. Mass on Vinegar Hill; Mass 9.30a.m. Castledockrell; 10a.m. & 12noon Mass St Aidans; 11a.m. Mass St Senans, Salt will be blessed at Mass, please leave in Church before Mass (with your name on it). Mass There will be Mass every Tuesday at 9.30a.m. in Marshalstown Church and every Thursday at 9.30a.m. in Castledockrell Church. Changes will be announced at the weekend Masses in both churches. Adoration It is hoped to resume Eucharistic Adoration soon in Marshalstown Church. If you are interested please ring Pat Pierce 0872244675 of the Diocesan Adoration Committee. Adoration in Castledockrell Church is on Thursdays after 9.30a.m. Mass from 10a.m. to 12 noon. There is no Adoration on Holy Thursday. Meetings Marshalstown Pastoral Council Meeting is on Tuesday, 25th April at 8p.m. in the Community Centre. Marshalstown Finance Committee Meeting is on Thursday, 27th April at 8p.m. in the Community Centre. Lotto Results Marshalstown Castledockrell GAA Club Lotto results for Thursday, 30th March are Jackpot 15,000. No Jackpot winner. Numbers drawn 16, 21, 23, 32. Three Match One winner Lorraine Kelly who won 100. Thanks for your continued support. Notes Deadline Notes deadline is now Sunday 6p.m. (time I need the notes by). Items received after that time will be included in the following weeks notes if date of event has not passed. Flowers Donations of flowers would be appreciated to decorate Castledockrell Church for Easter Sunday and may be left into the church after the Good Friday ceremonies or early on Holy Saturday. Thanks to those who have donated in previous years. Newsletter Items for Castledockrell Newsletter should be received by Wednesday at the latest each week to guarantee inclusion the following weekend. Please ensure correct information is given. It is your responsibility to ensure that details given are correct. First Holy Communion Castledockrell National School First Holy Communion is in Castledockrell Church on Sunday, 7th May at 9.30a.m. Marshalstown National School First Holy Communion is in Marshalstown Church on Saturday, 27th May at 11a.m. Church News Details of Mass Times in the Pastoral area St. Aidans and St. Senans , Enniscorthy and Marshalstown and Castledockrell Churches along with how to book anniversaries, baptisms, weddings, etc are all on the Church Newsletters. Changes in weekday Masses may be announced at weekend Masses. The emergency number to contact Fr. Paddy, Fr. Tom or Fr. Billy is 087 2710478. In the case of something less urgent please ring St. Aidans Parish Office on 053 9235777 or St. Senans Parish Office on 053 9261729 leave a short message to include your name and a contact number and someone will be in touch with you as soon as they can. OULART & THE BALLAGH Not to be missed! Members of Oulart 1 Company Volunteers who were active during the Easter Rising will be remembered in Oulart next Sunday when their names and the 1916 Proclamation will be read before the Second Annual Mise Eire Easter Address will be given by Dr. Ray Bassett The event gets under way at 11.45 am and will conclude around 12.30pm. Dr. Bassett will speak on The Good Friday Agreement,a roadmap towards Irish national re-unification, Few people are as qualified as Dr. Bassett to speak on the subject as he was a member of the Irish Government team in the talks that led to the Good Friday Agreement. He is a former senior diplomat at the Department of Foreign Affairs and served as Ambassador to Canada as well as postings in Copenhagen, Canberra, Belfast and London. Dr. Bassetts ancestors were once resident in the Hook area of Co. Wexford. Young and old are invited and encouraged to attend this important commemoration. Camogie Stars Congratulations to Colin Sunderland, manager of Wexford senior camogie team and to Oulart-The Ballagh players Ciara Storey, Miria ODowd, Aoife Dunne, Anais Curran, Katie Gallagher, Katie Roche and Shelley Kehoe on their victory over Antrim last Sunday (3-14 to 2-14). They have qualified for the 1B League Final where their opponents will be Waterford. Check official fixtures for exact details of date, time and venue. Well done also to Oulart-The Ballagh Under 14 camogie players, Molly Martin, Caoimhe Moore, Clodagh Byrne, Anna Roche, Roisin Sinnott and Isobel Hayes all of whom have been selected to represent Wexford in that important Under-age grade this year. Little Warriors The Little Warriors (3-5 year old girls and boys) are back in action, with fun activities, on the Astro Turf on Sundays 10.30am-11.30am. Contact club officials for details or if you wish to register your child as a Little Warrior or if you would like to volunteer to work with the youngsters or to serve the club in any capacity. Wexford Minor Hurlers Oulart-The Ballagh hurlers, corner-back Lee Harpur, mid-fielder Jack Dunne, corner-forward Jason Rossiter and full-forward Cian OConnor helped Wexford to a great victory over Dublin, in Wexford Park, last Saturday. Michael Jacob is team-manager and his sister Helena is one of the selector. The minor team will be in action again, on Good Friday, when they travel the long journey to Birr to take on Offaly. Another win would see them top the group and qualify for the Leinster semi-final. Best of luck to players and management. Under 20 Hurling Wexford Under 20 Hurlers, under manager Keith Rossiter, will be in action on Saturday April 8th in Wexford Park when they play Kilkenny in the first round. Throw in is at 2pm. Best of luck to players and management. Model County Draw Model County Tickets for the Club & County Draw 2023 are on sale from members of Oulart-The Ballagh GAA Committee. Thirty prizes are on offer for each of the three draws, with a car as first prize each draw. T he first draw will be held on 26th April while the 2nd and 3rd draws will take place on 31st May. Tickets are 50 each and by buying from your local club you are helping with the clubs fundraising efforts as well as helping Wexford GAA. Oulart Christmas Lights It is with regret that the current Lights Committee are retiring as and from January 2023. The village is a beautiful sight when lit up at Christmas time and it has great potential for a new committee with fresh ideas etc. The formation of a new committee would be a great opportunity for parents of local children to get involved. Any information needed on the equipment or funds can be had by contacting Jane at 087-1229077 or Tina at 086-8849585 C.O.W.S. News Members of The Community of Oulart Womens Society started their Course in Basket Weaving last Saturday, 1st April in Oulart Community Centre, with thanks to the WWETB Adult & Community Education Programme. The C.O.W.S. have other initiatives in the pipe-line such as the creation of a Mural in the village and they have organised a fund-raising Table Quiz in Oulart Community Centre on Sunday 16th April at 8pm. Tables can be pre-booked by calling 087-1006437. 20 per table of 4. The support of families, groups and individuals in the parish and beyond,would be greatly appreciated. Oulart Active Retired The Annual General Meeting of Oulart Active Retirement Group will be held on Tuesday 11th April, at 2pm in Oulart Community Centre. New members are always welcome to join the local Active Retirement group. Mass Times Three Masses are celebrated in the parish each weekend. The Vigil Mass in The Ballagh is at 7pm and in Oulart at 8pm. Sunday Mass in Oulart is at 11 am. The Vigil Mass in neighbouring Monageer is at 6pm and in Kilmuckridge at 7pm while there is a Sunday Mass in Blackwater and Monageer at 10 am. Easter Ceremonies Holy Thursday Mass will be celebrated in St. Patricks Church, Oulart at 8pm. The Church of St. John The Baptist, The Ballagh will host the Good Friday Ceremonies for the parish at 3pm.The Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday will be celebrated in The Ballagh at 6.30pm and in Oulart at 8pm. Mass on Easter Sunday in The Ballagh is at 10 am and in Oulart at 11am. OYLEGATE Monthly Parish Draw The winners of the March parish draw were first. prize 200: Frankie Kehoe, second. fifth. runner-up prizes of 50 each: Nick Hayden, Kevin OKane, Matt OConnor and Alan Quigley. The April parish draw will take place on Sunday, April 30. GAA Past Players Reunion Oylegate-Glenbrien GAA club are hosting a reunion for the 1963 senior hurling and camogie teams and for the officials of those teams, plus ALL hurlers of the 1950s and 1960s. Also included are the junior camogie team of 1987 and the other intermediate team of 1992 and the officials of those teams. An invitation is also extended to the club officers of the 50s and 60s. This event will take place on April 16 in Oylegate Community Centre commencing at 6 p.m. for invited guests. Open to other past players, current players and supporters at 8 p.m. Invitations are already circulated but if you have been overlooked, please contact Seamus Heffernan at 086 1542283. A great night is anticipated. ICA Notes The next ICA meeting will take place on April 5 at 7.30 p.m. in the community centre, new members always welcome. Baby and Toddler Group Glenbrien Baby and Toddler Group meets every Tuesday during Primary School Term Time in Glenbrien Old School Community Centre from 9.15 a.m. to 10.45 a.m. This is an opportunity for young children and their carers (parents/grandparents/childminders) to meet. For more information contact Ana Egan at 086 1939997 or Anne Marie OConnor at 087 2973324. Looking forward to seeing you there for a cuppa and a chat. Church news Holy Week Ceremonies Holy Thursday: Mass of the Lords Suppe, Oylegate 7 p.m., Glenbrien 8 p.m. A Holy Hour of Adoration at the Altar of Repose follows Masses. Good Friday: Passion of the Lord and Veneration of the Cross Oylegate 3 p.m., Glenbrien 5 p.m. Holy Saturday: Easter Vigil Oylegate 6.30 p.m., Glenbrien 8 p.m. Easter Sunday: Mass Glenbrien 9.30 a.m., Oylegate: 10.30 a.m. (Salt will be blessed at Sunday Masses) Trocaire Donations Please return your donations to the church this week. It would be greatly appreciated if coins could be converted to notes. Parish First Communions Glenbrien: Saturday, May 6, at 11 a.m. Oylegate: Saturday, 13th, May at 11 a.m. Church Envelope Contributions 2023 The Envelope Boxes for 2023 are available for collection in the church. If you do not use the envelopes, you are encouraged to make a donation to the church fund by making an annual cheque or cash donation or through a bank account, Account Name: Oylegate Parish Church. Bank: Bank of Ireland, Abbey Square, Enniscorthy. IBAN: IE44 BOFI 906566 24140788. BIC: BOFIIE2D. TOMBRACK Big Clean Up 2023 The next scheduled clean-up for the Tombrack Road is as follows: Tombrack to Strahart Saturday, April 15, meet at Tombrack Hall at 11 a.m. Bags, gloves and picking sticks will be available, For further information contact Nan Feeney 086 3645631 or Catherine ONeill 053 9366248. Please wear a high viz jacket. Volunteers are very welcome. The Chiffchaff is a member of the warbler family and is one of 16 warbler species that regularly breed in Ireland. The spring migration of wild birds is in full swing and one of the migrants arriving in Ireland at present from the Mediterranean basin is the Chiffchaff, a small, brown, sparrow-sized bird. Though it is very common and widespread, the Chiffchaff is not well known for at least two reasons. First, it has a skulking habit. It tends to lurk and loiter in dense cover seldom showing itself fully. And second, it is a nondescript mixture of shades of pale brown with no distinctive markings or identification features, so much so that its most notable distinguishing feature is that it hasnt got any. On closer inspection the Chiffchaff is no easier to identify. The brown on the back can vary from greyish brown to greenish brown and the off-white on its underside, breast and throat can vary from buff to yellow. Leg colour is also variable. Since the birds are often seen in thick cover colours can look different in the shade than in full sunlight. And to make matters more confusing subspecies occur. The Chiffchaff is a member of the warbler family and is one of the 16 warbler species that regularly breed in Ireland. Like many of its close relatives, the Chiffchaff has an eyestripe, a dark line running through its eye from its beak as illustrated above. Above that dark eyestripe it has a matching pale yellowish eyebrow known as a supercilium. Warblers are so called because they have songs that are attractive to our ears. Onomatopoeia is the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named. Many birds are named onomatopoeically, the Cuckoo being a familiar example. The bird calls its name: goo-ko. The Chiffchaff is another example; its song is distinctive when heard in the tree tops in a woodland. If you repeat silp-sulp five or six times in a slow and measured way you may be close to what the birds song sounds like. Fortunately, excellent audio clips and videos are available online by simply typing Chiffchaff song in your browser. Once you get your ear tuned in, a visit to your local woodland or hedgerow will hopefully reveal one of these newly arrived migrants and their pleasant song that reminds us how the bird got its common name. Gorey native Mari Cahalanes contributions to the promotion and advancement of STEM in Ireland were recognised at the National University of Ireland honorary degree conferring ceremony recently. Mari, who has been involved in the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition since 2001, was one of four people to receive an honorary degree from Chancellor of the University, Dr Maurice Manning for making exceptional contributions in her field. She was presented with this degree at a special ceremony in the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, Kildare Street. Mari joined BT in 2001 and has held a number of roles including Head of Sponsorship and Events for BT in Ireland, Head of Events in Europe, PR and Events Manager and Ocean Communications, while she also worked in Board Secretariat and the Public Affairs Department in BTs London HQ. She holds a diploma from Dublin Business School in Marketing and Sales. Mari has been involved in the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition since 2001 when she volunteered for the first time. She became the head of the exhibition in 2009. In 2018, as the Irish national organiser for the European Union Contest for Young Scientists, she organised and hosted the 30th edition of the event in Dublin. This isnt the first time Mari has been recognised for her contributions. In 2015, she was named as one of 10 bright sparks igniting the Irish STEM scene and as one of the Top 100 Irish Women in STEM by Silicon Republic. The 2023 Mazda2 features updated exterior and interior design, two new exterior body colours, a new grade structure, and two new special edition models. Celebrating 20 years of production since the launch of the first generation Mazda2 in April 2003, the latest version of the companys popular B-segment hatchback, the 2023 Mazda2, features updated exterior and interior design, two new exterior body colours, a new grade structure, and two new special edition models. With its fresh design, the Mazda2 is an important building block in the companys Multi-Solution Approach, bringing fuel efficiency and driving enjoyment to the compact car market. On board, the 2023 Mazda2 offers new instrument panel, air vent, and door panel trim finishes; updated upholstery; and a wide range of comfort- and convenience-enhancing standard equipment even on entry grade models. Mazda Connect system now supports Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity from Centre-Line. Mazdas research into Noise Vibration Harshness (NVH) has resulted in a unique approach to the control of sound entering the cabin. This provides a comfortable quietness for all occupants. Heated steering wheel and auto-dimming rear view mirror are available. The Mazda2 has long been praised for its driveability and the true Jinba Ittai driving experience. Mazda says the latest developments in Mazda Skyactiv-Vehicle Architecture have enhanced the joy of driving. Featuring MacPherson struts in the front and torsion beam rear suspension, it offers smooth vehicle movement and a comfortable ride. Both the saturation characteristics of the front and rear dampers and the valve design of both the front and rear dampers are optimised, and the rear dampers benefit from a large radius. From 75 to 90 hp and a choice of automatic and manual transmission, the 2023 Mazda2 suits all tastes. The front seats have been improved to offer even better occupant-posture to reduce head sway and to minimise fatigue as driving becomes easier. G-Vectoring Control Plus (GVC Plus) makes the vehicle more stable at speed. Precise control and fast vehicle response to drive inputs have already become a tradition with the Mazda2. The Prime-Line Mazda2 with a 75 hp Skyactiv-G engine with manual transmission includes an 8 central display, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, LED headlamps, power windows, DSC, TCS, and other safety systems; add a tyre pressure monitor and hill launch assistant for feeling and you have a perfect city compact. There is the option to add Convenience, resp. the Drivers Assistant Packs to some equipment lines. These include, for example, adaptive LED headlamps, Blind Spot Monitoring, heated seats, Active Driving Display or 360o Top View Monitor. The two new editions, Homura and Homura Aka, featuring new Aero Grey and Air Stream Blue colours and various exterior enhancements, will also be available. The first vehicles will arrive in showrooms throughout Europe in June 2023. Meanwhile, the Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV series plug-in hybrid received a maximum five-star rating by Euro NCAP as the excellent results of the battery-electric MX-30 e-Skyactiv EV tested in 2020 now officially apply to its new plug-in hybrid derivative. Both MX-30 derivatives score impressively in all four Euro NCAP test categories: Adult Occupant - 91%, Child Occupant - 87%, Vulnerable Road User (pedestrian safety) - 68% and Safety Assist - 73%. Moreover, they achieved maximum points in lateral impact tests. The Ashdown Park Hotel will be transformed for a night of glitz and glamour aimed at celebrating the life of the late Clare Jordan on Saturday, April 22. The Cocktails and Frocktails event will see people from across the community come together to enjoy music, dinner, dancing, cocktails and a raffle, with a 4,000 holiday one of the many prizes up for grabs. While the event has been held for a variety of charities since it was established, this years soiree will serve as an opportunity to remember Ballytegan native Clare Jordan, and as a fundraiser for Pieta and Talk to Tom. Last August, people from across the Gorey community expressed their shock and heartbreak following the untimely death of Clare Jordan at the age of 29. A former student of Gorey Community School, Clare was well known by many around the town, where she worked in several local restaurants over the years including, most recently, Partridges. In the days after her passing, many recalled the incredible kindness, gentle nature and wonderful smile that she was so fondly known for. Now, eight months after her death, those who knew and loved her want to remember her many qualities. Tickets for the Cocktails and Frocktails event are now on sale and according to organisers, the event has already attracted a huge amount of support from individuals and businesses that want to celebrate Clares life. Tickets cost 60 and are available from the Ashdown or from organiser Josephine Casey at 086 224 9769. SEAN BUTLER has a new fan. The huge Cillian Murphy fan was overjoyed when the Hollywood star signed a portrait he did of him. His mother Shaz Davis has been bringing him into New Ross every night from Thomastown to try to catch a glimpse of Murphy filming Small Things Like These on the streets of New Ross. Although unsuccessful in landing an extra role in the film, Sean handed in a portrait he did of the Cork man, who having been handed it by a crew member, signed it To Sean, brilliant work!, before signing it. "It made his week, Shaz said, adding that her son also made a life-like portrait of Murphy in Lego! Hundreds of metres of undersea ducting stored at Bagnibun prior to being pushed through boreholes drilled under the headland and into the Irish Sea. THE head of the company building a 500m interconnector between coastal Co Wexford and Wales has outlined the huge impact it will have on the country and local community. James OReilly said: We have one contractor, its a consortium between Siemens who are doing the converter station works and Sumitomo who are doing the underground cable, both on land and offshore. Mr OReilly was in Wexford to meet the Sumitomo workers and some landowners. He said: With any major infrastructure project its impossible to build one and have no impact on the community but we try to build one and minimise the impact and if people have concerns we try to address them. This includes ensuring access to B&Bs etc. and ensuring no road works are going on during the busy summer months in the Fethard on Sea, Duncannon area. Our contractors are professional, experienced contractors like GMC Materials who are doing the road works. Greenlink will cease all road works for laying of cables for the interconnector between Ireland and Wales during the busy summer season. The works stretch along 23kms of the roads of south west Wexford, with 8.5kms of cabling completed since September. 3kms of cables are through agricultural land. The offshore cable laying will be done in two phases. The first campaign is starting this September from Wales. Its 80kms from the Welsh landfall out to the middle of the sea and in April 2024 the cable laying ship will come to off the coast of Wexford and lay the cable from of Baginbun to the middle of the sea where the cables will be jointed. The depth of the cables will be over 120 metres in places. "The water depth varies from 60 metres deep to over 100 metres deep at the centre. Under water offshore cable laying campaigns are always technically complex. We did surveys to identify the best route. We completed more surveys form August to September last year, identifying any obstacles that would need to be cleared. We have done a pretty good job of route engineering but the proof is in the pudding. Next September the trencher will trench a metre deep into the seabed, bury the cable and then cover the cable again. Until you get down there and start that work you dont know how difficult it will be. Mr OReilly said all roads will be returned to at least as good condition before they were touched. He said Greenlink had to have certain permissions from Wexford County Council to do their works, particularly for works on Wexfords roads. The community benefit has added up to 450,000 on Baginbun car park and slipway alone, along with over 150,000 in Ramsgrange on footpaths and road widening. "It was supposed to be 300,000 in Baginbun, that was our requirement, but we actually spent 450,000. That was due to rising costs. In Baginbun we wanted the job to look right and it does. Solar panels are also being installed on houses at Great Island for residents. Horizontal Direct Drilling is underway at Baginbun to ensure there is no impact on the beach, in a field the company has leased a field from a landowner. "The total is 840 metres from Baginbun out to sea. The rig bores down 20 to 30 metres and it drills out under the beach out to sea. There are two bores, one for each cable: a positive and a negative cable and then a duct is put in and there will be a small messenger cable that goes down through the duct and when the cable laying ship comes along and the cable will be winched off ship, attached to the messenger cable and pulled in. There will be an onshore joint bay where the offshore cable will be joined to the onshore cable. All of these works will be underground. Nobody will ever see anything and there will be no footprint in Baginbun after we leave in late 2024. The only trace of Greenlink will be the converter station inside the site. Due to noise from the drilling rig a householder nearby complained so tall stacks of hay bales were sourced by Greenlink which have significantly minimised the noise pollution. "This rig runs 24/7. One of the boreholes is completed and work has started on the second bore. We have just completed the drilling works in Wales. Its an even longer drill there because it goes under freshwater beach and there is a preserved area of dunes. A specialist Dutch drilling contractor company is working on the boreholes. Mr OReilly said the 20 strong Dutch engineers have rented Baginbun Lodge for a few months, providing an economic boost locally. There are around 100 people locally employed on the project across all area: carpenters, fitters, electricians, general operatives on the site so there is money being contributed in the local economy, whether its diesel or breakfast rolls or things in the shop." There is a monthly charity pot initiative, which Greenlink and the contractors contribute to. The worker group that adheres best to health and safety get to choose the charity. To date St Louis Day care Centre in Ramsgrange and Fethard RNLI have been among the beneficiaries. Work is ongoing on the converter station at Great Island. Having began in January 2022, testing will be carried out prior to it being commissioned. Mr OReilly said the most advanced technology in Ireland is being used. "This technology is the latest converter technology. Four huge transformers are arriving on a barge on site in Great Island in August. The entire project will be completed by the end of November 2024. We are currently on schedule. There will be some local employment during the operational period of the project but these stations are unmanned. There will be local services cleaning, landscaping, servicing. There will be periodic maintenance where specialist crews will come and do an overhaul on the project and they will stay locally. These kinds of projects are not like a power station where you have hundreds of people working. The old garage site on the quay in New Ross has been chosen as one of the preferred sites for a hotel. Wexford County Council Chief Executive Tom Enright confirmed that the site is one of two the local authority are interested in buying with a view to seeing a large hotel built to increase badly needed bed nights in the town. Mr Enright said: There is a town centre hotel needed for New Ross. Weve looked at seven sites. Weve discounted some of them but there are a couple sites that we think would be a perfect location. Were narrowing in on that and we hope to have discussions in the coming months with the owners." Read More He said there has been huge interest from hoteliers in the hotel space at Trinity Wharf in Wexford town. "We know from a study done by Failte Ireland back in 2019 that Wexford is short about 500 bed nights and that was before we had the Ukrainian crisis, so there is a huge need for five or six large hotels in the county. We are seeing some progress on that, including on the quay front in Wexford and there is a proposal for large hotel in Courtown. "What we are hoping to do is to identify a site and acquire it and to have a shovel ready project for an investor. We also know that the site on the quays in Rosbercon has been purchased by somebody who has hotels so maybe there will be an opportunity around that as well." The old Garage site opposite the Dunbrody centre and the Dunnes Stores owned car park beside it are considered ideal sites, as is another site slightly back from the quay near Lidl. Mr Enright said in time there would be scope for the development of a hotel in Rosbercon on the Stafford site. He said developing one of two sites near the Dunbrody is a no brainer for an ambitious hotelier. "There are two large brownfield sites that we are looking at. I think if you look at whats going to happen in New Ross in the coming years from the greenway which will bring huge numbers of visitors. The Norman centre that is planned with Failte Ireland ourselves is going to bring somewhere between 150,000 and 200,000 visitors here. If you want to benefit from tourists visiting a location you have to keep them overnight. "Having people come in on buses and staying elsewhere you dont really benefit from that. He said when there were no office developments in Gorey, the local authority stepped into that market, in the same way it is doing with the advance factory in New Ross. "We are doing the same here where we can acquire a site and get planning permission and make it easy for an investor. There is an urgency around it. In the last 12 months there have been three applications for hotels in Dungarvan. They are trying to catch up and are facing a huge accommodation issue. "We are trying to get ahead of that here in New Ross. We are trying to bring people here and hold onto them longer so they can enjoy the Barrow ferry and go to the Hook, the 7m Norman centre and other places." Mr Enright said the greenway will take a few years to take off, adding that a project like a large hotel in New Ross will take three to five years to deliver. "We dont want the market to wait until the new Norman centre and the greenway are up and running. We want to ensure we have accommodation coming on stream at the same so we can get the maximum benefit form the tours who will be coming here. Long-term residents of a St Vincent de Paul sheltered accommodation unit in Gorey have been left worried sick after being informed that the hostel that they have come to know as home is set to close. The Monastery Accommodation Service on St Michaels Road known to many as St Josephs has provided homeless and other vulnerable men with accommodation and living assistance since its establishment. On March 23, residents received a letter signed by President of St Michaels Conference at the St Vincent de Paul (SVP) Gorey, Bridget Braham informing them that the Societys National Management Committee decided on January, 31 2023 to close the Monastery Accommodation Service in Gorey. The letter outlined three reasons leading to the decision to close the facility, which was established to support The need for the building to undergo extensive refurbishment to bring the property within current regulatory standards was one of the reasons highlighted, with the letter noting that these refurbishments will guarantee the safety of residents and cannot take place with them in situ. The letter also pointed to the breaking and entering of the building on December 29 last as another reason leading to the closure. It also stated that, in line with the Societys transfer of hostels to another provider, the service will be closed as part of the now complete process. Residents were informed in the letter that they will receive an official notice of termination in due course. Read More They were also advised that the conference and scheme manager would support them during this time of change, and that they would be assisted in seeking alternative accommodation by the HSE and Wexford County Council. No date was provided for when the six residents will have to vacate the building. Nicole*, a family member of one of the long-term residents, expressed the great concern felt by her relative and the other men residing in the accommodation. He is very worried. They are all very worried. This is all they know. He is only in there five or six years but some of the other men are there a lot longer, for about 15 or 16 years, she said. There are six or seven men in there and now all of a sudden, they have to find new accommodation. Theyre not young men. My relative is in his seventies. Anyone who has to try and find accommodation will find it difficult anyway, and these guys would be older so they need a bit of help. For this man, who lives with depression among other challenges, the hostel has been an absolute godsend until now, said Nicole. He was previously at risk of homelessness and managed to get a social house years ago but he was having great difficulty there. His social care worker helped him to get into the hostel, she explained. It was great for him because he just found it really difficult coping on his own in the house. When he moved in, he had company and was being looked after, he was getting three square meals a day, he had a roof over his head. They all have their own self-contained apartments in the one building but there is an assistant there to support them with various things. They pay a small rent and for that, their meals are provided and they have use of a shared kitchen for tea and things. Nicole said that a strong community had been formed by the residents and those supported in the adjacent houses, which also form part of the SVP accommodation scheme. The people at the houses are absolutely devastated and they feel rattled by it. If theyre starting with the hostel, they feel theyll move on to them next, she said. They all had their own community. The people in the houses chatted with the men and met them in the yard. Now that community is being fractured. Commenting on the situation, Communications Manager with St Vincent de Paul, Jim Walsh said that there is no intention of moving any tenants out until suitable alternative accommodation has been found. The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SVP) is planning to reconfigure the Monastery Building in Gorey into seven independent own door living units. The Monastery Building currently accommodates six men (each having individual bedrooms) and where the local SVP Conference provides meals each day. The six tenants are still being accommodated in the Monastery Building and SVP has met with the Wexford County Council Housing Officer with the view of sourcing alternative accommodation through a housing transfer for two tenants. The other four tenants have spoken of their wish to move to a nursing home given their capacity currently to live independently. In respect of this, the SVP Housing Scheme Officer has had discussion with Public Health in relation to applications for a number of local nursing homes, the tenants names are currently on a list for four nursing homes in Gorey and surrounding areas. There is no intention of moving any tenants out until suitable alternative accommodation has been found. SVP transferred its main hostels to new service providers in 2021 without any disruption to residents. In his statement, Mr Walsh said that the proposal for seven independent (one bed) living units in Monastery Building will be a positive step which will complement the Societys existing 14 independent Sheltered Housing units set within the courtyard and will contribute in meeting the current need for one-bed units within Gorey. There is a range of issues which led to the decision to reconfigure the Monastery Building; the buildings require extensive refurbishment to bring it within current regulatory standards, in addition there isnt the capacity of existing tenants to sustain independent living as well as the mobility challenges of the tenants. There is also the sustainability of a hostel type service and the need to align our accommodation provision nationally to own door independent living arrangement. The SVP National Management Council wants to recognise the great service provided by the Gorey Conference to the tenants in Monastery Building over the years, he concluded. Following discussion with a family member of a resident, Councillor Diarmuid Devereux said he was extremely shocked to hear of the situation. I am calling on this process to stop until there is proper consultation with families and the residents as to what measures are going to be taken to accommodate and look after these residents to the standard that they are used to in the hostel, he said. I have seen the letter. Any concerned family members should have been consulted about this plan before those letters were issued. No official notice should be issued to any resident until all matters are resolved and all queries of the residents and their family members are answered. Cllr Devereux said that compassion is crucial in this situation, particularly given the severity of the housing crisis in Gorey. For this to be landed on the lap of these people, especially in the week that is in it where the housing crisis is being highlighted in the media, is appalling, he said. The last thing we need now is these residents feeling threatened, concerned or worried about what the future holds for them. Nobody needs that in the current climate. Councillor Fionntan O Suilleabhain said he was shocked when I first learned that the VdeP were closing this centre, and that the six residents would be in effect be facing eviction. "Experience has taught me to be highly sceptical, even cynical, about what plans there may be afoot for its use following renovation, he continued. I am calling on VdeP to immediately stop this eviction process, to engage with the local authority and clarify matters for the six residents, their families and also for ourselves. While Councillor Joe Sullivan had not heard of the hostels impending closure, he said that it was a very worrying move, particularly during a housing crisis that is having an extremely concerning impact on people across north Wexford. If this is to close, it is another blow for an already overburdened housing situation in north Wexford. Were already on the floor, he said. If it is true that this is closing, I am calling on Wexford County Council to engage with residents to work with them and ensure theyre not made homeless or added to an already extended housing situation. Commenting on the situation, Housing Director with Wexford County Council Carolyne Godkin said that the Council works with a variety of housing groups on an ongoing basis and have good working relationships with the SVdP in the County. "My understanding is that the property in Gorey requires substantial work to improve suitability for residential living. There is certainly no intention that tenants will be made homeless, but they may require alternative accommodation. The Council will work with the SVdP where persons qualify for social housing. *Name has been changed PERMISSION has been granted for a new state-of-the-art school building for Bunclody Vocational College. The development will include 19 general classrooms, five specialist classrooms, four science laboratories, three technology rooms, two arts rooms, one home economics room, a two classroom special education needs unit and a general purpose dining area. The new school building will also feature a multi-use hall, library, offices, staffroom, pupil social areas, fitness suites, changing rooms and external play and tier seating areas. The application was lodged by Waterford & Wexford Education and Training Board (WWETB) earlier this year and the development will take place at the existing school site in Newtownbarry. Read More The works will also see the existing school buildings demolished with the exception of No.15, Irish Street, however, the existing technical school building, which dates back to 1949 and is on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH), will be included in the demolition work. The development will encompass a a new 7,733sq metre, two and four-storey replacement school building which Principal, Jay Murphy, said will completely transform the school. Significantly, the new building will enable Bunclody Vocational College to increase its student body capacity to around 550 pupils from its existing population of around 280. Externally, provision will be made for 67 car park spaces of which 52 will be dedicated to staff members and accessible parking while 15 spaces will be allocated for set down purposes. The new campus will also include 126 cycle spaces and such is the scale of the development that it will also include provision of a full-sized astro pitch as part of the multi-games area. Mr Murphy has been in the school for over 33 years and speaking when the application was submitted he said that while the level of education in Bunclody VC was always first class space is something that has always been a bit of a challenge and the new school building will address that. He said the new building will completely change that and its something he and everyone in the school is really looking forward to. There has always been a great sense of community in the school and this is an exciting stage in its history, he said. There is also a chance that the school will change its name and thats something ETBs are doing in general with a focus on rebranding their schools as community colleges which is exactly what they are. Meanwhile, Minister James Browne welcomed the news that planning has been granted and praised all those involved in bringing the plan to this stage including Mr Murphy and the Board of Management. I am delighted that there is further progress for Bunclody VC, he said. I want to commend principal, James Murphy and the Board of Management of Bunclody VC for working diligently with the WWETB in continuing to progress this application for the benefit of the wider school community, he added. Min Browne said everyone involved with the school community in Bunclody has been looking forward to seeing the plans progress to a larger school campus. This new building will facilitate almost doubling the capacity of the school to 550 pupils, said Min Browne. In 2021, the Department of Education approved the provision of modular accommodation consisting of 5 x 60m2 general classrooms, 1 X 40m2 toilet facility and 1 x 120m2 SEN classroom. Min Browne said that modular accommodation will help the school as it caters for its students when construction gets underway on the new building. I will continue to work with my Government colleagues to prioritise this important expansion for the school, he said. Bunclody Vocational Colleges catchment area takes in a large area around the town. MINISTER for Justice Simon Harris and Minister of State James Browne have published the Justice Plan 2023 which outlines over 140 actions aimed at building stronger, safer communities. Justice Plan 2023 is the third in a series of annual plans which were published by Minister Helen McEntee, which contain contain objectives and actions to deliver on strategic goals set out in the Department of Justices Statement of Strategy 2021-2023, which are focused on ensuring safe, fair and inclusive Ireland. To ensure that progress on delivery of actions under the Justice Plan is measurable and transparent, the Department is committed to publishing two reports on progress against the plan twice a year. The actions contained in Justice Plan 2023 are grouped within five overarching strategic goals with the first titled: Tackle crime, enhance national security and transform policing. Actions under this goal include: Support the landmark Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill through the Houses of the Oireachtas to enactment; Reviewing the powers available to An Garda Siochana in relation to public order and anti-social behaviour to include the effectiveness of ASBOs; Enhancing the Greentown Project to break the link between children most at risk of recruitment by organised crime groups; Increase the maximum sentence for assaulting a peace officer to 12 years to help protect our Gardai; Ensure the Criminal Assets Bureau remains a world leader in seizing ill-gotten gains by strengthening and updating its powers with the Proceeds of Crime Amendment Bill 2023; Supporting legislation to increase sentences for assault causing harm, conspiracy to murder as well as creating stand-alone offences of stalking and non-fatal strangulation; Investing more in An Garda Siochana to drive recruitment, fund new stations and infrastructure, such as the new Garda plane; Support to enactment the Recording Devices Bill to provide for the nationwide roll-out of body cameras. The second goal is titled: Improve access to justice and modernise the courts system and actions under it include: Develop a world class family justice system with the needs of users at the centre of decision making, through the enactment of the Family Court Bill and implementation of the Family Justice Strategy; Support the establishment of the Gambling Regulation Authority; Reform professional legal education through the introduction of independent oversight for the first time, remove the barriers to becoming a solicitor or barrister, support the Establishment of the Judicial Appointments Bill, providing the biggest reform for how judges are appointed in over 25 years; Improving access to justice by increasing the number of judges by 24 and reforming how the courts operate; Reform and modernise Irelands Defamation Laws; Support to enactment the Sale of Alcohol Bill to reform Irelands antiquated licensing regime; Establish the Planning and Environmental Court to improve delivery of housing and help protect the environment; Introduce new pre-action protocol regulations (clinical negligence) in implementation, to encourage early resolution of disputes; Amend the Occupiers Liability Act to provide for changes to the Duty of Care as part of the Governments Plan to reduce the cost of Insurance. Goal 3: Strengthen community safety, reduce reoffending, support victims and combat domestic, sexual and gender based violence, includes the following actions: Continue to implement Zero Tolerance, the third national strategy to tackle domestic, sexual and gender based violence; Work to remove the legal barriers that prevent domestic violence victims from remaining in their homes and examine how to allow An Garda Siochana issue removal orders to take offenders out of the home in high risk cases; Publish a new Human Trafficking Action Plan; Support legislation to ensure character evidence in sentencing for sexual offences trials can be tested and character witnesses cross examined; Prepare for the national rollout of new Community Safety Partnerships across the country in 2024; Establish a task force to improve education and upskilling across the criminal justice system, starting with prison education. The task force will also consider youth justice issues, will agree a work programme, and be co-chaired at Ministerial level in the Department of Justice and Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. The fourth goal, Deliver a fair immigration system for a digital age includes the following actions: Maintain the 25 per cent increase in immigration applications, as well as increasing outputs in the International Protection Office by 25 per cent in 2023; Ensuring a fair and balanced rules based International Protection system by: Ensuring accelerated/priority International Protection cases receive a first instance decision within three months; Identifying additional measures that can be put in place to prevent travel by those with no permission to enter Ireland; Secure Additional Resources to support IPO process improvements. Goal 5: Accelerate innovation, digital transformation and climate action across the justice sector includes the following action: The Department will prepare and implement a Smarter Travel Action plan to encourage a move away from car as primary travel means. In launching on Wednesday, April 5, Minister Harris said: Justice Plan 2023 sets out a significant work programme to be undertaken by the Department of Justice this year. It is also as the third and final year of delivering the priorities outlined in our Statement of Strategy 2021-2023, which was first published by my colleague Minister Helen McEntee in February 2021. He said the plan contains an ambitious number of actions to be achieved over the course of the year as the Government works at building stronger, safer communities that will make a real difference for people in Ireland in both the short and long term. A key priority will be to continue to support An Garda Siochana in protecting our communities from crime through increased resources and a stronger and more diverse Garda service, said Min Harris. We will invest in recruitment, training and technology and progress new legislation to help An Garda Siochana as they do their vital job protecting us, he added. He also said that along with Minister McEntee, he will also lead implementation of Zero Tolerance, the third national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. He said the aim of the strategy is to achieve zero tolerance of this appalling violence and abuse. The actions set out in this plan are far-reaching and ambitious but, given the progress that we have seen under the two previous Justice Plans, I am confident that the department is a capable of realising the goals set out within it, he said. Meanwhile, Minister James Browne said Justice Plan 2022 delivered significant progress across the justice system and that in particular, it delivered one of his key priorities - to publish the Gambling Regulation Bill 2022. As committed to in the Programme for Government, this Bill is a true milestone and long awaited legislation, said Min Browne. It is an important and necessary Bill and reform, designed to meet the challenges of gambling responsibly in 21st century Ireland, he added. He went on to comment: The primary objective of the Bill is to present the framework for a robust regulatory and licensing regime for the gambling sector in Ireland. Justice Plan 2023 commits to bringing this Bill through the Oireachtas to allow for the establishment of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland. Min Browne said he will continue to progress implementation of the Youth Justice Strategy, which provides a developmental framework aimed at addressing key ongoing challenges in addition to new and emerging issues in the youth justice area. He said a major change contained in the strategy is a new and expanded mandate for the Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs) across the State. There are currently 105 YDPs in operation and its intended that this years Justice Plan, under the Youth Justice Strategy, will provide full geographic availability of youth diversion services throughout the State by the end of 2023. I am especially enthusiastic about the establishment of new projects, which will mark a significant achievement of this objective, said Min Browne. Other actions in Justice Plan 2023, to be implemented by Ministers Harris and Browne, will include: Supporting the Gambling Regulation Bill 2022 through the Houses of the Oireachtas to enactment, in order to allow for the establishment of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland; Further progress implementation of the Youth Justice Strategy; Keep the countrys national security legislation under review; strengthen measures to tackle terrorism through domestic action and international cooperation, draft legislation to strengthen our laws around cybercrime, and progress legislation to deal with retention of data for criminal enforcement purposes; Put in place a revised National Referral Mechanism for victims of trafficking and publish a new National Action Plan to combat human trafficking; Publish a General Scheme of a Criminal Legal Aid Bill to modernise the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme and transfer the administration to the Legal Aid Board; Bring forward a service improvement plan for the coronial service to drive innovation; enhance customer service and improve interaction with pathology services nationwide; Continue to progress tackling the cost of insurance, the personal injuries guidelines is making a difference in reducing the level of personal injuries awards, proposals on the duty of care will be made we will also publish research on tackling legal costs; Progress the draft legislation to place the Irish Prison Service on a statutory footing. In launching the plan, the two ministers highlighted that milestones and achievements reflected upon from 2022, as well as the actions and objectives for the year ahead, only provide a snapshot of the substantial programme of work being delivered on by the Department of Justice and across the sector comprising 29 bodies and agencies. The plan deals largely with legislative and policy initiatives and these actions will be delivered in addition to the wide-ranging, significant and valued day-to-day work of all staff across the Department of Justice who deliver crucial services for members of the public and agencies in the justice sector. PLANNING permission has been granted for a major extension to Tombrack National School which will include an additional mainstream classroom. The local authority gave the thumbs up to the proposed development on March 29, with the application having been submitted to Wexford County Council in early February. The new extension will also include a special educational needs (SEN) base and associated and auxiliary accommodation. The sewerage system in the school will also be upgraded to a new treatment plant system and the works will also include upgrading of the existing entrance. Read More Minister James Browne welcomed the news that planning permission has been granted for the project and he expressed delight that it will expand the facilites available to staff and pupils In welcoming the approval, Min Browne commended the school community for their great work in making progress with their application to expand their school. The design of the extension will complement the existing building while also enhancing the schools ability to deliver education, particularly through the specialist special educational needs base, he said. I wish principal Elaine Gahan and the board of management continued success in their work in progressing their application, he added. He also said he will continue to work with the Minister for Education to prioritise the delivery of the schools extension. Two men have been arrested in connection with an alleged sexual assault that occurred in the grounds of Gorey Little Theatre on St Patricks Day. On Tuesday, April 4, two males were arrested in connection with an incident in which a woman was allegedly sexually assaulted in the late hours of March 17. They were detained for questioning and later released, according to a garda spokesperson. A file is now being prepared for the DPP. Following the alleged incident on March 17, the grounds of Gorey Little Theatre were sealed off to allow for a garda examination. Gardai appealed to the public for witnesses in relation to the incident. The figures may state that there are approximately 12,000 homeless people in the country right now, but in addition to those accessing homelessness services there are thousands of others without a home, without anywhere to call their own. Michelle Ameghino is one such person, someone who has slipped between the cracks and finds herself living in limbo. The single-mother is currently staying at her parents ancestral home in Bree, a two-bedroom house built in 1950 which has no heating and plumbing from another age. And she is doing so with her five children (aged 17, 13, 12, 10, and 4). I had been renting in Bunclody, in a private rental, and had been on HAP (Housing Assistance Payment), says Michelle. However, I was evicted at the beginning of September because my landlord wanted the property back. Towards the end of her tenancy Michelle began saving for a deposit for a new home, hoping that she would be able to cause as little upheaval for her children as possible. However, this led to her falling into arrears on her rent (248) and has moved Wexford County Council (WCC) to effectively ban her from social housing until August of this year. Although Michelle has since paid the money back, a letter from WCC has informed her that because she defaulted on her HAP payments she is not currently eligible for social housing supports until August 31 of this year. Referencing Section 46(1) of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, one letter received by Michelle on January 12 of this year reads, ...you will be ineligible for Social Housing Supports for a period of 12 months. At the end of this period you can apply for reassessment for social housing. Please note all arrears must be paid before you can reapply for social housing. In the meantime, Michelle has been living in Bree. I began renting out my mothers ancestral home, but in the meantime my mother became ill and had to move back from Malta where shed been living. And then her sister also became homeless and had to move here too, its only a two-bed house so myself and the kids are all sleeping in the living-room, my mother managed to get us some beds but its very cramped and awkward. Its especially hard on the teenagers, they need their own privacy, its affecting all of our sleep. Also affecting their sleep are the early starts, the 6.30 a.m. morning calls required to ensure everyone gets to school on time. Im currently driving around 60km to Bunclody, up and back, bringing the children to school, its costing me a lot money for fuel every week, MIchelle says. Once we get to Bunclody I just sit in the car and wait for them to finish. I dont want to move them out of their schools, dont want to disrupt them and move them away from their friends. Although the warmer months are imminent, MIchelle and the rest of the family are currently living in a home which has no heating, a chimney fire causing irreparable damage to the house. A representative from Action Chimneys informed the family that the chimney has undergone severe internal and external damage as a result of a chimney fire. We recommend that the chimney be taken down to roof level and rebuilt. A quote for the recommended works came to 13,626.81. The lack of heating has caused medical issues for Michelle and her children. Four of us suffer from asthma and the damp in the house is impacting that, she says. One of my children had to be rushed to hospital in Gorey in the middle of the night with an asthma attack recently. I suffer from panic attacks and this has triggered them again, its the not knowing when youre going to be housed, and theres so many people in the same situation too. Willing to live anywhere in the vicinity of Bunclody, Michelle has been informed by MABS (Money Advice and Budgeting Service) that with her current income she will be unable to afford private rented accommodation in the current market. In light of that, she says her only option is for WCC to reinstate her to its social housing list so she can apply for a council house. Shane Lynch in Pilgrimage: The Road Through Portugal, on BBC 2 Shane Lynch has spoken about his direct relationship with God, after being on what he described as the dark side and having been very interested in satanic stuff for a long period of his life. The former Boyzone member (46) will feature in Pilgrimage on BBC Two, in which celebrities with differing faiths and beliefs tackle a modern day Catholic pilgrimage. Ahead of the show airing, Lynch, who is a Pentecostal born-again Christian, explained his own relationship with his religion, saying: Im a born-again Christian. Its a lifestyle, its not a religion at all. I was born and raised a Catholic, but I was baptised as a child. Being born again is the symbolism of baptism. So as an adult, I made the choice to be baptised. And I decided to have a direct relationship with God. In the programme, which begins on Good Friday at 9pm, Lynch will be joined on the pilgrimage by actress Su Pollard, who was raised Church of England, Jewish actress Rita Simons, reality TV star Vicky Pattison, who is agnostic, practising Catholic, maths teacher and TV personality Bobby Seagull, Nabil Abdulrashid, a comedian and practising Muslim, and Paralympian Millie Knight who is non-practising Church of England. Speaking about why he decided to change religions, Lynch said: I changed religion and I changed lifestyle. I changed everything because of my behaviour. I was on the dark side, and I was very interested in satanic stuff for a long period of my life. I knew and understood the spirits as such (and the Spirit, the Holy Spirit), the spirits of the occult and witchcraft, which I know is a dark and horrible world. So, knowing the dark, I decided I needed the light. That was the symbolism and I found him. Video of the Day The seven celebrities will travel by foot, road and train as they follow Portugals Northern Way. Their final destination is the Sanctuary in the city of Fatima, where in 1917, three local children claimed they saw apparitions of the Virgin Mary. Lynch also said he feels his life has been enhanced by his religion, adding: Its given me life, more than enhancement. Its unbelievable. We are the only ones who can decide. Its our decision to either want God or not. God is not a bully. He doesnt come in and say right, Im in your life now. You have to decide that you want to know what that world is. Experience that love and prosperity and he leaves you to it. And if you want to go to Mass on Sunday, and thats it, then thats your relationship with God. If you want to sit with God all day long in your car, listening to the radio, I look at it as mental food. So its what feeds my mind. What I watch, what I listen to, what I digest, its actually mental food instead of mental health. Pilgrimage: The Road Through Portugal, will air on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer on April 7 at 9pm. A Brooklyn drug dealer has pleaded guilty to providing The Wire actor Michael K Williams with fentanyl-laced heroin, causing his death. Irvin Cartagenas plea to a charge of conspiring to distribute drugs was entered in Manhattan federal court. Sentencing was set by US District Judge Ronnie Abrams for August 18, when Cartagena will face a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and the possibility of as many as 40 years. The famed actor, who also starred in films and other TV series including Boardwalk Empire, overdosed in his Brooklyn penthouse apartment in September 2021. Authorities said he died hours after buying the heroin from Cartagena on a Brooklyn street in a deal that was recorded by a security camera. Cartagena, 39, signed a plea agreement with prosecutors stipulating that the mix of heroin and fentanyl he sold Williams resulted in his death. His lawyer, Sean Maher, declined comment. US Attorney Damian Williams, who is not related to the actor, said in a statement that the sale occurred in broad daylight in New York City, feeding addiction and causing tragedy. In doing so, he dealt the fatal dose that killed Michael K Williams, Mr Williams said. Prosecutors said Cartagena and his alleged co-conspirators continued to sell fentanyl-laced heroin around residential apartment buildings in Brooklyn and Manhattan even after they learned of the actors death. Another defendant in the case pleaded guilty on Tuesday. Williams death came despite an investigation by the New York Police Department that placed a paid informant making controlled heroin buys on the same block where Williams bought drugs. Video of the Day The day after, the informant went back to buy more drugs from the same group and recorded a conversation in which some of them talked about Williams overdose. One denied selling any drugs containing fentanyl. Williams stick-up boy character Omar Little on The Wire a fictionalised look at the underpinnings of Baltimore that ended in 2008 but remains popular in streaming was based on a real-life figure. He created another classic character as Chalky White in HBOs Boardwalk Empire and also appeared in 12 Years A Slave, Assassins Creed and other films. In interviews, Williams had spoken about his battles with addiction. Nope director Jordan Peele reportedly convinced Liam Neeson to make a cameo appearance in series three of US comedy Atlanta, in which he addressed controversial remarks he made in 2019. The actor had initially been hesitant about appearing in the skit, but had been convinced it would "actually be a good thing", Atlanta creator Donald Glover said. Neeson faced criticism in 2019 following an interview with The Independent in which he discussed once having violent thoughts about killing a black person in an act of revenge. He later apologised multiple times for the "hurtful and divisive" comments that "do not reflect, in any way, my true feelings nor me". Speaking to British GQ, Glover recalled pitching the idea of a skit in his show poking fun at the interview to the actor, who told him he was trying to "get away" from the publicity surrounding it. "When I got in touch with him, Liam poured his heart out," he said. "He was like, 'I am embarrassed. I don't know about this. I'm trying to get away from that.' And I was like, 'Man, I'm telling you, this will be funny! And you'll actually get a lot of cream from it because it'll show you're sorry'." Glover said that Neeson had asked whether he could "think about it" before eventually declining. Glover then approached Peele, one of several black industry members Neeson had contacted after his remarks were published, who thought the sketch was a "hilarious" idea. "I hit Jordan Peele up and I was like, 'Look, man, I got this idea. He said that he trusted you. Tell him it's a good idea!'...Jordan thought it was hilarious! So Jordan talked to him. Video of the Day "Liam hit me back and said he talked to Jordan and his son and thought it'd actually be a good thing." Glover added that with the excitement of having Neeson accept the proposal, he had forgotten to contact Peele again, leading Peele to wonder if he had been "pranked". The scene in Atlanta sees its star Brian Tyree Henry encounter Neeson in a bar called the "Cancel Club", and the Irish actor apologise for his "transgression" and for hurting people with the remarks. British GQ's first-ever Global Creativity Awards, which includes the full interview with Glover, is available via digital download and on newsstands on April 11. Representatives for Neeson have been contacted for comment. A 37-year-old man has been sentenced to 13 years and six months in prison for abducting a four-year-old girl from her familys tent at a remote Western Australian campsite. Following an extensive search, Cleo was found alone in a house in the small town of Carnarvon, 18 days after she went missing in 2021. The house belonged to Terence Darrell Kelly, who pleaded guilty in January 2022 to a single charge of abducting the girl. Kelly abducted a sleeping Cleo Smith from the campsite in the early hours of October 16, 2021, and then drove her 47 miles to his house, where he kept her locked in a bedroom, according to the court transcript. Judge Julie Wager, while imposing the sentence, said that Kelly has a severe and complex personality disorder and had injected methylamphetamine on the night he kidnapped the girl. "You pose a high risk of seriously psychologically harming any future victim in the event that you did re-offend," she said, according to a transcript of proceedings. Kelly will be eligible for parole after serving 11 years and six months of his jail time. Read More The judge acknowledged Kellys troubled upbringing, his prenatal exposure to drugs and alcohol and a life surrounded by violence as contributing to his offending. I fully accept that your personality disorder was caused by the environment that you were raised and by the deprivation to you as a child, she said. A psychiatrist consulted in the case said Kelly suffered from a severe personality disorder that led him to create a "fantasy world" with the existence of multiple imaginary children by different women. Kelly appeared before judge Wagner in person, wearing a green, short-sleeved button-down shirt and dark shorts, with his long hair tied in a bun. He was flanked by two bailiffs, Nine News reported. The court heard how Kelly kept the girl in his house for over 18 days by locking the door from the outside. Kelly turned up the volume of the radio in the bathroom to cover up any noise that Cleo made, the court was told. "The young victim heard her name on the radio and she said they were saying her name." Kelly reportedly told the police that he tried to "rough Cleo up a bit a few times" and became angry when she got "bossy" asking for chocolate. However, he claimed he didn't want to hurt her and wanted to make sure she was "comfortable". Cleo cried often and Kelly was unsuccessful in tying her up. "I just used sticky tape, but it wasn't working. So, I thought, 'I won't tie her up any more with the sticky tape'. I tried to tie her to the chair and that with her hands, feet and mouth. I tried to do that. She was a bit of a fighter," he told police. The judge said Cleo was often alone at the house which was "distressing" for the child. "But 18 days without contact or explanation, and with hours totally on her own and no access to the outside world would have been very traumatic for the child," she said. "Her parents didn't know if she was alive or dead they didn't know what had happened to her, or if she'd ever return. This shattered her family, and has been damaging and traumatising for the child." Kelly is a member of Australia's Indigenous, or Aboriginal community. "Sadly, in Western Australia, many Aboriginal people have suffered the adverse impacts of colonisation," Judge Wager said. "I fully accept that you're one of them and I accept that you've turned to drug misuse because of the pain and trauma that you've suffered throughout your life." With input from agencies A Russian art graduate unwittingly murdered a prominent Kremlin propagandist during a fake audition for a job in journalism, Russian media has reported. Darya Trepova believed she was on a propaganda resistance test for a job at a Kyiv-based website when she handed Vladlen Tatarsky the bomb that killed him, Fontanka, a St Petersburg news site, reported. It cited leaked transcripts of her interrogation by Russias FSB security service. Russian prosecutors yesterday charged Ms Trepova with terrorism, two days after Tatarsky (40) was killed in the blast. The investigative committee, which probes major crimes, said it had charged Ms Trepova with committing a terrorist act by an organised group that caused intentional death. It carries a maximum jail term of 20 years. The committee said Ms Trepova had acted under instructions from people working on behalf of Ukraine. Fontanka claimed Ms Trepova was offered a job on a news website in Kyiv but first had to prove she knew how to resist Russian propaganda. During her arrest on Monday, the 26-year-old admitted she had carried the bomb into the cafe. Her husband said she was framed. The bomb was hidden in a golden bust of Tatarsky. He was the only person killed when it exploded at a talk he was giving at the venue while more than 40 people were injured. The Kremlin and the FSB have accused Ukrainian secret services of organising the attack. They leaked dozens of videos and photos which they said prove Ms Trepovas guilt. Ms Trepova is known to be a supporter of Alexander Navalny (46), the imprisoned Russian opposition leader, and also to oppose Mr Putins war in Ukraine. However, she has said she was an unwitting bomb mule in Tatarskys assassination. According to Fontanka, Ms Trepova had met him at a talk a few days earlier. She was then told to collect a package from a contact and hand it to Tatarsky on Sunday. An FSB officer asked Ms Trepova if she was suspicious of the package. I wasnt specifically told what was in it, but I suspected something bad, she said. A video of the moment before the bomb exploded at the Street Bar appeared to show Tatarsky and Ms Trapova on familiar terms. After she hands him the bomb, he asks her to sit to one side, closer to him. She does not appear alarmed or give the impression that she has just handed over a bomb to a murder target. Another video, filmed outside immediately after the bomb blast, shows Ms Trepova walking slowly, as if in a daze, out of the smashed cafe. She appears uninjured and walks away. This is the second high-profile assassination of a Kremlin propagandist in the past eight months. Ukraine was blamed for killing pro-war journalist Darya Dugina (29) with a car bomb in August, but Kyiv denied that it had killed Tatarsky. The propagandist, who had 560,000 subscribers on his Telegram channel, was closely linked with the Wagner mercenary group and its chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has dismissed the theory that Ukraine was behind the murder. Mr Prigozhin has made plenty of enemies within the Russian establishment and security service and many analysts have said that the murder of Tatarsky, in a cafe owned by the Wagner chief, was meant as a warning. But if so, it is a warning that Mr Prigozhin appears determined to face down. In a video, released through his Telegram channel yesterday, he sits on a chair at the exact spot where Tatarsky was killed. The floor and the walls of the cafe are still charred and black. You saw the murder of Tatarsky, the terrorist act, he tells several members of a group called Z-Patriots who had organised the talk. Now you need to receive more impetus. Vladimir Putin has built identical copies of his Moscow office in his luxury residences so he can work from home in secret, one of his former bodyguards has revealed. The offices have been designed to look the same to confuse ordinary Russians and potential assassins. He has offices in St Petersburg, in Sochi, in Novo-Ogaryovo. They are identical, said Gleb Karakulov, the former bodyguard, who has fled Russia. This is, firstly, an attempt to confuse foreign intelligence, so that there are no assassination attempts, he told the Russian opposition media group Dossier Centre. Novo-Ogaryovo is Putins official residence on the outskirts of Moscow. Putin even goes as far as sending his motorcade speeding to Sochi airport while remaining in his residence, which overlooks the Black Sea. It gives the impression that he is flying off. They bring the plane, the cortege rides, Mr Karakulov said. But in fact, he remains in Sochi. Mr Karakulov is a former captain in Russias elite Federal Guard Service, the Kremlins bodyguard unit. He fled to Turkey from Kazakhstan in October when Putin was visiting for a series of regional meetings because he couldnt carry out his criminal orders any more. In his interview, Mr Karakulov said that Putin was obsessed with his safety. He said that even now Putin wants people he meets to have updated coronavirus vaccinations and to quarantine for two weeks before they see him. Putin locked himself away during the Covid pandemic, an isolation that analysts have said fed his fixation on Ukraine and drove him to invade. In the run-up to the war, Putin met his top officials again but ordered them to sit at the end of a long table when they spoke to him. On the October trip to Kazakhstan, Putin even gave personal instructions to prepare a bomb shelter at the Russian embassy in Astana. This is some kind of paranoia. You are in the territory of another state and this state, the organiser of the summit, provides all the security, Mr Karakulov said. He is afraid. ( Telegraph Media Group Ltd 2023) Finland formally joined Nato yesterday, its flag unfurling outside the military blocs Brussels headquarters, in a historic policy shift brought on by Russias invasion of Ukraine, drawing a threat from Moscow of counter-measures. Finlands accession, ending seven decades of military non-alignment, roughly doubles the length of the border that Nato shares with Russia and bolsters its eastern flank as the war in Ukraine grinds on with no resolution in sight. Finlands flag a blue cross on a white background was hoisted alongside those of the alliances 30 other members as a military band played in bright spring sunshine. For almost 75 years, this great alliance has shielded our nations and continues to do so today, Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg declared at the ceremony. But war has returned to Europe and Finland has decided to join Nato and be part of the worlds most successful alliance, he added. Mr Stoltenberg had earlier noted that Russian president Vladimir Putin had cited opposition to Natos eastward enlargement as one justification for invading Ukraine. He is getting exactly the opposite. ... Finland today, and soon also Sweden will become a full fledged member of the alliance, Mr Stoltenberg said. Finnish president Sauli Niinisto said Finlands most significant contribution to Natos common deterrence and defence would be to defend its own territory. There is still significant work to be done to coordinate this with Nato, he said. It is a great day for Finland and I want to say that it is an important day for Nato, Mr Niinisto said at a joint news conference with Mr Stoltenberg. The Kremlin said Russia would be forced to take counter-measures. Defence minister Sergei Shoigu said Finlands move raised the risk of the conflict in Ukraine escalating further. In dropping non-alignment, Russias foreign ministry said, Finland was committing a dangerous historical mistake that would fray relations with Moscow and undo its status as a confidence-building presence in the Baltic Sea and Europe at large. This is now a thing of the past. Finland has become one of the small members of (Nato) that doesnt decide anything, losing its special voice in international affairs. We are sure that history will judge this hasty step, a ministry statement said. Russia had said on Monday that it would strengthen its military capacity in its western and north-western regions in response to Finland joining Nato. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Nato expansion encroached on Russian security and national interests. Ukraine also hailed Finlands step. President Volodymyr Zelenskys chief of staff Andriy Yermak wrote on Telegram: FI made the right choice. Nato is also a key goal for Ukraine. The event marks the end of an era of strategic non-alignment for Finland that began after the country repelled an attempted Soviet invasion during World War II and opted to maintain friendly relations with neighbouring Russia. But the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 prompted Finns to seek security under Natos collective defence pact, which states that an attack on one member is an attack on all. Since the end of the Cold War three decades ago, Moscow has watched successive waves of Nato enlargement to the formerly communist east of Europe with consternation, and the issue was contentious even before the invasion of Ukraine. Nato has repeatedly stressed that it is solely a defensive alliance and does not threaten Russia. Moscow says that the funnelling of heavy weaponry to Ukraine by Nato countries since the war began proves the West is bent on destroying Russia. Finlands accession brings Nato significant military capabilities developed over the years as it is one of the few European countries to have retained a conscription army through decades of peace, wary of Russia next door. In addition, Finlands ground, naval and air forces are all trained and equipped with one primary aim to repel any Russian attack. Russias commissioner for childrens rights, who is being sought for war crimes for deporting children from Ukraine, has told a UN meeting they were taken for their safety and Moscow is coordinating with international organisations to return them to their families. Ambassadors from Western countries boycotted the informal UN Security Council meeting, sending low-level diplomats instead. Diplomats from the US, Britain, Albania and Malta walked out when Maria Lvova-Belova started to address the meeting by video link. The International Criminal Court last month issued an arrest warrant for her and Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing them of abducting children from Ukraine. Russia, which holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council this month, called Wednesday's meeting to counter what it claims is disinformation about the Ukrainian children. US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters before the meeting that the US strongly opposed the briefing Lvova-Belova should not be allowed to have an international podium to spread disinformation and to try to defend her horrible actions that are taking place in Ukraine, Thomas-Greenfield said. The Associated Press reported on Lvova-Belovas involvement in the abduction of Ukrainian orphans in October. The investigation found that the open effort to put Ukrainian children up for adoption in Russia was well underway. Ukrainian officials claimed at the time that nearly 8,000 children had been deported to Russia, but the exact number was difficult to determine. Russias UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia opened the meeting saying its aim was to unmask the blatant double-standards of the West". Part of this propaganda campaign is the hushing up by the West of the fact that in European countries Ukrainian refugees are having their children taken away, he said. Videos were then shown of some women claiming their children had been taken in Europe. Nebenzia also insisted that contrary to Western claims there have been no forced adoptions". He said some Ukrainian children are in foster care and claimed there were no obstacles for them to maintain contact with their families in Ukraine. The AP investigation found Russian officials deported Ukrainian children to Russia without their parents' consent, lied to them that they werent wanted by their parents, used them for propaganda, and gave them Russian families and citizenship. Since February 24, 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, Lvova-Belova said Russia has taken in more than five million Ukrainians, including 700,000 children all with parents, relatives or legal guardians except for 2,000 from orphanages in the eastern Donbas. To date, she said, about 1,300 children have been returned to their orphanages, 400 were sent to Russian orphanages and 358 were placed in foster homes. Lvova-Belova said there has been no official communication with Ukrainian authorities about the children, but she said her office has met with representatives of UNICEF, Refugees International and the International Committee of the Red Cross and provided all available information about the children. She said Russia was coordinating with the Red Cross on reunification. Sarah Sheffer, vice president for strategic outreach at Refugees International, denied this. She said Russia has not consulted with her organisation about the Ukrainian children. The victims of a paedophile priest known as the Picasso of churches for his stained-glass windows are fighting to have dozens of works removed because they are seen as an insult to their suffering. Father Louis Ribes died in 1994, leaving hundreds of paintings and stained-glass works in various churches across France, mainly around Lyon. Admirers have dubbed him the Picasso of churches due to his Cubist-like style and use of bright colours. One of his stained-glass works called The Prodigal Son in St Catherines Church, in south-eastern France, shows a child kneeling before a priest. It looks like a fellatio, said Luc Gemet, the president of an association representing 30 of his alleged victims, which the Saint-Etienne archdiocese puts at 49. Their testimony of abuse, mainly in the 1970s and 1980s, led to the Lyon prosecutor launching an investigation into rape and sexual assault last year. After the scandal broke, the Lyon diocese issued a statement saying that out of respect for the victims, the works of Fr Ribes that belong to the diocese of Lyon, Grenoble-Vienne and Saint-Etienne will progressively be taken down and put away. The church has promised to pay to remove the works by the end of the summer But while his paintings and drawings were swiftly removed, victims complain that the process is proving much harder for Ribes stained glass works. At St Catherines Church, where seven of his stained-glass windows still adorn the nave, for now, authorities have simply placed a black sticker over his initials RIB. The church has promised to pay to remove the works by the end of the summer. In another church in Loire-sur-Rhone, the municipality initially offered to pay to have the works removed, sparking outrage among some of the victims. I dont understand why atheists should pay via their local taxes (to have the works removed). The church is responsible for employing Ribes, it protected him and must pay, said Mr Gemet. The local diocese has now pledged to fund the works removal. ( Telegraph Media Group Ltd 2023) Former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi is being treated in intensive care because of a problem related to a previous infection but is alert and speaking, Italys foreign minister said. The 86-year-old three-time premier is in the ICU at Milans San Raffaele hospital, the clinic where he routinely receives care, said Antonio Tajani, who is also a leader of Mr Berlusconis Forza Italia party. Speaking in Brussels, Mr Tajani said Mr Berlusconi was admitted because of an unresolved problem related to a previous infection. Mr Berlusconi has had a series of health problems in recent years, and recovered from Covid-19 in 2020. He told reporters after being discharged from a 10-day hospital stay that the disease had been insidious and was the most dangerous challenge he had faced. He has had a pacemaker for years, underwent heart surgery to replace an aortic valve in 2016 and has overcome prostate cancer. Mr Berlusconi had been to San Raffaele, where his personal doctor works, for a regular check-up for several days last week. In a March 31 tweet after he returned home, Mr Berlusconi thanked all those who wanted to send a thought or sign of affection in these days. He said he was already back at work ready and determined to commit myself as Ive always done to the country I love. Mr Berlusconi, a media mogul-turned politician, made his latest political comeback in September general elections, winning a Senate seat a decade after being banned from holding public office over a tax fraud conviction. That election brought a hard right-led government to power, with Mr Berlusconis Forza Italia party a junior member of a government headed by Premier Giorgia Meloni. Mr Berlusconi remains at the helm of Forza Italia, the centre-right party he created when he jumped into politics in the early 1990s, though the day-to-day running of the party has been left to others. Most recently he has made waves with a handful of comments about his old friend and Russian president Vladimir Putin, boasting that the two had exchanged birthday greetings and blaming Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky for the war. Mr Berlusconis comments have upset the pro-Ukraine Meloni government, though just this week his top Forza Italia ally, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, insisted that Mr Berlusconi is committed to a peaceful solution to the war. In January 2022, Mr Berlusconi withdrew his name from consideration to be Italys president. The Irish naval ship the LE William Butler Yeats will be deployed on a mission to the Mediterranean this summer targeting arms smugglers to Libya. Irish navy crews are currently training for the deployment in June and July as part of Operation Irini. The operation is part of an EU and United Nations mission - the European Union Naval Force Mediterranean Operation (EUNAVFORMED) - that is headquartered in Rome. It was established in 2020 to counter the flow of arms to the north African country following a number of civil wars and political unrest that has destabilised the region since the death of former Libyan leader Col Muammar Gadaffi in 2011. The Irish crew will be involved in information, surveillance and reconnaissance operations (ISR) while also while also "engaging in Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) operations on a regular basis, a capability in which the Irish Navy excels, from experience in the North East Atlantic Ocean," according to a statement from the Defence Forces. The deployment of LE William Butler Yeats on OP Irini will provide the operation with highly skilled and capable personnel with experience in Maritime Defence and Security Operations (MDSO) throughout Irelands maritime domain and on previous overseas missions - OP Pontus and Sophia." Defence Forces Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Sean Clancy said of previous EU missions in which Irish naval ships were involved in the rescue of trafficked migrants from drowning in the Mediterranean in 2015 and 2017. This deployment is crucial to the regeneration of Irelands navy and is directly linked to our efforts to recruit, retain and incentivise seagoing," he added. Commodore Michael Malone, Flag Officer Commanding Naval Service, said: With ambitions for the expansion of the Naval Service as outlined in the Commission on the Defence Forces report, this deployment presents an opportunity to build on the experiences gained through previous maritime overseas missions. Our sailors bring vital experience to bear in what remains a dynamic operational role. According to EUNAVFOR, the mission involves carrying out "inspections of vessels on the high seas off the coast of Libya suspected to be carrying arms or related material" as well as monitoring suspected arms smugglers from aerial and land routes as well as gathering information on illicit exports of petroleum, crude oil and similar products from Libya." The mission also involves helping to disrupt "the business model of human smuggling and trafficking networks through information gathering and patrolling by planes." The announcement of the upcoming operation comes after Jacqui McCrum, Secretary General of the Irish Defence Department, visited Operation Irini headquarters in February following a personal visit to Rome in which she "reaffirmed the importance of the close relationship between Ireland and Operation Irini." "Collectively 23 EU member states are currently supporting the operation with personnel and assets and Ireland is giving the operation an important contribution thanks to the Irish personnel deployed in OHQ, (operational headquarters)," according to the operation's news archive. Jacinda Ardern has used her final speech to New Zealands Parliament to describe in emotional terms how she navigated a pandemic and a mass shooting during her tumultuous five-year tenure as prime minister. She also told humorous anecdotes like how a European leader so admired the striking hair of her chief-of-staff that he fluffed it like a hairdresser which she joked had helped secure a free-trade deal and how her mother once sent her a uplifting message: Remember, even Jesus had people who didnt like him. On a more serious note, she urged lawmakers to take the politics out of climate change. There will always be policy differences, Ms Ardern said during her valedictory address, wearing a traditional Maori cloak called a korowai. But beneath that, we have what we need to make the progress we must. When she finished speaking after about 35 minutes, she was greeted with a standing ovation by lawmakers from across the political spectrum and rousing renditions of several Indigenous Maori songs. A global icon of the left and an inspiration to women around the world, Ms Ardern stepped down as prime minister in January, saying: I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It is that simple. But she stayed on as a lawmaker until April to avoid triggering a special election ahead of the nations general elections in October. Later this month, Ms Ardern will begin a new, unpaid role combating online extremism as special envoy for the Christchurch Call. It is an initiative she started with French president Emmanuel Macron in May 2019, two months after a white supremacist gunman killed 51 people at two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch. She has also announced she is joining the board of trustees for The Earthshot Prize, an environmental charity started by the Prince of Wales. Ms Ardern said she entered politics based on her convictions but got used to her tenure being defined by a different list. A domestic terror attack. A volcanic eruption. A pandemic. A series of events where I found myself in peoples lives during their most grief-stricken or traumatic moments, she said. Their stories and faces remain etched in my mind, and likely will forever. She also described how she and fiance Clarke Gayford thought they could not have children after a failed round of IVF. Rather than process that, I campaigned to become prime minister, she joked. A rather good distraction as far as they go. Imagine my surprise when a couple of months later, I discovered I was pregnant. Ms Ardern became just the second elected world leader to give birth while holding office after she and Mr Gayford had daughter Neve in 2018. Ms Ardern described how she had approached the Covid-19 pandemic on a scientific basis and how New Zealand fared best among developed nations when measuring excess mortality. You can be a mother, or not, you can be an ex-Mormon, or not, you can be a nerd, a crier, a hugger, you can be all of these things, and not only can you be here, you can lead, just like me Jacinda Ardern She said she once tried to argue with a lone protester about a false conspiracy theory. But after many of these same experiences, and seeing the rage that often sat behind these conspiracies, I had to accept I was wrong, she said. I could not single-handedly pull someone out of a rabbit hole. Ms Ardern said she worried that during the pandemic, the nation had lost a sense of security, and the ability to engage in robust debate in a respectful way. She also described how she never thought she was meant to have the role of prime minister, and how it came about through a surprising chain of events. While she could not control how her tenure would be defined by others, Ms Ardern said she hoped it had demonstrated something else. That you can be anxious, sensitive, kind and wear your heart on your sleeve, she said. You can be a mother, or not, you can be an ex-Mormon, or not, you can be a nerd, a crier, a hugger, you can be all of these things, and not only can you be here, you can lead, just like me. Israeli police clashed violently with Palestinians during a brutal raid on the al-Aqsa mosque compound in East Jerusalem. The confrontation prompted a barrage of rocket fire from Gaza as tensions soared during a period of religious holidays for both Jews and Muslims. Footage showed officers beating Palestinians with batons and rifle butts as they lay on the floor and a woman exclaimed: Oh God! Oh God! Another video showed Palestinians hurling firecrackers in the mosque, Islams third holiest site. It was not immediately clear what triggered the violence, though Palestinian militants including Hamas had urged Muslims to head to the mosque amid concerns that Jewish nationalist activists were planning a ritual goat sacrifice on the compound for Passover, which began yesterday evening. Israeli police said they arrested and removed 350 Palestinians after they violently barricaded themselves inside Al-Aqsa. Talab Abu Eisha (49) told reporters that more than 400 men, women and children had been praying at Al-Aqsa when the police encircled the mosque. The youths were afraid and started closing the doors. It was an unprecedented scene of violence in terms of police brutality and intention to hurt the youths, he said. There were also reports of police destroying a medical clinic on the premises. The al-Aqsa compound is also a sacred site to Jews, who call it the Temple Mount, Previous major clashes at the site have led to all-out warfare between Israel and Palestinians. This year Ramadan unusually coincides with both Passover and Easter, which has increased the prospect of violence at holy sites in Jerusalem. Early yesterday, Palestinian militants in Gaza launched nine rockets at Israel in retaliation for the violence, prompting Israel to carry out air strikes on military targets in the blockaded territory. The Israel Defence Forces said it had carried out two airstrikes on Gaza in response, hitting what it described as Hamas weapons manufacturing sites. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was working to calm the situation following the clashes. Israel is committed to maintaining freedom of worship, free access to all religions and the status quo and will not allow violent extremists to change that, he said. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said that at least 12 people were wounded after police used beatings and rubber bullets to clear the area. It was not clear how many people were injured inside the mosque, the organisation said, adding that it had not been able to enter the building. A video shared by the Palestinian diplomatic mission to Britain appeared to show security forces beating people on the ground. Nestled on the eastern corner of Jerusalems Old City, the site is a potent symbol of religious and political identity for both Israelis and Palestinians, and as such, its future remains one of the most intractable questions in the decades-old conflict here. Far-right religious nationalist members of Mr Netanyahus government have previously supported activists that threatened to slaughter a lamb in the mosques compound, a move that would upend a decades-long status quo at the site. The contested site has been managed by the Waqf, a Jordanian religious authority, since Israel occupied East Jerusalem in 1967. Although non-Muslims are officially forbidden from praying there, that precedent has been eroded in recent years. Late last year, Israels far-right security minister Itamar Ben Gvir visited the site under heavy security as one of his first acts in office, a move described by experts as a provocation aimed at satisfying his base. A woman walks near an uprooted tree and debris from homes damaged by a tornado (Julio Cortez/AP) A tornado that swept through south-eastern Missouri before dawn on Wednesday killed at least five people and injured an unknown number of others, authorities said. Sgt Clark Parrott, of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, said the death toll from the early-morning storm might rise as crews sift through the rubble of damaged and destroyed homes in Bollinger County, about 50 miles south of St Louis. In addition to the deaths, an unknown number of people were injured by the storm, which is part of a larger system that could spawn further twisters and hail as it moves through the Midwest and South on Wednesday. Sgt Parrott said crews from more than 20 agencies were on the scene and clearing debris in search of any others who might have been killed or injured. The damage is pretty widespread. Its just heart-breaking to see it, Sgt Parrott said. The patrol posted an overhead photo of the damage that showed uprooted trees and damaged and destroyed homes. Drone footage showed that some had been turned into piles of debris and splinters. One area that appeared to be hit especially hard was a narrow stretch between a road and a stream where emergency crews could be seen peering into the wreckage with flashlights. Sgt Parrott said that crews had to use chainsaws to cut back trees and brush to reach some of the homes. Its going to be a slow process but for now its an active search and rescue, Sgt Parrott said. Justin Gibbs, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Paducah, Kentucky, said the tornado remained on the ground for roughly 15 minutes, traveling an estimated 15-20 miles. A weather service team was headed to Bollinger County to gather details about the tornado, but Mr Gibbs said it is clear it was big. It was a significant tornado. He noted that tornadoes are especially dangerous when they touch down late at night or early in the morning, as this one did. Its definitely a nightmare from a warning standpoint, Mr Gibbs said. Its bad anytime, but its especially bad at 3:30 in the morning. Larry Welker, Bollinger Countys public administrator, said the twister travelled along route 34 into Glen Allen, a village of slightly more than 100 people, and that he has not been able to inspect the damage first-hand because law enforcement were restricting access to the area. Im getting reports that it was pretty bad, he said. He described it as a rural area, where residents mostly farmed, cut timber or worked construction jobs. There was several trailers there, and I understand that there is still people missing, Mr Welker said. Governor Mike Parson said he would join emergency personnel on the ground to assess damage and determine what resources are needed. The storms moving through the Midwest and South on Wednesday threaten some areas still reeling from a deadly bout of bad weather last weekend. The Storm Prediction Centre said up to 40 million people in an area that includes major cities including Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit and Memphis, Tennessee, were at risk from the storms later Wednesday. As of late morning, the greatest threat appeared to be to an area stretching from lower Michigan into Tennessee and Kentucky. Former US President Bill Clinton says he regrets his role in persuading Ukraine to give up its nuclear weapons in 1994 which otherwise may have been a deterrent to Russias invasion of the country almost 30 years later. In an interview with Miriam OCallaghan on RTEs Prime Time, Mr Clinton said Russia may not have invaded Ukraine if it still had a nuclear deterrent. "I feel a personal stake because I got them [Ukraine] to agree to give up their nuclear weapons. And none of them believe that Russia would have pulled this stunt if Ukraine still had their weapons," he said. Mr Clinton signed a tripartite agreement with the-then presidents of Russia, Boris Yeltsin, and Ukraine, Leonid Kravchuk, to eliminate strategic nuclear weapons stationed in Ukraine after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The US also signed an agreement the same year in which Russia also promised to respect Ukraine as a sovereign nation a promise it broke 20 years later when Russia annexed Crimea. "I knew that President Putin did not support the agreement President Yeltsin made never to interfere with Ukraine's territorial boundaries - an agreement he made because he wanted Ukraine to give up their nuclear weapons, Mr Clinton said. "They (Ukraine) were afraid to give them up because they thought that's the only thing that protected them from an expansionist Russia. When it became convenient to him, President Putin broke it and first took Crimea. And I feel terrible about it because Ukraine is a very important country." He added that the West must continue to support Ukraine until a peaceful solution is found. "I think what Mr Putin did was very wrong, and I believe Europe and the United States should continue to support Ukraine. There may come a time when the Ukrainian government believes that they can think of a peace agreement they could live with, but I don't think the rest of us should cut and run on them." Mr Clinton made the comments as part of a wide-ranging interview on the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement and his role in the 11th hour negotiations. He revealed how he was woken up twice in the middle of the night to discuss the impending peace deal with US negotiator George Mitchell, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams. When he found out a deal had been brokered, he said: I said a prayer of gratitude. I was so happy. Supporters and opponents of former President Donald Trump gather outside of the Manhattan Criminal Court during his arraignment on April 04, 2023 in New York City. Trump will be arraigned during his first court appearance today following an indictment by a grand jury that heard evidence about money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election. With the indictment, Trump becomes the first former U.S. president in history to be charged with a criminal offense. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks after the arraignment of former US president Donald Trump in New York (John Minchillo/AP) Former U.S. President Donald Trump appears in court with members of his legal team for an arraignment on charges stemming from his indictment by a Manhattan grand jury following a probe into hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, in New York City Former president Donald Trump appears in court for his arraignment (Steven Hirsch/New York Post via AP, Pool) Former US President Donald Trump delivers remarks on the day of his court appearance in New York after being indicted by a Manhattan grand jury following a probe into hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, in Palm Beach, Florida Photo: Reuters/Marco Bello Former US President Donald Trump, the only ex-president to face criminal charges, has told his supporters our country is going to hell. Following his appearance before a Manhattan court where he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, Trump flew back to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida where he addressed a crowd of 500 supporters. Flanked by American flags, he delivered a campaign-style speech to the cheering crowd. In a rambling 25-minute-long speech in which he took aim at various prosecutors investigating him on multiple fronts, he said it was the most embarrassing time in our countrys history. He said the fake case relating to hush money payments to suppress accounts of his alleged extramarital affairs becoming public, was brought to interfere in the 2024 election and should be immediately dropped. He lashed out at New York prosecutor Alvin Bragg for bringing criminal charges against him saying he was out to get him before he knew anything about me. "I never thought anything like this could happen in America," he told his supporters. Read More "The only crime that I've committed has been to fearlessly defend our nation against those who seek to destroy it." He said he spent time with a local failed district attorney today who charged a former president of the US for the first time in history. "Every single pundit and legal analyst said there is no case. Virtually every one," he said, adding the case should never have been brought. Earlier at the court hearing in New York, Judge Juan Merchan warned Trump to refrain from rhetoric that could inflame or cause civil unrest. Hours later, the former president described Merchan as a Trump-hating judge. A defiant Trump, referring to the indictment, said "this is a persecution not an investigation" but "our heads are held very high". Trump lawyer Todd Blanche told reporters that it was a sad day for the country. You dont expect this to happen to somebody who was president of the United States, he said. The Indo Daily: Arrested Developments What next for former US president Donald Trump Trump faces a separate criminal probe by a county prosecutor in Georgia into whether he unlawfully tried to overturn his 2020 election defeat in the state. He also faces two US Justice Department investigations led by a special counsel into attempts to overturn the 2020 election results and his handling of classified documents after leaving office. "They can't beat us at the ballot box so they try to beat us through the law," Trump said. He also referred to the investigation into his handling of classified documents that were taken to Mar-a-Lago when he moved out of the White House in early 2021. The documents case is being pursued by a "lunatic special counsel", Trump said, referring to prosecutor Jack Smith The various legal predicaments are entangling Trump has he makes another run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. Earlier in a social media post from his plane on his flight home from New York, Trump said the court hearing "was shocking to many in that they had no surprises, and therefore, no case. Virtually every legal pundit has said that there is no case here. There was nothing done illegally! Speaking after the court hearing, Bragg says his offices historic case against the former seeks to ensure that everyone stands equal before the law. No amount of money and no amount of power changes that enduring American principle, he said. Democratic Representative Jamaal Bowman of New York has said that former president Donald Trumps arraignment is just one step towards accountability. The progressive Democratic member of the Squad - which includes Representatives Cori Bush of Missouri, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and fellow New Yorker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - said shortly before the former presidents arraignment. Read More Read More One of Donald Trumps chief supporters accused Democrats of being a party of violence and was forced to flee her own protest as the scene outside the Manhattan court descended into chaos. Firebrand congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has been touted as Mr Trumps 2024 running mate, staged a brief rally but it was hard to hear her over the crush of protesters. I would like to thank patriotic Trump supporters who are here today, Ms Greene said through a megaphone, eliciting a burst of cheers and chants of U-S-A! Then, as she was shouted down, Ms Greene said: This is a travesty. Were the party of peace. Democrats are communists. It marked one of the most contentious moments among the clashes breaking out between pro-Trump and anti-Trump protesters as New York became the front line in the political divide over Mr Trumps treatment by US prosecutors. Mr Trump pleaded not guilty after being accused of 34 felony counts, including falsifying business records. Eric Adams, the New York mayor, had earlier sent a message to potential rabble-rousers, singling out Ms Greene and warning her: Be on your best behaviour. Addressing the large crowd, Ms Greene said: As you can see, Im standing here peacefully protesting but you called me out by name. While you allow crime in your streets and you send your henchman down here to commit assault against people by making loud noises... [we are] trying to keep things civil, trying to prevent violence. Amid the unruly scenes, she spoke for a few minutes and then left swiftly in a white SUV as some counter-protesters heckled her and others whistled in support. It came after clashes had broken out earlier in the morning on the steps of the courthouse. One group of Trump supporters waved a flag with the slogan Trump or Death. Pro- and anti-Trump protesters wrestled with one another outside the courthouse at 111 Center Street before the fight was broken up by police. A burly blonde woman wearing a red Maga confronted a grey-haired woman wearing a hoodie reading Arrest Trump. The two women shouted in each others faces. They were tussling over a giant navy blue flag emblazoned with Trump lies all the time. It appeared that the pro-Trump supporter had rushed at the banner and attempted to remove it. Youre on the wrong side, a group of anti-Trump protesters shouted. A witness wrote on Twitter: Very ugly and heated. Police struggled to get in to break it up. Getting heated. A group of young men wearing black for Trump T-shirts watched on, and counter-protesters chanted lock him up! The anti-Trump protesters were moved to a separate holding pen as tensions continued to flare. George Santos, a controversy-mired New York Republican congressman, triggered a frenzy when he made an appearance outside the court. He was mobbed by protesters, and said he did not plan to go inside the court, but came to lend his support to the president. He said: I want to support the president, just because I think this is unprecedented, and its a bad day for democracy. Whats to stop the next prosecutor in two years from doing the same thing to Joe Biden and moving on every four years? So this makes bad precedent legally. And it cheapens the judicial system, and its not good for America. Police cordons were set up all over lower Manhattan to protect the court. All 35,000 officers in New Yorks police department had been ordered to turn up for work in uniform in anticipation of possible unrest. It wasnt much later than 9am before they had to deal with the first clashes. Maverick Stow, a Trump supporter from Long Island, said he came in to protest what he called the politically weaponised prosecution of the former president and the misuse of the justice system in general. Paulina Farr travelled into the city to show support to our president Trump. The retired nurse said he was also at the storming of the US Capitol on January 6 2021 and called yesterdays protest tremendously different. She vowed to press on: We know the truth. Im not afraid. At one point during the demonstrations, a Trump supporter attempted to rip the other sides banner, prompting police to step in. Laurie Biter (64), a regular anti-Trump protester, said: Ive been jumped several times now. Its not just an indictment going through a court. Its an indictment that we, as people of good conscience, have to bring. Kim Britt (69), among the first dozen anti-Trump demonstrators who showed up, said: If anyone is above the law, then were not going to get anywhere. Ricardo Ricky Superstar Varano, a 62-year-old cashier from the Bronx, told The Daily Telegraph: If he goes down Ill go down. Im with Donald Trump all the way. This indictment is phoney. Its a hoax. Prosecutors in New York City have finally laid out the full list of charges against Donald Trump, making him the first former president in US history to be charged with a criminal offence. The mercurial real estate tycoon stands accused of 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection to alleged hush money payments to porn actor and director Stormy Daniels plus two other people. "From August 2015 to December 2017, the defendant orchestrated a scheme with others to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit the defendants electoral prospects," said Manhattan prosecutors in a 13-page "statement of facts" that accompanied the indictment. "In order to execute the unlawful scheme, the participants violated election laws and made and caused false entries in the business records of various entities in New York. The participants also took steps that mischaracterised, for tax purposes, the true nature of the payments made in furtherance of the scheme." But beyond these historic claims, the prosecutors' statement also includes new details about the long-running saga of the president and the porn star. Mr Trump, for his part, pled not guilty to all charges. Here are the six key revelations. Trump wanted media mogul to be his 'eyes and ears' According to the statement of fact, Mr Trump's scheme began with a private meeting at Trump Tower in August 2015, not long after announcing his presidential run. At this meeting, which has been previously reported by US media, Mr Trump and his personal lawyer Michael Cohen allegedly met with news mogul David Pecker, whose company American Media Inc (AMI) was then the owner of a salacious tabloid newspaper called the National Enquirer. Prosecutors now allege that Mr Pecker agreed to be Mr Trump's "eyes and ears", looking out for negative stories about the candidate and alerting Mr Cohen (who is identified in this document only as "Lawyer A") so that he could squash them. AMI, today known as A360 Media, has since admitted its role in attempting to influence the election as part of a non-prosecution agreement with federal officials. It wasn't just Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal By now most Americans have heard of Stormy Daniels, to whom Mr Cohen has admitted paying $130,000 to squash information about her alleged relationship with Mr Trump back in the Noughties. Some news junkies will be aware that Mr Cohen also admitted to paying $150,000 to former playboy model Karen McDougal, who also allegedly had an affair with Mr Trump. But prosecutors say there was also a third person: a former doorman at Trump Tower, who hoped to sell information to reporters about a child that Mr Trump had allegedly fathered out of wedlock. AMI allegedly paid this doorman $30,000 for exclusive rights to his story and then sat on it as part of the agreement with Mr Trump and Mr Cohen. The Indo Daily: Arrested Developments What next for former US president Donald Trump "When AMI later concluded that the story was not true, the AMI CEO wanted to release the doorman from the agreement," says the statement. "However, Lawyer A instructed the AMI CEO not to release the Doorman until after the presidential election, and the AMI CEO complied with that instruction." Trump 'wanted to renege on payments to Daniels' Not content with killing Ms Daniels' story, prosecutors claim Mr Trump also plotted with Mr Cohen to renege on the agreement and withhold her money. "The Defendant directed Lawyer A to delay making a payment to Woman 2 as long as possible," the statement says. "He instructed Lawyer A that if they could delay the payment until after the election, they could avoid paying altogether, because at that point it would not matter if the story became public." However, pressure then mounted to the point where Trump's team allegedly felt they had no choice but to pay out after all. Cohen and Trump 'discussed their deal in the Oval Office' Perhaps the most eyebrow-raising of the prosecutors' claims is one with relatively little legal import. According to the statement, in February 2017 not long after his inauguration Mr Trump met with Mr Cohen in the Oval Office to confirm their "arrangement". In that most iconic and hallowed chamber of American government, prosecutors allege, amid all the famous symbols of national prestige the Resolute Desk, the plaster seal in the sealing, the paintings of past leaders the 45th president of the United States agreed with his personal lawyer to pay $35,000 per month for squashing the truth about his sexual indiscretions. Prosecutors also claim that in summer 2017, Mr Trump invited Mr Pecker to dinner at the White House "to thank him for his help". Some of the money came from Trump's own bank account The monthly reimbursements were allegedly disguised as payments for a fictional retainer agreement, adding up to $420,000 over the course of 2017 though much of that was intended to cover income taxes. And from April through December 2017, it was Mr Trump who personally reimbursed Mr Cohen's agreements with Ms Daniels and the others, prosecutors claim. The statement says Mr Trump wrote nine cheques for Mr Cohen from his personal bank account, personally signing each one and logging them as payments for a fictional retainer agreement rather than compensations for hush money. 'You are making a very big mistake' The statement contains new details about an alleged pressure campaign by Mr Trump and others designed to stop Mr Cohen from pleading guilty back in 2018. In 2019, CNN reported on leaked emails obtained by federal prosecutors from a lawyer named Robert Costello that offered to open a "back channel" for Mr Cohen to Mr Trump, telling him he could "sleep well tonight" because he had "friends in high places". According to New York's investigation, Mr Costello named only as "Lawyer A" also urged Mr Cohen not to cooperate with law enforcement. "The whole objective of this exercise by the [federal prosecutors] is to drain you, emotionally and financially, until you reach a point that you see them as your only means to salvation," Mr Costello allegedly wrote. "You are making a very big mistake if you believe the stories these journalists are writing about you. They want you to cave. They want you to fail. They do not want you to persevere and succeed." Donald Trump went on a wild, fact-free tirade against his political foes on Tuesday in an expected response to the long-awaited criminal indictment that finally was released by prosecutors in Manhattan earlier in the day. In one of the presidents typical rambling addresses, he swiped at any rival he could think of while decrying the Democrats as well as federal and state authorities around the nation as his mortal foes. And in trademark Trump fashion, he did it in a way that likely delighted the closest of his followers but probably left most Americans watching his speech wondering why it has taken so long for the legal system to catch up with him. Completely unprompted, he brought up the investigation into his phone call to a top Georgia elections official asking them to find thousands of votes in his favour, and compared it to his efforts to pressure Ukraines president into becoming something of a political attack dog against the Biden family. It was a surreal moment of American history that ended much faster than most of Mr Trumps long-winded campaign addresses but nevertheless touched upon many of the same themes, including most importantly the former presidents longstanding effort to weaken trust in just about every system in America meant to act as a neutral arbiter of justice or law. And it was chock full of the falsehoods that Mr Trump has long enjoyed weaponising against his enemies, with no regard for the truth. Lets take a look at some of the big ones: The Justice Department isnt investigating Joe Biden over handling of presidential records Angrily assaulting the National Archives and Justice Department over the criminal investigation into his handling of presidential records and classified materials, the former president raged that investigators were only looking into his actions when troves of presidential records had been discovered similarly at the homes of President Joe Biden and former Vice President Mike Pence. That, of course, is not true. The Justice Department has been in contact and a working relationship with the Biden legal team ever since the first discovery of records at a think tank connected to Mr Biden, and is simply handling that investigation through a separate special counsel. The National Archives is a far-left organisation This one almost deserves to be ignored from the get-go. As part of his criticism of efforts to investigate his handling of presidential records, Mr Trump made the confusing assertion that the US National Archives is a radical left troublemaking organization. The Indo Daily: Arrested Developments What next for former US president Donald Trump The idea that a stuffy library in Washington DC is actually a hotbed of antifa radicals may be entertaining, but is sadly not based in fact. The National Archives merely had the bad luck of picking a fight with Mr Trumps legal team after he, by his own account, apparently allowed or directly ordered his aides to scoop up documents from the White House for transport to Mar-a-Lago as he was all but dragged out of office in January 2021. Federal law enforcement colluded with social media companies to stop Trump in 2020 One of the Trump circles favourite refrains in recent months has been the assertion that he would have won the 2020 election were it not for social media companies suppressing the reach of a story that broke in late 2020 about a laptop owned by Hunter Biden being obtained by far-right activists. At the time, federal officials apparently warned executives at companies like Twitter and Facebook that the story had the hallmarks of a Russian disinformation effort, which ended up not being the case. Republicans have argued that the contents of Hunter Bidens laptop suggest criminal activity by the younger Biden and improper financial connections between the president and foreign countries through his sons business; these claims are not substantiated by any hard proof, however, and were unlikely to sway large amounts of undecided voters in the final days of the election. Still, the idea that there was any collusion between the federal government and social media companies was false: theres no evidence that any federal agency sought to suppress the story for the purpose of hurting Mr Trumps campaign efforts, nor is there proof of any social media companies being coerced or even specifically asked to suppress the story. The FBI raid of Mar-a-Lago was unconstitutional Another false statement made in the course of attacking federal law enforcement for attempting to secure presidential records that were in his possession, Mr Trump argued on Tuesday that the FBI raid of his Mar-a-Lago residence and resort was illegal. On the contrary: a federal judge signed off on the search warrant for his home, and his own attorneys have not actually bothered to argue that the raid was improper in court. Theres also the issue of his attorneys telling the federal government before the raid that all classified materials had been handed over. Virtually everyone thinks this case is bunk As he trashed Alvin Braggs efforts to prosecute him for allegedly falsifying business records as part of his efforts to buy the silence of porn actress Stormy Daniels, Mr Trump incorrectly asserted that even anti-Trump Republicans and Democrats were taking his side. Thats not the case. Many legal experts like former House Judiciary Committee co-counsel Norm Eisen have weighed in on the strength of the case, and disagree with the hand-wringing of a few conservative legal experts over the case. The issue of the cases legal strength is far from settled, one way or the other. Ivanka Trump paid her father Donald a visit two days before he surrendered to authorities to face criminal charges over hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels. The former first daughter went to Mar-a-Lago on Sunday, Page Six reported - three days after a grand jury voted to indict Mr Trump. It came after Ivanka broke her silence on the criminal indictment to say that she is pained for both him and her country. In a brief statement posted to Instagram on Friday, she wrote: I love my father and I love my country. Today I am pained for both. I appreciate the voices across the political spectrum expressing support and concern. On Thursday 30 March, a Manhattan grand jury voted to indict Mr Trump on criminal charges over hush money payments to adult film star Ms Daniels days just before the 2016 presidential election. The unprecedented indictment makes Mr Trump the first current or former president to ever face criminal charges in the history of the US. Mr Trump was formally arrested and charged at an arraignment on Tuesday (4 April). He pleaded not guilty to 34 counts. The indictment is said to have caught Mr Trump off guard after it was announced that the grand jury was taking a weeks-long break from hearing the case. As soon as the news broke, Mr Trumps adult sons Eric Trump and Don Trump Jr leaped into action raging against what they described as third world prosecutorial misconduct. This is third world prosecutorial misconduct, tweeted Eric. It is the opportunistic targeting of a political opponent in a campaign year. Meanwhile, Don Jr branded it a weaponization of our Govt against their political enemies on Twitter before railing against the indictment during a somewhat emotional appearance on his show Triggered with Don Jr that night. Lets be clear, folks, this is like communist-level s***, he said. This is stuff that would make Mao, Stalin, Pol Pot, it would make them blush. He later shared a tweet from another social media user which sought to claim that his fathers indictment was an attempt to distract from the school shooting which left six victims dead in Nashville earlier this week. While Don and Eric both raged about the indictment, Ivanka who worked as a top adviser in Mr Trumps White House was silent on the matter for many more hours. Manhattan prosecutors have been investigating whether Mr Trump falsified the Trump Organizations business records when his former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen made the payment of $130,0000 to Ms Daniels. Prosecutors claim that the money was used to silence Ms Daniels about an alleged affair she had with Mr Trump. Mr Trump has long denied having an affair with the adult film star. Mr Trumps former fixer and personal attorney Cohen was convicted of tax evasion, lying to Congress and campaign finance violations related to the payments to Ms Daniels. He was sentenced to three years in prison. In recent weeks, the probe ramped up with both Cohen and Ms Daniels testifying before the grand jury. Mr Trump was also invited to testify. Though it was an invite he unsurprisingly turned down, it was a strong sign an indictment was on the way. The Manhattan District Attorney's office on Tuesday unveiled charges against Donald Trump over hush money payments to suppress accounts of his alleged extramarital affairs, becoming the first former US president to face criminal charges. These are the charges he faces and his possible defences: WHAT IS TRUMP ACCUSED OF DOING? Prosecutors led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged Trump with 34 felony counts for falsifying business records related to a "catch-and-kill" scheme to suppress negative news stories about him ahead of the 2016 election. During the campaign, Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 to for her silence on an affair she says she had with Trump. Trump denies the allegations and the affairs but has admitted to reimbursing Cohen for his payment to Daniels. He has called Bragg's probe a politically motivated "witch hunt" and pleaded not guilty during his first court appearance Tuesday. Taken together, the charges carry a maximum of 136 years in prison under New York law, but any prison sentence following a guilty verdict would almost certainly be far less than that. Trump would almost certainly appeal any conviction. WHAT LAWS DOES THAT VIOLATE? It is against New York state law to make a false entry in a company's records. While falsification of business records on its own is a misdemeanour, meaning it is punishable by a sentence of less than one year, it is considered a felony punishable by up to four years in prison if it is done to conceal or further other crimes. In this case, Bragg said those other crimes include alleged election law violations. Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to federal charges of causing an unlawful campaign contribution and making an excessive campaign contribution tied to the scheme. The US Attorney's office in Manhattan has not charged Trump, who it referred to in its charging document against Cohen as "Individual-1," with any crime. WHAT COULD TRUMP'S DEFENCE BE? Trump may argue that Cohen acted on his own when paying Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. He may also argue that the purpose of silencing Daniels and McDougal was to spare him and his family the embarrassment of public attention to alleged extramarital affairs, not to help his campaign. While Cohen testified in 2018 that Trump directed him to pay Daniels, Trump has repeatedly called Cohen a "liar" and could attempt to undermine Cohen's credibility by pointing out that he has admitted to perjuring himself before Congress. In an interview with Reuters in December 2018, Trump said the payment to Daniels "wasn't a campaign contribution" and "there was no violation based on what we did". Joseph Tacopina, a lawyer for Trump, has argued in television interviews that Trump was a victim of extortion by Daniels. Trump has also said in a post on his Truth Social platform that the statute of limitations - generally five years in New York - has run out. HOW COULD BRAGG OVERCOME THOSE ARGUMENTS? While Cohen's history of lies could provide fertile ground for Trump's lawyers on cross-examination should he testify at an eventual trial, Cohen has already been sentenced and served time. That could blunt any attempt by Trump to argue that Cohen is falsely implicating him to try to win a lenient sentence, a common argument criminal defendants make against cooperating witnesses. Trump's claim that Daniels was extorting him may not be relevant to the case because the charge focuses on his company's false accounting of the payments as legal expenses. The statute of limitations is unlikely to be an issue, as it does not count time a defendant spends living outside New York state. Trump lived in Washington DC, while he was president and has lived in Florida since leaving office in 2021. For the first time in history, a former US president has appeared in court as a criminal defendant. Donald Trump surrendered to authorities on Tuesday after being indicted by a New York grand jury on charges related to hush-money payments at the height of the 2016 presidential election. Mr Trump, a 2024 presidential candidate, pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges in a Manhattan courtroom. Heres what to know about Mr Trumps day in court: -Hush-money payments related to 2016 election Prosecutors unsealed the indictment against the former president Tuesday, giving Mr Trump, his lawyers and the world their first opportunity to see them. Mr Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Prosecutors said Mr Trump conspired to undermine the 2016 presidential election by trying to suppress information that could harm his candidacy, and then concealing the true nature of the hush-money payments. The payments were made to two women including a porn actor who claimed they had sexual encounters with him years earlier, and to a doorman at Trump Tower who claimed to have a story about a child Mr Trump fathered out of wedlock, according to the Manhattan district attorneys office. -Donald J Trump, defendant Mr Trump was only seen briefly outside the district attorneys office, where he surrendered to authorities and was booked and fingerprinted behind closed doors. Mr Trumps mugshot was not taken, according to two law enforcement officials who could not publicly discuss details of the process and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. As the former president entered the courtroom, he briefly looked at a huddle of news cameras but did not stop to speak to reporters. Inside the courtroom, Mr Trump sat at the defence table with his hands in his lap and his lawyers at his side. He looked right at photojournalists who were briefly allowed into the courtroom as they snapped his photo. During the rest of the proceeding, he stayed still with his hands together and looked straight ahead. Mr Trump only spoke briefly in court, telling the judge he was pleading not guilty and had been advised of his rights. The judge warned Mr Trump that he could be removed from the courtroom if he was disruptive. Mr Trump made no comment when he left court just under an hour later. Mr Trumps lawyer Todd Blanche said during the hearing that Mr Trump is absolutely frustrated, upset and believes that there is a great injustice happening in the courtroom. -Mr Trumps response outside court Before he appeared in court, Mr Trump made posts on his social media network complaining that the heavily Democratic area was a VERY UNFAIR VENUE and THIS IS NOT WHAT AMERICA WAS SUPPOSED TO BE! As his motorcade carried him across Manhattan, he posted that the experience was SURREAL. The Republican has portrayed the Manhattan case and three separate investigations from the Justice Department and prosecutors in Georgia, as politically motivated. In recent weeks, he has lashed out at Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, called on his supporters to protest and warned about potential death and destruction if he were charged. -Bragg speaks briefly Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, speaking publicly for the first time since the indictment last week, held a brief news conference after the court proceedings in which he said the hush-money scheme constituted felony crimes in New York stateno matter who you are. We cannot and will not normalise serious criminal conduct, Mr Bragg said. The Democratic prosecutor said accurate and true business records are important everywhere, but especially in Manhattan, because it is the financial centre of the world. Mr Bragg was asked at the news conference why he was bringing the case now and if the timing was political. The district attorney said his office had additional evidence that his predecessor did not. I bring cases when theyre ready, he said. -Warnings and potential consequences The judge on Tuesday did not impose a gag order but warned Mr Trump to avoid making comments that were inflammatory or could cause civil unrest. If convicted of any one of the 34 felony charges, Mr Trump could face a maximum of four years in prison, but he would likely be sentenced to less. Any alleged offence punishable by more than one year in prison is called a felony in the US justice system. -Trial while campaigning for presidency Mr Trump is due back in court in December, but his lawyers asked that he be excused from attending that hearing in person because of the extraordinary security required to have him show up. A trial has been scheduled for January weeks before the first votes will be cast in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky won new pledges of deeper cooperation on a state visit to Poland as the neighbours sought to forge a tighter relationship in defiance of Russias war against Kyiv. Polish President Andrzej Duda said his country has provided four Soviet-designed MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine to help it beat back the Kremlins assault. Four more are in the process of being handed over and another six are being prepared, he said. Mr Zelensky said at a news conference with Mr Duda that his government would extend a hearty welcome to Polish businesses seeking to help Ukraines post-war rebuilding, which the World Bank has estimated could cost 411 billion dollars. He met later with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and said he would sign agreements on developing Ukrainian infrastructure. Poland heaped military honours and praise on Mr Zelensky as it welcomed him and his wife on a joint visit, during which they thanked the country for its crucial military support as well as being a haven for Ukrainian refugees. The former Soviet satellite that is now a member of the European Union and Nato feels especially threatened by Russia and has been a leading advocate for aid to Kyiv. Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, said Moscows relations with Washington are in deep crisis as the US has led its allies in supplying aid and weapons to Ukraine. Speaking at a ceremony where he accepted diplomatic credentials from ambassadors of 17 nations, including the US, Mr Putin alleged that Washingtons support for the 2014 protests in Kyiv that ousted a pro-Kremlin president led to Russias sending troops into Ukraine. Mr Zelensky and Mr Duda said they wanted to leave behind any Second World War-era grievances that linger in Ukraine and Poland. There are no taboo topics between us, Mr Duda said. There are still open wounds in the memory of many people. The visit to Warsaw was a rare wartime foray out of Ukraine for Mr Zelensky. While he also travelled to the United States, Britain, France and Belgium, the trip to Poland stood out because it was announced in advance and undertaken without the secrecy of past foreign trips. It also was the first time Mr Zelensky and first lady Olena Zelenska travelled abroad together since the war began in February 2022, said Marcin Przydacz, head of Mr Dudas foreign policy office. Mr Duda awarded Mr Zelensky Polands oldest and highest civilian distinction, The Order of the White Eagle. We have no doubt that your attitude, together with the bravery of the nation, has saved Ukraine, the Polish president told Mr Zelensky. At a ceremony in the courtyard of the presidential palace, Mr Duda and the two countries first ladies were dressed in formal attire, while Mr Zelensky wore the military-style sweatshirt and khaki trousers that have become his uniform since the invasion. Mr Zelensky travelled through Poland on his previous foreign trips, but until now had not made it his sole destination. The purpose of the journey to Warsaw was primarily to thank a country that has been an international cheerleader for Ukraine, as well as a safe haven for Ukrainian refugees and a transit hub for Ukraine-bound humanitarian aid and weapons. The visit highlighted the central European nations rising role in a new international security order that has emerged from the war. Poland is seeking to modernise its military by purchasing tanks and other equipment from US and South Korean producers. The United States has also bolstered its military presence in Poland. Mr Zelensky also was meeting with Ukrainians who have fled to Poland. More than 1.5 million Ukrainians have registered with the Polish government since the war began. His visit comes at a delicate time, with Polish farmers increasingly angry because Ukrainian grain that has entered the country has created a glut, causing prices to fall. The grain is only meant to be stored temporarily before being sent to markets in North Africa and the Middle East. But farmers say the grain is taking up space in silos and entering Polish markets, causing local prices to fall. Romanian and Bulgarian farmers say they face the same problem. This publication is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in the Indian market and includes a gu... Image Credit: wikipedia.org Mumbai: The Reserve Bank of India is expected to declare another increase in interest rates on Thursday, as part of its bi-monthly review of monetary policy, said reports. Governor Shaktikanta Das will speak to the media at noon on Thursday, following a series of meetings by the Monetary Policy Committee on April 3, 5, and one more day of discussions on April 6. These meetings are held six times a year to assess the central bank's monetary policy. The announcement on Thursday may be the first increase of the new fiscal year and the second increase of the calendar year, with the RBI having already raised the rate by 25 basis points in February according to media reports. In order to curb demand in the economy, the committee is expected to raise the rate, keeping an eye on inflation, reports added. Stakeholders are closely monitoring these meetings, as nearly every central bank is grappling with rising inflation and the possibility of a mild recession. However, according to SBI Research's latest Ecowrap report, the RBI is expected to pause its interest rate hike and the current 6.5 percent repo rate could be the terminal rate for now. The report asserted that the RBI has enough reasons to pause the repo rate hike in the April meeting. Image Credit: UNI New Delhi/UNI: President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sergey Katyrin said today that trade between the two nations is "breaking records". At the end of 2022, bilateral trade reached a record high of $35.3 billion, which is 2.5 times more than in 2021, he noted. Sergey Katyrin, who is currently on a visit to India, said this during inauguration of the Russian-Indian Business Forum in New Delhi today. Before the start of the forum, Sergey Katyrin met with Shailesh Pathak, Secretary General of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), inviting him to pay a return visit to Moscow. Opening the forum, Sergey Katyrin, thanked the leadership of FICCI, which responded positively to the idea of organizing a business mission of the Russian Federation Chamber to India. Without exaggeration, I can say that in terms of its scale, level of representation and the number of participants (more than 100 people), this visit is the largest business mission on the agenda of our joint events over the past 14 years, he said. According to Sergei Katyrin, such a rapid development of economic relations is largely facilitated by changes in the global foreign economic environment. On the other hand, India has traditionally been one of Russia's key strategic trading partners. Business contacts are also developing in multilateral formats such as BRICS and SCO, a statement from the Russian Embassy said. According to S. Katyrin, the national associations of entrepreneurs of the two countries - the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry should make a significant contribution to this work. He said that an important feature of the bilateral cooperation is the high interest in developing business ties with India by the Russian small and medium-sized businesses. The Russian business mission to India this time mainly includes companies of this profile - more than 60 companies from 27 regions of Russia operating in various sectors of the economy: light industry, chemical, pharmaceuticals, IT industry, mechanical engineering, automotive, innovative technologies. The development of interregional cooperation is another important area of our work. At the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, we always place special emphasis on this vector. Russia is not only Moscow and St. Petersburg. Russia is Krasnoyarsk, Ural, Kuzbass, Tula, Lipetsk, Novgorod, Tyumen and many other industrial centers that are now interested in establishing contacts in India, he added. All the heads of the chambers of commerce and industry from the regions listed above are present in the hall today and will be happy to continue communicating with you on the sidelines of our forum, he said. Separately, he noted the constructive interaction with the FICCI within the framework of BRICS and the SCO. FICCI and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Russia are the secretariats of the national parts of the BRICS and SCO business councils. Sergey Katyrin recalled that the forum is being held on the eve of the next meeting of the Intergovernmental Russia-India Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Cooperation (April 17-18, Delhi). Without support from the governments of our countries, it is impossible to talk about the comprehensive implementation of the existing potential for cooperation, which we understand today in the new geopolitical conditions that have developed, Katyrin said. Among the priority issues for which business expects support, Katyrin attributed the liberalization of the customs, tax, visa regime; creation of effective investment protection mechanisms; improving the efficiency of existing and developing new transport and logistics routes, developing air traffic, including with the regions of Russia; development and ensuring the availability of financial infrastructure; elimination of administrative barriers and other restrictions on the access of products to the markets of our countries. Many of these issues could be resolved within the framework of preferential economic cooperation regimes, he said and welcomed the resumption of negotiations on the creation of a free trade zone between the EAEU and India. The Indian business community was represented at the forum by a large number of over 300 entrepreneurs. On Tuesday, Sergey Katyrin opened in Delhi the office of the honorary representative of the Chamber in India. He said the institute of representatives of the Chamber is an important element of the infrastructure for supporting international cooperation, which has been used by the Chamber for many years. In response to the request of our business, to the growing interest in India from the business community of Russia, it was decided to appoint an honorary representative in India, Igor Pyasetsky, who has extensive experience working in India as an entrepreneur and has been performing his duties since February 2023, said S. Katyrin, the statement said. Image: Pixabay Berlin: Electronics major Samsung Electronics has announced the opening of a new online store for its B2B customers in Germany. The new store will be added to expand to 30 countries worldwide. Samsungs B2B online store is a service within Samsung.com providing products and solutions, as well as purchase benefits all dedicated to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). The Samsung B2B online store accepts various payment options for businesses, such as installment payments and invoice payments. Additionally, customers can benefit from exclusive corporate-only promotions, discounts on the total purchase amount and technical support. Furthermore, customers can shop from a diverse product portfolio from Samsung Electronics, ranging from TVs, monitors, air conditioners and refrigerators to mobile products such as laptops, tablets and mobile phones. Samsung Electronics first launched its B2B online store in October 2021 in Australia, France, Turkiye, the U.K. and the U.S. Since then, the service has vastly expanded throughout Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East with an impressive coverage of 30 countries in less than a year and a half. The key elements to the remarkable expansion of B2B online stores are open accessibility, simple purchase process, and a variety of payment methods specialized for SMBs, said Daniel Kang, Executive Vice President and Head of the D2C Center at Samsung Electronics. As we see the growth potential in the online B2B business globally, Samsung will continue to expand and develop services to provide practical benefits and support for our SMB customers. Compared to last year, the average number of newly signed-up members globally has increased by 100% and the sales on the B2B online stores have doubled in growth as of this February. Based on these achievements, Samsung Electronics plans to grow its online B2B retail footprint further to maximize the benefits and services aimed specifically at SMBs. Image Credit: PIB New Delhi/Washington/UNI: The US has said it recognises Arunachal Pradesh as a part of India and it strongly opposes any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by renaming localities, following Chinas attempt at "renaming" 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing calls southern Tibet. White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre, in response to a query on what is the US view on China renaming 11 places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, said: "the United States, as you know, has recognized that territory for a long time. And we strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by renaming localities. "And so, again, this is something that we have long stood by," she said. Her response came as Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on Tuesday, commenting on the reasoning behind Chinas move to rename the 11 places in the northeastern Indian state, said in Beijing, that it is within Chinas sovereign rights. Zangnan is part of Chinas territory. In accordance with relevant stipulations of the administration of geographical names of the State Council, competent authorities of the Chinese government have standardized the names of some parts of Zangnan. This is within Chinas sovereign rights, she said. "Zangnan is Beijings name for what it calls the southern part of Tibet, the area falling in Arunachal Pradesh, which it lays claim to. On Tuesday, Indias Ministry of External Affairs had strongly rejected Chinas attempt at renaming 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh. MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, in a statement, said that attempts by China to assign invented names will not alter this reality of Arunachal Pradesh being an integral part of India. The statement read: "We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has made such an attempt. We reject this outright. "Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Attempts to assign invented names will not alter this reality. China's Ministry of Civil Affairs released the standardised names in Chinese for 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh, which it referred to as "Zangnan". The names were released in Chinese, Tibetan, and Pinyin characters following regulations on geographical names issued by the State Council, China's cabinet. The list includes precise coordinates for two land areas, two residential areas, five mountain peaks, and two rivers, along with their subordinate administrative districts. This is the third batch of standardised geographical names for Arunachal Pradesh, issued by Chinas civil affairs ministry, with the first batch of six places announced in 2017 and the second batch of 15 places in 2021. India has earlier too dismissed the Chinese attempt of renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh. Earlier this year, a bipartisan resolution was introduced in the US Senate to recognise Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India. The resolution condemns additional Chinese provocations, including China's use of military force to change the status quo along the Line of Actual Control, construction of villages in contested areas, publication of maps with Mandarin-language names for cities and features in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, and expansion of Beijing's territorial claims in Bhutan The United States recognises the state of Arunachal Pradesh not as a disputed territory but as an integral part of the Republic of India, and this recognition is not qualified in any way, says the bipartisan resolution introduced by Senator Jeff Merkley, a Democrat, and Bill Hagerty, a Republican. Senator John Cornyn, Co-Chair of the India Caucus, has co-sponsored the resolution. In October 2016, then US Ambassador Richard Verma had attended the Tawang Festival, while in 2019 then US envoy Kenneth Juster too had attended the Tawang festival in Arunachal Pradesh, angering Beijing. The US government had termed the ambassadors visit support for Indias sovereignty. Image Credit: UNI New Delhi/UNI: A Parliamentary Delegation from South Sudan, led by the Speaker of the Transitional National Assembly Jemma Nunu Kumba, called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan today. Welcoming the delegation to India, President Murmu said that India and South Sudan enjoy cordial and friendly relations. She said India is proud to be a major troop contributor to the UN Peace keeping Missions in South Sudan, and added that Indian soldiers are also playing an important humanitarian role, and contributing to furthering relations between the two countries, an official statement said. The President said that India is determined to be a reliable development partner for South Sudan. She expressed confidence that the youth of South Sudan would take advantage of the training and capacity building opportunities provided by India's ITEC and ICCR scholarship programmes. The President said that South Sudan can benefit from Indias experiences in parliamentary democracy in its ongoing political process, including the drafting of a new Constitution. She further said that India would extend its full support to South Sudan in this process, the statement added. Image: Pixabay Basti: A woman lodged a complaint against seven persons, including her husband and in-laws, for dowry harassment in Walterganj area of Basti district here in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, police sources said. Police sources told UNI that Kumari Snehlata, a resident of Balli Patti village, lodged a complaint at Kotwali police station that her husband and in-laws harassed her for dowry. "She has alleged that the accused used to assault her and threw her out of the house after failing to bring a motorcycle in dowry," they said. Police sources told UNI that on the basis of Snehlata's complaint a case has been lodged against her husband Harish Chandra, father-in-law Ramkaran, mother-in-law Gujarati, brother-in-laws Mukesh, Vikash Kumar and two sister-in-laws including Saroj under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Dowry Prohibition Act. Police sources said that the matter is being probed by and further action will be taken after the investigation is over. (With UNI inputs) Image: Pxiabay Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday claimed to have solved a blind murder case by arresting three accused persons involved in the heinous crime. A team of Police Station Nowgam, Srinagar made a significant breakthrough in a blind murder case that has been under investigation when they arrested three accused on April 4 who were involved in the heinous crime. The accused have been identified as Sahil Maqbool Najar, his wife Mehak Sahil, and Waseem Ahmad Sheikh, all residents of Narkara Budgam. These three are also found involved in drug peddling activities as well, police said. The case relates to an unidentified dead body that was found at village Tengan on March 15, 2023. Later, the deceased was identified as Suhail Rehman Beigh a resident of Karfali Mohalla in Srinagar. Following his identification and leads in investigation a case under FIR No. 48/23 under Section 302 IPC was registered at Police Station Nowgam. A team of Police Station Nowgam headed by the Station House Officer Nowgam have been conducting a thorough investigation into the case, making use of available evidence to identify and track down the suspects. The accused Mohd Waseem Shiekh was arrested for helping the other two accused for disposing off the body by ferrying it in a sumo vehicle from their rented accommodation at Palpora Sonwar to Tengan. The instant Sumo has been identified and seized in the instant Case, they said. Further investigation of the case is going on, police added. Image credit: Facebook/ Basavaraj Bommai Bengaluru/IBNS Contrary to earlier speculations, Kannada actor Kiccha Sudeep on Wednesday clarified that he has no plans to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but campaign for it in the runup-to the May 10 assembly polls in Karnataka. "I have come here to announce my support to Basavaraj Bommai, whom I adore and call Mama (uncle) with affection and respect. Bommai Mama has stood by me during my difficult times," he told reporters here. Giving more clarity on Sudeep's comments, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who was also present at the press conference, said his support would mean that he is campaigning for BJP in the upcoming polls. Bommai said Sudeep pledged to back the BJP on his own, and he did not belong to any political party. This clarification comes in the wake of BJP insiders speculating about Sudeep joining the BJP later in the day. Sudeep shares a very good bond with Bommai's family as he claimed that it was the CM who helped him during his bad days. The upcoming elections for the state assembly in Karnataka are scheduled to be held on 10 May, with the counting of votes taking place on May 13. Haryana/IBNS: A horrific murder was reported from Haryana's Gumad Village where a woman working in Canada returned to India last year to be with her boyfriend and was shot dead before getting buried in his field. The victim was reported missing in June last year by her aunt. Her skeletal remains were only found by the Bhiwani CIA on Tuesday. The accused-Sunil has confessed to kidnapping and murdering her. According to the police, he confessed to kidnapping 23-year-old Neelam and killing her in June last year. He shot her twice in the head and then buried her body in his field to destroy the evidence, said CIA Bhiwani in-charge Ravindra said. Neelam's sister Roshni had registered a complaint with Gannaur Police in June. She said that her sister from Baland village in Rohtak had cleared her IELTS exam and moved to Canada to work. In January last year, Sunil lured her back to India to marry her following which he kidnapped and killed her, police said. Neelam's family in the village found no trace of her since her expected return and then discovered even Sunil had also gone missing on the same day. While the police registered a case of kidnapping, no action was allegedly taken after the complaint. After searching for Neelam on their own led to nowhere, the family met with Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij to push for action. The case was then transferred to the CIA in Bhiwani who eventually arrested Sunil. Based on Sunil's confession in police custody, the authorities dug out Neelam's skeletal remains from a 10-foot deep in his field on Garhi Road. The remains have been sent for postmortem to Sonipat Civil Hospital where they will also conduct a DNA test on her mother. Hugh Jackman Instagram page Los Angeles: Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman , who is best known for his performance in X-Men film series, has shared with his fans that he is undergoing more skin cancer tests after a recent medical check-up. The Australian actor shared a video on Instagram where he could be seen wearing a bandage on his nose and adviced his fans to follow sun safety measures. He said he is expected to receive test results in the upcoming days. Jackman said he underwent the tests after his doctor spotted irregularities that could be or could not be basal cell [carcinoma]. He shared the video on Instagram with the caption that read: "I know youve heard me talk about my basal cell carcinomas before. Im going to keep talking about them, if need be. And if it reminds even one person to put on sunscreen with a high SPF, then Im happy." Jackman has received treatment for basal cell carcinoma several times, and in 2013, revealed he had a cancerous growth removed from his nose, reports CNN. Just to remind you, basal cell, in the world of skin cancers, is the least dangerous of them all, he was quoted as saying in the video. As per Mayo Clinic website, Basal cell carcinoma is a type of skin cancer. "Basal cell carcinoma begins in the basal cells a type of cell within the skin that produces new skin cells as old ones die off," reads Mayo Clinic website. "Basal cell carcinoma often appears as a slightly transparent bump on the skin, though it can take other forms. Basal cell carcinoma occurs most often on areas of the skin that are exposed to the sun, such as your head and neck," reads the website. (From L to R) Reshmi Mitra, Sujan Neel Mukherjee and Sudiptaa Chakraborty | Photography: Avishek Mitra/IBNS Kolkata/IBNS: Filmmaker Reshmi Mitra's biopic on pioneer of modern Bengali theatre Shishir Kumar Bhaduri, Borobabu, will get its trailer launch at this year's North America Bengali Conference (NABC). It was informed by the filmmaker herself at a press conference at Sugar Daddy Pub & Rotisserie in Kolkata earlier this week. Speaking of the trailer launch, Reshmi said, "A lot of international film festivals have shown interest in this film for screening. NABC wanted to screen Borobabu. Since the film will not be ready by then, they have requested us to launch the trailer at NABC. It's a big achievement for us. "We are also looking forward to the releases in the US and UK." Actor Sujan Neel Mukherjee plays the titular role while actors Sudiptaa Chakraborty and Paayel Sarkar play two of the three most significant characters in the film. Sujan, who feels a biopic on Shishir Bhaduri should have been made much earlier, said, "Reshmi-di deserves credit for making a film on Sishir Bhaduri. I feel a film on him should have been made long ago but somehow other filmmakers had missed it." "Reshmi-di has been researching to make this film for about 10 years. It's a big achievement for her. I have tried to the best of my ability to portray Borobabu," he added. Sujan Neel Mukherjee | Photography: Avishek Mitra/IBNS The film focuses on the emotional turmoil in the personal life of Bhaduri. Bhaduri's relationships with Prabha Devi (played by Sudiptaa Chakraborty) and Kankabati (played by Paaye Sarkar) have been explored. "We all had expectations about work on Sishir Bhaduri. Better late than never. Reshmi-di thought of it and went ahead to make it. I would thank the producer for doing this film," Sudiptaa says. Among other actors who have played pivotal roles in the film are Supratim Roy, Bhaswar Chatterjee and Biswanath Basu. Borobabu is expected to get its theatrical release in Kolkata in January-February next year. (Photography: Avishek Mitra/IBNS) Jens Stoltenberg Instagram page Helsinki: Finland formally joined the NATO military alliance on Tuesday in a historic policy shift brought on by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, media reports said. Finland's accession roughly doubles the length of the border that NATO shares with Russia and bolsters its eastern flank as the war in Ukraine grinds on with no resolution in sight. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto completed the accession process by handing over an official document to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at NATO headquarters in Brussels where the Finnish flag was unfurled. "We welcome Finland to the alliance," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at the end of the brief ceremony, according to Reuters. Stoltenberg earlier noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin had cited opposing NATO's eastward enlargement as one justification for his invasion. "He is getting exactly the opposite...Finland today, and soon also Sweden will become a full fledged member of the alliance," Stoltenberg said in Brussels. "It is a great day for Finland and I want to say that it is an important day for NATO," Niinisto said at a joint news conference with Stoltenberg. The Kremlin said Russia would be forced to take "counter-measures" to Finland's accession. Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the move raised the prospect of the conflict in Ukraine escalating further. Russia had said on Monday it would strengthen its military capacity in its western and northwestern regions in response to Finland joining NATO. The Ukrainian government also hailed Finland's move. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's chief of staff Andriy Yermak wrote on Telegram: "FI made the right choice. NATO is also a key goal for Ukraine." (With UNI inputs) Image: ICRC/Mohammad Jawad Alhamzah New York: It is estimated that up to one million people in Iraq have disappeared over the past five decades a crisis that continues today, UN independent human rights experts said on Tuesday, calling for investigation and legislation to eradicate this heinous crime. The appeal comes in the latest report by the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances, which visited the country in November. The report examines five waves of disappearance in Iraq, including enforced disappearance. It covers the period starting with the Baath era from 1968-2003 - characterized by the authoritarian rule of Saddam Hussein - through to the anti-Government protests from 2018 to 2020. More work ahead The UN Committee is comprised of 10 international rights experts who monitor global implementation of the Convention against enforced disappearances. While acknowledging the serious challenges the authorities face in addressing the situation in Iraq, the experts were deeply concerned that enforced disappearance has been widespread over different periods, and that impunity and revictimization prevail. The visit constitutes a new step in the Committees interaction with Iraq, one of the first countries to ratify the Convention, they said, adding, but lots remain to be done. Ongoing patterns of disappearance The Committee met with senior officials, victims, and civil society representatives in Iraq. Members heard numerous testimonies from victims, including a mother whose son disappeared after being stopped at a checkpoint while going to visit a cousin. Her story was indicative of an ongoing pattern in Iraq, according to the Committee. Children given away Another common pattern concerns the alleged enforced disappearance of children, particularly from the Yazidi minority community, born after their mothers were sexually abused in camps operated by the extremist group ISIL or Daesh. The Committee learned that, in some cases, mothers were compelled to leave their children in orphanages after returning to Iraq, intending to take them home as soon as possible. However, when they went to reclaim them, the mothers were told that their children had been given to another family, allegedly with direct involvement of some State agents. A massive problem Hundreds of families are also still searching for relatives they suspect are in camps in Turkiye, Syria, or Iran, where contact with the outside world is impossible, the Committee said. The report noted that following decades of conflict and political violence, disappearances - including enforced disappearances - have been identified as a problem of massive proportions in Iraq. Official estimates indicate that since 1968, between 250,000 and 1,000,000 people have been disappeared, though it is impossible to provide more precise figures. Five waves During the Baath era in the Federal Iraq and Kurdistan region, up to 290,000 people, including some 100,000 Kurds, were forcibly disappeared as part of Saddam Husseins genocidal campaign in Iraqi Kurdistan, the report said. The second wave of disappearances covers the 2003 invasion and subsequent occupation, to the pre-ISIL period. During this time, the United States military and allies captured at least 200,000 Iraqis. Of this number, 96,000 were held at some point in prisons administered by the US or the United Kingdom. It is alleged that detainees were arrested without a warrant for their involvement in insurgency operations, while others were civilians in the wrong place at the wrong time, the Committee said. ISIL atrocities The report documented how ISILs proclamation of an Islamic caliphate, including a large swathe of Iraq, saw new rounds of abductions and mass killings of Iraqi soldiers or security forces from 2014 to 2017. The situation deteriorated further when Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) conducted military operations to retake major cities from the extremists, during which pro-Government forces disappeared thousands of Sunni Arabs, mainly men and boys. More enforced disappearances occurred during the wave of demonstrations in Iraq from 2018 to 2020, when thousands took to the street to protest against corruption. Legislation and investigation The UN Committee urged the Iraqi Government to immediately include enforced disappearances as a separate offence in national legislation as currently it cannot be prosecuted. Members also called for establishing a comprehensive search and investigation strategy for all cases of disappearances, and they encouraged the authorities to strengthen and enlarge the scope of national forensic investigations. Iraq must also immediately establish an independent task force to cross-check systematically the registers of all places of deprivation of liberty with the names of all detainees, the Committee said. The task force must ensure that all detainees are registered and that their relatives are duly informed of their whereabouts. Address secret detention allegations Iraq should also clarify persistent allegations of secret detention, which the State has denied. In this regard, the authorities should establish an independent commission that would carry out a fact-finding mission to verify whether secret places of detention exist. The Iraqi authorities were also urged to take legislative and judicial measures to address the needs and rights of victims. About the UN Committee The Committee on Enforced Disappearances was appointed by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. The independent experts are not UN staff, and do not receive a salary for their work. While in Iraq, the delegation also observed developments surrounding two exhumations and visited a provisional centre of DNA identification in the northern city of Sinjar, home to the Yazidi community, among other activities. Image: Pixabay Peshawar: A fire broke out at a camp of a Chinese company managing the construction of a remote hydropower dam in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday, media reports said. Beijing has reportedly invested billions of dollars into Pakistan under an investment scheme known as the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) since 2015. Police said the fire ruined a warehouse complex for the Dasu hydropower project in the Kohistan district. Rescue 1122 fire tenders and fighters from Upper Kohistan and Lower Kohistan rushed to the spot and started extinguishing the flames. The enraged flames engulfed the entire area and gutted camps and warehouses, Khaliq Dad, the district emergency officer of Rescue 1122, Upper Kohistan, told Dawn News. According to reports, the Chinese engineers and workers were shifted to a nearby place. No casualty was reported in the incident. We have launched an inquiry into the incident and it would be completed in three days as it is part of our standard operational procedures, Anwarul Haq, Dasu Dams General Manager, told reporters as quoted by Dawn News. Image Unsplash London: The United Kingdom's information regulator said on Tuesday that it had issued a 12.7 million pound (almost $16 million) fine to Chinese company-owned video sharing app TikTok for its violations of data protection legislation, including by the provision of services to children under the age of 13 and processing their data without parental consent. "The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) has issued a 12,700,000 fine to TikTok Information Technologies UK Limited and TikTok Inc (TikTok) for a number of breaches of data protection law ... The ICO estimates that TikTok allowed up to 1.4 million UK children under 13 to use its platform in 2020, despite its own rules not allowing children that age to create an account," the statement said. UK data protection law obliges organizations using personal data of children under 13 to get the consent of their parents or other legal representatives, the statement read. However, TikTok failed to do that and did not conduct the necessary checks in order to identify underage users and remove them from the platform, where they might be exposed to inappropriate content, the ICO added. As a result, the platform collected and processed the children's personal data, which made it possible to deliver potentially harmful content to them. The situation is not the first high-profile controversy featuring the Chinese video hosting service in recent times. Over the past months, more than half of US states, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Council of the European Union have prohibited TikTok access from government devices due to security concerns about user data being accessed by the Chinese government. In addition, the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs has approved a bill that could allow the US government to ban TikTok or any other foreign app if they are believed to be a threat to national security. In its turn, in February, China criticized the idea of prohibiting the app, saying that the ban imposed by the US government was an act of misusing the concept of national security and abusing state power in order to suppress a foreign company. In the beginning of March, Beijing said that the EU bans undermined faith in the European market. (With UNI inputs) wallpaper cave Manhattan: Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. on Tuesday announced the indictment of former US President Donald Trump for falsifying New York business records in order to conceal damaging information and unlawful activity from American voters before and after the 2016 election. During the election, Trump and others employed a catch and kill scheme to identify, purchase, and bury negative information about him and boost his electoral prospects. "Trump then went to great lengths to hide this conduct, causing dozens of false entries in business records to conceal criminal activity, including attempts to violate state and federal election laws," read an official statement. Trump is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with 34 counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree. The People of the State of New York allege that Donald J. Trump repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal crimes that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election, said District Attorney Bragg. Manhattan is home to the countrys most significant business market. We cannot allow New York businesses to manipulate their records to cover up criminal conduct. As the Statement of Facts describes, the trail of money and lies exposes a pattern that, the People allege, violates one of New Yorks basic and fundamental business laws. As this office has done time and time again, we today uphold our solemn responsibility to ensure that everyone stands equal before the law. According to court documents and statements made on the record in court, from August 2015 to December 2017, TRUMP orchestrated his catch and kill scheme through a series of payments that he then concealed through months of false business entries. In one instance, American Media Inc. (AMI), paid $30,000 to a former Trump Tower doorman, who claimed to have a story about a child TRUMP had out of wedlock. In a second instance, AMI paid $150,000 to a woman who alleged she had a sexual relationship with Trump. When Trump explicitly directed a lawyer who then worked for the Trump Organization as Trumps Special Counsel (Special Counsel) to reimburse AMI in cash, the Special Counsel indicated to Trump that the payment should be made via a shell company and not by cash. "AMI ultimately declined to accept reimbursement after consulting their counsel. AMI, which later admitted its conduct was unlawful in an agreement with federal prosecutors, made false entries in its business records concerning the true purpose of the $150,000 payment," read the statement In a third instance 12 days before the presidential general election the Special Counsel wired $130,000 to an attorney for an adult film actress. The Special Counsel, who has since pleaded guilty and served time in prison for making the illegal campaign contribution, made the payment through a shell corporation funded through a bank in Manhattan. After winning the election, Trump reimbursed the Special Counsel through a series of monthly checks, first from the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust created in New York to hold the Trump Organizations assets during TRUMPs presidency and later from Trumps bank account. In total, 11 checks were issued for a phony purpose. Nine of those checks were signed by Trump. Each check was processed by the Trump Organization and illegally disguised as a payment for legal services rendered pursuant to a non-existent retainer agreement. In total, 34 false entries were made in New York business records to conceal the initial covert $130,000 payment. Further, participants in the scheme took steps that mischaracterized, for tax purposes, the true nature of the reimbursements. PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK Simranjit Singh, a/ka/ Shally Singh, age 40, a citizen of India residing in Canada, was extradited to the United States last week on an indictment charging him with alien smuggling and conspiracy to commit alien smu... When Samsung released its pilot line of foldable touch screen devices, many people said that it would never take off. Now, virtually every company is working on a similar foldable and flip smartphone. To take things a step further, Samsung appears to be working on a "three-fold" foldable smartphone that could be released later this year. Samsung A three-fold smartphone is coming According to a a tech blogger, the new device-of-its-kind could appear as early as this year instead of the Galaxy S23 FE that everyone has been expecting. This was going to happen eventually, given how Samsung has already showcased an OLED screen with two hinges that can be folded three times and now it seems that the South Korean company is ready for mass production of the three-fold device. There is no Galaxy S23 FE in the development chain unlike what the recent rumours have been pointing.. Samsung is instead working on the improved Z Fold 5 & Flip 5 along with a Tri-Fold that might finally ship this year FE fans should look elsewhere... Yogesh Brar (@heyitsyogesh) March 24, 2023 Also read: Samsung Galaxy S23 Review: A Harmonious Blend Of Style And Performance Rumours suggest that the new smartphone could come with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, the one we've seen on the recent Samsung S23 line-up. Various reports claimed that Samsung was launching three smartphones later this year - the Galaxy Z Flip 5, Galaxy Z Fold 5, and the Galaxy S23 FE. However, it now seems unlikely that an FE version would come this year. Instead, the new foldable could have replaced the device. Samsung Also read: Everything About Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Screams 'Extra' And Rightly So! Unsplash While that's all we know about the device so far. Meanwhile, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5 could come with a new drop-shaped hinge - hoping to increase the radius of folding. In addition, the crease could be less visible on this year's line-up in addition to be fully flattenable. We'll find out more when Samsung releases the devices. Until then, tell us what you think about foldable devices in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com. Get ready to spread your wings and explore the newest addition to Singapore's list of attractions Bird Paradise! Located within the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, the new spot under partnership with Singapore Tourism Board is slated to welcome visitors from May 8 this year. This integrated nature and wildlife destination in northern Singapore is already home to the popular Night Safari, River Wonders, and Singapore Zoo, and this new park promises a chance to experience the colourful world of avian species like never before. 10m-tall waterfall at Mandai Wildlife West This features eight walk-through aviaries, each representing different habitats from around the world. Here, one can see and hear the natural behaviours of many bird species as they journey through transitional zones that connect the various habitats. Bird Paradise boasts top-of-the-line support facilities, including a state-of-the-art avian hospital and an extensive breeding facility. Roseate Spoonbills at Hong Leong Foundation Crimson Wetlands As a wildlife conservation organisation, Bird Paradise plans to provide a platform to advance its education programmes and capacity-building initiatives, and protect threatened bird species across the region. The habitats within the park are alive with the songs and natural behaviours of the birds, from flight to feeding, nesting, and foraging through the undergrowth. Heart of Africa Also read: Singapores Changi Airport: You can check in and never leave! The Heart of Africa is a key attraction that transports visitors to the forested valleys of continental Africa. With an elevated canopy experience, visitors can observe birds displaying their natural behaviours in a dense, misty forest with meandering forest streams. Similarly, Wings of Asia recreates stunning bamboo forests and sloping rice terraces of Southeast Asia. Beyond aesthetics, the bamboo forests serve as a food source for the animals living in the habitat and the terraces create a unique ecosystem for birds like the critically endangered Baers Pochard and endangered Milky Stork. Penguin Cove is another highlight of Bird Paradise. This indoor habitat is designed to be home to penguins such as the Gentoo Penguin, King Penguin, Humboldt Penguin, and Northern Rockhopper Penguin. Visitors will have a fascinating opportunity to observe the oceanic life of these birds. Kuok Group Wings of Asia And if you're a fan of feeding sessions, you're in luck as you will be able to do so with new species like Starlings, African Hornbills, and Barbets at Heart of Africa, Pelicans at Wings of Asia and Lories at Lory Loft. That's not all! The new ungated public node, Mandai Wildlife West, located next to Bird Paradise serves as a quaint gateway to the new park with offerings like playgrounds, dining, and retail options. Adrenaline junkies, fret not because they have you all covered too. The iconic Singapore Cable Car is launching Pokemon-themed cabins as part of its 50th-year celebrations and we can not keep calm. Heritage wall at the entrance of Bird Paradise For Indian travellers, Singapore has always been a preferred destination, and thanks to the newly launched SingapoRewards program, one can experience nearly 40 new experiences in Singapore for free. Our doors are closed for him, the Turkish leader concluded The Yoruba Afenifere Youths Organization of Nigeria (YAYON) has called for a reform of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afenifere since the group has lost its focus. The temporal leader of the group, Ayo Adebanjo, received a vote of no confidence from the organizations youth wing, which also requested his resignation for the organizations best interests. YAYON made their demands known on Tuesday during the South-West Youth Leaders world press conference held in Lagos following a joint meeting of Afenifere Youth national leaders in the Yoruba territory, including Kogi and Kwara States. Eric Oluwole, the national youth leader of the group during the press conference, also denounced the suspension of two national officers of Afenifere by Adebanjo without the groups national leader, Reuben Fasoranti. The youths who asked Adebanjo to resign claimed he had strayed from the principles and ideals of Afenifere YAYON further exhorted all well-intentioned Afenifere leaders and members to follow the organizations leadership, Fasoranti, who is still alive, stressing that his decision on any matter remained final on behalf of Afenifere. The statement read, Afenifere was formed 72 years ago as an influential socio-cultural group and voice to lawfully defend and promote first and foremost, the interest of the Yoruba people within the Nigerian Federation. Commendably, all past Afenifere Leaders starting with the revered Chief Obafemi Awolowo, including Chief Adekunle Ajasin and Chief Abraham Adesanya, all of the blessed memory, and the present leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, have sustained this philosophy. READ ALSO: Tinubu Rewards Hardwork, Will Include Opposition In His Cabinet APC Chieftain, Felix Notably, these illustrious leaders in their exemplary, committed and principled leadership, worked tirelessly to make Afenifere a most influential voice widely respected within and outside the Nigerian Federation, and indeed the arrowhead of all popular struggles to build Nigeria into a better, true and balance Federation, where justice and equity will prevail for all. But we noted sadly that Afenifere began to derail from this long-head philosophy as soon as our father, Baba Ayo Adebanjo took up the position of Acting Leader when he abandoned the uncompromising pursuit and defence first and foremost of the interest of the Yoruba people for whatever reasons. We noted sadly too, that rather than rally the Yoruba people behind their son, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, now the President-Elect of Nigeria, to emerge as President of this Great Country, Baba Adebanjo campaigned vigorously against him, and even after his well-deserving and hard-earned victory through a credible presidential election, he still wants the presidency out of Yorubaland. We noted for the purpose of clarity that Pa Ayo Adebanjo is not the Leader of Afenifere, but the Acting Leader authorised by Pa Reuben Fasoranti. We make bold to say that the action of making Pa Adebanjo the Acting Leader is in line with the precedence in our rich history. We will not allow our future to be mortgaged by Pa Ayo Adebanjo. We challenge him to provide us with the substantial reason for attacking and maligning our son of the soil, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President-Elect of Nigeria, despite the conclusion of a free, fair, and credible election devoid of monetisation or rigging, which he won. We condemned in totality the gross insubordination of the Acting Leader of Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo. A Vote of no Confidence is hereby passed on the Acting Leader of Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo forthwith and he should stop parading himself as Leader/Acting Leader of Afenifere. The Federal Government (FG) on Tuesday said the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, risked being prosecuted for treason on their utterances in relation to the February 25 presidential election. Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, who gave the warning in Washington, United States on Tuesday, said Obi and Baba-Ahmeds statements amounted to insurrection, adding that the duo were inciting people to violence over the outcome of the poll. However, swiftly, the LP candidate and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who refuted the allegations, describing them as reckless, warned the FG against toying with the idea of arresting the ex-governor of Anambra State. Information Nigeria reports that since the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was declared the president-elect, having polled 8,794,726 votes to defeat the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and Obi, who got 6,984,520 and 6,101,533 votes, respectively, the LP candidate and his running mate have been faulting the electoral process. Moreso, despite filing petitions challenging the results at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, Obi and Baba-Ahmed have insisted on the cancellation of the poll which they claimed was characterised by rigging and violence. Recall that in recent interview on national television, Baba-Ahmed asked the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, not to swear in the president-elect on May 29 while some of their supporters had called for the interim national government. READ ALSO: NCC Denies Tracking, Leaking Phone Calls Of Nigerians In the latest development, while addressing some media organisations and think tanks on the election at the US capital, Mohammed said it was wrong for Obi to seek redress in court over the outcome of the polls and in another breath incite people to violence. The minister stated, Obi and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, cannot be threatening Nigerians that if the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, of the All Progressives Congress is sworn-in on May 29, it will be the end of democracy in Nigeria. This is treason. You cannot be inviting insurrection, and this is what they are doing. Obis statement is that of a desperate person, he is not the democrat that he claimed to be. A democrat should not believe in democracy only when he wins the election. According to him, in challenging the election result, there was no pathway to victory for either Obi or Atiku because they failed to meet the constitutional requirements to be declared as president. The constitution has stringent criteria for anybody who wants to be president of the country. Not only must he have the plurality of votes cast in an election, but he must also have scored one-quarter of the votes cast in at least 25 states. Only the president-elect met the criteria by scoring 8.79m votes and having one-quarter of all the votes cast in 29 states of the federation, Mohammed further stated. The minister said Atiku who came second with 6.9m votes was only able to make one-quarter of the votes cast in 21 states, adding that Obi came third with 6.1m votes but won only one-quarter of votes cast in 15 states. You cannot win an election in a poll where you came to a distant third position and failed to meet constitutional requirements. Peter Obi, while complaining of fraud, has not disowned his victory in Lagos, he said. The Federal Government has declared Friday and Monday April 7 and 10, 2023 as public holidays to mark the Easter celebration for 2023. The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, made this known in Abuja on Wednesday. According to Aregbesola, in a statement signed by the Ministrys Permanent Secretary, Shuaib Begore, on Wednesday, urged Christians to emulate the virtues of sacrifice, togetherness, forgiveness, kindness, love, peace and patience which were attributes and practices of Jesus Christ, as exemplified by His ministry on the earth. The minister called on Christians and all Nigerians to use the occasion of this years Easter celebration to pray for an end to the security challenges in parts of the country. He said Security is everybodys business. I, therefore, urge Nigerians and foreigners resident in our country to display a high sense of citizenship and public spiritedness by supporting the efforts of all security agencies in bringing peace and security of lives and property of the citizenry. READ MORE: Lagos Governorship Election: Aregbesola Rallies Support For Sanwo-Olu The minister assured that the Federal Government is doing all that is necessary to ensure a peaceful transition of government following the peaceful conduct of elections. While wishing Christians at home and in the Diaspora a happy and peaceful Easter celebration, he also enjoins them to love their neighbours through acts of kindness and generosity of spirit, with the well-to-do sharing their substance with the less privileged around them. Aregbesola once more assures Nigerians that the nation is persistently on the path to greatness and urges all to positively deploy their creative energy for the full realisation of the coming prosperity. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected the plan by the Federal Government (FG) to remove fuel subsidy totally. Recall that FG had announced the plan to remove fuel subsidy in June 2023, with marketers and other petroleum stakeholders projecting that the development may push fuel prices to N750 per litre. The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC PCC) also said the incoming Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration will decide the date the fuel subsidy will be removed. However, NLC general secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, in a chat with Vanguard on Tuesday, warned that those pushing for subsidy removal in Nigeria are out to set the country on fire. According to him, the organized labour will not accept the removal of fuel subsidy, stressing that nobody should drag Nigerian masses and workers into any increase in fuel price in the name of subsidy removal. Ugboaja said it will be wrong for any government to talk about subsidy for a product that is naturally and thoroughly well-endowed in the country. His words: It will be uncharitable in 2023 for any government to talk about subsidy or no subsidy for a product that is naturally and thoroughly well-endowed in Nigeria. It smacks of wickedness for us to be discussing subsidy as an issue, rather than discussing production. The energy and resources people are putting into discussing subsidy show a lack of focus. It shows a lack of seriousness and a lack of appreciation of what governance should be. If in 2023, rather than getting people that will make proper use of our natural endowment, we are busy discussing the cosmetic challenge of subsidy or no subsidy, it is absurd. One would have thought that people should be setting before the incoming government a genuine challenge on how to move Nigeria forward, not for us to continue in the rigmarole of vicious, musical chairs and absurd comedy of subsidy or no subsidy. We cannot be people that do not respond to records. It is an open thing that the government that is about to leave in 2016 told Nigerians they had removed the subsidy. Despite the NLCs position that there was no subsidy to remove and that what people were harping on was a price hike. They had told us that they removed the subsidy in 2016, so what subsidy are they removing or are we discussing now? READ ALSO: That We Supported Muslim/Muslim Ticket Doesnt Make Us Lesser Christians Fani-Kayode What we should be discussing is how to refine crude oil in Nigeria and make the product available for domestic consumption. Anything outside that shows the wickedness of the kind of intellectuals we have. We feel sick each time we see normal people come out on national television giving theories on subsidies and how they can be ploughed into healthcare or education. Nothing is more dangerous than the way our elites try to hoodwink Nigerians. The truth is Nigerians need to wake up, we cannot continue in this vicious cycle of humiliation and slavery. The NLC said the federal government should focus on the local refining of petroleum products and not subsidy removal. He added: There is no subsidy for anybody to be removed. The point that has to be made is that we must refine it. Anything outside making our refineries work is wickedness. We need to make our refineries work. It is not rocket science. We hear them on an almost daily basis say Taskforce has demolished or destroyed certain numbers of refineries in Niger Delta creeks. Why cant you use our universities to process quality control, why will you not use our universities to process cheaper and smaller processes of refining? We should stop treating these elites with kid gloves. Our elites are wicked to the country. So, dont tolerate this new wave of wastage of our resources in the name of a media wave to create a capture of the psyche of Nigerians on subsidy removal that is imminent. What should be imminent is the local refining of crude in Nigeria. Nothing else should be imminent. Anybody moving Nigerians in the direction of subsidy removal wants to blow up the country. They can go ahead and blow up the country. But the truth is anything less than refining crude in Nigeria; you cannot push us into that argument. We have been down this route before, and it has never paid off. We keep calling it a fraud and that fraud was confirmed in 2016 when they looked us in the face and told us that they have removed the subsidy. They looked us in the face and said they were finally removing subsidiaries to free Nigerians. We protested, and they said we didnt have any capacity to stop them and went ahead with it. They should not drag us into any increase in fuel price in the name of subsidy removal. Any increase in petrol price from the government in the name of subsidy removal, we will challenge it. We will work against it, it is straightforward. Peter Obi, the Labour Partys (LP) presidential candidate in the just concluded election has accused Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, of misinforming the international community on the true political development in Nigeria. Information Nigeria had reported that during the Ministers official engagements with some international media organisations, admonished Mr. Peter Obi, not to incite people to violence over the outcome of this years presidential election. During the interactions with the media organizations, the minister said it was wrong for Obi on one breadth to seek redress in court over the outcome of the polls and on another breadth incite people to violence. Obi and his Vice, Datti Ahmed cannot be threatening Nigerians that if the President-elect, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is sworn in on May 29, it will be the end of democracy in Nigeria. This is treason. You cannot be inviting insurrection, and this is what they are doing. Obis statement is that of a desperate person, he is not the democrat that he claimed to be. A democrat should not believe in democracy only when he wins the election, Mohammed said. However, in a statement on Tuesday via his Twitter handle, the former Anambra governor restated he is committed to due process and seeking redress in court. In the past few days, I have observed various campaigns of calumny directed at my person, with the latest being allegations attributed to the information Minister, Lai Mohammed from Washington DC, Obi said. It is most unfortunate that these consistent efforts to portray me quite contrary to what I am, and my core values, is coming from such high quarters. Minister Lai accusing me of stoking insurrection is totally malicious and fictitious. I have never discussed or encouraged anyone to undermine the Nigerian state; I have never sponsored or preached any action against the Nigerian state. READ ALSO: Atikus Aide, Bwala Drags APC To Court Over N125m Debt Those initiating these actions have increasingly used their official positions and agents to make false allegations against me. I am on record as always, advocating for peace and issue-based campaign and never campaigned based on ethnicity or religion. I am committed to due process, and presently seeking redress in the Court. I urge those engaged in this demarketing process to stop presenting Nigeria in such bad light. Our future generations deserve a new Nigeria, where they can live a secure and decent life like their counterparts in other climes. It is possible. Similarly, national chairman of the Party, Julius Abure, while reacting to Mohammeds treason allegation, said there is no basis for that admonition. According to him, Obi has sued for calm even when his supporters have been calling for a nationwide protest. Our presidential candidate is a peaceful and law-abiding person. Despite the fact that the election was provocatively rigged, he decided to be peaceful and toe the part of justice. This in spite of all pressures from our supporters to move into the street to protest the outcome of the general election and to reclaim the mandate freely given to our candidate by the people, he has decided to calm the nerves in other to give the judicial process a chance. The presidential candidate of the Labour Party is the only candidate whose campaign was issues based. In spite of all provocation, it was the Labour party and its candidate that were attacked in Lagos, in Port Harcourt and all other states in the federation. But we have continued to promote peace, Abure said. He said that, for the Minister of Information and Culture to be admonishing their presidential candidate, was done in bad fate, thus the Minister should desist from such utterances. Abure said, It is our considered opinion that it is even the APC through their spokespersons and all others who have been engaged in provocative utterances in other to cause chaos that should be admonished. The admonition is largely for APC themselves, their spokespersons and their officials. The Kano State Police Command has paraded a 20-year-old man identified as Philibus Ibrahim, who was arrested for strangling his 20-year-old pregnant girlfriend, Theresa Yakubu, to death in Tudun Wada Local Government Area of the state. Spokesperson of the command, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, who disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, said the suspect conspired with his friend, Gabriel Bila, 25, and lured Theresa into a bush where he strangled her to death. According to the PPRO, Philibus confessed to killing Theresa who was pregnant for him, after all efforts to abort her pregnancy proved abortive. READ ALSO: Hisbah Joins Two Repentant Commercial S3x Workers In Holy Matrimony (Photos) On 28/03/2023 at about 1630hrs, a report was received that a lady was seen laying on the ground motionless by the roadside at Anadariya Village, Bebeji Local Government Area, along Kano-Jos Road, Kano State, the statement read. On receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Mamman Dauda psc(+) raised and instructed a team of detectives led by SP Tanimu Wada, Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Bebeji Division to proceed to the scene. The team immediately rushed to the scene and moved the body to Tiga General Hospital where a medical Doctor confirmed her dead. Preliminary investigation revealed the identity of the deceased as Theresa Yakubu, f, 20 years old with a two-month-old pregnancy, of Anadariya Village, Bebeji LGA. It also led to the arrest of her boyfriend, one Philibus Ibrahim, m, 20 years old of Unguwar Korau Quarters, Tudun Wada LGA and his friend, one Gabriel Bila, m, 25 years old, of the same address. On investigation, Philibus confessed that he impregnated the girlfriend two months ago, and all efforts to abort the pregnancy proved abortive. He then conspired with his friend and took her to a bush, the friend held her hands and Philibus used her head tie and strangled her to death. The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Homicide Section for discreet investigation. Suspects will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation. Muhammed Sanusi, the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) , has said Nigeria has never been this divided since the Civil War of 1967 to 1970. According to him, because of the elections, Nigeria is now dangerously divided along ethnic and religious lines, adding that it had put the integrity of public institutions in question. Sanusi who made the remarks on Tuesday at the third Nigerian Leadership Colloquium in honour of the senior pastor of Trinity House, Lagos, Ituah Ighodalo, who turned 62, said the people now have suspicions about policies, policing, judiciary and the election umpire. The former CBN governor, in the event tagged A new Nigeria: Leadership imperatives for radical growth and transformation, stated that the country now had a challenge of nation building, adding that the economy was now in the doldrums. His words, In October 2022, speaking at the Kaduna Investment Forum, I told Nigerians that if anyone told them that dealing with Nigeria post-2023 would be easy, they should not vote for that person. I meant it. I dont think Nigeria has been in a place as difficult as this since the civil war. We have a challenge of nation building. READ ALSO: Obi-Datti Inviting Insurrection, Actions Treasonable FG Cautions We have a country that has been divided dangerously along ethnic and religious lines. We have an economy that is in the doldrums, and unfortunately, we seem to be having a dearth of leadership. Sanusi opined that, beyond defining the kind of leaders the country needs, it also needs to look critically at the process through which the leaders emerge. No process is perfect. We have seen so in the United Kingdom and the United States. At the very least, the people should know who they are voting for. I think we need to begin to look at the Electoral Act, 2022 much more earlier than elections. We need to have a system where one cannot just go to participate in party primaries without being exposed to public scrutiny. This is what happens everywhere. People need to know what they are voting for. In other climes, they are compelled by law to participate in public debates to discuss issues of policy. This is the only country I know where we elect a President first before knowing if he knows what he is doing or whether he understands what the job is, he added. Supporters of the Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have continued their protest by placing fetish objects in front of the Port Harcourt office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as they demand access to the voting materials used in the states March 18 governorship election. Recall that the PDP protest began on Monday and turned violent when the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Tonye Cole, and some members of the party executive arrived at the GRA junction to proceed to the INEC office, just a few metres away along Aba Road in Port Harcourt. Cole had insisted that he and his team would visit the INEC office on Tuesday to continue their demand. READ ALSO: Political Thugs Beat Up APCs Tonye Cole, Beke In Port Harcourt However, it was learnt that they decided to stay back to avoid the fisticuffs and pandemonium that led to him being injured during the protest on Monday. According to The Punch, it was observed that the protesters placed several fetish materials in the middle of the road with a man dressed like a juju priest adorned in red cloth with his head and waist wrapped with palm fronds, presiding over affairs, pouring libations, and making incantations in a local dialect. Barricades were reportedly erected by security operatives on both the Waterlines axis and the GRA junction leading to the INEC office remained, as motorists and commuters are barred from accessing the hitherto busy express road. The protest, which had since been led by the Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Edison Ehie, and the Ikwerre Local Government Area Chairman, was joined by more lawmakers on Tuesday, including the 32-member House leader, Martins Amaewhule. The police must arrest him (Cole) today because we dont know what to tell the family of the dead PDP supporter. The wife and children are crying at the hospital. Why must we continue to fold our hands and allow criminals to steal our money because they are using thugs? The Nigeria Police must rise to the occasion. We are ready to die for our rights. We are ready to die to defend our mandate. Enough is enough, Ehie stated. The protesters later presented an acknowledged copy of the PDPs petition dated March 24, 2023, in which the ruling party demanded that the INEC release Certified True Copies of electoral materials. Reacting to Tuesdays protest, Beke, however, said the APC will do everything within the law to get what it needs to file its case at the election petition tribunal. He said, They blocked the INEC office with juju, are you not aware? Didnt you see what they tied there? That tells you what they are up to. Do they have the right to block INECs office? You can see what they are doing. For us, the world has known our demands, and we are going to get what we are asking for within the law. We never said they (INEC) should not give any other person what they are asking for. No, we asked that they give CTC documents, and we have done that petition to the Inspector General of Police because we feel we wont get justice from the police in Rivers State. Meanwhile, Governor Nyesom Wike has faulted the demands of the states APC governorship candidate, Cole, to inspect election materials at the INEC office in Port Harcourt. Wike expressed surprise that a candidate, (making a veiled reference to Cole) personally went to the INEC office to inspect CTC documents of election materials. He spoke at the commissioning of the Government Secondary School in Kpor, the headquarters of the Gokana Local Government Area of the state, on Tuesday. He stated, Have you seen where a candidate is going to INEC to say that he wants to collect CTC? What are his lawyers doing? What are his agents doing? Those are the duties of lawyers. What CTC do you want to collect? Let people see the truth of the matter. You lost the election; you lost the election. Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Okon Effiong, has warned politicians to stop dragging the police into politics. While noting that the police remain neutral and focused on their constitutional duties, CP Effiong warned that unnecessary protesters hindering vehicular and commercial activities will not be tolerated. Former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo has written to the United Kingdom court that found former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice, guilty of organ trafficking. In the letter addressed to the Chief Clerk, the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, in London, the former President asked the Clerk to intervene and ensure the UK government tempered justice with mercy on the matter. The letter dated April 3, 2023 titled Ike Ekweremadu, Obasanjo said even though the Enugu West Senators action was condemnable and unacceptable, he has contributed his qouta to the socio-political development of Nigeria. READ ALSO: Ekweremadu, Wife, Doctor Found Guilty Of Organ Trafficking Allegations The former President said the UK government should consider Ekweremadus past records of good deeds and the plight of his ailing daughter before serving any punishment on him and his wife. Senator Ike Ekweremadu, his wife, Beatrice, and their doctor, Obinna Obeta will be sentenced on May 5 after they were convicted of organ trafficking, in the first verdict of its kind under the Modern Slavery Act in the United Kingdom. They were found guilty of facilitating the travel of a 21-year-old Lagos street trader to London to exploit him for his kidney. Read letter below: Nicolas Felix, a former presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has disclosed that president-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will include supporters of the opposition party who are capable and talented in his cabinet. Tinubu would on May 29 take the oath of office. Ahead the inaugural event, Felix who lost APC presidential ticket to Tinubu in the build-up to the 2023 general elections, said the former governor of Lagos State would look beyond his Party and select a team of capable hands into his cabinet, including those from the Labour Party and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and others. Appearing live on Arise Television programme on Tuesday, Felix disclosed that Tinubu rewards loyalty and hard work and as such would not only pick members of APC. He said, Asiwaju is a man that rewards loyalty, he rewards hard work; there are also Nigerians out there who are not members of our party who are also talented and experienced and capable. READ ALSO: Why My Son, Falz Always Embarrasses Government Femi Falana He is going to also look beyond his APC and start picking those who are out there. But I am also very sure as he has stretched his hands of fellowship to say I want to build a government of national unity, If you are in PDP, If you are in Labour Party, you are in other parties, we are all Nigerians. When a president is elected, what is expected of every patriotic Nigerian is to join hands with the President to work together, except you are just here for your selfish interest. If you really want the growth of Nigeria, you want Nigeria to be better. Whatever you have to offer, you have to present yourself for service. I am sure he is not going to be running after people, he has already said come, lets brainstorm. As many are willing to go to Asiwajus door, the President-elect for them to join hands together. So it is not totally up to him now. It is up to our opponent, those who are in other parties, to embrace him as he has already done. We are expecting that Asiwaju is going to have a great cabinet and his administration is going to cause things to work again, the APC chieftain said. Owner Kevin Hart at the Hart of Catering at 21st and Sansom Streets. The mural reads "one day at a time," a motto Hart takes to heart. Read more Theres rich symbolism in the fact that Kevin Hart opened his cafe and catering business in the Center City restaurant space that for four decades was Day by Day. Thats how he lives his life. Hart, 41, has been in recovery for six years from an addiction to drugs and alcohol after what he said were 10 attempts at rehab, including time in jail and periods experiencing homelessness. Its been a battle for 17 years of my life. And then finally, thank God, I gave myself a chance and stopped the cycle. I saw the fork in the road and I just begged myself, Please. Will you just try this other way? His latest effort is the Hart of Catering, which opened in November at 21st and Sansom Streets, serving breakfast and lunch. Not only have neighbors begun to embrace the casual diner-like service and grab-and-go case (beneath a floral mural reading one day at a time), but last week he landed this years catering contract at Lombard Swim Club, a local fixture. Hart said he got stuck in the restaurant business long ago, working his way up the ranks at a country club in Montgomery County near his home before jumping around a little bit because of my problems. He managed a steakhouse in King of Prussia, served tables elsewhere, pulled espressos at Starbucks. When Id have a little bit of sobriety, I had success at different places, he said. Ten years ago, Harts partner, Tim Judge, by then in recovery for about two years, was going to school for addiction counseling because he wanted to transition from the restaurant field into more of a 9-to-5, Hart said. Advertisement I figured, Maybe I need to get more regular hours, too, said Hart, who started working for a Center City caterer. I found the whole corporate catering thing just fit me. Still, Hart struggled for several years before he turned the corner personally. Soon after, Hart changed catering jobs and Judge, returned to the restaurant business. I was making [the owners] a lot of money and then the pandemic happened, Hart said. Everything changed in our business, and about a year and a half ago, I decided Im done working so hard for other people. Hart worked part time at La Provence in Ambler, where Judge is general manager. I was just going to take some time off, maybe pick up one or two more shifts at the restaurant. My three biggest clients all asked me, when I told them that I was leaving, if I would please start my own thing. While looking for a catering kitchen, he stumbled on the former Day by Day. The dining room, and street-corner visibility, lent itself to a cafe, so he took the plunge. Mornings, as the restaurant is serving breakfasts and prepping lunch, chef Tom Mahoneys kitchen is pumping out orders for off-premises lunch clients and pastry chef Casey Kranz is making pastries. Karen Cisario, who worked for Day by Day owner Robin Barg for 28 years, recently signed on to work for Hart. Judge, Harts partner of 17 years, helps with the books on his day off, and the two are each others biggest cheerleaders. We really give each other the freedom to do what we need to do and just kind of be there, said Judge, also 41. Most important, Hart said, his business is hiring many employees who are in recovery, which he estimates is about half his staff. Sobriety is a challenge in the restaurant business, Hart said, and the mutual support is powerful. Harts neighbors, some of whom confide their own struggles, are constantly reminding me why I love doing this, he said. Quite frankly, I never thought that I would wake up and not obsess about drugs and alcohol all day long. I dont live like that anymore. Hart and Judge have started two addiction recovery houses, including one that is trans- and gay-friendly. As they scrambled to open that one, a customer donated furniture. Shortly after, Hart said, the customers daughter showed up at her front door, needing help with addiction. The customer came in here crying and asked for me. We started talking and I linked her daughter to some meetings. I just had this feeling of oh my God this is what its about. Its bigger than food. Its about this connection. Gov. Phil Murphy appears onstage at his election night party in Asbury Park in Nov. 2021. This week, he signed an executive order protecting access to gender affirming care in New Jersey. Read more A governors order this week made New Jersey a safe haven for people seeking gender-affirming health care. The order from Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, ensures access to health care that supports people whose gender identity doesnt match the sex they were assigned at birth. This can include counseling, surgery, and hormone replacement therapy. Trans and nonbinary people face a greater risk of suicide, depression, and addiction without gender-affirming care, according to the federal Department of Health and Human Services. When available to people who want it, gender-affirming care can help build self-esteem and a greater quality of life. READ MORE: Voice therapy can help trans people sound like themselves and feel safer Advertisement The New Jersey order comes as state legislatures and governors across the country consider bans on gender-affirming health care. Legislative bans in Georgia, Iowa, Mississippi, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Utah affect 18,700 transgender youth, according to data gathered by UCLAs Williams Institute, which researches laws and policies related to sexual orientation and gender identity. Executive actions have similarly been used in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, and Texas to limit access to gender-affirming care for 59,200 transgender youth, the institute stated. Across the nation, we are witnessing attacks led by certain states that seek to undermine the equality, dignity, and safety of the LGBTQIA+ community, especially transgender and nonbinary youth, said Murphy in a statement. A bill proposed in the current session of the New Jersey Assembly seeks to prohibit anyone under 18 from receiving hormone therapies or surgeries related to gender reassignment. Both the Pennsylvania House and Senate have passed bills to prevent trans women and girls from participating in womens sports, but former Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed the legislation. Murphys order also prevents a patient or health care practitioner participating in gender-affirming care from being extradited to another state. State agencies are barred from cooperating with civil or criminal investigations in other states related to bans on gender-affirming care. Prosecutors in four suburban Philadelphia counties on Wednesday announced new game-changing technology that they say will help solve gun crimes in the region significantly faster. Using federal funding, investigators in Montgomery County purchased a National Integrated Ballistic Information Network machine, which analyzes and compares bullet casings. The machine, when connected to a corresponding national database, will allow detectives to match fired casings with the guns they originated from. The machine and its network will allow detectives in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties to quickly compare and analyze these projectiles, and can link illegal guns used across different counties in different incidents. With this NIBIN portal, Montgomery County and the surrounding counties are in position to be able to quickly respond to gun crimes that are linked together in a timely manner and disrupt the shooting cycle by these trigger pullers, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said. We in Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, and Delaware Counties have not been immune to regional gun crimes and gun violence spilling over into our counties and all of us, along with our federal partners, are committed to responding vigorously and stopping this gun violence that threatens the safety of our communities. Advertisement To supplement the new machine, Montgomery County is also creating a Gun Violence Reduction Task Force of more than 100 officers and detectives who will work together to build investigations from the leads generated by the NIBIN data. When a shooting occurs and detectives recover fired shell casings, they can enter them into the database to see if they match guns used in previous investigations. Similarly, if detectives seize an illegal gun, they can test fire it as a possible match to guns used in previous shootings, according to Steele. This matching can be done in as little as 48 hours, thanks to the new technology. The tracing system is a facet of the Liberty Mid-Atlantic High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program, a federal initiative that helps local law enforcement collaborate on large-scale investigations. Twenty-two law enforcement agencies across nine counties belong to the program, which provides access to federal funding for specialized training, and allows prosecutors to use expanded intelligence-gathering and surveillance tools. The property at 2227 Locust St., where Carvalho Construction is registered. For the first time, the City of Philadelphia is suing an employer that broke the city wage theft law. Read more For the first time in seven years, the City of Philadelphia has sued an employer who broke the citys wage theft law. The lawsuit represents an escalation of the citys efforts to enforce its 2016 wage theft law. In some cases, it can take years for workers to get paid after they win a wage theft claim; some never get paid at all. The Law Department, which hired a dedicated attorney last spring to handle these kinds of cases for the Department of Labors Office of Worker Protections, has begun taking legal action to force bad actors into compliance, a spokesperson for the Office of Worker Protections said in a statement. Lawsuits are an avenue of last resort, the spokesperson said. Bad actors are employers that broke the law but refuse to comply with city orders and pay workers what theyre owed. More than 90% of employers that have broken the law comply, the spokesperson said. Advertisement The city filed a complaint in Common Pleas Court earlier this year against Joe Carvalho, a Philadelphia construction company owner who the city says broke its wage theft law twice. READ MORE: As Philadelphia Labor Department faces proposed budget cuts, advocates seek more funding for workers-rights enforcement In March 2021, Carvalho didnt pay an employee for eight days of work, owing him $1,105 in wages and overtime, a city investigation found. Carvalho had said he would pay the worker $130 per day. The following month, the worker repeatedly asked for his pay and Carvalho ignored the texts or responded with curse words, according to a city violation notice. Carvalho told The Inquirer that there had been a misunderstanding and that he had paid the worker in full but didnt have the records to prove it. He said he would settle the case because it would cost more in time and money to fight it. Ive agreed to pay him because its not that big of a deal, its like, $1,100, he said Tuesday, adding, I ignored the issue, I thought itd go away, it clearly didnt, and it escalated. That was the second wage theft violation Carvalho received from the city. The first, dated September 2020, was for stealing $4,822 from a different worker. In January 2021, after four months without a response from Carvalho, the Office of Worker Protections placed Carvalho Construction on its bad actor list, designed to shame employers into complying. That same month, Carvalho texted a city investigator saying his company had gone out of business. The worker eventually got paid last June after winning his case in Municipal Court. Carvalho ultimately paid $12,135 in wages, damages, and attorneys fees after the workers attorney located and garnished his bank account. Carvalho said he did not pay this worker in full because the worker and his crew had done shoddy work and Carvalho had to pay others to fix it. Asked why he did not respond to the citys orders, he said, that was just my fault, being delinquent. Carvalho said he no longer runs his own construction business. I got tired of being self-employed, having to do everything myself and everything on my shoulders, he said. READ MORE: Employees at 15 Philadelphia airport restaurants thought they got a contract in June. Management denies any agreement was made. Though the city repeatedly told Carvalho that he could face fines and penalties up to $2,000 per week, officials did not levy penalties. Wage theft enforcement experts say penalties are necessary to deter future violations. The city waited nearly 18 months from the date of the initial violation notice before filing the court case, first sending Carvalho a reminder to pay in September 2021 and a final notice two months later. The Office of Worker Protections spokesperson said most of its cases are resolved within six months, but thorough investigations can be a time-consuming process in order to reach a resolution and that Carvalho Construction was unresponsive several times throughout the investigation. The Department of Labor became a permanent office in 2020 after voters approved its creation. Previously, it was housed within the Mayors Office. The department is currently facing a cut to its budget. While this is the first case weve filed, it certainly wont be the last, the spokesperson said. We will continue to exhaust every possible strategy to defend the citys labor laws and do right by workers when these critical rights have been violated. Rosalinde Hobson (center), mother of Angel Davis, speaks during a protest on Broad Street Wednesday. Read more Hours after a deputy landlord-tenant officer shot Angel Davis in the head during an attempted eviction lockout, Philadelphia Police submitted a warrant to have her charged with aggravated assault, according to law enforcement officials. The request for Davis arrest as she was hospitalized last Wednesday was based on an allegation that she was armed with a knife and was threatening the landlord-tenant officer when he fired his gun. But that account was contested by another witness to the shooting, and, according to law enforcement officials not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation, the District Attorneys Office declined to approve the charges due to a lack of evidence. Police now appear to be seeking more evidence against Davis, 35, to potentially refile criminal charges. Advertisement Its still under investigation, said Sgt. Eric Gripp, a police spokesperson. Jane Roh, a spokesperson for the District Attorneys Office, declined to comment. Meanwhile, a crowd of over 100 protesters gathered outside the Center City law offices of the citys landlord-tenant officer on Wednesday afternoon to denounce the shooting. Brandishing signs with messages like People over Profit, housing advocates stood on Broad Street alongside Davis mother, Rosalinde Hobson, who had visited her daughter in the hospital hours before. Hobson said she hadnt heard about police trying to charge her daughter, but said that any charges would be trumped up and fought by the family. They better leave Angel Davis alone, said Asantewaa Nkrumah-Ture, a longtime West Philly housing advocate. Period. Hobson said her daughters recovery was up and down, with Davis suffering head pain and struggling to walk. Davis was able to speak, however and record an audio message that protesters played through a loud speaker. Im right there with yall in spirit even though I cant be with yall physically, Davis said. I wish it didnt take a tragedy to bring about justice, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Many details of the incident inside the Girard Court Apartments remain murky. The identity of the deputy has not been released, and police have not publicly elaborated on the role of the knife found at the scene. Unlike other jurisdictions, Philadelphia empowers a private attorney, known as a landlord-tenant officer, to enforce most eviction orders. The currently appointed attorney, Marisa Shuter, in turn deputizes private security contractors who are paid to deliver court writs and perform lockouts. The deputy landlord-tenant officer did not give police a formal statement. Davis ex-husband, who was there as the officer tried to evict the two of them for owing $8,000 in rent, has said Davis was not attacking the officer. In declining to charge Davis, the DAs office noted that police had not submitted evidence from the landlord-tenant officers body camera, according to a law enforcement official. Shuter, through her attorney, has repeatedly refused to publicly comment. Meanwhile, a growing cohort of Philadelphia officials are questioning the citys use of privatized eviction enforcement, citing a lack of transparency and oversight of Shuters office which is not required to make public its guidelines, training protocols, or names of staff. The shooting drew the ire of the regions Democratic state senators, who drafted legislation that would return responsibility for evictions to the sheriffs department. And some Philadelphia council members are zeroing in on role of the citys landlord-tenant officer. Shuter has previously attracted controversy over accusations of nepotism and conflicts of interest. At-large Councilmember Kendra Brooks and 3rd District Councilmember Jamie Gauthier said an upcoming public hearing will probe the practices of Shuters office, which contracts with armed, private security personnel to enforce tenant lockouts sometimes with little notice while collecting millions in fees from landlords. Last weeks tragedy is the result of an unaccountable, for-profit system that traumatizes and exploits renters across the city, Brooks said in a statement. During Council budget hearings for the citys court system, outgoing Council President Darrell Clarke expressed surprise that security contractors and not sworn law enforcement were allowed to carry out evictions at all. Ive been in government for a thousand years and I always thought sheriffs deputies did evictions. Thats bizarre thats archaic, he said. Richard McSorely, a court administrator representing the citys First Judicial District, said, These are the exact same questions Judge Dugan is asking the landlord tenant officer, he said. He has the same concerns. Municipal Court President Judge Patrick Dugan appoints the landlord-tenant officer, though Shuter was appointed by Dugans predecessor. Dugan did not respond to a request for comment. Questions surrounding her office are hardly new. Ethics hearings were authorized in 2020, when attention was drawn to Shuters marriage to Municipal Court Judge David Shuter an official whose oversight included issuing eviction writs his wife enforced. Shuter is also the daughter of former president judge Alan Silberstein. In the meantime, housing advocates and Davis mother are pushing for reform. Hobson remembers waiting on pins and needles, relieved to finally hear her daughters familiar voice even as she strained to talk to her mother. I was crying, said Hobson, who lives in Virginia. God calmed me down and let me know that everything was going to be all right. Hobson said her daughter was supposed to be evicted in April and had requested an extension, but the officer arrived early and without warning. The buildings owner, rental giant Odin Properties, previously declined to comment. The judge should make the final decision, not the landlord paying enforcement to come in and evict you or shoot you, Hobson said. The laws need to be changed. Correction: This story incorrectly stated the role of David Shuter. He is a municipal court judge. Meet Valerie Bertsch, a real estate broker who turned her two-car garage into a bunny cafe and home for foster rabbits. No bad hare days: Everything about the bunny world is super adorable. It just is. Rabbit-ude: They comfort each other and sometimes bicker. Theres all sorts of attitude stuff. Valerie Bertsch has always been drawn to rabbits, so much so she decorated her Medford Lakes home with paintings and sculptures of bunnies. Yet for much of her life, Bertsch owned only cats and dogs. As I got older, I thought Ive always wanted a bunny. What am I waiting for? she said. Advertisement And so, for her 59th birthday, Bertsch wrote a note that read I got you a bunny, put the note in a box, wrapped it, addressed it to herself, and signed it from her husband, Jay. He was in good humor about it, she said. In the two years since getting her first bunny, Bertsch a mother, grandmother, and Compass real estate broker quickly fell down the rabbit hole. Shes now got two litter-box trained house buns, (who live harmoniously with her three dogs), and shes converted her two-car garage into a rabbit cafe where shes currently fostering 10 bunnies through Tribbles Rabbit Rescue of South Jersey. Valerie caught rabbit fever, said Lori Mills, founder and owner of Tribbles. Once you have a rabbit, you are going to be smitten. Though Bertschs cafe is more homespun than public rabbit cafes in Japan and Canada, its still ear-resistibly adorable. Visitors are greeted with a sign welcoming everybunny, you can get hopped up on free coffee and tea served in bunny cups, and prints of rabbit artwork by Hunt Slonem decorate the walls. Even the bathroom here is bunny-themed. (Rabbit fact break: Did you know bunnies poop 200 to 300 times a day?) The cafe is ringed with pens where the rabbits live some in bonded pairs (like odd couple Charles, a slob, and his devoted partner Bun Bun, a neat freak), and some alone, like bun (a Netherland dwarf rabbit who looks like a chinchilla). In the center is a large pen where visitors can interact with the bunnies. With notice, guests can come to learn about pet rabbits and see if they might be interested in fostering or adopting one. Even bunny snugglers are welcome, because they too have an important job at the cafe. The best shot the buns have at being adopted is by being more acclimated to humans so they will be the chosen ones, Bertsch said. Some of the rabbits were surrendered to Tribbles, others were abandoned in cages or dumped in the wild, where they have little hope of survival. Mills (whom Bertsch calls the Mother Teresa of rabbits) began rescuing bunnies in 2010 and founded Tribbles in 2015, naming it in honor of her late father, a Star Trek fan who said her rabbits reminded him of the furry aliens who multiplied exponentially on the show. In a given year, Mills said she rescues more than 1,500 rabbits. She has 40 to 60 at a time in her Lindenwold home and uses a network of fosters to house the rest. Tribbles is particularly busy around Easter, when people buy rabbits as gifts, not knowing what ownership entails, and around Thanksgiving and Memorial Day, when they go on vacation and dont want to worry about a pet, Mills said. The reasons people abandoned or surrender rabbits are as diverse as the bunnies the rescue takes in. While rabbits like to be snuggled, being picked up bugs bunnies, unless theyre very familiar with someone. This often leaves kids, who expect them to be like kittens or puppies, bored, Mills said. Some people who surrender rabbits are moving or face eviction because their rabbit isnt covered under a pet clause. Others just dont do their research on what rabbit ownership entails, Mills said. One reason people give up on bunnies is something Bertsch encountered with her first rabbit, a white Holland lop named Fiona. About three months in, the precious rabbit shed known began making buzzing sounds, running laps, and spraying urine. Confused, Bertsch went online and found Tribbles and Mills, who told her Fiona was in heat and needed to be spayed. Grateful for Mills help, Bertsch began fostering rabbits for Tribbles. It started with one, then she devoted an entire room in her home before renovating her garage and converting it into the rabbit cafe last fall. While she dreams of having a fluffle (Rabbit fact break: A group of bunnies is called a fluffle), Bertsch keeps her buns separated, except for the bonded pairs, because they can be territorial. At bedtime, she gives each rabbit a square of plain shredded wheat cereal, their favorite snack. They all lose their minds over this, Bertsch said. I go out and everyone is standing up on their back paws. (Rabbit fact break: When a bunny is so happy it cant contain itself, it does a binky, which is jumping straight up in the air while twisting its head or legs.) Regular visitors to Bertschs rabbit cafe include Ava Colon, 15, of Medford, whos studying to be a vet tech. I come here and I just love it, Colon said, as she petted Sandy, a perfectly-rotund brown bun. I would love to do something like this someday. Those who wish to visit the rabbit cafe may contact Bertsch at valerie.bertsch@compass.com or Tribbles Rabbit Rescue on Facebook and at tribblescorp@gmail.com. Want more We the People? Janice Tosto created her radio show, Grief Journeys, to give people a place to talk about those theyve loved and lost. Kirsten Michelle Cills is Phillys token terminally-ill stand-up comic. Check out more We the People here. A family drove to the site of former Berwick Hospital looking for medical assistance only to learn the hospital was closed. Read more BERWICK, Pa. The emergency room was dark, the doors locked for months now, and a young woman stood outside in the rain, clutching her stomach and sobbing. No one was coming out to help. The frantic people who drove the ailing woman to the hospital stood, dumbfounded, in the mostly empty parking lot. This is insane, the driver said. Im going to have to call 911. On Sept. 17, the Pennsylvania Department of Health shut down Berwick Hospital Centers emergency room because of a lack of staffing, accelerating a closure its owners planned out earlier that summer. Signs on the doors still advise patients to head to hospitals in Hazleton, 20 miles to the south, or Bloomsburg, 14 miles west, for emergencies. The 90-bed facility is currently operating only as a 14-bed inpatient geriatric psychiatry facility but not everyone in this town of 10,349 on the Susquehanna River in Columbia County, knows that. Advertisement On that dreary March morning, the ill woman was carried back to a car to wait for an ambulance. Bette Grey, a Berwick resident and private medical advocate who fought, unsuccessfully, to keep the hospital open, was there to talk to The Inquirer. First, she watched her fears unfold. Hey, stay awake. Open your eyes, Grey yelled, to the woman in the car, clapping her hands. In 1903, physicians in Berwick lamented the closing of a small hospital there. There simply werent enough patients at the time, they told a newspaper. A new hospital opened, two years later. Berwicks population peaked at 14,000 around midcentury and in May of 1959, the hospitals current location was opened on 16th Street to much fanfare. The Berwick Enterprise dedicated nearly a dozen pages to the opening. A new hospital shows a progressive area, one headline stated. By 1999, the hospital was losing money and was sold to Community Health Systems for $33 million. The sale, according to a Wilkes-Barre Times Leader article, marked the first time a nonprofit hospital was sold to a for-profit company in Pennsylvania. Two decades later, the hospital was losing money, again. Total patient revenue was down from $51 million in 2018 to $33 million in 2020, the year the hospital and its clinics were sold to Priyam Sharma, of Michigan, for an undisclosed price. The Sharma family, including Priyams husband, Sanjay Sharma, and their son, Sanyam Sharma, have purchased and run at least two other hospitals, one in Galesburg, Ill., and another in Pontiac, Mich. The family owns a medical school and tried, unsuccessfully, to purchase Philadelphias Hahnemann Hospital in 2019. Neither the Sharmas nor their bankruptcy attorney returned multiple requests for comment. One doctor who worked at Berwick said red flags went up among the staff shortly after the purchase, with concerns about the billing process, how records were being handled, and overall patient care. Some staffers contacted the FBI, the doctor said. An FBI spokesperson in Philadelphia declined to comment. A defunct website for one Sharma affiliate SBJ Group claimed the company specialized in hospital turnaround. The former Berwick doctor believes the Sharmas wanted the hospital to fail so it could be flipped. From day one, they knew what they were doing, a former hospital doctor, who asked not to be identified, said. They conducted massive layoffs, essentially running a skeleton crew in the hospital. In July, Priyam Sharma notified Pennsylvanias Department of Health that she planned to transition the facility into a smaller psychiatric hospital. DOH rejected that plan, citing insufficient details, but Grey said staffers saw the writing on the wall and began leaving. Sharma, at the time, said there were too few patients to continue as a hospital. To serve the community, to save jobs, to create more jobs, we have to have more heads in beds, Sharma told the Berwick Press Enterprise around that time. The only way we can do it is to become a psychiatric hospital. A month later, in August, Berwick residents filled a council meeting, urging elected officials to do something. Council members said their hands were tied. With staffing shortages, DOH stepped in and wound up closing the emergency room. Sharma filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection around the same time. One Sharma hospital, 200 miles southwest of Chicago, was closed in January 2021 after the state found numerous health and safety violations. The Sharmas have since sold that hospital. In Pennsylvania, DOH received a complaint about Berwick and found that Priyam Sharma was using the old gift shop as living quarters in lieu of hotel rooms when visiting. One former staffer told The Inquirer a dog was living there, too. The DOH also found the hospital was lacking on-call anesthesia coverage and not properly checking credentials. Something clearly wasnt right here, Grey said outside the hospital. Grey, a lifelong Berwick resident, is a private patient advocate. She helps patients navigate appointments, remedy treatment delays, and obtain their medical records. Shes emerged as the biggest critic of the hospitals management in recent years. She ran a free health clinic for eight years and is hoping to open a micro-hospital in town with some former Berwick employees. Im doing this because I care about health care, she said. According to the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health, five rural hospitals have closed since 2005 in the state, though that number doesnt include others that have shuttered specific units, like emergency care. Nationwide, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, over 100 rural hospitals closed between January 2013 and February 2020. The Inquirer visited one of those hospitals, 40 miles southwest of Berwick, in 2019. That facility, University of Pittsburgh Medical Centers Susquehanna Sunbury Hospital, also experienced financial losses. Some rural hospitals across the country have taken the opposite approach to Berwick. Theyre refocusing what they have left on emergency care. We want to be the facility that saves lives, a hospital administrator in New Mexico told Kaiser Health News. Berwick turned to elderly psychiatric care instead. Few argue that service isnt needed, but many locals are concerned about Sharmas plan to expand capacity to 53 beds for psychiatric patients of all ages. We believe the hospital could be utilized in a better manner than that, said Berwick council member Jeri Wozniak. Grey said she once spoke to Priyam Sharma about possibly purchasing the hospital, but the price was too high and the conversation didnt go anywhere. Shes since given up on that idea. Theres just too much bad karma now, Grey said. Grey said the woman who came to Berwicks shuttered emergency room survived. Five years ago, I stuffed a borrowed Inquirer table banner and a bunch of @NotesFromHel-branded chocolates and pens into my backpack and headed to Southwark School in South Philadelphia. There was no assignment, no deadline; I just wanted to meet students and their families many of them immigrants and refugees and hear their stories on their turf and on their terms. Maybe, I thought, I might even turn a student or two onto newspaper reporting. Ive long believed that the best journalism is rooted in community, and a 2018 trip to a Journalism and Women Symposium conference only reinforced my aim to build even stronger relationships by just popping up when there was no agenda, no strings, no pressing story. In the news business, showing up when calamity strikes is often the only way too many of my fellow journalists find ourselves in neighborhoods we might not otherwise take the time to visit. Walking up and down the block, chatting up residents, and bearing witness to everyday life in the city is what reporters are supposed to do, and what many of us strive to do. But with shrinking newsrooms and the unending demands of deadlines in the digital age, its something that we dont get to do nearly as often as wed like. Clicks over connections come at a cost. Advertisement Until the pandemic hit, I popped up at all kinds of spots city schools and pools, a clothing bank at a North Philly church, an expungement clinic at a busy barbershop. The effort even got a little national attention. I met lots of people I might not have encountered otherwise if my travels were only tied to a story and the relationships I built led to even more relationships that regularly inform how I approach the city Im always rooting for, and the people who have always deserved so much more. That was exactly what I hoped, for myself and for The Inquirer. I wanted Philadelphians to know that behind every story, every byline, there werent just a bunch of reporters, but fellow residents and neighbors who cared about the same things they cared about, and who wanted to do better and be better by adequately and accurately covering the citys neighborhoods. From the start, I hoped to make it a broader initiative. (I hope the same for the Fill The Steps Against Gun Violence rallies at the Art Museum steps that I started in 2016.) And now, five years after I walked into Southwark, that hope is finally becoming a reality thanks to The Inquirers Communities and Engagement desk. I couldnt think of a better home for the effort than a desk full of reporters dedicated to uplifting and empowering and respecting communities, their stories, and their voices. The pop-ups arent meant to be transactional in any way, Sabrina Iglesias, an editor on the desk, explained when I asked how they envisioned the continuation of the newsrooms. Before coming to The Inquirer last year, Iglesias worked at The Trace, a nonprofit news organization focused on gun violence, where she helped create Up the Block an effort to connect the people of Philadelphia with resources for coping with the trauma surrounding shootings. The idea is to show up and have conversations with folks that are interested in talking with people from The Inquirer, Iglesias said. We can talk about anything including concerns and wins in their communities, questions about what its like to be a journalist, and what theyve had on their mind lately. Everything we talk about is totally off the record, meaning it wont go into a story. Iglesias told me theyd like to hold a couple of pop-ups every month. To suggest a spot for them to set up shop, contact her at siglesias@inquirer.com. The first community pop-up is scheduled for Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Campaign for Working Families headquarters at 1415 N. Broad St. There will be a table, some Inquirer swag, and some free newspapers. And while Im not leading the effort anymore, I plan to pop into as many as I can. I might even bring some now-vintage @NotesFromHel pens and sunglasses just in time for summer. See you out there. We are reaching a critical crossroads in the United States when it comes to senior living and eldercare. I am one of about 73 million baby boomers. We represent over 20% of the U.S. population. Among us are 14 million people who are currently receiving some form of long-term care. That number will double by 2050, according to estimates from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Our current eldercare infrastructure is woefully insufficient to accommodate the vast medical needs of the population boom. To cite just one example, last year the American Health Care Associations survey found that 73% of nursing homes are concerned about having to close due to staffing shortages. Aging boomers are unprepared for the significant financial costs of staying alive and well. Families are struggling to manage the medical needs of older parents or grandparents, both from a financial and a caregiver standpoint. And these financial challenges are only magnified for the poor. According to research from the Insured Retirement Institute, 45% of boomers have no retirement savings and more than a quarter of those who do have less than $100,000. In Philadelphia, there are 311,901 baby boomers, and 21.8% of them live below the poverty line. The median monthly cost for a private unit in an assisted living community is $4,500, according to SeniorLiving.org. Thats $54,000 annually to live in safety and security. Advertisement In our youth-obsessed culture, the elderly are often a forgotten population. We can and must do more to ensure that our elders regardless of socioeconomic status are allowed to age with dignity and without fear that even their most basic of medical needs will go untended. I devoted my 39-year career at Merck to leading talented teams dedicated to saving and improving the lives of people around the world. The length of my tenure is perhaps unheard of today and due in large part to the company remaining true to founder George Mercks commitment: to get our medicines to the people who need them most. The elderly who need us most are those without the resources to age with security. For people of means, their upscale eldercare facilities are more like country clubs. They offer residents ample opportunities to socialize, have fun, and integrate into the greater community. They have a sophisticated technology infrastructure for residents and caregivers that enables staff to provide immediate, proactive care before emerging medical issues become life-threatening. Why should the poor not deserve the same? And why arent we as a society standing up for the well-being of the poorest among us? Sixty percent of senior housing is more than 20 years old, according to NIC MAP Data Service. A growing number of eldercare facilities are out of code and in need of repairs and upgrades to remain safe and provide for the most basic of human needs. In the past seven years, more than 1,000 senior homes have been shut down because their facilities were simply too expensive to maintain. I wonder, where did those elderly Americans go? Not unlike many eldercare facilities, the Little Sisters of the Poors Holy Family Home faced the same fate after 50 years of service in the Kingsessing neighborhood of Southwest Philadelphia. The sisters were offered the opportunity to move to a new home in a suburban Main Line location. They immediately dismissed the idea, as it would take them away from the poor to whom they are devoted. Instead, the sisters embarked on a $45 million project to repair and renovate their home. My wife Angie and I were moved to cochair this fundraising effort after our visit three years ago, where we witnessed the love and joy present among the residents, the sisters, and the staff who are employed from the immediate neighborhood. We expected to tour a facility, and instead, we met a family. I suspect most people dont know about the Little Sisters of the Poor. The only criterion for admission is to be below the poverty threshold. The Little Sisters model of eldercare should be the lodestar to which for-profit senior living management companies and the health-care industry aspire. The elderly poor are just as deserving as all of us of receiving the highest quality of care. They are no less worthy of living in a safe, clean, and loving home that values and celebrates each residents humanity as they journey through the final phase of life. After all, the elderly are us. They just got there a few years ahead of us, and the poorest among them need us all to stand up for them. Mark Twain once said, Do not complain about growing old. It is a privilege denied to many. It is time to heed Twains words and the sisters example for some of the most vulnerable members of our society. Dick Clark is the former chairman and CEO of Merck and cochair of the Little Sisters of the Poors Building to Serve in Love Campaign executive committee. Brandon Johnson, a progressive former teacher, was narrowly elected Chicagos next mayor on Tuesday, beating Paul Vallas, a moderate Democrat and former Chicago schools chief who had Philadelphia ties and the support of the Chicago police union. The win marks a huge victory for progressives in Chicago, where residents as in Philadelphia are grappling with high crime rates and mayoral candidates pitched different visions for the direction of the city. Nationally, both progressives and moderate Democrats saw the Chicago race as a test of organizing power and successful messaging, particularly around crime. But drawing inferences on what it could mean for Philadelphias mayoral race is tricky. Advertisement Crime is also the top issue here, but politically the race was far different. Mayoral elections are conducted differently in Chicago. Vallas and Johnson were in a head-to-head runoff that narrowed a broader field into a distinct choice between the political left and center-right. And in Philadelphias Democratic primary which almost always determines the winner of the general election voters have 11 candidates to choose from with more subtle political differences. Id be careful drawing any conclusions, because the Chicago race was a one-on-one race, while the Philadelphia race is a multicandidate field, said U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle (D., Philadelphia), who backed Johnson in the Chicago race and filmed a commercial for him, but hasnt made an endorsement in Philadelphia. In Chicago, a candidate had to get over 50% to win, while here someone can win with well below that. Chicagos race means zip for the mayoral election here, said Larry Ceisler, a Philadelphia public relations consultant. Its a totally different dynamic. Paul [Vallas] was really running as a Republican. I think the only thing to learn from Chicago is that they have a better system of electing mayors. We should have runoff or ranked choice voting in Philadelphia. Where there are similarities Johnson is probably most similar to former Councilmember Helen Gym in the Philadelphia race shes also backed by the teachers union, seen as the most progressive in the field, and served in the local legislative body. But Johnson was a relative unknown when he started in the race, whereas Gym had developed a name in Philadelphia politics. The racial politics are also different. Johnson, who is Black, ran in the runoff against Vallas, who is white. Gym is Asian, running in a Democratic primary field that includes several Black and white candidates and a Latina. Gym on Wednesday applauded the outcome in Chicago. Chicago proves what we know: Safe, vibrant cities are cities that invest in people, Gym said. Like Chicago, Philly is currently dealing with the fallout of years of a failed status quo that closed schools, eliminated youth programming, and left our neighborhoods behind. Thats why Im running on a different vision of what our city can be. While the matchups look a lot different, Johnsons win could signal an appetite for progressive politics in urban blue cities and the strength of progressive organizing groups. Groups like Our Revolution, a powerful progressive advocacy organization, worked on the Johnson race and are making pushes in other local and state elections. Our Revolution backed Sen. John Fetterman, U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, and District Attorney Larry Krasner in their most recent elections. Its unclear if the group will get involved in Phillys mayoral race. The national Working Families Party, which endorsed Gym in Philadelphia, invested $200,000 in the Chicago race. Its local Chicago chapter, United Working Families, knocked more than 555,000 doors and raised more than $400,000 for Johnson. Their resources and organizing efforts will likely help Gym in Philadelphia. Chicagos mayors race, unlike Philadelphias, is a nonpartisan election meaning there is no primary, and Republicans, independents, and Democrats all vote. If no one gets 50% of the vote, the two candidates with the most votes, regardless of party, move on to the runoff. Johnson and Vallas advanced to the runoff after they finished as the top two candidates in the Feb. 28 election. A Democrat like Vallas is unlikely to have done nearly as well in Philadelphia, where only registered Democrats can vote in the Democratic primary. Vallas, who previously led the Philadelphia School District, ran as a law-and-order candidate and drew support from conservatives in the city. He received campaign donations from prominent Republicans, drawing criticisms from fellow Democrats that he was too conservative for Chicago. A clip of him proclaiming in 2009, I am more of a Republican than a Democrat now was featured in several attack ads against him. Johnson, a Cook County commissioner, had the backing of the Chicago Teachers Union and high-profile endorsements from progressive Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. Sanders appeared at a rally for Johnson in the final days of the race. . Johnson and Vallas ran on very different platforms especially on crime. Vallas, 69, said he would hire hundreds more police officers, while Johnson said he didnt plan to cut the number of officers, but that the current system of policing isnt working. Johnson was forced to defend past statements expressing support for defunding police something he insisted he would not do as mayor. But Johnson, 47, argued that instead of investing more in policing and incarceration, the city should focus on mental health treatment, affordable housing for all, and jobs for youth. He has proposed a plan he says will raise $800 million by taxing ultrarich individuals and businesses, including a per-employee head tax on employers and an additional tax on hotel room stays. In Philadelphia, two-thirds of residents agree that the city does not have enough police officers but residents are divided about whether spending more money on law enforcement would be an effective way to combat crime. Some of the mayoral candidates are distancing themselves from the movement to defund the police, and none of them have said theyre in favor of reducing the budget of the Philadelphia Police Department. But they have offered a variety of approaches on reducing violent crime. The Associated Press contributed to this article. Philadelphias politically powerful electricians union has endorsed former City Councilmember Cherelle Parker for mayor, pulling one of the biggest spenders in Pennsylvania politics off the sidelines as the crowded race for the Democratic primary enters the homestretch. Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers earlier this year abstained when the Philadelphia Building Trades Council, a coalition of more than 30 construction industry unions, voted to endorse Parker. The union, which has about 5,000 members, at that time appeared politically paralyzed amid an internal leadership fight in the wake of the conviction of its longtime leader, John J. Dougherty, on federal corruption charges. That high-profile case also took down former Councilmember Bobby Henon, the unions former political director. But electricians business manager Mark Lynch Jr., who replaced Dougherty as the unions leader, announced the Parker endorsement in a statement Wednesday. Advertisement Among a deep and talented pool of 2023 mayoral candidates, Cherelle Parker impressed us the most, said Lynch. Cherelle Parker has always stood tall for working people and the labor movement. READ MORE: Cherelle Parker is proud of her West Oak Lane roots. As mayor, could she save Phillys middle neighborhoods? | Meet the candidates The political action committee of Local 98, which was instrumental to Mayor Jim Kenneys 2015 victory, had a staggering $13.8 million in the bank as of last week, according to its latest campaign finance report. Parker has also won the endorsement of the Eastern Atlantic States Council of Carpenters and Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union. It is so far unclear how much money the electricians will commit to backing Parker. Support from unions that spend big on elections often gets funneled into outside spending groups, or super PACs, that can raise money in unlimited amounts but are prohibited from coordinating with campaigns. The only build trades union not to endorse Parker is Local 8 of the International Association of Theatrical Stage Employees, which plans to announce Thursday that it is backing grocer-turned-mayoral hopeful Jeff Brown. Local 8 had about $170,000 in the bank as of last week. The primary is May 16. Democrats running for Philadelphia mayor in 2023 include (top, from left) Helen Gym, Derek Green, Maria Quinones Sanchez, and Jeff Brown; (bottom, from left) Rebecca Rhynhart, Allan Domb, Cherelle Parker, and Amen Brown. Read more Philadelphias mayoral election remains a wide-open race with a crowded field of candidates, and that is reflected in the most recent campaign finance reports. Five candidates have each collected more than $1 million in donations, and two candidates who are self-funding their campaigns have pumped more cash in as the race enters its final stretch. According to campaign-finance reports filed with the city Tuesday, the 12 candidates running for mayor and outside groups supporting them have already spent about $17.5 million ahead of the May 16 primary election. Thats already more than the $15 million that was reportedly spent in 2015, the last time there was a competitive primary for mayor and there are six weeks left to go. READ MORE: Sign up for The Inquirer's newsletter on this year's historic mayoral election Advertisement Allan Domb, a former City Council member and real estate magnate who is running for mayor, continues to be the primary driver of the expensive price tag for what is otherwise shaping up to be a quiet race. He poured $2 million of his own money into his campaign last month, for a total of $7 million in contributions to his own campaign since the race began. (For context, the other campaigns raised a total of about $8 million combined, excluding their own self-funding.) Domb had already triggered the millionaires amendment of Phillys campaign finance rules, which allows all campaigns to collect donations up to double the usual cap if the race includes a self-funding candidate. Mayoral contenders can now take in contributions of up to $6,200 per year from individuals and $25,200 per year from political committees. READ MORE: Big money is flooding into the Philly mayors election. Heres how its shaping the race. Jeff Brown, a longtime ShopRite proprietor, has also put his own money into the race, loaning $800,000 to his campaign this year, meaning hes spent more than $1 million himself. The filings show there are clear tiers among the candidates and could demonstrate who has momentum heading into the final stretch. Brown brought in the most money from donors through the first three months of 2023, raking in slightly more than $1.2 million. In the same period, former City Councilmember Helen Gym raised about $767,000. Former City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart took in $642,000, and Domb and ex-Councilmember Cherelle Parker each raised about $600,000. Those five candidates far out-raised two other serious contenders. Former Councilmembers Maria Quinones Sanchez and Derek Green each raised less than $215,000 so far this year. Republican David Oh, a former Council member running in the GOP primary unopposed, raised less than $15,000 so far this year but has more than $200,000 in the bank. Heres a look at what each candidate has raised (and self-funded) since declaring their candidacies last year: Four candidates who will appear on the ballot State Rep. Amen Brown, retired Judge James DeLeon, Warren Bloom Sr., and Delscia Gray did not file campaign finance reports by Tuesday nights deadline. Here come the super PACs Its important to note that campaigns arent the only entities spending money to get their message out. Outside groups, also called super PACs, are supporting several candidates. Those groups can raise and spend an unlimited amount of cash, but they arent allowed to coordinate with the campaigns. Three candidates Parker, Gym, and Jeff Brown have thus far benefited from super PACs that have spent money to elevate their message. For instance, Gyms campaign didnt start running television commercials until this week, but her message was still getting out through a super PAC called Fighting Together for Philadelphia that ran television ads on her behalf. The groups filing this week showed it is largely funded by the American Federation of Teachers, which contributed $500,000 last month. A super PAC backing Parker took in nearly $1 million this year, most of it from building trades unions. And it remains unclear who is behind a dark-money funded group that spent nearly $3 million on an early ad blitz to back Jeff Brown. Most of its funding came from a nonprofit entity that has not been legally required to disclose its donors. And at least one other candidate could still see support from a super PAC. An outside group called Philadelphia Leadership PAC that organized recently is expected to back Rhynhart. Paperwork filed Tuesday shows the group was seeded with a $100,000 contribution from Richard Vague, a billionaire tech investor and former state banking secretary who has been one of Rhynharts strongest financial backers. Why does this all matter? Money pays for advertising, and advertising can turn television viewers into voters. Heres a look at how much the candidates and the super PACs backing them have spent on advertising so far this election cycle: Candidates with strong backing from outside groups stand to get their messages out in a way that can make a splash or at least compete with Domb, whos blanketed the airwaves. What it means moving forward Domb has the most money in the bank no surprise there but aside from him, the only candidate who has more than $1 million on hand going into the final six weeks is Gym. That makes sense because Gym was, until this week, the only top-tier candidate who hadnt spent any money on a big television advertising blitz. Some campaigns choose to save as much money as they can for the final weeks of the race so their advertising can influence undecided voters who are just tuning in. Rhynhart has more than $850,000 in the bank, while Parker has just above $600,000. The amount of money the campaigns have available heading into the final weeks also shows how fundraising (and putting your own money into your campaign) doesnt itself tell the whole story. For example, while Brown has raised more money than Rhynhart since the start of the campaign, hes also spent more and, as of last month, had less than $450,000 on hand. The figures also tell us which campaigns may be operating on shoestring budgets. Advertising can cost tens of thousands of dollars a week, and campaigns typically try to maintain a presence on television through election day. Only three serious contenders had less than $500,000 in the bank as of last month, and one of them, Jeff Brown, has showed an ability to self-fund. The other two, Quinones Sanchez and Green, both had less than $350,000 on hand. Other candidates with more than twice that could have more ability to sway voters in the final stretch. Mayoral candidate Helen Gym pledges to issue a state of emergency to address crime and fix Philadelphias 911 system in her campaigns first television commercial, set to start airing this week. Gym, a former City Council member, is the seventh candidate in the field of 11 Democratic mayoral contenders to air TV ads ahead of the May 16 primary election. The ad reinforces the role that public safety is playing in the mayoral campaign, as crime is widely seen as the No. 1 issue defining the race. In the commercial, Gym says that too many calls for help go unanswered in the city and that safety is a whole city mission. She emphasizes her plan to establish school-safety zones. The ad also touts her work on City Council, including that she [kept] families in their homes, a reference to legislation she championed that curbed evictions in the city. The ad represents the first time Gyms campaign has spent big on media. Until this week, Gym had been the only top-tier candidate who had not yet purchased television advertising, an expensive but effective way for campaigns to reach voters. Advertisement READ MORE: What recent fund-raising tells us about the state of the Philly mayors race, in five charts Former Councilmember Allan Domb and businessman Jeff Brown, both of whom are self-funding their campaigns, have been running television commercials for more than three months. Several other candidates who have raised less money than Gym began running commercials last month. Some campaigns choose to save as much money as they can until the final weeks before the primary so their advertising can influence undecided voters or residents who are just tuning in. Gyms campaign has also benefited from an independent expenditure group, also known as a super PAC, that is supporting her candidacy and is largely funded by the American Federation of Teachers. The group, called Fighting Together for Philadelphia, has spent more than $500,000 airing ads on Gyms behalf since last month. READ MORE: Sign up for the 100th Mayor, the Inquirer's mayoral race newsletter Besides Domb, who has poured $7 million of his personal wealth into his campaign, Gym has the most money in the bank of any candidate heading into the homestretch. Her campaign this week reported having $1.4 million on hand. Gyms campaign spent about $127,000 to run the commercials on broadcast television and cable networks this week, according to the media tracking firm Ad Impact. Candidates generally try to maintain a presence on television through Election Day once they begin airing advertising. The winner of the Democratic primary is well positioned to win the general election, given Philadelphias heavily Democratic electorate. City Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, shown here outside Philadelphia City Hall in 2020, is open to amending the city's regulations for short-term rentals. Read more The short-term rental industry, embodied by Airbnb, proved a polarizing subject at a Wednesday City Council hearing. Both hosts and neighborhood groups testified passionately, if at cross purposes, about the industrys effect on Philadelphias neighborhoods. The hearing was held at the behest of Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, whom industry groups have been lobbying to ease regulations that were passed two years ago and went into effect in January. Thomas spokesperson described the hearing as a first step and said his office is open to amending the regulations. We talk all the time about what it means to make Philadelphia more business-friendly, to address issues like poverty and lack of entrepreneurship, Thomas said. This is one of those industries that is new, innovative, and constantly changing. As government, were trying our best to keep up with where were going. New rental option caught Philly off guard Like other Silicon Valley tech companies that sought to disrupt existing industries, short-term rental companies caught Philadelphia government off guard when they burst on the scene over a decade ago. Regulations were issued in 2015 requiring a hotel license for rentals operated out of a primary residence, but the rules went largely unenforced. During the pandemic, complaints about nuisance short-term rental properties skyrocketed. Councilmember Mark Squilla introduced legislation requiring short-term rental owners operating out of their homes to register with the city too. Advertisement He also required hosts to provide a license number to online rental brokers, such as Airbnb, as confirmation that they have received either hotel permits for those operating outside their primary residence or a lodging operator license for those who rent out portions of their home. The idea is to bring the industry and its operators out of the shadows and make it more of a mainstream business. The regulations that went into effect in January have sent the industry into a panic, especially for those who have to go to the sluggish Zoning Board of Adjustment to secure the required permits if their houses are not in areas zoned for hotel uses. Parties, trash, and gunfire Many neighborhood advocates argued at Wednesdays City Council hearing that the city had not gone far enough. Joseph Baker of the Franklin Bridge North Neighbors Association, which covers part of Old City, said that even with the regulations, short-term rentals are out of control. There are 50 short-term rental locations within a block of where I am right now, Baker said. I only see our problem getting worse unless this industry is regulated and policed. Baker ticked off issues ranging from annoyances such as trash put out any day of the week to disruptive problems with unruly guests. He described late-night parties raging out of control, people jumping on parked cars, and repeated instances of gunfire. We were optimistic this January when we saw the new ordinance take effect. So far, weve been disappointed that problems continue, Baker said. I understand some people feel the modified ordinance is too restrictive. I have to say its not restrictive enough. Short-term rental hosts strove to distance themselves from problem actors, acknowledging the issues created by the unregulated market but describing themselves as responsible hosts. Industry advocates described the positive economic benefits of short-term renting, such as bolstering retirement savings or providing customers for neighborhood businesses. Retired teacher Joyce James said the regulations have been difficult for her to understand and follow online. Three trips to the Municipal Services Building had not proven clarifying, especially because she kept being steered back to the city website that baffled her to begin with. She said the burdens should be eased for those renting out a portion of their home, as opposed to those who have bought investment properties they do not live close to. Im not here to defend Airbnb, she said. Im not even sure that the way they operate now is something I would support. But the new regulations have crippled my attempts to augment my retirement income and improve my quality of life and maintain my home in good repair. Effect on housing prices Industry critics at the hearing also cited concerns about the effect short-term rentals have on housing prices. A University of Pennsylvania study found that short-term rentals tend to be concentrated in neighborhoods where rental housing dominates and that the emergence of companies such as Airbnb resulted in units being shifted away from the standard market. The study found that each 1% increase in Airbnb listings in a zip code creates a small increase in rents and house prices as the number of long-term rentals is decreased. Theres a major concern that it also hurts affordability because of a reduction in rentals, said Squilla, who introduced the legislation to regulate the industry in early 2021. That inflates property values and reduces more-affordable rental units. Maybe they [owners] could just rent their units to a person who rents monthly. Thomas hearing was held to give supporters and opponents of the short-term rental industry a chance to air their views on the regulations and the enforcement thus far. No new policies are actively under consideration. Thomas spokesperson said his office had not yet had time to consider new legislation because of ongoing budget hearings and negotiations. Squilla said he is trying to get the zoning board to add at least one more meeting per month to help ease the backlog of cases. An Inquirer analysis found that wait times for a hearing before the ZBA have ballooned since the pandemic, with an average wait of six months last year. The pace of the process has substantially burdened small businesses, from Airbnb hosts to would-be cafe owners. The zoning board needs to do quicker turnarounds. Thats something we really need to address, said Squilla. As for what he heard at the hearing, Squilla said he didnt understand why hosts hadnt tried to comply with the new law earlier. I feel bad for the [short-term rental hosts] who have challenges, but we introduced these changes almost two years ago, he said. If people had begun applying even a year ago, it would have been done by now. Renzi makes peace with EU's Juncker as both condemn blind austerity Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker buried the hatchet on Friday, teaming up to condemn "foolish and blind" austerity policies following months of bickering between Rome and Brussels. GALLERY Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi (R) and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (L) arrive for a press conference following their meeting at Chigi Palace, in Rome, Italy, 26 February 2016. Rome (dpa) - Renzi has emerged as a leading critic of the European Unions executive, accusing the commission of being too bureaucratic, too close to Germany, and too focused on policing austerity. Speaking in Rome, Juncker defended the European Unions executive arm while aligning himself with Renzis calls for growth and jobs."The commission I lead is not an ensemble of technocrats and bureaucrats, it is made up of politicians, including several former prime ministers," Juncker said. "It is not a commission that extols the virtues of a foolish and blind austerity.""We should not lose sight of the absolute need for Europe to regain the path of more sustained and lasting growth: a Europe that accepts as a fait accompli such a high number of unemployed is not certainly the Europe I dream of," he added."Jean-Claude said today that austerity is stupid: I endorse and subscribe to this," Renzi said in a joint press conference, vowing to still work to reduce Italys huge mountain of public debt, the EUs second highest in relative terms after Greece.But both leaders dodged questions on whether Italy will be allowed to drift from EU deficit reduction targets this year and next, as was the case in 2015 thanks to "flexibility" provisions that give leeway to countries with a good reform record.In a regular review of EU countries economies, published in parallel to Junckers Rome trip, the commission found that Italy was still suffering from "structural weaknesses" hampering its growth and resilience, including high public debt.Renzi repeated that his country was no longer the EUs problem child thanks to his governments reforms, but the commission gave a mixed assessment, praising acts like an overhaul of the job market while criticizing tax giveaways."The cut to property taxes on first residences from 2016 is not consistent with repeated recommendations [from fellow EU governments] to shift taxation away from productive factors onto property and consumption," the commission noted.Renzi and Juncker also found common ground on migration, the main topic of an EU-Turkey summit scheduled for March 7.Without naming specific offenders, the commission chief blamed EU governments for resisting a plan to redistribute asylum seekers across the bloc, and accused many of them of fleeing from common sense solutions.The Italian leader said the EU should also join forces to repatriate migrants who dont qualify for asylum, and repeated warnings to Central and Eastern European countries that are stonewalling EU burden-sharing requests."I hope that [Juncker] may be able to win the battle with some colleagues," Renzi said. "People cant ask for solidarity only when it comes to grabbing European funds, and forget it when it comes to helping with migrants," he added.In the run-up to the talks, the Italian premier dismissed suggestions he had raised anti-EU rhetoric for vote-grabbing reasons, insisting he was driven by a sincere desire to reform the EU and bore no grudge against Brussels.Juncker, who scolded Renzi in January for "vilifying and criticizing the commission on every street corner," said Friday that Rome and Brussels have similar views on many fronts, despite "partial disagreements" and occasional "maladroit" moves from both sides.On Monday, Italy unveiled a blueprint for EU reforms, including calls to set up a eurozone unemployment benefits scheme. The paper took aim at Germanys large trade surplus, which the commission also criticized in its Friday economic reports.Juncker, who also met President Sergio Mattarella and his still influential predecessor Giorgio Napolitano, praised the Italian document for "giving renewed courage to those who still believe in the need for Europe." The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has announced cutbacks in crane activity and truck turnaround times at Jeddah Islamic Port in line with its annual target of lowering carbon footprint at the kingdom's busiest port by 1,046 tonnes this year. Complementing the goals of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS), the Jeddah port's decarbonisation efforts form part of Mawani's Green Ports initiative that seeks to slash energy consumption by 15% through equipment electrification and diesel phaseout across the kingdom's trade hubs, said the statement from Saudi Ports Authority. Through a 33% decrease in average yard crane moves for every imported container that requires manual inspection as well as a 17% reduction in truck turnaround times, the port further solidifies its standing as a cost-competitive and operationally-efficient logistics destination at the crossroads of East-West trade, it added. According to Mawani, the national maritime regulator's environmental strategies are inspired by the Saudi Green Initiative, a national climate action plan that aims to unite the kingdom's push towards ecological protection, energy transition, and emissions reductions through a joint collaborative approach between the public and private sectors. The Red Sea-based hub had recently won the Port of The Year award at the Green Shipping Summit 2023 held in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. This was in recognition of its successful track record in harnessing innovative and sustainable technologies and solutions for a greener tomorrow, it added.-TradeArabia News Service Carlos Giraldo, who came to Philadelphia from Colombia at age 17, runs the Giraldo Real Estate Group. Read more After Carlos Giraldo came to Philadelphia from Colombia at age 17, he learned a lesson about the power of language that stuck with him. When his parents bought their first house, their agent showed them only a couple properties and did the bare minimum. But the agent spoke Spanish, and since his parents didnt speak much English, they didnt have many agents to choose from. Giraldo saw that Spanish speakers needed more resources, so he got his real estate license and later started his own business in 2007, focused on serving Latino buyers, sellers, and investors and helping them build wealth. READ MORE: The lack of translation is a problem: Non-English speakers scrambled for information about the citys water supply Advertisement Its not only earning a living. Its helping your people in a way, Giraldo said. The Latino community really does need people to help them navigate the process in their language. He sees a huge need in Philadelphia and just expanded from his first office in the Northeast. He is recruiting agents for the Giraldo Real Estate Group office he just opened in North Philadelphia. A warm personality and a desire to help people are a must. Speaking more than one language, thats a plus. Closing a deal on a home is difficult enough when everyone in the transaction speaks the same language. When they dont, any miscommunication could endanger the purchase of most peoples biggest asset. Newer immigrants also have to establish credit, find jobs that pay them enough to qualify for a mortgage, and deal with additional paperwork. They can benefit from culturally sensitive guidance through a complex process that might be different than in their home country. In Philadelphia, foreign-born residents largely drove the citys decade of population growth, creating even more need for multilingual real estate agents. Our office reflects the community that we serve, said Al Perry, broker and owner of Century 21 Advantage Gold, a real estate firm with offices in and around Philadelphia. The roughly 200 agents who work for the brokerage speak 33 languages other than English, including Hindi, Ukrainian, and Yoruba. They are able to work with a wide variety of clients because of their language skills. Its good business, said Perry, who also is president of the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors. I think real estate companies have started to realize that, and now you do see real estate brokerages more moving toward agent populations that are more reflective of the communities they serve. He acknowledged the industry has a ways to go yet to adequately serve all communities. READ MORE: Philadelphia is now officially a Certified Welcoming city. Heres what it means for immigrant communities. The Inquirer spoke with multilingual, immigrant agents about their experiences in the Philadelphia region. Trust matters Emily Qing Hui Wang, Realtor at Century 21 Advantage Golds South Philadelphia office, and cofounder, vice president, and president-elect of the local chapter of the Asian Real Estate Association of America Languages spoken: Mandarin, English Country of birth: China Emily Qing Hui Wang became a real estate agent in 2005 to help clients who dont speak English well. Nearly two decades later, shes still following that passion. Theres a need for bilingual real estate agents at that time, she said. And there is more and more new immigrants coming to the Philadelphia area. Last month, she cofounded the Philadelphia-area chapter of the Asian Real Estate Association of America, a group of real estate professionals that recruits and acts as a voice for Asian American and Pacific Islander residents. More agents, lenders, and other real estate professionals now speak languages other than English. READ MORE: In Translation: More multilingual workers needed But theres more need, she said, and more support should come to help the community who are not language proficient. She said trust between client and agent is especially important when the client cant understand English. But when agents earn that trust, clients refer them far and wide. From one client, Wang has closed about 10 real estate deals, including homes for four family members within a couple blocks of each other in the Northeast. READ MORE: Philly is ready to welcome more immigrants as pandemic ban drops Dialects can create extra challenges Sharyn Soliman, Realtor and team leader of the Sharyn Soliman Team with Keller Williams Real Estate in the Philadelphia region Languages spoken: Arabic, English Country of birth: Canada Sometimes communicating with clients isnt as easy as speaking the same language. Sharyn Solimans family is from Egypt, so she speaks an Egyptian dialect of Arabic. Most Arabic speakers understand her, but understanding some of them can be difficult for her. Often, they know what each other is saying or the clients English-speaking children can translate. She refers some clients to agents from their geographic regions. Palestinian, Lebanese, Iraqi, and Jordanian natives have been among Solimans clients, and she said she hears from at least two or three Arabic speakers each month, most of whom are referrals. READ MORE: Arabs have a longstanding history in Philadelphia and this bilingual newspaper honors it I have a lot of Arabic-speaking clients in Philadelphia and several in Bucks County, she said. There arent a lot of Arabic-speaking Realtors that I know of. Social media and culture-specific professional networks are frequent sources of referrals. A lender may be looking for an Arabic-speaking agent, and her friends recommend her. She has posted in search of Arabic-speaking lenders. On calls with Arabic-speaking clients and English-speaking lenders, for example, she acts as a translator. Immigration experiences translate Jacqueline Talpa, managing broker at Century 21 Advantage Golds office in the lower Northeast Languages spoken: Czech, English Country of birth: Czech Republic Jacqueline Talpa doesnt speak French or Haitian Creole. But when two recent immigrants from Haiti came by her office last year hoping to buy a home, Talpa understood some of the challenges they faced and wanted to help. The sisters could speak some English, so Talpa said she explained what she could and communicated in other ways using even little drawings and things like that. Texting also worked well because of translation apps. Seeing two fresh immigrants really trying to get their American dream together, I feel that is really empowering for other people to see as well, she said. Being myself an immigrant, when you first come here, its not easy to find help. READ MORE: Misinformation is spreading about the new Haitian immigration process. Heres what to know. When Talpa bought her first house in Seattle, her real estate agent wasnt much help. She knew she could do better. She gets about three clients a year who speak Czech as she does, and she understands Russian and Polish. She was drawn to Northeast Philadelphia, she said, because of its hodgepodge of many different cultures. Compared to United States natives, immigrants, she said, are willing to listen and learn a little bit more and take the guidance, I would say. READ MORE: A growing number of Philly parents cant communicate with their kids schools. Asking questions is key Angie Millan, Realtor for eXp Realty in Pennsylvania and New Jersey Languages spoken: Spanish, English Country of birth: Colombia One of Angie Millans Spanish-speaking clients needed a first-time home buyer grant to help with closing costs. But when she got to the required class, the teachers didnt speak Spanish. Luckily, she found someone to translate, but its one example of an additional barrier home buyers face when they speak another language. For people who dont speak English well, theres a lot of doubts, and theyre probably afraid to ask questions, Millan said. READ MORE: Phillys first-time home buyers get more help with the return of the city's grant program Its just a matter of people understanding the process, the options, and being able to ask questions in their language that makes it easier for people to become home buyers, she said. I realized there was a need for people like me to help others, because I have the experience, I know the language. A few months ago, Millan participated in a first-time home buyer seminar held entirely in Spanish. She regularly guides Spanish-speakers through real estate deals happening mostly in English. When the people dont understand the language, sometimes you have to translate and explain. So its a lot of work. But Im happy to do it, she said. Once you go to closing and you see peoples dreams come true, thats a gift. In April 2021, said the release, the unfair contract term protections in Subdivision BA of the ASIC Act were expanded to include insurance contracts with consumers and small businesses. The expanded terms were assented to, said the release, as part of the Treasury Laws Amendment (More Competition, Better Prices) Act 2022. This included the introduction of civil penalties for breaches of the unfair contract term prohibition, but not until November this year. As a senior partner and market-leading expert specialising in general commercial insurance, Davidson leads the firm's national liability team of over 50 partners and lawyers. She advises many of the largest Australian and international insurers, the London market, underwriting agencies, brokers, claims managers, third-part administrators, and insureds and manages complex multi-party claims that require an additional layer of sensitivity and proactive response (including advising on Royal Commissions). He said he does try and explain this but it can be very hard to do when youre outside the tent, looking in. However, for example, he said his firm doesnt have layers of bureaucracy with numerous middle managers. Peter Bosshard, coordinator of the Insure Our Future campaign, said: The NZIA has allowed itself to be immobilised by antitrust concerns from the start. With Munich Re and now Zurich leaving the alliance, insurers have an even bigger direct responsibility to align their businesses with a credible 1.5C pathway, he said. The good news is that icare can help businesses to look at psychosocial risk through a risk management lens to protect their people to respond to issues earlier and promote protective factors at work. I encourage employers to always look at both simple things that can be changed today [and think] about their workplace mental health strategy into the future. With capacity levels at least matching those of 2022, it seems clear that overall supply remains plentiful, said Graham Knight, global head of natural resources at WTW. But with more sophisticated risk management options open to major buyers, the market has to consider the possibility that some of the most sought-after businesses may be withdrawn in favor of increased captive participations or even a parametric risk transfer solution perhaps on a permanent basis. Quality First Insurance is a highly regarded firm whose expertise in senior living will enhance our capabilities in this market, said J. Patrick Gallagher Jr., chairman, president and CEO of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. I am delighted to welcome Kathy and her associates to Gallagher. New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! A lawsuit against the University of Delaware over its campus shutdown and halting of in-person classes because of coronavirus can proceed as a class action on behalf of thousands of students who were enrolled and paid tuition in spring 2020, a federal judge has ruled. Fridays decision came just days before a scheduled hearing this week on the universitys request for the judge to rule in its favor without a trial. That hearing has been postponed indefinitely. In his ruling, Judge Stephanos Bibas rejected the University of Delawares argument that the plaintiffs, who accuse the school of breach of contract and unjust enrichment, lacked standing to sue. The university also argued unsuccessfully that it is impossible to know who actually paid tuition because some students may have used outside sources like scholarships. Those students, no less than students who paid out of their own pockets, were parties to a contract that U. Delaware allegedly breached, wrote the judge, who noted that the only students excluded from the class would be those who received full rides. According to the ruling, more than 17,000 undergraduates were enrolled at the University of Delaware in spring 2020, and the university collected more than $160 million in tuition. The plaintiffs have argued that, before the pandemic, the school treated in- person and online classes as separate offerings and charged more for some in- person programs than they did for similar online classes. They also noted that the university charged them fees for the gym, student centers, and the health center, sometimes at higher rates than those paid by online students, and that the school kept those fees while denying them the services. The plaintiffs are seeking partial refunds of their spring 2020 tuition, having earlier agreed to dismiss their claims arising from student fees. The university claimed that none of the named plaintiffs who brought the lawsuit paid tuition. That is false, Bibas wrote. The named plaintiffs paid tuition, through either loans or cash from their parents. Whether students were part-time or full-time might affect the damages to which they are entitled but does not affect the schools liability, the judge added. Bibas previously ruled that the plaintiffs had plausibly alleged that the school implicitly promised them in-person classes, activities and services. I anticipate looking at evidence of how U. Delaware advertised itself and whether students were attending classes in person before the pandemic, he said. The judge previously rejected the universitys argument that it expressly reserved the right to go online, but he noted Friday that the plaintiffs right to restitution depends on the schools net enrichment. If U. Delaware got a greater benefit than the students, then it was probably unjust for the school to keep the students money, as that enrichment has no basis in a valid agreement, Bibas wrote. But if an online education in spring 2020 was worth full tuition, then there was no net enrichment. The judge said net enrichment will be measured by taking the amount the university received from each student and subtracting the fair market value of the services it provided to each a calculation he acknowledged will be difficult. The fact that some students may have had better grades in spring 2020 than in previous semesters, or that some joined more clubs or took more advantage of student services than others did, is not relevant in that calculation, he said. These services are available to all students for the same fixed price. And though students may make more or less (or better or worse) use of them, that does not change their fair market value, the judge wrote. Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits COVID-19 Education Universities Water companies will incur unlimited fines for polluting rivers and the sea under new UK legislation to protect the environment, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Therese Coffrey, the environment secretary, will announce plans [this week] to remove the 250,000 maximum fine on civil penalties for companies that break the rules. The environment agency is also seeking to strengthen its ability to impose sanctions on water companies without going through the courts. Fines will be reinvested into a new Water Restoration Fund which will work with local communities and groups to improve water quality and support projects to improve management of waters and restore protected sites. Penalties and fines will be taken from water company profits, not customers. Surfers Accuse UK Water Companies of Illegally Dumping Raw Sewage Last year, 10 water and sewage companies within England released sewage into rivers and the sea on 301,091 occasions, with United Utilities and Yorkshire Water responsible for 40% of the spills. I want to make sure that regulators have the powers and tools to take tough action against companies that are breaking the rules and to do so more quickly, Therese Coffrey said in a statement. The governments Plan for Water will also include measures against other forms of pollution, such as storm overflows, agriculture, plastics, road run-off and chemicals and pesticides. The proposals will be published within a consultation on Tuesday. Photograph: A sign warning of a Sewage Outfall on the banks of the Thames estuary in Dartford. Photo credit: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images Copyright 2023 Bloomberg. The Biden administration has demanded that TikToks Chinese owners divest their stakes in the popular video app or face a possible U.S. ban, the company told Reuters this week. The move follows the introduction of a new U.S. legislation that would allow the White House to ban TikTok or other foreign-based technologies if they pose a national security risk. Other countries and entities have also elected to ban the app. TikTok is owned by China-based ByteDance, the worlds most valuable start-up. Numerous countries have raised concerns over its proximity to the Chinese government and hold over user data across the world. Here is a list of countries and entities that have implemented a partial or complete ban on TikTok: Australia Banned TikTok from all federal government-owned devices over security concerns. The move makes the country the last of the Five Eyes, an intelligence-sharing network that consists of Australia, Canada, the United States, Britain and New Zealand, to issue a similar ban. New Zealand Became the latest country to target TikTok, imposing a ban on the use of the app on devices with access to the parliamentary network amid cybersecurity concerns. United Kingdom Would ban TikTok on government phones with immediate effect, and asked the National Cyber Security Centre to look at the potential vulnerability of government data from social media apps and risks around how sensitive information could be accessed and used. Scotland TikTok will be removed from Scottish Parliament phones and devices amid security concerns, Sky News reports. India Banned TikTok and dozens of other apps by Chinese developers on all devices in June 2020, claiming that they were potentially harmful to the countrys security and integrity. Afghanistan Is in talks to ban TikTok and video game PUBG, with the Taliban claiming those were leading Afghan youths astray. Pakistan Banned TikTok at least four times, with the latest ban ending in November, over what the government said was immoral and indecent content on the app. Belgium Belgian federal government employees will no longer be allowed to use TikTok on their work phones, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said on March 10. Canada The nation has banned TikTok on government-issued devices due to security risks. Taiwan Banned TikTok and some other Chinese apps on state-owned devices and in December 2022 launched a probe into the social media app over suspected illegal operations on the island United States The U.S. governments Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), a powerful national security body, in 2020 unanimously recommended ByteDance divest TikTok because of fears that user data could be passed on to Chinas government. In early March, legislators from both major U.S. parties introduced a bill to ban the popular app in the United States. Congress previously passed a bill in December 2022 to ban TikTok on federal devices. U.S. Educational Institutions Boise State University, University of Oklahoma, University of Texas-Austin, and West Texas A&M University are some of the schools to ban TikTok on university devices and Wi-Fi networks. U.S. States Texas, Maryland, Alabama and Utah are among over 25 states that have issued orders to staff against using TikTok on government devices. European Commission and European Parliament The European Unions executive arm, the European Commission, has issued an order to ban the use of popular Chinese app TikTok on its staffs phones due to cybersecurity concerns. Separately, the European Parliament also banned the app from staff phones. (Reporting by Yuvraj Malik in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Eva Mathews, Aby Jose Koilparambil and Chavi Mehta; editing by David Gaffen, Raju Gopalakrishnan, Simon Cameron-Moore and Rashmi Aich) Related: Topics China Cowbell, the Pleasanton, Calif.-based provider of cyber insurance for small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), has launched its UK operations and appointed cyber insurance expert Simon Hughes as general manager for Cowbell UK. Hughes joins Cowbell with a blend of experience across the U.S. and the UK, most recently serving as the cyber team lead at UK-based specialty insurer CFC Underwriting. A seasoned underwriter with more than 13 years of experience in the insurance industry, Hughes began his career at Lloyds of London and has since gained valuable experience with the multi-national reinsurer SOVAG and CFC Underwriting. At CFC, Hughes was a senior member of the cyber team for six years, serving as a cyber underwriter and leader focusing on SMEs. Hughes led the UK and EU cyber underwriting teams to achieve market-leading and profitable growth in a rapidly growing market. The cyber insurance industry needs to evolve at the same pace as the cyber threat landscape, said Hughes. I am delighted to join one of the most innovative companies in the market at a time when businesses in the UK and around the world are prioritizing cyber resilience. Cowbell has grown its risk pool internationally to 35 million SMEs, which allows the company to pre-assess risk and deliver coverage at speed while maintaining the most accurate underwriting process. Cowbells risk pool also contributes to maintaining proactive visibility into the macro-level cyber threat landscape in the SME market. We are relentless in our mission to close the insurability gap and make cyber insurance accessible to all businesses regardless of geographical boundaries, said Matthew Jones, chief strategy officer at Cowbell. Simon brings the expertise to roll out to the UK the adaptive cyber insurance products that we have successfully validated in the U.S., underpinned by our continuous risk assessment approach. To further extend the companys global focus on innovation for cyber insurance, Cowbell recently opened a new technology center in Pune, India. This follows a string of services and products Cowbell that has launched over the past year, including Cowbell 365, which offers policyholders comprehensive support for risk improvement and incident response, and the introduction of Cowbells Adaptive Cyber Insurance offering: policies that continuously evolve to remain aligned with the policyholders cyber exposures, avoid coverage gaps and bring full transparency into renewal terms throughout the policy period. Cowbell is backed by 20 prominent leading global re/insurance partners and serves SMEs in 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Founded in 2019, Cowbell is based in the San Francisco Bay Area with employees across the U.S., Canada, India and the UK. Source: Cowbell Cyber Topics Cyber New Markets Global companies that form alliances to help them to tackle climate change need clear safe harbor guidelines from governments to allay fears they could be tripped up by antitrust rules, legal experts said. Hundreds of companies have banded together into various groups with pledges to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by mid-century. But there is limited guidance from governments and regulators on how far they can collaborate to reach that goal without overstepping antitrust boundaries. Zurich Insurance Group on Wednesday said it was quitting an industry grouping of insurers focused on cutting carbon emissions. That followed Munich Res unexpected announcement last week that it was leaving the group the Net Zero Insurance Alliance (NZIA) to avoid antitrust risks. Zurich Exits Insurance Climate Alliance Days After Munich Re The German reinsurer on Friday quit group less than two years after co-founding the coalition, part of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) umbrella group of sectors pushing to decarbonise. Alec Burnside, a partner at law firm Dechert, said both Britain and the European Commission had offered relatively timid guidance when what was needed were explicit safe harbors for companies. There should be confirmation in the guidance coming out of antitrust agencies to re-assure companies committing to GFANZ, he said. Munich Re Exits Insurance Climate Group, Citing Material Legal Risks Also last week, a Danish pension scheme said it could quit the Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance because of a perceived lack of ambition among peers, which several sources said stemmed from fears of attracting antitrust lawsuits. The antitrust tensions mark a further setback to GFANZ several months after U.S. asset manager Vanguard pulled out, citing a need to express its own views independently to investors. Lack of Specific Guidance The European Union and Britain have published draft guidelines on how companies can co-operate within the law but have not released guidance specific to financial institutions and net-zero alliances. A European Commission spokesperson said its guidance, to be finalized in June, is designed to show agreements with a genuine sustainability objective will not violate antitrust laws, and that some will benefit from exemptions. Britains competition regulator in February explained how it would ease rules to ensure businesses were not unnecessarily or erroneously deterred from collaborating. Businesses can get exemptions if they demonstrate a climate change agreement between companies meets four conditions, including provision of benefits such as promotion of economic progress and that consumers will gain. In the U.S., some Republican politicians have highlighted the potential antitrust implications of these climate groups. They have been threatening court action as part of a broader attack on environmental, social and governance investing. U.S. authorities are yet to offer companies any formal protection. Some legal experts said that while they believe the antitrust fears to be overblown, the risk is that members of alliances will use them as a reason to quit. Keith Johnson, CEO of Global Investor Collaboration Services in Minnesota, who advises asset managers and owners on fiduciary duties and governance, said Republicans may not have much legal ground for their arguments but they might still get executives to dial back their ESG efforts. Its not as much as the actual liability exposure as it is the intimidation factor, he said, noting that companies would want to avoid the hassle of litigation even if they can ultimately win. More Cautious When it gave guidance in January, NZIA made clear members were committed to complying with regulations, including antitrust laws, and were free to make their own policies and set their own carbon reduction targets. Munich Re said its concerns were linked to the relative market share of NZIA, which has 29 members representing around 15% of insurance premiums sold, globally. The Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance (NZAOA), which Munich Re also belongs to, has 85 members managing $11 trillion against more than $126 trillion in global invested assets. Munich Re said given that ratio, the associated risks were significantly lower, Munich Re also said it remained committed to its own climate targets, and it has restrictions on financing and underwriting of some fossil fuel business, including new oil and gas fields. Zurich said it wanted to focus its resources to support our customers with their transition and that it remained committed to its sustainability ambitions but did not elaborate further on its reasons for leaving the NZIA. Reuters contacted its 17 other members, three of which confirmed they would remain members. The other 14 declined to comment or did not respond to requests for comment. Aviva said it remained committed to NZIA as achieving net zero was something companies cannot do in isolation. Allianz said the net-zero alliances were world-leading in their efforts to mitigate climate change and that it continued to chair the NZAOA. Grupo Catalana Occidente told Reuters that because the path to net zero was still being decided, assessing antitrust concerns was not possible, at this stage. Its NZIA membership is a firm commitment to climate neutrality, it said. Ben Caldecott, director of the Oxford Sustainable Finance Group at the University of Oxford, said that anti-competition concerns were used as a smokescreen for some companies that do not want to adhere to the requirements of a climate alliance. He said this made it all the more urgent for regulators to provide better clarity. These alliances depend on momentum, said Caldecott. If they start to lose critical mass it becomes potentially existential. (Reporting by Virginia Furness, Isla Binnie, Tommy Reggiori Wilkes, Simon Jessop, Ross Kerber and Tom Sims; Editing by Greg Roumeliotis and Jane Merriman) Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. announced the acquisition of La Vista, Nebraska-based Quality First Insurance, LLC. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Quality First Insurance is an insurance agency serving health care and senior living facilities in Nebraska and its surrounding states. Kathy Mock and her team will relocate to Gallaghers Omaha office under the direction of Ryan Isaacs, head of Gallaghers Midwest region retail property/casualty brokerage operations. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions A.J. Gallagher Nebraska OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) While residents across parts of the South and Midwest pummeled by deadly storms and wildfires sifted through the wreckage of their homes Monday, forecasters warned of more severe weather and fire danger in the days ahead across much of the same region. The fierce storms that spawned tornadoes in 11 states killed at least 32 people as the system that began Friday plodded through Arkansas and traveled northeast through the South and into the Midwest and Northeast. Heres a look at the severe storms over the weekend and whats expected in the days ahead: WILDFIRE DANGER REMAINS HIGH On the western side of the storm lines that developed Friday were extremely dry conditions in Oklahoma that combined with high winds to fuel several large wildfires that forced interstate closures and sent residents fleeing from their homes. More than 40 homes were destroyed across Oklahoma, including 30 in an area near the town of Guthrie, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of Oklahoma City, where firefighters had urged residents to evacuate. With their eyes burning and the heat of the flames circling them, Jessica Garinger and her family ran around their 10-acre (4-hectare) property with hoses Friday to save their family home built by Garingers great-grandfather in Guthrie. The wind was so terrible it was just like a blowtorch, and once we would get certain areas put out it would just reignite, she said. While neighbors evacuated, Garinger said her father, Jim, did not want to leave behind his cherished home, so she and her sister raced to help him. With the help of firefighters, they fought the flames until about 2 a.m., leaving with blisters, scrapes and small burns. Several of the homes nearby burned down. Its a miracle that we were able to save the property, Garinger said. The threat of fire danger remains high Tuesday across portions of far western Oklahoma, the Texas Panhandle, northeast New Mexico and far southeastern Colorado, with low humidity, dry vegetation and wind gusts expected up to 70 mph (113 kph), according to the National Weather Service. MORE SEVERE WEATHER FORECAST Forecasters say more severe weather was forecast for Tuesday afternoon and evening across parts of Arkansas, Missouri into southeastern Iowa and west central Illinois. That could initially start as isolated supercells with all hazards possible tornadoes, wind and hail and then over time typically they form into a line (of thunderstorms) and continue moving eastward, said Ryan Bunker, a meteorologist with the National Weather Center in Norman, Oklahoma. The same conditions that fueled last weeks storms an area of low pressure combined with strong southerly winds will make conditions ideal for another round of severe weather Tuesday into early morning Wednesday, Bunker said. Those conditions, which typically include dry air from the west going up over the Rockies and crashing into warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico, are what make the U.S. so prone to tornadoes and other severe storms. DEADLY STORMS BEGAN IN ARKANSAS Arkansas was among the first states hit by the severe weather Friday when a tornado dropped from the sky and tore through the states capital, Little Rock, destroying homes and businesses, splintering trees and tossing vehicles. At least five people were killed in Arkansas, including four deaths in the rural community of Wynne, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of Memphis, Tennessee. Tennessee recorded at least 15 deaths, including nine fatalities in McNairy County, east of Memphis, said Patrick Sheehan, director of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. Elsewhere, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker traveled Sunday to Belvidere to visit the Apollo Theatre, which partially collapsed as about 260 people were attending a heavy metal concert, resulting in at least one death. The governor said 48 others were treated in hospitals, with five in critical condition. National Weather Service survey teams that earlier confirmed the presence of tornados in New Jersey and Delaware over the weekend said Monday that a tornado also touched down in Pennsylvania. The tornados were generated as a line of severe thunderstorms crossed the region Saturday night. Forecasters said one EF- 1 tornado with peak wind speeds of 95 to 105 mph (153 to 169 kph) touched down in Wrightstown and traveled almost 4 miles (6.5 kilometers) to Newtown in Bucks County. Four other storms were confirmed in New Jersey and one in Delaware, where a person was found dead in a heavily damaged home. The Delaware Emergency Management Agency said it was the first tornado-related death in the state in 40 years. Nationwide, there were more than 800 severe weather reports over the weekend, including reports of hail, high winds and tornadoes, Bunker said. Photo: Debris covers the ground around damaged homes in Wynne, Ark., on Saturday, April 1, 2023. Unrelenting tornadoes that tore through parts of the South and Midwest that shredded homes and shopping centers. (AP Photo/Adrian Sainz) Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Trends New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! South Carolinas workplace safety agency engages in egregious discrimination, by failing to inspect industries with high percentages of Black workers, a union alleged in a federal complaint. The South Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Administration has neglected fields with more Black workers like food service and retail, thereby exposing Black workers to an unacceptable and inequitable risk of injuries and illness, the Union of Southern Service Workers wrote in a complaint on Tuesday to the U.S. Department of Labor. The union particularly complained about how the state conducted programmed inspections, pre-planned events that arent responding to particular referrals or fatalities. In several recent years, South Carolina OSHA conducted one or zero such inspections each in major industries including warehousing, food service, food and beverage retail, and merchandise retailers, according to the complaint. These industries comprise 16% of the states workforce and have disproportionately high percentages of Black workers, the union said, citing state and federal data. The safety agency has focused the lions share of its planned inspections on the construction and contracting industries, which contain a smaller percentage of the states workforce and have a lower proportion of Black workers. More than 70% of such inspections were in these two sectors, according to the complaint. South Carolina OSHA did not immediately respond to an inquiry. The agencys field operation manual states that programmed inspections are for high hazard and special emphasis. USSW, a Service Employees International Union affiliate, is mounting strikes Tuesday in major metropolitan areas in the US Southeast, including Atlanta, Raleigh and Durham in North Carolina, and Columbia, South Carolina. Organizers said hundreds of retail, fast food, warehouse and hospitality employees planned to walk off the job. Its not just construction workers that need these inspections, said Sersie Cobb, a Ryder System Inc. warehouse worker whos striking on Tuesday. Its everybody across the board. Industries like fast food and retail come with significant safety risks, the union said, including workplace burns, extreme, unrelieved heat, possible electrocution due to exposed electrical wires, and fire hazards. On multiple occasions, South Carolina OSHA inadequately responded to concerns workers pursued with help of the union, the complaint said. In one case, the agency took two months to respond to an ongoing hazard. In another, the agency dismissed a complaint after the company defended itself using photos that were from a different worksite. South Carolina is one of 22 states that has its own agency that enforces private sector workplace safety law, rather than leaving that to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The unions complaint Tuesday urges the Labor Department to investigate and ensure the state agency obeys the law, or place the state under US OSHAs direct authority instead. 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Copyright 2023 Bloomberg. Topics South Carolina Construction can proceed related to a major oil project on Alaskas petroleum-rich North Slope after a federal judge on Monday rejected requests to halt work until challenges to the Biden administrations recent approval are resolved. The decision means ConocoPhillips Alaska can forge ahead with cold-weather construction work, including mining gravel and using it to extend a road toward the Willow project. U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason said support for the project by Alaska political leaders including state lawmakers and Alaskas bipartisan congressional delegation was a key factor in her decision. She said she gave considerable weight to the support for Willow by an Alaska Native village corporation, an Alaska Native regional corporation and the North Slope Borough, while also recognizing that support for the project among Alaska Natives is not unanimous. Environmental groups and an Alaska Native organization, Sovereign Inupiat for a Living Arctic, had urged Gleason to delay construction related to Willow. In separate lawsuits, they ultimately want Gleason to overturn the projects approval, saying the U.S. Bureau of Land Management failed to consider an adequate range of alternatives. To prevent the worst of climate changes future harms including even more extreme weather the head of the United Nations recently called for an end to new fossil fuel exploration and for rich countries to quit coal, oil and gas by 2040. A ConocoPhillips Alaska executive, Stephen Bross, in court documents warned that an order blocking construction could make it impossible for the project to begin production by Sept. 1, 2029, and that the company risks having its leases expire if the unit hasnt produced oil by then. The Willow project is in the northeast portion of the National Petroleum Reserve- Alaska, where there has been debate over how much of the region should be available to oil and gas development. The Biden administration in 2022 limited oil and gas leasing to just over half the reserve, which is home to polar bears, caribou, millions of migratory birds and other wildlife. There are multiple exploration and development projects within 50 miles (80 kilometers) of the Willow project, including other discoveries being pursued by ConocoPhillips Alaska, the largest oil producer in the state. The other lawsuit over the Willow project, filed by Trustees for Alaska on behalf of Sovereign Inupiat for a Living Arctic and environmental groups, said federal agencies failed to take a hard look at the direct, indirect and cumulative impacts of Willow and that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service failed to address impacts to polar bears, a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. Bridget Psarianos, lead staff attorney with Trustees for Alaska, in a statement called Gleasons decision heartbreaking for all who want to protect local communities and prevent more devastating climate impacts in the Arctic and around the world. We will do everything we can to protect the region while the merits of our case get heard. Justice Department lawyers had argued that last months decision by the Biden administration approving Willow was based in science and consistent with all legal requirements. They also said the environmental review thoroughly analyzed emissions related to the use of oil produced by the project and that the analysis sought by Earthjustice is overreaching. But the Biden administration has defended the decision on Willow and the presidents climate record. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, who opposed Willow when she was a New Mexico congresswoman, called the project a difficult and complex issue involving leases issued by prior administrations. She said there was limited decision space and that the administration focused on how to reduce the projects footprint and minimize its impacts to people and to wildlife. Global demand for crude is expected to continue rising, according to industry analysts and the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Energy Oil Gas Construction Source: Andrew Semple April 5, 2023 (Investorideas.com Newswire) The company's material increase in profitability during the quarter is a healthy step toward reaching free cash flow break even status, noted an Echelon Capital Markets report. Jushi Holdings Inc.'s (JUSH:CSE; JUSHF:OTCQX) Q4/22 financials were notable for a "steep step-up in profitability" and otherwise "met expectations," reported Echelon Capital Markets analyst Andrew Semple in a March 31 research note. Florida-based Jushi is a U.S.-focused producer and retailer of branded cannabis products. "Jushi reported Q4/22 results that we view as solid in the context of soft earnings reports from other U.S. cannabis companies," Semple commented. Review of Results Semple presented the key points about Jushi's Q4/22 financials. During this quarter, Jushi generated US$76.8 million (US$76.8M) of revenue, which beat Echelon and the Street's forecasts of US$76.1M and US$77.1M, respectively. Q4/22 revenue reflected a 16.6% year-over-year increase and a 5.5% quarter-over-quarter rise. What was a surprise, Semple noted, was Jushi's wholesale revenues, which came in at nearly US$8M. Not only did this surpass Echelon's expected US$6.5M, but also it was a 38% quarter-over-quarter increase. "We believe these wholesale gains can be held and built further upon in 2023 as Jushi brings online additional capacity in Virginia and Pennsylvania, upgrades its genetic mix, and finetunes operations," wrote Semple. Gross margin in Q4/22 was 28.6%, but this was impacted by about US$5.5M in nonrecurring inventory adjustments. Without these, Semple wrote, Echelon believes adjusted gross margin would have been around 35.8%, but even this percentage fell short of Echelon's 41.1% projection and consensus' 40.5% estimate. Jushi's Q4/44 EBITDA was US$6M, above Echelon and the Street's forecasts of US$4.2M and US$4.3M, respectively. "This was a marked improvement toward Jushi beginning to demonstrate a pathway towards break-even free cash flow," wrote Semple. Jushi ended 2022 with US$27.1M in cash. Need To Raise Capital Despite Jushi recently refinancing about US$76M in senior secured notes, Semple wrote, it will need to raise capital sometime this year. Echelon estimates the company will need US$20M before year-end 2023 and another US$20M for 2024. This US$40M total is down from Echelon's previous forecast of US$75M, the US$35M drop reflecting Jushi's efforts to quickly reduce its opex and capex spending. Echelon believes a US$40M capital raise over the next 18 months should get Jushi to a break-even, levered free cash flow status. To raise funds, management is in discussions with commercial lenders and considering divesting its California retail stores that are not generating cash flow. Hold Rating Reiterated Echelon updated its financial model on Jushi, slightly increasing 2023 forecasts but lowering longer-term forecasts. Echelon reiterated its Hold rating but reduced its price target on the cannabis firm to CA$0.70 per share, about which it is currently trading, from CA$1.20. "We believe the business is likely to sustain itself, but over the next two years we see little levered free cash flow accruing that would be available for shareholders, and Jushi's leverage ratios will remain above our coverage average, leading us to remain on the sidelines with a Hold rating," Semple explained. Disclosures: 1) Doresa Banning wrote this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an independent contractor. She or members of her household own securities of the following companies mentioned in the article: None. She or members of her household are paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None. 2) The following companies mentioned in this article are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: None. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. As of the date of this article, an affiliate of Streetwise Reports has a consulting relationship with: None. Please click here for more information. 3) Comments and opinions expressed are those of the specific experts and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. 4) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports. 5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the decision to publish an article until three business days after the publication of the article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases. 6) This article does not constitute medical advice. Officers, employees and contributors to Streetwise Reports are not licensed medical professionals. Readers should always contact their healthcare professionals for medical advice. Disclosures For Echelon Capital Markets, Jushi Holdings Inc., March 31, 2023 Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. is a member of IIROC and CIPF. The documents on this website have been prepared for the viewer only as an example of strategy consistent with our recommendations; it is not an offer to buy or sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any security or instrument or to participate in any particular investing strategy. Any opinions or recommendations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. cannot accept any trading instructions via e-mail as the timely receipt of e-mail messages, or their integrity over the Internet, cannot be guaranteed. Dividend yields change as stock prices change, and companies may change or cancel dividend payments in the future. All securities involve varying amounts of risk, and their values will fluctuate, and the fluctuation of foreign currency exchange rates will also impact your investment returns if measured in Canadian Dollars. Past performance does not guarantee future returns, investments may increase or decrease in value and you may lose money. Data from various sources were used in the preparation of these documents; the information is believed but in no way warranted to be reliable, accurate and appropriate. Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. employees may buy and sell shares of the companies that are recommended for their own accounts and for the accounts of other clients. Echelon Wealth Partners compensates its Research Analysts from a variety of sources. The Research Department is a cost centre and is funded by the business activities of Echelon Wealth Partners including, Institutional Equity Sales and Trading, Retail Sales and Corporate and Investment Banking. U.S. Disclosures: This research report was prepared by Echelon Wealth Partners Inc., a member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada and the Canadian Investor Protection Fund. This report does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities discussed herein. Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. is not registered as a broker-dealer in the United States and is not be subject to U.S. rules regarding the preparation of research reports and the independence of research analysts. Any resulting transactions should be effected through a U.S. broker-dealer. ANALYST CERTIFICATION Company: Jushi Holdings Inc. | CSE:JUSH I, Andrew Semple, hereby certify that the views expressed in this report accurately reflect my personal views about the subject securities or issuers. I also certify that I have not, am not, and will not receive, directly or indirectly, compensation in exchange for expressing the specific recommendations or views in this report. 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(Investorideas.com Newswire) UGE International Ltd. (TSXV: UGE) (OTCQB: UGEIF) (the "Company" or "UGE"), a leader in commercial and community solar, reported its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2022. UGE reports all amounts in US dollars. In 2022, UGE continued to grow its business of developing, building, financing, owning, and operating commercial and community solar and energy storage facilities. The Company executed on its strategic plan in 2022, by growing its project development backlog, moving its projects towards construction, expanding its operating portfolio, and scaling both its balance sheet and leadership team. Key financial results in 2022 included: Ended 2022 with 2.3 MW of operating assets that contributed $350.6K of operating income with a 93% gross margin representing an increase of 85% in recurring revenue over the prior year. As UGE continues to scale its operational portfolio, recurring revenue will continue to grow and become the Company's dominant source of revenue. Realized revenue of $3.8 MM, representing growth of 42% over 2021. Revenue included $2.7 MM in one-time revenue from client-financed EPC agreements, compared to $2.3 MM in the prior year, and $732.0K in engineering and consulting revenues, compared to $246.7K in the prior year. Total gross margins were 36% compared with 32% in 2021. Net loss of $7.4 MM for the year, compared with $4.2 MM for the prior year, as the Company invests in developing its project portfolio. The change was primarily driven by increased headcount as the Company built out its team to accommodate growth, along with as-expected increases in financing expenses. Adjusted net loss was $7.5MM in 2022 vs $4.9 MM in 2021. Cash used in operations was $6.5 MM and the cash and cash equivalents balance at December 31, 2022 was $2.1 MM Key business highlights in 2022 included: Reached commercial operation on three solar facilities totaling 1,430kW for a total of 2,326kW at December 31, 2022, which more than doubled operating capacity from 896kW at December 31, 2021. Grew the US project backlog to 260 MW compared with 148 MW on December 31, 2021. Grew the Company's green bond fundraising initiative, which included the issuance of $13.4M CAD (US$9.9MM) of bonds in 2022 which are secured against portfolios of projects pledged by the Company. The initiative has led to what management believes is a competitive source of capital versus other solar project developers and supports the Company's long term growth plans. Developed our project backlog which will lead to a significant increase in projects reaching Notice to Proceed ("NTP") (Stage 4.1) in 2023, the point at which they are cleared for construction. Streamlined the Company's strategy by marketing projects developed in the Philippines for sale and focusing the Company's project development and ownership efforts on the robust U.S. market. Completed the Company's first acquisition of a project developed by another company, a 3.5MW community solar project in Oregon which will reach NTP in 2023. UGE believes that by leveraging its full-lifecycle platform and financing capabilities, it can complement its project development efforts through selective acquisitions of projects developed by third parties while generating strong returns and gaining access to new or strategic markets. Added senior leadership strength by way of Andrew Hines, the Company's Chief Commercial Officer. Mr. Hines was previously co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of CleanMAX. Subsequent to year-end, the Company also added Trevor Weed as its Chief Operating Officer as our incumbent, Robert van Duynhoven, retires. Mr. Weed was previously Chief Operating Officer of Blue Raven Solar. Subsequent Events Already within 2023 the Company has reached commercial operation on a 1.4MW project in Texas as well as NTP on 10.1MW of projects, all of which are expected to become operational and revenue-generating within 2023. The Company completed a first close of a green bond for gross proceeds of CAD$1.4M (US$1.0M), as well as various project financing closes. "In 2022, we stayed focused on executing our long-term growth strategy of developing, owning, and operating our portfolio as a renewable independent power producer ("IPP")," said UGE's CEO, Nick Blitterswyk. "Our portfolio is rapidly maturing, as witnessed by our numerous project milestones achieved so far in 2023, and we are excited to scale our operating portfolio and project development backlog significantly in 2023." Full financial results and Management's Discussion and Analysis are posted to SEDAR (www.sedar.com) as well as on the Company's website. Online Webinar Details UGE's CEO, Nick Blitterswyk, and CFO, Stephanie Bird, will be hosting a webinar to provide further analysis of the financial results and to answer your questions following the presentation. You can register for the webinar, below: Date: Wednesday April 5, 2022 Time: 11:00am EDT Register Here About UGE UGE develops, owns, and operates commercial and community solar projects in the US and strategic markets abroad. Our distributed energy solutions deliver cheaper, cleaner energy to businesses and consumers with no upfront cost. With over 500MW of global experience, we work daily to power a more sustainable world. For more information, contact UGE at: +1 917 720 5685 Nick Blitterswyk: investors@ugei.com Forward-Looking Statements Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the anticipated use of proceeds, and the listing of the Green Debentures on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. More Info: This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. 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Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp The head of the Swiss financial regulator has defended the rescue of Credit Suisse through a takeover by rival bank UBS as the solution with the least risk of creating a wider crisis and damaging Switzerlands standing as a financial centre. The merger was the best option and one that minimised risk of contagion and maximised trust, said Urban Angehrn, chief executive of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority, or FINMA. Mr Angern said two other options a takeover by the Swiss government or putting Credit Suisse into insolvency proceedings had serious drawbacks. Insolvency would have left the functional parts of Credit Suisse in operation as a Swiss-only bank but one with a damaged reputation through bankruptcy, he told reporters in the Swiss capital of Bern. A temporary takeover by the Swiss government would have exposed taxpayers to the risk of losses. One can well imagine, what devastating effect the insolvency of a big wealth management bank of Credit Suisse AG would have had on Swiss private banking, Mr Angern said. Many other Swiss banks could have faced a bank run, just as Credit Suisse did itself in the fourth quarter. The globes biggest banks, including Credit Suisse, are required to submit emergency plans for winding them up if they fail, a measure arrived at through international negotiations aimed at preventing a repeat of the 2008 global financial crisis triggered by the failure of globally connected US investment bank Lehman Brothers. Triggering such an emergency plan would have achieved its immediate aim of preserving payments and supporting the economy in Switzerland, Mr Angehrn said. But the damage to Switzerland as a place to do business, to the reputation of Switzerland, to tax revenue and jobs, would have been enormous, he added. Swiss government officials, including the financial regulator, hastily orchestrated a 3.25 billion dollar takeover of Credit Suisse by UBS on March 19 after Credit Suisses stock plunged and jittery depositors quickly pulled out their money. Authorities feared that a teetering Credit Suisse could further upset global financial markets following the collapse of two US banks. Credit Suisse shareholders did not get to vote on the deal after the government passed an emergency ordinance to bypass that step. Shareholders aired criticisms of Credit Suisses struggles at what may have been the banks last annual general meeting on Tuesday. UBS faces shareholders at its annual meeting on Wednesday. Cork, Dublin and Galway are set to benefit from the expansion of five multinationals in Ireland which will see 100 jobs created across the three cities. Spreading across a range of sectors, Minister for Enterprise, Simon Coveney announced this morning that the jobs demonstrated Ireland's position as an "excellent choice" in terms of both geographic location and skilled talent. Announcing the opening of its first international office in Cork, Texas-headquartered chemistry, manufacturing and controls platform QbDVision will create 15 jobs over the next four years. The CMC company is the creator of a digital platform designed to accelerate the drug development lifecycle and help organisations deliver breakthrough therapies. Additionally, healthcare solutions firm, Movano Health has announced plans to grow its Irish subsidiary in Cork to more than 20 employees to cater for further growth. The company already employs five people in its Cork offices at the Rubicon Centre, with engineering jobs across circuit design and firmware on offer as the firm works towards the launch of its first commercial product, the Evie Ring. Tech and managed service innovator, Xenon arc, headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, has announced the creation of a new office in Dublin, hiring more than 20 people. Employees will be hired across sales, marketing, support and data analytics for EMEA, with the firm specialising in advanced technical support and digital solutions to industrial manufacturers of chemical, industrial, food ingredients and more. Payments solutions company, Total Processing plans to hire 25 employees across the country as the UK-headquartered firm expands across Ireland. Employees will work under the leadership of Elaine Deehan as the new managing director for its expansion into the European Union market. Specialising in helping clients navigate payment processing, the company has been named one of the fastest-growing companies in the UK. Finally, Alliance Strategies, the umbrella entity that serves the Alliance Abroad global footprint has announced plans to hire 15 new employees as part of an expansion in Galway. The jobs will be created in the next five years, with the Texas-headquartered company currently operating across eight offices globally. Its Galway hub will lead the company's strategy in areas of global marketing, finance and corporate support. I am delighted to welcome these new companies to Ireland," said IDA interim chief executive, Mary Buckley. "I particularly welcome the locational spread of these investments which shows that the technology offering, availability of talent and attractive work-life balance resonates with overseas investors. Gardai will pursue "predators" in the Defence Forces, in an operation that is already investigating 26 allegations of abuse. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said a national operation has been set up to receive complaints from serving or retired Defence Force members of rape and sexual assault. He has encouraged Defence Force members who have a complaint to contact their local Garda station. Gardai are already investigating reports of sexual assault in the Defence Forces dating back as far as the 1960s, he said. There may be predators out there, and we need to make sure that if individuals are accused of multiple offences, that we gather all the evidence and report that to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Mr Harris said. We have set up a national operation in terms of receiving complaints from retired and indeed serving members of the Defence Forces who wish to make a complaint of sexual assault or serious sexual assault. Thats in place already. A damning report was recently published which uncovered shocking allegations of bullying, sexual abuse, and discrimination within the Defence Forces. An independent review groups (IRG) report found a discernible pattern of rape and sexual assault within the Defence Forces. Some 88% of female respondents to an IRG survey said they experienced one or more forms of sexual harassment, compared with 17% of male respondents. Mr Harris said that gardai had received reports from Defence Force members about alleged abuse prior to the reports publication and prior to the documentary Women of Honour, which also highlighted abuse in the forces. We had received reports dating right back to the early 60s. So there have been a number of reports received that weve investigated. He said that gardai have searched records to look for reports of abuse in the Defence Forces and to make sure that they were properly investigated. Gardai 'stand ready' Gardai at both national and divisional level stand ready to take and investigate complaints, he said. The Protective Services Bureau will collate and coordinate the operation at a national level, led by the chief superintendent in charge at that bureau, Mr Harris said. And at the divisional level, the protective services units would deal with divisional reports. "A member or ex-member of the Defence Forces who has a complaint to make can go to any division and we encourage them to do so. "Historically, there are 26 complaints at the moment. We would expect to receive more complaints and I would hope people feel encouraged to come forward and make complaints. If you go to the local garda station you will be put in touch with the specialist officers who deal with this. We view ourselves as being competent in investigating criminal complaints of serious sexual assault and we will be taking those forward. We have our protective service units, they are experienced and qualified investigators and we stand ready to take complaints. And we would encourage individuals who do wish to make a complaint to come forward to any Garda division and their complaint will be dealt with in confidence and reported to the DPP." We have the necessary skills in each of our divisions to deal with such complaints but we want to have national oversight in terms of progress of those investigations but also sharing information. We have to take into account that victims may have been victimised, attacked on a number of occasions. "So there is a need for national coordination in terms of addressing this issue." Gardai had been in contact with military authorities prior to the IRG report, he said. The murder of two best friends inspired the original concept of a joint office of the First and deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland. Damien Trainor and Philip Allen were killed by the LVF in a bar in Poyntzpass, Co Down, just weeks before the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement was signed. The murder of the friends, one of whom was Catholic and the other Protestant, saw then UUP leader David Trimble and SDLP deputy leader Seamus Mallon take a break from the political talks for a powerful display of unity. SDLP negotiator Mark Durkan told the PA news agency that their friendship inspired him to propose a joint First and deputy First Minister for the new Assembly. However, he said the original concept, where the Assembly voted in the First and deputy First Ministers, was changed in the St Andrews Agreement in 2006 to allow the largest party to nominate a First Minister, and second largest to nominate a deputy First Minister, without an Assembly vote. This has seen periods of paralysis, from 2017-2020 when Sinn Fein refused to nominate a deputy First Minister, and more recently when the DUP refused to nominate. Looking back to 1998, Mr Durkan said Mr Mallon told him that it was important that the talks were seen to be going on so political dialogue was seen to have primacy over violence. I can remember round the talks table that morning, it was the period that Sinn Fein had been expelled so they werent there, but there was a united determination that the sort of violence that had been carried out by the LVF was not going to win out, he said. I said that the stories we were hearing about Philip and Damiens friendship could be a parable for the type of society we might create if we could reach an agreement, and that it would take our parties, plus Sinn Fein when they returned, to reach an agreement and give the people the final say not the LVF or any other paramilitary group. We went on to argue about our different models of government, but maybe there was less rhetoric in the argument that day, more practicality. Mr Durkan said later that day he saw television footage of Mr Trimble and Mr Mallon together in Poyntzpass. He said watching a leader of unionism and a leader of nationalism binding the wounds of the community inspired his idea of a joint office of First Ministers. We didnt like the idea of a hierarchy of designations, but because we were faced with a number of criticisms of our proposals, and we hadnt worked out exactly how to appoint the First Minister and whether is there a second minister, the pictures from Poyntzpass created this idea of a joint office, he said. SDLP negotiator Mark Durkan (PA) David Trimble had the idea put in front of him, and it was only two weeks out from the Good Friday Agreement, he was very clear, he was possibly on for the joint office, but it had to be different titles, so the insistence was, one would be First, the other deputy First, but the substantive point was the powers would be joint and equal. Mr Durkan said he would like to see the original concept revisited. In the original Good Friday Agreement the joint First Ministers were elected by the Assembly, that people would have to be jointly nominated and jointly elected by the Assembly, and the Good Friday Agreement didnt specify that one had to be from one designation or they had to be from different parties, he said. At St Andrews the rules were changed so that instead of First Ministers being jointly elected, an algorithm was introduced, or what I would call a tribalgorithm, that said one party would exclusively have the right to nominate a First Minister, and another party according to the number of seats etc would have the right to nominate the deputy First Minister nobody else would have the right to nominate and no joint vote by the Assembly. Some of us did warn Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern at St Andrews that this was going to further tribalise Assembly elections, and it was going to create powers that could be turned into vetoes. The situation we have had for the past year where the DUP have refused deputy First Minister has kept the Assembly in abeyance, that goes back to changes that were made at St Andrews. My belief is we should go back to something more like what was in the original Good Friday Agreement, and have the Assembly jointly elect First Ministers. Homelessness campaigner Fr Peter McVerry has apologised to Leo Varadkar after claiming the Taoiseach had overruled Minister for Housing Darragh OBrien on extending the temporary moratorium on no-fault evictions. Mr Varadkar had denied the allegation. Speaking to RedFMs Neil Prendeville Show, Fr McVerry accepted the Taoiseachs denial as true. The phrase I was given was that the Taoiseach had overridden the minister. "In light of the Taoiseachs denial, which I accept as true, I believe that that phrase was unfortunate and inaccurate suggesting as it does a conflict or dispute between the Taoiseach and the minister. Darragh OBrien and Leo Varadkar (Brian Lawless/PA) So whatever the circumstances leading up to the decision to end the ban, which are now irrelevant as the decision has been made, I accept that the minister along with the rest of the Cabinet and the Taoiseach made the decision together to end the ban. Fr McVerry said this was both a clarification and an apology to the Taoiseach. He said he wanted to put an end to the dispute as it is a distraction from the real issue of where do people go when they are evicted. Earlier this week, Fr McVerry said the ending of the temporary moratorium on no-fault evictions is the worst decision the Government had made. More than 4,300 notices to quit were recorded in the final three months of 2022, latest figures from the Residential Tenancies Board show. This compares with 4,741 issued between July and September while the data for the first three months of 2023 has yet to be released. We have a tsunami of misery coming down the road, he said. Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik has renewed a call to Government to reintroduce he eviction ban. Ms Bacik said she was calling on Mr OBrien to clarify whether a request had been made to the Residential Tenancies Board to delay publication of Q4 notice-to-quit figures until after the Dail had risen. Thats evidence that we should have had going into those Dail debates and its evidence the Government should have had in making a decision whether or not to lift the ban, she said. Ms Bacik also called for the publication of the Attorney Generals advice on the eviction ban. Its very unlikely that the Attorney General would have said categorically that they couldnt extend the ban for a short term, she said. Was there any legal basis for the lifting of the ban decision, or was it in fact made purely politically? Labour TD Aodhan O Riordain said the announcement of a child poverty initiative from the Department of the Taoiseach rings incredibly hollow in the context of the ending of the eviction ban. They do feel strangely timed and they do ring incredibly hollow when you realise just the statistics and the misery and the uncertainty and the insecurity thats now being heaped on so many vulnerable families, he said. People who experience sleep problems are more likely to have a stroke, new research has found. Problems including getting too much or too little sleep, taking long naps, snoring, snorting, and sleep apnoea are associated with an increased risk of stroke, a global study co-led by the University of Galway has found. Findings include that people who slept for too many or too few hours were more likely to have a stroke than people who slept an average number of hours. They also found snorers are almost twice as likely as non-snorers to have a stroke. Lead author Dr Christine McCarthy said their results suggest sleep problems should be an area of focus for stroke prevention. Dr McCarthy, Stroke and Geriatric Medicine Physician, PhD researcher with the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at University of Galway, said risks vary based on the number of symptoms a person has. Not only do our results suggest that individual sleep problems may increase a persons risk of stroke but having more than five of these symptoms may lead to five times the risk of stroke compared to those who do not have any sleep problems, she said. The international study involved 4,496 people, including 2,238 people who had a stroke matched to 2,258 people who did not have a stroke. Participants average age was 62. They were quizzed on sleep behaviours including hours of sleep, napping, snoring, snorting, breathing problems during sleep, and overall sleep quality. The study found breathing problems during sleep, including snoring, snorting, and sleep apnoea were significantly associated with stroke. Participants who reported sleep apnoea and snorting were nearly three times more likely to have a stroke, while people who snored were nearly twice more likely to have a stroke than those who did not. People who slept for more than nine hours or people who slept less than five hours were more likely to have a stroke than people who slept an average number of hours. Risk factors The team reported extensive adjusting for other factors that could affect the risk of stroke, such as smoking, physical activity, depression, and alcohol consumption, did not change the results. Co-lead on the international INTERSTROKE study Professor Martin O Donnell said one in four people over the age of 25 around the world will have a stroke. Prof O Donnell, professor of Neurovascular Medicine at University of Galway and Consultant Stroke Physician at Galway University Hospitals, also called for more research on this area. We know from our INTERSTROKE study research that many strokes could be prevented, and this study has been designed to inform approaches to population-level prevention, he said. We now need to factor in sleep problems as one of the associations with stroke, and the need for targeted research evaluating interventions design to prevent, and improve, sleep impairments. The research was published in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Findings were released as part of the wider INTERSTROKE project and can be accessed on the University of Galway website from today. The UK government has won an appeal against a tribunal's conclusion that a UK entry ban could not be imposed on former Defence Forces soldier Lisa Smith convicted of membership of the so-called Islamic State (IS) terror group. Lisa Smith, 41, an ex-Defence Forces member, was found guilty in May last year of IS membership, but cleared of a separate charge of financing terrorism, after a nine-week trial at the Special Criminal Court. She lost an appeal against the severity of her 15-month prison sentence last month. Before her conviction, Smith was made the subject of a British Home Office-issued exclusion order, preventing her from entering the UK, from December 2019, on the grounds of public security. However, Smith successfully appealed against the order at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC), which concluded in May last year that the enforcement action in her case would be "incapable of justification". British home secretary Suella Braverman appealed against the SIAC decision, saying it was wrong to decide Smith had "immunity" from exclusion. In a ruling on Wednesday, senior judges allowed the British government's appeal. Smith, a convert to Islam, went to Syria in 2015 after terrorist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi called on Muslims to travel there. Her father is originally from Belfast and her dispute with the Home Office centred on whether she is entitled to enter the UK as a result. The UK has a legal right to exclude non-British citizens from EEA (European Economic Area) countries, including Ireland, but that does not cover those of dual nationality. Smith was born in Ireland, but due to her parents being unmarried at the time, missed out on automatic British citizenship. Read More British government bids to reimpose UK entry ban on Lisa Smith Her lawyers said she is not responsible for this "accident of birth" and is entitled to be treated as a British citizen. Justice Elisabeth Laing, in findings supported by Justice Lewis, concluded that there had been "no difference in treatment" of Smith when she is compared with someone in similar circumstances but who was a dual British-Irish national. The judge said: "In each case, the secretary of state used, or would use, the available tool which best neutralises the risk which each poses to national security, by ensuring that she cannot enter the United Kingdom. "In (Smith's) case, that is an exclusion order; and in the case of the comparator, it would be deprivation of the second citizenship." Justice Laing added that if there was a difference in treatment it had "an objective and reasonable justification". "The legitimate aim is the protection of national security," she said. In Wednesday's ruling, Justice Underhill also said he would allow the appeal, but for different reasons. The judge approached the case on the basis Smith had established she was treated differently, but noted she had chosen not to apply for British citizenship. "In those circumstances, it does not seem to me disproportionate to treat her in accordance with her chosen status as a foreign national," Justice Underhill said, adding that it would be "extraordinary" for her to have the right to freely enter the UK as a British citizen without being willing to acquire that status. The judge said: Ms Smith cannot have it both ways. If she wishes to be treated as a British citizen she must accept the obligations that go with that status, including allegiance to the crown, which is owed by those who are British from birth just as much as by those who acquire nationality subsequently. The court was told at a hearing in February that Smith, from Co. Louth, does not want to be a British national nor dual Irish-British citizen, having previously said she identifies as Irish. The government's lawyers accepted she had the right to apply to be a British national, after which it could be decided whether to deprive her of citizenship and exclude her. Smith's lawyers claimed it was discriminatory to require her to apply for British nationality and take an oath of allegiance because it was "not consistent with her right to self-identify as Irish, a right safeguarded by the Good Friday Agreement". The man who died in a house fire in Cork City on Tuesday was named locally as convicted killer Conor Downey, who had moved back to his family home following his release from prison in 2012. The 57-year-old was pronounced dead after being found in his home in following the blaze in Douglas. His body has since been removed to Cork University Hospital where a post-mortem is set to take place at a later date. Downey had previously served jail time in both England and Ireland. He was jailed for manslaughter in London in 1993 after he confessed to the 1988 killing of 26-year-old Donegal woman Suzanne Redden. The remains of the woman were only discovered in 1992, after Downey himself went to police in Surrey and confessed to the crime. He said he strangled her after she withdrew consent when they were having sex. His victims limbs were recovered but her torso was never found. He was jailed for three years in England and after he was released, he returned to Cork to live in the late 1990s. In February 2003, Downey, who was 34 at the time, was jailed for four years for causing harm to a doctor. Dr Pat Lee had taken a blood test from Downey during the murder investigation of Rachel Kiely. The 22-year-old woman was murdered at the Regional Park, Ballincollig on October 26, 2000. Dr Lee had taken a blood sample from Downey by request of the gardai. A number of individuals were being tested during the investigation. Downey later arrived in Dr Lees surgery carrying a long-bladed butchers boning knife and he shouted: "You took blood from me and Im going to court because of you." Gardai at the scene of the fatal house fire. The knife was pointed at Dr Lees stomach and at his chest and he suffered cuts to his hands trying to protect himself. The blood sample ended up proving that Downey had nothing to do with the murder of Ms Kiely. However, it instead ended up linking him to a different case. Downey was arrested by gardai in May 2001 in relation to the 1988 rape of a woman in Cork. He broke into her house, sexually assaulted her and beat her. In that case, gardai testified that the woman was so badly beaten they thought she was wearing a Halloween mask. He was jailed for 12 years in 2004, after a trial in the Central Criminal Court in Dublin but was released early with remission. Release Following his release, he moved back to his family home in Douglas in 2012. His return to the area sparked a sense of extreme anxiety and fear from local residents. At the time, gardai were contacted by local politicians, households and community groups, all demanding to know what could have been done to remove him from the area. It was understood that a text campaign took place with people urging others to pass on texts warning of Downeys presence and asking them to make their displeasure known to gardai. Local politicians praised residents for not targeting Downeys house, which is in the heart of Douglas village. It is understood that Downey was living alone, and his parents are deceased. Downey was described by locals as being very quiet and having kept to himself over the past decade. Students at University College Cork (UCC) have voted to ban the promotion of student race days, with the UCC Students' Union (UCCSU) and to no longer condone or endorse events involving horse racing or betting on animals. It follows a motion, passed by the UCC Student Council, which was brought forward as a result of a petition by the UCC Vegan Society. While the UCCSU has not orgnaised or promoted a student race day event in recent years since the onset of the covid pandemic, it is understood the promotion of an event may have been on the cards for next year. The motion passed by students argued that the horse racing industry knowingly and willingly partakes in the mistreatment and abuse of animals. By promoting student race days, by extension the UCCSU would be promoting gambling and betting, it added. 'Animal abuse' Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), the national authority for thoroughbred racing in Ireland, receives huge subsidies from the Government, more than 72m for 2023, the motion argued. The horse racing industry receives large grants from the Government and therefore does not need the financial support of UCC Students Union and the students it represents," the motion stated. Furthermore, as animal welfare is an issue in the horse racing industry, it does not reflect the values of UCCSU. As gambling is a serious issue that can lead to long-term problems and supports an industry that enables animal abuse, the students' union should not promote these activities, it added. UCC student welfare officer Alannah OConnor said she believed the ban on horse racing would be a popular move amongst most students. Obviously, there is a cohort who enjoy it and see it as a day out, but for a larger cohort of students, they see the mistreatment of animals, and it is an event centred on gambling, she said. Previously, students voted for UCCSU to end affiliations with greyhound racing events and ban the promotion of such events, she added. The passing of the motion means it is now official UCCSU policy to place a ban on it being involved, running, or supporting events that involve horse racing or betting on animals, including a ban on using facilities belonging to HRI or any other horse racing facility. 'Wonderful care' A spokesman for HRI said it has seen sold-out student race days in recent weeks at Cork Racecourse, Limerick Racecourse, and Leopardstown. The success of these student days comes off the back of similar days at Galway, Sligo, and Down Royal racecourses, as well as noticeably young attendees at every racing festival, he stated. Ireland is renowned the world over for its breeding and racing of the very best of thoroughbred horses, he added. Co Cork is one of the counties most associated with that heritage, and Horse Racing Ireland would be more than happy to arrange a visit to a stable or stud for students from UCC who want to see up close the wonderful care and attention horses receive in our world-class industry," he said. The daughter of a nursing home resident who died during the covid-19 pandemic has said she wants accountability after an outbreak that left 24 residents dead. Susan Cummins from Grenagh in Cork said residents were left to die at the CareChoice nursing home in Ballynoe, Co Cork. This could have been prevented, but nothing was done. The staff knew they were in trouble and didnt get help, she said. Her mother, Madonna Manley, received a vaccination on January 22, 2021, despite awaiting test results for covid. She subsequently tested positive for the virus two days later, with Ms Cummins left questioning why staff did not await the results before administering the vaccine. On January 25, Ms Cummins rang to check on her mother and was told: Shes fine, shes just after passing me there, shes in great form, despite being covid positive. Ms Cummins runs three scenarios through her head following this call: that the staff were unaware of her mothers whereabouts; or the staff were unaware her mother had covid-19 and was mixing with other residents; or they were unaware Ms Cummins knew her mothers positive test result, and kept it from her. Days later, Ms Cummins said communications began to break down with no one answering the phones. Other families began to express concern that they could not make contact with Ballynoe. Madonna Manley received a vaccination on January 22, 2021, despite awaiting test results for covid. She subsequently tested positive for the virus two days later. Picture: Susan Cummins Ms Cummins brother then rang the family doctor and was told there was an outbreak. Then it started hitting the news, but we got no calls or anything ,and on the 31st we heard of a death, she said. It wasnt the same for everybody' On February 2, her brother received a call from a doctor to say their mother was weak but comfortable. There was no indication that she was going to die. They said they would ring that night to update us on her condition, she said. Ms Cummins received a call from her brother that night to say that their mother had died. Im still looking for answers, who identified her, who went in and pronounced her dead, she said. She must have felt so forgotten about and so abandoned and she must have been saying to herself, what did I do to deserve this? Ms Manleys family could not go to see their mother after her death due to covid restrictions. Her body was not released for over two days. We had no removal, we couldnt go into the funeral home. We just accepted the rules and the regulations, thinking it was the same for everybody, but it wasnt the same for everybody, she said. Ms Cummins spoke with other families who were notified that their loved ones did not have much time left and were allowed to go into Ballynoe and sit with them before they passed. Others were allowed to go to windows to say final goodbyes. Thank god for them because the last three years have been horrendous. We should have been notified that she was in danger and from what I can see, two days previous, there were concerns that she was not going to make it so we werent being told the whole truth, she said. Ms Cummins believes her mother, who was among the first few residents to die, may have been one of the unreported deaths from CareChoice Ballynoe. A spokeswoman for CareChoice Ballynoe said: The third wave of covid-19 which swept through Ireland and Cork in January and February 2021 tragically led to a number of deaths in Ballynoe. We acknowledge the deep loss of those who lost relatives in the outbreak in Ballynoe. We do not comment on any individual resident or their families. Residents with sores left alone' Sadie Allen worked in CareChoice Ballynoe Nursing Home for two years before quitting the profession in May 2021. The staff on the ground did everything they could. They did the best that they could but we didnt have that management support to coordinate or advise or give guidance, she said. Once covid-19 broke out and spread within the home, staff levels decreased. Ms Allen was asked by management to work in a non-covid ward after working within the positive ward where two patients were ill. Do you leave people with no care or do you take a risk? I didnt really have an option. Following more and more residents becoming positive, agency staff were brought in who Ms Allen said had no access to care plans which meant they were unaware of residents specific needs. They couldnt do what they should be doing, she said. Ms Allen said agency staff were not included in screen tests, an issue she raised with management. Positive residents were left in rooms with negative patients for days, she said. Towards the end of January 2021, Ms Allen was working within the negative ward when a member of management approached her at 11am and asked her if she knew where certain staff were. Ms Allen replied that she didnt know the staff named on the list. He told her there was no staff members in another ward which had six residents. The last person finished at 8am that morning, and these were sick people in the covid positive ward, she said. Up to that, they had no breakfast, they had no safety checks done from 8am until 11am and no medication. When I went into that ward, there were two residents that had been calling out all morning for somebody to come. Obviously nobody was coming so when they saw me they were really upset. Ms Allen said one of the residents told her she was so afraid because she had been calling for hours. They were really distraught, they knew they had been left alone, she said. One womans incontinence wear had not been changed in a while". She was covered in sores from the middle of her back down to the tops of her knees, oozing, raw, she said. Upon bringing management down to see the resident, he told her: Theres nothing we can do about it, just put some epidermal cream on it. It was through Care Champions that Ms Allen was able to tell the womans family about her care and her condition. They were told that she was great all along, she said. With no nurse at the time, medication was locked away without access. The unit had to be broken into using a crowbar. Management then did a medication round but with residents moved to different rooms, they were unaware of who needed what and had to be accompanied by Ms Allen who said it was extremely risky. Ms Allen wrote to the Minister for Health, Hiqa, and the local Covid Response Team (CRT) explaining what was happening in Ballynoe and questioned why they were not sending in HSE staff or PPE. Following this, she wrote to the head of the local CRT, raising concerns that families were not getting information, and that there were serious breaches in infection prevention control. Ms Allen said she was begging the response team to save lives and received a response the following day that her concerns were raised with management at Ballynoe, and was reassured that the issues raised would be rectified. However, despite this, Ms Allen said there were still a lot of deaths and families remained locked out. In response to Ms Allens comments, a spokeswoman for CareChoice Ballynoe said they had more staff on duty than usual throughout the outbreak. The home was fully staffed, resources from other CareChoice homes and agencies were made available to support the home during the outbreak and three senior clinical managers were on site to oversee the care delivery. All residents were regularly checked, and call bells were in place for residents to alert the staff for any assistance they need. Managers were on hand to support staff and continually checked on residents wellbeing. Our residents continued to receive person-centred care throughout the outbreak with all daily personal hygiene needs met, they said, before adding that the home was supported by local GPs and a consultant geriatrician throughout the outbreak. The home had a number of calls with the local HSE infection, prevention, and control team throughout the outbreak including calls on January 18, 25, and 31, 2021. "The staff in Ballynoe had access to an Employee Assistance Programme. A number of support meetings were held with staff from the February 24 onwards, with group and individual counselling available, they said. The spokeswoman said covid-19 testing and swabbing were conducted and overseen by HSE Public Health. We had no governance over the personnel carrying out swabbing. These were trained and qualified HSE public health staff allocated to testing and swabbing in nursing homes. To the best of our knowledge the procedures were in line with public health guidelines, she said. The spokeswoman also said there was no PPE shortage. The home had significant stocks of PPE, which was provided by the HSE on a weekly basis. The visors were for single use only and then disposed of safely, she said. Significant challenges in management A HIQA spokesperson said inspectors were in regular contact with the centre from the onset of the outbreak. Despite this regular contact, CareChoice Ballynoe Ltd failed to notify the chief inspector of the deaths of a number of residents in the centre in line with their regulatory obligations. The outbreak of covid-19 significantly challenged the registered provider to maintain effective governance and management arrangements in this centre, they said. The spokesperson said while CareChoice had implemented measures to support the care of residents and to fill vacant positions, they underestimated the contingency planning required to include effective communication arrangements with the residents' loved ones, appropriate staff training and supervision, safe medication management, and effective covid-19 infection prevention and control practices. The centre was also inspected twice in 2022, and residents who spoke with inspectors as they inspected the centre over this timeframe gave positive feedback about the centre and were complimentary about the staff and the care provided, and said that staff were kind and helpful. The HSE, which does not have a role in regulating private nursing homes, nor does it have the legal authority to direct action, said the basis for the response through the CRT to the private and voluntary sector was on the premise that the information received from providers was accurate. In many cases, we provided a very high level of support to centres in crisis, including redeploying staff to ensure care could continue to be provided to residents. Support was available and offered to CareChoice in relation to the outbreak at Ballynoe, in response to the information made available to us. Our understanding from CareChoice was that the company had access to its own Infection Prevention Control (IPC) expertise. Once CareChoice, as the legally registered provider of the Ballynoe nursing home, told us about the severity of the situation and the actual resources available to them, HSE staff responded accordingly, they said. Correspondence from the local CRT obtained under the Freedom of Information Act and seen by the Irish Examiner states that CareChoice confirmed on the first meeting with the Outbreak Control Team that they had access to IPC nurses. However, it subsequently arose that the IPC nurses had recently or were in the process of completing an IPC qualification and had not previously worked in an IPC role. The correspondence also shows the CRT highlighting concern at the number of deaths while also noting that no communication was received in relation to a significant number of additional deaths. The team was informed of the additional deaths by a geriatrician. Rarely a day goes by without something in the news about TikTok. Multiple countries are investigating its privacy practices, with the US considering a total ban on the app that is wildly popular amongst young people. There may be geopolitical forces at play between China and the USA, but the broad consensus seems to be that TikTok aggressively harvests data with extremely limited data protection in China, which arguably leaves children on the frontline of the internet. One Republican has recently compared TikTok to digital fentanyl. Last week, Emily Taylor, the editor of the UK Journal of Cyber Policy wrote that we need to have a mature debate on how to effectively regulate TikTok without effecting an outright ban. She conceded, however, the urgent necessity of protecting young TikTok users from addiction to the app, with excessive use impacting mental health and in particular causing harmful body-image anxiety. It's not headline news to any of us that the online world is at the heart of many childrens lives, with the collection of their data beginning early in their lives. It stands to reason that grown-ups must help young people manage this process and protect their rights. But what if it is parents who are exposing the children by sharing images and videos of their offspring online? The French seem to be ahead in regulating parental sharing of online images of children or what is sometimes referred to as sharenting (a contraction of the words parenting and sharing). In March, a new French bill, currently on its first reading before the French Senate, was introduced to deal with the infringement of the privacy of minors regarding online image sharing. This applies to all parents who share images of their children online and not just to so-called influencer parents, who turn their childrens childhoods into content. The first of its kind in the world, it has been welcomed by child psychologists and social media experts. It aims to make parents responsible for the privacy rights of their children, who cannot consent to their images being uploaded online. In extreme cases of problematic image sharing, a family law judge may intervene, assume partial parental rights, and prevent the sharing of images of a child. Any such law in Ireland would have to be framed differently because of the strong protection given to the authority of the family in the Constitution. Ethical issues Nonetheless, sharing images of children on social media brings both ethical issues and safety concerns, because what may be legal may not be ethical. The last report of a National Survey of Children, their Parents, and Adults regarding Online Safety threw up some interesting facts. Thirty nine per cent of parents admitted to sharing between one and nine items of their children including photos and videos in the previous month. Younger parents shared more, and mothers shared more than fathers. The most common reason given for sharing childrens content online was to keep in touch with family and friends, with 28% of parents reporting they did not see anything much to worry about when sharing photos of their children online. A statistic that gives pause for thought is that the French MP Bruno Studer, who proposed the new French bill, says 50% of the photographs of children exchanged on porn sites were lifted from photos unwittingly posted by parents on their social media accounts. Some commentators have argued that this statistic is out of date, coming from an Australian study that is years old, but experts agree there is a significant risk to posting an image online because you cant control where the image goes or how it is distributed. If a photo you post on social media has likes or shares, it can go halfway around the globe. Parental influencers Parental influencers who use TikTok and other social media platforms as marketing channels are arguably in a separate category from a parent who shares milestones with family and friends. One estimate is that there are about 39,000 influencers in Ireland, with some of the top influencers being parents who share online images and videos of their offspring. The idea of kids as mini hustlers or tastemakers is distasteful to some although there may be a generational aspect to this. And while globally a growing number of influencer parents (most of whom are women) are beginning to reconsider where and how often they share images of their kids online, a phalanx continues with the practice saying their children enjoy it. Leaving aside that a childs consent is illusory by virtue of their lack of capacity, it seems highly unlikely that tiny kids become influencers without intervention or prodding from parents. Naturally, sharing fun images online of a child, for sponsored posts is not the same as sending a child up a chimney, or into a factory, but it raises questions about child labour. The French have also addressed this problem. In 2020, a new French law regulated the work of child influencers like child models or child actors, preventing parents from exploiting them and controlling the hours they work. There are no such laws in Ireland. At the heart of measures like this is a debate about a childs privacy. Article 16 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child gives a child a right to privacy both online and offline. However, there would seem to be a broader philosophical question of how we view our children. The consensus by historians is that by the middle of the 18th century, the child began to be recognised as having individual needs from adults. In a digital age, perhaps we need to remind ourselves of the fact that however proud we may be of our children, they are not mini extensions of us. And online exposure to which they dont consent may humiliate them and leave them open to cyberbullying down the line. When daily, mental health professionals tell us to limit young peoples social media use, its hard to see the rationale for pushing children into the digital landscape. Also, children who routinely see photos or images of themselves online will see it as the norm. Sharing intimate images Last month, a senior garda told this newspaper there is a worrying rise in young people sharing intimate or nude images on their mobile phones and urged parents to become more vigilant about what is being shared. In March a new Media Commission under the Online Safety Act was signed into law. It will update the regulatory framework for video-sharing platform services and social media taking measures to protect users, in particular young people from harmful content including cyberbullying. This is part of an international trend to legally regulate social media which lagged behind social media use. We could say the internet outran us, we didnt know its darker implications, and digital mores were underdeveloped, but now we do. Responsible online behaviour as parents begins in our own digital backyard. At the very least we should try to model healthy online behaviour. And theres a line between sharing and oversharing. Children have a right to privacy and dignity as human beings. After all, we dont own them. For the first time in history, a former US president has appeared in court as a criminal defendant. Donald Trump surrendered to authorities on Tuesday after being indicted by a New York grand jury on charges related to hush-money payments at the height of the 2016 presidential election. Mr Trump, a 2024 presidential candidate, pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges in a Manhattan courtroom. Former president Donald Trump appears in court for his arraignment (Steven Hirsch/New York Post via AP, Pool) Heres what to know about Mr Trumps day in court: -Hush-money payments related to 2016 election Prosecutors unsealed the indictment against the former president Tuesday, giving Mr Trump, his lawyers and the world their first opportunity to see them. Mr Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Prosecutors said Mr Trump conspired to undermine the 2016 presidential election by trying to suppress information that could harm his candidacy, and then concealing the true nature of the hush-money payments. The payments were made to two women including a porn actor who claimed they had sexual encounters with him years earlier, and to a doorman at Trump Tower who claimed to have a story about a child Mr Trump fathered out of wedlock, according to the Manhattan district attorneys office. -Donald J Trump, defendant Mr Trump was only seen briefly outside the district attorneys office, where he surrendered to authorities and was booked and fingerprinted behind closed doors. Mr Trumps mugshot was not taken, according to two law enforcement officials who could not publicly discuss details of the process and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. As the former president entered the courtroom, he briefly looked at a huddle of news cameras but did not stop to speak to reporters. Inside the courtroom, Mr Trump sat at the defence table with his hands in his lap and his lawyers at his side. He looked right at photojournalists who were briefly allowed into the courtroom as they snapped his photo. During the rest of the proceeding, he stayed still with his hands together and looked straight ahead. Mr Trump only spoke briefly in court, telling the judge he was pleading not guilty and had been advised of his rights. The judge warned Mr Trump that he could be removed from the courtroom if he was disruptive. Mr Trump made no comment when he left court just under an hour later. Mr Trumps lawyer Todd Blanche said during the hearing that Mr Trump is absolutely frustrated, upset and believes that there is a great injustice happening in the courtroom. Todd Blanche, defense attorney for former President Donald Trump, leaves Manhattan criminal court (Yuki Iwamura/AP) -Mr Trumps response outside court Before he appeared in court, Mr Trump made posts on his social media network complaining that the heavily Democratic area was a VERY UNFAIR VENUE and THIS IS NOT WHAT AMERICA WAS SUPPOSED TO BE! As his motorcade carried him across Manhattan, he posted that the experience was SURREAL. The Republican has portrayed the Manhattan case and three separate investigations from the Justice Department and prosecutors in Georgia, as politically motivated. In recent weeks, he has lashed out at Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, called on his supporters to protest and warned about potential death and destruction if he were charged. -Bragg speaks briefly Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, speaking publicly for the first time since the indictment last week, held a brief news conference after the court proceedings in which he said the hush-money scheme constituted felony crimes in New York stateno matter who you are. We cannot and will not normalise serious criminal conduct, Mr Bragg said. The Democratic prosecutor said accurate and true business records are important everywhere, but especially in Manhattan, because it is the financial centre of the world. Mr Bragg was asked at the news conference why he was bringing the case now and if the timing was political. The district attorney said his office had additional evidence that his predecessor did not. I bring cases when theyre ready, he said. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks at a press conference (John Minchillo/AP) -Warnings and potential consequences The judge on Tuesday did not impose a gag order but warned Mr Trump to avoid making comments that were inflammatory or could cause civil unrest. If convicted of any one of the 34 felony charges, Mr Trump could face a maximum of four years in prison, but he would likely be sentenced to less. Any alleged offence punishable by more than one year in prison is called a felony in the US justice system. -Trial while campaigning for presidency Mr Trump is due back in court in December, but his lawyers asked that he be excused from attending that hearing in person because of the extraordinary security required to have him show up. A trial has been scheduled for January weeks before the first votes will be cast in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. US First Lady Jill Biden will attend the coronation of Britain's King Charles on behalf of the country, President Joe Biden has told the monarch in a phone call. Mr Biden congratulated Charles on Tuesday ahead of his coronation in May, and told him his wife would be attending the ceremony, the White House said. The Justice Department said it has tentatively settled a lawsuit over the 2017 mass shooting at a Texas church that will pay victims and their families more than 144 million dollars (116 million). More than two dozen people were killed when Devin Patrick Kelley opened fire during a Sunday service at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs. Kelley, who died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after he was shot and chased by two men who heard the gunfire at the church, had served in the Air Force prior to the attack. Authorities put the official death toll at 26 because one of the 25 people killed was pregnant. US District Judge Xavier Rodriguez had previously ruled that the Air Force was 60% liable for the attack because it failed to submit Kelleys assault conviction during his time in the Air Force to a national database. The Justice Department said the settlement is still subject to court approvals. A lawyer for Sutherland Springs families did not immediately return an email seeking comment. No words or amount of money can diminish the immense tragedy of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs, said Vanita Gupta, associate attorney general for the Justice Department, in a statement. Todays announcement brings the litigation to a close, ending a painful chapter for the victims of this unthinkable crime. Kelley had served nearly five years in the Air Force before being discharged in 2014 for bad conduct, after he was convicted of assaulting a former wife and stepson, cracking the childs skull. The Air Force has publicly acknowledged that the conviction for domestic violence, had it been put into the FBI database, could have prevented Kelley from buying guns from licensed firearms dealers, and also from possessing body armour. Mr Rodriguez said in 2021 that had the government done its job and entered Kelleys history into the database, it is more likely than not that Kelley would have been deterred from carrying out the Church shooting. Russias commissioner for childrens rights, who is being sought for war crimes for deporting children from Ukraine, has told a UN meeting they were taken for their safety and Moscow is coordinating with international organisations to return them to their families. Ambassadors from Western countries boycotted the informal UN Security Council meeting, sending low-level diplomats instead. And diplomats from the United States, Britain, Albania and Malta walked out when Maria Lvova-Belova started to address the meeting by video link. The International Criminal Court last month issued an arrest warrant for her and Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing them of abducting children from Ukraine. The UN said it cannot accept a Taliban decision to bar Afghan female staffers from working at the agency (AP) Russia, which holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council this month, called Wednesdays meeting to counter what it claims is disinformation about the Ukrainian children. US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters before the meeting that the United States strongly opposed the briefing and joined the UK in blocking the United Nations from outside broadcast of the meeting. Ms Lvova-Belova should not be allowed to have an international podium to spread disinformation and to try to defend her horrible actions that are taking place in Ukraine, Ms Thomas-Greenfield said. The Associated Press reported on Ms Lvova-Belovas involvement in the abduction of Ukrainian orphans in October. The AP investigation found that the open effort to put Ukrainian children up for adoption in Russia was well under way. Ukrainian officials claimed at the time that nearly 8,000 children had been deported to Russia, but the exact number was difficult to determine. Russias UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia opened the meeting, saying its aim was to unmask the blatant double-standards of the West. Part of this propaganda campaign is the hushing up by the West of the fact that in European countries Ukrainian refugees are having their children taken away, he said. Videos were then shown of some women claiming their children had been taken in Europe. Mr Nebenzia also insisted that contrary to Western claims there have been no forced adoptions. He said some Ukrainian children are in foster care and claimed there were no obstacles for them to maintain contact with their families in Ukraine. The AP investigation found Russian officials deported Ukrainian children to Russia without their parents consent, lied to them that they were not wanted by their parents, used them for propaganda, and gave them Russian families and citizenship. Since February 24, 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, Ms Lvova-Belova said Russia has taken in more than five million Ukrainians, including 700,000 children all with parents, relatives or legal guardians except for 2,000 from orphanages in the eastern Donbas. To date, she said, about 1,300 children have been returned to their orphanages, 400 were sent to Russian orphanages and 358 were placed in foster homes. Ms Lvova-Belova said there has been no official communication with Ukrainian authorities about the children, but she said her office has met with representatives of Unicef, Refugees International and the International Committee of the Red Cross and we provide all available information about the situation of children. Now were coordinating efforts with the Red Cross on reunification, she said. Burma Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Snubs Ex-NLD Members Sent by Myanmar Junta Myanmars State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Myanmars regime last month sent two National League for Democracy (NLD) members to visit State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who refused to meet them. Former NLD Tanintharyi Region chair U Aung Soe and Lower House lawmaker U Win Myint Aung for Depayin Township in Sagaing Region went to Naypyitaw Prison on March 25, before the regime dissolved the NLD. We were concerned that the party would be dissolved so we visited to ask for the chairs advice. We would follow her guidelines. But we could not see her, U Win Myint Aung told The Irrawaddy. He said he wanted to ensure the NLDs survival and stability. A senior member of the NLD said: The prison governor told Daw Aung San Suu Kyi about the visit and she refused to meet them. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was detained during the 2021 coup and sentenced to 33 years in jail on numerous trumped-up charges. She is in solitary confinement in Naypyitaw Prison. In December last year, the regime allowed former NLD central executive committee (CEC) member Daw Sandar Min and former party member U Toe Lwin to visit to argue in favor of the juntas plans for a general election. The NLD leader refused to comment and told them not to visit again, according to party sources. U Aung Soe is married to the sister of former Tanintharyi Region chief minister Daw Lei Lei Maw, who was jailed for 30 years for bribery in 2020. U Aung Soe resigned from the NLD in connection with Daw Lei Lei Maws bribery charges. Daw Sandar Min and U Win Myint Aung were recently expelled from the NLD by the CEC. They told the media that the CEC was made up of members who had fled the country and lacked legitimacy. The new Political Parties Registration Law says inmates cannot be party members so the NLD would have needed to expel the jailed Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint to reregister with the juntas Union Election Commission (UEC). The regime has dissolved 40 political parties that did not reregister with the UEC. The military ousted the NLD government in the February 2021 coup, alleging that the 2020 general election was marred by voter fraud. It has raided the NLDs offices more than 120 times. Burma Myanmar Junta-Linked Militia Kills Mandalay Men A body with a Thwe Thout lanyard dumped in Mandalay on April 1. Myanmars second-largest city, Mandalay, has been rocked by more pro-regime Thwe Thout militia killings. Two men with Thwe Thout lanyards around their necks were dumped in Chanmyathazi and Madaya townships over the weekend. The badges read: Mandalay Thwe Thout for the elimination of red, in reference to the National League for Democracys (NLD) color. The body in Chanmyathazi was stabbed seven times and his hands were tied behind his back. A resident said: We dont know his identity. We guess he was in his 40s. The man was stabbed in his neck. The police have opened a homicide case, according to pro-junta Telegram channels. One former political prisoner from Mandalay said: They do it to spread fear. There have been barely any anti-junta activities in Mandalay and pro-regime groups are the only people carrying out murders. The body of Ko Chan Nyein Aung of Kyaukse Township was identified in Madaya on Saturday. The NLD member had reportedly been in hiding since the 2021 coup. On March 22 three men in their 20s were found dead in Madaya with Thwe Thout lanyards. Junta troops removed the bodies for funerals and they were not identified. On March 31, a 100-house administrator was shot dead in Chanmyathazi Township and left with a Thwe Thout lanyard around his neck. A resistance fighter said: It is obvious who killed him while the town is heavily controlled by junta security forces. It is a usual ploy by military supporters. People must be extremely cautious. Thwe Thout said it was founded in April 2021 to eliminate resistance groups and NLD supporters. Bodies are normally dumped beside roads. In April last year, Thwe Thout updated its hitlist to include resistance supporters, journalists and expats opposing the regime from other countries and their families. Other groups, including Sun Ye, Myo Chit Nyunt Baung and Myo Chit Mahar Meik, carry out similar killings. An NLD spokesman said: There have been numerous cases of the junta arresting, torturing and killing politicians, activists, defenders of democracy and human rights and independent journalists. It is very saddening. The junta chief fears that he might lose. He is motivated by fear. At least 70 dead bodies dumped in public in Mandalay Region have been attributed to Thwe Thout since the coup. Since the 2021 coup 1,235 NLD members, including lawmakers, have been detained and an estimated 89 have been killed, including NLD former central executive committee member U Phyo Zeya Thaw, who was hanged in Yangons Insein Prison. The regime has sealed off the houses of 371 party members, including 206 lawmakers. It has raided NLD offices 120 times, leaving some destroyed, the party said on March 29. Thwe Thout says it has no junta ties. A Myit Nge Peoples Defense Force spokesman said: Thwe Thout is the junta. You can see it from their weapons, killings and from CCTV. Burma Myanmar Junta Troops Kill Disabled Man, Elderly Villager in Sagaing Arson Attacks Houses torched by regime troops in Inn Lel Gyi village. / Innlelgyi Family Facebook Regime troops killed two civilians and torched more than 200 houses in four days of raids in southern Kantbalu Township, Sagaing Region, the resistance stronghold in Myanmars northwest. The burned body of U Htay Maung, a 70-year-old resident of Inn Lel Gyi village, was found with his hands tied behind his back on Wednesday morning, according to local residents. Two people from our village were killed by regime troops. We found their bodies after the troops left our village this morning, a resident from Inn Lel Gyi village said. The body of another man in his 30s was found with fatal gunshot wounds in his house, according to local residents. The deceased was a deaf-mute who also has a mental disorder. We found his lifeless body on his bed. I think he ran inside his house after he was shot as we saw a blood trail leading to his bed, he said. Regime troops set houses alight in Myaung Paung Yin, Nyan Inn, and Inn Lel Gyi villages before heading to Ngar Toet , a pro-regime village. They burned down our village on Monday and Tuesday. At least 150 houses were destroyed. They torched two other villages before they came to ours, he said. Another 80 houses were destroyed in Myaung Paung Yin and Nyan Inn villages. The junta troops were accompanied by pro-regime Pyu Saw Htee militia during the four days of raids, witnesses said. We saw Pyu Saw Htee carrying single-shot firearms with the regime troops. They also stole seven cows from Nyaung Pin Ywar Ma village and took them to a Pyu Saw Htee village, a witness said. Inn Lel Gyi village, which has around 1,000 households, was previously torched by regime troops in October. More than 130 houses were destroyed in that arson attack. Junta forces have torched an estimated 60,459 houses across the country since the 2021 military coup, Data for Myanmar reported in March. Sagaing region has suffered the most with 47,778 houses burned, followed by Magwe Region (9,019 houses) and Chin State (1,485). Burma Myanmar Residents Escape to Neighboring Countries to Celebrate Thingyan Myanmar cultural dance troupes celebrate Thingyan in Thailands Chiang Mai in 2016. / Kyaw Kha/ The Irrawaddy As the junta organizes forced Thingyan celebrations amid calls to boycott the event in protest at military rule, many people are planning to escape overseas for the mid-April holiday that marks Myanmars New Year. Their destinations include Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore, and India, with flights already fully booked for Thingyan, according to local tour operators. An official of the Myanmar Tour Operators Association said: Holidaymakers are not only traveling to Thailand, but many are also making the pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya in India. They are also visiting Cambodia, Singapore, and Vietnam but more are traveling to Thailand. As far as I know, all the flights are fully booked. With COVID-19 restrictions now relaxed, the tourism industry is picking up around the world, and international tourists are returning to ASEAN countries. However, Myanmar is attracting only a trickle of foreign travelers due to the political turmoil, said the official. Few foreigners are visiting our country but neighboring ASEAN countries are now receiving hundreds of thousands of visitors. And Myanmar people are going on overseas trips for Thingyan, although the number leaving is lower than in the past. Meanwhile, domestic travelers are flocking to popular destinations in Myanmar, leaving some hotels fully booked for Thingyan, according to domestic tour operators. Popular destinations include Bagan, Mandalay, Pyin Oo Lwin, as well as the beach resorts of Ngapali, Chaungtha, and Ngwe Saung. However, domestic tourism is still at an even lower level than during COVID-19 as fighting between junta troops and resistance forces affects large areas of the country. A domestic tour operator said: There is usually a lot of travel during Thingyan. Before COVID-19, almost the entire country went on vacation. The number declined during the pandemic and is even lower now. People can only go to a few places these days because of security reasons. So, visitors crowd into places that are safe for travel. On March 6, Britains foreign ministry advised against all travel to Sagaing and Magwe regions and Mon, Kachin, Chin, Kayah, Karen, and northern Rakhine states because of the risk of violence, including shootings and bombings. Other foreign governments have issued similar travel warnings. The security situation in Myanmar is unpredictable and liable to change without notice, said the UKs foreign ministry. Attacks, including in Yangon and Naypyitaw, primarily continue to target military or junta-affiliated locations such as government buildings and checkpoints, and military-owned businesses, added the warning. Politics NUG and NUCC Ask Parties to Boycott Myanmar Juntas Sham Election Vote counting in the November 8 general election in 2020, the results of which were later annulled by the junta following the military coup. Myanmars National Unity Government (NUG) and the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) have urged political parties not to participate in the juntas slated sham election out of respect for the will of the people. Sixty-three parties, mostly with military links, have reregistered under a new rule introduced by the regime in January and will contest the coup regimes proposed poll. Forty parties including the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) led by the jailed Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and the popular ethnic Shan party, Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), didnt re-register under the juntas draft electoral law. All 40 parties were dissolved by the junta as a result. The parallel government and its NUCC advisors reminded the parties that decided to follow the juntas roadmap that registering with the junta equated to obeying the military-drafted undemocratic 2008 Constitution, which was abolished by the revolutionary forces. The NUG and NUCC said revolutionary forces have made it clear that the election planned by the terrorist junta is not a solution to the countrys political crisis but rather a deceptive exercise designed to prolong their rule. It doesnt even deserve to be called an election, said the parallel civilian government. The people of Myanmar are determined to permanently solve the political problem that has existed for more than 70 years. Therefore, we would like to warn all parties not to participate in the illegal fake election of the junta, the statement read. On March 15, the NUG declared the regimes election law invalid, automatically nullifying it along with the election commission set up by the junta, which it called it a terrorist organization. In the joint statement issued after the junta announced the parties dissolution, the NUG and NUCC said they regard parties that adhere to the peoples wishes and reject reregistration, despite difficulties, with respect and pride. The statement also said the junta has no authority to dissolve political parties. It vowed the NUCC and NUG would in the future hold genuine elections and build up peoples democratic power to meet their own needs. For this to happen, all the ethnic people and citizens should join forces, the NUG and NUCC added. War Against the Junta Magwe Resistance Hails Attack on Myanmar Junta Police Station Resistance fighters attack Ma Ou police station in Yesagyo Township in November 2021. / CJ Around 25 Myanmar junta personnel were killed in a raid on a police station in northern Yesagyo Township, Magwe Region, on Tuesday morning, according to resistance forces. Four resistance groups from Magwe and Sagaing regions attacked the Ma Ou village base near the Chindwin River, a Yesagyo Peoples Defense Force (PDF) spokesman told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday. Around 30 junta soldiers and police were purportedly stationed in the village. The groups used rocket-propelled grenades and eight drones dropped around 30 bombs, the PDF spokesman said. After three hours of fighting resistance forces occupied the compound from the main building. The resistance forces claimed to have killed seven soldiers and police officers, including Police Captain Myint Kyaw, the stations commander. PDF videos show bombs landing from drones during the attack. A drone video shows resistance fighters who have run out of ammunition throwing stones. Landmines were also used against troops at pro-junta Zee Taw village who were trying to reinforce the Ma Ou police station. An estimated 17 soldiers were killed, the resistance groups claimed. The Irrawaddy could not independently verify the reports. We prepared around 30 landmines before the raid. We knew junta reinforcements would come to help the Ma Ou police station, said the PDF spokesman. Resistance forces at Ma Ou retreated when Russian-made MI-35 helicopters attacked for an hour and other junta reinforcements arrived. Weapons and an anti-drone gun were seized from the police station. Two resistance fighters suffered minor injuries and a drone was lost. Yesagyo PDF said the resistance forces mainly rely on public funding to supply weapons and ammunition. The people are tired of supplying us. We would like the National Unity Government to supply us with proper weapons like machine guns and grenade launchers, said the PDF spokesman. Heavier weapons are needed to occupy junta bases. On November 2021, Yesagyo PDF and other resistance groups occupied the Ma Ou police station, killing two police officers. War Against the Junta Over 50 Myanmar Junta Forces Killed in Four Days of Resistance Attacks Resistance troops of PDF 3502 Hunter Ranger 2 during an operation in Bago Region / PDF3502 Hunter Ranger 2 At least 55 Myanmar junta forces were killed in the last four days as Peoples Defense Forces (PDFs) and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) escalated their attacks on regime targets nationwide. Incidents were reported in Magwe, Sagaing, Bago, Yangon and Tanintharyi regions and Mon and Karen states. The Irrawaddy has collected the following reports of significant attacks from PDFs and EAOs. Some military casualty figures could not be independently verified. Junta police outpost occupied by combined PDF groups in Magwe Combined resistance forces raid the Ma Ou police outpost in Yesagyo Township on Tuesday. / Myaing-PDF At least seven junta soldiers and policemen including the head of a police outpost were killed in Yesagyo Township, Magwe Region on Tuesday when four PDF groups from Magwe and Sagaing regions raided the Ma Ou police outpost, said Myaing-PDF, which joined the raid. After three hours of intense fighting, the combined group managed to occupy the police outpost. In the raid, a weapon and an anti-drone gun were seized along with some documents. All PDF forces retreated from the outpost when a Russian-made helicopter gunship conducted an hourlong airstrike. Seventeen other junta troops were killed in the township when they used 20 land mines to ambush 30 junta reinforcements from nearby Zee Taw Village who were traveling to the police outpost as it was being attacked by the PDF groups, claimed Myaing-PDF. Pro-regime village bombed in Sagaing Fighters of Aung San Force fire a rocket-launched explosive at the pro-regime village of Kan Gyi Kone in Chaung U Township on Monday. /ASF The PDF group Aung San Force said it used rocket-launched explosives on Monday to attack the pro-regime village of Kan Gyi Kone in Chaung U Township, Sagaing Region, where regime forces and pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee militia are stationed. There were militia casualties. After being bombed, the militia forces shelled nearby villages with heavy explosives. Regime forces killed in PDF ambush in Sagaing Bo Japan Gyi-Shwebo PDF group said it and six other PDF groups used remote-controlled land mines to ambush junta forces including Pyu Saw Htee militia members from Zee Phyu Kone Village in Shwebo Township, Sagaing Region on Tuesday. The regime forces were ambushed while exiting the village. In the ambush, junta police officer Zaw Oo Hlaing and two militia members were killed and another policeman, Thein Zaw, was injured, the resistance group said. Military column attacked while looting houses in Sagaing At least four regime forces were killed in Kanbalu Township, Sagaing Region on Saturday when local combined PDF groups attacked a military column of 100 troops including Pyu Saw Htee militia members, said Kyunhla Activists Group, the media wing of local resistance groups. Fighters raided the column and drones were also used in the attack, it said. On that morning, at least five PDF groups used drones to drop bombs on the military detachment, which was looting houses in Nyaung Paung Yin Village. In the afternoon, PDF fighters entered the village and used both heavy explosives and firearms to attack the regime forces. Two PDF fighters suffered minor injuries in the clash. The military column raided and torched houses in two other villages on Sunday and Tuesday. Three junta soldiers killed in clash in Karen Resistance drones drop bombs on regime targets in Kyaung Sharr Kone Village in Kawkareik Township on Monday. / Justice Soldier PDF Justice Soldier PDF, a squadron from the Albino Tiger Column, claimed to have killed at least three junta soldiers when it attacked a military detachment of 70 troops raiding Kyaung Sharr Kone Village in Kawkareik Township, Karen State on Monday. A video shot by the PDF shows a drone dropping bombs on regime targets in the village. After being attacked, the military detachment fled the village. A PDF fighter was injured in the firefight. Regime forces attacked in Bago Resistance group PDF 3502 Hunter Ranger 2 said it and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the armed wing of the Karen National Union, jointly conducted drone strikes on regime forces stationed at Za Yit Yoe Village in Yedarshe Township, Bago Region on Monday. After the drone strikes, a heavy firefight erupted between the junta forces and the combined resistance groups. Three resistance fighters suffered minor injuries, but military casualties were unknown. Eleven soldiers killed in PDF ambushes in Mon Local resistance group Taung Nyo Guerrilla Force said it and other PDF groups killed at least 11 soldiers and injured many others when they ambushed military vehicles in Ye Township, Mon State on the weekend. First, they ambushed regime forces traveling in a vehicle near a village in Ye Township on Saturday evening, killing a soldier and injuring two others. On Sunday, 10 more soldiers were killed and many others injured when the combined PDF groups ambushed a military convoy of seven vehicles in the township. In the ambush, two military vehicles were destroyed. After the clash, the regime forces killed a civilian and burned his motorbike. Ten soldiers killed in clash in Tanintharyi At least 10 junta troops were killed in Tanintharyi Township, Myeik District in Tanintharyi Region on Sunday when combined resistance groups including the Karen armed group Kaw Thoo Lei Army (KTLA) clashed with regime forces near Thein Khun Village for 45 minutes, said PDF-Myeik District, which joined the resistance attack. However, all resistance fighters retreated from the area without casualties. Military checkpoints bombed in Yangon Resistance group Kayan-PDF claimed it used 40-mm explosives to attack three military checkpoints in Kayan Township, Yangon on Monday. It used three explosives in each attack. However, military casualties were unknown. Thursday, Sep 9th, 2021 (8:28 am) - Score 4,344 The UK Government has announced that their project to create a National Underground Asset Register (NUAR), which reflects a digital map of underground pipes (water etc.) and cables (fibre optic broadband, power etc.), is entering the Build Phase and could help to cut some of the 2.4bn (per year) cost of accidental utility damage. According to the Government, there is huge potential for location data to improve the way that national infrastructure is planned, built and managed, from informing where our future gigabit-capable and full fibre (FTTP) broadband and 5G mobile networks need to go, to planning how and where to connect utilities, and designing new housing developments. Back in 2018 an initial analysis of the proposals suggested that a project like NUAR could, by creating more accessible and better quality location data in infrastructure and construction, be worth over 4 billion per year to the UK economy. Meanwhile, todays update claims that 4 million holes are dug in the UK each year and many in the wrong place, which can result in accidental damage to things like water mains and core fibre optic broadband ISP cables (this often takes many hours, days or sometimes even weeks to completely fix). Such issues are most common in dense urban areas, such as cities and towns. The economic cost of accidental utility damage is around 2.4bn each year (curiously, this has doubled from last years estimate of 1.2bn), while its estimated that NUAR, once operational, could deliver around 350m per year in benefits by avoiding accidental asset strikes, improving the efficiency of works and better data sharing. NUARs Prototype System Interface The good news is that, after several years of preparation, research and design, the NUAR project is now finally moving into its build phase. NUARs digital map will, over the next 3 years, be built in partnership between the industry and government, starting in the North East of England, Wales and London (Northern Ireland to follow). Meanwhile, Scotland has already built a similar map via the Scottish Road Works Register. NOTE: The Geospatial Commission will be working with the The Geospatial Commission will be working with the Welsh government , Tees Valley Combined Authority and Greater London Authority to deliver this programme. Lord True CBE, Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, said: I am delighted to launch the build phase of the UKs new National Underground Asset Register. This new digital map of the UKs underground utilities assets demonstrates our commitment to putting innovation at the forefront of the UKs economic recovery and ambition to Build Back Better. Nigel Clifford, Deputy Chair of the Geospatial Commission, said: Unlocking value from geospatial data is the heart of the UKs Geospatial Strategy. Our National Underground Asset Register will be a momentous step towards providing the UK with a shared national data asset of significant value. I am proud of the collaboration with industry that we have so far established as part of our preparatory work and look forward to it continuing. Following a competitive procurement round, the Geospatial Commission appointed Atkins to deliver the Build Phase of NUAR, which consists of building a production minimal viable product for the North East of England, Wales and London, before then enhancing and rolling it out to the remaining regions in England and to Northern Ireland. On the surface this is a positive project, although the Government does rather make it sound as if nothing like this has existed before, which isnt correct. For example, the LSBUD (Line Search Before You Dig) service already provides an online asset search facility for UK civil engineering firms to check underground pipes and cables, which last year handled about 3 million total searches across all covered sectors (representing 77% of all UK digging work). The Managing Director of LSBUD, Richard Broome, last year complained that the Government were portraying the industry as a dis-jointed community that is selfishly costing the country millions every week by not working together, which he said completely [ignored] the community and service already successfully in place which LSBUD has created (this covers 90+ asset owners who are sharing their underground asset data with over 120,000 registered users used by the majority, but not ALL, of the industry). At this point, its difficult to know whether what the Government are creating via NUAR will go beyond that of LSBUD, but that does appear to be the intention. Broome also made the fair point that its difficult to accurately estimate how much accidental damage to pipes and cables costs the industry each year because theres no regulated reporting of such things, thus the Governments figures should be taken with a pinch of salt. But those figures form a big part of the basis for investing public money to build NUAR. Only time will tell whether that investment truly makes a positive impact vs the existing approaches. UPDATE 18th Oct 2021 Ordnance Survey has confirmed that theyre working with Atkins to build the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) for the UK. Wednesday, Apr 5th, 2023 (11:10 am) - Score 6,384 The Governments new National Underground Asset Register (NUAR), which is a digital UK map of underground pipes (water etc.) and cables (broadband, power etc.) that could help reduce accidental damage, has started to go live for several initial areas under its first deployment phase covering North East England, Wales and London. The Government believes there is huge potential for related location data from telecoms, energy, water and other providers, which could be used to improve the way that national infrastructure is planned, built and managed. For example, such data could help to inform where future gigabit-capable broadband and 5G mobile networks need to go, as well as planning how and where to connect utilities, and designing new housing developments etc. NOTE: Scotland has already built a similar map via the Scottish Road Works Register. One of the ways such a map could help is by reducing the amount of accidental damage that occurs to existing infrastructure, which one estimate suggested could cost up to 2.4bn each year. The Government also suggests that NUAR could deliver at least 350m per year of economic growth (due to increased efficiency, reduced asset strikes and reduced disruptions). But this does rather ignore the fact that alternative platforms, such as the LSBUD (Line Search Before You Dig) service, already exist to provide a similar facility. Nevertheless, the project, which is being developed alongside Ordnance Survey (OS) and Atkins, has made progress and is now starting to go live with data from the public and private sector organisations who own pipes and cables in North East England, Wales and London. This includes all of the major energy and water providers, such as Northumbrian Water, Wales and West Utilities, Southern Electric Power Distribution and National Grid, as well as smaller providers of these services, telecommunications companies, transport organisations and local authorities. Dr Steve Unger, Independent Commissioner, Geospatial Commission, said: This first release of NUAR is a major milestone in a programme that will benefit everyone. By using the power of location data to plan and deliver street-works more effectively, it will improve the efficiency with which we supply essential services and it will minimise the disruption experienced by other road users. Many different asset types are buried beneath our feet, owned by many different organisations, large and small. We are delighted by the number of asset owners that have recognized the value of working with us, to make the data that they hold more accessible. And this release is just the start! Whilst it contains data from over 80 organisations, we have already received data from over 100 more, and we are working with many more than that to progress their involvement in the programme. I urge any asset owner that is not yet engaging with us to do so as soon as possible, to start benefiting from the service and ensure it best meets their needs. The first phase is considered to be a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), which will continued to grow and be improved over the next couple of years. Future releases will cover the rest of England and Northern Ireland. April 5, 2023 An Idaho State University computer science professor has earned one of the countrys most renowned fellowships. Recently, Larry Leibrock, visiting assistant professor of computer science, was announced as one of this years Fulbright-National Science Foundation Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Scholars. For his fellowship, Leibrock will make his way to the University of Iceland in Reykjavik to teach and conduct research focused on the two disciplines. One course he plans to teach is a hands-on course that will see University of Iceland students collaborate with their counterparts at Idaho State and explore ways to make Icelands unique geothermal power systems more resilient to cyber attacks. The next generation cybersecurity professionals will deal with a wide range of threats, risks, and attacks as we continue to move to a globally connected Internet of Things and high-performance networks, explains Leibrock. A lesson thats been relearned from the present Russia/Ukrainian War is the importance of being able to defend national infrastructure from malicious state and non-state actors. While Leibrocks in Reykjavik, he plans to host seminars and workshops focused on U.S.-based initiatives related to cybers security and resilience as well as meet with industry and government leaders in Iceland. Dr. Leibrock is an accomplished scholar in cybersecurity research and instruction, said Steve Chiu, professor and chair of ISUs Department of Computer Science. Chiu was awarded a Fulbright fellowship of his own to Iceland in 2019. His Fulbright-NSF award is well-deserved and shows the caliber of our faculty. I am very excited that he will be able to further our international collaboration in this area. I am happy to be able to build upon the relationships Dr. Chiu established during his time in Iceland and further the collaborative partnership between Idaho State and the University of Iceland, Leibrock said. This is the second Fulbright fellowship for Leibrock, a rare achievement in academia. In 2017, he was at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, focusing on cyber warfare at The Changing Character of War Centre. Back in Idaho, Leibrock helped to create ISUs undergraduate and graduate certificates in cybersecurity. Additionally, he serves as University Research Affiliate at Idaho National Laboratorys National and Homeland Security directorate. He is also a combat veteran of the Gulf War, the Second Iraq Conflict, and the War in Afghanistan. Dr. Leibrock is a real treasure, said Scott Snyder, Dean of Idaho State Universitys College of Science and Engineering. He has clear and novel insight into the issues in cyber security facing our country and the world today. Larry is richly deserving of the Fulbright award, and I am excited that he will be able to share his knowledge with the University of Iceland and bring what he learns back to ISU. It has been a privilege to work with the talented researchers and students at Idaho State and my colleagues at INL, Leibrock said. This award is the capstone on my teaching career here at Idaho State University. I plan to retire from the University in May 2024, and I consider myself extremely fortunate to be able to teach, conduct research and provide cybersecurity expertise abroad through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. For more information on Idaho State Universitys Department of Computer Science, visit isu.edu/cs. On Friday, March 31, Indiana State Universitys School of Criminology and Security Studies celebrated their 50th anniversary. The School of Criminology has been active on Indiana States campus since 1972. The 50th anniversary celebration included two keynote speakers. These speakers were former FBI agent Robert Casey, and Dave Brant, a former special agent. The celebration also included speeches from Director DeVere Woods, Professor Lisa Decker, and graduate students Carla Morales and Courtney Hughes. Small speeches were also provided by the College of Arts & Sciences Dean Roberts and Provost Olsen. Robert Casey, a keynote speaker, is an Indiana State University alumnus from 1980. He credits his education for taking him from being a street cop to his profession of being security officer at Eli Lilly in Indianapolis. Previously, he had spent 25 years in the FBI. During his time with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, he served in places like Chicago, Phoenix, Washington, D.C., and more. He currently resides in Indiana and serves on the Board of Trustees for Indiana State University. It enhanced my performance as a police officer in Houston, Americas fourth largest city, and later, it was an essential requirement to be eligible to pursue an appointment to the FBI Casey said. The second keynote speaker in ISUs 50th anniversary celebration was Dave Brant, an ISU alumnus who received his masters in 1975. Dave Brant has formally worked with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service as a special agent. Previously, he has also held executive positions within NCIS, including working as their director for 8 years. He retired from NCIS in 2005. Both keynote speakers gave detailed presentations showing students how they got to the points they are at currently in their life. Showing that they received their education at Indiana State University was very crucial in students being able to see that they can achieve things like Casey and Brant. Currently, Indiana State University has around 500 students involved in their Criminology and Security Studies Program, including both undergraduate and graduate. ISUS School of Criminology and Security Studies currently provides degrees in criminology and criminal justice, cybercriminal and security studies, and intelligence analysis. ISU also offers minors in criminology and criminal justice, law enforcement and evidence, corrections, law and administration, and forensic investigations. Professors of this program are very dedicated to making sure the students come out of college ready to work within their major. Professors have claimed that the students within these programs are receiving real world experience to better prepare them for their careers. Due to the political climate in the country and the economy, criminal justice agencies are all looking for people. This is a good time for anyone interested in criminal justice-related employment. You can go virtually any place in the country said DeVere Woods. Graduates from this program include police chiefs, prison wardens, and sheriffs. The graduates from Indiana State Universitys program include both local and internationally workers. The School of Criminology and Security Studies would like to thank Sodexo and the Sycamore Banquet Center for making their event possible. FILE - Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova speaks to Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence, outside Moscow, Russia, on Feb. 16, 2023. Russias commissioner for childrens rights, who is being sought for war crimes, will brief a controversial U.N. meeting Russia called to counter what it claims is Western disinformation about Ukrainian children taken to Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy won new pledges of military and economic cooperation on a state visit to staunch ally Poland, and he also said that Kyivs troops battling in the eastern city of Bakhmut could pull out if they face a threat of being encircled by Russian forces Dubai Culture & Arts Authority and Alserkal Arts Foundation have partnered to deliver a series of three Dubai Public Art projects to the citys public realm, including the Al Quoz Creative Zone, Shindagha Historic District and Hatta. Following through on a joint commitment to support the development of artistic and curatorial excellence amongst UAE-based practitioners, each of the three public commissions will be led by an appointed curator. The first of these commissions will launch with an open call for Al Shindagha Historic District, where Munira Al Sayegh has been appointed curator to realise a for something process-driven and participatory commission. In Al Quoz, Sumayya Vally will work with Alserkal Arts Foundation to consider the areas industrial past and creative future, keeping in mind all those who use the space in innovative ways. In Hatta, Faysal Tabbarah will respond to the landscape itself, seeking interventions that respect the environment and transform relationships to it. Dr Saeed Mubarak bin Kharbash, CEO of the Arts and Literature Sector at Dubai Culture, said: "Dubai Culture, in cooperation with its partners, continues the process of activating the Dubai Public Art strategy, and motivating members of the creative community to support the cultural and creative industries in the emirate, and to enable talent to benefit from Dubais deep cultural roots to express their innovative artistic visions. "Al Shindagha Neighbourhood is one of the most prominent historical areas of Dubai, and is considered a witness to the stages of the establishment and development of the emirate, and Alserkal Arts Foundations decision to select it to be part of the map of the distribution of Dubai Public Art reflects its importance and place in community memory. Vilma Jurkute, Executive Director of Alserkal Initiatives, said: Alserkal Arts Foundations ethos is grounded in shared authority and collective learning where open dialogue and long-term cooperation are foregrounded in our partnerships. Participatory art can help re-appraise current subjects and invite critical engagement, which creates an empowering space that can lead to social transformation. We look forward to working with Dubai Culture across the city to galvanise communities in Al Quoz, Shindagha and Hatta some of Dubais most historically-bound locations. Munira Al Sayegh said: Public art remains one of the most powerful forms of art as it becomes directly accessible to any public that is within its reach. Dubai Culture's investment in this domain is important for the community that surrounds it, and for the generous narratives we are collectively building for our shared future. Al Sayegh calls for artists, designers and architects to propose a project that engages deeply with the multiple histories and temporalities of the neighbourhoods around Dubai Creek. This project, titled Lamma | Coming Together is designed to be programme led, inviting artists to propose ideas rooted in public participation and engage visitors, those who live and work in the area, or those who have a relationship to the neighbourhood, to join in, contribute and help determine the final outcome. This public art commission presents a unique opportunity for artists, designers and architects to collaborate with an established, locally based curator in order to create an understanding of the impact and legacy of public art and the potential for meaningful social engagement in an urban heritage and museum context. Dubai Public Art is a multi-year initiative, led by Dubai Culture, that enables the creation and installation of public art by UAE-based artists. Alserkal Arts Foundation is a curatorial partner, working alongside Akaas Visual Arts, Art Dubai, Art Jameel, and Tashkeel to commission and curate a series of site-specific art installations throughout the emirate. UAE-based practitioners are invited to submit proposals via an Open Call process. From these submissions, three proposals will be shortlisted by a selection committee, including the curator and experienced arts professionals. The final proposals will be shared with Dubai Culture to determine the finalist, who will then be invited to work closely with the curator to develop and deliver the programme and project. More information and the application are available online. Programming could constitute workshops, talks, focus and study groups, oral history projects, walks or boat rides; we encourage applicants to be innovative with formats to engage with the context of Al Shindagha Museum and to inspire the local public to participate. The programme will need to be delivered in the summer of 2023, and the final project will be closely developed in consultation with relevant teams at Alserkal Arts Foundation and Dubai Culture and launched in the fall of 2023. The final artwork, which will remain at Shindagha at a prominent location right by the Creek, will become both a trace of the project and an invitation for visitors to learn more about those who have passed through here before them. TradeArabia News Service An N.C. House Select Committee is recommending that the General Assembly change a state law forcing districts to start school the Monday closest to Aug. 26 and end no later than the Friday clo remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Muhoozi Kainerugaba has made international headlines with his provocative tweets in recent months. The son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Muhoozi has hinted at the possibility of taking over from his father, with tweets that suggest he will soon assume control of Uganda. In October, he caused a stir by tweeting a veiled threat to invade Kenya, and his most recent tweet offered to send Ugandan troops to defend Moscow from imperialists. Muhoozis tweets have drawn comparisons to those of former US President Donald Trump, with analysts suggesting he may be trying to position himself as an outsider from the established power structure. However, some see it as part of a deliberate political strategy. Muhoozis rise to power is increasingly imminent, as Musevenis advanced age has brought the question of succession to the fore of Ugandan politics. Former Counterterrorism Czar warns of potential destruction from Russian cyber weapons in the US Former US counterterrorism czar Richard Alan Clarke discussed the main threats facing US cyberspace in an interview with in New York. He expressed concern that Russias cyber weapons could cause significant damage in the US. However, he also stated that both the US and Russia seem to be following an unwritten rule of not attacking one another. Clarke also explained why China has not inflicted severe damage on American cyberspace, citing fears of traditional retaliation in the form of bombs, missiles, ships, and airplanes. Clarke, who has been warning about cyber warfare for decades, believes that artificial intelligence (AI) could worsen the risks unless it is regulated. He is particularly worried about the concept of hybrid war, which utilizes AI-powered disinformation and cyber tools in addition to political subversion. French unions expressed disappointment on Wednesday after a meeting with Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne failed to ease tensions over a controversial pension reform. Despite months of widespread protests against the changes, Borne invoked a controversial executive order on March 16 to push the bill through parliament without a vote. Unions had warned that the meeting would be a failure if Borne refused to consider revising the minimum retirement age of 64, but after barely an hour-long session, union representative Cyril Chabanier declared that the prime minister would not discuss the issue. He and other union leaders called for mass demonstrations and strikes on Thursday, the eleventh day of coordinated nationwide action against the bill. President Emmanuel Macron faces his biggest challenge of the second term due to the proposed changes, which include an increase in the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64. Iran urged by US to support political resolution in Yemen conflict. The United States is urging Iran to support the peace process in Yemen and help put an end to the conflict. Despite being a supporter of the Huthi rebels who have taken control of a large part of the country, Iran recently announced its reconciliation with Saudi Arabia, whose government was supported by a devastating air campaign. The US special envoy for Yemen, Timothy Lenderking, is calling for Iran to show support for the political process and stop the smuggling of weapons to the Huthis, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. The United Nations Yemen envoy, Hans Grundberg, sees the first anniversary of the ceasefire as a moment of hope, despite significant risks. With hundreds of thousands of lives claimed in a decade of fighting, President Joe Biden has prioritized ending the conflict, reversing the military support provided by his predecessor Donald Trump to the Saudis. The Saudi-Iran agreement has been announced by China, a rare occurrence in a region that has traditionally been dominated by the United States. Diplomatic relations between the United States and Iran remain suspended since the latters Islamic revolution in 1979, which saw the overthrow of the pro-Western shah. Is Macron-Von der Leyen duo going to adopt a good cop, bad cop strategy during China visit? French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are visiting Beijing for a three-day state visit to dissuade China from supporting Russias invasion of Ukraine. This is the latest European visit to China since Beijing dropped its zero-Covid restrictions in December 2022. Macrons visit aims to engage with Chinese President Xi Jinping while standing firm on Ukraine, but taking another path from the confrontational position adopted by the US. The visit is also aimed at rebalancing trade ties with Beijing. The European leaders are expected to play good cop, bad cop. The visit comes after China released a 12-point peace plan to pause fighting in Ukraine, which critics described as a victory roll for Russia rather than aimed at Kyivs interests. Dozens of worshippers were attacked by Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem before dawn on Wednesday, as witnesses claimed, in response to rioting. The incident led to protests throughout the occupied West Bank, and Israels military alleged that nine rockets were fired from Gaza towards Israel after sirens were heard in southern towns. There has been an increase in violence in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem over the past year, and concerns have been raised that tensions may escalate this month during the overlap between the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Judaisms Passover, and Christian Easter. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported injuries, but no further information was given regarding how many individuals were hurt. In a statement, the organization revealed that Israeli forces refused its medics from reaching the mosque compound. I was sitting on a chair reciting (Quran), said an elderly woman who sat outside the mosque and struggled to catch her breath. They hurled stun grenades, one of them hit my chest, she added while crying. The Israeli police claimed that it had to enter the compound after masked agitators barricaded themselves inside the mosque with fireworks, sticks, and stones. When the police entered, stones were thrown at them and fireworks were fired from inside the mosque by a large group of agitators, the police statement said, adding that one police officer sustained injuries to his leg. Friction at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, has resulted in violence in recent years. Palestinian groups called Israels assault on worshippers a crime. We warn the occupation against crossing red lines at holy sites, which will lead to a big explosion, said Nabil AbuRudeineh, spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Jordan and Egypt, both of which have been involved in recent US-backed efforts to de-escalate tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, released separate statements condemning the incident. Videos that reportedly showed fireworks going off inside the mosque and police assaulting people circulated on social media, although Reuters could not immediately confirm the authenticity of the clips. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More Reddit Email 14 Shares ( Tomdispatch.com ) Gustavo Petro doesnt just want to transform his own country; he wants to change the world. The new leader of Colombia, who took office last August, is targeting what he calls his nations economy of death. That means pivoting away from oil, natural gas, coal, and narcotics toward more sustainable economic activities. Given that oil and coal make up half his countrys exports and Colombia is the worlds leading cocaine producer thats not going to be easy. Still, if Colombia were to undertake such a pivot, it would prove to other countries similarly addicted to such powerful substances including the United States that radical change is possible. With the latest news that the international community will almost certainly fall short of its carbon reduction target for 2030, Colombias pathbreaking detox effort has become more urgent and significant than ever. Not surprisingly, Petro and Francia Marquez, his environmentalist vice president, have encountered significant resistance to their plans, even from within their own ranks. Although they immediately declared a moratorium on new oil and gas drilling as part of a bid to phase out the countrys fossil-fuel industry, their own finance and energy ministries, fearing the moratoriums effect on the economy, refused to rule out such future contracts. The government also proposed a major new tax on oil exports, only to quickly scale it back in the face of widespread industry resistance, including from the state-owned oil company Ecopetrol. An even bigger challenge comes from the monstrous debt problem the Petro administration faces. Fully one-third of government revenues flow toward servicing Columbias huge foreign debt. Similarly shackled to onerous interest payments, much of the Global South has been forced to extract ever more resources simply to pay the never-ending bills from international banks. Still, whatever problems he faces, Petro represents something new. After all, the Latin American left has long favored more mining and drilling to boost exports, trade, and government revenues. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) has typically pursued the renationalization of the oil industry to (yes!) boost production. Thats also been the strategy of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (Lula) in Brazil, while the Peronist government in Argentina has focused on an attempt to significantly increase offshore oil drilling. Progressivism in Latin America, as in many other parts of the world, has long been inextricably linked to raw material extraction designed to distribute more wealth to the poor, while closing the gap with the richer North. Sadly, however, despite similar growth strategies pursued by left, right, and center governments, the countries of the region have collectively failed to achieve either of those goals. Latin America remains the most economically unequal region on the planet. Instead of beginning to catch up to the North, it has fallen ever further behind. In 1980, per capita gross domestic product (GDP) on that continent was 42% of the G7s, the worlds most industrialized countries. By 2022 notwithstanding all the wealth scratched from the ground and the sea, the promises of the advocates of free trade, and the efforts of progressive politicians who won power the regions GDP per capita had fallen dramatically to 29% of the G7 countries. Now, Colombia is trying something different. The electoral victory of Petro and Francia has been hailed or derided as part of a new pink wave in Latin America thats brought Gabriel Boric to power in Chile, Xiomara Castro to the top spot in Honduras, and Lula back to the presidency of Brazil. But given what Petro and Francia are attempting, simply identifying them with that pink wave would be misleading. They are, after all, offering a fundamentally different paradigm of economic development, one thats more green than pink. Perhaps youre familiar with the first rule of holes: if you find yourself in one, stop digging. For decades, Latin American countries have tried to dig themselves out of poverty drilling for oil, mining for lithium only to find themselves in an ever-deeper pit. Colombia is the first country to declare that it wants to stop digging. Will the world, and particularly the United States, now lend a hand in pulling it out of its economic hole? The Pink Wave That Isnt The left might seem to be on the march in Latin America, but a closer look at recent election results reveals a somewhat different picture. In Brazil, right-wing incumbent Jair Bolsonaro should have been defeated in a landslide in last years presidential election. After all, the Trump of the tropics had presided over a Covid-19 catastrophe that left Brazil in second place globally (after the United States) in the number of deaths from that pandemic. He had initially run on an anticorruption platform, but his administration was so rife with economic misrule that it may, in the end, leave Bolsonaro behind bars. And far from reassuring Brazilians that he was committed to democracy, he repeatedly praised the countrys long-gone military dictatorship, even reinstating commemorations of the day the armed forces took over in 1964. Not only did Bolsonaro almost beat Lula the margin of victory was less than 2% his Liberal Party expanded its already impressive power base in the countrys bicameral Congress. And Brazil wasnt the only country in the region where the far right came close to victory. Right-wing parties nearly won last years elections in Chile and Colombia, too. Nor is the rest of the region anything like a pink paradise. In El Salvador, right-wing populist Nayib Bukele has pulled a Putin by expanding his control over all three branches of government. Uruguay, once a leftist enclave, shifted to the right in the 2020 elections, as did Ecuador in 2021. And left populist Pedro Castillo, elected president of Peru in that year, now sits in prison after his ouster following an attempted coup. Meanwhile, according to the latest polls, the most likely politician to replace the current right-wing government in Guatemala, Zury Rios, the daughter of legendary dictator Rios Montt, is even further to the right. In addition, three supposedly leftist governments Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela are actually despotic regimes that have imprisoned dissenters, left and right. Other leftist governments are gesturing in that direction as well, with Bolivias Luis Arce recently arresting his chief rival and Mexicos AMLO defunding an electoral oversight body. Meanwhile, in Argentina, President Alberto Fernandez, who heads a center-left Peronist coalition with former president Cristina Kirchner, has seen his popularity drop precipitously. His party, in fact, lost big time in midterm elections in 2021, and 67% of Argentines now have unfavorable views of him in the run-up to the next election in October. The Argentine case is a reminder that what might look like either a pink wave or a counter-pink wave is just rage against incumbents. Latin Americans have thrown the bums out in 15 of the last 15 elections. As elsewhere in the world, a significant portion of the electorate holds incumbents across the board responsible for the failure of economic reforms to deliver prosperity. Right-wing populists have also used the politics of hate against immigrants, the LGBT community, women, the indigenous, and people of African descent to speed their ascent, with a big assist from social networks and right-wing media. As in the United States, this White, male, homophobic backlash has begun to merge with the economic resentment felt by all those globalization has left behind. Thats what makes the Colombian example so precious: its the exception, not the rule. The only other leader who comes close is Gabriel Boric in Chile. Having appointed a climatologist to be his environmental minister, Boric is committed to reducing carbon emissions and finding new, sustainable livelihoods for those in the countrys sacrifice zones. But hes no less committed to positioning Chile as a leading exporter of lithium, a key component in rechargeable ion batteries, whose extraction nonetheless poses serious environmental and social risks. In Latin America, after all, commodities like lithium are king. Between 2000 and 2014, its countries enjoyed a commodity boom that lifted exports and spurred growth (though not enough to bridge the economic gap with the richer North). China, which absorbed only 1% of Latin Americas exports back in 2000, but now takes almost 15% of them, has been encouraging the region to ramp up extraction. Currently, South Americas leading trade partner and number two for Latin America overall China wants raw materials like oil, copper, and soybeans to feed both its industries and its people. It has also boosted imports of materials critical for renewable energy products like lithium for batteries and balsa for wind-turbine blades. The open veins of Latin America that Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano eloquently chronicled so long ago are increasingly being bled by China. Green Good Neighbor? Latin America is not simply a supplier of raw materials for the energy transitions of China and the global North. Its in the midst of a transition of its own. In fact, its currently building four times more solar capacity than the European Union and so creating a basic new energy infrastructure that should boost by 70% the amount of electricity solar power will provide to the region. Add in wind power and renewable capacity is set to increase by a startling 460% by 2030. Most of this capacity is, however, concentrated in a handful of countries led by Brazil, Colombia, and Chile. To date, those three, along with Mexico and Peru, are responsible for 97% of added solar capacity. The sustainable energy transition, in other words, threatens to divide the region into a rising clean bloc and a still all-too-dirty one. This is where the United States could come in. In the 1930s, President Franklin Delano Roosevelts administration unveiled a new approach to Latin America: the Good Neighbor Policy. Reversing a century of U.S. meddling, that new policy stressed nonintervention and noninterference in the region, while encouraging more trade and tourism. There was, however, nothing altruistic about it. Roosevelt wanted to open Latin America to U.S. exports, gain access to critical resources, and later secure its support in World War II. Today, a different challenge requires the United States to link arms far more strongly with its neighbors to the south. European countries are pulling together to fight climate change with a European Green Deal. Washington needs to attempt to do the same with Latin America. After all, China is challenging the U.S. for economic predominance in its own backyard, while expanding trade there at an astounding pace. It sent billions of dollars in aid and loans to the region at the height of the Covid pandemic and directly invested as much capital as it has in the European Union. To enlist Latin Americans in a common struggle or even just to remain minimally relevant Washington needs to offer something different. So far, the Biden administrations moves have been frustratingly modest. True, it has requested $2.4 billion in aid for the region in 2023, the most in a decade. Still, compare that to the $3.3 billion in annual military assistance the U.S. sends to Israel alone or the $75 billion in assistance dispatched to Ukraine last year. Its time for the Biden administration to introduce a Green Good Neighbor Policy aimed at making Colombia the rule, not the exception. Latin America as a whole needs to transition from fossil fuels and the United States could speed that process by supporting a regional Green infrastructure fund. Call it the Green Road Initiative (in contrast to Chinas Belt and Road Initiative). So far, the administration has made some promises. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged last year that the United States would help the region achieve growth with equity. According to a recent report, a sustainable energy transition in Latin America could create over 10% more jobs by 2030, turning Blinkens words into reality. The administration has also promised that future trade agreements wont have provisions found in most current ones that allow corporations to sue governments over regulations that affect their bottom lines. An important region-wide bank, meanwhile, is starting to support more Green infrastructure projects. But all of these are, at best, half-steps. If the Biden administration truly wanted to make a difference, it would create a Green Bank to help fund that Latin American energy transition, while restructuring or better yet, canceling the debts that have so crippled efforts like Colombias to finance a serious economic transformation. This regional plan could even include illiberal outliers like Cuba, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. As with China, green cooperation doesnt require agreement on a checklist of issues any more than arms control deals with the Soviet Union required a consensus on human rights during the Cold War. This is not altruism. As in Roosevelts era, a more prosperous and environmentally sustainable Latin America would be less likely to send waves of immigrants to the United States, while creating more markets for U.S. goods. Oh, and it would also ensure a further reduction of carbon emissions globally so that maybe, just maybe, Florida wont disappear into the ocean. Colombia is a small, scrappy country that faces long odds like the little engine that thinks it can, thinks it can, thinks it can But to ensure that it indeed can, that such a monumental transition will ever take place, help is needed and soon. Thats especially true given the second law of holes: even when you stop digging, youre still at the bottom. A strong push from a green good neighbor could help Columbia and the rest of us begin to climb out and scale new heights. Copyright 2023 John Feffer Via Tomdispatch.com Reddit Email 50 Shares Review of Ahmad Shuja Jamal and William Maley, The Decline and Fall of Republican Afghanistan (London: Hurst and Co., 2023). Munich, Germany (Special to Informed Comment) The Republic of Afghanistan unraveled quickly after May 2021 when US-led foreign troops prepared to abandon the country. This defied the forecasts of most experts on the capacity of the Afghan government to resist the Taliban offensives, which proved over-optimistic. Nevertheless, if past is prologue, the sudden collapse of the Afghan Republic should not have appeared so far-fetched. Ahmad Shuja Jamal and William Maley argue so in their recently published book The Decline and Fall of Republican Afghanistan. As the authors explain, both the downfall of the Communist regime in 1992 and the Taliban regime in 2001 proceeded at a remarkable speed. With this historical background in mind, the events of August 2021 in Afghanistan are less surprising. Ahmad Shuja Jamal and William Maley,The Decline and Fall of Republican Afghanistan. Click here. Ahmad Shuja Jamal was the director-general for international relations on Kabuls National Security Council from 2019 to 2021 and is now a Special Advisor to the Refugee Council of Australia. William Maley is a scholar on Afghanistan and Emeritus Professor of Diplomacy at the Australian National University. In writing their book, the authors were able to rely on their previous scholarly research, interviews with high-ranking personalities of the former Afghan government, and Jamals personal experience on the ground until the final collapse of Republican Afghanistan. The Decline and Fall of Republican Afghanistan has a distinct style. There is something very positive to be said about the authors efforts to de-essentialize the analysis of Afghan politics and history by drawing comparisons with other countries and time periods. Jamal and Maley also introduce general political science literature (authors such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Locke, or Max Weber) to clarify their arguments about Afghanistan. Often enough, however, the digressions from the main topic are long and frequent to the point that the reader might lose track of the main narrative. The authors discuss some of the key problems that afflicted Afghanistan during the two decades that followed the Taliban overthrow in 2001. The new republic, they remark, suffered from a lack of legitimacy derived from a highly centralized state structure, competition between different government agencies, and the patrimonial dynamics that led ministers to benefit their supporters in exchange for loyalty. The state courts suffered from corruption and long delays. In this sense, Afghanistan scholar Ashley Jackson has aptly remarked that justice provision by the Taliban insurgency in the areas where they gained control allowed them to capitalise on the governments weaknesses.[1] Jamal and Maley also pay attention to the dependency of the post-2001 governments on foreign aid. This dependent relationship was a reflection of asymmetries of power between the international community and Afghanistan.[2] Many of the development projects implemented by foreign donors had a short-term horizon. The results were quick and visible but these projects were hardly the most effective way of deploying economic resources. Foreign donors usually had the upper hand, and the authors note that only a small proportion of aid contributed to Afghanistan was available to the Afghan government for discretionary spending.[3] The Afghan leaders, in turn, were most often not up to the task of rebuilding the country while having to confront a renewed Taliban insurgency. Hamid Karzai, the President of Afghanistan from 2002 to 2014, is described by the authors as someone who excelled in the realm of politicking but was highly dependent on others when it came to formulating policy. [4] Furthermore, he fomented a neopatrimonial system that ultimately weakened the stability of his country. In this respect, Amin Saikal, a Professor at the University of Western Australia, explains that the control of strongmen over vast areas of Afghanistan severely limited Karzais writ and made him highly dependent on the goodwill of these figures and on meeting their demands.[5] Ashraf Ghani succeeded Karzai and differed from him in the sense that he had a long academic and professional background in public policy. Most of his ideas were never implemented, though. Furthermore, Jamal and Maley contend that Karzais confrontational style towards opponents, in addition to his antagonizing personnel management, alienated key actors that could have helped him thwart the Taliban expansion. But perhaps more important than all these particular personal flaws, was the fact that the presidential elections in 2009, 2014, and 2019 were marred by fraud in favor of the winning candidate. The authors are highly critical of US policy towards Afghanistan, especially during the Trump and Biden administrations. They write that the 2020 Doha agreement between the US and the Taliban lit the fuse, with President Bidens 14 April 2021 endorsement of a time-based rather than conditions-based withdrawal adding vast amounts of fuel to the flames.[6] Some of the criticism leveled in The Decline and Fall of Republican Afghanistan is indeed well-deserved. For instance, the US reluctance to confront Pakistan for the support its army or sections thereof provided to the Taliban had devastating consequences. Moreover, the hope entertained by some US officials and Afghanistan experts that the Taliban would show a more human face than in the 1990s if they were to reach power has by now been largely disproved. The Taliban have largely avoided the gruesome public executions from the past and the general level of violence in the country has significantly decreased since the armed groups takeover.[7] Even so, under the Taliban women and religious minorities like the Shia Hazara have seen evaporate their hard-fought gains during the last two decades. Other arguments put forward by Jamal and Maley regarding the US role in Afghanistan are far less convincing. The authors acknowledge that around 2019 the prospect of achieving a military victory over the Taliban had faded away but argue that the focus should have been on not losing [authors own italics].[8] Why? Because the possibility of parametric shifts in the operating environment can never be discounted.[9] Jamal and Maley do not provide any example of a possible parametric shift in the Afghanistan context. Consequently, one is left wondering whether avoiding defeat would not have entailed keeping US and other countries troops in Afghanistan ad perpetuam. Many readers are also likely to be left unconvinced when the authors contend that the US decision to leave Afghanistan dispelled any fear in Moscow that the US would take active steps to protect Washingtons friends in Kyiv.[10] Op-eds arguing that the US chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan emboldened China, and to a lesser extent, Russia, proliferated after the Taliban takeover in Kabul. But neither these opinion articles nor Jamal and Maleys book, provide a causal explanation connecting what happened in Afghanistan with the presumed outcome. The same lack of clear causation is to be found in an unfortunate sentence at the end of the book. When criticizing Bidens decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan, the authors write that Biden was the oldest president in the history of the United States, potentially bringing with him some of the rigidities in thinking that can accompany old age.[11] The borders between analysis and opinion in The Decline and Fall of Republican Afghanistan are not always as clearly drawn as they should have been. This notwithstanding, Jamal and Maleys work is a well-written publication that will contribute to the ongoing and necessary debate about the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban and the current situation in the country. [1] Jackson, Ashley. Negotiating Survival: CivilianInsurgent Relations in Afghanistan (London: Hurst and Co., 2021), p. 128. [2] Jamal, Ahmad Shuja, and William Maley. The Decline and Fall of Republican Afghanistan (London: Hurst and Co., 2023), p. 63. [3] Ibid., p. 59. [4] Ibid., p. 112. [5] Saikal, Amin. Zone of Crisis: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and Iraq (London: I.B. Tauris, 2014), p. 42. [6] Ahmad Shuja Jamal and William Maley, The Decline and Fall of Republican Afghanistan, p. 153. [7] International Crisis Group. Afghanistans Security Challenges under the Taliban. (Kabul/Brussels: International Crisis Group, August 12, 2022), p. 2. https://www.crisisgroup.org/asia/south-asia/afghanistan/afghanistans-security-challenges-under-taliban. [8] Ahmad Shuja Jamal and William Maley, The Decline and Fall of Republican Afghanistan, p. 91. [9] Ibid., p. 198. [10] Ibid., p. 91. [11] Ibid., p. 199-200. Reddit 15 Email 443 Shares Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) Seeing Trump arraigned in New York on Tuesday was satisfying even if the outcome of the trial cannot be foreseen and he has a presumption of innocence. There is obviously evidence that he falsified his business records for the purpose of hiding material facts from the American people in October 2015, so as to defeat Hillary Clinton even after the release of the Billy Bush interview in which he boasted of grabbing random women by the genitals. Major Republicans began peeling away at that point, and the revelation of the Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal affairs (while Melania was pregnant with Baron) would likely have finished him off. The new American comfort with indicting former presidents, bringing the US into line with European democracies, however, is bittersweet, since there are past presidents who should also have sat in a court looking stony-faced and bitter. Photo by Library of Congress on Unsplash 1. In some ways similar to Trump, Grover Cleveland, who had two non-consecutive terms in the nineteenth century, raped a woman he was courting, Maria Halpin. He threatened to ruin her with a lawsuit if she ever revealed the rape. She banished him from her life, but then found she was pregnant. When news that he had fathered a child emerged during his next campaign, Cleveland had his flacks bury Halpin in smears as a fallen woman, so that she could not get a hearing. Trump and his people are capable of such smear campaigns, too, but nowadays they have the catch-and-kill technique for shutting women up. Interestingly, part of Tuesdays indictment mentioned that Trump paid a doorman $30,000 to shut him up after he claimed to know about a child Trump sired out of wedlock. As with Cleveland, Trump has been accused of rape, as well. In the me-too era, Grover Cleveland might have had to contend with Ronan Farrow and might have ended up like Harvey Weinstein. 2. George W. Bush should have been impeached or at least indicted for lying the country into the Iraq War. Trump probably managed to kill more people with bad health and environmental policy than Bush did with his Iraq misadventure, but Bushs crime was still epochal. Congress passed a law in 1996 allowing trial of any US national who breaches the Geneva Conventions, so I think there could theoretically be a lot of charges against Bush if the DOJ wanted to bring them. 3. Ronald Reagan sold US anti-tank weapons to Iran while that country was on the State Departments terrorism list. There was no Congressional appropriation. Essentially, the weapons were stolen from the Pentagon storehouses and sold to a dummy corporation in Switzerland that then sold them to Iran. The money Iran paid for these weapons was kept in off-the-books black accounts and used to support the right wing death squads in Nicaragua. The latter was in defiance of the Boland Amendment, which was US law. Reagan shredded the constitution, armed the Ayatollah, and backed armed paramilitaries that violated the Geneva conventions every which way from Sunday. 4. Nixon committed so many crimes it would be hard to know where to start with indictments. He was forced out of office for having ordered the covert plumbers group to burglarize the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate Hotel. Most people no longer remember that he did this twice. More important than Watergate was Nixons secret bombing of Cambodia, revealed by the Pentagon Papers. President Gerald Ford made an error in pardoning Nixon, since that act set up an expectation among later presidents that there would never be any accountability. Photo by Library of Congress on Unsplash 5. Warren Harding helped his Interior Secretary, Albert Fall, usurp from the Navy control of two key oil reserves, Elk Hill in California and Teapot Dome in Wyoming. Fall then took hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks and bribes to lease these oil fields to private companies. It is not clear that Harding himself had his palms greased, but he knew very well what Fall was up to, and neither interfered nor reported it to anyone. Id say he was clearly an accomplice. Fall went to jail, but Harding was never charged. . Donlin Gold Commenced Fieldwork, Advanced Resource Modelling and Trade-Off Studies in Preparation for Updated Feasibility Study Strong $116-Million Treasury with $25-Million Receivable due in July 2023 The 2023 field program commenced early in the year to complete the necessary fieldwork and geotechnical drilling for the Alaska Dam Safety certificates applications. With the successful completion of the largest drill program in over 15 years, the owners are focused on finalizing the resource model and trade-off studies capping off the preparatory work toward proceeding with an updated feasibility study. NOVAGOLDs treasury remained strong with $116 million in cash and term deposits as of February 28, 2023, with an additional $25 million due in July 2023 from Newmont Corporation (Newmont), keeping NOVAGOLD in a healthy financial position to advance the Donlin Gold project up the value chain. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NOVAGOLD RESOURCES INC. (NOVAGOLD or the Company (NYSE American, TSX: NG) today released its 2023 first quarter financial results and an update on its Tier One1 gold development project, Donlin Gold, which NOVAGOLD owns equally with Barrick Gold Corporation (Barrick). Details of the financial results for the quarter ended February 28, 2023 are presented in the consolidated financial statements and quarterly report filed on Form 10-Q on April 4, 2023 that is available on the Companys website at www.novagold.com, on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. All amounts are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated. In the first quarter of 2023, the following milestones were achieved at Donlin Gold: The Donlin Gold project camp re-opened in February 2023 to prepare for the field program with a total workforce of 44 direct hire employees, 63% being from the Yukon-Kuskokwim (Y-K) region. To support mine planning and mine design, Donlin Gold also advanced onsite hydrological drilling to further define the depth and flow of groundwater in the areas of the planned Donlin Gold project pit and surrounding infrastructure. As a federally permitted project on private Alaska Native Corporation land designated by law for mining and with key State permits in hand, several activities continued to keep our current permits in good standing and to advance the remaining permits needed, including the following highlights: Commencement of additional fieldwork and geotechnical drilling to collect data required to advance the Alaska Dam Safety certificates for water diversion and water retention structures including the proposed tailings storage facility. All necessary fieldwork for the certificates is planned to be completed this year; Application for a new air quality permit from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC). A draft permit was issued for public comment in December 2022; Submission to ADEC of the application for the regularly scheduled re-issuance of the projects Alaska Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit (APDES); ADEC extended the permit to remain in effect until the State completes the re-issuance. Following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, community engagement efforts increased significantly, which allowed the project team to participate in more in-person events. Critical assistance was provided to local communities through the funding of, and participation in, initiatives related to health and safety, infrastructure development, environmental management, training and education, and support of the indigenous culture in the Y-K region. Notable outcomes include: Supported intensive academic, career and educational workshops for rural youth and young adults of the Y-K region in partnership with Alaska EXCEL; Partnered with Covenant House Alaska and Bethel Community Services to address chronic food insecurity and homelessness in the Y-K region; Collaborated with the Bethel Community Services Foundation and the Aruqutet Project to address ongoing food distribution challenges throughout Bethel; Provided continued financial assistance to construct and maintain the 300-mile-long ice road that connects remote Kuskokwim River communities; Supported Alaska Safe Riders program by sponsoring the McGrath Iron Dog Race, in which residents participated in All-Terrain Vehicle and Off-Road Vehicle safety presentations. Calista Corporation (Calista) and Donlin Gold continued their proactive, bipartisan outreach to Alaska Governor Dunleavys Administration and the new legislature in Alaska, as well as with the Biden Administration and United States Congress in Washington, D.C., to highlight the thoroughness of the projects environmental review and permitting processes, in addition to the considerable benefits it would deliver to all Alaska Natives. _______________________________ 1 NOVAGOLD defines a Tier One gold development project as one with a projected production life of at least 10 years, annual projected production of at least 500,000 ounces of gold, and average projected cash costs over the production life that are in the lower half of the industry cost curve. Presidents Message Steadily and Surely Advancing Up the Value Chain the Donlin Gold Project the leading Tier 1 Gold Development Project in Alaska, One of the Only Remaining Tier 1 Jurisdictions All of us at NOVAGOLD take great pride in the fact that we have been laser-focused as well as highly successful in executing the explicit strategy that was set forth by our Chairman and me more than a decade ago: namely, to unlock the value of NOVAGOLDs high-quality assets for our shareholders and to dedicate our entire energy toward creating the maximum leverage from a pure play on the singularly brilliant endowment that is the Donlin Gold project. And to accomplish all this while safeguarding the Companys robust treasury to allow us to accomplish our work without needing to go back to the financial markets. As we have stated on numerous occasions, our Board and management believe that the Donlin Gold project is truly best-in-class in its combination of attributes and hence that NOVAGOLD constitutes the most perfectly suited go-to equity to benefit from the next wave in the bull market in gold. Possessing the unique combination of industry-leading size, grade, and excellent exploration upside with which to move the needle in the gold industry, our projects location in Alaska a safe and time-tested jurisdiction in which to develop, build and operate a mine for generations to come makes it the ultimate company-maker. For our part, we believe to have been responsible stewards of this remarkable asset in its progression up the value chain. Yet our greatest accomplishments have been reached by providing wide-ranging support to the Donlin Gold project team in advancing its various activities in the areas of permitting, engineering, as well as environmental, social and governmental engagement, in addition to our pivotal collaboration with Calista and The Kuskokwim Corporation (TKC) the Alaska Native Corporation partners and landowners. The value enhancement work continues apace. The Donlin Gold project camp re-opened in the first quarter of 2023 to continue fieldwork to collect geotechnical and hydrological information needed to advance the design documentation required for the Alaska Dam Safety certificates applications, with formal issuance of the certificates of approval to construct expected in 2026. The safety program currently in effect at the Donlin Gold project site is well advanced for a project at this stage of development with experienced safety coordinators on-site 24/7, an established and widely shared culture of awareness, and team spirit characterized by employees looking out for one another. With the latest field program, Donlin Golds project site seasoned environmental team, including field staff, ensures that all permit requirements are met and daily procedures are followed. All project staff are properly trained to ensure they recognize that the protection of water, land, and biological resources is of the highest priority in Donlin Golds operations. Off-site, our current focus at Donlin Gold lies in updating the geologic and resource models with the data derived from the extensive drill programs that took place over the last three years; reviewing key project assumptions, inputs, and design components for optimization (mine engineering, metallurgy, hydrology, and infrastructure); advancing remaining permits through the regulatory process and supporting the State in maintaining the existing permits; and, through continued engagement, sustaining and expanding project support in the Y-K region. Ultimately, subject to a formal decision by the Donlin Gold LLC board, the comprehensive work we are completing should lead to the update of the Donlin Gold project feasibility study which, in turn, would initiate the detailed engineering work necessary to advance the project design before reaching a construction decision. Diligently Maintaining Permits in Good Standing and Working to Secure the Remaining State-Level Permits Donlin Gold, its owners, and its partners Calista and TKC are intimately familiar with the permitting and regulatory processes applicable to the project and will continue to support the State in this important work. Together, we pursue our efforts to secure the various remaining state-level permits and certificates required for the project. This includes the current fieldwork related to the issuance of the Alaska Dam Safety certificates which is targeted for completion in 2023, with formal issuance of the certificates of approval to construct expected in 2026. In 2022, Donlin Gold applied for a new air quality permit based on updated air quality modeling and emissions controls information, and the regularly scheduled re-issuance of its APDES permit from ADEC. The new air quality permit is expected to be issued by June 30, 2023, which corresponds to the expiration date of the current permit. ADEC has extended the existing APDES permit indefinitely until a new permit is finalized. Donlin Gold continues to support ADEC in its due diligence regarding the States Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 401 certification (the 401 Certification) of the Federal CWA Section 404 permit. On July 14, 2022, the ADEC Commissioner granted the request for an adjudicatory hearing review related to potential water temperature effects in Crooked Creek. The briefing process in this administrative appeal of the 401 Certification has now been completed and a decision is expected in the first half of 2023. Owning a federally permitted project on private land already designated by law for mining has tremendous inherent value in todays world. We have always prepared and organized ourselves for potential challenges to the Federal and State permitting processes. Our project leadership and litigation teams bring longstanding experience with the processes that need to be followed. Donlin Gold and its owners, alongside the steadfast advocacy of Calista and TKC, continue to support the State and Federal government in the defense of these permits which reflect a diligent, thorough, transparent, and inclusive process for all involved including stakeholders from the Y-K region. It is also worth noting that all appeals challenging Donlin Golds permits to date have proved unsuccessful, often multiple times. Nevertheless, objections to mining activity are common. The Alaska Superior Court briefings on the Right-of-Way (ROW) lease for the portions of the natural gas pipeline on State lands were completed with oral arguments held in January 2023. We anticipate decisions to be issued by the end of 2023. The State of Alaskas issuance of water rights for the mine and transportation facilities was appealed to the Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (ADNR). ADNR and Donlin Gold submitted their response briefs on March 8, 2023, and the appellants are preparing their final brief. A decision is expected within the next year. Actively Engaging with Community Stakeholders and Government At Donlin Gold, we are extremely fortunate to enjoy time-tested partnerships with our Alaska Native Corporation partners Calista and TKC. The Donlin Gold team continues to closely collaborate with them in all aspects of our considerable outreach and engagement activities throughout the Y-K region. An extension of these efforts are the newly-established community liaison positions that were recently filled by former project site employees residing in five Y-K villages. Crooked Creek, the village closest to the Donlin Gold project site in the Y-K region, wrote a letter in support of the Donlin Gold project in December 2022. The village has been struggling with access to reliable power and water in recent months, which also led to the shutdown of its school, clinic, and post office. In response, Donlin Gold, Calista and TKC provided support to Crooked Creek by purchasing and delivering a generator, alerting the State of Alaskas emergency response team for additional assistance, and helping the local authorities identify a longer-term solution for their infrastructure needs as well as assisting with access to available government funding. Alaskas U.S. Senators and Governor have consistently expressed their long-term support of the Donlin Gold project votes of confidence for which we are enormously grateful. In close coordination with NOVAGOLD and Barrick, Calista and Donlin Gold co-lead our government relations work, which over time has represented an important part of advancing the Donlin Gold project through permitting and beyond. In 2023, Calista and Donlin Gold will carry on their proactive, bipartisan outreach to the State Administration and the new legislature in Alaska, as well as with the Biden Administration and the United States Congress in Washington, D.C., to highlight the thoroughness of the projects environmental review and permitting processes, in addition to the considerable benefits that the project would deliver to all Alaska Natives through the revenue sharing provisions of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971. Consistent Investment in Environmental and Social Initiatives Assisting and partnering with local communities of the Y-K region has been a constant focus for NOVAGOLD. To that end, Donlin Gold works in close concert with Calista and TKC, as well as other key representatives of local communities, to provide critical support to the Y-K region today and ultimately ensure the sustainable and profitable development of the Donlin Gold project in the years to come. Donlin Gold was the premier sponsor of the McGrath Iron Dog Race community safety presentation promoting safety in operating snowmachines, all-terrain vehicles and recreational off-road vehicles, as part of the Alaska Safe Riders program a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing deaths and injuries from tragic accidents. In addition, Donlin Gold, in collaboration with Covenant House Alaska and Bethel Community Services, is developing an action plan to help address chronic and ongoing youth food insecurity in the Y-K region. To date, the three entities have successfully leased space from Bethel Winter House toward establishing a housing and service hub for youth aged 18 to 24. Furthermore, Donlin Gold partnered with the Bethel Community Services Foundation and the Aruqutet Project on a regional program to address food insecurity throughout the Bethel community. Over 550 local households are enrolled in the program to date, with approximately 200 of them receiving food during any given month. As with all of our other initiatives, employing local staff and committed volunteers has proven critical to the programs success. In partnership with the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Donlin Gold is advancing efforts to improve the overall health and safety standards of water and sewer services in the Middle Kuskokwim area communities through the TKC Fishwheel initiative. Furthermore, in collaboration with TKC, the village of Crooked Creek, the Akiak Native Community and the Napaimute Tribe, Donlin Gold provided financial support for the construction and maintenance of the ice roads that allow for winter travel between the remote Kuskokwim River communities which, in turn, led to increased participation in community events, cultural activities, sports, and provided access for emergency services, law enforcement and travel. On average, a total of 300 miles of ice road is constructed and maintained annually thanks to this program. Advancing educational opportunities in Alaska constitutes yet another high priority for the Company. NOVAGOLD recently awarded its first University of Alaska scholarship to an undergraduate student in mining or geological engineering. In addition, Donlin Gold supports the Alaska EXCEL program a non-profit providing supplemental academic, career and technical education for rural youth and young adults across the Y-K region. Numerous student interview preparation sessions took place in the first quarter, with four more planned over the next two quarters. Through this rigorous process, the students receive high school credits toward graduation as well as concurrent college credits. Strong Treasury to Advance Donlin Gold and Create Value It is quite remarkable that, ever since the last fundraising round of January 2012, there has been no need to issue further equity to execute our strategy. And yet, NOVAGOLDs treasury remains robust with $116.2 million in cash and term deposits as of February 28, 2023. Moreover, with $25 million due in July 2023 from Newmont and an additional contingent payment of $75 million upon approval of the Galore Creek project construction plan by its owners, the Company enjoys a healthy financial position. In closing, I wish to extend my sincere gratitude to the experienced team of professionals at NOVAGOLD, Donlin Gold and Barrick, as well as to the entire project site workforce and community engagement teams. We pride ourselves in our steadfast commitment to health and safety and are profoundly grateful for the extraordinary mutual respect that characterizes relations with our Alaska Native Corporation partners. Indeed, working in Alaska is a distinct pleasure and we are thankful for the State agencies diligent approach and adherence to established regulatory procedures. In terms of governance, our management team has the privilege of working with an incredible Board whose members provide exceptional strategic guidance and are committed to best practices in all aspects of the business. Their unwavering dedication and engagement are greatly appreciated. Of paramount importance, NOVAGOLD has been blessed with long-term and supportive shareholders comprising many of the most honored names in the investment world whose presence and counsel simply have been invaluable. We are grateful for their decision to invest in our Company and for their continued interest and engagement. We reaffirm to all of them that, as stewards of the Company, we continue to be focused on delivering on our strategy and enhancing the value of the Donlin Gold project increasing both shareholder and stakeholder wealth in a safe and socially responsible manner. As we position the Company to enjoy the fruits of its unique leverage on what we believe constitutes the best positioned gold development story in the marketplace, I look forward to continuing to deliver on our promises and to keeping an open line of communication between us as we reach even more milestones together in 2023. Sincerely, Gregory A. Lang President & CEO Financial Results in thousands of U.S. dollars, except for per share amounts Three months ended February 28, 2023 $ Three months ended February 28, 2022 $ General and administrative expense(1) 5,607 5,177 Share of losses Donlin Gold 4,475 4,040 Total operating expenses 10,082 9,217 Loss from operations (10,082 ) (9,217 ) Interest expense on promissory note (2,944 ) (1,512 ) Accretion of notes receivable 217 210 Other income (expense), net 2,225 524 Loss before income taxes (10,584 ) (9,995 ) Income tax expense (75 ) Net Loss (10,659 ) (9,995 ) Net loss per common share, basic and diluted (0.03 ) (0.03 ) At February 28, 2023 $ At November 30, 2022 $ Cash and term deposits 116,161 125,882 Total assets 151,361 159,189 Total liabilities 130,057 129,286 (1) Includes share-based compensation expense of $2,161 and $2,091 for the first quarter-ended February 28, 2023, and quarter ended February 28, 2022, respectively. During the first quarter of 2023, we incurred a net loss of $10.7 million compared to a net loss of $10.0 million for the comparable period in 2022. The increase in net loss is primarily due to an increase in interest expense on the promissory note, increased permitting costs at the Donlin Gold project and higher corporate legal expenses, partially offset by increased interest income and other income related to the 2021 sale of the Companys interest in the San Roque mineral property. Liquidity and Capital Resources In the first quarter of 2023, cash and cash equivalents decreased by $9.7 million, primarily to fund our share of the Donlin Gold project and for corporate administrative expenses. The $4.3 million decrease in cash used in the first quarter of 2023 compared to 2022 was due to the timing of corporate liability insurance payments in 2022, withholding tax paid on share-based compensation in 2022 (no Performance Share Units vested in 2023) and proceeds received from the sale of the San Roque mineral property. At the end of the first quarter, cash and term deposits were $116.2 million (cash $54.2 million, term deposits $62.0 million). An additional payment from Newmont of $25 million comes due in July 2023 related to the sale of NOVAGOLDs 50% interest in the Galore Creek project in 2018, along with a note for $75 million contingent upon approval of a Galore Creek project construction plan by its owners. At present, we believe the Company has sufficient working capital available to cover anticipated funding of the Donlin Gold project and corporate general and administrative costs through completion of an updated Donlin Gold project feasibility study. Further, we believe we have sufficient working capital available to cover anticipated costs and expenses for at least the next three years. Substantial additional capital will be required once a decision to commence engineering and construction is reached by the Donlin Gold board for the Donlin Gold project. 2023 Outlook We anticipate spending approximately $31 million, which includes, $13 million for corporate general and administrative costs, $1 million for working capital and $17 million to fund our share of expenditures at the Donlin Gold project, including: $8 million for external affairs, permitting, environmental, land, and legal activities, and $9 million for project planning and fieldwork (dam and water structures, metallurgical testing, mining studies, hydrogeology and geochemistry, and infrastructure planning). NOVAGOLDs primary goals in 2023 are to continue to advance the Donlin Gold project toward a construction decision; maintaining support for Donlin Gold among the projects stakeholders; promoting a strong safety, sustainability, and environmental culture; maintaining a favorable reputation of NOVAGOLD; and preserving a healthy balance sheet. Our operations primarily relate to the delivery of project milestones, including the achievement of various technical, environmental, sustainable development, economic and legal objectives, obtaining necessary permits, completion of pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, preparation of engineering designs and the financing to fund these objectives. Conference Call & Webcast Details NOVAGOLDs conference call and webcast to discuss these results will take place on April 5, 2023, at 8:00 am PT (11:00 am ET). The webcast and conference call-in details are provided below. Video Webcast: http://www.novagold.com/investors/events North American callers: 1-800-319-4610 International callers: 1-604-638-5340 NOVAGOLDs quarterly reporting schedule for the remainder of 2023 will be as follows: Q1 2023 A conference call and webcast will be held on Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at 11 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. PT to discuss Q1 2023 financial results. Annual Meeting of Shareholders Thursday, May 18, 2023; the meeting will be held at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT Q2 2023 Tuesday, June 27, 2023; financial statements and a Donlin Gold project update will be released after market close. A conference call and webcast will be held on Wednesday, June 28, 2023 at 11 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. PT to discuss Q2 financial results. Q3 2023 Tuesday, October 3, 2023; financial statements and a Donlin Gold project update will be released after market close. A conference call and webcast will be held on Wednesday, October 4, 2023 at 11 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. ET to discuss Q3 financial results. About NOVAGOLD NOVAGOLD is a well-financed precious metals company focused on the development of its 50%-owned Donlin Gold project in Alaska, one of the safest mining jurisdictions in the world. With approximately 39 million ounces of gold in the Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource categories, inclusive of Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves (541 million tonnes at an average grade of approximately 2.24 grams per tonne, in the Measured and Indicated Resource categories on a 100% basis) 2, the Donlin Gold project is regarded to be one of the largest, highest-grade, and most prospective known open-pit gold deposits in the world. According to the 2021 Technical Report and the S-K 1300 Report (both as defined below), once in production, the Donlin Gold project is expected to produce an average of more than one million ounces per year over a 27-year mine life on a 100% basis. The Donlin Gold project has substantial exploration potential beyond the designed footprint of the open pit which currently covers three kilometers of an approximately eight-kilometer-long gold-bearing trend. Current activities at the Donlin Gold project are focused on State permitting, engineering studies, community outreach, and workforce development in preparation for the eventual construction and operation of this project. With a strong balance sheet, NOVAGOLD is well-positioned to fund its share of permitting and advancement efforts at the Donlin Gold project. Scientific and Technical Information Certain scientific and technical information contained herein with respect to the Donlin Gold project is derived from the 2021 Technical Report and the S-K 1300 Report3. Henry Kim, P.Geo., Senior Resource Geologist, Wood Canada Limited (Wood); Mike Woloschuk, P.Eng., VP Global Business Development & Consulting, Wood Group USA, Inc.; and Kirk Hanson, MBA, P.E., Technical Director, Open Pit Mining, Wood Group USA, Inc. are the Qualified Persons responsible for the preparation of the 2021 Technical Report, and each is an independent Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101). Wood prepared the S-K 1300 Report. Paul Chilson, P.E., who is the Manager, Mine Engineering for NOVAGOLD and a Qualified Person under NI 43-101 and under S-K 1300, has approved and verified the scientific and technical information related to the 2022 Donlin Gold project drill program, the 2021 Technical Report and the S-K 1300 Report contained in this media release. NOVAGOLD Contacts: Melanie Hennessey Vice President, Corporate Communications 604-669-6227 or 1-866-669-6227 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This media release includes certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as expects, anticipates, believes, intends, estimates, potential, possible, and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results will, may, could, would or should occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on several opinions, estimates and assumptions that management of NOVAGOLD considered appropriate and reasonable as of the date such statements are made, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that may cause the actual results, activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding the anticipated timing of certain judicial and/or administrative decisions; the 2023 outlook; the timing and potential for a new feasibility study on the Donlin Gold project; our goals and planned expenditures for the remainder of 2023; ongoing support provided to key stakeholders including Native Corporation partners; Donlin Golds continued support for the State permitting process; the potential development and construction of the Donlin Gold project; the sufficiency of funds to continue to advance development of Donlin Gold, including to a construction decision; perceived merit of properties; mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates; Donlin Golds ability to secure the permits needed to construct and operate the Donlin Gold project in a timely manner, if at all; legal challenges to Donlin Golds existing permits and the timing of decisions in those challenges; whether the Donlin Gold LLC Board will continue to advance the Donlin Gold project up the value chain; the success of the strategic mine plan for the Donlin Gold project; the success of the Donlin Gold community relations plan; the outcome of exploration drilling at the Donlin Gold project and the timing thereof; and the conversion of Galore Creek into a mine and the receipt of $25 million due in July 2023 from Newmont and the $75 million contingent payment from Newmont. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, intentions, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts but instead represent the expectations of NOVAGOLD managements estimates and projections regarding future events or circumstances on the date the statements are made. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include the need to obtain additional permits and governmental approvals; the timing and likelihood of obtaining and maintaining permits necessary to construct and operate; the need for additional financing to explore and develop properties and availability of financing in the debt and capital markets; the coronavirus global pandemic (COVID-19); uncertainties involved in the interpretation of drill results and geological tests and the estimation of reserves and resources; changes in mineral production performance, exploitation and exploration successes; changes in national and local government legislation, taxation, controls or regulations and/or changes in the administration of laws, policies and practices, expropriation or nationalization of property and political or economic developments in the United States or Canada; the need for continued cooperation between Barrick and NOVAGOLD for the continued exploration, development and eventual construction of the Donlin Gold property; the need for cooperation of government agencies and Native groups in the development and operation of properties; risks of construction and mining projects such as accidents, equipment breakdowns, bad weather, disease pandemics, non-compliance with environmental and permit requirements, unanticipated variation in geological structures, ore grades or recovery rates; unexpected cost increases, which could include significant increases in estimated capital and operating costs; fluctuations in metal prices and currency exchange rates; whether or when a positive construction decision will be made regarding the Donlin Gold project; and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in NOVAGOLDs most recent reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q, particularly the "Risk Factors" sections of those reports and other documents filed by NOVAGOLD with applicable securities regulatory authorities from time to time. Copies of these filings may be obtained by visiting NOVAGOLDs website at www.novagold.com, or the SEC's website at www.sec.gov, or at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements contained herein reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections of NOVAGOLD on the date the statements are made. NOVAGOLD assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law. _______________________________ 2 Donlin Gold data as per the 2021 Technical Report and the S-K 1300 Report, as defined below. Donlin Gold possesses Measured Resources of approximately 8 Mt grading 2.52 g/t and Indicated Resources of approximately 534 Mt grading 2.24 g/t, each on a 100% basis and inclusive of Mineral Reserves, of which approximately 4 Mt of Measured Resources and approximately 267 Mt of Indicated Resources inclusive of Reserves is attributable to NOVAGOLD through its 50% ownership interest in Donlin Gold LLC. Exclusive of Mineral Reserves, Donlin Gold possesses Measured Resources of approximately 1 Mt grading 2.23 g/t and Indicated Resources of approximately 69 Mt grading 2.44 g/t, of which approximately 0.5 Mt of Measured Resources and approximately 35 Mt of Indicated Resources exclusive of Mineral Reserves is attributable to NOVAGOLD. Donlin Gold possesses Proven Reserves of approximately 8 Mt grading 2.32 g/t and Probable Reserves of approximately 497 Mt grading 2.08 g/t, each on a 100% basis, of which approximately 4 Mt of Proven Reserves and approximately 249 Mt of Probable Reserves is attributable to NOVAGOLD. Mineral Reserves and Resources have been estimated in accordance with NI 43-101 and S-K 1300. 3 The Company retained Wood Canada Limited (Wood) in 2020 to update content in its previously filed Donlin Creek Gold Project, Alaska, USA, NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Second Updated Feasibility Study, effective November 18, 2011, and amended January 20, 2012. This update resulted in a report titled NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Donlin Gold Project, Alaska, USA with an effective date of June 1, 2021 (the 2021 Technical Report) and was filed on August 31, 2021. The Company is a registrant with the SEC and is reporting its exploration results, Mineral Resources, and Mineral Reserves in accordance with Subpart 229.1300 of Regulation S-K Disclosure by Registrants Engaged in Mining Operations (S-K 1300) as of November 30, 2021. While the S-K 1300 rules are similar to National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects rules in Canada, they are not identical and therefore two reports have been produced for the Donlin Gold project. The Company requested that Wood prepare a Technical Report Summary of the Donlin Gold project, Alaska, USA using the standards of S-K 1300 and it is titled S-K 1300 Technical Report Summary on the Donlin Gold Project, Alaska, USA (S-K 1300 Report), current as of November 30, 2021. Wood incorporated 2020 costs and new gold price guidance to meet the Companys reporting requirements. The resultant 2021 Technical Report and S-K 1300 Report showed no material change to the previously reported mineral resources or mineral reserves. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - Endurance Gold Corporation (TSXV: EDG) (OTC Pink: ENDGF) (FSE: 3EG) (the "Company") is pleased to report that it has been informed by the British Columbia government that the Company's Notice of Work Application for Amendments to a Multi-Year Area-Based ("MYAB") Permit on its Reliance Gold Project (the "Property") in southern British Columbia has been approved. The Amended MYAB Permit facilitates a significantly expanded diamond drilling program at the Property and extends the permit expiry for several years. The road accessible Property is located 4 kilometres ("km") east of the village of Gold Bridge, and 10 km north of the historic Bralorne-Pioneer Gold Mining Camp which has produced over 4 million ounces of gold. During 2022 the Company completed thirty-eight (38) diamond drill holes for 8,274 metres ("m") and thirty-three (33) reverse-circulation drill holes for 2,455 m. Since initial issuance of the original MYAB Permit in October 2020 the Company has completed sixty (60) diamond drill holes for 12,606 m and eighty-four (84) reverse-circulation drill holes for 6,045 m. Due to the exploration success at the Property the MYAB Permit needed to be increased in scope to address the anticipated need for much more aggressive drilling campaigns in 2023 and beyond. The company is now moving forward in finalizing plans for a 10,000 to 15,000 m diamond drilling program with a deeper drilling component. The field program is expected to commence in late April with a drilling startup in early May. The Amended MYAB Permit, now expiring in early 2028, allows for the completion of several additional kilometres of drill trail construction and significantly increased number of permitted drill sites along the two km trend of mineralization and encouraging drill intersections. Increased security bonding has also been submitted by the Company. The Company is proud of its efforts to engage and inform the local communities including the First Nation communities. Prior to the submission of its amendment application for the MYAB Permit the Company engaged with the affected First Nation communities to seek for any input. As announced on October 24 2022, the Company executed an exploration agreement with the Bridge River Indian Band ("Xwisten") that expresses the intent for a mutually beneficial arrangement in respect of the current and proposed exploration activities within the Xwisten traditional territory. Since commencement of field activities in 2020 about 23% of our manpower requirements have been sourced from the nearby community of Shalalth and the Tsal'alh First Nation. Endurance Gold Corporation is a company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of highly prospective North American mineral properties with the potential to develop world-class deposits. ENDURANCE GOLD CORPORATION Robert T. Boyd FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT Endurance Gold Corporation (604) 682-2707, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. www.endurancegold.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. This news release may contain forward looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results that may prove to be inaccurate as a result of factors beyond its control, and actual results may differ materially from the expected results. HIGHLIGHTS The Bellary Dome Project is one of Novos priority areas across its significant 10,500 sq km landholding in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. A 3,000 m reverse circulation drill program has commenced at the Catia Prospect, part of the Bellary Dome Project. Highly prospective gold mineralisation at Catia is structurally controlled and quartz vein related. High-grade gold results returned from rock chip sampling in 2021 include peak results of 556 ppm gold and 117 ppm gold. Step-out drilling will test the strike potential of the Catia Trend for 700 m along strike, under cover to the east of the Catia Prospect main target. Results referred to in this news release are not necessarily representative of mineralisation throughout the Bellary area. Mike Spreadborough, Novos Executive Co-Chairman and Acting Chief Executive Officer, said, The Bellary Dome Project is one of Novos priority areas across its significant 10,500 sq km landholding in the Pilbara. We are excited to get on the ground and start testing these highly prospective targets, that were identified during our previous field work program. We anticipate the programme will take four weeks, with results released as they are received. This is the first of several drilling programs Novo plans for its current season of exploration. Image 1 Reverse Circulation drilling at the Catia prospect at the Bellary Dome Project, March 2023 VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Novo Resources Corp. (Novo or the Company) (TSX: NVO, NVO.WT & NVO.WT.A) (OTCQX: NSRPF) is pleased to announce the commencement of a reverse circulation (RC) drill program focussed on the orogenic gold Catia Prospect (Catia) and the gold in conglomerate Edneys Find Prospect (Edneys Find) at the Bellary Dome Project (Bellary), South Pilbara, Western Australia. Novo entered into an option agreement with Bellary Dome Pty Ltd in June 2020 to acquire the gold only rights on E47/3555. Bellary Dome Pty Ltd retains the rights to all other minerals and ownership of the tenement under the agreement1. Figure 1: Novos Pilbara tenure, showing the Bellary Dome Project in the South Pilbara Bellary is one of Novos priority target areas across its significant 10,500 sq km landholding in the Pilbara (Figure 1). Bellary is an area of structural uplift along the southern margin of the Pilbara Craton where both historic and more recent explorers have identified significant gold targets. Field work carried out by Novo, combined with historical exploration reviews completed in 2020/2021, highlighted several gold targets, with Catia and Edneys Find prioritised for drilling. Catia is a structurally complex area, comprising sulphidic quartz veins hosted in highly foliated basalt and sedimentary rocks, and hosting a network of shallow and steep dipping gold-rich quartz veins within a regional west-northwest trending shear zone. Rock chips from reconnaissance mapping and sampling by Novo returned significant anomalous gold values, with peak results of 556 ppm Au and 117 ppm Au (Figure 2). Broad (km) scale carbonate, silica and sulphide alteration has also been identified across all stratigraphic units at Bellary. Soil sampling completed in 2021 by Novo highlighted a coherent bullseye Au-Ag-Pb-Sb anomaly in the immediate vicinity of the Catia vein system, and identified a significant soil anomaly 700m further east-southeast from the prospect along what is interpreted a continuation of the Catia Shear (Figure 3). R00471 - quartz vein with malachite - 556 ppm Au R00468 - gossanous quartz vein - 117 ppm Au Figure 2: Examples of high-grade gold mineralised quartz veins from surface mapping at Catia The 3000m RC drill program at Catia is designed to test both mineralised vein outcrop/subcrop and also drill along strike on the Catia Trend under cover to the east-southeast, where transported colluvium may be masking the true extent of gold system (Figure 3). Drilling will vary from 40 m spaced sectional traverses to 160 m. Figure 3: The Bellary Dome Project showing gold prospects and the Catia Shear Edneys Find (Figure 3) is a conglomerate-hosted gold occurrence that has been explored since the 1970s by multiple companies. The area has remnants of significant historical and recent prospector activity including dry-blowing spoils, historic pits and a small shaft. Previous work includes mapping, surface sampling, trenching, and drilling. The area is dominated by Bellary Formation sediments comprising arkosic sandstone, quartzite, shale, and conglomerate, shallowly overlying basement rocks. The conglomerate is clast supported with clast size varying from pebble to cobble size and zones of the conglomerate show disseminated buckshot pyrite, up to 10mm in diameter. A peak gold value from a trench rock chip sample by Novo in 2020 returned 36.4 ppm Au. Several short holes are planned in order to test the gold endowment of the conglomerate. Refer to Table 1 Rock Chip Assay Results and Table 2 Soil Sample Assay Results (Appendix 1). ANALYTIC METHODOLOGY All surface samples were sent to Intertek Genalysis, Perth (Intertek), for analyses. Soil samples were collected in 2021 as 150g samples, sieved to -80 mesh (0.177 mm) and analysed for gold and multi elements via AR25/MS. Rock chips were analysed for gold via 50 g Fire Assay with OE finish (FA50/OE) and for multi elements via Multi Acid Digest with MS finish (4A/MS). Blanks and standards were inserted in the sample sequence to ensure data quality and control, and field duplicates of soil samples were conducted at the rate of four per 100 samples. Four metre composite and single metre split samples from the current drill program will be sent to Intertek for analyses of gold via 50 g Fire Assay with OE finish (FA50/OE). Multi-element data will be collected via pXRF analysis of sieved 1 m sample powders with significant multielement anomalies assayed at a future date. There were no limitations to the verification process and all relevant data was verified by a qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) by reviewing analytical procedures undertaken by Intertek. QP STATEMENT Mr. Iain Groves (MAIG), is the qualified person, as defined under NI 43-101, responsible for, and having reviewed and approved, the technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Groves is Novos Exploration Manger West Pilbara. ABOUT NOVO Novo explores and develops its prospective land package covering approximately 10,500 square kilometres in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, along with the 22 square kilometre Belltopper Project in the Bendigo Tectonic Zone of Victoria, Australia. In addition to the Companys primary focus, Novo seeks to leverage its internal geological expertise to deliver value-accretive opportunities to its stakeholders. For more information, please contact Leo Karabelas at (416) 543-3120 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. On Behalf of the Board of Directors, Novo Resources Corp. Michael Spreadborough Michael Spreadborough Executive Co-Chairman and Acting CEO Forward-looking information Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information (within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation) including, without limitation, the proposed RC drill program at the Bellary Dome Project. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include, without limitation, customary risks of the resource industry and the risk factors identified in Novos managements discussion and analysis for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2022, which is available under Novos profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date those statements are made. Except as required by applicable law, Novo assumes no obligation to update or to publicly announce the results of any change to any forward-looking statement contained or incorporated by reference herein to reflect actual results, future events or developments, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting the forward-looking statements. If Novo updates any forward-looking statement(s), no inference should be drawn that the Company will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. APPENDIX 1 Table 1 - Rock chip assay results for sampling by Novo in 2020 and 2021. Samples were analysed by FA50/OE. Co-ordinates are GDA94/Zone 50 SAMPLE NO EASTING NORTHING PROSPECT AU PPM R00471 563448 7439234 Catia 556.053 R00468 563470 7439212 Catia 116.721 R00302 563444 7439213 Catia 41.246 R00301 563442 7439215 Catia 28.097 R00472 563442 7439238 Catia 3.844 R00462 563529 7439173 Catia 3.65 R00303 563501 7439251 Catia 2.061 R00465 563484 7439201 Catia 1.108 R00463 563487 7439193 Catia 1.021 R00477 563496 7439235 Catia 1.017 R00470 563447 7439231 Catia 0.822 R00469 563514 7439253 Catia 0.457 R00473 563455 7439228 Catia 0.335 R00467 563474 7439209 Catia 0.334 R00460 563521 7439170 Catia 0.212 R00457 563585 7439135 Catia 0.207 R00475 563484 7439264 Catia 0.134 R00464 563515 7439177 Catia 0.116 R06550 563539 7439279 Catia 0.107 R00461 563525 7439174 Catia 0.104 R06552 563500 7439255 Catia 0.097 R00459 563522 7439169 Catia 0.079 R00476 563481 7439262 Catia 0.031 R00466 563454 7439207 Catia 0.03 R00458 563522 7439167 Catia 0.028 R00478 563335 7439280 Catia 0.024 R06713 563607 7439240 Catia 0.022 R06554 563474 7439242 Catia 0.011 R00452 563539 7439177 Catia 0.009 R06555 563474 7439232 Catia 0.008 R00456 563571 7439158 Catia 0.007 R00453 563540 7439160 Catia 0.006 R06553 563492 7439245 Catia -0.0025 R06551 563508 7439260 Catia -0.0025 R00455 563541 7439158 Catia -0.0025 R00306 566351 7437878 Edney's 36.365 R00305 566360 7437868 Edney's 2.745 R00311 566235 7437983 Edney's 0.77 R00309 566321 7437847 Edney's 0.06 R00308 566316 7437850 Edney's 0.04 R00310 566260 7437911 Edney's 0.023 Table 2 Soil sample assay results for sampling by Novo in 2021. Samples were analysed by AR25/MS. Co-ordinates are GDA94/Zone 50 SAMPLE NO EASTING NORTHING AU PPB AG PPB PB PPM SB PPM H0081 563377 7439169 -0.5 -25 14.7 1.24 H0082 563387 7439187 4 70 16.5 2.05 H0083 563396 7439204 4 70 17.3 1.88 H0084 563406 7439221 6 130 18.7 2.64 H0085 563418 7439239 14 150 36.1 6.18 H0086 563427 7439256 5 80 41.3 5.51 H0087 563437 7439273 4 60 23.5 3.92 H0088 563447 7439290 28 90 17 2.67 H0089 563457 7439308 3 130 15.2 2.18 H0091 563468 7439325 2 -25 16.1 2.24 H0092 563476 7439336 9 110 15.2 2.36 H0093 563488 7439359 12 130 21.4 1.22 H0094 563523 7439340 22 90 17.1 2.18 H0095 563514 7439322 44 180 135.9 19.89 H0096 563502 7439305 94 70 148.4 27.75 H0097 563492 7439287 40 110 127.6 19.85 H0098 563482 7439271 32 160 120.8 18.04 H0099 563472 7439253 38 210 284.6 36.35 H0100 563463 7439236 333 450 692.8 62.34 H1264 563451 7439219 93 370 357.3 29.41 H1266 563442 7439202 4 110 46.5 4.58 H1267 563431 7439184 1 80 20.6 2.22 H1268 563422 7439167 5 110 15.9 1.76 H1269 563412 7439150 3 90 18.3 1.86 H1270 563608 7439404 2 90 14 1.17 H1271 563592 7439384 3 110 18.2 1.32 H1272 563588 7439370 3 110 18.9 1.34 H1273 563578 7439353 -0.5 -25 15 1.36 H1274 563566 7439336 -0.5 -25 16.9 2.12 H1275 563556 7439319 47 120 87.3 14.65 H1277 563547 7439302 40 120 100.3 15.73 H1278 563537 7439283 34 100 87.7 14.89 H1279 563525 7439267 23 90 57.2 11.31 H1280 563515 7439250 22 140 43.3 8.59 H1281 563505 7439233 11 120 38.2 10.75 H1282 563497 7439215 58 150 66.7 12.64 H1283 563486 7439198 61 200 172.2 18.26 H1284 563475 7439180 5 100 23.7 2.79 H1285 563465 7439163 3 100 16.5 1.88 H1286 563455 7439146 2 50 16.1 1.7 H1287 563445 7439129 2 -25 14.5 1.49 H1288 563436 7439111 -0.5 -25 17.4 1.52 H1289 563424 7439094 -0.5 -25 18.3 1.37 H1291 563414 7439077 -0.5 -25 21.9 1.49 H1292 563405 7439060 -0.5 -25 19 1.39 H1293 563395 7439043 -0.5 370 19 1.27 H1294 563385 7439026 -0.5 -25 16.3 1.31 H1295 563373 7439008 -0.5 -25 16.7 1.3 H1296 563515 7439088 1 80 18.1 1.44 H1297 563524 7439105 4 90 18.4 1.42 H1298 563535 7439122 -0.5 80 17.9 1.72 H1299 563545 7439140 5 90 26.6 3.33 H1301 563554 7439157 19 80 25.1 3.81 H1302 563565 7439174 66 130 32.6 5.57 H1303 563575 7439191 17 90 25.5 5.58 H1304 563585 7439209 22 140 18.5 5.87 H1305 563596 7439226 14 80 16.5 5.12 H1306 563605 7439244 27 130 26.4 5.89 H1307 563622 7439262 18 130 18.7 2.39 H1308 563626 7439278 7 80 17.1 1.63 H1309 563236 7439090 4 70 18.1 1.29 H1310 563246 7439107 3 80 19.9 1.15 H1311 563256 7439124 2 70 20.8 1.28 H1312 563267 7439141 2 70 21.9 1.32 H1313 563276 7439159 1 80 25.1 1.35 H1314 563287 7439176 2 80 19.3 1.42 H1316 563297 7439194 2 70 15.5 1.44 H1317 563307 7439211 2 70 14.5 1.52 H1318 563317 7439228 3 70 14.5 1.51 H1319 563327 7439245 3 70 15.6 1.95 H1320 563339 7439262 3 70 14.7 1.81 H1321 563348 7439279 3 80 16.5 1.87 H1322 563358 7439296 2 50 15.9 1.97 H1323 563368 7439314 2 -25 14.7 2.39 H1324 563377 7439330 2 -25 14.3 1.96 H1325 563385 7439346 5 -25 16.8 2.08 H1326 563399 7439365 4 70 16.3 1.49 H1327 563408 7439382 3 470 17.8 1.19 H1328 563418 7439400 2 60 23.5 1.22 H1329 563430 7439417 2 -25 23.1 1.19 H1331 563439 7439434 2 70 14 1.25 H1332 563449 7439452 2 60 12 1.08 H1333 563461 7439469 2 70 10.7 1.26 H1334 563470 7439486 3 60 10.2 1.14 H1335 563349 7439441 4 100 11.7 2.29 H1336 563340 7439423 3 70 23.1 1.53 H1337 563330 7439406 6 80 22.7 1.63 H1338 563320 7439389 4 60 18.3 1.54 H1339 563310 7439371 4 -25 14.9 1.74 H1341 563299 7439355 4 50 14.7 1.83 H1342 563289 7439338 3 60 15 1.8 H1343 563280 7439320 4 80 14.1 1.84 H1344 563270 7439303 2 60 15 1.97 H1345 563259 7439286 3 70 14.2 1.9 H1346 563249 7439268 3 60 12.2 1.32 H1347 563239 7439251 3 50 13.1 1.47 H1348 563098 7439171 2 50 13.7 1.14 H1349 563108 7439189 2 60 13.9 1.07 H1350 563118 7439206 3 70 13.9 1.08 H1351 563124 7439224 3 80 14.8 1.2 H1352 563149 7439239 3 110 16.1 1.33 H1353 563150 7439257 15 -25 13.4 1.21 H1354 563159 7439274 3 80 14.3 1.48 H1356 563169 7439292 17 150 12.8 1.54 H1357 563178 7439309 2 70 13.8 1.54 H1358 563190 7439326 2 60 14 1.6 H1359 563199 7439343 4 100 14.4 1.7 H1360 563210 7439360 2 110 15.9 1.86 H1361 563220 7439378 3 140 16.6 1.21 H1362 563230 7439395 3 110 19.3 1.44 H1363 563240 7439412 3 90 22.8 1.31 H1364 563251 7439429 5 80 23.2 0.98 H1366 563260 7439447 3 110 30.8 1.15 H1367 563270 7439465 -0.5 60 24.6 1.09 H1368 563281 7439481 3 50 12.9 1.11 H1369 563291 7439499 1 50 10.8 1.06 H1370 563301 7439515 -0.5 50 10.5 0.92 H1371 563311 7439532 2 90 10.1 1.19 H1372 563322 7439550 2 80 9.6 1.08 H1373 563327 7439569 2 60 8.9 1.05 H1374 563214 7439522 1 50 16.5 1 H1375 563201 7439505 1 50 18.7 1.11 H1376 563192 7439487 7 110 18.5 0.91 H1377 563183 7439470 3 -25 16.1 1.08 H1378 563172 7439453 1 -25 14.4 1.03 H1379 563162 7439436 1 -25 18 1.12 H1381 563151 7439417 6 120 18.7 1.12 H1382 563136 7439402 -0.5 -25 14.1 1.04 H1383 563131 7439384 4 170 16.2 1.19 H1384 563121 7439367 6 70 13.9 1.3 H1385 563111 7439350 5 110 12.4 1.16 H1386 563097 7439328 4 100 13.4 0.99 H1387 563090 7439315 3 70 15.9 0.97 H1388 563081 7439298 2 70 15.6 1.11 H1389 563069 7439280 2 60 15 1.24 H1391 563059 7439263 2 90 18.4 1.39 H1392 563050 7439246 3 110 19.7 1.27 H1393 563040 7439229 4 110 19.7 1.23 H1394 563511 7438927 -0.5 -25 14.8 2.23 H1395 563521 7438944 2 -25 15.8 2.21 H1396 563532 7438961 2 -25 14.9 2.26 H1397 563542 7438979 -0.5 -25 14.6 1.81 H1398 563552 7438996 -0.5 -25 15.3 1.77 H1399 563561 7439013 1 -25 15.5 1.7 H1400 563572 7439030 3 80 18.6 1.83 H1401 563583 7439048 2 -25 14.2 1.77 H1402 563593 7439064 6 -25 16.6 2.15 H1403 563603 7439082 8 -25 15.2 2.03 H1404 563614 7439099 3 -25 16.7 2.32 H1406 563623 7439116 24 -25 20.7 3.18 H1407 563633 7439134 11 -25 21.8 3.25 H1408 563644 7439151 16 100 26.8 4.39 H1409 563654 7439168 12 110 24.1 3.44 H1410 563669 7439190 7 110 16.1 1.64 H1411 563674 7439202 1 80 13.7 1.38 H1412 563685 7439219 2 70 12.2 1.14 H1413 563694 7439237 2 -25 12.6 1.21 H1414 563703 7439254 7 130 22.2 1.65 H1415 563716 7439271 2 60 14.4 1.43 H1417 563725 7439289 -0.5 -25 12.6 1.08 H1418 563736 7439306 3 -25 12.5 0.9 H1419 563748 7439321 6 50 12.4 0.87 H1420 563883 7439241 1 -25 17 1.06 H1421 563873 7439224 6 -25 19 1.3 H1422 563864 7439207 2 50 15 0.99 H1423 563853 7439190 -0.5 50 14.9 1.12 H1424 563842 7439172 2 60 15.8 1.22 H1425 563832 7439155 1 50 18 1.19 H1426 563821 7439138 1 80 18.8 1.25 H1427 563811 7439121 2 60 23.7 1.24 H1428 563801 7439104 1 70 18.4 1.26 H1429 563792 7439087 3 60 20 1.27 H1431 563780 7439069 2 -25 13.7 0.91 H1432 563771 7439052 2 50 15.4 1.04 H1433 563760 7439035 2 -25 13.9 1.04 H1434 563751 7439018 2 -25 12.3 1.17 H1435 563741 7439000 -0.5 -25 12 1.1 H1436 563730 7438983 3 -25 11.8 1.02 H1437 563720 7438966 4 -25 11.6 0.94 H1438 563710 7438949 2 -25 11.6 0.88 H1439 563700 7438931 4 130 15.6 1.19 H1441 563690 7438915 4 -25 16.7 1.23 H1442 563679 7438897 3 -25 13.9 1.08 H1443 563669 7438880 5 80 13.2 1.12 H1444 563659 7438862 2 70 13.6 1.19 H1445 563649 7438846 4 100 13.1 1.21 H1446 563787 7438764 -0.5 -25 11.9 1.08 H1447 563797 7438781 -0.5 -25 11.6 1.15 H1448 563808 7438800 1 60 12.1 1.19 H1449 563817 7438816 -0.5 -25 13.4 1.16 H1450 563842 7438850 1 -25 11.5 1.13 H1451 563848 7438867 -0.5 60 13.3 1.15 H1452 563858 7438885 2 -25 12.6 1.09 H1453 563868 7438902 1 -25 13.6 1.16 H1454 563877 7438919 2 60 11.8 1.13 H1456 563885 7438940 2 -25 13.3 1.12 H1457 563903 7438952 -0.5 -25 12.7 1.07 H1458 563909 7438971 -0.5 -25 11.5 0.98 H1459 563919 7438989 1 -25 10.9 1.1 H1460 563928 7439005 1 70 10.6 1.13 H1461 563940 7439023 -0.5 70 11 1.09 H1462 563958 7439057 -0.5 60 12.6 1.11 H1463 563970 7439074 -0.5 -25 13.8 1.13 H1464 563980 7439092 1 -25 17.2 1.36 H1465 563990 7439108 2 -25 14.5 1.17 H1467 563998 7439129 -0.5 60 15.1 1.33 H1468 564017 7439142 2 60 12.5 1.33 H1469 564021 7439161 3 70 13.3 1.34 H1470 564097 7438975 1 -25 9.1 0.89 H1471 564111 7439153 2 80 9.8 0.83 H1472 564102 7439136 1 -25 10.4 0.86 H1473 564090 7439118 1 -25 10.4 0.83 H1474 564080 7439102 2 -25 11 0.84 H1475 564070 7439085 2 -25 10.9 0.89 H1476 564060 7439068 1 60 11 0.98 H1477 564049 7439050 1 70 10.8 1.04 H1478 564038 7439033 3 70 11.1 0.95 H1479 564029 7439015 1 70 10.2 1.07 H1484 563194 7439649 2 90 12.6 0.9 H1485 563184 7439631 3 80 14.9 1.07 H1486 563175 7439614 6 50 11.7 1.32 H1487 563164 7439597 2 70 22.7 1.7 H1488 563153 7439580 1 60 31.4 1.53 H1489 563144 7439562 3 120 46.4 1.82 H1491 563134 7439545 2 90 36.2 1.45 H1492 563122 7439528 3 110 35.4 1.55 H1493 563113 7439511 3 90 31 1.44 H1494 563102 7439494 2 70 26 1.32 H1495 563092 7439477 1 90 28.4 1.28 H1496 563082 7439459 2 80 31.1 1.19 H1497 563066 7439441 2 70 29 1.11 H1498 563061 7439424 -0.5 -25 23.3 1.09 H1499 563056 7439405 1 -25 13.2 0.8 H1500 563042 7439391 3 -25 11.5 0.78 H1501 563032 7439374 -0.5 120 9.8 0.63 H1502 563021 7439356 1 50 39.4 1.41 H1503 563011 7439338 3 50 26.6 1.15 H1504 563002 7439321 -0.5 70 15.9 1.09 H1506 562992 7439304 2 -25 21.6 1.21 H1507 562981 7439287 5 70 31.7 1.66 H1508 562970 7439270 2 70 10.4 1.69 H1509 562960 7439252 20 60 8.4 1.7 H1510 562933 7439363 1 90 11.4 1.61 H1511 562942 7439380 -0.5 -25 10.9 1.48 H1512 562952 7439397 2 -25 12.1 1.92 H1513 562964 7439415 2 -25 12.6 1.95 H1514 562974 7439432 3 60 10.4 1.37 H1516 562983 7439449 2 70 11.1 1.45 H1517 563057 7439335 4 -25 11.5 1.63 H1518 563047 7439318 19 -25 9.3 1.79 H1519 563038 7439302 6 -25 11.2 1.27 H1520 563027 7439284 2 -25 9.8 1.06 H1521 563017 7439267 5 -25 12.7 1.32 H1522 564317 7439031 -0.5 -25 12.9 1.16 H1523 564307 7439013 3 60 12.2 1.14 H1524 564298 7438996 1 80 11.6 1.23 H1525 564287 7438979 2 100 12.5 1.22 H1526 564276 7438962 2 -25 11.5 1.25 H1527 564266 7438945 4 -25 12.2 1.45 H1528 564184 7438971 3 -25 11.3 1.25 H1529 564194 7438990 -0.5 -25 11.6 1.26 H1531 564207 7439003 1 80 10.9 1.16 H1532 564222 7439017 1 -25 12.8 1.29 H1533 564227 7439037 1 70 12.2 1.24 H1534 564237 7439054 10 50 13.1 1.31 H1535 564247 7439072 2 -25 11.2 1.37 H1536 564181 7439112 2 -25 15.2 1.42 H1537 564169 7439095 1 50 13.6 1.29 H1538 564160 7439079 2 -25 13.5 1.22 H1539 564149 7439061 3 80 14 1.23 H1541 564138 7439044 3 60 12.1 1.17 H1542 564128 7439026 6 100 13.8 2.5 H1543 564119 7439009 17 70 20.4 3.26 H1544 564107 7438992 134 90 71.5 6.76 __________________________________________ 1 Refer to the Companys news release dated June 12, 2020. CRANBROOK, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Eagle Plains Resources Ltd. ("EPL":TSX-V, or "Eagle Plains") has acquired a strategic mineral disposition within its' Pine Channel Gold Property tenure that covers the historic Algold Bay mineralization. Apogee Minerals Ltd (TSX-V-"APMI") holds the exclusive option to acquire an 80% interest (less 2% NSR) in the Pine Channel Property. About Algold Bay The Algold Bay tenure has been in good standing since 1979 and covers several Au mineralized showings on the north shore of Lake Athabasca. Gold mineralization at Algold Bay was first reported in 1935 and subsequent work has included prospecting, trenching, geophysical surveys, and 5 short diamond drill holes, with the last recorded work in 1988 by Colchis Resources. The MEL-CEC showing is a vertically dipping shear zone exposed for approximately 300m strike length. Historical chip sampling has returned values ranging from trace to 100.1 g/t (3.24 oz/t) Au over 0.8m, 26.4g/t Au over 1.9 m, 16.5 g/t Au over 1.31m, and 11.2 g/t over 1.3m. Drill intercepts at the MEL-CEC returned values ranging from trace to a high of 63.5 g/t (2.04 oz/t) Au over 60cm. The Algold Creek occurrence, a 3.7m wide quartz-tourmaline vein, returned values from trace to a high of 9 g/t Au from a grab sample. At the Occurrence 3 Au Showing, quartz stringers with arsenopyrite and visible gold returned values from trace up to 5.7 g/t Au. Rock grab samples are selective samples by nature and as such are not necessarily representative of the mineralization hosted across the property. These results are historical in nature and have not been confirmed by Eagle Plains, but are considered to be reliable and will form a basis for ongoing work. Pine Channel Gold Property Summary View Pine Channel Project/Highlight Map here The Pine Channel Property consists of 29 mineral dispositions covering 6,519 hectares located approximately 40 km west of Stony Rapids, Saskatchewan which is the logistics/business hub for northern Saskatchewan. The property can be accessed year-round by float- or ski-equipped aircraft from Stony Rapids or Fort McMurray, AB. The eastern and northern part of the property is transected by a high voltage powerline. Most geological fieldwork is limited to late May to October but other operations such as geophysical surveys and diamond drilling can be completed year-round. The main deposit type that is being explored for at Pine Channel is structurally controlled vein-quartz (lode) gold deposits. Mineral occurrences on the Pine Channel Property contain predominantly gold, with rare base metal occurrences. Within the Pine Channel tenures there are twenty historical showings reported by the Saskatchewan Mineral Deposit Index (SMDI). Highlights from documented historical work and previously reported results include: North Norite Bay (SMDI 2183): 407.96 g/t Au over 0.5 m (drill hole) ELA (SMDI 1574): 39.96 g/t Au over 0.55 m (drill hole) Holes G-1 and G-3 (SMDI 2329): 3.20 g/t Au over 1 m (drill hole) Occurrence No. 6/Occurrence No. 8 (SMDI 1581): 90.6 g/t Au over 0.2 m (trench sample) Cole Lake Ni-Cu (SMDI 1583): 0.45% Ni over 7.0 m (drill hole), 6.2 g/t Au, 0.01% Ni and 0.06% Cu over 3.0 m (trench sample) The above results were summarized from SMDI descriptions and assessment reports filed with the Saskatchewan government. Management cautions that historical results were collected and reported by past operators and have not been verified nor confirmed by a Qualified Person, but form a basis for ongoing work in the Pine Channel property area. In 2019-2020, Eagle Plains completed field programs focused on prospecting and mapping in areas of known mineral occurrences. The work confirmed the widespread occurrences of auriferous quartz veins and associated shear systems in the Pine Channel property. Analytical results from the seventy-two rock samples collected in 2020 range from 6 ppb Au to 68,400 ppb Au. Twenty-three of the samples returned greater than 1 g/t Au, and eight returned greater than 10 g/t Au. The most encouraging of the known showings are the ELA Shaft showing (SMDI 1574) and Occurrence No. 6 and No. 8 (SMDI 1581), which both demonstrate anomalous gold geochemical results and potential for extension of known mineralization along strike. 2022 work included a helicopter-borne high-resolution aeromagnetic and radiometric survey covering 380 line-km. The survey was completed by Precision Geosurveys Inc. of Langley, British Columbia. In addition, a 70 km2 Lidar and orthophoto survey was conducted by Eagle Mapping Ltd. of Langley British Columbia. Lineation analyses of the Lidar imaging, combined with the aeromagnetic data, defined a number of new target areas adjacent to and along strike from known mineralization, which will be priority targets for future exploration. Pine Channel Option Agreement Details In May 2021, Apogee entered into an option agreement with Eagle Plains. To earn an 80% interest in the Pine Channel property, Apogee agrees to complete CAD $3,000,000 in exploration expenditures, issue 2,000,000 voting class common shares to Eagle Plains and make $150,000 in cash payments over a 4-year period. A 2% NSR is reserved on the claims comprising the property. Under the terms of the agreement Eagle Plains is designated as the Operator of the project. Qualified Person Charles C. Downie, P.Geo., a "qualified person" for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and a director of Eagle Plains, has prepared, reviewed, and approved the scientific and technical disclosure in the news release About Eagle Plains Resources Based in Cranbrook, B.C., Eagle Plains is a well-funded, prolific project generator that continues to conduct research, acquire and explore mineral projects throughout western Canada. The Company was formed in 1992 and is the ninth-oldest listed issuer on the TSX-V (and one of only three that has not seen a roll-back or restructuring of its shares). Eagle Plains has continued to deliver shareholder value over the years and through numerous spin-out transactions, has transferred over $100,000,000 in value directly to its shareholders, with Copper Canyon Resources and recently Taiga Gold being notable examples. The Company is committed to steadily enhancing shareholder value by advancing our diverse portfolio of projects toward discovery through collaborative partnerships and development of a highly experienced technical team. In late 2022 Eagle Plains announced the formation of a separate division within the Company; Eagle Royalties Ltd. ("ER") which holds many of Eagle Plains' diverse portfolio of royalty assets. The restructuring will enhance the valuation of Eagle Plains' extensive royalty interests, enabling ER to market and develop its royalty assets while seeking additional royalty acquisition opportunities. Eagle Plains' royalties cover a broad spectrum of commodities on projects controlled by Cameco Corp., Iso Energy Corp., Denison Mines Corp., Skeena Resources Ltd. and Hecla Mining Co./Banyan Gold Corp., among others. Planning is underway to spin-out Eagle Royalties during H22023 which will enable Eagle Plains to continue to focus on its core business model of acquiring and advancing grassroots critical- and precious-metal exploration properties. Expenditures from 2011-2022 on Eagle Plains-related projects exceed $30M, the majority of which was funded by third-party partners. This exploration work resulted in approximately 45,000m of diamond-drilling and extensive ground-based exploration work facilitating the advancement of numerous projects at various stages of development. Throughout the exploration process, our mission is to help maintain prosperous communities by exploring for and discovering resource opportunities while building lasting relationships through honest and respectful business practices. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Eagle Plains "Tim J. Termuende" President and CEO For further information on EPL, please contact Mike Labach at 1 866 HUNT ORE (486 8673) Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit our website at https://www.eagleplains.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. April 5, 2023 TheNewswire - Renforth Resources Inc. (CSE:RFR) (OTC:RFHRF) (FSE:9RR) (Renforth or the Company) has completed our 6 drill hole program, with mineralized graphitic mudstones hosting copper, zinc and nickel intersected in each hole drilled over ~700m strike at the western end of the ~20 km long Victoria polymetallic mineralized structure which crosses the centre of the wholly owned 330 sq. km. Surimeau property. In this drill program Renforth intersected net textured sulphides, notable as one of Renforth's targets at Surimeau is to discover the source of the VMS stringer mineralization observed in this, and prior, drill programs. The westernmost, and high priority geophysical (mag & EM) anomaly at the western end of Victoria was the target of this drill program, the 6 drill holes into the structure in this area revealed that the mineralized graphitic mudstone, seen all along the 20km strike of Victoria in drill holes and surface prospecting, is thickening. In this area, based upon visuals and XRF readings, the mudstones deliver a consistent nickel value, along with higher levels of zinc and copper mineralization. Samples have been submitted for assay, results will be released as available. Net Textured Sulphides in Core Net Textured Sulphides in Drill Core Nicole will present an update online at 2:30est today with the Emerging Growth Conference, attendance is free with registration, the link is https://goto.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1595545&tp_key=f9a65401a1&sti=rfhrf Technical disclosure in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Francis R. Newton PGeo, OGQ a qualified person pursuant to NI 43-101. For further information please contact: Renforth Resources Inc. Nicole Brewster President and Chief Executive Officer C:416-818-1393 E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. #Unit 1B 955 Brock Road, Pickering ON L1W 2X9 About Renforth Renforth is a secure multi-commodity area play with the dominant brownfield land position south of the world class Cadillac-Larder Lake Fault ("CLLF") in the prolific Cadillac and Malartic mining camps of Quebec's Abitibi. Offering exposure to gold, zinc, nickel, copper, cobalt and more, including lithium Renforth's land position encompasses several areas of interest. In the more than 300 square kilometres Renforth holds, there are both resources and mineralized ground undergoing exploration to extend zones and define the amount of metal in structures. Renforth's position is unique in that the ground is road accessible, has hydro power in place and is in an established and secure mining jurisdiction which regularly ranks as Top 10 (as determined by the Fraser Institute) in the world. The CLLF, which extends from west of Kirkland Lake in Ontario to east of Val d'Or in Quebec is a regional first order fault which hosts numerous mines along its extent, including one of Canada's most lucrative gold mines, the know historic O'Brien Mine which formed the Cadillac Mining Camp, and Renforth's Parbec gold deposit near Malartic. Now, immediately north of Renforth's landholdings is one of the few instances of the CLLF being mined on its north side with North America's deepest single stage shaft, the Penna shaft, at Agnico Eagle's LaRonde Mine. Renforth holds the dominant land position in the Cadillac Camp south of the fault, and a good portion of the land position in the Malartic camp as well, contiguous to one of the few mines operating on the south side of the Cadillac Break, the Canadian Malartic Mine. Renforth's landholdings in the area host gold and silver as well as a host of future facing, or battery, metals such as nickel, copper, zinc, cobalt and lithium. No securities regulatory authority has approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. Forward Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and information under applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward looking. Forward-looking statements are frequently identified by such words as may, will, plan, expect, believe, anticipate, estimate, intend and similar words referring to future events and results. Such statements and information are based on the current opinions and expectations of management. All forward-looking information is inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, fluctuating commodity prices, the risks of obtaining necessary approvals, licenses and permits and the availability of financing, as described in more detail in the Companys securities filings available at www.sedar.com. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and the reader is cautioned against placing undue reliance thereon. Forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is provided and the Company assumes no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law. April 5, 2023 - TheNewswire - Rockport, Ontario - New Age Metals Inc. (TSXV:NAM); (OTC:NMTLF); (FSE:P7J2) (NAM or Company) is pleased to report that it has acquired 19,321 hectares of mineral exploration license (MEL) area at McLaughlin Lake, Manitoba. The MEL covers approximately 30 kms strike length of the Stull-Wunnummin Fault structure. The property hosts spodumene-bearing pegmatites with historical assay values up to 2.87% Li2O 1 and numerous prospective LCT-style pegmatites. The newly acquired property is located in Northern Manitobas Oxford Lake - Knee Lake Greenstone belt (figure 1) which is largely underexplored for LCT Pegmatites. All the claims are held by Lithium Canada Development, a 100% owned Lithium Division of New Age Metals. The Company is looking to find a strategic partner to advance the project to a drill ready stage. KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MCLAUGHLIN LAKE LITHIUM PROPERTY Spodumene-bearing pegmatites have been historically documented at McLaughlin Lake. A channel sample taken across the main dyke assayed 1.32% Li2O over 1.52m and more recent whole-rock sampling conducted by the Manitoba Geological Survey (MGS) on this dyke assayed 1.64% Li The dyke was traced at surface for a reported length of 400 meters and varies in thickness from 1.2 2.2 meters. Spodumene forms up to 40% of the dyke locally with individual crystals noted to be up to 35 centimeters long and 7 centimeters wide In a later report by Barry (1962), a second spodumene-bearing dyke was described ~20 meters west of the main showing. Two representative grab samples taken from a second spodumene bearing dyke in the area assayed 2.87% and 0.98% Li The pegmatite has an exposed width of up to one meter and was traced for 10 meters before disappearing under overburden. The nearby and related Magill Lake pluton contains abnormally high Rb (8 samples range from 238 to 692 ppm Rb), and a high degree of fractionation is inferred; the associated pegmatites therefore have a potential for rare-element mineralization 4,5 Analysis of regional till sampling conducted by the MGS returned coincident Li-Cs-Rb anomalies with the McLaughlin Lake pegmatite indicating an effective exploration tool and shows additional anomalies occurring west on the property that have yet to be investigated . Harry Barr, Chairman and CEO of New Age Metals Inc. commented With the strong competition in todays lithium market for available and prospective projects, we are thrilled to acquire such a large, underexplored area with mapped occurrences of lithium-bearing pegmatites. The acquisition of the McLaughlin Lake Lithium Project expands our Manitoba Lithium Division land position by 79% to an amalgamated 43,870 hectares confirming our commitment to delivering shareholder value through project generation and development. The company looks forward to working with local First Nation(s), local stakeholders, and the Province of Manitoba to increase the lithium economic potential in the region. Figure 1: Overview of Newly Acquired McLaughlin Lake Lithium Project EXPLORATION PLANS New Age Metals and its technical consultants from Axiom Exploration Group Ltd., are working on a go-forward exploration plan for the upcoming field season that will include: Permitting and consultation with the local First Nations and Government representatives to support initial exploration plans. Combined airborne magnetics, radiometrics, and LiDAR survey over the central spodumene bearing structure. First pass prospecting and geological mapping focusing on historical showings. Surficial geochemical surveys including Mobile Metal Ions to expand upon regional till sampling anomalies identified by the government. Identify and prioritize drill targets by integrating historical data with new exploration surveys and datasets. New Age Metals continues to expand its Manitoba Lithium Divisions land holdings as a leading explorer for battery metals in the province. Other projects include the recently announced South Bay Lithium Project and 11 projects in Southern Manitoba which are under option to Mineral Resources Limited, one of the top 5 lithium producers worldwide. About NAM New Age Metals is a junior mineral exploration and development company focused on the discovery, exploration, and development of green metal projects in North America. The Company has two divisions: a Platinum Group Metals division and a Lithium/Rare Element division. The PGM Division includes the 100% owned, multi-million-ounce, district-scale River Valley Project, one of North Americas largest undeveloped Platinum Group Metals Projects, situated 100 km by road east of Sudbury, Ontario. The company plans to have an updated Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) completed on the project by mid-summer and will announce its exploration plans within the next 60 days. In addition to River Valley, NAM owns 100% of the road accessible Genesis PGM-Cu-Ni Project in Alaska and plans to complete a Option-Joint Venture arrangement with a third party mining company to develop the project. The Companys Lithium Division is one of the largest mineral claim holders in the Winnipeg River Pegmatite Field, where the Company is exploring for hard rock lithium and various rare elements such as tantalum, rubidium, and cesium. The company recently completed a phase two drill program at Lithium Two Project and is beginning to receive initial assay results. Further exploration plans for 2023/24 include continued mapping/sampling field programs following up on prospective trends outlined in the magnetic data and 2022 surface sampling, additional geophysical surveys, and diamond drilling. The company has a partnership with Mineral Resource Limited (MRL, ASX: MIN), a top global lithium producer to explore and develop the Companys lithium project portfolio. The 2023/24 budget for our Manitoba Lithium Division has been submitted to MRL and a final budget is expected by mid-April 2023. The company is currently completing its 2022/23 $2.3 million budget. Our philosophy is to be a project generator with the objective of optioning our projects with major and junior mining companies through to production. The Company is actively seeking an option/ joint venture partner for our newly acquired McLaughlin Lake Li Project, the SouthBay Lithium Project in Northern Manitoba, and its road-accessible Genesis PGM-Cu-Ni Project in Alaska. Investors are invited to visit the New Age Metals website at www.newagemetals.com where they can review the company and its corporate activities. Any questions or comments can be directed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Harry Barr at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Farid Mammadov at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 613 659 2773. Qualified Person The technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Lynde Guillaume (Senior Geologist, Axiom Exploration Ltd.), a Qualified Person, and a Professional Geoscientist (P.Geo) who is a registered member of the Engineer and Geosciences of Manitoba (no. 47952). Opt-in List If you have not done so already, we encourage you to sign up on our website (www.newagemetals.com) to receive our updated news. On behalf of the Board of Directors Harry Barr Harry G. Barr Chairman and CEO Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements: This release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements may differ materially from actual future events or results and are based on current expectations or beliefs. For this purpose, statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements include statements in which the Company uses words such as continue, efforts, expect, believe, anticipate, confident, intend, strategy, plan, will, estimate, project, goal, target, prospects, optimistic or similar expressions. These statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially depending on a variety of important factors, including, among others, the Companys ability and continuation of efforts to timely and completely make available adequate current public information, additional or different regulatory and legal requirements and restrictions that may be imposed, and other factors as may be discussed in the documents filed by the Company on SEDAR (www.sedar.com), including the most recent reports that identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to review or confirm analysts expectations or estimates or to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. References Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - Ridgeline Minerals Corp. (TSXV: RDG) (OTCQB: RDGMF) (FSE: 0GC0) ("Ridgeline" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement to raise gross proceeds of up to $2,000,000 through the sale of up to 10,000,000 units ("the Units") at the price of $0.20 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company and one-half of one share purchase warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.30 per share for a period of 24 months from the date of issue. The proceeds from the sale of the private placement will be used to fund exploration activities at the Company's Nevada and Idaho projects and for general working capital. Certain directors and officers of the Company may acquire securities under the private placement. Any such participation would be considered to be a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 ("MI 61-101"). The transaction will be exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of any shares issued to or the consideration paid by such persons will exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. The Company may pay a finder's fee in connection with the private placement and this financing is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities to be issued in the Private Placement will be subject to a four (4) month hold period from the closing date under applicable securities laws in Canada and amongst other things, receipt by Ridgeline of all necessary regulatory approvals, including Exchange approval. The Company anticipates closing of the private placement as soon as practicable subject to receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to sell any securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. About Ridgeline Minerals Corp. Ridgeline is a discovery focused precious and base metal explorer with a proven management team and board of directors credited with numerous gold discoveries in North America. The Company controls a 192 km exploration portfolio across six projects in Nevada and Idaho, USA. More information about Ridgeline can be found at www.RidgelineMinerals.com. On behalf of the Board "Chad Peters" President & CEO Further Information: Chad Peters, P.Geo. President & CEO Ridgeline Minerals Corp. 1-866-RDG-NVAU (734-6828) - toll free This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Cautionary Note regarding Forward Looking Statements Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "Forward-Looking Information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-Looking Information includes, but is not limited to, the anticipated timing for completion of the private placement and use of proceeds therefrom. The words "anticipate," "significant," "expect," "may," "will" and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify Forward-Looking Information. Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by the Forward-Looking Information. In preparing the Forward-Looking Information in this news release, Ridgeline has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, assumptions that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner; that all requisite approvals will be received and all requisite information will be available in a timely manner. Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Ridgeline to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward-Looking Information. Such risks and other factors include, among others, risks related to dependence on key personnel; risks related to unforeseen delays; availability of capital and financing; general economic, market or business conditions, regulatory changes; timeliness of regulatory approvals as well as those factors discussed in Ridgeline's public disclosure record. Although Ridgeline has attempted to identify important factors that could affect Ridgeline and may cause actual actions, events, or results to differ materially from those described in Forward-Looking Information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that Forward-Looking Information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as required by law, Ridgeline does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to Forward-Looking Information contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - Prismo Metals Inc. (CSE: PRIZ) (OTCQB: PMOMF) ("Prismo" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received its drill permit for its 5289 hectare (20 square miles) Los Pavitos project located in the well mineralized Alamos region of southern Sonora State, Mexico. The permit contemplates construction of as many as 23 trenches and 30 drill sites. "We are very pleased to receive the environmental permit that will allow the first ever drill program to be conducted at Los Pavitos," said Dr. Craig Gibson, President and CEO of the Company, "We are looking forward to be able to construct trenches across mineralized structures in our ongoing program for target generation, and to subsequently drill test the mineralized structures." Figure 1. Geologic map of the Los Pavitos project showing permitted trenches and drill sites. Detailed exploration mapping and sampling is ongoing to refine drill targets at each of the main mineralized areas previously identified. Repair of access roads and trenching will be undertaken in April, and drilling is anticipated to begin in June. Dr. Craig Gibson, PhD., CPG., a Qualified Person as defined by NI-43-01 regulations and President, CEO and a director of the Company, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosures in this news release. About Los Pavitos The Los Pavitos project consists of a 5,289-hectare concession located in the well mineralized Alamos region of southern Sonora State that lies 25 km west of the well-mineralized Alamos District, which encompasses several active exploration and mining projects, including the past producing Alamo Dorado mine of Pan American Silver, the Piedras Verdes copper mine of Cobre de Mayo and the Alamos and Aurifero vein projects being explored by Minaurum Gold Inc. Infrastructure is excellent with paved highway access, electricity and water. The project, which was generated by Rafael Gallardo, was acquired from Minera Cascabel S.A. de C.V., a Mexican exploration and services company founded by Dr. Peter Megaw, an advisor to the Company (for terms see the Company's prospectus filed on SEDAR). The company completed a NI 43-101 Technical Report on the project in March 2021 available on SEDAR. Assays have been received for 460 rock samples taken by the company (excluding control samples); a further 110 samples were taken previously by Minera Cascabel. Drilling at Los Pavitos is expected to begin in Q2 2023. Location of the Los Pavitos project in southern Sonora State in relation to the Caborca Orogenic Gold Belt. About Prismo Prismo (CSE: PRIZ) is mining exploration company focused on two precious metal projects in Mexico (Palos Verdes and Los Pavitos) and a copper project in Arizona (Hot Breccia). Please follow @PrismoMetals on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. Prismo Metals Inc. 1100 - 1111 Melville St., Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 3V6 Contact: Craig Gibson, President & Chief Executive Officer This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Jason Frame, Manager of Communications This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated content, commencement and exploration program results, the ability to complete future financings, required permitting, exploration programs and drilling, and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, the state of the financial markets for the Company's equity securities, the state of the commodity markets generally, variations in the nature, the analytical results from surface trenching and sampling program, including diamond drilling programs, the results of IP surveying, the results of soil and till sampling program. the quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, variations in the market price of any mineral products the Company may produce or plan to produce, the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required, including CSE acceptance, for its planned activities, the inability of the Company to produce minerals from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies, the potential impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on the Company's exploration program and on the Company's general business, operations and financial condition, and other risks and uncertainties. All of the Company's Canadian public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials, including the technical reports filed with respect to the Company's mineral properties. Owners Team strengthened in anticipation of construction later this year Mr. Antonio Peixoto appointed Director of Operations, Brazil Mr. Mauricio Colletti appointed as Chief Mining Engineer and Mr. Mauro De Silva appointed as Chief Processing Engineer TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Cerrado Gold Inc. (TSX.V:CERT) (OTCQX:CRDOF) ("Cerrado" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has continued to strengthen its in country development, construction and operations team in anticipation of commencing construction activities later this year at its Monte do Carmo project in Tocantins sate, Brazil. Cerrado has appointed Mr. Antonio Peixoto as Director of Operations at its Monte do Carmo Project. In addition, the Company has also appointed Mr. Mauricio Coletti as Chief Mining Engineer and Mr. Mauro De Silva as Chief Processing Engineer. The new hires add several decades of operational experience to the Owners Team and reunites at team that have worked together on several successful operations and construction projects including Pan American's Jacobina Gold Mine and Largo Resources Maracas Vanadium Mine. Mr. Peixoto brings over 36 years of experience in the mining sector with over 22 years of direct management and operational experience. Mr. Peixoto joins most recently from Hochschild Mining Plc, where he was General Manager of the Mara Rosa project in the state of Goias, Brazil. Mr. Peixoto was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the operation including mining, exploration, plant operations, administrative and financial teams and most importantly, safety, environment and security. Previous roles have included operational management in Brazil for Prometalica, Kinross and Anglogold. Mr. Peixoto has a Master of Business Administration from the Getulio Vargas Foundation and a Degree in Metallurgical Engineering from the Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto. Mr. Mauricio Coletti has over 45 years experience in both open pit and underground operations across a range of commodities. Mr. Coletti was formerly at Largo Resources where he held the position of Mine Manager. Mr. Coletti has also held similar roles with Yamana at Jacobina and previously at the same mine when operated by Anglogold. Mr. Coletti has a Mining Engineering Degree from the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul and a Post-graduate degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Parana-UFPR. Mr. Mauro De Silva is an electrical engineer with over 35 years of experience in the engineering and maintenance of mining and metals processing plants. Mr. De Silva most recently held positions at Largo Resources, Yamana Gold, Anglo America, Caraiba Mining (currently Ero Copper) and Vale, where he has been involved in Maintenance Management, Project Coordination and Management. Mr. De Silva has a degree in electrical engineering from the Federal University of Minas Gerais. Mark Brennan, CEO and Chairman commented, "It is my great joy to see our owners team reunited to build yet another mine following Maracas (Largo) and Jacobina (Pan American Silver). We welcome Antonio, Mauricio and Mauro to the Cerrado team. Together with Kurt Menchen, our leader in Brazil, we are confident in our ability to bring the Monte do Carmo mine into production efficiently and on budget by early 2025." About Cerrado Cerrado is a Toronto based gold production, development and exploration company focused on gold projects in the Americas. The Company is the 100% owner of both the producing Minera Don Nicolas mine in Santa Cruz province, Argentina, and the highly prospective development project, Monte do Carmo located in Tocantins State, Brazil. For more information about Cerrado please visit our website at: www.cerradogold.com. For further information, contact: Mark Brennan David Ball CEO and Chairman Vice President, Corporate Development Tel: +1-647-796-0023 Tel: +1-647-796-0068 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Disclaimer NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation, all statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that discusses predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding the business and operations of Cerrado. In making the forward- looking statements contained in this press release, Cerrado has made certain assumptions, including, but not limited to the expected timing of commencement of construction activities at Monte do Carmo, the ability to develop Monte do Carmo efficiently and on budget in early 2025. Although Cerrado believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release. Except as required by law, Cerrado disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - Goldshore Resources Inc. (TSXV: GSHR) (OTCQB: GSHRF) (FSE: 8X00) ("Goldshore" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that, further to its news release dated March 23, 2023 and due to strong investor demand, it is increasing the size of its previously announced brokered private placement offering (the "Offering") to up to $6,000,000 aggregate gross proceeds of securities of the Company (the "Offered Securities"). The Offering is being conducted by Research Capital Corporation and Eventus Capital Corp., as co-lead agents and joint bookrunners (the "Lead Agents"), on their own behalf and on behalf of a syndicate of agents, including Laurentian Bank Securities Inc., Canaccord Genuity Corp., and Haywood Securities Inc. (together with the Lead Agents, the "Agents"). The Offering consists of the following Offered Securities: units of the Company (each, a " Unit ") at a price of $0.17 per Unit, comprised of one common share of the Company (each, a " Common Share ") and one-half common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a " Warrant "); and flow-through units of the Company (each, a "FT Unit") at a price of $0.195 per FT Unit, comprised of one Common Share that will qualify as "flow-through shares" within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Tax Act") and one-half of one Warrant. Each Warrant shall entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.25, for a period of 24 months following the Closing Date (as defined below). The Company has granted the Agents an option (the "Agents' Option"), which allows the Agents to offer up to an additional 15% of the Offering, on the same terms as the Offered Securities. The Agents' Option may be exercised in whole or in part at any time prior to the Closing Date of the Offering. The Company intends to use the net proceeds raised from the sale of Units for working capital and future exploration work on its Moss Lake gold deposit in Northwest Ontario, Canada. The gross proceeds from the issuance of the FT Units will be used for "Canadian Exploration Expenses" within the meaning of the Tax Act (the "Qualifying Expenditures"), which will be renounced with an effective date no later than December 31, 2023 to the purchasers of the FT Units in an aggregate amount not less than the gross proceeds raised from the issue of FT Units. If the Qualifying Expenditures are reduced by the Canada Revenue Agency, the Company will indemnify each subscriber of FT Units for any additional taxes payable by such subscriber as a result of the Company's failure to renounce the Qualifying Expenditures. The Offering is scheduled to close on or about the week of April 12, 2023 (the "Closing Date"), or on such date as agreed upon between the Company and the Lead Agents, and is subject to the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals, including, but not limited to, the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Offered Securities will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the Closing Date in accordance with applicable securities laws. The Company has agreed to pay to the Agents a cash commission equal to 6% of the gross proceeds of the Offering, subject to a reduction for certain orders on a "president's list". In addition, the Company has agreed to issue to the Agents compensation warrants of the Company exercisable for a period of 24 months, to acquire in aggregate that number of common shares of the Company which is equal to 6% of the number of Offered Securities sold under the Offering, subject to a reduction for certain orders on a "president's list". This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. Securities for Debt Transaction The Company also announces that it has entered into an agreement to settle certain outstanding accounts payable in the aggregate amount of $513,157.18 (the "Debt") owing to a creditor (the "Creditor") through the issuance of 3,018,572 units (the "Debt Settlement Units") at a deemed price of $0.17 per Unit (the "Securities for Debt Transaction"). The Debt Settlement Units will have the same terms as the Units issued pursuant to the Offering. No new control person or insider of the Company will be created pursuant to the Securities for Debt Transaction. This is an arm's length transaction. The Company is proposing to issue the Debt Settlement Units to preserve cash to fund future operations. The Company's board of directors believes that the Securities for Debt Transaction is necessary to provide the Company with a clean balance sheet to attract new capital and provide adequate hard dollar working capital into the second half of 2023. The issuance of securities pursuant to the Securities for Debt Transaction is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued will be subject to a four month hold period which will expire on the date that is four months and one day from the date of issue. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. About Goldshore Goldshore is an emerging junior gold development company, and owns the Moss Lake Gold Project located in Ontario. Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. is currently a large shareholder of Goldshore with an approximate 22% equity position in the Company. Supported by an industry-leading management group, board of directors and advisory board, Goldshore is positioned to advance the Moss Lake Gold Project through the next stages of exploration and development. For More Information - Please Contact: Brett A. Richards President, Chief Executive Officer and Director Goldshore Resources Inc. P. +1 604 288 4416 M. +1 905 449 1500 E. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. W. www.goldshoreresources.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. These forwardlooking statements or information relate to, among other things: receipt of all approvals related to the Offering; the intended use of proceeds from the Offering; the expected Closing Date of the Offering; the incurrence of Qualifying Expenditures; and exploration and development activities at the Company's properties. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements relating to expectations regarding the expected closing date of the Offering, and other statements that are not historical facts. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, among others: the Company may require additional financing from time to time in order to continue its operations which may not be available when needed or on acceptable terms and conditions acceptable; compliance with extensive government regulation; domestic and foreign laws and regulations could adversely affect the Company's business and results of operations; the stock markets have experienced volatility that often has been unrelated to the performance of companies and these fluctuations may adversely affect the price of the Company's securities, regardless of its operating performance; and the impact of COVID-19. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Fabled Copper Corp. ("Fabled Copper" or the "Company") (CSE:FABL)(FSE:XZ7) announces the results of 2022 surface field work on its Muskwa Copper Project. See Figure 1 below. Figure 1 - General Property Location The Project is comprised of the Neil Property, the Toro Property and the Bronson Property all located in northern British Columbia. See Figure 2 below. Figure 2 - Location Map The eastern extension of the Eagle Creek copper occurrence is located on the Neil Property roughly 1.5 km east of the 6400 Eagle Vein adit where the 2022 underground LIDAR survey was completed. The Eagle creek flows northward into the Yedhe Creek and it is located in the same valley that contains the eastern end of the 6400 adit & Eagle Vein exposure that are located on the west cliff face of the valley. During the summer of 2022 the Eagle Creek (See Release dated February 7, 2023), east extension of the Eagle Creek copper occurrence (See Release dated March 1, 2023), the western extension, north extension, southern extension and the backside of the Eagle vein were visited on separate occasions. This release pertains to the western side of the Eagle Creek Copper occurrence site visit, see Figure 3 below. Figure 3 -West Side of Eagle Creek Copper Occurrence Location Peter Hawley, President, CEO reports; "The western side of the Eagle Creek copper occurrence was visited by a 3-person field team consisting of two geologists and a geo technician on July 7th 2022 during the summer field season. Over the course of the traverse a vertical altitude of 158 meters was examined and sampled. A total of 12 float samples were collected, of the 12 samples collected, 11 assayed greater than 0.5% copper, 7 greater than 10% copper and 4 greater than 20% copper. See Table 1, Photo 1 below. Photo 1 - West side of Eagle Creek Float sample D-723669 taken at the 1,702-meter elevation consisted of massive sulphides weathered black / brown and brassy yellow and a broken fresh surface with minor white and peacock blue spec's. The sample contained with 95% chalcopyrite and 2% bornite and 3% quartz. This sample returned an impressive 19.55% copper. See Table 1 and Photo 2, below. Photo 2 - Sample D-723669 - 19.55 % copper. At the 1,696 meter altitude float sample D-723672 was taken and consisted of white / beige colored quartz with moderate malachite and trace azurite copper alteration, up to 6% chalcopyrite occurs as patches and this sample returned 5.50% copper. See Table 1 below Float sample D-723674 taken at the 1,704 meter altitude consisted of semi massive sulphides and quartz veining was brassy yellow with white patches and thin seams on a fresh surface. This sample contained 80% chalcopyrite and a trace of bornite and assayed an impressive 18.75% copper. See Table 1 below. At an elevation of 1,801 meters, 97 meters vertically above the sample described above, float sample D-723675 consisted of massive sulphides and minor quartz veining and brassy yellow on fresh surface with white patches and seams and contained 95% chalcopyrite and trace of bornite. This high grade sample assayed 20.10% copper. See Table 1, Photo 3 below. Photo 3 - Sample D-723675 - 20.10 % copper. Down slope at an elevation of 1,704 meters float sample D-723676 was taken. It consisted of massive sulphides, brassy yellow on a fresh surface with white patches and minor sediment fragments and consisted of 92% chalcopyrite and 3% bornite which returned a very high copper assay value of 22.00%. At an elevation of 1,776 meters the next float sample was taken, D-723678 which consists of massive sulphides, brassy yellow on a fresh surface with peacock blue specs and moderate malachite staining. This sample contained 90% chalcopyrite and 7-8% bornite and returned a staggering 29.30% copper. See Table 1 and Photo 4 below Photo 4 - Sample D-723678 - 29.30 % copper. Float sample D-723679 taken at an elevation of 1,710 meters was composed of quartz and iron carbonate and abundant malachite copper alteration with a trace of azurite. Sulphides were composed of 40% chalcopyrite and 2% bornite which returned 22.10% copper. See Table 1 below. Two meters below of the sample described above float sample D-723681 and was composed of quartz with black siltstone fragments with abundant malachite copper alteration and contained 10-12% chalcopyrite as fracture filling, blebs and disseminations. This sample returned 15.10% copper. See Table 1 below. Table 1- West Side of Eagle Creek Occurrence Sample Results Sample No. Elevation (m) Copper % Sample Type D-723668 1,654 1.23 Float D-723669 1,702 19.55 Float D-723670 1,644 0.29 Float D-723671 1,683 0.52 Float D-723672 1,696 5.50 Float D-723674 1,704 18.75 Float D-723675 1,801 20.10 Float D-723676 1,704 22.00 Float D-723678 1,776 29.30 Float D-723679 1,710 22.10 Float D-723681 1,708 15.10 Float D-723682 1,802 1.79 Float 1% copper = 22.2 pounds As per protocol, all sample locations were taken with GPS along with GPS enabled field cameras of photos of the sampled units. The photos, sample locations and all assay data pertaining to the assay taken, (36 elements were assayed) were tagged in a geo tag format for plotting in .kml / .kmz GIS systems such as Google Earth. An additional releases on the 2022 exploration of the Eagle Vein area of the Muskwa Project will be forth coming in the following weeks. QA QC Procedure Analytical results of sampling reported by Fabled Copper Corp represent rock samples submitted by Fabled Copper Corp staff directly to ALS Chemex, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada. Samples were crushed, split, and pulverized as per ALS Chemex method PREP-31, then analyzed for ME-ICP61 33 element package by four acid digestion with ICP-AES Finish. ME-GRA21 method for Au and Ag by fire assay and gravimetric finish, 30g nominal sample weight. Over Limit Methods For samples triggering precious metal over-limit thresholds of 10 g/t Au or 100 g/t Ag, the following is being used: Au-GRA21 Au by fire assay and gravimetric finish with 30 g sample. Ag-GRA21 Ag by fire assay and gravimetric finish. Fabled Copper Corp. monitors QA/QC using commercially sourced standards and locally sourced blank materials inserted within the sample sequence at regular intervals. About Fabled Copper Corp. Fabled Copper is a junior mining exploration company. Its current focus is to creating value for stakeholders through the exploration and development of its existing copper properties located in northern British Columbia. The Muskwa Project is located in the Liard Mining Division in northern British Columbia. In addition, Fabled has the newly acquired Volt 1, 2 and OHM lithium properties in the Abitibi area of Quebec. Mr. Peter J. Hawley, President and C.E.O. Fabled Copper Corp. Phone: (819) 316-0919 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. For further information please contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The technical information contained in this news release has been approved by Peter J. Hawley, P.Geo. President and C.E.O. of Fabled, who is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions, including, that the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events and that the Company obtains any required regulatory approvals. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: impacts from the coronavirus or other epidemics, general economic conditions in Canada, the United States and globally; industry conditions, including fluctuations in commodity prices; governmental regulation of the mining industry, including environmental regulation; geological, technical and drilling problems; unanticipated operating events; competition for and/or inability to retain drilling rigs and other services; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility; volatility in market prices for commodities; liabilities inherent in mining operations; changes in tax laws and incentive programs relating to the mining industry; as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company as set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arras Minerals Corp. (TSX.V: ARK) (Arras, or the Company) is pleased to announce assay results from holes Bg22014, Bg22015, & Bg22017 from the ongoing drill program at the Beskauga copper-gold deposit and surrounding area (Beskauga or the Project). Highlights Include: Bg22015: 778.2m of mineralization grading 0.40% copper-equivalent (CuEq) (0.31 g/t gold (Au), 0.13 % copper (Cu), 0.94 g/t silver (Ag) starting at 40.8m. Including: 95.2 m grading 0.61 % CuEq (0.47 g/t Au, 0.20% Cu, 1.27 g/t Ag) starting at 268.0m depth down-hole. Including: 322.4 m grading 0.51 % CuEq (0.40 g/t Au, 0.16% Cu, 1.15 g/t Ag) from 446.0m depth down-hole. (0.31 g/t gold (Au), 0.13 % copper (Cu), 0.94 g/t silver (Ag) starting at 40.8m. Bg22014: 335.6m of mineralization grading 0.24 grams per ton (g/t) gold-equivalent (AuEq) (0.16 g/t Au, 0.05 % Cu, 0.39 g/t Ag, starting at 44.0 m to the end of the drill hole. Including: 7.0 m grading 1.57g/t AuEq (1.47 g/t Au, 0.06% Cu, 1.75 g/t Ag) starting at 44.0m depth down-hole. Including: 8.0 m grading 1.14g/t AuEq (0.56 g/t Au, 0.45% Cu, 1.12 g/t Ag) starting at 369.0 m depth down-hole. (0.16 g/t Au, 0.05 % Cu, 0.39 g/t Ag, starting at 44.0 m to the end of the drill hole. Bg22017: 499.8m of mineralization grading 0.22g/t AuEq (0.15 g/t Au, 0.05% Cu, 0.45 g/t Ag) starting at 32.5 m to the end of the drill hole. Including: 12.0 m grading 1.65g/t AuEq (1.27 g/t Au, 0.21% Cu, 3.28 g/t Ag and 204.63 ppm Mo) starting at 376.0m depth down-hole. Including : 7.7 m grading 1.14g/t AuEq (0.94 g/t Au, 0.09% Cu, 2.34 g/t Ag and 165.28 ppm Mo) starting at 465.3m depth down-hole. (0.15 g/t Au, 0.05% Cu, 0.45 g/t Ag) starting at 32.5 m to the end of the drill hole. Consistent mineralization was seen for the entire length of hole Bg22015 (1,109.8m) and further defines a high-grade core to the Beskauga deposit within a lower grade halo. Holes Bg22014 & Bg22017 were drilled 3.2km to the south of the main Beskauga deposit and show widespread low-grade gold and copper mineralization and suggest another mineralizing system close-by. Very high molybdenum results were intercepted towards the bottom of hole Bg22017. Tim Barry, CEO of Arras, commenting on these latest results stated, Our drilling on the Beskauga Project has continued to produce long intercepts of continuous copper-gold mineralization starting at a depth of 40 meters below the surface. Our recent drilling has demonstrated the continuity of the mineralization to over one kilometer of vertical depth and has defined a high-grade zone that dips to the SSW. Mineralization remains open both laterally and at depth and suggests that the Beskauga ore body is much larger than has been recognized in the NI43-101 report. Mr. Barry continued, Apart from the Beskauga deposit, Arras has begun exploration on the Beskauga South area, located about 3.2 kilometers to the south of the main deposit. Although the mineralizing system at Beskauga South is not yet well understood, the presence of broad zones of low-grade gold mineralization punctuated by high-grade zones suggests there is potential for a bulk mineable target. A summary of the results announced in this news release is outlined in the table below. Table 1. Summary table for drill holes Bg22014, Bg22015 and Bg22017 Notes: Copper Equivalent (CuEq) grades reported for the drill holes at Beskauga were calculated using the following formula: CuEq % = Copper (%) + (Gold (g/t) x 0.8264) + (Silver (g/t) x 0.0107) + (Molybdenum (ppm) x 3.3333). Gold Equivalent (AuEq) grades reported for the drill holes at Beskauga were calculated using the following formula: AuEq g/t = Gold (g/t) + (Copper (%) x 1.2100) + (Silver (g/t) x 0.0129) + (Molybdenum (ppm) x 4.0334). Assumptions used for the copper and gold equivalent calculations were metal prices of US$3.00/lb. Copper, US$1,700/oz Gold, US$22/oz Silver, US$10/lb. Molybdenum, and metallurgical recoveries were assumed to be 100%. Results of Bg22014, Bg22015 and Bg22017: Bg22014: was drilled just north of the Beskauga South target, located approximately 3.2 kilometers south of the Beskauga Main deposit. The aim of the drill hole was to test the major NE-SW trending structure that links Beskauga South to Beskauga Main and to test for the first time a large IP anomaly along this part of the structure that coincides with strong Au-Cu-Bi anomalies identified in KGK drilling. The drill hole intersected andesite basalts and tuffs cut by multiple intrusions of porphyritic quartz monzonite. The andesite basalts are weakly propylitic altered (chlorite, smectite, magnetite, and epidote), while the porphyritic quartz monzonite shows weak potassic alteration (K-feldspar, magnetite, epidote, and rarely biotite). The best mineralized intercepts are hosted in the porphyritic quartz monzonite intrusions and are related to weak quartz-pyrite veining with occasional zones of chalcopyrite magnetite. The same style of veining can be seen sporadically in andesite basalts but with much weaker intensity. Bg22015: was collared 90.0 m to the NW from Arras drill hole Bg21006 (689.2m @ 0.76 % CuEq, including 120.9m @ 2.35% CuEq), and drilled at angle of 85 degrees toward the northeast with final depth of 1,109.8m. The purpose of the hole was to test a deep Audio-magentotelluric AMT anomaly which started at a depth from 725m It also aimed to further test mineralization intersected at 595m in depth by drill hole Bg21002 (431m @ 0.68% CuEq). The drill hole started in moderately, to very strong, argillic altered diorite. The argillic alteration consists of intense illite-smectite with local kaolinite, before transitioning to very weak illite-smectite alteration. Preserved remnants of sodic (albite-hematite) alteration starting appeared below depth of 675.0m. Diorite is cut by three post mineral argillic altered dykes of porphyritic diorite with average thickness of 35.0m at depths of 363.0m, 420.0m and 620.0m and lastly with 22.0m thick barren basalt dyke at 768.4m depth. Mineralization occurs as quartz-tennantite-chalcopyrite-pyrite stockwork, and sheeted veining followed by tennantite stringers and weak dissemination of copper sulphides close around the veins. The presence of bornite is scarce while molybdenite is found in quartz veins beyond depth of 841.0 m. Bg22017: was collared in fence 450m to the east from hole Bg22014, to test a magnetic anomaly supported by anomalous gold up to 6 g/t in historical KGK drill holes. After 32.5m of overburden the drill hole intersected a small interval of porphyritic quartz monzonite before continuing through andesite basalts and their associated tuffs. From 109.0m the quartz monzonite continued to the end of drill hole, interspersed with several small intervals of andesite basalt between depths of 301.0m and 331.0m. Andesite basalts are weakly propylitic (chlorite, smectite, magnetite) altered while quartz monzonite is altered by weak potassic (K-feldspar, magnetite and rare biotite) alteration. Mineralization is related with quartz-pyrite veining that has weak presence of chalcopyrite and rarely magnetite. Figure 1. Location of the holes completed to date as part of Arras planned 30,000-metre drill program on the Beskauga Main deposit and wider area. The surface projection of the block model from the current NI-43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate is shown for copper. The inset map in Figure 2 below shows the location of Beskauga Main relative to Beskauga South. Figure 2. Location of the holes completed to date at the Beskauga South area, located approximately 3.2 kilometres SSW from the Beskauga Main deposit, and outside of the current NI-43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate. The inset map shows the location of Beskauga South relative to Beskauga Main. Figure 3. Cross-section showing drill holes Bg22015 in relation to historical drill hole Bg-094. Also shown are grade contours based on the Beskauga block model for copper (only) developed for the purposes of the current Mineral Resource Estimate for Beskauga (for further details, please see Arras press release on June 20, 2022). CuEq grades of key intercepts in Bg22015 and historical holes are shown. The cross-section demonstrates the steep dipping high-grade copper-gold-silver trend observed through Arras exploration to date. This trend is observed beginning at the paleo-bedrock surface (41 m in depth) and averages between 200-300 m wide and to be consistently mineralized down to at least 1000 meters. Figure 4. Cross-section showing drill holes Bg22014 and Bg22017 with generalized interpretation of intersected rock units. Key intercepts of AuEq grades in Bg22014, Bg22017 are shown. About the Beskauga Deposit: The Beskauga deposit is a gold-copper-silver deposit with an Indicated Mineral Resource of 111.2 million tonnes grading 0.49 g/t gold, 0.30% copper, and 1.3 g/t silver for 1.75 million ounces of contained gold, 333.6 thousand tonnes of contained copper, and 4.79 million ounces of contained silver and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 92.6 million tonnes grading 0.50 g/t gold, 0.24% copper and 1.1 g/t silver for 1.49 million ounces of contained gold, 222.2 thousand tonnes of contained copper, and 3.39 million ounces of contained silver. The constraining open pit was optimized and calculated using a Gross Metal Value (GMV) cut-off of $20/tonne based on a price of $1,750/oz for gold, $3.50/lb for copper, $22/oz for silver, and with an average recovery of 85% for copper and 74.5% for gold and 50.0% for silver. Assay and QAQC Procedures: The drill core is cut in half lengthwise with one half (same half, consistently) collected for analysis, and one half preserved as a record. Bagged samples are sealed to ensure integrity during transport. All sample preparation and geochemical analysis are undertaken by ALS Global at its laboratories in Karaganda (Kazakhstan) and Loughrea (Republic of Ireland), respectively. A 30 g split of the pulp is analyzed for gold content by fire assay with an Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) finish (ALS method: Au-AA25) at ALS Karaganda. A second pulp split is then air freighted to ALS Loughrea and analyzed for 48 elements by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) after four-acid digestion on a 0.25 g aliquot (ALS method: ME-MS61). Any samples exceeding 1% copper are re-analyzed using a 4-acid digest ICP-MS ore grade method (ALS method: Cu-OG62). Arras Minerals operates according to its rigorous internal Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) protocols, which are consistent with industry best practices. This includes the insertion of certified standards, blanks, and field duplicates comprising of quarter drill core into the sample stream at an insertion rate of 2.5%, 2.5%, and 5%, respectively, which is deemed appropriate for this stage of exploration. The blanks and standards are Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) supplied by Ore Research and Exploration, Australia. Internal QA/QC samples are also inserted by the analytical laboratories and reviewed by the Company prior to release. Qualified Person: The technical information of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Tim Barry, a Chartered Professional Geologist MAusIMM CP(Geo), and a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101. On behalf of the Board of Directors "Tim Barry" Tim Barry, MAusIMM (CP(Geo)) Chief Executive Officer and Director INVESTOR RELATIONS: +1 604 687 5800 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Further information can be found on the Companys website https://www.arrasminerals.com or follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arrasminerals About Arras Minerals Corp. Arras is a Canadian exploration and development company advancing a portfolio of copper and gold assets in northeastern Kazakhstan, including the Option Agreement on the Beskauga copper and gold project. The Company has established the third-largest license package in the country (behind Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals Group) prospective for copper and gold in the country. The Companys shares are listed on the TSX-V under the trading symbol ARK. Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors concerning estimates of Measured, Indicated, and Inferred Resources: This press release uses the terms measured resources, indicated resources, and inferred resources which are defined in, and required to be disclosed by, NI 43-101. The Company advises U.S. investors that these terms are not recognized by the SEC. The estimation of measured, indicated and inferred resources involves greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic feasibility than the estimation of proven and probable reserves. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that measured and indicated mineral resources will be converted into reserves. The estimation of inferred resources involves far greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic viability than the estimation of other categories of resources. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that estimates of inferred mineral resources exist, are economically mineable, or will be upgraded into measured or indicated mineral resources. Under Canadian securities laws, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. Disclosure of contained ounces in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations, however the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute reserves by SEC standards as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. Accordingly, the information contained in this press release may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies that are not subject NI 43-101. Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events and Arras future results that are subject to the safe harbors created under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Exchange Act, and applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements regarding the use of net proceeds from the recent private placement, plans and expectations of the drill program Arras is in the process of undertaking, including the expansion of the Mineral Resource, and other aspects of the Mineral Resource estimates for the Beskauga project. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections about Arras exploration projects, the industry in which Arras operates and the beliefs and assumptions of Arras management. Words such as expects, anticipates, targets, goals, projects, intends, plans, believes, seeks, estimates, continues, may, variations of such words, and similar expressions and references to future periods, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond managements control, including undertaking further exploration activities, the results of such exploration activities and that such results support continued exploration activities, unexpected variations in ore grade, types and metallurgy, volatility and level of commodity prices, the availability of sufficient future financing, and other matters discussed under the caption Risk Factors in the Management Discussion and Analysis filed on the Companys profile on SEDAR on February 24, 2023 and in the Companys Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2022 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed on February 24, 2023 available on www.sec.gov. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by the Company in this release is based only on information currently available and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise. Vancouver, BC - TheNewswire - April 5, 2023 - Colossus Resources Corp. (Colossus or the Company) (TSX-V:CLUS) is pleased to announce it has entered into a Letter of Intent (the LOI) dated April 5, 2023 with arms-length parties Austral Gold Limited and its subsidiaries Minera Mena Chile Ltda and Revelo Resources Corp. to acquire an undivided 100% interest in the Calvario and Mirador projects in the Republic of Chile. The Company has requested a trading halt, which will remain in effect until lifted by the TSX Venture Exchange. About the Calvario and Mirador Projects (the Projects) The Calvario and Mirador projects are located approximately 80 km northeast of the coastal city of La Serena in the Coquimbo Region of central-northern Chile in South America. The exploration targets within the Projects are primarily porphyry copper (+/- Molybdenum, +/- Gold) systems. The Projects lie along the southern extensions of the highly productive Paleocene magmatic belt of northern Chile that hosts some of the most important copper and precious metals deposits in the country, such as Spence and Cerro Colorado (BHP), Sierra Gorda (KGHM) and Relincho/Nueva Reunion (Teck-Newmont Goldcorp). The Calvario and Mirador projects comprise an important strategic land position with multiple copper targets controlled by the same regional thrust faults. The Projects are located approximately 115 km south of the 50-50 Teck - Newmont Goldcorps Relincho/Nueva Reunion Joint Venture advanced Project, one of the largest undeveloped copper-gold-molybdemum projects in the Americas. The Calvario Project (see Figure 1) consists of 28 titles (Title type: Exploitation) covering 6,870 hectares. A portion of the Calvario Project (2,200 hectares) are subject to a 2% base metals Net Smelter Rotalty (NSR) and an 1% precious metals NSR in favour of Mineral Global Copper Chile S.A., a wholly owned subsidiary of the major royalties corporation, Franco Nevada Corporation (Canada). The balance of the Calvario titles (4,470 hectares) are free of any royalties. The Mirador Project consists of 31 titles (Title Type: Exploitation) covering 7,744 hectares. Ten of the Mirador titles (covering 2,400 hectares) are subject to a 2% base metals Net Smelter Rotalty (NSR) and an 1% precious metals NSR in favour of Mineral Global Copper Chile S.A. Nineteen of the other Mirador titles (covering 4,744 hectares) are subject to a 2% base metals Net Smelter Rotalty (NSR) and an 1% precious metals NSR in favour of Sumitomo Metals Mining Chile Ltda., a wholly owned subsidiary of the major mining corporation, Sumitomo Metals Mining Co. (Japan). Two titles (covering the balance 600 hectares) are free of any royalties. Colossus technical Director Ioannis (Yannis) Tsitos states: With this acquisition, Colossus Resources secures a significant and strategic mineral rights position in one of the most prospective belts, still underexplored, of central-northern Chile associated with significant copper and precious metals mineralization. The Project has good access to year-round field work and represents an exceptional opportunity for the Company. Subject to the successful conclusion of Definitive Agreements and the necessary approval of the transaction by the regulatory authorities, Colossus is looking forward to work closely with Austral Gold and its experienced technical team to advance both Calvario and Mirador projects towards a major copper ( Mo Au) discovery. Austral Gold will become the biggest single shareholder of Colossus. Figure 1: Outline of Calvario (in red) and Mirador (in blue) Concessions, located in the Coquimbo Region, Chile. Calvario is a porphyry copper ( Mo Au) system characterised by a structurally controlled quartz-sericite alteration zone oriented NNW-SSE some 6.0 km x 1.0 km in size, hosted within monzonite and quartz-feldspar porphyry intrusions and other rocks. Relict sulphides (pyrite and chalcopyrite) in the leached and oxidised surface exposures, minor copper oxides and associated Mo (>10 ppm) and Cu (>600 ppm) geochemical anomalies in soils and talus fines samples, together with stockwork quartz D-type veins have defined a principal target area around 1,500 m x 700 m in size at the southern end of the alteration zone, which may reflect a possible hypogene copper target at depth. Two secondary targets occur further to the north along the principal alteration zone mapped. The priority target area coincides with three of the six relatively shallow historic diamond drill holes drilled by Minera Fuego Ltda (now Mineral Global Copper S.A.) in 2008. They display moderate quartz-sericite alteration with minor copper oxides as coatings on pyrite and in fractures, and minor chalcocite mineralization indicating weak secondary enrichment. Best intersections include Hole# FCAR-07 reporting 92m @ 0.23% CuT (Total Copper) & 21 ppm MoT (Total Molybdenum), including 20m @ 0.54% CuT & 24 ppm MoT and Hole # FCAR-14 reporting 62m @ 0.20% CuT & 22 ppm MoT, including 28m @ 0.30% CuT & 20 ppm MoT. Information from surface exposures and drill holes suggests that erosional levels are not sufficiently deep to have produced significant secondary enrichment, with essentially relatively high-level phyllic alteration exposed at surface. Hypogene copper mineralisation has not been specifically targeted by the limited historical drilling, and comprises the target for future drill testing. The property has been structurally uplifted by a series of regional thrust faults related to the San Felix Vicuna fault system. Exploration activities to date have included geological mapping of outcropping areas, alteration mapping, mineralogical studies, limited rock-chip surface sampling, limited ground magnetics and relatively shallow drill testing (4,314m of drilling in 20 holes, mostly Reverse Circulation) of certain targets. No work has been done over Calvario in recent years. The property is easily accessed, being located close to the new paved highway that connects the main paved Pan-American Highway, through Tres Cruces, to the Pascua-Lama project (Barrick Gold). A short, well maintained dirt road links the project to the paved highway. A new high-tension power line has been installed along the Pascua-Lama highway. The project is located at altitudes ranging from about 3,000m to 3,300m. Although Calvario is a drill-stage ready exploration project, the Company believes that historical data needs to become NI43-101 compliant, some detailed geochemistry and geophysical surveys should be conducted in order to vector to the most productive parts of the porphyry system/s, prior to any drilling, to take place within 8 months from execution of Definitive Agreements. Mirador is a porphyry copper ( Mo Au) and high-sulphidation epithermal copper-gold exploration target and it is the southernmost of the two (with Calvario) large hydrothermal alteration systems located within the Properties. Mirador also lies along the same highly productive Paleocene belt of Chile. The Mirador project and identified targets within its titles, have never been drilled to date! Mirador represents a porphyry copper ( Mo Au) system, currently exposed at the upper-porphyry to epithermal levels, probably representing the base of a lithocap overlying the proposed porphyry copper target(s). Potential for high-sulphidation, epithermal copper-gold also exists. Extensive quartz-sericite and argillic alteration characterise the northern sector of the alteration zone. The alteration area (see Figure 2) extends over more than 7.0 x 3.0 Km, with superimposed advanced argillic alteration dominated by quartz-alunite in the central and southern sectors. Intense hydrothermal alteration is hosted principally within dacitic rocks. Phreatic breccias have been recognised, also suggesting the upper portions of a porphyry copper system. Surface outcrops are intensely leached. Limited copper oxides coincident with fine quartz veinlets at lower elevations to the north, suggest proximity to porphyry copper levels. Multi-element geochemical anomalies in rocks (Mo-Cu-Bi-Au with Mo >24 ppm to 153 ppm, and Cu >92 ppm to 500 ppm) suggest porphyry copper potential in the northern and possibly southern portions of the alteration zone, while the central areas (As-Sb geochemistry) more closely suggests a high-sulphidation epithermal environment with potential for copper-gold mineralisation and possibly gold and silver. The property has been structurally uplifted by a series of regional thrust faults related to the San Felix Vicuna fault system. Mirador together with contiguous Calvario project, form an important pair of copper targets controlled by the same regional thrust faults. Figure 2: Calvario & Mirador Regional Geology and major copper porphyry related alteration areas. Exploration activities to date have included detailed geological mapping of outcropping areas, detailed mapping of alteration mineralogy, and minor geochemical sampling of rocks. Further detailed alteration mapping and geochemical sampling to aid vectorisation towards potential productive levels, supported by geophysical testing (magnetics and IP), is required prior to drill testing of the principal targets. Terms of the Acquisition Terms of the LOI provide for funding by the Company of not less than USD$2.5 million in exploration expenditures on the Projects over a period of two years, of which at least USD$1.5 million must be incurred in the first 18 months. The Company will also issue to Minera Mena Chile Ltda (a wholly owned subsidiary of Austral Gold Limited) or its nominee, such number of common shares in the capital of Colossus (Colossus Shares) as to be equal to 19.9% of the post-issuance Colossus Shares outstanding, and one million share purchase warrants, each of which shall entitle the holder to purchase one Colossus Share for an exercise price of C$0.50 for three years. The Company paid the sum of USD$100,000.00 to Austral Gold Limited on execution of the LOI. If a definitive option agreement is not entered into by the Company by May 30, 2023, or such later date as is agreed upon by the parties, Austral Gold Limited shall refund USD$37,500.00 to the Company. The Projects are subject to net smelter return royalties over base and precious metals, of which Minera Mena Chile Ltda will retain the right to purchase half the royalties. The transaction is subject to all applicable regulatory approvals, including acceptance by the TSXV, and, if required, shareholder approval. Qualified Person The Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects for this news release is Marco Carrasco G, Reg. N 400, Comision Minera de Chile, who has reviewed and approved its contents. About Colossus Resources Corp. Colossus Resources is a relatively young junior mineral exploration company focused on maximizing shareholder value through the acquisition, discovery and advancement of high-quality copper gold projects in the Americas. About Austral Gold Ltd. Austral Gold is a gold and silver explorer and mining producer whose strategy is to expand the life of its cash-generating assets in Chile, restart its Casposo-Manantiales mine complex in Argentina, and build a portfolio of quality assets in Chile, the United States and Argentina organically through exploration and through acquisitions and strategic partnerships. Austral owns a 100-per-cent interest in the Guanaco/Amancaya mines in Chile and the Casposo-Manantiales mine complex (currently on care and maintenance) in Argentina; a non-controlling interest in the Rawhide mine in Nevada, United States; and a non-controlling interest in Ensign Gold, which holds the Mercur project in Utah, United States. In addition, Austral owns and has options on an attractive portfolio of exploration projects in the Paleocene belt in Chile (including the Jaguelito project in San Juan, Argentina, and projects acquired in the 2021 acquisition of Revelo Resources Corp.), a non-controlling interest in Pampa Metals and a 51-per-cent interest in the Sierra Blanca project in Santa Cruz, Argentina. Austral Gold is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and the Australian Securities Exchange. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Harry Katevatis 1.CEO & Director Colossus Resources Corp. For more information contact Ioannis (Yannis) Tsitos, Technical Director of Colossus Resources Corp. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Statements Certain of the statements made and information contained herein may contain forward- looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, information concerning the Company's intentions with respect to the development of its mineral properties. Forward-looking information is based on the views, opinions, intentions and estimates of management at the date the information is made, and is based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated or projected in the forward-looking information (including the actions of other parties who have agreed to do certain things and the approval of certain regulatory bodies). Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of the Company and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws, or to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of the Company, its financial or operating results or its securities. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Vancouver, British Columbia, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apogee Minerals Ltd. (Apogee or the Company) (TSXV: APMI) is pleased to announce that it has acquired a strategic mineral disposition within its Pine Channel Gold Property tenure that covers the historic Algold Bay mineralization. Pine Channel Project Map About Algold Bay The Algold Bay tenure has been in good standing since 1979 and covers several Au mineralized showings on the north shore of Lake Athabasca. Gold mineralization at Algold Bay was first reported in 1935 and subsequent work has included prospecting, trenching, geophysical surveys, and five short diamond drill holes, with the last recorded work in 1988 by Colchis Resources. The MEL-CEC showing is a vertically dipping shear zone exposed for approximately 300m strike length. Historical chip sampling has returned values ranging from trace to 100.1 g/t (3.24 oz/t) Au over 0.8m, 26.4g/t Au over 1.9 m, 16.5 g/t Au over 1.31 m, and 11.2 g/t over 1.3 m. Drill intercepts at the MEL-CEC returned values ranging from trace to a high of 63.5 g/t (2.04 oz/t) Au over 0.6 m. The Algold Creek occurrence, a 3.7 m wide quartz-tourmaline vein, returned values from trace to a high of 9 g/t Au from a grab sample. At the Occurrence 3 Au Showing, quartz stringers with arsenopyrite and visible gold returned values from trace up to 5.7 g/t Au. Rock grab samples are selective samples by nature and as such are not necessarily representative of the mineralization hosted across the property. These results are historical in nature and have not been confirmed by Apogee, but are considered to be reliable and will form a basis for ongoing work. Pine Channel Gold Property Summary The Pine Channel Property consists of 29 mineral dispositions covering 6,519 hectares located approximately 40 km west of Stony Rapids, Saskatchewan which is the logistics/business hub for northern Saskatchewan. The property can be accessed year-round by float- or ski-equipped aircraft from Stony Rapids or Fort McMurray, AB. The eastern and northern part of the property is transected by a high voltage powerline. Most geological fieldwork is limited to late May to October but other operations such as geophysical surveys and diamond drilling can be completed year-round. The main deposit type that is being explored for at Pine Channel is structurally controlled vein-quartz (lode) gold deposits. Mineral occurrences on the Pine Channel Property contain predominantly gold, with rare base metal occurrences. Within the Pine Channel tenures there are twenty historical showings reported by the Saskatchewan Mineral Deposit Index (SMDI). Highlights from documented historical work and previously reported results include: North Norite Bay (SMDI 2183): 407.96 g/t Au over 0.5 m (drill hole) ELA (SMDI 1574): 39.96 g/t Au over 0.55 m (drill hole) Holes G-1 and G-3 (SMDI 2329): 3.20 g/t Au over 1 m (drill hole) Occurrence No. 6/Occurrence No. 8 (SMDI 1581): 90.6 g/t Au over 0.2 m (trench sample) Cole Lake Ni-Cu (SMDI 1583): 0.45% Ni over 7.0 m (drill hole), 6.2 g/t Au, 0.01% Ni and 0.06% Cu over 3.0 m (trench sample) The above results were summarized from SMDI descriptions and assessment reports filed with the Saskatchewan government. Management cautions that historical results were collected and reported by past operators and have not been verified nor confirmed by a Qualified Person, but form a basis for ongoing work in the Pine Channel property area. In 2019-2020, Eagle Plains completed field programs focused on prospecting and mapping in areas of known mineral occurrences. The work confirmed the widespread occurrences of auriferous quartz veins and associated shear systems in the Pine Channel property. Analytical results from the seventy-two rock samples collected in 2020 range from 6 ppb Au to 68,400 ppb Au. Twenty-three of the samples returned greater than 1 g/t Au, and eight returned greater than 10 g/t Au. The most encouraging of the known showings are the ELA Shaft showing (SMDI 1574) and Occurrence No. 6 and No. 8 (SMDI 1581), which both demonstrate anomalous gold geochemical results and potential for extension of known mineralization along strike. In 2022, Apogee carried out work including a helicopter-borne high-resolution aeromagnetic and radiometric survey covering 380 line-km. The survey was completed by Precision Geosurveys Inc. of Langley, British Columbia. In addition, a 70 km2 Lidar and orthophoto survey was conducted by Eagle Mapping Ltd. of Langley British Columbia. Lineation analyses of the Lidar imaging, combined with the aeromagnetic data, defined a number of new target areas adjacent to and along strike from known mineralization, which will be priority targets for future exploration. Qualified Person Charles C. Downie, P.Geo., a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and a Director of Eagle Plains Resources Ltd., has prepared, reviewed, and approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release. About Apogee Minerals Ltd. Apogee Minerals Ltd. is a mineral exploration company. Our goal is to build shareholder value through mineral project acquisitions and advancement, as well as new mineral discoveries. To find out more about Apogee Minerals Ltd. (TSX-V: APMI) visit the Companys website: www.apogeemineralsltd.com Apogee Minerals Ltd. Jim Pettit James Pettit CEO and Director For further information, please contact: Apogee Minerals Ltd. Riley Trimble, Director Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: (604) 416-2978 Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Such information includes, without limitation, information regarding the timeline for completion of the compilation, interpretation and reporting of the Companys completed survey work. Although the Company believes that such information is reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward looking information is typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company is not a guarantee of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking information as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to: the ability of the Companys surveyors to complete the compilation, interpretation and reporting of the Companys completed survey work on the anticipated timelines; the Companys ability to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies; and other risks and factors that the Company is unaware of at this time. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. The securities referred to in this news release have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from the U.S. registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities, nor a solicitation for offers to buy any securities. TORONTO, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Probe Gold Inc. (TSX: PRB) (OTCQB: PROBF) (Probe or the Company) is very pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Renaud Adams to its board of directors, effective immediately. Renaud Adams has over 30 years of global mining experience in senior executive positions and operations. Currently, Mr. Adams serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Iamgold Corporation. Previously, from 2018 to 2022, he was the President and Chief Executive Officer of New Gold Inc., where he led the strategic repositioning of the company and turnaround of its operations. Prior to New Gold, Mr. Adams was President and Chief Executive Officer of Richmont Mines Inc. from 2014 until the company was sold to Alamos Gold in November 2017. During Mr. Adams' time at Richmont Mines, the primary mine of the company experienced an increase of more than two-fold in production, the mineral reserves were multiplied by more than three, and the costs were reduced significantly, leading to the Island Gold Mine in Ontario becoming one of the most cost-efficient underground mines in the Americas. From 2011 to 2014, Mr. Adams was Chief Operating Officer at Primero Mining Corporation, and prior to that he was General Manager of IAMGOLD's Rosebel mine in Suriname before being appointed Senior Vice President, Americas Operations. Prior to IAMGOLD, Mr. Adams held various senior operations positions at mining operations located in the Americas. Mr. Adams holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Mining and Mineral Processing from Laval University in Quebec, Canada. Jamie Sokalsky, Chairman of Probe, states: On behalf of myself and the other Directors, I would like to welcome Renaud to the Board of Probe. We are extremely pleased to have Renaud join us as we advance our Novador Gold Project, one of Canadas largest and most advanced gold exploration projects, into development. Renauds experience and skills in mining and corporate strategy are ideally suited for the next phase of our journey and his contributions will be critical in allowing us to realize the maximum amount of value from our project, as we advance towards production. Renaud is a very well-respected member of our industry, and a number of us at Probe have had the privilege of knowing and working with Renaud for many years. His professionalism, integrity and keen work ethic are an ideal fit with our corporate culture. About Probe Gold Probe Gold Inc. is a leading Canadian gold exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of highly prospective gold properties. The Company is committed to discovering and developing high-quality gold projects, including its key asset the multimillion-ounce Novador Gold Project, Quebec. The Company is well-funded and controls a strategic land package of approximately 1,500-square-kilometres of exploration ground within some of the most prolific gold belts in Quebec. The Company was formed as a result of the $526M sale of Probe Mines Limited to Goldcorp. On behalf of Probe Gold Inc., Dr. David Palmer, President & Chief Executive Officer For further information: Please visit our website at www.probegold.com or contact: Seema Sindwani Vice-President of Investor Relations This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. +1.416.777.9467 Forward-Looking Statements Neither TSX Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This News Release includes certain "forward-looking statements" which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Companys future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as believes, anticipates, expects, estimates, may, could, would, will, or plan. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet managements expectations. Risks, uncertainties, and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, completion of the Underwritten Offering on the terms as announced, the Companys objectives, goals or future plans, statements, exploration results, potential mineralization, the estimation of mineral resources, exploration and mine development plans, timing of the commencement of operations and estimates of market conditions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to failure to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals for the Underwritten Offering including the Toronto Stock Exchange, the occurrence of a material adverse change, disaster, change of law or other failure to satisfy the conditions to closing of the Underwritten Offering, the inability of the Company to apply the use of proceeds from the Underwritten Offering as anticipated, the failure to identify mineral resources, failure to convert estimated mineral resources to reserves, the inability to complete a feasibility study which recommends a production decision, the preliminary nature of metallurgical test results, delays in obtaining or failures to obtain required governmental, environmental or other project approvals, political risks, inability to fulfill the duty to accommodate First Nations and other indigenous peoples, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, changes in equity markets, inflation, changes in exchange rates, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in the development of projects, capital and operating costs varying significantly from estimates and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, an inability to predict and counteract the effects of COVID-19 on the business of the Company, including but not limited to the effects of COVID-19 on the price of commodities, capital market conditions, restriction on labour and international travel and supply chains, and those risks set out in the Companys public documents filed on SEDAR. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. On March 8, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) unveiled its fifth indictment in five years of work. Its accusation against 10 regional commanders of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) for committing 14 war crimes and crimes against humanity, the two charges of highest international reproach, marked several milestones for the special tribunal stemming from the 2016 peace agreement. After charging seven members of the FARC leadership two years ago over thousands of kidnappings (and seeing them accept responsibility), it is the first time the JEP has gone down the chain of command of that rebel group and tried to prove the responsibility of leaders who operated at the local level. It is also the first tangible result in one of the cases in which it decided not to focus its judicial investigation on a specific crime, but rather on a geographic region. And it is also the first time that, instead of examining an entire universe of victims, it chose to put the magnifying glass on how thousands of people belonging to two ethnic minorities - indigenous and Afro-descendants - suffered what it called "a regime of terror" by the guerrillas who laid down their arms six years ago. "Every life project was cut short and the different documented crimes (...) had as a common thread a viciousness and profiling against indigenous and Afro-Colombian citizens," judge Raul Sanchez wrote in his decision. A bellwether for regional cases 'Case 05' is one of the first seven macro-cases opened by the judicial arm of Colombias transitional justice and one of three that focus on crimes committed by multiple actors, including FARC but also law enforcement agents and third parties, in specific regions of the country. Its focus is on 17 municipalities in Cauca and Valle del Cauca, two neighbouring departments in the southwest, where the Andes mountains meets the Pacific lowlands, between 1993 and 2016. The departments of Cauca and Valle del Cauca, in southwestern Colombia, where the Andes mountains meet the Pacific lowlands, were the site of much violence against the local population during the civil conflict. Bill Anderson This investigative methodology was the result of a long internal debate in the JEP and especially in its Recognition Chamber, the one in charge of building and presenting cases, on how to select what and whom to investigate, try and sanction. From the outset, the peace agreement set a double criterion for the transitional justice system to demarcate its work in a country with 9.4 million victims: on the one hand, it should focus on the most serious and representative crimes and, on the other, on those most responsible for committing them. The JEPs justices chose to fulfill this mission through two selection methods: a more orthodox one based on specific crimes, as in the cases of FARC kidnappings and extrajudicial executions committed by the military, and a more innovative one focusing on specific regions. "Territorial and social control" In this first decision of its inaugural regional case, the JEP charged 10 former commanders of two structures that operated in that area, the Jacobo Arenas and Gabriel Galvis Mobile Columns, with having committed eight war crimes and six crimes against humanity. Among them is the first woman charged so far by the tribunal, Gloria Patricia Ramirez, alias 'Lady'. The JEP found that they savaged the region's inhabitants as part of their plan to dominate the Pacific region and take over cities like Popayan or Cali, the country's third largest, while using the rugged neighbouring mountains as a rear-guard. The ultimate goal of these crimes, the JEP argues, was to "obtain and consolidate territorial and social control" of municipalities they considered a strategic corridor. The accused now have 30 days to choose which path they take in Colombia's two-track transitional justice system. If they accept the tribunals findings and own up to their responsibility, in addition to contributing to the truth and personally redressing victims, they may receive 5-to-8 sentences in a non-prison setting. If they reject them, their case would move to an adversarial model and, if convicted, face 15-to-20-year prison sentences. The 683-page decision is an encyclopaedic compendium of crimes suffered by the inhabitants of these 17 towns, from selective homicides and child recruitment to entire communities confined and people maimed by landmines. It is a text written in a dry and factual language, often limited to naming the victims by their initials, and far from the eloquent and sometimes emotional prose with which previous indictments recounted the horrors of kidnapping and false positives. "A regime of terror against ancestral settlers" Although the delimitation of this case is in theory geographical, in practice it also ended up putting a spotlight on a certain profile of victims due to the fact that its one of the corners of Colombia with the greatest presence of ethnic minorities. To the point that in two towns, Toribio and Jambalo, more than 95% of the population is indigenous and in Puerto Tejada 97% is Afro-Colombian. This meant that much of the JEPs investigative work reconstructs the atrocities perpetrated by the guerrillas against nine indigenous peoples, mostly settled in the mountains, and dozens of Afro communities, descendants of slaves brought by the Spaniards from Africa in the 16th century to mine gold and silver. "Under the idea of consolidating a strategic corridor that would allow them to control the south of the country and then make the great leap to power in all of Colombia, the FARC-EP established a regime of terror that put the ancestral inhabitants in the dead end of being at the centre of a conflict with various actors and intensities," the accusation says. Its an assessment that the numbers corroborate: indigenous and black persons, who have special constitutional protection and their own chapter in the peace agreement, make up a tenth of Colombias population but account for almost a fifth of victims of the armed conflict. To illustrate this regime of terror, the JEP identified the patterns behind certain crimes. With dozens of examples, it shows that FARC committed selective killings against three types of persons: those it accused of being police or military informants, those it considered its enemies, and leaders who were critical of the guerrillas or, in its words, "sowed hatred" and "promoted a confrontational spirit." For example, in 2011 they killed Leopoldina Valencia, a 70-year-old traditional Nasa doctor, after accusing her of performing witchcraft on their militiamen. The murder of traditional leaders and authorities, says the tribunal, aimed at "altering their spiritual, political and cultural equilibrium". It also details how the guerrillas affected the daily life of hundreds of communities, setting up camps in their territories without their traditional authorities permission, infiltrating their organizations to destabilize them or imposing curfews. The enormous number of accredited victims in the case, 180,000, reflects this level of victimization, but also the JEP's decision to allow them to do so as collective subjects, instead of individually as in other cases. Although she is not mentioned by name, one of these Afro communities - that of La Toma - is that where current vice-president Francia Marquez, who was a respected environmental and victims' leader and won the Goldman prize before entering electoral politics, hails from. Villages under siege This new indictment focuses on crimes that lacerated the lives of the smallest and most rural villages. Among these, it gives a leading role to guerrilla attacks and sieges, which lasted anywhere from a few hours to several days and left engraved in the Colombian imagination the desolate images of collapsed squares and house facades dotted by gunfire. Cauca alone accounted for 309 of the 600 attacks of this type recorded. FARC's most frequent goal was to destroy police stations or bank offices, although - as several guerrillas admitted to the tribunal - they were often fortified. This meant that civilians, almost always exposed, ended up bearing the human cost. A bicycle bomb in Pradera injured 14 children celebrating Halloween. A public transport 'chiva' bus loaded with 100 kilos of explosives left two dead, 100 wounded and 400 houses damaged in Toribio on a market day. A dump truck with explosive cylinders left 183 injured in Morales after the driver left it next to a house and fled. They frequently devastated civilian property, from houses, hospitals and churches to energy, water or telephone public infrastructure. An attack with grenades and gas cylinders in Caldono, the second most targeted town in the country, completely destroyed a school where 400 children studied. Many of these attacks, the JEP argues, violated international humanitarian law because the guerrillas used explosive devices that they knew to be imprecise, violating the principle of distinction. The repudiation of this FARC strategy, so costly in human lives, is all the more important given that the JEP didnt prioritize a case on means and methods of warfare. Justice Raul Sanchez presents the JEP's second indictment against former FARC members and the first in one of the tribunal's regional cases. Photo: Special Jurisdiction for Peace. @ JEP Environmental destruction as a war crime One of the priorities for the JEP with its regional cases is to highlight how not only communities were victims, but also their territories and the ecosystems they harbour. Although this indictment doesnt develop the idea in much depth, it does detail for the first time in a judicial setting the effects of FARC on some of the most sensitive ecosystems in Colombia, the second most biodiverse country in the world. The rebels, argues the JEP, "had an ambiguous attitude that ended up generating serious damage to the environment due to their conduct, permissive in some cases and direct in others, with human acts that broke the environmental balance of the region. It exemplified this, on the one hand, with the damage to the paramos (moors), a high mountain ecosystem that only exists in a handful of tropical countries and is strategic for its water richness, recounting how the guerrillas mowed down its vegetation - especially the emblematic friar plants - to set up their camps or plant landmines to stop the army's advances. And on the other hand, for promoting the expansion of illegal mining and the clearing of forests to grow coca, marijuana and poppy. For all these reasons, it described its environmental destruction as a war crime. An illustrative transitional justice On a whole, the JEPs first territorial indictment is illustrative of how many corners of the Colombian countryside experienced the armed conflict. By criminalizing displacement as a war crime and the forced transfer of population as a crime against humanity, it became the first judicial decision of the transitional justice system that deals with the most widespread crime in the country and, therefore, one of the most emblematic - one that touched 8.2 million persons or one in six Colombians. Its also one that the JEP had not prioritized until now, just as it hadnt focused on intentional attacks against the civilian population or landmine use. In addition to documenting crimes that had been orphaned, this case clearly reconstructs how they interact with each other. For example, many village sieges were so deadly because of the indiscriminate use of tatuco rockets and gas cylinders, two explosive devices that FARC manufactured in an artisanal manner and despite a very low precision that they chose to ignore. Or how they used to plant landmines, also manufactured by them despite being banned by the Ottawa Convention since 1999, to keep communities confined. In some cases, crimes generated a vicious cycle of victimization. Frequent attacks on prosecutors and judges in these municipalities meant that it was virtually impossible to file a complaint against FARC or access justice, generating - in the JEPs words - "a law of silence." "Impunity was so widespread that when exceptionally some member of the military units (...) was captured (generally for rebellion and storage and manufacture of explosive devices), he returned a few years later to the area where he used to operate," the tribunal established, documenting how several of the former guerrillas appearing before it had benefited from this lack of administration of justice. Shortcomings But the decision also leaves several questions open. It is unclear how it interacts with the JEP case on the recruitment of minors, which is further behind because of a cascade of legal challenges by former FARC members against the judge who led it and his subsequent resignation. And although it is clear why the indictment omitted to talk about kidnappings, whose case is more advanced and will be the first to see sanctions, it is less understandable why it avoided tackling sexual violence, which has no case of its own. There is also no clarity on the sequence that follows in this case in terms of identifying those responsible, unlike the two previous cases in which it was explicit. The kidnapping case started with FARCs Secretariat to then focus on to its regional blocs, while the false positive case started in six sub-regions and now moves up to the national command of the Army, which may have ordered or prevented them. Three dissenting opinions underscore internal cracks Beyond the questions about whether it will continue upwards or towards other actors, the publication of this indictment also underscores the existence of an arduous debate within the JEP regarding territorial cases. Unlike what happened in previous indictments, three of the seven Recognition Chamber magistrates filed partial dissenting opinions in which they disputed the indictments methodology and some of its conclusions. The one that generated the most noise was the legal qualification of environmental damages in a non-international armed conflict as a war crime. Julieta Lemaitre, the justice in charge of the kidnapping case, defended that the indictment "makes a careful and well-intentioned analysis of environmental degradation" and Catalina Diaz, in charge of the false positives case, highlighted that "it provides a solid basis for designing reparation and restoration measures that take into account the complexity of the effects on nature". But both pointed out that the indictment fails to prove that there are serious, extensive and lasting damages, that the defendants were directly responsible for them and that they did so through conduct in violation of international humanitarian law. In turn, justice Lily Rueda reproached it for having omitted sexual violence and for its "deficiencies" in the analysis of the recruitment of minors, the very case she handles. "It doesnt provide an account of how recruitment occurred in this territory and doesnt flesh out the patterns in which this behaviour occurred," she wrote. Finally, Lemaitre regretted that - in an institution with limited human resources and 10 years to bring charges - it has taken so long for this first decision. In her words, "it is clear that there will be no further final results before 10 years have passed, since five years have already passed and the only product is the indictment of two of six FARC structures that operated in the zone, and not even for all the crimes committed". Beyond these legal controversies that will surely continue and its dry prose, the first regional case reconstructs many crimes that the JEP had not addressed until now, using countless quotes from victims' reports and incorporating many former rebels explicit admissions about them. And it acknowledges the painful ordeal of thousands of victims in the more rural Colombia. Last Monday, 20 March, former SAS trooper Oliver Schultz, who was awarded the Commendation for Gallantry for his service in Afghanistan, was arrested and charged with the war crime of murder in relation to the killing of an Afghan man, Dad Mohammad, in May 2012. The maximum penalty for the offence is life in prison. Prosecutors will allege that Mohammad was not taking an active part in hostilities, and that Schultz knew, or was reckless as to the factual circumstances establishing that [Mohammad] was not taking an active part in the hostilities. On 28 March, Schultz was granted bail ahead of a trial expected to take place in 2024 or 2025. The criminal investigation followed a shocking report in November 2020 that found evidence of serious abuses possibly amounting to war crimes by members of the Australian Special Forces in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2016. The arrest marks the first time a member of the Australian Defence Force has been charged with a war crime under Australian law. Given the lack of precedent for war crimes prosecutions in civilian courts or comparable jurisdictions, combined with a lack of local experience in the area and the formidable difficulties of obtaining admissible evidence from Afghanistan, prosecutors will most likely face unique difficulties in proving the offence to the requisite degree in front of a jury. The only previous attempt to prosecute defence force members for conduct in Afghanistan failed, when manslaughter charges laid against two soldiers through the military system were thrown out in 2011 when a judge ruled that the accused did not have a duty of care in relation to civilians killed in a raid by Australian troops. The Schultz case is however backed this time by a significant body of pre-existing investigation and a specifically dedicated organisation in the form of the Office of the Special Investigator, created in January 2021. A large proportion of its work has pertained to the examination of incidents referred for criminal investigation in the 2020 Brereton Report. According to the bar set by Brereton in his report, referrals were only made where there was a realistic prospect of gathering sufficient evidence to charge individuals, while regard was also had to the prospects of conviction. Significant resources have been devoted to the investigation in the Schultz case, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has reported that a dedicated team including homicide detectives and an intelligence officer examined the relevant incident for more than two years. A straightforward case? Melanie OBrien, Associate Professor of International Law at the University of Western Australia, says that the prosecution would not have brought charges if they didnt already have sufficient evidence. Indeed, with strong visual evidence already in the public domain, OBrien suspects that the Schultz case may be more straightforward than other future war crimes prosecutions. It is notable that the first arrest of a war crimes suspect has come in relation to one of the most public and vivid elements of the war crimes controversy. In March 2020, the ABC broadcast footage of Oliver Schultz shooting Mohammad, a father of two, through the head and the heart while he lay on the ground in an Uruzgan wheat field after being mauled by an SAS dog. The graphic helmet-camera footage, which shows Schultz calling Do you want me to drop this c***? to a colleague, before firing his weapon at Mohammad from point-blank range, became the shocking collective image of special forces misconduct in Afghanistan. It is unusual in an investigation into military personnel, constrained by security classifications, that such a clear and significant piece of information could be in the public domain, alongside interviews with family members of the deceased and further allegations carried by the media against the accused. Between 40 and 50 acts investigated As a first prosecution, much rides on the Schultz case. The Office of the Special Investigator told Parliament in February that it is investigating between 40 and 50 alleged offences by Australian special forces in Afghanistan, but that no further charges are expected for some time. OBrien says that a successful war crimes prosecution may place pressure on Coalition members to take war crimes investigations seriously, and question an inclination to conduct prosecutions militarily rather than in civilian courts out of a view that military courts know what its like in the theatre of war. She adds that, in London, days after the arrest of Oliver Schultz, Lord Justice Sir Charles Haddon-Cave opened an independent inquiry into allegations that members of the UK SAS were involved in the suspicious deaths of 54 Afghan civilians in 2010 and 2011, and that illegal activity may have been covered-up or inadequately investigated. OBrien says that the Australian war crimes investigation has positioned the country as a global leader in taking accountability and that it may demonstrate that you can hold those who have committed war crimes accountable while continuing to function as a military, and become more effective because of it. Much of the ongoing effectiveness of Australias war crimes investigations will ride on the success of the Schultz prosecution. If a conviction cannot be secured in the first instance, it may make it more difficult to bring future cases with greater levels of ambiguity to trial, especially given the novel status of the offence in Australian courts. The events took place nearly 1,000 kilometres from the Congolese capital Kinshasa in late September 2016. They followed an attack on the airport at Lungandu, on the outskirts of Kasai-Centrals capital Kananga, by the Kamwina Nsapu militia - supporters of traditional leader turned rebel Jean-Prince Mpandi Kamwina Nsapu, who was killed in August the same year. In retaliation, the security forces launched a raid on the site of Christ the King church in Mulombodi, where the militiamen were said to have taken refuge. The site housed the church, members of the congregation and its spiritual leader, known as the "Mulombodi", or "guide" in French. On the night of September 23-24, 2016, elements of the Congolese National Police and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), who had gone in pursuit of the militiamen, broke down the doors of the religious site one by one. According to the prosecution, they raped, several dozen women and killed at least 11 people. Witnesses also reported that men were abducted and taken to the Kananga military academy camp, commonly known as the "EFO camp" after its former name, the Officer Training School. Some never returned home, according to the testimony of their relatives. These illegal arrests could constitute "a crime against humanity", in the words of the prosecutor general. Troop leaders implicated Since March 20, two senior officers have been on trial for these acts: Brigadier General Emmanuel Lombe Bangwangu, 66, and Deputy Divisional Commander Gilbert Vumilia Tendilonge, 72. At the time, they were commander of the 21st military region and provincial police commissioner respectively. Both men are at large, but only General Vumilia, who has retired, appeared at the hearing. As for General Lombe, he was absent "for administrative reasons," according to a source close to the case. Currently stationed at the Kitona military base in Kongo Central, about 600 kilometres southwest of Kinshasa, he did not obtain authorization to travel. General Emmanuel Lombe Bangwangu, during an official ceremony at the Volcans stadium in Goma, eastern DRC, 15 September 2014. Alain Wandimoyi / AFP In the High Military Court, Lieutenant General Lucien-Rene Likulia Bakumi, the FARDC's auditor general, accused them of rape, murder and imprisonment or other forms of severe deprivation of liberty as crimes against humanity. According to the indictment, more than 260 women were raped, either collectively or individually, during this "widespread" attack by Congolese security forces. This is the beginning of a long-awaited judicial process, for several reasons. The Mulombodi case is one of 23 "emblematic" cases identified in the aftermath of the armed conflict between the Kamwina Nsapu militia and the security forces in a region previously considered a haven of peace. This trial is the first for serious crimes committed in Kananga itself. It is also the first to directly implicate officers of this rank for crimes related to the conflict, which has claimed an estimated 3,000 lives, according to the UN. To date, there have been four trials in the Kasai region with convictions for war crimes against Kamwina Nsapu militiamen: in the village of Mayi Munene (Kasai province), in Kongolo Moshi (Kazumba territory), Bana Ba Ntumba (Dimbelenge territory), and in Kananga concerning the murder of two UN experts in Kasai Central. For various observers, this trial of the security forces is a test of the authorities' willingness to fight impunity in Kasai. According to our information, the defendants could face more than 400 victims in this trial. Military justice "relaunching itself"? The opening of this trial is a "good surprise," says the Association of Victims of Grand Kasai president Mhyrrand Mulumba. He speaks of a military justice system that is relaunching itself", whereas it seemed to have been put on hold both by both Kinshasa and the United Nations, as jurist Luc Henkinbrant wrote a year ago in Justice Info. "This is a reason for satisfaction for all the victims of Grand Kasai. Justice should play its role, that of the church in the middle of the village. Let all the perpetrators answer for their acts and let all the victims be restored to their rights so that things dont go back to how they were. We are asking for the rule of law to be effective," Mulumba insists. Human rights organizations have high expectations of this judicial process. "This trial must send a strong message. It must serve as a lesson so that the evil that plunged Kasai into mourning is averted and we can never go back to that," says Dominique Kambala, director general of the Kananga-based Societe congolaise pour l'Etat de droit (SCED). "We are waiting for justice to be done in terms of convictions of the accused and the granting of fair reparations to victims," adds this former president of the Kasai-Central bar. Mobile court hearings in Kananga? The trial is being held in Kinshasa, the seat of the High Military Court, which is the only court that can try generals. However, the CSED is asking that mobile court hearings be held in Kananga for this trial. "Kananga is where the victims are. The 410 victims, even 500, how are they going to be transported to Kinshasa, who is going to pay for their stay?" asks Mulumba. Victims need to see their executioners face to face; this will bring relief and will be much more symbolic." Military justice has already adopted this method in previous trials for international crimes in Kasai, notably in Kongolo Moshi and Bana Ba Ntumba. But these mobile court hearings require logistical and financial resources, for which the state must find support from various partners - including UN agencies and international NGOs. As a reminder, in July 2021, human remains were discovered at the religious site of Mulombodi. The High Court of ex-West Kasai and the forensic police conducted an exhumation, which should be examined in this trial. In addition to this case, Kananga is awaiting another trial that is not yet scheduled. This is the case of the violence committed in Nganza, which along with that of Mulombodi and Tshisuku was one of three priority cases referred to the military prosecutor, according to a SCED communique from 2020, but has suffered "inexplicable delays. The violence was also attributed to the security forces, who carried out an operation in Nganza in March 2017 similar to the one in Mulombodi. The next hearing in the Mulombodi trial, whose calendar has not been officially announced, has been set for May 8. One might have thought transitional justice had been lost after the democratic transition was stifled by a coup d'etat, or drowned in the rivalries of weakened political parties and the threat of confrontation between different components of a fat military. Yet, according to consultations in Sudans capital Khartoum and its regions over the past few months, the desire for justice remains a key issue for the Sudanese people. The issue of justice was and still is quite central among the young people who lost their friends and among the families who lost some members, said Abdulsalam Sayyed Ahmed, a transitional justice expert and former UN official based in Khartoum. And because of the multiple atrocities during the three decades of Omar al-Bashirs regime, including crimes against humanity, possible genocide, grave human rights violations in different parts of the country. This is still very much an issue, the Darfur conflict in particular. The civilian coalition Forces of Freedom and Change-Central Council (FFC-CC), a cornerstone of the opposition to the military government, relies on this thirst for justice. When it negotiated a framework agreement with the junta to end the political crisis, signed on December 5, 2022, it left out five particularly sensitive issues: the issue of property confiscated by supporters of the Al-Bashir regime; the issue of eastern Sudan, which is both very poor and strategic; the revision of the Juba Peace Agreement; the reform of military and security institutions; justice and transitional justice. The parties agreed to address these issues after the signing of the framework agreement, in five national workshops. The idea was to broaden participation in the consultation process," says Suliman Baldo, a conflict resolution and human rights expert who is director of the anti-corruption organization Sudan Transparency and Policy Tracker, founded in 2022. The civilian coalition knew that the secrecy of the negotiations with the junta would be blamed on them, and that they needed to broaden their base to include other components of the 2018-2019 popular uprising that led to the fall of former president Al-Bashir. These five "workshops" were held from January to March, under the patronage of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAM). The workshop on justice and transitional justice was intended to counter the accusation of "Khartoum-centrism" in a country plagued by tensions between the centre and the regions. It was decided to conduct workshops from March 11 to 15 in the six historical regions of the country: East, Blue Nile, Darfur, Kordofan, North, and Central. Participating in the work were more than 30 organizations, grouped in a Civil Alliance for Transitional Justice since 2019. The advantage [of the workshops in the regions] is involving a wide number of people, because you have different levels of atrocities and types of violations, says Sayyed Ahmed, who helped organize them. The other side is that when you go to the regions, you are closer to the victims and closer to the places where the violations have been committed. We will know what are the expectations and the priorities of the victims groups. Towards a civilian transitional government? The feedback from the field was discussed during a national closing conference, held from March 16 to 20 in Khartoum. All of Sudanese society that was victimized by Omar al-Bashir's regime and then by the repression of the revolution gathered in the Friendship Hall, a massive congress hall on the banks of the Nile. Not only were victims' associations from all over the country represented, but also women's groups, political parties and the "resistance committees", the backbone of the revolution, which were not signatories to the framework agreement and were extremely critical. The demands of the regional workshops on transitional justice were compiled into a 16-point "Declaration of Principles". They were included in a draft final agreement, which was leaked on March 27 and announced for signing on April 1. The principles outlined should guide a "transitional civilian government" that is to be appointed on the basis of the final agreement. According to point 16 of the Declaration of Principles, as reflected in the draft final agreement, the new executive should then appoint an independent transitional justice commission to establish a broadly based law, which must include human rights violations violations resulting from state violence, armed and civil conflicts, violations that take place in the areas of oil excavations, mining, and construction of dams, as well as all violations against economic, social, and cultural rights. The issue of land is quite central in connection with conflict in Darfur and other areas, says Ahmed. This is something you cannot really ignore. And the Juba agreement had already specified a land commission to look into the disputes around land. Again, gold exploitation has been causing environmental damages to a lot of people in certain parts of the country. This is something that has been coming up during the discussions. Omar al-Bashir, the former Sudanese president whose transfer to the International Criminal Court was announced in 2020 ( pictured here during a trial in September of that same year), is still in Sudan. Ashraf Shazly / AFP "Transitional justice is a big lie Another crucial point in the draft agreement, as leaked on March 27, states that "it will not be permitted to grant amnesty, in violation of the principles and norms of international law, for war crimes and crimes against humanity, genocide and gross human rights violations. Similarly, it will not be permitted to grant an amnesty that infringes on the right of victims to seek justice in the manner of their choosing or that infringes on their right to reparation. It is true that a large part of the population, especially young people who led the revolutionary movement, reject amnesty. But it is difficult to imagine that those responsible, especially the most senior who have never left power, would allow themselves to be taken to court. Those who committed the crimes are in charge of Sudan today," says human rights lawyer Ahmed Eshaq. This is the main challenge. For witnesses and victims to be able to speak freely, we need security. Many human rights defenders remain sceptical. We dont have a competent criminal justice system, says lawyer Salih Mahmoud Osman, winner of the 2007 Sakharov Prize. Transitional justice is a big lie. Omar al-Bashir was using it as a way of pardon. And look at the level of peace and security. The plane to The Hague that never took off For it is indeed the fear of justice that decided the Sudanese generals, in power alongside civilians from 2019, to stage a coup on October 25, 2021, and so interrupt the democratic transition. And even though no case is officially opened against them in The Hague, General Abdel Fattah Burhan, commander of the army, and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (known as Hemeti), head of the Rapid Support Force (RSF) which is the former Janjaweed, have gradually stopped cooperating with the International Criminal Court (ICC). It is true that ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan visited Sudan in August 2022, as did his predecessor Fatou Bensouda. He visited Darfur, where he met with representatives of the displaced, and with victims. And last January, before the UN Security Council, he welcomed progress in the trial in The Hague of Mohamed Ali Abdelrahman, known as Ali Kosheib, accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur between March 2003 and late 2004. But the promise of the Sudanese authorities to allow the opening of an ICC office in Khartoum has remained a dead letter, he lamented. "Sisyphean efforts are required in order to simply obtain a single entry visa," he added. The prosecutor also said travel permits, which are essential to leave Khartoum and go to investigation sites in Darfur, are delayed until the applicant's departure from their country, and that access to national archives is almost impossible. A change in posture is needed on the part of Sudanese authorities, said Khan. International justice is slow, but the victims have not any choice in Sudan, says Osman. We know it hasnt the capacity to take all the perpetrators. But people will be satisfied if they can see three, four or ten of these prominent perpetrators sent to The Hague. It would be a kind of relief. In the meantime, Al-Bashir - whose delivery to the ICC was announced with great fanfare in 2020 - is reportedly sometimes in hospital, sometimes in prison, sometimes under house arrest, but still not on a plane to The Hague. It will be their grand trial. Behind the ivy-clad red brick edifice of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC), that seats in The Hague, staff are preparing for the big event of this tribunals history, with the trial of former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci and three of his former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) guerrilla comrades face on Monday 3 April on ten charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The KSC are part of Kosovos judicial system but are located in the Netherlands and fully staffed by internationals. These hybrid tribunals usually are after big, powerful people, says Balkan journalist and lawyer Marija Ristic, noting that the case against Thaci has stoked tensions in the country. Whenever you have arrests or wherever you had indictments, it quite changes the political landscape, it changes the government formations, it changes how police forces are organised, how the army is organised. The fact is that the party that he was running is no longer as powerful as it was when he was a free man, she says. Up until now the Kosovo special court has dealt with allegations of witness interference and tried two former KLA commanders, while it has zealously protected the investigation into the heaviest crimes committed during the national liberation struggle. Now the prosecutors have the chance to show their workings and prove that those who were at the highest levels behind the creation of the Kosovan state must also answer for alleged crimes. Four men and one hundred murders The indictment against the four men alleges that as part of a joint criminal enterprise, the four men committed the crimes between at least March 1998 and September 1999, and bear criminal responsibility for nearly 100 murders. Hashim Thaci is charged alongside three former KLA leaders and prominent politicians, Kadri Veseli, a former Kosovo parliament speaker and leader of the Kosovo Democratic Party, Jakup Krasniqi, the former chairman of the national council of the Social Democratic Initiative, the NISMA party, and Rexhep Selimi, the former head of the parliamentary group of what was the biggest opposition party at the time, Vetevendosje. The four men face a long indictment detailing alleged beatings, murders and a mass grave, alongside some of the names of the ethnic Albanian, Serb and Roma victims in the case. As senior figures in the KLA guerrilla, they had superior responsibility say the prosecutors, which makes them complicit because either they were aware of violations but did not take action to prevent criminal acts or punish the perpetrators, or they directly participated in the crimes themselves or gave orders for them. A slow and unjust justice This newest hybrid court in the Balkans is actually the only one dedicated solely to Kosovo and solely focussed on one specific group, notes Ristic. That fact, compared to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) which has indicted indiscriminately Serbs, Bosnians, Croats and Kosovars, and the fact that only those who were members of the KLA can be prosecuted, for many people in Kosovo is seen as something very unjust, she says. But the ICTY only covered a handful of the crimes alleged to have occurred during the heat of the Kosovo war in 1998 and 1999. Most of the crimes committed in Kosovo were actually committed by the Yugoslav forces and the Serbian army, says Ristic. And in general, the justice for crimes committed in Kosovo has been quite slow. Ristic wonders how the prosecutors will prove command responsibility: What is the role that Thaci and the other powerful KLA figures had actually in ordering the crimes?, she says. The Kosovo Liberation Army was a guerrilla group. So they didn't have a very clear structure. There were not so many documents, etc., like we have with other armies, like we had, for example, for the Yugoslav army. I will be very curious to see what the evidence is. Joint criminal enterprise? Lachezar Yanev from the Vrije University in Amsterdam points out that at the centre of the alleged joint criminal enterprise has to be a common plan, and that the prosecution is having a hard time defining what are the core crimes that the co-accused agreed on. The prosecution is saying there was basically a very vast joint criminal enterprise that was shared between Hashim Thaci and several senior officials of the KLA and the rank-and-file officers on the ground. Is that even possible, that all these people - we're talking about hundreds of people were coming together and sharing a common criminal plot to commit a crime? he asks. The prosecution sees this and says in the alternative, some of these members were actually not members of the joint criminal enterprise, but were used as tools by the others to commit these crimes. That is much more realistic, says Yanev. But to him, such unclarity may give the defence the opportunity to question whether a joint enterprise can be proved at all. One of the more dramatic details in the indictment concerns a mass grave. On or around July 17, 1998, a group of 11 Serb detainees were transferred to a room in the basement of a building in Malisheve/Malisevo [respectively spelled in Albanian and Serbian, the two official languages in Kosovo], where two other Serb detainees were already held, and where they were beaten up. The prosecution claims that on July 19, the detainees were placed in a van and driven to a nearby location where they were shot and killed by certain KLA members. One detainee escaped. The bodies of the other 12 men were recovered from a single mass grave. The indictment also details of alleged threats and pressure the four men used against the KLAs political rivals, saying they sought to stamp their control over Kosovo by means including unlawfully intimidating, mistreating, committing violence against, and removing those deemed to be opponents. For instance, in June 1998, two opponents were allegedly arrested, interrogated, and in one case severely beaten by the accused and people under their control at the KLAs Drenoc/Drenovac headquarters. They were then sent away to the KLAs general headquarters by Thaci and Veseli, with Rexhep Selimi also present. The two opponents were never seen or heard from again, reads the indictment. Three months later, Hashim Thaci himself, together with other KLA members, is alleged to have participated in and led the arrest, detention and intimidation of 13 members of a Kosovo parliamentary delegation who were on a humanitarian visit to Qirez/Cirez. The delegation members were badly beaten and had visible injuries, write the prosecutors. Then, in Thacis presence, a KLA member threatened to kill a member of the delegation, and on their release Hashim Thaci allegedly reinforced the threat by telling one delegation member that even if you are free now, we could kill you in Pristina. The intimidation of witnesses has been a constant constraint on attempts to charge Kosovo war crimes in national and international courts. One of the reasons why this court is in The Hague is actually because there were worries that witnesses will not be free to speak in Kosovo and that we will not have enough security for witnesses, says Ristic. This is a big burden on the Kosovo Specialist Chambers to actually fulfil this expectation, to keep all witnesses safe, and that witnesses actually dont change testimonies or give up on testifying in this high-profile trial, she adds. The case is likely to be a long-running fixture in The Hague, with the prosecution intending to call more than 300 witnesses. Its presentation of evidence may continue into 2025, to be followed by witnesses from the four defence teams. "There is no other option than to declare Mr. Kabuga unfit to take part in his trial," said his lawyer Emmanuel Altit on Thursday, March 30. He was speaking at the end of these hearings of independent medical experts, called to comment on the health of Kabuga, who is accused in the last major trial on the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Kabuga has been on trial since September 29 before the Dutch branch of the UN Mechanism that succeeded the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. Charged with six counts of genocide, incitement to commit genocide and crimes against humanity, the former businessman is accused of funding the Interahamwe -- a militia that carried out attacks against civilians -- as well as Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), a private radio station that called for murder during the massacres. A "trial on the facts"? According to Altit, who has been repeatedly recused by his client, Kabuga cannot interact with his defence team, and in his current state does not have the capacity to give instructions. Altit took issue with the prosecution's proposed "trial on the facts" option, under which proceedings could continue in the absence of the accused. "There would be no fair trial and justice would be only a semblance," said the defence lawyer. Prosecutor Rupert Elderkin had just suggested that if Kabuga were declared unfit to participate in his trial, the proceedings could continue without him, since in criminal trials the task of defence falls to the lawyers. Presiding Judge Iain Bonomy corrected him, saying that would not be a trial on the facts but "a review of the facts to ensure that the detention of an incapacitated person is justified. But even in this case, "how will the defence work if it cannot receive instructions from the accused? asked Altit. Altit reviewed the conclusions of the three independent medical experts appointed by the chamber, two psychiatrists - Irish professor Henry Kennedy and British professor Gillian Mezey - and a neurologist, Belgian professor Patrick Cras. Although their expert reports were kept confidential, it emerged from their hearings interspersed with closed sessions, questions from the chamber, prosecution and defence, that Kabuga suffers from significant deficits in the following areas: short-term memory (acquisition and retention); episodic confusion, complex decision-making; attention and concentration, reasoning and judgment and executive functioning (i.e. doing tasks in the right order), expressive and receptive communication, as well as fluctuations in his mood and personality change, according to the December 2022 expert report cited on the stand by defence attorney Dov Jacobs. More like severe dementia Professor Henry Kennedy, the first to be heard, said that Kabuga "did not complete many of the tasks we gave him" during his psychiatric examination. He said the former Rwandan businessman is suffering from a progressive physical and mental decline that is likely not to improve. Kabuga is experiencing a progressive reduction in his cognitive abilities, is losing his memory, has a deficit in comprehension and expression, and is often confused. He has "dementia," he concluded. Judge Ivo Nelson de Caires Batista Rosa wanted to know more about the degree of dementia of the accused. Is it mild or moderate or severe? The categories allow me only to say mild or severe. I would prefer to choose moderate, but Im obliged to choose more severe, said the psychiatrist. His diagnosis is clear: Kabuga does not have the capacity to understand the evidence, and therefore cannot testify. According to Kennedy, "the process of testifying goes beyond the expression of will and preferences", as Kabuga may give answers without understanding the scope and purpose of the questions asked, especially on cross-examination. "The problem is Kabuga's capacity to understand the point of the cross-examination," the Irish expert said. Judges and lawyers have asked whether "the old man", as Rwandans call him, is exaggerating and faking. Any psychiatrist has always to consider the possibility that one can be deceived and that one has to be sensitive to that and has to look, therefore, for inconsistencies. In Mr. Kabuga's case, relying as much as we can on objective findings rather than subjective findings, we now find that a diagnosis of dementia can be made, replied Professor Kennedy. Taking the totality of the clinical information available to me, having interviewed him on three occasions and interviewed many other clinicians who were working with him continuously, I believe there is a real deterioration. At times, Kabuga does not know he is in prison This diagnosis was confirmed by British expert Professor Gillian Mezey, who said that since May 2022 Kabuga has shown both physical and mental deterioration. The deterioration, especially mental, is progressive and irreversible. He is experiencing increased irritability, accompanied by fatigue, inability to stay awake, confusion and disorientation. She described how Kabuga could no longer recognize her, and even after introducing herself and explaining why she was there, ten minutes later he still asked her who she was and what she was doing there. She said that although Kabuga was indeed following this hearing from a distance, if he was asked what it was about when he left the hearing, he would not be able to remember. Mezey explained that Kabuga cannot receive and retain complex information. He experiences continuous fatigue, so he "was falling asleep during the examination. The British expert said that the level of dementia he has reached cannot allow him to have a deep conversation. When asked if Kabuga can make responsible choices, the professor said that if he were brought an apple and a banana he could make a choice, but on a more complex issue, even if he made a choice, it is not easy to determine his level of responsibility in that choice. "Expressing a will and preference is not necessarily with full capacity," said the expert. As an example, the professor said she asked him if he preferred the trial to stop or continue. He said, "I am sick, I don't want the proceedings to continue", and when asked where he wanted to live in the future, he said, "where I am now. At times, she said, he does not know he is in prison. According to the expert, Kabuga understands the charges and their consequences, but he cannot instruct his lawyer and discuss with him a line of defence, witness evaluation and so on. "No reason to think that he is exaggerating or simulating" "The more complex the information, the less he will understand and retain it," says the psychiatrist. Therefore he cannot testify. "Giving evidence requires memory ability and understanding of complex phrases" but "he is unable to communicate his opinions and views". The judges then asked him if the defendant could just watch the trial without participating. While Professor Kennedy said that would tire him unnecessarily, Professor Mezey said he would simply fall asleep after a few moments. Belgian neurologist Patrick Cras agreed with the other experts. He told the judges that Kabuga has brain damage, his frontal cognitive functions have deteriorated, and that he has vascular dementia resulting in acute cognitive deterioration. He has functional disorders, attention disorders, slowed thinking, memory loss, lack of motivation, lack of insight. In other words, his dementia is "permanent and irreversible", the expert ruled. "I have no reason to think that he is exaggerating or simulating," he said, noting that tests have shown Kabuga suffers from both long and short-term memory deficits. In the light of our most recent assessments we are now confident in our opinion that Mr. Kabuga is not fit to participate meaningfully in his trial, the three independent experts jointly concluded. Despite their unanimity, the prosecution continued to challenge this conclusion. Prosecutor Elderkin, in his submissions, pointed to methodological problems, arguing that the results would have been different if they had not at times conducted their examinations by video conference. He said the language barrier that required the services of an interpreter would also have affected the results. He did not rule out that the most recent results could have been because of infections suffered by the accused shortly before their examinations, and that there could be improvement in the near future. "Kabuga understands the charges and the consequences thereof. If he is duly represented, he can stand trial," said the prosecution representative, who suggested that "alternatively, the chamber could proceed with the examination of the facts" without the accused. The judges are deliberating on the matter, and could deliver a decision at any moment. The United Nations Human Rights Council demanded Tuesday that Russia provide access to and information about Ukrainian children and other civilians forcibly transferred to territory under its control. The top UN rights body passed a resolution demanding that Moscow "cease the unlawful forced transfer and deportation of civilians and other protected persons within Ukraine or to the Russian Federation". The text, which passed with 28 of the 47 council members voting in favour, 17 abstaining and only China and Eritrea opposed, highlighted in particular the transfer of "children, including those from institutional care, unaccompanied children and separated children". The Kremlin's alleged deportation of tens of thousands of children from war-ravaged Ukraine to Russia or areas occupied by Russian forces has been a hot-button topic throughout the nearly six-week session of the Geneva-based council. Kyiv maintains that more than 16,000 Ukrainian children have been deported to Russia as of February this year. "The scope and brutality of Russia's atrocities in Ukraine are simply beyond any human comprehension," Ukrainian ambassador Yevheniia Filipenko told the council. "The most appalling of them is the forcible transfer... of children to Russia for their re-education and adoption," she said. "The forcible transport, transfer and deportation of Ukraine's children is truly sickening," agreed US ambassador Michele Taylor. China however pushed the resolution to a vote, with representative Li Xiaomei slamming the text as an "instrumentalisation of human rights issues". She insisted the council would have been better off supporting "dialogue between Russia and Ukraine" and should "stop spreading oil over fire". - War crime - Tuesday's resolution, which also prolonged for another year a high-level investigation into violations committed in the context of the war in Ukraine, demanded that Russia provide access to all those transferred. It said Moscow should grant "staff of established international human rights and humanitarian mechanisms unhindered, immediate, sustained and safe access" to those transferred. And it called for "reliable and comprehensive information about the number and the whereabouts of these civilians, and ensure their dignified treatment and their safe return". The text also called for "unhindered, immediate and sustained access" to be granted to all prisoners of war and anyone "unlawfully detained". The high-level Commission of Inquiry (COI), established by the council a year ago to investigate abuses since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, concluded in its first report last month that the forced transfers of Ukrainian children amounted to a war crime. The investigators, who with Tuesday's vote have been given another year to push ahead with their work, said they were also probing allegations that those transfers could amount to genocide. And they highlighted numerous other Russian violations in Ukraine which they said amounted to war crimes, including killings, torture and rape. They also warned that systematic attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure and a pattern of widespread and systematic torture could amount to crimes against humanity. A day after the COI published its report, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin on the war crime accusation of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children. - Special rapporteur for Russia - Amid a long line of resolutions passed on the last day of its main annual session, the UN rights council also agreed Tuesday to appoint Bulgarian human rights expert Mariana Katzarova to monitor the situation inside Russia. The move came after the council last September decided a so-called special rapporteur was needed for Russia, amid concerns over an intensifying domestic crackdown by Moscow as its war rages in Ukraine. Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci said Tuesday he expected to be acquitted of war crimes by a special tribunal in The Hague. On the second day of his trial, Thaci said investigations had already removed a "black cloud" after allegations of organ harvesting during the 1998-1999 independence war against Serbia were not included in the indictment against him. The EU-funded court was set up after a 2010 Council of Europe report, which contained allegations that the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) had harvested organs from prisoners. "Now you know that I, the KLA, the people of Kosovo and all Albanians have been acquitted of these accusations. The truth has been told and the black cloud over Kosovo has been lifted," Thaci told the court. "So, this sacrifice was worth it. I expect to be acquitted of any other charges against me at the end of this process." Thaci and three other former KLA leaders all pleaded not guilty to crimes against humanity and war crimes as the trial opened at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers on Monday. Thaci is widely seen as a guerilla hero in Kosovo, but prosecutors said he led a campaign of violence by the ethnic Albanian KLA against "collaborators and traitors". The ex-president added that he wished a series of now-deceased Western political figures who had backed him at the time were still alive to support him court. These included former US Secretary of Madeleine Albright and British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook. "They would have testified on my behalf, for what I said and did, during that very important period in the history of the freedom and independence of Kosovo," said Thaci. The Kosovo war claimed some 13,000 lives. It ended after a NATO bombing campaign forced Serb forces to withdraw. French magistrates on Tuesday ordered three senior members of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime to be tried for collusion in crimes against humanity over the deaths of two French-Syrian nationals in the Syrian war. The trial will be the first in France of the Syrian regime but not the first in Europe, where Syrian refugees have drawn on the principle of universal jurisdiction to ensure suspected war criminals are held to account. Here are some of the cases that have made headlines: - Germany: trailblazer - Universal jurisdiction allows states to prosecute the most serious crimes known to mankind, regardless of where they were committed. Germany, which welcomed hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees in 2015 and 2016, used the principle to convict a former Syrian colonel, Anwar Raslan, of crimes against humanity and jail him for life in the first global trial over state-sponsored torture in Syrian prisons. Raslan, who moved to Germany after deserting from the army, was found guilty of overseeing the murder of 27 people and the torture of 4,000 others at a detention centre in Damascus in 2011 and 2012. Days after he was sentenced in January 2022, a Syrian doctor, Alaa Mousa, went on trial in Frankfurt accused of torture, murder and crimes against humanity in military hospitals, including setting fire to a teenage boy's genitals. He has denied the charges. The first former regime member to be convicted over the Syrian war was former intelligence officer Eyad al-Gharib, who was arrested alongside Raslan in Berlin in February 2019. He was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison in 2021 for helping transport demonstrators to prison despite knowing they would be tortured. - France: slow progress - In France, the universal jurisdiction principle is being challenged by two Syrian suspects who argue that they should not have been charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity because these crimes do not exist on their own country's statute books. France's top court is due to rule on the matter in May, in a decision that could decide the cases against former Syrian soldier Abdulhamid Chaban, charged with complicity in crimes against humanity, and Majdi Nema, a former spokesman for the Islamist group Jaysh al-Islam accused of torture and war crimes. On Tuesday, magistrates drawing on a separate law covering crimes committed against French nationals abroad ordered three senior Assad regime officials to stand trial for complicity in crimes against humanity over the deaths of two French-Syrian nationals. Ali Mamlouk, head of the National Security Bureau of Assad's Ba'ath party, Jamil Hassan, former head of the Air Force Intelligence Directorate, and Abdel Salam Mahmoud, another Air Force intelligence officer, are accused of responsibility in the torture and disappearance of Mazzen Dabbagh and his son Patrick. They are not expected to attend their trial. The Dabbaghs were arrested in 2013, taken to prison and never seen again. The Syrian government declared them dead in 2018. - Sweden: first conviction - Sweden was the first country to sentence a former Syrian soldier for war crimes in 2017. The man, who sought asylum in Sweden, was charged over photographs on the internet showing him standing smiling over a pile of bodies, with his boot on one corpse. While the court could not prove he was responsible for the deaths, it said the picture represented a grave violation of the dignity of the dead and sentenced him to eight months in prison. - Austria: rebel denounced - In Austria, the only Syrian to have been tried to date over the war is a former rebel who boasted about executing government forces. The man was detained in a refugee shelter in Tyrol state in 2016 after being denounced by a fellow Syrian for relating that he shot dead 20 unarmed or injured troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar-al Assad in 2013-2014. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. cb/kjm UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP Disney Cruise Line and Singapore Tourism Board (STB) have announced cruise vacations to Southeast Asia for the first time. This was revealed by Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh DAmaro and Singapores Minister for Transport and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, S. Iswaran. Under a recently signed memorandum of understanding, Disney Cruise Line and Singapore Tourism Board agreed to collaborate to homeport a brand-new Disney cruise ship exclusively in Singapore for at least five years beginning in 2025. More details about the maiden voyage, itineraries and onboard experiences will be announced at a later date. This is a very exciting year for The Walt Disney Company 2023 marks our 100th anniversary, DAmaro said. As part of this, Disney Cruise Line is currently undergoing an ambitious expansion with new ships and new destinations around the world. We are incredibly excited to make Singapore the home port to our seventh-launched ship, which will sail from here year-round starting in 2025. We look forward to welcoming the magic of Disney Cruise Line to Singapore in 2025, said Keith Tan, Chief Executive, STB. This is an important milestone for STB and reflects Disney Cruise Lines strong confidence in Singapore and Southeast Asia. The new Disney cruise ship will be an attraction itself and is expected to boost the tourism sector in Singapore for many years to come. The addition of a Disney Cruise Line ship in Singapore has the potential to add millions of local and foreign cruise passengers across the five-year period, including fly-cruise passengers who arrive in Singapore by air. It is also expected to bring about significant spillover benefits for the wider economy. These include greater demand for port and ship-related services, as well as on-ground spending in Singapore for the lifestyle and hospitality sectors. New Disney cruise ship for families in Southeast Asia The new ship will feature innovative Disney experiences along with the dazzling entertainment, world-class dining and legendary guest service that set Disney Cruise Line apart. Guests of all ages will find dedicated spaces and activities designed just for them, and families will create unforgettable memories with beloved characters such as Captain Mickey Mouse and Captain Minnie Mouse, Disney Princesses, Marvel Super Heroes and more. Disney Cruise Line estimates the passenger capacity of the 208,000-gross-ton ship to be approximately 6,000 with around 2,300 crew members. It is expected to be among the first in the cruise industry to be fuelled by green methanol, one of the lowest emission fuels available. TradeArabia News Service Yoo Yeon Seok's upcoming fan meeting is temporarily canceled. The actor, best known for his roles in "Hospital Playlist," "The Interest of Love," "Narco-Saints" and more, was supposed to celebrate his 20th anniversary through a special meet and greet to his supporters. However, his agency, King Kong by Starship, gave an update regarding the actor's forthcoming fan meeting. Yoo Yeon Seok's Fan Meeting Temporarily Postponed As obtained by a media outlet, the agency announced that they are temporarily postponing Yoo Yeon Seok's meet and greet due to an unforeseeable incident. King Kong by Starship said in a statement that the cancellation was due to a fire that occurred at the event's location. "Due to the fire that broke out in the parking lot of Ewha Womans University last week," a representative from the agency shared, adding that it is impossible to have the fan meeting at the concert hall smoothly. Because of the incident, Yoo Yeon Seok's fan meeting, which was initially set on April 8, "will be postponed." Fans who brought tickets would be able to use their passes after the agency rescheduled the meet and greet. "The schedule and location of the 'Yoo Yeon Seok's Understanding' fan meeting celebrating the 20th anniversary of Yoo Yeon Seok's debut will be announced again through a later notice," the agency said. Initially, the actor would celebrate his two-decade-long career in the industry along with his fans, and was scheduled to take place at Ewha Womans University's Samsung Hall. The 38-year-old star was hands-on from the planning stage to the concept and ideas for his upcoming fan meeting. Outlets previously reported that Yoo Yeon Seok has been practicing hard for his special stage performance. Yoo Yeon Seok Drama: Actor Teams Up with Veteran Stars Lee Sung Min & Lee Jung Eun IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Yoo Yeon Seok Officially Files 'Defamation' Complaint Against Individual Who Posted 'Disrespectful Behavior' Story Besides the rescheduled fan meeting, Yoo Yeon Seok will return to the small screen with an interesting project. He will star in the webtoon-based series "A Very Lucky Day" under TVING. Yoo Yeon Seok will be joining veteran actors Lee Sung Min and Lee Jung Eun as they headline the forthcoming psychological thriller K-drama. Helmed by "Hostage" director Director Pil Gam Sung, "A Very Lucky Day" depicts the story of an ordinary taxi driver Oh Taek, played by Lee Sung Min, who crosses paths with a high-paying customer. He was instructed to head to Mokpo, but along the way, he realized that his client was a serial killer. Yoo Yeon Seok takes on the role of the cold-blooded serial killer, Geum Hyuk Soo, who offered Oh Taek 1 million won to take him to Mokpo to cover up the murder. Meanwhile, Lee Jung Eun plays the desperate mother, named Hwang Soon Kyu, who is after Geum Hyuk Soo. She wanted to give justice to his son, who Hyuk Soo killed. KDramaStars owns this article Written by Geca Wills The newest campus series "Duty After School" made an impressive debut and is currently gaining popularity among international viewers. 'Duty After School' Makes History After Recording Highest Number of Subscribers Sci-fi series "Duty After School" immediately caught the viewers' attention after its worldwide release last March. According to a media outlet on April 3, the drama made history for being the first series to have the highest number of paid subscriptions on the streaming platform TVING. The Part 1 of the trending drama adaptation, which consists of six episodes, was released on March 31. "Duty After School" depicts the story of high school students who are called to join the world's first war against extraterrestrial forces. Unexpectedly, a mysterious alien sphere entered the world, which made the Department of Defense offer college admission incentives to students who will sign up for the reserved forces who will soon become frontline fighters. Is 'Duty After School' A Sci-Fi Drama Worth Watching? "Duty After School" drew favorable reviews by maximizing the sci-fi genre, high-quality graphics, and spectacular performances from the rookie stars. In particular, the solid acting of the new corps, who are in their sophomore and junior years, exhibited strong characters. Shin Hyun Soo, Lim Se Mi, and Lee Soon Won showcased top-notch acting and increased the viewers' immersion. It has been said that the tearful struggle and growth of the students, who fought a desperate survival against the aliens, made an impact on the audience. Students were driven to the battlefield as if pushed by an unprecedented national defense crisis. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 'Duty After School' Teases Viewers of Hellish Adventure Inside the Campus According to Director Sung Yong Il, he wanted to establish the rebirth of "Duty After School" as a "multi-character show" by emphasizing and strengthening the charms of the students in a more detailed manner. The scriptwriter, on the other hand, shared that they paid attention to the actors' synchronization. He is confident that the drama adaptation will satisfy the viewers, especially those who already read the original webtoon. Here's What People Are Saying About the Sci-Fi K-Drama Apart from recording the highest number of paid subscriptions in its first week, "Duty After School" also received various comments online. "'Duty After School' is a must-watch drama. When is Part 2 coming." "The military and college entrance exams are realistic. The immersion of the actors to their characters is also amazing." "I can't get enough of it, every student is precious." The remaining four episodes are to be released in April. The exact date is still in discussion. What can you say about TVING's adventure series "Duty After School"? Share your thoughts/replies in the comments! For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news, keep your tabs open here at KDramaStars. KDramaStars owns this article. Shai Collins wrote this. A year after her last drama, Park Yoo Na is finally making her return to the small screen with the new romance series. This 2023, the actress headlines the forthcoming webtoon-based drama "Spirit Fingers" with Golden Child Bomin. Read to know more. Park Yoo Na To Play Vivacious Student In 'Spirit Fingers' Fans' excitement is through the roof as Park Yoo Na is finally making her long anticipated acting comeback! On Tuesday, April 4, the 25-year-old actress' agency, WIP, confirmed that Park Yoo Na has accepted the role in the webtoon-based slice of life drama "Spirit Fingers." Starring Golden Child Bomin, Jo Joon Young and Park Ji Hu, "Spirit Fingers" tells the healing youth romance of a shy high school student who expresses her colorful life through her paintings. In the series, Park Yoo Na takes on the role of Nam Ge Rin, the president of the art club called Spirit Fingers. She is a senior who has a girl crush aura that takes every young man and woman's breath away. Nam Ge Rin is a friendly personality who will nurture Park Ji Hu's Song Woo Yeon's innate talents in painting. In particular, Park Yoo Na has proven her acting skills through her previous works including "Rookie Cops," "Hotel del Luna," "SKY Castle" and "True Beauty." Attention is focused on what kind of performance Park Yoo Na will show as a beautiful woman with a great personality. 'Spirit Fingers' Further Details & What We Know For Now "Spirit Fingers" doesn't only mark Park Yoo Na's return to the limelight, it's also the young star's first project this 2023. It will be written by "The Bride of the Water God" screenwriter Jung Yoon Jung, and it will reportedly consist of a total of 12 episodes with 50 minutes running time each. As of this writing, the drama hasn't confirmed what network will produce the work. Filming will begin once the final cast lineup is announced. "Spirit Fingers" is expected to be released in the later half of 2023 so stay tuned for more updates! Park Yoo Na To Make Silver Screen Comeback With Jang Dong Yoon Apart from "Spirit Fingers," Park Yoo Na is also gearing up for her other acting roles for this year! She is also preparing for her upcoming Disney+ drama "It's You Without End" with Jung Yong Hwa. It depicts the romance of an inexperienced woman and a scarred man full of flaws. Park Yoo Na stars as Song Na Ri, a hopeless romantic who is secretly in love with Uhm Tae Bong, played by Jung Yong Hwa. "It's You Without End" is currently in its final production, and it is intended to be released within 2023. In addition to that, Park Yoo Na will also make her silver screen comeback with "Long Distance." The film will display the realistic long distance romance of a couple in the modern and technologically inclined world. Also starring Lee Si Woo and Jang Dong Yoon, "Long Distance" is set to hit the big screen this year. KDramaStars owns this article. Written by Elijah Mully. Ontario is set to expand the list of tests that midwives can order and perform, as part of the government's push to increase community care options and ease health system pressures. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Association of Ontario Midwives, Marina Dempster, *MANDATORY CREDIT* Tuesdays Spring Election showed a 44.5% registered voter turnout in Kenosha County, the highest rate for such an election in six years. Nearly 43,000 registered voters across the county cast ballots according to the Kenosha County Clerks Office. As of April 1, 2023, there were 96,234 registered voters in the county. Based on county voter statistics, previous Spring turnout for non-presidential election years pale in comparison. Spring Election turnout was 31% in 2022 and 23% in 2021. This election even tops the 2020 Spring Election, a presidential election year, which had a 41% turnout. According to the election results website, voters in 95 precincts throughout the county cast, 42,918 ballots in local and state races. While the main draw across Wisconsin was the State Supreme Court race, with Democrat-backed Janet Protasiewicz winning both in Kenosha County and across Wisconsin, several local races saw upsets. Village of Salem Lakes The Salem Lakes Village Board will see new faces as challengers ousted incumbents in all four seats up for election, including board president. Newcomer Rita Bucur, a Uline project manager, garnered 2,932 votes, or 66.1%, beating longtime Village Board President Diann Tesar, a Central High School teacher, who lost with 1,487 votes, or 33.52%, according to unofficial posted results from Kenosha County. The votes are not official until a canvass to be held April 11. The trustees race, which had three seats up for election, registered similar results with challengers Kathryn Kelly Sweeting, Jared Young and Bill Barhyte topping the polls with candidates receiving 2,743 (22.68%), 2,709 (22.4%) and 2,446 votes (20.23%), respectively. The top three vote-getters earn seats on the board. Norm Kazumura, a trustee candidate, received the fourth highest number of votes with 1,537, or 12.71%. A majority of village voters decided not to return incumbents Mike Culat and Ted Kmiec, who received the least number of votes with 1,318 (10.9%) and 1,283 (10.61%), respectively. Trustees and president races on the Salem Lakes Village Board were among the several contested local elections in the county Tuesday night. Village of Pleasant Prairie In another upset, first-time candidate James Kremer defeated incumbent Kristopher Keckler in the race Village Board trustee. Kremer received 2,865 votes, or 53.48%, to Kecklers 2,459 votes, or 45.9%, to earn a seat on the board. Village of Somers In Somers, Village Board President George Stoner retained his seat receiving 1,189 votes, or 53.01%, in a victory over challenger Carson Wilkinson, the retired village fire chief, who received 1,046 votes, 46.63%. With three seats available, voters returned trustees Jacqueline Klapproth Nelson and Jack Aupperle, with the incumbents earning 1,424 (32.37%) and 1,013 votes (23.03%), respectively. Newcomer Scott Fredrick received 1,122 votes, or 25.51%, rounding out the top three vote-getters for the three open seats. Challenger Dustin Thorpe came in fourth with 822 votes, or 18.69% of the vote. Town of Randall In the only contested race in the town, Supervisor Randy Kaskin retained his seat on the board earning 484 votes, or 51.81%, to challenger Nancy Kemps 393 votes, or 44.51% of the votes cast. Town of Wheatland In a battle for leadership on Wheatlands Town Board, Brett Butler soundly defeated Brian Boeckenstedt, Tuesday night. Butler won the chairpersons seat with 789 votes, or 74.57%, to Boeckenstedts 268, or 25.33%. There was no incumbent in the race after William Glembocki, the longtime chair, filed non-candidacy papers in December. Municipal judges retain seats In the race for municipal judge in Bristol, incumbent Steven Hurley earned victory with 885 votes, or 59.08%, defeating first-time challenger Xavier Solis who received 610 votes, or 40.72% of votes cast. In Paddock Lake, incumbent Robert Brenner received 388 votes, or 54.19%, to challenger Robert Spencers 320, or 44.69% of the polling in the race. A man sought by U.S. Marshals has been arrested and charged with numerous felonies after allegedly fleeing from Pleasant Prairie Police at a high rate of speed and attempting to gain access to an apartment complex. Jose E. DeAnda, 41, was charged Wednesday in Kenosha County Circuit Court with felonies of second-degree recklessly endangering safety, operating a vehicle to flee from an officer, operating a vehicle without the owners consent, possession with intent to deliver 5 to 15 grams of cocaine, possession with intent to deliver 200 grams or less of THC. Hes also facing misdemeanors of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of an illegally obtained prescription. Police in Waukegan, Ill., informed Pleasant Prairie Police the vehicle DeAnda was driving had been reported stolen earlier that day. DeAnda allegedly committed the latest crimes on April 3. He made his initial appearance in Intake Court where Court Commissioner Loren Keating imposed a $100,000 cash bond. DeAnda remains in custody at the Kenosha County Jail. According to the criminal complaint, a Pleasant Prairie Police officer observed a vehicle in the 11500 Block of Highway 32 driving suspiciously on April 3 at 9:50 p.m. An attempt at a traffic stop led to a pursuit where DeAnda reportedly drove around vehicles and continued to accelerate away from the officer. The pursuit was eventually terminated for the safety of the public. In the 8700 block of 32nd Avenue another responding officer located the vehicle in a parking lot of an apartment complex, with DeAnda walking away from the vehicle, the complaint states. A woman flagged down an officer and said that someone, identified as DeAnda, was at the front door buzzing to be let in. DeAnda reportedly smelled strongly of marijuana and had a backpack on him. Inside the backpack officers reportedly found numerous individually wrapped bags that DeAnda indicated contained marijuana. Also in the backpack was a sealed prescription for Advair assigned to someone else, baggies with green residue and rolling papers, among other things. DeAnda, according to the complaint, said he is wanted by the U.S. Marshals for drug trafficking. DeAnda has an extraditable warrant from the U.S. Marshals through the State of Virginia after failing to surrender to federal prison in May 2018 for a 10-year prison sentence. Officers reportedly found fake drivers licenses in his wallet, plastic baggies containing a white powdery substance near DeAnda and officers recovered five cellphones. In total, 15 individually sealed baggies weighing a total of 161.6 grams that tested positive for the presence of THC were recovered. The white substance weighed a total of 6.9 grams and tested positive for the presence of cocaine. 48 Shares Share Premedical students are more stressed out and burned out than ever. Its easy to see why: pre-med courses, medical school admissions committee expectations, and application process and cost are daunting and, in their current iteration, often harmful to students and society. I am an emergency medicine and internal medicine physician at public and private teaching hospitals and direct and teach undergraduate courses at an affiliated university. I mentor/advise pre-med (particularly underrepresented minority (URM)) students, but have heard the most-disappointing things from them, no fault of their own. One student Im mentoring is a Black sophomore pursuing a science degree at a good public university. His GPA is 3.97; hes on his campuss NAACP branchs executive board. Hes choosing between becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) vs. what hed prefer to be: an orthopedist or cardiologist. He said hes likely to choose CRNA because applying to medical school is a crapshoot. Students with similarly-impressive GPAs and extracurricular activities have not heard back from medical schools regarding an interview by this late (mid-March) in the application cycle. Why should he take more-difficult courses, an expensive MCAT preparation course, and the MCAT, then endure an expensive, prolonged application cycle, where his heart and identity are on the line, not only to be rejected but not even interviewed? Additionally, it is increasingly unaffordable to attend medical school, given the cost, duration, and lost income potential of training. In contrast, during CRNA training, he can work as an RN. His logic is excellent. Yet, his predicament is madness. Hes the student medical schools should want and the orthopedic or cardiologist society needs. Despite the number of available spots increasing during the past decade (more schools, larger class size), the acceptance rate has declined as the number of applicants nearly doubled (~33,000 in 2011 vs. ~63,000 in 2021). Many excellent students who would be terrific future doctors are not accepted into medical school. Schools claim to want to be at the forefront of social improvement; theyre not going to get there unless they accept more students with a diversity of interests and life experiences. Many students interested in taking courses or performing community service or extracurricular activities for their joy and contribution do not do so; rather, they accumulate science courses and uninteresting activities to stock their resumes. One student of mine created a campus wellness group despite having little interest in the kinds of events her faculty supervisor (not me) insists upon (e.g., painting rocks for relaxation). Another student with a strong sense of social justice is researching health care disparities. She is a devout Muslim, assisting with cleaning her mosque, serving food there, and teaching kids to read the Quran. I suggested she seek an internship with the Council for American Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Washington, DC. She replied she wouldnt do that because it wasnt related to her perception of what medical schools look for: direct patient service, research experience, shadowing/volunteering. Additionally, admissions committees seem to value students on the volume of extracurricular activities rather than depth of experience. One students university pre-med advising office encouraged him to add more extracurricular activities (up to 15) rather than delve in-depth into fewer. It is now an arms race as to who can do the most activities or have the most unusual experiences and who can create new ones, such as starting a club. An example of the new standard would be creating a medical mission program in Guatemala. As William Deresiewicz says in Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life, we have undermined the purpose of undergraduate education, making hoops to jump through rather than personal growth experiences. The stiff competition for medical school spots has made it worse. Unsurprisingly, such pressures have led to a proliferation of expensive MCAT preparation and medical school application process advising companies, which offer application strategies (e.g., MD vs. DO; gap year; how many and which schools to apply to; personal statement and secondary essay editing). What about students (such as the one Im mentoring) who cant afford these services? Unsurprisingly, their odds of medical school acceptance are lower. This is not to say medical schools shouldnt lower their admission standards. But those standards should be a floor, not a ceiling. For example, any student with a minimum GPA of 3.5, an MCAT score of 500, one research publication, two campus or community service activities, and one shadowing or medical volunteering activity should be considered a very good applicant for any medical school. Students who, having met those minimum requirements, are interested in doing more would not have an advantage in the medical school application process but could pursue those activities in more depth or additional activities simply for the joy of the experience, camaraderie, or learning to accompany them. Each school claims to be looking for individuals, but with similar standards, those individuals turn out to be much alike. After going through a process that selects a similar type of student through such rigorous competition, a process that does not focus on individuality, and creates an arms race, how could students feel anything other than cynical and burned out? And this is only 2023; what will it look like in 50 years? Students must have won the Nobel prize to gain acceptance into medical school. This is not what we want in the next generation of doctors. The next generation of doctors needs to be physically and psychologically healthy, enthusiastic about medicine, and not cynical about the institutions that lead them there or that run it. Its heartening some medical schools recognize they can ratchet down the pressure and still maintain excellence. Top-tier schools (e.g., Harvard, Stanford) removed themselves from the U.S. News & World Report rankings. Mount Sinais FlexMed program doesnt require the MCAT. These are good starts in making the rat race less ratty. Other schools should follow suit and include even-more creative ways to continue to lessen the stress while recruiting more excellent, diverse students. The author is an anonymous physician. By Barbra Nalweyiso Police in Kassanda are holding a Chinese national over a road crash that claimed the lives of two pupils and injured three others. According to the Wamala regional police spokesperson, Rachel Kawala, the accident occurred yesterday at Kamusenene village along Lubaali Kassanda Bukuya road. She says it involved a Toyota Hilux registration number UAU OO1V that was being driven by Zau Hizang. The suspect is in custody at Kassanda police station while the vehicle is parked at Bukuya police station pending inspection. According to a preliminary report, the driver of the pick-up was overtaking a truck loaded with logs when it knocked five pupils of Glory Nursery and primary school. Kawala identified the deceased as Jonathan Matovu, 5, and Briana Nantongo, 6. Police say survivors who were rushed to Mityana hospital for treatment are yet to be identified. Corporate companies have been asked to donate generously to underprivileged communities during Ramadhan. Sylvia Mulinge, the Chief Executive Officer of MTN-Uganda says this will have a positive impact on the lives of those in need during the Holy Month of Ramadan. She says communities such as orphanages, and windows should be helped through the Holy Month. She made the remarks during the Iftar dinner which the company gave to the Muslim community in Kampala. The Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development has today handed back Shs3.97 billion to the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme (UWEP) revolving fund. Handing over dummy cheques to beneficiaries at a meeting held in Kampala, gender minister, Betty Amongi said this is in line with a March 28th Cabinet resolution for the recovered money to be injected back into the UWEP programme. In October 2022, government through the gender ministry recovered Shs34 billion from the beneficiaries of both the Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP) and UWEP. Today Amongi has reiterated governments commitment to empowering more youth and women through the programmes as one does not require collateral to access the funds. Under the UWEP, up to Shs25 million can be handed out to any women business group anywhere in the country after analysis by local government officials at district level. By Joseph Omollo The Minister of State for Transport, Fredrick Byamukama has said the government is in the final stages of procuring a new firm to undertake the construction of stalled $2.2 Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project. Byamukama while meeting leaders of Tororo district on Tuesday at the district headquarters said the new firm, Yapi Merkezi, a Turkish-based company, will start work in the coming Financial Year. The Turkish firm has made submissions of its response that is guiding the governments request for a construction proposal, paving way for procurement to enable commencement of the construction works, he said. The Minister, who apologised to the leaders over the delayed project dismissed claims that the government has given up on the project. He explained that the government suffered a setback after the Chinese firm, China Harbour Engineering Company, which signed a contract in 2015 to build the first phase of SGR failed to undertake the works. Mr Byamukama urged local leaders to engage project-affected persons, who are still resisting to embrace the project. Its important that this project doesnt face any other encumbrances when the construction works start in the next financial year as planned, he said. Mrs Lillian Tumukunde, the deputy project coordinator for SGR project, said out of the 1753 persons affected in the 52 villages in Tororo district, a total of 1582 have been compensated leaving a balance of only 171. The Ministry of Health yesterday revealed that they have dispatched a team of experts to various schools in the Kampala Metropolitan area following alerts from school administrators. Without disclosing the number of schools affected, Dr. Daniel Kyabayinze, the director of Health Services at the ministry said the school surveillance teams have already taken charge. He says that there are medical protocols experts follow when they go to the field such as collecting samples from the schools of affected learners and determining the extent of the spread. Dr. Kyabayinze also said that the experts are also expected to contact parents of children who are suspected to have contracted the disease. He explains this is being done to check childrens immunization status. Daily Monitor on Tuesday broke a story of measles scare in schools that attracted the attention of the Ministry of Health to verify the threats in schools. Dr. Kyabayinze had on Monday said that the government was investigating a reported outbreak of measles, a highly infectious disease, among pupils in Kampala and Wakiso districts following alerts by school administrators. The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has blamed the absenteeism of Ministers from plenary sittings for the slow progress of the Houses work. Chairing the House this afternoon, Tayebwa also decried consistent late coming among both MPs and ministers, warning that plenary starts at 2 pm. Tayebwa has threatened to summon ministers for indiscipline saying they cannot delegate their core responsibility to the Government Chief Whip. On his part, the Government Chief Whip, Hamson Obua has suggested the naming and shaming of absentee ministers noting that Cabinet has since agreed that at least 30% of ministers attend plenary at every sitting. He has pledged to present a ministers rota to clearly indicate which ministers are supposed to attend plenary on specific days. Kilkenny City resident, Janis Woodgate, was recognised for her creative writing talent this week at the Carlow College, St. Patricks Annual Literary Awards. Janis, who is currently in first year of a BA (Hons) in Arts & Humanities at Carlow College, received first prize in the Poetry Awards for her piece, Mother, 1975. Her award was presented by renowned poet and editor, Pat Boran and Lecturer in English & Creative Writing at Carlow College, Dr Derek Coyle. Carlow College hosted its Annual Literary Awards and Creative Writing Showcase in VISUAL on Monday, April 3. This annual event gathers together the Carlow College literary community for a night to recognise and celebrate the creative writing talent of its students with awards presented for best in prose and poetry writing over the past year. This years awards were presented by renowned poet and editor, Pat Boran. Friends and family, staff, students and past graduates of Carlow College, were in attendance for what was an engaging and entertaining evening. The night opened with members of the Third Year Creative Writing class presenting a showcase of their writing. The class gave a series of readings of poems, as they provided a dramatic, moving, and varied showcase of their work. Speaking at the awards Lecturer in English & Creative Writing, Dr Derek Coyle, commented on 'how exciting it is to see a new generation of Irish writers discover their voices'. The following Awards were presented in the categories of Poetry and Prose: Poetry 1st Prize Mother, 1975 by Janis Woodgate 2nd Prize Selling Up by Ann Marie Dunne 3rd Prize Beauty by Stewart Quinn Prose 1st Prize The Grushy by Derek Kelly 2nd Prize Love by Jacinta Cogan 3rd Prize - Resolution by Anne Gubbins Following the Awards, Pat read a selection of his work. After a question-and-answer session, Carlow College, St Patricks students with literary ambitions were left with plenty to consider and with the doors of inspiration opened. A thrilling new adaptation of James Joyce's, Penelope Chapter, Yes! Reflections of Molly Bloom, is en route to Kilkenny. Described as expertly performed by The New York Times, this one woman performance promises a daring theatrical journey into the mind and heart of the beloved Ulysses character. The show is starring New York based, Irish actor, Aedin Moloney, who adapted the piece in collaboration with Irish author Colum McCann. Traditional Irish music fans are in for a treat as the accompanying music to the show was especially recorded by Moloneys father, Paddy Moloney, legendary founder and leader of The Chieftains, who passed away in 2021. The show was awarded Winner of the Outer Critics Circle Award for best solo performance during its premiere run in New York. Now the piece will tour multiple venues in Ireland including a show at The Watergate in Kilkenny (May 20) and a closing run at The New Theatre, Dublin (June 13 - June 17) for what promises to be a theatrical highlight of this years Bloomsday Festival. Speaking ahead of the tour, Moloney remarked that the show is in honour of her late father. Bringing our adaptation of Molly Bloom back home to Ireland is a truly remarkable experience for us all," she said. "It's an emotional journey honouring my dad and his immense contribution to Irish music with the incredible score he arranged and recorded especially for this show. Now it will be heard by audiences across the homeland, making this return extra special." Moloney explains that the show is a unique take on James Joyce's masterpiece set in Dublin in the early 20th Century. With an empty nest, an unfulfilling affair, and a marriage long past its prime, Molly Bloom contemplates the love that she and her philandering husband once shared. "Her unsentimental stream of consciousness is a song of songs that reaches backward and forward across the centuries. She seeks to reanimate that love, and ends up discovering herself - as a woman seeking purpose and a desire to be relevant, even after that love is over and her children are gone. "Through reflections, Dublin becomes Gibraltar, age becomes youth, and a small room in Ireland becomes the world." Moloney acknowledges that she has been fascinated by Ulysses since her youth, and after 30 years of exploring the character's depths, it was author Colum McCann who inspired her to turn those musings into reality - and in 2003, she began work on the adaptation. "I recorded the full monologue with music by my father in 2017," she said. "Colum partnered with me to complete the adaptation in 2019, and his involvement in this project has enabled us to bring together a show that will captivate fans of James Joyce as well as introducing new generations to one of literature's greatest works." Molly Bloom is a fictional character in the 1922 novel Ulysses by James Joyce. The character was modelled on Joyces wife Nora Barnacle and the day upon which the novel is set in 16 June 1904, now called Bloomsday. Yes! Reflections of Molly Bloom will tour Wexford Arts Centre May 4-5; The Wicklow Heather, May 11th; The Watergate Kilkenny May 20th; The Town Hall Theatre Galway May 30th; An Droichead Drogheda June 1st-2nd; The Hawkswell Theatre, Sligo June 7th; St. Johns Listowel Co. Kerry, June 9th; Narrative 4 Limerick, June 10th; and The New Theatre, Dublin, as part of the Bloomsday Festival, June 13-17. Audiences should be age 16+. Bishop Adrian Wilkinson is the new Bishop of Cashel, Ferns & Ossory. His diocese includes counties Kilkenny, Wexford, Carlow, Waterford, as well as parts of Tipperary, Laois, and Wicklow. From Enniscorthy in County Wexford, Bishop Adrian Wilkinson was born in 1968 and was ordained in 1994. He initially served as Curate in Douglas Union with Frankfield, in the Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross (19941997), and then as Rector of Dunboyne Union, in the Diocese of Meath and Kildare (19972002), during which time he was also Chaplain at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, and a Minor Canon in the Chapter of St Patricks Cathedral, Dublin. He was also Rector of Rathmolyon with Castlerickard, Rathcore and Agher, in the same diocese (20012002), before returning to Douglas Union as Rector in 2002 and serving in that role since then. He was appointed Archdeacon of Cork, Cloyne and Ross since 2014. Bishop Wilkinson is married to Jacqui, who is a lecturer in teacher education at Dublin City University, and they have three grownup children two sons and a daughter. Here is a glimpse into his world Bishop Adrian, you were enthroned in each of the six cathedrals in your diocese. Tell us about your enthronement? When I was elected Bishop for Cashel, Ferns and Ossory, I was first consecrated in St Patricks Cathedral in Dublin on October 30, as it is the Metropolitan Cathedral for the southern province in the Church of Ireland. I was then enthroned in my six different cathedrals over several weeks. I left the Kilkenny enthronement to last. It was like the end of my journey around the diocese. On my very first Sunday as Bishop, I visited places where St Kieran and St Canice started their ministry, and I ended back here in Kilkenny in the main Cathedral that is associated with both those two saints. Bishop Coll had just been appointed and I attended his ordination. A few weeks later I was able to invite him to my enthronement here in St Canices and it was wonderful to have him there. The Mayor of Kilkenny, David Fitzgerald also attended, and Dean Stephen Farrell led the service. I had several family and friends present, but it was also wonderful to see a full cathedral with people from across all the dioceses. Do you get a choice of which parish you live in? No, the Bishop lives here in Kilkenny in the Bishops House. It is beside the former Bishop's Palace, which is now the headquarters of the Heritage Council. Bishop Adrian Wilkinson and his wife Jacqui You lived the best part of 20 years in Cork. What are the major differences that stand out to you here in your new home of Kilkenny? Well, I grew up in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, so I knew Kilkenny and it was a place we would often visit. Even when I lived in Cork, my wife and I quite often visited here, if we had a day off or if we wanted to take an overnight break away somewhere. We knew Kilkenny as tourists. We loved the medieval city with all the different restaurants and interesting places to see. Little did we ever think that we would be living here. Our home is in Troys Gate, in the shadow of St. Canices Cathedral. So, we enjoy all the benefits of a wonderful vibrant city like Kilkenny and love it. The very first weekend we arrived; the Savour Kilkenny food festival was on. Since October, there has been a Christmas festival and St Patrick's festival, which I was on the review stand for. I look forward to all the Kilkenny events ahead of us over the summer. We are also lucky to have St Canices Cathedral on our doorstep. It's a beautiful Norman building with its lovely round tower. Its a wonderful space when you have a large service but also for a service with a very small number of people. There are side chapels and areas that you can go to for peace and quiet to pray and reflect. When you were asked to be bishop, is the process similar to the Roman Catholic church where the appointment of bishops is a bit like the appointment of judges, i.e., you don't apply, and you don't know that you are appointed? It's slightly different with us in that we are a democratic church, so the people have a say. When a diocese becomes vacant , the elected clergy and people from that diocese and from the wider church meet to discuss the needs of the Diocese. It's all done very confidentially. When potential candidates are discussed, you might get approached so that you let your name go forward. The process needs a few names and there is an election. I was invited to allow my name to be entered for consideration. I thought the spotlight would fall on other people and not me, but at the end of it, I was elected and asked to come here. You feel prayerfully that you have the will of the people (the clergy and the lay people) who have elected you. Bishop Adrian with Kells parishioners at Kells Priory in March 2023 Holy week is upon us. What have you planned for your services? The build up to Easter is very important. On Thursday the clergy and other people involved in the ministry across the diocese gather here in St Canice's. We have a special Eucharist at 11 o'clock, and at that service oils (the chrism oil, the baptism oil, the oil of healing) are blessed. The clergy then take those oils back with them back to their parishes after the service. It's also time that the clergy renew their ordination vows, so its also an occasion for them to come together, to recommit themselves for the year ahead. Lay people come to the service as well, it's not just for the clergy. I am in St Canice's Cathedral for Good Friday. We will observe the three hours between 12 noon and 3pm, the traditional time when we remember Jesus on the cross. There will be services of prayer, reflection, music, reading the Passion narrative, and I'll be giving a series of short reflections. On Easter Sunday morning I start very early in Stradbally for a dawn open air Eucharist beside the lake in Stradbally Hall. This is a tradition in their parish for many years where they meet in the open air first thing at sunrise. I hope the rain will keep away! As the sun begins to rise, we will remember the resurrection of Jesus. Later in the morning, I'm back here in St Canices, for the Easter Day Choral Eucharist and there will also be a baptism of a little baby boy called Gordon. I'm looking forward to it. So, I will start the day very early in the darkness as I drive to Stradbally and then back here to Kilkenny for the mid-morning Eucharist and then I have the rest of the day easy with family and our grown-up children will be coming home for Easter dinner and the bank holiday. Do you ever see the Catholic church allowing priests to marry? That is an issue for the Catholic church, I couldn't comment on it. All I can say is that marriage brings great blessings, and support with my ministry. My wife Jacqui works as well, she's an academic. She's a lecturer in Dublin City University and has a busy career with teacher education. She was a primary school teacher herself, and she lectures there as a specialist in RE. I have a grown-up family now, but it meant that I was at the school and at the playground gates when the kids were small. It enriched my life, my ministry, and my parish life, and it still enriches my ministry. Do you ever envisage an Ireland that will be Christian rather than the Church of Ireland and the Roman Catholic Church? I want to think Ireland is changing all the time and we are a pluralist society now with many kinds of different religions. We've been enriched by people coming from different religions and cultural backgrounds into Ireland. So, I don't think it will ever be a monochrome Ireland again. What I would love to see is the Christian churches working closely together. I know Bishop Coll, and I think that the Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland have come much closer together in recent decades. I think Christians do all that they can together in common witness, to try and reach out to people and bring the Christian message to them of hope and love centred on the resurrection of Jesus celebrated at Easter. So, I would like to think that Christians work together. It is a changing, evolving Ireland and I think that the Christian church is stronger when we do things together, recognizing that Ireland will never be a monochrome culture or society again. What is your Easter message? My Easter message is one of hope and joy, that darkness doesn't win, that light always wins. Jesus is risen and that is the great hope that the world needs to hear. This life is not all that there is. There is hope for eternity, God's love is for everybody. Personally, I would like to add how much I am enjoying living in Kilkenny and I am looking forward to getting to know people as I get involved in more things here. I would like to wish everybody a very Happy Easter this weekend and to remind them that St Canices is always open for people to visit and pray. It's a wonderful place for people to sit and hopefully to experience something of the presence of Christ in that ancient building. Kilkenny County Council has been made aware that households in Kilkenny who may have received a notice to quit from their landlord may be worried or unsure of what to do. They have reminded local people that anybody who has received a notice of termination and who has no alternative accommodation can contact their local authority. Kilkenny County Council's first response will be to try to prevent homelessness and to support households to find alternative accommodation. The Housing Office would like to advise anyone affected of the services that are available to them in these circumstances. "We strongly encourage tenants residing in the Kilkenny area, who have been issued with a notice of termination, to contact Kilkenny County Council as soon as they receive a notice from their landlord," they stated. The Housing Department may refer the notice to Focus Ireland, a service providing tenancy protection advice for private renters in Kilkenny, to check the validity of the notice as served. Limited emergency accommodation is available in Kilkenny and will be provided as a last resort, if no other alternative accommodation solution can be identified. Where a valid notice to quit has been served and the person or household is eligible for social housing supports Kilkenny County Council will assess the persons position on the social housing list, provide advice on the Housing Needs Assessment process and on the level of Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) that they may be eligible to receive. In some cases, Kilkenny County Council will assess if they can acquire the property in which the tenant currently resides, if it is being offered for sale, under the tenant-in-situ scheme. Where a valid notice to quit has been served and the person or household is not eligible for social housing supports Kilkenny County Council can provide advice and direct the person to the appropriate service, including supports to help with home purchase. "We are aware that the government is examining the implementation of a First Refusal Scheme for tenants to purchase their homes, as well as a cost rental in-situ scheme," the Council stated. Where an appropriate housing solution can be provided by the Housing Authority to meet the assessed housing need of the household the option to acquire the property will not be pursued. Kilkenny County Council would like to assure that emergency accommodation will be a last resort only, where no other alternative can be identified. The contact details below should be used by tenants who may have received a notice of termination or a landlord who has issued a notice of termination to their tenants and who may wish to sell their property to the Council: Kilkenny County Council Homeless Prevention Team Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm / Tel 056 779 4900 Afterhours Service for Emergency Accommodation / 056 772 2566 Dedicated email address for enquiries 'NTQEnquiries@kilkennycoco.ie'. Former US president Bill Clinton has described the signing of the Good Friday Agreement as one of the happiest days of his presidency and his life. Mr Clinton called the signing of the 1998 peace deal an act of bravery from all sides ahead of his visit to Ireland later this month for its 25th anniversary. He said that he will always be grateful and honoured that he played a role in bringing peace to Northern Ireland, adding that it meant more to me than I can possibly say. The former Democrats leader was speaking in an interview aired at Fianna Fails commemoration of 25 years of the Good Friday Agreement in Dublins UCD on Tuesday evening. Among those in attendance were Bertie Ahern a former Irish premier, Fianna Fail leader and one of the architects of the Good Friday Agreement and Micheal Martin, Irelands deputy premier and the partys current leader. A short film was played at the event featuring contributions from Mr Martin and Mr Ahern, ex Irish premier and former Fianna Fail leader Brian Cowen and former British prime ministers Sir Tony Blair and Sir John Major. Mr Clinton and his wife, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, will be in Belfast in two weeks time for events to commemorate the landmark accord that largely ended the Troubles. US president Joe Biden is due to visit locations north and south of the border next week for the beginning of events to celebrate the diplomatic achievement. Mr Clinton said during the interview: The day the Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998 was one of the happiest days of my presidency, indeed of my entire life. It was a result of years of hard work and sacrifice and bravery from all sides. Ultimately, the credit for the peace belongs to the people who voted for it, from all backgrounds. They made personal decisions that their future opportunities were more important than their past divisions. The people, especially the womens groups, were out in front of the politicians for a long time because they wanted their children and grandchildren to have a chance to grow up outside the shadow of violence and hatred. An entire generation in Northern Ireland has grown up largely free from the horrors of sectarian violence. Mr Clinton described the move to pursue peace a quarter of a century ago as miraculous. The people of Northern Ireland did something truly miraculous 25 years ago, he said. They can do something miraculous again today just by seizing this moment, sharing the memory and moving into the future together. I will always be grateful and honoured that I was trusted to play a role in helping to bring peace to Northern Ireland, that I had a chance to work with leaders of many parties in the North, with the leaders of government in the Republic and in the United Kingdom, and that I was able to work from the almost the very beginning of my presidency until the very end. It meant more to me than I can possibly say. And for the rest of my life, I will always do whatever I can to keep supporting the people and their efforts to make the most of that peace. In the same video interview, Mr Blair said the strangest moment of the Good Friday Agreement was taking a phone call from the late Queen congratulating him on striking a deal. The former Labour leader said this was significant because he had not received a mobile phone call from the late British monarch other than the one after the historic signing of the deal on April 10, 1998. Mr Blair said: The strangest moment for me was, we finally made the agreement, we got out, wed announced that I hadnt slept really for three days. I had to get on a plane to go and see the Spanish prime minister, for whom I was now about three days late. And when I sat down in the plane, they brought to me a mobile phone and it was the Queen on the line. And it was only when she was congratulating me and all the other people that had been engaged in the creation of the Agreement that I remember thinking: Wow, actually this really is big because Ive never taken before or since I never took a mobile phone call from the Queen. Tanaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheal Martin is to bring a memo to Cabinet on Wednesday to establish an oversight group to ensure changes are carried out within the Irish military. An independent report published last week detailed allegations of sexual misconduct, bullying and discrimination within the Defence Forces. The Government has pledged to set up a judge-led statutory inquiry into the allegations outlined, which ministers have expressed shock and outrage at. Mr Martin said on Tuesday that a date has not yet been chosen on when a public inquiry would be established, but said he was liaising with the Attorney General on establishing the initial steps. Speaking to reporters at a Fianna Fail event in Dublin to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, Mr Martin said the aim of the group is to ensure change is enacted. The agenda [that] has been laid in respect of a whole range of issues to be implemented following the IRG report and other issues are followed through and implemented, he said. And the key one being that on the ground within the Defence Forces, that they are seen to happen. There have been a lot of strategic policies and frameworks, articulated and developed but what has come back to me from people on the ground basically, is that theyre not seeing it on the ground in terms of change. And we need to see it manifested in terms of the rank and file members of our Navy or Army Air Corps. And that to me is the litmus test for the cultural transformation that has to occur here. And the oversight group is a key body that will hold us all into account in terms of the implementation of these recommendations, Mr Martin added. TAP '>' ARROW FOR MORE PICS Mount Juliet Equestrian Centre, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, R95 K7DA ASKING PRICE: 1,750,000 A state of the art facility finished to an exceptional standard and suitable for a multiple of sport horse purposes. Originally built in 2008, the centre has been recently refurbished and benefits from an overall floor area of 806sq.m (8,676sq.ft). The facility is currently being used as a riding centre for hotel guests and local clients. It also has the capability to be a base for an international showjumper looking to tour the European circuit. Situated within the grounds of the elegant Mount Juliet estate, this stunning, luxury equine property presents a unique and exclusive opportunity. The property comprises c1.4ha (c.3.40 acres) of facilities and is characterised by grandeur and exquisite allure. The location provides great practicality, situated a mere 90-minute drive from Dublin International Airport and the Dublin International Horse Show CSO 5Star home to the famous Aga Khan trophy. On top of this, the property is just 20 minutes from Gowran racecourse, home of the famous Thyestes Chase. MJE is a world class sport horse training facility and there are numerous possibilities to exploit the property on a commercial basis, for which the set-up is optimal. Given the design and ample available space there is the option for multiple riders / trainers to make use of the facilities simultaneously. Additionally, there is c.30 acres of turn out paddocks for grazing and access to c.500 acres of trail rides on the beautifully managed estate making it ideal for hosting a variety of activities at the same time. Upon entering the centre there is ample car parking leading up to a reception area which also functions as an office with a boardroom, kitchen, staffroom and toilets. The main outdoor arena (one of two) measures a generous 65m x 40m and has a top-of-the-range sand based all-weather show jumping surface with floodlights. This is coupled with another exercise arena (45m x 25m), also with floodlights. There is a state-of-the-art American barn with washing areas, solarium and grooming areas with an integrated Equicty smart stable board where all horses are logged every step of the way. This is complimented by a high-tech camera system, available to each stable. The roof is fitted with ventilation and provides plenty of daylight. Also included is a brand-new, high-end temperature-controlled tack room that boasts marble counter tops with unlimited storage plus a canteen and seating area where you can enjoy refreshments. If the list of facilities was not sufficient already, there is also a machinery storage barn, forage storage and extensive parking for horseboxes. The facility meets all international requirements and regulations. The property features an abundance of trail rides through the beautiful parkland setting of the estate. There are also eight paddocks, each of different dimensions, all enclosed and stock proof. Viewing comes highly recommended. Get all the essential market news and expert opinions in one place with our daily newsletter. Receive a comprehensive recap of the day's top stories directly to your inbox. Sign up here! (Kitco News) - Bob Lee, the chief product officer for MobileCoin, former chief technology officer for Square and the creator of the popular mobile payment service Cash App, has died following a stabbing in San Francisco on Tuesday. According to a report from the San Francisco police department, the 43-year-old crypto executive was found at 2.35 a.m. on the 300 block of Main Street in San Francisco, near the entrance to the Oakland Bay Bridge, on April 4, after police responded to a report of a stabbing. Despite the efforts of first responders and medical personnel, Bob succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital. No arrests have been made at this time and the police have said the incident is under active investigation as a homicide. They have called for any witnesses to come forward to assist with their investigation. Crypto Twitter responded to the news with shock, as Bob Lee was well-liked within the community and was instrumental in helping push innovation within the industry. He rose in prominence after being named the first CTO for Jack Dorseys Square payments platform, which has since been renamed Block, and for creating Cash App in 2013. In 2021, Lee became the CPO at MobileCoin, the issuer of a privacy-oriented cryptocurrency of the same name. Its real. Getting calls. Heartbreaking, wrote Jack Dorsey, the founder of Twitter and Block, in a post on Nostr. Bob was instrumental to Square and Cash App. Bob was a dad, the former CTO of Square where he created Cash App & CTO of Mobile Coin, tweeted Bill Barhydt, CEO of mobile crypto wallet company Abra. He was a generous decent human being who didnt deserve to be killed. Former UFC fighter Jake Shield tweeted that his good friend was killed while walking in the good part of San Francisco and appeared to have been targeted in a random mugging/attack. Muggings and violent crime have become a more common occurrence in San Francisco in recent years, and many said they hope that such a high-profile killing may result in the will to address the situation. Bob Lee is an extremely high profile tech guy so hopefully this will at least bring attention to these problems, Shield tweeted. RIP Brother. ABUJA, April 5 (Reuters) - Nigeria has secured $800 million from the World Bank to scale up its national social program ahead of the removal of its costly but popular subsidies on petrol in June, Finance Minister Zainab Ahmed said on Wednesday. Africa's biggest economy set aside 3.36 trillion naira ($7.3 billion) this year to spend on petrol subsidies until mid-2023, after which it has made no provision for the expense, which cost more than its spending on healthcare and education. Ahmed said the government was considering cash transfers and mass transit buses for workers to ease the pain of the subsidy removal on the most vulnerable segment of its population. She added that the country has registered ten million households, which is equivalent to 50 million people on its vulnerable list. "Several things are still on plan," Ahmed told reporters in Abuja after the government's cabinet meeting. "Some we can start executing quickly while some are of long-term implementation." The World Bank said in 2021 it expected the COVID-19 crisis to push over 11 million Nigerians into poverty by 2022, taking the total number of people classified as poor in the country to over 100 million. The total population is estimated at 200 million. Ahmed said discussions were going on at different levels of government and with members of the incoming administration of President-elect Bola Tinubu on the subsidy removal. Last week, Labour Minister Chris Ngige recommended that Tinubu's new administration give public sector workers pay rises after removing a fuel subsidy in June. Tinubu will take office in May, when Buhari steps down. Many Nigerians regard cheap subsidised fuel as at least one benefit they receive from the state, which fails to deliver other basic services such as electricity and security despite receiving billions of dollars every year from oil exports. Editor's Note: With so much market volatility, stay on top of daily news! Get caught up in minutes with our speedy summary of today's must-read news and expert opinions. Sign up here! (Kitco News) - Paxful, the peer-to-peer Bitcoin marketplace, announced in an April 4 blog post that they will be suspending operations. Today, Paxful will be suspending its marketplace, wrote Ray Youssef, Paxfuls founder and CEO. We are not sure if it will come back. Youssef said that the full story could not yet be shared, but said regulatory challenges for the industry continue to grow, especially in the peer-to-peer market and most heavily in the U.S. and added that some key staff departures were a contributing factor. While we work through these issues, we have taken the most secure option and ask you to explore self-custody and trade elsewhere, he said. Youssef said that customer funds are all accounted for, and that the Paxful Wallet will remain up for customers to retrieve their funds. He suggested Exodus Wallet and Muun Wallet for U.S. customers, and recommended that customers outside the United States migrate to Noones, a new P2P company dedicated to the Global South which offers all the functionality of the Paxful platform. I personally vouch for Noones, you can trust them, he wrote. He also suggested Bitnob as a good Bitcoin option for African customers. Later in the day Youssef hosted a Twitter Space to answer questions from the Paxful community, and he also tweeted Im not withdrawing my btc from @paxful until everyone else gets theirs out first. He also shared some details of internal conflict at Paxful which contributed to the demise of the marketplace. Why such huge transaction fees to external wallet. I was charged almost $12 of fee why is that, asked @teroman101. Long story, Youssef replied. I fought for a cheaper wallet fees for years but my cofounder wanted new engines on his yatch. Youssef told customers that they intend to keep the wallet up for two years. Get all the essential market news and expert opinions in one place with our daily newsletter. Receive a comprehensive recap of the day's top stories directly to your inbox. Sign up here! (Kitco News) - Perth Mint is off the hook with the London Bullion Market Association. The sovereign mint will remain on the Goods Delivery List after the LBMA ended its investigation into allegations that the mint's refining standards from 2018 to 2021 did not meet specifications set by Shanghai Gold Exchange. After a month-long investigation, the LBMA said in a statement that it "did not find any instances of zero-tolerance non-conformance with the sovereign mint." However, the LBMA added: "There are elements of The Perth Mint's management systems that are being strengthened through a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) to be audited by a third-party auditor." The LBMA acknowledged that the quality of Perth Mint's gold was never in question. However, the metals association invoked its Incident Review Process in early March after allegations that during a three-year period the Perth Mint shipped diluted gold bars that were traded on China's gold exchange. In early March the Australian Broadcasting Corporation published an article quoting internal government documents, highlighting looser refining standards that allowed for more impurities into its gold while still meeting the international purity standard of 99.99%. Specifically, there was too much silver in the gold shipped to China to meet the strict standards set by the SGE. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), the SGE highlighted two bars that were non-compliant in 2021. While the Perth Mint addressed the SGE's concerns regarding the two bars, they did not disclose the broader issue of its looser refining practices. The Perth Mint tightened its refining process in December 2021 after SGE highlighted the two non-compliant bars. In its latest statement, the Perth Mint said that it is committed to working through the plan laid out by the LBMA. "The Perth Mint has embarked on a comprehensive, fully funded program to remediate our anti-money laundering processes and ensure best practice in everything that we do," said Perth Mint CEO Jason Waters in a prepared statement. "This aligns with our commitment to meet our obligations to the WA Government, the community, the gold mining sector and our customers around the world." TORONTO, April 5 (Reuters) - Hedge fund bets against Canada's TD Bank Group (TD.TO) on Wednesday hit $4.2 billion, making it the most-shorted banking stock globally, according to data provider ORTEX's calculations, with some analysts concerned about the bank's exposure to U.S. regional lenders. Around 4.1% of TD's outstanding shares were out on loan to hedge funds, while the second-most shorted bank stock, JP Morgan , only had $2.3 billion worth of shorts, showed the data. Hedge funds profit when they borrow a stock from an institutional investor and sell it back when the price falls, pocketing the difference, a practice known as short-selling. Turmoil in the banking sector began last month with the collapse of regional banks Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, sparking a crisis of confidence. The Biden administration on Thursday called for stricter rules to reduce future risk. TD is the midst of acquiring U.S. regional lender First Horizon Corp (FHN.N) for $13.4 billion, though some shareholders have urged the Canadian bank to either scrap the deal or renegotiate a lower price. The First Horizon deal would catapult TD to the sixth-biggest commercial bank in the U.S. from the tenth-largest now, according to the Federal Reserve. The next-largest Canadian bank in the U.S. is BMO, which is number 23 on the list. TD shares are down 15.7% since the beginning of the regional bank crisis and down 3.4% this week. Peer Bank of Montreal (BMO) (BMO.TO) is down 15.8% over the same time period and is down 2.2% this week. Around 2.9% of BMO's outstanding shares were out on loan to hedge funds, or about $1.8 billion. A spokesperson for TD was not immediately available for comment. "The banks acquisition of First Horizon is also not looking great in the current context," Eric Compton, equity analyst at Morningstar, told Reuters via email. "TD has the most exposure to the U.S. regional banking system," Compton added. He noted TD also has a material stake in Charles Schwab , which is down 40% year to date. TD awaits regulatory approval of its takeover of First Horizon. WASHINGTON, April 5 (Reuters) - The U.S. nominee to run the World Bank, Ajay Banga, said on Wednesday that he supports his predecessor's proposal to expand the bank's annual lending capacity by about $5 billion to help tackle climate change and other global challenges, but added that this was only the start of reforms. Banga, the former CEO of Mastercard and sole contender for the bank's top job, said in his first major address on his plans for the World Bank's future that he has high ambitions for reforming the world's largest development lender, but the effort would take some time. "That's good, we should do it," Banga said of the $5 billion lending expansion plan proposed by departing World Bank President David Malpass. "Maybe we can get a little more or even a lot more with the next set of steps. Whatever the amount may be, we have to put our balance sheet to work," Banga said at the Center for Global Development. But he said that to raise the trillions of dollars needed annually to reach 2030 and 2050 global emissions reduction goals, the World Bank needs to help catalyze private capital. "For infrastructure, for climate, for inequality, the math is not on our side. The World Bank cannot do this alone," he said. "Even with the generosity of governments, of philanthropies, the work of the other multilateral banks together, you're going to fall short of those trillions." He said the World Bank's major role in this area will be to reduce or remove risk from climate investments in developing countries so the private sector can invest in them "at scale." Among possible steps were the World Bank taking a first-loss positions in projects, de-risking projects by putting them on the International Finance Corp's balance sheet in the early stages and later transferring them to private sector investors, he said. The World Bank needs to help create standardized pools of assets that long-duration investors such as pension funds can invest in at scale, while helping countries develop policies and climate plans that create stability for investors, Banga said. AAA RATING BACKED A G20 report on climate finance suggested the World Bank could greatly expand lending if it were to accept a lower credit rating than the current, top-tier AAA rating, and some development groups have argued in favor of this approach. But Banga, in response to a question, said losing the AAA rating was "a really poor idea." "If you were to lose the AAA rating, we are no longer doing what we need to do, which is to raise capital at a low enough cost that we can give it back or use it either in grants or concessional pricing for the countries that cannot afford to raise it for themselves," he said. Banga is now in the final stages of the World Bank executive board's selection process after emerging from a March nomination period as the sole candidate. He is expected to be confirmed as World Bank president by early May. Get all the essential market news and expert opinions in one place with our daily newsletter. Receive a comprehensive recap of the day's top stories directly to your inbox. Sign up here! (Kitco News) - Ring Of Fire Metals CEO Kristan Straub explained why Noront Resources Eagle's Nest project is so unique. In March Straub spoke to correspondent Paul Harris at PDAC 2023. The Eagles Nest project is a high-grade nickel, copper and platinum group element (PGE) deposit, located in the James Bay Lowlands of Northern Ontario. In April 2022, Wyloo Metals, an Australia-based company run by mining magnate Andrew Forrest, acquired Noront after beating out BHP Billiton in the bidding war. BHP is the world's largest diversified miner by market cap. Wyloo ended up paying $478.11 million for Noront. Ring Of Fire Metals became the name of the company that was formed by Wyloo to develop the Eagle's Nest asset. Straub said the project is exceptional. "Eagle's Nest represents one of the highest-grade largest nickel sulfide deposits in the world today," said Straub. Nickel is a critical metal, an important element needed to make lithium-ion batteries. Beyond Eagle's Nest, Straub is excited about the whole region where his company is situated. "It represents one of Canada's newest regions for exploration and potential development," said Straub. In this sense, the government official indicated that Castillo received a sanction over said offense, as a result of the disciplinary measure against him, in which his right to defense was respected. this disciplinary measure was initiated on January 26 following the publication of a letter on Twitter an act prohibited because Castillo is under the ordinary closed prison regime, As is known, Tello explained. "This procedure has concluded that he is responsible; he has violated a criminal law and obviously must be punished with 15 day-ban on having contact with someone other than his lawyers," he said in remarks to TVPeru. Minister Tello indicated that this procedure took a long time because the due process was respected, indicating that he exercised his right to defense at all times. Last Tuesday, the sanction was announced by the Barbadillo Prison's Penitentiary Technical Council, which determined that the disciplinary sanction, meaning limitation of communications with the outside world, be ordered for a period of 15 days in accordance with the provisions of the Criminal Enforcement Code's Article 30. This measure implies the restriction of visits from relatives and friends during the aforementioned period of time. However, it does not prevent the entry of lawyers in the exercise of his right to defense or his participation in jurisdictional hearings. Thomas Shultz pleaded guilty Monday to an alcohol-related misdemeanor, leaving him with a 30 day jail sentence and a year of probation. A stone-faced Donald Trump has been confronted with a 34-count felony indictment accusing him in a scheme to bury negative information during his first presidential campaign Saudi Arabia currently represents the single biggest opportunity for hospitality and tourism, and that is set to continue for at least another five years, says PKF hospitality group, a leader in hospitality and tourism consulting. While there is some doubts about the projects' timeline, one thing is for sure, Saudi Arabia will surprise many and will be a changed country in the years to come, say PKF experts. "Way past 2030, many of the mega projects will be completed and house a transformed population. Whether this transformation will go without certain upsets and set backs remains to be seen," they say. The PKF hospitality group recently held one of its 196+ spotlight events in Riyadh in recognition of the significant amount of projects that have been announced for Saudi Arabia. The majority of these projects, many of which touted to be worth well in excess of $100 billion each, form part of the very ambitious Saudi Vision 2030. This strategic road map is set to harness the strength and strategic position of the Kingdom whilst reducing its reliance on oil. The focus areas, on which $800 billion + will be spent, are tourism, health infrastructure and education. Of course the improvement of the countrys image is another desired outcome of this massive effort. The initial push is to create product that attracts the local traveller, who currently doesnt find enough reason to travel within his/her own country. The millions of pilgrims who come to Saudi Arabia to visit the holy sites are the next obvious market to be targeted before the discerning international traveller in other markets is lured to come and visit the Kingdom. Names like NEOM, Red Sea Project, Qiddiya, Diriyah Gate are just some of these mega projects. There are, of course, voices that question how realistic these plans are and how they will be executed on time to meet the deadlines of Vision 2030 but the fact that many have already broken ground and are in the process of being started surprises some of those doubters. Nils Heckscher, Head of Africa also overseeing PKFs Middle East operations, said: Yes, I also think, that some may not be seen completed on time. It is a simple fact that know how, materials and in the end staff to run these places are not in high supply. Yet, some well see completed on time no doubt. First on that list will be Trojena, the official host location of the Asian Winter Games 2029. Much coverage was received about this venue of choice with obvious connotations about heat and desert coming to mind. Yet the region does actually see snow in winter and is in general 10 degrees cooler than the rest of the country. Impressive architecture and technical advances will make the holding of the competitions in the various winter sport disciplines possible. It is the mix of the projects makes them interesting. While there is a definite focus on tourism, the NEOM project, the size of Belgium, will, besides Trojena, feature a tech city, a seaside location and an international sea port, residential, retail and office space will complete this mega city between mountains and the Red Sea. Sustainability ranks high in the KPIs that these projects set themselves. Most are the aspects of running them on a sustainable basis. The construction and the clearing of land, in cases also of indigenous people, is not necessarily based on the same principles. It is heartening to see public-private partnerships that have a strong focus on ESG principles and that intend to build in a sustainable manner; source local materials as well as design and employ locals who will be trained and given ample opportunity to advance. These are fundamental building blocks in creating great and sustainable destinations, says Heckscher. We will continue to add value to our clients projects and believe that there is a great need for the type of services we provide. Saudi Arabia currently represents the single biggest opportunity for hospitality and tourism, and that is set to continue for at least another five years, says Christian Walter, Global CEO PKF hospitality group. - TradeArabia News Service Con 64 votos en contra, el #PlenoDelCongreso rechazo la admision de la mocion del pedido de vacancia de la presidenta Dina Boluarte. Pasa al archivo. pic.twitter.com/XUD07a0kzC At least five people have died due to the tornado that swept through southeastern Missouri early Wednesday. Several people were also injured. The tornado moved through Bollinger County, around 50 miles south of St. Louis, between 3:30 and 4 a.m. The Grassy and Glen Allen areas were particularly hit hard, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Bollinger County Sheriff's office. The National Weather Service said its survey team found what looks like high end EF2 tornado damage, but their assessments are not done yet. During a press conference Wednesday at Woodland R-IV High School in Marble Hill, MSHP said 87 structures were damaged, and of those, 12 were destroyed. Troop E state troopers have been on scene all day assisting with search and rescue efforts. Crews from the State Highway Patrol and other agencies are having to use chainsaws to cut back brush and trees in order to reach homes. 4:17 WATCH: Gov. Parson shares update on southeast Missouri tornado damage Gov. Mike Parson had an aerial tour of the tornado damage in Bollinger County Wednesday and met with responders at the command post in Marble Parson joined emergency personnel in Bollinger County to assess damage and needs. He spoke briefly at the press conference and said in times like this, it's important for people to come together. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. "I had the chance to talk to everybody and see some of the debris field that's out there. That's just how people, at a time like this, will come together, to work together and to be able to do what's bet for the people of this state," eh said. Parson said President Joe Biden called him to check in on the damage and community. "Its going to weeks on months to recover in this community," Parson said. U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley also said toured the damage and attended a community prayer meeting in Marble Hill. The Red Cross opened a shelter at Marble Hill Baptist Church for those affected by the tornado. No unofficial volunteers are needed at this time, the Bollinger County Sheriff's Office said. Missouri remains in a state of emergency, which Parson activated with an executive order Friday in preparation for extreme weather. Severe thunderstorms, carrying threats of tornadoes and hail, have passed through the Midwest and mid-South from last Friday onwards. At least 37 people in the U.S. have died due to tornadoes in the past week. Miller Poultry, Orland, graced Project Help with a food donation that will help feed about 150 families for Easter, which is Sunday. In the photo are, from left, Kristen Downey, assistant director at Project Help, Kirsten Meyer, Project Help volunteer, Paul Maust, logistics manager at Miller Poultry, Jeremy Oldenburg, Project Help president of the board, Kevin Diehl, chief operations officer at Miller Poultry, Casey Lockwood, Project Help volunteer, Lou Fraley, shipping manager at Miller Poultry. Henry Teichert signs his name on the ceremonial beam that will be the last piece of steel placed in the Steuben County judicial center as his mother, Lucy, watches Wednesday morning. People in the community are invited to sign the beam that will be placed on the judicial center topping out ceremony at noon on Monday. YEREVAN, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. The Israeli Air Force (IAF) targeted two "Hamas weapons manufacturing and storage sites" in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning after 10 rockets were fired in three waves from the Gaza Strip towards the Sderot area and Yad Mordechai in response to clashes that broke out at al-Aqsa on Tuesday night, Jerusalem Post reported citing the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesperson's Unit. It later also struck a Hamas "military compound and multiple military positions". Palestinian factions in Gaza fired surface-to-air missiles at the Israeli aircraft carrying out the strikes, according to Palestinian reports. Rocket sirens sounded in Sderot and in Mabu'im, near Netivot, during the strikes. One of the rockets fired overnight hit a factory in the Sderot industrial zone, five fell in open areas and the rest were intercepted by Israels Iron Dome air defense system. No injuries were reported. Earlier in the night, police entered al-Aqsa, firing stun grenades and working to remove the people barricaded inside. Palestinians in the mosque fired fireworks and threw stones at the Israeli forces. Dozens of Palestinians were reportedly injured in the clashes, with Palestinian media claiming that medics were prevented from reaching the site. Although this legendary male idol declined the iconic "Gu Jun Pyo" role, everyone agrees that he doesn't have to act like a handsome and wealthy guy for a drama since he's been already living like that in real life. Who is he? Super Junior Siwon Almost Played Lee Min Ho's 'Gu Jun Pyo' Role in 'Boys Over Flowers' If you are a veteran K-drama and K-pop fan, or who has been a stan since the 2000s to early 2010s, it's impossible for you not to know or heard about the classic drama, "Boys Over Flowers"! At the time, the drama was a huge hit and offered a huge contribution to the "Hallyu Wave." Among the big names who rose from the drama was, of course, the main lead Lee Min Ho, who solidified his acting career with his role as Gu Jun Pyo. In the drama, Gu Jun Pyo (Lee Min Ho) is portrayed the handsome and campus popular son of a conglomerate family, and the leader of the squad F4, comprised of members who got it all looks, intelligence and wealth. Indeed, Lee Min Ho suited the role, but did you know that Super Junior Siwon was actually offered to play the role first? In a broadcast of "Kiss the Radio" hosted by Leeteuk in 2016, the Super Junior leader revealed that Choi Siwon was actually the first pick to play the role of Gu Jun Pyo. Although it wasn't specified how and when it was pitched to him, but in the end, Siwon declined the role and Lee Min Ho was chosen. During the broadcast, Leeteuk also teased his co-member and called him "stupid," implying the popularity Siwon could have enjoyed if he just took the opportunity. However, it wasn't really a loss for Siwon, since the same year "Boys Over Flower" was aired in 2009, Super Junior also rose as the "Hallyu King" with their hit track "Sorry, Sorry." Knowing Siwon's personality, he would surely pick his group's fame more than himself! Super Junior Siwon Is 'Real-Life Gu Jun Pyo'? Idol's Background Re-Examined When this trivia became known, ELFs (Super Junior fandom) deemed it as not shocking. Considering Siwon's visuals, the idol definitely has the natural "Gu Jun Pyo" look, especially with his iconic long curly hair at the time. Both he and the character boast tall height and cold appearance, while their smiles are charming. Choi Siwon also won't have to try hard to act as if he belongs to the "elite" class, 'cause he was raised with a golden spoon. His father owns a famous pharmaceutical company, while his mother works for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a high ranking. His family is also one of the largest shareholders in the Hyundai Department Store, one of the biggest retail chains in South Korea. According to unconfirmed reports, Siwon might have had royal blood in him as well, his father being a direct descendant of King Cheoljong while his mother is a descendant of King Hyojong of the Joseon Dynasty. Although Gu Jun Pyo's rebellious personality is nothing alike Siwon, who's known for being well-mannered on and off cam, people still believe he would surely fit in for the role of being a young master. For more K-Pop news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KpopStarz. KpopStarz owns this article. Written by Eunice Dawson. NewJeans, ADOR's girl group that debuted in 2022, has taken the music industry by storm with their incredible popularity and brand collaborations. Their recent project with Coca-Cola has stirred up quite the controversy, however. The famous soda brand teamed up with NewJeans for their song "Zero." But since its release, people have been divided. Do they love it or not? This article will delve into the reasons behind this widespread debate. NewJeans' 'Zero': The Unexpected Coca-Cola Reference The controversy surrounding NewJeans' "Zero" primarily stems from the sudden and obvious reference to Coca-Cola in the chorus. Although the song is an advertisement, the rest of the lyrics are not directly tied to the brand, which has led to confusion and mixed reactions among fans. The song begins with a catchy, quintessentially NewJeans vibe and has listeners hooked until the chorus disrupts the flow with an unexpected change in tempo and genre. The lyrics in the chorus include: "Coca-Cola is Tasty See you looking, catch it Here's your Cola" While fans understand that the song is an advertisement, they have been left baffled by the overtly conspicuous mention of Coca-Cola in the chorus alone, especially given the seamless integration of brand references in the rest of the song. This sudden shift has sparked discussions on social media platforms like Twitter and YouTube, with many netizens expressing their discontent over the awkward product placement. Nostalgia as Marketing Strategy Starting in the 1930s, Coca-Cola managed to reinvent and popularize the image of Santa Claus through their advertising campaigns. By associating the beloved figure with their brand, Coca-Cola successfully established a connection between the magic of Christmas and their product, using nostalgia and brand storytelling to their advantage. In a similar manner, the brands team up with NewJeans' "Zero" can also be considered a strategic move. Those who came to love the song has been drawn to its nostalgic vibe. This clever marketing strategy has used the popularity of the 90s amongst the new generation. While the reference to Coca-Cola in the chorus has sparked controversy among fans, you can't deny that somehow it managed to reach fans in a more personal level. This strategy has been applauded by many as a smart move to engage the audience while still promoting the brand. However, others argue that the blatant advertising ploy detracts from the overall appeal of the song and alienates global fans who may not be familiar with Coca-Cola's nostalgic significance. The Double-Edged Sword of Commercial Success The debate surrounding NewJeans' "Zero" highlights the challenges that artists and brands face when attempting to merge music and advertising. While the collaboration has undoubtedly brought NewJeans and Coca-Cola commercial success, the controversy sparked by the chorus emphasizes the fine line that must be tread when attempting to create a hit song that doubles as an advertisement. Ultimately, "Zero" could have easily topped the charts as a standalone single for NewJeans. However, the conspicuous incorporation of Coca-Cola in the chorus has turned it into a polarizing marketing tool that has left fans divided. NewJeans' "Zero" serves as a prime example of the complexities involved in navigating the world of music and advertising collaborations. While the song has undoubtedly brought attention to both the girl group and Coca-Cola, the controversy surrounding its lyrics and chorus has sparked a heated debate among fans. The unexpected and obvious reference to Coca-Cola in the chorus has left many listeners puzzled, leading to mixed reactions and discussions on social media. What are your thoughts on this? Follow and subscribe to KpopStarz for more K-pop news. Cassidy Jones reported this. KpopStarz owns this article. YEREVAN, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan has met with the delegation led by Italian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Edmondo Cirielli. I praised the friendly relations between the Armenian and Italian peoples, the common interests and the great potential of economic cooperation between the two countries. I presented the Economy Modernization Act and the Gagarin Investment Project, within which we can effectively cooperate as well, Kerobyan said in a statement. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. YEREVAN, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. Digital economy is changing the lifestyle of people and the ways of doing business, the Governor of the Central Bank Martin Galstyan said at the first Doing Digital Forum in Yerevan organized by SPRING PR with support from Ameriabank. We hope that the rapid technological breakthroughs will allow our society to become more productive and prosperous. There is some caution because it could take away jobs and the whole world from us. Overcontrolling people could lead to the application of sophisticated tools without proper validation of capabilities. If this isnt properly controlled it will have horrific consequences of distribution because only a few will be able to make use of the technological advance, he said. Galstyan said the Central Bank focuses on three main areas cooperation with the private sector, creation of infrastructures and data. He added that Armenia is making investments in cybersecurity capacity. Galstyan said that the transforming analytical and innovative solutions are the way for advance for them. He said they want to ensure more citizens benefiting from a more digital and sustainable economy. The governor of the cenbank described the forum as a great opportunity to speak about digital and technological issues. Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan also delivered remarks. It is commendable that such platforms are guided by the private sector and the professional community, Grigoryan said. The digital future must become reality through the significant role of the citizens and the private sector, and the government will make efforts to introduce a policy of open and accessible data and forming the critical infrastructure, rules of gameplay and a safe and favorable environment. This is the fundamental approach of the government in implementing digital reforms. YEREVAN, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived in China for a three-day state visit in which he hopes to dissuade Xi Jinping from supporting Russias invasion of Ukraine while also developing European trade ties with Beijing. China is the only country in the world capable of having an immediate and radical impact on the conflict, in one direction or the other, the Guardian quoted an official from the French presidents office as saying of the war in Ukraine. Paris sees China as a possible gamechanger in the war: able to tip the balance in a positive way through potential dialogue on conditions for an end to the conflict, or in a negative way if Beijing were to increase support for Russia and provide arms. But Macron wants to stand firm on the issue of Ukraine while taking a pragmatic French stance described as another path from the directly confrontational tone often heard from the US, an official said. The French presidents visit, his first to China since the Covid pandemic, will include more than six hours of time with Xi, between meetings and banquets. Key issues under discussion will be the Ukraine war and the rebalancing of trade links after stringent zero-Covid regulations, as well as the climate crisis and renewable energy. There will also be talks on renewing cultural links and travel, as Paris wants to encourage Chinese tourists back to France. Macron will be joined for part of the visit by the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen. A delegation of 60 business leaders, including the bosses of Airbus and EDF, are traveling with Macron. Mumbai (Maharashtra)/ Ahmedabad (Gujarat)/ Bangalore (Karnataka) [India], April 5 (ANI/PRNewswire): Prozeal Infra Engineering Pvt. Ltd. has announced their first round of funding led by Chandrakant Gogri's family office arm - Alchemie Ventures. The USD 4 Million (approx. INR 32.5 Crore) investment is for a minority stake at an undisclosed valuation. The funds will be used to scale operations and execute developer-model projects for energy and utility companies. Incorp Advisory was the exclusive investment banker for the transaction, which represents the largest Series-A fundraising transaction in India's Solar EPC space in over 2 years. Prozeal Infra is a home-grown venture founded by two Ahmedabad-based co-founders. The company already has an order book worth INR 1,000 crore (USD 120 million) that will be fulfilled over the next twelve months. In FY25, they expect to exceed INR 1,500 Crore (USD 187.5 Million) in revenue. Also Read | Bihar Ram Navami Clashes: CM Nitish Kumar Makes Veiled Attack on Amit Shah and Asaduddin Owaisi, Says Two Persons Involved in Sasaram, Bihar Sharif Violence. Manan Thakkar, co-founder at Prozeal, said, "We are aligned with the National Solar Mission - a key project envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India's energy diversification. This investment is a testament to our vision and commitment to creating a sustainable future for India's growing energy demands." Shobit Rai, co-founder at Prozeal Infra, said, "We are thrilled to have Chandrakant Gogri and his family office as our first investors. Chandrakant Gogri has a proven track record of building fast-growing and profitable businesses - creating immense value for shareholders. His sharp business acumen and guidance will enable the next phase of sustainable growth for Prozeal Infra." Also Read | Tiger 3, War 2, Tiger vs Pathaan All You Need to Know About YRF Spy Universes Upcoming Films Starring Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan!. Chandrakant Gogri, the Founder & Chairman Emeritus of Aarti Group of Industries [NSE:AARTIIND], said, "I am impressed with what the dynamic and passionate founders at Prozeal Infra have achieved. Solar energy and decarbonization are the backbone of India's climate change commitment. Prozeal Infra, through its engineering capabilities, is well positioned to capture a lion's share of this energy transformation." India has made a climate change commitment of meeting 50% of its energy requirements through renewable sources by 2030. This translates to 300 GW of installed solar power capacity by 2030, of which only 65 GW is installed today. Prozeal Infra has a vision to be a decarbonization and net-zero solution company for commercial and industrial MNCs, MSMEs and Government institutions supporting India's sustainable energy goals. Inderpreet Chadha, Head of Investment Banking at InCorp Advisory, said, "This investment catapults Prozeal Infra towards becoming one of India's largest players in this space. We are proud to be associated on this marque transaction. We proved that commercially prudent businesses with a commitment to create long-term customer value are not affected by the so-called 'funding winter'." Prozeal Infra Engineering Pvt. Ltd. is a leading solar EPC company based in Ahmedabad, India. The company started in 2013 with focus on the commercial & industrial segments, and gradually expanded to larger contracts catering towards the utilities segment. Today they have an installed capacity of 1 GW across multiple projects. They have executed projects for 200+ companies, including marquee clients such as Ashok Leyland, Pidilite Industries, Mahindra CIE, Indian Oil, Hinduja Renewables, JSW, GHCL and many more. Alchemie Ventures is the family office arm of Chandrakant Gogri - the Founder & Chairman Emeritus of Aarti group of Industries. Alchemie Ventures invests selectively in high growth and cash flow-positive companies, currently focused on investments that drive climate change technologies. InCorp Advisory is a Singapore-based professional service business with 1500+ professionals operating from across the Asia Pacific. In India, InCorp Advisory offers Transaction Advisory, Investment Banking, Corporate Restructuring, CFO Outsourcing, Compliance, Taxation, and ESG Advisory through offices in Mumbai, Bangaluru, Chennai, and GIFT City. For more information, please write to info@incorpadvisory.in Media Contacts: Preksha LalwaniIncorp Advisorypreksha.lalwani@incorpadvisory.in This story has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) STEPANAKERT, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) released a statement on April 5 on the obstruction by Azerbaijan of the pre-arranged return of Artsakh citizens. Below is the full statement. On 4 April, another flagrant violation of the rights of the citizens of Artsakh took place that indicates the true goals pursued by Azerbaijan, which has been holding the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic) under a complete blockade for more than 110 days. The Azerbaijani side refused to let through the Lachin Corridor vehicles of the Russian Peacekeeping Contingent with citizens of Artsakh who remained in Armenia due to the blockade and were deprived of the opportunity to reunite with their families. The Azerbaijani side stopped the vehicles on the blocked section of the Lachin Corridor and for 5 hours subjected the people in the vehicles, mainly women, children and elderly persons, to psychological terror and intimidation. Subsequently, Azerbaijan made an attempt to turn the suffering of the people into a show of hypocritical pseudo-humanism. This egregious incident clearly demonstrates that the Azerbaijani authorities have embarked on the next level of practical implementation of their criminal plan to ethnically cleanse Artsakh and expel its people from their historical homeland. These intentions were publicly announced by the President of Azerbaijan on 10 January 2023, in an interview with the Azerbaijani media. Subsequently, the Azerbaijani political leadership repeatedly voiced the threat that the people of Artsakh should either obey the Armenophobic authorities of Azerbaijan or leave their homeland. In an environment of complete impunity, the criminal actions committed by Azerbaijan against the people of Artsakh are becoming increasingly threatening both in nature and scale. The inaction of the international community in the face of such serious violations of human rights is tantamount to tacit approval, if not complicity in the inhumane actions of official Baku. Immediate and decisive action by the United Nations Security Council, which has the appropriate mandate and tools, is an absolute necessity to immediately end the illegal blockade and stop the crimes of Azerbaijan against the people of Artsakh, which continue before the eyes of the international community. Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 5 (ANI/NewsVoir): The Craft Tank, a digital marketing agency, has won the digital mandate for Denver, a premium men's perfume and grooming brand. The Craft Tank has a proven track record of delivering exceptional Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) digital marketing services to a range of clients across various industries. Their expertise in creating unique and engaging campaigns has earned them a reputation as one of the fastest-growing agencies in the market. Winning the digital mandate for Denver is a testament to their capabilities and is sure to strengthen their position in the market. Also Read | Google Pixel 7A To Launch Soon With Sony Primary Sensor; Find Expected Launch Date, Specs and Feature Details. Denver is a popular men's perfume brand that has been providing high-quality fragrances to consumers for over a decade. The brand has a loyal customer base and is well-known for its masculine and elegant scents. With The Craft Tank now in charge of their digital marketing efforts, Denver is set to take their brand to the next level. The partnership between The Craft Tank and Denver is expected to be a fruitful one. The agency will use its expertise in D2C digital marketing to create engaging content that resonates with Denver's target audience. They will also leverage their knowledge of the latest trends and technologies to help Denver stay ahead of the competition. Also Read | El Clasico: Barcelona vs Real Madrid, 2023 Copa del Rey Match Preview and Predicted Lineups. The Craft Tank's approach to digital marketing is based on creating a seamless user experience. They use a data-driven approach to understand their clients' audiences and create campaigns that resonate with them. With Denver, they plan to use this approach to create campaigns that will engage their target audience and drive sales. The digital marketing landscape is constantly evolving, and The Craft Tank is well-equipped to navigate these changes. They are committed to staying up-to-date with the latest technologies and trends to ensure that their clients stay ahead of the curve. With their expertise and Denver's exceptional products, this partnership is sure to be a success. In conclusion, The Craft Tank's win of the digital mandate for Denver is an exciting development for both companies. The agency's knack in D2C digital marketing, combined with Denver's extraordinary products, is sure to create a winning combination. This story has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], April 5 (ANI): The Centre has provided 'Z+' category armed Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) security cover to former People's Democratic Party leader and Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, top government sources said. The security was accorded by the Ministry of Home Affairs following a recent security review meeting based on an Intelligence Bureau threat analysis. Also Read | Employment News: Job Vacancies in Banking, Financial Services and Insurance Sector See Significant Growth in March 2023, Says Naukri Report. Businessman-turned-politician and former minister Altaf Bukhari (65) will be provided 'Z+' category security round the clock in Jammu and Kashmir, the sources told ANI. Bukhari floated the J&K Apni Party (JKAP) as an alternative to the regional parties such as the National Conference (NC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP), of which he was once a member. Also Read | Delhi Accident: Two Injured After Private Bus Carrying 50 Passengers From Ajmer Overturns at Rajokri Near Gurugram. The Apni Party, comprising mainly legislators and former ministers, was founded in March 2020, eight months after the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A. Since then, nearly two dozen legislators from different outfits have joined it. In March 2020, all prominent leaders of the party met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah with their demand to safeguard the land rights and jobs of the J&K people. Bukhari had then said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah appreciated the party's efforts. The Apni Party has been holding a series of rallies to create an impact on the voters, especially in Kashmir. It also held a mega rally in Srinagar last year, considered one of the biggest in the Valley post-August 5, 2019. Though the Apni Party has openly criticised the government for its anti-encroachment drive, Bukhari had said that he was open to forge an alliance with the BJP. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], April 5 (ANI): The Delhi Police has arrested a dreaded sharpshooter belonging to Irfan Chhenu gang from north-east Delhi's Welcome area, police informed on Wednesday. As per the police, the arrested sharpshooter has been identified as Imran alias Rizwan (23). Imran was allegedly an active associate of the Irfan Chhenu alias Chhenu Pehlwan gang, the police said. Also Read | Supreme Court Says the Ministry of Information Broadcasting Will Proceed to Issue a Latest Tweet by ANI. "A team of North East District has arrested sharpshooter of Irfan Chhenu gang also known as Chhenu Pehlwan gang, armed with a sophisticated semi-automatic pistol, loaded with eight live cartridges near Welcome," Delhi Police said in a statement. As per the police, in a previous case, three members of the Irfan Chhenu gang were arrested, and sophisticated weapons with a large number of ammunition were also recovered. Also Read | Karnataka: Muslim Youth Assaulted for Talking to Hindu Girl on Bus in Ujire; Four Booked. While interrogating the accused from that case, the police got to know about a new gang and the name of another active associate Imran alias Rizwan. Imran has been involved in several crimes including murder and has been out on parole in a murder case. On April 3, the police received secret information regarding the presence of Imran near the garbage dump site, Budh Bazar Nala Road, Welcome. A police team was formed comprising ASI Rajiv Tyagi, ASI Sanjeev, ASI Rajdeep, Head Constable Nitin and Constable Jagdish. The team was under the supervision of Inspector Harish Chandra. The team subsequently laid down a trap to nab the accused at the suspected location. After being rounded up by the police, Imran took out his pistol and entered into a scuffle with the police, But, the police were able to overpower and subsequently arrest him. The police also recovered a sophisticated semi-automatic pistol from him, which was loaded with eight live cartridges. Accordingly, a case vide FIR no. 276/23 dated April 3, under sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act at Welcome Police Station, and further investigation was taken up. During sustained interrogation, Imran admitted being an active associate of Irfan alias Chhenu, the police said. Efforts are on to track the source of the pistol and ammunition, and further investigation is underway in the case, the police said. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], April 5 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir administration has announced a Rs 560-crore project under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) to strengthen the existing market infrastructure and create a robust market ecosystem that caters to the needs of all stakeholders. Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Department, Atal Dulloo, emphasized that the proposed project will be segmented into several key areas. Also Read | Tech Companies Must Ensure AI Products Safety, Biden Says. "These included market reforms, infrastructure development, institutional and capacity building, branding, digital marketing, and market research information systems. The project aims to achieve its objectives through an investment of Rs 560 crore, which will be spread over a period of five years," he said. The agriculture and allied sectors in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir are poised for significant growth and boost with the launch of a slew of technological advancements and extension programs, he said. Also Read | Reporters Without Borders Blocked from Assange Prison Visit. These interventions, incentivized through various schemes and projects, have already led to improvements in the quality and quantity of produce in the region. However, the challenge remains in integrating smallholder produce with market systems that are both effective and transparent. This will ensure that farmers receive a fair price for their goods while consumers get good value for their money. "To tackle this issue, Jammu and Kashmir is implementing a project under the Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP) that aims to strengthen the existing market infrastructure and create a robust market ecosystem that caters to the needs of all stakeholders," he said. Dulloo expressed confidence that this project will bring about significant improvements in agriculture and allied sectors in Jammu and Kashmir, providing a boost to the region's economy and benefiting farmers and consumers alike. The project aims to improve the Terms of Trade (ToT) in favour of farmers, improve efficiency and effectiveness of the market ecosystem and minimize the value loss while maximizing societal welfare, Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Department said. The proposed activities or areas of intervention will strengthen the existing agricultural marketing system in J-K, bringing long-term dividends across stakeholders, particularly farmer-producers, he said. "The proposed project also envisages significant growth in agriculture and allied sectors through various activities. The market reforms included implementation of an open auction system, a single license for trading in all mandies, and institutionalization of post-harvest infrastructure with the eNAM network," Dulloo said. He further said, "Infrastructure development will involve converting mandies into value chain parks, creating new mandies and installing composting units. Besides, institutional building and capacity development will focus on the formation of Niche Product Marketing FPOs." The Directorate of Horticulture, Planning and Marketing will be responsible for the on-ground implementation of the project and will serve as the nodal agency for providing unified licensing to potential traders. The government of J-K is set to implement this new project that aims to transform the agriculture sector through a multi-faceted approach. This approach includes market reforms, development of infrastructure, and promotion of institutional building and capacity development of Niche Product Marketing FPOs, he added. Market reforms will bring transparency and fairness in trading practices, genuine prices for produce, increase the number of buyers, and fair competition. This will result in an increase in producers' share in the consumer rupee, he stated. Dulloo further said, infrastructure development will create an efficient and effective market ecosystem, minimize value loss, overcome distress sales, improve logistics, adhere to quality standards, ease of doing business, target unattended geographies, waste to wealth, and minimize environmental pollution. Private entrepreneurs will be responsible for the development of infrastructure, including CA stores, grading lines, mini cold stores, reefer vans and pick-up vans. The Directorate of Horticulture, Planning and Marketing will establish composting units at potential mandies, and also create new mandies in collaboration with the respective District Administrations, he said. The promotion and support of institutional building and capacity development of Niche Product Marketing FPOs will be done in collaboration with allied departments and Agriculture Universities of the UT, he stated. The emphasis will be laid on the branding of agriculture produce to promote marketing and competitive advantage of Niche crops. This will also result in scale economies in input and output marketing, operations, bargaining power, contract farming, better terms of trade (ToT), self-reliance, and confidence, Dulloo said. The project will also include the identification, capacity building, and promotion of Rural Business and Service Hubs (RBSHs) across all districts of J-K. This intervention will provide quality inputs/services, improve logistics in management operations, improve yield and quality produce, technology outreach, extension of improved varieties and machines, and market information, he further stated. The Government of J-K has announced a range of incentives aimed at strengthening the state's market infrastructure. Under the initiative, a 50 per cent capital subsidy will be offered for the establishment of 11 Controlled Atmosphere (CA) stores, each with a capacity of 5000 MT, at a unit cost of Rs 30.00 crore In addition, a 50 per cent per cent subsidy will be provided for the establishment of 12 hi-tech grading lines, 275 portable grading lines, reefer vans, pick-up vans, and mini cold stores. Four mechanized windrow composting units, 16 simple composting units, and four new mandies will also be established at a cost of Rs 49.00 crore, he said. The Institutional Building and Capacity Development component of the project will see 55 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) established with an investment of Rs 11.00 crore, and 35 capacity-building training programs arranged for FPOs, costing Rs. 1.05 crore Additionally, two Agriculture and Branding Centers will be established in each division at a cost of Rs 5.20 crore, Dulloo said. A 50 per cent subsidy will be provided for establishment of 400 Rural Business and Service Hubs, with a ceiling of Rs 15 lakh on each hub. The infrastructure for digital marketing and market intelligence will be established at a cost of Rs 11.30 crore The implementation of these interventions is expected to have a significant impact. The government anticipates that farmers' income will double from 45 per cent to 90 per cent, while the reduction of value loss is expected to be between 20 per cent and 50 per cent, he said. The off-season availability of fruits and vegetables is also expected to improve. Value creation is anticipated to increase by 25 per cent to 75 per cent, and there will be an increase in income, value output, employment, reduced food wastage, and an efficient decision support system, he said Dulloo further stated, "The project will result in several key outputs, including the establishment of 11 CA stores with a capacity of 55,000 MT, 12 hi-tech grading lines, 25 mini cold stores, four new mandies in Samba, Reasi, Kishtwar, and Bandipora, 400 Rural Business and Service Hubs, two Agri Branding centers, and one Market Intelligence Cell. This project is also expected to create 6,000 jobs and 629 enterprises in the next five years." The government of J-K plans to implement a project that aims to transform the agriculture sector through a multi-faceted approach. It will bring transparency and fairness in trading practices, create an efficient and effective market ecosystem, promote institutional building and capacity development of Niche Product Marketing FPOs, and improve digital marketing. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Pune, Apr 5 (PTI) Four people were injured after a clash between two groups in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district where the rioters also damaged some vehicles and indulged in stone pelting, police said on Wednesday. Also Read | COVID-19 Surge in Uttar Pradesh: Lucknow Reports Highest Single-Day Spike Coronavirus Cases in 2023. The Ahmednagar police have so far arrested 10 people in connection with the incident which took place late Tuesday evening and registered a case under sections for rioting, they said. Also Read | Leopard Attack in Uttar Pradesh: Big Cat From Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary Leaves Three People Injured in Matehi Karikot Village. The clash took place near Warulwadi on Ahmednagar-Sambhajinagar road. "A youth from a group that was passing by a mosque was allegedly beaten up by members of a rival group in Gajraj Nagar area, following which a clash took place between the two sides," Ahmednagar MIDC police station's duty officer said. "During the clash, a two-wheeler was set on fire while a couple of vehicles including a four-wheeler were damaged," he said. The clash also resulted in stone pelting, the official said. Four people were injured in the incident, he said. Another police official said the clash took place between the two groups over the issue of posting a status on a social media platform. Superintendent of Police Rakesh Ola said a probe was on into the incident and he appealed to people not to believe in rumours. (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, Apr 5 (PTI) Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Wednesday as MPs from the Congress and other opposition parties created a ruckus in the House, demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into fraud allegations against the Adani Group. Opposition MPs started raising slogans as the listed papers were laid on the table of the House at the start of the day's proceedings. Several Congress MPs were dressed in black as a mark of protest. Also Read | Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud Says Lawyers Are Free to Appear Virtually in the Latest Tweet by ANI. Sloganeering increased as Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said he has received a notice from Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge under Rule 267 of Rajya Sabha for suspension of the scheduled business of the day. Amid the din, the Chairman adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm. Also Read | BJP Foundation Day 2023: Know Date, History and Significance of the Day That Marks Founding of Indias Ruling Party. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], April 5 (ANI): Slamming former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram for his stinging remarks over India's economic growth rate, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT cell chief Amit Malviya on Wednesday said that the Congress leader seems to be "living under a rock or intentionally lying". Taking to Twitter, Malviya said, "You, Mr Chidambaram, seem to be living under a rock or intentionally lying. The same World Bank (India Development Update dated Apr 1, 2023) report you have quoted talks about the resilience of India's growth, even in the face of global slowdown... the India growth story is real." Also Read | Hanuman Jayanti 2023: Calcutta High Court Directs Mamata Banerjee Government To Deploy Central Armed Forces in West Bengal. Earlier in the day, Chidambaram, citing World Bank's latest GDP estimate for India, attacked the government and said it is only the Centre that is "boasting" about the economic growth rate in the country. Quoting the latest World Bank report, Chidambaram noted that the five-year average growth during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government (2019-2024) will be 4.08 per cent - which shows economic trajectory is sequentially declining. Also Read | Delhi Court Rejects Wife's Application for Rs 50,000 Maintenance From Husband Under Domestic Violence Act. "According to the World Bank, the five-year average growth of the Modi government (2019-2024) will be 4.08 per cent. Even the sequential annual growth rates after the corona-affected year show a declining trend The only one boasting about the growth rate is the government," Chidambaram tweeted. On Tuesday, World Bank in its latest India Development Update report cut India's growth forecast for 2023-24 to 6.3 per cent from earlier 6.6 per cent. India's growth, World Bank, said, is expected to be constrained by slower consumption growth and challenging external conditions. However, the report maintained that India's growth continues to be resilient despite some signs of moderation in growth. It notes that although significant challenges remain in the global environment, India was one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Coming back to Chidambaram, he also tweeted about the ongoing parliament session, where hardly any debate took place. "...Who was responsible for the Budget being passed without debate? It is for the first time in Indian parliamentary history that the Treasury Benches started the din and disruption and forestalled debate," Chidambaram tweeted. Replying to it, BJP IT cell chief Malviya said that the Congress instead wasted the entire session in sloganeering and carrying placards. "Congress wasted the entire session in sloganeering and carrying placards. RS Chairman is on record saying 10 hours were devoted to discuss Finance Bill. In LS, Congress was throwing papers at the Hon'ble Speaker. Is this how Congress wanted a debate? Amazing doublespeak!" Malviya tweeted. In the second leg of the Budget session, both Houses of Parliament were adjourned amid protests by opposition parliamentarians on the Adani-Hindenburg issue and of late about Rahul Gandhi's disqualification after he was convicted by a Gujarat court. BJP had been seeking an apology from Rahul Gandhi for his "democracy in India in crisis" remarks in London. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chennai, Apr 5 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday announced a new talent support scheme, Thiranari Thervu Thittam, for state-run school students that carries a Rs 1,000 monthly stipend. Thiranari Thervu Thittam means a scheme to spot and nurture talent. Also Read | Hanuman Jayanti 2023: Calcutta High Court Directs Mamata Banerjee Government To Deploy Central Armed Forces in West Bengal. He made the announcement while inaugurating an initiative of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-Madras) to connect the institution with one lakh government school students in Tamil Nadu studying in rural locations to electronic science. As part of this endeavour, the Chief Minister distributed electronic kits developed by IIT Madras to the government school students at an event held on IIT-M Campus. Also Read | Delhi Court Rejects Wife's Application for Rs 50,000 Maintenance From Husband Under Domestic Violence Act. A part of the Anaivarukkum IITM' (IIT-M for All) initiative, this outreach programme aims at connecting IIT-M with one lakh students every year in Tamil Nadu studying in rural locations, a release from the premier institution said. "It is intended to motivate them to take up a career in the domain of semiconductor technologies through the lectures and hands-on experience imparted to students of classes IX, X, XI, and XII," the release said. In his address, Stalin said: "I am happy to announce an important new scheme called Thiranari Thervu Thittam' during this event. The objective is to encourage and help Tamil Nadu government schools students to continue their higher education without hurdles.'' As many as 1,000 students (500 boys and 500 girls) studying in Class 10 would be chosen for this scheme. Guidance would be provided to students by connecting them to higher education insitutions such as IIT Madras, he said. A stipend of Rs 1,000 would be provided every month until the students complete Class 12. They would also get Rs 12,000 as stipend annually during their under-graduation and post-graduation. Minister for School Education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi and Director of IIT Madras Prof V Kamakoti were present on the occasion. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Palakkad, April 5: A court in Kerala's Palakkad on Wednesday pronounced seven years rigorous imprisonment (RI) to 13 of the 14 persons convicted in the 2018 lynching of a tribal youth from Attappady. The Special Court for SC/ST (Prevention Act) at Mannarkad pronounced the verdict on Wednesday in the murder of the tribal youth Madhu. The accused are Husain, Maraikkar, Shamsudeen, Radhakrishnan, Abubacker, Siddique, Ubaid, Najeeb, Jaijumon, Muneer, Sajeev, Satheesh, Hareesh and Biju. Gujarat Mob Lynching: Ragpicker Lynched to Death in Surat Over Suspicion of Being Thief, Seven Arrested. Thirteen of the accused- the 2nd to 15th accused- have been awarded seven years rigorous imprisonment in jail. The first accused Husain has been asked to pay a fine of Rs 1,05,000 while the others have been asked to pay a fine of Rs 1,18,000 on others. Pakistan Mob Lynching Horror: Man Accused of Desecrating Holy Quran Lynched, Body Burnt by Mob in Punjab's Nankana Sahib; Disturbing Video Goes Viral. The court on Tuesday had found guilty 14 of the 16 accused guilty while acquitting two others- the 4th accused Aneesh and 11th accused Abdul Kareem. The 14 accused persons were found guilty under Section 304 (2) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The 16th accused in the case was only held guilty for the offence of "assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation" under Section 352 IPC which carries a punishment which may extend to three months or a fine which may extend to Rs 500 or both. Madhu's mother and sister said earlier that they will appeal the court's decision to acquit two persons. "All the 16 accused should be punished. We will appeal to the court", the family said. They also added that they have been receiving threats. Madhu was beaten to death by a mob at Attappady in Palakkad district on February 22, 2018. He was allegedly tied up and beaten by a mob, who caught him from a nearby forest and accused him of serial theft. He was also paraded on road with his hands tied up and later handed over to the police. Even though the police admitted him to a nearby hospital, he was declared dead soon after at the hospital. According to Madhu's family, he suffered from mental illnesses. The police submitted a 3,000-page charge sheet on the case before the court. There were 127 witnesses in the case out of which 24 witnesses changed statements. The trial was completed by March 10. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Generations of readers have been enthralled by Antoine de Saint-Exupery's observations. But what makes the book so special? DW's Nadine Wocjik explains.I remember clearly when my mother appeared in my nursery one evening with "The Little Prince." Also Read | India News | BJP Meeting Christian Delegation in Parliament as Part of Kerala Outreach: Sources. "What a great book this must be," I thought, noticing how carefully and precisely she handled and opened it. Also Read | India News | Assam: MK Yadav Removed as Chief Wildlife Warden over Misuse of Tiger Conservation Fund. And while the drawings of the little boy with the golden, shaggy hair and the green outfit piqued my interest, I found the story disturbing. Allow me to explain. The tiny planet seemed like a terrible prison. And that strange, spiteful rose why does he like the flower so much? And why does he make friends with a fox and then leave him again? As my mother placidly read the short chapters aloud, I didn't dare say how uncomfortable I found the story. While the world's most famous fairy tale hero was celebrated with mugs, puzzles, T-shirts, and film adaptations, I tended to keep my distance from this strange alien child. Second chance brings back memories "The Little Prince" is about a boy who lives on a very small planet together with a demanding rose, two active volcanoes, an extinct volcano, and seedlings of the Baobab tree to fight. The Baobab and the prince don't get along well, and the rose is grumpy and ingratiating. So the little prince decides to go on a journey, exploring seven planets. The last stop is Earth, where he meets a pilot who has crash-landed in the desert. Now, 80 years after its first publication, I wanted to give this modern fairy tale another chance. The 27 short chapters made quick reading and this time the simple language resonated, along with the unpretentious, watercolor pictures. Slowly, I realized I had been misled as a child. It is not a children's fairy tale at all; rather a reminder of the child in all of us. The book deals with the really big questions, such as love, loneliness and death, that adults ask themselves. No wonder, then, that as an elementary school child I clearly felt that something important was being discussed here, something that I was not able to grasp given my tender years. The seriousness had once frightened me, but now I felt enlightened. "The Little Prince" is the last bookby the passionate aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupery and was first published in New York in 1943. By the time the French edition was published, three years later, the now-celebrated author had passed away after failing to return from a reconnaissance flight over the Mediterranean during World War II in 1944. Author and professional pilot Born in Lyon in 1900, Saint-Exupery's flying career began with sightseeing flights over Paris for tourists. In the 1920s, he flew the Toulouse-Casablanca-Dakar legs, eventually becoming airfield chief in the then Spanish-controlled zone in South Morocco, in the Sahara desert, where he repeatedly rescued colleagues who had made emergency landings. He then moved to Argentina in 1929 where was in charge of night airmail. Later, he tried to set air distance records and survived two crashes: Paris-Saigon and New York-Tierra del Fuego. At the onset of World War II, he was drafted and experienced the Blitz attack by the German Wehrmacht in northeastern France. His life in the air reads like an adventure story and even though he was awarded many literary prizes, Saint-Exupery always saw himself first and foremost as a professional pilot, with writing merely a pastime. His own story comes to life within "The Little Prince" in that, like the narrator in the fairy tale, Saint-Exupery crashed over a desert and had to survive for days without drinking water until he was rescued. Few anticipated any kind of success for the book, never mind that it would go on to become not only Saint-Exuperys most successful, but also the best-selling book in France. "The Little Prince" is said to have sold more than 200 million copies, has been translated into around 340 languages and dialects, including the language of the Inuit, the Tuareg and the Maya, as well as the fantasy language Klingon from the TV series Star Trek. Ode to the imagination "Draw me a sheep," is the first thing the little prince says to the crashed pilot. In response, the latter says: "When something mysterious is particularly impressive, you can't resist. Absurd as it seemed to me, in mortal danger a thousand miles from any human habitation, I took from my pocket a sheet of paper and a fountain pen." The pilot draws three sheep, and all of them are rejected. Exasperated, he finally draws a box and says, "The sheep you want is in there." To his great astonishment, the strange boy is delighted. What nonsense, I thought to myself when I was a kid. Why doesn't he draw the sheep the way the prince had asked. I could not grasp the genius of these lines. My childish imagination was strong, but I appreciated correctness and details when a book was read to me. Today, this passage speaks to me: It is an ode to imagination, to unprejudiced childlike clarity. "The big people never understand anything by themselves. And for children it is much too laborious to explain things to them over and over again," Saint-Exupery writes in his first chapter. 'It is only with the heart that one can see rightly' The book bubbles over with wisdom. "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye" is probably the most famous quotation and has since ended up in numerous poetry albums or emblazoned across the walls of yoga studios around the world. In addition to thoughts on love, friendship and death, the fairy tale also contains social criticism. The little prince travels to six planets before he arrives on Earth. On each asteroid, he experiences surreal encounters: A monarch seeking subjects; a drunkard who drinks in order to forget that he drinks too much; someone who turns on and off streetlamps in a place that experiences 1,440 sunsets over a 24-hour period; a vain man who wants to be admired; a geographer who explains the world but has not seen it; a businessman who thinks he owns the stars. My French teacher particularly liked the last one. Of course, we read "Le Petit Prince" in French in class. I didn't like my French teacher; he was a mean, grim-faced man who obviously didn't like children. But while reading about the number-obsessed businessman who was incapable of doing anything else because he was so busy counting stars, even this teacher suddenly seemed endearing. As if he wanted to give us students something. A life lesson. Or perhaps show us his regret: What happened to my childhood dreams? "The great people had once been children, but few remember," Antoine de Saint-Exupery writes at the very beginning of his fairy tale. What childhood feels like is what "The Little Prince" reminds us of more than almost any other book and perhaps that's why it has been a perennial worldwide bestseller for 80 years. This article was originally published in German. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 05, 2023 02:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). YEREVAN, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Gnel Sanosyan is leading a delegation to Georgia on a three-day visit to discuss bilateral cooperation and participate in an Armenian-Georgian Business Forum. During the visit Sanosyan met with the Georgian Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructures Irakli Karseladze. Karseladze highlighted the consistent development of the good-neighborly relations with Armenia and reiterated readiness to work closely with Sanosyan to further deepen bilateral cooperation, the ministry said in a readout. The sides exchanged views on road construction and infrastructure development, as well as exchange of experience in de-centralized format and possibilities for deepening cooperation. A memorandum of understanding on cooperation was signed between the ministries. New York/Washington, Apr 5 (PTI) Donald Trump, the first former US President to be criminally charged, has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records at his arraignment in a Manhattan court on charges relating to hush money payments made to a porn star before the 2016 presidential election. The 76-year-old former president was arrested when he arrived to surrender at the Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday. Also Read | Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Visits Poland To Thank Ally and Meet Ukrainians. Trump, who became the first former US president to be indicted, arrested and arraigned on criminal charges, pleaded not guilty to 34 criminal charges of falsifying business records in person before State Supreme Court Justice Juan M Merchan. Wearing a dark blue suit and red tie, a stone-faced Trump walked into the tightly-guarded courtroom with his steps heavy and slow and said not guilty in a firm voice while facing the judge. Also Read | Pakistan Warns of Serious Repercussions of UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman's Remarks Against Pakistani Men. He sat silently throughout almost the entire proceedings and only spoke when he was required to, either by pleading not guilty or by answering to the judge when addressed directly. Speaking outside court after the arraignment, Trump's attorney Todd Blanche said that his client is "frustrated" and "upset." He accused the prosecutor of turning a "completely political issue" into a "political prosecution." On the charges against Trump, Blanche said: "we're going to fight it, fight it hard." The historic indictment against Trump, was unsealed on Tuesday, providing the public and Trump's legal team with details about the charges against him for the first time. It includes charges of falsifying business records in connection with a hush payment that Trump's former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen made to porn star Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 presidential election. Prosecutors alleged Trump was part of an unlawful plan to suppress negative information, including an illegal payment of USD 130,000 that was ordered by the defendant to suppress the negative information that would hurt his presidential campaign. The reason he committed the crime of falsifying business records was in part to promote his candidacy, the indictment alleges. Trump hid reimbursement payments to Cohen by marking monthly checks for legal services, according to the statement of facts, in a deal the two worked out in the Oval Office. The payments stopped after December 2017, according to the document. Trump has denied all wrongdoings in connection with the payments made to 44-year-old Daniels. Trump left the Manhattan courtroom after his arraignment on Tuesday without making any statement. The next in-person hearing date for Trump's case is set for December 4 in New York, roughly two months before the official start of the 2024 Republican presidential primary calendar. Trump flew back back to his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida, where he addressed a crowd in a roughly 25-minute speech. He repeated many of his campaign talking points and argued that he has been the victim of a Democratic conspiracy to tank his re-election bid. Trump said he "never thought anything like this could happen in America" on Tuesday night after he was arraigned in a New York courtroom. "It's an insult to our country," he said. "The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it," Trump said. He criticised the indictment levelled against him, saying he is going through a fake investigation that turned out to be a sham. "Let me be as clear as possible: I am Innocent. The only offense I have committed is to defend America from those who seek to destroy it. What we've witnessed is election interference in the highest order, he said. Let me assure you I have never been more determined than I am right now. They will not beat me. They will not break me. They will not stop me from fighting to save this country. The more they try to frame me, slander me, and destroy me, the stronger my resolve to complete our mission, Trump said. He did not even spare the judge Juan Merchan who is overseeing his case. The former president alleged that he is a Trump hating judge with the Trump hating wife and family whose daughter works for Kamala house and now receives money from the Biden Harris campaign". Trump's speech came after the judge did not place a gag order on him but warned him that the issue would be revisited if the ex-president continued with his heated rhetoric about the case. A gag order would have prohibited Trump, his attorneys, other parties and witnesses from speaking about the case publicly. The former president earlier arrived at the specially secured Manhattan courthouse in an eight-car motorcade. He was arrested as he arrived at the court. Shortly after Trump was put under arrest, his campaign released a mugshot picture of him on a T-shirt saying not guilty. President Joe Biden did not respond to questions from reporters when asked about Trump's arraignment. Trump is currently the front-runner among all declared and potential contenders for the 2024 Republican White House nomination. But there is nothing in US law that prevents a candidate who is found guilty of a crime from campaigning for and serving as president -- even from prison. Trump was twice impeached by the House of Representatives. He was acquitted by the Senate both times. Hours before his arraignment, Trump sent an email to his supporters, which he claimed was the last one before his arrest, saying that the United States is becoming a "Marxist Third World" country and took to social media to question the fairness of the judiciary. "My last email before my arrest," Trump said in the subject line of the email. The indictment was quickly criticised by Trump's Republican allies. Trump is a textbook on positive thinking, he can convert any grave situation against him, to his best possible advantage. He will convert this week's New York case, as a stepping stone to win back the White House in 2024, Al Mason, a die-hard supporter of the former president, said in a statement. Since news of his indictment first broke, the Trump campaign has raised millions and his poll numbers are skyrocketing, he said. God is with President Trump. He is a very good man. He will emerge even stronger after his arraignment today. In fact, this arrest of Trump is a blessing in disguise for Trump, Mason said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Taipei [Taiwan], April 5 (ANI): French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are set to arrive in China on Wednesday for a three-day state visit that will see them meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, reported Al Jazeera. Macron and US President Joe Biden agreed in a telephone call ahead of the French leader's trip to engage China to hasten the end of the war in Ukraine, the Elysee Palace said on Wednesday. Also Read | Dasu Dam Fire: Massive Blaze Engulfs at Chinese Residential Camps in Pakistan, No Loss of Life or Injury Reported. "The two leaders have mentioned their joint willingness to engage China to accelerate the end of the war in Ukraine and take part in building sustainable peace in the region," Macron's office said in a statement. Macron is determined to carve out a distinct role for Europe that avoids America's confrontation with an assertive China, and convinced that there is a place for China in ending the war in Ukraine. Also Read | Porn Star Stormy Daniels Hush Money Case: Donald Trump Spoke Only Six Times During Hour-Long Court Hearing. Macron will be accompanied by a delegation of more than 50 CEOs and meet with the French business community, but all eyes will be on how he and von der Leyen discuss the war in Ukraine with the Chinese leadership, reported Al Jazeera. Meanwhile von der Leyen during a speech in Brussels last week publicly criticised Beijing's "no limits" ties with Moscow in the face of an "atrocious and illegal invasion of Ukraine". "Any peace plan which would in effect consolidate Russian annexations is simply not a viable plan. We have to be frank on this point," von der Leyen said, while also taking aim at China's increasingly assertive posture on the South China Sea, the Chinese-Indian border and Taiwan, reported Al Jazeera. "How China continues to interact with Putin's war will be a determining factor for EU-China relations going forward," she said. Beijing said it was "disappointed" by her speech, according to its European Union ambassador Fu Cong. China has so far not condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It has avoided use of the word "war" to describe the Russian assault. It has embraced a "no-limits," anti-Western partnership with Moscow, cemented last month by President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia and the joint declaration of a "new era" freed of what the two countries see as American dominance, reported The New York Times (NYT). "The primary issue that Macron and von der Leyen will probably want to push on is to help get some support from China in dealing with Russia and to help advance on that front," Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, an associate research fellow at Sweden's Institute for Security and Development Policy, told Al Jazeera. "Realistically, I don't think we can expect much, but I think clearly everyone agrees that that's the priority." At the G20 summit in November, Macron called for China to play a "greater mediation role" in the war but Beijing has yet to advance its role beyond issuing a 12-point peace plan that has received a lukewarm response in Kyiv and Western capitals, reported Al Jazeera. It is to be noted that Macron is facing protest over his decision to raise the French retirement age. Macron's trip is his first to China since the COVID-19 pandemic erupted in early 2020, when Beijing effectively shut its borders to travel. The French leader last visited the country in 2019. His trip follows one made by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in November but it has already taken a different tone. Scholz's trip was widely criticised in Europe as too conciliatory towards Beijing, with the German leader's efforts to shore up the country's business interests taking precedence over pushing China to join the negotiating table over Ukraine. EU-China relations have deteriorated sharply in recent years. Apart from disputes over China's claims in the South China Sea and crackdowns in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong, Beijing's attempts to punish EU member states like Lithuania for engaging with Taiwan and tit-for-tat sanctions on European parliamentarians have not gone over well. In 2021, the 27-country bloc put a significant trade and investment deal with China on ice amid growing tensions between the sides. Moreover, the United States has been dismissive of any Chinese role in Ukrainian peacemaking. It waved away a vague 12-point Chinese plan put forward in February. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Karachi [Pakistan], April 5 (ANI): A minor girl was allegedly raped and murdered in Karachi's Surjani Town area on Wednesday, ARY News reported. According to the police, the girl's body was found in a manhole near the Surjani Town area. Also Read | Earthquake in New Zealand: Quake of Magnitude 4.8 on Richter Scale Hits Kermadec Islands Region. According to details, a six-year-old girl was missing from Karachi's Surjani area on Tuesday. Her body was found in the manhole near her house a day later. The police officials declared the death as an 'accident' after which the girl's body was shifted to the hospital for a medico-legal process. The police surgeon confirmed that the girl was sexually assaulted before she was killed, according to ARY News. Also Read | Earthquake in Papua New Guinea: Quake of Magnitude 4.3 on Richter Scale Hits Finschhafen, No Casualties Reported. The victim's family demanded the immediate arrest of the rapist-cum-murderer. Meanwhile, an FIR has been lodged against unidentified persons. Meanwhile, Nikkei Asia recently reported that a young woman out for an evening walk with a friend was beaten and sexually assaulted at gunpoint by two men in Fatima Jinnah Park, the largest park in the capital. The attack on February 2 sparked an uproar on social media and protests by women's advocacy groups. A rape case in Islamabad and the killing of the alleged assailants by the police have provoked renewed scrutiny of the rights of Pakistani women and flaws in the nation's justice system. Two weeks later, on February 16, the Islamabad police said that both suspects had been killed in an exchange of gunfire when they were stopped at a checkpoint. The victim's lawyer and others criticised what they said were extrajudicial killings, which the police department denies. Experts say the episode highlights the issue of violence against women and the need for overhauling the criminal justice system. In 2021, 5,200 rapes were reported in Pakistan, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP). The conviction rate in rape cases is less than 3 per cent, the activist organisation, War Against Rape says, Nikkei Asia reported. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington, Apr 5 (PTI) US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have extended their greetings of Mahavir Jayanti to the Jain community across the world and encouraged people to strive for peace and harmony. (First Lady) Jill (Biden) and I wish a happy and prosperous Mahavir Jayanti to all those observing. Today, we recognise the values of Mahavir Swami and strive to live with peace, truth, and harmony, Biden tweeted on Tuesday. Also Read | Japan: More Dolphins Washed Ashore Near Tokyo for Second Straight Day. Vice President Harris also sent her greetings on the occasion. On Mahavir Jayanti, Doug and I join Jains around the world in celebrating the birth of Mahavir Swami, who taught that all living beings are equal. Today, let us recommit to upholding these universal values of respect and non-violence, Harris tweeted. Also Read | Donald Trump Becomes First Former US President To Be Arrested, To Face Charges in Porn Star Stormy Daniels Hush Money Probe. The greetings from the US president and the vice president were welcomed by an Indian American community leader. We members of the Jain community thank President Biden and Vice President Harris for sending greetings on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti, which no other president has done in the last, said community leader Ajay Jain Bhutoria. On this day, let us also take a pledge to work towards creating a more peaceful and harmonious world by following the path of Ahimsa, which was the core principle of Lord Mahavir's teachings," he said. Let us strive to create a society where there is no violence, discrimination, or hatred, and where everyone is treated with equal dignity and respect, Bhutoria said in a statement. As we celebrate the birth of Lord Mahavir, let us also take a moment to reflect on his life and teachings, and to seek inspiration from his journey towards enlightenment. May this day bring us closer to our true selves and help us lead a life of purpose, compassion, and righteousness," Bhutoria said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Shimla, April 5: Expressing concern over rise in Covid-19 cases, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu has urged the people to follow the protocols and wear masks at crowded places to check the spread of the virus. Presiding over a conference on 'Strengthening role of Himachal Pradesh legislators for improving health services during and post-pandemic period in India' organised by the Indian Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (IAPPD) here, the Chief Minister said the government was closely monitoring the situation. COVID-19 Surge in India: CJI DY Chandrachud Says Willing to Hear Lawyers Through Video Conferencing. He said the government was bringing in reforms in the health sector to provide specialised medical care services to the people. The positive results of these reforms would be visible in the coming time. He said modern technology would be incorporated to make the health institutions of the state world-class so that modern medical facilities were made available to the people at their doorsteps. Robotic surgery facilities would be available at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College in Tanda and the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMCH) in Shimla in next six months, which would save the valuable time of the patients and provide accurate results. India Reports 4,435 New COVID-19 Cases in Past 24 Hours, Highest Single-Day Jump Since September 2022. The construction work of a PET block has been started in IGMCH, while Rs 50 crore would be spent to install a PET scan machine in Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, he said. Sukhu said the government has also allocated Rs 11 crore to set up a 175-bed medical emergency facility with a trauma centre at the IGMCH. He said construction work of Chamba and Hamirpur medical college buildings has been speeded up and likely to be completed this year which will provide specialised medical services to the people of these areas nearer to their homes. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 05, 2023 04:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). New Delhi, April 5: Emphasising that South Sudan can benefit from the Indian experience in Parliamentary democracy, including the drafting of a new constitution, President Droupadi Murmu Wednesday said India will extend full support in the process. Welcoming a parliamentary delegation from South Sudan, led by the Speaker of the Transitional National Assembly Jemma Nunu Kumba, at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Murmu said India is proud to be a major troop contributor to the UN Peacekeeping Missions in South Sudan. Parliamentary Delegation from South Sudan Calls on President Murmu. "The President said that South Sudan can benefit from India's experiences in parliamentary democracy in its ongoing political process, including the drafting of a new Constitution. She further said that India would extend its full support to South Sudan in this process," a statement from Rashtrapati Bhavan said. Underlining the cordial and friendly relations between India and South Sudan, Murmu said apart from peace missions, Indian soldiers are playing an important humanitarian role and contributing to furthering relations between the two countries. President Droupadi Murmu Hosted Members of Parliament. India is determined to be a reliable development partner for South Sudan, she added and expressed confidence that the youth of South Sudan would take advantage of the training and capacity-building opportunities provided by India's ITEC and ICCR scholarship programmes. Bengaluru, April 5: The Karnataka Police have booked four persons in connection with assaulting a Muslim youth for talking to a Hindu girl, his friend on a bus in Ujire near Mangaluru in Dakshina Kannada district, police said on Wednesday. The case has been filed against Nithesh, Sachin, Dinesh and Avinash and the victim has been identified as 22-year-old Mohammad Zahir. The incident took place on Tuesday evening. Uttar Pradesh: Dalit Youth Mistaken to Be Muslim, Thrashed Over Allegations of Cow Slaughter in Saharanpur; Accused Arrested After Video Goes Viral. Police said that Zahir was travelling on a bus and spotted his friend, a Hindu girl. He sat next to her and spoke with her. The girl got down from the bus in Belthangady. The people in the bus, who observed Zahir talking to a Hindu girl, had informed the group about it. The accused persons, who were waiting at the next bus stop in Ujire, dragged Zahir out of the bus and questioned him and assaulted him. Karnataka: Muslim Man Beaten to Death by Cow Vigilantes in Ramanagara District; Accused Absconding. Later, Zahir was admitted to a hospital where his statement was recorded. Some SDPI leaders also visited the hospital and assured the assaulted youth their support. The police have said that it was a scuffle between a youth and a group over a petty matter. The investigation is on. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 05, 2023 11:09 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Mumbai, April 5: In a move to provide relief to affected farmers, the Maharashtra cabinet on Wednesday said unseasonal rains will be considered a natural calamity in the state. A statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said that terming unseasonal rains a natural calamity will help the administration to provide relief to agriculturists whose crops have been damaged due to untimely rain. Non-Bailable Traffic Offences: Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Department Proposes To Make Reckless Driving and Overspeeding As Serious Crimes. Talking to reporters after attending the weekly cabinet meeting, Agriculture Minister Abdul Sattar said, "Continous rains of 10 mm for a minimum of five days and losses of more than 33 per cent will be eligible for aid. Due to this decision, farmers will not be deprived of assistance due to the lack of criteria". The Cabinet also decided to end the practice of sand auctions and to approve a new sand policy in which sand will be made available at an affordable price. The Cabinet gave a revised approval for phase 2 of Nagpur Metro in which a 43.8 km rail route will be set up. Maharashtra: Woman Who Consumed Poison Outside Secretariat in Mumbai, Dies. The meeting also decided to set up a project for electricity generation from the garbage in the Deonar dumping ground in Mumbai. Crops of several farmers were damaged in unseasonal rains and hailstorms in Maharashtra last month. The Opposition had demanded that the state government give immediate relief to the affected farmers. National Maritime Day is celebrated in India every year on April 5, celebrating the achievements of the civil shipping industry around the year. The day commemorates the maiden journey of Indias first commercial vessel from Bombay to London. It also raises awareness of supporting intercontinental commerce and the global economy as the most well-organized and responsive approach to transporting goods from one part to another part of the world. National Maritime Day has been celebrated in India on April 5 since 1964. This year, India will celebrate its 60th National Maritime Day. The day raises awareness about international trade and the economy. As National Maritime Day 2023 nears, heres all you need to know about the history and significance of the day. May the National Maritime Week Serve as an Opportunity to Deepen Our Connect with Our Rich History, PM Modi Tweets. National Maritime Day History National Maritime Day was first celebrated in 1964. The day is celebrated on April 5 because, on this date in 1919, SS Loyalty, the first Indian flag merchant ship, sailed from Mumbai to London. Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd was the owner of SS Loyalty. In 1959, India also joined the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which is in charge of maritime safety and pollution prevention. The special day is dedicated to all the hardworking men who spend many months in the sea and who carry out Indias trade and commerce at a global level.s National Maritime Day Significance National Maritime Day holds great significance as the day honours the countrys maritime prowess. This year is special as 2023 will mark the 60th Maritime Day in India. On this day, people who have contributed to the growth of the maritime sector are honoured with awards. An award named Varuna is conferred to those who made an outstanding contribution to the Indian maritime industry. At the Maritime India Summit on April 14, 2016, the Prime Minister of India released a National Perspective Plan as part of the Sagarmala project, for the comprehensive development of Indias 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways and 7,500 km coastline of India. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 05, 2023 08:34 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Mumbai, April 05: According to health authorities in the UK, the nation is home to a virus that ticks can carry and spread to humans, post which mountain cyclists and hikers were urged to take safety precautions. Media reports state that a 50-year-old man who was bitten by ticks while mountain biking in Yorkshire was the first person to contract the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). Langya Virus: What Is This New Langya Henipavirus? Heres Everything You Need To Know. Although there is very little chance of contracting tick-borne encephalitis, the tick species that transmit the virus are common in the UK. If experts are to be believed, the majority of individuals do not experience symptoms, but brain swelling is a possibility. TBEV is widespread in various regions across the globe, including Europe. The virus is transmitted through an infected tick's bite, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In some rare circumstances, the virus can also be transmitted by consuming raw milk or cheese from infected goats, sheep, or cows. Symptoms of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Many tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus carriers do not exhibit any signs, according to the CDC, though fever, headaches, nausea, and fatigue can be among the early signs. After a few days, serious symptoms like confusion, loss of coordination, trouble speaking, weakness in the arms or legs, and seizures may appear. Biphasic sickness is a condition in which the more severe symptoms appears. Tick-Borne Encephalitis Treatment The CDC states that there is no treatment for TBE viral infection. To avoid illness, there is a vaccine available. Some signs might be reduced by rest, fluid intake, and over-the-counter painkillers. People with serious illnesses frequently require hospitalisation in order to receive assistance with breathing, maintaining proper hydration, or decreasing brain swelling. Khosta-2, New COVID-19 Variant Found in Russian Bats, Can Infect Human Beings but No Case Reported So Far: ICMR Scientist. Preventive Measures People were advised by the UK health agency to frequently check their clothing and bodies for ticks after being outside, especially in moorlands or woodlands. Adults typically get bit on the thighs, according to data from the agency's surveillance program, while kids are more likely to get bit on the head or neck. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 05, 2023 04:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). YEREVAN, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. President of the Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan today received Mexico's senators Alejandra del Carmen Leon Gastelum and Indira Kempis Martinez. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the office of the President of Armenia, welcoming the guests, President Khachaturyan noted that Armenia highly appreciates the adoption of the document on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Senate of Mexico on February 8 of this year and the invaluable contribution of the senators in that matter. "I am happy for this meeting, which creates an opportunity to send you words of gratitude for your political position in the Mexican Senate, especially in the context of supporting the Armenian Genocide recognition process. It is very important for us that you have taken that step, since the Armenian Genocide is one of the most painful pages in the history of our nation. I would also like to thank you for your position and support regarding our current situation. I am about the aggression carried out by Azerbaijan against Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia in September of last year." Thanking for the reception, Alejandra del Carmen Leon Gastelum noted: "The Armenian Genocide is, first of all, about the violation of human rights. The senators understand very well that the topics that concern the violation of human rights must be constantly visible so that such crimes never happen again." During the meeting, the President of Armenia presented the Mexican parliamentarians with details about regional realities, the origin and content of the Karabakh conflict. Vahagn Khachaturyan also touched on the issue of the blockade of the Lachin humanitarian corridor by Azerbaijan, as a result of which the 120,000 people of Nagorno-Karabakh are facing the threat of a humanitarian crisis. During the conversation, the importance of inter-parliamentary cooperation, as well as the need to activate high-level mutual visits, was emphasized by both sides. Reference was made to the opportunities for the development of cooperation in the fields of culture, tourism and trade and economy and the most effective realization of the existing potential. In a shocking incident, 2 accused who were in the custody of Baramulla Police Station escaped in the early morning hours on Wednesday during the time of Sehri. "A case has been registered against the duo under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and efforts to nab the accused are underway," said Baramulla Police Media Cell. Jammu and Kashmir Blast: Search Operations Launched Near India-Pakistan Border After Kathua Explosion (Watch Video). Two Detainees Escape From Police Clutches: J&K| 2 accused who were in the custody of Baramulla PS escaped in the early morning hours during the time of Sehri. Case registered under several sections and efforts to nab the accused underway: District Police Media Cell Baramulla ANI (@ANI) April 5, 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.) On 4 April, an impeachment motion against Perus Presidentwas rejected by congress. End of preview - This article contains approximately 526 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options Cancun is one of Mexico's most popular tourist destinations. However, the resort city has been rocked after police found four dead bodies near a hotel in Cancun on Monday. This is the latest in a wave of violence gripping the seemingly-peaceful tropical paradise. According to CNN, two people have already been arrested in connection to these killings, as confirmed by the attorney general of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, where Cancun is. All those killed in the incident have been confirmed to be Mexican citizens. A tourist who was in the area at the time of the shooting spoke with CNN and stated that he heard shots while at a nearby gym at around 10 a.m. local time. "We heard the shots and they hid all of us in an office and they kept us there until the incident was over. Everyone kept us there until they secured the area, and right now there are police, the Navy, everyone, everyone in the beach area and it's very uncomfortable for us," the tourist said. Prosecutors say they found three bodies in the area and immediately launched an investigation. Soon, they also found a fourth dead body near where the other three bodies were found. Cancun Shooting Deaths May Have Been Drug-Related The two people arrested were identified with the help of security cameras around the area. Benito Juarez municipal public security secretary Jose Pablo Mathey Cruz stated that the suspects are allegedly engaged in the sale and distribution of narcotics. Violence has been on the rise in Cancun over the last few years, with security deteriorating. This forced the Mexican government to deploy the National Guard to the resort area and its surrounding areas back in 2021. The rise in violence in this once-peaceful resort town has been linked to organized crime. READ NEXT: Ted Cruz Hid Inside Capitol Closet During January 6 Says New Book The State Department has already warned tourists to "exercise increased caution due to crime and kidnapping" in the state of Quintana Roo. The U.S. government has warned that violence and criminal activity may occur anywhere, "including in popular tourist destinations." This includes Cancun. KHOU-11 pointed out that drug gangs have been invading these tourist destinations, which attract not only foreign vacationers but also local tourists. Resort towns like Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, have become their biggest targets. Reactions to the Killings in Cancun Following the latest eruption of drug-related violence in Cancun, several netizens have taken to Twitter to react to the situation. Some American tourists are reportedly concerned due to the rising violence, but others still say they still want to vacation there. Four dead in drug-related shooting on Mexico beach in Cancun Al Jazeera, Apr. 4, 2023 Mexico is plagued by cartel-related bloodshed that has seen more than 300,000 people killed since 2006. Ron Gillmore (@rongillmore) April 4, 2023 Four people found dead at resort in Cancun, Mexico and two people were detained what is going on? Nail MAMI (@TheBananaGiirl) April 4, 2023 Four people were found dead near a hotel in Cancun on Monday, according to Mexican officials, the latest bout of violence in the popular tourist destination. Dailycast Radio News (@dailycastnews) April 4, 2023 More people been coming up dead in Cancun . The people in the comments say they still going but nah I felt safe af when I went . They tryna turn that part of Mexico bad . nishaaa (@loveyayo_) April 4, 2023 All 4 found dead were....wait for it.... Mexican... How about leading with that. All of the deceased are Mexicans, said Jose Pablo Mathey Cruz, the Secretary of Public Security of Benito Juarez, the municipality where Cancun is located. B.O.B (@syarsports) April 4, 2023 READ MORE: El Chapo and His Rival Cartel Leader El Mochomo of Beltran Leyva Now Together at ADX 'Supermax' Prison in Colorado This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: American tourists on alert after deadly shooting on Cancun beach l GMA - ABC News Former U.S. President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty in court on Tuesday to 34 felony counts of falsifying documents in light of an alleged sex scheme cover-up involving Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential bid. Trump made his way to the New York Court, posting on his Truth Social account, "Wow they are going to arrest me," according to PEOPLE. His arrest had garnered several reactions from several people, including social media users tuning in to the details and developments of his arrest. Although some lauded the arrest of the former president, some are dubious of the charges against him. READ NEXT: Donald Trump Visits Ohio Town After Train Derailment, Says Officials 'Indifferent' Republicans on Donald Trump Arrest Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said in a tweet that the arrest and arraignment of the former president are "making a mockery of the rule of law." The arrest and arraignment of former President Donald Trump by a left-wing Soros prosecutor today is making a mockery of the rule of law. Not only is the indictment frivolous, this political persecution marks a dark day for our country. Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) April 4, 2023 Cruz went on to say in a tweet that the "political persecution" is a "dark day for our country." The lawmaker also described the indictment as "frivolous." Rep. George Santos also went out to support Donald Trump, saying that he was not out there "for the cameras," and just wanted to express his support to the president as he thinks the indictment is "unprecedented." CBS News reported that Santos noted it was a bad day for democracy. Santos has been making headlines since he was elected as a New York representative due to lies about his biography during his campaign period, including investigations on allegations of fraud. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene also expressed her support outside the courthouse with her speech criticizing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Greene likened Trump in an interview on the conservative Right Side Broadcasting Network to Jesus and Nelson Mandela, as reported by The New Republic. Mandela was known to have opposed racial segregation in South Africa, while Jesus was persecuted for performing miracles. Meanwhile, Trump was indicted for his alleged role in covering up a hush-money payment to Daniels before the 2016 presidential elections. Stormy Daniels, Others' Reaction to Donald Trump Arrest Daniels broke her silence amid the arrest of Trump. In a tweet, she noted that people keep on calling her "c-dumpster" like it is a bad thing. Y'all keep saying "cum dumpster" like it's a bad thing. It's definitely more fun being under my sexy man instead of under arrest. Stormy Daniels (@StormyDaniels) April 4, 2023 The porn star went on to say that it is "definitely more fun being under my sexy man instead of under arrest." Some social media users replied to Daniels' tweet with an image with a text saying, "Have you ever met someone so stupid you felt bad for their dog?" Daniels replied by saying, "yup." She then added that she thought Melania "is the only pet Tiny has." Yup. But I thought Melania is the only pet Tiny has... https://t.co/nub32xF1xJ Stormy Daniels (@StormyDaniels) April 4, 2023 Hollywood late-night host Jimmy Kimmel also delivered a quick jab against Jared Kushner, who is Trump's son-in-law." Kimmel posted a photo of Kushner in his tweet with the caption, "When all your dads end up in jail." When all your dads end up in jail. pic.twitter.com/jNmiVj85gH Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) April 4, 2023 Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell also commented on the former president's arrest, saying that "justice benefits all of us," as cited by ABC News. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre answered questions about whether U.S. President Joe Biden is monitoring the case, saying that it is not something Biden focuses on. READ MORE: Donald Trump Expects to Be Arrested on Tuesday, Calls His Supporters to Protest This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: LIVE: Trump speaks at Mar-a-Lago after arraignment | NBC News - from NBC News A Mexican drug cartel kidnapped a Texas man after the latter bragged about stealing $50,000 from them. A criminal complaint filed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) noted that Erik Tadeo Ramirez of Laredo, Texas, was kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel called Cartel del Noreste. According to the Washington Times, the cartel is based in Mexico's northeastern state of Tamaulipas. Ramirez was last seen on March 24, trying to escape from the moving pickup truck that his abductors used. It was crossing the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge in Laredo when he was seen trying to get out. Court documents revealed that Ramirez seemed to have blood on his face and tried to open the front passenger door, looking distressed. It all happened while the truck, a blue Dodge Ram, was moving - on the way to Mexico, where he is still missing. Officers attending the bridge witnessed the incident and noted that the Texas man was pulled back inside by force. The pickup truck reportedly flew past the bridge attendant. A blood-stained shirt and a pair of pants were left on the side of the road. READ NEXT: Mexico: 2 Bodies Found Hanging From Bridge, 3 Police Officers Killed as Mexican Drug Cartels Battle for Territory Texas Man Kidnapped by Mexican Drug Cartel Erik Tadeo Ramirez's girlfriend and sister called the police hours later to report the kidnapping. Earlier that same night, the FBI said the Texas man was boasting about taking money from the cartel in a phone call. Witnesses noted that Ramirez received a phone call from an unknown woman to whom he bragged about having stolen $50,000 from the Cartel del Noreste. He went on to say that he was in Laredo and that "he was not in danger or afraid" as he was in the United States. Vice News reported that U.S. authorities arrested on March 27 an alleged member of the said Mexican drug cartel, identified as Jonathan Cavriales. Cavriales attempted to return to the U.S., driving the same vehicle the criminal group used to kidnap Ramirez. The Cartel del Noreste member told officers he was "aware that the victim had stolen" around $50,000 from the Mexican drug cartel. According to court documents, the cartel member was denied bond release and charged with kidnapping. Other suspects involved in the kidnapping of Ramirez are still at large. On March 5, four U.S. citizens were kidnapped, two of whom were killed shortly after crossing the Texas border into Mexico. Cartel del Noreste of Mexico Cartel del Noreste, also known as the Northeast Cartel, is an offshoot of the Zetas. The Cartel del Noreste is the dominant group in Nuevo Laredo. It operates unimpeded by rival groups or local authorities, who are at times complicit in their criminal activity, the InsightCrime reported. The cartel has also done kidnappings in broad daylight. The group is also believed to have influence at migrant shelters. The group also pays lookouts to monitor all movement on both sides of the Rio Grande River while other members survey parks and plazas where migrants are known to gather. The Northeast Cartel has operated for lucrative kidnapping operations, abducting migrants en route or returning to the border city. READ MORE: El Chapo's Sinaloa Cartel Continues to Thrive Despite the DrugLLord's Absence: Report This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Four U.S. Citizens Kidnapped in Mexico at Gunpoint - From CBS News Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to help in stopping chemicals from China used by Mexican drug cartels to illegally produce fentanyl. The Associated Press reported that Lopez Obrador also criticized the "rude" efforts of the United States to reduce drug trafficking. Fentanyl is America's problem that stems from "a lack of hugs" in American families, according to the Mexican President. He reiterated these points on Tuesday but took it a step further, complaining in a letter to Xi about "rude threats" made by American lawmakers regarding the drug trade. Lopez Obrador was unhappy with the demands in the U.S. to label Mexican drug cartels as terrorist groups. Many conservatives in the Republican Party have voiced support for sending U.S. troops to put down the drug gangs in Mexico. "Unjustly, they are blaming us for problems that largely have to do with their loss of values, their welfare crisis," the Mexican president wrote to Xi in the letter published Tuesday. He added that "these positions are in themselves a lack of respect and a threat to our sovereignty, and moreover they are based on an absurd, manipulative, propagandistic and demagogic attitude." After venting, Lopez Obrador finally brought up China's exports of fentanyl precursors. He asked the Chinese president to help cease shipments of chemicals that Mexican drug cartels buy from China. READ NEXT: Mexico: Military Finds 1.8 Million Fentanyl Pills in Tijuana U.S. Republicans Accuse Mexico of Failing to Stop Mexican Drug Cartels Producing Fentanyl Fentanyl has been blamed for a rise in overdose deaths in the United States, and Republican legislators have blamed Mexico for failing to stop Mexican drug cartels from producing and moving the drug north. In his letter, the Mexican president asked Xi Jinping if he could give Mexico details on when and where fentanyl was being sent, how much, and by whom, Reuters reported. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador claimed that fentanyl labs have sprung up in Mexico and told Xi that Mexican law enforcement agencies demolished nearly 1,400 clandestine labs last year that were mixing fentanyl with other substances, seizing seven tonnes of it. However, Lopez Obrador noted that fentanyl is not produced in Mexico and that cartels import it from Asia. He said only 30% of the drugs entering the U.S. come from Mexico. The U.S. government disputes the notion that Mexico is not a source of fentanyl, claiming that large-scale production of the opioid takes place in the country using chemicals imported primarily from China. Fentanyl Production in Mexico Mexican drug cartels manufacture most illegal fentanyl, cut into other illicit drugs like heroin and cocaine, or sell as fake pills that appear like Xanax, oxycodone, or Percocet. About 70,000 overdose fatalities a year in the U.S. have been linked to fentanyl use, and they were not even aware that they were consuming the drugs, according to The Guardian. Mexican drug cartels reportedly do not sell fentanyl in Mexico because they make so much money in the U.S., according to experts. Lindsey Graham, a U.S. Republican senator, has been at the forefront of putting pressure on Mexico. On Monday, he said he would introduce fentanyl legislation that would label Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. Foreign Minister of Mexico Marcelo Ebrard responded to Graham's criticism on Tuesday, saying that Americans make up most of those arrested in the U.S. for fentanyl trafficking. Unlike other countries, Mexico is "doing as much" to combat fentanyl trade to the United States, Ebrard said. READ MORE: Mexico: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Denies Mexican Drug Cartels Control Parts of Country This is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Bert Hoover WATCH: From China to Mexico, U.S.: How Fentanyl Is Trafficked - From NewsNation A Brazilian woman was found buried alive inside a tomb in a cemetery in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Two men have already been arrested in connection to the incident. The 36-year-old mother-of-four was reportedly beaten and dragged from her home late last month before sealing her inside a tomb at the Visconde do Rio Branco Municipal Cemetery in the state of Minas Gerais and abandoning her. She managed to survive inside the tomb for about 10 hours before she was rescued. The Daily Mail reported that gravediggers noticed fresh cement and blood near the grave, and their suspicions were confirmed after hearing a cry for help from inside the tomb. The two municipal cemetery employees then called the authorities. In a statement, the state police said officers "heard someone inside calling for help, broke the brick wall, and removed a woman, who had injuries on her head and arm." In a press conference held last Tuesday, police chief Diego Candian of the Visconde do Rio Branco Civil Police said they arrested the two suspects, aged 20 and 22, in the municipalities of Sao Geraldo and Vicosa last Saturday night. Candian noted that the two suspects had plans to escape to Rio de Janeiro after their brutal act. However, he did not reveal the names of the young suspects, who had been arrested in the past on weapons and drug trafficking charges. G1 news outlet reported that the Brazilian woman suffered a head injury and might lose one of her fingers. There is reportedly a possibility of her undergoing vascular surgery and amputation. Police said they are also searching for a third suspect, who is on the run. READ NEXT: Brazil: Elon Musk's Starlink Wireless Internet Is Helping Criminals in the Amazon Brazilian Woman Buried in Cemetary in Brazil May Have Been Drug Related After she was rescued, the Brazilian woman told police that the three suspects attacked her in her home after she "misplaced" the drugs and weapons that she was supposedly stashing for them inside her house. The suspects reportedly broke into her house on March 28. She said they also attacked her husband, who managed to escape. The suspects then abducted her and took her to the cemetery. When she regained consciousness, she realized she was trapped inside the tomb. According to The Express UK, tombs in Brazil are not typical coffins beneath the ground, much like ones in the United States. They are mostly small concrete boxes that are built into a brick wall. When police arrived at the scene, they heard a woman crying from inside the tomb and started rescuing her. Another Brazilian Woman was Buried Alive in Brazil in 2018 In early 2018, another incident of a Brazilian woman being buried alive also happened in Brazil. Rosangela Almeida dos Santos was initially believed to have died from septic shock following two cardiac arrests. However, she was still alive. After she was buried, Dos Santos was heard screaming from inside the tomb in a Riachao das Neves cemetery. That led to her family members smashing her tomb open and trying to get her out. According to The Daily Mail, the Brazilian woman desperately tried to escape her wooden casket, which had been nailed shut after being buried alive. However, she was already dead by the time her family members managed to open her tomb. The Brazilian woman was still warm when they reached her, but it was too late. There was evidence of her trying to escape her predicament. READ MORE: Joe Biden and Lula Swap Insurrection Stories This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: Moment Woman Found Dead in Coffin After Being Buried Alive - From Newbie Comp The Justice Department announced on Tuesday that a high-ranking member of Mexico's powerful Sinaloa Cartel, formerly led by Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera, had been extradited to the U.S. to face international drug trafficking and firearms charges. According to the department, Jorge Ivan Gastelum Avila was a Sinaloa Cartel hitman and "plaza boss" for the city of Guamuchil in Mexico's Sinaloa state from 2009 to 2016, Reuters reported. He allegedly oversaw at least 200 armed men and conspired to distribute cocaine into the U.S. In a statement, the Justice Department said El Chapo and Gastelum, also known as "El Cholo Ivan," were arrested by Mexican authorities in 2016. The department noted that El Cholo Ivan stayed in Mexican custody until April 1, when he was extradited to the U.S. It added that the 42-year-old top assassin of the Sinaloa Cartel made an initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Monday. The prosecutors said he is facing up to life in prison for the drug conspiracy charge and a mandatory consecutive sentence of 30 years for the firearms offense. READ NEXT: Drug Kingpin El Chapo Seeks Mexico Return Sinaloa Cartel's Top Assassin 'El Cholo Ivan' Case Prosecutors said El Cholo Ivan was accused of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute five kilos or more of cocaine and more than 1,000 kilos of marijuana "intending and knowing that those substances would be imported into the United States." He was also charged with knowingly and intentionally using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm, including a destructive device, during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, CBS News reported. El Cholo Ivan was arrested alongside his boss, El Chapo, in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, as they attempted to flee authorities. At the time of his arrest, he was working closely with El Chapo as Sinaloa Cartel's lead "sicario" or assassin. Arrest of Sinaloa Cartel Boss El Chapo El Chapo was sentenced to spend the rest of his days in the ADX Florence "supermax" prison in Colorado after being sentenced to life imprisonment in 2019 on multiple drug-related charges. The infamous Sinaloa Cartel boss was first arrested in Guatemala in 1993 and extradited to Mexico, where he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for murder and drug trafficking. But in 2001, he escaped from prison. He was arrested again in Sinaloa in 2014 but escaped again from prison through a tunnel the following year. Mexican officials announced in January 2016 that El Chapo had been captured again. He was extradited to the U.S. the following year. El Chapo is serving a life sentence in prison after being found guilty of all 10 federal charges he faced. He was accused of illegally importing millions of kilos of cocaine from Mexico to the U.S., along with significant quantities of heroin and marijuana. In January 2021, a federal appeals court in New York upheld the life sentence of El Chapo after his request for a new trial was dismissed. In their decision, the three judges rejected some of El Chapo's arguments, including jury bias, "deplorable" jail conditions, and the U.S. government selectively targeting him for prosecution. READ MORE: Donald Trump Awarded Roughly $121K in Attorney Fees from Stormy Daniels This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Bert Hoover WATCH: "El Cholo Ivan", jefe de seguridad de "El Chapo", es extraditado a Estados Unidos - From El Universal YEREVAN, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. The President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan today received the delegation headed by Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Slovakia Marian Kery, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Presidents Office. Greeting the guests, President Khachaturyan noted that Slovakia is one of Armenia's important partners in Europe, and our country is ready to expand cooperation with that country in all areas of mutual interest, on bilateral and international platforms. "Since gaining independence, we have always felt the support of Slovakia. This year we mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and it is a good opportunity to think about further expanding our cooperation. I would like to thank you for your position on the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh. the statements that have been adopted by your parliament have been a support for us and we hope that it will continue in the future. You have also done a great job in making the decision of the EU Council to deploy a long-term civilian observation mission in Armenia. Slovakia was one of the six countries that took the initiative and addressed the issue to the EU High Representative." Thanking for the reception, Marian Kery said: "Our visit has two main goals. The first is the occasion of the 30-year cooperation between Armenia and Slovakia. Secondly, we want to express our support to the part of the Armenian people, which is now in the zone of influence of the Karabakh crisis. We visited the Genocide Memorial and the Museum yesterday and are very proud that our National Assembly condemned and recognized the Armenian Genocide in 2004. In 2020, the 44-day war took place, when Azerbaijan attacked Nagorno Karabakh and also reached the borders of Armenia. That is why we adopted a resolution in 2020-2021 in our National Assembly condemning those steps taken by Azerbaijan." During the meeting, Marian Kery said that he is well aware of the events surrounding the blockade of the Lachin humanitarian corridor and stressed the need to restore the normal operation of the humanitarian corridor. Referring to the regional realities, President Vahagn Khachaturyan emphasized that despite the existing problems, the goal of the Armenian authorities is to achieve lasting and stable peace in the South Caucasus. The President of the Republic emphasized that Armenia is committed to its position of establishing neighborly relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan, opening borders without preconditions and unblocking communication channels. During the conversation, the efforts aimed at promoting inter-parliamentary diplomacy, as well as the organization of mutual visits at the highest political level, were emphasized by both sides. More than 400 local and international executives in travel and tourism recently gathered in Amsterdam for the MarketHub Europe. Organised by travel tech company Hotelbeds the event combined a conference and trade show at the nhow Amsterdam RAI. This is the first time that Hotelbeds has brought its flagship event to The Netherlands. are expected to attend to hear some of the biggest names in tourism and tech speak. These include NH Hotels (part of Minor), easyJet holidays, Google, Telefonica and The World Travel and Tourism Council. Were thrilled that the MarketHub is back for the first time since 2019 and in this vibrant city of Amsterdam, where we have been so warmly welcomed, said Carlos Munoz Capllonch, Chief Commercial Officer at Hotelbeds. Our theme for this year is Where Next? and Im sure were going to have some insightful and lively discussion focused on the traveller of tomorrow and what they expect the industry to deliver. The conference programme covered a diverse range of topics including; how travel can become a force for good; the power of personalised service; how innovation and tech can shape travel; and the generation of disruption. Additional speakers also included Morgan Stanley, Experience Kissimmee, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, Discover Puerto Rico, Rixos Hotels, the Clermont Hotel Group and Accor Hotels. TradeArabia News Service On April 4 at about 15:30, 27 civilians, including elderly, children, and people with disabilities, who have been separated from their families for several months, in accordance with the agreement reached with the Russian side and accompanied by Russian peacekeepers, left the city of Goris of the Republic of Armenia for Stepanakert. April 5, 2023, 00:50 As a result of the incident unleashed by the Azerbaijanis, the well-being of 4 women from Artsakh worsened. Ministry of Internal Affairs STEPANAKERT, APRIL 5 , ARTSAKHPRESS: Despite a prearranged agreement, Azerbaijani "eco-activists" blocked the passage of vehicles of the Russian peacekeeping forces carrying civilians near Shushi - a blocked section of the Goris-Stepanakert highway. As reported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh, as a result of the incident, the well-being of 4 women from Artsakh worsened. Accompanied by Russian peacekeepers, they were taken to the Republican Medical Center of Stepanakert. A Northampton County jury found a 32-year-old Bethlehem man guilty on all charges following an investigation into sales of the synthetic opioid painkiller fentanyl. County District Attorney Terry Houck announced the conviction Wednesday of Carlos Kuilan. Kuilan faces up to 30 years in state prison at sentencing tentatively scheduled for June 21, Houcks office said in a news release. Agents with the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office had observed Kuilan in November 2021 entering and exiting his home in the 1200 block of Linden Street, directly across from Liberty High School, and engaging in transactions with the agents confidential informant, prosecutors said. The informant was buying suspected fentanyl from Kuilan, leading to a Dec. 14, 2021, search warrant execution at Kuilans residence by the attorney generals office and Bethlehem police, the release states. Kuilan, who had been operating a black Infiniti G35, exited his home just prior to the search and was taken into custody, prosecutors said. Investigators seized a bag of suspected fentanyl, a cellphone and $651 that Kuilan had on him and found inside his home $2,200, additional suspected fentanyl and drug packaging materials, according to the release. Field-testing allegedly showed the suspected fentanyl was positive for the presence of the opioid that federal drug officials say is 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. Fentanyl is one of our greatest fights in the opioid crisis, and for Carlos Kuilan to knowingly distribute it so close to our vulnerable youth in a school zone shows his extreme disregard for another individuals life, Houck stated in the release. Kuilans appearance in county court this week began Tuesday, according to court records; he remained in custody in lieu of $100,000 bail set Dec. 14, 2021. Assistant District Attorney Scott Gaugler successfully prosecuted the case. A call for comment to Kuilans public defender was not immediately returned. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. UPDATE: Probe continuing into cause of massive industrial fire in West Easton Fire crews were still on-scene Wednesday morning after a massive four-alarm blaze severely damaged industrial buildings in West Easton, but were planning to clear out in the evening. Firefighters have been at the industrial site since 5 a.m. Tuesday and were still fighting hot spots as of Wednesday afternoon at 1550 Lehigh Drive. A Wilson Borough aerial ladder truck was helping aim one hose on a pile of smoking debris pulled out or a nearby charred building, while a West Easton truck hosed down piles of paper being pulled from another building. West Easton Mayor Dan DePaul said crews were still pulling water from the Lehigh River to douse the hot spots, and excavators were being used to pull out debris from the burned buildings so they could be hosed down. The plan as of 1 p.m. was for fire crews to clear out at about 5 p.m. Wednesday, DePaul said. The property owner planned to bring in a bigger excavator on site to start tearing down unstable walls and have a larger water truck ready at the ready, said Jesse Bush, site manager of the property. A fiber company that created building insulation with paper and cardboard had bales of product in one of the buildings, and thats what crews were removing Wednesday afternoon to hose down, Bush said. Fire crews continued to douse smoking debris April 5, 2023, pulled from a massive four-alarm fire at 1550 Lehigh Drive in West Easton.Sarah Cassi | For lehighvalleylive.com Northampton County Emergency Management has demobilized as the operation turns to cleanup and monitoring of the site, county emergency management Director Todd Weaver said. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and Incident Command has determined that there is no need for air monitoring, he said, adding the DEP will however continue to monitor cleanup. If there are additional hazmat needs uncovered by the DEP, county emergency management will return, he said. Lehigh Drive is still closed around the site. The investigation continues into the blaze, which drew more than 20 fire crews from Pennsylvania and New Jersey as well as a host of emergency response agencies. DePaul said the building is totally destroyed and will eventually need to be demolished. West Easton borough police, Pennsylvania State Police fire marshals and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating. State police deferred questions to West Easton police, and messages left for West Easton were not immediately returned Wednesday morning. Bush said crews will initially work to make the site safe for investigators to access, but that demolition will have to wait until the investigation is complete. DePaul said the site will be locked down while the investigation continues. When the investigation is complete, the next step would be getting the paperwork in place for demolition and tearing down the damaged buildings. Property records show Emek Brucha LLC purchased the parcel for $9 million in December 2021. The LLC has an office listed with the state on East Street in West Easton, near the fire scene. The largest building is a former Ingersoll Rand facility built in the 1800s that was being used by multiple businesses for manufacturing/processing. Bush said there are nine businesses on the site, which is comprised of a few pieces of property and has a number of buildings. DePaul was still amazed at the mass response of so many volunteer firefighters and support services to the borough fire, and how other fire companies covered local stations while their crews helped battle the flames. It was a massive undertaking here, he said. Talking about how many people to thank, I dont even know where to start for fear of missing someone, DePaul said. Fire Chief William Bogari Jr., who was back at the site Wednesday, previously spoke about the difficulties crews had getting water to fight the blaze, since there were only two hydrants nearby to draw from, no water stored on site and no fire suppression system in the building. A 10-tanker task force was set up and four fire engines pulled water from the Lehigh River. With the original building gone, anything new built there will need to meet current building codes, the mayor said, including adding water lines and fire hydrants. Thats going to be awhile from now, DePaul added. West Easton fire coverage 4-alarm fire engulfs West Easton industrial building along the Lehigh River (UPDATE) Difficult West Easton fire under control, but not completely out, officials say Weis Markets donates car loads of water, snacks to first responders battling West Easton blaze Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. One person was injured when a car collided with a tractor-trailer Wednesday morning along Route 22 West in Upper Macungie Township, state police said. Trooper Nathan Branosky, a public information officer with state police Troop M, said the initial call was at 10:23 a.m. at mile 315, near Tilghman Street. Upon impact, the vehicles ignited with firefighters dispatched to battle the flames, he told lehighvalleylive.com. One person with minor injuries was taken by ambulance to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Salisbury Township. Its unclear if that person was in the car or the tractor-trailer. Traffic was being detoured onto Route 309. Traffic was backing up between 15th Street and Route 145, Branosky said. The crash was cleared as of 4:38 p.m., the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reported. CLEARED: Crash on US 22 westbound between Tilghman St and Tilghman St. 511PA Allentown (@511PAAllentown) April 5, 2023 Its unclear what led to the accident. It remains under investigation by Pennsylvania State Police at Fogelsville. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. A Pen Argyl man who police say is responsible for a string of illegal firework detonations turned himself over to Slate Belt Regional Police on Tuesday, authorities said. Justin A. Taylor, 32, is charged with conspiracy to commit arson, endangering property/ reckless endangerment of an inhabited building, possession of explosive/ incendiary materials, conspiracy to commit risking a catastrophe and conspiracy to commit reckless endangerment. Authorities said Taylor presented himself to the court at District Judge Alicias Zitos office, accompanied by his attorney Mark Minotti. Minotti did not immediately return a call from lehighvalleylive.com on Tuesday. Taylor was arraigned and a preliminary hearing was tentatively scheduled for April 19. Taylor was rendered unable to post 10% of a $75,000 bail and is being held at Northampton County Prison in the meantime, according to court papers. Slate Belt Regional police Sgt. Shawn Moskella told lehighvalleylvie.com in March that police receivednumerous complaints about the fireworks and explosions, incidents that woke up a lot of people in a two-mile radius. An investigation into the complaints led police to arrest Joseph K. Zanette, 57, in connection with the explosions. Zanette was arraigned on the same charges and is also being held in Northampton County Prison after failing to post $125,000 bail. Police confirmed they havent received any complaints about explosions since Zanettes arrest. Key to the investigation into the string of incidents was home surveillance video that helped authorities identify Zanette and Taylor, and link them to the explosives, police said. One video recorded three loud explosions near East Applegate Avenue. A search of Zanettes address on South Westbrook Avenue and of a home on East Applegate Avenue where Taylor frequently stayed last month, turned up a large sum of display fireworks, which are considered explosives and are prohibited under federal law. Items found at Zanettes home included 12 mortar cakes with 25 rounds each; two large mortar cakes with 100 rounds each; 66 roman candles; a mix of packaged fireworks including a Rolling Thunder assortment, Rain of Fire 15 shot and Mad 2000 Firecracker; and various pipes and equipment, according to court paperwork. A 2017 state law permits adults to purchase class C, or consumer grade, fireworks, but prosecutors last month stressed these were not legal fireworks. UPDATE: Coroner identifies woman who died in motorcycle crash on Airport Road A 31-year-old Lehigh Township woman was pronounced dead in a crash Tuesday afternoon in East Allen Township, Pennsylvania State Police report. She was one of two riders on a motorcycle that made contact with a 2020 Dodge Ram 5500 hauling a flatbed trailer, state police at Bethlehem said. The crash occurred about 1:25 p.m. at Airport Road and Portland Drive. The other rider on the 2002 Honda VTX motorcycle, a 44-year-old man from Lehigh Township, was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg in Bethlehem for treatment of his injuries, according to police. The driver and a passenger in the pickup truck were uninjured, police said. Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek pronounced the woman dead at the scene. Neither he nor police immediately released her name. The crash and the womans cause and manner of death remained under investigation. Police in a news release did not indicate which motorcycle occupant was driving. Assisting state police patrol unit troopers and the coroners office were the Troop M Forensic Services Unit, Troop M Collision Analysis Reconstruction Unit, East Allen Township Ambulance, Bethlehem Township Ambulance, Allen Township Fire Department, Northampton Fire Department and Northampton Regional EMS. Airport Road was closed in the area of the crash into Tuesday evening. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) just released another report that predictably drives climate alarmists giddy over its doomsday porn. Contrary to established propaganda, IPCC is not a scientific body conducting unbiased climate research. It sees its mission as straightforwardly making a case against human activities. Over time that was bad enough, but today it has strayed widely from scientific assessment plunging deeply into explicit political advocacy. Thats not science. The report emphasizes loss and damage from manmade climate change, but offers no concrete justifications and ignores vast amounts of recent research disproving the assertion. Further, the reports push for equity, climate justice, social justice and inclusion makes it evident that IPCC may have outlived any usefulness. Back in the real world, loss and damage comes from government climate initiatives and is becoming unbearable. Germans are suffering so badly that the nation is undertaking a desperate program to build new gas-fired power plants to overcome power grid damage from intermittent and unreliable wind and solar. Dutch now have a strong farmers political party to combat the global warming initiative to destroy their agriculture. The British are fighting back against the home-heating boiler ban that is driving more citizens deeper into poverty. Yet in America, President Biden and some state governors are working feverishly to replicate the same national devastation. Its hard not to visualize our global arch-enemies, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, rolling on the floor laughing uncontrollably as they watch America destroy itself. James M. Policelli Plainfield Township Disney fan and drama teacher Charlene Duff is hoping her dreams come true on the Laois Rose stage. Sponsored by Mansworth Productions, Charlene, 29, from Portlaoise is a proud Portlaoise Panto member - oh yes she is - and a preschool teacher. "I work in a Montessori in Abbeyleix with amazing staff members. I am very blessed to be working as a Drama teacher also with the Richard Mansworth Stageschool, where I work with a great team, teaching talented children the performing arts. "Im a proud member of Portlaoise Pantomime society and past member of Portlaoise Musical society. "If Im not on stage, you might find me the pitch pucking the small ball or kicking the big ball (cmon the town). "I love traveling, from Japan to Panama, I have also been lucky enough to have worked at my dream job in Disneyland Paris. Adventure is out there, never let anyone dull your sparkle," All of the Laois Rose entrants will take to the stage in the Midlands Park Hotel this Easter Sunday night, April 9, in a gala event supported by an audience of their families and communities. The winning Laois Rose will go on to the Rose of Tralee televised final this August. Tickets are 25 and will be available on the evening so get there early. Doors open at 7pm and show starts at 7.30pm sharp. See this week's Leinster Express newspaper for profiles of all 17 Laois Rose Entrants. The lives of the four women who were transferred to the Stepanakert hospital are not in any risk, the Artsakh Ministry of Health informs. April 5, 2023, 00:59 Artsakh health ministry: Lives of 4 women transferred to Stepanakert hospital not at risk STEPANAKERT, APRIL 5 , ARTSAKHPRESS: On April 4 at about 15:30, 27 civilians, including elderly, children, and people with disabilities, who have been separated from their families for several months, in accordance with the agreement reached with the Russian side and accompanied by Russian peacekeepers, left the city of Goris of the Republic of Armenia for Stepanakert. But Azerbaijani "eco-activists" prohibited the movement of vehicles at the blocked section of the Goris-Stepanakert motorway. Due to this intervention of Azerbaijanis, four women from Artsakh felt ill. The Russian peacekeepers ensured the arrival of an ambulance, and these four women were transferred to the Republican Medical Center of Artsakh capital Stepanakert. A delay on the building of a new home for a Laois special needs school has been lifted after the Government decided that it and 57 others around the country could goahead. The Minister for Education, Norma Foley confirmed on Wednesday, April 5 that an agreement has been secured to guarantee and support the rollout and continuation of the Departments school building programme which had been put on hold in March to check if there was enough money in the 12 bill National Development Plan to pay for the projects. A statement said the Department of Education would update 58 schools in relation to the formal arrangements and next steps in respect of the delivery of their individual projects. The original delay to Kolbe Special School caused outrage in Laois as they had previously been given the green light to build an 9 million new home on the Block Road in Portlaoise where 43 children with severe to profound disabilities receive their education. Parents held a public meeting in Portlaoise which drew huge public support. A march was threatened to demonstrate public opposition to the delay. One of the school's most vulnerable students, Liam Ryan, travelled to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's office, to deliver photos of the poor-quality building. Government representatives in Laois welcomed the lifting of the restriction, which began after the Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohue said his Department needed to review spending on the 58 schools. Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan stated that he has informed the principal of Kolbe School, Orlagh Mahon that he was very keen that outstanding issues were resolved before Easter. Kolbe School has been one of my priorities in this Dail and I look forward to its construction at the earliest opportunity, he said. Minister of State Sean Fleming was also pleased. "Since the public meeting in Portlaoise, I have had a number of discussions with Minister Norma Foley T.D. and the School Authorities and parents in Kolbe Special School. "Like everybody with an interest in Kolbe Special School I welcome this good news. We all share the same aim of getting the new school built as soon as possible. "The message from the entire school community and the people of Laois was to get the Kolbe Special School approved to progress to the tender stage. "I gave a commitment at the public meeting that I would work to do so in the immediate future. "I want to especially thank everybody involved in the school community and the people of Laois and even the people outside Laois who showed their support for Kolbe Special School. "During the last General Election I, as a candidate, stated that getting a new school for Kolbe was my number one priority. This is still my commitment and I will continue to work with everybody involved to ensure this becomes a reality. "Finally, the students, staff, parents and families of those who attend Kolbe Special School must be fully supported. I look forward to us all working together between now and when the new school is ultimately built and opened to replace the existing school building," Minister Fleming said. The 9 million new school building has planning approval to be built next to the current building, with preliminary site works by ESB begun recently. The Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe had said in early March that he wanted to check if there is enough money in the plan to fund Kolbe and the other schools. A public meeting was then organised by Kolbe Special School, to a packed audience, where staff and parents descibed the poor conditions. The school had said if the situation was not resolved by Thursday, April 6, they would make an announcement about a public march on the streets, describing the excuses for delaying the building as "ludicrous". "There has been zero engagement to date from the Minister or the Department of Education, notwithstanding assurances to parents from the Secretary General of the Department and assurances to Sean Fleming from the Minister that they are confident this matter will be resolved. "All we have had is a list of ludicrous and often contradictory excuses as to why the new build cannot be progressed eg capital funding, a matter of timing and then Sean Fleming told us the Dept accepted we should never have been on that list," group representative and parent Orlaith Kerrigan told the Leinster Express on Monday, March 3. Minister Foley TD commented. "These projects will provide new and modernised facilities for our school communities and are an important aspect of the Departments overall delivery under the Governments National Development Plan. I would like to thank my Cabinet colleague Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, Paschal Donohoe who worked tirelessly with me and my Department officials in order to facilitate the delivery of these urgently required school building projects. Minister Madigan said: I am very pleased that we will be able to deliver on the planned school building projects. Many of these will support and enable the inclusion of students with special educational needs, in modern facilities. The Department of Education adds that it completed over 180 projects completed last year within a challenging environment. This year alone, over 300 school building projects are currently under construction, including 40 new school buildings and 260 projects at existing schools. There are also over 1,000 other school building projects in the Departments pipeline at various stages of development. The Department also continues to support schools with the successful integration of over 15,000 Ukrainian students within the school system. One of the busiest roads in Portlaoise which is waiting for major roadworks to make it safer, has again been left off the to-do list for 2023. The Mountmellick N80 road is earmarked to get three roundabouts to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists, discourage passing heavy traffic from going through the town centre, and help traffic enter it from side roads. Laois County Council has revealed a 31 million budget for roadworks in Laois for 2023, but none of it can be used to upgrade safety on the Mountmellick Road, a national traffic route that is also the most densely populated area in Portlaoise. Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley warns she will "raise it until you get sick of me raising it", while the council are passing on that pressure to the TII who still have to provide permission and money for the job. "The one road in the town that is completely forgotten is the Mountmellick road, a national secondary road. We haven't a roundabout on it. It is absolutely impossible to turn right from the Ballyfin Road. I ask that you please prioritise it. "It was one of the first motions I raised after i was elected in 2011 and we are no further on. "It is a treacherous road for people walking, driving, using access roads. It has no cycleways, nothing. It needs three roundabouts and for the road to be completely upgraded," Cllr Dwane Stanley said. The upgrade is waiting on money from Transport Infrastructure Ireland, who were given a consultants report recommending the extensive works in 2021, with still no cash announced. The Director of Services for roads Simon Walton had introduced the 31m budget, which he said is "a very positive investment for Laois". "Regarding the Mountmellick road, you raise it frequently. On our part, to stimulate funding allocation we funded the traffic assessment 18 months ago. That recommended three roundabouts. We submitted it to the TII. We await a funding allocation. In law we are required to have their agreement. We neither have that or have funds but we continue to raise it every time we meet them," Mr Walton said. Asked what TII are saying when they are asked about it in meetings, he said "nothing". "They're aware of it, its a question of when will we see a fund to deliver it," he added. An extraordinary moment in US history is scheduled to unfold in a Manhattan courthouse on Tuesday as former president Donald Trump, who faces multiple election-related investigations, will surrender to face criminal charges stemming from 2016 hush money payments. The booking and arraignment are likely to be relatively brief though hardly routine as Mr Trump is fingerprinted, learns the exact charges against him and pleads, as expected, not guilty. Mr Trump, who was impeached twice by the US House but was never convicted in the US Senate, will become the first former president to face criminal charges. The nations 45th commander in chief will be escorted from Trump Tower to the courthouse by the Secret Service and may have his mug shot taken. New York police are braced for protests by Mr Trumps supporters, who share the former presidents belief that the New York grand jury indictment and three additional pending investigations are politically motivated and intended to weaken his bid to retake the White House in 2024. The former reality-TV star has been hyping that narrative to his political advantage, raising millions of dollars since the indictment on claims of a witch hunt. He has personally assailed the Manhattan district attorney, egged on supporters to protest, and claimed without evidence that the judge presiding over the case hates me something Mr Trumps own lawyer has said is not true. Mr Trump is scheduled to return to his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago, on Tuesday evening to hold a rally, punctuating his new reality, submitting to the dour demands of the American criminal justice system while projecting an aura of defiance and victimhood at celebratory campaign events. A conviction would not prevent Mr Trump from running for or winning the presidency in 2024. Inside the Manhattan courtroom, prosecutors led by New Yorks district attorney, Alvin Bragg, are expected to unseal the indictment issued last week by a grand jury. This is when Mr Trump and his defence lawyers will get their first glimpse of the precise allegations against him. The indictment includes multiple charges of falsifying business records, including at least one felony offense, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press last week. After the arraignment, Mr Trump is expected to be released by authorities because the charges against him do not require that bail be set. The investigation is scrutinising six-figure payments made to porn actor Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Both say they had sexual encounters with the married Trump years before he got into politics. Mr Trump denies having sexual liaisons with either woman and has denied any wrongdoing involving payments. The number of Ukrainian students enrolled in Irish schools has now edged over the 15,000 mark, latest figures show. In the context of County Kildare, a total of 217 Ukrainian students are enrolled in schools: 153 children are in primary schools, while 94 are in secondary schools. The Department of Education has confirmed that as of 31 March, 15,282 Ukrainian pupils have been enrolled in schools across Ireland. Out of that figure, 9,877 of these pupils have been accommodated in primary schools while 5,405 pupils have enrolled in post-primary schools. This figure is up from the total of 14,931, recorded on March 1, for Ukrainian pupils who had been enrolled in schools across Ireland. Current data indicates an enrolment rate of 90% among Ukrainian children aged 5-18. To assist with the transition of Ukrainian students and their families into Irish schools Regional Education and Language Teams (REALT) continue to operate, hosted by the 16 regional education and training boards around Ireland and staffed by regionally-based education support personnel. These teams are ensuring that clear, accessible information flows are in place between schools, local education support services and national support structures in relation to people arriving from Ukraine. Information for parents in Ukrainian and Russian on accessing school places is available on gov.ie/Ukraine. The Department confirmed that it will continue to publish figures on the enrolment of Ukrainian children each month. The influx of Ukraininan students has been particularly welcomed in rural schools where enrolment numbers were low. Former US president Bill Clinton has described the signing of the Good Friday Agreement as one of the happiest days of his presidency and his life. Mr Clinton called the signing of the 1998 peace deal an act of bravery from all sides ahead of his visit to Ireland later this month for its 25th anniversary. He said that he will always be grateful and honoured that he played a role in bringing peace to Northern Ireland, adding that it meant more to me than I can possibly say. The former Democrats leader was speaking in an interview aired at Fianna Fails commemoration of 25 years of the Good Friday Agreement in Dublins UCD on Tuesday evening. Among those in attendance were Bertie Ahern former Irish Taoiseach, Fianna Fail leader and one of the architects of the Good Friday Agreement and Micheal Martin, Tanaiste and the partys current leader. A short film was played at the event featuring contributions from Deputy Martin and Mr Ahern, ex Irish Taoiseach and former Fianna Fail leader Brian Cowen and former British prime ministers Sir Tony Blair and Sir John Major. Mr Clinton and his wife, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, will be in Belfast in two weeks time for events to commemorate the landmark accord that largely ended the Troubles. US president Joe Biden is due to visit locations north and south of the border next week for the beginning of events to celebrate the diplomatic achievement. Mr Clinton said during the interview: The day the Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998 was one of the happiest days of my presidency, indeed of my entire life. It was a result of years of hard work and sacrifice and bravery from all sides. Ultimately, the credit for the peace belongs to the people who voted for it, from all backgrounds. They made personal decisions that their future opportunities were more important than their past divisions. The people, especially the womens groups, were out in front of the politicians for a long time because they wanted their children and grandchildren to have a chance to grow up outside the shadow of violence and hatred. An entire generation in Northern Ireland has grown up largely free from the horrors of sectarian violence. Mr Clinton described the move to pursue peace a quarter of a century ago as miraculous. The people of Northern Ireland did something truly miraculous 25 years ago, he said. They can do something miraculous again today just by seizing this moment, sharing the memory and moving into the future together. I will always be grateful and honoured that I was trusted to play a role in helping to bring peace to Northern Ireland, that I had a chance to work with leaders of many parties in the North, with the leaders of government in the Republic and in the United Kingdom, and that I was able to work from the almost the very beginning of my presidency until the very end. It meant more to me than I can possibly say. And for the rest of my life, I will always do whatever I can to keep supporting the people and their efforts to make the most of that peace. In the same video interview, Mr Blair said the strangest moment of the Good Friday Agreement was taking a phone call from the late Queen congratulating him on striking a deal. The former Labour leader said this was significant because he had not received a mobile phone call from the late British monarch other than the one after the historic signing of the deal on April 10, 1998. Mr Blair said: The strangest moment for me was, we finally made the agreement, we got out, wed announced that I hadnt slept really for three days. I had to get on a plane to go and see the Spanish prime minister, for whom I was now about three days late. And when I sat down in the plane, they brought to me a mobile phone and it was the Queen on the line. And it was only when she was congratulating me and all the other people that had been engaged in the creation of the Agreement that I remember thinking: Wow, actually this really is big because Ive never taken before or since I never took a mobile phone call from the Queen. Former US President Donald Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, according to his indictment, published by New York attorneys on Tuesday, Tass informs. April 5, 2023, 09:34 Trump charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records indictment STEPANAKERT, APRIL 5 , ARTSAKHPRESS: In accordance with the document, the former president is charged with "falsifying business records in the first degree" with the purpose of committing another crime, whose details were not disclosed in the document. Each count mentioned in the document is punishable with up to four years in prison. The indictment says that during his presidential campaign, Trump "made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise" with "intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime." Meanwhile, the Manhattan District Attorneys Office said in a statement Trump is accused of "falsifying New York business records in order to conceal damaging information and unlawful activity from American voters before and after the 2016 election." The statement says that "Trump and others" employed a scheme "to identify, purchase, and bury negative information about him and boost his electoral prospects.". IFA President Tim Cullinan said that IFA will not attend today's Farmers Charter negotiations with the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine. IFA will not be attending any further negotiations until we meet with Minister McConalogue to discuss the proposed delay in farm payment dates and the overall Charter negotiating process. Following the last meeting of the group, the Department proceeded to announce payment dates for 2023 which in some cases are a month later than 2022 and which we completely rejected. This is totally unacceptable, he said. The Department has acted unilaterally. Delaying payments is totally wrong and IFA will not participate in what is now a charade, he said. We wrote to the Minister on March 13th and again on March 22nd seeking an urgent meeting to try and address these issues, but that has not happened, he said. IFA Deputy President Brian Rushe said the Ministers officials have already made their mind up to push the payment dates back. The Minister must intervene now and agree that payment dates for 2023 are back on the table and a solution found. The Department seem to have no concept of the importance of these payments. Thousands of farmers have their businesses structured around receiving these payments on the dates they get them every year. Delaying them will affect bank repayments and cashflow to meet other bills, he said. Palmer Trucks to open commercial vehicle parts store south of Fort Wayne, Indiana Family-owned Palmer Trucks to open TRP all-makes parts store and service shop for commercial trucks, trailers and buses FORT WAYNE, Ind., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On Friday, April 14, Palmer Trucks, a third-generation, family-owned Kenworth truck dealer network based in Indianapolis, will celebrate the grand opening of an all-makes TRP parts store and commercial truck service shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana. TRP of Fort Wayne will serve the local transportation industry by providing a full line of aftermarket parts for trucks, trailers and buses in addition to truck diagnostics and repair for transient traffic from Interstate 69 south of Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne General Manager Tracy Meyers comments, "We are excited to expand our Northeast Indiana footprint as a trusted source for commercial truck parts and repairs. Having parts on-hand and ready maximizes uptime for owner-operators and fleets, keeping America's goods moving to their final destinations." TRP of Fort Wayne will be located north of Lower Huntington Road at 7006 Ardmore Ave, Fort Wayne, IN 46809 and open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Local truck drivers and businesses are welcome to join Palmer Trucks for a grand opening event on Friday, April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A free lunch, giveaways and door prizes will be included. Located within a strong industrial corridor on the south side of the city, TRP of Fort Wayne will support small businesses and vocational work truck customers dependent upon truck uptime for on-time deliveries. Palmer Trucks Chief Operating Officer Tom Kapitan adds, "Palmer Trucks is excited to add additional distribution footprint in the Fort Wayne region and make quality parts and repair services more accessible." "We're excited to continue leading the community in commercial vehicle parts with a trusted, reliable and proven product line, complete with local delivery and a repair shop staffed with skilled technicians," adds Meyers. About Palmer Trucks Palmer Trucks, Inc. is the regional leader in the sale, lease, rental, fabrication, repair and finance of Kenworth -The World's Best medium and heavy-duty trucks. Founded in Indianapolis in July of 1965 by Eldon Palmer, the company has since expanded as a third-generation company throughout Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio with more than 700 team members and a network of 12 dealerships and three TRP parts stores. The company is an A-rated and accredited member of the Better Business Bureau. Additional information can be found at palmertrucks.com. Media Contact: Cameron Nichols Marketing Manager (317) 526 5527 [email protected] SOURCE Palmer Trucks 5 april 2023 at 07:00 News published onand distributed by: The CWB Welding Foundation celebrates a decade of breaking barriers and addressing skill gaps in welding and welding-related industries MILTON, ON, April 5, 2023 /CNW/ - The CWB Welding Foundation is celebrating its 10th anniversary as a national not-for-profit charity focused on breaking barriers and bridging skill gaps in welding and welding-related industries. Since its inception in 2013, the CWB Foundation www.cwbweldingfoundation.org has been committed to raising awareness, advocating for the welding industry, delivering hands-on educational programs and investing in educational infrastructure to address the shortage of skilled professionals in Canada. "I am thrilled to say that over the past ten years, the CWB Welding Foundation has established partnerships and programs that are now positively impacting workforce development and skills-based recruitment and retention objectives within welding and welding-related industries. We are proud of our collective efforts to drive awareness and change perceptions to promote, develop and future proof skilled trades and technology employment opportunities. Our mission has always been to empower the next generation of skilled workers and we will continue to find new and innovative ways to achieve that goal," says Susan Crowley, Executive Director for the CWB Welding Foundation. Over the past ten years, the CWB Foundation has worked tirelessly to promote welding, welding-related and skilled trades, opening viable career paths for Canadians of all ages. Alongside the generous and committed support of partners, sponsors, and industry leaders, the CWB Foundation has achieved their goals by: Supporting welding education and training: The CWB Foundation provides financial support, such as grants to schools and programs across Canada to enhance the quality of education and training available. They also offer resources and support to educators to help them better prepare students for the welding industry. Addressing the skilled worker shortage in Canada : The CWB Foundation has launched several initiatives to encourage people of all ages to explore welding or welding related careers, including Mind Over Metaltm welding youth camps and adult workshops, Women of Steeltm pre-employment programs to encourage women to enter the welding profession, and the Educator Training programs. Removing barriers: The CWB Foundation is a driving force behind providing access to welding education and certification for underrepresented groups, including women, Indigenous peoples, and newcomers to Canada . By reducing financial, social, and cultural barriers to education, the CWB Foundation has helped thousands of Canadians enter the welding industry, further addressing the skilled worker shortage. Promoting Safety and Innovation: The CWB Foundation promotes safety and innovation in the welding industry to improve welding safety through initiatives such as the CWB WeldSAFEtm program in partnership with the International Brother of Boilermakers, AltaGas, and industry leaders 3M Canada , Lincoln Electric and Weldready. Encouraging industry collaboration: The CWB Foundation brings together industry leaders, educators, and other stakeholders to collaborate and share best practices in the welding industry. Together, they host conferences, workshops, and other events to promote knowledge-sharing and collaboration within welding and welding-related industries. "I've had the privilege of being directly involved with the CWB Welding Foundation and watching it grow from a small initiative to a dynamic national organization making a real difference in the lives of aspiring welders across Canada," says Doug Luciani, President and CEO of CWB Group. "It's remarkable to see how far we've come in only a decade, and I'm excited to see how the organization continues to grow its impact for years to come." As the CWB Foundation reflects on the progress made over the last 10 years, they look to the future and will continue to engage community, government and industry partners to tackle current and future labour, workforce and skills gaps challenges. Through their direct engagement and support with the next generation of skilled workers and their relentless focus on safe learning and working environments, the CWB Foundation will forge ahead and address existing and new opportunities while continuing to inspire individuals to explore welding and welding-related careers in safe and collaborative environments. About CWB Welding Foundation The CWB Welding Foundation is a registered charity that works with partners to support and sustain the need for skilled welding and technology professionals and contribute to Canada's economic prosperity. By creating a gateway to the skilled trades, the CWB Foundation forges partnerships between industry, labour education and government to enable Canadians to explore, build and advance successful and exciting careers. The CWB Foundation offers education-based hands-on and virtual programs and initiatives and provides financial and technical program supports that reduce barriers affecting vital groups; elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students and educators, Indigenous peoples, women and the underrepresented. We encourage awareness and provide programs supporting access to career exploration regardless of identity factors, social and financial status and lived experiences, including gender, age, ethnicity, language, literacy, culture, income, and geographical location. For more information about the CWB Welding Foundation and its programs, visit www.cwbweldingfoundation.org. SOURCE CWB Welding Foundation 5 april 2023 at 07:13 News published onand distributed by: Town of East Greenwich Joins the Rhode Island Purchasing Group by Bidnet Direct The Town of East Greenwich announced it has joined Bidnet Direct's Rhode Island Purchasing Group and will be publishing and distributing upcoming bid opportunities on the system. EAST GREENWICH, R.I., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Town of East Greenwich announced it has joined Bidnet Direct's Rhode Island Purchasing Group and will be publishing and distributing upcoming bid opportunities on the system. The Rhode Island Purchasing Group connects participating agencies from across Rhode Island to a large vendor pool and streamlines the bid and vendor management process. Bidnet Direct's Rhode Island Purchasing Group provides notifications to registered vendors of new relevant solicitations, as well as any addenda and award information from participating agencies across Rhode Island, and can be accessed at http://www.bidnetdirect.com/rhode-island/eastgreenwichri. The Town of East Greenwich joined the purchasing group in March, and will utilize the system to publish and distribute upcoming bid opportunities. The Rhode Island Purchasing Group is a single, online location that manages sourcing information and activities and provides local government agencies throughout Rhode Island the tools needed to minimize costs and save time throughout the purchasing process. "Collaboration is important to us," says Patricia Sunderland, Finance Director for the Town of East Greenwich. "We look forward to being able to improve our efficiency and reach additional potential vendors by using the Rhode Island Purchasing Group. In addition to our time savings, our valued vendors can now access not only our open bids, but those from other municipalities, counties and school districts throughout the state. We invite all of our current vendors to register". Registered vendors can access all open bids, related documents and files, additional addenda and award information. In addition, the Rhode Island Purchasing Group offers a value-added service to notify vendors of new bids targeted to their industry, all addenda and advance notification of expiring term contracts. Registered vendors have access to not only the Town of East Greenwich bid opportunities, but all participating agency bids. Vendors may register on the Rhode Island Purchasing Group at: http://www.bidnetdirect.com/rhode-island/eastgreenwichri. Bidnet Direct's vendor support team is available to answer any questions regarding the registration process or the bid system at 800-835-4603 option 2. Other local government agencies in Rhode Island looking to switch from a manual bid process, please contact the Rhode Island Purchasing Group for a demonstration of the no-cost sourcing solution. About the Town of East Greenwich: Incorporated October 31, 1677, East Greenwich is the 8th oldest town in the state of Rhode Island. Named for the original Greenwich in Kent County , England . , . In 1741 the town was divided into 2 portions. The more rural western portion was separated and called West Greenwich . The remaining quarter was called East Greenwich . . The remaining quarter was called . From 1806 to 1854 the town served as 1 of the 5 state capitals for Rhode Island . . The General Assembly meetings were held in the local courthouse. That courthouse is presently the home of the Town Hall. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Birthplace of the Navy: Rhode Island State Assembly passed a resolution on June 12, 1772 creating the first formal Navy and authorizing two naval vessels, the flagship Katy and the Washington. Captain Abraham Whipple was named commodore of the armed vessels. About Bidnet Direct: Bidnet Direct, powered by mdf commerce, is a sourcing solution of regional purchasing groups available at no cost to local government agencies throughout the country. Bidnet Direct runs regional purchasing groups, including the Rhode Island Purchasing Group, across all 50 states that are used by over 1,600 local governments. To learn more and have your government agency gain better transparency and efficiency in purchasing, please visit https://www.bidnetdirect.com/buyers Media Contact Kim Cullen, Bidnet Direct, 800-835-4603, [email protected] SOURCE Bidnet Direct 5 april 2023 at 08:05 News published onand distributed by: Canadian Diplomats Prioritize Mining at the Expense of Human Rights, Legal Experts Tell the UN OTTAWA, ON, April 5, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, corporate accountability experts sent a 30-page submission to the UN Human Rights Council ahead of its April 2023 Universal Periodic Review of Canada, denouncing Canada for its continued diplomatic support of mining companies over the safety of human rights and environment defenders (HRDs). The submission draws on five well-documented case studies from Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, and Ecuador to illustrate key themes that define Canada's diplomatic approach to mining conflicts abroad. Among the studies cited, in Mexico, the unconditional support of the Canadian Embassy for Blackfire Exploration is believed to have put the life of environment defender Mariano Abarca at greater risk in the months before his murder in November 2009. In Ecuador, in 2021, the Canadian Ambassador denied appeals for support from the president of the Shuar Arutam People, Josefina Tunki, after Tunki allegedly received death threats from the VP for Operations of Canadian company Solaris Resources as a result of her people's opposition to the company's copper project. The submission, authored by the Justice and Corporate Accountability Project (JCAP) with support from MiningWatch Canada, is endorsed by 27 Canadian civil society organizations and 39 professors, lawyers, and legal scholars. The Universal Periodic Review Working Group of the UN Human Rights Council will review Canada's compliance with its human rights commitments, and make specific recommendations with the onus on Canada to implement changes. "We have found that Canadian embassies continue to provide significant support for Canadian mining companies despite being aware of serious and credible allegations of human and environmental rights violations," says Charis Kamphuis, TRU law professor and JCAP board member. "The Universal Periodic Review is a crucial opportunity to shine the spotlight on Canada and reveal the massive gulf between Canada's domestic and international human rights commitments, and the actions and omissions of Canadian officials who consistently ignore the concerns of affected communities and the risks to defenders. In some cases, Canadian officials have taken steps to undermine communities' efforts to defend their rights and access justice." The submission explores ongoing problems with Canada's Voices at Risk Guidelines on supporting human rights defenders, a set of guidelines that specify how Canadian embassies and other officials should support HRDs, including Canadian HRDs, and promote responsible conduct on the part of Canadian companies operating abroad. The submission identifies specific policy failures, including a lack of clarity regarding the concrete obligations of Canadian officials, lack of reporting and transparency on how the guidelines are implemented, and lack of independent oversight to ensure compliance. "At the same time that Canadian embassy officials make considerable efforts to promote Canadian mining interests abroad putting defenders at greater risk, the Canadian government has failed to ensure even a modicum of accountability for those responsible for devastating harms," says Viviana Herrera, Latin America Program Coordinator for MiningWatch Canada. "We're asking the Working Group to make strong recommendations to Canada to finally square its actions with its commitments when it comes to state and corporate accountability." JCAP makes the following recommendations to the Working Group in its submission: Recommend that Canada reform its policy and legal approach to economic diplomacy and HRDs abroad to an approach that can ensure that the actions of Canadian officials comply with Canada's international human and environmental rights obligations. Recommend that such reforms be developed only after a fulsome and meaningful process of civil society engagement. This should include HRDs, Indigenous peoples, communities, and groups who are directly affected by industrial resource extraction abroad, with the support of the Canadian government and diplomatic missions. Recommend that Canada conduct a comprehensive review of the failures of Canadian officials to uphold Canada's international human and environmental rights obligations in the four case studies cited in this report. This review should identify the appropriate remedies owed to any individuals who were harmed directly or indirectly by Canada's actions. SOURCE Justice and Corporate Accountability Project (JCAP) 5 april 2023 at 08:30 News published onand distributed by: Assent's New 2022 Sustainability Report Demonstrates Progress Toward Deep Sustainability Assent Inc. (Assent), a leader in supply chain sustainability management, released its annual sustainability report, which summarizes the latest achievements of its economic, environmental, and social (ESG) performance. The 2022 report, titled "Assent's Journey to Deep Sustainability: Charting the Course Internally & Externally," demonstrates Assent's progress toward maturing its ESG program to achieve deep sustainability. In 2022, Assent made progress and strengthened its ESG commitments, responding to new industry demands for more transparency and accountability. Most significantly, the company became the only North American software company to hold both B Corp Certification and "Advanced Status" with the United Nations Global Compact. Over the last year, Assent delivered notable ESG performance, leading by example, as the company continues to guide manufacturers on their journeys to deep sustainability across their supply chains. Areas of focus included governance, environmental impact, DE&I and employment practices. The company also amplified privacy and data security, customer experience and continued to innovate by delivering a complete ESG solution for manufacturers. Assent also identified the company's most material sustainability topics and established new ESG governance to oversee progress in those areas. This included creating a new Executive Sustainability Committee to create executive-level ownership and accountability for Assent's sustainability impacts. Assent also created a new role of Corporate Sustainability Program Manager to implement and track the company's actions and progress toward its ESG program goals and targets, which will be set in 2023. Like many of the complex manufacturing clients Assent works with, the majority of the company's climate impacts are located in the supply chain, not its direct operations. Assent made progress on this front with expanded data collection and reporting to include Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. This increased access to climate impact data will allow Assent to track and measure year-over-year change beginning in 2023. "Assent's purpose is to make deep sustainability possible for complex manufacturers and their global supply chains, and this report demonstrates our commitment to journey alongside them," said Andrew Waitman, CEO of Assent. "In 2022, we released our end-to-end ESG solution to help over 750 manufacturers meet and exceed evolving ESG standards and regulations. As we support them in their own path to deep sustainability, we are also leading by example by continually improving our own ESG performance. We are proud of the progress we made in 2022 and look forward to setting our ESG goals and targets in 2023." Assent's 2022 sustainability report highlights include: Achieving Unprecedented Impact Certifications : Became the first North American software company to achieve both B Corp Certification and "Advanced Status" with the United Nations Global Compact, signifying that the company meets the highest standards of social and environmental impact. : Became the first North American software company to achieve both B Corp Certification and "Advanced Status" with the United Nations Global Compact, signifying that the company meets the highest standards of social and environmental impact. Delivering Industry-Leading Product Innovation : Launched the first complete ESG solution that provides manufacturers with deeper supply chain insights and the ability to report on climate impact, human trafficking and slavery, labor rights, diversity and inclusion, human rights, and more. : Launched the first complete ESG solution that provides manufacturers with deeper supply chain insights and the ability to report on climate impact, human trafficking and slavery, labor rights, diversity and inclusion, human rights, and more. Expanding Supply Chain Greenhouse Gas Emissions Management : Reported Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions for the first time ever to transparently track and manage Assent's climate impacts in a hybrid global workplace. : Reported Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions for the first time ever to transparently track and manage Assent's climate impacts in a hybrid global workplace. Advancing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Based on employee feedback channels, continued to expand wellness and total rewards programs, including a uniquely flexible wellness reimbursement program and a global parental leave program with annual salary top-up for 12 weeks open to all parents. "In 2022, we identified our most material topics and created new levels of accountability for our sustainability impacts through our new Executive Sustainability Committee," said Sarah Carpenter, Director of Corporate Responsibility at Assent. "Our engagement with ESG is embedded across our organization like never before and our newest solutions and regulatory expertise are built to help manufacturers confidently do the same." Learn more and read the Assent 2022 Sustainability Report here. About Assent Inc. Assent is the supply chain sustainability management solution dedicated to helping complex manufacturers bring responsible products to the world. Because supply chains were never built with sustainability in mind, Assent goes deep: past the suppliers of parts, down to the parts of parts and beyond, to map the entire complex manufacturing genome. Shaped by regulatory experts, customers, and suppliers, Assent is the foundation for cross-enterprise sustainability. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, Assent employs more than 1,000 team members dedicated to customers across the globe. Assent reveals what's hidden, validates what's good, and helps eliminate unwanted surprises so the world's forward-thinking complex manufacturing companies can become more sustainable businesses. Learn more about deep sustainability ? from product compliance to ESG ? at assent.com or join us at Assent Careers. 5 april 2023 at 09:10 News published onand distributed by: GoNetspeed to Bring Future-Proof, 100 Percent Fiber Internet to Town of Seymour GoNetspeed today announced that residents and businesses throughout the Town of Seymour will soon have access to GoNetspeed's high-speed 100 percent fiber internet. Through GoNetspeed's privately funded $4.4 million investment in Seymour, more than 6,000 locations will have access to future-proof fiber internet as early as this summer with construction beginning this spring. Residents and businesses interested in GoNetspeed services may visit gonetspeed.com to indicate interest and receive construction updates. "As we continue to expand throughout the northeast, bringing our service to more communities, we are excited to add the Town of Seymour to our service area," Tom Perrone, Senior Vice President of Network Operations & General Manager of Connecticut. "As we've seen in recent years, there has been a growing need for reliable, fast internet that can support modern homes, businesses, and our everyday activities online. GoNetspeed understands the important role that high-speed internet plays in our daily lives, and we are excited to see the impact of our future-proof service in Seymour." GoNetspeed continues to ensure that more communities throughout Connecticut have access to a high-speed 100 percent fiber internet infrastructure. Currently, more than 30 communities across the state have access to GoNetspeed's service, along with many communities that are well on their way to having access to GoNetspeed's fiber internet. With a legacy of innovation and a commitment to customer service, GoNetspeed is excited to accelerate the expansion of its fiber networks throughout nine states, including Connecticut. GoNetspeed continues to deliver more fiber, more access, more speed, and better reliability to residents and businesses throughout our footprint. With access to 100 percent fiber internet, customers have access to symmetrical upload and download speeds, ranging from 500 Mbps to 1 Gbps (1,000 Mbps). Learn more about GoNetspeed at gonetspeed.com. About GoNetspeed: GoNetspeed, a high-speed 100 percent fiber internet provider serving residential and business customers in Maine, Alabama, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and West Virginia, formed a partnership with Oak Hill Capital ("Oak Hill") in January 2021, allowing GoNetspeed to accelerate the expansion of its fiber network throughout the Northeastern U.S. Adding thousands of new service areas every year, GoNetspeed is one of the largest independent internet providers in the east. For more information about GoNetspeed, or to inquire about service in your residence, business or community, visit gonetspeed.com. 5 april 2023 at 09:20 News published onand distributed by: Magellan Gold Enters Joint Venture Agreement With Gold Express Mines The Companies are targeting a high-grade underground resource at the bottom of the past-producing Clear Creek Mine pit. WALLACE, ID / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Magellan Gold Corporation (OTCQB:MAGE) ("Magellan" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that the company has entered into a Joint Venture Agreement with Gold Express mines on their Kris Project. The Kris Project is a high-grade underground target located in Plumus County, California. The property package at the Kris Project consists of 79 unpatented mining claims covering about 1580 acres that contain much of the best part of a 10-mile-long gold belt that historically produced over 250,000 ounces of gold from the 1850s to the 1940s. Project logistics are excellent with abundant Forest Service roads and past drill roads. The Project lies very near paved highway, and a few miles to rail siding, and power lines. The Company is targeting a high-grade underground resource at the bottom of the past-producing Clear Creek Mine pit. Surface sampling suggests a mineralized zone 1500' long and 30' wide and unknown depth. Many other similar targets are indicated along the 10-mile-long thrust fault zone. Mineralization is a classic orogenic thrust fault-related or Mother Lode-type deposit with excellent potential for ore-grade mineral to extend thousands of feet below the historical production from the open pit. The newly acquired properties fit perfectly with the Company's focus to acquire, explore, and develop early to mid-stage exploration targets or near-term production plays. The Company continues to remain focused in the State of Idaho and to leverage current managements many years of experience in the mining industry in the state. In the near future the Company will be speaking more specifically about each of the new property acquisitions, and we look forward to updating our current shareholders and the investing public about these new acquisitions and our Center Star Mine project as well. "The Kris Project represents a tremendous opportunity for Magellan Gold's shareholders", said Mike Lavigne, Magellan Gold's CEO. "The Kris Project is a great example of the type of near-term production potential properties we are seeking to add to our portfolio", he further stated. Mr. John Ryan, CEO and President of Gold Express Mines, said, "We are pleased to be teaming up with Magellan Gold to move the exploration and development of the Kris Project forward" He also stated, "The Kris Project offers a high-grade target in a proven past-producing area with significant upside potential". About Magellan Gold Corporation Magellan Gold Corporation (MAGE) is focused on the exploration and development of precious metals in North America and more specifically the Western United States. Magellan controls six projects: The Center Star Gold Mine, Golden, Idaho Project, Seafoam District, Blacktail District, Bit-It Project, and Terror Gulch (Capparelli Group), all located within the State of Idaho. To learn more about Magellan Gold Corporation, visit www.magellangoldcorp.com. About Gold Express Mines, Inc. Gold Express Mines is a US-based, multi-commodity mining company focused on the discovery, development and production of precious and base metal assets and focused on historic mining districts and other known mineralized areas. Gold Express Mines prioritizes sustainability in its operations. We will utilize best practices to ensure that the economic, social and environmental impacts of our projects are in harmony with the goals and desires of the local towns, regions, and indigenous organizations where we operate. Our aim is to be a part of a new era of low-impact, socially responsible mining which provides an abundance of newly mined metals critical to our nation's security, economic growth, and reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. Cautionary Statement The United States Securities and Exchange Commission permits mining companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only those mineral deposits that a company can legally extract or produce. Under SEC Industry Guide 7 standards, a "final" or "bankable" feasibility study is required to report reserves. Currently we have not delineated "reserves" on any of our properties. We cannot be certain that any deposits at our properties will ever be confirmed or converted into SEC Industry Guide 7 compliant "reserves." Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of any "resource" estimates will ever be confirmed or converted into reserves or that they can be economically or legally extracted. Forward Looking Statements This release contains "forward-looking statements." Such statements are based on good faith assumptions that Magellan Gold Corporation believes are reasonable but which are subject to a wide range of uncertainties and business risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from those anticipated are discussed in Magellan Gold Corporation's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Contacts: Magellan Gold Corporation Mike Lavigne, CEO [email protected] SOURCE: Magellan Gold Corporation 5 april 2023 at 10:00 View source version on accesswire.com:News published onand distributed by: The Coca-Cola Foundation Supports The Water Trust to Advance Sustainable Water in Uganda KAMPALA, Uganda, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Water Trust Executive Director Chris Prottas has today announced funding from The Coca-Cola Foundation that supports a project to accelerate and support access to sustainable water for more than 54,000 people in Kiryandongo district, Uganda. The project commits to rehabilitate 40 broken down borehole wells, and to establish 180 savings and credit cooperatives, referred to as self-help groups, that will maintain a total of 180 wells, ensuring funds are available for essential maintenance to keep water flowing for years to come. In addition to establishing sustainable access to clean water, the project will provide rural households access to savings and credit, as well as and training to build critical hygiene and sanitation facilities in their homes. Martin Jacan Gwokto, the Chief Administrative Officer of Kiryandongo District, expressed his appreciation for the initiative. "Clean and safe water reduces cases of diseases, saves money that would have been used on treatment, and allows community members to do productive work and earn a living," said Gwokto. "Currently the district has over 187 dysfunctional water points which account for close to 20 percent of the total number of water points in the district, leading to billions of shillings put to waste. This is attributed to the fact that over the years, communities have developed a dependency mindset where less effort is put towards the operation and maintenance of water points. Once broken, such water points are abandoned until the next new source is put in place. Continuous drilling of new boreholes is detrimental to the [groundwater] potential." "This project will be a magic bullet to change behaviors in the communities and provide a good boost to the district. I am grateful to The Coca-Cola Foundation and The Water Trust for this initiative which will not only restore 40 dysfunctional water points, but also build communities' capacities to ensure the sustainability of these sources. As a district, we welcome and appreciate this project and pledge to give our maximum support to ensure its successful execution." This project follows an evaluation of water point functionality in rural Uganda which found significantly higher water point functionality and sustainability where a self-help group had been trained to finance repairs. The survey, which covered 4,862 publicly-accessible water points in western Uganda, found that just 58 percent to 67 percent of water points without a self-help group had any water available at the time of the survey. Of the 744 water points with a self-help group in Masindi and Kiryandongo districts, 92 percent to 96 percent had water available. In 2023, the project, made possible with grant support of $400,000 from The Coca-Cola Foundation, will target Kiryandongo district, where only 51 percent of water points were found to be fully functional and free of any evident mechanical issues. The project aims to ensure every functional public borehole well has a trained, active self-help group to support its management and ensure long-term functionality. "We are thrilled to receive support from a foundation that has taken such a thoughtful approach to advancing water sustainability," said Prottas. "With The Coca-Cola Foundation's help, every viable borehole well in Kiryandongo district will have a self-help group to ensure its sustainability by the end of the year, creating a model district that we plan to replicate in southern Uganda in the years ahead." "Sustainable access to safe water is a priority for The Coca-Cola Foundation, and it's clear self-help groups can play a transformative role in building local capacity for effective water stewardship and long-term success," said The Coca-Cola Foundation President, Saadia Madsbjerg. About The Water Trust The Water Trust is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the poorest rural communities to provide their children clean, sustainable water, and healthy, hygienic homes. Founded in 2008, The Water Trust has helped more than 300,000 people in rural Uganda to gain access to water, sanitation, and hygiene. The Water Trust aims to help more than one million people in East Africa to gain sustainable access to clean water by 2025, and has enjoyed support from leading funding agencies and foundations, including but not limited to The World Bank, the United States Agency for International Development, charity: water, Deerfield Foundation, Vibrant Village Foundation, and The Water Project. For more information about The Water Trust, visit www.watertrust.org. About the Coca-Cola Foundation The Coca-Cola Foundation is Coca-Cola's primary international philanthropic arm. Since its inception in 1984, The Foundation has awarded more than $1.4 billion in grants to support sustainable community initiatives around the world. For further information about The Coca-Cola Foundation, log on to: www.coca-colacompany.com. SOURCE The Water Trust 5 april 2023 at 11:00 News published onand distributed by: Loblaw Companies Limited Announces the Timing of the First Quarter 2023 Earnings Release and Annual Meeting of Shareholders BRAMPTON, ON, April 5, 2023 /CNW/ - Loblaw Companies Limited (TSX: L) announced today that it will release its first quarter 2023 results on May 3, 2023, at approximately 6:30 a.m. (EDT). The release will be followed by a conference call at 10:00 a.m. (EDT), as well as an audio webcast. To access Loblaw's first quarter conference call, please dial (416) 764-8688 or (888) 390-0546. The playback will be made available approximately two hours after the event at (416) 764-8677 or (888) 390-0541, access code: 498499 #. To access via audio webcast please go to the "Investor" section of loblaw.ca. Pre-registration will be available. This year the Loblaw Companies Limited Annual Meeting of Shareholders will be held on May 4, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. (EDT). The meeting will be held as a virtual meeting, by way of a live webcast. Shareholders will be able to listen, participate and vote at the meeting in real time, online at https://web.lumiagm.com/290698688 (meeting password: loblaw2023). To access audio-conference please dial (416) 764-8688 or (888) 390-0546. The audio playback will be made available approximately two hours after the event at (416) 764-8677 or (888) 390-0541, access code: 001826#. About Loblaw Companies Limited Loblaw is Canada's food and pharmacy leader, and the nation's largest retailer. Loblaw provides Canadians with grocery, pharmacy, health and beauty, apparel, general merchandise, financial services and wireless mobile products and services. With more than 2,400 corporate, franchised and Associate-owned locations, Loblaw, its franchisees and Associate-owners employ more than 190,000 full- and part-time employees, making it one of Canada's largest private sector employers. Loblaw's purpose ? Live Life Well ? puts first the needs and well-being of Canadians who make one billion transactions annually in the company's stores. Loblaw is positioned to meet and exceed those needs in many ways: convenient locations; more than 1,050 grocery stores that span the value spectrum from discount to specialty; full-service pharmacies at nearly 1,400 Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix locations and close to 500 Loblaw locations; PC Financial services; affordable Joe Fresh fashion and family apparel; and four of Canada's top-consumer brands in Life Brand, Farmer's MarketTM, no name and President's Choice. For more information, visit Loblaw's website at www.loblaw.ca and Loblaw's issuer profile at www.sedar.com. SOURCE Loblaw Companies Limited 5 april 2023 at 11:03 News published onand distributed by: From now on, it will be possible to travel from Artsakh to Armenia in case of urgent need. Artsakh Minister of State Gurgen Nersisyan wrote about this on Facebook. April 5, 2023, 13:10 From now on travel from Artsakh to Armenia will be possible only for highly essential cases. State Minister STEPANAKERT, APRIL 5 , ARTSAKHPRESS: From now on, traveling from Artsakh to Armenia will be possible only in highly essential cases and exclusively through applying in advance to the Center for Cooperation with the Russian Peacekeeping Contingent and with their permission. Since Azerbaijans blockade of the only road linking Artsakh with Armenia, the Armenians of Artsakh were deprived for a long time of the possibility to travel to Armenia from Artsakh. Taking into account the constantly arising problems in people's lives: death of a relative, funeral in Armenia, split familiessevere illness, surgery of a family member in Armenia etc./and the increase in tension, in recent days Russian peacekeepers have started to periodically transfer from Artsakh to Armenia people facing such problems. In order to keep the abovementioned process under control and protect our citizens from possible Azerbaijani provocations in the blockaded part of the road, from now on it will be possible to travel from Artsakh to Armenia only in highly essential cases, naturally through the Russian peacekeepers, exclusively by applying in advance to the Center for Cooperation with the Russian peacekeeping contingent and with their permission. Regarding people with health issues requiring medical attention, their transfer to Armenia will be organized through the Artsakh representation of the International Committee of the Red Cross, with recommendation of the healthcare ministry of Artsakh. "At the same time, we inform that the news about the evacuation of Artsakh residents by Russian peacekeepers or the transfer of a large number of Artsakh residents to the Republic of Armenia are untrue, they are another manifestation of Azerbaijani information attacks," Artsakh Minister of State wrote. A group of 40 migrants on a makeshift boat off the coast of Lampedusa, Italy, February 21, 2023. XIMENA BORRAZAS / SOPA IMAGES / SIPA USA Three-meter waves, gusts of wind, and, stranded on an uninhabited rock of 200 meters by 180 meters, 32 people, including a baby, who were trying to reach Europe through the Sicilian channel. The bad weather almost swallowed the makeshift boat that was carrying them. On Monday, April 3, an Italian Coast Guard helicopter rescued the small group on the island of Lampione. Having left Tunisia and originating from West Africa, the migrants were gradually disembarked on the tarmac of the Lampedusa airport, under the stunned gaze of the travelers. On this tourist island populated by 6,000, the residents have lost the habit of seeing migrant survivors. Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes Invisible migrants in Lampedusa exploited by Italy's far right 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 ? Most of the time, coast guards disembark those rescued at sea on a military quay of the port. From a distance, observers can only see the golden glitter of the survival blankets in which migrants are wrapped before being escorted to the "hot spot" nestled in a small valley in the middle of the island which is protected by fences, police and the military. These conditions were at the center of the condemnation of Italy, on March 30, by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Seized by four Tunisians who landed on the island in 2017, the ECHR found that their detention was lacking a "clear and accessible legal basis," which had prevented them from challenging it in court. Barefoot More than 400 migrants are currently kept in this closed center which has a maximum capacity of 350, forcing many to sleep outside before being gradually transferred off the island. On Sunday, more than 170 boarded a ferry to Porto Empedocle, in southern Sicily. When meeting them on the pier, some were barefoot. One man, who celebrated his 28th birthday that day, said he had left Sfax and had no destination in mind. Another, aged 43, worried about whether it was true that "there is no more room in Italy," while a young couple whose wife is seven months pregnant explained that they had left because "there is no work in Tunisia." The police quickly intervened to forbid any exchange from happening with the media. In Lampedusa, history repeats itself. Since the beginning of the year, more than 27,000 have reached Italy by sea, mostly via this island of 20 km2 and located about 100 km east of the Tunisian coast and referred to as the "gateway to Europe." Flows are up by 400% compared to the same period in 2022 and by more than 900% on the Tunisian corridor alone. Tunisia has become the leading country of departure for boats, ahead of Libya. With increasingly good weather, arrivals this year could exceed the record of 180,000 reached in 2016. The majority of the crossings are aboard hastily welded iron boats, which are less expensive but more uncertain in stability than wooden boats. You have 70.3% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. People carry giant Ukrainian and Lithuanian flags to protest against the Russian invasion of Ukraine during a celebration of Lithuania's independence in Vilnius, Lithuania, on March 11, 2023. MINDAUGAS KULBIS / AP After weeks of procrastination, Lithuanian MPs passed by a large majority on Tuesday, April 4, a series of amendments to tighten sanctions against citizens from Russia and, in some cases, Belarus. The adopted bills restrict the right of Russians to apply for Lithuanian citizenship and prohibit them from buying real estate in the country for one year. In the end, these provisions were lifted for Belarusian nationals. In the same spirit, Vilnius will no longer accept visa applications from Russian and Belarusian citizens, except in exceptional cases. Applications for temporary residence permits for Russians are suspended until mid-April 2024. Lithuania has demonstrated that it is among the leading nations that are uncompromising with respect to the attacks on Ukraine, both in its stance against the Russian government and in the fact that it has received 75,000 Ukrainian refugees since February 2022, 42,000 of whom have been granted temporary residence permits. This is a significant number for a country of 2.7 million people. But, so far at least, the small Baltic state is also a host country for many Russian and Belarusian refugees, some of whom fled their countries long before the invasion of Ukraine. Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes Over Lithuania, French Rafale fighters cross paths with Russian aircraft 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 ? Initially, the tightening of sanctions was to affect citizens of both countries equally, an approach justified by the fact that the Russian offensive on February 24, 2022, was partly conducted from Belarus, where many of Moscow's troops are still stationed. But protests especially from the Belarusian opposition in exile who settled in Vilnius after the fraudulent re-election of Alexander Lukashenko in August 2020 and the fierce repression that followed convinced MPs to compromise. "The most important thing is that the restrictions on Belarusians already living in Lithuania have been lifted," said Franak Viacorka, an adviser to Svetlana Tsikhanovskaya, leader of the Belarusian democratic opposition. "It is useless and counterproductive to punish Belarusians, the vast majority of whom do not support the war. It would only help Lukashenko, who wants to isolate the country." According to Viacorka, it was essential to make a distinction between Russians and Belarusians. "That the European Union puts them in the same basket creates a negative perception and this is what Putin wants, that the two countries be one and the same entity." Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes Svetlana Tsikhanovskaya: 'Dissociating Belarus from Ukraine is a mistake' 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 ? 'Symbolic demonstration' "Most of the Russians and Belarusians who arrived in 2022 are opponents of the regimes in Moscow and Minsk," said Dovile Jakniunaite, a professor of international relations at Vilnius University. "For me, these bills were originally much too restrictive. Especially since in general, it is very hard to get Lithuanian citizenship anyway." Applicants have to live in the country for at least 10 years with a permanent residence permit, pass a language exam and a test on the Lithuanian Constitution and renounce their original nationality. You have 28.52% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. Chinese President Xi Jinping before a meeting with Emmanuel Macron at the G20 in Bali, Indonesia, on November 15, 2022. LUDOVIC MARIN / AFP France will have three days to "reconnect" with China, after three years of its zero-Covid policy and despite Beijing's increasing benevolence to Russia in the context of the war in Ukraine. This is how the Elysee Palace characterized the stakes and difficulty of President Emmanuel Macron's visit to China, which begins on Wednesday, April 5. He will meet with President Xi Jinping on Thursday in Beijing and on Friday during a stopover in Canton. The French leader has not visited China since November 2019 before Covid-19. Since then, everything has changed between Beijing and Western countries due to the paralysis of trade caused by the pandemic and the increase in disputes including over China's treatment of Uyghurs and above all the return of war in Europe. Macron, who is eager to represent the European continent, will be accompanied in one of the meetings with Xi by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. A speech she made on Thursday, March 30, reflected the current hardening of the European Union (EU) vis-a-vis Beijing: "How China interacts with Putin's war will be a determining factor for EU-China relations," she said. Thanks to its "no limits friendship" with Russia, China now has a degree of influence over European security, as shown by President Xi's recent visit to Moscow. Ukraine's Western allies, starting with the US, fear that Beijing will deliver lethal weapons to Moscow, at a time of bogged-down fighting on Ukrainian territory. The French president's entourage has said it would be a "disastrous" prospect for China to "tip over into the war camp." 'The only country capable of influencing Russia's choices' In Bali during the G20 summit in November 2022, Macron was still hoping that Xi could act as a "mediator" to try to find a resolution to the war. The tone is now less proactive, even if the Russian invasion of its neighbor should be at the forefront of discussions. In Paris, it is believed that China is "the only country capable of influencing Russia's choices." It is also hoped that Xi will agree to respond to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has been pressing him to agree to a discussion but so far in vain. "It is clear from the visit [of Xi to Moscow] that China sees Putin's weakness as a way to increase its leverage over Russia. And it is clear that the balance of power in this relationship which for most of the last century favored Russia has now reversed," von der Leyen said on Thursday. "We must continue to push so that China can try to gently influence Russia toward a way out of the crisis," said an adviser to Macron. However, he added that "the resolution plan" presented by Beijing on February 24, one year after the start of the war, "is not a peace plan" since it does not require the withdrawal of Russian troops. You have 64.09% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. Tunisian activist Chaima Issa, Tunis, January 24, 2023. JIHED ABIDELLAOUI / REUTERS The night fell in front of the closed doors of the women's prison of Manouba, in the western suburbs of Tunis. A few dozen people had gathered on Monday, April 3, to express their support for activist Chaima Issa, who has been detained for over a month. "Freedom, freedom! No more police state!" chanted activists, lawyers and families of prisoners gathered as a sign of solidarity to break their daily Ramadan fast. The case began on February 11, when security forces apprehended pro-democracy activist Khayam Turki, founder of the think tank Joussour. In the days that followed, Noureddine Boutar, director of the private radio station Mosaique FM, and several political figures were arrested. Issa, a member of the National Salvation Front (FSN), the main opposition coalition to President Kais Saied, was among them. After more than 36 hours of hearings, the investigating judge of the Judicial Pole for the Fight against Terrorism made a decision. Like the seven defendants questioned before her on February 25, Issa was placed in pre-trial detention pending her trial for "conspiring against state security," becoming the first woman political prisoner under the regime of Saied. A 'Hollywood' arrest Sitting on a chair placed against the wall facing the judge's office and surrounded by her lawyers, the 43-year-old activist refused to be intimidated. "This is Tunisia? This is the Tunisia where we studied, you and me? This is the Tunisia we dreamed of?" she said at the end of a long tirade filmed discreetly, part of which was broadcast on social media. "She made everyone cry. Even the judge had tears in his eyes," said Dalila Ben Mbarek Msaddek, one of her lawyers. "Just as he was going to issue the detention warrant, we all stood up. I told him: 'You have just detained seven men, at least let Chaima free.'" But there was nothing to be done, the judge had made his decision: the activist would spend the night in prison. "She was downcast, she took her head in her hands, eyes downcast," the lawyer described the scene. The Association of Tunisian Magistrates denounces "unprecedented pressure" on the judicial system Since Saied's coup on July 25, 2021, the judiciary has gradually been placed under the direct control of the government and the Ministry of Justice, after the dissolution of the Supreme Council of the Magistracy in February 2022 and the dismissal of 57 judges in June. Regarding the recent wave of arrests which also affected two judges the Tunisian president warned: "Anyone who clears them becomes their accomplice." These words were strongly criticized by the Association of Tunisian Magistrates, which denounced "unprecedented pressure" on the judicial system. Meanwhile, the prosecution still refuses to speak officially on the subject. Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes Tunisia criminalizes contacts with Western diplomats 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 ? During her hearing before the judge, Issa described her arrest on February 22 as "Hollywood." "There were police everywhere, they blocked the road on all sides. I quickly understood that it was not a simple identity check," her sister, Khadija Issa, who was in the activist's car when she was arrested, told Le Monde. "Chaima just had time to call [the lawyer] Samir Dilou to inform him of the situation." Escorted by police officers, Issa left the judge's chambers smiling, raising her fist and singing the national anthem with her lawyers, before being taken to the women's prison. On March 30, the indictment division upheld the decision of the investigating judge and denied her request for release, as it did for the other opponents. Legally, she can be held for 14 months without trial. 'Free spirit' A Ph.D. in sociology, poet, writer and journalist, Issa studied comparative religions at Zitouna University, before pursuing her academic career in France. In 2014, she ran unsuccessfully in the legislative elections. The defeat did not prevent her from lobbying MPs in favor of women's rights, and trying to bring together groups divided between Islamists and anti-Islamists. Saida Ounissi, member of Ennahda, former MP and minister, remembered a "free spirit who didn't put up barriers, even if she didn't agree with certain positions." "She's not sectarian and has no prejudices," confirmed Boshra Belhaj Hmida, former president of the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women (ATFD), and former MP Nidaa Tounes, the party created by former president Beji Caid Essebsi in 2012 to counter the Islamists. In 2020, Issa was appointed to the Ministry of Women and the Family, and in the same year published Gender, Feminism and Religion (Karem Sherif, in Arabic). Immediately after the 2021 coup by Saied, she spoke out publicly against the exceptional measures announced by the president. To the point of becoming one of the spokespersons of the protest with the initiative "Citizens against the coup d'etat," then within the FSN, where she "is our muse, in a way," according to former MP Saida Ounissi. In January, the activist was accused of inciting the Tunisian army to mutiny In January, the activist, herself the daughter of a member of the Islamic Tendency Movement (the former name of Ennahda) imprisoned for her political positions in the early 1990s, was accused of inciting the Tunisian army to mutiny. She is being prosecuted by the military court for a media statement based on a controversial new law that officially aims to fight cybercrime, but poses a significant threat to freedom of expression. In prison, Issa can receive visits from her close family and her lawyers. They all describe her as a woman of high morale, despite the ordeals. Her 20-year-old son Jaza Sherif does not intend to give up either. "She is very strong and this is not the time to cry. We will continue the fight until her release," he promised. Monia Ben Hamadi Translation of an original article published in French on lemonde.fr; the publisher may only be liable for the French version. A COUNCILLOR has severely criticised plans to house 22 Ukrainian refugees in an old bank premises. The landmark former Bank of Ireland building in Askeaton has been purchased by council. At this months meeting, a resolution was passed which states the complex will house refugees for two years before becoming a facility for a community enterprise building. But Fine Gaels Adam Teskey says putting those fleeing war in the facility is not in keeping with the town and lacks any sense of forward planning" from council. Hes pledged to fight the plans. Locally, the town does not have an adequate sewerage system which has prevented many individuals from investing in the town. Resources across a wide spectrum from policing to medical needs are currently over-stretched and in need of support, he added, insisting he is not against the arrival of refugees, but conscious of the pressures the town is under. Councillor Teskey, who is the deputy leader of the Adare/Rathkeale district, added: The local authority should be committed to sustaining and promoting what is left of our commercial buildings, not turning them into temporary accommodation units. I cannot support such a move to have this prime building turned into a multi-occupation unit. To me, it goes against the economic needs of the area. I will not turn my back on the people of Askeaton, he said. His comments put him at odds with his Fine Gael colleague and district leader, Cllr Stephen Keary. For it was his motion that was passed which sought the two-year stay for Ukrainian refugees. "How can you put a suggested end time to this situation when we dont know what the outcome will be, Cllr Teskey asked, referring to Russias invasion of Ukraine. Its going to take years to rebuild Ukraine after its been bombarded, and we are trying to set in stone a two year date? Its not realistic. In a statement, council confirmed the building will be used for self-catering accommodation of Ukrainian refugees on a two-year contract. It will shortly begin a feasibility study to consider any potential use after that. Last weeks meeting saw Cllr Kearys motion widely supported, with only Cllr Teskey speaking out against it. Veteran councillor Kevin Sheahan, who lives in Askeaton, said the community council are in support of housing the Ukrainians. He added: I am adamant Askeaton would be identified as a welcoming community. Its been a tradition that when strangers came in, they were welcomed. THE Bishop of Limerick Brendan Leahy says a special ceremony to celebrate the first Limerick group to its Lay Ministry programme is a positive signpost to the future of the Church. He was speaking ahead of this Wednesday nights Chrism Mass the commencement of Easter celebrations when 21 lay people will have their sending forth ceremony at St Johns Cathedral, Bishop Leahy said the timing of this celebration is strongly symbolic. The Church is embarking on a new journey in terms of ministry, a journey that brings hope, just like Easter offers us the hope of the Resurrection. Easter is the great dawn, the moment when we can begin again, seeing things with new eyes and thats very much in keeping with the completion of the first round of our Lay Ministry Lay Pastoral Ministry and Leadership programmes, said Bishop Leahy. We are starting something new, something good that is going to enrich our Church. The 21 lay people have completed the programme of Formation in Lay Ministry and Leadership, which has been run in conjunction with the Institute of Pastoral Studies at Mary Immaculate College. The programme ran over 30 months and covered elements of personal development, pastoral experience, academic learning and spiritual development. The voluntary roles the lay leaders will be taking up will include involvement in local parish initiatives, such as assisting in sacramental preparation, leading opportunities to pray with scripture, develop music ministry, provide funeral team ministry and bereavement support. Others will be engaged in activities beyond the local parish, including generating further awareness around our responsibilities in the environmental crisis, assisting in Cuan Mhuire Addiction Centre or with the GROW Mental Health organization, providing catechesis to children. Some will also have involvement in creative ways of evangelizing through the Alpha Programme, which provides tools, training, and resources to bring about renewal in the church in Ireland, or by developing small Christian Communities. There is also an awareness of issues around social justice and some participants will provide outreach to Ukrainian refugees while another is working as a Trocaire volunteer. Also this week, on Holy Thursday evening, Bishop Leahy will travel to the Cuan Mhuire Addiction, Bruree, to celebrate the Lords Supper. On Good Friday Bishop Leahy will join a public ecumenical ritual of carrying a large Cross in solemn pilgrimage through the streets of Limerick starting from St. Johns Cathedral at 12 noon and going to St. Marys Cathedral. There will be six stations along the way at each one of which prayers will be said for those for whom Jesus Christ had a particular love, the sick, those on the margins of society, the bereaved, prisoners, those in despair, and the young. Anyone who is taking part in the pilgrimage will be able to carry the cross, if they wish, for a part of the walk. Bishop Leahy will then preside at the Passion of the Lord commemoration in St. Josephs Church at 3pm. He will celebrate the Easter Vigil at 9pm in St Johns Cathedral while on Easter Sunday morning he will celebrate Mass in Limerick Prison. UNIVERSITY of Limerick has received a prestigious award after demonstrating deep-rooted commitment to ensure gender equality. As the first institution in Ireland to receive the Athena Swan Silver Award, UL has been recognised as a leader in embedding gender equality. The Kemmy Business School (KBS) at UL is also to receive a Silver Faculty Athena Swan Award, the first business school in Ireland to do so, marking ongoing efforts in achieving equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Part of a global framework, The Athena Swan Ireland charter is used to support and transform gender equality and to build capacity for evidenced-based equality work across the equality grounds enshrined in legislation within higher education and research. In 2015, UL was one of the first institutions in Ireland to achieve an Athena Swan Bronze Institution Award and established the office of Human Rights and Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (HREDI) in 2021. A crucial priority for UL was to address the acknowledged negative impact on female careers of career interruptions for caring reasons. As part of the Athena Swan process, a Research Grant for Returning Academic Carers was introduced to help academic staff re-establish their independent research careers on returning from extended leave. To date, 73 grants have been availed of at a cost of over 1.5 million. While the grant is available to all carers, only females have availed of it to date. Advance HE, which administers the awards on behalf of the sector, said UL had demonstrated real impact in ensuring more female academics and staff had been able to progress and achieve promotion within the institution. Advance HE's Head of Athena Swan Ireland, Sarah Fink, stated: University of Limerick has shown a deep-rooted commitment to delivering gender equality and that is shown in the comprehensive review it has conducted into the way it recruits and promotes its staff. As a result, in the last three years, its number of female Associate Professors has more than doubled while its number of female Professors has increased by a third. Together with its appointment in 2021 of Irelands first female university president, the university has clearly demonstrated to us the transformational impact it is having as a result of its steps to addressing gender inequality," she added. UL President, Professor Kerstin Mey, said the institution has always considered gender equality and broader equality, diversity, and inclusion issues as a key priority. As not only President of this wonderful institution but also as chairperson of the Athena Swan EDI Steering Committee I am exceptionally proud that our institution has been recognised as a leader in embedding gender equality and the broader EDI agenda in the sector, Professor Mey said. I am however not surprised as UL has always led the way in pursuit of gender equality as is evident in my own appointment as the first woman president of an Irish university in 2020, she added. Professor Mey concluded: I am personally committed to fully integrating Human Rights, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion into our structures, actions, and culture and to dedicating resources to achieve this end. My vision for UL is to rebalance social progress within environmental constraints and become a truly egalitarian university. A DRUNKEN swimmer from Limerick, who sparked a Coast Guard rescue effort that included a helicopter being dispatched to Lough Derg, refused to get into the first rescue boat that went to his aid, a court has heard. At Killaloe District Court sitting in Ennis, Sergeant Aiden Lonergan explained how on August 13 last a member of the public reported that Limerick man Simon Casey was in distress while swimming in the water at Twomilegate on Lough Derg. Sgt Lonergan said a rescue effort was luanched and that a rescue boat, the Shannon-based Coast Guard helicopter and an ambulance were dispatched to the scene. He said Garda David Burke, who attended the scene, spotted the 42-year-old father of six, 150 metres from shore. He didnt appear to be moving very fast and there was a lot of splashing from his arms. Sgt Lonergan stated that Garda Darren McLoughlin boarded a boat with a member of the public and went towards Mr Casey, who has an address at Clonlong, Southhill, Limerick to offer assistance but that Mr Casey refused to board the boat. The court heard that on arrival of the Coast Guard boat, Mr Casey was rescued from the water and returned to the shore. Sgt Lonergan stated that when spoken to by gardai on the shore, Mr Casey had slurred speech and was clearly intoxicated to the extent that he was a danger to himself and to others. Mr Casey was taken home in the care of family members who were present. He was issued with a Fixed Notice Penalty Charge, under the Public Order Act, which was not paid. Sgt Lonergan stated that Mr Casey has 39 previous convictions including seven for being drunk in a public place. Commenting, Judge Alec Gabbott said Mr Casey had used up a significant use of public resources after being told of the helicopter and rescue boat call out. He imposed a fine of 200 for the Public Order charge of being intoxicated in a public place. Solicitor for Mr Casey, Tara Godfrey said that the public order charge was the only charge Mr Casey faced from the incident. She stated that it was a very hot day and that her client became over-emotional in the water. In relation to the rescue effort, Ms Godfrey said: He thought he was doing fine. In any event, he may not have been. She added that her client - who is not working - didnt receive the fine. He lives on a halting site, she said. Judge Gabbett said that Twomilegate on such a sunny day would be a very busy place and you should not be intoxicated. On 4 April, another flagrant violation of the rights of the citizens of Artsakh took place that indicates the true goals pursued by Azerbaijan, which has been holding the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic) under a complete blockade for more than 110 days. Artsakh Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement. April 5, 2023, 14:48 The inaction of the international community in the face of such serious violations of human rights is tantamount to tacit approval. MFA STEPANAKERT, APRIL 5 , ARTSAKHPRESS: ''The Azerbaijani side refused to let through the Lachin Corridor vehicles of the Russian Peacekeeping Contingent with citizens of Artsakh who remained in Armenia due to the blockade and were deprived of the opportunity to reunite with their families. The Azerbaijani side stopped the vehicles on the blocked section of the Lachin Corridor and for 5 hours subjected the people in the vehicles, mainly women, children and elderly persons, to psychological terror and intimidation. Subsequently, Azerbaijan made an attempt to turn the suffering of the people into a show of hypocritical pseudo-humanism. This egregious incident clearly demonstrates that the Azerbaijani authorities have embarked on the next level of practical implementation of their criminal plan to ethnically cleanse Artsakh and expel its people from their historical homeland. These intentions were publicly announced by the President of Azerbaijan on 10 January 2023, in an interview with the Azerbaijani media. Subsequently, the Azerbaijani political leadership repeatedly voiced the threat that the people of Artsakh should either obey the Armenophobic authorities of Azerbaijan or leave their homeland. In an environment of complete impunity, the criminal actions committed by Azerbaijan against the people of Artsakh are becoming increasingly threatening both in nature and scale. The inaction of the international community in the face of such serious violations of human rights is tantamount to tacit approval, if not complicity in the inhumane actions of official Baku. Immediate and decisive action by the United Nations Security Council, which has the appropriate mandate and tools, is an absolute necessity to immediately end the illegal blockade and stop the crimes of Azerbaijan against the people of Artsakh, which continue before the eyes of the international community.'' Jenny Schaben | New Mentorship Program Provides Guidance and Support for Lincoln University of Missouri School of Nursing Students The Mid-Missouri Black Nurses Association and Lincoln University of Missouri (LU) have entered a formal agreement aimed at supporting the success of future nurses during a signing ceremony on Monday, March 20. The Helen L. Monroe Mentorship Program will pair experienced nursing professionals with Lincoln University nursing students. LU School of Nursing Department Head Dr. Jennifer L. McCord stated, The nurse mentor will advise, support and guide the LU School of Nursing student and nurture the professional development of the student mentee, as well as their social and psychological development. Nurse mentors will also assist student mentees to clarify their education and career goals. Students will utilize the knowledge and insight gained from their mentor's shared personal experiences to develop strategies that will help them achieve their established goals. Mid-Missouri Black Nurses Association President Leana Mahaney told guests, The mission of the Mid-Missouri Black Nurses Association is to provide a forum to foster unification among minority nurses of various age groups and educational levels to ensure collaboration that results in improvement in patient care, our community and our profession. The Helen L. Monroe Mentorship Program has established a foundation of benefits and goals, with the main objective of providing opportunities for nursing students. Students will also cultivate supportive relationships and foster collaborations with local nurse leaders. Other ambitions of the program include facilitating conversations among mentor-mentee relationships, as well as teaching leadership skills. The Helen L. Monroe Mentorship Program was named in honor of the founder of the Lincoln University Nursing Program. The signing ceremony took place in Elliff Hall, where nursing classes take place on campus. We're so glad to have the family of Ms. Helen Monroe with us here today. It's amazing to see the location that we chose for this, President Moseley said, identifying the portrait of Helen L. Monroe in the entrance halls. The picture of Ms. Monroe looks over what will be a continuation of her impact at Lincoln University for years to come. President Moseley added the new mentorship program comes as the University prepares to expand the School of Nursing into a state-of-the-art Health and Security Sciences Institute near its current location. Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin also made an appearance, telling guests, On behalf of the City, I just want to offer our thanks to the Helen Monroe family and Lincoln University. Lets keep this going into the future. For more information on the Helen L. Monroe Mentorship Program, please contact Dr. Jennifer McCord at mccordj@lincolnu.edu. Mumbai: Delhi Metro Rail Corp. (DMRC) has written to the Centre and Delhi government, its shareholders, urging them to provide subordinate debt to repay the dues to Reliance Infrastructure, as directed by Delhi High court in a recent order. Mint has reviewed a copy of the letter dated 28 March. Reliance Infrastructure unit Delhi Airport Metro Express had moved the HC to recover unpaid arbitral award dues of 7,200 crore from DMRC. Until now, DMRC has made repeated requests to the union and Delhi governments to provide interest free subordinate debt to liquidate its liability and pay the arbitral award to Delhi Airport Metro Express. On 17 March, Justice Yashwant Varma directed the Centre and Delhi government to immediately address DMRCs request for extending sovereign guarantee or interest-free debt. The decision must be taken within a period of two weeks from today. If permission is accorded to DMRC...it shall proceed to deposit entire amount along with interest within a period of one month." As the period of two weeks given by the court is expiring on 31 March, the government is requested to issue directions to DMRC in light of the courts order. A similar request was made to Delhi government," DMRC said in the letter. The high court also said that if the Centre and the Delhi government decline the request, the Centre should repatriate all funds received by it from the Delhi Metro after 10 March 2022. Upon receipt of the money, the Delhi Metro shall transfer the dues to Reliance Infrastructure, the court said. Immediately after the Delhi high courts order on 17 March, the Delhi Metro Rail Corp filed a review petition before the Delhi high Court on 23 March. In its petition, DMRC sought review of the attachment of total DMRC funds, including statutory expenses, that was ordered by the high court. The case has however been disposed of by the high court. Meanwhile, the Centre and the Delhi government have moved the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi high court order. The top court will hear the matter on 10 April. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Priyanka Gawande Priyanka Gawande is a senior legal correspondent at Mint. She has worked as legal reporter for four years with both television and digital mediums. Based in Mumbai, she reports on disputes across sectors including banking, corporates and finance. This also includes insolvency and bankruptcy cases and intellectual property rights (IPR) litigation. Her focus also comprises tracking capital markets and disputes relating to securities law. Previously, Priyanka worked with Informist Media for 2.5 years covering major insolvency and bankruptcy cases and corporate developments. She started her career in journalism with Business Television India (BTVi) where she reported on primary markets, banking, finance and insurance companies. Read more from this author LOS ANGELES : FedEx Corp said on Wednesday it will consolidate its separate delivery companies into a single entity, in a move to slash costs and better compete with United Parcel Service and Amazon. The decision to integrate FedEx Ground, its outsourced package delivery arm, with the FedEx Express overnight air delivery business was announced almost a year after activist investor D.E. Shaw pushed for change and won two additional board seats. The deflating e-commerce delivery bubble and specter of potential recession over the past year has intensified pressure on Chief Executive Officer Raj Subramaniam to streamline operations. "We believe now is the right time to reorganize how we work together," Subramaniam told a company meeting in New York City. "We will be leaner, more agile and better positioned to execute on our mission to help customers compete and win with the world's smartest logistics network." The combined business is expected to handle all deliveries from June 2024 as part of the wider plan by the Memphis-based group to cut $4 billion in permanent costs by the end of its 2025 financial year. John Smith will become president and CEO of U.S. and Canada ground operations at FedEx Express and assume leadership of surface operations across the FedEx Express, FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight businesses from April 16. FedEx Freight will continue to provide freight transportation services as a standalone company under the Federal Express Corp banner, the company added. Shares in FedEx, which also announced a 10% dividend boost on Wednesday, were about 1% at $228.69. 'Hybrid' model The new structure would end roughly two decades of separate delivery operations and create an entity similar to cost-conscious rival UPS, which has outperformed FedEx despite having a more expensive union labor force. The company is testing the new combined service in Minneapolis, executives said. FedEx Express is already handling FedEx Ground's pickups and deliveries in Alaska and Hawaii where air service dominates. Recent company changes have fueled concern among Ground contractors worried about their ongoing role at the company. Subramaniam said FedEx will use a "hybrid" employee and contractor model for deliveries. The CEO added that the company will remain non-union. Executives said FedEx has been "looking" at this project for the last couple years, but analysts noted that the company's "standstill" agreement with activist D.E. Shaw was set to expire at the end of May. That agreement put activities to influence company control or governance on hold. Regardless of the reason for the timing, the company now has about a year to bring about massive change. Satish Jindel, who helped found the company that eventually became FedEx Ground, attended Wednesday's meeting and now leads consultancy ShipMatrix. He told Reuters it was an achievable goal that should boost profit and shares. Critics noted that FedEx executives had a years-long struggle with its TNT integration in Europe and let overhead expenses swamp its labor cost advantage over UPS. "There's no way that this isn't fraught with risk," said Dean Maciuba, managing partner at Crossroads Parcel Consulting and former FedEx sales executive. But, he said, "if they do it right, they can evolve as a lower-cost service provider than UPS." Japanese auto major Honda Motor Co Ltd on Wednesday appointed Tsutsumu Otani as the President, CEO & Managing Director of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India. He is currently the Vice President at Honda Motor Co., Japan. Tsutsumu Otani will succeed Atsushi Ogata, who returns to Shanghai, China as the Executive General Manager at Shanghai Branch, Honda Motor (China) Investment Co. Ltd. with effect from 1 April, 2023, said the company in a statement. Otani was appointed as Executive General Manager in 2022, Shanghai Branch Honda Motor (China) Investment Co., Ltd. He started his career with Honda Japan in 1997 and held several leadership positions in the company's business in different global markets. Ogata had spearheaded Honda's Indian two-wheeler operations for three years. The company also announced the elevation of Vinay Dhingra, who was earlier Director General & Corporate Affairs, Strategic Information System and Honda India Foundation, HMSI, as the Senior Director Human Resource and Administration, Corporate Affairs, Information Technology and Honda India Foundation. Besides, the company said Yogesh Mathur, previously Operating Officer Sales and Marketing) and Sanjeev Jain, earlier Operating Officer - New Model Purchase & Parts Strategy, are now elevated to the Board of Directors of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI). Mathur, as the new Director, will be responsible for customer service, logistics planning and control, premium motorcycle business along with sales and marketing, it added. On the other hand, Jain in his new position will be responsible for purchase and will be replacing V Sridhar who was Senior Director Purchase and has retired after completing over 23 years of association with HMSI, said the company. Healthvista India, which runs the home healthcare business Portea Medical, and Cyient DLM, the subsidiary of IT services Cyient are among the four companies that have received approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to raise funds through initial public offerings (IPOs), according to a Sebi update on Wednesday. The companies filed their preliminary IPO papers with the regulator between July 2022 and January 2023 and received approval during March 29-31. Healthvista is planning a fresh issue of equity shares aggregating up to 200 crore and an offer for sale of up to 56,252,654 shares., according to its draft red herring prospectus. Venture capital and private equity investors such as Accel Partners, Ventureast, Qualcomm Asia, MEMG CDC Ventures - which is a joint fund launched by British International Investment and Manipal Education and Medical Group (Manipal Group), and Sabre Partners will offload shares, the DRHP says. The net proceeds from the fresh issue will be utilised towards funding the working capital requirements of its subsidiary Medybiz Pharma Private Ltd., payment of debt, purchase of medical equipment, marketing and brand-building activities, and for inorganic growth initiatives and general corporate purposes. Cyient DLM, a subsidiary of listed IT services firm Cyient, filed draft papers in January to raise 740 crore via an initial public offering. The IPO comprises a fresh issue and does not include an offer for sale portion, which means the entire funds, excluding issue expenses, will be utilised by the company. The electronic manufacturing services and solutions provider may also consider a pre-IPO placement of up to 148 crore before filing the IPO papers with the Registrar of Companies, in which case the fresh issue size will reduce accordingly. Cyient DLM plans to use the fund for incremental working capital requirements, capital expenditure, debt repayment, inorganic growth through acquisitions, and general corporate purposes. Currently, it is 100% owned by Cyient. Mumbai-based Rashi Peripherals, which also filed for an IPO in January, is planning to raise 750 crore in a fresh issue. Rashi plans to use 400 crore from the IPO proceeds to repay debt and 200 crore to meet working capital needs. The public issue is a fresh issue of shares with no offer-for-sale component. The company may consider a private placement of equity shares for up to 150 crore. If such a placement is completed, the fresh issue size will be reduced. The IPO of fintech player Zaggle Prepaid Ocean Services consists of a fresh issue of equity shares worth 490 crore as well as an offer for sale of over 1.05 crore shares. Those offering shares in the offer for sale include promoters Raj P Narayanam and Avinash Ramesh Godkhindi, and its investors VentureEast Investment Advisors and GKFF Ventures. NEW DELHI : The union ministry for ports, shipping and waterways has proposed giving infrastructure status to coastal shipping, a government priority. The status entitles a sector to several benefits and concessions, including cheaper bank loans. In an interview, the Union minister of ports, shipping and waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, said the ministry is holding stakeholder consultations for developing coastal shipping in a public-private partnership mode. He also said that stakeholder consultation is underway for proposed viability-gap funding (VGF) for coastal shippingwhen ships move between ports within a country. On the development of Chabahar Port, the minister said Iran and India are moving toward finalization of the amended provisions of the long-term contract. Edited excerpts: There has been a major push on shipping and waterways. What has been the progress? Our aim is to boost the performance and productivity of ports, shipping and waterways and to strengthen our position of eminence in the global maritime sector. Targets set out in Maritime India Vision-2030 provide a clear roadmap for bringing all-round improvement in port modernization and automation, coastal shipping, shipbuilding, ship repair, transition to renewable energy, increasing share of Indian seafarers across the globe, improving vessel turnaround time, developing transhipment hubs, cruise shipping and augmenting capacities at the major ports. Focus is also on developing and operationalizing inland waterways for improved connectivity and creating an environment for a positive modal shift from road and rail to waterways. What steps can we expect in coastal shipping? Coastal shipping shall be promoted as an energy-efficient, low-cost mode of transportation through PPP with VGF (Viability Gap Funding) support. A number of initiatives have already been taken by the ministry to promote coastal shipping. Facilities like dedicated coastal berths, priority berthing, cabotage relaxation to Ro-Ro/Ro-Pax vessels, concessions in berth and handling charges, and bunkering, among others, are already being provided to motivate all stakeholders to adopt coastal transportation for the transport of passenger and goods in the country. Ministry is proposing to include coastal shipping as an eligible sector in the existing VGF scheme of the ministry of finance. The inclusion of coastal shipping as a sector in the Harmonized List of Infrastructure is also being proposed. These steps will make the sector eligible for various concessions to enhance the overall viability of the sector and help in attracting cargo and passengers to this mode of transport. What is the update on Chabahar port? Is a long-term agreement in place there? The long-term agreement (10-year term) with the Iranian authorities was executed in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tehran, but it could not be activated due to subsequent modifications suggested by the Iranian side in certain provisions of the contract. The government has been making efforts to finalize and activate the long-term contract. Meanwhile, short-term contracts have been under execution, enabling us to operate the terminals. Recently, during the visit of the Iranian delegation to India (in January), the activation of a long-term contract was also discussed, and both sides have made substantial progress towards finalization of the amended provisions of the long-term contract. Once finalized, the long-term contract will be activated. How are we moving towards making the country a global hub for manufacturing green ships? Will the initiative on tug ships impact the plan to develop large ships? The financial support by means of the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance (SBFA) scheme for shipbuilding given to Indian shipyards by the government to make India a sought-after destination for technologically advanced green ships is the primary reason why Indian shipbuilding is competitive with international yards. The recent acquisition of new projects by Indian shipyards serves as proof of this. The orders have been received by Cochin Shipyards from several European clients, including Norwegian shipping entities.The ministry is also launching Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP), in ports starting with Green Hybrid Tugs adopting Green Hybrid propulsion systems (using Battery+ Diesel Electric OR Battery+ Diesel Mechanical), and subsequently adopting non-fossil fuel solutions (Methanol, Ammonia, Hydrogen) to be built at Indian Shipyards. Tug-building projects will aid and probably complement the production of large vessels. What is happening with the plan to develop mega ports in the country? Are we looking at attracting global investments in such projects? A modern deep draft (20 metres) all-weather port has been sanctioned at Vadhavan. It will be located in Dahanu Taluka in Maharashtra. The port will be developed as a Land Lord model and shall have a capacity of 308 MTPA once completed and fully functional. The port will be developed by an SPV having JNPA and Maharashtra Maritime Board as members (with equity share of 74% and 26%, respectively). In-principle approval for the project was granted in February 2020. Basic infrastructure, including breakwater, reclamation, rail and road connectivity linkages, power, water lines, and common utilities, among others, will be developed by the SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle). Terminal operations & Cargo handling infrastructure shall be offered to Private agencies under PPP mode. The project is currently in the stage of obtaining NOC from DTEPA (Dahanu Taluka Ecologically Fragile Area) as a part of ToR (Terms of Reference) for processing for EC (Environmental Clearance) and CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) Clearance. How would you respond to the environmental concerns on the proposed transhipment port in Great Nicobar Island? The project is going ahead as per the time schedule. Considering the magnitude of the project, strategic location and geological and environmental sensitivities, MoPSW is in continuous engagement with various stakeholders for the development of the project. How do you plan to develop the eastern grid of waterways? Encouraged by progress on the augmentation of the Ganga river system (National Waterways 1) and the huge trade potential with Bangladesh and wider East Asia, the government has been firming up the plan to develop a Regional Waterways Grid, comprising key waterways and certain international routes, primarily situated in India and Bangladesh, of about 5000 km navigable waterways to boost regional integration and trade. Seamless connection of NW l (Ganges) and NW2 (Brahmaputra) would also create an opportunity for developing an economic corridor of 3500 km connecting North Eastern India with the rest of India through Bangladesh and also linking Bhutan and Nepal to Bangladesh and India through multimodal connection. The Eastern Grid will benefit 600 million people in one of the densest parts of the world. The project report for the grid is under preparation for placing before the finance ministry as a project. The total project cost is likely to be between 7000-9,000 crore. Healthvista India has received final observation from markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India 's (Sebi) to raise funds through initial public offering (IPO). Healthvista India, is an out-of-hospital healthcare provider with brand Portea, had filed its paper in July last year with the market regulator Sebi for its proposed IPO. The company aims to raise about Rs1,000 crore through IPO which comprises fresh issue of equity shares aggregating up to 200 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of up to 56,252,654 shares by selling shareholders, according to the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP). The IPO proceeds from the fresh issue will be used towards funding working capital requirements of its subsidiary, Medybiz Pharma, payment of debt, purchase of medical equipment, marketing as well as brand building activities, inorganic growth initiatives and general corporate purposes. Under the OFS, Accel Growth III Holdings (Mauritius) Ltd ; Accel India III (Mauritius) Ltd , Ventureast Life Fund III LLC , MEMG CDC Ventures; Qualcomm Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Accel India V (Mauritius) and Sabre Partners Trust will offload shares.y The proceeds from the fresh issue will be used towards funding working capital requirements of its subsidiary, Medybiz Pharma, payment of debt, purchase of medical equipment, marketing as well as brand building activities, inorganic growth initiatives and general corporate purposes. SBI Capital Markets Limited, IIFL Securities Limited, and JM Financial Limited are book running lead managers to the IPO. Apart from Healthvista India, Rashi Peripherals, Cyient DLM, and Zaggle Prepaid Ocean Services have received markets regulator Sebi's go-ahead to raise funds through initial public offering (IPO). Rashi Peripherals' IPO is entirely fresh issue of equity shares worth 750 crore, while Cyient DLM is purely a fresh issue of equity shares to the tune of 740 crore. The equity shares of these four companies will be listed on the BSE and NSE. FMCG giant, Britannia Industries has declared an interim dividend of 72 per equity share for the financial year FY23. In percentage terms, the dividend comes to around a whopping 7200%. Britannia is among the kings of dividend stocks, paying hefty benefits to its shareholders. In its regulatory filing on Tuesday, Britannia said, "declared an Interim Dividend @ 7200% i.e., Rs. 72/ per Equity Share of face value of Re 1 each for the Financial Year 202223." Also, the FMCG player has set April 13th as the record date for determining eligible shareholders for the 72 per share dividend benefit. The Interim Dividend is subject to deduction/withholding of applicable taxes and will be paid within the stipulated timelines as prescribed under law, it said. Since the listed stocks are now following the "T+1" settlement option, Britannia shares will turn ex-dividend on the same day as the record date of April 13th. Simply put, those shareholders whose name appears in the registrar of the company on exchanges and respective depository on April 13th will be entitled to receive the interim dividend of 72 per share. Notably, the dividend of FY23 --- is higher by nearly 33% than what was paid in the previous fiscal. Britannia has a strong track record of paying huge dividend benefits to its investors over the past few years. In FY22, the company paid a 5650% dividend aggregating to 56.5 per equity share. The company paid a dividend of 12.50 per share (1250%) in FY21. On BSE, Britannia's share price closed at 4,328.25 apiece --- marginally up by 7.80 or 0.18%. The company's market cap is over 1.04 lakh crore. At the current market price, Britannia's dividend yield is around 1.3%. In Q3FY23, Britannia's consolidated sales grew 16% to 4,101 crore, operating profit climbed 55% to 760 crore and net profit soared by a whopping 151% to 932 crore. Know your inner investor Do you have the nerves of steel or do you get insomniac over your investments? Lets define your investment approach. Take the test Sweden's path to NATO membership remains blocked by Turkey and Hungary as neighbour Finland officially joined the 30-member alliance on Tuesday after its application was ratified in record time. Analysts do not expect Turkey to ratify Sweden's application until after Turkey's May 14 election at the earliest. Even then, it is unclear what would trigger a change of heart by President Tayyip Erdogan. Hungary is seen following Ankara's lead. BACKGROUND Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year convinced Sweden and Finland to ditch long-held policies of military non-alignment. Both countries see NATO, with its collective defence clause, as the best way to ensure their security. The majority of NATO members have quickly ratified their applications, arguing that Finland - which shares a 1,300-km (810-mile) border with Russia - and Sweden would strengthen the alliance in the Baltic. After initial objections, the Turkish parliament gave its approval for Finnish membership last week. But Turkey has dragged its heels over Sweden saying it does not take Ankara's security concerns seriously and has not lived up to its side of a bargain, struck in Madrid last year, that laid out a number of issues Stockholm needed to address. Hungary has followed Turkey's lead in delaying ratification, which must be unanimous. WHY DOES TURKEY OBJECT TO SWEDISH NATO MEMBERSHIP? Sweden has criticised Turkey for human rights abuses and over democratic standards, irking politicians in Ankara. Turkey says Stockholm harbours members of what it considers terrorist groups - a charge Sweden denies - and has demanded their extradition as a step toward ratifying Swedish membership. Sweden's courts have blocked some expulsions. In recent weeks, Turkey has objected to protests in Stockholm during which the Muslim holy book, the Koran, was burned and, on a separate occasion, an effigy of Erdogan was hanged upside down. Ankara says these are hate crimes. Sweden says they are covered by freedom of speech laws. Turkey holds an election on May 14, presenting Erdogan with his biggest political challenge during two decades in power. The NATO issue may help divert voters' attention away from a cost-of-living crisis. An opposition win - a real possibility - would boost Sweden's chances of a quick accession. WHY HAS HUNGARY NOT RATIFIED MEMBERSHIP? Hungary says Sweden has had a hostile attitude to Budapest for years. It is angry about Swedish criticism of Prime Minister Viktor Orban over the perceived erosion of rule of law. Orban denies such erosion. Unlike Turkey, Hungary does not have a list of demands, but says grievances need to be addressed before it can ratify Sweden's accession to NATO. WHEN WILL TURKEY AGREE TO SWEDISH NATO MEMBERSHIP? Once the election is out of the way, Sweden's path may be clearer. But there is no time-table and approval is not guaranteed. Sweden says it has implemented the Madrid agreement - including tougher anti-terrorism laws - and that some of Ankara's other demands are impossible to meet. Turkey has had previous run-ins with NATO allies and backed down. "Looking at those earlier incidents, they were resolved by pressure from allies, negotiations and some concessions from allies. My expectation is that the same could be achieved here," Paul Levin, director at the Institute for Turkish Studies at Stockholm University, said. A shift could come after the election, or Erdogan may want to see further evidence from Sweden it has listened to Ankara's security concerns. "In that case we are talking perhaps another few months after summer," Levin said. "But it is hard to predict." IS SWEDEN'S SECURITY THREATENED BY THE DELAY? Sweden has said its security position is better now than prior to its application to NATO. Sweden has received assurances of support from countries including the United States, Britain and Germany. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said it would be inconceivable that the alliance would not support Sweden if it were threatened. Sweden already cooperates closely with NATO and integration measures are moving forward. Sweden has a strong air force and a submarine fleet tailored to Baltic Sea conditions - a boost for NATO in the region. Rajiv Jain, the GQG Partners Inc. chief investment officer who bought almost $2 billion worth of Adani Group stock last month, sees the bet on the Indian conglomerate delivering a return in excess of 100 percent. These could be multibaggers" over five years, Jain said in an interview at Bloombergs New York headquarters. The term comes from mutual fund manager Peter Lynchs book and describes an investment that could at least double. Jain has grown Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based GQG by going against the tide of what he calls comfort investing" making decisions by committee rather than taking risks on undervalued public shares. His firm oversees more than $90 billion. Its most high-profile bet this year was backing billionaire Gautam Adani by acquiring shares in four of his firms from a family trust after a short-seller attack wiped out as much as $153 billion in market value. A January 24 report from Hindenburg Research said Adani was pulling the largest con in corporate history." The report read like a 10-year-old newspaper," Jain said. One of Hindenburgs allegations is that by using a labyrinth of offshore accounts connected to the family, the group skirted Securities and Exchange Board of India requirements that public shareholders own at least 25 percent of a stock. Adani has denied the claims. One of the issues raised was that he owns more than 75 percent of the company, right? And let me ask you in real simple English, is that fraud?" Jain said. Is it not disclosed properly? Yeah, its some of that, you could argue that, but is it fraud?" This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. Finlands accession to NATO is a provocation aimed at escalating the conflict with Russia, leader of Frances Les Patriotes (The Patriots) party Florian Philippot told TASS on Wednesday. April 5, 2023, 16:42 Finlands accession to NATO aimed at escalating conflict with Russia French politician STEPANAKERT, APRIL 5 , ARTSAKHPRESS: "I view it as a provocation aimed at adding more fuel to the conflict with Russia," Philippot said, commenting on Finlands accession to the North Atlantic Alliance. "I consider this step to be inappropriate and aggressive," the politician added. According to Philippot, "NATO is an entity of American imperialism, which should have disappeared when the Cold War ended in the early 1990s." The French politician also called for Frances withdrawal from the North Atlantic Alliance. Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Telangana, state BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar was arrested by police on Wednesday, Kumar was later named the prime accused by the Warangal Police in a case of malpractice after a question paper of Standard 10 (SSC) board exam surfaced on various groups of an instant messaging app. Kumar is a Lok Sabha MP from the Karimnagar constituency in Telangana. Sanjay Kumar was picked up by a team of police past midnight on Tuesday from his residence in Karimnagar city, triggering protests by his party workers. The paper of Standard 10 (SSC) board exam in Telangana found its way into an instant messaging platform for the second day on Tuesday after a 16-year old boy took a photo of the paper from a student who appeared for the exam and shared it with that student's brother while the exam was going on, police said. The paper was then posted in a group of the instant messaging app and subsequently shared in other groups by one of the accused, who had also sent a copy to Sanjay Kumar, police added. Sanjay Kumar had sought to defame the government by conspiring to create fear among the students and their parents during the ongoing SSC public examination, as the blame for the question paper leak would fall on the Telangana administration, the police alleged. #WATCH | Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay outside Hanumakonda District Court He was brought here after police took him into custody last night from his residence in Karimnagar. pic.twitter.com/UJ2myfVLVI ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2023 After images of an SSC Hindi question paper surfaced on the social media platform, police took up the investigation and apprehended the 16-year-old boy and arrested two others on Tuesday, who include a former journalist of a TV channel and a lab assistant who had allegedly circulated the question paper on the app. Subsequently, Sanjay Kumar was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday. Police claimed that the technical evidence gained by analysing call details of the phones of all the accused and the chats of the accused on the app proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused persons were involved in a conspiracy with regard to the "leaking" and copying of the question papers on April 4. This is a pre-planned and criminal conspiracy. Malpractices (have been committed) in SSC public examination with an intention to create rumours and provoke breach of peace of the ongoing public examination in Telangana state wherein Bandi Sanjay Kumar hatched a plan with the help of two other accused to leak out the ongoing SSC papers by taking a photo of a question paper in the cell phone," police alleged. The police accused Sanjay Kumar of giving direction to the second accused to exploit the situation of the leak of the Telugu question paper which happened on April 3 (Monday), and to circulate it. The BJP state chief sought to portray it as the failure of the government in preventing the question paper leak, the police claimed. The development comes days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state to inaugurate various projects. Sanjay Kumar, who was initially shifted to Bommalaramaram police station under Rachakonda Police Commissionerate limits here was subsequently taken by the police to Warangal. Earlier, a large number of BJP workers gathered near Bommalaramaram police station to protest Kumars arrest and also raised slogans against Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. They demanded that Sanjay Kumar be released immediately. Four government staff were suspended on Monday in Vikarabad district of Telangana after a stand-by invigilator at a government school allegedly took a photo of the Telugu question paper of SSC board exams and shared it with another teacher on an instant messaging app while the test was going on. The SSC exams in the state began on Monday. (With inputs from PTI) One of the most wanted fugitives in India and a winner of a national-level boxing championship, Deepak Boxer" was nabbed in Mexico and was brought to New Delhi on Wednesday. The former boxer and a wanted gangster was taken to India by a twp-member team of Delhi Police's Special Cell at Terminal 3 of Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport from Mexico via Istanbul during the early hours of Wednesday. According to the police, he will be interrogated in connection with his criminal activities and alleged involvement in killing of a builder in north Delhi's Civil Lines area. ALso Read: Sanjay Raut receives death threat from Lawrence Bishnoi gang Deepak Boxer had planned to run his crime gang from the USA Deepak Boxer was caught by the Mexico police when he was trying to enter the USA illegally via Mexico. The gangster was planning to run his organised crime gang in Delhi and neighbouring states from the USA before being caught up. Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) HGS Dhaliwal said he was able to reach Mexico by donkey method", which consists of taking multiple routs and stops to reach Mexico. However, he couldn't finish his plan to reach the USA as he came under the scanner of the office of the Legal Attache, US Embassy, New Delhi. Also read: Gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad gets life imprisonment in Umesh Pal kidnapping case He reached Mexico only to tresspass to America with the help of human traffickers. Later, he had planned to join other associated. Delhi Police's first case of arrest outside India Notably, this case of tracking and arresting a gangster outside India was a first-of-its kind case for the Delhi Police. The fugitive gangster had a reward of 3 lakh on his name. Deepak used to lead the Gogi gang, which is allegedly linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. "We received inputs in January that Deepak got made a fake passport in the name of Ravi Antil from Bareilly to flee the country. He took a flight from Kolkata to Dubai. Then from Dubai, he went to Almaty, Kazakhstan, and reached Turkey. He then headed for Spain. After taking multiple routes, he finally reached Mexico," said HGS Dhaliwal. Also read: Will break his ego: Jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi says about Salman Khan during interview He also informed that the Delhi Police was constantly keeping an eye on Deepak's movement and his routes of travelling. His location was tracked in Cancun, which is a city notorious for human traffickers and narcotics mafia. The police have been searching the wanted gangster for his alleged involvement in 10 sensational cases including murder and extortion over last five years. (With agency inputs) Five young men drowned in Chennai's Moovarasampet tank, during the Dharmalingeshwarar temple's Theerthavari festival, that was being held on Wednesday morning. The tragic incident took place near Keelkattalai, a suburb in south Chennai. The young men were all believed to be priests of the Dharmalingeshwarar temple. The Tamil Nadu police has recovered the bodies of five young men. According to a report on The Hindu, the men are said of be between the ages of 18-23. All the bodies were retrieved from the tank and sent to the Government Chromepet Hospital for post-mortem examinations. The Palavanthangal police had been informed about the tragic incident, when they reached the spot with Fire and Rescue Services personnel. The five victims were identified as Raghavan of Madipakkam, Yogeswaran of Keelkattalai, and Vanesh, Raghavan and R. Surya of Nanganallur, as reported by The Hindu. The incident left the community in shock, with senior officials from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department also present at the site of the tragedy, reported India Today. Against the backdrop of renewed focus on the Doklam issue, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck on Tuesday sketched a five-point broad roadmap to expand the "time-tested" relations besides delving into respective national security interests. The talks between Modi and the visiting king took place days after Bhutan's Prime Minister Lotay Tshering said that China has an equal say in resolving the border dispute relating to the strategically-located Doklam tri-junction. When asked at a media briefing whether the Doklam issue figured in the talks, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said India-Bhutan ties are based on mutual respect, trust, close understanding and sensitivity to each other's concerns, adding Modi and the king covered the entire gamut of bilateral cooperation including issues of "respective national interests". Kwatra said the proposed rail link project between Kokrajhar (Assam) and Gelephu (Bhutan) will be expedited and that it would be the first ever rail link between the two countries. "Besides this exemplary and unique relationship that India and Bhutan have, we also have a time-tested framework of security cooperation, and as part of that, both countries maintain a long standing tradition of very close consultations on matters relating to their mutual interests, and of course, security also," he said replying to the Doklam issue. "Now, in this context, the intertwined and indivisible nature of our security concerns is self-evident," he said. Kwatra said India very closely follows all developments having a bearing on its national interest and it takes all necessary measures to safeguard them as necessary. "As regards the recent statements and the related commentary to them is concerned, I would say that one -- India and Bhutan remain in close touch relating to our shared interests including our security interests," he said. "I would only reiterate our earlier statements on this issue which very explicitly and very clearly bring out our position on the determination of the tri-junction boundary points," he added. The Doklam plateau is considered an important area for India's strategic interest. The Indian and Chinese armies were locked in a 73-day stand-off at the Doklam tri-junction in 2017 after China tried to extend a road in an area that Bhutan claimed belonged to it. In October 2021, Bhutan and China signed an agreement on a "three-step roadmap" to expedite negotiations to resolve their festering boundary dispute. Bhutan shares an over 400-km-long border with China. In a tweet, Modi described his meeting with the Bhutanese King as "warm and productive". The prime minister also hosted a lunch for the visiting dignitary. "Pleased to receive His Majesty the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. We had a warm and productive meeting. Deeply value our close friendship and the vision of successive Druk Gyalpos in guiding India-Bhutan relations to new heights," Modi said. The foreign secretary said there were five broad points that were identified to expand the ties. The first point was on economic and development partnership which included cooperation for Bhutan's 13th Five Year Plan that begins next year. Kwatra said India's support would include relevant financial assistance for the reform process in Bhutan and for projects based on development partnership. The second bucket of issues was relating to trade, connectivity and investment cooperation, which in turn included discussions on infrastructure connectivity, rail links, air connectivity and inland waterways among others. The third one related to elements pertaining to long term and sustainable trade facilitation measures that India and Bhutan could take, which would link to the economic growth and prosperity of both economies. While the fourth point was related to new paradigms of cooperation in areas of energy which also provides for cooperation in areas of non-hydro-renewable space. The last one related to cooperation in new sectors, which included space and startups. Highlighting various aspects of the bilateral ties, Kwatra said both sides are examining and considering setting up of the first Integrated Check Post (ICP) along India-Bhutan border, which would be somewhere near Jaigaon. He said it was agreed that India would step up its support to Bhutan's upcoming 13th Five Year Plan. "The specifics of the support, its distribution into different projects, that is something which is to be worked out between the two systems going forward," he said. "At Bhutan's request, India would work to extend an additional standby credit facility. This would be over and above the two existing standby credit facilities that are operating between the two countries," he said. Kwatra said India would work to shape long term sustainable arrangements for export of agricultural commodities from Bhutan and develop bilateral arrangements for supply of critical commodities to that country which would include petroleum, fertilizers, and coal. "In the field of hydro-power specifically, which has been the cornerstone of our economic relationship, we have agreed to an upward revision of the tariff of the Chhukha hydro-electric project," he said. "Besides the existing range of hydropower projects and also exploring the non-hydro-renewable space, we would also try and expedite the finalisation of modalities for new hydroelectric projects, hydropower projects, including the Sankosh hydroelectric project," he added. Kwatra said India and Bhutan share an "exemplary" relationship, which is characterised by trust, goodwill, mutual understanding. The foreign secretary said the King briefed the prime minister on his significant transformation and reform initiative that Bhutan is currently undertaking. "The prime minister, on his part, reiterated India's continued and full support to the socio-economic development in Bhutan based, of course, on the priorities of the royal government and in keeping with the transformation initiatives and reform process as per the vision of His Majesty," he said. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Union Minister of Civil Aviation and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jyotiraditya Scindia heavily criticised Congress leader and former MP Rahul Gandhi and Congress for meting special treatment to the politician. Scindia who was a member of the Congress for a very long time quit the party and joined the BJP in 2020 following differences with its leadership. Scindia was considered close to Gandhi when he was part of the Grand Old Party. Scindia's exodus from Congress in Madhya Pradesh led to the fall of the Kamal Nath-led government in the state, giving way to the BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government to take over. Scindia launches sharp attack on Gandhi Scindia launched a sharp attack on Gandhi and the Congress, alleging the party has been left with no ideology except the one of a "traitor" which works against the country. The BJP leader attacked the Congress for according Rahul Gandhi a "special treatment" following his conviction in a defamation case and accused the party of pressuring the judiciary, and doing everything possible to stay relevant. "This is now clear that Congress will leave no stone unturned to reach a new low and to play with India's democracy. They are doing everything to stay politically relevant. This is not a fight for democracy but an individual. Any criticism of this falls short," Scindia said in a press conference adding that Rahul Gandhi is not the first one to be disqualified from the Lok Sabha. "But why this time there is so much hue and cry? Why people are wearing black clothes," Scindia said. "Rahul Gandhi is being given a special treatment. When he went to the court, a fauz of Congress leaders accompanied him. If this is not an attempt to pressure the judiciary, then what is? Is this Gandhian politics? Why all this is being done for an individual?" the Union minister further added. Congress hits back at Scindia The Congress hit back at their former member and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should "beware" of a man who did not stay loyal to his former party and will also "not be loyal" to him. Slamming Scindia for his remarks, Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said, "When Mr. Scindia talks about doing things to stay politically relevant, I can think of his own example. To stay politically relevant he changed his party, he changed his friends, he changed his loyalties and he is giving us a lecture on how to stay politically relevant." "As far as pressuring the judiciary is concerned, it is Mr Kiren Rijiju who keeps issuing threats to the judiciary, the RSS' Panchjanya writes an article on how Supreme Court is becoming a tool of anti-nationals who is trying to pressure the judiciary. Who is saying retired judges are anti-nationals, Mr Kiren Rijiju is saying that. So ask Mr Scindia to advise his colleague not to pressure and threaten the judiciary," Khera said in a video statement posted on his Twitter account. Khera also hit out at Scindia for his dig at the Gandhis that some people are "first class citizens" for the Congress, saying a man who wants to be called a "Maharaj" in free independent India is talking about this. Ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections , popular Kannada movie stars, Sudeep (Kiccha Sudeep) and Darshan Tugudeepa are likely to join Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today, Wednesday, April 5, 2023, according to the news agency ANI. Party sources informed that both actors will join the party at 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm at a private hotel in Karnataka's Bengaluru. The actors will join the ruling party in the presence of CM Basavaraj Bommai and other party leaders. "They will join the party in the presence of Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and other party leaders," sources said. Karnataka will go to Assembly polls on May 10 and the counting of votes will be done on May 13. Bommai on Tuesday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party's Parliamentary Board would finalize and release the list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections in the state on April 8. The Chief Minister said that the selection of the candidates has been done based on winnability. "The selection of candidates had been done based on reality and winnability. The state-committee meeting will be held for two days starting today, and after the meeting, the list of candidates will be sent to the high command. The same will be vetted on April 8 and released on the same day," the Chief Minister said. The names recommended by the district committees will be discussed during the State Core Committee meeting on Tuesday and then send it to the Central Parliamentary Board, he further said. Reiterating that the party will return to power in the Assembly polls, he said,"Witnessing developments in the last three to four days, the BJP will get an absolute majority in the coming Assembly polls." (With ANI inputs) New Delhi: A parliamentary delegation from South Sudan, led by the speaker of the Transitional National Assembly, Jemma Nunu Kumba, on Wednesday called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Welcoming the delegation to India, the President said that India and South Sudan enjoy cordial and friendly relations. She said that India is proud to be a major troop contributor to the UN Peacekeeping Missions in South Sudan. She added that apart from Peace Missions, Indian soldiers are playing an important humanitarian role, and contributing to furthering relations between the two countries. President Murmu said that India is determined to be a reliable development partner for South Sudan. She expressed confidence that the youth of South Sudan would take advantage of the training and capacity building opportunities provided by Indias ITEC and ICCR scholarship programmes. The President said that South Sudan can benefit from Indias experiences in parliamentary democracy in its ongoing political process, including the drafting of a new Constitution. She further said that India would extend its full support to South Sudan in this process. India recognized South Sudan in the year 2011 immediately after South Sudan became independent. South Sudan maintains an embassy in New Delhi and India at Juba. There are around 1000 Indians living in South Sudan currently. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) had announced its decision to erase certain chapters on the Mughal Empire from class 12 history textbooks. This move of erasing Mughal history from syllabus attracted severe criticism from various faction of political arena. Uttar Pradesh announced that government schools will adopt the NCERT's new class 12 history textbooks in which portions about Mughal courts have been removed from this academic session. As part of its "syllabus rationalisation" exercise last year, the NCERT, citing "overlapping" and "irrelevant" as reasons, dropped certain portions from the syllabus including lessons on Mughal courts from its class 12 textbooks. Many of these changes were announced in early 2022 when the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) rationalised its syllabi in April. Besides schools under CBSE, some state boards also use NCERT textbooks. Which chapters have been being removed? The erased chapters are related to Kings and Chronicles; the Mughal Courts (C. 16th and 17th centuries) from the book Themes of Indian History-Part II. As per Jagran Josh report, from Class 11 syllabus, chapters like Central Islamic Lands, Confrontation of cultures, and The Industrial Revolution have been removed. Apart from this, from Class 12 civics book Politics in Indian since Independence, chapters like Rise of popular movements, Era of one-party dominance have been removed. In addition to this, from the class 10 Democratic Politics-II textbooks, chapters like Democracy and diversity, Popular struggles and movement, Challenges to democracy have been removed. As per IANS report, NCERT has also removed some paragraphs from Class 12 Political Science Textbooks pertaining to a brief ban imposed on RSS by the then government after Mahatma Gandhi's assassination. Also, paragraphs on Gandhi's quest for Hindu-Muslim unity provoked Hindu extremists also have been removed, a report by IANS stated. What has NCERT has said on omitting chapters? NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani on Tuesday clarified that chapters on Mughals had not been 'dropped' from CBSE books, and said that its a "lie". "It's a lie. (Chapters on) Mughals have not been dropped. There was a rationalisation process last year because due to COVID, there was pressure on students everywhere," the NCERT director told ANI. The NCERT chief further said that expert committees examined the books from standards 6-12. "They recommended that if this chapter is dropped, it won't affect the knowledge of the children and an unnecessary burden can be removed...The debate is unnecessary. Those who don't know can check the textbooks...," Saklani said. He said that even today students are studying the history of the Mughals in NCERT's class 7th book. "Along with this, the history of Mughals is being taught in Empires in section-2 of the 11th class book. And in the class 12th book there were 2 chapters on the history of the Mughals, out of which theme nine was removed last year, while theme eight is still being taught to the students. This year no chapter has been removed from any book," Saklani further said. "We are working as per NEP (National Education Policy) 2020. This is a transition phase. NEP 2020 speaks of reducing the content load. We are implementing it. NCF (National Curriculum Framework) for school education is being formed, it will be finalised soon. Textbooks will be printed in 2024 as per NEP. We have not dropped anything right now," the NCERT chief said while stressing the National Education Policy. What did the Opposition say on the attempt to change history syllabus? All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi alleged that the Centre is erasing the past by removing Mughal history from the NCERT syllabus while China is is erasing our present. He was referring to China renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh. "On one side, the Modi government is erasing the Mughals from NCERT syllabus, while on the other side, China, with whom PM Modi was shaking hands at G20 Indonesia meeting, is erasing our present," Owaisi told a press conference. BJP leader Kapil Mishra lauded the move and alleged that thieves were being referred to as the Mughal rulers, he said that the initiative will shine light on the truth. Retweeting a video on the revised textbooks, he wrote, It is a great decision to remove false history of Mughals from NCERT. Thieves, pickpockets and two-penny road raiders were called the Mughal Sultanate and the emperor of India. Akbar, Babar, Shahjahan, Aurangzeb are not in the history books, they are in the dustbin." Congress's general secretary in-charge for Jharkhand Avinash Pandey alleged that the decision to drop lessons on Mughal courts from the NCERT books is an attempt to change the nation's history. Hitting out at Centre, Pandey said democracy is under threat in the country. Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal has attacked the government and said that consistent with PM Modi's India, modern Indian history should start from 2014. In a tweet, Sibal said, "NCERT textbooks: Effaced: 1) Gandhi's pursuit of Hindu Muslim unity 2) Banning of RSS 3) All references to Gujarat riots 4) Protests that turned into social movements in contemporary India." "Consistent with Modi ji's Bharat modern Indian history should start from 2014," the former Union minister said. The BJP government came to power in 2014. The Bangladesh Election Commission (BEC) said that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will not be used in the upcoming 12th parliamentary elections scheduled for January 2024. As per a report by India News Stream, this decision comes after major opposition political parties, including the BNP, strongly protested against the use of EVMs. "The governments lack of funding to buy new machines and refurbish the old ones is a major reason behind the decision. Therefore, all 300 parliamentary constituencies in Bangladesh would see the use of paper ballots and transparent ballot boxes" BEC Secretary Jahangir Alam said. BEC Secretary further informed that paper ballots and transparent ballot boxes would be used in all 300 constituencies during the forthcoming polls which are scheduled for by early January 2024. The Election Commission of Bangladesh had earlier planned to use EVMs in up to 150 constituencies. In our election roadmap, we had decided to use EVMs at a maximum of 150 constituencies. A TK 8,000 crore (US$ 757 million) project was undertaken in this regard, but that has not progressed," said Alam. The issue of EVMs gained prominence after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced at an Awami League meeting on May 7, 2022, that they would be used in all 300 constituencies in Bangladesh. This decision sparked a debate among various political parties and civil society groups, with some questioning the reliability and security of EVMs. As per a report by AsiaNews, Agriculture Minister Mohammad Abdur Razzaque said that there is still some controversy about EVMs. "Many countries hold elections using this machine," he added. The opposition in Bangladesh has accused the ruling party of rigging the previous elections and has demanded the establishment of a non-partisan government to avoid future electoral fraud. Finland joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) on Tuesday and became its 31st member. The country's bid to join the military alliance came soon after Russia launched the invasion of Ukraine last year. The move was welcomed by leaders of the NATO countries while Russia called it dangerous which can further escalate the conflict in Ukraine. "For almost 75 years, this great alliance has shielded our nations and continues to do so today. But war has returned to Europe and Finland has decided to join NATO and be part of the world's most successful alliance," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said. Why did Finland decide to join NATO? In February 2022, Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine seeking the "demilitarisation" and "denazification" of the country. Finland shares a 1,340km long border with Russia and during the Soviet days, both countries signed a friendship agreement," in which Finland agreed to be a neutral country. During that time NATO was seen as a challenge to the Soviet Union's expansion after Second World War. Before its invasion, Ukraine showed its interest in joining the military alliance as it was facing repeated threats from Russia, which invaded Crimea in 2014. War in the neighborhood made the decision easy for countries like Finland and Sweden and just months after the Russian invasion, they formally applied for membership in NATO, as all the members of the military alliance agree to help each other in case of an attack on one. While Finland and Sweden applied together for membership in NATO, only Finland joined the military alliance as both countries faced certain hurdles in their bid for membership. According to the rules of the membership, all members of the military alliance must agree to the entry of a new member and two NATO members Turkey and Hungary were not comfortable with Finland and Sweden joining NATO. Turkey's government claimed that Finland and Sweden supported Kurdish terrorists." After much diplomatic outreach, the country allowed Finland to join NATO only on 30 March while it is still blocking the membership bid of Sweden. How Finland joining NATO will impact geopolitics? Now, Finland's long border with Russia will work for NATO and will double the size of its border with Russia. The increased presence around the Russian border means more swift action against any of Russia's dangerous moves. Russian Defence Minister General Sergei Shoigu called the move dangerous and warned that it could escalate the Ukraine war further. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia is being forced to take countermeasures to ensure its security in the region. The country is warning to increase its military presence in western and northwestern regions to keep a check on NATO. Geopolitical thinkers are also warning that after joining NATO, European nations reduce their focus on defense capabilities and start relying more on bigger countries like the United States. The Russian peacekeepers are doing everything within their powers to ensure the normal life of Nagorno-Karabakheven in difficult conditions when the Lachin corridor is closed. April 5, 2023, 17:29 Sergey Kopyrkin: Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh are doing everything within their powers STEPANAKERT, APRIL 5 , ARTSAKHPRESS: Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopyrkin told this to reporters Wednesday, commentingat the request of NEWS.amon Tuesdays incident when the Azerbaijanis did not allow a group of Artsakh residents to visit their relatives in Artsakh. Kopyrkin added that the role of the Russian peacekeepers is important, both for the livelihood of Nagorno-Karabakh and for preventing possible attempts to escalate the tension in the region. "You know very well how our peacekeepers work in Nagorno-Karabakh; information about this is constantly published. Of course, and the leadership of Armenia realizes this, Russian peacekeepers play a very, very important role in ensuring the livelihood and security of Nagorno-Karabakh," the Russian diplomat noted. As for the attempts to discredit the Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh, Kopyrkin urged to not focus on comments, but on facts. According to him, the facts show that these Russian peacekeepers are doing everything to carry out their mandated mission. French President Emmanuel Macron was due in Beijing on Wednesday for a visit in which he hopes to dissuade China from supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while also forging closer ties with a crucial trade partner. Macron will look to stand firm on Ukraine during talks with his counterpart Xi Jinping and offer "another path" from the directly confrontational tone often heard from Washington, an official from his office told reporters before the three-day trip. The French leader's aims include preserving and rebalancing China's trade ties with Europe as well as safeguarding French interests in the Asia-Pacific region, where Paris sees itself as a player due to its overseas territories and military deployments. On the eve of his visit, Macron discussed his trip to China and support for Ukraine during a phone call with US President Joe Biden, the White House said. Also Read: French minister Marlene Schiappa slammed for appearing on Playboy magazine cover The two leaders said they want China to help "accelerate" the search for a solution to the war, according to a French diplomatic source. The conversation showed the "common will of France and the United States to engage the Chinese to accelerate with us the end of the war in Ukraine and build a lasting peace", the source said. The US and French presidents also hope to "obtain from the Chinese a contribution to the global effort of North-South solidarity" and to build "a common agenda" on climate and biodiversity. Macron will land in Beijing at around 3:30 pm (0730 GMT) and then meet French residents in the capital, before talks on Thursday with Chinese leaders and a state dinner in the evening. Also Read: Iran, Saudi to ends hostility in Chinese-brokered deal He will travel to Guangzhou in southern China to meet local students on Friday, taking with him a broad delegation of top politicians, business leaders and even celebrities, including composer Jean-Michel Jarre. - 'Nerve centre' - About 1.6 million French citizens live in overseas territories in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, from La Reunion off Madagascar's east coast to New Caledonia northeast of Australia and the dozens of Pacific islands of French Polynesia. Thanks to its massive population, abundant natural resources and economic heft, the Asia-Pacific has become "the nerve centre of the planet", said Cedric Perrin, co-author of a French Senate report on the region. France hopes its vast economic zone and 7,000 deployed troops can lend it a seat at the table as tensions mount on several fronts, including with nuclear-armed North Korea and between China and the United States over the self-governed island of Taiwan. Perrin believes France "must restate a strong and realistic position towards China, especially regarding the need to respect international law" if it wants to be taken seriously as a regional player. Macron's visit -- his first in four years -- coincides with a flashpoint meeting between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California on Wednesday. Beijing has said it would "closely monitor the situation and firmly defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity", and warned Republican McCarthy that he would be "playing with fire" by meeting Tsai. Also Read: Antony Blinken postpones China trip over 'unacceptable' Chinese spy balloon China claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory to be retaken one day, by force if necessary. The presence of European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who met Macron in Paris on Monday to coordinate preparations, is a clear sign the trip will ripple beyond France across the entire 27-nation European Union. In a speech last week, von der Leyen cautioned Beijing against direct support for the war in Ukraine, while ruling out the EU "decoupling" from China. On Tuesday, Google released new information about the supercomputers it uses to train its AI models, stating that they are faster and more power-efficient than similar systems from Nvidia corporation. Google has developed a custom chip called the Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) for over 90% of its AI training work. AI training involves feeding data through models to make them effective at tasks such as generating images or responding to queries with human-like text. Google (TPU) has now advanced to its fourth generation. In a scientific paper released on Tuesday, Google revealed how it has connected over 4,000 TPUs to create a supercomputer. The company has developed custom optical switches to help connect individual machines. Improving these connections has become a key point of competition among companies that build AI supercomputers because so-called large language models that power technologies like Google's Bard or OpenAI's ChatGPT have exploded in size, meaning they are far too large to store on a single chip. Google's largest publicly disclosed language model to date, called PaLM, was trained by splitting it across two of the company's 4,000-chip supercomputers over a period of 50 days. The company has developed a system that allows for easy reconfiguration of connections between chips on the fly, which can help to avoid problems and improve performance. "Circuit switching makes it easy to route around failed components," Google Fellow Norm Jouppi and Google Distinguished Engineer David Patterson wrote in a blog post about the system. "This flexibility even allows us to change the topology of the supercomputer interconnect to accelerate the performance of an ML (machine learning) model." While Google is only now releasing details about its supercomputer, it has been online inside the company since 2020 in a data center in Mayes County, Oklahoma. Google said that startup Midjourney used the system to train its model, which generates fresh images after being fed a few words of text. In the paper, Google said that for comparably sized systems, its supercomputer is up to 1.7 times faster and 1.9 times more power-efficient than a system based on Nvidia's A100 chip on the market at the same time as the fourth-generation TPU. Google has stated that it did not make a direct comparison between its fourth-generation Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) and Nvidia's current flagship H100 chip, as the H100 came to market after Google's chip and is made using newer technology. Google hinted that it might be working on a new TPU that would compete with the Nvidia H100 but provided no details, with Jouppi telling Reuters that Google has a healthy pipeline of future chips." US pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday proposed an $8.9 billion settlement to resolve years-long lawsuits claiming that its talcum powder products caused cancer. The New Jersey-based company said the proposed settlement, which still needs court approval, "will equitably and efficiently resolve all claims arising from cosmetic talc litigation." Under a proposal announced Tuesday, a J&J subsidiary will re-file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and seek court approval for a plan that would result in one of the largest product-liability settlements in US history. The $8.9 billion that J&J would transfer to the subsidiary, LTL Management, would be payable over the next 25 years. The amount is up from the $2 billion that the New Brunswick, New Jersey, company set aside in October 2021. The revised amount is being backed by more than 60,000 parties that have filed lawsuits alleging harm from J&J talcum powder, according to the company. The lawsuits filed against J&J alleged its talcum powder caused users to develop ovarian cancer, through use for feminine hygiene, or mesothelioma, a cancer that strikes the lungs and other organs. The claims contributed to drop in J&J's sales of baby powder, prompting the company to stop selling its talc-based products in 2020. Last year, J&J announced plans to cease sales of the product worldwide. (With inputs from agencies) Donald Trump, the former US president, is currently facing a total of 36 felony criminal charges, including accusations related to a hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign. Trump has consistently denied any affair with Daniels and is now facing potential criminal charges in connection to this matter. Here are five quotes from the former US president. 1. Addressing supporters from his Mar-a-Lago property, Trump mentioned the Hunter Biden's laptop scandal saying, "The FBI and Department of Justice in collusion with Twitter and Facebook in order not to say anything bad about the Hunter Biden laptop from hell, which exposes the Biden family as criminals and which, according to the pollsters would have made a 17 point difference in the election result, we needed a lot less than that, 16.9, it would have been in our favour because our country is going to hell." 2. "This could happen in America. Never thought it could happen. The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it. From the beginning, the Democrats spied on my campaign. Remember that? They attacked me with an onslaught of fraudulent investigations," Trump said. 3. "Russia, Russia, Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine.Impeachment hoax number one.Impeachment hoax number two.The illegal and unconstitutional raid on Mar a Lago right here.The lying to the Pfizer courts. The FBI and DOJ relentlessly pursuing Republicans, the unconstitutional changes to election laws by not getting approvals from state legislators, the millions of votes illegally stuffed into ballot boxes and all caught on government cameras," he added. 4. "The hearing was shocking to many in that they had no 'surprises,' and therefore, no case. Virtually every legal pundit has said that there is no case here. There was nothing done illegally!" Trump noted. 5. , "The FBI and Department of Justice in collusion with Twitter and Facebook in order not to say anything bad about the Hunter Biden laptop from hell, which exposes the Biden family as criminals and which, according to the pollsters would have made a 17 point difference in the election result. (With inputs from agencies) Forbes released their list of real-time billionaires in 2023. While Reliance Industries' Mukesh Ambani regained his seat as Asia's richest, Tesla and Twitter chief Elon Musk emerged as the looser second-biggest loser after Jeff Bezos. Elon Musk lost his top , had it worse. He lost his title of world's richest person to Bernard Arnault, the French luxury goods tycoon. 'Nearly half of all billionaires are poorer than they were a year ago', Forbes stated in their blog post on the richest billionaires of the world. Globally, we counted 2,640 ten-figure fortunes, down from 2,668 last year Forbes commented. More than 250 people who were on last years list didnt appear on this years, including Kanye West, who lost his Adidas deal, and embattled FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, who lost 94% of his wealth in one day. Why did Elon Musk loose? Elon Musk, whose real time net worth is $192.8 billion, lost another $1.4 billion since the time Forbes released their list on Tuesday, although he retained his second spot on the list. Musk, 51, with USD 180 billion 2023 Billionaires Net Worth, USD 39 billion less than a year ago, is now No. 2. Elon Musk cofounded six companies including electric car maker Tesla, rocket producer SpaceX and tunneling startup Boring Company. According to Forbes, Elon Musk fell from number one position to the second position after his pricey acquisition of Twitter helped sink Tesla shares. This fall of Elon Musk on the world's richest billionaire's list should not come as a surprise because, the Tesla CEO's position wobbled on the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires" list, which is updated daily, for the past several months. Forbes explained that Musks wealth had fallen because his $44 billion Twitter purchase, funded by Tesla shares, scared investors and sent Tesla stock sinking sharply last year. Tesla gained much of those losses back this year but is still significantly lower than before Musk bought Twitter. Forbes said that Musk has mostly tweeted himself out of the top spot on the ranks" because Tesla shares are down 50% since his Twitter takeover a year ago. SpaceX is a bright spot for the billionaire, the magazine notes, since its valuation has increased $13 billion to $140 billion over the past year. Twitter's board agreed to sell the company to Musk for $44 billion in April 2022, after he disclosed a 9.1% stake and threatened a hostile takeover. The deal closed in October 2022 after Musk tried to back out and Twitter sued. Musk now owns an estimated 74% of the company. Elon Musk- About him Elon Musk cofounded six companies including electric car maker Tesla, rocket producer SpaceX and tunneling startup Boring Company. He owns about 23% of Tesla between stock and options, but has pledged more than half his stock as collateral for loans. SpaceX, founded in 2002, is worth $127 billion after a funding round in May 2022; it quadrupled its value in three years. Boring Company, which aims to defeat traffic, raised $675 million in April 2022 at a $5.7 billion valuation. Jeff Bezos worst looser No one lost more than Jeff Bezos as Amazon shares crashed by 38 per cent. The drop lopped USD 57 billion from Bezos' fortune and knocked him from No. 2 in the world in 2022 to No. 3 this year. However, the Amazon owner's net worth of $127.0 Billion added another $1.5 Billion on Wednesday. Last week, I attended the second G20 Sherpa meeting held at Kumarakom, Kerala. The focus of the meeting was on Indias Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). The panel discussions during the conference and the displays in the conference hall were about Indias most significant DPI programmes like UPI, CoWin, Diksha and DigiLocker. These are clearly excellent examples of how technology has been used to deliver affordable citizen services at population scale. UPI has over 350 banks on its network with over 260 million unique users and the network has grown to become worlds fifth largest digital-payment network by volume. CoWin has more than 1.1 billion registered users and every step of their vaccination process is captured by it. More than 500 million learning sessions have been conducted using the Diksha app and it was the key tool for teachers to impart knowledge to students during the covid pandemic. Digilocker has more than 150 million registered users. What is most heartening is that all these services are built on the solid foundations of Aadhaar, the worlds largest and possibly most sophisticated digital identity programme, involving 1.35 billion people, Jan Dhan, a massive effort that enabled as many as 478 million people to get bank accounts, and on a mobile user base of 1.2 billion across the country (Jam trinity). The quality of public infrastructure in India is nothing to write home about. We still hear news about pot-holed roads, newly built bridges collapsing and poor-quality school buildings. But the story is very different with the countrys DPI. Chances of a UPI transaction going wrong or a person not being able to download a covid vaccination certificate are low. Unlike the other infrastructure in India, the technical back-ends of Indias DPI platforms are robust and performing at very high quality standards. The core spirit of the countrys digital economy is co-operation between the government and the private sector. This conference was a result of the combined effort of the government and Nasscom. At the conference, six prominent private-sector companies too had displayed their contributions to the strength of Indias DPI (the open protocols and digital public goods underlying which are referred to as the India stack). The technology on display at the conference was as good or better than that in other parts of the world. New technological developments like conversational artificial intelligence and machine learning were the forces driving much of what was on display in the hall. It is clear that India has travelled much ahead from the time it was largely seen overseas as a land of snake charmers and elephants. There standing in that G20 conference hall, I felt proud of our countrys progress on the digital front. Benefits accruing even to less-fortunate citizens of our country, thanks to the democratization of technology, were obvious. I felt very optimistic about the technological future of our country. But at the same time, I also felt there was something amiss in this whole DPI game. Our technocrats have done an excellent job of building world-class but affordable digital infrastructure. But we have failed so far to effectively communicate these great achievements on the DPI front to a wider audience. These technological solutions have not been brought together to create a unified new image for the country. This is the lacuna I find in Indias DPI programme. If ordinary citizens do not know about the excellent technological foundations of our DPI programmes, I would not blame anyone. Because it is not easy to explain the intricacies of those sophisticated technologies. But there is lot more to communication than that. Communication is not a rational process of citing scientific facts and statistics. Good communication is all about emotions. It is about real-life stories from ordinary peoples lives. The G20 conference was held in Kumarakom, Kerala. The states tagline Gods Own Country, which encapsulates the essence of all its tourist attractions and infrastructure, is an excellent example of good communication. What is most appealing about the tagline is that it perfectly captures the emotions a tourist would experience while visiting any part of Kerala. Similarly, various DPI programmes can evoke several positive emotions in many a users mind. This emotional energy generated by various DPI programmes in every nook and corner of this country should be harnessed by using the services of Indias best communication professionals. The Apollo 11 mission that let humans put their feet on the moons surface in 1969 established US hegemony during the Cold War. The sophistication of its engineering industry also helped rebuild war-torn Germany. In terms of technological sophistication, scale and impact, Indias DPI is as good or better than many other technical projects around the world. Just like in the case of Americas lunar mission, communication about Indias DPI could help uplift the emotional quotient of the whole country. A few weeks back, I had written an article in this column about the tendency of many youngsters in our country to migrate to other countries in the belief that the grass is greener on the other side. Years of colonial rule had dented confidence in our abilities. Now there is no need to argue whether the glass is half full or half empty. While standing in the conference room in Kumarakom, I was convinced that the glass is clearly more than half full. We just need to communicate that fact more evocatively. Biju Dominic is chief evangelist, Fractal Analytics, and chairman, FinalMile Consulting. The rule of law is integral to a just order. As an idea, its institution sets the modernity of equal rights apart from the inequity of being at the mercy of someones whim. What we institute to govern our lives, however, needs a constant vigil. The India Justice Report of 2022 released by Tata Trusts this week offers a wealth of data which aids that cause by laying bare the inadequacies of our justice system. Covid slowed Indias pace of case-clearance by courts, with the result that our pile-up rose from 41 million in 2020 to 49 million in 2022. We had 5.6 million pending for longer than a decade, with 190,000 for over 30 years. The judiciary remains acutely short of capacity. With 20,093 judges at work, we barely have 15 for every million Indians, less than a third of the 50 recommended by the Law Commission in 1987. Meanwhile, Indian prisons saw a sharp rise in overcrowding to about 30 extra inmates in 2021 for every 100 they were built to hold. Only a minority were convicts, as 77% of them were under-trials yet to be found either guilty or innocent, up from about 69% two years earlier. This figure should weigh upon our conscience. Not only does it make bail not jail" sound hollow as the norm, since some prisoners surely deserve to be freed, it also speaks of apathy to their plight. Unless theres a good reason, accusations alone shouldnt get people locked up, especially not when so many laws allow false charges a wide berth. We cannot ignore this truth of justice: If it isnt meted out fairly, it doesnt exist. The report also places police forces under its lens. State-wise variation is visible on several counts, like vacancies, training budgets, police station cameras, etc. This should not surprise anyone. Except in Union territories governed by the Centre (Delhi included for this purpose), law-enforcers operate directly under state governments, so politics has a structural role in justice delivery at the khaki level. Lack of police diversity is a common problem across states, whether its gender, caste or other markers of identity. Be it constables or officers, too few women cops is a notable worry, for it feeds an anxiety over safety which imposes unseen social and economic costs. All police stations are supposed to have womens help-desks, but 28% do not and many others dont have women cops ready to respond round-the-clock, although fail-proof help is the least we should expect. No less worrisome are other biases that could arise within a force whose composition doesnt reflect that of the people being policed. Should political pressure come to bear in, say, politically sensitive situations, then the laws long arm can get misused. The way out of this perplexity would be de facto autonomy for the police. Unfortunately, this reform looks very hard to achieve, given how little appeal the idea of power dispersal appears to hold among those who wield it. In this milieu, asking politicians to empower police officers so that they can freely obey only their calls of duty might be too steep an ask. Judicial reforms may make for a significantly less dismal bet. Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud promised action upon taking charge last year and the apex court has indeed seen a few welcome initiatives in a reformist direction. Yet, a standoff between the judiciary and the government over judge selection has placed a limit on the scope of what we can expect. Anyhow, for justice to prevail, change is a must. The status quo just wont do. Government policies come and go, the victims of trends and fickle public opinion. The Swiss attachment to neutrality has had more staying power than most. Historians disagree whether it was formally adopted in 1515 or merely in 1648, or perhaps even as recently as 1815. Either way the idea that Switzerland should steer clear of foreign military entanglements has proved nearly as durable as its Alpine backdrops and discreet banks. Other countries have copied it. Before Russia attacked Ukraine last February, half a dozen European countries described themselves as neutral. Once the approach had an enlightened tinge to it: the virtuous foreign policy of well-run Nordic types. These days it looks hopelessly naive, if not worse. Some countries have binned the concept while others are sticking to their pacifist guns. Whether SwitzerlandEuropes 20th-most-populous country, with just 9m peopleis pitching in to a conflict may scarcely be noticeable to either belligerent. Yet the question has gained unexpected importance in recent weeks. The Bern governments attachment to neutrality includes not sending arms made in Switzerland to war zones, nor allowing countries that had previously bought Swiss arms to re-export them without prior approval. Such authorisation has been refused to Spain and Germany, which want to forward Swiss-made kit and ammunition in their arsenals to help Ukraine fend off Russia. Swiss obstinacy has been lambasted by those on the front lines. Ukraine sees this not as neutrality but as undermining our defence capabilities," tweeted Anton Gerashchenko, a government adviser in Kyiv. Reports suggest the Swiss may find a way to circumvent their principles. That would be the latest blow to a policy which has not aged well. Five other countries have adopted some variant of neutrality in Europe, for different reasons. Finland and Austria were lumped with it to shake off the Soviet yoke: proclaiming themselves neutral was a condition for regaining their freedom after the second world war. Sweden has claimed neutrality for over two centuries; tiny Malta adopted it in 1980 to avoid getting crushed by cold-war rivalries. Ireland, out of the way and close to both America and Britain, has been neutral since at least the 1930s. (Cyprus is an honorary member of the club: it is not in NATO, but only because Turkey would block its accession.) As war broke out on the continent, Sweden and Finland took the opportunity to join their non-neutral friends. Both applied to join NATO in May after public opinion swung against military standoffishness. The alliance wants them, but all 30 existing members need to ratify their accession. Turkeys autocratic president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is holding Sweden to ransom, demanding it extradite Kurdish militants who have sought asylum there. A deal may be near; even if not, the Finns and Swedes have already picked their side. Finland has said it may offer advanced Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine alongside other allies. Both Finland and Sweden have signed a security agreement with Britain, and are pondering one with America. (Arguably, joining the EU was itself a renunciation of neutrality, given that the clubs rules include a mutual-assistance clause.) Finland has long sought to distance itself from the idea of neutrality, which was a reminder of how the Kremlin once circumscribed its foreign-policy choices. At least its non-alignment" was not a way to scrimp on defence. Finland dedicates 2% of GDP to its military budget, in line with NATO guidance that only a handful in the alliance have met of late. That is perhaps unsurprising for a country with a 1,340km (830-mile) border with Russia. For other neutrals, the scrimping is part of the appeal. Sweden spends 1.3% of GDP, on a par with much-criticised Germany. Malta, Switzerland and Austria dedicated under 1% of GDP to their armed forces before the war; Ireland is the stingiest in the EU, at just 0.3%. Apart from the Nordics, the neutral status quo looks set to endure without much questioning. Ireland has gone through diplomatic contortions to proclaim itself not politically neutral, but militarily neutral". Instead of sending guns to Ukraine it has delivered first-aid kits. Austria and Switzerland have reaffirmed their commitment to the doctrine. Both have offered their services as conveners of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, a much-hyped traditional role for neutrals (other countries posh hotels are available if and when talks are afoot). Austria was neutral, Austria is neutral, Austria will also remain neutral," said its chancellor, Karl Nehammer, while pledging to boost military spending. Neutrality is popular and enshrined in its constitution. Switzerland, for its part, recently reviewed its neutrality doctrine and found it to be suitable. It would aid Ukraine if the UN Security Council condemned Russianot too likely, given that Russia wields a veto there. Its most important contribution to the war effort has been largely to mirror sanctions imposed by the EU. These have hobbled the trading of Russian oil in Geneva and frozen piles of oligarch cash stashed in Zurich. But populists have criticised even this as drifting away from non-alignment. No war please, were neutral! Neutrality looks increasingly like a simplistic answer to complex geopolitical questions. The security of Europe is being fought over in Ukrainian trenches. Any country on the continent declaring itself neutral about the outcome is announcing that its own safety is of scant concern. Non-neutrals resent this. Their guns are implicitly defending the likes of Austria, which get to splurge on more butter and boast of their virtue to boot. Countries that declare themselves neutral can change their minds. Congress was so determined that America should remain unaligned that it proclaimed its neutrality in 1935, 1936, 1937 and 1939. Yet by 1941 it had joined the allies. Switzerland or Ireland throwing its weight behind Ukraine is unlikely to have the same effect. But it would be a welcome decision to join the real world. Read more from Charlemagne, our columnist on European politics: Fifty years ago, the EU cracked the secret of its current success (Jan 5th) Why Europes traditional foods are not always what they seem (Dec 20th) A corruption scandal leaves the EU reeling (Dec 15th) 2023, The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com Wolverine actor Hugh jackman's skin cancer is not new. The actor has been advocating for ample use of sunscreen and have been talking about the scare of skin cancer since he was first diagnosed with the same in 2013. In the latest update on the actor Instagram profile, Jackman has said that he is undergoing more skin cancer tests after a recent medical check-up. Jackman, 54, had his first skin cancer removed in 2013, and has since had at least six procedures. The X-men actor said he expects test results within the next few days. In his video post, Jackman said his doctor had noticed "little things which could be, or could not be basal cell [carcinomas]". I know youve heard me talk about my basal cell carcinomas before. Im going to keep talking about them, if need be. And if it reminds even one person to put on sunscreen with a high SPF, then Im happy." Jackman wrote on the Instagram post. Basal cell carcinoma is a non-melanoma - which means it is much less likely to spread - and is caused by overexposure to the sun or sunbeds. Treatment for non-melanoma skin cancers are successful in 90% of cases, according to the NHS. Jackman reassured fans that basal cell carcinomas are the "least dangerous" in the world of skin cancer, but said he hoped his scare reminds people to be sun-safe. "Please wear sunscreen, it is just not worth it, no matter how much you want a tan. Trust me!" he said. Australia is the skin cancer capital of the world, with more than 11,500 people diagnosed with a melanoma and an estimated 434,000 treated for other skin cancers each year. In 2015, Jackman told People magazine his diagnoses had come as a surprise despite his upbringing. "It's always a bit of a shock just hearing the word 'cancer'," he said. "Being an Australian it's a very common thing. I never wore sunscreen growing up so I was a prime candidate for it." Born in Sydney to English-emigrant parents, Jackman is best known for his role as Wolverine in Marvel's X-Men franchise. Other career highlights include 2004's action-horror Van Helsing, the 2006 drama The Prestige, and the 2017 musical The Greatest Showman. New Delhi: Not long ago, President Droupadi Murmu made an emotional appeal. Many in India end up being in jail for years, for the slightest of crimes, or even when wrongly framed. They have little recourse. This needs to be fixed, she said, speaking at the National Law Day celebrations, organized by the Supreme Court. There is evidence in data. Our prisons are indeed teeming with people waiting for the completion of trial or investigation, also called undertrials. Globally, one in three prisoners are undertrials. In India, three out of four, or about 77% of the total prison population in 2021, were undertrials. Thats a rise of eight percentage points since 2019. You can blame the pandemic, which wreaked havoc on the justice system. Prisons across India are witnessing a decade-high occupancy rate even as the courts disposed of cases at a significantly lower pace during covid-19, show the findings of the third India Justice Report (IJR), released today. As the pressure on physical infrastructure mounted, the system took to technology to make up for shortfalls during this period. Courts adopted e-filing and virtual hearing. More jails equipped themselves with video-conferencing with increasing restrictions on moving inmates from prisons to courts for physical appearances. The IJR 2022, coming two years since the publication of the previous edition, captures not just pandemic-specific developments but also issues such as high vacancy, lack of diversity and low spend on training that have plagued the system for long. The study was conducted by Tata Trusts in partnership with the Centre for Social Justice, Common Cause, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, DAKSH, TISSPrayas, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy and How India Lives. Using the latest official statistics, the report assesses the different pillars of justice delivery systemjudiciary, police, prison and legal aid. These pillars have been analyzed through the lens of budget, human resources, diversity and infrastructure. The justice delivery system is not keeping up with the valid needs of our population," said Maja Daruwala, editor and convener of IJR, while summarizing its findings. The jolt that the pandemic gave the whole governance system was an opportunity to reset the system, genuinely revamp it with radical innovations that align the system to fulfill peoples genuine needs.Even within the financial constraints of Centre and state, there is a huge amount that can be done to make the system swift and fair," she added. Few policemen, fewer judges First things first. The major roadblock in ensuring an effective justice delivery system is that we do not have enough personnel. The Law Commission, in 1987, had recommended 50 judges per million population. At 25,773 judges, there are only 19 sanctioned judges per million population today. If this wasnt bad enough, consider this: not all sanctioned posts are filled, with the vacancy running as high as 48% among high court judges in Rajasthan and 49% among district court judges in Meghalaya. The real strength of judges is just 20,093, which makes it 15 judges per million population! One upside is that the vacancy for high court judges has decreased from 38% in 2019 to 30% in 2022. Except for Guwahati and Sikkim high courts, no other high court has filled its sanctioned posts as of December 2022. At the district level, no state or union territory (UT) but Chandigarh passes this test. The situation is no better in the police. Against the international standard of 222 policemen per lakh population, the ratio in India is just 153. At 29%, the vacancy at the officer level is seven percentage points higher than at the constable level. The overall vacancy in the police force has increased a bit since IJR2, from 20% in 2020 to 22% in 2022. Except for Nagaland, no state or UT has filled its sanctioned strength at the constable level. The vacancy runs as high as 44% in West Bengal. At the officer level, Sikkim is the only exception to have more officers than sanctioned. Bihar is on the other extreme, with a vacancy of 54%. Glass ceiling is firm Scarce human resources apart, we fare poorly on the criteria of diversity, too. The union home ministry, from time to time, reminds state governments to increase the strength of women police force to 33% of the total staff. No state meets this cutoff. Andhra Pradesh (22%) and Bihar (21%) come closest, with the national average at a gnawing 12%. The situation is dire at the officer level, with the share of women dropping to 8% at an all-India level. The aim is to have three sub-inspectors and 10 constables in every police station so that a women help desk is manned round the clock. While several states can boast of more than 10 constables per police station, on an average, only Delhi has the required number of sub-inspectors. Leave aside the 24*7 availability of women police at the desk, there are still 28% police stations in the country with no designated women help desk at all. Meghalaya has no women help desk in any of its police stations. Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand and Bihar have women help desks in less than 50% of their police stations. The trend in the judiciary is somewhat more encouraging. There has been a steady rise in the share of women judges, especially in the lower courts. The share of women judges in district courts rose from 30% in 2020 to 35% in 2022. The rise was more muted in high courts, from 11% in 2020 to 13% in 2022. A far lower share of women at the levels of both high court judges and officers is emblematic of the glass ceiling. Caste is an issue, too. There is a lower representation of scheduled castes (SC), scheduled tribes (ST) and other backward classes (OBC) at the officer level than within constabulary in the police. Further, more states and UTs meet their OBC quota than SC and ST quotas, in both the police and district-level judiciary. The state-level data on caste diversity in high courts is not available, but the aggregate figures paint a grim picture. Of the 537 judges appointed to the high courts from 2018 to 2022, only 1.3% were ST; 2.8% were SC; 11% were from the OBC category and 2.6% were from other minority communities. Getting there One encouraging development is growing digitization and adoption of technologynot quite the facet of our judiciary or bureaucracy in the past. There was a swift shift towards e-filing of cases, live-streaming of court proceedings and online hearings, with 19.2 million cases heard online and 17.8 million cases disposed of by virtual courts as of April 2022. And it seems these changes are here to stay. Sorry, technology is not something for the pandemic. Technology is here to stay for the future, forever," said DY Chandrachud, the chief justice of India, in February this year. The share of prisons, equipped with video-conferencing, went up from 60% in 2019 to 84% in 2021. This gained importance during the pandemic as prisoners could not be physically produced in courts. Video-conferencing can help bring inmates face-to-face with the courts, at a lower cost. In addition, it can reduce delays in normal times as well. There is little data on the effective use of video-conferencing, though. Long way to go In order to check custodial abuse, the Supreme Court passed a series of directions in 2020 for installation of CCTV cameras in 14 different locations inside every police station. However, more than one-fourth of the police stations in the country had not installed even one CCTV camera as of January 2022. Shockingly, Rajasthan had one CCTV in one of its urban police stations. Cybercrime has been on the rise, especially during the pandemic. They are no longer just a metropolitan phenomenon but have reached every nook and corner of the country, as the Netflix TV series Jamatara shows. And yet, there are 11 states and UTs which have cyber cells in less than 25% of their districts. The state of CCTVs and cyber cells shows that there is still a long way to go for our justice system in becoming adequately equipped and staying updated with times. Meanwhile, people responsible for delivering justice also need to update themselves. As of now, there seems to be less focus on that. India spends less than 10,000 on a policeman for training in a year. Barely 1.3% of the total police budget, on an average, was allocated for training in 2020-21, with states such as Kerala, West Bengal and Himachal Pradesh spending very little to nothing. Justice delayed is justice denied The real test of any system is in its output. And when it comes to justice, there are grave failures. Consider these astounding numbers: Around 190,000 court cases have been pending for more than 30 years and 5.6 million cases have been pending for over 10 years! Being understaffed, our courts were always slow in disposing of cases. The pandemic added to their woes, with the number of pending cases rising from 4.1 crore to 4.9 crore between 2020 and 2022. With such a backlog, a case clearance rate (CCR)the number of cases disposed of against the number filed in a yearof less than 100% would be unjust. At the peak of the pandemic, the CCR plummeted to 77% for high courts and 62% for districts courts in 2020. The levels have risen since then but there are still below well below 100%. No wonder our prisons are overcrowded. The occupancy rate of prisons went up by 12 percentage points in 2021, making the situation critical" in the terminology of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, which classifies 120% overcrowding as critical" and 150% as extreme". The situation went beyond extreme in six states and UTs. A more unfortunate aspect? Over three-quarters of them were undertrials, whose culpability is yet to be proved. Undertrial Review Committees (UTRC) were set up across India at the direction of Supreme Court since 2013 to check unnecessary pre-trial detention. The UTRC, at the district-level, is headed by the district and sessions judge with the district magistrate, superintendent of police, officer-in-charge of prisons and secretary of district legal services authority being its members. UTRCs recommended a release of 42,486 inmates in 2021, but only 39% of them were released. President Murmu, in her speech at the National Law Day celebrations, questioned the idea of building more prisons to prevent overcrowding. If we are moving towards progress as a society, then what is the need for building more jails? We should be shutting them down," she said. The stakeholders have a lot to reflect on. Virgin is running a flight sale until tomorrow, with deals on domestic and international fares. (Source: Getty) If youre looking to lock in a last-minute getaway, Virgin Australia has some huge deals on offer for both domestic and international trips. For those keen on a tropical getaway, Virgin is offering deals to Bali, Fiji and Vanuatu. Economy Lite fares start from just $589 return and are available for select travel dates between April 17 and April 30. And if youre keen to explore Australias own backyard, the airline also has deals to various destinations around the country, including Ballina, the Gold Coast, Cairns and Hobart. Economy fares start from just $85 one-way for the April travel dates. Travellers can also lock in deals for the upcoming winter holidays, with domestic fares starting from just $65 one-way for select travel dates in July. Weve rounded up some of the highlights below. But youll need to get in quick because the sale ends tomorrow, April 6. April holiday deals International deals for Economy return fares: Adelaide to Bali (DPS) Lite from $589 return Sydney to Fiji (NAN) Lite from $630 return Brisbane to Fiji (NAN) Lite from $645 return Brisbane to Vanuatu (VLI) Lite from $705 return Domestic deals for Economy one-way fares in both directions: Melbourne Launceston from $85 Lite Sydney Ballina from $89 Lite Sydney Gold Coast from $99 Lite Melbourne Gold Coast from $109 Lite Sydney Brisbane from $119 Choice Brisbane Cairns from $119 Lite Brisbane Proserpine from $125 Lite Adelaide Melbourne from $129 Lite Melbourne Canberra from $139 Lite Melbourne Brisbane from $159 Lite Brisbane Mackay from $159 Lite Perth Broome from $295 Lite Perth Hobart from $335 Lite July winter holiday deals Domestic deals for Economy one-way fares in both directions: Sydney Ballina from $65 Lite Melbourne Launceston from $85 Lite Sydney Gold Coast from $119 Lite Sydney Brisbane from $119 Choice Melbourne Gold Coast from $135 Lite Melbourne Canberra from $139 Lite Adelaide Melbourne from $149 Lite Brisbane Proserpine from $165 Lite Brisbane Cairns from $165 Lite Brisbane Mackay from $189 Lite Melbourne Brisbane from $219 Lite Perth Broome from $219 Choice Perth Sydney from $289 Lite Story continues Follow Yahoo Finance on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter, and subscribe to our free daily newsletter. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW YORK (AP) The founder of Frank, a student loan assistance startup company that J.P. Morgan Chase acquired for $175 million two years ago, has been arrested on charges that she duped the financial giant by dramatically inflating the number of customers her company had, authorities said Tuesday. Charlie Javice, 31, of Miami Beach, Florida, was arrested Monday night in New Jersey on conspiracy, wire and bank fraud charges. A charging document in Manhattan federal court said she claimed her company had over four million users when it had fewer than 300,000 customers. Authorities said Javice, who appeared on the Forbes 2019 30 Under 30 list, would have earned $45 million from the fraud. Javice and her lawyer declined to comment as they left court after Javice signed a $2 million bond and agreed to curfew and possible electronic monitoring if court officers decide it is necessary. She also agreed not to contact key figures in the case including investors except for her mother and her mother's boyfriend. In a release, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said Javice engaged in a brazen scheme" to defraud the acquiring financial company by fabricating data to support lies she told in a bid to make tens of millions of dollars from the sale of her company. This arrest should warn entrepreneurs who lie to advance their businesses that their lies will catch up to them, he said. According to a criminal complaint, Javice in 2017 founded TAPD Inc., which operated under the name Frank, to provide an online platform to simplify the process of filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, a free federal government form used by students to apply for financial aid for college or graduate school. In 2021, Javice sought to sell her company in her role as its chief executive to a large financial institution, the complaint said. When JPMC sought to verify that her company had 4.25 million customers, Javice asked her company's director of engineering to create an artificially generated data set, but the individual declined, it said. She then hired an outside data scientist to create the synthetic data set as she purchased for $105,000 on the open market real information for over 4.25 million students, the complaint said. But it added that the data she purchased did not contain all of the information she had told JPMC was maintained by Frank. In a civil complaint filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the regulatory agency alleged that Javice made numerous misrepresentations about Frank's alleged millions of users to entice JPMC to purchase the now shuttered Frank. Gurbir S. Grewal, director of the SECs Division of Enforcement, said in a release that even non-public, early-stage companies must be truthful in their representations. He added: Rather than help students, we allege that Ms. Javice engaged in an old school fraud: she lied about Franks success in helping millions of students navigate the college financial aid process by making up data to support her claims, and then used that fake information to induce JPMC to enter into a $175 million transaction. By Susanna Moore Knopf. 192 pp. $27 - - - Susanna Moore is best known for her stylishly explicit 1995 novel, "In the Cut," in which a New York City teacher has an affair with a detective investigating murders in her neighborhood. Three novels and nearly three decades later, Moore turns her eye again to a woman on the verge, but this time the setting is the Minnesota prairie of mid-19th-century America, and her protagonist is an abused wife who flees Rhode Island for a new life on the American frontier. Drawn in part from a true story, "The Lost Wife" explores one woman's experience amid escalating violence against Indigenous tribes as they are pushed from their ancestral land. Sarah Brinton narrates her story, bit by bit, in a spare, lyrical tone. Gradually, she divulges bitter memories of her neglectful mother and the infant child she left behind when she escaped from her predator husband in 1855, out of fear that he would kill her. This is the emotionally complex baggage of a woman who, in hopes of erasing all traces of her past, renames herself Sarah Browne and sets off for Native American territory. She plans to join forces with Maddie, her friend and confidante from childhood. The grueling trip will require enduring three tedious weeks of crude travel conditions via coal-fueled locomotive, mule-drawn Erie Canal packet boat, steamship and wagon train. On an Illinois river boat, Sarah sleeps upright, "in a slatted chair in the bow"; the hem of her dress is "stiff with dry mud"; and her face and hands, she tells us, are "swollen with mosquito bites." Also, she continues, "there are rats, too, and I keep my feet under me. The cattle, trapped in their sodden pens, moan through the night." By the time Sarah reaches Shakopee, Minn., where she plans to meet Maddie, she reeks from having been unable to bathe since her journey began. But there is no Maddie. She has died of cholera. So much for Sarah's American Dream of freedom and new beginnings. Forced to improvise, Sarah surveys the narrow possibilities before her as a self-described stout, unattached woman in her mid-20s in need of making a living in a riverbank trading town whose citizens are as coarse as they are prudish. She finds a solution when she meets and marries John Brinton, a melancholy, widowed physician. The pair have two children and move to Yellow Medicine, a community made up of federal administrators and White settlers adjacent to the Sioux reservation, where Brinton is the resident doctor. Sarah is at last financially stable, but the accelerating tensions between Native Americans and White settlers make her uneasy, her discomfort further heightened by community pressure to cast her loyalties entirely with one side or the other. The White and the Native people live alongside each other, she reflects, but in two increasingly unreconcilable and unequal worlds, with the U.S. government herding the tribes into ever-smaller reservations and limiting rations to starvation levels, while Sarah and her White neighbors live in comfort. Sarah nevertheless tries to build her own bridge by befriending Native people, learning the Dakota language and joining them to smoke pipes together. But the peace is short-lived, ended by the abrupt outbreak of the Dakota War of 1862. Moore takes the outline of what happens next from Sarah F. Wakefield's 1864 autobiographical account, "Six Weeks in the Sioux Tepees." Both the historical and the fictional Sarah and their children are seized by the Sioux and held for the six weeks in terrorized captivity. They witness gory carnage committed by both sides. And after they are freed, both find themselves shunned by the community, mocked for being overly sympathetic to the enemy. What they are guilty of instead, Moore's novel asserts, is empathy for the suffering of the oppressed. The federal officers investigating the uprising "only write down what they want to hear," ignoring any testimony that speaks well of the captors as well as Sarah's plea for clemency for the Sioux warrior whose actions saved her and her children's lives. Moore's title captures not only Sarah's anguish but also that of all the lost wives and lost souls whose illusions had carried them to a vaunted frontier whose promise had become saturated in blood. In replacing long-held legends with traumas, Moore's steely vision of the American West recognizes few, if any, heroes. The result is a repudiation - solemn yet stirring - of the idealized fable of the American West. - - - Diane Cole is the author of the memoir "After Great Pain: A New Life Emerges." An Australian expat has reportedly been kicked out of Bali after a video of her screaming at a police officer over a scooter infringement went viral. Marita Daniell was captured on camera arguing with a Balinese police officer over an on-the-spot $25 fine for not wearing a helmet while using a scooter. The furious woman who has lived in Indonesia for 23 years was reportedly stopped at a road in Canggu in North Kuta and seen raising her hands and aggressively gesturing at the police officer, who was blocking her path to try move her off the road. Australian expat Marita Daniell has reportedly been deported from Indonesia following a video of her aggressively arguing with a police officer in Bali. Source: Twitter Its not my fault, she can be heard saying, claiming her helmet was stolen. We have rules! the policeman responds. Australians, (and Russians), and those six-packed shirtless beach bums: Do not do this. It's so friggin' embarrassing, one woman wrote when sharing the now viral video on Twitter. Following footage of the incident being shared last month, Ms Daniell was deported from Indonesia last Friday, Daily Mail reports. Director General of Immigration in Indonesia, Silmy Karim, said on Monday there was "no room for foreigners" to "disturb security and order". "Saya disini 23 tahun!" Just another entitled bule in Canggu. pic.twitter.com/sQRjfJEXFx Tukang Sayat Kulit (@akuluka) March 9, 2023 "We continue to monitor the presence of foreigners in Indonesia. In total there were 620 foreigners who were (recently) deported, including several foreigners who went viral disturbing public order in Bali," he said in Jakarta according to a translated statement. He detailed some of the reasons tourists or expats were deported from Indonesia which included "disrupting public order, misbehaving, and not complying with Indonesian regulations". "We will give administrative sanctions in the form of detention, deportation, to deterrence or not being allowed to enter Indonesian Territory again for a certain period of time," he continued in the statement. Story continues Bali governor threatens major shakeup for Aussie tourists The deportation comes amid threats by Bali Governor Wayan Koster to ban tourists from renting motorbikes following a spike in traffic violations. Borrowing or renting [motorbikes] would no longer be allowed. That may be implemented starting in 2023, he said during a recent press conference at the Bali office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, according to BBC Indonesia. Tourists could be banned from riding scooters in Bali in a move to decrease traffic infringements. Source: Getty Statistics by Bali Police show that between February and March this year, 171 foreign nationals were fined for violations such as not wearing a helmet or having a driver's licence, local media reports. Despite Australians making up the largest group of tourists in Bali, they weren't the biggest traffic violators, with 56 of the 171 foreign nationals being Russian, 10 Australian and five Ukrainian, The Australian reports. 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. Courting India: Seventeenth-Century England, Mughal India, and the Origins of Empire By Nandini Das Pegasus. 440 pp. $35 - - - The history of writing begins with a receipt. So, often, does the writing of history. The oldest known cuneiform tablet from Mesopotamia records a bulk order for clothing, from which alone historians can reconstruct ancient trading routes, imports and exports, and people's tastes in fashion. In the case of India, few records are quite so thorough, and quite as large, as those of the British East India Company, which, in 1600, was granted a monopoly on English trading in India, and which, over the next 250 years, would conquer much of it. No transaction was too small for the company and no detail insignificant: It required its officers to record everything. This obsession with paperwork did not escape the attention of Karl Marx, who quipped that, in making the leap from commerce to colonialism, the British administration in India had become "one immense writing machine." Among those of whom such record-keeping was expected was Sir Thomas Roe, the first English ambassador to India, appointed by King James I at the behest of the company. In 1615, he was sent to the Mughal court of Jahangir - then one of the largest and richest empires in the world - to secure trading rights for England and protection from the Dutch and the Portuguese, who already had a strong foothold in India. But Roe, during his travels, maintained something more ambitious than a ledger. He also kept a personal journal, in which he painstakingly documented his impressions, observations and experiences of Mughal India. This journal has long been considered invaluable to historians, who have found in it an important, if not impartial, source of information about Jahangir's court and an early example of English attitudes toward it. Nandini Das would agree with this assessment. But her book, "Courting India: Seventeenth-Century England, Mughal India, and the Origins of Empire," does not take a historian's view so much as that of a literary biographer. Das offers a close reading of Roe's journal and fleshes out the character of the man within the context of the sociopolitical forces that shaped him. She examines the politics and literature of Jacobean England, where Roe felt at home, and the personalities and intrigues of the Mughal court, where he felt hopelessly lost. And she sifts through the meticulous archives of the East India Company to trace how men and merchandise flowed between Britain and India. Roe, in Das's telling, does not come across as a particularly affable man. From the moment of his arrival in India, he acted more by assertion than concession, adamancy than adaptation. Instead of respecting the customs of India, he insisted that his hosts conform to his. Uninterested in the intricacies of the local government and economy, he was content to condemn "Oriental despotism" and revile Indians as corrupt, self-interested swindlers. Singularly incurious about other cultures, he refused to learn Persian or Gujarati, and insisted on wearing English clothes even in the cruel heat of Indian midsummer. Whenever he felt slighted or fell ill, both of which happened often enough, his self-pity knew no bounds. His diaries reflect his classical education and his aristocratic upbringing. His view of the world was refracted by the presumed superiorities of his faith, nationality and skin color: Muslims were infidels, Hindus idolaters, India ungovernable, and Indians, well, they were the fallen descendants of Shem or Ham. At the same time, he was astute in his observations of the Mughal court, assiduous in his duties, resourceful in the face of company's penny-pinching and honest enough to record the iniquities of his countrymen, who had developed a reputation for depravity, drunkenness and violence. His opinion of Jahangir depended on his mood and whether he found favor with the emperor. When welcomed, Roe thought the monarch noble and generous; when shunned, he was a tyrant and a drunk. On the other hand, Jahangir, who in his memoirs would devote pages to the description of a plant or an animal, does not mention Roe once. Das's book is at its most interesting when it moves beneath the familiar and unearths stories that have been forgotten or suppressed. For instance, she finds that many Englishmen who arrived in India had a more ambivalent relationship with it than Roe did. This is evident in the case of one Robert Jones, who suddenly cut off all ties to England and found welcome in the Mughal court. (Roe suspected that Jones was homosexual, and this, Das suggests, might have been the main reason for his defection.) But when Jones changed his mind and returned to the English camp, all Roe could offer him was a return ticket to England and a trial for desertion. In the end, Das concedes, "nothing particularly significant emerged from Roe's embassy." (Roe managed to obtain modest permissions and protections for an English factory from the future Shah Jahan, with whom he had a tense relationship.) Nor, for that matter, are his impressions of India all that unique. His narrative is but one among many written by English travelers at the time, and some of them, such as those by Edward Terry and Thomas Coryat, are much less prejudiced and far more entertaining. "Courting India" is full of well-researched details and anecdotes, but they never quite cohere into a larger narrative about Roe or why his time in India merits another investigation. The tentativeness with which Das approaches her subject yields her no deeper a conclusion than the truism that interactions between different cultures are complex, dynamic and subtle. Yet, if Roe's journals remain valuable today, it is less, I think, as a historical source than as an instance of how such sources can be used to rewrite history. When, in the 18th and 19th centuries, the British Empire grew in power and extent, Britain found it expedient to justify colonialism and conquest as inevitable steps in the march of history and the progress of humanity. To that end, Roe's journals, almost forgotten for 200 years, suddenly found new purpose. British historians of the era, keen to undermine "native" sources, pronounced Roe's journals to be more objective than, say, Jahangir's memoirs; Christians, seeking justification for their evangelism, found in them a proof of Indian immorality and vice; and British subjects, including, then, Indians, were encouraged to see in Roe an exemplar of English achievement and superiority. Das offers many examples of this revisionism, such as the painting by William Rothenstein that graces the cover of the book, but something holds her back from grappling with it in a more substantial way. To do so, perhaps, requires a foray into the politics of the present, which the book scrupulously avoids. But it is precisely within a political context that the invention of an "origin of Empire" - something the title of the book promises to explore - gains currency. If "men can do nothing without the make-believe of a beginning," as George Eliot wrote, Das never quite interrogates how, and why, this mythical origin came to be identified with Roe. Such revisionism was far from unsuccessful. Even today, within the great dome of the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata - one of the most famous landmarks in the city - a series of panels commemorates the most significant moments in British Indian history. One of them shows a man emerging from an English carriage, in splendid Jacobean clothing, received by a reverential crowd of Mughal officers and nobles. The legend of Sir Thomas has arrived. - - - Balaji Ravichandran is a writer based in New York. On a day the news media constantly described as "historic," it didn't actually look like much. With hundreds of journalists on hand, and TV cameras in the air and on the ground, former president Donald Trump's arraignment Tuesday on felony charges in a Manhattan court produced more anticipation than visual fireworks. If you weren't in the courthouse, you didn't see it. Try as they might for a glimpse of the former president, the media horde didn't get many. Trump briefly stopped outside Trump Tower to give a defiant (and widely recorded) fist pump before taking off for court. But then, for hours, the former president, the first ever indicted on criminal charges, was almost always out of the picture. TV helicopters followed Trump's trip from Fifth Avenue to the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse building, tracking him for cable-news audiences like a drone locking onto a target. As the time of his arraignment approached at 2:15 p.m., the broadcast networks - ABC, CBS, NBC - had interrupted their regular daytime programming to go live with his arraignment on 34 counts stemming from 2016 hush money payments to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels, marking a rare moment when the six leading news networks were all focused on the same story. Despite turning out early and in force - some journalists lined up Monday night for a seat in the courtroom on Tuesday afternoon - the news media was effectively blindered and hamstrung by Justice Juan Merchan, the New York State Supreme Court judge in the case. Merchan ruled late Monday night that cameras would be banned from his courtroom and that reporters would have to leave all recording devices once they entered his courtroom and two overflow rooms. About 60 reporters made it to the courtroom; all had to wait until after the proceedings had wrapped up to convey to the world what they saw. The ban on cameras was particularly nettlesome to the TV networks, which had to resort to showing what was going on outside the court rather than what transpired within it. So network cameras lingered on law enforcement officers milling outside the courthouse, and on a single-camera view of a hallway in the court building, where more officers milled about outside the blacked-out glass doors of the office of District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Trump's legal nemesis. The overall perspective was of an outsider looking in. Or trying to. Just before the arraignment itself, as network talking heads blabbed over the static hallway shot, Trump suddenly emerged from Bragg's office. His appearance created some excitement among the TV commenters. But then Trump quickly walked out of the shot. MSNBC, CNN and Fox immediately replayed the three-second clip of the scowling ex-president. Anchor Anderson Cooper on CNN noted that no one held the door open for the former commander in chief and leader of the free world, who shouldered through it himself. "Probably the first time he's had to do that in quite some time," Cooper added. The first pool photos from inside the courtroom emerged a few minutes later. (Merchan permitted five still photographers to shoot pictures from the jury box but dismissed them before the main event began.) The shots were in many ways ordinary: Trump sitting at the defendant's table, flanked by lawyers. But in their own way, they were unprecedented and extraordinary, and TV anchors seized upon them, eager to have something to analyze. "He doesn't look like somebody who thinks the indictment is nonsense," said CNN's Jake Tapper. "He looked really irritated and annoyed. That is a pissed-off Donald Trump." "No question," added his colleague Jamie Gangel. "That is an angry Donald Trump." In all, the live coverage had a derivative quality: Unable to show the news itself, cable hosts and anchors had to turn to former prosecutors and defense attorneys to explain how the first criminal prosecution might have unfolded. "It's really hard if you're a former president to be indicted," mused former acting solicitor general Neal Katyal in a guest spot on MSNBC. "You really have to try. It's like failing kindergarten." For his part, Trump remained uncharacteristically silent, perhaps reserving his true feelings for a prime-time speech on Tuesday. He avoided opportunities to address the ravening reporters. "How did you plead, President Trump?" a reporter shouted as Trump walked from the courtroom. Trump declined to respond. His only semipublic comment before his arraignment came on his Truth Social platform: "Heading to Lower Manhattan, the Courthouse. Seems so SURREAL - WOW, they are going to ARREST ME," he wrote earlier in the day. By 3:30 p.m., it was all over but for the commentary. Trump got back in his motorcade and headed for the flight home to Mar-a-Lago. The TV helicopters buzzed overhead, recording a line of vehicles beating it out of New York City. - - - The Washington Post's Jeremy Barr contributed to this report. A local group of volunteers is hosting a special fundraiser later this month, providing a fashion show & luncheon in support of the Border Region Behavioral Health Center. Laredoans can get a fine meal and enjoy a fashion show filled with local models, clothing and volunteers, with all the proceeds going to support a local nonprofit dedicated to improving mental health support in the Gateway City. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, April 26, at noon at the Laredo Country Club and is organized by Border Region's Volunteer Services Council. Doors open for the event at 11:30 a.m. The fashion show is themed after New Orleans and the Mardi Gras festivities held every year in the Louisiana metro. Titled, "Tale of New Orleans & Madri Gras," attendees can expect to see a variety of local models wearing the top fashion trends of today. Models will be styled in clothing from a group of Laredo fashion boutiques, including looks from Forever After, Pichardos, Bejeweled and Brilliance. Fitting in with the theme, revelers are encouraged to wear Mardi Gras or Masquerade masks to join in on the fun. Proceeds from the fundraiser will go to support the Border Region Behavioral Health Center, which operates in Webb, Zapata, Jim Hogg, and Starr counties. The organization's goal is to provide cost-effective mental health and intellectual & developmental disability services throughout their service area. The organization treat adults and children who suffer from schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, severe major depression and other severely disabling mental disorders. Tickets are available for the event at $100 each or $1,000 for a table of 10. For advance reservations, contact Laura at Border Region via 956-794-3130 or 956-763-6426. Raffle tickets are also also available for purchase though members of the volunteer services committee and will be sold at the door. You can also contact the organizers at blaurak@borderregion.org for more information. A man was arrested for holding his girlfriend against her will and assaulting her for three days, according to Laredo police. Julio Cesar Almaguer-Alvarez, 43, was arrested on the charges of assault family violence, unlawful restraint and possession of a controlled substance. Laredo police officers responded to a domestic altercation involving a couple shortly before noon March 31 in the 4500 block of Juarez Avenue. Officers went to an apartment where they met with a 14-year-old. He stated that his parents were in a fight earlier. Since there was no sign of an assault, officers returned to service. Then, an additional officer was flagged down by a woman. Officers then returned to the scene on Juarez to gather more information. The woman stated that her sister was being abused by her boyfriend. Authorities identified the boyfriend as Almaguer-Alvarez. Police located him and his girlfriend at a truck stop by the 5300 block of Old Santa Maria Road. Both were in a silver Cadillac. Officers approached the passenger seat and observed the girlfriend had abrasions, bruises and swelling to her face, according to court documents, according to the arrest affidavit. Her nose appeared to be broken as she had a bump on it with bruising. She also had a busted lip, dried blood and red marking on her left eye. Officers noticed she had several scratches and cuts on her arms. She also had a strong odor of alcohol coming from her person, according to police. Almaguer-Alvarez was then detained for further investigation. He was found in possession of a white THC Cake Pen that was half full with gold liquid, according to court documents. The woman stated that she and Almaguer-Alvarez got into an argument due to him being a migrant and claiming to have more power and authority than her. She added that Almaguer-Alvarez gets intoxicated and aggressive with her, the affidavit states. She added that Almaguer-Alvarez held her against her will. She added that Almaguer-Alvarez punched her in the face multiple times throughout three days. She said she tried to call her sister for help while being assaulted, court documents state. Police then tried speaking to Almaguer-Alvarez. Mr. Alvarez could not provide a story of what occurred as he was intoxicated and stated he did not do anything, states the affidavit. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A business that started 46 years ago is taking a turn with a new generation at the helm, adding new trends and introducing a Tea Room concept. The Jardiniere a business that in the past was dedicated to the sale of fine furniture and decoration is now under the management of Stewart and Yelile Slaughter as The Jardiniere & Tea Room. The Jardiniere & Tea Room offers home decor items and womens clothing and accessories. In addition, Yelile, who has been running her own business Kitchen Studio for years, joins The Jardiniere to offer her pastry and food services in the Tea Room. Yelile said that The Jardiniere was a furniture and decoration business that was located in Mall del Norte that belonged to her in-laws, David and Millie Slaughter, who opened the store in Mall del Norte for over 18 years where they then relocated to Colonnade Square. For Stewart and Yelile, joining The Jardiniere & Tea Room has provided an opportunity to continue the Slaughter family business. Yelile said that joining The Jardiniere & Tea Room has been a long dream of being able to continue this business that was in the publics preference for many years. My husband and I love the business because we come from generations of family businesses, Yelile said. We like people to come to admire our items and to experience something very special because in the past, this business run by the Slaughter family when it was in the Mall and then in Colonnade Square had always enjoyed the love and admiration of the public of Laredo and surrounding areas. Yelile added that for this new stage of The Jardiniere & Tea Room they are promoting new items along with what was handled before. Of course there is some nostalgia, Yelile said. But by introducing new concepts into the store, it will introduce new generations to the business and make it a favorite by noticing that there is something for everyone. Yelile said that the store offers decoration items and womens clothing and accessories at the front, while the Tea Room with the menu of Kitchen Studio is located at the back. In the Tea Room we will be offering tea, coffee, pastries, salads and Mediterranean food. The opening of the Tea Room will be announced later when the construction and decoration project of this area is completely finished, which is turning out incredible. Yelile, born to an Italian father and a mother of Middle Eastern descent, said her love of cooking began when she was a child. With my Nana (my grandmother), I learned to cook and to want to learn, she said. She taught me as a child to make flour tortillas at the age of 7 or 8. Because of her, I love cooking. Yelile said her Italian-American-Arab and Armenian ancestry has infused much into her love of creating Middle Eastern dishes and baking. Middle Eastern food has always been prepared at home, it is not complicated, but it is laborious and beautiful, she said. The smells, the ingredients, the spices and the love for that cuisine inherited from my ancestors has made me an expert in these dishes that I enjoy preparing. Yelile, who also creates cakes and pastries with artistic designs, said that her love for creativity leads her to create an infinite number of designs for all tastes. I love to create. The inspiration for these creations comes from the love for creativity. I studied art, painting and opera, among other things, and for this reason I love to create, she said. I have also taken pastry classes and continue to study and experiment with flavors and colors derived from nature. Yelile said that although they are already open to the public since early March, a date for an official opening ceremony has not yet been set. We hope that the public will enjoy the store and the new concept of the Tea Room, she said. We hope that our old clients visit us again and those doing it for the first time will love it! The Jardiniere & Tea Room is located at 101 W. Hillside at the corner of Hillside and Springfield inside Colonnade Square 1 Suite 2. Courtesy/Webb County Sheriff's Office A Mexican Mafia gang member was arrested for being in the country illegally, according to the U.S. Border Patrol. The case occurred on April 4, when agents apprehended several migrants near the Rio Grande. Agents took the migrants to the Laredo South Station for processing. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Laredo Police Department reported a self-inflicted gunshot wound report at the Arena Gun Club which left a man in critical condition. According to LPD, an investigation is ongoing on Tuesday, April 4 at Arena Gun Club located at 6501 Arena Blvd. LPD said it is unknown at this time if the self-inflected gunshot wound was an accidental or intentional discharge. The man involved in the incident remains in critical condition at a local hospital. Laredo Fire Department crews responded for the reported shooting around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. Paramedics discovered a 45-year-old male with critical injuries and treated him before transporting him to Laredo Medical Center in critical condition. This is a developing story and will be updated as details become available. ginosphotos/Getty Images/iStockphoto A recent high-school graduate from Kansas City sent a message in a bottle while on vacation in Jamaica last summer. Missouri resident Madi Whalen dated the letter on June 13, 2022, and describes her last day basking in the sun on vacation in Jamaica after graduating high school and looking forward to seeing her family back home. Harris County will now be able to set its own tax rate again thanks to Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar, who on Monday rescinded a determination he put forth last fall accusing Harris County officials of passing a fiscal budget that he claimed amounted to defunding law enforcement officers in contravention to state laws. The comptroller followed his accusations by barring the county from instituting a new tax rate for the 2023 fiscal year, an act that led local Harris County leaders to file suit against Hegar's office in February. The battle between the two sides appears to be winding down, judging by Hegar's decision on Monday to rescind his block on the county's tax rate proceedings. "I applaud Harris County and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo for finally admitting that they defunded law enforcement, Hegar said in a statement Monday. "The fact that they defunded police as part of larger cuts to the countys overall budget is in no way an indication of Judge Hidalgos commitment to public safety." Hegar's change of course follows a ruling by a Texas judge last month blocking his suit against the county. Hegar's complaints against Harris County centered around local officials' proposal of a seven-month, $1.3 billion "short fiscal year budget" that would fund the county for a shorter window of time as it transitioned its 12-month budget schedule to a new date in the fall. Opponents of the budget included Precinct 5 Constable Ted Heap, who claimed the temporary gap budget left his department with $2.3 million less in funding than its previous year's allowancea claim county officials said was false and based on misleading math. "The County's lawsuit made clear the Comptroller's conclusion was legally incorrect, even applying the Comptroller's own math," Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee said in a statement Monday. "Harris County did not violate that standard because using the Comptrollers math, Harris County's overall budget decrease from his annualized version of the 2022 short fiscal year budget to the County's fiscal year 2023 budget, while Precinct 5's share of the County's budget increases." Menefee also said he was happy to learn about the state's reversal. However, he hopes that any problems in the future can be discussed instead of forcing the county to file a lawsuit. "I'm glad the Comptroller admitted his error and is no longer holding Harris County's budget process hostage," Menefee said. "I hope that in the future, we can talk through these types of allegations, as the law requires before the Comptroller makes a final decision. I urge the Comptroller to talk to us next time instead of forcing us to file a lawsuit." According to Menefee, the county can adopt a new tax rate with the state's recession. In a 13-4 vote, Houston City Council Members approved an ordinance Wednesday allowing the creation of conservation districts in specified areas around the city. Six proposed locations for the districts are Independence Heights, Freedmen's Town, Acres Homes, Magnolia Park/Manchester, Pleasantville, and Piney Point. Residents in these locales will now vote on whether their neighborhoods should institute conservation districts in their area. The creation of such a district would allow the community to create design and architecture standards for property owners and construction, including designating lot size and building height restrictions. How many of these districts will actually come to fruition remains to be seen. In order to designate a neighborhood with conservation district status, 51 percent of property owners in the area must agree and sign-on to create the terms. After receiving approval from the majority of property owners, the Houston Archeological and Historical Commission also has to approve the proposal before it goes back to the city council for a final vote. Prior to the measure's approval at city council, At-Large No. 3 Council Member Michael Kubosh attempted to add an amendment to the measure that would allow property owners a one-year window to opt out of the conservation district's design code following its implementation. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and other council members pushed back on the amendment, saying that it weakens the terms in the original ordinance. "This is step one. You are going to have plenty of community engagement and discussion in these respective districts," Turner said. "We are only dealing with these districts in this ordinance. If this amendment is put on, it dilutes what we are trying to do." At Large Council Member Mike Knox, who supported Kubosh's amendment, said it aims to give another option to residents who don't want their property designated as a conservation district. He also requested that the number of property owners signed on change from 51 percent to 60 percent. "I believe in liberty, I believe in the right to pursue one's own happiness, and if you are not willing to change the requirement up to at least 60 percent on this conservation district, then we need to give those residents who choose not to want to participate a mechanism by which they can do that," Knox said. "It's about freedom of choice and giving people an option to choose." Still, in a 2-15 vote, the council declined to add the amendment to the ordinance. Several council members said this ordinance is about preserving the history of minority-majority neighborhoods facing gentrification and having a say on developments in their communities. "Most people in Black and brown communities, the only thing that we have of true value is our home that's our investment, and if we can't preserve those areas and make sure they're beautiful in the same way they remember, these are generational homes," Council member Letitia Plummer said. "This is what the community wants, and this is what they've asked for." In the final vote, Council Member Michael Kubosh voted in favor of the ordinance, while Council Members Knox, Dave Martin, Mary Nan Huffman, and Amy Peck voted against it. The conservation district programs differ from the city's requirements on historic districts, where 67 percent of property owners must approve of the designation. Tony Blair and his Irish counterpart, Bertie Ahern, sign the Good Friday Agreement on April 10, 1998 Monday April 10 marks 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement came into being. The historic agreement, which was signed in Northern Ireland on April 10, 1998, effectively brought an end to the Troubles. An open border between the Republic and Northern Ireland was a key component of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, and one that brought hard-won peace to Northern Ireland following decades of conflict. It established a consensus for peace and the future direction of the region after the political conflict had been raging for more than 30 years. The full weight of the British and Irish administrations was brought to bear in painstaking negotiations that brought unionists and republicans together after fighting between the two groups that led to the deaths of thousands. The recently secured Windsor Framework, was in part proposed to avoid any return of the conflict that the Good Friday Agreement put an end to. What caused the Troubles? In the 1960s Northern Ireland faced a bitter conflict between unionists who wanted to remain within the UK and republicans who wanted the province to become part of a united Ireland. Republicans and the wider nationalist community are mostly Catholic, while unionists mostly Protestant. The conflict was perpetuated by paramilitary groups the IRA and the UVF. Further people were killed by the British security forces after the army was deployed in 1969. More than 3,500 people died overall, many of whom were killed in tit-for-tat attacks across the sectarian divide. The situation worsened in 1972 when 14 people were killed by British troops during a peaceful civil rights march led by Catholics and Republicans in Londonderry. This day became known as Bloody Sunday. Police and rioters fight in Londonderry in 1969 (PA) What was included in the agreement? The Good Friday Agreement, also known as the Belfast Agreement, was formally made by the British and Irish governments and eight political parties of Northern Ireland. It acknowledged Northern Irelands constitutional status as part of the UK. Story continues It also established a principle of consent. A united Ireland could happen if a majority of people in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland wanted it to. In this instance, the British government would be bound to hold a referendum and honour the result. (L to r) Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, US Senator George Mitchell and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair on April 10, 1998, after they signed the Good Friday Agreement (Getty Images) The agreement committed the parties to democratic and peaceful methods of resolving political disputes and it marked a commitment to the mutual respect, the civil rights and the religious liberties of everyone in the community. What has happened since the Good Friday Agreement was made? The British and Irish governments agreed to hold referendums on May 22, 1998. The Northern Ireland referendum was on accepting the Good Friday Agreement itself. In all 71 per cent voted Yes. The referendum in the Republic was to amend the countrys constitution to acknowledge the new principle of consent, for which 94 per cent of people voted in favour. In the years that followed there was still turbulence. While the Northern Ireland Assembly was established it was periodically suspended, largely over concerns about paramilitary activity in the region. It was not until 2005 that the IRA was decommissioned. In 2007 Sinn Fein threw its support behind the newly established policing force the PSNI, which replaced the RUC, the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Northern Ireland experienced relative political calm due to the power sharing agreement. The cordial relationship between Ian Paisley, a loyalist, and Martin McGuinness, a republican, as first and deputy first minister, was a sign that Northern Ireland had changed. However, the power sharing arrangement proved unstable and has been suspended a number of times. The Northern Ireland Assembly does not currently have an executive because of DUP objections to the Northern Ireland Protocol, and is only able to perform very limited governmental functions. How does the Windsor Framework uphold the Good Friday Agreement? The Northern Ireland Protocol was signed as part of the Brexit withdrawal agreement, which is now ratified under international law. To maintain the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, both the UK and EU agreed that the inspection of goods would be conducted between Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and Northern Ireland, effectively creating a de facto border in the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. The Windsor Framework avoided a hard border on Ireland and supported North-South cooperation, while also upholding Northern Irelands integral place in the United Kingdom and its internal market. It introduced a green lane for traders transporting goods to Northern Ireland exempt from custom controls and a red lane for goods going to the Republic of Ireland and remainder of the EU. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also hoped the Windsor Framework would boost relations with the US, which helped broker the Good Friday Agreement. In February he met Vice-President Kamala Harris in Munich, where the two leaders affirmed their shared commitment to protecting and building on the gains of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, according to the White House. Texas has among the highest proportion of lead-based water lines in the country, a problem that, combined with other water infrastructure problems, could cost more than $60 billion to fix, according to an Environmental Protection Agency estimate published Tuesday. In the first nationwide assessment of lead-based water lines, the EPA estimated that more than 647,000 water lines in Texas are made of lead about 7% of the states total. Its the first holistic estimate of lead-based service lines, providing information that environmental advocates have for years tried to estimate with little available data. We were operating in the dark because so few utilities (reported) and few inventories existed, said Luke Metzger, the executive director of Environment Texas. This new survey came back with more than two times as many (lead service lines in Texas) as we previously understood. The EPA estimates that 9.2 million lead service lines exist in the United States. Florida likely has the highest proportion of lead-based lines, about 13%, followed by Illinois (11%), Ohio (8%), Pennsylvania (7.5%) and then Texas (7%). Lead in drinking water is particularly dangerous for children. Scientists agree that there is no known safe concentration of lead in a childs blood; even low concentrations have been linked to damage to central nervous systems, learning disabilities and impaired hearing in children. Lead can enter drinking water when lead-based pipes or plumbing fixtures such as faucets are corroded, for example, by highly acidic water. Lead pipes are most often found in cities and homes built before 1986, before stronger regulations were required. The EPA on Tuesday also said it would allocate $414 million to Texas for drinking water infrastructure improvements from the federal Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, which was increased with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. But the federal dollars are only a tiny fraction of the more than $60 billion the EPA estimates the state needs to address its drinking water infrastructure needs. Hopefully with this new data, we have a more complete picture of the need, and the Legislature will respond accordingly, Metzger said. Its an enormous problem. Its going to require both state and federal money. The Flint, Michigan, water crisis in 2014 prompted Congress to direct the EPA to investigate sources of lead exposure in water. Michigan had switched the communitys water source to the Flint River but failed to properly treat the water to ensure it did not corrode the pipes. Lead and other contaminants leached into the predominantly Black communitys water supply as a result, a problem that went ignored for more than a year. Congress in 2018 directed the EPA to include a survey on lead services lines in the agencys seventh drinking water assessment, a survey of more than 3,500 public water systems in all 50 states. About 75% of the systems surveyed responded to the questions about lead service lines. President Joe Bidens administration set a goal to replace all of the nations lead service lines in 10 years. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2023/04/04/texas-lead-water-lines-epa/. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin will lead his first international trade mission later this month, a trip to Asia that will include a meeting with the president of Taiwan, his office said Tuesday. From April 24 through April 29, Youngkin and the Virginia delegation accompanying him will visit Taipei, Taiwan; Tokyo; and Seoul, South Korea. In addition to meeting President Tsai Ing-wen, Youngkin will meet government officials, strategic business associations, company executives and industry leaders, his office said. Im excited to represent the Commonwealth in my first trade mission to Asia that will focus on economic development opportunities, our shared priorities and national security, Youngkin said in a statement. Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea represent critical markets that will advance economic growth and prosperity in Virginia. In strengthening these relationships, we are not only reaffirming our commitment to our allies but also strengthening the spirit of Virginia and America. The visit by Youngkin, who has not publicly ruled out a presidential bid, comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory and treats dealings between American and Taiwanese officials as a challenge. Youngkin's trade mission was announced one day ahead of an expected meeting between Tsai and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles while Tsai returns home after a tour of Taiwans remaining diplomatic allies in Latin America. Youngkin has recently taken an increasingly hard line against China. He disclosed in January that he scuttled an effort by Virginia to land a large electric vehicle battery plant, an initiative between Ford Motor Co. and a Chinese company that is setting up in Michigan instead. The governors administration labeled the project a front for the Chinese Communist Party that would raise national security concerns. He also celebrated the passage of several bills during the recent legislative session that aimed to address the threat from China, including a measure that would prohibit foreign adversaries from purchasing or otherwise acquiring agricultural land. That Youngkin waited so long into his term which began in January 2022 to embark on an international trade mission is somewhat unusual. The Washington Post reported in December that he was the first governor in nearly 30 years not to lead such a trip in his first year in office. His press office said at the time that he would only undertake such trips if necessary and noted that Youngkin, a former private equity executive, had lured major new businesses to the state, including Boeing and Lego. Virginia is home to scores of companies from the countries Youngkin will visit: five from Taiwan, 133 from Japan, and 25 from South Korea, according to his office. The trip will be Youngkin's first to Asia as governor. Christina Hammock Koch has already made history. At only 44, she's already set the record for the longest single space flight by a woman, with a total of 328 days in space. Koch has also done six space walks, including the first three all-women excursions. Soon, she'll be adding another historic achievement to her tally as she becomes the first woman to embark on a lunar mission. From Ellington Field near the NASA Johnson Space Center, Koch and Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency were announced as the mission specialists for Artemis IIthe first crewed lunar mission since the Apollo erawhere a "badass" crew (Sen. Ted Cruz's words) of four astronauts will fly around the moon and back aboard the Orion spacecraft in November 2024. Joining them are Commander Reid Wiseman and Pilot Victor Gloverwho will be the first Black astronaut to fly around the moon. "You have already been in the history books as a record-setting astronaut," said Joe Acaba, NASA's chief of astronauts, to Koch on stage at the event. "You're a trail blazer and a role model for every generation to come. And as the only professional engineer in the crew, I know who mission control will be calling on when it's time to fix something on board." While Koch said she doesn't forsee that the spacecraft's system would need any kind of tinkering once it's in space, it's an aspect she is very much looking forward to if it's necessary. "If the need arises, I would love to be a part of that," Koch said following the event. "I love to fix things. I love maintenance. I love taking things apart, but I promise not take anything apart on the spacecraft." The significance of a woman, a Black man, and a Canadian being assigned to a moon mission for the first time ever is not lost on Koch. But it's been a long time coming. "When I think about this mission and who's on the crew, I think about not any one individual's achievement, but the fact that we are doing this mission at a time when as a country, and as an agency, we have decided that it's important to go for all and by all, that we're not truly answering humanity's call to explore unless we do that," she said. "We are in an era where we recognize that our missions are more successful if we take every contribution that's on the table from every talented person and we make sure that we're creating a world for them where everyone who has a dream has to work equally hard to achieve that dream." The Grand Rapids, Mich. native is also looking forward to paying homage to the trailblazers that made it possible for her to reach this point in her career, and hopefully inspiring a new generation of explorers. Koch grew up in Jacksonville, N.C. and holds bachelor's degrees in electrical engineering and physics and a master's in electrical engineering. She launched her NASA career in 2001 as an electrical engineer at the Goddard Space Flight Center's Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics. She also worked in Antarctica at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station and Palmer Station, as well as the Juno and the Van Allen Probes. NASA In 2013, Koch was selected as one of eight members of the 21st NASA astronaut class and after six years training, she launched on her first space mission on the International Space Station in 2019. While aboard ISS, Koch served as a flight engineer for expeditions 59, 60, and 61, and worked on hundreds of experiments. Most recently, she served as branch chief of the Assigned Crew Branch in the Astronaut Office and in a rotational position as the NASA Johnson Space Center director's assistant for technical integration. Just one month ago, Koch and her crew members learned they would be going on the Artemis II mission, which she recalled was a humorous experience. "We were all given a meeting with our boss that had a different pretext, so none of us knew the magnitude of what we were going into, and most of were actually late to this meeting for a variety of reasons," she said. "When we walked in and saw who was present, we realized that something was going on, so that was an awesome moment." While the crew has not yet begun training specific for the mission, Koch said that for years each member has been working with teams and engineers to develop the missions, operations and the spacecraft. Previously, Koch even completed a test on the egress of the Orion capsule. "The fact that we've been embedded in the teams of engineers for many years makes this feel like it's everyone's mission, which is exactly what it is," she said. "We're just one part of the team." Over the course 10 days, Koch and her fellow Artemis II astronauts will test how well Orion can maneuver in space under human control as well as the spacecraft's crew life support systems. The agency intends to use the moon trip findings to establish a long term lunar base, which Koch said sets this moon mission apart from previous voyages. "We are going responsibly and we are going sustainably. but we're going in a way that creates an environment of cooperation where any resources that we're hoping to learn how to utilize, will be utilized and utilized equally," she said. Ariana Garcia Koch also noted the Artemis Accords, an international agreement establishing common principles to guide space exploration. "I think you hear a lot of times that we should take care of our own planet before we go and colonize another and I see this as just that," Koch said. "We're going actually to learn about ourselves and to bring back benefits to Earth that will help us be a better human species on Earth." Sometime in the next two decades, NASA aims to finally reach its goal of sending astronauts to Mars. The Artemis program will test out NASA's systems and operations to help humans get there, Koch said. "We'll prove to ourselves that we can do big things and make this mission happen," she added." Going to Mars is an even bigger stepping stone and to do it and to learn how we do that with the technologies of today, in the era that we're exploring today, is the way we're going to get to Mars most successfully." Israeli police have entered Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque by force in a dawn raid, clashing with worshippers and drawing condemnation from Arab countries. The incident, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and on the eve of the Jewish Passover, sparked a furious reaction in the occupied West Bank and cross-border strikes in Gaza. It came amid fears tensions built up during a year of escalating Israeli-Palestinian violence could be unleashed at the Al-Aqsa mosque, known to Jews as the Temple Mount. Palestinian militants fired at least nine rockets from Gaza into Israel overnight, prompting air strikes from Israel that hit what it said were weapon production sites for the Islamist group Hamas, which controls the blockaded coastal enclave. Hamas did not claim responsibility for the rocket attacks but said these were in response to the Israeli raid on Al-Aqsa, where clashes in 2021 set off a 10-day war with Gaza. As ground-shaking explosions from the air strikes rocked Gaza, witnesses said Israeli tanks also shelled Hamas positions. "We are not interested in an escalation, but we are ready for any scenario," IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said. As day broke, with international efforts under way to de-escalate the situation, tensions appeared to have calmed in Al-Aqsa, where large crowds of worshippers spent the night as is common during Ramadan. The Palestinian Red Crescent said 12 Palestinians had sustained wounds during the raid, including from rubber-tipped bullets and beatings, in clashes with police. It said Israeli forces had prevented its medics from reaching the area. "In the yard to the eastern part of the compound, the police fired tear gas and stun grenades. It was a scene that I can't describe," said Fahmi Abbas, a worshipper at the mosque. "Then they stormed in and started beating everyone. They detained people and put the young men face down on the ground while they continued beating them." Story continues Videos circulating on social media, which Reuters could not independently verify, showed fireworks going off and police beating people inside one of the mosque buildings. Police video showed police entering the building while firecrackers exploded in the darkness. Israeli police said in a statement security units were forced to enter the compound after what it called masked agitators locked themselves inside the mosque with fireworks, sticks and stones. "Following many continuous attempts to remove the individuals from the mosque using dialogue failed, police were forced to enter the compound in order to remove the individuals," police said. "Throughout the presence of police forces in the compound, stones were thrown and multiple firecrackers were set off inside the mosque by many law-breaking individuals and rioters," the statement said, adding two police officers were wounded. It said more than 350 people who had barricaded themselves inside were arrested and removed. Thousands of worshippers spent the night in the mosque compound, amid fears of possible clashes with Jewish visitors to the site, which they revere as the Temple Mount, the site of Judaism's two ancient Temples. Under the longstanding "status quo" arrangement governing the area, which Israel says it maintains, non-Muslims can visit but only Muslims are allowed to worship in the mosque compound. Jewish visitors have increasingly prayed more or less openly at the site in defiance of the rules. The Waqf, the Jordanian-appointed Islamic organisation that manages the complex, considered the third holiest site in the Muslim world, described the police actions as a "flagrant assault on the identity and the function of the mosque as a place of worship for Muslims alone". Shock and sadness were the overwhelming emotions to greet the news of the sudden death of County Longford Arts Officer Fergus Kennedy. Fergus passed away suddenly but peacefully, last Friday (March 31). The public servant was well known and well regarded across the county. Lanesboro's Joe O'Brien came into close contact with the Arts Officer while working on the Lough Ree Environmental Summer School: He was a supporter of everything, Joe told the Leader, he was a larger than life character. He will be sadly missed. Fergus took up the post of Arts Officer with the local authority in 1996. He was an innovator who embraced change: He was very forward thinking. He was very supportive of people who were forward thinking. The bland was not for Fergus. Creativity was the important thing for him, and that is where he came into his own, Joe said. He has done so much throughout the county. Everywhere he went he left a legacy of different sorts within the arts sector. To put it down to one thing would be wrong, he was involved in so many projects across the county. He has left something different in every community he worked with, Joe concluded. A former colleague spoke of the indelible imprint on the county, with The Violin sculpture by Alex Pentek on the N5 bypass flagged as a project Fergus was particularly proud of instigating. Fergus won awards for establishing a website promoting local writers long before it was common practice. Many tributes have been paid following Fergus's passing. Ollie Kenny, Chairman Backstage Theatre Group, noted the passing of a great friend in drama. Olly said: Fergus was a very kind and approachable gentleman. He endeared himself to us and many other arts organisations in Longford with his support and attendance at numerous arts events down the years. We'd like to note our appreciation for his support as recently as last week for our Spring Production of Sive in Backstage Theatre. The Theatre Group chair added: Fergus also made a significant contribution to the upskilling of our actors and directors in the Drama League of Ireland Summer School for many years, and we are very grateful for his important support in these matters. Most recently Fergus lived in Tarmonbarry, and was formerly of Cloontagh, Newtownforbes, Longford and Borrisokane, Tipperary. Described as 'a knowledgeable man who will be terribly missed at Longford County Council', Fergus provided great support, direction and encouragement to the myriad of arts groups based in every corner of county Longford. The assistance that he gave to a variety of groups was apparent with the flood of comments on social media. Bernadette Shea, of Stonepark NS, paid tribute saying: When our school extension was being built, we were tasked with organising the Per Cent for Art programme. We poured over the 45 page booklet, scratching our heads as to how we would go about this process. Fergus came to the rescue. He guided us through the whole procedure-from beginning to end, simplifying the whole process. The art installation which now graces our main stairwell is, in large part, a result of Ferguss kind guidance and knowledgeable expertise. Leaba i measc na bhFirean do is gura fada buan a chuimhne. In a statement Longford County Council said: (Fergus) has left a great legacy, bringing the arts, in many forms, to communities across the county and will be remembered fondly by those who worked with him. The Council Offices and Libraries will be closed to the public as a mark of respect on Wednesday morning, reopening at 2pm on Wednesday afternoon. They continued: Longford County Council extends its deepest sympathies to Fergus family, colleagues, and many friends at this very sad time. Fergus is predeceased by his parents Michael and Rita. His will be remembered with love by his family, son Michael and his mother Sinead, sisters Karina (Terryglass, Co Tipperary) and Orla (Rathoe, Co Carlow), brother Damien (Borrisokane, Co Tipperary), brother-in-law Joe, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, relatives, work colleagues and friends. Two websites that posed as an official New York Department of State division have been shut down and the operator must pay more than $44,000 in fines, state Attorney General Letitia James said Wednesday. The websites were created by Steamin' Weenie, a company owned by Thomas Romano. According to James, the websites were similar to the Department of State's Division of Corporations site and used imagery that closely resembled the agency's logo and seal. Another similarity was the name of the misleading website, "Corporation Services Division." The attorney general's office noted that the websites did not include any disclosures notifying visitors that they were operated by a third party and not affiliated with the state. But the websites didn't merely impersonate the official agency's digital home. It offered services that are usually provided by the Department of State and charged customers at a higher rate. One example provided by the attorney general's office was the website charged businesses $135 for a certified copy of a certificate of incorporation. The Department of State charges $10 for a copy of that document. "Misleading consumers is not a smart business plan, it's unethical and illegal," James said. "These websites deceived hardworking New Yorkers who were simply trying to open up their own business and file the necessary paperwork to do so. Scam artists may think they are savvy, but breaking state laws and conning New Yorkers will get you into hot water with my office." Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez, whose agency notified the attorney general's office about the misleading websites, thanked James for holding Romano and his company accountable. "Impersonating the New York Department of State as a way of defrauding business owners out of their hard-earned money was not only deceptive, unfair and misleading, it was illegal," Rodriguez said. The websites have been shut down. The attorney general's agreement with Romano and Steamin' Weenie requires them to pay $44,387 in penalties and they will be prohibited from using government logos, seals or similar imagery. They also must disclose that they are a third party and not affiliated with a government agency. The attorney general's office also provided information about identifying government websites. Users should check the URL government websites tend to have a .gov domain name and review the website's contact page. For New Yorkers, James advises that they use ny.gov to find websites for state agencies. Longford County Council picked up the prestigious Public Sector Award at the Health & Safety Excellence awards ceremony on Wednesday, March 29 in Dublins Crowne Plaza Hotel. Longford County Council edged out stiff competition from Limerick County Council and the Department of Finance, with judges assessing Health and Safety Management Systems in areas such as commitment and responsibility, organisational targets, outcomes and results and future uses. Longford County Council was also nominated as a finalist for the overall Health & Safety Excellence Grand Prix Award. Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Turlough McGovern paid tribute to all involved in the winning of the award. Congratulations to all Council employees, the management team and other stakeholders on the achievement of this significant nationwide award its wonderful recognition of the dedication shown to health and safety in this organisation. It also puts Longford County Council firmly on the map as a national leader when it comes to health and safety in the public sector. Welcoming the accolade, Chief Executive Paddy Mahon said Im delighted with this achievement, not only for our wonderful Health and Safety team, but also for every single employee here in Longford County Council. We all complete the relevant training, adhere to the standards that have been set by our safety management system and that effort combines to maintain our healthy and safe working environment, so this is a fantastic organisation-wide achievement. Launched in 2020, the Health & Safety Excellence Awards recognise and reward the most outstanding Health & Safety achievements in Ireland and the teams that drive them. The Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois has a new bishop at its helm in the shape of Mullingar native Father Paul Connell. The 65-year-old takes over from Archbishop of Tuam Francis Duffy who vacated the position in November 2021 following an eight year spell in charge. News of the appointment by Pope Francis was warmly greeted by Fr Connell's predecessor who alluded to the latter's four decade long career in both the Church and more specifically as principal of Saint Finians College in Mullingar as key factors in his elevation to the role. "Father Paul brings to his new position a wealth of experience in Catholic education at both local and national levels," he said. "His role, until now, as Chancellor in the Diocese of Meath, together with his work as Principal of a large diocesan secondary school, and his pastoral experience, has already equipped him for the responsibilities involved in leading a diocese. "Father Paul is well respected by the priests and people of his native diocese which he has served for more than forty years. I know, from experience, that he will receive a warm welcome from the parishioners, religious and priests of the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois." Ordained a priest in October 1982, Bishop elect Connell also holds a doctorate in history from NUI Maynooth to his name and also served as chaplain in Saint Marys Hospital, Mullingar. Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland said while Fr Connell's promotion will be seen as a loss for the priests and people of his home diocese of Meath, the broader Church and its religious community would be all the better as a result. "His (Fr Connell's) pastoral gifts, spiritual leadership and Episcopal calling today, especially at this time of renewal for the Church in Ireland, will greatly assist the Church in Ireland as we continue to walk the Synodal journey at local and national level over the next five years," he said. Father Tom Healy, Diocesan Administrator of Ardagh and Clonmacnois followed suit, saying Fr Connell's close proximity to Longford and the broader diocese was a feature which would serve him well as Bishop. "Father Paul hails from the neighbouring Diocese of Meath, and has family roots in our diocese, so I feel that we are welcoming a near neighbour and hope that his transition to Ardagh and Clonmacnois will be a smooth and happy experience for him. "I know that Father Paul has wide experience particularly in the field of education since his ordination in 1983 and so he will bring much wisdom to his new role," he said. A special mass following the announcement was led by Archbishop Francis Duffy along with other senior church figures in St Mel's Cathedral this morning. Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has said that 8,500 women used abortion services last year. This compares to more than 6,000 terminations of pregnancies recorded in the previous two years. Irelands abortion laws, liberalised following a 2018 referendum, have been the subject of a review as part of legislation introduced in the wake of the vote. Under the current law, abortions can be performed up to 12 weeks of pregnancy, and women face a three-day waiting period before they can access an abortion. Mr Donnelly said that he has received the report from experts reviewing the system, and will present it to Cabinet in the coming weeks, after which it will be published. Ultimately the review is about improving access to services for women. Thats what were focused on, he said. He denied suggestions that the system could collapse under demand for services. So over 8,500 women availed of termination of pregnancy services in Ireland last year, he told RTEs News at One. He said that the vast majority of women have their needs met in primary care, meaning that they can take a pill rather than requiring acute care from a hospital. Since the new laws have been introduced, discussions have taken place about geographical access to abortion services, as well as creating 100-metre safe access zones around facilities that provide abortion services. Only 11 of Irelands 19 maternity hospitals and units are providing full abortion services as legislated for under the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018. Some hospitals have said the delay in rolling out all abortion services legislated for is because of conscientious objections by healthcare staff, which is provided for under the legislation. Community, Charity & Cause By Chris Boyle Published: April 05 2023 EMT Susan Giovanniello of the Glen Cove EMS Corps proudly served residents with distinction, putting the safety, health and well-being of others before her own," Blakeman said. Nassau County Executive Bruce A. Blakeman decreed on Tuesday that all of the county's flags will be flown at half-mast after Susan Giovanniello, a 19 year-old volunteer Glen Cove EMS worker, tragically died in the line of duty. According to the Nassau County Fire Marshal, Giovanniello passed away Monday morning after her shift from "an unspecified medical condition." Her passing has been ruled as a line of duty death. A crowdfunding page has been started to assist the Giovanniello family with expenses. County Executive Blakeman issued the following statement on Giovanniello's passing, calling out the fallen First Responder for her dedication and selflessness. Crime By Chris Boyle Published: April 05 2023 Company Misled Small Businesses and Overcharged for Services AG James Offers Tips to Help New Yorkers Identify Real Government Websites. New York Attorney General Letitia James shut down two websites that impersonated the New York State Department of State (NYSDOS) and significantly overcharged users for services provided by NYSDOS. The misleading websites, created by Thomas Romano and his company, Steamin Weenie LLC (Steamin Weenie), closely mimicked NYSDOS Division of Corporations site by using the agencys official seal and logo, and allowed users to file various business-related documents with federal, state, and local entities for much higher prices than NYSDOS offered. One of the websites charged $135 for a certified copy of a certificate of incorporation, which cost only $10 from NYSDOS at the time. The NYSDOS helps individuals file paperwork for their businesses, such as corporate registry documents, or start a limited liability company (LLC). There were no disclosures on the websites that they were operated by a private third-party agreeing to file documents on behalf of their users. In addition to shutting down the websites, Attorney General James secured $44,387 in penalties from the company and its owner. Misleading consumers is not a smart business plan, its unethical and illegal, said Attorney General James. These websites deceived hardworking New Yorkers who were simply trying to open up their own business and file the necessary paperwork to do so. Scam artists may think they are savvy, but breaking state laws and conning New Yorkers will get you into hot water with my office. I encourage everyone to be vigilant and ensure the websites they are visiting to conduct government business are legitimate. Impersonating the New York Department of State as a way of defrauding business owners out of their hard-earned money was not only deceptive, unfair, and misleading, it was illegal, said Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez. Attorney General James shares the Departments commitment to protecting New Yorkers and we thank her for her perseverance in holding these bad actors accountable. The NYSDOS alerted the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) of the fraudulent websites. The websites, which the company has since taken down, adopted significant elements of the look and feel of the official website from 2021 and copied graphical elements. For example, the homepage of one website had a logo substantially similar to the one displayed on the official website, a slightly modified version of the states Great Seal, and a customer support phone number was listed with an Albany area code, although the sole operator of the website lived downstate. The website also referred to itself as the Corporation Services Division, a name similar to NYSDOS Division of Corporations. Todays agreement requires Thomas Romano and his company to pay $44,387 in penalties and prevents the company and its owner from using any government logos, seals, or other similar iconography to deceive consumers into believing that they are dealing with a government entity. They will also be required to clearly and conspicuously disclose to consumers that they are a private third-party and not affiliated with the government. How to Identify a Government Website New Yorkers should be vigilant of websites that may appear to be government sites but are not. Here are some recommendations for how to spot a legitimate government website: Check the URL . Government websites typically utilize a .gov domain name and a secure connection, which can be spotted when the URL begins with https instead of http, and/or the browser displays a padlock icon next to the URL. Avoid selecting sponsored links . Typically, government websites will not appear as sponsored links after a web search. Find the agency youre looking for on the states main website. All the states agencies and services can be found on All the states agencies and services can be found on www.ny.gov . For New York City agencies and services, visit www.nyc.gov. Most localities will also house all their services and agencies on their main site. Check the contact page . Legitimate websites have important information where web users can find how to reach a government agency, where to find that agency and social media links. The absence of a legitimate (or any) address and a working phone number should be a cause for concern. Check the website's privacy policy . Websites should have adequate information about privacy, terms, and conditions of use. Review your costs before paying. If a service fee appears to be too high, make sure you are on a legitimate government website using the tips above before making a payment. If New Yorkers detect a website that is trying to pass itself off as an official government resource but is not, they are encouraged to file an online complaint with OAGs Bureau of Internet and Technology. This matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Ezra Sternstein and former Assistant Attorney General Noah Stein of the Bureau of Internet and Technology, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Kim A. Berger and Deputy Bureau Chief Clark P. Russell. The Bureau of Internet and Technology is a part of the Division for Economic Justice, which is overseen by Chief Deputy Attorney General Chris DAngelo and First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy. Authorities: One Woman Killed, Another Injured in Manorville Head-On Crash Crime By Chris Boyle Published: April 05 2023 Mary Brennen was driving southbound on Wading River Road when her vehicle crossed into the northbound lane, striking another vehicle, cops say. Suffolk County Police Seventh Squad detectives are investigating a head-on crash that killed a woman in Manorville on Tuesday, April 4. Mary Brennen was driving a 2018 Hyundai Tucson southbound on Wading River Road, north of Par Drive, when her vehicle crossed into the northbound lane, striking a 2019 Nissan Rogue, driven by Sheryl Gochman, at approximately 9:25 a.m. Both women were transported via Suffolk County Police helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital. Brennen, 40, of Manorville, was pronounced dead at the hospital and Gochman, 68, of Manorville, was admitted for treatment of serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Hotels and motels in New York could soon be required to maintain default air conditioner temperatures. A bill introduced by state Sen. Rachel May and Assemblyman Harvey Epstein would mandate air conditioner default settings in lodging facilities. If the legislation is approved, default temperatures could not be lower than 75 degrees from May through October or higher than 64 degrees from November through April. Guests would continue to have the ability to change the air conditioner temperature in their rooms, according to the legislative memo. The bill's supporters view it as an energy conservation measure. They cited a survey conducted by the U.S. Energy Information Administration that found hotels and motels use an average of 14 kilowatt hours of electricity and 49 cubic feet of natural gas per square foot every year. The sponsors note that the World Health Organization recommends minimum room temperatures of 64 degrees during cold-weather months and 75 degrees during the warmer seasons "to protect the health of the general population." "Though guests will be at liberty to change the temperature according to their preference," the bill's memo reads, "a default setting supports energy saving behavior." The New York State Hospitality and Tourism Association, an advocacy group representing hotels, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The legislation was introduced on Tuesday. It has been referred to the consumer protection committees in the state Assembly and Senate. Japanese auto major Honda Motor Co Ltd on Wednesday announced top management changes in its Indian two-wheeler arm with the appointment of Tsutsumu Otani as the President, CEO & Managing Director of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India. Otani, also a Vice President at Honda Motor Co., Japan, will succeed Atsushi Ogata, who returns to Shanghai, China as the Executive General Manager at Shanghai Branch, Honda Motor (China) Investment Co., Ltd with effect from April 1, 2023, the company said in a statement. In 2022 Otani was appointed as Executive General Manager, Shanghai Branch Honda Motor (China) Investment Co., Ltd. He started his career with Honda Japan in 1997 and held several leadership positions in the company's business in different global markets. Ogata had spearheaded Honda's Indian two-wheeler operations for three years. Also check these Vehicles Find more Cars Honda City Hybrid 19.5 Lakhs* **Ex-showroom price Add to compare Check latest offers Honda Amaze 6.32 - 11.15 Lakhs* **Ex-showroom price Add to compare Check latest offers Honda City-4th-generation 9.3 - 10 Lakhs* **Ex-showroom price Add to compare Check latest offers Honda All New City 11 - 15.21 Lakhs* **Ex-showroom price Add to compare Check latest offers Honda City 11.49 - 15.97 Lakhs* **Ex-showroom price Add to compare Check latest offers Honda Jazz 1199 cc | Petrol | Manual | 16.6 kmpl 7.48 - 10.17 Lakhs* **Ex-showroom price Add to compare Check latest offers The company also announced the elevation of Vinay Dhingra, who was earlier Director General & Corporate Affairs, Strategic Information System and Honda India Foundation, HMSI, as the Senior Director Human Resource and Administration, Corporate Affairs, Information Technology and Honda India Foundation. Besides, the company said Yogesh Mathur, previously Operating Officer Sales and Marketing) and Sanjeev Jain, earlier Operating Officer - New Model Purchase & Parts Strategy, are now elevated to the Board of Directors of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI). Mathur, as the new Director, will be responsible for customer service, logistics planning and control, premium motorcycle business along with sales and marketing, it added. On the other hand, Jain in his new position will be responsible for purchase and will be replacing V Sridhar who was Senior Director Purchase and has retired after completing over 23 years of association with HMSI, the company said. First Published Date: The National Crime Agency and partners have renewed an appeal to help trace some of the United Kingdoms Most Wanted fugitives. Twelve months ago the NCA launched its most recent appeal to find 13 men who had gone on the run all believed to be hiding in Spain or with strong links to the country. In that time, six wanted men have been traced, arrested and are at various stages of the extradition and judicial process. And one of the most wanted is believed to be in Mallorca. Allan Foster is alleged to have murdered David Noddy Rice at the Marsden Bay Car Park, South Shields on 24th May 2006. Foster, who has links to the Canary Islands and Mallorca and is known to use the alias Shaun Michael Wilkinson, is also wanted for two offences of conspiring to supply controlled drugs and also for the theft of a diamond ring. Steve Reynolds, NCA regional head in Spain, said: Spain is immensely popular with British people who live and take holidays there, but it is not a safe haven for criminals. The NCAs International Crime Bureau and International Liaison Officers work with foreign law enforcement on behalf of UK police forces to track and arrest criminals wherever they are in the world. Its usual for fugitives to continue to commit crime while on the run and these men will be known in criminal circles wherever they are and some will be trying to blend in to the large British communities for whom Spain is home. You may know one of them from your town or village. Loyalties change over time and we urge anyone with information about these men to help us find them. The UK and Spain have a very strong law enforcement partnership and day-in day-out we work together to protect the public. This partnership has been crucial to many of the successes we have had so far in tracking down fugitives from justice in the UK. Lord Ashcroft, founder of the charity Crimestoppers UK, said: We are incredibly grateful to the public for supporting our joint campaign with the NCA. By passing on vital information, their actions have helped catch wanted individuals who pose a genuine danger to our communities. If you know the whereabouts of any of the remaining Most Wanted fugitives, please tell our charity. Were available 24/7, so contact us either online or on the phone. Your personal details will never be asked for. Anyone with information about one of the Most Wanted should call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or fill out an anonymous online form at the UK charitys website (https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/most-wanted). Teachers and counselors greet young students at Manchester-Elementary Middle School on their first day of the 2017-18 school year. It was the last year for the town school district, as it joined the Taconic & Green Regional School District. Now, the T&G is considering building a new 21st-century middle school. KEY WEST, Fla.Fleshbot Powered by Cybersocket is heading to Island House Key West for a special pop-up for Island Houses Hot Naked Humpday Pool Party on Wednesday, April 12 starting at 5:00 p.m. The event will be hosted by the director of Fleshbot Gay, Alexander, and include a special appearance by Grabby-nominated porn star and Fleshbot writer AJ Sloan. Commented Sloan, In just a few days, I'll be heading down to the Island House Key West, and I can already smell the mimosas and dick. I'm already jonesing for poolside fun under the sun. Pass the poppers and SPF, this pool party's going to be lit!" At the event, there will happy hour prices for drinks, Fleshbot giveaways, a meet-and-greet with Sloan and naked pool boys. A photo ID is required. Island House Key West is the world's oldest owned and operated gay men's resort and has also earned the title "The Best Gay Resort in the World" by OUT Traveler. It is a private, clothing-optional resort for men in Old Town Key West with a poolside cafe and bar, luxury rooms, a heated pool, full gym, sauna, steam room, two jacuzzis and a video lounge. Island House Key West is located at 1129 Fleming St, Key West, Fla. 33040. For more information, click here. By Butch Gunio Bataan Provincial Board Member Jorge Estanislao personally welcomed US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay L. Carlson and her contingent during a recent visit to his town of Morong. He thanked the US diplomat on behalf of Bataan Governor Joet Garcia and Morong Mayor Cynthia Estanislao. Estanislao said it is a privilege to see the top US official stationed in the Philippines setting foot in their town. Carlson graced a ceremony in the municipality for the newest batch of US Peace Corps Philippines Volunteers who are planting mangroves in coastal Barangay Mabayo. ADVERTISEMENT The US envoy was in Morong with US Peace Corps Country Director Jenner Edelman and three HQ staff from Washington DC EMA Chief of Operations David Reside, Placement Directors Itzel Schlopiz and Connie Lee, and Training Manager Bonifacio Bucol. The board member said another batch of US Peace Corps Philippines Volunteers will arrive in Morong by September. Estanislao said during his stint as Morong mayor, several batches of US Corps Phil Volunteers conducted various activities and trained in the town. He added that the volunteers are focused on coastal resource management. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Also set to file murder, frustrated murder, attempted murder raps vs. mastermind Marvin Miranda The Department of Justice on Wednesday said it will file charges against suspended Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Arnie Teves Jr. very soon, saying theres strong evidence linking the lawmaker to the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo. Very soon. Although the exact date, I cannot say the exact date as we are prioritizing the quality of the case, Justice spokesperson Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano said in an interview over radio DzBB. The DOJ also announced that it would file charges against Marvin Miranda, an alleged mastermind in the assassination of Degamo, for nine counts of murder, 13 counts of frustrated murder, and four counts of attempted murder. The department stressed that the indictment was based on the disclosures given by suspects surnamed Antipolo, Javier, Rodriguez, Labrador, and Rivero in their respective extrajudicial confessions that Miranda played an indispensable part in the planning of the assassination of the governor. The state prosecutors found that Miranda conspired in the commission of the crimes and recommended his indictment, together with accused Antipolo, Isturis, Javier, Pattaguan, E. Gonyon, and JL. Gonyon, who were previously charged in court, the DOJ said in a statement. ADVERTISEMENT In effect, the state prosecutors would be amending the informations previously filed in court to include Miranda as one of the accused, it added. This came after Miranda underwent inquest proceedings at the DOJ on Monday afternoon. Clavano stressed that the facts have been gathered and the agency is just tying up loose ends about the matter. Earlier, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday said Teves appears to be the main mastermind in the murder of Degamo. He claimed that Teves acted like an executive producer in a movie who financed and arranged the plot. We have completed the facts and we have a strong case. If we follow Secretary Remullas direction, the film is already complete and all we need to do is to edit it so the presentation of facts, the evidence, and the statements of the witnesses would be better, Clavano said. He added that the DOJ wants the statements of the witnesses and suspects to be cohesive before they file the case. All of this is very clearthey wont move without an order. They have nothing to gain by killing former governor Degamo. We can actually see a trail above and thats what we want to tie up so that when we finally file the case, its clear what the motives were, who really ordered it, and when, he said. Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, Teves legal counsel, declined to make comments on Clavanos remarks as it may result in an administrative case being filed against him. My comments to the latest pronouncements of Atty. Clavano are not conducive to fraternal relations between lawyers and may even result in the filing of an administrative case against me, so I would rather not disclose it. Suffice it to state that it deserves plenty of laughter emojis, Topacio said. Teves has denied that he and his brother, former Negros Oriental Governor Pryde Henry Teves, are involved in the killing. His camp said he has yet to return to the Philippines due to concerns about his safety and security. Topacio also previously said that they will no longer issue any comments after Remulla said that the case is now considered closed. We will just await the filing of whatever charges may be made and say our piece in the proper forum. Again, we emphasize that the bar of public opinion is not the right venue to determine the guilt or innocence of anyone, Teves lawyer said. Degamo and eight others were killed while several others were injured after an attack at the governors home in Negros Oriental on March 4 while he was distributing aid to his constituents. Miranda was arrested in a hot pursuit operation on March 27 in Barangay Madlad in Barbaza, Antique where he was allegedly hiding. He was identified as the former bagman of Rep. Teves Jr. According to the DOJ, the following cases, handled by the state prosecutors, are to be tried jointly with previous cases filed by the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor of Negros Oriental against accused Joric Labrador, Joven Javier, Banjie Rodriguez, and Osmundo Roias Rivero: Nine counts of Murder for the killing of Governor Roel Degamo y Ragay, Jessie Bot-Ay y Soreno, Jose Marie Ramirez y Salma, Jomar Canseco y Villanueva, Crispin Vallega, Jr. y Futalan, Florenda Quinikito y Lovitana, Joseph Retada y Singgit, Michael Gidan Fabugais y Tabaranza, and Jerome Maquiling y Cimara; Thirteen counts of Frustrated Murder for the victims who sustained fatal injuries, namely: Liland Zoila B. Estacion, Gerald T. Malunes, David Toryan Cortez, Fredelino E. Cafe, Jr., Chyrell E. Garpen, Rosa Emelia Banquerigo, Vickmar Rayoso y Gaudiano, Maxben June Torremocha y Cabildo, Niki D. Espinas, Pedro W. Flores, Jr., Sgt. Edmar Sayon, Raymond V. Baro, and Edwarrymn T. Alavaren, and; Four counts of Attempted Murder for the victims who sustained non-fatal injuries, namely: Rodelio Ragay Quinikito, Mario Mendanio Quilnet, Kris Arnold T. Lester, and Diomedes Omatang. Remulla earlier said that Miranda was one of the masterminds of the assassination of Governor Degamo and was the missing piece that will tie up all loose ends of the case. Remulla considered Miranda as a director or casting director of the movie, while Teves was an executive producer, appearing to be the main mastermind in the killing of Degamo. The case is 99% finished. Following the arrest of Marvin Miranda, I can tell you that it is only a matter of time before we can put this to bed, Remulla said. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Australia said Tuesday it will ban TikTok on government devices, joining a growing list of Western nations cracking down on the Chinese-owned app due to national security fears. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said the decision followed advice from the countrys intelligence agencies and would begin as soon as practicable. Australia is the last member of the secretive Five Eyes security alliance to pursue a government TikTok ban, joining its allies the United States, Britain, Canada and New Zealand. France, the Netherlands and the European Commission have made similar moves. Dreyfus said the government would approve some exemptions on a case-by-case basis with appropriate security mitigations in place. ADVERTISEMENT Cybersecurity experts have warned that the app which boasts more than one billion global users could be used to hoover up data that is then shared with the Chinese government. Surveys have estimated that as many as seven million Australians use the app or about a quarter of the population. In a security notice outlining the ban, the Attorney-Generals Department said TikTok posed significant security and privacy risks stemming from the extensive collection of user data. China condemned the ban, saying it had lodged stern representations with Canberra over the move and urging Australia to provide Chinese companies with a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment. China has always maintained that the issue of data security should not be used as a tool to generalise the concept of national security, abuse state power and unreasonably suppress companies from other countries, foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said. But Fergus Ryan, an analyst with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said stripping TikTok from government devices was a no-brainer. Its been clear for years that TikTok user data is accessible in China, Ryan told AFP. Banning the use of the app on government phones is a prudent decision given this fact. The security concerns are underpinned by a 2017 Chinese law that requires local firms to hand over personal data to the state if it is relevant to national security. Beijing has denied these reforms pose a threat to ordinary users. China has never and will not require companies or individuals to collect or provide data located in a foreign country, in a way that violates local law, the foreign ministrys Mao said in March. TikTok has said such bans are rooted in xenophobia, while insisting that it is not owned or operated by the Chinese government. The companys Australian spokesman Lee Hunter said it would never give data to the Chinese government. No one is working harder to make sure this would never be a possibility, he told Australias Channel Seven. But the firm acknowledged in November that some employees in China could access European user data, and in December it said employees had used the data to spy on journalists. The app is typically used to share short, lighthearted videos and has exploded in popularity in recent years. Many government departments were initially eager to use TikTok as a way to connect with a younger demographic that is harder to reach through traditional media channels. New Zealand banned TikTok from government devices in March, saying the risks were not acceptable in the current New Zealand Parliamentary environment. Earlier this year, the Australian government announced it would be stripping Chinese-made CCTV cameras from politicians offices due to security concerns. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. By Rey E. Requejo The European Union on Tuesday said they see no more reason for the European Commission (EC) to withdraw the recognition of certificates of Filipino seafarers, for now. EU Ambassador to the Philippines Luc Veron made the assurance after the commission was presented with a 3,500-page sufficiently convincing report from the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) to continue recognizing the certification provided by Philippine maritime schools. EU Ambassador to the Philippines Luc Veron The commission considered there is sufficient progress towards the six areas [of serious deficiencies] as to allow to keep the continuation of the recognition of the certificates, Veron said in an interview with CNN Philippines. Prior to the EC decision, the commission evaluated that the Philippine system for Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) for Seafarers had serious deficiencies in areas related to the monitoring, supervision, and evaluation of training and assessment; examination and assessment of competence; program and course design and approval; availability and use of training facilities and simulators; onboard training; and issue, revalidation, and registration of certificates and endorsements. ADVERTISEMENT However, Veron noted that these are not areas that remain problematic, although they will continue to monitor them. In 2021, the EU gave the Philippine government some time to respond after the regional bloc said it would withdraw its recognition of Filipino seafarers certificates. Eventually, the government issued its extensively done response that satisfied the commissions requirements, and convinced it not to push through with the withdrawal, which would only have had an effect after five years. The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) called the development a crisis averted. Sufficient progress has been demonstrated by the Philippine government in their response to our concern, and therefore, we have no reason to continue the withdrawal procedure, the EU official stressed. While the commission is bound by laws and regulations to continue assessing the maritime education systems for seafarers, Veron conveyed to the Philippine government: So far, you know, Ive known in the foreseeable future, I see no reason for the withdrawal of the certification. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Submitted photo/Michael Paling, ABC Being a forest landowner can be fun and quite rewarding, but it also requires time and effort to reap those rewards. Being a good steward of the land is one responsibility that forest landowners must undertake. For landowners with a goal to manage property for forest health and wildlife habitat, American Bird Conservancy has foresters available to help. The conservancy works in partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service to provide landowners with technical and financial assistance to manage their forest habitat for at-risk bird species. MIAMIThe SayUncle Network is starting off April with the debut of seven new scenes starring Alfonso Osnaya, Sam Ledger, Brody Fox, and others. In Roomies, Part 2, the story of new roommates Cain and Fernando (Cain Gomez and Fernando Ragel) continues on Latin Leche as Ragel reveals he had another roommate before Cain (Alfonso Osnaya), with who he was also very intimate, but never very sexualthat is until the day Osnaya had to move out. While helping Osnaya pack his things, Ragel asks him if he thinks its weird that theyve never hooked up. Osnaya admits that hes always wanted to but was too shy to initiate it. So, thats when Ragel kisses him and things take a turn. To watch the scene, click here. Next, Elder Sam (Sam Ledger) gets punished by Elder Dakota (Dakota Lovell) and President Brody (Brody Kayman) on Missionary Boys Elder Ledgers Penance. After Lovell reports Ledgers sinful acts to President Kayman, he and Lovell get Ledger alone and blindfold him. Theyre ready to give Ledger his punishment by doing as they please with his body. To watch, click here. Other scenes include: Another Bottom Joins the Party, from Pig Bottoms, stars Brody Fox, Jake Jackson, Jay Tee, and Malakai White as they welcome newbie bottom El Andy to their party that turns into an orgy. Sit On It, Soldier! from Military Boys, features Leonel Russel who catches Aaron Vigo slacking on the job, and as a punishment, Russel makes Vigo sit on a dildo as he gives him a blowjob at the same time. Making My Own Rules, from Therapy Dick, stars Tony Genius who seeks guidance from therapist Aaron Allen who believes that the root of his issues is due to his pent-up sexual frustrations. So, Allen begins to help him explore himself sexually. Our Day Off Together, from Family Dick, features stepdad and stepson duo Eric and Gabe (Eric The Red and Gabe Bradshaw) returning when Red wants to spoil Bradshaw with a daddy/son day off day together after Red has done such a great job with making sure the house is clean and in order. They start off at a hot tub before making things spicier in the bedroom. Fools in Detention, from Bully Him, opens with Jordan Lake in detention with his bully, Jack Waters. After Lake writes up an April Fools poem about Jack, their teacher Mr. Jax Thirio is not impressed by Lakes actions and of course, neither is Thirio. Thats when the two decide to team up and give Lake what they both know he deserves. A butt spanking before getting railed by both of them. The SayUncle Network includes 55 exclusive series (including Family Dick, Brother Crush, Latin Leche, Missionary Boys, Young Perps, Yes Father, and Black Godz) with more than 2,800 scenes and 14 weekly updates. For more, visit SayUncle.com and follow the brand on Instagram and Twitter. Pictured: Fernando Ragel, left, and Cain Gomez. Department of Defense agents entered the wrong Boston hotel room and detained and interrogated the wrong person during a training exercise Tuesday night. On Tuesday at around 10 p.m., DOD agents were conducting a training exercise, with the assistance of the FBI, at Bostons Revere Hotel, according to an FBI Boston spokesperson. Read more: Police worried report of gun at high school in Fitchburg was a social media stunt The training exercise was intended to simulate a situation that agents may encounter in the real life. However, bad information led the DOD agents to enter the wrong hotel room and detain and interrogate the wrong person not the individual meant to take part in the simulation. Federal officials report no injuries from the incident and Boston Police later responded to the hotel to confirm that the incident was a legitimate training exercise. Wed like to extend our deepest apologies to the individual who was affected by the training exercise. The safety of civilians in vicinity of our training is always our number one concern. We are reviewing this serious incident and no further details will be released at this time, the DOD wrote in a statement. NBCBoston reported that the individual detained was an airline pilot. Safety is always a priority of the FBI, and our law enforcement partners, and we take these incidents very seriously. The Boston Division is reviewing the incident with DOD for further action as deemed appropriate, FBI Boston wrote in a statement. A public viewing and visitation will be held next week for Boston activist and former state Rep. Mel King, who died March 28 at age 94. The viewing will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. April 10 at Union United Methodist Church, according to the churchs website. Speakers will talk about Kings impact on their lives at 6:30 p.m. Kings funeral will be held at the church the next day at noon. The funeral is open to the public, but tickets will be required due to limited capacity. Information on tickets will be available soon. Kings family invited funeral attendees to wear bowties as a tribute to King, the churchs website said. The service will be live-streamed at Boston City Hall and the Bruce Bolling Municipal Building and using Zoom. Read more: Boston murder case backlog may take years to address King was an activist in Boston for decades. He protested the citys housing policies toward Black residents and ran for mayor in 1983. He also served in the state legislature for five terms beginning in 1972, according to his Boston Globe obituary. Considered a radical, King welcomed Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat during his mayoral campaign and said if given a choice between Fidel Castro and Ronald Reagan, he preferred Castro (because hed done more for the poor), his obituary read. The name is Mel, you know. I dont mind being called a radical . . . but it doesnt mean Im not mellow, King told the Globe in 1988. Im a mild-mannered person, but I have the capacity for outrage when the circumstances demand it. Seeing smoke at the airport would have anyone on high alert, but sometimes its part of a training routine. Boston Logan International Airport will conduct training on its airfield from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Massachusetts Department of Transportation assistant secretary of media relations Jacquelyn Goddard tweeted on Wednesday. Today 9 am-1 pm Logan Airport conducting training on airfield. Fire and smoke will be visible @universalhub @Harborkeepers Jacquelyn Goddard (@JacqueGoddard) April 5, 2023 Samantha Decker, Massports assistant director of media relations, told MassLive that the routine exercise is intended for the airports fire and rescue team. We usually do these all the time. So basically, it is just different routine trainings that last throughout the morning, Decker said. ... Theyre pretty routine. If anyone sees fire, they just know that were conducting routine training on the airfield. Goddard previously tweeted out an alert about training at around the same times on Tuesday. MassLive reporter Irene Rotondo contributed to the reporting of this story. Massachusetts high school graduating seniors ranked first in the nation in Advanced Placement exam scores for the second year in a row, according to College Board results released by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. In 2022, 30.5% of Massachusetts public high school seniors in the state scored a three (out of five) or higher on an AP exam in high school. Nationally, 21.6% of public high school seniors scored a three or higher. Massachusetts seniors also ranked first in AP exam scores in 2021, 2019 and 2017. Read more: Massachusetts students lead the country in Advanced Placement exam scores In addition to the AP exam success, Massachusetts is among the states that have seen the largest 10-year gains in the percentage of Hispanic/Latino seniors whove taken an AP exam, according to Dese. The commonwealth also saw a significant 10-year increase in the percentage of Black/African American seniors who took an AP exam, officials added. Worcester Technical High School ranked among the schools that saw an increase in AP exams taken by Black/African American and Latino/Hispanic students. Im proud of the students and educators who worked hard to make sure Massachusetts remains a leader in student participation and success, Gov. Maura Healey said. Our administration is committed to expanding access to AP courses for all students to enhance the opportunities available to them and set them on a path to a successful future. Congratulations to the schools honored today and to the students and educators who worked so hard in these courses, said Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley. Todays results show us that many students, when offered the opportunity, can be successful in AP classes. I hope to see more students take advantage of this and similar opportunities in the future. The 2022 Advanced Placement exam results for all public high school students in Massachusetts can be viewed here. AGAWAM Despite the objections of about two dozen residents who called the move a form of voter suppression, Agawam Town Council voted not to offer early voting by mail during the preliminary and general municipal elections in the fall. After the vote, Town Councilor Thomas D. Hendrickson, normally a quiet member, broke his silence and said he wished his colleagues took community input more seriously. I will just say that it is a little frustrating to hear councilors thanking folks for coming out and talking about how we need more community engagement and then still looking at them and saying no and still ignoring them, Hendrickson said. The decision to opt out of offering the option to residents was made in a 7-4 vote after a public hearing on Monday. Town councilors Robert E. Rossi, Rosemary Sandlin, Gerald F. Smith and Hendrickson voted against the measure. Thanks to adaptations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, voting early by mail provided another option for voters to cast the ballots in addition to absentee voting, in-person early voting and showing up to the polls on Election Day. Voting early by mail was made available beginning with the September 2020 state primary. Agawam voters have been able to vote early by mail in four statewide elections. In June 2022, the legislature amended the commonwealths voting laws to make early mail-in voting permanent, but within the law there is a provision that allows municipalities to opt out of offering it. Mayor William Sapelli, Council President Christopher C. Johnson and City Clerk Vincent F. Gioscia sponsored Agawams resolution to opt out of early voting by mail for the 2023 preliminary and general elections. They said opting out would save the town about $28,000 in mailing costs and ease the workload on the town clerk and polling staff. Sapelli, in an interview, said he sponsored this resolution to ensure town funds are spent wisely and appropriately. The cost to process the early mail-in ballots are not reimbursed by the state or federal government, Sapelli said, adding the town faced difficulty hiring poll workers and rising postage costs. Sapelli said back in the day people made a big deal about getting out to the polls. It was a day to socialize. We have become a society of convenience. What is more important than voting? People should make time and slow down to get out to vote. We make time for special things in life, and this is what is right, Sapelli said during an interview in March. The office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts disagrees with municipalities opting out of early voting by mail because the practice provides no-excuse access to voting. In order to obtain an absentee ballot in the state, a voter must provide a reason for obtaining one. Secretary (William F.) Galvin did not advocate for this provision to be included in the law, as he believes all voters should have the convenience of being able to vote by mail, without needing an excuse, in all elections, said Debra OMalley, Galvins spokesperson. OMalley wrote in an email this is the first year that Massachusetts cities and towns have had the ability to opt out of early voting by mail and the Secretary of States office does not yet know what its impact will be. Furthermore, state law doesnt require municipalities to notify the Commonwealths chief elections official when they opt out of early voting by mail because cities and towns administer their own local elections, OMalley added. However, we have heard of approximately a dozen towns who have chosen to opt out, most of them smaller communities with spring annual town elections, OMalley said. Gioscia, who has been Agawams clerk since February 2016, said during the hearing that the majority of the towns 22,000 registered voters cast their ballots in person on Election Day. During the 2015 municipal election, where there was no mail-in voting, 21% of Agawams voters participated in that election, Gioscia wrote in an email. When the town held another municipal election in 2021 with the option to vote by mail, participation inched up to 24%. But during the 2018 state elections, 56% of Agawam voters participated. Four years later, with mail-in voting in place, 51% of Agawams voters participated in state elections. Gioscia said since the charter moved the towns preliminary election to Oct. 10, that doesnt leave him enough time to mail out, receive back and process ballots in enough time. Its that period between the preliminary election and the general election that gives me the pause here because its less than half the time that I would get under a state election, he said. The crux of the matter for me, its an issue of logistics, Gioscia added. I cant guarantee that those ballots will reach me in time. Nancy Brumback, legislative specialist at the League of Women Voters, said either municipalities need to give people the option to vote in person or do something where they can vote on the weekend before or the mail ballot option so they can vote when it is convenient for them. Early voting by mail is required unless the town has a hearing and the governing body choses to opt out, said Brumback. To opt out the city council must hold a public hearing at least 45 days before the election to opt out of mail in voting. What municipalities are not required to offer is early in-person voting a week before the election, she said. According to Brumback, that while provisions are being made to increase revenue to offset costs, the question becomes if people are happy with option to vote early by mail. In general people are coming to expect to have the option, she said. During the public hearing, Agawam residents packed into the Senior Center. It is a town councils duty, when systems dont work, to find a way to make a system that does work and instead of jumping through hoops to keep trying to maintain the status quo. Why dont we use that same energy to adapt to being a more accessible and modern community? Feeding Hills resident Antonio Moore said. As someone who votes in every election, resident Danielle Floyd said, I love the convenience of mail in voting and a lot of the other people in town do as well. Resident Susan Grossberg said the option to vote early by mail is a way to ensure everyones vote is counted. According to Grossberg, the elderly, people who are temporarily disabled and single mothers will be impacted by the councils decision to opt out. Please, these are the people who you are disenfranchising by doing this, Grossberg said. Bianca Colon Hernandez, a Springfield charter school teacher killed in a car crash with a police cruiser over the weekend, was remembered in her obituary as a vibrant and caring educator who held a natural ability to create bonds with people. The 25-year-old resident of Vernon, Connecticut, is listed as a seventh-grade science teacher on the staff page of Springfield Prep Charter School. A Massachusetts Institute of Technology dorm building was evacuated early Wednesday morning following an alert sent to students about a bomb threat. The school tweeted at 2:39 a.m. that Simmons Hall had been evacuated due to a bomb threat and asked everyone to stay away from the area. Hundreds of students evacuated the building, according to NBC 10 Boston. Simmons Hall has been evacuated following a bomb threat. Emergency responders are on scene and the building is currently being searched. Please stay away from the area. MITAlert (@MITAlert) April 5, 2023 Emergency responders are on scene and the building is currently being searched, the tweet read. After a search of the building by MIT Police, no threat was found and students were allowed back inside, NBC 10 Boston reported. MassLive reached out to MIT Police for an update on the bomb threat and building search. Simmons Hall is an MIT Undergraduate Residence Hall that houses about 340 undergraduates, 10 graduate students, two MIT professors and their families, and five Resident Scholars who are visiting MIT for the academic year, according to its website. Known as the Sponge for its Swiss cheese-style architecture, it houses a gym, a ball pit, lounges, five dining halls and multi-purpose rooms. Its structured with a unique town-hall style government in which any resident can propose and vote on whatever they want, another MIT website read. SPRINGFIELD A controversial rebuttal to a 2020 report by the U.S. Department of Justice on the police departments narcotics unit has been released by the city. After defense attorneys, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Hampden District Attorneys Office were rebuffed for years, the citys Law Department released the 28-page document entitled: Rebuttal to the Department of Justice Investigation of the Springfield Narcotics Bureau. Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni announced the office will make the account public on its website and release it to the defense bar. To insiders, it was short-handed to be called The Kent Report, as Deputy Police Chief Steven M. Kent researched and authored the statement after the DOJ published a savage assessment of the former narcotics unit. That report painted the unit now disbanded and renamed as a pack of freewheeling detectives who frequently punched suspects in their heads during arrests and fudged reports to protect themselves. The report was vague, however, on dates and other details that might identify suspects and left the police department and district attorneys office in a quandary. The ACLU countered that the district attorneys office was shirking its responsibility to turn over exculpatory evidence in drug cases, and sued the district attorney. Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni gives updates in a 32-year-old unresolved homicide of Shana Price Wednesday morning, Dec. 7, 2022. (Hoang 'Leon' Nguyen / The Republican) The district attorneys office shot back that it was attempting to glean details from the DOJ on its findings but was rebuffed, prompting a lawsuit by Gulluni against the federal agency. The city for nearly three years refused to turn over Kents rebuttal. The citys Law Department recently released it, as the police force remains under a federal consent decree, a dynamic the city characterizes as fairly harmonious. Our goal has always been to get the specifics of these serious allegations so that we can ensure the rights of accused persons are protected and fairness results from our work. If there are bad cops who are dishonest and not following the law, we want to know about it and make sure they do not stand as witnesses in our cases or affect the fairness of our criminal justice system, Gulluni said in a recent statement. Rachael S. Rollins, United States Attorney, District of Massachusetts, speaks during a press conference at the Federal Courthouse in Springfield where it was announced that the government has reached an unprecedented court settlement with the city, designed to revamp use-of-force and reporting policies within the police force. In the rear is Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justices Civil Rights Division. (Don Treeger / The Republican) 4/13/2022 Kent said he pored over years of reports on assaults on police officers, resisting arrest and failures to stop for police and cross-referenced them for details included in the DOJ reports narratives. He began his work in July, when the DOJ report was made public, and issued his report on Oct. 2, 2020. His executive summary said the DOJs incidents were cherry-picked and painted the unit with which he was involved for around two decades in an unfair light. We had to look it because they were serious allegations, and if we had a problem we had know who or what the problem was because the DOJ wouldnt tell us who or what it was. But despite what they said, I dont think we had a problem, Kent said during an interview. His report provided certain statistics including: 84 injured prisoners from a total of 5,500 arrestees is a rate of approximately 1.5% of the total arrestees 19% of arrestees whose injuries resulted from punches to the head comprises less than 1/3 of 1% of total arrestees. It is unknown whether the DOJ did its own mathematical analysis of the same data. Despite his previous ties to the unit, Kent argues he tackled the research and the report without bias. I went into it completely objective. If there was a big problem, some of it would have been occurring right under my nose so I was a little bit worried about it, he said. But in my estimation there was not. Nonetheless, under the federal consent decree enacted last August, the police department has been required to totally revamp its use-of-force and reporting policies and procedures. Discipline of officers that exceeds a maximum of five days has been handed over to a civilian Board of Police Commissioners. And the department has spent tens of thousands of dollars on modernized training and reporting software. We had a reporting problem and we didnt have any way to collect the data. That was a problem, Kent said. Gulluni said the lawsuit against the DOJ is still pending. Assertions made in the DOJ report remain a concern to this day, as they call on our ethical duties as prosecutors to provide any information to defendants that could point to their innocence or aid them in their defense. Despite our best efforts to obtain this critically important information from the United States Attorneys Office and the Department of Justice, we have been repeatedly denied and our lawsuit is still pending in federal court, he said. The ACLUs lawsuit against Gullunis office will be heard by the state Supreme Judicial Court. Over the past two and a half years, Basis Flagstaff teacher Andrew Robarge and his students have been collecting water, firewood and other supplies to donate through United Natives. Robarge started volunteering with United Natives during the COVID-19 pandemic while he was teaching remotely, shuttling personal protective equipment and other supplies at least once a week. His wife, a doctor on the Navajo Nation, introduced him to United Natives founder and CEO Crystal Lee, who was looking for ways to bring supplies to the Navajo and Hopi tribes. I had the time, I had the bandwidth, I had a truck, I had access to a trailer and so I started doing deliveries, he said. He kept working with United Natives after returning to the classroom, expanding to look at other needs and encouraging student participation. The project switched to primarily water and firewood, though it provides for other seasonal needs such as school supplies or warm clothing. Students in classes throughout Basis would receive extra credit to donate or to help make a card for the families that would be using the items. Robarge said he also hoped participating would encourage the students to think about their neighbors and how they could give. One student had donated some bright-pink binders and recognized them in the photos sent back to the classroom. Theyve been really excited to get involved in something bigger than themselves, he said of his students, and I think its made a lot more powerful with the proximity that they have to the groups we're supporting. He showed his students the locations of the chapter houses and villages the wood and water were going to, places he said they often recognized. The project has expanded beyond the school, with other residents and organizations learning about it and reaching out to offer help. The wood is collected in front of the school or at an industrial center operated by United Natives in Flagstaff. Groups will sometimes visit to process logs into firewood for various groups to pick up as needed. While Robarge didnt know exactly how much theyd collected so far, he said it was in the hundreds of cords. Basis students are no longer the only participants, with Robarge receiving offers of help from local families as well as schools and churches in the area. These include Shield of Faith on the Navajo Nation, Christ Church and Urban Hope in Flagstaff, the U.S. Forest Service, Donors Choose, Northland Preparatory Academy, Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy (FALA), Abundant Life Preschool and Chinle Planting Hope. Local logging groups that have helped with the effort are Joe Dirt Excavator, Cs Tree Service and AP Sawmill. NPA and FALA have both hosted water drives, he said, and groups stopped by to pick up items from Basis on the way. Urban Hope Church gave 180 backpacks full of school supplies left over from a back-to-school drive. You tell other groups about this and the interest is definitely there, Robarge said. ... Its been really spreading out. Figuring out all these random links of people who have firewood and want to help support us has been pretty awesome." While he said the long-term hope is to meet the need completely, his more local goal is to create a robust woodbank and supply depot in Flagstaff where groups can pick up the items that they need while theyre in town. More information is available at unitednatives.org. HOLYOKE The Holyoke City Council approved a ballot question in a 7-6 vote that allows residents to decide in the November elections whether to lower the Community Preservation Act surcharge from 1.5% to 1%. The CPA was adopted by Holyoke voters in 2016. The surcharge added to property tax bills provides funding for historic preservation, low-income housing, land conservation and recreation projects across the city. The councils order cited rising utilities, food and heating costs as financial stressors on property owners. Councilor Joseph M. McGiverin said the ballot question offers voters a clear choice and noted that only a few Massachusetts communities impose a 3% property tax surcharge, the maximum rate. Holyokes 1.5% rate is lower than most communities with the CPA surcharge in place. Fifty-five percent of Holyoke voters supported the CPA ballot question in 2016. When Holyokers go to the polls in November, a yes vote cuts the rate while a no vote maintains the 1.5% surcharge. We certainly welcome opponents and proponents of this question between now and November to offer their positions, McGiverin said. McGiverin added that a 1% rate could impact the CPA Committees administrative costs, especially the boards part-time administrative assistant. Ward 5 Councilor Linda Vacon initially proposed a 0.5% surcharge, but the Finance Committee reached a compromise of 1%. The ballot question allows voters to decide whether to keep or lower the rate. The CPA Committee vets project proposals before offering recommendations. However, the City Council has the final say on funding projects. Councilor Peter R. Tallman supported the question on the November ballot, stating that voters should have a say. Ward 6 Councilor Juan Anderson-Burgos cited low voter turnout for municipal elections and proposed placing the question on the November 2024 presidential ballot. Councilors Israel Rivera and Tessa Murphy-Romboletti said constituents support the CPA program and the current rate, saying few, if any, voiced concerns. We like to get everything done, but we dont like paying for it, said Ward 4 Councilor Kocayne Givner. This is a great way to continue paying for things that need to be done in the city. At the end of March, CPA Committee chair Meagan McGrath-Smith presented the committees 2023 funding recommendations, which included more funding to the Anniversary Hill-Scott Tower renovation project and continued efforts to conserve Gloutak Park on Rock Valley Road. A Massachusetts man was released on probation after he sexually exploited a 15-year-old. Officials said he was convicted again after he immediately went after a 12-year-old. Irvin Abreu, 38, was sentenced on March 31 by U.S. District Judge Patti B. Saris to more than 26 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release. In April 2022, Abreu pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children. Upon being released from custody for enticing a 15-year-old child, Mr. Abreu a registered sex offender immediately began to sexualize and harm another child. His victim was even younger this time at 12 years old. This recidivist is a predator who has repeatedly sought out to harm innocent children and rob them of their childhood. He is a danger to our society and remains exactly where he belongs behind bars and away from our children. We commend the victims mother for reporting this predators exploitation and harm of her child so swiftly, said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. Read more: Mitchel Iviquel has been missing for 3 years but police have no leads Officials said Abreu met the 12-year-old girl on the internet about two months after his release. He then groomed her and raped her on more than one occasion, documenting the sexual abuse in videos and photographs. The 12-year-olds mother found the communications between them and called the police. Investigators found photos, videos and text messages on Abreus phone, Rollins office said. This included sexual abuse images and messages. Officials also found a search history for Lawrence elementary schools and what does pedophile mean. Abreu is a registered sex offender who went on to offend again, sexually abusing a child and documenting the abuse by producing child exploitation material. We are grateful to our law enforcement partners whose vigilance and collaboration brought this case to our attention and has resulted in this significant sentence, said Michael J. Krol, acting special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. LONGMEADOW About 150 Longmeadow High School students walked out of their school Wednesday at noon to protest legislators inaction in response to school shootings. Lily Girard, a senior at Longmeadow High School who helped organize the protest, cited numbers from the K-12 School Shooting Database that said following the shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, a total of 75 people had been wounded and killed in incidents at schools so far in 2023. If that number doesnt galvanize change, then what will cause (lawmakers) to act? Girard said. Girard and Abi Stechmann, also a senior at Longmeadow High, planned the walkout after the shooting in Nashville that claimed the lives of three students and three educators. The walkout at Longmeadow High School came days after 28 schools across Massachusetts received hoax calls on March 28 intended to cause a large police responses, prompting district lockdowns the day after the shooting at the Covenant School. The two students said they planned the walkout because they want to be a catalyst for creating change. We walked out to stand in solidarity with other schools, Girard said. The students joined the national group Students Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and Moms Demand Action, which was created after the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. According to Girard and Stechman, many of those who walked out on Wednesday were a part of social justice groups within the school. They are dedicated to being a catalyst for social justice and change, Steechman said. Girard and Stechman said that while students are afraid of what is happening on a nationwide scale, school shootings happen so frequently that students are becoming to be desensitized to the horror. It becomes just another day, Stechman said. What can be done? National steps to ensure stricter gun control measures, Girard and Steechman said. It is hard to know what to do to make a long-term sustainable change, Stechman added. Girard said the country is so divided it is going to take the left and the right to come together to make common-sense solutions. However, Just the fact that someone would enter a school and shoot 9-year-olds is exactly why we walked out, Girard said. Thomas Landers, principal of Longmeadow High School, said in a statement the school did not encourage or condone the students walkout but appreciated that its students are very civic minded. To their credit, the students organized a safe, thoughtful, well-coordinated, peaceful protest, Landers said. Multiple Massachusetts elementary school students were rushed to a hospital with burned mouths, throats and irritated skin and eyes after eating spicy gum Tuesday afternoon. Paramedics in Orange rushed to the aid of several injured elementary school students at Dexter Park School Tuesday. In a statement sent to school district parents, Superintendent of Schools Elizabeth Teahan-Zielinski said one student purchased a pack of gum online and offered it to several students during recess. Immediately after the students ate the gum, which contained pepper, their mouths and throats began to burn and their stomachs swelled in pain. The gum caused skin reactions and eye irritation for some students who didnt eat it but touched it with their fingers or rubbed their eyes, according to the superintendent. Six children were rushed to Heywood Hospital by ambulance, and multiple others were taken by parents. Appropriate action was taken to ensure the safety of our students, Teahan-Zielinski said. The school district and Orange first responders are currently investigating the incident. I ask that you speak with your child about bringing in candy or accepting such items in school, which are not permitted as part of our wellness policy, Teahan-Zielinski said. It is difficult for students to understand that items can often contain ingredients others are allergic to or created to cause physical distress. Massachusetts residents may have to add turkeys to the short list of dangerous wild animals they need to look out for in the Bay State, according to the Dedham Police Department. Animal control officers have received recent reports of people being intimidated and followed by the birds, the department stated on Facebook, acknowledging that a United States Postal Service mail carrier had also been targeted by a turkey in Cambridge on March 20. Turkey attacks can involve the 15- to 25-pound bird flying at up to 50 mph into a person (its top speed, according to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service), and aggressive pecking, which is what the mail carrier experienced, as reported by The Boston Globe. The police department warned residents that peak mating season for turkeys is between the months of March and May, and that specifically male turkeys pose a danger to people. The increase in activity is due to male turkeys establishing dominance amongst their [male] peers; the increase in intimidation and aggression towards humans is due to turkeys having become habituated around humans - because humans are feeding them - whether intentionally or unintentionally, the department wrote. In Cambridge, the 49-year-old Weymouth mail carrier had to have his hip replaced following his turkey attack, which he told the outlet happened as he crossed the street on his route along Huron Avenue. Theyre mean, Ed Mitchell told the outlet. Its only like three bad ones. I dont know if somethings happened to them. Maybe one of them got killed by a mail truck. This wasnt Mitchells first encounter with aggressive turkeys while on route hed come across a trio last year attempting to intimidate him and other carriers in Harvard Square, he told the outlet but it was his most memorable thus far. As Mitchell turned to look at the flock of birds roosting outside of 60 Huron Ave., one came flying at him at such a high velocity that it knocked him to the pavement. The angry bird began pecking at Mitchell, the outlet reported. They usually dont catch up to me, but this time they were right on top of me, he told the Globe. I didnt know if they were going for my eyes. With turkey aggression at an all-time high during breeding season, the police department and the state recommends humans take extra steps to protect their safety, including not feeding the animals. The best thing we can do to curb this behavior is to stop feeding them. (Of course, stop feeding other wildlife as well). This will help keep them farther from our front doors and busy parking lots, the department stated. And much like with other wildlife, effective deterrents include loud noises, bright lights, hoses, (dogs in the yard may un-invite turkeys), and the use of property scarecrows (pinwheels, artificial lawn animals, Mylar tape). The department added in its statement that the birds are attracted to reflective surfaces, calling to mind a certain video posted in 2017 by MassLive depicting four turkeys chasing down a moving police car in Bridgewater. As for Mitchell, the outlet reported a passerby was able to shoo away the bird, and he was taken by ambulance to Mount Auburn Hospital. He had his right hip replaced in surgery two days later, and the Globe said he was discharged the following Friday. Two weeks after the attack, Mitchell told the outlet he is walking, but needs to use a walker and a cane for balance. He said it will be about six months before he can return to his route, and he is concerned the turkeys may strike again. If I take another fall, thats all I need, Mitchell told the outlet. Im going to be paranoid every time I see them now. Turkey aggression has been an issue in years past and outside of mating season; in November 2020, Boston woman Liz Poullette was attacked by a turkey while walking with her husband, as reported by WHDH. It was definitely a weird situation to be in, being attacked by a turkey, Poullette had stated. Were like, OK, turkeys coming toward us, and then it starts running toward us. Read more: 33 sugar gliders have found a home after MSPCA gets hundreds of applications I dont turn my back on it, because you dont turn your back on turkeys, she added. A fellow Hyde Park resident came to Poullettes aid, but not before the aggressive creature, who has come to be named Oscar, launched its assault. I put my arm up, because it was being a little aggressive, and it jumped, and with its feet - they have like talons - it grabbed my sweatshirt, Poullette said. I have a couple scrapes and a bruise. I had to beat it back with my handbag to finally leave us alone. Police departments warned of the animals aggression in the past, and said, Dont let them intimidate you. For aggressive turkeys, dont let them intimidate you, a tip from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife said. You should threaten or scare bold turkeys using a hose, a leashed dog or loud noises. Residents in Wenham reported sightings of turkeys on Pleasant Street in January 2021. Wild turkeys can be dangerous and Wenham Police would like to encourage all residents to avoid interaction with them, the police department said in a statement. There are about 35,000 wild turkeys in Massachusetts, although they were once extirpated from the state, according to the Massachusetts state website. In the 1970s, MassWildlife biologists trapped 37 turkeys in New York and released them in the Berkshires. The new flock grew in what was an ideal mix of agricultural and forested lands, the website stated. The website does warn that turkeys may attack people that they view as subordinates, and the Dedham Police Department added that anyone with questions or concerns can contact Animal Control. The Fitchburg Police Department is investigating whether the Wednesday morning report of a gun being shown by an individual inside Fitchburg High School was possibly part of a social media stunt or hoax, according to Massachusetts State Police. Fitchburg officers notified state police at 11:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 5, that they were responding to a call from the towns high school, located at 140 Arnhow Farm Road, for a search after a firearm was reportedly shown by someone at the school. The school went on lockdown, which has since been lifted, around 11 a.m. Fitchburg High School is currently in lockdown due to the potential threat of a weapon in school. School and police officials are investigating and more information will follow as soon as possible. Students and faculty are safe and following procedures for lockdown in classrooms, the school tweeted Wednesday morning. Massachusetts State Police sent several patrols and a K-9 team to assist in the search of the school, and also to establish a security perimeter around the campus. At 11:31 a.m., the school tweeted, Fitchburg High School is continuing with the lockdown process through the class transition period. Students and staff will remain in their classroom until school and police officials determine that it is safe to resume normal school proceedings. More information will follow as soon as possible. The lockdown was lifted at 11:33 a.m., as tweeted by the school at 11:40. There was no firearm found in the school, state police said, and the towns department is investigating the source of the report, specifically as to whether a social media stunt or hoax was involved. State police said the departments followed standard law enforcement protocol in response to protect lives and safety during the incident by assuming the threat was real and urgent, as practiced with all of these incidents. The New Hampshire Attorney Generals Office identified the New Hampshire police officer who shot a teenager after mistaking a BB gun for a real firearm during a traffic stop last month. Sgt. Derek Feather was identified as the Manchester police officer who shot and injured 18-year-old Waleed Al Thuwayni on March 26. The shooting started with multiple 911 calls about a vehicle that was driving recklessly around Elm and Valley streets, according to a Manchester Police Department statement. Police said Al Thuwayni was driving fast, running red lights and sliding doughnuts in the middle of the roadway. Police said the vehicles driver was driving recklessly on South Willow Street, and attempted to pull the car over, but Al Thuwayni sped off, according to authorities. Manchester police called off a chase for the vehicle due to concerns about public safety but later found the car at a parking lot at 265 Maple St. and confirmed Al Thuwayni as the driver. As Feather attempted to make contact with the driver, Al Thuwayni pulled out what appeared to be a black handgun and pointed it at the officer, the department statement said. Feather shot and wounded Al Thuwayni, then provided him with medical care along with other officers who arrived at the parking lot shortly after, according to police. Read more: How federal agents managed to interrogate the wrong person in a Boston hotel room The weapon police thought was a real gun turned out to be a BB gun, according to the Manchester Police Department. Feathers use of deadly force is under investigation by the New Hampshire Attorneys General Office. The officer has 19 years of law enforcement experience and has been with the Manchester Police Department since 2004. The New Hampshire AGs office said it will release a verdict on its use of deadly force investigation at a later date when the charges against Al Thuwayni are complete. Al Thuwayni is expected to be charged with the following: felony reckless conduct with a deadly weapon driving between 70 and 90 mph and disobeying traffic control devices; felony criminal threatening with a deadly weapon pointing what appeared to be a gun at police; and disobeying an officer, a misdemeanor. SPRINGFIELD Rent and utility payments for the small businesses being evicted from the Eastfield Mall will be waived until the mall closes in July to give owners some relief while they search for a new place to operate. Onyx Partners Limited, the development company which plans to purchase the struggling mall on Boston Road and redevelop it, announced he would provide financial relief by forgoing the collection of all rent and utility costs, according to an announcement from Mayor Domenic J. Sarno. He confirmed the company plans to close in July. Previously business owners said they have been told they must leave sometime this summer. Right from the beginning I stressed to Onyx the importance of bringing assistance and relief to the local small business tenants of the Eastfield Mall. After a number of meetings with Onyx, I am pleased to announce that they have agreed to allow the local small businesses of the Eastfield Mall to stay rent and utility free, which amounts to $500,000 in assistance. I want to encourage everyone to continue to patronize and support all these local small businesses at the Eastfield Mall, Sarno said. The rent waivers will allow the businesses to remain open while they search for a new appropriate spot to locate their business, he said. Sarno, city Chief Development Officer Tim Sheehan, the Economic Development Council and other agencies are working with the businesses to assist them in any way they can. Anton Melchionda, founder of Onyx Partners, is now joining that effort, Sarno said. Onyx Partners have a contract in place to purchase most of the Eastfield Mall and plans to go to the city within a month to seek a special permit for demolition and redevelopment. Melchionda has not unveiled the specific redevelopment plans but the announcement described it as a state-of-the-art central mixed-use commercial and retail hubIt will include a nationally recognized anchor and other well-known national brand tenants who will be announced at a later date. The mall, which is located on 46 acres of land, was built in 1967 but has struggled in recent years after having lost some of its large national anchor stores such as Macys and Sears. The development of Springfield Crossing is going to bring a vibrancy to the area with new opportunities for the community with retail and commercial growth, Melchionda said. This property will be a showcase for our city and central hub for the area. The states teachers union publicly denounced Southbridge Public Schools leader, Jeffrey Villar, accusing him of a cover-up and a gross mishandling in response to a student with a gun at Southbridge High School last month. The Massachusetts Teachers Association said the school administration failed to put the school on lockdown March 13 after it learned a student posted videos of himself on social media wielding a gun while on campus. More shockingly, school administrators dispatched school staff to find one of the students who was involved in the gun incident, never informing staff about the possibility that the student could be armed, MTA said in a press release Wednesday. This total disregard for the safety of students and school personnel is unacceptable, MTA added. Villar who was assigned as the state-managed schools receiver in 2018, according to the Telegram & Gazette and Southbridge Police Department Chief Shane Woodson responded to a similar denouncement from the Southbridge Education Association, calling it inaccurate. Read more: Easthampton School Committee meeting shut down after more than 300 try to tune in We continue to look into the allegations raised on March 13 and will continue communicating information as we learn it, Southbridge Public Schools said in a statement on its website. District and police leadership were already working together on lockdown drills and other procedures before this incident. We will continue to collaborate to prevent and address any potential safety incidents. The statement demonstrated how it communicated with families about what happened on campus that day, posting transcripts of phone messages sent to students families. But the MTA believes there was no comprehensive strategy to secure the school. Thus, at a time when school shootings are a sickening national epidemic, a gun remains unaccounted for thanks to Villars attempt to downplay and dismiss a dangerous situation, MTA concluded. Student Erick Diaz was charged with carrying a firearm on school grounds, unlicensed possession of a firearm and unlicensed possession of ammunition, according to the Telegram. He was found dangerous and is on house arrest with GPS monitoring. A second, unidentified student was also charged. Southbridge police responded at around 1:30 p.m. after two Instagram reels were seen showing Diaz, 20, wielding a gun in a school bathroom, the newspaper added. Diaz later said the gun was fake, but Officer Zachary Berquist wrote in his report that he determined the gun was real, later placing Diaz in custody. A California man pleaded guilty in the 2016 killing of a Brockton 2-year-old. In Brockton Superior Court Tuesday, Timy Jo Griffin, 28, of Long Beach, California, pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the killing of Brockton 2-year-old Nazeir Phillips, according to the Plymouth County District Attorneys Office. Brockton Superior Court Judge William Sullivan sentenced Griffin to 10 years in state prison for the death of the child. On Dec. 5, 2016, police responded to a 911 call of an injured two-year-old boy in a Brockton residence. Authorities found the toddler, Phillips unresponsive and helicoptered him to Massachusetts General Hospital for treatment. The boy died of his injuries three days later. Griffin, who was a friend of Phillips mother, was watching the toddler when the incident happened. While under investigation by police, he told authorities Phillips fell off his bed while throwing a tantrum and hit his head. Read more: Boston murder case backlog may take years to address A medical investigation later revealed that the toddlers injuries, specifically the bleeding around his eye and swelling of his brain, were most likely caused by a violent shaking and/or slamming. Emotional hashtags and phrases related to the arrest of former president Donald Trump circulated throughout social media on the afternoon of Tuesday, April 4, following his arraignment on 34 charges of falsifying business records, stemming from 2016 hush money payments to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels. Political leaders, celebrities and general users on Twitter took to the platform both in support and disdain for the former president. Some called the charges a scheme against Trump, while others stated they hoped they would result in time behind bars for him. Sen. Mitt Romney released a link to his statement on Twitter, which read, I believe President Trumps character and conduct make him unfit for office. Even so, I believe the New York prosecutor has stretched to reach felony criminal charges in order to fit a political agenda. No one is above the law, not even former presidents, but everyone is entitled to equal treatment under the law. The prosecutors overreach sets a dangerous precedent for criminalizing political opponents and damages the publics faith in our justice system, the former presidential candidate wrote. Romney went on to state how the charges would be reviewed by a jury, that he believed American voters would render their own judgment on the former Presidents political future and that all elected leaders should discourage violence and anger. Todd Aschenbrenner on Twitter responded to Romneys statement, Its a misuse of the justice system. This is all part of political scheme to get Trump the nomination, because the Dems know its their best shot to hold on to power. So sad. Its a misuse of the justice system. This is all part of political scheme to get Trump the nomination, because the Dems know its their best shot to hold on to power. So sad. Todd Aschenbrenner (@toddasch) April 4, 2023 New York Senator and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said, I believe that Donald Trump will have a fair trial that follows the facts and the law. Theres no place in our justice system for any outside influence or intimidation in the legal process. As the trial proceeds, protest is an American right, but all protests must be peaceful. Elon Musk responded to the senators tweet with a statement on the bipartisanship of the criminal justice system. To avoid losing the trust of the American public, it is important that our justice system pursue Democrats and Republicans with equal vigor. Whichever party most puts justice before nepotism is the one that deserves trust. To avoid losing the trust of the American public, it is important that our justice system pursue Democrats and Republicans with equal vigor. Whichever party most puts justice before nepotism is the one that deserves trust. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 4, 2023 Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez didnt directly make a public statement on the matter, but she quote-tweeted a tweet from Joyce Alene, former U.S. Attorney for the District of Alabama, which stated, Donald Trump Jr. has posted a picture of the judges daughter on truth social. Ocasio-Cortez said, Because nothing says innocent like threatening a judges family, and then expanded below. Lets be very clear: intimidation and stochastic terror are the core tools of Trump and the fascist movements that support him. They rely on it to skirt consequence and silence others and each time it works, they grow more brazen. One reason why accountability is so important, Ocasio-Cortez wrote. Because nothing says innocent like threatening a judges family https://t.co/hk9fyvdflH Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 4, 2023 Others also had visceral reactions to the arrest. Roger Look, a Twitter user stated, This bogus list of charges will cost NYC more for security, clean up, overtime then it will cost Trump. Then the law suits to follow. 34 lowest felonies they could come up with. Witch hunt with a stick not a silver cross. the prosecutor is wasting tax money. This bogus list of charges will cost NYC more for security, clean up, overtime then it will cost Trump. Then the law suits to follow. 34 lowest felonies they could come up with. Witch hunt with a stick not a silver cross. the prosecutor is wasting tax money. Roger Look (@RogerLook) April 4, 2023 TikTok influencer JoJoFromJerz tweeted, He just came out of the courtroom and he looked like a spoiled toddler who didnt get to have ice cream for dinner. She added, To be honest, Im really sad about what donald trump has done to this country and to the office of the Presidency and glad that he was finally charged with a crime at the same time. To be honest, Im really sad about what donald trump has done to this country and to the office of the Presidency and glad that he was finally charged with a crime at the same time. Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) April 4, 2023 Another user, whose screen name only read @kkalex56gotrump, wrote, TIME TO INCITE VIOLENCE IN THE SCAM OF AN INDITMENT AGAINST TRUMP AND TAKE THE FUCKING COUNTRY BACK PLEASE PASS ALONG/ in multiple separate tweets, and also quote-tweeted several others. TIME TO INCITE VIOLENCE IN THE SCAM OF AN INDITMENT AGAINST TRUMP AND TAKE THE FUCKING COUNTRY BACK PLEASE PASS ALONG/ https://t.co/e9t21KwDVw k a (@kkalex56gotrump) April 4, 2023 Twitter user Anthony Snell tweeted, I wish Trump supporters would formulate and articulate a critically sound argument rather than throw childish insults. I wish Trump supporters would formulate and articulate a critically sound argument rather than throw childish insults. Anthony Snell (@tonysnell) April 4, 2023 Prior to the arrest and arraignment, actor and comedian Terrence Williams tweeted, FREE DONALD TRUMP, then proceeded to call for prayers for the former presidents safety, and compared his arrest to the day Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot which was April 4, 1968. FREE DONALD TRUMP Terrence K. Williams (@w_terrence) April 4, 2023 This is heartbreaking and I feel sick to my stomach because I know Trump doesnt deserve to be treated like this, Williams wrote. Memes and other statements also circulated on the platform, including the hashatag and phrase #LockHimUp, which coined Trumps former phrase of lock her up in regards to his former political opponent Hillary Clinton. Easthampton officials were forced to postpone Tuesdays School Committee meeting after more than 300 participants tried to join the virtual Zoom call. A tool on the city website, however, provides instant updates on upcoming municipal meetings. The School Committee has yet to convene since a superintendent finalist, Dr. Vito Perrone, told media outlets that a job offer was rescinded after he used the term ladies in an email greeting and school officials, he says, labeled his action as a microaggression. The school committee has yet to address the controversy which has been reported widely across national and international media since Perrone went public with his side of the story last weekend in an article by the Daily Hampshire Gazette. Some members of the school board were not able to get into the crowded 7:30 p.m. virtual meeting on Tuesday evening. School officials asked some members of the public to get off in order to make room for committee members a request participants chaffed at and called a violation of the states Open Meeting Law. A virtual stream of the meeting, separate from the Zoom call, hosted by e.media, crashed from a high volume of people tuning in. In the end, Mayor Nicole LaChapelle, a member of the School Committee, advised Chairperson Cynthia Kwiecinksi to call off the meeting to accommodate all the people who desired to attend. LaChapelle cited new regulations issued by the states attorney general that require the city to allow all people who want to attend the meeting to have access. During the meeting, she said the citys attorney recommend they postpone the meeting to a later day. The meeting ended without a new date set, and as of Wednesday afternoon, no such information is available. For those interested in staying up-to-date, however, the citys website includes an Agenda Center (found here) which allows members of the public to sign-up for alerts for when agendas are posted. People can subscribe to text or email alerts whenever an agenda is posted for any of the citys committees. A tool, called Notify Me can be found on the right-hand side of the page under the Tools heading. Calls and emails to Kwiecinski and LaChapelle were not returned as of publishing. We will have to investigate the problem of how were going to have a meeting and then well put an agenda together and go forward, Kwiecinski said on Tuesday night. So then we are not able to have this meeting. We are going to end this and we are going to reschedule once we figure out how we are going to increase the capacity. School Committee members have not yet answered allegations made by Perrone about the reason for the revoked job offer. The members reached their decision to rescind the job during an executive session, which is not open to the public and is used for specific purposes including to discuss personnel matters and contract negotiations. Read more: West Springfield interim superintendent named to head Easthampton schools A contingent of Perrones supporters staged a large protest in front of City Hall on Monday evening to call on the Easthampton School Committee to re-offer the job to Perrone, who previously served as principal of the citys high school from 2009 to 2015 and currently serves as interim superintendent of West Springfield schools. The meeting on Tuesday was dedicated to the superintendent search process, and besides Perrone, other finalists are Jonathan Brune, a director at Berkshire Hills Regional School District in Stockbridge, and Erica Faginski-Stark, the director of curriculum and instruction at Ludlow Public Schools, according to the Daily Hampshire Gazette. For the past few weeks, the lights illuminated the beloved Friendlys Ice Cream shrubbery sign on the side of the Mass. Pike in Wilbraham have been wonky. Two lights shining on the sign first began flickering on March 27, creating a rave-like party scene as drivers approached the sign coming westbound. A day later, the Dairy Farmers of Americas Wilbraham plant, which produces Friendlys retail products, worked with the National Grid to shut off the lights. The welcome sign was originally maintained by Friendlys. In 2016, dairy giant Dean Foods purchased Friendlys ice cream manufacturing and retail distribution businesses for $155 million. It took over maintenance of the sign bushes then. With the purchase of Friendlys, Dean Foods obtained all of the restaurant chains trademarks and intellectual property. In 2020, Dairy Farmers of America bought a substantial portion of Dean Foods. Although the lights on the Friendlys welcome sign are still not working, power has been restored to the equipment, a spokesperson for the Dairy Farmers of America corporation told MassLive. Dairy Farmers of America said it plans to have the lights back on the shrubbery by the end of the week, weather permitting. As it turns out a fallen tree caused a power line connected to the lights to break. Bottomline, there is no longer any flashing, which I think was the original complaint, the Dairy Farmers of America said. Mass. Newsmakers: Part of an ongoing series talking to those with unique insight into the issues and concerns Massachusetts communities face. _______________ Top state lawyers are exploring whether they can take on white supremacist groups who have made their presence known in the past year and are creatively looking at every legal tool available, Attorney General Andrea Campbell said in an interview with MassLive Tuesday. Any potential legal action in Massachusetts would come on the heels of a civil rights suit in New Hampshire filed by the states attorney general, John Formella, against local neo-Nazi group NSC-131 and its leader, Christopher Hood. And the conversation around action against hate groups arrives as the Anti-Defamation League reported both a rise in white nationalist propaganda and antisemitism in Massachusetts. In an interview at MassLives Springfield office, Campbell said to expand the reach of the attorney generals office, lawyers there need to take on one case and we do it significantly, with real force behind it. And by going after a hate group, Campbell said, more people might be inclined to report their experiences. Thats exactly what the office is exploring, she said. People see coverage of that and are more inclined to come forward knowing that if I come forward and risk maybe my safety or something else people will be held accountable, Campbell said. That also is another way to get, I think, to see the numbers reflected accurately of what people are actually experiencing in their communities. In the past year, Massachusetts has become a hotbed for white nationalist and neo-Nazi activity, according to data from organizations like the Anti-Defamation League. The ADL, in a report issued last month, ranked Massachusetts second in the nation for white nationalist propaganda activity in 2022. It confirmed what many people saw in their own communities hate groups marching, gathering, and displaying hateful rhetoric in Boston and across the state. Researchers found 465 white nationalist propaganda incidents last year, a 72% increase over the previous year. More than 950 incidents were reported in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maine, and Massachusetts, a 96% increase from 2021. And antisemitic incidents hit an all-time high in Massachusetts last year, placing the state sixth in the nation for number of incidents reported, according to data released by the ADL in March. Patriot Front, a white nationalist group, even lists Massachusetts as one of the top states for all activities in its own public data. The hate group marched through downtown Boston last July and clashed with a Black counterprotester. Campbell would not say whether her office was specifically considering legal action against Patriot Front. I dont want to be premature in saying too much but we are looking at a wide range of things and saying OK, we know theres more the office can be doing, she said. ... And Ill just say theres one attorney in particular, who is extremely passionate about this work and in the weeds, frankly, working on these cases in significant ways. And Ill say more to share. Before interviewing with MassLive on Tuesday, Campbell appeared before the Legislatures Ways and Means Committee, which is holding hearings across the state as they work through the budget process. And amid state budget season, Campbell made a pitch for more resources. When you think about the number of folks who are dedicated to this work, if we had more, the breadth and scope and reach of these cases could be broader. And so we need more lawyers, we need more investigators, we need more staff, she said in the interview with MassLive. Marchers bearing the insignia of the white supremacist group Patriot Front parade through Boston on Saturday, July 2, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)AP A call for more lawyers comes as there is no slowdown in white nationalist propaganda activity, which last year featured gatherings by white supremacists with antisemitic, anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ+, and racists messages at local bookstores, libraries, theaters, shelters, and hospitals, in Boston, Cambridge, Providence, Rhode Island, and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, according to the ADL. The civil rights case in New Hampshire accuses NSC-131, also known as Nationalist Social Club, of violating the states civil rights law when the group hung a racially charged banner over a Portsmouth overpass last year. That case could be a roadmap for other attorneys general. In Massachusetts, hate groups have also displayed antisemitic banners at the 2022 St. Patricks Day parade in Boston and on overpasses in Saugus and Danvers in September 2022. A resident in Stoneham found several cut-out swastikas and hateful messages on her lawn in November 2022, which led local law enforcement to conduct an aggressive investigation. And as far as legal recourse is concerned at the state level, Campbell said her office is at the forefront of some of that work. You cant sort of just wait this is an ongoing conversation wait for people to come to you if they are operating in certain municipalities, based on what were seeing publicly or based on what people are seeing on social media, Campbell said. Mass. Newsmakers: Part of an ongoing series talking to those with unique insight into the issues and concerns Massachusetts communities face. _________________ Attorney General Andrea Campbell affirmed creating a reproductive justice unit remains a top priority as she aims to fulfill a campaign promise in the wake of the Supreme Courts decision last summer to overturn Roe v. Wade. Campbell, speaking to MassLive reporters and editors in the Springfield newsroom Tuesday, said her office is actively recruiting a director of the pending unit, but she declined to share a hiring timeline. Im confident well find someone with expertise and real talent to run that unit, said Campbell, who took office in January. Obviously, we dont want to rush it. The director will be charged with developing a strategic plan for the unit, though its unclear how many attorneys could be hired or assigned to tackle the reproductive justice efforts in the AGs office. With Massachusetts positioned as a beacon for reproductive health care and abortion access in a post-Roe era as other states have outlawed or severely restricted the procedure Campbell signaled her new unit could likewise serve as a model for leaders across the country. Campbell said the unit will help enforce the states new abortion protections for providers and patients, including those from outside Massachusetts, that former Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law last July. The unit will also support a confidential legal abortion hotline, which Campbell, reproductive care activists and law firms launched in January to double down on those protections. I think there is a desire locally and nationally not only to support a unit that can work across the various divisions and bureaus of the office to ensure folks have access to this critical health care and health care service, but to do it in partnership with others at the national level because they are coming to Massachusetts, given how progressive our laws are, Campbell said. The unit, through educational campaigns, will ensure Bay Staters know their basic rights, Campbell said. Campbell said her office has already started seeking feedback from stakeholders to help create the reproductive justice unit, including from Planned Parenthood, pharmacies and advocacy organizations. I think theres a role for Massachusetts to play at the national level. As you can imagine, theres a whole host of panels and conversations on how to help other states, said Campbell, citing health care training for southern states as one example. So theres a lot to do in this space. After repeatedly pledging on the campaign trail to establish a reproductive justice unit, Campbell solidified that promise during her inaugural address. Shes long said the goal is to pool together expertise from the AG offices civil rights and health care divisions, alongside the criminal and government bureaus. In Massachusetts, we can always and will always stand up for reproductive and abortion rights and protect the right of each and every person to decide whether, and when, and how to have and to be a parent of a child, Campbell had said in her inaugural remarks. WESTFIELD During a special meeting prior to the School Committee on April 3, Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski and Business Administrator Shannon Berry presented a budget request of $69,870,373 for fiscal 2024, which begins July 1. Czaporowski said he will be putting the budget proposal on the May 1 School Committee agenda for review. The fiscal 2024 budget contains an increase of $3,926,292 over fiscal 2023, all of which will be paid for by the 9% increase in Chapter 70 state reimbursement to Westfield of the same amount. The School Department is not requesting any increase in funding from the city, which was $26,873,590 in fiscal 2023 and is the same in Czaporowskis proposal for next year. Out-of-district special education tuition accounts for $2.4 million of the $3.9 million increase in the budget, as the state-mandated cost of services has grown by 14%. This year 76 students receive out-of-district services, including 12 new placements. Preservation Worcester will hold a fundraiser next month to help raise money for renovations to the historic Salisbury House, but it wont be like any other event the organization has held in the past: it will be hosted by a psychic medium. Medium Lauren Robbins, a native of Bridgewater and owner of The Spiritual Path in Mansfield, will visit the Salisbury House on May 12 to talk about her new book and offer readings. Typically we do events connected to our mission, said Deborah Packard, executive director of Preservation Worcester. We do feel like well bring in a different audience to our house and so we can show them where we are, and maybe theyll become interested in becoming members or being involved with Preservation Worcester. Robbins says she has been able to connect with the spiritual world for more than 50 years, since she was 2 years old. She hosts the Medium Lauren Robbins Show on Bold Brave TV and has appeared on Lifetimes Married at First Sight. More recently, Robbins was featured in the 2022 documentary The Lady of the Dunes, which focused on the unsolved 1974 murder of a then-unidentified woman found in Provincetown. Robbins said the crew producing the documentary reached out to her to see if she was interested in participating and attempting to contact the deceased victim. I sign the dotted line, start thinking about it and boom, I started getting a connection, Robbins said in an interview with MassLive. I felt a set of hands going around my neck. While filming the documentary, Robbins visited the site where the Lady of the Dunes, who was later identified by the FBI as Ruth Marie Terry, was found. She said while she was there, she could see through Terrys eyes during the last moments of her life. Medium Lauren Robbins visits the grave site of the Lady of the Dunes, a murder victim later identified as Ruth Marie Terry, while filming a documentary. (Courtesy Lauren Robbins) While she was not able to find out the victims identity, when it was announced in 2022, Robbins said things she had learned lined up perfectly with the FBIs identification. Its probably the toughest thing I ever did in my life, Robbins said. Theres no family that was linked to her at the time. Theres nothing to go by. I have to completely go completely by what Im receiving from her because I could feel her, I could see her in my mind, I could hear her. After her experience filming the documentary, Robbins wrote a book, Through Her Eyes: The Untold Story of Ruth Marie Terry, The Lady of the Dunes. It really is about really putting her at rest, Robbins said. Shes not completely at rest until everything else is sort of done. Terrys killer has not been found, but the FBI said in November they were searching for information on Guy Rockwell Muldavin, Terrys husband, who died in 2002. At the Preservation Worcester event, Robbins will talk about her book and her experience filming the documentary, and will give readings to members of the audience. The Salisbury House at 61 Harvard St. in Worcester (Google) Money raised from the event will benefit the renovation of the Salisbury House, which Preservation Worcester purchased last year as its new headquarters. Built in 1836, it was owned by two generations of the Salisbury family, a prominent Worcester family that helped transform the city from an agrarian community to an industrial center, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Packard said significant renovations are needed to the buildings exterior, including restoring the slate roof, gutters, woodwork and shutters and repainting its original color. Inside, the building needs a new furnace and air conditioning system. In addition, once renovations are complete, the building will include a workshop for the organization to start a preservation trades program. One of the things weve found is that were not able to identify skilled people to actually do work on window repairs or masonry or slate roofs, Packard said. Its very difficult to find people trained in those trades. Of course, were excited to be able to do that, not only to help people out to find meaningful employment, but also to help people out that have old houses and want to take care of them. The event will be held from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, May 12 in the ballroom of the Salisbury House, 61 Harvard St. Tickets are $60 for members or $65 for non-members and are available for purchase here. A Worcester woman is calling on the city to do more after a Belgian Malinois attacked her 12-year-old cockapoo in February, injuring him so badly he was later euthanized. Jane Gerhardt wants the Belgian Malinois out of Worcester, but, according to state law, although officials can order a dangerous dog to be euthanized, they can not simply kick one out of town. The Commissioners of the Competition Commission have stayed the proceedings in the matters of alleged collusion by the United Investments Ltd (UIL) in respect of the supply of fertilisers. UIL made a motion for a permanent stay of the proceedings to the Commission, on ground of abuse of process as the Executive Directors decision to grant access to the investigation file (disclosure) came too late. Three out of the panel of four Commissioners hearing the matter ruled in favour of granting the stay of proceedings and not to go ahead with hearing the matter on merits believing that doing so would vitiate principles of justice and fairness. The Vice Chairperson, however, issued a dissenting opinion stating that in his view, the late disclosure of the investigation file did not prejudice UIL. These come after the Executive Director had investigated Mauritius Chemical & Fertilizers Industry Ltd (MCFI) (now Ingenia) and UIL for cartel conduct and recommended fines totalling Rs.71 million on UIL and Rs.5 million on MCFI. The decision together with the dissenting opinion has been published in the Government Gazette and is also available on the website of the Competition Commission. Background of the Investigations The Executive Director of the Competition Commission launched investigations in the supply of chemical fertilisers in Mauritius. The competition concern was whether the two suppliers, namely MCFI and UIL through its subsidiaries [Island Fertilisers Ltd (IFL) and Island Renewable Fertilisers Ltd (IRFL)], have illegally agreed to fix price and share the market for the supply of chemical fertilisers to customers in Mauritius. It is to be noted that price fixing and market sharing agreements referred to as a cartel, are prohibited in Mauritius under section 41 of the Competition Act 2007 (the Act) and such conducts are penalised with fines. Consequently, on the basis of leniency information submitted by MCFI, the Executive Director assessed whether MCFI and UIL had participated in bid rigging by agreeing amongst themselves on the price, and terms and conditions to be submitted in response to the invitation for tenders issued by sugar estates. It is to be highlighted that bid rigging occurs when suppliers, instead of submitting their offers independently and competitively, agree amongst themselves on the price or conditions they would offer, or they agree on who would submit a bid, so as to eliminate competition between tenderers. Bid rigging is prohibited under section 42 of the Act and penalised by fines as per section 59 of the Act. After completion of the investigations, the Executive Directors reports of investigation were submitted to the Commissioners of the Competition Commission in June 2018, for determination of the cases. The Executive Directors investigation found that UIL has participated in collusive agreement prohibited under section 41 of the Act and it has also participated in bid rigging in breach of section 42 of the Act. The Executive Director recommended the imposition of financial penalties totalling Rs 71 million on the UIL for the breaches as per section 59 of the Act. The Decision of the Commission The Commissioners issued their decision on 13 February 2023. It is noted that between June 2018 and beginning 2022, a number of preliminary issues were addressed by the Commissioners before a substantive hearing was eventually fixed for 20 April 2022. At the hearing on 20 April 2022, the Executive Director informed the Commission, at the very outset of the hearing, that he will grant UIL access to the investigation file as previously sought by the latter. UIL applied for a stay of proceedings on the ground that the Executive Directors decision to grant access to the investigation file was not made in proper time and came too late and therefore amounted to an abuse of process. The Executive Director resisted UILs application and submissions were made to that effect. By a majority of three against one, the Commissioners firstly determined that the Competition Commission derives an inherent power to stay proceedings which is necessary for the effective discharge of its adjudicatory function in order to protect the integrity of its process. The majority of the Commissioners held that the proceedings could not progress further with the substantive hearing since UIL did not have the opportunity to consider the disclosure proposed by the Executive Director prior to the hearing. The Commissioners also held that they were not in a position to ascertain whether an alternative lesser remedy would be more just and proportionate, stating that there is an overriding principle that a party must be afforded a fair hearing within reasonable time and that as an adjudicative organ, the Commission has the sacrosanct duty to uphold the principles of natural justice, ensure fairness between parties, protect the integrity of its proceedings, and in so doing to ensure public confidence in its administration of justice. The Commissioners thus decided that the proceedings against UIL be permanently stayed. Dissenting Opinion The Vice Chairperson issued a dissenting opinion, finding that an order for a stay of proceedings was not warranted, opining that a stay is a remedy to be exercised with utmost caution and as a last resort. According to the Vice Chairperson, the stay of proceedings was not justified in the circumstances since the Executive Director was willing to provide access to his investigation file so that UIL would have relevant information from the case file at its disposal to prepare its defence. Thus, the integrity of the judicial system of the Competition Commission had not been compromised. The fact that the proceedings might in that respect take some more time does not, according to the Vice Chairperson, cause any prejudice to UIL or to the proceedings. Moreover, with respect to the publication of a media release on the investigation, the Vice Chairperson is of the view that the Commission should not direct the Executive Director regarding the exercising of his powers under section 30 of the Act. The Vice Chairperson was of the view that the media release did not single out UIL as alleged by the latter and therefore could not have a prejudicial effect on the proceedings or affect the impartiality of the Commission. Nonetheless, having expressed his dissenting opinion, the Vice Chairperson stated that he would abide by the majority decision. Appeal by the Executive Director Being dissatisfied with the decision of the Commission and having regard to the dissenting opinion, the Executive Director has appealed the decision to the Supreme Court. The Executive Director will therefore not make any comment since the matter is sub judice Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires outh Africa has been setting a positive example for its approach to ensuring a just energy transition. Not only is South Africa embracing renewable energy projects, but it is also wisely pursuing several proactive measures to generate the necessary funding. One such approach is the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Program (REIPPPP), which focused on incentivizing private-sector investment in biomass, wind, and small hydro. The government operated the program between 2011 and 2015 to address energy poverty and extend access to clean electricity. This effort gave South Africa over 6,000 megawatts (MW) of renewable generation capacity. Due to its success, the program was re-launched as part of the countrys 2019 integrated resource plan. The REIPPPP is fostering a just energy transition complete with job creation and economic transformation. By harnessing significant private sector expertise and channelling investment, the program is fostering grid-connected renewable energy at competitive prices. And this is huge for the people of South Africa. We at the African Energy Chamber continue to be impressed with the success of the REIPPPP. In the Eastern Cape province, for example, the program has created more than 18,000 jobs and set up 16 wind farms and one solar energy farm. Perhaps more importantly, the province also experiences less load shedding (scheduled power outages) as a result of these efforts. South Africa also introduced a carbon tax in June 2019. In January 2022, the government increased the tax rate from under $8 per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCOe) to $9/tCOe and announced that the rate will continue to rise, to $30/tCOe by 2030 and $120/tCOe beyond 2050. More recently, in November 2022, South Africa announced its Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET IP). The five-year plan outlines how South Africa will reduce emissions to 420 million tCOe by 2030 and identifies the investment needed for the transition to clean energy. $99 Billion Is a Huge Goal According to the chambers new report, The State of South African Energy, a just energy transition will require almost $99 billion (1.8 trillion rands) over the next five years. And South Africa has moved significantly closer to that target, thanks to the $8.5 billion (131 billion rands) pledge from the multinational International Partners Group (IPG), $33 billion (131 billion rands) from the private sector, and $10 billion (184 billion rands) from the public sector. This is great but more needs to be done to fully bring South Africas just energy transition to fruition. While a nice chunk of the necessary funding has already been secured, South Africa needs additional investors (domestic and international) to step up and fund grants, guarantees, and concessional loans. Investment will also be required in infrastructure to aid the decommissioning and repurposing of coal-fired power plants, increase the integration of renewables, and upgrade existing transmission and distribution networks. Importantly, this includes funding new value chains to take the place of phased-out coal to prevent the socioeconomic collapse of communities in regions that depend heavily on coal production. Because we cant forget, in the shuffle, that eliminating coal means erasing an entire industrys worth of livelihood. We need to make certain that those who rely on coal not only for their energy needs but also for their jobs arent simply left out in the cold. Other Measures to Consider We commend South Africa for its proactive measures to embrace renewables. Now, it will be important to be diligent about keeping the momentum going. As we reported in The State of South African Energy, the Electricity Regulatory Act of 2021 led to 6 GW of renewable generation capacity through private sector projects by bumping up the licensing threshold from 1 MW to 100 MW. This is forward progress. However, we noted that an even higher threshold would have fostered greater investment in large utility projects. For example, the government should consider signing multi-decade land lease agreements with independent power producers to generate even greater renewable capacity. Because in the meantime, widespread national blackouts and load shedding have become daily occurrences since 2007. Eskom Holdings, the government-owned national power utility that generates 90% of the electricity used in South Africa and 30% of the electricity created on the continent, cant keep up with demand especially in light of its antiquated and inadequate coal fleet. These outages disrupt the daily life of the general public and damage profits of businesses. To create a more competent and competitive power market, South Africa has announced a restructuring of Eskom into three legally separated entities for generation, transmission, and distribution and to establish an independent transmission system operator. We at the Chamber are all for this idea, but were sad to report that it remains up in the air. And how about expanding solar? South Africa has proposed schemes to foster rooftop solar with feed-in tariffs and tax incentives. This could play a tremendous role in a just transition, with a two-fold benefit: incentivizing both the residential and commercial sectors and alleviating load shedding. And Eskom itself has hinted at accelerating investment in renewables. As yet, unfortunately, we are still waiting to see any of this. Green Energy Thats Beneficial for South Africa As weve seen, the South African government is making strides in adopting policies to aid a just energy transition from coal to renewables. The result of these new policies is that the nation is starting to see the benefits of solar PV and onshore wind energy as a replacement for coal. In fact, as we reported in The State of South African Energy, coal power generation is on track to decrease from 210 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2021 to 73 TWh in 2050. At the same time, we expect carbon intensity to drop from 829.38 kg COe/MWh to 250 kg COe/MWh as renewables continue increasing. We at the chamber just hope that policymakers continue to roll out concrete measures that incentivize investment at this critical juncture. By NJ Ayuk Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires Xem them ... Tin bai cuoi cung Khong con du lieu e load Kasada , the leading independent real estate private equity platform dedicated to the hospitality sector in sub-Saharan Africa, is going to collaborate with Bureau Veritas to provide third party quality assurance as it develops its portfolio of properties. For Kasadas property acquisitions and new developments, Bureau Veritas will provide technical due diligence, environmental impact assessment, technical control and Health and Safety over construction and renovation works. During the life cycle of the assets Bureau Veritas will among others periodically inspect electrical, fire safety and lift installations, undertake air quality monitoring and water testing. Olivier Granet and David Damiba, Kasada Managing Partners said: We have demonstrated our capability to develop within a short period of time a portfolio of high-quality assets across Sub-Saharan Africa. Our solid strategic partnership with Bureau Veritas will support our focus on designing and optimising each project from its inception to enable cost reduction, risk mitigation and timely decision making, and meet our ESG commitments. During 2022 Kasada acquired the iconic Cape Grace Hotel in Cape Town, Crowne Plaza Upper Hill in Nairobi, Kenya, the Lamantin Beach Resort & Spa in Saly, Senegal, the Umubano Hotel in Kigali, Rwanda and the Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel in Lagos and committed to develop 2 hotels in Angre, Abidjan (Cote dIvoire). Bertrand Martin, SVP Africa at Bureau Veritas said: We are honoured to collaborate with Kasada, the leading Sub-Saharan hospitality sector investment group. We look forward to working closely with them to assure their asset portfolio meets the highest international standards in terms of Quality and Health and Safety. As a leading player in testing, inspection, and certification services, we have been working alongside our customers for nearly 200 years to shape a world of trust. Bureau Veritas, a world leader in laboratory testing, inspection and certification services, provides client support throughout the asset lifecycle in both the building and infrastructure sector. It delivers dedicated solutions from feasibility studies to design, construction, and asset inspection during operation. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires A Billings man who admitted to trafficking fentanyl in the community after law enforcement found 9,500 fentanyl pills and a firearm in his vehicle was sentenced Wednesday to eight years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Kyngsten Bargar, 30, pleaded guilty in September 2022 to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The government alleged in court documents that in July 2021, law enforcement learned that Bargar was distributing fentanyl pills in the Billings area. The investigation determined that Bargar traveled to Washington to buy fentanyl, and in February 2022, the Montana Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop east of Reed Point of a vehicle driven by Bargar. During a search of the vehicle, officers found two firearms in a backpack and a safe that contained nine small bags of blue pills. An analysis determined the pills contained fentanyl. Agents estimated there were approximately 9,500 pills. The safe also contained a large amount of U.S. currency that had been bundled separately with rubber bands. One of the bundles contained a paper copy of Bargars Montana drivers license. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Billings Police Department. The mission statement of Billings Public Schools is displayed prominently throughout its district buildings: to inspire, educate and empower its students to be responsible and innovative global citizens who achieve their full potential. One former student who exemplified this will soon be memorialized at the Lincoln Center. Former Billings student and noted suffragist Hazel Hunkins will soon have a plaque installed on the grounds of the campus she used to attend when the building still operated as Billings High School. The plaque was commissioned and funded through the William G. Pomeroy Foundation and presented to the district board of trustees in February by members of the Billings League of Women Voters. It will be the latest addition to the National Votes for Women Trail, a collection of sites across the country marking its history of womens suffrage. The leagues committee chair Judy Senteney was contacted over a year ago to find a location in Billings that was appropriate to honor her legacy. Totally impressed and awed, she said of her reaction upon first learning about Hunkins. Here was this amazing woman who fought for all womens rights and then we come to find out that shes from here. While attending Billings High School, Hunkins participated on the schools debate team and would eventually become valedictorian of the 1908 class. Following graduation, Hunkins would earn a degree in chemistry in Poughkeepsie, New York and teach at the University of Missouri before returning to Billings in 1916. When she was unable to find a job as a chemist simply because she was a woman, she became impassioned towards achieving equal rights for women and joined the Womans National Party in 1916. With the sole intention of granting women the right to vote, she quickly found herself in Washington, D.C., picketing in front of the White House alongside the likes of Alice Paul, Clara Louise Rowe and other Silent Sentinels. Her efforts would continue for years despite counter-protests, criticism from local and national newspapers, multiple arrests and a hunger strike until their goal was finally achieved. On June 4, 1919, the 19th Amendment passed Congress and was ratified Aug. 18, 1920. Hunkins would then move to England to write for the Chicago Tribune while still remaining active in civil rights for women that included advocating for equal pay, promotion and employment along with birth control and abortion rights in the 1960s. The idea was to originally place the plaque at the location of either her childhood home or her parents business on North Broadway. With the house demolished and the building now housing Rebels and Razors, both were rejected due to a lack of visibility. Looking for viable destinations, fellow league member and former SD2 trustee Pam Ellis suggested that they ask the board for permission to install it at the school she attended. The decision to approve the markers installation was tabled to next month's meeting to give trustees time to learn more about Hunkins life and legacy before voting on it. Additionally, trustee Dr. Roger Santala said they should only approve the plaque on district property if it acknowledged Hunkins ties to the school and her accomplishments. That seems like a serious oversight, he said at the February meeting. It was agreed then that this information would be added in some capacity and may be featured on the plaques pole, one of the benches on the south side of the property or elsewhere. Additionally, educational pamphlets are planned to be distributed at the Moss Mansion, Billings Chamber of Commerce and Western Heritage Center to share her story. The final location has yet to be decided but a dedication ceremony for the plaque is scheduled for May 18 at the Lincoln Center at 3:30 p.m. and will include guest speakers from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, the Billings League of Women Voters and others. The plaque is the latest addition to the reappraisal of Hunkins legacy in Billings and Montana. The Western Heritage Center has held various exhibits highlighting the life of Hunkins for over 10 years with one traveling across the state in 2020. A lesson plan was also developed by Billings school librarian Ruth Ferris with the Montana Historical Society in 2014 that is currently available to high school teachers to incorporate into their classes. It is designed to teach students about the suffrage movement. Senteney hopes the plaque will be the latest addition in both remembering Hunkins and teaching her story to future generations in Billings. Hopefully this will spark some curiosity in some students, Senteney said. St. Vincent Healthcare is moving forward with plans to become Montanas first level I trauma center and expanding lifesaving medical transportation services across the region. The hospital on Tuesday announced multiple new efforts, all aimed at treating patients closer to home. St. Vincent last August became the first in the state to apply for a level I trauma center designation, the highest status in the U.S. Billings Clinic announced its own plans in March 2022 to become the regions first level I trauma center. The Clinic has announced no changes to those plans, but over the weekend acknowledged it would be instituting pay cuts for certain employees and pausing employer contributions to benefits to help staunch the hospitals monthly losses. St. Vincent Healthcare President Jen Alderfer said her hospital is now months away from achieving that goal. Were committed to providing trusted care closer to home, she said. The nearest level I trauma centers are in Salt Lake City and Denver, 548 and 555 miles away, respectively. That means severely injured Montanans are spending critical time just getting to a hospital with the necessary resources to treat them. Thats why St. Vincent is working to upgrade itself to a level I trauma center, Alderfer said. To operate as such, the hospital has to make specialists in neurosurgery, orthopedics, plastic surgery and other disciplines available 24/7. It must have nurses and physicians who have experience in trauma care and be able to provide surgery at a moments notice. St. Vincent earlier this year launched a surgical residency program to train new surgeons and is doing research on trauma care as part of the upgrade process. The American College of Surgeons is reviewing the hospitals application to upgrade from its level II status and will provide feedback by the end of the year. If all goes well, Alderfer said, St. Vincent could be running as a level I trauma center by early 2024. The hospital is also expanding emergency air and ground transportation services in Montana and Wyoming. Starting this month, a new ambulance service will transport patients between hospitals in the two states. Additionally, Cody Regional Health and St. Vincent are launching Wyomings only hospital-owned flight program. First Flight of Wyoming is expected to serve the region with more cost-effective air transportation when it starts this summer. Cody Regional Health Chief Executive Officer Doug McMillan said the ability to treat people with traumatic injuries closer to home will save lives and improve patient outcomes. This strategic assessment report, from Markntel Advisors, on UAE In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Market provides a comprehensive analysis that reflects todays market realities and future business possibilities for the forecast period of 2022 to 2027. The report chapters analyze the industry in the most detailed manner in order to provide a panoramic view of the market. The vital data/information provided in the report can play a crucial role for the key participants and investors in identifying the low-hanging fruits available and formulating the growth strategies to expedite their growth process. What is the Size or Growth Rate of the UAE In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Market? The UAE In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of roughly 14.12% from 2022 to 2027. The market expansion of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the UAE has been greatly impacted by the rising infertility cases in both genders. The fertility rate for the UAE is estimated by the United Nations World Population Prospects to be 1.367 births per woman in 2022, a decrease of 0.94% from 2021. Also, the countrys growing share of women in the workforce, which rose from 28% to 52% as of 2019, had raised the number of infertility cases brought on by changes in lifestyle & other chronic illnesses. Report Coverage Details Study Period Historical Data: 2017-20 Base Year: 2021 Forecast Period: 2022-27 CAGR (2022-2027) 14.12% Region Covered Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah & Rest of Emirates Key Companies Profiled CooperSurgical Fertility, Vitrolife, Esco Medical, Merck Group, Microptic Automatic Diagnostic Systems, Al Hayat Pharmaceuticals, Biomerieux, Eppendorf, Others Unit Denominations USD Million/Billion What are the UAE In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Industry Driving Factors and Major Challenges? Industry Driving Factor: Prohibition of Egg & Sperm Donations for IVF Procedures to Negatively Affect the Market Growth The infertility cases in the UAE are continuously growing due to the soaring lifestyle-related disorders, chronic ailments, delayed marriages, and various environmental factors such as contaminated food, water, and toxins. Moreover, the infertility cases in the UAE are equally dominant among men & women, which eventually impacts the rising IVF market growth in the country. Nevertheless, the Federal National Council (FNC) prohibited egg and sperm donations along with surrogacy procedures in 2019 to develop a legal framework dividing licensing, monitoring, and inspection responsibilities between the ministries and other health authorities. However, the prohibition of egg & sperm donation subsequently limited the adoption of In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatment in the country because of deteriorated quality of patients sperm and eggs along with the unavailability of any donor to cater to the issue. Therefore, various expectant parents look for IVF treatments in other countries such as the USA, UK, Russia, and the Czech Republic due to the availability of egg and sperm donors and the option to have surrogacy as well. Growth Challenges: Rising Medical Tourism in the UAE to Flourish the Market in the Coming Years The healthcare sector has emerged as one of the most critical sectors for pursuing economic diversification in the UAE. The Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Medical Tourism Association (MTA) to create successful medical tourist programs in the country. Both entities have partnered to promote Abu Dhabi as a medical tourist destination, such as China & GCC. Further, the medical offerings would include advanced infertility treatments & medical check-ups. Therefore, a digital platform has been launched by the Department of Health Abu Dhabi & the Department of Culture and Tourism to provide all medical offerings & healthcare facilities to the visitors throughout their visit. Moreover, the growing government initiatives to promote healthcare facilities & infrastructural development in the country to attract visitors for their IVF & infertility procedures would further escalate the market in the coming years. Link to Download Free Sample PDF Of UAE In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Market Download Now Its Free Report Table of Content Market Segmentation Introduction Product Definition Research Process Assumptions Executive Summary Impact of COVID-19 on The UAE In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Market The UAE In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Market Trends & Insights The UAE In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Market Dynamics Growth Drivers Challenges The UAE In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Market Policies, Regulations, Product Standards The UAE In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Market- Supply Chain Analysis The UAE In Vitro Fertilization Clinical Trial Analysis The UAE In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Market Pricing Analysis The UAE In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Market Hotspot & Opportunities The UAE In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Market Outlook, 2017-2027F Continue TOC The Regional Division of the Industry UAE In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Market is studied based on its regional analysis, divided across Region: Dubai Abu Dhabi Sharjah and Northern Emirates of all the regions, Dubai & Abu Dhabi accounted for a dominant market share in the In Vitro Fertilization market on account of the well-established infrastructure & healthcare facilities to provide a wide range of fertility & infertility treatments. The Canadian Specialist Hospital, NMC Royal Womens Hospital, Orchid Fertility Clinic, and Fakih IVF Fertility Centre, among others, are a few of the top hospitals & specialized fertility centers operating in Dubai & Abu Dhabi. Moreover, the rising partnerships between the medical companies & the development of infertility centers in the country also propelled the market growth of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). A Look into The Current Leading Companies in the Market The UAE In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) market competitive landscape provides details of all the competitors and market players. Components included are company overview, company financials, revenue generated, market potential, investment in research and development, new market initiatives, global presence, production sites and facilities, production capacities, company strengths and weaknesses, product launch, product width and breadth, and application dominance. The above data points only relate to the companies focusing on the UAE In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) market. The major market participants and players operating in the market are: CooperSurgical Fertility Vitrolife Esco Medical Merck Group Microptic Automatic Diagnostic Systems Al Hayat Pharmaceuticals Biomerieux Eppendorf Others For Any Questions or Further Discussion About the Study, Schedule A Call with Our Expertise Here https://www.marknteladvisors.com/query/talk-to-our-consultant/uae-in-vitro-fertilization-ivf-market.html Market Scope Through Segmentation The UAE In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Market is distinctly diversified and meticulous, with segmented articulations and bifurcations. Therefore, this sections segmentation and bifurcations are elaborated in detail, including the fluctuations, trends, and market strategies to provide the stakeholder with all the necessary information to form an informed and active decision or understanding. Each segment is further described in the report to provide a precise and comprehensive detailed section of certain factors and intricacies fluctuating the sales and value of different components. This elaborated analysis focuses on providing the stakeholder with the necessary details to accurately understand the factors influencing each bifurcation. The UAE In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Market is expanded across the following bifurcations: By Type Conventional IVF Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) By Reagents and Media Cryopreservation Media Embryo Culture Media Sperm Processing Media Ovum Processing Media By Equipment Sperm Separation System Ovum Aspiration Pumps Micromanipulator Systems Imaging Systems Gas Analysers Laser Systems Cryosystems Others (Cabinets, anti-vibration table, accessories etc.) By Consumables Culture Dishes ICSI and Biopsy Dishes Multiwell Dishes Oocyte Retrieval Needles ET Catheters and Syringes Others (Conical tubes, micropipettes etc.) By End User Fertility Units Hospitals and Surgical Centres Research Centres Available Customizations Service For You Markntel Advisors offer customizations as per your needs and requirement, keeping our focus on factual data collected. Customization could include: A further description of the significant regions garnering the highest market share. Breaking the area down. A detailed analysis of the profiting and influential market players. Kindly contact our sales team; they will guide you with your queries and requirements. Connect with Our Sales Team Now More Study Report About MarkNtel Advisors We are a leading research, consulting, & data analytics firm that provides an extensive range of strategic reports on diverse industry verticals. We deliver data to a substantial & varied client base, including multinational corporations, financial institutions, governments, & individuals, among others. Our specialization in niche industries & emerging geographies allows our clients to formulate their strategies in a much more informed way and entail parameters like Go-to-Market (GTM), product development, feasibility analysis, project scoping, market segmentation, competitive benchmarking, market sizing & forecasting, & trend analysis, among others, for 15 diverse industrial verticals. Our Contact Details- Phone +1 628 895 8081, +91 120 4278433 Email: sales@marknteladvisors.com Follow Us Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest Press Release www.marknteladvisors.com/press-release This strategic assessment report, from Markntel Advisors, on Oncology Information Systems Market provides a comprehensive analysis that reflects todays market realities and future business possibilities for the forecast period of 2022 to 2027. The report chapters analyze the industry in the most detailed manner in order to provide a panoramic view of the market. The vital data/information provided in the report can play a crucial role for the key participants and investors in identifying the low-hanging fruits available and formulating the growth strategies to expedite their growth process. What is the Size or Growth Rate of the Oncology Information Systems Market? Over the forecast period of 2022 to 2027, the Global Oncology Information Systems Market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of almost 11%. The market is being pushed by the fast-rising number of cancer cases in the world and the expected increase in the following years. Since cancer is the main cause of death in humans, there is an increasing need for effective and dependable treatment options, which is causing genuine concern for cancer patients and treatment methods. It is also causing several technologies to integrate into a single platform and work together to increase efficiency. Report Coverage Details Study Period Historical Data: 2017-20 Base Year: 2021 Forecast Period: 2022-27 CAGR (2022-2027) 11% Regions Covered North America: The US, Canada, Mexico Europe: Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Rest of Europe Asia-Pacific: China, India, Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Rest of Asia-Pacific South America: Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America Middle East & Africa: Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Rest of Middle East & Africa Key Companies Profiled Accuray Inc., BrainLab, Cerner Corp., DOSIsoft S.A., Elekta AB, Flatiron, McKesson Corporation, MIM Software, Philips Healthcare, Prowess, Inc., RaySearch Laboratories, Siemens Medical Solutions, Inc., Varian Medical Systems, ViewRay Inc., and Others Unit Denominations USD Million/Billion What are the Available Growth Opportunities in the Oncology Information Systems Market? Increasing Cancer Patient Pool & Massive Government Investments The rising prevalence of cancers globally is a prominent aspect contributing to the expansion of the Oncology Information System Market & generating lucrative growth opportunities for the leading players to increase their service offerings through these solutions. Such participation is principal to assist the healthcare professionals and enable them to make informed choices while dealing with cancer patients. Moreover, the governments of different countries are encouraging Public-Private partnerships in the healthcare industry with a keenness to assist the exponential patient pool in every possible way and minimize the severity. Link to Download Free Sample PDF Of Oncology Information Systems Market Download Now Its Free Report Table of Content Introduction Product Definition Research Process Assumptions Market Segmentation Executive Summary Impact of Covid-19 on Oncology Information Systems Market Analysis Global Oncology Information Systems Market Policies & Regulations Global Oncology Information Systems Market Trends & Insight Global Oncology Information Systems Market Dynamics Impact Analysis Drivers Challenges Global Oncology Information Systems Market Hotspot & Opportunities Global Oncology Information Systems Market Supply Chain Global Oncology Information Systems Market Analysis, 2017-2027F Continue TOC The Regional Division of the Industry Oncology Information Systems Market is studied based on its regional analysis, divided across Region: North America South America Europe Middle East & Africa Asia Pacific Here, North America acquired the largest market share in recent years and is anticipated to prevail in the same dominance during the forecast period. It owes principally to the massive investments by the governments of different countries in the region in the healthcare sector, including the oncology department, and conducting numerous research & development activities to bring innovations in the diagnosis, treatment, and care of cancer patients. A Look into The Current Leading Companies in the Market The Oncology Information Systems market competitive landscape provides details of all the competitors and market players. Components included are company overview, company financials, revenue generated, market potential, investment in research and development, new market initiatives, global presence, production sites and facilities, production capacities, company strengths and weaknesses, product launch, product width and breadth, and application dominance. The above data points only relate to the companies focusing on the Oncology Information Systems market. The major market participants and players operating in the market are: Accuray Inc. BrainLab Cerner Corp. DOSIsoft S.A. Elekta AB Flatiron McKesson Corporation MIM Software Philips Healthcare Prowess, Inc. RaySearch Laboratories Siemens Medical Solutions, Inc. Varian Medical Systems ViewRay Inc. Others For Any Questions or Further Discussion About the Study, Schedule A Call with Our Expertise Here https://www.marknteladvisors.com/query/talk-to-our-consultant/oncology-information-systems-market.html Market Scope Through Segmentation The Oncology Information Systems Market is distinctly diversified and meticulous, with segmented articulations and bifurcations. Therefore, this sections segmentation and bifurcations are elaborated in detail, including the fluctuations, trends, and market strategies to provide the stakeholder with all the necessary information to form an informed and active decision or understanding. Each segment is further described in the report to provide a precise and comprehensive detailed section of certain factors and intricacies fluctuating the sales and value of different components. This elaborated analysis focuses on providing the stakeholder with the necessary details to accurately understand the factors influencing each bifurcation. The Oncology Information Systems Market is expanded across the following bifurcations: By Offering Software Patient Information Systems Software Treatment Planning Systems Software Professional Services By Application Medical Oncology Radiation Oncology Surgical Oncology By End-User Hospitals Oncology Clinics Ablation Care Centers & Cancer Care Centers Research Institutes Available Customizations Service For You Markntel Advisors offer customizations as per your needs and requirement, keeping our focus on factual data collected. Customization could include: A further description of the significant regions garnering the highest market share. Breaking the area down. A detailed analysis of the profiting and influential market players. Kindly contact our sales team; they will guide you with your queries and requirements. Connect with Our Sales Team Now More Study Report About MarkNtel Advisors We are a leading research, consulting, & data analytics firm that provides an extensive range of strategic reports on diverse industry verticals. We deliver data to a substantial & varied client base, including multinational corporations, financial institutions, governments, & individuals, among others. Our specialization in niche industries & emerging geographies allows our clients to formulate their strategies in a much more informed way and entail parameters like Go-to-Market (GTM), product development, feasibility analysis, project scoping, market segmentation, competitive benchmarking, market sizing & forecasting, & trend analysis, among others, for 15 diverse industrial verticals. Our Contact Details- Phone +1 628 895 8081, +91 120 4278433 Email: sales@marknteladvisors.com Follow Us Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest Press Release www.marknteladvisors.com/press-release by Adam Buckman , Featured Columnist, April 5, 2023 No statement related to the safety of the animals was seen at the end of last weeks episode of Farmer Wants A Wife. And yet, by most peoples yardsticks, some animals did come to harm -- bull calves that were neutered (i.e., castrated) on Foxs down-on-the-farm, romance-reality show. Farmer Wants A Wife has four rugged rancher-farmers choosing future wives from a group of 32 female suitors. On the show, portions of every episode are devoted to teaching the women -- almost all of whom have no familiarity with farming and ranching -- about the various chores and responsibilities that are part of the farming and ranching life. advertisement advertisement Farmer Wants A Wife premiered on March 8, airing Wednesdays at 9 p.m. Eastern. Last weeks episode, titled You Cant Have Your Cake And Eat It Too, was the series fourth. In the episode, one of the tasks that some of the women were recruited to participate in was the the castration of bulls. This was a task that these women would rather have not performed, but for the sake of romance and television, they went at it anyway. In the scenes that made up the castration segment of the episode, the camera did not actually linger on the procedure. But at the same time, there was no mistaking what had happened. First, a calf was roped and then bodily flipped. Then, a pair of special snips were deployed on the target area and the deed was done. The testicles were then dropped in a bucket, to be julienned and fried later to create a ranch-table staple known as calf fries. The women had a taste of them too. Castration -- its genuinely for the animals best interest, insisted the 31-year-old rancher named Hunter, whose ranch in Watkinsville, Georgia, was the location for this calf-fry feast. Its not an everyday deal, but its part of [garbled] that has to be done, he said. The animals best interest? That might be debatable, although the way the newly castrated calves scampered away after they these unkind cuts may indicate they were not in any particular agony. Or maybe cattle are just stoic about pain. I wouldnt know. This rite of ranching may be more in the interest of ranchers and diners, according to a Google search of the subject. The procedure is aimed at turning a bull into a steer. Basically, a bull is a male bovine in possession of his testicles. A steer, on the other hand, has been separated from them. Bulls are neutered as calves at 3-6 months of age, according to online sources. The steers thus produce less testosterone, and as a result, do not fight with each other for dominance in the way that aggressive bulls do. Not only are the steers easier for the ranchers to handle, but lower levels of testosterone in beef leads to higher quality grades and more consistent marbling, according to one ranching web site. Whether or not these castrated calves suffered harm in the glare of prime-time television is for others who are more expert to determine. Suffice it to say that another TV taboo has now been broken now that contenders on a romance-reality show are castrating calves. by Ray Schultz , April 4, 2023 Sales engagement platform SalesLoft has unveiled several new capabilities, including AI generative text. Marketers can now use the platform to create email content via Salesforces AI generative text tool that helps firms achieve best practices using cadence templates and auto-generated emails. Sellers can proceed from a blank page to an email template with an effective value proposition and call-to-action, freeing them to spend more time on core selling activities, SalesLoft says. In addition, the company will offer support in French, German and Spanish across its platform. For client JobTeaser, having the SalesLoft platform available in the native language of our revenue team is going to unlock seller productivity and accelerate the sales process even further, says Nicolas Ferreira, head of inside sales at JobTeaser. Another improvement to the platform is an enhanced Outcomes Dashboard. This allows managers and sales leaders to track team and individual performance against metrics like closed-won revenue, opportunities created and meetings booked, SalesLoft says. "Sales teams face a challenging selling environment and have a disparate set of technologies to work with, says Ellie Fields, chief product and engineering officer at SalesLoft. There's tremendous potential to make a seller's workflow easier and more effective. Editor's note: Valley Credit Union and The Billings Gazette are featuring 16 seniors throughout the 2022-2023 school year. We want to help students who are not typically eligible for scholarships and financial aid awarded to those attending a 4-year program. At the end of the year, Valley will award one $5,000 grant to a deserving student. To be considered for the grant, students must show a clear career path for their future after high school in the form of an industry certification, technical associates degree, City College, trade school or apprenticeship. Students are nominated by a teacher, counselor, or principal from their high school. Tory Oswald Joliet High School What are your plans after high school? My post high school plans are to pursue a cosmetology degree at the Rituals Cosmetology Institute in Billings, Montana. I would also be interested in gaining my bachelors or potentially masters in business after I finish the cosmetology program. What is your favorite class in school and why? My favorite class in school would have to be science. Throughout my high school career I have had an amazing science teacher who has always pushed and encouraged me to do my best. She has been very supportive of my post high school plans and has done everything possible to help me accomplish my goals. This teacher made the learning environment challenging yet enjoyable, so enjoyable that I have taken all 5 courses that she has offered to me. Who inspires you and why? The person who inspires me the most in life would have to be my grandmother, Doreen Harrison. She has always been a good role model to show me to take the best of every situation and to try my hardest in any life endeavors. One of the biggest lessons she has taught is that it's not what cards you have been dealt or what happens to you, but it's how you react and persevere through life that matters most. What are some things you enjoy outside of school? Outside of school I enjoy helping my family on the ranch. This has been a big part of my life and has shown me that hard work can get you anywhere in life. As well as how hard work builds a strong and respectful character. What would make you feel successful in your career/work after school? I would feel most successful in my post high school endeavors by working my hardest to learn as many new skills as I can and to put my all into learning these new skills. Being successful post cosmetology school would be to get my own studio and begin working for myself out of said studio, as well as potentially having completed a bachelors degree or possibly getting a masters degree in business. If you win the $5,000 grant, how will you use the money to help you reach your goals? If I were to win the grant, I would use the money to directly help pay for my schooling. I have had bad luck trying to find scholarships that I am eligible for applying to since not many foundations accept cosmetology as a trade or a degree. I have very little funding for school except what I have worked to save up since I first got a job at 15. Helping my parents out on the ranch is volunteer work and I do it since it is enjoyable and to help take an expense off of their plate. Where do you imagine yourself in 10 years? In ten years from now, I plan to have either my own studio to work out of or to have my own salon in which I could rent out booths to other cosmetologists. In ten years I want to look back at all the hard work I have put into achieving my goals of becoming a licensed cosmetologist, as well as being happy with what I am doing in my career field. They always say that if you love your work then it will not feel like you have worked a day in your life and I believe that to be true. Do you have a personal motto or inspirational saying that motivates you that you would like to share? One of my favorite inspirational quotes is "Rome was not built in a day." This goes to show that the goals you would like to accomplish and the life that you dream about can not come without time and hard work. To get where you would like to be in life you must be determined to get there and put your all into it. Any other information about yourself that you would like to share? Throughout my high school career, I have participated in a few different extracurricular activities. I played volleyball all throughout high school and have received a few honors from this sport. I was awarded both first team and second team All Conference, All State honors, as well as breaking my schools assists record. In addition, sophomore year my team won the state class B volleyball championship. I have participated in FFA throughout high school. In FFA I competed on a Parliamentary Procedures team that won state my freshman year and made it to compete at the National Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. These extracurricular activities have also been a great example of where hard work and determination can take you. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, April 4, 2023 Maryland's tax on digital ad sales is invalid under a federal law that prevents states from imposing taxes on online services without also taxing comparable non-digital services, the major ad organizations are telling the state's highest court. Marylands digital advertising tax is imposed on advertising services transacted over digital interfaces but not on non-digital advertising, the trade groups Association of National Advertisers, American Advertising Federation, Interactive Advertising Bureau and American Association of Advertising Agencies write in a friend-of-the-court brief filed late last week with the Maryland Supreme Court. The groups add that the Internet Tax Freedom Act prohibits states from singling out online services for taxes. The organizations are weighing in on a battle over a 2021 Maryland law that imposes taxes on companies with more than $100 million in digital ad revenue. Rates vary from 2.5% to 10% of revenue attributable to Maryland, with the percentage tied to global revenue. advertisement advertisement Anne Arundel Circuit County Judge Alison Asti invalidated the law last October, ruling that it violates the Internet Tax Freedom Act, and also represents an unconstitutional attempt to regulate interstate commerce. Asti's decision came in a lawsuit brought by Comcast and Verizon. (The Chamber of Commerce and others separately challenged the law in federal court; that matter was dismissed as moot last December, due to the state judge's ruling.) Maryland officials are now appealing Asti's ruling to the state's Supreme Court. The ad groups argue in their friend-of-the-court brief that Asti correctly ruled that the Maryland tax impermissibly subjects digital ads to different treatment than non-digital ads. Advertising is advertising, no matter in which media it occurs," the groups write. The format of digital advertising is not only similar to non-digital advertising services -- the two are often identical, the groups add. For example, a banner ad is simply a static, visual display of a commercially relevant message. The Chamber of Commerce and other business also urged the Maryland Supreme Court to invalidate the state tax law. Those groups said in a separate friend-of-the-court brief that a decision to uphold the law could lead other states to impose similar taxes. Other states, including Connecticut, New York, West Virginia, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Montana, Texas, and Indiana are already considering social media and digital advertising taxes, the business organizations write. One particularly troubling risk, should the Act be upheld, is that similar laws in other states will pass, and technology companies will take their facilities out of the United States altogether, moving critical internet infrastructure offshore. The upshot would be substantial harm not only to Marylands and the nations economies, but to national security and the stability of domestic internet access. Judges on the state's highest court are expected to hear arguments next month. by Steve Ellwanger , April 5, 2023 Following a failed bankruptcy maneuver, Johnson & Johnson is now proposing to pay $8.9 billion over a period of 25 years to resolve tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging that baby powder and other J&J products containing talcum powder caused cancer. But attorneys representing patients who have ovarian cancer and mesothelioma are calling the settlement of $8.9 billion woefully inadequate because it would seriously shortchange women who have incurred significant medical expenses, pain and suffering and lost wages. Many of the plaintiffs have claimed that the talc products in question were tainted with asbestos an allegation that J&J has denied. As previously reported, in 2021 J&J unit LTL Management in which J&J's talcum powder liabilities had been placed filed bankruptcy shortly after its formation. advertisement advertisement At the time, the bankruptcy filing described LTL as a small business debtor. That ploy failed when an appeals court in January rejected the filing after deciding it was not filed in good faith. On Tuesday, J&J said that LTL had refiled for bankruptcy to equitably resolve all current and future talc claims. In the first bankruptcy filing, LTL had committed to $2 billion in settlements. However, last September a J&J lawyer said in court that the initial bankruptcy would benefit victims by producing a faster settlement possibly worth as much as $61 billion. The latest proposed settlement would require approval by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New Jersey and 75% of an estimated 50,000 claimants. This sham deal does not even pay for most victims' medical bills, Jason Itkin of Houston-based personal injury law firm Arnold & Itkin LLP, said in a statement issued yesterday in which he and other lawyers urged plaintiffs to reject the $8.9 billion offer. Medical costs alone can range from $140,000 to more than $1.4 million per victim for ovarian cancer cases. The costs for mesothelioma are even higher. In a news release, J&J said neither of LTLs bankruptcy filings are an admission of wrongdoing, nor an indication that the company has changed its longstanding position that its talcum powder products are safe. by Todd Wasserman , April 5, 2023 Early 2023 has seen a flood of brand and product redesigns. We have seen new logos from Pepsi, Nokia and Fanta. Marketing Daily talked with some branding experts who shared their perspective on the logo redesigns. Here are some of their comments. Pepsi The major change Pepsi has made to its logo, which will roll out this fall, is to place the beverages name squarely on the logo. The name previously appeared under the logo. Todd Kaplan, Pepsis CMO, also told Fast Company that black is an intentional color we added with [Pepsi] Zero Sugar, which will be the lead brand we use marketing. [Black] can act as a master brand statement. I think it's very smart that Pepsi recognizes that logos are the face of brands that have long term relationship with their consumers. And a face evolves -- it doesn't change, said Marc de Swan Aarons, founder of the Institute for Real Growth. advertisement advertisement Nokia Nokia also recently redesigned its logo. According to Dezeen, it is Nokias first redesign in 45 years. Drew Kerr, brand communications consultant for Four Corners Communications, said he thought the Nokia logo seemed dated. There was a time when logos like this were hot -- missing elements of letters implied binary code from computers and being too cool for school, he said. Now it seems like a bad art project by a student who peeked in his dad's 90s yearbook. Han Lin, group executive design director at R/GA, applauded the redesign. I think a rebrand makes complete sense, given that the previous Nokia logo was so connected to their consumer products, and they are no longer in that space. And I think its a well-drawn logo. I dont think its hard to read. Time will tell, but I do think a bit of the character of the brand is lost in the new logo. Elliott Scott, creative director at Applied Design, said the Nokia redesign was a wild departure from their past. He added: The execution may be polarizing, but its brave and worth applauding. Fanta Sister PepsiCo brand Fanta also recently introduced a new logo. The new logo drops the orange that has long been associated with the brand. Kerr lauded Pepsis approach. Both the Pepsi and Fanta logos have been made over with very warm and animated styles. They both ask for attention without going overboard. The Fanta one in particular seems influenced by comic books, with its 3D effect. Pepsi notably went from all lower case to all upper case, which feels assertive. Both of these redesigns are eye-catching and dynamic, he said. For Fanta, it went from looking like a lava lamp to a Saturday morning cartoon, said David Berkowitz, founder of the blog Serialmarketer.net. It used to scream, 'Groovy!' Now it screams, 'Hey kids, want to bounce off some walls?!' Granted, given its logo history for much of the 70s through the 90s, I'd have thought the logo was for an airline if I didn't know what a 'Fanta' was." "Its interesting to see Fanta and Nokia moving their brands forward, in small steps or giant leaps. Pepsi is returning to the past, but it doesnt feel exactly like a step backward, said Scott. Fanta has taken small steps to move their brand forward in nice ways. The move to drop the orange in the logo allows them to move forward with more flavors equally (my favorite flavor has always been pineapple, so it's nice to see it get the love it deserves). The colors are bright, fun, and tasty, and I love the brighter blue as a strong through-line. I'm looking forward to seeing how the elements evolve in the next round. by Colin Kirkland , April 5, 2023 The Australian government is now following the United States, the U.K., Canada, Norway, France, Belgium, the European Parliament and NATO in banning Chinese-owned social media app TikTok from government or organization-issued electronic devices. On Tuesday, Australian Attorney General Mark Dreyfus announced the government staff ban, enacted because of the extensive collection of user data and exposure to extrajudicial directions from a foreign government that conflict with Australian law reasons that align with the Biden administrations push for a nationwide TikTok ban in the U.S. The General Manager of Operations for TikTok in Australia and New Zealand, Lee Hunter, said the company is extremely disappointed by both countries recent decisions, which the company has said are driven by politics," according to CNN. advertisement advertisement Australia has over 8 million TikTok users over the age of 18, according to a report from DataReportal from early 2023. Hunter believes those users deserve a government which makes decisions based upon facts and who treats all businesses fairly, regardless of country of origin. There is no direct evidence that the Chinese government has accessed user data on the app, which TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew denied while testifying before the U.S. Congress in March. Still, many countries across the globe are convinced that such data access could easily occur. TikTok's parent company ByteDance acknowledged in December that its employees had inappropriately obtained the data of two US TikTok users who were reporters, along with a few of their associates. So far, India is the only country to completely ban the ByteDance-owned platform for all citizens, in 2020. If the White House does decide to enforce a nationwide ban of TikTok, which would affect 150 million users, its likely that the Five Eyes a so-called intelligence alliance between the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand could do the same. In a letter written in February, the American Civil Liberties Union addressed the House Foreign Affairs Committee to protest the bill, stating that a nationwide TikTok ban would violate Americans First Amendment rights. Also protesting ongoing bans are thousands of creators and marketers whose careers and income depend on the platform and its industry-leading algorithm. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, April 5, 2023 Siding against animal rights activists, a federal judge ruled that the National Institutes of Health did not violate the First Amendment by blocking comments on Facebook and Instagram based on keywords associated with criticism of animal experimentation. In a decision issued late last week, U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell in Washington, D.C. ruled that the government's policy reflected a viewpoint-neutral and reasonable attempt to remove off-topic comments. The ruling dismissed a lawsuit brought in 2021 by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and other activists. The advocates say they plan to appeal. Government social media pages should be forums for vibrant public debate, not anti-animal echo chambers, Kathy Guiellermo, senior vice president for the activist organization, stated. advertisement advertisement The activists' lawyers include attorneys with the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, which previously sued former President Donald Trump for blocking critics on Twitter. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals argued to Howell that the National Institutes of Health unconstitutionally blocked comments with keywords like torture, hurt, monkey and primate.: The group contended that those keyword blocks violated the First Amendment, arguing that they were a form of viewpoint discrimination by the government. The National Institutes of Health told Howell the blocks reflected an attempt to prevent off-topic and inflammatory comments. But the activists countered that suppressing speech merely because it is inflammatory is a form of viewpoint discrimination that violates the First Amendment. They also said the agency allows web users to make off-topic comments, provided they're not related to animal-rights advocacy. For instance, the activists argued, one commenter was allowed to ask a question about the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in a comment to a post about research regarding adopted children. Howell agreed with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals that the filtering system was both overinclusive, because it excluded comments that were relevant to specific posts by the government, and underinclusive, because it left up off-topic comments about other subjects. Nevertheless, she said, the keyword filter reflects a reasonable approach to maintaining orderly, on-topic comment threads. The accessibility and ease of internet engagement presents commenting policy enforcers with a Sisyphean task -- one for which the standards of consistency to which the government is held cannot be so exacting as might be possible on a smaller scale, the judge wrote. Otherwise, if the standard is perfectly consistent enforcement, it is hard to imagine any social media commenting policy that would survive the test of reasonableness without severely throttling the publics ex ante access to the forum. Santa Clara University law professor Eric Goldman, who has closely followed legal disputes over content moderation by the government, called the opinion disappointing. An appellate court could very well reach a different conclusion, Goldman says, adding that the keywords blocked by the National Institutes of Health were clearly not viewpoint neutral. I support the idea that the government can engage in management of off-topic comments, he said, but added that the phrase shouldn't be a codeword for viewpoint discrimination. OTTAWA, ON April 4, 2023 Canada April 1, 2023 Oshawa, Ontario April 3, 2023 Canada Canada Canada not feed pets (e.g., dogs or cats) any raw meat from game birds or poultry not allow pets to consume or play with dead wild birds found outside contact their veterinarian if they have questions about their pet's health Canada Canada On July 7, 2022 , the CFIA reported detections of HPAI in mammals to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH); detections in several wild mammal species have continued intermittently throughout the outbreak. , the CFIA reported detections of HPAI in mammals to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH); detections in several wild mammal species have continued intermittently throughout the outbreak. Initial detections were discovered in foxes in Ontario , Quebec and British Columbia , and seals, dolphins and black bears in Quebec . Detections have also been discovered in wild mink, raccoons, porpoises and skunks from several areas across Canada . Avian influenza in pets Fact Sheet Avian Influenza Overview of avian influenza prevention, preparedness and response Canada's Canada /CNW/ - Today, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Public Health Agency ofissued the following joint statement:The Canadian Food Inspection Agency's (CFIA) National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, confirmed on, that a domestic dog inhas tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).The domestic dog was found to have been infected with avian influenza after chewing on a wild goose, and died after developing clinical signs. The necropsy was completed onand showed respiratory system involvement. Further testing is underway. It is the only case of its kind inThe number of documented cases of avian influenza H5N1 in non-avian species, such as cats and dogs is low, despite the fact that this virus has caused large avian outbreaks globally over the last few years.Based on the current evidence in, the risk to the general public remains low and current scientific evidence suggests that the risk of a human contracting avian influenza from a domestic pet is minor.Furthermore, no domestically acquired human cases of avian influenza have been reported in. Cases of avian influenza among humans are rare and almost always acquired through direct contact with infected birds or exposure to heavily contaminated environments. To date, there has been no evidence of sustained person-to-person spread.Nonetheless, owners are encouraged to take appropriate precautions to protect their pets and themselves.Pet owners are advised to:The health and safety of Canadians remains our top priority, and the Government ofis closely monitoring the situation. We are tracking avian influenza activity inand around the world, with domestic and international partners, including the World Health Organization. Furthermore, the CFIA has a dedicated response team of experts that has been activated to respond to the AI outbreaks and will coordinate actions with federal, provincial and territorial partners and industry.For more information on precautions pet owners can take, please visit the CFIA's website.Twitter: @InspectionCanFacebook: CFIACanadaLinkedIn: canadian-food-inspection-agencyThe Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) touches the lives of all Canadians in so many positive ways. Each day, hard-working CFIA employeesincluding inspectors, veterinarians and scientistsinspect food for safety risks, protect plants from pests and invasive species, and respond to animal diseases that could threatennational herd and human health. Guided by science-based decision-making and modern regulations, the Agency works tirelessly to ensure access to safe and healthy food in, and support access to international markets for our high-quality agricultural products. To learn more, visit inspection.canada.ca.SOURCE Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) The 5th edition of The Cosmo India Blogger Awards was recently celebrated at The Leela Ambience Hotel, Gurugram. The event saw the biggest names of the digital world and celebrated the talent, passion and work of creators and bloggers across fashion, lifestyle and comedy. Lets Talk About HYPP HYPP had one of the biggest nominee representations with creators being nominated across 6 categories. The night ended on a high note with HYPP influencers bagging the top 3 awards. Vishnu Kaushal won the Comic of the Year Male (Editor's Panel) award Govind Kaushal bagged the Breakout Comic of the Year (Editor's Panel) award. Govind Kaushal said, I really enjoyed meeting the creators. I want to thank Nandini and the entire Cosmo team for the best night of my life. I had never won an award and receiving the Breakout Comic Award on my birthday was truly special. Ankita Sehgal went home with the Comic of the Year Female (Editor's Panel) award. Loved every bit of the event. It was an acknowledgement of all the hard work that goes behind creating content. Nandini Bhalla has always been so supportive, so a big thank you to her, says Ankita Sehgal on her win. Cosmopolitan India RJ Abhinav and Karan Sareen from HYPPs talent roster were nominated in the Comic of the Year Male (Editor's Panel) category and creator Harshita Gupta was nominated in the Comic of the Year (Popular Choice) category. The night filled with vibrant photo-ops, fun games and activities was hosted by actors Nargis Fakhri and Gurfateh Pirzada. The guests thanked Nandini Bhalla, Editor, Cosmopolitan for putting together an evening for the top talent and content creators across categories under one roof. Ayush Guha, Business Head, HYPP, ILN Media said, Cosmo Bloggers Awards are the epitome of Influencer Award shows. Having done this for 10 years, they bring along the credibility and might of the industry. To have bagged 3 of the 5 categories in comedy is the kind of success we at HYPP and ILN thrive for. The Creators have proven time and again through their consistency and originality that they are here to stay and make it big. Thanks to the Cosmo team and the Editor Nandini for curating such an experience for all The event celebrated all things creative and the power of digital content making it an all-compassing night for your favourite talents. Ye majdoor ka haath hai Katya, loha pighla kar uska aakaar badal deta hai when Sunny Deol delivers this line after a blood-soaked fight with one of Katyas gladiators in Ghatak, goosebumps went down my spine as Kashi Nath gave his everything to win back his fathers respect and his brothers land and he had nothing to lose. Goldmines Hindi Sunny Deol had always made films in which his character is a saviour of the society and radiates this hyper-masculine vibes. Especially in the 90s, when Sunny collaborated with Rajkumar Santoshi and made some of the best films that are regarded as some of the best films in Indian cinema. Sunny Deol Instagram 5 Films Of Sunny Deol Which Redefined Masculinity In The 90s 1. Ghatak - 1996 Ghatak was a Rajkumar Santoshi directorial which told the story of Kashi Nath, who comes from Banaras with his father to get him treated in Mumbai but gets in a deadly tussle with local crime gangsters to save his brothers land. Goldmines Hindi The start of the film shows Sunny emerging from the Ganges in his ripped physique and praying to Lord Shiva. Goldmines Hindi Kashi Nath wrestles in soil, loves his father and brother and respects women and just wants to live a simple life, but gets on the path of vengeance when his father is humiliated by Katya, the ruthless villain. IMDB Sunny Deol goes on a blood-soaked rampage, challenging and killing each of Katyas brothers and finally takes his revenge. Sunny was also nominated for Best Actor at the Filmfare Awards that year. 2. Ghayal - 1990 Ghayal tells the story of Ajay, an amateur boxer who is framed by Balwant Rai played by Amrish Puri for his brother's murder and is sent to prison. IMDB Later, he befriends three convicts and sets out to seek revenge against Balwant Rai. A man of sheer conviction and the strength to go against the system, Sunny was just a beast in this film and he even got the National Award for Best Actor in 1990. 3. Damini - 1993 Though Damini totally banked on Meenakshi Shesadris amazing performance, Sunny Deol elevated the film in the second half after his appearance. IMDB A lawyer who is dealing with his own personal problems and gets submerged in alcohol by night, nails it in the courtroom while presenting Daminis case against barrister Chaddha played by Amrish Puri. IMDB His dialogues from the film, especially Dhai kilo ka haath has become iconic over time and it is still considered one of the best films of Sunny Deol. 4. Narsimha - 1991 On the occasion of his sister giving birth, Narsimha returns home to find a communal conflict arising in his neighbourhood, which spreads to the whole city. He seeks refuge in an area nearby only to return to only find out his whole family has been murdered. With no aim left in life, Narsimha decides to turn to crime and alcohol. Wikipedia Narsimha is hired by Bapji, played by Om Puri to execute his illegal activities, but he gains consciousness and wages war against him when he asks Narsimha to kill one of the good characters. Amazon Prime Videos Director N. Chandra has literally represented Sunny Deol as the Narsimha avatar of Lord Vishnu as he demolishes a pillar to get out and save everyone in the climax. 5. Ziddi - 1997 Ziddi tells the story of Deva, a short-tempered man, who is a protector of justice and is greatly feared. He saves the CM in an assassination attempt and wants to punish the culprits responsible for the death of his siblings. Disney Hotstar The film was remade in Tamil as Dharma, starring Vijayakanth. The 1998 Kannada movie One Man Army was an unofficial adaptation of this movie. The film also was remade in Bangladeshi in 1998 as Shanto Keno Mastan, starring Manna, Shahnaj and Humayun Faridi, directed by Montajur Rahman Akbar. NorthWestern Energys leadership and the Montana Legislature have a lot in common: both seem more concerned with increasing the size of their own pocketbooks, they make decisions forever impacting large groups of people without listening to them and, increasingly, they are pushing for policies that skirt or even actively undermine the control of local governments. Its no secret that NorthWestern Energys leadership is speeding ahead and building a gas-fired power plant detouring around the public process in Laurel. Theyve encountered roadblock after roadblock, but instead of stopping, theyre plowing ahead without concern for those of us getting run over. First, NorthWesterns leadership started a necessary public process in Laurel with the City Council and Planning Board to have the land zoned and the project approved. The land slated for the plant is not zoned for heavy industrial development. It was zoned agricultural open space. Council chambers for this meeting were overflowing with neighbors testifying, and our Council Members were openly hearing our concerns and working to carefully consider NorthWesterns application before making any decisions regarding development of the land. However, instead of going through the entire process and addressing community concerns, like a responsible industrial neighbor and developer would do, NorthWestern Energys leadership withdrew their application from local review. In one move, they left the conversation, ignored the growing opposition, and removed an opportunity for local input on this unnecessary gas plant. The next roadblock came when the gas pipeline easement through our Riverside Park was rejected by Laurel City Council. So NorthWestern went a different route, literally, across private property through a residential neighborhood and began constructing the plant. Executives didnt take the hint that constructing this huge industrial plant near houses on the banks of the Yellowstone River near our homes and businesses doesnt sit well with our community. Now, the Legislature is moving to remove these inconvenient roadblocks entirely and pave the way for NorthWestern Energys leadership to barrel ahead with an ill-advised, unsupported, expensive gas-fired power plant that is already impacting our quality of life and its only just begun construction. SB 228 would make it illegal for local governments like the Laurel City Council or the County Commission to prohibit the purchase or use of petroleum fuels or the installation or use of any machinery, vehicles, vessels, tools, facilities, appliances, or equipment that burn or transport petroleum fuels. This means that no local government in the state would be able to set reasonable regulations on the location or disruptive operation of facilities like gas stations, refineries, pipelines, or you guessed it gas-fired power plants. City and county governments may no longer be able to limit noise and light pollution. They may not be empowered to limit traffic impacts of vehicles entering or exiting the plant, or to set limits on air or water pollution. Local governments would also not be able to deem a facility as inappropriately sited, even if it is located near a daycare or school or a wild and free-flowing river like the Yellowstone. Despite the many legitimate concerns that we in Laurel have about this plant being next to our rural residential neighborhood and undermining the futures of our small businesses, legislators are pushing SB 228 forward. This bill could give an advantage to some businesses over others, and lay the foundations for NorthWestern Energys plant. Take it from those of us in Laurel: If we dont come together as a state to stop this bill and protect local control now, the next stop on NorthWestern Energys map might be your neighborhood. JOURNALIST: Mr. Fragogiannis, could you please tell us a few words about the progress made on the Positive Agenda issues and how the Greek and Turkish people will see this progress in their daily lives? K. FRAGOGIANNIS: First of all, good morning to you and your viewers. It was a pleasure to travel to Ankara and meet with Burak Akcapar, the new Deputy Foreign Minister, who succeeded Sedat Onal, with whom we had met the previous three times. We took an overview of the items in the Positive Agenda. There has been a lot of progress on issues related to the economy, trade, energy, tourism, transport, transportation, culture, and sports. We have mapped out a number of new activities related to the environment, civil protection, and natural disasters. I believe that Greeks and Turks will notice in their daily lives how this good understanding we share on simple day-to-day issues relates to their own lives: whether it is about the business community of both countries, which will be able to invest in each other as well as in third countries, or whether it is about strengthening the economy and trade, or simply about tourist visits and ferry connections. JOURNALIST: Is the Positive Agenda a process that will be completed once we achieve our objectives or is it a process that is renewed as we get closer to the objectives, opening new windows of cooperation? K. FRAGOGIANNIS: You put it very well. The Positive Agenda is not a static process in which we set ten goals, achieve them, and then it's over. The Positive Agenda between Greece and Turkiye is - and I hope it will remain - a dynamic partnership in which accomplished items are removed from the agenda and new ones are added. You know, when theres a good mood, a good climate, a good atmosphere - as the Turkish Foreign Minister, Mr. Cavusoglu, said in a meeting he had recently with our Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dendias - when there is a good atmosphere, and you achieve 3 or 4 of the 10 objectives set, this gives you the desire to set more, to do more, to try harder and to achieve more results. So, it's a dynamic agenda that evolves over time. JOURNALIST: The Thessaloniki-Izmir ferry connection operated for a relatively short period of time before being suspended. Will this service be resumed in the spring? K. FRAGOGIANNIS: We are very happy that the Izmir-Thessaloniki line has been launched. It was launched a bit late though. It is a business decision. Greece and Turkiye did what they had to do: they laid the framework for cooperation. Not only have the governments strengthened this framework, but the Port Authorities in Thessaloniki and Izmir have also helped in this regard. JOURNALIST: Tourism is an essential economic sector for both countries. In the past, there was some facilitation when it came to granting visas to Turkish tourists visiting the Greek islands. Will we see similar plans this year as well? K. FRAGOGIANNIS: What we have discussed with our partners in Ankara, under the Positive Agenda, was ways to facilitate access so that customs processes and passport control may be completed more quickly and effectively. Wed love to welcome more Turkish tourists to our islands this summer. If you're expecting a tax refund, it could be smaller than last year. And with inflation still high, that money wont go as far as it did a year ago. A McKenzie County sheriffs deputy has been placed on administrative status after a shooting in Watford City. Deputies assisted the Watford City Police Department on a report of suicide threats about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to a Facebook post by the sheriffs office. The deputy fired after encountering an armed suspect. Placement on administrative status is standard in officer-involved shooting incidents, the office said. Law enforcement aided the suspect until paramedics arrived. The suspect was transported for medical care. The office did not identify the deputy or the suspect, or provide information on the suspect's condition. The North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation is looking into the shooting. The Watford City Police Department is handling the initial call, according to the sheriffs office. A spring blizzard that blew into North Dakota disrupted travel and schools but dropped less snow than first feared, particularly in the west including Bismarck. Meanwhile, a National Weather Service expert said the additional precipitation should not exacerbate local flood concerns. The capital city as of 7 a.m. Wednesday had received 4.2 inches of snow from the storm that began Tuesday, much less than the 10-20 inches initially forecast from the latest Colorado low -- a system that swoops out of the southwest and tracks northeast across the Plains, producing big storms. "There was always a question of how far west (in North Dakota) the heavy snow could make it, and Bismarck was going to be on that edge," National Weather Service Meteorologist Alex Edwards said. "Just to our east, snowfall reports do ramp up a bit." Weather service reports early Wednesday included 9 inches in Ashley, 10 in Jamestown and 10.5 in Grand Forks. No travel was advised Wednesday in the eastern half of the state, and also in much of south central North Dakota. A blizzard warning remained posted for those regions, though it was lifted in the Red River Valley by afternoon. Interstate 94 remained closed between Bismarck and Fargo, and I-29 was shut down from the Canada border to the South Dakota border. U.S. Highway 2 was closed from Grand Forks to Devils Lake, and U.S. Highway 52 was shut down from Jamestown to the South Dakota border. Many secondary highways in the southeast also were closed or blocked. The situation had not improved by late afternoon. K-12 schools, colleges and universities in Bismarck-Mandan either closed or went to remote learning for a second day. Many businesses, clinics and public offices also remained closed. The Legislature continued to meet at the Capitol in Bismarck, as it did Tuesday. Most flights at the Bismarck Airport were on time. No major power outages were reported in the state, according to poweroutage.us, which tracks outages around the country. Bismarck's season snow total before the storm was 95.4 inches -- the third-snowiest winter in 148 years of record-keeping. The total as of late Wednesday morning was 99.8 inches, still ranking the winter third. Edwards said it was unlikely the city would get the roughly 2 inches of snow it needed Wednesday to break the 1996-97 record of 101.6 inches. "Just light snow as this system exits," he said Wednesday morning, adding that "95% of the accumulation has already occurred." Another 0.8 inches of snow was needed to make Bismarck's winter the second-snowiest on record. The winter of 2008-09 holds that ranking, with 100.3 total inches. Weather Service Warning Coordination Meteorologist John Paul Martin said it's still possible that the city record could be broken, as it's typical for the area to get snow even in late April. The chance of it happening is very high, Martin said. Itd be very rare to not get another inch or two of snow the rest of the season. The main problem Wednesday was wind speeds -- gusts up to 40 mph in the Bismarck area and 50 mph in the east, much stronger than on Tuesday, blowing around the fresh snow and reducing visibility in the countryside. "The winds really took their time in getting here," Edwards said. A quick warmup is in store after the storm, with temperatures rising above freezing in all parts of the state by the weekend. The forecast for Bismarck-Mandan calls for highs in the 30s on Friday and Saturday and around 50 on Easter Sunday. "Warmer temps will move in from the west; part of the challenge is the snowpack we have acts like a refrigerator and will keep us cool," Edwards said. "But areas to the west that have much less snow could see highs even into the 70s early next week." The snowpack in Bismarck as of Wednesday was 15 inches, according to weather service data. The Bismarck Fire Department is asking residents to help keep snow cleared from around the 4,500 fire hydrants in the city. The city's "Adopt a Hydrant" map can be found at bit.ly/3zXO3Tu. Spring flooding Snowfall in Bismarck might be near a record level, but drought conditions last summer and fall left behind thirsty soil that should keep flooding at bay this spring, local National Weather Service officials said Wednesday. Hydrologist Allen Schlag was part of a Wednesday flood preparation meeting of area city and county officials. U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., facilitated the meeting. Schlag said drought conditions that started in July and pushed on through the fall left behind soil that NASA remote sensing shows was in the second percentile for dryness. That means a farmer who owned that ground might see it that dry only every 40 to 50 years, Schlag said. Snows that started in mid-November helped insulate the soil. As spring thaws approach annually Schlag expects 34-36 inches of frost in the ground, but Thats just not the case this year, he said. Below-average temperatures through March will give way to 50s and 60s next week, which will lead to a condensed thaw period. River ice jams are always possible, Schlag said, but along with dry, receptive soils, he also sees the Missouri River opening up and opening up quickly. This year I think were pretty safe, Schlag said. Theres little precipitation in the forecast for the next 10 days, and no big rains coming in and creating havoc, he said. We have snow on the ground and thats what were going to deal with, Schlag said. The reservoir system on the Missouri River is sitting very good, said David Beck, chief of engineering and tech support for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Upper reservoirs are lower than normal for this time of year and have plenty of storage, he said. Spring cleanup Bismarck has rescheduled its annual spring cleanup week due to "a prolonged winter and slow snow melt." The week when residents can place bulky items on the boulevard for special pickup during their regular garbage collection days had been scheduled for April 17-20. It's been changed to May 15-18. Mandan will tentatively hold its annual spring cleanup April 17-22. The city said weather could dictate a change. Any change will be announced by Monday. Both cities last year rescheduled their cleanup weeks due to a spring blizzard. The North Dakota Senate has by a narrow margin stopped a bill that would have prevented wildlife officials from banning big game baiting. House Bill 1151 by Rep. Paul Thomas, R-Velva, came to the Senate after the state House of Representatives passed it in a 76-18 vote in February. It failed 21-26 Tuesday in the Senate. Supporters of the bill said baiting deer is a way to keep youth interested in hunting and to allow the opportunity for those with physical limitations. They further argued that the science behind the use of bait bans to control chronic wasting disease is flawed. Opponents said the bill undermines the authority of state Game and Fish Department officials, and that preventative CWD measures are better alternatives than trying to curb an outbreak. A bait ban in McKenzie County pushed Sen. Mike Dwyer, R-Bismarck, and his sons to change their hunting tactics, he told the Senate. The result was a truer hunt, he said, and he gave an example of his sons watching a deer for a full day before harvesting it. Dwyer said he rejected the notion that the bill is necessary to keep the next generation of hunters enthused in the sport. I think you can do that without this bill, he said. Sen. Janne Myrdal, R-Edinburg, asked about how bait bans are enforced, and how placing bait congregates animals any differently than when a producer dumps grain screenings in a pasture. Were not baiting, were just dumping, she said. The bill would not micromanage Game and Fish but give freedom of rights to landowners," she said. Sen. Brad Bekkedahl, R-Williston, disagreed, saying the bill shows a lack of trust and respect for Game and Fish staff. We pay to hire the best staff with the best knowledge, Bekkedahl said. CWD isnt the only disease concern, said Sen. Robert Erbele, R-Lehr. Deer can carry diseases transmittable to cattle, such as tuberculosis. The state has been TB-free for many, many years while some neighboring states have lost that designation because the wildlife wasnt managed, according to the lawmaker. We dont want that here in North Dakota, Erbele said. A federal lawsuit reflective of the nationwide culture wars is challenging the right of a University of Wyoming sorority to induct a transgender woman, raising questions of central importance to the First Amendment Right of Freedom of Association and Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The issues in the suit are likely to be replicated across the nation as the judicial system wrestles with legislative efforts to regulate, distinguish and deny opportunities and rights of the LGBTQ community. Seven past and present members have filed suit in federal court in Wyoming, asserting that the University of Wyoming chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma and the national office violated the sororitys mission, purpose and bylaws when it inducted Artemis Langford, who identifies as a woman. Resolution of the lawsuit should hinge on the question of who, precisely, has the authority to determine whether a transgender woman has satisfied the criteria for membership in Kappa Kappa Gamma. The local chapter, backed by the parent organization, has concluded that Langford meets the criteria for membership, a decision grounded in its First Amendment right of Freedom of Association. Freedom of Association is not enumerated in the Constitution, but it was initially recognized by the Supreme Court in 1876, in United States v. Cruikshank as an implied right, derived from the First Amendments guarantee of the right of the people peaceably to assemble. The existence of the right of freedom of association is non-controversial, though its scope and contours have inspired debate over the years. In a raft of decisions, the court has also grounded it in the right to petition government, the right of free speech and privileges and immunities of citizenship. Like all other rights protected by the Constitution enumerated and implied alike freedom of association is not absolute but is subject to reasonable limitations requited by substantial public interests. In a case that lies at the heart of the pervasive cultural wars afflicting our nation, the Supreme Court, in Boy Scouts of America v. Dale (2000), invoked freedom of association to uphold the right of the Boy Scouts to revoke the membership of an assistant scoutmaster after he publicly announced his sexual orientation by leading a gay group at Rutgers University. The court, in a 5-4 opinion written by Chief Justice William Rehnquist, held that freedom of association gave the Boy Scouts the right to bar homosexuals from serving as troop leaders. The court left to the Boy Scouts the right to determine the criteria that should govern its membership. The Supreme Courts ruling in Boy Scouts of America should guide the federal courts decision in the Wyoming case involving the right of Kappa Kappa Gamma to determine its membership. Judicial deference to the conclusion of both the local chapter and the parent organization, grounded on the rational basis test, that Langford meets the criteria for induction in the sorority, avoids the need for the court to determine whether Langford qualifies as a transgender woman and whether her admission perverts the organizational mission of Kappa Kappa Gamma. In Boy Scouts of America, the four dissenters failed in their effort to persuade the majority to engage in a searching analysis of whether the membership of a gay scoutmaster truly compromised the mission, spirit and principles of organization. Chief Justice Rehnquists opinion for the court deferred to the Boy Scouts own determination of that question. Otherwise, Rehnquist wrote, the presence of a homosexual scoutmaster would, at the very least, force the organization to send a message, both to the young members and the world, that the Boy Scouts accepts homosexual conduct as a legitimate form of behavior. By parity of reasoning, the institution of Kappa Kappa Gamma, rather than disappointed individual members, should be able to determine, on principles of freedom of association, whether induction of a transgender woman is consistent with its organizational principles and message. Another Supreme Court precedent has a bearing on the sorority case. In Bostock v. Clayton County, in 2022, Justice Neil Gorsuch held for a 6-3 majority that the Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits employers from discriminating against any person because of that persons race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. He wrote: Discrimination on the basis of homosexuality or transgender status violates the landmark statute. The courts ruling in Bostock repudiates the plaintiffs argument in the Wyoming case. While sororities and fraternities retain on freedom of association grounds the right to remain single-sex organizations, they may not, under the reasoning of Bostock, deny admission to a student for reasons of identity. To do that, as Justice Gorsuch held, would violate Title VIIs prohibition against sex discrimination. The Wyoming sorority case embodies issues that will be raised in lawsuits throughout the nation. The immediate issue before the federal court, the one inflaming the culture wars and one certain to generate controversy grounded in emotions and politics, is clear: Who decides if a transgender inductee qualifies as a woman? Gov. Doug Burgum was right to veto House Bill 1475, which would have raised the speed limit on North Dakotas two interstates from 75 mph to 80 mph. At a time when the state is seeing the number of traffic fatalities decline, it doesnt make sense to go faster. Last year 98 people died in traffic accidents in the state, the lowest number since 97 deaths were recorded in 2002. Twenty years of 100 or more deaths each year on our roads. Its not the kind of record the state wants. Thats a lot of families who have lost loved ones. The state has a Vision Zero program to reduce traffic fatalities with the ultimate goal of no fatalities. The state has been making progress, with 101 killed in 2021 and 100 deaths in 2020 and 2019. Its encouraging to see the reduction in traffic fatalities. Raising the speed limit wont help the state keep reducing deaths. From 2017 to 2021, 178 people died in accidents related to speed/aggressive driving. Speeding or going too fast for conditions has been a factor in 30% to 40% of all fatal crashes. The Tribune editorial board has long opposed raising the speed limit on the interstates. Theres been an effort for several legislative sessions to raise the speed limit. The Tribune believes a higher speed limit would make the interstates less safe. Unfortunately, many drivers already are going 80 mph or faster on the interstates. Raising the speed limit will likely result in some motorists going even faster than 80. Neighboring states have higher speed limits, but thats no reason to raise North Dakotas limit. The bill to raise the speed limit easily passed the House, 65-29, but the vote was closer in the Senate, 25-21. The House on Monday failed to override the veto, 58-34. A two-thirds majority is needed to override. Another bill that passed both chambers should help reach Vision Zeros goal. Senate Bill 2362 changes state law to primary seat belt enforcement. Under the bill, the driver and all passengers must wear a seat belt, and law enforcement can stop a vehicle for the violation. Under present law, officers cant stop a motorist for a seat belt violation unless they notice another violation. The Tribune knows some people dont like seat belts and feel it should be their choice whether they use them. Studies show they save lives. From 2017 to 2021 in North Dakota, 51% of traffic fatality victims werent buckled up. Once someone gets into the habit of wearing seat belts it becomes a no-brainer to put them on. Seat belts have become more comfortable over the years. Its an easy step to take to be safer. Keeping the interstate speed limit at 75 and getting people to wear seat belts will make people safer and reduce deaths. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Everything I learned, I learned from the movies. This quote by Audrey Hepburn speaks to all of us who grew up going to the movies and have continued to enjoy the stories brought to the big and small screens. Warner Bros. is celebrating 100 years in 2023 of TV or movies. Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack started the company that has provided laughter and tears and made us more aware of world problems. Check out your favorite movies and television shows in celebration of this wonderful gift. Adult Television Always ready to learn, scientists Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj get more than they bargained for when Penny moves in next door, opening up many new experiences. The Big Bang Theory is a sweet and funny look at finding your place in the world. Bo and Luke are always in trouble and looking to their family and friends to help them out. The Dukes of Hazzard provides hours of laughs and exploits with the good old boys! Visit Waltons Mountain and the family itself through the joys, trials, and tribulations of the Great Depression. The Waltons is a wonderful period piece for the whole family to enjoy. Waking up in the wrong place at the wrong time, an alcoholic woman begins to believe she killed someone in The Flight Attendant. Movies A musical maniac menaces a Paris opera house to provide opportunities for his student. He is determined to nurture her talent and win her love. When she falls in love with another man, she is kidnapped so the Phantom can keep her to himself. Will her new love be able to save her? The haunting beauty of Andrew Lloyd Webers The Phantom of the Opera lingers long after the movie ends. Based on a case from the files of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, The Conjuring follows fictional characters as they attempt to cleanse an old farm house and allow a family to live in peace. With their marriage ending, Finn and Tess are both looking to start over. A new clue to a treasure they had been searching for might just help them find their way back to each other as well as the treasure in this high-spirited adventure. Fools Gold is an entertaining trip to the islands. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are fantasy movies set in Middle Earth. Follow the hobbits, dwarves, elves and others on their quest to destroy the ring that could control their world. Communicating through letters left in the mailbox of an old house, two people fall in love, not realizing they are living in different time periods. The Lake House is a beautiful, romantic story remade from the original in South Korea and titled "Siworae. Both the 1960 original of Oceans Eleven and the 2001 remake were released by Warner Brothers pictures. Danny Ocean gathers his friends to pull off multiple robberies in one night in Las Vegas. A musician nearing the end of his career helps an up-and-coming new talent find fame and fortune in A Star is Born. Join in the fun as four teenage friends spread their wings during their summer vacation. As the girls go their separate ways, they are convinced that a worn pair of jeans has magical powers, so they send them back and forth to one another as they experience the highs and lows of life. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is based on the novel by Ann Brashares. Family The LEGO Movie features a LEGO construction worker who is chosen to help stop an evil despot from gluing the LEGO world together forever. Born without the ability to sing, a penguin communicates by tapping with his feet in Happy Feet. An orphan boy learns he is actually a wizard and begins his schooling at Hogwarts. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the first movie in the adventures Harry and his friends have while fighting the evil Voldemort. The ants take matters into their own hands when a boy tries to drown their colony. Magically, he becomes the size of an ant and must make restitution in The Ant Bully. The Manistee County Library carries many movies and television shows. Our digital media platform, Hoopla Digital, offers additional titles. Links to our online catalog and Hoopla Digital can be found at manisteelibrary.org. A Huron County organization was awarded a grant to help make daycare services more available and affordable for Thumb area families. The Huron County Economic Development Commission was named a childcare planning grant recipient, receiving $150,000. The grant will help families with daycare services in Huron, Sanilac, and Tuscola counties. "We are pleased to receive the grant," EDC Executive Director Carl Osentoski said. "Our intent is to work with a wide variety of businesses and bring in a slightly different perspective in child care." Last week, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced $2.4 million in regional child care planning Grants from the Early Childhood Investment Corporation Child Care Innovation Fund. The Huron EDC was one of the 10 Michigan economic development corporation regions that received the award. "This is an exciting time as for the first time ever, in many communities across Michigan, economic development leaders are coming together with early childhood leaders to work alongside municipalities and major employers on solving their community's child care crisis," said CEO of the Early Childhood Investment Corporation Dawne Bell. "We are so thankful for this investment from the Michigan Department of Education and our strategic partnership with MEDC to be able to support regions across Michigan to accelerate investments in child care." With this grant, the EDC plans on talking with parents who have children ages 0 to 6 years old about the childcare issues that they face here in the Thumb region. This includes obstacles and opportunities that are presented within the childcare services offered in the three counties. These include what's available and not available, after-hour or late-night child care if a parent works second or third shift, and after-hours health care for children. "We want to identify the gaps and services in child care here in the Thumb," Osentoski said. "We look to cover these issues and see if there are structural or zoning issues. There's a lot of pieces to the child care equation and we're working toward covering all issues dealing with child care." Another item that the EDC wants to cover with the grant funds is retaining the use of a childcare consultant. The plan is for all three counties to have a consultant at their disposal to help identify and cover issues dealing with child care. Osentoski mentioned that since the EDC covers a lot of ground and communities that are spread farther apart, he wants to make sure that all communities are engaged in this. He also stated that there will be more news forthcoming and he wants to get the community involved at all levels. "We'll be looking at things from a different perspective working with businesses, ISD directors, and others to identify all issues and concerns," Osentoski said. Created in 2005, the ECIC collaborates to increase public and private investment in the earliest years, tackling issues affecting young children and their families, and continuously improving Michigan's comprehensive early childhood system, making sure every child has the best opportunity to do their best in school. Submitted photo/Scott Miller, Crystal Flash Crystal Flash Inc., an employee-owned fuel distribution company based in Grand Rapids, recently announced that Midland native Brad Gandy has been appointed president/CEO of the company. An experienced business leader, Gandy will succeed Tom Olive and assume responsibilities upon Olives retirement on May 31. Olive has been in the role since 2015 and will continue to serve on the companys board of directors. According to the 2022 UK Talent Shortage Report from ManpowerGroup, 83% of employers reported difficulties in hiring talent in whats been described as the tightest labor market in 16 years. In this difficult talent market, recruitment as usual isnt an option, and your business must find new ways to hire the desired talent. But how? Consider the benefits of Staffing as a Service (SaaS), highlighted in this blog post, which aims to resolve many of todays and tomorrows recruitment problems faster and more cost-effectively than traditional hiring methods. A Midland woman is jailed for allegedly attempting to strangle a 14-year-old girl and allegedly assaulting a 23-year-old man. Michelle Kilbreath, 40, was arrested when one of the alleged victims called 911. In response, Midland police arrived at Kilbreaths house in the 5200 block of Hedgewood Drive. According to court records, Kilbreath was arrested for assault to do great bodily harm less than murder, child abuse and two counts of domestic violence, third offense notice. She is lodged in the Midland County Jail on a $5,000 cash surety bond. Midland Police Department Community Relations Officer Brennon Warren said Kilbreath was highly intoxicated when officers arrived at her house about 7:42 p.m. March 29. A 14-year-old girl said Kilbreath had tried to strangle her. The girl told police that Kilbreath and Kilbreaths boyfriend constantly argue. When the girl voiced her opinion about the arguing, she told officers Kilbreath grabbed her throat and pushed her back toward a wall, pinning her to the wall. When Kilbreath let go, the girl fell to the ground. She said Kilbreath then kicked her several times in the abdomen. More Information Midland police arrest Midland woman, 40, for allegedly attempting to strangle teen girl and assault another man See More Collapse The girl said she got away, ran to a bedroom and called her 23-year-old brother. When the brother, who lived a few blocks away, arrived, he told the girl to grab some things and they were leaving. Kilbreath commented that the girl and her brother werent better than her, and the brother said they were. He told police thats when Kilbreath started swinging at him. Warren said the brother was treated for minor injuries and the girl had red marks around her neck. At first, Kilbreath refused to make a statement. Then later, she stated that she got in the girls face but never hit her. She did not know how the girl got the red marks around her neck. She also said she didnt remember anything. Child Protective Services was contacted by police, and the girl was released to her brother. Kilbreath was arraigned March 30, in Midland County District Court before Magistrate Gerald Ladwig. She is set for a probable cause hearing at 1 p.m. on April 11, before Judge Michael Carpenter. NEW YORK (AP) The cover-up is worse than the crime, the expression goes. And in the hush money case against Donald Trump, prosecutors say the cover-up made the crime worse. In an indictment and other documents unsealed Tuesday, prosecutors say Trump falsified internal business records at his company about a payoff to a porn actor in order to keep a potentially damaging story from coming to light as he campaigned for the presidency in 2016. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said it was Trump's effort to cover up crimes related to that election that allowed prosecutors to charge the 34 counts as felonies. The indictment, however, raises thorny issues about state and federal law that could provide openings for the defense to try to get the charges tossed before the case even gets to trial. The bottom line is that its murky, said Richard Hasen, an expert in election law and professor at the University of California, Los Angeles law school. "And the district attorney did not offer a detailed legal analysis as to how they can do this, how they can get around these potential hurdles. And it could potentially tie up the case for a long time." Trump, a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, says he did nothing wrong and that the case is a political persecution. In remarks from his Florida home just a few hours after his court appearance, he said, This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election and it should be dropped immediately." In the end, the case isnt about the tawdry details of the hush money payment to porn actor, Stormy Daniels. It's also not about Trump's acrimonious relationship with his onetime lawyer-turned-government witness, Michael Cohen. Its allegedly about a presidential candidate using his money and influence to bury potentially damaging stories that might make voters choose a political rival, particularly as Trumps reputation was suffering at the time from comments he had made about women. Falsifying business records can be charged as a misdemeanor, a lower-level crime that would not normally result in prison time. It rises to a felony which carries up to four years behind bars if there was an intent to commit or conceal a second crime. Bragg said his office routinely brings felony false business records cases. In Trump's case, Bragg said the phony business records were designed to cover up alleged state and federal election law violations. The $130,000 payment to Daniels exceeded the federal cap on campaign contributions, Bragg said. He also cited a New York election law that makes it a crime to promote a candidate by unlawful means. That is what this defendant did when he falsified business records in order to conceal unlawful efforts to promote his candidacy, and that is why we are here, one of the case prosecutors, Chris Conroy, told the judge Tuesday. Prosecutors filed a statement of facts that told their story of a scheme to protect Trumps presidential prospects by buying and suppressing unflattering information about him. Still, some legal observers were surprised that the indictment itself wasnt more specific about how each of the charges was elevated to a felony. There are an awful lot of dots here which it takes a bit of imagination to connect, said Richard Klein, a Touro Law Center criminal law professor. Bragg said the indictment doesn't specify the potential underlying crimes because the law doesnt require it. But given the likelihood of Trumps lawyers challenging it, youd think theyd want to be on much firmer ground than some of this stuff, said Klein, a former New York City public defender. Hasen said its not clear whether candidates for federal office can be prosecuted in cases involving state election laws. The defense may also argue the case cant be brought in state court if it involves a federal election law. Prosecutors, however, also alluded to another accusation involving tax law: that Trump's scheme included a plan to mischaracterize the payments to Cohen as income to New York tax authorities. They did talk about tax crimes, and I think that could be potentially more compelling for the jury," Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor, said on ABC News. Its a safer bet than the campaign finance crimes. Bragg is "going to bring in witnesses, hes going to show a lot of documentary evidence to attempt to demonstrate that all these payments were in furtherance of the presidential campaign, said Jerry H. Goldfeder, a veteran election lawyer in New York and the director of Fordham Law Schools Voting Rights and Democracy Project. It remains to be seen if he can prove it beyond a reasonable doubt," Goldfeder said. But, he added, Do not underestimate District Attorney Alvin Bragg and do not overestimate Mr. Trump." Trump's lawyers have painted him as a victim of extortion who had to make the payments to prevent false and embarrassing information from coming out. They say the payments had nothing to do with the campaign. It's similar to an argument made by former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, the Democrat accused of funneling nearly $1 million in under-the-table campaign contributions in an effort to conceal his pregnant lover during his 2008 run for president. Edwards argued the payments were a personal matter, intended to keep the matter secret from his wife. A jury acquitted him on one charge and deadlocked on other counts. He wasnt retried. The New York case is just one of many legal worries for Trump. Georgia prosecutors are investigating Trumps attempts by Trump and his allies to overturn his 2020 election loss in in the state. Federal prosecutors are investigating whether classified documents were criminally mishandled at Trumps Florida home, as well as efforts by Trump and his allies to undo the results of the presidential election. Bringing a failed prosecution is just going to enable him to claim that its a witch hunt," Hasen said of Trump. "And it might convince some people that all of the potential criminal cases against Trump are full of spurious claims, whereas I think the other potential cases involving classified documents, the 2020 election, seem much stronger both legally and factually. Trump's lawyers are certain to attack the credibility of Cohen, a convicted liar who is far from the ideal prosecution witness. The disbarred attorney has said that Trump directed him to arrange the payment of hush money to fend off damage to Trump's White House bid. Cohen has admitted in court to lying before, and Trumps lawyers will no doubt try to use that to their advantage. Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to lying to Congress to cover up that he was negotiating the Moscow Trump Tower project on Trumps behalf during his presidential campaign. Cohen pleaded guilty in a parallel federal case to campaign finance violations and other charges in connection to the hush money payments. After federal prosecutors declined to file charges against Trump in the hush money case, a former law enforcement official told The Associated Press that prosecutors harbored concerns over the reliability of Cohen as a witness. Federal prosecutors believed it was far from clear that Trump could be convicted of a campaign finance crime, even if a jury believed Cohens allegations that he directed the hush money payments. Trump has already indicated he may try to have the case moved out of Manhattan, writing on social media Tuesday that it should be held in Staten Island. He called that borough which is more conservative than the rest of New York City A VERY FAIR AND SECURE LOCATION. Trump may also argue that the statute of limitations which is five years for most felonies in New York has run out because the hush money payments and Cohen's reimbursements happened before then. There were some extensions during the pandemic, and state law also can stop the clock when a potential defendant is continuously outside the state. Trump visited New York rarely over the four years of his presidency and now lives mostly in Florida and New Jersey. His lawyers could question whether the timeout applies to elected officials serving in Washington. This case has some very good issues for the defense to litigate, said Duncan Levin, a New York City defense lawyer and former Manhattan prosecutor. It's not an open-and-shut case by any means. ____ Richer reported from Boston and Long reported from Washington. AP White House Correspondent Zeke Miller contributed to this report. ___ EDITOR'S NOTE Alanna Durkin Richer has written for The Associated Press for more than a decade and covered legal affairs for more than five years; Colleen Long covers the White House for the AP and covered crime and courts in New York for more than a decade; Jennifer Peltz has covered New York for 16 years for the AP, including several years specializing in Manhattans criminal courts. THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) A judge ruled Wednesday that the Dutch government cannot order Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, one of Europe's busiest aviation hubs, to reduce the number of flights from 500,000 per year to 460,000, dealing a blow to efforts to cut emissions and noise pollution. The ruling came in a summary case brought by airlines and civil aviation organizations led by Dutch carrier KLM that sought to halt the planned cuts unveiled last year. The decision by a judge in Haarlem, a city close to Schiphol, came a day after the airport announced plans to phase out all flights between midnight and 5 a.m., ban private jets and the noisiest planes, and abandon a project for an additional runway. The judge ruled that the Dutch government did not follow the correct procedure when it called on Schiphol to reduce flight numbers, a decision that was hailed last year as a breakthrough by environmental groups. Wednesday's decision means that Schiphol may not reduce the maximum number of flights ... to 460,000, the court in Haarlem said in a statement. In response, KLM said it plans measures that offer a better alternative for achieving less noise and CO2 while meeting travelers need to fly. The airline said it would explain its approach in the next phase of the case. This will investigate whether noise levels can be reduced around Schiphol using methods other than those envisaged by the ministry, KLM said. The government ministry responsible for aviation infrastructure said it was studying the ruling and considering its next steps. The ministry said in a written reaction that it is striving to find a new balance between the interests of residents and the living environment on the one hand and the economic importance of Schiphol for the Netherlands on the other." U.S. carrier Delta Air Lines welcomed the ruling, saying it safeguarded Schiphol's future. Delta believes that it is possible to balance sustainability priorities with passengers desire to travel and connect with people across the world something we have demonstrated through a vigorous commitment to fleet renewal and other practices to help decarbonize our operations and reduce noise, Peter Carter, Delta's executive vice president for external affairs, said. International Air Transport Association Director General Willie Walsh said the judge understood that the Dutch government violated its obligations in short-cutting processes that would bring scrutiny to its desire to cut flight numbers at Schiphol. Environmental organizations, meanwhile, issued a joint statement expressing their disappointment. Major polluter KLM is giving a slap in the face to local residents, the climate and the government that saved the company from bankruptcy," groups including Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth said. This ruling may cause a delay, but Schiphol will shrink. We are convinced of that. The government has now also started the correct procedures for this. WASHINGTON (AP) The Biden administration is pressing its case for a new approach to global trade, arguing that Americas traditional reliance on promoting free trade pacts failed to anticipate Chinas brass-knuckled brand of capitalism and the possibility a major power like Russia would go to war against one of its trading partners. In a speech Wednesday at American University, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai called for a strategy of what's known as friend-shoring building up supply chains among allied countries and reducing dependence on geopolitical rivals such as China. Rising tension with Beijing and supply-chain bottlenecks arising from the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the risks of relying too heavily on Chinese suppliers. Trade policy cannot solve all the wrongs in the world, but it can help more people both at home and abroad share the benefits of increasing economic growth, Tai said. Let us not be content with reruns of the old. Let us write a new script for a brighter tomorrow. The rethinking of trade goes beyond the simple issue of lowering tariffs and signing broad pacts. In her speech, Tai noted the elimination of regulatory barriers last year that allowed U.S. farmers to export potatoes to Mexico, ongoing talks to form an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework that could possibly counter China in Asia, and the recent agreement on critical minerals with Japan. Tai said that the Biden administration settled "long-standing disputes" with the European Union to focus on shared goals such as a 2021 agreement to put tariffs on dirty steel and aluminum produced by China, while supporting the mills in Europe and North America. The administration is also seeking to work with allies to reform the World Trade Organization, the Geneva-based agency that enforces global trade rules. The WTO has been crippled for more than three years: Its top appeals court hasnt functioned since the United States blocked the appointment of new judges to the panel. The U.S. and others had argued that the WTO was ill-equipped to deal with Chinas unconventional blend of capitalism and state control of the economy. We did not anticipate that China would end up being so globally dominant in so many ways, Tai said in an interview Tuesday ahead of her speech. When China joined the WTO in 2001, many in the U.S. assumed that it would open its economy and even allow for more political freedom. Instead, China ran up huge trade surpluses with the United States as it became a leading center of manufacturing and the world's second largest economy. The Chinese government took advantage of its access to the U.S. market while often discriminating against U.S. and other foreign firms. And China has continued to crack down on political dissent. For decades after World War II, U.S. trade policy was based partly on the idea that increased global trade would reduce tensions among countries, that nations that did business with each other would not go to war. But Russian President Vladimir Putins decision to invade Ukraine flies in the face of how we thought things would work, Tai said. The Biden administration has upset many of its traditional allies, especially in Europe, by keeping some of former President Donald Trumps protectionist policies and by aggressively promoting Made-in-America manufacturing. But Tai insisted the United States wanted to work with allies to build a better, fairer world trading system. The problem, she told reporters, is that U.S. allies are only offering criticisms, instead of putting together their own plans to overhaul the trade system Were the only ones who are out there putting forward an affirmative vision, she said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) Former President Jair Bolsonaro underwent questioning Wednesday about diamond jewelry gifts when he was in power, as part of an investigation into whether he engaged in any irregularities in bringing the items into Brazil. The case has added to the legal jeopardy already surrounding the far-right politician's time as president. He is also under investigation for any involvement in a rampage by his supporters through the national capital after he left office and for numerous actions during the presidential election campaign he lost last fall. Federal police and prosecutors are investigating whether three sets of jewelry brought into the country from Saudi Arabia were public gifts that Bolsonaro improperly tried to prevent from being incorporated into the presidencys public collection or were private gifts that Bolsonaro tried sneak into Brazil without paying taxes. Brazil requires its citizens arriving by plane from abroad to declare goods worth more than $1,000 and, for any amount above that exemption, pay a tax equal to 50% of their value. The three sets of jewelry would have been exempt from tax had they been a gift from the state of Saudi Arabia to the nation of Brazil, but would not have been Bolsonaros to keep. After Bolsonaro left the Federal Police headquarters in Brazils capital Wednesday, it wasn't know if he answered investigator's questions or exercised his right to stay silent. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing connected to the gifts, and said he never attempted to hide anything. A customs agent seized one of the sets, manufactured by Swiss brand Chopard and reportedly worth some $3 million, at Sao Paulo's international airport in October 2021 when an adviser to the then minister for mines and energy brought it into the country. Documents and video footage published by Brazilian news outlets appear to show supposed emissaries of Bolsonaro making multiple unsuccessful attempts to retrieve the seized jewelry, up until just days before the end of his presidency. A government watchdog ordered Bolsonaro to return the remaining jewelry to the state-owned Caixa Economica Federal bank. He returned one set on March 24. The other was delivered on Tuesday, Bolsonaro's former comunications chief, Fabio Wajngarten, wrote on Twitter. WATERFORD A local police officer was found dead Monday afternoon at the cemetery where his slain mother is buried. Adam Lapkowski, 37, of Uncasville, died by suicide, the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said. After Lapkowski was reported missing, Connecticut State Police said they found his car at the Poquetanuck Cemetery in Preston around 12:20 p.m. Monday. Lapkowski was discovered unresponsive on the ground and pronounced dead at the cemetery, state police said. Lapkowskis biological mother, Joanne Witt-Lapkowski, is buried at the cemetery, records show. Witt-Lapkowski was 40 when she was killed during an argument in her Norwich apartment in 1996. Scott McLeod is serving a 40-year sentence for the crime and is scheduled to be released in 2036, judicial records show. In response to Adam Lapkowski's death, Connecticut State Police Sgt. Christine Jeltema said her agency has a "robust peer support program" that members of other law enforcement departments can use to help cope with these types of situations. "Each agency has their own contacts and peers," Jeltema said. "If anyone does not feel comfortable utilizing their programs, they can reach out to another peer from another agency." Lapkowski had been with the Waterford Police Department since at least 2010, according to the town's Board of Police Commissioners meeting records. He was named the Waterford Police Departments Officer of the Year in 2019. "Our agency suffered a tremendous loss this week, the Waterford Police Department posted on Facebook on Thursday. The post said the "past few days have been incredibly difficult. The Waterford Police Department said it had no further comment or information to release when contacted on Friday. Lapkowski is survived by his wife and their two sons, a GoFundMe page said. The page, which was created to cover funeral costs and immediate expenses for his family members, raised more than $4,000 as of Friday morning. Anyone who has thoughts of harming themselves, or seeks access to free and confidential mental health support, can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 800-273-8255 (en Espanol: 888-628-9454; Deaf and Hard of Hearing dial 711 and then 988) or visit 988Lifeline.org. People in need can also text the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741. Law enforcement officers who are dealing with various stressors both on and off the job can speak to a retired and trained police officer by calling Copline at 800-267-5463. The hotline is confidential and available 24/7. Staff writer Liz Hardaway contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate JERUSALEM (AP) Israeli police stormed into the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalems Old City early Wednesday, firing stun grenades at Palestinian youths who hurled firecrackers at them in a burst of violence during a sensitive holiday season. Gaza militants responded with rocket fire on southern Israel, prompting an Israeli airstrike. The fighting, coming as Muslims mark the holiday month of Ramadan and Jews prepare to begin the Passover festival on Wednesday evening, drew Palestinian condemnations and raised fears of a wider conflagration. Similar clashes two years ago erupted into an 11-day war between Israel and Hamas. The Israeli military said one soldier was shot in a separate incident in the occupied West Bank. The mosque sits on a sensitive hilltop compound holy to both Jews and Muslims. Al-Aqsa is the third-holiest site in Islam and is typically packed with worshippers during Ramadan. The spot, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, is also the holiest site in Judaism, who revere it as the location of the biblical Jewish temples. The conflicting claims fuel constant tensions that have spilled over to violence numerous times in the past. The official Palestinian news agency Wafa said that dozens of worshippers who were spending the night praying were injured in the police raid. Israeli police said they moved in after several law-breaking youths and masked agitators brought fireworks, sticks and stones and barricaded themselves into the mosque. Police said the youths chanted violent slogans and locked the front doors. After many and prolonged attempts to get them out by talking to no avail, police forces were forced to enter the compound in order to get them out, police said. Video released by police showed the repeated explosions of fireworks inside the mosque. One amateur video taken by Palestinians showed police scuffling with people and beating them with clubs and rifle butts as a womans voice could be heard shouting, Oh God. Oh God. Outside the gate, police dispersed groups of youths with stun grenades and rubber bullets. Police said one officer was injured in the leg, while dozens of people were arrested. Talab Abu Eisha, 49, said more than 400 men, women and children were praying at Al-Aqsa when the police encircled the mosque. The youths were afraid and started closing the doors, he said, adding that police forces stormed the eastern corner, beating and arresting men there. It was an unprecedented scene of violence in terms of police brutality and intention to hurt the youths, he said, denying police claims that young men were hiding fireworks and rocks. He added that the police prevented all men under 50 years old from passing through the Old Citys gates leading to the compound for the dawn prayers Wednesday morning. Palestinian militants responded by firing a barrage of rockets from Gaza into southern Israel, setting off air raid sirens in the region as residents were preparing for the beginning of the weeklong Passover holiday. The Israeli military said a total of five rockets were fired, and all were intercepted. Hours later, Israel responded with an airstrike in Gaza. There were no immediate details on the target. Tensions have been steadily rising since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus new far-right government took office late last year. The government is dominated by religious and ultranationalist hard-liners, and the overlap of the Jewish and Muslim holidays when tens of thousands of worshippers make their way to contested Jerusalem has raised fears of violence. The police force is overseen by Itamar Ben-Gvir, an ultranationalist with a history of violent rhetoric against the Palestinians. In Gaza, Hamas called for large protests and people started gathering in the streets, with calls to head for the heavily guarded Gaza-Israel frontier for more violent demonstrations. The Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad also called for Palestinian residents of Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Israel to go and gather around Al-Aqsa Mosque and confront Israeli forces. In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian leadership condemned the attack on the worshippers. The spokesman of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, warned Israel that such a move exceeds all red lines and will lead to a large explosion." The government of Jordan, which serves as the custodian of the mosque, condemned the Israeli raid in the strongest terms. The Foreign Ministry warned of the consequences of this dangerous escalation and held Israel responsible for the safety of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque. As violence was unfolding in Jerusalem, the Israeli military reported fighting in a Palestinian town in the occupied West Bank. It said residents of Beit Umar, near the volatile city of Hebron, burned tires, hurled rocks and explosives at soldiers. It said one soldier was shot by armed suspects, who managed to flee. Earlier on Tuesday, a Palestinian suspect stabbed two Israelis near an army base south of Tel Aviv, police said, in the latest incident in a yearlong spate of violence that shows no sign of abating. The Magen David Adom paramedic service said first responders treated two men for serious and light stab wounds in the incident on a highway near the Tzrifin military base. The men were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Israeli media identified the two victims as soldiers. Police said that civilians at the scene apprehended the suspected attacker, who was taken into police custody for questioning. Israeli-Palestinian violence has surged over the last year, as the Israeli military has carried out near-nightly raids on Palestinian cities, towns and villages and as Palestinians have staged numerous attacks against Israelis. At least 88 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire this year, according to an Associated Press tally. Palestinian attacks against Israelis have killed 15 people in the same period. Israel says most of the Palestinians killed were militants. But stone-throwing youths and bystanders uninvolved in violence were also among the dead. All but one of the Israeli dead were civilians. ___ Akram reported from Gaza City, Gaza Strip. https://english-elpais-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/english.elpais.com/science-tech/2023-04-02/one-of-the-worlds-most-cited-scientists-rafael-luque-suspended-without-pay-for-13-years.html?outputType=amp [EL PAIS] Science & Tech SILICON VALLEYYOUTUBEGOOGLELATEST NEWS SCIENTIFIC ETHICS One of the worlds most cited scientists, Rafael Luque, suspended without pay for 13 years The prolific chemist, who has published a study every 37 hours this year, has been sanctioned by the University of Cordoba over his research work for other institutions in Russia and Saudi Arabia [Chemist Rafael Luque, in a laboratory at the University of Cordoba.] Chemist Rafael Luque, in a laboratory at the University of Cordoba.UNIVERSIDAD DE CORDOBA [Manuel Ansede] MANUEL ANSEDE 02 APR 2023 - 21:20 CEST One of the most cited scientists in the world, the Spanish chemist Rafael Luque, has been suspended without pay for the next 13 years, according to Luque himself and the institution where he worked until recently, the University of Cordoba in Spain. The university has sanctioned Luque for working as a researcher at other centers, such as the King Saud University in Riyadh and the Peoples Friendship University of Russia in Moscow, despite holding a full-time publicly funded contract with the Spanish institution. Luque, 44, is one of the most prolific scientists in Spain. He has published some 700 studies, mainly in the field of so-called green chemistry, which aims to synthesize products such as drugs and fuels while generating less waste. So far this year, Luque has published 58 studies at a rate of one every 37 hours. He has featured on the list of the worlds most cited researchers, compiled by the specialist company Clarivate, for five years. Institutions all over the world compete to hire scientists like Luque, who can move a center up hundreds of positions in international academic rankings such as the influential Shanghai ranking, thusly attracting more students and more funding. Without me, the University of Cordoba is going to drop 300 places [in the Shanghai ranking]. They have shot themselves in the foot, said Luque, who attributed his suspension to pure envy. Over a decade ago, leading Saudi universities launched aggressive programs to recruit the worlds most cited scientists. The King Abdulaziz University, for example, offered researchers around $76,000 per year, with the only stipulation being that spend just one week a year on its campus and, of course, add the name of the Saudi institution as a second affiliation, as revealed by industry journal Science. In 2019, Luque signed on as a researcher at King Saud, in addition to being a professor at the University of Cordoba. The Spanish chemist claimed that he never received money directly from either the Saudi or Russian institutions, beyond funding for his analyses, business class travel and luxury hotels. In my [bank] account, they would not have found a single cent from Russia or Saudi Arabia or anywhere else, he said. Without me, the University of Cordoba will drop 300 places in the Shanghai ranking. They have shot themselves in the foot Rafael Luque, chemist The current scientific system is governed by the publish or perish imperative. Researchers are evaluated by the number of studies they publish in peer-reviewed journals and by the number of times these papers are cited by other colleagues. The well-intentioned mechanism, however, has produced adverse effects, as explained by the British engineer Nick Wise, a researcher at Cambridge University who, in his spare time, seeks out fraud in science. Wise has uncovered shady factories of scientific studies, produced by copying and pasting other studies or by automatic text generators, and whose authorship is secretly sold for hundreds or thousands of dollars to inflate resumes. I found a study by Rafael Luque whose authorship had previously been offered in a group on [the messaging platform] Telegram, Wise said. The Spanish researcher published that paper on the degradation of ibuprofen in wastewater five months ago, with six co-authors from the University of Bushehr and another from the University of Tabriz, both in Iran. Luque says that he has never paid to be added to someone elses research, but admitted he does not know all the Iranian co-authors listed on the study and cannot rule out the possibility some of them did pay to appear. I obviously dont know that, but Im amazed by this issue. Who pays to publish a study? Someone who needs it, maybe, I dont know, he said by videoconference from Dhahran, the heart of the Saudi oil industry, where he is considering a collaboration with a local university. Luque is constantly publishing papers. Last year he authored some 110 articles. So far this year he has published 58. The chemist admitted that since December, he has been using the artificial intelligence program ChatGPT to polish his texts. These months have been quite productive, because there are articles that used to require two or three days and now I do them in one day, he said. ChatGPT, launched in December, is capable of generating in-depth texts in response to complex questions. Luque said he basically uses it to improve his written expression in English and strongly denies having any relationship with any wholesale research factory. I found a study by Rafael Luque whose authorship had previously been offered in a group on Telegram Nick Wise, Cambridge University engineer Russian mathematician Alexander Magazinov, like Wise, also spends his spare time combing scientific literature for tortured phrases: unusual expressions that are added to plagiarized texts, precisely to avoid the computer programs that detect plagiarism. One example is to replace the usual artificial intelligence with falsified consciousness. Magazinov mentioned that a non-existent vegetative electron microscopy appears in two studies by Luque published with Iranian colleagues. Scientists around the world use an American website called PubPeer to anonymously and ruthlessly comment on articles by other colleagues, and not always with reason on their side. There are critiques of around 90 of Luques studies on PubPeer, many of them from Magazinov himself. A common reproach is that the Spanish chemists papers include dozens of unnecessary citations to other articles to artificially inflate the number of citations from other colleagues. In 2018, the University of Cordoba boasted that 84 out of 100 of Luques studies were cited by other scientists. Luque has received many awards including one from the UK Royal Society of Chemistry in 2013 and a mention as a Green Talent in 2011 by the German Ministry of Research. However, this is not the first time he has been involved in a scandal. Two professors at the Tenerife University of La Laguna, Jose Juan Marrero and David Diaz, reported in 2011 that one of their students had appropriated data from their laboratory and published it as his own, with Rafael Luque as sole co-author. A court in Santa Cruz de Tenerife last year convicted Luque and the former student of committing a crime against intellectual property: I helped him to review the article, to put it in good English and to publish it, yes. I have appealed the sentence, Luque says. They have a grudge against me because I am a very prolific scientist and a lot of people adore me Rafael Luque, chemist Luque stopped working at the University of Cordoba on December 1, 2022, after 15 years there. Until then, his publication signature included the Spanish institution, often accompanied by the Russian or the Saudi institutions, as well as the Jiao Tong University in Xian (China) as of 2019 and the University of Central Sweden since the end of 2021. In recent months, he has added the ECOTEC University in Samborondon (Ecuador) and the Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria (Italy). According to the Spanish chemist, his problems in Cordoba began when he started collaborating with King Saud University in 2019, and after signing a study by mistake as if he was a professor at the Russian university. The head of the Cordoba university at the time opened an investigation that ended with Luque being suspended without pay for 13 years, a sanction that was then ratified in autumn 2022 by the new university administration. EL PAIS asked Gomez Villamandos, the current Andalusian governments councilor for universities, about the case but did not receive a response. A spokeswoman for the University of Cordoba stressed that the sanction against Luque is for violating aspects of incompatibility according to the rules of public personnel and that the institution has not received any complaint about the quality of his studies. Luque acknowledges that he skipped the established procedures to collaborate with other institutions, but attributes the sanction to envy and a lack of understanding. They have a grudge against me because I am a very prolific scientist and a lot of people adore me, because they know my worth. They are envious and mediocre people, he said. I have never felt supported by the University of Cordoba, even though I put it on the Shanghai ranking. Being on the ranking is entirely due to me. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition More information [Alejandro Cencerrado, the happiness scientist.] The happiness scientist: Wealth is rising while well-being is falling SERGIO C. FANJUL [Mexican scientist Hector Cabrera Fuentes.] Mexican scientist Hector Alejandro Cabrera Fuentes pleads guilty to spying in the US ELIAS CAMHAJI | MEXICO ARCHIVED IN Cordoba Science Adheres to [The Trust Project] More information If you are interested in licensing this content, please contact ventacontenidos@prisamedia.com EDICIONES EL PAIS Cookie settings With a new Congress, the Navy is trying again with its proposal to shrink the fleet as part of its divest to invest approach. The Navy unveiled its Fiscal Year 2024 budget in mid-March, announcing it plans to decommission 11 aging warships. Of those on the chopping block, four are based in Hampton Roads two guided missile cruisers, the USS Leyte Gulf and USS Vicksburg; and two amphibious dock landing ships, the USS Gunston Hall and USS Tortuga. In divesting the decades-old warships, the budget would secure nine new vessels. But the idea of shrinking the fleet at a faster rate than growing it is a hot-button topic among Virginia Congress members. Rep. Rob Wittman R- 1st District) said Monday that he is adamantly opposed to the Navys proposal to retire more ships than it will build in fiscal year 2024. He asserted that China is on track to surpass the capabilities and capacity of the U.S. in the next few years. I am deeply concerned with the Department of Defenses willingness to accept near-term risk by divesting existing platforms without replacements, Wittman said. Wittman also voiced his concerns during the Houses Armed Services Committee hearing last week. The Congressman quoted former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who famously stated, You go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time. I am having a hard time seeing where we are going. I am not a mathematician but I want to know how you do addition by subtraction? Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin defended the Navys plan, stating it is about quality over quantity. We dont want to have to continue to invest to maintain aircraft and ships it that are costly and provide headwinds, Austin began before he was interrupted by Wittman. With all due respect, quantity has a quality all its own. ... My concern is if we dont do both capability and capacity, we are going to find ourselves in incredibly challenging places, Wittman said. Rep. Jen Kiggans (R- 2nd District) echoed Wittman Tuesday in a statement. Now is not the time to retire ships that have not reached the end of their service life. Our Navy is the best fighting force in the world, but we must ensure we have the number of ships needed to take the fleet to the fight, Kiggans said. Contributing to long-term problems with Naval infrastructure, Kiggans said, were the closings of half of the Navys public shipyards in the 1990s. And in January, four drydocks, including the only West Coast drydock capable of repairing aircraft carriers, were closed due to seismic activity. We must ensure we continue to invest in our shipbuilding and ship-repair industries. That must be a top priority in our defense budget this year and every year, Kiggans said. This is not the first time the Navy has sought to decommission warships. In the last budget cycle, four cruisers that had either reached or surpassed their expected 35-year service lives were retired. Only the Vicksburg, which is facing retirement again, was spared. The 32-year-old cruiser is undergoing an overhaul at BAE Systems in Norfolk. Retiring vessels like the Vicksburg that havent reached their retirement age yet is a huge mistake it decreases the size of our Navy and wastes taxpayer dollars, Kiggans said. The Navy tried to decommission the Gunston Hall and Tortuga, which are 35 and 34, during last years budget cycle. But the 117th Congress a government trifecta held by the Democrats blocked the effort. Although Republicans won control of the House in 2022 elections, Wittman said the reaction to the Navys proposal would not be different. The composition of Congress has changed in the 118th, but the threats facing the U.S. military have not, Wittman said. But if history serves as an example, the USS Leyte Gulf is likely to be decommissioned in the coming year. At 38, the cruiser is three years past its expected 35-year service life. Ships should be retired when they are past their service life. This is a practical decision that is best for the fleet and our sailors, Wittman said. Wittman and Kiggans said they would like to see some ships repurposed, rather than retired, so as not to subtract from the fleet during the years it takes to build new warships. Caitlyn Burchett, caitlyn.burchett@virginiamedia.com 2023 The Virginian-Pilot. Visit pilotonline.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Victims and family members who lost loved ones and fellow parishioners in a November 2017 massacre at a church in rural Texas -- in which an Air Force veteran was responsible for one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history -- have reached a tentative $144.5 million settlement with the U.S. government. The Department of Justice announced Wednesday that an "agreement in principle" has been reached to resolve the claims of 75 plaintiffs against the Air Force and U.S. goverment. A judgment issued in 2021 found the service 60% responsible for the events because it failed to report the gunman's criminal history to authorities, which would have stopped him from buying the firearm he used to gun down 26 people and injure 22 others at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs. "No words or amount of money can diminish the immense tragedy of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs," Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said in a press release. "Today's announcement brings the litigation to a close, ending a painful chapter for the victims of this unthinkable crime." Read Next: The Threat from Extremist Groups Is Growing. Service Members and Vets Are Getting Sucked into the Violence. Jamal Alsaffar, the lead trial attorney who represented the family members in the judgment against the Air Force, told Military.com in an emailed statement Wednesday that his clients have worked to make the nation safer as a result of their legal battles. "The Sutherland Springs families are heroes," Alsaffar said in an email. "The country owes them a debt of gratitude. They have gone through so much pain and loss in the most horrific way. But despite that, these families fought for justice, endured and won two trials against the federal government, and made this country safer as a result." The Air Force did not immediately respond to a Military.com email requesting comment on the settlement. The U.S. government has been fighting the civil lawsuit tooth and nail since it was first brought by victims of family members of the shooting. Last year, the Department of Justice filed an appeal in an attempt to overturn a ruling that ordered the federal government to pay victims and their families $230 million in compensation because the Air Force did not flag the shooter to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS, based on his previous criminal history. This past October, 37 groups penned a letter to the Justice Department urging it to abandon the legal challenge. "The families of the 26 people who were killed and the 22 more who were wounded have spent almost five years fighting for justice, a process that has been retraumatizing, painful, and needlessly protracted," the October letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland says. It was signed by groups such as Brady United Against Gun Violence, March for Our Lives and Women Against Gun Violence. "Please allow these victims to finally close this horrific chapter of their lives and move forward. Please make this country a safer place. Please withdraw your appeal. Please deliver justice," the letter continues. The ruling against the military explained that the shooter, Devin Patrick Kelley, was not flagged in NICS after he made threats of violence to his Air Force superiors, assaulted his wife and child, attempted to smuggle firearms onto Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico, and escaped from a behavioral health facility while awaiting court-martial in 2012. He received a bad conduct discharge from the service in 2014. Kelley died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following the Sutherland Springs attack.The Justice Department defended the NICS system in its press release and said it's still improving it. "The NICS plays a critical role in combating gun violence, and the federal government is always striving to improve the functioning of that system," the agency said in Wednesday's press release. "The department continues to work actively to combat gun violence as part of its comprehensive violent crime reduction strategy." The settlement announced Wednesday is not final, and a court must still approve the details. "Attorney General Garland's office still must approve it, and we urge his Justice Department to act quickly to bring some closure to these families. It's the least they deserve," Alsaffar said. -- Drew F. Lawrence and Konstantin Toropin contributed to this report -- Thomas Novelly can be reached at thomas.novelly@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomNovelly. Related: Ruling Against Military in Church Massacre Shouldn't Be Appealed, Gun Control Groups Say The Army is looking to shift some parts of its noncommissioned officer academies to virtual learning and scale back temporary promotions in one of its most dramatic overhauls of how NCO careers are managed. The Army's Advanced Leader Course, or ALC, and Senior Leader Course, or SLC, will shift part of their coursework to online learning in the coming months, Military.com has learned. Army planners hope the move will make attendance more convenient for part-time troops in the National Guard and reserve, in addition to making it less likely students will drop the courses. "That reduces no-shows," Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston told Military.com on Wednesday. "We can add a few more people to get some of the academics done. And that's what we're looking at. And it also gives you a little more time in your house, before we send you." Read Next: The Threat from Extremist Groups Is Growing. Service Members and Vets Are Getting Sucked into the Violence. The length of the courses vary depending on a soldier's job but are typically one to two months long. Those schools are needed for promotion to staff sergeant and sergeant first class -- the linchpins of the rank-and-file leadership. Each NCO rank has a corresponding academy. About one week of the courses covers academic work focusing on general Army knowledge about regulations, customs and history. Army planners are looking to move that part online but have soldiers attend in person the coursework that specifically pertains to their job. For example, infantry ALC has components related to tactics and weapons that would have to be in-person. As Grinston said, one of the big issues senior leaders hope to fix is soldiers dropping courses before they begin, which can happen for numerous reasons. It can be difficult for the schools to quickly fill the empty seat with another soldier who needs the class. Moving at least a chunk of the courses online could make it more likely students who signed up will show up for the course, according to the Army. The newly virtual parts of ALC and SLC are not planned to be online training that soldiers can do at their own pace, such as the current training required before attending the schools, Grinston explained. Students would be enrolled in a particular class, and the online portion would be live with an instructor lecturing in real time. Attending those schools can be difficult, especially for Army Reserve and National Guard members, who also have to juggle full-time civilian jobs. While employers are required by law to let those soldiers off for the schooling, it can still be a hurdle for the troops to find time for military education. That means their careers commonly move at a much slower pace than their active-duty counterparts. The Justice Department has a long history of suing employers for not abiding by laws protecting Guardsmen from being retaliated against for taking time off to serve. Graduating NCO schools was traditionally required before moving onto the next rank. But in 2021, the service issued a policy to allow so-called temporary promotions. This granted units the ability to promote soldiers before attending school, with the caveat that they had to attend within a year or be demoted. That gave units much more flexibility with promotions as schools faced a bottleneck of students trying to attend and long wait times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as an administrative issue that allowed soldiers who weren't fully qualified to attend. But that bottleneck has started to clear with some Army jobs. "We are going to rescind that very shortly," Grinston said, referring to the temporary promotion policy. The service has been reexamining how it manages career development in the enlisted ranks. On Friday, it revealed a new counseling form -- effectively an employee review -- that could shift how soldiers and leaders are graded on their performance. The Army is also eyeing major changes to its Basic Leader Course, or BLC, the school needed for promotion to sergeant. It has slowly reintroduced land navigation to the school after combat tasks were eliminated in favor of more lectures on policy and academics. That 22-day school could be extended several days in the near future to make room for more tactical training. -- Steve Beynon can be reached at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon. Related: Time in the Field, Longer School. The Army's Basic Leader Course May Get a Big Overhaul. The Coast Guard is struggling to recruit and retain physicians, flight surgeons, pharmacists, dentists and physician assistants after their five-year details to the service, the Government Accountability Office found in a new report. The difficulties are largely due to a lack of promotion opportunities and financial incentives, the agency said. That means Coast Guard clinics studied by the GAO were often undermanned, lacking adequate U.S. Public Health Service staff and an insufficient number of Coast Guard health service technicians, who handle a variety of clinical tasks. Roughly 37,000 Coast Guard men and women and more than 51,000 family members receive medical care from a variety of resources -- service members through Coast Guard clinics manned by the Public Health Service clinicians and Coast Guard health technicians, and members and beneficiaries through Defense Department medical facilities and the civilian Tricare network. For Coasties, Coast Guard clinics are the primary resource for medical care, given that they are located in "medically underserved areas" that lack a sufficient number of health care providers. Read Next: The Threat from Extremist Groups Is Growing. Service Members and Vets Are Getting Sucked into the Violence The staffing issues, a nationwide physician shortage and the remoteness of many installations significantly affect health care access for members of the Coast Guard and their families, the GAO reported. As of September, the Coast Guard had a Public Health Service vacancy rate of 18%, according to the service. The U.S. Public Health Service is one of eight uniformed services in the country, part of the Department of Health and Human Services that provides medical personnel and public health experts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Indian Health Services, the Food and Drug Administration, the Coast Guard and the Bureau of Prisons. Pre-deployment medical care demands, as well as the Coast Guard's transition to a new electronic health records system, MHS Genesis, have increased the workload on health service technicians and also reduced the number of appointments available at the clinics that were reviewed. Service members not located near a Coast Guard clinic and their beneficiaries also can get medical care at Defense Health Agency facilities, although dependents have a lower appointment priority. Given the remote locations of many duty stations, a significant number of Coast Guard beneficiaries do not reside near a military health facility. They can enroll in Tricare Prime Remote, a program that allows them to go to a military treatment facility or primary care manager despite excessive drive times. They can also enroll in Tricare Select, which means they are dependent on Tricare networks run by civilian Tricare benefits management companies -- Health Net Federal Services in the West Region and Humana Military in the East. This is where some Coast Guard families found the most significant challenges in getting care, according to the report. Coast Guard family members with access to military health facilities generally could get specialty care within the accepted standard of 28 days. But they faced challenges in the network, particularly for obstetrics and gynecology, mental health and dermatology. According to the GAO, one Coast Guard clinic said its patients had no access to a psychiatrist or psychologist that took Tricare patients, while another said its patients had to wait up to five months for a mental health appointment. For its report, generated at the request of Congress in 2020, the GAO reviewed records and interviewed officials at six Coast Guard clinics: Kaehler Memorial Clinic in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts; Air Station Detroit Clinic in Selfridge, Michigan; Sector Key West Clinic in Key West, Florida; Base Kodiak Rockmore-King Clinic in Kodiak, Alaska; Sector Humboldt Bay Clinic in McKinleyville, California; and Base Portsmouth Clinic in Portsmouth, Virginia. The service is taking steps to improve access to care, to include hiring contractors, relying more heavily on telehealth, and shifting assignments or filling open positions with Reserve members. The Coast Guard also has launched a direct commission program to create its own health service officer corps and had recruited six physicians and four dentists as of November. And beginning this year, it is training health service technicians to provide behavioral health care for Coast Guard personnel. Still, the service needs to do more, GAO analysts said. They made seven recommendations that included the Coast Guard digging deeper into the reasons Public Health Service providers leave; improving data collection and sharing with the Defense Health Agency on Coast Guard beneficiaries' access to health care; routinely monitoring access to care, not just when a problem arises; and keeping better track of access to military treatment facilities and network providers. In its response to the report, the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Coast Guard, largely concurred with the GAO's recommendations, saying the service already had taken steps to monitor beneficiaries' access to Tricare physicians and citing the new health services commissioning program. Jim Crumpacker, director of the DHS' GAO-Office of Inspector General Liaison Office, said the service expects to implement many of the recommendations by March 2024. "DHS remains committed to ensuring access to medical and dental care for Coast Guard active-duty personnel and their dependents, and others, in support of Coast Guard missions as appropriate," Crumpacker wrote in the response. -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Military.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime Related: Coast Guard Requests Budget Cut for Fiscal 2024 On the heels of Congress securing a win for active-duty military parents by expanding their parental leave, a bipartisan pair of senators wants National Guardsmen and reservists to have comparable benefits. Under the Reserve Component Parental Leave Parity Act, the text of which was obtained by Military.com ahead of its release, Guardsmen and reservists on drill status who are non-birthing parents, adoptive parents or foster parents would get parental leave -- not just birth mothers, as is the case right now. "Parental leave should be available to all new parents, and service members in the reserves and the National Guard should have the same access to parental leave as those serving on active duty," Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., said in a statement. "I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill and help to ensure that all service members are given the opportunity to bond with their children." Read Next: The Threat from Extremist Groups Is Growing. Service Members and Vets Are Getting Sucked into the Violence. Hassan is sponsoring the bill with Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. The bill was quietly introduced last week but has not yet been publicized or previously reported. The bill comes after the Pentagon and military services earlier this year rolled out an expanded parental leave policy that was mandated by Congress. Under the new policy, new mothers and fathers on active duty, including adoptive and foster parents, get 12 weeks of leave, up from six weeks for new moms and three weeks for non-birthing parents. That policy applies to Guardsmen and reservists who are on an active status. But those on a drill status still fall under the Reserve Component Maternity Leave Program. Under the maternity leave program, Guardsmen and reservists who give birth can get excused absences with pay and retirement points for 12 training periods, or the equivalent of three weekends, within 12 months of a birth. Hassan and Murkowski's bill would not change the amount of leave Guardsmen and reservists can take, but would expand the benefit to more than just birth parents. The maternity leave itself is relatively new. It was implemented in summer 2022 after Congress mandated it in the fiscal 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA. Maternity leave was a longtime goal of advocates for part-time service members to get their benefits on par with active-duty troops. But with the expanded parental leave for active-duty members, there's a disparity again. "Congress' intent was to provide Guardsmen with the same benefit or at least a very, very similar benefit to what those in active duty get, and they don't have the same benefit right now," John Goheen, a spokesperson for the National Guard Association of the United States, told Military.com in a phone interview Wednesday. While the association was not familiar with Hassan and Murkowski's bill specifically, Goheen said the lobbying group generally supports any effort to provide benefits parity for Guardsmen. "We're also supportive of anything that helps Guard soldiers and airmen better balance the various aspects of their life," Goheen added. "It helps us recruit, it helps us retain, if soldiers and airmen are able to balance their work responsibilities, their family responsibilities and their military responsibilities. If our part-timers have trouble with family or work coinciding with military, we know which one loses in the end it's military responsibilities," he said. The path forward on Hassan and Murkowski's bill is unclear. Asked about the prospects of the bill passing or being folded into the annual, must-pass NDAA, a spokesperson for Hassan told Military.com the senator will "continue working to build support for the legislation among her colleagues." -- Rebecca Kheel can be reached at rebecca.kheel@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @reporterkheel. Related: Pentagon Unveils New Parental Leave Policy After Delay Caused Uncertainty for Troops McDonald's doesn't actually cater to American troops -- at least, not exclusively to American troops. Back in the mid-1970s, one McDonald's restaurant did a solid for soldiers at a local Army base. It was so popular, it became a mainstay at McDonald's restaurants across the country: They added a drive-thru. It might seem like an obvious addition to any fast-food joint, but before the '70s, not many restaurants had them. It's not that Americans actually wanted to get out of their cars for food before 1970, not at all. Before the drive-thru restaurant, we had the drive-in, where servers (called "carhops") delivered food to the car. But even eating in the car wasn't quick enough for some Americans. Ours was a country on the grow, and we couldn't be bothered with things like plates, glasses or anything else that required a busboy before we could get on with our lives. Then, in 1948, a Southern California burger chain delivered on the promise of its name: In-N-Out Burger. The first In-N-Out was as close to the fast-food drive-thru of today as it got in 1948. Drivers ordered through a speaker box, and their food was delivered to their car. Other chains followed suit, but growth was slow. In 1969, Dave Thomas added a speaker box to his Wendy's restaurant in Columbus, Ohio, but drivers there pulled up to a pickup window to get food. The drive-thru was finally perfected -- all the food, without actually getting up for it. The Arch Deluxe. This has nothing to do with the story, I just want McDonald's to bring it back and I feel like they might see this. The McDonald's of 1948 was using its engineered "Speedee Service System" to make food preparation more efficient, but as fast as they were, they didn't have a drive-thru. In fact, it wasn't until 1974 that McDonald's even thought about adding a drive-thru. People still had to get out of their cars and make the trek to the Golden Arches, and owners were practically begging for that to change. McDonald's actually delayed opening its first drive-thru until a McDonald's owner in Sierra Vista, Arizona, noticed the store's sales were dwindling. He realized the soldiers at nearby Fort Huachuca couldn't get out of their cars to go into the restaurant, and it was because of their uniforms. In 1975, the U.S. military's working uniform was the olive-drab OG-107 uniform (yes, it was really called the "OG"). Uniform regs prevented U.S. troops from going into public places like McDonald's while wearing it. Veterans who wore battle dress uniforms (BDUs) in their career might be shocked to find out the OG-wearing troops actually obeyed that regulation. And we all know what happens when a guy wearing OGs can't get something to eat. (Orion Pictures) When the owner of that Arizona restaurant realized what was happening, he couldn't put a drive-thru window in fast enough. Army and Air Force Exchanges may be bending the knee to a certain hamburger monarch these days, but nothing says "I Love America" more than knocking a hole in your own wall so you can accommodate the troops. McDonald's was one of the most popular and fastest-growing chains in America at the time, so the countrywide addition of a drive-thru in all its stores made it look like the company invented the drive-thru. It didn't, but at least one U.S. Army post would remember that first drive-thru at every PT test for years to come. You can still credit the company with the Big Mac, Orange Hi-C that just hits different and the invention of modern fast food. -- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on LinkedIn. Want to Learn More About Military Life? Whether you're thinking of joining the military, looking for post-military careers or keeping up with military life and benefits, Military.com has you covered. Subscribe to Military.com to have military news, updates and resources delivered directly to your inbox. Oh, the sweet scent of desperation in the air. Donald Trump Junior, paragon of moral fortitude, decided to take justice into his own hands on Truth Social by posting a photo of the daughter of the judge presiding over his father's porn star hush money trial. As Junior learned from Daddy, the best way to win a case is through intimidation and badgering the family members of those in charge. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez chimed in with a tweet that summed it up perfectly: "Because nothing says 'innocent' like threatening a judge's family." Clearly, the apple doesn't fall far from the orange tree. The worst has come true for Russia, as Finland is formally welcomed into NATO, a global alliance designed just to fight Russians. Of course, NATO doesn't just outright say that, but it is officially a "collective security" organization founded at the beginning of the Cold War, and Russia is very specifically not a member. You do the math. Finns appear to be excited about finally joining the alliance. One Finnish brewery, based in the town of Savonlinna near the country's Russian border, has launched a new beer to mark the occasion. Olaf Brewing's OTAN, from the French abbreviation for NATO, is also a clever play on the Finnish expression Otan olutta, meaning, "I'll have a beer." For the craft beer fans reading this, OTAN is an Indian Pale Ale (IPA) with 5% alcohol by volume (ABV). It has a light, crisp feel with what the company describes as "a taste of security, with a hint of freedom." The company also offers a Gold Edition, a 4.5% pale ale (with 11 times more security!), as well as a gin-based grapefruit-flavored OTAN beverage. Kippis (Cheers), Finland. (Olaf Brewing) "An independent nation is making an independent decision about its security. Here in Savonlinna, we have lived on the border between East and West for a long time," the company said on Twitter. "even though our city and Olavinlinna have been the target of bombings and battlegrounds several times. We hope that this will never happen again." Olaf Brewing was founded in 2015 and has since made a number of beers unrelated to the country's relationship with Russia, including its award-winning imperial stout, Northern Comfort. Meanwhile, it has been supporting Ukraine's fight against Russia by donating to groups like Ukraine Aid Ops and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's United24. Olaf also released a 5% IPA called Leopard Beer as part of a push to get Germany's Leopard tanks to Ukraine. It even allowed people to print the Leopard Beer label and add it to their own cans as part of the #FreetheLeopards social media campaign. And yes, they have a swag shop. Finland is a great addition to the alliance because historically, no one kills Russians the way Finns can. It was part of the Russian Empire until the end of World War I, but during World War II, Finland fought two wars with the USSR, losing more than 89,000 troops while inflicting more than 305,000 on the Soviet Red Army. Trust that you don not want Finland as an enemy. Ever since, Finland has tried to maintain a neutral position between East and West. It was sympathetic to the West, but Finland shares an 830-mile-long border with Russia, and preventing a Soviet invasion was at the top of its Cold War foreign policy goals. Russia repeatedly warned Finland against seeking membership in NATO, threatening severe consequences, but the invasion of Ukraine doubled Finnish support for joining the alliance. A little more than a year later, Brussels welcomed Finland into NATO. "Olaf is always there when it's time to raise a toast to cooperation and new, good friends!" the company said on Twitter. If you happen to be in Finland, Olaf's OTAN IPA can be found at "well-stocked stores" around the country. Olaf also ships anywhere in the European Union. For those outside the EU, contact sales@olafbrewing.com, to see whether you can get that taste of security and freedom wherever you are. -- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on LinkedIn. Want to Learn More About Military Life? Whether you're thinking of joining the military, looking for post-military careers or keeping up with military life and benefits, Military.com has you covered. Subscribe to Military.com to have military news, updates and resources delivered directly to your inbox. CLINTON TWP., MI - A horror icon is coming to Michigan to help a local year-round Halloween costume shop celebrate the holiday six months early with its Halfway to Halloween event. Michael Myers, himself, actor James Jude Courtney will be at Screamers Costumes on Saturday, April 29 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to sign autographs and take photos with fans. Screamers is located at 35431 South Gratiot Avenue in Clinton Township in Metro Detroit. The free event will feature raffles and giveaways, both an adult and a kids costumes contest, live music, vendors and trick or treating. Courtney starred in the 2018 Halloween movie, along with the two sequels, Halloween Kills (2021) and Halloween Ends (2022). Whether or not there will ever be another Halloween movie, Courtney recently told MLive that one way or another, this was his last time playing Michael Myers. I know Im done. At the end of the day, I agreed to do three films. For myself, and for a whole bunch of us, we knew that we wanted to do these three. Its kind of like an athlete retiring in his prime. Look, we just won the Super Bowl. Im going to retire. Go out on top. MORE FROM MLIVE: One of the top skinny-dipping spots in the world is apparently in Michigan All of the delicious new food at Comerica Park for Tigers games in 2023 Only one of its kind thrill ride unveiled at amusement park just a road trip away FLINT, MI -- Flint City Councilman Eric Mays is asking a Genesee District Court judge to throw out the verdict of a jury that convicted him of disorderly conduct last month. An attorney for Mays filed a motion to set aside the jury verdict on Friday, March 31, saying a witness against him -- fellow council member Allie Herkenroder -- gave false testimony that should have been corrected in front of the six-person jury before it returned its guilty verdict on March 13. The motion asks Judge Vikki Bayeh-Haley to acquit Mays of the misdemeanor or to grant him a new trial because the jurys verdict was against the great weight of the evidence and contrary to law. Herkenroder, one of just two witnesses against Mays, testified that she never gave her colleague permission to leave his seat during a council committee meeting on April 25, 2022. Mays had been issued a disorderly conduct warning by Herkenroder earlier in the same meeting and when he returned to his seat, she asked him to remove himself from the meeting for violating a council rule that requires members to ask for the presiding officers permission before leaving their seats. When Mays refused to leave the meeting, police handcuffed and arrested him for disorderly conduct. On a video recording from the meeting, Mays spoke to Herkenroder after she had issued him a warning for using profanity. May I ask to be excused because you wont get the pleasure of throwing me out, Mays asked before leaving the meeting briefly and attempting to return a few minutes later. Yes, you may be excused, Herkenroder replied. During Mays trial, outside the presence of the jury, Bayeh-Haley had told special prosecutor Michael Gildner that Herkenroder may not have intended to be untruthful but that her testimony needs to be corrected because it was contradicted by the video recording from the meeting. Mays request to set aside the jurys verdict says Gildner was warned by the judge of his duty to correct Herkenroders testimony but failed to do so. MLive-The Flint Journal could not immediately reach a city spokeswoman for comment on the new filing by Mays, who is scheduled to be sentenced by Bayeh-Haley on April 25. Herkenroder has told The Journal previously that her testimony in the Mays trial was truthful and that she did not give Mays permission to leave the meeting. He did not ask the chair to leave, he informed the chair he was leaving. That is a tremendous difference, she said in an email after the jury found Mays guilty of disorderly conduct. Mays, who acted as his own attorney during his trial, has retained attorney Ken Scott to represent him on the new request to set aside the jurys verdict. Using a GoFundMe campaign, the councilman raised more than $18,000 to help him pay for legal appeals and assistance. Read more at The Flint Journal: Mays could face jail time after jury finds him guilty of disorderly conduct Mays says he wont take disorderly conduct conviction without a fight Flint Councilman Eric Mays raises $13K for legal fees in 10 days on GoFundMe DETROIT A Michigan man has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for purchasing a pistol for his friend who later used it to kill a Detroit police officer, officials said. On July 6, Ehmani Davis, 19, used a Century Arms Draco pistol in the shooting death of Detroit police Officer Loren Courts. Davis also died in the incident. The pistol had been purchased for Davis by his friend, Sheldon Thomas. Thomas, 27, of Detroit, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Gershwin Drain, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice. He pleaded guilty in December. RELATED: Man pleads guilty to buying gun used to kill Michigan police officer The tragic death of Detroit police Officer Loren Courts is another terrible example of what happens when guns are supplied to those who are prohibited from possessing them, said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison. On June 7, Thomas bought a Century Arms Draco pistol in Eastpointe. He later admitted to lying on the Federal Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473 by falsely certifying that he was the buyer of the firearm when he knew he was purchasing it for Ehmani Davis, according to court documents and statements made in court. Thomas gave Davis the firearm on the day of the purchase, according to court documents. He admitted that Davis gave him the money to buy the firearm and that he made multiple attempts to purchase a handgun for Davis. Detroit police officer Loren Courts, 40, was fatally shot in the line of duty on Wednesday, July 6, 2022. (Provided by Detroit Police Department)Provided by Detroit Police Department RELATED: He was so much more ... Our Batman: Wife of Detroit officer killed in line of duty Loren Courts, 40, was a 5-year veteran of the Detroit Police Department, a husband, a father of two, and the son of a recently retired DPD officer. RELATED: Partner of officer shot to death was prepared to die as she rendered first aid Courts and his partner responded to reports of someone firing shots indiscriminately around 7:30 p.m. on July 6 on the citys west side. Upon arrival, they immediately took fire and Courts was struck. More officers arrived on the scene as the incident unfolded. Courts partner was rendering first aid when another officer fatally shot Davis. Courts was transported to a local hospital where he later died. READ MORE: Northern Michigan man goes to trial for murder in deaths of ex-wife, her 2 sons Naked woman found dead in Michigan field Police release sketch of suspected kidnapper; MSU student fought him off RIVER ROUGE, MI A Michigan man has been sentenced to two years of probation after three dogs were found at his residence with injuries consistent with dog fighting. Kevin Warren, 52, of River Rouge, pleaded guilty to the charges. His sentence also includes cognitive therapy and $1,580.82 in restitution to be paid to the Michigan Humane Society. He is not allowed to own dogs during his probation. Mandated cognitive behavioral therapy is unprecedented and gets to the whole issue because it forces defendants to think through their actions as opposed to probation and fines, said Mark Ramos, community resources manager at the Michigan Humane Society. This is a huge win for all people, animals and communities. In 2020, a complaint was made to Michigan Humane Society about possible dog fighting involving Warren and dogs at his residence. A search of his residence on Sept. 2, 2020, revealed three dogs with physical injuries consistent with fighting. An uninjured puppy was also seized from his residence; he was too young to fight. There were supplements at the residence presumably used to treat wounds. A search of Warrens Facebook accounts showed communications dating back to March 2019 relating to breeding and selling dogs for fighting. RELATED: Animal abuser registry proposed under new Michigan ballot initiative Dog fighting is a cruel and brutal practice that has nothing to do with sport, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said. In Michigan we are going to prosecute the violent training and fighting of dogs as both the inhumane treatment of animal life that it is as well as the needless and vicious threat to public safety it imposes on our neighborhoods. Michigan Humane Society conducted the early stages of the investigation, eventually partnering with law enforcement and the Michigan Department of Attorney General office to eventually prosecute Warren. READ MORE: Photos: Moose in need gets help from DNR officers U.P. wildlife park gives sneak peek of new sloth enclosure Angry customer allegedly hit market clerk in head with 4-pound frozen fish Michigan DNR busts man in possession of 151 dead cottontail rabbits Tech executive Bob Leecreator of Cash App, former CTO at Square (now Block), and chief product officer at MobileCoinwas stabbed to death overnight in San Francisco. He was 43. No arrests have been made as of yet. What an absolute tragedy. Our condolences to Lee's family, friends, and colleagues. From the San Francisco Chronicle: "He was a generous decent human being who didn't deserve to be killed," wrote Bill Barhydt, CEO of Abra, a crytocurrency company, on Twitter, noting that Lee was a father. Another friend wrote on Twitter that he learned Lee was killed while walking in the city. Lee was apparently visiting San Francisco from Miami after moving there recently, according to friends and social media posts. "He was in the 'good' part of the city and appeared to have been targeted in a random mugging/attack," wrote UFC/MMA fighter Jake Shields[] Supervisor Matt Dorsey, whose district includes Rincon Point, called the slaying a "senseless tragedy" and said hes been communicating with police about the status of the investigation. "I've heard from a number of my constituents in Rincon Point, South Beach and East Cut, many of whom have already voiced concerns to me about public safety challenges," Dorsey contiued. "I understand their concerns, and I'm asking them to cooperate with police in their investigation, and make sure police have access to any surveillance video to which they may have access." ANN ARBOR, MI - A judge has denied a University of Michigan request to dismiss a case detailing sexual assault by a former doctor against a mentee, as well as possible negligence by university officials to stop it. The lawsuit, filed in October 2021 in U.S. District Court in Detroit, accuses former Michigan Medicine gastroenterologist Philip Schoenfeld of sexual assaulting a woman whom was mentoring. The woman also accuses four university officials of knowing about a relationship between the doctor and the woman and failing to investigate it. MILAN, MI -- Wine lovers should get their glasses ready for an upcoming event in Milan. Milan Main Street is hosting its eighth-annual Wine Walk from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, April 29. Wine kind of always goes together with conversation and people and connectiveness, so this event really reinforces that, said Jill Tewsley, Milan Main Street executive director. Tickets for the wine walk will can be purchased online for $50 each and include 12 tasting tickets, a souvenir wine walk bag and a souvenir stainless steel, insulated wine glass. Tewsley encourages anyone interested in attending to purchase their tickets soon, since the event usually sells out. She said there are currently around 150 tickets left. The wine walk has 12 tasting spots and 27 wines to choose from. Each venue will feature at least two wines which includes both red and white wines. Each spot will give out 3-ounce samples which will add up to about a bottle of wine if someone redeems all 12 of their tastings, Tewsley said. Tasting venues include businesses like Aid in Milan, Dance Xplosion, Digital Brewery, Fenders Bar and Grill, Fountain Optometry, Lavender Lane and The Owl. Some of these businesses can be found throughout downtown Milan, while others are just a five-minute walk away, Tewsley said, adding each location will provide a different experience, whether its music, food or refreshments. Every bottle of wine for tasting was selected with the help of event organizers in an effort to encompass a range of white, red, sweet and sparkling wines. Tewsley said the event tries to not repeat options from past years. We work together to narrow down what our favorites are while making sure we have a wide representation of wines across the world as well as different types to present a wide variety, Tewsley said. This years selections will feature wines from places around the world like Turkey, Greece, France and, of course, Michigan. Learn more about Milans Wine Walk online or on social media. Red more from the Ann Arbor News: Judge denies demand that striking University of Michigan workers return to jobs No Mow May 2.0. Ann Arbor encourages residents to let lawns grow up to a foot tall Watch Ann Arbors first shared e-bikes roll out along Huron River trail GRAND RAPIDS, MI Western Michigan University is hosting a free STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) event at its downtown Grand Rapids campus Saturday, April 8, offering a fun way to keep families engaged in learning over spring break. The AMP Lab Family Open House event is targeted toward kids ages 5-12 and offers a variety of hands-on activities related to STEM and manufacturing, according to a WMU news release. The event is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the WMU AMP Lab, located at 200 Ionia Ave. SW in downtown Grand Rapids. Kids will be able to watch robots in action, build motorized Lego creations, interact with 3D printers in action, and more at Saturdays event. The activities are intended to inspire creativity and exploration, opening doors for future scientists, the news release said. Our next generation of students and workers will be facing a world much different than in decades past, so it is vital for us to find ways to evolve and support the changing needs of tomorrows students as well as the workforce of the future, says Joanne Roehm, senior director of strategy and operations at WMU-Grand Rapids. The AMP Lab Family Open House is an exciting and engaging opportunity to connect Western Michigan University with our local community. We continue to explore ways to inspire curiosity in children, adults and everyone in between. This is the second year WMU has hosted a free STEM lab for families in Grand Rapids. Over 300 people attended last years event, which was created in partnership with Autocam Medical, Grand Rapids Community College, Bricks4Kidz, West Michigan Center for Arts + Technology and JR Automation. The event will take place inside WMUs AMP Lab, a state-of-the-art Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Laboratory located on the first two floors of Westerns Grand Rapids regional hub. The lab features high-tech equipment such as 3D printers, lasers and scanners to offer hands-on instruction and training, including computer numerical control programming, computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing, according to the news release. We are proud to call the AMP Lab @ WMU our home for manufacturing education and to provide K-12 students a place to explore and learn about rewarding opportunities for future engineers, designers and skilled workers in West Michigan, said Steven Butt, dean of Westerns College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, in a statement. More on MLive: Metal detectors now at Grand Rapids school where student was found with loaded gun Man dies in farming accident in West Michigan Whats being built near Celebration Cinema North? Several buildings are planned and ones got coffee GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Nijimbazi Adelfine held her 13-month-old daughter in her arms, standing just a few feet from the spot where Patrick Lyoya died. Lyoya was the father of her baby, Patricia. Im raising my baby by myself. We were suppose to raise our daughter together, Adelfine said Tuesday, April 4 at a vigil marking the one-year anniversary of Lyoyas police shooting death. Its been hard for me, not an easy road to walk, she said. Related: We will get justice: Patrick Lyoyas dad reflects on anniversary of sons killing by police Adelfine and about 40 others took part in a vehicle caravan, followed by the vigil, to commemorate the day. A two-mile march had been planned, but inclement weather prompted the caravan. The vigil was on Nelson Avenue SE near Griggs Street, where 26-year-old Congolese immigrant Patrick Lyoya was shot to death after struggling with then-Grand Rapids police Officer Christopher Schurr. Schurr, who is awaiting trial for second-degree murder, made a traffic stop on Lyoyas car shortly after 8 a.m. April 4, 2022. When Lyoya tried to flee on foot, a struggle began and the two fought over the officers Taser. Schurr was on top of Lyoya and shouted Drop the Taser before drawing his gun and shooting Lyoya in the head. A makeshift memorial for Lyoya appeared next to a tree at the shooting scene last year and remains there today. Related: Views from Back the Blue, Justice for Patrick remain sharply different a year after Lyoya killing Adelfine said her daughter misses Lyoya. I remember when he was holding her, she was feeling happy. So now, shes lost his love. I think now shes not fine, she said. Adelfine said shes been grateful for the community support over the last year. Reggie James helped organize Tuesdays caravan and vigil. He said he simply wants to keep Lyoyas death in the forefront and to highlight that Lyoya was a father to two young girls. Another daughter, age 3, lives out-of-state. James recently raised about $1,800 for a billboard at Eastern Avenue SE and Sherman Street. The boards message is Justice4Patrick but also for his two children. We just want to keep (Lyoyas) name alive and keep going, James said. Were just going to make sure we keep the light up. Were going to make sure no one forgets Patrick. More from MLive How are Grand Rapids already strained police-community relations a year after killing of Lyoya? Its been one year since Patrick Lyoya was killed. Whats happened since in the fight for change? The People vs. Christopher Schurr: Where officers murder case stands a year after Patrick Lyoya was killed MONTCALM COUNTY, MI A 62-year-old man was found dead between a tractor tire and attached mower in an apparent farming accident, Montcalm County sheriffs deputies said. Foul play is not suspected in the Tuesday, April 4 accident. Police initially responded to a 5:25 p.m. report of a man trapped under a tractor in the 14000 block of West Stanton Road in Maple Valley Township. Sheriffs deputies were taken to the area of the accident and found the 62-year-old Trufant man who was not identified lying on the ground between the rear tire of a small tractor and a finish mower mounted on the back. Police said an acquaintance located the man and called 911. The acquaintance said they found the man on the ground with the tractor running, still in gear, and the rear wheels rotating. Police said the tractor had moved forward before coming to a rest against a barn wall. Investigators are still trying to determine how the victim ended up between the tractor wheel and the mower. Read more on MLive: The People vs. Christopher Schurr: Where officers murder case stands a year after Patrick Lyoya was killed Tensions with China overshadow rural Michigan battery plant One of the top skinny-dipping spots in the world is apparently in Michigan Some Michigan unions may wait years to realize right-to-work repeal changes KENT COUNTY, MI Wyoming police early Wednesday, April 5, arrested a man accused of shooting another man. The injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, police said. Police responded around 3 a.m. to a report of a shooting near Abbie Street SE and South Division Avenue. The victim, a 41-year-old Wyoming man, suffered a gunshot wound to his abdomen. He was treated at the scene then taken by ambulance to a local hospital. The suspect, a 34-year-old Wyoming man, was arrested at the scene. The men know each other, police said. Detectives continue to investigate circumstances of the shooting. Police have interviewed those who were at the scene and said there is no ongoing threat to the public. Read more: Crumbl Cookies opening in Muskegon County soon Nearly 4K without power in Kent County after thunderstorms Heavy rain coming today, flooding possible in some parts of Michigan JACKSON, MI -- Though an initial murder charge has been dropped, a woman and her co-defendant will still head to trial for their alleged roles in a fatal shooting. Jennifer Denise Martin, 32, of Jackson, was bound over to circuit court Tuesday, April 4, on a charge of accessory after the fact to a felony, while a charge of open murder was dismissed with prejudice by Jackson County District Judge Michael Klaeren. Related: Jackson woman charged with murder in fatal party store shooting Martins codefendant, 34-year-old Desiree Johnson, was also bound over on an accessory after the fact charge. The charges stem from the shooting death of Markeithis Thomas-James Smith on Aug. 28, 2022. Accused shooter LeAndrew Martin -- Jennifer Martins ex-husband -- was arrested in Jackson, Mississippi on Sept. 2, 2022, less than a week after the fatal shooting which took place near the Greenwood Food & Beverage Party Store, 212 W. Biddle St. Quintella Cleve -- Smiths ex-girlfriend -- testified Tuesday that she had gone to the market the night of the shooting to buy a drink and was confronted by Martin and Johnson regarding previous feud between herself and the two women. Smith stepped in to break up the fight, at which point Martin let herself fall to the ground, pulling him down by his shirt, Cleve testified. Martin then said a phrase Cleve understood to be a signal to shoot someone. LeAndrew Martin is accused of pulling out a gun and firing four times, fatally wounding Smith. (Smith) dropped back down -- he never made it all the way back up, Cleve said. This alleged signal was the crux of the prosecutions argument for an open murder charge. In an interview with Sgt. Holly Rose of the Jackson Police Department, Martin claimed she only heard the shots after they were fired, but didnt see anything. During the interview, Martin speculated her ex-husband might have shot Smith in an attempt to protect her. The three defendants fled the scene in Martins vehicle after the shooting, police said. Klaeren bound the two women over to trial court on the charges of accessory after the fact, though he took issue with the charge of open murder. The judge found no convincing causal nexus between Cleve hearing Martin and LeAndrew Martin shooting Smith immediately afterward. People say all kinds of nasty, stupid stuff in the middle of a fight, Klaeren said. Dates for Martin and Johnsons next hearings in circuit court have not yet been scheduled. A jury trial for LeAndrew Martin is set to begin April 24 before circuit court Judge Susan Jordan, according to court records. More from the Jackson Citizen Patriot: An upcoming Jeep-focused event will help raise funds for homeless animals in Jackson Celebrate Easter in Jackson County with these events, from egg hunts to dinners Party City is closing its doors in Jackson after filing for bankruptcy Keys to the city awarded to Jackson Pastor James Hines, family of Al Glick KALAMAZOO, MI -- A Kalamazoo propertys number came up Monday night -- the former bingo hall is now slated for demolition following action by the Kalamazoo City Commission. The building at 328 E. Stockbridge Ave. is considered blight, according to city documents. Commissioners approved the demolition at its Monday, April 3, meeting without discussion, paving the way to create free space where the blighted building stands. A weathered and graffitied sign there reads Playerz Hall. The building has not hosted Bingo for years and now sits on a dilapidated parking lot, where visitors are greeted with graffiti. The city of Kalamazoo currently owns the property, Communications Manager Mike Smith said. The city will accept bids to award the demolition to a contractor. In 2022, the State of Michigan Land Bank Authority issued a request for proposals to county land banks for blight elimination projects. The county and city collaborated on the grant application, which was submitted in January. City staff identified the former bingo hall as an eligible blighted property. The demolition is expected to cost about $185,000. The state land bank will reimburse the costs. The structure must be torn down by Sept. 30, per city documents. Playerz Hall LLC was formed in November 2007. The companys last annual statement was filed in 2010, records show. The person associated with the LLC could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Numbers listed on bingo websites associated with the hall were disconnected, as of Tuesday. The building is currently the backdrop for a tree limb drop-off spot in its parking lot. It is also across the street from a city public services facility and next to other vacant buildings. A wood pile in front of 328 E. Stockbridge Ave., a former bingo hall that the city of Kalamazoo plans to demolish. Read more: Moon-bound Michigan native making monumental history, family says Kalamazoo offers city attorney job to Royal Oaks attorney New $6.3M event building at Kalamazoo Farmers Market is one step closer to reality LANSING, MI The Michigan Supreme Court has heard arguments from attorneys about who can have custody of a child born to an unmarried same-sex couple, based on a Kalamazoo County case. Carrie Pueblo, the non-biological mother of a child born in November 2008, should be allowed joint custody with her now-ex partner, attorney Reh Starks said during oral arguments on Tuesday, April 4, before the Michigan Supreme Court. Rachel Haas and Pueblo, both Kalamazoo County residents, had a civil commitment ceremony in 2007 because they could not legally marry. Haas later gave birth to a boy conceived through in vitro fertilization. Related: Whos allowed child custody after LGBTQ relationships? Michigan Supreme Court to decide. The couple broke up before gay marriage was legalized by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015. In 2017, Haas would not allow Pueblo to have any more contact with the child, according to Pueblo. There was no option for Pueblo to legally adopt the boy by the time of their breakup. Pueblo is asking the court to extend the equitable-parent doctrine to include her and others who are part of a population that was not thought about when the doctrine was made, Starks said. There is no need to create a new law. Unfortunately, Michigan law has not yet had the opportunity to keep up the modern family style, with the modern family dynamics, with a modern family composition, Starks said. And that is what were asking the court to do here today. Pueblo is willing to pay child support as well, Starks said. There is no need to change the equitable-parent doctrine, Haas attorney George Perrett said during arguments. The Michigan Child Custody Act had an update in 2012, that in part, set standards for when a third-party man can be a father. But Pueblo still wouldnt legally get parental rights, under those changes. Were messing around with things we need not mess around, Perrett said. The Legislature can address the issue if there is voter support, instead of the court, Perrett said. The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled in Haas favor, saying Pueblo had no legal case for custody, in part because they were never married and the commitment ceremony does not qualify as marriage, the appeals court opinion said. If they had married in another jurisdiction, the court said its opinion may have been different. Democrats have a 4-3 majority on Michigan Supreme Court. The fact of the matter is, if a civil commitment ceremony was the equivalent of marriage, there would have been no Obergefell (the case that legalized same-sex marriage), Perrett said. Sure, said Michigan Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Welch. Have you ever been to a heterosexual civil commitment ceremony? Uhhh, no, I have not, Perrett said. Why do you think that is? Welch said. Because of the prohibition on marriage, Perrett said. OK. Thank you, Welch said. Marriage shouldnt be the only way for same-sex couples to get custody, since same-sex marriage wasnt allowed for so long, Starks said. We are asking for the playing field to be leveled for both heterosexual and same-sex persons, Stark said. (We are) requesting a non-biased interpretation and open reading, so as to expand what is currently within Michigan law to apply the same -ex couples, so that they can achieve standing and get custody and parental rights that they so deserve. The court has until July 31 to issue an opinion on the case. Want more Kalamazoo-area news? Bookmark the local Kalamazoo news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Kalamazoo daily newsletter. More from MLive: Were pleading for help: Portage high schoolers stage walkout to protest gun violence Blighted bingo hall slated for demolition in Kalamazoo Kalamazoo County pauses land sale needed for downtown arena development Kalamazoo Township board votes against hiring fire chief candidate FRUITPORT TOWNSHIP, MI A popular cookie bakery with over 275 individual flavors is set to open in Muskegon County later this week. Crumbl Cookies, at 1720 E. Sternberg Road, Suite 40, will open on Friday, April 7. The bakery chain, started in 2017, has over 700 locations across the U.S. The bakeries feature a weekly rotating list of gourmet cookie flavors. The cookies are packaged up in recognizable pink boxes. The Muskegon County location is owned by Chris and Tami Lemay, who say they cant wait to serve delicious treats to cookie-crazed fans, according to a prepared statement. The store will be open 8 a.m.-10 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m.-midnight on Friday and Saturday. Store owners plan to hire around 60 employees for the new location. We are so excited to bring Crumbl to Muskegon, said Tami Lemay. We have family in Spring Lake and have enjoyed the past 15 summers in this beautiful area. It is a privilege to bring these cookies to this community and we cant wait to serve our friends and family while they celebrate some of lifes most exciting moments. The grand opening menu at Crumbl Cookies will include six of the bakerys rotating flavors. The more than 275 flavors served at Crumbl Cookies include flavors that have become popular on social media, like cornbread, cookies and cream, carrot cake, Smores, Key Lime pie, peppermint bark, caramel popcorn, buttermilk pancake and Galaxy Brownie. Beginning on the Fruitport Township locations opening day, customers can order in-person during the first five days of the stores opening. Starting April 12, customers can use the Crumbl phone app or go online at Crumbl.com for delivery, curbside pickup, catering and nationwide shipping. Crumbl app users can also collect loyalty crumbs to use toward free cookies. As local business owners, we are looking forward to sharing delicious cookies with our neighbors, the Lemays said. Individual cookies at Crumbl cost $4.50. A four-pack box costs $14.63 and a party box of 12 cookies is $38.25. The Muskegon County location will be the 17th Crumbl Cookies in Michigan. Other locations in the state include Ann Arbor, Bloomfield Hills, Grand Rapids, Holland, Kalamazoo, Mt. Pleasant and Royal Oak. More from MLive: Graze Craze charcuterie business opens in Grand Rapids Ottawa County board wants to weigh in on political issues outside their authority Hoffmaster State Park on Lake Michigan closes day area for several months MUSKEGON, MI The pace of a $130 million development on Muskegon Lake near downtown will pick up considerably this year, with construction expected to begin on a hotel, marina, townhomes and apartments. Construction has already begun on portions of the Harbor 31 development off of Shoreline Drive. Those includes several of the 30 homes in the Viridian Shores neighborhood and a senior citizen living community. Related: Whats being built along Shoreline Drive in Muskegon? A special place to live According to Harbor 31 LLC Partner Dan Henrickson, construction plans this year also include: Two four-story apartment/retail buildings, known as Harbor 31 Commons, that will front both sides of Terrace Street, the main access into the development. Construction on the 134 apartments likely will begin this spring. The complex will include 96 one-bedroom apartments, 20 two-bedroom apartments and 18 studio apartments. There also will be 10,000 square feet of retail/restaurant space. A 68-slip marina on which construction will begin this summer. The marina will include 46 60-foot slips and 22 30-foot slips. A 145-room flagship hotel that will be placed between Grand Valley State Universitys Innovation Hub and Shoreline Drive. Construction will begin this year on the hotel, the brand of which Henrickson declined to name. 20 townhomes known as The Meadows at Harbor 31 that will be next to the hotel. Each townhome will be 1,700 square feet with three bedrooms and a two-stall garage. Construction is expected to begin this summer. A pool and pool house that will be constructed this summer and will serve residents of Viridian Shores and The Meadows. Viridian Shores will be comprised of single-family homes, 12 of them on the waterfront and 18 off the water. All but four waterfront lots have been sold, and construction has begun on five of those homes, Henrickson said. Sales of waterfront lots have gone better than expected, likely because waterfront property is hard to find and Harbor 31 offers an affordable solution to get on the water, he said. An off-water model home has been completed, and an open house will be held on Saturday, April 22 during which tours of the model will be available, Henrickson said. Starting base prices in Viridian Shores are about $795,000 on waterfront homes and in the low $600,000s for off-water homes, he said. The homes on narrow lots are modern with flat roofs on which decks will be constructed. I think there will be a nice sense of community there, Henrickson said. Also planned for Harbor 31 are boat sales and rentals with a fuel dock, a waterfront restaurant with transient docks and/or possibly retail and an office building. Construction is expected to be completed next summer on the $25 million Harbor Terrace Senior Living community by Trilogy Health Services. The community will include a range of living options for seniors, from apartments to skilled nursing and memory care. Related: Whats being built along Shoreline Drive in Muskegon? A special place to live Eliminated from Harbor 31 were the waterfront Boardwalk Flats apartments due to the size of the wetlands in that area, Henrickson said. Planned on-demand indoor boat storage also has been eliminated, he said. A recent housing study conducted for the City of Muskegon found substantial need for housing for people of all income levels. Harbor 31 will help meet demand for moderate to high income housing, Muskegons Community Development Director Jake Eckholm told MLive/Muskegon Chronicle. The city plans to work with Harbor 31 to develop some public amenities, possibly a waterfront playground or fishing pier, Eckholm said. The 35-acre parcel is the site of a former Teledyne Continental Motors industrial facility and had some contamination and other challenges to its development. Originally designated as a SmartZone with tax incentives for technology-related development, the area previously was known as Edison Landing. It has had limited development over the past 20 years and a proposed casino never gained approval for development. Existing developments around which Harbor 31 features will be built include the Innovation Hub, a Parmenter Law office building and four residential condo units on the water. Some infrastructure was previously built, including the red paver brick Terrace Street entry with decorative Viridian Drive traffic circle. The Viridian Shores neighborhood is adjacent to the Terrace Point Landing subdivision of one- and two-family homes that was completed in recent years. Also under construction on Muskegon Lake is the $250 million Adelaide Pointe development. That development at the end of Western Avenue will include a 233-slip marina, hotel, condominiums, pool, restaurant, event space, boat sales and boat in/out storage service as well as public park-like amenities. Boat and RV storage and commercial incubator buildings have already been developed on portions of the 30-acre property. Also on MLive Historic housing crisis in Muskegon requires 3,000 new units in 5 years Hoffmaster State Park on Lake Michigan closes day area for several months Native perennials, including deer-resistant kits, for sale through conservation district BAY CITY, MI - Cannabis consumers in Bay City will now be able to enjoy their chosen products on-site at specifically licensed venues in town. Bay City amended its recreational marijuana facilities ordinances by adding a new designated consumption establishment special license. The ordinance defines a designated consumption establishment as a commercial space that is licensed by the Cannabis Regulatory Agency that allows adults 21 years of age or older to consume marijuana products on-site. This ordinance change was approved during the Monday, April 3 commission meeting. The ordinance amendment passed 6 to 2, with commissioners Joseph Rivet and Shelley Niedzwiecki casting the dissenting votes. Despite the ordinances success with the commission, it was met with some opposition from some members of the public. Jordan Ball, who is a member of the Bay County Marijuana Awareness Team, expressed concerns about second-hand smoke and its potential to expose non-smokers to THC. One huge thing is the difference between a bar and one of the consumption establishments, she said. The difference between the two is that someone can go into a bar with alcohol and decide not to use. Another member of the Bay County Marijuana Awareness Team voiced their concerns about the consumption facilities. Kaleigh Melnik said that she was concerned about the ordinances impact on underage individuals. Although this proposal is designated for individuals 21 and older, we must realize that youth use is going to increase as youth have a tendency to mimic those 21 and up, Melnik said. She added, Creating pro-substance social norms in our community will always affect the youth and propose an increased risk. Others also spoke in defense of the proposal to allow consumption facilities. Former Bay City commissioner Kerice Basmadjian countered the argument about youth consumption, explaining how the industry is highly regulated. Unlike a bar where anybody can walk into any bar, any restaurant and maybe get carded, maybe not depending on their looks - you cant even step foot inside a marijuana establishment without proper identification, Basmadjian said. They are old enough, it is a legal option, and its business, she said. Commission President Jessee Dockett also defended the proposal. For me looking at this, the only difference between a consumption lounge and a bar is that alcohol is a more socially acceptable drug, Dockett said. And if you really want to take it one step further, coffee shops are just another form of it, because caffeine is an even more socially acceptable drug. Dockett also emphasized the need to look at Bay Citys changing demographics and how the city should be positioning itself for them today. Because thats something that previous members of the community have gotten wrong so many times, and we keep relying on the old 1960s playbook, Docket said. We have to do something new. New rules Under the new ordinance changes, Bay City can now provide a total of five designated consumption licenses to qualified applicants. This is the second special license type allowed under Bay Citys ordinance. Bay City also allows for five excessive grower licenses in the city. The ordinances specify that any designated consumption establishments must be located on a real estate parcel in the city that is an adjacent license location or holds a valid and unexpired retail establishment licensed under the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act, or MRTMA. Any of these establishments must meet MRTMA requirements and rules to be eligible for their license through the city. These facilities are required to be physically separated from areas where smoking is prohibited and where smoking does not infiltrate into nonsmoking areas or buildings. The rules also prohibit the outdoor consumption or sale of marijuana, according to the city. Consumption facilities also must include a ventilation system that directs air from the consumption area to the outside of the building. The system must be able to remove visible smoke and eliminate odor at the property line. Read more from MLive A Hash Bash treasure hunt will benefit expungement efforts Skymint cannabis taken to court over $127M debt, enters receivership See which Michigan counties got $1M or more in marijuana tax KOCHVILLE TWP, MI Before law enforcement pulled dozens of sick cats from a Saginaw County animal rescue, the shelter had been targeted by numerous complaints regarding the welfare of its animals. Common themes run through the complaints leveled against Amazing Grace Animal Rescue, a nonprofit no-kill shelter at 3365 Freeland Road in Kochville Township. Descriptions of sick cats overcrowded into cages without room. Poor ventilation leading to oppressive odors. Ailing cats not receiving needed veterinary care. Adoptable pets not being spayed or neutered. Cats adopted and taken home, only to immediately come down with illnesses including ringworm, respiratory infections, and FIV. Several cats having to be euthanized shortly after being taken in by new owners. So pervasive and so longstanding were the health issues that one local veterinarian said they were crestfallen by ordeal. My history with Amazing Grace Animal Rescue has been long and, quite frankly, heartbreaking, the vet wrote in one complaint. The afternoon of March 6, sheriffs deputies served a search warrant on the facility after receiving several allegations regarding multiple public health violations, Undersheriff Mike Gomez previously said. Deputies and Saginaw County Animal Care & Control personnel found 237 cats and 16 dogs at the facility. They seized 27 severely sick cats in need of urgent veterinary care and took them to Animal Control, with a 28th cat seized the next day. 6 Dozens of severely sick cats seized from Saginaw County animal rescue Gomez said April 4 that investigators findings were sent to the Saginaw County Prosecutors Office the prior week for review, though a decision on whether to issue criminal charges has not yet been made. MLive on March 14 submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (or MDARD) seeking copies of all complaints the agency received regarding Amazing Grace since 2018. In response, MDARD on March 31 provided 10 complaints filed between Aug. 10, 2022, and March 14. Of the 10 complaints, three are from the Humane Society of Saginaw County. In one, President Liz Quarm attached a complaint she filed in March 2020 against Amazing Grace. Since I sent you this, Quarm wrote to MDARD, not only has nothing changed, if possible, things have gotten worse at this rescue. In one complaint, a man wrote he adopted a cat from Amazing Grace in October 2022, only to learn later it had FIP, a viral disease caused by certain strains of the feline coronavirus. The cat had to be euthanized. Another complainant penned in October they adopted a cat from Amazing Grace that had infections in its eyes. I got a cat and they told me it was the dust in the air that made his eyes goopy, the complainant wrote. Took him to the vet and found out he had feline herpes. The complainant went on to allege many other cats had the ailment and were not quarantined. There was easily 150 cats inside there and not enough room in the world for them all, the complainant wrote. It was the worst shelter I have ever gone to and all of those kittens and cats are sick. Another complainant writing on Feb. 20 stated she and her family stopped by Amazing Grace and were instantly struck by a noxious smell. The family saw cages overstuffed with sickly and thin cats who had no room to move. They need to comply with some rules for the safety and well being of these animals, or be shut down, the complainant wrote. This is not a rescue; it is more of a death sentence. Another complainant wrote in January she adopted a 2-month-old kitten from Amazing Grace and were told it was healthy. Once the kitten arrived home and didnt appear to be doing well, his new family took him to see a veterinarian. The vet check up informed me that the kitten was very unhealthy & the vet was surprised it was from a rescue cause of the bad shape the kitten was in, the complainant wrote. He had an upper respiratory infection, roundworms, and an eye infection. I believe our kitten would have eventually died if we did not adopt it & save it from this terrible rescue. Yet another complainant wrote he adopted a 5-month-old kitten from Amazing Grace in October 2022 and never received any contract information on getting her spayed or the rest of her vaccinations. While the man visited the shelter, he brought home an infestation of fleas, he added. The mans flea-infested kitten also grew sick on being taken home, though she later recovered, he wrote. Furthermore, the man wrote that while visiting the shelter, another cat sneezed blood on him. MLive also submitted a FOIA request to Saginaw County Animal Care & Control, likewise seeking complaints against Amazing Grace. Director Bonnie Kanicki provided numerous documents, including eight accounts penned by a veterinarian who had treated cats after they were adopted from Amazing Grace. In the early months of this year, Kanickis office received six complaints of animal care at Amazing Grace, coming from Quarm, a volunteer at Amazing Grace, a veterinarian, a professional pet groomer, and civilians. One of the complaints stated a couple adopted a cat only to have it die the next day. The veterinarian stated they had filed numerous complaints against Amazing Grace going back 10 years. Needless to say, my frustration with MDARDs lack of concern for the welfare of animals housed in a facility dubbed a Slow Kill Shelter has recently been reignited by the alarming increase in the number of owners seeking treatment for sick, diseased, or dying cats adopted from Amazing Grace Animal Rescue, wrote the veterinarian, whose name is redacted from the complaints. The veterinarian wrote they treated a cat adopted from Amazing Grace for ringworm in late 2017 or early 2018. When they called Amazing Grace Director Shawna Guiett to inform her of this, they received a stern denial and were hung up on, the complaint states. In November 2022, the same veterinarian detailed a case of an orange tabby kitten named Marty that was adopted from Amazing Grace, though its new owners did not have the chance to take him home. The family went to pick up Marty from the shelter on Nov. 13, 2022, only to find him unresponsive. The family came back the following day on being told Marty was getting better. They found Marty face down in his litter box and he died about 10 minutes later in the arms of his new owner, the veterinarian said. The imagine of Marty is burned in my brain, the veterinarian wrote. Of the 28 cats seized by authorities on March 6 and 7, all were diagnosed with upper respiratory infections, some had ringworm, one had FIV, and one had FeLV, analogous to leukemia. One of the cats died of bacterial pneumonia suspected to have been from an untreated respiratory infection. MDARD conducted its annual inspection of Amazing Grace on Oct. 17. The facility comprised 18 dog kennels, 70 cat cages, and four community animal rooms. Inspectors found several issues of concern requiring corrective action. Of those, four were classified as critical and two as priority. The majority of the cats in the isolation room exhibited signs consistent with upper respiratory disease, the report states. Multiple cats in all community rooms also exhibited upper respiratory signs, including the room in which FeLV-positive cats are housed. There must be a way to keep healthy cats safe from sick cats. While respiratory illness was present throughout the facility, the inspectors wrote they did not consider it so overcrowded as to be unsatisfactory. However, it would not take many more cats to reach that level, the report states. This is something that should be under close scrutiny and alternative options for housing of cats (i.e. increasing foster agreements) should be looked into. Another critical issue involved the accumulation of hair, debris, and rust within several dog kennels. A third critical matter related to animal sterilization contracts not being used. State law requires all dogs, cats, and ferrets six months or older that are adopted from shelters to be sterilized within 30 days. All animal younger than six months must be sterilized within 30 days after they become six months old. Fines and forfeiture of the animal are possible penalties. An appropriate spay/neuter contract must be created and utilized for all animals being adopted unaltered, the report states, adding this is the second time Amazing Grace had received such a write-up. An example was emailed to Ms. Guiett after (the) 2021 inspection, which was showed to us during this inspection. The director stated that she had not had time to edit or implement the contract. Guiett and her attorney C. Michael Gorte on March 8 met with Kanicki, sheriffs investigators, and two MDARD regulatory agents. The meeting resulted in an agreement wherein the remaining 209 cats at Amazing Grace would be immediately evaluated by a veterinarian, that the site would be decontaminated, and that any ill animals would be quarantined on-site. Amazing Grace remains in operation as of April 4. A fundraising event for the shelter announced before deputies served their warrant is set for 8 p.m. on April 14 at the Court Street Theatre, 1216 Court St. in Saginaw. The event is to feature a performance by local rock band Jedi Mind Trip, with tickets $20 for general admission and $35 for VIP. Read more: Inspection report details critical concerns at Amazing Grace Animal Rescue in Saginaw County Amazing Grace Animal Rescue strikes agreement with authorities after 28 cats seized, investigation ongoing Dozens of severely sick cats seized from Saginaw County animal rescue Teen paints pet portraits to raise money for Amazing Grace Animal Rescue SAGINAW, MI The founder of a Saginaw nonprofit said his organization resolved federal audit findings that could endanger $1.3 million in American Rescue Plan Act stimulus funds set aside for his operation. Youth Development Corp. founder Eric Eggleston told Saginaw City Council members at a Monday, April 3, meeting that his organization resolved all of the remaining issues cited in a 2020 federal audit tied to a grant. He said he planned to provide them documentation outlining those resolved matters within two weeks. Youth Development Corp., a nonprofit that provides education in trade skills to at-risk youths and outlined plans to build affordable housing in Saginaw, received the $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor three years ago. Egglestons Monday update about the audit was relevant to the Saginaw council because its members last month voted to withhold a previously-approved $1.3 million city-provided stimulus allocation to his nonprofit unless the audit issues were resolved within six months. Eggleston has remained defiant that his organization would resolve the findings outlined in the audit. The (Youth Development Corp.) stands ready, like we said at the beginning of this, to do that work, Eggleston told council members Monday. Were ready to go to work. Those audit issues were brought to light to the council earlier this year by representatives from Guidehouse, the consultant agency hired to help the city administer its $52 million American Rescue Plan Act fund. An agency representative warned of the considerable risk of Saginaw providing the stimulus funds to Youth Development Corp. unless those audit issues were resolved. That conclusion was based on Guidehouses review of the federal audit of Youth Development Corp.s financial records and accounting processes. Guidehouse consultant David Sernick said the federal report identified 13 findings relating to Youth Development Corp.s Department of Labor-provided funds. He said eight of the findings remained unresolved. On their (fiscal year 2020) audit, the auditors were unable to express an opinion due to the low-quality level of the financial records and accounting processes, Sernick wrote in a memo to the council. He warned the audit could lead to the federal government recouping the $1.5 million grant from the nonprofit. Eggleston has said Guidehouse omitted key details in its review of the audit, including that Youth Development Corp. was working with Department of Labor officials to resolve the outstanding issues. Youth Development Corp. in Saginaw is affiliated with the national YouthBuild program that provides job skills to youths. Read more on MLive: MSP captain on trooper beating Saginaw man: It made my stomach turn Grocery chains in talks to move into ex-Walgreens near old Saginaw fairgrounds Sold! Midland Mall auction ends with bid totaling nearly half 2018 sales price A near-total ban on abortions from 1931 was stricken from Michigan law Wednesday, further protecting access to abortion after voters placed that right in the state constitution last November. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer convened with lawmakers and reproductive rights advocates in Birmingham to sign the bills. Michiganders had enshrined the right to an abortion in Michigans constitution last November by a nearly 14% margin, formally nullifying the law and carrying Democrats to a historic victory. In November it passed and we spoke with one clear voice: No one is going to restrict our reproductive rights and freedoms in this state. No one, Whitmer said at the bill signing. We saw that abortion is and always will be a kitchen table issue. The 1931 law had made any abortion, except in a life-threatening situation, a crime for health care workers to perform. The repeal earned two Republican votes in the House but passed the Senate along party lines. Today, let us celebrate this victory. Lets celebrate the power of the voices and our collective action, said Nicole Wells Stallworth, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan. Let us recommit ourselves to the work ahead, knowing that together we can build a world where everyone has the freedom to make their own choices about their bodies and their future. Whitmer likened the law to a zombie, though many pro-choice activists strove to ensure the statute never rose from the grave. The three bills Whitmer signed Wednesday further solidified abortion access in the state, creating an additional hurdle for anti-abortion activists who might seek to one day roll back those protections. This predates Roe and is at threat of coming back to haunt us all, Whitmer said of the now-repealed law. The other two bills Whitmer signed repealed a law criminalizing publication of recipes for contraceptives or abortion-inducing drugs and another that details the sentencing guidelines for those now-former crimes. Right to Life of Michigan President Barbara Listing called the signing a dark day in a statement. For nearly all of the last 50 years the ban had been toothless, first invalidated by the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme court decision Roe v. Wade, which determined a womans right to an abortion was protected by the U.S. Constitution. Last June, the ban nearly went back into effect, when the high court reversed two prior rulings to place the final say on abortion rights back in the hands of states, in the 6-3 Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization ruling. Reproductive rights activists had been ready, anticipating an unfavorable ruling and further motivated by a bombshell leak of the draft decision in May. Planned Parenthood of Michigan had already filed a lawsuit and won a preliminary injunction the month before the ruling was published, temporarily blocking its enforcement. Whitmer had also filed a suit that ask a state court to rule the law unconstitutional and had gained another block on the law. As a result of that lawsuit and Planned Parenthoods legal work, we ensured that not for one single day access to abortion was not available to women, Whitmer said at the bill signing. Even as the ruling was released, plans had already been in motion to enshrine access to abortion in the Michigan constitution. In the months that followed the ruling, a legion of volunteers collected a record number of signatures to place the constitutional amendment on the November ballot, where it passed by a wide margin. The court blocks of the statute held until the constitutional change was made official Dec. 23, formally nullifying the old law. Read more on MLive: Un-ban a ban on bans? Michigan may reverse course on plastic bag restrictions. Some Michigan unions may wait years to realize right-to-work repeal changes Trumps arrest spurs Michigan GOP support but could hurt his 2024 campaign Michigan income tax to drop 0.2% this year, treasury says Conspiracies and a Holocaust meme mark the dawn of Karamos Michigan Republican Party For some unions in Michigan, the benefits of the right-to-work repeal signed into law last month may be years away. While no worker can be forced to join a union, repealing right-to-work means unions can again require non-members in unionized workplaces to regularly pay fees to the union, known as a union security agreement. But only if its in the unions collective bargaining agreement, the contract that determine the terms negotiated by that union with the employer. For the unions that dont, when the repeal goes into effect 90 days after the legislative session ends, nothing will change. Related: Michigans right to work is at deaths door. What will its legacy be? As contracts were renegotiated as right-to-work has been law in Michigan, labor attorney Richard Mack, Jr. said hes had to grapple with union clients who felt including the snapback provision thatd reinstate fees for non-members in the event right-to-work was repealed wasnt worth the effort. Some of them said, we dont care, go ahead, its a pipe dream. Others said no way, because it was a waste of time to even talk about it because it would never be repealed, Mack said in an interview. You kind of look back and assess how things could have been different if people would have known that, in less than 10 years, it would actually be repealed. Mack also encountered attorneys for employers during right-to-work who wanted the provision removed. They just felt it was something that company didnt want to do anymore, he said. Some smaller unions that first organized under right-to-work never included the provision in the first place. That wasnt really on our radar, being our first contract, said Kerri Beckman, a medical technologist at Upper Peninsula Health System - Marquette. She and her colleagues finalized their first collective bargaining agreement with the hospital last September. Were definitely now obviously discussing this and were very likely to bargain for that in the future, Backman said. Beckman said that, while no decisions have been made, theyll likely wait until their contract renews in September 2025. Their vote to form a union in March 2021 had been 159-13, indicating membership in the union is strong, and they continue to add members as staff at the hospital grows. One senior official from another union told MLive theyll be encouraging their members not to wait until their contract expires to renegotiate if they dont have the provision in place. Related: In right-to-work repeal, a big win for Democrats biggest donors Its difficult to determine just how many unions dont have the provision in their contracts. Most collective bargaining agreements arent easily viewable by the public and contracts vary enormously, Jennifer Root, executive director of SEIU Michigan, said. Our workers are standing much taller, theyre excited about this victory. Theyre certainly going to want to make it real in their workplaces, she said. For some of them, that will mean making sure its included in the contract again. Some major unions, such as the United Auto Workers, have retained the provision in contracts. Mark Brewer, an attorney and former Michigan Democratic Party chair whos worked extensively with organized labor, said he hasnt seen a union contract he could publicly discuss without the provision. I advised unions on this, I said, leave it in there, because some day we do hope to repeal right-to-work and this thing will become enforceable again, said in an interview. If you take it out, one, get something for taking it out, but two, know that youre gonna have to bargain it back in. A dispute over exterior lighting has shut down Gaylords newest dispensary. Exclusive Brands opened its eighth store in Gaylord on March 17. Shortly after, on March 28, the license for the store was revoked by the city. The store has been closed since. We just woke up one day and we didnt have a license, said Narmin Jarrous, chief development officer at Exclusive Brands. The revocation is in response to non-compliant lighting, said City Attorney Paul Slough. The dispensary was alerted to the issue in February and Jarrous attended a Feb. 27 city council meeting with the companys electrician to express that the repair was in the works. There was no formal violation issued and Jarrous believed the issue was fixed by opening day. Jarrous said the city did not contact the company about any further problems until the letter describing the revocation arrived on March 28. We were just surprised, she said. It didnt seem like a proportional response to the situation. The city maintains the lighting is still not compliant with the lighting plan that Exclusive Brands submitted and was approved. Slough said the emails from the zoning board and the verbal warning at the council meeting were Exclusive Brands notice that their license was in jeopardy. It is not in Gaylords ordinance to fine or temporarily suspend licenses, Slough said. As its written, the city manager has authority to revoke a license if the business is not compliant, he said. The city has warned other dispensaries that noncompliance could result in license revocation but the city has never revoked a license before, Slough said. Ordinance violations against Exclusive Brands include the incorrect lighting, a banner with the word cannabis, a tent in the parking lot and non-complaint curbside delivery. These violations also came as a surprise to Jarrous. The dispensary and the city disagree on what violations occurred at the grand opening event. Were just trying to get as much information as we can about these things because even if they were just thrown into the letter to pad it, its still not following the rules to a tee and we cant afford to do that, she said. Exclusive Brands became the first recreational marijuana retailer in the state when it opened its Ann Arbor store in December 2019. Jarrous, who has been overseeing the companys licensing since 2020, said she has never come across an issue like this. Frankly, cannabis companies are held to a different standard than other businesses, she said. I dont think its fair. But Ive accepted it. At the state level, a license cannot be revoked unless Michigans Cannabis Regulatory Agency has notified the business and given them an opportunity for a hearing to appeal the revocation. The Cannabis Regulatory Agency is aware of Exclusive Brands license revocation and is looking into, spokesperson David Harns said. The state did not play a role in this revocation. Harns added that local control is of paramount importance in compliance with the states 2018 ballot proposal approving recreational marijuana. At a city level, Slough said this license revocation is fair given the lengths dispensaries must go through to receive the license in the first place. The license is a privilege not a right, Slough said. They know coming in that they have to follow the rules if they want to operate in the city, he said. Jarrous shared the sentiment, saying she wants Exclusive Brands to have an open line of communication with the city to restore the relationship and avoid future issues. Exclusive Brands has the opportunity to repeal the license revocation at the next city council meeting on Monday, April 10. More on MLive: Michigans 2 marijuana lounges let you smoke inside. But will they take off? Skymint cannabis taken to court over $127M debt, enters receivership Black market battles, plummeting prices: a look at Michigan marijuana in 2022 Mold is all around us, but what happens if you smoke moldy marijuana? GREEN CHARTER TOWNSHIP, MI A small rural community cut by U.S. 131 and the Muskegon River has become a geopolitical battleground. The tension stems from a proposed electric vehicle battery plant that has ties to China. Gotion announced plans last year to invest $2.4 billion and create 2,350 jobs at two sprawling battery plants in Big Rapids and Green Charter Township. Intense scrutiny swirling around Gotions Chinese parent company has led to packed public meetings, scrutiny from lawmakers and a reported pause on the Big Rapids plant. Criticism grew louder in recent months as strained relations between U.S. and China frayed over export controls, spy balloons and TikTok. The latest flashpoint happened when Green Charter Township moved an April 5 panel discussion to an online-only meeting out of security concerns. This is merely being hosted by Green Township with the intent of trying to get actual information out instead of fearmongering propaganda, said Green Charter Township supervisor Jim Chapman. Related: Chinese battery manufacturer to bring $2.4B investment, up to 2,350 jobs to Big Rapids The project was put under a microscope after it received $715 million in state incentives including a 30-year tax break valued at $540 million and two grants totaling $175 million. Both the Big Rapids Township board and U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Midland, asked for a federal of review Gotions plans. Former Michigan gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon, a vocal opponent, called the project suspect on Fox News last week. And Michigan Sen. John Damoose, R-Harbor Springs, questioned who owns Gotion during a Senate Appropriations Committee meeting last month. Ive dug into this and Im having a hard time finding any real answers about Gotion, Damoose said. Meanwhile, Green Charter Township is trying to soothe concerns. Representatives from Gotion, Ferris State University, economic development group The Right Place and utility and public safety experts will answer questions submitted by the public during the panel discussion. The township posted all 149 questions online. Only one submission from an anonymous person was excluded because it included 47 questions. We only have 2 hours to discuss things, the township said. Chapman said the virtual format will be more conducive for the panel discussion after threats and calls for large protests. Those people who have questions are not going to come, and all youre going to have are those that want to protest and make a scene, Chapman said. So, there was no other way around this. Related: How Ferris States partnership with Chinese manufacturer will help bring thousands of jobs to region Critics have taken aim at Gotions alleged ties to the Chinese government. Gotion is a U.S. wholly-owned subsidiary of the Chinese company Gotion High Tech. The publicly-held company established its headquarters in the Silicon Valley area in 2014. But a conservative website called The Midwesterner reported that Gotion High Techs corporate bylaws require loyalty to the Chinese Community Party. This claim was mentioned by Moolenaar in an op-ed published by the Detroit News last week. Michigan needs more manufacturing and more jobs, but it is crucial to have the right partners investing in our state, Moolenaar wrote. The CCP should not be that partner and no company, or its subsidiaries, that is committed to carrying out [Chinese Communist] Party activities should be building facilities in our state. Chuck Thelen, Gotions vice president of North American operations, disputes those claims saying there is not a slim chance of any political party influencing the battery maker. No person on the leadership team is a CCP member. There is no CCP organization or influence to the NA (North America) operation, he said in a statement on Green Charter Townships website. Gotion is not the only electric vehicle investment being scrutinized. A $3.5 billion Ford plant in Marshall has faced pushback for licensing technology from Chinese battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited. Fords chief government affairs officer Chris Smith addressed confusion and misinformation saying the government of China has no role in the plant. Related: Ford says Chinese government has no role in $3.5B Michigan plant Theres a lot of paranoia about Chinese investment, said University of Michigan professor Mary Gallagher. Concerns stem from the possibility of Chinese-state-owned companies investing in other countries, but Gallagher says an American owned subsidiary would have less of a direct relationship to the Chinese Communist Party. Protective measures like the Council on Foreign Investment in the United States can vet companies. The U.S. Treasury Department declined to comment on the requests for federal reviews of Gotion. We should use those for any company that comes in to invest in the state of Michigan and not necessarily try to block Chinese investments simply because its from China, said Gallagher, an expert in Chinese politics, law and society, and labor politics. In particular because this is an area where the U.S. really needs foreign technology to be competitive globally. Six Chinese companies are among the top 10 global leaders in electric vehicle battery production. The United States, trying to catch up with electric vehicle manufacturing, is attracting more companies like Gotion after a recent law offered subsidies for domestic production. Michigan has won more than $16 billion of electric vehicle projects since 2015. It takes a lot of research and deliberation to figure out how can we continue to make Michigan a leader in this industry, which is a global industry, but at the same time taking into account the concerns people have about the Chinese government, Gallagher said. The Gotion plant, which will produce cathodes and anodes for electric vehicle batteries, was initially celebrated as a win for Mecosta Countys economy. Chapman said the plant will occupy an industrial zone set up 20 years ago that has gone nowhere. There are people here that need opportunities, and this is going to bring it, Chapman said. The countys poverty rate of 19.1% hovers above the states 13.1%, census data shows. Mecosta Countys household median income of $48,440 is 26% lower than Michigans $63,498 median. Average hourly wages at the Gotion plant are expected to pay $29.42, according to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. The panel discussion is taking place on the Green Charter Township website at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 5. More on MLive: At $16B, Michigan top state for electric vehicle investments Switching to EVs will save nearly everyone money and reduce carbon emissions, study says Fords $3.5B plant bringing jobs and disappointment for Marshall residents Need to get caught up quickly with whats happening at Reckon? Subscribe to the Reckon Report for a weekly rundown. After turning himself in to New York authorities on Tuesday, Donald Trump is now the first former American president to face criminal charges. The 45th president is facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records and that could lead to jail time. But he isnt the first president or high-ranking political official to be implicated in criminal activity. The Watergate Scandal Arguably one of the most popular scandals of them all, the Watergate Scandal saw five men breaking into the Democratic National Committees headquarters in D.C.s Watergate Hotel back in 1972. Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, aided by an informant - Deep Throat - first broke the news of this development. They followed a trail of key information provided by the anonymous whistleblower that eventually led to incriminating tape recordings made of conversations held in the Oval Office by President Richard Nixon and his administration. Facing a potential impeachment for breaking the law, Nixon stepped down as president and was later pardoned by his successor and second vice president President Gerald Ford. Close to a dozen of President Nixons associates and advisors got prison terms. But for Nixon, the man known as Tricky Dick, did not. Teapot Dome Scandal On April 2nd, 1922, President Warren Harding transferred control of two large oil reserves Elk Hills in California, and Teapot Dome in Wyoming from the U.S. Navy to his Secretary of Interior, Albert Fall. Fall then released control of those oil reserves to two oil tycoons. Elk Hills went to Edward L. Doheny of the Pan American Petroleum Company while Teapot Dome went to Harry F. Sinclair of Mammoth Oil. Congressional investigations into the Teapot Dome Scandal revealed that Fall received as much as $400,000 (equivalent to about $7 million today) from at least one of the oil tycoons for the land leases, which was eventually terminated by Congress. The Secretary was convicted of accepting bribes and became the first sitting cabinet member to be imprisoned for one year Although President Harding was never personally implicated by this scandal, historians stated that the stress took a toll on his health and the 57-year-old died in office. Iran-Contra Affair In the early 1980s, President Ronald Reagan faced two major issues: an Islamist militant group with ties to Iran had taken American hostages in Lebanon and a new revolutionary communist government has just been established in Nicaragua. His administration came up with a plan of selling arms to Iran in hopes that the terrorists would release the hostages, then give a portion of the profits from those sales to provide military support to the Contras the anti-communist rebels in Nicaragua. The plan was completely illegal. Since most of the funds for the Contras originated from the drug trade, Congress had previously passed the Boland Amendment, banning the U.S. government from funding the rebels. There was also a U.S. trade embargo with Iran at the time, which meant both selling arms to Iran and funding the Contras broke U.S. laws. When the news broke of the Iran arms deal, President Reagan initially denied any negotiations with the terrorists, something he famously said hed never do. But he later admitted to the illegal trade in a televised address to the nation. Reagan also denied knowing the full extent of his administrations actions but took full responsibility for them. Congressional hearings followed, but there were no convictions made. Chappaquiddick incident While these next two scandals didnt occur with former or sitting presidents, they did prevent two promising presidential candidates who were practically next in line, from reaching the Oval Office. U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy was a member of the prestigious political family who produced President John F. Kennedy, along with U.S. Attorney General and promising presidential candidate Robert Kennedy. But Ted Kennedys chances of following his brothers footsteps were cut short by his role in the death of a 28-year-old woman. Kennedy drove his car off a small bridge on Chappaquiddick Island in Massachusetts on July 18, 1969, with Mary Jo Kopechne as the sole passenger in it. Kopechne reportedly drowned in the car and was found the next morning. Kennedy claimed to have tried to rescue Kopechne, but later said that hed been injured and disoriented after the accident. Ten hours had passed before Kennedy reported the incident to law enforcement. He was never charged and got re-elected to his senate seat. But the scandal may have cost him his only chance at the White House in 1980. Incumbent President Jimmy Carter was selected as the Democratic Partys nominee that year. Carter lost to Reagan. VP Spiro Agnews Resignation Less than a year before President Nixon stepped down from office, his first vice president, Spiro Agnew, became the second VP to resign after being accused of tax evasion and bribery. Before becoming vice president, Agnew was a Baltimore County executive and served as governor of Maryland. In 1973, he was implicated in taking bribes and kickbacks that reportedly began during his previous roles and continued into his tenure as vice president. Despite his September 1973 declaration of not resigning if indicted, Agnew left the office in October in exchange for a plea bargain that kept him out of jail. Nixon appointed then-U.S. House Representative Minority Leader Gerald Ford as Agnews replacement. President Grants Arrest President Ulysses S. Grant was arrested in 1872 for speeding on a Washington street, where he had been driving a two-horse carriage. He and several of his friends had apparently been racing each other. And this was his second time speeding in two days. The first led to a warning issued by the policeman who stopped the president. Grant was arrested along with his friends and taken to a police station. He put up a $20 bail that what was described as collateral in the news. This sum would be equivalent to $500 today. While this wasnt covered by the press at the time, the incident came to light in a published interview with the policeman, William West, who pulled over the 18th U.S. President. West spoke with The Sunday Star of Washington years later in 1908. According to this news account, President Grant was good-natured about the arrest and even drove West in his own carriage to the police station to process Grants arrest. The case against the president and the other men was heard in Police Court the next day. The judge put up heavy fines against President Grants friends, who protested and criticized Officer Wests conduct. But when President Grants name was called, the news account reports that there was no response and his $20 was forfeited. 05.04.2023 LISTEN A renowned Ghanaian rapper Flowking Stone, known as Kwaku Nsia Boama, has revealed that he deliberately refused to move to Accra to prove that success is possible in Kumasi. According to Flowking Stone, most Kumasi-based musicians relocate to Accra, the national capital, believing it is the only way to make it big in the music industry. However, Flowking Stone chose to stay in Kumasi to inspire up-and-coming rappers that they could achieve their dreams anywhere in Ghana. From 2003 till date, it was always about Kumasi. I was supposed to move to Accra to compete with the big rappers but I decided to stay to let them [young rappers] know you can make it in Kumasi," he said in an interview on Adom TV's Showtime. Flowking Stone now sees himself as a pillar for musicians in Kumasi, helping pave the way for success that starts from the Ashanti regional capital. Though Accra undoubtedly offers more opportunities, Flowking Stone has proved that dedication, talent and hard work can lead to prominence from anywhere. The rapper continues to live and work in Kumasi, though not active in recent times, has released hit songs and mentoring young artistes seeking to make a name for themselves. In January, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders tweeted a promise that she'd keep the Yankee revenues away from the Razorback state. "As long as I am your governor, the meddling hand of big government creeping down from Washington DC will be stopped cold at the Mississippi River," she said. As long as I am your governor, the meddling hand of big government creeping down from Washington DC will be stopped cold at the Mississippi River. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) January 17, 2023 Now, in the aftermath of devastating tornados that ripped through the state, Hucksterbee is demanding a handout from the meddling hand. "The federal government is currently covering 75 percent of all costs incurred during our recovery process, but that arrangement must go further to help Arkansans in need," she said in a statement. "Today, I'm asking the federal government to cover 100 percent of all our recovery expenses during the first 30 days after the storm." On the night of the Nominees Announcement Show for the 24th Vodafone Ghana Music Awards, a one-week provisional window for addressing errors and omissions was announced. Following this announcement, a number of well-meaning stakeholders made several submissions to the Board. These concerns have been reviewed and responses have been sent to the various petitioners. One of the submissions made, which has generated high public interest is Jay Bahds inclusion in the Best New Artiste category. After deliberations, the Board agrees that Jay Bahd is not new to the scheme, because of his shared nomination on Yaw Togs Sore for Collaboration of the Year in 2021. This means, hes not eligible as a nominee for the Best New Artiste category of the 24th Vodafone Ghana Music Awards. The error has been corrected, and Jay Bahd and his team have been informed accordingly. The inconvenience is deeply regretted. The Board would like to express its sincere gratitude to Academy Member Austin Woode, for taking advantage of this errors and omissions window to help correct this oversight. To the general public, we are extremely grateful for the level of engagement, submissions, and contributions during this one-week provisional window. We trust that this will lead to a more robust scheme for the industry. To this end, we would like to notify the general public and stakeholders of the VGMA Review scheduled within 90 days after this years edition. Thus, anyone with ideas or concerns about the scheme should kindly send an email to [email protected] Finally, do note that grand finale of the 24th Vodafone Ghana Music Awards is now slated for the 6th of May, 2023. The event will come off at the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre, and will show live on TV3, and worldwide via the Ghana Music Awards socials. Actor Harold Amenyah and his newly wedded wife, Irene 05.04.2023 LISTEN Ghanaian actor Harold Amenyah has pushed back against criticism claiming his new bride is not beautiful enough to be his wife. Amenyah insisted that love and character matter more than appearance after trolls attacked his bride on social media following their wedding. Amenyah tied the knot with his longtime girlfriend Irene on Saturday, April 1, but she faced vicious trolling questioning how he could marry a woman unbefitting of him in terms of looks. However, Amenyah rejected such comments and shallow judgements, tweeting "My wife is so beautiful!" almost a week after their wedding. Amenyah's public defense of his wife in the face of online harassment and bullying reflects his belief that a person's worth should never be reduced to physical attractiveness. His tweet emphasizes that love go beyond the surface, and a life partner's character, kindness and joy matter far more than appearance. Information available to our regional correspondent revealed that two persons were shot dead in Bawku at separate locations. The first incident happened at about 5pm on 3rd April around Yirongo where a tricyclist was shot dead. The second incident involved three immigration officers who were returning from a food joint. They were shot by unknown gunmen near Bawku police station at Sabon-gari killing one officer instantly and injuring two others. The two were rushed to Bawku Presbyterian Hospital. One was later referred to Tamale Teaching Hospital for treatment and the other officer still responding to treatment at Bawku Presbyterian Hospital. The immigration officers are stationed in Bawku. There has been gun battles in Bawku since November 2021 between the Kusasis and Mamprusi tribes who lived happily together and intermarried. Scientists have detected rapidly rising levels of five ozone-damaging chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, in the atmosphere. These are harmful chemicals have been banned globally since 2010 because of the threat they pose to the environment. In a study published this week in Nature Geoscience , a team of international researchers said the source of the emissions needed to be investigated because, if left unchecked, they posed a threat to the climate. Used mostly in air-conditioning, refrigeration, fire extinguishers and as aerosol propellants, CFCs are human-made greenhouse gases that are thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide. Their ability to degrade the ozone layer protecting the Earth from the Sun was a discovery that earned Mario Molina and Sherwood Rowland the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1995. The global phase-out of CFCs between 1987 and 2010, under the Montreal Protocol, is seen as a triumph of environmental cooperation with a UN report in January confirming the ozone layer was healing and is expected to recover by the 2060s. Policy loophole Despite the ban, three types of CFCs are still allowed be used as feedstocks to manufacture alternative chemicals such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) themselves dangerous greenhouse gases whose use is being reined in. Companies using CFCs are supposed to destroy any leftover chemicals and ensure leaks are contained, while CFC feedstock material is meant to be almost nonexistent in the products it's used to develop. Nevertheless, scientists say the continued use of these three CFCs explains why their emission levels have risen in the atmosphere. Mystery sources More puzzling, however, are the origins of the two remaining CFCs (CFC-13 and CFC-112a), which are not needed to make HFCs and which have no current known uses. We don't really know where it's coming from, and that's really a bit scary, said report co-author Stefan Reimann, a researcher at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology. If emissions continue to climb, they risk negating some of the progress made in healing the ozone, as well as further contributing to dangerous levels of global warming. Emissions of these few gases are at the same level as the emissions of all greenhouse gases in Switzerland, Reimann told journalists. Being from Switzerland that's really something which boggles me. The report's findings are to be discussed at a meeting of the Montreal Convention, with countries likely asked to investigate the source of the CFC emissions. The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has confirmed the shooting of its officers at Bawku on Monday, March 3. A statement released by the Service disclosed that the officers that were shot were off-duty and driving a private car at the time of the shooting. Three officers of the Immigration Service were shot at while driving from Bawku to Missiga resulting in the death of 42-year-old Philip Motey. The other two officers, Eric Ayibiya, 30, and Laurence Afri, 42, were also shot multiple times and are currently receiving treatment at the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital. The Service in its statement condemned the dastardly act and disclosed that a high-powered delegation will be sent to Bawku to review the security situation to ensure the safety of officers in the Command. The Ghana Immigration Service Management condemns the dastardly attack in no uncertain terms and wishes to assure all Officers and Men that the Service will take necessary measures to ensure their safety. Meanwhile, a high-powered delegation is scheduled to visit the Sector Command to review the security situation in relation to the operations of Immigration Officers in the Command. It also indicated that the Service will collaborate with other security agencies to apprehend the culprits. The GIS, the Ghana Police Service and other agencies will collaborate to investigate and find the culprits of the attack. The Service wishes to assure the general public that Its personnel are resolute and will continue to protect the borders against the infiltration of criminal elements. The reasons for the shootings are unknown but some residents blamed the killings on the long-running Bawku ethnic conflict. -Citinewsroom Newmont Africa has awarded Alberta Agyapomaa Tawiah for emerging as the 2022 Best Female Graduating Student in Mining Engineering at the George Grant University of Mines and Technology (UMaT). Alberta graduated with a Cumulative Weighted Average (CWA) of 87.41%, making her the Overall Best Female Graduating Student of the year, and recipient of the Newmont Africa award. The Newmont Africa award was instituted in 2019 to recognize females who excel in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) related courses at the University. It includes a cash donation (Ghana Cedi equivalent) of One Thousand Dollars (US$1,000.00), a laptop computer, and an automatic National Service opportunity with the company, which Alberta has already begun at Newmonts Akyem mine. Commenting on the award, Ms. Adiki Ayitevie, the Vice President, Sustainability and External Relations at Newmont Africa said, the aim of this award is to recognize and celebrate the achievements of outstanding female students in Mining Engineering who have shown dedication in their course of study, and to encourage more women to pursue careers in the mining industry and STEM-related fields. Throughout her mining engineering programme, Alberta maintained high academic standards, completing her first year with a CWA of 86.01%, and in the second year, winning the Chamber of Mines Best Female Student in Mining Engineering Award with a CWA of 86.13%. We are extremely proud of Alberta and congratulate her for such an outstanding achievement, Ms. Ayitevie added. Newmonts Global University Strategy Newmont Africas Best Female Graduating Student in Mining Engineering Award was established in line with the companys Inclusion value and its Global University Strategy. The Strategy enables the company to, among other things, build a pipeline of brilliant academic talent, with the potential to meet future human resource needs, while also helping to bridge the gap between academia and industry. Other initiatives under University Strategy are the Newmont Graduate Programme, a two-year Development Programme for new university graduates, and the Internship Programme, which offers one-three months of practical experience to selected continuing students. Through these programmes, Newmont Africa provides opportunities for students in tertiary institutions and graduates to gain practical skills, valuable work experience, and a deeper understanding of the mining industry. 05.04.2023 LISTEN The Health Director at the Ahafo Ano South West District of the Ashanti Region, Dr Rubben Bedzra, has disclosed that, some teenagers in the district got pregnant for chasing over a Gh20 for sanitary pad. According to him, most of the teenagers who reported to health facilities in the district after interrogations disclosed that, they succumbed to proposals from men in order to get money for sanitary pads during their menstrual period. Dr Bedzra disclosed this on the Kumasi based OTEC 102.9 FM's morning show Nyansapo, on Tuesday April 4, 2023 hosted by Captain Koda. "While the causes of teenage pregnancies in the area are many, one of the problems which runs through almost all victims was poverty, most of the teenagers who confided in us said they were forced into bed after the men provided them with sanitary pads for a period of time," he stated. Teenage Pregnancies The Ghana Health Service disclosed that, pregnancy among teenagers between 10 to 14 years was on the rise in the Ahafo Ano South West District of the Ashanti Region. According to GHS, 18 per cent of the total 460 teenage pregnancies recorded in the district for the year 2022 were between the 10 to 14 year age brackets. The situation according to GES is destroying the future of many young girls in the area Dr Bedzra expressed concern over the alarming rate of teenage pregnancies in the district, calling on all stakeholders to join the fight against the menace. "I am encouraging all stakeholders in the district to see this development as a huge burden that needs urgent attention". "The lives of most of our young girls are being destroyed because of this very issue that is why I believe such workshops are very important," he emphasised. A workshop for gender experts, focal persons of the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre from the 15 ECOWAS Member States, has commenced this Monday 3rd April 2023, in Saly-Mbour, a town 80km from Dakar, Senegal. The main aim of the workshop, holding from 3rd to 5th April 2023, is to evaluate the role and performance of the gender focal points and to identify ways to build capacity to enhance their performance in supporting the implementation of EGDC programmes in Member States under ECOWAS Vision 2050. The workshop was officially declared open by Prof Fatou Sow Sarr, ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs. In more specific terms, the workshop aims to facilitate an update of the database of Gender Focal Points and a multiyear planning of programmes, projects and activities of the EGDC to be carried out in the Member States. Furthermore, the workshop affords an opportunity to introduce the content of ECOGO (Ecowas Gender Observatory), which is an information sharing and awareness creation platform. It is being funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and aims to strategically position the EGDC as an agency of reference responsible for implementing ECOWAS Gender Policy. Besides the Gender Focal Points from Member States, representatives of ECOWAS Institutions, Specialised Agencies and Directorates, Civil Society Organisations and technical partners such as UN-Women, UNDP, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Spanish Cooperation, are also taking part in this workshop. After welcoming the participants, H.E. Stephan S. Sambou, Head of the ECOWAS National Office in Senegal emphasized the importance of gender for key sectors of ECOWAS such as trade, free movement of persons and goods, political and social activities, socio economic development programmes, etc. In her keynote address, delivered on behalf of Mrs Sandra Oulate Fattoh, Director of the EGDC, Mrs Salimata Thiam, the Principal Programme Officer, Gender, gave a brief history of the ECOWAS Gender Centre. She also recalled that The main purpose of EGDCs Gender Focal Points is to get closer to stakeholders in the Member States and to create the appropriate framework for executing the centres mandate...in the context of the new ECOWAS Vision 2050...To follow up on the adoption of its new 2023-2027 Strategic Plan, the EGDC has deemed it necessary to reconnect with the Gender Focal Points to share new programme implementation strategies. Subsequently, representatives of technical partners, notably Spanish Cooperation and UN-Women, delivered their respective solidarity messages. Speaking, Javier Vega, Coordinator for Spanish Cooperation, Senegal emphasized his country's choice to orient and anchor its feminist policy on the AU 2063 Agenda and on MDG 5 (gender equality and empowerment), before reaffirming his institution's commitment to pursue cooperation with ECOWAS and the EGDC. The workshop was declared open by Prof Fatou Sow Sarr, ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs. In her opening remarks, she pointed out that ECOWAS had very early on affirmed its commitment to the global agenda promoting gender equality and women empowerment. We have in each of our Member States, national gender development mechanisms, Gender Focal Points, women and youth groups and organisations extremely committed to the fight against social inequalities and to strengthening women leadership in politics, the economy and society. It is therefore in a bid to further harness the various contributions of all actors that ECOWAS Department of Human Development and Social Affairs, through the EGDC, has initiated this framework for sharing and consultation. The ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC) was established in 2003 by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government. It was established as a Specialised Agency of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) responsible for initiating and facilitating capacity building through knowledge-based training and skills transfer, development and management of programs for women and men in the public and private sectors to address gender equality and women and girl-child empowerment in ECOWAS integration programs. From inception, the Centre has developed technical and financial assistance programmes for women, men, the youth and children including: the Scholarship Programme, Support Programme for Women and Girls suffering from Obstetric Fistula, Support Programme for Women Processors of Agricultural, Fishery and Handicraft Products, Support Programme for Civil Society Organisations involved in gender development (notably REPSFECO and ROAJELF), Support Project for the Protection of Children Victims of Rights Violations (PAPEV) in six Member States, the 50 Million Women Speak Project, etc. As French President Emmanuel Macron starts his four-day visit to China, he will have to keep in mind Beijing's attitude on several crucial questions. These include democracy in Hong Kong and the status of the independent nationalist island of Taiwan. 1. China France severed relations with Taiwan in 1964 in order to open diplomatic channels with Beijing. Mainland China insists that a ny country wishing to establish diplomatic relations must accept the One China principle in writing. This involves the recognition that China is one country and that Taiwan, which has its own, independent government but is seen by Beijing as a province, is an inseparable part of the mainland. Since the Communist Party established the People's Republic of China in 1949 and drove the remnants of the nationalist KMT party to Taiwan after the civil war, Taipei is today recognised by only 13 countries, mainly Pacific and Caribbean mini-states and the Roman Catholic Vatican. Last week, Honduras became the latest to swap sides. From China's perspective, Taiwan will, one day, return to "the motherland," if not in a peaceful way, then by force. 2. 'One country, two systems' France has a consulate in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, and another in Hong Kong, just 15 minutes away by train. In theory Hong Kong is part of another political system, parallel to the communist structure that is prevalent on mainland. One Country, Two Systems is the policy that became popular under Chinese strongman Deng Xiaoping who was China's de-facto leader until his death in 1997. The idea was intended to smooth Hong Kong's transition from British colony back to Chinese rule, with the promise that the territory could keep its limited democracy and independent political system. This hybrid structure was intended to serve as a carrot to lure Taiwan back into the fold. But after massive pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong in 2019, Beijing imposed the National Security Law in 2020, cracked down hard on dissent, attacked the independent judiciary and killed the embryonic democracy. One Country, Two Systems is now dead, and people in Taiwan have completely lost their appetite for eventual reunification if they ever had any. 3. Principles A brainchild of former CCP leader Jiang Zemin who said the CCP should represent "the advanced productive forces, the orientation of China's culture and the fundamental interests of the ... Chinese people." These vague slogans were w idely ridiculed for their puzzling language. But in practice, Jiang's Three Principles policy appeared to be aimed at emancipating private entrepreneurs, giving them legitimacy after decades of Communist repression, and allowing businesspeople to become party members. Many businesspeople saw their opportunity and became billionaires, forming entities that current leader Xi Jinping saw as threatening. With unrelenting anti-corruption measures he cracked down hard on them, some were 'disappeared' or locked up, others (like retail giant Alibaba's CEO Jack Ma) saw their empires cut to pieces. One billionaire, Desmond Shum, who ran the Evergrande real estate giant, now lives in exile in the UK. He describes in his book Red Roulette how he enjoyed 100,000 euro meals in France. Another, billionaire, the actress Zhao Wei, who owns a chateau in France, mysteriously disappeared from public view. 4. Basic guidelines Paris briefly became the base for dissidents fleeing the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown in Beijing. The protesters were calling for a more transprarent China, less corruption and the exploration of political avenues outside the grip of the CCP, in violating the Four Basic Guidelines." Also thought up under Deng Xiaoping, these set rigorous limits to free expression, obliging Chinese citizens to stick to the socialist road, uphold the dictatorship of the proletariat and the leadership of the Communist Party. It is also unwise to talk about the independence of Tibet or Taiwan, promote the Falun Gong movement, or challenge the CCP's primacy. 5. Peaceful co-existence Viciously attacking French semi-official delegations to Taiwan, China's ambassador to France, Lu Shaye, is probably the most agressive of China's "wolf warriors", representing a new brand of agressive diplomacy sanctioned by Xi Jinping. Chinese foreign policy is generally guided by principles cooked up by Mao Zedong's legendary Prime Minister, Zhou Enlai, in the 1950s when China launched itself as the leader of developing countries that were not aligned to either of the cold war blocs. In general, these principles still rule China's diplomacy today, and Chinese diplomats continue to stress their importance: mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, non-aggression, non-interference in internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, peaceful coexistence. The principles put China in an awkward position after Russia invaded Ukraine last year. Beijing refused to directly criticise this violation of the "Five Principles," but observers say China is far from happy with Moscow's behaviour. Meanwhile, Beijing seems to be moving towards taking a more active role in global diplomacy. In February, China published a 12-point peace plan as a solution for the Ukraine crisis and seems to present itself as a global powerbroker. In the same month, Beijing brokered a deal between arch-enemies Iran and Saudi Arabia. For France, China's increasingly assertive diplomacy has consequences in the Pacific where French interests in New Caledonia and French Polynesia now directly border Chinese footholds in Pacific territories like the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Fiji. An aide to former President John Dramani Mahama has expressed optimism at the new crop of leaders emerging within the National Democratic Congress (NDC) party. Joyce Bawa Mogtari, who is a legal practitioner, tweeted her praise for the increasing number of young candidates of diverse professional backgrounds contesting parliamentary slots for the NDC. Seeing so many young women and men vying for parliamentary seats in the various constituencies on the ticket of the NDC warms my heart greatly! We must be doing something right!, she wrote on Tuesday, April 4. Ms. Mogtari's comment suggests that the NDC is nurturing promising future leaders who can rejuvenate the party and better represent citizens' interests. It also indicates the potential for a generational shift in Ghanaian politics as older leaders make way for a new wave of youthful and dynamic MPs. As she stated, several youths have picked up and filed their nominations to contest the upcoming 2024 polls, examples among them being John Dumelo, Fred Nuamah, Edem Agbana and others. Street Fighter is in the middle of a massive boom in popularity. The collapse of the arcade scene at the dawn of the 21st century caused a plethora of video game genres to fall from grace. One of the genres that suffered the steepest decline from the death of arcades was the fighting game genre. Consequently, only Street Fighter and a handful of other franchises were able to survive in the post-arcade landscape due to the strength of their brand. Flashforward to the present, and Capcom is readying the release of the hotly anticipated Street Fighter 6 in June of this year. Since we've finally reached a point in technology where online play can rival the experience of local play, fighting games are starting to make a resurgence in popularity, and Street Fighter 6 is leading the charge. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Street Fighter's buzz is going to spread to the world of film and television as Legendary Studios has acquired the rights to produce content based on the iconic fighting game. From Hollywood Reporter: Nana Aba Anamoah, a popular Ghanaian media personality, has hit out at a Twitter user who asked if she felt safe after having dinner with Black Stars' deputy captain Thomas Partey. Ms. Anamoah was angered by the question, which she described as "stupid". The tweeps question was; Did she get home safe? She replied: "Yes, I did. I always feel safe around Partey. He's a perfect gentleman. Do you have another stupid question?" Ms. Anamoah is a well-known television host who interviews Ghana's political leaders, celebrities, athletes and influential personalities. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday swore into office four ministers and a deputy minister and asked them to effectively discharge their responsibilities to the Ghanaian people. They were Mr Kobina Tahir, Minister for Trade and Industry; Mr Bryan Acheampong, Minister of Food and Agriculture; Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs; Dr Mohammed Amin Adams, Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Osei Bonsu Amoah, Minister of State at the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development; and Dr Stephen Amoah, Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry. At a ceremony at the Jubilee House, Accra, the President congratulated them on their appointments and urged them to uphold the interest of the Ghanaian people. He said their appointments had come at a critical time in Ghana's history and they must dedicate themselves to the promotion of the general well-being of the people. President Akufo-Addo pointed out that though they had joined the last lap of the mandate of his administration, he was confident that there is enough time to make a difference and significant contribution to the development of our nation. Your various competencies, experience and talents make this distinctly possible, he said and urged them to help ensure that the country got back to the years of high economic growth, which characterized the period before the outbreak of COVID-19 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. To this end, I remind you that the quality of integrity that would permeate your work is extremely important. You have to remember at all times the solemn commitment that we in the New Patriotic Party have made collectively and individually to serve the Ghanaian people honestly and competently, he said. The President urged the ministers to declare their assets promptly and to remain above reproach in their public dealings. We are called to these public appointments to provide public service and not to promote our personal gainYour conduct, my conduct, our collective conduct in the Executive would determine the faith and fortunes of our party in these and succeeding decades, he stressed. The success of your work will be seen in the hard work you bring to it. An opportunity is being offered to you to serve your country in an elevated capacity, seize the opportunity with humility but with determination and perform, guided always by the Almighty God, the President added. Mr Asamoah Boateng who spoke on behalf of the ministers expressed appreciation for the confidence reposed in them and pledged that they would discharge their responsibilities to the best of their abilities. GNA Deputy Secretary General of TUC GH, Mr. Joshua Ansah 05.04.2023 LISTEN The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is growing impatient over the refusal of the management of Sunon Asogli Power Ghana Limited to reinstate the three staff it fired last month. The sacked staff who are leaders of a union that registered to be part of the Ghana Mineworkers Union are believed to have been sacked for joining the union. Despite interventions by the Ghana Mineworkers Union and TUC, the management of Sunon Asogli Power Ghana Limited has refused to reinstate the sacked staff. Speaking on the matter, the Deputy Secretary General of TUC GH, Mr. Joshua Ansah has revealed that there is an impending demonstration against Sunon Asogli Power Ghana Limited that would be followed with a massive strike action. So we are reviewing our internal mechanisms which include serving notices to the appropriate agencies including the Public Order Act and for our possible actions which include picketing and if we dont still have an answer to our demand, it will be escalated into a possible strike action so we are serving notices to the management of Sunon Asogli Power Ghana Limited, for them to actually listen and ensure that the three dismissed employees are reinstated otherwise or to avert possible actions from the whole workers of this very country against the company, Mr. Joshua Ansah said in an interview with Modernghana News. He further stressed that the TUC will not sit down and fold its arms for management of Sunon Asogli Power Ghana Limited to continue to abuse workers just because the workers decided to join a union. Because, we will not sit down and fold our arms for management to actually abuse our fundamental human rights. The only crime for these three dismissed workers is that they have formed a union and they have been elected union leaders, which is unheard of, Mr. Joshua Ansah indicated. The TUC is appealing to government to direct Sunon Asogli to act immediately to avert any possible industrial action. The inaugural session of the Hungarian-Ghanaian Joint Economic and Technical Commission (JETC) was held on the 29th of March, 2023. The event was co-chaired by Mr. Tristan Azbej, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on the Hungarian side, and Mr. Ramses Joseph Cleland, Ambassador, and Acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of Ghana on the Ghanaian side. The Opening to the South strategy, first announced by the Government of Hungary in 2015, provided intensive development of bilateral economic relations with African and Middle-Eastern countries by 2023. As a result, closer cooperation between Hungary and the Republic of Ghana was established, which provided a solid ground for the organization of the inaugural session of the Hungarian-Ghanaian Joint Economic and Technical Commission. During the session, the sides welcomed the positive development of the trade turnover between the two countries in recent years. In 2022, bilateral trade reached 16.2 million dollars. The sides also intend to sign the currently negotiated Investment Protection Agreement, and the Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation, which agreements may further strengthen bilateral trade relations. State Secretary Tristan Azbej highlighted that Hungary supported the African country with 418.97 million forints in 2020 and 1.09 billion forints in 2021. Within the framework of the Hungary Helps Program, nine projects in Ghana are directly managed by the Hungary Helps Agency (HHA), with a total value of 177.7 million forints, primarily in the fields of emergency assistance, education and healthcare. The Hungarian Co-Chair also emphasized that in November 2021, Hungary donated 800.000 doses of Astra Zeneca vaccine to Ghana worth 515.8 million forints, while in January 2022 another 400.000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine worth 252.6 million forints were handed over to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. During the meeting, the sides reviewed priority areas of cooperation included in the Protocol of the session. In the field of water management, the Co-Chairs praised the successes of Pureco Ltd. projects and expressed their intention to enhance further cooperation. Related to agriculture, the Hungarian side informed its Ghanaian counterpart that the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE) is open to cooperation in the field of feeding technology. The Co-Chairs welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary During the meeting, the sides reviewed priority areas of cooperation included in the Protocol of the session. In the field of water management, the Co-Chairs praised the successes of Pureco Ltd. projects and expressed their intention to enhance further cooperation. Related to agriculture, the Hungarian side informed its Ghanaian counterpart that the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE) is open to cooperation in the field of feeding technology. The Co-Chairs welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary and the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Ghana on Cooperation within the Framework of the Stipendium Hungaricum Programme for the Years 20232025, which may further strengthen the achievements of the bilateral cooperation in education. State Secretary Tristan Azbej praised Ghana's exceptionally high quota utilization of the scholarship program. In the academic year 2022/23, 2,691 Ghanaian students applied for the offered 100 scholarships, of which 4 students received an extension, and 75 students a new scholarship. State Secretary Azbej emphasized that the Students at Risk sub-program provides opportunity for students from Stipendium Hungaricum partner countries who were forced to flee as a result of the conflict in Ukraine to continue their studies at a Hungarian higher education institution. In the framework of this sub-program, 10 of the 234 Ghanaian students who fled Ukraine applied successfully for, and subsequently received the scholarship. Following the plenary session, the co-chairs signed the Protocol and Rules of Procedure of the Joint Economic and Technical Commission, and agreed that the second session of the Hungarian-Ghanaian Joint Economic and Technical Commission will be organized in Accra. 05.04.2023 LISTEN The former Food and Agriculture Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Limuna Muniru has urged delegates of the National Democratic Congress in the Savannah Region to give overwhelming endorsement to former President John Dramani Mahama as flagbearer of the party ahead of the 2024 polls. He said ward, branch and constituency executives of the party in the seven constituencies of the Savannah Region, which is the home region of the former President, must endeavor to vote 100% for their worthy son who has proven to the entire world that given the opportunity again, he would drive Ghana back to the path of sustainable progress and prosperity as envisioned. The Communication Officer of the National Democratic Congress in the Damongo constituency, Mumini Yahaha Zambache, popularly known as Kiyoyo who conveyed the plea of the former Agriculture Minister on Damongo based Kasha FM said the former minister holds the strong conviction that the victory of the NDC and John Dramani Mahama in the 2024 polls must start in the Savannah Region. The NDC communication Officer used the opportunity to highlight what he described as "unprecedented and unrivalled" infrastructural development of the former President in the Savannah Region ranging from school projects, roads, hospitals, electricity extension, water inter alia. He also touted the human capital development by the former President in terms of appointments among others as peerless in the political history of the Savannah Region, stressing that he is God sent to the people of Ghana. According to him, the party must remain united before, during and after the presidential and parliamentary primaries for the nation's rescue mission in 2024. The National Democratic Congress has slated its Presidential and Parliamentary Primaries for May 13, 2023. Former President, John Dramani Mahama who has successfully undergone vetting and placed one on the ballot is in the race with two other contenders - former MCE of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Kojo Bonsu and former Finance Minister, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor to represent the party as presidential candidate for the 2024 general elections. The fourth candidate, Ernest Kwaku Kobeah, a businessman, withdrew from the contest before the balloting was done and pledged support for former President Mahama who is highly tipped to win the elections with a landslide margin. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has criticized the ruling NPP government's failure to tackle the economic hardship despite receiving huge COVID-19 relief funds. NDC National Communications Officer Sammy Gyamfi accused the NPP administration of recklessness and deliberately mismanaging the funds. Speaking on Joy News, Gyamfi condemned the government's attempts to blame COVID-19 alone for Ghana's economic struggles. He said "COVID-19 gave you more than you need; you still blame it for your woes." The opposition partys spokesperson argued that the funds should have prevented crises like job losses, business closures, and a debt exchange program from further damaging the economy. "How can you continue to blame covid for your own economic failings and recklessness when covid gave you more than you needed to manage it? he asked. He insisted government mismanagement, not the virus, was the true cause of Ghana's precarious financial position and bleeding economy. The NDC officer also contrasted Ghana's situation with neighbouring economies, questioning how other West African nations avoided similarly dire situation despite also facing COVID-19. "Compare the economies of our neighbours to Ghana: which of them is going through a draconian debt exchange program," he stated. The National Union of Ghana Students in partnership with E-Wells Realty and Consultancy has organized it's maiden entrepreneurship seminar dubbed African Youth In Real Estate conference on Friday 24th March 2023 at the RS Amegashie Auditorium - University of Ghana Business School. The event according to the NUGS Secretary for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Amin Mohammed, was targeted at curbing the misconceptions and myths of the youth, create a platform of numerous opportunities and also equip them on the creation of generational wealth through real estate entrepreneurship. Gracing the occasion was the Deputy Minister for Works and Housing, Hon. Abdulai Abanga, Hanna Atiase, CEO of E-Wells Realty and Consultancy, Dr. Edward Nii Amatefio, senior lecturer at Cape Coast University, Cwesi Oteng Desmond of COD Properties and among others. The Deputy Minister of Works and Housing, Hon. Abdulai Abanga in his speech indicated that Ghana has an urbanization rate of 5.8percent per year which depicts the high demand in the housing sector which further opens up numerous opportunities for the youth. Hanna Atiase inspired the participants to pursue new career paths in real estate and how to create generational wealth through real estate entrepreneurship. Cwesi Oteng Desmond, CEO of COD Properties spoke about how to start real estate entrepreneurship with zero capital while Dr. Amatefio delivered on why the youth should have new dimensional MindShift to pursue entrepreneurship. The event which was sponsored by Signum, Axis Pension Trust and M&O Law Consult and endorsed by the Beyond The Return and Office of the Diaspora Affairs at Presidency attracted 450 participants from 7 schools within Accra. As part of the objectives, 10 participants were selected by E-Wells Realty to undergo a 2 months incubation period with the opportunity of being mentored across all areas of real estate entrepreneurship. The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has condemned the attack by unknown gunmen on its officers in the Upper East Region. Three Immigration officers were attacked and shot by gunmen on Monday night around the Bawku area. One of the officers died on the spot with the two others battling for their lives at the hospital. Speaking to Joy News on the shooting incident, Deputy Supt. Martin Tioseh Soyeh, the Upper East Regional PRO of the Ghana Immigration Service has disclosed that his outfit is following up on some leads. According to him, the Service is in contact with a number of informants to get the gunmen arrested. We are working with informants to get to the bottom of the matter and we will be keeping the information we have until its needed to come out to the public, Deputy Supt. Martin Tioseh Soyeh said. On Tuesday, Mahama Ayariga who is a Member of Parliament for Bawku Central also condemned the shooting of the three Immigration officers and called on the government to be proactive in advancing peace in the area. I condemn in very strong terms the shooting, injuring, and killing of some members of the security agencies in Bawku on Monday 3rd April 2023. This is most reprehensible and should not be repeated again. An investigation into the matter must be conducted and the perpetrators brought to book. I urge government to be proactive in advancing a lasting peace process in Bawku, Mahama Ayariga said in a statement. Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service is also conducting an investigation to bring the perpetrators to book. The President of the Republic, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has sworn into office his new ministerial appointees. Parliament last Friday approved all five new ministerial appointees by the President by a majority 137-136 decision. Honourable Members, at long last collation of votes has ended. The register of 275 eligible voters, 3 voters were absent so 272 did exercise their franchise. The results of the voting are as follows; Honorable KT Hammond 154 Yes, 116 Nos, rejected 1, Bryan Acheampong, 167 Yes, 98 Nos, rejected 4, abstention 3. Stephen Asamoah Boateng 147 Yes, 122 Nos, 3 abstentions. Mohammed Amin Adams 152 Yes, 117 Nos, rejected 1, abstentions 2. Osei Bonsu Amoah 149 Yes, 120 Nos, abstentions 3, Stephen Amoah 146 yes, 123 nos, 3 absentions. The House has accordingly approved the nominations of the following persons as ministers and a deputy minister in accordance with 79(1) of the constitution, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin announced after the secret balloting last Friday. After making the necessary arrangements, President Akufo-Addo on Tuesday, April 4 sworn into office all the Ministers. Speaking during the ceremony, the President admonished all new ministers to be honest in their work and work hard for the country in their various capacities. Your various competencies, experience, and talents make this distinctly possible. To this end, I remind you that the quality of integrity that would permeate your work is extremely important, President Akufo-Addo said. The President added, You have to remember at all times the solemn commitment that we in the New Patriotic Party have made collectively and individually to serve the Ghanaian people honestly and competently. 05.04.2023 LISTEN On behalf of the poor masses who are gradually being reduced to mere source of power to the political elites and their allies, I chronicle this letter to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and other intelligence security agencies. COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, before I pour my heart on the activities of the financial cyber fraudsters who have been blackmailing, harassing and extorting the already burdened, poor Ghanaian tax payers, permit me to tell you that I am one of the few citizens who defended you when you were the head of Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service. This is just to inform you that I am one of the few Ghanaians who believe in you and want you to succeed in your new position. COP Maame Tiwaa, I am sorry to state this time around that when your critics open fire on you concerning the activities of a gang of financial cyber fraudsters who have designed loan apps and are using them to extort their poor Ghanaian victims, I would not be able to defend you. Since the institution you serve is a Public Service body, I am not the person to tell you about the existence of these criminals and how they operate: you are supposed to know. I am rather going to tell you how your failure to clamp on them is affecting the poor Ghanaian tax payers, whose political sovereignty contributed to your elevation to the position you currently occupy. As I have already indicated, EOCO and Cybercrime Unit & Digital Forensic Laboratory of the Ghana Police Service are supposed to be aware of the operations of these entities because they are operating in the same public space with you. Permit me to digress to let you and other intelligence agencies understand why issues affecting the poor Ghanaian must equally be taken seriously by the government and its agencies. In the wake of the economic crises, the finance minister took a decision to involve the poor Ghanaians in government's effort to revive the economy. I am referring to the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) in this case. The political class and their allies have all the money and businesses in the country. Nevertheless, they did not volunteer to inject their capital into the economy since they enjoy the largest share of the country's resources, including your protection. I am referring to all political actors in this case, that is, those in government and opposition. It is therefore, painful when state agencies including your outfit, fail to show interest in issues that militate against the welfare of the poor Ghanaian who is called upon in times of crises to sacrifice for the nation. This gross neglect of the interest of the poor masses in times of their predicament is the very reason why political parties who have introduced good policies and doing their best to govern to protect the poor lose elections. The poor Ghanaians who are being blackmailed, harassed and extorted by these loan apps are very much aware that the very day these criminals will invade the territories of banks, EOCO and other intelligence agencies will act. This alone provokes them against you and the President who appointed you. Let me digress again to inform you that most of the scrap dealers you see on the streets of Accra and Kumasi have tertiary education and at least know the functions of all state institutions and how they are faring. Some of them are trained nurses so they are not that dumb as we may take them for. They also know why institutions like your outfit has ignored the poor victims to suffer in the hands of these cyber criminals. Unfortunately, However, they will not blame EOCO for their pain; they will rather blame President Akufo-Addo because he appointed you. I am sure you know what that means. Maame Tiwaa, I pray you just dont casually read the words of the author, but also try and digest his tone, which matters most. Also, remember you don't need anybody, including the author to investigate and clamp on these criminals. May you also appreciate the need to invest state resources in protecting the poor Ghanaian tax payer in the same manner you do for the political class and their allies? The author is an essayist and a social commentator. Bala Ali The FBI's Buffalo office confirmed Wednesday that a raid of a West Side home Tuesday is connected to the international intelligence operation that seized Genesis Market, described by the Department of Justice as a "criminal online marketplace" that sells access to users' email, social media and bank accounts. Several national and international media organizations reported Wednesday that the FBI and worldwide partners successfully shut down Genesis Market, reportedly a cybercriminal platform that took sensitive data from malware-infected computers and sold it on the dark web. The BBC reported that any user logging onto the Genesis website on Wednesday encountered a message: "Operation Cookie Monster. This website has been seized." FBI agents executed a federal search warrant at 498 W. Ferry St. around 6 a.m. Tuesday, with members of the FBI's Buffalo Cyber Task Force seen carrying out central processing units from the two-story house. According to Erie County property records, 498 W. Ferry is owned by Beville West, LLC. Questions remain about Buffalo's connection to the international raid, however. Officials have not confirmed whether any criminal activity occurred or whether people were charged with a crime. Raids were conducted by 45 FBI field offices Tuesday morning, a press release by the Department of Justice on Wednesday indicated, while law enforcement and intelligence agencies that spanned 17 countries including Canada, Italy, Australia, Denmark, Spain and Germany conducted their own. Genesis Market has also been sanctioned by the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, which worked with the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice issued a message to those concerned whether their personal data was affected by Genesis Market. "Victim credentials obtained over the course of the investigation have been provided to the website Have I Been Pwned, which is a free resource for people to quickly assess whether their access credentials have been compromised (or pwned) in a data breach or other activity. Victims can visit HaveIBeenPwned.com to see whether their credentials were compromised by Genesis Market so that they can know whether to change or modify passwords and other authentication credentials that may have been compromised." The FBI asks anyone active on the market or in contact with administrators, or those who have been victimized, to email FBIMW-Genesis@fbi.gov. Five Ghanian mid-career women are amongst 49 African women selected as Fellows in the first cohort of The Gender Responsive Agriculture Systems Policy (GRASP) Fellowship, an initiative of African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) funded by the United StatesAgency for International Development (USAID). This new competitive career development Fellowship is targeting African women in agri-food policies who can support the implementation of gender-responsive agricultural policies in Africa. Women account for nearly half of the worlds smallholder farmers and produce 70% of Africas food. As such, effective policies are critical if research innovations are to provide gender-inclusive, sustainable solutions which allow Africa to develop equitable agri-food systems capable of feeding its growing population. Drawnfrom diverse organizations including the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and government agencies, the 49 AWARD Policy Fellows of theinaugural GRASP Fellowship cohort hail from six African anglophone countries (Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Uganda, and Zambia). The Ghanian women, and others selected for the GRASP Fellowship, are set to participate in a series of interventions designed to enable them to become more effective policy practitioners. A pressing need for effective policy Over the past 20 years, Ghana has made significant progress in reducing poverty and hunger and has been hailed for its stability and democratic governance. However, improvements at the national level mask huge inequalities between the north and south of the country, and between rural and urban areas. Hunger and malnutrition persist primarily in northern Ghana, an area that is experiencing increasingly erratic rainfall and long dry periods due to climate change. Nevertheless, across the country, Ghanas food systems face numerous challenges. In addition to gender inequality, the industry is also beleaguered by low prices, poor road infrastructure, lack of access to finance, inadequate markets, post-harvest losses, insufficient education and knowledge, unsustainable farming systems, and rural-urban migration. Through their work, the Ghanaian GRASP Fellows have experienced first-hand some of the challenges facing the agricultural sector. Policies are essential in driving and supporting change and these can be implemented throughout the value chain for effective transformation, notes Fellow PortiaAdade Williams from the Science and Technology Policy Research Institute (STEPRI). In the face of a changing climate, we must support the poorest and most vulnerable by building a resilient agricultural system, she says. This includes researching ways to build the adaptive capacity of smallholders against climate change and sustain their productivity. Female future makers To aid in enhancing womens position within agriculture and create economic opportunities for them, Fellow RoseAawulenaa works for Plan International on their WISE (Womens Innovation for Sustainable Enterprises) project. Over 12,600 women have received training to develop their communication and business development skills and Rose appreciates the difference this is making. When you get to work with people, especially women, and youre able to make an impact on their lives, the smile on their faces alone brings fulfilment, she enthuses. Meanwhile, improving food safety is the primary concern for Fellow ClaraAgyeman-Attafuah Darko, who works at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. We work directly with farmers, processors, and other agricultural value chain actors to aid them in producing more quality food produce and products to get more income, she shares. Clara also targets policymakers to improve support for these actors at the highest level. Our reports give policymakers information to make national policy decisions about agriculture, which we then implement. Providing policymakers and key agricultural stakeholders with information as a means to enhance food security is also significant for ComfortYelipoie who works in the Ministry of Agricultures Directorate of Crop Services. She is working on building a seed database, to help develop environmentally-sustainable, accessible, and affordable seed varieties for farmers. However, effectively targeting policymakers takes work which is something that Fellow AugustinaQuaynor Korkoi understands. Through her position at the Foundation for Security and Development in Africa, she is helping develop programs that train young agricultural workers in advocating with policy stakeholders. Getting to grips with GRASP The GRASP Fellowship, through mentorship, provides Candidates with much-needed support and guidance by building their skillsets and connections. This aspect of the program has been a draw for many applicants. The unique thing about this AWARD scheme is that I get a mentor, asserts Clara Agyeman-Attafuah Darko whose mentor is a Professor at Department of Food Science and Technology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Professor Wlliam Otoo Ellis is guiding me in shaping my ideas and ensuring they become a reality. On the other hand, Rose Aawulenaa shares that she is looking forward to mentoring a younger colleague and encouraging other young women to have self-confidence. Augustina Quaynor Korkoi appreciates the significance of being selected as a Fellow. This is a great opportunity for me to gain more knowledge and improve my research and advocacy skills, she notes. Meanwhile, Comfort Yelipoie reveals she has already found the GRASP training sessions to be particularly empowering and is thrilled that her new skills will enable me to respond to gender issues within the agricultural sector effectively. Applications for the second cohort of the AWARD GRASP Fellowship are now open for women who are citizens of Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Senegal. Submissions can be made via https://eu.jotform.com/230430982603956, and must be completed by 15 May 2023. For more information on the GRASP Fellowship, click here. The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Jomoro Municipality of the Western Region, Louisa Iris Arde has handed over refurbished six-unit classroom block to the Half Assini Saint Patrick's Catholic primary school. The renovated edifice will provide relief and serene atmosphere to enhance teaching and learning. It was financed by Ghana Gas Company and supported by the management of the Jomoro Municipal Assembly. Speaking to the media after the ceremony, Louisa Iris Arde, Jomoro MCE commended the management of Ghana Gas Company for responding to her appeal by renovating the dilapidated Saint Patrick's Catholic primary school at Half Assini. She disclosed that the school was established by the first President of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and since its establishment, no government has renovated it. "This very school was established by President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and since then no government has renovated it so I immediately I became Jomoro MCE in 2021, I took it as my priority to renovate it in honour of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and I wrote to Ghana Gas Company to renovate it and they accepted my appeal and we started the renovation works in 2022", she revealed. "Let me use this medium to commend the management of Ghana Gas Company for financing the renovation of this school building, I'm very very happy that finally this historic school has been renovated", she added. She urged the management of the school to take proper care of the building. Louisa Iris Arde who was once a teacher of the school, motivated the pupils to take their studies seriously in order to become like her and other prominent people in Ghana. "I was once a teacher of this school and I'm happy to come here as MCE of the Municipality and I will urge the current pupils here to study harder in order to become like me and other prominent people in Ghana", she advised. She also called on the parents of the area to invest more in their children's education. She, therefore, took the opportunity to appeal to the management of Ghana Gas Company to help the Assembly to renovate the dilapidated Half Assini Junior High School. She called on the parents of Half Assini to rally behind her and President Akufo-Addo to develop the area. Moreover, the management of the school expressed their profound appreciation for the kind gesture and promised to maintain the facility to last longer. Present at the ceremony were; Nana Ayebie Amihere, Chief of Half Assini, officials from Ghana Gas Company led by Mr Joseph Ehoneah, Community Relations Officer, Rev. Nii Noi Dawuna, Local Manager, Mrs Joyce Akosua Angmorteh Miezah, Municipal Coordinating Director, Parents and Teachers of the school. The Chief Executive for the Obuasi Municipal Assembly, Hon Elijah Adansi-Bonah has intimated that the Assembly has put in place measures to support community self-initiated projects in the Municipality. Delivering his sessional address at a General Assembly meeting held on Tuesday, 4th April 2023, the Obuasi MCE said community self-help projects help to accelerate development at the grassroots and complement the Assembly's efforts in ensuring equal distribution of infrastructural projects. Self-help approach is a mechanism where the community members by themselves, identify a need and mobilize resources to start for the Local Assembly to assist with technical advice, equipment and other support. Briefing members of the Assembly on sector by sector happenings in the Municipality, the MCE said the Assembly exceeded its projected internally generated fund revenue. Whiles the Assembly projected to collect GH 5,050,086.00 in 2022, it exceeded the revenue target by 111.72% raking in GH 5,642,060.53. Hon. Adansi-Bonah attributed the improvement in revenue performance to the proactiveness of the IGF technical committee of the Assembly which he heads. He stated that the committee has managed to close loopholes hampering the efficient collection of revenue. He also lauded efforts by AngloGold Ashanti in collaborating with the Assembly to access data and information of sub- contractors working under the mining company. "The move has enabled the Assembly issue business operating permit to the contractors which has contributed to the surge in IGF revenue," he stated. On education, the MCE said the Assembly has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. The significance of the MoU was to officially hand over the facilities of the KNUST-Obuasi campus to the University. The University established in 2019 with about 300 students can now boast of over 2000 students. The MCE said the Assembly has released a 50-acre land at Nhyiaeso, a suburb of Obuasi to KNUST- Obuasi campus for future expansion. He said the Assembly in its resolve to promote quality education and ensure school children learn in a serene environment has initiated the process to procure school desks with metal frame to support public schools in the Municipality. This he said will add up to the plethora of infrastructural development in schools in the Obuasi Municipality. Hon Elijah Adansi-Bonah gave accounts of the projects undertaken in the past year adding that the Assembly has lined up series of projects which will be initiated in 2023 under UDG3 of the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Program. He said the year will witness the construction of 400m(5*2.5) reinforced concrete drains at Mensakrom, Bituminous surface dressing of 1.2km Government Hill- residency road with 600mm u- drain, walkway,bollards, roadline markings and pavement of 1,500m parking space. He also mentioned the redevelopment of the Obuasi urban park into a multipurpose modern recreational park as part of the projects to be undertaken this year. He said though his administration has been hit with several challenges, it has been able to forge ahead and surmount all the challenges culminating in the Municipality. He called for the support of the people of Obuasi for the Assembly to deliver on its mandate. Former US president Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 charges in connection with the alleged payment of bribes to a porn star and others when he appeared in court in New York on Tuesday. The French daily newspapers wonder if the media show won't boost Trump's chances of re-election, whatever his legal fate. "While we are living through the darkest hours of American history, I can say that, at least for this moment right now, I am in great spirits. "I never thought anything like this could happen in America," Trump told an audience of several hundred donors, political allies and other supporters after returning to Mar-a-Lago, his beachfront mansion in southern Florida. "The only crime that I've committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it. It's an insult to our country." The twice-impeached Republican is the first sitting or former American president to be criminally indicted. The 76-year-old is the frontrunner in the race for the 2024 Republican nomination. A dangerous double-edged sword French centrist daily newspaper Le Monde warns that the case against Trump could turn out to be a double-edged sword for his opponents. The swaggering former leader faces serious charges. But the global media attention and his use of this brush with the law to mobilise supporters while attacking the media, intellectuals, conspiracy theorists, socialists, and the other dark forces threatening America, could leave his rivals for the Republican ticket struggling for visibility. Donald Trump casts a very broad shadow. Le Monde also provides details of the actual charges against the man, generally and incorrectly accused of trying to bribe Stormy Daniels and two other individuals. In fact, the tabloid paper The National Enquirer, owned by Trump friend and supporter David Pecker, bought the exclusive rights to the stories of these people, and then decided not to publish. In the hands of a skillful defence team, that may finally look dubious but far from illegal. The tax case against Trump is more worrying. And the falsification of business documents could sink him, if the prosecution can prove he altered accounts in order to mislead American voters. Trump is winning the publicity battle at the moment. Le Monde says he has invented a new form of media spectacle, somewhere between a royal corronation and a state funeral. And his supporters are lapping it up. Reasonable Republicans may find themselves left with no alternative. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who represents Georgia in the US House, said on Tuesday "Donald Trump has joined the most remarkable people in history," including Nelson Mandela and Jesus. Marjorie Taylor Greene is tipped to be Trump's pick for vice-president if he wins the Republican nomination. The pornstar, the porter and the Playmate Right-wing Le Figaro goes a tad tabloidesque with 25 photographs from Tuesday's legal circus, and a headline which could be translated as "The pornstar, the porter and the Playmate," a reference to the three alleged cover-ups, the porter being a former doorman who worked for Trump and who claims to have details of an out-of-wedlock child fathered by the former president. Left-leaning Liberation says that the conspiracy charges against Trump are the most dangerous elements in a case that is otherwise a media stormy in a teacup. It is not clear, warns Libe, that the allegations against Trump will stand up when they finally get to court. Catholic paper La Croix soberly notes that Ron DeSantis, pro-gun, anti-abortion, the other leading Republican challenger for next year's primaries, must be worried by Trump's widening lead in the opinion polls and his total domination of media space. The La Croix article ends by noting that, "with Donald Trump, nothing is impossible". Majority Chief Whip Frank Annoh Dompreh has said there are strong reasons why Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia will emerge victorious to become the next President of Ghana after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo ends his second term in 2024. According to him, he has no doubt that the next general elections will come down to a fierce contest between former President John Dramani Mahama and the vice president. The 2024 general election is a straight fight between Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and John Dramani Mahama, Mr Annoh Dompreh said on Accra-based Asempa FM on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. The Majority Chief Whip has therefore called for a debate between John Dramani Mahama and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to see who has the best ideas for the economy. The fundamental question I want to ask Mahama is whats the policy alternative to 1D1F? Whats President Mahama's policy alternative to Free SHS? He is just praying that we should fall on our sword". Look, I want to call a debate. I am calling for a debate between John Dramani Mahama and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia. "The two of them should stand so we see who has the better ideas. I think we would see who has alternative policies, he asserted. Asked why Dr Bawumia should debate Mr Mahama and not any other person, the Majority Chief Whip pointed out that because he is the next in line and will win the primaries". "I am predicting in your studios today, Dr. Bawumia will not win less 70 percent of the popular votes of the delegates. I am looking at the main one. The special one will even be worse. Let me just say this, the man is winning. I said my mind and I dont mind to spite any person and I respect all the candidates," he said. If youre a political strategist and you look at who can penetrate the strongholds of the NDC... Where are the strongholds of the NDC? Volta Region, Northern Region and the Zongo Communities. Without any doubt and without any disrespect to any of the candidates who want to lead our party, its Dr Bawumia who can penetrate, he pressed. Frank Annoh Dompreh opined that the main opposition political party is afraid of Dr Bawumia. They know the harm he will cause to them. I am predicting and I am very confident Dr Bawumia will win this primary, very simply. I am not swearing but I am just telling you that based on what Ive seen, based on the extensive interactions Ive had, Dr Bawumia is going to win. Apart from my soft spot for him, I know he will be the right person to do damage to the NDC, he touted. Albeit admitting that it will be a tough contest, the Nsawam Adoagyiri MP expressed optimism about the chances of Dr Mahamudu Bawumia beating John Mahama in the 2024 general elections. He has, therefore, called on all delegates who will vote in the flagbearer elections of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to vote for Dr Bawumia and stand resolute with him. I urge NPP delegates not to have double minds because Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is the best candidate. We should rally behind this man, Frank Annoh-Dompreh said adding that the party can decide to take his Whip position from him but his unflinching support for Dr Bawumia will not change. Touching on Dr Bawumia garnering support from parliamentarians, he mentioned that at least 100 MPs are in agreement that the Vice President is the right person to lead the party to 2024 polls. More than 100 MPs have openly thrown their support behind DrMahamudu Bawumia," he revealed. "If you think that the influence of MPs in the upcoming primaries does not matter, thats your opinion. I am telling you that the next primaries is going to be a direction shown by Members of Parliament. Well determine. He rubbished allegations that the vice president has been bribing the MPs to come to his camp. Dr Bawumia is going to win this primaries and theres nothing anybody can do. I think this thing is about destiny and I can see the hands of God on Dr Bawumia. I can feel it in my pulse. I breathe it. I can feel the victory coming. The man is going to win," the lawmaker continued with fervour. Ghana's general elections will be held in 2024. Source: Classfmonline.com 05.04.2023 LISTEN The global financial sector witnessed the collapse of two major technology-focused banks Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank last week. This has plunged the world into a state of frenzy regarding the true state of the global financial system, as many express the fear that all may not be well. Although the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) governments have responded swiftly to assure customers of these banks of the pragmatic measures in place to secure their funds, and the public of the resilience of the global financial sector, one cannot help but worry about the impact these collapses will have on startup funding globally, especially for tech-focused ones. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to assess the contributions of SVB and Signature Bank to tech startup funding and financial service provision over the years and how their collapses will affect these services going forward. Silicon Valley Bank Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), one of the largest and leading tech-led banks in the United States was established in 1983 and has been providing among others commercial banking services, venture capital, lending, and funding to tech startups, etc. in the last four decades. It operated primarily from Silicon Valley (the world's technology hotspot) and had operations in Canada, China, Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Rightly, it can be argued that SVB's immense growth was attributable to the development of the technology sector following the boost in technological advancements and the resultant proliferation in the demand for digitized services following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. A review of SVB's financial statement for the year 2019 showed that its assets including loans tripled from $71 billion at the end of the year 2019 to $220 billion at the end of March 2022. As a leading funder for technology innovations, SVB in recent times has participated in some 835 startup investments and raised over $383.5M for participating tech startups within the last three months prior to its collapse. Earlier this month, SVB raised through a debt-financing arrangement, an amount of $95 million for Socure, a startup focused on creating a predictive analytics platform for digital identity verification for consumers. With operations spanning a period of four decades, it is evidently clear that the quantum of financial support to have been provided by SVB to tech startups and small business ecosystems across the world will be gargantuan. In the wake of the news of its collapse, some 16 tech and life sciences companies in Europe have disclosed about $190 million in exposure to SVB in the UK and the United States. Similarly in India, over 60 YC-backed Indian startups have more than $250,000 stuck in accounts with the bank and nearly two dozen have more than $1 million tied with it. SIGNATURE BANK Established in 2001, Signature Bank offered business and personal banking products and services, particularly in the US. It was a significant lender to the cryptocurrency industry, with almost a quarter of the bank's deposits coming from the crypto sector. In 2021, more than 16% of its deposits were sourced from the crypto sector, rising to 30% by February 2023, with $16.5 billion in deposits from digital-asset-related customers. As of the end of December last year, a securities filing revealed that the bank had about $110.4 billion in total assets and $88.6 billion in total deposits. Its shutdown by regulators is having an industry-wide impact, particularly in the cryptocurrency market. Circle a crypto startup currently informed its customers that it could not mint or allow redemption of its USDC stablecoin through Signet after the closure of the bank. In a similar vein, Coinbase, another crypto startup which held about $240 million with the bank has indicated to its customers that their use of Signet would need to be confined to banking hours only. Also, LaBranche advised its customers who relied on Signet for deposits and withdrawals outside of banking hours to rely on more traditional banking methods. TECH STARTUPS FUNDING GOING FORWARD While it is assuring that, all is being done by regulators in the US and UK to ensure full access by depositors to their funds, there is heightened concern about the future of tech startup funding following the collapse of these two leading banks which primarily operated to provide funding and other financial services to tech startups. Going forward, funding for tech startups will be constrained in the following manner: The creation of a severe funding gap One of the most significant effects will be the funding gap created by the collapse of the two banking giants in the tech start-up sector. These two banks were key players in providing funding to start-ups in the tech industry. As specialized banks that understood the unique needs of the tech and cryptocurrency industry, they were able to provide tailored solutions and funding options that traditional banks and other financial services could not match. This made SVB and Signature Bank go-to sources for tech start-ups and businesses seeking a one-stop shop for all their financial services and related needs, especially, those in the early stages of development. Consequently, many start-ups will struggle to secure the funding they need to continue their operations, let alone grow. Reports have suggested that since many startups were unable to retrieve their monies, they have resorted to taking out loans to pay their staff. Cecilia Antwi Kyem is a Trainee Associate at Sustineri Attorneys PRUC and practices in the firm's Corporate, Governance, and Transactions Group. Cecilia specializes in FinTech and Innovations, Startups/SMEs, Commercial Transactions, Corporate law as well as Dispute Resolution. She welcomes views on this article via [email protected] Harold Kwabena Fearon is a Trainee Associate at Sustineri Attorneys PRUC with its Corporate, Governance, and Transactions Practice Group, specializing in legal service provision for Startups/SMEs, FinTech, and Innovations. He welcomes views on this article via [email protected] By Cecilia Antwi Kyem & Harold Kwabena Fearon As part of efforts to help increase farm profitability and ensure that the root cause of poverty are addressed for cocoa farmers in Ghana, Macquire University Sydney, The Open University, UK, and the University of Wollongong and coordinated by Be Slavery Free and supported by a global coalition of NGOs including Green America, INKOTA, Mighty Earth, EcoCare Ghana, and the National Wildlife Federation, launch the fourth edition of the Chocolate Scorecard here in Accra, Ghana to discuss their findings on Traceability, Transparency, Child Labor, Living Income, Deforestation and Climate, Agroforestry, and Chemical Management in the cocoa sector. The research findings came at a time when farmers believe good pricing is the engine to sustaining the cocoa sector in Ghana. The 2023 Chocolate scorecard ranked companies in the cocoa-chocolate value chain on their efforts to address challenges in the sector in Ghana. Objective Speaking at the 2023 report launch of the scorecard ranks, EcoCare Ghana Managing Campaigner, Obed Owusu-Addai said cocoa farmers over the years have been deprived of good pricing of the beans which demoralize them and affects their livelihood. He believes that cocoa farmers have not been aggressive and angry enough at international chocolate companies, regulator and other relevant agencies in the sector to demand for their fair share of the commodity they produce. Its time for them to send a strong message to the international buyers, regulator and other stakeholders in the cocoa sector and must not continue to sit aloof for their rights to be trumped upon. How can the farmer who produces the commodity that generated about 110 billion in 2021 still receive less than 10% of the value of that commodity? he quizzed. Target This years scorecard ranked 83 of the largest chocolate companies, retailers, and processes on their performance in six sustainability categories namely Traceability Transparency, Child Labor, Living Income, Deforestation and Climate, Agroforestry, and Chemical Management in the cocoa sector. The survey found that some are rising to the challenge, but others continue to ignore consumer demand for chocolate that's free of child labour, poverty, and deforestation and chocolate that's good for people and the planet. The scores indicated that Original beans and Tonys chocolonely was ranked as the most sustainable chocolate companies followed by Beyond Good whiles General Mills and Walmart received the rotten egg award out of the 83 chocolate brands, retailers and processors. Interlink cages Senior Director at Mighty Earth, Julian Oram explained that, the purpose of the scorecard is to look at how countries are addressing issues around the six criteria through their policies and practices including their purchasing practices. We eat chocolate for comfort, celebration, and indulgence; but what's going into the chocolate we buy? Thats why the Chocolate Scorecard has surveyed the worlds biggest chocolate companies to find out how they are addressing key challenges in the cocoa-chocolate value chain. Companies were assessed on their performance in six sustainability categories namely Traceability Transparency, Child Labor, Living Income, Deforestation and Climate, Agroforestry, and Chemical Management in the cocoa sector. Most brands, retailers and processors measured mostly dont want to be ranked below their competitors, hence updated their policies and processes to meet up with the six sustainability categories. It was also found that only 11% of chocolate companies surveyed can fully trace where their cocoa comes from; on average 40% of cocoa is purchased indirectly, meaning the buyer doesnt know who they bought from or where it came from and without knowing where your cocoa comes from you cant possibly claim it is sustainable he said. Senior Advisor at Mighty Earth, Samuel Mawutor explained that the 2023 Chocolate Scorecard findings revealed that the sustainability claims of chocolate companies cannot necessarily be trusted. Sustainability claims made by companies are defined narrowly to refer only to their programs, which may foster sustainable practices but do not refer to the actual status of their cocoa or necessarily improve the actual living conditions of cocoa farmers. It was found that farmers taking part in sustainability programmes are often not well compensated for their efforts and remain extremely poor. A recent report by Oxfam claims that the net income of farmers decreased by an estimated 16.38% between the 2019/20 and 2021/22 harvesting season. When the price of cocoa increases everything else a farmer purchase increases in price, leaving them worse off in reality; however, this doesnt affect chocolate companies in the same way but rather led to increases in their profits. The global chocolate market was valued at revenue of USD 131.9 million in 2021. It is projected to grow at 4.50% annually he said. Technical Manager, Cote Dlvoire Ghana Cocoa Initiative, Tawiah Agyarko-Kwarteng in an interview with this reporter stated that, although the Living Income Differential (LID) dialogue started months ago, farmers are still not benefiting enough from their produce. She stated further that the Cote dIvoire Ghana Cocoa Initiative has been focused on representing the two countries to engage in collaborative discussion for the betterment of the farmer. Volatile pricing has been a problem for the cocoa sector which is not allowing the farmers to get the true benefits that they should be getting for all their efforts. We have actively engaged over the past few months with partners in the industry to ensure that we kick start conversations on the actions that we all need to take to help our farmers get better prices. I believe that active collaboration is needed at all levels to help farmers gain what is required of them and ensure that we all are driving actions that deliver impact for the farmer she said. Story by: Nana Yaw Reuben 05.04.2023 LISTEN Former US President Donald Trump was arrested and indicted on 04.04.2023 for hush money, falsifying corporate documents, regulations of corporate tax declarations, later this year rape charges, Capitol Hill riot, attempt to change election results, etc. Still, in 2024, he wants to be president again. This reminds us of another leader from Africa. No matter what a president does right and what is laudable for what he does wrong he must be held accountable even in court. Former President of Ghana John Dramani Mahama, NDC, when President received a car in 2013 from a business owner based in Burkina Faso. He put the SUV into the carpool of the presidency declaring he is not corrupt. Instead of sending the car back to the sender and blocking him in addition to the future procurement process to do the right thing he thought to get away with it easily. When the Melcom disaster with casualties and injured people happened in 2012 JD Mahama spoke of the greatest tragedy of modern Ghana and promised justice for the victims and their families. A report in 2013 unveiled the structure only had a building permit for an office building not the heavy load of a supermarket. Still, he did not press for a court hearing or discipline AMA Accra Mayor Alfred Oko Vanderpoye to do so. Merchant Bank collapsed because the younger brother of John D. Mahama, Ibrahim Mahama with his company Engineers & Partner Ltd , and two other companies refused or we're unable to pay back the USD 40 Mio. loan taken. These companies never filed for bankruptcy as mandated by law in such cases. Instead, Fortis Ltd., owned by Ibrahim Mahama and others was given the right to buy Merchant Bank violating the rules of the Bank of Ghana as the needed assets and professional expertise. Rand Bank of South Africa was outmaneuvered to take over the bank regardless of their most favorable conditions. Parliament was called out of summer break to bless the unlawful ruling of the Bank of Ghana. JD Mahama knew always right on time about the development of this case but remained silent. The Bus branding scandal of 2014 saw a cost reduction but still the portrait of the presidents including JD Mahama on the outside of buses instead marketing campaigns of private companies. June 3rd, 2015 saw 150 people die at the Circle in Accra at or around GOIL petrol station. JD Mahama promised justice and compensation for the victims and their families. Mourning with 4000 people at a state funeral of my partner Debs Bediako his seriously injured shop assistant informed me no help was given to him. During heavy rainfall, oil had leaked out from the underground storage container of the GOIL petrol station resulting in the explosion. Neither GOIL, AMA nor others ever stood in court to answer questions. Airbus scandal revealed that Officer 1 was bribed with USD 1 Mio. for Ghana to buy Airbus M400 to join the military force. Officers 2, 3, 4, and 5 were compensated with less money. It was uncovered Officer 1 was JD Mahama accordingly to internal Ghana investigations after the UK declined to give clear real names. 2016 saw the opening of the Komenda Sugar Factory worth USD 35 Mio. Besides wrong seedlings etc. JD Mahama did not reduce or stop the import of sugar to protect this investment rather allowed the factory to go down in history as a white elephant crying loud out the pain of the 7000 people around who had never been employed. Besides God, the whole world knows in Ghana clowns have loud voices and fun in all their suffering. As the world still grapples with the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, many other health issues continue to affect communities worldwide. In Ghana, one such issue is rabies, a deadly viral disease that is transmitted through the saliva of infected animals, most commonly dogs. In an effort to combat the disease, Ghanaian beauty queen Aiko Adade, 1st Runner Up of Ghanas Most Beautiful, GMB, 2022 birthed Project Eleutheros under the Aikoadade Foundation. Queen Aiko, over the weekend, joined efforts with Queen Teiya Dahamani GMB 2022 Winner and Queen Asiedua Afanyi Arhin 2nd Runner Up of GMB 2022 in the execution of a mass rabies vaccination campaign in the Oti region of Ghana. The campaign is in satisfaction of Queen Aikos vision to advance the World Health Organizations Zero by 30 Agenda, the global strategic plan to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030, starting from her region, Oti. Rabies is a serious public health issue in Ghana, where an estimated 30% of the dog population is infected with the virus. While the disease can be prevented through vaccination, many dogs in Ghana are not vaccinated due to lack of awareness, access to veterinary services, poverty, and cultural beliefs. Rabies is also a significant economic burden on Ghana, as the country spends millions of cedis each year on post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for individuals who have been bitten by a rabid animal. Queen Aiko, who doubles as the Rabies Prevention Ambassador of Ghana and a Development Queen, has made it her mission to tackle rabies in her region and country at large. She recently partnered with local veterinarians, the Accra Veterinary Laboratory (AVL), the Ghana Veterinary Service Directorate (VSD), Breakthrough Action, Distribution Direct and animal welfare organizations to launch a mass rabies vaccination campaign in the Oti region of Ghana, targeting the locals in the Jasikan Municipality. The vaccination exercise comes after she rounded up a mass rabies awareness campaign in New Ayoma, Akpafu, Baika, in the Guan District of the Oti region, and Nkwanta North and South. The vaccination campaign in Jasikan covered an estimated 367-pet population, distributed across the designated locations in the Jasikan Municipality: Kotokoli Zongo, Hausa Zongo, Nestella, Low Cost, Gabusu, Community Center, and Sharp Corner. Queen Aiko, a level 400 Veterinary Medicine student, was inspired to take action after learning about the devastating impact of rabies on both humans and animals. "Rabies is a preventable disease, and no one should have to suffer or die from it," she says. "I knew I had to do something to make a difference, and I needed it done at a young age, so I started looking for a platform that will amplify my voice, yes, my voice on the menace of rabies, the more reason why I deferred my program in school for the famous Ghanas Most Beautiful Contest, and it is propelling my vision so far." Queen Aiko and her team with support from Akosua Kumi of Animal Aider Project, faced logistical hurdles such as transportation across the widely dispersed locations, hard-eyed weather, rain, and communication, as well as resistance from some community members who were skeptical of the vaccine. However, they persevered and ultimately succeeded in vaccinating about 36 pets and educating about 108 households. The impact of the campaign is already being felt in the Oti region. Local officials and community members have praised the queens efforts and expressed their gratitude for the vaccination campaign. "This campaign is a game-changer for our community," says Christian Ziorklui, a local resident and lead advocate for the Buem Project. "We now have peace of mind knowing that our dogs are protected from rabies, and our community is safer as a result." The exercise also received immediate commendation from Dr. Theophilus Odoom, Head and Director of the Accra Veterinary Laboratory . Looking to the future, Queen Aiko plans to expand the campaign to other regions of Ghana with the necessary sponsorship and partnership to continue to raise awareness about the importance of rabies vaccination. "We cannot stop until every dog in Ghana is vaccinated," she says. "The mass rabies vaccination campaign in the Oti region is just one example of the impact that individuals can have when they take action to address public health issues. As Aiko demonstrates, even small initiatives can make a significant difference in the lives of people and animals." Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) has indicated that conflicts between farmers and herdsmen are largely due to the lack of appropriate conflict mechanisms. MOFA made this known at the presentation and launch of the Ghana Cattle Ranching and Transhumance Committee in Accra. The Committees objective is to assist MOFA and National security to create conducive conditions for peaceful transhumance activities in Ghana. Director of Animal Production at MOFA, Edwin Bekoe speaking on behalf of the Deputy Sector Minister, Alhaji Hardi Tufeiru commended livestock farmers for contributing significantly to the socio-economic development of the country. Mr. Bekoe underscored the role of the Transhumance Committee which is supposed to serve as the advisory and guidance body for transhumance activities in Ghana and also assist MOFA and National Security to create the conditions needed for peaceful transhumance activities to reap the necessary results. The economic importance of transhumance practice and trade cannot be overlooked in the socio-economic development in the sub-region though it has had some negative impacts in the country in different ways, Mr Bekoe added. On his part, the president of the Ghana National Association of Cattle Farmers, Imam Hanafi Sonde is expectant the Committee will mediate to resolve the rampant cases of conflicts between farmers and herders. There is usually the blame game between crop farmers and herdsmen, and we hope the Committee will check into conflicts that will arise between herders and farmers because the unresolved conflicts create more confusion. We hope that the government will give us the needed support so that we can be able to play our role well and continue to provide the countrys protein needs. A pedestrian died Tuesday after being struck by a vehicle on Lake Avenue in Hamburg, town police posted on the department's Facebook page. The incident occurred at about 8:40 p.m. in front of the Our Mother of Good Counsel Apartments for low-income elderly residents at 4288 Lake Ave. The victim, whose name was not released, was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident is being investigated by the Town of Hamburg Police Accident Investigation Unit. Back in December 2019, a 66-year-old woman was struck and killed as she was attempting the midblock crossing on Lake Avenue. Following the fatal accident, the Town of Hamburg discussed plans to install a crosswalk with flashing lights at the site, through which nearly 12,000 cars travel each day, according to a 2020 Buffalo News article. A regional military force deployed to stabilise conflict-torn eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is raising suspicions about the role neighbouring countries are playing. Dozens of armed groups plague eastern DRC, a legacy of regional wars that raged in the 1990s and 2000s. One group, the M23, has wreaked havoc since re-emerging from from dormancy in late 2021. The M23 rebels, who are allegedly backed by Rwanda, have captured swathes of territory in North Kivu province and displaced hundreds of thousands of people. The seven-nation East African Community (EAC) decided to create a military force to respond to the crisis last June. Kenyan soldiers deployed in November, followed in recent weeks by Burundian, Ugandan and South Sudanese contingents. The total size of the EAC force is unclear, but the troops are entering areas previously occupied by the M23 and are intended to supervise a rebel withdrawal. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said last week his troops were a "neutral force" that would not combat the M23. Map of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.. By Nalini LEPETIT-CHELLA (AFP) The array of foreign troops, and particularly Ugandan ones, is raising suspicions in some quarters in the DRC. Denis Mukwege, the Congolese doctor who won the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for helping rape victims in the region, recently tweeted that the EAC force is composed of "destabilising states," for example. Congolese MPs also recently asked the defence and foreign affairs ministers for clarifications about the EAC force, and in particular the role of Ugandan troops. Uganda has a history of interference in eastern Congo. Many are also suspicious of Uganda's role in the M23 crisis. According to a report in December by independent United Nations experts, the Ugandan government appeared to have turned a blind eye to M23 fighters moving back and forth over the Ugandan-DRC border, for example. 'Balkanisation' Congolese government spokesman Patrick Muyaya acknowledged "apprehensions" surrounding the EAC force, during a press briefing on Monday evening. South Sudanese soldiers land in Goma to join a regional military force deployed to stablise the east of DR Congo. By Glody MURHABAZI (AFP/File) But he stressed that EAC troops had been deployed as part of a regional push to de-escalate the crisis, and at the invitation of the Congolese government. "This must not be viewed as balkanisation," Muyaya said, referring to the division of a country into smaller states. Since Saturday, M23 fighters have withdrawn from several villages and towns in North Kivu, according to residents interviewed by AFP. The M23 first came to international prominence in 2012, when it briefly captured North Kivu's capital Goma before being driven out and going to ground. But the Tutsi-led group re-emerged in late 2021, claiming that the Congolese government had ignored a pledge to integrate its fighters into the army. The DRC, as well as the United States, other western countries and independent UN experts, accuse Rwanda of backing the M23, although Kigali denies this. The M23 claims to defend marginalised groups in eastern DRC and has consistently called for negotiations with the government. The prosecution in the trial of Gregory Afoko and Asabke Alangdi, accused of killing Adams Mahama, the late Upper East Regional Chairman of the ruling NPP, has urged a 7-membner jury to return a guilty verdict against the two when they deliberate on the trial. Marina Appiah Opare, a Chief State Attorney, in an address urged the jury to give justice to the late Adams Mahama by returning a verdict of guilty on Gregory Afoko and Asabke Alangdi as charged. According to her, the evidence adduced by the prosecution through its 16 witnesses leaves no room for doubt that it was the two accused persons who poured acid on the deceased, leading to his death. Gregory Afoko and Asabke Alangdi are before the court on two counts of conspiracy to commit crime and murder, for allegedly pouring acid on the deceased who suffered severe bodily burns and died the next day while on admission at the Bolgatanga Municipal Hospital. Ladies and gentleman of the jury, we are submitting to you that we have been able to prove our case beyond reasonable doubt. We have been able to prove that it was these two accused persons who poured acid on the deceased, Adams Mahama on 20th May, 2015. We are urging you to accept the case of the prosecution and reject the defence of the accused because their defence is not tenable, Mrs. Opare urged the jury in her address yesterday. It was the case of the prosecutor that the testimonies of the accused persons when they opened their defence were full of inconsistencies and were meant to mislead the court and the jury. Such inconsistencies she said can be found in the evidence given by the accused when they opened their defence and the statements they gave to the police when they were each arrested on separate occasions. Mrs. Opare told the jury that some of the prosecution witness told the court that the deceased on three separate occasions at home, on the way to the hospital and while at the hospital mentioned the names of the accused persons as the ones who poured acid on him and should he die, they should be held responsible. She therefore, argued that there can be no doubt that the two accused persons intentionally poured the acid on the deceased and knew the effect it could have on his body, which was why they chose acid and not water or any other liquid. She said the acid residues on the track suit trouser found in Gregory Afoko's room tested positive as the one in a gallon found at the crime scene. She also told the jury that Asabke ran to Ivory Coast after the incident because he knew the police were looking for him in connection with the crime. Finally, I want to tell you that it is important for people to be held responsible for their actions. We have done our part and the whole of Ghana is expecting you to do your part, Mrs. Opare added. Justice Afua Merley Wood, a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting as an additional High Court Judge, adjourned the case to April 27, 2023, to sum up the trial for the jury. DGN online ACEP Executive Director, Ben Boakye 05.04.2023 LISTEN The Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) Ben Boakye has expressed worry about how some public institutions are not helping the country to move forward. In his view, there are a number of public institutions in the country that have remained inefficient for years. Speaking at the 3Business Economic Sustainability Summit held in Accra on Tuesday, April 4, Ben Boakye argued that these inefficient institutions are just draining the public purse. Speaking on the current economic crisis the country is facing, Ben Boakye said the failure of the government to plan for emergencies has made matters worse. According to the ACEP Executive Director, government cannot expect everything to be well when it spends a chunk of mobilised revenue on debt servicing. we are spending far more than we generate as a country..You cant spend 52 percent more than your revenue and expect some magic, we dont plan for emergencies, Ben Boakye lamented. Ghana in the midst of the economic crisis has run to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for support. A staff-level agreement was reached for a $3 billion credit facility in December 2022 but a board-level agreement is yet to be reached. Former Minority Chief Whip and incumbent lawmaker for Asawase, Muntaka Mubarak, has expressed hopes of retaining the seat for the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). The Asawase lawmaker who appeared before the vetting committee of the party, today, 5 April 2023, was accompanied by a huge crowd of supporters. According to the lawmaker, the dream is to retain the Asawase seat and make the constituency the envy of the country. The lawmaker who spoke to Class 91.3 FMs Ashanti regional correspondent Elisha Adarkwah after his vetting, was grateful for the support of the constituents. How many people do you get to support you the way I have been supported? You don't have people continue to support you after two decades of being a member of Parliament. For you to get people to continue supporting you for two decades it means youre doing something right, the lawmaker noted. I only thank Allah. He indicated that transforming a constituency into one that everyone desires to see requires energy and patience. The lawmaker explained: I know that its a journey of trying to rebuild Asawase to make Asawase the envy of the whole country. Were on the move. Everybody will accept the fact. Asawase is an envy of [the] Ashanti region but we want it to be the envy of the whole country. So, it is something that requires a lot of energy, requires a lot of patience. It requires a lot of understanding but along the line, you know, not too many people are patient and you know people come to you in seasons. He was, therefore, hopeful that come May 13, he would sail through the primaries to get the nod to represent the party again come election 2024. Source: classfmonline.com The Director of Research at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), Ghana. Dr. Kwakye has hit out at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for continuously blaming the other for the challenges facing the country. In the history of the Fourth Republic, Ghanaians have recycled the two largest political parties in hopes of seeing needed development to make their lives better. Every year, the party in power is challenged by the other in opposition in a build-up to the next general election for the next contest. This week, the politicking has been no different after the ruling NPP leadership held a press conference on Tuesday to address allegations made by the NDC at their last press conference. Having monitored the two press conferences, Dr. John Kwakye has not been impressed. According to him, it is about time Ghanaians made it clear to the two largest parties that their blame games are not what the country needs to progress. He stressed that instead, the NPP and the NDC should solve the problems facing Ghanaians to make their lives better. We want to see solutions to our problems and not a rehash of them or blamegaming. Our political leaders should understand that Ghanaians are fed up with NPP-NDC blamegames. They want solutions to their problems, Dr. John Kwakye said in a post on Twitter. A half-brother of Togo's president Faure Gnassingbe, who has been in detention over a failed 2009 coup, has been evacuated to Gabon for medical reasons, one of his lawyers said on Wednesday. Officials in Togo and Gabon have not confirmed or commented on the details about 52-year-old Kpatcha Gnassingbe, but the story has been widely reported in recent days in private Togolese media. Considered the ringleader behind the failed coup, Kpatcha Gnassingbe, a former minister of defence, was sentenced in September 2011 to 20 years in prison for "conspiracy against the state." He was arrested in April 2009 in front of the US embassy in Togo's capital Lome, where he had been trying to gain refuge. "I can confirm to you that Kpatcha Gnassingbe has been evacuated to Gabon for health reasons since March 23. I am in contact with his relatives. He is currently in a hospital where he is being treated," Zeus Ajavon, one of his lawyers told AFP. "We have asked for his evacuation several times, because of the deteriorating state of his health. We appreciate this gesture," he said. Kpatcha Gnassingbe had been hospitalised in the military wing of the Sylvanus-Olympio University Hospital Center (CHU) in Lome since June 2021. According to the lawyer, Gnassingbe suffers from diabetes and is still considered a prisoner as he has not benefited from parole or a presidential pardon. He filed requests for a pardon in 2011 and 2013 but received no reply, Ajavon said. A total of 33 soldiers and civilians involved in the foiled 2009 coup were tried by the Supreme Court and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 12 months to 20 years. All had pleaded their innocence. Kpatcha Gnassingbe and two officers are still being held in this case, while the others have been released. "We would like the two officers who are still in detention in this case to also benefit from a medical evacuation, because they are also sick," Ajavon said. Togo has been ruled since 2005 by Faure Gnassingbe, who came to power after the death of his father, General Gnassingbe Eyadema, who himself had ruled Togo for 38 years. He was re-elected in elections that were all contested by the opposition. A broken Bridge at the Zanlerigu Gane community is causing accidents and impeding the movement of residents and commuters along the Zanlerigu Gundork road in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region. The residents said the broken bridge coupled with the deplorable road was a major threat to their lives and farmlands and appealed to the District Assembly, Non-Governmental organizations and individuals to help reconstruct the bridge. According to them, the bridge which broke in October 2022 during the rainy season, blocked the gutter and diverted the water way into their farm lands leading to the destruction of crops and flooded portions of the Zanlerigu Market. On March 31, 2023, two persons on a Haojue Mapuka motorbike run into the hole of the broken bridge resulting in multiple fractures. Traders at the Zanlerigu Market said accidents of that kind were common on that stretch of the road especially with strangers passing there for the first time and feared that something worse could happen if it was left unfixed. They also appealed for the reshaping of the narrow road to ease vehicular movement, explaining that in its current state, two vehicles heading in opposite direction could not fit in. A visit to the bridge by the Ghana News Agency revealed that portions of it had its concrete removed, exposing iron rods with visible holes at its side ways. The gutter was also chocked with gravel and rubbers. Mrs Azumah Yen-borrah, a trader, lamented that tricycle Riders used the broken bridge and the poor nature of the road as an excuse to charge them exorbitantly. She said the rainy season would make the situation worst and called on the authorities to help fix the bridge. Mr Maxwell Divom, the Assemblyman for the Zanlerigu-Dagliga Electoral area, said any further delay in the reconstruction of the bridge would worsen the plight of travellers and called for immediate action by the Assembly He said he had officially written to the District Assembly about the broken bridge but was yet to receive a favorable response. Madam Agnes Anamoo, the District Chief Executive, said the Assembly was informed about the broken bridge that had become a hotspot of accidents in the area but there was no available money at the moment to reconstruct the bridge. The Engineer went and had an observation of it but as to when it would be worked on would depend on when funds would be available because we don't have funds now and that is what I can tell you, She stated. GNA Chad's government said it had released 380 rebels on Wednesday after pardoning them from life prison terms handed down over the death of former ruler Idriss Deby Itno. In a televised ceremony, an AFP journalist at Klessoum jail near the capital N'Djamena saw 30 men dressed in black-and-white-striped prison uniforms line up before government officials who gave them their certificate of release. The other 350 were released in a ceremony that took place beforehand, said Justice Minister Mahamat Ahmat Alhabo, who was in attendance. His account was confirmed by an attorney for the prisoners, Vetada Vounsia Atchenemou. On March 21, more than 400 rebels were sentenced in a court at the jail following a mass trial. They were pardoned four days later by junta leader and transitional president General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno. The rebels are members of the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT), the country's biggest armed opposition group. They were captured after FACT launched an offensive on northern Chad from bases in Libya in early 2021. The operation culminated in the death of Deby's father, Idriss Deby Itno, Chad's iron-fisted ruler for the previous three decades, who had headed to the region to take command. His death was announced on April 20, just a day after he had been declared victor of a presidential election that gave him a sixth term in office. His 37-year-old son took the helm at the head of a 15-member junta. The rebels were convicted for "acts of terrorism, mercenarism, recruitment of child soldiers and assaulting the head of state," according to the official statement. The pardon does not apply to FACT's leader, Mahamat Mahdi Ali, who is on the run, or 55 other rebels who were sentenced, some in absentia. On March 27, Deby pardoned 259 out of 262 people who had been jailed following clashes between anti-junta protesters and the security forces last December. Seventy-three people died, according to the authorities. The Chadian human rights commission, CNDH, has estimated a death toll of 128. 05.04.2023 LISTEN The Chief Executive for the Akrofuom District Hon. Maurice Jonas Woode has assured residents that the Assembly is committed to providing quality and accessible healthcare to the people. He said this has been evident in the initiation of numerous significant interventions the Assembly has put in place especially with the construction of a number of CHPS compounds in the District. Reading his sessional address to the General Assembly on Tuesday, 4th April, 2023, the DCE intimated that he has signed an agreement with the Japan Embassy on behalf of the people of Akrofuom, for a grant of 92,590 USD to construct a CHPS Compound with a 4-unit nurses' quarters at Yaa Dome. Hon. Woode further stated that the Local Management Committee of the Minerals Development Fund has also started the construction of a CHPs compound with a 2-Unit Nurses Quarters at Kubi to address the health concerns at the community and its environment. "The renovation of the Nurses' Quarters at Mensonso and the Ampunyase Health Center is underway to give these facilities a facelift. The construction of a CHPS Compound at Mpirakyire is also ongoing, while processes are underway to give a facelift to the CHPS Compounds at Grumesa and Wamase when funds become available," the DCE added. On education, the DCE said the Assembly is committed to ensuring equal access to quality education in the district. As part of measures to improve learning outcomes in the education sector, the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with Hatchery Positivo BGH, is set to establish smart classrooms for selected basic schools in the country, including Akrofuom D/A JHS and Brofuyedru D/A basic school. The smart classrooms would be equipped with teacher laptops, fifty tablets, a projector, content access point, storage units, a virtual library, coding robotics AI kit and curriculum, Teacher 4.0 Cut classroom block with other auxiliary facilities to be used as a model school at Akrofuom. He again revealed that the Member of Parliament, Hon. Alex Blankson is also liaising with the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation to put up a 6-Unit classroom block at Sikaman. "Efforts are underway to increase access in all communities in the district. Schools with dilapidated structures, like Nyamebekyere JHS, will receive the needed attention when funds become available," he stated. Assembly exceeds IGF revenue The Hon. DCE reported that the Assembly had exceeded its projected Internal Generated Fund (IGF) target for September 2022. The actual amount raised was GHC734,323.31, compared to the budgeted amount of GHC680,000. As a result, the budgeted revenue figure will be reviewed to GHC750,000. However, the DCE expressed concerns over the delay in the disbursement of the District Assembly's Common Fund (DACF), which has led the management to finance capital expenditure from the IGF, including a classroom block at Akrofuom D/A. The DCE called on all members to help broaden the Assembly's revenue base by identifying potential IGF items. Hon. Maurice Jonas Woode expressed his gratitude to the Assembly members for their dedicated service to the district and the cordial relationship established over the years. In a bid to promote investigative journalism among students, a group of students from the Media and Communication Department at Tamale Technical University have established the Investigative Student Journalist Club. The club aims to equip students with the skills and ethics of investigative reporting while providing them with opportunities to engage in the practice. Sulemana Zakaria Barak, a level 300 student of the Media and Communication Department and a founding member of the club, is concerned that the practice of investigative journalism is still new in Ghana, with only a few practitioners in the country. According to him, the club will play an essential role in motivating students to pursue investigative journalism to expose corruption and other criminal activities in the country. During the club's launch ceremony, Mr. Sulemana emphasized that investigative journalism is a vital tool in promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance. He expressed his hope that the club would inspire students to take up the challenge of investigative journalism, acquire the necessary skills, and contribute to the development of Ghana. The club's main objective is to teach and promote the ethics of investigative journalism while providing a platform for students to hone their skills in the field. It also aims to provide students with the opportunity to explore and expose social and political issues that affect the community. The club's president, Hussein Salifu Wumpini, stated that the club has plans to organize workshops, seminars, and training sessions to enhance the skills of its members. He emphasized the importance of experienced journalists and organizations supporting the club's cause and contributing to the development of investigative journalism in Ghana. The establishment of the Investigative Student Journalist Club has been met with enthusiasm from students at Tamale Technical University. Many believe that the club will not only promote investigative journalism but also encourage critical thinking and promote transparency and accountability. The club's founders and members are optimistic that the Investigative Student Journalist Club will play a vital role in shaping the future of journalism in Ghana and beyond. Recognizing and Repairing the Harm to Iraq's Minority Communities A house in Telsqof destroyed by ISIS. As the Costs of War project has documented, the US invasion of Iraq and its aftermath (including interventions, the rise of militant groups and terror attacks) resulted in more than three hundred thousand deaths due to direct violence. Twenty years later, the knock-on effects of war on Iraq's environmental and public health, not to mention national and regional stability, are still mounting. The 20-year anniversary of the US invasion also provides an occasion to reflect on the fate of Iraq's minority populations, particularly over the last decade, and the culpability of international actors in the processes of ethnic cleansing and minority flight. While Assyrians, Yezidis and Shabaks were spared the worst of the aerial bombardments in 2003 and later from 2014--2019, these communities endured other forms of devastation that led to the disproportionate displacement and emigration of, especially, Iraq's Christian populations. Nearly three-quarters of Christians (including Chaldean Christians, Syrian Orthodox Christians, Armenian Catholic and Apostolic Christians and Greek Orthodox Christians, as well as Assyrian Church of the East Christians and Assyrian/Syrian Catholics) fled the country in two separate waves, first in 2003--2010 and then in 2014--2019.[1] The political balance created under the US-led occupation of Iraq often worked against the interests of Iraq's smallest minorities, such as the Assyrians, Mandaeans, Shabaks, Turkmen and Yezidis. State institutions in Iraq proper and its Kurdistan region were corrupted from their proclaimed functions and were used to bolster support for majority parties. In 2005, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees released a report on Iraq's non-Muslim religious minorities, detailing the discrimination against Iraq's Christian populations--particularly in central and southern Iraq--as well as targeted persecution against Iraq's Christian, Mandean and Yezidi communities, as early as 2004.[2] The targeted killings of Iraq's non-Muslim minorities following the rise of ISIS has garnered more sustained attention, but persecution occurred in waves, intensifying during the height of the occupation and insurgency. Some of these targeted attacks on minority communities amounted to ethnic cleansing in their scale of devastation. In 2007, for example, the bombing of two Yezidi villages left almost 800 people dead and thousands injured. During this period, the governorate of Nineveh was heavily affected by internal displacement. In 2006--2008, thousands of Assyrians and Chaldeans, seeking refuge from a wave of death threats, killings and attacks on churches left Mosul--the capital of Nineveh--for surrounding towns and villages, from which many of them would be displaced again by ISIS. According to a report published in 2008 by the International Organization for Migration, 40 percent of displaced persons in Nineveh were Christian Assyrians, 12 percent were Christian Chaldeans and another 12 percent were Sunni Turkmen. The latter, according to the report, found themselves "caught between two unwelcoming environments," as local authorities in Mosul tried to force their return to Telefar.[3] The same report estimated that nine in ten displaced persons reported being targeted for their religion or sect. The summer of 2014-- only a few years after both regional and global powers had intervened in the Syrian civil war--witnessed the rapid expansion of ISIS into northern Iraq. Armed with US-made tanks from Mosul and advanced weaponry looted from government bases in Syria or imported from Turkey and the Gulf states, ISIS swept through Fallujah, Mosul, the Sinjar and Nineveh Plains regions and parts of the Baghdad and Erbil governorates. The Yezidis suffered several large massacres, especially at Kocho. About 300,000 Yezidis, 200,000 Christians and hundreds of thousands of other persons took refuge in displaced person camps, acquaintances' homes or unfinished buildings or fled abroad seeking asylum or visas. Some cities and towns, such as those in the Nineveh Plains, were reduced to ruins in ISIS-led plunder and cultural destruction operations or, as with parts of Mosul, in NATO-backed coalition strikes against people living in areas where ISIS had bases. Several years later, Sinjar town and some surrounding areas, as well as parts of the Nineveh Plains and parts of the city of Mosul, still lacked clean water, reliable electricity, functioning hospitals and schools and other services. In 2021, the Iraq parliament passed the "Yezidi Survivor's Law," which drew on a reparations framework, earmarking funds from its Emergency Food Security and Development law for Yezidis and other minorities who file criminal complaints and provide documentation of ISIS destruction. But two years on, the scheme has benefited a tiny fraction of victims. Moreover, due to economic sanctions in place against Syria and Turkey's ongoing military operations in Kurdistan and in northern Iraq and Syria more broadly, the prospect of reconstruction in the northern governorates seems remote without major international funding. The scope of the need is vast: Not only do villages and neighborhoods need to be restored but so do public goods such as trust, a feeling of security, thriving trade along transnational roads and rivers, a robust educational system, access to sacred sites and hope for the future. A US effort to devote $380 million to these needs has proceeded slowly amid continuing insecurity and militia activity and possibly also corruption, political infighting and the Covid-19 pandemic's impacts. More needs to be done. The International Criminal Court (ICC) exists, on paper, to promote human security by criminally prosecuting the persons most responsible for the worst international crimes. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is an arm of the United Nations that oversees compliance with international treaties and legal principles in both state-to-state (contentious) and advisory cases. When it comes to Iraq, however, both the ICC and ICJ have failed to offer meaningful justice. The United States has rejected the jurisdiction of the ICJ in unlawful use of force cases, and the ICC initially found that not enough willful killings could be blamed on Britain to examine Iraq's case (the United States not having submitted to the ICC). While there could be a specific legal case to make around the complicity of foreign states in the targeting of Iraq's minority communities, one has failed to materialize. The ICJ could provide a forum for Iraq to seek reparations for damage caused by other states' failures to stop their citizens' support for al-Qaeda and ISIS. Iraq has not pursued this route, perhaps disheartened by difficulties encountered by Nicaragua in its proceedings against the United States, by the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina in its proceedings against Serbia and Montenegro and by the Democratic Republic of the Congo in its proceedings against Uganda.[4] Meanwhile, the ICC has a Trust Fund for Victims that could support medical and psychological care for atrocity victims, but the ICC has declined to prosecute those persons (nationals of countries ratifying the court's statute) who joined terrorist organizations in Iraq, Libya, Syria or Yemen and then targeted local people. In 2015, the ICC Office of the Prosecutor announced that while several thousand "foreign fighters" had joined ISIS from member states of the ICC, the court had no practical ability to prosecute them. In February of 2022, Iraq paid the last of the reparations it owed for the first Gulf War. The payment of $52.4 billion was brokered through the United Nations Compensation Commission to individuals, corporations and governments that could prove damages due to Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait. In the decades following the US invasion, no entity has been held sufficiently accountable for the harm caused to Iraqis or to Iraq's minorities. At the very least, there should be a "preliminary examination" of the international wrong upon their people and lands facilitated by foreign states, including member states of the ICC from which ISIS members emerged. Hannibal Travis is a professor of law at Florida International University. Residents escaped safely and two dogs were rescued as a fire Tuesday afternoon damaged a two-family home at 137 Maple Ave. in Dunkirk, Dunkirk Fire Department Capt. Gary S. Katta reported. People on the first floor fled without injury, Katta said, and those living on the second floor were not home at the time. The dogs were given oxygen at the scene. Firefighters were called at 3:13 p.m. and found heavy flames on the first floor of the home extending to the second floor in the rear. Crews were on the scene for about two hours. The East Dunkirk Fire Department and the Fredonia Fire Department provided mutual aid. The Chautauqua County Fire Investigation Team determined that the blaze was caused by cooking oil left unattended on top of a stove. No damage estimate was given. 05.04.2023 LISTEN Some caterers of the School feeding Programme in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region have stated they will lose their jobs if the ruling New Patriotic Party is kicked out of power. Dorothy Ofori-Sarpong, who provides meals for school children in basic schools in the region in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show on Wednesday claimed that all caterers in the region are bonafide members of the NPP. According to her, there is no way they will be retained if the National Democratic Congress wins the 2024 elections. She added that it is a known fact all current caterers must be members of the NPP. Making a point for arrears owed them to be paid, Dorothy Ofori-Sarpong said caterers in the region have sacrificed for long, and it is time the government pays attention to their plight. We know that when the NDC wins power, we will all lose our jobs., Ofori-Sarpong told host Bernard Avle adding All of us are members of the NPP. Dorothy also slammed the Ashanti Regional Minister for disrespecting them when they besieged his office to demand payments for their arrears. She revealed that they have not been paid for three school terms and caterers have virtually run out of funds. The caterers who are calling on the government to pay them their arrears and also increase the amount expressed their disappointment with the Regional Minister over how he received them. Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah has justified his reason for reacting angrily to caterers under the government's school feeding programme in the Ashanti Region when they presented a petition to him on Monday, April 3. Speaking to the media however, Mr Simon Osei Mensah insists that the caterers did not follow due process and were protesting at the Regional Coordinating Council which compelled him to react the way he did. I was in a meeting yesterday when I heard some noise outside the office, and so I sent my special assistant to find out, and he came and told me it was caterers protesting outside. They did not even seek security clearance before demonstrating, so you can imagine what would have happened if the security personnel at the Regional Coordinating Council had reacted to them. We must be truthful to ourselves in this country and stop pampering people because impunity is too much. Though I sympathise with the caterers, we should not allow people to break the law in their attempt to have their problems solved. We should solve our problems through legal means. You can't just take the law into your hands and do what you want because I will not tolerate that. -Citi Newsroom Ningo Prampram Member of Parliament Samuel George has said there is an urgent need to investigate how some residents of Bawku came by the sophisticated weapons on them. Sam George says the kind of weapons in the hands of the residents makes a case for a thorough investigation. His comments come after one officer of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) was shot dead by unknown assailants in conflict-prone Bawku in the Upper East Region. Two other officers are fighting for their lives at the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital , where they were rushed after the incident. The three were attacked Monday night on their way to Missiga station. It's unclear what the motive of the attackers were but their action is said to be related to the protracted ethnic conflict in the area. Speaking on the Big Issue on TV3 Wednesday, April 5 on the conflict situation in Bawku, the opposition lawmaker said If you talk to people on the ground of Bawku, the caliber of weaponry on the grounds in Bawku, it is a war. How are they getting the weapons? How are they getting the ammunition? Who is resourcing that conflict in Bawku? These are the fundamental questions we must ask ourselves. How big is Bawku? What is the population of Bawku? Can't our intelligence wing, be it National Security or NIB and all the amorphous institutions we have who terrorize citizens for no reason, they are telling us that they can't identify, using intelligence, who the kingpins are behind this thing to pick them up? How big is Bawku and what is their population that the military cannot step and intervene MP for Ningo Prampram @samgeorgegh #TV3NewDay pic.twitter.com/HOI7jlMNLF #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) April 5, 2023 So now our military cannot step into Bawku and we say we have an army and our Commander in Chief doesn't see that there is a problem here. -3news.com Zambia's President, Hakainde Hichilema, will join President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to grace the 2023 graduation ceremony of the Valley View University (VVU), slated for July 09, in Accra, the University authorities have disclosed. President Hichilema, who took office in August 2021, is a lay leader of the SDA Church, and first Adventist to become a president in Africa. The two dignitaries, expected to be honoured at the event, will be the highlight of the historic occasion. It is designed to boost people-to-people relations of the two Anglophone countries, especially within the church's environment as well as the long-standing diplomatic ties existing between the respective Governments. This year's graduation, you will be our Special Guests of Honour. It will be a big day, and your presence will make it bigger. Pastor Dr. Thomas Techie Ocran, President, Southern Ghana Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church Ghana, and also the VVU Council Chair, told President Nana Akufo-Addo, when the VVU authorities paid a courtesy call on him, at the Jubilee House, Accra. The visit was to officially invite Ghana's President for the impending graduation ceremony, while seeking his assistance to facilitate the coming of the Zambian President. Professor William Kofi Koomson, the VVU Vice-Chancellor (VC), Pastor Dr Kwame Annor-Boahen, President of the Northern Ghana Union Conference, SDA Church Ghana, who is also the Vice Council Chair, were part of the delegation to the Jubilee House. VVU, the first private university in Ghana to be granted a Charter, was established in 1979 by the West African Union Mission of Seventh-day Adventists (now Ghana Union Conference). In 1997, it was absorbed into the Adventist university system operated by the West-Central Africa Division (WAD) with headquarters in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. The Ghana Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (organised in 2000) serves as the local manager of the University, whose vision is to be a leading center of excellence for value-based Christian education. Its mission is to foster a harmonious development of the physical, intellectual, social, and spiritual faculties of students and staff in a well-designed and sound learning research environment for meaningful service to God and humanity. Pastor Dr. Techie Ocran said Ghana and Zambia had been outstanding in the global Adventist Church, therefore, it was appropriate for them to work together in promoting the cause of humanity. The visiting delegation took time to pray for the President, nation and people. President Nana Akufo-Addo described the Zambian President as a personal friend. In view of this, he was looking forward to his visit to the country to grace the occasion. The President lauded the VVU for living up to its vision and mission over the years for the benefit of the Ghanaian society. GNA US vice-president Kamala Harris's recent visit to Zambia is an example the country's increased engagement with western nations. It gave fresh impetus to the view that Zambian president Hakainde Hichilema is strongly aligning the country to the west. This has been evident from his pro-business rhetoric , western education and re-engagement with multilateral financial institutions and partners in the UK , the US and the European Union . But this re-engagement has stopped short of a full pendulum swing. For example, the country retains strong ties to China . Hichilema came to power in August 2021 on a promise of domestic economic revival, good governance and a business friendly approach. He set out a new direction for the country's foreign policy in his inauguration speech . This emphasised economic diplomacy and partnerships across the emerging geopolitical divide between western countries, and China and Russia. Hichilema's support for democratic institutions and good governance has unlocked some investment. But this will take time to translate into tangible benefits for citizens. At the same time, China is recalculating the nature of its economic engagement with Zambia. This could mean a potential shortfall of investment in the short term when it is needed most. The US is keen to address this gap and support ongoing reforms. Harris announced a US$16 million grant for new Zambian programmes. These include anti-corruption and other reform efforts. She also announced a memorandum of understanding on commercial projects and trade. Her visit has been widely interpreted as part of America's efforts to counter what it perceives as Chinese influence on the continent . Most African leaders don't share such a polarised view. They are keen to assert their own agency and choose international partners on a more pragmatic basis . My new paper argues that Zambia's interests are best served by remaining neutral on global geopolitics. It must maintain relations with partners in the east and the west, as well as nurture economic ties with its neighbours. US courting Zambia Zambia is important to the US for several reasons relating to global issues. These include: the effectiveness of the G20 Common Framework for Debt Treatments as a democratic state and potential African ally for western powers on the continent as a valuable producer of natural resources required for the global green transition, especially copper, cobalt, nickel and manganese. The importance of Zambia has been underlined by successive high-level visits. These include US treasury secretary Janet Yellen meeting Hichilema on debt restructuring in Lusaka in January . Read more: When two elephants fight: how the global south uses non-alignment to avoid great power rivalries The developing relationship extends beyond finance. In 2022, US Africa Command announced a security cooperation agreement with Zambia, for which it established an office at the US embassy in Lusaka. Since 2014, the US government has invested over US$8 million in assistance for training Zambian battalions before deployment to the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic. Zambia has also caught the attention of western partners by repeatedly voting against the war in Ukraine in the UN . In doing so, it broke ranks with larger players in southern Africa. However, Zambian officials have pointed out to me that the vote is against the war, and not against Russia itself. The former Soviet Union, of which Russia was part, was the first to recognise Zambia as an independent state in 1964 . Hakainde Hichilema condemned Russia's war in Ukraine in June 2022. European Union 2022 Hichilema has been keen to maintain relations with all partners. This has been most acute in his management of the relationship with Zambia's all-weather friend , China. Positive neutrality Hichilema has taken an assertive approach to international relations. He has retained Zambia's tradition of positive neutrality . While he has resuscitated relations with western partners, especially the US and the UK, his government has also maintained important relationships with China. Successive Zambian leaders have had to balance the macro-economic importance of China with negative local perceptions. The relationship with China is a domestic political issue of growing importance. Many Zambians are suspicious of, or even hostile to, Chinese enterprises, citing unfair labour practices and human rights violations . But Hichilema has maintained Zambia's relationship with China. A phone call with president Xi Jinping in May 2022 was instrumental in unlocking China's positive engagement in an ongoing multilateral debt negotiation. It also positioned Zambia at the forefront of Beijing's own new development paradigm . Read more: US-China tensions: how Africa can avoid being caught in a new Cold War This aims to support small and medium-sized enterprises, human capital investments and green energy development, and emphasise foreign direct investment flows rather than loan financing. Hichilema's self-styled chief marketing officer approach has also unlocked new investments and development support from a diversified mix of partners. These include Brazil, India, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. The most concerted effort has been to reinforce Zambia's regional relationships. Hichilema has made multiple regional visits Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Malawi, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Namibia and Rwanda have been on his itinerary. These far outnumber his engagements outside Africa. He has entered bilateral arrangements with neighbours on agriculture, manufacturing and mining. The US has recognised the attention Hichilema has placed on the development of regional value chains. In 2022, the US endorsed a memorandum of understanding with Zambia and the DRC to develop electric vehicle batteries . Such international support could be critical for overcoming industry scepticism about infrastructure and regulatory deficiencies. Looking forward Harris's visit is significant in maintaining the momentum of US engagement in Zambia, continuing efforts to unlock the debt process and supporting the economic value of democracy. New investment announcements will be welcomed by a Zambian administration keen to show results from its economic diplomacy. Read more: Africa can use great power rivalry to its benefit: Here is how But the US should expect Hichilema to maintain a neutral course on geopolitics, especially in its relationship with China. Hichilema stressed during the press conference with Harris that good relations with the United States (do) not preclude good relations with China, and vice versa. Christopher Vandome does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. By Christopher Vandome, Senior Research Fellow, Chatham House and PhD candidate, International Relations, University of the Witwatersrand The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo Prampram, Samuel Nartey George has bemoaned the continuous killings in Bawku in the Upper East Region. In his view, it is shocking that security agencies have not been able to clamp down on the violence in Bawku and its environs yet citizens are being terrorised by officers for no reason. Speaking to TV3 in an interview, Sam George raised concern on the influx of weapons in Bawku, while urging the security agencies to go after the kingpins behind the supply of weapons used for the violence. If you talk to people on the ground of Bawku, the caliber of weaponry on the grounds in Bawku, it is a war. How are they getting the weapons? How are they getting the ammunition? Who is resourcing that conflict in Bawku? These are the fundamental questions we must ask ourselves, the Ningo Prampram MP said in an interview on TV3 on Wednesday, April 5. Sam George continued to ask, How big is Bawku? What is the population of Bawku? Cant our intelligence wing, be it National Security or NIB and all the amorphous institutions we have who terrorize citizens for no reason, they are telling us that they cant identify, using intelligence, who the kingpins are behind this thing to pick them up? These concerns have been raised by the Ningo Prampram MP following the latest attack in Bawku. On Monday, three officers of the Ghana Immigration Service were attacked and shot by unknown gunmen. While two persons survived, the third officer died on the spot. 05.04.2023 LISTEN All persons who are fuelling the conflict in Bawku are known by the security however, the political will to arrest them is lacking, a security consultant, Dr Adam Bonaa has said. Dr Bonaa believes that if the President puts his foot down to stop this conflict, the situation would be dealt with within one month. His comments come after one officer of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) was shot dead by unknown assailants in conflict-prone Bawku in the Upper East Region. Two other officers are fighting for their lives at the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital , where they were rushed after the incident. The three were attacked Monday night on their way to Missiga station. It's unclear what the motive of the attackers were but their action is said to be related to the protracted ethnic conflict in the area. Speaking in an interview with Martin Asiedu Darteh on the mid-day news on TV3 Wednesday, April 5, Dr Bonaa The all-out security approach, the military, and police intervention shouldn't be the only solutionlet us look at other angles of dealing with the conflicts in Bawku. Those who are fuelling the war in Bawku are known people, I know some of them, they know them, and no one can tell me we do not know the warlords, what is taking is the political will to go after them. He added, The onus is on the president, if he puts his foot down and says this conflict should stop in the next one month, it will stop. -3news.com Ghana securing a $3 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will require more than just passing new taxes, expert reveals. While tax measures show government's intent to raise revenue, he noted that the IMF wants to see comprehensive plans for economic recovery and stability before approving any loan. Deloitte Ghana's George Ankomah in an interview on Accra-based Starr FM argued that introducing taxes will not guarantee IMF agreement or the $3 billion aid. He said "We have not put forth a hundred per cent all, what the IMF is asking for on what we need to do to have an IMF deal. "...the IMF to the best of my understanding is not necessarily asking for a tax bill to be passed but the government demonstrates plans of how it is going to recover from the state in which we are." Ankomah indicated that the IMF seeks "sustainable economic growth and macroeconomic stability and how we are going to do that." Parliament approved three tax measures - Income Tax Amendment Bill, Excise Duty Amendment Bill, and Growth and Sustainability Amendment Bill. Government claimed these would help facilitate its $3 billion IMF bailout after a Staff-Level Agreement, but Ankomah argued "We are told that once these taxes are passed then we will be able to secure an IMF deal. ...It happened that after that we realized that there is something more that needs to be done." IMF deals depend on addressing issues systematically, not superficially. As Ankomah said, "You know the discussion around the debt exchange was very topical. ...We are taught after signing that then we are on course." In terms of sustainable economic growth and macroeconomic stability and how we are going to do that. So the government is of the view that some of these taxes that have been introduced should be one of the considerations for the IMF to see that we have made an effort to rake in more revenue, he posited. In furtherance, the expert argues Ghana must showcase comprehensive economic and governance reforms to convince the IMF of its commitment before the bailout will be approved, of which new taxes are merely a part. The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has dismissed a claim by Ningo Prampam Member of Parliament Samuel Nartey George that its officers failed to provide protection for members of the Parliamentary Select Committee who were on their way to Bawku to ascertain the conflict situation. Sam George had opined that the army was afraid to go to Bawku to protect highly valued personalities. He said on the Big Issue on TV3 Wednesday, April 5 that the Military was unable to give protection to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and Interior who decided to go to Bawku to ascertain for themselves what the real situation on the ground was. The committee, he said, rescinded their trip halfway to Bawku because they picked intelligence that it wasn't safe for them to get there. Our army is afraid of going into Bawku to protect the parliamentary committee on defense and interior yet the military could go to Ashaiman to brutalize citizens. If you are strong the boys in Bawku are misbehaving, go there and deal with those behind it, Sam George said. But responding to him in an interview with TV3s Martin Asiedu Darteh on the mid-day news on Wednesday, April 5, Naval Captain Michael Addo Larbi Director of Public Relations for the GAF said It is not true that the Military wasnt there to provide the necessary escort or protection for the committee. As you go to any conflict-prone area the first thing you get is a security brief of the situation from the ground. That was given to the committee in Tamale. So the decision for the committee not to proceed to Bawku was not because the Military wasnt there to provide them with the necessary security, they were deployed, they were ready. I believe the Bawku Municipal Security Council MUSEC and the Upper East Regional Security Council had all given indications that they were prepared to receive the committee but the trip was canceled at the last minute so is not the situation that the military wasnt in the position to provide them with the necessary security and escort to Bawku, they were ready for that. -3news.com Individuals aspiring to represent the Volta Region in Parliament on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), are exuding confidence in unseating incumbents. The Volta Regional office of the NDC was thrown into a jubilant mood as aspirants from Constituencies in the middle belt of the Region underwent vetting. Both incumbents and aspirants had mobilized supporters and indicated keen competition while engaging with the media at the vetting. Among them were several repeat contenders including Raymond Akpatsa, who is contesting Adaklu MP Mr. Kwame Agbodza for the fourth time. He said it was time to revamp development efforts in the constituency and would acknowledge and build on the achievements of the incumbent. I am coming to build on what Agbodza has achieved. The time has come to inject fresh ideas. I am coming up with fresh ideas to produce the necessary ideas and strategies to project Adaklu. The 49-year-old lawyer said he was born and bred in Adaklu, and had made himself known to delegates, who he claimed were solidly behind me, and thus hope for massive endorsement. Rebecca Agbogah, the woman among the three contesting Mr. Agbodza, for her second time, also said, it is time for a woman to be elevated in the Constituency. We want more women among the forerunners. Joycelyn Tetteh, North Dayi MP, is also facing five determined individuals including Francisca Mawufemor Adjei, 39-year-old entrepreneur. She said she would unite the Party in the Constituency when elected. There is so much division in the constituency and this is not a swing constituency. It is the stronghold of the NDC, the aspirant stated. Ms Adjei said her endorsement was assured considering her track of positions held as well as her roles in several campaigns which dated back to 2005. Prosper Ofosu, a finance professional who is seeking to retire South Dayi MP, Rockson Dafeamekpor from Parliament, described himself as a unifier, and would attract more numbers to help win power in 2024. He said he would add to the strength of financial experts serving the nation, stating It would take finance people to change Ghana, and I have the lobbying skills to champion the cause of the NDC. Gaby Hottordze, MP for Central Tongu has a well-positioned individual on his heels Mr. V.K Adawudu, a lawyer for Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the North Tongu representative, and who said he would complement the latter in transforming the entire Tongu enclave. My chances are very bright. Central Tongu is waiting for a change. We need a lawyer to give effective representation and to develop the area. Communities will be turned into towns and cities, he said while outlining plans to develop agriculture, education and empower the youth. I want to raise more professionals. I will increase the number of PhDs coming from Central Tongu, and we will collectively develop Tongu. Other MPs from across the Region face similar contentions, but claim they are determined to hold their ground. Madam Joycelyn Tetteh told the media that the quest by some people to take her place reflected the heights to which she had elevated the position and the Constituency. I have made the party so attractive; everyone thinks they can lead, she retorted, and said among other achievements, she had taken up several girls empowerment initiatives and supported numerous women. Mr Agbodza said his contributions to Parliament continued to strengthen democratic and governance credentials of the nation, while he had endeavoured to provide several schools and other social interventions in Adaklu. Mr Gabby Alex Hottordze, the Central Tongu MP, who was lifted shoulder-high by his supporters upon his exit from the vetting chamber, also defended his reelection bid, and said he had increased votes for the party by more than 10,000, and changed the face of the branch executive position. Mr. Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzah, Ho West MP, who is faced with three contenders, said he had offered himself for the position to deliver the development of the Constituency, and was confident of his re-endorsement. Mr Samuel Danku, second time contesting for the seat, said, Parliamentarians have betrayed the Party for so long and with my coming, we will change the system. Change must come from the Party's credibility among Ghanaians. Lawyer Delanyo Alifo, also a contender, told the media he had successfully rallied the youth and empowered them to join the Party. Aspiring for the second time, he said, my vision for the community has not changed, and it has always been to impact people and bring development. A total of 75 nominations were filed in the Region, with constituencies including Ketu North, Ho Central, North Dayi, Hohoe, Keta, Anlo and the Tongu areas receiving the most aspirants. MPs for North Tongu and Agortime Ziope went unopposed, while the MPs for Ho Central and Ketu North gave up their seats, causing a clamor to represent the two populous constituencies by seven, and eight aspirants, respectively. Mr. Mawutor Agbavitor, Regional Chairman of the NDC in Ho, that the seats were being fiercely contested, and said the party had put measures in place including a body to review post-election issues and cater for grievances. He urged all to ensure the Party remained united and work together to win the 2024 general elections. GNA Security Analyst Kwadwo Otchere Darko has expressed deep worries about the recent abuse and disrespect creeping into the uniform fraternity. Recent developments including the military invasion of Ashaiman and Police-military clash at the forecourt of the Accra Central Police Command have sent shocks down the spine of Ghanaians especially security analysts. The latest is a viral video in which a police officer is seen begging for his life in the hands of alleged illegal miners in Axim. Speaking to the development on Afisem on TV XYZ, the Chief Executive of Ntentan Security Services, Kwadwo Otchere Darko called on uniform personnel, politicians and the government to as a matter of urgency put measures to protect the personnel of the security agencies before public confidence is lost. Uniform personnel and the citizens must live in harmony to promote peace, but the conduct of some police personnel is questionable due to how they were employed, he told Wisdom Hededzome. Mr Otchere Darko also said the enlistment processes of the various security services must be looked at again to ensure that personnel are recruited through the right processes. There are some police and military recruits who were employed because of the relationship they have with politicians, so they are not taken through the requisite training. Such people are likely to misbehave like we have been witnessing in the past days, he added. Meanwhile, the police have arrested four persons who attacked police officers in the Western Region. According to them, the allegation of extortion by the officers in the viral video by the suspects has been forwarded to the Police Professional Standards Bureau for investigation. On March 28, 2023, the four suspects, Kojo Siah alias Mozey; Emmanuel Mensah alias Kofi Asamoah, Maxwell Cudjoe and Agyabu Haruna Dissawu were arrested for their involvement in the attack. The allegation of extortion against the officers has been referred to the Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSP) for investigation. All the suspects in the reported attack on the patrol team have been put before court and have been remanded in custody. Efforts are continuing to get the remaining suspects arrested. The man charged with vandalizing the tribute park outside Russell Salvatore's Lancaster restaurant is accused of resisting arrest and biting an officer when police tried to take him into custody in a separate incident one day later. Lancaster police on Wednesday announced the arrest of Michael L. Stasiuk, 20, in connection with the vandalism of Patriots and Heroes Park outside Russell's Steaks, Chops & More restaurant. Suspect found, charges pending in vandalism of Russell Salvatore's tribute park in Lancaster Lancaster police have identified the suspect and filed charges against him in Lancaster Town Court but he has not yet been taken into custody, said police Capt. Jeff Smith. Stasiuk, of Lancaster, was arraigned that afternoon in Lancaster Town Court on charges of second-degree criminal mischief, petit larceny and fifth-degree possession of stolen property, police said. Stasiuk, who was released under supervision, is scheduled to return to court April 13 to answer the charges in both incidents. In the initial incident on March 2, Stasiuk is accused of smashing sculptures and light fixtures at the park in front of the restaurant at 6600 Transit Road. Vandal damages 'brokenhearted' Russell Salvatore's tribute park in Lancaster A vandal smashed numerous statues overnight at a park honoring veterans and first responders in front of Russell's Steaks, Chops & More, 6675 Transit Road, Lancaster. Police said March 20 they had identified a suspect and filed charges, but could not release more information until he was in custody. The Erie County District Attorney's Office on Thursday morning provided additional details about both incidents. Stasiuk, according to authorities, used his fists, rocks and a pipe to break fixtures, including statues and replica statues, on March 2 at Patriots and Heroes Park. The pipe, The Buffalo News previously reported, was a replica bazooka broken off a soldier statute at the park. Prosecutors say Stasiuk also drove his vehicle around the grounds, damaging the landscaping, and when police searched his vehicle, they found memorial fixtures and other items from the park inside. Authorities say he caused an estimated $122,000 in total damage to the park. Salvatore previously told The News he planned to rebuild the park and reopen it on June 14, Flag Day. Photos: Vandal damages Heroes Park outside Russell's Steaks, Chops & More Here's a look at the aftermath of vandalism at Heroes Park, which honors veterans and first responders in front of Russell Salvatore's restaur One day later, on March 3, Lancaster police responded to Pleasant View Drive after receiving several 911 calls to check on the welfare of a pedestrian. As an officer approached in his patrol vehicle, the man, later identified as Stasiuk, ran in front and yelled obscenities at the officer, according to the District Attorney's Office. When the officer exited his vehicle to talk to Stasiuk, authorities said, Stasiuk ran into the middle of the street, and another officer positioned his vehicle to prevent Stasiuk from being hit by oncoming traffic. Then, when an officer tried to take Stasiuk into custody, he tried to flee, refused orders and fought with the officer, biting him in the right hand, prosecutors said. Stasiuk was Tased and eventually brought under control, according to the District Attorney's Office. He is charged with felony assault, resisting arrest and various other charges in this second incident. Security expert, Dr. Adam Bonaa has argued that there is a lack of political will to deal with the age-old violence in Bawku in the Upper East Region. According to him, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo can deal with the situation in a matter of one month if he decides he wants to end it. Dr. Bonaa is of the view that the President only needs to put his foot down and go after the known warlords fueling the protracted ethnic conflict. The all-out security approach, the military, and police intervention shouldnt be the only solutionlet us look at other angles of dealing with the conflicts in Bawku. Those who are fuelling the war in Bawku are known people, I know some of them, they know them, and no one can tell me we do not know the warlords. What is lacking is the political will to go after them, Dr. Adam Bonaa shared in an interview with TV3. The security expert continued, The onus is on the president, if he puts his foot down and says this conflict should stop in the next one month, it will stop. Bawku has been in the news again since Monday after a latest attack. Some unknown gunmen shot three officers of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) killing one instantly. Two of the officers survived are in critical condition at the hospital. Although the motive behind the attack is yet to be established by the security agencies investigating the matter, many have linked it to the conflict in Bawku. Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has retrieved GH1.7 million out of GH3.4 million debts owed by Printex. This action is part of a larger effort by the GWCL to collect money owed by clients, particularly businesses in the Nungua District. Dr. Clifford Braimah, the GWCLs managing director, speaking with journalists said, There was a new tariff in September 2022 and Printex was re-categorised because they have two product lines. One line is for printing the fabric and the second one is for the drinksfrutale and kalypo. And the unit rate went higher, so they were disputing why we put them on a higher rate instead of a lower rate. For us, we are looking at balancing and making sure that we are able to generate revenue for our operations. We have agreed to them paying 50%, which they have done. In a related development, GWCL also recovered GH38,000 from Kata Company Limited out of the GH220,000 debt the alcoholic beverage business owes it. This forms part of an ongoing revenue mobilisation exercise by the GWCL to retrieve monies owed by customers, specifically, industries in the Nungua District. The Managing Director of the GWCL, Ing. Dr. Clifford Braimah says customers need to cooperate with the team as they undertake this important exercise in an effort to collect and mobilise the much-needed revenue to improve water supply services in the country. Some of the customers are tough and will give all the reasons they shouldnt pay. Customers should try and cooperate with us, he appealed. GWCL also disconnected water supply of a beverage factory known as U-Fresh Company Limited at Spintex in Accra over non-payment of bills worth GH163000. This move forms part of an ongoing revenue mobilisation exercise by the GWCL to retrieve monies owed by customers specifically industries in the Nungua District. The Managing Director of the GWCL, Ing. Dr.Clifford Braimah spoke to Journalists. -citinewsroom Kenyan authorities should thoroughly and credibly investigate recent attacks on journalists covering protests and ensure that the perpetrators are held to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. Protests took place in parts of Kenya on three different days between March 20 and 30, led by the opposition Azimio la Umoja political coalition over high costs of living and allegations of fraud in the countrys 2022 election, according to news reports. Police and members of the public harassed and physically assaulted journalists covering the demonstrations, and at least two were briefly detained, according to statements by press rights groups and five journalists who spoke to CPJ. President William Ruto and Police Inspector-General Japheth Koome issued separate statements saying that attacks on journalists by police had not been deliberate. Ruto promised to deal with deliberate attacks on the press, and Koome said authorities would investigate such incidents. Verbal commitments to press freedom and journalists safety in Kenya are welcome, but they ring hollow without concrete steps to hold the police and members of the public who harassed and assaulted journalists accountable for their actions, said Muthoki Mumo, CPJs sub-Saharan Africa representative. Authorities must thoroughly investigate the recent attacks on members of the press covering recent opposition protests, hold those responsible to account, and replace any damaged media equipment. On March 20, a group of protesters in Nairobis Kibera neighborhood used stones to shatter the windshield of a vehicle belonging to the privately owned broadcaster NTV, according to news reports and a report by the outlet. INCIDENTS IN NAIROBI ON MARCH 27 Two police officers arrested camera operator Clint Obere and reporter Calvin Rock, both with the investigative media outlet Africa Uncensored, while they interviewed boda boda (motorcycle taxi) drivers, according to a video published by the outlet and Rock, who spoke to CPJ by messaging app. The officers accused the journalists of assembling a crowd, forced them into a police vehicle with six other officers, drove them to the nearby Mathare neighborhood, and released them unconditionally after 30 minutes. One of the officers pointed her phones camera at the journalists faces, as if to take a photo or record footage, and warned them that they should not return to Juja Road, where they had been reporting. A police officer confronted NTV reporter Ngina Kirori, demanded that she stop recording with her mobile phone, and grabbed her press card, damaging it, according to a report by NTV. The officer then grabbed Kiroris phone, deleted a video she made of the police in the area, and ordered her to leave. Kirori refused and continued to report. Police officers also fired two tear gas canisters at an NTV vehicle carrying a crew trailing the convoy of opposition leader Raila Odinga, breaking the rear window, according to a report by the outlet and tweets from Kirori, who was inside the NTV vehicle. Protesters climbed onto the news organizations pickup truck, damaging it from their excessive weight. The crew, stranded between police officers firing tear gas and protesters throwing stones, abandoned their vehicle and sought refuge in a local church, hiding for about three hours. Police used water cannons to spray five camera operators from various outlets who were sitting on top of a vehicle, according to a report by NTV and Eric Isinta, one of those journalists, who spoke to CPJ via phone. Isinta said the water damaged his camera and live broadcasting equipment, cumulatively valued at about 3 million shillings (US$22,550). Kenyan police used water cannons to spray Eric Isinta and four other camera operators from various outlets who were sitting on top of a vehicle on March 27, 2023. On March 30, police hit Isinta in the face and chest with tear gas canisters. (Screenshot: YouTube/NTV) Members of the public, some of who were armed with machetes and other weapons, attacked at least four journalists with the privately owned broadcaster Citizen TV, punching one in the face, stealing anothers wallet, and using stones to break a window of the crews vehicle, according to a report by the outlet. Seth Olale, a reporter who was part of the crew, tweeted that they reported the incident to police. NTV reporter Vincent Oduor told the outlet in an interview that a group of people chased him and camera operator Dickson Onyango with machetes and tried to rob them of their broadcasting equipment. INCIDENTS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY ON MARCH 27 At Northlands, a farm on the outskirts of Nairobi owned by the family of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, a group of people looting confronted Steve Otieno, a reporter with the privately owned newspaper Daily Nation, and accused him and his crew of exposing them to the public, according to a report by the outlet and Otieno, who spoke to CPJ by phone. About 10 looters pushed Otieno to the ground, punched him, stole his phone, and hit him on the head three times with a machete handle. Otieno was treated at a hospital and reported swelling to his neck, head, and one of his ears, a headache lasting several days, and blurred vision in his right eye for two days. Otieno reported the incident to the police. Also at Northlands, a group of looters tried to forcefully pull NTV reporter Brian Muchiri out of a company vehicle through a window; and moments later threw a rock that shattered a window in the same vehicle, which was carrying two other journalists and a media worker from NTV and Daily Nation, according to news reports. Muchiri received medical treatment at a hospital for minor injuries. When asked about the polices slow response to the violence at Northlands, Koome said that the police had been overstretched with other distress calls. In the town of Kapsoit, in the western county of Kericho, people who had set up a barricade on a road chased NTV reporter Winnie Chepkemoi and then punched her, kicked her, pulled her hair, and damaged her phone, according to news reports and Chepkemoi, who communicated with CPJ via messaging app. She received medical treatment at a hospital for injuries to one of her legs, which was swollen, and filed a report with Kapsoit police that same day, according to those sources and Joe Ageyo, the editorial director of Nation Media Group, who spoke with CPJ by phone. INCIDENTS ON MARCH 30 In Nairobis Embakasi neighborhood, police fired tear gas and water cannons at five camera operators from various outlets sitting atop a vehicle, according to Isinta, who was on the vehicle, and news reports. A gas canister hit Timon Abuna, with privately owned KTN, on the head, according to a report by the news outlet and Isinta. Another canister fell inside Isintas shirt, burning him on the chest, while a second canister hit him on the left cheek. Isinta fell to the ground and was knocked unconscious for a few minutes. Isinta told CPJ that when he asked a passing police officer for assistance, the officer called him a dog and told him to die. Isinta and Abuna both received medical treatment for their injuries. In the western city of Kisumu, protestors threw stones at Dismas Nabiswa, a Citizen TV camera operator, stole his phone, and damaged his broadcasting equipment, according to a report and a statement by the Kisumu Journalists Network, a regional welfare group, which CPJ reviewed. Nabiswa received medical treatment for fractured ribs. CPJs requests for comment sent to Resila Onyango, a national police spokesperson and Makau Mutua, spokesperson for Azimio la Umoja, did not receive any replies. The President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, was in Liberia to witness the signing of the Revised Farmington River Declaration 2023 on 4th April 2023. The Revised Farmington River Declaration is a commitment by political parties to non-violence and judicial means to resolve electoral conflict arising before and after elections. Liberia is expected to hold presidential and representative elections in October of this year. While in Liberia, President Touray held meetings with H.E. Dr. George Manneh Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia and Ms. Giovanie Biha, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Acting Head of the United Nations Office in West Africa and the Sahel. In his statement at the signing ceremony, the President of the ECOWAS Commission commended the Government and people of Liberia for their tireless efforts towards consolidating peace and development, while also recognizing the generous support of international partners. Speaking to political parties, he urged them to adhere to the code of conduct that guides political parties and their partisans. He went on to further remind the gathering of ECOWAS stance on Zero Tolerance for violence and that perpetrators will be identified and punished. The media was encouraged to desist from using their platforms for misinformation, fake news and inflammatory rhetoric that could derail the peace in Liberia. The President further reassured Liberia of ECOWAS continued support towards the electoral process to safeguard the integrity of the elections. The ceremony was attended by the President of Liberia who signed on behalf of his coalition, the former President of Liberia, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as an observer, civil society organizations, international partners and scores of other distinguished personalities. Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:BIO.B Get Rating)s stock price hit a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $464.10 and last traded at $464.10, with a volume of 23 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $464.10. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Separately, TheStreet raised Bio-Rad Laboratories from a d+ rating to a c- rating in a research report on Monday, March 27th. Get Bio-Rad Laboratories alerts: Bio-Rad Laboratories Stock Performance The firms 50 day moving average price is $417.74 and its 200-day moving average price is $409.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12, a current ratio of 5.55 and a quick ratio of 4.29. The stock has a market cap of $13.74 billion, a P/E ratio of -3.82 and a beta of 0.68. Bio-Rad Laboratories Company Profile Bio-Rad Laboratories ( NYSE:BIO.B Get Rating ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 16th. The company reported $3.31 earnings per share for the quarter. Bio-Rad Laboratories had a negative net margin of 129.66% and a positive return on equity of 4.59%. The company had revenue of $730.29 million during the quarter. (Get Rating) Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc manufactures, and distributes life science research and clinical diagnostic products in the United States, Europe, Asia, Canada, and Latin America. The company operates through Life Science and Clinical Diagnostics segments. The Life Science segment develops, manufactures, and markets a range of reagents, apparatus, and laboratory instruments that are used in research techniques, biopharmaceutical production processes, and food testing regimes. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Bio-Rad Laboratories Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bio-Rad Laboratories and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Finance Of America Companies Inc. (NYSE:FOA Get Rating) major shareholder Holdings L.P. Blackstone III purchased 10,869,566 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, March 31st. The shares were acquired at an average price of $1.38 per share, with a total value of $15,000,001.08. Following the purchase, the insider now owns 24,727,216 shares of the companys stock, valued at $34,123,558.08. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Large shareholders that own 10% or more of a companys shares are required to disclose their sales and purchases with the SEC. Finance Of America Companies Price Performance Shares of NYSE:FOA traded up $0.05 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $1.29. The stock had a trading volume of 187,890 shares, compared to its average volume of 75,998. Finance Of America Companies Inc. has a 52 week low of $1.19 and a 52 week high of $3.29. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $1.52 and its 200 day moving average price is $1.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 27.16, a current ratio of 2.13 and a quick ratio of 2.13. The stock has a market capitalization of $82.35 million, a PE ratio of -0.41 and a beta of 0.71. Get Finance Of America Companies alerts: Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Finance Of America Companies by 103.9% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 2,024,170 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,996,000 after acquiring an additional 1,031,579 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. raised its position in Finance Of America Companies by 3.3% in the 3rd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 1,697,468 shares of the companys stock worth $2,512,000 after purchasing an additional 54,132 shares during the last quarter. Long Focus Capital Management LLC raised its position in Finance Of America Companies by 16.7% in the 3rd quarter. Long Focus Capital Management LLC now owns 846,389 shares of the companys stock worth $1,253,000 after purchasing an additional 121,389 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in Finance Of America Companies by 10.7% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 588,048 shares of the companys stock worth $746,000 after purchasing an additional 56,689 shares during the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp raised its position in Finance Of America Companies by 6.9% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 553,346 shares of the companys stock worth $819,000 after purchasing an additional 35,611 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 53.11% of the companys stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets Finance Of America Companies Company Profile Separately, Morgan Stanley cut their target price on shares of Finance Of America Companies from $2.00 to $1.50 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, December 16th. (Get Rating) Finance of America Companies Inc operates a consumer lending platform in the United States. The company operates through: Mortgage Originations, Reverse Originations, Commercial Originations, Lender Services, and Portfolio Management segments. It provides residential mortgage loans to the government sponsored entities; government-insured agricultural lending solutions to farmers; product development, loan securitization, loan sales, risk management, asset management, and servicing oversight services to enterprise and third-party funds; and ancillary business services, title agency and title insurance services, mortgage servicing rights valuation and trade brokerage, transactional fulfillment services, mortgage loan third party review or due diligence services, and appraisal and capital management services to residential mortgage, student lending, and commercial lending industry customers. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Finance Of America Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Finance Of America Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Yorktown Management & Research Co Inc purchased a new stake in shares of SandRidge Energy, Inc. (NYSE:SD Get Rating) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor purchased 18,900 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock, valued at approximately $322,000. Yorktown Management & Research Co Inc owned about 0.05% of SandRidge Energy as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. State Street Corp increased its holdings in SandRidge Energy by 483.7% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 620,316 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock worth $9,720,000 after buying an additional 514,040 shares during the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC raised its holdings in shares of SandRidge Energy by 72.0% in the 2nd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 1,140,165 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock valued at $17,866,000 after purchasing an additional 477,300 shares during the period. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its stake in SandRidge Energy by 799.5% in the 3rd quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 308,992 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock valued at $5,040,000 after purchasing an additional 274,640 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. lifted its stake in SandRidge Energy by 234.8% in the 1st quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 377,141 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock valued at $6,042,000 after purchasing an additional 264,484 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Northern Trust Corp grew its holdings in SandRidge Energy by 410.9% during the second quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 307,280 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock worth $4,814,000 after purchasing an additional 247,141 shares during the period. 17.42% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get SandRidge Energy alerts: SandRidge Energy Price Performance Shares of NYSE:SD opened at $15.22 on Wednesday. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $14.79 and its 200 day simple moving average is $16.93. The stock has a market capitalization of $561.31 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 2.33 and a beta of 2.35. SandRidge Energy, Inc. has a 1 year low of $12.62 and a 1 year high of $29.28. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades SandRidge Energy ( NYSE:SD Get Rating ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 15th. The oil and natural gas company reported $1.02 earnings per share for the quarter. SandRidge Energy had a net margin of 95.25% and a return on equity of 46.38%. The company had revenue of $56.11 million for the quarter. Separately, StockNews.com cut SandRidge Energy from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, March 24th. SandRidge Energy Company Profile (Get Rating) SandRidge Energy, Inc is an oil and gas company. It engages in acquisition, development, and production activities. The company was founded by Noah Malone Mitchell in 1984 and is headquartered in Oklahoma, OK. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for SandRidge Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for SandRidge Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. AIREA plc (LON:AIEA Get Rating) declared a dividend on Wednesday, April 5th, Upcoming.Co.Uk reports. Stockholders of record on Thursday, April 20th will be given a dividend of GBX 0.50 ($0.01) per share on Thursday, May 18th. This represents a dividend yield of 1.32%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 20th. The official announcement can be viewed at this link. AIREA Stock Up 2.6 % AIEA stock opened at GBX 39 ($0.48) on Wednesday. AIREA has a twelve month low of GBX 23 ($0.29) and a twelve month high of GBX 41 ($0.51). The company has a quick ratio of 1.66, a current ratio of 2.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 19.67. The stock has a market cap of 16.13 million, a P/E ratio of 1,266.67 and a beta of 0.96. The businesss 50-day moving average price is GBX 36.51 and its 200-day moving average price is GBX 30.51. Get AIREA alerts: AIREA Company Profile (Get Rating) Further Reading AIREA plc, together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, markets, and distributes floor coverings in the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, and internationally. The company's products portfolio includes tufted loop pile, tufted cut pile, fiber bonded, structure bonded, and entrance matting carpet tiles, as well as a range of carpet planks for architects, specifiers and contractors in the education, leisure, commercial, healthcare, and public sectors under the burmatex brand name. Receive News & Ratings for AIREA Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AIREA and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE:ARE Get Rating) by 241.4% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 2,451 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after buying an additional 1,733 shares during the period. Eagle Bay Advisors LLCs holdings in Alexandria Real Estate Equities were worth $357,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Vestmark Advisory Solutions Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 68.6% in the 4th quarter. Vestmark Advisory Solutions Inc. now owns 5,968 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $869,000 after purchasing an additional 2,429 shares in the last quarter. Whittier Trust Co. increased its position in shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 4.6% in the third quarter. Whittier Trust Co. now owns 27,265 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $3,822,000 after acquiring an additional 1,194 shares in the last quarter. FDx Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities in the third quarter worth approximately $289,000. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL purchased a new position in shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities in the third quarter worth approximately $215,000. Finally, Lazard Asset Management LLC increased its position in shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 6.1% in the third quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 52,327 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $7,335,000 after acquiring an additional 2,995 shares in the last quarter. 89.81% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Alexandria Real Estate Equities alerts: Insider Transactions at Alexandria Real Estate Equities In related news, EVP Marc E. Binda sold 3,298 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $167.21, for a total transaction of $551,458.58. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 67,005 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,203,906.05. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, Chairman Joel S. Marcus sold 9,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $168.00, for a total transaction of $1,512,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chairman now directly owns 388,729 shares in the company, valued at approximately $65,306,472. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Marc E. Binda sold 3,298 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $167.21, for a total transaction of $551,458.58. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 67,005 shares of the companys stock, valued at $11,203,906.05. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders sold 16,101 shares of company stock worth $2,700,271. 0.96% of the stock is owned by insiders. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Alexandria Real Estate Equities Stock Performance Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Evercore ISI dropped their target price on shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities from $155.00 to $144.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 27th. Mizuho lifted their target price on shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities from $178.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, February 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities from $176.00 to $177.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, February 2nd. JMP Securities reissued a buy rating and issued a $180.00 target price on shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities in a research report on Tuesday, January 31st. Finally, StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Alexandria Real Estate Equities presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $172.63. Shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities stock remained flat at $124.02 on Wednesday. 142,302 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,086,805. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $144.75 and a 200-day moving average price of $145.40. The company has a current ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45. Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. has a twelve month low of $114.94 and a twelve month high of $206.65. The company has a market capitalization of $21.47 billion, a PE ratio of 39.62, a P/E/G ratio of 1.82 and a beta of 0.93. Alexandria Real Estate Equities (NYSE:ARE Get Rating) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 31st. The real estate investment trust reported $0.31 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.13 by ($1.82). Alexandria Real Estate Equities had a return on equity of 2.80% and a net margin of 20.15%. The firm had revenue of $670.28 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $674.21 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.97 earnings per share. Alexandria Real Estate Equitiess quarterly revenue was up 16.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. will post 8.95 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Alexandria Real Estate Equities Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 14th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 31st will be paid a $1.21 dividend. This represents a $4.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.90%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 30th. Alexandria Real Estate Equitiess payout ratio is 154.63%. Alexandria Real Estate Equities Profile (Get Rating) Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc engages in the business of providing space for lease. The firm is also an owner, operator, and developer of life science, agrotechnology, and technology campuses in Greater Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, San Diego, Seattle, Maryland, and Research Triangle. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ARE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE:ARE Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Alexandria Real Estate Equities Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Alexandria Real Estate Equities and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Community Healthcare Trust Incorporated (NYSE:CHCT Get Rating) has been given a consensus rating of Moderate Buy by the nine brokerages that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and three have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $43.43. CHCT has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Piper Sandler boosted their price target on shares of Community Healthcare Trust from $41.00 to $45.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 17th. TheStreet upgraded shares of Community Healthcare Trust from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research report on Friday, January 13th. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Community Healthcare Trust in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Truist Financial upped their target price on shares of Community Healthcare Trust from $43.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 17th. Finally, Janney Montgomery Scott upgraded shares of Community Healthcare Trust from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $44.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 13th. Get Community Healthcare Trust alerts: Insider Buying and Selling In other Community Healthcare Trust news, Director Claire M. Gulmi acquired 2,042 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 9th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $36.77 per share, for a total transaction of $75,084.34. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 26,140 shares in the company, valued at approximately $961,167.80. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 7.20% of the stock is owned by insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Community Healthcare Trust Community Healthcare Trust Price Performance Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can bought a new position in shares of Community Healthcare Trust in the third quarter valued at approximately $1,502,000. Deutsche Bank AG boosted its position in shares of Community Healthcare Trust by 56.6% in the second quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 146,010 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $5,286,000 after acquiring an additional 52,751 shares during the period. Connectus Wealth LLC lifted its position in Community Healthcare Trust by 1.0% during the third quarter. Connectus Wealth LLC now owns 562,255 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $18,414,000 after purchasing an additional 5,511 shares during the last quarter. Aristotle Capital Boston LLC lifted its position in Community Healthcare Trust by 4.8% during the second quarter. Aristotle Capital Boston LLC now owns 623,140 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $22,564,000 after purchasing an additional 28,443 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Foundry Partners LLC bought a new stake in Community Healthcare Trust during the third quarter valued at approximately $3,199,000. Institutional investors own 87.68% of the companys stock. Community Healthcare Trust stock opened at $36.36 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $948.27 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 44.34, a P/E/G ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 0.74. Community Healthcare Trust has a fifty-two week low of $30.38 and a fifty-two week high of $43.88. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $38.86 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $36.29. Community Healthcare Trust Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 1st. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 21st were paid a dividend of $0.4475 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 17th. This is a positive change from Community Healthcare Trusts previous quarterly dividend of $0.45. This represents a $1.79 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.92%. Community Healthcare Trusts dividend payout ratio is currently 218.30%. About Community Healthcare Trust (Get Rating) Community Healthcare Trust, Inc engages in the acquisition of real estate properties that are leased to hospitals, doctors, healthcare systems, and other healthcare services providers. It invests in healthcare properties including outpatient treatment and diagnostic facilities, urgent care centers, acute care hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, assisted living and long-term care facilities, medical office buildings, clinics, specialty hospitals and treatment centers. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Community Healthcare Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Community Healthcare Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Two Buffalo residents face felony burglary charges stemming from a looting of a Family Dollar on Bailey Avenue during the Christmas blizzard, the Erie County District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday. Walter L. Hicks and Shaniece Jones, both 35, were each indicted Tuesday on charges of third-degree burglary in front of Erie County Court Judge Sheila A. DiTullio, the DA's Office said. The alleged looting took place about 8 p.m. Dec. 27, when Buffalo police were called to the Family Dollar at 2589 Bailey Ave., after reports of a burglary, the DA's Office said. Hicks and Jones were "accused of knowingly entering and unlawfully remaining inside of the store with intent to steal merchandise," according to the report, and officers arrested them in the back room of the store after they allegedly entered through a broken glass door. Six weeks later, some Buffalo neighborhoods still waiting for looted stores to reopen, return to normal Though most stores have returned to business as usual, some have yet to reopen or are still operating with plywood-covered windows and doors. The store was not open at the time of the incident due to the blizzard and damage incurred from prior looting, the report said. The two defendants were released on their own recognizance and are scheduled to return to court May 19. The maximum sentence for their charges is seven years in prison. These defendants allegedly looted a store while our police and first responders were tirelessly working to save lives during this deadly winter storm. My office is committed to prosecuting these offenders to the fullest extent of the law, said Erie County District Attorney John Flynn. Flynn commended the Buffalo Police Department Anti-Looting Task Force, which was formed near the end of the blizzard after law enforcement agencies received myriad reports of looting. Bank Hapoalim BM lessened its holdings in shares of ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW Get Rating) by 2.0% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 5,560 shares of the information technology services providers stock after selling 115 shares during the period. Bank Hapoalim BMs holdings in ServiceNow were worth $2,159,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in shares of ServiceNow by 1.9% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 16,866,914 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $6,369,116,000 after purchasing an additional 320,130 shares in the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its holdings in ServiceNow by 0.6% in the 3rd quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 14,107,929 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $5,342,228,000 after buying an additional 90,051 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its stake in shares of ServiceNow by 2.3% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 7,969,975 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $3,009,542,000 after acquiring an additional 182,606 shares during the last quarter. Polen Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of ServiceNow by 26.5% during the 3rd quarter. Polen Capital Management LLC now owns 3,953,299 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $1,492,805,000 after acquiring an additional 827,285 shares during the period. Finally, Brown Advisory Inc. boosted its position in shares of ServiceNow by 8.6% during the 3rd quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. now owns 2,378,372 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $898,098,000 after acquiring an additional 187,393 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.31% of the companys stock. Get ServiceNow alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In NOW has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Credit Suisse Group cut their price objective on shares of ServiceNow from $600.00 to $575.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 27th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of ServiceNow from $550.00 to $575.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, January 26th. Canaccord Genuity Group lifted their price target on shares of ServiceNow from $460.00 to $485.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 26th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on ServiceNow from $475.00 to $500.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 26th. Finally, Wolfe Research lifted their target price on ServiceNow from $500.00 to $510.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $521.97. Insiders Place Their Bets ServiceNow Stock Down 2.8 % In other ServiceNow news, insider Christopher Bedi sold 2,613 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $447.18, for a total value of $1,168,481.34. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 15,752 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,043,979.36. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website . In related news, insider Christopher Bedi sold 2,613 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $447.18, for a total transaction of $1,168,481.34. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 15,752 shares in the company, valued at $7,043,979.36. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website . Also, insider Lara Caimi sold 2,975 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, February 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $431.58, for a total value of $1,283,950.50. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 98 shares in the company, valued at $42,294.84. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders sold 65,629 shares of company stock worth $29,974,024 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the companys stock. NYSE:NOW traded down $13.46 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $462.59. The company had a trading volume of 321,814 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,619,157. ServiceNow, Inc. has a 12-month low of $337.00 and a 12-month high of $542.82. The firm has a market capitalization of $93.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 289.08, a PEG ratio of 6.20 and a beta of 1.04. The company has a current ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $445.88 and its 200-day simple moving average is $411.94. ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW Get Rating) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 25th. The information technology services provider reported $0.88 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.60 by $0.28. ServiceNow had a return on equity of 9.37% and a net margin of 4.49%. The business had revenue of $1.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.93 billion. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that ServiceNow, Inc. will post 2.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. About ServiceNow (Get Rating) ServiceNow, Inc engages in the provision of enterprise cloud computing solutions. The firm delivers digital workflows on a single enterprise cloud platform called the Now Platform. Its product portfolio is focused on providing Information Technology, Employee and Customer workflows. The company was founded by Frederic B. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NOW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for ServiceNow Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ServiceNow and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bank Hapoalim BM trimmed its position in shares of Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM Get Rating) by 23.1% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 30,705 shares of the CRM providers stock after selling 9,210 shares during the quarter. Bank Hapoalim BMs holdings in Salesforce were worth $4,071,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its holdings in Salesforce by 40.6% during the 2nd quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 46,707,038 shares of the CRM providers stock valued at $7,708,529,000 after acquiring an additional 13,483,854 shares during the period. Public Investment Fund bought a new position in shares of Salesforce in the second quarter worth about $437,393,000. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main increased its stake in Salesforce by 114.9% in the 2nd quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main now owns 3,881,056 shares of the CRM providers stock worth $640,566,000 after buying an additional 2,074,938 shares during the period. PointState Capital LP purchased a new position in Salesforce in the 3rd quarter worth about $181,700,000. Finally, Polen Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in Salesforce by 12.5% during the 3rd quarter. Polen Capital Management LLC now owns 11,057,687 shares of the CRM providers stock valued at $1,590,538,000 after buying an additional 1,228,763 shares in the last quarter. 75.83% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Salesforce alerts: Salesforce Stock Performance NYSE:CRM traded down $2.78 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $194.42. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,179,367 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,918,755. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, a current ratio of 1.02 and a quick ratio of 1.02. Salesforce, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $126.34 and a fifty-two week high of $205.46. The firms 50 day moving average is $176.79 and its 200-day moving average is $156.84. The firm has a market cap of $194.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 939.09, a P/E/G ratio of 2.44 and a beta of 1.24. Salesforce ( NYSE:CRM Get Rating ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 1st. The CRM provider reported $1.68 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.36 by $0.32. Salesforce had a net margin of 0.66% and a return on equity of 4.48%. The company had revenue of $8.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.99 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.24 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 14.4% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that Salesforce, Inc. will post 4.89 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Salesforce declared that its board has initiated a stock buyback plan on Wednesday, March 1st that authorizes the company to buyback $20.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the CRM provider to purchase up to 10.9% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are usually an indication that the companys leadership believes its stock is undervalued. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In CRM has been the topic of a number of research reports. Evercore ISI raised their target price on shares of Salesforce from $200.00 to $230.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, March 2nd. Atlantic Securities lifted their target price on Salesforce from $140.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Thursday, March 2nd. Cowen raised their price target on Salesforce from $160.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 21st. Wedbush lifted their price objective on Salesforce from $200.00 to $220.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, March 2nd. Finally, Oppenheimer increased their target price on shares of Salesforce from $185.00 to $225.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, March 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have issued a hold rating, twenty-eight have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Salesforce presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $211.24. Insider Activity at Salesforce In other news, CEO Marc Benioff sold 725 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $139.30, for a total transaction of $100,992.50. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 27,753,609 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,866,077,733.70. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other Salesforce news, CAO Sundeep G. Reddy sold 186 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $155.59, for a total value of $28,939.74. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 1,273 shares of the companys stock, valued at $198,066.07. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Marc Benioff sold 725 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $139.30, for a total value of $100,992.50. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 27,753,609 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,866,077,733.70. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 51,259 shares of company stock worth $9,127,906. 3.60% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Salesforce Company Profile (Get Rating) Salesforce, Inc engages in the design and development of cloud-based enterprise software for customer relationship management. Its solutions include sales force automation, customer service and support, marketing automation, digital commerce, community management, collaboration, industry-specific solutions, and salesforce platform. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Salesforce Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Salesforce and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust (NYSE:BOE Get Rating) announced a monthly dividend on Monday, April 3rd, Zacks reports. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 14th will be given a dividend of 0.063 per share by the financial services provider on Friday, April 28th. This represents a $0.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.64%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 13th. BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust Stock Performance NYSE BOE traded down $0.09 on Wednesday, hitting $9.89. 52,816 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 181,903. The businesss fifty day moving average is $10.03 and its 200 day moving average is $9.66. BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust has a 52 week low of $8.52 and a 52 week high of $11.34. Get BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust alerts: Institutional Trading of BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in BOE. Raymond James & Associates lifted its stake in shares of BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust by 5.7% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 347,898 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $3,935,000 after buying an additional 18,697 shares during the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. grew its position in shares of BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust by 4.0% in the first quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 87,728 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $992,000 after purchasing an additional 3,393 shares during the last quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. increased its stake in shares of BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust by 20.6% during the first quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. now owns 15,231 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $173,000 after purchasing an additional 2,602 shares during the period. Private Advisor Group LLC lifted its holdings in BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust by 2.6% during the 1st quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 67,042 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $758,000 after purchasing an additional 1,670 shares during the last quarter. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its stake in BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust by 32.6% in the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 15,170 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $171,000 after purchasing an additional 3,730 shares during the period. BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust Company Profile BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust operates as a closed-end investment fund. The firm intends to provide current income and current gains and long term capital appreciation. It invests in equity securities issued by companies located in countries throughout the world and utilizing an option writing strategy to enhance current gains. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Calamos Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW Get Rating) by 0.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 591,632 shares of the financial services providers stock after buying an additional 1,665 shares during the period. Calamos Advisors LLCs holdings in Charles Schwab were worth $49,259,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of SCHW. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Charles Schwab by 2.1% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 124,437,061 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $8,943,291,000 after acquiring an additional 2,589,952 shares during the period. State Street Corp grew its holdings in Charles Schwab by 1.1% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 65,566,364 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $4,712,255,000 after buying an additional 717,683 shares in the last quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. increased its position in Charles Schwab by 7.4% during the 3rd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 20,767,564 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,492,565,000 after buying an additional 1,431,879 shares during the period. Nuveen Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Charles Schwab by 0.4% during the third quarter. Nuveen Asset Management LLC now owns 17,076,247 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,227,270,000 after buying an additional 68,423 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fisher Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Charles Schwab in the third quarter valued at about $1,109,194,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 73.49% of the companys stock. Get Charles Schwab alerts: Charles Schwab Stock Down 3.0 % Shares of NYSE:SCHW opened at $50.00 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $89.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.29, a P/E/G ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.88. The Charles Schwab Co. has a 12-month low of $45.00 and a 12-month high of $86.63. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $69.86 and a 200 day simple moving average of $75.10. The company has a quick ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 0.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77. Charles Schwab Increases Dividend Charles Schwab ( NYSE:SCHW Get Rating ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 18th. The financial services provider reported $1.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.10 by ($0.03). Charles Schwab had a return on equity of 24.94% and a net margin of 34.60%. The company had revenue of $5.50 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.55 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.86 earnings per share. Charles Schwabs revenue was up 16.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that The Charles Schwab Co. will post 3.86 earnings per share for the current year. The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 24th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 10th were given a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 9th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.00%. This is an increase from Charles Schwabs previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. Charles Schwabs payout ratio is 28.57%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities analysts recently commented on the stock. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Charles Schwab in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Credit Suisse Group upgraded Charles Schwab from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and cut their price target for the company from $81.50 to $67.50 in a research note on Wednesday, March 15th. Bank of America lowered their price objective on Charles Schwab from $74.00 to $60.00 in a research note on Monday, March 13th. Barclays cut their target price on Charles Schwab from $79.00 to $61.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, March 22nd. Finally, Piper Sandler decreased their price target on Charles Schwab from $100.00 to $95.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, March 14th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $80.50. Insider Activity In related news, Chairman Charles R. Schwab sold 188,670 shares of Charles Schwab stock in a transaction on Monday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.07, for a total transaction of $15,106,806.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the chairman now owns 30,856,646 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,470,691,645.22. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other Charles Schwab news, Director Marianne Catherine Brown purchased 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 28th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $53.47 per share, for a total transaction of $267,350.00. Following the acquisition, the director now owns 9,984 shares of the companys stock, valued at $533,844.48. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Chairman Charles R. Schwab sold 188,670 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $80.07, for a total transaction of $15,106,806.90. Following the sale, the chairman now directly owns 30,856,646 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,470,691,645.22. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have bought 81,000 shares of company stock valued at $4,706,960 and have sold 728,106 shares valued at $58,067,403. Insiders own 6.90% of the companys stock. About Charles Schwab (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. Further Reading 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. Catalyst Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW Get Rating) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund purchased 27,189 shares of the electronics makers stock, valued at approximately $868,000. A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of GLW. Chilton Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Corning in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Standard Family Office LLC acquired a new stake in Corning in the 3rd quarter valued at about $29,000. CI Investments Inc. grew its holdings in Corning by 981.9% during the third quarter. CI Investments Inc. now owns 1,017 shares of the electronics makers stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 923 shares during the period. Accurate Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Corning during the 4th quarter worth approximately $39,000. Finally, Core Alternative Capital raised its stake in Corning by 488.3% in the 3rd quarter. Core Alternative Capital now owns 1,206 shares of the electronics makers stock valued at $35,000 after acquiring an additional 1,001 shares during the period. 67.79% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Corning alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research analysts have weighed in on GLW shares. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on shares of Corning from $36.00 to $35.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, December 13th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised Corning from a hold rating to a buy rating and upped their price objective for the company from $35.00 to $38.00 in a report on Monday, March 27th. Credit Suisse Group lowered their price target on shares of Corning from $41.00 to $40.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, February 1st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on shares of Corning from $44.00 to $40.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, December 20th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Corning from $37.00 to $40.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 11th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $38.11. Insider Activity at Corning Corning Price Performance In other Corning news, VP John Z. Zhang sold 4,655 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $36.00, for a total value of $167,580.00. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 5,744 shares in the company, valued at $206,784. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link . In other news, VP John Z. Zhang sold 4,655 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $36.00, for a total value of $167,580.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 5,744 shares in the company, valued at approximately $206,784. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . Also, insider Li Fang sold 19,909 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $35.17, for a total value of $700,199.53. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . 0.40% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. NYSE GLW traded down $0.12 on Wednesday, hitting $34.31. 1,037,453 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,313,305. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $34.59 and a 200-day moving average of $33.40. The stock has a market cap of $29.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.36, a P/E/G ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 1.07. Corning Incorporated has a 52 week low of $28.98 and a 52 week high of $37.73. The company has a current ratio of 1.44, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. Corning (NYSE:GLW Get Rating) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 31st. The electronics maker reported $0.47 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.44 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $3.63 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.54 billion. Corning had a return on equity of 14.82% and a net margin of 9.27%. Cornings revenue was down 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.54 EPS. Analysts expect that Corning Incorporated will post 2.01 earnings per share for the current year. Corning Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 30th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 28th were paid a $0.28 dividend. This is an increase from Cornings previous quarterly dividend of $0.27. This represents a $1.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.26%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 27th. Cornings dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 72.73%. Corning Profile (Get Rating) Corning, Inc engages in the provision of glass for notebook computers, flat panel desktop monitors, display televisions, and other information display applications, carrier network and enterprise network products for the telecommunications industry, ceramic substrates for gasoline and diesel engines in automotive and heavy-duty vehicle markets, laboratory products for the scientific community and polymer products for biotechnology applications, optical materials for the semiconductor industry and the scientific community, and polycrystalline silicon products and other technologies. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Corning Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Corning and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cellnex Telecom, S.A. (OTCMKTS:CLNXF Get Rating) rose 1.7% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $40.42 and last traded at $39.67. Approximately 504 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 78% from the average daily volume of 2,307 shares. The stock had previously closed at $39.00. Analysts Set New Price Targets CLNXF has been the subject of several research reports. Morgan Stanley reissued an equal weight rating on shares of Cellnex Telecom in a research report on Tuesday, December 6th. Royal Bank of Canada downgraded shares of Cellnex Telecom from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a report on Monday, January 23rd. Get Cellnex Telecom alerts: Cellnex Telecom Stock Performance The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $39.01 and its 200-day simple moving average is $35.53. Cellnex Telecom Company Profile Cellnex Telecom SA engages in the operation of wireless telecommunications and broadcasting infrastructures. Its business activities include rental of sites for telecom operators, broadcast infrastructure activity, and other network services. It operates through the following segments: Telecom Infrastructure Services, Broadcasting Infrastructure and Other Network Services. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Cellnex Telecom Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cellnex Telecom and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Chiba Bank, Ltd. (OTCMKTS:CHBAY Get Rating) hit a new 52-week low during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $37.38 and last traded at $37.38, with a volume of 0 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $37.38. Chiba Bank Price Performance The companys fifty day simple moving average is $37.38 and its 200 day simple moving average is $31.13. About Chiba Bank (Get Rating) The Chiba Bank, Ltd. engages in the business of banking services. The company offers general banking services including deposits, loans, domestic and foreign exchange transactions; and financial services such as leasing, securities brokerage, credit cards and others. It also develops software; and provides business management and staffing services. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Chiba Bank Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chiba Bank and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. EDP Energias de Portugal (OTCMKTS:EDPFY Get Rating) and Summer Energy (OTCMKTS:SUME Get Rating) are both utilities companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, earnings, dividends, risk, analyst recommendations and institutional ownership. Risk & Volatility EDP Energias de Portugal has a beta of 0.65, suggesting that its stock price is 35% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Summer Energy has a beta of -107.16, suggesting that its stock price is 10,816% less volatile than the S&P 500. Get EDP - Energias de Portugal alerts: Analyst Recommendations This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for EDP Energias de Portugal and Summer Energy, as provided by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score EDP Energias de Portugal 0 1 2 1 3.00 Summer Energy 0 0 0 0 N/A Profitability EDP Energias de Portugal presently has a consensus target price of $5.90, suggesting a potential downside of 89.13%. Given EDP Energias de Portugals higher possible upside, equities analysts clearly believe EDP Energias de Portugal is more favorable than Summer Energy. This table compares EDP Energias de Portugal and Summer Energys net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets EDP Energias de Portugal N/A N/A N/A Summer Energy N/A N/A N/A Earnings and Valuation This table compares EDP Energias de Portugal and Summer Energys revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio EDP Energias de Portugal $21.76 billion N/A $715.52 million N/A N/A Summer Energy $239.88 million 0.07 $13.74 million N/A N/A EDP Energias de Portugal has higher revenue and earnings than Summer Energy. Summary EDP Energias de Portugal beats Summer Energy on 6 of the 6 factors compared between the two stocks. About EDP Energias de Portugal (Get Rating) EDP-Energias de Portugal SA engages in the generation, transmission, distribution and supply of electricity and supply of gas. It operates through the following segments: Renewables, Networks, and Client Solutions & Energy Management. The Renewables segment engages in generation of electricity through renewable energy sources. The Networks segment engages in electricity distribution and transmission business, including last resort suppliers. The Customer Solutions and Energy Management segment includes electricity generation from energy sources non-renewable, especially coal and gas; electricity and gas trading and energy solution services. The company was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal. About Summer Energy (Get Rating) Summer Energy Holdings, Inc. engages in the business of purchasing and reselling electric power within the states of Texas, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire through its subsidiaries. It retails electricity to commercial and residential customers. The company was founded on March 25, 2005 and is headquartered in Houston, TX. Receive News & Ratings for EDP - Energias de Portugal Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for EDP - Energias de Portugal and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. SevenBridge Financial Group LLC lifted its position in shares of ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP Get Rating) by 0.9% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 11,204 shares of the energy producers stock after acquiring an additional 104 shares during the period. SevenBridge Financial Group LLCs holdings in ConocoPhillips were worth $1,322,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in COP. UBS Asset Management Americas Inc. raised its stake in shares of ConocoPhillips by 53.4% during the 3rd quarter. UBS Asset Management Americas Inc. now owns 7,338,622 shares of the energy producers stock worth $751,035,000 after buying an additional 2,555,634 shares during the last quarter. Cowa LLC raised its stake in shares of ConocoPhillips by 6,475.2% during the 1st quarter. Cowa LLC now owns 2,375,224 shares of the energy producers stock worth $2,383,000 after buying an additional 2,339,100 shares during the last quarter. Yacktman Asset Management LP raised its stake in shares of ConocoPhillips by 559.1% during the 3rd quarter. Yacktman Asset Management LP now owns 1,766,770 shares of the energy producers stock worth $180,811,000 after buying an additional 1,498,720 shares during the last quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA raised its stake in shares of ConocoPhillips by 6.5% during the 3rd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 24,361,278 shares of the energy producers stock worth $2,493,134,000 after buying an additional 1,494,751 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership acquired a new position in shares of ConocoPhillips during the 1st quarter worth $119,783,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.76% of the companys stock. Get ConocoPhillips alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In COP has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Scotiabank cut ConocoPhillips from a sector outperform rating to a sector perform rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $145.00 to $140.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 17th. Citigroup dropped their price objective on ConocoPhillips from $160.00 to $145.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Monday, February 27th. Credit Suisse Group dropped their price objective on ConocoPhillips from $145.00 to $140.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 3rd. Raymond James dropped their price objective on ConocoPhillips from $150.00 to $135.00 and set a strong-buy rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 26th. Finally, Societe Generale upgraded ConocoPhillips from a sell rating to a hold rating and set a $105.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Wednesday. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, sixteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $135.19. ConocoPhillips Trading Down 0.1 % Shares of NYSE COP traded down $0.06 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $106.24. The stock had a trading volume of 172,429 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,687,729. The company has a market capitalization of $129.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.33, a PEG ratio of 0.47 and a beta of 1.30. ConocoPhillips has a 1-year low of $78.30 and a 1-year high of $138.49. The company has a quick ratio of 1.36, a current ratio of 1.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $106.54 and a 200 day moving average price of $114.77. ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 2nd. The energy producer reported $2.71 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.72 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $19.26 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.16 billion. ConocoPhillips had a net margin of 22.74% and a return on equity of 35.30%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 20.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.27 earnings per share. On average, analysts predict that ConocoPhillips will post 11.46 earnings per share for the current year. ConocoPhillips Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 14th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 29th will be paid a $0.51 dividend. This represents a $2.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.92%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 28th. ConocoPhillipss dividend payout ratio is currently 14.06%. Insider Activity In related news, Director R A. Walker purchased 4,800 shares of ConocoPhillips stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 22nd. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $103.00 per share, with a total value of $494,400.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 27,600 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,842,800. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Corporate insiders own 0.40% of the companys stock. About ConocoPhillips (Get Rating) ConocoPhillips engages in the exploration, production, transportation and marketing of crude oil, bitumen, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and liquefied natural gas on a worldwide basis. It operates through the following geographical segments: Alaska, Lower 48, Canada, Europe, Middle East and North Africa, Asia Pacific, and Other International. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding COP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for ConocoPhillips Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ConocoPhillips and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV Get Rating) by 22.9% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 1,565 shares of the insurance providers stock after acquiring an additional 292 shares during the period. Eagle Bay Advisors LLCs holdings in Travelers Companies were worth $293,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of TRV. Fairfield Bush & CO. bought a new position in shares of Travelers Companies during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $160,000. Cibc World Market Inc. grew its position in Travelers Companies by 28.8% in the 1st quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 5,934 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $1,084,000 after acquiring an additional 1,327 shares during the last quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. grew its position in Travelers Companies by 1.0% in the 1st quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 11,905 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $2,210,000 after acquiring an additional 115 shares during the last quarter. Blair William & Co. IL grew its position in Travelers Companies by 40.6% in the 1st quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 51,551 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $9,420,000 after acquiring an additional 14,873 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sei Investments Co. grew its position in Travelers Companies by 5.0% in the 1st quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 27,212 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $4,952,000 after acquiring an additional 1,286 shares during the last quarter. 81.59% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Travelers Companies alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Travelers Companies In other Travelers Companies news, EVP Diane Kurtzman sold 2,914 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $185.01, for a total value of $539,119.14. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 1,735 shares of the companys stock, valued at $320,992.35. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, EVP Gregory C. Toczydlowski sold 5,420 shares of the firms 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 $3,392,043.04. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Diane Kurtzman sold 2,914 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $185.01, for a total value of $539,119.14. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 1,735 shares in the company, valued at approximately $320,992.35. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 188,163 shares of company stock valued at $35,402,200. Company insiders own 1.07% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Travelers Companies Stock Performance TRV has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on Travelers Companies from $181.00 to $182.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday. Barclays cut their price objective on Travelers Companies from $197.00 to $196.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 19th. BMO Capital Markets started coverage on Travelers Companies in a research report on Thursday, January 19th. They set an outperform rating and a $212.00 price target on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Travelers Companies from $180.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, March 31st. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased their price target on Travelers Companies from $190.00 to $195.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 25th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Travelers Companies currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $190.40. Travelers Companies stock traded up $1.16 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $169.79. 385,315 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,515,344. The firm has a market capitalization of $39.41 billion, a PE ratio of 14.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 0.60. The Travelers Companies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $149.65 and a fifty-two week high of $194.51. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $179.39 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $179.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a quick ratio of 0.33 and a current ratio of 0.33. Travelers Companies (NYSE:TRV Get Rating) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, January 24th. The insurance provider reported $3.40 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $3.40. The firm had revenue of $8.83 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.78 billion. Travelers Companies had a return on equity of 13.34% and a net margin of 7.71%. Travelers Companiess revenue for the quarter was up 10.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $5.20 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that The Travelers Companies, Inc. will post 14.12 earnings per share for the current year. Travelers Companies Dividend Announcement The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 10th were issued a $0.93 dividend. This represents a $3.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.19%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 9th. Travelers Companiess payout ratio is currently 31.66%. Travelers Companies 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. Further Reading 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. Cathleen Spero has never been as frightened in her 29 years of teaching as she was Thursday. She was with 19 students in her biology class at Lockport High School, when the principal announced "Lockdown, lockdown, lockdown" through the public address system. Spero closed the classroom door and wondered if she had missed the notice that there would be a drill that day. Then, another, more emphatic announcement of "Lockdown, Lockdown, Lockdown" came. The teacher and her students, along with others throughout the building, spent the next 30 to 45 terrifying minutes in hiding before they learned that there wasn't an active shooter in the school. It was a swatting attack. 'Swatting' hoaxes at New York schools may be coming from outside the U.S., Hochul says Threats made to 36 schools across New York State on Thursday, including in Buffalo and Lockport, likely originated from a foreign country, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday. Swatting is a bogus threat that tries to draw law enforcement, particularly SWAT teams, to respond to a particular location. There were 36 false reports of mass shooting incidents in schools across New York state March 30, including Lockport and South Park high schools. State troopers and others in law enforcement responded to those schools and checked on dozens of others, as well. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., visited Lockport High School on Wednesday to announce his plan to combat the swatting attacks, which have become more prevalent throughout the country. Schumer, the Senate majority leader, said he has talked with FBI officials, and he wants to allocate $10 million to the FBI so that the agency can get the personnel and equipment it needs this year to crack down on swatting. He also wants the FBI to start tracking incidents across the U.S., to find out when, why, how and from where the threats are coming. "Particularly because we won't be able to figure out the trends without the data. We need this data ASAP," Schumer said as he was surrounded by Lockport school and city staff and officials. Schumer said he wrote FBI Director Christopher A. Wray to ask if the swatting attacks against New York schools are related to similar incidents in other states. He also asked if the FBI knows whether they were committed by a single entity or in a coordinated effort, and whether they were committed by foreign or domestic actors. Lockport Mayor Michelle Roman said Lockport Police, Niagara County sheriff's deputies and State Police got to the school within three minutes of the call, and public works crews quickly blocked off the street. More than 100 law enforcement officers from many agencies responded, Lockport Police Chief Steven Abbott said. "We are grateful that it was a false alarm. But, meanwhile, the students are terrified. The faculty are terrified. They're blocking doors that can't lock. They're trying to figure out, 'How am I going to protect these kids? When am I going to approach this person with a gun?' " Roman said. Hoax about active shooter at Nichols could be part of national 'swatting' wave "Swatting" is when a prank call is made with the goal of drawing a large police presence. She said the caller told authorities the shooter was in a bathroom. "We had young men and young girls in a bathroom when the lockdown happened," Roman said. "They had a gun to their faces. They had to be patted down to ensure that they were not a shooter, they did not have a weapon. That is traumatizing." About a half hour into the crisis, Spero received a text message that the report had been a hoax. Police then had to clear every classroom. Everyone had to remain quiet and out of sight until law enforcement released them. "And that's when my mom mode kicked in," the biology teacher said, "and I said, 'I've got to make these kids feel better.' " She thought food would help, and brought a candy dish to spots where students were hiding. "They all had a little bit of candy, and they were a little better," Spero said, "until the police came in guns drawn, you know: 'Hands up.' And that kind of got them, too." The students know the school resource officer and many of those in law enforcement who arrived, which helped calm them, too. "When something like this happens, it is terrifying," Schumer said. "False reports like this matter even more in places like Buffalo, where we've had a real attack not very long ago." Spero agreed. "You just think in the back of your mind, 'I'm responsible for these kids,' " she said. "I have to make sure they go home at night." Eaton Vance Municipal Bond Fund (NYSEAMERICAN:EIM Get Rating) declared a monthly dividend on Tuesday, April 4th, Wall Street Journal reports. Shareholders of record on Monday, April 24th will be paid a dividend of 0.0354 per share on Friday, April 28th. This represents a $0.42 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.15%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, April 21st. Eaton Vance Municipal Bond Fund Trading Down 0.6 % Shares of NYSEAMERICAN:EIM opened at $10.24 on Wednesday. Eaton Vance Municipal Bond Fund has a 12 month low of $9.38 and a 12 month high of $11.54. Get Eaton Vance Municipal Bond Fund alerts: Institutional Trading of Eaton Vance Municipal Bond Fund Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Morgan Stanley increased its stake in shares of Eaton Vance Municipal Bond Fund by 12.6% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 2,023,619 shares of the companys stock valued at $21,025,000 after acquiring an additional 225,920 shares during the last quarter. Robinson Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Eaton Vance Municipal Bond Fund in the first quarter valued at $1,089,000. Guggenheim Capital LLC grew its position in Eaton Vance Municipal Bond Fund by 34.7% during the first quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC now owns 302,786 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,482,000 after acquiring an additional 78,076 shares during the period. Advisors Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in Eaton Vance Municipal Bond Fund by 27.2% during the first quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. now owns 350,208 shares of the companys stock worth $4,027,000 after acquiring an additional 74,830 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Raymond James & Associates raised its holdings in shares of Eaton Vance Municipal Bond Fund by 15.4% in the 1st quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 373,610 shares of the companys stock worth $4,296,000 after purchasing an additional 49,803 shares during the period. About Eaton Vance Municipal Bond Fund Eaton Vance Municipal Bond Fund is a closed-ended investment fund. It has an objective of providing current income exempt from federal income tax including alternate minimum tax. The company was founded on August 30, 2002 and is headquartered in Boston, MA. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Eaton Vance Municipal Bond Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eaton Vance Municipal Bond Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund (NYSE:ETJ Get Rating) announced a monthly dividend on Monday, April 3rd, Zacks reports. Shareholders of record on Monday, April 24th will be paid a dividend of 0.058 per share on Friday, April 28th. This represents a $0.70 annualized dividend and a yield of 9.06%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 21st. Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund has decreased its dividend by an average of 1.3% annually over the last three years. Get Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund alerts: Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund Price Performance ETJ traded down $0.09 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $7.68. 57,530 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 196,798. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $7.81 and its 200 day simple moving average is $8.01. Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund has a 1-year low of $7.37 and a 1-year high of $9.90. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund About Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Jane Street Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund during the 4th quarter worth approximately $83,000. Retirement Group LLC grew its position in shares of Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund by 60.5% during the 4th quarter. Retirement Group LLC now owns 11,365 shares of the companys stock valued at $85,000 after acquiring an additional 4,285 shares during the period. Susquehanna International Group LLP acquired a new stake in shares of Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund during the 4th quarter valued at about $118,000. Atria Wealth Solutions Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund during the 4th quarter valued at about $119,000. Finally, Virtu Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund during the 4th quarter valued at about $130,000. (Get Rating) Eaton Vance Risk Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund operates as a closed-end investment fund. Its investment objective is to seek a high level of current income, with a secondary objective of capital appreciation. The company was founded on July 31, 2007 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (NYSE:EVT Get Rating) declared a monthly dividend on Monday, April 3rd, Wall Street Journal reports. Investors of record on Monday, April 24th will be given a dividend of 0.1488 per share by the closed-end fund on Friday, April 28th. This represents a $1.79 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.88%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 21st. Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund has raised its dividend payment by an average of 3.4% per year over the last three years. Get Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund alerts: Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund Trading Down 0.2 % Shares of EVT stock opened at $22.66 on Wednesday. Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund has a 12 month low of $21.20 and a 12 month high of $29.33. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $23.18 and a 200 day moving average price of $23.30. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund Company Profile Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Wells Fargo & Company MN boosted its stake in Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund by 32.1% in the second quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 541,549 shares of the closed-end funds stock valued at $12,927,000 after acquiring an additional 131,477 shares during the last quarter. Royal Bank of Canada grew its position in shares of Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund by 3.5% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 177,298 shares of the closed-end funds stock worth $5,138,000 after buying an additional 6,048 shares during the period. Guggenheim Capital LLC increased its stake in shares of Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund by 12.3% in the 1st quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC now owns 162,563 shares of the closed-end funds stock valued at $4,711,000 after acquiring an additional 17,745 shares during the last quarter. First Republic Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund by 55.2% in the 4th quarter. First Republic Investment Management Inc. now owns 71,061 shares of the closed-end funds stock valued at $1,620,000 after acquiring an additional 25,277 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sowell Financial Services LLC raised its position in shares of Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund by 6.3% in the 1st quarter. Sowell Financial Services LLC now owns 38,758 shares of the closed-end funds stock valued at $969,000 after acquiring an additional 2,312 shares during the period. (Get Rating) Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund operates as a closed-end investment fund. It invests in dividend-paying common and preferred stocks. The company was founded on September 30, 2003 and is headquartered in Boston, MA. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Econ Financial Services Corp cut its stake in shares of Molson Coors Beverage (NYSE:TAP Get Rating) by 7.2% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,708 shares of the companys stock after selling 518 shares during the quarter. Econ Financial Services Corps holdings in Molson Coors Beverage were worth $346,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in Molson Coors Beverage by 6.1% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 21,329,879 shares of the companys stock worth $1,138,589,000 after acquiring an additional 1,235,013 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its stake in Molson Coors Beverage by 1.7% during the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 8,727,747 shares of the companys stock worth $465,887,000 after acquiring an additional 143,757 shares in the last quarter. LSV Asset Management boosted its stake in Molson Coors Beverage by 3.2% during the third quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 7,768,804 shares of the companys stock worth $372,825,000 after acquiring an additional 239,558 shares in the last quarter. Clarkston Capital Partners LLC boosted its stake in Molson Coors Beverage by 3.6% during the third quarter. Clarkston Capital Partners LLC now owns 6,173,932 shares of the companys stock worth $296,287,000 after acquiring an additional 214,842 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Capital International Investors boosted its stake in Molson Coors Beverage by 1.0% during the first quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 4,721,084 shares of the companys stock worth $252,011,000 after acquiring an additional 49,044 shares in the last quarter. 76.24% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Molson Coors Beverage alerts: Molson Coors Beverage Stock Up 0.3 % Shares of TAP traded up $0.13 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $52.07. 74,140 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,651,244. The company has a current ratio of 0.78, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $52.22 and a 200 day simple moving average of $51.37. Molson Coors Beverage has a 52 week low of $46.69 and a 52 week high of $60.12. The company has a market cap of $11.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -63.77, a PEG ratio of 3.25 and a beta of 0.83. Molson Coors Beverage Increases Dividend Molson Coors Beverage ( NYSE:TAP Get Rating ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 21st. The company reported $1.30 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.06 by $0.24. Molson Coors Beverage had a negative net margin of 1.37% and a positive return on equity of 6.65%. The company had revenue of $2.63 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.65 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.81 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up .4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts forecast that Molson Coors Beverage will post 4.09 EPS for the current year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 17th. Investors of record on Friday, March 3rd were issued a dividend of $0.41 per share. This represents a $1.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.15%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 2nd. This is an increase from Molson Coors Beverages previous quarterly dividend of $0.38. Molson Coors Beverages dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -200.00%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several brokerages recently issued reports on TAP. Cowen raised shares of Molson Coors Beverage from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and increased their target price for the stock from $55.00 to $60.00 in a research note on Friday, January 6th. TheStreet lowered shares of Molson Coors Beverage from a b rating to a c+ rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 21st. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of Molson Coors Beverage from $45.00 to $48.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 22nd. Credit Suisse Group raised their price objective on shares of Molson Coors Beverage from $46.00 to $49.00 and gave the company an underperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 22nd. Finally, StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Molson Coors Beverage in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Molson Coors Beverage presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $53.82. About Molson Coors Beverage (Get Rating) Molson Coors Beverage Co is a holding company, which engages in the production and sale of beer. It operates through the following segments: Americas, and EMEA and APAC. The Americas segment operates in the U.S., Canada and various countries in the Caribbean, Latin, and South America. The EMEA and APAC segment operates in Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Montenegro, the Republic of Ireland, Romania, Serbia, the UK, various other European countries, and certain countries within the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TAP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Molson Coors Beverage (NYSE:TAP Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Molson Coors Beverage Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Molson Coors Beverage and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. GDS Wealth Management acquired a new position in Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM Get Rating) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 2,036 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $206,000. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Mark Sheptoff Financial Planning LLC bought a new position in Philip Morris International in the third quarter worth $25,000. My Personal CFO LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Philip Morris International during the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Johnson Midwest Financial LLC raised its holdings in Philip Morris International by 66.7% during the 4th quarter. Johnson Midwest Financial LLC now owns 390 shares of the companys stock valued at $39,000 after buying an additional 156 shares during the period. Northwest Investment Counselors LLC grew its position in Philip Morris International by 300.0% in the 4th quarter. Northwest Investment Counselors LLC now owns 400 shares of the companys stock valued at $40,000 after acquiring an additional 300 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Asset Dedication LLC bought a new position in shares of Philip Morris International during the 3rd quarter worth $36,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.85% of the companys stock. Get Philip Morris International alerts: Philip Morris International Trading Up 0.8 % Shares of PM traded up $0.78 on Wednesday, reaching $98.32. 943,697 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,596,599. Philip Morris International Inc. has a 12 month low of $82.85 and a 12 month high of $109.81. The stock has a market capitalization of $152.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.09 and a beta of 0.68. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $99.07 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $96.71. Philip Morris International Announces Dividend Philip Morris International ( NYSE:PM Get Rating ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 9th. The company reported $1.39 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.29 by $0.10. Philip Morris International had a net margin of 11.22% and a negative return on equity of 127.24%. The company had revenue of $8.15 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.54 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.35 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was up .6% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.31 EPS for the current year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 11th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 23rd will be issued a dividend of $1.27 per share. This represents a $5.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.17%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 22nd. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio is presently 87.44%. Insider Transactions at Philip Morris International In other news, insider Werner Barth sold 8,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.35, for a total value of $786,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 87,321 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,588,020.35. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other Philip Morris International news, insider Werner Barth sold 8,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.35, for a total transaction of $786,800.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 87,321 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,588,020.35. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Chairman Andre Calantzopoulos sold 80,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $100.35, for a total transaction of $8,028,000.00. Following the sale, the chairman now directly owns 1,007,048 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $101,057,266.80. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 117,064 shares of company stock valued at $11,738,763. 0.13% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several analysts have commented on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group raised Philip Morris International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their price objective for the company from $95.00 to $120.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 25th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Philip Morris International in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group raised Philip Morris International from a hold rating to a buy rating and raised their price target for the stock from $86.00 to $118.00 in a report on Thursday, January 19th. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on shares of Philip Morris International from $109.00 to $118.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, February 2nd. Finally, UBS Group raised shares of Philip Morris International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $106.00 to $116.00 in a research note on Wednesday, March 1st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Philip Morris International currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $110.36. About Philip Morris International (Get Rating) Philip Morris International, Inc is a holding company engaged in the manufacturing and sale of cigarettes, tobacco, and nicotine-containing products. Its products include cigarettes and reduced-risk products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products. The firm operates through the following geographical segments: European Union, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, South and Southeast Asia, East Asia and Australia, and Americas. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Philip Morris International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Philip Morris International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. GoDaddy (NYSE:GDDY Get Rating) and Sharing Economy International (OTCMKTS:SEII Get Rating) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, institutional ownership, earnings, analyst recommendations, risk, profitability and valuation. Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of current ratings and target prices for GoDaddy and Sharing Economy International, as reported by MarketBeat. Get GoDaddy alerts: Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score GoDaddy 0 3 5 1 2.78 Sharing Economy International 0 0 0 0 N/A GoDaddy presently has a consensus price target of $93.56, suggesting a potential upside of 21.47%. Given GoDaddys higher possible upside, equities research analysts clearly believe GoDaddy is more favorable than Sharing Economy International. Earnings & Valuation Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio GoDaddy $4.09 billion 2.90 $352.20 million $2.20 35.01 Sharing Economy International $240,000.00 2.21 -$3.89 million N/A N/A This table compares GoDaddy and Sharing Economy Internationals gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation. GoDaddy has higher revenue and earnings than Sharing Economy International. Risk & Volatility GoDaddy has a beta of 0.98, indicating that its stock price is 2% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Sharing Economy International has a beta of -1.78, indicating that its stock price is 278% less volatile than the S&P 500. Institutional and Insider Ownership 97.3% of GoDaddy shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.4% of GoDaddy shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.1% of Sharing Economy International shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth. Profitability This table compares GoDaddy and Sharing Economy Internationals net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets GoDaddy 8.61% -93.48% 5.10% Sharing Economy International -1,801.21% N/A -139.39% Summary GoDaddy beats Sharing Economy International on 11 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks. About GoDaddy (Get Rating) GoDaddy, Inc. engages in the provision of domain name registration and web hosting services. It provides website building, hosting, and security tools. It operates through the Applications and Commerce (A and C) and Core Platform (Core) segments. The A and C segment consists of sales of products containing proprietary software, commerce products and third-party email and productivity solutions. The Core segment deals with the sales of domain registrations and renewals, aftermarket domain sales, website hosting products and website security product. The company was founded by Robert R. Parsons in January 1997 and is headquartered in Tempe, AZ. About Sharing Economy International (Get Rating) Sharing Economy International, Inc. develops technologies, products and services with a view to minimise pollution and wastage to protect the environment. It operates through the following segments: Dyeing and Finishing Equipment and Sharing Economy. The Dyeing and Finishing Equipment segment involves in the manufacture and sell of textile dyeing and finishing machines. The Sharing Economy segment targets the technology and global sharing economy markets, by developing online platforms and rental business partnerships that will drive the global development of sharing through economical rental business models. The company was founded by Jian Hua Wu in 1987 and is headquartered in Hong Kong. Receive News & Ratings for GoDaddy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for GoDaddy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Horace Mann Educators (NYSE:HMN Get Rating) had its price objective decreased by Piper Sandler from $38.00 to $36.00 in a research report issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports. Piper Sandlers price target would suggest a potential upside of 9.12% from the companys current price. Separately, StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Horace Mann Educators in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Get Horace Mann Educators alerts: Horace Mann Educators Price Performance Horace Mann Educators stock opened at $32.99 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23, a quick ratio of 0.11 and a current ratio of 0.11. The company has a market capitalization of $1.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -471.29 and a beta of 0.40. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $35.27 and its 200-day simple moving average is $36.68. Horace Mann Educators has a 1 year low of $32.02 and a 1 year high of $42.24. Insider Activity Horace Mann Educators ( NYSE:HMN Get Rating ) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 7th. The insurance provider reported ($0.06) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of ($0.11) by $0.05. Horace Mann Educators had a positive return on equity of 4.15% and a negative net margin of 0.19%. The company had revenue of $346.80 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $341.30 million. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Horace Mann Educators will post 2.25 earnings per share for the current year. In related news, EVP Matthew P. Sharpe sold 3,478 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $33.99, for a total transaction of $118,217.22. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 54,353 shares in the company, valued at $1,847,458.47. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 3.20% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Horace Mann Educators by 4.6% during the 3rd quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. now owns 25,425 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $897,000 after buying an additional 1,117 shares during the last quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC boosted its holdings in Horace Mann Educators by 37.7% in the third quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 151,823 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $5,472,000 after purchasing an additional 41,598 shares in the last quarter. State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D increased its stake in Horace Mann Educators by 13.0% in the third quarter. State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D now owns 65,420 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $2,309,000 after purchasing an additional 7,527 shares during the last quarter. ARGA Investment Management LP acquired a new stake in Horace Mann Educators during the third quarter worth approximately $346,000. Finally, Connable Office Inc. lifted its position in shares of Horace Mann Educators by 12.9% during the 4th quarter. Connable Office Inc. now owns 8,656 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $323,000 after buying an additional 989 shares during the last quarter. Horace Mann Educators Company Profile (Get Rating) Horace Mann Educators Corp. is an insurance holding company, which engages in the provision of insurance and retirement solutions to educators and school employees. It operates through the following business segments: Property and Casualty, Supplemental, Retirement, Life, and Corporate and Other. The Property and Casualty segment focuses on personal lines of automobile and property insurance products. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Horace Mann Educators Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Horace Mann Educators and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. IAMGOLD (TSE:IMG Get Rating) (NYSE:IAG) had its price target lifted by research analysts at Bank of America from C$3.65 to C$4.35 in a report released on Wednesday, BayStreet.CA reports. Bank of Americas price objective suggests a potential upside of 9.57% from the stocks previous close. Several other equities analysts have also commented on IMG. National Bankshares decreased their price objective on shares of IAMGOLD from C$4.10 to C$4.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, February 14th. TD Securities raised their price target on shares of IAMGOLD from C$3.25 to C$4.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 21st. Cormark reduced their price target on shares of IAMGOLD from C$5.75 to C$4.50 in a research report on Tuesday, February 21st. Canaccord Genuity Group reduced their price target on shares of IAMGOLD from C$3.30 to C$3.15 in a research report on Thursday, December 22nd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised shares of IAMGOLD from a sell rating to a hold rating and raised their price target for the stock from C$2.50 to C$3.25 in a research report on Wednesday, December 21st. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of C$3.28. Get IAMGOLD alerts: IAMGOLD Stock Up 1.0 % Shares of IMG stock traded up C$0.04 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting C$3.97. 549,022 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,207,394. The stock has a market cap of C$1.90 billion, a P/E ratio of -23.29, a P/E/G ratio of -0.28 and a beta of 1.37. The stocks fifty day moving average is C$3.41 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$2.82. IAMGOLD has a 52-week low of C$1.27 and a 52-week high of C$4.74. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 44.97, a current ratio of 2.35 and a quick ratio of 1.19. IAMGOLD Company Profile IAMGOLD Corporation, through its subsidiaries, explores, develops, and operates gold mining properties in North America, South America, and West Africa. The company owns interests in the Rosebel mine located in Suriname, South America; the Essakane mine situated in Burkina Faso and Boto gold project located in Senegal, West Africa; and Westwood mine, covers an area of 1,925 hectare and located in Quebec and the Cote gold project, which covers an area of 586 square kilometer located in Ontario, Canada. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for IAMGOLD Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for IAMGOLD and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Inspire Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of The Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son Limited (NYSE:NTB Get Rating) by 35.2% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 14,832 shares of the banks stock after purchasing an additional 3,858 shares during the period. Inspire Advisors LLCs holdings in Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son were worth $442,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of NTB. Millennium Management LLC grew its position in Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son by 1,488.7% during the 2nd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 300,221 shares of the banks stock valued at $9,364,000 after purchasing an additional 281,324 shares during the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son by 20.0% during the 3rd quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 697,960 shares of the banks stock valued at $22,656,000 after acquiring an additional 116,491 shares during the last quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans boosted its holdings in shares of Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son by 6.6% during the 3rd quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 897,215 shares of the banks stock valued at $29,123,000 after acquiring an additional 55,713 shares during the last quarter. RMB Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son during the 2nd quarter valued at about $1,559,000. Finally, Polar Capital Holdings Plc boosted its holdings in shares of Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son by 24.0% during the 1st quarter. Polar Capital Holdings Plc now owns 254,235 shares of the banks stock valued at $9,122,000 after acquiring an additional 49,174 shares during the last quarter. 68.21% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son alerts: Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son Trading Down 0.8 % NTB stock traded down $0.21 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $26.09. 128,326 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 253,893. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.63. The Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son Limited has a one year low of $25.89 and a one year high of $38.31. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.31 billion, a PE ratio of 6.13 and a beta of 1.38. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $32.15 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $32.47. Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son Announces Dividend Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son ( NYSE:NTB Get Rating ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 14th. The bank reported $1.27 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.10 by $0.17. Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son had a net margin of 37.09% and a return on equity of 26.44%. The business had revenue of $148.50 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $140.30 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.84 earnings per share. Equities research analysts expect that The Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son Limited will post 4.82 EPS for the current year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 14th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 27th were issued a $0.44 dividend. This represents a $1.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.75%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 24th. Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Sons payout ratio is presently 41.03%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several brokerages have weighed in on NTB. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on shares of Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son from $36.00 to $41.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, February 15th. Piper Sandler lowered their target price on shares of Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son from $41.00 to $36.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, December 20th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son from $48.00 to $40.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Finally, Raymond James boosted their target price on shares of Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son from $38.00 to $41.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, February 15th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $39.50. Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son Profile (Get Rating) The Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son Ltd. provides community banking and wealth management business. The firm operates through the following geographical segments: Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey, The Bahamas, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The Bermuda and the Cayman Islands segment offers a range of retail and corporate banking services to individuals, local businesses, captive insurers, reinsurance and trust companies, and hedge funds. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NTB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son Limited (NYSE:NTB Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Inspire Investing LLC cut its stake in shares of The AES Co. (NYSE:AES Get Rating) by 1.1% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 86,794 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 950 shares during the quarter. Inspire Investing LLCs holdings in AES were worth $2,496,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. M&G Investment Management Ltd. boosted its stake in AES by 3.6% during the third quarter. M&G Investment Management Ltd. now owns 5,501,894 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $126,544,000 after acquiring an additional 191,928 shares in the last quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System lifted its stake in shares of AES by 21.6% in the third quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 1,597,101 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $36,094,000 after buying an additional 283,375 shares in the last quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of AES by 60.5% in the third quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. now owns 19,602 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $443,000 after buying an additional 7,391 shares in the last quarter. IFP Advisors Inc raised its holdings in shares of AES by 9.3% in the third quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 4,863 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $74,000 after purchasing an additional 414 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC raised its holdings in shares of AES by 1,630.7% in the third quarter. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC now owns 558,530 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $12,623,000 after purchasing an additional 526,258 shares during the last quarter. 95.46% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get AES alerts: AES Price Performance Shares of AES stock traded up $0.25 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $24.07. The stock had a trading volume of 1,081,198 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,455,438. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $24.84 and its 200 day simple moving average is $26.07. The company has a current ratio of 1.18, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.93. The AES Co. has a 12 month low of $18.62 and a 12 month high of $29.89. The firm has a market capitalization of $16.10 billion, a PE ratio of -27.38, a PEG ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 0.94. AES Announces Dividend AES ( NYSE:AES Get Rating ) last announced its earnings results on Monday, February 27th. The utilities provider reported $0.49 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.46 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $3.06 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.58 billion. AES had a negative net margin of 3.99% and a positive return on equity of 37.94%. AESs revenue for the quarter was up 10.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.45 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that The AES Co. will post 1.72 EPS for the current year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 15th. Investors of record on Monday, May 1st will be paid a $0.1659 dividend. This represents a $0.66 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.76%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 28th. AESs payout ratio is -75.86%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several analysts have recently commented on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $32.00 target price on shares of AES in a report on Monday, March 6th. TheStreet downgraded shares of AES from a b- rating to a c rating in a report on Monday, February 27th. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of AES in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating for the company. Finally, Evercore ISI raised their price objective on shares of AES to $30.00 in a report on Monday, December 12th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $31.00. AES Company Profile (Get Rating) The AES Corp. engages in the provision of power generation and utility services through its renewable and thermal generation facilities and distribution businesses. It operates through the following segments: U.S. and Utilities Strategic Business Unit (SBU), South America SBU, MCAC SBU, Eurasia SBU. The U.S. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for AES Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AES and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II (NYSE:HPF Get Rating) declared a monthly dividend on Monday, April 3rd, investing.com reports. Investors of record on Thursday, April 13th will be given a dividend of 0.1235 per share on Friday, April 28th. This represents a $1.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 9.60%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 12th. John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II has decreased its dividend payment by an average of 3.1% per year over the last three years. Get John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II alerts: John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II Price Performance NYSE:HPF traded down $0.15 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $15.43. 6,455 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 42,073. John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II has a one year low of $14.60 and a one year high of $19.38. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $16.48 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $16.22. Hedge Funds Weigh In On John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II Company Profile A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Invesco Ltd. increased its position in John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II by 15.3% during the first quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 187,030 shares of the companys stock worth $3,559,000 after acquiring an additional 24,809 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley increased its holdings in John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II by 3.5% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 149,798 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,349,000 after buying an additional 5,092 shares during the period. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. increased its holdings in John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II by 8.5% in the 4th quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 61,337 shares of the companys stock valued at $962,000 after buying an additional 4,806 shares during the period. LPL Financial LLC increased its holdings in John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II by 24.0% in the 2nd quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 44,258 shares of the companys stock valued at $796,000 after buying an additional 8,575 shares during the period. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased its holdings in John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II by 12.6% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 26,600 shares of the companys stock valued at $506,000 after buying an additional 2,974 shares during the period. (Get Rating) John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II is a diversified closed-end management investment fund/investment trust company. It seeks to provide high level of current income consistent with preservation of capital by investing its assets majorly in preferred stocks and other preferred securities, including convertible preferred securities. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III (NYSE:HPS Get Rating) declared a monthly dividend on Monday, April 3rd, investing.com reports. Stockholders of record on Thursday, April 13th will be given a dividend of 0.11 per share on Friday, April 28th. This represents a $1.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 9.21%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 12th. John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III has decreased its dividend payment by an average of 2.6% annually over the last three years. Get John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III alerts: John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III Stock Down 0.5 % HPS traded down $0.07 on Wednesday, hitting $14.33. The companys stock had a trading volume of 2,631 shares, compared to its average volume of 56,673. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $14.88 and its 200-day simple moving average is $14.76. John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III has a 12 month low of $13.60 and a 12 month high of $17.98. Institutional Trading of John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III Company Profile Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of HPS. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III by 18.2% in the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 14,958 shares of the companys stock worth $269,000 after purchasing an additional 2,300 shares in the last quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC purchased a new stake in shares of John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III during the 1st quarter valued at $285,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III by 17.8% during the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 14,425 shares of the companys stock valued at $259,000 after buying an additional 2,180 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. raised its position in shares of John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III by 8.0% during the 1st quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 255,835 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,595,000 after buying an additional 18,901 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Atria Wealth Solutions Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III during the 1st quarter valued at $203,000. (Get Rating) John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III operates as a closed-end management investment company. It seeks to provide a high level of current income consistent with preservation of capital by investing in securities that, in the opinion of the Advisor, may be undervalued relative to similar securities in the marketplace. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nuveen Georgia Quality Municipal Income Fund (NYSE:NKG Get Rating) declared a monthly dividend on Monday, April 3rd, Zacks reports. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 14th will be paid a dividend of 0.004 per share by the asset manager on Monday, May 1st. This represents a $0.05 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.47%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 13th. Nuveen Georgia Quality Municipal Income Fund Stock Performance NYSE NKG traded up $0.07 on Wednesday, reaching $10.15. 601 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 21,668. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $10.11 and its 200 day simple moving average is $10.03. Nuveen Georgia Quality Municipal Income Fund has a 12 month low of $9.40 and a 12 month high of $11.59. Get Nuveen Georgia Quality Municipal Income Fund alerts: Hedge Funds Weigh In On Nuveen Georgia Quality Municipal Income Fund A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in NKG. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Nuveen Georgia Quality Municipal Income Fund during the 1st quarter worth $233,000. Raymond James & Associates boosted its stake in shares of Nuveen Georgia Quality Municipal Income Fund by 24.3% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 53,982 shares of the asset managers stock worth $628,000 after acquiring an additional 10,568 shares in the last quarter. Atria Wealth Solutions Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Nuveen Georgia Quality Municipal Income Fund during the 1st quarter worth $234,000. Rivernorth Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Nuveen Georgia Quality Municipal Income Fund by 14.1% during the 1st quarter. Rivernorth Capital Management LLC now owns 166,033 shares of the asset managers stock worth $1,933,000 after acquiring an additional 20,556 shares in the last quarter. Finally, UBS Group AG boosted its stake in shares of Nuveen Georgia Quality Municipal Income Fund by 163.4% during the 3rd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 12,089 shares of the asset managers stock worth $116,000 after acquiring an additional 7,500 shares in the last quarter. About Nuveen Georgia Quality Municipal Income Fund Nuveen Georgia Quality Municipal Income Fund is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc The fund is co-managed by Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC and Nuveen Asset Management, LLC. It invests in the fixed income markets of the Georgia. The fund invests into undervalued municipal securities and other related investments the income from which is exempt from regular federal and Georgia income taxes. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Nuveen Georgia Quality Municipal Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nuveen Georgia Quality Municipal Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Charles Schwab Trust Co raised its position in shares of Occidental Petroleum Co. (NYSE:OXY Get Rating) by 5.9% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 3,814 shares of the oil and gas producers stock after purchasing an additional 214 shares during the quarter. Charles Schwab Trust Cos holdings in Occidental Petroleum were worth $240,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Orion Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Occidental Petroleum during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Selway Asset Management acquired a new stake in shares of Occidental Petroleum during the third quarter worth $37,000. Accel Wealth Management lifted its position in shares of Occidental Petroleum by 1,176.5% in the 3rd quarter. Accel Wealth Management now owns 651 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $43,000 after buying an additional 600 shares during the last quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV boosted its holdings in shares of Occidental Petroleum by 56.4% in the 4th quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 757 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $48,000 after buying an additional 273 shares during the period. Finally, Worth Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Occidental Petroleum during the 1st quarter valued at about $58,000. Institutional investors own 78.45% of the companys stock. Get Occidental Petroleum alerts: Occidental Petroleum Trading Down 0.4 % OXY stock traded down $0.28 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $64.55. 859,048 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 13,770,697. Occidental Petroleum Co. has a 52-week low of $51.53 and a 52-week high of $77.13. The company has a current ratio of 1.15, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97. The company has a market cap of $57.97 billion, a P/E ratio of 5.24, a P/E/G ratio of 0.47 and a beta of 1.78. The stocks fifty day moving average is $61.57 and its 200-day moving average is $64.86. Occidental Petroleum Increases Dividend Occidental Petroleum ( NYSE:OXY Get Rating ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 27th. The oil and gas producer reported $1.61 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.83 by ($0.22). The business had revenue of $8.22 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.21 billion. Occidental Petroleum had a return on equity of 52.68% and a net margin of 35.87%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 97.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.48 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Occidental Petroleum Co. will post 5.79 earnings per share for the current year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 17th. Investors of record on Friday, March 10th will be given a $0.18 dividend. This represents a $0.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.12%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 9th. This is a boost from Occidental Petroleums previous quarterly dividend of $0.13. Occidental Petroleums payout ratio is 5.82%. Insider Transactions at Occidental Petroleum In related news, major shareholder Berkshire Hathaway Inc acquired 1,789,529 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 27th. The stock was bought at an average price of $59.32 per share, with a total value of $106,154,860.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 211,707,119 shares of the companys stock, valued at $12,558,466,299.08. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders bought a total of 12,371,716 shares of company stock worth $735,557,715 over the last 90 days. 0.31% of the stock is owned by insiders. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on Occidental Petroleum from $67.00 to $63.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, March 1st. Morgan Stanley cut their target price on Occidental Petroleum from $71.00 to $62.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, March 27th. Piper Sandler lowered their price target on shares of Occidental Petroleum from $76.00 to $69.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Monday, December 19th. Bank of America raised shares of Occidental Petroleum from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $80.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Friday, January 6th. Finally, Mizuho boosted their target price on shares of Occidental Petroleum from $82.00 to $83.00 in a research note on Friday, March 10th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $75.11. Occidental Petroleum Profile (Get Rating) Occidental Petroleum Corp. engages in the exploration and production of oil and natural gas. It operates through the following segments: Oil and Gas, Chemical, and Midstream and Marketing. The Oil and Gas segment explores for, develops and produces oil and condensate, natural gas liquids and natural gas. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding OXY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Occidental Petroleum Co. (NYSE:OXY Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Occidental Petroleum Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Occidental Petroleum and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Pilbara Minerals Limited (OTCMKTS:PILBF Get Rating)s stock price fell 2.4% during trading on Monday . The stock traded as low as $2.56 and last traded at $2.59. 82,345 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 75% from the average session volume of 323,153 shares. The stock had previously closed at $2.66. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several analysts have weighed in on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on Pilbara Minerals in a research report on Wednesday, December 7th. They set a neutral rating on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group cut Pilbara Minerals from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, January 27th. Finally, Citigroup raised Pilbara Minerals from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 11th. Get Pilbara Minerals alerts: Pilbara Minerals Trading Up 1.1 % The firms 50-day moving average price is $2.92 and its 200-day moving average price is $3.02. About Pilbara Minerals Pilbara Minerals Ltd. engages in the exploration and evaluation of mineral properties. It focuses on lithium and tantalum properties of Pilgangoora Lithium-Tantalum Project located in the Pilbara region. The company was founded on January 10, 2005 and is headquartered in West Perth, Australia. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Pilbara Minerals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pilbara Minerals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Research analysts at Piper Sandler began coverage on shares of Atlas Energy Solutions (NYSE:AESI Get Rating) in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, The Fly reports. The brokerage set an overweight rating and a $28.00 price target on the stock. Piper Sandlers price objective suggests a potential upside of 62.60% from the stocks current price. AESI has been the subject of a number of other research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on shares of Atlas Energy Solutions in a report on Monday. They set a buy rating and a $22.00 target price for the company. Barclays initiated coverage on Atlas Energy Solutions in a report on Monday. They set an overweight rating and a $25.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada started coverage on Atlas Energy Solutions in a research report on Monday. They set an outperform rating and a $25.00 price objective on the stock. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Buy and an average target price of $24.50. Get Atlas Energy Solutions alerts: Atlas Energy Solutions Trading Down 3.5 % NYSE:AESI opened at $17.22 on Monday. Atlas Energy Solutions has a 12 month low of $15.06 and a 12 month high of $18.20. Insider Activity at Atlas Energy Solutions Atlas Energy Solutions Company Profile In related news, Director Douglas G. Rogers bought 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, March 13th. The stock was bought at an average price of $18.00 per share, with a total value of $54,000.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now directly owns 3,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $54,000. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . In other news, Director Douglas G. Rogers purchased 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 13th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $18.00 per share, for a total transaction of $54,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 3,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $54,000. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink . Also, insider Ben M. Brigham acquired 280,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 13th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $18.00 per share, with a total value of $5,040,000.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the insider now directly owns 280,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,040,000. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here (Get Rating) Atlas Energy Solutions Inc is a provider of proppant and logistics services to customers engaged in the oil and natural gas industry principally within the Permian Basin of West Texas and New Mexico. Atlas Energy Solutions Inc is based in AUSTIN, Texas. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Atlas Energy Solutions Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Atlas Energy Solutions and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Pola Orbis Holdings Inc. (OTCMKTS:PORBF Get Rating) reached a new 52-week high on Monday . The stock traded as high as $13.45 and last traded at $13.45, with a volume of 0 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $13.45. Analyst Ratings Changes Separately, Jefferies Financial Group downgraded Pola Orbis from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, February 23rd. Get Pola Orbis alerts: Pola Orbis Stock Performance The company has a 50-day moving average of $13.45 and a 200-day moving average of $12.23. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.98 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.69 and a beta of 0.43. About Pola Orbis Pola Orbis Holdings Inc, through its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and sells cosmetics and related products in Japan and internationally. It operates through Beauty Care and Real Estate segments. The Beauty Care segment offers cosmetics; skincare products; health foods; and fashion products, such as women's underwear, women's apparel, and jewelry under the POLA, ORBIS, Jurlique, H2O PLUS, THREE, DECENCIA, Amplitude, ITRIM, FIVEISM THREE, and FUJIMI brand names. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Pola Orbis Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pola Orbis and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ridgecrest Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE:CAG Get Rating) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor bought 5,450 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $211,000. Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Securian Asset Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Conagra Brands by 0.7% in the 3rd quarter. Securian Asset Management Inc. now owns 39,071 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,275,000 after purchasing an additional 286 shares during the last quarter. Czech National Bank boosted its holdings in shares of Conagra Brands by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 56,097 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,171,000 after purchasing an additional 295 shares during the last quarter. Fortitude Advisory Group L.L.C. boosted its holdings in shares of Conagra Brands by 3.7% in the 2nd quarter. Fortitude Advisory Group L.L.C. now owns 8,265 shares of the companys stock valued at $283,000 after purchasing an additional 298 shares during the last quarter. Utah Retirement Systems boosted its holdings in shares of Conagra Brands by 0.4% in the 3rd quarter. Utah Retirement Systems now owns 83,870 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,737,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Louisiana State Employees Retirement System boosted its holdings in shares of Conagra Brands by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 31,000 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,200,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.08% of the companys stock. Get Conagra Brands alerts: Insider Transactions at Conagra Brands In other news, SVP Robert G. Wise sold 50,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $40.90, for a total value of $2,045,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 22,717 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $929,125.30. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.98% of the companys stock. Conagra Brands Stock Up 3.3 % Conagra Brands stock traded up $1.23 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $38.81. 4,962,653 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,503,764. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $36.39 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $36.51. The firm has a market cap of $18.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.65, a P/E/G ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 0.56. Conagra Brands, Inc. has a 1 year low of $31.01 and a 1 year high of $41.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92, a current ratio of 0.92 and a quick ratio of 0.29. Conagra Brands (NYSE:CAG Get Rating) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, April 5th. The company reported $0.76 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.64 by $0.12. The company had revenue of $3.09 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.08 billion. Conagra Brands had a net margin of 5.66% and a return on equity of 14.38%. The companys revenue was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.58 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Conagra Brands, Inc. will post 2.66 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Conagra Brands in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Bank of America reduced their target price on shares of Conagra Brands to $40.00 in a report on Monday, March 6th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on shares of Conagra Brands from $35.00 to $38.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Friday, January 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Conagra Brands from $38.00 to $43.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Friday, January 6th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of Conagra Brands from a sell rating to a hold rating and set a $35.00 target price on the stock in a report on Monday, March 20th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $40.36. Conagra Brands Company Profile (Get Rating) Conagra Brands, Inc engages in the manufacture and sale of processed and packaged foods. It operates through the following segments: Grocery and Snacks, Refrigerated and Frozen, International, and Foodservice. The Grocery and Snacks segment includes branded, shelf stable food products sold in various retail channels in the United States. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CAG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE:CAG Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Conagra Brands Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Conagra Brands and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Riverview Trust Co lessened its stake in Chubb Limited (NYSE:CB Get Rating) by 32.4% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 242 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 116 shares during the quarter. Riverview Trust Cos holdings in Chubb were worth $53,000 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 CB. Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its stake in Chubb by 6.8% during the third quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 5,282,359 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $960,755,000 after purchasing an additional 338,463 shares during the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc lifted its stake in Chubb by 4.0% during the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 3,498,521 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $687,743,000 after purchasing an additional 134,676 shares during the last quarter. Boston Partners lifted its stake in Chubb by 3.9% during the third quarter. Boston Partners now owns 2,741,428 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $501,001,000 after purchasing an additional 103,984 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in Chubb by 3.1% during the first quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 2,126,486 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $454,856,000 after purchasing an additional 64,887 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Amundi lifted its stake in Chubb by 0.6% during the second quarter. Amundi now owns 2,067,756 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $379,060,000 after purchasing an additional 12,600 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.12% of the companys stock. Get Chubb alerts: Chubb Trading Down 0.6 % NYSE:CB opened at $195.46 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $80.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.61, a PEG ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 0.64. The company has a current ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $205.45 and its 200-day simple moving average is $207.35. Chubb Limited has a 12-month low of $173.78 and a 12-month high of $231.37. Chubb Announces Dividend Chubb ( NYSE:CB Get Rating ) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 1st. The financial services provider reported $4.05 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $4.22 by ($0.17). The company had revenue of $11.43 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.58 billion. Chubb had a net margin of 12.35% and a return on equity of 12.51%. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $3.81 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Chubb Limited will post 17.4 EPS for the current year. The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 10th. Investors of record on Friday, March 17th will be issued a dividend of $0.83 per share. This represents a $3.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.70%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 16th. Chubbs dividend payout ratio is presently 26.52%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research firms recently weighed in on CB. Roth Capital restated a buy rating on shares of Chubb in a research note on Wednesday, February 1st. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on Chubb from $230.00 to $250.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 14th. Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on Chubb from $240.00 to $245.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday. Barclays reduced their price objective on Chubb from $258.00 to $255.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, February 2nd. Finally, Atlantic Securities boosted their price objective on Chubb from $240.00 to $250.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 22nd. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $245.33. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, COO John W. Keogh sold 23,871 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $212.18, for a total transaction of $5,064,948.78. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 272,062 shares of the companys stock, valued at $57,726,115.16. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other Chubb news, Director Theodore Shasta sold 1,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, March 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $189.73, for a total value of $189,730.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 14,488 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,748,808.24. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, COO John W. Keogh sold 23,871 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $212.18, for a total value of $5,064,948.78. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now directly owns 272,062 shares in the company, valued at approximately $57,726,115.16. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.39% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Chubb Company Profile (Get Rating) Chubb Ltd. operates as a holding company, which engages in the provision of commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and accident and health (A&H), reinsurance, and life insurance. It operates through the following segments: North America Commercial Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance, North America Personal P&C Insurance, North America Agricultural Insurance, Overseas General Insurance, Global Reinsurance, and Life Insurance. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Chubb Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chubb and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CTS Co. (NYSE:CTS Get Rating) saw a large growth in short interest in the month of March. As of March 15th, there was short interest totalling 677,300 shares, a growth of 5.6% from the February 28th total of 641,400 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 159,900 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 4.2 days. Currently, 2.2% of the shares of the company are short sold. Insider Buying and Selling at CTS In other CTS news, CEO Kieran M. Osullivan sold 15,979 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $47.00, for a total value of $751,013.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 481,807 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $22,644,929. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other news, CEO Kieran M. Osullivan sold 2,746 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, January 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $47.00, for a total transaction of $129,062.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 498,035 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $23,407,645. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CEO Kieran M. Osullivan sold 15,979 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $47.00, for a total transaction of $751,013.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 481,807 shares in the company, valued at $22,644,929. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 18,759 shares of company stock valued at $881,673. 2.00% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Get CTS alerts: Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Quadrant Capital Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of CTS by 516.8% during the 3rd quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 1,030 shares of the electronics makers stock worth $43,000 after acquiring an additional 863 shares during the period. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd purchased a new position in shares of CTS during the 2nd quarter worth about $56,000. AXS Investments LLC purchased a new position in shares of CTS during the 4th quarter worth about $76,000. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. purchased a new position in shares of CTS during the 3rd quarter worth about $82,000. Finally, Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC lifted its holdings in shares of CTS by 64.1% during the 3rd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 2,140 shares of the electronics makers stock worth $89,000 after acquiring an additional 836 shares during the period. 95.61% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Analysts Set New Price Targets CTS Price Performance A number of brokerages recently commented on CTS. Stephens reissued an equal weight rating and issued a $41.00 price objective on shares of CTS in a research note on Wednesday, February 8th. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of CTS in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, CTS presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $41.50. NYSE:CTS opened at $45.90 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $1.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.68 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a current ratio of 2.89, a quick ratio of 2.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The companys 50-day moving average is $44.97 and its two-hundred day moving average is $42.90. CTS has a 12-month low of $31.90 and a 12-month high of $49.59. CTS (NYSE:CTS Get Rating) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 7th. The electronics maker reported $0.56 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.56. The company had revenue of $142.28 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $148.56 million. CTS had a net margin of 10.15% and a return on equity of 16.14%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.49 EPS. Research analysts expect that CTS will post 2.55 EPS for the current year. CTS Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 31st will be issued a $0.04 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 30th. This represents a $0.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.35%. CTSs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 8.60%. About CTS (Get Rating) CTS Corp. engages in the design and manufacture of sensors, connectivity components, and actuators. Its products include controls, pedals, piezo sensing products, sensors, switches, transducers, electromagnetic and radio frequency interference filters, capacitors, frequency control, resistors, piezo microactuators, and rotary microactuators. See Also Receive News & Ratings for CTS Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CTS and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Reports that two LGBTQ+ Western New Yorkers are pursuing claims of discrimination and harassment are disturbing, regardless of the outcomes of their cases. Discrimination against people based on their sexual and gender identity is still against the law, just as much as it was when Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act was passed. But discrimination as well as its frequent companion, harassment is still happening. And a growing political movement across the country seeks to weaken the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans, despite these protections. The American Civil Liberties Union is tracking more than 430 anti-LGBTQ+ bills that have recently been introduced in statehouses across the country. Though we doubt whether such legislation would find much traction in New York State, intolerant political movements quickly spread their poison through the easily available means of social media. This emboldens those who can now buttress their own prejudices with bigoted commentary thats readily accessible via YouTube and a variety of online chat forums, as well as on Facebook and Twitter. Given the possibilities for such escalation, its important to deal with incidents of alleged discrimination in Western New York thoroughly and thoughtfully. In one local case, Quinn J. Gambino, a transgender male, is charging the owners of T.C. Wheelers Bar & Pizzeria in Tonawanda of incessant harassment and offensive remarks about his gender identity. In a suit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Gambino says that this alleged behavior was enough to compel him to quit his job as a cook at the restaurant. In another federal lawsuit, Jeffrey Bellanca, publisher of the WNY Gay & Lesbian Yellow Pages, accuses the Town of Amherst for targeting him with citations he claims other local businesses have been spared. Bellancas van is emblazoned with the name of his business, and, according to town zoning codes, vehicles with commercial advertising signage cant be parked in Amherst residential neighborhoods. While the allegations in the Gambino case are yet to be tried, transgender Americans are being targeted across the country. A flood of anti-transgender legislation is being proposed nationwide most of it claiming to be parents rights bills that threatens free speech and nondiscriminatory education. It fuels the convictions of those who cant accept that gender transitions and nonbinary identities are realities for many people. Distrust of the unfamiliar does not excuse discrimination or harassment. According to a 2022 Pew Research Trust survey, roughly 8 in 10 Americans believe theres some discrimination against transgender people in our society. Thats all the more reason to be watchful. The Bellanca case could be just about zoning. But its not unreasonable to expect municipalities that receive complaints about LGBTQ+ businesses or signage to look carefully at who is complaining and how often. A 2021 study using data from the Small Business Credit Survey indicated that nearly 50% of businesses owned by LGBTQ+ individuals were denied PPP loans for Covid-related business losses. Thats 15% more than among non-LGBTQ+ businesses. Its not proof of discrimination, but worrisome, nonetheless. For another perspective, consider that a recent survey from Rochesters Levine Center found that 63% of LGBTQ+ individuals in the Rochester area knew of specific incidents of discrimination and 45% feared physical attacks in public. Many similar national and international surveys find similar degrees of anxiety, especially among young people. It should come as no surprise that people of color who are LGBTQ+ are more likely to face discrimination than their white counterparts. When a policy popularly known as dont say gay banning classroom instruction about sexual orientation or gender identity is signed into law in Florida in 2022, and when 11 other states pass laws in 2023 that restrict drag performances, the use of public bathrooms, medical treatment and impose other affronts, its time to realize that discrimination can take many forms, not all of them immediately recognizable. Western New York embraces its healthy diversity. But it cant be maintained without careful attention to anything that threatens it. The two local lawsuits may or may not respond to discrimination, but we know it exists. Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing. Analysts at StockNews.com began coverage on shares of iStar (NYSE:STAR Get Rating) in a research report issued on Monday. The brokerage set a hold rating on the real estate investment trusts stock. A number of other analysts also recently commented on the company. Raymond James downgraded iStar from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 31st. TheStreet downgraded iStar from a c- rating to a d+ rating in a research note on Friday, March 24th. Get iStar alerts: iStar Stock Performance The firm has a market cap of $662.59 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1.21 and a beta of 1.34. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $8.04 and a 200 day moving average price of $8.91. The company has a current ratio of 10.40, a quick ratio of 10.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.18. iStar has a 12-month low of $6.55 and a 12-month high of $24.28. Hedge Funds Weigh In On iStar iStar Company Profile Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Crystalline Management Inc. bought a new stake in iStar during the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,506,000. Voya Investment Management LLC grew its position in iStar by 17.8% during the 4th quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC now owns 39,856 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $304,000 after acquiring an additional 6,018 shares during the last quarter. Point72 Middle East FZE bought a new stake in iStar during the 4th quarter worth approximately $35,000. State of Wyoming grew its position in iStar by 212.4% during the 4th quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 11,228 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $86,000 after acquiring an additional 7,634 shares during the last quarter. Finally, State of Tennessee Treasury Department grew its position in iStar by 2.8% during the 4th quarter. State of Tennessee Treasury Department now owns 60,807 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $464,000 after acquiring an additional 1,658 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.11% of the companys stock. (Get Rating) iStar, Inc is a real estate investment trust company, which engages in the financing, investing, and development of real estate and related projects. It operates through the following segments: Real Estate Finance, Net Lease, Operating Properties, Land and Development, and Corporate and Other. The Real Estate Finance segment is involved in all of the activities of the company related to senior and mezzanine real estate loans and real estate related securities. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for iStar Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iStar and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd grew its position in The Southern Company (NYSE:SO Get Rating) by 10.5% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 96,156 shares of the utilities providers stock after purchasing an additional 9,127 shares during the period. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltds holdings in Southern were worth $6,866,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Southern by 1.5% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 94,652,372 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $6,436,360,000 after acquiring an additional 1,391,612 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Southern by 1.0% during the third quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 76,360,768 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $5,192,533,000 after acquiring an additional 723,336 shares during the period. State Street Corp raised its holdings in shares of Southern by 2.1% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 65,068,549 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $4,424,661,000 after acquiring an additional 1,313,036 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its holdings in shares of Southern by 6.2% during the third quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 63,002,360 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $4,284,352,000 after acquiring an additional 3,653,841 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its position in Southern by 0.8% in the third quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 8,795,619 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $598,104,000 after purchasing an additional 66,208 shares in the last quarter. 61.78% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Southern alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on shares of Southern from $68.00 to $74.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research report on Friday, December 16th. Credit Suisse Group raised their target price on shares of Southern from $60.00 to $70.00 and gave the company an underperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 18th. StockNews.com raised shares of Southern from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, March 30th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on shares of Southern from $73.00 to $71.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 17th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada decreased their target price on shares of Southern from $79.00 to $78.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, March 2nd. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $71.64. Southern Stock Performance Shares of SO stock opened at $69.63 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $75.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.23, a PEG ratio of 4.82 and a beta of 0.51. 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 50-day simple moving average of $66.67 and a 200 day simple moving average of $67.67. The Southern Company has a 52 week low of $58.85 and a 52 week high of $80.57. Southern (NYSE:SO Get Rating) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 16th. The utilities provider reported $0.26 EPS 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%. Southerns revenue was up 22.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.36 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that The Southern Company will post 3.61 earnings per share for the current year. Southern Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 6th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 21st were issued a dividend of $0.68 per share. This represents a $2.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.91%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 17th. Southerns payout ratio is 82.93%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Southern news, EVP Christopher Cummiskey sold 852 shares of Southern stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.31, for a total value of $57,348.12. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 22,059 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,484,791.29. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other Southern news, EVP Christopher Cummiskey sold 852 shares of Southern stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.31, for a total value of $57,348.12. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 22,059 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,484,791.29. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 14,546 shares of Southern stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $70.95, for a total transaction of $1,032,038.70. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 120,786 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,569,766.70. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 16,680 shares of company stock worth $1,174,768 in the last quarter. 0.37% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. About Southern (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. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Southern Company (NYSE:SO Get Rating). 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. TTP Investments Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Box, Inc. (NYSE:BOX Get Rating) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 7,714 shares of the software makers stock, valued at approximately $240,000. Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in BOX. Ardevora Asset Management LLP purchased a new stake in BOX in the 4th quarter valued at about $40,887,000. Federated Hermes Inc. boosted its position in BOX by 213.1% in the 1st quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 968,632 shares of the software makers stock valued at $28,148,000 after buying an additional 659,231 shares during the period. Macquarie Group Ltd. boosted its position in BOX by 28.9% in the 2nd quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd. now owns 2,890,365 shares of the software makers stock valued at $72,664,000 after buying an additional 648,830 shares during the period. Renaissance Technologies LLC boosted its position in BOX by 187.3% in the 1st quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 906,200 shares of the software makers stock valued at $26,334,000 after buying an additional 590,800 shares during the period. Finally, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. boosted its position in BOX by 32.4% in the 3rd quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. now owns 2,080,803 shares of the software makers stock valued at $50,751,000 after buying an additional 508,869 shares during the period. 85.67% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get BOX alerts: BOX Stock Down 0.1 % Shares of NYSE:BOX traded down $0.04 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $26.69. The companys stock had a trading volume of 771,415 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,695,722. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.85 billion, a PE ratio of 534.60, a P/E/G ratio of 12.84 and a beta of 1.01. Box, Inc. has a twelve month low of $22.31 and a twelve month high of $34.98. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $29.96 and a 200 day moving average of $29.03. Analyst Ratings Changes BOX ( NYSE:BOX Get Rating ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 1st. The software maker reported $0.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.03 by $0.04. BOX had a net margin of 2.70% and a negative return on equity of 2.53%. The firm had revenue of $256.48 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $256.29 million. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Box, Inc. will post 0.1 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. BOX has been the subject of several research reports. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on shares of BOX from $39.00 to $37.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, March 2nd. Credit Suisse Group reiterated an outperform rating and set a $36.00 price objective on shares of BOX in a research note on Thursday, March 2nd. JMP Securities reiterated a market outperform rating and set a $32.00 price objective on shares of BOX in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of BOX from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $31.00 to $34.00 in a research note on Monday, December 12th. Finally, KeyCorp boosted their price objective on shares of BOX from $34.00 to $37.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 18th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, BOX currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $34.20. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, Director Dana L. Evan sold 3,299 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.00, for a total transaction of $98,970.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 120,483 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,614,490. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other BOX news, CFO Dylan C. Smith sold 13,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, March 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.09, for a total transaction of $339,170.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 1,402,904 shares of the companys stock, valued at $36,601,765.36. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Dana L. Evan sold 3,299 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.00, for a total transaction of $98,970.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 120,483 shares in the company, valued at $3,614,490. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 48,299 shares of company stock valued at $1,422,480. Corporate insiders own 5.20% of the companys stock. BOX Profile (Get Rating) Box, Inc engages in the provision of an enterprise content platform that enables organizations to securely manage enterprise content while allowing easy, secure access and sharing of this content from anywhere, on any device. Its products include cloud content management, IT and admin controls, Box Governance, Box Zones, Box Relay, Box Shuttle, and Box KeySafe. See Also Receive News & Ratings for BOX Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BOX and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wealth Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS Get Rating) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 1,781 shares of the transportation companys stock, valued at approximately $310,000. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Tsfg LLC grew its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 49.8% during the 4th quarter. Tsfg LLC now owns 665 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $116,000 after acquiring an additional 221 shares in the last quarter. Fortem Financial Group LLC boosted its position in United Parcel Service by 2.0% during the third quarter. Fortem Financial Group LLC now owns 5,828 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $941,000 after purchasing an additional 113 shares during the last quarter. Sawtooth Solutions LLC grew its stake in United Parcel Service by 12.1% in the third quarter. Sawtooth Solutions LLC now owns 10,087 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $1,629,000 after purchasing an additional 1,086 shares in the last quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. increased its position in United Parcel Service by 0.6% in the 4th quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. now owns 15,176 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $2,638,000 after purchasing an additional 97 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Zhang Financial LLC raised its stake in shares of United Parcel Service by 7.6% during the 4th quarter. Zhang Financial LLC now owns 2,202 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $383,000 after purchasing an additional 156 shares in the last quarter. 58.92% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get United Parcel Service alerts: United Parcel Service Stock Down 1.6 % Shares of UPS stock opened at $190.61 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $163.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.33 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 1.22 and a quick ratio of 1.22. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $185.14 and a 200 day moving average price of $177.78. United Parcel Service, Inc. has a one year low of $154.87 and a one year high of $209.39. United Parcel Service ( NYSE:UPS Get Rating ) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, January 31st. The transportation company reported $3.62 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.59 by $0.03. United Parcel Service had a net margin of 11.51% and a return on equity of 66.10%. The business had revenue of $27 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $28.03 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $3.59 EPS. The firms revenue was down 2.6% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 11.45 earnings per share for the current year. United Parcel Service announced that its board has approved a stock buyback plan on Tuesday, January 31st that authorizes the company to buyback $5.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the transportation company to repurchase up to 3% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are usually a sign that the companys board of directors believes its shares are undervalued. United Parcel Service Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 10th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 21st were issued a $1.62 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 17th. This is a boost from United Parcel Services previous quarterly dividend of $1.52. This represents a $6.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.40%. United Parcel Services dividend payout ratio is presently 49.09%. Insider Buying and Selling In other United Parcel Service news, CFO Brian Newman sold 19,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, February 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $182.46, for a total value of $3,466,740.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 11,677 shares in the company, valued at $2,130,585.42. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, CFO Brian Newman sold 19,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $182.46, for a total value of $3,466,740.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 11,677 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,130,585.42. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Laura J. Lane sold 14,617 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $178.16, for a total value of $2,604,164.72. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 54,341 shares of company stock worth $9,848,061 in the last 90 days. 0.12% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth UPS has been the topic of a number of research reports. Raymond James dropped their price objective on United Parcel Service from $210.00 to $207.00 and set a strong-buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 1st. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $195.00 to $221.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, March 3rd. Oppenheimer increased their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $196.00 to $199.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 1st. StockNews.com raised United Parcel Service from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Loop Capital lowered their price objective on United Parcel Service from $219.00 to $212.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, March 21st. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating, fifteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, United Parcel Service has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $195.22. United Parcel Service Profile (Get Rating) United Parcel Service, Inc is a package delivery company, which engages in the provision of global supply chain management solutions. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Domestic Package, International Package, and Supply Chain Solutions. The U.S. Domestic Package segment includes time-definite delivery of letters, documents, and packages. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding UPS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for United Parcel Service Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for United Parcel Service and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. A number of firms have modified their ratings and price targets on shares of Franklin Covey (NYSE: FC) recently: 3/31/2023 Franklin Covey was downgraded by analysts at StockNews.com from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating. 3/30/2023 Franklin Covey was downgraded by analysts at TheStreet from a b rating to a c+ rating. 3/30/2023 Franklin Covey had its price target lowered by analysts at Barrington Research from $60.00 to $55.00. They now have an outperform rating on the stock. 3/30/2023 Franklin Covey had its price target lowered by analysts at Northland Securities from $100.00 to $96.00. They now have an outperform rating on the stock. 3/30/2023 Franklin Covey had its price target lowered by analysts at Roth Mkm from $71.00 to $65.00. They now have a buy rating on the stock. 3/16/2023 Franklin Covey is now covered by analysts at StockNews.com. They set a strong-buy rating on the stock. Franklin Covey Stock Down 0.7 % Franklin Covey stock traded down $0.25 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $37.80. The stock had a trading volume of 91,684 shares, compared to its average volume of 81,211. The stock has a market cap of $525.42 million, a PE ratio of 28.21, a P/E/G ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 1.23. The company has a quick ratio of 1.04, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15. Franklin Covey Co. has a 52-week low of $34.00 and a 52-week high of $54.70. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $46.11 and a 200 day moving average price of $47.25. Get Franklin Covey Co alerts: Franklin Covey (NYSE:FC Get Rating) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 5th. The business services provider reported $0.32 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.28 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $69.37 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $68.33 million. Franklin Covey had a net margin of 6.93% and a return on equity of 18.97%. On average, analysts predict that Franklin Covey Co. will post 1.15 EPS for the current year. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Franklin Covey Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Quantbot Technologies LP purchased a new stake in shares of Franklin Covey during the 1st quarter worth $27,000. Dorsey Wright & Associates purchased a new stake in shares of Franklin Covey in the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. Barclays PLC boosted its position in shares of Franklin Covey by 61.7% in the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 1,022 shares of the business services providers stock worth $46,000 after buying an additional 390 shares in the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC boosted its position in shares of Franklin Covey by 289.5% in the 3rd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 1,075 shares of the business services providers stock worth $49,000 after buying an additional 799 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. purchased a new stake in shares of Franklin Covey in the 3rd quarter worth about $56,000. 68.12% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Franklin Covey Co engages in organizational performance improvement. It operates through the following segments: Direct Offices, International Licensees, Education Practice, and Corporate and Other. The Direct Offices segment includes sales personnel that serve the United States and Canada. The International Licensees segment focuses on international licensees royalty revenues. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Franklin Covey Co Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Franklin Covey Co and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. KeyCorp (NYSE:KEY Get Rating) had its target price dropped by stock analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $21.00 to $20.00 in a research note issued on Monday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an overweight rating on the financial services providers stock. Wells Fargo & Companys price target points to a potential upside of 70.50% from the stocks current price. KEY has been the subject of several other reports. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their target price on shares of KeyCorp from $20.50 to $16.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, March 30th. Citigroup upgraded shares of KeyCorp from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $20.00 target price for the company in a research report on Monday, March 27th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods dropped their target price on shares of KeyCorp from $20.00 to $19.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, March 8th. Piper Sandler upgraded shares of KeyCorp from an underweight rating to a neutral rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $18.50 to $16.50 in a report on Friday, March 10th. Finally, StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of KeyCorp in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a sell rating for the company. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $19.05. Get KeyCorp alerts: KeyCorp Price Performance KEY opened at $11.73 on Monday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $16.45 and a 200-day moving average price of $17.16. The company has a market capitalization of $10.85 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.11, a PEG ratio of 1.09 and a beta of 1.25. KeyCorp has a twelve month low of $9.60 and a twelve month high of $22.17. The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. Insider Transactions at KeyCorp KeyCorp ( NYSE:KEY Get Rating ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 19th. The financial services provider reported $0.38 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.55 by ($0.17). The firm had revenue of $1.89 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.93 billion. KeyCorp had a net margin of 22.46% and a return on equity of 15.27%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.64 EPS. Equities analysts expect that KeyCorp will post 1.91 EPS for the current year. In other KeyCorp news, Director Ruth Ann M. Gillis bought 2,000 shares of KeyCorp stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 14th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $12.95 per share, with a total value of $25,900.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 42,961 shares of the companys stock, valued at $556,344.95. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In related news, insider Amy G. Brady sold 45,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $15.58, for a total transaction of $701,100.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 119,121 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,855,905.18. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Ruth Ann M. Gillis acquired 2,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 14th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $12.95 per share, for a total transaction of $25,900.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 42,961 shares in the company, valued at approximately $556,344.95. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders own 0.54% of the companys stock. Institutional Trading of KeyCorp Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of KEY. Guardian Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in KeyCorp during the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. Heritage Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in KeyCorp by 100.0% during the 4th quarter. Heritage Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,580 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 790 shares during the period. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board bought a new position in KeyCorp during the 1st quarter valued at about $38,000. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd bought a new position in KeyCorp during the 1st quarter valued at about $40,000. Finally, CNB Bank lifted its stake in KeyCorp by 3,380.8% during the 2nd quarter. CNB Bank now owns 1,810 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 1,758 shares during the period. 82.11% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About KeyCorp (Get Rating) KeyCorp is a bank holding company, which engages in the provision of financial services. It provides a range of retail and commercial banking, commercial leasing, investment management, consumer finance, student loan refinancing, commercial mortgage servicing and special servicing, and investment banking products and services to individual, corporate, and institutional clients. See Also Receive News & Ratings for KeyCorp Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for KeyCorp and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. YorkBridge Wealth Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE Get Rating) by 5.3% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,769 shares of the utilities providers stock after purchasing an additional 339 shares during the quarter. YorkBridge Wealth Partners LLCs holdings in Sempra Energy were worth $1,046,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. increased its holdings in Sempra Energy by 0.6% in the 1st quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 1,141,824 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $191,963,000 after buying an additional 6,246 shares during the period. Acadian Asset Management LLC increased its stake in Sempra Energy by 780.0% in the first quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 1,804 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $302,000 after acquiring an additional 1,599 shares during the period. Cibc World Market Inc. bought a new stake in Sempra Energy in the first quarter valued at about $782,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its position in Sempra Energy by 3.6% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 668,646 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $112,411,000 after purchasing an additional 23,431 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vontobel Holding Ltd. lifted its stake in Sempra Energy by 77.4% during the first quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 13,575 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $2,276,000 after purchasing an additional 5,924 shares during the period. 84.75% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Sempra Energy alerts: Sempra Energy Stock Up 1.1 % Shares of Sempra Energy stock opened at $151.85 on Wednesday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $152.15 and a 200 day simple moving average of $154.65. The stock has a market cap of $47.78 billion, a PE ratio of 22.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.11 and a beta of 0.73. The company has a quick ratio of 0.56, a current ratio of 0.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87. Sempra Energy has a 12 month low of $136.54 and a 12 month high of $176.47. Sempra Energy Increases Dividend Sempra Energy ( NYSE:SRE Get Rating ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, February 28th. The utilities provider reported $2.35 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.06 by $0.29. The firm had revenue of $3.46 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.79 billion. Sempra Energy had a return on equity of 10.53% and a net margin of 14.74%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 10.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.16 earnings per share. Research analysts predict that Sempra Energy will post 8.95 EPS for the current year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Saturday, April 15th. Investors of record on Wednesday, March 22nd will be given a $1.19 dividend. This represents a $4.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.13%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 21st. This is a positive change from Sempra Energys previous quarterly dividend of $1.15. Sempra Energys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 71.90%. Insider Buying and Selling at Sempra Energy In related news, CEO Jeffrey W. Martin sold 19,260 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $146.09, for a total transaction of $2,813,693.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 1 shares in the company, valued at $146.09. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other Sempra Energy news, CEO Jeffrey W. Martin sold 19,260 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $146.09, for a total transaction of $2,813,693.40. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $146.09. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CFO Trevor I. Mihalik sold 2,306 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $148.50, for a total transaction of $342,441.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 21,362 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,172,257. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 52,504 shares of company stock worth $8,045,547. Corporate insiders own 0.14% of the companys stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research firms have recently weighed in on SRE. Bank of America lowered their price objective on Sempra Energy from $173.00 to $165.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, March 28th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on Sempra Energy from $180.00 to $174.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, March 1st. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Sempra Energy in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. BMO Capital Markets dropped their target price on shares of Sempra Energy from $169.00 to $166.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, March 1st. Finally, Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on shares of Sempra Energy from $158.00 to $150.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, March 21st. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $168.45. Sempra Energy Profile (Get Rating) Sempra Energy is an energy-service holding company, which engages in the development and operation of energy infrastructure, and provision of electric and gas services. It operates through the following segments: San Diego Gas and Electric Company (SDG&E), Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), Sempra Texas Utilities, Sempra Mexico, and Sempra LNG. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SRE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Sempra Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sempra Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Motilal Oswal Alternatives (MOA) on Wednesday said its investee company IKF Finance has raised Rs 250 crore in a funding round led by Accion's Digital Transformation Fund. The south-based non-bank lender has been operational since the 1990s and focuses on the commercial vehicle, small business and affordable housing segments. MOA had invested in the company in 2015. Accion led the funding round by investing Rs 120 crore, while the rest was from other investors, including high-net-worth individuals and family offices. The company's overall assets under management were Rs 3,200 crore on a consolidated basis, and has 200 branches in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, the statement said. The company's promoter and managing director Vasumathi Koganti said in the last few years since MOA's investment, it has undertaken a transformation exercise aimed at delivering best-in-class growth and profitability, and will be relying more on digital technologies going forward. Vasantha, the promoter and managing director of its housing finance arm which has Rs 700 crore of AUM, said the capital infusion will help its growth ambitions, and added that the business could be as large as the vehicle finance business very soon. The Gas Growth Integrated Project, launched by French oil giant Total in 2021, aims to develop facilities to recover natural gas from several oil fields in southern Iraq. That's where it is currently being flared when the natural gas released through oil production is burned and released into the atmosphere. The project also aims to treat seawater for injection into oil reservoirs to boost production. Total maintains a 45 per cent share of the project, while Iraq's Basra Oil Company owns 30 per cent. QatarEnergies said the total investment in the project would be around USD 10 billion. "We are pleased to be part of this significant development, which is important for Iraq's energy sector," Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs and head of QatarEnergy, said in a statement. Qatar is one of the world's biggest natural gas producers and has extensive experience in building gas infrastructure. Iraq urgently needs to develop local gas resources to meet electricity demands, especially during the peak summer months. The country is heavily reliant on Iranian gas and electricity imports. The World Bank estimates that Iraq flares nearly 18 billion cubic metres of gas a year, a volume that, if recaptured, could be worth more than USD 2 billion. Flaring is a huge source of air pollution and greenhouse gases. Oil provides 90 per cent of Iraq's public revenues, but the industry has been mired in corruption and mismanagement since the 2003 US-led invasion that established a power-sharing government in Baghdad. Sectarian-based parties bicker over government ministries, appoint loyalists to key positions and dole out public sector jobs to supporters. The oil-rich southern Basra region is among the country's poorest and most underdeveloped, and residents say they have been sickened by the heavy air pollution caused by flaring. ExxonMobile had been in negotiations over a similar multi-project deal, but it fell though after years of negotiations. Exxon announced in 2021 that it would be selling its shares from the West Qurna 1 oil field, and London-based BP is spinning off development of the Rumaila field, Iraq's largest. Billionaire Gautam Adani's Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) on Wednesday reported 9 per cent growth in cargo handling at seaports it operates for fiscal year ended March 31. At 339 million tonne, this is the largest port cargo ever, APSEZ said in a statement. The firm handled about 32 million tonne of total cargo in March, up 9.5 per cent year-on-year. This is the first time since July 2022 that the volumes crossed the 30-million tonne mark. "With 339 million tonne in FY23 (April 2022 to March 2023), APSEZ recorded its largest port cargo volumes ever, which is a good 9 per cent year-on-year growth," it said. "Adani Ports has been continuously increasing its market share for the past years, outperforming all of India's cargo volume growth." The nation's largest port operator, which operates six ports on the west coast and five on the east, continues to add ports to its portfolio. Earlier this week, it completed the acquisition of Karaikal Port. While 11 ports it operates handle 25 per cent of total port volumes, the firm is also developing two transshipment ports at Vizhinjam, Kerala and Colombo, Sri Lanka. "The improvement in cargo volumes is testimony to the faith that our customers have in us," said Karan Adani, CEO, APSEZ. "APSEZ's flagship port, Mundra (in Gujarat), is outpacing all its closest rivals and continues to be the largest port in the nation in terms of volumes handled. Mundra's infrastructure meets the world standards and provides service levels on par with those of its global competitors, making it India's gateway for container goods." The overall container volumes handled by APSEZ in India jumped to 8.6 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), a 5 per cent year-on-year growth, including 6.6 million TEUs at Mundra alone. Mundra continues to be India's largest seaport with 155 million tonne of total cargo handled during the year. The logistics business segment also had a record year. The container rakes handled during the year achieved a new milestone crossing 500,000 TEUs (24 per cent rise), while the bulk cargo transported exceeded 14 million tonne, implying a 62 per cent y-o-y jump. "This financial year witnessed APSEZ setting some new milestones on the count of ships docked (6,573), rakes serviced (40,482), and the trucks, trailers and tankers handled (48,89,941). Adani Ports serviced 3,068 unique customers across its different business units," the statement said. Increase in cargo volume at ports reflects the expanding economy. Almost 95 per cent of the trade volumes in India are carried through maritime transport. "APSEZ consistently works on cargo diversification at all its ports. This year, Krishnapatnam Port successfully added soybeans, edible oil and sugar to its cargo portfolio while Dighi Port handled sugar for the first time and Dhamra its first rice vessel for export to Bangladesh," the statement said. "APSEZ's achievement underlines its ability to adapt to fast-paced changes due to global market and geopolitical volatility and continue its journey towards sustainable growth." India's Adani group told investors that several top Japanese and European banks have reaffirmed confidence in the embattled conglomerate after it was pummeled by a U.S. short seller's critical report, a company document showed. Led by billionaire businessman Gautam Adani, the group's seven listed stocks have lost about $120 billion in market value since a Jan. 24 report by Hindenburg Research accused it of improper use of offshore tax havens and stock manipulation, allegations the group has denied. Adani group shares and bonds have regained some lost ground over the past month or so after it repaid some debt and attracted a $1.9 billion investment from boutique investment firm GQG Partners. Still, Adani is battling an investigation by India's market regulator which is looking into Hindenburg's allegations as well as the group's related party dealings following a Supreme Court directive. In a series of roadshows from Hong Kong to New York held in recent weeks for fixed income investors, the group committed to achieving 20% year-on-year growth in core earnings and to diversify its debt portfolio, the document showed. Global banks such as "MUFG, SMBC, Mizuho, Standard Chartered, Barclays, DBank (Deutsche Bank), consortium lender banks have reaffirmed confidence in Adani group," said the document which stated its goal was to assuage investors. The document, which was reviewed by Reuters, did not elaborate on how the lenders reaffirmed their commitment to the Adani group. Several of the banks already have business relationships with the group, ties which the conglomerate has previously pointed to as a sign of its strength to counter Hindenburg's allegations. Adani group did not respond to a request for comment. Barclays PLC declined to comment. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc (MUFG), Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc's SMBC unit, Mizuho Financial Group, Standard Chartered and Deutsche Bank did not immediately respond. CONCERNS ABOUT DEBT The Hindenburg report had sparked concern among investors about banks' exposures to the Adani group. Brokerage CLSA estimated in a Jan. 26 report that the consolidated debt of the top five Adani group companies, with some element of double counting, stood at $25.56 billion, with Indian banks forming 38% of that. "The group has consistently diversified its long term debt portfolio and has reduced its exposure to banks by using other sources of capital," the document said. Now, 39% of Adani's debt is currently in the form of bonds, 29% is from global banks and 32% comes from public or private banks in India, the Adani document added. Adani was forced to shelve a $2.5 billion share sale due to the stock market rout that followed the Hindenburg report in which the short-seller also raised many questions on Adani's debt levels. The State Bank of India (SBI) and other public sector lenders "have raised no red flags" and were comfortable with its financial position, and lenders "have reaffirmed they will continue to lend to Adani", the document added. SBI did not respond to a request for comment. Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee came out with the predictable GOP antidote following this recent school murder by offering up a ubiquitous thoughts and prayers romanticism. A grim reminder why his police force and citizens were appalled at his signing of the permit-less gun carry bill which he autographed into law at a gunmakers factory. What a guy. Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles, the Republican who represents the district that Covenant School is in Nashville last year sent out a Christmas card showing he, his wife and the two oldest kids holding assault rifles. Their youngest is holding an oversized Merry Christmas Card and behind them all stands a decorated tree. Kids eight and nine years old were butchered in school by a shooter that also killed three adults before police ended her troubled life. The number one cause of death of children in this country results from gunfire. The methodical gunning down of citizens via Americas care-free automatic rifle sprees adds to this sordid count more than daily. Availability, open carry, permit-less sales and useless background checks (to name a few) has resulted in executioners who continue to refuse to hearken to the outpouring of thoughts and prayers being launched their way via the millions who have yet to be shot. God apparently isnt listening or why else would a deity continue to thin His herd in this grizzly fashion daily?, Anyone, especially in red states, who is breathing can buy, carry and receive not one stipulation on the gun sale. Anybody who thinks this nausea will get better via thoughts and prayers needs to find a more empathetic deity or begin to demand that pathetic politicians create effective laws to stop this madness. Stephen F. Saracino Buffalo Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hailed the Stand Up India campaign on the completion of its seven years and pointed out that the initiative had played a role in empowering the SC/ST communities and women. Stand up India Scheme was launched on April 5, 2016, with a focus on economic empowerment and job creation. The scheme aims to encourage all bank branches in extending loans to borrowers from SC, ST and women in setting up their own greenfield enterprises. "Today we mark #7YearsofStandUpIndia and acknowledge the role this initiative has played in empowering the SC/ ST communities and ensuring women empowerment. It has also boosted the spirit of enterprise our people are blessed with," Modi said in a tweet. In another tweet on National Maritime Day, the prime minister said, "We in India have been blessed with a rich maritime heritage and we are very proud of that." "On National Maritime Day, we recall all those who contributed to India's strides in the maritime world and reaffirm our commitment to further port-led development," he said. 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 Two municipal corporations in Uttar Pradesh -- Prayagraj Municipal Corporation and Kanpur Municipal Corporation --are planning to issue their first municipal bonds, and have invited bids for transaction advisor-cum-merchant bankers, sources said. Kanpur Municipal Corporation officials told Moneycontrol on condition of anonymity that they are planning to raise at least Rs 100 crore through a 10-year municipal bond issue. While Prayagraj Municipal Corporation officials confirmed the bond issue, they declined to disclose the amount planned to be raised, saying it was still too early. Municipal bonds are similar to corporate bonds. The only difference is that the former is issued by civic bodies to finance urban infrastructure projects. Municipal corporations issue bonds to raise funds from individuals and institutions. Investors are promised a specified interest and return of the principal amount on the maturity date. Also read: Top fund manager makes contrarian bets on short-term bonds Kanpur Municipal Corps plan Officials from Kanpur Municipal Corporation said these funds are expected to be utilised for the construction of office-cum-commercial space, the development of BP Shrivastava market for women, and the AMRUT scheme. The corporation has invited applications from merchant bankers, for which the deadline is 3:30 pm on April 11. We may extend the last date for bidding by one week to get requests from more merchant bankers and assess their interests, an official said. Before this, the corporation had held pre-bid meetings with prospective merchant bankers. At the meeting, a decision was taken to extend the deadline for submitting applications, the officials added. Also read: Equity or debt funds, SIP is an all-weather friend Request for proposal Documents on the request for proposal (RFP) showed that applications invited by these corporations are for the selection of transaction advisor-cum- merchant bankers for technical assistance, due diligence and fund mobilisation for municipal corporations through municipal bonds. The tender of Prayagraj Municipal Corporation showed that the deadline for the selection of merchant bankers is 3 pm on April 12. Japanese auto major Honda Motor Co Ltd on Wednesday announced top management changes in its Indian two-wheeler arm with the appointment of Tsutsumu Otani as the President, CEO & Managing Director of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India. Otani, also a Vice President at Honda Motor Co., Japan, will succeed Atsushi Ogata, who returns to Shanghai, China as the Executive General Manager at Shanghai Branch, Honda Motor (China) Investment Co., Ltd with effect from April 1, 2023, the company said in a statement. In 2022 Otani was appointed as Executive General Manager, Shanghai Branch Honda Motor (China) Investment Co., Ltd. He started his career with Honda Japan in 1997 and held several leadership positions in the company's business in different global markets. Ogata had spearheaded Honda's Indian two-wheeler operations for three years. The company also announced the elevation of Vinay Dhingra, who was earlier Director - General & Corporate Affairs, Strategic Information System and Honda India Foundation, HMSI, as the Senior Director - Human Resource and Administration, Corporate Affairs, Information Technology and Honda India Foundation. Besides, the company said Yogesh Mathur, previously Operating Officer Sales and Marketing) and Sanjeev Jain, earlier Operating Officer - New Model Purchase & Parts Strategy, are now elevated to the Board of Directors of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI). Mathur, as the new Director, will be responsible for customer service, logistics planning and control, premium motorcycle business along with sales and marketing, it added. On the other hand, Jain in his new position will be responsible for purchase and will be replacing V Sridhar who was Senior Director Purchase and has retired after completing over 23 years of association with HMSI, the company said. Airlines are gearing up for the busy summer season for the first time since 2018. While the pandemic wiped out 2020, 2021 and the recovery wasnt full in 2022, Indian aviation had a setback in 2019 as Jet Airways shut down just before the busy season in April 2019. The aviation landscape of 2018 and that of 2023 is vastly different. With 107 airports across airlines, the country is back to having 100+ operational airports. IndiGo, the market leader and largest carrier by fleet, is operating to 78 destinations in the country or three-fourths of the airports. It is followed by the only government-owned carrier, Alliance Air, which with its small fleet of 18 ATR 72-600s, two ATR 42-600s and one Dornier Do-228 is operating to 58 destinations, most of them under the Regional Connectivity Scheme-UDAN. The data has been exclusively shared by OAG Aviation for this article. Air India comes in next with 46 destinations while SpiceJet serves 39 and Vistara serves 32. Go FIRST serves 27 destinations while AirAsia India, which is set to merge with Air India Express, serves 20. Start-up Akasa Air serves 14 destinations with many more lined up in this and next month and the count will substantially go up when it launches services to Bagdogra, Dehradun and Kolkata. Regional carrier Star Air has spread itself thin, similar to Alliance Air, and is operating to 18 destinations with a fleet of 7 planes, two of which havent started operations yet. Airports with maximum airlines, and monopoly There are four airports that serve nine airlines each. Interestingly, this does not include Delhi -- the largest airport in the country. Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Guwahati have nine airlines operating. IndiGo, Air India, Vistara, Go FIRST, SpiceJet, AirAsia India, Akasa Air and Alliance Air are common to these four airports. Star Air operates to Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad but not Guwahati, while flybig operates only from Guwahati amongst these -- making it nine airlines each at the four airports. There are six airports, including Delhi, with eight airlines each. There are 31 airports in the country where there is only one airline which is operating. These airports always remain at risk of losing out on air connectivity as was the case when Trujet shut down. Thirteen of these have a service by Alliance Air, one by flybig, six by SpiceJet, two by Star Air and eight by IndiGo and one by IndiaOne. States with maximum airports Gujarat, with 9, tops the states with maximum operational airports. Airports in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot, Bhuj, Bhavnagar, Surat, Jamnagar, Kandla and Keshod ave regular services. Gujarat is followed by Maharashtra, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh at eight each. Uttar Pradesh was to go miles ahead in this race but the airports in Aligarh, Azamgarh, Chitrakoot, Shravasti and\, Modababad have not yet commissioned. Airports in Jewar (Noida) and Ayodhya are under construction. This is followed by Assam with seven operational airports, a quantum jump - thanks largely to flybig and Alliance Airs focus and priority routes under RCS-UDAN. States like Odisha and Chattisgarh, which have struggled to move beyond one operational airport, also have more airports being served these days. Monopoly routes Amongst the top seven airlines in India, there are 901 city pairs that are served; a staggering 618 of these are monopoly routes while 145 are duopoly routes. An eye-popping 538 sectors are a monopoly for IndiGo. The market leader operates in 815 sectors in all. This network gives the airline the ability to push its yields up one small step at a time. SpiceJet comes in second with 57 monopoly routes. This is much fewer than what the airline operated at its peak. Air India has just 12 monopoly routes while Vistara has two. AirAsia India has four while Go FIRST has five. How it shapes Indian aviation from here on Gone are the days of new railway lines and trains being announced before elections, the demand these days is for airports and flights as we head into an election year from here on - one would expect more airports to be inaugurated along with services to those. The country has seen 110 airports being operational in one of the scheduling seasons only to go below 100 in the next as airlines curtailed operations and TruJet went down. The monopoly routes and airports are always under the constant shadow of being off the air map. RCS-UDANs success lies in expanding connectivity but not many routes have been able to sustain beyond the concession period and there lies the challenge for airlines and the aviation ecosystem. Four companies namely Zaggle Prepaid Ocean Services, Cyient DLM, Healthvista India, and Rashi Peripherals have received green signal from the capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to go ahead with their IPO plans. All of them have received observations letter last week, with Zaggle and Cyient subsidiary getting on March 29, while the SEBI issued observations for Healthvista and Rashi Peripherals IPOs on March 31, according to an update on the market regulator's website as March 31. As per SEBI, the issuance of the observation letter for draft red herring prospectus for any IPO filed by the company implies the go-ahead from the market regulator for its proposed fund raising via IPO. B2B SaaS fintech company Zaggle Prepaid Ocean Services had filed its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with the regulator in December 2022, to raise funds via initial public offering that comprises a fresh issuance of shares worth Rs 490 crore and an offer for sale of 1.05 crore equity shares by promoters and investors. Incorporated in 2011, Zaggle, which builds financial solutions and products to manage the business expenses of corporates, SMEs, & startups, will utilise fresh issue proceeds for customer acquisition and retention; development of technology and products; repaying debts, and general corporate purposes. Information and communications technology products distributor Rashi Peripherals is planning to raise Rs 750 crore via public issue that comprises only fresh issue. The preliminary documents were filed by the company for IPO in January 2023. The company claimed that it was one of the fastest growing national distribution partners for global technology brands in India in terms of revenue growth between FY20-FY22. Click Here To Read All IPO Related News Rashi may consider a private placement Rs 150 crore before filing its red herring prospectus with the Registrar of Companies. If the said pre-IPO placement is undertaken, then accordingly the amount raised from the pre-IPO placement will be reduced from the fresh issue. The company will utilise fresh issue proceeds for repaying debts, and working capital requirements, besides general corporate purposes. Cyient DLM, the subsidiary of listed IT services firm Cyient, has filed draft papers in January this year, to raise Rs 740 crore via initial public offering. The IPO comprises only a fresh issue and there is not offer for sale portion, which means the entire funds, excluding issue expenses, will be utilised by the company. The electronic manufacturing services and solutions provider may also consider a pre-IPO placement of Rs 148 crore before filing the IPO papers with the Registrar of Companies. If the said placement is undertaken by the company, then accordingly the fresh issue size will be reduced to the extent of such pre-IPO placement. The fresh issue funds will be used for incremental working capital requirements, capital expenditure, debt repayment, inorganic growth through acquisitions, and general corporate purposes. Currently, it is 100 percent owned by Cyient. Out-of-hospital healthcare provider Healthvista India has filed its IPO papers in July last year. The company plans to raise funds via maiden public issue that consists of a fresh issuance of shares worth Rs 200 crore, and an offer for sale up to 5.62 crore shares by investors. Accel Growth III Holdings (Mauritius), Accel India III (Mauritius), Ventureast Life Fund III LLC, MEMG CDC Ventures, Qualcomm Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Accel India V (Mauritius), and Sabre Partners Trust are the selling shareholders in the IPO. Healthvista is 100 percent owned by the public shareholders with Accel Growth III Holdings (Mauritius), Accel India III (Mauritius) being the biggest shareholders in the company with 14.92 percent and 10.51 percent stake respectively. The company will make use of fresh issue funds for working capital requirements of material subsidiary Medybiz Pharma, repaying debts, purchase of medical equipment, marketing and brand building activities, inorganic growth initiatives, and general corporate purposes. Under its brand Portea, Healthvista provides a comprehensive range of out-of-hospital healthcare services, including primary care, geriatric (elderly) and palliative (end-of-life) care, intensive care unit (ICU) care, post-operative and post-hospitalization care, chronic care, mother and baby care and cancer care, all at home. Per latest Axis Capital report, 50 firms have received observations from the capital markets regulator for their draft papers which are still valid. After adding above 4 companies, the list increased to 54. Electric mobility solutions provider Magenta on Wednesday said it has closed a Series A1 funding round with USD 22 million equity investment from the UK-headquartered bp and Morgan Stanley India Infrastructure-managed investment fund. The company plans to deploy the freshly raised capital in fleet and geographical expansion besides investing a part of the funds in technology-build as it focuses on 'sustainable and profitable' growth, Maxson Lewis, Founder and Managing Director, Magenta Mobility said. Besides, as part of this investment, bp's joint venture with Reliance--Jio-bp-- will be the exclusive EV charging partner for Magenta Mobility's fleet, he said. Seed-funded by HPCL, the Pune-based company has 750 electric vehicles operating in the last-mile delivery space across seven cities- Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Gurugram, Mysuru and Noida - catering to some of the leading e-commerce, food and online delivery players in the country. It also operates 35 charging and parking hubs in these cities. "We have closed a Series A1 funding round, raising USD 22-million (about Rs 180 crore) with two market key investors-- bp of UK and investment fund managed by Morgan Stanley India Infrastructure. These are the two key investors now on board with us," Lewis told PTI. "It is not a pure investment, it is a strategic investment," he added. The fresh capital infusion takes the total fund raised by the company to Rs 275 crore, with as much as Rs 95 crore mopped up in various rounds earlier including from Indian-American philanthropist and serial entrepreneur Kiran Patel. bp and Magenta Mobility will also collaborate on electric fleet management software, a statement said. With more than 100 million online shoppers, and the government's target of electrification of e-commerce delivery and logistics by 2030, India is a key market for bp's global electrification business, bp pulse, Magenta said. "This investment ...is a significant milestone for the company as we look to build on our strong foundations in the EV space over the last four years. This investment and backing will catapult us in scaling our tech-led electric mobility platform across the country," Lewis stated. He said that the company will be adding another 150 electric vehicles in the last-mile delivery space in next few days while the plan is eventually to have a strong 4,000 vehicle fleet comprising both three and four-wheelers in the next one year. The capital will support the market expansion into eight additional cities, he said and added that the company has plans to expand geographical reach on a quarter-by-quarter basis. Magenta said it is working on an ecosystem approach to provide solutions to all the participants customers, driver partners, OEMs and financiers. Lewis said Magenta had aimed at growing 5X and it is pretty much there, adding that, the company focuses on sustainable growth, profitable growth. Decarbonising the last-mile delivery is increasingly important in India as the e-commerce market is expected to grow fourfold by 2030, which will require the deployment of huge numbers of new vehicles this decade, said Sashi Mukundan, President, bp India and senior vice president, bp. "This is bp's first venture-led entry into India's last-mile delivery market and our second in India's mobility sector. We see this investment as an opportunity to further advance decarbonizing mobility solutions," he said. According to him, with India setting an ambitious 2030 target for the complete transition to EVs for e- commerce, delivery, and transport logistics service providers, Magenta through its operations will help decarbonise Indian cities whilst helping meet demand in the fast-growing e-commerce delivery industry. bp, according to the statement, is investing heavily in five transition growth engines that will help it deliver its net zero plans, including BP PULSETM electric vehicle infrastructure, which is already live in nine countries worldwide. "Being one of the early entrants in the charging infrastructure space, the company (Magenta) is uniquely positioned to stitch an end-to-end solution to enable businesses to go electric in their middle and last mile operations. "In terms of market opportunity, there are strong tailwinds supporting EV adoption by large customers in their supply chain both for economic and sustainability reasons," said Shyamsundar Gurumoorthy, Managing Director and Co-Head of Morgan Stanley India Infrastructure. Shares of Bharat Dynamics slipped in early trade on April 5 after the company recorded an on year decline in its revenue for the financial year 2022-2023. The company clocked in provisional revenue of Rs 2,458 crore for FY23, reflecting a 12.8 percent decrease as compared to FY22's Rs 2,817.2 crore. Brokerage firm, ICICIdirect said in a note that the decline in revenue was below their expectations as even the management had guided for a 10-12 percent year-on-year growth in the topline for FY23. At 11.19 am, shares of Bharat Dynamics were trading with a cut of 3.07 percent at Rs 956 on the National Stock Exchange. The stock had also slipped to an intraday low of Rs 955.60. Follow our live blog for all the market action The aerospace and defence company attributed the shortfall in revenues to delay in receipt of imported electronic items and critical explosive materials from Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), design changes in the production of naval product and delay in receipt of MR-SAM kits from OEM which also resulted in non-completion of production. "However, the shortfall in revenues is expected to be recovered in current financial year," the company wrote in an exchange filing. ICICIdirect also highlighted that the company's order backlog stands at Rs 24,021 crore as of March end. 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 Shares of Bharat Forge edged lower in early trade on April 5 on the back of a decline in Class-8 truck orders in North America for March. Orders for Class-8 trucks have seen a consistent decline in recent months, barring February, which resulted in a year-on-year as well as sequential fall in March. For the month, orders for Class-8 trucks was at 19,000 units, down 10 percent from the corresponding quarter in the year ago period. The orders were also 17 percent lower than the 21,251 units ordered in the previous month. Since Bharat Forge is a leading forging player in the Class-8 truck segment, the decline in sales of the latter adversely impact the company's financials. At 9.57am, shares of Bharat Forge were trading at a cut of 1.64 percent at Rs 758.55 on the National Stock Exchange. The stock also slipped to an intraday low of Rs 751.55. Follow our live blog for all the market action Shares of the company have also shed around 14 percent in the year so far on the back of concerns around its rising debt and worsening losses at its overseas subsidiaries. The forging company also reported a 14.29 percent on-year fall in its net profit to Rs 289.18 crore for the December quarter, despite clocking in record revenues of Rs 1,952 crore, thanks to the highest ever growth of 9.4 percent in export revenues. 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 Odisha government said Japan-based Nippon Steel along with ArcelorMittal will set up a facility to produce 30 MT of speciality metal in the state. The announcement comes after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik met Nippon Steel president Eiji Hashimoto in Tokyo earlier in the day. "CM@Naveen_Odisha met Eiji Hashimoto, President of Nippon Steel during #OdishaInvestorsMeet in Tokyo and discussed about company's plan to build one of the world's largest steel plants in #Odisha along with @ArcelorMittal. The 30 MT plant will produce speciality steel," the Chief Minister's Office wrote on Twitter. Patnaik, who began his tour to Japan on Tuesday to woo investors from there, assured complete support to the proposed plant, which will give a "huge boost to socio-economic development of Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Keonjhar districts and generate thousands of jobs for youths of Odisha", the CMO said. Patnaik also invited Hashimoto and his team to visit Odisha and said that the projects in the pipeline will help a large number of people in the state. AM/NS India is a joint venture between ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel. In March 2021, Gujarat-based AM/NS India had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Odisha government to set up a 12-million-tonne per annum integrated steel plant in Kendrapara with an investment of Rs 50,000 crore. After the Make In Odisha Conclave, 2022 in December, the Odisha government approved a proposal of AM/NS India to set up a 7 mtpa steel plant in Jagatsinghpur with an investment of Rs 38,000 crore. The joint venture company currently has a 12 mtpa pellet plant at Paradip, which is the country's largest single-location pellet complex, an 8 mtpa beneficiation facility in Keonjhar and a 250-km slurry pipeline from Keonjhar to Paradip. Meanwhile, Patnaik, according to the schedule of his Japan tour, will have one-on-one meetings with Japanese companies on Wednesday. The state government will host the Odisha Business Meet 2023, which is expected to be attended by over 200 industrialists and investors from across Japan and the Indo-Pacific region. Patnaik will address the investors and showcase the vast existing and emerging business opportunities in Odisha. On Wednesday evening, he will hold an interactive session with the Odia diaspora in Japan. Patnaik will also visit Kimitsu Works of Nippon Steel on Thursday. He is leading a high-level delegation, comprising ministers, bureaucrats and businessmen from the state to explore investment opportunities from the island country in East Asia. The CMO said the delegation will also hold a round-table discussion in Kyoto on opportunities for collaboration between Japan and Odisha in the tourism sector. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has barred investment advisers (IAs) and research analysts (RAs) from using extensive technical or legal terminology or promising guarantee of assured return to investors in their communications. These compliances are part of SEBIs new advertisement code to further strengthen the conduct of IAs and RAs, while issuing any advertisement. The capital markets regulator in 2013 and 2014 had first brought in regulations for code of conduct to be followed by IAs and RAs, respectively. As per the new code, advertisements will include all forms of communications, issued by or on behalf of IA/RA, including pamphlets, research reports, newspaper or TV ads, mails, electronic messaging and social media platforms, etc. The advertisement code for IAs/RAs has come a month after SEBI told mutual funds not to assure returns to investors. In a letter dated March 3, sent to the Association of Mutual Funds of India (AMFI), it reminded the entities to stick to the advertisement code as part of the SEBI MF regulations. Prohibitions in advertisements As per the circular issued on April 5, IAs and RAs have been asked to refrain from making statements, which are false, misleading, biased or deceptive, based on assumptions or projections. Further, the regulator has banned statements designed to exploit the lack of experience or knowledge of the investors. These entities have also been barred from using extensive technical or legal terminology or complex language and the inclusion of excessive details, which may distract the investors. Also read | Gold and silver ETFs suffer LTCG blow but still glitter From now on, IAs and RAs wont be able to refer to any report, analysis, or service as free, unless it actually is free and without condition or obligation. Additionally, they wont be allowed to make any promise or guarantee of assured or risk-free return to the investors and refer to past performance of the IA/RA. The advertisement shall not imply any assured returns or minimum returns or target return or percentage accuracy or service provision till achievement of target returns or any other nomenclature that gives the impression to the client that the investment advice/recommendation of research report is risk-free and/or not susceptible to market risks and/or that it can generate returns with any level of assurance, SEBI said in the circular. A lot of IAs and RAs have been advertising on social media about model portfolios, which are not the actual returns of investors. So, now SEBI has said that any form of past performance cant be advertised. It seems like these compliances will also apply to personal messages with clients, said Shyam Sekhar, chief ideator at ithought Advisory. However, according to Sekhar, the most egregious mis-selling is done by banks, which must be immediately addressed. These entities have also been barred from making statements which directly or indirectly discredit other advertisements or intermediaries or make unfair comparisons or ascribe any qualitative advantage over other intermediaries. Also read | These equity funds were winners in FY23 As part of the fresh compliances, SEBI has also mandated prior approval for the advertisement/material to be obtained from the regulators recognised supervisory body before the issue of advertisement. Further, IA/RA would not be allowed to engage in games, leagues, schemes, competitions etc, which may involve distribution of prize monies, medals, gifts, etc. Disclosures in the advertisements SEBI has asked these entities to include the name of the IA/RA, registered office address, SEBI Registration Number and other regulatory details in the advertisement. In case the mode of advertisement is SMS/Message/Pop-up, social media etc. and the details such as full name, logo/brand name, full registered office address, SEBI registration number, membership number of a SEBI recognized supervisory body and standard disclaimer are not mentioned, then official website hyperlink should be provided in such SMS/Message/Pop-up, etc. and the website must contain all such details. According to Harshad Chetanwala, a SEBI-registered investment advisor and co-founder of MyWealthGrowth.com, there are two kinds of IAs; fee-based IAs and corporate IAs. Individual IAs who are fee-based dont usually rely on advertisements, but word of mouth. Further, it is yet to be seen how prior approval for advertisements will work. Whether these compliances mean that the regulator will have to approve each and every piece of communication, which will be a daunting task. Any regulation brings in more protection for investors, but we will have to see how these guidelines will be implemented, Chetanwala said. Also read | Equity or debt funds, SIP is an all-weather friend Further, just like mutual funds and stocks, advertisement and communications by IAs/RAs also now need to include standard warning, Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing. The guidelines are a step in the right direction, but there should be a clear definition as to what is considered as an advertisement or now. As of now, it is not clear whether educational material shared on social media sites would be considered as an advertisement, said a SEBI-registered research analyst on condition of anonymity. The provisions of the circular will be applicable with effect from May 1, 2023. Mike Pence describes himself as a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order. If he is to be believed, then his loyalty is to God before mammon. However, his loyalty to Trump seems to trump his loyalty to his own Christian principles. In front of a church, Donald Trump once publicly held a Bible upside down to prove to the American public of his belief in God. Does this square with Pences Christian principles? When the Access Hollywood tape revealed candidate Trumps love to have the ability to grab women, did Pence turn a blind eye and ear to the violation of Christian and conservative principles? In 1987, Trump registered as a Republican in Manhattan. Since then he has changed his party affiliation five times; depending upon which way the political winds were blowing. Does Pence find Trumps wishy-washy relationship with Republicanism admirable? Trumps trifecta of anti-Christian, anti-conservative, and anti-republic behavior leaves Pence in a position like that of the Apostle Peter when he denied Christ three times. Only this time Pence has thrice denied his own principles. The only way Pence can rationalize his misplaced loyalty from America to Trump is by engaging in the practice known as temporary suspension of disbelief. The sus-Pence is palpable. Robert J. Wegrzynowski Medina RS Sodhi, the former MD of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which retails the Amul brand, has been tapped to build the grocery vertical of Reliance Retail Ventures (RRVL) the retail arm of Reliance Industries (RIL), the Times of India reported. Sources told the paper that Sodhi has been roped in to help the Isha Ambani-led retail business build on its growth in the grocery space with a focus on fruits and vegetables, and strengthen the companys presence in consumer brands, sources told the paper. Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report. Reliance and Sodhi did not respond to queries, it added. But sources say Sodhis expertise from GCMMF may be used to leverage products in the competition with Amul and Mother Dairy. Sodhi exited Amul in January after a 41-year run at GCMMF. The development comes as RRVLs FMCG arm Reliance Consumer Products has been aggressively expanding its presence through the launch of new products. Some of these launches include the iconic Campa beverage brand, and products in the home and personal care spaces. Besides Sodhi, another industry veteran onboarded by RIL for RRVL is former Coca-Cola India Chairman T Krishnakumar. 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 Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF), a New Delhi policy think tank comprising prominent Indian internet companies such as Matrimony, Paytm, MapmyIndia, TrulyMadly and other local entrepreneurs, said on April 5 that it has requested the CCI (Competition Commission of India) to look into Google's user choice billing system 'on an urgent basis'. In February 2023, Google had announced that it will allow app developers to offer an alternate billing system for in-app purchases within India from April 26, 2023, in a bid to comply with CCI's directives. As per the new policy, if a user pays through the alternative billing system (also termed as User Choice billing system), the transaction will still be subjected to a service fee, but at a 4 percent rate reduction. This effectively means that developers will have to shell out a service fee to Google ranging from 6-26 percent for in-app purchases and subscriptions, depending on the type of app/service and the annual revenue it generates on Google Play, as compared to the regular 10-30 percent service fee. The move was after Google had paused the enforcement of its in-app billing policy in India in November 2022, following the CCI's antitrust order on Play billing. The policy has already been made mandatory for in-app digital content purchases for users outside of India. In October 2022, CCI had directed Google not to restrict app developers from using any third-party billing or payment processing services to purchase apps or for in-app billing on Google Play besides a range of corrective measures to modify the company's app payment policies. It also fined Google Rs 936.44 crore for abusing its dominant position with regard to its Play Store policies. 'Abusive dominance practice' ADIF terms Google's plan to implement the user choice billing system in India as an "abusive dominance practice" by the company. "Unfortunately, there is no quorum at the CCI; and hence Google is taking advantage of an institutional lacunae, bringing in user choice billing in haste and in the process, hurting start up story and also disregarding the CCI order," the think tank said in a statement. It also cited the recent instance of Twitter Blue, the social media platform's subscription service, having differential pricing on the web and its mobile app, to compensate for the 15-30 percent commission fee charged by Google and Apple on subscriptions. Twitter Blue is currently available in India for a monthly fee of Rs 650 on the web and Rs 900 on mobile devices. Facebook parent Meta's paid subscription service Meta Verified is also expected to be available for a monthly fee of Rs 1,099 on the web and Rs 1,499 on the mobile app, Moneycontrol reported on March 29. "This would take away a huge chunk of the revenue made by Indian app developers and startups and would render business models of many young startups unviable, especially the one relying on in-app purchases, paid apps or subscriptions," it said. Google however has maintained that the service fee it levies has never been simply for payment processing. "It reflects the value provided by Android and Google Play, and all of the developer services we offer, including app distribution and discovery, the commerce platform, developer tools, analytics, training, and more, a Google spokesperson had earlier told Moneycontrol. India is among the biggest markets for Google Play in terms of app downloads and users. The country is also emerging as a key monetisation opportunity for Google Play, driven by the rising adoption of digital transactions in the country. NCLAT's Android antitrust ruling This development however comes after the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) had on March 29 set aside four of the 10 remedial measures ordered by the CCI in a separate antitrust order pertaining to Google's Android business. As per the NCLAT ruling, Google will not need to allow hosting of third-party app stores on Play Store and can continue placing curbs on distributing apps through the sideloading process. The company also need not share its proprietary Play Services APIs with rivals, original equipment makers (OEMs) and developers or allow users from removing pre-installed apps such as Google Maps, Gmail and YouTube. The tribunal however had upheld CCI's Rs 1,338 crore penalty on Google, saying that the competition watchdog's order does not suffer from any confirmation bias In January 2023, the tribunal had also declined interim relief to Google on the Rs 936.44 crore penalty. It is set to hear the matter on April 17. Read: Google ruling to have direct impact on Make in India, says the Additional Solicitor General N Venkataraman Walmart-backed PhonePe has kicked off digital lending pilots for merchants and the company would launch it officially soon, a move that will be a shot in the arm for the fintech decacorn putting it in direct competition in the lending space with its largest rival Paytm. PhonePes lending forays would be platform-based and the company would not be building its own book to begin with, Sameer Nigam, co-founder and CEO of the firm, told Moneycontrol in an interview on the sidelines of the launch of Pincode, an e-commerce buyer app built on top of ONDC (open network for digital commerce). We are working now (on digital lending) and we are adding more partners there. Demand is insane, because you already have merchant relationships for so long, but we dont want to build books. We dont want to do manufacturing, even here we are doing merchant lending as partners, said Nigam. However, eventually, it may apply for an NBFC (non-banking financial company) licence, Nigam said. As per the Reserve Bank of Indias (RBIs) regulations, if a companys financial assets account for 50 percent of its income and total assets, it must register as an NBFC. Somewhere we may apply for an NBFC, just to test out new cohorts. But we dont want to build the balance sheet, we want to take the lenders, which is banks and NBFCs, to the borrower, he added. PhonePes digital lending forays come on the heels of its massive $1 billion fundraise that it announced earlier this year at a $12 billion valuation, which made it Indias most-valued fintech startup. While PhonePe's funding made its valuation over 2x bigger, and much more than the current market capitalisation of Paytm, which got listed in November 2021, its FY22 (2021-22) revenue was less than half of Paytm. As of FY22, Paytm had a revenue of Rs 3,892.40 crore, while PhonePe had a revenue of Rs 1,646 crore. But a lending foray could give the Walmart-backed fintech company a much-needed push. PhonePe had stayed away from digital lending unlike its peers such as Paytm and BharatPe, which have a large portion of their earnings coming from lending. PhonePe was even weighing acquisition of ZestMoney, a buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) platform, which could have potentially given its consumer lending forays a fillip, but pulled out of it after the deliberations went on for over six months because of due diligence concerns, Moneycontrol reported. Confirming the development for the first time officially, Nigam said that due diligence did not meet PhonePes bar and so the company did not go ahead with the deal. When asked if PhonePes move to walk away from the deal was in bad faith, Nigam said, There's only two things we were looking to buy. One was the assets, the other was the people. So that is part of the DD. That is not why it fell, though. We liked the people for whatever it matters, suggesting that ZestMoneys assets were the primary reason for PhonePe to pull out of the deal. PhonePe was founded in 2015 by former Flipkart executives Sameer Nigam, Rahul Chari, and Burzin Engineer. The fintech has over 400 million registered users and is the market leader in Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions. In terms of monthly UPI volumes, the company has a 47 percent market share. In 2017, the company expanded into financial services, allowing customers to buy gold, insurance, and mutual funds on its platform in addition to making bill and utility payments. Shares of city gas distributors (CGD) surged on April 5 after a report by a brokerage firm forecast robust consumption over the next two years. Gas demand from CGDs is expected to rise by 100 million metric standard cubic meters per day by 2030, brokerage firm Anand Rathi said in a report. We believe gas demand in the country will be strong over FY23-25, supported by strong gas infrastructure, it said. Catch up on all the live market action here At 2.09pm, the stocks of Mahanagar Gas Ltd (MGL) and Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL) were trading 3.8-4.7 percent higher at Rs 955.85 per share and Rs 440.40 apiece, respectively. Despite lower consumption in 2022, the report expects gas demand growth to be strong in 2023 due to falling spot prices in liquefied natural gas. Power sector demand has fallen due to higher gas prices, while the share of CGD continues to be strong, despite a drop in industrial sector demand, the brokerage said. In the last one year, the stock price of IGL has surged as much as 13 percent, while in the last three years, it has fetched a return of more than 8 percent. In the case of MGL, the stock price has shot more than 15 percent in the last three years and delivered a return of more than 15 percent in the last one year. On Friday, the government said that it will provisionally keep the price of locally produced gas from old fields at $8.57 per million metric British thermal units (mmBtu), while it considers a potential change to the pricing formula. The ceiling has been reduced marginally to $12.1 from $12.5 per mmBtu. Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by experts on Moneycontrol are their own and not those of the website or its management. Moneycontrol advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Shares of Nykaa owner FSN E-Commerce Ventures gained over 8 percent on Wednesday after block deals totalling 5.54 million shares worth Rs 75.5 crore. However, the identity of the buyers and sellers remains unknown at the moment. This comes on the heels of another bulk deal that took place on March 17, 2023, wherein 6.57 million shares or 0.23 percent equity worth Rs 93.2 crore were sold at Rs 141.90 apiece. Follow our live blog for all market action Shares of Nykka have been stressed ever since pre-IPO investors started exiting the company after the end of its lock-in period on November 9, 2022, causing its share price to take a hit. Earlier, Lighthouse India sold around 18.45 million shares worth Rs 336 crore, Kravis Investment Partners sold around 36 million shares worth Rs 630 crore, and TPG liquidated around 5.43 crore shares for Rs 998 crore. The company's market capitalisation has declined by 36 percent in the last six months and over 50 percent in the last year. At 1.36pm, the scrip was trading 7.69 percent higher on the NSE at Rs 136.55 with the benchmark Nifty trading 0.73 percent up at 17,525.05 points. 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 share price of Securekloud Technologies jumped 5 percent on Wednesday after its subsidiary Healthcare Triangle signed a multi-year subscription agreement with its long-time customer CalvertHeath. The subscription agreement pertains to Healthcare Triangles readabl.ai, a medical document automation solution that streamlines patient care and reduces operating costs. HCTI, as CalvertHealth's long-standing advisor, helped advance their digital transformation by allowing them to concentrate on higher-value activities related to patient care instead of laborious document processing, says Roy Sookhoo, COO of Healthcare Triangle. Follow our live blog for all market action Healthcare Triangle recently announced a $3-million agreement to provide Cloud DevOps Managed Services for a life sciences company. Blockedge Technologies, another subsidiary of the company, also recently announced a pact with Suvik Technologies FZE to establish a joint venture in Dubai to facilitate Web3 adoption. Blockedge brings infrastructure automation expertise and development of decentralised applications, while Suvik provides a proprietary trading system for crypto assets and a Decentralized Oracle Platform built on the XDC Network. On March 24, the Enforcement Directorate arrested the promoters of the company - Suresh Venkatachari and RS Ramani - under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Also Read: MC Exclusive | Promoters of SecureKloud Tech arrested in money laundering case The company said in an exchange filing that Venkatachari shall cease to be the president of the company with "immediate effect". As of December 2022, Venkatachari held 42.13 percent stake in the company while Ramani held 1.39 percent. In Q3FY23, the company reported a 27 percent increase in total income to Rs 122 crore. It stood at Rs 121 crore in Q2FY23. The company reported a net loss of Rs 21 crore against a loss of Rs 30 crore a year ago. In September 2022, the net loss came in at Rs 16 crore. Market capitalisation of the company has declined 48 percent in the last six months and more than 65 percent in the last one year. At 12.18pm, the scrip was trading at 4.65 percent higher on the NSE at Rs 34.90 with benchmark Nifty IT trading 0.80 percent up at 28,860.90 points. For Mahuya Paul, who lives near Hope Farm junction near Whitefield, the recently launched KR Pura-Whitefield metro line has been a boon. "I work in an IT company and have been taking the metro since it started," she writes on Facebook. However, for several other techies, getting to the metro station and the struggle to find parking at the recently opened station are a bane. Ahead of the Karnataka elections scheduled in May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 13.7-km stretch on March 25. The maximum travel time is about 25-30 minutes, and the maximum fare is Rs 35. The line goes across Old Madras Road and connects most of the major tech parks in Whitefield. However, a major portion of the 2.1-km stretch between Baiyappanahalli and KR Pura metro stations remains incomplete. It is the missing link that is making commuting a challenge for IT workers travelling to the area. The stretch is supposed to be completed by June 3, according to state government officials. The missing link The missing section impedes connectivity between the eastern parts of the city with prime locations and core commercial and startup hubs such as Indiranagar and MG Road, and western parts such as Mysuru Road and Kengeri. Several residents find the frequency of feeder buses provided between Baiyappanahalli and KR Pura station erratic. For Rajaram Bhaskaran, catching a feeder bus in the morning easily takes about 35-45 minutes. Pravir B, a Whitefield resident and a member of Whitefield Rising, a citizens movement group, said that the metro connects most of the tech offices in the Whitefield area. But, he says, a considerable part of the IT crowd is in Indiranagar and Koramangala, and as far as Yelahanka and southern parts of the city. They won't be availing metro services unless the missing link is fixed, he added. Last-mile disconnect The metro connects all the IT offices beautifully. However, it skips several residential areas in the eastern part of the city, said Pravir. For Abhishek Anand, who is happy about the metro connecting to Kadugodi (towards Whitefield), the poor last-mile feeder connectivity from stations to residential areas is a big downside. Unless the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation runs feeder buses connecting the metro stations, the number of private vehicles, and consequent congestion, will not come down, experts say. Sandeep Anirudhan, convenor of the Citizens Agenda for Bengaluru, pointed out that Chennai has electric nano buses as an excellent solution to provide the last-mile connectivity from metro stations, bus stops and railway stations to internal roads. To add to the woes, several residents Moneycontrol spoke to say the new metro stations lack proper parking facilities, which discourages several people from travelling to the metro stations in their own vehicles. A transport expert with the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), who spoke on conditions of anonymity, conceded that this is a key challenge that has to be resolved. The metro decongests a major bottleneck between KR Pura and Mahadevpura metro stations. However, we will not see the complete realisation of ridership until the last miles are connected. Most feeder services are not commercially attractive and thus will see longer delays before they are actually implemented. Government incentives such as subsidies for such private transport services could have helped," he added. Connecting the faraway dots A Shankar, Head, Government and Infrastructure Solutions, India, JLL, believes that incentives such as additional Floor Space Index (FSI) under Transit-oriented development (TOD) policies will favour further development. TOD is a planning strategy that aims to concentrate jobs, housing, and services around public transport stations. It promotes densification in the influence area by providing a higher FSI and higher population and job density as compared to the area around and beyond the influence areas. With additional FSI, we will see densification along the metro corridors impacting the land areas around it and boosting demand for the development and real estate. It will increase walkability and encourage more use of public transport systems, he said. Experts say the government has to identify pockets in Whitefield that will have the most impact on micro-markets and connect them to the infrastructure. For metro corridors, ridership revenue and property development revenue are two important aspects. For example, under property development, mixed land usage around metro corridors can be developed through a private-public partnership, along with multimodal integration of various transport modes, Shankar added. Pawan Mulukutla, Director of Integrated Transport, Electric Mobility & Hydrogen at WRI India, said improving access to public transport is always a factor of cost vs time. People are ready to pay and also willing to give time for the last mile if made accessible. One way to implement this is having a walking corridor of up to 700 metres for 10-15 minutes of walking. For example, in Mumbai the pedestrian corridors along the suburban railway system are a major hit, he said. Mulukutla added that after this, the time factor is lost, and people will move to other transport modes. Several modes like shared autorickshaws, e-vehicle, and microbuses (15-20 seaters) are economical and time-saving, he added. BMLTA needs to be implemented In the making for almost 16 years, the state government last year passed the Bangalore Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) Bill, which serves as a multi-modal transport body connecting all modes of public transport under one umbrella. For example, the KR Pura metro station is currently not linked to the KR Pura railway station, a major transport hub in the city. Constructing about 1 km of metro costs between Rs 250-500 crore. Similarly, 1 km of skywalk costs about Rs 10 crore. We have to connect each of the public transport modes so that people can easily access them with less stress on using their own vehicles. In Indonesia, there are more than 1,700 microbuses that connect parts of the city Indonesia's Jakarta, even in narrower parts of the city, Mulukutla added. However, the 33-member BMLTA committee has only three experts in urban mobility, corporate governance and finance, and two representatives from academic institutions; the vast majority are bureaucrats. Mulukutla said more transport experts and public discussions are needed to solve mobility issues in Bengaluru - the BMLTA can be a prime mover to a better future. "Diversifying infra planning models, and inviting prominent resident welfare associations (RWAs) to discussions to link parts of the city are the steps to rectify dented mobility. We have already passed an order that all construction should have 20 percent of parking for EV charging, and thus local municipal bodies will have to look at new solutions to solve traffic woes, he added. Yulu, a shared electric mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) player, is working on rolling out a low-speed e-scooter for individual users. This is part of the plan of the company, which caters in large part to daily commuters (via Yulu Miracle) and last-mile delivery executives (through Yulu Dex), to begin selling its products directly to end-users. A number of our customers have reached out to us expressing interest in buying our shared mobility vehicles for personal use. Though the e-scooter will be all-new, it will have a lot of things common with our existing products, as this reduces our R&D costs. We have been thinking about this for a while and will soon come out with a Yulu (product) for personal mobility. We will disclose the relevant details at the appropriate time, Amit Gupta, Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Yulu, told Moneycontrol in an exclusive interaction. Yulus current Generation 2 and Generation 3 electric vehicles (EVs), which are part of its MaaS fleet, are not available for sale as personal vehicles. The Bangalore-based start-up offers time-based plans for its shared mobility services. For short distances, it offers a pay-per-minute plan of Rs 2 per minute, while heavy users can use the weekly rental plans, which start at Rs 229 per day, and go on till Rs 1,200 per week. Even though we have made a lot of improvements in our shared mobility-specific vehicles, we will be fine-tuning them further to make them user-friendly for consumers who wants to make an outright purchase, added Gupta. On the business model, Gupta said, Earlier, it was a scooter-as-a-service offering. Now it will be a battery-as-a-service (BaaS) offering. While the consumer can buy the vehicle, for the battery he can go for the subscription model. It will be very similar to what Gogoro is doing in Taiwan. Gupta did not disclose details about the price of the vehicle or the rates of the service offering. It may be recalled that Yulu has joined hands with Bajaj Auto to roll out the third generation of its e-scooters Miracle GR and DeX GR for retail and commercial users, respectively. Yulu, which has completed more than 200 million kilometres in distance travelled, is looking to deploy around one lakh Generation 2 and Generation 3 shared EVs (both B2B and B2C consumers), largely in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru by the end of 2023. Early this week, Yulu announced a tie-up with food delivery app Zomato for use of the Yulu DeX EV for intra-city deliveries. The e-scooter rental firm said that around 25,000-35,000 Yulu DeX EV will be given to delivery partners onboarded on Zomatos platform for last-mile deliveries, on custom-made rental plans. Yulu has raised $118.2 million till date. Of this, a sizeable chunk came out of the $82-million Series B funding round led by Magna International Inc. in September 2022. Yulu is now looking to raise funds via debt. It would need another $500 million in the next three years, to fund its plans to deploy one million vehicles in the next three-four years and commission over 500 battery charging and swapping stations in the next 12 months. In November last year, Yulu received confirmation for a $9-million loan from US-based Development Finance Corporation (DFC). Unlike a typical OEM which builds and then sells vehicles to customers, we pay to the OEM (Bajaj Auto) upfront, and then get paid by the customers over a period of one-and-a-half years to two years. Assuming that a vehicle costs, on average, $500 per piece, and the company deploys one million vehicles over the next three to four years, we will require approximately $500 million. Most of this money will be in the form of debt capital," revealed Gupta. Meanwhile, Yulu posted a turnover of Rs 30 crore in financial year 2021-22 (FY22). For FY23, the company is looking to record 8X growth. NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani has termed the removal of NCERT chapters an exercise in rationalization, undertaken by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) last year, aimed at reducing content load to help students make a speedy recovery from learning setbacks suffered during COVID-19. The deletions of Mughal history from its social science textbooks have been done in view of the pandemic-induced learning loss. Children suffered a lot during the pandemic. They lost out on their studies, (and) were in fragile mental state. As a result, a committee was formed to look into reducing the content load of students. They suggested removal of chapters that come in repetition in various classes, Saklani told Moneycontrol. The chapters have been taken out from the specific textbook, not from the syllabus. These topics are being taught in different classes and the exercise is a step towards avoiding repetition in content, he added. When asked about the parameter for reduction, Saklani said, If a topic has been covered at some level, it is not to be repeated. The director further added, This had been done last year. While the textbooks had already been printed as per the older curriculum, we had made sure these topics are not taught to students. Errata booklets had been issued to all CBSE schools, exams were taken on the same pattern. Defending the step, he said, It is not just history books which have seen deletion of chapters. Textbooks of maths, science, (and) other subjects have seen the same. This is the third such update that textbooks have received since 2014. Topics removed include controversies regarding emergency, Gujarat riots An assessment of the NCERT list of rationalized content shows that these updated textbooks have removed chapters, including a full topic on controversies regarding the Emergency under the crisis of democratic order, Gandhis pursuit of Hindu-Muslim unity, the banning of RSS for a few years in India, any and all references to Gujarat riots, and several mentions of protests that turned into social movements in contemporary India. The books also deleted reference to Nathuram Godse denouncing Gandhi as appeaser of Muslims. The topic Gujarat Riots was removed from the chapter titled Recent Developments in Indian Politics from the Class 12 political science book, mention of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) report on the 2002 violence, and the raj dharma remark by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Chapters under the sub-head Themes of Indian History: Part 2, of the Class 12 history textbook, which are related to Kings and Chronicles; the Mughal Courts (c. 16th and 17th centuries) have been removed. Others including The Demographic Structure of the Indian Society, Central Islamic Lands, Clash of Cultures, and Industrial Revolution have been removed from World History. A poem on the Dalit movement and a chapter on the Cold War are among the exclusions from the political science textbook. Chapters on Akbarnama (the chronicle of Akbar) and Badshah Nama, (the chronicle of Shah Jahan) also stand deleted in the updated textbooks. Other chapters that have been removed include Understanding Partition - Its politics, memories and experiences, and Era of One-party Dominance. NCERT had released a comprehensive list of all tweaks and deletions in the textbooks last year. However, it could not introduce these changes as the academic session had started. Reprinted books with rationalised content hit the market this week, just in time for the 2023-24 academic year. US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti will be leading an ambitious effort to deepen Americas cooperation with India, including in defence and economic sectors, according to the White House. Garcetti, the former Mayor of Los Angeles, was officially sworn in as the US Ambassador to India on March 24 by Vice President Kamala Harris during a ceremonial event here. The US Senate confirmed 52-year-old Garcettis nomination earlier last month, ending a protracted hiatus of over two years to fill the key diplomatic position. Garcettis nomination was pending before the US Congress since July 2021 when he was nominated by President Joe Biden. The president has said, when we look at the relationship with India, its one of the most consequential relationships that the United States has in the world. That still stands, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference on Tuesday. Ambassador Garcetti will be leading an ambitious effort to deepen our cooperation with India in critical and emerging technologies, expand our defense cooperation, and strengthen our economic and people-to-people ties, Jean-Pierre said. This is one of the most consequential relationships that the United States has in the world, she said. So, its an important relationship that the president sees, Jean-Pierre told reporters. Garcetti, who is now headed to New Delhi this month, was not confirmed by the Senate in President Bidens first two years in office amid concerns by some lawmakers that he had not adequately handled allegations of sexual assault and harassment against a former senior adviser. President Biden renominated him to the same position in January this year. Garcetti supporters argued that geopolitical concerns were too important to leave India without an ambassador. The US Embassy in India has been without an ambassador since January 2021, the longest stretch in the history of US-India relations that the post has sat vacant, since Kenneth Juster, the last US envoy in New Delhi, stepped down after the change of government in America. Mother Nature continues to impact the fishing scene throughout Western New York as anglers prepare for some of the first contests of the spring. In the meantime, you will have to pick your spots and be ready to move at a moments notice to get a line wet it might not be around for long. One bit of good news, the first king salmon of the year was caught around the Niagara Bar, at least that we were informed of. Lake Erie and tributaries Rain last week and more rain this week is having a negative impact on local tributaries. Bruce Kowalski of TAAR Outdoors in Lake View reports it was tough fishing the end of last week and just when things were starting to clear, more rain is in the forecast. Things should improve heading into the weekend. Shub Stevens at Catt. Creek Bait and Tackle agrees. Before the recent rain, he said there had been a few great days of steelhead action on Clear Creek. Lots of fish were caught using pink egg sacs. He noted small spinners also were working well. As of now, the tributaries in the area are flooded and it might be a few days before they are fishable again. Adam McInerney of Cattaraugus reports seeing less and less steelhead his last few times out, a sign the spring run might be dwindling. As far as the lake action, a few people have made it out (when the winds allow) to search for perch, but drifters and jiggers have been struggling. The docks are finally in at the Hanover launch ramp. The first fishing tournament of the year will take place April 22 when the Southtowns Walleye Association will host a yellow perch event. You do not have to be a member to participate. Check out southtownswalleye.com for details or check out Scattershots in Sunday's News. Niagara River Boaters have really struggled the last week with the combination of muddy water, rain and wind. Capt. Ryan Shea of Brookdog Fishing Company made it out a few times in the lower Niagara River, but fishing was tough for the most part. Lake trout in Devils Hole showed up for him as he drifted minnows off three-way rigs. The better fishing for the lower river has been from shore in the gorge area. Tommy Holycross of Wheatfield hit the fishing platform a few times and saw some steelhead caught on peach beads. From shore, Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls has been picking up some steelhead and lake trout casting No. 4 and 5 spinners and jigs. No report on any smelt yet. If you are going to try to launch in the lower river this weekend, the Lewiston launch ramp will be shut down Saturday as the protective marina boom is pulled out of the water. However, the Fort Niagara docks are expected to be in place by then. Hyde Park Lake and Oppenheim Park Pond received trout stockings Wednesday. Lake Ontario and tributaries Capt. Matt Yablonsky of Wet Net Charters was trolling the shoreline for brown trout with Get-r-Done Dreamweaver spoons when he had a hit on one of the lines trailing his planer board in 10 feet of water. When the reel started screaming, he knew it wasnt a brown trout and instead had his first king salmon of the year. The water temperature measured 42 degrees so the lake fishing should be ready to take off. Capt. Joe Oakes reports the lake is heating up ahead of schedule, but the wind is making it tough to fish. If you can find clear water, you will catch brown trout, lake trout, and maybe a Coho or king. Capt. Ryan Shea trolled a bit for browns and managed to catch some fish on Ladybug Challengers. We are now less than a month from the first big fishing contest on Lake Ontario the Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby, set for May 5-14. Check out loc.org for more information. We are about a week away from the Niagara County Bullhead Tournament, set to begin at 5 p.m. April 14 and running through 1 p.m. April 16. Check out Scattershots on Sunday for details. Call Eric at 628-6078 for any questions. Mark Plennert of Niagara Falls stayed away from the river and sought out clearer waters for steelhead in the streams. Targeting the same waters he fished last week, he did find one spot that worked for him using small white jigs. However, he caught more suckers than he did steelhead. Most of the tributaries are high and muddy along the lake. It forced Wade Rowcliffe of Rochester to try something different. At Long Pond, on the west side of Rochester, he was casting Keitech swimbaits to take some largemouth bass from shore. He experimented a bit with stickbaits in a turbid Irondequoit Creek, too. He would cast out in the high water with a sweeping motion and managed to catch a fair number of brown trout despite the conditions. His favorite baits included Yo-Zuris and Challengers. Flows in the Oak Orchard River are high and dirty, Ron Bierstine with Oak Orchard Tackle said. It appears that turbine flows are wide open and overflow levels are diminished. Water color is less than a foot of visibility. More rain is coming this week. In Sodus Bay, perch have been in shallower water, said Chris Kenyon of Wolcott. Try fishing in 8 feet south of Martins Marina on the northwest side of Sodus. Kenyon also reports they are catching perch between the islands on the east side of the bay. If the water is murky, go with live minnows. If its clear, use 2-inch rubber tubes white with a chartreuse tail. Always tip your bait with fresh spikes. There are some perch being caught in Port Bay, however they are scattered. Start deep off the points and if you cant find them, go to 10 to 15 feet of water. The best launch site for Port Bay is the southern DEC ramp off West Port Bay Road. There is a large parking lot for trailers. Remember that if your boat is less than 21 feet in length, you must be wearing a life jacket until May 1. Finger Lakes Cayuga Lake fishing has been good to very good, said Capt. John Gaulke with the Finger Lakes Angling Zone. Fishing for lake trout was excellent this week from 130 to 160 feet of water. White and Arkansas Shiner paddletails rigged on a 1.5-ounce jig head did the trick for him. Lake level is close to full pool right now so there should not be any launching issues. Perch fishing is reportedly very good. No word on anything else this past week. The weather made it tough to get out. On a side note, it was recently documented unofficially that round goby might be in Seneca Lake. Not good news from the standpoint of expanding invasive species. 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 Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal, and others started the India Against Corruption movement to fight against Congress and the UPA government. Since the Aam Aadmi Partys formation, Kejriwal has been one of the most vocal critics of Congress and the Gandhi family. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Kejriwal's party tried to ally with Congress in Delhi and he has subsequently shared the stage with Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, at various forums. But he was never soft on Congress or Gandhi. Cut to the last week of March 2023, Kejriwal was the first politician from the opposition to show solidarity with Rahul Gandhi following his disqualification from Parliament and criticise the BJP. Kejriwals Big Shift Much has happened to the AAP recently, leading to a shift in Kejriwal's political stance. Kejriwal realises that AAP's political isolation from the opposition isnt helping. The realisation dawned following Manish Sisodias arrest last month. Sisodia was the deputy Chief Minister of Delhi and the second most important leader in AAP. Former AAP minister Satyendar Jain and party communications chief Vijay Nair are also currently in prison. Numerous others are being investigated for alleged corruption. Anti-corruption was AAPs foundational theme. Now that the party is being accused of corruption, Kejriwal is in a tough spot in politics. Kejriwal seems to have calculated that without support from the larger opposition including Congress, his party cant withstand Centres onslaught. Kejriwal has always practised equidistance from Congress and BJP but was keen to build bridges with other opposition leaders. In recent months he has shared the stage with K Chandrashekar Rao, Uddhav Thackeray and Nitish Kumar. Following Sisodia's resignation, Kejirwal suffered a huge embarrassment when he invited seven non-BJP CMs for a dinner and none turned up. AAPs Minimal Clout The Delhi CM tried to play down the setback, saying it will happen after some time because the CMs were busy with their state budgets. In contrast, when Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge invited opposition leaders to dinner after Rahul Gandhis disqualification, top leaders from about 18 parties showed up. The AAP chiefs desire for an opposition alliance excluding Congress also ran into a fundamental contradiction with Rahul Gandhi finding more support of late. This is going to be a difficulty ambitious opposition leaders will face going forward. There is also little doubt that Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra gave the Congress an unprecedented boost. Recall that Arvind Kejriwal began the "Make India No. 1" campaign on the same day as the BJY, yet little progress has been made. Kejriwals soft line toward Congress started before Rahuls disqualification in the Rajya Sabha. AAP leader Sanjay Singh has stood firm with Congress, in the JPC demand against Adani and on central agencies targeting opposition leaders. Singh participated in all of the meetings that Kharge convened and also walked in the Congress-led protests around Parliament. In contrast, TMC maintained its distance, which used to be the position of AAP as well. During the President and Vice-President elections, the AAP did not meet with the other parties to strategise. AAP did not even attend TMC supremo Mamata Banerjees meetings to decide the opposition's presidential candidate. The 2024 general election isnt far away, and AAP is worried that the excise policy investigation may reach closer to Kejriwal. So he is no longer positioning himself as a leader who wants a national coalition keeping out Congress. The same hints have now come from Banerjee as well, following Gandhis disqualification. First Badmouth, Then Befriend During a press briefing by Kejriwal against Gandhi's disqualification, he said, "People will have to come together to save the country. This country belongs to all... Parties are not important; saving the country is more important... The relationship between the AAP and Congress is not important, but right now we will have to save the country... It is not a battle of either Rahul Gandhi or Congress; it is the fight to save the country from a person who is illiterate, dictatorial, and egoistic." This indicates Kejriwals growing belief that for a bigger agenda like saving democracy, the opposition needs to come together, and by including Congress. In contrast, before the 2019 elections, Kejriwal directly hit out at Rahul Gandhi, saying that he was working to weaken the opposition. It is a reality that Kejriwal has few friends in politics unlike Sharad Pawar, Nitish Kumar, Mamata Banerjee, or even KCR. This is because he is new to politics and isnt comfortable with coalition politics. That Kejriwal came into politics badmouthing all politicians is only too recent to be forgotten. But altering his position of equidistance from the Congress and the BJP will hurt Kejriwal's national standing in the long run. Risky Balancing Act There is already evidence of it. Starting from Delhi, Punjab and Goa, to Gujarat, AAP has expanded its base at the Congresss expense. In Karnataka, Kejriwal had planned to fight the election in full force. But after the announcement of poll dates, AAP is no longer showing the same enthusiasm. Kejriwals main political challenge is now boiling down to balancing two contradictory aims: * National expansion through state elections by weakening Congress * Becoming part of an opposition alliance with Congress as its fulcrum that can oust BJP. Kejriwal doesnt have the comfort of the Left, which can pull off the political stunt of being Congresss foe in Kerala and friend in Bengal, Tripura, and the Centre. Nor does he have a great personal equation based on past ties with the Gandhis like Mamata Banerjee, which will allow her to break the ice when needed, despite all the recent bitterness. Sayantan Ghosh is a columnist and doctoral research scholar in media and politics. He tweets @sayantan_gh. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication. There is a move afoot to digitalise construction, across the board. This could well be the brahmastra for the government to meet the ambitious sustainable development goals (SDGs) India has committed to. So, what does digitising a single industry have to do with SDGs, you may ask. The construction industry is responsible for about 37 percent of all energy-related carbon dioxide emissions globally, according to the 2021 Global Status Report for Buildings & Construction published by the United Nations Environment Programme. It is important for India to take heed and action. Already about 20 percent of CO2 emissions and 33 percent of energy use comes from the construction industry. As it steps up urbanisation from 35 percent to 50 percent, India is building at a rapid pace. These numbers will then rise in the same decades when India has actually promised a reduction of emissions to comply with the Paris Agreement. The global industry has taken heed. A McKinsey report based on interviews with over 100 global construction experts in 2021, found that over 53 percent expected sustainable development practices to evolve in the industry. Government Push So, can this be a voluntary thing or is it important for governments to push for them to actually adopt these practices? I believe the success lies with governments, who are the largest clients for contractual infrastructure projects. They can and must include sustainable practices in projects funded by the government. A large volume of work being executed today is in the realm of different missions such as Housing for All, Smart Cities, Swachh Bharat and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). Once government contracts demand sustainable practices, the shift will automatically happen with the contracting companies. The McKinsey study on greenhouse gas emissions from the construction industry notes that 30 percent of this comes from raw material processing for buildings and infrastructure and 70 percent from building operations. India needs to tackle both fronts because it is still building much of the infrastructure required for the next 30 years and also has added about one crore houses in the past five years, that will be managed for at least the next 50 years. Measurable targets Today these sustainability clauses come in the form of measurable targets. Global technology leader Trimbles research found that 82 percent of architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms have sustainability teams in place and 74 percent are investing in building information modelling to reduce carbon footprints. Basically, what can be measured can be controlled. Technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, mixed and augmented reality as well as building information modelling, all help to optimise the use of raw materials and energy. So, the more the companies digitalise, the better would be its ability to lower environmental impact. The first step of digitising historic processes and documentation is already completed in many cases. Now the transformation to use technology for operations is critical to measure, calculate and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Today these are not complex calculations that companies need to compute themselves. Embodied carbon calculator tools allow them to optimise building design to reduce carbon emissions. By digitalising, organisations can reduce materials usage and wastage as well as enhance the productivity of people and machinery at work sites. Aiding them in this process is the sophistication of mobile phones which are available at relatively affordable rates to on-site workforces. No longer are estimates made in construction offices based on sporadic information from the sites. The entire system can work digitally across sites and with procurement teams, such that efficient management is possible. But the drive must come from clients. International Data Corporations construction industry statistics of India show that less than five percent of the turnover is invested in research in over 91 percent of companies. With the frenzied pace of construction in India today, there is even less time for construction companies to halt and reset processes for environmental efficiency. They will only do so if the process of winning contracts requires them to adopt these practices to meet stringent requirements from the client companies. The incentive for governments to include this in their contract documents is that having one captive industry to tame would yield significant green returns to meet global targets. The tools are available and the industry is also leaning towards understanding what needs to be done. A statutory push will propel the industry to meet the global sustainability targets that India is pushing for. E Jayashree Kurup is a writer-researcher in real estate and Director, Real Estate & Cities, Wordmeister Editorial Services. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication. The criminal indictment of former president and current presidential candidate Donald Trump is historic and unprecedented. It stands for the principle that, in the United States, no one is above the law. At the same time, from the perspective of protecting US democracy, the indictment is poorly timed. It would have been far better for the stability of our democracy if Trump had first been charged with crimes connected to his attempts to subvert that democracy by pressuring Georgia election officials to find more votes, not to mention interfering with the transfer of power on and around January 6, 2021. If prosecutors in different jurisdictions consider it improper to confer with each other on timing, then Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg should have waited for others to move first. The relatively minor charges brought by the Manhattan district attorney regarding Trumps alleged hush money payments to cover up extramarital sexual encounters do not target the core of Trumps challenge to our democratic constitutional system. As a practical matter, they may even make it more difficult to prosecute him for more serious crimes. The core of the indictments 34 felony charges against Trump relate to recording hush-money payments made via his attorney Michael Cohen as legal fees. Under New York state law, if you falsify your own business records, thats a misdemeanor, a minor crime. To make it a felony, the government needs to prove that the falsification of the record was intended to commit and hide another crime. The indictment doesnt say specifically what that other crime was. But the DAs statement of facts seems to indicate that it was violating election law by hiding what was, in effect, a contribution to his campaign. The first thing that makes those charges legally weak is that Trump can defend himself by saying he ordered the hush money recorded as legal expenses to avoid upsetting his wife, not to conceal the way the payments helped his campaign. That might sound like a shaky defense, especially because prosecutors can say that Trumps efforts to delay payment until after the 2016 election prove it was about the campaign, not his marriage. But it wouldnt take 12 jurors to believe it. If even one juror believes it, then the jury would hang and a conviction would not be possible. Because it is vanishingly unlikely that the district attorney would attempt to retry Trump, the resulting mistrial would be almost as great a victory as would be an acquittal. The further legal problem is that an appeals court might conclude that the underlying election-related crime cant be the basis for a New York state crime because Trump was running for president, not for a New York state office. If so, an appeals court might conclude, Trump cant be found guilty of a New York state felony based on an attempt to affect a national election. Even if Trump loses in the New York courts, he would be able to appeal his case to the US Supreme Court, which might consider the issue one of federal law and reverse the conviction. And not only may Trump potentially beat the charges, at trial or on appeal. He may be able to use those charges to create the impression among his supporters that he is a victim of politically motivated vendetta. In turn, that may make it harder for Georgia or federal prosecutors to bring and sustain much more serious charges against him. It would be no small matter for the US attorney general, serving under the Democratic president who defeated Trump, to charge Trump with a crime. No one, least of all Merrick Garland, wants to politicize criminal prosecution in our highly polarized political environment. The basis for bringing the federal charge would be that Trump had fundamentally threatened our democracy, providing a strong enough reason to overcome the presumption against a president prosecuting his predecessor from the opposite party who was also his leading opponent in an upcoming election. Trump will do everything he can to make such a prosecution look partisan. He will be able to use the New York prosecution as part of his argument. If Trump is elected president again, theres also the possibility that the Supreme Court could be called on to freeze or delay the New York prosecution. To see why, suppose that the Manhattan case has not yet been finally resolved by January 2025, when he would be sworn in as president. (The next hearing wont even be until Dec. 4, 2023.) The sitting president would then be facing either criminal charges or possible sentencing after conviction or the prospect of an ongoing appeal of his conviction. Trump could be expected to go to federal court and ask for the state charges against him to be dismissed or at least delayed until after his term ended. The basis for the argument would be that the president would not be able to govern effectively while facing the possibility of state prison time. He certainly could not govern effectively from behind bars. When Bill Clinton was president, the Supreme Court rejected his request that Paula Joness civil suit be delayed until he was out of office, reasoning that the president is subject to the law and that he would not be unduly distracted by the case. It seems extremely unlikely that the current Supreme Court would extend that holding to a pending criminal charge. Their worry would be that, in the future, any prosecutor could charge a sitting president, thus enabling a local county official to interfere with the operation of the US government. Such a holding could create the extraordinary situation of a convicted or soon-to-be-convicted criminal serving as president of the United States. This would be an affront to the rule of law. Yet it would also be extremely problematic for democracy if any local prosecutor could place a sitting president in criminal jeopardy. The upshot is that the timing of the hush-money charges against Trump might potentially putting our democracy in more danger, not less. No one should be above prosecution. But prosecutorial discretion, properly exercised, might have enabled Trump to be charged with his more serious crimes first, rather than muddying the waters of the criminal process as the hush-money charges may do. Noah Feldman is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist and host of the podcast Deep Background. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication. Credit: Bloomberg The government and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) have been persuading companies for more than 10 years to adapt to and adopt environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects as integral to corporate culture. Towards this end, SEBI mandated Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) for the top 1,000 listed companies from the financial year 2020-21 on a voluntary basis and mandatorily from 2022-23. The Companies Act, 2013 required disclosure on the conservation of energy in the report of the board of directors. Given the nascent stage of development of best reporting practices, standards, and also preparedness of the corporates, SEBI followed a flexible approach. It made ESG reporting mandatory in 2012-13 for the top 100 listed companies by market capitalisation and then extended it to the top 500 from 2016-17 and then to the top 1,000 from 2022-23. With the growing emphasis laid by governments and stakeholders globally on ESG in general and on climate change in particular, SEBI has raised the bar for ESG requirements through a number of structural measures. In order to enhance reliability and transparency SEBI has introduced BRSR Core with a limited set of key performance indicators (KPIs) which shall be disclosed with reasonable assurance by the top 1,000 listed companies following a glide path by 2026-27. The requirements shall also be applicable to the value chain of these companies. SEBI has also mandated a regulatory framework for ESG Rating Providers (ERPs) to lend credibility, consistency and comparability to ESG ratings. Compliance Lags While the approach of SEBI has been pragmatic in implementing the rigour of compliance through a glide path, most corporates are yet to institutionalise ESG compliance particularly related to environmental aspects. The inclination so far has been primarily driven by the increasing focus of global lenders and investors on ESG while making investment decisions. While the BRSR is mandatory from 2022-23, less than 40 per cent of the top 500 listed companies have any form of sustainability reporting now. Users of ESG disclosures face challenges of poor quality of data, lack of data, and ad hoc reporting on ESG parameters. Information on ESG in the supply chain, particularly in relation to climate change, in most cases is too general to be meaningful. They find difficulty in getting appropriate data even from secondary sources. The new requirements of verified disclosures on specified KPIs with reasonable assurance and rating, for the top 1,000 listed companies, through a glide path, would bring a sense of urgency and discipline in ESG compliance. This is in alignment with the requirements of the Companies Act 2013, which require the directors to remain conscious of and concerned about the effects of the company's operations on climate change. Any act of the board which is in the financial interests of the company but is detrimental to the environment may be against the letter and spirit of the law and the directors may be held accountable jointly as well as individually. Indeed, the quality of disclosures in the top 150 listed companies has significantly improved over the years. Boards Need To Take Charge Hopefully, ESG will now have a prime place in boardroom agenda and organisation-wide governance. ESG risks impinge on a company's sustainability. Boards need to steer companies into developing ESG agenda, both for the short term and long term. They should identify gaps between what they should know and what they actually know. The level of knowledge should be assessed in its overall context as it may affect the company. It should further ensure that a comprehensive ESG risk matrix relevant to the company is made an integral part of its enterprise-wide risk framework and organisation. Unless that happens, companies may not be able to comply with ESG-related, and in particular climate change and supply chain-related compliance. Trade and industry associations and rating agencies should come forward work to develop industry-specific standards relevant to domestic conditions, and tools and techniques for measuring data on all KPIs in a reliable manner. Room For Improvement As stated, SEBI has followed a glide path. It is expected that the ESG framework would be graduated from 2027-28 to the next level of compliance by increasing the number of KPIs, prescription of industry-specific measurement methodology and standards, guidance on rating methodology, and prescription of internationally accepted assurance standards to increase quality and integrity of ESG disclosures. Even under the new framework, there are no constraints on rating agencies for issuing other or additional ratings as required by their clients though the core ESG Rating will be based on the specified parameters. Companies aspiring for global capital and market reach may prefer to demonstrate that they meet global standards and best practices. Regulatory measures coupled with market forces will drive the ESG disclosures to be as important, if not more, as the accounting and financial disclosures. Within the ESG framework, disclosures of climate-related risks, oversight and governance would get more and more emphasis. Companies, their boards and their management will be subjected to closer supervision and greater scrutiny of the regulators, investors and ESG activists. ESG claims in India and globally are already on increase. It is high time that companies build capacity and competencies at all levels of management to adequately respond to emerging imperatives. Ashok Haldia is a chartered accountant. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication. Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a significant rise in land purchases from outsiders over the last couple of years since the erstwhile state witnessed changes in land laws post-abrogation of Article 370. According to MoS Home Nityanand Rai, 185 individuals from outside the Union Territory have purchased land in Jammu and Kashmir since 2020, while no outsider has purchased land in the Union Territory of Ladakh. The minister also shared that only one person purchased land in Jammu and Kashmir in 2020, while 57 and 127 individuals did so in 2021 and 2022, respectively. In addition, 1,559 Indian companies, including multinational corporations, have invested in the Union Territory since 2020. Between 2020-2021, 310 companies invested, followed by 175 companies between 2021-2022, and 1,074 companies between 2022-2023. These changes in land laws in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have allowed non-state residents to own property in the Union Territory and transfer agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes, with the necessary government permit. 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 Leaders of several opposition parties on Wednesday met in the chamber of Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament to coordinate their strategy in both Houses. Leaders of Congress, DMK, Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena (UBT), TMC, AAP, JD(U), CPI, CPI(M), RJD, JMM, RSP and IUML, among others, attended the meeting. Dressed in black as a mark of protest, the opposition MPs decided to continue to press their demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into allegations of corporate fraud and stock price manipulations against the Adani Group. Later, the Congress MPs met in the office of the Congress Parliamentary Party and discussed their strategy. No significant business has been transacted in the Budget Session of Parliament so far except the passage of the Finance Bill with the Opposition sticking to its demand for a JPC probe and the treasury benches demanding an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his democracy remarks abroad. The Budget Session will end on April 6. 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 Supreme Court on April 5 declined to hear a plea by 14 opposition parties, led by the Congress, which alleged that central probe agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate were arbitrarily targeting political opponents. The plea had also sought guidelines to be laid down for the central probe agencies to follow. Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi represented the opposition parties and argued that the CBI and ED had a skewed application of jurisdictions, creating an uneven playing field in democracy. However, Chief Justice of India DYC Chandrachud opined that the court could not lay down guidelines in the absence of specific facts. He further stated that politicians are also citizens of the country and therefore subject to the same law as everyone else. The court added that guidelines, once made, would have to be applicable to everyone, not just politicians. Following the court's stance, the petitioners withdrew their plea. On March 24, a bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud had taken note of the submissions of senior advocate AM Singhvi, who had argued that 95% of cases were against opposition leaders, and said the plea would be taken up for hearing on April 5. Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi took to Twitter to say "The Court heard us with great patience. They ultimately did not entertain it but did not express a single opinion on the merits. They allowed the matter to be withdrawn." He noted that the court recorded that they are not entertaining the plea at this stage, which means that the SC has granted them full liberty to approach it again on new facts and grounds. His tweet states "The building blocks were felt to be too broad by the court at this state." According to his tweet "The court felt that in individual cases, we are here to save, to protect you, to deal with you. But in a mega and macro sense, we are not entertaining this at this stage and allowed it to be withdrawn." Former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said that over time, sycophancy had taken centre stage in the Grand Old Party. The root cause for the Congress downfall is that it destroys its own political leaders at the national and state levels by projecting parallel, incapable leadership against them, thus destroying the party from the top to bottom in the process, the former union minister said in his book, Azaad: An Autobiography, set to be released on April 5 by veteran Congress leader Karan Singh. Over a period of time sycophancy has taken a centre stage in the party. Sadly, no one wants to hear the bitter truth. Azad, 74, who spent five decades in the party before quitting last year and then floating the Democratic Progressive Azad Party, wrote about his experiences with the Gandhi family including Sonia Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the book. Azad resigned from the Congress party in August 2022, citing reasons including the entry of Rahul Gandhi, who he said demolished the entire consultative mechanism and side-lined all senior and experienced leaders. He said the party had conceded the political space at the Centre to the BJP and to regional parties in the states. He also slammed the partys organisational elections as a farce and a sham. Also read: Assembly elections in 2023 are no quarter-final or semi-final before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls One Man, One Post He said one reason the Congress slipped is that it failed to give attention to party affairs when it was in the government at the Centre. Organisation leaders such as state party chiefs joined the government and the primacy of the party was lost, he said. As party president, Sonia ji was also the chairperson of the National Advisory Council, a cabinet rank, during Dr Manmohan Singhs tenure as PM. There is no doubt that the NAC under her leadership did a very good job, initiating the right to food security, Right to Information, MGNREGA and many more programmes. However, there was a flipside too, he wrote. Azad noted that as Sonia Gandhi was busy with the NAC, she could not devote time to the party. It would have been better if the Congress party had a full-time president or at least a working president who could have given attention to the organisation during that period. Even at the state level, the Congress has been repeating a similar mistake over the years, by having the same person as both CM and PCC chief or as a minister and PCC president, said Azad. Sarmas exit Azad talked about Rahul Gandhis lack of experience in handling serious party affairs such as the exit of Himanta Biswa Sarma now Assam chief minister in 2015 to join the Bharatiya Janata Party. Azad recalled the day when Rahul Gandhi was told Sarma may quit. We pointed out to him that Himanta had the majority of MLAs and would rebel and quit the party. Let him go, Rahul said. The meeting was over. I am not sure if Rahul said this to assert himself or because he was ignorant that his decision would have far-reaching consequences, not only in the state of Assam but the entire Northeast, Azad wrote. He said he met Sonia Gandhi and apprised her of the new twist in the tale. Despite understanding the disastrous consequences that lay ahead, it is rather unfortunate that she did not assert herself as the party president. Instead, she asked me to request Himanta to not rock the boat, Azad said. Debacle continues The Congress unfortunately learnt nothing from its past mistakes, which is why it continues to lose in state after state, Azad asserted. The spate of defeats in Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur, and Uttar Pradesh in early 2022 is a testament to this. There is really no point in blaming X, Y or Z The party lost because of its own faults due to its inaction, indecisions, wrong decisions and lack of hard work and initiative, said Azad. Article 370 The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister narrated what happened when Article 370, which accorded special status to the state, was abrogated on August 5, 2019. The moment the home minister announced the Centres move to repeal Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcate the state into two UTs, I threw my earphones off and went straight into the well of the House. I called the entire opposition to sit in Dharna. I urged the Congress party people to follow suit and they joined, except Jairam Ramesh who remained seated and did not protest, he wrote. Ramesh is currently the All India Congress Committee general secretary in charge of communication. Azad, who was then the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, also said: I remained seated in the dharna for the next three-four hours. The television cameras were not focused on us. In fact, cameras had been taken off the Opposition benches, so they never showed that I was seated on the floor. Whither democracy Azad explained that the best way to run a party was to have collective leadership. A robust and transparent internal democratic system is the only way forward. Therefore, if the Congress has to revive itself, a revamp of its organisation through fresh, genuine membership followed by free, fair and transparent elections at every level is essential, Azad wrote in his autobiography. Former US President Donald Trump has been indicted on 34 counts of felony charges after which he was arrested and arraigned. An indictment related to an alleged cover-up involving a child he allegedly fathered out of wedlock has now been made public which alleges that Trump and his lawyer Michael Cohen worked with the CEO of American Media, Inc. (AMI) to silence the doorman of Trump Towers who claimed to have information about the alleged child. The indictment, which was unsealed on Monday, reveals that in 2015, AMI CEO David Pecker learned that the doorman was trying to sell information about the alleged child to the media. AMI, which owns the National Enquirer, purchased the information from the doorman without fully investigating his claims. The CEO reportedly directed the deal to take place because of his agreement with Trump and Cohen. When AMI later concluded that the story was not true, the CEO wanted to release the doorman from the agreement. However, Cohen instructed the CEO not to release the doorman until after the presidential election, and the CEO complied with that instruction because of his agreement with Trump and Cohen. Pecker has testified in the case. The indictment does not name the alleged child or the mother and also does not specify what charges Trump could face. The Stormy Daniels case, in particular, has brought attention to the issue of Trump's alleged affairs and cover-ups. Daniels, a former adult film actress, claimed to have had an affair with Trump in 2006 and was paid $130,000 by Trump's then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, to keep quiet about it. Read: What is indictment and arraignment of a US President as Donald Trump faces 34 charges? While Trump denied the affair, and all of the other claims of extramarital activities, Daniels maintained that it was true and provided details about their alleged encounters. Daniels also claimed that Trump's team tried to intimidate her into silence, including an incident in which she was threatened in a parking lot. Trump has become the first President in US history to be indicted and arraigned even as he was planning his 2024 Presidential election. In February, software developer from Chandigarh, Chaitanya Gupta, was laid off from Amazon. In March, not only has he secured a new job, Gupta has also been helping other techies with job opportunities. "Going through a layoff can be challenging, but I was determined to recover from it and find a new opportunity that would allow me to continue growing as a software developer," he wrote on LinkedIn. Gupta had worked with Amazon for six months in Bengaluru and he was hired after four rounds of selections. It was his first job after graduating from Punjab Engineering College in Chandigarh. Currently, he works with fintech XFlow in Bengaluru. "With the help of my network and a lot of hard work, I was able to land a job at XFlow, and I couldn't be happier with my decision," Gupta said, adding that the company is hiring backend engineers. Meanwhile, Amazon on Tuesday laid off about 100 employees in its video-game divisions as part of its broader cutbacks. Our resources will be aligned to support our focus on content, Games Vice President Christoph Hartmann wrote in a memo to employees. Going forward, we will continue to invest in our internal development efforts, and our teams will continue to grow as our projects progress. The recent layoffs come at a time when the tech giant already announced about cutting close to 9,000 jobs. Last year, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy declared that the layoffs at the company would easily continue till 2023 as the company is trying to not just cut its costs but also expend in strategic areas. Read more: Amazon India staffer sacked after 5-year stint: 'First I lost my dad, then my job' Donald Trump became the first US President in history to be indicted and arraigned in a case that saw the business tycoon get fingerprinted and processed. He plead not guilty to all 34 charges of felony against him all of which snowballed from the hush money payment to former adult film actor Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 Presidential elections. He then left for Florida where he delivered a speech. The 76-year-old Republican has called the actions against him political persecution and is all set to plead the case even as his supporters and fellow party members rallied around him. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also called the indictment "un-American." What is an indictment and arraignment of a US President? An arraignment and indictment of a US President are two legal procedures that occur in the event that a sitting President is charged with a criminal offense. While these procedures are rare, they are important tools for ensuring that no individual is above the law, no matter their position of power. An arraignment is the initial court appearance of a defendant in a criminal case. During an arraignment, the defendant is informed of the charges against them, advised of their legal rights, and given the opportunity to enter a plea. In the case of a US President, an arraignment would occur if they were formally charged with a crime. The arraignment process would follow the same general procedures as any other criminal case, with the exception that the President would likely have a team of highly skilled defense attorneys representing them. An indictment, on the other hand, is a formal accusation of a crime made by a grand jury. A grand jury is a group of citizens who are selected to hear evidence in criminal cases and determine whether there is enough evidence to warrant a trial. If the grand jury determines that there is enough evidence, they will issue an indictment, which is essentially a formal charge against the defendant. In the case of a US President, an indictment would be issued if the grand jury determined that there was enough evidence to charge the President with a crime. In the case of a US President, both an arraignment and an indictment would be highly unusual and would likely be subject to significant political scrutiny. While the US Constitution does not explicitly state that a sitting President cannot be indicted, there is a longstanding Justice Department policy that holds that a sitting President cannot be indicted. This policy is based on the idea that the President is immune from prosecution while in office in order to avoid distracting the President from their duties and to avoid creating a constitutional crisis. Also read: The Donald Trump-Stormy Daniels hush money saga explained in a nutshell Despite this policy, there is some debate among legal experts about whether a sitting President can be indicted. Some argue that the Constitution does not provide any immunity from prosecution for the President, while others argue that an indictment would be unconstitutional because it would interfere with the President's ability to perform their duties. If a sitting President were to be indicted, it would likely trigger a constitutional crisis and lead to a protracted legal battle. The President would likely argue that they were immune from prosecution and would seek to have the indictment dismissed on constitutional grounds. If the case were to proceed, it would be closely watched by legal experts and the public alike, as it would have significant implications for the balance of power between the Executive and Judicial branches of government. These are therefore important legal procedures that help ensure that no individual is above the law. While the question of whether a sitting President can be indicted remains a subject of debate, it is clear that any attempt to do so would trigger a constitutional crisis and require careful consideration of the balance of power between the Executive and Judicial branches of government. Ultimately, the question of whether a President can be indicted will likely be decided by the Supreme Court, which has the final say on matters of constitutional law. Rupert Murdoch is back to being single and eligible. Sources close to the media baron told Vanity Fair that he has called off his engagement to Ann Lesley Smith two weeks after announcing it. The 92-year old Chairman of Fox Corporation was set to be married to former model and conservative radio talk show host Smith this summer, months after he divorced his fourth wife, Jerry Hall. The news of the break-off came only a week after the Daily Mail reported that Murdoch had proposed to Smith with an 11-carat diamond ring worth more than $2.5 million. Murdoch was reportedly uncomfortable with Smiths unabashed evangelist views. The pair was first snapped together in Barbados this January. In February, The Wall Street Journal, also owned by Murdoch, reported that he was planning to buy a 6,500-square-foot home in Central Park South worth $30 million, possibly for him and Smith to reside in. The following month, in an interview with gossip columnist Cindy Adams for the New York Times, Murdoch said, I was very nervous. I dreaded falling in lovebut I knew this would be my last. It better be. Im happy, confirming the engagement. A widow for 14 years, Smith acknowledged that she waited for the right time which arrived in the last half of her 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 The Supreme Court on April 5, set aside Union government's decision not to renew broadcasting license of Malayalam news channel MediaOne on the ground on national security. The bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud held that national security claims cannot be made on the basis of thin air and furthermore the report of the government does not contain against national security or threatening to violate public order. The Kerala High Court had refused to set aside the government's decision relying on documents filed in a sealed cover. The SC held that the the procedure adopted by the government in not disclosing reasons for the has affected the rights of the channel to fight its case. The judgment further notes that independent press is vital for a robust democracy, restriction of freedom of press will pose great dangers to democracy. Criticism of government's policies is by stretch be brought under restrictions on free speech. The channel had moved top court challenging a Kerala High Court Division Bench judgment which had upheld the Central government's revocation of channel's license. SC has held that court should adopt the practice of redacting confidential portions if they are given documents in a sealed cover and let the contesting party on its contents . It held "Sealed cover infringes principles of natural justice." On January 2022, MediaOne channel was taken off air after the government did not renew its license for want of security clearance. The channel approached the Kerala High Court, a single judge of the HC upheld the decision of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry. The single-judge's decision was appealed at the Division Bench of the Kerala High Court. The division bench upheld the single-judge's decision, prompting the channel to approach the Supreme Court. On March 13, a bench of Justices DY Chandrachud stayed the ban on the channel and ordered that it can resume operations in the same manner in which it was being operated before revocation of security clearance. Shark Tank India's Anupam Mittal has an advice for entrepreneurs in Bengaluru reeling from high rent: 'Build in Mumbai instead'. The Shaadi.com founder added that the city has consistent and vibrant startup ecosystem. Mittal's tweet was a reaction to reports of landlords in Bengaluru having doubled their rents as the demands for houses surged in the last one year. The city beat financial capital Mumbai to become India's hottest residential market, according to data from market researchers. Build in Mumbai instead consistent, vibrant & magical @mumbai_tech_ https://t.co/dR1wkSHc54 Anupam Mittal (@AnupamMittal) April 5, 2023 For those voicing traffic concerns in Mumbai, Anupam Mittal said that the coastal roads and metro railways would soon resolve it. But not everyone was convinced on Twitter. "Does Mumbai have any new space left... expansion here is on vertical mode unlike cities like Pune where separate pockets from each corner are being developed... plus real estate rates in Mumbai are way ahead than other cities," commented Prashant Paleja (@caprashant1). Twitter user Chaitanya Mehta (@cmehta85) said, "Big fan of Mumbai, Anupam Mittal, but the rents are just crazy to attract tech companies and talent in droves. We need an SEZ that provides amazing tax incentives to tech companies along with subsidized employee housing in the same vicinity!" Bengaluru is home to over 1.5 million workers including those for global firms like Google, Amazon, Goldman Sachs, and Accenture. That population was displaced during the pandemic, with staff moving to remote work or departing the city, pushing rents down. With Bengalurus economy and private sector stirring back to life, landlords are looking to recoup lost revenue and find themselves in a sellers market, Bloomberg reported. Read more: Bengaluru realty logs in 100% surge in rents as techies fight for flats The European Union member states ambassadors approved to negotiate a proposal to digitise the visa application procedure. Applicants will soon be able to apply for a Schengen visa online, under which the current 'Schengen' sticker will be replaced with a digital barcode according to a report by Conde Nast Traveller India. Also Read: Immigration News: US to allow tourist/business visa holders to apply for jobs The new rules state that a digital visa application platform will make Visas available for applicants after they upload their data and soft copies of their travel documents and also pay the visa fees. The rules also state that first-time applicants and travellers whose biometric data is no longer valid; and those with new travel documents will need to appear in front of the consulate in person. Also Read: China granted visas to over 18,000 Indians since January: Diplomat The digital platform can also automatically identify the country responsible for examining the application, additionally, you can also indicate if the application needs to be processed by a specific member state. The decision regarding visa approval will also be communicated on the platform itself. The issued visa will be available in a digital format as a cryptographically-signed 2D barcode. The 2D barcode aims to reduce counterfeiting and fraud by replacing stickers. Also Read: Europe wants to make it easier to wind down medium-sized banks Maria Malmer Stenergard, Swedish Minister for Migration, talked about the enhanced safety offered by a digital visa. "A digital Schengen visa will make it easier for legitimate travellers to apply and will at the same time help make the Schengen area safer," Stenegard said. Currently, there are Visa processing delays among 27 European nations that comprise the Schengen area which has resulted in a significant rise in pending applications from Indian tourists, a report by the Mint said. The report suggests that while some travel operators attributed delays to visa-processing companies such as VFS Global and BLS International, other companies have said that the European embassies have failed to anticipate the growing demand for travelling abroad. Virgin Orbits departing chief operating officer apologised to employees in his goodbye letter while calling out the companys leadership. Tony Gingiss, the COO of Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit, was among the 675 employees who were laid off from the satellite launch company last week. As Virgin Orbit filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy yesterday, Gingiss targeted the leadership in his last email to employees which was published by CNBC. The California-based company said last week it was laying off 85 percent of its employees -- around 675 people -- to reduce expenses due to its inability to secure sufficient funding. Virgin Orbit suffered a major setback earlier this year when an attempt to launch the first rocket into space from British soil ended in failure. In his companywide goodbye email, COO Tony Gingiss appeared to call out Virgin Orbit CEO Dan Hart. Gingiss apologised to all staff members while noting that they have not heard from the person who should be saying it. You deserved better than this! he told employees as he commended them for their achievements among which was creating an entirely new air-launch system. You simply did not have the leadership or opportunity to demonstrate to the world what you can fully do and how this product could be an enduring force in the market, he wrote. Gingiss also apologised for several other reasons for not being able to avoid the layoffs, for not acting sooner, for not prioritising people and financial resources better and for not being able to convince our leader and board to take a different path to give us more time to figure things out. You can read the full text of the email here. Virgin Orbit has said it is looking to sell assets in its bankruptcy filing. Virgin Orbit CEO Dan Hart said that once the financing is approved by the bankruptcy court, the funds are expected to provide Virgin Orbit with the necessary liquidity to continue operating as it attempts to sell the company. (With inputs from agencies) Zerodha co-founders, Nithin and Nikhil Kamath, have made it to the Forbes 2023 billionaires list as new entrants this year. Nithin Kamath, who is the CEO of the company, has been ranked at 1104 with a whopping $2.7 billion in wealth, while his brother Nikhil Kamath has been placed at rank 2405 with $1.1 billion in wealth. Zerodha, which was founded by the Kamath brothers in 2010, is a popular Indian financial services company that offers discount brokerage services for trading in stocks, currencies, and commodities. The company has disrupted the traditional brokerage industry in India by offering low-cost, user-friendly trading platforms to its clients. Nithin and Nikhil Kamath's journey to becoming billionaires has been nothing short of inspiring. They grew up in a middle-class family in Bangalore, and their interest in the stock market started at a young age. Nithin dropped out of college to pursue trading full-time, while Nikhil went on to complete his studies and started working in the corporate sector. In 2010, the brothers came together to start Zerodha, with the aim of making trading accessible and affordable for everyone. The company's innovative business model, which charges a flat fee per trade instead of a percentage of the trade value, quickly gained popularity among traders in India. Over the years, Zerodha has grown into one of the largest retail brokerage firms in India, with over 6 million clients and daily trading volumes of over $10 billion. The company has also expanded into other areas of financial services, including mutual funds, insurance, and digital gold. Also on the Forbes list is Mukesh Ambani at rank 9, the only one from India in the top 10. Gautam Adani is at 24 while Shiv Nadar is at 55. The United States has the most billionaires, with 735 list members worth a collective $4.5 trillion. China (including Hong Kong and Macau) remains second, with 562 billionaires worth $2 trillion, followed by India, with 169 billionaires worth $675 billion. Bernard Arnault of LVMH (commonly Louis Vuitton) is the richest man in the world with Elon Musk at rank 2. Israeli police entered Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound before dawn on Wednesday and clashed with worshippers, in what police said was a response to rioting that set off a furious reaction across the West Bank and crossborder strikes in Gaza. The incident, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and on the eve of the Jewish Passover, came amid fears that tensions built up during a year of escalating violence could be unleashed at the Al-Aqsa mosque, where clashes in 2021 set off a 10-day war with Gaza. Overnight, at least nine rockets were fired from Gaza, prompting air strikes from Israel, which struck what it said were Hamas training camps, setting off ground-shaking explosions that were heard across the blockaded coastal strip. Witnesses said Israeli tanks also shelled Hamas positions along the border fence in the southern part of the Gaza strip. The Palestinian Red Crescent said 12 Palestinians sustained wounds from rubber-tipped bullets and beatings in clashes with Israeli police. It added that Israeli forces were preventing its medics from reaching the area. "In the yard to the eastern part of the compound, the police fired tear gas and stun grenades, it was a scene that I can't describe," said Fahmi Abbas, a worshipper at the mosque. "Then they stormed in and started beating everyone. They detained people and put the young men face down on the ground while they continued beating them." Israeli police said in a statement that security units were forced to enter the compound after what it called masked agitators locked themselves inside the mosque with fireworks, sticks and stones. "When the police entered, stones were thrown at them and fireworks were fired from inside the mosque by a large group of agitators," the statement said, adding that a police officer was wounded in the leg. Thousands of worshippers have been spending the night in the mosque compound, amid fears of possible clashes with Jewish visitors to the site, which they revere as the Temple Mount, the site of Judaism's two ancient Temples. Videos circulating on social media, which Reuters could not immediately verify, showed fireworks going off and police beating people inside the mosque. Palestinian lawyer Firas al-Jibrini said police arrested around 500 people who were taken for questioning. The incident drew a sharp reaction from Arab countries. Jordan and Egypt, both involved in recent U.S.-backed efforts to de-escalate tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, issued separate statements strongly condemning the incident, while Saudi Arabia, with whom Israel hopes to normalise ties, said Israel's "storming" of Al-Aqsa undermined peace efforts. The Palestinian leadership condemned Israel's attacks on worshippers, which they described as a crime. "We warn the occupation against crossing red lines at holy sites, which will lead to a big explosion," said Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The Israeli military said a soldier was shot and wounded during clashes with Palestinians in the West Bank town of Beit Ummar. Over the past year, Israeli forces have made thousands of arrests in the West Bank and killed more than 250 Palestinians, while more than 40 Israelis and three Ukrainians have died in Palestinian attacks. Israel captured East Jerusalem, including the Old City where the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is located, in a 1967 war and later annexed it in a move not recognised internationally. It regards Jerusalem as its eternal and indivisible capital. Palestinians want East Jerusalem for the capital of an independent state they seek in the West Bank and Gaza. U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will host a meeting in California on Wednesday with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen, part of a sensitive U.S. stopover that has drawn Chinese threats of retaliation. Here are the key issues in Taiwan-U.S., China-U.S. and Taiwan-China relations, why China is so angry about the meeting and what it might do to express its anger: WHY IS CHINA SO ANGRY? Taiwan is a deeply emotive issue for China's ruling Communist Party, and for Chinese President Xi Jinping. The People's Republic of China has claimed Taiwan as its territory since the defeated Republic of China government fled to the island in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong's communists. China has repeatedly called on U.S. officials not to engage with Taiwanese leaders, viewing it as support for Taiwan's desire to be viewed as separate from China. China has never renounced the use of force to bring democratically governed Taiwan under its control, and in 2005 passed a law giving Beijing the legal basis for military action against Taiwan if it secedes or seems about to. HOW WILL CHINA REACT TO THE MEETING? China staged war games around Taiwan last August after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, and has threatened unspecified retaliation if the McCarthy meeting goes ahead. While Taiwanese and U.S. officials have said in the run-up to the McCarthy-Tsai meeting they have not seen any unusual activity from China's military, Taiwan is also on alert for any further Chinese drills. Taiwanese and U.S. officials have also said that by staging the meeting outside of Taiwan it may help tone down China's reaction. Over the past three years or so, China's air force has flown almost daily into the skies near Taiwan, in which Taiwan calls "grey zone" warfare designed to test and wear out its forces. While China's air force has never flown into Taiwan's territorial airspace, it fired missiles high over the island after Pelosi's visit. WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TAIWAN AND THE UNITED STATES? In 1979, the United States severed official relations with the government in Taipei and instead recognised the government in Beijing. A Taiwan-U.S. defence treaty was terminated at the same time. Post-1979, the U.S. relationship with Taiwan has been governed by the Taiwan Relations Act, which gives a legal basis to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, but does not mandate that the United States come to Taiwan's aid if attacked. While the United States has long followed a policy of "strategic ambiguity" on whether it would intervene militarily to protect Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack, U.S. President Joe Biden has said he would be willing to use force to defend Taiwan. The United States continues to be Taiwan's most important international source of weapons, and Taiwan's contested status is a constant source of friction between Beijing and Washington. WHAT IS TAIWAN'S POSITION AND DIPLOMATIC STATUS? Taiwan's government says that as the People's Republic of China has never ruled the island it has no right to claim sovereignty over it or speak for or represent it on the world stage, and that only Taiwan's people can decide their future. Taiwan's official name continues to be the Republic of China, though these days the government often stylises it as the Republic of China (Taiwan). Only 13 countries now formally recognise Taiwan after Honduras ended ties last month. Taiwan's government says that as the Republic of China is a sovereign country and it has a right to state-to-state ties. WHAT ARE RELATIONS LIKE BETWEEN TAIPEI AND BEIJING? In one word - bad. China views Tsai as a separatist and has rebuffed repeated calls from her for talks. Tsai says she wants peace but that her government will defend Taiwan if it is attacked. She says the Republic of China and People's Republic of China are "not subordinate" to each other. Beijing says Tsai must accept that both China and Taiwan are part of "one China". News / National by Staff reporter BEITBRIDGE residents have expressed mixed feelings over whether or not the country should retain the death penalty on its statutesThe residents gave their views during one of the many public hearings on the death penalty being held throughout the country by the Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs ministry.Capital punishment is still in full force in Zimbabwe although no executions have taken place since 2002. Notorious robbers Edgar Masendeke and Stephen Chidhumo were the last people on the country's death row to be hanged at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison on May 31, 2002.During a public hearing at Vhembe Secondary School in Beitbridge yesterday, some residents felt that capital punishment is inhumane, and that death sentences should be commuted to life imprisonment with hard labour.Other residents said the biblical eye for an eye Old Testament teachingshould come into play."Imprisonment has not been deterrent enough, and people should be hanged when they take other people's lives. Commuting their sentences to life imprisonment adds a burden to the taxpayer who has to feed them," Lawrence Tshili, a Beitbridge Residents' Association official said.A female student from Vhembe Secondary School said a person who murders another deserves no mercy."Why should a person who has killed another person be allowed to live? They have no respect for human life and may not even deserve their own life," the student said.Town clerk Loud Ramagkapola, a lawyer by profession, suggested that the death sentence should be abolished because if offenders are killed, they will not feel any pain for their crimes."The offender must serve a life sentence coupled with hard labour to feel the pain. Taking their lives is not punishment enough," Ramagkapola said. His views were supported by mostly religious leaders.A female contributor to the debate suggested that men should not be sentenced to death penalty because the country has fewer men than women."It would result in a shortage of men as our 2022 census shows there are fewer men than women in the country," she said on a lighter note bringing the arena to stitches.Chris Lunga, a Beitbridge resident said since women advocate for equal rights they should also be hanged if they take other people's lives.The country's Constitution stipulates that women cannot be sent to the gallows. It also spares men under 21 years and those above 69 years.During his youth, President Emmerson Mnangagwa was spared the death penalty and banished from the then Rhodesia after he was convicted of treason.He has been the main advocate for the abolishment of the death penalty in the country. Currently, 69 people are on death row. Walmart Inc on Tuesday said it expects about 65% of its stores to be serviced by automation by the end of its fiscal year 2026, just days after revealing plans to lay off more than 2,000 people at facilities that fulfill online orders. The announcement, amid the U.S. retail giant's annual investor meeting in Tampa, Florida, comes as Walmart increasingly uses its huge stores to handle online-order deliveries and invests heavily in automation to speed up order processing at its e-commerce fulfillment facilities. It was not immediately clear if this move would lead to more layoffs at the country's biggest private employer, with about 1.7 million U.S. workers and another 60,000 abroad. The company said the moves would reduce the need for lower-paid roles. "As the changes are implemented across the business, one of the outcomes is roles that require less physical labor but have a higher rate of pay," the Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer said in a filing. "Over time, the company anticipates increased throughput per person, due to the automation while maintaining or even increasing its number of associates as new roles are created," it added. About 55% of packages that it processes through its fulfillment centers will be moved through automated facilities by January 2026, improving unit cost averages by about 20%, the company said. "This increased efficiency will not only support better inventory management, but it will also support Walmart's rapidly growing e-commerce business," Stephens Inc analyst Ben Bienvenu wrote in a note. Walmart, which operates more than 5,000 U.S. stores, did not immediately respond to questions about whether the moves will result in any near-term layoffs. The world's largest retailer by sales maintained its forecast for the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2024, which calls for net sales to rise by 2.5% to 3% and earnings by $5.90 to $6.05 per share. It also kept its forecast for first-quarter sales to rise between 4.5% and 5% in constant currency. Walmart has invested billions of dollars in technology for its online order facilities, including buying grocery robotics company Alert Innovation and partnering with companies such as Knapp to help cut the number of steps it takes for employees to process e-commerce orders down to five from 12. On a post-earnings call in February, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said he was "most excited about the automation opportunity we have" with plans to increase investments in automation technology as part of its more than $15-billion capital spending budget this year. Viva Energy has acquired the roadside mobility retail business OTR Group, yet another string to its bow for its growing line of retail businesses in the petroleum, fuel, retail and energy sectors. Formerly part of the Shell Group, Australian oil refinery, retailer and owner of Liberty Oil and Woodside Petroleum, Viva Energy Group [ASX:VEA] broke the news Wednesday morning that it has acquired yet another retail business to include under its umbrella. The news comes not long after the group acquired Coles Express late last year. The fuel and energy company reached historical highs earlier in morning trade, exceeding March 2019 high when the price was $3.14. Earlier on Wednesday, the VEA share price hit $3.25 each, rising more than 5% on the previous days closing price. Over the past full year, the holistic energy stock has flown 27% higher in value, and its currently 34% up against the wider S&P 200: Source: tradingview.com Viva Energy acquires OTR in convenience and mobility transformation Shareholders were showing excitement for the fuel, petroleum and energy retailer by voting up the groups share price by 5% off the back of its latest announcement. Viva has said it will gain control of a new retail venture business by taking over OTR (On The Run), a leading independent convenience retailer in Australia that generates more than $3 billion of revenue annually and employs approximately 6,500 people. The company has said that it will enter into a binding agreement to acquire the OTR Group from Peregrine Corporation at the agreed-upon consideration price, a total of $1.15 billion. This was chalked up based on estimated earnings and synergies for OTR that represent seven times its EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation) multiple. Viva said the deal is expected to deliver earnings per accretion of 6% on a pro forma FY2022 basis, with a further 11% on a normalised basis for last year. The group has decided to fund the acquisition itself through $1 billion of debt and working capital, with a further component for equity aimed at another $150 million, which is planned to go on issue to sellers. What does Viva hope to gain from acquiring OTR? The management team has highlighted that the acquisition will support its vision to become a leading convenience retailer in Australia, and enable it to open more than 1,000 stores nationwide. Viva hopes to capitalise on cutting-edge convenience capabilities and to generate more than 70% of OTRs earnings, opening a lucrative avenue of retail that will not be directly related to fuel. Viva said it could otherwise have taken years to develop this particular area of retail chain, with OTR giving it a shortcut into this industry and also allowing the group not only to diversify exposure but also lift its share of earnings from non-fuel sources from around 3050% in the convenience and mobility business. Viva will also be able to integrate Coles Express (acquired in September last year) and OTRs products, services, associated brands, technology and existing supply chain, pushing earnings growth even higher. Scott Wyatt, Vivas CEO, stated: The introduction of OTRs superior convenience offering, including quick serve restaurants, will help revolutionise the diversity and attraction of our retail offering. As our stores increasingly become retail destinations, we expect convenience earnings will grow and reduce our dependency on traditional fuels. Australias evolving economy The global supply chain is twisting. Australian trade isnt what it once was. The change is all around us, but what is it all pointing to? Jim Rickards, financial and geopolitical analyst, has pieced certain puzzle pieces together. He says, no one is talking about how this could end the Australian economy as we know it and it could happen as soon as within the next 12 months. Learning the patterns and getting ready for change could put you ahead of the curve. If you want to know more about the biggest geoeconomic shift of our lifetime, click here. Regards, Mahlia Stewart, For Money Morning News / National by Staff reporter The Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) is warning the public of criminal elements who continue to use social media platforms claiming that the army is embarking on a recruitment exercise in a bid to solicit money from interested members.The false notifications currently trending on WhatsApp are to the effect that there will be recruitment exercises by the army throughout the country this year.In a statement Director Army Public Relations Colonel Alphios Makotore said the members of the public should be wary of such elements insisting the advert was of the year 2021.Col Makotore said the army uses credible platforms to engage the public on recruitment exercises."The Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) would like to inform members of the public to be on the lookout for a fake ZNA recruitment advert circulating on social platforms," said Col Makotore."The fake advert is an old copy of the ZNA recruitment advert flighted in 2021 which some mischief makers are circulating to mislead and defraud unsuspecting members of the public," he said."It is against this background that the ZNA would like to categorically reiterate that the ZNA has not flighted any recruitment advert for 2023. In the same vein, the ZNA does not use social media for the purpose of recruitment," said Col Makotore.Col Makotore underscored that the ZNA does not engage third parties on recruitment, adding the process is free of charge.He said they had lodged a report with the ZRP in order to bring the culprit to book."Members of the public once again advised that the ZNA does not engage third parties on the recruitment process nor charge a fee on applicants," he said."A report has since been made with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) against offenders and anyone caught associating themselves with the fake adverts will be prosecuted in the courts of law," said Col Makotore."Should anyone come across suspicious characters masquerading as army recruitment agents must immediately phone on the following Military Police hotline numbers:0712 842 318, 0772 258 410. They must also report to the nearest Zimbabwe Republic Police or nearest any military camps," he said. April 05, 2023 Ukraine Open Thread 2023-81 Only for news & views directly related to the Ukraine conflict. The current open thread for other issues is here. Please stick to the topic. Contribute facts. Do not attack other commentators. Posted by b on April 5, 2023 at 15:48 UTC | Permalink Comments next page News / National by Staff reporter Two Criminal Investigation Department (CID) police officers have landed in the dock on allegations of sharing US$160,000 they had recovered while investigating a theft case.The two, Addmore Musiza, 34), and Tafara Machokoto, 41, briefly appeared before Harare magistrate Stanford Mambanje who remanded them in custody for bail application.They are being charged with criminal abuse of office as public officers.It is alleged that on March 31, Musiza and Machokoto, who are stationed at CID Stores and Business Harare, arrested Edward David Mudowaya and Charlotte Tarisai Munetsi on charges of theft.Mudowaya is employed as a security guard while Munetsi is a debtors' clerk and cashier at National Foods.The two allegedly staged a robbery before stealing US$158,000 from National Foods.When questioned by the detectives, Musiza and Machokoto admitted to stealing the cash and went on to indicate where they had stashed it.The officers allegedly collected the money from the hiding spot but did not indicate that they had recovered it in their papers."Mudowaya revealed to the accused persons that he had given the stolen money to Susan Jiri for safekeeping," court heard.He then led the detectives to Block 7 B36 Matapi Flats, Mbare, Harare where the money was recovered from Jiri hidden in a 25 litre bucket.The police officers, court further heard, also did not take the money to the police station to book it into the exhibit property list and instead converted the money into their own use."They took the accused persons to court indicating that they did not recover anything from them," prosecutors said.CID Homicide received information about the offence and arrested the detectives.Musiza was found in possession of US$56,000 which he buried in a maize field about 400 metres from his house while Machokoto was also found with US$22,000 which he had passed on to his aunt in Aspindale. Midland County and The Midland Chamber of Commerce opened the newly constructed Yukon Road on Wednesday. The new road intersects with Farm-to-Market Road 1788 and Loop 40 near Midland International Airport -- and then moves northwest to State Highway 191 on pre-existing Yukon Road, according to Midland County. The county reports there is still construction on SH 191, where Yukon Road intersects with it, and drivers should be careful when traveling in this area. The project began construction in October 2021. The goal of the project was to create a safe connection between Farm-to-Market Road 1788 and SH 191, the county said. Midland County said the road will provide an easy and direct route between the airport and SH 191, especially for those traveling from Odessa. The 32-foot-wide road is available as an alternative route to and from the airport, or an alternative route for someone traveling between I-20/Highway 80 and SH 191. The total cost for the project was $5.1 million, the county reported. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A Russian girl sent to an orphanage after drawing an antiwar sketch at school has been taken from the facility by her mother, the Kremlin children's rights commissioner said Wednesday. In a case that drew international outrage, the father of 13-year-old Maria Moskalyova was convicted of discrediting the Russian military and handed a two-year prison term, while his daughter was dispatched to the orphanage. The Kremlin children's rights ombudsperson, Maria Lvova-Belova, said she had met the girl's mother, who had long been separated from her husband and child. The girl had previously refused to live with her mother but changed her mind, so the mother took her home, Lvova-Belova said. The father, Alexei Moskalyov, fled house arrest just before his sentencing hearing last week in the town of Yefremov south of Moscow. He was detained in Belarus two days later. His current whereabouts were unclear, but a court in Yefremov is set to consider Thursday a request by prosecutors to strip him of his parental rights. Moskalyov, 54 was charged over social media posts criticizing the war in Ukraine under a law adopted days after Russian troops invaded in February 2022. He rejected the accusations. According to his lawyer and supporters, Moskalyovs troubles began after his daughter drew a picture at Yefremov School No. 9 that depicted missiles flying over a Russian flag at a woman and child. The drawing also featured the words No to war and Glory to Ukraine. The school called police, the girl was questioned, and Moskalyov was fined and eventually prosecuted and convicted over his social media posts. The case underscored the scope of a Kremlin crackdown on dissent that has relentlessly targeted anyone who dared to criticize the war. Memorial, one of Russias oldest and most prominent rights groups and a winner of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize, has declared Moskalyov as a political prisoner. The International Criminal Court is seeking to arrest Lvova-Belova along with Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes for allegedly deporting children from Ukraine. She spoke to a U.N. meeting Wednesday to argue that the children were moved for their safety and said Moscow was working with international organizations to return them to their families. Juan Carlos Toro/AP MADRID (AP) A Spanish judge has ordered a psychiatric evaluation for a Moroccan man held in the January slaying of a church officer in the southern city of Algeciras. Authorities identified the alleged assailant in the Jan. 26 machete attack as 25-year-old Yassine Kanjaa. He was arrested after he allegedly killed the worker and injured a priest at two Catholic churches in Algeciras. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ISLAMABAD (AP) The United Nations said Wednesday it cannot accept a Taliban decision to bar Afghan female staffers from working at the agency, calling it an unparalleled violation of women's rights. The statement came a day after the U.N. said it had been informed by Afghanistan's ruling Taliban that Afghan women would no longer be allowed to work for the world body. That announcement came after the U.N. mission in the country expressed concern that its female staffers were prevented from reporting to work in eastern Nangarhar province. Prior to Tuesday, Afghan women were already barred from working at national and international non-governmental organizations, disrupting the delivery of humanitarian aid. But the ban did not cover working for the U.N. That changed this week. On Wednesday, the U.N. mission said that under the Taliban order, no Afghan woman is permitted to work for the U.N. in Afghanistan, and that this measure will be actively enforced. The ban is unlawful under international law and cannot be accepted by the United Nations, the statement said. The Taliban decision is an unparalleled violation of womens rights, a flagrant breach of humanitarian principles, and a breach of international rules, Wednesday's statement said. The Taliban have not commented publicly on the ban. The U.N. statement said several U.N. national female personnel have already experienced restrictions on their movements, including harassment, intimidation and detention. The UN has therefore instructed all national staff men and women not to report to the office until further notice, the statement said. The Taliban decision drew condemnation from the world's most recognized organizations. A joint statement singed by the Save the Children, Norwegian Refugee Council, Danish Refugee Council, INTERSOS, Action Against Hunger, and World Vision urged the lifting of the ban on Afghan women aid workers that has been extended to U.N. agencies. Without our female staff, the humanitarian community cannot effectively reach women and girls. With more than 28 million people in desperate need of aid to survive, this act will cut off peoples lifelines," said the statement. We call on the De Facto Authorities to lift the ban and allow all female aid workers in Afghanistan to return to work immediately," it said. "With Afghanistan facing record levels of hunger, the cost of this ban will be measured by lives lost. Separately, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said Afghanistan is home to one of the worlds worst humanitarian crises. More than 28 million people, including over 15 million children, need humanitarian and protection assistance this year a staggering increase of 4 million people over 2022. Hunger and disease are lurking and the economy is in tatters. Yet despite this devastating situation, the de facto authorities have taken the unconscionable and confounding decision to ban Afghan women from working with the United Nations in Afghanistan, including UNICEF," Russell said in a statement. Coming on the heels of the decree banning Afghan women from working with NGOs, this decision is yet another affront to womens fundamental rights and further undermines the delivery of humanitarian assistance across the country. She said Afghan women are the lifeblood of the humanitarian response. They are highly skilled and uniquely placed to reach the most vulnerable Afghans, including children and women, the sick and elderly, and those living with disabilities. They have access to populations that their male colleagues cannot reach, she said. Despite initial promises of a more moderate rule than during its previous stint in power in the 1990s, the Taliban have imposed harsh measures since taking over the country in 2021 as U.S. and NATO forces were pulling out of Afghanistan after two decades of war. Girls are banned from education beyond sixth grade. Women are barred from working, studying, traveling without a male companion, and even going to parks. Women must also cover themselves from head to toe. The secretary-generals special representative for Afghanistan, Roza Otunbayeva, was engaging Taliban authorities to convey the U.N.'s protest and to seek an immediate reversal of the order. The U.N. said it is also engaging member states, the donor community and humanitarian partners. In the history of the United Nations, no other regime has ever tried to ban women from working for the Organization just because they are women," said Otunbayeva. This decision represents an assault against women, the fundamental principles of the U.N., and on international law. Ramiz Alakbarov, the U.N. deputy special representative for Afghanistan, said at a news conference in New York that both male and female Afghan national staff have been asked to stay home until they can return to work under normal conditions. We will not have a situation where we are only working with all-male teams, he said. The U.N. has a staff of about 3,900 in Afghanistan, including approximately 3,300 Afghans and 600 international personnel. The total also includes 600 Afghan women and 200 women from other countries. Alakbarov said this means all 3,300 U.N. national staff will stay home until the women can return to work, and they will be paid. He said the ban doesnt apply to international female staff and they are able to move freely and provide aid. But he said they are only about 30% or less of the total U.N. Afghanistan staff. Alakbarov said the new U.N. policy in the country will be revised depending on what sort of exemptions or operational environment can be negotiated. However, he said there is no scenario in which the U.N. would provide aid in the country with men only. It is not possible to reach women without women. And without women, they will not be reached. And thats the unfortunate reality," he said. Alakbarov said U.N. officials led by Otunbayeva met Tuesday with the Talibans foreign minister and they were told there will be no additional order because the order was already issued in December, apparently a reference to the Taliban decision that month to bar women from working for NGOs. Taliban restrictions in Afghanistan have drawn fierce international condemnation. But the Taliban have shown no signs of backing down, claiming the bans are temporary suspensions in place allegedly because women were not wearing the Islamic headscarf, or hijab, correctly and because gender segregation rules were not being followed. ___ Lederer reported from the United Nations. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate JERUSALEM (AP) Violence resumed for a second straight night in Jerusalem on Wednesday when Palestinian worshippers barricaded themselves inside Al-Aqsa Mosque at the Old Citys sensitive compound and Israeli police used force to remove dozens of worshippers. The unrest was less intense than the previous night. But the situation remained combustible as Muslims marked the Ramadan holy month and Jews began the weeklong Passover holiday. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip renewed their rocket fire at Israel, raising fears of a wider conflagration. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported at least six people were injured in the latest violence. The Islamic Waqf authorities, which manages the compound, said police fired stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds. The Israeli police said that dozens of law-breaking juveniles had fomented chaos, throwing rocks and other objects at officers and compelling police to act to restore security, law and order." More Palestinians had gathered in the mosque, responding to calls by Waqf to pray inside overnight. At one of the mosque entrances, police officers could be seen escorting dozens of Palestinians out of the compound. Residents and shoppers milled around, watching social media videos on their phones showing the renewed clashes that had happened just meters away. Early on Wednesday, Israeli police stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque, firing stun grenades at Palestinians who hurled stones and firecrackers in a burst of violence during a sensitive holiday season. Palestinian militants in Gaza responded with rocket fire on southern Israel, prompting repeated Israeli airstrikes. The violence had calmed by early Wednesday morning, but in the evening, Palestinian militants fired two more rockets from Gaza, with one falling short inside Gaza and the other falling near the security fence separating Gaza from Israel, the Israeli military said. There were no reports of casualties. The mosque sits in a hilltop compound sacred to both Jews and Muslims, and conflicting claims over it have spilled into violence before, including a bloody 11-day war between Israel and Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza. Al-Aqsa is the third-holiest site in Islam and stands in a spot known to Jews as the Temple Mount, which is the holiest site in Judaism. Palestinian militant groups warned that further confrontation was coming, but a Palestinian official said the Palestinian Authority was in contact with officials in Egypt, Jordan, the United States and at the United Nations to de-escalate the situation. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country was working to calm tensions" at the holy site. People who were detained at the compound and later released said police used batons, chairs, rifles and whatever else they could find to strike Palestinians, including women and children, who responded by hurling stones and setting off firecrackers that they'd brought to evening prayers for fear of possible clashes. Outside the mosques gate, police dispersed crowds of young men with stun grenades and rubber bullets. Medics from the Palestinian Red Crescent said that at least 50 people were injured. Israeli police said they were not immediately able to confirm the reports and videos showing officers beating Palestinians but said 350 were arrested. They added that one officer was injured in the leg. Separately, the Israeli military said one soldier was shot and moderately wounded in the occupied West Bank. Most of the Palestinians arrested from Al-Aqsa were released from detention by the early afternoon, said lawyer Khaled Zabarqa, who represents several of them. But he said that some 50 Palestinians, many of them from the occupied West Bank, were still detained and would have their cases heard at the Ofer military court on Friday. He put the total number of arrested at 450. U.N. Mideast envoy Tor Wennesland said he was appalled by the images of violence at Al-Aqsa, condemning the beating and mass arrests of Palestinians as well as reports of Palestinians stockpiling firecrackers and rocks. Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, expressed outrage and condemnation at the attack, telling reporters at U.N. headquarters: It is the right of the Palestinian Muslim worshippers to exercise their religious duties and prayers in this holy month of Ramadan, and in any other time in this holy Aqsa Mosque. Crowds of Palestinians gathered around a police station in Jerusalem on Wednesday, waiting anxiously for their loved ones to trickle out of detention. Amin Risheq, a 19-year-old from east Jerusalem, said that after being beaten and forced to lay on the floor of the mosque with dozens of others, his hands zip-tied behind his back, he was taken to the police station where he said he did not have access to a toilet, medical attention or water for over six hours. They treated us like animals, he said. Since Ramadan began March 22, scores of Muslim worshippers have repeatedly tried to stay overnight in the mosque, a practice that is typically permitted only during the last 10 days of the monthlong holiday. Israeli police have entered nightly to evict the worshippers. Tensions have been further heightened by calls from Jewish ultranationalists to carry out a ritual slaughter of a goat in the compound, as happened in ancient times. Israel bars ritual slaughter on the site, but calls by Jewish extremists to revive the practice, including offers of cash rewards to anyone who even attempts to bring an animal into the compound, have amplified fears among Muslims that Israel is plotting to take over the site. Netanyahu repeated Wednesday that he's committed to preserving the longstanding arrangement at the compound. He described the worshippers who locked themselves in the mosque as extremists who prevented Muslims from entering the mosque peacefully. Over a hundred religious Jews filtered through the site on Wednesday during regular morning visiting hours, as small crowds of Muslims gathered around them shouting, God is greater! Jews are permitted to visit the compound, but not pray there, under longstanding agreements. But such visits, which have grown in numbers in recent years, have often raised tensions, particularly because some Jews are often seen quietly praying. After some 80,000 worshippers attended evening prayers at the mosque on Tuesday, hundreds of Palestinians barricaded themselves inside overnight to pray. Some said they wanted to ensure religious Jews didn't carry out animal sacrifices. After they refused to leave, Israeli police moved into the mosque. Israeli police said several law-breaking youths and masked agitators brought fireworks, sticks and stones into the mosque, chanting insults and locking the front doors. After many and prolonged attempts to get them out by talking to no avail, police forces were forced to enter the compound, police said. Moayad Abu Mayaleh, 23, said he blocked a door of the mosque with hundreds of others to prevent the police from entering before they broke in. We cant let them get away with this, he said, shouting insults at Israeli police as he left the station. In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian leadership denounced the attack on the worshippers as a violation that will lead to a large explosion. Palestinian militants responded to the events by firing a barrage of rockets from Gaza into southern Israel, setting off air raid sirens in the region as residents prepared to begin the weeklong Passover holiday. The Israeli military said a total of five rockets were fired, and all were intercepted. Israel responded with airstrikes that the army said hit Hamas weapons storage and manufacturing sites. We dont want this to escalate, said Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an army spokesman. But he said that if the rocket fire persisted, we will respond very aggressively. The Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad called for Palestinian residents of Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Israel to gather around the Al-Aqsa Mosque and confront Israeli forces. Palestinians must be prepared for the inevitable confrontation in the coming days," said Ziyad al-Nakhala, leader of Islamic Jihad. As violence unfolded in Jerusalem, the Israeli military reported fighting in a Palestinian town in the occupied West Bank. It said residents of Beit Umar, near the volatile city of Hebron, burned tires, hurled rocks and explosives at soldiers. It said one soldier was shot by armed suspects, who managed to flee. It said later in the day that Palestinians opened fire at a checkpoint near the northern West Bank city of Jenin, leaving no casualties. Israeli-Palestinian violence has surged over the last year, as the Israeli military has carried out near-nightly raids on Palestinian cities, towns and villages and as Palestinians have staged numerous attacks against Israelis. At least 88 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire this year, according to an Associated Press tally. Palestinian attacks against Israelis have killed 15 people in the same period. Israel says most of the Palestinians killed were militants. But stone-throwing youths and bystanders uninvolved in violence were also among the dead. All but one of the Israeli dead were civilians. ___ Akram reported from Gaza City, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writers Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed. News / National by Staff reporter OPPOSITION Citizens Coalition for Change's (CCC) consensus candidate selection process has failed dismally with some supporters abandoning it and demanding traditional primaries.In other areas violent scenes were reported.Chaos erupted in Warren Park 1 after party officials produced an 'unknown' register of people supposed to decide the constituency and ward leaders.Crisis ensued between 9am when the process started up till 2.30pm when current MP Shakespeare Hamauswa whisked party agents handling it to another venue.Only 13 people managed to gain access into the venue.Paddington Japajapa, who claimed to be a CCC national executive member despite party President Nelson Chamisa making it clear no one but himself was yet to hold a position, trashed the process and demanded primary elections.In Mufakose the register was written upon arrival as residents claimed they did not know about it.Some of them did not know what the process was about while others assumed they were voting.In Goromonzi the process was stopped without explanation.In Glen Norah Womberaiishe Nhende who was eyeing a council seat was reportedly assaulted by associates of former Harare Mayor Herbert Gomba. News / Regional by Stephen Jakes MTHWAKAZI Republic Party President Mqondisi Moyo has expressed concerns over the influx of Shona candidates being fielded by the ruling Zanu PF in Matabeleland and in Bulawayo in particular.This comes after it emerged that the majority of candidates fielded by Zanu PF in Bulawayo especially for house of assembly seats were Shonas."I am not surprised that Matabeleland is infested with Shona candidates. But it doesn't mean that I am comfortable with it. Zanu PF, on behalf of Shona people, said it openly in their 1979 Shona Grand plan that they were on a mission to take over Bulawayo and the rest of Matabeleland. The same agenda is shared by CCC and MDC in their Code xxx," Moyo said."One of the ways of taking over Matabeleland is through planting Shona candidates so they could serve as MPs and Councilors in Matabeleland. This makes it easier for business and employment opportunities in Matabeleland to be given to Shonas. It also facilitates the under development of Mthwakazi because these Shonas have no enduring interest here. They are concerned with Mashonaland only."Moyo said even outside elections discourse, they are noticing daily Mashonaland people coming in to occupy tracts of land here, mines, and own properties here in Mthwakazi."On the contrary, no Ndebele owns land in Mashonaland. I know of some Ndebeles who were kicked out of their farms in Mashonaland like dogs. They were told in clearer terms that there was no way they could own land in Mashonaland," he said."So, what Zanu PF and CCC are doing is a serious contempt of our people and region. You will not find a Ndebele candidate in Mashonaland. You will not find a Ndebele representing a Shona community because Shonas don't accept that. Why should we be expected to accept it ourselves?"He said this nonsense should stop immediately."It serves no purpose other than fuelling our revolution. The more they undermine us, the more determined we become to advance our struggle," Moyo said. Hollywood filmmaker Brad Krevoy engages with aspiring filmmakers during a meet and greet event hosted by Northern Marianas College in November 2022 at the Hafa Adai Roasting Company. Krevoy will return to the CNMI on April 10, 2023, and will meet aspiring filmmakers at 6 p.m. at Tapped Out on Micro Beach Road, to support NMC's ongoing work in developing a film program and to inspire the next generation of storytellers. Filipino tattoo artist Apo Whang-Od has become the oldest person to ever appear on the cover of Vogue at the age of 106. Vogue Philippines announced last week that Whang-Od would be the magazines cover star for its April 2023 issue. Whang-Od, also known by Maria Oggay, is based in Buscalan, a mountain village in Cordillera Region, which is based in the island of Luzon in the Philippines, according to the publication. The magazine also praised the artist on Instagram for how her works symbolises the strength and beauty of the Filipino spirit. Heralded as the last mambabatok of her generation, she has imprinted the symbols of the Kalinga tribesignifying strength, bravery, and beautyon the skin of thousands of people who have made the pilgrimage to Buscalan, the magazine wrote in the post alongside a picture from Whang-Ods cover photoshoot. Starting her career at age 16 with her father as her mentor, Whang-Od was the only female mambabatok, a traditional Kalinga tattoo artist, of her time. As of 15 years ago, she started working with thousands of customers from outside of the Cordillera Region. Per Vogue, she has now travelled to neighbouring villages to imprint the sacred symbols of their ancestors on individuals who have crossed or about to cross a threshold in their lives. When visitors come from far away, I will give them the tatak Buscalan, tatak Kalinga for as long as my eyes can see, Whang-Od told Vogue in the Butbut language. Whang-Od is often referred to as the last mambabatok, since these tattoo artists can only pass on this craft within their bloodlines, perVogue. While she didnt have any children, her grand-nieces, Grace Palicas, 26, and Elyang Wigan, 23, will become a part of the next generation of mambabatoks. I was the first child to learn how to tattoo. I just observed what she did, Grace said, as she was chosen to be Whang-Ods apprentice at age 10. When I left for college in 2015, Elyang was next to learn so that she could help Apo when so many tourists were coming. Story continues Back in 2017, Whang-Od first spoke to CNN Travel about her work and how shes been training her grandnieces. The tradition will continue as long as people keep coming to get tattoos, she said. As long as I can see well, I will keep giving tattoos. Ill stop once my vision gets blurry. She added: [My friends who gave tattoos] have all passed away. Im the only one left alive thats still giving tattoos. But Im not afraid that the tradition will end because [Im training] the next tattoos masters. Regarding its April 2023 cover star, Vogue Philippines editor-in-chief, Bea Valdes said choosing Whang-Od was a unanimous decision among the magazines staff. We felt she represented our ideals of what is beautiful about our Filipino culture, she told CNN. We believe that the concept of beauty needs to evolve, and include diverse and inclusive faces and forms. What we hope to speak about is the beauty of humanity. Before Whang-Od, Oscar-winning actor Judi Dench was Vogues oldest ever cover star. She was featured in the British publications June 2020 issue at the age of 85. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Two area school districts will be under new leadership next school year as the school boards approved the hiring of new superintendents to lead the district. Beardstown will be seeing a familiar face to the area as former Virginia Superintendent Brent O'Daniell returns to Cass County to take over the Beardstown position left vacant by the death of Superintendent Michael Smith in January. "My wife and I are familiar with Cass County and we have a lot of friends in the area," O'Daniell said. "This is an opportunity for us to return to an area we like." O'Daniell has 27 years in education. He previously served as the superintendent in Virginia from 2012 to 2017 and spent the past six years at Genoa-Kingston. O'Daniell left his position in Virginia in 2017 to take a superintendent role in Genoa-Kingston to be closer to his children while they attended Aurora University. "Since my children graduated, my wife and I are empty nesters," O'Daniell said. "My son and his family live in St. Charles, Missouri, and my daughter is a nurse in Chicago. Beardstown is about in the middle." O'Daniell will take over the role July 1 after finishing his contract with Genoa-Kingston. After starting, O'Daniell said he hopes to connect with the staff and students of the district to learn what areas need to be addressed and how he can help improve the district. "While I was there, I had a chance to meet with the administrative team and I was impressed with some of the things they are working on," O'Daniell said. "I will get in there and see what we need to do to continue moving the needle and improving things." Though he said he has experience with a diverse school district from his time at Genoa-Kingston, O'Daniell said he looks forward to learning about the various cultures within the district and finding the needs within the district. He said the district also has a high mobility rate of students coming and leaving the district that needs to be addressed. "Beardstown utilizes a lot of resources to meet the needs of the kids and we have to find a way to best meet those needs," O'Daniell said. Beardstown isn't the only district to hire a new superintendent. The North Greene school board has also made plans to fill it's superintendent position that will become vacant after the resignation of Superintendent Mark Scott, who is leaving for a different position. The board has decided to hire from within by naming elementary school Principal Jackie Kuchy as the new superintendent once she finishes her superintendent certification. Kuchy is expected to receive her certification in December 2024. While she is finishing her qualifications, she will be district principal and mentor under an interim superintendent. The board has hired Lawrence Coultas to fill the position in the interim and mentor Kuchy. "I will technically be the district principal and will work out of the district office," Kuchy said. "I see it as more of doing the day-to-day duties with Coultas as a mentor while I finish my education." Kuchy has been North Greene Elementary principal for seven years, which was her first administrative position. She has received a masters in human resources development from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and her masters in education leadership from Drake University. She is working on her superintendent certification from the University of Illinois-Springfield. As she steps into her role, Kuchy said she wants to help improve communication and cooperation between the school and the community. "We've been working to reinstate a sense of pride in what we do and want to build up the schools within the community," Kuchy said. While she has been a principal for many years, Kuchy said she has a lot to learn about the other side of district operations, which she hopes to gain a better understanding from her time working with Coultas. "There is a lot to learn on that side of the fence about district operations, and I think that's the most intimidating component of this new opportunity," Kuchy said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DELHI When they say Steves Old Cabin BBQ has a family atmosphere, they mean it. Most places you go to anymore have TV screens all over the place and a lot of things that would distract you from the people that youre with, said Steve Helfer, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife, Laurie. We dont have gaming. We dont serve alcohol. We are truly just a sit-down family restaurant; a couple of our tables are even picnic tables. Since opening in October, Steves Old Cabin BBQ in the Jersey County community of Delhi has been serving barbecue and comfort food with a menu that includes brisket, pulled pork, ribs, pork steaks, bratwurst, chicken salad, macaroni and cheese, hash brown casserole, smokehouse beans, green beans, cole slaw, potato salad, and spicy cheese corn. The customers may come for the food, but they return for the atmosphere. Growing up we sat around the table as a family every night for dinner, we talked about our day and we stayed connected that way, Laurie Helfer said. There is so much disconnection with families now because everybody is so busy, so if we can get them to put their phones down and talk to each other, that is huge. The Helfers had a long-standing dream to open a restaurant and, over the past 15 years, they looked at countless buildings and nothing ever seemed to fit for us, Steve said. Then, with this place, everything opened up for us so we did it, we took the plunge. The couple purchased the building, which had been a tavern named The Cabin, in July and spent three months transforming it into Steves Old Cabin BBQ. They did most of the work themselves, including the construction of all the tables and benches. We spent a lot of days covered in sawdust and dirt, and now were covered in barbecue, Laurie said. The restaurant has eight employees, including the Helfers son and daughter, and is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Steve and Laurie typically arrive at the restaurant by 6:30 a.m. and stay until 8:30 p.m. The business is a labor of love for the couple, but its also an opportunity to share their faith. Weve had a lot of opportunities to pray with customers for things that are going on with them, opportunities to build friendships that we wouldnt have otherwise, Laurie said. They may never come to church but they may come to enjoy barbecue. The restaurant has proven popular enough that they occasionally run out of barbecue items later in the day. Laurie hopes customers will understand if they have their heart set on an item that is sold out. We start the barbecue a day beforehand and make a good guess on how much to prepare, Laurie said. Id much rather that we sell out of items instead of serving you leftovers the next day. Its really important for us to give you our very best. Steves Old Cabin BBQ is at 29150 Cabin Lane, just off of Old U.S. 67. The postal address is listed as Jerseyville, but the restaurant physically is in the unincorporated community of Delhi. More information is available on the Steves Old Cabin BBQ Facebook page. The Helfers welcome to Steves Old Cabin BBQ anyone who enjoys the simple pleasure of family-style, distraction-free dining on comfort food. You come there with your whole family and you sit down, we bring your food to you, Steve said. We want families to feel comfortable to come here and enjoy a meal. Laurie said that formula seems to be working. One customer said I feel like Im at someones house, Laurie said. And I said, Thats the goal. Andrei Lavrinov/Getty Images/iStockphoto PITTSFIELD A war museum is welcoming service members for breakfast this week. The Pike County All Wars Museum is having its monthly Coffee and Donuts for Veterans event from 9 to 11 a.m. Friday at 320 N. Illinois St. Jacksonville Police ACCIDENTS A 17-year-old girl was cited on a charge of failing to yield after her vehicle and one being driven by Pamela S. Gutzman, 50, of Waverly collided at 2:21 p.m. Monday in the 1000 block of East Morton Avenue. Gutzman was treated at Jacksonville Memorial Hospital, according to police. THEFTS, BURGLARIES Tools were stolen from a site in the 1700 block of Mound Avenue, according to a report filed at 11:40 a.m. Monday. A bicycle worth $275 was stolen Saturday or Sunday from outside a residence in the 700 block of East Chambers Street, according to a report filed at 10:49 a.m. Monday. VANDALISM Someone used markers to draw on the back windshield of a vehicle parked in the 600 block of North West Street, according to a report filed at 10:15 a.m. Monday. Brown County Sheriff ARRESTS, CITATIONS Kortni L. Dunlap, 25, of Winchester was cited at 1:14 p.m. Thursday on Main Street at Second Street in Versailles on charges of having no valid registration and operating a motor vehicle with suspended registration. Kylie R. Paben, 21, of Quincy was cited at 9:09 p.m. Thursday on a charge of operating a vehicle with suspended registration. James A. Jackson, age unavailable, of Jacksonville was cited at 7:30 p.m. Sunday on Illinois Route 99 at Hersman on a charge of driving while license is revoked or suspended. Pike County Sheriff ARRESTS, CITATIONS William H. Banks, 50, of Barry was booked into Pike County Jail at 8:14 p.m. Sunday on a charge of driving under the influence and on a warrant accusing him of failing to pay or appear in court on charges of theft and criminal damaging. Daniel A. Orf, 41, of Pittsfield was booked into Pike County Jail at 7:01 p.m. Saturday on a charge of driving while license is revoked or suspended. Ryan Retter, 39, of Bloomington was booked into Pike County Jail at 8:33 p.m. March 28 on a charge of driving while license is revoked or suspended. Karrie A. Waid, 46, of Perry was booked into Pike County Jail at 2:38 p.m. March 24 on a retail theft charge. Nicholas R. Lojek, 28, of Tawas City, Michigan, was booked into Pike County Jail at 3:32 p.m. March 28 on a charge of grooming. Pittsfield Police ARRESTS, CITATIONS Johnny L. Clesson, 40, of Bloomington was booked into Pike County Jail at 9:56 p.m. March 28 on a charge of possession of a controlled substance. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) Appearing Wednesday on Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' turf, California Gov. Gavin Newsom decried what he called a backward-looking conservative attempt to reshape education in the U.S. most notably at progressive institutions like New College of Florida. Newsom, a Democrat, met with more than a dozen students and faculty at a library near the New College campus in Sarasota as part of a tour of Republican-led states aimed at boosting fellow Democrats and criticizing what he said are GOP efforts to ban abortion, tread on LGBTQ+ rights, weaken civil and voting rights, and marginalize people of color. I cant believe what youre dealing with. Its just an unbelievable assault, Newsom said. Its common with everything hes doing, bullying and intimidating vulnerable communities. Weakness, Ron DeSantis, weakness masquerading as strength across the board. Newsom has frequently criticized DeSantis, even using some unspent campaign money for a television ad in Florida that urged people to move to California where we still believe in freedom. DeSantis once quipped that the carefully coiffed Newsom's hair gel is interfering with his brain function. Newsom also is mentioned as a potential future Democratic presidential candidate, a campaign that DeSantis is widely expected to launch on the GOP side for 2024 in the coming months. Newsom has said he wont run for president in 2024, when President Joe Biden will seek reelection. His term for governor ends in 2026, so he could run for president in 2028. Asked to comment on Wednesday's visit, DeSantis spokesperson Bryan Griffin said in an email that the Florida governor is focused on getting Floridas public institutions of higher learning refocused on academics and truth. Stunts from political opponents dont matter and have no effect. The overhaul of New College, a liberal arts school with about 700 students, began when DeSantis appointed a conservative majority to its board of trustees. The board replaced the school president with a DeSantis ally, former GOP House Speaker Richard Corcoran, and abolished its small office focused on diversity, equity and inclusion programs. More changes are expected to come. This is part of a broader effort led by DeSantis and a compliant GOP-majority Legislature to reshape education at various levels, including getting rid of university DEI programs, encouraging private school attendance by offering taxpayer-funded vouchers regardless of income, restricting and banning books, and limiting discussion of LGBTQ+ topics in class. DeSantis lumps all these and other issues into a category he has labeled woke that must be eliminated in what he calls the Free State of Florida. This week, Newsom and his family also visited a Black church in Mississippi, met with Democrats in Arkansas and toured a museum on the history of slavery in Alabama. The tour is part of Newsoms goal to reshape the Democratic partys message, which he believes has been too soft on Republicans in recent years. There's a word: freedom. Not coercion. Academic freedom," Newsom said. I'm just trying to wake people up. The New College students and faculty who attended the meeting talked about the fear and anxiety many feel about the conservative changes. Mitzi Escalante, a second-year sociology and psychology major, said students never expected to become part of a fierce political debate that would directly affect them. It just feels like we are a pawn, Escalante said. I just don't think education is something we should be weaponizing. It's just like a personal attack. Walter Gilbert, former head of the Sarasota NAACP branch, urged the students to continue protesting and making their voices heard as the trustees attempt to push through more changes. Sometimes you've got to go out there and hold a protest sign, said Gilbert, noting how long it took for Black people in once-segregated Sarasota to have the right to access local beaches. You've got to do it. _____ Associated Press writer Adam Beam contributed from Sacramento, California. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW YORK (AP) Follow along for live updates on former President Donald Trump, who surrendered Tuesday at a Manhattan courthouse to face arraignment on charges stemming from hush-money payments made during the 2016 campaign to bury allegations that he had extramarital sexual encounters. ___ What to know: Arraignment provides new detail on charges facing Trump Manhattan prosecutors release indictment The three hush money cases in Trump indictment Trump's day in court Small but chaotic crowd gathers near Manhattan courthouse TRUMP DEFIANT IN MAR-A-LAGO SPEECH Flanked by American flags, former President Donald Trump delivered a campaign-style speech to cheering supporters at Mar-a-Lago Tuesday night. Trump was defiant, referring, among other things, to his two impeachment trials during his presidency and an ongoing probe into alleged attempts to interfere in that states 2020 presidential election. He called the New York indictment the latest in an "onslaught of fraudulent investigations. This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election and it should be dropped immediately," Trump said. He also lashed out at the prosecutor and the judge presiding over the New York case despite being warned hours earlier by the judge to refrain from rhetoric that could cause civil unrest. Trump waved goodbye as he made his way out of the ballroom thronged by people recording the moment with their smartphones. The crowd included supporters like failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and longtime ally Roger Stone. ___ TRUMP RETURNS TO FLORIDA In a social media post from his plane on his flight home from New York, former President Donald Trump said that Tuesday's court hearing "was shocking to many in that they had no surprises, and therefore, no case. Virtually every legal pundit has said that there is no case here. There was nothing done illegally! Trump's plane has landed in Florida, and his motorcade headed to his Mar-a-Lago resort where hundreds of supporters, many in red MAGA hats, awaited him in a grand ballroom. Trump was expected to speak there in a campaign-like setting. One man wore a jacket patterned with star-shaped American flags, and another man wore a red tie with the message No Crime! Members of a motorcycle club sported black leather vests that read on the back Born To Ride for 45 Donald Trump. Trump was the 45th U.S. president. Alex Gonzalez, a motorcycle club member, said he supports Trump in his 2024 presidential bid. If he did something wrong, like anybody else, he should be held liable for it, but at the same time this is a witch hunt. This is not a real case, said Gonzalez. ___ MANHATTAN DA BRAGG DISCUSSES CHARGES Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg says his offices historic case against former President Donald Trump seeks to ensure that everyone stands equal before the law. No amount of money and no amount of power changes that enduring American principle, Bragg said. Bragg spoke to a room packed with reporters following Trumps arraignment Tuesday in a Manhattan courthouse on 34 felony charges tied to hush money paid to multiple people during the 2016 presidential campaign. The former president pleaded not guilty. Bragg, who took office in 2022 and initially slowed the offices move toward indicting Trump, said additional evidence not available to his predecessor led to moving forward now. He didnt elaborate on the evidence or how it came to prosecutors attention. I bring cases when theyre ready, Bragg said. ___ JUDGE WARNS TRUMP TO AVOID INFLAMING RHETORIC A New York judge warned former President Donald Trump to refrain from rhetoric that could inflame or cause civil unrest during Trumps arraignment Tuesday in Manhattan. Trump told Judge Juan Merchan that he pleaded not guilty, and the judge advised him of his rights. Merchan also warned Trump that he could be removed from the courtroom if he is disruptive, but Trump spoke only a few times to respond to questions. Hes next due in court in December. Trumps lawyers asked for him to be excused from attending the hearing in person because of extraordinary security precautions. The judge said he was not imposing a gag order at this point, but he asked both sides to refrain from comments that could lead to civil unrest. Trump stayed mostly still with his hands steepled or interlaced and looked ahead during the proceedings, which lasted just under an hour. ___ TRUMP LEAVES MANHATTAN COURTHOUSE Former President Donald Trump has left the Manhattan courthouse after his arraignment on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Trump did not answer a reporters shouted question about the charges as he quickly left the courtroom where the hearing was held. Trump spent about two hours inside the building for booking and the arraignment where he learned the details of the criminal charges he faces while running a third presidential campaign. ___ TRUMP PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO 34 FELONY COUNTS OF FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, according to two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter. The two officials who confirmed the plea spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because prosecutors had not yet released the indictment publicly. The charges stem from a hush-money payment during the 2016 campaign. Photos from the courtroom showed Trump sitting at the table reserved for defendants and their attorneys. His legal team surrounded him, two seated on each side of the former president. Trump leaned forward slightly, his shoulders rounded, but he didnt turn his face away from photographers given permission to be in the courtroom just before the hearing. ___ WHITE HOUSE REMAINING QUIET ON TRUMP CHARGES While the countrys attention was trained on the Manhattan courthouse where Donald Trump was being arraigned, the White House did its best Tuesday to suggest that it wasnt paying much attention. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that our focus right now is on the American people, and was noncommittal when asked whether President Joe Biden was following the news. He will catch part of the news when he has a moment to catch up on the news of the day, she said. But this is not a focus for him today. Jean-Pierre was similarly circumspect when asked about the potential for unrest over the prosecution of the former president, especially since Trump has called for protests. We are prepared, she said. Fox News Peter Doocy tried unsuccessfully to get Jean-Pierre to open up more. Why dont you have more to say about the Trump indictment? he asked. For better or worse, all that anybody in the country is talking about, at this exact moment while were in here, is Trump. And they look here to find out what the White House thinks about it. I think the American people should feel reassured that when there is an ongoing case like this one, that were just not commenting, Jean-Pierre said. But reporters didnt give up. I love how you guys are asking me this in different ways, Jean-Pierre joked. You guys are clever. ___ TRUMP ENTERS COURTROOM FOR ARRAIGNMENT Former President Donald Trump has entered the Manhattan courtroom where he is scheduled for arraignment on criminal charges stemming from a hush-money payment during his 2016 campaign. Trump reached the 15th floor courtroom about 70 minutes after he entered the courthouse to surrender and be booked ahead of the hearing. Trump did not acknowledge a television camera sending live images from the hallway outside the courtroom. Judge Juan Merchan has ruled that TV cameras will not be allowed in the courtroom. Trumps attorneys have said he will plead not guilty. ___ MANHATTAN DA ENTERS COURTROOM Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has entered the courtroom where former President Donald Trump is scheduled for arraignment on criminal charges stemming from a hush-money payment during his 2016 campaign. Trump has not yet been seen on the 15th floor where the hearing is supposed to take place. Wearing a navy blue suit and a bright red tie, Trump entered the courthouse around 12:20 p.m. to surrender on the charges and be processed before the hearing. ___ TRUMP ARRIVES AT MANHATTAN COURTHOUSE Former President Donald Trump has arrived at the Manhattan courthouse where he is expected to plead not guilty to criminal charges. He entered the courthouse surrounded by Secret Service agents. Trumps motorcade traveled from Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan, tracked by numerous helicopters. ___ TRUMP LEAVES NEW YORK HOME Former President Donald Trump pumped his fist and waved before leaving Trump Tower shortly after 1 p.m. Tuesday, bound for the Manhattan courthouse nearly 4 miles (6 kilometers) away. Trumps attorneys have arranged for his surrender. He will be booked at the courthouse, not at a police precinct as most New York defendants are. Court officials will create a record of his name, age, birthdate, height and weight before taking his fingerprints via a computerized system. They may take his photo. ___ FLORIDA LAWMAKER PLEDGES TO KEEP SUPPORTING TRUMP A former Florida state lawmaker said he and others drove from Orlando to New York in time for Tuesday's hearing to send a message to former President Donald Trump: We won't stop supporting you. Anthony Sabatini, chair of Florida's Lake County Republican Party, joined other Trump supporters in a park near the Manhattan courthouse where Trump's arraignment was to be held. "It's a bad day for America, one of the worst days in American history, he said. The mood among Trump supporters, though, was positive, Sabatini said. He credited New York police officers with keeping people separated based on their motivation in support of Trump or in support of his indictment. ___ GREENE SPEAKS BRIEFLY AMID SHOUTS Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene briefly rallied supporters of Donald Trump outside the Manhattan courthouse Tuesday morning ahead of the former presidents arraignment. After she exited an SUV, a large crowd surrounded the Georgia Republican, once shunned by the GOP as a political pariah for her extremist rhetoric. She made her way through a park where hundreds of onlookers and journalists gathered and used a bullhorn to speak briefly. It was difficult to hear her comments in the crowd. In video of the remarks, Greene thanked patriotic Trump supporters who are here today." She called Republicans the party of peace and called Democrats the party of violence. Greene then made a fast exit. It was unclear whether she would return. In an interview posted online, Greene said she planned to speak with media from a car and accused counter-protesters of assault for blowing whistles and shouting as she spoke. New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Monday said his message for Greene was that she should be on your best behavior. Greene blasted Adams for calling me out by name. As you can see, I'm standing here peacefully protesting, she said. ___ GEORGE SANTOS JOINS TRUMP SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE COURTHOUSE George Santos, the besieged Republican congressman facing multiple investigations into lies he told while running for office, joined the growing crowd of people gathered outside the Manhattan courthouse ahead of former President Donald Trumps arraignment. Santos told The Associated Press that he didnt plan to go inside the courthouse but came to support the president. I want to support the president, just because I think this is unprecedented, and its a bad day for democracy, Santos said. Whats to stop the next prosecutor in two years from doing the same thing to Joe Biden and moving on every four years? So this makes bad precedent legally. And it makes, it cheapens the judicial system, and its not good for America. Santos has rejected calls for his resignation, including some from members of his own party. He demurred Tuesday when asked if he hopes Trump will continue to back him in return for the show of support. Im not here for that, he said. ___ RALLY FOR TRUMP People began gathering Tuesday morning for a rally for Donald Trump in a park outside the courthouse where the former president is scheduled to be arraigned. The rally with Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was scheduled to start several hours ahead of Trumps court appearance. Some anti-Trump protesters also appeared, unfurling a large banner saying Trump Lies All the Time. Trump supporters also are expected expected to gather at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida on Tuesday night as he returns. ___ PROSECUTOR ARRIVES Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg arrived at court Tuesday morning in New York ahead of former President Donald Trump's arraignment. Bragg became Manhattans first Black district attorney in 2022, following his election the previous November. He inherited a yearslong grand jury investigation into hush money paid on Trumps behalf during his 2016 presidential campaign. After taking office, Bragg slowed his offices move toward an indictment of Trump and said he had concerns about the strength of the case. That sparked a public protest by two prosecutors who were leading the investigation and resigned. But Bragg convened a new grand jury this year after convicting Trumps family company for tax fraud. He called that result a strong demarcation line for proceeding with other parts of the probe. ___ TRUMP ATTORNEY: NO GUILTY PLEA' Trump attorney Joe Tacopina said the former president's appearance in court for Tuesdays arraignment would be brief because the processing does not take long. It wont be a long day in court, he said on ABCs Good Morning America." "We know the basis of the indictment and the factual allegations in the indictment, Tacopina said, adding that Trump would maintain his innocence. One thing I can assure you as I sit here today: Therell be no guilty plea in this case. Thats one thing I can guarantee you, he said. Tacopina appeared to predict that the case would ultimately be dismissed. I dont think this case is going to see a juror, he said. I think theres a legal challenge that will be made and should be made successfully. ___ SPECTATORS LINE UP Spectators, many of them members of the news media, lined up overnight to get a seat inside the courtroom, or even just a glimpse of Trump, who wasnt expected until Tuesday afternoon. The building was surrounded by barricades, and people were undergoing layers of security checks. The reporters waiting in line were camped out under tents with lawn chairs, blankets and pizza boxes. The nations 45th commander in chief was expected to be escorted from Trump Tower which was also surrounded by barricades to a lower Manhattan courthouse by the Secret Service. Police braced for protests from supporters of Trump, a Republican who is running for the White House again in 2024. He called the decision by a grand jury to indict him political persecution and election interference at the highest level. Prosecutors investigated money paid to porn actor Stormy Daniels and ex-Playboy model Karen McDougal to keep the women from going public with claims that they had sex with him. Here's everything we know about live-action Lilo & Stitch so far, including the recently announced cast REX/Shutterstock Disney's latest live-action remake is underway, and this one is on island time! Lilo & Stitch, the 2002 animated movie from Walt Disney Feature Animation, is the next fan-favorite film to get an adaptation that swaps its beloved cartoon characters with real-life counterparts. The Hollywood Reporter was the first to reveal that the Hawaii-centric story's live-action remake was in the works in February 2018, but very few details were confirmed at the time. Five years later, its leads have been announced. Lilo & Stitch is the latest Disney film to get the animation-to-live-action treatment, following Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Aladdin, and Mulan. Disney is also working on a live-action update of Bambi, The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan and most recently, Moana. Related:Disney in Talks with Crazy Rich Asians Director Jon M. Chu for Live-Action Lilo & Stitch Star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson recently announced the news on Instagram. "Deeply humbled to announce we're bringing the beautiful story of MOANA to the live action big screen!" he wrote. "This story is my culture, and this story is emblematic of our people's grace, mana and warrior strength," he continued in part. Here's everything we know about the live-action Lilo & Stitch so far, including the stars cast in the titular roles. What will the live-action Lilo & Stitch be about? Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection According to an official film synopsis, Lilo and Stitch "tells a story of the bond formed between a lonely human girl named Lilo and a dog-like alien named Stitch, who was genetically engineered to be a force of destruction. With nosy social workers and pursuing aliens banging on the door, the two bond over a shared sense of family and win the day." Further plot details are to be announced at a later date. Related:Everything to Know About 'Peter Pan & Wendy' Who is in the live-action Lilo & Stitch cast? Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic Zach Galifianakis was the first to join the cast in February 2023. Details of his actual role have been kept under wraps, though The Wrap reported that he is voicing the character of Pleakley. Story continues Joining Galifianakis in the titular role of Lilo is Maia Kealoha. The Hawaiian newcomer was selected and announced in March 2023 after the studio conducted a wide search for the actors to play Lilo and her older sister. Deadline compared Kealoha's casting to that of Hawaii-born Auli'i Cravalho, saying it is "reminiscent" of the then-newcomer who was selected to voice the lead character from the fictional island of Motunui in 2016's Moana. Recently, Sydney Elizabeth Agudong joined the cast as Nani, Lilo's sister, while newcomer Kahiau Machado will be playing David Kawena, Nani's love interest and Lilo's friend, per THR. Who is directing the live-action Lilo & Stitch? REX/Shutterstock Family-friendly director Dean Fleischer Camp, the filmmaker behind indie darling Marcel the Shell With Shoes On, has been nabbed to helm the project while Hawaii native Chris Kekaniokalani Bright is in final negotiations to pen the script. Related:'Peter Pan & Wendy' Trailer: See Jude Law's Captain Hook, Yara Shahidi's Tinker Bell and More When will the live-action Lilo & Stitch be released? No release date has been set for the live-action Lilo & Stitch remake. THR notes the film to be a tentpole feature for Disney+, though it's unclear whether it will have a theatrical release as well. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate It happened to Serena Williams. It recently happened to my friend Stephanie Rivera, the CEO of Lazarex Cancer Foundation. Its also happened to me. Its medical gaslighting dismissing, downplaying or not believing patients when they share their symptoms in a healthcare setting. This is a far more common experience for women than men, and it is necessary to talk about it so we can ignite change. It seems like the most common response to addressing womens health and disparities is to focus on boosting awareness and education among women about risk factors, screening options and early detection. Theres no question this is important work. Ive committed my life to it. But putting the responsibility on women to address the issue of medical gaslighting isnt fair or right, and it won't solve this problem. This is definitely one thing we can and are taking off the plate of the women patients of the world by agreeing that the healthcare industry needs to increase its awareness about how it fails to listen to women when they share their symptoms and stories. There needs to be a conscious raising among medical practitioners to identify their unconscious biases and adopt active practices that permit women to be heard, diagnosed and fairly treated. The data are abundantly clear theres room for growth in this area. Seventy-two percent of women say theyve experienced medical gaslighting. Seventeen percent of women say they have been ignored, dismissed, or felt like they had to prove their symptoms to doctors. Twenty-five percent to 37% of patients of color were less likely to receive appropriate treatments for blood clots, suggesting even greater effects of medical gaslighting for women of color. This isnt just about making female patients feel heard although that is important. Gaslighting minimizes women, making them feel less than and directly affecting their health, health outcomes and exacerbating health disparities. When healthcare providers downplay their symptoms or delay treating them, women pay the price, with their conditions often not getting discovered until the late stages. There is an abundance of data showcasing this: When it comes to cancer care, women are twice as likely as men to report symptoms five or more times before theyre diagnosed. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States and can affect any age. But doctors continue to miss it in women, leading to late diagnoses or preventable deaths. Womens symptoms are often attributed to stress, hormones or depression. And it takes, on average, 10 years for women to be diagnosed with endometriosis because doctors dont recognize the condition or know how to treat it. Women make up 50% of the U.S. population, and we must acknowledge that its time to do better. Think about a woman you love your mother, partner, sister, aunt, friend or neighbor. Start with how you want them to be treated when theyre in pain or struggling, and then ask if thats how you treat all patients. If youre a healthcare provider who wants to try something new, grow in this area and be part of a solution. Take a course on unconscious and implicit bias. Read books and listen to podcasts on the subject. Investigate and read more studies on the various ways cardiovascular disease, cancer, endometriosis and more are presenting in women. Read firsthand accounts from women describing what gaslighting looks and feels like so you can better recognize it. Conduct surveys of your patients to determine how heard they feel. Listening to and believing women is critically important. Its time to double down and ensure women patients feel seen, heard and adequately treated. Chocolate Easter bunny and eggs on rustic background How do your Easter chocolates rank? Credit - Getty Images/iStockphoto When it comes to health, chocolate is something of a mixed baga little bit of dark chocolate every day is good for the heart, but too much of the creamy, sugary kind is bad for both arteries and waistline. Chocolates impact on the planet is equally tangled. The $128 billion-a year chocolate industry has long been synonymous with unfair labor practices, deforestation, and biodiversity loss, but is also a major source of income for the West African nations of Ghana and Cote dIvoire, which, combined, produce three quarters of the worlds cocoa. Both countries have lost most of their forest cover over the past 60 years, and cocoa plantations are responsible for approximately a third of those losses. Boycotting chocolate is not the answer, says Amourlaye Toure, the Ivorian human rights and climate advocate for West Africa at Mighty Earth, an environmental NGO based in Washington, D.C. A chocolate ban would result in a crisis in the cocoa sector, throwing millions of impoverished farmers into greater despair. Instead, he says, consumers should seek out sustainably produced chocolate. But when 40% of the worlds chocolate is completely untraceable, its hard to make the right choice. Enter the Chocolate Scorecard, an annual assessment of the worlds major chocolatiers conducted by a consortium of international academics and 37 civil society groups including those from cocoa growing nations. The consortium ranks the 56 producers responsible for 95% of the worlds chocolate on the basis of deforestation and climate, traceability, labor rights, and sustainable farming practices. Released every spring just before chocolate bunny season, a.k.a. Easter, the scorecard is denominated by color-coded eggsgreen for good, yellow for improving, orange for trying, and red for needs to catch up to the rest of the industry. Total scores are aggregated into similarly color-coded bunnies. The scorecards ranking system, says Toure, who worked on the rankings, addresses the most pernicious aspects of the cocoa industry. Governments, traders, producers, chocolate companies, and civil society must all work together to improve traceability and transparency in the industry. Only then will we be able to end deforestation in cocoa supply chains and improve livelihoods for farmers. Story continues This year Dutch company Original Beans came out on top with a good egg in every category, closely followed by their Dutch compatriots Tonys Chocolonely, which got its start as one of the worlds first slavery free chocolate bars 20 years ago. Lindt & Sprungli, the Swiss company behind the ubiquitous gold foil-wrapped milk chocolate easter bunnies, received a yellow egg for traceability and transparency, but an orange one for deforestation and climate. Several of the worlds largest chocolate makers, including Nestle, Mars-Wrigley, and Hershey, improved on their scores from last year to yellow-bunny status, proof, perhaps, that public rankings are having an impact. More from TIME To a certain extent at leastMondelez (Cadbury), Unilever, General Mills, Tesco, Walmart, and Whole Foods were awarded broken eggs for failing to take part in this years cocoa sustainability survey at all. We believe that all companies selling chocolate products should be able to provide the information requested in the survey, wrote the Chocolate Scorecards team in their methodology paper. Consumers and investors have a right to be informed about the conditions under which chocolate is produced. It appears that some companies agree: one of last years cracked eggs, Godiva, attained orange bunny status this year. Considering the fact that chocolate ranks just behind beef, lamb, and dairy when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions from food, not including carbon reduction efforts in the company assessments feels like a wasted opportunity. But overall, the Chocolate Scorecard earns a green bunny for helping to untangle chocolates complicated tradeoffs. Youngkin to meet with Taiwans leader during trade mission View Photo RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin will lead his first international trade mission later this month, a trip to Asia that will include a meeting with the president of Taiwan, his office said Tuesday. From April 24 through April 29, Youngkin and the Virginia delegation accompanying him will visit Taipei, Taiwan; Tokyo; and Seoul, South Korea. In addition to meeting President Tsai Ing-wen, Youngkin will meet government officials, strategic business associations, company executives and industry leaders, his office said. Im excited to represent the Commonwealth in my first trade mission to Asia that will focus on economic development opportunities, our shared priorities and national security, Youngkin said in a statement. Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea represent critical markets that will advance economic growth and prosperity in Virginia. In strengthening these relationships, we are not only reaffirming our commitment to our allies but also strengthening the spirit of Virginia and America. The visit by Youngkin, who has not publicly ruled out a presidential bid, comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory and treats dealings between American and Taiwanese officials as a challenge. Youngkins trade mission was announced one day ahead of an expected meeting between Tsai and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles while Tsai returns home after a tour of Taiwans remaining diplomatic allies in Latin America. Youngkin has recently taken an increasingly hard line against China. He disclosed in January that he scuttled an effort by Virginia to land a large electric vehicle battery plant, an initiative between Ford Motor Co. and a Chinese company that is setting up in Michigan instead. The governors administration labeled the project a front for the Chinese Communist Party that would raise national security concerns. He also celebrated the passage of several bills during the recent legislative session that aimed to address the threat from China, including a measure that would prohibit foreign adversaries from purchasing or otherwise acquiring agricultural land. That Youngkin waited so long into his term which began in January 2022 to embark on an international trade mission is somewhat unusual. The Washington Post reported in December that he was the first governor in nearly 30 years not to lead such a trip in his first year in office. His press office said at the time that he would only undertake such trips if necessary and noted that Youngkin, a former private equity executive, had lured major new businesses to the state, including Boeing and Lego. Virginia is home to scores of companies from the countries Youngkin will visit: five from Taiwan, 133 from Japan, and 25 from South Korea, according to his office. The trip will be Youngkins first to Asia as governor. By SARAH RANKIN Associated Press Thai police say Chinese church members to be deported soon View Photo BANGKOK (AP) More than 60 self-exiled members of a Chinese Christian church who were detained in Thailand after receiving U.N. refugee status will be deported by next week, probably to a third country, officials said Wednesday. Deputy national police chief Surachate Hakparn said representatives of Thailands Foreign Ministry and Immigration Bureau were holding talks with the U.N. Refugee Agency and the U.S. Embassy to discuss the fate of the 63 members of the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church who were taken to court in the coastal city of Pattaya last Friday. Within the next week, they will definitely be deported. What we dont know is which country they will be deported to, Surachate told The Associated Press. The members of the church, also known as the Mayflower Church, were granted refugee status by the U.N. agency after their arrival in Thailand last year. They say they faced unbearable harassment in China and are seeking asylum in the United States. Prior to their arrival in Thailand, the church members had fled to South Koreas Jeju island in October 2019 and stayed there for nearly three years, but decided to leave as it became clear that prospects for refuge there were dim. An Immigration Bureau official with knowledge of Wednesdays multi-agency discussions said the Thai authorities would find a way for the church members to be sent to a third country. The Immigration Bureau will continue to take care of them on humanitarian grounds in the meantime, said the official, who spoke on the condition he not be identified because he is not authorized to speak to the media. The church members expected to be released after being arrested and fined last week for overstaying their visas. Instead, they were driven by bus from Pattaya to a police detention facility in Bangkok for what a police officer said was normal processing. Surachate said the church members have been separated, with the mothers and children about half the group sent to the Immigration Bureaus care facility in northern Bangkok, while the others were being kept in the bureaus main detention center in central Bangkok. As the group was being driven to Bangkok, the church members forced the buses to temporarily stop when they suspected they were headed to Bangkoks international airport for repatriation to China, where they fear persecution. Human Rights Watch issued a statement on Saturday urging the Thai government not to deport the group due to the grave dangers facing Christians back in China. In its annual report last year, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom said the Chinese Communist Party requires religious groups to support its rule and political objectives, including by altering their religious teachings to conform with the partys ideology and policy. Both registered and unregistered religious groups and individuals who run afoul of the CCP face harassment, detention, arrest, imprisonment, and other abuses, the commission said. Surachate said the church members had overstayed their visas by about half a year by the time they were found by police. He said they were arrested as a result of a recent crackdown following growing reports of crimes involving Chinese citizens. He said Thailand has a principle of not allowing people seeking refuge to stay in the country. Thailand did not ratify the 1951 U.N. Refugee Convention and does not have any law addressing refugee status. Principally, we will not let them stay in Thailand, otherwise people from all over the world would come to Thailand, Surachate said. You see, they were in South Korea for years and did not receive the UNHCR paper. They did within just four months of arriving here. Thailand has frequently granted shelter to people from neighboring countries fleeing war. However, not everyone is tolerated. In 2015, Thailand sent 109 members of the Muslim Uyghur minority back to China against their will despite fears they would face official persecution and possible torture. ___ This story corrects that background on international and Thai laws was not mentioned by Surachate. By JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI Associated Press Biden to visit Ireland, mark Good Friday accord anniversary View Photo WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland next week in part to help mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday accord, a U.S.-brokered agreement that helped end decades of deadly sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. Biden will first visit Belfast, Northern Ireland, which is part of the U.K., from April 11-12 to mark progress since the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement was signed a quarter century ago and to underscore U.S. readiness to support Northern Irelands economic potential, the White House said. Biden will then spend April 12-14 in the Republic of Ireland, holding engagements in Dublin, County Louth and County Mayo, where he will deliver an address celebrating the deep, historic ties between the United States and Ireland, the White House said. The president will address Irelands version of parliament on April 13 and attend a festival in County Mayo on April 14, where he could also deliver remarks, said U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby. Signed on April 10, 1998 which was Good Friday the landmark accord helped end three decades of sectarian violence over the issue of Northern Ireland uniting with Ireland or remaining in the United Kingdom. The anniversary is being marked with celebration that peace has endured, but concern about entrenched divisions and political instability. And the specter of violence has not wholly disappeared last month U.K. intelligence services raised the terrorism threat level for Northern Ireland from substantial to severe. Asked last month whether the heightened terrorism threat level would affect his plans to visit, Biden, who is proud of his Irish heritage and has long wanted to visit Ireland, said it would not. No, they cant keep me out, he said. The agreement has come under increasing stress following the U.K.s exit from the European Union. A recent accord known as the Windsor Framework between the U.K. and the EU addresses some of the issues that arose around commerce and goods that cross the Irish Sea from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. Biden, who will be making his first visit to both countries as president, recently praised the Windsor Framework as an important step in maintaining the peace accord, though Northern Irelands political leaders have called for changes. Its a vital, vital step and thats going to help ensure all the people in Northern Ireland have an opportunity to realize their full potential, Biden said of the framework during remarks at a Capitol Hill luncheon on St. Patricks Day. Biden introduced himself to the luncheon audience as a descendent of the Blewitts of County Mayo and the Finnegans of County Louth, referencing his paternal and maternal ancestors. I, like all of you, take pride in my Irish ancestry, he said. And as long as I can remember, its been sort of part of my soul. Biden hosted Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in the Oval Office and at a White House reception on St. Patricks Day, a tradition that had been scuttled in recent years by the coronavirus pandemic. Varadkar promised Biden would have a jolly good time in Ireland. I promise you that were going to roll out the red carpet, and its going to be a visit like no other, Varadkar told Biden in the Oval Office. Everyone is excited about it already. Were going to have great crowds who would love to see you. The last U.S. president to visit Belfast was Barack Obama in 2013. By COLLEEN LONG and DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press Walkin West is a new television show that will debut on KVIE Sacramento (PBS) tonight. The show is hosted by a long time resident of Tuolumne County. Steve Weldon, the host of Walkin West, was Wednesdays Newsmaker of the Day. We have four shows ready for air, said Weldon. We will begin tonight with an exploratory hike and a rock climb in Joshua Tree National Park. Walkin West is about getting out of the office and off the couch and exploring all the diversity that the western half of the United States has to offer. We will take you from your living room to mountain streams, alpine meadows, and the beauty of the great outdoors at its best, said Weldon. We will walk through well known National Parks and showcase some of the best natural destinations in the West! When asked if he wants to try to become the next Huell Howser (the late legendary host of PBS shows that showcased California), Weldon said, No. Not at all. I dont want to try to emulate or impersonate the late Howser. Howser prided himself on being a reporter. Im trying to put a different light on showcasing the great outdoors of the western United States. Im much more of an explorer and an entertainer. Weldon has lived in Tuolumne County California since 2000. Weldon previously hosted a show called Walkin California, which aired before the Coronavirus pandemic. That show was distributed nationally to PBS stations and was broadcast in twenty-six different states. Walkin West is sponsored by Visit Tuolumne County and the Chicken Ranch Tribe of Me-Wuk Indians. Episode #1 will air tonight, Wednesday April 5th, at 7 PM on KVIE. It will re-air on Friday April 7th at 4 PM, Saturday April 8th at 7:30 AM, and on Sunday April 9th at 6:30 PM. Episode #2 (which will explore the southern end of Yosemite National Park) will air at a later date. If you dont have a television set or cannot view KVIE on TV, you can watch the show online at kvie.org at the times listed above and click Watch Live. The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML. Adventist Health Sonora View Photo Sonora, CA Adventist Health Sonora (AHS) has been named one of the top 100 rural hospitals for this year. AHS was one of three California hospitals honored with the 2023 Top 100 Rural & Community Hospital bestowed by the Chartis Center for Rural Health. The other two were Marshall Medical Center in Placerville and Sutter Amador Hospital in Jackson. The annual award is based on the centers INDEX, which analyzes eight performance measures, like quality and patient perspectives. We strive to provide the very best care for our community because our patients are our family members, friends and neighbors, says Michelle Fuentes, President of Adventist Health Sonora. It is our honor to provide high-quality care for our community, and I am proud of our brilliant team for receiving this recognition. The INDEX is the industrys most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance, say AHS officials, adding that hospitals making the list excel at achieving higher quality and better outcomes while increasing patient satisfaction. The list of hospitals and more information on the recognition program can be found by clicking here. ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Turkey has closed its airspace to flights to and from an airport in Kurdish-administered northern Iraq, a top Turkish official announced Wednesday, citing an alleged increase in Kurdish militant activity threatening flight safety. The airspace was closed Monday to flights taking off from and landing at Suleimaniyah International Airport, in northern Iraqs semi-autonomous Kurdish region, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tanju Bilgic said. The closure was a response to an alleged increase in the activities of the banned Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, in the city of Suleimaniyah, including its infiltration of the airport, Bilgic said in a written statement. Bilgic said the Turkish airspace would remain closed until July 3, when Turkish authorities would review the security situation. The decision comes weeks after two helicopters crashed in northern Iraq, killing Kurdish militants who were on board. The incident fueled claims that the PKK was in possession of helicopters, infuriating Turkish authorities. The main U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led force in northeastern Syria later said it lost nine fighters, including a commander, in the crash, which occurred during bad weather on a flight to Suleimaniyah. The nine included elite fighters who were in Iraq as part of an exchange of expertise in the fight against the Islamic State group, according to a group known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF. Suleimaniyah International Airport director Handren al Mufti said the airport received an email from Turkish Airlines on April 3 saying its flights that day and the next were canceled. A subsequent email extended the flight suspension until April 11, Mufti said. He said airport officials received no response when they asked why the action was taken. I can assure everyone that we have no security issues at all, and not a single incident of security breach occurred inside the airport, but apparently there are other purposes behind their decision, Mufti said. Turkish Airlines flew twice daily from Istanbul to Suleimaniyah. The PKK has waged an insurgency against Turkey since the 1980s and is considered a terrorist group by Ankara, the United States and the European Union. Its members have established safe havens in northern Iraq and frequently come under attack by Turkey in the region. Turkey also considers a Syrian Kurdish militant group, which forms the backbone of the SDF, as a terrorist organization. The United States however, distinguishes between the PKK and SDF and doesnt consider the SDF a terrorist group. The helicopter crash also fed into a local rivalry between the two main Kurdish parties in Iraq. Officials from the Kurdish Democratic Party, which has maintained largely good relations with Turkey, alleged after the crash that the helicopters had been originally purchased by the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party, which has its stronghold in Suleimaniyah, and that they had been flying without permission from the regional government. __ Associated Press writer Salar Salim contributed from Baghdad. By SUZAN FRASER Associated Press US rolls out funding for wildlife crossings along busy roads View Photo SANTA ANA PUEBLO, N.M. (AP) Native American tribes, as well as state and local governments, will be able to tap into $350 million in infrastructure funds to build wildlife corridors along busy roads and add warning signs for drivers in what federal officials are billing as the first-of-its-kind pilot program to prevent collisions and improve habitat connectivity. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg rolled out more details about the program during a visit to Santa Ana Pueblo on Tuesday. Wildlife managers with the New Mexico tribe have been tracking mountain lions, elk and other animals across tens of thousands of acres in north-central New Mexico and have documented casualties along busy highways that cut through tribal boundaries. Buttigieg visited one of the culverts under Interstate 25 near the pueblo that serves a migratory byway for animals that travel between the high desert mountain ranges that border tribal land and the cottonwood and willow forests along the Rio Grande. He called it a great example, saying the safety solution needed in one location, like a busy crosswalk in the middle of a dense metropolitan area, is different from what is needed in an area where there are so many conflict points between traffic and wildlife. Whether youre talking about the broader effects on climate that come with what we do or dont do on everything from transit alternatives to the very design of our roads, all that is at stake in good transportation policy, he said, adding that not all the answers need to come from Washington, just more of the funding. Nationwide, about 200 people are killed each year in collisions involving wildlife and vehicles, federal officials said. Buttigieg said launching the pilot program marks an important step to prevent deadly crashes, particularly in rural areas. In New Mexico, he said, theres an average of about 900 crashes per year that involve wildlife. The dedicated funding includes more than $111 million for the first round of grants that will be issued this year. Federal officials said the program will open the door for communities that may not have previously had access to money for such projects. Many Western states including Colorado, Arizona, Utah and Nevada have already invested substantially in wildlife crossings and in recent years, have adopted legislation that advocates say will allow them to capture millions of dollars in federal matching funds to build the crossings. California is among the Western states with new legislation. It broke ground last year on what it bills as the worlds largest crossing a bridge over a major Southern California highway for mountain lions and other animals hemmed in by urban sprawl. New Mexico also joined the effort when lawmakers passed legislation this spring to set aside $100 million for conservation projects. That includes building the states first wildlife highway overpasses for free-roaming cougars, black bears, bighorn sheep and other creatures. The massive federal infrastructure law amounts to the largest investment in road and bridges in a generation. Its also the largest single sum ever allocated to address vehicle-wildlife collisions a problem that stretches back nearly a century, when the government first began funding the construction of highways. Technological advances have helped wildlife managers and public safety officials in some states identify the best locations for crossings, and where they can make the biggest difference for both wildlife and motorists. At Santa Ana Pueblo, managers have been busy collaring mountain lions, bear, elk and other species as part of a long-term effort aimed at restoring wildlife and habitat across more than 70,000 acres (28,330 hectares) of varying terrain. The price tag has stretched into the millions and has produced more than one quarter of a million GPS location points, said Glenn Harper, the pueblos range and wildlife division manager. That data has helped to create maps showing where animals want to be on the landscape and where they want to cross. However, Harper said even more data will need to be collected over the next year in hopes of landing more funding for the wildlife crossing work. At one point, managers thought they had more than a dozen lions crossing through pueblo lands. That included one named Squeaks that traveled more than 550 miles (885 kilometers) from Santa Ana to Mesa Verde National Park and Ute Mountain Ute tribal lands in southern Colorado in search for a new home range. U.S. Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury, a New Mexico Democrat, pointed to the lions journey, saying safe passage for animals and the development of more crossings will have as much of an impact on cultural heritage and the creation of climate refuges as it will on safety. What were seeing is wildlife moving into new areas, she said, and so projects like this will help wildlife reconnect on the land to historic spaces and the spaces that will sustain them ecologically as theyre facing climate change. By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN Associated Press Ex-Infowars employee who stormed Capitol gets home detention View Photo A Texas man who worked for conspiracy theorist Alex Jones website, Infowars, was sentenced on Wednesday to four months of home detention for joining a mobs attack on the U.S. Capitol. Samuel Montoya, 37, was employed as a video editor for Infowars when he stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and captured footage of a police officer fatally shooting a rioter, Ashli Babbitt. Before a judge announced his sentence, Montoya called himself a member of the media and said he regrets his approach to filming and reporting on the events that day. Nothing like what happened at the Capitol that day should ever take place again, Montoya said. I truly hope my apology offers a bit of closure to my fellow countrymen as we recover and heal together. U.S. District Judge John Bates said Montoya doesnt get a free pass just because he considered himself a journalist. He was more than just a reporter, the judge said before sentencing Montoya. He was not just an observer. He was a participant. Montoya pleaded guilty in November to one count of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building, a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in prison. Prosecutors recommended sentencing Montoya to 45 days of imprisonment. Bates instead sentenced Montoya to 3 years of probation, including 120 days of home detention and 60 hours of community service, and ordered him to pay a $1,500 fine plus $500 in restitution. The judge said it was a close call in deciding to spare him from incarceration. A video that Montoya recorded for Infowars showed him celebrating the attack and joining other rioters in breaking through a line of police officers in the Capitols Crypt. Were storming! he said. Montoya invoked his participation in the riot when he mounted an unsuccessful congressional campaign in the 35th district of Texas last year. His campaign website was capitolsam.com and included a section called Arrest and Political Persecution. Two days after the riot, Montoya appeared on an Infowars show hosted by Owen Shroyer and described the scene of Babbitts shooting. The officer shot Babbitt, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran from San Diego, as she climbed through a broken door leading into the House Speakers lobby. The officer was cleared of wrongdoing by both federal prosecutors and Capitol police. Montoya was arrested in April 2021. Shroyer also was arrested on Capitol riot-related charges. The case against Shroyer hasnt been resolved. Infowars founder and host Alex Jones claimed he told Montoya to stay in Texas to work on the sites broadcasts while Jones and others went to Washington, D.C., for the Stop the Steal rally on Jan. 6, according to prosecutors. Jones said that Montoya went to D.C. on his own, and that Jones had instructed his staff not to go inside the U.S. Capitol, Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Loeb wrote in a court filing. Jones used Infowars to promote former President Donald Trumps baseless claims of election fraud. Jones hasnt been charged with any Jan. 6-related crimes. In October, a Connecticut jury ordered Jones and his company, Free Speech System, to pay nearly $1 billion in damages to compensate families of children and educators killed in the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The families said Jones broadcast lies about the school shooting that subjected them to harassment and threats. Jones company hired Montoya in 2018. He was laid off in November after the company filed for bankruptcy, according to his attorney. Approximately 1,000 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Jan. 6 riot. More than 600 of them have pleaded guilty or been convicted after trials decided by a jury or judge. Roughly 450 have been sentenced, with over half getting terms of imprisonment ranging from seven days to 10 years. ___ Follow the APs coverage of the Capitol riot at https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Associated Press Zakaria Mustafa started memorizing the Qur'an when he was six years old and knew the whole book by heart by 10. (Submitted by Zakaria Mustafa - image credit) Every Ramadan, Muslims have a goal of deepening their relationship with the Qur'an, spending more time reciting the holy book and pondering its teachings. Most Muslims have learned some of its 6,236 verses 604 pages by heart, reading the Arabic words when they stand in prayer. But some have mastered the difficult task of committing all of it to memory, earning them the title "hafiz." CBC met some of those in Ottawa who've reached this challenging but rewarding goal. Submitted by Zakaria Mustafa Zakaria Mustafa, 15 Zakaria Mustafa memorized the entire holy book, down to how each page starts all by the age of 10. "My parents wanted me to finish [memorizing] the Qur'an at a young age," he said. "But for me, I just wanted to memorize something new because memorization was fun." Mustafa said he started considering the idea seriously at about six years old, beginning with just 10 verses a day. When that became easy, he started memorizing entire pages. At the height of his study, he was memorizing five pages a day. "Most of the time, it was actually my mum who helped me review," he said. It's like planting a tree and people eating from it. - Zakaria Mustafa, 15 Because of his knowledge of the Qur'an, Mustafa was tapped in 2019 to lead Taraweeh prayers at Ottawa Islamic School during Ramadan. This Ramadan, he is again leading prayers for both his peers and people much older than he is. He's also teaching his own students the Qur'an. "I get why Shaykh [my teacher] says he's tired all the time now. Teaching can be hard sometimes," Mustafa reflected. But when he reflects on what it means to know the Qur'an and to be teaching it as a teenager, his focus is the spiritual reward. "It's like planting a tree and people eating from it," Mustafa said. Halima Sogbesan/CBC Mahdi Abd, 55 Mustafa accomplished this goal thanks to his teacher Imam Mahdi Abd, whose path to memorization began a bit later than his student's, when he was 18. With conflict ongoing in his home country of Iraq, it took 10 years of juggling school, work and family duties before Abd knew every page of the book by heart. Story continues Despite those hurdles, he found motivation to keep learning from a group of friends and a promise of reward from God. "Allah Almighty gives [memorizers] the highest level of placement in paradise," Abd explained. Halima Sogbesan/CBC Since 1999, Abd, who's also known in the community as Abu Kudus, has helped more than 100 students recite the Qur'an better. He's also taught the Qur'an in all the places he's called home including Iraq, Syria and since 2008, Ottawa. Submitted by Mahdi Abd Here, Abd is considered a leading scholar of the book. That's in part because he's certified in the 10 qiraat or styles of reciting the Qur'an, and so can teach people of all cultures in a way that is familiar to them. "That's why I'm known in the city," said Abd. "People come to me and I can teach them when nobody can." Many of Abd's students can read Arabic, but don't understand it a challenge when they're learning a book whose message is written in classical Arabic. Halima Sogbesan/CBC Yumna Nummer, 22 Growing up, the Qur'an was a constant presence in Yumna Nummer's home. As a child, she learned shorter chapters of the book at after-school programs. When she was 11, Nummer was invited to be part of a new program at Al-Furqan School in Ottawa where students memorize the Qur'an in three years. Though she'd never thought of taking on this challenge before, Nummer decided to take the opportunity and graduated alongside five others. Halima Sogbesan/CBC As part of her schooling there, Nummer started each day with a new page of the Qur'an. First, her teacher taught her to recite it properly. Then she repeated the verses over and over, until they became so familiar she could say them correctly without looking at the book. "I remember that first year being very difficult for me, because I suddenly had to commit a lot more to memory. But it became easier," said Nummer. Three years later, at age 14, Nummer became a hafiz of the Qur'an. She remembers the moving ceremony to celebrate the achievement. Her teacher led her class and their parents in reciting the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah, the second chapter of the Qur'an, in unison. "It was a very big deal. But there was also an understanding that that was only the beginning, because I'm now a preserver of the Qur'an," she added. CBC For Nummer, that means she's committed to spending time with it for the rest of her life, continually reviewing what she has learned so it never escapes her memory and living by its teachings. "I truly believe that it is a guidance, and I truly believe that it is healing," she said. During Ramadan, that commitment to the Qur'an takes on a deeper meaning. "It's almost like a pit stop for me to look at myself and see, what have I done with the Qur'an this year?" Amid Trump indictment, 2024 hopefuls try to stay visible View Photo COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) The candidates vying against former President Donald Trump for the White House in 2024 have found themselves battling for air time and media attention this week as the GOP front-runners indictment and arraignment dominate headlines. The task of breaking through Trumps general command of any news cycle was already daunting. But the media coverage surrounding Trump becoming the first former U.S. president charged with a crime made the challenge for Republican presidential hopefuls even greater. Still, some tried. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson used the historic moment to announce his own 2024 Republican presidential campaign. Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley made a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border to highlight the need for immigration reform. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a trip to Ukraine to underline the importance of support for the U.S. ally. Even President Joe Biden was largely drowned out by news of Trumps indictment. As news coverage played on screens in the White House briefing room on Tuesday, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the case is not something that is a focus for Biden, who is expected to run for reelection in 2024. Notably, most of the declared and potential 2024 GOP candidates did not take the opportunity to criticize Trump. In fact, most voiced support for the former president, characterizing the New York case as political persecution and saying the charges were bad for the country. They also carried on with schedules that had been laid out before news outlets began reporting last Thursday that a Manhattan grand jury had indicted Trump. Haley, who announced her campaign in February, met with farmers in a Texas border city on Monday, rode along with federal agents and held a news conference aimed at drawing attention to what Republicans have called a border crisis. She complained that the criminal case against Trump was diverting attention from issues like immigration. Im sitting in Del Rio, Texas, where we have 4.8 million illegal immigrants crossing the border, and no one is talking about that, Haley said on Fox News. Were dealing with a lot of political drama thats unnecessary because youve got political vengeful people out there. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has not yet announced a 2024 campaign, kept up a brisk weekend travel schedule, taking his Florida Blueprint book tour to Pennsylvania and New York. Before a gathering of conservatives in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, on Saturday DeSantis accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of weaponizing the law for political purposes in bringing a case against a former president, never mentioning Trump by name. On Tuesday, he signed a bill into law that will allow Floridians to be able to carry concealed guns without a permit. Expanding gun rights has been a top priority for Republicans, who argue that law-abiding citizens have a right to carry guns and protect themselves. Biotech investor and anti-woke activist Vivek Ramaswamy, who launched his 2024 bid in February, launched a new podcast this week that he says will pull back the curtain on the entire campaign process. Across the world, Pompeo made an unannounced trip to Kiev as he considers a presidential challenge to his former boss, Trump, and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Hutchinson, who has been critical of the former president, announced his run for president three days after news of Trumps indictment broke. He argued that Trump should drop out and focus on his legal troubles, which he called too much of a sideshow and a distraction. Im convinced that people want leaders that appeal to the best of America and not simply appeal to our worst instincts, Hutchinson said Sunday on ABCs This Week. A day later, Hutchinson said Trumps indictment is not a good thing for America or for the GOP, noting the difficulties it poses for those seeking the nomination. As candidates that are running for president, weve got to navigate around this, Hutchinson said Monday on MSNBC, urging a shift back toward issues confronting voters. Were going to have to compete with this, and its going to be challenging. With a hearing scheduled in the New York case for December, and a possible trial date in January just as GOP primary votes begin to get underway in early states the competition for campaign trail attention and donor dollars will continue alongside the former presidents legal cases. As of Tuesday night, Trumps camp also claimed to raise more than $10 million dollars since his indictment. ___ Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price and Jill Colvin in New York contributed to this report. ___ Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP. By MEG KINNARD Associated Press Community health workers, health departments and the public attended an in-depth virtual presentation Monday night hosted by statewide advocacy nonprofit Health Equity Solutions that identified and defined the complex aspects of health equity, its relationship with racism and how it manifests. The presentation opened Connecticuts third annual Health Equity Week, offering an opportunity to learn and reflect on the systemic structures contributing to inequity, said Kevin Collins, director of training and outreach with Health Equity Solutions. Collins explained that opening the week with the terminology and concept allows participants to understand and fully engage in the conversation. [The presentation] is really a starting point. Its the start of the conversation as it relates to health equity, he said. We dont expect folks to leave here [as] experts in health equity. This is the first part of meaningful conversation. Health equity definitions Program manager of training and outreach Namandje Wali began the presentation by defining keywords and concepts regarding health, race and inequity. The World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being not merely the absence of disease. Wali said they use the WHO definition because it shows that health is related to more than just a persons physical well-being and sickness. We assume that health is only one of those things or maybe two of those things, but definitely not inclusive of all of those things, Wali said. Its easy to see health and solely healthy behaviors and healthy actions, when realistically there are many factors that impact the state of a healthy being. Inequities come into play when differences in health status can be attributed to external conditions outside the control of an individual, Wali said. It manifests through social determinants impacting health outcomes, such as housing, socioeconomic status and access to affordable medical care. For example, Wali said many individuals who dont have health insurance dont seek preventative care due to the cost and, as a result, have worse health conditions than individuals with insurance. Social determinants are more than a persons socioeconomic and educational background, though. For example, Black women with a college degree or higher are still nearly twice more likely to die of pregnancy-related causes than white women without a high school diploma, Wali said. Although Connecticut has improved in terms of resources and health outcomes over the years, Wali pushed the audience to question who benefits from those resources. Who do these statistics highlight? Who can access these resources? she concluded. With the allocation of resources is someone able to live to their optimal health, then what factors play into these different outcomes? Racism and health Collins noted the importance of discussing the impact of racism while working towards the ultimate goal of equity. In an interview with Record-Journal, Collins defined race as a social construct that classifies people into distinct groups based on specified criteria such as skin color, hair type and language spoken. He explained that race was created and is primarily used to justify the institutional oppression of those communities. Racism is a complex and multi-layered social system that creates and deems access to power, privilege, resources and information based on racial categories, he said. Its an ideology, a belief system that has constructed a hierarchy based on race, which then lends itself to rendering groups as superior, dominant, and others as inferior or outside of the norm, which produces those inequities that we see. Collins compared the four forms of racism to the roots, branches and leaves of a large tree. Structural racism lives within the root of the tree, Collins said. The foundational systems of power affect a persons opportunities in all aspects of life. It occurs underneath, throughout and across all facets of society. It is cumulative and compounding in nature, Collins said. It lies on top of one another. The branches of the societal tree represent institutional racism, Collins continued. He explained that this form of racism comes from discriminatory treatment and unfair policies and practices, often leading to racially inequitable opportunities or outcomes. Since we interact with these institutions, Collins added that the tree leaves bear fruits based on those actions and their connection to structural racism. For example, Collins said healthcare coverage is exclusionary, since its heavily tied to finances and many people of color arent able to afford it. Interpersonal racism refers to racism between individuals such as bigotry, harassment or visible bias. One of the most recognizable forms of interpersonal racism is micro-aggressions. Microaggressions are aggressions and have a huge impact on us. But when we say micro, that refers to the span of time it takes for it to happen, Collins said. These, again, cause harm but are often deemed micro because of the time. Similar to interpersonal racism, Collins said internalized racism comes from peoples personal beliefs about their own identities and their relationship with them. In the tree analogy, interpersonal and internalized racism are represented by the people breathing the oxygen the tree creates and are influenced by the ideology. Systems are made up of institutions and institutions are made up of people, Collins said. So, if we are dealing with race and the ways it has impacted us, weve all had experience with race and racism and we need to talk about it in order to begin to move institutions toward equity. Equity vs. equality Program manager of training and outreach Taylor Tucker explained the difference between equality versus equity in a health context. He presented a slide depicting three individuals with different abilities trying to climb up different hills. He defined equity as everyone [having] the opportunity to attain optimal health regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, income level or other social factors that create barriers to health. Tucker explained that equality means everyone receives the same resource or tool regardless of their conditions and circumstances. So, in the example, the participants are all given the exact same tall street bike to help them. However, only one participant can use the tool because one boy is too short to ride the bike, which isnt equipped for his rocky hill, while the last participant uses a wheelchair. Meanwhile, Tucker said that equity is when everyone receives specified support and resources based on the persons circumstances, barriers and needs. Tucker went through each persons situation and provided the necessary tools to achieve their goals. For example, the short young boy is given a small mountain bike, while the individual who uses a wheelchair receives a motorized chair to help her climb the hill. Collins compared equality to everyone receiving the same blanket without consideration of a persons surrounding climate and environment. Instead, providing tailored services can help people reach their health goals. In order for folks to reach their optimum level of health...they need resources dedicated to their personal needs, their circumstances, the systems, the areas that they inhabit, he said. Health Equity Solutions will be hosting other events in honor of health equity week. They are hosting a Community Health Worker Lobby Day at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford on Thursday in collaboration with the Community Health Workers Association of Connecticut. cvillalonga@record-journal.com203-317-2448 Reporter Cris Villalonga-Vivoni is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. Support RFA reporters at the Record-Journal through a donation at https://bit.ly/3Pdb0re. To learn more about RFA, visit www.reportforamerica.org. (Bloomberg) -- Bob Lee, chief product officer of crypto startup MobileCoin Inc. and a well known figure in Silicon Valley, died after being attacked in San Francisco, prompting the citys top law enforcement official to decry a senseless act of violence. The San Francisco Police Department said on its website that officers found a 43-year-old man with stab wounds after responding to a call at 2:35 a.m., and the person later died at the hospital. A spokesperson for the SFPD declined to release further information when contacted by Bloomberg because the homicide is an active investigation. The San Francisco Chronicle first reported the stabbing. Lee is survived by a loving family and collection of close friends and collaborators, MobileCoin Chief Executive Officer Joshua Goldbard said on Wednesday. Bob was made for the new world, he was the quintessential creator, leader, and consummate hacker, Goldbard said. Bob surely had an impact that will last far beyond his short time on earth. Lee was the first chief technology officer of Square, the startup co-founded by Jack Dorsey, and now called Block Inc. While at the company, he created CashApp, a money transfer tool that lets users buy stocks and Bitcoin. Earlier in his career, he helped develop Android while working as a software engineer for Google. Lees work on Android and then Square made him a mythical figure to young tech workers beginning their careers, said Max Rhodes, who joined Square in his early twenties and worked closely with Lee on Cash App. Everybody worshipped him. He could solve problems other people couldnt solve. All the best engineers wanted to work with him, Rhodes said. Lee would later become an investor in Rhodes startup Faire. I dont think Id be where I am today without him. Figma CEO Dylan Field also recalled Lees early support of his company and wrote on Twitter, Its so hard to believe hes gone. While San Francisco police stress the investigation is ongoing, the fatal attack of a high-profile executive in a downtown neighborhood near the citys financial district comes as a blow to efforts by city officials to reverse the narrative of San Francisco as a crime-ridden city. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Mayor London Breed said public safety will be at the top of the list of services the city must provide, despite San Franciscos widening budget deficit and planned spending cuts. My goal is to make sure that the resources for the police department remain intact, Breed said. Last year, Breed supported a successful campaign to recall Chesa Boudin, the citys progressive District Attorney, whom she and others criticized for not aggressively prosecuting crime. Read more: New San Francisco DA Jenkins Vows to Fight Citys Lawlessness Elon Musk, an outspoken critic of San Francisco since taking over Twitter, chided his successor Brooke Jenkins. She in turn pushed back. As a former homicide prosecutor, I have a deep understanding of how these investigations and prosecutions work, said Jenkins. No one who commits a violent crime, or who is a repeat offender are receiving overly lenient plea deals from my office. --With assistance from Anne VanderMey, Hannah Miller and Joel Rosenblatt. 2023 Bloomberg L.P. UPDATE: San Antonio police confirmed that the teen who allegedly stabbed and killed a John Jay High School student at a restaurant near the school was arrested. Police confirmed Jesus San Miguel, 18, was arrested on Wednesday afternoon, April 5. Arrest records say San Miguel was charged with murder and is being held on a $150,000 bond. Original story follows below. San Antonio police say a student from John Jay High School has died from a stab wound inflicted at a restaurant near the school on Tuesday, April 4. The 18-year-old male student was initially taken to University Hospital in critical condition after an altercation at the Fiesta De Jalisco at 7712 Marbach Road, according to the San Antonio Police Department. Police told the Express-News that the student was confronted by another teen at the restaurant around 2 p.m. Tuesday after he placed his order and sat down. A second teen, believed to be a student, placed an order and then confronted the first student and started arguing. The two exited through the back of the restaurant where a fight between them broke out. "The suspect immediately turned around pulling out a knife stabbing the victim [sic]. The suspect then fled the scene in an unknown direction," a SAPD statement given to MySA reads. Stabbed in the right side of their torso, the first student grabbed his backpack and tried to flee before collapsing not far from the scene. The student that allegedly stabbed the other also ran away from the back of restaurant, but had not been found as of Wednesday morning, April 5. SAPD notes that the investigation remains ongoing. The high school and the John Jay Science and Engineering Academy were placed under a lock down Tuesday due to the stabbing. Two other Northside ISD schools, Sotomayor High School and Bernal Middle School, were also in the news this week after the Bexar County Sheriff's Office made an arrest related to bomb threats. Deputies arrested a sixth-grade girl and charged her with a third-degree felony over her alleged bomb threat. Google Maps screenshot The Northside Independent School District is investigating an incident involving a hidden GoPro camera found in an ROTC classroom at Brandeis High School. The district tells MySA the camera filmed a total of 11 female cadets who used the classroom as a dressing room. While not a dressing room, the space is used routinely by ROTC students for the purpose of changing in and out of uniforms, the district says. An ROTC instructor found the camera in the classroom on March 10, and turned it over to campus administration. They began investigating the contents with the support of the NISD Police Department. Ken Branca At least five people are in police custody after officers with the Hollywood Park Police Department received a report of vehicles shooting at one another near 14615 Hwy. 281 North just before 1 a.m. Wednesday, April 5, according to the Hill Country Village Police Department. Officers with HPPD responded to the call and were able to pull one of the vehicles onto the 281 access road. At some point a call for officers in trouble came in over the radio and additional units with the HCVPD, San Antonio Police Department, and the Bexar County Sheriff's Office responded, HCVPD officials said. Choochart Choochaikupt / EyeEm/Getty Images/EyeEm San Antonio authorities arrested a 27-year-old man on five counts of indecent exposure on Tuesday, April 4, after a group of private school students witnessed the man masturbating and exposing himself in front of them while on a school bus. On Tuesday, March 28, San Antonio Department officials were notified of an indecent exposure case involving 27-year-old Gabriel Valdez, according to reports by KSAT 12. Valdez was seen exposing himself and masturbating in his vehicle in front of a group of girls whose ages range from 17 to 18 years old, authorities say. LONDON (AP) Britains privacy watchdog hit TikTok with a multimillion-dollar penalty Tuesday for misusing children's data and violating other protections for young users' personal information. The Information Commissioner's Office said it issued a fine of 12.7 million pounds ($15.9 million) to the short-video sharing app, which is wildly popular with young people. It's the latest example of tighter scrutiny that TikTok and its parent, Chinese technology company ByteDance, are facing in the West, where governments are increasingly concerned about risks that the app poses to data privacy and cybersecurity. The British watchdog, which was investigating data breaches between May 2018 and July 2020, said TikTok allowed as many as 1.4 million children in the U.K. under 13 to use the app in 2020, despite the platform's own rules prohibiting children that young from setting up accounts. TikTok didn't adequately identify and remove children under 13 from the platform, the watchdog said. And even though it knew younger children were using the app, TikTok failed to get consent from their parents to process their data, as required by Britain's data protection laws, the agency said. There are laws in place to make sure our children are as safe in the digital world as they are in the physical world. TikTok did not abide by those laws, Information Commissioner John Edwards said in a press release. TikTok collected and used personal data of children who were inappropriately given access to the app, he said. That means that their data may have been used to track them and profile them, potentially delivering harmful, inappropriate content at their very next scroll, Edwards said. The company said it disagreed with the watchdogs decision. We invest heavily to help keep under 13s off the platform and our 40,000-strong safety team works around the clock to help keep the platform safe for our community, TikTok said in statement. We will continue to review the decision and are considering next steps. TIkTok says it has improved its sign-up system since the breaches happened by no longer allowing users to simply declare they are old enough and looking for other signs that an account is used by someone under 13. The penalty also covered other breaches of U.K. data privacy law. The watchdog said TikTok failed to properly inform people about how their data is collected, used and shared in an easily understandable way. Without this information, it's unlikely that young users would be able to make informed choices about whether and how to use TikTok, it said. TikTok also failed to ensure personal data of British users was processed lawfully, fairly and transparently, the regulator said. TikTok initially faced a 27 million-pound fine, which was reduced after the company persuaded regulators to drop other charges. U.S. regulators in 2019 fined TikTok, previously known as Musical.ly, $5.7 million in a case that involved similar allegations of unlawful collection of children's personal information. Also Tuesday, Australia became the latest country to ban TikTok from its government devices, with authorities from the European Union to the United States concerned that the app could share data with the Chinese government or push pro-Beijing narratives. U.S. lawmakers are also considering forcing a sale or even banning it outright as tensions with China grow. A BUDIRIRO man disappeared after rp!ng his landlords 16-year-old daughter on Monday. Admire Kasinamuche was reported to have rpd the victim once without protection. Harare provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Luckmore Chakanza, said the victim has been taken to a family support clinic for medical examination. Police are yet to arrest the man who rpd a girl aged 16 in Budiriro, said Insp Chakanza. On December 28, 2022, at around 9pm, the girl heard a knock at the main door and opened the door when she saw it was the accused. She opened the door for him and he switched off the passage light and dragged the complainant to his room and rpd her once without protection. After the act, the girl never disclosed the matter to anyone. The matter came to light on April 3, 2023, when the girls older brother saw some messages in her cellphone from the accused person. The girl was threatened by her brother and she narrated her rp ordeal, said Insp Chakanza. HMetro Breaking News via Email Japans bear meat vending machine proves a surprising success Guardian (resilc) #COVID-19 Climate/Environment China? What the US and its allies get wrong about Chinese neutrality Responsible Statecraft Emmanuel Macron to urge Chinas Xi Jinping to drop support for Russia over Ukraine war Financial Times. Even the Atlantic Council source quoted in this piece says the odds of this campaign succeeding is basically zero. But turnabout is fair play! Xi Jinping is pulling out all the stops for French President Emmanuel Macron https://t.co/saocWXawIt via @bpolitics "French officials say they have sensed a special warmth from Chinese counterparts ahead of the trip and they say preparations have been smoother and friendlier than Bill Bishop (@niubi) April 4, 2023 Mexican president bemoans rude US fentanyl pressure in plea to Xi Jinping Guardian. Resilc: An attack by China on the southern front. I would do the same strategy. Its hard to know what to say about the criminal case against Donald Trump, as set forth in the indictment and Statement of Facts made public yesterday because its such an empty bag. Im going to find it painful to have to pay attention to it as it moves forward. This is the best a Democratic prosecutor, who ran on getting Trump, could gin up? Although I have not read the press coverage as extensively as Lambert has, both he and I dont see much conviction about the case, even from outlets that are Trump hostile (admittedly, neither of us has had the stomach to check out MSNBC). And the filings dont have the Mercedes solid door clunk, well-engineered feel routinely found in Federal and important state and local indictments. The Statement of Facts, which sets out the narrative, is even a bit shrill. Aside from looking an awful lot like trampling over the rule of law to take down Trump (who between being a New York City developer and a casino operator should have been an easy target), the case runs the risk of violating the rule, If you shoot at a king, you must kill him. The freakout about the prospect of another Trump term in office grants him that status even though he doesnt have it. The indictment relates solely to Trump fixer Michael Cohens payment of hush money to National Enquirer to kill stories they had bought from Stormy Daniels and another woman, believed to be Karen McDougal. Those payments were reimbursed, some by Trump personally, some out of Trump Organization accounts. All payments were recorded in Trump Organization records (perhaps because Trump Organization also keeps records for Trump personally? Because all or some of the personal payments were later reimbursed by Trump Organization entities?). The indictments 34 counts all invoke 175.10:1 175.10 Falsifying business records in the first degree. A person is guilty of falsifying business records in the first degree when he commits the crime of falsifying business records in the second degree, and when his intent to defraud includes an intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof. Let us stop and point out one elephant in the room. A big reason the DA has to try to bootstrap the alleged business records falsification into a first degree violation is that its statute of limitations is five years, versus two for a mere second class violation. If the Trump legal team can argue that there was no bigger crime this records hanky-panky was covering up, the case goes poof because the statute of limitations expired on the lesser offense. In simple terms, Cohen paid $180,000 to get what were sometimes called bimbo eruptions paid off. The Statement of Facts is not clear as to whose idea it was,2 but the Trump Organization doubled the amount to be paid to Cohen so Cohen could characterize it as income, not a reimbursement, then added a $60,000 bonus. That $420,000 amount was then paid in 12 monthly installments. That was billed monthly as a payment against a retainer agreement, even though there was no retainer agreement. Trump then allegedly confirmed this arrangement in person. The indictment gets to 34 counts by taking each of monthly payments Trump made to Cohen and each of the related entries in Trump Organization records as a separate count. Some experts have suggested Trumps lawyers will get them consolidated into fewer counts. To get to a first degree falsification, there has to be an intent to commit or aid in or conceal the commission of another crime. Oddly, the Statement of Facts discusses Team Trump pressuring Cohen not to cooperate in a Federal investigation but does not talk about obstruction of justice..presumably because a New York prosecutor does not have standing to pursue obstruction of justice in a Federal investigation. And that begs the question of why the Department of Justice didnt go that route. Its exactly the one used with Clinton in laffaire Lewinsky, and has the advantage of being simple to explain and prove. The Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg also mentions tax fraud in passing. That seems odd since the fraud here involved choosing have Cohen report income he never had and therefore pay unnecessary taxes. Perhaps the supposed fraud instead is having the Trump Organization treat all of the payments to Cohen as tax deductible, when if they were all to effect payoffs to help the Trump campaign, they were Trump Organization/Trump personal contributions to the Trump campaign and hence not tax deductible. Since these deductions would ultimately reduce New York State and New York City income taxes, it would seem to offer a clear path to tying the alleged records abuses to another fraud. But youd expect to see that presented more clearly in both the indictment and the Statement of Facts if so. The Statement of Facts instead bangs on about the payoffs to American Media Inc. (AMI), the parent of National Enquirer, to kill the stories for the benefit of Trumps election efforts, and depicts that as trying to illegally influence the election. As many readers know, there are a lot of problems with trying to make that the actual or intended crime that turns a second degree records violation into a first degree one. The first is that the election laws in question are Federal, and a New York state prosecutor lacks standing to enforce Federal law. This is even a more questionable approach since not only did the Department of Justice not pursue this case, the Federal Election Commission didnt issue a civil fine either. Put it anther way, if New York courts nevertheless back this dodgy theory, it would show the rule of law is being tossed out the window to get Trump. The second is that Federal law requires that for a payment to be an election law violation, it must be made for the sole purpose of influencing the election. Recall the John Edwards case. Some election supporters paid his pregnant paramour $1 million during the election. The jury acquitted Edwards on one count and deadlocked on five others, apparently because the Edwards team argued the payments were not made exclusively to keep her quiet so as to help the election, but also to hide it from his wife, who was fighting a fatal case of cancer. They also argued Edwards had no idea these payments could be construed to be campaign-related (the donors didnt send these monies to the election organization). Even the section of Braggs Statement of Facts contends that the payments were not made solely but principal purpose of influencing the election. Finally (although I have not parsed it super carefully), the Statement of Facts appears to rely on Cohen as the sole source for what Trumps intent was. Cohen is not a reliable witness. But as we pointed out in Links today, Biden is on the record that he will prevent Trump from becoming President again: Biden told us that Democrats will do anything in their power to stop Trump from running and becoming next president: Biden: We just have to demonstrate hell not take power. But if he does run well make sure under legitimate efforts of constitution doesnt not become next pic.twitter.com/qhX6U6ZZ3a I Meme Therefore I Am (@ImMeme0) April 1, 2023 And as Kevin W pointed out, this statement strongly echoes Bidens remarks that the Nord Stream pipeline would be ended if Russia invaded Ukraine, and when challenged, he said he had the means to do so. Is Trump harder to blow up than Nord Stream? It looks like well find out. ______ 1 Since you asked: 175.05 Falsifying business records in the second degree. A person is guilty of falsifying business records in the second degree when, with intent to defraud, he: 1. Makes or causes a false entry in the business records of an enterprise; or 2. Alters, erases, obliterates, deletes, removes or destroys a true entry in the business records of an enterprise; or 3. Omits to make a true entry in the business records of an enterprise in violation of a duty to do so which he knows to be imposed upon him by law or by the nature of his position; or 4. Prevents the making of a true entry or causes the omission thereof in the business records of an enterprise. Falsifying business records in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor. 2 Cohens guilty plea to eight Federal counts, most related to tax evasion separate from the Trump dalliances, depicted Cohen acting on his own in negotiating with AMI and making the payoffs, and then later going to the Trump Organization to get reimbursed. Yves here. Im not an expert in the Saudi royal family, but recall that Mohammed bin Salman was definitely not the US preference to become prime minister and there was reason to think the US was trying to foment the ouster of MbS in favor of a more tractable ruler. The US should have gotten the memo that MbS was not going anywhere via the Crown Princes 2017 power consolidation, in which he incarcerated hundreds of royals, government officials, and super rich at the Ritz Carlton and reportedly got them to sign away much of their wealth. My impression was that the US continued to treat MbS as a vassal. One reason the US assumed Saudi Arabia would stay in the US sphere of influence was its status as a US arms buyer. Cato discussed in 2022 that the assumption that weapons sales conferred leverage over Saudi Arabia appeared to be false. And their piece didnt consider that Russia was demonstrating in Syria that its weapons were at least a match to those of the US, and in many categories superior (in particular air defense) and at a lower price point. Admittedly a transition would be very difficult and costly but if MbS thought it would be pro-survival to diversify his weapons buy, those impediments would be deemed necessary to manage. . By Simon Watkins, a former senior FX trader and salesman, financial journalist, and best-selling author. He was Head of Forex Institutional Sales and Trading for Credit Lyonnais, and later Director of Forex at Bank of Montreal. He was then Head of Weekly Publications and Chief Writer for Business Monitor International, Head of Fuel Oil Products for Platts, and Global Managing Editor of Research for Renaissance Capital in Moscow. He has written extensively on oil and gas, Forex, equities, bonds, economics and geopolitics for many leading publications, and has worked as a geopolitical risk consultant for a number of major hedge funds in London, Moscow, and Dubai. Originally published at OilPrice Saudi Arabia is set to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation as a dialogue partner. The SCO is the worlds biggest regional political, economic and defence organisation both in terms of geographic scope and population. This latest step by Saudi Arabia away from the U.S. and towards the China-Russia axis should come as no surprise to anyone. Saudi Arabias very public announcement last week that its cabinet had approved a plan to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) as a dialogue partner is the surest sign yet that any U.S. efforts to keep it out of the China-Russia sphere of influence may now be futile. The Kingdom had already signed a memorandum of understanding on 16 September 2022 granting it the status of SCO dialogue partner, as was exclusively reported by OilPrice.com at the time. However, Saudi Arabia did nothing to encourage the release of the news at that point, unlike now just after it resumed relations with Iran, in a deal brokered by China. The SCO is the worlds biggest regional political, economic and defence organisation both in terms of geographic scope and population. It covers 60 percent of the Eurasian continent (by far the biggest single landmass on Earth), 40 percent of the worlds population, and more than 20 percent of global GDP. It was formed in 2001 on the foundation of the Shanghai Five that was set up in 1996 by China, Russia, and three states of the former USSR (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan). Aside from its vast scale and scope, the SCO believes in the idea and practice of the multi-polar world, which China anticipates will be dominated by it by 2030. In this context, the end of December 2021/beginning of January 2022 saw meetings in Beijing between senior officials from the Chinese government and foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, plus the secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). At these meetings, the principal topics of conversation were to finally seal a China-GCC Free Trade Agreement and to forge a deeper strategic cooperation in a region where U.S. dominance is showing signs of retreat. This idea was the centrepiece of the declaration signed in 1997 between then-Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, and his then-China counterpart, Jiang Zemin. Veteran Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, has since stated that: The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is working to establish a rational and just world order and [] it provides us with a unique opportunity to take part in the process of forming a fundamentally new model of geopolitical integration. Aside from these geopolitical redesigns, the SCO works to provide intra-organisation financing and banking networks, plus increased military cooperation, intelligence sharing and counterterrorism activities, among other things. The U.S. itself applied for observer status of the SCO in the early 2000s but was rejected in 2005. This latest step by Saudi Arabia away from the U.S. and towards the China-Russia axis should come as no surprise to anyone who has been watching developments in the Kingdom since the rise of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) from around 2015. At that point, he was not Crown Prince (the heir designate position) that role was held by Muhammad bin Nayef (MbN) but rather Deputy Crown Prince with burning ambition to take the number one succession spot upon the death of King Salman. His stint as Defense Minister was disastrous, with the dramatic escalation of the war against the Houthis in Yemen including indiscriminate bombing of civilian targets roundly condemned by the West. This led the German intelligence service, the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), to leak an abridged internal-only assessment report of MbS to various trusted members of the press that stated: Saudi Arabia [under MbS] has adopted an impulsive policy of intervention. It went on to describe MbS in terms of being a political gambler who was destabilising the Arab world through proxy wars in Yemen and Syria. In order to rebuild his reputation with a view to usurping MbN as Crown Prince, MbS came up with an idea that he thought would win over senior Saudis who supported his rival. That idea was to float a stake in the Kingdoms flagship company, Saudi Aramco, through an initial public offering (IPO), as analysed in depth in my latest book on the global oil markets. In theory, the idea had several positive factors going for it that would benefit MbS. First, it would raise a lot of money, which Saudi Arabia needed to offset the economically disastrous effect of the 2014-2016 Oil Price War that it had instigated. Second, it would likely be the biggest ever IPO, thus boosting Saudi Arabias reputation and the breadth and depth of its capital markets. And third, the new money from the sale could be used as part of Saudi Arabias Vision 2030 development plan aimed at diversifying the Kingdoms economy away from a reliance on oil and gas exports. MbS pitched the idea to the senior Saudis based on very specific benchmark targets. First, the flotation would be for 5% of the company. Second, this would raise at least USD100 billion, which would value the whole company at US$2 trillion. Third, it would be listed not just on the domestic Tadawul stock market but also on at least one of the worlds biggest and most prestigious stock markets the New York Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange were the exchanges MbS had in mind. None of these targets was hit, of course, as the more information was made known about Saudi Aramco to international investors the more they regarded it as an omni-toxic liability, including financially and politically. At that point, China stepped in with an offer to save MbSs face, an offer that he has apparently never forgotten. The offer was that China would buy the entire 5% stake for the required US$100 million, and it would be done in a private placement, meaning no possibly embarrassing details about anything surrounding the deal would ever be made public, including to those senior Saudis who opposed MbS. Although the offer was declined as King Salman did not at that point want to alienate the U.S. any further than had already been done by launching the 2014-2016 Oil Price War with the intention of destroying or disabling the then-nascent U.S. shale oil sector, the relationship between Saudi Arabia and China blossomed from that point onwards. A little under a year before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Saudi Arabia was already so aligned to China that Saudi Aramcos chief executive officer, Amin Nasser, spent several days at the annual China Development Forum hosted in Beijing, during which time he said: Ensuring the continuing security of Chinas energy needs remains our highest priority not just for the next five years but for the next 50 and beyond. One year later, and just a few months after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Aramcos senior vice president downstream, Mohammed Al Qahtani, announced the creation of a one stop shop provided by his company in Chinas Shandong. He said: The ongoing energy crisis, for example, is a direct result of fragile international transition plans which have arbitrarily ignored energy security and affordability for all. He added: The world needs clear-eyed thinking on such issues. Thats why we highly admire Chinas 14th Five Year Plan for prioritising energy security and stability, acknowledging its crucial role in economic development. At the same time as this relationship was moving up several gears, so was the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Russia. By the end of the 2014-2016 Oil Price War, as also analysed in depth in my latest book on the global oil markets, the U.S. shale oil sector had reorganised itself into an oil-producing machine that could survive on prices as low as US$35 per barrel (pb) of Brent if necessary. Saudi Arabias budget breakeven price then was over US$84 pb and there was no way it could compete with the U.S. Saudi Arabia desperately needed to push oil prices back up to repair its budget but was unable to do so because its disastrous Second Oil Price War (the first being the 1973/74 Oil Crisis) had critically undermined its credibility with other OPEC members and with the global oil market. At that point, Russia had stepped in to support the OPEC oil production cuts in late 2016 aimed at bringing oil prices back to levels that allowed OPEC members to begin to repair their decimated finances. This support has continued ever since and has formalised into the OPEC+ grouping. Both Russia and China know how to leverage such relationships, as they have been doing in the Middle East ever since the U.S. withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran in 2018, Syria in 2019, and Afghanistan and Iraq in 2021. These combination of factors put China in the position of being able to broker the relationship normalisation deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran the leaders of the Sunni Islam world and the Shia Islam world, respectively. Although White House national security spokesperson, John Kirby, did observe tersely at the time that the deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia is not about China, it absolutely was about China. What it absolutely was not about was the U.S. The evolution of my position with the Post dates to 2000, when I began work with The City Paper. In 2008, SouthComm Inc. bought the Post and TCP, with the latter ceasing operations in 2013. In 2018, FW Publishing acquired the Post, for which I have served as managing editor since 2011. Follow William Williams Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today May gets election boost as Conservatives make gains in local polls British Prime Minister Theresa May received a boost for her general election campaign on Friday as her Conservatives made strong gains in local elections. GALLERY Liberal Democrat Vince Cable, a former business secretary in a coalition government with the Conservatives, told the BBC the May"s party was profiting from "taking on board the agenda as well as the former voters of UKIP." London (dpa) - After results were declared for some 2,000 seats by early afternoon the Conservatives had gained 230 seats, Labour had lost about 110, the Liberal Democrats were down by nearly 30, and the UK Independence Party had lost all of the 41 seats it held at the previous elections.If the trend continues, it could put the Conservatives on course to win dozens of parliamentary seats from its biggest rival, Labour, on June 8.Turnout dipped below 30 per cent in some of the polls, which were held for 88 of Britains 418 local councils.Low turnout had been expected as the local elections followed last years Brexit referendum and a general election in 2015, with another general election to come just five weeks from now.Liberal Democrat Vince Cable, a former business secretary in a coalition government with the Conservatives, told the BBC the Mays party was profiting from "taking on board the agenda as well as the former voters of UKIP."Political analyst Matthew Goodwin said on Twitter that the results suggested a "dismal night" for Labour, with the "writing on the wall" for expected big losses to the Conservatives for the party in the general election.Goodwin, an expert on right-wing movements in Britain, said the early results had also confirmed his forecast that UKIP was "braced for a crash-landing" as many traditional Conservative voters who supported UKIP in recent elections are moving back.The new shift is largely due to Mays "repeated insistence that Brexit means Brexit, her prioritizing of immigration reform, criticism of liberal elites and push for more grammar schools - all of which will be music to UKIP voters ears," Goodwin and fellow analyst David Cutts wrote for Politico.The centre-left online newspaper The Independent said "UKIP is finally dead," but it did not celebrate the demise of the right-wing, anti-EU party.It noted in a commentary that former Conservative prime minister David Cameron had "put party before country" by agreeing to hold a referendum on Britains EU membership last June after he "got spooked by the Ukippers.""And now we see a Tory party successful at the expense of the broader nations interests," it said.May succeeded Cameron last year. He resigned following his failed campaign to keep Britain in the European Union in the Brexit referendum.Speaking to BBC Radio 4s Today programme, Defence Minister Michael Fallon said Fridays early results were encouraging, but he voiced concern that the Conservatives could have "peaked too soon" for the general election.Political analysts also cautioned that big gains in the local elections would not necessarily herald the large parliamentary majority that May hopes to win in the general election.May has asked voters to back her "strong and stable" leadership of the country and her plans for Brexit negotiations with EU leaders. Despite news of declining church attendance and denominational splits, pastors should feel encouraged. We sat down with Devon Kline to unpack why. As a leader at Gloo, a tech company specializing in communication between churches and people, Kline spends her days immersed in trends about faith in America, specializing in communications between churches and people who want to learn more about Jesus. According to Kline, research shows that a large number of faith-curious people (Explorers) are open to building relationships with individual Christians. Gloos platform acts as a connection switchboard to make that happen, empowering pastors and outreach volunteers and facilitating over 400 daily connections between Explorers and churches through digital ads. Based on a deep dive into these connections, Kline sees five ways ministry leaders can build an authentic rapport with Explorers, with or without Gloo. 1. Start with People, Not Places. Kline says Explorers are seeking relationshipswith the person next door and with Jesus, too. In fact, research shows rising spiritual openness in America, along with increasing receptivity to the person of Jesus. Gloos latest partnership with He Gets Us speaks to these trends. Their videos depicting a relatable Jesus have been viewed over 474 million times, and over 123,000 people have requested more information. From there, Gloo connects the requesting Explorer with a nearby church responder at one of nearly 23,000 churches. The pastor or a church volunteer responds in a personalized way, sending a text message offering encouragement, prayer, or other relevant ways to serve the Explorer. The takeaway? As youre communicating with visitors and building relationships in your community, focus on the individual and their present needs, not what they might contribute in the future. 2. Make a Personal Connection. While the intention of responding church leaders is squarely focused on serving the needs of Explorers, not all responses are created equal. Kline notes that when a pastors first response is to invite an Explorer to church, it may not lead to the authentic connection theyre hoping foror even any response at all. But there are messages that elicit a much higher response rate. Kline suggests that faith leaders focus on building a personal connection: Hi, this is John Smith from Calvary Church here in Louisville, Kentucky. Im praying for you as you struggle with loneliness. Would you like to have a phone call, continue texting, or find a time to get together? Similarly, Ads that speak specifically to the felt need of people have been the highest performing, says Kline. Are you having a hard time with relationships? or Are you feeling lonely? or Are you struggling with finances? connect better than the generic, Come to our church. Ministry leaders might consider which felt needs their church is well suited to address and then cater their outreach messaging and materials accordingly. If a church has a thriving marriage ministry, for example, creating resources that offer help navigating relational conflict could be a place to start. 3. Catch More Eyes with Relatable Images. The black-and-white images of the He Gets Us campaign depict real people, raw emotion, and resonant experiences. Paired with simple, straightforward messages, the ads serve as an example for pastors who want to engage their communities in a way that presents a realistic impression of their church. Whether creating digital ads, designing an event invitation, or engaging in a simple face-to-face interactionKline says ministry leaders should prioritize relatable language and authentic images or videos. 4. Flip the Outreach Script. Where door-to-door evangelism relies on the church going into the community, when Explorers engage with a churchs material online, they are knocking on the doors of local congregations. Those who are responding to digital content are coming toward the church, says Kline. This could expand to include physical signs, community events, or even posters left in local coffeehouses. Each of these has the potential to reach Explorers and highlight a churchs most valuable asset: its desire to serve through its people. Exploration is a journey, Kline explains, not a destination. The path often looks like having multiple interactions, building trust, and developing a relationship. People want to feel safe and cared for, and that takes time. So whether its over the course of days or weeks or years, every text, every touchpoint, is an opportunity to show an Explorer what a life shaped by the gospel looks like. 5. Response Times Matter. The most important tip? As people reach out to youwhether through a digital ad, by filling out a visitor card, or simply because they associate the idea of a local church pastor with someone who could helpits important to respond with a level of urgency. People who are reaching out are often doing so out of immediate need. Our high-tech world has increased our expectations for efficiency, and answering quickly establishes trust and credibility. Aim for responding to inquiries, especially when an Explorer first makes contact, within 24 hours or less. As people reach out with their specific needs, responding in real-time can make all the difference in developing a meaningful and authentic connection that turns into an opportunity to journey together. Returning to Your First Love: Caring for People Digital ads are helping the faith-curious connect with pastors and church leaders in their community. Leaders who are passionate about outreach, but feel burdened by the idea of running outreach campaigns on their own, are turning to Gloo for help. With world-class campaigns and innovative technology, Gloo brings together church leaders and their communities. Pastors should be able to focus on what they do best: caring for people and introducing them to a caring and loving church community. If youre curious about how Gloo can help connect your church with Explorers, learn more about their free programs, which are sponsored by kingdom-minded donors and cost nothing to join. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Yoshimasa Hayashi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand Nanaia Mahuta, Vice Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea Do Hoon Lee, and Deputy Ambassador of Australia to NATO David Dutton to NATO Headquarters on Wednesday (5 April 2023). The representatives from NATOs Indo-Pacific partner countries are joining a meeting of NATO foreign ministers to discuss the global consequences of Russias war of aggression against Ukraine, and other shared challenges such as cyber and climate change. The Secretary General stressed that NATO is committed to working with like-minded partners across the globe to tackle global challenges, uphold the rules-based international order, and preserve peace. NATO foreign ministers wrapped up two days of discussions in Brussels on Wednesday (5 April 2023) with a meeting with Indo-Pacific partners Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea and the European Union. We discussed the global consequences of Russias war against Ukraine, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. He stressed that if President Putin wins in Ukraine, it would send a dangerous message to authoritarian leaders around the world that they can achieve their goals through brute force. Foreign ministers also addressed Chinas growing alignment with Russia. Allies have been clear that any provision of lethal aid by China to Russia would be a historic mistake, with profound implications, said the Secretary General. He stressed that as Beijing and Moscow push back against the rules-based international order, it is even more important for NATO Allies and like-minded partners to stand together. Earlier, Allied foreign ministers addressed threats and challenges in the Middle East and North Africa, including instability, terrorism and the growing activities of Russia and China. They also discussed the importance of increased defence spending. At the Vilnius Summit, I expect Allies to agree an ambitious new defence investment pledge, with 2% as a floor not a ceiling, said the Secretary General. NATOs support to Ukraine was also a major focus of discussions. The Secretary General welcomed the new commitments made by Allies in the NATO-Ukraine Commission on Tuesday (4 April 2023) and encouraged continued military support for Ukraine. We agreed to start work on developing a strategic multi-year assistance programme for Ukraine a clear demonstration that our support will continue for the long-haul, he said. Mr. Stoltenberg added that this programme will assist Ukraine on its path to Euro-Atlantic integration, because Ukraines future is in the Euro-Atlantic family. Ahead of the meetings of Allied foreign ministers, NATO welcomed Finland as its newest member. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto took up Finlands seat among NATO Allies for the first time on 4 April the Alliances seventy-fourth anniversary. GENERAL An informal meeting of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) at the level of Ministers of Foreign Affairs will be held in Oslo, Norway, on 31 May-01 June 2023. The meeting will be chaired by the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg. This media advisory marks the opening of online registration for accreditation. VENUE The ministerial meeting will take place at the Oslo City Hall, Radhusplassen 1, 0037 Oslo. The media centre will be located nearby, in a temporary construction, at Radhusbrygge 1. This is also where the media accreditation office will be located. The doorstep location, as well as outdoor stand-up positions, will be conveniently located at and near the City Hall. Press conferences will take place nearby, at the National Museum, entrance at Dronning Mauds gate 2, 0250, Oslo. These locations are reachable by public transport. Please note no parking facilities will be availble to the media, except for satellite vans. MEDIA ACCREDITATION Media representatives who wish to cover this meeting need to seek accreditation. To do that, please register via NATOs media accreditation platform: https://my.hq.nato.int. The deadline for accreditation is midday on Friday 05 May 2023. Please apply for accreditation as soon as possible, to allow sufficient time for processing your request. Due to space restrictions, there may be limitations on the number of media representatives allowed to cover the event. Media representatives whose accreditation request is successful will receive confirmation by email. Please bring a printout of the confirmation email when collecting your badge in Oslo. Accreditation requests submitted after the deadline may be unsuccessful. In accordance with NATO media accreditation procedures, NATO reserves the right to deny or withdraw accreditation of media representatives who put the accreditation to improper use. Media passes must be collected in person from the Accreditation Office, upon presentation of the same ID document used to register for the event. The Accreditation Office will be located at the Media Centre, at Radhusbrygge 1. Opening hours will be communicated to accredited media at a later stage. Media passes must be visible at all times. Please arrive early to clear security checks. Security personnel will examine and may test equipment and personal effects on site. PROGRAMME The full schedule of the meeting will be available at a later stage. Information about individual ministers media programmes should be sought directly from their national delegation(s). Please contact the NATO Press Office to obtain the list of national press officers. BROADCAST A host broadcaster will serve the media for all public components of the meeting. Those will be broadcast in the Media Centre and on the NATO website. Live satellite feeds of the main media events, such as the press conferences of the NATO Secretary General, will be provided by the host broadcaster free of charge without encryption or downlink charges. The video and audio may be used only for appropriate news and public affairs purposes. After each event, the videos are available for free download from NATO Multimedia. POOLS Access to certain events during the ministerial meeting will be open only for small media pools, by invitation only. When a media representative accepts a NATO pool position they must share immediately all information and material collected while in the pool with any accredited media that request it. The media representative in the pool will share the material at no charge and with no restriction on the use of the material for news purposes. Media representatives can only accept the pool accreditation if they have the agreement of their employer to all of the conditions on providing pool material listed above. Media organisations that want pooled images should first contact the wire service / photo agency of which they are a member / client. Media representatives and news organisations must identify that it is pooled material every time it is used. Pooled material can only be used for legitimate news purposes and it cannot be sold. Photos of all the media events, taken by host photographers, will be posted on the NATO website. MEDIA FACILITIES The Media Centre will include: A filing centre (including TV/radio editing area), with electricity (230V), access to video and audio feeds, cabled and Wi-Fi internet. Working spaces cannot be booked in advance; Information Desk; An area for indoor stand-ups and media huddles; Internal Television Circuit for live and recorded broadcasts, information about the programme, press conferences schedules and other information; Outdoor stand-up areas; Catering. Press conferences will take place nearby, at the National Museum, entrance at Dronning Mauds gate 2, 0250, Oslo. ACCOMMODATION, TRANSPORT, TRAVEL Media should make their own arrangements. There are a number of hotels close to the venue. A discounted rate is given at the Thon hotels in central Oslo between 27/5-3/6 following this link: https://thonhotels.com/?firma=thc1106 (search Oslo and view the map to choose a suitable hotel) CONTACT POINTS Overall Coordination Ms Irina Novakova NATO Media Coordinator, NATO Telephone: +32 (0)2 707 1003 natomediaoperations[at]hq.nato.int Ms Iselin Hebbert Haukaas - Media Coordinator, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Telephone: +47 95 89 81 69 iselin.hebbert.haukaas[at]mfa.no Accreditation Ms Louise Reid Telephone: +32 (0) 2 707 1008 NatoAccreditations[at]hq.nato.int Broadcast arrangements Mr Bart Vandendorpe Telephone: +32(0)2707 3578 Vandendorpe.Bart[at]hq.nato.int Host broadcaster broadcast.nato[at]gyro.no NATO Video on demand www.natomultimedia.tv Telephone: +32 (0)2 707 12 27 content[at]natomultimedia.tv (As delivered) Ministers, Excellencies, it is really a great pleasure to welcome all of you here. We highly value the partnership with the Indo-Pacific partners of NATO: Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan. In a more dangerous and unpredictable world, it is even more obvious that security is not regional, security is global. What happens in your region, what happens in the Indo-Pacific matters for Europe. And what happens in Europe matters for you. I think the war in Ukraine demonstrates this clearly with its global ramifications. And the fact that we also see that China and Russia are standing in closer together, makes it just even more important that we are standing together as partners. NATO Allies and you as four highly valued partners. So I welcome this opportunity to meet with you. I also welcome the fact that last year was the first time ever the Heads of State and Government from your countries participated in a NATO summit. And they are all invited again to the Summit in Vilnius, in July this year. That will further strengthen our partnership and the way we can work together. So I look forward to our meeting now and I look forward to you participating in the meeting with all, now thirty-one Ministers. Because yesterday, we went from thirty to thirty-one Allies. And then, soon also Sweden will join and then we are thirty-two. So again, welcome. It is a great honour and pleasure to meet you. Then we can continue. Thank you. (As delivered) Good afternoon. We have just finished a substantive meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers to prepare for the Vilnius Summit in July. We welcomed Finland as our newest member. And Minister Haavisto took up Finlands seat among NATO Allies. Allies also agree that Sweden should become an Ally as quickly as possible. We addressed many important topics over the past two days. Including how to strengthen our political and practical support for Ukraine. We met yesterday in the NATO-Ukraine Commission with Foreign Minister Kuleba. We agree that our continued military support for Ukraine is essential. I welcome the new commitments made by Allies. And I expect more. We also addressed our longer-term support. We do not know when this war will end. But when it does, we must ensure that President Putin cannot continue to chip away at European security. So we must enable Ukraine to deter and defend against future aggression. This includes strengthening Ukraines armed forces and arrangements for Ukraines security. We agreed to start work on developing a strategic multi-year assistance program for Ukraine. A clear demonstration that our support will continue for the long haul. To increase Ukraines interoperability with NATO, and to bring it up to NATO standards. This will assist Ukraine on its path to Euro-Atlantic integration. Because Ukraines future is in the Euro-Atlantic family. NATO Allies are committed to giving Ukraine what it needs to prevail as a sovereign, independent nation in Europe. And to achieve a just and durable peace. At the same time, we will continue to support our partners facing pressure from Russia, including Moldova, Georgia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. We also discussed threats and challenges in the Middle East and North Africa. Including instability, terrorism and the growing activities of Russia and China. We will continue to work closely with our partners, including Mauritania and Tunisia, to help them build up their defence institutions and stabilise their countries. To keep our people safe in a more dangerous world, it is essential that we invest more in our defence. So today, Ministers also addressed progress on defence spending. At the Vilnius Summit, I expect Allies to agree an ambitious new defence investment pledge, with 2% of GDP as a floor not ceiling. For our final session, NATOs Asia-Pacific partners Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea joined us. Together with the European Union. We discussed the global consequences of Russias war against Ukraine. This war is not only an attack on Ukraine, but on the international rules-based order that preserves peace and stability. If President Putin wins in Ukraine, it will send a dangerous message to authoritarian leaders around the world that they can achieve their goals through brute force. So our support to Ukraine remains critical and it is in our shared security interest. We also discussed Chinas growing alignment with Russia. China refuses to condemn Russias aggression. It echoes Russian propaganda. And it props up Russias economy. China and Russia are also stepping up their joint military activities in the Indo-Pacific region. Allies have been clear that any provision of lethal aid by China to Russia would be a historic mistake, with profound implications. At a time when Beijing and Moscow are pushing back against the rules-based international order, it is even more important that we continue to stand together. As NATO Allies. And with like-minded partners. And with that I am ready to take your questions. NATO Spokesperson, Oana Lungescu: We'll start with the BBC, in the third row. Jonathan Beale, BBC: Thank you very much, Secretary General. May I ask - you said that you're talking about a new, ambitious spending target of 2%. But 2% is already the spending target of NATO. Is there any way at Vilnius you will actually you've said before that it's a floor, not a ceiling. So I'm not confident that it is a new spending target. If you can explain to me why it is a new spending target? Wouldn't it be more or less to say, you know a new figure is a new spending target like, say, 2.5%. Do you think there's a possibility that it might happen? And then, you clearly issued a warning to China about providing lethal aid to Russia. Is there any evidence among Allies that China is doing that? Thank you very much. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg: First, on 2%. You're right that when NATO leaders met in 2014 in the United Kingdom, in Wales, we agreed the defence investment pledge, where we also use 2% GDP as the guideline. But then, we refer to 2% as something we should strive towards, move towards. So it has been interpreted by many Allies as something that is more like a ceiling - something we should move towards, which is actually the language we use in that statement, or in that pledge agreed in 2014. Since then, actually, Allies have come a long way. Because since then, all Allies have increased defence spending. And this is significant, because until 2014, the majority of NATO Allies across Europe and Canada actually were reducing defence spending every year. So what we managed with the pledge we made in 2014 was to turn the corner, not going down anymore, but actually start to go up. And all Allies have increased defence spending. More Allies meet the 2% guideline, or spending, or are at 2%, or above. But many Allies are still below. And some of them, most of them, refer to, well, this is something we should strive towards, not a kind of requirement. So that's what I mean. That's my message. When I speak about the stronger commitment, is to have much stronger language, that this is not some kind of ambitious goal in the distant future that we strive towards. It is something that we should be strongly committed to, 2% as a minimum, not as the ceiling. So I actually think it will make a difference if not only I say that 2% should be a minimum, but that all Allies agree that 2% should be a minimum floor. The most important thing is, of course, what Allies do, and I'm quite encouraged, because I also now see that several of those Allies who haven't been not able to reach 2%, like Germany, like the Netherlands and others, Denmark and many others - they are now very committed to increasing defence spending, and to reach 2% soon. That's because of the war in Ukraine, which has made it even more obvious that we need to invest more in defence. When it comes to China - of course, we are monitoring very closely what China does. Any provision of lethal aid to Russia from China will be a big mistake with profound consequences. So far, we have not been able to confirm any provision of lethal aid, but this is something we follow very closely. And we also communicate very clearly that this will be a big mistake. Then, what we do know, is that China has not been able to condemn the brutal invasion of Ukraine. We also know that China and Russia are coming closer and closer. They signed - just weeks before the invasion - a partnership agreement where they state clearly that the partnership between Russia and China is without any limits, a partnership with no limits. And then we of course also know that China is propping up Russia's economy. So this is, of course, of concern. And we need to be clear on these issues in our engagement with China. NATO Spokesperson, Oana Lungescu: The Economist. Anton La Guardia, The Economist: Anton La Guardia, The Economist. I was wondering whether you could be more precise in some of the wording that you use. You say that Ukraine's future is in the Euro Atlantic family. Does that mean that [Ukraines] future is in NATO? And when? What does the multi-annual program for Ukraine to help integrate it further mean? How's that different from what is being done today to help Ukraine defend itself? And last, on China: what do you actually mean by saying it's a big mistake with profound consequences if China were to provide lethal aid, what would the consequences be? Thank you. NATO Secretary General: First, on NATO and Ukraine. NATO's position is that Ukraine will become a member of the Alliance, and that position has not changed. But we know that there are at least two things you need to address to make that possible. One is that we need to ensure that Ukraine prevails as a sovereign, independent nation. Of course, any meaningful discussion about Ukraine as a member of the Alliance has to be based on that Ukraine is a democratic, independent nation in Europe. And that's exactly what is now challenged, or threatened by the brutal Russian invasion. So the first step, the basic requirement is to provide military support to Ukraine. So President Putin doesn't win his war of aggression. The second thing we need to address is that when this war ends and Ukraine prevails, then, of course, we need to ensure that we have the highest level of interoperability, that Ukraine is able to move from Soviet era standards, doctrines, ways of operating their armed forces. This transition has started, but we need more, and we need to implement it quicker. And therefore, the difference between the current support that NATO Allies are providing to Ukraine is to meet immediate needs. Allies are providing, of course, weapons, military support. NATO is also providing a lot of non-lethal support. That's to address the immediate needs, to help Ukraine now. This program is more long-term perspective. That is about, you know, building the institutions, helping with the transition, the interoperability, the standards, the doctrines - all of these things that we need to have in place, also to move towards membership. So thats, in a way, the difference. Then, the second question on China. Well, on the consequences. I think I will only limit myself to say that it has been made clear by several Allies, also the biggest Ally, that there will be severe consequences. And I think there's no reason to go into details, but China knows that there'll be severe consequences if they start to provide lethal aid to Russia. NATO Spokesperson, Oana Lungescu: Okay, we'll go to Kyiv Independent. Asami Terajima, Kyiv Independent: Asami Terajima, Kyiv Independent. How high do you assess the likelihood that Belarus would become a direct participant of Russia's war against Ukraine, and what do you think would encourage the Lukashenko regime to make this move? And my second question is - how have the NATO Allies given enough weapons for Ukraine to launch a counter offensive in the nearest two weeks, and how many advanced Western tanks can Ukraine expect to receive from NATO Allies till the end of the year? Thank you. NATO Secretary General: Well, the Allies are delivering unprecedented military support to Ukraine. We have also stepped up our support over the last weeks and months, also with armoured vehicles, battle tanks, but not only battle tanks, but also infantry fighting vehicles, armoured personnel carriers, and a lot of support, meaning for instance, fuel trucks, heavy systems to remove minefields and to enable the Ukrainians to cross the defence barriers that the Russians have built up over the last month. So this is not only about the battle tanks, but all the support they need to be able to function and operate as they should, not only for a few days, but for weeks. And therefore, this is also about sustainment, meaning - providing the fuel, the ammunition, the spare parts, the maintenance capacity that need to follow and support these efforts. This in totality is a high number. I don't have the number in my head now, but I've been told there's a high number of battle tanks. Some of them are older battle tanks. Some of them are Soviet era battle tanks, but many of them are also modern NATO-standard battle tanks. The UK has delivered Challenger. Many NATO Allies have delivered Leopard 2 and then the US is also now in the process of delivering Abrahams. This comes on top on all the, for instance, the Marders, which are infantry fighting vehicles, the Bradley's, which are US infantry fighting vehicles, and it is this totality that provides the Ukrainians with the capabilities they need to retake land, to further push back the Russian forces. It is for the Ukrainians to make the operational decisions on exactly how and when. Our responsibility is to help them. On Belarus: well, Belarus has been, and continues to be a platform which Russia uses in its aggressive actions against Ukraine. They launched part of the invasion from Belarus, and they have launched several airstrikes from Belarus. Our message to Belarus is, of course, that they should not be directly involved, and we will continue to provide Ukraine with the support they need to fight against aggression, and to win this war. NATO Spokesperson, Oana Lungescu: ZDF. ZDF: Thanks. Secretary General, I have a more general question on China. As the view on China changed, are you ready to change, or is NATO ready to change the Strategic Concept towards China? NATO Secretary General: No. The reality is that the Strategic Concept we agreed in Madrid reflects NATO's or, as I say, a new recognition of what China means for our security, because I think we need to realize that NATO has come a long way when it comes to China. In the Strategic Concept we had until last summer, China was not mentioned with a single word. Then, in the Strategic Concept we agreed in Madrid, in June last year, we made important decisions. We don't regard China as an adversary. But we stated clearly in the Strategic Concept that China's assertive behaviour poses a challenge to our interests, our values, our security. And this is reflected in the fact that China is investing heavily in new, modern capabilities, including long-range nuclear missiles. They are cracking down on democratic rights in their own country, in Hong Kong, prosecuting minorities, using social media, the internet to have surveillance of the population in a way we haven't seen at that scale any time before. The assertive behaviour in the South China Sea is a challenge for the countries in the region, but also a challenge to international trade. Threats against Taiwan. And then of course, the fact that China is coming closer to us. We see them in cyberspace, we see them trying to control critical infrastructure, and also then, of course, that they are now working more and more closely with Russia. We see Russian-Chinese joint naval patrols, air patrols, we saw a big military exercise outside the coast of Africa. And all of this together has actually made it necessary for us to update and to develop our policies on China. That is reflected in the new Strategic Concept. It is also reflected in the fact that we are now significantly strengthening our partnership with our Indo-Pacific partners -with Australia and with New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea. They participated in the meeting today. For the first time ever, we invited their Heads of State and Government to participate in our Summit last summer, and I invited the Heads of State and Government from Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Australia also to attend our summit next summer this summer, sorry - in Vilnius. Put together, this is a huge effort. Let me just add what we do on resilience on technology is also a way to respond to the challenges that China poses to our security. NATO Spokesperson, Oana Lungescu: Yonhap. Binna Chung, Yonhap: Binna Chung, from Yonhap News Agency, South Korea. Secretary General, you have urged Korea to increase its military support to Ukraine when you visited Korea last January. And saying that some countries have changed their policy to send weapons directly to Ukraine after the war. And did you raise this among today's discussion as well? And I would like what was Korea's response, if you had, and regarding, if I may ask another one, regarding the NATO's non-lethal assistance package, which Japan has recently pledged. Did the vice minister of Korea express his intention for a contribution as well today? Thanks. NATO Secretary General: First of all, I think is for Korea to provide exact answers on their positions and what they do. What I can say is that we are it was a big issue when I visited Korea in January. And I've also raised it again, and I welcome the fact that South Korea has made it clear that they are ramping up production. And we need to understand that it helps that South Korea is ramping up production and delivering also to NATO Allies, because then we can replenish our own stocks. And South Korea is a big producer of ammunition. And the fact that they are now delivering more and producing more to replenish the stocks on NATO Allies enable us to continue to deliver to Ukraine. So I will not go into the issue of exactly how, or to whom South Korea should deliver. My main message is that by providing more aid to, or not aid, but also supplies of ammunition to NATO Allies then enables us to continue to support Ukraine. And I welcome the announcements made from South Korea on that. NATO Spokesperson, Oana Lungescu: RAI. RAI: Thank you. My question is about migrants. Did you talk with the Italian Foreign Minister Tajani about this problem? What can NATO do in that part of the Mediterranean? Thank you so much. NATO Secretary General: Well, in the meeting we had today the issue of migration was a part of the discussion, especially when we addressed the challenges emanating from the Middle East and North Africa. And of course what NATO does - and this is also something I've discussed with the Italian Foreign Minister with the Italian Prime Minister several times is, is that we are helping to support the efforts of individual Allies, but also of the European Union. We have a NATO naval presence in the Aegean Sea to help implement the agreement between Turkiye and the EU on illegal migration. We are working with partners in the Middle East and North Africa. We have our presence, our training mission in Iraq to try to address the root causes. A stable Iraq, a stable Middle East is, of course, important also to address the root causes of the migrant challenges that Europe is facing. And we are also stepping up our cooperation and support to countries like Tunisia and Mauritania. And then, of course, we are exchanging information. We're helping each other as NATO Allies, but the migrant and refugee issue is, of course, something that has to be addressed in many different tools. Many of them are outside the NATO mandate, but some of them are, and we are working with countries - Iraq, Mauritania, and all this to help address the root causes. NATO Spokesperson, Oana Lungescu: Okay, Bloomberg. Natalia Drozdiak, Bloomberg: Natalia Drozdiak from Bloomberg, thank you for the question. I'm wondering whether NATO still believes that China holds sway over Russia. With regards to the war in Ukraine, especially after Russia announced plans to station nuclear weapons in Belarus days after it had signed a declaration with China saying countries shouldn't station weapons abroad. Thank you. NATO Secretary General: What we know is that Russia is more and more dependent on China. Trade with China has become even more important for Russia. At least because of the economic sanctions and the consequences of the war in Ukraine. I also believe that the announcement that they will deploy tactical weapons, nuclear weapons to Belarus just after they sign an agreement stating the opposite, just shows that these are empty promises. And we what we need to watch closely is actually what Russia is doing. And that's exactly what NATO Allies are monitoring closely. So far, we haven't seen any changes in the Russian nuclear posture that require any changes in our posture. But we remain vigilant, we will follow closely what they do. And we have increased our presence in the Eastern part of the Alliance. To remove any room for misunderstanding, miscalculation in Moscow about NATO's readiness to protect and defend Allies. And we do that not to provoke a conflict but to prevent the conflict to try to prevent any military attack on NATO Allies. NATO Spokesperson, Oana Lungescu: Okay, we'll take one last question from Politico. Politico: Thank you very much, Lee from Politico. Secretary General, did ministers discuss the arrest and continued detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovitch, and did they discuss any concrete steps or actions that they can take to help secure his immediate release? Thank you. NATO Secretary General: My message is that the Wall Street Journal journalist should be released. And this is about freedom of the press and the importance of journalists to be able to operate, and to ask difficult questions, and to do their work, and many other Allies have expected has experienced exactly the same call on Russia. NATO Spokesperson, Oana Lungescu: Thank you very much, colleagues. This concludes this press conference. Thank you. (Natural News) Like most other federal agencies, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives lost sight of its founding mission long ago: Not to entrap Americans into committing crimes but serving as a resource to help them stay out of legal trouble. Case in point: The ATF began using mentally handicapped people long ago to try and get a gun store owner to commit a crime. A Milwaukee newspaper reported in 2013 that the ATF had established storefront sting operations, where agents had recruited people with mental disabilities as informants. Initially, the use of such informants was attributed to rogue agents in Milwaukee, but it was later revealed that the practice of recruiting informants with low IQ was widespread and also employed in Albuquerque, Pensacola, and Wichita, Ammoland reported this week. But this isnt the only outrage the ATF commits on a daily basis. The agency also considers all firearms without a legible serial number to be ghost guns, regardless of whether they are homemade or factory-made firearms that have had their serial numbers illegally altered, defaced or removed. The ATFs classification of all such firearms as ghost guns has been criticized by some who argue that building homemade firearms is legal in most states. Additionally, the ATF has been accused of manipulating statistics related to ghost guns since the term was coined, the outlet noted further. The ATF often files administrative criminal charges after another law enforcement agency has made an arrest. If a police officer arrests an armed criminal with a previous felony conviction a prohibited person they may request the ATF to pursue federal charges that typically carry a higher penalty than state charges. The ATF then takes credit for the investigation and prosecution, attributing it to their Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, thereby manipulating the statistics, the site added. The gun industry also doesnt trust the agency that was established to regulate it. Manufacturers of bump stocks, aftermarket triggers, and pistol braces have all received determination letters from the ATF stating that their accessories were not subject to regulation by the National Firearms Act, which saved their businesses. However, after political pressure, the ATF reversed its decision and categorized bump stocks and certain triggers as machine guns, and pistol braces as Short Barrel Rifles. This change in regulation is likely to be resolved in court, but the process will be lengthy and expensive. As a result, some manufacturers are waiting for the next administration before sending anything to the ATF for review, Ammoland noted further. Whats more, the agencys leadership is not well thought of among staffers. Some ATF agents are gun enthusiasts who joined the agency to take criminals off the streets and protect the public, or to qualify for a federal pension. However, they distinguish between career agents who do the work and politically appointed leadership. In the opinion of many agents, political appointees are responsible for the agencys deadly mistakes, such as Waco, Ruby Ridge, and Fast and Furious, which resulted in the loss of civilian lives, Ammoland pointed out. The ATFs website has no mention of Ruby Ridge, Randy Weaver or the 11-day standoff that killed Weavers wife, son and Deputy U.S. Marshal William Degan, says the outlet. Nor is there anything on the website about slain Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, who was murdered by a gun the ATF let walk into Mexico as part of its Fast and Furious debacle. The ATF devotes only one page to the deadly siege at Waco, although it is still attempting to deflect blame for the more than 70 deaths. The ATF, like the FBI and a slew of other federal law enforcement agencies, is more about creating crimes these days than helping to prevent them. Sources include: Ammoland.com Guns.news (Natural News) A high-profile artificial intelligence (AI) researcher is warning that unless all advanced AI systems and associated programs are immediately shut down, humanity will eventually become extinct at the hands of the life-destroying robots they are unleashing. Eliezer Yudkowsky, co-founder of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI), wrote an op-ed for TIME magazine this week explaining the risks involved with the creation of these synthetic life forms. He wrote that: The most likely result of building a superhumanly smart AI, under anything remotely like the current circumstances, is that literally everyone on Earth will die. This is a serious warning that others are now echoing as they come to the stark realization that the agenda will not stop with GPT-4 chatbots and other seemingly innocuous AI programs. The truth is that these AI systems are becoming possessed by demons with an anti-human agenda, and thus must be stopped immediately before it is too late. (Related: Elon Musk and other billionaires have signed a petition calling for an immediate pause on all AI developments.) AI systems can already be emailed DNA to turn into artificial life forms, Yudkowsky says Like Musk, Yudkowsky wants all AI labs to immediately cease, for at least the next six months, all AI training programs that are more powerful than GPT-4. He also commented on the petition, stating that it is asking for too little to solve the problems posed by the rapid and uncontrolled development of AI systems. These AI systems do not care for us nor for sentient life in general, Yudkowsky argues, adding that in order to survive an encounter with one, a person would need precision and preparation and new scientific insights that, generally speaking, humanity lacks. A sufficiently intelligent AI wont stay confined to computers for long, he added, further explaining that it is already possible to email DNA strands to a laboratory that can manufacture proteins for AI to build artificial life forms or bootstrap straight to postbiological molecular manufacturing. It is the stuff of the Terminator movie franchise but in real life, in other words. And it is happening faster than many people realize as the media distracts everyone with just about every other topic under the sun. There can be no exceptions, including for governments or militaries, Yudkowsky says about how all AI systems need to be stopped immediately. If intelligence says that a country outside the agreement is building a GPU (graphics processing unit) cluster, be less scared of a shooting conflict between nations than of the moratorium being violated; be willing to destroy a rogue datacenter by airstrike. How to get every country of the world on board with stopping AI could prove challenging, though. Is it even possible to regulate such a thing, especially when it is taking place in private in the remotest areas of the world outside the control or even the knowledge of law enforcement? Yudkowsky sees AI as such a threat that he thinks it should be made explicit in international diplomacy that preventing AI extinction scenarios is considered a priority above preventing a full nuclear exchange. In the comments, someone joked that first it was aliens, then it was a zombie apocalypse, and now its terminator robots, the implication being that perhaps Yudkowsky and his ilk are overblowing the AI threat. April Fools Day, joked another. It has been a well acknowledged and accepted fact that technological, and biological products have been already developed and operating within the military complex for many years before any public awareness! suggested another. Are these bio artificial intelligence human form androids already among us? Will the world be taken over by demon-possessed AI robots? Learn more at Robots.news. Sources for this article include: RT.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Increasing evidence is emerging to support the long-standing claim of political persecution of former President Donald J. Trump. Cyber investigators and Team Trump have started to reveal information that connects staff from the New York District Attorneys office to left-wing social media activism and consulting work with prominent Democrats in the real world, according to The National Pulse. For a while now, the 45th President of the United States has been claiming that the charges leveled against him by the New York District Attorneys office are politically motivated, lacking any substantial legal basis. The National Pulse has now reported on the connections between far-left activism and at least two senior staff members involved in the case. The recent revelation further strengthens the previously established ties between progressive billionaire George Soros and the District Attorney, Alvin Bragg, who received funding of up to a million dollars from Soros before his election. And, in response to reports of their far-left connections, some staff members of the District Attorneys office have been deleting their social media profiles. The Wuhan Clan, a Twitter investigator, has exposed the initial significant case concerning Jordan Stockdale, who holds the top-ranking position of Chief of Staff in Alvin Braggs office, second only to the District Attorney himself, the report noted. An online account allegedly belonging to Stockdale has a record of liking posts that demand Donald Trumps impeachment and disqualification from running for any office. This conduct is notable because Bragg and his team have maintained that the investigation was conducted in an impartial manner, the outlets report continued. Meet Jordan Stockdale the Chief Of Staff for Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg Liking tweets saying Trump should be impeached, removed from office & prevented from taking office again. Witch-hunt top to bottom inside Manhattan DA pic.twitter.com/Ul8dbsniFJ Banana Republic Justice Swan ? (@TheWuhanClan) April 3, 2023 A thread that has gone viral displays tweets from notable figures such as Bernie Sanders and former Obama staffer Michael Blake, demanding that Trump not only be impeached but also be disqualified from EVER being able to run for office again. The tweets seem to have been approved by the account @JMichaelStock, which is associated with Stockdale and was quickly removed. However, a cached version from Google strongly implies that it belonged to the Bragg staffer. Over the years, the handle has been mentioned several times as Stockdales, and it is similar to the handle of an Instagram account which has also been deleted that seems to have belonged to him, The National Pulse continued. But thats not all. The daughter of New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, the judge presiding over Donald J. Trumps indictment in New York appears to have actually worked on Vice President Kamala Harriss Presidential Campaign just three years ago. Loren Merchan was considered a 2020 Campaign and Elections Rising Star. Her party affiliation is listed as Democrat, and a biography on the website reads, In addition to doing ground-breaking, historical work for clients like Jon tester, Kamala Harris, Adam Schiff, and others, Authentic Campaigns is setting new industry standards through its commitment to diversity, transparent compensation employee benefits, and more,' The National Pulse reported. Her LinkedIn profile, which has since been removed, showed that she served as the Director of Digital Persuasion for Kamala Harris for the People, the Vice Presidents 2020 presidential campaign. Reports surfaced on Tuesday regarding her role in Harriss campaign, and Judge Juan Merchan, who presides over the Trump indictment case, has been identified as a lifelong Democrat, which is evidently a shared political perspective with his daughter. Anyone who seriously believes this case against Trump in Manhattan is real and not just a political prosecution is part of why our justice system doesnt work anymore. Sources include: TheNationalPulse.com ThePostMillennial.com (Natural News) Canadian activist Chris Elston, also known as Billboard Chris, was recently attacked by a group of individuals in Vancouver. Elston, a champion of protecting children from state sexual interference, was in the city to attend a rally against a proposed ban on conversion therapy. (Article republished from RairFoundation.com) Elston was approached by radical trans-activists who shouted vulgar insults at him and then physically attacked him. The attack was captured on video and has since gone viral on social media. In the video, Elston is shoved to the ground and punched by several individuals. Despite being violently attacked, punched in the face, and left bloodied and bruised, Police determined that the violent assault was provoked and did nothing. Another angle of the assault on me today. Police did nothing. The investigating officer says I instigated, and she told me it was a mutual fight. pic.twitter.com/rCQZyntjSY Billboard Chris ???? (@BillboardChris) April 1, 2023 The police officer who did not act on the assault claimed that Chris had incited the attack against him by not agreeing with the Trans activists. Here is a video of a conversation with that officer: This Vancouver Police officer laughed as @billboardchris was throttled by a trans lunatic. Then she lied on camera! Call @vancouverpd now: 604-717-3321 She has to be fired. Her badge number is: 3081 She is an activist in a police uniform. pic.twitter.com/pf6xsVpZo6 Sebastian Gorka DrG (@SebGorka) April 2, 2023 Former White House aid and journalist Sebastian Gorka reports that the Vancouver police officers badge number is 3081. Complaints can be registered by phone at 604-717-3321 Violent Targetting of Billboard Chris Chris has been campaigning across Canada for years now to protect children from the trans-movement. Elston is a father of two and has been an outspoken critic of the use of hormone blockers and other chemicals in children.. In an exclusive 2021 interview with RAIR Foundation USA, Elston describes how he was targeted by Antifa activists while campaigning in Los Angeles. He states that he was attacked from behind, thrown to the ground, and then had his arm twisted until it broke. He also describes how the attack was premeditated and that Antifa activists had been planning to target him for weeks. Elston believes that the attack was politically motivated, as he has been a vocal opponent of the use of chemical interference in children. He argues that these chemicals can have long-term negative effects on children and that parents should be informed about the risks. The attack against Chris has raised concerns about the safety of individuals who hold views different than the left. Elston has expressed concern for his safety and has called on the government to do more to protect individuals who disagree with their agenda. Elston has called for an end to political violence and a return to civil discourse. He argues that we need to have open and honest discussions about important issues and that violence is not the answer. Read more at: RairFoundation.com (Natural News) A Texas man shot an alleged suspect who stole his truck, managing to track down the vehicle using an Apple AirTag. The San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) confirmed that the shooting incident occurred on March 29. Officers initially received a report about a stolen Chevrolet Silverado at around 1 p.m. from a home in north San Antonio. But instead of alerting the police, the owner of the pickup truck took matters into his own hands. The truck owner allegedly used an Apple AirTag inside it to track down his vehicle and the thief that stole it, finding both at a shopping centers parking lot about 20 miles away. Joined by two family members, he confronted the man inside the truck. The owner then shot and killed the alleged thief, identified as 44-year-old Andrew John Herrera. The Bexar County Medical Examiner Office said Herrera died from a gunshot wound to the head, ruling it a homicide. According to the SAPD, Herrera was unaware that the Chevrolet Silverado he was driving was being tracked. Officials are determining if the suspect, who remains unnamed, will be charged. Meanwhile, the truck owner alleged that Herrera was armed during the confrontation forcing him to shoot and kill the 44-year-old. However, investigators are yet to determine if the truck owners claim is true. Several bullet casings were found at the scene, and another vehicle also had its windows shot out. SAPD spokesman Nick Soliz advised victims of car thefts not to pursue suspects on their own. He said: If you are to get your vehicle stolen, please do not take matters into your own hands like this. Its never safe, as you can see by this incident. Predators can use AirTags to stalk their preys First launched by Apple in April 2021, AirTags were developed to help users keep track of personal items such as keys, wallets and bags. The Find My app will determine where these items are in the case of loss, provided that an AirTag is attached to them. AirTags work by pinging off iPhones near them and sending a signal to the owners phone to show where they are. In one similar case, 22-year-old Zoe Pettit from the U.K. had her Ford Fiesta stolen in February of this year. At the suggestion of her friends, she tucked an AirTag in the lining of her vehicles trunk which proved handy the moment her vehicle got stolen. Upon checking her phone, Pettit found that it was already seven miles away from where she was. Law enforcement was then notified, with an officer driving to where the vehicle was. However, the officer lost track of the car, almost prompting Pettit to give up the search. Even her parents advised her to drop the chase and accept the fact that her vehicle cannot be recovered. But she and her friends persisted, eventually finding the car albeit with different license plates. Police were then notified that the vehicle was located, and Pettit was allowed to drive her vehicle as cop cars escorted her along the way. While Pettits use of the AirTags resulted in a positive outcome, some have been using the devices to follow potential victims without their knowledge. In one clear example from last year, a young mother in Texas recounted finding an AirTag taped inside her duffel bag. She discovered the device while traveling from the Lone Star State to Maine. It took almost 14 hours to let me know this was happening, she said of the stalking, whose perpetrator was never identified. I think they definitely would have hurt me. I dont think you do that for no reason. (Related: 2 Women sue Apple after their exes use AirTags to STALK them.) Visit Watched.news for more stories about people being tracked using AirTags. Watch this news clip about the Texas mother who was being stalked through an AirTag taped to her bag. This video is from the TKWK T.V channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Google is now your coronavirus Big Brother, begins sharing your private location data with governments that seek to track your movements. Most Brits feel they are victims of sonic snooping, and cybersecurity experts believe theyre right. The all-seeing i: Apple just declared war on your privacy. Sources include: KHOU.com DailyMail.co.uk The-Sun.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) Victims and whistleblowers of grooming gangs, largely made up of British-Pakistani men, have often been ignored by authorities due to political correctness, claimed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as he announced fresh plans to tackle the long-standing issue. (Article by Thomas Brooke republished from RMX.news) Fresh measures including a new police task force will be created, and regional police forces will be ordered to improve the recording and analysis of ethnicity data. The safety of women and girls is paramount, said Sunak ahead of Mondays announcement. For too long, political correctness has stopped us from weeding out vile criminals who prey on children and young women. We will stop at nothing to stamp out these dangerous gangs. A government spokesperson said the plans would help ensure suspects cannot hide behind cultural sensitivities as a way to evade justice. The police-led task force will be supported by the National Crime Agency and will comprise officers experienced in grooming gang investigations; the officers will work with data analysts to identify perpetrators who may have previously slipped through the net. Home Secretary Suella Braverman said on Sunday that a culture of political correctness and a fear of being accused of racism or bigotry had resulted in systemic abuse of predominantly White children by British-Pakistani grooming gangs. She insisted that thousands of children have had their childhoods robbed and devastated by adult men who are still running wild. When confronted by a report published by her own department in 2020, which disputed the governments claim that the vast majority of grooming gangs are made up of Asian males, Braverman cited several previous reports on the problem. The first was the 2014 report detailing the findings of an independent inquiry into child sexual exploitation in the northern English town of Rotherham, which concluded that by far the majority of the perpetrators were described as Asian by victims, yet councilors did not engage directly with the Pakistani-heritage community to discuss how best they could jointly address the issue. Several staff described their nervousness about identifying the ethnic origins of perpetrators for fear of being thought racist, and others remembered clear directions from their managers not to do so, the report stated. The second was a 2015 report by Louise Carey, which stated how anxiety around the ethnicity of perpetrators in Rotherham and other high profile cases may have further discouraged a focus on perpetrators. There have been several reports since about the predominance of certain ethnic groups and I say, British Pakistani males who hold cultural values totally at odds with British values, who see women in a demeaned and illegitimate way and who pursue an outdated and frankly heinous approach in terms of the way they behave, Braverman told Sky News on Sunday Weve got to stamp that out with criminal law and proper safeguarding, and were only going to do that if as a society we face up to the facts and truth of whats going on, she added. Read more at: RMX.news (Natural News) Venomous spiders that can survive underwater for over 24 hours are ending up in swimming pools all over Australia after parts of the country experienced heavy rain and floods late in March. The tiny trespassers include funnel-web spiders. These spiders belong to the Araneida family, with at least 40 known species. The Sydney funnel-web spider (Atrax robustus) is one of the deadliest spider species, with the male spiders being responsible for most casualties. Male Sydney funnel-web spiders have more potent venom to protect themselves while searching for females to mate with. To date, no deaths have been recorded since antivenom became available in the 1980s. However, if left untreated, a funnel-web spider bite can kill a child within 15 minutes. Parts of New South Wales (NSW) have experienced heavy rain and thunderstorms since late March, with a severe weather warning still in place for northern parts of NSW. Sam Herrmann, a reptile keeper from Australian Reptile Park, told 9news that the rain has set funnel-web spiders on the move. (Related: Natural healing: Treating spider bites in a post-SHTF world.) Herrmann explained that funnel-web spiders often seek shelter in places like the lip at the side of the pool where they can hide and stay dry. But sometimes, the spiders can accidentally fall into the pool. Dan Smith, from the southern Sydney suburb Engadine, found a deadly funnel-web spider in his pool in the same spot where he had spotted a trapdoor spider several days earlier. Smith added that the spider he found was very active, very fiery. Vasilios Basil Haddad from Sydney also spotted a nasty male funnel-web spider in his empty pool. Along the northern New South Wales coast, resident Lynda Smith found four eastern mouse spiders (Missulena bradleyi) in her pool. Eastern mouse spiders look similar to funnel-web spiders, with bulbous heads, powerful jaws and a venom similar in potency to the latter. She also posted a warning about the presence of spiders on Facebook, saying that homeowners should always check their pools before jumping in especially after rain. She added that eastern mouse spiders are deadly and should be handled carefully. According to Helen Smith, the arachnology collection manager at the Australian Museum, both funnel-web and mouse spiders can survive underwater by trapping an air bubble to the hairs on their underside. Spiders breathe differently than humans do, so they can survive much longer underwater. Most spiders have a dual respiratory system that is made up of a trachea and a book lung, an organ that is made up of a series of plates stacked up to allow for the diffusion of oxygen. The trachea carries oxygen to the tissues, and book lungs oxygenate hemolymph, or the spider equivalent of blood in vertebras. Smith warned that spiders can also bite underwater, but only if they can grip onto something, so its best not to poke them. According to Dan Smith, he captured the funnel-web spider in his pool and contacted expert Scott Johnson. The latter offered to take it to the Australian Reptile Park, which had the necessary facilities to milk the spider to make antivenom. Herrmann advised that if people find spiders in their swimming pools, they should very carefully scoop them out using a net. If you get bitten by a spider, Herrmann warned that you must seek medical attention immediately. First aid for funnel-web spider bites While there is an effective antivenom for spider bites, proper and immediate first aid is still essential for funnel-web spider and mouse spider envenomation. If someone you know gets bitten by a spider, you must apply pressure/immobilization. Do this as quickly as possible. The pressure/immobilization technique will help compress surface tissues and reduce muscle movement, which can help delay the lymphatic flow. Spider bites usually take place on a limb. Apply a pressure bandage as soon as possible after a spider bite. Apply the bandage as tightly as you would for a sprained ankle, starting from the bitten area and binding the entire limb above the spider bite. Bind a rigid splint to the bitten limb to prevent any movement. Keep the patient as calm and still as possible and seek emergency medical attention immediately. If possible, keep the spider in a sealed container for positive identification. Check the list below to learn how to identify funnel-web spiders: They have a shiny carapace. The spiders have a deeply curved groove (fovea). They have closely grouped eyes. They dont have an obvious body pattern. Funnel-web spiders have four spinnerets, the largest with the last segment longer than it is wide. The lower lip (labium) of the spider is studded with short, blunt spines. Funnel-web spiders have a modified male second leg, usually with a mating spur or grouped spines. Visit Ecology.news for more stories like this. Watch the video below to know more about other deadly spiders. This video is from the When Animals Attack channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Survival first aid: How to treat spider bites. The Lovecraftian giant sea spider grows holes in its legs to help it breathe? Spider web in Missouri forest big enough to catch people. Sources include: LiveScience.com Australian.Museum Brighteon.com (Natural News) Theres an old saying that goes like this: If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. However, that lie can only be maintained for such time as the State can shield the people from the consequences of the lie. Many of the nations hoaxes and worldwide scams have been revealed over the years, thanks to truth news, like Natural News and InfoWars. For example, the US government, for nearly a decade, has covered up the atrocity of fluoridated water causing horrific health problems, including cancer, brittle bones, and lowered IQ. In fact, just recently, Biden health officials suppressed a government study that confirmed fluoride damages the developing brain. It took a lawsuit by the Fluoride Action Network to expose the truth of this meta-analysis by the National Toxicology Program that proves that prenatal and early-life fluoride exposure REDUCES IQ in children. For decades and decades, the US government, NIH, AMA, EPA, ADA (American Dental Association), and the CDC have had Americans convinced that fluoride is good for your teeth and prevents cavities. Even if this were true (no science has ever confirmed it), the tradeoff for cancer, brittle bones, lowered IQ, and a calcified pineal gland are not worth it not even by a long shot. The lawsuit reveals the CDC and NIH purposely blocked the release of the damning report about fluoridated water through a series of internal emails. This is how insidious hoaxes and big lies are perpetuated. Fluoridation of public drinking water violates the EPAs own Toxic Substances Control Act. Fluoride is also linked, by scientific studies, to neurodevelopmental problems, cognitive health effects, memory issues, ADHD, thyroid disease, and endocrine disruption. Thyroid disease in turn can lead to obesity, heart disease, and depression. Here are the 8 biggest hoaxes ever perpetrated on mankind most of which are still believed today by hundreds of millions of people #1. Fluoride is in tap water because its good for your teeth! #2. Global Warming propagandists would still claim the oceans are swallowing the coastlines, but since theyre not, the name was altered to climate change. #3. Trump-Russia Collusion Democrats claimed for 4 years that Trump cheated the election, but its illegal now to claim the Democrats cheated in 2020. #4. Help Save Ukraine! Even though Ukraines current puppet government is one of the most corrupt regimes on Earth and helped USA build and maintain deadly bio-labs for illegal bio-warfare research. #5. Biden Won thanks to millions of falsified mail-in ballots, corrupt Dominion voting machines flipping votes, and millions of illegal immigrants and dead people voting, a fake POTUS was installed as the communist leader of the free world. #6. All Vaccines are Safe and Effective though the spike protein injections are not really vaccines at all but deadly vascular-clotting gene mutation therapy shots that cause heart attacks, strokes, and SADS (sudden adult death syndrome). #7. Osama Bin Laden was the mastermind of 9/11 though all signs reveal it was an inside job (World Trade Center was destroyed by demolition, just like Building 7) to justify invading Iraq and Afghanistan under false pretense to steal oil and opioids. #8. Dollar fiat currency (Lost 99% of value since 1913) The US dollar (cash or green backs) is only legal currency because the government declares that it is. The US dollar has lost 99% of its purchasing power over the last century. Do your own research and dont use Google. Try the search engine Brave BETA and get more truth news and real information. Bookmark Censored.news to your favorite websites for truth news about dangerous hoaxes (that fooled the world) that are being censored from the rest of media as you read this. Sources for this article include: NaturalNews.com Censored.news InfoWars.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Its time that Conservative leaders in red states across the country begin indicting the real criminals who are destroying this country. For years now criminal actions by Democrat leaders have been reported on with ample evidence. Now its time to indict. (Article by Joe Hoft republished from TheGatewayPundit.com) Obama went after citizen Trump in 2011 when he was at a White House dinner. Obama hated Trump for shining light on his birth certificate. He hated anyone who did. Sheriff Joe Arpaio was later attacked by Obama-Bidens DOJ later for doing the same thing. Then the business mogul Donald Trump decided to run for office. The Democrats and GOP elites treated candidate Trump with no respect. They laughed at him and berated him. All of the mainstream media joined in. The same group of people who were destroying the country joined together to destroy candidate Trump. Then President Trump won and they set him up with false charges based on a Clinton paid for lie that he was a Russian spy. It turns out President Trump was one of the only ones in Washington DC who wasnt connected to Russia. Even the FBI investigator investigating President Trump in the Trump-Russia collusion was making money from Russia. This same guy investigated the Bidens for their relationship with Chinas Patrick Ho who Hunter made a million for aligning with a special attorney who would get him off and back to China. The Democrats and the GOP elites committed numerous crimes and continue to do so. Destroying emails, lying about everything under oath, taking bribes, extorting millions, attempting a coup detat of the Trump Administration, and much, much more, but they keep getting away with it. The DOJ wont prosecute the real criminals because they have become them. They created two bogus impeachments of President Trump and then certified the uncertifiable election for Joe Biden, stealing it in the process. Then after all that wouldnt work, they make up BS charges and indict him. This past weeks garbage indictment by a dumb and biased New York DA, Alvin Bragg, showed that the law no longer matters. There is no protection for good Americans anymore. The criminals are running the ship on a voyage to destruction. Conservative leaders see what is going on and are calling for a change. Its time for good Americans to fight back. Numerous crimes are committed by these gangsters and communists who have taken over the country. Its time to hold them accountable. CF.org shared comments by Tom Fitton: All bets are off. You can expect grand jury indictments of leftist politicians like Biden, [former House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi and [Senate Majority Leader Chuck] Schumer as surely as night follows day, said Tom Fitton, president of the conservative legal group Judicial Watch. You can be sure that there are prosecutors across Florida and Texas right now who are looking for a state law hook into the Biden family, he added. And if theyre not, theyre not doing their jobs. Attorney Mike Davis also chimed in: Republicans need to learn how to take off the gloves and put on the brass knuckles and break glass jaws politically and legally, not physically, Mike Davis, a former chief counsel for nominations on the Senate Judiciary Committee and president of the Article III Project, told The Post. If New York can turn a routine settlement of a business dispute seven years ago into a felony, I think our Republican AGs and DAs should get creative, added Davis, who briefly worked as a federal prosecutor before clerking for Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. Two wrongs dont make it right, but it makes it even. You just need probable cause. A grand jury can indict a ham sandwich. We just saw that in New York. And the Bidens actually committed real crimes. These are real crimes that the Bidens committed. There is smoking gun evidence that the Bidens were corruptly and illegally on Chinese and Ukrainian oligarchs payrolls. Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the former sheriff of Maricopa County, AZ shared: This sets a little precedent, said the ex-sheriff of Americas fourth-most-populous county. Now the word is out that you can go and indict an ex-president and a current president and they opened another door. But now everybodys going to flex their muscles and use this case. So now were gonna threaten all presidents or ex presidents. The Democrats have used the government to attack their political opponents. They dont foot the bill, they have conservative American taxpayers pay for their lawfare. It is now time to go after the real criminals. The criminals have gone too far. Read more at: TheGatewayPundit.com (Natural News) If another country wanted to invade and take over the United States, it would be really easy to do so right now because a growing number of American soldiers is too fat to fight. Blaming the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic for the militarys obesity problem, the Associated Press (AP) reported that in the Army branch of the military alone, nearly 10,000 active-duty soldiers developed obesity between February 2019 and June 2021. Because of this, nearly 25 percent of Army troops are now too big to do their jobs. The situation is not much different in the Navy and the Marines. Too much sitting inside during the lockdowns eating genetically modified (GMO) slop food has left servicemembers in the U.S. military in poorer shape than the average civilian in a foreign country where GMOs and other garbage are not part of the food supply. I could notice it, said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Daniel Murillo, 27, who reportedly spent endless hours on his laptop during the scamdemic while he chowed down on cookies and chips in the barracks at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. The uniform was tighter, Murillo told the AP about how his body became misshapen during the plandemic. (Related: In an attempt to replace all the morbidly obese American soldiers who can no longer serve, the military is now attempting to recruit more transgenders.) If the U.S. military hopes to survive, it needs to start feeding its soldiers healthier food and bringing back fitness routines Ever since the Fauci Flu began dominating headlines, the obesity situation in the U.S. military has only continued to worsen. Between all the vaccine injections soldiers receive, the junk food they eat, and the lack of physical fitness, the U.S. military has become a mere shell of what it once was. The Army and the other services need to focus on how to bring the forces back to fitness, said Tracey Perez Koehlmoos, director of the Center for Health Services Research at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Md., who led new research on the subject. If military service members remain fat and sickly, as many of them now are, then they risk succumbing to more injuries and failing to meet the physical demands necessary for their profession. According to Koehlmoos assessment, the U.S. military loses more than 650,000 workdays a year because of all the extra weight its service members are packing on, not to mention the $1.5 billion in obesity-related health care costs that are incurred by both current and former service members and their families. For more than a decade, military leaders have been sounding the alarm about this trend towards obesity, which started long before the scamdemic. Again, it has a lot to do with the food being fed to service members and the injections they are all forced to take in order to serve. Marine Corps Brigadier Gen. Stephen Cheney co-authored his own report on the subject, which arrived at grim conclusions. The numbers have not gotten better, Cheney told participants in a November webinar held by the American Security Project, a non-profit think tank. They are just getting worse and worse and worse. For the first time ever, the U.S. Army failed to achieve its recruiting goal in fiscal year 2022, falling short by about 15,000 recruits, or about one-quarter of the requirement. The alleged reason for this is the fact that three-quarters of Americans aged 17 to 24 are not eligible for military service, in part due to being fat. Obesity is now the biggest individual disqualifier, affecting more than one in 10 potential recruits, according to the report. It is devastating, Cheney commented, adding that this has created a dramatic national security problem. The latest news about the ongoing collapse of America can be found at Collapse.news. Sources for this article include: APNews.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) A trio of Alabama school districts are suing major social media platforms on the grounds that they have created a mental health crisis for children. The companies named in the lawsuit include TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube, who the suit says are employing insufficient age verification measures and parental controls. In addition, they say that these social media platforms employ information feeds that are designed to keep users in a trance, as well as manipulative reward mechanisms that work to activate dopamine and create unhealthy social comparisons. All of these issues combine to create a product that the lawsuit says is harmfully addictive and whose dangers are particularly damaging to young people. Excessive screen time is especially harmful to adolescents mental health, sleep patterns, and emotional well-being. Yet, Defendants products lack any warnings (to users in general, minor users, or their parents) that foreseeable product use can cause injury to users mental and physical health, rendering the products unreasonably dangerous, the suit states. Moreover, instead of taking steps to make their platform safer for young users, these social media companies are purposefully designing their products in a way that facilitates addiction in order to boost their bottom line. This is just one of several similar lawsuits to be filed in recent times. The state of Arkansas and San Mateo Countys Board of Education have also filed suits related to the manipulative and addictive nature of social media platforms. The new suit alleges that social medias addictive components were intentionally created to take advantage of the same neural circuitry that operates in drug and gambling addictions. The lawsuit goes on to claim that these social media platforms are contributing to what has become an epidemic of mental health issues in children, with students noting record rates of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. The suit continues: These students perform worse in school, are less likely to attend school, more likely to engage in substance use and to act out, all of which directly affects Plaintiffs ability to fulfill their educational mission. Schools want social media platforms to be held accountable The school districts are calling for social media platforms to make positive changes and to be held accountable for their actions. They say that the platforms know that their products are damaging to minor users and have failed to take steps to mitigate these dangers or warn users and parents of the potential effects. When it comes to age verification, the suit says that none of the social media platforms are properly checking peoples ages. Instead, users are asked to self-report their age, which is something that is very easy to get around. They maintain that this is a violation of the Federal Trade Commissions Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998. Another aspect of social media that the school districts cite in their lawsuit is the exaggerated reality that leads to comparisons that can damage young peoples self-esteem. It notes: Social media-induced social comparison often results in a discrepancy between the ideal self and the real self, thus evoking a sense of depression, deprivation, and distress, resulting in an overall aggravation of ones mental state. Meanwhile, editing tools such as filters add to this false reality that is leading to body image issues, body dysmorphia and eating disorders, among other problems. All of these effects combine to cause what it terms a perilous amalgamation of intense psychological vulnerability and targeted exploitation that is causing problems such as withdrawal from family and friends, fatigue, insomnia, a lack of focus, self-harm and suicide. One of the attorneys representing the school districts, Davis Vaughn, said that the schools now have to offer mental health resources to students because of their addiction to social media and related problems. Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com WBRC.com (Natural News) A self-described futurist and former engineer at tech giant Google has predicted that humans will achieve immortality by the year 2030. Ray Kurzweil, author of the book The Singularity Is Near, made this prediction. He also predicted that in 2029 a year before this target date of human immortality artificial intelligence (AI) will be able to pass the Turing test. Devised by British computer scientist Alan Turing, the test seeks to determine if a machine can exhibit intelligent behavior in the same manner as a human being. Kurzweil argued that the world is rapidly approaching a moment where AI surpasses human intelligence, a moment he dubbed singularity. The futurist based his prediction on his observations of the exponential growth in various fields of science and technology such as genetics, nanotechnology and robotics. Advances in the latter two will culminate in the development of nanobots that will repair cells damaged by aging. These nanobots would effectively make humans immune to diseases such as cancer, Kurzweil said. Moreover, he added that connecting machines to human brains will help humans think better and become smarter. Brain-computer interfaces will open up the possibility of uploading the human consciousness into digital form, effectively achieving immortality. Kurzweil was hired by the Mountain View, California-based technology company in 2012 to work on new projects involving machine learning and language processing. But even before he joined Google, Kurzweil had been making predictions about advances in technology even arguing that 86 percent of his 147 predictions came true. In 1990, he said the worlds best chess player would lose to a computer by 2000 which materialized in 1997 when IBMs Deep Blue beat grandmaster Garry Kasparov. In 1999, Kurzweil predicted that most of the world would have access to high-bandwidth wireless internet by 2010. He also foresaw that a $1,000 laptop would have computing power and storage capacity equal to that of the human brain. Tech leaders warn: The world ISNT READY for AI just yet Kurzweil is not alone in his sentiments, however. Masayoshi Son, the CEO of Japanese technology giant SoftBank, predicted back in 2017 that super-intelligent machines will ridicule humanity by 2047. Thirty years from now, [AI-powered machines] are going to learn by themselves, Son said during the Future Investment Initiative that year in Saudi Arabia. They are maybe going to laugh at you and us. Softbank Robotics already has Pepper, a semi-humanoid robot that is designed with the ability to read emotions. It was introduced in June 2014 at a conference and was later showcased in SoftBank Mobile Phone stores in Japan. Meanwhile, tech giants Google and Microsoft have also started introducing their AI-powered chatbots, which received backlash from the public. (Related: Google suspends engineer for exposing sentient AI chatbot.) However, not everyone is receptive to the idea of AI. Even technology bigwig Elon Musk himself recently called for AI labs to suspend development of their platforms, citing profound risks to society and humanity. A group of tech leaders, researchers and professors also penned a letter addressed to San Francisco-based OpenAI, which developed the ChatGPT chatbot. The letter came two months after OpenAI announced GPT-4, a more powerful version of its flagship AI platform. Advanced AI could represent a profound change in the history of life on Earth, and should be planned for and managed with commensurate care and resources, the letter said. Unfortunately, this level of planning and management is not happening, even though recent months have seen AI labs locked in an out-of-control race to develop and deploy ever more powerful digital minds that no one not even their creators can understand, predict or reliably control. Visit Transhumanism.news for more stories about technology transforming humans into something else. Watch Ray Kurzweil discuss his disruptive technologies and dangerous ideas in this 2017 interview. This video is from the Sheep Farm Studios channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: AI startup under fire after trolls used its voice cloning tool to make celebrities say offensive things. DEAD RISING: AI-powered ChatGPT to connect the living and the dead. AI-powered bot successfully requested refund from Wells Fargo using FAKE voice. AI likely to WIPE OUT humanity, Oxford and Google researchers warn. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk Lifeboat.com EconomicTimes.IndiaTimes.com Brighteon.com The Carlisle Town Band will perform its annual spring concert on Sunday, April 23, at the Carlisle Theatre. The free Sunday performance will be at 3 p.m. and is open to the public. The first half is a Young Artist Feature Concert that will include performances of the Carnegie Anthem by William Owens, Overture in B Flat by Caesar Giovannini, Heavens Light by Steven Reineke and Buffalo Bills Equestrian March by William Paris Chambers, who was born in Newport and grew up in Newville. The second half of the program will focus on Peace and Justice in support of the J. Sherwood McGinnis Jr. War, Peace and Justice Project. This part of the program will include several high school students reading short quotes about peace and justice, followed by related musical selections. A musical setting of the 1915 poem In Flanders Field will feature vocalist David Kammerer, accompanied by the Carlisle High School string quartet. Other selections will include Fanfare for Justice by Richard Saucedo, PacemA Hymn for Peace by Robert Spittal and Fanfare for a New Era by Pinkzebra. The concert will conclude with the playing of the Ukrainian National Anthem. For more information, visit the town bands website at www.carlisleband.org. (Natural News) The president of conservative legal watchdog group Judicial Watch predicted this week that Republican prosecutors and district attorneys would move to indict President Joe Biden and his debased son, Hunter Biden, once the former leaves office after the politicized prosecution and indictment of Donald Trump in Manhattan. All bets are off. You can expect grand jury indictments of leftist politicians like Biden, Pelosi and Schumer as surely as night follows day, said Tom Fitton, president @JudicialWatch in an interview with the New York Post. You can be sure there are prosecutors across Florida and Texas right now who are looking for a state law hook into the Biden family. And if theyre not, theyre not doing their jobs. All bets are off. You can expect grand jury indictments of leftist politicians like Biden, Pelosi and Schumer as surely as night follows day, said Tom Fitton, president @JudicialWatch. You can be sure there are prosecutors across Florida and Texas right now who are looking Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) March 31, 2023 Trump, 76, is the first former president to confront criminal charges, which come as he prepares for a potential 2024 presidential rematch against Biden. The Post reported on Friday that the then-sealed indictment is supposedly based on a new theory of document forgery promoted by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, concerning Trumps hush-money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016. The former president pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts related to accounting of alleged hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels at the height of the 2016 election, Fox News reported Tuesday after Trump appeared in a Manhattan courtroom to face the charges. He faces a maximum sentence of 136 years, but no one in their right mind believes Trumps going to serve a day behind bars, let alone that the case against him is even legitimate. Meanwhile, others agreed with Fitton that GOP prosecutors are now free to go after the Bidens and any other high profile Democratic president and political figure suspected of committing crimes. Republicans need to learn how to take off the gloves and put on the brass knuckles and break glass jaws politically and legally, not physically, Mike Davis, a former chief counsel for nominations on the Senate Judiciary Committee and president of the Article III Project, told The Post. If New York can turn a routine settlement of a business dispute seven years ago into a felony, I think our Republican AGs and DAs should get creative, added Davis, who briefly worked as a federal prosecutor before clerking for Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. Two wrongs dont make it right, but it makes it even. You just need probable cause. A grand jury can indict a ham sandwich. We just saw that in New York. And the Bidens actually committed real crimes. These are real crimes that the Bidens committed. There is smoking gun evidence that the Bidens were corruptly and illegally on Chinese and Ukrainian oligarchs payrolls, Davis noted further. Joe Arpaio, a close ally of Trump and the former sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, has expressed his belief that there is a double standard in the legal system against Republicans like Trump. Arpaio was pardoned by Trump in 2017 in a criminal contempt case. The criminal justice system is not always fair, believe me, and this is an example, Arpaio told The Post. This sets a little precedent, he continued. Now the word is out that you can go and indict an ex-president and a current president and they opened another door. But now everybodys going to flex their muscles and use this case. So now were gonna threaten all presidents or ex-presidents. Sources include: NYPost.com FoxNews.com (Natural News) The Manhattan DA Alvin Braggs website has deleted its Meet Our Team page, including the profile of chief assistant district attorney Meg Reiss, ahead of the arraignment. (Article by Roberto Wakerell-Cruz republished from ThePostMillenial.com) The bio for Chief Assistant District Attorney Reiss was removed. Reiss was brought into Braggs office in January 2022, subscribes to Critical Race Theory ideas, and believes in soft-on-crime reforms to the criminal justice system. According to Fox News: Reiss created the Institute for Innovation on Prosecution in 2016 at John Jay College, which collaborates with prosecution offices, including the Manhattan DA, to bring about racial equity reforms rooted in critical race theory ideology. She left in 2018, and was listed as a leader in numerous reports relating to their agenda. The institute believes in an ideologically driven approach to prosecution that takes into account historical factors. For example, the Institute argued in a report, signed with Reiss name, that prosecutors must focus on acknowledging our nations shameful history of slavery and racism which continues to cloud the criminal justice system.' BREAKING: Manhattan DA deletes their Meet Our Team page after second staffer nukes far-left Twitter account pic.twitter.com/7CUwDlXHrC Jack Posobiec ?? (@JackPosobiec) April 4, 2023 Jordan Stockdale, Chief of Staff for Bragg, wiped his Twitter account ahead of the arraignment. Meet Jordan Stockdale the Chief Of Staff for Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg Liking tweets saying Trump should be impeached, removed from office & prevented from taking office again. Witch-hunt top to bottom inside Manhattan DA pic.twitter.com/Ul8dbsniFJ Banana Republic Justice Swan ? (@TheWuhanClan) April 3, 2023 It is clear that Braggs office does not want to give opponents to this political prosecution of Donald Trump the opportunity to dig into the social media of those who are leading the charge against him. This is ahead of Former President Donald Trumps scheduled appearance in a New York criminal court today, following his indictment by a grand jury last week. Police are preparing for possible protests outside the courthouse. After his court appearance, Trump plans to fly back to Florida for a speech tonight. His team says that news of the indictment has already helped him raise $7 million in fundraising for his 2024 presidential campaign. This is a breaking story and will be updated. Read more at: ThePostMillenial.com (Natural News) The worlds most well-known fast-food chain is closing its doors, at least temporarily, while it sizes up which corporate employees will get axed in the coming days. That fast-food chain is McDonalds, which like many other American corporations is having to trim its human resources amid a collapsing economy. According to reports, McDonalds is engaging a broader company restructuring effort with this latest move, which will see its corporate offices temporarily closed for the time being. An internal email sent to U.S.-based McDonalds employees last week, as well as to some international staff, told those affected to work at home from now on while the higher-ups decide how to reapportion the companys staffing structure. During the week of April 3, we will communicate key decisions related to roles and staffing levels across the organization, that email reads in part, according to The Wall Street Journal. (Related: Remember when McDonalds tried but failed to convince its customers to eat fake meat burgers from Beyond Meat?) McDonalds shares hit record high amid implementation of drastic cost-cutting measures It is unclear at this time precisely how many employees McDonalds is planning to lay off during this restructuring effort, though we know from statements made back in January by CEO Chris Kempczinski that difficult discussions and decisions are having to be made. Kempczinski dropped this bombshell on his companys employees during an earnings call, explaining that the Arches 2.0 plan, as he is calling it, will be accelerating. That plan includes a reshuffling of employees as well as the possibility of cut positions. McDonalds must become more efficient and innovative in order to survive, Kempczinski revealed about the plan. [W]e will evaluate roles and staffing levels in parts of the organization and there will be difficult discussions and decisions ahead, he wrote in an email, pointing to April 3 as the time when company workers would start to feel the heat from the changes being made. Some jobs that are existing today are either going to get moved or those jobs may go away, he added in a statement to the Journal. Kempczisnki did not delineate much further about the set dollar amount he aims to save, or how many positions could be cut. All we know is that it will probably not be easy for many corporate employees of McDonalds, some of whom could lose their jobs. On the flip side, McDonalds is planning to accelerate the pace at which it opens new restaurants. It also plans to test new concepts aimed specifically at enhancing convenience for customers, one of them being an Order Ahead Lane, which is already being tested at a McDonalds location in Fort Worth, Texas. Despite all this, McDonalds stock price closed at a record high on March 30, reaching $277.79 at closing as a result of analyst upgrades of earnings per share over the last three months. That upgrades include projections of $10.49 to $10.58 in 2023 and $11.44 to $11.70 in 2024. At the close of 2021, McDonalds had just over 40,000 restaurants globally, according to its most recent annual report. Of this, 13,000 locations are in the U.S. Its all Frankenfood anyway, wrote one of our readers about how nothing McDonalds sells is healthy or nutritious, no matter its share price. Another wrote that he remembers a time when McDonalds still had personality but no longer. A blazing red roof adorned with tall, golden arches. A giant softball playland that was either indoors or outdoors. All sorts of kooky benches and tables with molds of Ronald McDonald and his friends strewn about the restaurant. A huge, bubbly plastic display that detailed all the latest Happy Meal toys. Now they look like a cold, stoic Starbucks ripoff. Corporate America is shedding jobs like we are already in a depression. To learn more, visit Collapse.news. Sources for this article include: MSN.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Mexico has expressed interest in joining the five-member BRICS group of emerging economies, amid tensions with its northern neighbor the United States. Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said the country shares the vision and values of the BRICS group. He also expressed hope that Mexico City will deepen its cooperation with the group in various fields, especially in medicine and trade. The Central American nation with a population of 120 million boasts having the second-largest economy in Latin America, next to Portuguese-speaking Brazil. Mexico has already established close ties with China its second-largest trading partner after the United States. Moreover, Mexico has also participated in several BRICS summits as an observer and guest. The five-member BRICS Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa was formed in 2009 to challenge the dominance of Western-led institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. A 2001 paper by former Goldman Sachs chief economist Jim ONeill predicted the rise of the group, at the time not including South Africa. In a bid to support member countries economic growth and stability and remove themselves from the Wests control, the BRICS group established the New Development Bank and ratified the Contingent Reserve Arrangement. The group represents about 40 percent of the worlds population, 30 percent of the worlds GDP and 20 percent of the worlds trade. Mexicos BRICS membership not a walk in the park Mexicos decision to join BRICS comes amid growing tensions with the U.S. over a myriad of issues such as immigration, border security, trade and human rights. Mexico has also faced criticism from the U.S. for the way it handled the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its alleged role in the crisis in Venezuela. In response, Washington has demanded the Central American country to do more to stop the flow of illegal aliens that seek to enter America unlawfully. Aside from this, the U.S. government has also threatened to cut off aid and imposed tariffs on Mexican goods. Mexicos bid to join BRICS is not a walk in the park, however. While the five-member group has not formally announced any criteria or process for accepting new members, Russia has suggested that five new countries could be part of it in 2023. The BRICS group also has different interests and agendas that may not always align with Mexicos, leaving the country to balance its relations with other countries such as China and India. Furthermore, Mexico may also have to deal with the possible backlash from the U.S. which may deem Mexicos alignment with the BRICS group as a threat to its national hegemony. But if Mexico does get accepted into the group, it will join five other nations Iran, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt as new members. Back in July of last year, BRICS International Forum President Purnima Anand confirmed the applications of the five countries. All these countries have shown their interest in joining and are preparing to apply for membership. I believe this is a good step because expansion is always looked upon favorably. It will definitely bolster BRICS global influence, she said. I hope that these countries will join the BRICS quite shortly, as all the representatives of core [group] members are interested in expansion. So it will come very soon. A month prior, Moscow announced that Buenos Aires and Tehran were preparing to join the group. It also presented the two nations BRICS applications as evidence that the Wests response to Russias attack on Ukraine was failing. (Related: Argentina, Iran apply to join BRICS group of emerging economies.) While the White House was thinking about what else to turn off in the world, ban or spoil Argentina and Iran applied to join BRICS, said Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Watch this video about Mexicos decision to join BRICS. This video is from the Rudyk Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: African nation wants to join BRICS. IMF trying to bribe Egypt away from BRICS with new loans. Potential BRICS expansion could mark end of dollar as worlds pre-eminent currency. HOW AMERICA ENDS: Putin announces new BRICS global reserve currency project to REPLACE the petrodollar. Egypt joins BRICS-owned New Development Bank, expresses interest in becoming full-fledged member of BRICS. Sources include: EurasiaMediaNetwork.com Impakter.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently claimed that concerns over political correctness have hampered efforts to root out grooming gangs because these gangs are mostly made up of British-Pakistani men. Sunak, a practicing Hindu of Indian Punjabi descent, made this claim as he announced the creation of a new police task force to help crack down grooming gangs in the United Kingdom. The safety of women and girls is paramount, said Sunak. For too long, political correctness has stopped us from weeding out vile criminals who prey on children and young women. We will stop at nothing to stamp out these dangerous gangs. (Related: Great Britain becomes Great REPLACEMENT as forced Islamization reaches point of no return.) A government spokesperson added that Sunaks government will make sure that suspects of grooming, whatever their race, cannot hide behind cultural sensitivities as a way to evade justice. Sunaks statement comes just one day after British Home Secretary Suella Braverman, a practicing Buddhist of Tamil and Goan Indian descent, made a series of media interviews criticizing the culture of silence surrounding British-Pakistani-majority male gangs that are involved in child sexual abuse due to the fear of being called racist or politically incorrect. Braverman warned that this culture of political correctness and the fear of being accused of racism or bigotry had resulted in systemic abuse of predominantly White children by British-Pakistani grooming gangs growing unchallenged. She insisted that thousands of children have had their childhoods robbed and devastated by adult men who are still running wild. Vulnerable White girls living in troubled circumstances have been abused, drugged, raped and exploited, said Braverman. There have been several reports about the predominance of certain ethnic groups and I say, British Pakistani males who hold cultural values totally at odds with British values, who see women in a demeaned and illegitimate way and who pursue an outdated and, frankly, heinous approach in terms of the way they behave, she added. Weve got to stamp that out with criminal law and proper safeguarding, and were only going to do that if as a society we face up to the facts and truth of whats going on. Sunak supported Bravermans point, saying it isnt right that cases of victims and whistleblowers coming forward were often ignored by social workers, local politicians and local police officers because of cultural sensitivity and political correctness. He noted that it is not right to ignore certain cases due to the ethnicity of the alleged perpetrators. All forms of child sexual exploitation carried out by whoever are horrific and wrong. These crimes are horrific and that is why the actions we are announcing today are right and they have been welcomed by people, and I have been speaking to survivors today and others involved, said Sunak. They will make a big difference in helping us root out the evil perpetrated by grooming gangs. Sunak to create new task force against grooming gangs According to the new plan crafted by Sunaks government, a new task force made up of specialist officers supported by the National Crime Agency will be sent to help regional police forces with their investigation into cases of child sexual exploitation. These same local police forces, supported by the specialist officers, will also be ordered to improve the recording and analysis of ethnicity data. The specialists who will be assigned to this new task force will be composed of officers who are experienced in investigations into grooming gangs. The officers will be working with data analysts to identify perpetrators who may have previously slipped through the net, possibly due to their ethnic backgrounds. The government noted that better recording and analysis of ethnicity data will prevent abusers from evading justice due to cultural sensitivities. Sunak also vowed that the members and leaders of these grooming gangs will receive the toughest sentences possible with the introduction of proposed legislation to help crack down on child abuse. Watch this clip from GB News as human rights activist Yasmine Mohammed discusses how people refuse to discuss the spread of grooming gangs in the U.K. due to fears of being called Islamophobic. This video is from the PureTrauma357 channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Christian nurse in Britain suspended from course after saying being white doesnt make you racist. ORWELLIAN: Publisher updating Roald Dahls British literary classics to woke versions in new eBook releases. Childrens director accused of raping dozens of boys found dead at home on Christmas eve. UK state-run health system demands written explanation whenever white candidates are hired over ethnic minorities. France in shock: 4 Algerian migrants arrested for brutal rape and murder of 12-year-old Paris girl found stuffed in a suitcase with throat slashed. Sources include: RMX.news WIONews.com BBC.com DailyMail.co.uk Brighteon.com (Natural News) Elon Musk has committed to supporting free speech on Twitter following his acquisition of it in October 2022. However, a study proves otherwise as censorship on the platform ramped up after Musk took the reins. A report by the Media Research Centers (MRC) Free Speech America project found that Twitter censorship remains alive and kicking. Based on data from its own CensorTrack initiative, Twitter was more actively censoring users under Musk compared to his predecessor, former Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal. The group then laid down three main discoveries following the analysis of CensorTrack data. First, there were 293 cases of documented censorship between Nov. 4, 2022 through March 24, 2023. It was 67 cases more than the 226 documented in CensorTrack during the same period a year prior. The 293 censorship cases coincided with Musk becoming Twitter CEO and firing Agrawal, former Twitter general counsel Vijaya Gadde and others. Second, the severity of the censorship ramped up since Musks takeover. Twitter locked user accounts in 245 of the 293 documented censorship cases, and users were required to delete questionable content before being able to access their accounts. Under Agrawal, only 136 of the 226 censorship cases involved locked accounts. (Related: Not again: Musk to reinstate Twitter censorship tools after a meeting with leftist groups.) Third, MRC found that the previous administration targeted the largest, most politically sensitive user accounts. According to the Twitter Files, the so-called Site Integrity Policy, Policy Escalation Support team was responsible for this targeting. Members of this team include Agrawal himself, Gadde, former trust and safety head Yoel Roth and former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey Agrawals predecessor. Users critical of transgenderism were censored Furthermore, at least 182 of the 293 censorship cases 62 percent under Musks Twitter involved users speaking out against the transgender narrative peddled by the Left. This went contrary to Musks view of Twitter as the de facto town square and his warning that failing to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy. Seth Dillon, CEO of satirical news site Babylon Bee, said in a tweet: Musk reached out to us before he polled his followers about Twitters commitment to free speech. He wanted to confirm that we had, in fact, been suspended. The Bee had been banned under Agrawals term for its humorous tweet announcing Assistant Health Secretary Rachel Levine, a male-to-female transgender, as its Man of the Year for 2022. Twitters censorship has long been a problem even before the Tesla and SpaceX CEO became Chief Twit. Back in October 2020, it censored the New York Post for its report about the Hunter Biden laptop which played a major role in President Joe Bidens ascent to the White House. Former President Donald Trump was also kicked out of the platform following the Jan. 6, 2021 false flag riot but was later reinstated in November 2022 following a 24-hour poll. Other high-profile users banned under Agrawals purview include Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, conservative radio host Dan Bongino, Just the News founder John Solomon and even the American Heart Association. Based on our analysis, it is clear that there is an internal revolt going on among the woke staff at Twitter, said Dan Schneider, MRC vice president for free speech. He added that the remaining leftist rank-and-file employees at Twitter are undercutting Musks plan to foster a free speech environment on the platform and have been motivated by Musks actions to be even more aggressive toward regular conservatives on the platform. Musk has a good history of fixing problems that are brought to his attention. But it is clear that the censorship police are still on the beat at Twitter. Musk still has a lot more housekeeping ahead of him. Watch this video about how Twitter, through the Twitter Files, exposed the censorship-industrial complex. This video is from the Pool Pharmacy channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Elon Musks Twitter purchase prompts conservatives to tweet previously censored messages as new censorship test for the platform. Elon Musk, echoing ADL talking points, says new Twitter policy is freedom of speech, but not freedom of reach. Twitter exposes how govt. funded a cottage industry of disinformation labs that were used to censor real info and ban truth-tellers. Elon Musk promises to reveal more smoking guns after exposing Twitters suppression of Hunter Biden laptop story. Sources include: Newsbusters.org NYPost.com Brighteon.com A team led by the University of Michigan discovered that the nation's largest offshore fossil fuel production basin has twice the climate warming impact as official estimates by directly measuring greenhouse gas emissions from an airplane flying over the Gulf of Mexico. The findings could have an impact on future energy production in the Gulf, as decisions about expanding oil and gas extraction are based on climate impact calculations. While there has previously been a gap between reported and measured methane emissions in the basin, this study is believed to be the first to quantify methane and carbon dioxide emissions and identify the main culprits. It turns out that older, closer-to-land platforms emit far more methane than is reported in government inventories. Gulf Offshore Oil And Gas Production Has Double The Climate Impact The researchers conducted their atmospheric measurements by flying upward and downward in a cylinder pattern around the platforms, measuring the amounts of carbon dioxide and methane released, as per Phys.org. They combined aircraft measurements with all previous field surveys to collect the largest sample size of GHG emissions from Gulf of Mexico platforms. Their observations quickly drew attention to specific oil and gas production operations. According to Eric Kort, U-M associate professor of climate and space sciences and engineering, principal investigator of the F3UEL project, and corresponding author of the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, they discovered a certain type of shallow water platform had large methane emissions that elevated total greenhouse gas emissions for the entire Gulf of Mexico. These are larger "central-hub" multiplatform complexes that collect and process oil and gas from small production platforms. Due to direct venting into the atmosphere or releases from tanks and other equipment, sampling revealed that these emit more methane than expected. Actions to reduce these large methane emissions, whether by capturing the gas, flaring it instead of venting, or repairing or abandoning facilities, could have a significant impact on the climate. The discovery is similar to one made by the same team in September, which discovered that inefficient flaring operations on land were releasing five times more methane into the atmosphere than expected. These studies, taken together, highlight the need for a more comprehensive method of assessing greenhouse gas emissions, and thus the climate impact of oil and gas production in a given region. The "carbon intensity," a metric for the levels of greenhouse gases emitted per unit of oil or gas produced, determines climate impact. When new oil and gas projects are being considered, regulators consider whether the carbon intensity of the new projects will be the same or lower than the carbon intensity of expanded production elsewhere. This has already had an impact on decisions regarding the sale of oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico. However, estimates of carbon dioxide and methane released into the atmosphere in these assessments have historically not been based on direct measurements, and many of them have not included methane emissions. The study's first author, Alan Gorchov Negron, a U-M graduate student research assistant, has presented the climate impact of both oil and gas production as an observation-based carbon intensity. This metric captures real-time climate impacts and provides an easy way to integrate the growing number of field surveys of emission levels from the manufacture of fossil fuels into a consistent metric. Also Read: Caribbean Coral Reefs Have Been Bleaching for at Least 100 Years Natural Gas Exploration, Drilling, And Production Affects The Environment When geologists explore natural gas deposits on land, their vehicles may disturb vegetation and soil. Drilling a natural gas well on land may necessitate clearing and leveling the surrounding area, as per EIA. Well-drilling activities pollute the air and may endanger people, wildlife, and water resources. Pipelines that transport natural gas from wells typically necessitate the clearing of land to bury the pipe. Natural gas production can result in large amounts of contaminated water. This water must be handled, stored, and treated properly so that it does not pollute the land or other bodies of water. Engines used to power equipment and compressors in natural gas wells and pipelines produce air pollutants and noise. Natural gas is burned (flared) at well sites in areas where it is produced at oil wells but is not economically transportable for sale or contains high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (a toxic gas). Depending on the chemical composition of the natural gas and how well it burns in the flare, natural gas flaring emits CO2, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and a variety of other compounds. Flaring, on the other hand, is less dangerous than releasing natural gas into the atmosphere and results in lower overall greenhouse gas emissions because CO2 is not as powerful a greenhouse gas as methane. Related article: Gulf of Mexico Whales: Discovered Last Year, Facing Possible Extinction This Year Photographer Kymberly Strempack Clark was able to snap a picture of Florida's infamous "Croczilla" just basking in the sun by a pond in the Everglades. Before coming across the enormous crocodile at Nine Mile Pond on Sunday afternoon, Clark had been looking for him for several months. Every time Clark visits the Everglades National Park, she searches for Croczilla in the hopes of catching a glimpse of this incredibly huge crocodile, which is thought to be the park's biggest, according to Clark. She made one last check before leaving the park by making a loop through Nine Mile Pond after numerous unsuccessful attempts over the previous year. "Croczilla" Basking in Florida Sun She went on to say how shocked she was to see the infamous Croczilla not far away but right in front of her just on the shore, basking in the sun. The enormous crocodile nearly didn't look real, Clark continued. The Florida Wildlife Commission estimated that there are only 2,000 crocodiles in the state, compared to 1.3 million alligators. The number of wild crocodiles in the US has increased significantly since the 1970s when it was estimated that there were only a few hundred of them. Despite this, the species is still considered threatened. Although they rarely grow longer than 14 feet in the wild, American crocodiles can reach a maximum length of 20 feet. Croczilla is thought to be about 14 feet tall. Although Croczilla, the largest crocodile in the park, is occasionally spotted at Nine Mile Pond, Everglades National Park staff and tour guides claimed that they are not certain that it was him. Clark claimed that she is unsure whether or not it was him. Because of this fact, Clark concluded that Croczilla was the enormous crocodile she photographed. Read Also: Texas Woman Faces $1000 Fine for Raising Alligator as Pet for 20 Years at Home Nine Mile Pond Nine Mile Pond is a well-liked location for canoeing and kayaking, and according to Clark, there were several other cars parked nearby. However, the crocodile did not appear to be deterred by these. According to Clark, Croczilla was lazily basking in the sun on the bank and opening its mouth every few minutes to control its body temperature. Clark reportedly stood staring at the crocodile for more than an hour because she claimed to be mesmerized by its enormous beauty and found it difficult to leave knowing she might never see it again. She kept a safe distance from the top predator, though. She emphasized that it is generally advised to keep a safe distance of 20 feet from most crocodiles and alligators because they can leap six feet right from a resting position. Clark regularly observes incredible wildlife, including alligators, because he lives in South Florida. But she claimed that finding a crocodile such as this is unusual and rare. The fact that this is essentially the largest crocodile ever found in the wild in the United States makes the experience of seeing one, even more, unique, Clark says via Newsweek. The largest living group of reptiles is the crocodilians, which include crocodiles and alligators. Out of the 23 crocodilian species in the world, only two are native to the US, and South Florida is the only location where both of these species coexist, according to the National Park Service. Related Article: Brother Seizes Crocodile by Jaws, Saves 9-Year-Old Sister From Near-Fatal Bite -Namibia, Africa According to a report, wet wipes are to blame for 93% of sewage blockages, which led the UK leaders to propose a ban. Plans being made for combatting water pollution propose that England will outlaw wet wipes made of plastic, according to environment minister Therese Coffey. According to Coffey, the ban on plastic wipes ought to take effect a year after a consultation. In England, where no waterway or river is recognized as clean, it is part of a larger plan to improve water quality. 93% of Sewage Blockages However, environmental organizations and opposition groups decried the plan as insufficient. According to Water UK, about 93% of sewage blockages, fatbergs included, are caused by wet wipes that are disposed of by being flushed down toilets. Woes added up when revealed that their removal costs about 100 million annually. In 2021, approximately 90% of wipes contained plastic, even though some alternatives are now commercially available. Due to the wipes' eventual snagging and adhesion caused by the plastics' resistance to degradation, sewage cannot flow through the pipes. Ban on Wet Wipes The suggestion, according to Coffey, is to ban the use of plastic in manufacturing wet wipes. She reiterated the need for a quick consultation before any enactment In 2018, the government first declared its intent to halt the production of plastic waste, which included wet wipes among many other products. In 2021, a government consultation found that 96% of respondents who favored a ban on wet wipes said as much. After additional consultation earlier this year, however, the government decided against simply banning wet wipes. Wales has not yet put into effect a proposed ban on using plastic as an ingredient in wet wipes. The Scottish government held discussions about a ban but took no action. Several stores, including those run by Tesco and Boots, no longer carry wet wipes in plastic packaging. The wet wipes ban is part of the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs or Defra's larger Plan for Water strategy, which aims to improve England's water quality. It addresses road runoff and pollution from farming, and it could lead to the outlawing of some PFAS, popularly known as "forever chemicals." According to Yorkshire Water via the BBC News, wipes are the primary cause of sewage blockages in Yorkshire. It accounted for nearly half of all blockages in 2022, so it supported the proposed ban. The government's plans were criticized by opposition political parties as being too little, too late. Also Read: New Recyclable Plastic Made of Super Glue Raw Material Could Be the Answer, Researchers Say Plastic in Wet Wipes Natracare estimated that 90% of wet wipes available in the market contain plastic of some kind. With the help of plastic resins, cotton, polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyester are woven together to create common wipes with a soft yet sturdy texture. Plastic also can not fully degrade; instead, it only fragments into ever-tinier pieces, releasing millions of tiny plastic particles into the environment. According to Natracare, conventional cotton, fragrance ingredients, and plastics are just a few of the harmful substances found in wipes. The plastics are frequently woven with plastic resins from cotton, PET, or polypropylene. It may contain and leach chemicals linked to cancer and endocrine disruption in addition to adding to ocean pollution. Similar dangers are associated with fragrance ingredients; they may also contain substances linked to endocrine disruption, cancer, developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, and many others. Conventional cotton may also be exposed to pesticides, which have been linked to environmental harm. Related Article: Colorado Plastic Bag Ban Effective 2024, 10-Cent Fee Starts January 1, 2023 According to information published by the US DoD on April 4, 2023, the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (NIMCSG) conducted a trilateral maritime exercise with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN). Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link Chungmugong Yi Sun-Shin-class destroyers ROKS Dae Jo young and ROKS Choi Young, and So Yang-class fast combat support ship ROKS So Yang steam in formation with the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. (Picture source: US DoD) Participants included the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Decatur (DDG 73) and USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108), JS Umigiri (DD 158) of the JMSDF, and ROKS Yul Gok Yi (DDH 992), ROKS Dae Jo Young (DDH 977), ROKS Choi Young (DDH 981), and ROKS So Yang (AOE 51) of the ROKN. NIMCSG has conducted bilateral exercises with the JMSDF and ROKN on separate occasions during its current deployment prior to the three countries integrating for this exercise. Combined operations included anti-submarine exercises, search and rescue exercises, and staff embarkations. The U.S. Navy has a strong presence in the region with its Seventh Fleet, which is the largest forward-deployed numbered fleet. The fleet regularly interacts and operates with allies and partners. Japan and US have a Mutual Defense Treaty that obligates each other to cooperate in maintaining regional security and stability. The U.S. Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force regularly conduct joint exercises, which contribute to strengthening interoperability and enhancing the capabilities of both navies. Similarly, the United States and South Korea have a strong military alliance. The U.S. military has a significant presence in South Korea, with over 28,500 troops stationed in the country. The U.S. and South Korean navies conduct joint exercises, which help improve their abilities to deter and defend against potential security threats. Trilateral naval cooperation between the U.S., Japan, and South Korea has also been increasing in recent years. Their maritime security cooperation has intensified with the increasing threats in Northeast Asia, including North Korea's ballistic and nuclear missile programs. Thirty years after Sgt. 1st Class Randall Shugharts death, a bridge and road in his hometown of Newville could be named in his honor. State Rep. Barb Gleim, who represents the 199th Legislative District, is working on legislation that could name an approximately four-mile portion of Route 641 from Springfield Avenue in Newville to Green Hill Road in West Pennsboro Township after the Medal of Honor recipient. This includes the bridge that traverses Big Spring Creek near Laughlin Mill, which stretches between the Borough of Newville and West Pennsboro Township, a bridge where Shughart played as a kid, Gleim said. Shughart, who was also known as Randy, was killed in action in October 1993 in Mogadishu, Somalia, during a rescue mission for a downed Black Hawk crew. His actions helped save the life of pilot Michael Durant, and Shughart was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the nations highest military award for valor. Gleim said she was approached by Shugharts family members about naming the bridge more than a year ago. The process starts with the people ... or a township or borough has to come to me and say, This is what we would like to do, she said. It doesnt come from the state down, it comes from the constituents up. The next step is confirming that the bridge and road are owned by the state, something Gleim did by contacting the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. She said that once she identified the bridge and road as theyre defined by PennDOT, she could begin separate pieces of legislation proposing names. Gleims legislation proposes that the bridge and road be named the SFC Randall Shughart Memorial Bridge and the SFC Randall Shughart Memorial Highway, respectively. It also requires that PennDOT would erect and maintain signs to indicate the bridge and roads names. Eventually, the bills could be combined into one piece of legislation with other bridge or road name proposals across the state to be voted on by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Gleim said. From there, the legislation would move to the Senate where, if passed, it would go to the governor for final approval. Gleim anticipates the proposed legislation to receive final approval by June or July, with a bridge-naming ceremony to be held in the months that follow. She said the bills have received support from both Republicans and Democrats in the House, as many are serving or have served in the military. I think that a lot of these men and women can relate to active duty, she said. So they put their name on it and say, Yes, this is a heroic feat [and] he has the Medal of Honor, I can get behind this and support it. Gleim said renaming the bridge and road would bring more attention to Newville, and people passing through will be able to see signs that show a military hero has connections with the borough. In this particular case, theyre going to look up that name and say, Oh wow, this is where a Medal of Honor recipient grew up and fought for our country and died for our country, she said. Inside Look: Photos of Newville's Laughlin Mill A former nurse who used to work at UPMC Carlisle was sentenced to 15 to 30 years in prison for sexually assaulting two patients and secretly video-recording hundreds of others, including children, the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office announced Wednesday. Michael Bragg, 42, of Franklin County, was sentenced Wednesday in Cumberland County Court by Judge Al Masland, who also designated Bragg as a sexually violent predator. Bragg pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated indecent assault, one count of attempted indecent assault, 12 counts of sexual abuse of children, one count of manufacturing child pornography, 37 counts of invasion of privacy and six counts of interception of oral communications. In 2019, he was accused of recording 206 patients who visited the Carlisle emergency room between January 2016 and April 2019, though not all of the subjects recorded could be identified. Attorney General Michelle Henry said investigators determined that nearly two dozen patients were children. These are some of the most heinous and despicable crimes imaginable, and they were committed by a nurse that was trusted to care for his patients, Henry said. Instead, the defendant used his position to prey on adults and children when they were incredibly vulnerable. This case is an important one to highlight as we recognize the start of Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month in April. We urge members of the public to contact authorities to report suspected abuse, while our office remains committed to taking offenders, no matter their position or profession, off the streets. The case against Bragg started in 2019 when the Attorney Generals Office started looking into possession and dissemination of child pornography. Henry said agents discovered videos and photos of hospital patients in various stages of undress on Braggs computer. In addition to the recordings, Henry said Bragg sexually assaulted an intubated and unconscious woman in the hospitals emergency room and groped another emergency room patient. Author Claire Gilbert and actor Jeremy Irons will be putting the 14th century mystic and anchoress Julian of Norwich in the spotlight at an event at Norwich Cathedral next month. Author Claire Gilbert and actor Jeremy Irons will be putting the 14th century mystic and anchoress Julian of Norwich in the spotlight at an event at Norwich Cathedral next month. Chef vacancy at the Horstead Centre The Horstead Centre, near Coltishall is looking to recruit a new Chef, to join their permanent team. Read more Aylsham church launches special needs praise Newly re-furbished Emmanuel Church in Aylsham is launching a new monthly afternoon praise service in May aimed at those with learning disabilities. Read more Communications Officer - Diocese of East Anglia The Catholic Diocese of East Anglia needs an experienced part-time Communications Officer to help provide an effective communications service to the bishop, diocesan departments, clergy and parishes across Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. Read more Norwich minister speaks of miracle stroke healing Norwich Methodist Circuit minister Revd Sharon Willimott has spoken of the miraculous healing she experienced last week after suffering a debilitating stroke. Read more Norwich church seeks bellringers for coronation St Peter Mancroft church in Norwich is offering crash courses in bellringing to celebrate the King's coronation. Read more YMCA Norfolk Youth Club Engagement Workers YMCA Norfolk is looking for Bank Youth Club Engagement Workers, based across Norfolk. Read more YMCA Norfolk needs Tenancy Engagement Worker YMCA Norfolk is looking for a Pathways Tenancy Engagement Worker, based in Norwich. Read more Cromer Church to host anniversary concert Sheringham and Cromer Choral Society will be holding their 90th Anniversary Concert in Cromer Parish Church at the end of April, and tickets are now on sale. Read more Network Norfolk requires Content + Social Media Editor/Writer An opportunity has arisen for an experienced part-time content and social media editor to join the award-winning team producing the Christian news website Network Norfolk and to help us expand our coverage across the county. Read more Norwich women's conference to inspire and equip King's Community Church is delighted to be hosting Lou Fellingham and her team for a day of worship and teaching to inspire and equip women across Norwich on June 17. Read more Sheringham Worship evening open to all An evening of worship will take place this Friday in Sheringham, and all are welcome to come along and take part. Read more Ashley's London Marathon bid for hospital funds Master of Music at Norwich Cathedral, Ashley Grote, will be running the London Marathon this Sunday for the eighth time in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital which has been treating his young daughter Emily who has a rare brain tumour. Read more Hear story of missionary couple from Florida You are invited to hear the story of couple Malcolm and Phyllis Blowes, directors of Win Our Nations missionary organisation based in Cocoa near Orlando Florida, at the April dinner of the Norwich FGB Branch on April 26. Read more Ministry Assistant opportunity at Norwich Church Holy Trinity Church in Norwich are advertising for a Ministry Assistant to start in September 2023. This role will equip you for a lifetime following Christ in church life. Read more Operations Manager at Hope Church in Diss Hope Church, based in Diss in South Norfolk, has an exciting opportunity for an Operations Manager, to oversee and co-ordinate the administration and finances of the church. Read more Why the resurrection of Jesus gives us hope Philip Young has been rejoicing in the Easter celebrations because he believes that the resurrection of Jesus is of importance to all people. Read more YMCA Norfolk needs a Youth Club Engagement Worker YMCA Norfolk is looking for a Youth Engagement Worker to join its Youth Clubs team, based across Norfolk. Read more UK communications regulator Ofcom has announced a provisional plan to refer Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft to the country's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over significant concerns that they are allegedly harming competition in online cloud services and abusing their market positions with practices that make interoperability difficult. A market study carried out by Ofcom has provisionally identified features and practices that make it difficult for customers to switch or use multiple cloud suppliers, the regulator wrote on its website, adding that it was particularly concerned about the practices of Amazon and Microsoft because of their market position. Three areas were highlighted as being a particular cause for concern: high switching fees, technical restrictions on interoperability, and committed spend discounts. These market features can make it difficult for some existing customers to bargain for a good deal with their provider, Ofcom said, noting that cloud customers already face significant price increases when they renew their contracts. Currently, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure have a combined UK market share of between 60% and 70%, while the next nearest competitor, Alphabet-owned Google, has between 5% and 10% share, according to Ofcom. Consequently, between 2018 and 2021, the percentage of cloud providers that were not AWS, Microsoft, or Google fell from 30% to 19%, causing Ofcom to note that such levels of market dominance could potentially make it harder for smaller cloud providers to compete with the market leaders, further consolidating the big providers' revenue and market share. The involved companies and other interested parties have until May 17 to respond to Ofcoms consultation, while the regulator will make a final decision on whether to refer the sector to the CMA by October 5. We look forward to continuing our engagement with Ofcom on their cloud services market study, Microsoft said in a statement. We remain committed to ensuring the UK cloud industry stays highly competitive, and to supporting the transformative potential of cloud technologies to help accelerate growth across the UK economy. A spokesperson for AWS also confirmed the company will continue to work with Ofcom ahead of the publication of the final report. Cloud provider practices spark international concern Microsoft is also facing a potential antitrust probe from the EU after the not-for-profit Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe (CISPE) filed an antitrust complaint in November last year concerning Microsofts practice of offering customers discounts on its Office product stack in return for using its Azure cloud solution. However, it was reported last week that Microsoft has approached a number of smaller European cloud providers, including Aruba, OVHcloud, and Danish Cloud Community, with an agreement to change its cloud computing practices in order to avoid the antitrust probe. "Ofcom's move should not really come as a surprise. The industry needs increased standardization and interoperability," said Ivo Ivanov, CEO of Germany-based internet exchange operator DE-CIX, in a media statement. "Whilst companies are aware of the amazing benefits that cloud technology offers, problems such as high egress fees, lack of interoperability and vendor lock-ins create a new set of challenges. Companies have taken the easy option of using one cloud, resulting in cloud concentration. Working with only one cloud provider can lead to a single point of failure." Ivanov noted that financial services have been particularly impacted by cloud concentration, since companies in that sector have been required by regulators to find ways to overcome dependency on single cloud service providers. Cumberland Valley School District plans to install upgraded safety lock systems in three of its buildings by the start of the 2023-24 year, with plans to install upgraded systems in more of its schools over the following year. On Monday night, the Cumberland Valley School Board agreed to purchase 360 new door lock devices for installation in district buildings for $265,146.80 from Home Depot Pro Institutional. The Cumberland Valley School District plans to update all locking mechanisms in all CVSD buildings over the coming years, Superintendent David Christopher said. CVSD is thankful to receive funding from the Pennsylvania State Legislature through the School Mental Health Safety and Security Grant. CVSD plans to use $242,881 to purchase door locking mechanisms for Cumberland Valley High School, Mountain View Middle School, CV-9 to begin this process. The district applied for the grant funding in August 2022, and received state notification about the award last week, district officials said Monday. After the tragedy in Tennessee last week, Dr. Christopher got back to the state and said the districts grant program application has been in place since last August. He was a real bulldog in getting this done, and we got the grant by the end of last week, school board president Heather Dunn said. On March 27, a mass shooting occurred at the Covenant School, a private parochial school in Nashvilles Green Hills neighborhood, killing three adults and three 9-year-old students. It was the latest of many school shootings across the U.S. that have resulted injuries or deaths, including 46 incidents in 2022, the highest annual total since at least 1999, the Washington Post reported Monday. Tablet purchases Also on Monday, CV school board members approved the purchase of 870 Apple iPads for $255,780 to accommodate an expected surge in the districts first-grade enrollment for the 2023-24 school year. Product pricing follows a Pennsylvania Educational Purchasing Program for Microcomputers cooperative contract. The district is funding the purchase though Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief grant funds issued to school districts by the U.S. Department of Education in relation to the pandemic. The purchase is intended as a continuation of the districts 1:1 program providing students with electronics, the district said. The district regularly issues iPads to all students in grades 1-4. During Mondays public comment session, resident Lois Koneski spoke out against the purchase. A quarter of a million dollars on iPad materials. Thats a lot of money, she said. Kids already are in front of the screen way too much. I think these expenditures should be taken a little more seriously. Its not just a plaything, board member Barbara Geistwhite said. Its an electronic learning device, and Ive seen what these can do for children. Bala Chauhan By Express News Service BENGALURU: In a first in the state, and perhaps the country, a foreigner who was gang-raped by her compatriots in India, was awarded maximum compensation under the Nirbhaya Fund by the trial court. The Bangladeshi woman (name withheld), aged 21, who was gang-raped by her compatriots in the city in May 2021, has found some justice in the court order. She is a victim of an international human trafficking network (she was trafficked when she was a minor), sexual exploitation, and gang rape. She and another woman victim of human trafficking were repatriated to their country in May last year. The City Civil and Sessions Court, in its May 2022 order, stated that in view of the severity of the offense and finding by the court the victim lady is entitled to compensation of Rs 7,00,000 under NALSAs (National Legal Services Authority) compensation scheme. The Government of Karnataka shall pay compensation of Rs 7,00,000 to the victim lady from Compensation Scheme for Women Victims as provided under Section 357A CrPC (Amendment Act of 1973). The section deals with compensation schemes for victims. The court directed the District Legal Services Authority to award compensation immediately. The court took cognisance of the fact that the victim had left for Bangladesh and may not be secured for getting compensation, and requested DLSA to secure the presence of the victim through video conference and...make e-payment to the account of the victim through the help of the complainant/police without securing her physical presence. Talaash Association, a city-based non-profit, human rights organisation is facilitating the compensation to the victim, founder president, Talaash Association, Seema Diwan told TNIE. Talaash had assisted the police to repatriate the victim, helped establish the nationality of the 12 accused -- all Bangladeshis -- and is now facilitating the victim to get compensation under the Nirbhaya Fund, she added. Between 2014 and 2019, Talaash helped police repatriate 300 illegal Bangladeshis from Bengaluru city, Bengaluru rural, Belagavi and Vijayapura districts to their country, said Diwan. The gang-rape survivor spoke to TNIE over phone, and said she is trying to rebuild her life in her village Kishoregunj in Bangladesh, after the trauma she underwent of being dumped by her husband. I was financially and emotionally very weak. I was promised a job in a beauty parlour in Bengaluru for a monthly salary of Rs 40,000 by my friend Riya, instead, I was forced into the sex trade there by people known to me. Riya had assured me that people would help me cross the India-Bangladesh border. I crossed the border at night on payment of 10,000 Takas. On reaching Kolkata, a man received us and handed me an Aadhaar card with my photograph, and name as Nadia from Dhantola (West Bengal), a SIM and my flight ticket to Bengaluru, she said. She was gang-raped by her compatriots in a rented flat in Ramamurthy Nagar in May 2021 after she helped some trafficked Bangladeshi women escape from the network of the accused, according to the survivor. Police arrested the 12 accused and filed the chargesheet in July of the same year. The case was investigated and the accused were charge-sheeted by the National Investigation Agency for illegal entry into India, human trafficking, forgery, using forged documents to obtain Indian identity cards such as Aadhaar card, PAN cards for themselves and their victims, and criminal conspiracy, among other charges. BENGALURU: In a first in the state, and perhaps the country, a foreigner who was gang-raped by her compatriots in India, was awarded maximum compensation under the Nirbhaya Fund by the trial court. The Bangladeshi woman (name withheld), aged 21, who was gang-raped by her compatriots in the city in May 2021, has found some justice in the court order. She is a victim of an international human trafficking network (she was trafficked when she was a minor), sexual exploitation, and gang rape. She and another woman victim of human trafficking were repatriated to their country in May last year. The City Civil and Sessions Court, in its May 2022 order, stated that in view of the severity of the offense and finding by the court the victim lady is entitled to compensation of Rs 7,00,000 under NALSAs (National Legal Services Authority) compensation scheme. The Government of Karnataka shall pay compensation of Rs 7,00,000 to the victim lady from Compensation Scheme for Women Victims as provided under Section 357A CrPC (Amendment Act of 1973). The section deals with compensation schemes for victims. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The court directed the District Legal Services Authority to award compensation immediately. The court took cognisance of the fact that the victim had left for Bangladesh and may not be secured for getting compensation, and requested DLSA to secure the presence of the victim through video conference and...make e-payment to the account of the victim through the help of the complainant/police without securing her physical presence. Talaash Association, a city-based non-profit, human rights organisation is facilitating the compensation to the victim, founder president, Talaash Association, Seema Diwan told TNIE. Talaash had assisted the police to repatriate the victim, helped establish the nationality of the 12 accused -- all Bangladeshis -- and is now facilitating the victim to get compensation under the Nirbhaya Fund, she added. Between 2014 and 2019, Talaash helped police repatriate 300 illegal Bangladeshis from Bengaluru city, Bengaluru rural, Belagavi and Vijayapura districts to their country, said Diwan. The gang-rape survivor spoke to TNIE over phone, and said she is trying to rebuild her life in her village Kishoregunj in Bangladesh, after the trauma she underwent of being dumped by her husband. I was financially and emotionally very weak. I was promised a job in a beauty parlour in Bengaluru for a monthly salary of Rs 40,000 by my friend Riya, instead, I was forced into the sex trade there by people known to me. Riya had assured me that people would help me cross the India-Bangladesh border. I crossed the border at night on payment of 10,000 Takas. On reaching Kolkata, a man received us and handed me an Aadhaar card with my photograph, and name as Nadia from Dhantola (West Bengal), a SIM and my flight ticket to Bengaluru, she said. She was gang-raped by her compatriots in a rented flat in Ramamurthy Nagar in May 2021 after she helped some trafficked Bangladeshi women escape from the network of the accused, according to the survivor. Police arrested the 12 accused and filed the chargesheet in July of the same year. The case was investigated and the accused were charge-sheeted by the National Investigation Agency for illegal entry into India, human trafficking, forgery, using forged documents to obtain Indian identity cards such as Aadhaar card, PAN cards for themselves and their victims, and criminal conspiracy, among other charges. Mahima Anna Jacob By Express News Service KOCHI: A room filled with vinyl records from The Supremes, The Temptations, Weather Bird, the most famous Jazz duet of Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines, to the Bad by Michael Jackson. Born during the time of CDs and Mp3, the perfectly stacked LPs has caught my awe. With a warm smile, comes Sujit G Ponoth, the owner of all these records, over 4,000 to be precise, at his music record store JDs Jukebox. A result of a hobby he began in 2012. This is my ancestral home. The collection include records once possessed by my mother and grandfather. And the sale happens online. So I dont treat this space as a store as such, says Sujit. The space is designed by his wife Aiswarya Pradeep Kumar. With paintings of The Beatles, Freddie Mercury, and Ilayaraja adorning the walls, JDs Jukebox is a music heaven. I spot Carpenters amid the stacks. Sujits reluctance to play the record is palpable. The Carpenters or what Keeravani grew up listening to the sounds of a carpenter working on woods, has a few scratches, it may not come out nice, he quips. Instead, he plays one of his favourites Jazz Connection by Art Blakey and Thelonious Monk. When you listen to music on vinyl, you hear it the way it was recorded. The analogue sound is more natural and adds depth, Sujit says. The uncompressed music is like a warm blanket, unlike the shrillness that comes from a digital version something new for my millennial self. Holding the record, cleaning it, and placing the needle... Its a different feeling. Also, with records, music becomes tangible. You can look, appreciate, and listen, he adds. With jazz in the background, his current favourite genre, and a grin on his face, Sujit explains the beginning of JDs Jukebox named after the women who inspired him. When Covid hit, like everyone Sujit too had an ample amount of time in hand and he took up the task of cataloguing his LP collection. Thats when I found out that I had multiple copies of a few albums. So I decided to put them out for sale on Instagram. After I received some responses, the takers were from Bengaluru and Kolkata and not Kerala, I realised that records have a demand. Thats how JDs Jukebox was formed, says Sujit. Before that, I was part of voluntary work during the flood in 2018. There I saw how people, irrespective of religion or politics came together before the hartals hit. Though a calamity could hold people together for some time, music is a solid unifying factor that transcends all boundaries. Anyone can bond over music. Through JDs Jukebox, I just want people to know music, says Sujit. On social media, Sujit also provides a review of each LP. Every physical copy is graded according to quality. Photos: T P Sooraj Classical to Boney M Sujit owns an eclectic collection from jazz, disco, techno, pop, and metal to rock and classical music something instilled in him by his mother. Since childhood, music has been my companion and thats because of my mother. She used to learn classical music at home. After her class, she would be jamming to Micheal Jackson and Boney M to Bappi Lahiri, Usha Uthup and Ilayaraja. I was amazed by her choices, it was like a collision of many worlds. And that continued throughout, says Sujit. However, as cassettes and CDs flooded the market, vinyl records didnt pique young Sujit. After the 80s, with the emergence of cassettes and CDs, record stores became a thing of the past. My love for LPs started when I left India, they are much more common abroad, says Sujit. Now globally, LPs have overtaken CDs abroad, just behind online streaming. And all you need is a record player, which is easily available online. Sujit claims that Kerala once had an interest in records. Since they take up a lot of space in a house, people began to discard them. From scrap to warehouses in Cambodia A lot of my collections are sourced out of my endless walks to warehouses and godowns, where they were abandoned mindlessly. From Jew Town in Kochi to Kozhikode, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and even Cambodia, I travelled in search of records, holding many in my hands, to show people for reference, says Sujit. Sourcing from the mess meant a lot of cleaning. When dust gets into the microscopic zigzags on records, music would sound bad. So he used to sit and clean them using paraben-free soap and distilled water. Now I have the proper equipment for the task, he adds. Sujit has even struck gold from the mess many times like the one by George Michael. There is a culture associated with this called crate digging. A literal treasure hunt. I got a couple of LPs like that. My travel to Cambodia has helped me get one pictured disc, which was a rare and expensive kind of record, from an unorganised pile of George Michael collections, says Sujit. Aside from the 4,000 plus collections, around 500 are his personal stash. Not for sale, he reminds me. Music through thick and thin Pink Floyds Dark Side of the Moon, Eric Claptons Journeyman, Dead or Alives Youthquake, and the discography of Italian artist Giorgio Moroder are part of his collections neatly stacked according to the genre in separate boxes. I got familiar with these many artists and their works slowly, says Sujit. For the love of music, he even got baptised when he was 17. I was in Switzerland at the time. After my part-time work, my colleagues used to visit a church. The first time I went there because I didnt know many places and didnt own a vehicle. But what made me stay was the choir bands. I started visiting the church daily and the officials thought I was a believer. So when they asked, I was ready to be baptised. Now he is intriguingly taking stock of the shift in peoples music preferences. My motto is live and let live with music. Theres no need to bash others likings. Just because it is not of your interest, doesnt mean they arent good, says Sujit. Instagram:@jd_s_jukebox KOCHI: A room filled with vinyl records from The Supremes, The Temptations, Weather Bird, the most famous Jazz duet of Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines, to the Bad by Michael Jackson. Born during the time of CDs and Mp3, the perfectly stacked LPs has caught my awe. With a warm smile, comes Sujit G Ponoth, the owner of all these records, over 4,000 to be precise, at his music record store JDs Jukebox. A result of a hobby he began in 2012. This is my ancestral home. The collection include records once possessed by my mother and grandfather. And the sale happens online. So I dont treat this space as a store as such, says Sujit. The space is designed by his wife Aiswarya Pradeep Kumar. With paintings of The Beatles, Freddie Mercury, and Ilayaraja adorning the walls, JDs Jukebox is a music heaven. I spot Carpenters amid the stacks. Sujits reluctance to play the record is palpable. The Carpenters or what Keeravani grew up listening to the sounds of a carpenter working on woods, has a few scratches, it may not come out nice, he quips. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Instead, he plays one of his favourites Jazz Connection by Art Blakey and Thelonious Monk. When you listen to music on vinyl, you hear it the way it was recorded. The analogue sound is more natural and adds depth, Sujit says. The uncompressed music is like a warm blanket, unlike the shrillness that comes from a digital version something new for my millennial self. Holding the record, cleaning it, and placing the needle... Its a different feeling. Also, with records, music becomes tangible. You can look, appreciate, and listen, he adds. With jazz in the background, his current favourite genre, and a grin on his face, Sujit explains the beginning of JDs Jukebox named after the women who inspired him. When Covid hit, like everyone Sujit too had an ample amount of time in hand and he took up the task of cataloguing his LP collection. Thats when I found out that I had multiple copies of a few albums. So I decided to put them out for sale on Instagram. After I received some responses, the takers were from Bengaluru and Kolkata and not Kerala, I realised that records have a demand. Thats how JDs Jukebox was formed, says Sujit. Before that, I was part of voluntary work during the flood in 2018. There I saw how people, irrespective of religion or politics came together before the hartals hit. Though a calamity could hold people together for some time, music is a solid unifying factor that transcends all boundaries. Anyone can bond over music. Through JDs Jukebox, I just want people to know music, says Sujit. On social media, Sujit also provides a review of each LP. Every physical copy is graded according to quality. Photos: T P SoorajClassical to Boney M Sujit owns an eclectic collection from jazz, disco, techno, pop, and metal to rock and classical music something instilled in him by his mother. Since childhood, music has been my companion and thats because of my mother. She used to learn classical music at home. After her class, she would be jamming to Micheal Jackson and Boney M to Bappi Lahiri, Usha Uthup and Ilayaraja. I was amazed by her choices, it was like a collision of many worlds. And that continued throughout, says Sujit. However, as cassettes and CDs flooded the market, vinyl records didnt pique young Sujit. After the 80s, with the emergence of cassettes and CDs, record stores became a thing of the past. My love for LPs started when I left India, they are much more common abroad, says Sujit. Now globally, LPs have overtaken CDs abroad, just behind online streaming. And all you need is a record player, which is easily available online. Sujit claims that Kerala once had an interest in records. Since they take up a lot of space in a house, people began to discard them. From scrap to warehouses in Cambodia A lot of my collections are sourced out of my endless walks to warehouses and godowns, where they were abandoned mindlessly. From Jew Town in Kochi to Kozhikode, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and even Cambodia, I travelled in search of records, holding many in my hands, to show people for reference, says Sujit. Sourcing from the mess meant a lot of cleaning. When dust gets into the microscopic zigzags on records, music would sound bad. So he used to sit and clean them using paraben-free soap and distilled water. Now I have the proper equipment for the task, he adds. Sujit has even struck gold from the mess many times like the one by George Michael. There is a culture associated with this called crate digging. A literal treasure hunt. I got a couple of LPs like that. My travel to Cambodia has helped me get one pictured disc, which was a rare and expensive kind of record, from an unorganised pile of George Michael collections, says Sujit. Aside from the 4,000 plus collections, around 500 are his personal stash. Not for sale, he reminds me. Music through thick and thin Pink Floyds Dark Side of the Moon, Eric Claptons Journeyman, Dead or Alives Youthquake, and the discography of Italian artist Giorgio Moroder are part of his collections neatly stacked according to the genre in separate boxes. I got familiar with these many artists and their works slowly, says Sujit. For the love of music, he even got baptised when he was 17. I was in Switzerland at the time. After my part-time work, my colleagues used to visit a church. The first time I went there because I didnt know many places and didnt own a vehicle. But what made me stay was the choir bands. I started visiting the church daily and the officials thought I was a believer. So when they asked, I was ready to be baptised. Now he is intriguingly taking stock of the shift in peoples music preferences. My motto is live and let live with music. Theres no need to bash others likings. Just because it is not of your interest, doesnt mean they arent good, says Sujit. Instagram:@jd_s_jukebox Hoverboards that were connected to a house fire and the deaths of two girls in Hellertown, Pennsylvania, last year, are now being recalled, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported last week. Jetson Electric Bikes is recalling its 42-volt Rogue self-balancing scooters/hoverboards because its lithium-ion battery packs can overheat, posing a fire hazard. The commission said the Hellertown Borough fire marshal determined that this hoverboard was the point of origin for a house fire April 1, 2022, that claimed the lives of a 10-year-old girl and her 15-year-old sister. The company has also received multiple other reports of the recalled hoverboards burning, sparking or melting, with several reports of flames. The commission and company are urging consumers to immediately stop using and charging the recalled hoverboards and contact the company at 800-635-4815 for a full refund. Consumers will be asked to follow instructions on the companys website at ridejetson.com to submit photographs of the serial number, charger, purchase date and confirmation of disposal. The affected units were manufactured from 2018 to 2019 and sold at Target from 2018 to 2019 and online at the companys website from January 2019 to November 2021. A fire and burn hazard is behind a recall from Higdon Outdoors. The company is recalling its battery packs and replacement batteries on XS Series Pulsators, Swimmers, Crazy Kicker and Flasher motion decoys for waterfowl hunting because the lithium-ion battery packs can overheat while charging or soon after charging. The company has received 20 reports of overheating, including nine fires, seven of which involved property damage. No injuries have been reported. The decoys were sold at sporting goods stores nationwide, including Bass Pro Shops, and online from October 2021 to February 2023. For serial numbers, check the commissions website at www.cpsc.gov. Consumers should stop using the battery packs and contact the company at 800-962-0656 for free replacement battery packs and chargers. Solexio is recalling its Stylr hair stylers because the cord can detach if the product is dropped, posing an electrocution or shock hazard. No incidents or injuries have been reported. The hair-straightening product was sold in black with either a pink or gray handle and affected models have a date code between 147 and 253, which is located in the middle of the serial number, which starts with 8081. They were sold online at the companys website and at professional salons and trade shows from December 2021 to February 2023. Consumers should stop using the product and contact the company at 866-470-1574 or contact the retailer for a full refund. Fall hazards are behind two other recent recalls in the last two weeks. Delta Enterprise Corp. is recalling its 2-in-1 outdoor childrens swings because the restraint straps can break. The company has received seven reports of the swing seat restraint strap breaking, though no injuries have been reported. For affected model numbers, check out the commissions website. The swings have silhouettes of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and PAW Patrol on top, and they were sold at Walmart stores and online from March 2022 to October 2022. Consumers should stop using the swings and contact the company at 800-377-3777 for free replacement straps. Carhartt is recalling its mens Force Relaxed five-pocket work pants because an elastic drawstring hem near the ankle can create an extended loop, posing a trip and fall hazard. No incidents or injuries have been reported. The pants have a product number of 105222 and were sold at Dicks Sporting Goods stores and online from July 2022 to November 2022. Consumers should stop wearing the pants and return them to any Dicks Sporting Goods store for a full refund. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that Seven Seas International USA LLC is recalling 295 cases of Biltmore smoked sockeye salmon over listeria. The issue was discovered through routine regulatory testing, and the recall affects packages sold prior to March 14 that have a lot code of R4058 and a best by date of April 14. Customers should return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund. For more information, call the company at 888-627-5668. Undeclared allergens were behind a number of other recalls of food distributed in Pennsylvania. Salento Organics is recalling its 4-ounce packages of dark chocolate pitaya bites, goldenberry bites, mango bites, banana bites, pineapple bites and peanut butter bites because they contain undeclared milk. For UPC, lot codes and best by dates, check out the FDAs website at www.fda.gov. No illnesses have been reported with the issue. Consumers who have purchased the product can return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Second Nature Brands is recalling its 4-ounce package of gluten-free Reeses Pieces brownie brittle because they may actually contain wheat. The company said one illness has been reported. The product was distributed nationwide at retail stores and online orders. The company said cross-contamination at a co-manufacturer resulted in wheat in the product, and production has been suspended until the FDA and the company is certain the problem has been corrected. Those who purchased the product should contact the company at 800-651-7263 for a full refund. Wellness Natural USA is recalling a single lot of its SimplyProtein peanut butter chocolate crispy bar sold at Costco because it may contain undeclared tree nuts cashews. The product was distributed in limited Costco stores in a number of states, including Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., and comes in a 15-count variety pack. The company has received one reported allergic reaction, though the cause of the contamination is still being investigated. Consumers who purchased the product can return them to Costco for a full refund. By Express News Service Priyanka Chopra Jonas, at a recent press conference for her upcoming sci-fi spy thriller series Citadel, said that she cant work with people she doesnt like and she has to admire her co-workers and their work. Priyanka recently stirred a controversy when she revealed in a podcast that she moved to Hollywood because she was being pushed into a corner in the Hindi film industry and people were not casting her. At a press conference on Monday, when asked what is the one thing that is non-negotiable for her while choosing a project, Priyanka said, I think whats non-negotiable for me now.. and it is really true I cant work anymore with people I dont like. Its really non-negotiable for me. I have to admire, and look up to the people I work with, like the people that Im surrounded with. Ive been doing this for a very long time and I want to be excited about going to work. I want to be inspired about going to work and thats become non-negotiable for me. So when I meet the people Im going to work with, I take notes on little pads. But that truly is As Ive evolved, it has become very important to me." Replying to another question on why she decided to speak about her tumultuous time in Bollywood now after so many years, the actor said, "I have had tumultuous times back then, but today, I feel confident to speak about it in the hope that people at large would take notice of it, empathise (with me) and understand where I'm coming from. I felt it was a safe space for me to open up about the rocky patch in my professional journey." Priyanka is starring alongside Richard Madden in the 6-episode series Citadel. The show also features Stanley Tucci and Lesley Manville in pivotal roles. The series, created by Russo Brothers and showrunner David Weil, will premiere exclusively on Prime Video starting April 28 with two episodes and then one episode rolling out weekly through May 26. Priyanka Chopra Jonas, at a recent press conference for her upcoming sci-fi spy thriller series Citadel, said that she cant work with people she doesnt like and she has to admire her co-workers and their work. Priyanka recently stirred a controversy when she revealed in a podcast that she moved to Hollywood because she was being pushed into a corner in the Hindi film industry and people were not casting her. At a press conference on Monday, when asked what is the one thing that is non-negotiable for her while choosing a project, Priyanka said, I think whats non-negotiable for me now.. and it is really true I cant work anymore with people I dont like. Its really non-negotiable for me. I have to admire, and look up to the people I work with, like the people that Im surrounded with.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Ive been doing this for a very long time and I want to be excited about going to work. I want to be inspired about going to work and thats become non-negotiable for me. So when I meet the people Im going to work with, I take notes on little pads. But that truly is As Ive evolved, it has become very important to me." Replying to another question on why she decided to speak about her tumultuous time in Bollywood now after so many years, the actor said, "I have had tumultuous times back then, but today, I feel confident to speak about it in the hope that people at large would take notice of it, empathise (with me) and understand where I'm coming from. I felt it was a safe space for me to open up about the rocky patch in my professional journey." Priyanka is starring alongside Richard Madden in the 6-episode series Citadel. The show also features Stanley Tucci and Lesley Manville in pivotal roles. The series, created by Russo Brothers and showrunner David Weil, will premiere exclusively on Prime Video starting April 28 with two episodes and then one episode rolling out weekly through May 26. By PTI MUMBAI: Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday claimed that central probe agencies were acting like the "Centre's pets" and the decision of a court to grant bail to Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in a money laundering case was like a guide for the country. Addressing reporters at his residence 'Matoshree' in Mumbai's Bandra area, Thackeray, who heads a faction of the Shiv Sena, said Raut could again be implicated in a false case. Rajya Sabha member Raut who met the former CM at his residence, said he was confident that the Thackerays and the party were there to stand by his family in his absence and he would go to jail "10 more times" for the organisation. Thackeray said Raut was family to him and struggles of the latter's family were his and the party's. Raut asserted that there is only one Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray. The Sena MP was released from Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail on Wednesday after a special court here granted him bail. The court had said Raut arrest was "illegal" and a "witch-hunt". "With the court's order, it is quite evident now that the central agencies are acting like the Centre's pets and the entire world is watching this," said Uddhav Thackeray, who was flanked by his son Aaditya Thackeray and Raut. READ HERE | Raut dealt with unaccounted money, but can't be termed proceeds of crime under PMLA: Court When reporters asked Raut about the Election Commission of India's decision to freeze the Shiv Sena's name and symbol, the MP claimed attempts are being made to freeze the Constitution. "People like us are illegally arrested and it is akin to freezing the Constitution," Raut said. Uddhav Thackeray claimed that splits were engineered in many parties using central agencies and arrests were made illegally. He said Raut's case was an example for those who "fled" the party, on how to put up a fight without being scared. Notably, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government collapsed in June this year following a revolt led by Sena leader Eknath Shinde, who later became the chief minister with the BJP's support. "If one has not done anything wrong, then there is nothing to fear. This is also a lesson for those who fled the party. The judiciary giving its judgements impartially is a good sign and yesterday's order is a guide," Uddhav Thackeray said. He said the central agencies are being "misused" and political outfits like the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Telangana Rashtra Samiti (now Bharat Rashtra Samiti), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and Trinamool Congress were also being targeted. The "unbridled rulers" have no idea of what will happen if all these forces come together, he said. "All days are not the same and the situation changes," he added. Uddhav Thackeray also showered praise on Raut and said his courage needs to be lauded. He is a close friend. A friend is the one who stands by you and fights alongside," the former CM said, adding that they address each other by their first name. When Raut visited 'Matoshree', Aaditya Thackeray was present at the entrance of their housing society to receive him. At 'Matoshree', Raut was welcomed by Uddhav Thackeray and his wife Rashmi Thackeray. Raut said Uddhav Thackeray's younger son Tejas called him up in the morning and spoke for around 15 minutes. Earlier in the day, Raut claimed his arrest was political and that such kind of vendetta politics was not seen in the country earlier. The MP said he has been unwell since his days in jail. Raut said he meet Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the coming days. The parliamentarian said he will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, but did not give details about it. He said he will apprise Shah about what he has gone through. "I was in solitary confinement, just like Savarkar and Tilak. Even my arrest was political and I used my time for a good purpose. Whatever my party, my family and I had to endure. We have suffered. My family has lost a lot. It happens in life and politics," Raut said. "But the country has never seen this kind of politics. Our country was under foreign rule for 150 years, but we did not see this kind of political vendetta in the country. Even the enemies were treated nicely," he said. Raut claimed the state was being run by Deputy CM Fadnavis and that the new (Eknath Shinde-Fadnavis) government had taken some good decisions, especially housing for the poor, giving more rights to the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), which the MVA government had withdrawn and even he did not like it. "There is a new government in Maharashtra and it has taken a few good decisions. I welcome that. We will not oppose for the sake of opposition. Whatever is good for the country should be welcomed," he said. Raut said he wants to raise the issue about management of jails with Fadnavis as he is the state home minister. The MP also said he will neither blame any central agency nor the Union government for his arrest. "I will neither comment on the ED nor the people who were involved in this conspiracy. If they must have found happiness in it, then I join them in their happiness. But I have no complaint against anyone," he added. Raut also said he welcomes Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra and had his health been fine, he too would have joined the foot march. MUMBAI: Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday claimed that central probe agencies were acting like the "Centre's pets" and the decision of a court to grant bail to Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in a money laundering case was like a guide for the country. Addressing reporters at his residence 'Matoshree' in Mumbai's Bandra area, Thackeray, who heads a faction of the Shiv Sena, said Raut could again be implicated in a false case. Rajya Sabha member Raut who met the former CM at his residence, said he was confident that the Thackerays and the party were there to stand by his family in his absence and he would go to jail "10 more times" for the organisation.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Thackeray said Raut was family to him and struggles of the latter's family were his and the party's. Raut asserted that there is only one Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray. The Sena MP was released from Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail on Wednesday after a special court here granted him bail. The court had said Raut arrest was "illegal" and a "witch-hunt". "With the court's order, it is quite evident now that the central agencies are acting like the Centre's pets and the entire world is watching this," said Uddhav Thackeray, who was flanked by his son Aaditya Thackeray and Raut. READ HERE | Raut dealt with unaccounted money, but can't be termed proceeds of crime under PMLA: Court When reporters asked Raut about the Election Commission of India's decision to freeze the Shiv Sena's name and symbol, the MP claimed attempts are being made to freeze the Constitution. "People like us are illegally arrested and it is akin to freezing the Constitution," Raut said. Uddhav Thackeray claimed that splits were engineered in many parties using central agencies and arrests were made illegally. He said Raut's case was an example for those who "fled" the party, on how to put up a fight without being scared. Notably, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government collapsed in June this year following a revolt led by Sena leader Eknath Shinde, who later became the chief minister with the BJP's support. "If one has not done anything wrong, then there is nothing to fear. This is also a lesson for those who fled the party. The judiciary giving its judgements impartially is a good sign and yesterday's order is a guide," Uddhav Thackeray said. He said the central agencies are being "misused" and political outfits like the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Telangana Rashtra Samiti (now Bharat Rashtra Samiti), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and Trinamool Congress were also being targeted. The "unbridled rulers" have no idea of what will happen if all these forces come together, he said. "All days are not the same and the situation changes," he added. Uddhav Thackeray also showered praise on Raut and said his courage needs to be lauded. He is a close friend. A friend is the one who stands by you and fights alongside," the former CM said, adding that they address each other by their first name. When Raut visited 'Matoshree', Aaditya Thackeray was present at the entrance of their housing society to receive him. At 'Matoshree', Raut was welcomed by Uddhav Thackeray and his wife Rashmi Thackeray. Raut said Uddhav Thackeray's younger son Tejas called him up in the morning and spoke for around 15 minutes. Earlier in the day, Raut claimed his arrest was political and that such kind of vendetta politics was not seen in the country earlier. The MP said he has been unwell since his days in jail. Raut said he meet Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the coming days. The parliamentarian said he will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, but did not give details about it. He said he will apprise Shah about what he has gone through. "I was in solitary confinement, just like Savarkar and Tilak. Even my arrest was political and I used my time for a good purpose. Whatever my party, my family and I had to endure. We have suffered. My family has lost a lot. It happens in life and politics," Raut said. "But the country has never seen this kind of politics. Our country was under foreign rule for 150 years, but we did not see this kind of political vendetta in the country. Even the enemies were treated nicely," he said. Raut claimed the state was being run by Deputy CM Fadnavis and that the new (Eknath Shinde-Fadnavis) government had taken some good decisions, especially housing for the poor, giving more rights to the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), which the MVA government had withdrawn and even he did not like it. "There is a new government in Maharashtra and it has taken a few good decisions. I welcome that. We will not oppose for the sake of opposition. Whatever is good for the country should be welcomed," he said. Raut said he wants to raise the issue about management of jails with Fadnavis as he is the state home minister. The MP also said he will neither blame any central agency nor the Union government for his arrest. "I will neither comment on the ED nor the people who were involved in this conspiracy. If they must have found happiness in it, then I join them in their happiness. But I have no complaint against anyone," he added. Raut also said he welcomes Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra and had his health been fine, he too would have joined the foot march. Pronab Mondal By Express News Service KOLKATA: Seven tourists were killed and 11 others received injuries on Tuesday in a massive avalanche near the Nathu La pass in east Sikkim, on the border with China. The avalanche happened around 11.10 am on the Gangtok-Nathu La Jawaharlal Nehru Marg near the 15th milestone. Tourists are not permitted to travel beyond Milestone 13 due to inclement weather, yet they forced tour operators and drivers to take them to the area where the incident happened, a police officer claimed. Army and Border Road Organisation personnel were deployed to rescue the trapped tourists. As many as 350 stranded tourists and 80 vehicles were rescued after clearing the snow from the road to Nathu La. Approximately five-six vehicles with 30-odd tourists on Nathu La were stuck under the snow. We rescued 27 people while seven of them succumbed to their injuries. Others were taken to a nearby Army medical facility. Search is on to find out whether more people are trapped under the snow, said a defence department spokesperson. Many of the rescued were administered first aid and brought to Gangtok. Army, National Disaster Response Force, a state disaster management team and the local police are involved in the search and rescue operations. They continued operations till late evening. Nathu La, one of the most important Himalayan passes in the country, is a major tourist destination. It is 14,450 feet above sea level, is 55 km from Sikkims capital Gangtok and it is one of the three open trading border posts between India and China. KOLKATA: Seven tourists were killed and 11 others received injuries on Tuesday in a massive avalanche near the Nathu La pass in east Sikkim, on the border with China. The avalanche happened around 11.10 am on the Gangtok-Nathu La Jawaharlal Nehru Marg near the 15th milestone. Tourists are not permitted to travel beyond Milestone 13 due to inclement weather, yet they forced tour operators and drivers to take them to the area where the incident happened, a police officer claimed. Army and Border Road Organisation personnel were deployed to rescue the trapped tourists. As many as 350 stranded tourists and 80 vehicles were rescued after clearing the snow from the road to Nathu La. Approximately five-six vehicles with 30-odd tourists on Nathu La were stuck under the snow. We rescued 27 people while seven of them succumbed to their injuries. Others were taken to a nearby Army medical facility. Search is on to find out whether more people are trapped under the snow, said a defence department spokesperson.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Many of the rescued were administered first aid and brought to Gangtok. Army, National Disaster Response Force, a state disaster management team and the local police are involved in the search and rescue operations. They continued operations till late evening. Nathu La, one of the most important Himalayan passes in the country, is a major tourist destination. It is 14,450 feet above sea level, is 55 km from Sikkims capital Gangtok and it is one of the three open trading border posts between India and China. Kavita bajeli datt By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The deletion of some content on Mahatma Gandhi from the Class 12 textbooks could be an oversight, NCERT chief Dinesh Saklani said on Wednesday, responding to the controversy over the new omissions. The removal of portions of the RSS ban after Gandhis assassination and references to his pursuits of Hindu-Muslim amity has snowballed into a political controversy. Saklani said the furor over the missing content on Gandhi's assassination has been blown out of proportion as new books under the National Education Policy 2020 will roll out next year. Speaking to the TNIE, Saklani said that no change was made after the rationalisation exercise last year. We have not made any changes since the rationalisation last year. We didnt add even a comma or a full stop. We have followed all the procedures, he said. If a chapter is removed or a big portion of the content is deleted, then that is discussed beforehand. But if one or two lines are deleted, that is not discussed, he said, stressing that one or two lines from the chapter on Gandhi getting deleted could be an oversight. ALSO READ | NCERT drops texts on Gandhi, Hindu-Muslim unity, RSS ban from class 12 textbook On the ongoing debate, he said, It is untimely and unwanted because last year, for three months NCERT gave its version bit by bit with all clarity. The whole nation was convinced and welcomed the decision. Even the student community was convinced and welcomed the move as their load was reduced during the Covid time. He further said the debate is unnecessary and a waste of time, and NCERT has nothing to do with the debate. Our priority is to roll out textbooks based on NEP 2020, Saklani told this paper. We are going to publish foundational stage books. These foundational stage books for Class 1 and 2 will come out in another two or three months, and then the rest of the books till Class 12 will come out next year. As part of its syllabus rationalisation exercise last year, the NCERT, citing "overlapping" and "irrelevant" as reasons, dropped certain portions from the course, including lessons on Gujarat riots, Mughal courts, Emergency, Cold War, Naxalite movement, among others from its textbooks. ALSO READ | Chapter on Mughal history removed to rationalise syllabus after Covid-19, claims NCERT chief However, the rationalisation note had no mention of excerpts about Gandhi. Saklani said the expert committee decided to remove specific chapters and delete some content. There is not one committee but many committees. All these committees have domain knowledge experts. These committees have professors from JNU, DU, BHU, Allahabad University, Punjab University, teachers from KVs and CBSE, members from ICHR and ICSSR, apart from NCERT faculty, he said, adding that the director is not involved, neither can he interfere. The director can approve but not reject what the committee decides. NEW DELHI: The deletion of some content on Mahatma Gandhi from the Class 12 textbooks could be an oversight, NCERT chief Dinesh Saklani said on Wednesday, responding to the controversy over the new omissions. The removal of portions of the RSS ban after Gandhis assassination and references to his pursuits of Hindu-Muslim amity has snowballed into a political controversy. Saklani said the furor over the missing content on Gandhi's assassination has been blown out of proportion as new books under the National Education Policy 2020 will roll out next year.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Speaking to the TNIE, Saklani said that no change was made after the rationalisation exercise last year. We have not made any changes since the rationalisation last year. We didnt add even a comma or a full stop. We have followed all the procedures, he said. If a chapter is removed or a big portion of the content is deleted, then that is discussed beforehand. But if one or two lines are deleted, that is not discussed, he said, stressing that one or two lines from the chapter on Gandhi getting deleted could be an oversight. ALSO READ | NCERT drops texts on Gandhi, Hindu-Muslim unity, RSS ban from class 12 textbook On the ongoing debate, he said, It is untimely and unwanted because last year, for three months NCERT gave its version bit by bit with all clarity. The whole nation was convinced and welcomed the decision. Even the student community was convinced and welcomed the move as their load was reduced during the Covid time. He further said the debate is unnecessary and a waste of time, and NCERT has nothing to do with the debate. Our priority is to roll out textbooks based on NEP 2020, Saklani told this paper. We are going to publish foundational stage books. These foundational stage books for Class 1 and 2 will come out in another two or three months, and then the rest of the books till Class 12 will come out next year. As part of its syllabus rationalisation exercise last year, the NCERT, citing "overlapping" and "irrelevant" as reasons, dropped certain portions from the course, including lessons on Gujarat riots, Mughal courts, Emergency, Cold War, Naxalite movement, among others from its textbooks. ALSO READ | Chapter on Mughal history removed to rationalise syllabus after Covid-19, claims NCERT chief However, the rationalisation note had no mention of excerpts about Gandhi. Saklani said the expert committee decided to remove specific chapters and delete some content. There is not one committee but many committees. All these committees have domain knowledge experts. These committees have professors from JNU, DU, BHU, Allahabad University, Punjab University, teachers from KVs and CBSE, members from ICHR and ICSSR, apart from NCERT faculty, he said, adding that the director is not involved, neither can he interfere. The director can approve but not reject what the committee decides. Pranab Mondal By Express News Service KOLKATA: Hours after violence in Rishra, Hooghly, during a Ram Navami procession on Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah sought a report from the West Bengal government within three days. Shah wrote to Chief Secretary H K Dwivedi asking him to submit the report on violence in Howrahs Shibpur and Rishra in Hooghly. The letter from Delhi to the state government came after the BJPs Bengal chapter wrote to the Home Minister seeking the Centres intervention following the violence. Cutting short his Darjeeling trip, Governor CV Ananda Bose visited the trouble-torn areas in Rishra and assured strict action against law breakers. The Governor was in Darjeeling for a G20 meeting. There will be solid action by all law enforcement agencies. We will never allow miscreants to take law in hand. Police will come down heavily on them. Bengal has been suffering for a long time and we will put an end to it, Bose said. The Governor also visited SSKM Hospital in Kolkata to visit the injured participants of the Ram Navami procession, including BJP MLA Biman Ghosh. Stone-pelting late on Monday night near a level-crossing in Rishra had led to suspension of train services between Howrah and Bandel section for about three hours. The services were resumed after midnight. Internet services remained suspended in Rishra as the administration is trying to quell rumours. The district police dismantled a stage which was set up to stage a protest by BJPs state president Sukanta Majumdar. ALSO READ | 19-year-old who carried gun during Ram Navami procession arrested The BJP president was on Monday stopped by police on Delhi Road near Dankuni as he was not allowed to visit Rishra where section 144 was imposed following the violence. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said these were not clashes between two communities, but criminal acts by goons hired by the BJP. Violence is not Bengals culture. BJP has brought in hired hooligans from outside. This is not communal violence, this is criminal violence, she said while addressing a rally in Khejuri, East Midnapore. The BJP is behind the violence in Hooghly and Howrah. They had brought in hired goondas from other states to unleash violence in Bengal, which is not in our culture. They pitting one community against another, she said. KOLKATA: Hours after violence in Rishra, Hooghly, during a Ram Navami procession on Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah sought a report from the West Bengal government within three days. Shah wrote to Chief Secretary H K Dwivedi asking him to submit the report on violence in Howrahs Shibpur and Rishra in Hooghly. The letter from Delhi to the state government came after the BJPs Bengal chapter wrote to the Home Minister seeking the Centres intervention following the violence. Cutting short his Darjeeling trip, Governor CV Ananda Bose visited the trouble-torn areas in Rishra and assured strict action against law breakers. The Governor was in Darjeeling for a G20 meeting. There will be solid action by all law enforcement agencies. We will never allow miscreants to take law in hand. Police will come down heavily on them. Bengal has been suffering for a long time and we will put an end to it, Bose said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The Governor also visited SSKM Hospital in Kolkata to visit the injured participants of the Ram Navami procession, including BJP MLA Biman Ghosh. Stone-pelting late on Monday night near a level-crossing in Rishra had led to suspension of train services between Howrah and Bandel section for about three hours. The services were resumed after midnight. Internet services remained suspended in Rishra as the administration is trying to quell rumours. The district police dismantled a stage which was set up to stage a protest by BJPs state president Sukanta Majumdar. ALSO READ | 19-year-old who carried gun during Ram Navami procession arrested The BJP president was on Monday stopped by police on Delhi Road near Dankuni as he was not allowed to visit Rishra where section 144 was imposed following the violence. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said these were not clashes between two communities, but criminal acts by goons hired by the BJP. Violence is not Bengals culture. BJP has brought in hired hooligans from outside. This is not communal violence, this is criminal violence, she said while addressing a rally in Khejuri, East Midnapore. The BJP is behind the violence in Hooghly and Howrah. They had brought in hired goondas from other states to unleash violence in Bengal, which is not in our culture. They pitting one community against another, she said. Yeshi Seli By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) president Sergey Katyrin said on Tuesday that the issue of payments between Russia and India is close to resolution and the two sides have been working on various options. Katyrin, who is in India as the head of a large business delegation from Russia, told The New Indian Express that the possibility of rupee-rouble trade is very much on the table. In the last year, we have traded for $30 billion. Most of the payments happened in national currencies. We have traded with many countries in national currencies. In our Eurasian Economic Union (which includes five countries), nearly 75 percent of the mutual settlements are in national currencies. With many partners, these relationships are being built on a mutual basis which includes China and India. He, however, added, I dont think all mutual settlements will be in the rupee. There is a segment which does not allow us settlement in rupees. At the same time, we would not want Indian banks to attract sanctions from the West. Of course, we are looking for other options, there are complications, but there are many options too. ALSO READ | In revised foreign policy, Russia says it will build 'privileged strategic partnership' with India India and Russia have been engaged in talks to resolve the payment crisis. Russia supplies huge amounts of arms and equipment as well as crude oil to India. Since the sanctions imposed by Western countries on Russia after it attacked Ukraine, dues have been piling up on India. Among the options is the revival of the rupee-rouble trade. The Russian side has been bullish on India and in spite of the dues piling up, Russia has continued with the supplies. The country, in fact, is seeking a closer engagement with India. The Russian delegation of businessmen that has arrived in India is seeking collaborations with india businesses in many fields. Around 90 companies are accompanying us from various sectors like automobiles, IT, machine building, pharmaceuticals, etc. Our spectrum is very wide. These companies are mostly medium and small scale. Usually the big companies have their own connections. Help is needed by small and medium scale industries. For this reason, we are inaugurating today an India office of the Russian CCI at New Delhi, Katyrin said. Russian companies are looking for partners in India. Many companies that were earlier working in the West are also looking at partnering with India since their businesses are not viable there any longer, he said. The Russian business delegation engaged on Wednesday with the India counterparts in business-to-business meetings organised by the Federation of India Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). FICCI has made a special electronic platform for Indian businessmen to engage with the Russian industry. Arrangements have been made to help Russian and Indian companies to identify their potential partners well in advance of our India trip. We had been preparing for this visit for more than two months along with Indian colleagues and I am sure this will be very successful, said the Russian CCI president. NEW DELHI: Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) president Sergey Katyrin said on Tuesday that the issue of payments between Russia and India is close to resolution and the two sides have been working on various options. Katyrin, who is in India as the head of a large business delegation from Russia, told The New Indian Express that the possibility of rupee-rouble trade is very much on the table. In the last year, we have traded for $30 billion. Most of the payments happened in national currencies. We have traded with many countries in national currencies. In our Eurasian Economic Union (which includes five countries), nearly 75 percent of the mutual settlements are in national currencies. With many partners, these relationships are being built on a mutual basis which includes China and India. He, however, added, I dont think all mutual settlements will be in the rupee. There is a segment which does not allow us settlement in rupees. At the same time, we would not want Indian banks to attract sanctions from the West. Of course, we are looking for other options, there are complications, but there are many options too.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); ALSO READ | In revised foreign policy, Russia says it will build 'privileged strategic partnership' with India India and Russia have been engaged in talks to resolve the payment crisis. Russia supplies huge amounts of arms and equipment as well as crude oil to India. Since the sanctions imposed by Western countries on Russia after it attacked Ukraine, dues have been piling up on India. Among the options is the revival of the rupee-rouble trade. The Russian side has been bullish on India and in spite of the dues piling up, Russia has continued with the supplies. The country, in fact, is seeking a closer engagement with India. The Russian delegation of businessmen that has arrived in India is seeking collaborations with india businesses in many fields. Around 90 companies are accompanying us from various sectors like automobiles, IT, machine building, pharmaceuticals, etc. Our spectrum is very wide. These companies are mostly medium and small scale. Usually the big companies have their own connections. Help is needed by small and medium scale industries. For this reason, we are inaugurating today an India office of the Russian CCI at New Delhi, Katyrin said. Russian companies are looking for partners in India. Many companies that were earlier working in the West are also looking at partnering with India since their businesses are not viable there any longer, he said. The Russian business delegation engaged on Wednesday with the India counterparts in business-to-business meetings organised by the Federation of India Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). FICCI has made a special electronic platform for Indian businessmen to engage with the Russian industry. Arrangements have been made to help Russian and Indian companies to identify their potential partners well in advance of our India trip. We had been preparing for this visit for more than two months along with Indian colleagues and I am sure this will be very successful, said the Russian CCI president. Shruti Kakkar By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The state is using national security as a tool to deny citizens rights that are provided under the law. This is not compatible with the rule of law, the Supreme Court observed on Wednesday as it quashed the Centre's denial of security clearance to Malayalam news channel MediaOne. The top court ruled criticism of a government cannot be grounds to revoke the license of a media or television channel. The Supreme Court was hearing the plea of the news channel against the Kerala High Court's order which had upheld the Centre's decision to ban its telecast on security grounds. A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud pulled up the Ministry of Home Affairs for invoking national security, stating, "State is using plea of national security to deny rights of citizens. This is incompatible with rule of law. National security claims can't be made out of thin air." "An independent press is vital for the robust functioning of a Democratic Republic. Its role in the democratic society is crucial, for it shines a light on the functioning of the State. The press has a duty to speak truth and present citizens with hard facts, enabling them to make choices that prepare democracy in the right direction. The restriction on the freedom of the press compels citizens to think along the same tangent. A homogenized view on issues that range from socioeconomic polity to political ideologies would pose grave dangers to democracy," the court said. The court also said that non-disclosure of reasons for the denial of security clearance by MHA and disclosure only to the court in a sealed cover violated the principles of natural justice and the right to fair proceedings, leaving the company "in the dark to fight out." ALSO READ | Revoking MediaOne's license is clampdown on press freedom: Eminent persons Laying down comprehensive guidelines for courts adopting 'sealed cover' procedure during hearing matters relating to national security, the bench said, "Sealed cover procedure cannot be introduced to cover harms that cannot be remedied by public immunity proceedings... Principles of natural justice may be excluded when the interests of national security outweigh. But a blanket immunity from disclosure cannot be granted... Sealed cover procedure infringes the principles of natural justice and open justice." The bench further ruled that MHAs reliance on the channels report on the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, the National Register of Citizens (NRC), criticism of the judiciary and State for terming the channel as "anti-establishment" was not justified. "All investigation reports cannot be termed secret as these affect the rights and liberty of the citizens," the bench said. The court also said that the press has a duty to speak truth to power and inform citizens about hard facts. "The critical views of the channel against the govt policies cannot be termed as anti-establishment. This view presumes that the press should always support the govt. An independent press is necessary for a robust democracy. The criticism of the policies of the govt cannot be stretched to mean any of the grounds under Article 19(2) which can restrict free speech," the court said. What the top court said: Kerala HC's order upholding Centre's decision to ban 'MediaOne' telecast on security grounds. An independent press is necessary for a robust democracy. Critical views of MediaOne channel against govt policies can't be termed anti-establishment. National security claims cannot be made out of thin air, there must be material facts backing it. (With online desk inputs) NEW DELHI: The state is using national security as a tool to deny citizens rights that are provided under the law. This is not compatible with the rule of law, the Supreme Court observed on Wednesday as it quashed the Centre's denial of security clearance to Malayalam news channel MediaOne. The top court ruled criticism of a government cannot be grounds to revoke the license of a media or television channel. The Supreme Court was hearing the plea of the news channel against the Kerala High Court's order which had upheld the Centre's decision to ban its telecast on security grounds.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud pulled up the Ministry of Home Affairs for invoking national security, stating, "State is using plea of national security to deny rights of citizens. This is incompatible with rule of law. National security claims can't be made out of thin air." "An independent press is vital for the robust functioning of a Democratic Republic. Its role in the democratic society is crucial, for it shines a light on the functioning of the State. The press has a duty to speak truth and present citizens with hard facts, enabling them to make choices that prepare democracy in the right direction. The restriction on the freedom of the press compels citizens to think along the same tangent. A homogenized view on issues that range from socioeconomic polity to political ideologies would pose grave dangers to democracy," the court said. The court also said that non-disclosure of reasons for the denial of security clearance by MHA and disclosure only to the court in a sealed cover violated the principles of natural justice and the right to fair proceedings, leaving the company "in the dark to fight out." ALSO READ | Revoking MediaOne's license is clampdown on press freedom: Eminent persons Laying down comprehensive guidelines for courts adopting 'sealed cover' procedure during hearing matters relating to national security, the bench said, "Sealed cover procedure cannot be introduced to cover harms that cannot be remedied by public immunity proceedings... Principles of natural justice may be excluded when the interests of national security outweigh. But a blanket immunity from disclosure cannot be granted... Sealed cover procedure infringes the principles of natural justice and open justice." The bench further ruled that MHAs reliance on the channels report on the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, the National Register of Citizens (NRC), criticism of the judiciary and State for terming the channel as "anti-establishment" was not justified. "All investigation reports cannot be termed secret as these affect the rights and liberty of the citizens," the bench said. The court also said that the press has a duty to speak truth to power and inform citizens about hard facts. "The critical views of the channel against the govt policies cannot be termed as anti-establishment. This view presumes that the press should always support the govt. An independent press is necessary for a robust democracy. The criticism of the policies of the govt cannot be stretched to mean any of the grounds under Article 19(2) which can restrict free speech," the court said. What the top court said: Kerala HC's order upholding Centre's decision to ban 'MediaOne' telecast on security grounds. An independent press is necessary for a robust democracy. Critical views of MediaOne channel against govt policies can't be termed anti-establishment. National security claims cannot be made out of thin air, there must be material facts backing it. (With online desk inputs) By PTI NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday hit out at the government over some texts missing from NCERT's new class 12 textbooks, including Mahatma Gandhi's pursuit of Hindu-Muslim unity irking the right-wing and the ban on the RSS for some time, and called it "whitewashing with a vengeance". The NCERT, however, claims that no curriculum trimming has happened this year and the syllabus was rationalised last year in June. "Gandhiji's death had a magical effect on communal situation in the country", "Gandhiji's pursuit of Hindu-Muslim unity provoked Hindu extremists", "organisations like RSS were banned for some time", "communal politics began to lose its appeal"--these are among the texts missing from class 12 political science textbooks for the new academic session. Tagging a media report on it, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Twitter, "Whitewashing with a vengeance." ALSO READ | NCERT drops texts on Gandhi, Hindu-Muslim unity, RSS ban from class 12 textbook Tagging another report which claimed that chapters related to the Mughals and Dalit writers have also been axed from the textbooks, he said, "This reveals the ruling regime's TRUE mindset. After all, the RSS had not only attacked Gandhi but had been bitterly opposed to Dr Ambedkar as well. " Union minister Shobha Karandlaje defended the decision to remove certain references from the textbooks and said the Congress was the biggest manipulator of India's historical facts and the BJP was only correcting the wrongdoings of the past. "Facts that threatened @INCIndia and never made it to textbooks were -- Barbarism of Mughals, Era of Emergency, Genocide of Kashmir Pandits and Sikhs, Corruption of Congress. ALSO READ | Chapter on Mughal history removed to rationalise syllabus after Covid-19, claims NCERT chief BJP is only correcting your wrongdoings," she said. Asked about the deletions from the textbooks, an NCERT official said, "Subject expert panel had recommended dropping texts on Gandhi. It was accepted last year only. It was not mentioned in the list of rationalised content due to oversight. Any missing contents in the list will be notified in a day or two. NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday hit out at the government over some texts missing from NCERT's new class 12 textbooks, including Mahatma Gandhi's pursuit of Hindu-Muslim unity irking the right-wing and the ban on the RSS for some time, and called it "whitewashing with a vengeance". The NCERT, however, claims that no curriculum trimming has happened this year and the syllabus was rationalised last year in June. "Gandhiji's death had a magical effect on communal situation in the country", "Gandhiji's pursuit of Hindu-Muslim unity provoked Hindu extremists", "organisations like RSS were banned for some time", "communal politics began to lose its appeal"--these are among the texts missing from class 12 political science textbooks for the new academic session.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Tagging a media report on it, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Twitter, "Whitewashing with a vengeance." ALSO READ | NCERT drops texts on Gandhi, Hindu-Muslim unity, RSS ban from class 12 textbook Tagging another report which claimed that chapters related to the Mughals and Dalit writers have also been axed from the textbooks, he said, "This reveals the ruling regime's TRUE mindset. After all, the RSS had not only attacked Gandhi but had been bitterly opposed to Dr Ambedkar as well. " Union minister Shobha Karandlaje defended the decision to remove certain references from the textbooks and said the Congress was the biggest manipulator of India's historical facts and the BJP was only correcting the wrongdoings of the past. "Facts that threatened @INCIndia and never made it to textbooks were -- Barbarism of Mughals, Era of Emergency, Genocide of Kashmir Pandits and Sikhs, Corruption of Congress. ALSO READ | Chapter on Mughal history removed to rationalise syllabus after Covid-19, claims NCERT chief BJP is only correcting your wrongdoings," she said. Asked about the deletions from the textbooks, an NCERT official said, "Subject expert panel had recommended dropping texts on Gandhi. It was accepted last year only. It was not mentioned in the list of rationalised content due to oversight. Any missing contents in the list will be notified in a day or two. By PTI NEW DELHI: Several left-wing trade unions held a rally here in Ramleela ground on Wednesday with hundreds of workers and farmers in a show of solidarity against the BJP-led central government's alleged disregard for their basic needs and loss of livelihoods. The Masdoor-Kisan Sangarsh rally was held by the Centre of Trade Unions (CITU), All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), and All India Agricultural Workers Union (AIAWU). The leaders speaking at the rally warned the government that the rally was an indication of the surging anger of the workers of the country, an official statement from the collective said. Hundreds of workers, farmers, and agricultural workers from different parts of the nation, including Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, UP, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka, Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Gujarat, participated in the rally, the statement said. The workers demanded "government policies that allow access to education, healthcare, and dignified life for them and their children", it said. The rally was addressed by the leaders of the CITU, AIKS and AIAWU and others. "They warned the government that the rally was an indication of the surging anger of the working people of this country against the disregard of their basic needs while showering benefits on the big corporate," the statement added. NEW DELHI: Several left-wing trade unions held a rally here in Ramleela ground on Wednesday with hundreds of workers and farmers in a show of solidarity against the BJP-led central government's alleged disregard for their basic needs and loss of livelihoods. The Masdoor-Kisan Sangarsh rally was held by the Centre of Trade Unions (CITU), All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), and All India Agricultural Workers Union (AIAWU). The leaders speaking at the rally warned the government that the rally was an indication of the surging anger of the workers of the country, an official statement from the collective said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Hundreds of workers, farmers, and agricultural workers from different parts of the nation, including Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, UP, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka, Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Gujarat, participated in the rally, the statement said. The workers demanded "government policies that allow access to education, healthcare, and dignified life for them and their children", it said. The rally was addressed by the leaders of the CITU, AIKS and AIAWU and others. "They warned the government that the rally was an indication of the surging anger of the working people of this country against the disregard of their basic needs while showering benefits on the big corporate," the statement added. PHILADELPHIA A man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison in a police car set on fire outside Philadelphia's City Hall during 2020 protests following the death of George Floyd. Khalif Miller, 27, told a federal judge Monday he was sorry for his actions, which prosecutors described as throwing papers into a burning cruiser, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. U.S. District Chief Judge Juan R. Sanchez imposed a 61-month term on obstructing law enforcement during a civil disorder and firearms counts. Miller had earlier criticized the case against him but said Monday he now believes his behavior may have detracted from his aim of advocating for a larger role for mental health professionals in law enforcement. I regret it. Honestly, I really regret it, he said. Trial is scheduled later this month for a co-defendant, Anthony Smith, a well-known west Philadelphia activist. Carlos Matchett of Atlantic City, New Jersey was sentenced last month to 46 months in prison after pleading guilty to obstructing law enforcement during a civil disorder and traveling to incite a riot. Two other defendants who pleaded guilty to setting fire to cars during the demonstration have been sentenced to shorter terms Ayoub Tabri, of Arlington, Virginia, to 364 days and Lore-Elisabeth Blumenthal of Jenkintown to 2 1/2 years. By PTI NEW DELHI: Defence Minister and senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh on Sunday said those alleging violation of press freedom forget that the governments of the saffron party had "never imposed any ban" on any media organisation, "nor curtailed" anyone's right to free speech. Whereas the Congress government had even amended the Constitution to curb free speech, he said while referring to the amendment of Article 19 in 1951. Speaking at a conclave organised by RSS-linked weekly "Panchjanya", Singh said a debate has again started in the country regarding freedom of expression. "The interesting thing is that those who allege the violation of media freedom today forget that whether it is Atalji's (former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee) government or (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji's government, they never imposed any ban on any media house, nor curtailed anyone's right to free speech and expression in any manner," he added. Hitting out at the Congress, the veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said the entire history of the grand old party is "replete with incidents of violation of all kinds of freedoms". "The Congress government had even amended the Constitution to curb free speech. People who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others," he said. Singh also underlined that the media is the fourth pillar of democracy and its freedom is "very important for a strong and vibrant democracy". Talking about the bans and restrictions imposed on "Panchjanya" in the past, the defence minister said the repeated crackdown on the weekly associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was not only an "attack on nationalistic journalism but also a complete violation of freedom of expression". NEW DELHI: Defence Minister and senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh on Sunday said those alleging violation of press freedom forget that the governments of the saffron party had "never imposed any ban" on any media organisation, "nor curtailed" anyone's right to free speech. Whereas the Congress government had even amended the Constitution to curb free speech, he said while referring to the amendment of Article 19 in 1951. Speaking at a conclave organised by RSS-linked weekly "Panchjanya", Singh said a debate has again started in the country regarding freedom of expression.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); "The interesting thing is that those who allege the violation of media freedom today forget that whether it is Atalji's (former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee) government or (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji's government, they never imposed any ban on any media house, nor curtailed anyone's right to free speech and expression in any manner," he added. Hitting out at the Congress, the veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said the entire history of the grand old party is "replete with incidents of violation of all kinds of freedoms". "The Congress government had even amended the Constitution to curb free speech. People who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others," he said. Singh also underlined that the media is the fourth pillar of democracy and its freedom is "very important for a strong and vibrant democracy". Talking about the bans and restrictions imposed on "Panchjanya" in the past, the defence minister said the repeated crackdown on the weekly associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was not only an "attack on nationalistic journalism but also a complete violation of freedom of expression". By PTI KOCHI: Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday urged the media fraternity in the country to remain cautious and desist from giving its space to narratives that threaten the nation's integrity. Substandard and illogical opinions delivered freely from within or abroad, could not destroy the democratic nature of the country, he added. "I urge the media fraternity to remain cautious and desist from giving its space intentionally or unintentionally to such voices and narratives that have the potential to threaten the integrity of India," he said. The minister was speaking while participating as a special guest in the centenary celebrations of the eminent Malayalam daily "Mathrubhumi". He said there is a proverb that facts are sacred and opinion is free. "I want to emphasise here that the democratic nature of our great nation will always remain a fact, no matter how many substandard and illogical opinions are delivered freely from within or abroad," Thakur added. KOCHI: Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday urged the media fraternity in the country to remain cautious and desist from giving its space to narratives that threaten the nation's integrity. Substandard and illogical opinions delivered freely from within or abroad, could not destroy the democratic nature of the country, he added. "I urge the media fraternity to remain cautious and desist from giving its space intentionally or unintentionally to such voices and narratives that have the potential to threaten the integrity of India," he said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The minister was speaking while participating as a special guest in the centenary celebrations of the eminent Malayalam daily "Mathrubhumi". He said there is a proverb that facts are sacred and opinion is free. "I want to emphasise here that the democratic nature of our great nation will always remain a fact, no matter how many substandard and illogical opinions are delivered freely from within or abroad," Thakur added. Communal politics hit a new low in Karnataka with the death of a cattle trader allegedly lynched by a fringe mob. It is a spine-chilling reminder of similar incidents in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, unheard of in the South. Two anomalies marked this crimethat it happened in Karnataka, known for peace and harmony, and was executed in Sathanur, the stronghold of Congress leader D K Shivakumar. The body of Idrees Pasha, the assistant driver of the cattle van, was found close to Sathanur police station. The cattle traders were moving from Mandya to Tamil Nadu via Kanakapura, a belt not known for the extreme communalism that marks coastal Karnataka. Main accused, Puneeth Kerehalli, who heads a right-wing group Rashtra Rakshana Pade, is booked for murder. The lynching gave the Opposition a solid issue to flay the ruling party, which was met with silence from Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and his ministers. The lack of unqualified condemnation encourages criminals like Kerehalli, a self-styled cow vigilante who used to campaign to boycott Muslim businesses, big and small. That he had demanded Rs 2 lakh from the cattle traders and even shot a Facebook Live video while on the run indicates his brazen confidence that he can get away with the crime. The Congress is now going to town with photographs of Kerehalli posing with BJP leaders, but that would not help save Karnataka. There is anticipation that as the state heads into elections, communal flareups, moral policing and hate speeches to polarise voters could be reported. And such a heinous crime hints at the desperation of the fringe elements. Opinion polls have indicated that the BJP has a tough fight ahead this summer, and whether such vigilantism will impact the voting trend will be apparent only next month. The partys three-year reign was marked by a string of communal incidents and allegations of corruption, and there is barely any noteworthy development it can seek its votes for. In such a fraught situation, the BJP government should uphold the law and not spare the culprits lest the incident is exploited to polarise the voters in the coming elections. Such communalism must be met with pushback by right-minded citizens, though it is also known that extremism only begets more extremism. Besides giving Karnataka a bad name, these incidents destroy the social fabric in the long run. Communal politics hit a new low in Karnataka with the death of a cattle trader allegedly lynched by a fringe mob. It is a spine-chilling reminder of similar incidents in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, unheard of in the South. Two anomalies marked this crimethat it happened in Karnataka, known for peace and harmony, and was executed in Sathanur, the stronghold of Congress leader D K Shivakumar. The body of Idrees Pasha, the assistant driver of the cattle van, was found close to Sathanur police station. The cattle traders were moving from Mandya to Tamil Nadu via Kanakapura, a belt not known for the extreme communalism that marks coastal Karnataka. Main accused, Puneeth Kerehalli, who heads a right-wing group Rashtra Rakshana Pade, is booked for murder. The lynching gave the Opposition a solid issue to flay the ruling party, which was met with silence from Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and his ministers. The lack of unqualified condemnation encourages criminals like Kerehalli, a self-styled cow vigilante who used to campaign to boycott Muslim businesses, big and small.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); That he had demanded Rs 2 lakh from the cattle traders and even shot a Facebook Live video while on the run indicates his brazen confidence that he can get away with the crime. The Congress is now going to town with photographs of Kerehalli posing with BJP leaders, but that would not help save Karnataka. There is anticipation that as the state heads into elections, communal flareups, moral policing and hate speeches to polarise voters could be reported. And such a heinous crime hints at the desperation of the fringe elements. Opinion polls have indicated that the BJP has a tough fight ahead this summer, and whether such vigilantism will impact the voting trend will be apparent only next month. The partys three-year reign was marked by a string of communal incidents and allegations of corruption, and there is barely any noteworthy development it can seek its votes for. In such a fraught situation, the BJP government should uphold the law and not spare the culprits lest the incident is exploited to polarise the voters in the coming elections. Such communalism must be met with pushback by right-minded citizens, though it is also known that extremism only begets more extremism. Besides giving Karnataka a bad name, these incidents destroy the social fabric in the long run. By PTI NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday said it will be too far-fetched to say that the government cannot deny renewal of the broadcast licence on the ground of security clearance. A bench of justices DY Chandrachud and Hima Kohli, which reserved its verdict on pleas of Malayalam news channel MediaOne, its editors and others, said there cannot be a blanket order to the effect that the government cannot look into security clearance during the renewal of broadcast licences of a news channel. "There may be various aspects to security clearances. We cannot pass a generic order to that effect. We cannot say that government cannot look into security clearances during the renewal of licences. However, we can look into the peculiar circumstances of this case," the bench said. The Supreme Court was hearing the plea of the news channel against the Kerala High Court's order which had upheld the Centre's decision to ban its telecast on security grounds. The top court also perused the confidential document of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) which was also perused by the high court. It asked senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, appearing for the editor of the channel, that the court would like to know about the shareholding pattern of the company and how its revenue share is divided. During the hearing, Ahmadi said denial of security clearance should not be treated as an isolated instance and it can have wide ramifications. "There are several national channels, which require renewal of their broadcast licence. If this is allowed to pass muster, then they can also be targeted. If they do not supply us the documents and grounds on which basis they denied us the security clearance, how are we going to defend ourselves? How can we reply to show cause notices?" Ahmadi said. On Wednesday, the top court asked the Centre what the reasons were for the denial of security clearance to the Malayalam news channel MediaOne and why those reasons cannot be disclosed to them. The essence of court proceedings was that anything relied upon by one party should be disclosed to the opposite party, the top court said. It had told Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj, appearing for the Centre, that even in cases of detention under the National Security Act, the authority has to give grounds for detention but in this case, it was only said that the MHA has denied security clearance. ALSO READ | Revocation of MediaOne license a clampdown on broader press freedom in India: Eminent persons The channel had earlier said security clearance from the Centre was not needed for the renewal of the broadcast licence and the government does not have omnibus discretion to impose any new condition. The top court had on March 15 in an interim order stayed until further directions the January 31 directive of the Centre revoking the licence of the news channel and banning its telecast on security grounds. It had said the news and current affairs channel would continue its operations as it was operating prior to the ban of the telecast. The top court had passed the order after perusing the files filed by the Centre on the basis of which security clearance was revoked and the Kerala High Court had passed the order upholding the ban on the telecast. It had left the question open on whether the content of files on the basis of which the ban order was passed be given to the channel to enable it to defend itself. The high court had upheld the Centre's decision to bar the telecast of the Malayalam news channel and dismissed the plea of Madhyamam Broadcasting Ltd -- which operates MediaOne -- challenging the central government's January 31 decision. It had said the decision of the MHA to deny security clearance was based on intelligence inputs received from various agencies. The channel had contended that MHA clearance was only required at the time of fresh permission/licence and not at the time of renewal. It had also contended that according to the uplinking and downlinking guidelines, security clearance was only required at the time of application for fresh permission and not at the time of renewal of licence. NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday said it will be too far-fetched to say that the government cannot deny renewal of the broadcast licence on the ground of security clearance. A bench of justices DY Chandrachud and Hima Kohli, which reserved its verdict on pleas of Malayalam news channel MediaOne, its editors and others, said there cannot be a blanket order to the effect that the government cannot look into security clearance during the renewal of broadcast licences of a news channel. "There may be various aspects to security clearances. We cannot pass a generic order to that effect. We cannot say that government cannot look into security clearances during the renewal of licences. However, we can look into the peculiar circumstances of this case," the bench said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The Supreme Court was hearing the plea of the news channel against the Kerala High Court's order which had upheld the Centre's decision to ban its telecast on security grounds. The top court also perused the confidential document of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) which was also perused by the high court. It asked senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, appearing for the editor of the channel, that the court would like to know about the shareholding pattern of the company and how its revenue share is divided. During the hearing, Ahmadi said denial of security clearance should not be treated as an isolated instance and it can have wide ramifications. "There are several national channels, which require renewal of their broadcast licence. If this is allowed to pass muster, then they can also be targeted. If they do not supply us the documents and grounds on which basis they denied us the security clearance, how are we going to defend ourselves? How can we reply to show cause notices?" Ahmadi said. On Wednesday, the top court asked the Centre what the reasons were for the denial of security clearance to the Malayalam news channel MediaOne and why those reasons cannot be disclosed to them. The essence of court proceedings was that anything relied upon by one party should be disclosed to the opposite party, the top court said. It had told Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj, appearing for the Centre, that even in cases of detention under the National Security Act, the authority has to give grounds for detention but in this case, it was only said that the MHA has denied security clearance. ALSO READ | Revocation of MediaOne license a clampdown on broader press freedom in India: Eminent persons The channel had earlier said security clearance from the Centre was not needed for the renewal of the broadcast licence and the government does not have omnibus discretion to impose any new condition. The top court had on March 15 in an interim order stayed until further directions the January 31 directive of the Centre revoking the licence of the news channel and banning its telecast on security grounds. It had said the news and current affairs channel would continue its operations as it was operating prior to the ban of the telecast. The top court had passed the order after perusing the files filed by the Centre on the basis of which security clearance was revoked and the Kerala High Court had passed the order upholding the ban on the telecast. It had left the question open on whether the content of files on the basis of which the ban order was passed be given to the channel to enable it to defend itself. The high court had upheld the Centre's decision to bar the telecast of the Malayalam news channel and dismissed the plea of Madhyamam Broadcasting Ltd -- which operates MediaOne -- challenging the central government's January 31 decision. It had said the decision of the MHA to deny security clearance was based on intelligence inputs received from various agencies. The channel had contended that MHA clearance was only required at the time of fresh permission/licence and not at the time of renewal. It had also contended that according to the uplinking and downlinking guidelines, security clearance was only required at the time of application for fresh permission and not at the time of renewal of licence. By PTI THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala's ruling CPI(M)-led LDF as well as opposition Congress-led UDF on Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court order quashing the Centre's telecast ban on Malayalam news channel MediaOne, saying it gives hope to people fighting to protect democratic principles and the Constitution. Reacting to the verdict, Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan said the apex court's decision had underlined the stand taken by him earlier that the Centre's decision to ban the channel was an anti-democratic and anti-constitutional act. "I wholeheartedly welcome the Supreme Court order," the Congress leader told reporters. Referring to the order, which said critical views of the channel against government policies could not be termed as anti-establishment, he said that criticising the ruling dispensation was not an anti-national act. "This verdict gives hope to the people who believe in democratic principles," Satheesan said. ALSO READ | 'State using national security as tool to deny citizens rights', says SC; quashes ban on MediaOne Kerala PWD Minister Mohammed Riyas said the media played a crucial role in protecting democracy and secularism, and the verdict was important in the context of the ongoing fight to preserve the rights guaranteed under the Constitution. In a tweet, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said the judgment robustly affirms freedom of the press in the country. "I welcome the SupremeCourt decision revoking the ban on Malayalam TV channel @MediaOne", Tharoor said, quoting an excerpt from the court order. The judgement robustly affirms press freedom. Shabash!", the Thiruvananthapuram MP added. MediaOne editor Pramod Raman also posted a tweet saying, "Thanks to all". In its order, the Supreme Court pulled up the Ministry of Home Affairs for raising national security claims from "thin air" without facts. Observing that the state can't impose unreasonable restrictions on the press, as it would have a "chilling effect on press freedom", a bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud set aside the Kerala High Court order, which had upheld the Centre's decision to ban the channel's telecast on grounds of national security. On March 15, the top court, in an interim order, stayed until further direction the January 31 directive of the Centre revoking the licence of the news channel and banning its telecast. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala's ruling CPI(M)-led LDF as well as opposition Congress-led UDF on Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court order quashing the Centre's telecast ban on Malayalam news channel MediaOne, saying it gives hope to people fighting to protect democratic principles and the Constitution. Reacting to the verdict, Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan said the apex court's decision had underlined the stand taken by him earlier that the Centre's decision to ban the channel was an anti-democratic and anti-constitutional act. "I wholeheartedly welcome the Supreme Court order," the Congress leader told reporters.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Referring to the order, which said critical views of the channel against government policies could not be termed as anti-establishment, he said that criticising the ruling dispensation was not an anti-national act. "This verdict gives hope to the people who believe in democratic principles," Satheesan said. ALSO READ | 'State using national security as tool to deny citizens rights', says SC; quashes ban on MediaOne Kerala PWD Minister Mohammed Riyas said the media played a crucial role in protecting democracy and secularism, and the verdict was important in the context of the ongoing fight to preserve the rights guaranteed under the Constitution. In a tweet, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said the judgment robustly affirms freedom of the press in the country. "I welcome the SupremeCourt decision revoking the ban on Malayalam TV channel @MediaOne", Tharoor said, quoting an excerpt from the court order. The judgement robustly affirms press freedom. Shabash!", the Thiruvananthapuram MP added. MediaOne editor Pramod Raman also posted a tweet saying, "Thanks to all". In its order, the Supreme Court pulled up the Ministry of Home Affairs for raising national security claims from "thin air" without facts. Observing that the state can't impose unreasonable restrictions on the press, as it would have a "chilling effect on press freedom", a bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud set aside the Kerala High Court order, which had upheld the Centre's decision to ban the channel's telecast on grounds of national security. On March 15, the top court, in an interim order, stayed until further direction the January 31 directive of the Centre revoking the licence of the news channel and banning its telecast. By Express News Service PALAKKAD: 13 out of 14 accused who were convicted in the lynching of Madhu, a tribal youth in Kerala's Attappadi in 2018, have been sentenced by the Special Court for Scheduled Castes and Tribes in Mannarkad on Wednesday to seven years rigorous imprisonment. The judgment was delivered by Judge K.M. Ratheesh Kumar of the Special Court. The court directed Muneer, the sixteenth accused, to pay a fine of Rs 500. He was earlier sentenced to three months in prison and continued to remain behind bars for long. He was charged under Section 352 of the IPC alone. All the sentences will run concurrently. The court also ruled that the first accused Hussain must pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh. All the accused will be shifted to Thavanur jail. The court has also ordered action against hostile witnesses. The first accused, Hussein, according to the Prosecution, had kicked Madhu in the chest which made him hit his head on the hundi box kept in Mukkali. The post-mortem revealed that the serious injury on the head was one of the reasons for his death apart from the internal injuries. The court had acquitted two people in the case on Tuesday -- the 4th accused Aneesh and the 11th accused Abdul Kareem. The court had charged 13 of the 14 accused under 304 (2) --- culpable homicide not amounting to murder as well as the provisions of the Prevention of Atrocities on Scheduled Castes and Tribes Act. The second accused Marakkar, the third accused Shamsudheen, fifth accused Radhakrishnan, sixth accused Aboobacker, seventh accused Siddique, eighth accused Ubaid, ninth accused Najeeb, 10th accused Jaijumon, 12th accused Sajeevan, 13th accused Satheesh, 14th accused Hareesh and 15th accused Biju were convicted under Sections 143, 147, 323, 324, 326, 367 and 304 (2) r/w 149 and also under the 3 (1) d provision of the SC/ST Act. The 27-year-old tribal youth was brutally lynched on February 22, 2018, in Palakkad districts Attappadi, over suspicion of stealing rice from a grocery shop. Of the 103 people who were examined as witnesses, 24 turned hostile. Many of the relatives of Madhu themselves turned hostile. However, circumstantial and digital evidence, including photos and videos which were circulated on social media by the accused themselves, were presented by the prosecution in an effective manner. PALAKKAD: 13 out of 14 accused who were convicted in the lynching of Madhu, a tribal youth in Kerala's Attappadi in 2018, have been sentenced by the Special Court for Scheduled Castes and Tribes in Mannarkad on Wednesday to seven years rigorous imprisonment. The judgment was delivered by Judge K.M. Ratheesh Kumar of the Special Court. The court directed Muneer, the sixteenth accused, to pay a fine of Rs 500. He was earlier sentenced to three months in prison and continued to remain behind bars for long. He was charged under Section 352 of the IPC alone.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); All the sentences will run concurrently. The court also ruled that the first accused Hussain must pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh. All the accused will be shifted to Thavanur jail. The court has also ordered action against hostile witnesses. The first accused, Hussein, according to the Prosecution, had kicked Madhu in the chest which made him hit his head on the hundi box kept in Mukkali. The post-mortem revealed that the serious injury on the head was one of the reasons for his death apart from the internal injuries. The court had acquitted two people in the case on Tuesday -- the 4th accused Aneesh and the 11th accused Abdul Kareem. The court had charged 13 of the 14 accused under 304 (2) --- culpable homicide not amounting to murder as well as the provisions of the Prevention of Atrocities on Scheduled Castes and Tribes Act. The second accused Marakkar, the third accused Shamsudheen, fifth accused Radhakrishnan, sixth accused Aboobacker, seventh accused Siddique, eighth accused Ubaid, ninth accused Najeeb, 10th accused Jaijumon, 12th accused Sajeevan, 13th accused Satheesh, 14th accused Hareesh and 15th accused Biju were convicted under Sections 143, 147, 323, 324, 326, 367 and 304 (2) r/w 149 and also under the 3 (1) d provision of the SC/ST Act. The 27-year-old tribal youth was brutally lynched on February 22, 2018, in Palakkad districts Attappadi, over suspicion of stealing rice from a grocery shop. Of the 103 people who were examined as witnesses, 24 turned hostile. Many of the relatives of Madhu themselves turned hostile. However, circumstantial and digital evidence, including photos and videos which were circulated on social media by the accused themselves, were presented by the prosecution in an effective manner. By Express News Service KENDRAPARA: Protesting the transfer of a teacher and demanding filling up of vacant posts, students of Gopinathpur upgraded Upper Primary School under Kendraparas Rajkanika block locked the school main gate and sat on dharna on Tuesday. Sources said the school has a student strength of 145 from classes I to VIII. Though it has a requirement of eight teachers, the school reportedly functions with just four teachers for over a year now. The institution already has a shortage of teachers but the authorities here have decided to transfer a teacher to another school which is why we are protesting, said a guardian Baijyati Rout. Another guardian Bhikari Das also pointed out that the staff crunch had an adverse impact on the quality of education imparted. Our repeated requests to address the issue has been falling on deaf ears, he added. The agitators further raised slogans against the alleged apathy of the concerned officials in recruiting new teachers. Since there are so many vacant posts in government schools, English medium schools are sprouting in rural areas to meet the growing demands, said a retired school headmaster Basudev Das. Contacted, block education officer of Rajkanika Kailash Chandra Dalai said he was aware of the dharna staged by the students. We transferred the said school teacher from Gopinathpur upgraded UP School to the nearby Panki Primary School since the sole teacher there retired on April 1, he said adding, a new teacher would be appointed in the vacant position soon. KENDRAPARA: Protesting the transfer of a teacher and demanding filling up of vacant posts, students of Gopinathpur upgraded Upper Primary School under Kendraparas Rajkanika block locked the school main gate and sat on dharna on Tuesday. Sources said the school has a student strength of 145 from classes I to VIII. Though it has a requirement of eight teachers, the school reportedly functions with just four teachers for over a year now. The institution already has a shortage of teachers but the authorities here have decided to transfer a teacher to another school which is why we are protesting, said a guardian Baijyati Rout. Another guardian Bhikari Das also pointed out that the staff crunch had an adverse impact on the quality of education imparted. Our repeated requests to address the issue has been falling on deaf ears, he added. The agitators further raised slogans against the alleged apathy of the concerned officials in recruiting new teachers. Since there are so many vacant posts in government schools, English medium schools are sprouting in rural areas to meet the growing demands, said a retired school headmaster Basudev Das.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Contacted, block education officer of Rajkanika Kailash Chandra Dalai said he was aware of the dharna staged by the students. We transferred the said school teacher from Gopinathpur upgraded UP School to the nearby Panki Primary School since the sole teacher there retired on April 1, he said adding, a new teacher would be appointed in the vacant position soon. Anto T Joseph By Express News Service During a recent visit to Thane, home to Maharashtras chief minister Eknath Shinde, an auto-rickshaw driver shared a secret in a hushed voice. A staunch Shiv Sainik, traumatised by the political theatre that unfolded in his state, he said it was brazenly clinical sorcery by the ED and CBI. Surely, those who get drawn to honeycombs cant afford to be ignorant about the hidden bees. They can sting you to political obsolescence. Probably, the only way out is what Yediyurappa, Narayan Rane, Adhikari, and many others have demonstrated with their perseverance. Joining the ruling party is akin to taking a divine dip in the Ganges. Bees simply fly away. When all opposition-ruled states and their leaders face the fury of probe agencies, Tamil Nadu stands sorely isolated. The agencies seem to be on a long holiday here. ED, CBI, EOW, DRI, and I-T, both parrot and non-parrot genres, you name it, have kept themselves away, barring a few raids by the NIA over the Coimbatore car blast that killed one person in October last year. What could be the reason? Is the political class in TN genuinely unblemished? Everybody has a ready answer. Stalins two years may not have reported any headline-grabbing scams so far, but everyone knows how fertile the ground is. The second wealthiest state after Maharashtra may not have institutionalised a 40% commission like in Karnataka, but ground reports suggest TN doesnt lag far behind. By keeping the probe agencies away, is BJP counting a friend in DMK with an eye on 2024, in case it falls short of the majority? The saffron partys dream of building a resilient alternative in TN and dislodging the Dravidian parties from Fort St. George has, however, faced back-to-back jolts. During the Erode by-election, EPS consciously stayed away from sharing the stage with them and relegated its alliance partner to a corner. Worse, the national party was left to campaign for EPS candidate, without a choice. What has widened the rift between the two further is the exodus from the BJP to the AIADMK. It eventually led the IPS-turned-state chief to stress the need for his party to fight the 2024 elections on its own. Well, all it took is a call from Delhi. EPS clarification came in no time, a measured one that is: We never said no to the BJP. Loosely translated, it means nothing. For the leader, who is now emboldened by recent court orders, tomorrow could be another day. Stalin, on his part, is busy playing a perfect fiddle for an anti-BJP symphony. His 70th birthday celebrations in Chennai on March 1 turned out to be a launchpad for another campaign. At the gathering, what he fondly called the inaugural event for Indias new politics, Stalin discarded the idea of a third front and called for a united fight against BJP. On its part, BJP is a tad clueless about Stalins anti-BJP tirade, but it loves to remind him of the past lamour. (For the uninitiated, DMK joined hands with the NDA in 1999, and was part of the Vajpayee government until 2003.) Recently, when rumours of attacks on migrant workers in TN went viral, Stalin accused the BJP and its leaders in north Indian cities of spreading rumours in response to his call for a united national-level alliance against the BJP. The state police booked several people linked to the BJP, including K Annamalai, under sections of inciting violence and promoting enmity between groups, among others. Annamalai dared the DMK government to arrest him. Since then, the whole controversy has evaporated into thin air. If the EPS-led AIADMK deems that a coalition with the BJP would only spoil its chances, the BJPs plans of piggybacking on a Dravidian party until it gathers momentum in the state may fall flat. Annamalai is a man in hurry, but the trek ahead of him looks extremely steep. Can the probe agencies be the proverbial cat among the pigeons and do a Maharashtra in TN? As Annamalai says openly, there are no permanent friends and foes in politics. Anto T Joseph Resident Editor, Tamil Nadu anto@newindianexpress.com @AntoJoseph During a recent visit to Thane, home to Maharashtras chief minister Eknath Shinde, an auto-rickshaw driver shared a secret in a hushed voice. A staunch Shiv Sainik, traumatised by the political theatre that unfolded in his state, he said it was brazenly clinical sorcery by the ED and CBI. Surely, those who get drawn to honeycombs cant afford to be ignorant about the hidden bees. They can sting you to political obsolescence. Probably, the only way out is what Yediyurappa, Narayan Rane, Adhikari, and many others have demonstrated with their perseverance. Joining the ruling party is akin to taking a divine dip in the Ganges. Bees simply fly away. When all opposition-ruled states and their leaders face the fury of probe agencies, Tamil Nadu stands sorely isolated. The agencies seem to be on a long holiday here. ED, CBI, EOW, DRI, and I-T, both parrot and non-parrot genres, you name it, have kept themselves away, barring a few raids by the NIA over the Coimbatore car blast that killed one person in October last year. What could be the reason? Is the political class in TN genuinely unblemished? Everybody has a ready answer. Stalins two years may not have reported any headline-grabbing scams so far, but everyone knows how fertile the ground is. The second wealthiest state after Maharashtra may not have institutionalised a 40% commission like in Karnataka, but ground reports suggest TN doesnt lag far behind. By keeping the probe agencies away, is BJP counting a friend in DMK with an eye on 2024, in case it falls short of the majority? The saffron partys dream of building a resilient alternative in TN and dislodging the Dravidian parties from Fort St. George has, however, faced back-to-back jolts. During the Erode by-election, EPS consciously stayed away from sharing the stage with them and relegated its alliance partner to a corner.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Worse, the national party was left to campaign for EPS candidate, without a choice. What has widened the rift between the two further is the exodus from the BJP to the AIADMK. It eventually led the IPS-turned-state chief to stress the need for his party to fight the 2024 elections on its own. Well, all it took is a call from Delhi. EPS clarification came in no time, a measured one that is: We never said no to the BJP. Loosely translated, it means nothing. For the leader, who is now emboldened by recent court orders, tomorrow could be another day. Stalin, on his part, is busy playing a perfect fiddle for an anti-BJP symphony. His 70th birthday celebrations in Chennai on March 1 turned out to be a launchpad for another campaign. At the gathering, what he fondly called the inaugural event for Indias new politics, Stalin discarded the idea of a third front and called for a united fight against BJP. On its part, BJP is a tad clueless about Stalins anti-BJP tirade, but it loves to remind him of the past lamour. (For the uninitiated, DMK joined hands with the NDA in 1999, and was part of the Vajpayee government until 2003.) Recently, when rumours of attacks on migrant workers in TN went viral, Stalin accused the BJP and its leaders in north Indian cities of spreading rumours in response to his call for a united national-level alliance against the BJP. The state police booked several people linked to the BJP, including K Annamalai, under sections of inciting violence and promoting enmity between groups, among others. Annamalai dared the DMK government to arrest him. Since then, the whole controversy has evaporated into thin air. If the EPS-led AIADMK deems that a coalition with the BJP would only spoil its chances, the BJPs plans of piggybacking on a Dravidian party until it gathers momentum in the state may fall flat. Annamalai is a man in hurry, but the trek ahead of him looks extremely steep. Can the probe agencies be the proverbial cat among the pigeons and do a Maharashtra in TN? As Annamalai says openly, there are no permanent friends and foes in politics. Anto T Joseph Resident Editor, Tamil Nadu anto@newindianexpress.com @AntoJoseph By Express News Service VILLUPURAM: In a tragic incident on Monday, a 23-year-old woman lost her life due to a delay in getting 108 ambulance service near Thiruvennainallur taluk in Villupuram district. The incident has raised questions over the efficiency of emergency medical services in the area, said sources. The deceased, T Sandhya, was a resident of Mandagamedu village and four months pregnant. On Sunday night, she complained of severe abdominal pain and was taken to the nearest Primary Health Centre, police said. The doctors there said that she needed urgent medical intervention and immediately recommended that she be transferred to Mundiyambakkam Government Hospital. Official sources said, Sandhya's family immediately called for an ambulance using the emergency number 108 at 12:30 a.m. The ambulance arrived two hours later at 2:30 a.m. and by that time, Sandhya's condition had deteriorated. Despite being rushed to the Mundiyambakkam hospital, which is 15 kilometers away from the village, she was declared dead on arrival. Sandhya's family registered a case for the lack of ambulance service, with the Thiruvennainallur police. The mother of the deceased E Sumathi (45) told TNIE, "There should be immediate reforms in emergency medical services to ensure that no other family has to suffer such a tragedy. Our daughter's life was simply gone because of the state's poor medical service." It is to be noted that this was the first time that such an incident was reported in the village. Police said that it is unclear what caused the delay in the ambulance's arrival and whether there were any efforts made to expedite the process. Further investigation is going on. VILLUPURAM: In a tragic incident on Monday, a 23-year-old woman lost her life due to a delay in getting 108 ambulance service near Thiruvennainallur taluk in Villupuram district. The incident has raised questions over the efficiency of emergency medical services in the area, said sources. The deceased, T Sandhya, was a resident of Mandagamedu village and four months pregnant. On Sunday night, she complained of severe abdominal pain and was taken to the nearest Primary Health Centre, police said. The doctors there said that she needed urgent medical intervention and immediately recommended that she be transferred to Mundiyambakkam Government Hospital. Official sources said, Sandhya's family immediately called for an ambulance using the emergency number 108 at 12:30 a.m. The ambulance arrived two hours later at 2:30 a.m. and by that time, Sandhya's condition had deteriorated. Despite being rushed to the Mundiyambakkam hospital, which is 15 kilometers away from the village, she was declared dead on arrival. Sandhya's family registered a case for the lack of ambulance service, with the Thiruvennainallur police. The mother of the deceased E Sumathi (45) told TNIE, "There should be immediate reforms in emergency medical services to ensure that no other family has to suffer such a tragedy. Our daughter's life was simply gone because of the state's poor medical service." It is to be noted that this was the first time that such an incident was reported in the village. Police said that it is unclear what caused the delay in the ambulance's arrival and whether there were any efforts made to expedite the process. Further investigation is going on. U Mahesh By Express News Service WARANGAL: In a dramatic turn of events, State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Bandi Sanjay Kumar was arrested late on Tuesday at his residence in Karimnagar for allegedly hatching a conspiracy to circulate question papers of the ongoing SSC exams and defame the government. He was produced on Wednesday evening before First Class Magistrate R Anitha, who remanded him to judicial custody till April 19. Later, Sanjay was shifted to a Karimnagar jail from Warangal. The police named the Karimnagar MP as accused No. 1 and booked him under Sections 120(B), 420, 447, 505 (1)(b) of the IPC, Section 4 (a), 6r/w 9 of TS Public Examination (Prevention of Malpractices) Act, 1997 and Section 66-D of the IT Act. All these are non-bailable provisions that entail three to seven years of imprisonment. Besides Sanjay, the cops named nine others as accused including a minor boy in the paper leak case. BJP cadre took to the streets as news of Sanjays arrest spread like wildfire. The ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) termed the MP the mastermind behind the question paper leaks, leading to tension, especially in the Warangal district. In Hyderabad, BJP leaders filed a habeas corpus petition in the high court, objecting to the manner in which he was arrested without prior notice. The plea will come up for hearing on Thursday. In the national capital, BJP MPs submitted a privilege motion notice to the Lok Sabha Speaker. The developments came after a minor boy photocopied the Hindi question paper from a student who was taking the exam at the ZP High School at Kamalapur in Hanamkonda district on Tuesday. A copy of the question paper found its way into WhatsApp groups. The A2, Boora Prashanth, forwarded the same to Sanjay and other BJP leaders and journalists. According to the police, WhatsApp chats and calls between Sanjay and Prashanth from Monday onwards provided them with evidence that both of them hatched a conspiracy. ALSO READ| Bandi Sanjay not fit to be an MP: BRS leaders The remand report stated that this was 'a case of pre-planned and evil designed criminal conspiracy, with an intention to create rumours and provoke a breach of peace and to show it as the failure of the government to prevent the paper leak. It was intended to defame the elected government, the report said. As per the plan of the accused, A-1 (Bandi Sanjay) gave direction to A-2 (Prashanth) to exploit the situation of the leak of the Telugu question paper on Monday. They decided to leak the Hindi question paper on Tuesday and circulate the same on social media to defame the government. This was also discussed in the chat with Manoj, a BJP worker. Local Kamalapur students were told to go to the examination centres and obtain a photocopy of the question paper on their mobile phones, and put them on different WhatsApp groups for circulation to create fear among students and their parents, thereby defame the government, the remand report said. Briefing the media on Wednesday evening, Warangal Commissioner of Police AV Ranganath said Bandi Sanjay was named A-1 as he had tried to tarnish the image of the government and create confusion and a sense of insecurity among parents and students.It was not an isolated case. It was a game plan to defame the government, the top cop said. He explained that they had retrieved WhatsApp chats between the BJP State chief and Prashant and found that the former spoke to the media on the Hindi question paper leak based on information from his WhatsApp chats.Prashant tried to project it as a leak at the behest of Bandi Sanjay, he added. Though a minor boy photocopied the question paper at 9.45 am on Tuesday, Prashanth created a message and tried to project that the paper was leaked at 9.30 itself, the CP said. Bandi has not handed over his phone, says CP The Warangal Police Commissioner said that they wanted Bandi Sanjay Kumar to hand over his mobile, but the latter said that the phone was not available. If he had nothing to do with the case, he would have given his mobile phone to the police, the CP said and added that even if Sanjay did not give his mobile number, the WhatsApp chats and call data would be retrieved with the help of service providers. When asked whether the police would register a case for merely receiving the WhatsApp message, the CP said that the accused Prashanth sent the question paper to several BJP leaders and journalists in Hyderabad. He even sent the message to BJP MLA Eatala Rajender. We did not register any case against Rajender. As per the WhatsApp chats between Sanjay and Prashanth, it was clearly known that there was an intention to tarnish the image of the government, the CP said. Asked when a minor photocopied the question paper and another person circulated the same on WhatsApp groups, how come Bandi Sanjay was named A-1 in the case, Ranganath said: It does not matter who started the process first. The A-1 will be decided by the magnitude and gravity of the offence. If a person purchases a knife he will not become A-1. A person who commits a murder with that knife will become A-1 in the case, Ranganath explained. He also clarified that the Warangal police were not targeting only BJP leaders. ALSO READ| Another question paper leak rocks SSC exams on 2nd consecutive day Asked whether the police suspected the role of Bandi Sanjay in the TSPSC paper leak case too, Ranganath said that the Warangal police confined itself to the investigation into the SSC paper leak case. He, however, added that if Bandi handed over his mobile phone, then the police might get information on other cases. Charges against Bandi The MP gave directions to Prashanth, a social media handler, to exploit the leak of SSC Telugu paper As part of the conspiracy, Prashanth spoke to Sanjay over the phone several times regarding the criminal plan of copying the question papers and circulating them on social media. Prashanth exploited the situation and got a photocopy of the Hindi question paper. Analysis of call details and WhatsApp chats of all the accused shows that the accused were involved in a conspiracy, said police WARANGAL: In a dramatic turn of events, State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Bandi Sanjay Kumar was arrested late on Tuesday at his residence in Karimnagar for allegedly hatching a conspiracy to circulate question papers of the ongoing SSC exams and defame the government. He was produced on Wednesday evening before First Class Magistrate R Anitha, who remanded him to judicial custody till April 19. Later, Sanjay was shifted to a Karimnagar jail from Warangal. The police named the Karimnagar MP as accused No. 1 and booked him under Sections 120(B), 420, 447, 505 (1)(b) of the IPC, Section 4 (a), 6r/w 9 of TS Public Examination (Prevention of Malpractices) Act, 1997 and Section 66-D of the IT Act. All these are non-bailable provisions that entail three to seven years of imprisonment. Besides Sanjay, the cops named nine others as accused including a minor boy in the paper leak case. BJP cadre took to the streets as news of Sanjays arrest spread like wildfire. The ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) termed the MP the mastermind behind the question paper leaks, leading to tension, especially in the Warangal district. In Hyderabad, BJP leaders filed a habeas corpus petition in the high court, objecting to the manner in which he was arrested without prior notice. The plea will come up for hearing on Thursday. In the national capital, BJP MPs submitted a privilege motion notice to the Lok Sabha Speaker.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The developments came after a minor boy photocopied the Hindi question paper from a student who was taking the exam at the ZP High School at Kamalapur in Hanamkonda district on Tuesday. A copy of the question paper found its way into WhatsApp groups. The A2, Boora Prashanth, forwarded the same to Sanjay and other BJP leaders and journalists. According to the police, WhatsApp chats and calls between Sanjay and Prashanth from Monday onwards provided them with evidence that both of them hatched a conspiracy. ALSO READ| Bandi Sanjay not fit to be an MP: BRS leaders The remand report stated that this was 'a case of pre-planned and evil designed criminal conspiracy, with an intention to create rumours and provoke a breach of peace and to show it as the failure of the government to prevent the paper leak. It was intended to defame the elected government, the report said. As per the plan of the accused, A-1 (Bandi Sanjay) gave direction to A-2 (Prashanth) to exploit the situation of the leak of the Telugu question paper on Monday. They decided to leak the Hindi question paper on Tuesday and circulate the same on social media to defame the government. This was also discussed in the chat with Manoj, a BJP worker. Local Kamalapur students were told to go to the examination centres and obtain a photocopy of the question paper on their mobile phones, and put them on different WhatsApp groups for circulation to create fear among students and their parents, thereby defame the government, the remand report said. Briefing the media on Wednesday evening, Warangal Commissioner of Police AV Ranganath said Bandi Sanjay was named A-1 as he had tried to tarnish the image of the government and create confusion and a sense of insecurity among parents and students.It was not an isolated case. It was a game plan to defame the government, the top cop said. He explained that they had retrieved WhatsApp chats between the BJP State chief and Prashant and found that the former spoke to the media on the Hindi question paper leak based on information from his WhatsApp chats.Prashant tried to project it as a leak at the behest of Bandi Sanjay, he added. Though a minor boy photocopied the question paper at 9.45 am on Tuesday, Prashanth created a message and tried to project that the paper was leaked at 9.30 itself, the CP said. Bandi has not handed over his phone, says CP The Warangal Police Commissioner said that they wanted Bandi Sanjay Kumar to hand over his mobile, but the latter said that the phone was not available. If he had nothing to do with the case, he would have given his mobile phone to the police, the CP said and added that even if Sanjay did not give his mobile number, the WhatsApp chats and call data would be retrieved with the help of service providers. When asked whether the police would register a case for merely receiving the WhatsApp message, the CP said that the accused Prashanth sent the question paper to several BJP leaders and journalists in Hyderabad. He even sent the message to BJP MLA Eatala Rajender. We did not register any case against Rajender. As per the WhatsApp chats between Sanjay and Prashanth, it was clearly known that there was an intention to tarnish the image of the government, the CP said. Asked when a minor photocopied the question paper and another person circulated the same on WhatsApp groups, how come Bandi Sanjay was named A-1 in the case, Ranganath said: It does not matter who started the process first. The A-1 will be decided by the magnitude and gravity of the offence. If a person purchases a knife he will not become A-1. A person who commits a murder with that knife will become A-1 in the case, Ranganath explained. He also clarified that the Warangal police were not targeting only BJP leaders. ALSO READ| Another question paper leak rocks SSC exams on 2nd consecutive day Asked whether the police suspected the role of Bandi Sanjay in the TSPSC paper leak case too, Ranganath said that the Warangal police confined itself to the investigation into the SSC paper leak case. He, however, added that if Bandi handed over his mobile phone, then the police might get information on other cases. Charges against Bandi The MP gave directions to Prashanth, a social media handler, to exploit the leak of SSC Telugu paper As part of the conspiracy, Prashanth spoke to Sanjay over the phone several times regarding the criminal plan of copying the question papers and circulating them on social media. Prashanth exploited the situation and got a photocopy of the Hindi question paper. Analysis of call details and WhatsApp chats of all the accused shows that the accused were involved in a conspiracy, said police A Missouri Senate committee heard testimony Tuesday on a bill that would allow a school district to accept transfer students from outside its boundaries. The bill narrowly passed the Missouri House last month on a 85-69 vote. Providing access to instructional programs and classes that may not be available in every resident district. [Open enrollment] offers parents the opportunity to select curriculum options to better align with their personal beliefs, state Rep. Brad Pollitt, R-Sedalia, the bills sponsor, told the committee Tuesday. In an effort to win over skeptics in the House, the number of transfers is capped in the legislation at 3%. The House also voted to remove language that would have protected districts diversity plans. The legislation relies on a new $80 million supplemental fund codified in the bill to reimburse transportation costs and aid special school districts. School districts who opt into the program would receive the state and federal funds for each student they accept, but local funds would remain with the students home district. Its up to your board and your administration on whether they participate, Pollitt said. So if they participate, they know the local dollars do not follow that student. Only the state and federal dollars follow that student. He said 44 states have policies allowing students to select the school they attend. Some testifying on Tuesday said Missouri is unlike these states. Many of the states that have this are more reliant on state funding, said Otto Fajen, chief lobbyist for Missouris branch of the National Education Association labor union. Jean Evans, the Missouri state lead for American Federation for Children, was optimistic that open enrollment would help the state solve its teacher shortage. In states where they have school choice and open enrollment, she said, teacher salaries are higher. Pollitt, as chair of the House elementary and secondary education committee, has been vocal about his intentions to reform the states funding formula for school districts. How would (open enrollment) drive teacher pay higher? asked Sen. Doug Beck, D-Affton. Because we are competing for better teachers, Evans said. Where does the money come from? Beck said. Theres plenty of money for teachers, Evans said. Kenny Southwick, executive director of Cooperating School Districts of Greater Kansas City, said school districts are struggling to find teachers because of a lack of resources. I would hope that if we have $80 million to spend, that wed put that toward teacher salaries, he said. Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville, said he disagreed with Southwicks claim that districts had too small of a resource base. I would love to see school districts have to really go through and display where more money is going, Brattin said. What I think we need to start with is really going through making sure that the money is going towards the student and going toward the teacher in the class. Kyle Kruse, superintendent of the St. Clair R-XIII School District, said he considers his school district a have not in a state with unequal funds. Since we have the lowest tax rate and tax value we have the lowest teacher salaries, he said. Every year it is a race to try to find teachers, train them and bring them in. Then, the teachers quit to work at neighboring districts paying $8,000 to $10,000 more, he said. He anticipates losing 100 students and $400k if the open-enrollment bill passes. Those kids wont be in one grade level where we could lay off a few teachers. It would be spread across the entirety of our pre-K through 12th district, he said. Sen. Lauren Arthur, D-Kansas City, complimented the bill for being the best open enrollment or school choice bill filed thus far. But she still had concerns. There is sort of an inherent unfairness issue where there will be some taxpayers who have agreed to impose a higher levy and have invested in their schools. And then theyll be responsible for educating students from districts whose communities are not supporting their schools, she said. So youll see a disparity between tax rates, and I dont know how to solve that. Pollitt said that issue is solved by districts getting to choose to opt in. School districts are also not required to add staff or programs for students who transfer into the district. Some, like Arthur, are concerned students who require special education services will not be able to utilize open enrollment. Nonresident districts who take students who receive special education services get an additional 25% funding for each student needing services. This money comes from the $80 million supplemental fund. To make it to the governors desk, the bill must pass the Senate. Similar legislation has cleared the House and reached the Senate in recent years but never passed. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar was forcefully arrested by police from his residence in Karimnagar town on Tuesday midnight, and has been lodged in Bommalaramaram police station in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district. Sanjay was supposed to hold a press meet at 9 30 am on Wednesday to speak about the question paper leaks which have rocked not only the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) but also the board of secondary education. BJP has called for state-wide protests against what the party leaders are calling an 'illegal arrest.' Even as Sanjay asked the police why they were arresting him, they informed him that it was only a preventive arrest. Sanjay tweeted shortly after his arrest writing his "only mistake" was questioning the BRS government on its "wrongdoings." Fear is real in BRS.! First they stop me from conducting press meet & now arrest me late in night. My only mistake is to Question BRS govt on its wrong doings. Do not stop questioning BRS even if I am jailed. Jai Sri Ram ! Bharat Mata ki Jai ! Jai Telangana !pic.twitter.com/hzdHtwVIoR Bandi Sanjay Kumar (@bandisanjay_bjp) April 4, 2023 BJP national organising secretary BL Santhosh tweeted saying, "Rattled, riddled with corruption charges, facing electoral reverses @BRSparty & its leadership is a sinking boat. They have touched a raw nerve by arresting @BJP4Telangana State President & MP @bandisanjay_bjp. This will be the last nail on their political existence." Sanjay's wife Aparna said that he had come to hold the 10th-day ceremony of her mother's demise, and that police told her that there were orders from the commissioner to arrest him. She said that the police personnel dragged those who tried to prevent the arrest and took him away. When BJP MLA M Raghunandan Rao went to Bommalaramaram police station to meet Sanjay on Wednesday morning, he was stopped a couple of kilometres away from the police station and was manhandled by the police and taken into custody. Speaking with the media before his arrest, Raghunandan said that there was a procedure to be followed while arresting a sitting parliament MP and that it was an illegal arrest. BJP MLA T Raja Singh, in a video message, said that the State government was tense after Sanjay started exposing it with regard to the question papers' leaks. "They have done the same in the past putting him in jail. Sanjay will keep raising his voice against the government again. The people are with him. If the SSC question papers have been leaked on WhatsApp, then they can investigate it. But trying to silence the voices will not be tolerated," he cautioned. As per sources, paperwork was being prepared to remand him as of Wednesday morning. HYDERABAD: Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar was forcefully arrested by police from his residence in Karimnagar town on Tuesday midnight, and has been lodged in Bommalaramaram police station in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district. Sanjay was supposed to hold a press meet at 9 30 am on Wednesday to speak about the question paper leaks which have rocked not only the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) but also the board of secondary education. BJP has called for state-wide protests against what the party leaders are calling an 'illegal arrest.'googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Even as Sanjay asked the police why they were arresting him, they informed him that it was only a preventive arrest. Sanjay tweeted shortly after his arrest writing his "only mistake" was questioning the BRS government on its "wrongdoings." Fear is real in BRS.! First they stop me from conducting press meet & now arrest me late in night. My only mistake is to Question BRS govt on its wrong doings. Do not stop questioning BRS even if I am jailed. Jai Sri Ram ! Bharat Mata ki Jai ! Jai Telangana !pic.twitter.com/hzdHtwVIoR Bandi Sanjay Kumar (@bandisanjay_bjp) April 4, 2023 BJP national organising secretary BL Santhosh tweeted saying, "Rattled, riddled with corruption charges, facing electoral reverses @BRSparty & its leadership is a sinking boat. They have touched a raw nerve by arresting @BJP4Telangana State President & MP @bandisanjay_bjp. This will be the last nail on their political existence." Sanjay's wife Aparna said that he had come to hold the 10th-day ceremony of her mother's demise, and that police told her that there were orders from the commissioner to arrest him. She said that the police personnel dragged those who tried to prevent the arrest and took him away. When BJP MLA M Raghunandan Rao went to Bommalaramaram police station to meet Sanjay on Wednesday morning, he was stopped a couple of kilometres away from the police station and was manhandled by the police and taken into custody. Speaking with the media before his arrest, Raghunandan said that there was a procedure to be followed while arresting a sitting parliament MP and that it was an illegal arrest. BJP MLA T Raja Singh, in a video message, said that the State government was tense after Sanjay started exposing it with regard to the question papers' leaks. "They have done the same in the past putting him in jail. Sanjay will keep raising his voice against the government again. The people are with him. If the SSC question papers have been leaked on WhatsApp, then they can investigate it. But trying to silence the voices will not be tolerated," he cautioned. As per sources, paperwork was being prepared to remand him as of Wednesday morning. By Agencies NEW YORK: Prosecutors laid out a case of lies and cover-ups against Donald Trump on Tuesday over hush-money payments made to a porn star, a Playboy model, and a doorman to hide potentially damaging information ahead of the 2016 presidential election. The coverup is worse than the crime, the expression goes. And in the hush money case against former President Donald Trump, prosecutors say the coverup made the crime worse. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg vowed Tuesday he would not allow Donald Trump to get away with lawbreaking after charging the former president with a string of felonies over alleged hush money payments. "These are felony crimes in New York State. No matter who you are we cannot and will not normalize serious criminal conduct," he said. "We today uphold our solemn responsibility to ensure that everyone stands equal before the law," Bragg added. Here's an explanation of the felony counts against Trump, the first former US president ever to face criminal charges, and what will happen next: The charges The indictment handed down by a Manhattan grand jury and unsealed on Tuesday charges Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels. Under New York law, a defendant convicted of falsifying business records can receive between one and four years in prison. The 34 counts of falsifying business records would normally be misdemeanors, lower-level charges that would not normally result in prison time. But they were bumped up to felonies which carry up to four years behind bars because, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg says, they were done in an effort to commit or conceal other crimes. Bragg said the scheme involved Trump, his former personal attorney Michael Cohen and executives at American Media Inc, publisher of the National Enquirer tabloid. He said they were involved in what he called a "catch and kill" operation to "buy and suppress negative information to help Mr. Trump's chance of winning the election." ALSO READ | Indictment of Trump ends decades of perceived invincibility A look at the three cases cited by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who outlined the charges: Case I: Trump Tower doorman Bragg first listed the incident involving a former Trump Tower doorman who was paid $30,000 after he claimed he had information about a child who Trump had out of wedlock. That doorman, Dino Sajudin, received the payment from the parent company of the National Enquirer in exchange for signing over the rights, in perpetuity, to a rumor that the president had fathered a child with an employee at Trump World Tower, a skyscraper he owns near the United Nations. The contract between Sajudin and the American Media Inc. would penalize Sajudin for $1 million if he disclosed either the rumor or the terms of his agreement with the tabloid's parent company. In an interview with The Associated Press in August 2017, the woman at the center of the rumor denied that she had had an affair with Trump. Case II: Karen McDougal The prosecutor also cited the case of Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model who received $150,000 from American Media after claiming she had a 10-month affair with Trump in the mid-2000s. The money was to gain the rights to McDougal's story but to never run it a practice known as catch and kill. The National Enquirer's parent company has acknowledged that the payments were done specifically to help Trumps presidential campaign. Bragg said Trump explicitly directed lawyer Michael Cohen, then working for the Trump Organization, to reimburse American Media in cash, then Cohen indicated to Trump that the payment should be made instead by a shell company. The alleged relationship between McDougal and Trump remained concealed until a Wall Street Journal report days before Election Day in 2016. Trump has denied her allegation. Case III: Stormy Daniels The third case involves the porn actor Stormy Daniels, who was paid $130,000 in exchange for her silence about a sexual encounter with Trump at Lake Tahoe, Nevada, in 2006. Trump has denied the encounter. Bragg said that 12 days before the election on Nov. 8, 2016, Cohen had wired $130,000 to Daniels' lawyer by using a shell corporation funded through a Manhattan bank. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, was paid after indicating she was willing to speak to either the National Enquirer or on television confirming the encounter. Trump insisted to reporters on Air Force One in April 2018 that he didn't know about the payment made to Daniels through Cohen. But Bragg said Tuesday that Trump reimbursed Cohen after his 2016 victory with money from two sources: a trust that held the Trump Organization's assets and from his personal bank account. Trump reimbursed Cohen with checks disguised as part of a retainer agreement while "in truth, there was no retainer agreement," Bragg said. Cohen, who has since turned against his former boss, has acknowledged paying Daniels on Trump's behalf and was sentenced to three years in prison for the hush-money case, tax evasion and other crimes. ALSO READ | Trump's 'stormy affair': Porn star, president and USD 130,000 in hush money Next legal steps Trump pleaded not guilty in a packed courtroom to the 34 counts, which one of his lawyers, Todd Blanche, dismissed following the hearing as "boilerplate." "We're going to fight it, we're going to fight it hard," Blanche said. The judge gave Trump's lawyers until August 8 to file motions in the case with an initial trial date in January 2024. Bennett Gershman, a law professor at Pace University, said Trump is essentially accused of orchestrating a "grand scheme to undermine the democratic process." "In other words, by covering up his salacious sexual misconduct through multiple false records... he succeeded in hiding truthful information which if it were made public would have seriously damaged his quest for the presidency." Ellen Yaroshefsky, a law professor at Hofstra University, said prosecutors may be faced with "somewhat of a hurdle to prove that the false business records were with intent to influence the election." One potential hurdle for prosecutors could be Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, whose credibility as a witness is certain to come under attack because he is now a convicted felon. There is also a precedent of sorts. John Edwards, who twice sought the Democratic presidential nomination, was put on trial in 2012, accused of campaign finance violations for making hush-money payments to a mistress. The jury deadlocked and the Justice Department opted not to retry the case. Other legal woes Trump is facing legal scrutiny beyond the Big Apple. A special counsel is looking into his role in the January 6, 2021 assault on Congress by his supporters. Special counsel Jack Smith is also investigating a cache of classified documents retained by Trump after he left office. The documents were recovered in an FBI raid on Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida in August 2022. A district attorney in Georgia is also investigating Trump's attempt to overturn the results of the presidential election in the southern state. (With inputs from AFP, AP) NEW YORK: Prosecutors laid out a case of lies and cover-ups against Donald Trump on Tuesday over hush-money payments made to a porn star, a Playboy model, and a doorman to hide potentially damaging information ahead of the 2016 presidential election. The coverup is worse than the crime, the expression goes. And in the hush money case against former President Donald Trump, prosecutors say the coverup made the crime worse. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg vowed Tuesday he would not allow Donald Trump to get away with lawbreaking after charging the former president with a string of felonies over alleged hush money payments. "These are felony crimes in New York State. No matter who you are we cannot and will not normalize serious criminal conduct," he said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); "We today uphold our solemn responsibility to ensure that everyone stands equal before the law," Bragg added. Here's an explanation of the felony counts against Trump, the first former US president ever to face criminal charges, and what will happen next: The charges The indictment handed down by a Manhattan grand jury and unsealed on Tuesday charges Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels. Under New York law, a defendant convicted of falsifying business records can receive between one and four years in prison. The 34 counts of falsifying business records would normally be misdemeanors, lower-level charges that would not normally result in prison time. But they were bumped up to felonies which carry up to four years behind bars because, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg says, they were done in an effort to commit or conceal other crimes. Bragg said the scheme involved Trump, his former personal attorney Michael Cohen and executives at American Media Inc, publisher of the National Enquirer tabloid. He said they were involved in what he called a "catch and kill" operation to "buy and suppress negative information to help Mr. Trump's chance of winning the election." ALSO READ | Indictment of Trump ends decades of perceived invincibility A look at the three cases cited by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who outlined the charges: Case I: Trump Tower doorman Bragg first listed the incident involving a former Trump Tower doorman who was paid $30,000 after he claimed he had information about a child who Trump had out of wedlock. That doorman, Dino Sajudin, received the payment from the parent company of the National Enquirer in exchange for signing over the rights, in perpetuity, to a rumor that the president had fathered a child with an employee at Trump World Tower, a skyscraper he owns near the United Nations. The contract between Sajudin and the American Media Inc. would penalize Sajudin for $1 million if he disclosed either the rumor or the terms of his agreement with the tabloid's parent company. In an interview with The Associated Press in August 2017, the woman at the center of the rumor denied that she had had an affair with Trump. Case II: Karen McDougal The prosecutor also cited the case of Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model who received $150,000 from American Media after claiming she had a 10-month affair with Trump in the mid-2000s. The money was to gain the rights to McDougal's story but to never run it a practice known as catch and kill. The National Enquirer's parent company has acknowledged that the payments were done specifically to help Trumps presidential campaign. Bragg said Trump explicitly directed lawyer Michael Cohen, then working for the Trump Organization, to reimburse American Media in cash, then Cohen indicated to Trump that the payment should be made instead by a shell company. The alleged relationship between McDougal and Trump remained concealed until a Wall Street Journal report days before Election Day in 2016. Trump has denied her allegation. Case III: Stormy Daniels The third case involves the porn actor Stormy Daniels, who was paid $130,000 in exchange for her silence about a sexual encounter with Trump at Lake Tahoe, Nevada, in 2006. Trump has denied the encounter. Bragg said that 12 days before the election on Nov. 8, 2016, Cohen had wired $130,000 to Daniels' lawyer by using a shell corporation funded through a Manhattan bank. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, was paid after indicating she was willing to speak to either the National Enquirer or on television confirming the encounter. Trump insisted to reporters on Air Force One in April 2018 that he didn't know about the payment made to Daniels through Cohen. But Bragg said Tuesday that Trump reimbursed Cohen after his 2016 victory with money from two sources: a trust that held the Trump Organization's assets and from his personal bank account. Trump reimbursed Cohen with checks disguised as part of a retainer agreement while "in truth, there was no retainer agreement," Bragg said. Cohen, who has since turned against his former boss, has acknowledged paying Daniels on Trump's behalf and was sentenced to three years in prison for the hush-money case, tax evasion and other crimes. ALSO READ | Trump's 'stormy affair': Porn star, president and USD 130,000 in hush money Next legal steps Trump pleaded not guilty in a packed courtroom to the 34 counts, which one of his lawyers, Todd Blanche, dismissed following the hearing as "boilerplate." "We're going to fight it, we're going to fight it hard," Blanche said. The judge gave Trump's lawyers until August 8 to file motions in the case with an initial trial date in January 2024. Bennett Gershman, a law professor at Pace University, said Trump is essentially accused of orchestrating a "grand scheme to undermine the democratic process." "In other words, by covering up his salacious sexual misconduct through multiple false records... he succeeded in hiding truthful information which if it were made public would have seriously damaged his quest for the presidency." Ellen Yaroshefsky, a law professor at Hofstra University, said prosecutors may be faced with "somewhat of a hurdle to prove that the false business records were with intent to influence the election." One potential hurdle for prosecutors could be Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, whose credibility as a witness is certain to come under attack because he is now a convicted felon. There is also a precedent of sorts. John Edwards, who twice sought the Democratic presidential nomination, was put on trial in 2012, accused of campaign finance violations for making hush-money payments to a mistress. The jury deadlocked and the Justice Department opted not to retry the case. Other legal woes Trump is facing legal scrutiny beyond the Big Apple. A special counsel is looking into his role in the January 6, 2021 assault on Congress by his supporters. Special counsel Jack Smith is also investigating a cache of classified documents retained by Trump after he left office. The documents were recovered in an FBI raid on Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida in August 2022. A district attorney in Georgia is also investigating Trump's attempt to overturn the results of the presidential election in the southern state. (With inputs from AFP, AP) By AFP ISTANBUL: The families of women murdered by men demonstrated Wednesday in defence of a prominent Turkish anti-femicide campaign group accused of activity against law and morals. Prosecutors had filed a lawsuit in April against We Will Stop Femicide Platform, one of the country's leading feminist organisations. If convicted, it could be shut down. The group has been campaigning against the murder and abuse of women since its foundation in 2010. Protesters gathered alongside the families of murdered women outside Istanbul's main court ahead of the third hearing in the case, unfurling a large banner: "The platform will not stop. Women's murders will stop". "We will defend the rights of everyone whose lives were stolen in this country. And those days are close," group representative Gulsum Kav told reporters. The We Will Stop Femicide Platform was founded a year after a high-profile murder case of 18-year-old Munevver Karabulut, whose body had been dumped into a waste container in Istanbul. The grisly murder sparked widespread uproar and repulsion, especially after the suspect managed to evade justice for more than six months. In early days the platform brought attention only to femicide trials, but now they track all types of violence against women as well as LGBTQ individuals and children. The group says 69 women have been killed in Turkey since January this year, after 397 last year and 427 in 2021. Figen Yetiskin, a mother whose daughter was murdered, said the platform supported her in more than a dozen court hearings and provided legal assistance, including hiring a lawyer. "They always stood by me in court. Contrary to its shutdown, I believe that the platform should be bolstered and supported more," she told the court. "They taught me I am a woman and I have rights, they supported me in 16 hearings for the arrest of my daughter's murderer," she said. "They walked together with me and I will walk together with them forever". 'Make our voice heard' Saadet Irem Karlidag told the court the platform gave her family huge support in shedding light on the murder of her aunt. "My aunt was killed in daylight before our eyes. We could make our voice heard thanks to We Will Stop Femicide Platform," she said. "They didn't leave us alone. And today I stand by them. I believe this case is unlawful." The judge adjourned the hearing on Wednesday and it will resume on September 13. The association was a vocal critic of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's decision in 2021 to pull Turkey out of the Istanbul Convention, which requires countries to set up laws aimed at preventing and prosecuting violence against women. Social conservatives in Turkey say the convention promotes homosexuality and threatens traditional family values. "This case is aimed at civil society, and will deeply affect human rights defenders as well as LGBTQ advocates," Polat Yamaner, a lawyer for Turkey's Human Rights Foundation, told the court. "If this unjust case is dropped, I will feel I am a lawyer again on this symbolic day," said another lawyer, Nazan Moroglu, referring to the April 5 marking of Lawyers' Day in Turkey, in comments that received applause from the audience. ISTANBUL: The families of women murdered by men demonstrated Wednesday in defence of a prominent Turkish anti-femicide campaign group accused of activity against law and morals. Prosecutors had filed a lawsuit in April against We Will Stop Femicide Platform, one of the country's leading feminist organisations. If convicted, it could be shut down. The group has been campaigning against the murder and abuse of women since its foundation in 2010.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Protesters gathered alongside the families of murdered women outside Istanbul's main court ahead of the third hearing in the case, unfurling a large banner: "The platform will not stop. Women's murders will stop". "We will defend the rights of everyone whose lives were stolen in this country. And those days are close," group representative Gulsum Kav told reporters. The We Will Stop Femicide Platform was founded a year after a high-profile murder case of 18-year-old Munevver Karabulut, whose body had been dumped into a waste container in Istanbul. The grisly murder sparked widespread uproar and repulsion, especially after the suspect managed to evade justice for more than six months. In early days the platform brought attention only to femicide trials, but now they track all types of violence against women as well as LGBTQ individuals and children. The group says 69 women have been killed in Turkey since January this year, after 397 last year and 427 in 2021. Figen Yetiskin, a mother whose daughter was murdered, said the platform supported her in more than a dozen court hearings and provided legal assistance, including hiring a lawyer. "They always stood by me in court. Contrary to its shutdown, I believe that the platform should be bolstered and supported more," she told the court. "They taught me I am a woman and I have rights, they supported me in 16 hearings for the arrest of my daughter's murderer," she said. "They walked together with me and I will walk together with them forever". 'Make our voice heard' Saadet Irem Karlidag told the court the platform gave her family huge support in shedding light on the murder of her aunt. "My aunt was killed in daylight before our eyes. We could make our voice heard thanks to We Will Stop Femicide Platform," she said. "They didn't leave us alone. And today I stand by them. I believe this case is unlawful." The judge adjourned the hearing on Wednesday and it will resume on September 13. The association was a vocal critic of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's decision in 2021 to pull Turkey out of the Istanbul Convention, which requires countries to set up laws aimed at preventing and prosecuting violence against women. Social conservatives in Turkey say the convention promotes homosexuality and threatens traditional family values. "This case is aimed at civil society, and will deeply affect human rights defenders as well as LGBTQ advocates," Polat Yamaner, a lawyer for Turkey's Human Rights Foundation, told the court. "If this unjust case is dropped, I will feel I am a lawyer again on this symbolic day," said another lawyer, Nazan Moroglu, referring to the April 5 marking of Lawyers' Day in Turkey, in comments that received applause from the audience. By Agencies WASHINGTON: Donald Trump offered a full-throated defense of his conduct Tuesday in his first public remarks since being charged over hush money payments to a porn star, blasting the criminal prosecution as "an insult to our country." Hours earlier the 76-year-old former US president pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts in a dramatic hearing in New York that transfixed the nation -- and began the countdown to the first-ever criminal trial of an American president. Trump again protested his innocence and asserted on his Truth Social platform that the hearing was shocking to many in that they had no surprises, and therefore, no case. In his speech, Trump lashed out anew at the prosecution and attacked in bitter terms the prosecutor and the judge presiding over the case despite being admonished hours earlier about incendiary rhetoric. In a sign of that other probes are weighing on him, Trump also steered his speech into a broadside against a separate Justice Department investigation into the mishandling of classified documents. "I never thought anything like this could happen in America -- never thought it could happen," Trump told an audience of several hundred donors, political allies, and other supporters after returning to Mar-a-Lago, his beachfront mansion in southern Florida. "The only crime that I've committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it... It's an insult to our country." EXPLAINER: The charges against Donald Trump in three hush money cases Former President Donald Trump delivered a campaign-style speech to cheering supporters at Mar-a-Lago Tuesday night after his arraignment on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. https://t.co/1AROnwoNtD pic.twitter.com/aOz5MMWYIw The Associated Press (@AP) April 5, 2023 Trump -- the frontrunner in the race for the 2024 Republican nomination -- said from a stage festooned with American flags in an opulent gold-and-cream ballroom that "radical left" prosecutors were out to get him "at any cost." The bizarrely celebratory mood in the room seemed at odds with the gravity of the day's events in Manhattan, with Trump reprising the applause lines that his supporters hear regularly at his rallies -- and being rewarded with the same boisterous cheers and clapping. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is prosecuting Trump for cooking his company's books to hide payments he arranged for adult film actress Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 election, to cover up an alleged sexual encounter a decade earlier. Trump: I have Trump hating judge with a Trump hating wife and Trump hating family pic.twitter.com/PyAXCWn3mv Acyn (@Acyn) April 5, 2023 Trump's former chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg is serving a five-month jail term for the same charge of falsifying business records. It shows how even as Trump is looking to reclaim the White House in 2024, he is shadowed by investigations related to his behavior in the two prior elections, with prosecutors in Atlanta and Washington scrutinizing efforts by Trump and his allies to undo the 2020 presidential election probes that could produce even more charges. In the New York case, each count of falsifying business records, a felony, is punishable by up to four years in prison though its not clear if a judge would impose any prison time if Trump is convicted. The next court date is Dec. 4 two months before Republicans begin their nominating process in earnest and Trump will again be expected to appear. A conviction would not prevent Trump from running for or winning the presidency in 2024. 'Darkest hours' Manhattan prosecutors say Trump "repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election." A "statement of facts" released alongside the indictment included details of hush money payments to Daniels, Playboy model Karen McDougal and a former Trump Tower doorman claiming to have a story about a child Trump had out of wedlock. Daniels was paid $130,000 by former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, while McDougal and the doorman got $150,000 and $30,000 respectively from AMI, the publishers of supermarket tabloid the National Enquirer. Bragg alleges that Trump and his allies "also took steps that mischaracterized, for tax purposes, the true nature of the payments." Trump and his lawyers have accused Bragg of overreaching in his characterization of the alleged misconduct. The one-time reality TV star had sent a fundraising email even before flying back to Florida, saying that since the news of his indictment broke, his campaign had raised over $10 million. "While we are living through the darkest hours of American history, I can say that at least for this moment right now, I am in great spirits," Trump said. The twice-impeached Republican is the first sitting or former American president to be criminally indicted. Earlier in the Manhattan courtroom, he answered "not guilty" to all charges in a clear voice, sitting with hunched shoulders and at times looking annoyed but mostly listening cooperatively. ALSO READ | Timeline of scandal that led to Trump's conviction Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Here's what happened inside the courtroom. https://t.co/cVGNyRrhVC pic.twitter.com/bKMegccMmN The Associated Press (@AP) April 5, 2023 'Election interference' Judge Juan Merchan said a trial could potentially start as soon as January -- a month before the presidential primaries kick off -- although Trump's lawyers have indicated they would want it pushed back to next spring. In a spectacle that played out on live television -- with rival protesters rallying outside -- the hearing marked a watershed moment for the US criminal and political system. A crowd of hundreds had gathered, with pro-Trump protesters -- sporting "MAGA" hats and attire emblazoned with the American flag -- yelling slurs at their opponents. Trump for years rejoiced in his reputation as a playboy but has always denied the tryst with Daniels, which would have occurred just after his third wife Melania gave birth. In a rambling, conspiracy theory-laden tirade to his supporters, he described Merchan as a "Trump-hating judge" and denounced Bragg for what he called "massive election interference at a scale never seen before in our country." But he spent much of his speech mocking several more serious investigations he faces, repeating previously-debunked allegations about being treated differently from previous presidents. They include his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state of Georgia, his alleged mishandling of classified documents taken from the White House, and his involvement in the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. (With inputs from AFP, AP) ALSO READ | Jan. 6 report: Trump 'lit that fire' of Capitol insurrection WASHINGTON: Donald Trump offered a full-throated defense of his conduct Tuesday in his first public remarks since being charged over hush money payments to a porn star, blasting the criminal prosecution as "an insult to our country." Hours earlier the 76-year-old former US president pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts in a dramatic hearing in New York that transfixed the nation -- and began the countdown to the first-ever criminal trial of an American president. Trump again protested his innocence and asserted on his Truth Social platform that the hearing was shocking to many in that they had no surprises, and therefore, no case.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); In his speech, Trump lashed out anew at the prosecution and attacked in bitter terms the prosecutor and the judge presiding over the case despite being admonished hours earlier about incendiary rhetoric. In a sign of that other probes are weighing on him, Trump also steered his speech into a broadside against a separate Justice Department investigation into the mishandling of classified documents. "I never thought anything like this could happen in America -- never thought it could happen," Trump told an audience of several hundred donors, political allies, and other supporters after returning to Mar-a-Lago, his beachfront mansion in southern Florida. "The only crime that I've committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it... It's an insult to our country." EXPLAINER: The charges against Donald Trump in three hush money cases Former President Donald Trump delivered a campaign-style speech to cheering supporters at Mar-a-Lago Tuesday night after his arraignment on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. https://t.co/1AROnwoNtD pic.twitter.com/aOz5MMWYIw The Associated Press (@AP) April 5, 2023 Trump -- the frontrunner in the race for the 2024 Republican nomination -- said from a stage festooned with American flags in an opulent gold-and-cream ballroom that "radical left" prosecutors were out to get him "at any cost." The bizarrely celebratory mood in the room seemed at odds with the gravity of the day's events in Manhattan, with Trump reprising the applause lines that his supporters hear regularly at his rallies -- and being rewarded with the same boisterous cheers and clapping. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is prosecuting Trump for cooking his company's books to hide payments he arranged for adult film actress Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 election, to cover up an alleged sexual encounter a decade earlier. Trump: I have Trump hating judge with a Trump hating wife and Trump hating family pic.twitter.com/PyAXCWn3mv Acyn (@Acyn) April 5, 2023 Trump's former chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg is serving a five-month jail term for the same charge of falsifying business records. It shows how even as Trump is looking to reclaim the White House in 2024, he is shadowed by investigations related to his behavior in the two prior elections, with prosecutors in Atlanta and Washington scrutinizing efforts by Trump and his allies to undo the 2020 presidential election probes that could produce even more charges. In the New York case, each count of falsifying business records, a felony, is punishable by up to four years in prison though its not clear if a judge would impose any prison time if Trump is convicted. The next court date is Dec. 4 two months before Republicans begin their nominating process in earnest and Trump will again be expected to appear. A conviction would not prevent Trump from running for or winning the presidency in 2024. 'Darkest hours' Manhattan prosecutors say Trump "repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election." A "statement of facts" released alongside the indictment included details of hush money payments to Daniels, Playboy model Karen McDougal and a former Trump Tower doorman claiming to have a story about a child Trump had out of wedlock. Daniels was paid $130,000 by former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, while McDougal and the doorman got $150,000 and $30,000 respectively from AMI, the publishers of supermarket tabloid the National Enquirer. Bragg alleges that Trump and his allies "also took steps that mischaracterized, for tax purposes, the true nature of the payments." Trump and his lawyers have accused Bragg of overreaching in his characterization of the alleged misconduct. The one-time reality TV star had sent a fundraising email even before flying back to Florida, saying that since the news of his indictment broke, his campaign had raised over $10 million. "While we are living through the darkest hours of American history, I can say that at least for this moment right now, I am in great spirits," Trump said. The twice-impeached Republican is the first sitting or former American president to be criminally indicted. Earlier in the Manhattan courtroom, he answered "not guilty" to all charges in a clear voice, sitting with hunched shoulders and at times looking annoyed but mostly listening cooperatively. ALSO READ | Timeline of scandal that led to Trump's conviction Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Here's what happened inside the courtroom. https://t.co/cVGNyRrhVC pic.twitter.com/bKMegccMmN The Associated Press (@AP) April 5, 2023 'Election interference' Judge Juan Merchan said a trial could potentially start as soon as January -- a month before the presidential primaries kick off -- although Trump's lawyers have indicated they would want it pushed back to next spring. In a spectacle that played out on live television -- with rival protesters rallying outside -- the hearing marked a watershed moment for the US criminal and political system. A crowd of hundreds had gathered, with pro-Trump protesters -- sporting "MAGA" hats and attire emblazoned with the American flag -- yelling slurs at their opponents. Trump for years rejoiced in his reputation as a playboy but has always denied the tryst with Daniels, which would have occurred just after his third wife Melania gave birth. In a rambling, conspiracy theory-laden tirade to his supporters, he described Merchan as a "Trump-hating judge" and denounced Bragg for what he called "massive election interference at a scale never seen before in our country." But he spent much of his speech mocking several more serious investigations he faces, repeating previously-debunked allegations about being treated differently from previous presidents. They include his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state of Georgia, his alleged mishandling of classified documents taken from the White House, and his involvement in the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. (With inputs from AFP, AP) ALSO READ | Jan. 6 report: Trump 'lit that fire' of Capitol insurrection By AFP Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern bowed out of parliament Wednesday, ending a career marked by empathetic leadership during times of crisis even as she faced escalating abuse online. Ardern shocked New Zealand earlier this year when she announced she was stepping down as prime minister and retiring from politics, saying she no longer had "enough in the tank". The 42-year-old, once the youngest woman leader in the world, said in her final speech to parliament that she never expected to take the nation's top job. "It was a cross between a sense of duty to steer a moving freight train... and being hit by one," she quipped during her valedictory address. "And that's probably because my internal reluctance to lead was matched only by a huge sense of responsibility." Ardern steered New Zealand through natural disasters, the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2019 Christchurch mosque massacre -- in which a white supremacist gunman killed 51 Muslim worshippers. "These stories and phases remain etched in my mind and likely will forever. That is the responsibility and privilege of the role of prime minister." Ardern dedicated a significant section of her speech to climate change, urging the country's politicians to band together. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern bowed out of parliament Wednesday, ending a career marked by empathetic leadership during times of crisis even as she faced escalating abuse online. Ardern shocked New Zealand earlier this year when she announced she was stepping down as prime minister and retiring from politics, saying she no longer had "enough in the tank". The 42-year-old, once the youngest woman leader in the world, said in her final speech to parliament that she never expected to take the nation's top job. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); "It was a cross between a sense of duty to steer a moving freight train... and being hit by one," she quipped during her valedictory address. "And that's probably because my internal reluctance to lead was matched only by a huge sense of responsibility." Ardern steered New Zealand through natural disasters, the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2019 Christchurch mosque massacre -- in which a white supremacist gunman killed 51 Muslim worshippers. "These stories and phases remain etched in my mind and likely will forever. That is the responsibility and privilege of the role of prime minister." Ardern dedicated a significant section of her speech to climate change, urging the country's politicians to band together. By PTI ANKARA: Turkey closed its airspace to flights to and from an airport in Kurdish-administered northern Iraq, a top Turkish official announced Wednesday, citing an alleged increase in Kurdish militant activity threatening flight safety. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tanju Bilgic said the Turkish airspace has been closed to flights taking off and landing at Suleimaniyah International Airport, in northern Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region, since Tuesday. The closure was in response to an alleged increase in the activities of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, in Suleimaniyah as well as its "infiltration" into the airport, Bilgic said in a written statement. The decision comes weeks after two helicopters crashed in northern Iraq, killing Kurdish militants on board. The incident fuelled claims that the PKK was in possession of helicopters which infuriated Turkish authorities. The main US-backed and Kurdish-led force in northeastern Syria later said it lost nine fighters, including a commander, in the crash which occurred during bad weather while on route to Suleimaniyah. The nine killed included elite fighters who were in Iraq as part of an "exchange of expertise" in the fight against the Islamic State group, said the group known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF. The PKK has been waging an insurgency against Turkey since the 1980s and is considered a terrorist group by Ankara, the United States and the European Union. Its militants have established safe havens in northern Iraq and frequently come under attack by Turkey in the region. Turkey also considers a Syrian Kurdish militant group, which forms the backbone of the SDF, as a terrorist organisation. The United States however, distinguishes between the PKK and SDF and doesn't consider the SDF a terrorist group. Bilgic said the Turkish airspace would remain closed until July 3, when Turkish authorities would review the security situation. The helicopter crash also fed into a local rivalry between the two main Kurdish parties in Iraq. Officials from the Kurdish Democratic Party, which has maintained largely good relations with Turkey, alleged after the crash that the helicopters had been originally purchased by the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party, which has its stronghold in Suleimaniyah, and that they had been flying without permission from the regional government. ANKARA: Turkey closed its airspace to flights to and from an airport in Kurdish-administered northern Iraq, a top Turkish official announced Wednesday, citing an alleged increase in Kurdish militant activity threatening flight safety. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tanju Bilgic said the Turkish airspace has been closed to flights taking off and landing at Suleimaniyah International Airport, in northern Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region, since Tuesday. The closure was in response to an alleged increase in the activities of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, in Suleimaniyah as well as its "infiltration" into the airport, Bilgic said in a written statement.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The decision comes weeks after two helicopters crashed in northern Iraq, killing Kurdish militants on board. The incident fuelled claims that the PKK was in possession of helicopters which infuriated Turkish authorities. The main US-backed and Kurdish-led force in northeastern Syria later said it lost nine fighters, including a commander, in the crash which occurred during bad weather while on route to Suleimaniyah. The nine killed included elite fighters who were in Iraq as part of an "exchange of expertise" in the fight against the Islamic State group, said the group known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF. The PKK has been waging an insurgency against Turkey since the 1980s and is considered a terrorist group by Ankara, the United States and the European Union. Its militants have established safe havens in northern Iraq and frequently come under attack by Turkey in the region. Turkey also considers a Syrian Kurdish militant group, which forms the backbone of the SDF, as a terrorist organisation. The United States however, distinguishes between the PKK and SDF and doesn't consider the SDF a terrorist group. Bilgic said the Turkish airspace would remain closed until July 3, when Turkish authorities would review the security situation. The helicopter crash also fed into a local rivalry between the two main Kurdish parties in Iraq. Officials from the Kurdish Democratic Party, which has maintained largely good relations with Turkey, alleged after the crash that the helicopters had been originally purchased by the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party, which has its stronghold in Suleimaniyah, and that they had been flying without permission from the regional government. Voters made their wishes known in Tuesday's general municipal election as to who they wanted to lead the local community college and local school boards. MAC Subdistrict 2 Incumbent Camille Nations and newcomer Chris Hulsey won two open seats for six-year terms in Subdistrict 2 on the Mineral Area College Board of Trustees. The unofficial vote tally was Hulsey, 900 votes; Nations, 895 votes; Elizabeth Clark Poston, 786 votes; and Scott Hammack, 521 votes. Nations and her husband, John, live in Bismarck. Nations earned her Associate of Arts Degree from MAC in 1984, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Vocal Music Education K-12 from Southwest Missouri State University in 1986. She retired after working from 1989-2008 as a vocal music director for Central R-3 schools. Nations was appointed to the board in 2017 following the death of Dr. Don VanHerck. After running unopposed, she has completed one full term. Nations and her husband, John, live in Bismarck. She earned her Associate of Arts Degree from MAC in 1984, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Vocal Music Education K-12 from Southwest Missouri State University in 1986. She retired after working from 1989-2008 as a vocal music director for Central R-3 schools. Nations is a member of Bismarck United Methodist Church where she serves as chairperson of the Ad Council. In addition to her current position on MACs board of trustees, she is a member of the MAC Foundation Board and Mineral Area Fine Arts Academy, where she serves as secretary. Hulsey and his wife, Ashton, live in Park Hills with their three children, Beckham, 8, Brooklyn, 5, and Sophia, 1. A first-time candidate for office, he is a 2003 graduate of North County High School. He is the owner of Hulsey Properties. Hulsey is president of the Downtown Park Hills Association and serves on the boards of the Park Hills-Leadington Chamber of Commerce and St. Francois County Industrial Development Authority (IDA). Farmington R-7 Board Three incumbents on the Farmington R-7 Board of Education won re-election to three-year terms Tuesday, beating out two first-time candidates for the open seats. The unofficial vote count was incumbent Angela Hahn, 767; Jerry Freeman, 686; Howard A. Hoehn, 617; Duane G. Hampton, 478; and Jeffrey K. Owens II, 476. Hahn is a retired teacher from the Hazelwood School District, and a retired licensed clinical social worker for BJC Behavioral Health. She is currently in private psychotherapy practice. Hahn is a member of the Farmington Educational Foundation; Southeast Missouri Mental Health Centers Helping Hands Auxiliary; and PEO, a womens educational organization. This will be her seventh term on the board. Freeman and his wife Donna live in Farmington. They are the parents of Josh Freeman and Lindsay Detring Freeman, both Farmington High School graduates. A graduate of Bismarck High School, Freeman graduated with a degree in business education from East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, Texas. He is now retired. Freeman is a member of New Heights Church. This will be his third term on the board. Hoehn and his wife Debbie live in Farmington. The couple has two sons, Josh and Dustin. Attending Doe Run public school for six years until 1966 when Doe Run consolidated with the Farmington School District; he graduated from Farmington High School in 1973. He attended Mineral Area College where he graduated with an associate degree in 1975. Hoehn graduated with a bachelor's degree from Southeast Missouri State University in 1977. Currently retired, he is a member of Farmington Elks Lodge 1765 and the Missouri Farmers Association. This will be his fifth term on the board. Bismarck R-5 Board Election results from Washington County were unavailable as of press time. The unofficial results reflect numbers from the St. Francois County General Municipal Election. Voters chose three board members Sally Colwell, Michael Barton II and Mark L. Hedrick from among six candidates. Incumbent Sally Colwell received 26.78% or 177 votes. Colwell said she is excited about being on the board again, and looks forward to serving the Bismarck School District. I just want to say thank you to everyone who voted for me and supported me along the trail, said Colwell. Im excited to see the school district continue to grow and prosper. The new face joining the Board of Education is Michael Barton II, who received 21.18% or 140 votes. Barton said he is looking forward to working as hard as he can to ensure every child in the district can receive the best education that can be provided to them. My goal has always been that our kids are in an environment that is safe. That is free from personal agendas, that is free of politics, and that were teaching truth and not opinions, said Barton. Incumbent Mark Hedrick received 19.67% or 130 votes. He said he is looking forward to continuing to do what he can to help the school out, and to keep offering the best programs and opportunities for students going to school. I appreciate the peoples vote and putting me back on the board, Hedrick said. West County R-4 Board Election results from Washington County were unavailable as of press time. The unofficial results reflect numbers from the St. Francois County General Municipal Election. Voters chose three board members from among five candidates, and the winners were Christopher Lashley, Byron Pratt and Ryan Kyle Becker. Christopher Lashley received 25.47% or 175 votes. Lashley said he was excited and hopes to continue having the district going as good as it is currently going now. He also wanted to thank everyone for voting. "It really is a great district. Its the staff, and everybodys just amazing, said Lashley. I just hope we can keep it going that way. Incumbent Byron Pratt received 23.87% or 164 votes. He said he was excited, and that there were a lot of good candidates this year, but hes happy to be back on the board. Just wanted to continue the way were going, make everything safe with the kids, said Pratt. Give them good quality education, put the best administrators and teachers in front of them. Ryan Becker received 18.34% or 126 votes. Becker said his goals if he were to be elected were to maintain and uphold traditions the schools have set in place for the students and families throughout the district. Women Action for Development playing pivotal role in empowering Manipur women Imphal, April 4: Considering their contribution to economic activities and excellence in diverse fields, including sports, people across the country take pride in the women in Manipur. Women Action for Development playing pivotal role in empowering Manipur women People should visit the Ima Market, the biggest women's market in Asia and the smaller women's markets in different districts of the State to see how women take the forefront of economic activities. Women in the state are empowered and outspoken. Their woman have strong characters and bold and two historic women's movements have taken place in the State. They stand for the welfare of the State and for their family.But again, women in the state are equally vulnerable owing to patriarchal norms.One organisation which has been playing a pivotal role in empowering women of Manipur is the Women Action for Development (WAD).Founded in 1990 by Sobita Mangsatabam, WAD became a registered organisation in 1993. Sobita holds a Master in Social Works degree and had worked in the Anganwadi centre before she founded WAD. The organisation works with the objective of improving the status of women in various aspects socially, economically, politically, health-wise etc.Sobita Mangsatabam said she started the organisation considering the issues faced by women in her society back in 1990. She felt that women were sidelined while making a decision in the family and violence against women was mostly unreported.She felt that the social structure somehow prevented the women from opening up until she takes up the bold step of working for the upliftment of women in society.In the initial stage, under the banner of the campaign for Women and Child Health, WAD started a gender awareness programme. As the state reported rape and murder cases of women, the organisation rigorously organised rallies and protests under the banner of Violence against Women.In the last 3 decades of working for the welfare of women in the state, WAD has played a pivotal role in successfully pursuing the state government to assign women inspecting officers in Police Stations, to establish a women's commission.The organisation has also demanded that the state government establish Manipur State Gender Policy. The organisation has been keeping updated on the violence against women by presenting a compilation of monthly fact files with evidence from daily newspaper reports to the Chief Minister and governor of the State.WAD had conducted advocacy programmes extensively on women's rights going to the interiors and educating women on their rights.Their missionary movement had given courage to many women in the State making them live respectable life free from fear. WAD could not remain silent when two boys Martin and Huber were mercilessly killed in 2007 after taking ransom money. Similarly, when child trafficking cases were on a rise in the Tamenglong district in 2008-09 it stood for defending human rights beyond women's issues.Presently, the organisation has many cross-cutting partners across the State. Some rallies organised by WAD against atrocities towards women and children gathered around five thousand participants. Slogans printed on T-Shirts and a banner also makes a huge impact in their rallies.The organisation also gives on-the-spot field visits to alleged suicide, death and rape cases.They charged the government with carrying genocide when Rabina a pregnant lady succumbed to bullet injury in a firing incident which turns out to be a fake encounter.They charged the then government for not taking the deceased lady to the hospital to save the child she was bearing at that time. WAD is known for voicing against the violation of human rights.Their courageous step is defining the safeguard they stood for the vulnerable people in society. Moreover, the organisation gives counselling to domestic issues when a couple comes with a complaint. At times, they also save the husband from having suicidal thoughts.In three decades of running office, they have come over several issues making them the wisdom bank of solutions and empowerment which many people sought for. WAD also works for the economic empowerment of women rape victims as a part of occupational therapy by giving them some grant money as economic support to start their small enterprises.Sobita Mangsatabam felt that in the hill districts of Manipur due to the presence of customary law women seldom seek legal help. Besides, she pointed out that due to the non-availability of DNA testing machine in Manipur, the justice delivery system in rape cases are crippled.They have been demanding the upgradation of the State forensic science lab for the last fifteen years and even cases of wrong imprisonment had taken place affecting the justice delivery system. She felt that due to slow justice delivery, people have less faith in the system and if swift justice is made more women will come out to complain about atrocities.She felt that despite their reports and case findings there are many more unreported cases of violence against women in the state.ANI04 April 2023 Shared Recently! Kenya to launch its first operational Satellite next week Nairobi [Kenya], April 4: Kenya is all set to launch its first operational U Earth Observation Satellite, named Taifa-1 satellite, next Monday, according to the Kenya-based newspaper, The Star. Kenya to launch its first operational Satellite next week The Kenya Space Agency (KSA) will launch the satellite on April 11 aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.Kenya's Defence Ministry said that the mission is designed to provide precise and timely earth observation satellite data to stakeholders in the diverse fields of application including agriculture and food security.The new satellite will also provide the data for the decision support to agriculture and food security, natural resources management and environmental monitoring among other details.Further, the objective of the mission will be to "develop Kenya's technical capacity on the whole value chain of space technology development and applications."Giving details about the mission, KSA's acting director Brig Hillary Kipkosgey said that it plays a pivotal role in putting Kenya on the global map because it contributes significantly to the growth of satellite development, data analysis and processing and development of applications, reported The Star."Space is the next frontier in many ways and we are happy to be part of this. This is our moment of pride," he said.He said space science, technologies and applications are key enablers across all productive sectors of the national economy.Kipkosgey further added that they are seeking to have capacity building on space systems engineering, space operations, data processing and analytics, Ground Station services and operations."We are looking at technology demonstrator on what capabilities or flexibilities we can realize with own/sovereign Earth observation asset," The Star quoted KSA's acting director as saying.The construction and design of the satellite have been fully executed by a team of Kenyan engineers.The manufacturing of the parts and their testing was done in collaboration with Endurosat AD, a Bulgarian aerospace manufacturer. This is because it is expensive to construct it locally, officials said.KSA said the launch mission is the product of a design and development process that has been conducted for over two years, The Star reported.The Taifa-1 satellite mission is an important milestone for Kenya's space programme and is expected to contribute significantly to spurring the growth of the satellite development, data analytics and processing, and applications development capabilities of Kenya's budding space economy.Taifa-1 Sat is the first stepping stone to the development of what is planned to be a constellation of small earth observation satellites for Kenya.ANI04 April 2023 Shared Recently! Ahead of bilateral, Bhutan King Jigme Wangchuk received by PM Modi New Delhi, April 4: The King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, who is on a 3-day state visit to India, was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday ahead of their bilateral talks. Ahead of bilateral, Bhutan King Jigme Wangchuk received by PM Modi The meeting between the two leaders is seen as an opportunity to take stock of progress in bilateral relations.The official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Arindam Bagchi informed of the meeting between the two leaders on Twitter."Taking forward unique relationship of friendship and cooperation. PM @narendramodi received His Majesty the King of Bhutan ahead of their talks. An opportunity to take stock of progress in bilateral ties," the official spokesperson of MEA tweeted.Earlier in the day, Bhutan King attended paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. He also signed the visitors' book at Rajghat.Taking to Twitter, the official spokesperson of MEA, Arindam Bagchi wrote, "A tribute to Bapu's lasting legacy! His Majesty the King of Bhutan paid his respects to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat."He also met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval earlier on Tuesday.On Monday, Bhutan King was welcomed by the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who later paid him a visit in the evening. Jaishankar stated that he "truly appreciates" the Bhutan King's goal of advancing the special relationship with India.The Bhutan King is in India at the invitation of President Droupadi Murmu. He will call on President Murmu later on Tuesday.The king is being accompanied by Bhutan's Foreign Minister Dr Tandi Dorji and other senior officials.King Wangchuck's visit is in keeping with the long-standing tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two nations, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.The MEA noted, "India and Bhutan enjoy unique ties of friendship and cooperation, which are characterized by understanding and mutual trust."The external affairs minister said that the Bhutan King's visit will give a chance to both nations to review bilateral cooperation and to further advance the close bilateral partnership, including economic and development cooperation.The unique relationship between India and Bhutan has been preserved by a custom of frequent high-level exchanges between the two nations such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August 2019 and Jaishankar's visits in 2019 and April 2022.Moreover, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra visited Bhutan in January this year. Earlier in February 2023, a Parliamentary delegation from Bhutan led by Wangchuk Namgyel, Speaker of the National Assembly of Bhutan called on President Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.ANI04 April 2023 Shared Recently! . Sorry, that page not found! Please visit our Home Page for latest updates Response to disaster has to be integrated, not isolated: PM Modi New Delhi, April 4: Prime Minister Narendra Modi while speaking at the 5th International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure on Tuesday stressed that in a closely connected world, the impact of disasters would not just be local, and subsequent responses have to be integrated and not isolated. Response to disaster has to be integrated, not isolated: PM Modi Addressing the conference virtually, Prime Minister outlined some priorities for discussion for disaster resilience infrastructure in the context of this year's theme of 'Delivering Resilient and Inclusive Infrastructure'."Infrastructure is not only about returns but also about reach and resilience. Infrastructure must leave none behind and serve the people even during times of crisis," he said.The Prime Minister stressed the need for a holistic view of infrastructure as social and digital infrastructure are as important as transport infrastructure.Along with quick relief, the Prime Minister in his address also emphasized the need to focus on the early restoration of normalcy."Resilience is built in the times between one disaster and another. Studying past disasters and learning lessons from them is the way," he added.Modi further said intelligent use of local knowledge of building infrastructures that can withstand disasters. Further, if documented well, local knowledge may become a global best practice, PM Modi said.Referring to the scale and intensity of the recent disasters like the earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria, the Prime Minister concluded by underlining the importance of CDRI's work and its importance.Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) has over 40 member countries from advanced and developing countries.ANI04 April 2023 Shared Recently! Taxway has bagged the Indias Largest Tax Consultancy Company title; aims to become Asias No. 1 Taxation Company New Delhi, April 4: Taxway has been honoured with the title of 'India's Largest Tax Consultancy Company' in an official event of India's Greatest Records Book powered by the World's Greatest Records Book for establishing 15000+ Taxation franchises all over India. This felicitation is in the respect to the rapid development in economic business and spreading awareness in the taxation sector in India. Taxway has bagged the 'India's Largest Tax Consultancy Company' title; aims to become Asia's No. 1 Taxation Company Harshwal, the spokesperson of the event, stated that Taxway is engaged in creating awareness about the taxation industry and plays a vital role in bridging the gap between the citizens and the government. Tax is a very important source of generating revenue for the country's development and progress. Taxway aims at making the complex process and understanding of the taxation system and process, easy and available for everyone.Not just words, statics and received Taxway Review prove itself Taxway is India's most demanding Tax Consultancy Company. Taxway Franchise Review shows the strong belief of its franchise partners in terms of services and quality management of Taxway company.It is noteworthy that Taxway is India's largest taxation advisory company with glorious 15 years of journey in the taxation franchise business sector and the headquarter is in Ajmer, Rajasthan."Taxway has become India's Largest Tax Consultancy Company"- CEO, Niranjan Mahawar, said that India's No. 1 Tax Consultant Company is all set to become Asia's No. 1 Taxation Company.Today, Taxway is educating the citizens on complex topics like ITR, GST, TDS, etc, and spreading the tax information in Hindi and English languages which assists the government of India in tax collection directly and indirectly. People are getting trained by tax experts and chartered accountants (CA) and doing business across India as Tax advisors.Niranjan Mahawar, the founder and CEO of Taxway has said that Taxway will not stop here, now preparations are on to become Asia's Biggest Tax Consultancy Company. Taxway is always striving to support the country in its journey to becoming a developed country from a developing nation. Our tax consultants and management board are always engaged in eradicating the fear and confusion about the taxation system from the minds of the people.The Taxway Franchise Business grew more with time and in 2013 Taxway Group became an ERI (E-Return Intermediary) and got authorized through the Income Tax Department, Government of India. Taxway has multiple taxation units like E-Taxway, Go Tax, Taxation Factory, Onlinetaxwala.com, etc.Along with the Taxation business, Taxway has several business ventures like Taxway Capital, Taxway Print, Taxway Publication, Taxway Times, TAG-11 Softech, Taxway Edu, Taxway College, Taxway Kiddoo, Bagless India, Memory Science Foundation, Laska Professionals, Just Startup, Ajmer Literature Festival, Green club, T-Food and Beverages, The Literary Society Of India, Just Hasyam, Taxway Brain Science School, Digital Mind, Red Panther for Sports, Nitro Fashion, Touse for kids, Black Blood Fitness Studio chain and so on.Though Taxway is not just a Taxation company, it is dealing with numerous business options and provides business consultancy all over India.The management board has stated that when Taxway Franchise Review came, we learned that people in the taxation field wants to join us as a Silent Franchise Partner and we came up with the Silent Business and Franchise Partner (SBF) model for the first time.The Board further said that we are ready to train 50,000 people in our training center in Ajmer in the next year. Taxway is the best taxation franchise and is highly trusted in India with its low-budget business module. Taxway guides how to become a tax consultant or income tax consultant with an easy startup.Taxway Franchise Review on the internet and Recognition by World's Greatest Records Book has set the strong path for Taxway Company to become Asia's No. 1 Taxation Company soon.This story has been provided by SRV. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/SRV)ANI04 April 2023 Shared Recently! Royal Green Realty launches residential township Royal Green County in Bahadurgarh Delhi NCR, April 4: National Capital Region's fast-growing real estate company Royal Green Realty launched its ambitious project Royal Green County in Bahadurgarh. Spread across 40 acres of land in residential sector 40 of Bahadurgarh, Haryana, the project will have villas, floors, and plots; and SCO in adjoining 3 acres. The project involves the construction of 5.5 million square feet of space in the National Capital Region (NCR). The price of the plot starts from Rs 54000 sq. Yard, villas start from Rs 1.35* cr, and floors will be available soon for public offering. Royal Green Realty launches residential township Royal Green County in Bahadurgarh Strategically located a few minutes away from Delhi, the project is close to UER2, 30 minutes to the airport, and 40 minutes to Gurugram. Landscape consultants from Singapore are working on 3.5 acres of green area to make the place liveable and sustainable; the project will have more greens than any other society in Bahadurgarh. The sizes of various residential options are starting from 120 sq. Yards and goes up to 180 sq. yards approximately.The real estate developer, which has already carved a niche for itself, will develop this project as one of the best in Bahadurgarh in terms of location and amenities. "We understand the needs of the people to have a quality project that can not only provide them with four walls to live in but also a complete lifestyle befitting their status. With Royal County, we have embarked to fulfil the wish of people to have a place in Delhi NCR and at a location that is not far from Delhi," said Yashank Wason, Managing Director, Royal Green Realty.Located to the west of Delhi, around 3,000 people will dwell in elegant, convenient, and open neighbourhoods of Royal Green County. Being developed on Badli road near the bypass connecting Delhi-Rohtak Road, the project site is witnessing hectic activity to finish the roads. The location advantage of being close to Delhi Airport is going to provide the much-desired connectivity boost to the future residents here.Some of the amenities and facilities in the township include a synthetic jogging track for walking and jogging to avoid knee damage, a 35000 sq. ft. grand clubhouse, energy-efficient sensor street lights, two car parks for all plots and villas, and one car park for one apartment.Talking about Bahadurgarh real estate, Wason said, "Unlike other cities of NCR, Bahadurgarh provides a serene environment to the people. The closeness to Delhi, as it only takes about an hour to reach the Capital's centre from the site, is the biggest advantage of the area. At our township, we are providing every amenity that will add value to the living standard of people."The commercial is named Courtyard 40 - Market Place, which will be the first organised market of Bahadurgarh with everything in one place. The three-acre shopping complex will have 100-150 open car parking space. The Courtyard 40 will be Bahadurgarh's first market where families can spend time with loved ones around open seating area with fountains and amphitheatre. The commercial complex will have eating joints, fun zone for kids, multiplex, super mart, etc.For more information, please visit .This story has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article.ANI04 April 2023 Shared Recently! Meishe attends LiveVideoStackCon Beijing Beijing, April 4: LiveVideoStackCon, an audio-visual event, was held in Beijing from March 31 to April 1. Meishe Co., Ltd. participated in the conference for the sixth year running as one of the representative enterprises, displaying its leading accomplishments in AIGC and digital human. Meishe attends LiveVideoStackCon Beijing Ruiquan Zhang, Senior AI Algorithm Specialist at the R and D Center of Meishe, attended the event and shared his insights into the rapid implementation of digital content production.The Meishe R and D team can create virtual videos devoid of actual objects using computer vision, image processing, and deep learning thanks to a method called virtual video synthesis. Voice-driven, action-driven, and face-changing technologies are now the three main types of video generation. Zhang evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of several approaches in depth and presented the technological principles of expression and mouth prediction, 3D face rendering, and face synthesis.Zhang's team has come up with a relatively mature technical solution to achieve realistic virtual video synthesis effects and developed a variety of applications that quickly generate digital human images. The operator only needs to upload a photo or a video, enter the preset text content, and the system automatically generates the corresponding digital human image with a realistic voice.GLB file stores information about the 3D model in binary format, including node levels, cameras, materials, animations and meshes. When generating a digital human figure in GLB file, it can be converted to Meicam's self-developed 3D file format ".ARSCENE", and driven by Meicam SDK for real-time rendering on different platforms.Zhang's team focuses on two directions in ChatGPT. One is the digital voice assistant. This combines the voice interaction system and hybrid semantic understanding capacity of ChatGPT to provide better responses to open-ended questions from users. The second option combines ChatGPT, video editing, and digital human. Users only need to enter one sentence, and the system can return the split script via ChatGPT and extract the necessary tags from it. It then uses that information to intelligently find the appropriate clips in the media databank, and users can choose to use the template.So far, Meishe AIGC digital human solution has been integrated into a number of brands and has created outstanding application results in products for smart cars, smart watches, smartphones, social media, etc.This story has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article.ANI05 April 2023 Shared Recently! Sri Lankan President seeks Indias help in policy reforms among other issues New Delhi, April 4: Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has sought India's help in policy reforms, utilisation of digital technology, capacity building, good governance, and institution building to address the recent economic challenges faced by the country and to put it on the path of high economic growth. Sri Lankan President seeks India's help in policy reforms among other issues The help was sought during a discussion with an Indian delegation led by the Director General of the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG), Bharat Lal, mentions a statement from the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.The Indian delegation called on President Ranil Wickremesinghe on April 1, 2023, during its two-day visit to the neighbouring country at the invitation of the Sri Lankan Government. Director General NCGG was accompanied by the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Gopal Bagley, Dr A P Singh, Associate Professor of NCGG and other senior diplomats of the Mission.During the meeting, President Wickremesinghe shared his vision for Sri Lanka, a strategy to address the recent economic challenges and put the country on the path of high economic growth.The discussion centred around policy reforms, good governance, digitalisation, capacity building and training, institution building, and assured public service delivery, reads the statement.Sri Lankan President, the statement pointed out, admired the way India managed socio-economic development and ensured high economic growth.During the discussion, President Wickremesinghe urged NCGG to help in establishing a University of Governance and Public Policy in Sri Lanka.During the meeting, the Director General, NCGG underscored how Prime Minister Narendra Modi, upon assuming the role of Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2001 amid a slew of crises and negative economic growth, was able to put the state on the path of high economic growth and sustained prosperity through his vision, strategy, and progressive policies.Consequently, Gujarat has experienced double-digit economic growth over the past two decades. Thereafter, since 2014, as Prime Minister, he has introduced a new culture of citizen-centric policies and good governance, and as a result, India is witnessing high economic growth, assured public service delivery and fast improving quality of life of its citizens.To reinforce Prime Minister's vision for good governance, which focuses on transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness, India is massively using digital technology and monitoring mechanisms for time-bound implementation.In line with the Prime Minister's philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' NCGG in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, is dedicated to promoting collaboration and learning among civil servants of India and neighbouring countries.During the discussion, the statement says, Lankan President requested that the NCGG extend the necessary help to Sri Lanka based on India's experience of digital governance and participatory policymaking to ensure faster socio-economic development and high economic growth."The discussions centred on the NCGG's support for Sri Lanka in policy reforms, utilization of digital technology, capacity building, good governance, and institution building. They believed that this would aid Sri Lanka in strengthening its institutions and that the country is eager to learn and utilize India's successful governance model to achieve high economic growth," reads the statement.The Indian delegation met several senior civil servants of Sri Lanka, said the statement, adding "Everyone is keen to know how Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a new governance model to eradicate poverty, ensure high-quality services, assured public service delivery, environmental protection, inclusion and equity, transparency and accountability, and high economic growth."Sri Lanka is keen to learn policy-driven governance model of India and the massive use of digital technology in the planning, execution, and monitoring of various programmes and projects.During a series of meetings set up by the President's office, top civil servants expressed their appreciation for the sustained assistance that India has provided to Sri Lanka during its recent unprecedented economic crisis.Bharat Lal spoke about the Prime Minister's mantra of 'neighbourhood first' and highlighted the special relationship India - Sri Lanka have. He also stressed the critical role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and vision, as well as his emphasis on good governance, in ensuring efficient, effective, and technology-driven public service delivery.The Indian delegation emphasized the positive impact of digital technology in promoting transparency, equity, inclusion, and accountability.Among India's moves shared with Sri Lanka for economic growth was the automation of processes which has eliminated the need for physical interactions between individuals and officers, effectively reducing opportunities for corrupt practices, the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) which is a prime example of how process automation can bring speed and scale to development schemes.By directly transferring cash benefits to beneficiaries' Jan Dhan Yojana bank accounts, it was informed, the program eliminated the role of middlemen and, consequently, opportunities for corrupt practices.The DBT was powered by the 'JAM Trinity' of Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile. The unique digital ID, Aadhaar, provided to each citizen streamlined the identification of genuine beneficiaries and eliminated ghost beneficiaries.Digitalization has made a significant difference in the implementation of various developmental programs and the provision of public services, as evidenced by the recent growth in both direct and indirect taxes.The DG also provided an example of the robust e-monitoring system of the Jal Jeevan Mission on the dashboard, which uses sensor-based IoT devices.The NCGG was set up in 2014 by the Government of India as an apex-level autonomous institution to focus on good governance, policy reforms, training, and capacity building of civil servants of the country as well as of other developing countries. NCGG also works as a think tank. It has taken up capacity building of civil servants of several developing countries in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.ANI05 April 2023 Shared Recently! No charges to be pressed in violent killing of Indo-Canadian activist Toronto, April 4: Crown prosecutors in Canada's British Columbia province have decided not to press any charges in the violent killing of Indo-Canadian activist and filmmaker Manbir Mani Amar in 2022, media reports said. No charges to be pressed in violent killing of Indo-Canadian activist Amar, a 40 year-old father of three, was fatally injured on August 31, 2022 during a physical altercation between two neighbours, leading to the arrest of one person.British Columbia (BC) Prosecution spokesperson Dan McLaughlin told Global News that the case didn't meet the standard for charge assessment according to the Crown."The BC prosecution Service can confirm that, after carefully reviewing all the investigative materials submitted by IHIT (Integrated Homicide Investigation Team) investigators, no charges were approved in the case," McLaughlin said.When conducting charge assessment, prosecutors must weigh both whether the case has a substantial likelihood of conviction and whether it is in the public interest, he said."In determining whether this test is satisfied, Crown Counsel must consider what material evidence is likely to be admissible and available at a trial; the objective reliability of the admissible evidence; and whether there are viable defences, or other legal or constitutional impediments to the prosecution, that remove any substantial likelihood of a conviction," McLaughlin told Global News.He, however, did not say what exactly did not meet the prosecution service's standards to proceed in Amar's case."This was an isolated incident between two neighbours, tragically this situation escalated to a point where a life was taken," Sergeant Timothy Pierotti of IHIT had said after the incident.Amar had produced documentaries and short films focusing on guns and gangs in Vancouver. His 2009 award-winning documentary, "A Warrior's Religion" provided an insight into the gang life in Vancouver's South Asian communities.The IMDB describes his feature film "Footsteps Into Gangland", as "an adaptation of true events that shattered Metro Vancouver's South Asian community".IANS05 April 2023 Shared Recently! India monitoring developments having direct impact on national interest, says Foreign Secy New Delhi, April 4: Indian on Tuesday said that it is closely monitoring developments which have a direct impact on its national interest, in respect to China. India monitoring developments having direct impact on national interest, says Foreign Secy Foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra, briefing media persons about visiting Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said that the "government very closely follows all developments which have a bearing on our national interest and we would take all necessary measures to safeguard them as necessary".His response came to to a question on whether the Bhutanese side briefed the Indian side on China.Bhutan is a strategically important country for India and the defence and security ties between the two sides have witnessed significant expansion in the last few years.During his meeting with the Bhutan king, Prime Minister Modi assured the Himalayan kingdom of help to support its upcoming 13th five-year plan and also promised to extend an additional standby credit facility.India has been helping Bhutan in its five-year plan periods since 1961.During the peak of Coronavirus pandemic, India had sent vaccines to Bhutan.India-Bhutan ties have witnessed an upward trajectory in the backdrop of the 2017 Doklam stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops which had lasted for 73 days.India had objected to China's attempts of extending a road in an area, which Bhutan claimed belonged to it. This led to the stand-off.Doklam holds strategic importance for India.The stand-off was resolved after several rounds of talks between India and China.Subsequently in October 2021, Bhutan and China signed an agreement to expedite their long standing border dispute. Both nations share a 400-km long boundary.The Bhutan king had visited India last year also on a transit visit in September.IANS05 April 2023 Shared Recently! Skyroot Aerospace test fires 3D printed cryogenic engine successfully Chennai, April 4: Private rocket maker Skyroot Aerospace on Tuesday said it had successfully test fired its 3D printed cryogenic engine called Dhawan-II for 200 seconds. Skyroot Aerospace test fires 3D printed cryogenic engine successfully According to Skyroot Aerospace, the test was done at Solar Industries propulsion test facility in Nagpur, Maharashtra using the company's indigenously developed mobile cryogenic engine test pad.This achievement follows the November 2022 launch of Vikram - S, which made Skyroot the first Indian private company to send a rocket into space."The successful test of Dhawan-II is a landmark achievement for Skyroot and the Indian private space sector. We are proud to be at the forefront in developing cutting edge cryogenic technologies in the private space sector of India, and pushing the limit with advanced technologies like 3D printing and green propellants," Pawan Kumar Chandana, Co-founder and CEO of Skyroot Aerospace said.The Dhawan-II engine builds upon the foundation laid by Skyroot's first privately developed fully-cryogenic rocket engine, the 1.0 kN (kilo Newton) thrust Dhawan a" I, which was successfully test fired in November 2021.The cryogenic engine series is named in honour of Dr. Satish Dhawan, an eminent Indian rocket scientist who played a crucial role in the development of the Indian Space Programme.Naga Bharath Daka, co-founder and COO of Skyroot Aerospace, added "This is a major milestone for our cryogenic propulsion programme, which will enhance the payload capacity of the Vikram series of space launch vehicles (rockets), making them more modular so as to meet wider customer requirements."According to Padmashri awardee V. Gnanagandhi, and veteran rocket scientist who leads liquid and cryogenic propulsion at Skyroot Aerospace, it is encouraging to have achieved continuous firing of 200 seconds with stable combustion."Our 3D printed Dhawan - II engine also uses a 3D printed torch igniter and a bellow actuated cryo-injection valve with quick response time. It is a remarkable achievement by our team and we could get valuable data for next generation cryogenic engine technology with LNG as fuel," Gnanagandhi said.IANS05 April 2023 Shared Recently! The Orange County Board of Supervisors has released its proposed budget for the 2024 fiscal year, which includes a 9.8% overall increase in spending and one notable omission from the countys contributions to external entities. Deputy County Administrator Glenda Bradley presented the proposed budget during the March 28 board of supervisors meeting. The total for all funds proposed in the 2024 fiscal year is $143.5 million, an increase of $12.8 million from the previous year. Changes in funding to external entities and regional funding are planned to increase by $110,929 and mostly comprise incremental increases to previously funded organizations, with one significant exception: the Arts Center in Orange. The proposed budget includes no funding for the nonprofit organization, compared to the $9,000 originally adopted for the 2023 fiscal year. The decision not to fund the Arts Center in the upcoming year follows a previous move by supervisors to return a $4,500 Virginia Commission for the Arts grant to the state that had been previously designated for the organization. On Jan. 24, supervisors voted 4-1 without discussion to return the funds, after social media controversy regarding a fashion design class taught by a local drag performer which was scheduled to take place at the arts center but subsequently canceled. At the time of the initial decision, Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairman Mark Johnson wrote in an email, The Board felt that the Arts Center was hosting or promoting certain programming that a majority of Orange County citizens would not support. Johnson did not say which programming was at issue. The Orange County Review has obtained a copy of the results of a Freedom of Information Act request submitted to the board by a private individual for correspondences related to the Arts Center. In an email dated Jan. 14, Johnson replied to a message opposing the class by Orange County School Board Member Chelsea Quintern, thanking her for the information and saying he intended to follow up on it. A forwarded version of the email sent by Johnson to an Arts Center board member the same day simply said, Really? On Jan. 18, Johnson responded to an email from an individual who requested that the county cease funding to the Arts Center, including an exhortation to protect children from adults who prey on them with sexually explicit agendas. Johnson said that he agreed with the individuals comments and outlined the boards plan to defund the center thorough the countys budget process. Since then, no public discussion has occurred by supervisors regarding potential ongoing funding of the Arts Center in future fiscal years, including during Tuesdays meeting. In response to a recent request for comment, Voorhees said, A budget request was submitted for FY24 by the Arts Center in Orange. Because it is not proposed for funding, the grant application paperwork has not been submitted to the VCA. When asked who had made the decision not to propose funding for the Arts Center in the upcoming fiscal year, Johnson responded that the Board of Supervisors make [sic] all decisions as to discretionary funding and that the decision was to continue the Arts Center funding. Johnson also said that the list of groups funded is by no means exhaustive nor meant to reward one group or punish another and that the Board of Supervisors has never presumed to tell any of these groups how to conduct their spending but as with any discretionary spending, the Board can choose to increase, decrease, or eliminate funding to any specific entity. Johnson declined to provide any further explanation for the decision to remove the nonprofit organization from the budget. The Arts Center is the only entity in 2024 fiscal year to have its funding eliminated, and a search of the county website shows that Orange County has included the Arts Center in its budgets every year since at least 2012. Programs at the nonprofit center include exhibits, classes and outreach to organizations such as Dogwood Village Senior Living, Orange County Head Start and the Boys and Girls Club of Orange. In response for a request for comment, Arts Center Executive Director Anna Pillow confirmed that the center had submitted a request for funding to the county in late December and she had not received any communications from the county about the request since that time. Other proposed changes to the county budget include an increase in the cigarette tax rate from 12 cents per pack to the maximum allowed rate of 40 cents. During its 2020 session, the Virginia General Assembly authorized localities to impose their own cigarette taxes of no more than 40 cents per pack. The county projects an estimated $417,956 in additional revenue in fiscal year 2024 stemming from the proposed change. Personal property tax increases on automobiles, trucks and motorcycles will increase 50 cents, from $3.25 to $3.75 per $100 of assessed value. County Administrator Theodore Voorhees said that the higher rate is in response to falling vehicle values over the past year. Even with the increase, the county anticipates a reduction of approximately $1.3 million in revenue from automobile taxes in the 2024 fiscal year. Initially, the budget included an increase in real estate taxes of 3 cents per $100 of assessed value. However, the board decided to shift the increase to personal property to allow the real estate tax to remain at the current rate of 61 cents per $100 of assessed value. An updated list of proposed tax rates can be found on the countys website. Budget priorities for the 2024 fiscal year include funding two new fire department rescue engines, increased staffing and contributions to further the development of the Orange County Broadband Authority. In addition, the county plans to increase the minimum wage for its employees to $15 per hour, falling in line with Virginia Code which mandates a $15-per-hour minimum wage to be implemented statewide no later than Jan. 1, 2026. The Orange County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing during its meeting on April 18 to receive comments on the proposed budget and tax rates. The meeting will take place at 5 p.m. in the board room of the Orange County Public Safety Building at 11282 Government Center Drive in Orange. Written comments should be submitted to Alyson Simpson at asimpson@orangecountyva.gov or P.O. Box 111 in Orange no later than April 18 at noon. A livestream of the meeting will be available online. A vote on the proposed budget is scheduled to take place one week later on April 25. For more information, call the county administrators office at (540) 672-3313. Stalin asks PM Modi to exclude Cauvery Delta belt from coal mine auction Chennai, April 4: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to exclude the state's Cauvery Delta region from the coal bidding process to protect the interest of the farmers. Stalin asks PM Modi to exclude Cauvery Delta belt from coal mine auction The Union government had last week commenced the launch of the seventh round of bidding process for commercial coal to increase the availability of the dry fuel in the country.Of these, three mining areas that were notified were in Tamil Nadu - Sethiathoppu in Cuddalore, Michealpatti in Ariyalur, and Vadaseri in Thanjavur.The Chief Minister, in the letter to the Prime Minister, said "Delta areas should be excluded from the coal bidding process. No approval was obtained from the state government before issuing the notification in this regard and the state government was not even consulted. Unfortunately, the Union Coal Ministry is acting arbitrarily."The three mining areas in Tamil Nadu, Sethialathoppu in Cuddalore, Michealpatti in Ariyalur, and Vadaseri in Thanjavur - should be excluded from the auction process due to the presence of valuable farmer's land and food security of the people.""It is also emphasized that the state government should be consulted by ministries of the Union government before issuing such public announcements."All three coal mining blocks in Tamil Nadu fall under the Cauvery Delta area of Tamil Nadu with Vadaseri and East Sethiathope falling within the Protected Agriculture Zone under the Tamil Nadu Protected Agriculture Zone Development Act 2020. The Michaelpatti block falls under a major paddy growing area adjoining a very fertile part of the Cauvery Delta.Stalin, in his letter, also noted that under Section 4(1) of the Tamil Nadu Protected Agriculture Zone Development Act 2020, " no person shall undertake any new project or new activity specified in the Second Schedule in the protected agriculture zone".He said that the projects covered in the Second Schedule and thus prohibited include exploration, drilling, and extraction of oil and natural gas including coal-bed based methane, shale gas, and other hydrocarbons.Stalin said that the present bid conditions include the exploitation of coal bed methane and hence are covered within the prohibition of the Tamil Nadu Agriculture Zone Development Act 2020. He said that this means that even if the tender process is conducted and a successful bidder is identified, it would not be possible to take up the mining project.He also wrote that this implies that the auction process was a wasteful exercise as far as the identified blocks in Tamil Nadu are concerned.Meanwhile, state Agriculture Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam told media persons at the Secretariat on Tuesday that the DMK-led government will not allow any projects like mining in the Delta region."Farmers in the protected agriculture zone need not fear the notification. The Chief Minister is committed to protecting farmers and banning mines. So there is no need to worry about it," he said.IANS05 April 2023 Shared Recently! Ex-Dy Mayor smells scam in World Bank-funded Shimla water supply utility Shimla, April 4: Smelling nexus among politicians, bureaucrats and a private company, former Shimla Municipal Corporation Deputy Mayor Tikender Singh Panwar on Tuesday demanded a probe into the affairs of the Shimla Jal Nigam Prabandhan Ltd (SJNPL), a water utility created in 2018 to pump the Satluj river water, with the World Bank help, and supply to the state capital. Ex-Dy Mayor smells scam in World Bank-funded Shimla water supply utility In a missive to Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, Panwar pointed out violations in running the utility and sought probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and ensure those who have "swindled swathes of money" are taken to task -- the politicians, bureaucrats, and officers."If you are able to look into some of the files, particularly the letters that I have written to your office, you would realise that this utility has become a space for opaque deals, corruption, and cronyism of the worst order."Pointing out at the "performance-based contract" that was put on hold and struck out because of incessant voices raised by many who want a fair amount of transparency in running such utilities, the CPI-M leader said the CAG, in a report tabled in the Vidhan Sabha on Monday, cited that there is an indictment of the process and the manner in which the SJNPL is being run. "It is a violation of the 74th Constitutional Amendment, as pointed out in the report.""Now, the election to the Shimla Municipal Corporation has been announced. It is scheduled to be held on May 2. I request you ensure that the performance-based contract is put on hold and a team may be constituted to look into the fact as to why the conditions have been changed time and again."I have already pointed out the nexus existing between some of the officers of the utility and a private company that is almost certain of winning the contract. The conditions have been tailored made ensuring a cakewalk for this company."Earlier, Panwar in letter to World Bank Country Director Auguste Tano Kouame demanded reviewing the decision of the bank regarding the Shimla water scheme."The decision of the bank raising pertinent objections to the current tender placed by the SJNPL for the performance-based contract is commendable. I have been raising these issues with the bank and the state government right since the beginning of the tender process."There are blatant violations in the tender process that suggest deep connivance of officials of the water utility with a particular company that is almost certain to win the contract."Tikender told the media that there is need to scrap the SJNPL that has been registered under the Companies Act by the previous BJP government.He said renaming the utility as it was done in 2016-17, Greater Shimla Water Supply and Sewage Circle (GSWSSC) and transfer the entire utility to the Shimla Municipal Corporation, which is and should have been the sole agency to run water and sewage utility in Shimla town, as mandated under the 74th Constitutional Amendment.As per the project with an outlay of $250 million (Rs 1,813 crore), it will cater to the demand of Shimla Planning Area, comprising suburbs Kufri, Ghannatti and Shoghi, for an estimated population of 4.13 lakh by 2050.As per records of the state Urban Development, Shimla, planned for a maximum population of 16,000 during the British Raj, is now home to 2.47 lakh people with a floating population of 75,000 as per the census of 2011.For over a decade this tourist town has been getting water supply once in two or three days, largely during the peak summer. In some localities, the water supply is once a week.IANS05 April 2023 Shared Recently! PM Modi to visit Hyderabad on April 8, Telangana BJP upbeat Hyderabad, April 4: The BJP's preparations for Telangana Assembly elections scheduled later this year are likely to get a boost with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Hyderabad on April 8 during which he is expected to address a public meeting and launch various development projects. PM Modi to visit Hyderabad on April 8, Telangana BJP upbeat The BJP leaders expect that PM Modi's visit will boost their morale in the runup to the Assembly elections. The party expects that he will set the tone for the party's poll campaign.The Prime Minister is expected to launch an attack on Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government for its various acts of omissions and commissions.PM Modi is likely to target BRS and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao over corruption, especially in the wake of questioning of his daughter K. Kavitha by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi liquor policy scam.He is also likely to hit out at the BRS government over the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) paper leak, which has heated up the state politics.The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also taken up state-wide protests over the paper leak, alleging involvement of KCR's son and state minister K.T. Rama Rao.The Telangana unit of the BJP has huge expectations from PM Modi's visit in view of his recent statement about the state."In the south, we have always been strong in Karnataka and in Telangana, people now have confidence only in one party, BJP, and in Andhra Pradesh also people are looking towards us," Modi had said on March 28 while inaugurating the residential complex of the party in Delhi.Modi will be launching various railway projects at Secunderabad Railway Station and later a public meeting at Parade Grounds in Secunderabad.Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G. Kishan Reddy along with state BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar and party MP K. Laxman on Tuesday visited Secunderabad Railway Station and Parade Grounds to take stock of the preparations for the Prime Minister's visit.Kishan Reddy, who is also an MP from Secunderabad, said the PM would lay the foundation stone for the re-development of Secunderabad Railway Station. The station is being revamped at a cost of Rs 719 crore and will provide world-class railway infrastructure and amenities.He will also lay the foundation stone of the new block of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) at a cost of Rs 1,336 crore.Kishan Reddy said this would give a big boost to health infrastructure in Telangana. The expansion and new facilities include academic blocks, auditorium, staff quarters, hostels and guest houses. The hospital block renovation is also underway.Meanwhile, Telangana Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari on Tuesday reviewed arrangements for PM Modi's visit. She instructed the officials to make foolproof arrangements.Presiding over a coordination meeting, she said that all the departments have to work in close coordination and make the brief visit of the Prime Minister a success.The police have to make adequate security arrangements, law and order, traffic and bandobast arrangements as per the blue book.The fire department was asked to arrange adequate fire fighting equipment and fire tenders should be positioned at the venue. Medical staff, ambulances and other facilities should be kept ready at all the venues.The Chief Secretary asked officials to repair roads to be used by the Prime Minister's convoy. Uninterrupted power supply at all the venues should be ensured, she said.DGP Anjani Kumar, senior police officers and officials from various departments including railways attended the meeting.IANS05 April 2023 Shared Recently! Pawan Kalyan meets Nadda, no clarity yet on alliance Amaravati, April 4: Actor-politician Pawan Kalyan on Tuesday met BJP national President J. P. Nadda in New Delhi but said more talks were required to decide on the electoral alliance for the next year's elections in Andhra Pradesh. Pawan Kalyan meets Nadda, no clarity yet on alliance On the second day of his visit to the national capital, the Jana Sena Party (JSP) leader met Nadda and discussed the latest political situation in Andhra Pradesh. JSP Political Affairs Committee Chairman Nadendla Manohar was also present.After the meeting, Pawan Kalyan told media persons that from the beginning, they were looking for stability with regard to Andhra Pradesh. He said it would be difficult to say at this stage to what extent they have clarity with the BJP. He, however, said they were moving ahead with the goal of coming to power."Our agenda is a YSRCP-free Andhra Pradesh. BJP's agenda is also the same. We discussed the issue of making Andhra Pradesh YSRCP-free from all angles," he said.Pawan Kalyan hoped that the talks he held with the BJP leaders during the last two days would yield good results in future.The JSP leader said there would be a plan to free people of Andhra Pradesh from the rule of the YSRCP. He said their party's preference is to see that anti-YSRCP votes are not divided.Pawan Kalyan said JSP was trying to strengthen itself and BJP should take organisational decisions to strengthen itself. He said he discussed with Nadda the anti-constitutional rule, corruption, and clashes in Andhra Pradesh.The JSP leader is likely to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and some other leaders on Wednesday.IANS05 April 2023 Shared Recently! Assam BJP MLA urges PM Modi to demolish Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar Guwahati, April 4: As National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) revised its books for various classes, including the Class 12 History textbook by omitting the chapters on the Mughal empire, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator from Assam on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to demolish monuments such as Taj Mahal and Qutub Minar. Assam BJP MLA urges PM Modi to demolish Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar "I urge the Prime Minister to immediately demolish the Taj Mahal and Qutub Minar. In place of these two monuments, the world's most beautiful temples should be built. The architecture of those two temples should be such that no other monuments could be even closer to them," the legislator said.Kurmi further said that he is ready to donate at least his one-and-a-half year's salary for construction of the temples.The latest change would apply to all the schools in the country that follow the syllabus of the NCERT.The NCERT said that the changes will be applicable from the current academic session -- 2023-2024.Notably, in the latest changes in the Class 12 syllabus, the chapters related to the Mughal Empire were omitted from History textbooks by NCERT, while a few poems and paragraphs were also removed from the Hindi book.The "Themes of Indian History-Part II" textbook's chapters on the Mughal Court, monarchs, and their history have been eliminated from the updated curriculum.It is to be mentioned that Rupjyoti Kurmi, four-time MLA and once an ardent critic of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, switched from the Congress to the BJP in June 2021.He earlier won the Mariani assembly seat on Congress ticket.After joining the BJP, Kurmi was re-elected to the Assembly from the same constituency.IANS05 April 2023 Shared Recently! Treasury benches did not allow debate on budget: Chidambaram New Delhi, April 5: Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Wednesday said that the treasury benches did not allow debate in Parliament on the budget. Treasury benches did not allow debate on budget: Chidambaram Chidambaram statement comes after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the discussion on budget did not happen.Chidambaram said, "Who was responsible for the Budget being passed without debate? It is for the first time in Indian parliamentary history that the Treasury Benches started the din and disruption and forestalled debate."He further said according to the World Bank, the five year average growth of the Modi government (2019-2024) will be 4.08 per cent and even the sequential annual growth rates after the Corona-affected year show a declining trend"The only one boasting about the growth rate is the Government" he added.A World Bank report released on Tuesday said India's GDP is expected to slide down to 6.3 per cent in 2023-24 as against its earlier estimate of 6.6 per cent, mainly due to consumption falling owing to higher borrowing costs.Since May last year, the Reserve Bank of India has been hiking interest rates to control inflation.In its 'India Development Update', the World Bank said that economic growth is likely to be impacted due to sluggish consumption growth, coupled with challenging external factors."Rising borrowing costs and slower income growth will weigh on private consumption growth and government consumption is projected to grow at a slower pace due to the withdrawal of pandemic-related fiscal support measures," it said.According to the report, India's current account deficit is also likely to come down to 2.1 per cent in 2023-24, as against 3 per cent in 2022-23.IANS05 April 2023 Shared Recently! Editors Note: Exhibits shares information about exhibitions presented on display or online in Charlottesville and Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison, Nelson and Orange counties. Items must be received by noon Friday for the next weeks issue. Include the opening and closing dates of your exhibit and a telephone number the public may call with questions. Send your information to jsathe@dailyprogress.com. The Arts Center in Orange: artscenterinorange.com. (540) 672-7311. The Barn Swallow: 796 Gillums Ridge Road in Charlottesville. thebarnswallow.com. Botanical Fare Restaurant: Paths and Roads by Julia Kindred can be seen through April 24. botanicalfare.com. Cville Arts Cooperative Gallery: Gourd Art by Vyvyan Rundgren, Aprils featured artist, will be on view during April; she will be there for a First Fridays reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday. 118 E. Main St. (434) 972-9500. The Center at Belvedere: Hours: 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday and Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; closed Saturday and Sunday. https://thecentercville.org/. Central Library: A Retrospective in Calligraphy by Terry M. Coffey, a celebration of words to delight, soothe and inspire, is on view through May 15. www,jmrl.org. (434) 979-7151. Chroma Projects: Pam Black: Architecture of the Field Redux will be on view from Friday through April 28; a First Fridays reception is set for 5 to 7 p.m. Friday. Gallery is open for viewing from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays at Vault Virginia on Third Street Southeast, just off the Downtown Mall. artlab@chroma projects.com. chromaprojects.com. Crozet Artisan Depot: Aprils guest artists will be Karla Murphy of Barboursville, a botanical artist who works with pressed flowers and plants, and Michelle Nevarr of Crozet, whose show, Gypsy Soul Jewels, includes her sterling silver and aluminum creations with glass beads and natural stones. A Meet the Artist Event is set for 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday. crozetartisandepot.com. Cuppa Joe Coffee: Paintings and etchings by Tom Tartaglino on display at 90 Joshua Lane in Palmyra. Hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. (434) 906-4172. Firnew Farm Artists Circle: firnew farmartistscircle@gmail.com. The Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia: Processing Abstraction, NDakinna Landscapes Acknowledged and Look Three Ways: Maya Painted Pottery can be seen through Dec. 31. Look for an upcoming artist talk by Cara Romero at a later date. uvafralinartmuseum.virginia.edu. The Gallery at Studio Ix: A Moment to Exhale, a group photography exhibition presented by the Charlottesville Black Arts Collective, will be on view from Friday through April 30, with an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday and an Artist Talk & Happy Hour at 5 p.m. April 20. Look for photographs by Benita Mayo, Kori Price and Derrick J. Walker. Face coverings must be worn when entering the Studio IX building and at all times in the gallery. Gallery hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. studioix.co. (434) 242-0905. The Guild Gallery: 300 E. Main St. (434) 227-1333. Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection will display James Tylor: From an Untouched Landscape through June 23. Learn more at kluge-ruhe.org. Performing Country, an exhibition of never-before-seen works from the museums permanent collection, is on view through March 3, 2024. Tours have resumed and will be led for free by volunteer guides at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. each day the museum is open. Longer tour experiences for groups will be available for purchase. Masks are required. Make reservations at kluge-ruhe.org. 400 Worrell Drive. (434) 244-0234. The Looking Glass: Arts from Underground programmed community events begin with artmaking from 7 to 11 p.m. Thursdays and karaoke starting at 8 p.m. Event includes free art-making opportunities and free admission to The Looking Glass. Craft cocktails are available at a cash bar. Ix Art Park Foundation has opened a major expansion of its immersive art museum featuring works by new and returning artists. ixartpark.org. Louisa Arts Center: Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays at 212 Fredericksburg Ave. in Louisa. louisaarts.org. (540) 967-2200. Loving Cup Vineyard and Winery: Vineyards and Springtime, acrylic, pastel and oil paintings by Matalie Deane and Julia Kindred, will be on view through May 28. A reception is set for 2 to 4 p.m. April 28. Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays through Sundays. (434) 984-0774. McGuffey Art Center: First Fridays will include performances by guitarist Johnny Clark and song stylist Blair Jones from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday. Exhibitions through April 30 include Beverley Street Artists: Group 6, featuring artists Lindsay Freedman, Janly Jaggard, June Jordan, Joan Ranzini, Krista Townsend and Christine Watts, in the Smith Gallery; Traveling the Nile, oil paintings by Blake Hurt, in the First-Floor North Gallery; Nature, large-format ceramic tile paintings by Scott Supraner, in the First-Floor South Gallery; Wasteland Revisited, mixed-media works by David Borszich, in the Second-Floor North Gallery; Collage, the McGuffey Members Exhibition, in the Second-Floor South Gallery; and Rhymes in the Associate Gallery. Artist Talk with Group 6, Connections Studio Practice to Shows, will be at 3 p.m. April 16. mcguffeyartcenter.com. McIntire Connaughton Gallery: Healing Nature, works in acrylic on canvas and oil on canvas by Henry Wingate and Rick Morrow, will be on view through June 15 on the third floor of Rouss & Robertson halls. Public parking is available in the Central Grounds Parking Garage. Piedmont Virginia Community College: pvcc.edu/performingarts. (434) 961-5362. Pour la maison: Reflections, new paintings by Steve Deupree, on display through April 15. pourlamaisoncville.com. (434) 284-8706. Random Row Brewery: Spring, oils and watermedia by Terry M. Coffey and pastels and oils by Carolyn Ratcliffe can be seen through April 30. Hours: 4:30 to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 4:30 to 11 p.m. Fridays, noon to 11 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 8 p.m. Sundays. Revalation Vineyards: Farm Life: Oil Paintings by Randy Baskerville will be on view through May 3. (540) 469-0703. Saint Johns Episcopal Church: Latin Connection, photographs by Glenn Nash, opens Saturday and runs through May 27 at 410 Harrison St. in Scottsville. Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital: Works by Piedmont Pastelists members can be seen on the second and third floors Wednesday through June 4 at 500 Martha Jefferson Drive. Visitors are required to check in at the main desk. Unitarian Universalist Church of Charlottesville: Developing, works by Levonne Yountz, can be seen through April. Hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays. (434) 293-8179. University of Virginia Hospital: Serenity, photographs by Emily Allred, is on view through May 3 in the lobby. Woodberry Forest School: Elizabeth, Phillip & Martin Geiger: Paintings, oils on canvas, can be seen through Thursday in Baker Gallery in the Walker Fine Arts Center. www.woodberry.org/arts/baker-gallery. Les Yeux du Monde: Russ Warren: The Denial of Death will be on view through April 30. Luncheon and talk with Warren will begin at 12:30 p.m. April 16. LYDM.co. (434) 882-2622. UN vows to rid Somalia of threat from explosive ordnance Mogadishu, April 5: The United Nations has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting efforts to rid Somalia of the threat from explosive ordnance. UN vows to rid Somalia of threat from explosive ordnance Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Somalia, Anita Kiki Gbeho, on Tuesday expressed commitment to a mine-free Somalia."Whether measured in the number of casualties or the scope of economic impediment, the toll being paid by ordinary Somalis because of the dangers posed by explosive ordnance is too high a price to pay," Gbeho said in a statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, to mark the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.She added the UN in Somalia remains committed to working with Somali authorities and local and international partners to protect civilians and foster peace, security, and development in Somalia, Xinhua news agency reported.More than 1,200 Somali civilians were killed or injured in 2022 due to explosive ordnance, including explosive remnants of war, landmines, and improvised explosive devices, according to the UN.It said the explosive ordnance contamination hinders economic recovery and development by making contaminated areas off-limits and preventing access to local livelihoods and essential services, as well as inhibiting people's freedom of movement."On this international day, we especially recognise the courage and dedication of the mine action operators and their commitment to creating a safe and secure environment for all Somalis," Gbeho said.According to the UN, explosive ordnance contamination also hampers the delivery of humanitarian assistance, which is vital in some areas of Somalia due to the ongoing drought.The UN mission said it works hand-in-hand with the Somali government and its federal member states to mitigate the impact of explosive ordnance. At the same time, it works to enhance the capacity of Somali security institutions to lead and coordinate the mine action response. The support includes the provision of explosive ordnance risk reduction, survey and clearance activities, and advocacy and capacity development initiatives to promote adherence to international legal instruments.IANS05 April 2023 Shared Recently! Xi tells Chinese its imperative to be guided only by Xi thought Beijing, April 4: Is it narcissism or the height of self-gratification and authoritarianism when the supreme leader of a country begins to teach his people about himself? That is precisely what President Xi Jinping was up to at a meeting in Beijing recently. Xi tells Chinese it's imperative to be guided only by Xi thought The high-level meeting was convened to study and implement Xi Jinping's new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics theme education work. The highlight was Xi Jinping delivered an important speech emphasizing the importance of the campaign for the study and implementation of Xi Jinping Thoughts on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.Xi said in his opening remarks "We should take this thematic education campaign as an opportunity to strengthen the arming of the Party with its innovative theory, constantly raise the level of Marxism across the whole Party, constantly improve the Party's governing ability and leadership level, concentrate on forging ahead in a new journey, work hard and move forward courageously, and work together to build a comprehensively modern socialist country and promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation."A group led by PBSC member Cai Qi was set up for studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thoughts.First, Xi says that the campaign is an important measure to implement the spirit of the 20th Party Congress. This spirit is embodied in Xi's Thoughts. That is how the campaign is expected to work wonders for the people."It is of great significance to unify the thinking of the whole Party, resolve prominent problems existing within the Party, always maintain flesh and blood ties between the Party and the people, and promote the development of the cause of the Party and country."The President did not leave it at that. He suggested what should be elements of the campaign.According to Xi, it should "make great efforts to promote the study and implementation of Xi's thought", educate and guide Party members and officials to thoroughly rectify/cleanse/renew their ideological roots and consolidate and cultivate their foundations, improve political judgement, political understanding, and political execution, strengthen the four consciousness and four self-confidence and achieve the two safeguards, and always maintain a high degree of alignment with the CPC Central Committee in thought, politics and actions. It is basically telling the party workers to be loyal to the leader and so, to the party.Xi insisted at the meeting on what the people and party cadres should achieve in learning about him and his Thought "It is necessary to educate and guide Party cadres to establish a correct view of power, achievements and career, enhance their sense of responsibility and mission, constantly improve their ability to promote high-quality development, serve the masses, prevent and resolve risks, strengthen the cultivation of the fighting spirit and fighting skills, and encourage them to forge ahead and take on responsibilities." The study of Xi's Thought, understandably, leads to the correct understanding of power equations in China.The President was of the view that apart from himself and his thoughts, the people should respect the Chinese Communist Party without asking any questions."It is necessary to educate and guide Party organisations at all levels and the Party cadres to highlight the problem orientation, identify the shortcomings and gaps, be clear about the direction, accept the political examination, clean up the political dust, correct deviations in behaviour, solve the prominent problems related to thought and organisational impurity, and constantly enhance the Party's ability of self-purification, self-perfection, self-innovation and self-improvement so that our Party will always be full of vitality and become the strong leadership core of the cause of Socialism with Chinese characteristics."An extensive news report in the Chinese media outlet, People's Daily which published the President's speech in full, says "In the second paragraph, Xi stresses the importance of comprehensively studying and understanding Xi's thought and the need to 'fully and systematically grasp its basic viewpoints and scientific system, grasp its world outlook and methodology, adhere to and make good use of the stances, viewpoints and methods that run through it, and constantly enhance our political, ideological, theoretical and emotional identification with the Party's innovative theories, truly learn the essential skills of Marxism and consciously use the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to guide all our work'."How does the President expect his thoughts to help his people? In his own words "Use the thought to transform your subjective world, i.e., use it to strengthen ideals and beliefs, enhance ideological horizons and strengthen Party spirit training, and always maintain the political nature of the Chinese communists."He tells his people their deliverance depends on how deeply they ingrain elements of the Thought in their thoughts "Use the thought to transform the objective world, i.e., advance our cause, actively recognise and respond to changes, resolve problems in economic and social development and Party building, guard against and defuse major risks, and make new progress and breakthroughs in Chinese-style modernisation."The President also determined the new goalposts of the people as they embrace his Thought "...so that the whole Party maintains unified thinking, the firm will, coordinated actions, and strong combat effectiveness..."He had a final piece of advice to the people on his Thought's importance "It is necessary to temper character and strengthen loyalty, educate and guide Party cadres to temper their political character, take the Party's banner as the banner, the Party's will as the will, and the Party's mission as the mission, always be loyal to the Party, the people and Marxism, sincerely love the Party, always be concerned about the Party, firmly protect the Party, and make every effort to revitalise the Party."ANI05 April 2023 Shared Recently! Meet DINK - The Official Drink of Pickleballers JERSEY SHORE, Pa: DINK, the first-of-its-kind pickleball recovery drink, today announced its official release in three refreshing flavors - lemon lime, orange and pineapple. Made with all natural ingredients, DINK marries lighthearted hydration with minerals and electrolytes to replenish and recharge pickleball players, while also supplying pickleball lifestyle apparel and gear featuring the brand's mascot, the Volley Llama. Meet DINK - The Official Drink of Pickleballers The spirited and playful spokesllama is featured on vibrant apparel, including limited edition tees, jackets, performance gear, equipment and more.Players and fans will also be able to find DINK at courts across the country, as DINK and USA Pickleball entered into a multi-year agreement, announced today. The three-year partnership, with DINK serving as the Official Isotonic Beverage of USA Pickleball, will begin this spring. As part of the sponsorship, DINK will be featured at all national and regional tournaments, both for professional and amateur players, as well as on marketing promotions and other key moments.DINK, from the premium beverages to our lifestyle line, is formulated specifically for pickleballers, said Joe Feerrar, Co-Founder, DINK. As avid pickleball players and fans, it was important for Abby and me to create a product that celebrates the camaraderie and upbeat energy of the game, while providing delicious beverages that meet the needs of this growing sport. We are thrilled to partner with USA Pickleball and the Inaugural Pickleball Slam to introduce DINK to the pickleball community.Available for purchase through its website www.dinkthedrink.com, you can also find DINK and the Volley Llama at marquee events, includingThe inaugural 2023 Pickleball Slam is a first-of-its-kind event, featuring American tennis icons -John McEnroe, Andre Agassi, Andy Rodick, and Michael Chang - competing live on ESPN for a $1M purse, Sunday, April 2 at 1200 PM ET at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL. The weekend also includes the Slam Amateur Challenge on March 31 and April 1, featuring 96 doubles teams vying for a chance to win a $10,000 team prize and the opportunity to play against the tennis Hall of Famers. For more information, tickets to the Pickleball Slam and to register for the Slam Amateur Challenge, visit www.thepickleballslam.com.Marquee USA Pickleball tournaments, including the USA Pickleball National Championships and lead up events, USA Pickleball National Indoor Championships, USA Pickleball Diamond Amateur Championships and select USA Pickleball Regional Championships. For more information, visit www.usapickleball.org.For more information and where to buy DINK and the Volley Llama merchandise, please visit www.dinkthedrink.com or join the conversation on Instagram @dinkthedrink.ABOUT DINKDINK is The Official Drink of Pickleballers. The first-of -its-kind pickleball recovery drink, DINK is packed with replenishing minerals and electrolytes to recharge pickleball players on and off the court. DINK is available in three delicious all natural flavors - lemon lime, orange and pineapple. DINK also boasts a pickleball lifestyle line featuring its spokesllama, the Volley Llama. For more information, visit www.dinkthedrink.comPRN05 April 2023 Shared Recently! UN body wraps up 52nd session with a clutch of human rights resolutions Geneva, April 5: The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has concluded its 52nd session, after adopting 43 resolutions on issues including the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, and mental health. UN body wraps up 52nd session with a clutch of human rights resolutions Other resolutions addressed the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment, promotion and protection of human rights, and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Xinhua news agency reported.The Council also adopted resolutions on the right to food, the promotion of the enjoyment of cultural rights and respect for cultural diversity, the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the 30th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action.Vaclav Balek, President of the UN Human Rights Council, said in his concluding remarks on Tuesday that the body's longest ever session "had done enormous work".Its next session will be held from June 19 to July 14 this year, he announced.IANS05 April 2023 Shared Recently! Israel records highest monthly tourist arrivals since Dec 2019 Jerusalem, April 5: The number of tourists who visited Israel in March reached 3,51,900, said a report issued by the country's Central Bureau of Statistics. Israel records highest monthly tourist arrivals since Dec 2019 This is the highest monthly figure since December 2019. The latest figure reflects the gradual recovery of Israel's inbound tourism since the country opened its borders to vaccinated and recovered tourists in January 2022 and to unvaccinated ones as well two months later.Accordingly, the number of tourists who visited Israel in the first quarter of this year reached 9,16,300, which is about three times the figure in January-March last year, according to the bureau's data published on Tuesday.The number of tourists who arrived in Israel in the first quarter is close to the figure registered in the first quarter of 2019, which was 1.05 million tourists, Xinhua news agency reported.The number of Chinese tourists who arrived in Israel in the first quarter this year rose to 4,200, compared to 500 in the first three months of 2022.IANS05 April 2023 Shared Recently! UN Security Council voices support for peace efforts in Yemen United Nations, April 5: The UN Security Council has expressed strong support for efforts to secure a comprehensive cease-fire and inclusive Yemeni-Yemeni political talks, under the auspices of the UN special envoy for Yemen based on the agreed references and consistent with the relevant Security Council resolutions. UN Security Council voices support for peace efforts in Yemen In a press statement on Tuesday, the council members welcomed the recent agreement between the government of Yemen and the Houthis in Geneva, which provided for the release of hundreds of conflict-related detainees. They looked forward to the implementation of this agreement during the holy month of Ramzan and encouraged continued dialogue and progress on confidence-building measures to work toward a political settlement and ultimately ease the suffering of Yemenis.The council members strongly condemned the recent Houthi escalations and urged them to refrain from provocation and prioritise the Yemeni people. They encouraged the parties to engage constructively in efforts to resolve the conflict through peaceful means and to protect civilians in line with international humanitarian law, Xinhua news agency reported.The council members also expressed support for UN efforts to prevent a catastrophic spill from the Safer oil tanker and called on donors to contribute the remaining $34 million needed to undertake the emergency operation. They reiterated the importance of timely implementation of the project in order to prevent an economic, environmental and humanitarian disaster in the Red Sea and beyond.IANS05 April 2023 Shared Recently! NCERT removes portions related to RSS, Gandhi & Godse from books New Delhi, April 5: National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has removed paragraphs from Class 12 Political Science textbooks that contained information about the ban briefly imposed on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) by the then government after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. NCERT removes portions related to RSS, Gandhi & Godse from books Along with this, paragraphs which stated that Gandhi's quest for Hindu-Muslim unity provoked Hindu extremists have also been removed from the curriculum.Significantly, NCERT had made several changes in the textbooks of Class 6 to Class 12 last year. Among these, chapters titled 'Rise of Popular Movements' and 'Era of One Party Dominance' were removed from Class 12 textbook, 'Politics in India since Independence'.Similarly, chapters on 'Democracy and Diversity', 'Popular Struggles and Movements', and 'Challenges to Democracy' were removed from Class 10 textbook 'Democratic Politics-II'.Significantly, since the last 15 years, Nathuram Godse was referred in the History book of Class 12 as a 'Brahmin from Pune' who assassinated Gandhi, which has been removed now.As per NCERT, they had been receiving complaints of Godse's caste mentioned in the books from CBSE and several state education boards since long, stating that one's caste should not be unnecessarily mentioned in school textbooks.Speaking on the matter in Parliament, Minister of State for Education Annapurna Devi stated that the syllabus of books was rationalised in view of the loss of education in the pandemic and it was done to reduce the stress faced by students.NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani said that the load of textbooks was reduced as the students had suffered a lot in the pandemic and it was an attempt to help the stressed students and as a responsibility towards society and the nation.Along with this, the NCERT has categorically rejected allegations that the changes have been made to suit a particular ideology.New NCERT books have arrived for the new session this year. Last year, many chapters and facts were removed from the books of various subjects in NCERT. With these changes made by NCERT, now these new books are being made available for the students.IANS05 April 2023 Shared Recently! They showed how to adapt to situations: David Warner after loss against GT in IPL New Delhi, April 5: Delhi Capitals returned to their fortress after almost three years to play in front of their fans with hopes of claiming their first victory of IPL 2023. However, fate had written a different story for them. They showed how to adapt to situations: David Warner after loss against GT in IPL DC lost their second match of the IPL 2023 against Gujarat Titans on Monday by 6 wickets.GT asked them to bat first and they managed to put up 162/8 on the board. This was the lowest total a team has scored while batting first in the IPL 2023.Their failure in the second match was mostly a result of their batters failing to adapt to the conditions. While many expected the pitch to be slow, there was a good amount of swing in store for the fast bowlers and DC batters failed to anticipate it. GT players were the first to react to the conditions and this allowed them to dominate DC in both innings."Don't think I was surprised (early movement for GT seamers). It did swing a lot more than anticipated. And from the other end, it kept a little low. They showed how to adapt to situations. Got another 6 games here. Have to be on point and expect that swing in the first few overs. We were in the game till the back end. Sai batted well. Miller does what he does," DC captain David Warner said after the match.While pace bowlers fared well in the match, spinners had a bit of a challenge in front of them. Rashid Khan ended up with the figures of 3/31. Many expected Axar Patel to match his performance with the ball after playing a crucial knock with the bat (36), but he never got the opportunity to display his skills in the second innings."Was because of the wicket (Axar not bowling), and the matchup," David Warner said.Ricky Ponting's Delhi Capitals have had a miserable start to their IPL 2023 campaign. They have tried to defend and they have tried to chase, but at this point in time nothing seems to work for them.Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Ponting will definitely pursue the best possible combination to secure their first victory in the IPL 2023. DC will face Rajasthan Royals on Saturday at Barsapara Stadium.ANI05 April 2023 Shared Recently! Green India Challenge enters Limca Book of Records Hyderabad, April 4: Green India Challenge founder and Rajya Sabha member Joginipalli Santosh Kumar has been named in the Limca Book of Records, which registers the immense talent displayed by Indians worldwide. Green India Challenge enters Limca Book of Records The Limca Book of Records recognises and acknowledges the achievements of Indians in the fields of education, literature, cinema, science and technology, defence, social services etc and places them in the record.Limca book Records editor Vatsala Kaul Banerjee said, "J Santosh Kumar has been selected for the prestigious award in social service for undertaking a massive plantation in a just one hour's time.""The Limca Book of Records certificate is presented to Santosh Kumar from the hands of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao today," Banerjee added.The organization said, "With the special initiative of Santosh Kumar, the Green India Challenge planted 3,54,900 saplings with the participation of 16,900 people in one hour at Durga Nagar in Adilabad district on July 4, 2021."The Limca Book of Records management said, "Each participant planted 21 saplings and it is the best feat in this category till date."The organisation further praised Green India Challenge for making a big success the massive plantation programme which is a proof of collective effort and social awareness.Santosh Kumar said, "Getting Green India Challenge a place in the Limca book of records and receiving the certificate from the hands of the Chief Minister increased the responsibility.""Adilabad MLA Jogu Ramanna is the main reason for achieving the Limca Book record. With the inspiration of KCR, Jogu Ramanna took the decision to plant saplings as part of the Green India Challenge on his birthday and planted more than 3.5 lakh saplings within an hour. The efforts of Ramanna and his followers are noteworthy. This record was made possible due to special efforts made for one month," he added.Santosh Kumar extended special thanks to Jogu Ramanna and his followers."This record is dedicated to MLA Jogu Ramanna along with the nature lovers Salumarada Thimmakka, Vanajeevi Ramaiah and Jadav Payang who are tirelessly working to promote green cover and also to everyone who took part actively in Green India Challenge," he added.On this occasion, Green India Challenge representatives released a video on the plantation programme since the beginning of "Green India Challenge"."Green India Challenge" representative Sanjiva Raghava and others participated in this programme.In February, in support of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, MP Santosh Kumar announced the adoption of more than 1,000 acres of the Kodimyala forest area in Kondagattu under the 'Green India Challenge initiative'.The MP announced the adoption in the wake of CM K Chandrasekhar Rao's birthday on February 17.ANI05 April 2023 Shared Recently! Spanish EU Council Presidency to revive Cyprus peace talks: PM Sanchez Nicosia, April 5: Spain will take an initiative to restart the stalled Cyprus peace negotiations when it takes up the rotating six-month Presidency of the Council of the EU on July 1, the country's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said during his working visit here. Spanish EU Council Presidency to revive Cyprus peace talks: PM Sanchez At a joint press conference with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, Sanchez on Tuesday added that Spain's initiative would focus on a solution provided for by numerous UN resolutions and on international law."Cyprus can rely on us on this issue. We'll take an initiative for the restart of the dialogue between the parties," he said.Christodoulides said he was pleased with Sanchez's statements and that he looked forward to a positive result, as Spain has a good relationship with Turkey, Xinhua news agency reported.He added that they also discussed the Spanish EU Council Presidency's other priorities, which include energy, immigration, the Ukraine crisis, the fiscal crisis EU countries are faced with and the bloc's strategic autonomy.Cyprus was partitioned when Turkey sent troops to intervene in the island's northern part in 1974 in response to a coup staged by the military rulers of Greece at the time. Several UN-led efforts to negotiate an agreement for the divided island have been inconclusive till date.IANS05 April 2023 Shared Recently! A Charlottesville mother who worked in and supported child advocacy organizations has been arrested and indicted on federal allegations that she traveled to Northern Virginia to sexually abuse a child. The 45-year-old mother of two, Eleanor Beaumont Hunton Hoppe, was arrested on March 20 and charged with three federal crimes: distribution of child pornography, enticement of a minor and attempted transportation of a minor with attempt to engage in sexual activity. Each charge is a felony, with one charge prescribing a prison sentence up to 15 years and another carrying a sentence ranging from 10 years to life. Its a strong and serious case, veteran Charlottesville defense attorney Dave Heilberg told The Daily Progress. Shes in some real serious trouble. Hoppe pleaded not guilty on Tuesday during a video hearing conducted in the federal district court for the District of Columbia. There, the court records repeatedly list her name as Eleanor Hunter Hoppe. However, she grew up as Eleanor Beaumont Hunton, scion of the family that founded Hunton Andrews Kurth, Richmonds largest law firm. With over 900 attorneys, the firms history includes the late Lewis F. Powell Jr. who served on the U.S. Supreme Court. Hoppes own history includes a former marriage to Joel Hoppe, a magistrate judge hearing federal cases in Charlottesville and other courtrooms in the Western District of Virginia. Their union produced two school-age girls, according to sources. According to the governments case against Eleanor Hoppe, a Washington, D.C.-based undercover FBI officer entered a fetish website in late February and conversed on an encrypted app with a woman who allegedly wanted to chat about taboo parenting. According to the prosecution, Eleanor Hoppe allegedly sent a topless photograph of herself to the undercover officer to prove she was safe and then sent a video of an adult male penetrating the vagina of an apparent minor with his penis. She then volunteered to travel to participate in abuse of what she was told was the mans 8-year-old daughter, according to the prosecution. A great think to do is to wake her up by trying new things, Eleanor Hoppe allegedly told the man. That hazy/ dreamlike state is perfect to introduce a variety of new things especially with someone to help with positioning her body and then you let her fall right back to sleep. Things reportedly escalated on March 16, the day of the planned rendezvous at a Warrenton motel. Eleanor Hoppe reportedly sent three more images of adult males violating girls as well as a photograph of a pink silk robe she would bring to the rendezvous along with this alleged message: Her big girl robe for tonight. Ill be [there] as soon as I can and Ill get naked to, she allegedly texted. FBI special agent Emily Ekert wrote what happened next: Upon arrival at the hotel, Hoppe was placed under arrest. Ekert wrote that Eleanor Hoppe waived her Miranda rights against self-incrimination to explain that she was trying to prevent the exploitation of a child. However, the agent noted that a search of Hoppes vehicle turned up a pink childrens tote bag containing silk undergarments, lubricant and a pink silk robe. In 2019, Hoppe was found guilty in absentia in Chesterfield County General District Court of undressing where prohibited after an incident that occurred that autumn. However, she appealed the case to circuit court and got the charge dismissed. The federal indictment has sent shockwaves through the local child welfare community. My gosh. I had no idea, said Athena Gould, the executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Blue Ridge, when informed of Hoppes arrest. Gould said that Eleanor Hoppe passed a thorough background check and left the employ of the organization about three years ago. Gould said that she worked only in special events, not with children. Eleanor Hoppe's recent work also included time as an event planner at the University of Virginia. UVa did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. With her ex-husband, Hoppe has donated to Foothills Child Advocacy Center, a child abuse prevention organization. And according to Hoppes LinkedIn page, she served two years as a victims advocate in the office of the Richmond commonwealths attorney about two decades ago. The federal court file indicates that Eleanor Hoppe has been committed to the custody of the attorney general and denied bail. Records indicate she is being held at the Central Detention Facility in D.C. Her defense attorney, Ned Smock, with the Office of the Federal Public Defender, declined to answer questions from The Daily Progress. Hoppes next hearing is set for June 6 For Heilberg, no case involving child pornography ends well for a defendant. Once the judge sees one of these images, the case is almost over, said Heilberg. About the only defense left is some sort of mental status, something that would mitigate the sentence. For Gashmeer Mahajani, films & web series are more satisfying than daily soaps New Delhi, April 5: Popular TV actor Gashmeer Mahajani, who is currently playing Viraj in 'Tu Zakhm Hai 2', spoke about the kind of work he is getting, his interest in exploring different mediums and about his role in the web series. For Gashmeer Mahajani, films & web series are more satisfying than daily soaps Speaking about his role, Gashmeer said "People should know more about Viraj than Gashmeer, and people are getting to know and appreciate it. I don't want the audience to know who Gashmeer is and I think that I don't act while I am in front of the camera. I feel that I'm very authentic in front of the camera. We work in such an industry that people start to act when the camera stops rolling.""I feel very honest while performing in front of the camera. If you stay true, you will be called names. Only your immediate family knows the true version of you. In the outer world, the only legitimate time for me is when I'm in front of the camera and it is rolling; that's when I feel I'm content," he added.When asked if he analysed the character differently now after the shooting is over, he added "I was shooting different shows and after that, suddenly, I started binge-watching 'Tu Zakhm Hai', and after a certain time, I started observing Viraj. Some shots that I have shot and the mannerism of Viraj are very realistic and convincing.""As I am watching the show and discovering Viraj, there are many shades that I came across as a viewer. When I saw Viraj assassinating people on screen, he enjoyed the killings like they were breakfast for him. It was shocking and fascinating to watch as a viewer. The role I played was actually showing on screen, as I thought," he shared.Gashmeer is a well-known face of the Marathi and Hindi entertainment industries. He made his Hindi film debut with 'Muskurake Dekh Zara' and also acted in TV shows such as 'Anjaan Special Crimes Unit', 'Imlie', and participated in dance reality show 'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 10'.Is happy with the kind of roles he is getting? "Yes, I'm content with the roles I'm getting to play. If anyone gets to play a Godlike character, and that's fiction, they are well appreciated and get a huge fan following on social media by the audience. I feel there's nothing like dark or light shade in anyone's life.""Everybody plays a grey shade in their life. A chunk of the audience likes to see all white-shade characters, but I feel that an actor should play a grey shade because the grey light brings out the organic element in the character."The actor is now seen in the TV show, 'Ishq Mein Ghayal' and is also doing a web series 'Tu Zakhm Hai 2'. However, the actor has his preferences and he said that as an artist he finds more satisfaction in films and digital medium."I've always mentioned multiple times that the most satisfaction an artist gets is through films or the web compared to daily soaps. It is important to understand the kind of reality shows you're doing on TV. I did 'Jhalak Dikhla Jaa Season 10' only because I got a chance to showcase my talent. As an actor, even if I do a TV show, I tell the director upfront, 'Please don't tell me TV works in a certain manner, and there are certain processes,' because my performance between 'action' and 'cut' remains the same, regardless of the medium.""I work according to the character's needs. I won't approach the character differently depending on the medium. Whether it's TV, OTT or a 70 mm screen, I will justify my character and put my best foot forward," he concluded.'Tu Zakhm Hai 2' streams on MX Player.IANS05 April 2023 Shared Recently! Study reveals white blood cells role in clearing out dead liver cells Washington, April 4: The removal of liver cells that have undergone apoptosis, in which cells are intended to die in a controlled manner, maybe the function of a type of white blood cell typically linked to immunological responses to foreign particles. Study reveals white blood cells role in clearing out dead liver cells The study, which was released as a Reviewed Preprint in eLife, offers what the editors refer to as convincing evidence that neutrophils engulf and kill liver cells undergoing apoptosis, a process the authors refer to as "perforocytosis." The findings may have implications for novel treatment approaches to treat human autoimmune liver disease (AIL), which may be a result of a neutrophil deficiency.Billions of apoptotic cells are removed daily in adults by a group of immune cells called phagocytes. Neutrophils represent around 50-70% of the total white blood cell population in humans and are a type of phagocyte. However, unlike other phagocytes, they were widely assumed to be excluded from apoptotic cells, as they promote inflammation which could damage nearby healthy cells and tissues. The current findings now challenge that assumption."Although apoptotic cells are well characterised, they are not often found within human samples, possibly because they are removed so efficiently by phagocytes," says co-lead author Luyang Cao, Associate Investigator in the Department of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China. "This means that the specific phagocytes responsible for the removal of apoptotic cells remain unknown, and we do not know if they are specific to different tissues in the body."To identify the phagocytes responsible for removing apoptotic cells in the liver, the team obtained cells from the liver tissue of patients with tumours caused by hepatocellular carcinoma or hepatic hemangioma. They used two different staining techniques to confirm which cells in the sample were apoptotic.In a total of 281 apoptotic liver cells from the livers of 32 patients, the team noticed that each cell was engorged by the presence of up to 22 neutrophils. It has previously been suggested that a type of phagocyte called Kupffer cells were responsible for the clearance of apoptotic liver cells, but when the researchers searched for Kupffer cells in the samples, they found that very few were present. They therefore hypothesised that neutrophils were the primary phagocyte for the removal of dead liver cells through the process they called perforocytosis. This contrasts to the usual process of engulfing apoptotic cells that most other phagocytes use.To confirm the mechanism by which neutrophils remove apoptotic liver cells, the team sought to visualise the process in mouse livers using intravital microscopy - a live imaging technique that allows biological processes to be viewed in real time within living organisms. They labelled liver cells with a protein called Annexin V and neutrophils with an anti-Ly6G antibody. Consistent with their findings in human samples, the team observed that neutrophils burrowed into and cleared dead liver cells in the mice. The process was fast and rigorous, with the dead cells completely digested in four to seven minutes."Our discovery of neutrophils burrowing into and clearing out apoptotic liver cells helps to solve some of the mysteries surrounding the apoptotic clearance process," says co-corresponding author Hexige Saiyin, Assistant Professor in the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences,Fudan University, China.Next, the team sought to investigate whether reducing the neutrophil population in mice impacts the clearance of apoptotic liver cells. In a sample of cells from the livers of neutrophil-depleted mice, the percentage of apoptotic cells was significantly higher than in normal mice - 0.92% and 0.2%, respectively - suggesting that neutrophil depletion impairs the clearance of apoptotic cells. They also noticed the presence of other phagocytes in the neutrophil-depleted mice, implying a compensatory role of other phagocytes in the absence of neutrophils.The defective clearance of apoptotic cells is often linked with autoimmune diseases, such as AIL. In the neutrophil-depleted mice, the team noticed an increase in autoantibodies - immune cells that mistakenly attack the body's own healthy cells instead of foreign bodies such as viruses or bacteria. This increase was unaffected by antibiotic treatments and present only in neutrophil-depleted mice, not in mice with other phagocyte depletions. This implies that neutrophil depletion is associated with impaired apoptotic liver cell clearance and, subsequently, the generation of autoantibodies that may lead to AIL disease. The team consolidated this finding by analysing biopsy samples from human patients with AIL disease. Once again they found that, in each patient, the neutrophil-mediated clearance of apoptotic cells was impaired.The authors say that more research is needed to better understand the process and significance of perforocytosis, as well as whether perforocytosis occurs in other organs besides livers. The next important step is how to apply this newly identified apoptotic clearance mechanism to the clinical treatment of AIL."Since the failure to clear dead cells is linked to inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, further insights into the critical role that neutrophils play in apoptotic clearance may have important implications for the treatment of these diseases. We recently have screened and identified several compounds which markedly enhanced neutrophil perforocytosis and demonstrated great therapeutic values to cure AIL in mouse models. " concludes senior author Jingsong Xu, former Principal Investigator at the Department of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University (current address Department of Pharmacology, Center for Lung and Vascular Biology, University of Illinois, Chicago).ANI05 April 2023 Shared Recently! Assam signs MoU with UNDP to strengthen health system Guwahati, April 4: To provide technical support to Assam for strengthening the health system of the state, a Memorandum of Association (MoA) was signed between the National Health Mission of Assam and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Tuesday at the Office of the Mission Director in Guwahati. Assam signs MoU with UNDP to strengthen health system Dr M S Lakshmi Priya, Mission Director, NHM Assam signed the MoA with Abhimanyu Saxena (OIC), Health System Strengthening-UNDP in the presence of Kamaljit Talukdar, Director of Health Services (FW), Pankaj Chamuah, OSD NHM Assam and Dr Sukamal Basumatary, State Programme Officer - UNDP, Assam.Under the terms of the MoA UNDP's Health and Governance Unit will provide technical support to the state in Health System Strengthening and in the implementation of various health programmes such as CoWIN, eVIN, Swasthaya Sewa Abhiyan, Swasthaya Sewa Utsav and upcoming digitization initiatives to strengthen the health system in Assam.ANI05 April 2023 Shared Recently! After India objects to China renaming places in Arunachal, Beijing claims sovereignty over region Beijing, April 5: After India outrightly rejected China's attempt to rename places of Arunachal Pradesh, Beijing on Tuesday claimed its sovereignty over the region. After India objects to China renaming places in Arunachal, Beijing claims 'sovereignty' over region In a regular press conference, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, "Zangnan (Arunachal Pradesh) is part of China's territory. In accordance with relevant stipulations of the administration of geographical names of the State Council, competent authorities of the Chinese government have standardised the names of some parts of Zangnan. This is within China's sovereign rights."Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Tuesday asserted that Arunachal Pradesh will always be an integral part of India.Bagchi issued the statement after China's Ministry of Civil Affairs came up with the names of 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh, which it referred to as "Zangnan, the southern part of Tibet."In response to media queries regarding China renaming some places in Arunachal Pradesh, Arindam Bagchi in a statement said, "We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has made such an attempt. We reject this outright."He further said, "Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Attempts to assign invented names will not alter this reality."Meanwhile, United States "strongly oppose" China's attempts to advance a claim over Indian territory, Arunachal Pradesh by renaming localities, the White House said on Tuesday."This is another attempt by the Chinese claim on us, Indian territory. So the United States, as you know, has recognised that territory for a long time and we strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance a territory claim by renaming localities. And so, again, this is something that we have long stood by a few things," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.China released names of 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh in Chinese characters, Tibetan and pinyin according to the rules on geographical names issued by the State Council, China's cabinet, Global Times reported.The ministry announced the names of 11 places on Sunday and also gave precise coordinates, including two residential areas, five mountain peaks, two rivers and two other areas. China's Ministry of Civil Affairs also listed the category of places' names and their subordinate administrative districts, as per the news report.According to the Global Times report, this is the third batch of geographical names announced by the ministry in Arunachal Pradesh. As per the news report, the first batch of the standardized names of six places was issued in 2017, and the second batch of 15 places was released in 2021.In December, last year, the Union government said it has seen reports of China attempting to rename some places in Arunachal Pradesh "in its own language" and asserted that the border state has been and will always be an integral part of India."In response to a media query on reports that China has renamed some places in Arunachal Pradesh in its own language, Bagchi said China had also sought to assign such names in April 2017."We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has attempted such a renaming of places in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. China had also sought to assign such names in April 2017," Bagchi said."Arunachal Pradesh has always been, and will always be an integral part of India. Assigning invented names to places in Arunachal Pradesh does not alter this fact," he added.ANI05 April 2023 Shared Recently! Centre released Rs 22.74 cr to Arunachal Pradesh under PMGSY as grant-in-aid Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh), April 4: In a major push towards enhancing rural road connectivity in the state, the Centre has released an amount of Rs 22.74 crore to Arunachal Pradesh under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) as grant-in-aid. Centre released Rs 22.74 cr to Arunachal Pradesh under PMGSY as grant-in-aid The incentive has been given for the best performance of the State in the implementation of PMGSY during 2022-23 under set parameters.The funds released will be used for periodic maintenance of rural roads already constructed under PMGSY as per directives of the government of India.During 2022-23, (till December 2022) a length of 1,096.24 kms was constructed in the state including 61 long-span bridges.Efforts of the state government in improving good quality construction with appropriate new technology and fund spent on maintenance and renewal of roads are considered for the financial incentives.Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu while thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh assured that the grant will be optimally and judiciously utilszed.He said that rural connectivity is a top priority of the state government and the grant would greatly help the state government in the maintenance of already constructed PMGSY roads.The Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister also congratulated the state Rural Works Department for their good work, which has been recognized by the central government.ANI05 April 2023 Shared Recently! The Jamul Indian Village and Jamul Casino Celebrate Black History Month JAMUL INDIAN VILLAGE, Calif: The Jamul Indian Village of California (JIV) Tribe and Jamul Casino invite San Diego to join them in observing Black History Month, a time for all of us to celebrate the rich history, culture and contributions of Black Americans. The Jamul Indian Village and Jamul Casino Celebrate Black History Month Jamul Casino recognizes the importance of being a part of the cultural conversation about race and inclusion. With a number of events and initiatives scheduled throughout February, the JIV and Jamul Casino are joining the celebration by amplifying Black voices and highlighting the significance of the historical contributions of Black Americans as well as the ongoing struggles.Erica M. Pinto, Chairwoman of the Jamul Indian Village and Chairwoman of the JIVDC Board, states, This month, we acknowledge and appreciate the historical contributions of the Black community while also recognizing the role and impact of the systemic barriers to racial equality that still exist today. Black History Month is time for us to reflect, learn, and continue the fight for racial justice. The Tribe and the Board of Directors celebrate the legacy of Black Americans that have profoundly shaped this country and are proud to continue to support the achievements of the Black community.Jamul Casino's recognition of current and past accomplishments of the African American community includeJamul Casino has committed $10,000 to Many Shades of Pink, an organization that provides support and resources to African American breast cancer patients.On February 4, Jamul Casino hosted a luncheon honoring two local heroic women of color, Dr. Suzanne Afflalo (read more about her in the San Diego Union-Tribune) and Wendy Shurelds, Founder and CEO of Many Shades of Pink. Both women work to improve healthcare in the African American community.Throughout the month of February, Jamul Casino is featuring 31 important figures on the digital screens in the casino and on its social media channels. Highlighted are both historical and present-day African American leaders.The Tribe and Jamul Casino continue to make donations and support the County of San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce.Requested as a guest favorite, Jamul Casino hosted a Black History Month celebration on February 11 on The Rooftop called Motown Memories, which brought the great hits of Motown to the stage with songs by The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight, The Jackson Five, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, and many more. The dinner event featured choreography, and high-quality backing tracks.President and General Manager of Jamul Casino, Mary Cheeks, states, Jamul Casino's Black History Month initiatives provide an opportunity to acknowledge and honor the sacrifices and struggles of Black people who have played a vital role in shaping the United States of America. We're excited to recognize the African American community's contributions to our culture, and be part of creating a brighter, richer, more inclusive future for the next generation.Ms. Cheeks is widely considered an African American forerunner in the gaming industry. She has risen to the top of the casino management ladder, as Jamul Casino's President & General Manager. She is one of only a handful of women nationwide to achieve this title in casino leadership. As a keen businesswoman, she has overseen a number of initiatives at Jamul Casino that have been critical to its success, including a rebranding, recruiting a world-class management team, developing several highly-successful growth strategies, and leading the Casino through multiple refinances to set up the Tribe and Casino for long-term financial success. The San Diego Business Journal honored her with a prestigious Business Women of the Year award in 2021, as well as naming her one of San Diego's Top Black 50 Leaders of Influence in 2022. Her achievements have the stage for future growth toward equality and serve as a role model for African American women in gaming professions and beyond.About Jamul CasinoOpened in 2016, the Jamul Casino is located in Jamul, California, San Diego County, and is owned and operated by Jamul Indian Village Development Corporation (JIVDC), a wholly owned enterprise of the Tribe. The $430 million, award-winning casino features nearly 1,700 slot machines, 46 live table games, a dedicated poker room, and various restaurants, bars and lounges. Jamul Casino supports 1,200 permanent jobs in the region and is the closest casino to downtown San Diego, which is the eighth-largest city in the United States by population. For more information about Jamul Casino, please visit www.jamulcasinosd.com.PRN05 April 2023 Shared Recently! India to step up support for Bhutans five-year plan, work for expediting rail link project New Delhi, April 4: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a warm and productive meeting with Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck here with India deciding to step up its support to Bhutan's upcoming 13th Five Year Plan, agreeing for an upward revision of tariff of Chhukha hydro-electric project and working for an additional standby credit facility to the neighbouring country. India to step up support for Bhutan's five-year plan, work for expediting rail link project The two countries agreed on a range of other initiatives including boosting connectivity with India working towards expediting the proposed Kokrajhar-Gelephu rail link project, which will be the first rail link between the two countries.India would work for long-term sustainable arrangements for the export of agricultural commodities from Bhutan and to expand energy cooperation beyond hydroelectric projects.PM Modi said in a tweet that India deeply values its close friendship with Bhutan."Pleased to receive His Majesty the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. We had a warm and productive meeting. Deeply value our close friendship and the vision of successive Druk Gyalpos in guiding India-Bhutan relations to new heights," PM Modi said.Briefing reporters after a meeting between PM Modi and the Bhutan King, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said the two countries are also examining and considering setting up the first Integrated Check Post (ICP) along the India-Bhutan border.He said King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck briefed PM Modi on his significant transformation and reform initiative that Bhutan is currently undertaking.The Prime Minister reiterated India's continued and full support to the socio-economic development in Bhutan based on the priorities of the Royal Government and in keeping with the transformation initiatives and reform process as per its vision.Kwatra said the visit of the Bhutan King, which has been long in the planning, takes forward the long-standing tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries.He said Bhutan King's visit provided excellent opportunities for the two countries to not only review the full range of bilateral engagement but also sketch a roadmap in terms of the next steps "that we would take to further on multifaceted cooperation and partnership"."In terms of specific outcomes, which we would be following up based on the discussions, it was agreed that India would step up its support to Bhutan's upcoming 13th Five Year Plan. The specifics of the support, its distribution into different projects that is something which is to be worked out between the two systems going forward. At Bhutan's request, India would work to extend an additional standby credit facility. This would be over and above the two existing standby credit facilities that is operating between the two countries," Kwatra said."We would work to shape long-term sustainable arrangements for export of agricultural commodities from Bhutan. Also work to develop long-term bilateral arrangements for assured supply of critical commodities to Bhutan, which would include petroleum, fertilizers, and coal," he added.He said the ICP would be set up along India-Bhutan border somewhere near Jaigaon."We are also examining and considering setting up the first Integrated Check Post (ICP) along the India-Bhutan border, which would be somewhere near Jaigaon. The exact specific location of the ICP is yet to be determined, but the broad location point is known," Kwatra said."We will also try and expedite the proposed Kokrajhar-Gelephu rail link project through Government of India support in consultation of course with the Bhutanese side. This in some ways will be historic because this would be the first ever rail link between India and Bhutan. And naturally links up well to the rest of the regional connectivity infrastructure in South Asia," he added.The Foreign Secretary said India will consider positively Bhutan's request to sell power from Basochhu hydroelectric project."In the field of hydro-power specifically, which has been the cornerstone of our economic relationship, we have agreed to an upward revision of tariff of the Chhukha hydro-electric project. This is the oldest hydroelectric project in Bhutan and is of great significance. Two, in the space of hydro-power itself, we will consider positively Bhutan's request to sell power from Basochhu hydro-electric project. This would be perhaps done through the energy exchange mechanism of the market. The details are yet to be worked out but the discussion is that it could be done through the market exchange mechanism," he said.Kwatra said India would extend favourable consideration to Bhutan's request regarding power trade and access to financing for new and upcoming hydropower projects."The specifics of this would vary from project to project and would naturally been in sync with our CBT guidelines. And also expand our energy partnership to include non-hydro-renewables particularly in the field of solar, and also maybe see how the core bilateral cooperation between our two countries in the field of e-mobility could be expanded," he said."Besides the existing range of hydropower projects and also exploring the non-hydro-renewable space, we would also try and expedite the finalization of modalities for new hydroelectric projects, hydropower projects, including the Sankosh hydroelectric project," he added.The Foreign Secretary said that the discussions between the two leaders covered the entire gamut of India-Bhutan cooperation, and also issues of respective national and mutual interest.He said there were five broad range issues."First was on economic and development partnership. This covered many elements which included cooperation for Bhutan's 13th Five Year Plan, which processes is beginning from next year onwards. Support, including relevant financial support for the reform process in Bhutan. Support also for the institutional capacity building in Bhutan and project based development partnership which is one of the key pillars of our development cooperation with Bhutan," he said.The Foreign Secretary said that the second bucket of issues related to trade, connectivity and investment cooperation, which in turn included discussions on infrastructure connectivity, whether pertaining to integrated check post, rail connectivity, air connectivity, digital connectivity, people-to-people linkages, and the inland waterways.The third related element pertained to long-term and sustainable trade facilitation measures that India and Bhutan could take, which would link to the economic growth and prosperity of both economies."Four, as part of new paradigms on energy cooperation, which would strengthen the existing frame and specifics of hydropower cooperation, but also carry forward our cooperation in this domain into non-hydro-renewable space."He said the last sub-segment relates to new sectors including space, startups, cooperation in the field of STEM education, as part of the bilateral partnership."In this context, the recent launch of India-Bhutan satellite, which was jointly developed by the space engineers from both countries was particularly appreciated," he said.Bhutan delegation includes Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Bhutan and other senior officials of the Royal Government of Bhutan.Kwatra said India and Bhutan share an exemplary relationship, which is characterized by trust, goodwill, mutual understanding."It's a time-tested nature of our friendship which was reflected in the support that we provided to Bhutan during the COVID pandemic, including the Vaccine Maitri programme, as also in the expansion of our partnership into some of the new emerging areas and domains of economic cooperation, which includes digital domain, space, financial connectivity and increasing interoperability. Hydropower, again, strong element of our cooperation, which most recently has included handing over of the 720 megawatt Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Power Project to the Government of Bhutan," he said.Bhutan King arrived in Delhi on Monday. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on him on Monday and hosted a dinner, which "involved good discussions and interaction" with the key CEOs of some of the Indian companies.India has consistently been Bhutan's top trading partner and remains the leading source of investments in Bhutan. In November 2021, the Indian government formalised the opening of seven new trade routes for Bhutan's bilateral and transit trade with India, new market access was provided for allowing the formal export of 12 agri-products from Bhutan to India, and various special exceptions and quotas for export are also provided.India has been extending economic assistance to Bhutan's socio-economic development since the early 1960s when Bhutan launched its Five Year Plans.For the 12th Five Year Plan, India assisted Bhutan with Rs 4500 crore for various multi-sectoral project-tied assistance, small development projects, direct budgetary support etc.Mutually beneficial hydro-power cooperation with Bhutan forms the core of bilateral economic cooperation.Hydro-power Cooperation provides clean power for India and economic prosperity for Bhutan with a steady stream of revenue, which witnessed positive growth even during the pandemic.ANI05 April 2023 Shared Recently! New funding to save Australian galleries, museums from disrepair Canberra, April 5: The Australian government has announced funding to save the country's top cultural institutions from a state of disrepair. New funding to save Australian galleries, museums from disrepair Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Tony Burke, the minister for the arts, on Wednesday said that the federal budget for 2023-24 will include A$535.3 million ($361 million) to preserve the nine National Collecting Institutions (NCIs), reports Xinhua news agency.The nine museums, archives and galleries, seven of which are based in the Australian Capital Territory, house approximately 54 million objects.Despite their cultural value, the institutions have long complained about funding shortfalls that have left them unable to maintain aging buildings.The funding will be provided to the National Film and Sound Archive, National Gallery of Australia, National Library of Australia, National Museum of Australia and so on.In addition to the funding, Albanese said a clear line of government oversight of works undertaken at the NCIs will be established to ensure they never again fall into disrepair."I want all Australians to be able to visit, appreciate and learn from these institutions for generations to come," he said in a media release."These are special places and we should be proud of them. They preserve, protect and celebrate Australia's stories and history," the Prime Minister said.IANS05 April 2023 Shared Recently! Xiaomi India, GlobalHunt Foundation to skill 400 underprivileged students in mobile repairing New Delhi, April 5: Leading smartphone and smart TV brand Xiaomi India on Wednesday announced a partnership with GlobalHunt Foundation to support 400 students from economically weaker sections of society in their mobile phone hardware repair course. Xiaomi India, GlobalHunt Foundation to skill 400 underprivileged students in mobile repairing The collaboration aims to create a technically skilled workforce that can cater to the rising demands of the Indian mobile service and support industry.The programme will provide the candidates with relevant technical skills and help them advance in their careers, according to the company."In our continued commitment to creating a positive impact on the communities, we are delighted to partner with GlobalHunt Foundation to upskill and support these students. This partnership will enable students to unlock opportunities and build a promising future with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the digital age, said Muralikrishnan, President at Xiaomi India.As part of the programme, the company said that two new labs will be set up at ITIs in Delhi and Guwahati, respectively.The labs will be equipped with the latest machinery, tools, and technology to give students a live experience of job requirements in the industry.T-shirts, an ID card, and a course kit containing a curriculum book and stationery will also be given to the students.Additionally, merit scholarships will be awarded to select 100 students based on their performance in the course, the company said."The collaboration will enable us in equipping 400 students with the knowledge to succeed in a highly competitive landscape which will further contribute to the development of the wider community," said Sunil Goel, Managing Director, GlobalHunt Foundation.Further, the company stated that the collaboration reflects Xiaomi's firm belief in making technology accessible to everyone and investing in the future to create a skilled and future-ready workforce.IANS05 April 2023 Shared Recently! Tripura bans import of pigs amid swine flu scare Agartala, April 5: Tripura has imposed ban on the import of pigs and piglets amid sporadic incidents of swine flu in different parts of the country last week. Tripura bans import of pigs amid swine flu scare Tripura's Animal Resource Development (ARD) Minister Sudangshu Das on Wednesday said that keeping in view the sporadic incidents of African Swine Flu (ASF) in different parts of the country during the past one week, as precautionary measures, the state government has totally banned the import of pig and piglet from outside the state."If anyone is found violating the government's decision they would be penalised," the minister told the media."An act would also be enacted on the ban so that if anyone found illegally importing pig into Tripura, the department can take severe action," Das said.The minister said that doctors of the ARD Department are working and monitoring the situations and time to time samples are being sent to the disease investigation labs for examination for ASF so that if anything is found wrong then immediate action can be taken up.The outbreak of ASF is reported in few northeastern, southern and northern states of the country and from these diseases hit regions, pig and piglets are being imported often.The highly-contagious ASF created havoc in Mizoram during 2021 and 2022, killing over 33,400 pigs, affecting over 10,000 families besides causing financial loss of Rs 61 crore.Around 12,000 pigs were culled in Mizoram in 2021 and 2022.According to experts, the outbreak of ASF may have been caused by pigs or pork imported from neighbouring Myanmar, Bangladesh and the adjoining states of northeast.The northeast region's annual pork business is worth around Rs 8,000-10,000 crore, with Assam being the largest supplier.Pork is one of the most common and popular meats consumed by both the tribals and non-tribals in the region.IANS06 April 2023 Shared Recently! Simultaneous diagnosis and treatment of cancer possible: Study Seoul, April 5: Cancer is not incurable anymore. Nevertheless, according to statistics released by Statistics Korea last year, cancer remained the primary cause of mortality in Korea in 2021. This highlights the ongoing struggle against cancer, which demands effective prevention measures, timely diagnosis, and prompt intervention through effective treatment. However, the question remains whether it is feasible to provide treatment promptly upon diagnosis. Simultaneous diagnosis and treatment of cancer possible: Study A POSTECH research team led by Professor Young Tae Chang (Department of Chemistry) and Research Professor Nam-Young Kang (Department of Convergence IT Engineering) collaborated with researchers at A*STAR in Singapore to determine the ability of fluorescent probe for tumour-initiating cell yellow (TiY) to stain the cells responsible for tumour growth and simultaneously suppress the development of those cells. The empirical data of the research was published in the journal Theranostics, which covers treatment, diagnosis, and personalised medicine.In their previous study, the research team developed a fluorescent probe TiY with the ability to selectively identify and detect tumour-initiating cells (TICs), much like a fluorescent highlighter. Building upon this accomplishment, the team has conducted research to explore the potential of TiY for cancer treatment.In the present study, the team observed changes in cancer stem cells in response to different concentrations of TiY. The team obtained cancer stem cells from patients with lung cancer and transplanted them into mice for experimental purposes. In order to evaluate the therapeutic effects of TiY staining, the team gradually increased the dose of TiY administered to the mice via intravenous injection in their tests.When exposed to a low concentration, TiY has been demonstrated to have the ability to stain cancer stem cells. However, as the concentration of TiY increases, it exhibits the remarkable ability to effectively inhibit the growth of cancer stem cells, leading to their substantial destruction. This selective targeting and treatment are made possible by the mechanism of TiY molecules, which have the capacity to selectively bind themselves to vimentin, a muscle-specific protein that is a component of the cytoskeleton of cancer stem cells, thus allowing TiY to specifically target and inhibit these cells of growth.Current cancer treatments often fail to achieve complete tumour removal, as cancer cells can be metastasized to other organs or recur. Given the challenge, TiY presents a promising approach to cancer treatment as it can facilitate both diagnosis and treatment in a single step.This study was conducted with the support of the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Education, the Mid-career Researcher Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea, the Institute of Basic Science, and the NMRC in Singapore.ANI06 April 2023 Shared Recently! Russian defector sheds light on Putins secret train network London, April 5: A senior Russian security officer who defected last year has given rare insight into the paranoid lifestyle of President Vladimir Putin, detailing a secret train network, identical offices in different cities, a strict personal quarantine and escalating security protocols, a media outlet reported. Russian defector sheds light on Putin's 'secret train' network Gleb Karakulov, who served as a captain in the Federal Protection Service (FSO), a powerful body tasked with protecting Russia's highest-ranking officials, said that the measures were "designed to mask the whereabouts of the Russian President, whom he described as "pathologically afraid for his life", The Guardian reported.The 36-year-old said the train was used because it "cannot be tracked on any information resource. It's done for stealth purposes", the media outlet reported.The Russian investigative outlet Proekt reported previously on the existence of the train and of a secret railway network including parallel lines and stations near Putin's residences in the Valdai national park in Novo-Ogaryovo, and near his Bocharov Ruchei residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.Karakulov was a member of the "field team" of the Presidential Communications Directorate that encrypts the messages of top Russian officials and estimated he had travelled on more than 180 trips with top officials. He appears to be the highest-ranking intelligence official to defect since the start of Russia's war in Ukraine, the report said.Karakulov described a virtual state within a state that includes firefighters, food testers and other engineers who travel with Putin on his trips abroad, providing a rare first-hand insight into the levels of paranoia and sheltered lifestyle of the Russian president, it added.Karakulov also described "setting up secret communications for Putin on planes, helicopters, lavish yachts and even in a bomb shelter at the Russian embassy in Kazakhstan during an October 2022 visit when Karakulov ultimately fled to Turkey and from there to an undisclosed country in the west".According to Karakulov, Putin "relies heavily for information on reports provided by his security services"."Putin did not use a mobile phone or the internet, and did not even bring an internet specialist with him on foreign trips. "He only receives information from his closest circle, which means that he lives in an information vacuum," he was quoted as saying by The Guardian.IANS06 April 2023 Shared Recently! Odisha receives investment intent worth Rs 26K cr at business meet in Tokyo Bhubaneswar, April 5: The Odisha government has received investment intents of over Rs 26,000 crore during the Odisha Business Meet, 2023 held in Tokyo on Wednesday. Odisha receives investment intent worth Rs 26K cr at business meet in Tokyo The government of Odisha in association with the Indian Embassy in Japan, the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), and the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), hosted the Tokyo meet, which was attended by over 200 delegates, representing various industries from across Japan.The state has received the investment intents in the sectors like logistics, metal ancillary, steel, metal downstream, green hydrogen and green ammonia, green energy equipment manufacturing and IT/ITeS, officials said.Addressing the investors, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, said "Odisha is one of the fastest growing economies in India and has consistently grown above the national average in the last decade and a half. We are fast emerging as a major industrial destination in India because of our natural resource advantage and strategic location."Odisha's abundant natural resources, skilled and productive human resources, progressive policies, and strong result-oriented governance provide a unique ecosystem, he said.Patnaik said "Odisha is ranked among the top states in India in terms of attracting investments and has been accorded the achievers status in the recently released ease of doing business ratings by the Centre."He also highlighted how the state is becoming the fulcrum of trade and commerce in the Bay of Bengal region and the measures undertaken by his government to help industries looking to cater to the untapped markets in eastern and northeast India as well as markets in ASEAN and East Asia region.Speaking about industrialisation in this era of technological innovations, the CM said "As we enter a new era of industrialisation propelled by advancements in technology and a philosophy of sustainability, we require a collaborative effort between the governments, industries and people to ensure consistent growth."The Chief Minister said Odisha, known for its rich culture and tradition, is transforming into a modern industrial hub.Patnaik said his government is focused on providing the best-in-class facilitation to all investors coming to Odisha."We are also deeply committed to protecting our rich cultural history. The renovation and restoration of Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites have been a key agenda of my government. We are transforming sites like Dhauli, Udaygiri, Ratnagiri and Lalitgiri," he added.The Chief Minister requested all Japanese investors to visit Odisha and experience the change.An MoU for collaboration in the skill development sector was also signed between Nihon-Utkal (NITKAL) and IIIT, Bhubaneswar. The event also enabled trade and technology transfer-discussions between Odisha business delegation and Japanese companies.Earlier in the day, Patnaik also held one-to-one G2B meetings with a dozen of big investors of Japan.IANS06 April 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. Neilmyer Anderson faces up to 30 years in prison for the second-degree murder of Oscar Mallet, 36, of Champaign. Had he been convicted of first-degree murder, he faced up to life behind bars. A photo of University of Illinois students enrolled in the Illinois Neurodiversity Initiative during an end-of-semester party last year. The program is accepting a new cohort of UI students with autism, ADHD and other mental conditions that affect academic life. Kia India will restart the bookings for the all-electric EV6 from April 15, 2023 in the country. The company sold 432 units of the EV last year in the Indian market, making it the best-selling premium electric car in the domestic market. The all-electric Kia EV6 is available in two variants: GT Line and GT Line AWD at an ex-showroom price of Rs 60.95 lakh and Rs. 65.95 lakh, respectively. Being sold in India as a CBU, Kia EV6 had long waiting period in 2022 due to the global supply chain issues. Despite this, the company claims that it sold record number of units in a span of seven months. Furthermore, Kia stated that the final deliveries turned out to be more than four times the originally planned numbers for the Indian market due to the overwhelming reception from buyers. Also Read: Kia EV6 Get 5 Star Safety Rating from Euro NCAP Mr. Tae-Jin Park, MD & CEO, Kia India, said We are thrilled with the response to our first premium EV offering, the EV6, which has established itself as a design and technology marvel and has won multiple awards since its launch. As a symbol of our commitment to electrification and sustainability, the EV6 has created history by becoming one of the best-selling products in its first year. We are proud to be leading the way towards a more sustainable future and will continue to grow the segment to grow our business. Based on Kias Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), the all-electric EV6 was launched in June 2022 in the Indian market. Some of the notable features in the EV include ultra-fast DC charging, vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, and a flat-floor interior. It has a driving range of 708 km on a single charge. The EV6 can be availed in five color schemes namely Runway Red, Yacht Blue, Moonscape, Aurora Black Pearl, and Snow White Pearl. Kia India also announced that it will expand the 150 kW high-speed charger network from the existing 15 dealerships to all 60 outlets. In August 2022, it installed Indias first and fastest 240kWh charger. The company also has plans to expand its EV dealer footprint from 15 select dealerships across 12 cities at the time of launch to 60 outlets across 44 cities. He further added, For this year, we are focussing on importing more products to cater to the audiences who couldnt get their hands on the premium car last year by expanding our dealer network. We are confident that the EV6 will continue to lead the premium EV segment with its splendid performance in the market. Read all the Latest Auto News here Hyundai has announced the launch of an all-new SUV for the Indian market. The company, in an official press note, says that the upcoming all-new SUV is Coming Soon to Take You Places". Further, it states that this all-new SUV will evoke unfiltered experiences with advanced technology, superior safety & strong performance". Also Read: Hyundai Casper Micro SUV Makes Global Debut, to be Positioned Below Venue in India Speaking on the announcement, Mr. Tarun Garg, COO, Hyundai Motor India Ltd., said, Today, when you think outside, when you think of exploration and travel, you think of an SUV. Hyundai has been one of the forerunners to induce new mobility experiences and we are all set to once again excite customers with an all-new SUV that is coming soon to take you places." In all likelihood, Hyundai has officially announced the launch Casper mini-SUV in the Indian market. It has been spotted multiple times during its test runs and now it seems that Hyundai Casper is finally ready to go on sale. The Casper mini-SUV will directly rival Tata Punch, Citroen C3 and Maruti Suzuki Ignis in India while expected to be priced in a range of Rs 6-10 lakh (ex-showroom). Hyundai Casper will be the brands entry-level SUV positioned below the Venue in its portfolio. It will borrow the 1.2L petrol engine from the Grand i10 and Aura in the domestic market. Read all the Latest Auto News here A physically challenged stationary shop owner in Rajasthans Bhilwara on Wednesday said he has received a show-cause notice from the Income Tax Department for a transaction of Rs 12.23 crore which he did not do. Kishangopal Chaparwal, a resident of Sanjay Colony, said he has lodged a complaint with the Subhash Nagar police station, stating that someone is misusing his financial data. Chaparwal said he runs a stationery shop and works as a photographer at weddings. The notice, received by post on March 28, has shocked him and his family, he said. Chaparwal said when he consulted a chartered accountant, he told him that his PAN was misused in Mumbai and Surat to float two diamond shell companies to do bogus transactions running into several crores. I set up the shop after taking a loan. I am unable to pay the installments. I earn Rs 8,000 to 10,000 per month. I have nothing to do with these bogus companies. Some fraudsters have cheated me," he told reporters. The I-T Department has sent a notice to me for submitting details related to a transaction of Rs 12.23 crore. I appeal to the authorities to provide relief in the matter," he added. Read all the Latest Business News here Naresh Kumar, a Delhi-based businessman, buys spices and dry fruits from the citys wholesale market Khari Baoli. Naresh has never before seen such a hike in the prices of cumin seeds. In conversation with News18, he said that in 2022, cumin seeds were available at Rs 400 per kg but today they cost Rs 850 to 900 per kg. Similarly, dry chillies in the wholesale market cost Rs 300 per kg but at present, shop owners are not ready to sell for less than Rs 500. But why are Delhi markets observing hikes in prices of spices and dry fruits? The probable reason for the price hike in the Delhi market is Pakistans economic woes. As per the World Bank Organisation, in 2019, India imported spices from Pakistan with a trade value of $387.92K. The consignment totalled 62,989 kg. Other countries in line were the United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Qatar. This has led to a dramatic increase in the cost of dry fruits and condiments over the past few days. Other than Pakistan, incessant rainfall has also affected the market. Ramesh Gupta, another businessman based in Vaishali, said that earlier cumin seeds would cost him Rs 200 per kg. At present, the prices have soared and cost him Rs 400-600 per kg. Similarly, the prices of almonds in retail stores have reached Rs 600- 750 per kg, dry grapes have gone up from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,700 and figs are available at Rs 2,400 per kg. This year, the cost of dry vegetables has increased significantly in Khari Baoli compared to last year. Earlier priced at Rs 200 per kg, dates are now sold for Rs 400 per kg. Until a few days ago, raisins could be purchased for Rs 700 per kg but now they cost Rs 900 per kg. Delhis wholesale market is observing a rise in the cost of all dry fruits. Indian dry fruits markets are dominated by imported food products and supplies from Afghanistan and Pakistan also play a major role. Due to the Talibans invasion of Afghanistan and Pakistans flood, the consignment delivered was late and has affected the quantity of the product as well. Businessmen from Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gurugram, Sonipat and Panipat are reeling under price rise. Read all the Latest Business News here The highly anticipated mango season is finally upon us, and for Desis, its a time to indulge in their favourite fruit. Known as the King of Fruits," mangoes have always been a beloved part of Indian households and can be enjoyed in various ways, from breakfast to dessert, and even as refreshing juices and shakes. A popular mango-based dish during the summer season is Aamras, which is a must-try for mango lovers. However, a recent video showing Dosa being made with Aamras or mango puree has caused some disgust among Desi foodies and they definitely dont want to give it a try. The clip that circulated on Twitter showcased a street vendor serving an unconventional Dosa with Aamras. The footage displayed the vendor pouring a bowl of Aamras onto the Dosa batter that was spread onto the pan and adding cheese on top. To garnish the dish, he sprinkled it with some fresh coriander before cutting it into pieces and serving it to the customer. However, the twist did not end there! Instead of the usual accompaniment of sambhar, the Aamras Dosa was served with Aamras, thus, creating a bittersweet experience for food enthusiasts. It mango season then how can we miss this .Please try it once on your own Risk . Aamras Dosa ! !! Goodnight . @queenlioness86 @Dival1000 @Rj80814657 @Sandeep49157861 @RajKevalya @IamGMishra . Anyone missing please tag . And retweet ro maximum . pic.twitter.com/RumSVLe3Ow Pratik Shah ( Social Musketeer) (@SpringIndia) April 4, 2023 Following the emergence of the unusual food combination, Indians began reacting to it with distaste, as evidenced by comments such as, Ya kaya ha yaar. Yuck" and Really strange dosa". Another user added, These people are real reason behind obesity. Plus food vlogger who cover such cringe." Ya kaya ha yaar. Yuck Queen lioness 86 (@queenlioness86) April 4, 2023 Itna atyachar dekh, 1 din dosa yeh duniya chhod ke bhag jayega! V3rified (@mevinayshah) April 5, 2023 Really strange dosa Sima Lakhani (@Dival1000) April 4, 2023 Really strange dosa Sima Lakhani (@Dival1000) April 4, 2023 Ban Aamras in Mumbai (@smartyevans) April 4, 2023 Puri with aamras ka South Indian Bhai Happy (@happyfeet_286) April 5, 2023 Dosa has been the target of criticism before, as evidenced by a previous viral video featuring an eatery creating a new variation of the infamous ice cream Dosa" that most people were hesitant to try. The video making rounds on Twitter showcased a vendor covering the Dosa batter with scoops of ice cream and adding a red gelatinous substance, possibly jam, giving it a red colour. The dish was then adorned with various types of candy and served on a traditional banana leaf. If that wasnt enough, the Dosa was then served with a side of ice cream scoops, after chocolate syrup and candy generously sprinkled on the top. Thus, the weird combination of flavours disgusted Desi foodies yet again. Read all the Latest Buzz News here The power of Artificial Intelligence is undeniable. ChatGPTs magic is now being utilized for searching for unclaimed refunds and forgotten funds. Just ask DoNotPay CEO Joshua Browder, who recently put ChatGPT to the test and scored $210 (over Rs 17 thousand) from the California Government in just one minute. You might wonder how he did that. With the help of an obscure government portal called the California State Controller" and ChatGPTs lightning-fast AI. But dont worry, you dont need to be a tech genius like Browder to claim your own unclaimed refunds. The ChatGPT browsing extension will guide you every step of the way with easy-to-follow instructions, so you can sit back, relax, and watch the cash roll in. In a series of tweets, the CEO explained just how he did it. I asked the new ChatGPT browsing extension to find me some money. Within a minute, I had $210 on the way to my bank account from the California Government, he wrote. I asked the new ChatGPT browsing extension to find me some money. Within a minute, I had $210 on the way to my bank account from the California Government. (1/4) pic.twitter.com/mxfd8yOHAP Joshua Browder (@jbrowder1) April 2, 2023 In a follow-up tweet, he explained, The first idea it came up with was to visit an obscure government website: the California State Controller." This website holds unclaimed refunds from companies that cant contact you. It gave me a link with step-by-step instructions on what to do. The first idea it came up with was to visit an obscure government website: the "California State Controller."This website holds unclaimed refunds from companies that can't contact you. It gave me a link with step by step instructions on what to do. (2/4) pic.twitter.com/vJ3tOHlmQs Joshua Browder (@jbrowder1) April 2, 2023 Joshua Browder also explained that the AI was only hindered by a captcha, preventing it from automatically completing the task. Companies would not want to incorporate these types of integrations directly because it would result in a loss of revenue for them. For example, Comcast would not allow customers to cancel their services with the help of a ChatGPT plugin. However, at DoNotPay, the team is developing its own plugin to overcome this obstacle and make the process more seamless. Social media users were impressed by how they too were able to find their unclaimed refunds. Not many people expected to find something under their name, it turns out they were wrong. Some had more ideas about how this could be put to further use. Thank you for this! I checked and wasnt expecting anything. I was wrong! $385, wrote a user. Thank you for this!! I checked and wasnt expecting anything. I was wrong! $385 Dani Carter (@DaniACarter) April 3, 2023 Another tweet read, Would be amazing to have a tool like this to help musicians find and claim unpaid royalties. would be amazing to have a tool like this to help musicians find and claim unpaid royalties. BT (@BT) April 3, 2023 Do you think its a good idea that you are telling people to add in their legal name and DOB to ChatGPT? Is that reasonable or responsible from a privacy perspective? questioned a user. Do you think its a good idea that you are telling people to add in their legal name and DOB to ChatGPT?Is that reasonable or responsible from a privacy perspective? Kristen Ruby (@sparklingruby) April 3, 2023 A fellow Twitter user explained that OpenAI only holds the data for 30 days for safety reasons. In case someone is doing something nefarious and needs to be tried in court While all of this was achieved using the Premium version of ChatGPT, there is no denying AI has made lives easier than before and surely more fun as well. Read all the Latest Buzz News here The auspicious occasion of Panguni Uthiram is here. Devotees all across Tamil Nadu are engrossed in the fervour of festivities, today. On this day, people worship Lord Ayyappa, Lord Shiva, and Lord Vishnu, with a particular focus on Lord Murugan. This year, Australian Consulate-General for South India Sarah Kirlew also attended the festivities. And Sarah was delighted to witness the vibrant procession at Chennais Mylapore neighbourhood. Sarah dropped a couple of pictures of herself attending the festivity in a Twitter thread. She also shared a video, giving a glance at the Panguni festival held at Chennais Kapaleeshwarar temple. From pulling off the iconic Ther Chariot to experiencing the pleasant smell of camphor and jasmine in the air, Sarah revealed that she experienced it all. In the picture, Sarah is standing on some elevated balcony, with the Ther chariot giving her beautiful background. The video shows, a wave of devotees pulling the majestic chariot. In another post, Sarah can be seen posing at the forefront of a gigantic rangoli. While sharing glimpses of the festival, the Australian consulate-general wrote in the caption, Delighted to witness the joyful Panguni festival in Mylapore this morning. The majestic hand-pulled Ther chariot, colourful clothes and kolams, and all smelling beautiful with rich camphor and jasmine in the air. Truly a wonderful experience of South India in Chennai. Delighted to witness the joyful Panguni festival in #Mylapore this morning. The majestic hand pulled Ther' chariot, colourful clothes and kolams, and all smelling beautiful with rich camphor and jasmine in the air. Truly a wonderful experience of #SouthIndia in #Chennai. pic.twitter.com/VMKSL48H2w Aus Consulate Chennai (@AusCGChennai) April 3, 2023 Several users expressed their happiness as Sarah participated in the festivities. One user commented, Glad to see you enjoying the TN festival fervour.. May God bless you with a joyful life! Glad to see you enjoying the TN festival fervor.. May God bless you with a joyful life! Ramkumar Pillappan (@RamkumarPillap1) April 4, 2023 Another wrote, Thats the beauty of South India, rich in cultural traditions and being inclusive. That's the beauty of South India, rich in cultural traditions and being inclusive. https://t.co/6ewupeMg1L Saravanan Raman (@suviniha) April 3, 2023 So far Sarahs post has collected more than 81,000 views. The Australian Consulate Generals office reportedly works for Australias interests in Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and the Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Puducherry and Lakshadweep. Talking about the festival, the Panguni festival is organised between mid-March to mid-April in the Kapaleeswarar Temple in Chennai. It is a nine-day festival that begins with flag hoisting and on the seventh day, the festival of Arubathimoovar is celebrated. Read all the Latest Buzz News here There is no dearth of major friendship goals set across by Bollywood movies. From Rahul-Anjali to Ayan-Alizeh, one can only wish to be blessed with such friendships in real life. Well, this time the internet seems to have treated all those who hope for the same by bringing forth a video of a man exhibiting some serious friendship goals by giving a surprise performance at his best friends wedding. Setting the dance floor on fire, a social media user, Swapnil Jain dedicated an ecstatic dance performance on Ranbir Kapoors Jogi Mahi for his best friend Sakshi Jain at her sangeet ceremony. Swapnil shared the video on his Instagram account with the caption, Mere yaar ki shaadi hai, part 1. He also penned the supers expressing his joy at his friends wedding. So happy for my best friends wedding. Wishing her all the luck and happiness," it read. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Swapnil Suryawanshi (@swapnil_0106_) Decked in a red sequined kurta atop Pathani salwar, Swapnils performance was nothing short of impressive. His spontaneous performance has left the internet in complete awe. The comments section is swamped under all kind appreciation and praise for Swapnil. But what grasped the attention, were people wishing to have a male friend like Swapnil. One user commented, Steps and smile or ek aisa best friend toh mai bhi deserve krti hu. Another wrote, Aisa male best friend to Mai bhi deserve krti hu. (I also deserve a male best friend like him.) Several claimed that after watching Swapnils performance, even their best friend also want them to perform like him. Its amazing. Bhai but now even my best friend wants me to dance like you," a user said. Not only this but a few even tagged their friends and claimed that if they dont perform like Swapnil on their big day, they wont be friends. A user wrote, If you dont dance like this on my wedding we are not friends anymore Gaurav. So far the video has been viewed over a million times. For Part 2 of his performance, Swapnil grooved to Aparshakti Khurana, King Kaazi, and Millind Gabas Teri Yaari. He shared the video with the supers, Jaan se bhi zyada pyari hume humari yaari. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sakshi Jain (@cool19sakshi) Witnessing her friend acing those Bollywood steps, the bride couldnt help but join him. The video shared on March 26 has so far collected over 15,000 likes. Read all the Latest Buzz News here The assembly elections in the state of Karnataka is believed to be a triangular contest for years with the BJP, Congress and the JD(S) being the key players in the arena. However, this time, some more players are trying their luck. Mining baron Janardhana Reddy has floated his political party named Kalyana Rajya Pragati Paksha (KRPP) and has stated that his new outfit will contest the upcoming state Assembly election. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is also trying to gain a foothold in Karnataka. Other parties including BSP, KJP, Prajakiya, and SDPI are joining the arena this time. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) led by MP Asaduddin Owaisi, has decided to contest in 25 constituencies in the state. Owaisi announced candidates for three constituencies. We are ready for an alliance in the state. If not, we are ready to compete independently, Owaisi said to PTI. Owaisi was asked whether he would be willing to ally with Congress. He ruled out such an alliance by saying that the grand old party has always made baseless allegations against him and hence he would not join hands with them. However, the partys state unit president Osman Ghani said that the AIMIM is looking forward to an electoral alliance with JD(S). Ghani stated that although the JD(S), led by former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, is in talks with their party for an alliance, they are yet to accept the proposal. Throughout the state, he claimed, the party would run candidates in around 25 regions. AIMIM had backed the JD(S) in the 2018 elections for the 224-member Assembly of Karnataka and had not nominated any candidates. Owaisi referred to the Basavaraj Bommai governments recent move to eliminate the 4% reservation for Muslims under the OBC category as totally illegal" and voiced outrage about the same. He also questioned the secular leaders as to why they did not oppose this move and staged protests. Read all the Latest News here The BJP, Congress, and JDS are seen to be carefully playing the ticket juggling game to ensure they do not drop the ball in the upcoming assembly elections. All three parties have been screening their candidates to find a winner in every seat while keeping a hawk eye on the candidate list of rival parties. The Congress and JDS have released their first list, while the ruling BJP is yet to make an announcement. The JDS was the first to announce its list of candidates in 93 seats followed by the Congress which released its list of 124 candidates for the election to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly. Cautious BJP The BJP has been cautious in its selection process to ensure that disgruntled candidates do not cross over to the opposition or leaders whose candidates have been denied tickets cause a rebellion. Three BJP MLCs Ayanur Manjunath, Baburao Chinchansur, and Puttanna resigned from the Upper house and joined the Congress. Further reports of rumblings within the party, especially in the Belagavi region, have been another major cause of concern for the party. Ramesh Jarkiholi, the man who is said to have engineered the mass defection of 18 MLAs from the Congress and JDS to the BJP causing the collapse of the Congress-JDS coalition in 2019 has been demanding tickets for two of his close associates, Mahesh Kumatahalli and Shrimanth Patil. The BJP is not keen on giving it to them, especially Athani, where they are farrowing fielding former deputy CM and MLC Laxman Savadi who Kumatahalli (when in the Congress) defeated in 2018. The BJP has devised a special format that is similar to the US election model of primaries and hopes it would help reduce the hurdles in the selection process. By this format, over 25,000 BJP functionaries have cast their votes in favour of one or a maximum of three top candidates of their choice. BJP party insiders say the vetting and selection have been extremely elaborate and thorough as the high command does not want any form of flare-ups that could cause embarrassment or spoil the partys electoral chances. The BJP also claims that the ticket selection has been done democratically and the delay has been deliberate as it would give the selection committee ample time to choose the best candidate. There are some big-ticket leaders from other parties who will be joining the party soon and will also increase our prospects as they are strong leaders in their constituencies. The party also wants to ensure that there is no defection, said a Karnataka BJP leader. This is not the first time that the primaries format has been experimented with as Congress had tried it in the 2014 parliamentary elections. State BJP vice-president Nirmal Kumar Surana explained that the party had asked the BJP office bearers in each of the 224 assembly seats to put three names of their choice in a secret ballot box. The office bearers were also asked to keep in mind that their suggestion of candidates should also focus on winnability as a factor. The polling, which was conducted last week, saw 39 organisational committees traveling to 31 districts of Karnataka to ensure the process proceeded smoothly. Over the weekend, the district core committees shortlisted the names of the candidates based on the ballots. After detailed discussions between BJPs central observer Arun Singh, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, parliamentary board member BS Yediyurappa and Karnataka BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel, the exhaustive list of candidates is being filtered to a final one which is selected to be sent for scrutiny to the BJP Parliamentary Board with their recommendations. This process was to ensure that everyone has a say in the selection process and we also get an idea of how the incumbent MLAs have worked at the ground level. We have also received names of young, energetic, and new faces who have been working hard and could prove to be a winning card for the party. The party is looking at fielding some fresh faces as well this time, explained a senior BJP functionary. Bommai said the first list of the BJP for the May 10 Assembly polls will be finalised by April 8. Congress Conundrum The situation in Congress is no different from the BJP. Having announced its first list of 124 candidates quite comfortably, the partys CEC has been struggling to finalise the final 100 seats as the pressure from the Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar camps has been building up on the central leadership. Congress screening committee headed by senior partyman Mohan Prakash along with Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar among others pored over hundreds of names to draw up a list. In the CEC meeting held on Tuesday, a list of 50 candidates has been finalised, Congress sources told News18. In constituencies where the Congress feels its chances are 50-50, two or more names of probable candidates have been suggested so that the Central Election Committee (CEC) can take the final call. At the end of the days meeting in Delhi, there were names of two candidates each for the remaining 50 seats and so the CEC has asked the senior leader to come up with a final list with just one name. That will be decided in the next 24-48 hours, said a senior Karnataka Congress leader to News18. Just like the BJP, the Congress is also facing opposition from supporters of leaders who have crossed over to the party from the BJP and JDS. Local leaders in Shivamogga sought party workers to take an oath not to work in favour of candidates who crossed over to the party hoping to get tickets. Another example that highlights the differences between the Siddaramaiah-Shivakumar camps is the Pulakeshinagar assembly segment in North Bengaluru. Incumbent MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy is a Siddaramaiah loyalist but Sampath Raj, the former Bengaluru Mayor, is Shivakumars choice of candidate for the seat. Murthy has threatened to resign from the party if denied a ticket and contest as an Independent. The Congress is also keenly waiting to see the list of BJP candidates to make their final move, say party sources. JDS Dilemma The JDS is a troubled house during this election season. The first to have announced the list of 93 candidates, the party leadership is at a crossroads over the hot seat of Hassan. Bhavani Revanna, the wife of HD Revanna and sister-in-law of HD Kumaraswamy, has been seeking a ticket from the seat. However, Kumaraswamy is insistent on not giving it as he has finalised another candidate, HS Swaroop. The JDS could announce a total of three lists, say political analysts, as it would need to give the other candidates time to campaign while trying to resolve the party cum family feud. The JDS was dealt a strong blow as it saw the exit of three MLAs Shivalinge Gowda, SR Srinivas, and AT Ramaswamy. Srinivas and Gowda joined the Congress and Ramaswamy moved to the BJP. With the hopes of becoming kingmaker again, the JDS also wants to ensure it keeps its flock together and its eye on the prize the seat of the chief minister in case of a hung verdict. Read all the Latest Politics News here Extending support to the ruling BJP government, Kannada superstar Kiccha Sudeep announced that he would be campaigning for the BJP and confirmed that he received a threat letter. Yes, I have received a threat letter and I know who sent it to me. I know who the letter is from. It is from someone in the film industry. I will give a befitting reply to them. I will work in favour of those who stand by my side in my tough times, Kannada actor Kichcha Sudeep said. An FIR was filed against an unknown person who reportedly issued a letter threatening to release private videos of the Sandalwood star. ALSO READ: Thought of Something, Will Give Details with CM: Kichcha Sudeeps Pre-Presser Poll Disclosure Officials said the threat letters were received by Sudeeps manager Jack Manju. After bringing it to the actors attention, an FIR was registered at the Puttenahalli Police Station in Bengaluru. #BreakingNews | Kichcha Sudeep gets threat letters amid reports of him backing BJP in Karnataka polls, FIR registered Manju who is also the actors close aide said the letter contained derogatory language against Sudeep. The threat letter case has now been transferred to Central Crime Branch following an order from the Bangalore city commissioner Pratap Reddy. Sudeeps Political Entry Amid speculations, Sudeep said he would campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Karnataka Assembly elections next month. Ahead of his press conference with Basvaraj Bommai, Sudeep on Wednesday ruled out any possibility of him contesting the upcoming Karnataka elections. He also stated that he is neither seeking a ticket for his close aide and producer Manju. Sudeep has a huge following in central Karnataka, especially among the ST community. He belongs to the Nayaka community which is ST. Actor Prakash Raj responded to reports of Kiccha Sudeep joining the BJP and tweeted in Kannada, I strongly believe this is a Fake news spread by the desperate BJP in Karnataka. Kiccha Sudeep is far more sensible citizen to fall prey. I would like to believe that this is lies spread by the BJP which is fearing defeat in Karnataka. Namma Kiccha is not for sale. Last Month, Sudeep had hinted at offers from both the BJP and Congress. Sudeep and Bommai enjoy a close relationship and the actor refers the CM as Mama which means uncle. In February, Sudeep met Karnataka Pradesh Congress president DK Shivakumar in Bengaluru. Read all the Latest Politics News here Kannada actor Kichcha Sudeep will campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Karnataka Assembly elections, giving the ruling party a shot in the arm as it seeks to retain power in the state. The actor also extended his support to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai who he referred to as his mama" (uncle). However, he clarified that he is not entering politics. ALSO READ: Who is Kichcha Sudeep? BJPs Bahubali Campaigner in Ktaka & Mama Bommais Obedient Nephew I call the CM Mama (uncle as I have seen him since my childhood. I have very few people who stood by me since childhood, so it wont be wrong to call him Mama (uncle). I didnt have a godfather when I entered the film industry. I want to extend my support to him (CM)," he said at a press conference with Bommai. #BreakingNews | I am not entering politics. My fans will not let go of me because of my kind of stand in my life. I will only campaign for BJPActor #KichchaSudeep briefs media with #Karnataka CM @harishupadhya and shares more details Join the broadcast with #CNNNews18 pic.twitter.com/n0CaHlyYWW News18 (@CNNnews18) April 5, 2023 Sudeep said that there is no blueprint regarding the poll campaigning so far. We will see how that can be done and how we have to proceed." CM Bommai said, I have spoken to him (Sudeep) that we need you for campaigning. So, he will do campaigning for our party. We will plan how we have to proceed regarding the campaigning. It should benefit him and the party also. He is like strength to us now. I welcome him." Before the press conference, the Kannada actor ruled out any possibility of him contesting the Karnataka elections. He also stated that he is neither seeking a ticket for his close aide and producer Manju. Sudeep has a huge following in central Karnataka, especially among the ST community. He belongs to the Nayaka community which is the ST. In October last year, on the eve of Valmiki Jayanti, the BJP government had announced to increase in reservations for SC/STs. The state Cabinet unanimously agreed to hike the quota for SCs to 17% (from 15%) and for STs to 7% (from 3%). According to reports, the Nayaka community is the largest among the nearly 52 tribes in the state, and BJP has gained support among a significant section of the community. Karnataka has 15 Assembly constituencies reserved for STs and 36 seats for SCs. The BJP is yet to release its list of candidates for the May 10 elections. CM Bommai had earlier said that the BJPs Parliamentary Board is likely to meet on April 8 to finalise the list of BJP candidates. He said the ruling party already has the survey report of each constituency but it has sought the opinion of each District Core Committee on shortlisted candidates. We will discuss the names recommended by the district committees during the State Core Committee meeting on Tuesday and then send it to the Central Parliamentary Board. The Parliamentary Board is likely to meet on April 8 where the names will be finalised after discussion," Bommai said. Assembly polls are scheduled to be held in a single phase on May 10 and counting will take place on May 13. Opposition parties Congress and JD(S) have already released their first list of candidates for the election. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), a new entrant to the state, has also put out its candidates list. Read all the Latest Movies News, Entertainment News Rumour has it that Kiccha Sudeep is likely to campaign for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Karnataka Assembly elections taking place next month. The actor is said to announce his political plan on Wednesday, April 5. While all eyes are on the Kannada actor, his conversation about politics at CNN-News18 Bengaluru Townhall which took place earlier this year has resurfaced and is going viral now. At the time, the Vikrant Rona actor made headlines for his meeting with Congress leader DK Shivakumar. When asked about the meeting, Kiccha Sudeep gave a cryptic reply. The first norm of politics is never discuss your opinion, dont give a hint," he said at the Townhall. The statement resurfaced just a few hours after it was reported that Sudeep will be announcing his political plans at a press conference in the presence of Karnataka CM Basavraj Bommai. Although it is unclear if he will just extend his support in form of campaigning or if he will be contesting as a BJP candidate in the elections. Sources close to Sudeep say there is a meeting at the actors house at 10 am today to discuss with family members whether he would join the BJP and take a plunge into electoral politics or just campaign for the party. Meanwhile, it is reported that Sudeep has received death threat letters after his political plans made the headlines. An FIR was filed against an unknown person who reportedly issued a letter threatening to release private videos of the Sandalwood star. Officials said the threat letters were received by Sudeeps manager Jack Manju. After bringing it to the actors attention, an FIR was registered at the Puttenahalli Police Station in Bengaluru. Sudeep is a Kannada superstar. He made his acting debut in 1997 with the film Thayavva and went on to star in films such as Vaalee, Kiccha, Hubli, No 73, Shanthi Nivasa, Kiccha Huccha, Eega and more. Read all the Latest Showsha News here If you are bored with the constant saas-bahu bickering of Indian TV serials, you can consider switching to Pakistani drama. There is a huge craze for Pakistani serials not only in Pakistan, but here in India as well. One of the biggest reasons for this is that, unlike Indian serials, Pakistani drama series are not stretched for years and actually have limited episodes, which keep up the interest of the viewers. Another speciality is that you do not need to subscribe to a channel or app, and can watch most of the serials for free. You can find them on YouTube. So, here are a few Pakistani serials that you should definitely watch. Zindagi Gulzar Hai There are chances you have already come across the name of this particular serial. It stars Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed in the lead roles. The story is about a woman, who is a schoolteacher. She has three daughters and her husband leaves her for another woman for the sake of getting a male child. The story throws light on gender biases and disparity in wealth between classes. Humsafar This serial stars the heartthrob, Fawad Khan and the diva, Mahira Khan in lead roles. Their chemistry kept the audience glued to the screen. With only 23 episodes, Humsafar is the story of a couple named Khirad and Ashar, who are pressured into getting married due to the sudden death of Khirads mother. Ashars best friend Sara is heartbroken as she was secretly in love with him. Dastaan The serial Dastaan is based on a novel titled Bano, written by Razia Butt. Dastaan features Fawad Khan, Sanam Baloch and Saba Qamar in key roles. The serial is a love story set in the background of the partition era. It captures the upheavals in the lives of Bano and her fiance Hassan. Shehr-e-Zaat Shehr-e-Zaat is a romantic drama that revolves around the life of Falak Sher Afghan, a young woman who after facing betrayal from her husband chooses to go on a journey of self-discovery and seeks out spirituality. The serial stars Mahira Khan, Mikaal Zulfiqar and Hina Khawaja Bayat are in pivotal roles. Udaari The story of Udaari raises awareness against the many heinous crimes like child abuse. It beautifully depicts the miseries of the victim and the family. It also lays the importance of friends and family, who stand by through the tough times. The drama also touched on the themes of caste-based discrimination, the struggles of a widowed woman and a single mother, and the difficulties faced by common people to fight against the influentials. Read all the Latest Showsha News here The cover-up is always worse than the crime, and the saying turned true for Donald Trump. Trump has become the first US president former or current to be charged with a crime. And in the end, the case isnt about the tawdry details of the hush-money payments. It isnt about the porn actor Stormy Daniels or Trumps acrimonious relationship with his onetime lawyer-turned-government witness, Michael Cohen. Its about a presidential candidate using his money and influence to silence potentially damaging stories that might make voters choose another candidate, particularly as Trumps reputation was suffering at the time from comments hed made about women, as explained by the Associated Press. First, Lets Understand What Had Happened Between Trump and Stormy Daniels At a key point in the 2016 presidential campaign, intense negotiations were underway behind the scenes to prevent the leak of embarrassing, and potentially crippling, allegations against Trump, as per an AFP report. In August, The National Enquirer, an American tabloid whose owner is a Trump ally, paid $150,000 to a model, Karen McDougal, for the rights to her story about a relationship she claimed to have had with the billionaire. The objective was to prevent any word of her allegations from getting out a technique known as catch and kill" in the United States, where confidentiality clauses are common. Meantime, Stephanie Clifford a pornographic film actress who goes by the name of Stormy Daniels was also trying to cash in on a relationship she says she had with Trump in 2006, a year after he married his current wife, Melania. The tabloid put her in touch with Michael Cohen, one of Trumps personal lawyers. Late in the 2016 campaign, Cohen, whose fierce loyalty to Trump had earned him the nickname of the Pitbull," arranged a payment of $130,000 to Daniels in exchange for her pledge of confidentiality. The payment was revealed by the Wall Street Journal in January 2018. Cohen and Trump dismissed the report, and the then-president repeatedly denied having had a relationship with Daniels. But Should He HaveDenied It? The key question here lies in whether Trumps denial of the affair would have even mattered to his key supporter base. In a Morning Consult/Politico poll conducted in the two days following CBS 2018 60 Minutes" interview with Daniels, in which she revealed new details about the alleged 2006 affair, by a roughly 5-to-1 margin, voters had believed Trump had an affair with Daniels before he became president, but that the figures did not swing public opinion of him too much. 56 percent of respondents said Trump had an affair with the adult film actress. Only 9% of those polled said he did not. Thirty-five percent were doubtful whether the affair occurred, with 54 percent of Republican voters saying they didnt know or had no opinion, as per this Morning Consult report. While Trumps popularity rating among his self-identified supporters fell by 3 percentage points in that 2018 poll, he had still received approval from 84 percent of those polled, with 14 percent criticising his job performance in office. Extramarital affairs are ethically wrong, according to 76% of Trump voters, the report said. However, the report pointed out that Americans have never placed much faith in Trumps honesty or morality. According to a Morning Consult/Politico poll conducted in October 2016, 58 percent of respondents thought he wasnt moral, and 52 percent said he wasnt honest. According to the current poll, 55% believe Trump is not moral, and 53% believe he is not honest. And that ties in with the most important thing for Trump voters - his agenda. A USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll in December 2016 after the Daniels story came out also painted the same picture. While they did not believe his denial of the adult film stars claim of her 2006 affair with Trump (the same year Melania Trump gave birth to their son Barron), it did not temper their sky-high support for him, said the report. According to the report, men also expressed a lack of shock over the businessman having an affair. We know hes no angel, and he didnt become a multi-billionaire because hes a nice guy. I got over the shock of presidential affairs after Kennedy and Clinton, John Moon of Kamas, Utah told USA Today in 2016. Now, Will Trumps Trial Dent His 2024 Run? Trials dont let candidates put their best foot forward, however, it is not forbidden for them to run or be elected. Read more on this Now, as that is in the clear, lets talk about whether this historic trial could dent his prospects. According to an Associated Press report, for now it remains unclear how the development will resonate with voters. Polls show Trump remains the undisputed frontrunner for the Republican nomination, and his standing has not faltered, even amid widespread reporting on the then expected charges. Trumps campaign and his allies have long hoped an indictment would serve as a rallying cry for his supporters, angering his Make America Great Again base, drawing small dollar donations and forcing Trumps potential rivals into the awkward position of having to defend him or risk their wrath. Indeed, Trumps campaign began fundraising off the news almost immediately after it broke, firing an email to supporters with the all-caps subject line BREAKING: PRESIDENT TRUMP INDICTED. At Trumps first rally of the 2024 campaign, held in Texas over the weekend, supporters expressed widespread disgust with the investigation and insisted the case wouldnt affect his chances. Its a joke, Patti Murphy, 63, of Fort Worth told the Associated Press. Its just another way of them trying to get him out of their way. Others in the crowd said their support for Trump had been waning since he left the White House, but the looming indictment made them more likely to support him in 2024 because they felt his anger had been justified. At the same time, there is little chance a criminal trial will help Trump in a general election, particularly with independents, who have grown tired of his constant chaos. That has provided an opening for alternatives like DeSantis, who are expected to paint themselves as champions of the former presidents policies, but without all his baggage. But there were no immediate signs the party was ready to use the indictment to move past him. Instead, Republicans, including members of Congress and Trumps rivals, rushed to his defense en masse. In addition to DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who has already declared her candidacy, blasted the indictment as more about revenge than it is about justice. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is mulling a run, accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of undermining Americas confidence in our legal system, while also sending a fundraising text off the news. With reports from Associated Press Read all the Latest Explainers here A delegation of religious leaders from the Muslim community raised the issue of communal violence after Ram Navami and hate speeches in their meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday night. Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind president Maulana Mahmood Madani, secretary Niyaz Faruqui led the delegation which also comprised All India Muslim Personal Law Board members Kamal Faruqui and Professor Akhtarul Wasey. Niyaz Faruqui said recent incidents of communal violence in Bihar, West Bengal and Maharashtra were among the key issues discussed in the meeting. This was a different Amit Shah from the one we see delivering political speeches. He responded positively, he heard us in detail, he was not in a denial mode," he told NDTV. The incident in Bihars Nalanda in which a madrasa was set on fire was also discussed and the killing of Junaid and Nasir, residents of Rajasthans Bharatpur were also discussed, according to the Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind secretary. The Bharatpur residents were allegedly abducted by cow vigilantes on February 15 and their bodies were found inside a burnt car at Haryanas Bhiwani the next morning. He told us there are all kinds of people, so it is not right to see everyone through the same prism. The government, he said, was not involved. We told him that the silence on your part leads to despair among Muslims. He said he would look into it," Faruqui said. We did not target any leader, that was not our goal. Our goal was to create cooperation and change the atmosphere in the country," he added. Faruqui termed the meeting with Shah breaking ice". We have taken an initiative, we are not saying anything on the behalf of the government. Mr Shah said, I practice what I preach. So, lets see." Read all the Latest India News here An estranged lovers revenge plan in a deadly home theatre killed a newly-married man and his brother, while seriously injuring five others. The incident took place at Chamari village in Chhattisgarhs Kawardha district. According to Kabirdham additional superintendent of police, Manisha Thakur, a man, identified as one Sarju, was angry with his ex-girlfriend for getting married. Hence, he gifted her the home theatre system with explosives planted inside. Officials said that when the victim, identified as 22-year-old Hemendra Meravi, was unwrapping the gifts a day after his wedding, he noticed that a nameless present" box had a home theatre inside. As soon as Meravi tried to connect the music system to an electronic socket and switched it on, an explosion occurred, killing him on the spot," ASP Thakur said. She said that Meravis brother who was also present there also suffered burns and died during treatment. The injured people were rushed to a nearby hospital and are under treatment. Condition of those injured in the explosion is said to be stable," the ASP added. ASP Thakur further said that a team of forensic experts have been called for an investigation. According to police, Hemendra Merawi got married on April 1. His brother Rajkumar, 30, and four others, including a one-and-a-half year boy, suffered injuries and they were taken to the district hospital in Kawradha. Story of Revenge in Karnataka In December last year, a similar act was revenge was seen in Karnatakas Hassan when a mixer-grinder that had come as a parcel exploded at a courier office. There were speculations of the blast being an act of terror". Some even wondered if kitchen appliances could be of any threat. However, the story got a cinematic twist when the case turned into a story of heartbreak and revenge. According to officials, a jilted lover tried to kill a woman he was pursuing, by planting a detonator inside a mixer and sending it as a gift to her. Before the appliance could reach its destination, the fate took its turn and an innocent person at the courier office had to bear the brunt. The story began when a 32-year-old divorcee created a profile on a matrimonial website, where she met a 28-year-old man who was a widower from Bengaluru. The two began talking and everything seemed to be going well for them, until the situation changed with the woman distancing herself from the Bengaluru man. She even declined to marry him. An official said that to win the woman back, the lover sent her two gifts but she discarded them without opening". The man then decided to take revenge, and fixed a detonator inside a new mixer-grinder. He sent it through DTDC courier service. But the woman returned the parcel to the courier office after seeing that the senders name was not mentioned on the box. The box was lying in the courier office for two days. Since no one came to claim it or contacted them, the courier franchise owner, Shashi Kumar, grew curious and opened it. He found a mixer grinder inside and was surprised to see it in good shape. He then thought of testing, and seeing if it actually worked. As he plugged it into a socket and switched it on, the mixer-grinder exploded with a loud noise. The intensity of the blast was such that windows, doors and walls of the shop were damaged," a police officer told reporters. Read all the Latest India News here The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued an advisory to all states and union territories (UTs) over preparation for Hanuman Jayanti, asking them to ensure maintenance of law and order. The [state] governments are encouraged to ensure the maintenance of law and order, peaceful observance of the festival, and monitoring of any factors that could disturb communal harmony in society, MHA said. The advisory comes amid incidents of violence that were seen around Ram Navami, especially in parts of West Bengal and Bihar. The MHA has issued an advisory to all states in preparation for Hanuman Jayanti. The governments are encouraged to ensure the maintenance of law and order, peaceful observance of the festival, and monitoring of any factors that could disturb communal harmony in society. , HMO India (@HMOIndia) April 5, 2023 Just a little before MHAs order, Calcutta High Court had asked the West Bengal government to seek central forces for Hanuman Jayanti amid unrest in parts of the state since Ram Navami. The state government should give requisition to Centre for deployment of central forces to conduct Hanuman Jayanti. No Hanuman Jayanti in areas where Section 144 is imposed," directed Calcutta HC. Union Home Ministry on Tuesday sought a detailed report from the West Bengal government on the violence during Ram Navami in Howrah. This came days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Governor CV Ananda Bose and took stock of the prevailing situation in the state, particularly in violence-hit areas of Howrah. ALSO READ: After Ram Navami Unrest, Bengal Govt Asks Cops to be Alert for Hanuman Jayanti The home ministry sought a detailed report from the West Bengal government on the violence that took place on Ram Navami in Howrah, sources said. Clashes broke out between two groups during festivities on March 30. Several vehicles were torched, and shops ransacked in the area, police said. Dozens of people have been arrested in connection with the violence in Howrah. The Calcutta High Court direction also comes amid the state government issuing guidelines for the police to be more cautious ahead of Hanuman Jayanti in order to avoid any untoward incident. State government has instructed police to carry out strict monitoring and vigil in sensitive areas, with more emphases to be given in vulnerable areas. Every police personnel posted in such areas has been asked to use a police body-camera. The state government has also asked police to prevent spread of rumours and take strict action against those found doing so. The West Bengal government has also directed police to monitor social media posts and take strict action against those putting up fake news. Police officers have also been told to hold meetings with community leaders to maintain social harmony. Superior officers have been asked to supervise all processions. Read all the Latest India News here Continuing with its crackdown on Maoists, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has arrested Nand Kishore Yadav, a wanted guerrilla from Jharkhand. Yadav had received a gunshot injury during an encounter on April 3. Five Maoists were killed in a joint operation by CRPFs specialised commando unit CoBRA and Jharkhand police. One INSAS rifle along with 15 rounds were also recovered from his possession," a CRPF spokesperson said. As part of a joint strategy of police in Jharkhand, Bihar, Maharashtra, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and central forces, more operations are being undertaken to eliminate the Maoist leadership. More camps have been set up in forward areas and a dossier has also been updated about the central committee members of CPI (Maoist) who have been providing direction and strategy to the cadres. The Centre has prepared a dossier with names and details of the Maoist leadership. The top 5 people named in it are: 1. Nambala Keshava Rao, Central Committee Member, from Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh 2. Muppala Laxmana Rao, Central Committee Member, from Karimnagar, Telangana 3. Mallojula Venugopal, Central Committee Member, from Karimnagar, Telangana 4. Thippari Tirupathi, Central Committee Member, from Karimnagar, Telangana 5. Katakam Sudershan, Central Committee Member, from Adilabad, Telangana The list, officials said, has been updated after a number of Maoists either surrendered or died due to Covid or related illnesses. While most of the five mentioned have been on the most wanted list for some years, many like Katakam Sudershan have moved their way up from the top 10 most wanted to the top 5. Interestingly Hidma, the alleged Naxal who had struck terror in the hearts of Sukma, Bijapur, and Dantewada, does not find mention in the list. All five central committee members are from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and not a single tribal person is part of the top decision-making body of Maoists, as per the list prepared by central forces. Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraj, the general secretary of CPI (Maoist) and an IED expert, carries a bounty of Rs 1 crore. Ganpathi or Muppala Laxmana Rao is number 2 on the list, even though it was believed for some time that he had handed over the baton to Keshava Rao. In 2020, Telangana police had expected a surrender from Ganpathi but he gave the forces a slip, as per officials. He may be old and ill but he is very much on our list," an official who has served in the Naxal zone told News18. Mallojula Venugopal or Abhay is believed to be a spokesperson for CPI (Maoist). A politburo and central military commission member, Abhay, as per agencies, succeeded Azad in the role. Also called Bhupati by the Maoist cadre, Venugopal is the brother of Kishenji, the Maoist leader who was gunned down in West Bengal. The National Investigation Agency has announced a Rs 10 lakh bounty on Thippiri Tirupathi alias Devuji. Central agencies suspect Tirupathi to be one of the masterminds of the April 2010 Maoist attack in Dantewada that killed 74 CRPF jawans. Katakkam Sudershan or Birenderji is also suspected to be the brains behind that massacre. Central forces and local police believed that a spate of surrenders, deaths due to illnesses, an ageing central leadership, and operations by police and paramilitary have sounded the death knell for CPI (Maoist). In Bihar and Jharkhand they are overnot as integrated with the Bastar units. 16 Naxals with a bounty of Rs 5 lakh surrendered last month in Chhattisgarh. They are on the back foot," an officer said. Read all the Latest India News here As Bihar Sharif and Sasaram still struggle to normalise the situation six days after the violence on Ram Navami, heavy security has been deployed for Hanuman Jayanti on Thursday to prevent any untoward situation. Shops and schools opened in Sasaram today but internet services are still shut. Over 1500 police personnel are keeping an eye on sensitive areas. Three companies of paramilitary forces and 58 magistrates have been deployed in Sasaram. As many as 51 people have been arrested so far and 155 are absconding, informed Superintendent of Police Rohtas, Vineet Kumar. In Bihar Sharif, section 144 is still imposed in the city, four companies of Paratroops, 14 companies of BSAP jawans and over 300 district police are deployed in every nook and corner. Internet services will remain shut till Thursday evening, according to SP Nalanda, Ashok Mishra. Devotees are preparing to take out a procession on Hanuman Jayanti on April 6. The administration, through mobile vans and loudspeakers, was heard appealing to people to maintain peace and not to pay attention to rumours. The Bihar government kept all 38 districts on high alert and the police officials are monitoring every activity. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had to cancel his scheduled public meeting on April 2 in Sasaram after violent clashes erupted in the city between two communities. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued an advisory to all states and union territories (UTs) regarding preparation for Hanuman Jayanti, asking them to ensure the maintenance of law and order. Earlier, Shah expressed concerns over the clashes and spoke to Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to take stock of the situation. The Home Ministry has also sent additional paramilitary forces to Bihar to assist the state administration in handling the situation. According to BJP sources, two teams of 10 MLAs each will be visiting Bihar Sharif and Sasaram to take stock of the situation. The delegation headed by Leader of Opposition Vijay Sinha will be visiting Bihar Sharif in Nalanda and another team headed by former deputy chief minister Tarkishore Prasad will visit Sasaram in Rohtas district. But, since the areas remain volatile is likely that the MLAs will be stopped from entering the sensitive places. Earlier, the cavalcade of Rajiv Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav was stopped from entering Sasaram citing the model code of conduct for MLC elections. Back here in Patna, it was another day of political storm in Bihar Vidhan Sabha, where a BJP MLA and former minister faced Marshal out from the assembly on the charges of disruption in the house. Speaking to CNN-News18, Jibesh Kumar said, There was no need to marshal out. But, it is their characteristic to suppress opposition. We demanded the Chief Minister of Bihar who is also the Home Minister to answer in the assembly and he forcibly by his marshals, carried me out. It is a shame for democracy today and behaviour of the speaker was surprising. Bihar BJP president Samrat Chaudhary said that it clearly shows that the Assembly Speaker is running the House only on the instructions of the government, now democracy seems to be ending in Bihar. If you do not raise your voice in the House, then where will you raise it?" he asked. Bihars agriculture minister Kumar Sarvajeet alleged some Opposition leaders insulted the speaker. They called him besharam (shameless), which is the biggest insult to the assembly," Sarvajeet told CNN-News18. Working to Bring Situation Under Control: Nitish Kumar CM Nitish Kumar said those behind the incidents are being searched. In both places, some people deliberately were messing up, and thats why the clashes happened. We have worked diligently to bring this situation under control. Our investigating team is collecting information by going to every house after a few days the cause of the incident will be known," he said. Taking a jibe at Amit Shahs statement that BJPs door is closed forever for Nitish Kumar, CM Nitish Kumar said, Which door is of Amit Shah? BJP should remember that they should not forget how much benefit they got in politics by staying with me. This is the way of these people to keep saying something or the other, we do not take notice of it. Kumar called AIMIM chief Assauddin Owaisi an agent" of the central government. A lot of news is published about Owaisis words but no news is published about big parties which are in favour of the opposition. Owaisi is special to BJP and keeps on deliberately speaking against us. He wanted to meet me when he came to Bihar, but I flatly refused to meet him. BJP is ruling and as opposition Owaisi is supporting them as an agent from behind. Commenting on Shahs conversation with the state governor over the law and order situation, Kumar said, BJP people who are ruling now, how long have they been in politics? And one should see how old we have been in politics. People remember the work done under the leadership of BJPs Atal ji. These people dont work, instead their propaganda is to target others and while doing so they have captured everything. Former chief minister of Bihar and RJD MLC Rabri Devi alleged the BJP is behind riots in Nalanda and Sasaram. The government will get it investigated, appropriate action will also be taken against whoever is guilty. Opposition Demands Judicial Probe Into Violence Bihar BJP president Samrat Chaudhary demanded a judicial probe into the violence under a retired judge of Patna High Court. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has become a murderer and he is getting people killed. Nitish Kumar will have to answer on whose instructions two persons were killed in Nalanda and Sasaram. The two districts in Bihar which had riots were not controlled until the central forces came, Bihar has become completely useless, he said. Read all the Latest India News here A joint team of Central Intelligence and Maharashtra ATS nabbed Sharukh Saifi, the absconding accused in Kerala train fire case, from Ratnagiri Railway Station of Maharashtra on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday. Saifi is accused of setting on fire a co-passenger on Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express by pouring an inflammable liquid at around 9:45 pm on Sunday, April 2, when the train reached the Korapuzha railway bridge after crossing Kozhikode city. While eight other passengers were injured in the process, three persons, including a one-year-old child and a woman, were found dead on the tracks hours later near the Elathur railway station in Kozhikode. Saifis location was traced to Ratnagiri on Tuesday. News18 has learnt that Sharukh Saifi was at Ratnagiri civil hospital for treatment of head injuries that he received after falling off the train he had targeted in Kerala. ALSO READ | Kerala Train Fire A Lone Wolf Terror Attack? Top Intelligence Source Shares Exclusive Details The accused, however, fled from the hospital without completing the treatment. Subsequently, extensive searches were conducted in Ratnagiri area and Sharukh Saifi was traced and detained. He is currently under the custody of Railway Protection Force (RPF), Ratnagiri and his interrogation is yet to start. Kerala Police has also reached Ratnagiri. A team of Kerala police also arrived in Delhis Shaheen Bagh to conduct searches as sources said that one of the addresses traced to Saifi is of the area in the national capital. But theres no clarity yet if he is the same Sharukh," sources added. Top intel sources told News18 that a diary and phone were recovered from the spot of the fire. Some eyewitnesses told police that the suspect was not South Indian. On the basis of the diary, a few people named Saifi were nabbed from western Uttar Pradesh, including Moradabad and Bulandshahr. The phone recovered was without SIM and on the basis of IEME, it was traced to Shaheen Bagh, sources said. When Kerala police contacted the family, they told that their son was missing and had registered a report on March 31. Following this, the agencies, with the help of the family, nabbed Sharukh Saifi, sources further said. They added that six of Saifis phones were put on surveillance after meeting his family. One of the phones got switched on around 1:30 am and Maharashtra ATS was informed about the location," sources said. After being alerted, the local police team immediately rushed to Ratnagiri hospital, where they were informed that a man with injuries had come but later ran away. The whole area was searched and Saifi was found at the station. Sources said that the accused is mentally fit" and told officers that he was asked to set the Kerala train on fire", but agencies are verifying his claims. They added that details will emerge after final questioning. Ratnagiri Superintendent of Police is likely to address the media around 11 am. Saifi will be handed over to Kerala police after completing formalities. Kerala police would seek his transit remand from local magistrate and take him to the southern state. Read all the Latest India News here West Bengal and Bihar failed in ensuring peace during Ram Navami last week, leading to violent clashes, but thousands of such processions passed off without any trouble in Uttar Pradesh where the Yogi Adityanath government is in power. What is the secret recipe for peace? Nothing happened in Uttar Pradesh during the thousands of Ram Navami processions last weekwe have a straightforward policy that ensures peace. That is not letting any deviation from existing tradition being allowed, conversation with religious leaders of both sides in peace committees, a religion-neutral approach, and enforcing serious consequences in case of violence, Uttar Pradeshs additional director general of police (law and order) Prashant Kumar told News18. Kumar says Uttar Pradesh sees more Ram Navami processions than all other states put together. The key is not allowing any new tradition to celebrate any festival. Be it Ram Navami or Muharram, it has to be held by tradition. Before any major festival, we take all religious groups on board at the level of the police station, superintendent of police, and district level. The religious leaders are told that ensuring peace and law and order is everyones responsibility and what precautions must be taken, he said. The religious leaders are also told of serious consequences if things go wrong. We have a law now for penal provisions in case there is damage to public property and recoveries are enforced. We take severe action against defaulters. There is a general perception in the state that the government is neutral and will act if peace is disrupted, Kumar explained. An issue that has emerged in both West Bengal and Bihar is Ram Navami processions passing close to mosques or what has been termed Muslim areas", causing tensions and instances of stone-pelting. Kumar said that in UP, if a traditional route" involves a Ram Navami procession passing close to a mosque or a Muharram procession passing close to a temple, precautions are taken by involving the relevant communities much in advance. If there is such a traditional route, in a peace committee meeting, it is made clear that when Ram Navami processions pass by a mosque, then it is the responsibility of the important people of the Muslim community to be present there and ensure that it passes off peacefully. During Muslim festivals, we similarly ask important Hindu leaders to be present. It is not forced, it is being told to them that it is in the interest of everyone that peace is maintained, Kumar said. A central government source in Delhi said the reports from Bihar and West Bengal pointed to appeasement politics" and a weak political will" to stop communal violence, as well as the perception among people of bias". The source said the public statements of the chief ministers of West Bengal and Bihar pointed to such an approach, which has led to a breakdown of law and order in both states this time. West Bengal had seen trouble during Ram Navami processions last year too but no lessons were learnt by the state government, a central government source told News18. Read all the Latest India News here Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address BJP members on the partys foundation day on Thursday. The party will also push its campaign for his reelection in the next years Lok Sabha polls with wall-writing across the country during the day. BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh told reporters that party members will write slogans Ek Baar Phir Se Modi Sarkar" and Ek Baar Phir Se Bhajpa Sarkar" on walls in over 10.72 lakh places after its president J P Nadda launches the exercise from the national capital at 12 noon. He also briefed reporters on the details of the social justice week" the party will observe from its foundation day to the birth anniversary of Bhim Rao Ambedkar on April 14. The BJP will observe nationwide programmes to commemorate Ambedkar, a freedom fighter, social reformer, economist, architect of Indias constitution and an icon especially for Dalits. Party members will also mark the birth anniversary of social reformer Jyotiba Phule on April 11, Chugh said. Hailing Modi for his governments work for the poor and the countrys development, he said the prime ministers address will be broadcast live at over 10 lakh places across the country. The BJP was founded on April 6, 1980 after leaders of the erstwhile Jana Sangh quit the Janata Party to launch a new party. Read all the Latest India News here Read more present in the area. Internet too has been suspended and section 144 has been imposed. The Bengal administration has directed senior officials of police to be extra cautious on festivals like Ram Navami. Theyve been asked to hold meetings with community leaders to maintain social harmony. The directive stated that superior officers should supervise all the processions. This came as chief minister accused the BJP of organising violence during Ram Navami processions and asserted that she would not let any rioter go scot-free and warned that strict action would be taken against dangabaaz (rioters). The BJP is behind the violence in Hooghly and Howrah. They had brought in hired goondas from other states to unleash violence in Bengal, which is not in our culture. They are defaming the Hindu religion by pitting one community against another. But rioters have no religion, they are just political goons. I appeal to everyone to maintain calm, she said. The TMC MPs are likely to raise violence issue in Parliament. As many as 13 intellectuals, including Aparna Sen, have written an open letter condemning the violence on Ram Navami. The way polarisation politics has taken place regarding Ram Navami is condemnable, they wrote. Meanwhile, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has blamed the JD(U)-RJD government in Bihar and the TMC government in West Bengal for allegedly failing to check the recent incidents of violence during Ram Navami. He also attacked the Bihar chief minister and deputy chief minister and said they failed to stop the violence despite receiving intelligence reports about the possibility of such incidents taking place. Wherever there is violence, the responsibility lies on the state governments concerned. It is their failure they were unable to stop the violence. Also, those who take up processions it is also the responsibility of the organisers, the Hyderabad MP told reporters. It is the failure of the respective state governments that failed in discharging their duty of stopping the violence. It is pre-planned conspiracy of (those) people who indulge in violence. It is the failure of the state governments, whether it is the West Bengal government, whether it is the Bihar government, and whether it is the mob lynching of Idrees Pasha in KarnatakaWhat was the government doing? Owaisi asked. On the recent communal clashes that erupted in Bihar Sharif in Nalanda district and Sasaram in Rohtas district of Bihar during Ram Navami, Owaisi termed it a complete failure of the Nitish-Tejashwi-RJD government in Bihar. Read all the Latest India News here People have to apply for visas for a particular country they chose to travel to, but when it comes to Europe, you only require a Schengen visa to make a journey to the member nations. However, the application process is a tedious one as it requires people to make several rounds to the consulate for verification of paper works and other formalities. Now, the EU member states have considered the councils mandate for digitizing the procedure. According to the press release shared by the Council of the European Union, the proposal entails the replacement of the currently used visa stickers with a digital version. They highlight the main goal behind putting forth the mandate is to make the entire process more efficient. The Swedish Minister for Migration, Maria Malmer Stenegard, in her statement, explained, A digital Schengen visa will make it easier for legitimate travellers to apply and will at the same time help make the Schengen area safer. Online applications will reduce the number of trips to the consulate for travellers and make the process smoother for national administrations. At the same time, the digital visa will put an end to the risk of falsification and theft of the visa sticker. What are the perks? I. Online Application process The process is similar to any online application procedure. The council aims to create a single platform and website for the application for a Schengen visa which will be directed to the authorized national system. The travellers can upload all the required documents electronically and pay the fees, after which theyll also be notified of the decision digitally. ALSO READ: Bored Of Travelling Same Destinations Every Summer? Here Are Top 5 Unexplored Gems Of India II. Who has to follow the manual route The rules indicated in-person appearance will only be required for first-time applicants or those whose biometrics has expired from the system. People submitting new documents will also need to pay a visit to the consulate. III. Automatic system For those who wish to visit multiple countries, the website will automatically decide which country is responsible for examining the process. The major factor that will contribute to the selection is the duration of the stay. But the applicants will be given the option to select if they want to process the application in a particular member state. ALSO READ: In Pictures: No Visa Required To Travel To These Countries For Indian Passport Holders IV. 2D barcode The digital visas will be issued with a 2D barcode with a cryptographical signature, which will lessen the risk of stolen visa stickers. Read all the Latest Lifestyle News here Following the Ram Navami violence across the country, especially in West Bengal, the bleeding-heart liberals are out in the open with their prescriptions to safeguard Indias secular fabric. As an antidote to growing polarisation in the country, they suggest the law-abiding citizens of India (meaning Hindus) should avoid going to Muslim areas to celebrate their festivals. In other words, these saner minds want Hindus to celebrate their festivals in Hindu areas! Nothing can be more sinister than this liberal advice. For, it not only legitimises the ghettoisation of certain areas, but also gives them a bad name for all times to come. However, the moment a Hindu turns back and asks if this means the entry of Muslims in Hindus areas, during Hindu festivals, would also be restricted, the cat is out of the liberal bag. The sane liberal voice suddenly becomes louder, coarser, and even intimidating at times. They foresee the end of democracy and secularism if it is attempted in any form. The very people who call for a barrier on the entry of Hindus in the so-called Muslim areas want no such barricading for Muslims in the so-called Hindu areas. They hail the presence of Muslim food vendors in Durga Puja pandals, calling it a symbol of Indias syncretic culture. And not long ago they were up in arms when some Navratri pandals in Gujarat barred the entry of Muslim boys. These blatantly biased liberal rules need to be called out precisely because it follows what Daniel Pipes calls, in another context, the Rushdie rules. According to the Rushdie rules, says Pipes, editors, authors, newspapers, publishers and academic teachers abide by a new set of rules which limit the freedom to discuss Islam with the same methods, terminology and frank inquisitiveness which are considered normal in discussing Christianity or Hinduism. The Rushdie rules provide exceptional powers to Islam vis-a-vis other religions, just the same way the liberal rules give special access to Muslims in a secular country! Coming back to this years violence on Ram Navami, which unfortunately has become an annual affair, one senior TV journalist who never gets tired of invoking his liberal-secular credentials, invents a political angle to the violence. The 3 states where the unfortunate Ram Navami violence has taken place are also 3 key states where (as per most polls and observers) the BJP faces its biggest challenges in 2024 general elections: Bihar, Bengal and Maharashtra. How should one read this folks? Now thats called a narrative setting, giving a free pass to all except Hindus and the political party that is believed to be sympathetic to their cause. In their unholy haste to corner a particular community and a political party, these pretentious liberals fail to realise that the Ram Navami violence is not a post-2014 phenomenon. In 1871, as per the British official records, Bareilly saw widespread Ram Navami violence; this was despite the fact that the route for the procession was agreed upon by all the parties. Even before Bareilly, historical records suggest how in 1680, Sambhaji Maharaj asked Turks to desist from burning pandals and creating disturbances. Like the Jahangirpuri riots in the wake of the 2022 Ram Navami procession, this years violence too exposes liberal duplicity: The basic narrative being pushed is that the Muslims were being provoked through loud music and sloganeering of Jai Shri Ram near mosques. Incidentally, the same brigade keeps a steadied silence when Muharram processions pass through a temple area and do a similar kind of sloganeering. In fact, by that parameter, the majority community should take offence to a muezzins Azaan calls on loudspeakers that inadvertently remind non-Muslims that their religion is false and the only true God is the one worshipped by Muslims! The liberal propensity to run with Hindus and hunt with Islamists is too glaring to ignore. This phenomenon persists not just in religious activities but in all walks of life. Christopher Hitchens, in his Foreword to Ayaan Hirsi Alis Infidel: My Life, writes, Across the intellectual spectrum of the West, voices are raised to say that the problem is not the exorbitant demands made by Muslim bullies No, the problem is that of people like Ayaan, who upset and offend the faith community of Islam. In India, this phenomenon gets magnified because theres a liberal bogey that gets extremely uncomfortable with the civilisational idea of India. It invariably puts either out of ideological compulsions or as a victim of coloniality Hindu ethos as antithesis to modern, secular values. This may, in some way, explain why the Jai Shri Ram chants make Indian liberals uneasy, but when a girl in hijab shouts Allah hu Akbar, this same set of people calls it an act of defiance against Hindutva patriarchy! The Ram Navami violence is primarily the outcome of a sense of supremacy among Abrahamic faiths. It is this innate sense of superiority that made Khilafat leader Maulana Mohammed Ali, who had initially hailed Mahatma Gandhi as the most Christ-like man of our times, but from the point of view of religion, the Mahatma remained inferior to any Mussalman though he be without character! It is this understanding of Islam, deliberately downplayed by liberals, that made Dr BR Ambedkar not just support the creation of Pakistan but also the transfer of population. In Pakistan or the Partition of India, he matter-of-factly calls Islam a close corporation that makes distinction between Muslims and non-Muslims. The brotherhood of Islam is not the universal brotherhood of man. It is the brotherhood of Muslims for Muslims only. There is a fraternity, but its benefit is confined to those within that corporation. For those who are outside the corporation, there is nothing but contempt and enmity, he writes. At the core of it all, however, is the political incompetence of the state. This fact is borne out quite clearly when one looks at the spread of the Ram Navami violence across the country: This year it was more viciously pronounced in those states where the administration was popularly perceived as either weak or pro-minority, as in the case of Bihar and West Bengal, or a state whose administration might have suffered due to coalition constraints, as might have been the case with Maharashtra. In contrast, Uttar Pradesh led by Yogi Adityanath ensured the Ram Navami processions across the state largely passed off peacefully. His success, despite presiding over a much bigger state, geographically and population-wise, with a significantly large and politically assertive minority community, exposed the administrative hollowness of others. A riot takes place when a religious ideology/institution believes in its exclusivity as well as supremacy; it also increases when the state is perceived to be weak and biased. Such flare-ups gain momentum when perpetrators believe they can get away with such crimes. There is no doubt there were a few lumpen elements among Hindus during the Ram Navami processions who did provoke the other side. Some of them screamed provocative slogans, and a few tried scaling the walls of mosques. But then it exposes the failure of the police in handling what is clearly a law-and-order issue. Such elements should have been dealt with an iron fist, but when the administration is in dilemma about the state governments political will and religious neutrality, there is bound to be dithering in taking timely action. India should bulldoze the very idea of Muslim areas before a section of liberals conspires to provide it with a secular cover. Such concepts have no place in a democracy. It is against the idea of civilisational India. It is also against the very notion of Western secularism. The author is Opinion Editor, Firstpost and News18. He tweets from @Utpal_Kumar1. Views expressed are personal. Read all the Latest Opinions here Rahul Gandhi has reportedly agreed not to target Hindutva icon VD Savarkar at the entreaty of Sharad Pawar and Sanjay Raut. Both the Nationalist Congress Party and the Shiv Sena [Uddhav Thackeray] pressurised Rahul not to attack Savarkar any further for the sake of opposition unity. However, the truce is unlikely to last long as Rahul is constantly itching to make a clear ideological distinction between the grand old party and the Hindutva brigade. A quick recap of the RSS-Congress ties in post-Independence India is required, particularly for the benefit of young readers. Though the countrys first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was generally unsparing in criticising the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), he occasionally praised the Sangh Parivar, particularly when Pakistan attacked Jammu and Kashmir soon after Independence and RSS volunteers went there to help. During the Chinese aggression too, Nehru had acknowledged services rendered by the RSS. There is a controversy regarding the RSSs participation in the 1963 Republic Day parade. Author Dhirendra Jha contests this claim. It may have happened that the RSS volunteers were part of a massive citizens march at the Rajpath (now Kartavya Path) on January 26, 1963, when a bitter and somewhat humiliating Sino-Indian conflict had ended. Many citizens, running into thousands, participated in the Republic Day parade of 1963 to renew their resolve to safeguard Indias honour and integrity against Chinese treachery and aggression. Nehru and his cabinet colleagues, too, had led a contingent of Members of Parliament in the march. Subsequently, on the political turf, both the 1977 and 1984-85 general elections established beyond doubt that the RSS was capable of taking tactical positions for the advancement of its larger political goals. In 1977, the RSS directed the Jan Sangh to merge with an entity like the Janata Party that had a sizable presence of socialists and breakaway Congress factions. The idea behind the merger was to further the Sanghs interests, both short-term and medium-term. When the 8th Lok Sabha elections were announced in 1984, the country was passing through perhaps its biggest political turmoil since the Partition and Mahatma Gandhis assassination. The RSS supported a Congress that was led by a young man with little experience in politics or governance. The move was significant on several counts. The Sanghs new political entity, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was formed in 1980 and it was facing a major test during the 1984-85 polls. Kuppahalli Sitaramayya Sudarshan, later to become the sarsanghchalak (head) of the RSS, held that all political parties were equal in the eyes of the RSS as long as they served the broad Sangh agenda of cultural nationalism, swadeshi, and Hindu renaissance. This line of thinking was evident when, in 2018, current RSS supremo Vishnu Bhagwat was quoted saying, These are [Congress-mukt Bharat] political slogans. It is not the language of the RSS. The word mukt (free or liberated) is used in politics. We never use the language of excluding anyone. Bhagwats remarks at a book release function in Pune in 2018 generated considerable interest in political circles. In the context of Rahuls frequent attacks on the RSS and his comparison of the organisation with Ikhwan Ul Muslimeen (Brotherhood), Bhagwats bid to engage Rahul was seen as a streak of realpolitik and an attempt to showcase the RSS as an organisation that welcomes criticism and advocates political inclusiveness. Incidentally, the RSS support for the Congress, days after Indira Gandhis assassination, was evident in an article authored by veteran Sangh ideologue Nanaji Deshmukh, published in the Hindi magazine Pratipaksh, which he ended with a call to bless and cooperate with Rajiv Gandhi when voting was less than a month away. The young prime minister quickly announced general elections ahead of schedule between December 24 and 27, 1984. Rajivs election campaign was aggressive and focused on making Sikhs seeking a separate homeland a key issue. The hidden agenda was to somehow exploit Hindu insecurity and project the Rajiv-led Congress as their sole saviour. Rajiv had met Bhaurao Deoras, younger brother of Balasaheb Deoras, at least half a dozen times at different locations including 46, Pusa Road, New Delhi, the residence of family friend and alcohol baron Kapil Mohan, who died recently. Rajivs close associate Arun Singh, Delhi mayor Subash Arya, and liaison man Anil Bali were among those who were present. The buzz was that the RSS wanted Rajiv to open the locks of Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi and get clearance for Ramanand Sagars epic Ramayana on state TV Doordarshan. Throughout his tenure as Congress president and Prime Minister, PV Narasimha Rao was accused of going soft on RSS. In fact, before Babri Masjid fell on December 6, 1992, Rao was in close touch with the top RSS leadership in order to find an out-of-court settlement of the vexed Ayodhya issue. When Professor Rajendra Singh, aka, Rajju Bhaiya took over as RSS chief in 1994, a section of the Congress whispered the joke: Arrey, Rao Sahib phir reh gaye (Oh, Rao has missed the chance again)." On a more serious note, a strong right-wing lobby in the Congress has survived for decades. Ravishankar Shukla, the premier of the Central Provinces and the first Congress chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, authored a two-part article, published in Kalyan in July-August 1947. The Congress stalwart had argued that Hindustan should become a Hindu Rashtra and its state religion should be Hinduism. Hindus or non-Muslims should hold the top posts. Any person who does not believe in Hindu culture should not be made a part of the government of Hindustan. Shukla, a member of the Constituent Assembly, had advocated that Muslims should not be given citizenship rights. The time is ripe for Rahul Gandhi to look back and take a cue from how the Congress dealt with the issue of Hindutva and RSS in the past. The writer is a Visiting Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation. A well-known political analyst, he has written several books, including 24 Akbar Road and Sonia: A Biography. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the stand of this publication. Read all the Latest Opinions here Former US President Donald Trump appears in court with his lawyer Joe Tacopina for an arraignment on charges stemming from his indictment by a Manhattan grand jury following a probe into hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, in New York City, US (Image: Reuters) With the dust settling on communal disturbances in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday rejected charges of administrative laxity and vented spleen against Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the BJP, vowing to expose those who had orchestrated" the riots. The JD(U) leader also lambasted AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, calling him an agent" of the BJP. He was replying to queries from journalists on the sidelines of a function organised on the occasion of birth anniversary of former deputy prime minister and Dalit stalwart Jagjivan Ram. Kumars remarks come a day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed that the BJP was bringing in goons to create riots in her state. The Bihar CM taunted Shah over the much-publicised rioters will be hung upside down if BJP comes to power in Bihar" remark at a rally in Nawada district on Sunday, and reminded him of riots in 2017 when our government had to arrest the son of a BJP leader". The allusion was to the riots that broke out during Ram Navami, incidentally in 2018 and not 2017, at Bhagalpur. Union minister Ashwini Kumar Choubeys son Arijit Shashwat was named among the key accused in the case. Kumar, who was a minister in the Union Cabinet headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, also reminded Shah how angry Atal ji was", indirectly referring to the 2002 riots of Gujarat, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief minister of that state. About the conflagration that erupted in Sasaram and Bihar Sharif last week, again during Ram Navami, Kumar asserted that there was no administrative laxity", but added the riots were orchestrated" and those behind the incident will be known soon. Just wait, door to door searches are on". The riots last week were planned thoroughly. No wonder, one of the places, Sasaram, happened to be where he (Amit Shah) was supposed to visit. And the other was Bihar Sharif, a town which is dear to me," said Kumar, who hails from Nalanda district, where Bihar Sharif is headquartered. The longest-serving chief minister also expressed anguish that during his stay in Bihar, the Union home minister spoke to the governor over the riots and not to him, saying these people have no regard for constitutional norms and the sanctity of an elected government". For how long have these people (Modi and Shah) been in politics? And compare it with the time I have spent in active politics," said the septuagenarian, who also pointed out that unlike his counterparts in many other non-BJP states, he has never had a problem with Raj Bhavan and always welcomed" whosoever was appointed the governor. The JD(U) supremo bristled when his attention was drawn to remarks of Owaisi, who has blamed the Mahagathbandhan government for the riots. Who is he? Which place does he belong to? What stakes does he have in Bihar?" Kumar shot back, alleging that the Hyderabad MP was an agent of those in power at Delhi". He (Owaisi) had expressed the desire to meet me when I separated (from the BJP). I refused," revealed Kumar. The chief minister, who had earlier said that he will proceed in the direction of forging opposition unity" once the assembly session, which came to a close on Wednesday evening, was also asked about his plans to tour the country for bring together anti-BJP forces. I am making efforts in that direction," he said. Meanwhile, both opposition BJP and ruling Mahagathbandhan accused each other for the communal clashes on the last day of the budget session. Opposition BJP MLAs demonstrated both inside and outside the assembly and one of its legislators had to be marshalled out after he resorted to sloganeering against the government and disrupted the Question Hour. As soon as the proceedings of the House began, BJP MLAs entered the well and raised slogans against the government, accusing it of not handling the communal clashes effectively. Leader of Opposition, Vijay Kumar Sinha, also accused the Nitish Kumar government of targetting people belonging to a particular community in the name of handling communal clashes. Amid the chaos, Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary, allowed state Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Vijay Kumar Choudhary, to make a statement on the issue. BJP members went back to their seats. However, BJPs Jibesh Kumar Mishra once again entered the well of the House and started shouting slogans against the government. Finally, Mishra was marshalled out for his alleged unruly behaviour. The allegations and counter allegations turned sour with both sides accusing each other over communal clashes in several parts of the state during Ramnavami celebrations. Mishra also stoked controversy by remaining seated when the state anthem was played in the assembly, prompting the ruling Mahagathbandhan to take offence over the action. Mishra, who represents Jale constituency of Darbhanga district, said he remained seated because the state anthem does not mention 18 districts of the state that are part of the Mithila region. The state anthem Mere Bharat Ke Kanth Haar does not talk about personalities and the culture of Mithila. It talks about only Nalanda, the home district of the CM. My intention was not to disrespect the state anthem But it should have been a complete anthem," Mishra told reporters outside the assembly. Reacting to Mishras action, Bihar Rural Development Minister Shrawan Kumar told reporters, It was sheer disrespect of the state anthem. His (Mishras) act has exposed the mindset of the BJP leaders". Both Houses of the Bihar legislature were adjourned sine die after the over one-month-long budget session came to an end on Wednesday. The Speaker adjourned the assembly after taking up a private members resolution in the post-lunch session. Meanwhile, CPI (ML) Liberation secretary general Dipankar met the CM on Tuesday evening and alleged that the communal riots exposed" BJPs electoral game plan". Dipankar had called on Kumar at the latters official residence here. According to a CPI (ML) Liberation release, Dipankar referred to Shahs speech at Nawada on Sunday wherein the Union home minister brazenly called for a mandate for the BJP within hours of communal violence, thereby betraying their electoral game plan". Read all the Latest Politics News here Amid a logjam over Rahul Gandhis remarks on democracy, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday rejected Congress president Mallikarjun Kharges point of order that there cannot be a discussion on Gandhi, who was then a Lok Sabha MP, saying there can be no issue or individual beyond the purview of discussion in the Upper House. The ruling BJP has, since the resumption of the Budget session of Parliament after a break, demanded that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should come to Rajya Sabha and tender an apology for his democracy in danger" remarks made in the UK recently. The Congress has, however, countered this saying someone who is not an MP of Rajya Sabha cannot be called to the House and there cannot be any discussion/reflection on or about an MP of Lok Sabha. In his ruling, Dhankhar said that the authenticated record made available by the Leader of House Piyush Goyal bears out that his demand of apology on the overseas statements made by a senior leader of the Opposition is factually premised". He gave his ruling on the objection that Kharge, who is the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, raised through a point of order. However, Dhankhar neither explicitly referred to BJPs demand that Gandhi should come to Rajya Sabha to apologise nor indicated if that was permissible. After bestowing earnest consideration on this momentous aspect, I am of the firm view that there can be no issue or individual beyond the purview of discussion in the Rajya Sabha and the same is exclusively subject to regulation by the House and the Chairman," he ruled. He rejected precedents cited by Kharge saying they had no bearing on the issue. He said on March 13 Kharge, responding to the assertions of the Leader of the House and Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who demanded an apology for the shameless way by which a senior leader of the Opposition in a foreign country has attacked the democracy of India, insulted the Parliament of India", raised a point of order that there could be no discussion/reflections in the Rajya Sabha on or about a Member of the Lok Sabha or anyone who is not a member of the Rajya Sabha. While Goyal did not name anyone, he severely impeached what he termed the overseas disparaging remarks by a senior leader of the opposition tainting and tarnishing our Parliament," Dhankhar said without naming Gandhi. The point of order concerning debate/discussion competence of Rajya Sabha, albeit Parliament, the most authentic representative and sanctified platform in our democratic polity, couldnt be more important. In considering this I am cognisant that we are the largest and mother of all democracies, and home to nearly one-sixth of humanity. Our Parliament is the sanctum sanctorum of democracy," he said. He then went on to state the immunity that MPs enjoy for statements in Parliament and rules for allegations of a defamatory or incriminatory nature against an MP. The sanctity of the temple of democracy cannot be permitted to be outraged as the privilege does not extend to engaging in demeaning parliament, making disparaging observations tarnishing constitutional institutions or setting afloat narratives premised on reckless allegations of untenable fact premise," he said. Stating that Goyal had authenticated his assertion with the submission of proof of such a statement by Gandhi, Dhankhar said any curtailment or qualification of the constitutional privilege of freedom of expression of a Member of the Parliament in the Rajya Sabha will seriously compromise and impede blossoming of democratic values". Democratic ethos, well cherished and nurtured Parliamentary values persuade me to tilt in favour of sustaining this constitutional right of freedom of expression of a Member of Parliament that cannot suffer any constraint and is subject only to the wisdom of the House and the Chairman," he said adding the House was not constrained from discussing any issue or individual. Further the authenticated record made available by the Leader of House Piyush Goyal bears out that his demand of apology on the overseas statements made by a senior leader of the Opposition is factually premised and does not graduate to making allegation of a defamatory or incriminatory nature," he added. In view of categorical and firm constitutional prescriptions, I cannot persuade myself to sustain the point of order raised by Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and the same is hereby declined." Rahul Gandhi was recently disqualified from Lok Sabha after he was sentenced to two years imprisonment by a Surat court in a criminal defamation case. Parliament proceedings have been stalled due to protests by opposition parties, which are demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Adani issue, and the BJP, which is insisting on an apology from Rahul Gandhi. Read all the Latest Politics News here Former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday moved a plea in the Delhi High Court seeking bail in the excise policy scam case being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The AAP leaders bail plea is listed for hearing before Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma at 10:30 am on Thursday. On March 31, special CBI judge MK Nagpal of a trial court in Delhi dismissed Sisodias bail plea, stating he was the architect of the whole criminal conspiracy" in the scam and played the most important and vital role" in the case. The court order reads, The evidence collected so far clearly shows that the applicant (Manish Sisodia) through the co-accused Vijay Nair was in contact with the South lobby and formulation of a favorable policy for them was being ensured at every cost and a cartel was permitted to be formed to achieve a monopoly in the sale of certain liquor brands of favored manufacturers and it was permitted to be done against very objectives of the policy." The court said the payment of advance kickbacks of around Rs 90-100 crores was meant for Sisodia and his other colleagues in the Delhi government and Rs 20-30 crores out of the above are found to have been routed through the co-accused Vijay Nair, Abhishek Boinpally and approver Dinesh Arora and in turn, certain provisions of the excise policy were permitted to be tweaked and manipulated by the applicant to protect and preserve the interests of South liquor lobby and to ensure repayment of the kickbacks to the said lobby". It had also said Sisodias release may adversely affect the ongoing investigation. The CBI had arrested Sisodia in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 on February 26, following several rounds of questioning. New Evidence Against Sisodia Earlier in the day, the ED told a Delhi court the investigation in the probe against Sisodia is at a crucial stage and it has found fresh evidence of his complicity. The agency made the submissions while seeking time to argue on the bail application of Sisodia. Special Judge Nagpal adjourned for April 12 the arguments on the application. The judge also extended till April 17 the judicial custody of Sisodia after he was produced before the court and the agency sought an extension of custody. During the arguments, the Enforcement Directorate counsel said the agency was in process of gathering fresh evidence that has come to light. We need timerequesting court to grant time to advance arguments, the counsel said after a brief argument. The counsel appearing for Sisodia, meanwhile, claimed before the court the ED does not have evidence to prove the charge that he had indulged in money laundering. Theres no basis (for the charge). Theyve probed and examined everything, raided my residence etc. but found nothing. The (excise) policy was approved by various authorities concerned, including the LG. Now youre blaming Sisodia solely. Also, this (the probe) is not under the preview of the ED, the counsel said. The counsel claimed not a single penny came to the bank accounts of Sisodia or his family members. He claimed after the policy was implemented the government received the highest revenue from the excise department in the last 10 years. The revenues are historic and there is no loss to the exchequer, he added. The counsel claimed there was no material to show co-accused Vijay Nair was Sisodias representative for committing the crime of money laundering, as has been alleged by the probe agency. (with inputs from PTI) Read all the Latest Politics News here The midnight arrest of Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar from his residence at Karimnagar ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the state has created a flutter. Kumar and three others were produced before the Warangal sessions court today and remanded to 14 days of judicial custody till April 19. Party members say the police did not state the reason for the arrest and took Kumar who had gone home to take part in the funeral rituals of a relative away by force. Kumar was supposed to hold a press conference on the TSPSC paper leak case on Wednesday and party members claim the police arrested him after receiving the information. In a tweet, Kumar wrote that he was arrested because the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) was fearful that he would expose all the wrongdoings of the state government. BJP workers took to the roads in the middle of the night to protest against Kumars arrest and burnt an effigy of chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in Karimnagar. In a statement, BJP state general secretary Gujjula Premender Reddy said: This arrest is proof of the actions of the state government which is adopting a dictatorial policy by making false accusations. BJP leaders and workers will face the evils of the state government with courage. NV Subhash, BJP state spokesperson, said: The arrest is a heinous act. How can the state president of a national party be arrested without any reason without giving any notice? The police are acting spinelessly under KCRs orders. Bandi Sanjay was arrested for diverting public attention from the leaks of TSPSC and TEN exam papers. In the background of PM Modis visit to the state on 8th of this month, a huge public meeting will be held at the Parade Grounds. KCR said if he is made the chairman of the opposition parties, he will bear all the expenses of the elections for the opposition parties across the country. Kumar was arrested to divert attention from corruption by the BRS. Kumar was taken to Bommala Ramaram police station in Nalgonda district by the police. BJP state vice-president Kasam Venkateswar was also detained by the police. The party has called for protests in all mandal district centers strongly condemning the midnight arrest. Several leaders, including former MP Chadha Suresh Reddy, former MLA Kuna Srisailam Goud, and state president of SC Morcha Koppu Bhasha, were forcibly detained by the police. In a statement, former MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy said: I am questioning the reason for this arrest. Is it because Kumar questioned the exam paper leak? Is it because each and every examination paper is being leaked by the governments inefficient, unfair and illegal administration? Is it because Kumar asked KCR to produce his PG degree certificate? Several national leaders like Amit Malviya and BL Santhosh have condemned the arrest. PM Modi is scheduled to visit Hyderabad on April 8 and lay the foundation stone for various infrastructure projects worth Rs 11,355 crore. Read all the Latest Politics News here From Indira Gandhi to Rahul Gandhi, Democratic Progressive Azad Party chief Ghulam Nabi Azads journey with the Congress has been chronicled in his tell-all explosive book, Azaad. The Congress has already questioned the timing of the book, saying it is an attempt to gang up with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to malign the image of Rahul Gandhi, when he wants to take on the government. ALSO READ | Any Self-Respecting Person Should Leave Congress, Cant Run Party with 40-Yr-Olds: Azad | Exclusive In his book, the former Congress leader has words of praise for Indira Gandhi, who he says he is indebted to for giving him the chance to become a Lok Sabha MP for the first time from Wardha. He has praised Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, but when it comes to Rahul Gandhi, Azads bitterness comes out. Speaking exclusively to News18, Azad said that the Congress is in bad state today largely because of the lack of leadership under Rahul Gandhi. Edited excerpts: How did you feel at the CWC meeting, when you, as part of G-23, spoke about the need for change in the party? What can I say? Even there, Rahul Gandhi called me a BJP agent. How and why will PM Modi write this letter is what I asked him? We wanted to change the party and improve it, but Rahul Gandhi and his people dont want to change. They attack those who make suggestions. Good leaders offer leadership. He is not a leader and thats why the party is how it is. What do you make of the fact that the entire party is raising the issue of Rahul Gandhis disqualification and parliament is facing stormy days? When I was part of the cabinet, we had advised him that the ordinance and the law was wrong. I think this defamation angle should be removed in politics. But Rahul Gandhi refused to listen. Now its a law and he has to follow it. There is no point disrupting parliament. But the party is now united. There was a show of strength for Rahul Gandhi in Surat? I remember when Indira Gandhi was arrested, I told people to come. The moment we reached, there were lakhs of people. It was spontaneous. For Rahul Gandhi, there is little support on ground. What is this? That the CWC members and CMs are asked to rush to Surat, to go to ED office. There is no support for him at all. ALSO READ | Exclusive | Whoever Becomes Cong Chief Will Have to be Rahul Gandhis Slave, Carry Files: Azad Do you have a problem with the fact that he wants to bring his own team? Not at all. He got young people, but now even they are no longer with him. He is now surrounded by people who are mere advisors and have no ground experience. They are no leaders and this shows in the decisions being taken. You are accused of being close to Modi, which is why you have retained the official residence, despite not being a Member of Parliament (MP) I wish security for Rahul Gandhi and wish that he lives long. I have received threats, terrorists have attacked me. This house is [retained] because of it. ALSO READ | After 50 Years in Congress, Why Ghulam Nabi Sought Azadi from Party, Rahul Gandhi Any chance you will support the Congress or be with them in the future? No. Because they have not changed. And I see them dipping. There has to be give and take. All I can say is thank god I am azad. Read all the Latest Politics News here The Savarkar row in Maharashtra continues with Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkaris latest attack against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his critical remarks on Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar. Union Minister Gadkari on Tuesday thanked Rahul Gandhi for giving the BJP the opportunity to get Savarkars message to each and every household. We should thank Rahul Gandhi for giving us the opportunity to take the truth and Savarkar to every household. Rahul Gandhi should continue doing this," Gadkari said while addressing a gathering in Nagpur as part of the Savarkar Gaurav Yatra". Calling for an apology from Rahul Gandhi, Nitin Gadkari claimed that he had not read what his grandmother Indira Gandhi and grandfather Feroze Gandhi said about Savarkar. It was Savarkar who showed that Hindutva is a way of life. He broke caste barriers," Gadkari said. Rahul Gandhi has been at the centre of a fresh showdown over his recent Savarkar comment. Following his disqualification from the Lok Sabha after his conviction in the Modi-surname defamation case of 2019, Rahul Gandhi said he wouldnt apologise as he is not Savarkar. Golden Spoon Jibe Devendra Fadnavis attacked Rahul while addressing a gathering at the concluding programme of the Savarkar Gaurav Yatra" in his hometown Nagpur. Referring to Gandhi, who has attacked Savarkar multiple times over the issue of mercy pleas, the state home minister said some people born in India have no knowledge of its history or contemporary times. Someone who has no political future wakes up everyday and abuses Savarkar daily and to answer such people everyone in Maharashtra has come on roads in the form of the Savarkar Gaurav Yatra," said Fadnavis. He is not even Gandhi Fadnavis also reacted to Gandhis remarks that he will not apologise (for Modis surname comments) as he is not Savarkar. The BJP leader said the disqualified Lok Sabha MP cannot become like the Hindutva icon. You are not Savarkar and not even Gandhi. To become Savarkar you need to make sacrifices," he said. Fadnavis said the former Congress president cannot stay in prison even for one day, while Savarkar spent years in the Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands under harsh conditions. The deputy CM said people like Gandhi, who are born with a golden spoon, do not know what sacrifices Savarkar made and the untold suffering he underwent. Before independence, Britishers troubled us and after independence agents of Britishers trouble us today," Fadnavis said in an oblique reference to the Congress. Fadnavis said Gandhi could never understand the late Hindutva icon and added Savarkar resides in our hearts and you can never finish him". (With PTI Inputs) Read all the Latest Politics News here BRUSSELS: Japanese gaming company Nintendo has agreed to repair for free beyond the legal guarantee period unresponsive console controllers following complaints from European consumer groups, the European Commission said on Tuesday. Nintendo found itself in the EU spotlight after the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) and nine national consumer groups in 2021 complained to the EU executive about its Nintendo Switch console, saying they deteriorate too quickly. This technical problem known as the 'Joy-Con drift' affected both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite consoles. The Commission said the Japanese company has now agreed to address the problem. "Nintendo agreed to offer and indicate clearly that defective Joy-Con controllers will be repaired without charge by Nintendo's repair centers, irrespective of whether this has been caused by a defect or by wear and tear, and even if the manufacturer's guarantee given by Nintendo has expired," it said in a statement. BEUC welcomed the announcement but criticised it as a short-term solution. "This is only a short-term fix that will allow consumers to have their defective products repaired for free. Yet Nintendo can still sell the console with the potential bug," BEUC Deputy Director General Ursula Pachl said in a statement. Read all the Latest Tech News here The Cupertino-based tech giant Apple recently announced the Swift Student Challenge, which tasks students with creating an innovative coding project using Apples Swift Playgrounds app. According to the company, winners will receive exclusive WWDC 2023 outerwear, AirPods Pro, a customised pin set, and a one-year membership in the Apple Developer Program. To win Swift Student Challenge this year, Apple has mentioned that developers will require to create an interactive scene in an app playground that can be experienced in three minutes. Submissions for this years challenge are now open, and students can submit their work through April 19. The company will inform students about their status by the end of the business day on Tuesday, May 9. If you want to apply for Apple Swift Student Challenge, heres how you can do it. Eligibility - Students who are 13 years of age or older in the United States or the equivalent minimum age in the relevant jurisdiction. - They need to be registered as an Apple Developer with Apple or be a member of the Apple Developer Program. - Fulfil one of the following requirements: - Be enrolled in an accredited academic institution or official homeschool equivalent; - Be enrolled in an STEM organisations educational curriculum; - Be enrolled in an Apple Developer Academy; or - Have graduated from high school or equivalent within the past 6 months and be awaiting acceptance or have received acceptance to an accredited academic institution; - And the person should not be employed full-time as a developer. Please note that Challenge is designed for student developers who are cultivating their software development skills. You can receive a Swift Student Challenge award or a WWDC Scholarship up to four times. Requirements: - Your submission must be an app playground (.swiftpm) in a ZIP file. - Your creation should not rely on a network connection and any resources used in your app playground should be included locally in the ZIP file. Submissions will be judged offline. - Your ZIP file can be up to 25 MB. - Your submission must be created by you as an individual or a template modified by you as an individual. Group work will not be considered. You may include third-party open source licensed code and/or public domain images and sounds, with credit and an explanation of why it was used. - Your app playground must be built with and run on Swift Playgrounds 4.2.1 or later (requires iPadOS 16 or macOS 13) or Xcode 14 on macOS 13. You may incorporate the use of Apple Pencil. - All content should be in English. To Apply into Apple Swift Student Challenge, sign in into the application form with your Apple ID associated with the developer account. If you are under the age of 18, you will be asked to enter contact information for your parents and legal guardian. Upload your most recent class schedule or other most recent proof of enrollment (PDF, PNG, or JPEG) and the contact information for your educational supervisor. Documentation is accepted in all languages. Your documentation must clearly show your name, the organization or school name, and the dates showing that its valid. Upload the ZIP file (up to 25 MB) containing your app playground and related resources. Tell us about the features and technologies that you used in your creation, in 350 words or less. If youve shared or considered sharing your coding knowledge and enthusiasm for computer science with others, let us know in 350 words or less. Youll also have the option to tell us about any apps you have on the App Store created entirely by you as an individual, in 350 words or less. If youre 18 years of age or older and wish to share your resume or CV with other groups at Apple, upload a PDF. Read all the Latest Tech News here Twitter has labeled National Public Radio as state-affiliated media on the social media site, a move some worried Wednesday could undermine public confidence in the news organization. NPR said it was disturbed to see the description added to all of the tweets that it sends out, with John Lansing, its president and CEO, calling it unacceptable for Twitter to label us this way. It was unclear why Twitter made the move. Twitters owner, Elon Musk, quoted a definition of state-affiliated media in the companys guidelines as outlets where the state exercises control over editorial content through financial resources, direct or indirect political pressures, and/or control over production and distribution. Seems accurate, Musk tweeted in a reply to NPR. NPR does receive U.S. government funding through grants from federal agencies and departments, along with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The company said it accounts for less than 1% of NPRs annual operating budget. But until Wednesday, the same Twitter guidelines said that state-financed media organizations with editorial independence, like the BBC in the UK or NPR in the United States, are not defined as state-affiliated media for the purposes of this policy. NPR has now been removed from that sentence on Twitters website. Asked for comment, Twitters press office responded with an automated poop emoji. The move came just days after Twitter stripped The New York Times of its verification check mark. NPR and our member stations are supported by millions of listeners who depend on us for the independent, fact-based journalism we provide, Lansing said. NPR stands for freedom of speech and holding the powerful accountable. The literary organization PEN America, in calling for Twitter to reverse the move, underlined that NPR assiduously maintains editorial independence. Liz Woolery, PEN Americas digital policy leader, said Twitters decision was a dangerous move that could further undermine public confidence in reliable news sources. Read all the Latest Tech News here In a bid to attract budget consumers in India, the Japanese tech giant Sony recently introduced its lightest Wireless Noise-cancelling headband WH-CH720N in the country for under Rs 10,000. The lightweight over-ear headphones feature Dual Noise Sensor technology and an Integrated Processor V1 chip for superior noise cancellation and offer up to 50 hours of battery life. Sony WH-CH720N Price and Colour Options Priced at Rs 9,990, the Sony WH-CH720N headphones come in three colour options Black, Blue and White. I used the White one for almost a week and heres what I have to say about this most affordable headset from Sony. Sony WH-CH720N Design In terms of design and looks, this device has a neat and clean design and it definitely offers looks premium in the budget category. The WH-CH720N includes a comfortable design and weighs just 192g, making it Sonys lightest over-ear wireless headphones with noise cancelling. The packaging is also eco-friendly, which is a plus. Coming to the most important part the comfort factor the headphones have a sleek matte soft-touch design with faux leather earpads that provide a comfortable fit for extended use. The headband comes with a soft head cushion at the top, which is very comfortable. The only thing I missed here is it lacks ear sensors that automatically pause and resume music playback when taken off and put back on. However, physical buttons are perfectly placed around the headphones making it easy to take calls, control volume, play and pause tracks. The left earpad of the Sony headphones houses a USB-C port, a 3.5 mm audio jack, and a power button. On the right earpad, there are physical buttons for volume control, pause, and a mode to switch between noise cancellation and ambient sound. I used it for long durations and I did not feel any discomfort. Overall, the affordable headbands from Sony ticked almost all the right boxes. Sony WH-CH720N Connectivity After using the Sony WH-1000XM5 recently, the one thing that impressed me is this time, you get easy connectivity on Sony WH-CH720N, which I never felt with Sony WH-1000XM5, especially when connecting with my laptop. The latest headbands are easy to pair. With Bluetooth on, you can pair Sony WH-CH720N with your device without any hassle. To get access to advanced settings and multipoint connection, I used the Sony Headphone Connect app on my iPhone 14 and the paring process was smooth. The headphones worked smoothly with the Sony Headphone Connect app. Also, From taking calls to listening to songs, the overall experience with the product was satisfying. Sony WH-CH720N Specifications The Sony WH-CH720N headphones feature Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE) for high-quality sound reproduction and a Multipoint connection for easy device connectivity, The headphones incorporate Dual Noise Sensor technology and Sonys Integrated Processor V1 chip to provide active noise cancelling, so you can enjoy more music and less background noise. The Integrated Processor V1 helps eliminate external sound, with a low processing delay to make the noise cancelling more effective than ever. The adjustable Ambient Sound mode and Adaptive Sound control feature tailors sound to suit the environment around you. The Integrated Processor V1 included within the WH-CH720N also produces an authentic listening experience by reproducing the detail in your music with minimal distortion. The sound tuning is intentionally designed to be well-balanced from low to high frequencies with natural and clear vocals. The Sony WH-CH720N headphone microphones come with Precise Voice Pickup technology, which is smartly positioned to pick up your voice more clearly and accurately. Additionally, a newly developed Wind Noise Reduction Structure around the microphones reduces background noise for you, keeping conversations and music clear and uninterrupted. Sony WH-CH720N Performance As mentioned above, I used it for almost a week and my experience with the affordable headphones from Sony was great. The sound quality was clear, sharp and soothing, especially when you are listening to soft songs. I listen to Hanuman Chalisa and Mahishasura Mardini - Durga Devi Stotram several times in a day and trust me, the Sony WH-CH720N didnt disappoint in the audio department. But one thing that disappointed me was that the party music songs lacked loudness. however, the call quality is excellent. While on call, my friend on the other end was able to hear me loud and clear. I was able to hear people from the other end clearly. Coming to the battery, the WH-CH720N boasts a great battery life compared to previous models so listeners can immerse themselves in more of their music for a longer duration. It has a battery life of up to 35 hours with Noise Cancelling and 50 hours without Noise Cancelling with quick charging. Once fully charged, the headphones lasted for more than a day with ANC on. However, the charging time is slow. Sony WH-CH720N Verdict The Sony WH-CH720N is a good option for those who are looking for affordable noise-cancelling headphones. Priced at Rs 9,990, it offers a comfortable design, good sound quality, and impressive noise-cancellation capabilities. The lack of ear sensors and slow charging time are the only downsides, but they are not deal breakers. With WH-CH720N, Sony is ready to capture the Indian audio market segment in the budget category. Read all the Latest Tech News here The craze for Bollywood is not just limited to India. And if you needed any further proof, heres a video of a German womans viral dance to Saajanji Ghar Aaye from the Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Salman Khan starrer Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. From the costume to the dance moves, the woman has got everything on point. She wore a Maroon Saree which she paired with a velvet black blouse and minimal Indian accessories. I just knew I had to showcase my new gorgeous saree with this song, the woman wrote posting the clip on Instagram. The video has gone crazy viral, garnering a flood of reactions from people on the internet. Appreciating her performance, a user wrote, Thats just woww. Your moves. Your expressions they are just soo good. You are on fire, another commented, I love how youre so awesome! Indeed wonderful! Keep going girl. A person called the womans dance a reflection of how happy she was. Wow.. you dance so well and it reflects how youre truly happy doing it, they wrote. One Instagram user was so impressed with her talent that they even requested her to start her own online dance classes. The user wrote, Kindly start teaching Online dance classes .. Im so fascinated by ur moves. The original song from the Karan Johar-directed movie, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, was picturised on Kajol and Salman Khan. The movie also featured Rani Mukerji in pivotal roles. This is not the first time that this German woman named Nina has shared a video grooving to a Bollywood number. Her Instagram account has videos of her dancing to Dholi Taro, Nagada Song, Bole Chudiyan, Tum Tum, and many more. Interestingly, Nina had a virtual interaction with the Bollywood beauty, Madhuri Dixit, in 2020. During the interaction, she showcase her dancing skills in front of the actress, who was just left impressed At the beginning I was almost crying haha and had to pull myself together. The way she enjoyed my dance, complimented my expressions and was fascinated just made my heart jump higher. I will never forget this moment!!! She was so kind, calm and breathtaking. Some steps didnt go the way I planned them to but I hope I could still leave an impression with my expression, Nina had written in the caption. Read all the Latest News here On Tuesday, former U.S. President Donald Trump surrendered himself to authorities in New York City after being indicted on felonies related to an alleged hush money scheme. Trump was taken into custody following charges by the Manhattan district attorney for his involvement in a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. Since then, the Twitter police have been tracking Trump with memes and jokes, taking social media by storm. Although the internet is abuzz with interest in the unfolding situation, some have taken to humour and weird jokes to stay updated. Memes and everything have flooded sites, turning the situation into a full-blown memefest. One particular meme moment has emerged from the fact that Trump did not have a mugshot taken during his booking process. Donald Trumps mugshot looks like he was crying before he turned himself in pic.twitter.com/Wrah6bPq6i ryan (@scubaryan_) April 4, 2023 no mugshot? damn, i dont even care about this anymore then https://t.co/kGQv3QKIB9 Matt Binder (@MattBinder) April 4, 2023 Locked up? Not even a mug shot!! pic.twitter.com/2yZMXT9NrB moe moore (@MoeMoemoor) April 5, 2023 Since the announcement of his indictment last Thursday, there has been a great deal of public interest in Trumps appearance, leading to widespread scrutiny and the creation of memes. Some have even shared AI-generated photos of Trumps headshot and the scene in Manhattan, while others have made jokes about his decision to appear in person, calling it unnecessary. Funniest day on Twitter just got called off https://t.co/x5oe9oq0bh j aubrey (@jaubreyYT) April 4, 2023 first and foremost he is an entertainer https://t.co/GBgWw9Tsyv i want to bailey-ve (@been_herde) April 3, 2023 Beautiful weather in New York, perfect day to be out. My recommendation for President Trump would be to pick up a pastry in Chinatown, wander over to Columbus Park, maybe check out a downtown gallery or do a little thrifting, then happy hour drinks/snacks at Cervos or Le Dive? Max Tani (@maxwelltani) April 4, 2023 TRUMP WAS ARRESTED.FINALLY. HE IS NOW FINGERPRINTED.WE CAN USE THIS AS HIS MUGSHOT. pic.twitter.com/2HWtATiSOi Braxton (@awbraxtonjr) April 5, 2023 Meanwhile, Trump has entered a plea of not guilty to 34 felony counts, which include allegations of falsifying business records. In a statement made to supporters at Mar-a-Lago, he maintained his innocence, stating, The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it." The charges levelled against him include some related to mischaracterizing for tax purposes. One notable charge is related to a payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who alleged that she received $130,000 from Trump just before his election victory in exchange for her silence regarding an affair. Despite the charges, Trump has denied any wrongdoing. Read all the Latest News here Global criticism and concern mounted Wednesday after Israeli police clashed with Palestinians inside Islams third-holiest site, sparking a military exchange of rockets and air strikes, with fears of further escalation. Two more rockets were fired late Wednesday from the Israel-blockaded Gaza Strip towards Israel, the army and witnesses said, in flaring violence during both the Jewish Passover and the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Armed police in riot gear stormed the prayer hall of Al-Aqsa mosque before dawn Wednesday, aiming to dislodge law-breaking youths and masked agitators" they said had barricaded themselves inside. A barrage of rocks and fireworks met the officers, police video showed, and more than 350 people were arrested. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was shocked and appalled" by images he saw of Israeli security forces beating people at the mosque, particularly because it came at a time holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims that should be a period of peace, his spokesman said. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the US was extremely concerned by the continuing violence and we urge all sides to avoid further escalation". Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose country and Israel have been rebuilding ties, said: Trampling on the Al-Aqsa mosque is our red line." Violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has intensified since the new government of veteran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took power in December, a coalition with extreme right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties. Palestinian witness Abdel Karim Ikraiem, 74, charged that Israeli police armed with batons, tear gas grenades and smoke bombs, burst into the mosque by force" and beat the women and men" worshipping there. One video widely circulated on social media showed police clubbing people on the floor inside the mosque. The Palestinian Red Crescent said it had treated 37 people, including some after their release from custody. Israels far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir voiced complete backing" for police and their swift and determined" actions. Palestinian militant group Hamas, which rules Gaza, called on West Bank Palestinians to go en masse to the Al-Aqsa mosque to defend it". The mosque in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem is built on top of what Jews call the Temple Mount, Judaisms holiest site. It has been a frequent flashpoint, and clashes there in May 2021 sparked the latest Gaza war that raged for 11 days. - Rocks and fireworks - On Gazas streets, protesters burned tyres and swore to defend and protect the Al-Aqsa mosque". Calm returned to the compound by late morning, when Israeli police escorted a group of Jewish visitors through the site. An officer told AFP police were allowing only those aged 60 and over. Israeli police said the Palestinians had barricaded themselves inside the mosque from Tuesday evening, ahead of Passover which started on Wednesday evening. Police were forced to enter the compound in order to get them out with the intentions to allow the Fajr (dawn) prayer and to prevent a violent disturbance", after prolonged attempts at talking with the Palestinians failed to get them to leave, said a police statement. When the police entered, stones were thrown at them and fireworks were fired from inside the mosque by a large group of agitators," police said. Netanyahu said, security forces were compelled to act in order to restore order". Within hours, at least nine rockets were fired from Gaza towards Israel, the army said, adding that in response" warplanes struck two suspected Hamas weapons-manufacturing sites. The air strikes were followed by new rocket fire from Gaza and further Israeli strikes, AFP journalists reported. Later Wednesday witnesses reported two more rockets fired from northern Gaza. Israel said one launch failed" and fell in Gaza while the other landed in the area of the security fence" boundary. Islamic Jihad, another Gaza-based militant group, called the rockets a first warning message". - Repercussions - Palestinian civil affairs minister Hussein al-Sheikh condemned the Israeli police action inside Al-Aqsa, saying the level of brutality requires urgent Palestinian, Arab and international action". Germany urged both sides to do everything possible to calm the situation". The Arab League denounced the attack on the faithful" and called an emergency meeting. Jordan, which administers the mosque, condemned its storming", and called on Israeli forces to leave the compound immediately. The United Arab Emirates and Morocco, which established ties with Israel in 2020 as part of US-brokered accords, also strongly condemned the Israeli police action. A UAE foreign ministry statement rejected all practices that threaten to further exacerbate escalation". It also criticised worshippers who barricade themselves". Rabats foreign ministry stressed the need to avoid measures and violations likely to damage chances of peace in the region". The Gulf emirate of Qatar, which does not recognise Israel, warned that Israeli practices will have serious repercussions on security and stability in the region, and will undermine efforts to revive the stalled peace process, if the international community does not hasten to take action". So far this year, the conflict has claimed the lives of at least 91 Palestinians, 15 Israelis and one Ukrainian, according to an AFP tally based on official sources from both sides. Read all the Latest News here Australia followed in the footsteps of the US, UK, New Zealand and Canada to impose a ban on TikTok for government employees and politicians, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. There are some exceptions for government staff where they can use the app but for that they will require a dedicated phone. Premier of Australian state of Victoria, Daniel Andrews, said he will not use the app and announced that it remains banned on state government devices. TikTok said it is disappointed that the app has been banned and said politics played a role behind the app, not fact, the Sydney Morning Herald said. The decision to ban the social media video app TikTok from politicians and public servants work devices was taken following advice from intelligence and security agencies. After receiving advice from intelligence and security agencies, today I authorised the Secretary of the Attorney-Generals Department to issue a mandatory direction under the Protective Security Policy Framework to prohibit the TikTok app on devices issued by Commonwealth departments and agencies. The direction will come into effect as soon as practicable, Dreyfus said in a statement on Tuesday, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. He added that exceptions will only be granted on a case by case basis for the use of the Chinese-owned service. Those requiring the app will register their account to a generic federal email address. TikTok has come under fire in the US recently with several highly-placed politicians from both sides of the aisle and state institutions over concerns it could be used by the Chinese government for surveillance or influence operations because its parent company ByteDance is headquartered in China. TikTok denounced the claims and said it has robust security measures. The Australian government, however, ruled out banning the app for the general public. There are estimated 7 million monthly Australian users and the government wants ByteDance to store all Australian data locally, so it cannot be accessed by employees in China. There was some bipartisan report for the ban as opposition cybersecurity spokesman James Paterson welcomed the ban. He, however, pointed out that Canberra trailed Ottawa, London, Washington and Christchurch when it came to implementing the ban. Now that this risk is being addressed, we must urgently turn our attention to the broader cybersecurity and foreign interference threat posed by TikTok to the millions of other Australian users, he was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald. He added that the Communist Party of China must not be allowed to retain unregulated access to data of Australian people. State and territory governments should now follow and also ban TikTok from their government-issued devices, Paterson added. We are also disappointed that TikTok, and the millions of Australians who use it, were left to learn of this decision through the media, despite our repeated offers to engage with the government constructively about this policy, TikTok Australia general manager Lee Hunter said in a statement, adding that he sought a meeting with Home Affairs Minister Clare ONeil in the weeks leading up to the ban. Read all the Latest News here Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts inside a packed New York courtroom Tuesday, in a first-ever criminal trial of an American president. The 76-year-old former president denied all the charges, which related to payments to keep people quiet including over an alleged affair with an adult film actress. He was released from custody without any restrictions. Although a New York judge released former Trump from custody without any pre-trial restrictions, however, questions remain about whether the Republican leader could still run for president. Can Trump still run for president? California-based law professor Richard Hasen told CNN that Nothing stops Trump from running while indicted, or even convicted. The Constitution of the United States requires only three things of candidates. A natural-born citizen At least 35 years old A resident of the US for at least 14 years Trump is facing a series of separate criminal probes at the state and federal level that could result in further more serious charges between now and Election Day. They include his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state of Georgia, his handling of classified documents, and his possible involvement in the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. Trials dont let candidates put their best foot forward, however, it is not forbidden for them to run or be elected. Other Constitutional Provisions There are other Constitutional Provisions concerning this case but none of which currently apply to Trump in the cases thought to be closest to the formal indictment, according to CNN. Term limits: The 22nd Amendment prohibits anyone who has twice been president from running again. This doesnt apply to Trump since he both won and lost only once. Impeachment: If a person is impeached by the US House and convicted by the Senate of high crimes and misdemeanors, he or she is removed from office. Trump was twice impeached by the House during his presidency. But he was also twice acquitted by the Senate. Disqualification: 14th Amendment of the US Constitution includes a disqualification clause, with an eye toward former Confederate soldiers. The indictment in New York City about the hush-money payment to an adult film star Stormy Daniels has nothing to do with rebellion or insurrection. (With agency inputs) Read all the Latest News here Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg vowed Tuesday he would not allow Donald Trump to get away with lawbreaking after charging the former president with a string of felonies over alleged hush money payments. These are felony crimes in New York State. No matter who you are we cannot and will not normalize serious criminal conduct," he said following Trumps arraignment. We today uphold our solemn responsibility to ensure that everyone stands equal before the law," Bragg added. These are felony crimes in New York. No matter who you are. We cannot normalize serious criminal conduct. D.A. Bragg pic.twitter.com/VWztzDrdBq Alvin Bragg (@ManhattanDA) April 4, 2023 On Tuesday, Bragg announced the indictment of Trump for falsifying New York business records to conceal damaging information and unlawful activity from American voters before and after the 2016 election. During the election, Trump and others employed a catch and kill scheme to identify, purchase, and bury negative information about him and boost his electoral prospects. As per the indictment, Trump then went to great lengths to hide this conduct, causing dozens of false entries in business records to conceal criminal activity, including attempts to violate state and federal election laws. Despite all charges, Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts in a dramatic hearing inside a packed New York courtroom Tuesday. The former US President denied all the charges, which related to payments to keep people quiet including over an alleged affair with an adult film actress. He was released from custody without any restrictions. (With agency inputs) Read all the Latest News here Tech executive Bob Lee, who created the mobile payment service Cash App, was stabbed to death on Tuesday in San Francisco, California. The tech mogul, who was the former chief technology officer of Square, was attacked in San Franciscos downtown Rincon Hill neighbourhood at 2:35 am, according to the police. Police said that they received the report of the stabbing at about 2:35 am on Tuesday and arrived to find the victim, who was taken to a hospital and succumbed to his injuries. Officers arrived on scene and located a 43-year-old adult male victim suffering from apparent stab wounds. Officers rendered aid and summoned medics to the scene. The victim was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries, San Francisco Police said in a statement. Despite efforts by first responders and medical personnel, the victim succumbed to his injuries, they added. Bob Lee, 43, was the Chief Product Officer of San Francisco-based cryptocurrency startup MobileCoin since November 2021. So far, no arrest has been made in the case and San Francisco police have not released any details of the suspect. Many of Lees co-workers posted tributes on social media, with the companys CEO calling him an artist". 2/ Bob was like a brother to me. He came into my life like a fever dream and helped build @moby_app. He was a founder again. Moby was his dream, his vision. Bob believed that we have a right to privacy in the 21st century. That belief is Moby. Joshua Goldbard (@ThePBXGuy) April 5, 2023 Bob was like a brother to me. He came into my life like a fever dream and helped build Moby Bob was so much more than a technologist. Bob was an artist, Joshua Goldbard, founder of MobileCoin, said in a tweet. RIP to one of the realist most brilliant humans Ive ever met @crazybob Rip Bob Lee CTO Square CTO Mobile Coin Creator of Cash App And a rad single Dad Joshua Charles (@JoshCDonaldson) April 5, 2023 RIP to one of the realist most brilliant humans Ive ever met, Joshua Charles said in a tweet. Read all the Latest News here Taiwans defence ministry said on Wednesday a Chinese aircraft carrier group was in the waters off the islands southeast coast, the same day President Tsai Ing-wen was due to meet U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles. China, which claims democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory, has warned of unspecified retaliation if the meeting goes ahead. China staged war games around Taiwan last August following the visit to Taipei of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Taiwans defence ministry said the Chinese ships, which were led by the carrier the Shandong, passed through the Bashi Channel which separates Taiwan from the Philippines and then into waters to Taiwans southeast. It said the ships were going for training in the Western Pacific, and that Taiwanese naval and air forces and land-based radar systems closely monitored them. The Chinese communists continue to send aircraft and ships to encroach in the seas and airspace around Taiwan," the ministry said. In addition to posing a substantial threat to our national security, it also destroys the status quo of regional security and stability. Such actions are by no means the acts of a responsible modern country." China has yet to comment on the carrier group, whose appearance also coincided with the arrival in Beijing of French President Emmanuel Macron. Read all the Latest News here Though the Supreme Court of Pakistan has fixed the provincial assembly elections in Punjab on May 14 but the question remains whether the polls will be held on the announced date due to the governments repeated demands of full courts. Federal Cabinet, however, has rejected the Supreme Courts verdict to hold elections in Punjab on May 14. The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) had announced the judgment despite conflict of opinion among SC judges. The CJP may charge contempt of court on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, law minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and others for not following the courts order. The Sharif government is likely to file judicial reference against the CJP, which may lead to absolute anarchy in the country. A judicial reference is a pending court action against referee for hearing, determination and reporting back to the court. Financial Crisis & Security Concerns The finance ministry has already said it will not release Rs 21 billion ($73.17 million) to the Election Commission by April 11 as ordered by the Supreme Court to organise provincial elections. The Supreme Courts order also highlights the tension between the top court and a government with a long tradition of politically active judiciary. Meanwhile, after the banned militant group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) called off ceasefire on November 28, 2022, Pakistan has been hit by a wave of terrorism, mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and areas bordering Afghanistan, though recent events suggest the terrorists could reach further into the Pakistani heartland. The ministry of defence has told the Election Commission and the Supreme Court that the Pakistan Army is not in a position to provide security for the elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Establishment Doesnt Want Elections According to top sources, the Pakistani government does not want elections due to the popularity of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan. If Pakistan goes to polls, Khan will win, according to the exit polls survey experts. And if Khan comes back to power, he will hold accountable many deep state factors. On March 22, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) delayed assembly polls in Punjab province by more than five months, citing the deteriorating security situation. The court remarked that the ECPs order wasted 13 days, saying the electoral body made an unconstitutional decision by shifting the date for the polls to October 8. The verdict also directed the caretaker government to assist and provide resources to the electoral body for elections in Punjab. Read all the Latest News here India on Tuesday abstained from voting on a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution that extended the mandate of the investigation into human rights violations by Russia during the Ukraine war. The resolution was adopted by 28 out of the 47 council members voting in favour of the resolution. China and Eritrea voted against the resolution, while India and 16 other nations abstained. India had also abstained last year when the Council voted for establishing the Inquiry. So far, India has abstained from voting on all the resolutions of the UN and its bodies, including General Assembly and Human Rights Council, condemning Russias aggression in Ukraine. #HRC52 | Draft resolution A/HRC/52/L.41/Rev.1 on the situation of human rights in #Ukraine stemming from the Russian aggression was ADOPTED pic.twitter.com/mIhf6Wx0SR UN Human Rights Council #HRC52 (@UN_HRC) April 4, 2023 The latest resolution in the UNHRC condemned in the strongest possible terms the human rights violations and abuses and violations of international humanitarian law resulting from Russias actions and called for swift and verifiable withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. While abstaining, India said that all the counties should subscribe to international law and respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all nations should be upheld without any direct criticism of Russia. The global order that we all subscribe to, is based on International Law, the UN Charter and respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states. These principles must be upheld without any exception, Pawankumar Badhe, Counsellor in Indias permanent mission to the UN in Geneva, said, according to The Times of India. India also expressed grave concerns over reports of attacks on civilians and calling for protection of human rights of people in Ukraine. The conflict has resulted in loss of lives and countless miseries for its people, particularly for women, children and elderly, with millions becoming homeless and forced to take shelter in neighbouring countries. We reiterate our grave concerns about the reports of attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, Badhe added. While emphasising that escalation of hostilities was in no ones interest, India reiterated its call for urgent return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy. Badhe added that India was providing humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and economic support to the neighbours in the Global South under economic distress. Russia was expelled from the Geneva-based UNHRC by a majority of the UN General Assembly in April 2022. Read all the Latest India News here Israeli police clashed with Palestinians inside Jerusalems flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque Wednesday, sparking an exchange of rockets and air strikes, in flaring violence as the Jewish Passover overlaps with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Armed police in riot gear stormed the mosques prayer hall before dawn, with the goal of dislodging law-breaking youths and masked agitators" who had barricaded themselves inside following evening prayers. The officers were met with a barrage of rocks and fireworks, police video showed. More than 350 arrests were made in the raid, which drew threats from Palestinian groups and wide condemnation from Muslim countries. BREAKING: Israeli police brutally beat Palestinian worshippers inside al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem during Ramadan. pic.twitter.com/IiFU10qI5c IMEU (@theIMEU) April 4, 2023 One witness, Abdel Karim Ikraiem, 74, charged that police, armed with batons, tear gas grenades and smoke bombs, burst into the mosque by force" and beat the women and men" worshipping there. Israels far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir later offered his complete backing" to police and their swift and determined" actions. Palestinian militant group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, called on West Bank Palestinians to go en masse to the Al-Aqsa mosque to defend it". Rockets were fired overnight from Gaza into Israel, without causing casualties, prompting retaliatory Israeli air strikes. |ALERTE INFO - Des militaires israeliens ont fait irruption dans la Mosquee d'Al-Aqsa a #Jerusalem alors que les fideles palestiniens priaient. Les militaires les ont battus, menottes et arretes. pic.twitter.com/4wwHUuXpMy AlertesInfos (@AlertesInfos) April 4, 2023 The mosque in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem is Islams third holiest site. It is built on top of what Jews call the Temple Mount, Judaisms holiest site. It has been a frequent flashpoint, particularly during Ramadan, and clashes there in May 2021 set off the latest Gaza war that raged for 11 days. On Gazas streets overnight, protesters burnt tyres and chanted: We swear to defend and protect the Al-Aqsa mosque." Calm had returned to the Al-Aqsa compound by late morning, when Israeli police escorted a small group of Jewish visitors through the site. An officer told an AFP journalist police were only allowing those aged 60 and over to access the compound. Rocks and fireworks Israeli police said the Palestinians had barricaded themselves inside the mosque from Tuesday evening, and ahead of Passover which starts Wednesday evening. Israeli police moved in to apprehend the agitators" who had fortified the site to disrupt public order and desecrate the mosque", they said. After many and prolonged attempts to get them out by talking to no avail, police forces were forced to enter the compound in order to get them out with the intentions to allow the Fajr (dawn) prayer and to prevent a violent disturbance," the police statement added. When the police entered, stones were thrown at them and fireworks were fired from inside the mosque by a large group of agitators," police said, adding that one officer was injured in the leg by a stone. Police detained the rioters", who had caused damage to the mosque and desecrated it". Within hours, at least nine rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, the army said, adding that five were intercepted by air defences, and four struck uninhabited areas. In response" Israeli fighter jets struck two suspected Hamas weapons manufacturing sites in the Gaza Strip, the army said. The air strikes were followed by new rocket fire from Gaza, and at around 6:15 am (0415 GMT), Israeli jets carried out fresh strikes, AFP journalists reported. No casualties were reported in the first salvo of strikes. Intensifying violence Palestinian civil affairs minister Hussein al-Sheikh condemned the Israeli police action inside Al-Aqsa, saying the level of brutality requires urgent Palestinian, Arab and international action". Jordan, which administers the mosque, condemned its storming", and called on Israeli forces to leave the compound immediately. Saudi Arabia expressed its categorical rejection" of actions that contradict international principles and norms in respect of religious sanctities". Egypt, which has frequently mediated in the conflict, said it holds Israel, the occupying power, responsible for this dangerous escalation which could undermine the truce efforts in which Egypt is engaged with its regional and international partners". The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has descended into intensifying violence since the most right-wing government in Israels history took office in late December under veteran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. So far this year, it has claimed the lives of at least 91 Palestinians, 15 Israelis and one Ukrainian, according to an AFP tally based on official sources from both sides. On the Palestinian side, the figures include combatants as well as civilians. On the Israeli side, they include two members of the Arab minority. Read all the Latest News here All New Zealanders should feel politics can be a home for them, former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Wednesday, in a final address to parliament after leading the nation through the COVID-19 pandemic and a terror attack in Christchurch. Ardern, who thanked her family, her political party and her supporters, had stepped down as prime minister in January saying she had no more in the tank to lead the country. She had burst onto the global scene in 2017 when she became the worlds youngest female head of government at age 37. She gained further international attention when she took her baby to a United Nations meeting. Popular abroad, at home higher prices, rising crime and controversial reforms to water and agriculture eventually chipped away at her support. As head of the centre-left Labour party for five years, Ardern steered New Zealand through a volcanic eruption, a 2019 attack by a gunman in Christchurch that killed 51 Muslim worshippers and the pandemic. Ardern said she had found herself involved in peoples lives during their most grief-stricken or traumatic moments in that series of events. Their stories and faces remain etched in my mind and likely will forever, Ardern said on Wednesday in parliament wearing a gifted korowai, a traditional Maori cloak, seen as a mark of honour and prestige. The daughter of a policeman and school canteen operator, and a self-described hugger and a crier, Ardern said she wanted her career to inspire others to take office. You can be anxious, sensitive, kind, and wear your heart on your sleeve, she said with tears in her eyes. You can be a mother or not, an ex-Mormon or not. A nerd, a crier, a hugger, you can be all of these things and not only can you be here, you can lead just like me. Successor Chris Hipkins appointed Ardern on Tuesday to an unpaid role combating violent extremism online at an organisation set up after the Christchurch attack. Ardern said she looked forward to working on de-radicalisation. She won plaudits across the political spectrum for her handling of the COVID pandemic, which she said was a tough experience. New Zealand faced some of the strictest measures globally but also had one of the lowest death tolls. Looking up at the public galleries toward her four-year-old daughter Neve, Ardern thanked her partner Clarke Gayford and told her child: You wont grow up being known as the ex-Prime Ministers daughter but rather I will happily be known as Neves mom, and I wouldnt have it any other way. Read all the Latest News here French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that China had a major role" to play in finding a path to peace in Ukraine, as he kicked off a three-day visit to Beijing. Speaking at a gathering of the French community in Beijing ahead of a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday, Macron said France would seek to work with China in this shared responsibility for peace and stability" in Ukraine. China, with its close relationship with Russia, which has been reaffirmed in recent days, can play a major role," he said, noting Beijings stated opposition to the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine as well as its proposal for peace between Kyiv and Moscow. The French presidents first trip to China in four years is set to be dominated by the conflict in Ukraine, with an official from his office telling reporters he would seek to stand firm in talks with Xi. Macrons aims also include preserving and rebalancing Chinas trade ties with Europe, as well as safeguarding French interests in the Asia-Pacific. We must not disassociate ourselves, separate ourselves from China," Macron told Beijings French community upon arrival, saying France would commit proactively to continue to have a commercial relationship with China". Macron discussed his trip to China and support for Ukraine during a phone call with US President Joe Biden on the eve of his visit, the White House said. The conversation showed the common will of France and the United States to engage the Chinese to accelerate with us the end of the war in Ukraine and build a lasting peace", Macrons office said. Common agenda The US and French presidents also hope to obtain from the Chinese a contribution to the global effort of North-South solidarity" and to build a common agenda" on climate and biodiversity. Macron landed in Beijing at around 3:15 pm (0715 GMT) and, after emerging into the capitals brisk spring air below overcast skies, was greeted on the tarmac by Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang as soldiers watched on. He will hold talks on Thursday with Xi and other Chinese leaders and attend a state dinner in the evening. On Friday, he will travel to Guangzhou in southern China to meet local students, taking with him a broad delegation of top politicians, business leaders and even celebrities, including composer Jean-Michel Jarre. Macrons visit coincides with a flashpoint meeting between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California on Wednesday. Beijing has said it would closely monitor the situation and firmly defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity", and warned McCarthy that he would be playing with fire" by meeting Tsai. China claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory to be taken one day, by force if necessary. Also visiting Beijing this week is European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who met Macron in Paris on Monday to coordinate preparations. In a speech last week, von der Leyen cautioned Beijing against direct support for the war in Ukraine, while ruling out the EU decoupling" from China. Read all the Latest News here President Andrzej Duda said Wednesday that Poland was prepared to send all its MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine in the future", having already pledged 14 Soviet-made planes to Kyiv. I think that in the future we will be able to transfer our whole remaining fleet of MiG-29s to Ukraine if there is still such a need," Duda told a news conference alongside visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Duda said the move, however, would require a green light from NATO allies as the remaining fighter jets in Polands possession had been adapted to NATO standards". Well still need some," he said, adding that Poland would be able to pass on its old MiG-29s to Ukraine as it receives new South Korean FA-50 fighter jets and US-made F-35 stealth jets on order. The first of the 50 FA-50 fighter jets should arrive in Poland before the end of the year, while the first of the 32 F-35s are expected as of next year. Read all the Latest News here The Taliban regime in Afghanistan has reportedly banned female employees of the United Nations from working in the country, potentially putting in jeopardy a $14-billion UN aid to the country. The UN mission expressed serious concern" after its female staffers were prevented from reporting to work in eastern Nangarhar province. The reported development also exposes the rift within the Taliban regime, with some ministers said to be opposed to the move. Confirming the development, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters: We will continue to pursue all avenues to ensure that we can reach the most vulnerable people, especially women and girls. He said UN officials were told through various conduits" that the ban applied to the whole country. Taliban spokesmen did not issue a statement. Despite initial promises of a more moderate rule than during its previous stint in power, the Taliban have imposed harsh measures since seizing power in 2021 as US and NATO forces were pulling out of Afghanistan after two decades of war. Girls are banned from education beyond sixth grade. Women are barred from working, studying, traveling without a male companion, and even going to parks. Women must also cover themselves from head to toe. Afghan women were also barred from working at national and international non-governmental organisations, disrupting the delivery of humanitarian aid. Women working for the UN were not included in the NGO ban, but the UN raised fears that women working for it could be targeted. The UN has about 3,900 staff in Afghanistan, approximately 3,300 Afghans and 600 international personnel, he said, including 600 Afghan women and 200 women from other countries. The UN political mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, is headed by a woman, Roza Otunbayeva, a former president and foreign minister of the Kyrgyz Republic. She was appointed by the secretary-general in coordination with the UN Security Council. Dujarric said theres been no Taliban action regarding the UNs senior leadership. Taliban restrictions in Afghanistan, especially the bans on education and NGO work, have drawn fierce international condemnation. But the Taliban have shown no signs of backing down, claiming the bans are temporary suspensions in place allegedly because women were not wearing the Islamic headscarf, or hijab, correctly and because gender segregation rules were not being followed. Funding Cuts? UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the ban enforcement in Nangarhar, posting on Twitter: If this measure is not reversed, it will inevitably undermine our ability to deliver life-saving aid to the people who need it." It was not immediately clear whether foreign embassies in Kabul had received similar instructions on female staff. A ban on Afghan female UN workers could pose major challenges to continued UN operations in Afghanistan. The founding UN Charter states that no restrictions be placed on the eligibility of men and women to work for the UN. Aid officials have also flagged the risk that donor countries will reduce funding due to frustration over restrictions on women as other international crises take hold. The UN has made its single-largest country aid appeal ever, asking for $4.6 billion in 2023 to deliver assistance in Afghanistan. So far it is less than 5% funded. With agency inputs Read all the Latest News here US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy welcomed Taiwans president in California on Wednesday, in a meeting she said reassured the islands people they were not isolated" in the face of rising Chinese anger. Speaking to reporters after talks with the top Republican, Tsai Ing-wen said the welcome from a large delegation of politicians from both sides of the aisle was proof Taipei had friends in the international community. I want to thank Speaker McCarthy for his warm hospitality and for his invitation to bipartisan congressional leaders who have taken time out of their busy schedules to join us today," she told reporters at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley. Their presence and unwavering support reassure the people of Taiwan that we are not isolated and we are not alone." Tsais visit to California is technically a stop-over after a trip to Latin America to see two of Taiwans dwindling band of official diplomatic allies. Despite its having been ruled separately for more than 70 years, China views Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to one day seize it, by force if necessary. Beijing balks at any official contact Taipei has with other countries. This week, it warned McCarthy, a California native who is second in line to the US presidency, that he was playing with fire" by meeting Tsai. McCarthy, standing in front of a retired Air Force One at the library north of Los Angeles, told Tsai a shared belief in democracy and freedom formed the bedrock" of an enduring relationship. The friendship between the people of Taiwan and America is a matter of profound importance to the free world, and it is critical to maintain economic freedom peace and regional stability," he said. We will honor our obligations and reiterate our commitment to our shared values behind which all Americans are united." Taiwan is a flourishing democracy, with its own military, an independent judiciary and all the trappings of a fully functioning state. But only a handful of countries acknowledge it as a sovereign nation. Under a carefully constructed diplomatic fudge, the United States formally recognizes authoritarian Beijing, but is an important backer of Taiwan, and maintains strong unofficial and commercial ties. Taipei enjoys bipartisan support in the US Congress, and has grown closer to Washington under Tsais leadership much to Chinas annoyance. Support for Taiwan and disapproval of China is one of the few issues that unites Americas warring politicians. Dueling demonstrations from both pro-Beijing and pro-Taipei camps greeted Tsais arrival Wednesday, while a small plane flew overhead trailing a banner that read: One China! Taiwan is part of China!" Beijing this week said it was strongly opposed" to McCarthys meeting Tsai. It seriously violates the One-China principle and seriously undermines Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken played down the significance of Tsais stop in California, and cautioned Beijing against using it as an excuse to ratchet up tensions." These transits by high level Taiwanese authorities are nothing new," he told reporters in Brussels, where he was meeting with NATO foreign ministers. They are private and unofficial." - Resolve to defend ourselves - Last year, McCarthys predecessor, Democrat Nancy Pelosi sparked fury in Beijing by becoming the most senior US politician to visit the island in over two decades. That prompted Beijing to launch its largest-ever military exercises in waters around Taiwan. McCarthy had originally planned to go himself, but opted instead to meet Tsai in California. The decision was viewed as a compromise that would underscore support for Taiwan but avoid inflaming tensions with China. Tsais stop in southern California comes after trips to Guatemala and Belize and after a brief stop in New York last week, where she was greeted by flag-waving Taiwanese expatriates. We have demonstrated a firm will and resolve to defend ourselves, that we are capable of managing risks with calm and composure and that we have the ability to maintain regional peace and stability," she said in New York. Bonnie Glaser, managing director of the Indo-Pacific Program at the German Marshall Fund, said China had been outspoken about the visit in recent days, and may feel that it has to keep up the rhetoric. China has already said some fairly threatening things which suggests to me that they have to respond in some way," she told AFP, adding that otherwise (President) Xi Jinping could end up looking weak." Read all the Latest News here After India outrightly rejected China renaming some places in Arunachal Pradesh, Beijing claimed its sovereignty" over the region by saying that the move was within its sovereign rights. Zangnan (Arunachal Pradesh) is part of Chinas territory. In accordance with relevant stipulations of the administration of geographical names of the State Council, competent authorities of the Chinese government have standardised the names of some parts of Zangnan. This is within Chinas sovereign rights," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning claimed at a media briefing. Chinas remarks came after India on Tuesday outrightly rejected China renaming 11 more places in Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that the state is an integral part of India and assigning invented" names does not alter this reality. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India outrightly rejected Chinas renaming of the places in Arunachal Pradesh. We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has made such an attempt. We reject this outright," Bagchi said. Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Attempts to assign invented names will not alter this reality," he said. Meanwhile, the US said it recognises Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India and strongly opposes any unilateral attempt to advance territory claims by renaming localities. The United States has recognised that territory (Arunachal Pradesh) for a long time (as an integral part of India) and we strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by renaming localities, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. It was the third batch of standardised geographical names for Arunachal Pradesh issued by Chinas civil affairs ministry. The first batch of the standardised names of six places in Arunachal Pradesh was released in 2017 and the second batch of 15 places was issued in 2021. The official names of the 11 places were released on Sunday by Chinas ministry of civil affairs. It also gave precise coordinates, including two land areas, two residential areas, five mountain peaks and two rivers, and listed the category of places names and their subordinate administrative districts, Chinese state-run Global Times reported on Monday. Chinas renaming of the places in Arunachal Pradesh came in the midst of the lingering eastern Ladakh border standoff that began in May 2020. Following the standoff, India bolstered its overall military preparedness along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Arunachal Pradesh sector as well. (With inputs from PTI) Read all the Latest India News here The Denver Department of Public Health & Environment is accepting program proposals to address the opioid crisis with roughly $4.5 million in settlement funding. The Colorado Opioid Abatement Council which was created by the Colorado Department of Law to provide oversight awarded Denver roughly $4.7 million last fall. Colorado is anticipated to receive roughly $700 million in settlements from opioid manufacturers and distributors over the next 18 years, of which Denver is expected to receive $33.8 million, according to the Attorney Generals office. The state currently has about $39.1 million to distribute statewide. Opioids have killed more than 8,500 Coloradans over the past two decades. In 2020 alone, Colorado had roughly 1,500 drug overdose deaths, nearly two-thirds of which were from opioids, according to Colorado Health Institute. The 1,500 drug overdoses in 2020 represented a nearly 40% increase over the previous year. Under the framework for distributing the settlement, 60% of the allocation goes directly to the states 19 opioid regional councils, which includes Denver. Denvers plan includes more than 50 recommendations for how the settlement funds could be used with a focus on prevention, treatment and expanded infrastructure and services. The plan, according to DDPHE, allocates: - $1.5 million for prevention of substance use. - $1.8 million for treatment strategies, including efforts to reduce costs, increase culturally responsive care, and adding providers. - $1.2 million for additional projects that change the ways those who misuse opioids interact with systems and their community networks. Interested entities should primarily serve Denver residents. Proposals are due by June 5. UPDATE Apr 4, 2023 7:15 PM CDT Two former guards whose mistreatment of Oklahoma County jail inmates included forcing them to listen to "Baby Shark" on a loop while handcuffed and chained to a wall have been sentenced. A judge ordered two years' probation for Gregory Cornell Butler Jr. and Christian Charles Miles and fined them $200, USA Today reports. They must complete 40 hours of community service and pay $300 in victim compensation. In addition, they're prohibited from working in law enforcement again. Both had pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor cruelty charge. An investigators' report said the two admitted playing the children's song over and over while disciplining inmates. "That was a joke between Miles and I," Butler was quoted as saying. Nov 5, 2021 4:37 PM CDT Former detainees in Oklahoma City have accused jail officers of "torture tactics" that subjected the inmates to physical and verbal abuseincluding being forced to stand for hours while "Baby Shark" was blasted at them. The federal civil rights suit names Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson III, county commissioners, the jail trust, and two former officers, the Guardian reports. After an investigation last year into the allegations, officers Christian Charles Miles and Gregory Cornell Butler Jr. resigned, and their supervisor, Lt. Christopher Raymond, retired, per the Washington Post. "Baby Shark" is among the pieces of music that have been used "to torment," the suit says. It gave the example of West Palm Beach, Florida, officials playing the song over and over to keep homeless people out of an events site. After his staff investigated, the Oklahoma County district attorney pronounced the use of the children's song in the jail "cruel and inhumane." It placed "undue emotional stress on the detainees who were most likely already suffering," David Prater said, according to the lawsuit. One of the plaintiffs described being taken to an empty room in the Oklahoma County Detention Center jail, handcuffed behind his back, and secured to a wall. He was forced to stand for 90 minutes while officers next door blasted "Baby Shark" into the room. Two others endured similar treatment, with one saying it lasted three to four hours. The shift commander did not intervene, the suit says. "The volume of the song was so loud that it was reverberating down the hallways," according to the filing. The fourth detainee said he didn't have to listen to the song but was assaulted by the officers. One of them, the suit said, told the detainee he would make his life "hell." (Read more jail stories.) UPDATE Apr 4, 2023 11:21 PM CDT Union organizer and former teacher Brandon Johnson will be the next mayor of Chicago. Johnson won Tuesday's runoff election over the police union-backed Paul Vallas, in what the AP calls "a major victory for the Democratic Partys progressive wing" in the city. Johnson will succeed Lori Lightfoot, the first Chicago mayor in four decades to lose a reelection bid. Mar 2, 2023 11:06 AM CST Lori Lightfoot lost her reelection bid in Chicago's mayoral race, and her defeat is seen an example of a larger issue playing out nationwide: Progressive Democrats are losing because they're viewed as too soft on crime. Coverage: The runoff: The two Chicago candidates who advanced to the April runoff will again illustrate the debate. Both are Democrats, but Paul Vallas, who's white, is the more conservative of the two, and he's pushing a tough law-and-order message that includes hiring more police to fight rising crime in the city. Opponent Brandon Johnson, who's Black, favors more systemic changes related to education, jobs, housing, and mental health. USA Today offers a look at both. Elsewhere: This dynamic has played out elsewhere around the US, writes Alexi McCammond at Axios: "Mayoral races in New York City, Atlanta, and San Francisco have shown voters turning to more moderate Democrats who are often at odds with activists on the left." It may play out again in November in mayoral races in Philadelphia, Houston, and Denver. The piece quotes Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb: "It is so important, as you see in Chicago, that Democrats have a very clear, succinct, and strong message that we can be focused on solving violent crime while also making sure there's accountability for police misconduct." This dynamic has played out elsewhere around the US, writes Alexi McCammond at Axios: "Mayoral races in New York City, Atlanta, and San Francisco have shown voters turning to more moderate Democrats who are often at odds with activists on the left." It may play out again in November in mayoral races in Philadelphia, Houston, and Denver. The piece quotes Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb: "It is so important, as you see in Chicago, that Democrats have a very clear, succinct, and strong message that we can be focused on solving violent crime while also making sure there's accountability for police misconduct." Pelosi lament: Nancy Pelosi has said that Democrats might've held the House in November had congressional candidates in New York paid more attention to crime, per Fox News. Nancy Pelosi has said that Democrats might've held the House in November had congressional candidates in New York paid more attention to crime, per Fox News. The balance: An analysis by David Leonhardt in the New York Times suggests that newly elected Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles might provide a model for Democrats. She was a victim of burglary herself, and she didn't shy away from discussing crime in her victory over a more conservative opponent. She supported the need to hire more officers, as well as the need to hold abusive officers accountable. In her inaugural address, she illustrated the point: "We must stop crimes in progress and hold people accountable," she said. "Let me be so bold as to add that we can prevent crime and community violence by addressing the social, the health, and the economic conditions that compromise a safe environment." An analysis by David Leonhardt in the New York Times suggests that newly elected Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles might provide a model for Democrats. She was a victim of burglary herself, and she didn't shy away from discussing crime in her victory over a more conservative opponent. She supported the need to hire more officers, as well as the need to hold abusive officers accountable. In her inaugural address, she illustrated the point: "We must stop crimes in progress and hold people accountable," she said. "Let me be so bold as to add that we can prevent crime and community violence by addressing the social, the health, and the economic conditions that compromise a safe environment." Chicago vote: Christian Paz also digs into the entire issue at Vox, suggesting that the April runoff in Chicago will be telling. "Chicagoans might give another example of how the Democratic base and its elected leaders are recalibrating their approaches to crime as the party finds a middle ground between conservative and progressive solutions," he writes. Christian Paz also digs into the entire issue at Vox, suggesting that the April runoff in Chicago will be telling. "Chicagoans might give another example of how the Democratic base and its elected leaders are recalibrating their approaches to crime as the party finds a middle ground between conservative and progressive solutions," he writes. Unfair blame? At the New York Times, columnist Charles Blow writes about the "spectacular fall" of Lightfoot and how all of the above factored in. He finds that "two things can be true simultaneously: There can be legitimate concerns about rising crime, and crime can be used as a political wedge issue, particularly against elected officials of color, which has happened often." (Read more Lori Lightfoot stories.) The indictment against Donald Trump unsealed Tuesday contains hush-money allegations connected to adult film star Stormy Daniels, former Playboy model Karen McDougal, and another, lesser-known party: A former Trump Tower doorman who claimed Trump had an illegitimate child with a housekeeper. The office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg says former National Enquirer publisher American Media Inc. paid $30,000 to the doorman in late 2015, months after Trump launched his presidential campaign, as part of a "catch and kill" scheme to eliminate negative stories about Trump, USA Today reports. The doorman, Dino Sajudin, had been threatened with a $1 million penalty if he discussed his allegations but he went public with the story in 2018 after he was released from the agreement with AMI. According to a statement of facts from the DA's office, AMI concluded the story wasn't true but then-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, "Lawyer A" in court papers, asked them not to release him from the deal before the 2016 election. In other payments, prosecutors said McDougal received $150,000 from the company for the rights to her story after she claimed she had a 10-month affair with Trump, the AP reports. Prosecutors also said McDougal received $150,000 from the company for the rights to her story after she claimed she had a 10-month affair with Trump, the AP reports. Daniels received $130,000 just 12 days before the election in exchange for her silence about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump years earlier, prosecutors said. Trump, who pleaded not guilty to 34 felonies Tuesday, went to "great lengths to hide this conduct, causing dozens of false entries in business records to conceal criminal activity, including attempts to violate state and federal election laws," the DA's office said, (Read more Donald Trump stories.) Donald Trump addressed his supporters at Mar-a-Lago hours after being indicted in New York, and he criticized not only the case brought against him on Tuesdayhe called the charges "an insult to our country," per Politicobut the other two major investigations in play. Some highlights: "The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it," Trump said, per CNN. In the New York case, Trump called the hush-money charges baseless and criticized the "Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and family." (Read about judge Juan Merchan.) He also blasted the "radical left George Soros-backed prosecutor Alvin Bragg," per the New York Times. As you know were going through a fake investigation," he said of the New York case. "Thats what it is. By radical left people that I believe actually have to hate our country. And were winningwe had a great day today, actually, because it turned out to be a sham." In regard to the investigation in Georgia into possible election interference, Trump singled out Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. 'In the wings theyve got a local, racist Democrat district attorney in Atlanta who is doing everything in her power to indict me over an absolutely perfect phone call, Trump said, per the Hill. The reference is to a call he made to the Georgia secretary of state asking him to find enough votes to tilt the election results in his favor. And in regard to the federal investigation into his handling of classified documents upon leaving the White House, Trump went after special counsel Jack Smith. He's "a radical left lunatic known as a bomb thrower who is harassing hundreds of my people day after day over the boxes hoax," said Trump. (Read more Donald Trump stories.) A US military lab has helped Swedes confirm what was suspected for years: A woman was among those who died on a 17th-century warship that sank on its maiden voyage, the museum that displays the ship said Tuesday. The wreck of the royal warship Vasa was raised in 1961 and was remarkably well-preserved after more than 300 years underwater in the Stockholm harbor. Some 30 of the estimated 150 aboard died when the Vasa keeled over and sank just minutes after leaving port in 1628, likely because it lacked the ballast to counterweigh its heavy guns. Those killed are believed to have been crew members, and most of their identities are unknown. For years, there were indications that one of the victims, known as G, was a woman, because of the appearance of the hip bone, Fred Hocker, research leader at the Vasa Museum, said in a statement. Anna Maria Forsberg, a historian with the Vasa Museum, told the AP that women were not part of the crew in the Swedish navy in the 17th century, but they could be on board as guests. Seamen were allowed to have their wives with them onboard unless the ship was going into battle or going for a long journey. "It is thus likely that she was a seamans wife who wanted to come along on the maiden journey of this new, impressive ship," Forsberg said. Since 2004, the Vasa Museum has collaborated with the Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology at Sweden's Uppsala University, which examined all the skeletons on the Vasa. "It is very difficult to extract DNA from bones that have been on the seabed for 333 years, but not impossible," said Marie Allen, Uppsala professor of forensic genetics. "We found no Y chromosomes in Gs genome. But we couldnt be completely sure and we wanted to have the results confirmed." So they turned to the Delaware-based Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory. Thanks to the forensics laboratory specializing in DNA profiling at the Dover Air Force Base, "we have been able to confirm that the individual G was a woman," Allan said. (Read more discoveries stories.) Johnson & Johnson is earmarking nearly $9 billion to cover allegations that its baby power containing talc caused cancer, more than quadrupling the amount that the company had previously set aside to pay for its potential liability, the AP reports. Under a proposal announced Tuesday, a J&J subsidiary will re-file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and seek court approval for a plan that would result in one of the largest product-liability settlements in US history. The $8.9 billion that J&J would transfer to the subsidiary, LTL Management, would be payable over the next 25 years. The amount is up from the $2 billion that the New Brunswick, New Jersey, company set aside in October 2021. The revised amount is being backed by more than 60,000 parties that have filed lawsuits alleging harm from J&J talcum powder, according to the company. J&J isn't admitting any wrongdoing as part of the proposed settlement, a point that company executive emphasized in a Tuesday statement that maintained the claims are specious and lack scientific merit. But fighting the lawsuits in court would take decades and be expensive, said Erik Haas, J&J's worldwide vice president of litigation. The lawsuits filed against J&J had alleged its talcum powder caused users to develop ovarian cancer, through use for feminine hygiene, or mesothelioma, a cancer that strikes the lungs and other organs. The claims contributed to drop in J&J's sales of baby powder, prompting the company to stop selling its talc-based products in 2020. Last year, J&J announced plans to cease sales of the product worldwide. "This settlement is a testament to the tens of thousands of women who have battled both cancer and the court system to achieve justice for themselves," says an attorney from a law firm representing some plaintiffs, per the Wall Street Journal. These strong women have ensured that no other woman will be exposed to this unnecessary danger. They deserve compensation and closure. But a lawyer for some of the other plaintiffs disagrees, per the New York Times: Even though $8.9 billion sounds like a lot of money, when you spread it out it comes out to not very much at all for the people who suffered." A bankruptcy court and 75% of claimants must approve the plan before it is finalized; if approved, all current and future claims involving talc products made by J&J will be resolved. (Read more Johnson & Johnson stories.) Vodafone Idea may fall behind rivals in its 5G deployment due to funding challenges, leading to a duopoly between Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, according to Global Data. The data company said Vodafone Idea is experiencing difficulties in securing funding to invest in 5G equipment and infrastructure, leading to a sharp drop in its share price. Vodafone Idea is currently trading at INR6.20 per share, which is a year-on-year decline from INR11.20. GlobalData principal analyst Shri Charan Padala said: Vi is struggling to attract external investors, and the company has cited delays in converting dues to equity as one of the reasons. The company owed over $7 billion in adjusted gross revenue-related dues to the Indian government, which have now been converted to equity. Despite this, Vi is yet to secure fresh investments, which has put it at a disadvantage compared to its competitors. The company's brand perception and customer loyalty have been impacted as customers in India prioritise reliability and efficiency when selecting a telecom operator. Padala adds if the operator fails to gain funding could jeopardise its future in the Indian market and negatively impact Indian subscribers from lack of competition. The Indian government may need to intervene to ensure that there is healthy competition in the telecom market and that consumers have access to high-quality, affordable services. To realise the broader benefits that the telecom sector provides to other sectors, the survival of Vodafone Idea is necessary to avoid a duopoly in the Indian 5G market, said Padala. The analyst points monetisation of non-core assets such as towers and data centres as a route to raise funds for the operator, a trend that is being seen globally. There are opportunities for the company to secure proper funding, expand operations and then capture a greater share of the market. The Indian telecom markets direction will be defined by the cumulative impact of several factors such as government policy, consumer demand, and the pace of innovation and competitiveness among the different telecom operators, concluded Padala. Developing Telecoms reached out to Vodafone Idea for comment. Vodafone Idea sold a 32% stake to the government to alleviate its constant financial woes in the Indian market, as the state remains insistent on the operator meeting its 5G deployment obligations. A career in geologyor editingcould be in store for a fifth-grader in Virginia who spotted an error in his science textbook soon after his first lesson on the rock cycle. Liam Squires, a student at HM Pearson Elementary School, received a thank-you letter from the publisher after noticing that the labels on igneous rock and sedimentary rock were mixed up in his Exploring Science All Around Us textbook, the Guardian reports. He notified teacher Serena Porter, who contacted the schools instructional supervisor for science, health and physical education. The supervisor confirmed the error and got in touch with publisher Five Ponds Press. "I reported it to Ms. Porter and said, 'I think I found an error,'" Liam told the Fauquier Times. "It was the first going through the rock cycle, so it was kind of fresh knowing that information." Porter said she initially thought she had taught the cycle incorrectly, but she looked at the textbook again and told Liam, "Dude, I think you might have found an error." Liam says he was surprised by the letter from the publisher, which thanked him for "paying such close attention in class." (Read more textbooks stories.) The tables have turned for Charlie Javice, who landed a spot on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list and sold her college financial planning platform, Frank, to JPMorgan Chase for $175 million. On Tuesday, the DOJ and SEC charged the 31-year-old with criminal and civil fraud charges in relation to the sale. CNBC reports three of the criminal charges against herconspiracy, wire fraud affecting a financial institution, and bank fraudcarry a maximum sentence of 30 years each. SEC official Gurbir Grewal on Tuesday called it "an old school fraud," per Axios. Bloomberg quotes Manhattan US Attorney Damian Williams as saying, "She lied directly to JPMC and fabricated data to support those liesall in order to make over $45 million from the sale of her company." Prosecutors allege Javice "falsely and dramatically" jacked up Frank's number of subscribers in order to "fraudulently induce" JPMorgan into the acquisition, with the SEC accusing Javice of paying a professor to create millions of fake clients and then providing the list to "a third-party validator, who in turn reported it to" the bank. JPMorgan has said much the same: In the suit it filed against Javice in December, it alleged that she convinced it that Frank had 4.25 million customers by employing a data science professor to create a swath of fake accounts. JPMorgan says it uncovered the alleged deception when it tried to email about 10% of those customers and had seven out of 10 emails bounce back. It claims the platform had fewer than 300,000 authentic users. The AP reports Javice was released Tuesday on a $2 million bond and agreed not to contact key figures in the case except for her mother and her mother's boyfriend. As for its suit, JPMorgan submitted emails between Javice and the professor in support of its claim, including one in which Javice allegedly wrote, "Will the fake emails look real with an eye check or better to use unique ID?" In her countersuit, Javice cited language on the site itself, stating it was "implausible" that JPMorgan "was led to believe Frank had 4.25 million registered users when its website publicly claimed the company had helped more than 350,000 people access financial aid." (Read more JPMorgan Chase stories.) A man dipped his used chopsticks into a communal bowl of pickled ginger at a restaurant in Osaka, Japanand he and a friend have been arrested for it. The Guardian reports that it's the latest development in the wave of "sushi terrorism" that has emerged in Japan. The viral prank has diners licking and otherwise messing with food items at restaurants that serve sushi on conveyor belts, leading in some cases to arrests. In this most recent case, the arrested menToshihide Oka, 34, and Ryu Shimazu, 35weren't at a sushi restaurant but at the gyudon (beef bowl) chain Yoshinoya. The two were arrested on suspicion of obstructing business and destroying and dirtying property at the restaurant, which they visited on Sept. 29, reports the Japan Times. A video shot by Oka and posted to social media shows Shimazu using chopsticks he had eaten with to take bite after bite from a square container containing the ginger, reports the AP. The men reportedly told police they were just trying to do something funny and make people laugh. Yoshinoya, which has 1,000 locations in Japan, learned of the video in February and went to police. It says it had to close the location the men visited in order to disinfect all its containers. Shimazu was arrested in March and Oka was arrested this week. The charges carry fines and prison terms of up to three years each. (Read more weird crimes stories.) Among the issues Moscow-based Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich covered in Russia was efforts to crack down on free speech. "Reporting on Russia is now also a regular practice of watching people you know get locked away for years," he tweeted in July, per the New York Post. His tweet was in response to the arrest of Ilya Yashin, whom he'd described as "one of the last prominent opposition politicians still in the country and not behind bars," allegedly for critical comments on the war in Ukraine. Gershkovich is no longer in a place to put a spotlight on Russian detainees, as one himself. But others are taking up the mantle as he remains held in a Moscow jail on suspicion of spying for the US government. OVD-Info, a human rights group Gershkovich highlighted, is shouting about his case, while leading independent journalists in Russia published an open letter Tuesday demanding the release "of our colleague Evan Gershkovich," writes the New York Times' Anton Troianovski, a friend of Gershkovich. They "are giving voice to Evans plight, flipping the equation after so many years of Western journalists working to shine a light on the crackdown on free speech in Russia." Russian journalists are well aware of the risks of reporting in a country where describing the conflict in Ukraine as a "war" can land one in jail. But Gershkovich's arrest raises the stakes. Even "Russian journalists who themselves had suffered from Mr. Putin's suppression of press freedom spoke of their shock about Evan's arrest," Troianovski writes. It shows "just how far and how fast President Vladimir V. Putin's Russia has morphed into a police state in which no one is safenot even a journalist officially accredited by Russia's Foreign Ministry." Yet pushback continues with independent Russian journalist Dmitry Kolezev conveying details of Gershkovich's case, per NBC News. According to Kolezev, Gershkovich believed he was followed by the FSB on an earlier assignment. Before his arrest, he may have been looking to speak with employees at a tank production facility as part of reporting on the Wagner mercenary group, Kolezev adds. (Read more Evan Gershkovich stories.) There were enough complaints about the useand alleged misuseof Scottish National Party donations that Police Scotland launched a probe in July 2021. Now, a headline-grabbing development: Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon's husband has been "arrested as a suspect" in that investigation, reports the Guardian. Peter Murrell, 58, has been chief executive of the party since 1999; he resigned last month, just before Sturgeon, whom he wed in 2010, left office after her own resignation. The BBC reports Murrell is in police custody and being questioned, and that police were spotted outside the couple's Glasgow home. The SNP headquarters in Edinburgh are also reportedly being searched. As for what sparked the probe, the BBC reports seven people registered complaints about 600,000 in donations ($750,000 in today's dollars) that had been made in support of a second independence referendum campaign. Sturgeon said at the time that she was "not concerned" and that "every penny" would go toward the independence bid. The AP reports Murrell's March 18 resignation came "amid a controversy about the partys declining membership": Murrell initially denied a report the party's numbers had dropped from 100,000 to 70,000 in a year's time, then admitted it was true. Deputy Scottish Labour leader Jackie Baillie characterized the arrest as "deeply concerning" and urged Sturgeon and her successor, Humza Yousaf, to "urgently state what they knew and when." The AP offers backstory on the independence bid, reporting Sturgeon took the reins in 2014 when Scots voted 55-45 to remain in the UK. Sturgeon and the SNP subsequently lobbied for a second referendum, saying Brexit had altered the situation. Scotland has been seeking to hold that referendum in October, but it needs the UK government's permission to do so; it hasn't been granted. (Read more Nicola Sturgeon stories.) More than five years after a man who shouldn't have been able to buy a gun massacred 26 people, including an unborn child, at a church in Texas, the Justice Department says it has reached a deal with survivors and the families of the victims. "The agreement in principle would settle all claims for a total of $144.5 million," the department said in a press release. In 2012, the shooter, Devin Kelley, pleaded guilty at a court-martial to assaulting his wife and stepson and received a bad-conduct discharge from the Air Force, but the military didn't tell civilian authorities about the conviction for domestic assault, CNN reports. If Kelley had been in the National Crime Information Center database, he would not have been able to buy the guns he used in the attack from a licensed dealer, the Justice Department acknowledged. Kelley killed himself after the November 2017 mass shooting at Sutherland Springs Baptist Church, the deadliest mass shooting in Texas history. In 2021, Judge Xavier Rodriguez of the US District Court for the Western District of Texas ruled that the federal government was 60% responsible for the shooting, noting that the Air Force had not shared information on Kelley's mental health issues and violent tendencies, which included researching and threatening a mass shooting. Early last year, he ruled that the government should pay $230 million to survivors and relatives. But the government appealed the ruling, leaving some survivors struggling to pay medical bills, the Washington Post reports. Earlier this year, victims said they were confused and upset by the government's decision to fight the case, NBC reports. They said that some of the arguments used by government lawyersincluding that Kelley would have been able to obtain guns by some means even if he was flagged by the background check systemundercut the Biden administration's gun control efforts. Some parts of the settlement still need court approval. "No words or amount of money can diminish the immense tragedy of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs, Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said in a statement. "Todays announcement brings the litigation to a close, ending a painful chapter for the victims of this unthinkable crime." (Read more mass shootings stories.) A 25-year-old man armed with a hatchet jumped a wall, gained access to a daycare center in Brazil around 9am Wednesday, and murdered four children, police say. The victims are said to include three boys and a girl between the ages of five and seven, reports the BBC. The AP reports another five children were injured. Police in Blumenau in the country's south say the suspect surrendered at a police station and has been taken into custody. No connection between him and the Cantinho Bom Pastor nursery has been uncovered. About 40 kids were inside at the time. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva tweeted that "there is no greater pain than that of a family that loses its children or grandchildren, even more so when it's through an act of violence against innocent children who can't defend themselves." (Read more Brazil stories.) A Brooklyn drug dealer pleaded guilty Wednesday to providing The Wire actor Michael K. Williams with fentanyl-laced heroin, causing his death. Irvin Cartagena's plea to a charge of conspiring to distribute drugs was entered in Manhattan federal court. Sentencing was set by US District Judge Ronnie Abrams for Aug. 18, when Cartagena will face a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and the possibility of as many as 40 years, the AP reports. The famed actor, who also starred in films and other TV series including Boardwalk Empire, overdosed in his Brooklyn penthouse apartment in September 2021. Authorities said he died hours after buying the heroin from Cartagena on a Brooklyn sidewalk in a deal that was recorded by a security camera. Cartagena, 39, signed a plea agreement with prosecutors stipulating that the mix of heroin and fentanyl he sold Williams resulted in his death. His lawyer, Sean Maher, declined comment. US Attorney Damian Williams, who is not related to the actor, said in a statement that the sale occurred in "broad daylight in New York City, feeding addiction and causing tragedy." "In doing so, he dealt the fatal dose that killed Michael K. Williams," Williams said. Prosecutors said Cartagena and his alleged co-conspirators continued to sell fentanyl-laced heroin around residential apartment buildings in Brooklyn and Manhattan even after they learned of the actor's death. Another defendant in the case pleaded guilty Tuesday. Williams' death came despite an investigation by the New York Police Department that placed a paid informant making controlled heroin buys on the same block where Williams bought drugs. The day after the 54-year-old's death, the informant went back to buy more drugs from the same group and recorded a conversation in which some of them talked about Williams overdose. (Read more The Wire stories.) The Lithuanian communications regulator Rysiu Reguliavimo Tarnyba (RRT) won a spectrum dispute against Russia, as Lithuanian airwaves along its borders gained international protection against its neighbour. The case was brought in 2019 up by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) when the body registered frequencies to the Master International Frequency Register (MIFR). Russia challenged the frequencies registered to Lithuania, stating in 2021 it needed Lithuanian civilian airwaves to operate its military and won. RRT council member Darius Kuliesius explained the regulator was seeking international protection for Lithuanian radio frequencies, to ensure Russian base stations do not interfere with communications and enable 5G development. Kuliesius said in a translated statement: We have received the highest protection status for our frequencies, and our negotiating position in further disputes or negotiations with our neighbours has become stronger. We aim to ensure a new generation, fast and high-quality communication and efficient use of state radio resources in the border areas. Brazilian broadband provider Unifique struck a deal to acquire regional provider Brick Servicos Digitais for BRL10 million (US$2 million), reported BNamericas. Brick has been in operation since 2012 serving around 7,000 households and businesses in the city of Gaspar. Unifique broke down the deal stating that it will pay 51.6% of the agreed price in cash upfront and the rest will be in consecutive instalments for 36 months. On integrating both businesses, Unifique said it will lease Bricks network with a purchase option while migrating customers to its network, as it already operates in Gaspar. Unifique has a 2% market share of Brazils fibre broadband market which equates to 625,000 accesses; 79,700 fixed telephony; 25,100 pay-TV contracts via fibre, reported BNamericas citing Anatel data. The internet service provider has a fibre network that stretches 30,000km in the states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, where it has been running 5G trials since December. It has an obligation to cover cities with p to 30,000 inhabitants with a 5G signal by 2030, which Unifique calculates to 421 cities in Brazil. His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, yesterday chaired the weekly Cabinet meeting at Gudaibiya Palace. On World Health Day, the Cabinet commended Bahrains health professionals for providing quality healthcare services to Bahraini citizens, which are appreciated by all. Bahrain Cabinet emphasized the kingdoms commitment to consolidating peace and compassion across the world in light of the International Day of Conscience. The event is held annually on April 5 and was adopted by the United Nations in response to the initiative of the late His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa. Bahrain-Jordan ties The Cabinet highlighted the importance of the discussions held between His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and the King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, His Majesty Abdullah II bin Al Hussein, in which both leaders emphasised their Kingdoms commitment to supporting the foundations of security and stability that promote regional development, peace, and prosperity. The Cabinet extended its congratulations to HH Shaikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his appointment as the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. It also congratulated the newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of the Presidential Court, HH Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as the Vice President of the UAE, alongside HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, as well as on the appointment of HH Shaikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan as Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi, and HH Shaikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan as Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi. The Cabinet yesterday discussed several memorandums during its weekly meeting, approving the following: 1. A memorandum submitted by the Government Executive Committee regarding the launch of the Golden License for strategic projects. This memorandum aims to provide incentives and streamlined services to foreign and local businesses with large-scale investment projects that create more than 500 jobs that will benefit Bahraini citizens, or those with an investment value exceeding $50 million. 2. A memorandum submitted by the Government Executive Committee on the Government Priority Framework 4.0. 3. A memorandum submitted by the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs regarding five MoUs between the University of Bahrain and regional and international organisations for academic and educational collaboration. 4. A memorandum submitted by the Minister of Municipalities and Agriculture Affairs regarding the acquisition of real estate for public use to provide spaces for urban development. 5. A memorandum submitted by the Minister of Cabinet Affairs and President of the Board of Directors of the Education and Training Quality Authority (BQA) regarding the general framework for reviewing the performance of higher education institutions. 6. A memorandum submitted by the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs regarding the governments response to four proposals submitted by the Council of Representatives. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has set a humanitarian model in promoting tolerance, dialogue, understanding, and peaceful coexistence between cultures and religions. This was emphasised by Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani as he praised the royal approach aimed at further bolstering international partnership to settle conflicts peacefully, reject violence and intolerance and promote collective action for security, peace, prosperity and sustainable development to prevail in the world. Dr Al Zayani made the statements on the eve of the International Day of Conscience, annually observed on April 5, which was adopted by the United Nations in 2019, following a call made by late His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa. He noted that Bahrain realises the importance of advocating the culture of peace to end wars, defuse tensions and settle regional and international crises and conflicts through dialogue, negotiations and peaceful means. The Minister stressed the need to reinforce the spirit of human fraternity and international solidarity, promote justice, equality and achieve just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East and the world by rejecting extremism, hatred and terrorism and respecting rights and freedoms, religious and cultural diversity, and coexistence for the good of humanity. Dr Al Zayani praised HM the Kings initiatives and the Governments drive, led by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, which enhanced Bahrains standing as a beacon of peace, tolerance and dialogue. He noted the launch of the Bahrain Declaration, the establishment of the King Hamad Global Center for Peaceful Coexistence, the King Hamad Chair for Dialogue, Peace and Interfaith Coexistence Studies at the Italian University of La Sapienza. The Minister highlighted the contributions of the Royal Humanitarian Foundation in providing development and relief assistance to countries and peoples affected by disasters Dr Al Zayani and crises. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Royal Court Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa praised the National Audit Offices (NAO) efforts in preserving public funds, verifying its safety and legality, and ensuring the highest levels of productivity, efficiency, and employment of resources by adopting the latest international practices. Shaikh Khalid was speaking as he received, on behalf of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the NAO annual report and audited financial statements for the year ending on December 31, 2022 from NAO President Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa. The report will be submitted to HM the King. Shaikh Khalid stressed the important role played by the office as one of the fruits of the reform project of His Majesty, referring to the independence granted to the NAO by law, which enabled it to perform its effective role in preserving the gains of Bahrain. Shaikh Ahmed said that the offices financial data confirms its vision as an independent oversight body that works with high professionalism, indicating that the development, progress and success achieved by the office since its establishment is due to continuous support from HM King Hamad. He stressed the continuous follow-up of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and his directives to ministries and institutions to cooperate with the NAO, which facilitated the implementation of tasks and the preparation of reports professionally. The auditor general emphasised the principle of a positive approach in preparing reports and carrying out tasks, and raising the level of cooperation with all entities covered under the offices audit, and helping them to improve their performance in accordance with international control standards. Shaikh Ahmed pointed out to the programs and initiatives implemented by the office on an ongoing basis, which would develop work and raise its efficiency, especially those related to training employees, digital transformation and strengthening the legal aspect, which contributes to raising the level of services provided of all kinds. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com A gathering of artists and writers was hosted by the Philippine Embassy led by Ambassador-designate Anne Jalondo-on Louis. The meet and greet of artists and writers was a feast of ecstatic verse and imagery from Filipino Creatives Bahrain and Filipino Writers Circle, held at the Sentro Rizal, which is housed at the embassy premises. The most important role of Filipino Creatives Bahrain and Filipino Writers Circle is to show the talent and skills of Filipinos through artworks and literature. Catherine Paje, the co-founder of Filipino Creatives Bahrain, said: It is our highest privilege to showcase the best of our being Filipinos through creative skills. It is our way of passing to the younger generations the history of our country, the Philippines and learning from our national heroes who offered the deepest love to the country. While Sentro Rizal is the global promotion of Filipino art, culture and language, we are truly grateful for this wonderful opportunity given to us by the Philippine Embassy to get motivated to make more time writing and to build a community, Cecil Ancheta, president of the Filipino Writers Circle, stated. Writers who participated and were involved in the opening of Sentro Rizal Bahrain were Scott Magsachi Saboy, Ruth Mirhan Orense, Michaela Banzuela, Gem Reyes and Gina Garro. In her welcome remarks, Ambassador Jalando-on Louis took the opportunity to share information about the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Bahrain on November 27, 1978. The Embassy was formally opened on April 14, 1992 with former Ambassador Leonides T. Caday, acting as head of the mission. The historical background was presented up to the new embassy location through video clips and photos. , Apr 05 ( NHK ) - Two men have been arrested for a prank involving ginger garnish at an Osaka beef bowl restaurant and posting a video of their act on social media. Police in Osaka Prefecture, western Japan, nabbed Shimazu Ryu and Oka Toshihide, both in their 30s, on suspicion of property damage and forcible obstruction of business at an outlet of Yoshinoya, a major 'gyudon' beef bowl chain, in September last year. Investigators say Shimazu ate red pickled ginger garnish directly from a common container with his chopsticks. Oka allegedly used his smartphone to video the scene and posted it on social media. In February this year, the restaurant noticed the video on social media, and temporarily closed the business for disinfection. Shimazu told investigators that he wanted to make people laugh. Oka reportedly said he asked Shimazu to do something amusing, and that he posted the video because it was so funny. , Apr 05 ( AFR ) - Japan is replacing its outspoken ambassador to Australia, Shingo Yamagami, with a long-serving diplomat who is the countrys current top diplomat in Turkey. Japans Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said in a statement that it had ordered Mr Yamagami to return to Tokyo. It said he would be replaced by Kazuhiro Suzuki, who has been Japans ambassador to Turkey since October 2020. Mr Yamagami confirmed in a tweet on Wednesday that he was preparing to leave Australia. It is believed he will depart this month and that his replacement has started interviewing new chefs for the embassy. Diplomatic sources said Mr Yamagami was leaving his post earlier than expected, but it was unclear whether the use of the word ordered by MOFA was confirmation that he had been recalled or not. Mr Yamagami has been described as a maverick in diplomatic circles and unusually outspoken for a Japanese diplomat. His style has been both praised and criticised in Canberra, where he has taken a strong public stance on Chinas growing power in the region and Tokyos concerns about energy security. ...continue reading , Apr 05 ( stripes.com ) - Japanese police jailed two Marines on Okinawa in separate incidents over the weekend at a popular nightlife district outside Kadena Air Base. Okinawa police arrested Lance Cpl. Alfredo Francesco Rubinstein, 21, of Camp Schwab, at 2:22 a.m. Saturday after he allegedly grabbed a restaurant employee, age 58, by the neck and lacerated the mans forehead, a police spokesman told Stars and Stripes by phone Monday. A day later, Pfc. Adrian Jesus Martinez, 20, of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, was detained after a woman said he grabbed her and threw her down, bruising her leg, the spokesman said. Both Marines were held on suspicion of causing bodily injury, according to the spokesman. He said breath tests on both men measured their blood alcohol content at 0.12%, four times the legal driving limit in Japan. The men denied the allegations against them. ...continue reading This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DANBURY Danbury Fair mall pays more property taxes than anyone else in the city more than the next four top-paying taxpayers combined, the latest numbers show. The limited liability company that owns the west side mall has paid $5.7 million in property taxes to Danbury through the first three quarters of the current fiscal year, according to tax records reviewed by Hearst Connecticut Media. Thats more than the combined taxes of two apartment complexes, the Summit office park, and the pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim, records show. That is all property taxes that theyre paying, said Scott Ferguson, Danburys tax collector, referring to Danbury Fair. They pay a lot. Taking into account an anchor store section of the mall, which is owned by a separate LLC from the rest of the mall, Danbury Fairs lead as the top taxpayer is even greater. The building and parking lot that formerly housed Sears has paid $479,000 in property taxes through the three most recent quarters, city records show. The 1.2-million-square-foot malls solid No. 1 position tops a list of the citys biggest taxpayers that includes owners of the citys largest housing complexes on the west side and the east end. The owners of Crown Point and Abbey Woods apartment complexes on the west side come in at numbers two and three on the list, each paying over $1 million in property taxes with one quarter left to go in Danburys fiscal year. More Information Danburys Top 10 taxpayers year-to-date* Danbury Mall LLC, Backus Avenue $5.7 million Crown Pointe SPE LLC, Saw Mill Road $1.4 million 601 W Abbey Woods LLC, Woodland Road $1.3 million Boehringer Ingelheim, Briar Ridge Road $1.3 million SCL Office LLC, Reserve Road $1.1 million Danbury DHC LLC, ME AV LLC, Sandpit Road $733,000 MV Still River LLC, SC5 Still, Mountainview Terrace $699,000 Urstadt Biddle Properties Inc., Backus Avenue $658,000 BDG 45 Eagle LLC, BDG 115, Eagle Road $599,000 MC Portfolio LLC, Backus Avenue $479,000 *totals are through the first three quarters of the current fiscal year SOURCE: Danbury Tax Office See More Collapse The owners of Ashwood Valley and the Point at Still River apartment complexes on the east end come in at numbers six and seven on the list, each paying more than $600,000 through the first three quarters, according to city tax records. Also on the top 10 list is an 18-acre shopping center west of Danbury Fair mall at Backus and Kenosia avenues that has paid $650,000 through three quarters. The property tax figures for Danbury Fair do not include sales tax revenue that goes to the state and does not return to Danbury. To get a piece of that you would need a local sales tax, Ferguson said. We would make a fortune here if we had that. The mall last year won a four-year court fight to lower its assessment for the mall and two separately-taxed properties on its Backus Avenue campus. A judge ruled the mall property to be assessed at $300 million, down from the $337 million the city set. The judge also ruled the former Filenes propertys assessment should be $40 million, down from $49 million, and the former Sears property should be valued at $19 million, down from $32 million. Danbury Fair mall, which is among the largest of its kind in New England, is emerging from a difficult bout with coronavirus crisis, where two of its anchors closed. In addition to Sears, which closed in 2020 after falling into bankruptcy, Danbury Fair also lost Lord & Taylor the same year. The 37-old-mall showed signs of rebirth last year when California-based parent company Macerich announced Target would anchor a two-level, 126,000-square-foot space in the Sears end of the mall. Target, which received approval in 2022 from Danburys Environmental Impact Commission and approval in February from the citys Planning Department, has no more regulatory hoops to jump through. It could open as soon as a year from June. Theyve always done well, Ferguson said. They manage to get stores back in there. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Mike Hill, a 61-year-old custodian who was among the six people killed in last week's attack at a Nashville elementary school, was remembered Tuesday for his loving nature, his culinary skills and his faith. Hundreds of friends and family members turned out for Hill's funeral at Stephens Valley Church, where pastor Jim Bachmann said the hearts of the congregation were aching for the man they called Big Mike. He was big, and he was strong, and he was tough, Bachmann said. But he was also soft and tender. He hugged my kids and he hugged your kids, and he knew them by name," Bachmann said. "As the first victim maybe this is a sentimental thought, but its a comfort to me to think that Mike was there to welcome the children through the pearly gates. Hill was among the three adults and three 9-year-old students who were killed in the March 27 mass shooting at The Covenant School. Police shot and killed the 28-year-old former student who carried out the attack. At a news conference Tuesday, several officers described how they had to step around victims and run toward gunfire to find the attacker, amid smoke and smell of gunpowder. Hill was one of the few African American members of Stephens Valley, a mostly white suburban church that he attended because of his friendship with Bachmann. The pastor previously founded Covenant Presbyterian Church, where the The Covenant School was located, and the two met and became friends while working there together, Bachmann said. The pastor, who is white, said he and Hill were about as different as two people could be but shared a faith in Jesus through which we will be together in heaven for all eternity. The funeral service blended worship traditions, alternating a powerful hymn from a Black gospel choir with meditative instrumental pieces for violin and piano. It concluded with a rendition of Amazing Grace played on the bagpipes and drums. Hill had seven children and and 14 grandchildren, and he liked spending time with his family and cooking, according to an obituary. Bachmann recalled that Hill would often bring him freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. For special occasions, he might bring a pecan or chess pie. He led me into temptation. He did not deliver me from it, Bachmann joked. Addressing the shooting, Bachmann said tragedies like this evoke many emotions besides grief, including anger and confusion. People want change. They want action. They want leadership. They want something decisive to happen so that this sort of thing doesn't happen again, he said. Of course we all want that. Bachmann said he doesn't have the answers, but he called on those assembled to follow Jesus's commandment to love one another as I have loved you. Love one another and we will have the kind of world we want, he said. And we'll have peace like a river and righteousness like the waves of the sea. Chief John Drake told reporters at a later news conference that he has attended the five funerals held so far. The Metro Nashville Police Department brought in several officers to recount how they pursued the shooter at the school. Drake said the school's active shooting training likely prevented more deaths, pointing out how school staff knew to have kids hide by standing against walls, away from windows and out of hallways. The department has said that during the attack, the shooter fired 152 rounds before being killed by police. Two officers shot four rounds each, police have said. Police declined to get into additional specifics Tuesday about the gunfire that ended with the shooters death. Rex Engelbert, one of the first officers to enter the school, said he wasn't assigned to the precinct. He was heading to the police academy when he heard the shooting call and quickly redirected. I really had no business being where I was," Engelbert said. "I think you can call it fate, or God, or whatever you want. But I cant count on both my hands the irregularities that put me in that position. Engelbert's response is shown on clips of his body camera footage released by the department. A school administrator handed him a key to enter the building, and he shouted out I need 3!, instructing other officers to follow him inside. Det. Sgt. Jeff Mathes, who said he had never seen Engelbert before that day, entered the same way, alongside three detectives. As they cleared out rooms on the first floor, Engelbert and Mathes said they heard gunshots upstairs. Mathes said officers had to step over a victim while moving toward the gunfire. Doing what our training tells us to do in those situations and following a stimulus, all of us stepped over a victim, Mathes said. "I, to this day, dont know how I did that morally, but training is what kicked in. On another side of the school, Det. Michael Collazo said a school employee directed him to enter through the glass door that the shooter had shot through to get into the building. Clips of Collazo's body camera footage were also made public. Collazo said that as he entered the school, he saw a person laid out on the ground, not moving. He hit a locked door to the second floor, then began checking rooms on the first floor until hearing shots from above and moved that way. Eventually, his group and Engelberts caught up with each other as they moved toward the shooters gunfire. "Once we started hearing the first shots, it kind of kicked into overdrive for us," Collazo said. Police have said Engelbert and Collazo were the officers who fired their weapons at the shooter. Meanwhile, outside, Commander Dayton Wheeler was helping to set up ambulances when gunfire started firing down from the second-floor window. Police have released a photo of bullet holes in a cruiser. The police chief noted that some officers didn't slow to put on ballistic helmets before heading into the building. Engelbert said he had not put on his rifle-caliber heavy body armor. "They got prepared and went right in, knowing that every second, every moment wasted could cost lives, Drake said. ___ This version corrects the spelling of Det. Sgt. Jeff Mathes' surname. DANBURY A former Brookfield police officer's court case on a tampering with evidence charge was continued Tuesday as attorneys discuss whether he will be granted a program that, if completed successfully, would erase his criminal record. Steven Rountos, 33, was charged in November in connection with an investigation into the dissemination of nude photographs of Brookfield High School students. According to his arrest warrant, Rountos, who was formerly the school's resource officer, admitted to a federal agent in November 2021 that he had "passed photos around" of the minors. Rountos also "intentionally damaged" a cellphone, leading to his arrest, after learning he was subject to a criminal investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the warrant said. Investigators believed the cellphone contained information related to the case. Rountos, a Southbury resident, applied for accelerated rehabilitation earlier this year. If his application is approved and he completes the pretrial diversionary program, the tampering with evidence charge would be dismissed. The case was continued to May 4. Eugene J. Riccio, who represents Rountos, said he wanted to have "further discussions" on the case and declined to comment further. Two former female students whose nude photos were distributed, as well as their lawyer Phillip Russell, attended the brief proceeding Tuesday in state Superior Court. In court, Russell said they had not received information regarding the scope of the federal investigation. Russell's office filed a request last month for information on a federal search warrant regarding Rountos that his office believed was conducted in November 2021. The U.S. Attorney's Office on Tuesday denied the request, saying it "is neither confirming nor denying that it possesses any information pertaining" to Rountos, according to the letter to Russell's office obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media Group. The U.S. attorney's office declined to comment. Russell's office submitted more than a dozen exhibits to the court, opposing Rountos' application for accelerated rehabilitation, including a verified petition for a bill of discovery. The document, which was filed in August 2022, sought further information and documents from Rountos, as well as 10 school administrators and members of the Brookfield Police Department and a special agent with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. A judge denied the bill of discovery in September 2022, court documents show. The two women, who graduated from Brookfield High School in 2019 and 2017, discovered that nude photographs taken when they were in high school had been shared from an Instagram account. They reported the incident to the Brookfield Police Department in May 2021 and, dissatisfied with the department's efforts, went to the Danbury Police Department. The case was ultimately brought to the Department of Homeland Security, the bill of discovery stated. The Brookfield Police Department conducted an internal investigation into Rountos in 2021 after Danbury police notified officials he was a suspect in a criminal investigation. Rountos was suspended from the department in August 2021 and he later resigned in November 2021. According to the bill of discovery, a federal agent told the two women in December 2021 that their nude images "had been found pursuant to a search warrant to be located on a cellphone belonging to Officer Rountos." The document claims that authorities also recovered a flash drive with additionally illegally obtained images from Rountos' office at the high school. The agent with the Department of Homeland Security told the women that one of their Snapchat accounts "had been hacked and illegally accessed," the bill of discovery said. Authorities also executed a search warrant for an Instagram account, which had attempted to contact numerous people from Brookfield High School and said they were interested in trading nude photographs of students, according to the bill of discovery. To report cases of child exploitation, visit www.CyberTipline.com. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DANBURY Thomas J. Saadi of Danbury has lived a life of service. He has been a member of the City Council in Danbury, serves as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves and work as the state commissioner of veterans affairs. And with a nomination from Gov. Ned Lamont, Saadi will next serve as a judge in the state Superior Court, if approved by the General Assembly. The 53-year-old Saadi was among the 40 nominees put forward by Lamont last week. These individuals will become responsible for ensuring that justice is administered fairly and without prejudice, and that everyone who comes before the court is treated equally and with respect, Lamont said in a statement. Saadi graduated from Western Connecticut State University and obtained his juris doctor degree from Quinnipiac University. Before becoming commissioner for veterans affairs, he served for nearly six years as the department's chief of staff and two years as its general counsel. Saadi is the first Arab-American to serve as commissioner of veterans affairs. Also, he spent 15 years as a Connecticut assistant attorney general and special prosecutor. And Saadi has 18 years of continuous service in the Army Reserve as a judge advocate providing legal support from the company to division levels. His nomination to serve as a Superior Court judge was praised by Danbury's legislative delegation to Hartford. "Tom Saadi's dedication to the fair and impartial administration of the law positions him well to serve the people of our state on the Connecticut Superior Court," said state Rep. Raghib Allie-Brennan, D-Bethel. "I believe that the court and all Connecticut residents will benefit from Tom Saadi's decade of public service, and I am pleased that Governor Lamont has nominated him." State Rep. Bob Godfrey, D-Danbury, called Saadi "an exemplary public servant." "That experience, combined with his intelligence, compassion, and dedication make him an outstanding choice to be a judge," said Godrey. "Commissioner Tom Saadi's qualifications, experience and temperament make him an ideal candidate to serve as a Superior Court Judge," said State Rep. Farley Santos, D- Danbury. "He has demonstrated his commitment to justice throughout his laudable career and I know he will bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the Connecticut Superior Court." State Sen. Julie Kushner, D-Danbury, mentioned Saadi's experience in the military and said if he "can be an Army lawyer he can probably handle anything that comes before him as a Connecticut Superior Court judge In all seriousness, Tom has a lifetime of experience in public service in the military, at the state level and in our community. There is no one better suited to the bench than Tom Saadi my only regret is that we will miss him as our Veterans Affairs commissioner, Kushner said. State Attorney General William Tong also congratulated Saadi on his nomination to the bench, saying he was a longtime, well-liked assistant attorney general "He is also a tireless advocate for and leader within the Danbury Lebanese community," Tong said. "This is a proud moment not only for him, but for his former colleagues here in the Office of the Attorney General, and for his community. When Saadi was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve in 2021, he was saluted by city leaders for the well-deserved recognition. Tom has volunteered thousands of hours in Danbury, and we are so appreciative of his service, said Mark Boughton, Danburys former longtime mayor and the states tax commissioner. He continues to make us proud. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HELSINKI (AP) Finlands outgoing prime minister, Sanna Marin, said Wednesday that she will resign as the leader of her Social Democratic Party at the next party congress in the autumn, saying she hopes it will enable her to open a new page in my own life. Now is the time to get in line again and leave the chairmans place, Marin, 37, said during a news conference in Helsinki. She said she would continue as a lawmaker in Parliament. The Social Democratic Party came in third in Sundays election, dashing Marin's hopes of staying on as prime minister. Finlands main conservative party claimed victory in an extremely tight three-way race in which right-wing populists took second place. Marin, who has been prime minister since 2019, is a highly popular figure internationally and at home, but acknowledged that her premiership had put a strain on her personally. My endurance has been put to the test, Marin admitted. She said her Cabinet has gone through some rough periods in the past years and the center-left government has had to resort to difficult decisions. Marin has won praise, among other things, for steering Finland through the COVID-19 pandemic and championing the country's NATO bid together with President Sauli Niinisto, and for being a staunch supporter of Ukraine in its war with Russia. Her private life and active social media usage have received a lot of international coverage during her premiership. Marin said she hopes to be able to live a slightly more peaceful life in the future. These have been exceptionally difficult years and difficult times, Marin said, Now that the election result is like this, I consider that I have the opportunity to open a new page in my own life. Marin's Cabinet will officially resign on Thursday. Talks to form a new government are to begin next week under the leadership of Petteri Orpo, the head of the National Coalition Party. The Social Democrats would be open to being a part of the new government, too, Marin said. However, she ruled out the possibility of taking a ministerial post herself. The party congress of the Social Democrats takes place in September. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BANGKOK (AP) More than 60 self-exiled members of a Chinese Christian church who were detained in Thailand after receiving U.N. refugee status will be deported by next week, probably to a third country, officials said Wednesday. Deputy national police chief Surachate Hakparn said representatives of Thailands Foreign Ministry and Immigration Bureau were holding talks with the U.N. Refugee Agency and the U.S. Embassy to discuss the fate of the 63 members of the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church who were taken to court in the coastal city of Pattaya last Friday. Within the next week, they will definitely be deported. What we dont know is which country they will be deported to, Surachate told The Associated Press. The members of the church, also known as the Mayflower Church, were granted refugee status by the U.N. agency after their arrival in Thailand last year. They say they faced unbearable harassment in China and are seeking asylum in the United States. Prior to their arrival in Thailand, the church members had fled to South Koreas Jeju island in October 2019 and stayed there for nearly three years, but decided to leave as it became clear that prospects for refuge there were dim. An Immigration Bureau official with knowledge of Wednesdays multi-agency discussions said the Thai authorities would find a way for the church members to be sent to a third country. The Immigration Bureau will continue to take care of them on humanitarian grounds in the meantime, said the official, who spoke on the condition he not be identified because he is not authorized to speak to the media. The church members expected to be released after being arrested and fined last week for overstaying their visas. Instead, they were driven by bus from Pattaya to a police detention facility in Bangkok for what a police officer said was normal processing. Surachate said the church members have been separated, with the mothers and children -- about half the group -- sent to the Immigration Bureaus care facility in northern Bangkok, while the others were being kept in the bureaus main detention center in central Bangkok. As the group was being driven to Bangkok, the church members forced the buses to temporarily stop when they suspected they were headed to Bangkoks international airport for repatriation to China, where they fear persecution. Human Rights Watch issued a statement on Saturday urging the Thai government not to deport the group due to the grave dangers facing Christians back in China. In its annual report last year, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom said the Chinese Communist Party requires religious groups to support its rule and political objectives, including by altering their religious teachings to conform with the partys ideology and policy. Both registered and unregistered religious groups and individuals who run afoul of the CCP face harassment, detention, arrest, imprisonment, and other abuses, the commission said. Surachate said the church members had overstayed their visas by about half a year by the time they were found by police. He said they were arrested as a result of a recent crackdown following growing reports of crimes involving Chinese citizens. He said Thailand has a principle of not allowing people seeking refuge to stay in the country. Thailand did not ratify the 1951 U.N. Refugee Convention and does not have any law addressing refugee status. Principally, we will not let them stay in Thailand, otherwise people from all over the world would come to Thailand, Surachate said. You see, they were in South Korea for years and did not receive the UNHCR paper. They did within just four months of arriving here. Thailand has frequently granted shelter to people from neighboring countries fleeing war. However, not everyone is tolerated. In 2015, Thailand sent 109 members of the Muslim Uyghur minority back to China against their will despite fears they would face official persecution and possible torture. ___ This story corrects that background on international and Thai laws was not mentioned by Surachate. Bob Lee, Cash App founder and chief product officer of cryptocurrency company MobileCoin, was killed in a San Francisco stabbing. San Francisco allows crime to go unchecked and now Bobs daughters have to grow up with no father pic.twitter.com/FhIypmlHGk Jake Shields (@jakeshieldsajj) April 5, 2023 MMA fighter Jake Shields posed I just found out my good friend was killed last night while walking him in San Francisco He was in the good part of the city and appeared to have been targeted in a random mugging/attack F*ck San Francisco. I just found out my good friend was killed last night while walking him in San Francisco He was in the good part of the city and appeared to have been targeted in a random mugging/attack Fuck San Francisco Jake Shields (@jakeshieldsajj) April 5, 2023 Very sorry to hear that. Many people I know have been severely assaulted. Violent crime in SF is horrific and even if attackers are caught, they are often released immediately. Is the city taking stronger action to incarcerate repeat violent offenders @BrookeJenkinsSF? Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 5, 2023 San Francisco Has Gotten Soft on Crime as Drug Use, Violence and Crime Have Skyrocketed Fed-up San Francisco voters ousted their progressive district attorney in June 2022 in a recall election that rejected his soft-on-crime policies following surges in shameless shoplifting, car break-ins and rampant, open-air drug dealing. The recall effort against Chesa Boudin, a former public defender and the son of convicted Weather Underground terrorists, was supported by 61% of voters in early returns. Mayor London Breed only recently started to pivot to start addressing crime. In 2021, Breed cut $120 million from the budgets of both San Franciscos police and sheriffs departments. A spokesperson for the police officers union warned the cuts could impact our ability to respond to emergencies. Mayor London Breed who in December, 2021 announced a crackdown in which cops would be less tolerant of all the bullst that has destroyed our city will name Boudins replacement until a special election is held in November, 2022. San Francisco District Attorney is currently Brooke Jenkins. U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna Ryu issued an injunction Dec. 23, 2022 barring San Francisco police and other officers from sweeping homeless encampments, citing their occupants for sleeping in public and seizing their belongings while she considers a lawsuit against the city. Federal appeals courts have ruled that the Constitutions ban on cruel and unusual punishment prohibits local governments from making it a crime to sleep on a street or sidewalk when no homeless shelters are available. In January, 2023, San Francisco continued to remove unhoused people from encampments without providing shelter for them, in defiance of a federal magistrates order. Homeless advocates (advocates for street criminals and drug addicts) have worked to prevent the city from removing tens of thousands of street people. Ryu repeated the order in April, 2023. It will remain in effect during the citys appeal to the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, unless that court grants the citys request for a stay. Such appeals ordinarily take many months to resolve. Judge Ryu and those soft on crime work to make the cities unsafe for regular residents. SF residents say they have seen an increased presence of drug use, violence and crime on the streets since SOMA Rise opened. Adam Mesnik lives in the SOMA neighborhood and owns a business. He calls what hes seeing on the streets as a period of insanity. Hes referring to what he and others believe is an increased presence of drug use, violence and crime on the streets since SOMA Rise opened in June. Ghis, who provided us only with her first name, is a 31-year resident of the neighborhood and says, More troublemakers settling in, feeling comfortable doing their drugs, pissing and sh**ting in the street blocking the sidewalks. Residents and business owners say their complaints to HealthRight 360, the nonprofit running the center, have fallen on deaf ears and have resorted to documenting their struggles in phone camera videos and surveillance. California Homeless Mentally Ill (AKA Crazy), Drug Addicts Over half of the countrys homeless people are in California. Estimates are a quarter or third have a serious mental illness. They are the ones residents are most likely to encounter in Californias cities. If about half of the people categorized as homeless do not have a home and in some form of provided housing and those are the people with some economic issue then almost everyone on the street is a mentally ill drug addict. The definitions of homeless are not targeting the main problem that law abiding people care about. Law-abiding people want the crazy, violent drug addicts off the streets. The charts analyzing the homeless problem and mixing in unemployed families with crazy, violent drug addicts obscures and sanitizes the problem. There can be 20,000 people in San Francisco who could be homeless in a year. 8,000 are on the streets. Maybe 3000 of those on the streets are the seriously mentally ill and crazy and potentially violent. The rest could be only mildly mentally ill or just drug addicts. Most research shows that around 1/3 of people who are homeless have problems with alcohol and/or drugs, and around 2/3 of these people have lifetime histories of drug or alcohol use disorders. The National Coalition for the Homeless has found that 38% of homeless people are alcohol dependent, and 26% are dependent on other harmful chemicals. According to the LAPD stats, most homeless-involved crime is violent. The percentages have stayed roughly the same each year since 2018, when 60 percent of homeless-involved crime was classified as violent. In 2021 the figure was 61 percent. The rate of violent crimes was 40 times higher and the rate of nonviolent crimes 27 times higher in the homeless population.(NIH). Mayors from San Francisco, San Jose, and San Diego have all expressed frustration that the threshold for psychiatric intervention is too high. IF there was a serious effort to resolve these problems, then everyone of the 8,000 people on the street and 20,000 in shelters or temporarily on the street would have names, personal history, family history, contacted families and complete digital profiles and case files. They would be worked with every day and monitored every day. A staff of 400-800 could work with 10-20 cases and 20-40% of the police and other resources could be dedicated to pro-active management. It would not be waiting until after the violent problems happen. This is 23 yr old Jalen he traveled here from Reno then Sacramento and His final destination is San Francisco to enter the Drug scene please listen how his experience being here has been and hes already getting everything San Francisco has to offer pic.twitter.com/fyCsejfy2S jj smith (@war24182236) April 4, 2023 People say lack of housing forces local residents into the streets, but James says he came from Texas to San Francisco for the drugs, the non-enforcement of anti-camping laws, and the $820/month in welfare & food stamps. James says he sold fentanyl, 2 weeks ago, to a 15-year-old. pic.twitter.com/5qMr6tmlWs Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) February 9, 2022 It's reasonable to ask whether I'm seeking out outliers, but I met James 5 minutes after parking my car and he was the first person I interviewed, and Ben, below, was the 4th person we interviewed after ~20 minutes on the street doing interviewshttps://t.co/kVQW0q9y5D Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) February 9, 2022 NEW YORK (AP) A Brooklyn drug dealer pleaded guilty Wednesday to providing The Wire actor Michael K. Williams with fentanyl-laced heroin, causing his death. Irvin Cartagena's plea to a charge of conspiring to distribute drugs was entered in Manhattan federal court. Sentencing was set by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams for Aug. 18, when Cartagena will face a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and the possibility of as many as 40 years. The famed actor, who also starred in films and other TV series including Boardwalk Empire, overdosed in his Brooklyn penthouse apartment in September 2021. Authorities said he died hours after buying the heroin from Cartagena on a Brooklyn sidewalk in a deal that was recorded by a security camera. Cartagena, 39, signed a plea agreement with prosecutors stipulating that the mix of heroin and fentanyl he sold Williams resulted in his death. His lawyer, Sean Maher, declined comment. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, who is not related to the actor, said in a statement that the sale occurred in broad daylight in New York City, feeding addiction and causing tragedy. In doing so, he dealt the fatal dose that killed Michael K. Williams, Williams said. Prosecutors said Cartagena and his alleged co-conspirators continued to sell fentanyl-laced heroin around residential apartment buildings in Brooklyn and Manhattan even after they learned of the actor's death. Another defendant in the case pleaded guilty Tuesday. Williams' death came despite an investigation by the New York Police Department that placed a paid informant making controlled heroin buys on the same block where Williams bought drugs. The day after, the informant went back to buy more drugs from the same group and recorded a conversation in which some of them talked about Williams overdose. One denied selling any drugs containing fentanyl. Williams stick-up boy character Omar Little on The Wire a fictionalized look at the underpinnings of Baltimore that ended in 2008 but remains popular in streaming was based on a real-life figure. He created another classic character as Chalky White in HBOs Boardwalk Empire and also appeared in 12 Years a Slave, Assassins Creed and other films. In interviews, Williams had spoken about his battles with addiction. In the currency of todays attention economy, Donald Trump is the worlds richest man. His media-engulfed arraignment in New York was an out-of-court Exhibit A. In returning to the no-business-like-show-business metropolis that propelled him to tabloid-fodder fame so many years ago, the former president also returned to the very stage where he thrives the most. As he did so, even in an atypically sedate manner, he demonstrated the peculiar way he encounters the world as luminary and aggrieved party rolled into one. Love him? Hate him? Dont care? Doesnt matter. Just like during his presidency, he commands notice. Still. Thousands of New York City police officers, the U.S. Secret Service and swarms of journalists deployed across lower Manhattan can all attest to that. It was a procedural court appearance, the low rung of drama in a criminal case, but it was a full-on spectacle. And calling it that, assessing it in that way, does not diminish it not in todays world, where spectacle and all its byproducts drive the attention economy and the cultural conversation. There was something about Tuesday, and about the five days that preceded it, that was somehow both familiar and deeply abnormal. For the most part, Americans had left behind the all-Trump, all the time ethos that governed our days between 2016 and, say, mid-2021. So that Trump-flavored thrum that has prevailed since news of the indictment emerged Thursday was hardly new. Familiar, too, was the uneasy collision of exhibition with seriousness, of the mannered machinations of government with the anything-goes rhetoric of reality-TV-inflected, 21st-century populism. Just as during the Trump presidency, you saw the monuments that Americans build to reassure themselves that their effort to administer a democratic republic is a Very Serious Endeavor. Before, it was the Washington edifices of the executive and legislative branches; on Tuesday it unfolded in a courthouse made of heavy masonry erected into the imposing architecture that enshrines the rule of law. Yet all that familiarity obscured what was something genuinely new under the American sun: the moment-by-moment chronicling of an ex-president leaving for court, entering court, charged with felonies in court, leaving court in a motorcade headed for the airport to board his private plane, the one with his name very publicly painted on the side. Otherworldly is the perfect way to put it, Dana Bash said on CNN. LOOKING IN AT TRUMP We got to see it all, as has become our way. Inside the courthouse, we saw the cinema-verite style of news cameras behind barricades, desperately seeking and getting a glimpse. Outside, everything was tracked from above by four news helicopters, a tableau with echoes of a previous slow-motion trip that echoes through the decades: that of the white Bronco driven in 1994 by O.J. Simpson someone also accused of a high-profile crime. Three decades separate those two chopper-chronicled scenes. Those years saw the ascent of reality television, the explosion of the internet and social media, and the general domination of tools and mindsets handy for obscuring reality and making American life feel sometimes deliberately more and more like a movie. Trump, of course, has been a prominent engine of this sea change, both as performative private citizen and, later, as chief executive. That American preoccupation with big, loud storylines was on full display Tuesday as anchors, pundits and sources talked and talked and talked. You heard it baked into the language at every turn. There was a main character you cant look away from: A Newsmax anchor awaiting Trump's court appearance called him the star of the show. There was a metaphorical musical score: His legal cases will be a soundtrack of his presidential campaign, CNNs Jeff Zeleny said. There was commercial power. Donald Trump has made one hell of a brand, one of his attorneys, Joe Tacopina, said after the arraignment. There was disinformation built to sell product: Though no mug shot was taken of the former president during his time in court Tuesday, people raising funds on his behalf quickly ginned up a fake one and blasted it out to rally the troops and lighten their wallets. And there was an unremitting stream of content, led by Trump himself, who posted on his Truth Social account right up until he approached the courthouse and resumed right as he left it. America was not supposed to be this way, he said at one point, another of those statements he calibrates perfectly to make his personal tribulations into national ones. WHOSE MESSAGE? For so much of his life, Trump has been a narrator, controlling image, message and, often, his preferred version of the truth. With the presidency, he made that approach national policy. But on Tuesday, as rules and laws wrested that sense of control from him, he found himself not the narrator but the narrated. Even with all the attention and criticism across all of the years, thats a position to which he is deeply unaccustomed. And from the look of the photos and brief video, its not one he liked. As those somber images of him in court flashed across national screens, anchors and pundits used words like diminished and swaggerless. Not things that Donald Trump generally abides. At that moment, that is not a conqueror. That is a granddad having a very bad day. commentator Van Jones said on CNN after watching the former presidents dejected facial expression as he left Trump Tower before the arraignment. Yet those same anchors and pundits have said those exact things before, through his campaign and presidency and post-presidency. Theyve tried to narrate for Trump. Somehow, over and over, he reemerges as the master teller of his own story however much fabulism it contains. By nightfall he was home at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, backed by American flags, speaking to hundreds of supporters at a rally-style gathering and unspooling sundry grievances in prime time. In doing so, he was trying to seize back that narrative in the way he has always done best: before a crowd hand-picked to enthuse without hesitation and boo right on cue. I have a Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and family, he said. His intent was obvious to show that in the arena of the American attention economy, where the fighting forever rages, Donald J. Trump remains a potent force. Commanding attention has been his world, and politics is a realm of attention. Whether the legal realm, which he has successfully avoided until now, will be anywhere near the same for him may be another reality entirely. ___ Ted Anthony, director of new storytelling and newsroom innovation for The Associated Press, has been writing about American culture since 1990. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/anthonyted This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Two trailblazing ride-hailing services are heading toward uncharted territory as they seek regulatory approval to transport passengers around the clock throughout one of the most densely populated U.S. cities in vehicles that will have no one sitting in the drivers seat. If Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors, and Waymo, a spinoff from Google, reach their goal before year's end, San Francisco would become the first U.S. city with two totally driverless services competing against Uber, Lyft and traditional taxis all of which depend on people to control the automobiles. But Cruise and Waymo still must navigate around potential roadblocks, including complaints about their vehicles making unexpected, traffic-clogging stops that threaten to inconvenience other travelers and imperil public safety. Cruise already has been charging people for driverless rides in less congested parts of San Francisco during night-time hours since last June. Waymo has been giving free driverless rides in a broader swath of the city while awaiting clearance to begin charging passengers in robotic vehicles that Google secretly began working on 14 years ago. The effort to unleash dueling driverless services throughout San Francisco is shaping up to be just the first step in a far more ambitious expansion centered in California a state where more than 35 million vehicles driven by humans are currently registered. Cruise recently applied for permission to begin testing its robotic vehicles throughout California at speeds of up to 55 miles per hour (88 kilometers per hour) 25 miles per hour (40 kilometers per hour) above the maximum speed for its robotaxis in San Francisco. Waymo is already testing its driverless cars in Los Angeles the second largest city in the U.S. The California push comes on top of Cruise starting to test its robotaxis in Austin, Texas, as well as Phoenix, where since 2020 Waymo's driverless ride-hailing service has been carrying passengers on Arizona roads that are far less congested and challenging than the streets of San Francisco. We still have work to do, but its improving at a pretty rapid rate, Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt told The Associated Press. As it gets fine-tuned, it will get really elegant over time, but also the safety continues to improve. Saswat Panigrahi, Waymos chief product officer, expects the companys past experience to pay off as it transplants what it has learned from operating a driverless ride-hailing service in Phoenix to more heavily trafficked cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles. The uncertainty is definitely now far lower, having operated a fully autonomous service with real riders," Panigrahi said. Both Cruise and Waymo recently announced their driverless fleets each have covered more than 1 million miles without a major accident. But their robotaxis also have experienced nagging problems in San Francisco that have caused traffic headaches and other nuisances that threaten to inconvenience people or, worse, block emergency vehicles rushing to a fire or other urgent calls for help. The expected things are easy, but its the unexpected things that humans react to in real time that are a concern, said transportation expert Nico Larco, who is director of the Urbanism Next Center at the University of Oregon. "Best case, it will just causes confusion, havoc, congestion if the cars stop in the middle of the road. But the worst cases could actually be harmful to someone. A pair of Associated Press reporters witnessed the potential problems first hand in mid-February after a Waymo vehicle safely transported them on a trip through San Francisco that required navigating hilly terrain, turning in rush-hour traffic and yielding to pedestrians darting out into the crosswalks. During one ride, the robotaxi stopped in the middle of the street after the AP reporters got out, and remained there for several minutes while a line of human-operated cars stacked up behind it. It turned out that a back door on the drivers side hadnt completely closed. In another glitch involving Cruise last September, an AP reporter took a roughly five-mile ride in a robotaxi nicknamed Peaches, which repeatedly bypassed the designated destination. The reporter finally had to use the Cruise app to contact a dispatcher in a remote center so the car could be stopped in the middle of the street. Vogt noted that a number of improvements have been made since then, and indeed two different Cruise robotaxis one named Cherry and the other named Hollandaise dropped off the same reporter and his colleague at their designated designations on a follow-up trip, although Cherry stopped at a bus stop that briefly prevented the arrival of an oncoming bus. Broader concerns about robotaxis operating in ways that cause headaches for the people outside the vehicle were raised in a cautionary letter sent to California regulators in January by the San Francisco County Transportation Authority. The letter cited at least 92 reported incidents of Cruise robotaxis making sudden stops in the street through Dec. 31. At least three of the incidents blocked the right of ways for public transportation for periods ranging from nine to 18 minutes. Within the past year, driverless Cruise vehicles have also obstructed firefighters rushing to a three-alarm fire and or illegally entered into areas where there were ongoing efforts to douse a fire, according to the authority, which is asking regulators to hold off on unleashing robotaxis throughout San Francisco at all hours until there is more information about why and how often the cars periodically clog traffic. The abrupt braking and stops by Cruises robotaxis have also been under investigation by federal regulators since late last year. We are just very wary, said Tilly Chang, the executive director for the San Francisco transportation authority. We want to be supporters and help facilitate (driverless rides), but we have to make sure its safe. Meanwhile, dozens of other technology companies and automakers have joined in a race to develop self-driving car technology at a collective cost of more than $100 billion. Their ultimate goal is to make money off robotic drivers that are safer and less expensive than human drivers. Robotaxis could also lower prices for passengers, although Vogt believes consumers may be willing to pay more for rides without a stranger behind the wheel. The investments so far have produced a mixed bag of successes, flops and hyperbole from the likes of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who predicted nearly four years ago that the electric automaker would be running a huge robotaxi service by the end of 2020 but still hasnt come close to realizing that ambition. Cruises owner, the nearly 125-year-old General Motors, is nonetheless so confident robotaxis will drive more responsibly than humans and be able to expand its driverless service into more U.S. markets that it made the bold prediction last fall that Cruise would generate $1 billion in revenue by 2025 a big jump from Cruise's revenue of $106 million last year when it also lost nearly $2 billion. That optimism is in sharp contrast to the disheartening experience of another storied automaker, Ford Motor, which paid $1 billion in 2017 to acquire driverless startup Argo AI, only to shut down the division last October and swallow a $2.7 billion loss after failing to find a buyer for the technology. A Connecticut EMT accused of kidnapping a female co-worker he previously dated had a "list" of rules that included "no leggings" and "no skirts" for another former girlfriend whose house police say he broke into in 2019, court documents show. In interviews with investigators, the woman described how Bradley Doyle beat her and controlled their relationship before he barged into her family's Wallingford home in an incident that scared her father so much that he now sleeps with a knife beside his bed, according to the court documents. Doyle, 22, of Milford, is now being held on $1 million bond on charges related to a February incident involving another woman. Police said Doyle, an EMT at American Medical Response, kidnapped and carjacked a co-worker he previously dated at gunpoint outside the Bridgeport facility on Feb. 23. AMR said Doyle was suspended after the February incident, but has not responded to questions about whether the company was aware of his 2019 arrest. An incident report shows Doyle led Connecticut State Police troopers on a chase in the kidnapped woman's car through several towns before he was apprehended about an hour away in Haddam. The woman was not harmed and police said they recovered a gun Doyle ditched along the way. Hours after his arrest, a New Britain Superior Court judge reiterated his opposition to Doyle's requests for a diversionary program that could dismiss the charges in the Wallingford case. The Wallingford charges were transferred from New Haven where the more serious cases from that town are normally heard to New Britain because Doyle's uncle is New Haven State's Attorney John Doyle. Questions about the charges and John Doyle were directed to a spokesperson for the state Division of Criminal Justice who confirmed the case was transferred to avoid a potential conflict of interest. Doyle's pending cases have all been transferred to the New Britain court where he is scheduled to appear on Thursday. Court documents filed in February 2022 by Senior Assistant State's Attorney Christopher Alexy with the Office of the Chief State's Attorney indicate Doyle showed up "smiling" with a gun and knife at the Wallingford home of a former girlfriend in August 2019 in an attempt to barge his way inside. The woman's father was able to slam the door on Doyle and prevent him from accessing the home as others called police, court documents stated. Doyle's father, Chris Doyle, identified in court documents as a Milford police officer, met him a few miles away at a party where Wallingford and West Haven officers also arrived after being alerted about him carrying a gun and knife, the court documents stated. Chris Doyle could not be reached for comment. Bradley Doyle was allowed to leave the party and was eventually arrested on a warrant charging him with attempted burglary, disorderly conduct and making a false statement. The woman had broken up with him a few months earlier and he had been told not to contact her again, court documents show. Her father now sleeps with a knife by his bed, the woman wrote in a letter opposing Doyle's application for acceleration rehabilitation, according to court documents. "I beg for justice not to allow this man to go unpunished," she wrote in the letter. During several interviews with police, the woman told investigators she began dating Doyle in 2018 and he established a "list" of rules he expected her to follow, Alexy said in the court documents. The list included who she was allowed to have contact with in person and on social media, what she was allowed to wear "no leggings, skirts or ripped jeans" and she was required to send him a photo every morning to prove she was dressed appropriately, the court documents said. In 2021, the woman told Wallingford Police Detective Sean Houlihan that she "wasn't allowed to make any decisions herself" and she "feared the consequences of violating the rules" or doing anything else that would anger him because it led to threats and physical abuse, the court documents said. The woman said Doyle hit her in places that were easily hidden such as her stomach or legs and threatened to kill her or told her to kill herself, the court documents said. At one point while they were dating, Doyle showed up at her school and told her to get in the front seat of his car, she said during the 2021 interview with police, according to the court documents. Doyle pulled out a large hunting knife and said, "you know what this is for" as he pressed the tip against her thigh, the court documents said. "Sobbing, she asked repeatedly for him to just take her home or at least to stop and let her out, which he refused," the court documents said. Doyle took her to his house and locked her in his room with a collection of knives and a crossbow for a period of time before he gave her back her cellphone and let her leave, the court documents said. The incident was similar to one that occurred four years later in the weeks before the Bridgeport kidnapping, an arrest warrant shows. Two weeks before the Feb. 23 incident, Doyle refused to allow the AMR co-worker he dated months earlier to leave a party and forced her at knifepoint to drive around Bridgeport, the warrant said. The next day, he refused to allow her to leave his parents' home, she told investigators, according to the warrant. The woman's sister called Doyle's mother, who helped her escape the home, the warrant stated. However, the mother pleaded with the woman to not report the incident because "it would ruin Bradley Doyle's life," the warrant said. Two weeks later, Doyle kidnapped the woman while carrying carrying a BB gun, handcuffs, pepper spray, knife, duct tape, cable ties and an 8-foot length of rope, according to an arrest warrant. State troopers and Bridgeport police have charged Doyle in connection with the kidnapping and pursuit. The charges include robbery by carjacking, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree unlawful restraint, first-degree threatening and first-degree reckless endangerment. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW HAVEN Three people have been arrested on manslaughter charges in connection with three fatal crashes in recent years that involved substance use and speeding, police announced Wednesday, warning drivers to make the right choice. The three cases Mayor Justin Elicker and Capt. Rose Dell highlighted during a press conference Wednesday were those of victims Michael Santiago, Mauel Rodrigues and Christian Sanchez-Martinez. Family members of two of the three victims were present for Wednesday's event. Charles Artis, Laura Gonzalez and Joseph Daurte were arrested and charged, respectively, in those cases. We're doing a lot of work to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety throughout the city holding drivers accountable when they make these bad choices, Elicker said. The families you see here are people that have lost someone because of a choice that a drive made. Artis arrest previously had been announced; he pleaded guilty last year to charges of first-degree manslaughter and evading responsibility resulting in death in connection with Santiago's death in 2021. Artis was sentenced to 20 years in prison, suspended after 14 years. Michael Santiago The crash took place in September 2021 near the intersection of Chapel and Norton streets. Santiago, a 49-year-old city resident, was crossing the road when he was struck; the force of the collision caused Santiago to vault over the roof light of the vehicle, through the rear windshield and become lodged in the rear compartment of the vehicle, Dell said. Dell said Artis then fled the scene and traveled for about nine more minutes with Santiagos body in the rear compartment of the vehicle. After the driver stopped, Dell said, he pulled Santiago out of the compartment and dragged his body onto the roadway near the curb. Manuel Rodrigues The 73-year-old Hamden resident was hit last February at the intersection of Chapel Street and Central Avenue. Gonzalez, the driver who was arrested, was found to be under the influence of cocaine, marijuana opiates and fentanyl at the time of the crash, according to police. Rodrigues died shortly after he was transported to Yale New Haven Hospital. Gonzalez was arrested and charged with second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle. Christian Sanchez-Martinez The 28-year-old West Haven resident died after a crash at Flint and Ellis streets in March 2022. Dell said the reconstruction of the case during the investigation showed Daurte was traveling 86 mph prior to the crash, which exceeded the posted speed limit by more than 50 mph. According to police, further investigation revealed that Daurte was under the influence of alcohol, cocaine and marijuana. Dell said he was arrested and charged with first-degree manslaughter, second-degree manslaughter with the motor vehicle, misconduct with a motor vehicle and associated motor vehicle charges. HAMDEN Federal and local authorities are investigating after antisemitic flyers targeting a Yale University student were scattered around residential properties in the town and New Haven last week, officials said. Hamden Mayor Lauren Garrett said in a Facebook post March 31 that the town had received reports of "flyers with bigoted, hateful language thrown onto lawns and driveways in several streets in town." "Hate and bigotry have no place in Hamden which is known by the cowardly way in which these messages were delivered," Garrett wrote. "Hamden is a wonderfully diverse town and acts like this will not divide us." Hamden Police Chief Timothy Wydra said Tuesday that the department has received complaints from three residents who allegedly found the flyers on their properties, although "we do know there are more." Hamden police are investigating the incident, and have been in contact with the New Haven Police Department and the Joint Terrorism Task Force of the FBI, according to Garrett. Some New Haven residents also discovered the flyers on their properties, officials said. New Haven police Capt. Rose Dell confirmed detectives are conducting an investigation into the material. Hate has no home in New Haven, and these flyers are an effort to sow fear, division and discord in our community," New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker wrote in a statement. "New Haven is a welcoming and inclusive city, we reject hate in all its forms, and we stand in solidity with our fellow residents in confronting these bigoted acts of anti-Semitism. The flyers appear to target Robert Lucas, a Yale University graduate student who recently proposed renaming Whitney Avenue. The street's namesake, Eli Whitney, invented the cotton gin, which played a key role in strengthening slavery in the South. "Jews like Robert Lucas continue to spew their anti-White hatred toward Whites and insists Whites feel guilty for slavery," the flyer reads, in part. Lucas, who is not Jewish, said he learned of the flyers from the Yale University Police Department, and through emails from Hamden and New Haven residents, one of which lives in the city's East Rock neighborhood. I found it disturbing and disgusting of course, the content and the purpose and the animus behind it," Lucas said. "But its not discouraging, ultimately, because at the end of the day, if youre making neo-Nazis mad, youre probably doing something right. According to Lucas, the flyers were distributed inside plastic baggies with small, white rocks used as weights. Its unfortunate that residents have to go out and find hate speech on their driveway or door step," he said. Lucas, who is graduating in May with a master of business administration, said he appreciated how area residents have rallied around him after the incident. In addition to contacting police, some residents have reached out to their elected officials, according to Lucas. The residents have been very supportive," he said. "I feel like they have my back." The flyers are part of a troubling rise in antisemitism in Connecticut. According to data from the Connecticut Anti-Defamation League, the number of antisemitic incidents in the state jumped from 34 to 68 last year outpacing the 36 percent rise in those incidents seen across the country. The ADL's report prompted U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal on Monday to request $40 million for the Department of Justice's Community Relations Service, which can be dispatched to communities reeling from hate crimes. Mayors Elicker and Garrett will hold a joint press conference Wednesday at the New Haven Green to condemn the flyers This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MADISON, Wis. (AP) Democratic-backed candidate Janet Protaswiecz's victory in Wisconsins state Supreme Court election is a fresh example of the enduring political power of abortion rights in the wake of Roe v. Wade's reversal. Protasiewicz defeated her conservative opponent, Dan Kelly, by an astonishing 11 percentage points in Tuesdays election. Her win will give Democratic-backed justices a 4-3 majority when she takes office in August, putting progressives in a prime position to overturn the states 174-year-old abortion ban and undo a host of other Republican-written policies and statutes. The results ... send a clear message, Steven Webb II, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, said in a statement. Wisconsinites are committed to reproductive freedom and upholding our states proud tradition of civic engagement. Protasiewicz leaned into the high stakes during her campaign, announcing in ads that she supports abortion rights. It was an unusual tactic for a judicial candidate to openly announce a position on an issue, but it resonated with voters. Spending on the race topped $42 million, nearly triple the national record for a court race. Protasiewicz and her supporters outspent Kelly and his supporters by about $6 million. Almost 40% of the states eligible voters cast a ballot, the highest turnout for a spring election that didn't feature a presidential primary in 20 years. I'm flabbergasted (at the turnout), said Charles Franklin, a Marquette University political scientist. Abortion was very salient. You look at the content of (Protasiewicz's) campaign and how clear her position was and the results being lopsided, it certainly points to that as a key driver. Wisconsin was just the latest state where abortion has been a crucial factor motivating Democratic voters since the U.S. Supreme Court ruling last summer that ended constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place nearly 50 years. Abortion rights were on the ballot in six states in 2022, and in every contest voters opted to protect them. That included contests in states like conservative Kansas, where former President Donald Trump twice won by double-digit margins, and Michigan, a political battleground where the issue helped Democrats win reelection to all statewide offices and retake control of the state Legislature for the first time in decades. The issue will be on the ballot in New York and Maryland in 2024, and other states may also consider abortion ballot measures, including Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania and South Dakota. Democrats also pointed to the issue as the reason for their better-than-expected performance in midterm elections across the U.S. and in Congress. According to AP VoteCast, a survey of the midterm electorate, about 6 in 10 voters said they were angry or dissatisfied by the courts decision, and roughly the same number said they favor a law to guarantee access to legal abortion nationwide. Republicans are in a difficult position, said Anthony Chergosky, a University of Wisconsin-La Crosse political scientist. They won a monumental victory with overturning Roe vs. Wade, but now they're experiencing the political backlash from that victory. "Any state at any time could become the next battleground over the issue of abortion. This was Wisconsin's turn to be that battleground. The politics of abortion have just utterly been transformed. Wisconsin Republicans were largely silent Wednesday about Protasiewicz's win. Some tried to downplay the role that abortion played in the race. Republican strategist Mark Graul said her victory was as much about how her spending enabled her to get her name out to voters as abortion rights. Julaine Appling, executive director of the anti-abortion group Wisconsin Family Action, said people were wrong to see the election as a referendum on abortion. She predicted that the new liberal-leaning court would undo Republican efforts to expand school choice and rework GOP-drawn legislative boundaries. We certainly talked about all the other issues (during the campaign), Appling said. Many people are going to be surprised when they start seeing decisions coming out of this court that impact many other areas of their lives. Former President Donald Trump tweeted that Kelly lost because he didn't seek Trump's endorsement. Some abortion rights opponents say they're frustrated with answers like that as Democrats continue to score wins. It's clear that abortion is a top issue and it isn't going away, said Kelsey Pritchard of Women Speak Out PAC, a partner of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, one of the country's most influential anti-abortion organizations. Allowing their Democratic opponents and the radical pro-abortion lobby to control the narrative will never win them elections. Wisconsin Republican Party Executive Director Mark Jefferson acknowledged that the GOP failed to address to the anger over the Roe v. Wade reversal. The Democrats were successful in pushing the abortion issue because we did not respond to the attacks effectively with a message of our own, Jefferson said. We did not have a coherent response on our side of the aisle. ___ This story has been updated to correct that total spending, not fundraising, in the court race topped $42 million. The update also corrects that Protasawicz and her supporters outspent Kelly and his supporters by $6 million and that the 40% turnout was the highest for a spring election that didn't feature a presidential primary in 20 years. ___ Burnett reported from Chicago. ___ Harm Venhuizen is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Venhuizen on Twitter. WASHINGTON (AP) The moment was historic a U.S. House speaker meeting Wednesday with the president of Taiwan for a rare visit on American soil, a high-profile encounter designed to boost support for the island government but already drawing blowback from an enraged China. For Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen the meeting with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California was the most sensitive stop on her transit through the U.S. and Central America, a whirlwind diplomatic mission that is delicate, secretive and politically fraught. But for the newly elected House speaker it would signal the start of his foray into foreign affairs. The Republican leader has focused more on domestic politics at home than international concerns abroad. Outspoken, even bellicose, against China, McCarthy chose to send a more measured and diplomatic nod of support to Taiwan with the meeting. Its a very good debut, said Newt Gingrich, the Republican former speaker who led a delegation to Taiwan decades ago and advises McCarthy. I think its a useful thing to communicate to a country thats under enormous pressure that they have real allies, Gingrich said ahead of the meeting. The Taiwanese, he said, will see it as a morale boost. The private meeting between Tsai and McCarthy came against the very public backdrop of heightened U.S. focus on China over its actions at home and abroad, particularly China's potential aggression enforcing its claims over the island of Taiwan. The Biden administration is watching Chinas interactions with Russia vis-a-vis the war in Ukraine, while Congress is probing China over a host of issues, from the Chinese spy balloon that floated over North America earlier this year to the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic to Chinese social media giant TikToks data privacy practices. The United States broke off official ties with Taiwan in 1979, when it formally established diplomatic relations with the Beijing government. While the U.S. acknowledges the one-China policy in which Beijing lays claim to the island of Taiwan as territory, the U.S. does not endorse China's claim to the island and remains Taiwans key provider of military and defense assistance. The session with McCarthy, who as House speaker is second in line of succession to the president, was Tsais most high-level U.S. visit during her visit, which also included a stop in New York last week. At that time, she met Friday with three U.S. senators Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., all members of the Senate Armed Services Committee -- and with House Democratic leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. Details on the event Wednesday, which included a bipartisan showing of Republican and Democratic lawmakers, had been closely held, a reminder of the pressures on her island government under the watchful eye of China. It was the first known visit between a House speaker and a Taiwan president on American territory since the U.S. broke off formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, experts said. Its particularly an opportunity to demonstrate how strong the relationship with the United States is, said Bonnie S. Glaser, the managing director of the Indo-Pacific program at the German Marshall Fund. Of course, Congress is part of that," she said. Because the lack of formal diplomatic relations greatly limits any interaction between Taiwan and U.S. leaders, "it becomes even more important that they have meetings with members of Congress. The Chinese government has expressed its displeasure ahead of Tsais meeting with McCarthy, and threatened countermeasures over any contact with the House speaker. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday it will follow the developments and resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Chinese state media announced Wednesday morning that vessels have started conducting a joint patrol and inspection operation in the central and northern waters of the Taiwan Strait. Taiwans Ministry of National Defense said it had also tracked the Peoples Liberation Armys Shandong aircraft carrier passing through the Bashi Strait, to Taiwans southeast. McCarthy, a sandwich shop operator in Bakersfield, California, before working as a congressional aide and being elected to Congress, is not known for vast foreign policy experience. Unlike Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who used her speaker's gavel as a calling card to bring U.S. influence and aid around the globe, McCarthy is focusing his speakership more inward on the domestic needs of Americans. While McCarthy has led congressional delegation trips abroad to Israel, for example, and to Normandy, France, to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II and had expressed interest in visiting Taiwan, he had not yet made plans for his own trip. Pelosi's 2022 Taiwan visit drew fierce rebuke from China with live-fire drills that included firing missiles over the island. In December, China sent planes and ships toward Taiwan in a 24-hour display of force. With the new speaker, it was decided that Tsai and McCarthy would meet in California. McCarthys more cautious foreign policy approach makes sense politically for the new leader as he tries to steer a Republican party that has become more isolationist, and less willing to engage the U.S. abroad as an earlier generation of lawmakers. McCarthy barely won his own position as House speaker in January after a grueling party election that took 15 public ballots to win over his reluctant hard-right colleagues a sizable faction of skeptics who could conceivably vote to oust McCarthy over any wrong turn. Still, McCarthy stood up a new House Select Committee on China, drawing wide-ranging bipartisan support from Democrats, executing a long-running idea of his to drill down on the Chinas rising influence in the U.S. and the world. The venue of the Reagan library and ranch in Simi Valley, near where McCarthy was raised in California's Central Valley, provides an evocative setting for him to try to lead more substantively on the global stage. He's grown up with Reagan Library, Gingrich said. It communicates strength, optimism, deep patriotism and principles that worked. ___ Associated Press writer Huizhong Wu contributed from Taipei. BERLIN (AP) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's spokesman on Wednesday defended Berlin's record on delivering arms to Ukraine after the vice chancellor, a rare prewar advocate of providing Kyiv with weapons, said this week he was deeply ashamed that it took Germany so long to shift its position. Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, who is also Germany's economy minister and responsible for energy, took a business delegation to Ukraine this week on his first trip to the country since Russia launched its full-scale invasion last year. In May 2021, Habeck then a co-leader of Germanys Green party, which was in opposition visited Ukraine and called for the delivery of defensive weapons. His comment drew widespread criticism at the time, even within his own party. A video clip of his Monday meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, posted on the Ukrainian leaders Telegram channel, showed Habeck saying of Germanys weapons deliveries to Ukraine, We changed our position, but it took too long and was too late. I think not all of the German politicians would say the same, but I feel deeply ashamed, Habeck said. He stressed that part of his job over the past year has been to help delivering weapons as fast and as many as we could, and this is an ongoing promise. Scholz's government, which took office in December 2021, started giving Ukraine weapons shortly after Russia invaded the country. Although Germany has become continental Europe's biggest supplier of arms to Ukraine, the German government and Scholz have continued to face periodic criticism for perceived reluctance to step up aid notably ahead of a decision in January to supply battle tanks. Scholzs spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit, on Wednesday defended the government's approach. The chancellery is still firmly of the opinion that we have done exactly the right thing, always at the right time, he told reporters in Berlin. Hebestreit pointed to the German leaders oft-repeated principles of supporting Ukraine as strongly as possible, preventing a direct conflict between Russia and NATO, and acting in coordination with allies, above all with our American partners and friends. Hebestreit said he didnt want to comment on Habecks words, which stand for themselves. Hody Childress was a man I had never heard of until after he died. Earlier this year, on New Years Day, he died at the age of 80. He lived in the small town of Geraldine, Alabama, on top of Sand Mountain. Hodys heart was as big as the mountain on which he lived. He was not a celebrity, or a famous man, at least not until after he died. From what Ive learned about him, he probably would have been embarrassed by all the talk and commotion about him. Perhaps, you have already heard or read his story, but just In case youve missed it, I have to share it with you. Hody Childress was a farmer, who also had retired from Lockheed Martin. He was not a wealthy man, as I understand, but he was a most generous and thoughtful one. He used the money he had to help others in need. He performed an act of kindness for numerous people, each month, over a period of a decade. Like the Good Samaritan in the Bible, Mr. Childress didnt necessarily know the people to whom he ministered. Most often, he never even saw them, but passed along his good deeds through another person. One day, around 10-years ago, he was in the Geraldine Drug Store when he realized a customer didnt have enough money to pay for their medicine. Mr. Walker quietly paid the bill, but it didnt stop there. He returned later to give the pharmacist, Brooke Walker, a $100 bill. He said, Use this to help anyone else who comes in but cant pay. He asked Ms. Walker to not say a word to anyone about who gave to money. He instructed her to simply tell the recipients that the money was a gift from God. Ms. Walker kept her promise to keep his secret. She told no one until after his passing. Each month, Mr. Childress dropped by the drugstore to leave another $100 bill. Sometimes he gave several of them. He did this every month for 10 years. He helped hundreds of people get the medicines they needed. Some estimates claim that he may have given as much as $10,000 over the years. Not long before Mr. Childress died, he revealed his secret to his daughter. Even his own daughter was shocked to hear what he had done. He didnt tell her in order to gain praise for himself, but because he knew his days were numbered and he wanted his daughter to carry on his tradition once he was gone. What a spirit of generosity! Hody Childress reminds me of the man in the Bible that we call The Good Samaritan. He ministered to a stranger who had been beaten, robbed, and left to die. He then took him to an inn and paid for his lodging. He told the innkeeper he would return and pay more if needed. Hody Childress was The Good Samaritan from Sand Mountain. Both he and the Samaritan in the Bible are good examples of how we may give of ourselves to help others in need. Wind gusts of up to 90 km/hr and falling hail up to the size of ping pong balls could be on the way to Niagara today as the region is under a severe thunderstorm watch. Environment Canada says conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms. Theyre expected to hit the area sometime late this morning through the afternoon. Isolated thunderstorms are developing over southern Ontario. These thunderstorms may be capable of producing nickel sized hail. Additionally, thunderstorms are developing over Michigan and are expected to track eastward into Ontario late this morning or this afternoon. The weather service notes that as the Great Lakes are very cold, at this time there is a great deal of uncertainty as to how strong these thunderstorms will be as they cross into Ontario. Should the cold temperatures of the lakes be overcome, a strong line of thunderstorms is expected with strong wind gusts and large hail. Thunderstorms are expected to move east of the area early this evening. SHARE: Welland city councillors have been reminded about on-camera etiquette after one member appears to have participated in a virtual meeting while not wearing a shirt. During the March 28 special council meeting, five councillors opted to participate using Zoom, while others attended city hall in person. There are two versions of online meetings, one being a livestream on the citys website that The Tribune followed. The other is operated by Zoom, which council and members of staff who are taking part in meetings remotely use. In this version, councillors can be seen on screen when speaking, unlike the public livestream, explained city clerk Tara Stephens, adding the Zoom edition is not recorded and made available for the public or media afterwards. Asked about allegations that Ward 4 Coun. Tony DiMarco took part in the March 28 meeting shirtless, Stephens said Yes, and that is what she saw on her screen. Several emails and voicemails have been left with DiMarco since last week but he has not replied for this story. Stephens called DiMarcos appearance inappropriate and said it has prompted her to redistribute an etiquette sheet staff created at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic when all council meetings were held online. It recommends certain things councillors should do and not do. One of the suggestions is that they dress for your audience. It also gives advice to council about making sure their internet connection is strong, and advises against eating meals and snacks while in a meeting. The list of etiquette items tells councillors to keep their cameras on during meetings. If a camera needs to be turned off for a personal reason, the clerk should be notified. Mayor Frank Campion said he didnt see it when asked about DiMarcos lack of attire, but that he was told the next day several people had seen it, including members of staff. He said councillors should always make an effort to wear business-casual clothing when participating in a meeting virtually. Whats expected of councillors who are coming in by Zoom is to act and dress as they would in the council chambers, said Campion, adding he believes DiMarco was vacationing in Florida when he took part in the meeting. Campion also said he will ask staff to investigate how the Zoom version of council meetings can be recorded for public consumption, and not just be for the eyes of council and staff. Even though Campion was at city hall during the meeting, he still has the Zoom meeting running on a nearby screen. He said he didnt notice if DiMarco was or wasnt wearing a shirt because he has a lot of stuff going on in the council chambers. Ward 6 Coun. Bonnie Fokkens said the shirtless allegation was brought to her attention by someone during the meeting, but she believes he was wearing a flesh-coloured shirt, or possibly one that was pale orange or cream in colour. She said members of council should not take a relaxed approach to how they dress even if they are conducting city business remotely. Even though we do it from home, I get dressed up for it, because we are representing our people, said Fokkens. Kris Dube is a reporter for the Welland Tribune. Reach him via email: kris.dube@niagaradailies.com SHARE: Niagara Region Public Health is asking the provincial government for a funding increase this year to ensure local taxpayers are not paying more than their share of the programs it delivers. Diane Vanecko, director of organizational and foundational standards with public health, said the Region has been paying more than its share for public health services, adding Queens Park is supposed to provide 70 per cent of funding. Speaking at Tuesdays public health and social services committee meeting, she said the Regions $36-million provincial funding request includes a $1.4-million increase to address the funding shortfall and ensure we are not subsidizing programs that should be paid for by the Ministry (of Health). She said Niagara taxpayers are being asked to pitch in $10.8 million for public health programs, while additional requests for projects that are 100 per cent funded by the province increase the total public health budget to almost $54.2 million this year. Acting medical officer of health Dr. Mustafa Hirji said although the ministry has not quite been keeping pace with that (the ratio of funding it provides), nonetheless theres a substantial amount of funding theyre providing for the public health services that we have to deliver. He said public healths key goal has been to make Niagara one of the 25 healthiest communities in Canada, but the last three years going through the pandemic has very much disrupted what weve been doing in public health. Although he hasnt looked at data since the pandemic began, Hirji said pre-pandemic we were 52 out of about 115 communities in Canada. While the pandemic is not over and COVID-19 remains the No. 3 cause of death, public health is beginning to again work towards that top 25 goal. He said this years plan focuses on restoring programs that were disrupted due to the pandemic, such as catching up on efforts to provide vaccines to students. As part of $14.9 million in one-time funding requests, Vanecko said nearly $3.5 million will be spent on childhood vaccination programs, while $590,000 is earmarked for a new mobile dental clinic She said $283,000 will go towards the Regions needle and syringe program, including 20 wall-mounted syringe containers and 10 outdoor kiosks to be located throughout the region for disposal of used needles. Vanecko said $58,600 will go towards hiring five summer students to assist with public health inspections. She said increased drug use, sexually transmitted diseases and food insecurity are among other priorities for funding this year. The Region is also asking for $3.3 million for a seniors dental plan at an increase of nearly $800,000 over last year. There are quite a few on our wait-list for the Ontario Seniors Dental Program and we want to provide some additional services in order to minimize that wait list, she said. SHARE: Former U.S. president Donald Trump appeared at a Manhattan courthouse Tuesday to face historic charges relating to an alleged hush-money conspiracy. The 76-year-old plead not guilty to 34 felony charges of falsifying business records before heading back to his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Fla., to address his followers. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office pushed for the indictment, told reporters in the afternoon: No matter who you are, we cannot and will not normalize serious criminal conduct. Here are five key moments from a historic Tuesday: Trumps charges were revealed Following Trumps appearance in court, the Manhattan District Attorneys Office has unsealed and publicly released the former presidents indictment. The 16-page document details 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, all concerning false entries made to business records kept by the Trump Organization. All entries occurred in 2017. Under New York state law, it is a felony to falsify business records with intent to defraud, and intent to conceal another crime, Bragg told reporters. That is exactly what this case is about. According to the indictment, Trump had the intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof on all 34 charges. During his press meeting, Bragg alleged Trump had lied about payments he made to his attorney Michael Cohen in 2017, which he claimed were for legal services performed. Instead, Bragg contends the money was sent as part of a conspiracy dating back to 2015 to buy and suppress negative information to help Mr. Trumps chance of winning the (2016) election. Trump and his associates allegedly paid three people to keep quiet, Bragg continued. These include: adult film star Stormy Daniels, who was wired $130,000 (U.S.) to suppress an alleged sexual encounter with Trump; Playboy model Karen McDougal, who received $150,000 following an alleged 10-month affair with the ex-president; and Dino Sajudin, a doorman at Trump Tower who was paid $30,000 after claiming to have information about a child Trump had out of wedlock. Trump pled not guilty to all charges Flanked by his lawyers, a stone-faced Trump pleaded not guilty to all 34 charges during his arraignment Tuesday afternoon. Outside the courthouse, moments after the former president was whisked away in his motorcade, Trumps attorneys Todd Blanche and Joe Tacopina addressed a gaggle of reporters. The indictment itself is boilerplate, Blanche said. It doesnt allege that any federal crime, any state crime has been violated. Its really disappointing, its sad and were going to fight it. The details of the indictment came as no surprise to the lawyers and Trump, Blanche continued. As for how Trump was taking it: Hes frustrated. Hes upset. But Ill tell you what, hes motivated, Blanche said. Tacopina criticized the indictment for having no facts, adding that: Todays unsealing of this indictment shows that the rule of law died in this country because while everyone is not above the law, no ones below it either. Trump addresses supporters at Mar-a-Lago After flying back to Florida Tuesday evening, Trump addressed a crowd of supporters at his home at Mar-a-Lago in a 25-minute speech. The only crime Ive committed is fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it, he said, later referring to Manhattan District Attorney Bragg as a radical left George Soros-backed prosecutor. He also attacked Braggs family, bringing up his wifes tweets, on top of targeting the judge assigned to his case. I have a Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and family, Trump said, while claiming his opponents are receiving funds from the Biden administration. Trump spent little time actually addressing his indictment, instead dedicating the majority of his speech alternating between unrelated grievances, from his disproven claims of election interference in 2020 to the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago to Hunter Bidens laptop from hell. At least 500 prominent supporters were invited to the event, according to CBS. The atmosphere felt akin to that of a classic Trump rally. Notably, the ex-president did not deny paying hush money to cover up his affairs. Marjorie Taylor Greene, George Santos briefly demonstrate outside courthouse High-profile Trump allies including Marjorie Taylor Greene and George Santos made brief appearances outside the Manhattan courthouse Tuesday afternoon in support of the former president, but neither stayed for long. Throngs of pro and anti-trump protesters gathered outside the courthouse Tuesday. While the majority appeared in favour of the politician hours before Trumps arrival, more and more anti-Trump demonstrators arrived throughout the day, eventually appearing to outnumber their counterparts. Greene arrived later that afternoon and gave a speech through a bullhorn, while counterprotestors attempted to drown her out with whistles and drums. According to Politico, around 300 protesters and 150 counterprotestors had gathered at the scene. After about 10 minutes, Greene retreated to the safety of her SUV. Meanwhile, Santos was spotted for about 30 minutes at the scene, during which he told reporters Trumps trial started a precedent. This is a bad day for democracy, he said. This cheapens the judicial system, not good for America. Trumps mug shot unlikely to be released so his campaign made its own Trumps potential mug shot has become a hot-button issue, especially as the former presidents campaign attempts to capitalize on his legal troubles. Theres uncertainty, however, whether the photos will ever see the light of day. In 2019, a New York law essentially banned the release of most mug shots to the public, unless those photos would help with a specific law enforcement purpose, like when searching for a wanted person. On Tuesday, the New York Times reported Trump was unlikely to have his photos taken in the first place, citing unnamed sources with knowledge of the matter. Officials told the Times Trumps (non-mugshot) photos are already commonly available and that some are concerned about a leak should mug shots be taken. Trump was spared the handcuffs as well, the Times reports, although he had his fingerprints taken and was assigned a New York State Identification Number. Despite the lack of official mug shot, Trumps official 2024 presidential campaign is already capitalizing on the moment by selling T-shirts featuring a fake mug shot, emblazoned with the words not guilty. Theyre priced at $36. Citing three unnamed sources, Rolling Stone magazine reported Tuesday Trumps advisers recommended turning his mug shot into fuel for a fundraising drive, or as a potent new symbol on 2024 campaign merchandise. Read more about: SHARE: Alexandra Bains telephone pinged with the one-word text message. Cake, it read. Bain knew the meaning of the code word, sent from a Syrian prison camp via the secret telephone of a 38-year-old mother of three. It signalled that a number of the Canadian women and children detained for years in Syrian prison camps meant for suspected members of the Islamic State terror group were now on their way home. We had this word and she typed it this afternoon, Bain, executive director of the advocacy group Families Against Violent Extremism (FAVE), told the Star late Tuesday night. She chose it. I guess shes hungry. Bain was elated and exhausted. She was also enraged the fuel that has driven her and others advocating for the return of the detainees whom politicians and broad swaths of the Canadian public would seemingly rather have nothing to do with. The Islamic State, or ISIS, is a designated terrorist group formed in the chaos of the Syrian civil war. The brutal and media-savvy organization drew tens of thousands of young Muslims to its ranks with the declaration of an Islamic caliphate headquartered in Raqqa, Syria. At its most powerful, it controlled vast swaths of territory in Syria and Iraq, but its fighting capabilities were degraded and its members were killed, captured or detained after a U.S.-led coalitions military operation in 2016. The fate of those captured and suspected of having supported or fought with ISIS has been left to the Kurdish-run Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, which runs the sprawling detention camps south of the Turkish border. Conditions in the camps are abhorrent. There is rampant violence, food shortages, disease and little access to education or medical care. Lawyers and advocates have been fighting for years in the courts to force the federal government to bring detained Canadian citizens home, rather than leave them in a sort of limbo jailed but not charged, with no means of escape from what remains a conflict zone. Lawrence Greenspon, a high-profile Ottawa lawyer representing many of the detainees, confirmed Wednesday he had learned the flight home was imminent or underway, though it was not clear exactly how many people would be returning on it, and the federal government refused to comment. We have been in contact with at least one of the BOLOH women, and they indicated that they are on the move, Greenspon said, using the acronym Bring Our Loved Ones Home born of the legal challenge he spearheaded. The activity follows a deal brokered by Greenspon and government lawyers to repatriate six women and 13 children who were involved in a Federal Court case. The government is appealing a ruling that it has a legal obligation to also repatriate four Canadian men. Shes going to be so excited, Bain said of the woman who sent cryptic word that the long trip back to Canada had finally begun. The woman had been told once before, in 2018, that she was being repatriated, Bain said. She had even gone so far as to give away the precious belongings that she had amassed in the camp, thinking she would no longer need them, only to have the offer of return rescinded at the last minute a crushing disappointment. Bains organization FAVE later helped the womans mother reach the camps to visit her daughter and grandchildren in captivity. Her family is going to be so excited, Bain said. Others face the crushing disappointment of being left behind. Among them is a mother who was told by Global Affairs officials that Canada was willing to board her six children on the plane, but not her, because they had yet to complete her security assessment. As rumours of the imminent Canadian repatriation flight spread throughout the Roj camp in northeast Syria on Tuesday night, Greenspon said he was contacted by a government official and asked to obtain the womans consent to send her children to Canada, uncertain when or if she would ever see them again. As Tuesday night turned to Wednesday morning, Greenspon delivered the outraged response: She wants her six children to be repatriated and she wants to come home to Quebec with them. He did not get a government response to the proposition and Global Affairs did not respond to a Star request for comment. Its preposterous, Greenspon said Wednesday. Its a preposterous reason to separate a mother from her six children. Shes a Canadian. Shes a Canadian mother. There are also four women who do not hold Canadian citizenship but have a combined 10 children who do, through their fathers. The government also offered to take back the kids, but not their primary caregivers. Our kids are in tears, heartbroken, one of the women, identified as Zahra, said in a statement issued by Homes not Bombs, an Ontario advocacy group. Its like Canada has told them their lives are not worth saving unless they give up their mothers. Asiya Hirji, a lawyer for two of the non-Canadian mothers and their six children, said that federal government officials did not respond to inquiries from one of her clients about repatriating the womans child, who has severe autism and requires medical treatment. Global Affairs Canada was supposed to get back to me, she told the Star. They didnt. The repatriation follows a strict protocol set by the Kurdish administration, which governs the territory immediately south of Syrias border with Turkey. Canadian officials meet with Kurdish representatives in a signing and handover ceremony, during which this country formally takes custody of the detainees before flying them out of the region. Last October, when two Canadian women and two children were repatriated, Greenspon got word of the impending repatriation just a few hours before the flight was due to land in Montreal. One woman, Oumaima Chouay, was arrested and charged with terrorism offences upon arrival, while the other, Kimberly Polman, was served with a peace bond in a British Columbia court that placed legal restrictions on her movements and activities. Michael King, a psychologist with the Alberta-based Organization for the Prevention of Violence, said family members of the women and children now returning will be gearing up to welcome them, even while preparing for the possibility that the fate of the women once they get here is unknown. The extended family who has agreed to receive these people need to scenario-plan, King said. Are they receiving an extra adult and children in their household? Are they receiving only children, (whose) only source of security in these prison camps with atrocious conditions has been their mother, and now their mother is taken away? He said there will have been little or no psychological preparation in the camps for the returning children, who will face a drastic change of environment and a potential separation from their mothers. The justice system has to do what they do, but from a psychosocial service providers perspective and from the childrens perspective we would prefer to see these mothers kept with their kids for the time being, King said. The idea is to really focus on the kids. The kids are coming back. They didnt ask to go over there. They didnt ask to be born there. They shouldnt be paying for the sins of their parents. Allan Woods is a Montreal-based staff reporter for the Star. He covers global and national affairs. Follow him on Twitter: @WoodsAllan Read more about: SHARE: BERLIN (AP) German Chancellor Olaf Scholzs spokesman on Wednesday defended Berlins record on delivering arms to Ukraine after the vice chancellor, a rare prewar advocate of providing Kyiv with weapons, said this week he was deeply ashamed that it took Germany so long to shift its position. Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, who is also Germanys economy minister and responsible for energy, took a business delegation to Ukraine this week on his first trip to the country since Russia launched its full-scale invasion last year. In May 2021, Habeck then a co-leader of Germanys Green party, which was in opposition visited Ukraine and called for the delivery of defensive weapons. His comment drew widespread criticism at the time, even within his own party. A video clip of his Monday meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, posted on the Ukrainian leaders Telegram channel, showed Habeck saying of Germanys weapons deliveries to Ukraine, We changed our position, but it took too long and was too late. I think not all of the German politicians would say the same, but I feel deeply ashamed, Habeck said. He stressed that part of his job over the past year has been to help delivering weapons as fast and as many as we could, and this is an ongoing promise. Scholzs government, which took office in December 2021, started giving Ukraine weapons shortly after Russia invaded the country. Although Germany has become continental Europes biggest supplier of arms to Ukraine, the German government and Scholz have continued to face periodic criticism for perceived reluctance to step up aid notably ahead of a decision in January to supply battle tanks. Scholzs spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit, on Wednesday defended the government's approach. The chancellery is still firmly of the opinion that we have done exactly the right thing, always at the right time, he told reporters in Berlin. Hebestreit pointed to the German leaders oft-repeated principles of supporting Ukraine as strongly as possible, preventing a direct conflict between Russia and NATO, and acting in coordination with allies, above all with our American partners and friends. Hebestreit said he didnt want to comment on Habecks words, which stand for themselves. Read more about: SHARE: WARSAW, Poland (AP) Poland has emerged as one Ukraines most ardent supporters during Russias invasion despite historical grievances between the neighboring nations that stir up bad feelings to this day. The tensions between the country at war and its staunch ally were acknowledged Wednesday when Ukrainian President President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a state visit to Poland, where he was welcomed with honors. President Andrzej Duda promised that Poland would keep helping Ukraine fight off Russias aggression, but he also acknowledged at a joint news conference with Zelesnkyy that the relationship was complicated. There are still open wounds in the memory of many people, Duda said, an obvious reference to the massacres of some 100,000 Poles by Ukrainian nationalists during the 1940s. Poland considers the killings genocide. The difficult past in Poland-Ukraine relations goes back even further than that. In a part of Europe where entire nations have disappeared from maps for generations before returning from the ashes of collapsed empires, sometimes at the expense of neighbors, Poles and Ukrainians share a history of existential rivalry. Ukrainians, for example, harbor resentment from centuries spent under Polish rule, a period which is not remembered as completely benign. As the two presidents delivered public addresses to a crowd of Ukrainians and Poles in Warsaw, Duda acknowledged that both nations had made a lot of mistakes for which we paid the ultimate price. We are sending a clear message to the Kremlin today: You will never succeed in dividing us again, he said. Polish and Ukrainian officials have mostly avoided addressing the old grievances openly as they remain focused on Ukraines survival and worry that Russian could exploit any divisions. It is, after all, a war whose outcome will determine Ukraines very existence and Polands own security for decades to come. In the future, there will be no borders between our peoples: political, economic and what is very important historical, Zelenskyy said in a Telegram message before his meeting with Duda. But for that we still need to gain victory. For that, we need to walk side by side a little more. By raising the matter now, the leaders seemed to acknowledge that thorny issues could not be swept under the rug forever, even with the war dragging on. Duda and other nationalist authorities face political pressure to make sure Polish suffering at Ukrainian hands is not forgotten, especially with the growing strength of a far-right party, Confederation, that has sometimes expressed anti-Ukrainian views. A parliamentary election in Poland before the end of the year will be a test for the ruling party, Law and Justice, and determine whether it wins a third term. On Wednesday, though, Zelenskyy was met with red carpets and pomp. Duda bestowed on his visitor Polands oldest and highest civilian distinction, The Order of the White Eagle. You are surely one of the most outstanding people who has received the distinction, the Polish president said. Zelenskyy called Duda a friend and said Polish-Ukrainian relations have never been so good. At the same time, Duda insisted the past must not be forgotten and now was the right time to confront it. We cannot forget those who have perished in the past, Duda said. There are no taboo themes between us. Probably the touchiest point of contention is how to remember one of Ukraines national heroes, Stepan Bandera, the far-right leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists who briefly allied himself with Germanys Nazis. Efforts by Bandera-led forces to carve out an independent territory for Ukraine led them to perpetrate atrocities against Poles, Jews and Soviets. Such subjects were off-limits during the Soviet era, when Ukraine was a Soviet republic and Moscow also controlled Poland. Historians say that more than 100,000 Poles, including women and young children, perished at the hands of their Ukrainian neighbors in areas that were then located in southeastern Poland and are mostly in Ukraine now. The peak of the violence was on July 11, 1943, known as Bloody Sunday, when the Ukrainian insurgent fighters carried out coordinated attacks on Poles praying in or leaving churches in more than 100 villages, chiefly in the Volhynia region. Polish officials insist that only the full truth can strengthen the nations ties. Poles were angered in January when Ukraines parliament commemorated Bandera on the 114th anniversary of his birth by tweeting an image of the current commander of the Ukrainian armed forces against a portrait of Bandera. The post was later deleted. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said then that his government took an extremely critical stance toward any glorification or even remembrance of Bandera. After meeting with Zelenskyy on Wednesday, Morawiecki said the two spoke about the crimes and Polands request to carry out exhumations on the Polish victims, something Ukraine has so far banned. We had a very difficult history and today there is a chance to rewrite this history and base it on the truth, Morawiecki said. ___ Monika Scislowska in Warsaw contributed. Read more about: SHARE: WARSAW, Poland (AP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy won new pledges of military and economic cooperation Wednesday on a state visit to staunch ally Poland, and he also said that Kyivs troops battling in the eastern city of Bakhmut could pull out if they face a threat of being encircled by Russian forces. Polish President Andrzej Duda said Warsaw has provided four Soviet-designed MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, with four more in the process of being handed over and another six being prepared. At a news conference with his Polish counterpart, Zelenskyy described the perils in the grinding siege of Bakhmut, which has been all but destroyed by eight months of fighting that also has cost many lives on both sides. For me, the most important issue is our military, he said. And certainly, if there is a moment of even hotter events and the danger that we may lose personnel due to the encirclement, there will certainly be corresponding correct decisions of the general on the ground. I n a recent interview with The Associated Press, Zelenskyy underscored the importance of defending Bakhmut, saying its fall could allow Russia to rally international support for a deal that could require Ukraine to make unacceptable compromises. During his visit to Warsaw a rare wartime foray out of Ukraine for Zelenskyy both countries sought to forge a tighter relationship in defiance of Russias full-scale war against Kyiv that has reshaped international alliances. Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, said Moscows relations with Washington are in deep crisis as the U.S. has led its allies in supplying aid and weapons to Ukraine. Speaking at a ceremony where he accepted diplomatic credentials from ambassadors of 17 nations, including the U.S., Putin alleged that Washingtons support for the 2014 protests in Kyiv that ousted a pro-Kremlin president led to Russias sending troops into Ukraine. Zelenskyy said at his news conference with Duda that his government would extend a hearty welcome to Polish businesses seeking to help Ukraines postwar rebuilding, which the World Bank has estimated could cost $411 billion. He met later with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and signed agreements on developing Ukrainian infrastructure that opens a door for hundreds of Polish companies. Poland heaped military honors and praise on Zelenskyy as it welcomed him and his wife on a joint visit, during which they thanked the country for its crucial military support as well as being a haven for Ukrainian refugees. The former Soviet satellite that is now a member of the European Union and NATO feels especially threatened by Russia and has been a leading advocate for aid to Kyiv. Zelenskyy said the countries signed a new defense package for the delivery of Polish weaponry. They will also set up joint manufacturing plants for weapons and ammunition, he said. Morawiecki said Zelenskyys visit was extremely important because we are shaping the picture of Europe for the future. The Kremlin and Putin, Moscow wanted an end to Ukraine, but today we can see that this war initiates the end of an aggressive Russia, of the Russia that we know, and (marks) a start of a completely new Europe. This is the beginning of a completely new Europe. Earlier, Zelenskyy and Duda said they wanted to leave behind any World War II-era grievances that linger in Ukraine and Poland. There are no taboo topics between us, Duda said. There are still open wounds in the memory of many people. While Zelenskyy also traveled to the United States, Britain, France and Belgium, the trip to Poland stood out because it was announced in advance and undertaken without the secrecy of past foreign trips. It also was the first time Zelenskyy and first lady Olena Zelenska traveled abroad together since the war began in February 2022, said Marcin Przydacz, head of Dudas foreign policy office. Duda awarded Zelenskyy Polands oldest and highest civilian distinction, The Order of the White Eagle. We have no doubt that your attitude, together with the bravery of the nation, has saved Ukraine, the Polish president told Zelenskyy. At a ceremony in the courtyard of the presidential palace, Duda and the two countries first ladies were dressed in formal attire, while Zelenskyy wore the military-style sweatshirt and khaki trousers that have become his uniform since the invasion. His trips to London, Paris and Brussels in February were part of his push for warplanes and for his country admission to the EU and NATO, and his visit to Washington in December was intended to shore up U.S. support. Both presidents addressed a cheering and flag-waving crowd of Poles and Ukrainians gathered in the Royal Castle yard in Warsaw. A larger gathering watched on screens outside the castle. Duda and Zelenskyy took on a personal tone as they quoted words from each others national anthems and stressed their unity. Volodymyr, you are a hero of the free world, Duda said. Were sending a clear message to Moscow, you wont be able to divide us. Duda added that Ukraine alone will decide the conditions on which it would enter any peace talks. The only conditions that world leaders should be demanding from Russia are the complete pullout of Russian troops from Ukraines territory, he said. There is no question of of any negotiations above the Ukrainians heads. Zelenskyy said the war has brought the two nations together. The same way that we are standing together, Poland, in this war, we will be rejoicing together in peace, arm in arm, in everything, together in the European Union, together in NATO, Zelenskyy said to cheering. Zelenskyy traveled through Poland on his previous foreign trips, but until now had not made it his sole destination. The country that has been a major cheerleader for Kyiv, a transit hub for weapons and humanitarian aid, and a safe haven for hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing the war. The visit highlighted Polands rising role in a new international security order emerging from the war. Warsaw wants to modernize its military by purchasing tanks and other equipment from U.S. and South Korean producers. The U.S. has also bolstered its military presence in Poland. Zelenskyys visit came at a delicate time, when Polish farmers are increasingly angry over Ukrainian grain that has entered the country and created a glut, causing prices to fall. The grain is only meant to be stored temporarily before being sent to markets in North Africa and the Middle East, but farmers say it is taking up space in silos and entering Polish markets, causing local prices to fall. Romanian and Bulgarian farmers have the same complaint. Zelenskyy and Morawiecki said they had reached a deal to resolve the problem but gave no details. The issue has been a headache for Morawieckis government ahead of fall elections, particularly since his conservative ruling party, Law and Justice, gets much of its support in rural areas. Agriculture Minister Henryk Kowalczyk, the focus of the farmers anger, resigned Wednesday. In Ukraine, the military authorities said Russian forces in the previous 24 hours had launched 47 airstrikes, three missile strikes and 42 attacks from multiple rocket launchers. At least four civilians were killed and 16 others wounded in that period, Zelenskyys office reported. Also on Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry accused Ukraine and its allies of trying to affect Russian civilian communications satellites and threatened that Moscow could respond in kind. It didnt offer any specifics. Meanwhile, a small plane, apparently from Ukraine, crash-landed in a field in the neighboring Russian region of Bryansk, and its pilot was detained, according to Russias Federal Security Service. ___ Associated Press writer Yuras Karmanau in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Read more about: SHARE: BEIRUT (AP) Suspected Israeli airstrikes in Syria in recent weeks have killed two Iranian military advisers, temporarily put the countrys two largest airports out of service, and raised fears of regional escalation. While Israel has fought a shadow war with Iran in Syria for years, it has intensified recently, with near-daily airstrikes attributed to Israel by Syrian officials over the past week. The escalation of attacks comes after what appears to be a rare infiltration by an armed man from Lebanon into Israel and Irans reconciliation with regional rival Saudi Arabia last month. It also comes against the backdrop of a major domestic crisis in Israel over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government plan to overhaul the judiciary. Israel, which has vowed to stop Iranian entrenchment in neighboring Syria, has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets in government-controlled parts of that country in recent years but rarely acknowledges them. Since the beginning of 2023, Syrian officials have attributed 10 strikes on Syrian territory to Israel, including four airstrikes within five days as of Tuesday. The United States, Israels closest ally, has had its own recent run-ins with Iranian forces in Syria. In late March, U.S. forces retaliated with airstrikes on sites in Syria used by groups affiliated with Irans Revolutionary Guard following a suspected Iran-linked drone attack that killed a U.S. contractor and wounded six other Americans in northeast Syria. An official with an Iranian-backed group in Iraq said the U.S. strikes killed seven Iranians. The flareup between the U.S. and Iran did not escalate, but some fear the back-and-forth between Israel and Iran could. Since the early years of Syrias 12-year-old conflict, Iran has deployed hundreds of military advisers as well as thousands of Iran-backed fighters from countries including Iraq and Lebanon who helped tip the balance of power in President Bashar Assads favor. Iran-backed fighters are deployed in different parts of Syria. Israel has long considered Iran to be its top enemy, citing Iranian calls for Israels destruction, its support for anti-Israel militant groups like Hezbollah and its nuclear program. Israel and Western countries say Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapons a charge Iran denies. Iran has blamed Israel for attacks on its territory, including the killings of some of its nuclear scientists and damage to nuclear installations. The airstrikes in Syria reflect Israels concerns about fighters being deployed close to its northern border and fears that Iran is trying to transfer sophisticated weapons, such as guided missiles, to Hezbollah. Both Israel and Hezbollah have avoided an all-out war since their 34-day war in 2006 ended with a draw. Israel considers Hezbollah, which is believed to possess over 130,000 rockets and missiles, to be a major threat. Lebanese military expert and former army general Hisham Jaber said Iran has about 1,800 military advisers in Syria, most of them deployed with Syrian troops. The increase in strikes on Syria began with a Jan. 2 attack that temporarily put Damascus airport out of service, just after the most right-wing government in Israels 74-year history took office. The strikes continued despite mass protests in Israel, including open disagreement between Netanyahu and his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, over the governments controversial plans for a judicial overhaul. At one point, Netanyahu fired Gallant for criticizing the plan, but then backtracked and temporarily halted the push for the overhaul until parliament reconvenes in a month. The two men have made a number of public appearances in recent days, alluding to military activity in Syria without overtly confirming it. We will not allow the Iranians and Hezbollah to harm us. We have not allowed it in the past, we wont allow it now, or anytime in the future, Gallant said this week. When necessary, we will push them out of Syria to where they belong and that is Iran. Jaber, however, said he believes the recent strikes will not turn into a full-blown conflict, in part because the U.S. -- which is preoccupied with the ongoing war in Ukraine and its own tensions with China -- would try to discourage a regional war. Strikes attributed to Israel in Syria in recent weeks have targeted both Iranian-linked figures and infrastructure. They have hit the airports of Damascus and Aleppo, a move which was apparently intended to prevent the flow of arms shipments into Syria, but which also disrupted aid shipments after the deadly Feb. 6 earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey. On Feb. 19, the first reported Israeli strikes after the earthquake targeted residential areas in Syrias capital Damascus, killing at least five people and wounding 15. Opposition activists said the strikes targeted Iranian-backed militias. In mid-March, the Israeli army said its soldiers had killed an armed man suspected of entering the country from Lebanon and blowing up a car. The incident, which wounded one Israeli, unnerved Israelis. Officials suspect the man infiltrated from Lebanon and may have been dispatched by Hezbollah or directly by Iran. A few days after the alleged infiltration, a commander with the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad was shot dead outside his apartment building near Damascus in what the group described as an assassination by Israeli agents. Last Tuesday, Netanyahu said Israels intelligence agency Mossad helped Greece prevent a terrorist attack planned against at least one Jewish site in Athens. Greek authorities said two men described as being of Pakistani origin were arrested for allegedly planning an attack on a Jewish center. On Friday, an Israeli strike on a southern suburb of Damascus killed two advisers from Irans Revolutionary Guard. Hours later, Israels air force shot down a drone that entered Israel from Syria and alleged that Iran was behind its launch. Yoel Guzansky, an Iran expert and senior fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv think tank, said Israels stepped-up action in recent weeks could be in response to the recent alleged infiltration from Lebanon. Guzansky noted that Iran rarely acknowledges the death of its officers and advisers as quickly as it did after Fridays attack. He said the swift public acknowledgement could signal that Iran will avenge or respond to the Israeli attacks, possibly targeting Israelis abroad. An official with an Iran-backed group in the region warned that if Israel continues with the strikes, Tehran and its allies will retaliate. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the issue with the media. Irans semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted the Revolutionary Guard as saying that the killing of two Iranian advisers will definitely not pass without retaliation. ___ Federman reported from Jerusalem. SHARE: Daddy didnt fight in World War II. He was exempt from battle, not because of his high blood pressure and phlebitis, or because he was almost 40 years old and had three children with my sister Jane on the way. The U.S. military signed him up for different duties. A factory in New Orleans needed textile engineers to discover a formula for high-quality parachute material. So, Daddy loaded up the family and headed to Louisiana. And, from1941 until the end of the war, he helped invent and perfect fabric that was strong, lightweight, durable, and dependable. Flash forward to the 1960s when I was a teenager. My friend met a group of skydiving college students and convinced me that it would be cool for the two of us to jump with them. We practiced ground techniques for a few weeks packing parachutes, leaping off tall boxes, and landing just right before I approached my parents about our scheme. I couldnt keep it a secret because, as a minor, I needed permission. Im pretty sure that was the only time Mama told me absolutely, No! She never budged when I whined, wheedled and quoted statistics about safety. And, that ended my days as a skydiver. But, my fascination with falling through the clouds tied to a piece of cloth didnt dwindle. And, it seems Im not the only one who has ever been intrigued with the idea. In 1797, the first true parachute came into being. Twenty-eight-year-old Jacques Garnerin took off from Paris in a hot air balloon, rose to 3,200 feet, and leaped into space. His parachute opened, and he landed safely. Some folks believe the notion of parachutes originated in the 1100s in China. We know for sure that Leonardo da Vinci experimented with the concept on paper in the 15th century. Three centuries later, the idea was tested. Louis-Sebastian Lenormand became the first man to descend using something like a parachute. He was trying to invent safety equipment to help people escape from burning buildings. The Frenchman tried out his concept by climbing a tall tree and jumping, holding two opened parasols. And, he made it safely to the ground. A couple of years later, Pierre Banchard coined the word para (preventing) and chute (fall). He tested the idea by dropping a terrified dog wearing a parachute from a hot air balloon. It took the invention of airplanes for parachutes to catch on. And, as soon as aviation became vital to the military, they were essential. Im a sucker for the old black-and-white WWII movies. I love to watch the sky fill with paratroopers floating peacefully into enemy territory. Looking back at my high school days, I cant believe I really wanted to jump. Mama didnt rule with an iron hand. When shed tell us she was putting her foot down, wed laugh and call her Light Foot. But, I sure am glad I couldnt sweet-talk her into signing those papers agreeing to let me leap out of an airplane. JERUSALEM (AP) Violence resumed for a second straight night in Jerusalem on Wednesday when Palestinian worshippers barricaded themselves inside Al-Aqsa Mosque at the Old Citys sensitive compound and Israeli police used force to remove dozens of worshippers. The unrest was less intense than the previous night. But the situation remained combustible as Muslims marked the Ramadan holy month and Jews began the weeklong Passover holiday. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip renewed their rocket fire at Israel, raising fears of a wider conflagration. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported at least six people were injured in the latest violence. The Islamic Waqf authorities, which manages the compound, said police fired stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds. The Israeli police said that dozens of law-breaking juveniles had fomented chaos, throwing rocks and other objects at officers and compelling police to act to restore security, law and order. More Palestinians had gathered in the mosque, responding to calls by Waqf to pray inside overnight. At one of the mosque entrances, police officers could be seen escorting dozens of Palestinians out of the compound. Residents and shoppers milled around, watching social media videos on their phones showing the renewed clashes that had happened just meters away. Early on Wednesday, Israeli police stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque, firing stun grenades at Palestinians who hurled stones and firecrackers in a burst of violence during a sensitive holiday season. Palestinian militants in Gaza responded with rocket fire on southern Israel, prompting repeated Israeli airstrikes. The violence had calmed by early Wednesday morning, but in the evening, Palestinian militants fired two more rockets from Gaza, with one falling short inside Gaza and the other falling near the security fence separating Gaza from Israel, the Israeli military said. There were no reports of casualties. The mosque sits in a hilltop compound sacred to both Jews and Muslims, and conflicting claims over it have spilled into violence before, including a bloody 11-day war between Israel and Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza. Al-Aqsa is the third-holiest site in Islam and stands in a spot known to Jews as the Temple Mount, which is the holiest site in Judaism. Palestinian militant groups warned that further confrontation was coming, but a Palestinian official said the Palestinian Authority was in contact with officials in Egypt, Jordan, the United States and at the United Nations to de-escalate the situation. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country was working to calm tensions at the holy site. People who were detained at the compound and later released said police used batons, chairs, rifles and whatever else they could find to strike Palestinians, including women and children, who responded by hurling stones and setting off firecrackers that theyd brought to evening prayers for fear of possible clashes. Outside the mosques gate, police dispersed crowds of young men with stun grenades and rubber bullets. Medics from the Palestinian Red Crescent said that at least 50 people were injured. Israeli police said they were not immediately able to confirm the reports and videos showing officers beating Palestinians but said 350 were arrested. They added that one officer was injured in the leg. Separately, the Israeli military said one soldier was shot and moderately wounded in the occupied West Bank. Most of the Palestinians arrested from Al-Aqsa were released from detention by the early afternoon, said lawyer Khaled Zabarqa, who represents several of them. But he said that some 50 Palestinians, many of them from the occupied West Bank, were still detained and would have their cases heard at the Ofer military court on Friday. He put the total number of arrested at 450. U.N. Mideast envoy Tor Wennesland said he was appalled by the images of violence at Al-Aqsa, condemning the beating and mass arrests of Palestinians as well as reports of Palestinians stockpiling firecrackers and rocks. Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, expressed outrage and condemnation at the attack, telling reporters at U.N. headquarters: It is the right of the Palestinian Muslim worshippers to exercise their religious duties and prayers in this holy month of Ramadan, and in any other time in this holy Aqsa Mosque. Crowds of Palestinians gathered around a police station in Jerusalem on Wednesday, waiting anxiously for their loved ones to trickle out of detention. Amin Risheq, a 19-year-old from east Jerusalem, said that after being beaten and forced to lay on the floor of the mosque with dozens of others, his hands zip-tied behind his back, he was taken to the police station where he said he did not have access to a toilet, medical attention or water for over six hours. They treated us like animals, he said. Since Ramadan began March 22, scores of Muslim worshippers have repeatedly tried to stay overnight in the mosque, a practice that is typically permitted only during the last 10 days of the monthlong holiday. Israeli police have entered nightly to evict the worshippers. Tensions have been further heightened by calls from Jewish ultranationalists to carry out a ritual slaughter of a goat in the compound, as happened in ancient times. Israel bars ritual slaughter on the site, but calls by Jewish extremists to revive the practice, including offers of cash rewards to anyone who even attempts to bring an animal into the compound, have amplified fears among Muslims that Israel is plotting to take over the site. Netanyahu repeated Wednesday that hes committed to preserving the longstanding arrangement at the compound. He described the worshippers who locked themselves in the mosque as extremists who prevented Muslims from entering the mosque peacefully. Over a hundred religious Jews filtered through the site on Wednesday during regular morning visiting hours, as small crowds of Muslims gathered around them shouting, God is greater! Jews are permitted to visit the compound, but not pray there, under longstanding agreements. But such visits, which have grown in numbers in recent years, have often raised tensions, particularly because some Jews are often seen quietly praying. After some 80,000 worshippers attended evening prayers at the mosque on Tuesday, hundreds of Palestinians barricaded themselves inside overnight to pray. Some said they wanted to ensure religious Jews didnt carry out animal sacrifices. After they refused to leave, Israeli police moved into the mosque. Israeli police said several law-breaking youths and masked agitators brought fireworks, sticks and stones into the mosque, chanting insults and locking the front doors. After many and prolonged attempts to get them out by talking to no avail, police forces were forced to enter the compound, police said. Moayad Abu Mayaleh, 23, said he blocked a door of the mosque with hundreds of others to prevent the police from entering before they broke in. We cant let them get away with this, he said, shouting insults at Israeli police as he left the station. In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian leadership denounced the attack on the worshippers as a violation that will lead to a large explosion. Palestinian militants responded to the events by firing a barrage of rockets from Gaza into southern Israel, setting off air raid sirens in the region as residents prepared to begin the weeklong Passover holiday. The Israeli military said a total of five rockets were fired, and all were intercepted. Israel responded with airstrikes that the army said hit Hamas weapons storage and manufacturing sites. We dont want this to escalate, said Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an army spokesman. But he said that if the rocket fire persisted, we will respond very aggressively. The Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad called for Palestinian residents of Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Israel to gather around the Al-Aqsa Mosque and confront Israeli forces. Palestinians must be prepared for the inevitable confrontation in the coming days, said Ziyad al-Nakhala, leader of Islamic Jihad. As violence unfolded in Jerusalem, the Israeli military reported fighting in a Palestinian town in the occupied West Bank. It said residents of Beit Umar, near the volatile city of Hebron, burned tires, hurled rocks and explosives at soldiers. It said one soldier was shot by armed suspects, who managed to flee. It said later in the day that Palestinians opened fire at a checkpoint near the northern West Bank city of Jenin, leaving no casualties. Israeli-Palestinian violence has surged over the last year, as the Israeli military has carried out near-nightly raids on Palestinian cities, towns and villages and as Palestinians have staged numerous attacks against Israelis. At least 88 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire this year, according to an Associated Press tally. Palestinian attacks against Israelis have killed 15 people in the same period. Israel says most of the Palestinians killed were militants. But stone-throwing youths and bystanders uninvolved in violence were also among the dead. All but one of the Israeli dead were civilians. ___ Akram reported from Gaza City, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writers Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed. Read more about: SHARE: MADISON, Wis. (AP) Democratic-backed candidate Janet Protaswieczs victory in Wisconsins state Supreme Court election is a fresh example of the enduring political power of abortion rights in the wake of Roe v. Wades reversal. Protasiewicz defeated her conservative opponent, Dan Kelly, by an astonishing 11 percentage points in Tuesdays election. Her win will give Democratic-backed justices a 4-3 majority when she takes office in August, putting progressives in a prime position to overturn the states 174-year-old abortion ban and undo a host of other Republican-written policies and statutes. The results ... send a clear message, Steven Webb II, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, said in a statement. Wisconsinites are committed to reproductive freedom and upholding our states proud tradition of civic engagement. Protasiewicz leaned into the high stakes during her campaign, announcing in ads that she supports abortion rights. It was an unusual tactic for a judicial candidate to openly announce a position on an issue, but it resonated with voters. Spending on the race topped $42 million, nearly triple the national record for a court race. Protasiewicz and her supporters outspent Kelly and his supporters by about $6 million. Almost 40% of the states eligible voters cast a ballot, the highest turnout for a spring election that didnt feature a presidential primary in 20 years. Im flabbergasted (at the turnout), said Charles Franklin, a Marquette University political scientist. Abortion was very salient. You look at the content of (Protasiewiczs) campaign and how clear her position was and the results being lopsided, it certainly points to that as a key driver. Wisconsin was just the latest state where abortion has been a crucial factor motivating Democratic voters since the U.S. Supreme Court ruling last summer that ended constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place nearly 50 years. Abortion rights were on the ballot in six states in 2022, and in every contest voters opted to protect them. That included contests in states like conservative Kansas, where former President Donald Trump twice won by double-digit margins, and Michigan, a political battleground where the issue helped Democrats win reelection to all statewide offices and retake control of the state Legislature for the first time in decades. The issue will be on the ballot in New York and Maryland in 2024, and other states may also consider abortion ballot measures, including Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania and South Dakota. Democrats also pointed to the issue as the reason for their better-than-expected performance in midterm elections across the U.S. and in Congress. According to AP VoteCast, a survey of the midterm electorate, about 6 in 10 voters said they were angry or dissatisfied by the courts decision, and roughly the same number said they favor a law to guarantee access to legal abortion nationwide. Republicans are in a difficult position, said Anthony Chergosky, a University of Wisconsin-La Crosse political scientist. They won a monumental victory with overturning Roe vs. Wade, but now theyre experiencing the political backlash from that victory. Any state at any time could become the next battleground over the issue of abortion. This was Wisconsins turn to be that battleground. The politics of abortion have just utterly been transformed. Wisconsin Republicans were largely silent Wednesday about Protasiewiczs win. Some tried to downplay the role that abortion played in the race. Republican strategist Mark Graul said her victory was as much about how her spending enabled her to get her name out to voters as abortion rights. Julaine Appling, executive director of the anti-abortion group Wisconsin Family Action, said people were wrong to see the election as a referendum on abortion. She predicted that the new liberal-leaning court would undo Republican efforts to expand school choice and rework GOP-drawn legislative boundaries. We certainly talked about all the other issues (during the campaign), Appling said. Many people are going to be surprised when they start seeing decisions coming out of this court that impact many other areas of their lives. Former President Donald Trump tweeted that Kelly lost because he didnt seek Trumps endorsement. Some abortion rights opponents say theyre frustrated with answers like that as Democrats continue to score wins. Its clear that abortion is a top issue and it isnt going away, said Kelsey Pritchard of Women Speak Out PAC, a partner of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, one of the countrys most influential anti-abortion organizations. Allowing their Democratic opponents and the radical pro-abortion lobby to control the narrative will never win them elections. Wisconsin Republican Party Executive Director Mark Jefferson acknowledged that the GOP failed to address to the anger over the Roe v. Wade reversal. The Democrats were successful in pushing the abortion issue because we did not respond to the attacks effectively with a message of our own, Jefferson said. We did not have a coherent response on our side of the aisle. ___ This story has been updated to correct that total spending, not fundraising, in the court race topped $42 million. The update also corrects that Protasawicz and her supporters outspent Kelly and his supporters by $6 million and that the 40% turnout was the highest for a spring election that didnt feature a presidential primary in 20 years. ___ Burnett reported from Chicago. ___ Harm Venhuizen is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Venhuizen on Twitter. SHARE: WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland next week in part to help mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday accord, a U.S.-brokered agreement that helped end decades of deadly sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. Biden will first visit Belfast, Northern Ireland, which is part of the U.K., from April 11-12 to mark progress since the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement was signed a quarter century ago and to underscore U.S. readiness to support Northern Irelands economic potential, the White House said. Biden will then spend April 12-14 in the Republic of Ireland, holding engagements in Dublin, County Louth and County Mayo, where he will deliver an address celebrating the deep, historic ties between the United States and Ireland, the White House said. The president will address Irelands version of parliament on April 13 and attend a festival in County Mayo on April 14, where he could also deliver remarks, said U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby. Signed on April 10, 1998 which was Good Friday the landmark accord helped end three decades of sectarian violence over the issue of Northern Ireland uniting with Ireland or remaining in the United Kingdom. The anniversary is being marked with celebration that peace has endured, but concern about entrenched divisions and political instability. And the specter of violence has not wholly disappeared last month U.K. intelligence services raised the terrorism threat level for Northern Ireland from substantial to severe. Asked last month whether the heightened terrorism threat level would affect his plans to visit, Biden, who is proud of his Irish heritage and has long wanted to visit Ireland, said it would not. No, they cant keep me out, he said. The agreement has come under increasing stress following the U.K.s exit from the European Union. A recent accord known as the Windsor Framework between the U.K. and the EU addresses some of the issues that arose around commerce and goods that cross the Irish Sea from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. Biden, who will be making his first visit to both countries as president, recently praised the Windsor Framework as an important step in maintaining the peace accord, though Northern Irelands political leaders have called for changes. Its a vital, vital step and thats going to help ensure all the people in Northern Ireland have an opportunity to realize their full potential, Biden said of the framework during remarks at a Capitol Hill luncheon on St. Patricks Day. Biden introduced himself to the luncheon audience as a descendent of the Blewitts of County Mayo and the Finnegans of County Louth, referencing his paternal and maternal ancestors. I, like all of you, take pride in my Irish ancestry, he said. And as long as I can remember, its been sort of part of my soul. Biden hosted Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in the Oval Office and at a White House reception on St. Patricks Day, a tradition that had been scuttled in recent years by the coronavirus pandemic. Varadkar promised Biden would have a jolly good time in Ireland. I promise you that were going to roll out the red carpet, and its going to be a visit like no other, Varadkar told Biden in the Oval Office. Everyone is excited about it already. Were going to have great crowds who would love to see you. The last U.S. president to visit Belfast was Barack Obama in 2013. SHARE: WASHINGTON (AP) A spokesman for Mike Pence said Wednesday that the former vice president will not appeal a judges order compelling him to testify in the Justice Departments investigation into efforts by Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The decision sets up a possible appearance by Pence in the coming weeks before a federal grand jury scrutinizing attempts by the former president and supporters before the riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, to undo Democrat Joe Bidens victory. Multiple Trump administration officials have testified in that investigation, as well as in a separate inquiry examining Trumps possession of classified documents, but Pence would be the highest-profile witness to answer questions before a grand jury. His closed-door testimony could offer investigators a firsthand account of Trumps state of mind in the pivotal weeks after he lost to Biden and further expose the rift in their relationship since the end of their administration. The strain could grow as Pence approaches a likely 2024 run for the presidency and a challenge to Trump, who already is in the race for the Republican nomination. After Pence was subpoenaed months ago by the Justice Departments special counsel, lawyers for Trump objected on executive privilege grounds. But a federal judge in Washington last week rejected those arguments, forcing Pence to testify. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg did give Pence a win by accepting arguments from Pences lawyers that, for constitutional reasons, he could not be questioned about his actions on Jan. 6. They had argued that because Pence was serving in his capacity as president of the Senate that day, he was protected from being forced to testify under the Constitutions speech or debate clause, which is intended to protect members of Congress from questioning about official legislative acts. Having vindicated that principle of the Constitution, Vice President Pence will not appeal the judges ruling and will comply with the subpoena as required by law, Pence spokesman Devin OMalley said in a statement Wednesday. The Trump team could still appeal the executive privilege ruling from Boasberg. The Jan. 6 and classified records investigations are being led by Jack Smith, a former war crimes prosecutor who was named by the Justice Department in November to serve as special counsel. It is not clear when the investigations might end or whether anyone will be charged. Pence has spoken extensively about Trumps pressure campaign urging him to reject Bidens victory in the days leading up to Jan. 6, including in his book, So Help Me God. Pence, as vice president, had a ceremonial role overseeing Congress counting of the Electoral College vote, but did not have the power to affect the results, despite Trumps contention otherwise. Pence has said that Trump endangered his family and everyone else who was at the Capitol that day and history will hold him accountable. For four years, we had a close working relationship. It did not end well, Pence wrote, summing up their time in the White House. ___ Colvin reported from New York. SHARE: Only eight weeks until an election in Alberta and it appears Premier Danielle Smith is still in thrall of rabid anti-vaxxers, freedom convoy zealots, and conspiracy-mongers. For proof of this, you just have to listen to a recorded 11 minute phone call that was available all over the internet last week. In the recording Smith promises to go to bat for Artur Pawlowski just before he was due to go on trial for charges relating to a fiery speech he gave urging on protesters at the Freedom Convoys Coutts border blockade in February 2022. The blockade ended when a truck loaded with guns and other armaments was uncovered by the RCMP. Pawlowski wanted Smith to convince the prosecutor to drop the charges. The premier explained that she had been working on doing exactly that and would continue to do so with the justice minister and his deputy. Smith also let drop that she had been questioning prosecutors weekly about the case. If all true, it is a shocking interference with the justice system on behalf of someone facing criminal charges. What on earth was she thinking? Is she that clueless? Or devious? She seemed to know this was a line she shouldnt cross because she referred to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau getting himself into trouble over the SNC-Lavalin affair. According to the ethics commissioner, Trudeau did try to influence his attorney-general about the case. But as far as we know he didnt call the president of SNC-Lavalin and give him a sympathetic update on his attempts to reduce the charges. And why on earth was Smith taking 11 minutes out of her busy day (she had been premier for only three months at the time) to speak with someone as notorious as Pawlowski. As I wrote in a recent column, it was Pawlowski who presented German neo-fascist Christine Anderson with Calgarys symbolic white cowboy hat as a welcome gesture. But long before that he was already well known for his bigoted behaviour. For years he provided food to street people in front of Calgary City Hall while preaching through an amplified megaphone about the wickedness of homosexuality. In 2020 he focused his wrath on pandemic-related public health restrictions. In February 2021 as part of his campaign against them he co-organized the Jericho Torch March, which featured flaming tiki torches just like the infamous 2017 Unite the Right protest in Charlottesville, Virginia. In May 2021, when police officers turned up after a complaint about his church flouting COVID-19 restrictions, Pawlowski demanded they leave, while screaming Nazis and Gestapo at them. At the Coutts border blockade he allegedly urged on protesters demanding the end of vaccine mandates by telling them this is our Alamo and people must be willing to sacrifice their lives. At his trial in February, he was also accused of interrupting operation of essential infrastructure. A verdict has yet to be delivered. Who on earth could have convinced Smith that she needed to take that call just before the trial was due to get underway? Apparently, it was Dennis Modry an Edmonton surgeon who endorsed The Barrington Declaration a since debunked theory that claimed most people would eventually acquire immunity from COVID-19 if it were allowed to run rampant through the population. Modry introduced Pawlowski and stayed on the line for the entire call. Obviously Smiths advocacy for Pawlowski didnt result in the charges being dropped. So thats a good thing for the rule of law and the integrity of the justice system. But what if Smith and the UCP get re-elected and COVID-19 erupts again? Or some other frightful virus starts to spread rapidly? Will the government do anything to protect Albertans? Will it spurn any kind of public health measures? If Smith has her way the government will likely do nothing other than advise us all to take Ivermectin. And thats a frightful prospect. GS Gillian Steward is a Calgary-based writer and freelance contributing columnist for the Star. @GillianSteward Read more about: SHARE: And hes back, the Western worlds bete noire, its king of comedy, its basest instincts made palpable, its portly orange tyrant walking the streets of New York claiming victimhood surrounding his arrest and arraignment on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. It is the spring of 2018 all over again and once again I worry what the wind at La Guardia is doing to those peculiar yellow hair extensions. Once again the great toad squats on our life. Actually Trump will never leave we know that because he likes attention and what could be better for his campaign to be the next Republican candidate in 2024 than a protracted stage-managed reality show of bluster, racism, fantasy conspiracy-mongering, promises of violence to come, brutally stupid Trump fans in costumes sending out a spray of incoherence. Reporters do the standard check for family they arent here, they hate him now except for son Eric, who presumably reminded Trump as they got on the plane, Its me. Eric. Trump was allegedly doing porn performer Stormy Daniels around the time of Melanias pregnancy; even the most rigid pre-nup doesnt mandate accompanying Donald on perp walks. Banshee Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene appeared but left her own pro-Trump rally within 10 minutes after her words were drowned out by whistles. You send your henchmen down here to commit assault against people by making loud noises, she said, but as it turned out, they had been handed out by Trumpers to silence Democrats. Rep. George Santos appeared for a walkabout in a new spring-inappropriate suit jacket but left soon after. Santos reminded me of someone. It was Pierre Poilievre, as he met President Joe Biden in Ottawa and said grandly, I am leader of His Majestys Loyal Opposition. He and Santos look vaguely similar, are both ill-at-ease, braced for mockery, radiant with emotional discomfort. Back to the Trump stew, although wasnt it pleasant to take a little Santos break just there? Various dark clouds hang over Trump Week in New York City. Perhaps its more of a mustard gas. First, the hush money highway. The dozens of document fraud charges also being revealed Tuesday are side roads, not Trumps only legal encirclement. He also faces a criminal investigation in Georgia over whether he pressured officials to overturn his election defeat as well as two probes into his broader attempts to overturn the nationwide election and his misuse of classified documents. The trick of this is that if he somehow magically manages to escape these first hush money charges and the procedure will be lengthy he always has more to come. The man is such a criminal that he is rolling down an assembly line of paperwork, intensely detailed legal investigations, charges, court hearings, fines and possible jail. But the biggest dark cloud is this: how violently will Trump fans, gunmen, QAnons, Proud Boys, Oath Keepers and the owners of at least 27.2 million AR-15s react as Trump slides, bumpity-bump, through the legal process? As Trump revealed on Jan. 6, 2021 at the Capitol, his minions are frighteningly obedient. He says stay, they stay. He says go, they go. The Department of Justice is doing its job, enacting the rule of law against an alleged criminal, even if he is a former president. It is maintaining the status of the U.S. as a civilized, law-bound nation, whatever its many demerits. But the above clots of people add up to a very large clot indeed plus huge gases of rage in the atmosphere. What violence will they enact nationally? We dont know. We should spend the rest of 2023 braced for ugliness, grief and blood, over and above the mass shootings that dot the average American day. Again, as the comic John Mulaney said in a joke that never leaves my mind, that effing horse is loose in the hospital. Who will finally rid America of this errant Equus caballus, OK, horsey? It will be our own Boudicca, the intrepid Stormy Daniels. Read more about: SHARE: OTTAWA - A Liberal MP criticized her own governments response to Israels right-wing administration amid police violence in Jerusalem on Wednesday, but her party shows no sign of going beyond expressions of concern. Early Wednesday local time, Israeli police stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalems Old City, as police fired stun grenades at Palestinians who hurled stones and firecrackers. Toronto MP Salma Zahid posted on Twitter a video of Israeli police hitting Muslims with batons, saying there is a direct line between the violence and provocations by the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which is propped up by right-wing parties. Canada cannot stand by and issue bland statements anymore, Zahid wrote. Either we stand for human rights or we dont, she added,taggingForeign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly. Zahid had not responded to an interview request by Wednesday afternoon. Hours after Zahids tweet, Joly condemned the violence but did not allude to taking any action. We strongly condemn the acts of violence against Palestinian worshippers in Al-Aqsa. The sanctity and status quo of holy sites must be respected, Joly wrote. We continue to oppose actions that contribute to a hardening of positions and diminish prospects for peace. Joly added that Canada condemns the reported rocket fire from Gaza toward Israelis that seems to have been prompted by the violence at the mosque. Her statement did not hint at any repercussions for Israel. Jolys parliamentary secretary Rob Oliphant also condemned the attack on Palestinians at prayer, calling out the Israeli government directly. The cycle of violence must end. It is imperative that Israels government act immediately to bring calm and that all sides work for a peaceful and just solution. A handful of Liberal MPs issued similar statements. NDP MPs are calling for sanctions against Israel. The Conservatives front bench had not commented on the situation as of midday Wednesday. The charity Islamic Relief Canada said Canada must do more, while the National Council of Canadian Muslims says its advocating that we are being clear and unequivocal in our response and that we take real action. This cannot keep happening. Last week, Joly separately spoke with reporters about Netanyahus controversial judicial reform, which has sparked mass unrest across Israel over its plan to overhaul the powers of judges. At the time, Joly would not say whether Canada was considering sanctions. Canadian activist groups supporting Palestinians called Wednesday for Ottawa to suspend arms trade with Israel. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was not asked about the situation during a news conference on Wednesday, but volunteered a statement on the issue. Its the holy month of Ramadan. Its Passover right now. And families, Israeli and Palestinian, deserve to be able to celebrate and reflect in peace and in security. Thats why we deplore whats going on right now, Trudeau said. Were extremely concerned with the inflamed rhetoric coming out of the Israeli government. Trudeau said there is a need for the Israeli government to shift its approach, and Canada is saying that as a dear and close and steadfast friend to the country. He also echoed Jolys condemnation of the reported rocket fire from Gaza. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs defended the police actions in Jerusalem. Those heeding Hamas calls for confrontation (and) barricading themselves in a place of worship with weaponry are not innocent worshippers, the group wrote on Twitter. Criticism of police behaviour shouldnt exonerate those determined to disrupt the Ramadan being celebrated peacefully by thousands of Muslims. Israels foreign ministry said the incident stemmed from a handful of extreme and violent people who are incited by terrorist elements and defended police actions due to the risk the incident could ignite the entire region. Facing corruption charges, Netanyahu has held onto power through a coalition that includes far-right politicians who have encouraged the building of illegal settlements. Netanyahus national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir ordered police in February to ban Palestinian flags from public places. His finance minister Bezalel Smotrich faced international condemnation for calling for the village of Huwara in the West Bank to be wiped out after settlers burned Palestinian houses in response to the killing of two Israelis. Ottawa has ramped up its criticism of Israel, calling out punitive measures but resisting the travel bans and sanctions imposed on officials from Sri Lanka, Haiti and Venezuela. In February, a delegation of Canadian senators invited the speaker of the Israeli parliament, Amir Ohana, to visit Canada. Ohana has previously caused controversy by claiming in a media interview that Muslims are prone to cultural murderousness. As former public safety minister, he modified Israels COVID-19 vaccination priority list to exclude prisoners who are Palestinian. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 5, 2023. Read more about: SHARE: WINNIPEG - The leader of a First Nations advocacy group wants to see the Winnipeg landfill where the remains of two Indigenous women were found permanently shut down. I think given the circumstance, that it should be. Its not an isolated issue, Grand Chief Cathy Merrick of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs said in a phone interview Wednesday. I know there are lots of (Indigenous women) that have been missing throughout time, and Im pretty sure that some of those women are in the Brady landfill. The Winnipeg homicide unit started an investigation after staff at the Brady Road landfill south of the city found the body of 33-year-old Linda Mary Beardy on Monday. The cause and time of her death have not been released. The landfill has been closed as police investigate. The city said contingency plans for garbage and recycling are in place. Merrick said the city should look at opening a new landfill that would include measures to help with police investigations when situations like this occur. I know its not going to happen today, but thats something that they need to look at as well. The assembly has called for the incorporation of new technologies at landfills, including screening and scanning of trucks with serial numbers, dates and times that coincide with the dumping of loads. It said landfills must also track routes and timelines. Its shameful. We have to come out looking in landfills for our women, Merrick said. Garbage collection vehicles are equipped with GPS devices that allow for the tracking of specific loads and where materials are being deposited within the landfill, the city said. Staff are also trained to report any suspicious materials to the police. The City of Winnipeg said in a statement Wednesday night that it is not considering the permanent closure of the Brady Road landfill. It said it is the only municipally-owned and operated landfill in the capital region. It also noted it is the largest in the area. City Coun. Markus Chambers said the discoveries point to the upstream work the city needs to do to support Indigenous communities. Theyre ending up at landfills. Theyre not happening at landfills, Chambers said. Weve got to be able to prevent them or find a way to mitigate against these occurrences happening where theyre ending up in the landfill. Chambers added there needs to be more support for women and girls who come to the city from Indigenous communities, including educating people about the challenges of living in an urban setting. Beardy was a mother and a member of Lake St. Martin First Nation but lived in Winnipeg at the time of her death. Merrick was told no one had heard from the young mother for about a week before her remains were found. Police have said they do not believe her case is linked to the killing of Rebecca Contois, whose remains were found in the same landfill last year, or the killings of three other women. Police have said they believe the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran are in the privately run Prairie Green landfill north of Winnipeg, but their bodies have not been found. Jeremy Skibicki has been charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Contois, Harris and Myran all First Nations women, as well as an unidentified woman Indigenous leaders have named Mashkode Bizhikiikwe, or Buffalo Woman. Police have also not located her remains. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered his condolences Wednesday to Beardys family and the larger Indigenous community. He said the federal government needs to do more to end the epidemic of violence that Indigenous women and girls face. Trudeau said its heartbreaking that discoveries like these continue to happen. My heart goes out to the community in Winnipeg and to the families of the woman who was left in this way, Trudeau said. We will continue to be there with the community as it grieves, but we will also continue to be there to put an end to this unconscionable violence. The prime minister added his Liberal government has made significant strides in countering gender-based violence, but theres more it could be doing. Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said the discovery highlights the need to implement the 231 calls for justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Women are dying, lives are being taken and we have to take it seriously, Singh said. Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller has praised workers at the Brady landfill for their heightened vigilance in finding Beardys remains. Miller also said a study into the feasibility of searching the Prairie Green landfill for the remains of Harris and Myran should be completed in the coming weeks. The federal government put up $500,000 in February for the study. An Indigenous-led committee headed by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs said it is confident the study will deem these search and recovery efforts feasible. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 5, 2023. With files from Steve Lambert in Winnipeg and Mickey Djuric in Ottawa Read more about: SHARE: OTTAWA Former Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney is doing well after undergoing treatment last fall for prostate cancer, the Star has learned. Mulroney, 84, expects to be back in full swing in a few weeks, his son Mark said in an interview Wednesday. He went through a really tough treatment, Mulroney said of his fathers condition in November and December, but added a lot of people have been relieved to learn the former prime minister is doing much better now. Mulroney, a lawyer and businessman, was Canadas 18th prime minister from 1984 to 1993. He led the federal Progressive Conservative party to back-to-back majority governments, the first Conservative leader in 100 years to do so. His daughter Caroline is an Ontario MPP who currently serves as the Ford governments minister of transportation and Francophone affairs. She is the only of his four children the others are Mark, Ben and Nicholas to enter electoral politics. Mulroney underwent cancer treatment last fall in Montreal, where he and his wife Mila live. He declined an interview request Wednesday. Prostate cancer is the fourth most common cancer in Canada, and the number one cancer in men, according to Statistics Canada, with one in nine men likely to be diagnosed with it in their lifetime. Most cases, 99 per cent, occur in men aged 50 and over. Regan Watts, a family friend, described the former prime minister as a fighter who is well on the mend. Mulroney was last publicly seen in Ottawa in September, when he attended a national memorial service at Christ Church Cathedral and delivered a tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth. At the time, he also sat down for dinner with the current leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, Pierre Poilievre, at Stornoway, the Official Opposition leaders residence. Poilievre reportedly sought Mulroneys advice on winning a majority government, and was advised to seek votes in the political centre, formulate a solid environmental and international policy, and be able to articulate a vision for Canada, according to the Globe and Mail. Mulroney is a senior partner in the law firm Norton Rose Fulbright, and has served on a number of boards of directors since leaving politics. His record in office includes negotiating the first Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and later the North American Free Trade Agreement, signing the 1991 acid rain treaty with the U.S. and championing sanctions against the South African regime in a push to eliminate apartheid. Mulroneys government also undertook tax reform, creating the Goods and Services Tax to replace a hidden manufacturing tax a measure the Liberals vowed to kill, but which every successive government has kept (although Stephen Harpers Conservative government later reduced it by two percentage points). However, his attempts at constitutional reform through the Meech Lake accord and the Charlottetown Agreement faltered. Tonda MacCharles is Ottawa Bureau Chief and a senior reporter covering federal politics. Follow her on Twitter: @tondamacc Read more about: SHARE: In a gambit that would jolt the nascent Ontario Liberal leadership race, one of the front-running candidates might contest the upcoming Scarborough-Guildwood provincial byelection. Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith said Wednesday that hes thinking about putting his name forward after veteran Grit MPP Mitzie Hunter steps down to run in the June 26 Toronto mayoralty election. Erskine-Smith has been the federal representative in Beaches-East York, which is one riding west of Scarborough-Guildwood, since 2015. Hunter said she would resign the seat she has held for a decade before Torontos mayoral nomination period ends May 12. Its still a work in progress, Im still doing the important work after 10 years doing the transition and making sure that my office is in good shape and my constituents are in good shape, she said in an interview after asking her final question in the Ontario legislature. Premier Doug Ford, who has known Hunter since before she was in elected politics, thanked her for her service in the legislature before chiding the previous Liberal government for not getting the Scarborough subway built. They were 15 years in power, they had no interest in supporting the people of Scarborough. They did absolutely nothing. It took this government to actually get the Scarborough line going, the premier said. Ford has long prized Hunters Scarborough riding. Speaking confidentially in order to discuss internal deliberations, sources told the Star he would consider calling snap by-elections there and in newly vacated Kanata-Carleton to catch the Liberals off-guard. By law, Ford has six months from Hunters resignation to call the vote, meaning it could come as late as November. In 2018, Fords Progressive Conservatives lost the riding by just 74 votes. Last June, however, Hunter won by 4,282 votes. We brought back all of our voters who made other choices in 2018, and that really is a testament to my team and how hard we worked, Hunter said, predicting a hotly contested Liberal nomination. I do know that it is a strong Liberal riding and I expect it to stay that way. Local Toronto public school board trustee Zakir Patel has been mentioned as a possible successor to Hunter. Even if Erskine-Smith opts to run in Scarborough-Guildwood, his potential leadership rival Yasir Naqvi, the Liberal MP for Ottawa Centre, said he has no plans to contest nearby Kanata-Carleton, which was held by Tory Merrilee Fullerton until her recent resignation. I wont be running in Kanata-Carleton. My focus right now is on my constituents in Ottawa Centre and to the work Im doing to help rebuild the (Ontario Liberal Party), said Naqvi, a former provincial cabinet minister and party president, who is viewed as a strong contender for the Grit crown. Also considering entering the leadership race are rookie MPPs Stephanie Bowman (Don Valley West), Ted Hsu (Kingston and the Islands) and Adil Shamji (Don Valley East). Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie, a former Liberal MP, is also seen as a potential candidate. Ontario Liberal president Kathryn McGarry said last month the party needs time to determine when to hold a leadership vote and set rules, such as entry fees. Robert Benzie is the Stars Queens Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie SHARE: Infrastructure is critical to almost every aspect of daily life. You cant get to work without roads, you cant light your home without access to electricity, and you cant access running water without a clean, steady water supply. But there is one key form of infrastructure that many folks simply dont have access to, even to this day. This infrastructure is just as important to daily life in a 21st Century economy as running water, electricity, plumbing or waste management. That need is statewide access to South Florida Sun Sentinel. You can think of broadband as the road system that gives households and business access to high-speed internet service. High-speed internet access affects virtually every aspect of daily life in todays world, whether that be remote working, staying connected digitally, operating a business, improving educational opportunities, accessing health care, and other areas far too numerous to name. And the ability to have that access should not be determined by your ZIP code but should be available to all Alabamians. Thats why at the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA), as the state agency responsible for mapping, planning, and providing grant funds to expand this key infrastructure, we are hard at work every day making this a possibility for all who call our state home. And we are making great progress. Gov. Kay Ivey and the legislature have taken this issue to heart and made it clear that this is a top priority for the state. They have backed this up with ambitious action, positioning Alabama as a national leader in being innovative and aggressive in supporting expansion of broadband infrastructure. The legislature passed, and Gov. Ivey signed into law, the Alabama Broadband Accessibility Fund, through which we have invested $63.9 million in state funding through grant awards supporting 100 projects throughout the state. Through this program, over 22,000 previously unserved addresses now have access to high-speed internet service, and nearly 37,500 more unserved addresses are expected to have access to high-speed internet service in the next two years. Once completed, thats about 60,000 Alabama households, businesses and community institutions that will have access that previously had no option to subscribe. Thats a big accomplishment and an Alabama success story that should serve as an example to other states on how to be intentional and effective in expanding broadband access. In 2021, through the Governors signing of the Connect Alabama Act, our states broadband expansion efforts were streamlined through the creation of the Digital Expansion Division at ADECA to develop and execute a statewide connectivity plan and to continue administering the broadband accessibility grant program. And last September, Gov. Ivey announced an $82 million grant for a Statewide Middle Mile Network you can think of this as an interstate system for broadband infrastructure to access points across the state. ADECA has developed the Alabama Broadband Map, which incorporates real data from 91% of the states residential internet service providers to offer an interactive, easy-to-use guide that provides insights into where broadband is and where it isnt in Alabama. To get to where youre going, you need to know how to get there. This map does just that and sets a new national standard for state-level broadband mapping. We also have boots on the ground at the local level through programs such as the Alabama Community Broadband Technical Assistance Program (TAP) meetings, which are offered to each of Alabamas 67 counties to provide assistance and receive feedback from stakeholders at the local level on broadband needs and opportunities. With a goal as extensive and robust as expanding high-speed internet access to all Alabamians, its going to take time, commitment, resources, and focus to make it a reality. As Gov. Ivey often says, broadband expansion is a journey and not a short trip. It will take continued support from the legislature as our state supports the Governors vision of high-speed internet for all. It will take buy-in from local leaders, stakeholders, internet service providers, and community members working together to get this done. Im proud of the work our state has done so far on this issue and its resulting accomplishments. I appreciate all of those who have put their time and energy into making broadband expansion a reality. And I look forward to continuing to build out this essential infrastructure across the great state of Alabama. Nollywood actress, Nkechi Blessing Sunday, has lambasted a man after he asked to have a one-night-stand with her. The man had asked if they could hook up for a one-night-stand, but the actress raged, blasting the man for taking her for a call girl. The man rebutted that she was pretending and urged her to stop abusing her potential clients to cover up. Nkechi got angrier and rained curses on him. The actress shared screenshots of her fierce conversation with the man on her Snapchat page. She maintained that she does not barter her body for money. President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the immediate sack of Mohammed Sani, executive vice-chairman (EVC) of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI). The office of the secretary to the government of the federation broke the news in a statement on Tuesday. In the statement signed by Willie Bassey, director of information, Buhari directed Sani to hand over to the most senior officer in NASENI. The development comes hours after the president extended the tenure of Sami by two years. The statement said his removal followed the realisation that he had completed the required term in office. President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Professor Mohammed Sani Haruna, to immediately hand over his office to the next most senior officer in the establishment, the statement reads. This follows the reversal of the extension in office granted by the President from 2nd April, 2023 to 2nd of April, 2025 due to the fact that the EVC had completed two tenures of five years each in the organization. The president appreciates the contributions of Professor Haruna in the development of the engineering infrastructure sub-sector of the economy, and wishes him success in his future endeavours. A federal capital territory (FCT) high court has issued an order restraining Julius Abure from parading himself as the national chairman of the Labour Party. Ruling on an ex parte application on Wednesday, Hamza Muazu, presiding judge, also restrained Abure; Farouk Ibrahim, national secretary, Clement Ojukwu, national organising secretary and Oluchi Opara, treasurer, from parading themselves as national officers of the party. The plaintiffs in the suit marked: CV/2930/2023 are Martins John, Lucky Shaibu, Isah Zekeri, Omogbai Frank, Abokhaiu Aliu, Ayohkaire Lateef, Job Elomah, and Abayomi Arabambi. Arguing the application, James Onoja, counsel to the plaintiffs, told the court that the defendants forged several documents of the FCT high court to carry out unlawful substitutions in the last elections. Amongst several reliefs sought, the plaintiffs prayed the court to declare that the 1st 4th defendants lack the moral and legal standing to continue to function in office as national officers. An order directing the 1st defendant to vacate office as the national chairman of the 5th defendants based on the communique issued by the Ward 03 Executive, Arue, Esan North East Local Government Area of the 5th defendant, Edo state chapter dated 31st March 2023. An order directing the national executive committee and the national working committee of the 5th defendant to appoint interim national chairman, national secretary, national treasurer, and national organising secretary for the 5th defendant pending the convention of the 5th defendant for such purpose. As well as, an order of perpetual injunction restraining the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants from henceforth parading themselves as the national chairman, national secretary, national treasurer, and national organising secretary respectively of the 5th defendant. It is impossible to ignore the fact that cryptocurrency keeps rising in price. Digital currencies are available for all people that would like to make a payment in any part of the world. But what makes them even greater they can be implemented in literally any modern gambling platform. A perfect example of that is Surebet Casino a brand that was launched in Nigeria not that long time ago, but has already became really popular among the wide range of internet users. One of the reasons for such a rise in demand is the convenience of payment methods. Gamblers can quite literally use cryptocurrency when they want to make a deposit or withdraw funds. While many traditional online casinos still primarily rely on traditional payment methods such as credit cards and bank transfers, an increasing number of online casinos are now offering support for cryptocurrency payments. 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As more and more consumers begin to adopt digital coins as a preferred payment method, online casinos that support cryptocurrency are likely to see increased customer demand and revenue growth. In addition, investing in online casinos that support cryptocurrency can provide investors with exposure to the broader digital market. As this blockchain technology continues to gain mainstream acceptance and adoption, it is expected to experience significant growth in the coming years. By investing in online casinos that support this tech, investors can potentially benefit from this growth while also gaining exposure to a profitable and growing industry. But investors should see examples of how it can be implemented in the best way possible. Here comes Surebet Casino that provides an opportunity to use this method for deposits and withdrawals not only on regular markets, like European, but also in such regions, like Nigeria that is only starting to adopt the legal gambling market. While there are a lot of internet users that have not yet registered an account in any online casino, they are only searching for an opportunity to make some bets online. When considering investing in online casinos that support cryptocurrency, it is important to do the research and carefully evaluate the potential risks and rewards. As with any investment, there is always the potential for volatility and uncertainty, and it is important to carefully consider your financial goals and risk tolerance before making any investment decisions. Is This Trend Going To Live Long Enough? The rise of cryptocurrency in the online casino industry has created a number of exciting opportunities for investors. By investing in online casinos that support cryptocurrency, investors can potentially benefit from the growing popularity and adoption of cryptocurrency while also gaining exposure to a profitable and growing industry. However, it is important to carefully evaluate the risks and rewards of any investment opportunity and to always do your research before making any investment decisions. One of the things that should bother big budget entrepreneurs, is the longevity of the trend. But as the practice shows, crypto started to gain popularity way back in 2014 and even now it is in the early stages of adoption. This means, it is still possible to get on the train right now, in order to find the most appropriate way to get a more dedicated audience of players within the first months after the launch of the online casino. Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue state, says he is proud of associating with Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, to fight against injustice in power rotation. Ortom is a member of the G5, a group of five Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors which includes Wike, Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo; Okezie Ikpeazu, governor of Abia; and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, governor of Enugu. The governors fell out with the PDP leadership after Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, won the partys presidential ticket. They refused to support his presidential bid, arguing that his election goes against the agreement to zone the presidency to the south. The G5 governors also called for Iyorchia Ayu to step down as the national chairperson of the PDP. Among the G5 governors, Makinde won reelection as governor while three others Ortom, Ikpeazu, and Ugwuanyi failed in their bids to secure senatorial seats. Speaking on Tuesday while commissioning Government Secondary School, Kpor in Gokana LGA, Rivers state, Ortorm said regardless of his loss at the election, he is not a defeated person. The governor added that he is not deterred from advocating for equity, justice and fairness. The Bible says you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free. And until we get to that level of saying the truth, and standing by the truth, we cannot get anywhere. I could be a victim of fighting for justice, equity and fairness but that does not deter me and I am not standing here as a defeated person, he said. I stand tall and I give glory to the Almighty God because the Bible says that many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord God will deliver him from all things worketh together for good for those that love God and are called according to His purpose. I am not defeated and I stand tall and I am proud of associating with Governor Nyesome Wike and many others who have chosen to stand by the truth and to ensure equity, fairness, and justice for this country. We have everything we need in Nigeria, what is lacking is equity, fairness, and justice and I am very proud that right from the beginning, I stood firm and said after eight years of Presidency in the North, another eight years should go to the South and I am happy that today this is where we are. Former United States President Donald Trump has accused Juan Merchan, the presiding judge in his prosecution, of being biased. Trump was arrested on Tuesday and was temporarily in police custody ahead of his arraignment. In an indictment sheet released by Alvin Bragg, Manhattan district attorney, the former president was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Bragg said the main accusation against Trump is that he repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election. He said Trump and others involved in the scheme violated election laws and made and caused false entries in the business records of various entities in New York after identifying and suppressing harmful stories about him from going public before the election. The sheet adds that Trump and his allies also took steps that mischaracterized, for tax purposes, the true nature of the payments. Trump pleaded not guilty to all 34 counts. Delivering his first public remarks on the case at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, the former president said he is a victim of a Democratic Party conspiracy to jeopardise his presidential election bid. We are a nation in decline, and now these radical left lunatics want to interfere in elections by using law enforcement. We cant let that happen, he said. They cant beat us at the ballot box, so they try to beat us through the law. Trump maintained his claims of innocence and accused the judge of bias, describing him as a Trump-hating judge from a Trump-hating family. He accused the DA of falsifying information and called for his prosecution. According to Trump, the only crime he has committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it. With all of this being said, and with a very dark cloud over our beloved country, I have no doubt nevertheless we will make America great again, Trump said. Trumps team will have until August to file any motions against the case. The next court hearing is set for December, a few months before the Republican political campaigns begin. The President-elect, Bola Tinubu has been urged to be personally involved in the zoning of the Senate Presidency. Deji Adeyanju, a socio-political activist, said Tinubu should personally ensure that the Senate President is zoned to the Southeast. In a post on Facebook, Adeyanju also suggested that the Northwest or North Central should get the Speaker. According to Adeyanju: President Elect, Tinubu should personally be involved in ensuring the senate president position is zoned to the South East. We already have a Muslim-Muslim ticket in place and the incoming government is not balanced. North West or North Central should get Speaker. Meanwhile, there has been agitations for the Southeast to produce the next Senate President. The Secretary-General of Ohanaeze, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said Senator-elect, Dave Umahi should be considered as the next Senate President. The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Enugu State, Charles-Solo Ako has accused the partys chairman in Enugu State of working against President-elect, Bola Tinubu during the presidential polls. It was reported that Ako and Agballah have been engaging in a war of words, with both accusing each other of embezzlement. In his latest claims, Ako has now said Agballah sabotaged the Tinubu presidency project, as well as other candidates of the APC in the 2023 elections. This is contained in a statement he made available to newsmen on Tuesday. Agballah never erected a single billboard in any part of Enugu State in solidarity/support for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Ako claimed. He alleged that Agballah showed unreserved hatred for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu throughout the campaign period. When the Independent Campaign Council (ICC) of Asiwaju wanted to erect a billboard in his Udi Town for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Agballa sent his boys to beat up the contractor on a legitimate duty and seized his phone. This matter is presently under the Nigeria Police Investigation. It sounds funny to fight against the group of persons who are working for the success of a person whom you pretend or claim that you equally like. Molesting, intimidating or violently attacking supporters of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu simply shows that youre anti-Tinubu. It exposes open hatred to the man who does you nothing. There are no two ways about it, Ako alleged. He added that on the only billboard standing in Udi town, which Agballa sponsored, he carefully and proudly avoided including Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on that board. Incidentally, the PDP has their own billboard at the same location proudly having pictures of Atiku Abubarkar and Dr Peter Mbah. I earnestly raised a warning alarm before the elections on the impending danger about to be orchestrated by Agballah against APC and our candidates. Some believed and some who didnt believe are with the truth glaring at their faces now. Credit to the members of the Tinubu/Shettima Independent Campaign Council (ICC) group and independent committed members of our great party who worked tirelessly in garnering the much talked meagre 20 votes in Ugo Agballas polling unit for Asiwaju, otherwise, Agballas plan is for Asiwaju to score zero vote. In Ugo Agballas polling unit 4 Ezibalu Udi Agbudu ward, APC scored 20 votes for Tinubu where the Labour Party of yesterday is at a distance of 212 votes. Ako, who claimed that Agballah did not cast his vote during the election, said he (Agballah) had resorted to witch-hunting the messengers of these revelations instead of addressing the glaring mind boggling issues in the messages from me. As usual, I dare the Chairman, Ugo Agballah, to respond to the issues I have raised herewith rather than his usual way of personal attacks and assigning his media mad dogs to copy and paste what he wrote and gave them. I urge all of us to also demand answers to the issues I have raised. Every leader must be held responsible and accountable for his/her actions and Ugo Agballah should not be an exception. The Yoruba Afenifere Youths Organisation of Nigeria (YAYON) has asked Ayo Adebanjo, leader of the socio-political group, to resign from his position. The organisation accused Adebanjo of abandoning the uncompromising pursuit and defence of the interest of the Yoruba people. In a communique by Eric Oluwole, national youth leader, YAYON asked Adebanjo to provide substantial reasons for attacking and maligning Bola Tinubu, president-elect. The group condemned the removal of two national officers of Afenifere Jare Ajayi, the national publicity secretary, and Abagun Kole Omololu, national organising secretary. But we noted sadly that Afenifere began to derail from this long-head philosophy as soon as our father, Baba Ayo Adebanjo took up the position of acting leader, the organisation said. He abandoned the uncompromising pursuit and defence of the interest of the Yoruba people for whatever reasons. We noted sadly too, that rather than rally the Yoruba people behind their son, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, now the president-elect of Nigeria, to emerge as president of this great country. Baba Adebanjo campaigned vigorously against him, and even after his well-deserving and hard-earned victory through a credible presidential election, he still wants the presidency out of Yorubaland. We noted for the purpose of clarity that Pa Ayo Adebanjo is not the Leader of Afenifere, but the acting leader authorised by Pa Reuben Fasoranti. We make bold to say that the action of making Pa Adebanjo the acting leader is in line with the precedence in our rich history. To our dismay and contrary to tradition and history, we discovered that immediately Pa Adebanjo took the mantle of leadership as acting leader of Afenifere, he has been protecting himself as the leader. Not only that, from all notes compared with history, he has not been working in accordance with the solemn sacred order, norms, ethics and virtues of Afenifere. We will not allow our future to be mortgaged by Pa Ayo Adebanjo. We challenge him to provide us with the substantial reason for attacking and maligning our son of the soil, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the president-elect of Nigeria, despite the conclusion of a free, fair, and credible election devoid of monetisation or rigging, which he won. We condemned in totality the gross insubordination of the acting Leader of Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo. A vote of no confidence is hereby passed on the acting leader of Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo forthwith and he should stop parading himself as leader/acting leader of Afenifere. CRACKS IN AFENIFERE Since Adebanjo became the acting leader of Afenifere, it appeared that there has been division in the Yoruba socio-political group. The stance of Adebanjo-led Afenifere on national issues has always been contrary to the stance of Fasoranti, the immediate leader of the group. While Afenifere endorsed Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) for the presidential election, Fasoranti backed Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In addition, Fasoranti equally condemned the suspension of Ajayi and Omololu from the group. Osita Izunaso, senator-elect for Imo-west senatorial district, says he deserves to be the senate president as the most ranking lawmaker from the south-east. The All Progressives Congress (APC) is yet to allocate leadership positions in the national assembly across the geo-political zones. After the last elections, the party has the majority of the soon-to-be sworn-in senators. Izunaso, a former national organising secretary of the APC, was first elected into the senate in 2007. Before then, he was in the house of representatives. Speaking with reporters after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Tuesday, the senator-elect said it would be fair that the party zones the senate president position to south-east. We discussed the issues concerning the 10th senate extensively, he said. If I am the oldest senator in both the South-east and the south-south, I think the question should be obvious. Im the oldest, theres no senator today in APC, of Southeast or South-south thats older than me in the Senate and thats an institution that believes in ranking. So Im the highest ranking senator in both the south-east and south-south. I came to the Senate in 2007, I was in the house of representatives, Ive been in the party for five good, solid years. I ran the party to the best of my ability as national organising secretary of this party that saw us to victory in 2015 and 2019, so I think we have paid our dues. Social media platform TikTok has been informed about an upcoming inspection by government agencies and looks forward to constructive feedback afterward, a company spokesperson said. The Chinese-owned company had been told in early February that officials from the Ministries of Information and Communications and Industry and Trade and the General Department of Taxation would meet with its management in the second quarter. "We look forward to welcoming the delegation as it would be a great opportunity for TikTok to listen to the feedback from the government," the spokesperson told VnExpress. Le Quang Tu Do, head of the information ministrys department of radio, television and electronic information, said recently a lot of toxic, offensive, false, and superstitious contents had been appearing on TikTok Vietnam. The ministry had issued warnings and instructed TikTok to make changes but effective measures have not been taken, he said. TikToks algorithm even enabled the toxic content to spread faster, he said, promising a full investigation next month. TikTok was launched in Vietnam in 2019 and now has nearly 50 million users aged 18 and above, the sixth highest of any country, according to research company DataReportal. The platform removed 1.7 million videos in Vietnam in the last quarter of last year due to violations of its policies. In the first half of last year it received 292 requests from the government pertaining to uploads, two-thirds of them for removal. Ohanaeze Ndigbo has said the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and the Eastern Security Network, ESN, are no threat to Nigerias integrity. Ohanaeze National Publicity Secretary, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, said IPOB and ESN are interested in the Southeast being treated fairly. He made the remark while faulting the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya. The COAS had warned IPOB and ESN against threatening Nigerias integrity. A statement by Ogbonnia reads partly: The attention of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has been drawn to the remarks made by the Chief of Army Staff of the Nigerian Army, Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya, with the heading: Dont threaten Nigerias integrity COAS warns IPOB, ESN. Ogbonnia pointed out that IPOBs philosophy was against the evil treatment of Igbo in Nigeria, adding that the group prefers the actualization of Biafra than for Igbos to be marginalized. He urged President Muhammadu Buhari to caution the COAS against his selective threat. Even when the previous calls on the presidency appear to have fallen on deaf ears, we still remind President Muhammadu Buhari, to rein in on Yahaya from his selective threat to the IPOB. Such selective profiling is enough considering the hundreds of lives that have been neutralized through the Bala concept of minimal casualties, he added. Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka has revealed how he advised the 2023 Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, and his All Progressives Congress, APC, counterpart, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to step down for the younger generation. Soyinka spoke while featuring on the Arise Television morning show on Wednesday. Recall that Tinubu won the 2023 presidential election, beating close rivals Atiku, and Labour Partys Peter Obi. Atiku and Obi have since headed to the courts to challenge Tinubus victory. When Atiku came to my office in Ikeja, he came with Gbenga Daniel, my former governor. I said to him listen is about the time you people left the stage. Why dont you just go away? We need an infusion of fresh blood into the system, Soyinka said. For some people, maybe they read it as blood-letting, no I said, an infusion of fresh blood. I said so I cannot support you. I think your generation should really quit. He was not the only one. I then sought out the current President-elect, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, and I gave him exactly the same message. I said whatever you people are planning, I am convinced that when a younger generation, new thinking, new sensibility, new energies, so why dont you just leave the seat. Lets look for somebody who is a really brilliant individual and use your influence to catapult that person to power. And this country will see a massive transformation. We spoke for about one and a half hour, and then Bola Tinubu said no. He said there were still things he could contribute, Soyinka added. The Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Peter Obi has been accused of destroying himself by going to the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, PEPT. Reno Omokri, a socio-political activist, said Obi would get less votes than he did during the presidential election, should the tribunal order a rerun. Tweeting, the former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan said the LP flag bearer has set the Southeast backwards. According to Omokri: Seriously, Peter Obi is wasting his time at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal. As things stand, even if the Tribunal orders a rerun, he will get less votes than he did on February 25, 2023. Not only has he destroyed himself, he has set back his region! I read @PeterObis statement denying alleged treason. I believe the #NigerianElections2023 was rigged. However, I agree that Datti Baba-Ahmeds comments were near treasonable. If Obi does not condemn his running mates comments, then he is guilty by association! Cross River State senators in the National Assembly have called on the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, take up the burial plans of Senator Joseph Wayas and see to his burial before the end of April, 2023. The remains of Wayas have been in the morgue of a London hospital since 16 months ago. Senators Gershom Bassey, Sandy Onor and Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe sponsored the motion on the floor of the Senate and also advocated that the former Senate President, who led the Senate from 1979 to 1983, be immortalised. They agreed that a national monument be named after him. Reacting to the development, the late Wayas Basang community in Obanliku LGA of Cross River State issued a statement, commending the senators for the motion. In the statement, the president of Basang nation and leader of the 8th Executive Council of Basang Development Association (BDA), Anyawho Sylvanus, said: We commend the distinguished senators for taking the delay in Wayas burial to the National Assembly. We received and watched in appreciation your motion as was presented at Senate plenary on Tuesday the 4th of April, 2023, calling on the federal government to take over the burial arrangements of our son and leader, late Senator (Dr) Joseph Wayas. The entire Basang people, both at home and in diaspora do appreciate your call for federal government intervention. On immortalising the late Wayas, instead of naming a national monument after the former number three citizen, the community rather requested that a national library be built in Wayas compound [and] the College of Education campus in Bebi community be converted to Wayas University of Agriculture. They also called for the establishment of an educational foundation in his name. These to us, will be a more appreciable way of immortalising Senator Joseph Wayas, they maintained. Recall that the delayed internment of Wayas remains have become a national issue following the controversies which surrounded the initial fund released by the state governor for the burial. Kashim Shettima, the vice-president-elect, has mourned the death of two supporters who died in a car accident after paying him a congratulatory visit in Abuja. It is understood that the two supporters died while returning from Abuja along the Jos-Bauchi axis. They have been identified as Iliyasu and Mallam Nuhu. The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Bola Tinubu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Shettima, his running mate, as winners of the presidential election on March 1. They are expected to be sworn in on May 29. Reacting to the incident, Shettima said he was deeply pained by their deaths, praying for comfort for their family and loved ones. I have just been notified of the death of two great supporters and dedicated stalwarts, Hons. Iliyasu and Mallam Nuhu died in a fatal accident while returning to their abode from Abuja, Shettima said. Innalillahi wa inna ilayhir rajiun. I have just been notified of the death of two great supporters and dedicated stalwarts, Hons. Iliyasu and Mallam Nuhu who died in a fatal accident while returning to their abode from Abuja. I am deeply pained by their deaths especially as pic.twitter.com/crnxe55RfE Kashim Shettima (@KashimSM) April 4, 2023 I am deeply pained by their deaths especially as they had just recently visited me, and in the spirit of Ramadan shared iftar with me and many others. May Allah SWT grant them Al-Jannah Firdaus, and comfort their immediate family and loved ones. The All Progressives Congress (APC) says those questioning the legitimacy of the victory of Bola Tinubu at the presidential election cannot handle defeat. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) have filed suits at the presidential election tribunal challenging the victory of Tinubu. Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, on Tuesday, Felix Morka, APC spokesperson, said he feels sympathy for them. There are people in our democracy who cant handle the fact that they lost, Morka said when asked why the opposition sees Tinubus mandate as illegitimate. Personally, I feel some level of sympathy for them. You contest an election and you give all you have got, you went into it, hoping to win but you didnt win, someone else won. The candidate of the APC won the election. He was declared [winner] by INEC. Morka said there is no crisis in the APC, and that what is being witnessed is not unusual. What we are witnessing in the party is normal, people who contested elections and individual party members who are aggrieved by whatever reason are human beings and the constitution of Nigeria guarantees them the right to ventilate to canvass remedial procedures, he said. On where the party would zone the position of senate president, he said the APC would soon disclose its decision. Our party is committed to doing fairness, doing justice and doing equity, Morka said. Former United States President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony criminal charges during his court hearing. Trump was earlier arrested and in police custody ahead of his arraignment. News outlets were barred from broadcasting the arraignment. However, Alvin Bragg, Manhattan district attorney, released the details of the former presidents charges in an indictment sheet. Bragg said Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. He said during the election, Trump and others employed a catch and kill scheme to identify, purchase, and bury negative information about him and boost his electoral prospects. Trump then went to great lengths to hide this conduct, causing dozens of false entries in business records to conceal criminal activity, including attempts to violate state and federal election laws, Bragg added. The former president was also found guilty of a payout to Stormy Daniels, an adult actress, in an attempt to buy her silence over an alleged affair. In a second instance, American Media Inc (AMI) paid $150,000 to a woman who alleged she had a sexual relationship with TRUMP, the indictment sheet reads. When TRUMP explicitly directed a lawyer who then worked for the Trump Organization as TRUMPs Special Counsel (Special Counsel) to reimburse AMI in cash, the Special Counsel indicated to TRUMP that the payment should be made via a shell company and not by cash. AMI ultimately declined to accept reimbursement after consulting their counsel. AMI, which later admitted its conduct was unlawful in an agreement with federal prosecutors, made false entries in its business records concerning the true purpose of the $150,000 payment. The former president has not commented since he left the courtroom in Manhattan. He is reported to return to Florida immediately where he is expected to break his silence. So far, the presiding judge has not placed a gag order on Trump but warned him that the issue would be revisited if he continued with his heated rhetoric about the case. The former president has frequently called the various investigations surrounding him a witch hunt, and has portrayed himself as a victim of what hes claimed are political probes led by Democratic prosecutors. President Joe Biden is yet to comment on the development. Ali Ndume, a former Senate Leader and senator representing Borno South Senatorial district, has disclosed why hes contesting to become the next Senate President. In a statement on Wednesday, the Borno South Senator kicked against zoning of the Senate President seat, stressing that the fairness of the zoning arrangements would determine the outcome of his pursuit. He faulted the decision of the APC to insist on zoning arrangements for positions in the National Assembly while such was ignored during the presidential primary election. According to Ndume: Subject to the position of the party (APC), and the fairness of such arrangements, I intend to throw my hat in the race for Senate Presidency because of my experience. The APC leadership did not take any position during the presidential primary election. Aspirants from all geopolitical zones participated in the exercise. Senators should be allowed to choose a competent person among them that has adequate legislative and managerial experiences to lead the Senate. The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore, has accused the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed of harassing and fighting the Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Peter Obi. Sowore said Mohammed was fighting Obi because he is a wimp with zero ability to fight a revolutionary struggle. He spoke while reacting to Mohammeds claim of Obi committing treason. Mohammed had said it was treason for Obi to incite people to violence following the outcome of the presidential elections. However, Sowore said Mohammeds allegation was a hoax and fallacy taken too far. In a series of tweets, Sowore wrote: I am clear about these issues even though I stringently continue to state that @PeterObi and his @NgLabour are not different from his @OfficialAPCNg and @OfficialPDPNig uncles. However, shameless Lai Mohammed and @NGRPresident claims that protected speech and lawful protests against fraudulent election amounts to Treason is a hoax and fallacy carried too far. Theyre harassing @Peterobi and his Vice Presidential candidate, DATTI Ahmed with these tactics because they know they are wimps with zero ability to fight a revolutionary struggle and because theyve all been partners in crime since 1999. A 32-year-old fugitive who had been sought by Atlantic City police for a shooting and a home invasion robbery last year was arrested last week, authorities said Wednesday. Glen Graves, of Atlantic City, was arrested at a residence in Galloway on Friday, Atlantic City police said. Graves forced his way into apartment on the 800 block of north Virginia Avenue at gunpoint on Dec. 27, according to police. He robbed the residents before forcing one to drive to an ATM to withdraw cash as he sat in the backseat of a vehicle, according to police. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at a meeting of leaders of member countries of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) on the occasion of the 4th MRC Summit in Vientiane, Laos, April 5, 2023. Photo by Nhat Bac During the meeting between Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and with his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone in Vientiane on Wednesday, the two sides have agreed to step up both economic and political cooperation. The two leaders also agreed to deploy the Vietnam-Laos Strategic Cooperation Agreement for the 2021-2030 period and the 2021-2030 Vietnam-Laos Bilateral Cooperation Agreement. They agreed to coordinate to maintain security, order and social safety while also bolstering defense and security cooperation, strengthening economic ties, and promoting key projects like the Nong Khang Airport in Laos' Houaphanh Province. Chinh said Vietnam would continue to support Laos in the coming time, including in its role as ASEAN/AIPA chair in 2024. Bilateral trade turnover between Vietnam and Laos reached $1.7 billion in 2022, a 24% increase from the previous year. The implosion of the former Nabisco factory in Fair Lawn originally scheduled for April 15 was postponed Wednesday. The borough of Fair Lawn posted an announcement about the highly-anticipated implosion on its website, saying a new date and time has not been scheduled. Once a new date and time has been established, a designated area will be established for the media only, the borough said. There will be no viewing area for the regular public. The postponement comes after some residents raised concerns about air, soil and water contamination after the implosion. Glen Rock public school officials also announced their buildings would be closed the Monday after the implosion due to concerns about the health and safety of students and staff. In a statement issued Thursday, Greek Development said it, decided to postpone the implosion of the Nabisco Tower due to delays in ongoing efforts with local and state agencies to fulfill all regulatory requirements and make all necessary pre-implosion arrangements. Ownerships priority is to ensure the safety of its workers and the surrounding community and will continue transparency with the public as it works to revise the proposed schedule, the company said. Demolition of the Nabisco factory began last fall, ending a 60-year run at the iconic site. The building has been a major part of the boroughs identity since the Fair Lawn plant opened in 1958. The factory loomed over Route 208 and beyond with NABISCO written across the top in big red letters. The implosion is scheduled to include the demolition of the large tower over the factory. Road closures, parking lot closures and detours will be in place on the day of the implosion, the borough said. Residents were told to stay away. Please avoid and refrain from being in the area surrounding the former Nabisco property on the day of the implosion, the borough said. Fair Lawn officials also said there is a chance the implosion could be further delayed due to weather. Implosion contractor Controlled Demolition Inc. said there is a New Jersey regulation that says no explosives can be set off if the impact would be exacerbated by certain meteorological conditions that create a low ceiling, such as fog or cloud cover, Fair Lawn officials said. The Nabisco factory is a landmark in North Jersey. Perhaps even more recognizable than the sign was the factorys distinct aroma. For decades, the smell of freshly baked cookies hung in the air of the surrounding area. The plant produced popular baked goods, including the brands Oreo, Lorna Doone and Teddy Grahams. Nabiscos parent company, Mondelez International, sold the property to Greek Development, an East Brunswick company, for $146.5 million. Greek Development is knocking down the plant to make way for redevelopment, although it has not proposed a plan for the property yet. Developer David Greek previously said the property could become a Class A distribution center, although a tenant for a warehouse on the site has not been found. Residents in municipalities surrounding the former Nabisco property have expressed concerns about possible air, soil, and water contamination as a result of the implosion. A Change.org petition titled Protect Children of Glen Rock & Fair Lawn from the Pollution of the Nabisco Implosion calls for increased transparency about the demolition process. The citizens of Fair Lawn and Glen Rock are entitled to any and all reports and documentation that can be made public at the end of the day, we are ALL citizens and deserve access to the same information about our health, safety, and environment, the petition states. The petition had more than 850 signatures as of Wednesday afternoon. Before the implosion was postponed, Glen Rock Public Schools Superintendent Brett Charleston said the entire district would be closed the Monday after the implosion out of an abundance of caution. However, given the delay, schools will now be open April 17, officials said. During the demolition, Greek Development is responsible for the air quality, which is being constantly monitored by county and state agencies. To date, no asbestos fibers have been reported in the air, according to Fair Lawn updates. I can assure you there are a lot of regulatory eyeballs on the air quality, Greek said previously. We are following all the rules and regulations. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Jackie Roman may be reached at jroman@njadvancemedia.com. A New Jersey taco spot is opening its second location. Los Barbaros Birria, which gained popularity in Belmar, is coming to 704 Main St. in Asbury Park in May before the beach towns busy summer season. The reason I wanted to open in Asbury Park is because Ive lived there for 20 years, owner Edwin Vazquez told NJ Advance Media. I first started selling birria tacos out of my house to friends and family. Our friends and family told us to open a restaurant. Los Barbaros Birria opened its first location at 1110 Main St. in Belmar in 2021. Los Barbaros Birria, which gained popularity in Belmar, is opening its second location in Asbury Park in May 2023. (Photo courtesy of Los Barbaros Birria)Los Barbaros Birria The eaterys menu features Mexican birria eats, like tacos, quesadillas, tortas and mulitas, as well as birria ramen, birria pizza and agua frescas. Birria-style meat is spicy, stewed meat cooked in a beef broth. The main thing with birria is you have to sell only birria. If you have a big menu, birria can get lost on the menu, Vazquez said. We want to be like Five Guys, only beef, or Chick-fil-A, only chicken. Vazquez is currently scouting a space for a third location in Brick, as the company plans to franchise in the future as a fast-food chain. This is our second location, but in the next two to three years, were going to have probably five locations in New Jersey, Vazquez said. Our main goal is to hit New York. The new Asbury Park location will open from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, and 7 a.m to 7 p.m. on Sunday. RELATED STORIES ABOUT RETAIL AND SHOPPING: These 8 businesses announced store closings in March QuickChek opens 1st N.J. store of 2023, with 4 more on the way Popular Italian restaurant to close after 42 years in N.J. 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 A pair of Jersey City men have been charged after they filed a false insurance claim to receive compensation for medical treatment following a car crash more than a year ago, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. Shelton Sutton and Kevin London, both 36, are each charged with one count of insurance fraud, while Sutton is additionally charged with one count of conspiracy to commit insurance fraud. Sutton was arrested Monday while London was arrested on Feb. 2 by the Hudson County Prosecutors Office Insurance Fraud Unit. An investigation revealed Sutton was involved in a crash in Jersey City March 20, 2022, while driving a Mercedes Benz owned by London. When police arrived, Sutton identified himself as London, and both men later sought medical treatment through a claim with Progressive Insurance, Suarez said. In their claims, London identified himself as the driver and Sutton reported being a passenger. Investigators later determined Sutton was the driver and sole occupant of the car at the time of the collision. Citizens Financial Group has announced that residents and businesses in Hudson and Essex Counties will benefit from more equitable access to job training and development programs under a $340,000 workforce development programming commitment. The initiative, benefitting LISC Greater Newark, Urban League of Essex County, Per Scholas and Year Up New Jersey, will focus on enabling skills-based job training in evolving industries, bridging the digital skills gap in historically marginalized communities and more. Citizens is committed to helping communities across New Jersey thrive, and equitable access to skills training is an essential element as businesses seek specialized skills, said Bruce Van Saun, chairman and CEO, Citizens Financial Group. We recognize that such access is key to the economic viability of the places we serve, and we are proud to partner with these organizations to help people build the skills they need to compete for jobs now and in the future. The funding from Citizens includes the following: -$140,000 to LISC Greater Newark, part of a $1.25 million grant to LISC from the Citizens Charitable Foundation, that will be used to fuel digital inclusion in historically marginalized communities, helping residents build the skills they need to compete for jobs. The $1.25 million grant builds on a pilot program, also supported by the bank, that tested approaches to bridging the digital skills gap through LISC Financial Opportunity Centers. It will help launch and expand digital services that prepare people for growth industries, including the information technology field. -$100,000 from the Citizens Philanthropic Foundation to support the Urban League of Essex Countys Clean Energy Job Program, a partnership with PSE&G to train and place individuals in clean energy jobs. -$50,000 from the Citizens Philanthropic Foundation to Per Scholas, benefitting the Per Scholas Alumni Upskilling program, with a focus on providing continued support to program alumni to help them remain on a successful path and further advance in their careers in the rapidly evolving tech world. -$50,000 from the Citizens Philanthropic Foundation to Year Up New Jersey to support their skills-based job training pathways program. This will provide much needed IT job training and software development as well as business operations, sales and customer support. This is part of the banks larger commitment of $150,000 to Year Up and will expand its program support into both New Jersey and Philadelphia. Art Fair 14C and the Jersey City Art and Studio Tour (JCAST) have been two of the biggest premier art events not just in Jersey City, but New Jersey, attracting thousands of visitors from across the state and across the Hudson river as well as from Hudson County. Each event would give breathing room for the other, taking place at different times of the year. But this year for the first time, 14C and JCAST are joining forces for the first Jersey City Art Week, featuring both events, from Oct. 11 to 15. The super-sized visual arts experience will showcase Jersey Citys vibrant arts and culture scene while also attracting local, national, and international artists to Jersey City alongside fine art exhibitors. Last years 14C was held at the Jersey City Armory, and had approximately 7,500 to 8,000 visitors during the three-day event and a huge volume of sales. This year, 14C will be at the CRRNJ Terminal at Liberty State Park. I think in many ways it has everything since its a beautiful historic building, said Robinson Holloway, executive director of Art Fair 14C. The fact is that there is no Javitz Center or other event space similar, and we need a lot of space for the Art Fair. Were always going to be looking at places that are not necessarily for that purpose and adapting them. The terminal building has quite a few spaces, not just one big room like the Armory did, where we can do installations or make a few other interesting artistic decisions. The waterfront makes it easy for people not just to come from New York City but also other parts of New Jersey. To make transportation easier, the PATH and light rail stations in Jersey City will also have shuttle buses to bring people to and from the 14C Art Fair. Mana Contemporary, the waterfront, and LSP will be the hubs for 14C. Art Fair 14C had up to 140 exhibition spaces in 2022. This years event, according to Holloway, will be at least 75 percent smaller, with possibly from 80 to 100 exhibit spaces. The final decision is still in development. Whether or not 14C will return to LSP in 2024 remains to be seen. Well just have to see how it goes for us this year, says Holloway. I really dont want to keep moving around and I would love it if this is the sort of place that we could come back to. I think its an experiment for everyone involved, whether it be us, the DEP, or the park. We all want it to work and hopefully we can stay for a little while. I think it will be a place people enjoy coming to see art. Art Fair 14C wasnt only designed to bring attention to New Jersey artists but to also help sell their work to prospective buyers and art lovers, helping them make a living from their passion. 14C has even had an effect for artists beyond just the fair. Holloway recalls how one of the participating artists that sold their work to a customer had the same person visit their studio to buy 10 more works following the fair. While there wont be too many changes to this years event, there is always a higher quality of people applying due to word of mouth. 14C has already received approximately 250 applications for this years Art Fair. Applications are available online for the Art Fair 14C portion of the October event at https://artfair14c.com/apply. One of the major announcements for Jersey City Art Week is 14Cs participation with JCAST during the same week under the same banner. When we decided to have this event in October, we realized that we were a bit close to JCAST so we decided maybe we can have all of this in the same week instead, said Holloway. I called Christine Goodman and asked how you would feel if we were the same week as JCAST and it became one big Art Week. She thought it was a great idea and gave us permission to run JCAST. We thought maybe its not only something we could do but should do. JCAST -- The Jersey City Art and Studio Tour -- has been a celebrated city-run event for the past 33 years, highlighting art and the creative process every year and attracting residents and visitors from all over the region with free curated tours, open artists studios, art demos, and panel discussions featuring artists, arts organizations, and collectives from all over Jersey City. Last year, JCAST featured more than 650 artists at over 125 locations spanning the entire city. For the past three decades, we have built, organized, and produced JCAST every October. It is a massive undertaking that has been vital to our efforts in elevating our flourishing arts scene, said Christine Goodman, director of the Citys Office of Cultural Affairs. Jersey City Art Week is an opportunity to grow JCAST and bring in more people to experience our incredible artists. We are going to expand how many people see and the way they see visual arts. Applications will open for JCAST in the middle of May. An announcement of what will be exhibited will be announced around mid-July. As 14C prepares for Jersey City Art Week these next few months, theyre keeping busy with several other developments. Theyre currently sponsoring the restoration of the water tower mural at Liberty State Park by Ivan F. Petrovsky, better known in the art world as Mustart. Hell be touching up the bottom part of the mural, which features the Statue of Liberty. 14C is paying for the lift he will use as he works. When you see the Statue of Liberty from Liberty State Park, its back is turned to us, says Mustart. For the mural, we thought why not turn it around and have it facing us. Mustart was working for the Jersey City Mural Arts Program in 2017 when he answered an open call for an artist to paint the Statue of Liberty. The work was commissioned by Liberty State Park and the Jersey City Mural Arts Program. Mustart was born in Northeast Russia and moved to New Jersey in 1999. He attended East Side High School in Newark and attended NJCU, where he was a recipient of the Portfolio Scholarship. He has a studio in the Bergen-Lafayette area in Jersey City and became a U.S. citizen in 2009. He participated in the 14C Art Fair when it was at the Hyatt and again at the Jersey City Armory in 2022. Mustart is currently collaborating with 902 Brewing Co. in Jersey City for a new beer can design that will feature his Statue of Liberty mural. He will be participating in a live painting event for the release new can on May 6. 14C is also participating in the Hudson Gives event in May -- Holloway serves on the board -- and will be hosting a Downtown Art Crawl in the Powerhouse Arts District on July 27. The crawl will also serve as a soft launch of a new app that will help visitors find the art and locations they want to see. More details are to come online at both https://thejcast.com and https://artfair14c.com. A four-alarm blaze ripped through two homes and damaged a third on a dead-end street on Jersey Citys West Side Wednesday morning. Jersey City firefighters responded to Olean Avenue, a small street off Duncan Avenue between Holy Name Cemetery and Lincoln Park, just after 10 a.m. The fire quickly went to two alarms and by 11 a.m. it was at four alarms. The blaze, which fire officials say started in 197 Olean, was finally declared under control just before 2 p.m. The attached residences at 197 Olean, a 3.5-story multi-family building, and 199 Olean, a 2.5-story building suffered fire and heavy smoke damage. Each building is more than 100 years old, according to tax records. The home at 195 Olean also suffered damage. City officials said 17 residents in six units were displaced. No injuries were reported. A photographer at the scene said police officers and firefighters rescued a number of cats. At 11:40 a.m. all firefighters were evacuated from the buildings. This report was updated with new information at 12:53 p.m. The vast majority of large American companies give their employees some form of severance pay after a mass layoff. The same is true for many smaller companies, even though there is no federal law requiring either to do so. When Google sacked 12,000 employees in January, the workers received a minimum of 16 weeks pay, along with stock vesting, extended health benefits and job placement services. When Microsoft erased 10,000 jobs in January, it offered above market severance pay and stock options, plus six months of health care and career transition help. In New Jersey, Bed Bath & Beyond recently closed shop and gave bupkis, so now most of its 1,300 workers are scrambling for a paycheck because there was no safety net. Perhaps you should remember that, next time youre shopping for a shower curtain. The company is sneaking in this move just before a new state law takes effect, one that will require companies with 100-plus employees to behave humanely and pay severance when they lay off at least 50 people. So the timing of these layoffs is especially insidious one that should send Bed Bath & Beyonds image skittering into the gutter of New Jersey consumerism but after the sting passes, let this be the last cautionary tale about why workers need protection against ruthless corporate behavior. As New Jersey layoffs go, this bloodbath nearly matched the Toys R Us debacle following its bankruptcy in 2018, when 2,000 workers were sacked without a dime of severance. It was right around the time the retailer also gave 17 executives a total of $16 million in bonuses. While governments first choice is to stay clear of private businesses -- no matter how profane it may be -- it was that callousness that convinced Sen. Joe Cryan (D-Union) that Trenton must intervene. The law to mandate severance signed by Gov. Murphy in 2020 was the first of its kind in the nation, but lawmakers delayed its launch after the pandemic led to widespread closures of businesses and soaring unemployment. So the timing is terrible for Bed Bath & Beyond workers, because the company dodges accountability: It stands to save millions of dollars by dropping 1,295 workers before the laws April 10 launch date. A spokeswoman told us that the timing is merely coincidental, that this was planned many months ago. Its true that Bed Bath & Beyond is different from other retailers that are getting crushed by Amazon, from this perspective: Just last year, the housewares behemoth paid up to 12 weeks of salary following store closures, but now, according to reports, it needs to raise $1 billion just to avoid bankruptcy. Cryan finds that irrelevant: Frankly, I dont believe what they say about the timing, and who would? he growled. Workers are the core foundation of any company. Bed Bath & Beyond is a company that has mismanaged assets, its marketing, and its business strategy. Now they have mismanaged their employees. And you cant print enough 20% off coupons to fix that. No, I dont believe them at all. 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." David Lopez, the co-Dean of Rutgers Law and a former general counsel at the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, is also surprised a company of this size would go dark without any severance agreement, because its the easiest way for businesses to get ex-workers to waive legal action. One of the most painful things is to see people who have dedicated their lives to a company lose their jobs, Lopez said. New Jersey is one of the states that has been the most actively pro-worker in the country, and youd hope that other states would follow suit. I would like to see some federal involvement, but Im not going to hold my breath on that. There have been no empirical studies on layoffs and severance pay, not even by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But a survey by Lee Hecht Hamilton, a global human resource consultancy, found that 97% of US businesses say they offer some form of severance to workers. Only 55% had formal, written severance policies last year, however thats down 10% since 2011 and among those with written policies, only half set minimum and maximum severance amounts. Unfortunately, the Bed Bath & Beyond workers are now statistics. As they clear the corporate headquarters in Union, empty warehouses in Secaucus and Totowa, and abandon the gargantuan e-commerce facility in Woodbridge, they are also pondering a class action suit. It should be easy to pick a side in this one. It should also be easy to remember why government must occasionally reset the standard for decent corporate behavior. 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. Note: This is a copy of our weekly Wednesday a.m. Opinion newsletter, which points out the most popular editorials and op-eds of the past week. Click HERE to sign up and never miss a week! Ive often believed that the best stories revolve around people. Crafting stories and columns where people are the center has long been my writing preference. My introductory column on NJ.com attracted a sizable audience, and Im persuaded that its because people like to read about interesting people. After visiting more than a dozen apartment complexes and condos, my wife and I had grown weary. A Realtor who had assisted us had a conflicting appointment, so she dropped us off in a retail area of South Amboy. We were planning to catch an Uber and head back to the hotel in Woodbridge. But I wanted a cup of coffee, and we quickly spotted a nice little shop. We were there about 15 minutes and in comes this woman with a personality that commands the room. It was obvious she was a regular. I loved her New Jersey accent and how she simultaneously ordered food, talked on the phone, and checked her appointments. When she sat down to wait for her order, I struck up a conversation about what she liked about New Jersey. I told her that my wife and I were new and striking out in finding the right place to live. We didnt know or expect she would change her plans to help us that day. She drove us around, showed us some great possibilities and off she went. That was in January. I never, however, forgot her kindness. I decided at that moment that I would write about her someday, but I didnt know in what forum. My introductory column to NJ.coms readers seemed to be the perfect way to tell the story of her act of kindness, and the many others experienced since then. Before I decided to take the NJ.com position, several people painted Jersey as an unfriendly place with rude people. But since being here, I have experienced the opposite. People speak warmly here, whether Im walking down the street or in my South Amboy apartment complex. That was the message I wanted the column to convey. Ive met some people here who are a little gruff. But they are no different than ones Ive met in my native Mississippi and in other states. Rude people are everywhere. But the kind person who cleared her calendar for us showed a side of humanity worth noting. The success of the column is that it tells an uplifting story that balances the tough ones we are compelled to report. Ill continue to write pieces on Jerseys interesting people. They never disappoint. Here are the most popular stories from this weeks Opinion section Donald Trump flies in the face of reality | Mulshine: At his arraignment Tuesday Donald Trump will be told that he has a right to remain silent; if hed taken that advice long ago he wouldnt be in such a mess At his arraignment Tuesday Donald Trump will be told that he has a right to remain silent; if hed taken that advice long ago he wouldnt be in such a mess The indictment by the Manhattan DA in the Daniels case may be the least of Trumps troubles. It stems from an allegation that he had a dalliance with the porn star in 2006 and then paid her $130,000 to keep quiet about it. Lots of options as turnpike goes wide in South Jersey | Editorial: In addition to more lanes, why not look at relocating ramps and even an added interchange? In addition to more lanes, why not look at relocating ramps and even an added interchange? Most of the pushback against plans to widen the New Jersey Turnpike comes from North Jersey, where environmentalists and neighbors have opposed a plan to rebuild, extend and widen a section of the road near the Holland Tunnel, Bayonne and Jersey City, for a staggering $10.3 billion. The tragedy and comedy of Chris Christie | Sheneman: And...scene. And...scene. I hereby denounce Donald J. Trump. Sure, I spent four years at his beck and call, but now that hes no longer in a position to help my career, thats all over! I will not be silent. I will not have the meatloaf! Princetons March Madness run was fantastic but then there was a dreadful turn | Opinion: Why did the reporter have to look down on one program just to admire another? Why did the reporter have to look down on one program just to admire another? Last week, the Princeton Tigers Cinderella run came to an end. As a New Jersey resident, I could not have been more proud of their performance, they were a joy to watch up until the last second and they left everything they had on the court. The darker underbelly of Rutgers University | Editorial: The school increasingly depends on the mistreatment of a good chunk of its own faculty. Rutgers is facing what could be a massive strike, one of the biggest walkouts in higher education history. It could involve virtually the entire teaching staff, shutting down classes at all three of the universitys campuses for more than 67,000 students. A Monmouth County man whose brother was charged with robbing a Chase bank in Somerset County last year has also been arrested in connection with the heist, authorities said. Ryan Gaboff, 37, of Millstone, turned himself in on Tuesday and was charged with robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, the Somerset County Prosecutors Office said. Gaboffs brother Michael Gaboff, 36, was arrested in December in Ocean Township in Monmouth County and charged with the same offenses for robbing the bank on Route 27 in Franklin on Aug. 22, officials said. A registered sex offender living in Warren County is accused of possessing child pornography. Authorities raided James Dimarsicos home in the 100 block of Bliss Boulevard in Pohatcong Township and seized several electronic devices, Warren County Prosecutor James Pfeiffer said Tuesday. Dimarsico, 35, is now charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child for distributing items depicting child sexual exploitation and abuse; second-degree endangering the welfare of a child for intent to distribute items depicting child sexual exploitation and abuse; and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child for possessing items depicting child sexual exploitation and abuse In June 2022, Google notified The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that a user uploaded several images of child sex abuse. The center contacted the Warren County Prosecutors Office. Investigators said they learned Dimarsico owned the Google account, and that he is a registered sex offender. Dimarsico was 20 and living in Pohatcong in 2008 when he met a 13-year-old girl online, called her and then met her several times in person in Bucks County, where he sexually assaulted her. DiMarsico pleaded guilty in the Pennsylvania case to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person younger than 16, unlawful contact with a minor, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault of child under the age of 16, criminal use of a communication facility, corruption of minors and indecent assault of a child under the age of 16, court records show. He was sentenced in 2009 to seven and a half years to 20 years in state prison, records say, and was released on parole in November 2016. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Maldivian tourist arrested for trying to smuggle 25 rare birds out of Thailand Customs officials at Thailand's Suvarnabhumi International Airport Monday detained a Maldivian tourist for trying to smuggle 25 live birds of rare species on a flight from Bangkok to Male. Upon checking the tourist's luggage, officials discovered the birds worth some 100,000 baht ($2,941) packed inside, The National Thailand reported. "The birds found inside the luggage included black hawks, buffy fish owls and barred eagle-owls," said an official, adding that all are protected species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The tourist is under investigation and will be charged under the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act as well as the Animal Epidemics Act and Customs Act. In Thailand, trafficking endangered and rare species is a crime punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment. 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. Locally reported news and sports Stay Current with What's Happening Get the most of NNY360, register today! By providing your email address, you consent to receive emails and special offers from NNY360.com People enjoy a drink at a bar along Khao San Road in Bangkok on Dec. 10, 2021. Photo by AFP Thailand has gone back to 30 days from 45 for the visa waiver it offers tourists from 64 countries. From April 1 tourists from Europe, the U.S. and Southeast Asian countries among others are only allowed to stay for 30 days without a visa, the National News Bureau of Thailand reported. According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the visitors will be allowed one 30-day extension, meaning they can visit the kingdom for a maximum of 60 days. Authorities did not offer any explanations for the change. However, Thailand has recently stepped up its crackdown against tourists who overstay their visas. In October last year they had increased the visa-free stay from 30 days to 45 as part of efforts to stimulate tourism post-Covid. The country received 11 million foreign visitors last year, and eyes 30 million this year. Jefferson Parish Schools Superintendent James Gray said he supports a proposal before the School Board that would close several schools and send thousands of students to new locations, though his administration is still sifting through the details to make sure there are no hidden issues. Marlene Patrick-Cooper, third from right, president of Unite Here Local 23 in New Orleans, at the Smoothie King Center on Tuesday, Apr 4, 2023, gathering signatures from hospitality worker union members for an "historic" new contract. She was joined by Unite Here staff, from left, Mike Jayes, Willie Woods, Shawn Mills, Toniann McKnight and John Lacey. Flowers and mementos are seen Tuesday, March 22, 2022, at the location where the body of Linda Frickey was recovered after she was carjacked and dragged to her death a day earlier in New Orleans. Last year when Thanh slipped and fell in the bathroom, it took her almost an hour to drag herself out and reach her phone to call a relative. Her relative came but could only clean her bruises and assist her into bed before having to return home to take care of her two children. "There were tears in my eyes," Thanh says. "I have children and grandchildren myself, but none of them was beside me even when I had an accident." Since her husband passed away Thanh has been living alone in the house where she used to live with him. To be fair, her children told her to come and live with them in the city, but she did not want to leave her husbands altar unattended. Nor did she want to put up with the hustle and bustle of the city. She is one of the 8.6% of seniors who live alone, a figure reported by the Vietnamese Institute of Population, Health and Development. Truong Xuan Cu, deputy head of the Vietnam Association of the Elderly, says older people like Thanh are increasingly having to deal with loneliness as more and more people leave their parents behind and relocate to cities to pursue careers. As demographic surveys point out, nuclear families are replacing traditional extended families. Another study published in 2021 by the Institute for Family and Gender Studies noted that the proportion of elderly people living with their children fell from 79.73% in 1992-1993 to only 28.4% in 2017. Why is it becoming harder for generations of families to stay under one roof? Dr. Pham Thi Thuy, a professor at the National Academy of Administration, says: "Children and parents are now having too many differences in lifestyles, eating habits and behaviours. The lack of agreement gradually turns into a loss of connection. The elderly will not prefer living with their children, and vice versa." This is something Thanh experienced after living with her children for some time. She believed washing machines were not as effective as hand washing, and considered eating out three times a week wasteful and also unhygienic. Every time she saw her daughter-in-law buy clothes online, she was unhappy thinking the clothes were "low-quality, tight and more expensive than those sold in rural markets." Every time she did not understand a conversation about business between her children, she felt uninvited. She was sad every evening when her grandchildren stuck to their phones and laptops instead of talking to her. All these mismatches in lifestyle drew the mother and children even further apart. Eventually, Thanh went back to her hometown Hai Duong by herself. After failing to persuade Thanh to stay with them, her children send her money and visit her in turn every month. "I survived everything in my life. The only thing I crave for at this age is care from my children and grandchildren." Besides, Thuy points out, in such a scenario seniors feel lonely even when they live with their children. In fact in 2020 the Vietnamese Academy of Social Sciences quoted a study as saying one in every 2.2 elderly people living together with their children was unhappy. Seniors feel lonely even when they live with their children. Illustration photo by Unsplash Vietnamese seniors tend to be reserved and often do not want to worry their children. During Covid, when his wife was in Hanoi taking care of their grandchildren, Tran Van Duc, 75, of Ha Nam fell down and sustained a bleeding injury in his head. He got up and went to the local clinic all by himself. Then, despite his high blood pressure, he caught a bus to Hanoi to get himself hospitalised. Though his children were living in Hanoi, he did not tell them anything since he did not want them to worry. When his daughter later called her motherto get her updated, Ducs wife, Thinh, said sadly: "He must have felt really lonely when he had to do all of those things on his own." But rather than having his children accompany and help him, he completed the procedure alone, despite all of the hardships one could encounter while getting themselves hospitalised on their own after being injured. Cu warns: "Loneliness and sadness could harm elderly peoples health. This will burden the social welfare system even more." In fact, the Vietnamese population is aging at a rapid pace. It is projected that by 2050 Vietnam will become a "super old" country with 18% of the population aged over 65, and this will put a lot of pressure on the social welfare system. After 2035 it is expected that four people of working age would have to support three people of retirement age. Elderly people can lead happier lives by taking part in community activities. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Nga Thuy says older people should practise positive thinking and take part in community activities that suit their age if they want to feel better. Besides, it is not just people who are already old who should adapt their way of thinking, and everyone should prepare early for old age, not only financially but also psychologically, mentally and physically, she says. Cu says Vietnam should improve its nursing homes, and staff in these places should encourage elderly people to participate in community activities to lead a happier and healthier life. Loopholes in the social security system should be fixed, Thuy says, pointing out that peoples health deteriorates after around 60 but they have to wait for a few years after that to receive support from social welfare. Besides, more than nine million people of retirement age have never benefited from any type of social security, she says. Some 38% of seniors take care of their expenses themselves with help from their children while 29% have to continue working after retirement. Only 15% get pensions and 10% get welfare payments. Thuy says: "Financial stability is what makes one confident and self-assured. Those who do not get any kind of welfare or are not financially supported by their children become upset as time passes by. "In the end this will turn into a feeling of being forsaken." Thanh does not blame her children; she is merely sad that her old age prevents her from adapting to her childrens lifestyles. She is reconciled to the fact that she had to stay on her own in her hometown. But it does stop her from hoping one of her three children will relocate to live closer to her. The New Orleans Police Department waits for a warrant to enter the house in the 2300 block of Allen Street where a fatal shooting occurred after an altercation in a house. One victim was killed and pronounced dead on the scene by EMS. HOUMA A first-of-its-kind ship for the offshore wind industry wasnt halfway built when an order for a second one came in to Edison Chouest, a Houma shipbuilder that has for decades specialized in vessels that service the offshore oil and gas industry. And things are just getting started. Standing under the towering unfinished frame of the 262-foot-long Eco Chouest, company vice president Robert Clemons predicted even more ship-building contracts as wind turbines begin sprouting in U.S. waters. Theyre going to need 15 or 20 of these things over the next 25 years, he said. And theyre going to need whole flotillas of other assets to supply the industry. The Eco is the first offshore wind service ship built in the U.S. Once completed next year, the vessel will serve as a floating hotel for 60 technicians who will maintain the dozens of turbines planned or under construction on the East Coast, Clemons said. While no wind farms have been built in the Gulf of Mexico, the region is already benefiting from the East Coast wind boom. Thats because many of the skills needed in the Gulfs offshore oil and gas industry are directly transferable to building and servicing wind farms. Louisiana companies helped build the U.S.s first offshore wind farm, a five-turbine project that began operating off the coast of Rhode Island in 2016. The Block Island Wind Farm enlisted steel fabricators in Houma, ship operators in Galliano and engineers in Mandeville. U.S. and Philippine soldiers shoot at targets during a joint army-to-army exercise between the Philippines and the US at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija province on March 31, 2023. Photo by AFP/Ted Aljibe China warned on Tuesday that Washington was "endangering regional peace" in a new deal with the Philippines that will see four additional bases be used by U.S. troops, including one near the disputed South China Sea and another not far from Taiwan. "Out of self-interest, the U.S. maintains a zero-sum mentality and continues to strengthen its military deployment in the region," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said. "The result will inevitably be increased military tension and endangering regional peace and stability," she added. Longtime treaty allies Manila and Washington agreed in February to expand cooperation in "strategic areas" of the Philippines as they seek to counter Beijing's growing assertiveness over self-governed Taiwan and China's construction of bases in the South China Sea. The 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, known as EDCA, gave U.S. forces access to five Philippine bases. It was later expanded to nine, but the locations of the four new bases were withheld until Monday while the government consulted with local officials. The four sites had been assessed by the Philippine military and deemed "suitable and mutually beneficial", the Presidential Communications Office said in a statement Monday. The U.S. Department of Defense confirmed that the locations announced were the four new EDCA sites. It also said in a statement it would add to the "$82 million we have already allocated toward infrastructure investments at the existing EDCA sites", without specifying by how much. Three of the sites are in the northern Philippines, including a naval base and airport in Cagayan province and an army camp in the neighboring province of Isabela, Manila's statement said. The naval base at Cagayan's Santa Ana is about 400 kilometers (250 miles) from Taiwan. Another site will be an air base on Balabac Island, off the southern tip of Palawan Island, near the South China Sea. Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba has publicly opposed having EDCA sites in his province for fear of jeopardizing Chinese investment and becoming a target in a conflict over Taiwan. But Philippine acting defense chief Carlito Galvez told reporters recently the government had already decided on the sites and that Mamba had agreed to "abide with the decision." The agreement allows U.S. troops to rotate through the bases and also store defense equipment and supplies. Martial matters The United States has a long and complex history with the Philippines. They share a decades-old mutual defense treaty, but the presence of U.S. troops in the Southeast Asian country remains a sensitive issue. The United States had two major military bases in the Philippines but they were closed in the early 1990s after growing nationalist sentiment. U.S. troops return to the Philippines every year for joint military exercises, including Balikatan, which kicks off next week. With more than 17,000 soldiers taking part, it will be the largest yet. The pact stalled under former president Rodrigo Duterte, who favored China over the Philippines' former colonial master. But President Ferdinand Marcos, who succeeded Duterte in June, has adopted a more U.S.-friendly foreign policy and has sought to accelerate the implementation of the EDCA. Marcos has insisted he will not let Beijing trample on Manila's maritime rights. While the Philippine military is one of the weakest in Asia, the country's proximity to Taiwan and its surrounding waters would make it a key partner for the United States in the event of a conflict with China. The United States remains deeply concerned over recent events in Tunisia. Tunisian President Kais Saied gave a speech in February denouncing immigration from sub-Saharan Africa. After his remarks, migrants were reportedly attacked by mobs, and hundreds of migrants were arrested. In March the World Bank announced it would suspend its partnership framework with Tunisia. David Malpass, World Bank President said, Public comments that stir up discrimination, attacks, and racist violence are completely unacceptable. Then State Department Spokesperson Ned Price agreed, saying President Saieds remarks are not in keeping with Tunisias long history of generosity and hosting and protecting refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, and were disturbed by reports of violence against these very migrants. President Saied made his comments as the economic situation in Tunisia remains dire. In addition, the space for civic society is increasingly shrinking with the rights of peaceful expression and association under threat. In February at least nine people who have been critical of Tunisian President Saied were reportedly arrested and some detained, including political opponents, journalists, and business leaders. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, expressed concern over what his spokesperson called the deepening crackdown against perceived political opponents and civil society in Tunisia, including through measures taken by the authorities to undermine the independence of the judiciary. It's been a year since President Saied dissolved the Supreme Judicial Council, an independent body that oversees the appointment of judges. That move came after a series of actions that consolidated his own power, including abruptly suspending parliament, dismissing the prime minister, and ruling by decree. The threats to democracy that have emerged in Tunisia are particularly painful in light of the leadership, sacrifice, and achievement of the Tunisian people during and after the pro-democracy demonstrations of the Arab Spring which began in Tunisia in 2010. Then Spokesperson Price said the United States is concerned precisely because we, and the world, have seen over the course of years now the aspirations of the Tunisian people for greater levels of democracy, for an independent judiciary, and one that is able to protect the fundamental freedoms for all the people of Tunisia. These are not values that we support only in a place like Tunisia, declared Spokesperson Price, these are universal rights that we seek to defend and promote anywhere and everywhere around the world." As part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today (April 4) announced $16 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to bring critical mineral supply chains to America and reduce reliance on competitors like China. The funding will support projects in West Virginia and North Dakota for the development of a first-of-a-kind rare earth element and critical minerals extraction and separation refinery. Rare earth elements and other critical minerals and materials are key to manufacturing clean energy technologies right here in America that will help the nation reach the Biden-Harris Administration's goal of a net-zero emissions economy by 2050. "Today's funding will support a first-in-the-nation facility that will convert legacy fossil fuel waste into a domestic source of critical minerals needed to strengthen our clean energy supply chains," said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. "President Biden's Investing in America agenda is helping reduce our overreliance on adversarial nations and positioning the country as a global manufacturing leader while supporting communities that have helped power our nation for generations." The United States imports more than 80% of its rare earth elements and critical minerals to produce clean energy technologies and other indispensable products that we rely on every day such as smart phones, computers, and medical equipment. Across the country, there are billions of tons of coal waste and ash, mine tailings, acid mine drainage, and discharged water. These waste streams from mining, energy production, and related activities contain a wide variety of valuable rare earth elements and other critical minerals that can be produced and used to build clean energy technologies, while helping to create healthier environments for communities across the country. The projects announced today will study how they can extract critical minerals from coal mine waste streams as the first of two project phases. The University of North Dakota (Grand Forks, North Dakota) will complete a study to recover and refine rare earth elements and critical minerals from North Dakota lignite mine wastes. The project aims to advance technologies that can enable a cost-competitive, environmentally sensitive process to produce rare earth metals and critical minerals from domestic coal waste. (Award amount: $7,999,999). West Virginia University (Morgantown, West Virginia) will complete a study for producing rare earth elements and critical minerals using acid mine drainage and mineral tailings feedstocks with at-source pollution treatment. Intermediate products will be processed to high-purity oxides, salts, or metals depending on specific market needs. (Award amount: $8,000,000) "West Virginia University has provided a mining engineering education to generations of students for more than 150 years, helping to build a strong and innovative mining industry that powered our nation and made us a global energy leader. This $8 million award, using funding from my Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will continue that legacy and help to develop the energy technologies of the future with a first-of-its-kind facility to extract and separate rare earth elements and critical minerals from acid mine drainage and mine waste," said U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (WV). "By deploying this innovative technology to reclaim water from mining waste, we will ensure that we are producing these materials in the cleanest way possible while addressing environmental liabilities. West Virginia and West Virginia University are continuing to lead the way in energy innovation, and I can't wait to see how the entire nation benefits." "Along with their industry partners and the U.S. Department of Energy, the University of North Dakota is on the cutting edge of our energy future," said U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (ND). "This award builds on the group's efforts to research, find, and affordably extract rare earth elements and minerals in North Dakota. The significance of developing this domestic supply chain for national and energy security cannot be overstated." The Phase I projects will be managed by DOE's Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) in collaboration with the Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC). Over a period of about 15 months, these detailed engineering and cost studies will identify risks and costs, and will solidify plans for developing economically viable processes to extract, separate, and produce rare earth elements and critical minerals from the nation's vast quantities of mining wastes that won't be harmful to the environment. Following completion of the studies and a period of technical review, these projects will have the opportunity to apply for Phase II funding for construction and operation of the demonstration-scale facility. The two selected project teams were required as part of their applications to submit Community Benefits Plans to demonstrate meaningful engagement with and tangible benefits to the communities in which these projects will be located. These plans provide details on their commitments to community and labor engagement, quality job creation, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and benefits to disadvantaged communities as part of the Justice40 Initiative. The selected projects are required to develop and implement strategies to ensure strong community and worker benefits, and report on such activities and outcomes. Visit FECM, MESC, and NETL websites to learn more about DOE's efforts to strengthen and secure a domestic supply chain for rare earth elements and critical minerals and materials. Major projects and their supply chain Speed of connecting to the medium-voltage distribution network (HTA) of electricity A total of 904 charging stations for electric vehicles are now available for destination charging at strategic locations in France such as car parks of hypermarkets, rest stops along the motorway, or restaurants near thoroughfares. This public ultra-fast network is the first in France to be deployed on a large scale at these types of destinations. It is open to all types of vehicles with a charging capacity ranging from 22kW to 300kW, and has already avoided an equivalent of 2,000 tons of CO emissions since its opening. This deployment is part of the French government's overall objective to support electromobility in France, and specifically contributes to the "100,000 charging stations objective" set by the Minister for Energy Transition and Territorial Cohesion. It also adheres to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These stations have been designed as true "urban-mobility hubs" with 1,717 charge points dedicated to e-mobility. Bicycles, scooters or electric scooters can be recharged on dedicated points while shopping for groceries. "Allego is demonstrating its ability to deploy and maintain charging infrastructure on a very large scale. We want to position ourselves as a partner of choice to support landowners in the valuation of their assets and in their adaptation to the new modes of transport of their customers," Mathieu Bonnet, Chief Executive Officer at Allego. To date, Allego operates 120 public ultra-fast EV charging hubs in France. By 2024, more than 300 of their hub will be deployed throughout the country. About Allego Allego delivers charging solutions for all types and models of electric vehicles, facilitating consumers, businesses, and urban infrastructures. A leader in charging solutions, we nurture and have built an international public charging network comprising of just under 40,000 public charge points, operational throughout the pan-European market. Our charging solutions are connected to the proprietary platform, EV-Cloud. At Allego, we are committed to providing independent, reliable, and safe charging solutions, agnostic of vehicle model or network affiliation. Being a pioneering company, we continually strive to make EV charging easier, more convenient, and more enjoyable for all. Allego in short: International public charging network - Established in 2013, listed on NYSE in 2022 - Active in 16 European countries - With almost 40,000 public charge points - Using 100% clean renewable energy - Enabling over 420 million green kilometers in 2021. Please refer to www.allego.eu for more information. The Town of Merrillville is pursuing a disaster declaration in connection with the EF-1 tornado and severe storms that caused damage in the community last week. Local officials are working with state government on a potential request for a declaration that would make the town, nonprofit organizations and individual property owners eligible to apply for financial assistance and for U.S. Small Business Administration loans. Public assistance could help reimburse governmental entities and certain nonprofit organizations for their response efforts to the severe weather event, the town said in a news release. Individual assistance would provide Federal Emergency Management Agency funding to individuals to address property damage caused during severe weather. The SBA loans are low-interest loans that could be used by property owners to address damage not fully covered by insurance. Indiana also has a State Disaster Relief Fund, which could offer assistance to individuals and governmental entities that are not eligible for federal disaster loans. The disaster declaration process includes local government and emergency officials gathering damage information and conveying it to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. The governor could then declare a state of emergency that would open the community up to resources from state agencies. Beyond a state declaration, the town could request FEMA to conduct a preliminary damage assessment if the recovery appears to be beyond the combined state and local resources. If that happens, FEMA personnel as well as state and local officials would complete damage assessments. The governor could then submit a written request to the President asking for federal aid. Information from that request would be used to determine if a major disaster or emergency exists. Town Manager Patrick Reardon on Wednesday said Merrillville continues working with the state through this process, and the town will provide more information as it becomes available. Gallery: Merrillville hit hard by storm The creation of NUWARD, a new subsidiary, highlights EDF's willingness to strengthen the development of its NUWARD Small Modular Reactor (SMR). In line with its objective to achieve First Nuclear Concrete in 2030 for its reference plant in France, after finalizing the conceptual design phase of the project, NUWARD now shifts to the basic design phase with the support of EDF Group and its partners. NUWARD is set to become the European leader in Small Modular Reactor technology, delivering low carbon, reliable and affordable energy to the world's market. NUWARD SMR conceptual design phase consolidated the design architecture of the NUWARD SMR. NUWARD will now proceed with the basic design activities to progress design maturity, leveraging the expertise and experience of EDF Group's nuclear engineering teams, while also benefitting from the support of an international network of industrial partners. In accordance with the French nuclear licensing process, the Design and Safety options file (DOS) is scheduled to be submitted to the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) in July 2023. NUWARD will also engage with the French state's authorities to assess and select possible sites for the reference plant in France. Together with EDF, NUWARD will further pursue development of cooperation arrangements and commitments with international prospects who are considering deploying the NUWARD SMR as part of their energy transition or who aspire to join the NUWARD SMR supply chain. To make this happen, the NUWARD subsidiary workforce is expected to ramp up to approximately 150 employees in the core team by 2024 while the total workforce contributing to the development of the NUWARD SMR technology is expected to grow to more than 600 highly skilled engineers and experts, including EDF Group and partners' staff contributing to the project. The NUWARD subsidiary will continue to work with NUWARD 's historic partners (CEA, TechnicAtome, Naval Group) and new partners onboarded last year: Framatome and Tractebel. Renaud Crassous, NUWARD's President said: "The establishment of the NUWARD subsidiary will give a powerful boost to our product development. We will fully integrate the SMR catalysts for success, i.e. innovation, modularisation, standardisation and series production. We are committed to increasing the speed of execution to deliver the NUWARD SMR design on time to meet market expectations for first nuclear concrete as early as 2030. We leap enthusiastically with both feet into the basic design phase, together with our partners who bring a unique breadth of skills!". Xavier Ursat, EDF Group Senior Executive in charge of Engineering and New Nuclear Projects Division, commented: "NUWARD, a wholly-owned subsidiary of EDF, has been established to serve our ambition for an accelerated technology development: fully embedded within the EDF Group, NUWARD company is a key enabler for a time-to-market product, providing the agility and speed required to meet the next key milestones. As such it will keep benefiting from the Group's long expertise and experience in design, construction, and operation of nuclear power plants." The NUWARD SMR is targeted to replace old high CO2-emitting coal, fuel, oil and gas power plants around the world as well as offering the capability of supporting other usages such as hydrogen production, urban and district heating or desalination. Based on proven PWR technology, it is a 340MWe plant with two reactors of 170MWe each. Led by the NUWARD subsidiary, the project relies on the skilled and valued contributions of EDF, CEA, Naval Group, TechnicAtome, Framatome and Tractebel. More information on www.nuward.com Old National Bank, the successor to First Midwest Bank, pledged $10.5 million in corporate giving last year. The Evansville-based financial institution, the largest bank headquartered in Northwest Indiana, outlined the ways it supported the communities it served in its 2022 Environmental, Social and Governance Report. The newly released ESG report covers governance, ethics, client service, team member engagement, diversity, equity, inclusion, community engagement and sustainability. As a regional bank with community bank DNA, Old National has the ability and the responsibility to be a beacon of strength and stability for our clients, communities and team members, said Old National CEO Jim Ryan. This report showcases the numerous ways that our people put their values in action, on a daily basis, to deliver on that responsibility in 2022. The bank, which has a wide footprint across Northwest Indiana, gave to more than 1,700 nonprofits last year. Its employees did more than 47,000 hours of volunteer time for various community and charitable causes. Old Nation's ESG report also covers the bank's risk management strategies, corporate governance principles, work to protect its clients' assets, employee education efforts and commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion principles. The bank has $47 billion in assets and branches in Crown Point, Dyer, Gary, Griffith, Hammond, Merrillville, Munster and Saint John. To read the report, visit oldnational.com and go to the ESG page. HAMMOND Indiana is angling for a share of federal money meant to establish regional innovation and technology hubs around the nation, and the Region potentially could benefit. U.S. Sen. Todd Young touted the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act he co-sponsored last year to help bring semiconductor production back to the United States during a visit Tuesday to the Digital Crossroad Data Center at the former State Line Generating Plant site on the Hammond lakefront. The legislation also would help fund quantum computing, biotechnology, artificial intelligence and other technological advances. "We have maybe a once-in-a-generation opportunity to harness those assets both human and hard in order to become more prosperous and position this Region for the future," he said, "to grow economically, to attract more talent, retain more talent and be the sort of place that retrospectively will be incredibly proud to leave as a legacy to our kids and grandkids." Young addressed a crowd at the data center that included many tech industry representatives, Gary Mayor Jerome Prince, Lake County Commissioner Michael Repay and other dignitaries. He said his top priority was making sure the legislation is implemented in an effective way. "Now that the legislation is law, I want to make sure Indiana maximally benefits from it," he said. The legislation aims to fix the chips shortages that bedeviled automakers and other sectors during the coronavirus pandemic; its manufacturing had long ago been outsourced abroad. "The computer chips you're reading about and hearing about on television are the brains of the modern economy," Young said. "Everything that has an on-off switch these days relies on these chips. Increasingly, as we get better and better at making these intricate chips, they allow us to process more data more quickly and do all sorts of exciting things, from hypersonics, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, autonomous systems and synthetic biology. "These are the economic sectors of the future that we hope and we believe the next generation and beyond will have high-value and highly compensated jobs in." All of those sectors have implications for fighting and preventing wars, he said. "If we can develop these things at home, we will be prepared for the defense of our values. A byproduct of that is, if we play our hand well, Indiana will play an important role in defending our values." The CHIPS and Science Act also will fund scientific research and employee training at community colleges, as well as tech hubs across the country. It may end up providing substantial funding to a half-dozen to 20 such hubs around the country, potentially including one in Indiana. "We have a lot of core competencies. We're a farming state. We're a life sciences state," he said. "We're an advanced manufacturing state. We're the most manufacturing-intensive state in the country and on and on and on. I can personally conceive of a lot of areas where we have competencies and are just looking for investments in our people and in our places to take it to the next level." The federal government would provide initial seed capital but not long-term subsidies, Young said. "The tech hub model is the Silicon Valley model. Government funds it as a customer or investor in the early years, but then the private sector takes over. In a particular area, some sort of advanced manufacturing designation is a signal to the market and venture capitalists and others of means that we want to make the intellectual property and research investments. "We want to recruit workers and we want to make this home for our small businesses that will become the large businesses of tomorrow." Young said semiconductor investments typically took place near major research universities, such as Purdue or Notre Dame. Local leaders will formulate proposals that could land congressional funding even if they are not initially chosen as one of five or six regional tech hubs around the country. Indiana, for instance, has the potential for collaboration between its pharmaceutical and agricultural sciences sectors to create a hub for synthetic biology that would study how to grow things like materials, pharmaceuticals and strains that could grow more effectively in unusual conditions. "If we could become the destination area for that field, that could become very exciting," he said. "That's one concept I've heard a fair amount of chatter about." The Northwest Indiana Forum, Digital Crossroads and other local stakeholders plan to make a regional hub push for Northwest Indiana, possibly in collaboration with partners in other states or in Chicago, Digital Crossroads principal Tom Dakich said. "State lines don't matter," he said. "We've talked about resources in Chicago. They're developing the South Side of Chicago, the Bronzeville area. Maybe it goes all the way up to Wisconsin and over to South Bend." A core geographic hub could be served by spokes, Young said. "Be creative," he said. "Seize on existing assets. You don't want something that's already a magnet for private capital, that's already a hub. It's not just a designation. There are research dollars and tech maturation dollars to help small businesses get over that valley of death. We want to make that valley shallower." Northwest Indiana could be part of a broader regional tech hub, Northwest Indiana Forum President/CEO Heather Ennis said. "There's an opportunity for Northwest Indiana," she said. "We're just down the toll road from the hypersonics at Notre Dame and just down I-65 from the hypersonics program at Purdue. We envision ourselves as in the middle of a research triangle between Chicago, Indy and West Lafayette, that little pyramid." PHOTOS: Sen. Todd Young visits the Digital Crossroads Data Center in Hammond NWI Business Ins and Outs: Buona/Rainbow Cone, Fat Burrito, Pickles Kids and Dear Dani Boutique opening Coming soon Open Coming soon Open Open Open Open Open Open State lawmakers appear determined to deny Valparaiso its day in court to seek unpaid franchise fees from video streaming companies. The Senate Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy advanced legislation Tuesday that not only would moot Valparaiso's pending class-action lawsuit against the streaming services, it would limit the fees local units of governments can collect from cable TV and internet companies with equipment installed in the public right of way. Rep. Craig Snow, R-Warsaw, who previously admitted to the House that he inserted the video service language in his House Bill 1454 at the behest of Statehouse lobbyist Matt Bell, told the Senate panel he's merely looking out for Hoosier consumers. "At the end of the day, if they're able to collect franchise fees from streaming services, these costs are going to be passed on to our constituents," Snow said. Indiana law requires video service providers whose programming is transmitted at any point through equipment in the public right of way, such as underground wires along the side of roads, to pay a franchise fee of 5% of gross revenue to the localities where their customers reside. In 2020, Valparaiso, Indianapolis, Fishers and Evansville filed a lawsuit demanding that Netflix, DirectTV, Dish Network, Disney+ and Hulu join cable TV companies in paying the franchise fee, saying streaming services similarly use internet equipment in the public right of way to transmit video programming to their customers. A Marion County commercial court judge found a sufficient basis last year to preliminarily classify each streaming company as a video service subject to the franchise fee. The streaming services are appealing that ruling to the Indiana Court of Appeals, from which a decision is expected any day. The House-approved legislation, however, immediately would terminate the litigation by redefining video service to exclude streaming services retroactive to 2006. Andrew Hull, the lead lawyer for Valparaiso and the other cities, told the Senate panel the retroactive language is written so poorly that not only will cities and towns across the state not get any revenue from streaming services if it's enacted into law, but Hoosier taxpayers might be on the hook for potentially massive franchise fee refunds to cable companies. In any case, the legislation bars local governments from imposing on cable companies any fee in addition to the franchise fee, such as a permit fee, encroachment fee or degradation fee to account for the damage their equipment does to the public right of way. Sen. Fady Qaddoura, D-Indianapolis, said he believes the General Assembly should not be circumventing the judicial branch by interfering in an ongoing lawsuit to pick winners and losers. But committee Chairman Travis Holdman, R-Markle, said the Legislature repeatedly has intervened in pending litigation, and it's up to state lawmakers, not the courts, to set state tax and fee policies. Several Republican lawmakers, including Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, expressed concern about the retroactive video service language yet still voted in favor of advancing the measure to the full Senate for further review. The underlying legislation is the annual Department of Local Government Finance measure making dozens of major and minor changes to the process of assessing, collecting and distributing property taxes and other revenue in localities throughout the state. For example, another provision added to the plan Tuesday allows Hobart and the Merrillville Community School Corp. to issue 25-year bonds to pay a property tax refund owed to the owners of Southlake Mall, instead of returning the money on a much shorter timeline. Hobart Mayor Brian Snedecor, a Republican, told the committee the mall refund amounts to about one full year of city revenue and Hobart would have to make "dire" cuts to city services, including public safety, to more quickly come up with the money. The legislation also clarifies the base period for measuring incremental income tax growth in transit development districts (TDD) near South Shore Line stations in Northwest Indiana and specifies that the total must include the incomes of people residing in a TDD, as well as individuals working at a business in a TDD. The full Senate is poised to consider additional revisions to the proposal as soon as Thursday and probably will vote next week to approve its version of the plan. A House-Senate conference committee then will probably be convened to hammer out a compromise measure that must be reapproved by the Senate and the House to go to Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb to be signed into law or vetoed. Meet the 2023 Northwest Indiana legislative delegation State Rep. Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond State Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago State Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso State Rep. Pat Boy, D-Michigan City State Rep. Chuck Moseley, D-Portage State Rep. Mike Aylesworth, R-Hebron State Rep. Mike Andrade, D-Munster State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary State Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville State Rep. Kendell Culp, R-Rensselaer State Rep. Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point State Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie State Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland State Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago State Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Gary State Sen. Rodney Pol Jr., D-Chesterton State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso State Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell State Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores A new cannabis retail store is opening just across the state line in New Buffalo, Michigan. The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi is opening Rolling Embers on tribally owned land at 19279 Kinst Road. It's located at the corner of Wilson Road and Kinst Road just off Exit 1 from Interestate 94, east of Michigan City. "Rolling Embers offers a wide variety of premium, high-quality adult-use cannabis products including flower, pre-rolls, edibles, and vape products," The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi said in a press release. "Rolling Embers also offers an outdoor consumption lounge, which is one of the first cannabis consumption lounges in Michigan, for immediate enjoyment of purchased products." The Pokagon Band hired the management firm Opus Consulting to assist in the development and management of the facility, which is slated to open April 14. Marijuana remains illegal in Indiana but is now allowed in both neighboring Illinois and Michigan. Mission Dispensary in Calumet City across the Illinois state line already draws many customers from Indiana. Marijuana is now legal for medical use in 38 states. Michigan legalized cannabis for recreational adult use in 2018. Cannabis retail stores have sprung up across much of the state but had not yet come to Harbor Country in southwest Michigan, which Northwest Indiana residents often flock to during the summer beach season. Previously, the closest Michigan cannabis stores to Northwest Indiana were 7Engines of Buchanan Cannabis Store and Pinnacle Emporium Provisioning Center in Buchanan, north of South Bend. For more information, visit rolling-embers.com or find Rolling Embers on Facebook. VALPARAISO Wednesday at noon, about 100 Valparaiso High School students poured out of the school doors and held a walkout. The walkout was in protest of gun violence and meant to demand lawmakers take action on gun reform. "Walking into school is the most scary thing to do nowadays," junior Olivia Brinson said. "And that shouldn't be it." The protest comes the week after six people three students and three teachers were killed by a gunman at a Nashville private school, which according to national news reports, marked 73 people killed by guns at American schools in 2023 alone. Additionally, 2022 was a record year for school shootings with 46 shootings, and that number only includes ones that occurred during school hours. Including shootings outside of schools, there were 648 mass shootings in 2022, according to the Gun Violence Archive. "We came out today to protest the fact that guns have more rights than kids do," said freshman Melaynna Kyle. "And that we can't even be safe in our own environment." Kyle and her classmates held signs emblazoned with sayings like "Protect Children Not Guns," "We deserve more than thoughts and prayers," and "Students or guns? Why is this even a question?" They chanted "Kids not guns." and "How many more?" Brinson said lawmakers need to do more about school shootings. "If it's a law for us to show up here everyday, I think they should protect us and we should be safe," Brinson said. "And we're not right now." One of the students, Jonah Kyle, has a personal experience with gun violence. His brother, Noah Beller, died of a gunshot wound March 3, 2021 outside his home on Valparaiso's north side. "I have experienced such a trauma that no one should have to go through," he said. "And the fact that people are going through that at such a young age, at elementary schools, at middle schools, at high schools all around the country is so messed up. It's beyond normal comprehension because it should just never happen." Lottie Wells was one of the students who organized the event in Valparaiso. The protest is part of a larger nationwide protest at schools across the U.S. organized by Students Demand Action. Wells said she thought the turnout was really good. "We're fed up and we wanted to sign our school up, so we did," she said. Several of the students said that they were told by faculty they'd receive truancies a disciplinary mark for unexcused absence for leaving class to participate. Wells thought that was "a little bit ridiculous." "The administration tried to defer us from going," she said. "But we prevailed anyway and we continued, and it was still a very successful day." Brinson said she believes they have a First Amendment right to do things like that. "We should be able to talk about issues that affect a lot of people around the world," Brinson said. "They directly affect us." The US surpasses 160 mass shootings in 2023. Here's every event mapped Mass shootings take place in nearly every type of public and private space Mass shootings have happened in gun-friendly statesand some stricter ones Mass shootings have happened in gun-friendly statesand some stricter ones Mass shootings take place in nearly every type of public and private space Mass shootings take place in nearly every type of public and private space Mass shootings have happened in gun-friendly statesand some stricter ones Mass shootings take place in nearly every type of public and private space Mass shootings have happened in gun-friendly statesand some stricter ones The US surpasses 100 mass shootings in 2023here's every event mapped TORNADO WARNING. This weather alert flashed at me Friday night as a tornado siren screamed throughout my Valparaiso neighborhood. I opened the windows in my house to get a better feel for the outdoor conditions. Lightning streaked across the sky. The wind shrieked. Mother Nature spit on my face. I immediately looked toward the heavens, then back to the all-knowing one who provides me comfort in these dangerous situations: Tom Skilling, WGN-TVs meteorologist. Id recognize his soothing voice in a typhoon. My television screen showed a broad map of the Chicago metro area, including Northwest Indiana, with color-coded graphics of possible tornadic activity heading directly for my house. Or so it seemed. Take shelter now in a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, the phone alert stated with a screeching beeeeeeeeeeeep. My wife did the sensible thing and headed toward our basement with her phone and the dog. I did the stupid thing and went to our back patio to look to the west. Things. Looked. Scary. I did what I always do when a dangerous storm front heads toward our home. I stacked up the patio furniture so it didnt blow into the next county. I spent at least six crucial minutes trying to figure out the best placement to secure four metal chairs, a round table, two lawn chairs and two end tables. This was probably the stupidest six minutes of my life. And, trust me, Ive had many six-minute periods of my life over the past 60 years that were incredibly stupid. Finally, the furniture configuration I built looked secure enough to withstand winds up 80 mph. Of course it didnt. Im clearly an idiot who didnt know what else to do in that situation. A smart man would have joined his wife, dog and sump pump in the basement. Instead, I decided to tour our home to check every door, window and vantage point of the storm. I ran back upstairs to our bedroom for the latest TV update from Skilling, who always rises to the occasion during such weather crises. Bad news. We lost our satellite signal. I ran downstairs and told my wife We just lost Tom, as if a loved one had just died. I dont know how to get through a life-threatening storm without the constant reassurance of Tom, or Brant Miller from WMAQ-TV. I felt like a first-time Himalayas mountain climber without a native Sherpa. I returned to our patio to check on the furniture and ponder our possible fate. None of us have any control of the weather, let alone powerful storms and tornadoes that devastated multiple states across the Midwest last weekend, killing more than 30 people and leaving thousands without a home. This could be us," I kept thinking. The National Weather Service confirmed that an EF-1 tornado hit Merrillville on Friday night, along with several other tornadoes in the area. It could have landed anywhere, including my neighborhood or yours. It feels like a deadly Russian roulette game of chance. In 2008, a more dangerous EF2 tornado ripped through the Griffith home of Jeff and Elaine Jelenski, tearing off the roof, blowing away the garage and leaving the family of four homeless, if not hopeless. I shadowed their ordeal for a series of columns as they rebuilt their house and their lives. I saw what it takes to replace a house and a home. It took much longer than they expected. The familys neighborhood was ground zero for the deafening, darkening twister that day. Within seconds, literally, the couples once-tidy house and yard were littered with shattered glass, remnants from every room and a backyard swimming pool that turned into a nasty cesspool. I dont want to die! one of the boys yelled to his mother that day. He echoed what many of us fear when a destructive storm or possible tornado blows toward our neighborhood. We feel helpless. Just look at all the victims of the most recent tornadoes in our country. One minute their life is perfectly normal. The next minute, literally, their life is in chaos. The United States is Earths punching bag for nasty weather, according to a story by The Associated Press. The nations weather chief and other experts say the U.S. gets hit by stronger, costlier, more varied and frequent extreme weather than anywhere on Earth. The reason is geography two oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, mountains, the jet stream and jutting peninsulas in addition to where, what and how people build, the story says. In 2022, there were 1,240 tornadoes in the U.S., according to National Weather Service data. In Indiana, the frequency of natural disasters is on the rise, with an increase of 271% over the past 20 years. Obviously, the planet doesnt care whether we believe in climate change. As winds yowled and lightning flashed outside my home Friday night, I pretended to have a sense of control over a situation I had no control over. Silly humans, huh? We will do anything to convince ourselves that we have a shred of control even when we dont. I realized this while peeking through the window at my pathetic attempt to secure our patio furniture. It looked like the ideal image to illustrate my realization of our collective futility in regard to Mother Natures wrath. Nonetheless, Im in awe of our innate ability to respond to the devastation caused by these storms, tornadoes and other destructive weather events. Like a resilient colony of ants rebuilding their destroyed sand hill after a hard rain, we just keep rebuilding our lives. We dont stop. We dont quit. We help each other. We move on. Take that, planet Earth. HAMMOND A Chicago-based attorney, who from 2012 through 2018 defrauded bankruptcy clients, the bankruptcy trustee and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Indiana, was sentenced to 33 months behind bars, United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson announced Wednesday. Rajesh Kanuru, 46, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and embezzlement against a bankruptcy estate and was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Jon E. DeGuilio. Kanuru will spend two years on supervised release when freed from prison and was ordered to pay $348,389 in restitution. "When these clients later filed for bankruptcy, Kanuru was appointed by the bankruptcy court to gather the settlement proceeds from their personal injury lawsuit to turn over to the bankruptcy estate on behalf of the clients," according to the United States Attorneys Office Northern District of Indiana. "Instead, Kanuru embezzled the personal injury settlement proceeds totaling $348,388.50 for his own personal use and benefit." "The bankruptcy system, to work as it is designed, relies upon attorneys to act in the best interest of their clients and to comply with orders issued by the bankruptcy judges," Johnson said. "When, as happened in this case, an attorney violates both his clients trust and his obligations to the bankruptcy court to unlawfully enrich himself, my office will seek justice by prosecuting to the fully extent of the law." Region shelter hoping to end Duke's record-breaking stay by finding him a forever home "My overall impression of Duke is that hes a sweetheart that has a lot of potential," foster mom Dana Garcia said. Nancy Gargula, United States trustee for Indiana, and central and southern Illinois, said, "Abuse of the bankruptcy system by embezzling estate funds and concealing those acts strikes at the very core of the integrity of the bankruptcy system and undermines public confidence in that system." "Todays sentencing sends a strong message that these actions will not be tolerated," she said. "I am grateful to U.S. Attorney Johnson and our law enforcement partners for their strong commitment to combating fraud and abuse in bankruptcy cases." HAMMOND Federal authorities have charged a second out-of-state person in their investigation of a narcotics smuggling ring. Randy Miguel De La Cruz Concepcion appeared Tuesday before Magistrate Judge John E. Martin on a charge of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute the powerful painkiller illegally. The court advised the 24-year-old citizen of the Caribbean nation of the Dominican Republic of the charge and potential penalty he faces, as well as his constitutional right to a jury trial to make the government prove the allegations against him. The magistrate ordered him held without bond pending a detention hearing April 10. His appearance in court comes a week after Katie E. Mendez-Mera, 19, of Syracuse, New York was arrested and charged with being a part of the same drug operation. Both defendants face a lengthy imprisonment if convicted. Jason Hines, a special agent for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, alleges in court papers he received information late last month of plans by persons to ship fentanyl in large quantities from Syracuse, New York for distribution in the Chicago area. Hines alleges a confidential informant for federal investigators told authorities an unidentified narcotics supplier was prepared to sell five kilograms of fentanyl to the informant at a cost of $25,500 per kilogram. Authorities traced a telephone number the informant used to make the transaction to Randy Miguel De La Cruz Concepcion, who also has addresses in Syracuse, New York; Scranton, Pennsylvania, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The confidential informant and the defendant agreed to meet at the Hard Rock Casino at Burr and Interstate 94 in Gary in the early morning hours of March 29. However, once the defendant arrived outside the casino, he told the informant he was leaving because there were a lot of police officers around and he didnt like that. Shortly afterwards, Indiana State Police stopped the defendants red Jeep Cherokee at an undisclosed location within Gary. Police traced the ownership of the Jeep to Mendez-Mera, who authorities arrested at a Hammond motel. They found more than two pounds of fentanyl hidden behind furniture in the motel room where she was staying. Fentanyl is considered 50 times more potent than heroin, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The entity operating the South Shore commuter rail line linking Northwest Indiana to Chicago is poised to receive a minor windfall, under legislation headed to the governor's desk to be signed into law. Senate Enrolled Act 353 establishes a process for permanently closing the funds operated by the largely inactive Indiana Political Subdivision Risk Management Commission, and returning the $5 million remaining in the commission's accounts. The commission was established in the mid-1980s as a kind of insurer of last resort for many Indiana local units of government that were unable to obtain liability insurance for tort claims due to the high prices charged at the time by private insurance companies. Changes in the insurance market over the past four decades have prompted Indiana localities to either obtain private liability insurance or opt to self-insure, leaving no entities as continuing members of the state fund since 2018. The legislation empowers the state insurance commissioner to finally shutter the fund after July 1 if she certifies that all members have withdrawn and any remaining liability payments have been determined and finalized. At that time, the commissioner also must distribute the money remaining in the fund to its former members on the same basis as they paid in. "Fairness essentially just dictates, in my opinion, that the funds are returned to the parties that actually had built up the reserves that are currently in that fund," said Sen. Rodney Pol Jr., D-Chesterton, the sponsor. "Regardless of what time you had left the fund or entered the fund, if you contributed to the fund you are getting back money on a pro rata basis whatever is in the fund based on the share you put into it." Records show that the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) paid the most money into the fund and correspondingly will receive the most money back. A list of other entities due refunds was not immediately available, although the city of Portage is expected to get more than most. In addition to Pol, the legislation was sponsored in the Senate by Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso; Eddie Melton, D-Gary; and Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago. House sponsors were Hal Slager, R-Schererville; Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie; Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago; and Chuck Moseley, D-Portage. Meet the 2023 Northwest Indiana legislative delegation State Rep. Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond State Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago State Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso State Rep. Pat Boy, D-Michigan City State Rep. Chuck Moseley, D-Portage State Rep. Mike Aylesworth, R-Hebron State Rep. Mike Andrade, D-Munster State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary State Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville State Rep. Kendell Culp, R-Rensselaer State Rep. Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point State Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie State Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland State Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago State Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Gary State Sen. Rodney Pol Jr., D-Chesterton State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso State Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell State Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores Judge Martha Blood Wentworth, the second person ever to serve as judge of the Indiana Tax Court, is planning to retire this summer after spending 12 years on the state's only specialized appellate-level court. As a result, the Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission is soliciting applications from experienced Hoosier lawyers and judges interested in succeeding Wentworth as Tax Court judge. The Tax Court has exclusive jurisdiction over tax-related cases appealed from a final determination of the Indiana Department of Revenue or the Indiana Board of Tax Review. The Tax Court also handles certain appeals from the Department of Local Government Finance. The application deadline for the judicial post is May 5. All lawyers with an interest in tax law who reside in Indiana and have been a member of the state bar for at least five years are encouraged to apply through the courts.in.gov website. The nominating commission, led by Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush, plans to interview each applicant May 23. The seven-member panel ultimately will recommend the three candidates it deems most qualified to the governor. Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb will then have 60 days to decide which potential judge to put on the Tax Court for a two-year term. Hoosier voters will decide at the 2026 general election whether the new judge should be retained for 10 more years. Gallery: Get to know the state symbols of Indiana State Aircraft: Republic Aviation P-47 Thunderbolt State Bird: Cardinal State Flag State Flower: Peony State Fossil: Mastodon State Gun: Grouseland Rifle State Insect: Say's Firefly State Language: English State Motto: "Crossroads of America" State Nickname: The Hoosier State State Pie: Sugar Cream Pie (unofficial) State Poem: "Indiana" State River: Wabash State Seal State Snack: Indiana-Grown Popcorn State Song: "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away" State Stone: Limestone State Tree: Tulip tree Executive General Manager of People, Culture and Safety Jane Sherlock said: "There's never been a more exciting time to work in Australia's energy industry and gain invaluable knowledge, skills and experience which will help define your career. "We operate a 13,000km high-voltage electricity transmission network and 110 substations in NSW and the ACT, providing safe, reliable and affordable electricity to more than three million homes and businesses. "Transgrid is also leading the energy transition, accelerating the nation-critical transmission projects needed to deliver cheap, clean and reliable electricity to Australia's eastern seaboard. "Our EnergyConnect, HumeLink and VNI West projects will reshape the National Electricity Market, enabling the integration of renewables, reducing the nation's carbon emissions and helping to drive down the cost of electricity." As part of the award-winning 'Leaders of Tomorrow' program, graduates join a two-year immersion program which combines on-the-job learning with formal training. The sought-after program allows graduates to rotate through different placements across the network, with 40 places on offer in 2024. "Graduates are supported each step of the way through a combination of training, on-the-job learning, regular check-ins and mentoring from experienced leaders, allowing them to gain the skills for an exciting career in energy," Ms Sherlock said. "These graduates are the next generation of leaders who will support Australia's transition to a renewable energy future." Basma Daqaq joined Transgrid's Graduate Program last year after graduating from the University of Wollongong with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours). The Wollongong resident said Transgrid has provided her with different roles and experiences including working on Australia's biggest transmission project - the $1.8 billion EnergyConnect interconnector - currently under construction in the Far West of NSW. "Project EnergyConnect is one of the biggest projects currently in Australia and you get to learn from everybody on site. There are always other members of the team on site to provide support and guidance," the 32-year-old said. "Basically you make a change every single day - whether it's on site or whether it's long term. It's insightful, challenging at times but a great learning experience and fun to be around. Makes me proud to be part of the team and part of the project." Ms Daqaq encouraged other graduates to apply to be part of the program and join the Transgrid team. "The program is structured well and the team are very supportive. Every single team I have worked with are wonderful and willing to help you and answer your questions," she said. "You learn a lot and have the opportunity to work on different projects and areas and get a flavour of what your career path would look like and what you enjoy the most. "I think I'm just trying to set an example for all females to step out of your comfort zone and just do whatever you want to do." Recent graduates with a degree in Engineering, Construction, Project Management, Business, Finance, Technology, Communication, Law and Political Science are encouraged to apply for the 2024 intake. The program is part of Transgrid's commitment to increasing gender and cultural diversity with a focus on developing pathways for female and Indigenous engineers. Transgrid placed #1 in the energy and utilities sector and #61 overall in the GradAustralia Top 100 Graduate Employers for 2023. The company was also ranked best workplace in the sector for green initiatives. Applications for Transgrid's 2024 Graduate Program will close on May 1. APPLY NOW To find out more visit: https://gradaustralia.com.au/graduate-employers/transgrid Transgrid media contact: Mark Nolan 0429 047 136 10:10 a.m. Update: The line of severe storms and cold front have now cleared the Region. The severe weather threat has come to an end for Wednesday. Pea to penny size hail has been reported in multiple spots across NWI. The strongest winds were recorded at the Porter County Regional Airport. Gusts reached 66 mph here. We will continue to see fewer showers and weak storms in Northwest Indiana as we go through the rest of the morning and early afternoon. All rain is expected to exit the area by 4 p.m. Wednesday. It will remain very windy through the afternoon as colder, drier air works in behind the cold front. Winds will regularly gust around 40 mph. While temperatures are in the mid to upper 60s right now, they'll drop into the mid to upper 50s by the late afternoon Wednesday. 9:35 a.m. Update: The severe storms are now limited to LaPorte County. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning remains in effect here until 9:45 a.m. Wednesday. Still seeing a lot of light rain and a couple of weak thunderstorms in the rest of the Region. 9:20 a.m. Update: The cold front, and the line of storms associated with it, continues to slowly move from west to east across Northwest Indiana. We are now past the peak of the activity in Lake and Newton County. Heavy rain and lightning are still widespread across Jasper, Porter, and LaPorte County though. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning remains in effect for these locations until 9:45 a.m. Wednesday. Wind gusts up to 60 mph and penny size hail are still possible. 9:05 a.m. Update: Heavy rain and lightning continue across much of the Region. The strongest storms are currently located over Newton and Jasper County. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning remains in effect here until 9:45 a.m. Wednesday. Wind gusts up to 60 mph and up to nickel size hail are expected. With up to 2 inches of rain having already fallen in parts of the Region, any additional heavy rain could lead to flooded roads in low lying and poorly drained locations. NWI residents should continue to remain indoors until this line of storms moving from west to east clears us. 8:25 a.m. Update: Severe thunderstorm warnings have been issued for Porter and LaPorte County until 8:45 a.m. Wednesday. In addition to heavy rain and lightning, wind gusts up to 60 mph and up to penny size hail are expected. An additional line of thunderstorms is beginning to push into Northwest Indiana from the west. Additional severe storms are possible for the next couple of hours. Residents should avoid outdoor activity until this line of storms clears the area. County with the most severe weather in every state County with the most severe weather in every state Alabama: Lauderdale County Alaska: Juneau Borough and Northern Admiralty Island Arizona: Maricopa County Arkansas: Pulaski County California: San Bernardino County Colorado: El Paso County Connecticut: Litchfield County Delaware: New Castle County Florida: Duval County Georgia: Chatham County Hawaii: Hawaii County Idaho: Bonneville County Illinois: Cook County Indiana: Gibson County Iowa: Polk County Kansas: Sedgwick County Kentucky: Jefferson County Louisiana: Caddo Parish Maine: Aroostook County Maryland: Montgomery County Massachusetts: Middlesex County Michigan: Marquette County Minnesota: Hennepin County Mississippi: Hinds County Missouri: Greene County Montana: Valley County Nebraska: Lincoln County Nevada: Clark County New Hampshire: Grafton County New Jersey: Camden County New Mexico: Eddy County New York: Chautauqua County North Carolina: Wake County North Dakota: Grand Forks County Ohio: Hamilton County Oklahoma: Tulsa County Oregon: Jackson County Pennsylvania: Allegheny County Rhode Island: Providence County South Carolina: Charleston County South Dakota: Pennington County Tennessee: Davidson County Texas: Tarrant County Utah: Tooele County Vermont: Bennington County Virginia: Fairfax County Washington: Spokane County West Virginia: Berkeley County Wisconsin: Dane County Wyoming: Laramie County Raghavan Iyer, who left India for the United States as a young man clueless about how to cook even a simple potato curry and went on to teach Americas heartland how to prepare one of the worlds most complex cuisines, died on Friday in San Francisco. He was 61. The cause was pneumonia complicated by colorectal cancer that had metastasized to his lungs and brain, said Terry Erickson, his partner of 41 years. Mr. Iyer lived in Minneapolis and was visiting San Francisco at his death. Mr. Erickson was one of the first people Mr. Iyer met when he arrived in Minnesota from Mumbai at 21 to attend a small but well-regarded hospitality management program. He had picked it because it was the least expensive one he could find in America. When I first got to this country, I was almost embarrassed about where I was from and the food we ate, he said in an interview with The New York Times in February. After a while, he said, he realized that his culture was the tool he could use to overcome feelings of inferiority. Johnson & Johnson said on Tuesday that it had agreed to pay $8.9 billion to tens of thousands of people who claimed the companys talcum powder products caused cancer, a proposal that lawyers for the plaintiffs called a significant victory in a legal fight that has lasted more than a decade. The proposed settlement would be paid out over 25 years through a subsidiary, which filed for bankruptcy to enable the $8.9 billion trust, Johnson & Johnson said in a court filing. If a bankruptcy court approves it, the agreement will resolve all current and future claims involving Johnson & Johnson products that contain talc, such as baby powder, the company said. In a statement, a group of lawyers who represent nearly 70,000 plaintiffs, including families of people who died of ovarian cancer and mesothelioma, described the deal as a landmark and a significant victory for the tens of thousands of women suffering from gynecological cancers caused by J.&J.s talc-based products. For the deal to become final, the court would first have to accept a new bankruptcy filing by the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, LTL Management, and the settlement itself; the company also needs to persuade enough claimants to support the settlement plan. Johnson & Johnson created LTL in 2021 in a maneuver to shield itself from the talc litigation, but an earlier bankruptcy filing by the unit was challenged by the plaintiffs and dismissed this year by a U.S. appeals court, which ruled that a bankruptcy wasnt the right way to resolve the matter. Donald J. Trump, who has weathered two impeachment trials, a special counsel inquiry and decades of investigations, was accused by Manhattan prosecutors on Tuesday of orchestrating a hush-money scheme to pave his path to the presidency and then covering it up from the White House. Mr. Trump pleaded not guilty in the case, which has far-reaching political consequences and opens a perilous chapter in the long public life of the real estate mogul and former president, who now faces the embarrassing prospect of a criminal trial. Mr. Trump, who was indicted on 34 felony counts and stands accused of covering up a potential sex scandal involving a porn star, made an extraordinary appearance at the Criminal Courts Building in Lower Manhattan to face the charges. Even as Mr. Trumps supporters rallied outside, the former president sat, almost docile, at the defense table, listening as prosecutors described the case against him. Overall he said fewer than a dozen words, but at one point leaned forward and entered his plea of not guilty in the packed but pin-drop-quiet courtroom, a surreal scene for a man who months ago mounted a third run for the White House. Donald J. Trump pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, all of which are tied to the former presidents role in a hush-money payment to a porn star, Stormy Daniels. But prosecutors in the Manhattan district attorneys office accused Mr. Trump of orchestrating a broader scheme to influence the 2016 presidential election by purchasing damaging stories about him to keep them under wraps. The defendant, Donald J. Trump, falsified New York business records in order to conceal an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 presidential election, one of the prosecutors, Chris Conroy, said at Mr. Trumps arraignment. Here are answers to some key questions that have arisen from Tuesdays events: What Is Mr. Trump Accused of? The charges trace back to a $130,000 hush-money payment that Mr. Trumps fixer, Michael D. Cohen, made to the porn star, Stormy Daniels, in the final days of the 2016 campaign. The payment, which Mr. Cohen said he made at Mr. Trumps direction, suppressed her story of a sexual liaison she says she had with Mr. Trump. Representative George Santos, a Republican of Long Island, also visited the park, but he too left soon after, trailed by shouts from protesters about a history of lies that was uncovered only after he was elected to his first term. Asked if he planned to travel to Mr. Trumps Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, to support him later Tuesday, he said, Guys, I dont have a plane. Collect Pond Park, named for a long-ago reservoir, was part of the once notorious Five Points tenement slum and, in more recent years, was overrun by rats. On Tuesday, its 0.99 acres became the stage for outrage and spectacle, filling with shouts: Four more years! U.S.A.! We love Trump! One young man was dressed like the courthouse-bound former president. Another came disguised as Abraham Lincoln. A woman from Ireland who lives in Queens, calling herself Marie Free a fake last name to keep harassers away, she said displayed a picture of Mr. Trump and, curiously, another of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. She said she thought the slain civil rights leader and the former president would have gotten along: They really would have so much in common. They both love this country. For weeks, Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, has come under heavy fire for pursuing a case against Donald Trump. Potential charges were described as being developed under a novel legal theory. And criticism has come not only from Mr. Trump and his allies, as expected, but also from many who are usually no friends of the former president but who feared it would be a weak case. With the release of the indictment and accompanying statement of facts, we can now say that theres nothing novel or weak about this case. The charge of creating false financial records is constantly brought by Mr. Bragg and other New York D.A.s. In particular, the creation of phony documentation to cover up campaign finance violations has been repeatedly prosecuted in New York. That is exactly what Mr. Trump stands accused of. The judge and jury will make the ultimate determination, but they will be far from the first to consider this question, and the answer has usually been a guilty verdict. First, a note about the Manhattan D.A.s office that will prosecute this case: It is hardly a typical local cog in the judicial system. In fact, it is unique. Its jurisdiction is the financial capital of the world. That means the office routinely prosecutes complex white-collar cases with crime scenes that involve the likes of the BNP Paribas international banking scandal. Big cases involving powerful, high-profile individuals have been handled by the office for decades. That was proved most recently by the offices conviction of the Trump Organization and the guilty plea of one of its top executives, Allen Weisselberg, on charges relating to an intricate yearslong tax fraud scheme. If Vladimir Putin had ever bothered to read Evan Gershkovichs reporting its a safe bet he didnt, for reasons Ill explain below he might have thought a little harder before throwing him into prison last week on transparently bogus espionage charges. In December, Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, along with his colleagues Thomas Grove, Drew Hinshaw and Joe Parkinson, delivered what is surely one of the most richly reported and convincing explanations of why Putins war in Ukraine has gone so badly. The long and short of it: Putin has no independent sources of reliable information. He refuses to read news stories on the internet, fearing it might be used to spy on him. Battlefield information is filtered and laundered through layers of military bureaucracy and takes days to reach him. Past military successes in Georgia and Crimea made him overconfident, and the pandemic turned him into a paranoid recluse. On the eve of the invasion, neither his foreign minister nor his domestic-policy chief was aware of the war about to come. And, like despots through the ages, he listens only to people who tell him what he wants to hear. One of them, the oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk, The Journal reported, assured Mr. Putin that Ukrainians saw themselves as Russian, and would welcome the invading soldiers with flowers. Putin is godfather to one of Medvedchuks daughters. CHICAGO Brandon Johnson, a county commissioner and teachers union organizer who called for a vast expansion of social programs in Chicago, as well as new taxes, was elected mayor of the countrys third-largest city on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press. Mr. Johnsons victory over Paul Vallas, a fellow Democrat with far more conservative views on crime and education, revealed voters rejecting the tough-on-crime politics that have become a staple of municipal elections in recent years and instead embracing a decidedly progressive vision for a city still working to emerge from a pandemic malaise. The mayor-elect, who takes office in May, will inherit a Chicago in flux, with a downtown that is emptier than before the pandemic, a Police Department that has no permanent leader and a public school system that has seen a decline in enrollment. Fewer commuters have been riding buses and L trains, and census estimates have shown a decline in population. Mr. Johnson, 47, who in one early poll had just 3 percent support, overcame a lack of name recognition to beat several better-known candidates and advance to Tuesdays election. In recent weeks, he consolidated progressive support by promising to improve life for struggling residents, overcoming Mr. Vallass 11-point margin of victory in the first round of voting in February with the help of large donations from labor unions. Pattern Energy Group LP (Pattern Energy), a leader in renewable energy, announced its SunZia Transmission and SunZia Wind projects are expected to generate $20.5 billion dollars in total economic benefit, including direct, indirect, and induced economic benefit as well as fiscal impacts according to the results of an independent study conducted by research firm Energy, Economic & Environment Consultants LLC. Together, SunZia Transmission and SunZia Wind comprise the largest renewable energy infrastructure project in U.S. history and will enable access to over 3,500 MW of New Mexico wind power, providing clean, reliable, and affordable electricity across Western states. According to Energy, Economic & Environment Consultants LLC, SunZia Wind and Transmission enable over $20 billion of economic impact, which includes over $8 billion of direct capital investment, at no added cost to ratepayers. "New Mexico is proud to be the home of the largest clean energy infrastructure project in U.S. history, and we are eager to realize the economic and environmental benefits this project will provide," said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. "Clean energy is the key to meeting our climate goals and building a lower carbon future, and a project like this one that also generates billions in economic impact makes this a clear win for New Mexico." "This report underscores the transformative power of large-scale clean energy projects like SunZia and New Mexico's role in helping meet our nation's goals and energy demands, said U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich. "I am proud to have supported this project at every stage, and to witness today just how far the investments and positive impacts will reach." "SunZia is an investment in America's energy future that will pay strong dividends, including more than $20 billion in expected economic impact, over 2,000 new jobs, and clean power for 3 million Americans," said Hunter Armistead, CEO of Pattern Energy. "SunZia demonstrates that working toward a sustainable future can also create meaningful economic value and a lasting positive impact on local communities. We're proud that SunZia is the result of many years of collaboration with communities, local residents, landowners, environmental groups, wildlife organizations, and federal agencies. We look forward to starting construction this year and bringing these benefits to fruition." "SunZia is a prime example of the type of viable renewable energy and transmission project that our region desperately needs," said Myra Pancrazio, Director of the Estancia Valley Economic Development Association. "We have worked hard for the past 20 years to bring projects like this to the Estancia Valley. SunZia will deliver clean renewable energy, job creation, and economic development. It's a win-win-win for the entire region." "This project is of great economic benefit and will jumpstart job creation, which for our rural communities is a lifeline," said Mignonne Hollis, Executive Director, Arizona Regional Economic Development Foundation. "It's vital for our county, which continues to see a decline in population, to have stable jobs come into our region." "It's nice to see the project coming to fruition," said Barbara Sultemeier, a local rancher who will host SunZia Wind. "Our community has been anticipating this project and the benefits it will provide for some time, and we are pleased to see the economic impact, not only from the direct investment but also jobs for area workers." SunZia Wind and Transmission provide estimated direct economic benefits of over $16 billion, including capital expenditures, operational expenditures, and payments to private landowners across New Mexico and Arizona. Together, the projects will generate an expected $1.3 billion in fiscal impacts that will go to governments, communities, and schools. These benefits are generated through sales and use taxes, property taxes, community benefit payments, and land payments to federal and state agencies. The SunZia Transmission project alone will generate nearly $1 billion in expected economic impact in each of the two states hosting the project, New Mexico and Arizona, according to the independent study. SunZia Transmission is a 550-mile 525 kV high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line between central New Mexico and south-central Arizona, with the capacity to transport 3,000 MW of clean, renewable energy. SunZia Transmission will carry the clean, renewable power produced by the SunZia Wind project, which is comprised of more than 3,500 MW of new wind generation located in Torrance, Lincoln, and San Miguel Counties, New Mexico, and will represent the largest wind project in the Western Hemisphere. SunZia Transmission will enable access to the 3,500+ MW SunZia Wind project, powering the needs of 3 million Americans The SunZia Wind and SunZia Transmission projects have been developed with a deep commitment to local community engagement and environmental stewardship. A key initiative for SunZia has been following through on an extended engagement with local, regional, and national conservation stakeholders. As a result of this commitment and consultation, SunZia Transmission is setting a precedent with a gold standard in environmental mitigation efforts developed hand-in-hand with the environmental community. SunZia Wind has established robust environmental best practices to reduce project impacts and study effective habitat restoration strategies in partnership with local and state experts. The projects continue to work with federal agencies including the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), as well as local jurisdictions and stakeholders, to finalize remaining approvals to allow construction on the projects to begin on schedule this year. About Pattern Energy Pattern Energy is one of the world's largest privately-owned developers and operators of wind, solar, transmission, and energy storage projects. Its operational portfolio includes 35 renewable energy facilities that use proven, best-in-class technology with an operating capacity of nearly 6,000 MW in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Mexico. Pattern Energy is guided by a long-term commitment to serve customers, protect the environment, and strengthen communities. For more information, visit patternenergy.com. Contacts: Matt Dallas Pattern Energy 917-363-1333 matt.dallas@patternenergy.com In Lower Manhattan on Tuesday morning, near the courthouse where Donald J. Trump was to be arraigned, Dion Cini, a Trump merchandise entrepreneur from Brooklyn and frequent presence at Trump rallies, waved an enormous flag that read TRUMP OR DEATH. Were living in history right now, he told a scrum of mostly European reporters. But the crowd for a demonstration convened by the New York Young Republican Club, where Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene would soon speak was overwhelmingly made up of journalists. Trump supporters were so outnumbered that anyone in Make America Great Again attire was quickly swarmed by cameras. On Truth Social last month, Mr. Trump exhorted his supporters: WE MUST SAVE AMERICA! PROTEST, PROTEST, PROTEST! But while his indictment has been met with outrage across right-wing media and social media, the offline response has so far been a far cry from the turnouts at his campaign rallies much less the tens of thousands he drew to Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, for the rally that became a violent attempt to avert the end of his presidency. Pro-Trump organizers and outside observers have pointed to a range of factors to explain the low turnout. They include the relatively short notice of the arraignment, the mixed messages from right-wing media figures and politicians like Ms. Greene who last month stoked fear that an indictment protest could be infiltrated by Feds/Fed assets and the question of what, exactly, a demonstration would accomplish. WASHINGTON The unsealed indictment against former President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday laid out an unexpected accusation that bolstered what many legal experts have described as an otherwise risky and novel case: Prosecutors claim he falsified business records in part for a plan to deceive state tax authorities. For weeks, observers have wondered about the exact charges the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, would bring. Accusing Mr. Trump of bookkeeping fraud to conceal campaign finance violations, many believed, could raise significant legal challenges. That accusation turned out to be a major part of Mr. Braggs theory but not all of it. Pundits have been speculating that Trump would be charged with lying about the hush money payments to illegally affect an election, and that theory rests on controversial legal issues and could be hard to prove, said Rebecca Roiphe, a New York Law School professor and former state prosecutor. It turns out the indictment also includes a claim that Trump falsified records to commit a state tax crime, she continued. Thats a much simpler charge that avoids the potential pitfalls. Former President Donald J. Trump, speaking at his Florida resort at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday evening hours after his arraignment in New York, cast the case against him as unfair and politically motivated in an unusually short 21-minute speech that focused as much on other grievances and investigations. Standing before his family members, Republican Party officials and allies, Mr. Trump called the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, a criminal, claiming without evidence that Mr. Bragg had leaked information from the grand jury. And Mr. Trump also called the judge overseeing the case, Juan M. Merchan, a Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and family. In the courtroom during his arraignment earlier on Tuesday, Justice Merchan admonished Mr. Trump about his public remarks, urging him to refrain from making statements about the case with the potential to incite violence and civil unrest. In his speech, which was carried live by CNN and Fox News, Mr. Trump spent much of his time airing other perceived wrongs against him. He renewed his criticisms of the F.B.I.s search of Mar-a-Lago in August, the New York attorney generals civil investigation into him and his familys business dealings and the open case in Georgia about his meddling in the 2020 election there. MILWAUKEE Wisconsin voters on Tuesday chose to upend the political direction of their state by electing a liberal candidate to the State Supreme Court, flipping majority control from conservatives, according to The Associated Press. The result means that in the next year, the court is likely to reverse the states abortion ban and end the use of gerrymandered legislative maps drawn by Republicans. Janet Protasiewicz, a liberal Milwaukee County judge, overwhelmingly defeated Daniel Kelly, a conservative former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice who sought a return to the bench. With more than 95 percent of votes counted by Wednesday morning, Judge Protasiewicz led by 11 percentage points, a huge margin in the narrowly divided state. Our state is taking a step forward to a better and brighter future where our rights and freedoms will be protected, she told jubilant supporters at her victory party in Milwaukee. The contest, which featured over $40 million in spending, was the most expensive judicial election in American history. Early on, Democrats recognized the importance of the race for a swing seat on the top court in one of the countrys perennial political battlegrounds. Millions of dollars from out of state poured into Wisconsin to back Judge Protasiewicz, and a host of national Democratic groups rallied behind her campaign. Russias presidency of the Security Council faced its first show of resistance on Tuesday as Britain, in a rare move, blocked a United Nations webcast of an informal Council meeting this week on the forcible transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia. Britains mission to the United Nations said it had blocked the webcast because Russia had scheduled its commissioner for childrens rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, to address the meeting. She and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia are the subjects of arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court in The Hague last month, citing accusations of war crimes for the abduction and illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. She should not be afforded a U.N. platform to spread disinformation, said a statement from Britains mission to the United Nations. If she wants to give an account of her actions, she can do so in The Hague. A note outlining the meeting that was circulated by Russias mission states that its purpose is to dispel a deliberate distorted narrative by the Western news media and some countries about Russias treatment of Ukrainian children. Russia rejects the accusations of coercion and abduction, saying that it evacuated the children for their safety and protection. Russias commissioner for childrens rights, who has been accused by the International Criminal Court of the war crime of forcibly deporting Ukrainian children from areas of the country occupied by Russian forces, on Tuesday rejected that characterization of her actions as a farce and instead sought to portray her work as a humanitarian project. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February of last year, the commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova, has used her authority to transfer to Russia what Ukraine says are as many as 16,000 children. Some of the children have described a wrenching process of coercion, deception and force, with many placed in homes to become Russian citizens and subjected to re-education. In a highly symbolic step, the International Criminal Court last month accused Russias president, Vladimir V. Putin, of war crimes and issued a warrant for his arrest, citing his responsibility for the abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children. It also issued a warrant for the arrest of Ms. Lvova-Belova, the public face of the Kremlin-sponsored program. Speaking at a news conference in Moscow organized by Russias Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, Ms. Lvova-Belova sought to portray the commissions actions as humanitarian assistance that the Russian authorities in war-torn regions of Ukraine had sought, to rescue the children from the fighting. Its hard to recapture, in an exhibition, the fresh, experimental, now-feeling vibe of downtown avant-garde New York art in the early 1970s. But this four-artist show gets it. Organized by the Kitchen, one of the citys oldest alternative spaces (founded in 1971), and installed in a loft-like, window-filled gallery at Westbeth, the artists housing complex in the West Village, the show is an evocation of two Kitchen concerts presented in December 1972 and April 1973. Like much of the most interesting work of that era, the events were interdisciplinary, combining video and performance. More radically, they were shaped by what we now call identity politics. The title of the original program, Red, White, Yellow, and Black, referred to the racial and ethnic backgrounds of the collaborating artists: Shigeko Kubota (1937-2015), born in Japan; the white American Mary Lucier; the Native American Cecilia Sandoval; and the African American Charlotte Warren-Huey. Much of the work on those two occasions referred to these identities in fluid, light-touch ways, though at a time when feminism still splintered along racial lines, it was the simple fact of the artists collaboration that really broke ground. By necessity, the current exhibition has a light touch, too. Some installations have been lovingly recreated, but most of whats here is ephemera: exhibition posters, reprints of texts and letters exchanged among the four artists. The letters are wonderful, a reminder of how much art of the time was communal, social, ad hoc, proudly unmarketable. After the projects conclusion, the four participants took different directions. Kubota and Lucier continued with art careers; Sandoval became a nurse; Warren-Huey went into teaching. But at the Kitchen their brief, lucid togetherness burns bright. HOLLAND COTTER Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous nights highlights that lets you sleep and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now. Trump Makes History It is a great day to be in New York City well, unless youre one person, Jimmy Fallon joked on Tuesday night. Stephen Colbert said the day was 70 degrees and sunny with a chance of jail. Former President Donald Trumps arraignment was the talk of late night, with hosts noting he was the first U.S. president ever to be arrested and face criminal charges. With my first book, about forbidden love and freedom in Saudi Arabia, the treatment of religion brought concern to my family members scattered across the globe. Like other Eritreans, they had fled the violence of our countrys 30-year war for independence from Ethiopia. But its the raw, often unrestrained eroticism in my second book that has scandalized them now. My pen has turned into a double-edged sword. It gives meaning to my life without my family but also threatens their traditions, the remaining signposts of a home that is fading into ambiguity in exile. I understand their anger. When I began the novel, I couldnt write some characters who defied gender roles and sexual taboos. I was conditioned by the traditions and beliefs of all the societies I had lived in, including those of Europe. For a while, I put my pen aside and isolated myself with books by Tayeb Salih, Anne Desclos, Zora Neale Hurston, George Bataille, Nawal el Saadawi and Pier Paolo Pasolini, as well as other challenging works by filmmakers, erotic photographers, feminist thinkers and artists. These works were the axes I used to break my mind free. I wrote Silence Is My Mother Tongue, but it also rewrote me. On the phone, after some hesitation, my mother mentions naked people in my books. I sweat. After years of separation, even a mundane conversation is laced with difficulties, let alone a discussion of the sex scenes in my books. Under the din of fellow Africans bellowing from the surrounding booths, I concoct a lie: I cant hear you, I say. Shortly after, I hang up and go for a walk. I want to explain to her why intimacy is central to my work, why my sole purpose as a writer is to surrender to my imagination and go wherever it takes me. But I dont have the right vocabulary to say all this in the languages we speak to each other. Alternating between my broken Arabic and Tigrinya often leads to disjointed, frustrating exchanges. Now, though, our language barrier is a blessing. In the face of her embarrassment over my writing, losing my mother tongue has become a shield against potential fallout and has kept my mother close to me. There was a time when I sought to block family members on social media. But I never actually did. No matter how much I resent them for trying to provoke my mother, to enrage her so that shell restrain me, part of me finds them essential. Without their translating and sharing my work with my mother, something I never did myself, she would have remained oblivious to it. Im caught between the fear that my scandalous words will eventually lead her to stop talking to me and the joy I feel when she asks me about my writing. As uncomfortable or tenuous these exchanges may be, they make me feel seen and acknowledged by her. Before Sally Rooney was the author of best-selling books, and well before those books became buzzy television series, she was an undergraduate student at Trinity College Dublin with a growing pile of unpublished poems and no contacts in the writing world. Her first break came in 2010, when The Stinging Fly, a small Irish literary magazine, agreed to publish her work. For Colin Barrett that career turning point arrived in 2009, with the publication of his short story Lets Go Kill Ourselves in The Stinging Fly. Four years later, Barretts debut collection, Young Skins, was released via the magazines adjacent press to international acclaim. Barrett went on to win the Frank OConnor International Short Story Award and the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature. The Stinging Fly has been something of a revelation in Irish literature. Founded in Dublin in 1997 by Declan Meade and Aoife Kavanagh as a receptacle for all this great writing floating around, as Meade said, it earned government support and has reached its 25th year as a launching pad for some of the countrys most promising, and in time, some of its best known, poets and novelists. As such, it has also become prime poaching ground for editors in other countries hungry for Irish talent. Many of the most prominent Irish writers to emerge in the last 20 years were published in the magazine at an early point in their development, I think, said Sally Rooney in an email. She remains active with the organization, serving as the chair of its board of directors and even stepping in as the editor between 2017 and 2018. (Rooney bears no relation to Dan Rooney, the American executive and namesake behind the Rooney Prize.) ELKO A man accused of crashing a pickup into a patrol car has been arrested after recovering from injuries received in a wild police chase on Nov. 19. An Elko Police Department officer driving on Fifth Street shortly before 2 a.m. reported seeing a pickup swerve over the centerline and run a red light at Silver Street. As he attempted to catch up with the vehicle he estimated speeds reached 50 mph in a 25 mph zone before the driver made a U-turn and dropped off a female passenger at a casino. The driver, later identified as James D. Smith, 57, drove away and police said he nearly struck a pedestrian in a crosswalk and ran a red light at an estimated 60 mph. The officer activated his patrol lights and attempted to pull the pickup over but it crossed the Fifth Street Bridge and reached an estimated 74-80 mph in a 35 mph zone on Lamoille Highway. Other officers joined efforts to stop the pickup as it continued to travel in a manner threatening public safety. Police chased the pickup to an apartment complex at Pinion Road and Winchester Drive. Smith allegedly made multiple attempts to drive head-on into police vehicles, and did drive into one patrol car that had stopped moving. As the chase continued, Smith allegedly struck a parked vehicle and tried to ram another police car, driving through grass and striking trash cans as he evaded police efforts to stop the pickup. Police said they were about ready to give up the chase when Smith crash into a tree near the Elko Veterinary Clinic. An officer chased him down on foot and, fearing he was armed, subdued him with a baton. Smith sustained head injuries from the collision and injuries to arms and his right leg from the police baton, according to the officers report. A complaint was filed Nov. 21 charging Smith with felony eluding a peace officer endangering others, battery with a deadly weapon against a first responder, and three counts of assault with a deadly weapon against a first responder. When Smith was jailed Monday his bail was listed at $137,475. According to jail records, Smith had been arrested a week prior to the chase for felony possession of a controlled substance and driving with a revoked drivers license for DUI. He was listed as a resident of Las Vegas at the time, but Mondays booking sheet said he is a resident of Louisville, Kentucky. Diplomatic visits and tension with China Two meetings between the U.S. House speaker and the president of Taiwan and between the leaders of France and China are highlighting the Wests delicate diplomacy with China amid rising tensions. In China: President Emmanuel Macron of France traveled to Beijing to relaunch a strategic partnership between Europe and China. He also plans to urge Xi Jinping, Chinas leader, to play a major role in bringing peace to Ukraine. Macron, who will meet with Xi today, is determined to carve out a more conciliatory position toward China than the American one and to convince Xi to speak with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. If the French leader can exploit daylight between China and Russia over Russias war in Ukraine which appears unlikely given the two countries declaration of a no-limits friendship he will have achieved something that is broadly in Americas strategic interest: a faster end to the war and a weakening of the Chinese-Russian bond. UBS faces big risks as it prepares to absorb its longtime archrival, Credit Suisse, the banks chairman warned shareholders at its annual meeting on Wednesday. In his first address to UBS shareholders since the takeover of Credit Suisse was announced on March 19, Colm Kelleher, the chairman, said the $3.2 billion deal brokered at the behest of the Swiss government was the first to combine two banks designated by regulators as systemically important. It was an acknowledgment that taking over Credit Suisse, which imploded during the recent banking crisis over longstanding concerns about its history of scandals and financial losses, will present challenges. In announcing the deal, the Swiss government said it was prepared to support UBS with billions of dollars worth of financial guarantees. (That said, the deal values Credit Suisse at a fraction of where it had traded before the takeover was announced.) You cannot just put numbers together and reach a sum, Mr. Kelleher told the more than 1,100 shareholders assembled at the St. Jakobshalle arena in Basel, Switzerland. You have to understand that there is a huge amount of risk in integrating these businesses. Erick Belmer has seen how tough the car business can be. He was working at a General Motors plant in Lordstown, Ohio, when it shut down in 2019, devastating the community. Mr. Belmer, an industrial mechanic, got another job at a G.M. transmission factory in Toledo, but his commute is now 140 miles each way. His schedule gives him just a few hours with his family and a few hours of sleep. Yet far from being bitter, Mr. Belmer says he is excited. G.M. is converting his factory to produce electric motors, part of an industrial transformation that will redefine manufacturing regions and jobs around the world. G.M., Ford Motor and other carmakers announced investments of more than $50 billion in new factories in the United States last year, according to the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich. All but a small fraction of that money was to build and retool plants for electric vehicles and batteries. Neal Boenzi, a photographer who for more than 40 years at The New York Times deftly captured aspects of city life from firefighters fleeing a falling wall to a man walking a goose, died on Monday at an elder care facility in Newhall, Calif. He was 97. His daughter, Jeanette Boenzi, confirmed the death. Mr. Boenzis photographs usually accompanied breaking news coverage and longer articles. But they also included many so-called day shots: photographs he took when he was told to be creative and find pictures that brightened readers days. Theres an aspect of Weegee in his photographs, that grittiness of New York, but with a lighter touch, less macabre, Fred Ritchin, dean emeritus of the International Center of Photography, said in a phone interview, referring to the celebrated New York City tabloid photographer of the 1930s and 40s. Maybe even a New York version of the humanism that one sees in the work of French photographers such as Robert Doisneau and Cartier-Bresson. Lawyers for Dominion have indicated they want Mr. Murdoch to testify, as well as Lachlan Murdoch, Rupert Murdochs son and the chief executive of Fox. Dominion said it might also call Viet Dinh, Foxs chief legal officer, and Paul Ryan, a Fox board member, to the stand. Both parties have made these witnesses very relevant, the judge said. Dominion, which makes electronic voting technology, has accused Fox of knowingly broadcasting falsehoods about the companys software and linking it to voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Fox has denied the accusations. The trial is scheduled to begin on April 17. Foxs lawyers had argued that the elder Mr. Murdoch, 92, and the other executives should not be compelled to testify because they had already provided filmed depositions and their live appearances would add nothing other than media interest. They also said that the executives, in their roles at the parent company of Fox News, were not directly involved in any of the broadcasts. Judge Davis said he understood that it was difficult to schedule appearances by top executives. Maybe we can work on trying to put the least amount of inconvenience on them as possible, he said. In a statement on Wednesday, a Fox Corporation spokesman condemned Dominions request to call the Murdochs to the stand: Dominion clearly wants to continue generating misleading stories from their friends in the media to distract from their weak case. Demanding witnesses who had nothing to do with the challenged broadcasts is just the latest example of their political crusade in search of a financial windfall. Jalaun Ross, a computer science major at Central Connecticut State University, knew it would be difficult to land an internship at a prominent tech company this summer. He had chosen to attend an affordable local public university, not a top computing school, and he did not know anyone in the industry who could put in a good word for him with tech recruiters. Last summer, while interning at a financial services company, Mr. Ross spent several hours every evening preparing for the coding tests that tech firms use to weed out candidates. He ultimately applied to more than 200 internships, he said, but he did not receive a single offer from tech firms. College itself is a huge workload, especially for minorities and people of lower socioeconomic status, Mr. Ross said. How can people who go to average state schools compete? By presenting all of those rules at the same time to the industry, Mr. Regan said at an oil and gas conference last year, the industry gets a chance to take a look at this suite of rules all at once and say, Is it worth doubling down in investments in this current facility? Or should we look at that cost and say now its time to pivot and invest in a clean energy future? On Wednesday, Mr. Regan said the new rule would ensure historic protections for communities located near power plants. Known as fenceline communities, they are typically home to low-income people of color who suffer from elevated rates of asthma, cancer and other health effects. The Biden administration has made it a priority to address the disproportionate environmental burdens carried by such communities. The proposal drew criticism from Republicans and the coal industry. Michelle Bloodworth, president and chief executive of Americas Power, a trade group that advocates for coal-powered electricity, said the industry is concerned that the combined effect of E.P.A.s regulations will lead to premature retirements of coal plants. The industry group has argued if coal plants shutter too quickly it will hurt the reliability of the electricity grid. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Republican of West Virginia, said the Biden administration continues to wage war on coal with the regulation. Ms. Capito called the regulation unnecessary and said that it put politics over sound policy. Democrats praised the proposal and said it will lead to health improvements nationwide. The Mercury and Air Toxics Standards continue to be a remarkable, cost-effective success in reducing mercury and other toxic air pollution, Senator Tom Carper, Democrat of Delaware and chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, said in a statement. He said the new rule will help save lives. The word miffed has appeared in 22 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Feb. 2 in Nebraskans Are Sitting on Strategic Metals. Is Mining a Patriotic Duty? by Dionne Searcey: Back then local workers were hired to carry out exploratory drilling, digging up hundreds of core samples, tubes of earth, for testing. Stacks of them are stored in metal sheds on Beverly Beethes farm, where the mine would be located. Residents signed land leases with the company, which eventually bought 226 acres. Some landowners netted lucrative deals and could receive royalty payouts of as much as $10 million a year. But the deals created bad blood. Some residents who were left out were miffed. Others like Ms. Beethe question whether they got a fair deal, especially in an area where the price of farmland has recently skyrocketed. The way I got treated, I hope that they dont treat the community that way, she said. Daily Word Challenge Can you correctly use the word miffed in a sentence? Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using todays Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the words definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun. Then, read some of the other sentences students have submitted and use the Recommend button to vote for two original sentences that stand out to you. If you want a better idea of how miffed can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com. It was the Holocaust against Jewish people in World War II, she said. Now its against Ukrainian people. During the Holocaust, the Nazis killed more than one million Ukrainian Jews. Chernyavaskaya whose family escaped from Kyiv, ending up in Kazakhstan remembered the rumbling sound that woke her before dawn on the day the Nazi occupation began. The first thing we thought was an earthquake, she said. When people got up, they said it was war. Now I feel I understand what people in Ukraine feel because I went through this. Rabbi Menachem Creditor, who led the Seder, mentioned the intersecting legacies of the two wars. He is the scholar-in-residence at UJA-Federation of New York, whose Community Initiative for Holocaust Survivors provides financial help and programs for about 25,000 Holocaust survivors in New York City. The agency says that many survivors struggled with isolation and the loss of younger loved ones during the pandemic, as well as friends in their 80s and 90s. Unfortunately and unsurprisingly, we lost many survivors during the pandemic, and a lot of people who used to be able to come to events, said Stacy Chilton, the program director of the Holocaust survivor program in Manhattan for Selfhelp Community Services, a partner with UJA that began providing care for Jewish refugees in 1938. We had to go a long time without being able to connect in person. As my colleague Elizabeth Dias wrote during the pandemic, religious ritual holds power not only because it connects people in one place, in this case a large room at UJA headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, it also connects people across time. Theres something about being able to come and be in a room with other survivors and know theres a commonality, even if theyre not talking about their histories, Chilton said. Columbia Universitys plan to open a new center in Tel Aviv is drawing criticism from close to 100 faculty members who say the university should reconsider the move because of Israels human rights record and ongoing political crisis. Plans to open the center, which were announced on Monday, had been an open secret on campus, but they attracted renewed criticism after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel won re-election this fall with the help of far-right political allies. He has since pushed forward judicial reforms that have deeply divided Israel, even as he faces trial for corruption. Criticism of Columbias plan has spilled into the open in recent weeks: Ninety-five faculty members have signed an open letter against the proposal. A competing faculty letter in support of the center has drawn 172 signatures. Professors writing in opposition to the new center cited their concerns about academic freedom, complying with U.S. nondiscrimination law and the role of a university in global politics in light of Israels record. A heroin dealer who sold a fatal dose to Michael K. Williams, the actor who shot to fame with his powerful portrayal of a fearsome drug-world figure in the series The Wire, pleaded guilty to a narcotics conspiracy charge in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday. The defendant, Irvin Cartagena, known as Green Eyes, was accused of running a trafficking operation that sold fentanyl-laced heroin from a Brooklyn apartment with three co-defendants. He was arrested in Puerto Rico early last year, and originally charged with narcotics conspiracy resulting in death. Mr. Cartagena, appearing in court in a yellow prisoners jumpsuit, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge in exchange for a prison term in the range of 24 to 30 years. Judge Ronnie Abrams will announce the sentence in August; the death of Mr. Williams will be factored into the decision. I knew my actions were wrong and against the law, Mr. Cartagena told the judge, speaking through a Spanish interpreter. I am very sorry for my actions. Democracy isnt working very well these days, and artificial intelligence is scaring the daylights out of people. Some creative people are looking at those two problems and envisioning a solution: Democracy fixes A.I., and A.I. fixes democracy. This week I spoke with several people who are hard at work on various aspects of this endeavor. Among them: Audrey Tang, the minister of digital affairs for Taiwan; Divya Siddarth, a founder, with Saffron Huang, of the Collective Intelligence Project; Colin Megill, president of the board of the Computational Democracy Project; and Beth Simone Noveck, who directs the Governance Lab at Northeastern Universitys Burnes Center. Theyre exemplars of a larger movement that has its heart and head in the right place. Attitudes about A.I. are polarized, with some focusing on its promise to amplify human potential and others dwelling on what could go wrong (and what has already gone wrong). We need to find a way out of the impasse, and leaving it to the tech bros isnt the answer. Democracy giving everyone a voice on policy is clearly the way to go. Democracy can be taken hostage by partisans, though. Thats where artificial intelligence has a role to play. It can make democracy work better by surfacing ideas from everyone, not just the loudest. It can find surprising points of agreement among seeming antagonists and summarize and digest public opinion in a way thats useful to government officials. Assisting democracy is a more socially valuable function for large language models than, say, writing commercials for Spam in iambic pentameter. And the 34 felony charges, to which Mr. Trump pleaded not guilty, turned out to be more significant and more sweeping than previously suspected. The Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, described a broad conspiracy, with Mr. Trump at the center, to falsify business records for the purpose of unlawfully influencing the 2016 presidential election. The former president, he said, orchestrated a scheme with others to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit the defendants electoral prospects. Its been known for a while that the case revolved around hush-money payments that Mr. Trump made to a porn star, Stormy Daniels, to cover up an affair they had. Falsifying business records can sometimes be charged as a misdemeanor in New York State, and to bump up the charges to felonies requires proof that they were falsified to conceal another crime. That crime was widely believed to be a federal campaign finance violation, and some legal experts described that combination as an untested legal theory, because federal violations are outside Mr. Braggs jurisdiction. But it turned out that Mr. Bragg and the grand jury had more than one basis for making the charges felonies. The prosecutor argued on Tuesday that in addition to the federal campaign finance violations, Mr. Trump violated a state election law that makes it a crime to prevent any person from being elected to public office by unlawful means while acting in a conspiracy with others. Mr. Bragg is on much safer ground tying fraudulent business records to a violation of state law, because the defense cannot argue that he lacks jurisdiction on the matter though Mr. Trumps lawyers can still argue that state law doesnt apply to a federal election. And that wasnt the only state law that Mr. Bragg said he would cite. The payments to Ms. Daniels were made by Mr. Trumps lawyer Michael Cohen, who was reimbursed by Mr. Trump in a fraudulent way, the prosecution said. The charging document said this reimbursement was illegally disguised as income in a way that mischaracterized, for tax purposes, the true nature of the payments made in furtherance of the scheme. So add state tax violations to the list. The charges also revealed the breadth of Mr. Braggs case, showing he intends to persuade a jury of a conspiracy that extended from Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen to David Pecker, a former publisher of The National Enquirer, who was allegedly paid $150,000 by Mr. Trump to procure the silence of a second woman with whom Mr. Trump had an affair, the former Playboy model Karen McDougal. It was not certain until Tuesday that the relationship with Ms. McDougal would be part of the case. The felony charges are specifically about Ms. Daniels, but to prove them, Mr. Bragg made it clear that he would describe a much broader pattern of payoffs that included Ms. McDougal. Late last month I wrote exactly the kind of piece that makes every legal analyst nervous. I tried to anticipate the Manhattan grand jurys indictment of Donald Trump and to evaluate its (likely) merits. In my view then, an indictment wouldnt be frivolous, but it would be unwise mainly because it was expected to rely on a largely untested legal theory that would transform the business falsification misdemeanors Trump is accused of into felonies by tying the misdemeanors to other crimes that either hadnt been prosecuted or rest on contentious legal arguments. In other words, the case wasnt expected to be nearly as straightforward as the possible felony case in Georgia relating to Trumps effort to overturn the election result in Georgia, the possible federal felony case relating to Trumps effort to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power or the possible federal felony case relating to Trumps mishandling of classified documents and efforts to obstruct justice. Ive now read the grand jurys indictment and the statement of facts supporting the indictment, and my conclusion is unchanged. There are no real legal surprises. The theory is exactly what we anticipated that Trump falsified business records with the intent to commit another crime, and its the controversial other crime that converts the crime of falsification of business records from a misdemeanor to a felony. But the indictment is complicated, and so is the analysis, so rather than rehash an argument I made less than two weeks ago, Id like to do something different: answer the questions Ive already received about the indictment, to help explain the nature of it and the best arguments for and against District Attorney Alvin Braggs case. So, without further ado, lets answer some common questions. According to the indictment, the business record falsifications were done with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof. Though no other crime is charged, the statement of facts accompanying the indictment accuses Trump of violating election laws. Its the connection to another crime that turns falsifying business records from a misdemeanor into a felony. Observers from across the political spectrum have been skeptical of the legal theory that underlies Braggs case. As The New York Times reported in March, Combining the criminal charge with a violation of state election law would be a novel legal theory for any criminal case, let alone one against the former president, raising the possibility that a judge or appellate court could throw it out or reduce the felony charge to a misdemeanor. Trump, in other words, may still wriggle out of this predicament. As Ive argued before, if Trumps role in the hush-money payments broke the law, its a serious matter, because those payments helped him get elected, and the plot to cover them up sent his former lawyer to prison. Trump, the statement of facts says, orchestrated a scheme with others to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit the defendants electoral prospects. If this is true, its perverse to suggest that Trumps success in this scheme represented by his winning the presidency is a reason not to prosecute him. Nevertheless, for all the hype going into Tuesday, the indictment feels anticlimactic. True and accurate business records are important everywhere, to be sure, said Bragg in his news conference after the arraignment. They are all the more important in Manhattan, the financial center of the world. Trump, like everyone else, should be held accountable if he failed to keep such records. Were not owed an indictment commensurate with his depravity. Still, these are hard charges to get excited about. Indeed, whats struck me over the past two days in New York is a distinct lack of excitement. Many who detest Trump, I suspect, have lost faith in the ability of the legal system to hold him to account. And while his supporters may threaten civil war, not many of them seem willing to brave Manhattan, which theyve been told is a crime-ridden hellhole. In their first version of the article from February 2022, the Chinese authors did not mention finding any genetic material from raccoon dogs in the market swabs, which were taken from walls, floors, metal cages and carts. Beyond that, they said that the data did not point to any infected animals. But in Wednesdays version a little more than a year later, they wrote that the study confirmed the existence of raccoon dogs and other animals susceptible to the coronavirus at the market. Many scientists believe that the existing evidence points to those animals likely acting as so-called intermediate hosts for the virus, which probably originated in bats. But they also say the evidence does not completely rule out a scenario in which people gave the virus to animals at the market. The Chinese authors stressed that uncertainty in the new study. They also raised the notion that the virus could have been ferried to the Wuhan market on packages of frozen food, also known as cold chain products. Many scientists consider that scenario highly improbable, but China has promoted it because it gives credence to the idea that the pandemic could have started outside of the country and arrived via imported foods. The possibility of potential introduction of the virus to the market through infected humans, or cold chain products, cannot be ruled out yet, the article said. The study included several other unlikely findings as well, outside scientists said in interviews on Wednesday. For example, it said that the swabs contained genetic material from a number of animals that were almost certainly not present at the market, including pandas, chimpanzees and mole-rats. Alice Hughes, an associate professor at the University of Hong Kong focused on conservation biology, said that the inclusion of those animals suggested either that the authors had incorrectly categorized the genetic material or that the samples were contaminated during sequencing in a lab. Mr. Acaba did not simply call or email them with the news. This would be the first time in more than 50 years that humans would head toward the moon. You wanted to find a way to get all those individuals in the same room without them knowing what it is to make it special for them, Mr. Acaba said. He first checked when they would all be around that day at Johnson Space Center, the headquarters of NASA astronauts. Then, because the three might have become suspicious if they knew they were all being summoned to the same place at the same time, he concocted separate fake meetings for each of them. Mr. Glover was coming back from a lunch meeting. I was like, Hey boss, Im going to be a few minutes late, he said. I sent him a text message. At the same time, Ms. Koch was at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, the huge swimming pool facility where NASA astronauts simulate spacewalks underwater. It is several miles from the Johnson Space Center and she thought she could attend her meeting remotely. I opened up my computer to sign on to the virtual meeting and realized there was no link, she said. And so I texted our boss and said, Hey, can we just meet virtually? And he said, Nope. The multiverse took on new meaning on Tuesday as two entirely different realities the actual and the Trumpian were captured in two different pictures painting two different versions of the same story. On the one hand, the unprecedented image of Donald J. Trump, a former president of the United States and current presidential candidate, being perp-walked grimly into New York criminal court as his indictment was unsealed. On the other, Mr. Trump standing on a stage only hours later at Mar-a-Lago, issuing his own indictment of his prosecutors in front of multiple American flags and a rapt crowd. In both photos, Mr. Trump is wearing his signature Master of the Universe-meets-Captain America uniform: a navy suit, white shirt and bright red, too-long tie. His elaborate cream puff of hair is intact, as is his fake tan and the pugnacious set of his jaw. But only one image is likely to go down in history. From the moment the picture of Mr. Trump was taken as he entered the Manhattan courthouse on Tuesday, following uniformed officers of the law, it became a symbol: of a travesty of justice or its righteous democratic expression; of a potentially new era in American life. Emily Oberg, 29, the founder of the brand Sporty and Rich, said that Emily was always the nice girl in movies. Its not a villain name, she said. For the last four years, Ms. Oberg has been living in Los Angeles and Paris, where she said she gets Emily in Paris associations all the time. I think its cute, she said. Its a funny show. (Netflix has said that Emily Coopers name is supposed to be pronounced with a French accent so Emily and Paris rhyme; the shows creator, Darren Star, did not respond to requests for comment.) Whats in a Name? Maybe you fell in love with an Emily, and the name makes you swoon. Maybe an Emily broke your heart, and hearing the name stings. Or maybe youre an Emilia who has been called Emily your entire life by mistake now even more frequently thanks to autocorrect and youve come to resent it a bit as a result. Ask an Emily, though, and many will tell you theyve never met an Emily they didnt like, as no fewer than five interviewed for this article did. (Emily Blunt declined to comment; Ms. Ratajkowski and Emily Weiss, the founder of Glossier, did not respond to requests for comment.) Emily Oster, 43, an economist and writer whose work often focuses on parenting, said she thinks of Emily as a name for people who are going to be friendly. Youre not going to have a difficult phone call with an Emily, said Ms. Oster, who lives in Providence, R.I. She added, To be clear, I dont think this particularly overlaps in my personality. Nice, of course, can sometimes be a substitute for another word boring which is how Emily Dawn Long, 32, a fashion designer in New York, felt about her name when she was younger. Growing up, I was never like, I have a really rad name! Ms. Long said. She first met Ms. Bode Aujla, her fellow fashion designer, at a vintage clothing show when someone called out, Emily, and both women emerged from separate dressing rooms. Michael didnt like New York at all, Ms. Brown said. It was the first place he felt his Blackness when taxis wouldnt pick him up. He returned to Europe as Vanity Fairs Paris editor and as style director for Conde Nast in Britain. After Ms. Brown became the editor of The New Yorker, she hired Mr. Roberts again. Together, they created the Style & Design issue, which is published twice a year. Mr. Roberts started doing collage when he was at The New Yorker because, back then, the magazine was a home for illustration and drawings, rather than photography, he told The New York Times in 2007. Susan Morrison, the articles editor, loved walking into the office and seeing a puddle of clippings at his feet, she said. He never worked from a big sketch. He just cut. His images were droll, like the Statue of Liberty laced tightly into a corset, and his subjects were often people of color. He was ahead of his time in that regard, Ms. Morrison said. Mr. Roberts liked to assign articles to writers who didnt normally cover fashion. I remember him getting the political writer Rick Hertzberg on the copy for a Helmut Newton photo of the French model Laetitia Casta in military chic, Ms. Morrison said. Michael is the only person in that whole fashion industry who I ever met who was completely authoritative about it and saw how silly it could be, and that is what made the fashion coverage he brought to The New Yorker work, she continued. It wasnt bloviating, it was social criticism. And the tone of the coverage and the visuals were so in line with the fizzy tone that Harold Ross had in mind in the 1920s. It was a perfect match. As precise as Mr. Roberts was about his work, he was enigmatic in his personal life. He lived in Anna Wintours basement for years, Ms. Coddington said, referring to the Vogue editor. When I broke up with my husband, he was squatting on peoples sofas and asked if he could stay with me for a couple of nights. He stayed for six months. My ex-husband put a private detective on the house, and the private detective reported that I was living with this tall Black man. Michael said hed go to the divorce hearing in the most outrageous outfit. As if suffering from one of the rarest skin disorders, EB, is not painful enough, the patients in Iran are deprived of a simple soothing dressing due to the inhumane U.S. sanctions against Iran. Click here to watch the video. Trying to obtain an internship at a leading tech company or start-up can be a depressing quest for many college students, requiring a sustained, semester-long effort often with little to show for it but a slew of rejections. Now Bowie State University, a historically Black university in Bowie, Md., has created its own internship placement program. And it does not require undergraduates to jump through standard Silicon Valley hoops, such as spending countless hours studying for company coding tests or taking high-pressure technical assessments while a tech company interviewer looks on. To be honest with you, its a brutal process, said Rose Shumba, the chair of Bowie States computer science department, referring to the internship application process at many large tech firms. She described trying to buoy stressed-out students as they prepared for technical interviews that she thought did not assess their skills or professional potential. We see things very differently here at Bowie. To widen opportunities for students, the computer science department set up its own internship placement program last year in partnership with a number of companies and government agencies. The program aims to match students directly with employers seeking interns. It also holds training sessions for students on interview skills and workshops on hot topics like machine learning. Bob Lee, a tech executive and investor who was instrumental in creating the mobile payment service Cash App, was fatally stabbed on the street in San Francisco on Tuesday, according to his family. The San Francisco Police Department said it responded to a call about a stabbing in the Rincon Hill neighborhood about 2:35 a.m. on Tuesday. The police did not initially identify the victim, a 43-year-old man with apparent stab wounds, who died at a hospital. But KPIX, the local CBS affiliate, reported that friends of Mr. Lee said he was the victim, which was confirmed Wednesday morning on Facebook by his father, Rick Lee of Miami, as well as public officials. The San Francisco district attorney, Brooke Jenkins, said on Twitter that no arrests had been made in the case as of Wednesday morning. We do not tolerate these horrific acts of violence in San Francisco, she said. Alex Edelman, a comedian who grew up in an Orthodox Jewish home and turned the antisemitism of his online critics into material for his monologues, will bring his much-admired memoiristic show, Just for Us, to Broadway this summer. For the past five years, Edelman, 34, has been developing Just for Us and, with breaks forced by the pandemic, has performed it in Australia, England, Scotland and Canada, as well as in New York, Washington and, beginning next week, Boston, near where he grew up. The shows sold-out Off Broadway runs, which started at the Cherry Lane Theater in 2021 and moved last year to the SoHo Playhouse and then the Greenwich House Theater, won a special citation this year at the Obie Awards. The one-man show covers a lot of thematic territory, but it is built around Edelmans seemingly unlikely (and perhaps unwise) decision to drop in on a meeting of white nationalists gathered in Queens. The show is about the costs of sublimating parts of ourselves to fit in, Edelman said in an interview. FastHorse, a member of the Sicangu Lakota Nation, will be among the first Native American artists to have their work on Broadway. Its the kind of achievement that the theater world likes to applaud, while perhaps also cringing at the fact that it has taken this long. The plays skewering of the performative progressivism of the white theater world adds another layer. Its central characters tie themselves in knots trying to stage a play for Native American Heritage Month without actually including any Native Americans. They fret over fulfilling the requirements of a grant, sweat over gender stereotypes, debate the merits of colorblind casting and employ terminology like white allies and emotional space. To make this production even more of the moment, FastHorse added an exchange about pronoun sharing and references to the post-B.L.M. world. Even though it does openly poke fun at a lot of the folks that I work with who are more on the liberal side, FastHorse said, I was really trying to make it so everybody can kind of see each other. The plays avatar for the more conservative audience members is a newcomer named Alicia (played by DArcy Carden), a hired actress who is unfamiliar with the language of social progressivism. What distinguishes Alicia is a complete lack of concern about so-called political correctness. The others are eager to prove themselves as enlightened white allies, including the loudly vegan drama teacher (Finneran), her yoga-loving boyfriend (Scott Foley) and a know-it-all history teacher (Chris Sullivan) who likes to preface his insights with, Actually Dear Tripped Up, My husband and I had flown nine times without incident on the same route (Seattle to Houston) with the same dog (Bella, our 13-year-old Coton de Tulear) in the same carrier (soft-sided, correct dimensions) on the same airline (United). But on trip number 10, the counter agent in Seattle told us that because Bellas back touched the top and sides of the carrier when she turned around, she could not fly. A supervisor backed up the decision. We walked down the concourse to Delta, bought expensive one-way tickets, and flew the next day without incident. I was shocked that an airline can arbitrarily enforce a rule that appears nowhere on its website. Can you get to the bottom of this and help us get compensated for the premium we had to pay for a last-minute flight? Jacki, Seattle Dear Jacki, Youre not the only one to complain to me about a mysterious no touching rule that, though unwritten, seems to have gained traction in the oral tradition of airline check-in agents. Betsy of Paradise Valley, Ariz., wrote in with a very similar story on American Airlines, when her familys two Havanese were initially denied boarding because they could not stand fully erect without their head touching the top of the crate, she wrote. Though the airline eventually gave in when shown documentation that the dogs had been allowed to fly the day before, Betsy told me her family has not dared to fly with their dogs since, and instead have been driving cross-country. A glance through the airline reviews on BringFido, a pet travel site, found several more no touching incidents that resulted in a dreaded one bone review (out of a potential five). Traveling with pets has been getting harder in recent years emotional support animals are out, fewer airlines allow pets to travel in the cargo hold, and the very small dogs, cats and occasional birds and other pets that are allowed to fly in-cabin have to follow very strict rules that vary, almost maddeningly, by airline. The U.S. government, though very concerned about what dogs and cats enter the country, has taken a hands-off approach to domestic pet travel, leaving the individual airlines to set their own specific guidelines as long as the animals are in containers that fit fully under the seat in front of the passenger. CHICAGO Rufus Burns, a 73-year-old resident of Chicagos West Side, voted for Brandon Johnson for Chicago mayor on Tuesday. But it was really more of a vote against Paul Vallas. A Republican in disguise, he said of Mr. Vallas. Ever since the resurfacing of a television interview from 2009 during which Mr. Vallas called himself more of a Republican than a Democrat many Chicagoans in this overwhelmingly Democratic city have doubted whether Mr. Vallas, a former schools executive, was really the Democrat that he more recently claimed to be. Mr. Johnson, a county commissioner with more liberal policies on education, housing and policing, won the mayoral election in a close race, according to a projection by The Associated Press. At the polls on Tuesday, some voters said that as they considered the choice between Mr. Johnson, 47, and Mr. Vallas, 69, they were largely swayed by a sense that Mr. Johnson was the true progressive in the race. It was pretty obvious for me, said Annie Wang, 22, a business analyst who lives in the South Loop. Johnson is the much more progressive candidate. Vallas was closer to the Republican Party. That made all the difference. Then Mr. Johnson won. Mr. Boyle cautioned against reading too much into the outcome. Mr. Vallas may have lost because so much attention was focused on his missteps running the school systems of Chicago, Philadelphia and New Orleans and on his association with Republicans, whether they were suburban business leaders or the pro-Trump president of the local Fraternal Order of Police. With the power of the Chicago teachers union behind him, Mr. Johnson out-organized and out-hustled Mr. Vallas, who spent far more money on the campaign. This in many ways came down to Paul Vallas, Mr. Boyle said. Analysts also cautioned that Mr. Johnsons victory most likely had less to do with ideology than with Mr. Johnsons consolidating the Black vote after a divided primary and with Mr. Vallass failing to make up for that with a larger-than-expected Hispanic turnout. But liberal activists were not about to squander the triumph of a young progressive voice who exuded optimism over an older, gruffer moderate who relied heavily on the message that more crime required more police officers with fewer restrictions. Leaders of the Democratic left, including Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, endorsed Mr. Johnson, lifting him from obscurity to a second-place finish in the first round of voting. And in the end, his appeal in an overwhelmingly Democratic city overcame Mr. Vallass efforts to prove his Democratic bona fides with the endorsements of party mainstays, including Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois; Arne Duncan, a secretary of education under President Barack Obama; and former Representative Bobby L. Rush, who became an icon on the South Side as a Black Panther. Brandon is representative of todays Chicago its progressive, it leans younger, said Representative Jan Schakowsky, a Democrat whose north lakeshore district was the core of Mr. Johnsons support. This should give heart to people who want to run progressive campaigns around the country, and it should give inspiration to people who believe in diversity, who believe in individual participation in elections. SIMI VALLEY, Calif. Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday hosted a carefully choreographed series of meetings with President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan, underscoring the juggling act facing the United States as it tries to confront an increasingly aggressive China without precipitating a military crisis around the island. The gathering at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, which unfolded as China is expanding its global influence, was a political and diplomatic compromise for both sides. The meeting with Mr. McCarthy, whose position puts him second in line to the presidency, was the highest-level government reception a Taiwanese president has enjoyed on U.S. soil, but still fell short of an audience with the American president. It also was in some ways a backtrack by Mr. McCarthy, who had promised during the midterm elections that if he were elected speaker, he would travel to Taiwan to meet with Ms. Tsai in a show of defiance to China, but settled for a visit in his home state instead that was viewed as less risky by both Washington and Taipei. Mr. McCarthys predecessor, Nancy Pelosi of California, visited Ms. Tsai in Taiwan last year when she was the House speaker, defying President Bidens cautions and leaving in her wake a crisis in the region. Mr. McCarthy, a California Republican who has frequently accused Mr. Biden of being insufficiently tough on China, used the moment to reinforce his own willingness to take on Beijing, noting that he had not ruled out visiting the island at some point in the future. Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador, raised more than $11 million in the first six weeks of her presidential run, her campaign said on Wednesday, a sizable sum that easily eclipses what former President Donald J. Trump was able to raise during the same period after announcing his candidacy. Ms. Haley received 70,000 donations, from all 50 states, the vast majority of which were under $200, her campaign said in a news release that described the contributions as a sign of her broad appeal and effective fund-raising efforts. Ms. Haley was the first major Republican candidate to enter the race with Mr. Trump, who announced his third bid for the White House shortly after the midterm elections in November. He raised only $9.5 million in his first six weeks, his campaign said in February, a relatively weak showing. But the announcement of criminal charges against him in a hush-money case appears to be helping him make up for the sluggish start: He has pulled in more than $12 million since his indictment on Friday, his campaign said on Wednesday. The startling defection of a longtime Democratic lawmaker upended the balance of power in North Carolina on Wednesday, giving Republicans narrow veto-proof supermajorities in both chambers of the battleground states legislature. The Democratic lawmaker, State Representative Tricia Cotham, announced in a news conference on Wednesday morning that she was becoming a Republican, saying she had been bullied by her fellow Democrats and had grown alienated from the party on issues like school choice. The modern-day Democratic Party has become unrecognizable to me and to so many others throughout this state and this country, she said in a brief speech. She said both she and her young children had been subjected to personal attacks by Democrats in the state, and denounced what she called attempts to control her. They have pushed me out, she said. Her declaration infuriated fellow Democrats and sent shock waves through North Carolina. A reliable Democratic vote when she served in the House from 2007 to 2017, she once stood on the House floor and shared her experience of having an abortion, calling it a deeply personal decision and accusing Republican lawmakers of wanting to play doctor. Australian Governor-General David Hurley welcomed at the Noi Bai International Airport (Photo: VNA) This is the first foreign leader paying a State visit to Vietnam in 2023, and also the first national guest that President Vo Van Thuong has received in his new position. The visit is part of activities in celebration of the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam-Australia diplomatic relations. During his visit, Hurley and his entourage will lay wreaths at the Monument to Heroes and Martyrs, and President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi; attend an official welcome ceremony; hold talks with President Vo Van Thuong; and have meetings with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue. The Vietnamese President and the Governor-General will jointly visit Vietnam's peacekeeping force. Hurley and his spouse will attend events to mark the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam-Australia diplomatic ties, and educational and people-to-people exchange activities in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City; meet alumni who graduated from Australian universities; and visit educational institutions in HCM City. The visit, which is a prominent milestone in the year celebrating the Vietnam-Australia diplomatic ties, is expected to contribute to further strengthening the bilateral relations and the strategic trust between the two countries./. WASHINGTON The Justice Department has reached a $144.5 million settlement with the families of 26 people killed in a 2017 mass shooting at a church in Texas after an acrimonious legal battle in which the government claimed it was not liable for its failure to update the national firearms background check system. The associate attorney general, Vanita Gupta, who oversees the civil division, has signed off on the deal, which was negotiated with lawyers representing the families of victims and survivors who had gathered for Sunday worship at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, outside San Antonio. The settlement is among the largest of its kind, exceeding previous ones the department reached over mass shootings that stemmed from the governments failure to take steps to prevent mass shootings by sharing intelligence and other information that might have been used to stop them. In recent years, the department paid out $127.5 million to the victims of the school shooting in Parkland, Fla., in 2018, and $88 million to the families of those killed or injured in the church shooting in Charleston, S.C., in 2015. In February 2022, Judge Xavier Rodriguez of the Federal District Court in San Antonio found that Air Force officials had failed to submit crucial records that would have prevented the suspect in the Sutherland Springs shooting from obtaining from a licensed gun dealer the semiautomatic rifle that he used in the attack. Those documents included a domestic violence conviction by a military court. Just hours after he became the first former president in American history to be indicted, Donald J. Trump sat on the patio of his private club in Palm Beach, Fla., on Tuesday night and played disc jockey. Sitting with a group that included his daughter Tiffany and her husband, as well as his longest-serving adviser, Roger J. Stone Jr., Mr. Trump used an iPad to choose the music blaring over speakers: Its a Mans Mans Mans World by James Brown one of Mr. Trumps favorite performers Macho Man by the Village People and the national anthem sung by a choir of inmates arrested after storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. When the anthem played, people rose to their feet, put their hands over their hearts and sang along, according to two attendees. In the song, Mr. Trumps own voice periodically cut into the soundtrack to chant the Pledge of Allegiance, a recording experience he has boasted about as the song topped Billboards digital song chart. Mr. Trumps campaign said that by Wednesday afternoon it had raised more than $12 million in online donations since news of his indictment broke last Thursday, according to a person briefed on the numbers, which wont be available to be checked in filings for weeks. Roughly a third of those donors had never given to Mr. Trump before, two other people briefed on the data said, a statistic that suggested he might be able to gain new Republican supporters in the 2024 presidential primary race. Judge Protasiewicz defeated Daniel Kelly, a conservative former State Supreme Court justice who also lost an April 2020 election by 11 points and went on to represent the Republican National Committee in its efforts to overturn President Donald J. Trumps defeat that year. Justice Kelly, who has long been an opponent of abortion rights, did little to parry Judge Protasiewicz on the issue. He never mentioned abortion in his television advertising and, during his final rally on Monday night in Waukesha, a parade of Republican officials spoke for more than an hour without mentioning abortion. Instead, Justice Kelly and his allies focused almost entirely on crime, an issue that also fell flat in Chicago, where Mr. Johnson, a liberal candidate, defeated Paul Vallas, who had tethered his campaign to a tough-on-crime message. Asked about his relative silence on abortion, Justice Kelly said that the court does not do political decisions, adding, The question of abortion, that belongs in the Legislature to decide. That approach turned Justice Kelly into a denier of the current political reality. Supportive right-wing radio hosts complained that he had not defended the states abortion ban, and conservative donors, whom Justice Kelly was reluctant to call to ask for money, steered clear of his campaign. And not enough of Wisconsins legions of conservative grass-roots voters were energized by his campaign speeches, which delved into legal theory and lamented his severe financial disadvantage. Chinas top leader, Xi Jinping, will be asked to apply more pressure on Russia to end its war in Ukraine when he meets with President Emmanuel Macron of France this week. The evidence suggests that he is likely to disappoint. Mr. Xi has shown little desire or ability to restrain President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, whom he struck a no limits partnership with more than a year ago in a strategic embrace aimed at realigning the world order away from the United States and Europe. Mr. Putin cast doubt on Chinas influence when he said last month that he would position tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus days after issuing a statement with Mr. Xi pledging not to deploy such weapons abroad. China has staked out a difficult position on Russias war in Ukraine. Beijing has claimed neutrality, even suggesting that it could serve as a peace mediator, while deepening relations with Moscow at every turn and throwing it an economic lifeline by increasing trade. A long-rumored call between Mr. Xi and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, which would have bolstered Chinas claim of neutrality, has yet to take place. Jacinda Ardern, who shocked the world in January when she announced her surprise resignation as prime minister of New Zealand, on Wednesday bade farewell to politics in her home country. The reasons I came here, they never left me, she told lawmakers in a half-hour valedictory speech in Parliament that cited climate change, child poverty and inequality. She added: I am, after all, a conviction-based politician. And Ive always believed this to be a place where you can make a difference. I leave knowing that to be true. In a nod to the incremental approach that won her supporters across the political aisle, she said, Politics has never been a tick list for me. Its all about progress. Ms. Ardern, 42, relinquished the role of prime minister days after announcing her departure on Jan. 18 but had retained her position as the Parliament member for Mount Albert, a seat in Auckland that she has held since 2017. She will formally leave that position next week. In death, he left unanswered questions, and one remarkable legal triumph that still resonates. He was accused a Black man, American of fatally shooting a British officer in the 1854 rebellion. His fate seemed sealed. But an all-white jury set the Black man free. Mr. Joseph died a few years later with no known descendants. And a handful of Australians spent a decade fighting to honor him. Its almost laughable, right? said Donald Betts Jr., a former Kansas state senator who lives in Australia and came to the ceremony to celebrate a fellow Black American immigrant. It makes you want to cry at the same time. From America to Australia Who was John Joseph? News accounts from the time of his trial said he came from Boston, New York or maybe Baltimore. Historians believe he reached Australias goldfields after working the seas a common occurrence at the time, as mariners jumped ship to search for gold. A place called Ballarat, north of Melbourne that was the place to be. Gold had been discovered there in 1851. The world soon arrived, with around 6,000 new miners (diggers, as they came to be known) showing up in town every week at the booms peak. When Mr. Joseph set foot in Ballarat a few years later, the town was teeming with activity and tension. The easy gold found by panning was gone. The government did not allow the miners to own land on the goldfields, or to vote, so the town was a tent city of the disenfranchised, marked by noise, mine shafts and flags marking different enclaves. Mr. Berlusconi has battled a series of health problems in recent years, including a case of Covid in September 2020, which he described as an infernal disease and very ugly. At the time, he said doctors had told him that, out of the thousands of tests conducted at San Raffaele, he had come out in the top five in terms of the strength of the virus. Ten months later, he spent 24 days at the hospital because of long-term effects from the coronavirus, according to Italian news reports. Mr. Berlusconi also has had a pacemaker since 2006, has survived prostate cancer, and in 2016, had an operation to replace a faulty heart valve. He also suffered a fractured nose when an attacker struck him with a statuette of the Milan cathedral at a rally in that city in 2009. Mr. Berlusconis political career stalled in 2013, when he was stripped of his Senate seat after being convicted of tax fraud the year before. He was sentenced to four years in prison, but that was reduced to 10 months of community service, which he performed in a home for older adults near Milan. He was also banned from holding public office for six years, but he campaigned for his party, Forza Italia, in 2018, portraying himself as the nations reassuring grandfather figure. Forza Italia became the major force in Italys center-right coalition after Mr. Berlusconi ran for Parliament in 1994, and he served as prime minister for seven months, starting in 1994, then again from 2001 to 2006, and from 2008 to 2011, when Italy was swept up in the European debt crisis. In an hourlong interview ahead of a European diplomatic mission to Beijing, Chinas ambassador to the European Union said that critics had misinterpreted his countrys relationship with Russia, and suggested their ties may not be as limitless as their leaders once declared. The Chinese ambassador, Fu Cong, spoke with The New York Times before Presidents Emmanuel Macron of France and Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission travel to China on Wednesday for a three-day trip. E.U. leaders are struggling to balance their deep trade ties with China against American pressure to toughen their policies, especially in light of Chinas support for Russia since the war began. China tries to present itself as a mediator, insisting that it respects the territorial integrity of Ukraine while endorsing some of Moscows narrative about the war. Here are a few highlights of the interview: The ambassador downplayed Russia and Chinas declaration of a no limits friendship last year. Just three weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine Presidents Vladimir V. Putin and Xi Jinping signed a joint statement declaring no limits to their countries friendship. But Mr. Fu said China was not on Russias side on the war and that some people deliberately misinterpret this because theres the so-called no limit friendship or relationship. President Emmanuel Macron of France arrived in Beijing on Wednesday determined to carve out a distinct role for Europe that avoids Americas confrontation with an assertive China, and convinced that there is a place for China in ending the war in Ukraine. Battered at home by protests over his decision to raise the French retirement age, rebuffed in his repeated attempts to sway President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia from pursuing a long war, Mr. Macron has turned to China as the sole country in the world capable of changing Moscows calculus on Ukraine, in the words of one diplomatic official. Only China can have a game-changer effect, the official, who requested anonymity in line with French diplomatic practice, said. We know there will be no Chinese condemnation of Russia, but the president has worked enormously to see how, with China, we can be useful to the benefit of Ukrainians. What exactly Mr. Macron has in mind is not clear. China has never condemned Russias invasion of Ukraine. It has avoided use of the word war to describe the Russian assault. It has embraced a no-limits, anti-Western partnership with Moscow, cemented last month by President Xi Jinpings visit to Russia and the joint declaration of a new era freed of what the two countries see as American dominance. President Emmanuel Macron of France, speaking at the start of a three-day visit to China, said Wednesday that Beijing could play a major role in bringing peace to Ukraine, and made clear that he would urge the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, to get deeply involved in this effort. His aim over meetings Thursday and Friday with Mr. Xi was to relaunch a strategic and global partnership with China and so engage the country in a shared responsibility for peace and international stability, Mr. Macron said. Addressing a gathering of the French community in Beijing, Mr. Macron insisted that the differences over political systems that make Europe and China rivals should not lead to the decoupling and escalating tensions that some regard as inevitable. I do not believe, and do not want to believe, in this scenario, he said. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said last month that China could become a partner in the quest for a settlement, but Mr. Xi has not responded to his readiness to speak. Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Dinh Tien Dung (R) meets with Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to Vietnam Francisco Rodriguez on April 4. (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn) Dung hailed the recent opening of the Dominican Republic's embassy in Hanoi as a demonstration of the countries friendship and cooperation development. He gave a brief introduction of Hanoi, its achievements, and development orientations and held that the two countries capitals hold much cooperation potential. The official said he hopes during Rodriguezs term in Vietnam, the diplomat will act as a bridge helping foster relations between the two countries and the two capital cities. Expressing his honour to serve as the first ambassador of the Dominican Republic to Vietnam, Rodriguez described the opening of his countrys embassy in Hanoi as an important milestone in bilateral relations, voicing his hope that the embassy will help connect major enterprises of Vietnam with the Dominican Republic and vice versa. Trade between the two countries remains modest, about 100 million USD, but both sides have shown their determination to lift bilateral relations to a new height, he said. Informing his host about the coming visit to Vietnam by the President of the Dominican Republic, the ambassador said the visit will be a chance to promote comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam and its localities. On behalf of the President, the ambassador invited Secretary Dung and leaders of the Hanoi Peoples Committee to visit his country in the time ahead, adding that he hopes the trip will be an occasion for exploring cooperation potential between the two countries and their capitals./. President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko of Belarus arrived at the Kremlin on Wednesday, ahead of a planned meeting the following day with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir V. Putin, on the expanding military and economic ties between the two countries. Their close alliance has allowed Russia to bolster Belaruss readiness to deploy nuclear weaponry. On Tuesday, the Russian defense minister, Sergei K. Shoigu, said that Russia had delivered to Belarus an Iskander-M missile system, which is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads. In addition, Mr. Shoigu said, speaking on a conference call with leaders of the Russian armed forces, half of the assault aircraft in the Belarus armed forces now have the means to deliver nuclear weapons. Mr. Putin announced last month that he planned to station nuclear warheads in the neighboring state, and Mr. Lukashenko said he would allow it if the need arose. When Russia invaded Ukraine, Mohamed Elfatih Ahmed was 18 months from achieving his lifelong dream of becoming a doctor. Even when missiles started raining down on the Ukrainian port of Odesa, where Mr. Ahmed had come from Sudan to study medicine, he was determined to stay. I was so close to graduating, said Mr. Ahmed, who reached Odesa through years of family savings and a scholarship, and is the only one of 10 siblings to attend university. No matter what, I knew I could not go back home empty-handed. He is among 26,500 Africans who were studying in Ukraine before the full-scale Russian invasion in February of last year, according to Ukrainian government records. Thousands of students fled in the early months of the war, among them Mr. Ahmed, but unlike the millions of Ukrainian refugees alongside them, many of the students have largely had to fend for themselves. The Israeli police raided the most sensitive holy site in Jerusalem before dawn on Wednesday after Palestinians barricaded themselves inside a mosque there, setting off a brief exchange of rocket fire from Gaza and retaliatory Israeli airstrikes. The violence at the Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, led to the injuries of at least 37 Palestinians and two Israeli officers and the arrests of hundreds of Palestinians. Officials and diplomats had been warning in recent days that the overlap of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish holiday of Passover, which begins on Wednesday evening, could lead to clashes as more worshipers head to the site. Israeli raids on the mosque compound in May 2021 led to an 11-day war between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist Palestinian faction that dominates the Gaza Strip. But tensions on Wednesday did not immediately appear to be moving toward such an all-out confrontation; the rocket fire and airstrikes were contained to a few exchanges and leaders on both sides telegraphed that they were not seeking military escalation. The Manhattan district attorneys office unveiled an indictment on Tuesday charging former President Donald J. Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, a low-level felony in New York State. The charges are related to reimbursements to Mr. Trumps former fixer, Michael D. Cohen, for a hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. Mr. Trump pleaded not guilty in court on Tuesday. Along with the indictment, the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, also released a statement of facts document outlining a larger scheme that he said Mr. Trump and others had orchestrated to avoid negative press during the 2016 campaign. That scheme also included hush-money payments to a second woman who said she had an affair with Mr. Trump and to a former Trump doorman who made an unproven claim that Mr. Trump had an out-of-wedlock child, Mr. Bragg said Tuesday. The 34 Charges Against Donald J. Trump Mr. Trump is accused of disguising reimbursements to Michael Cohen as legal fees to hide a hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels. 11 counts Related to invoices from Cohen Prosecutors say Mr. Cohen submitted phony invoices for legal fees. 11 counts Related to checks Checks were written by Mr. Trump or using his funds to reimburse Mr. Cohen. 12 counts Related to ledger entries Accounting records made for the reimbursements in Mr. Trumps books. Read the Donald Trump Indictment The New York Times annotated the documents. Download the original PDF. Lydia Polgreen, Opinion columnist Theyre so busy. Just to come back to the global examples. I mean, this is a thing that Ive been sort of in the middle of because I wrote a very critical column about Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, and his kind of ever-escalating assaults on democracy. And there was a story that just came out that Rahul Gandhi, the sort of scion of the Gandhi family that represents the opposition in India, hes been charged with a trumped-up charge I forget. Its something related to insulting someone, basically, in a way that is apparently illegal in India. And he basically is gonna be thrown out of parliament for this and will be ineligible to run for prime minister, because of this. And I wrote some scathing tweets about this because this is a thing thats happening in a lot of kind of elective autocracies, where you have governments that are basically using the courts and using criminal charges to go after their opponents and disqualify them from running, also happening in Turkey. And a lot of the people in India who really support Modi, and really did not like my column or anything about me and my whole political deal, sort of came after me on Twitter and said, well, where is your column despairing about American democracy because of these charges against Trump? As if this was some kind of a gotcha. And I think that its a serious question thats worth engaging with, right? I mean, you know, theres a very different thing happening in America, and we still, I think, do have an independent judiciary. We still do have systems and standards, and we also dont jail people or disqualify them for public office, as a matter of course, based on relatively minor convictions, right? Like, its not as if Trump was convicted of a misdemeanor and then he cant run for president. Thats just not a thing. But it is interesting to think about the way in which the world is watching us and what lessons will be taken from this episode. Prominent cryptocurrency company LunarCrush recently announced plans to have the private key to a crypto wallet containing 62 Bitcoins etched onto a lunar rover bound for the moon on a SpaceX rocket. California-based social intelligence company LunarCrush has partnered with planetary mobility firm Lunar Outpost to set up the first lunar treasure hunt in human history. Two years ago, Lunar Outpost unveiled the digital concept for MAPP, a new generation moon rover, and the company apparently has plans to launch the exploration vehicle to the moon on a SpaceX rocket in the fall of 2023. This allegedly innovative lunar vehicle also doubles as a treasure chest. LunarCrush announced that it will have the private key to a crypto wallet containing 62 Bitcoin (currently worth around $1.5) etched onto the body of the rover for the first humans on the moon to find. The Bitcoin bounty, dubbed Nakamoto_1, will be unlocked by the first space traveler to reach the moon and obtain the wallets private key, which will be etched onto a Lunar Outpost MAPP rover launching into space later this year, a joint press release read. When you put out a seemingly unachievable goal, the innovation that happens can be incredible. Our goal is to inspire people to build communities that will unlock a new era of exploration, LunarCrush CEO, Joe Vezzani, said. We envision classrooms, groups, companies and even DAOs [decentralized autonomous organizations] coming together to reach the moon and split the treasure chests rewards. Its like Willy Wonkas golden ticket for the Web3 era. Lunar Outposts MAPP rover is scheduled to launch earlier this year aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and touch down near the moons south pole. Once the vehicle is on the ground, the treasure hunt is officially on, and any resourceful human is free to put together a mission to reach it and collect the secret key for the 62 Bitcoin. Obviously, for now at least, this is an impossible treasure hunt, as no man has set foot on the moon in many decades, but who knows, if the price of Bitcoin rises enough, maybe this wallet key can inspire an acceleration of a second moon landing. A Dutch man who fathered more than 550 children has been accused of threatening the well-being of the children out of his sheer desire to reproduce in all corners of the world. Jonathan M., a 41-year-old serial sperm donor from the Netherlands, is being accused of prioritizing his urge to constantly reproduce above the physical and mental well-being of his children. Dutch guidelines state that a man can only donate their sperm for up to 25 offspring or for 12 families, in order to minimize the chances of incest and to protect the mental health of the children. However, the mother of one of his many children and the Donorkind Foundation, an organization for donor children, claim that he blatantly disregarded the rules and fathered hundreds of children over the last decade or so. They are now taking legal action to prevent him from fathering any more kids. Photo: Jochen van Wylick/Unsplash If I had known he had already fathered more than a hundred children, I would never have chosen this donor, the mother who filed a complaint against the donor said. When I think about the consequences this can have for my child, I get a feeling of the gut and I become insecure about his future: how many more children are added? Going to court is the only way to protect my child. The serial sperm donor apparently started attracting attention in 2017, after it was revealed that he had fathered over 100 children. At the time, the Dutch Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology clinics instructed sperm banks and clinics all over the country to stop using his donations immediately, but that apparently did little to stop the man from fathering more children. Photo: Thomas Breher/Pixabay The Donorkind Foundation claims that Jonathan M. continued offering his sperm to prospective mothers through social media and lied about the number of children he had fathered. Recipients relied on his commitment to only conceive up to 25 children, but he allegedly betrayed their trust, fathering more than 550 children all over the world. The donor prioritized his urge to reproduce and his conduct poses a threat to the mental and physical well-being of donor children, the foundations lawyer, Mark de Hek, said. When a sperm donors genetic material is present in a large number of offspring, the risk of half-siblings accidentally becoming intimate at one point in their lives increases, but that risk apparently did little to dissuade the serial donor from reproducing. Dutch media outlets have reported that Jonathan M. currently lives in Kenya and has so far refused to comment on the allegation of having fathered over 550 children all over the world. Larry Walsh The concept of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) has received much attention over the last few years, with many companies taking public positions on the issue, and in several notable cases, being roundly criticized for doing so. At its core, ESG is an organization-wide approach to improving a companys environmental, social and governance practices as a path to earning customer loyalty, reducing costs and boosting business value. An article in the Harvard Business Review last year characterized ESG as a function of strategic risk analysis that helps companies better prepare for an evolving operating environment. Companies have come under attack from the left for not moving fast enough on ESG goals, while a growing number of conservative state and local markets are pushing back against ESG. Legislative proposals in roughly a dozen states this year would penalize companies for considering environmental, social and governance factorssuch as climate change or diversity issuesover financial returns. Executives in some states have begun to object to anti-ESG restrictions. Lawmakers in North Dakota recently defeated proposals to prohibit the state government from doing business with financial institutions that have adopted ESG goals and policies. The American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) recently opposed a South Dakota bill that would bar financial companies and insurers from using ESG standards. Others have estimated that legislation and state policies banning ESG investing end up costing taxpayers and pensioners more. Which raises the question, whats all the fuss? One answer: The controversy over ESG reporting is an outgrowth of the long-running fight over how companies areor are notdealing with global warming and the environmental impacts of their operations. And like many issues today, it has become highly political, tied up in red/blue bickering that reflects politics more than sound strategic planning. Individual companies and the broader investment community understand the many nuances of ESG, but for many it is now becoming a political litmus test. CEOs have clearly recognized the problem. In a 2022 Fortune 500 survey, only 28 percent of CEOs felt their company had an obligation to speak out on important social and political issues. That is down from 50 percent just a year earlier. Similarly, a 2022 Harris poll found brands are being damaged by political drama and that staying close to customers and communities was preferable. By most estimates, a significant portion of the Fortune 1000 have adopted or are considering some form of ESG reporting, presumably following a careful assessment of the best long-term interests of their company, its employees, customers and shareholders. So, having made the decision, how does a company prepare for the potential for criticism that may come from critics from the left or the right? As McKinsey points out, the principles behind ESG support a companys strategy and advance its business model. There are multiple external factors that influence corporationsfrom climate change and emissions, water, wastewater and the management of hazardous materials, to labor practices and the health and safety of employees, to business ethics, capital allocations and supply chain management. To produce a car, auto manufacturers have to begin to identify and source the components five to ten years before that car hits the market. They have to consider safety and emissions standards. They have to understand the consumer preferences that will determine design. Multinational corporations cannot wait to see what type of regulations will emerge; they have a fiduciary responsibility to anticipate them and work to shape their development. Here are a few guidelines for executives grappling with state ESG pressure: Identify the risks to your organization. Companies that listen regularly to their constituents have a clearer sense of their concerns and can identify local issues that could become problems. Now is the time to use research to identify the issues, people, political and economic trends via polling and focus groups. This knowledge will be critical in guiding communications strategy and targeting messaging to a companys key constituents. Ask, do we have a team in place who can address the long-term challenges this company is facing? Establish a crisis protocol that draws on experts across disciplines to help you assess risks and make decisions quickly. Build the business case for the policies youre adopting. In articulating long-term risks and what must be done to address them, corporate leaders can build knowledge and understanding of their efforts in the communities they serve. They can say what theyre doing to reduce waste, reduce unnecessary costs, prepare for future environmental regulations and adopt governance policies that ensure the business is run responsibly. They can say, We choose to provide good benefits and an inclusive workplace because we want a committed employee base, and we want to be able to recruit the best and the brightest Our policies and programs are evolving in response to events because they allow us to fulfill our obligation to stakeholders. Stay away from fads, public debates and one-off efforts that risk being out of line with your mission. The less a company is aware of its constituents needs and concerns, the more pressure it may feel to make public statements that are inconsistent with its values and goals. Go overboard to educate and persuade those who matter to your business. Many of the issues that are critical to business leaders are not of particular interest to the public. Its up to executives to define the issues in ways that are relevant to their most important audienceswhether thats customers, residents, community leaders or policymakers. If a business has 50,000 employees in 12 states, it has an impact in those communities as employees and as residents. Business leaders can articulate that impact, educate policymakers and build communities of support. An in-depth knowledge of the concerns and interests of their key constituents can guide how companies choose to engage grassroots or GrassTops advocates, the most effective media and digital outreach, and whether to build third party support or coalitions. Build local alliances before a crisis occurs. Building support is even more important in state and local communities, where the players know each other, and local opposition can be generated by prominent individuals. An early assessment of a communitys people, politics and history can help guide early outreach and drive the debate. Without this analysis, a company risks being in the weaker position of reacting to it. Knowing where political support exists for ESG-related legislationwhether from state or national influencerscan help a company identify advocates and decide whether to build grass-roots support or reach out directly to decision makers. The more a business builds local knowledge of its efforts, the more inclined that community will be to support it when its efforts are questioned. If pressed, forcefully defend your decisions, drawing on the business case you have made. Although he took flak for it, Vanguard CEO Tim Buckleys decision to withdraw from the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative put the responsibility for management decisions on the executives of the businesses in which Vanguard invests. Putting a label on any activity effectively shuts down discussion. Business leaders have an obligation to open it up and leverage local relationships to offer perspective. Even businesses in highly regulated industries can confront negative public opinion and regulatory or legislative issues that threaten their brand, market share or growth potential. Of course, no matter what course a company adopts, it may still find itself in the middle of a firestorm. Having strong relationships with state and local constituentsand a well-honed crisis planwill help give business leaders the support they need to weather any upheaval and stay focused on their long-term goals. *** Larry Walsh is vice chairman of the Hawthorn Group, and a senior consultant on crisis planning and response to Marsh, the worlds leading risk advisor. He is the author of several benchmarking studies, a former managing director at Hill and Knowlton, and worked on more than 30 races for the U.S. House and Senate, on presidential races in the U.S. and Latin America and he served as Special Assistant to the President during the Carter Administration. Alloy acquires fellow Atlanta-based firm Narwhal.Digital LLC, a creative technology agency focused on bringing digital experiences, products and ecosystems to life. Narwhal founder and partner Jennifer Ready will serve as Alloys chief creative officer and its managing partner, Vivek Paday, will be involved in the business in an advisory role. The majority of employees will be based in Alloys Atlanta headquarters. By pairing Narwhals design-thinking approach with Alloys integrated marketing methodology, well be able to architect edgy, yet elegant digital experiences and marry them with bold marketing communications, ultimately boosting clients bottom lines, said Ready. Simplicity, a Santiago, Chile-based agency with an office in Miami, is elected to partnership in PROI Worldwide. The first Chilean communications firm to achieve B-Corporation certification, Simplicity has five partners and a staff of 40 professionals who work with clients in the real estate, financial, technology, service, construction, venture capital, mining and startup sectors. Simplicity has a strong reputation of providing sound strategic counsel and delivering exceptional results for clients across a range of industries in Latin America and the U.S., said PROI Worldwide global chair Jeff Lambert. Their local and regional market expertise is a valuable new asset to our Partners around the world. D S Simon Media launches Metaverse 3.0, which offers Metaverse broadcast services specifically for the public relations industry. The divisions offerings include Metaverse press conferences, trade shows and events from within the D S Simon Media Metaverse; broadcasting live video into a clients metaverse and building a custom metaverse for clients. D S Simon Media has already provided more than 20 hours of broadcast video into multiple metaverse environments for separate events. A survey of 50 senior communications that the company recently conducted found that 45 percent are planning to complete projects in the metaverse this year. A GARDA has told a court that a Limerick teenager appeared to be in fear before he made the decision to invoke special Garda powers to remove the teenager to safety from her family home in Limerick. In evidence at Emergency Care Order (ICO) proceedings at the Family Law court in Ennis, the Garda told the court that he invoked Garda powers under Section 12 of the Childcare Act after the teenager told him that she was not safe in the house. The Garda said that he making a welfare check at the address after the girl had earlier that day made contact with TUSLA. In the case, Judge Mary Larkin has granted an Emergency Care Order to TUSLA concerning the girl after hearing evidence from the Garda witness and a social worker from TUSLA, the Child and Family Agency (CFA) The TUSLA social worker told the court that the girl had presented earlier that day as being very upset and very distraught - things at home had deteriorated and she felt that she couldnt remain there. The social worker told Judge Larkin that there was a lot of worry for her safety due to parental and sibling substance misuse and a lot of concerns about her overall care and mental health. The social worker described the girl as a very vulnerable teenager. She said that earlier this year, TUSLA received a number of referrals concerning the girl from her school. The TUSLA worker stated that while at the address, Gardai had made contact with her by phone to tell her that the girls father had made a direct threat against me. The worker stated that the father was not consenting to the ICO but that the mother was consenting. Neither parent were in court. The social worker stated that TUSLA is very worried about the threat that the father would pose if he knew where his daughter now is. She said that the father is not happy that his daughter is in our care and has stated that will do whatever it takes. She said that he wants to know where she is and have her back The social worker told Judge Larkin that she was satisfied that there is an immediate and serious risk to childs welfare that necessitates the making of the ICO. In further evidence, the garda told the court that when he called to the door of the home at 7.05pm for the welfare check, the father came to the door and was extremely aggressive and irate. The Garda told the court that when given the opportunity to speak to the teen daughter boy by herself, she appeared to be in fear and she stated that she was not safe in the house when I spoke with her. The Garda said that the teen told him I would like to leave this house. The garda said that the girls father and a brother burst in the door of the kitchen and the Garda tried to calm down the extremely aggressive father. The Garda said that he called for back-up and two other Garda units arrived at the home and the girl was taken from the home after she had packed a bag of belongings. The Garda said that later that night, he brought to the girl to her emergency foster placement. Judge Larkin adjourned the case to a family law court sitting in Limerick for Wednesday (April 5th). National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (R) and Australian Governor-General David Hurley (Photo: VNA) NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue expressed his hope that the Governor-General will continue paying attention to and promoting the countries defence and security cooperation; and supporting Vietnam in joining the UN peacekeeping force. Vietnam wishes the two sides to promote sustainable and balanced trade, with Australia facilitating the import of Vietnamese farm produce and vice versa, he noted. The top legislator also proposed Hurley promote bilateral collaboration in the field of agricultural technology and working-holiday labour, and encourage joint works between localities of the two nations. He appreciated Australia's interest in the Mekong sub-region cooperation mechanism, and Australia for supporting Vietnam's candidacy for a seat in the UN Human Rights Council in the 2023 2025 tenure, and sharing many similar views with the Southeast Asian country at regional and international forums He took the occasion to send his invitation to President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines and Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives Milton Dick to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time. For his part, Hurley emphasised the importance of people-to-people exchange and noted that the two sides have built a very solid foundation for the development of bilateral relations, especially via the strategy to strengthen their economic cooperation. He said Australia supports ASEAN's stance on the East Sea issue, the blocs centrality, and its approach to solving regional matters. He agreed that parties involved should make efforts to maintain peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea; respect national sovereignty and international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); and seriously implement the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and develop an effective and legally-binding Code of Conduct in the waters (COC) in accordance with international law. Regarding NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue's information on a number of new areas of cooperation between the Vietnamese and Australian legislative bodies to perfect the legal institutions such as those serving digital transformation, equitable energy transition, and climate change response, the Governor-General said these are important areas bringing benefits to both sides. It is necessary to pay attention to them and learn from past experiences, taking these as a solid fulcrum to fortify the bilateral cooperative relationship, he stressed. A delegation of the Australian Senate committee for regional cooperation development will visit Vietnam in the near future, said Hurley, adding that the sides will jointly find ways to promote relations and provide orientations to boost collaboration further./. Pope Francis has appointed Father Paul Connell, a priest of the Diocese of Meath, as the new Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois. The news of this Episcopal appointment was made this morning by Monsignor Julien Kabore, Charge dAffaires of the Apostolic Nunciature in Ireland, in Saint Mels Cathedral, Longford, Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois. Bishop-elect Paul Connell, a native of Mullingar, Co Westmeath, was born on 27 January 1958, the second of four children to Thomas and Philomena Connell. He began his primary education with Mrs Katherine Mullaly before attending Saint Marys CBS primary school in Mullingar. In 1970, he commenced his secondary education in Saint Finians College, Mullingar, sitting his Leaving Certificate in 1975. From Saint Finians he entered Saint Patricks College, Maynooth, where he completed his seminary training in 1982. He was awarded a BA in 1978, followed by a BD in the Pontifical University in 1981. The following year he was recipient of the Gilmartin prize in Ecclesiastical History from the Pontifical University. Bishop-elect Connell was ordained to the priesthood in the Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar, on 20 June 1982. Following ordination, he was briefly attached to Rochfortbridge parish before being appointed to the staff of Saint Finians College, completing his Higher Diploma in Education in 1983. He became Vice-President of the College in 1989 and succeeded as President and Principal in 1998. From 1992 to 1994 he completed an evening Masters in Local History in NUI Maynooth, and was awarded a doctorate in history by the university in 2002. Subsequently, Bishop-elect Connell spent a number of years lecturing part-time in Ecclesiastical History at the Milltown Institute of Theology, Dublin, and has published a number of works in the area of local history. Bishop-elect Connell remained as President and Principal of Saint Finians College until 2019. Under his direction the college became a co-educational secondary school in 2003, and its boarding school closed in 2007. In addition, he was President of the national support body for secondary schools, the Secretariat for Secondary Schools, from 2013 to 2018. In January 2019, he resigned his position as President of Saint Finians, whilst remaining as its President. This following his appointment as Executive Secretary of the Council for Education of the Irish Episcopal Conference, based in Columba Centre of Saint Patricks College, Maynooth. In 2020, he was appointed by Bishop Tom Deenihan, Bishop of Meath, as Chancellor of the Diocese of Meath. Since his appointment to Saint Finians in 1982, Father Paul has held the position of chaplain in Saint Marys Hospital, Mullingar (Cluain Lir). For many years during the summer months he has worked in the dioceses of All Saints and Saint Gabriels in the Archdiocese of Miami, USA, and more recently in the parish of Saint Gregory, San Diego. In August 2021 he was appointed as Administrator of the Parish of Multyfarnham, Co Westmeath. Speaking this morning, Bishop-elect Connell stated, "I am also deeply honoured to be appointed bishop of this historic diocese at the heart of Ireland whose Christian life is deeply rooted in the tradition of Saint Ciaran and Saint Mel. And at its centre, this beautiful Cathedral, risen from the ashes, a true expression of the resilience, faith and loyalty of the people of this diocese. A diocese blessed with a most varied and beautiful landscape. I look forward to visiting and getting to know all its parish communities. Of course, I too have strong roots in this diocese. All my mothers people, Bigleys, Browns, Butlers, Dunnings, Feeneys, and Gleesons come from the Cornamaddy area of Athlone, Athlone town and Hodson Bay in the Elphin diocese. I have many very happy childhood memories of visits to Athlone and Cornamaddy. "As a Church we live in interesting times, facing many challenges. Our society is in danger of losing the sense of the sacred, above all the truth that we come from God and will some day return to God. As we look around we see difficulties for the Church on all sides. The temptation to despair is great but we must rather take courage, place our trust in the Lord and move together along the synodal path that we are at present exploring. Only in this way can we fulfil our mission to preserve the faith and hand it on to future generations. "It has been a unique privilege for me to have spent a great part of my ministry working with young people. It gives me great delight to see young people here this morning. In the words of Pope Francis, to follow Christ is to love, care and respect each other but also to love, care and respect the world around us, to protect our common home. It is a message that clearly resonates with young people. "I am very grateful to Archbishop Francis Duffy and Bishop Colm OReilly for their presence here this morning. I hope and trust that I can adequately follow in their footsteps, as I know that their service to this diocese is remembered here with great fondness and gratitude. I am equally grateful to Bishop Tom Deenihan and Bishop Michael Smith for their presence. I deeply appreciate Bishop Toms friendship and support. I have enjoyed greatly working with him over the last five years and certainly have gained some insight from him into the task ahead. In particular his dedication and commitment to Catholic education is remarkable." Valuable land, including 2,000 hectares, or just under 5,000 acres in Tipperary, has been rendered useless because of Ash Dieback, according to Tipperary TD Michael Lowry. I have raised the issue of Ash Dieback on numerous occasions in the past. This perilous disease hit Ireland in 2012 and now 80% of our 123-million ash trees are dead or dying Deputy Michael Lowry told the Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue, during Priority Question in the Dail. Valuable land, including 2,000ha in Tipperary, has been rendered useless. Plant and animals have been wiped out and livelihoods have been seriously eroded. Common sense dictates that the lands should be cleared. It is a logical and sensible move that more than 6,000 landowners across the country should be compensated for this calamity and permitted to clear and reuse their land and return it to productive use. "Grant aid is available, but so is the requirement to obtain a Felling Licence. These licences are not available as Ireland currently has no Forestry Scheme in place. Landowners are angry and frustrated. Their hands are tied and their pleas are unheard. Reality must prevail on this matter. These trees are have decayed. Landowners must be legally permitted to fell them, Deputy Lowry said. The Minister for Agriculture, Deputy McConalogue, responded that there is an Interim Reconstitution Scheme which has improved terms and conditions and improved supports from the outgoing scheme. The White House has confirmed the visit of US President Joe Biden to Ireland next week. In a statement, The White House said: "President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland from April 11-14. "President Biden will first travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland from April 11-12 to mark the tremendous progress since the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago and to underscore the readiness of the United States to support Northern Irelands vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities. "The President will then travel to Ireland from April 12-14. He will discuss our close cooperation on the full range of shared global challenges. He will also hold various engagements, including in Dublin, County Louth, and County Mayo, where he will deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people. "Additional information about the trip will be forthcoming." The President can trace his ancestry to Irelands west and east coasts, specifically Ballina in Co Mayo and the Cooley Peninsula in Co Louth. His great-great-grandfather Owen Finnegan emigrated to the United States from the Cooley peninsula, while another great-great-grandfather, Patrick Blewitt, was born in Ballina, leaving during the Irish famine in 1850 to sail to America. Distant relatives celebrated his election win in November 2020 back in Ireland and gathered again in January 2021 to mark his inauguration. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh arrives in Laos for 4th MRC Summit. (Photo: VNA) His attendance is made at the invitation of Lao PM Sonexay Siphandone. PM Pham Minh Chinh is scheduled to deliver an important speech at the summits plenary session. Besides, he will hold bilateral and multilateral meetings with officials from MRC member states. The summit, themed 'Innovation and Cooperation for a Water Secure and Sustainable Mekong, will be attended by the Prime Ministers of the MRC member countries Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, and representatives of the MRCs dialogue partners China and Myanmar, its 12 development partners, and international organisations within and outside the Mekong region. PM Pham Minh Chinhs attendance at the summit demonstrates Vietnams political commitment and role to the MRCs activities. The country has actively participated in MRCs activities at all levels and forums across all fields./. OPINION: Pakistan in constitutional crisis Feature lekhaka-R C Ganjoo At a time when Pakistan is facing economic, social and political disaster, a new challenge of constitutional crisis has popped up. A three-member Supreme Court Bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justices Munib Akhtar and Ijazul Ahsan, in its order on April 4, declared the 22.03.2023 decision of Pakistan's Election Commission (ECP) to postpone the polls to Punjab Assembly till October 8 as "unconstitutional" and fixed May 14 as the date for the provincial polls. This shows judicial activism has appeared once again in Pakistan. It was during the tenure of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry (2005-13) that judicial activism reached its zenith. In 2007, the military-backed government of Gen. Pervez Musharraf removed Chaudhry from his office. In the end, the Supreme Court ruled that his dismissal was unconstitutional. This judgment was perceived as a triumph for judicial activism and a setback for military rule. Gilgit-Baltistan govt's open challenge to Shahbaz govt in Pakistan The recent direction to ECP was on the PTI's petition, moved by its secretary-general Asad Umar, former Punjab Assembly Speaker Mohammad Sibtain Khan, former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani and ex-lawmakers of Punjab Abdul Rehman and Mian Mahmoodur Rashid. They had pleaded that the ECP's decision was a violation of the Constitution that was tantamount to amending and subverting it. The recent categorical direction of the Supreme Court to the Election Commission has obviously pinched Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif heading the coalition government of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). Sharif has been expecting more political crises ahead. He has not forgotten that it was due to judicial activism that his elder brother and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was removed from his position on charges of corruption by the Supreme Court in 2017. Reacting to the Supreme Court verdict on the election to Punjab, the PDM apprehends the further aggravation of the political crisis. Law Minister Azam Nazir Tartar has lamented the ruling and said the SC should have made a decision with "collective wisdom". "The full court should have heard the case," he opined. In fact, the verdict has now put mainly PML-N and rival political party PTI on a new battlefield. PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif from London has been blaming the apex court for all of the country's troubles post-2017 while PTI chief Imran Khan has been accusing his rival party of "threatening" the Supreme Court. The unending provocative statements from both political parties have pushed their supporters to 'come out' and 'take a stand' in their favour, to watch clashes on the streets. Army, the real ruler of Pakistan If Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is to be believed, he has dropped a brick of imposition of martial law or an emergency-like situation. Bilawal demanded a larger Bench to settle the election issue in the light of the judgment of a three-member Bench headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan. However, he maintained that the decision of all the judges would be acceptable to the coalition government. No political party has any credible plan to rescue the economy. Now that all roads are blocked, formulating one is impossible. This did not happen suddenly. Those at the top were forewarned years earlier of impending collapse but chose to look the other way. (R C Ganjoo is a senior journalist and columnist having more than 30 years experience of covering issues concerning national security, particularly Kashmir. He has worked with several prominent media groups and his articles have been published in many national and international publications.) Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of OneIndia and OneIndia does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same. 60 years later, Nagaland gets its first two women MLAs in NDPP's Hekani Jakhalu, Salhoutuonuo Kruse 23-year-old woman returns from Canada to marry boyfriend, he murders, buries her in Sonipat India oi-Madhuri Adnal A horrific murder was reported in Haryana's Gumad Village where a 23-year-old woman who had gone to Canada last year to pursue higher studies was allegedly murdered and buried in a field in Sonipat by her lover in June 2022. The Crime Investigation Agency of Bhiwani, which is investigating the case, found her skeletal remains on Tuesday along the Garhi Jhanjhara road in Ganaur. The accused, who allegedly shot the women dead, was arrested from Uttar Pradesh on April 2. CIA-II Bhiwani in-charge Ravindra Kumar told news agency PTI over the phone accused Sunil was already married to another woman when he got involved with the victim. He also had two kids with the other woman. Sunil and Monica got married at a Ghaziabad temple in May last year when the woman returned from Canada, the officer said, adding she had gone to Canada on a student visa in January 2022 after clearing the IELTS exam. ''During our investigations, it came to the fore that between January 2022 and May 2022, the woman made a couple of trips to India,'' he added. Police said Sunil murdered Monica in June 2022 and buried her body in a 10-foot-deep ditch in the fields of a farmhouse on June 29. Kumar said the woman's family was unaware of her return to the country. They had last year lodged a missing persons complaint after failing to contact with her. ''Their marriage was also registered before a court, where the accused concealed the fact that he was already married,'' he said. Kumar said as the woman was a neighbour of the accused in Gumad village in Sonipat, where she was living with her aunt, she was aware of the man's marital status. Shraddha Walkar murder accused Aftab beaten up by other jail inmates On why Sunil killed her, the police officer said, ''Sunil did not enjoy a good marital relation with his wife and wanted to settle abroad. He had thought if Monica gets Permanent Residency (PR) in Canada, he too could move there... However, when he felt his plan was not materialising, he murdered Monica.'' He said preliminary investigations revealed that the farmhouse belongs to the accused, but it was being verified. The police officer said the skeletal remains have been sent for post-mortem examination to Sonipat Civil Hospital, while procedure for conducting a DNA test was also underway. A murder case has been registered against the accused. He has also been booked under other charges, including concealing before a court that he was already married, he said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, April 6, 2023, 0:46 [IST] None can encroach: Shahs message to China in Arunachal Objecting to such visit will not change reality: India to China on Shah's visit to Arunachal India strongly presses for disengagement at DB during talks with China China now claims 'sovereignty' over 'renamed' places India oi-Prakash KL China has claimed its 'sovereignty' over Arunachal Pradesh after India outrightly rejected Beijing's attempt to rename places in the state on Tuesday. "Zangnan (Arunachal Pradesh) is part of China's territory. In accordance with relevant stipulations of the administration of geographical names of the State Council, competent authorities of the Chinese government have standardised the names of some parts of Zangnan. This is within China's sovereign rights," China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in a regular press conference. India's reaction came in response to Beijing announcing Chinese names for 11 more places in Arunachal Pradesh which the neighbouring country claims as southern part Tibet. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India outrightly rejected China's renaming of the places in Arunachal Pradesh. "We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has made such an attempt. We reject this outright," Bagchi said. "Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Attempts to assign invented names will not alter this reality," he said. It was the third batch of standardised geographical names for Arunachal Pradesh issued by China's civil affairs ministry. The first batch of the standardised names of six places in Arunachal Pradesh was released in 2017 while the second batch of 15 places was issued in 2021. The official names of the 11 places were released on Sunday by China's ministry of civil affairs. It also gave precise coordinates, including two land areas, two residential areas, five mountain peaks and two rivers and listed the category of places' names and their subordinate administrative districts, state-run Global Times reported on Monday. China's renaming of the places in Arunachal Pradesh came in the midst of the lingering eastern Ladakh border standoff that began in May 2020. The Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a nearly three-year-long confrontation in certain friction points in eastern Ladakh even as the two sides completed disengagement of troops from several areas following extensive diplomatic and military talks. With inputs from agencies Mumbai: Air India passenger booked for unruly behaviour on flight refuses to pay bail amount, opts for jail Full emergency at Delhi airport as AI flight lands with crack in windshield Woman friend let into cockpit by Air India pilot says crew in complaint Air India to sell Mumbai's iconic office to Maharashtra govt for Rs 1,600 crore India oi-Deepika S The Maharashtra government is set to become the new owner of the iconic Air India building at Nariman Point, Mumbai, following the state government's fresh offer of Rs 1,600 crore to acquire the property. A senior minister confirmed the deal, saying that AI Assets Holding Ltd which owns the building has in principle agreed to give the building to the state government. However, he clarified the Maharashtra government will complete the deal if the Centre vacates all offices and hands over 100 per cent possession. Debt-ridden Air India had floated tenders for the sale of the 23-storey building, which stands on state government land, in 2018, but it failed to evoke a good response. Back in 2018, Air India had approached the then state government and sought its participation in the tender. "We did not participate in the tender process but the government wrote to Air India quoting a price of Rs 1,450 crore for the purchase. The actual price would have been around Rs 1,100 crore to Rs 1,200 crore since the government's dues from Air India are around Rs 300 crore," an official told PTI. The Air India building is a landmark on Mumbai's skyline with the airline's trademark Centaur icon on its top. The building served as the corporate headquarters of Air India till 2013. In February 2013, Air India officially vacated the building as part of its asset-monetisation plan and shifted its corporate office to New Delhi. The Air India building was one of the several high rises, including Express Towers and the Oberoi Sheraton that came up at Nariman Point, a 64-acre reclamation from the sea which was initiated as a project to ease the housing crisis in Mumbai but was later auctioned off in plots to various companies. with PTI inputs For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, April 5, 2023, 18:02 [IST] SC orders release of UP Secys taken into custody in contempt case SC must let legislature decide on same sex marriage, says lawyers' bodies SC slams Centre on sealed cover, cancels news channel ban order India oi-Vicky Nanjappa The Supreme Court has cancelled the Centre's ban on Malayalam news channel MediaOne. The court said, " can't make national security claims out of thin air." The SC was hearing an appeal filed by the news channel against the order of the Kerala High Court, which had upheld the ban imposed by the Centre. A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India, D Y Chandrachud and Justice Hina Kohli rejected the argument of the Centre that some the channel's broadcasts affected national security. "Some of the reports cited by IB are that minorities favoring reports were telecast, there was critique of UAPA, NRC, CAA and criticism of judiciary and executive... such reports are just inference of what is available in the public domain. There was nothing to show terrorist links," the Bench said. SC refuses to stay conviction of SP leader Abdullah Azam Khan in criminal case Claims of national security cannot be made in thin air, the Bench said. "We hold national security claims cannot be made on the basis of thin air. It is seen that none of the material is against national security or threatens public order," the judgment read. The court refused to accept the state of the Centre that it can only reveal reasons for the ban in a sealed cover. "The sealed cover procedure adopted has rendered the rights of the petitioner as a dry parchment and the procedural guarantees to the petitioners have been rendered otiose. Sealed cover has curbed the right to fair and reasonable proceedings leaving appellants in the dark to fight out the case," the Bench also said. Recommended Video Supreme Court lifts telecast ban on Media One Malayalam TV channel, slams Centre | Oneindia News It is the duty of the press to speak the truth to power and views critical of the media cannot be termed as anti-establishment. Hate speeches will end when politicians stop using religion: SC "To conclude that MBL has an anti-establishment stand IB has relied on programs and remarks on NRC, CAA, UAPA and judiciary's verdicts. Independent press is crucial for responsible functioning of the society. press has the duty to speak truth to power. Critical views of media one cannot be termed anti establishment and use of this term means that press must support the establishment," the Court also said. On January 21 2022, MediaOne channel was taken off air following which it the Kerala High Court was moved. The High Court upheld the decision of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to revoke the channel's licence. Paramilitary forces in 3 Bengal districts on Hanuman Jayanti India oi-Madhuri Adnal The Union Home Ministry on Wednesday said central forces have been deployed in West Bengal to assist the state police in maintaining law and order during Hanuman Jayanti. Hanuman Jayanti festival will be celebrated across the country on April 6. Paramilitary forces will be deployed in three districts of Hooghly, Barrackpore and Kolkata. The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to requisition central forces for assisting the state police in maintaining peace during Hanuman Jayanti celebrations. Bengal violence: 'Baam' and 'Ram' joined hands against us, says Mamata he court also ordered the Centre to make swift deployment on the receipt of requisition from the state. Violent clashes were witnessed in Hooghly and Howrah districts during Ram Navami celebrations recently. The violence that took place on Ram Navami had turned into a slugfest between the Bengal government headed by the Trinamool Congress and opposition BJP. Both parties have traded barbs at each other since violent clashes and incidents of vandalism had been reported. Mamata appeals for peace on Hanuman Jayanti West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged people to celebrate the Hanuman Jayanti festival peacefully, and said while religion is a personal choice, festivities were an occasion for all to join in. Her appeal comes on the eve of the festival dedicated to Lord Hanuman and within days of the state witnessing a series of violent clashes and vandalism in the industrial districts of Howrah and Hooghly during processions celebrating Ram Navami. ''Tomorrow is Hanuman Jayanti. I will urge everybody to celebrate it peacefully. There will be no problem if peace is observed. Bengal is the land of peace,'' Banerjee told reporters after inaugurating a new building for the Press Club in this sea resort town in Purba Medinipur district. Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, is on a four-day trip to the district. "I say religion is a personal choice, while festivities are for everyone. We must see that we celebrate festivals together peacefully. We all must pray for peace irrespective of our religious identity. Let peace prevail around the world, in India and Bengal,'' she said. Addressing a programme at Khejuri in the district on Monday, the chief minister had directed the police to be alert as she was apprehensive of violence during the Hanuman Jayanti celebrations. How pan-India manhunt helped nab key suspect in Kerala train fire case India oi-Vicky Nanjappa It was a pan-India manhunt that finally led to the arrest of Sharukh Saifi, the prime suspect in the Kerala train fire case. The Kerala police had sounded a nation-wide alert for clues on Saifi. The police officials of many states took part in the operation and finally, he was tracked down to the Ratnagiri railway station of Maharashtra on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday. The agencies were alerted about his exact location, following which he was nabbed. After setting the train on fire, he had jumped off it due to which he had suffered head injuries. He was being treated at a civil hospital in Ratnagiri, but he fled due to the fear of being caught. His location was tracked using his mobile phone. He will be shifted to Kerala for further questioning in the case. Kerala train fire probe is now a pan-India operation Saifi is currently in the custody of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and his interrogation is yet to begin. He would be first questioned by the Kerala police, a team of which is set to reach Maharashtra. He would also be questioned by the National Investigation Agency and the RPF officials. Three persons had died after Saifi is alleged to have set a train in Kerala on fire. The agencies are looking into the terror angle to the attack. The autopsy of the three persons revealed that they had not died of burn injuries. The report said that the three persons sustained injuries and died after they jumped off the train to avoid getting burnt. Recommended Video Kozhikode Train Fire suspect arrested in Maharashtra, police reach his Delhi home | Oneindia News A source tells OneIndia prima facie it appears to be an act of terror. He is said to have claimed that he was told to set the train on fire, but the reasons behind it have not been revealed as yet. The source however added that the details of the case are currently sketchy. The agencies are yet to find out what the motive behind the incident was. It is also yet to be seen if he had acted alone or was working at the behest of someone. A personal angle into the entire incident also cannot be ruled out in the case, the source also said. Kerala train fire case accused arrested in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri Three persons, including a two year old child and a woman, were found dead on the tracks on near the Elathur railway station, hours after a man poured petrol on the passengers and set them on fire onboard the Allappuzha-Kannur Executive Express train on Sunday. The incident took place at 9.45 pm on Sunday when the train reached the Korapuzha railway bridge here after crossing Kozhikode city. 436 cases of XBB1.16.1 mutated sub-variant detected in India so far Active Covid cases up 433% in Delhi since March 30: Official data Current COVID strain mild, SII has produced five to six million Covovax doses: Adar Poonawalla India surpasses 4K mark, logs 4,435 fresh Covid-19 cases India oi-Deepika S India on Wednesday logged 4,435 fresh coronavirus cases, the biggest single-day jump in 163 days, according to Union health ministry data. With the fresh cases, India's covid-19 tally climbed to 4.47 crore (4,47,33,719). The death toll increased to 5,30,916 with 15 deaths, the data updated at 8am stated. A total of 4,777 cases were recorded on September 25 last year. Four deaths were reported from Maharashtra; one death each was reported from Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Puducherry and Rajasthan; and four were reconciled by Kerala. Amid rise in Coronavirus cases, Centre issues revised guidelines for Covid management At 23,091, the active cases now comprise 0.05 per cent of the total infections. The national covid-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.76 per cent, according to the health ministry website. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 3.38 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 2.79 per cent. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,41,79,712, while the case fatality rate stood at 1.19 per cent. The Covid-19 cases in India have seen an upward trend in the past few days with the daily fresh infections ranging between 2,994 on April 1 to 3,824 on April 2 and 3,641 on April 3 now dropped to 3038 in the last 24 hours. Recommended Video Covid19: India sees the biggest jump in Covid cases, records over 4400 cases in a day| Oneindia News The Health Ministry has cautioned about a rise in weekly Covid-19 infections in six states in southern and western India, calling for enhanced surveillance, viral genome sequencing and efforts to detect and control any localised outbreaks. With 711 new infections, Maharashtra sees 186% rise in daily covid cases The ministry, citing the rising counts, has asked Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu to monitor new and emerging clusters of Covid-19 cases and take pre-emptive action in any areas of concern to control the spread of infection. Scientists suspect the observed rise in infections is likely driven by a new coronavirus variant called XBB.1.16 identified in India earlier this month. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, April 5, 2023, 10:51 [IST] Kerala train fire probe is now a pan-India operation India oi-Vicky Nanjappa More details are set to emerge with the main accused in the Kerala train fire incident being arrested in Maharashtra. Although no terror angle has been made out as yet, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) have been looking for more clues. The NIA and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) too have joined the probe. A team of the RPF visited the spot and took stock of the situation. Both the RPF and NIA teams conducted searches at the spot in a bid to look for further clues. Three officials from the NIA offices in Kochi and Bengaluru and inspected the compartments of the trains that were set ablaze. The forensic team of the agency also inspected the D1 and D2 compartments. The NIA has been examining if there is any terror link to the incident. Kerala train fire case accused arrested in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri However the NIA can officially take over the probe only once the Union Home Ministry orders it to do so. Earlier the Kerala Anti-Terrorism Squad had reached Delhi to gather more information about the prime suspect, Sharukh Saifi. His address in Noida was also scanned. The address was zeroed in after the police found document that were found in a bag that was abandoned by him on the railway track. The probe is at a very initial stage, an officer told OneIndia. The probe team is still analysing his family background and whether the suspect had any past criminal antecedents attached to him. Saifi is suspected to be responsible for the arson boar the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express in Kozhikode on Sunday night. Three persons had died in the incident and the autopsy confirmed that they had died not due to burn injuries, but injuries sustained after they jumped off the train to avoid being burnt. Recommended Video Kozhikode Train Fire suspect arrested in Maharashtra, police reach his Delhi home | Oneindia News The terror angle too is not being ruled out and a team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) too is looking into the incident. Why do terror groups target trains? NIA, Kerala cops dig deeper into it According to ADGP Law and Order, M R Ajit Kumar, a team of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) held a meeting and teams were formed and special tasks were handed out. He told the media that this was the first meeting of the SIT. "We have assigned tasks for the members and the course of the probe has been charted. The probe team received information about the culprit and the verification is on," he said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, April 5, 2023, 10:29 [IST] Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (R) and visiting Australian Governor-General David Hurley (Photo: VNA) The Party chief called the Australian Governor-Generals State visit, which takes place on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (1973-2023), an important event to further boost the strategic partnership between the two countries in the time ahead. He also highly valued positive, multi-faceted developments in cooperation between Vietnam and Australia over the past time, especially in trade and people-to-people exchange. He said results of the implementation of the Vietnam-Australia strategic partnership creates a foundation for the two sides to look towards higher milestones, including the upgrade of the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership. The leader suggested the Governor-General create more favourable conditions for the over 300,000-strong Vietnamese community in Australia to promote their role as a friendship bridge between the two countries. Vietnam has pursued a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace and cooperation, he emphasised, suggesting the two sides enhance their political ties and high-level delegation exchanges, effectively implement the signed agreements, promote people-to-people exchanges, and strengthen coordination in international issues. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong noted his hope that agencies of the two countries will put forth specific programmes and plans to continue deepening the cooperation substantively and effectively. For his part, Hurley said that during talks and meetings between him and Vietnamese leaders, the two sides have discussed orientations and specific measures to promote bilateral relations and cooperation in agriculture, industry and mining, and agreed to expand the partnership in green economy, digital economy and climate change response. Such orientations and measures match Australias wish and capacity, with the aim of diversifying its international economic relations, he emphasised. Hurley expressed his good impressions of the land, people and traditions of Vietnam, and highly valued the countrys achievements. Stressing the firm foundation of the bilateral ties, the Australian leader said he hopes that the two countries will continue with their coordination in building a region of peace, stability, prosperity and self-resilience, with respect for international law and sovereignty of countries, while looking towards building a new framework for the relations. He also praised contributions and position of the Vietnamese community in Australia to development and prosperity of the host country, as well as to the Australia-Vietnam ties. Both host and guest shared the view that on the basis of the success of the visit and activities marking the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic ties, the building of a new cooperation framework will contribute to peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world./. NCERT row: Texts on Gandhi missing from CBSE Class 12 books India oi-Madhuri Adnal Amid controversy over certain content related to Mahatma Gandhi's assassination being dropped from its textbooks without any notification, NCERT chief Dinesh Saklani on Wednesday said it could have been an 'oversight' that some deletions were not announced in its rationalisation exercise last year. Reiterating all necessary procedures were followed during the rationalisation that saw several crucial chapters getting truncated, Saklani said it should not be 'blown out of proportion' and all changes which have been carried out in the new textbooks will be notified in a day or two. His comments come after the new NCERT textbooks hit the market and it was found that more contents than the ones notified in the curriculum rationalisation booklet last year are missing. 'Gandhiji's death had magical effect on communal situation in the country', 'Gandhi's pursuit of Hindu-Muslim unity provoked Hindu extremists' and 'Organisations like RSS were banned for some time' are among the texts missing from the class 12 political science textbook for the new academic session. ''Subject expert panel had recommended dropping certain texts on Gandhi. It was accepted last year only. It was not mentioned in the list of rationalised content may be due to oversight. It should not be blown out of proportion,'' Saklani told PTI. 'Nothing can be omitted overnight, there are proper procedures and professional ethics have to be followed. There is nothing intentional behind it,' he added. Saklani claimed that no curriculum trimming has taken place this year and the syllabus was rationalised in June last year. Asked whether there are more such contents for other subjects and classes which have been dropped and were not announced during rationalisation, the NCERT hief said,'we are looking into it'. ''If more such contents are found, which were missed due to oversight we will notify them shortly... mostly in a day or two,'' he said. As part of its "syllabus rationalisation" exercise last year, the NCERT, citing "overlapping" and "irrelevant" as reasons, dropped certain portions from the course including lessons on Gujarat riots, Mughal courts, Emergency, Cold War, Naxalite movement, among others from its textbooks. The rationalisation note had no mention of excerpts about Gandhi. It's a lie...: NCERT chief on modifying Class 12 history books The Congress hit out at the government over the issue calling it "whitewashing with a vengeance". A note by NCERT on its website reads, "In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was felt imperative to reduce content load on students. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 also emphasises reducing the content load and providing opportunities for experiential learning with creative mindset. In this background, the NCERT had undertaken the exercise to rationalise the textbooks across all classes and all subjects." "The present edition is a reformatted version after carrying out the changes. The present textbooks are rationalised textbooks. These were rationalised for the session 2022-23 and will continue in 2023-24," it adds. Never thought BJP govt will give me Padma award, says Muslim artist India pti-PTI Veteran Bidri craft artist from Karnataka Shah Rasheed Ahmed Quadri, who received Padma Shri from President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday, told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he was wrong in believing that the BJP government would not honour him with the prestigious civilian award. After the ceremony to confer the Padma award was over at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the prime minister along with Union Home Minister Amit Shah interacted with the awardees. Padma awards 2023: Honours for Mulayam Singh Yadav, Raveena Tandon among others When Modi wished Quadri and shook hands, he told the prime minister: "I was expecting a Padma award during the UPA government, but I did not get it. When your government came, I thought now the BJP government will not give me any award. But you have proved me wrong. I expressed my sincere gratitude to you". The prime minister reciprocated Quadri with namaste and a smile. The home minister also witnessed the interaction with a smile. Suspense over as Mukul Roy says, I want to be in BJP No personal attacks, stay clear of religion: Cong mantra for Karnataka India oi-Vicky Nanjappa In poll bound Karnataka, the Congress has told its leaders to abstain from personal attacks and focus on issues such as price rise and the failure of the Centre. During the meeting held last week, the Congress informally advised its leaders to refrain from personal attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as it could be blown out of proportion. While sending out the message the Congress had taken the example of how the comments made by party chief, Mallikarjua Kharge during the Gujarat elections were allegedly twisted by the BJP. Karnataka Election: Fake list of BJP candidates goes viral on social media The message is to focus on the failures of the BJP-led union government, price rise and corruption. The Congress ahead of the dates being announced said that if voted to power, it would provide 200 units of free electricity, Rs 2,000 a month to women who head the family, Rs 3,000 a month to unemployed graduates and 10kg of rice for each member of the BPL families. The instruction according to reports was given out after the Congress released its first list of 124 candidates for the Karnataka Assembly elections. Ramalinga Reddy, who is the working president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) said that the party during its campaign would highlight the failures of the Central and state governments. "We will highlight the 40 per cent commission charge, price rise and unemployment," Reddy said. In 5 days, freebie material, cash worth Rs 47.43 cr seized in Karnataka He however added that there was no decision on steering clear on attacks on the PM. The Congress strategy is clear and that is not to let the BJP any leverage to its advantage. The party does not want to indulge in religious issues also during his campaign. It has also stayed clear of the hijab and halal issues, while also not commenting on Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda who are by some believed to have killed Tipu Sultan. The Congress also did not oppose the decision by the Bommai cabinet to scrap the 4 per cent OBC reservation to Muslims. Owaisi fielding 25 candidates a reason to worry for Cong India oi-Prakash KL Prominent Muslim leader Asaduddin Owaisi has announced that his party All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) will be contesting in about 25 constituencies in Karnataka during the coming Assembly elections. He has also said that the party is open for an alliance with JDS. "We will definitely contest the elections. So far, we have announced three candidates. We are open for alliance. Whether we will have an alliance or not, we will have to wait," PTI quoted Owaisi as saying. AIMIM State unit chief Usman Ghani Humnabad revealed that the party is in talks with Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) for an alliance but the Gowdas are yet to respond to the offer. It has to be noted that the AIMIM had extended support to the JDS in 2018 polls and did not field its candidates. What is shaping the Karnataka battle and why is it important for 2024 Owaisi has also revealed that the party is not looking at an alliance with Congress. "Congress does not want to have an alliance (with us) as they make wild and baseless allegations against me. So, we will see," he said. A cause of worry for Congress? The rise of AIMIM has come at the cost of Congress in some places and it was evident in the key municipal corporations of North Karnataka elections held earlier. In 2021, it made its presence felt in civic polls in Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi and Kalaburagi by winning three seats in Hubballi and one in Belagavi. Owaisi had just appeared once for the campaign during the said elections and managed to win three seats. His party contested in 12 wards and ended up either second or third place in seven wards. Notably, they had secured an average of over 1,000 votes and in two wards, the party in the arena helped a few Independents win. This had taken a toll on the Congress. Muslims make up for 16 per cent of the State's population, but have just seven legislators from the community in the 224-member Assembly. They form over 30 per cent of the electorate in at least 19 constituencies. Hence, the community cannot be ignored. With the BJP doing away with the 4 per cent quota for Muslims under Category 2B in the OBC list, the community is looking for a strong voice to take on the saffron party. And if the AIMIM gets into an alliance with JDS and fields right candidates, the party will definitely give Congress a run for its money in at least 25 seats. Hence, it is a big reason for Congress to worry. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, April 5, 2023, 13:39 [IST] Over 100 crore people have listened to PM's Mann Ki Baat at least once: Survey PM Modi to attend inaugural ceremony of 'Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam' in Somnath on April 17 India oi-Madhuri Adnal Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the inaugural ceremony of the two-week long 'Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam' event on April 17 at Somnath in Gujarat's Gir Somnath district, the state government said on Wednesday. This event is an attempt to highlight and rejuvenate the centuries-old ties and cultural links between Gujarat and Tamil Nadu due to the large presence of the Saurashtra Tamil community living in the southern state, Gujarat Health Minister and government spokesperson Rushikesh Patel said in Gandhinagar. ''The 'Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam' will be held between April 17 and 30 in Gujarat. Various events under this initiative will be organised across the state, including at Somnath and Dwarka of Saurashtra region. The inaugural ceremony will be held at Somnath on April 17 in the presence of PM Narendra Modi,'' he said. People belonging to the Saurashtra Tamil community will come to Gujarat through special trains from Tamil Nadu, Patel said, adding that starting from April 14, one special train carrying nearly 300 invited guests will depart from Madurai station of Tamil Nadu everyday. Respect for PM Modi, support for Bommai: Sudeep These guests and participants from Tamil Nadu will be taken to Somnath temple, Dwarkadhish temple, Shivrajpur beach in Saurashtra region and also at the 'Statue of Unity' in Narmada district, the minister said. According to him, during these two weeks, various seminars, competitions and other events will be organised. ''Many people from the Saurashtra region left their native place nearly a 1,000 years back and settled in Tamil Nadu. PM Modi came up with this idea of rejuvenating this centuries-old ties between the two states and help the Saurashtra Tamil community reconnect with their roots here,'' Patel said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, April 5, 2023, 21:51 [IST] Respect for PM Modi, support for Bommai: Sudeep India oi-Prakash KL Sudeep on Wednesday said that he will campaign for Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai out of respect while clarifying that he is not joining politics. Addressing a press meet in Bengaluru, the Kannada superstar said that Bommai was one of the few people who stood behind him during his struggling days. So, he considers it is his duty to support him. He said, "There were a few who stood by me during my initial days in the film industry. Basavaraj uncle is one of those persons who helped me then. So, it is my duty and gratitude to support him. On asking whether he is supporting just Bommai or the BJP as a party, he said, "I will campaign for Bommai uncle and whoever he tells me to campaign," However, he pointed out that he cannot campaign for all 224 candidates. On asking whether the fans might be okay with his decision to support the BJP, he said, "I have earned their love and support in the last 27 years through my hard work and I do not think they will have an issue with me over a certain decision," Will campaign, not contest polls: Sudeep on reports of joining BJP Sudeep on PM Modi Kiccha Sudeep hailed PM Modi's government saying that many good works have taken place under his leadership. "I have also been in India. I have been a citizen, I am paying my taxes, so when I see certain developments happening and good things happening, I will have my opinion," he stated. Recommended Video Karnataka Election 2023: Kiccha Sudeep likely to join BJP, receives threat letter | Oneindia News "India is going up today. I totally respect certain decisions taken by him. As an Indian I totally respect it, but that has nothing to do with me sitting next to Bommai uncle," he stated. When asked about the corruption allegations against the BJP government, he felt that one cannot be 100 per cent happy with any government. "We believe in the law of the land. If there is corruption, then the law will take its stand. So, it was not right to talk about accusations. I have my support for good reasons." The Karnataka Chief Minister stated that Sudeep was supporting him and the press meet would have been conducted in the BJP office if he was extending support to the saffron party. Nonetheless, he expressed happiness over Sudeep extending support to him. "He is very popular. It will give power to BJP. We will win with a clear margin. The public will support the double-engine government in the state," he added. SC orders release of UP Secys taken into custody in contempt case 'Homosexual relations not just physical, but...': SC on same-sex marriage SC must let legislature decide on same sex marriage, says lawyers' bodies SC to hear on April 28 plea for independent probe into Atiq killing SC rejects Opposition plea to stop 'misuse' of CBI, ED by Centre India oi-Vicky Nanjappa The Supreme Court has rejected a petition filed by the opposition parties on the alleged misuse of the Central Bureau of investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED). A Division Bench of Chief Justice of India, D Y Chandrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala observed that politicians cannot be placed on a pedestal higher than the citizens and cannot seek special treatment under the law and immunity from arrest. The SC was hearing a plea by 14 political parties on the alleged misuse of central agencies like the CBI and ED. The court also told the petitioners, "you come with specific cases. We cannot lay down the law in abstract on the basis of certain statistics." The court held that laying down of general guidelines sans facts of a case is extremely dangerous. "We need facts to lay down general principles of law," the Bench added. Recommended Video Supreme Court not to entertain oppositions plea alleging misuse of central agencies |Oneindia News SC slams Centre on 'sealed cover, cancels news channel ban order The court also asked the individual politicians to approach courts for appropriate remedy. The Supreme Court said, " politicians are citizens and can't enjoy any higher protection. When you (political parties) argue that there is a chilling effect on the opposition because of CBI or ED against the opposition political leaders, the answer lies in the political space and not in the courts." Senior advocate, Abhishek Manu Singhvi who was arguing for the political made several attempts to convince the courts that the political parties are not seeking a retrospective application of an SC ruling on the guidelines for the arrest. He tried to convince the court hard to change its mind and lay down principles arrest of leaders of opposition political parties. Singhvi however failed to convince the court and withdrew the petition filed by the 14 political parties. Prakash Raj campaigns in Bengaluru, says 'I'm fighting for the people, not against any party or lead 'Shocked and hurt': Prakash Raj on Sudeep campaigning for BJP India oi-Madhuri Adnal Hours after Kannada actor Kichcha Sudeep backed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Karnataka assembly elections, actor-politician Prakash Raj on Wednesday expressed shock over his latest statemet. "I am shocked and hurt by Kichcha Sudeep's statement," Raj, who is a vocal critic of the saffron party, he said. Earlier in the day, Sudeep, who has a huge fan following in the state and is one of the highest paid actors of Kannada cinema, however, made it clear that he is not entering politics and neither is he contesting the polls. The actor indicated that he is not backing a party. Stressing his affection and respect for the Chief Minister and recalling that he stood by him during difficult times and shared a very close bond with his family, the actor announced his support to Bommai. Respect for PM Modi, support for Bommai: Sudeep ''There were only a few people who stood by me during my difficult times and among them the main person and my loved one is Basavaraj Bommai 'mama'. It is a duty and gratitude that I have for this loveable person,'' the multi-lingual actor said. Sudeep, best known for his performance in films such as 'Swathi Muthu', 'Kempe Gowda', 'Eega', and 'Pailwaan', hails from Shivamogga district and belongs to Valmiki Nayaka community, the largest tribes in the ST category, in the state. The 49-year-old actor, who has acted in movies in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil, in addition to Kannada, said he would campaign for ''some of the people he (Bommai) wants him to support''. He said: ''I will go by what he (Bommai) wants, his requirements. I am not entering politics.'' Bommai, who was sitting next to him at the press conference, said he had told Sudeep that even though he is not joining the BJP, his campaigning is ''necessary''. SC orders release of UP Secys taken into custody in contempt case 'Homosexual relations not just physical, but...': SC on same-sex marriage SC must let legislature decide on same sex marriage, says lawyers' bodies SC to hear on April 28 plea for independent probe into Atiq killing All cases against comedian Munawar Faruqui transferred to Madhya Pradesh Top quotes by Supreme Court on press freedom India oi-Vicky Nanjappa The Supreme Court on Wednesday made some important observations on press freedom in the country. "A free press presents citizens with hard facts and shines a light on the functioning of the State, a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India, D Y Chandrachud and Justice Hina Kohli said. The observations were made while setting aside an order of the Kerala High Court, which had upheld the ban on live telecast by Malayalam news channel, MediaOne. Here is what the Supreme Court said on press freedom in India: An independent press is vital for the robust functioning of a Democratic Republic. Its role in the democratic society is crucial, for it shines a light on the functioning of the State. The press has a duty to speak truth and present citizens with hard facts, enabling them to make choices that prepare democracy in the right direction. The restriction on the freedom of the press compels citizens to think along the same tangent. A homogenised view on issues that range from socioeconomic polity to political ideologies would pose grave dangers to democracy. SC slams Centre on 'sealed cover, cancels news channel ban order Recommended Video Supreme Court lifts telecast ban on Media One Malayalam TV channel, slams Centre | Oneindia News The critical views of the channel MediaOne on policies of the government cannot be termed anti establishment. The use of such a terminology in itself represents an expectation that the press must support the establishment. The action of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting by denying your security clearance to a media channel on the basis of the views with the channel is constitutionally entitled to hold produces a chilling effect on free speech and in particularly on press freedom. The mere involvement of issues concerning national security would not preclude the state's duty to act fairly. If the state discards its duty to act fairly, then it must be justified before the Court and the facts of the case. Firstly, the state must satisfy the court that national security concerns are involved. Secondly, the state must satisfy the court that an obligation of the principles of national justice is justified. These two standards that have emerged from the jurisprudence abroad resemble the proportionality standard. 'US is going to hell': Trump in first speech after arraignment Andhra techie shot dead in US, wanted to give his family a good life there US says it recognises Arunachal Pradesh as integral part of India India oi-Vicky Nanjappa The United States has said that it has recognised Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India. The statement from the White House comes in the wake of China renaming 11 villages in Arunachal Pradesh, which it claims as South Tibet. India had categorically rejected this move by China. China had on Tuesday announced Chinese names for 11 more places in Arunachal Pradesh. The official names were released on Sunday China's Ministry of Civil Affairs. The changed names included those of rivers, residential areas and mountain peaks. This was in fact the third time that China unilaterally renamed the places in Arunachal Pradesh. In the past, it had done so in April 2017 and December 2021. After India objects to China renaming places in Arunachal, Beijing claims 'sovereignty' over region White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday, " the United States has recognised that territory (Arunachal Pradesh) for a long time (as an integral part of India). And we strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by renaming localities." She told reporters, "and so again , this is something that we have long stood by." India had strongly reacted to China's claims and rejected the renaming of places in Arunachal Pradesh. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) strongly asserted that the state is an integral part of India and assigning invented names does not alter this reality. MEA spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi said, " we have seen reports. This is not the first time that China has made such an attempt. We reject this outright." "Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Attempts to assign invented names will not alter this reality," Bagchi also said. These developments come at a time when both India and China are locked in a tense stand-off since the past three years along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. Reality will not be altered by inventing names: India hits out at China There have been extensive dialogues both on the diplomatic and military front, which has led to disengagement at several friction points. However there are some areas of concern that remain. India has maintained that ties with China cannot be normal as long as tensions exit along the border areas. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, April 5, 2023, 12:28 [IST] Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh holds phone talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on April 4. (Photo: VNA) The leaders consented to step up exchanges, coordination and efforts to advance the bilateral relations to a new development period, pledging to will direct ministries and localities in their respective countries to realise major common perceptions reached by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping, particularly the joint statement on continuing to enhance and deepen the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership issued in November 2022. The two sides will also increase all-level contacts and strengthen cooperation in various fields, especially in economy and trade links, while intensifying friendship between localities and people's organisations. They will maintain the friendly cooperation mechanism between the ministries of national defence, and the ministries of public security of the two countries, continue to implement the three legal documents on land border issues, timely discuss and handle emerging issues in joint efforts to build a shared border of peace, stability, cooperation and development. PM Pham Minh Chinh suggested the two sides actively study measures to maintain smooth trade, raise the capacity and efficiency of customs clearance, and strengthen connectivity of road, rail, sea, and air infrastructure. He also proposed China continue facilitating trade, expand the import of goods, accelerate market opening for Vietnamese agricultural products, increase the quota for Vietnamese goods transiting through its railway to a third country and create favourable conditions for Vietnam to open more trade promotion offices in China. The Vietnamese PM welcomed Chinas investment in large-scale, high-quality, and new technology projects in Vietnam, saying the two sides should work harder to remove prolonged problems in some cooperation projects such as the second-phase expansion of the Thai Nguyen iron and steel plant, effectively cooperate in tourism and make greater efforts to promote people-to-people cooperation and exchanges. PM Li expressed his appreciation and agreement with PM Chinh's suggestions regarding cooperation areas, and affirmed that China supports Vietnam's cause of national industrialisation and modernisation, and raising of its international role. China stands ready to open its market to Vietnamese goods, especially agricultural products, and to cooperate with Vietnam in resolving the stagnant cooperation projects, the Chinese government leader said. He suggested the two sides strengthen strategic connectivity and assist each other in transport infrastructure connectivity, foster cooperation in economy, trade and investment, particularly in manufacturing and agriculture, and work together to maintain supply and production chains. Li also affirmed that China will promote people-to-people exchange, facilitate travel of citizens of the two countries, and restore tourism cooperation. Both noted with pleasure positive developments in the relations between the two Parties and countries over the recent past, especially after the visit to China by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in late October 2022, and shared the view that the relations are entering a new development phase with many opportunities and advantages. PM Pham Minh Chinh congratulated the Chinese side on the successes of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in October 2022 and the first session of the 14th National People's Congress in March 2023, and congratulated Li on his election as Premier of the State Council of China. He wished China greater successes in the journey to build a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful, with an increasingly high international status and active contributions to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world. Both held that the traditional friendship that is both "comradeship and brotherhood" between Vietnam and China, founded and nurtured by President Ho Chi Minh, Chairman Mao Zedong, and generations of leaders of the two countries, is a precious asset shared by the two Parties and two countries, and it needs to be constantly inherited, protected, and promoted. They stressed the importance of the bilateral relationship for the development of each country as well as for peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world at large. Regarding maritime issues, both sides concurred to make joint efforts to maintain peace and stability, and settle the issues satisfactorily in the spirit of high-level common perceptions and the Agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Vietnam and China. PM Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the two sides should effectively utilise negotiation mechanisms on demarcation and cooperation at sea, strive for progress in a step-by-step manner, settle disputes and disagreements through peaceful means in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and strive to build a substantive, effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in line with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS./. What is shaping battle in Karnataka & why is it important for 2024 India oi-Vicky Nanjappa All political parties in Karnataka are in full-swing ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections set to be held on May 10. The elections in Karnataka are watched closely for a variety of reasons. First it would be a big battle between the BJP and Congress. Second, it is being touted as a trailer to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The BJP holds 26 of the 28 parliamentary seats in the state and winning handsomely in the state polls becomes even more important for the BJP. Karnataka is also the BJP's only stronghold in South India. The first BJP government in south was formed in Karnataka under the leadership of B S Yediyurappa. The BJP has been the single largest party on three occasions, but has failed to breach the majority mark. This time the party has been making a push not only among the Lingayat community, but others as well. The party hopes to build on a pan-Karnataka vote base and return to power with a full majority. No personal attacks, stay clear of religion: Congress 'mantra for Karnataka elections For the Congress winning Karnataka would be a big deal. If it wins big in the state, it would look to cement its position as the main opposition in the country. A win here would also mean that it is in power in four states of the country. The election results would also have an impact on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and also the state assemblies of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Chhattisgarh. All these states go to poll this year. Karnataka is also important in the context of what it contributes to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country. The state contributes 8 per cent to the GDP of the country, making it an economically powerful state. Karnataka had last month cleared 55 investment proposals to the tune of Rs 3,4512.14 crore.. It would also be interesting to see whether issues such as hijab and halal would work during these elections. The BJP's state chief Nalin Kumar Kateel had earlier raked up the Tipu Sultan issue as well. He said that none of his descendants should remain in the state and they should be driven away. He also said that the elections would fought on the ideology of Savarkar and Tipu Sultan. However there has been some amount of fine tuning to the campaign by both the Congress and BJP. The Congress has decided that it would not go on personal attacks and focus largely on the failures of the BJP government. Karnataka Election: Fake list of BJP candidates goes viral on social media The BJP too has been taking a different approach. It is focusing mainly on the contributions of the Centre to the state. While speaking about development the party is also going to town after it withdrew the 4 per cent OBC reservation for the Muslims and divided it among the Vokkaligas. In Kerala train fire case, inter-state links under scanner of NIA Kerala on high-alert ahead of PM Modis visit PM attacks Left, Cong; says Kerala suffered due to conflict between two ideologies In Pics: Mundu-clad PM Modi holds roadshow in Kochi What we know about the Kerala train fire probe so far: 10 points India oi-Vicky Nanjappa The prime suspect in the Kerala train fire case has been nabbed in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri district. Shahrukh Saifi is suspected of pouring petrol when the train reached Korapuzha bridge near Elathur in kerala's Kozhikode. Here is what we know so far: Saifi was nabbed in a joint operation by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad and Central Intelligence agencies. He was nabbed after the Kerala police shared information of his location based on the mobile phone data. Saifi hails from Noida in Uttar Pradesh and is 24-years old. The police had released his sketch, based on the information given by the eye-witnesses. The Kerala police are in Ratnagiri. The suspect would be handed over to them, following which he will be taken back to Kerala for questioning. How a pan-India manhunt led to the arrest of prime suspect in Kerala train fire case Recommended Video Kozhikode Train Fire suspect arrested in Maharashtra, police reach his Delhi home | Oneindia News A police team had also reached Shaheen Bagh in Delhi, based on the diary entries of the suspect. They were verifying his address. Railway minister Ashwani Vaishnav has thanked the Maharashtra government and police for nabbing the suspect. A woman, an infant and a man were killed in the incident. They had jumped off the train to avoid getting burnt. Nine others had sustained injuries in the incident that took place at 9.45 pm on Sunday. The Kerala police has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT). It has been found prima facie that the attack was a pre-planned one as the accused had with him petrol in his bag. How political parties are using GPay, PhonePe to bribe voters in Karnataka Will campaign, not contest polls: Sudeep on reports of joining BJP India oi-Prakash KL Kiccha Sudeep has put an end to speculations around joining the BJP saying that he will campaign for the party leaders but will not contest polls. "I will only campaign for the BJP, not contest the elections," the actor told reporters before leaving to a meeting headed by Karnataka Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai. The meeting will be held at Hotel Ashok. Karnataka Transport Minister B Siramulu expressed happiness over Sudeep campaigning for the BJP candidates saying that it will benefit the party. "Kichcha Sudeep is a very popular leader, along with a popular actor. He is a very big artist in the whole country. His support to BJP will be of great benefit to our party," he told ANI. The minister also said there is "no" anti-incumbency in the State and BJP will return to power again. "People have a lot of faith in our party. Prime Minister is leading the country our Bommai Ji is the chief minister here. So, people want the BJP government should come here also. There is nothing like anti-incumbency here, only the Opposition people keep talking about it because they have no work. But, we will come back to power once again," he added. Recommended Video Karnataka Election 2023: Kiccha Sudeep likely to join BJP, receives threat letter | Oneindia News On the other hand, the actor has reportedly received a threat letter. An alleged threat letter was received by his manager Jack Manju, prompting the police to register a case. The known person has said in the letter that Sudeep's 'private video' will be leaked on social media. Acting on the complaint lodged by the actor's manager, the Puttenahalli police registered a case under sections 504, 506 and 120 (B) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). There were reports that actor Darshan will also join the BJP, but he has not responded to the rumours. None can encroach: Shahs message to China in Arunachal Objecting to such visit will not change reality: India to China on Shah's visit to Arunachal India strongly presses for disengagement at DB during talks with China China freezes visas for two Indian journalists amid tensions International oi-Deepika S In a surprise move, China barred two Indian journalists from returning to Beijing, saying their visas have been frozen. According to The Hindu, State-run Prasar Bharati's reporter Anshuman Mishra and The Hindu correspondent Ananth Krishnan were informed by a Chinese foreign ministry official on Tuesday about the decision. Reportedly, China is demanding more visas for its correspondents to cover India and wants the current visa tenures, which have to be renewed every three months, to be increased to 12-month visas. The tit-for-tat move followed the Indian side informing a New Delhi-based correspondent of state-run Xinhua news agency last month that his Indian visa would not be renewed. In 2016, India had refused to extend visas to three Chinese journalists after after they were found "indulging in activities beyond their journalistic brief". Three Chinese journalists based in India representing the state-run Xinhua news agency were denied permission for extended stay in the country. The visas of the three journalists, Delhi-based Bureau Chief Wu Qiang and two reporters in Mumbai - Tang Lu and Ma Qiang, are expiring at the end of this month. All three had sought extension of their stay by a few months till their successors arrive. Since then, the rift in India-China ties has grown, especially after the standoff between the armies of the two countries over Chinese troops' transgressions along the Line of Actual Control in April 2020. It was the best day in history says Donald Trump as his ratings soar Donald Trump accuses judge's daughter of working for Kamala Harris International oi-Deepika S Speculation of political bias is heightening surrounding Donald Trump's indictment after he criticised judge Juan Merchan and his family, calling the fact that Merchan's daughter worked on the Biden-Harris 2020 presidential run. Attacking the judge's family, Donald Trump said, "I have a Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating family, whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris." Trump demanded that he wants the trial moved to the Republican-friendly state of Staten Island, claiming the Manhattan venue is "unfair." Donald Trump said that no one believes there is any strong evidence against him in the case. "Every single pundit and legal analyst said there is no case," Donald Trump told the crowd, adding that when he was indicted, his lawyers told him "there's nothing here, they're not even saying what you did." Recommended Video Donald Trump pleads not guilty to 34 felony charges, makes first public remarks | Oneindia News Trump faces criminal charges for his alleged role in 36 felony criminal charges including the hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign to conceal an alleged affair that he has constantly denied. Tuesday's Trump arraignment was another high-voltage drama in United States politics. Trump, who became history by being the first former American president to be indicted, has surrendered himself before going to the court. Trump pleaded 'not guilty' to 34 criminal charges against him. And left the courtroom after arraignment but without uttering a word. He then flew to Florida, as per the reports on CNN. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, April 5, 2023, 8:40 [IST] It was the best day in history says Donald Trump as his ratings soar Donald Trump faces maximum sentence of 136 years in jail International oi-Vicky Nanjappa Former president of the United States, Donald Trump pleaded not guilty in New York to 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 136 years in prison. However, the actual sentence will likely be far less than that if he is convicted on any or all counts. In New York, falsifying business records is typically a misdemeanour charge, but rises to the level of felony with a maximum of four years in jail, when the intent of the defendant to defraud includes an intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof. Alvin Bragg, Manhattan District Attorney was asked at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon why the second concealed crime was not specified in the indictment. "Let me say as an initial matter that the indictment doesn't specify it because the law does not so require. In my remarks, I mentioned a couple of laws which I will highlight again now. The first is New York state election law, which makes it a crime to conspire to promote a candidacy by unlawful means. I further indicated a number of unlawful means, including additional false statements, including statements that were planned to be made to tax authorities. I also noted the federal election law cap on contribution limits," Bragg told reporters. Recommended Video Donald Trump pleads not guilty to 34 felony charges, makes first public remarks | Oneindia News Donald Trump accuses judge's daughter of working for Kamala Harris Bragg also accused Trump and his associates of employing a 'catch and kill' scheme to bury potentially damaging information ahead of the elections in 2016. "Trump then went to great lengths to hide this conduct, causing dozens of false entries in business records to conceal criminal activity, including attempts to violate state and federal election laws. In total, 34 false entries were made in New York business records to conceal the initial covert $130,000 payment," Bragg alleged. The indictment of Trump comes after a year-long investigation by the Manhattan prosecutors into hush-money payments that he had made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDoughal. Both are said to have had affairs with Trump, a charge he denies. Trump who is the leading Republican candidate in the 2024 presidential elections, has called the investigation, 'political persecution and election interference at the highest level in history.' Nudged by apex court, Pak EC sets Punjab poll date on May 14 International oi-Madhuri Adnal Pakistan's election watchdog on Wednesday announced that it will hold the polls in the politically crucial Punjab province on May 14 as directed by the Supreme Court a day earlier. A three-member bench of the apex court led by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Tuesday fixed May 14 as the new date for elections to the Punjab Assembly, as it quashed the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) decision to extend the polls date from April 10 to October 8. As per the schedule announced by the election commission on Wednesday, polling for elections in Punjab will be held on May 14. The last date for filing an appeal against the decision of the Returning Officer regarding the nomination papers will be April 10. "The ECP hereby recalls its notification of even number dated March 22, 2023 and in partial modification to this commission's notification of March 8, 2023 hereby revises the following stages of the election programme for the conduct of general elections to the provincial assembly of Punjab," the Express Tribune newspaper reported, citing the revised notification. According to the revised schedule, the election tribunal will decide on the appeals by April 17, and the last date for publishing the new list of candidates will be April 18. Sidhu at Moose Wala house, questions law & order situation in Punjab The last date for withdrawal of nomination papers will be April 19 and election symbols will be allotted to the candidates on April 20. The development comes just a day after the apex court declared as "unconstitutional" the ECP's earlier decision to postpone elections in Punjab, in a major blow to the federal government that has been trying to delay the election citing security issues and the economic crisis. Pakistan has replied to India on review of Indus Water Treaty: Foreign Office International pti-PTI Pakistan has responded to a letter by India asking to start negotiations for the review of the Indus Water Treaty, the Foreign Office said on Wednesday. India earlier this year for the first time issued a notice to Pakistan, seeking a review and modification of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), in view of Islamabad's "intransigence" to comply with the dispute redressal mechanism of the pact that was signed more than six decades ago for matters relating to cross-border rivers. "I can confirm that Pakistan has responded to the Indian letter on the Indus Water Treaty. Pakistan remains committed to the implementation of the Treaty in good faith and to ensure its water security," Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at the weekly briefing. "I would not like to add to media speculation. As I have said, we have responded to India. I have nothing further to add," she said when asked about the details of the Pakistani response. The India Water Treaty (IWT) signed in 1960 through the good offices of the World Bank has survived the vicissitudes of the acrimonious ties between the countries. To another query, Baloch said that Pakistan utilised the relevant channel of communication "where our Indus Commissioner has sent the letter to his Indian counterpart". India questions World Bank on its Indus Waters Treaty stand Reacting to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's recent remarks on Pakistan, she said that these remarks reflect Indian leadership's "unhealthy obsession" with Pakistan. Asked about the participation of Indian Charge daffaires in the Iftar dinner hosted by the Foreign Minister on March 30, she said there was no need to read too much into this. "It was an interfaith Iftar and the entire diplomatic corps was invited". She also said that Adviser to the Prime Minister on Culture, Engr. Amir Muqam, virtually participated in the SCO Ministers of Culture Meeting hosted by India on April 3 and underlined the need for promoting cultural exchanges and cooperation under the SCO framework to foster mutual understanding. "As an active member of SCO, Pakistan will continue to participate in all SCO activities and continuously contribute to their outcomes, she said. India hosted the 20th session of the Culture Ministers' Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Monday, with Union minister G Kishan Reddy emphasising on the importance of cultural collaborations and dialogue in propagating "peaceful coexistence through mutual respect, diversity and inclusiveness". Culture ministers of Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan participated in the meeting virtually, the Culture Ministry said in a statement. India currently holds the presidency of the SCO. During her press briefing, Baloch also expressed "deep concern" at the recent incidents of alleged communal violence and asked India to take firm action against the extremists. White House rules out cyberattack on FAA; cause not clear, says US prez Biden The importance of iCET in Indo-US relations and why NSA Doval is attending it 'Can't confirm that': WH on report that US provided intelligence to Indian military on Chinese 'incursion' White House avoids questions on ex-president Trump's arraignment International oi-Prakash KL United States former President Donald Trump's arraignment on Tuesday has been global news, but not for the US government. The White House refused to comment on the issue while stating US President Biden is "going to focus on the American people like every day". "So first, I have to say this, it's an ongoing case, so we're just not going to comment on the case specifically itself...Look, the president's going to focus on the American people like he does every day. This is not something that is a focus for him. He is going to focus on things like making sure we continue to lower prices for the American people," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said while responding to a question over Trump's arraignment. "Of course, this is playing out on many of the networks here on a daily basis for hours and hours, so obviously, he will catch part of the news when he has a moment to catch up on the news of the day, but this is not his focus for today," she said. Biden met with his Council of Advisors on Science and Technology for a conversation on artificial intelligence while former President Trump's arraignment took place in Manhattan, according to CNN. Recommended Video Donald Trump pleads not guilty to 34 felony charges, makes first public remarks | Oneindia News On the other hand, former US President Donald Trump on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a Manhattan court during his arraignment on history-making criminal charges related to paying hush money to a porn star before the 2016 presidential election in exchange for her silence. The 76-year-old former president, who ruled the country for four years till January 2021, was arrested when he arrived to surrender at the Manhattan criminal court. This is for the first time that a former US president has been under arrest and arranged for criminal charges. Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 criminal charges of falsifying business records before State Supreme Court Justice Juan M Merchan. He entered the plea during a brief arraignment as prosecutors unsealed a grand jury indictment. The former president earlier arrived at the specially secured Manhattan courthouse in an eight-car motorcade. He was arrested as he arrived at the court. Al-Aqsa Mosque, properly Jami al-Aqsa, also known as the Qibli Mosque or Qibli Chapel, is a congregational mosque or prayer hall in the Old City of Jerusalem. In some sources the building is also named al-Masjid al-Aqsa, but this name and its English translation "Al Aqsa Mosque" itself, is disputed as it can instead apply to the whole compound in which the building sits. The wider compound is also known as the Haram al-Sharif, the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, and the Temple Mount. Ambassador Nguyen Ba Hung (L) presents flowers to Lao Minister of Foreign Affairs Saleumxay Kommasith (Photo: VNA) Speaking at the event, Ambassador Hung expressed his best wishes to the Lao Party, State and people on this occasion. He informed that Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Vo Van Thuong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue will send letters of congratulations and flowers to Lao Party and State leaders. He emphasized that the Vietnamese Party, State and people are delighted at the recent positive development in Laos after successful control of the COVID-19 pandemic, and highly appreciated the role of Lao PM Sonexay Siphandone, and Lao Deputy PM and Minister of Foreign Affairs Saleumxay Kommasith in the process. The diplomat expressed his belief that in 2023, the Lao Party, State and people will continue reaping new achievements, stabilizing the socio-economic situation and bringing Laos back to the path of sustainable development in the near future. For his part, Lao Minister of Foreign Affairs Saleumxay Kommasith conveyed his profound thanks to Vietnamese Party and State leaders and people for treasuring and supporting the Lao counterparts in every aspect, especially at a time when Laos faced economic difficulties, which once again affirmed the special relationship between the two countries. He wished that the Vietnamese Ambassador and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy would fulfill their tasks assigned by the Party and State./. Jack Wighton is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a five-eighth for the Canberra Raiders in the NRL and Australia at international level. Keith Rupert Murdoch is an Australian-born American billionaire businessman and media proprietor. Through his company News Corp, he is the owner of hundreds of local, national, and international publishing outlets around the world, including in the UK, in Australia, in the US, book publisher HarperCollins, and the television broadcasting channels Sky News Australia and Fox News. He was also the owner of Sky, 21st Century Fox, and the now-defunct News of the World. With a net worth of US$21.7 billion as of 2 March 2022, Murdoch is the 31st richest person in the United States and the 71st richest in the world. Palestinians, Jordan and Egypt have condemned what they say was an attack on Palestinians praying at the mosque in the early hours of Wednesday. After pleading not guilty to 34 felony counts, former US president Donald Trump has waged war on almost everyone at his estate in Florida. Russian officials have deported Ukrainian children to Russia, lied to them that they werent wanted by their parents and gave them Russian families and citizenship. President Zelenskyy will meet Ukrainian refugees in Poland. Germany's economy minister has demanded sanctions on countries that buy uranium from Russia. DW has the latest. The French president landed in Beijing, where he was expected to encourage President Xi Jinping to press for peace in Ukraine. Paris is also seeking to repair tense relations with a key trading partner. The French president landed in Beijing, where he was expected to try to repair tense relations with a key trading partner. He was also set to encourage Xi Jinping to press for peace in Ukraine. 2008-2023 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. The French president was expected to encourage Beijing to press for peace in Ukraine and try to repair tense relations with a key trading partner. Hanoi leaders donate to support the Fund "For Vietnams sea and islands" in 2023 (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn) With affection and responsibility for the country's sea and islands, each cadre, civil servant and public employee of the Hanoi Party Committee donates at least one day's salary. Previously, the Standing Board of the Hanoi Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee issued an appeal to support the Fund "For Vietnams sea and islands" in 2023 to agencies, organizations, units, businesses and the people in the capital. In the appeal, the Hanoi Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee stated that Vietnam's seas and islands are a part of the sacred territory of the Fatherland that generations of ancestors have shed their blood to build, preserve, develop and protect the country's sovereignty for the present and the future. Participating in the construction and protection of sea and island sovereignty is the right and obligation of every Vietnamese citizen. At the launching ceremony, 34 units directly registered to support the fund, with a total amount of 30,877.5 million VND./. NATO foreign ministers are meeting for a second day, with talks focusing on "China's growing alignment with Russia." Finland is represented as a member for the first time after joining the military alliance on Tuesday. All New Zealanders should feel politics can be a home for them, former prime minister Jacinda Ardern said on Wednesday, in a final address to Parliament after leading the nation through the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2019 terror attack in Christchurch. China reissued its warning for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy not to "repeat disastrous past mistakes" by meeting Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, who is to come to California Wednesday. Newsy 04 Apr 2023 ViewA judge is limiting what the public will see when former President Donald Trump enters the courtroom Tuesday for his.. Florida Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried and state Democratic Sen. Lauren Book were arrested Monday during a protest over a bill passed by the state Senate banning abortions after 6 weeks. Georgia Republicans are set to ban local officials from seeking almost all third-party funding to help cover election costs. It comes as election officials complain about persistent funding needs. The president of El Salvador slammed the indictment of Donald Trump, suggesting it would now be hypocritical for the U.S. to promote democracy with its foreign policy. Minister of Energy of Ukraine Herman Haluschenko and Vice Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany Robert Habeck signed a joint Statement of Intent, expanding the directions of the German-Ukrainian energy partnership with a focus on the development of green technologies and energy recovery. "Germany is a truly great friend of Ukraine, and today we are deepening our partnership, opening up great opportunities for cooperation and restoration of the energy sector," Haluschenko said after signing the document in Kyiv on Tuesday. At the same time, he said that cooperation is expected at the level of not only governments but also businesses. "It is very important that German companies are interested in investing and implementing energy projects in Ukraine. I am sure that the result of this cooperation will be a Ukrainian sustainable and independent energy system and the creation in Ukraine of a large energy hub for all the Europe," Ukraine's minister of energy said. As the ministry said in a press release, Habeck expressed admiration for how Ukraine managed to maintain the energy system in the face of unprecedented Russian attacks on energy infrastructure facilities last winter and reaffirmed Germany's full support for the Ukrainian people. The Ministry of Energy said that in the signed document, the parties agreed to expand the partnership in restoring the energy infrastructure, promoting the sustainability of the energy sector, and expanding the use of renewable energy sources, including wind, solar, biomass, hydropower, and green hydrogen. In addition, the partnership involves cooperation in the field of energy saving through energy efficiency, de-carbonization, and reduction of carbon dioxide emissions to speed up the transition to clean energy, as well as supporting structural changes in the coal regions of Ukraine, in particular, the implementation of just transition projects and green projects in these regions. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was honored at a New York City club Tuesday night, just hours after former President Trump was arraigned. Mexico president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador sided with former President Trump, saying the charges brought against him are political in nature, during an election cycle. A federal appeals court has dismissed a challenge that Louisiana and other Republican-leaning states filed against a Biden administration environmental policy. Wednesday's decision leaves in place the administration's formula for calculating damages to people and the environment from greenhouse gas emissions a factor in developing regulations. A federal judge in Louisiana had ordered a halt to the administration's approach early last year. But the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans blocked the judge's order and the Supreme Court declined to intervene. On Thursday the appeals court threw out the case, saying the challenging states have not shown that the regulations caused them harm. Newsy 04 Apr 2023 ViewWith Donald Trump about to be the first former president to be criminally charged, some Republicans worry about the impact his.. AFP English 05 Apr 2023 Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern delivers her final speech to parliament, using her last address to reflect on her.. In a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission on Tuesday (4 April 2023), Allied foreign ministers reaffirmed their strong support for Ukraine. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg noted that Allies will develop a multi-year initiative to help ensure Ukraines deterrence and defence, make the transition from Soviet-era equipment and... European Union foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell said Tuesday that European leaders are sending a message to China that it cannot be militarily supporting Russias aggression against Ukraine. Speaking in Brussels where NATO foreign ministers are meeting, and ahead of his own visit next week to China, Borrell said the EU... First lady Jill Biden will represent the U.S. at the coronation of King Charles III next month, President Joe Biden told the royal during a Tuesday call, the In August 2021, the US withdrew from Afghanistan ending its two decades of military presence in the region. The US exit from Afghanistan resulted in the Taliban regaining control and this hurried withdrawal from Afghanistan was seen as the decline of the US power. Approximately 2,500 US troops died in what became the... The United Nations should respect human rights in its efforts to combat antisemitism, 60 human rights and civil rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, said in an open letter to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilizations Miguel Angel Moratinos. The groups... The target model of the new defense holding, which is being created during the transformation of the Ukroboronprom state concern, is a small corporate center, into which the Ukroboronprom Concern and industry holdings in various areas will now turn, Director General Yuriy Husev has said. "We plan that 63 enterprises will become the basis for five industry research and production associations armored vehicles, aircraft repair, high-precision weapons and ammunition, radar systems, and maritime systems. And all this should be in a completely new format - in line with the principles of corporate governance of the OECD, NATO standards," he said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine. According to him, given the development of the direction of unmanned aircraft, it can become a separate holding and separate cooperation with private manufacturers that successfully implement their tasks. Husev said that taking into account one new enterprise, there are now 119 companies in the group. "Three enterprises were transferred to the Ministry of Defense during the war, two of them temporarily. These are enterprises engaged in purchasing weapons in foreign markets," he added. According to him, some enterprises will not be included in industry holdings (for example, special exporters) and will be directly subordinate to the corporate center. The Director General of Ukroboronprom said that the model for transforming the concern into a modern defense company will be implemented within the framework of a separate law, which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed in October 2021 and within the framework of the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers dated March 21 this year on the creation of JSC Ukrainian Defense Industry by the transformation of the Ukroboronprom state concern. "It is a management company owned by the state. Further, the corporate center owns industry holdings, and they, in turn, have stakes in manufacturing enterprises in the form of limited liability companies," Husev said. He said that in a little over a year, Ukroboronprom had transformed 28 state-owned enterprises into LLCs. The head of the company added that the form of a joint-stock company for the Ukrainian Defense Industry was chosen in order, on the one hand, to comply with corporate governance standards, and on the other hand, to become a partner for international companies with which Ukroboronprom began to actively cooperate even before the start of the full-scale war. Justice Minister David Lametti said Wednesday he knows the government's draft action plan for implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is not perfect. Taiwan's peace and democracy are facing "unprecedented challenges", its president has said, on a visit to the US which will anger China. The husband of former Scottish first minister and Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon was released from police custody Wednesday evening without being charged after his arrest in At least four children were killed and four other injured when a 25-year-old man armed with a small axe attacked a pre-school in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina on Wednesday, local police and a hospital said. Police said the man responsible for the attack in the city of Blumenau has been arrested. Local security chief, Marcio Alberto Filippi, told reporters the attacker gained access to the private school by scaling its walls. Hospital Santo Antonio in Blumenau said that in addition to the four children killed, four others between the ages of three to five are under its medical care. The attack, dubbed by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva a "monstrosity," happened nearly a week after a 13-year-old student stabbed a teacher to death and wounded five others in a Sao Paulo school. "A tragedy like this is unacceptable, an absurd act of hate and cowardice...an act of violence against innocent and defenseless children," Lula said in a Twitter post. I, and Bill Maher, Spike Lee, and Michael Moore, hesitate to be I-Told-You-So's, but the empty rumbling-in-my-stomach temptation is too great, like you've been in jail for four years eating slop, chronically vomiting, and having diarrhea, and now, they've put a banana sundae right in your face and they've told you, "Please don't eat it!" Bill Maher often said, "This guy is just not going away! He's not going to accept defeat." Spike Lee rather hemmed and hawed some, but finally said, "Agent Orange, wake up! Wake the (bleep) up! "He's a man of hate, violence and can't be trusted to make moral decisions. We can't be silent anymore. He's on the wrong side of history, and we are on the right side of history with this film." (Image by Kevin Marley) Details DMCA Kinda too equivocal for me. After that, we had MIchael Moore with his physician's hand on the pulse of The Rust Belt who declared, quite surprisingly, that this nefarious offspring of Mary Ann Trump and a Bronx Zoo orangutan (BIll Maher's metaphor) might just win the presidency: "Don't believe these polls, first of all, and second of all, the Trump vote is always under counted." Then on November 8, 2016, we had a seismic political shift, 7.8 on the Richter Scale, as I was coming back from teaching class in Ho Chi Minh CIty as my British friend, Nick, came out of the building - and told me, "It looks like Trump is going to win." Indubitably, it was a where-were-you-when-JFK-was-shot moment as my head swirled and my not-oiled-enough creaky knees buckled as America, once again, shifted towards a different destiny, an odorous one at that; and for you sci-fi fans out there, a completely different timeline as I knew in the marrow of my bones: We would dangerously flirt with and be seduced by a thinly veiled fascism, have a constitutional crisis, and an existential one, if we weren't very careful. Before he even stepped into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, I had commissioned an artist to do a book cover for me. Unfortunately, it didn't get much exposure, but it was highly prescient, as it showed North America and on it, Uncle Sam and Donald Trump were engaged in a life-or-death struggle with the former in a Tai Chi kinda stance as the latter was nefariously trying both to knife and shoot him at the same time. The book had the startling title: Kill Trump: Invoke the 25th - A Revolution of the Human Spirit. In the forward, I clearly mention that some people may think that my title is objectionable - and I understand that. But then again, consider: 1) If the fundamental principles of your country are attacked again and again and your institutions are demeaned and corrupted, why not say these are extraordinary circumstances?; 2) If the former president, while in office, was colluding with Russia, which our own CIA and FBI also asserted as distinct possibilities, why not immediately seek his dismissal immediately no matter what it takes in a nonviolent manner? And 3) If your president in office clearly acts to overthrow the country like on January 6th, why not have his own cabinet seek to Invoke the 5th Amendment, which they contemplated? And finally, 4) If your country is presented with an existential threat, which is your own president, why did the media remain 'objective' and 'fair' instead of just saying outright 'our corrupt and imbalanced president' or 'our very dangerous president who represents an existential threat to us'? Too much? Unthinkable? Really? Lastly, you can still disagree with me but cite your logic and not your passion, and bear in mind, we had General Milley, head of the U.S. Military, unconstitutionally and illegally take away ex-President Trump's ability to wage nuclear war, and had it reposit within himself for the last two months before Trump left office; and hardly anyone disagreed with that decision. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). As I write this, I'm watching live coverage of former US president Donald Trump's pending arraignment on charges related to his payment of "hush money" to cover up a sexual encounter with porn star Stormy Daniels. Coverage of Trump's legal troubles ranges from a focus on how "unprecedented" it is for a former president to be charged with a crime, to his other legal entanglements -- a defamation lawsuit filed by a woman who alleges he sexually assaulted her and a Georgia grand jury investigation into his attempts to swing the 2020 presidential election results -- to, among Republicans at least, cries of "witch hunt" and "banana republic." I find that last bit somewhat odd. While, technically speaking, "banana republic" mainly refers to dominance of a country's politics by outside business interests, it also implies the exact opposite of what's happening here. In a "banana republic," the political class generally considers itself immune to the laws binding mere serfs. Absent a coup and firing squad, no matter how criminal or corrupt a major political figure is, he or she need not fear prosecution. While I'm skeptical of the details -- district attorney Alvin Bragg seems to be reaching for a significant criminal offense to prosecute (keeping in mind that the indictment's details haven't been unsealed as of this writing) -- I'd personally like to see the "unprecedented" become regular, and to be handled at the federal level. Here's my proposal: On the day of each president's inauguration, a grand jury will be sworn in to look into the year leading up to his or her election and any crimes he or she may have potentially committed during that time frame. On each anniversary of that president's inauguration, the existing grand jury will dissolve and a new one will be sworn in, again to examine his or her actions during the prior year. The final grand jury will be sworn in on the day the president leaves office, and examine the outgoing president's last year of office (even as a separate new grand jury greets his or her successor). Each grand jury will be empowered to issue indictments where it believes a crime was committed by the president or anyone in the president's administration. In the case of subordinate administration figures, the indictments can be prosecuted immediately. Indictments of the president will remain sealed until he or she leaves office -- but will be shown to the Speaker of the House so that he or she can, if warranted, initiate impeachment proceedings. EVERY president should live in constant fear of future prosecution for crimes committed while in, or seeking, the office. Don't want to do time in the Big House? Don't do crime at the White House. While international investigators gather evidence of wartime atrocities in Ukraine, a war crimes trial concerning harrowing events in another part of Europe is taking place. Hashim Thaci, the former president of Kosovo, and three associates are accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity between 1998 and 1999, during which Kosovo's primarily ethnic Albanian populace fought against their Serbian rulers, ultimately achieving independence in 2008. The proceedings could offer insights for future endeavors to address war crimes cases stemming from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The International Criminal Court in the Hague has issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin. It accuses him of being responsible for war crimes in Ukraine, including the unlawful deportation of children. In 1999, NATO initiated air strikes against Serbia to put an end to the severe repressions inflicted upon Kosovars by Slobodan Milosevi?'s regime. In 2008, Western powers determined that granting independence to Kosovo was the most effective solution to a problem originating from the early 20th-century history of the Balkans. However, due largely to opposition from Russia and China, the UN Security Council did not authorize either NATO's intervention or Kosovo's independence. Even today, five European Union nations with their own separatist minority populations - Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain - do not acknowledge Kosovo's sovereignty. In addition, China, India, Russia, and numerous other countries do not recognize Kosovo either, which prevents the country from achieving membership in the UN. Documenting war crimes during a war can be a challenging task, but investigators use various techniques and methods to gather evidence and document the atrocities committed. As is currently taking place today in Ukraine, investigators can interview witnesses who have seen or experienced the war crimes firsthand. These accounts can provide valuable information about the crimes committed, the perpetrators, and the victims. Investigators can collect physical evidence, such as weapons, ammunition, and explosives, that can be analyzed to identify the perpetrators of the war crimes. They can also gather medical evidence, such as DNA samples, to identify the victims of the crimes. Satellite imagery can also be used to document the destruction of infrastructure, the movement of troops, and the displacement of civilians. This information can be used to support eyewitness accounts and provide a more comprehensive picture of the war crimes. Investigators can monitor social media for posts and videos that document war crimes. Social media can also be used to identify perpetrators and victims of the crimes. Investigators can obtain official documents, such as military orders and reports, that can provide evidence of war crimes. In some cases, investigators may be able to interview the actual perpetrators of war crimes, either voluntarily or through interrogations. The Kosovo war crimes trials can have a significant impact on future trials of war crimes. These trials were conducted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and were aimed at prosecuting individuals responsible for war crimes committed during the Kosovo War in the late 1990s. The trials resulted in the conviction of several high-ranking military and political officials, including former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. One way in which these trials can affect future war crimes trials is by setting a precedent for the prosecution of war crimes. The ICTY developed legal precedents and standards for the prosecution of war crimes, which can be used as a guide in future trials. The cases can also serve as an example of how to prosecute crimes committed during a conflict and how to balance the interests of justice with the need for stability and peace. Furthermore, the Kosovo trials have contributed to the development of international criminal law. The trials have led to the establishment of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the creation of a legal framework for prosecuting war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. This legal framework can be used in future trials to ensure that perpetrators of war crimes are held accountable for their actions. These past trials have shown that holding individuals accountable for war crimes can contribute to the restoration of peace and justice. By holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes, the trials have helped to promote the rule of law and the protection of human rights. This can serve as a deterrent to future war crimes and contribute to the prevention of conflicts. Such trials have had a significant impact on the development of international criminal law and can serve as a model for future trials of war crimes - including the case of Russia. Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 "Rob Kall's Bottom-Up: Tapping the Power of the Connection Revolution takes a very holistic view of bottom-up thinking and action, from changes in our psychology to our systems of work, living and governance. As someone who's been working to make bottom-up economics a reality for over 30 years, this book reinforces the need for and potential of redirecting our priorities-- and resources--from the few at the top to the many at the bottom." Anthony Flaccavento, author of Building a Healthy Economy from the Bottom Up Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 "Rob's bottom-up consulting for Thought Technology over the years to help us incorporate bottom-up thinking in our business and product development has been very valuable. It is a truly disruptive technique, well worth considering, which is well explained in his book." Hal Myers, PhD, President, Thought Technology, Ltd. Member of the Board of Directors for the Ten to the Ninth Foundation (formerly Singularity University) Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said that his main message at the meeting of the UkraineNATO commission, which was held for the first time in six years, was that the Alliance summit in Vilnius was a chance to correct the mistakes of the 2008 Bucharest summit. "In short, my message is this: Vilnius 2023 is a chance to correct the mistakes of Bucharest 2008," Kuleba said at a briefing following a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO commission in Brussels. The minister stressed the importance of the fact that for the first time in six years, a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO commission was held. According to him, this is an important mechanism not only for discussions, but also for allies to make the necessary decisions. "I cannot give you access to the text of my speech, but I will say this: I said everything that Ukraine thinks about the arguments of some countries that Ukraine's membership in NATO isn't relevant, but at the same time, the maximum strengthening of NATO's support for Ukraine is relevant. We had a frank conversation on this topic and literally said everything we think. Now the allies must discuss among themselves and finally reach a clear stance, which will be articulated at the [NATO] summit in Vilnius," the Foreign Minister said. Quicklink Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their quicklinks after publishing them. To see if the quicklink was renamed or re-published, please click here. Major Oregon gun control bills pass out of committee; call for gun permits, raise age limit Two major Oregon gun control bills one that incorporates and expands Measure 114 and the other offering a package of regulations banning ghost guns and raising the age for gun possession passed legislative tests Tuesday on party-line votes. Senate Bill 348 mostly mirroring the main provisions of Measure 114, now stalled in court challenges -- passed 3-2 out of the Senate Judiciary Committee to the chamber floor with a referral to the Joint Ways and Means Committee. It calls for a permit to buy a gun starting July 1, 2024, requires state police to complete a background check before gun sales or transfers and sets a new waiting period before a seller can turn over a gun to a customer after approval. The Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Public Safety voted 5-3 to send an amended House Bill 2005, which Democrats are calling the 2023 Gun Violence Prevention Package, to the full Ways and Means Committee. It would make it a crime to manufacture, sell or possess a gun without a serial number starting Sept. 1, 2024, prohibit people under 21 from possessing guns except for certain hunting rifles and allow cities or counties to bar people from carrying guns in public buildings or on adjacent grounds. State Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth, said HB 2005, supported by Gov. Tina Kotek, Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and Moms Demand Action, is intended to balance community safety with personal liberty and do more good than harm. It addresses 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds that are frustrated with the world and dont know what else to do but communicate through violence, Evans said. If theres a way to stop that, thats what I was hoping that this bill would do, while still preserving as much of the hunting tradition as possible. House Democrats in a statement cited a statistic that people 21 or younger have carried out six of nine of the deadliest mass shootings in the country since 2018. But Sen. David Brock Smith, R-Port Orford, said he worried that HB 2005 would create a hodgepodge of different rules and gun-free zones across the state and could make criminals out of law-abiding citizens. Sen. Elizabeth Steiner, D-Portland, countered with an example of what happens to people who inadvertently bring guns into the Oregon Capitol, where theyre banned. Theyre asked to secure them elsewhere, she said. Theres not an intent to make criminals out of people who want to be law-abiding citizens, she said. Some lawmakers suspect either bill will get bogged down in future legal challenges if ultimately approved, as has Measure 114, narrowly passed by Oregonians in November. State Rep. Jeffrey Helfrich, R-Hood River, a former Portland police officer, said the state already has spent about a half a million dollars defending Measure 114 in state and federal court. He said hes concerned more public dollars will be diverted to defend the additional gun bills. A Harney County judge has blocked Measure 114 from taking effect until he decides whether it meets state constitutional provisions. It sets out a system for gun permits, bans magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition except for hunting or recreational shooting and requires a completed criminal background check before gun sales. ADDRESS IMPULSE BUYING In addition to requiring permits and completed background checks to buy a gun, Senate Bill 348 includes Measure 114s large-capacity magazine ban. It would be effective retroactively to Dec. 8, 2022, the date the measure was set to take effect. The bill goes further than Measure 114 by also raising the age for gun buyers, creating a new waiting period of 72 hours to obtain a gun and increasing the fees to obtain a gun permit. Similar to HB 2005, it would raise the age to get a permit and buy a gun to 21 with one temporary exception: 18-,19- and 20-year-olds could buy certain hunting rifles and shotguns without a permit until July 2026 -- as long as they have completed a gun safety course. A seller couldnt transfer a gun to a customer without waiting 72 hours after receiving a state police approval number following a completed criminal background check. Senate Judiciary Committee chair Floyd Prozanski, D-Eugene, said the wait would address impulse buying of guns and reduce potential suicides and domestic violence-related shootings by providing a cooling-off period before a customer would get a gun. The committee members also approved a last-minute amendment that would require any legal challenge to the Senate bill to be filed only in Marion County Circuit Court. NEEDS MORE WORK The vote came just hours after leaders of the interfaith grassroots group Lift Every Voice Oregon held a news conference in support of SB 348 but also calling for some changes. The group collected the required signatures to place Measure 114 on the ballot. Its a good bill. It needs more work, said attorney Liz McKanna, a member of the legislative committee for the Measure 114 campaign. Lift Every Voice Oregon is concerned that the Senate bill delays the general permit requirement until July 2024 and further delays the permit requirement for hunting rifles and certain shotguns until 2026, McKanna said. The group also wanted the bill to allow for a third party or neutral location other than a police agency or sheriffs office to accept gun permit applications, believing some people will be reluctant to go directly to law enforcement. Even a courthouse would be acceptable, McKanna said. In related action, the Senate Judiciary Committee separately voted 3-2 to send another bill to the floor, Senate Bill 393, with an amendment that contains the same language requiring a 72-hour wait before a gun can be sold to a permit holder. Senate Bill 393 would take effect on the 91st day after the Legislature adjourns. Its intended to preserve the waiting period if the more comprehensive Senate Bill 348 passes and faces a court challenge, according to Prozanski. He cited a 2021 report in The Review of Economics and Statistics, that said states that adopted such gun purchase delays recorded 2% lower homicide rates. Prozanski said the Senate Bill 393 is being supported, independent of the more comprehensive bill. Joining Prozanski in support of both gun control bills were Sens. Sara Gelser Blouin, D-Corvallis, and James Manning Jr., D-Eugene. Sens. Kim Thatcher, committee vice chair, and Dennis Linthicum, R-Klamath, voted against both bills. Joining Evans in support of the amended House Bill 2005 were Sens. Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro, Elizabeth Steiner, D-Portland, and Reps. Tawna Sanchez, D-Portland, and Daniel Nguyen, D-Lake Oswego/Portland. Those voting against it were Rep. Rick Lewis, R-Silverton, Helfrich and Brock Smith. -- Maxine Bernstein Email mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212 Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe An Oregon woman has settled a lawsuit against George Fox University and a man once criminally charged with sexually abusing her while she was a student there. Camilla Carpenter filed a $4 million civil suit against Marshall Magill and George Fox University alleging Magill threatened her and smashed objects in front of her while they were both students and that the university failed to investigate her accusations of domestic violence. Despite suggestions earlier in the Legislative session that lawmakers could phase out the Oregon Promise grant, which covers community-college tuition for Oregon high school graduates regardless of family income, it appears the grant will only be modified for now, not ended. The Senate Education Committee on Tuesday voted to impose an income cap, limiting eligibility to students whose families make under $100,000, and use leftover promise funds for other community college financial aid. Repairing coral reefs after boats run aground. Shielding native forest trees from a killer fungus outbreak. Patrolling waters for swimmers harassing dolphins and turtles. Taking care of Hawaiis unique natural environment takes time, people and money. Now Hawaii wants tourists to help pay for it, especially because growing numbers are traveling to the islands to enjoy the beauty of its outdoors including some lured by dramatic vistas theyve seen on social media. Charles Coleman was living out of his car and paying for a membership at an inexpensive gym to simply access a shower before he was approved for a place at the new Hattie Redmond Apartments in North Portland. He was among the first residents who moved in when the new 60-unit supportive housing complex opened March 1. In all, 25 residents have begun living in the apartments, which serve people with disabilities exiting homelessness with a focus on helping members of the Black community. My first night, it was like I was having a dream but then woke up to find the dream was a reality, said Coleman, 62. I had my own space and it felt incredible. The $24.5 million apartment complex, located on North Interstate Avenue just north of North Lombard Street, was developed through a unique partnership between Home Forward, the citys major affordable housing developer, and the Urban League of Portland to provide culturally responsive services to Black Portlanders experiencing homelessness. The building is located in a historically Black neighborhood where Black households were systematically pushed out beginning in the 1960s by racist housing policies and urban renewal efforts. The Urban League worked with Home Forward to make sure the complex would provide not only programs and supports that served their clients but that the building itself was designed in a trauma-informed way. The nonprofit will provide residents on-site supportive services, connections to recovery and mental health services. Residents will be able to work with the buildings on-site team, which includes a resident services coordinator, case managers and peer support specialists. We are developing property because if we dont, people that look like me wont get served, said Nkenge Harmon Johnson, president of the Portland-based nonprofit, which provides social services to Black communities across Oregon and southwest Washington. Hattie Redmond Apartments, a 60-unit development that provides permanent housing to people with disabilities, held a grand opening Tuesday.Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian The project was funded in part by Metros 2018 affordable housing bond and from Oregon Housing and Community Services. The Metro bond covered $4.4 million of the total cost. The building is named after Harriet Hattie Redmond, a Black American suffragist and civil rights leader, who was the daughter of enslaved parents. She arrived in Oregon at age 6 in 1868. She spent her life advocating for voting rights for Black Portlanders and fighting against racist laws that prohibited Black people from residing in the state. U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, whose district includes the apartment complex, said the buildings name is a powerful symbol of a sad legacy in the community. Sign up for the Black Joy by Reckon newsletter to get positive Black news stories, words of wisdom and custom playlists delivered to your inbox twice a week. Enter your email to subscribe to Black Joy. When Black veterans returned from World War II, they couldnt qualify for a home loan even if they had the means, Blumenauer said. This is a symbol for how we will address these past wrongs. Housing is essential. The studio apartments each have a full kitchen, a roomy bathroom easy to maneuver in wheelchairs and a small area for a bed. However, residents must provide their own beds. Coleman said he is currently sleeping in a sleeping bag on the floor in his apartment though Urban League of Portland provided him with other move-in essentials like kitchenware. The Urban League of Portland and Home Forward held a grand opening Tuesday morning at Hattie Redmond Apartments, a 60-unit development that provides permanent housing to people with disabilities who are transitioning out of homelessness. Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian The building has shared laundry, bike storage, a computer room, free Wi-Fi, an outdoor plaza with a big grill and cozy sitting area, a rooftop terrace and an area for dogs to run around. It also offers an on-site GED program, book club, food pantry stocked by the Oregon Food Bank, family game nights and barber services. Harmon Johnson wanted to make sure that residents had more than the necessities to make the building feel like home. Her team took care to pick out carpet, faux wood floors and granite counter tops, she said. Large windows let natural light flood into the rooms and high ceilings make the near 200-square-foot studios feel more spacious and welcoming than other affordable housing units in the city. The buildings walls are also lined with artwork from six local Black and brown artists, including a portrait of Hattie Redmond. The people we serve dont always have to get the (least), Harmon Johnson said. They can get nice things too. Harmon Johnson, who grew up in the same neighborhood, said the development felt personal to her. This is my hood. It means the world to me to bring African American seniors, disabled and people who are homeless in their own neighborhoods inside, she said. We can do more of this and we can do it faster. A peek inside a unit at the Hattie Redmond Apartments, which held a grand opening Tuesday morning. Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian Ivory Mathews, Home Forward chief executive officer, said the partnership taught her organization a lot, particularly what it means to truly engage with a community, to hear their voices and understand what their specific cultural needs are for a supportive housing program. This development is a model for what we will continue to build in this community, Mathews said. Coleman, the apartment resident, said he feels confident he wont end up unhoused again thanks to the supportive services offered at the complex. He said just having someone to talk through life challenges with as they arise is important. Coleman has a degenerative disc in his back that made working become increasingly painful. While he qualified for disability benefits, they werent enough to cover his rent. He stayed with family members here and there, but ended up spending most night sleeping in his car because he couldnt afford an apartment. I felt like I was imposing, Coleman said of the nights he would stay with family members. It felt humiliating. I would try to keep it a secret that I was homeless and not tell anybody. I didnt know what to do They gave me independence here. They gave me a sense of respect in how they talk to me. That is why I am so happy. I was all smiles. The hope. The camaraderie. Nicole Hayden reports on homelessness for The Oregonian/OregonLive. She can be reached at nhayden@oregonian.com or on Twitter @Nicole_A_Hayden. Kaiser Permanente executive Dan Field has been named the new director of the joint Portland-Multnomah County homeless services office. Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler announced Field as the new leader of the joint office at a press conference Wednesday following a national search that drew 48 candidates. Field has spent nearly two decades with Kaiser Permanente. He previously worked in the Oregon Legislature as a staffer for former Gov. John Kitzhaber when he was Senate president and as chief of staff for former Portland Mayor Vera Katz when she was speaker of the House. Field must be approved by the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners before he can assume the role of director April 28. Assuming he is approved by the board, Field will take over leadership of the offices $255 million budget and 95 employees. He will be paid $219,852 annually in addition to receiving the retirement and health benefits granted to all county employees. I step into this role with a real sense of humility about the challenge ahead of us, Field said during Wednesdays press conference. To anyone who is homeless or housing insecure ... we see you and we will keep you at the center of everything we do. Field also promised that his office will support those navigating drug addiction. Please know so many of us know your pain and we pledge to be your biggest ally, he said. The joint office is a partnership between Multnomah County and Portland that was formed into 2016. It enables the two government entities to work together to provide services including housing assistance, shelter, health care and services navigation, employment assistance and street outreach. Joshua Bates, the offices deputy director, took over as interim director in November 2022 after interim director Shannon Singleton departed. Marc Jolin, the last permanent director of the joint office, stepped down in March 2022. Bates will remain at the joint office, returning to his role as deputy director. Field will take over the joint office at a time when more than 5,000 people are experiencing homelessness in Multnomah County. The countys unsheltered population saw a 50% growth between 2019 and 2022, the years in which a federal count of homeless individuals was conducted. Vega Pederson said she believes Field is a leader who can meet the moment and will be able to use his many professional connections to better work with health care organizations and lawmakers. Wheeler said the city and countys communication on homelessness solutions has been better than ever since Vega Pederson took office. He said Field not only has the skills to carry on that collaboration but the personal compassion to see this humanitarian crisis resolved. Kaiser Permanente executive Dan Field, pictured, has been named the new director of the joint Portland-Multnomah County homeless services office. Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler announced Field as the new leader of the joint office at a press conference Wednesday following a national search that drew 48 candidates. April 5, 2023Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian To address not only housing but the complex challenges that people navigating homelessness face, Field said he plans to seek more collaboration across funding silos. He said housing, mental health, substance use and health care dollars all arrive to the county and city in different buckets of money. He said one of his first meetings will be with Health Share of Oregon executives to discuss how Medicaid dollars can be used for housing. How do you work across all of those silos? he said. One of my first meeting will be with Health Share of Oregon executives who have those Medicaid dollars. My understanding is that the collaboration isnt happening as best as it could right now. Health Share of Oregon, which Field helped found, is the collaborative effort between local health care systems and Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties that coordinates health care for residents on the Oregon Health Plan. During his time at Kaiser Permanente, Field also assisted in leading Portland hospital systems to spend $21.5 million to help create the Blackburn Center, which opened in 2019. Developed by Central City Concern, the center includes a health clinic, recuperative care beds and supportive housing apartments for unhoused people experiencing behavioral health issues. In 2020, Field partnered with Health Share of Oregon and the three metro counties to launch the Metro 300 initiative, which housed more than 300 homeless seniors. Ed Blackburn, former director of Central City Concern, said the joint office needed a leader that would think more broadly about solutions because homelessness is a tangle of so many challenges. We needed a leader outside of the paradigm that housing can solve all of our problems, Blackburn said, noting people from the health care and behavioral health sector also need to be at the table. You cannot solve homelessness without housing, but if you look at all other factors, they complicate the matter ... We need a person from those other worlds to come to the table to add to the work the joint office has been doing for so long. When the Clackamas County Commission was recently considering the purchase of a motel that would be converted into temporary housing for people experiencing homelessness, which ultimately failed to pass, Field expressed his support. Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Medical Center stands across from the motel. The transitional housing and supportive program will be a crucial addition to the countys multi-faceted efforts to address the crisis of homelessness, wrote Field and Jake Rosenberg, the hospitals director of facilities services, in a supportive letter. In the letter, they committed to discussing how their medical center could support the medical needs of transitional housing clients and pointed out the ideal location of the site, given that Kaisers eye care and dental clinics are also in the shopping center that sits next to the motel. Marcus Mundy, director of The Coalition of Communities of Color, said he has known Field for many years as both a friend and former colleague at Kaiser. Ive seen his humanity and understanding grow over time, Mundy said. Everybody who does this important work knows these are people out there. They are somebodys parents, somebodys children, somebodys loved ones ... Many of them just need help with their very real problems. Nicole Hayden reports on homelessness for The Oregonian/OregonLive. She can be reached at nhayden@oregonian.com or on Twitter @Nicole_A_Hayden. Oregon experienced one of the nations largest increases in homelessness between 2020 and 2022, federal data indicates. The number of people experiencing homelessness in Oregon grew nearly 23% during the two-year span, increasing by 3,304 people to about 18,000, according to a federally mandated physical count of homeless individuals. That rate was well above the national average of less than 1% growth in people experiencing homeless and also far outstripped that of the other West Coast states, with Washington experiencing a 10% hike and California a 6% increase, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developments 2022 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report to Congress. John Tapogna, senior policy adviser at ECONorthwest, an economics and development consulting firm, said the simple explanation for Oregons homelessness crisis is rooted in housing costs. He said West Coast states and the East Coast corridor that stretches from Boston to Washington, D.C., all have high priced housing markets with too little housing supply and low vacancy rates. There is so much debate on the principal driver of homelessness, Tapogna said. Is it personal circumstance or the housing market? Incidence of homelessness are highest in areas where difficult personal circumstances intersect with a challenging housing market. For example, he said, Arkansas, Tennessee and Missouri have high rates of disability and West Virginia has high rates of opioid use, but those states do not have high rates of homelessness since housing costs are much lower. Oregon ranked fourth in the nation among the states with the largest numeric increases in homelessness from 2020 to 2022, according to the report. Only California (9,973), Louisiana (4,200) and Tennessee (3,311) saw their homeless populations increase by more people from 2020 to 2022. UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS IS HIGH Across the United States, there were more than 582,000 people experiencing homelessness in early 2022, the report said. And Oregon had the nations third-highest rate, with 42 homeless people per 10,000 residents, according to the report. California has the highest rate in the country with 44 people homeless per 10,000 residents followed by Vermont with 43 per 10,000 residents, it said. Western states, including Oregon, also reported some of the highest percentages of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness, which includes people sleeping on the sidewalk, in tents, in sleeping bags or in vehicles. Nearly 62% of Oregons homeless population was found to be living unsheltered in early 2022. Only three other states, California, Mississippi and Hawaii, had higher percentages of homeless people living unsheltered, at 67%, 64%, and 63%, respectively. All three of those states experience warmer average temperatures than Oregon. There are an estimated 18,000 homeless people in Oregon with just under 5,200 year-round shelter beds to serve them, according to 2022 federal data. A handful of cold-weather states had the lowest percentages of homeless people living unsheltered. Vermont had fewer than 2% of its homeless population living on the street, while New York, with one of the highest rates of homelessness in the nation, had just over 5% of their homeless residents living on the street, the report said. NO. 1 FOR CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS Oregon had the highest rate of chronic homelessness in the nation with 44% of individuals experiencing homelessness showing patterns of chronic homelessness. Chronic homelessness means that someone has a disability and been homeless for more than one year or has experienced homelessness multiple times over several years. Chronic homelessness has been quickly increasing across the country. But Oregon stood out with the second-highest numeric increase between 2020 and 2022. The state recorded 2,324 more people experiencing chronic homelessness in 2022 than it did in 2020, a 56% jump, for a total of 6,447. Since 2010, veteran homelessness drastically decreased across the country after the federal government declared ending it a priority and poured increased resources into housing and supportive services for vets. But in Oregon, the number of homeless veterans increased by 10% to 1,460 from 2020 to 2022. HOMELESS FAMILIES A CONCERN IN OREGON While all states reported having families who were homeless, some shelter many or all of them. Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New York all reported that none of their homeless families with children were living on the street. But Oregon reported that nearly 2,000, or 59%, of its 3,373 homeless individuals in families with children were living unsheltered in early 2022. No other state had nearly as high a percentage of people in homeless families living unsheltered. The states with the next highest percentages were Idaho, Tennessee, Arkansas and Alabama, at 47%, 44%, 38% and 36%, respectively. Oregon saw a 27% increase in the number of people in families experiencing homelessness between 2020 and 2022, even as the overall number decreased across the nation. The only other states that had higher numerical increases were Louisiana (3,732 more people), Maine (1,146 more), Delaware (876) and Tennessee (777). Among the nations major metro areas, Portland had the second-highest percentage of people in families experiencing homelessness living unsheltered, at 68%, the report found. Craig Opperman, director of Looking Glass Community Services, which serves homeless youth and families in Eugene, said the economic stress of housing has pushed families to the brink. There are folks who really just cant afford housing costs, they miss a paycheck or two and lose their rental place, he said. The cost of living is extremely high and affordable housing is difficult to find. A family with, say, a 15-year-old, 9-year-old and 6-year-old might not be able to stay together. Maybe the 15-year-old who can better take care of himself compared to his younger siblings couch surfs with friends while the parents and younger siblings stay someplace else. However, Oregon appeared to have one of the largest decreases in the number of unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness, with a decrease of 248 from 2020 to 2022. Oregon had about 1,000 such youths living houseless in 2022, a 19% decrease from 2020. Sean Suib, director of nonprofit New Avenues for Youth in Portland, said he wasnt surprised the count of youth experiencing homelessness fell, though he doesnt believe it is because the number of homeless youth truly decreased. He said the way youth experience homelessness is often different than that of adults, so they can be missed during the federal count. With gentrification, the push-out of poverty and the increased number of older adults experiencing homelessness, young people who once were highly concentrated in downtown urban centers like Portland are now scattered throughout more suburban and rural parts of our communities, Suib said. Increasingly, young people utilize survival strategies like doubled up housing or living in unsafe or unstable housing situations to meet basic needs. The federal count is most focused on reaching older adults experiencing homelessness, he said, not on finding youth. He said this is an example of why Oregon communities should conduct their own separate youth count. Opperman said a lack of mental health care for youth has also added pressure to the homeless youth systems across the state. That about 40% of homeless youth are LGBTQ, he said, signals that family acceptance needs to be addressed. COVID has caused us to realize how fragile a lot of our young peoples mental health is, he said. We have seen a lot of family strife, a lot of strife around kids. And Oregon has one of the lowest numbers of intensive psychiatric beds available for youth. EUGENE IN NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT The Eugene area stood out for its high rate of homelessness and percentage of families experiencing homelessness living outside. More than 84% of 579 people in families experiencing homelessness in the greater Eugene area lived unsheltered, the nations highest percentage among largely urban areas outside of major cities, the report said. Among those locales, the Eugene area had the second-highest number of people experiencing homelessness in the country, with 2,880. The area also ranked nationally with high rates of unsheltered homelessness for multiple populations including unaccompanied youth, families with children, chronically homeless individuals and veterans. In total, 73% of homeless people in the Eugene area live unsheltered. A recent Lane County study noted that Lane County is strikingly poorer than several other Oregon counties, the rest of Oregon and the U.S. as a whole, said Kelly McIver, spokesperson for the city of Eugenes unhoused response team. High housing demand and low vacancy rates have not translated to more affordable housing. The complexity, cost and time to develop affordable housing in our area has meant need still far exceeds supply. Terry McDonald, director of St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County, said housing wasnt historically developed in the Eugene area in the same way it was in urban areas like Portland. Inexpensive housing like mobile homes was developed to meet the needs of timber companies or other rural industries. As the industries waned, a need for additional housing dropped and the housing stock deteriorated. Places like Portland and San Francisco had a substantial amount of housing built because they were destinations for employment, McDonald said. When I went to high school in Eugene, you had to leave and move somewhere else if you wanted to make money. Now today, Oregon has been discovered as a destination, but we do not have any old buildings to repurpose or convert into housing. So if we want it, we have to build to catch up with the market that is rapidly changing. With the current demand for housing in Eugene, rents have escalated. In 2012, a two bedroom apartment could be rented for $600, McDonald said. Now, that price is above $1,300, he said. People on fixed or low incomes cant afford market rate prices anymore and are losing their housing, he said. The homeless population we are seeing are older, on fixed incomes and are generally more female. Nicole Hayden reports on homelessness for The Oregonian/OregonLive. She can be reached at nhayden@oregonian.com or on Twitter @Nicole_A_Hayden. Polish President Andrzej Duda said that at the NATO summit in Vilnius this summer, Ukraine can receive additional security guarantees. "We would like to receive additional security guarantees at the NATO summit in Vilnius, which will support Ukrainian soldiers in the fight against the invaders. We hope that we will be able to receive such guarantees for Ukraine," he said at a press conference on Wednesday following talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. At the same time, Duda said Ukraine should become a full member of the EU and NATO as soon as possible. According to him, the key topic at the talks was security. "Poland is the third country in terms of military support to Ukraine. We have transferred more than 300 tanks, self-propelled guns Krab, and other equipment," he said. According to the President of Poland, "historical issues that are wounds for many families" were also discussed during the talks. "There are no taboos between us. We will build relations based on an honest politics of memory," he said. Duda also said Poland is Ukraine's largest economic partner and expressed hope that "the western direction of Ukraine's economic activity will be preserved." A court, having considered the materials submitted by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), ruled to seize another two land plots with real estate property on them that were illegally owned by Oksana Marchenko, the wife of former Ukrainian parliamentarian Viktor Medvedchuk. The overall cost of the seized property is estimated at around UAH 17.5 million, the SBU said on the Telegram channel on Wednesday. "These land plots are situated in one of the most prestigious tourist districts in Lviv region. Medvedchuk's wife arranged the illegal construction of a hotel complex there. It was established that Marchenko received the land plots through an illegal real estate deal," it said. It is also established that a former head of the district department for land relations was involved in illegal activities. From 2004 through 2010, the official inserted fake data into reports with the aim of issuing state acts of land ownership for Marchenko. The official has been notified of suspicion under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (Part 2 of Article 364 (abuse of power or official position) and Part 2 of Article 366 (official forgery). The case has been sent to court. The SBU recalled that in August 2022, it initiated the seizure of three land plots illegally owned by Marchenko in Lviv region. The investigation continues to establish all circumstances of the crime and bring everyone involved in the crime to justice. Young adult novels are a defining aspect of my generation's pop culture experience. Stories about teenagers in fantasy or sci-fi settings like "The Hunger Games," "Twilight," and "Percy Jackson" were inescapable in either book or movie form and defined the mindsets of many people. The trend can be traced back to the unexpected runaway success of "Harry Potter," the sleeper hit "Percy Jackson" series a few years later, and the pop-cultural phenomena of the "Hunger Games," which came to define the themes, tone, and even aesthetic most people associate with the YA genre. However, there were many other books marketed at young adults that are often forgotten, even if they were successes in their time. "Animorphs," "Maximum Ride," "Brian's Saga," and "The Book of Ember" were all series that took their shot at telling various young adult stories before the genre solidified itself into dystopia. One book, in particular, seems to have gone almost entirely forgotten, even though it won multiple awards and sold decently well. I read it when I was probably too young for it and to this day it stays with me. It's one of my favorites of all time and is one of the most unique reading experiences I've had to date. That book was "The House of the Scorpion" and it doesn't deserve to be forgotten. The book is about Matt, a boy in a dystopian future Mexico where drug lords have divided the land among themselves into individual countries. Matt discovers he is the clone of the most powerful of them all, Matteo Alacran, and that the world considers clones to be nothing more than animals. He's treated cruelly throughout his life, treats others cruelly in return, and is exposed to a chaotic world of drugs, the dysfunctional lives of aristocrats, and slavery. Like I said, I might've been too young when I read it for the first time at age 12. However, it was probably my age that gave me a unique reading experience. I was just as confused as Matt was in many parts of the book, as he observed an adult world full of drama that he didn't understand. I didn't understand it either and so the world of the book seemed to me similar to how it must have seemed to Matt: chaotic, intimidating, and only making sense in hindsight. It was compelling in how strange it seemed. Years later, when I was an adult, I picked up a copy of "House of the Scorpion" again. I was searching for that same feeling of strangeness and intimidation I got when I read the book the first time. What I found instead was an entirely new, fresh perspective. Clarity was brought to things I didn't understand before. The adult world, while still chaotic and cruel, made more sense than before. This shouldn't come as any surprise, but I marveled at just how much growing up had changed my perception of the book. It was filled with so much thematic depth and world-building that took on greater significance for my adult understanding of the world. I've also had this happen with the "Harry Potter" series, which I read in middle school. The later books especially brim with a thematic depth that I only vaguely understood when I first read them. Going back to things from childhood often carries the risk of disappointment when it doesn't match my memories or original experience. However, every once in a while one book will bring an experience that builds upon the first and therefore make it better. Those times are rare, but they're incredible. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BARRYTON One Barryton 9-year-old is taking her first steps in the entrepreneurial world with her crafting skills with rocks. Harleigh Ruppert, of Barryton, took her passion for rocks and crafting and turned it into a small online business Harleighs Rockin Accessories. The business sells jewelry and other accessories made from hand-tumbled rocks Snider collects, cleans and polishes herself. She also recently expanded to more than wire-wrapped pendants, also making and selling corded necklaces, sun catchers, earrings, rings and hair clips. Ruppert's passion for rock collecting began at an early age and later turned into a full-blown crafting obsession. Ive always really liked rocks, and I started collecting them at school, Ruppert said. I have had them basically my whole life. A lot goes into making my pieces, like getting the rocks and buying supplies. It usually takes about a month for each batch of pieces that I make. The process of creating the pieces includes purchasing or finding rocks, tumbling them to clean them, and then utilizing borax to give them shine. Her favorite rocks to work with are rose quartz and they usually sell out the fastest due to the light pink coloration and look they have. Tumbling the rocks takes hours or days depending on the type of rock used, and some pieces, like the wire pendants, take special time to make. Brittany Snider, Harleighs mother, also has a crafting business through her crocheting and often encourages her childrens interests. We bought her first rock tumbler and a box of rocks for her for Christmas and she's been tumbling rocks since, Snider said. She started creating wire-wrapped pendants with her polished stones and started by just gifting her favorites to family and friends. Most of her stones we purchase raw for her to tumble. Others she goes out and 'hunts' for, she said. Our latest batch we purchased actually came from Madagascar. She's been working hard to build her selection of accessories to have something for everyone. She can't wait to show off her artwork this summer. Harleighs Rockin Accessories will make its crafting event debut at the Barryton Lilac Festival in June. Her siblings, 11-year-old Lilly and 7-year-old Kamdyn, also have interests in crafting and enjoy supporting their sisters rock accessory business dreams. It's nice to see them at such a young age want to be self-sufficient, Snider said. I am having them learn all of the steps, not just making and selling. They're shipping out their things, they're writing thank you cards and delivering them. It's important to me that they learn all of what it takes to run a business. For more information on Harleighs Rockin Accessories visit and join the businesss Facebook page at www.bit.ly/3zxvWD1. (NOTE: This article was updated at 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, April 5, to reflect Harleigh's last name is Ruppert.) mokee81/Getty Images/iStockphoto A naked man was taken into custody by police and presumably traded in his birthday suit for a jumpsuit after he allegedly stole a school bus. The incident occurred Tuesday in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania about 15 miles southwest of the state capitol in Harrisburg. According to the Carroll Township Police Department, the bus was stolen Tuesday morning from nearby Abbottstown. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Through the first few months of 2023, the state government cut back on pandemic-related benefits as the federal government called for an end to emergency allotments. But the Michigan Association of United Ways says these benefits were needed even before the pandemic and are still needed today. The reality is that the pandemic-related benefits put in place by the federal government merely shone a light on the needs that already existed long before COVID-19, said Michigan Association of United Ways CEO Hassan Hammoud. Hammoud is specifically concerned about cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the restart to Medicaid eligibility renewals. At the beginning of the pandemic, the federal government provided additional SNAP benefits of at least $95 per month to families receiving food assistance through the program. However, after Congress ended emergency allotments, the additional SNAP benefits were cut in Michigan on March 1. What we saw during the pandemic was that the unprecedented amount of aid that came into our communities lifted families, and children in particular, out of poverty more than weve ever seen in history, Hammoud said. Now that the additional benefits have been cut, families with full-time jobs or multiple jobs struggle to afford food along with rent, utilities and other necessities. In the month since the cuts were made, Michigan 2-1-1 has reported a 33% increase in requests for food assistance. Hammoud said that was 726 additional requests in one month and that he expects they could receive more than 5,000 more requests over one year. In this day and age, a person working full-time shouldnt struggle to feed their kids, Hammoud said. I think that is the crux of the problem, the fact that the thresholds for getting assistance are just too high. In other words, you cant survive off of working a 40-hour work week. Hammoud is focused on ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) populations. His concern is that these families will give up food first instead of missing other payments like rent. Unfortunately, food is probably one of the easiest things to try and scale back on when youre talking about things like rent and utilities and medicine, Hammoud said. Food is the most immediate thingwhen you run out of food, youre hungry today. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services encourages families to seek needed resources at food banks or to use MI Bridges to find other local agencies. Hammoud also expressed a concern for families after Medicaid eligibility renewals restarted on April 1. During the federally declared COVID-19 public health emergency, Congress required state Medicaid agencies to continue health care coverage for all medical assistance programs, even if someone's eligibility changed. Michigans Medicaid caseload grew by more than 700,000 people during the public health emergency, according to MDHHS. This requirement was ended by the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 signed in December 2022. Renewals for traditional Medicaid and the Healthy Michigan Plan will take place monthly starting in June 2023 and will run through May 2024. Monthly renewal notices will be sent three months prior to a beneficiary's renewal date. For most beneficiaries, the eligibility renewal will be in the same month it was before the public health emergency. MDHHS is strongly committed to ensuring Michiganders who are eligible for Medicaid coverage remain enrolled, said Elizabeth Hertel, director of MDHHS. MDHHS is preparing to assist residents who will be affected by changes in their coverage. Hammoud said the main concern is that ALICE families often move or change their phone numbers, making it difficult to contact them and inform them of what they need to do to remain on Medicaid. Losing Medicaid eligibility and getting back on Medicaid is a hurdle in itself, he said. (It is) a hurdle for oftentimes families and individuals who have problems with transportation, who struggle with communication, who struggle with access, whether that is getting to a Medicaid office or if thats accessing the application online. Hammouds solution would be to bring back the additional SNAP benefits and for the state to allow for a good amount of time for outreach and to provide funding to organizations to perform that outreach that will remind individuals to update their contact information and prepare for the renewal. To prepare for the renewal process, MDHHS recommends the following for Medicaid beneficiaries: They should ensure that their address, phone number, and email address are up to date. They can do this online at MI Bridges or call their local MDHHS office. If a beneficiary does not have an online account for MI Bridges to access their Medicaid case or report changes, they should sign up for an account. They should report any changes to their household or income on MI Bridges or to their local MDHHS office. If they receive a renewal packet, they should be sure to fill it out, sign the forms, and return it by the due date with any proof needed. If a beneficiary does not complete and return the renewal packet, they may lose Medicaid coverage. If MDHHS completes a review and a beneficiary no longer qualifies, the beneficiary can choose to buy health care coverage at HealthCare.gov. This is just an unfortunate situation, Hammoud said. Like I said, we reduced poverty by such a good amount during the pandemic. I think that really helps demonstrate the need for folks to continue to keep these benefits. MEXICO CITY (AP) Authorities in the Mexican resort of Cancun said Monday they have found four dead bodies in the citys hotel zone near the beach. There was no immediate information on the nationalities or identities of the victims. The announcement of the deaths came less that a week after a U.S. tourist was shot in the leg in the nearby town of Puerto Morelos. Prosecutors originally said three bodies were found Monday in a lot near one of Cancuns beachside hotels along the Kukulkan Boulevard. They then added that a fourth body was found in the undergrowth on the same lot, brining to four the number of victims. Prosecutors in the Caribbean coast state of Quintana Roo said two suspects had been detained in the killings. They said the deaths were under investigation, but did not give a cause of death. Last week in Puerto Morelos, a U.S. tourist was approached by several suspects, and they shot him in the leg. The motive remains under investigation. The wounded man was taken to a hospital in Cancun for treatment, and his injury was judged to be not life-threatening. The U.S. State Department issued a travel alert earlier this month warning travelers to exercise increased caution, especially after dark, at Mexicos Caribbean beach resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, which have been plagued by drug gang violence in the past. There have been a series of brazen acts of violence along the Caribbean coast, the crown jewel of Mexicos tourism industry. In 2022, two Canadians were killed in Playa del Carmen, apparently because of debts between international drug and weapons trafficking gangs. In 2021, farther south in the laid-back destination of Tulum, two tourists one a California travel blogger born in India and the other German were killed when they apparently were caught in the crossfire of a gunfight between rival drug dealers. President of Poland Andrzej Duda announced the preparation of a new agreement between Poland and Ukraine. "We are working on a new agreement between our countries. The future will fill this agreement with content. We hope that we will be able to sign such an agreement in the near future," he said at a press conference in Warsaw on Wednesday following talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Duda expressed the wish that "Ukrainians and Poles do not feel the border between us." "It will be a border in the political sense, but we would like to have two cooperating countries, so that it would be a community of two brotherly neighboring peoples," he said. The Polish president also noted the great opportunities for Polish business in Ukraine. "Ukraine is a big country with enormous opportunities. I hope that with the ousting of the aggressors from Ukraine, the gates for economic development between us will open," he said. TO THE EDITOR: Excited to welcome @RonDeSantisFL to Midland! His leadership in Florida shows the type of success of a free state with conservative leadership. Tweet from State Rep. Bill G. Schuette. Lets take a look at the free state of Florida: When Disney exercised free speech to criticize DeSantiss Dont Say Gay Bill, he revoked their self-governing charter and created a board he appoints to control them. DeSantis wants to weaken libel laws to sue media organizations that criticize him, inspiring another lawmaker to write a bill that requires bloggers to register with the state. DeSantis pushed through bills that prohibit critical race theory as well as the Dont Say Gay Bill that blocks discussion of LGBTQIA+ issues below 3rd grade. Now hes extending that to 8th grade. So a gay teacher cant even mention their spouse in class without being in violation, not to mention attempting to whitewash history so students learn sanitized versions that support white supremacy. DeSantis supports a voucher system that allows parents to use state money on private schools, further damaging public schools and eventually privatizing them into schools with little regulation and a free rein to spread right wing propaganda. DeSantis introduced legislation to ban critical race theory in universities; end diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives; and give control of university curricula to a board appointed by him. DeSantis expanded gun access with permitless concealed carry. DeSantis supports a 15 week abortion ban as well as the proposed 6 week ban in the Legislature. Is this what Rep. Schuette sees as a free state? Is that what he wants for Michiganders? He wants to take away your right to reproductive healthcare, control what is taught in schools, ban books, and punish anyone who speaks out against him? Thats really concerning, Rep. Schuette. I suggest voters take a good hard look at free Florida and decide if thats what you want. If it's not, join us April 6 at 7 a.m. at Valley Plaza Resort to protest DeSantis and those who would bring his fascism here to Michigan. JENNIFER AUSTIN Midland County Democratic Party Chair Midland Lilongwe, Malawi (PANA) - Independent human rights experts expressed their solidarity with the people of Malawi on Tuesday, following the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Freddy that killed and injured hundreds, leading the government to declare a state of emergency Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Standing Committee for the Follow-up of the Conditions of Libyan Prisoners Abroad Tuesday discussed the conditions and cases of Libyan prisoners abroad and the possibility of transferring convicts to complete the rest of their sentences in Libya Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, was awarded on Wednesday the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest distinction, for his services to security, resilience and the defence of human rights, the Polish President's Office announced. Zelensky arrived in Poland on Wednesday morning with his wife Olena Zelenska for their first visit to the country together and Zelensky's first since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year. During a meeting of the two first couples, the President's Office tweeted that Zelensky had been awarded the distinction also for his services towards Polish-Ukrainian relations. The tweet was accompanied by a video of Polish President Andrzej Duda awarding Zelenski the medal. "There is no doubt that you, Volodymyr Zelensky, are exceptional," Duda said during the ceremony. "It is hard to hide the tears of emotion seeing your service to your motherland. You have not abandoned either Ukraine or your compatriots. You are a model of state and national leadership. "A year ago, in February 2022, after the Russian aggression, at that moment, none of us knew what Ukraine's fate would be, what your fate would be," Duda told Zelensky. "There is no doubt that your attitude, combined with the heroism of Ukrainian soldiers saved Ukraine. We have no doubt that your attitude in huge measure is saving Europe from the deluge of Russian imperialism," he added. Duda emphasised that the Order of the White Eagle is Poland's oldest and most prized distinction. "It is given to exceptional people who have done exceptional things with their lives in service to the (Polish - PAP) Republic and its neighbourhood," Duda said. President Zelensky thanked Poland and Poles for their support of his country. "I want to thank the Polish president, the government and all Poles for the road we have travelled together. We highly value your support. Never in history has there been such warm and close relations between Poland and Ukraine," he said. Zelensky added that he accepted the award on behalf of the whole Ukrainian nation and those fighting to defend it. (PAP) Photo: (Photo : Jay Paul /Getty Images) Virginia teacher Abigail Zwerner has officially filed a $40 million lawsuit against the school district for the shooting on Jan. 6. The Virginia teacher who was shot by a six-year-old student has filed a $40 million lawsuit. The lawsuit is claiming that school administrators ignored multiple warnings from staff and students who believed the boy had a gun and was a danger on the day of the shooting. The teacher alleges that the school was aware of the child's history of random violence. The shooting occurred on January 6 at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, and the police confirmed that the child intended to shoot the teacher with a 9 mm handgun while she was seated at a reading table in their first-grade classroom. The incident shocked the country. Abigail Zwerner Is Filing $40 Million Lawsuit In the lawsuit filed by Abigail Zwerner, the injured educator, she alleges that the defendants, including school administrators, were aware of the child's history of violence and that he had a propensity for attacking both students and teachers. According to NBC, the complaint suggests that the defendants knew that the child had access to a firearm and posed an imminent threat to the safety of students and staff. Additionally, Zwerner's complaint states that the defendants knew that John Doe had previously attacked both students and teachers and that his motivation to injure was not limited to teachers while at the school. Despite this knowledge, the defendants failed to take appropriate measures to protect students and staff from harm. The lawsuit also accuses Assistant Principal Ebony Parker of breaching her assumed duty to protect Zwerner despite receiving multiple reports that a firearm was on school property and likely in the possession of a violent individual. The incident occurred on January 6 at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, and Zwerner sustained serious injuries to her hand and upper chest. The BBC reported that the Virginia teacher underwent four surgeries to treat her injuries and spent two weeks in the hospital. The incident shocked the community, and the school board later voted to install metal detectors in all schools in the district to enhance security measures. Despite the severity of the incident, no one has been charged in connection with the shooting. Zwerner is seeking compensatory damages for her injuries, physical pain, mental anguish, lost earnings, and other damages resulting from the incident. Read Also: Pediatric Mental Health Hospitalizations for Suicidal, Self-Harming Behavior Spike Dramatically Legal arrest for the school shooting NPR reported that the defendants named in the lawsuit, including the Newport News School Board, former schools superintendent George Parker III, and Richneck principal Briana Foster Newton, have not yet issued a response to the complaint or the allegations made against them. Michelle Price, a spokesperson for the school board, Lisa Surles-Law, chair of the school board, and other board members were also contacted for comment but have not responded to the emails. Following the tragic incident, Richneck Assistant Principal Ebony Parker resigned from her position, while the former schools superintendent George Parker III was voted to be removed by the board without cause. The school principal, Briana Foster Newton, was also transferred to another role within the district. No charges have been filed against anyone, including the 6-year-old boy, for the shooting incident. The school board took swift action in response to the incident, aside from the metal detectors, the board also approved the purchase of clear backpacks for all students. Related Article: Nashville School Shooting Prompts Nationwide Boost in Active Shooter Training, Childhood Preparedness Protocols Photo: (Photo : Pexe/Rodnae Productions) The eleven-year-old New Jersey student allegedly informed the school about being bullied numerous times before she died in an apparent suicide incident, her mother says. Felicia LoAlbo-Melendez was found by another student inside a bathroom stall at F.W. Holbein School in Mount Holly, New Jersey last February 6, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office. School officials immediately responded and rushed the student to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where she was pronounced dead in the manner of complications related to attempted suicide after two days, confirmed by the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office, as reported by People. New Jersey Student Complained to School Prior to Suicide The Burlington County Prosecutor's Office reviewed the school's surveillance cameras in line with the investigation and discovered that she was alone in the bathroom when the incident happened. Felicia's grieving mother expressed that her daughter's suicidal death was due to a consistent bullying she has experienced in alcohol. Elaina LoAlbo stated that her late daughter emailed school officials to inform them about being bullied days before her death. She even accused the school of "breaking the laws" when allegedly they did nothing about her complaints. "She herself had written numerous emails to the administration detailing the events, yet no one was ever questioned. They have swept under the rug, the bullying that she and so many other kids in that school have encountered and now they're doing the same with this investigation," Elaina heartbreakingly told NJ.com. In one email Felicia sent to the school, she suggested to begin a "trauma club" to be a safe place for students to discuss trauma and triggers. Read More: Forgotten fathers: New dads also at risk for postpartum depression Mom of Bullied Victim Disappointed by the School Elaina also revealed that her daughter is only one of the many victims of bullying in their school that is suffering in silence. The victim's mother took to Facebook and posted an emotional post on Friday, stating that her daughter's email will not remain unheard and declaring that now is the time for parents and children's voices to be heard. She announced that the Burlington County Sheriff's Department is set to close her daughter's case "without completing an investigation and questioning key people or showing me, the mother, any proof of these allegations." "Just like the school, I feel like they are trying to sweep it under the rug," Elaina expressed. She further stressed how the school failed her as a parent of one of their students. "We need to do better; we need to help these children that come to us begging for help. It's time to speak up. The school administration didn't listen the first 50 times. Maybe they are ready to hear us now. This bullying needs to stop. There need to be consequences for their actions," the mother of three declared. Felicia's suicidal death happened while she was still mourning the death of her father, New Jersey Transit Police Detective Alexis Melendez. The latter died only two weeks before her. Related Article: Older Fathers put Health of Partners, Unborn Children at Risk, Rutgers Study Finds Photo: (Photo : Justin Sullivan/ Getty Images) Johnson & Johnson has now agreed to settle the lawsuit over the talc claims in their baby powder. The company has agreed to pay $8.9 billion over 25 years to settle all current and future claims that the company's baby powder and other cosmetic talc products allegedly caused cancer. This settlement comes after numerous lawsuits from people claiming that the talc in Johnson & Johnson's baby powder caused ovarian cancer and mesothelioma. Why Is Johnson & Johnson Settling the Lawsuit? Johnson & Johnson has settled the lawsuit to put an end to the ongoing legal battle that has been dragging on for years. Axios reported that initially, the company proposed a compensation amount of $2 billion. Nevertheless, they have now agreed to pay $8.9 billion as a settlement to the purported victims over a 25-year period, thus putting to rest all existing and future allegations regarding talc. The company says the settlement will allow it to move on from the controversy surrounding its talc-based products. Erik Haas, who serves as the Vice President of Litigation at Johnson & Johnson, stated that the resolution of these cases through the tort system would result in extended periods of time and substantial expenses for both the company and the system. Moreover, most claimants would not receive any form of compensation, as per his statement. The company's subsidiary, LTL Management, Inc., will file for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy to resolve the allegations. While the filing is not an admission of wrongdoing, Johnson & Johnson maintains that the talcum powder products are safe, according to the release. There was no application for bankruptcy protection by Johnson & Johnson or its other associated companies, and they intend to continue with their regular business operations. What Are the Allegations Against Johnson & Johnson? The allegations against Johnson & Johnson are that its baby powder and other cosmetic talc products contain talc, a mineral believed to cause cancer. According to ABC, in 2019, Johnson & Johnson recalled a shipment of baby powder when a sample tested positive for a trace amount of asbestos, according to an advisory from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Sales of the talc-based product ended in North America the following year. This settlement means that Johnson & Johnson will be able to put an end to the ongoing legal battle that has been dragging on for years. Read Also: WHO Reveals Infertility Affects 1 in 6 People Globally, Urges Countries To Provide Fertility Treatments Does Talc Powder Cause Cancer? There has been an ongoing debate about whether talc powder causes cancer. Some studies have suggested that talcum powder when used in the genital area, may increase the risk of ovarian cancer. Other studies have linked talcum powder to lung cancer and mesothelioma, particularly when the powder is contaminated with asbestos. However, the company believes that its talcum powder products are safe and do not cause cancer. Johnson & Johnson claims to have complete confidence in the extensive research and scientific studies conducted by various medical professionals worldwide. These studies have proven that their JOHNSON'S Baby Powder, which contains talc, is free from asbestos, completely safe, and has no link to cancer. The company has faced numerous lawsuits over the years alleging that its talc-based products cause cancer, but they have denied any wrongdoing and stated that its products are supported by decades of scientific evidence. Despite the controversy surrounding talc and its potential link to cancer, it is important to note that there is still no clear consensus among experts. More research is needed to fully understand the possible health risks associated with talc powder use. In the meantime, consumers should consult with their doctors and make informed decisions about their use of talcum powder. Related Article: Virginia Teacher Files $40 Million Lawsuit After Being Shot by 6-Year-Old Student, Alleging School Negligence Photo: (Photo : Getty Images/Michael Ciaglo) Group of parents gathered outside East High School, protesting against the school district's non-transparency of back to school safety measures and procedures now that the school is reopening its doors after the shooting incident. Parents protested Monday demanding for more transparency from school district leaders on how they plan to keep the students safe as they come back to school from spring break on Wednesday, Denver 7 reported. "In two days our kids are coming back. What is going to be different? If some people don't have a sense of urgency, we do, because we're the ones who will miss them at night when they cannot come home. This is not acceptable. Safety is not negotiable for our kids," 9th grader parents Astrid Ruiz declared. Students fear to go back to school Ruiz is just one of the dozens of concerned parents at East High School who wants to know the specific plans of the school going forward aside from the return of some school resource officers (SROs). The growing coalition of parents, which is referred to as the Parent Safety Advocacy Group (PSAG), wants urgent answers before the school bell rings at 8:05 in the morning Wednesday. Another parent, Sri Viswanath revealed that the school administration has not told them anything about the school's safety improvements and updates. They were not even assured that Denver Public Schools and the East High School are now safer. No comprehensive safety plan of any kind was also presented. "Our children are still afraid to go to school," Viswanath emphasized. A day after a 17-year-old student Austin Lyle shot two school administrators, "a secretive five-hour executive session" was held, per CBS News. The Denver Public School Board of Education put an end to a controversial policy that terminated SROs from all Denver high schools in 2020. Aside from this, district superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero was instructed to craft a long-term safety plan before summer ends. The said plan would need community feedback from students, families, school leaders and lawmakers before it is going to be reviewed and voted on by the Board. If the plan gets to be approved, it will take effect prior to the start of the school year 2023 to 2023. Both East High School students and their parents demand for the changes now. Parents further stated that the district has not made any effort to get their inputs on how the school can be made safer for their kids. "They had an ongoing process of under-informing us and shoving things under the rug. There's no more room under the rug," Steve Katsaros, another parent, stressed. Read More: Oxford School Shooting: Suspect Showed Red Flags and Disturbing Texts to Parents Before Incident Students Continue To Feel Unsafe It is not only the parents that are demanding transparency though. The students, who are the "most impacted group" want to be aware of what the school district is doing to keep their anxieties away about when the next school shooting will happen. "It feels like we're not getting a lot of... prevention? I want to know that there are measures in place to guarantee that someone can't walk into school with a gun," junior student Tessa Klopper expressed. As a parent, Katsaros would want to personally see " a secure perimeter around the school, spot checks of student lockers, and K-9 dogs that could check for drugs and gun powder," aside from metal detectors. According to Chalkbeat Colorado, DPS spokesperson Rae Childress released a statement saying that they have placed on campus an additional district safety officer aside from the SROs. They are also working to expand the access to mental health providers to staff and students via telehealth. However, no other updated safety measures were provided. Related Article: 6-Year-Old Virginia Boy Shows Early Signs of Aggression To Another Teacher Before Abigail Zwerner Incident Poland is preparing to transfer six more MiG-29 aircraft to Ukraine in addition to the eight that have already been delivered or are currently being transferred, Polish President Andrzej Duda said at a press conference in Warsaw on Wednesday following talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. "Four MiGs from our warehouses have been transferred to the Ukrainian Air Force in recent months. Four MiGs are now being transferred additionally, that is, already eight," Duda said. "We are ready to hand over six that are being prepared for this. They could be handed over fairly quickly," the Polish president said. At the same time, according to him, "we have MiGs that have been modernized according to NATO standards. We will still need these MiGs, but at the moment when they are released after the arrival of new aircraft, I am sure that in the future we will be able to transfer more, if there is such an opportunity, but this will require the consent of our partners." Photo: (Photo : ALEX EDELMAN /Getty Images) A 2-year-old boy dies after being mauled by a dog in Maryland. Emergency services rushed to the scene, but despite their best efforts, the boy went into cardiac arrest and later died at the hospital. As per Frederick Newsport, the toddler, who has not been identified, suffered life-threatening injuries after being bitten by a dog in the 400 block of West B Street. Police are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack, but no further details have been provided. The officers also confirmed that the dog involved in the attack had been placed in quarantine by the Frederick County Division of Animal Control. 2-Year-Old Boy Confirmed Dead on Arrival When emergency services arrived, the toddler was transported by Maryland State Police Trooper 3 via medevac to Frederick Health Hospital, where he was declared deceased. The news of the toddler's death has left the local community in shock and grief. The boy's death was unexpected. According to WUSA9, due to the sensitivity of the case, authorities have not released any additional information about the victim or the family. However, the Brunswick police revealed that the family of the victim resides in Fauquier County, Virginia. The incident has sparked discussions around pet ownership and responsibility, with many community members calling for stricter regulations to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future. The tragedy has also led to an outpouring of support for the victim's family, with friends and neighbors expressing their condolences and offering assistance. Importance of Responsible Pet Ownership The dog attack in Brunswick highlights the importance of responsible pet ownership. While dogs can provide companionship and joy, they also have the potential to cause harm if not trained and cared for properly. As a pet owner, it is essential to take appropriate measures to ensure your pet is well-behaved and not a danger to others. This includes properly socializing and training your pet, supervising them at all times, and keeping them on a leash or in a secure area when in public. It is also crucial to be aware of your pet's behavior and promptly address any aggression or other issues. Read Also: Social Skills 101: Practical Tips for Parents to Foster Social Development in Children Dog Attacks in Toddlers According to HG Org., each year, there are approximately 850,000 people who require medical treatment due to dog bites, with 400,000 of those cases involving children. It is common for children to be bitten by familiar dogs while participating in everyday activities, and the incidence of dog bites tends to increase during the summer months. Children aged 5-9 are at the greatest risk for dog bites, which can result in serious injuries and often require reconstructive surgery. In fact, in 2009, over 30,000 reconstructive procedures were performed on victims of dog bites. Children are especially vulnerable to severe injuries from dog attacks due to their smaller size and the fact that they can be knocked over more easily than adults. Additionally, their shorter stature places their heads and necks in closer proximity to a dog's jaws. Tragically, over a dozen fatalities resulting from dog bites, mostly involving children, occur yearly in the United States. Related Article: Johnson & Johnson Agrees To Pay $8.9 Billion To Settle Lawsuit Against Cancer-Causing Talc in Baby Powder Photo: (Photo : Jeff J Mitchell /Getty Images ) The Kansas legislature recently passed a transgender bathroom bill that has sparked outrage from LGBTQ rights advocates. Kansas has joined several other US states in passing a sweeping transgender bill that would prohibit transgender people from using public restrooms and locker rooms that correspond with their gender identity. Additionally, the bill would prohibit transgender people from changing their name or gender on their driver's licenses. LGBTQ rights advocates have criticized the bill, arguing that it is discriminatory and will harm transgender individuals' ability to live openly and safely. Nationwide Trend of Anti-Transgender Legislation According to USA TODAY, the Kansas bill passed by the Republican-controlled legislature on Tuesday defines sex as "either male or female, at birth," effectively erasing transgender individuals and denying recognition to nonbinary, gender fluid, and gender nonconforming people. The bill is one of the broadest of its kind in the nation and is part of a wider trend of Republican-led states rolling back LGBTQ rights. Several other states, including Utah, Tennessee, South Dakota, Mississippi, Missouri, and Iowa, have passed or are considering bills restricting transgender people's access to public facilities or health care. Supporters of the bill argue that it is necessary to protect women in public facilities and that it does not directly target transgender people. However, according to ABC, critics argue that the bill is discriminatory and will have a harmful impact on transgender individuals. The proposed Kansas bill would not only restrict transgender individuals from using public bathrooms and changing their gender on their driver's licenses but would also affect their ability to access healthcare and other essential documents. Currently, Kansas is under a 2019 federal court order to allow birth certificate changes. However, if the bill becomes a law and implementation starts rolling, this would prevent them from changing their name or gender on official documents, including their driver's license. Moreover, the legislation would make it harder for transgender individuals to access essential services such as employment by denying legal recognition of their gender identity. As a result, transgender individuals would face more significant barriers and discrimination in their daily lives. Furthermore, this has resulted in pushback from a large population of people in the LGBTQI+ community, including loved ones and parents who think the bill is outrageous. Read Also: Abortion Advocates Fight Back: Planned Parenthood, ACLU Sue Utah Over Restrictive Clinic Ban Bill's Impact on Transgender Individuals Transgender individuals and their allies have expressed outrage over the bill, arguing that it will dehumanize and deny recognition to nonbinary, transgender, and gender-nonconforming people. According to CBS, having a driver's license or birth certificate that confirms a transgender person's identity is crucial, not only for identification purposes but also to prevent daily hassles and harassment. This means that the bill could be subject to legal challenges in the future. While supporters of the bill argue that it is necessary to protect women in public facilities, critics say that it will have a harmful impact on transgender individuals and make it more difficult for them to access essential services. The bill's impact on transgender individuals, particularly regarding their ability to access healthcare and employment, cannot be understated. As the fight for transgender rights continues, it is important to remember that every person deserves to live with dignity and respect, regardless of their gender identity. Related Article: Child Transgender Cases: Whistleblower Reveals Alarming Increase in Cases at St Louis Hospital This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is continuing his negative view of VR Market and Apple's upcoming XR headset in his latest tweet. While some may find his views realistic, his latest string of negative comments and sarcasm towards Apple have been out of character. Last Thursday, Kuo tweeted: "Because Apple isn't very optimistic about the AR/MR headset announcement recreating the astounding "iPhone moment," the mass production schedule for assembly has been pushed back by another 1-2 months to mid-to-late 3Q23. The delay also adds uncertainty to whether the new device will appear at WWDC 2023, as the market widely expects." No one is expecting Apple's XR Headset to be anywhere near an "iPhone moment" and certainly not Apple who will be starting out slowly due to a price tag of an estimated US$3,000. And what delay is Kuo talking about? The device isn't expected to be delivered until sometime this fall unless Apple says otherwise during the WWDC23 Keynote in June. Below are Kuo's notes from Kuo's latest tweet regarding the VR Market and Apple's coming Headset. Some critical updates on the sales/shipments of AR/VR headset devices: Sony has cut its 2023 production plan for the PS VR2 by about 20%. The product lifecycle shipment for Metas Quest Pro is only around 300,000 units. Pico (Chinas largest AR/VR headset brand) shipments in 2022 were more than 40% lower than expected. Conclusion: There is currently insufficient evidence to suggest that AR/VR headsets can become the next star product in consumer electronics in the foreseeable future. Apples announcement event is likely the last hope for convincing investors that the AR/MR headset device could have a chance to be the next star product in consumer electronics. The current market consensus may overestimate AR/VR headset devices contribution to key component suppliers over the next few years, particularly in the optical-related. Apple's XR headset is likely to take a slow trajectory closer to that of the Apple Watch than an "iPhone moment." Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated in his call in his Sunday Power On newsletter that Apple's Headset will indeed be showcased at WWDC23 in June. If Apple does indeed unveil their headset in June, then Kuo will have a little egg on his face on this front. In the bigger picture, IDC's November 30, 2022 report stated that "Worldwide spending on augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR) is forecast to reach $13.8 billion this year and grow to $50.9 billion in 2026, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Augmented and Virtual Reality Spending Guide. The five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for AR/VR spending will be 32.3%. Virtual reality will account for more than 70% of all AR/VR spending throughout the 2022-2026 forecast while overall spending will be almost evenly split between consumer and commercial applications. "The AR/VR market has been taking slow but sure steps in recent years and is poised to take longer strides in the years to come," said Ramon T. Llamas, research director, Mobile Devices and AR/VR at IDC. You could read more about this report here. You could also check out 99 FIRMS report that provides a wealth of statistical data on the VR market. Although it's a 2020 report, it still provides some interesting insights into the VR market in general with few forecasts up to 2025. Last month Patently Apple posted a report titled "Apple's iPhone Dominated the Japanese Market in Q4-22 despite Supply Chain Issues." The report pointed out that Apple sold 51.9% percent of smartphones in Japan in Q4. We're now learning that Samsung is determined to fight Apple's iPhone dominance and double their market share this year, starting with a new product launch event scheduled for tomorrow. According to a new report from The Korea Economic Daily, Samsung will officially introduce its latest premium mobile phone equipped with a state-of-the-art camera and more powerful processor on April 26. Samsung plans to sell both its basic model Galaxy S23 and the top-tier Galaxy S23 Ultra in Japan. The company is scheduled to hold an online unpack event for the Galaxy S23 series on Thursday on its website for Japan while opening in Osaka a Galaxy Studio, an offline shop to offer customers a product experience, for the first time in four years. It will open such shops in the form of pop-up stores in major cities such as Tokyo, Nagoya and Fukuoka. The Galaxy S23 series, including those two models and the Galaxy S23 Plus unveiled in February, is currently available in South Korea, the US and other major markets. The Galaxy S23 and the Galaxy S23 Ultra will be sold with the Samsung logo, which the company has not been using to sell smartphones in Japan since 2015 when it launched the Galaxy S6 models. The latest models are likely to help Samsung narrow its market share gap with Apple's iPhone. The goal is to reduce the iPhone's market share to 40-45%. While that's taking place, iPhone fans in Seoul Korea joined in the celebration of Apple's latest store opening on March 31. It's Apple's fifth store in Samsung's home turf. Samsung is obviously trying to scratch back some market share in Japan. (Click on the image below to view a Jumbo Image) On Friday, Apple won its legal challenge against the UK Competition and Markets Authority, the country's antitrust watchdog, who had claimed that Apple's dominance of the mobile phone market was damaging competition. Apple had appealed the Competition and Markets Authoritys decision. Last Friday Judges at the Competition Appeal Tribunal ruled that both the CMAs notice and start of the consultation process happened too late. Its decision "lacks the statutory prerequisites publication of a timely notice and commencement of a timely consultation for a valid decision in this regard" reported BNN Bloomberg. Today, Germany's Antitrust regulator has opened the door for measures to curb Apple after deciding that the U.S. tech giant's market dominance makes it worthy of such measures, the body said in a statement on Wednesday. The Bundeskartellamt regulator has designated Apple a "company of paramount significance for competition across markets", it said. "The company is - beginning with its mobile devices such as the iPhone - the operator of a comprehensive digital ecosystem with a high significance for competition not only in Germany, but also in Europe and worldwide," said Bundeskartellamt President Andreas Mundt. On the basis of the regulator's decision, it can target practices "that pose a threat to competition and practices and effectively prevent them", he added. Apple spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Reuters that "The (cartel office's) designation misrepresents the fierce competition Apple faces in Germany, and it discounts the value of a business model that puts user privacy and security at its core." Below is an image of 80% of the official Press release. The full German version could be viewed here. (Click on the press release to Enlarge) The European Union in general is trying to find ways to break the dominance that U.S. tech firms have in Europe. Germany has already deemed Alphabet and Meta as companies of significance for competition across markets. So it's not a surprise that Apple has now been found in Germany's Crosshairs. The EU could have funded European companies over the last decade to create one or more new Euro-based operating systems and services that could support European smartphone companies like Nokia. Instead, European courts and political bodies are bent on using courts and antitrust bodies to eventually break the ecosystem invented, developed and financed by U.S. companies while Europe was asleep at the wheel. Of course, Europeans will see this issue differently and I welcome them to send in their comments below or on our Twitter feed. Since their arrival on Saturday night from the eastern United States, one of my granddaughters and her Dad have been staying with us for the week. At six years of age, she is something of a hurricane; weve already gone through all of the craft projects that we had lined up for her and our house has been significantly redecorated with variations on Easter eggs and the Easter Bunny. Were came back not too long ago from Thanksgiving Point, where we spent about two hours going through the wonderful Museum of Ancient Life a genuine (but perhaps somewhat underappreciated?) local treasure and then took in a 3-D IMAX film entitled Serengeti: A Journey to the Heart of Africa. Upon returning, we quickly built a small but serious snowman in our back yard, about four and a half feet tall, complete with carrot nose and, exotically, the crown of a pineapple on its head. (Plainly, this is a tropical snowman.) The hurricane slumbers not nor sleeps. Until, of course, she does and then shes out like the proverbial light. Three new items have appeared on the website of the Interpreter Foundation: The New Testament in Context Lesson 16: Thou Art the Christ Matthew 1517 and Mark 79 The 19 March 2023 Come, Follow Me segment of the Interpreter Radio Show featured Bruce Webster, Kris Frederickson, and Martin Tanner, who discussed New Testament lesson 16, Thou Art the Christ on Matthew 1517 and Mark 79. It is now available at no charge and liberated from commercial breaks. The Interpreter Radio Show can be heard each and every Sunday evening from 7 to 9 PM (MDT), on K-TALK, AM 1640. Alternatively, you can listen to it live on the Internet, at ktalkmedia.com. Interpreter Radio Show March 26, 2023 The discussant for this episode of the Interpreter Radio Show was Martin Tanner. The New Testament in Context portion of this show, for the Come, Follow Me New Testament lesson 17, What Shall I Do to Inherit Eternal Life?, on Matthew 18 and Luke 10 will be posted on Tuesday, 11 April 2023. The Interpreter Radio Show can be heard on Sunday evenings from 7 to 9 PM (MDT), on K-TALK, AM 1640, or you can listen live on the Internet at ktalkmedia.com. The focus of this segment of the Show, which is now made available to you at your convenience, for free and without commercial interruptions, is Restoration Advocacy: Responses to the critics of the Book of Abraham, and reasons why it is a true translation by the Gift and Power of God. Come, Follow Me New Testament Study and Teaching Helps: Lesson 16, April 10 16: Matthew 1517; Mark 7-9 Thou Art the Christ And, as he regularly does, Jonn Claybaugh has provided a concise set of notes for students and teachers of the Churchs Come, Follow Me curriculum. General Conference provided us with a wonderful weekend, and were now well into Holy Week and heading toward what Claudia Bushman likes to call Resurrection Day. Here are a couple of links that you might find helpful: Grow Your Relationship with Jesus Christ during Holy Week Easter Study Plan Here are five links to recent entries on the Neville-Neville Land blog, listed in the order of their appearance: Scholarship vs. activism Questions and answers Jonathan Neville: A tool in the hands of our enemies An open reply to Jonathan Neville The Richard Nygren affair and some vile accusations against me A note on Item 3, above: I observe with interest that, in addition to Mr. Nevilles happy willingness to participate on the podcast of a vocally derisive critic of the claims of the Restoration, TwoCumorahFraud is now a participant on what I sometimes call the Peterson Obsession Board. Some readers will recall TwoCumorahFraud, a recent commenter here, for his vitriolic hostility to me, Jack Welch, the late John Sorenson, the late William Hamblin, and others, denouncing us for having supposedly plagiarized the evil limited Mesoamerican model for Book of Mormon geography from a long-dead member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints named L. E. Hills and, thus, turned our backs on the modern apostles and prophets. The Obsession Board is a largely atheistic place, fiercely critical of the Church and its beliefs and since its residents overwhelmingly dismiss the Book of Mormon as a fraud not remotely inclined to TwoCumorahFrauds aggressive Heartlander geographical views. But a shared disdain for apologists seems to provide congenial common ground for everybody there, at least for the moment. A note on Item 4, above: Ive repeatedly said here and elsewhere that, although (like all of my academic associates, so far as Im aware) Im unpersuaded by Heartlander models of Book of Mormon geography, Im perfectly happy to fellowship with members of the Church who hold those views. But, curiously, Im not perfectly happy when a fellow Latter-day Saint calls me Slander Dan, alleges that I reject the prophets, and compares me and my friends to Lucifer and his host of devils. This is what I genuinely object to in the behavior of a few persons who are associated with the Heartlander movement: The apparent willingness to denounce other active and committed Latter-day Saints for failing to share their opinions on the precise GPS coordinates of the Jaredite city of Lib. While its interesting and even, as an academic subject, not unimportant, the geography of the Book of Mormon is, at most, a topic of secondary or tertiary significance. It isnt worth breaking fellowship with the Saints. It isnt worth sowing discord in the Kingdom. This is a minor abridgement of a huge dialogue, originally posted on 19 March 2002. This is from the good old Internet days (now long gone) when Protestants and Catholics actually dialogued with each other at length. Jason Engwer has long ceased doing so with me, following the evasive, cynical tactics of his comrades James White and James Swan (who used to also engage me at the greatest length, for many years), and I am banned from Jasons Triablogue site and his Facebook page. How the mighty have fallen . . . Nevertheless, I still critique all three, whether they choose to respond or not (they dont). I have sought to retain the substantive, meaty portions, which was probably 90% of it or more, while (mildly) editing out diversions and relative minutiae. Protestant [anti-Catholic] apologists Jason Engwers and Eric Svendsens words will be in blue and green, respectively. The original dialogue may be seen at Internet Archive. Eventually, it will become unavailable there. ***** Table of Contents I. Introduction: Development and History II. The Analogy of the Trinity in Discussions on Development III. The Canon of Scripture as a Test Case for Protestant Development (or Lack Thereof): Preliminaries IV. The Alleged Completeness of the Old Testament Canon in the Light of Protestant Biblical Scholarship V. Recapitulation of Dr. Eric Svendsens Protestant Canon Argument VI. Implications for Sola Scriptura in the Svendsen Canon Argument VII. Disputes over the Canonical Councils of Rome, Hippo, and Carthage (382-397) VIII. 27-Point Summary of the Protestant Scholarly Case Against the Svendsen Canon Argument IX. The Immaculate Conception: How Development and Believed Always by All are Synthesized in Catholic Thought (Vincent, Aquinas, etc.) X. The Papacy as a Second Test Case for the Catholic Developmental Synthesis XI. The Propriety and Purpose of the Citation of Protestant Scholars by Catholics / The Keys and Binding and Loosing XII. Wrapping Up: Final Statements I. Introduction: Development and History * Catholics often quote John Henry Newman saying that to be deep into history is to cease being Protestant. Actually, to be deep into history is to cease using the arguments of Cardinal Newman. * This is the exact opposite of the truth, and Jason will not be able to demonstrate the correctness of his assertion. If Roman Catholicism is as deeply rooted in history as it claims to be, why do its apologists appeal to development of doctrine so frequently and to such an extent? Jason is absurdly assuming that development and history are somehow unalterably opposed, and that development is a sort of synonym for historical rationalization in Catholic apologetics or historical analyses (as we will see from some of his derogatory statements below). In other words, this is a thoroughly loaded question, based on two false premises. Catholics frequently make such appeals because development of doctrine is an unarguable, self-evident fact of Church (or Christian) history which must be reckoned with whatever particular doctrinal or theological paradigm one operates within (and everyone has such a framework, whether they know it or not), in order to interpret the data of historical dogmatic development. What is truly foolish is the attempt to minimize or deride development, as Jason does here. This is a-historicism (always a tendency in evangelical Protestant) come to fruition. If doctrines indeed develop and our understanding of them increases over time, then this will have to be taken into account in any treatment of the history of Christian doctrine. It is historical reality, in any Christian worldview, pure and simple. Evangelicals dont object to all concepts of development. Then why make the statement above? Whats the point? Different people define development in different ways in different contexts. Of course. Whether they do so sensibly or self-consistently, without arbitrary double standards is, of course, another matter entirely. In my discussion with Dave Armstrong . . . weve discussed a church father (Vincent of Lerins), a Roman Catholic Cardinal (John Henry Newman), and a Protestant pastor (James White) who all refer approvingly to some concept of development of doctrine. Yes. But Mr. White makes silly statements like, Might it actually be that the Protestant fully understands development but rightly rejects it? How does one interpret such a comment? The ongoing contra-Catholic polemic against Newmanian development (derived from the Anglican George Salmon of the 19th century) logically reduces when closely scrutinized to the circular argument: we accept the developments that are consistent with prior Protestant theological assumptions [primarily the unprovable axiom sola Scriptura] and reject those which are inconsistent with Protestant assumptions. Clearly, one has to also defend the historical premises (inasmuch as they exist at all) which allegedly lead to such a radical begging of the question. It is also easily demonstrated that Protestants who argue in this way are inconsistent in the application of their own criteria for good vs. bad developments (following their axiomatic stance above). The canon of the New Testament is the most obvious and glaring example, and we shall be dealing with that in due course in this dialogue. I think the Roman Catholic concept, however, is often inconsistent with Catholic teaching, unverifiable, and a contradiction of earlier teaching rather than a development. This is easily stated, but in attempting to establish this, Jason will run into all sorts of insuperable difficulties, as I will show. II. The Analogy of the Trinity in Discussions on Development * I think Dave and I are in agreement that evangelicals, including William Webster, object to some Catholic arguments for development of doctrine, not all conceivable forms of development. I dont think William Webster denies that some aspects of the papacy can develop over time and still be consistent with what the Catholic Church teaches about that doctrine. A Pope in one century could have titles that a Pope of an earlier century didnt have. A Pope of the twentieth century could wear different clothing than a Pope of the fifth century. A Pope of a later century could exercise his authority more often than a Pope of an earlier century. Etc. The question is where to draw the line. What type of development and how much development would be consistent with Catholic teaching? And is the development in question verifiable? Do we have evidence that the development in question is Divinely approved? I want this latest reply to Dave Armstrong to clarify these issues. I want to show that Daves concept of doctrinal development is unverifiable and inconsistent with Catholic teaching. I will eagerly look to see what reasons Jason offers for these opinions. I think he will utterly fail in the attempt. Catholics usually cite two examples of evangelicals relying on development of doctrine: the Trinity and the canon of scripture. In his latest reply to me, Dave seems to move away from using the Trinity as an example. He agrees with me that the concept of the Trinity is Biblical. So, unless Dave decides to take a different approach in a future response, Im going to set aside the doctrine of the Trinity. Saying it is biblical is beside the point, which is that the Trinity developed under the same processes and conditions that distinctively Catholic doctrines developed under. Its an analogical argument. Thats not dealt with by seeing the word biblical and then concluding that there are no other important issues to be worked through. The type of issues involved in the discussion on the development of the Trinity are touched upon in a quote from Lutheran Church historian Jaroslav Pelikan, from yet another recent reply to Jason: Despite the elevation of the dogma of the Trinity to normative status as supposedly traditional doctrine by the Council of Nicea in 325, there was not a single Christian thinker East or West before Nicea who could qualify as consistently and impeccably orthodox. . . even the most saintly of the early church fathers seemed confused about such fundamental articles of faith as the Trinity and original sin. It was to be expected, because they were participants in the ongoing development, not transmitters of an unalloyed and untouched patrimony . . .[T]he lack of any one passage of Scripture in which the entire doctrine of the Trinity was affirmed. Strictly speaking, the Trinity is not a biblical doctrine, but a church doctrine that tries to make consistent sense of the biblical language and teaching. (The Melody of Theology: A Philosophical Dictionary, Cambridge: Harvard Univ. Press, 1988, 52-54, Development of Doctrine, 257, Trinity) In this sense, the Trinity and the canon are both issues which Protestants have to work through, in order for their argument against the corrupt status of Catholic developments to have any force at all, and to not be arbitrary or logically inconsistent. Pelikans last statement above applies just as much to the canon or the Immaculate Conception or sola Scriptura (all either entirely absent from Scripture or present in kernel, implicit form only). To paraphrase him: The lack of any one passage of Scripture in which the entire doctrine of sola Scriptura was affirmed. Strictly speaking, sola Scriptura is not a biblical doctrine, but a church doctrine that tries to make consistent sense of the biblical language and teaching.The lack of any one passage of Scripture in which the entire doctrine of the Immaculate Conception was affirmed. Strictly speaking, the Immaculate Conception is not a biblical doctrine, but a church doctrine that tries to make consistent sense of the biblical language and teaching. The lack of any one passage of Scripture in which the entire doctrine of the canon of the New Testament was affirmed. Strictly speaking, the canon of the New Testament is not a biblical doctrine, but a church doctrine . . . III. The Canon of Scripture as a Test Case for Protestant Development (or Lack Thereof): Preliminaries * I want to turn to the canon of scripture, which is the example Dave cites repeatedly in his latest response to me . . . Elsewhere, Dave argues that a council in Rome in 382 also gave a canonical listing identical to the canon of Roman Catholicism. What Dave is saying, then, is that the New Testament canon is first listed by Athanasius around the middle of the fourth century, then by numerous church councils later in that century. Since the canon isnt listed by anybody prior to Athanasius, evangelicals are accepting a doctrinal development of the fourth century. * Absolutely. No one can deny this. Even if we were to accept Daves argument up to this point, what would be the conclusion to that argument? If evangelicals were to accept the development of the canon of scripture, should they therefore accept all other doctrinal developments of every type? No, you can logically accept one development without accepting another. There are different types of development and differing degrees of evidence from case to case. Thats right. The task of the Protestant is to come up with a consistent criterion of a legitimate development: one which doesnt self-destruct as self-defeating almost immediately upon stating it. That is what I am driving at in my arguments here and in the previous several responses to Jason. The canon is a unique issue, since all parties agree that it is utterly absent from Scripture itself. This creates great difficulties both for the sola Scriptura paradigm of formal authority, and also with regard to the Protestant polemic against and antipathy towards so-called unbiblical or extrabiblical Catholic doctrines which at least have some biblical indication however insignificant the critic thinks it is. And the Protestant has to explain how Tradition is wonderful and binding in one instance (the canon) but in no other. These are serious issues, and highly problematic. Anyone who thinks otherwise is not, in my opinion, seriously grappling with the historical and epistemological issues raised by these logical and biblical difficulties in the Protestant position. If an evangelical accepts a fourth century doctrinal development, it does not logically follow that he should accept every doctrine Roman Catholicism develops in the sixth, tenth, or nineteenth century. Of course it doesnt. That isnt my argument (not as stated in these bald, general terms, anyway), so it is a moot point. I believe that Jasons (and all Protestants) difficulties are the ones I just summarized. Likewise, a Catholic who accepts the development of a Roman Catholic doctrine doesnt have to accept every doctrinal development of the Eastern Orthodox or the Mormons, for example. I think Dave would agree. Yes, but so what? The point in dispute is how one consistently distinguishes between a good and a bad development (i.e., a corruption or a heresy). These are fundamental and necessary considerations in a non-circular argument on these matters. Evangelicals take three approaches toward the canon: 1. The Guidance of the Holy Spirit: Simple, but Unverifiable The Holy Spirit can lead people to recognize what is and what isnt the word of God (John 10:4, 1 Corinthians 14:37, 1 Thessalonians 2:13). However, this argument can also be used by Roman Catholics, Mormons, and other groups, not just evangelicals. While the principle is valid, its not verifiable in a setting such as this discussion Im having with Dave. I cant show Dave that the Holy Spirit is leading me. I think Dave would agree with me that the concept of perceiving the word of God through the guidance of the Spirit is valid, but unverifiable. Yes, I agree; so we can dismiss this as ultimately objectively unverifiable (being subjective by nature) and no solution. It should be noted, however, that this was essentially John Calvins criterion of canonicity: Those whom the Holy Spirit has inwardly taught truly rest upon Scripture, and that Scripture indeed is self-authenticating; hence, it is not right to subject it to proof and reasoning. And the certainty it deserves with us, it attains by the testimony of the Spirit . . . Therefore, illumined by his power, we believe neither by our own nor by anyone elses judgment that Scripture is from God . . . We seek no proofs . . . Such, then, is a conviction that requires no reasons . . . such, finally, a feeling that can be born only of heavenly revelation. I speak of nothing other than what each believer experiences within himself. (Institutes of the Christian Religion, I, 7, 5) 2. The Canonicity of Each Book: Complex, but Verifiable . . . accepting a list of books isnt the only way to arrive at a canon. You can also arrive at a canon by accepting one book at a time. Somebody living at the time of Isaiah might accept that prophets book as a result of the fulfillment of his prophecies. Somebody living at the time of Paul might add his letter to the Romans to the canon, since Pauls writings have apostolic authority. We today would look at things like whether the early church accepted pseudonymous documents (http://www.christian-thinktank.com/pseudox.html) and what evidence we have for each book (D.A. Carson, Douglas J. Moo, and Leon Morris, An Introduction to the New Testament [Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992]). This approach toward the canon has the advantage of being verifiable, but the disadvantage of being complicated. And of course it is impossible to carry out in practical terms, in history. We know this, because it has already happened. This merely puts us back in the 3rd century or earlier, where people disagreed in all sorts of particulars concerning the canon. Ecclesial authority is obviously needed. 3. The Old Testament Precedent of Gods Sovereignty Over the Canon: Simple and Verifiable The Old Testament scriptures were entrusted to the Jews (Romans 3:2). Jesus and the apostles refer to all of scripture (Luke 24:25-27) as though there was an accepted canon everybody was expected to adhere to. Josephus and other sources outside of the Bible also refer to a general canonical consensus among the Jews. They associate the recognition of the canon with a spirit of prophecy that was believed to have departed from Israel sometime prior to the birth of Christ. The Apocryphal book of 1 Maccabees seems to refer to this (1 Maccabees 9:27). The Old Testament precedent of a widespread recognition of the canon gives us reason to expect the same for the New Testament. IV. The Alleged Completeness of the Old Testament Canon in the Light of Protestant Biblical Scholarship * It is clear that in those days the Jews had holy books to which they attached authority. It cannot be proved that there was already a complete Canon, although the expression the holy books (1 Macc. 12:9) may point in that direction. (The New Bible Dictionary, ed. J. D. Douglas, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1962 ed., 190, Canon of the Old Testament) There was a general canonical consensus with regard to the New Testament, but that wasnt sufficient to resolve the problem. Likewise, there was a general consensus of the Jews with regard to the Old Testament which wasnt totally sufficient, either, which suggests that the analogy Jason is drawing is much more akin to the Catholic perspective. Accordingly, Protestant biblical scholarship tells us that in the last four centuries before Christ: As for the New Testament period: More than once the suggestion has been made that the synod of Jabneh or Jamnia, said to have been held about AD 90, closed the Canon of the Old Testament and fixed the limits of the Canon. To speak about the synod of Jamnia at all, however, is to beg the question . . . It is true, certainly, that in the teaching-house of Jamnia, about AD 70-100, certain discussions were held, and certain decisions were made concerning some books of the Old Testament; but similar discussions were held both before and after that period . . . These discussions dealt chiefly with the question as to whether or not some books of the Old Testament (e.g. Esther, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Canticles, Ezekiel) soiled the hands or had to be concealed . . . As regards the phrase soil the hands, the prevailing opinion is that it referred to the canonicity of the book in question . . . If indeed the canonicity of Esther, Ecclesiastes, and Canticles was disputed, we shall have to take the following view. On the whole these books were considered canonical. But with some, and probably with some Rabbis in particular, the question arose whether people were right in accepting their canonicity, as, e.g., Luther in later centuries found it difficult to consider Esther as a canonical book . . .We may presume that the twenty-two books mentioned by Josephus are identical with the thirty-nine books of which the Old Testament consists according to our reckoning . . . For the sake of completeness we must observe that Josephus also uses books which we count among the Apocrypha, e.g. 1 Esdras and the additions to Esther . . . (Ibid., 191) Protestant apologist Norman Geisler and others concur, with regard to the Jewish Council of Jamnia: The so-called Council of Jamnia (c. A.D. 90), at which time this third section of writings is alleged to have been canonized, has not been explored. There was no council held with authority for Judaism. It was only a gathering of scholars. This being the case, there was no authorized body present to make or recognize the canon. Hence, no canonization took place at Jamnia. (From God to Us: How we Got our Bible, co-author William E. Nix, Chicago: Moody Press, 1974, 84) The Jews of the Dispersion regarded several additional Greek books as equally inspired, viz. most of the Books printed in the AV and RV among the Apocrypha. During the first three centuries these were regularly used also in the Church . . . St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, and others placed them on the same footing as the other OT books. (Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, Oxford University Press, ed. F.L. Cross and E.A. Livingstone, 1989, 232, Canon of Scripture)In the Septuagint (LXX), which incorporated all [of the so-called Apocryphal books] except 2 Esdras, they were in no way differentiated from the other Books of the OT . . . Christians . . . at first received all the Books of the Septuagint equally as Scripture . . . Down to the 4th cent. the Church generally accepted all the Books of the Septuagint as canonical. Gk. and Lat. Fathers alike (e.g., Irenaeus, Tertullian, Cyprian) cite both classes of Books without distinction. In the 4th cent., however, many Gk. Fathers (e.g. Eusebius, Athanasius, Cyril of Jerusalem, Epiphanius, Gregory of Nazianzus) came to recognize a distinction between those canonical in Heb. and the rest, though the latter were still customarily cited as Scripture. St. Jerome . . . accepted this distinction, and introduced the term apocrypha for the latter class . . . But with a few exceptions (e.g., Hilary, Rufinus), Western writers (esp. Augustine) continued to consider all as equally canonical . . . At the Reformation, Protestant leaders, ignoring the traditional acceptance of all the Books of the LXX in the early Church . . . refused the status of inspired Scripture to those Books of the Vulgate not to be found in the Heb. Canon. M. Luther, however, included the Apocrypha (except 1 and 2 Esd.) as an appendix to his translation of the Bible (1534), and in his preface allowed them to be useful and good to be read . . . [the Apocrypha was] read as Scripture by the pre-Nicene Church and many post-Nicene Fathers . . . (Ibid., 70-71, The Apocrypha) The early Christian Church inherited the LXX, and the NT writers commonly quoted the OT Books from it . . . In post-NT times, the Christian Fathers down to the later 4th cent. almost all regarded the LXX as the standard form of the OT and seldom referred to the Hebrew. (Ibid., 1260, The Septuagint [LXX] ) The suggestion that a particular synod of Jamnia, held c. 100 A.D., finally settled the limits of the OT Canon, was made by H.E. Ryle; though it has had a wide currency, there is no evidence to substantiate it. (Ibid., 726, Jamnia or Jabneh) The great evangelical biblical scholar F. F. Bruce commented upon the NT use of older Jewish writings: So thoroughly, indeed, did Christians appropriate the Septuagint as their version of the scriptures that the Jews became increasingly disenchanted with it . . . We cannot say with absolute certainty, for example, if Paul treated Esther or the Song of Solomon as scripture any more than we can say if those books belonged to the Bible which Jesus knew and used . . . the book of Wisdom was possibly in Pauls mind as he dictated part of the first two chapters of Romans . . . [footnote 21: The exposure of pagan immorality in Rom. 1:18-32 echoes Wisdom 12-14; the attitude of righteous Jews criticized by Paul in Rom. 2:1-11 has affinities with passages in Wisdom 11-15]. The writer to the Hebrews probably had the martyrologies of 2 Maccabees 6:18-7:41 or 4 Maccabees 5:3-18:24 in view when he spoke of the tortures and other hardships which some endured through faith (Heb. 11:35b-38, and when he says in the same context that some were sawn in two he may allude to a document which described how the prophet Isaiah was so treated [footnote 23: Perhaps the Ascension of Isaiah . . . ] . . .The Nestle-Aland edition of the Greek New Testament (1979) has an index of Old Testament texts cited or alluded to in the New Testament, followed by an index of allusions not only to the Septuagintal plus but also to several books not included in the Septuagint . . . only one is a straight quotation explicitly ascribed to its source. That is the quotation from Enoch in the seventh generation from Adam in Jude 14 f; this comes recognizably from the apocalyptic book of Enoch (1 Enoch 1:9). Earlier in Judes letter the account of Michaels dispute with the devil over the body of Moses may refer to a work called the Assumption of Moses or Ascension of Moses, but if so, the part of the work containing the incident has been lost (Jude 9). There are, however, several quotations in the New Testament which are introduced as though they were taken from holy scripture, but their source can no longer be identified. For instance, the words He shall be called a Nazarene, quoted in Matthew 2:23 as what was spoken by the prophets, stand in that form in no known prophetical book . . . Again, in John 7:38 Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water is introduced by the words as the scripture has said but which scripture is referred to? . . . there can be no certainty . . . Pauls words in 1 Corinthians 2:9, What no eye has seen, nor ear heard . . . , introduced by the clause as it is written, resemble Isaiah 64:4, but they are not a direct quotation from it. Some church fathers say they come from a work called the Secrets of Elijah or Apocalypse of Elijah, but this work is not accessible to us and we do not know if it existed in Pauls time . . . The naming of Moses opponents as Jannes and Jambres in 2 Timothy 3:8 may depend on some document no longer identifiable; the names, in varying forms, appear in a number of Jewish writings, mostly later than the date of the Pastoral Epistles . . . We have no idea what the scripture is which says, according to James 4:5, He yearns jealously over the spirit which he has made to dwell in us . . . When we think of Jesus and his Palestinian apostles . . . we cannot say confidently that they accepted Esther, Ecclesiastes or the Song of Songs as scripture, because the evidence is not available. We can argue only from probability, and arguments from probability are weighed differently by different judges. (F. F. Bruce, The Canon of Scripture, Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1988, 50-52, 41) Jamnia and Qumran: It is probably unwise to talk as if there was a Council or Synod of Jamnia which laid down the limits of the Old Testament canon . . .A common, and not unreasonable, account of the formation of the Old Testament canon is that it took shape in three stages . . . The Law was first canonized (early in the period after the return from the Babylonian exile), the Prophets next (late in the third century BC) . . . the third division, the Writings . . . remained open until the end of the first century AD, when it was closed at Jamnia. But it must be pointed out that, for all its attractiveness, this account is completely hypothetical: there is no evidence for it, either in the Old Testament itself or elsewhere. We have evidence in the Old Testament of the public recognition of scripture as conveying the word of God, but that is not the same thing as canonization. (Ibid., 34,36) The discoveries made at Qumran, north-west of the Dead Sea, in the years following 1947 have greatly increased our knowledge of the history of the Hebrew Scriptures during the two centuries or more preceding AD 70 . . . All of the books of the Hebrew Bible are represented among them, with the exception of Esther. This exception may be accidental . . . or it may be significant: there is evidence of some doubt among Jews, as latter among Christians, about the status of Esther . . . But the men of Qumran have left no statement indicating precisely which of the books represented in their library ranked as holy scripture in their estimation, and which did not . . . But what of Tobit, Jubilees and Enoch, fragments of which were also found at Qumran? . . . were they reckoned canonical by the Qumran community? There is no evidence which would justify the answer Yes; on the other hand, we do not know enough to return the answer No. (Ibid., 38-40) St. Athanasius was the first Church Father to list the 27 NT books as we have them today, and no others, as canonical, in 367. What is not often mentioned by Protestant apologists, however, is the fact that when he listed the Old Testament books, they were not identical to the Protestant 39: As Athanasius includes Baruch and the Letter of Jeremiah . . . so he probably includes the Greek additions to Daniel in the canonical book of that name, and the additions to Esther in the book of that name which he recommends for reading in the church, . . . Only those works which belong to the Hebrew Bible (apart from Esther) are worthy of inclusion in the canon (the additions to Jeremiah and Daniel make no appreciable difference to this principle . . . In practice Athanasius appears to have paid little attention to the formal distinction between those books which he listed in the canon and those which were suitable for the instruction of new Christians [he cites Wisdom of Solomon, Wisdom of Sirach, Esther, Judith, and Tobit] . . . and quoted from them freely, often with the same introductory formulae as it is written, as the scripture says, etc. [footnote 46: He does not say in so many words why Esther is not included in the canon . . . ] (Bruce, ibid., 79-80) Bruce notes that the Council of Hippo in 393 (along the lines approved by Augustine) and the Third Council of Carthage in 397: . . . appear to have been the first church councils to make a formal pronouncement on the canon. When they did so, they did not impose any innovation on the churches; they simply endorsed what had become the general consensus of the churches in the west and of the greater part of the east . . . The Sixth Council of Carthage (419) re-enacted the ruling of the Third Council, again with the inclusion of the apocryphal books . . . Throughout the following centuries most users of the Bible made no distinction between the apocryphal books and the others: all alike were handed down as part of the Vulgate . . . The two Wycliffite versions of the complete Bible in English (1384, 1395) included the apocryphal books as a matter of course. (Ibid., 97,99-100) Lastly, the Encyclopedia Britannica noted the fluidity of Jewish notions of the canon for some two generations after the apostolic age: Differences of opinion also are recorded among the tannaim (rabbinical scholars of tradition who compiled the Mishna, or Oral Law) and amoraim (who created the Talmud, or Gemara) about the canonical status of Proverbs, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, and Esther. All this indicates a prolonged state of fluidity in respect of the canonization of the Ketuvim [the Writings]. A synod at Jabneh (c. 100 CE) seems to have ruled on the matter, but it took a generation or two before their decisions came to be unanimously accepted and the Ketuvim regarded as being definitively closed. (1985 ed., vol. 14 [Macropedia], 758, Biblical Literature, Old Testament canon, texts, versions) V. Recapitulation of Dr. Eric Svendsens Protestant Canon Argument * Eric Svendsen writes: There is no reason to suppose that the formation of the New Testament canon would be formally different than that of the Old Testament canon. It was similar in process, but that does not help Jasons or Erics case over against Catholic notions of development of doctrine one whit, as I will explain below, because the analogy is far closer to Catholicism than to Protestantism. Although there was no official Old Testament canon at the time of Jesus, all of Jesus statements in this regard reflect the belief that a canon was generally recognized and accepted. Sure, but this doesnt eliminate Protestant difficulties at all. This is more in line with Catholic arguments: viz., that a general consensus can be traced, yet not without numerous discrepancies and irresolvable differences, requiring an authoritative ecclesial proclamation (the Council of Carthage, or the semi-authoritative Jewish gathering at Jamnia, which operated by majority vote, much like Catholic councils) to settle it. In other words, the texts themselves were not sufficient to bring about the final result, as if some sort of canonical sola Scriptura mindset obtained, amongst either Jews or Christians. The Jews were still arguing about the canonicity of books written before 400 B.C. as late as 170-180 AD, and had to rely on the previous judgments of scholars in Jamnia to finally decide the issue. Likewise, Christians rely on the authoritative human judgments of the Councils of Carthage (397) and Hippo (393) and of Rome (in 382) to resolve their disputes, which lasted about nine generations, over the ongoing development of the New Testament canon. Our disputes over our canon, then, took almost as long as the Jewish disputes over theirs (almost 300 years from the end of the apostolic age, and 365 or so from the death of Jesus). If that isnt quintessentially development (which Jason is attempting to deny in some fashion), then I dont know what is. It seems to me a self-evident, classic instance of it. Protestant contra-Catholic polemicists as is so often the case are forced to wage a battle against historical fact, in order to shore up their axiomatically-based, fideistic dogmatic claims. As we shall see in the next chapter, the Hebrew canon recognized by Jesus was identical in content to the Evangelical Old Testament canon. F. F. Bruce (a far greater biblical scholar and authority on canonicity than Dr. Svendsen) was not so sure of that, as seen in his statements above. Many statements in the New Testament (e.g., John 10:35, the Scripture cannot be broken by which Jesus means that one cannot do away with the verse cited in v. 34 since it belongs to the Scriptures as a whole) make no sense at all if the limits of the Old Testament canon were not well known and generally accepted. That doesnt logically follow, and is ultimately a circular argument. It breaks down to: Many statements in the New Testament make no sense at all unless the Old Testament canon is exactly as Protestants believe it to be. This assumes what it is trying to prove and is really no argument at all (at least not as stated here; presumably, Dr. Svendsen attempts a non-circular argument elsewhere in his book). Furthermore, it spectacularly backfires in application, because it would render null and void the entire New Testament (i.e., as a known, collective, inspired entity and revelation, whose limits were not yet known with certainty) before 367, when St. Athanasius became the first Church Father to list the 27 books we now accept as canonical. So much of the New Testament (particularly the non-gospel, non-Pauline portions) would make no sense at all for the entire period of more than 330 years after the death of Christ that various books were indeed not generally accepted. This underscores all the more the circular (and thus, fallacious and failed) nature of Jasons and Erics argument. This general acceptance certainly does not attest to the notion that the Jewish leaders were somehow infallible, for they are condemned for virtually everything else [Matthew 15:1-14, 16:12, 22:29-32, Luke 11:39-52]. Instead, it attests to Gods sovereignty in preserving His word in spite of the fallibility (and error) of Israel and the church. (Evangelical Answers [Atlanta, Georgia: New Testament Restoration Foundation, 1997], pp. 96-97) Infallibility is a separate issue. At this point we are discussing the necessity of church authority of some sort, period, in order to resolve canonical disputes. Both the Jews and the Christians were burdened by these difficulties, and neither reached a resolution by recourse to logically circular argument or appeal to mere subjectivism (as in Calvin or the Mormons burning in the bosom which proves to them that the Book of Mormon is inspired Scripture). Development is an unavoidable fact of reality where theology and religion (and sacred texts) are concerned. This approach toward the canon is both simple and verifiable. Its not difficult to see the consensus that has arisen regarding the New Testament canon, and that consensus is historically verifiable. What good is a consensus if it has a million holes in it? What good is a consensus that wasnt identical to what later came to be accepted, for 365 years? How is this somehow a compelling argument (if an argument at all) against development of doctrine? I find this to be a remarkably wrongheaded, illogical, and obtuse line of reasoning (i.e., once all the relevant historical facts are in). Jason will cite Church Fathers who dissent in one way or another on various aspects of the papacy or Catholic proof texts for same, yet when I cite the exact same sort of anomalies in the consensus concerning the New Testament canon, that is (so he seems to think) nullified and rendered irrelevant by incantation (with fairy dust) of the magical word consensus, as if this resolves the Protestant problem or overcomes my analogical argument with regard to development, in the slightest. It does not. Which approach to the canon do I take? All three. And all three are the result of Biblical principles. The Bible refers to the leading of the Holy Spirit, the standards by which individual books could be judged, and the precedent of Gods sovereignty over the Old Testament canon. One can grant that (I would to some extent, but not completely); yet it doesnt overcome the difficulties of actual determination of the canon by a believing community (the Church). Again, history has shown that this alone was thoroughly inadequate to resolve the problems of differing opinions. When I accept canonical lists of the fourth century in the third approach discussed above, Im looking to the fourth century because a first century principle tells me to. Since Jason accepts canonical lists of the fourth century, then I guess that first century principle (whatever it is), leads Jason to include the so-called apocryphal books in Scripture, since the Councils accepted them, and even St. Athanasius accepted Baruch as canonical and denied the canonicity of Esther. Dave could argue that the Biblical principle of Matthew 16:18-19, for example, leads him to accept Roman Catholic doctrines of later centuries. I would disagree with that argument. But I wouldnt deny that if Matthew 16 means what Dave says it means, then that gives us reason for looking past the first century for our beliefs as Christians. We would have to examine each case individually. Good. I agree. Now I am examining the Protestant case which is seeking to prove that canonicity is an instance of development different in kind and essence from Catholic developmental arguments for the papacy, the Immaculate Conception, or any number of doctrines, and the results do not persuade me in the least that there is any difference. If indeed that is true (as I think is abundantly clear), then Jasons arguments against papal development, based on this false analogy, collapse, in light of the above historical documentation, all from conservative evangelical Protestant scholarly sources. I want to make a distinction that I think a lot of Catholics fail to make. Even liberal scholarship acknowledges that the New Testament books are early documents, either entirely or almost entirely from the first century. The listing of the 27 books together appears in the fourth century, as does the nearly universal acceptance of the 27-book canon. But the canon itself existed since the first century. So did the papacy, and at least the kernel of all Catholic beliefs, since they are all included in the apostolic deposit. For something like the Assumption of Mary to be comparable, we would need to have one first century source referring to Marys tomb being empty, another first century source claiming to see Mary being taken up from the grave, and another first century source claiming to have seen Mary bodily present in Heaven. This would also make the Resurrection of Jesus unbelievable. His tomb was seen empty, but no one saw Him actually being resurrected (they saw His Ascension, but that is a different thing), and no one went to heaven in the first century and came back to report that Jesus was bodily present there. Secondly, the mere existence of New Testament books doesnt prove that each was canonical, anymore than the mere existence of books later not deemed canonical proves that they were part of the canon. Inspiration or existence is a separate issue from canonicity. F. F. Bruce notes similar distinctions above. New Testament books and other books were present in the first century, but the nature of individual ones was disputed, all the way up until at least 367 AD. Likewise, Mary lived (I think Jason would agree to that), and various aspects of her life and status in the framework of Christian theology were disputed (just as in, also, the interpretation of Christology and Jesus life) for centuries afterwards as well, becoming more and more defined as time went on. So Jason complains that this took a little longer than the canon? I reply that the Protestant doctrines of justification, symbolic baptism and Eucharist (and several other novelties, I would argue) took over 14 centuries to assume their shape (or to be invented at all), having been almost totally or entirely absent in Christian thought in the interim. If somebody in the fourth century then put all of these first century sources together, and arrived at the doctrine of the Assumption of Mary, and this conclusion was accepted almost universally across the Christian world, then we might have something similar to the New Testament canon. Instead, the Assumption doctrine appears out of nowhere in a fourth century apocryphal document that was condemned as heretical by numerous Roman bishops . . . So, while its true that the listing of the canon and its nearly universal acceptance occurred in the fourth century, that doesnt mean that the canon belongs in the same category as something like the Assumption of Mary or numbering the sacraments at seven. There are other factors involved that should lead us to distinguish between these things. I recognize that there are differences in the rapidity of development and in strength of patristic sources; this does not overcome the difficulties in the Protestant acceptance of the canon within the framework of their own formal principle of sola Scriptura. As usual, the Protestant tactic when confronted with internal logical difficulties in one of their positions is to switch the topic over to some Catholic doctrine (usually, the obligatory subject of Mariology), in order to get off the hot seat and to avoid grappling with the specifics of the critique of their viewpoint. VI. Implications for Sola Scriptura in the Svendsen Canon Argument * Is it a violation of sola scriptura to arrive at the canon of the Bible by means of evidence outside of scripture? * Yes. Even Eric Svendsen (supposedly one of the premier critics of Catholicism these days), wrote: We dont believe in the Roman Catholic acorn notion of development of doctrine. Nothing absolutely nothing added to the teaching of Scripture is BINDING on the conscience of the believer . . . The canon of the Bible is not taught in Scripture; therefore, by Erics logic, it is not binding on the believer. Jason is an associate researcher on Erics website, so I suggest that they get together to work out these internal disagreements, as their existence makes for a bad witness to the skeptical Catholic community. :-) No, just as the miracles done by Jesus are outside of Him, yet point to His authority (John 10:37-38). No rule of faith exists in a vacuum. Every rule of faith is perceived by means outside of it. A rule of faith is a conclusion to evidence. I see. So am I to conclude that Jason thinks that sola Scriptura is not taught in Scripture as a perspicuous inviolate principle, and thus must necessarily rely for its groundwork on an extraneous historical argument? If somebody thinks that the historical evidence supports the authority claims of the Catholic Church, hell become a Catholic. If somebody thinks the historical evidence supports the inspiration of the Bible and a particular Biblical canon, then hell accept that Bible as an authority. To argue that the Bible must be identified and authenticated without going outside of it is illogical. Sola scriptura is a conclusion to evidence, including evidence outside of the Bible, I (and many others) find it a bit strange that sola Scriptura (the notion that the Bible is the ultimate and only infallible authority in theological matters, above Church and Tradition) is not unambiguously found in Scripture itself. One might quite reasonably and plausibly argue that the internal logic of the position would require this, and that the Bible alone would and should be sufficient to deduce and establish it, just as it supposedly is (according to the same belief) for all other doctrines. But it is gratifying to see Jason in effect, openly admit that the Bible is insufficient to prove sola Scriptura. He would, I assume, deny this. But then he would have to explain his remarks above as harmonious with sola Scriptura itself. just as sola ecclesia is a conclusion to evidence, including evidence outside of the Roman Catholic rule of faith. Catholics dont believe in sola ecclesia; we believe that the three-legged stool of Scripture,. Tradition, and Church are inherently harmonious and non-contradictory. It is nonsensical to speak of any being higher than the others. You have to have scriptura before you can have sola scriptura, and you have to have ecclesia before you can have sola ecclesia. Both the scriptura and the ecclesia are arrived at by means of things that are outside of them. Even if one was to say that the Holy Spirit led him to scripture or to Catholicism, that conviction of the Holy Spirit would still be something outside of the rule of faith. Dave has repeatedly asserted that neither the canon of scripture nor sola scriptura is Biblical. But the principles leading to those conclusions are Biblical. Again, we seem to see an admission from Jason that sola Scriptura cannot be proven by the principles of sola Scriptura, i.e., from the Bible Alone. This is refreshing, and I am delighted to see it. This indicates real progress in ongoing Catholic-Protestant discussions on the subject. Respected Baptist theologian Bernard Ramm wrote: The sola scriptura of the Reformers did not mean a total rejection of tradition. It meant that only Scripture had the final word on a subject . . . (In Rogers, Jack B., ed., Biblical Authority, Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1977, Is Scripture Alone the Essence of Christianity?, 119) How can Scripture have the final word on the subject of the canon? It cannot (Church tradition must); therefore, sola Scriptura has to be suspended in order to obtain the very canon which is one of its premises. Thus, the basis for sola Scriptura is as circular as a cat chasing its tail eternally and never catching it. Jason says, Sola scriptura is a conclusion to evidence, including evidence outside of the Bible. Again, if by definition, the notion of sola Scriptura is the notion that Scripture has the final word, how can it itself be forced to rely on sources outside Scripture in order to even be established? It violates its own principle before it even gets off the ground. Its like trying to lift yourself up by your own bootstraps. For this and many other reasons, I have always argued (since converting) that sola Scriptura is radically self-defeating. Likewise, Clark Pinnock (back in the days when he was still an evangelical) stated: Orthodox Protestantism holds to sola scriptura, the conviction that Scripture is Gods infallible Word and the only source of revealed theology. Any theology which relies on an alternate source or appeals to multiple norms is humanistic because it elevates the human ego above the oracles of God. The authority of Scripture is the watershed of theological conviction, the basis of all decision-making . . . theology is to be relative to Scripture alone. Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent, said Thomas Campbell . . .Sola scriptura is the Protestant principle. Scripture constitutes, determines and rules the entire theological endeavor. What it does not determine is no part of Christian truth. Extrabiblical claims to knowledge of ultimate reality are dreams and fancies (Jer 23:16). . . The peril of Romanism and liberalism is their uncriticizability. (Biblical Revelation, Chicago: Moody Press, 1971, 113-17) Pinnock informs us that Scripture is . . . the only source of revealed theology. Since the canon is not included in Scripture, does that mean, then, that it is not part of revealed theology? And if sola Scriptura cannot be proven in the Scriptures alone without recourse to evidence outside of the Bible, as Jason wrote, does it not follow by this reasoning that it, too, is no part of revealed theology? Moreover, if reliance on an alternate source or appeals to multiple norms is humanistic because it elevates the human ego above the oracles of God, then what becomes of Jasons outside sources of history and some sort of Christian tradition? Does Jasons argument become egoistic and humanistic, according to orthodox evangelical Protestantism? What the Bible does not determine is no part of Christian truth. It didnt determine the canon, nor sola Scriptura; ergo: Protestants cannot know what the Bible is in the first place, and its formal principle collapses in a heap because there is no Bible in order to appeal to it alone, and even if we appeal to the so-called Bible inconsistently accepted as a gift from Catholic Tradition (contrary to sola Scriptura), we cannot find sola Scriptura in it alone, as even Jason seems to imply. It doesnt take a rocket science to observe the profound logical difficulties inherent in this outlook. Similarly, the Bible doesnt mention guns, but we can take the Biblical principle that murder is wrong and apply it to murdering somebody with a gun. The truism that the Bible does not contain the sum of all particular knowledge and facts is irrelevant to discussions of both sola Scriptura and the canon. All are agreed on this. The Biblical concept that the apostles have unique authority leads to sola scriptura if the evidence suggests that the Bible is the only apostolic material we have today. The Bible often refers to an authoritative tradition, which is not equated with itself. Jason again admits, in effect, that the biblical evidence is not perspicuous enough to stand on its own, so that it must rest on obscure, speculative deductions like this one, much like similar ones Catholics use to support the papacy or the Immaculate Conception, which he himself excoriates. Very odd . . . Dave can dispute the idea that the scriptures are the only apostolic material we have, but he cant deny that apostolicity is a Biblical principle. This concept of apostolicity leads to the canon (a collection of apostolic books) and sola scriptura (the absence of any apostolic material other than those books). So human beings sit around and determine apostolicity (just as they determine canonicity). Okay; well, that is not derived from the Bible Alone as the final source and norm for Christian belief; it is obtained from human Tradition. It may also be a divine or apostolic Tradition, but it is not derived from the Bible Alone. If Jason wants to continue arguing my case for me, he is welcome to do so. I think it is a delightful and hopeful trend in his thinking. Dave can disagree with the application of the Biblical principle of apostolicity. He could argue that some of the books of the Bible arent apostolic, or that we have apostolic material outside of scripture. But disputing the application of the principle isnt the same as disputing the principle. Jason has neither made his case from a sola Scriptura perspective, nor has he shown that the canon is a case different in kind from other instances of development, which indeed he has to do in order to overcome my objection. VII. Disputes over the Canonical Councils of Rome, Hippo, and Carthage (382-397) * I want to conclude this section of my article by documenting some errors in Daves claims about the history of the canon. He cited three fourth century councils (Rome, Hippo, and Carthage) as agreeing with the Roman Catholic canon of scripture. But F. F. Bruce explains: What is commonly called the Gelasian decree on books which are to be received and not received takes its name from Pope Gelasius (492-496). It gives a list of biblical books as they appeared in the Vulgate, with the Apocrypha interspersed among the others. In some manuscripts, indeed, it is attributed to Pope Damasus, as though it had been promulgated by him at the Council of Rome in 382. But actually it appears to have been a private compilation drawn up somewhere in Italy in the early sixth century. (The Canon of Scripture [Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1988], p. 97) This has no effect on Bruces earlier statement (cited above), occurring immediately before Jasons citation, where he noted that the Council of Hippo in 393 (along the lines approved by Augustine) and the Third Council of Carthage in 397: . . . appear to have been the first church councils to make a formal pronouncement on the canon. When they did so, they did not impose any innovation on the churches; they simply endorsed what had become the general consensus of the churches in the west and of the greater part of the east . . . The Sixth Council of Carthage (419) re-enacted the ruling of the Third Council, again with the inclusion of the apocryphal books. (Bruce, ibid., 97) I find it exceedingly interesting that Jason cites what he does, because it seems at first glance to contradict Catholic claims on canonicity, while ignoring the context, where the really relevant statements appear, and where Bruce makes the claim that these decrees including the disputed books were an endorsement of the general consensus. The other two councils Dave cites, Hippo and Carthage, actually disagreed with the Roman Catholic canon. Both councils were held in North Africa, and the Septuagint was the primary Bible translation of the North Africans at the time. The books of Esdras in the Septuagint were different from the books of Esdras in the Vulgate. So, when we ask what the councils of Hippo and Carthage meant when they referred to two books of Esdras, we look to the Septuagint, not the Vulgate. Since Ezra and Nehemiah were one book in the Septuagint, the councils of Hippo and Carthage probably were including more than just Ezra and Nehemiah. After all, they referred to two books of Esdras. But the Catholic Church goes by the Vulgate rendering, not the Septuagint rendering. For Roman Catholicism, the two books of Esdras are Ezra and Nehemiah. According to Protestant historian Philip Schaff (who has not, to my knowledge, ever been accused of Catholic bias), the Council of Carthage in 397 included two books of Ezra. These are commonly understood as Ezra and Nehemiah. He goes on to state: This decision . . . was subject to ratification; and the concurrence of the Roman see it received when Innocent I and Gelasius I (A.D. 414) repeated the same index of biblical books. (Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, vol. 3: Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1974 [orig. 1910], 609) Augustine, a North African bishop and a leader at the council of Carthage, defines the two books of Esdras for us, and he defines them differently than the Catholic Church (The City of God, 18:36). (See the reference to this in Norman Geisler and William Nix, A General Introduction to the Bible [Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1986], p. 293. He doesnt deny that 1 and 2 Esdras are the equivalent of Ezra and Nehemiah with a different name (Esdras is the Greek and Latin form of Ezra); he simply cites 3 Esdras, in his discussion of an incident recounted in that book. St. Augustine accepted the Septuagint as inspired, as did the early Church, for the most part. But his view on 3 and 4 Esdras (whatever he called them) were not followed in official Catholic proclamations on the canon. He does not determine Catholic doctrine or dogma with his too many books in the canon, anymore than St. Jerome did with his belief that the deuterocanon was not canonical. No Father, no matter how eminent, does. It is the Church which determines these things, through councils and popes, within the process of development, led by (and protected from error by) the Holy Spirit. In the same location, Augustine states that the books of the Maccabees . . . are regarded as canonical by the Church. 3 and 4 Esdras and the Prayer of Manasseh were rejected by Trent as non-canonical. Nor were they included in the canons of Hippo or Carthage or Rome (382) see more below. Our discussion is not about this sort of textual minutiae (which will backfire on the Protestant because of the widespread patristic espousal of books in both the Old and New Testaments which Protestants regard as non-canonical), but about whether the canon required human tradition in order to be validated once and for all, and whether this is an anomaly in the Protestant formal principle of authority, and (indirectly) whether apocryphal books were part of this Catholic authority which Protestantism is forced to lean upon. Also, see Roger Beckwith, The Old Testament Canon of the New Testament Church [Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1986], p. 13, where the pseudo-Gelasian decree of the sixth century, not the canon of Hippo or Carthage, is referred to as the earliest agreement with the Roman Catholic canon.) Therefore, Dave is wrong in his citation of all three councils. He claims that the canon proclaimed by these councils was authoritatively approved by two popes as binding on all the faithful. It logically follows, then, that these Roman bishops were wrong, and that they bound all the faithful to believe something erroneous. What does that tell us about the reliability of the bishops of Rome? I think the above paragraph is much more telling as to the unreliabilty of Jason. Pope Innocent I concurred with and sanctioned the canonical ruling of the Councils of Carthage and Hippo in his Letter to Exsuperius, Bishop of Toulouse in 405 (also in 414), as did the Sixth Council of Carthage in 419, as Bruce notes. According to a quite reputable Protestant reference work: A council probably held at Rome in 382 under St. Damasus gave a complete list of the canonical books of both the Old Testament and the New Testament (also known as the Gelasian Decree because it was reproduced by Gelasius in 495), which is identical with the list given at Trent. (The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, 2nd ed., edited by F. L. Cross & E. A. Livingstone, Oxford Univ. Press, 1983, 232) Patristics scholar William A. Jurgens, writes about the Council at Rome in 382: Pope St. Damasus I is remembered as having commissioned Jeromes translation of the Scriptures . . . St. Ambrose of Milan was instrumental in having a council meet in Rome . . . in 382 A.D. . . . Belonging also to the Acts of the Council of Rome of 382 A.D. is a decree of which three parts are extant . . . The second part of the decree . . . is more familiarly known as the opening part of the Gelasian Decree, in regard to the canon of Scripture: De libris recipiendis vel non recipiendis. It is now commonly held that the part of the Gelasian Decree dealing with the accepted canon of Scripture is an authentic work of the Council of Rome of 382 A.D., and that Gelasius edited it again at the end of the fifth century, adding to it the catalog of the rejected books, . . . It is now almost universally accepted that these parts one and two of the Decree of Damasus are authentic parts of the Acts of the Council of Rome of 382 A.D. In regard to the third part . . . opinion is still divided . . . The text of the Decree of Damasus may be found in Mansi, Vol. 8, 145-147; in Migne, PL 19, 787-793 . . . (The Faith of the Early Fathers, Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 1970, vol. 1 of 3, 402,404-405) The list from 382 which The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church deemed as identical with the list given at Trent includes: Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Tobit, Judith, and 1 and 2 Maccabees. Baruch was included as part of Jeremiah, as in St. Athanasius list of 15 years previously. This is indeed identical with the Tridentine list, and comprises the seven extra deuterocanonical books in Catholic Bibles which Protestants reject from the canon as apocryphal. Nevertheless, there they are in the Council of 382. The Council of Carthage accepted the same list, as detailed by Brooke Foss Westcott (A General Survey of the History of the Canon of the New Testament, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1980, rep. from 6th ed. of 1889, 440). Bruce questioned the authenticity of the Gelasian Decree, but note that he did not question the fact that the Sixth Council of Carthage (419) re-enacted the ruling of the Third Council [Carthage, 397], again with the inclusion of the apocryphal books. Dave is also mistaken when he claims that this [canon] is accepted pretty much without question by all Christians subsequently, as if the list itself were inspired. Bruce practically says the same thing I claim (even though he disagrees with it, as a Protestant): Throughout the following centuries most users of the Bible made no distinction between the apocryphal books and the others: all alike were handed down as part of the Vulgate . . . (Bruce, ibid., 99) Schaff concurs: This canon [of Carthage see above citation] remained undisturbed till the sixteenth century, and was sanctioned by the council of Trent at its fourth session. (Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, vol. 3: Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1974 [orig. 1910], 609-610) Since Trent rejected 3 and 4 Esdras, and Schaff says its canon was the same as Carthage in 397, and since The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church informs us that the list from Rome in 382 was identical with the list given at Trent, therefore, by simple logical deduction, the early councils were also referring to the two books of Esdras [or Ezra] as the currently-accepted Ezra and Nehemiah (or else Schaff considered by many evangelical Protestants as one of the greatest Church historians ever and a widely-used and respected Protestant reference source have badly botched their facts). For my part, I go along with them, rather than Jasons word. Ive always found Schaff to be an accurate and thorough historian. He definitely has his biases (as we all do), but he doesnt let them warp and twist his presentation of historical facts (he will, e.g., often give the Catholic fact and then voice his theological objection to it). He tells it like it is. There was widespread rejection of the Biblical canon of the fourth century councils in the centuries thereafter. Some people accepted more of the Apocrypha than was accepted at the fourth century councils. Other people accepted less of the Apocrypha, even none of it. Gregory the Great, a Roman bishop who lived about two hundred years after the council of Carthage, denied that 1 Maccabees is canonical. Who are these people? What is the documentation? I can hardly answer unless I know those things. Several hundred years after the council of Carthage, Cardinal Ximenes produced an edition of the Bible that denied the canonicity of the Apocrypha in its preface. The Bible was dedicated to Pope Leo X, and it was published with the Popes approval. Again, I would have to see the details and documentation of this to comment. Many other examples could be cited. Some are documented in the works of Bruce and Beckwith that I cited earlier, as well as in the works of other scholars. Bring them on. The more the merrier, because the Catholic case becomes that much stronger. VIII. 27-Point Summary of the Protestant Scholarly Case Against the Svendsen Canon Argument * Daves claims about the canon are false, and theyre false to a large degree. * I will let the reader judge who has presented a stronger, more plausible case, and which is more internally consistent and true to the facts of history, fairly examined. As for my argument, I shall now summarize the various difficulties for Jasons position, as elaborated upon by my many Protestant scholarly citations: 1. In the four centuries previous to Christ, it cannot be proved that there was already a complete Canon (The New Bible Dictionary), whereas Jason claims that there was an accepted canon everybody was expected to adhere to. (also, F. F. Bruce, The Canon of Scripture). 2. There was no Jewish synod of Jamnia per se, but rather a series of scholarly discussions, from the period of 70-100 AD, and even these did not finally settle the issue of the OT canon (The New Bible Dictionary; Norman Geisler, From God to Us: How we Got our Bible; Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church; Bruce, ibid.). 3. These discussions were still dealing with the disputed canonicity of books like Esther, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Canticles, and even Ezekiel after the death of Jesus and after most or all of the New Testament was completed (The New Bible Dictionary). So Paul and Jesus (or any New Testament writer) could hardly have assumed a commonly accepted Old Testament canon before this time. 4. The Jewish historian Josephus also uses books which we count among the Apocrypha, e.g. 1 Esdras and the additions to Esther. (The New Bible Dictionary). 5. The Jews of the Dispersion (particularly the Alexandrian, Greek-speaking Jews) regarded several additional Greek books as equally inspired, i.e., the so-called Apocrypha. (Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church). 6. During the first three centuries these were regularly used also in the Church . . . St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, and others placed them on the same footing as the other OT books. (Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church). 7. The Septuagint (LXX), incorporated all of the so-called Apocryphal books except 2 Esdras, and they were in no way differentiated from the other Books of the OT. (Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church). 8. Christians . . . at first received all the Books of the Septuagint equally as Scripture . . .Down to the 4th cent. the Church generally accepted all the Books of the Septuagint as canonical. Gk. and Lat. Fathers alike (e.g., Irenaeus, Tertullian, Cyprian) cite both classes of Books without distinction . . . with a few exceptions (e.g., Hilary, Rufinus), Western writers (esp. Augustine) continued to consider all as equally canonical . . . [the Apocrypha was] read as Scripture by the pre-Nicene Church and many post-Nicene Fathers . . . (Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church). 9. In the 4th cent., however, many Gk. Fathers. . . came to recognize a distinction between those canonical in Heb. and the rest, though the latter were still customarily cited as Scripture. (Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church). 10. Luther, however, included the Apocrypha (except 1 and 2 Esd.) as an appendix to his translation of the Bible (1534), and in his preface allowed them to be useful and good to be read' (Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church). 11. The NT writers commonly quoted the OT Books from [the Septuagint] . . . In post-NT times, the Christian Fathers down to the later 4th cent. almost all regarded the LXX as the standard form of the OT. (Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church). 12. We cannot say with absolute certainty, for example, if Paul treated Esther or the Song of Solomon [elsewhere Bruce adds Ecclesiastes] as scripture any more than we can say if those books belonged to the Bible which Jesus knew and used. (Bruce, ibid.) #12 blatantly contradicts Dr. Svendsens assertion: The Hebrew canon recognized by Jesus was identical in content to the Evangelical Old Testament canon. 13. According to The Nestle-Aland edition of the Greek New Testament (1979) Jude 14 ff. is a straight quotation . . . from the apocalyptic book of Enoch (1 Enoch 1:9). (Bruce, ibid.). 14. Several quotations in the New Testament . . . are introduced as though they were taken from holy scripture, but their source can no longer be identified. For instance, the words He shall be called a Nazarene, quoted in Matthew 2:23 as what was spoken by the prophets, . . . John 7:38 . . . is introduced by the words as the scripture has said but which scripture is referred to? . . . there can be no certainty . . . 1 Corinthians 2:9, . . . James 4:5 . . . (Bruce, ibid.). 15. The Dead Sea Scrolls from the Qumran community revealed that they did not have Esther included in their canon. (Bruce, ibid.). 16. As for Tobit, Jubilees and Enoch, fragments of which were also found at Qumran? . . . were they reckoned canonical by the Qumran community? There is no evidence which would justify the answer Yes; on the other hand, we do not know enough to return the answer No. (Bruce, ibid.). 17. As Athanasius includes Baruch and the Letter of Jeremiah . . . so he probably includes the Greek additions to Daniel in the canonical book of that name . . . (Bruce, ibid.). 18. St. Athanasius excludes Esther from the canon. (Bruce, ibid.). 19. In practice Athanasius appears to have paid little attention to the formal distinction between those books which he listed in the canon and those which were suitable for the instruction of new Christians [he cites Wisdom of Solomon, Wisdom of Sirach, Esther, Judith, and Tobit] . . . and quoted from them freely, often with the same introductory formulae as it is written, as the scripture says, etc. (Bruce, ibid.). 20. The Councils of Hippo in 393 (along the lines approved by Augustine) and the Third Council of Carthage in 397: . . . appear to have been the first church councils to make a formal pronouncement on the canon . . . (Bruce, ibid.). 21. The Councils of Hippo in 393 and the Carthage in 397 simply endorsed what had become the general consensus of the churches in the west and of the greater part of the east . . . (Bruce, ibid.). 22. Yet Hippo and Carthage, along with The Sixth Council of Carthage (419) included the apocryphal books. (Bruce, ibid.). 23. Throughout the following centuries most users of the Bible made no distinction between the apocryphal books and the others: all alike were handed down as part of the Vulgate . . . (Bruce, ibid.) Yet Jason, clashing rather spectacularly with Bruce and Schaff (#27) writes: There was widespread rejection of the Biblical canon of the fourth century councils in the centuries thereafter. 24. Differences of opinion also are recorded among the tannaim (rabbinical scholars of tradition who compiled the Mishna, or Oral Law) and amoraim (who created the Talmud, or Gemara) about the canonical status of Proverbs, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, and Esther. (Encyclopedia Britannica) 25. All this indicates a prolonged state of fluidity in respect of the canonization of the Ketuvim [the Writings]. A synod at Jabneh (c. 100 CE) seems to have ruled on the matter, but it took a generation or two before their decisions came to be unanimously accepted and the Ketuvim regarded as being definitively closed. (Encyclopedia Britannica) 26. A council probably held at Rome in 382 under St. Damasus gave a complete list of the canonical books of both the Old Testament . . . which is identical with the list given at Trent. (The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church) 27. This canon [of Carthage] remained undisturbed till the sixteenth century, and was sanctioned by the council of Trent at its fourth session. (Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church) #26 and 27 contradict Jasons argument: The other two councils Dave cites, Hippo and Carthage, actually disagreed with the Roman Catholic canon . . . Since Ezra and Nehemiah were one book in the Septuagint, the councils of Hippo and Carthage probably were including more than just Ezra and Nehemiah. After all, they referred to two books of Esdras . . . Therefore, Dave is wrong in his citation of all three councils [he includes Rome, 382]. All this, yet Jasons protege, Dr. Eric Svendsen, states in his book Evangelical Answers, that: Although there was no official Old Testament canon at the time of Jesus, all of Jesus statements in this regard reflect the belief that a canon was generally recognized and accepted . . . Many statements in the New Testament (e.g., John 10:35, the Scripture cannot be broken) make no sense at all if the limits of the Old Testament canon were not well known and generally accepted. Also, when Jason states that he accept[s] canonical lists of the fourth century then he obviously has espoused (or conceded?) the deuterocanonical books (and even the Tridentine reiteration of them), according to #20-22, 26, and 27. He would argue, no doubt, that he only accepts the NT lists, but then the problem immediately arises as to why he accepts the conciliar authority for the NT but not the OT, since we have established beyond all doubt that the OT canon was not yet closed during the entire NT and apostolic period. Therefore, general consensus cant be appealed to for those books, and even Jasons analogy of the OT canonization process to the NT canonization process collapses (because he was greatly mistaken about the OT). In both instances, Church authority is necessarily involved, and this runs contrary to sola Scriptura and the Protestant antipathy or frequent selectivity with regard to development of doctrine. IX. The Immaculate Conception: How Development and Believed Always by All are Synthesized in Catholic Thought (Vincent, Aquinas, etc.) * The Greek term used in Luke 1:28 is also used in Sirach 18:17. Most translators, who know more about Greek than Dave does, dont use the translation full of grace in Luke 1:28. Even if we were to assume that Luke 1:28 is referring to sinlessness, who would deny that Mary was sinless for some period of her life? . . . we also have numerous Biblical examples of Mary sinning and being rebuked by Jesus . . . [Etc.] * I deal with this line of argument (and related ones) at great length in the following places: All Have Sinned vs. a Sinless, Immaculate Mary? [1996; revised and posted at National Catholic Register on 12-11-17] And Dave is wrong not only about the historical evidence for the Immaculate Conception, but also about what his denomination teaches on this subject. The Pope refers to the Immaculate Conception doctrine itself always being taught by the Christian church with the highest of authority. The Pope explains what he means when he refers to the Immaculate Conception. Hes referring to the concept that Mary was conceived without original sin. Hes not referring to some alleged seed form of the doctrine . . . Pope Pius IX was wrong, and Dave is wrong. This is sheer nonsense, based on the typical contra-Catholic polemical false assumption that when Catholics discuss how something has always been believed, that they are not also often referring to adherence to implicit or kernel-forms or the acorns or seeds of development of doctrine (i.e., they are referring to the essence of the doctrine, which was received from the apostles and never changes). A close examination of what a pope says elsewhere confirms this. Quite obviously, if the Immaculate Conception had always been believed precisely as Pius IX was defining it i.e., as the full-fledged, fully-developed doctrine, as developed by 1854 then he would not have to define it in the first place. Such ex cathedra proclamations of the extraordinary magisterium, by their very nature, presuppose that much development has taken place over the centuries. But since Jason thinks that the Catholic Church somehow simultaneously accepts universal development of doctrine, yet expressly (absurdly) denies it in particulars, when defining doctrines such as the Immaculate Conception and papal infallibility, he completely misses the point. I have provided thorough background documentation as to the Churchs teaching on development of doctrine through the centuries, in my (long-overdue) paper: That paper is highly relevant to my discussions with Jason (or anyone else) on what the Catholic Church teaches concerning development, and how it applies its principles consistently. I will draw from that now, in order to show that Pius IX was not being inconsistent or historically dishonest at all in his definition of the Immaculate Conception. Pope Pius IX, in the very same document where he defines the Immaculate Conception as an infallible doctrine (ex cathedra), also refers to development of doctrine: For the Church of Christ, watchful guardian that she is, and defender of the dogmas deposited with her, never changes anything, never diminishes anything, never adds anything to them; but with all diligence she treats the ancient documents faithfully and wisely; if they really are of ancient origin and if the faith of the Fathers has transmitted them, she strives to investigate and explain them in such a way that the ancient dogmas of heavenly doctrine will be made evident and clear, but will retain their full, integral, and proper nature, and will grow only within their own genus that is, within the same dogma, in the same sense and the same meaning. (Apostolic Constitution Ineffabilis Deus, December 8, 1854; in Papal Teachings: The Church, selected and arranged by the Benedictine Monks of Solesmes, tr. Mother E. OGorman, Boston: Daughters of St. Paul, 1962, 71) Supposedly, the First Vatican Council, according to contra-Catholic polemicists William Webster and Jason himself, was opposed to any development, at least where it concerns papal infallibility, which it defined as an infallible doctrine. This is manifestly false, because the same pope who convoked it and ratified its proclamations, also wrote (in the very letter of convocation of the Council, to the bishops): Pontiffs have not neglected to convoke General Councils in order to act with and unite their strength to the strength of the bishops of the whole Catholic world . . . to procure in the first place the definition of the dogmas of the faith, the destruction of widespread errors, the defense, illumination, and development of Catholic doctrine . . . (Apostolic Letter Aeterni Patris, June 29, 1868; in Papal Teachings, ibid., 193) In the same year of the Council, Pope Pius IX wrote: Religion is in no sense the enemy of progress . . . If there is an immobility which in fact she cannot renounce, it is the immobility of the principles and doctrines which are divinely revealed. These can never change . . . [Heb 13:8] But for religious truths, there is progress only in their development, their penetration, their practice: in themselves they remain essentially immutable . . . All the truths divinely revealed have always been believed; they have always been a part of the deposit confided to the Church. But some of them must from time to time, according to circumstances and necessity, be placed in a stronger light and more firmly established. This is the sense in which the Church draws from her treasure new things . . . [Matt 13:52] (Allocution to the Religious Art Exposition, Rome, May 16, 1870; in Papal Teachings, ibid., 208) In all this, Pius was merely reflecting (note the very similar wording in his first statement above: same dogma, in the same sense and the same meaning) the constant teaching of the Church, as stated classically by the 5th century by St. Vincent of Lerins (whom the same council cited, in its explicit espousal of development of doctrine): [6.] Moreover, in the Catholic Church itself, all possible care must be taken, that we hold that faith which has been believed everywhere, always, by all. For that is truly and in the strictest sense Catholic, which, as the name itself and the reason of the thing declare, comprehends all universally. This rule we shall observe if we follow universality, antiquity, consent . . .[54.] But some one will say. perhaps, Shall there, then, be no progress in Christs Church? Certainly; all possible progress . . . Yet on condition that it be real progress, not alteration of the faith. For progress requires that the subject be enlarged in itself, alteration, that it be transformed into something else . . . but yet only in its own kind; that is to say, in the same doctrine, in the same sense, and in the same meaning. [55.] The growth of religion in the soul must be analogous to the growth of the body, which, though in process of years it is developed and attains its full size, yet remains still the same. There is a wide difference between the flower of youth and the maturity of age; yet they who were once young are still the same now that they have become old, inasmuch that though the stature and outward form of the individual are changed, yet his nature is one and the same, his person is one and the same . . . nothing new is produced in them when old which was not already latent in them when children. This, then, is undoubtedly the true and legitimate rule of progress . . . [56.] In like manner, it behooves Christian doctrine to follow the same laws of progress, so as to be consolidated by years, enlarged by time, refined by age, and yet, withal, to continue uncorrupt and unadulterate, . . . admitting no change, no waste of its distinctive property, no variation in its limits. [57] . . . when in process of time any of the original seed is developed, and now flourishes under cultivation, no change may ensue in the character of the plant. There may supervene shape, form, variation in outward appearance, but the nature of each kind must remain the same . . . They may receive proof, illustration, definiteness; but they must retain withal their completeness, their integrity, their characteristic properties. (The Commonitorium [Notebooks] ) There is no contradiction here at all. Readers can follow the link to the documentation of the explicit acceptance of development of doctrine by the First Vatican Council. St. Thomas Aquinas, too, accepted all these fine distinctions, as I thoroughly documented: It was necessary to promulgate confessions of faith which in no way differ, save that in one it is more fully explicated which in another is contained implicitly. (Summa Theologiae [ST] 1, q.36, a.2 ad 2)And so it is no wonder, after the rise of various errors, if modern teachers of the faith speak more cautiously and seemingly perfectly concerning the doctrine of faith so that all heresy might be avoided. Hence, if some things in the writings of ancient teachers is found which is not said with as much caution as maintained by moderns, they are not to be condemned or cast aside; but it is not necessary to embrace these things, but interpret them reverently. (Preface to Contra errores Graecorum) What therefore in the time of ancient councils was not yet necessary is posited here explicitly. But later it was expressed, with the rising error of certain people, in a Council gathered in the West by the authority of the Roman pontiff, by whose authority the ancient councils were also gathered and confirmed. It was contained nevertheless implicitly when it was said that Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father. (ST 1, q.36, a.2 ad 2) . . . according to 1 Cor. 1:10: That you all speak the same thing, and that there be no schisms among you: and this could not be secured unless any question of faith that may arise be decided by him who presides over the whole Church, so that the whole Church may hold firmly to his decision. Consequently it belongs to the sole authority of the Sovereign Pontiff to publish a new edition of the symbol, as do all other matters which concern the whole Church, such as to convoke a general council and so forth. (ST 2-2, q.1, a.10 [ Whether it belongs to the Sovereign Pontiff to draw up a symbol of faith?]; see too Yves M.-J. Congar, O.P., Saint Thomas Aquinas and the Infallibility of the Papal Magisterium The Thomist 38 [1974] 81-105) We find precisely the same thought process and paradigm (as in St. Vincent, St. Thomas Aquinas, Pope Pius IX, and St. Cardinal Newman) in Pope Pius XII, who infallibly defined the Bodily Assumption of Mary ex cathedra in 1950. In that same year, within three months of his definition, in another well-known and important encyclical, he wrote: [T]heologians must always return to the sources of divine revelation: for it belongs to them to point out how the doctrine of the living Teaching Authority is to be found either explicitly or implicitly in the Scriptures and in Tradition. Besides, each source of divinely revealed doctrine contains so many rich treasures of truth, that they can really never be exhausted. Hence it is that theology through the study of its sacred sources remains ever fresh . . . together with the sources of positive theology God has given to His Church a living Teaching Authority to elucidate and explain what is contained in the deposit of faith only obscurely and implicitly. (Encyclical Humani Generis, August 12, 1950; in Papal Teachings, ibid., 659) And in the very proclamation which contained the definition itself, he stated: . . . the Universal Church, within which dwells the Spirit of Truth who infallibly directs it towards an ever more perfect knowledge of the revealed truths . . . (Apostolic Constitution Munificentissimus Deus, November 1, 1950; in Papal Teachings, ibid., 318) X. The Papacy as a Second Test Case for the Catholic Developmental Synthesis * . . . the authority claims of the Roman Catholic Church are derived primarily from the doctrine of the papacy. But what if the papacy is itself a doctrinal development? It certainly is! This is the point: we are maintaining that all doctrines develop. The Bible developed (in the unfolding of its actual writing and progressive revelation through the centuries). The canon of the Bible developed. Notions of development themselves developed (though St. Vincent expressed it in virtually all its fundamental aspects, which Newman merely elaborated upon 14 centuries later). Christology, soteriology, Mariology, eschatology, trinitarianism, the papacy, angelology, ecclesiology, etc., etc., all develop over time. . . . The Catholic Church claims that the earliest Christians everywhere, not just in one region, viewed Peter and the bishops of Rome as having universal jurisdiction over all Christians on earth, including authority over the other apostles. We do not claim that (and my lengthy citation from Newman already expressed this). We believe that the papacy developed just like every other doctrine, and that it was contained in the apostolic deposit and has a fairly clear biblical rationale, but not that absolutely all Christians everywhere accepted it. There are always exceptions to a consensus, just as with the New Testament canon and Christology. There are always dissidents or heretics or schismatics with regard to any Christian belief. Im sure Jason has in mind the Vincentian canon (that faith which has been believed everywhere, always, by all.). But in addition to never mentioning that Vincent discusses development in the same book (and gives the fullest exposition in the Fathers), contra-Catholic polemicists dont seem to notice Vincents qualification at the end of the same section: We shall follow . . . antiquity, if we in no wise depart from those interpretations which it is manifest were notoriously held by our holy ancestors and fathers; consent, in like manner, if in antiquity itself we adhere to the consentient definitions and determinations of all, or at the least of almost all priests and doctors. This is what the Catholic Church means by unanimous consent of the fathers. It doesnt mean absolutely all, without exception, but rather, overwhelming consensus (which has exceptions just as in the case of the Fathers and the canon. Protestants like Jason exaggerate to the max all exceptions to the developing consensus on the papacy or Mariology, while minimizing and downplaying similar numerous instances of departure from the developing canonical or trinitarian consensus. This will not do. Once again, Catholic dogmatic and apologetic thought is consistent, whereas Protestant polemics is not. Not understanding the above factor, and the synthesis of development with always believed by all and [oftentimes implicit only] presence in the apostolic deposit, Jason goes on to make wrongheaded statements like: But what does Cardinal Newman tell us we should see in the first century? He tells us that the papacy did not at once show itself upon the surface of ecclesiastical affairs. How can the papacy be a clear doctrine of scripture that people with perverse opinions deny, as the First Vatican Council claimed, if it was a doctrine below the surface during the earliest centuries of Christianity? How can the Catholic Church claim that the evidence for a doctrine is clear and universally held while being below the surface at the same time? Cardinal Newman suggests that the evidence for a papacy in the earliest centuries could be much or little, but the teachings of Catholicism dont allow little as an option. Catholics cant argue that the papacy was clear and known to every Christian in the earliest centuries while arguing, at the same time, that the papacy was showing little evidence of its existence and was operating below the surface. The best explanation for the papacy not being mentioned in the early centuries is that no papacy existed at the time. The first of Daves two quotes also fails to prove that Augustine believed in a papacy . . . In other passages, Augustine refers to all bishops as successors of Peter. Did Augustine hold the Roman church and its bishop in high regard? Yes. Did he view the bishop of Rome as a Pope? No, . . . he rejected the doctrine of the papacy . . . I dont see any reason to conclude that Augustine viewed the bishop of Rome as having a primacy of jurisdiction. The Catholic Church tells us that there was an oak tree since the first century. Maybe theres a small amount of growth in the branches, and maybe theres a new leaf here and there. But the acorn Dave Armstrong, Cardinal Newman, and other Catholic apologists refer to is contrary to the teachings of Roman Catholicism. Since the Catholic Church claims that the papacy, one with universal jurisdiction, is clear in scripture and was accepted by all first century Christians, the reader should compare the claims of the Catholic Church quoted above with the New Testament. Jason then launches into a lengthy critique of the papacy and patristic support for same. That, too, has been dealt with in many of my papers and links on my site. Cardinal Newman claims that No doctrine is defined till it is violated. What does he mean by defined and violated? He meant by that what St. Thomas Aquinas meant: It was necessary as time went on to express the faith more explicitly against the errors which arose. (Summa Theologiae 2-2, q.1, a.10 ad 1) And what St. Augustine meant: For while the hot restlessness of heretics stirs questions about many articles of the catholic faith, the necessity of defending them forces us both to investigate them more accurately, to understand them more clearly, and to proclaim them more earnestly; and the question mooted by an adversary becomes the occasion of instruction . . . (City of God, Book 16, chapter 2) He refers to the Trinity not being defined until later in church history. The term Trinity is used as early as the second century. The concepts of Trinitarianism, such as the deity and co-existence of the three Persons, are explicitly Biblical and explicitly taught by church fathers long before the fourth century. The fully developed theology was certainly not explicitly biblical, and wasnt fully defined until Chalcedon in 451 and even later in some additional respects (against Monothelite heretics). Are we to conclude that Jason doesnt know what Newman refers to when he speaks of a doctrine being defined? Keys and Binding and Loosing XI. The Propriety and Purpose of the Citation of Protestant Scholars by Catholics / Theand * If those scholars go on to make arguments against the papal interpretation of Matthew 16, and you cant refute those arguments, then its misleading for you to cite those scholars agreeing with part of your interpretation of the passage. * Not at all, as long as it is made clear that one is citing them in agreement on a particular point, just as I have cited many authorities in agreement with me on the canon, in particulars, all the while knowing full well that they dont accept the Catholic canon themselves. That is what makes for an excellent citation, because a Protestant scholar cant be accused of Catholic bias (and is held in much higher esteem by Protestant dialogical opponents). In fact, Jason utilizes the same technique throughout his paper; citing Catholic historians and other scholars (though, oftentimes, liberal or heterodox ones; whereas I cite solidly evangelical, orthodox Protestant scholars and works) when he thinks they agree with him on some point of contention. But I guess he believes that is okay for him to do, whereas it is sinister and impermissible for me to use the same methodology in citing Protestant scholars in partial agreement with one or other of my views. For example, R. T. France and D. A. Carson agree with you that Peter is the rock of Matthew 16. They also cite Isaiah 22 as being relevant to the interpretation of the keys of Matthew 16. As I stated in my arguments utilizing their words, of course . . . But France and Carson also explain that the other disciples are given the same authority as Peter in Matthew 18:18. They are given the powers to bind and loose. As I stated in my book, that meant primarily to sacramentally forgive sins and to impose or soften penances (as derived from previous rabbinic usage). Catholics believe all priests can do that. The other disciples were not, however, called the Rock, upon whom Jesus said He would build His Church. Nor are they all prime ministers of the kingdom (the Church), as the exegetical argument from Isaiah 22 entails. There is only one prime minister in England, for example. Not everyone in the House of Commons is a co-prime minister. There was one Winston Churchill holding that office, not a hundred of them. Carson cites the key mentioned in Luke 11:52 in his discussion of Matthew 16. Should we conclude that the people in Luke 11:52 had papal authority? How about the other figures in the Bible who are referred to as possessing keys? Were they all Popes? Of course not, because the key of knowledge is not the same as the keys of the kingdom, given by Jesus to Peter alone. When a scholar like France or Carson explains that whats said of Peter in Matthew 16 is also said of other people in other passages, why cite such scholars? I cited them because they believed that Peter himself was the Rock: a position contrary to the traditional and anti-institutional Protestant polemic that his faith was the Rock Jesus referred to. You cant refute their denial of the papal interpretation of Matthew 16. I believe I just did. It wasnt that difficult, if I do say so. Why cite them agreeing with part of your interpretation when they also refute the other part? Because I seek to support each of the particulars of my argument with Protestant scholarly backing, precisely because the constant accusation is that Catholic positions lack biblical support. If we are accused by Protestants of straining at gnats in our biblical arguments for the papacy, we go cite worthy exegetes and commentators such as France and Carson, or (e.g., concerning the canon), respected experts such as Bruce or Schaff or the various evangelical Protestant reference works and commentaries (which I love and consult all the time, and learn much from). Why is this so hard to understand? Its called hostile witness or logic or cumulative argument. It is a standard argumentative technique or methodology (and, I think, highly effective, which is why I like to use it a lot, as plainly seen in this present paper). Many Protestant scholars view Peter as the rock of Matthew 16, and that isnt a problem for Protestantism. No one said it was. But it is a support for the Catholic view that Peter is the Rock! That is one argument among many for Petrine primacy and the papacy. But when Ephesians 2 refers to all of the apostles being foundation stones of the church, that is problematic for Catholicism. Not in the slightest. Many bishops are not problematic for one pope. Its not an either/or dichotomous scenario. Weve been doing this for 2000 years. This is called an ecumenical council. The keys of the kingdom are possessed by other people as well, not just Peter. Matthew 18:18 proves that. That refers to binding and loosing, not to the keys of the kingdom, which were only given by Jesus to Peter. By cross-exegesis, we find that this means that Peter was the prime minister of the kingdom (i.e., of the Church). You cant logically separate the keys from the binding/loosing and opening/shutting. Some passages mention only a key (Luke 11:52), some mention only binding/loosing or opening/shutting (Matthew 23:13), and some mention both (Revelation 9:1-2). Theyre all part of the same imagery. If you have the key, you can bind and loose and open and shut. And if you can bind/loose and open/shut, then you have the key. For example, when Revelation 1:18 refers to Jesus having keys, but doesnt refer to Him being able to bind and loose or open and shut, it would be absurd to conclude that Jesus therefore wasnt able to bind/loose and open/shut. If Jesus has the keys, it goes without saying that He can bind and loose and open and shut. Its ridiculous, then, to argue that the keys of Matthew 16 are something separate from the power of binding and loosing. Obviously, the Catholic argument is that possessing the keys of the kingdom is a special (and extraordinary) instance and application of possessing the keys. I went through this in great depth in our first dialogue. In the . . . exercise of the power of the keys, in ecclesiastical discipline, the thought is of administrative authority (Is 22:22) with regard to the requirements of the household of faith . . . So Peter, in T. W. Mansons words, is to be Gods vicegerent . . . The authority of Peter is an authority to declare what is right and wrong for the Christian community. His decisions will be confirmed by God (The Sayings of Jesus, 1954, p.205). (New Bible Dictionary, ed. J.D. Douglas, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1962, 1018) Just as in Isaiah 22:22 the Lord puts the keys of the house of David on the shoulders of his servant Eliakim, so does Jesus hand over to Peter the keys of the house of the kingdom of heaven and by the same stroke establishes him as his superintendent. There is a connection between the house of the Church, the construction of which has just been mentioned and of which Peter is the foundation, and the celestial house of which he receives the keys. The Czech Republic plans to provide around $35 million in military assistance to Ukraine, Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova has said. "The assistance that we are planning together with Chief of the General Staff [of the Czech Armed Forces] Karel Rehka is CZK 600 to 700 million (around $35 million). This is not financial assistance, these are military materials that are still in our stocks, that we do not need and the army can send them to Ukraine without compromising its own defense capability," Cernochova said, according to CTK. The Czech minister made this statement following her meeting with Czech President Petr Pavel, to whom she handed over the list of assistance that the Czech Republic had already sent to Ukraine. She emphasized that, together with the Chief of the General Staff, they always make sure that the materials sent to Ukraine can be replaced with something. As of April 5, 1 CZK is equal to 0.047 U.S. dollars. South Africa collected 1.686 trillion rand ($94 billion) in tax revenue for the fiscal year that ended on March 31, falling just shy of the government's 1.692 trillion rand estimate in the 2023 budget, data from the revenue services showed on Monday. The South African Revenue Service (SARS) said while mining volumes had decreased in the last year, higher commodity prices contributed significantly to improved tax receipts. The main sources of revenue collection came from personal income tax at 35.7%, value-added tax at 25% and company income tax at 20.6%. The finance sector was by far the biggest contributor to tax revenues at 33.9%. SARS said ongoing power cuts have had a "debilitating" effect on the economy and revenue collection, as it estimated that the outages contribute to potential tax revenue loss of 60 billion rand per annum at a minimum. The South African Reserve Bank said on Thursday that it expected the domestic economy to grow by just 0.2% this year, a rate which the revenue services said will make it difficult to achieve collection targets for the year ahead. The Treasury is targeting revenue collection of 1.787 trillion rand for the fiscal year to the end of next March. Source: Reuters Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The new judge presiding over the trial of former COCOBOD Chief Executive, Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni and businessman Seidu Agongo, has ordered that the ongoing criminal trial should start de novo (afresh). Justice of the High Court, Justice Kwasi Anokye Gyimah, noted that he was not interested in adopting the proceedings of the previous judge owing to a number of reasons. This was contained in the ruling of the trial judge at the High Court, Land Division 2, on Tuesday, April 4, 2023 on an application by Chief State Attorney at the Office of the Attorney General, Mrs. Evelyn Keelson, asking the court to adopt proceedings of the previous judge. Former COCOBOD Chief Executive, Dr. Stephen Opuni and businessman Seidu Agongo as well as Agricult Ghana Limited, are facing 27 charges, including willfully causing financial loss to the state and contravention of the Public Procurement Act in the purchase of Lithovit liquid fertiliser between 2014 and 2016. They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges and are on a GH300,000.00 self-recognisance bail, each. Justice Anokye Gyimah made reference to the numerous allegations of bias and several applications to remove the then trial judge, retired Justice Clemence Jackson Honyenuga. Although the judge noted that he was not in position to confirm or otherwise the accusations leveled against Justice Honyenuga, the best option to him, having heard arguments from parties in the case and decisions on similar circumstances, he would prefer the case starts de novo (afresh) According to the judge, he does not want to be associated with the numerous allegations of bias against the previous judge, Justice Clemence Honyenuga (Retd), hence his decision to start the case de novo. He also pointed out the need for the accused persons to be afforded ample time and needed documents to defend themselves in a criminal trial. Adopt previous proceedings On March 30, when the new judge sat on the case for the first time, Mrs. Evelyn Keelson argued that starting the case afresh would cause a substantial injustice to the state. She therefore prayed for the adoption of previous proceedings. But the request was vehemently opposed to by the defence lawyers who have asked for the trial to start de novo (afresh). She said the court should consider the delays, stage of the case and the fact that prosecution had closed its case and first accused (Dr. Opuni) had called 7 witnesses. Mrs. Keelson said the case has traveled and gone to the Supreme Court and various rulings have been made so starting afresh will cause miscarriage of justice if not granted. The Chief State Attorney said rather, there would be no miscarriage of justice on the accused if the proceedings are adopted then if the case is started afresh. It will rather cause Injustice to the Republic if the case is started fresh, and starting this case de novo will benefit the accused from delaying the case, the Chief State Attorney urged the court. She pointed out that, the Prosecution after the closure of it case, the previous court had on May 7, 2021, ruled on a submission of no case which was upheld held and allowing the case to start de novo will occasion substantial miscarriage of justice. She concluded her submission after making references to some authorities by saying there will be no injustice at all in allowing the proceedings to continue. Rules not changed, start afresh But lead counsel for Dr Opuni, lawyer Samuel Codjoe who vehemently opposed to the request for the adoption of the previous proceedings, said the rules of criminal trials are clear and have not changed. He said the trial can only be started de novo (afresh). Counsel argued that unlike in civil matters where two parties appear before the court where the practice allows the judge to determine on adoptions of proceedings, the practice is totally different in criminal cases. While pointing to some decided cases by the Supreme Court, Lawyer Codjoe made specific reference to an unreported case in which Justice Jones Dotse maintained that until reforms are made, the rules cannot be changed, and that such trials would have to start afresh. Writing the decision of the Supreme Court in a ruling on January 24, 2023, Justice Dotse noted: The Supreme Court did not mention its application to the criminal cases. There is also no specific legal provision on whether part heard trials must start de novo or be adopted by the new Judge. The practice for now is that, in criminal trials, the practice is to start trials de novo. Perhaps the time has come for this problem to be reviewed, This is because, if as a country we are to make some progress in the prosecution of criminal cases, especially corruption related cases pursuant to the Article 19 provisions of the Constitution 1992, then the bold step has to be taken to introduce sweeping reforms in this part of our criminal justice. We therefore appeal to the Chief Justice to urgently consider reforms in this part of our criminal justice. Lawyer Codjoe therefore added that, in criminal trials, you start de novo and the reason is that it will be unfair to the accused persons if otherwise was done. To buttress his point, counsel said, it is acceptable that an innocent person is freed than convict to prison many people who are guilty at a point. Lawyer Codjoe made reference to the ongoing murder trial involving Gregory Afoko where the Attorney General after terminating the first trial (Nolle Prosequi) started all over again. But, Justice Gyimah was quick to asserts that he was unaware of the Afokos example. Touching on Section 80 of Evidence Act referenced by the prosecution, counsel said it is clear that the court will have to look at the demeanor of the accused but it is not the sole determining fact. He added that, in criminal cases, the rights of the individual are rather key considerations and wondered if the State upon all its michinwey suffers, how much more the accused? We are saying that if you consider the essence of criminal trial and the judicial rule the case has to start de novo, (afresh) Lawyer Codjoe submitted. While pointing to 129(2) of the 1992 Constitution which states that decisions of the Supreme Court is binding on all courts underneath, he said the trial should start afresh. We prayed that the trial started de novo and what the prosecution failed to add was that though we (first accused) have called 7 witnesses, and we have more to call for the first accused. While wondering why the state with all its apparatus would be asking for adoption of the previous proceedings when the rules are clear, counsel concluded that It would be unfair to the accused but also against established practice. Previous proceedings not true reflection Lawyer Benson Nutsukpi, counsel for Mr. Agongo and Agricult Ghana Limited (Second and third accused), while also opposing vehemently to the prosecutions prayer said, what transpired in the previous proceedings did not reflect the true representation. He wondered how documents discovered by prosecution and served on accused and same was tendered in evidence without objection from the prosecution, the judge without reference to us expunged from records during the ruling on submission of no case. We are totally opposed and we will use our applications (filed on records) to show that what happened before the previous court is not a true reflection of what transpired in the court and we will challenge that, lawyer Nutsukpui contended He argued also that the established practice for now is to start the trial afresh since the recommendations that the rules should be reviewed and reforms carried by the Chief Justice have not been done yet. Counsel also concluded that this court should start the case denovo. By Court Justice Anokye Gyimah after listening to the parties then adjourn to April 4 to enable the court interrogate some of the issues raised. He urged the parties to submit the references and authorities they have alluded to in their submissions to assist the court to give it direction. When sitting resumed on April 4, Justice Anokye Gyimah read out his ruling and insisted on starting the case de novo (afresh), although he recognised how long the case has travelled. He has therefore ordered the parties to file statements they want to rely on in the trial by April 21, and slated April 25 for case management. Source: newstitbits.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 Former Member of Parliament(MP) for Ayensuano constituency, Samuel Ayeh-Paye has asked critics rebuking President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for not being direct and outspoken against the LGBTQ+ community to leave him alone. According to him, the President exercised what he termed as "home wisdom" during his meeting with the Vice President of United States, Kamala Harris when he was asked to state his position on the homosexual community. President Nana Akufo-Addo, speaking about the controversial anti-LGBTQ bill during a joint press conference with the US Vice President, said; The bill is going through the parliament. The attorney general has found it necessary to speak to the committee (the constitutional and legal committee of parliament) about it regarding the constitutionality . . . of several of its provisions. The parliament is dealing with it. At the end of the process, I will come in. My understanding . . . is that substantial elements of the bill have already been modified as a result of the intervention of the Attorney General, he added. To critics, the President's failure to be straight with the US Veep indicates he has a soft spot for the LGBTQ community and may succumb to the pressure to legalize their practices. Many people fear the President might have doubled down on the anti-LGBTQ bill before Parliament. He also noted that the President's public condemnation of homosexual acts or he revealing his support for the anti-gay bill doesn't suffice to end homosexuality in the country. "Former President Kufour spoke against it publicly. Did it stop? Professor Atta Mills hated even the name; he condemned it. Did it stop? No! Professor Mike Oquaye, when he was Speaker, also condemned it. Did it stop? No! Former President Mahama has also spoken publicly against it although he was associated with a person who was gay but it didn't stop. The current Speaker of Parliament has also repudiated this gay issue but it still hasn't stopped. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo stood at Methodist church and told them that legislation of LGBTQ+ won't happen under his administration while he is President. In spite of all this, it hasn't stopped," he emphasized. He, however, called on the religious bodies to help to discourage homosexuality in Ghana. "Let us fight them from the churches, the mosques, our religious background." Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Retired Superintendent of Police, Peter Lanchene Toobu says the police can arrest the Galamsey gang leader, Kwame Ato Asare if only they strategically plan well. He admitted the notorious gang leader will be hard to find but with the help of a trained ex-convict, he can be captured easily. Peter Lanchene Toobu who is also a Member of Parliament for the Wa West Constituency in the Upper West region told NEAT FMs morning show, 'Ghana Montie' that the police ought to be smart in their keen quest to arrest Kwame Ato Asare. Get an ex-convict and convert him to help you arrest him [Kwame Ato Asare], he told host McJerry Osei Agyeman. But was quick to add that the police must also be careful about such a person. Kwame Ato Asare together with four other friends went viral after he was seen exchanging words with some police officers who later knelt to apologise to him. Although it is unclear what transpired, Kwame and his gang reportedly seized the magazine of a Service rifle together with some mobile phones belonging to the Police officers on March 9, 2023. After the matter was reported by the Axim Divisional Police patrol, four suspects were arrested. However, Kwame Ato Asare, the main suspect, is on the run. Listen to the retired superintendent of police, Peter Lanchene Toobu Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com/ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A French Minister has reiterated calls for the respect of rights of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) people. Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, who is the French Minister of State for Development, Francophonie and International Partnerships, said during a presss conference in Accra that she would continue to advocate for rights for LGBTQ+ society where ever she finds herself. Zacharopoulou who is on an official visit to Ghana told journalists at the April 3 press conference that protecting the rights of such people is a core value of France and the European Union t large. "In my country and in the European Union, we promote human rights and of course in my Ministry, we have an ambassador to promote LGBT rights, so what I can say is that this is our values. "... and wherever I go in Africa, I will continue to say that we have to respect all of us, the LGBT community, this is a question of human rights and I always say that," she said. She is the latest visiting politician to make pronouncements on same-sex relations at a time Ghana is nearing the passage of an anti-LGBTQ+ Bill. Last week, US Vice President Kamala Harris made similar comments about LGBTQ+ rights being human rights. She made the comments at a joint press conference with president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as part of her three-day official trip that brought her to Ghana and onwards to Tanzania and Zambia. Currently, over 30 African countries have bans against same-sex relations, with presidents of Kenya and Uganda and other top politicians in both countries stating open opposition to the orientation. Ghana's bill if passed into law, the bill would outlaw all forms of support for the LGBTQI+ community and propose jail terms for individuals who engage in same-sex relations. 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 Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia over the weekend, joined the Konkomba fraternity in Saboba, in the Northern Region for the 46th Annual Convention of the Konkomba Youth Association (KoYA) Speaking on the theme: Youth Empowerment for Resilient Peace Building: A responsibility of Government, Traditional leaders and the role of KoYA, he emphasised the significant roles the youth of our country have to play in nation-building, and the need for continuous empowerment of the youth, through education, skills training and employment opportunities, to enable them effectively contribute their quota. Dr. Bawumia stated that the current administration has been committed to youth empowerment through many interventions. He further highlighted a number of them, such as free access to secondary education and TVET, various skills training programmes, expansion of tertiary education scholarships, and increased intake in public sector employment. The Konkomba Youth Association, just like other progressive youth groups across the country, are strategic actors in the pursuit of peace and development, and I encourage all of such groups, not to deviate from their main objectives, he added. Source: rainbow radio Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Member of Parliament for Nanton, Mohammed Hardi Tuferi, has explained that he was speeding towards Parliament last Friday night when his vehicle was involved in an accident. In a dramatic turn of events, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Nanton was involved in a car accident on Friday night, just hours before a crucial vote on the government's revenue bills. The accident happened about one kilometre away from Parliament House. He was the one behind the steering wheel of a pickup vehicle that was involved in the accident around 9pm at North Ridge near the Absa Bank clubhouse and the British High Commission. Speaking publicly for the first time about the accident, the lawmaker admitted that he was speeding. He said his main focus was on how to get to Parliament when he was called and therefore did not see the other vehicle he run into. He admitted he had been called to come to Parliament ahead of the crucial vote that night and so he was speeding. In a radio interview with Accra-based Citi FM monitored by Graphic Online, Mr Tuferi said he did not see the other vehicle. His vehicle somersaulted and landed upside down. "I lost total control, the windscreen came down and that provided the window for me to come out of the car", he said and explained he came out of the car himself unaided. He said it was some Parliamentary staff who first recognised him, put him in an Uber vehicle they were already riding in and sent him to Parliament. The distance from the accident spot to Parliament is about 1kilometre. He said his immediate reaction after the accident when he came out of the vehicle was how to continue to get to Parliament to vote when he realised that he could walk and talk. So he left the scene while some of the Parliamentary staff stayed behind to take care of the valuables in his vehicle and the other victim until his niece arrived at the accident scene. Mr Tuferi said he did not notice there was blood on him and was trying to get into the Chamber but some colleagues spotted him [Deputy Majority Chief Whip, Habib Iddrisu] and sent him to a washroom, where the nurses and the doctor came around and they cleaned him up and stitched a cut on the upper part of the right eye. He said he was later put in an ambulance to go for further checks and that was when his vote was added to the crucial vote as the Whip from the Minority side came to the ambulance to verify he was the one. He was taken to the hospital for a scan of the head and was detained overnight. The next morning he was discharged and he travelled to Tamale to meet his constituents and interacted with them. Source: graphic.com.gh Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Catholic Bishop of Konongo-Mampong in the Ashanti Region, the Most Rev. Joseph Osei-Bonsu, has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to state, unequivocally, what his position is on the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) issue. I would also be most grateful if you could state unequivocally what your position on LCBTQ+ is. I request this because many Ghanaians are not sure of your position on this matter, while they are clear about the position of some of your predecessors who have made their positions clear and unambiguous," he said. The Most Rev. Osei-Bonsu made the call in an open letter to the President, dated April 3, 2023. I am writing to you today as a citizen of Ghana in connection with three statements that you have made as President of the Republic of Ghana concerning the issue of LGBTQI+. I find inconsistencies in them and I would be most grateful if you could clarify them for me, it said. Recall The letter said on December 6, 2017, Jane Dutton of Aljazeera interviewed President Akufo-Addo on the subject of homosexuality, and that in response to the question as to why homosexuality remained a criminal offence in Ghana, you were reported to have said the following: l don't believe that in Ghana, so far a sufficiently strong coalition has emerged which is having that impact on public opinion that would say change it and let's now have a new paradigm in Ghana. I grew up in England and I grew up in a time when homosexuality was banned there, and then suddenly the activities of individuals and groups, a certain awareness, a certain development grew stronger and it forced in changing [the] law. I believe that those are the same processes that will bring about changes in our situation. At the moment, I don't feel, I don't see that in Ghana there is that strong current of opinion that is saying this is something that we need you to deal with." In the Most Rev. Osei-Bonsus view, the President did not answer the question posed by the journalist, and that he should have admitted that homosexuality, indeed, remained a criminal offence in Ghana, making reference to Section 104 of the Criminal Code of 1960 which criminalises consensual same-sex sexual acts between persons of the same gender. At the induction in Asante Mampong of the Archbishop of the Internal Province of Ghana in the Church of the Province of West Africa (CPWA), Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith, on Saturday, February 27, 2021, you indicated, in what could be described as your strongest position yet, that you were not considering the legalisation of same-sex marriages, he said. Indeed, you gave an assurance, to the excitement of many at the ceremony (including my good self!), that it would not be under your Presidency that same-sex marriages would be legalised. "l have said it before, and let me stress it again, that it will not be under the Presidency of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that same-sex marriage will be legalised," the letter quoted the President as saying at the event. In the light of what I may term 'the Mampong Declaration, I was baffled by what Your Excellency said when you held a press conference with the Vice-President of the United States, Kamala Harris, while responding to a question by a New York Times journalist in Accra on Monday, March 27, 2023 on the issue of LGBTQ+, he said. Champion Among other things, the letter said the Presidents statement that the bill had been championed by "only a handful of MPs" was unfortunate. I would like you to realise that the handful of MPs spoke for over 80 per cent of Ghanaians who abhor homosexuality, it said, adding that a survey conducted by the Africa Centre for International Law and Accounting (ACILA) had revealed that over 80 per cent of Ghanaians were against the normalisation of homosexuality in the country. It said the President missed a fine opportunity to correct Ms Harris on her understanding of human rights. Source: graphic.com.gh Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A five-member Vetting Committee led by Madam Hanny Sherry Ayitey, the National Vice-Chairman, has given the green light to four candidates to contest the upcoming parliamentary primaries of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Kpando Constituency. The candidates are Madam Dela Sowah, Sebastian Deh, Agbeti Divine, and Lawyer Danso Archie Martin Junior. They have also balloted for their positions with Madam Sowah picking the fourth, Sebastian Deh, third, Divine Agbeti second, and Archie Danso picking the number one position. Dela Sowah, the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP), said her position on the ballot paper showed that she had been chosen for a fourth term in the Legislative House. She expressed confidence in winning the contest and subsequently becoming the MP. Sebastian Deh, CEO of Atlantic Development Finance Company and Executive Director of HeadHands Support Foundation, said his chances of becoming victorious were very bright. He said his pedigree and service to the NDC was an open book and was confident of winning. Sebastian Deh said the dynamics on the ground showed that there was a preference for a change in leadership, adding that the leadership had not performed to the satisfaction of the electorates. He said the new change must be given to a person who had a lot of experience and among the candidates, he would stand tall. Divine Agbeti, the current PRO, NDC ProForum, UK/Ireland, and Communications Committee Member, noted that he could win the contest. He said his chances were very high in the upcoming contest after which he would form a formidable front to capture the Parliamentary seat. Divine Agbeti urged his supporters to be calm and should not retaliate to any attacks from opponents. Danso Archie Martin (Jr) noted that his aim was to change the phase of the Kpando Constituency to a modern one. He said he had the Constituency at heart and would provide the needed support for constituents. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A disqualified National Democratic Congress parliamentary candidate hopeful for Madina, Prince Moses Zakaria, has vowed to contest as an independent candidate in the 2024 elections. The committee disqualified him because he once served as the General Secretary of the United Front Party (UFP); hence, he did not deserve to be a member of the party. Speaking to the media, the disqualified parliamentary candidate aspirant said he will ensure the incumbent MP Francis Sosu loses his seat as he believes the MP is behind his disqualification Our elders have allowed Sosu and some other executives to undertake several machinations against me in Madina. Unfortunately, I have been disqualified in a way that is unfair by the vetting committee. I am declaring my independent candidature immediately. I will ensure that Sosu does not go back to parliament, Citinewsroom.com quoted Mr. Zakaria. Speaking on this development, Theophilus Tetteh Chaie, Greater Accra Regional Secretary, justified why the party has to disqualify him based on his eligibility. We are having challenges with his eligibility. He was a member of the UFP. He has also not fulfilled the four-year mandate requirement of the NDC constitution. Based on the guidelines that have been given to us, we had no option but to get him disqualified, he explained. 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 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Warsaw visited the monument to the victims of the Smolensk tragedy in 2010, when the plane with the Polish leadership crashed while landing at the airport in Smolensk. "Together with Prime Minister of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki we commemorated the victims at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Warsaw. We put icon lamps at the monument to the victims of the 2010 Smolensk tragedy and at the monument to President of Poland in 2005-2010 Lech Kaczynski," he said in the Telegram channel on Wednesday. President Akufo-Addo has received backlash following comments he made on the controversial LGBTQ when the Vice President of the United States of America visited Ghana. What Akufo Addo said: "First of all we don't have any such legislation here in Ghana, a bill has been proposed to the Parliament of Ghana which has all kinds of ramifications which is now being considered by the parliament. It hasn't been passed, so the statement that there is legislation in Ghana to that effect is not accurate. No legislation. "The bill is going through the parliament, it's going through the parliament, the Attorney General has found it necessary to speak to the committee about it regarding the constitutionality or otherwise of several of its provisions and the Parliament is dealing with it but at the end of the process I will come in. I have no doubt that the Parliament of Ghana will sure as it is done in the past, one first of all, its sensitivity to Human Rights issues as well as to the feelings of our population and we'll come out of the responsible response to the to to the proposed legislation. "It's a private member's bill this is not an official legislation of the government but it is one that has been being mooted by a handful of private members, so we will see what the findal outcome of it. But my understanding from a recent discussion I had with the chairman of the committee is substantial elements of the bill have already been modified as a result of the intervention of the Attorney General, we will see what the final outcome will be..." Some, however, believe the President wasn't clear enough on his stand. Money for the economy Samuel Ayeh Paye speaking to this on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo' said: "The President has already condemned it and said he won't endorse LGBTQ+ . . . we are in difficulty and we need money to sort out things and US Vice President has paid him (Akufo-Addo) a visit and an issue of gay rights has been raised; you need to be wise and know how to address the issue and at the same time ensure that the woman (Kamala Harris) won't take any decision that won't help your country. How can he insult her and then be at the losing end; If I were Akufo-Addo that is exactly what I would say. You even know that she has allotted $100m to be shared among some West African countries. So If you get the money and later you approve the bill, will the woman (Kamala) come back to collect her money?" Watch Samuel Ayeh Paye On 'kokrokoo' 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 Audio Attachment: Listen to Bernard Allotey Jacobs on Peace FM's 'kokrokoo' programme. Former Central Regional Chairman of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Bernard Allotey Jacobs has asked NPP delegates to elect Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to lead the party into the 2024 General Elections and eventually as President of Ghana. According to him the Vice President is the best choice now to lead the country. "I don't belong to his party but Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia will make difference in our next election as President of the Republic of Ghana," he said during a panel discussion on Peace FM's 'kokrokoo' programme. "I want Ghanaians to understand that the best choice for us is to elect Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as flagbearer of his party and as President of the Republic of Ghana. It looks like he is the cornerstone for our economic development. He is coming with an image that is crystal clear, he is not tainted or dented," Allotey Jacobs told host of the show, Kwami Sefa Kayi. He said Dr. Bawumia stands out as the best among the best of all potential candidates of the party. 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 Seasoned Journalist, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr. has reacted to a video circulating on social media showing how his biological father's properties were auctioned. He took a melancholic trip down the memory lane over how his father was treated after the overthrow of Ghana's first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Kofi Baako, the father of Kweku Baako Jnr., served as Minister for Defence in the Nkrumah government during the First Republic of Ghana until it was overthrown in 1966 and also held various other ministries throughout the reign of the Convention People's Party. After the overthrow of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the National Liberation Council arrested some Ministers who were in the country at the time and the arrested persons included Kofi Baako. A video has been sighted by Peacefmonline showing what looked like an auction of properties belonging to Kweku Baako's father. On September 25, 1967, Mr Baakos movable properties which included clothing, mattresses, wardrobes, cabinets, books, among others were auctioned off. Joining a panel discussion on Wednesday edition of Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show, Kweku Baako was asked if he had seen such a video and to tell whether or not it is true. In response, the astute Journalist confirmed the veracity of the incident, disclosing that his father's properties were indeed auctioned to the public. "Many people sending with different versions, one point, it's authentic but it is truncated. It is authentic because it happened. They auctioned. Eight cabinet Ministers were found liable...and it was to do with A.G. Leventis. They handed over their corporate entity to Ghana government. A.G. Leventis became GNTC. The sale to Ghana government, what the Commission found, the effect was that there was an extra 1 million pounds or dollars...was paid and it went to NADECO. NADECO was National Development Company or Corporation...That NADECO was virtually a wing of the CPP and indeed money...so sometimes when commissions of contracts come, they use to finance the party and many other things. "So, the Cabinet Ministers who were at that meeting presided over by the great Osagyefo, himself, and don't forget Nkrumah was not in the jurisdiction. So, what they did was they listed the Cabinet Ministers who were present and surcharged them based on the commission of enquiries in it. Indeed, they were even sent to the High Court and prosecuted except that they were convicted. They said they should sell off their properties. I was 13 years old; I was an eye-witness to that auction," he narrated. He added; "...on the day of coup, soldiers raided our house and took a lot of things away; cows, goats, dogs, [you know] many things. When you come to our house right now, you will see bullet holes still there. Almost a quarter of my father's properties, assets and things were stolen by marauding soldiers who invaded the house." He also reminisced about how a Lebanese man present during the auction inquired from the auctioneer to buy one of Kofi Baako's children and make him or her his house help; something that made a young Kweku Baako go mad as he was standing next to this Lebanese man when the latter was shouting to the auctioneer. "Before the guy realized, I jumped and held his neck. The whole place became chaotic. The Police had to intervene. The cameramen were taken shots of what was happening. Look, they thought there was a lion. The man, if the Police officers hadn't intervened, I would have devoured him. Look, I was mad," he told host Kwami Sefa Kayi. He also revealed how his dad rejected financial inducements to keep his integrity. "I thought the old man was such a [quote unquote] bad person because we were suffering. A Minister of 18 years standing, arguably the closest Lieutenant...from the early 60s, the closest, the most powerful of all of them; you know the family pressure...When my old man walks across the street to go and buy Ga kenkey and fish, you will see people laughing and things and it was embarrassing" "But as a I grew up, I understood that, okay, he could have picked the money but he didn't. That should be my source of strength. I'm telling you honestly; that's where my dedication, my loyalty and everything to him grew because I could now understand it better...He had the chance, he didn't take advantage. So, we suffered but it gave me some source of inspiration and integrity." Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video 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. A label and packaging manufacturer based in Connecticut will close a facility in Pennsylvania and will move operations from that location to facilities in New York and Illinois. Brook + Whittle has filed a WARN notice with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry. The company has informed the state it will close its facility at 3001 State Road in Bristol Township, Bucks County near Croydon and that 72 employees will be laid off. The company said in the WARN notice that the facility will be closed as a result of economic downturn in its business. The WARN notice was dated March 21 and the company said employees were notified that day. The last day for most employees will be May 25. Nine employees are expected work until July or August. Six employees have already resigned. READ MORE: Cumberland County furniture store to close after more than 3 decades in business The company provided the following statement: Brook + Whittle announced Tuesday, March 21 the decision to close the Croydon, PA facility, due to a slowdown in demand. Our focus is on supporting employees through the transition, giving the option to apply for roles at other facilities, and working with local officials to assist workers who wish to stay in the Croydon area. We will consolidate the Croydon operations into our Amherst, NY and Northbrook, IL facilities over the coming weeks and months. This was a difficult decision, and we would like to thank all our employees for the hard work and dedication over the years and we wish them success for the future. The WARN Act is federal legislation that offers protection to workers, their families and communities by requiring employers to provide notice 60 days in advance of a covered-business closing and covered-business mass layoff. Brook + Whittle has 15 operations across the United States. Sign up for Eat, Shop, Go, a weekly report on food, restaurants, business, retail centers, things to do and places to go all around central Pa. Sign up for free by clicking here. There are nearly 30 real estate transactions in central Pennsylvania on our latest list. These newly leased or purchased spaces will be used for law firms, hair salons, veterinarian practicse, cosmetology schools, laundromats, trailer dealerships, and restaurants, among other uses. A man was shot twice and then run over by a U-Haul truck at a gas station in Philadelphia Wednesday, according to reports from 6ABC and NBC10. The incident occurred around 1 a.m. in the parking lot of a gas station located along Abbottsford Avenue in the citys East Falls section. Police told news outlets that an unidentified man was shot twice in the legs and then run over by a woman driving a U-Haul. The man is currently in a hospital in critical condition. Video taken at the scene shows a man get out of a Cadillac and begin shooting at the victim, who then fell to the ground. The U-Haul and Cadillac are both shown leaving the scene, with the former running the victim over as it leaves. Police said they found the U-Haul later along School House Lane but are continuing to look for the Cadillac. READ MORE: 1 dead, 4 injured in shooting at Pa. garage: reports Protein bars sold in a variety pack at Costco stores have been recalled because they may contain a trace of cashews that are not listed as an ingredient on the label. Cashews are tree nuts and are an allergen. A person with an allergy to tree nuts could have an allergic reaction if they eat the bars. Wellness Natural USA of Wilmington, Delaware, voluntarily recalled one lot of SimplyProtein Peanut Butter Chocolate Crispy Bars that were sold in a 15-count variety pack at Costco stores in Pennsylvania as well as in Arkansa, California, Washington, D.C., Kansas, Maryland, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia, according to an announcement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The variety pack includes five each of the Peanut Butter Chocolate Crispy bars along with lemon coconut and dark chocolate sea salt. The bar has a best-before-date of Jan. 5, 2024; lot TN3005A and UPC 6 86207 80906 8 on the bar wrapper and lot TN3005 and UPC 6 86207 00914 7 on the outside carton. The recall was voluntarily initiated due to a consumer complaint, which is the only reported reaction to date, and a determination that the lot may have the potential to contain trace levels of undeclared cashew. The cause of the contamination is being investigated, the company said in the announcement. People who bought the product can return it to Costco for a refund. The other two flavors do declare cashew as an allergen and are safe to eat if you do not have an allergy or sensitivity to cashews. For more information, send an email to contact@wellnessnaturalinc.com between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. READ MORE: Laundry products recalled again, this time for chemical impurity that can cause cancer. Investopedia defines financial literacy as The ability to understand and effectively use various financial skills including personal financial management, budgeting, and investing. Fortunately, Pennsylvania was found by a new study to be among the states with a high financial literacy. Finance site, WalletHub, states how, After the Great Recession, it became clear that more people needed to learn financial literacy. In order to see which of the American people took that lesson to heart, WalletHub researchers compared all 50 states plus D.C. across three key categories WalletLiteracy Survey Score; Financial Planning Habits; and Financial Knowledge & Education and scored them on relevant metrics (Median Credit Score; Share of Unbanked Households; etc.) to find out which were more monetarily prudent than others. While Pennsylvania didnt rank among the top of the top, the Keystone State did snag the number 21 spot, meaning it was in the upper half and, therefore, among the most financially literate states in the country. Pennsylvania was also third overall when it came to the Sustainable Spending Habits category. Managing ones money has simply become too complicated to be left to chance, states John Pelletier, Director of the Center for Financial Literacy at Champlain College. Informed financial decisions confront all of us, and we have to have the knowledge and skills ot navigate a complex global economy. We need to understand how to budget, save and invest for retirement avoid dangerous forms of debt, and make sound choices in the use of credit, car and student loans, mortgages, and much more. The most financially literate state was Nebraska and the least, Arkansas. A seven-year-old girl is in critical condition after being shot in the head in Verango County according to reports from Erie News Now and WTAE. The incident occurred around 9:39 p.m. March 31 at a home located along Route 62 in Cranberry Township. State police told the news outlets that several people from Indiana were staying at the home and one of them had a loaded 9mm handgun among their personal items. A man was attempting to move the gun from the dining room table when he put his finger inside the trigger guard, accidentally firing the weapon. The bullet hit the 7-year-old, who had been standing on the other side of the table, and struck her in the head. She was taken to a local hospital and then to UPMC Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh, where she is listed in critical condition. An investigation is ongoing, state police said. Agreements on supply of Polish military equipment to Ukraine, on cooperation in Ukraine's restoration signed in Warsaw Zelenskyy As part of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's working visit to Warsaw, Ukraine and Poland signed agreements on the supply of Polish military equipment to Ukraine, as well as on cooperation in the restoration of infrastructure destroyed as a result of the war. "A new defense package that our soldiers really need right now has been agreed upon, which protects the freedom and independence of not only Ukraine, Poland, Europe, but the whole world," Zelenskyy said at a press conference with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. In particular, according to him, a document was signed on the supply of Polish Rosomak armored personnel carriers, Rak self-propelled mortars, Perun air defense systems, MIG-type fighters and other weapons. The Ukrainian delegation, as Zelenskyy said, also discussed with the Polish side the creation of joint ventures for the production of weapons and ammunition. "Despite everything, the military-industrial complex of our countries will work efficiently. There are very substantive agreements," he said. In addition, the parties discussed various economic and infrastructure issues, the development and restoration of Ukraine. In this context, the President of Ukraine announced the signing of a separate document with Poland on cooperation in the reconstruction of Ukraine, which, according to him, will help the development of both countries. WILLIAMSPORT A federal false arrest, malicious prosecution, false imprisonment lawsuit brought by a Williamsport man who spent 229 days in jail will continue. U.S. Middle District Judge Matthew W. Brann on Tuesday denied a motion to dismiss stating he found unjustified the Oct. 2, 2020, actions of police involving Anthony Barasky. He was arrested that day following a vehicle stop in connection with a drug investigation. He was charged with criminal use of a communications device and jailed in lieu of $85,000 bail. He remained there until May 21, 2021, when bail was reduced to $50,000 unsecured. A month later, Lycoming County Judge Nancy L. Butts dismissed the charge finding police did not have probable cause to stop the vehicle, make an arrest or conduct a warrantless search of Baraskys phone. She also found the prosecution at the preliminary hearing failed to present enough evidence to establish a prima facia case. Brann found the six officers who are defendants failed to corroborate an informants tip before planning to arrest Barasky. He cited an earlier opinion in which he found the tipster was unreliable based on his criminal history, no record of him providing reliable information and allegedly being under the influence of heroin when he spoke to officers. The information he provided police was based on a claim he had purchased drugs from Barasky, the judge noted. Brann, citing his conclusion the officers had violated Baraskys clearly established constitutional rights, rejected their argument they are entitled to qualified immunity. The conspiracy count remains because he found the officers agreed to violate Baraskys constitutional rights when they met to plan the traffic stop. At that point, they knew or reasonably should have known that they did not have probable cause, he wrote. Brann pointed out his ruling is based on information in the record and the defendants could renew their arguments after discovery. The individual defendants are Kevin Dent, Tyson Havens, Clinton Gardner and Joshua Bell who were assigned to the countys Narcotics Enforcement Unit. Also defendants are Joseph Hope and Christopher Kriner. They were the Old Lycoming chief and sergeant, respectively, who stopped Barasky before he arrived at the designated meeting location with the informant. No drugs were found on Barasky or in his vehicle but officers removed his cell phone, called it and took a picture of it. The county, the city of Williamsport for whom two of the officers are employed and the township also are defendants. They are accused of failing to train the officers. Barasky, who has a criminal record, is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. More: Caregiver admits putting rat poison in elderly Pa. couples rolled cigarettes Appeals court affirms conviction of Pa. woman accused of badly mistreating child Bob Lee, the founder of Cash App, was stabbed to death in San Francisco, California on Tuesday. According to NBC News, officers from the San Francisco Police Department found the 43-year-old former chief technology officer of Square with stab wounds at abruptly 2:35 a.m., but he was still alive. Lee wasnt identified by police at the scene, however, sources who were there when cops arrived claimed it was him. He was transported to a hospital where he later died due to the severe and life-threatening injuries he sustained. Lee was also a chief product of officer of MobileCoin, a cryptocurrency company. MobileCoins chief executive officer issued a statement on Wednesday saying, Bob was a dynamo, a force of nature. Bob was the genuine article. He was made for the world that is being born right now, he was a child of dreams, and whatever he imagined, no matter how crazy, he made real. No arrests have been made in Lees death as of yet. San Francisco police say that the crime will be investigated by the departments homicide detail. Follow Nebiy Esayas on Twitter @_nebiy_ Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work. Harrisburg officials want community input on the best way to spend $13 million in federal funds received through a Community Development Block Grant-CARES Act to revamp city parks. City officials said they are interested in what residents would like to see at city parks and playgrounds regarding the types of equipment, activities, and themes, according to city spokesman Matt Maisel. State police is investigating a shooting involving Northern York County Regional police on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. The York Daily Record confirmed with Ted Czech of the York County Office of Emergency Management/York County 911 that the shooting occurred overnight in Heidelberg Township. Czech told the outlet that the first related call came in at 12:20 a.m., to the 6400 block of Pamadeva Road. No details about injuries or how the shooting happened were released. Northern York County Regional Police Department covers 11 municipalities in the county, the York Dispatch reported. The department told the outlet that all information about the shooting would come from state police. As of late Wednesday afternoon, state police had not released any comments on the shooting. Read more on PennLive: A male resident fired shots at police while inside a burning Pa. home on Monday night around 7 p.m., according to reports. The incident happened on the block of Isabella Road in West Nantmeal Township in Chester County. According to 6ABCs view, the fire destroyed the home. CBS News reported the police returned fire and the man was shot in his leg. He was both arrested and taken to the hospital to treat his gunshot wound. No office or first responder was injured during the shooting. As for the fire, firefighters got it under control around 8:30 p.m. Though its unclear what started the fire and why the man shot at police. READ MORE: A man told Pittsburgh police that he was lured to a city home and shot early Wednesday, according to officials. Pittsburgh Public Safety said that officers were called at about 1 a.m. to the 1500 block of Belasco Avenue in the citys Beechview neighborhood for shots fired. Many may not realize just how diverse Central Pennsylvania is, especially with regard to religion. But it is. And Muslims, Christians and Jews in our area will be uniting these next few weeks in a display of interfaith solidarity designed to counter religious extremism by displaying mutual respect and goodwill. Turns out this month of April is a holy season for all three faiths. As Christians are entering into their Holy Week and preparing to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. CAMP HILL Donald Trump has accused Ron DeSantis of being a shapeshifting political fraud, argued hes bought and paid for by wealthy donors and even baselessly suggested without evidence his political rival engaged in inappropriate romantic relationships. And yet Floridas Republican governor, visiting this battleground state to build national support before a likely presidential campaign, still rushed to the former presidents defense Saturday against an indictment brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. You have this Manhattan district attorney, who, his whole platform when he got elected, was that he was going to downgrade as many felonies as possible to misdemeanors, said DeSantis, speaking as part of his nationwide book tour at the Pennsylvania Leadership Conference, a gathering of conservative leaders in Pennsylvania. RELATED: GOP hot ticket and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis makes swing-state stop in Pennsylvania He continued: So now he turns around purely for political purposes, indicts a former president on misdemeanor offenses that theyre straining to try to convert into felonies. That is when you know that the law has been weaponized for political purposes. That is when you know the left is using that to target its political opponents. DeSantis defense amounted to only a short detour during his regular stump speech but it illustrates the vexing challenge facing the governor and every other potential Republican candidate. Even as they seek to displace him as the GOPs leader, Trumps rivals have almost uniformly moved to defend him even before Tuesdays arraignment in New York City, arguing that the former president is being unfairly targeted because Democrats want to take down a marquee Republican. The resulting praise for Trump has not only put his would-be foes in an awkward position, its drowned out their own messages and once again made the former president the center of attention in the GOP presidential primary. And a race in which Trump was already widely considered a favorite has, at least for now, tilted even further in his direction. This is going to solidify the Republican base around Trump, said Rick Wilson, a longtime GOP strategist and vocal critic of the former president. It is going to lock in further loyalty and fealty to Donald Trump. I would make the argument that the primary was over the day the indictment was announced. Other Republicans are less bullish about what Trumps indictment which centers on the allegation he paid an adult film star hush money during the 2016 election means for Trump and the 2024 primary, arguing that whatever bump in support he receives might not last throughout a long race. A Yahoo News/YouGuv poll released Saturday found Trumps advantage over DeSantis growing in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup, with the former president now receiving 57% support to the governors 31%. Two weeks ago, the same survey showed Trumps lead over DeSantis was only 8 percentage points, 47% to 39%. Other surveys showed Trumps advantage over the rest of the GOP field growing even before he acknowledged last week that he had been indicted, a consequence some Republicans attribute to weeks of speculation that he was about to be charged. A Fox News survey released last week found him at 54% support in the GOP field, up 11 percentage points from February. DeSantis was the closest potential candidate to Trump, receiving 24% backing from GOP voters. The base is responding to him, said Jeffrey Lord, a longtime Trump advocate who was in attendance Saturday watching DeSantis speak in Pennsylvania. Its not that they dont like Governor DeSantis, its that theyre really upset about this and they want to, you know, stand by their man, as it were. A Trump aide tweeted Monday as the president flew to New York for his arraignment that his campaign had raised $7 million since the indictment. Lord said he had never seen the party more unified than it is now in defending Trump. And, indeed, in addition, to support from DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who has voiced concern about the indictment, the former president has received the backing of GOP leaders like House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and conservative figures like Fox News host Tucker Carlson. FIGHTING FOR ATTENTION Not every Republican candidate has rushed to Trumps defense: Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Sunday reiterated that he thought the former president should drop out of the race after his indictment. But the Arkansas Republican has his own indictment-related challenges, announcing Sunday that hes running for president at a time when media coverage is fixated on the charges against Trump. It wasnt just a problem for Hutchinson, either. Haley was visiting the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas on Monday, trying to draw attention to her plans to fix an issue of visceral importance to the conservative base. But her visit was overshadowed by wall-to-wall cable network coverage of Trump as he flew from Florida to New York. Turn on any TV, any cable channel, and what are you seeing? Wilson said. All Trump, all Trump, all Trump. Wilson called the coverage a time loop back to 2016 when the then-insurgent candidate used intense media coverage to unexpectedly vault to the top of the GOP presidential primary field. The Republican base could continue to rally behind Trump throughout the primary, GOP strategists point out, amid a series of other looming investigations, including allegations that he mishandled classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Each new wave of charges could intensify its support for him. Other Republicans, however, are skeptical that any short-term boost in support for Trump will last throughout a long primary. And the compounding effect of each new charge could persuade some GOP voters, especially those wary about the partys chances in a general election next year, to move on from the former president. At this point, everybodys opinion of Donald Trump is pretty well set, said Lowman Henry, a conservative leader in Pennsylvania. You either like him or you dont. ... I think youd have a hard time finding 2% of the population that hasnt already made up their mind on him. So no matter how much the left attacks or how much they weaponize indictments, I dont think it changes for primary voters. During his speech, DeSantis tried to weave his criticism of Bragg into a larger argument about his opposition to liberal prosecutors, boasting to the audience about how he removed a state attorney (Hillsborough Countys Andrew Warren) from office. DeSantis speech Saturday was well-received, and some in attendance said afterward that they viewed the contest as a two-person race between him and Trump. The governor himself indicated that, even if hes losing ground in the polls, he remains undeterred about a potential future campaign. I have only begun to fight, DeSantis said to cheers, because we are going to save liberty in this country. A central campaign arm for congressional Democratic candidates is targeting U.S. Rep. Scott Perry and another Pennsylvania Republican in next years House races. On Monday, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee posted its 2024 election plans for several states and included were Pennsylvanias 1st Congressional District, represented by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, and Perrys 10th Congressional District. In unveiling its Districts In Play plan, the DCCC labeled the two GOP-held districts as offensive target districts that could be flipped to help return House control to the Democrats. Republicans won the House in November and hold a 222-213 advantage. Brian Fitzpatrick has spent his time in Congress empowering far-right Republicans like Scott Perry, DCCC spokesperson Tommy Garcia said in a statement. Fitzpatrick and Perry being in Congress, where they both work to empower extremism for power and influence, is a threat to every-day Pennsylvanians freedoms, pocketbooks and futures, Garcia said. Voters will have a clear choice in 2024. Perry, a York County resident, beat Democrat Shamaine Daniels 54% to 46% in November amid a federal investigation into his role in trying to replace the U.S. attorney general in 2020 with someone who would support former President Donald Trumps false accusations about election fraud. The leader of the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus in the House, Perry is still fighting to prevent federal investigators from gaining full access to his cell phone. In its statement, the DCCC referenced Perrys controversial statements about immigrants and his role in opposing the 2020 election results. Fitzpatrick, a Bucks County resident, won re-election last year in a 55% to 45% victory over his Democratic challenger. The DCCC said that Fitzpatrick backed Rep. Kevin McCarthy for House Speaker and voted against impeaching Trump for the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Work continues on Nutrien Tower in Saskatoon, Sask., Friday, June 25, 2021. Nutrien CEO Ken Seitz says Canada is poised to play a big role in global food production as climate change makes farming more difficult and the worlds food supply chain is rendered fragile by political and economic uncertainty. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards Poland wants to be first to take part in Ukraine's restoration Morawiecki Poland wants to be the first to take part in the plan for the restoration of Ukraine, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told reporters following meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Warsaw on Wednesday. "Today we discussed a large number of Polish companies that want to take part in the restoration of Ukraine," he said. Morawiecki called Ukraine "the shield of Poland and all of Europe, and let Europe hear it." According to him, "this war is the beginning of the end for Russia as we know it, and the beginning for Europe." "We do not want to confuse peace and tranquillity. There is no question of agreements with barbaric Russia. Ukraine must itself determine acceptable conditions for peace and security," the Polish prime minister said. According to him, Poland will also appeal to the IOC, "so that Russian athletes do not take part in the competition." Morawiecki also announced the opening of a new border rail crossing. Stefanchuk: In June, on eve of NATO summit, meeting of speakers of parliaments of Alliance member states Ukraine to take place In early June, on the eve of the NATO summit, Vilnius plans to hold a meeting of the speakers of the parliaments of the Alliance member states and Ukraine, Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk has said. "In early June, Vilnius will host a meeting of the parliamentary speakers of the NATO member states and Ukraine... The role of parliaments is significant in preparing the relevant decisions of the summit, so I count on the strong support of the Seimas of Lithuania. Therefore, the meeting in June at the level of speakers of parliaments, which precedes the main summit, will be one opportunity to talk with partners about the importance of Ukraine's membership in the Alliance," the chairman of the Ukrainian parliament said on his Facebook page. Stefanchuk expects that at the NATO summit in Vilnius in July "clear decisions will be made on the procedure for Ukraine's entry into NATO." As reported, the NATO summit will be held in Vilnius (Lithuania) on July 11 and 12. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print In bombshell testimony to the special counsel grand jury, Trump administration national security officials testified that they had to tell Trump they didnt have the authority to seize voting machines after the 2020 election. CNN reported: Chad Wolf, the former acting Homeland Security secretary, and his former deputy Ken Cuccinelli were asked about discussions inside the administration around DHS seizing voting machines when they appeared before the grand jury earlier this year, according to three people familiar with the proceedings. Cuccinelli testified that he made clear at all times that DHS did not have the authority to take such a step, one of the sources said. Trumps former national security adviser Robert OBrien, in a closed-door interview with federal prosecutors earlier this year, also recounted conversations about seizing voting machines after the 2020 election, including during a heated Oval Office meeting that Trump participated in, according to a source familiar with the matter. The fact that those conversations happened in the Oval Office suggests that Trump was trying to get the federal government to seize the voting machines in swing states so that he could claim that there had been fraud and stay in power. What would have happened to the country if Trump had filled his administration with people who didnt care if the government had the legal authority to seize voting machines? The government would have seized voting machines in the states, and Trump would have tried to hang on to power through a coup. The United States came close to losing its democracy after the 2020 election, and when the media treats Donald Trump like just another presidential candidate instead of a threat to the nation, they are enabling the impulses of a man who wanted to seize voting machines after he lost an election. If Trump ever returns to power, next time the United States might not get so lucky. The feature-length documentary film "20 Days in Mariupol" by Ukrainian journalist, writer and director Mstyslav Chernov became one of the winners of the 47th International Film Festival in Cleveland (Ohio, USA). The documentary about the blockade of Mariupol and the crimes of the Russians received a prize in the "Standing Up" category, where films about important social events, activism, and the fight for justice compete. This is already the second American award for Chernov's debut film in January 2023, "20 Days in Mariupol" won the Audience Award at the largest independent film festival in the United States, Sundance. The film also won the Cinema for Peace Award (Berlin, Germany) in the "Best Documentary" category. In addition, the film received two awards of the prestigious Royal Television Society 2023 journalistic award (Great Britain) in the nominations "International News Coverage" and "Exclusive of the Year", and personally Mstyslav Chernov - in the nomination "Operator of the Year". Also, the award in Cleveland in the category "Films from Central and Eastern Europe" was won by the feature film "Pamfir" by Dmytro Suholytkyy-Sobchuk. "20 Days in Mariupol" was produced by Chernov, Associated Press and Frontline and tells how Mariupol experienced the first weeks of the Russian invasion. Mstyslav Chernov, along with photographer Evgeniy Maloletka and producer Vasilisa Stepanenko, arrived in Mariupol on February 24, an hour before the start of the invasion, as an Associated Press team. They recorded everything that was happening in the city, including the humanitarian disaster caused by the siege, mass burials of civilians, crimes by Russian troops, the work of doctors, and were the first to show the world the consequences of the bombing of maternity hospital No. 3. Chernov and Maloletka sent the media files, which were later watched by the whole world, hiding under the stairs near the crushed grocery store - from the only place in Mariupol where cell service was possible. On March 15, the AP team left Mariupol through the humanitarian corridor. The video footage that Chernov took out of Mariupol became the basis of the documentary. "The work of Mstyslav Chernov and his colleagues in documenting the siege of Mariupol was nothing less than heroic," said AP Senior Vice President and Executive Editor Julie Pace. "Without their courageous coverage of violence and carnage, the world would not have seen what was happening." The documentary, from the materials of the Ukrainian journalist, was created by the team of Frontline the longest documentary film program in the history of the United States. It is broadcasted on the PBS channel (USA). Since its inception, Frontline has won 104 Emmy Awards. "The award of the film festival in Cleveland means that the history of Ukrainians, the history of resistance, tragedies and pain does not leave anyone in the world indifferent," says the author of "20 Days in Mariupol" Mstyslav Chernov The goal of this film is to continue reminding people around the world of the sacrifices that Ukrainians make every day in this titanic struggle against aggressors." The European premiere of the film took place at the Copenhagen Documentary Film Festival CPH:DOX. According to Mstyslav Chernov, the film is planned to be shown at the largest North American documentary film festival Hot Docs (Canada) and the Doc Aviv International Documentary Film Festival (Israel). "20 Days in Mariupol'' can be seen in US cinemas in July 2023. And the Ukrainian premiere will take place in the summer of 2023. For their work in Mariupol, Mstyslav Chernov, Evgeniy Maloletka and Vasilisa Stepanenko have already received many international awards: the Livingston, Rory Peck, Royal Television Society, DW "For Freedom of Speech" awards, Bayeux Calvados-Normandy, The Gongadze Award, Knight International Journalism, Press Freedom Awards 2022, the Elijah Parish Lovejoy award and became "journalists of the year" according to "Ukrainska Pravda". In March 2023, Evgeniy Maloletka's photos from Mariupol became the best at the European stage of the World Press Photo international award. References: The Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) is an annual film festival in Cleveland (Ohio, USA). Founded in 1977, in 46 years, it has grown its program from 7 to more than 300 films from dozens of countries. The audience of the festival reaches 100,000 visitors annually. Mstyslav Chernov is a Ukrainian videographer, photojournalist, director, military correspondent and writer, currently working for the Associated Press. President of the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers. Covered the Revolution of Dignity, the War in Eastern Ukraine, the aftermath of the downing of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777, the Syrian Civil War, the Battle of Mosul in Iraq, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Chernov's material has been published and broadcast by many media outlets around the world, including CNN, the BBC, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and others. All-Ukrainian Association of Winemakers and Sommeliers in partnership with the Ukrainian Cavist Association and the Master Class Sommelier School recently held the long-awaited All-Ukrainian Tasting Competition. The competition is aimed at highlighting the influence of terroir on Ukrainian wines, identifying the best wines and distillates in various categories through professional blind tasting, and emphasizing the importance of micro winemaking in Ukraine. According to Natalia Blagopolyunova, President of the All-Ukrainian Association of Winemakers and Sommeliers, after a break in 2022, the competition returned with an additional nomination for Distillates, which was applied for by winemakers from all over the country. "We did not hold the competition last year, although everything was planned. This year, we decided to try it, made an announcement a month in advance, and applications came in immediately. In addition, we added another nomination, Distillates, at the request of the participants," she emphasized. In total, the event was attended by 30 winemakers from 13 regions, including several newcomers who took part in the competition for the first time. A total of 114 samples of wines and spirits were presented and judged in 13 categories. Valeriy Narovylo became the outstanding winemaker of the competition, receiving three gold medals and a red blend that won the Grand Prix. His wine received the maximum score of 100 points from the jury chairman Ricardo Nunez and was recognized as worthy of competing with famous European samples. This year's competition also recognized the high quality of the distillates presented, with the Grand Prix in this category going to the grape muscat of TM Slavia. The professional jury, headed by Ricardo Nunez, President of the international wine holding Vinos de la Luz, evaluated the samples on a point system, and gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded according to the points received. The jury consisted of experts from various fields of the wine industry, including sommeliers, winemakers, cavists and industry observers. The competition also featured several categories, including sparkling wines, best riesling, best chardonnay, white local varieties, orange wines, rose wines, best pinot noir, best merlot, best cabernet sauvignon, red local varieties, red blend, dessert wines and distillates. The winners in each category were determined based on the jury's scores. Among the outstanding winners are "Sparkling Rose, 2021" by TM "Moye Vino" (Eduard Gorodetsky) in the category "Sparkling Wines", "Riesling, 2021" by Volodymyr Simakin in the category "Best Riesling" and "Chardonnay, 2022" by TM "Babchuk Winery" in the category "Best Chardonnay". In the Best Merlot category, the gold medal was awarded to Merlot, 2020 by NAROVYLO WINERY. In the Red Blend category, the gold medal and the Grand Prix of the competition went to CS/CF/Merlot, 2020 by NAROVYLO WINERY, which received an excellent rating from the chairman of the jury, Ricardo Nunez. The unique format of the competition, which focuses on the evaluation of wines and distillates from small producers (craft production), allowed participants to communicate with industry professionals and become members of the jury themselves. This year's competition demonstrated the exceptional quality of Ukrainian craft wines and distillates and emphasized the importance of micro winemaking in the country's future. The winners of the competition will have the opportunity to present their wines and distillates at the VIII International Forum of Winemakers and Sommeliers, which will be held in November 2023 at the InterContinental Hotel in Kyiv. The All-Ukrainian Association of Winemakers and Sommeliers expresses its gratitude to all participants, jury members and the Armed Forces of Ukraine for their assistance in holding the event. Organizers of the competition: Ukrainian Association of Winemakers and Sommeliers Association of cavists of Ukraine The first in Ukraine Sommelier School "Master Class" Media partners: Interfax-Ukraine news agency; Kyiv Analytical Center "Experts Club"; Open4business portal. Professional jury of the Competition: Ricardo Nunez - Chairman of the Jury, President of the International Wine Holding "Vinos de la Luz"; Natalia Blagopoluchna - Secretary of the Jury, President of the All-Ukrainian Association of Winemakers and Sommeliers; Natalia Burlachenko, CEO of Big Wine- Big Art; Oleg Kravchenko - "Best Sommelier of Ukraine 2011", co-owner and chef-sommelier of the wine bar "Win bar"; Yegor Belov - "Ukrainian Sommelier - 2018", chef de cuisine at the Inercontinental Hotel; Olga Girman - Ukrainian Sommelier 2021, founder of the Wine Evenings project; Bohdan Dukal - "Best cavist of Ukraine - 2019", director of 2 wine boutiques "Winetime"; Yaroslav Panchuk - "The Best Caviarist of Ukraine - 2021", caviarist at Bad Boy wine boutique; Oleksii Bondar - "Best Caviarist of Ukraine - 2020", manager of TS+; Oleksandr Kovach - President of the Transcarpathian Winemakers Association, winemaker; Yevheniia Pustovit, winemaker at Chateau Pinot and 46 Parallel; Olga Pinevych-Todoriuk - Editor-in-Chief of Drinks+ magazine, observer from the General Information Partner. The jury was assessed according to the following criteria: Gold medal - 91-100 points; Silver medal - 86-90 points; Bronze medal - 81-85 points. The full list of winners is available here: 1. Nomination "Sparkling wines". "Sparkling pink, 2021", TM "My Wine", Eduard Gorodetsky - gold medal; "Sparkling pink, 2019", TM "46 Parallel" - silver medal; "Petnat Irshai Olever, 2021", TM "Kovacs Wine" - bronze medal. 2. Best Riesling nomination. "Riesling, 2021, Volodymyr Simakin - gold medal; "Riesling, 2022", TM "Babchuk Winery" - silver medal; "Riesling, 2017, TM Vinaria - bronze medal. 3. Best Chardonnay nomination. 1. "Chardonnay, 2022", TM "Babchuk Winery" - gold medal; 2. "Chardonnay, 2020", TM "Mon Crafto" - silver medal; 3. "Chardonnay, 2021", TM "Dukat-Agro - bronze medal. 4. Nomination "White local variety. 1." Zagrej, 2022", National Scientific Center "Institute of Viticulture and Winemaking named after V.E. Tairov - gold medal; 2. "Aligote, 2020", TM "Wine Valley" - silver medal. 3. "Solaris, 2022", Georgiy Samsoniuk - bronze medal. 5. Orange wines nomination. 1. "Orange, 2021", TM "Kovacs Wines" - gold medal; 2. "Telti-Kuruk, 2022", TM "Ofiussa Winery" - silver medal; 3. "Rkatsiteli, 2020", TM "Driukivski Wines" - bronze medal. 6. Nomination "Pink wines". "Pinot Noir, 2021, TM "My Wine", Eduard Gorodetsky - gold medal; "Pinot Noir, 2021, TM Chateau Pinot - silver medal; "Cabernet Sauvignon, 2022, TM Babchuk Winery - bronze medal. 7. Best Pinot Noir nomination. 1. "Pinot Noir, 2020", TM "46 Parallel" - gold medal; 2. "Pinot Noir, 2020", TM "Sergius Vinum" - silver medal; 3. "Pinot Noir, 2020", Georgiy Samsoniuk - bronze medal. 8. Best Merlot nomination. 1. "Merlot, 2020", TM "NAROVYLO WINERY" - gold medal; 2. "Merlot, 2020", TM "Slavia" - silver medal; 3. "Merlot, 2021", TM "My Wine", Eduard Gorodetsky - bronze medal. 9. Best Cabernet Sauvignon nomination. 1. "Cabernet Sauvignon, 2021", TM "Mon Crafto" - gold medal; 2. "Cabernet Sauvignon, 2021", TM "My Wine", Eduard Gorodetsky - silver medal; 3. "Cabernet Sauvignon, 2019", TM "SHERWOOD WINERY" - bronze medal 10. Nomination "Red local variety". 1. "Aliberne, 2020", TM "NAROVYLO WINERY" - gold medal; 2. "Zweigelt, 2019", TM "Vina Kovacha" - silver medal; 3. "Odesa Black, 2018", TM "Babchuk Winery" - bronze medal. 11. Red Blend nomination. 1. "KC/KF/Merlot, 2020", TM "NAROVYLO WINERY" - gold medal, Grand Prix of the Competition (the best wine of the Competition), 100 points from the Chairman of the Jury Ricardo Nunez! 2. "Grand Admiral, 2018", TM "46 Parallel" - silver medal; 3. "COP/CF, 2020", TM "Vinaria" - bronze medal. 12. Nomination "Dessert wines" 1. "Muscat of the Carpathians, 2014", TM "Kovach's Wines" - gold medal; 2. "Black Pearl, 2017", TM "Kovacs Wines" - silver medal; 3. "White dessert vermouth", TM "Winemaker Vinokur" - bronze medal. 13. Nomination "Distillates". 1. "Grappa Muscat, 2019, 40%", TM "Slavia" - gold medal, Grand Prix of the Competition (the best distillate of the Competition); 2. "Chacha Odesa Black, 2022, 42%", TM "Winemaker Vinokur" - silver medal; 3. "Chacha Sauvignon Blanc, 10 years, 44%", TM "Vinaria" - silver medal; 4. "Brandy, 2015, 42%", TM "Vina Kovacha" - silver medal; 5. "Honey casserole, 40%", TM "Winemaker Vinokur" - silver medal; 6. "Chacha Sauvignon Blanc, 2019, 41%", TM "Vinaria" - silver medal; 7. "Apple, 42%", TM "KALYUS WINERY" - silver medal; 8. "Calvados, 42%", Ivan Gorobets - silver medal. Could Aiken be the setting for A.G. Mocks next novel with its natural beauty and the woods? "We do now live in the woods which is nice," Mock said. "It's nice to open our backdoor, see the stars at night with no lights, hear the sound of the woods and of course that helps inspire more." Only being in Aiken for a few months, the national and international author, Mock made Aiken his home. After moving to Aiken for his wife's job as a nurse, he looking forward to growing his writing career in the area. "I can pretty much work anywhere," he said. In addition to being a published author, Mock has lived in England, worked at a newspaper and owned two magazines in Florida. During his short publishing career of three years, he has published two books "The Little Woods" and "Disciple." He expects to publish a third book, "Shadow Watchers" in late summer 2023. The books are part of the New Apocrypha series. His books are published through his own imprint company called Epoch Thrillers. "Epoch Thrillers was created to purely to publish A.G. Mock novels," he said. His books have been listed on Amazon's best-seller lists in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. Mock is also a two-time American Fiction Award winner in 2022 for Best Occult Horror Novel and Best Supernatural Novel. Mock, who is originally from western Pennsylvania, studied abroad in England during his junior year in college and enjoyed it so much he stayed. He we able to transfer his credits and completed his degree in literature and psychology. After he graduated he went to work the advertising department of a newspaper. My success in advertising made it impossible for me to move into that newspaper's editorial department, he said. While I always wanted to be a writer and I was disappointed that I couldnt be on the journalist side of things, God and the universe had other plans. Mock knew writing was always knocking at his door. I always wanted to be a writer or a rock drummer in my writing, he said. Before the turn of the millennium, Mock moved back to America and settled in Florida where he started a monthly magazine in Tampa which he had for six years. Around 2010, he started another magazine in Clearwater Beach, Florida, which he still manages today. When COVID-19 pandemic hit, Mock was unable to publish his magazine, and decided to return to writing and finished "The Little Woods." It was really the opportunity for me to go back and explore this book I had started writing, he said. "I started rewriting from scratch and in a matter of months, I had a finished product." Mock said he has several books in the works and is keeping the details under wraps. He said Hitchcock Woods could be the setting for one of his books. Hitchcock Woods is going to inspire a story with an occult overtone, but will be more thriller, he said. He is scheduled to be a guest at the South Carolina Horror Convention in Columbia and plans to attend book signings across the country. So far, Mock is humbled by all the success and is looking to see where his career will take him. I can write what I want read, and its satisfying to know people are excited to read it as much as you are, Mock said. Mock's books are available online at Amazon and can be purchased at the Aiken Center for The Arts. The Holy City and Sin City soon will be connected with the first-ever nonstop flights. Spirit Airlines said April 5 it will launch service five days a week Thursday through Monday between Charleston and Las Vegas, starting Sept. 7. The low-cost carrier will make it a daily flight in October. The South Florida-based airline made the announcement at Charleston International as its first of three daily flights from Fort Lauderdale, Philadelphia and Newark, N.J., touched down at the state's busiest airport on Wednesday. The Las Vegas route will leave Charleston at 5:30 p.m. The return trip will be at 9 a.m. Pacific time, landing in the Lowcountry about 4:30 p.m. local time. Spirit is offering an introductory rate on the new cross-country route, with one-way fares starting at $99 for travel Sept. 7 through Oct. 18. Tickets must be purchased 14 days in advance. An executive of Spirit, the 13th airline to land in the Lowcountry, pointed out Las Vegas "is the largest unserved nonstop market from Charleston" and the carrier will be the first to offer a point-to-point transcontinental route between the East Coast port city and the Nevada gambling and entertaining mecca. "Its exciting to announce growth on day one and (offer) easy access to three major metro cities on the East Coast, plus the addition of a great nonstop route out west to Las Vegas that isnt currently available from Charleston," said John Kirby, vice president of network planning. Other Spirit flights Spirit Airlines also will add new seasonal service in May from Myrtle Beach, where it has offered flights for more than 25 years. The new routes will connect the Grand Strand with Chicago, Cleveland and Rochester, N.Y. Breeze Airways planned to offer nonstop service between Charleston and Las Vegas but the Utah-based carrier then decided to add layovers to its West Coast destinations, including Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Lowcountry travelers have long been asking for a route to Las Vegas ... a new nonstop flight," said Charleston International CEO Elliott Summey. Charleston airport board chairwoman Helen Hill said the increased competition could help lower fares. "The significance of an additional airline serving Charleston International cannot be overstated," said Hill, who is CEO of Lowcountry tourism agency Explore Charleston. "Spirit's investment in the Charleston market increases the affordability and convenience of daily flights to two of our top areas of visitor origin the Northeast and Florida." All of the new Spirit destinations on the East Coast are served now from Charleston by existing carriers. JetBlue Airways and Silver Airways fly to Fort Lauderdale. Frontier and American airlines travel to Philadelphia, and United offers flights to Newark. Kirby indicated more flights could be in Charleston's future. "It all depends on how we perform," Kirby said. "If it works, we will add more routes." To mark the carrier's entry into Charleston, Spirit's Charitable Foundation made a $10,000 donation to Friends of Fisher House Charleston, a nonprofit that provides temporary accommodations to veterans and their families while the veteran is receiving medical attention at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center. On the airline's business side, Spirits stockholders approved a merger with JetBlue Airways in October, but the U.S. Justice Department and four states are suing to block the deal because they believe it will lead to higher fares and fewer seats. The deal, if approved, is expected to be completed in early 2024 with the final regulatory OK in 2025. The potential tie-up wont affect the newly announced Spirit flights to areas already served by JetBlue, at least not immediately, Kirby noted. COLUMBIA A former Columbia assistant fire chief will not receive a payout after the state appeals court April 5 overturned a lower court decision about the city's role in his 2017 resignation. A jury had awarded Michael Edmonds, formerly the assistant chief of administration for Columbia Fire, $65,000 in damages in 2019, saying the city had been negligent in his separation. But in its ruling this week, the S.C. Court of Appeals found holes in Edmonds' legal argument, including that "negligent separation" is not protected under state law. Edmonds alleged he was forced to resign after the city failed to ensure a consultant firm kept concerns he raised during a departmental assessment confidential. The city maintained the results of the assessment were anonymous and that Fire Chief Aubrey Jenkins asked Edmonds to resign because he made a questionable purchase of fire gloves, a problem Jenkins called "the final straw" during court testimony. Edmonds' concerns with the department first came up during a March 2016 assessment of the fire department conducted by a third-party consultant. Edmonds began to worry about whether his comments would stay anonymous as promised. Edmonds has said a colleague told him the consultant said the previous person she had talked to who Edmonds believed to be himself "had a lot to say." Edmonds emailed City Manager Teresa Wilson, adding "his fear of 'ramifications,'" according to the appellate decision. Wilson assured him "she would do all she could 'to maintain the integrity and confidentiality'" of the assessment, the decision went on to say. Wilson later testified that Edmonds was the only employee to express concerns to her over retaining anonymity in the assessment, which included multiple employees' criticisms of Jenkins. The consultant, with Liz Stewart and Associates, told the court that she neither told any employees interviewed what others had said, nor gave names to the city for specific comments. Edmonds' concerns about the department resurfaced in June 2016 meeting with then-Assistant City Manager Allison Baker, which he followed up in an email including documentation. Baker, who said he never told Edmonds their conversation would be confidential, sent Edmonds' concerns to Fire Chief Aubrey Jenkins, who called Edmonds into his office in July 2016 and questioned him about his complaints. At the time, Jenkins wanted to remove Edmonds from his post, but Baker encouraged him to instead meet with Edmonds and resolve the issues, the former assistant city manager testified. A year later, though, Baker testified he changed his mind because of "much evidence to support the ineffectiveness of (Edmonds)," according to the decision. The city internally investigated Edmonds' purchase of 500 pairs of gloves in 2017 after an allegation that Edmonds "received personal gain from the purchase," according to the decision. While the investigation could not find any personal gain, it did question why Edmonds had purchased those gloves, noting he used an outdated field test and bought 15 different sizes. Jenkins testified that the gloves were not fit for firefighting, compounding problems with facilities that fell under Edmonds' scope of duties. He requested Edmonds' resignation less than a month after the investigation, and Edmonds obliged. Edmonds' original lawsuit alleged defamation, wrongful discharge, negligence, negligent misrepresentation and promissory estoppel a legal doctrine that says parties are liable for broken promises if one person is harmed. Edmonds' legal team did not argue his claim of negligent misrepresentation at trial, and the judge issued a direct verdict in favor of the city on the charges of wrongful discharge and promissory estoppel, then referred remaining questions to the jury. The jury was tasked with answering three questions: Did the city defame Edmonds? Was the city negligent in his separation? Did the city's negligence cause Edmonds harm? The jury decided the city had not defamed Edmonds but had been negligent in his separation and thereby harmed him, awarding him $65,000. The city requested the judge set aside this verdict and find in favor of the city, a legal route used in cases when the judge decides the jury could not have reasonably come to the conclusion it reached based on the trial's evidence. The judge denied the motion. The appellate court on April 5 disagreed with the judge on that denial. The appeal came down to the second question on the jury's list: whether the city was "negligent with respect to (Edmonds') separation of employment." No civil law covers "negligent separation," and it does not fall under any other types of negligence, the court decided. As an at-will state, employees in South Carolina can be fired at any time for any reason, with their only recourse being a wrongful discharge lawsuit. Because the court found the city had not wrongfully discharged Edmonds, there were no other means for Edmonds to contest his resignation, according to the decision. "No authority suggests the city had a duty to ensure the Fire Department continued to employ Edmonds," the court wrote. Attorneys for Edmonds and the city, as well as Edmonds and the city themselves, did not respond to requests for comment. Click here for more news from Columbia, S.C. COLUMBIA U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham says he will continue to support former President Donald Trump during the 2024 election cycle and called on South Carolina Republicans to do the same, including financially. "Whoever the Republican Party nominates will have my support," Graham said. "But I've chosen to support President Trump not because of the flaws of others I think he's the most capable of turning the country and the world around." Graham's comments at state GOP headquarters April 5 came a day after Trump pleaded not guilty to a 34-count felony indictment in New York accusing him of falsifying internal business records to conceal campaign-related payments to his attorney. The money changed hands, according to prosecutors, as part of hush money payments in an effort to suppress allegations of extramarital affairs from before Trump's 2016 campaign for the White House. Graham called the indictment "legally unsound" and "politically motivated." "I think this reminds us all on the Republican side how much the liberals hate President Trump," Graham said. "And for the very reasons they hate him, I think most conservatives will be reminded of why they like President Trump." Graham called for Trump's supporters to donate to the billionaire's campaign while Trump's money goes toward legal fees. Trump's senior advisor claimed in a tweet that the former president has raised millions of dollars since the indictment, but Graham said anyone who disagrees with the charges should still contribute small amounts to help out. "Donations are part of the heart and soul of American campaign," Graham said. "(Trump) has spent millions of dollars defending against every type of lawsuit known to man." The indictment will not keep Trump's name from appearing on the presidential primary ballot in South Carolina's influential early presidential primary next February. Neither would a potential felony conviction. Trump's polling numbers have ticked up since his indictment, said DuBose Kapeluck, the political science department head at The Citadel. "I think a lot of Republicans see Donald Trump as embattled and facing incredible amounts of scrutiny since he's been in the public eye as a politician," Kapeluck said. "There's an element of defensiveness among Republican voters, so they empathize with Donald Trump and they see this as just another instance of what has been going on since 2016." Trump is the first former president in the nation's history to face criminal charges, meaning there is no precedent for how the situation, including its effect on the 2024 presidential election, will play out. Having his name in headlines could help Trump in the coming election, Kapeluck said. At the same time, he could be hindered if new discoveries unveiled during the legal battle dissuade voters. "Whether it'll last, we'll see," Kapeluck said. Other South Carolina senators and representatives, as well as Gov. Henry McMaster, have called the charges politically motivated and false following the indictment. Graham, who is heading the push to get Trump reelected in 2024, had a more optimistic view of the polling numbers, which showed a wide lead between Trump and former Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, another contender for the presidency. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley officially joined the race weeks ago. "The laws of physics, I think, are that for every action there's an equal and opposite reaction," Graham said. "The reaction in South Carolina to what happened in New York is going to help President Trump in the primary." Elsewhere in the state, around 30 people protested the charges in Myrtle Beach on April 5, many in their 50s or older. It was the second protest to spring up in the largely conservative area since the indictment. Its a supernatural hatred, thats all. And if it wasnt that, it would be something else, said Conway Republican Mark Carlson at the protest, regarding the charges. What are they going to do, impeach him a third time? Nicole Ziege contributed from Myrtle Beach. Click here for more news from Columbia, S.C. Greenville-based United Community Bank is in the process of phasing out its old corporate logo for a more modern look. The largest bank headquartered in South Carolina announced March 28 plans to swap out its old logo written in a serif font with navy blue, white and red as the main colors for a new design written in a sans serif font using lighter blue shades. "We have had consistent feedback from our customers that, while they love and trust United, they would like to see us present a forward-looking logo," said chairman and CEO Lynn Harton in a statement. Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Abraham Cox said in a statement that the change is "especially relevant today as United is growing in both existing and new markets, and across multiple channels." By summer 2023, the new logo will be updated on United Community Bank's website, its social media, on online banking and other digital channels. Branch signs will be changed by geography with anticipated completion in mid-2024. United Community Bank relocated its corporate headquarters from Georgia in summer of 2021 to Greenville. It is currently constructing an office building on a bluff above the Reedy River next to the new Grand Bohemian Hotel, with an anticipated completion date some date in early 2024. The bank has had a presence in the region since 2012 and opened its first branch in 2015. As of Dec. 31, 2022, United Community Bank reported $24 billion in assets and 192 offices across the Carolinas, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama. In February, the bank announced it would acquire First Miami and its First National Bank of South Miami subsidiary in an all-stock transaction valued at about $115.9 million. The merger is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2023. A month before that, the bank completed the $271.5 million all-stock purchase of Alabama-born Progress Financial Corp. and its Progress Bank and trust subsidiary. Belk opens outlet in Laurens County Charlotte-based Belk added an outlet location in Laurens County on March 30 as part of a new concept the chain retailer launched at the start of 2023. Belk Outlet stores offer discounted items that come directly from the larger Belk stores along with some new items that have not been carried previously. The idea was piloted in Greeneville, Tenn., when a preexisting Belk was transformed into the outlet concept and opened at the end of January. The new Upstate location opened in late March at 911 E. Main St. in Laurens. It was one of five locations that opened in the last week with others in Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee and Georgia. There will be ribbon cuttings at each of the five new locations on April 15. The first 200 customers will receive a Belk gift card, with most being valued between $5 to $25. One winner will get a $100 gift card and one will get a $500 card. While the Laurens location is the first outlet of its kind in the state, there are more than 30 Belk stores in South Carolina. Florida HVAC provider acquires Spartanburg company A Maitland, Fla.-based HVAC provider has acquired a 78-year-old heating and air conditioning business in Spartanburg. On March 21, Southern Home Services announced it would acquire George M. Hill & Sons, a company in Spartanburg County dating back to 1945. The Upstate company will merge with a Greer-based plumbing and HVAC company Five Star Plumbing Heating & Cooling that was acquired by Southern Home Services in April 2021. George M. Hill & Sons owner Todd Ramella said the decision to move on from the business was not easy but necessary due to personal issues related to his health. "When evaluating potential partners, it was clear that Five Star Plumbing Heating & Cooling would not only honor the customer and employee relationships that we have built over the past 75-plus years, but that they would be able to go above and beyond with their additional plumbing and electrical service offerings," Ramella said in a news release. General Manager of Five Star Pluming Heating & Cooling Ingrid Verseeuw said in the release that over the next couple months they plan to "invest additional technology, training and resources to build upon the excellent service George M. Hill & Sons have received over the years." George M. Hill & Sons is one of 22 other service brands that have been absorbed into the Southern Home Services business across 10 states since its inception in 2016. Thats all for this week. Email your thoughts, tips, releases and newsy bits to smirah@postandcourier.com. CHEROKEE COUNTY A 911 call operator has been arrested after police said she allowed an unauthorized person to access the Cherokee County police computer system. Brooklyn Danielle McDaniel, 26, was charged with misconduct in office by the State Law Enforcement Division. The agency said in a news release the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office requested it investigate. An arrest warrant alleges McDaniel let the unauthorized person who wasnt identified access the Zuercher computer system between June 3 and Sept. 27, 2022. The sheriffs office and Cherokee County 911 center use that confidential police system. McDaniel was booked in the Cherokee County Detention Center and released on a $5,000 bond. The case will be prosecuted by the state Attorney Generals Office. GREENVILLE Legacy Early College announced this month it will join the Excellence in Teaching Awards initiative, a program that was inspired by Meeting Street Schools. The Excellence in Teaching Awards initiative has been implemented at four Meeting Street Schools campuses and is in its first year of implementation at seven campuses within Charleston County School Districts Acceleration Schools, according to a news release. The program began in 2021 and awards teachers that positively impact students classroom and personal growth. Our strongest teachers are incredibly skilled, hard-working and reflective, said William Brown, CEO and founder of Legacy Early College. We are always looking for new ways to create compensation opportunities for our educators, and Meeting Street inspired our board to take action here. Legacy Early College has four campuses across Greenville that serve 1,700 students from pre-K to 12th grade. The school is the first to fund the Excellence in Teaching Awards initiative on its own and is the first to pilot at the middle and high school level. The initiative is similar across all three school systems. There are some variations in design based on local stakeholder input, budget and size. Within CCSD, the participating schools are being funded philanthropically by Meeting Street Schools at no cost to the district. Program design and technical assistance to CCSDs Acceleration Schools and Legacy Early Colleges campuses are provided by Meeting Street. An outstanding educator changes the trajectory of students lives, and they should be recognized for putting in the hard work that leads to those results, said Ben Navarro, founder of Meeting Street Schools and the Meeting Street Scholarship Fund. The initiative has helped Meeting Street Schools retain 88 percent of is top-performing teachers across four campuses in Spartanburg and Charleston. The teachers achieved one-and-a-half years of student growth in one academic year. Teachers across all schools participating in the program could earn up to $40,000 in additional compensation. The nonprofit Meeting Street Schools operates a network of schools across South Carolina. Its independent flagship school, Meeting Street Academy-Charleston began in 2008. The network has grown to have three Public Schools of Innovation operated in partnership with Charleston County School District and Spartanburg School District 7 and a public charter school in Jasper County. PENDLETON An Upstate man has been charged with running a $20 million Ponzi scheme in north Georgia. The Securities and Exchange Commission charged Pendleton resident Michael J. French with fraud in an alleged lending sham to fund a lavish lifestyle, the agency announced. Operating as MJF Holdings, French is accused of selling more than $20 million in high-yield promissory notes promising 12 percent returns on one-year investments to more than 400 investors across the country. This case demonstrates our commitment to acting quickly to protect investors from those who violate the securities laws to enrich themselves at investors expense, and to preserve remaining investor assets to the greatest extent possible, said Nekia Hackworth Jones, regional director of the SECs Atlanta office. As alleged in the complaint, Michael French swindled hundreds of investors out of over $20 million with promises of high-yield returns from a non-existent commercial loan investment business. The complaint charges MJF Capital with aiding and abetting Frenchs fraud, according to the agency. It also names seven other defendants reportedly controlled by French. It was filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia and investigated by several agents in the Atlanta office. MJF Holdings has a P.O. Box address in Pendleton listed as its online contact information. GREENVILLE For months, the LGBTQ community asked for representation on the Greenville County Library System board of trustees even as the board weighed actions to limit access to LGBTQ-themed materials. So when it came time for a Greenville County Council committee to nominate a new member to fill a vacancy on the volunteer board, the committee chose Tiffany Santagati, an experienced representative of numerous local boards who considers herself an ally of the LGBTQ community. But political moves made by council members in the two weeks following the committees March 21 recommendation threw the process into turmoil, chipped away at a fragile peace on the council and angered LGBTQ supporters. That led County Council to instead choose Cecil Beckner, a Simpsonville pastor, for the library board during a meeting on April 4. Santagati works as vice president of operations for Greenville Housing Fund. She serves as chair of the Childrens Trust of South Carolina, on the boards of the American Red Cross and Greenville Tech Foundation, and as a member of the Board of Governors of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce. She didnt note her service as treasurer for 864 Pride, a local nonprofit that provides clinical services for the LGBTQ community, on her board application and said she didnt seek the library post because of her support for LGBTQ causes. Santagati said she also serves on the boards of Hispanic Alliance and the Bold Leadership Network. Councilwoman Liz Seman, who said she nominated Santagati, supported her for the extensive board experience Santagati would bring to the library board. Seman said she didnt even know Santagati served on the board of 864 Pride. That is, Seman said, until Councilman Steve Shaw berated her following the vote on March 21 to recommend Santagati for the position. Shaw sent an email to supporters the next morning claiming Seman wanted a gay/transgender advocate on your library board and had conspired with the two Democratic members of the council to nominate Santagati. Though Shaw serves on the committee and listened to Santagatis interview, he didnt ask her any questions during the interview process and said he hadnt spoken with her since then. But you know a bird by its feathers, Shaw said. Santagati said she felt targeted by Shaw, who admitted hed never spoken with her before sending an email to supporters. I feel like I was the victim of a tactic and that tactic worked, and now I am terrified that tactic will be used to terrify other people, Santagati said. At the end of the day my goal is that we create a community that is kind and loving and that is not the way to do it. The library board has become a political touchpoint over the past year, beginning with the brief removal of Pride Month displays at some branches in June and then with a drawn-out process by the library board to relocate LGBTQ-themed parenting books away from library childrens shelves. In March, the board approved a policy to limit access to material deemed sexually explicit, but only after it struck a clause that would have limited access to material about gender identity. When it came time for the councils committee of the whole to confirm Santagati as the nominee on April 4, Councilman Benton Blount motioned to reopen nominations to the entire slate of 18 candidates who sought the position. The council then voted by secret ballot and chose Beckner, a pastor at Brookwood Church in Simpsonville. Beckner told the committee during a brief interview for the role March 21 that he wanted people to feel that the library was a free space but that books about gender identity should be located in the adult section of the library. A parent needs to be a part of that process, of checking out books involving gender identity, Beckner said. Santagati said the entire experience left her with a bad taste about county service. She said she would think twice before volunteering her time to serve the county in the future. Its sad and disappointing, but Im not surprised, she said. A number of supporters accompanied Santagati to the council meeting. They spoke to the council about their support for her and disdain for the decision not to appoint her to the board. Im just flabbergasted, said Miles Dame, a former county librarian who represents the Freedom in Libraries Advocacy Group. Im just wondering at what point theyre going to learn that they cant control the library and censor it. Amanda McDougald Scott, chair of the Greenville County Democratic Party, called the councils actions to bully Santagati deplorable. She said she looked forward to running a Democratic candidate against Shaw in the next election. Tests in medical school are trying for everyone but especially so for Melanie Wiley Gail as she struggles with sounds and smells her fellow students don't seem to notice. "Imagine taking the exam in a room full of skunks with rock music playing, she likes to say. It wasn't until after her first year at the Medical University of South Carolina where Gail is pursuing both her medical degree and a doctorate in neuroscience that she was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. While she is open about it and serves as chair of the Autism Society of South Carolina, many in medicine have privately told her they are keeping their condition private because they fear the public exposure. It is a stigma Gail would like to see changed. The Association of American Medical Colleges does not specifically track how many medical students are on the autism spectrum, spokesman Stuart Heiser said. But graduating medical students are asked to fill out a survey in which they can self-report a disability and 9.3 percent did in 2022, up from 7.6 percent in 2020. Of those students, 15 percent reported a "psychological disability," which would include those on the autism spectrum. When asked if their medical school made accommodations for their disability, less than half 48.1 percent said yes, down slightly from 52.6 percent in 2020. MUSC did make accommodations for Gail, such as letting her take exams in a separate, quieter room and allowing her extra time. But first she had to take a series of tests to confirm the diagnosis which took months and caused her to take a year off from medical school, though she continued volunteering and her research. The diagnosis was not a surprise. Her mother has Asperger's syndrome and Gail grew up trying to avoid some of the socially awkward behavior she noticed in her mother. She calls it masking and mimicking, carefully observing how others act in the situation and adjusting. Gail worked on things like eye contact, which can be tricky. "Its not that simple because if you stare at someone too long, it can become uncomfortable," Gail said. "But if you are not looking at them at all then youre not paying attention, youre being rude." Once when a professor was explaining something to her and Gail was looking off to the side, the professor barked at her, "Pay attention." And she replied, I can look at you or I can pay attention. Audio processing can be slower. Sometimes it takes her a while to get a joke, and she usually just hands her phone over when people are trying to give her their numbers. But she has a process, and though it takes more time, she does just as well with it. It is an oven versus a microwave to her. "Its not just 'youre slow' or 'youre fast,' its a different way of getting to whatever the goal is," Gail said. She has a "sensory toolkit" to help block the unwanted stimuli from the environment: blue-light glasses for glare, sound-canceling headphones, an aromatherapy roller she can daub on her wrists, smooth rocks to stroke for calm. In some ways her process is an advantage. The kinds of repetitious steps that need to be followed in research, the need to follow an exact routine Gail finds that "relaxing." "This is a system and I figured out my system and all I have to do is follow the steps." During her time away from medical school, she volunteered at the autism clinic at MUSC, working on social skills with children and teenagers, and she can empathize with both the patients and the parents. It is one reason her goal as a doctor is to become a child psychiatrist. And it is also why she serves as chair of the Autism Society's board. That is no small commitment. She heads up not only the quarterly meetings but every committee meeting outside that, Executive Director Shawn Keith said. Gail also has a standing call every Monday with him to go over whatever is happening that the board needs to know about, he said. That she does this while finishing up her doctorate and preparing for her third year in medical school is mystifying to him. "I don't know how there's enough hours in the day," Keith said. "It's not for the faint of heart," said Dr. Mark George, professor of psychiatry at MUSC, her primary mentor and director of the MUSC Brain Stimulation Lab. "It takes long hours and hard work and shes been doing that. (It takes) talent. And drive." While rotating through the lab and working on some of the technology, Gail was attracted to a noninvasive way of stimulating the vagus nerve that runs between the brain and major organs of the body, which is often likened to a superhighway for signals between the body and the brain. Her work is in newborn rats that have suffered brain damage, stimulating the nerve to see if the injury can be lessened or ameliorated. Another of Gail's mentors at MUSC, Dr. Dorothea Jenkins, is using the same technology in premature infants to help them learn to feed or deal with withdrawal cravings from opioid exposure in the womb. But this work holds the potential to help prevent long-term effects, George said. "If you can do something right at birth that will forever change the lifetime course, wouldnt that be cool?" he said. Gail's transparency about her condition is also heartening to him. As an advocate for talking about depression, George said he is seeing the stigma there lessen, helped recently by Sen. John Fetterman's public battle with the disease. "Thats a huge thing," he said. "Things are changing with depression. The same thing I think is happening with respect to autism and the spectrum." Gail is helping to do that, George said. "Shes been a good champion and shes a role model," he said. "For anybody whos got autism, to look at someone who is an M.D./Ph.D. candidate, that is pretty darn good." It is still something she is learning to adapt. As she talks in her apartment in North Charleston sunk into a tan sectional that covers most of the living room, there is a blanket draped over the end section that her roommate folded the wrong way. Ahead of her is a blind that was closed incorrectly in her mind. But she doesn't get up. "Every time I look at it, it still kind of bothers me but Im like, okay, let it go," Gail said. Her dog, Axon, named for the part of a neuron that conducts impulses, has gotten over his hyperactive excitement for a visitor and sits calmly nearby, watching her face, waiting for her signal. Gail wants to be open about herself because it could help others who are not ready yet to take that step. "I have a lot of colleagues say that they identify or suspect they are on the spectrum," she said. They tell her she is courageous, and that bothers her a little. "I get this a lot, which I know is meant to be a compliment, that I am very brave for being in public," Gail said. But it also implies to her that it is something she shouldn't be talking about. "That there is a stigma, that I am fighting against being ashamed of something, that I am coming out," Gail said. She feels the world a little differently, experiences some things more intensely, takes longer to get there, but that is not a bad thing. "Slower isnt necessarily worse," Gail said. "Sometimes we do things too fast. Being forced to take things slow, there is a benefit in that." Being different is just that. Different. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. Improving cooperation with the countries of Central Asia has been one of the pillars of Azerbaijans foreign policy. Within the current geopolitical landscape, this course has become one of the most important. Last year has been very dynamic for Azerbaijans partnership with Central Asian economies. Thanks to the personal efforts of President Ilham Aliyev, it can now be said that the Caspian Sea does not divide the Caucasus and Central Asia, but only binds these two regions together. Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the development of comprehensive relations with Tajikistan. During the last 30 years, relations between the two countries have been firmly established, creating a favorable environment for resolving mutually beneficial issues and for active interaction in the international arena. Tajikistan and Azerbaijan share centuries-old history and culture, friendly relations, and common values, and traditions. The legal basis for bilateral cooperation consists of about 62 agreements regulating various spheres of cooperation. The basis of the legal framework has been formed following multiple official visits of the leaders of the two countries. These bilateral instruments cover various fields from political, economic, commercial, investment, industrial, transport, tourism, scientific and technical, to cultural and humanitarian spheres, as well as law enforcement cooperation. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Tajikistan just over the first two months of the current year amounted to $824,590, of which $3,270 accounted for Tajikistans exports and $821,320 for Azerbaijani exports. In 2022, the bilateral trade turnover totaled $5.8 million. Although the figures are not as high, the parties have made significant progress in increasing cooperation over recent years. As Azerbaijan has become a regional logistics and transportation hub, all the Central Asian economies are actively benefiting from the countrys transit potential, including Tajikistan. Major communication projects that Azerbaijan is currently implementing, especially, in the liberated lands, will open up new opportunities not only for Central Asia and the Caucasus, but for the wider region, and this is where Tajikistan should not miss. Meanwhile, the number of Tajik citizens visiting Azerbaijan in 2022 amounted to 2,736 people, which is 3.3 times higher than in 2021 (820 tourists). However, this figure remains below the pre-pandemic number (3,450 citizens of Tajikistan visited Azerbaijan in 2019). Only in January 2023, some 165 people visited Azerbaijan from Tajikistan, and 177 Tajiks traveled to Baku in February. So, the number of mutual visits grows, and Tajikistan even plans to open direct flights with Azerbaijan in May this year. The Azerbaijan-Tajikistan Investment Forum, which took place in the city of Dushanbe, highlighted the rapid growth of economic relations between the two countries. The purpose of this forum is to find ways and opportunities for investment in various fields, such as trade, industry, energy, tourism, transport, logistics, agriculture, new technologies and export development. The Investment Forum is attended by business and investment circles of both countries, numbering more than 200 people from both sides, including heads and officials of ministries, departments, entrepreneurs and investors, representatives of companies and enterprises of various sectors of Tajikistan and Azerbaijan in the fields of industry, energy, trade, transport, communications, logistics, nutrition, tourism and other priority areas. Moreover, within the framework of the Forum, bilateral documents of cooperation between the business and investment circles of the two countries were inked. The countries are already working on multiple economic projects covering the energy sector, oil, and aluminum industries. There is no doubt that this major event will boost the already existing successful partnership between Azerbaijan and Tajikistan. Following the example of its neighbors, Kazakhstan, or Uzbekistan, Tajikistan can take advantage of the unique opportunities for business development that Azerbaijan offers today. Azerbaijan, while always expanding its export geography, has always sought to establish new areas of cooperation and strengthen existing ties. Strong, long-term ties with Central Asian countries that already exist, are the result of the farsighted policy of President Ilham Aliyev. Looking into the future, Azerbaijan has established strong ties with this region, and now that global players are changing and previous ways of cooperation are not acceptable, Azerbaijan, together with its partners, continues to develop the region for the benefit of all, in parallel cooperation with Western and Eastern countries. Its tax season again and, with the possible exception of President Joe Biden and a few members of Congress, were not happy about it. Read moreYou can't tax your way back to prosperity Kingstree, SC (29556) Today Rain showers this evening with clearing overnight. Low 48F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Rain showers this evening with clearing overnight. Low 48F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. Are you a teenager seeking that perfect summer job? Or perhaps you are looking for a part-time job that you can do while studying at school during the year? Charleston County Public Library staff invites job seekers to stop in at the Teen Job Fair on April 29 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the W Read moreBetween the Stacks: Wando Library to host job fair for teens MYRTLE BEACH Some residents in a historically Black area in downtown Myrtle Beach fear a proposal to build an apartment complex to house international students not only could worsen things like flooding but eventually price them out of their community. City officials are considering a request to rezone 7.6 acres at the intersection of the Robert M. Grissom Parkway and Mr. Joe White Avenue into a planned unit development, allowing a six-building complex to be constructed. No project budget has been created. Residents along Nance and Canal streets are critical of the development, saying it ignores the areas needs for affordable housing and infrastructure improvements, like storm water drainage and sidewalk repairs. The City Council will likely consider the plan later this month, officials said. The city planning commission, the board overseeing city development, voted April 4 to bring the project to the council. "Listening to all the public today, they have some great concerns, and I hope they will take them to the city councilors," Commissioner Phillip Stalvey said. Robert Guyton, representing property owner Myrtle Beach Farms Company Inc., described the proposal as an international student dorm. If approved, up to approximately 300 students would be housed in each complex building, city officials said. In the city, about 1,000 to 3,000 international students work throughout a typical year starting in February. They sometimes work for up to 10 months of the year, city officials said. These students are university students from other countries and are part of the J1 Visa Exchange Visitor program, in which they often come to gain international work experience. They fill a variety of city business positions, particularly in the hospitality industry, city officials said. After the student applies for the nonimmigrant visa from the U.S. Department of State to work in the country, they are assigned a city and business where they will work, once approved. The business becomes their visa sponsor, according to the U.S. Department of State. Guyton said the students' employers are obligated to provide their housing, and many often contract with hotels or landlords to provide it across the city. However, Guyton said some employers take it more seriously than others," which is why the student housing proposal is appealing. Its not unusual to see somebody take a single two-bedroom apartment, put 16 kids in there and have them fend for themselves, Guyton said. Public safety calls the city gets for these students are typically where theyve been assaulted or theyve been robbed. Guyton said the complex would be surrounded by a gated fence and have security guards and cameras. The employers would then contract to house the students on site. He said similar complexes have been successful in states like Florida, Tennessee and Wisconsin. "The goal was to make Myrtle Beach a more attractive place for these international students to come and work," Guyton said. "It's not an issue with the surrounding community." For the project, developers proposed sidewalk widening along Nance Street, installing a publicly accessible Nance Street shuttle bus stop and increasing stormwater drainage to include a portion of Canal Street, Nance Street, Joe White Avenue and Robert Grissom Parkway, according to city documents. Halestine Graham, a city property owner, referred to it as a form of gentrification, saying it could contribute to higher property taxes, rents and mortgages for existing residents and displace them. "I don't mind international students, but it's the right way to do things, and it's the wrong way." Graham said. "If this project is completed, you are basically eliminating the historical African American communities here in this city." Resident Tonya Gore criticized its proposed improvements and gated fence concept, saying she would feel segregated as a Black person. Regarding the fence, Gore said the site would likely be seen from Robert Grissom Parkway, Joe White Avenue and Nance Street, and it could deter people from continuing into the neighborhood, ultimately segregating them. Also, Gore said the area has needed public transportation access and infrastructure improvements for decades, and these things are now being proposed for the site in order to build the new complex. Im offended by that, Gore said. Im not against housing. Im for housing for all. Im against specific housing for international students. Before a Charleston County jury found him guilty, Maurice Singleton stood before them with his hands bound to a chain around his waist. Leg irons clinked as the 23-year-old trudged to and from a table in the fourth-floor courtroom strewn haphazardly with files and documents. The shackles meant Singleton had to hunch over, contorting his arms, in order to reach and rifle through the paperwork in what was ultimately a futile attempt to mount his own defense. Singleton was convicted March 29 of the murder of Vaughn McFadden, who was found dead, shot 14 times, in the Bennett Yard rail facility in North Charleston on March 2, 2018. They were both 18 at the time and longtime friends. Ninth Circuit Judge Bentley Price swiftly sentenced Singleton to life in prison, calling his actions, both while in court and in this case, "deplorable." Just before closing arguments, Singleton said: "I require a fair and impartial trial, which this has not been." "Any prejudices are at his own doing," Price responded. Singleton filed a notice April 4 that he intends to appeal the conviction. A number of issues, like his appearance in chains, arose during the three-day trial at times contentious and at others one-sided that could result in a new trial, according to legal experts. Tried in absentia The trial proceeded normally March 27 at the Judicial Center in Charleston, starting with jury selection, but as testimony began on the second day, Singleton was nowhere to be found. The North Charleston man was out on bail, which Price revoked issuing a bench warrant that morning, and the trial continued without Singleton. About an hour into that day's testimony, Price paused the proceedings and had the jurors leave the courtroom. Price told deputies in the courtroom that he'd been notified that Singleton had arrived, and asked them to detain Singleton and bring him before the court, according to a Charleston County Sheriff's Office incident report. "Due to his physical resistance, all three deputies had to exert a great deal of physical effort to restrain him," the deputies wrote in the incident report. The judge warned Singleton that disruptive behavior would result in his further detention and that he would be tried in his absence, the report said. Singleton interrupted and spoke over Price, according to the report, so the judge ordered him restrained and removed from the courtroom. Because he spent the night in jail, he didn't have access to any trial paperwork to prep for the following day. While the exchange didn't take place in front of the jury, when the panel returned to the courtroom, the defendant was still not present. Witnesses continued to be called, including one that Singleton later said was vital to his defense. Singleton was not able to hear this testimony, nor cross-examine the witness. An attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union South Carolina called parts of proceedings, as described to him by a reporter, "wildly unconstitutional." The fact that Singleton wasn't present for part of the evidence and testimony against him could be an appealable issue, said Allen Chaney, director of legal advocacy. With the ACLU, Chaney handles mostly civil cases in federal court in South Carolina, but he spent his early career as a public defender in Colorado. "The Sixth Amendment grants criminal defendants a right to confront and cross-examine witnesses," Chaney said. Hes unaware of any appellate cases that were upheld because a defendant "somehow forfeited that right through their conduct, like not showing up on time. That would seem ludicrous to me, he said. Singleton could have had a good grasp on the evidence against him because he'd been tried before. A trial in October ended with a hung jury, and ultimately, a mistrial. The case against Singleton On March 2, 2018, 18-year-old Vaughn McFadden was shot 14 times. Thirteen shots were to the front of his body mostly to his face and hands, as if he was trying to shield himself from the spray of bullets, Assistant Solicitor Jordan Norvell said in her closing arguments March 29. One shot, though, followed a different trajectory than all the others, leading the prosecutor to theorize it came first. It was to the back of the neck, Norvell said. He didnt see it coming. Norvell said Singleton and a co-defendant Jajuan Lockwood, who has pleaded not guilty in the case and faces a murder and weapons charge and is awaiting trial lured McFadden to his death. All were 18 at the time. His body was found in a rail yard that runs beneath Interstate 26 at the northern edge of the Dorchester-Waylyn neighborhood. A witness in the railyard at the time of the shooting said he saw two men in dark clothing firing at what he thought was the ground in the area where McFaddens body was found. The witness didn't identify Singleton as one of the men, but detectives said the witness described clothing that matched what Singleton was wearing that day. But Singleton said the man changed his story slightly in subsequent interviews with police: that he only saw one man shooting and that the shooter was wearing all black. Video surveillance footage had tracked the teens getting off the bus around 4 p.m. the day of the shooting at Alabama Drive and Rex Avenue, then walking to a convenience store at the corner of Ranger Drive and Dorchester Road. Cellphone data showed Singleton, McFadden and Lockwood stayed at a nearby home until about 5 p.m. when only McFaddens phone showed he left the area. Singleton and Lockwood apparently left their phones at the Houston address charging, according to cellphone data presented at the trial. Surveillance footage glimpsed all three of them as teens made their way on foot north to Louisa Drive, where a cut in the fence at the end street opens to the rail yard. The same camera caught only Singleton and Lockwood returning after the time of the shooting. No physical evidence linked Singleton, nor Lockwood, to the scene. In the days leading up to the shooting, McFadden had withdrawn $1,500 in cash. At school the day he was killed, McFadden posed for photo with a lap full of $100 and $20 bills. But when his body was found, he only had a few dollars on him. Norvell points to the cash as motive for the slaying. Norvell and her boss, 9th Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson, declined to comment. Tried in shackles Singleton stumbled through his closing argument. He was repeatedly cautioned by Price to "stick to the evidence." "What evidence?" Singleton responded as his maintained his innocence. Chaney said Singleton could raise a potentially valid point on appeal that he couldn't effectively argue in closing because he had missed half a day of witnesses' testimony. In closing arguments, a pivotal point in a trial, Chaney said, both sides usually summarize the evidence, or lack thereof, that supports their theory of the case. "He doesn't even know as much as the jury knows about what the government is trying to hold against him," Chaney said. "So that's a due-process problem." But Andy Savage, another prominent Charleston defense attorney, said a disruptive defendant can surrender their right to be in courtroom. "If a defendant becomes verbally abusive, loud, destructive, physically involved, the court can remove him from the courtroom," he said. "The judge is entitled to keep decorum in the courtroom." State law allows a defendant to be tried in their absence. The jury in Singleton's trial was instructed not to hold it against the defendant in their deliberations. But it's unclear how this can be fairly applied when the defendant is acting as his own attorney. A standby attorney, appointed by the court to assist a defendant representing himself, presumably could have stepped in, several attorneys said. However, Singleton was adamant throughout the trial that Michael Nelson, who served as his court-appointed standby, was not to speak or act on his behalf. Singleton repeatedly refused help from Nelson, who declined to comment for this story. After a lunch break on the second day of trial, Singleton was allowed to return to the courtroom but Price ordered him shackled. "There is case law out there that generally prohibits a defendant from being exhibited in restraints or jail clothing," said veteran defense attorney Bill McGuire. "Because it creates the impression that they are both a criminal and dangerous." Last month, the South Carolina Court of Appeals ruled in a case out of Berkeley County, which is in the same judicial circuit as Charleston County, that a man must be retried because during his 2015 trial, he wore a "prison jumpsuit with the name of the detention center stamped on the back" and "had shackles and handcuffs on." Though Singleton wore a button-up, collared shirt and dress pants each day of his trial, the chain belt deputies added on his second day in the courtroom drew attention. McGuire spent years representing indigent clients facing the death penalty including Dylann Roof, convicted of the 2015 slayings of nine members of the Emanuel AME Church. He said he's never had a client shackled for trial. Savage said he's had clients who were restrained, but no one knew. There are alternatives to the belly chain and leg irons used on Singleton, the attorneys said. They described a stun belt that's fitted under a defendant's clothing and can be remotely activated by a deputy. When a button is pressed, the belt acts like a Taser, immobilizing the wearer. Another option is a leg brace with a similar remote that straightens the wearer's leg to keep them from moving. After another break, Price allowed Singleton's right arm to be free, but his left hand and feet remain in chains. At the end of the day, as the jury was leaving, Singleton was again forcibly removed from the courtroom by deputies. It's unclear what provoked the deputies to react, but in a supplemental incident report they described Singleton moving toward the judge. It's also unclear whether members of the jury saw the struggle between deputies and Singleton. The following morning, March 29, Price charged Singleton with contempt, giving him a six-month sentence for his actions the prior day. "I didn't lift a hand," Singleton said. "I couldn't. I was shackled." Price agreed, adding that the deputies "were too busy pushing." He warned Singleton he would be given a "shorter leash." This exchange was outside of the jury's presence. Singleton remained shackled the rest of the trial. Savage said the fact that jurors may have seen Singleton forced from the courtroom could have been grounds for a mistrial. He said the court should have questioned the jurors, one by one, to find out if they saw it, if it affects their opinion of the case, and if they discussed it with the other jurors. "It's all about the jury," Savage said. "The focus for appellate purposes is how did it affect the jurors?" After deliberating for less than 20 minutes, the jury asked Price whether Singleton had their names. A juror, who lived in near the North Charleston neighborhood where the shooting occurred, had already been replaced by an alternate after the court was told they had been contacted overnight and felt threatened. The panel delivered its verdict in about two hours. Representing himself The case also serves as a cautionary tale to anyone who chooses to represent themselves, or "pro se," a Latin term that means "for yourself." "Is it a good idea? Never," said Savage. It doesn't matter whether that person has legal training, he said, referring to disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh, who was recently found guilty of the murder of his wife and son despite the help of a legal team that included a state lawmaker. "Or whether it's somebody who doesn't have a high school education," Savage continued. In a December order relieving father-son duo Peter Shahid Jr. and Albert Peter Shahid III, who represented Singleton in the earlier trial that ended in a hung jury and mistrial, 9th Circuit Judge Deadra Jefferson said Singleton did not meet the legal requirements to represent himself. She noted Singleton attended high school through 11th grade, but did not graduate he was charged in this case near the end of his senior year. "The Court finds that the Defendant has a very limited knowledge of the nature and consequences of the charges against him," Jefferson wrote in her order. "The Court repeatedly cautioned the Defendant of the dangers inherent in self-representation." Singleton adamantly asserted his right to represent himself, which Jefferson said left the court "in the unenviable position of allowing the Defendant to represent himself." Her order continued with an ominous warning: "The Court notes, however, that the Defendant is placing himself in considerable jeopardy." McGuire said that appeals are based on "black-and-white words that the court reporter types out," which means things like "tone of voice, the judge's affect, the jingling of belly chains and shackles as he moves around" will not be reflected in the record. If an objection wasn't raised properly, it may not be appealed. McGuire said defendants can also seek post-conviction relief to address issues around the proceedings. But relief is most often awarded based on inadequate counsel, other attorneys said, which can't be argued in this case. Pro se defendants aren't that unusual, Savage said, but typically involve lower stakes like a traffic ticket or code violation. "It probably happens more than the public realizes," Savage said. "It becomes very difficult for the court. It becomes very difficult for the prosecution. Because the defendant does not know the rules of criminal procedure or decorum in the courtroom. So nobody likes it. Nobody likes lawyers, but people even like less defendants who represent themselves, because it's just a lot of confusion." 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 COLUMBIA Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush gave Republicans in the South Carolina House a pro-school-choice pep talk ahead of a public hearing on legislation that would give parents money for private tuition. Bush, who signed Florida's first school choice law nearly 25 years ago, encouraged the House GOP Caucus to charge ahead with efforts to give parents taxpayer-funded choices in both public and private schools. "I want to maybe give you a sense of what the future looks like," Bush told the caucus during an April 4 luncheon that was open to the media. "The world gets better when parents make more choices," he added. "There are lessons on the way to make sure its done right, but the idea parents know best for their kids is irrefutable in my mind." Chairman of the nonprofit ExcelinEd, Bush said he was in South Carolina this week before Easter as an evangelist for school choice. It was a pitch that seemed to preach to the choir. Republicans in the House have been pushing for private school choice for nearly two decades. After years of dividing the GOP, legislation helping parents pay for private school almost reached Gov. Henry McMaster's desk last year. It failed at the end of the session with Republicans in the House and Senate unable to agree on student testing. The Legislature's GOP leaders are determined not to let the effort die like that again. But the House isn't going to rush through a plan either, said House Education Chairwoman Shannon Erickson. "There is no timeline," the Beaufort Republican told The Post and Courier following the hearing, noting her committee has six freshmen who are new to the debate. Her committee heard testimony, mostly from opponents, but took no vote. Erickson, in her first year as chairwoman, called it a good first step toward an eventual agreement. A second meeting is not yet scheduled. "Todays review feels a lot like being Bill Murray in 'Groundhog Day,'" said Patrick Kelly of the Palmetto State Teachers Association, referencing the 1993 movie in which Murray relives the same day repeatedly. "Every year, Ive testified on a bill just like this one same cycle, year after year," Kelly, who's also a Richland 2 high school teacher, told the committee. "If the subject matter werent so serious, this would be comical." He and Fairfield County Superintendent J.R. Green said the bill provides choice for private schools, not parents, as the schools can decide to reject or admit the students they want. Students who are behind or have a disability may have no choice, they said. "This bill provides private schools the opportunity to pick and choose which students theyll serve," Green said. "If this is to help students who arent successful, how can we possibly spend state money" on schools that don't have to accept those students? Opponents also said parents can't make an informed decision when the private schools don't have to use the same standardized tests as public schools the argument that scuttled last year's bill. Kelly contends the proposal runs afoul of the state constitution's requirement that the General Assembly provide a free education to all students, noting the tuition voucher won't cover the cost of many private schools. So, the option's not free, he said. A challenge to the law, should it pass, is nearly guaranteed. But the expected argument will be that it violates the state constitution's ban of using public money to directly benefit private schools. In 2020, the state Supreme Court cited that ban in striking down McMaster's attempt to use federal COVID aid for K-12 vouchers. Oran Smith with the Palmetto Promise Institute, a conservative think tank that's long advocated for vouchers, told the panel he believes a law passed by the Legislature could survive a challenge on the argument the scholarship directly benefits the students, not the chosen school. That's ultimately for the state's high court to determine. The specifics of what becomes law, if anything, are a long way from settled. After years of leading on the issue, the House waited for the Senate to send something over. The version passed by the Senate earlier this year would provide up to 5,000 Medicaid-eligible children $6,000 each toward private tuition during the 2024-25 school year. Once the law is fully phased in two years later, the number of participating students could rise to 15,000, and income eligibility would reach 400 percent of the federal poverty level. During his address, Bush said the ultimate goal should be "universal" choice among private and public schools. He noted with pride that Florida lawmakers have continued to expand on the school choice laws he ushered through. Just last week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is considered a presidential contender, signed a law expanding voucher options to all K-12 students, eliminating income eligibility limits. "All the arguments that the end is near, that the world comes to an end, that kids who cant learn are going to be left behind all of the exact opposite happened," Bush said. He did tell the Republicans to ensure what they pass is accountable to taxpayers and that parents can make fully informed decisions. "Make sure theres fiscal accountability," he said, without being specific. "Whether (the help is) direct or indirect, its still ultimately the taxpayers" funding it. His visit came a week after the GOP-dominated House passed a bill that lets students attend any public school, inside or outside of their district, with space to spare. The proposal directs every school district to come up with its own open enrollment policy, to include any local fees for students transferring from another district. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. Trading house of Kazakhstan should be opened in Baku, Deputy Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan Kairat Torebayev said during the Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan business forum, Trend reports. "We see a positive contribution to the growth of trade between the countries due to the creation of a trading house in Kazakhstan. The opening of a new trading house of Azerbaijan in Almaty had a positive impact on the growth of trade," he added. Torebayev noted that Azerbaijan is one of the countries with export-oriented products. According to him, contracts worth $30 million and more are signed between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan every year. "Last year, the trade turnover between the countries increased by 40 percent - up to $262 million, and from January through February 2023 - by 15 percent," he said. The deputy minister also said that 1,170 companies with Azerbaijani capital were registered in Kazakhstan, and 145 with Kazakh capital in Azerbaijan. PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-05 16:32:40 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 508 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 JERSEY CITY, NJ / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / "The Other Side Dispensary" received its second unanimous approval from a governing board in the Jersey City cannabis licensing process. The Jersey City Planning Board gave the green light to the proposed project located at 36 Congress St. in the Heights neighborhood of Jersey City, owned by local business owner and disabled veteran Alyza Brevard-Rodriguez.Testifying for cannabis licensing. After providing her testimony as the applicant, Brevard-Rodriguez represented herself as a security expert, citing an extensive resume in the security field. Business partner and cannabis industry veteran, Corey Jackson, provided the board with an overview of the daily operations. Chairman Christopher Langston praised Brevard-Rodriguez for the team's robust security plan.Brevard-Rodriguez said, "I can't lie, this process has been exhausting. This was our fifth time coming to the board because we kept getting carried due to a lengthy planning agenda. It felt like we were bleeding money. I almost threw in the towel, I really did." This comes during a time when the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJ CRC) and New York Office of Cannabis Management (NY OCM) are being regarded as potential models for the establishment of equitable cannabis industries; however, in places like New Jersey, they are highly reliant on their municipal partners to establish reasonable licensing processes with limited barriers to entry."I worked in government, so honestly, I get it. That's actually what probably makes it worse for me because who can I be mad at? I already know government has antiquated systems and processes. It's not even like I can be mad at the board members; I mean to my understanding they are volunteers anyways so it's sort of like a thankless job. I've been there, I've been in a role where I wanted to effect change, but I couldn't because of red tape. So I didn't really have a mad perspective, I just had more of a frustrated and appalled perspective, like this is crazy, it's costing so much," continued Brevard-Rodriguez. "I felt like I was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and as a service member, I hate feeling trapped. I wanted to find a solution because to me, sitting, waiting and bleeding money is not a rational solution." "Listen, I'm just ready to go. I left the military; it'll be eight months next week. I'm all in. This approval means the bleed stops, but now the real work begins. Building out this project is my main priority because the neighborhood is ready for us," said Brevard-Rodriguez.The Other Side Dispensary, also known as TOSD, is a dispensary and hopeful consumption lounge located in Jersey City, NJ. With core values based in inclusivity, wellness, and social justice, the dispensary's founders are disrupters in the industry. For more information, please visit @TOSD_Lounge on Instagram or contact their management at 347-664-8616 or via email at Candice@ TOSDispensary.com Contact InformationCandice HaiglerPartnercandice@ tosdispensary.com 347-664-8616SOURCE: The Other Side Dispensary (TOSD) PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-05 23:40:25 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 / April 5, 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: 2023-04-05 04:29:15 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 / April 4, 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: 2023-04-05 07:45:41 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 797 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 CREDIT SUISSE GROUP AG (NYSE:CS) SHAREHOLDER CLASS ACTION ALERT: Bernstein Liebhard LLP Reminds Investors of the Deadline to File a Lead Plaintiff Motion in a Securities Class Action Lawsuit Against Credit Suisse Group AG (NYSE: CS)NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Did you lose money on investments in Credit Suisse? If so, please visit Credit Suisse Group AG Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Peter Allocco at (212) 951-2030 or pallocco@ bernlieb.com to discuss your rights.Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationally acclaimed investor rights law firm, reminds investors of the deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion in a securities class action lawsuit that has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased or acquired the securities of Credit Suisse Group AG ("Credit Suisse" or the "Company") (NYSE: CS) between March 10, 2022 and March 20, 2023, inclusive (the "Class Period"). The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and alleges violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.Credit Suisse, together with its subsidiaries, provides various financial services in Switzerland, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and Asia Pacific. The Company offers wealth management solutions, including investment advice and discretionary asset management services; risk management solutions, such as managed investment products; and wealth planning, succession planning, and trust services.In October 2022, Credit Suisse began experiencing a sharp increase in customer outflows, or withdrawals of client funds, after a series of quarterly losses and risk and compliance failures significantly decreased the Company's American Depositary Share ("ADS") price.On December 1, 2022, Credit Suisse's Chairman, Defendant 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, Defendant Lehmann reiterated his previous statements, reassuring investors that as of November 11, 2022, customer outflows had "basically stopped".Following Defendant Lehmann's statements, Credit Suisse's ADS price rose $0.29 per ADS, or 9.36%, to close at $3.38 per ADS on December 2, 2022.Plaintiff alleges that Defendants made materially false and misleading statements throughout the Class Period. Specifically, Plaintiff alleges that Defendants failed to disclose that: (i) contrary to Defendant Lehmann's representations in December 2022, the sharp increase in customer outflows Credit Suisse began experiencing in October 2022 remained ongoing; (ii) accordingly, Credit Suisse had downplayed the impact of the Company's recent series of quarterly losses and risk and compliance failures on liquidity and its ability to retain client funds; and (iii) as a result, Credit Suisse had overstated the Company's financial position and/or prospects.On February 9, 2023, Credit Suisse issued a press release announcing its 2022 financial results. The press release revealed that, contrary to Defendant 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.On 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.Then, on February 21, 2023, Reuters reported that the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority ("FINMA") was reviewing Defendant Lehmann's previous comments regarding customer outflows.On 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.If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than May 8, 2023. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member.If you purchased or acquired Credit Suisse securities, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit Credit Suisse Group AG Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Peter Allocco at (212) 951-2030 or pallocco@ bernlieb.com Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the Firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of lawsuits and class actions, the Firm has been named to The National Law Journal's "Plaintiffs' Hot List" thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for ten consecutive years.ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. 2023 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, (212) 779-1414. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.Contact Information:Peter AlloccoBernstein Liebhard LLP(212) 951-2030pallocco@ bernlieb.com SOURCE: Bernstein Liebhard LLP PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-05 21:02:32 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 440 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 PHOENIX, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Kinematics, www.gokinematics.com , a world leader in intelligent motion control, is excited to announce its most recent achievements in the field of Environmental, Social, and Governance. In February 2023, the Phoenix, Arizona-based motion control company became the first and only solar actuator provider to receive a sustainability rating from Ecovadis, the world's largest and most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings.Kinematics continues sustainability efforts "We are very proud to be awarded a silver medal from Ecovadis," said Mike Baka, Chief Operating Officer of Kinematics. "This achievement further demonstrates Kinematics' full commitment to sustainability and measurable ESG performance that benefits society, our employees, and provides significant value for our customers." Ecovadis has assessed more than 100,000 companies worldwide, and Kinematics was awarded 2023 silver medal status. This places the firm in the top 25% of all companies assessed, a significant achievement for a company in only its first full year of ESG and sustainability work. Additionally, Kinematics recently joined over 21,000 participants as a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact, further deepening its commitment to a sustainable future."We congratulate the Kinematics team on being awarded a Silver Medal from EcoVadis - excellent recognition of the company's commitment to responsible ESG practices," said Michelle Kincanon, SVP of Sustainability and Operations at Angeleno Group. "Kinematics recognizes that sustainable business practices, from supply chain responsibility to employee engagement to monitoring energy consumption, contribute to strong business results across the enterprise. With over two million motion control units in the field and products that have supported the generation of more than 53 gigawatts of solar power, we are proud of Kinematics' impact globally as an Angeleno Group portfolio company." "Nextracker is proud to partner with Kinematics," said Prashant Patil, Senior Director of Global Supply Chain at Nextracker, the number one solar tracker company and a key customer of Kinematics. "We share common business values from ensuring that ethical, environmental, and social values along the entire value chain are adhered to - creating a more robust solar industry at large." During 2023, Kinematics will be focusing their ESG efforts on supplier assessments and sustainability risk assessments; climate risk analysis and planning; operational efficiency plans; and renewing their annual ESG report, CDP submission, and greenhouse gas emissions inventory.About KinematicsKinematics: Intelligent Motion Control for a Sustainable, Connected Future. For nearly three decades Kinematics has delivered customized, robust solutions to customers with mission-critical applications. With a variety of motion control solutions, there's virtually nothing we can't do to satisfy our customers' needs.Contact InformationCourtney PerilMarketing Communications623.780.8944SOURCE: Kinematics BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. Kazakh companies show interest in the development of Azerbaijani liberated areas, Deputy Executive Director of Azerbaijans AZPROMO (Export and Investment Promotion Agency) Zohrab Gadirov said during the Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan Business Forum in Baku, Trend reports. We are aware of a large number of applications, including those on a school construction project, from the Kazakh companies, Gadirov noted. He also noted that one of the reasons explaining the interest of Kazakh companies is the historical cultural ties of the two countries and peoples. Besides, the deputy executive director informed about the mechanisms developed in Azerbaijan to attract investments. Speaking about these mechanisms, Gadirov noted the principle of extraterritoriality, on the basis of which industrial and agricultural parks operate. He pointed out the role of the Alat port, which is a link between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, the tax benefits and privileges provided by Azerbaijan to foreign investors. The agencys representative concluded that more than 150 companies with Kazakh capital operate in Azerbaijan and expressed hope for an increase in their number in the future. PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-05 14:01:25 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 544 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 MetaBlaze to host an immersive Web3 experience live in New York City: 'Escape Reality - A journey into Galaxia Blue.' The Event will take place at the renowned Immersive Art Studio, Lume Studios, located at 393 Broadway Street in New York City.DOVER, DE / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / MetaBlaze is proud to announce its official sponsorship and event partnership with NFTNYC. As part of this exciting collaboration, MetaBlaze is hosting "Escape Reality - A Journey into Galaxia Blue," an immersive experience that promises to take attendees on an unforgettable voyage to the first known galaxy to materialize in the MetaBlaze universe.MetaBlaze x NFTNYCImage depicting MetaBlaze NFT character entering a futuristic city. "Escape Reality - A Journey into Galaxia Blue" is not an average event; it offers a unique and sensational experience that blurs the line between the physical and virtual worlds. The event features 4D visual projections, interactive elements, holograms, an underground NFT space, and mesmerizing soundscapes.The first foray into the mysterious depths of Galaxia Blue begins by entering the physical space of Lume Studios. The legendary experience design studio is best known for its work with international superstars like Bille Eilish and OVO Sound. It is the partner of choice for industry-leading brands like Apple and Adidas.Attendees will step into a world where anything is possible and encounter a range of interactive elements designed to transport them into the MetaBlaze universe. The 4D visual projections will immerse participants in the world of Galaxia Blue while the enchanting soundscapes boost the sensory experience."Escape Reality - A Journey into Galaxia Blue" - What to Expect?One of the event's main attractions is the hybrid escape room challenge that interweaves the physical space and the digital plane of the MetaBlaze universe. The MetaBlaze community will finally explore Dryden's Room, solving enigmas to unlock crypto and NFT rewards.The experience is a profound puzzle, full of mystique, clues, and hidden secrets. Participants will have to use their wits and creativity to solve the challenges and escape.In addition to the escape room challenge, attendees can head down to 'The Black Out' room, an underground vault showcasing the inhabitants of Galaxia Blue. Attendees will be plunged into the compelling lore of the MetaBlaze universe and learn how they could win a $25,000 prize paid in Bitcoin (BTC).MetaBlaze's "Escape Reality - A Journey into Galaxia Blue" event is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in the intersection of Web 3, gaming, and AI. The event is entirely free to enter, with 77 bonus passes available via Eventbrite to claim free MetaBlaze merch, redeemable at the event venue.For the first time ever, the MetaBlaze community will finally be able to meet and network with like-minded individuals who share a passion for technology and gaming. 'A Journey into Galaxia Blue' has been designed to create a captivating and interactive experience that will leave a lasting impression on all participants and bring the MetaBlaze team's vision to life.MetaBlaze's "Escape Reality - A Journey into Galaxia Blue"Where: Lume Studios, located at 393 Broadway St in NYCWhen: April 15, starting from 12 pm EDTTickets: EventbriteGet your Free Tickets Today!Contact Information:Michelle GermanContact Personnelinfo@ metablazetoken.com SOURCE: MetaBlaze PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-05 13:30:23 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 530 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 MIRAMAR BEACH, FL / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / OMNICOMMANDER INC. and the National Council of Firefighter Credit Unions have renewed their partnership to assist in serving firefighters across the nation with their financial needs.OMNICOMMANDER provides award-winning Digital Branch solutions tailored for financial institutions seeking to enhance their visitors' experience, as well as full-service access to marketing and customizable products and services. Their goal is to make financial institutions accessible to the largest number of people possible."When we renewed our partnership with OMNICOMMANDER and asked them to continue supporting our efforts to provide our first responder credit union members with an innovative, immersive banking experience, they did! We cannot thank OMNICOMMANDER enough for their support and technology to achieve a dynamic banking experience for our first responder credit union members,'' shared Grant Sheehan, CEO of the National Council of Firefighter Credit Unions Inc. (NCOFCU).NCOFCU aims to facilitate firefighter credit unions in providing financial resources and education to firefighters nationwide. As a veteran-owned company, OMNICOMMANDER understands how important it is to provide first responders, firefighters, and their families with a convenient banking experience. One way OMNICOMMANDER has contributed to this goal is by designing NCOFCU's website with a modern feel and seamless navigation so members can easily find the resources they need."We've had an absolutely wonderful experience with the NCOFCU. Grant really knows these credit unions and the members that they serve. Because he has this knowledge, he's helped OMNICOMMANDER to better serve them through the partnership. I'm very excited to continue this relationship and look forward to what the future holds." expressed Eric Isham, Founder and CEO of OMNICOMMANDER.Using OMMNICOMMANDER products and solutions, credit unions that have a membership with NCOFCU can improve their own members' experience without fear of compromise. All of these efforts make it easier for member credit unions to better serve their communities via consistent communications and accessibility to resources.For questions, please contact OMNICOMMANDER.###About OMNICOMMANDEROMNICOMMANDER is a veteran-owned and operated financial technology, digital marketing, and cybersecurity company that provides a comprehensive suite of digital solutions for financial institutions. For the first time in history, FIs can partner with a single company to create, host, and manage their Digital Branch and integrated service offerings within one complete ecosystem. OMNICOMMANDER solutions are powered by a world-class team of financial institution experts. In addition to unmatched service, OMNICOMMANDER products and services are always mobile-responsive and built with the highest level of attention to accessibility and ADA compliance to garner increased brand awareness and reach the widest audience possible. To learn more, please visit OMNICOMMANDER.com About National Council of Firefighter Credit UnionsThe National Council of Firefighters Credit Unions, Inc. (NCOFCU) is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 professional credit union association, incorporated in the State of Florida, serving firefighters, first responders, and their families. Credit unions serving firefighters and first responders have been meeting annually since 2001. NCOFCU's members represent credit unions serving firefighters and first responders from across the country. At present, there are over 100 firefighter credit unions, representing over $18 billion in assets and 800,000 members throughout the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit https://ncofcu.org/ Contact:John Pennycuff+18008073109SOURCE: OMNICOMMANDER PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-05 03:46:46 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1009 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 RADNOR, PA / ACCESSWIRE / April 4, 2023 / The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP( www.ktmc.com) informs investors that a securities class action lawsuit has been against Norfolk Southern Corporation ("Norfolk Southern") (NYSE:NSC). The action charges Norfolk Southern 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 Norfolk Southern's materially misleading statements and omissions to the public, Norfolk Southern's investors have suffered significant losses.CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR NORFOLK SOUTHERN LOSSES. YOU CAN ALSO CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK OR COPY AND PASTE IN YOUR BROWSER: https://www.ktmc.com/new-cases/norfolk-southern-corporation?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=nsc&mktm=r CANNOT VIEW THIS VIDEO? PLEASE CLICK HERELEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE:MAY 15, 2023CLASS PERIOD: OCTOBER 28, 2020 THROUGH MARCH 3, 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.NORFOLK SOUTHERN'S ALLEGED MISCONDUCTFor several years leading up to the beginning of the Class Period, Norfolk Southern took a number of measures which put profits and executive compensation over safety. For example, in October 2018, Norfolk Southern adopted "Precision Scheduled Railroading" or "PSR" which was purportedly aimed at producing better service at a lower cost. In actuality, the company sought to increase revenues by cutting operating costs including reducing staff, running fewer, heavier, faster trains and optimizing the company's networks in order to increase efficiency. Norfolk Southern also began tying executive compensation to achieving PSR goals. For example, in 2021, multiple Norfolk Southern executives received millions of dollars in cash bonuses for reducing costs by achieving "record performance for train length and weight." Industry critics have warned that this type of compensation system incentivizes executives to cut costs at the expense of safety and also leads to longer and more dangerous trains which "have greater damage done, greater, larger pileups, fires and so on." At the same time, Norfolk Southern and its lobbyists played a key role in defeating an Obama-era safety rule that was used following a number of oil train accidents, including the "ECP Brake Rule" which was ultimately repealed in 2018.On February 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern Railway Company general merchandise freight train derailed 38 railcars in East Palestine, Ohio, leaving behind what the Associated Press called "a mangled and charred mass of boxcars and flames." The derailed equipment included 11 tank cars carrying hazardous materials that subsequently ignited, fueling fires that damaged an additional 12 non-derailed railcars.On February 6, 2023, responders engaged in a controlled detonation and burn of the vinyl chloride, spewing massive volumes of chemicals into the vicinity. The chemicals released from the derailment entered the air and water of the surrounding residential areas, the closest of which were only 1,000 feet from the site of the accident. Following this news, the price of Norfolk Southern stock fell on February 6, 2023 - down $5.66 per share from its closing price on Friday, February 3, 2023.Then, on February 8, 2023, after lifting a previously issued evacuation order, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine stated that Norfolk Southern was "the one[] who created the problem. It's their liability. They're the ones who ought to pay for it." Following their return, numerous residents reported hazardous air quality and other health and environmental concerns. Following this news, the price of Norfolk Southern stock fell on February 9, 2023, closing at $238.98 per share - down $7.64 per share from its closing price of $246.62 per share on February 8, 2023.Thereafter, Norfolk Southern's stock price continued to drop in response to several other reports and public officials who spoke out about Norfolk Southern's liability for all of the harm and damage it had caused.On March 4, 2023, another Norfolk Southern freight train derailed near Springfield, Ohio. Two days later, on March 6, 2023, Norfolk Southern announced a 6-part plan to improve operational safety. Following this news, the price of Norfolk Southern stock fell again on March 6 and March 7, 2023, closing at $215.18 per share - down $13.21 per share from its closing price of $228.39 on Friday, March 3, 2023.WHAT CAN I DO?Norfolk Southern investors may, no later than May 15, 2023, move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff for the class, through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP or other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP encourages Norfolk Southern investors who have suffered significant losses to contact the firm directly to acquire more information. The class action complaint against Norfolk Southern, captioned Bucks County Employees Retirement System v. Norfolk Southern Corporation, et al. and docketed under 23-cv-0982, is filed in the United States District Court for Southern District of Ohio (Eastern Division) before the Honorable Michael H. Watson.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 PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-05 19:06:25 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 475 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Application is now open, and the firm encourages eligible students to apply before the deadline to take advantage of this opportunity.SPRINGFIELD, NJ / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / The attorneys of O'Connor, Parsons, Lane & Noble (OPLN) are proud to announce the Annual Graduate School Scholarship. Open to law students attending or accepted to an accredited law school in the U.S., this $1,500 scholarship is meant to help cover the cost of tuition and other school-related expenses. The hope is that opportunities like this encourage more students to pursue their passion in the legal field without having too much of a financial burden.The Importance of Scholarships and Other Financial AidIt is no secret that law school is expensive. According to Forbes, the average tuition cost for in-state students at a public university law school is $84,558. The amount for those attending a private school is nearly double, at around $147,936. ABA reports that 90% of law school students borrowed student loans for their education.Due to this rise in law school tuition, students are often deterred from the profession due to the sheer cost. However, individual scholarship programs like the one offered by OPLN help offset those costs and make law school a reality for many students.How the Scholarship for Law Students WorksTo be considered, students simply need to be currently attending law school or have been accepted to a law program as of January 2023. Next, students must submit an essay of 500 words or less answering the following prompt:What are the most commonly misdiagnosed conditions that may lead to a medical malpractice lawsuit, and what are the legal repercussions of each?Judges are looking for a well-crafted essay that explores the topic in a unique way. Students should not exceed the word count and may want to reread their essay thoroughly to make sure there aren't any grammatical errors.Applications for the essay scholarship competition are due no later than September 15, 2023. The winner will then be selected by September 30, 2023, and subsequently notified. Students are encouraged to include their contact information and proof of enrollment with their submission.About O'Connor, Parsons, Lane & Noble:Founded in 2008, O'Connor, Parsons, Lane & Noble is a merger of two of the most formidable firms in the state of New Jersey. With over 100 years of combined experience, OPLN's founding partners are part of the American Board of Trial Advocates. They have received recognition from Super Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers, and Best Lawyers for their commitment to clients and extensive experience. With millions recovered for clients across New Jersey, the attorneys of OPLN dedicate themselves to advocating for victims every step of the way. To schedule a free consultation, please give us a call or visit our website.Contact Information:O'Connor, Parsons, Lane & Noble959 South Springfield Ave. 2nd FloorSpringfield, NJ 07081(908) 928-9200Contact InformationPaul O'ConnorAttorney & Partner908-928-9200SOURCE: O'Connor, Parsons, Lane & Noble PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-05 07:45:24 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 593 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 PLDT INC. (NYSE: PHI) SHAREHOLDER CLASS ACTION ALERT: Bernstein Liebhard LLP Reminds Investors of the Deadline to File a Lead Plaintiff Motion in a Securities Class Action Lawsuit Against PLDT INC. (NYSE:PHI)NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Did you lose money on investments in PLDT INC.? If so, please visit PLDT Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Peter Allocco at (212) 951-2030 or pallocco@ bernlieb.com to discuss your rights.Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationally acclaimed investor rights law firm, reminds investors of the deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion in a securities class action lawsuit that has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased or acquired the securities of PLDT INC. ("PLDT" or the "Company") (NYSE: PHI) between January 1, 2019 and December 19, 2022, inclusive (the "Class Period"). The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California and alleges violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.PLDT, through its principal business groups, offers a wide range of telecommunications and digital services across the Philippines' most extensive fiber optic backbone, as well as fixed line and cellular networks.Plaintiff alleges that throughout the Class Period Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose, among other things, that: (1) there were capital spending budget overruns; and (2) weaknesses allowed such budget overruns.On December 16, 2022, PLDT announced that it had overrun its budget by PHP 48 billion (equivalent to $866 million) for broadband and data projects over the past four years. The Company stated that it was "undertaking a management reorganization process and has initiated improvements on its processes and systems to address weakness that allowed such budget overruns to occur." In response, the Philippines Securities and Exchange Commission has launched an inquiry amid questions over the Company's corporate governance and fiscal control. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission also ordered an investigation of possible insider trading related to PLDT's disclosure of a "budget overrun" covering several years.On this news, the Company's ADR price fell $6.35 per share, or 19%, to close at $20.46 per share on December 19, 2022.If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than April 7, 2023. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member.If you purchased or acquired PLDT securities, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit PLDT Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Peter Allocco at (212) 951-2030 or pallocco@ bernlieb.com Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the Firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of lawsuits and class actions, the Firm has been named to The National Law Journal's "Plaintiffs' Hot List" thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for ten consecutive years.ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. 2023 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, (212) 779-1414. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.Contact Information:Peter AlloccoBernstein Liebhard LLP(212) 951-2030pallocco@ bernlieb.com SOURCE: Bernstein Liebhard LLP PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-05 10:00:32 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 482 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Q Battery Metals Corp. ("Q Battery Metals" or the "Company) is pleased to announce that the company has contracted Geophysique TMC to complete drone-supported magnetics surveying over their La Corne South project, located north of Val d'Or, Quebec. The geophysics contractor will complete 347 line kilometres of surveying over the whole of the project claims. The new magnetics data will be merged with the 2021 survey data to provide homogenous magnetic response over the whole property.The magnetic data will be modelled to provide both magnetically high and magnetically low trends. Magnetic highs on the property have been shown to be related to massive sulphide bands that contain pyrrhotite. These are to be further tested during the 2023 season.Magnetic lows will be analyzed for potential pegmatitic bodies, associated with lithium mineralization. Lithium pegmatites are known to express anomalously low magnetic susceptibility readings. The Boily Berube mineral showing has been described as pegmatitic "veins" hosting molybdenite and bismithinite. The showing is located within a zone of relatively high magnetics that may be masking the pegmatitic material, and will require further analysis to obtain the necessary detail.Q Battery Metals is also planning resistivity ground surveys as another tool for mapping pegmatite as well as massive sulphide bodies.Q Battery Metals exploration programs undertaken in Quebec are supervised by Dr. Mathieu Piche, OGQ, with office located north of Val d'Or. He is also a Q Battery Metals company director. The company has 100% interest in mineral claims within Quebec and British Columbia, with exploration targeting critical and precious metals.Perry Grunenberg, P.Geo, a "Qualified Person" as that term is defined under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release.Cautionary StatementThis press release contains forward-looking statements based on assumptions as of that date. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they are not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to exploration and development; the ability of the Company to obtain additional financing; the Company's limited operating history; the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations; fluctuations in the prices of commodities; operating hazards and risks; competition and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in the Company's Prospectus dated September 8, 2017 available on www.sedar.com . Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions, and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions, and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.On behalf of the Board of DirectorsRichard PennCEO(778) 384-8923SOURCE: Q Battery Metals Corp. PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-05 13:30:38 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 916 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Skeena Resources Limited (TSX:SKE)(NYSE:SKE) ("Skeena" or the "Company") announces that, effective immediately, Hochschild Mining PLC ("Hochschild") has terminated its option to earn into 60% of the Snip Gold Project ("Snip" or the "Project") in the Golden Triangle of British Columbia, Canada. This results in Skeena reassuming management of the Project and retaining 100% ownership.Hochschild informed Skeena that they have satisfied the minimum annual expenditure requirements as highlighted in Skeena's September 19, 2018 news release. This implies that, at minimum, Hochschild has spent C$15 million on Snip to date. Skeena will receive all data and information generated by Hochschild since their notification of intent to earn into a 60% interest on October 15, 2021.Randy Reichert, Skeena's President & CEO, commented "We are thrilled to have 100% of Snip back in our portfolio. In the months ahead, Skeena plans to investigate opportunities to bolster the Eskay Creek mine life by processing Snip ore at the Eskay Creek mill." About SkeenaSkeena Resources Limited is a Canadian mining exploration and development company focused on revitalizing the past-producing Eskay Creek gold-silver mine located in Tahltan Territory in the Golden Triangle of northwest British Columbia, Canada. The Company released a Feasibility Study for Eskay Creek in September 2022 which highlights an after-tax NPV5% of C$1.4B, 50% IRR, and a 1-year payback at US$1,700/oz Au and US$19/oz Ag.On behalf of the Board of Directors of Skeena Resources Limited,Walter Coles Jr.Randy ReichertExecutive ChairmanPresident & CEOContact InformationInvestor Inquiries: info@ skeenaresources.com Office Phone: +1 604 684 8725Company Website: www.skeenaresources.com Qualified PersonsIn accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, Paul Geddes, P.Geo., Senior Vice President, Exploration & Resource Development, is the Qualified Person for the Company and has prepared, validated, and approved the technical and scientific content of this news release. The Company strictly adheres to CIM Best Practices Guidelines in conducting, documenting, and reporting the exploration activities on its projects.Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statementsCertain statements and information contained or incorporated by reference in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). These statements relate to future events or our future performance. The use of words such as "anticipates", "believes", "proposes", "contemplates", "generates", "targets", "is projected", "is planned", "considers", "estimates", "expects", "is expected", "potential" and similar expressions, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "might", "will", "could", or "would" be taken, achieved, or occur, may identify forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Specific forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the results of the Feasibility Study, processing capacity of the mine, anticipated mine life, probable reserves, estimated project capital and operating costs, sustaining costs, results of test work and studies, planned environmental assessments, the future price of metals, metal concentrate, and future exploration and development. Such forward-looking statements are based on material factors and/or assumptions which include, but are not limited to, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, metal prices, taxation, the estimation, timing and amount of future exploration and development, capital and operating costs, the availability of financing, the receipt of regulatory approvals, environmental risks, title disputes and the assumptions set forth herein and in the Company's MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2022, its most recently filed interim MD&A, and the Company's Annual Information Form ("AIF") dated March 21, 2023. Such forward-looking statements represent the Company's management expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events or circumstances on the date the statements are made, and are necessarily based on several estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date hereof, are not guarantees of future performance. Actual events and results may differ materially from those described herein, and are subject to significant operational, business, economic, and regulatory risks and uncertainties. The risks and uncertainties that may affect the forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others: the inherent risks involved in exploration and development of mineral properties, including permitting and other government approvals; changes in economic conditions, including changes in the price of gold and other key variables; changes in mine plans and other factors, including accidents, equipment breakdown, bad weather and other project execution delays, many of which are beyond the control of the Company; environmental risks and unanticipated reclamation expenses; and other risk factors identified in the Company's MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2022, its most recently filed interim MD&A, the AIF dated March 21, 2023, the Company's short form base shelf prospectus dated January 31, 2023, and in the Company's other periodic filings with securities and regulatory authorities in Canada and the United States that are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com or on EDGAR at www.sec.gov Readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and the Company does not undertake any obligations to update and/or revise any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws.SOURCE: Skeena Resources Limited PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-05 12:07:00 Press Information Absolute Markets Insights 1st Floor, The Work Lab, Model Colony, Shivajinagar, Pune, Maharashtra 411016 Shreyas Tanna CEO +91-7400-24-24-24 email https://www.absolutemarketsinsights.com/ # 974 Words 1st Floor, The Work Lab, Model Colony, Shivajinagar, Pune, Maharashtra 411016CEO+91-7400-24-24-24 The global Threat Intelligence Security market research report is focuses on an overall consumption patterns, development trends, sales patterns and sales in key countries of the Threat Intelligence Security market. The report focuses on global Threat Intelligence Security vendors, marketing department and competition. This report also provides a detailed information on market share, new developments and business analysis, impact of domestic and major players, discusses the opportunities in terms of emerging size, revenue, expectation, changes in industry regulations, product analysis, decisions strategy, product launch in the market, technological innovation, expansion, geographical location in the market. This study shows that there is a dynamic change in the market when it comes to the benefit of local and regional competition for large companies.Click the link to get a Sample Copy of the Report: https://www.absolutemarketsinsights.com/request_sample.php?id=92 It is aggregated on the basis of different dynamic aspects of industry study. The statistical report is compiled by applying primary and secondary research methodologies. Comprehensive Porters five analysis and SWOT analysis are also used to examine the strength, weaknesses, threats and opportunities of the market.Market SegmentationThe global Threat Intelligence Security market is segmented on the basis of solution, industry, and end user. Based on solution, the Threat Intelligence Security market is segmented into component, services. On the basis of industry, the Threat Intelligence Security market is segmented into manufacturing, others. Based on end user, the Threat Intelligence Security market is segmented into consumer and enterprises. The global Threat Intelligence Security market report includes a detailed analysis of the segmentation of this industry by Types and Applications.Global Threat Intelligence Security by Segments:Threat Intelligence Security Market, By Type Internal Threat Intelligence External Threat Intelligence Contextual Threat Intelligence Community Threat IntelligenceThreat Intelligence Security Market, By Application Government BFSI IT And Telecom Healthcare Retail Transportation Energy And Utilities Manufacturing Education And OthersThreat Intelligence Security Market, By Solution Security Information And Event Management (SIEM) Log Management, Identity And Access Management (IAM) Security And Vulnerability Management (SVM) Risk Management And Incident ForensicsThreat Intelligence Security Market, By Service Managed Service Professional ServicesCompetitive Landscape:The competitive landscape of the Threat Intelligence Security market is also provided by analyzing various successful and startup industries. The economic aspects of the businesses are also presented by using facts and figures.IBM Corporation, Juniper Networks, Symantec Corporation Cyveillance, Inc., Intel Corporation, Trend Micro Inc., Dell Inc., Webroot Inc. amongst others.Threat Intelligence Security Market: Regional AnalysisThe research study covers North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa on the basis of productivity, thus focusing on the leading countries from the global regions. The report further highlights the cost structure including cost of raw material and cost of manpower. It offers cogent analysis of business stimulants of the Threat Intelligence Security market.Ask for Discount: https://www.absolutemarketsinsights.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=92 The Study Objectives are: A comprehensive insight into key players operating in the Threat Intelligence Security Market and their corresponding data. It includes product portfolio, annual revenue, expenditure on research and development, geographical presence, key developments in recent years, and growth strategies. Regional analysis, which includes insight into the dominant market and corresponding market share. It also includes various socio-economic factors affecting the evolution of the market in the region. The report offers a comprehensive insight into different individuals from value chains such as raw materials suppliers, distributors, and stockholders.Major Points Covered in TOC:Market Summary: It incorporates six sections, research scope, major players covered, market segments by type, Threat Intelligence Security market segments by application, study goals and years considered.Market Landscape: Here, the global Threat Intelligence Security Market is dissected, by value, income, volume, market rate, and most recent patterns. The development and consolidation of the overall industry and top organizations is provided through graphs and piece of the pie for organizations.Profiles of Companies: Here, driving players of the worldwide Threat Intelligence Security market are considered depending on sales across regions, key innovations, net income, cost, and other factors.Market Status and Outlook by Region: In this segment, the report examines the net deals, income, creation and portion of the overall industry, CAGR and market size by locale. The global Threat Intelligence Security Market is profoundly examined based on areas and nations like North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa.Segment Analysis: Accurate and reliable foretell about the market share of the essential sections of the Threat Intelligence Security market is providedMarket Forecasts: In this section, accurate and validated values of the total market size in terms of value and volume are provided by the research analysts. Also, the report includes production, consumption, sales, and other forecasts for the global Threat Intelligence Security Market.Market Trends: Deep dive analysis of the markets recent and future trends are provided in this section.Enquire Before Buying: https://www.absolutemarketsinsights.com/enquiry_before_buying.php?id=92 Visit Our Website: https://www.absolutemarketsinsights.com/ About Us:Absolute Markets Insights assists in providing accurate and latest trends related to consumer demand, consumer behavior, sales, and growth opportunities, for the better understanding of the market, thus helping in product designing, featuring, and demanding forecasts. Our experts provide you the end-products that can provide transparency, actionable data, cross-channel deployment program, performance, accurate testing capabilities and the ability to promote ongoing optimization. From the in-depth analysis and segregation, we serve our clients to fulfill their immediate as well as ongoing research requirements. Minute analysis impact large decisions and thereby the source of business intelligence (BI) plays an important role, which keeps us upgraded with current and upcoming market scenarios.Contact Us:Contact Name: Shreyas TannaCompany: Absolute Markets InsightsEmail Id: sales@ absolutemarketsinsights.com Phone: IN +91-7400-24-24-24, US +1-510-420-1213Website: www.absolutemarketsinsights.com PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-05 14:01:22 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 630 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 EUCLID, OH / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / US Lighting Group, Inc. (OTC PINK:USLG) ("USLG" or the "Company"), an innovative composite technology provider, today announced that its Futuro Houses division is now a member of the prestigious Modular Building Institute ("MBI"). MBI, founded in 1983, is the international non-profit trade association serving modular construction and its membership includes manufacturers, contractors, and dealers covering the modular industry and relocatable buildings. MBI offers USLG access to financing for distributors as well as resources for federal, state, and local codes for building, zoning, and inspection. www.modular.org Separately, USLG announced that its participation at the recent Cleveland Home & Remodeling Expo was a resounding success. Hundreds of people lined up to view the Company's Futuro House model, which allowed dealers and potential customers to get a first look at this new, innovative concept."We are very pleased to be a member of the Modular Building Institute, which should increase exposure for our unique Futuro Houses as well as help dealers and consumers assess and purchase our homes," said Anthony Corpora, CEO and President of USLG. "Coming off the successful launch of this brand at the Cleveland Home & Remodeling Expo, MBI solidifies our position in the industry and provides additional means for interested parties to find out about our innovative, grid-independent offering in a world where demand for smaller, modular homes and outdoor living space is rapidly growing." Futuro Houses is currently offering a basic shell kit features 600 square feet of space, making it perfect for off-grid applications, conventional living, businesses, and rental opportunities. Futuro Houses has partnered with an interior design company, who can totally customize the house as desired. The units are designed to be environmentally friendly with energy efficiency in mind. Futuro Houses will unveil a fully furnished house in the future giving buyers the ability to select from a variety of options for water generation and collection, waste management, electrical, heating and cooling. The Company is in the initial stages of developing a dealer network as well as marketing direct to consumers. Models are expected to be ready for delivery in 2023.About USLGUS Lighting Group, Inc. (OTC:USLG) has three subsidiaries which design and market various products: Cortes Campers, LLC, for molded fiberglass travel trailers and campers; Futuro Houses, LLC, for fiberglass houses; and Fusion X Marine, LLC, for high-performance boats; and one subsidiary, Mig Marine Corp., which manufacturers composite products. The Company and its subsidiaries have manufacturing and R&D facilities in Cleveland, Ohio. For additional information: www.uslightinggroup.com About Futuro Houses LLCFuturo HousesTM is an innovative designer and marketer of state-of-the-art molded fiberglass houses, employing the highest quality marine materials to create lighter, stronger, and more durable houses for off-grid, residential, and businesses. For additional information: www.futurohouses.com Forward-Looking StatementsCertain statements in this news release, including, but not limited to, reference to distribution, demand, orders, sales goals, profitability, design effects, growth of the production and industries, may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. Statements included in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are typically, but not always, identified by the words: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, and similar expressions or which by their nature refer to future events. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these statements.Investor Relations Contact:Chris Witty646-438-9385cwitty@ darrowir.com SOURCE: US Lighting Group, Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-05 22:00:28 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 412 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Pampa Metals Corp. ("Pampa Metals" or the "Company") (CSE:PM)(FSE:FIRA)(OTCQX:PMMCF) advises that the Option granted to Austral Gold Limited (ASX:AGD)(TSXV:AGLD) ("Austral" or the "Company") whereby Austral could acquire up to an 80% interest in the Cerro Blanco and Morros Blancos properties held by Pampa, as detailed in a July 28, 2021 news release, has been varied to now exclude the Cerro Blanco property.Pampa Metals looks forward to advancing Cerro Blanco as part of its broader, 100% owned portfolio.ABOUT PAMPA METALSPampa Metals is a Canadian company listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE: PM), and the Frankfurt (FSE: FIRA) and OTC (OTCQB: PMMCF) exchanges, which wholly owns a 47,400 hectare portfolio of seven projects highly prospective for copper, molybdenum and gold located along proven and highly productive mineral belts in Chile, one of the world's top mining jurisdictions. The Company is actively advancing its projects through systematic exploration and drill testing of the highest priority targets, with a current focus on the Buenavista target and the Block 4 project more broadly.The Company's vision is to create significant value for shareholders and stakeholders through the application of its technical and commercial expertise towards exploring for a major copper discovery along the prime mineral belts of Chile. For more information, please visit Pampa Metals' website www.pampametals.com The latest Company Presentation can be accessed at https://pampametals.com/investor/ ON BEHALF OF THE BOARDJoseph van den Elsen | President & CEOINVESTORS CONTACTJoseph van den Elsen | President & CEOjoseph@ pampametals.com Neither the CSE nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTThis news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that Pampa Metals expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will" or "may" occur. These statements are subject to various risks. Although Pampa Metals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guaranteeing of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements.SOURCE: Pampa Metals Corp. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. Companies from Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have signed contracts worth $52 million, Vice Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan Kairat Torebayev told reporters, Trend reports. He made the remark during the Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan Business Forum that takes place in Baku. According to him, an increase in the number of contracts and their value is expected in the next two days. On April 5, companies from the two countries signed an agreement for the supply of metal products and sheet steel from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan. Also, a contract was signed for the supply of food and confectionery products, as well as batteries and transformers from Kazakhstan. According to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, the value of total turnover between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan from January through February 2023 equaled $99.8 million. Azerbaijan's export to Kazakhstan in the reporting period totaled $20.1 million, while the imports to Azerbaijan from Kazakhstan amounted to $79.7 million. 2023-04-05 13:30:03 Warszawa => Digital Insight Analyst <= TeamQuest Sp. z o.o. Our client is the owner of technology centre, which creates and provides software solutions for British financial market giant. They are currently expanding their insight team and are keen to hear from experienced Digital Analysts, that are keen to understand the digital behaviours of the millions of people that use their platforms and want to help them save and invest with confidence. ***** ***** Digital Insight Analyst ***** ***** Position description: * Setting up Adobe workspaces and monitoring digital journeys through Adobe Analytics relating to your partnered Product Team; * Understand the overall customer experience, through digital and non-digital touchpoints and make recommendations for an improved client experience; * With the wider Digital Analytics team, manage and maintain the Adobe tagging implementation; * Provide tag specifications for additional tracking to ensure stakeholders" reporting and decision making requirements are met; * Work with web/mobile app developers to ensure tag specifications are implemented as specified; * Provide support to the wider business on the use of Adobe Analytics; * Respond to ad-hoc queries from around the business regarding digital activity and client behaviour; * Assist in the wider analytics peer review process to ensure all analytics products are managed appropriately. ***** Desired skills & experience: * 3 years of experience on a similar positions; * Knowledge of Adobe Analytics or Google Analytics; * Knowledge of SQL and Excel; * Communicative English (at least B2 level); * Very good communication skills. ***** Good to have skills: * Knowledge of R, PowerBI & DAX. ***** We offer: * Discretionary annual bonus* & annual pay review; * 25** days holiday plus bank holidays and 1-day additional Christmas closure time; * Option to purchase an additional 5 days holiday per year; * Flexible working options available, including hybrid working; * Pension scheme up to 11% employer contribution; * Sharesave scheme - have a real stake in HL's future; * Income Protection & Life insurance (4 x salary core level of cover); * Health care cash plans - including optical, dental, and out patientcare; * Help@hand and an Employee Assistance Programme; * Gympass - gym memberships and wellbeing apps available; * Variety of travel to work schemes with free bike storage and shower facilities; * An inhouse barista serving subsidised coffee and snacks; * Join HL's sports, I&D networks and volunteering groups (two paid volunteering days per year); * LifeWorks Discounts on services, restaurants and retailers * Depending on role level; ** up to 30 days depending on role level & increasing with length of service. ***** Other: * Discretionary annual bonus* & annual pay review; * 25** days holiday plus bank holidays and 1-day additional Christmas closure time; * Option to purchase an additional 5 days holiday per year; * Flexible working options available, including hybrid working; * Pension scheme up to 11% employer contribution; * Sharesave scheme - have a real stake in HL's future; * Income Protection & Life insurance (4 x salary core level of cover); * Health care cash plans - including optical, dental, and out patientcare; * Help@hand and an Employee Assistance Programme; * Gympass - gym memberships and wellbeing apps available; * Variety of travel to work schemes with free bike storage and shower facilities; * An inhouse barista serving subsidised coffee and snacks; * Join HL's sports, I&D networks and volunteering groups (two paid volunteering days per year); * LifeWorks Discounts on services, restaurants and retailers * Depending on role level; ** up to 30 days depending on role level & increasing with length of service. Aplikuj tu / Send your CV: => => => http://TeamQuest.pl/n/75260-n?utm_source=nntp&utm_me dium=cron&utm_campaign=2304 => => => W przesanych materiaach prosimy o dopisanie klauzuli nastepujacej tresci: Wyrazam zgode na przetwarzanie moich danych dla potrzeb tej i kolejnych rekrutacji (zgodnie z ustawa o ochronie danych osobowych z dnia 29 sierpnia 1997 roku t.j. Dz.U.2016 poz. 922). Jednoczesnie wyrazam zgode na udostepnienie moich danych osobowych potencjalnym pracodawcom. Potwierdzam prawdziwosc powyzszych danych i zgadzam sie na przetwarzanie i administrowanie moimi danymi, ktore podaem/am do wiadomosci TeamQuest Sp. z o.o. z siedziba w Warszawie 00-814 Warszawa ul. Miedziana 3A lok. 21 do celow rekrutacji pracownikow. Jednoczesnie oswiadczam, ze zostaam/em poinformowana/y iz administratorem moich danych jest TeamQuest Sp. z o.o. z siedziba w Warszawie 00-814 Warszawa ul. Miedziana 3A lok. 21 oraz ze moje dane moga zostac przekazane potencjalnym pracodawcom oraz, ze mam prawo dostepu do tresci swoich danych, prawo ich poprawiania, prawo sprzeciwu wobec ich przetwarzania w wyzej opisanym celu oraz wobec przekazywania danych innym podmiotom, a takze prawo zazadania zaprzestania przetwarzania moich danych osobowych ze wzgledu na moja szczegolna sytuacje. Podanie danych jest dobrowolne. Jednoczesnie wyrazam zgode na podejmowanie czynnosci majacych na celu weryfikacje prawdziwosci przekazanych przeze mnie dokumentow i informacji w nich zawartych. -- Pozostae oferty: https://teamquest.pl/praca-w-it/ ID=a396a586443927b0fb47f189105d1558 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 Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) amendment Bill on Wednesday scaled second reading at the Senate. This was sequel to the presentation of the lead debate on the general principles of the bill by the sponsor, Olubumi Adetunmbi, during plenary. The bill is titled A Bill for an Act to Repeal and Re-enact the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission Act, 2023. Leading the debate, Mr Adetunmbi said that the bill was read for the first time on 4 March. He said that the bill sought to reinforce the mandate and powers of the commission as a body saddled with the responsibility of monitoring revenue generation and disbursement on behalf of the people and government of Nigeria. It also seeks to make it unlawful for any Commission, Board or revenue generating agency of the Government of the Federation to withhold remittance into the Federation Account of revenues. The commission in spite of being a body established by the Constitution, and whose independence is further guaranteed by the Act establishing it, has been hamstrung by certain limitations. In a world faced with the twin challenges of dwindling revenue and spiraling population and its attendant pressure on scarce resources, the imperative for a prudent management and effective utilisation of our Nigerias commonwealth cannot be over-emphasised. This is particularly instructive bearing in mind that the Act came into force in 2004 and has not been updated to reflect the changing realities of the time, he said. The lawmaker said that the passage of the bill would provide the much needed economic stimulus for Nigeria as it would engender public fiscal transparency and accountability. Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, thereafter, refered the bill to the Senate Committee on National Planning and Economic Affairs for further legislative action and to report back in four weeks. Meanwhile, the Senate has adjourned until 25 April for Easter and Sallah holidays. (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. On 10 February, Niger suffered one of its deadliest attacks when gunmen with suspected links to violent extremist groups ambushed a military convoy in Banibangou, a community in the Tillaberi region. Seventeen soldiers died and 13 were injured, ending months of relative calm in the area. Violence had diminished as a result of two special operations conducted in northern Tillaberi between July and October 2022 by Niger with reinforcements from 250 French troops. Codenamed Almahaou (whirlwind in Zarma) and Niya (will in Hausa), the offensives targeted groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State. The February attack highlights the limits of such operations and lends credence to the countrys use of dialogue as a key part of its counter-terrorism strategy. In early 2022, Nigerien authorities recognised the need for dialogue with jihadist leaders in Tillaberi. This was inspired after several Nigeriens defected from their extremist groups, and violence in the Diffa region decreased after a disarmament and reintegration process launched in 2016. A total of 386 former Boko Haram fighters went through deradicalisation and professional training. The use of dialogue in Tillaberi shows strong political will on the part of the government, which is keen to disincentivise engagement with extremist groups and stabilise the region. Nigers approach, which combines dialogue and military action, starkly contrasts with the regional trend. Neighbouring countries have reinforced their military tactics through diversifying strategic alliances and employing armed civilians. Niger has a long tradition of dialogue following its successful management of Tuareg rebellions. The country has strived to institutionalise this tradition to allow for a more holistic approach to addressing its security challenges. A core step has been establishing the High Authority for the Consolidation of Peace, hosted within the Presidency, and the National Coordination Unit for Stabilisation and Disengagement Programmes supervised by the Interior Ministry. To prevent recruitment by terrorist groups, the government initiated several talks in 2022 to foster intra- and inter-communal dialogue for peace, reconciliation and social cohesion in various regions. These were followed by community mediation efforts, one of which led to the signing of a peace agreement between the Fulani and Zarma communities in Banibangou on 21 January 2023. The deal is important, as jihadist groups exploited decades-long conflicts between the two communities for recruitment purposes. To build consensus around the process, President Mohamed Bazoum has involved a range of political, religious and civil society leaders, as well as security and administrative officials. Ongoing dialogue and the personal commitment of Mr Bazoum, supported by his advisory team, have facilitated contact with several jihadists through community emissaries. Recent Institute for Security Studies (ISS) research provides evidence that roughly 100 ex-combatants are being gathered in the capital Niamey, pending transfer to the socio-economic reintegration centre in Hamdallaye, in Tillaberi. They will go through deradicalisation and receive toolkits for setting up their own trades as mechanics, welders, plumbers, carpenters or dressmakers. The dialogue process does, however, face some challenges. Interviewees told ISS Today that some community emissaries facilitating contact with jihadists were not necessarily the most qualified. They said those with stronger credibility and social influence had been sidelined. There were also concerns about how to effectively integrate ex-combatants into communities following their release from the Hamdallaye centre. To succeed, Niger should adopt a more inclusive approach involving various influential actors. Better coordination between the institutions involved is also essential to avoid the dispersion of efforts. The government should ensure that the dialogue process is not bogged down, and is informed by lessons learnt through the disarmament, demobilisation, repatriation, reintegration and resettlement process in Diffa. This will minimise the risk of recruitment by jihadist groups, including of ex-combatants. By including dialogue in its counter-terrorism efforts, Niger is experimenting with an approach similar to those in Algeria and Mauritania, which underpin their decade-long protection against jihadist violence. Nigers neighbours in the Sahel and the Gulf of Guinea that are affected by violent extremism should take inspiration from the countrys strategy as they tackle the insecurity afflicting their populations. A coordinated regional approach would also exert pressure on terrorist groups and ultimately deprive them of human resources. Hassane Kone, Senior Researcher and Fahiraman Rodrigue Kone, Senior Researcher, Sahel Project, ISS Regional Office for West Africa, the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin Research for this article was funded by the Government of The Netherlands. (This article was first published by ISS Today, a Premium Times syndication partner. We have their permission to republish). Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print 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. A magistrates court in Illorin, Kwara State, has jailed two Nigerian journalists for publishing a defamatory article against an agricultural company, Hillcrest Agro-Allied Industries Limited. The convicts Gidado Shuaib and Olufemi Alfred published the article in question on 26 March, 2018, with title, Kwara Factory Where Indian Hemp Smoking is Legalised. Published by an online platform, News Digest, the article said Hillcrest Agro-Allied Industries Limited, a firm located at Kilometre 4, Ajase-Ipo along Offa Road, Amberi Village, Kwara State, allowed its staff members to deal in illicit drugs, Indian hemp. Following a petition to the Kwara State Police command by the company against the authors of the damaging publication, the duo were investigated and arraigned in court. The journalists were tried for offences of criminal conspiracy and defamation of character. But delivering judgement on the suit on 7 February 2023, the court held that the prosecution proved its case against the journalists. In a copy of the judgement seen by PREMIUM TIMES, the Senior Magistrate, A.S Muhammad, said the defendants had common intention in publishing the damaging article and must have intended the natural consequences. Mr Muhammad further ruled that the elements of defamation have been established by the prosecution. Sentencing The magistrate sentenced the convicts to two months imprisonment with an option of N40,000 on count one of the charge offence of conspiracy. On defamation, the 1st and 2nd convicts are sentenced to a fine of N60,000 only each or three months imprisonment in default of payment, Mr Muhammad said. The magistrate clarified that each of the convicts is to pay a fine of N100,000 only for the offences of conspiracy and defamation respectively, having been convicted. Background In the offending publication, Mr Olufemi wrote that Hillcrest factory, a rice milling company, was permitting its workers to smoke Indian hemp and tobacco on duty. The defamed company said a key fallout of the defamatory article came when a United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based company, Aras Group LLC, withdrew a loan facility it was about issuing to Hillcrest Agro-Allied Industries Limited. The prosecutions first witness had told the court that the Aras Group LLC drew Hillcrests attention to the damaging article, saying they would not deal with (a) company that is involved in illicit drugs activities. It was the loss of the loan facility from the Aras Group that triggered the defamation suit against the convicts. The Hillcrest management filed a petition at the Kwara State Police command, demanding an investigation into the allegations. On 12 November 2019, Messrs Shuaib and Olufemi were arraigned on charges of conspiracy and defamation. The offences breached Section 97 and 392 of the Penal Code Law. In proving its case, the prosecution called three witnesses and tendered eight exhibits. Testifying, the first prosecution witness denied the claim in the defamatory report where he was said to be a personal assistant to Serah Alade, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). At the close of the prosecutions case, on 5 April 2022, the defendants filed a no-case submission, urging the court to dismiss the case against them on the grounds that the prosecution failed to lead any incriminating evidence against them. In its ruling, however, the court dismissed the defendants no-case submission, affirming that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against them. The court then ordered defendants to enter their defence. Defence The defendants jointly called only one witness, Adepoju Adedotun, and tendered six exhibits in a bid to extricate themselves from the case. In arguing their case, the defendants argued that the Nigerian Supreme Court had decriminalised defamation. They had submitted two issues in their final written address before the court. The two issues were whether the prosecution had proven the offences as charged against the defendants and whether the defendants were not covered by the defence of justification and privilege. Citing section 39 of the constitution, the defendants contended that the criminalisation of defamation was improper and antithetical to the constitutionally guaranteed rights of freedom of expression. But the magistrate, in his verdict, held that the defendants arguments were clear attempts to distort or arm-twist the facts and decisions of the Supreme Court. He said the Supreme Court never decriminalised defamation but rather affirms its constitutionality. To my mind, the evidence of the prosecution is overwhelming in proving all the above ingredients, the magistrate held. 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. On Tuesday, Nollywood comic actor Charles Awurum took a funny swipe at the Labour Party Presidential flag bearer Peter Obi over what he inferred as his unassuming yet significant impact in the just-concluded general elections. The 58-year-old actor, in an Instagram video, wittingly applauded Mr Obis resilience and how his Obidient movement has changed the Nigerian elections narrative. The comment comes on the heels of Mr Obis denial of a treason allegation levelled against him by the federal government, a few days after a leaked audio where he described the 2023 presidential election as a religious war. Speaking in Pidgin English, the actor, who deployed sarcasm in his remark, said, Theres time for laughter, and there is time to be very serious and saying things as they are. This isnt a laughing matter. I want to ask questions, and he must answer me, or we go to court. Peter Obi, who are you? See what youve done to our elections Weve been conducting elections for years, and theyve been rigged without incident. Theyll rig, well protest, but it came to nothing. Weve done this for years. Who are you, Peter Obi? You came suddenly; the election was conducted and, as usual, rigged. Since then, nobody has had peace. Everywhere is shaking. Nobody is going scot-free this time. Peter Obi, who are you? The normal election is done and rigged as usual, and the riggers become governor and senator. Is that why no one can rest since you came along? Speaking further, the actor, who has been outspoken about voter apathy in Nigeria, also humorously questioned Mr Obis challenge of the presidential election process in court. This is not a joke at all. I want to ask a question, and the person concerned must answer, or we go to court, he said. Vice Chancellors, too The 58-year-old comic actor, in another video, tackled vice-chancellors, who he claimed politicians used as pawns. He claimed it was time to help Nigerian vice-chancellors who feel ashamed of their actions since, despite their education, they allowed greedy politicians to use them as pawns. He stated that he could not understand the greed of the university dons who, he alleged, recieved bribes at the expense of Nigerians. Although the actor has never publicly endorsed Mr Obi or the other presidential aspirants, his followers think he is Obidient because he has taken subliminal swipes at the PDP and APC presidential aspirants in the past. Awurum became famous after being featured in the movie Apama alongside the late Sam Loco Efe. His film credits include; Apama, Game Fools Play, The King & the Crown, Johnbull & Rosekate, and his latest, Skelewu in America. 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. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has appealed to the British court that convicted former Nigerian Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice, for organ harvesting to temper justice with mercy. Mr Ekweremadu and his wife were last year arrested in the United Kingdom for allegedly trafficking a young Nigerian man into the country with the purpose of harvesting his kidney. After a six-week trial at the Old Bailey in London, the couple alongside a medical doctor, Obinna Obeta, were found guilty of the charges against them. The jury found the defendants guilty of taking the 21-year-old Lagos street trader to London to exploit him for his kidney. Their conviction was the first under the Modern Slavery Act. The judge, Jeremy Johnson, reserved sentence for a later date. OBJs appeal However, Mr Obasanjo has written to the clerk of the court, urging him and the UK government to show leniency to the Ekweremadus for the sake of their sick daughter who was the intended beneficiary of the organ for a kidney transplant. Mr Obasanjo agreed that the offence for which the defendants were convicted is unpleasant and condemnable and cant be tolerated in any sane or civilised society but urged for a soft landing for Mr Ekeremadu and his wife. Read the letter below: RE: IKE EKWEREMADU I send you warmest greetings from Nigeria. My dear Chief Clerk, may I seize this opportunity to commend your utmost dedication and resourcefulness which you have demonstrated with rare qualities of commitment and courage, while also upholding the cherished traditions of Public Service. I am Olusegun Obasanjo, a soldier commissioned into the British Army of the West African Frontier Force in 1958, and rose to the rank of a full General in the Nigerian Army. I received the surrender of the Biafran Army at the end of the Nigerian civil war. I was military Head of State from 1976 to 1979 and elected President from 1999 to 2007. It is with great pleasure that I write in respect of Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who I have known for over two decades. Within this period, I have followed and watched, with keen interest, Ike Ekweremadus inspiring career which traversed private legal practice and public administration. I recall, with fond memories, the beginnings of our political and social relationship at the outset of our collective quest for democratic rebirth for our fatherland. During my administration as a democratically elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria between 1999 and 2007, Ike Ekweremadu and I had close relationship and interactions as staunch members of our political party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and more so as he got elected into the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2003, of which he has since remained a member till date. Within this period of his service in the Nigerian Parliament, he has served as Deputy Senate President of the Senate and has headed so many Committees in various capacities and brought to bear his broad-based experience in legal practice and public administration. Sometime in 2009, he was appointed as the First Deputy Speaker of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, and made to lead ad hoc Committee to work for the return of constitutional order in the Niger Republic. I clearly remember that in the heady days of the keen contest for the presidential ticket of our Party early 1999, he joined other well-meaning Nigerians from the South-Eastern part of Nigeria to set aside extraneous considerations and ensured that South East unanimously adopted me for the Presidency. This was without regard to the fact that my closest competitor hailed from their part of the country. I truly cherish his God-fearing, dispassionate, moderate and pan-Nigerian approach to national issues and developments, in our multi-ethnic, multi-religious geo-polity. He dedicates himself to the service of God and humanity and he continues to play visible roles in national development. Through the Ikeoha Foundation, a non-governmental organization founded by him and his wife, in 1997, he and his wife have rendered a lot of charitable activities, enhancing poor peoples access to quality education and healthcare and building their capacity to participate in mainstream social, political and economic activities of their communities. Ike Ekweremadus conferment with the coveted national honour of Commander of the Federal Republic, CFR, is further testimony to his selfless service to our our country, Nigeria. Mr. Chief Clerk, I am very much aware of the current travails and conviction of Ike Ekweremadu and his wife in the United Kingdom resulting from their being charged with conspiring to arrange the travel of a 21-year old from Nigeria to the UK in order to harvest organs for their daughter. I do realise the implications of their action and I dare say, it is unpleasant and condemnable and cant be tolerated in any sane or civilized society. READ ALSO: However, it is my fervent desire that for the very warm relations between the United Kingdom and Federal Republic of Nigeria; for his position as one of the distinguished Senators in the Nigerian Parliament, and also for the sake of their daughter in question whose current health condition is in danger and requires an urgent medical attention, you will use your good offices to intervene and appeal to the court and the government of United Kingdom be magnanimous enough to temper justice with mercy and let punishment that may have to come take their good character and parental instinct and care into consideration. I do hope Mr. and Mrs. Ekweremadu have learnt from this distressing experience of theirs to guide their future actions or inactions so they will continue to be outstanding members of their community and will continue to contribute fully to the good of the society in particular and the nation in general. 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. On 9 June 2022, the youngest presidential aspirant at the APC National Convention, Nicholas Felix, climbed the stage at Eagle Square, Abuja, and endorsed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. Although the night can be characterised as the Night of endorsements, Mr Felixs speech that night can, with hindsight, can be described as a prophetic pronouncement that continues to dog the heels of President-elect Bola Tinubu. Apart from the North and the South, Nigerians are divided into two religions, we have Muslims and Christians. I grew up with Muslimswonderful people. Many of them are my friends, but we cannot have a Muslim/Muslim ticket in this election, Mr Felix warned the party delegates. Earlier, the delegates had been bombarded with text messages from unknown persons predicting that Mr Tinubu would field a Muslim running mate if nominated the partys presidential candidate. The Tinubu camp quickly denounced the text messages. Despite all these, Mr Tinubu won the primary by a landslide. And as stated by Mr Felix, the candidate went ahead to pick a Muslim running mate to the chagrin of many within and outside his party. Opposition to the selection was vehement and vigorous. Even though Mr Tinubu has no record of religious fanaticism, it did not stop many from accusing him of having an Islamization agenda that must be stopped by any means necessary. His overture to the Christian Association of Nigeria and the appointment of Simon Lalong as the director-general of his campaign did not stop some Christian clerics from openly speaking against his candidacy. Mr Tinubus argument that he chose Mr Shettima based on the latters competence and not on religious consideration did not pacify his critics. Allies-turned-foes like Babachir Lawal, a former secretary to the government of the federation, and Yakubu Dogara, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, vehemently campaigned against Mr Tinubu to serve as deterrent to anyone contemplating such arrangement in the future. Mr Tinubus camp apparently believes that a Muslim from the South aspiring for the presidency of Nigeria must adopt the 1993 winning ticket of Moshood Abiola and Babagana Kingibe. It was a Muslim/Muslim one. Despite the stiff opposition against him, INEC declared Mr Tinubu president-elect on 1 March as those against his same faith ticket failed in their vigorous push to stop him from winning the 25 February poll. Although Mr Tinubu won and believes competence should be prioritised over religious and ethnic considerations, many Nigerians including members of his party believe there is a religious debt to be repaid by him and the ruling party. The first test in this respect for the president-elect is filling the National Assembly leadership positions Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker. While the leadership positions in the National Assembly are by convention supposed to be decided by the lawmakers, the party with the majority number of seats has a role, as regards zoning and balance of power. The APC already has the majority in the Senate with 57 senators from the 102 already-declared constituencies but is yet to secure the majority in the House, as its current 162 members are short of the 181 seats required to form the majority. On the geopolitical zoning arrangement, the president-elect is from the South-west, while the vice-president elect is from the North-east. The remaining regions are North-west, North-central, South-east and South-south. The APC has never been the dominant party at the polls in the last two regions mentioned above. The ruling party has the delicate task of spreading the leadership positions among the six geo-political zones, dealing with the personal ambition of members and still factoring religion into the equation. All eyes will be on the ruling party, bearing in mind its inability to ensure geographical spread since 2015 during which the South-east and South-south were not represented among Nigerias top four citizens: President, Vice President, Senate President and Speaker. The highest position the regions have produced is Deputy Senate President. Historical trend of the APC In 2015, despite the president and vice president being from the North-west and South-west, the ruling party anointed Ahmad Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila as Senate President and Speaker respectively. In terms of spread, the choice had two major issues lack of geographical and religious spread. The PDP, the party in power before the APC came 2015, ensured that the Senate President and Speaker were not of the same faith. However, the APC nominated two Muslims for the two leadership positions in the two legislative chambers Ahmad Lawan (Senate) and Femi Gbajabiamila (House). Aside from religion, Mr Gbajabiamila is also from the South-west, the same region as Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. The APC preferred candidates were, however, no match for the Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogaras tickets. Mr Saraki, a Muslim from the North-central was able to clinch the Senate Presidency by working with the opposition in the Senate and bargaining with the Deputy Senate President a position clinched by Ike Ekweremadu, a PDP senator from the Southeast. Mr Dogara, a Christian from the North-east, also emerged as the Speaker by defeating Mr Gbajabiamila, who paired with Mohammed Monguno, another Muslim from the North-east. In 2019, the party again put forward Messrs Lawan and Gbajabiamila for the two top positions. Mr Lawan paired with Senator Ovie Omo-Agege from the South-south, while Mr Gbajabiamila paired with Idris Wase from the North-central. The tickets delivered victory for the anointed candidates. However, the South-east continued to struggle for a place in the topmost echelon of the party. In 2015, the APC noted that the South-east did not have a ranking member from the party in the Senate. But in the 2023 elections, the South-east and South-south have members on the platform of the APC, and some are ranking members. The number game The ruling party lost some seats in the National Assembly during this last election. For instance, the party lost 19 seats in Kano, and significant numbers in Gombe, Kaduna, Katsina, Osun and a few other places in the House of Representatives. To put it in proper context, by March 2019, APC already had 211 seats in the House but currently has 162 seats. Right now, the combination of the seats of the minority parties is 163 seats against the 162 seats of the ruling party. Thus, the APC may be concerned about its numerical strength, considering the history of rebellion in the National Assembly. In 2011, the then-ruling party, the PDP, endorsed Mulikat Akande as Speaker, but Aminu Tambuwal connived with the main opposition party in the House to emerge in her stead. The 2015 rebellion has been explained earlier. Interestingly, one of the victims of the 2015 rebellion, Mr Gbajabiamila, in 2019, guided against a repeat by appointing the leader of the 2015 rebellion, Abdulmummin Jibrin, as his campaign director. A disgruntled member of the Senate or House may collaborate to pull off an encore of the 2015 rebellion. The opposition can also join forces to snatch the principal offices from the APC. On 15 April, the ruling party will hope to take more seats in the supplementary elections in 31 constituencies to gain a majority in the House and expand its majority in the Senate. Religious and regional alignments As stated earlier, the ruling party has some sort of religious debt it has to pay. Many are of the opinion that the ruling party should zone the Senate presidency to the South and ensure that it must be a Christian candidate. We have the presidential election on the basis of Muslim/Muslim ticket, I am not sure we want to stretch it by having the number three position as a Muslim as well, Akin Alabi, a federal lawmaker from Oyo State recently stated during an interview on Channels TV. The choice of a Muslim/Muslim ticket might rule out the top guys from the North-west, he added. In the event that the party prioritises religion for the Senate presidency race, then the race will be between the South-east and the South-south, while the speakership race will be between the North-west and the North-central. South-east As things stand, the South-east appears to be looking at the Senate presidency as about three candidates have shown interest in the position. The Chief Whip of the Senate and former governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu (APC, Abia), has declared interest and even used the it is my turn slogan to drive home his point. However, he has a formidable opponent from the region in Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi, who has also declared interest in the position. And there is also Osita Izunaso, a ranking senator by virtue of previously serving in the Senate and the House of Representatives. He is from Imo State. However, there is a major setback for the South-east region, which is the poor electoral performance of the APC in the region during the last elections. For instance, the APC was unable to get 25 per cent of the votes cast in any of the five states in the South-east in the presidential election. The presidential candidate got a total of 127,605 votes from the five states in the region, fewer votes than it got in Akwa Ibom, a state in the South-south. But there are calls from some quarters for a government of national unity, and this could be a strong case for the South-east. If the region fails to get the Senate presidency, another option will be Speakership, a position the South-east is yet to occupy since the return of democracy, save for when Emeka Ihedioha served in an acting capacity. Some of the ranking members of the region include the spokesperson of the House, Ben Kalu from Abia State, Miriam Onuoha from Imo State and Chinedu Ogah from Ebonyi State. South-south The South-south region will get a boost if the religious factor is a major determinant. Godswill Akpabio and Adams Oshiomhole are the two names that come to mind. In the case of the latter, the issue of ranking will weigh against him. However, it is more of an issue of convention rather than law. Thus, ex-governors can easily make strong arguments against the convention. Although the two are yet to publicly declare interest in the race, some persons outside the region are already making a case for them. The APC deputy chairman (Northwest), Salihu Lukman, has urged the ruling party to consider the South-south for the position. For instance, if the Senate President is to come from the South-East, he would certainly be a Christian. The only problem is the experience of 1999 2003, which highlighted problems of instability with the South-East holding the position of Senate President. Also, as at 1999, the South-East strongly voted for the PDP to emerge as the ruling party. The same could not be said today, Mr Lukman said in a recent statement. Mr Lukmans argument is based on performance at the presidential election. The ruling party got 799,957 votes from the South-south. And aside from the electoral performance, the region can argue that it is yet to produce a senate president and speaker. Also, Mr Oshiomhole has a close relationship with Mr Tinubu from their Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) days, while Mr Akpabio stepped down for the president-elect at the primaries. The 132,683 votes from his Akwa-Ibom State may be considered by party faithful as strong performance. The two individuals will face separate challenges within the party. There are those still aggrieved with the alleged high headedness of Mr Oshiomhole during his tenure as National Chairman of the APC, and Mr Akpabio is facing investigation for corruption but has not been charged with any offence. He was also until 2019 a PDP member. In the event the speakership is available as an option, the South-south may struggle with candidates, although, the party has the deputy leader of the House, Peter Akpatason, and Julius Ihonvbere, who are both from Edo State, and also Waive Francis from Delta State. North-central The region is positioned for the two options Speaker and Senate President. Two candidates from Plateau State, Deputy Speaker Idris Wase and Yusuf Gagdi, have already indicated interest the speakership position. Equally, Tunji Raheem, a lawmaker from Kwara State, has also declared interest in the race. So far, Mr Wase has taken his campaign beyond the National Assembly. He has visited Governors Hope Uzodinma and Nyesom Wike of Imo and Rivers States respectively. He appears to be seeking bipartisan support for his ambition. It is unclear how he will take it if the party decides to zone the position elsewhere. In 2019, the region backed the Gbajabiamila/Wase ticket for the speakership, despite Umar Bago contesting for Speaker on the North Central Agenda. The region may be looking at payback for loyalty. The North-central is in a good position in the Speakership race if it is zoned to the region. One, the region has never produced a Speaker since 1999, and secondly, in terms of performance, the ruling party won four out of the six states in the region in the presidential election. The region is equally positioning itself for the Senate presidency with Musa Sani, a lawmaker from Niger State. Whichever way the party decides to go, the North-central is expected to be in the scheme of things. But when it comes to the Senate Presidents seat, the North-central has occupied it more than any other region David Mark from Benue State served eight years, and Bukola Saraki served four years. North-west The Northwest used to be the heartbeat of the ruling party. However, the party suffered a significant setback in the region in the last presidential and National Assembly elections. In the presidential election, the APC could only win Zamfara and Jigawa out of the seven states in the region. In Kano State, the party lost 19 House seats and two senatorial seats. In Kaduna State, the party lost the three senatorial seats and got only three of the 16 Reps seats. In Kebbi State, the party lost several seats. However, despite the losses, the region still delivered the highest votes for the APC at the presidential election. Also, since 1999, the least position the region has taken is Speakership. Therefore, the region is in a front-running position for Senate Presidency and Speakership. But the religious factor is against the region. If the party insists on ensuring that a Christian emerges as the Senate President, then the North-west may have to fight for the Speakership. Senators Abdulaziz Yari and Barau Jibrin have both declared their intention to run. Others like Aliyu Wammako and Kabiru Marafa may also join the race if they emerge winners after the supplementary elections in Sokoto and Zamfara respectively. On the speakership front, there are speculations that Tajudeen Abass (Kaduna) and Sada Soli (Katsina) are favoured by several lawmakers. Abubakar Makki from Jigawa State has also declared interest to join the race. Another individual that would have been a front-runner is the majority leader of the House, Alhassan Doguwa, from Kano. But he is facing two major challenges. His election has been declared inconclusive and he is facing murder charges over the death of three persons during the elections. North-east Ordinarily, the North-east should not be in the conversation because Mr Shettima, who is the vice president-elect, is from Borno State. However, there are enough precedents to bring the Northeast into the leadership race. In 2011, Aminu Tambuwal and then Vice President Namadi Sambo were from the same zone. However, the election that brought in Mr Tambuwal emerged through a rebellion because the PDP actually zoned the position to the South-west at the time. The current Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, and Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila are also both from the same region South-west. Hence, lawmakers from the North-east are also showing interest in the leadership race. The Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Muktar Betara, has been making underground moves to clinch the position, his associates say. The decision of Senate President Ahmad Lawan to fight a tough battle to return to the National Assembly has also trigerred speculation that he might jump into the race for a second term. South-west The future of Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila is the major talking point as far as the South-west is concerned. Mr Gbajabiamila is one of the closest associates of the president-elect. He won his re-election into the House. The question is, what does he want? With the divisive nature of the 2023 presidential election, the words of Mr Felix on 8 June 2022 are still ringing in the ears of many Nigerians. The question is, will the ruling party pay off its religious debt? 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 minority caucuses in the House of Representatives have commenced the process of alliance to present a unified front ahead of the inauguration of the 10th session of the House in June. The lawmakers met on Tuesday at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja. Lawmakers from six minorities parties were in attendance. Several new and returning lawmakers, attended the meeting which started at about 10 p.m. The parties are the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Social Democratic Party (SDP) Youth Progressive Party (YPP), and New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP). The moderator of the meeting, Dachung Bagos (PDP, Plateau), informed the lawmakers that the combined strength of the opposition is more than the ruling party. He noted that there is a need for unity to achieve a collective interest. He noted that the alliance can produce an impossible upset if all the lawmakers are committed to the alliance. Composition of the House The ruling All Progressives Congress has so far won 162 seats out of the 325 seats declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Meanwhile, the combined strength of the opposition is 163 seats with the PDP having 102 seats. LP and NNPP have 34 and 18 seats respectively, APGA four seats, ADC and SDP two each while YPP has one seat. INEC is set to conduct elections in the remaining constituencies on 15 April. Alliance must be of equity Speaking on the alliance, George Ozodinobi, a lawmaker-elect from Anambra State, said the LP is committed to an alliance as long as the process aligns with its values. Mr Ozodinobi, who spoke on behalf of the LP caucus, said they will back anyone the group decides as long as the person is competent. We are a minority caucus and we are pledging commitment to the unity of the great alliance of the 10th Assembly. I believe we are all minorities and believe we are all standing together for the common purpose of the overall benefit for us, irrespective of seniority considering the ratio of the alliance. I stand here on behalf of the 34 strong elected members of the LP, believing this alliance shall attract evenly benefit to us in this assembly and conform with the LP ideology, he said. Also speaking on the alliance, Abdulmummin Jibrin, a member-elect on the platform of NNPP from Kano State, assured his colleagues that they can achieve their aim, as long as they are united. Mr Jibrin, a former member of the House, said the alliance will protect the collective interest of the group. Following the remarks by some of the lawmakers, the meeting was declared closed door. Historical perspectives Since 1999, the parties with majority members in both the Senate and the House have always produced the presiding officers of the two chambers. The PDP produced the presiding officers from 1999 until 2015 when it lost power to the APC which had majority in the two chambers that year. Since then the APC has been producing the presiding officers because of its numerical strength in both chambers. The only exception was in 2015 when Ike Ekweremadu of the PDP was elected deputy senate president following some working relationship with some APC senators. Mr Ekweremadu was deputy to Bukola Saraki then of the APC. In the Second Republic, the ruling National Party of Nigeria (NPN) went into alliance with the Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP) to produce the presiding officers of the Senate and the House because of its narrow majority in both chambers. Consequently, the NPN produced Joseph Wayas as senate president while NPP had John Wash Pam as deputy senate president. In the House, Edwin Ume-Ezeoke of the NPP became the speaker while Ibrahim Idris of NPN was his deputy. It is not clear if such alliance will be replicated in the 10th National Assembly if the APC does not have a clear majority in the House after the 15 April supplementary elections. 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 National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) says it has arrested some members of a cult group in the FCT perpetrating gruesome acts of sextortion. This is contained in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday by Vincent Adekoye, the press officer of NAPTIP. Mr Adekoye said that the arrests followed intense surveillance and undercover operation ordered by the Director General of NAPTIP, Fatima Waziri-Azi, in response to several complaints. He added that the arrest was a ground breakthrough record for the agency in its efforts to address issues of sextortion and nip it in the bud in Nigeria. Mr Adekoye explained that the group was known for perpetrating gruesome acts of sextortion and terrorising young girls and other residents of the FCT and its environs. He recalled that the agency had recently been inundated by a series of complaints from victims of sextortion who had been blackmailed. According to Mr Adekoye, sextortion is a crime that occurs when someone threatens to distribute nudes and private videos of another person, and when that person refuses to grant them sexual favours or pay them money. He, however, said that it was sexual exploitation where the perpetrator used coercion and threats to compel the victim to produce sexual images or videos engaging in sexual acts. He revealed that the crime was punishable under the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 (as re-enacted). He added that Ms Waziri-Azi, while speaking on the development, expressed grave concerns about the incremental cases of sextortion. Ms Waziri-Azi said that the crime was perpetrated by mostly young men against young girls within the FCT and called for increased vigilance among parents and stakeholders. She explained that after the criminals had one or more videos or pictures, they threatened to publish that content, or they threatened violence, to get the victim to produce more images. The shame, fear, and confusion victims feel when caught in this cycle often prevent them from asking for help or reporting the abuse. She advised young girls to be wary of this trend and protect themselves by reporting all cases of sextortion to NAPTIP, stressing that they should not be afraid to speak up. Do not be gaslighted into thinking it was your fault. It is a crime and a crime against you. READ ALSO: NAPTIP rescues nursing mother from suspected human traffickers Report all perpetrators. If you do not report, you are emboldening these criminals, and what happened to you will definitely happen to someone else. Parents, please support your children if they report cases of sextortion to you. Do not revile them. A lapse in judgment should not lead to condemnation. If you or someone you know is a sextortion victim, you can help stop the harassment by reporting it to NAPTIP. Save all conversations, chats, or messages between yourself and the perpetrator. Do not pay or share more of your sexual images with them. Your webcam or recording devices can be activated remotely. Never have your phone or other electronic camera devices pointed at you while undressing or in a position, you would not want to share with the world. Be smart and stay safe, the D-G advised. (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 Bauchi State chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Babayo Misau, has been suspended over alleged anti-party activities. The party executives at Kukadi/Gundari ward of Misau Local Government said Mr Misau did not campaign for the party candidates in the just concluded 2023 elections. The APC lost the state in both the presidential and gubernatorial elections. The gubernatorial election was keenly contested by the incumbent, Bala Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 525,280 to defeat Sadique Baba Abubakar of the APC who polled 432,272 votes. Speaking at a press conference in Bauchi Tuesday afternoon, Aliyu Hasaan Adamu, the ward party secretary, said the ward executives have informed the local government leadership of the party of their decision to suspend Mr Misau. While alleging the chairman was absent in all the partys campaign outings, Mr Hassan Adamu said ward executive of the party held a meeting to look into the actions of the chairman during the election. Mr Hassan Adamu said aside not campaigning for the partys candidates, Mr Misau openly discouraged people from voting for the APC. He said that the suspended chairman also displayed his ballot to show he didnt vote for the partys gubernatorial candidate among other offences. We, the Executives of Kukadi/Gundari ward in Misau local government area of Bauchi state have agreed to expel Babayo Misau, the State APC Chairman from the membership of the party in Misau LGA because of acts of disloyalty and betrayal to our great party. In his capacity as Chairman of the APC in the state, he neither campaigned nor voted for our governorship candidate during the period of the campaign. He was caught red handed displaying his voters sheet where he did not vote for the party governorship candidate, rather he voted for the candidates contesting the State Assembly elections. He even went as far as discouraging the electorate from voting for the party during the general election. We consider this as a great distrust to our party, therefore he is not fit to be a member of the party in Misau LGA. We have stripped him of his membership to the party in Kukadi/Gundari ward. To this effect, all our party executives at the ward in Misau local government have signed and henceforth he ceases to be a member of APC in Misau LGA, Mr Hassan Adamu said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have significant potential for the development of bilateral relations, Kairat Torebayev, Vice-Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan, said in an interview with Trend. He noted the high growth of trade in recent years. "Unfortunately, during the pandemic period, trade decreased to $170 million, but since then it has been growing at a high pace. We are seeing an increase of 40 percent compared to last year," Torebayev added. Last year, the trade turnover between the countries amounted to $462 million. He added that, given the size of the economies of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, this figure can be increased in the future. Within the context of the main areas that Kazakhstan considers highly promising, the vice-minister noted an increase in trade in agricultural, metallurgical, petrochemical, and engineering production. "Yesterday I met with the leadership of the Economic Zones Development Agency. We see what great prospects there Azerbaijan has and we are interested in expanding cooperation in many sectors of the economy," Torebayev concluded. 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 in Niger State said they have arrested two suspected kidnappers in connection to the killing of Abubakar Yahaya, the village head of Gusasse in Bosso Local Government Area. After killing Mr Yahaya, the attackers kidnapped his daughter and collected a ransom of N1.5 million before releasing her. The attack happened on 15 March, 2023. The spokesperson of the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, told journalists in Minna, the capital of the state, that the suspects also killed on Manir, during the operation. He said the assailants shot Abubakar Yahaya, the village head, and kidnapped his daughter to an unknown destination. He stated that the kidnappers also abducted one Hassan Gusasse. Consequently, based on these recent incidents in Beji and its environs, Police operatives attached to FIB tactical squad arrested the two suspects based on a tip-off on March 31, 2023, he said. The suspects are Risku Suleiman, 34, and Haruna Umar, 20, who both hail from Kupa village in Garatu, along Bida Road. During interrogation, Risku confessed that he had been committing cattle rustling with his father, one Suleiman Agaala who was convicted for cattle rustling in Angwan-Maireke village, in Beji. He further confessed that he (Risku) conspired with his friend, Umar Awara from Lokoja, who equally invited eight others from Zamfara [namely] Idrisu, Shadai, Yeli, Yusuf, and others presently at large, with the said Haruna Umar. He said the syndicate is responsible for the death of the village head, and that N1.5 million ransom was collected for the release of his daughter recently, while the same amount was also collected for the release of Alh. Hassan Gusasse, he said. The police spokesperson added that an effort is ongoing to arrest Umar Awara and other members of the syndicate while those arrested will be arraigned in court for prosecution as soon as the investigation is concluded. 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 National Working Committee of Nigerias ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has condemned the attack on the members of its Rivers State chapter. The party, in a statement on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said the attacks on its members are being sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Attacks on Cole, APC PREMIUM TIMES reported that Tonye Cole, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was reportedly attacked by the protesters while trying to honour an appointment with INEC officials on Monday. Mr Cole was at the INEC office to obtain documents to lodge a petition against INECs declaration of Siminialayi Fubara as the winner of the 18 March governorship election in the state. Mr Fubara, who was a candidate of the PDP, scored 302,614 votes, while Mr Cole came second with 95,274 votes, according to INEC. The relationship between the APC at the national level and the Rivers State chapter could best be described as lukewarm since the presidential election. In the course of the campaign, Governor Nyesom Wike, the leader of the G5 governors and the president-elect, Bola Tinubu appeared to have formed an informal alliance for the presidential election. Rotimi Amaechi, the immediate past minister of transportation, had after the governorship election, alleged that the chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, has the backing of the camps of Messrs Tinubu and Wike. There are those of us who opposed the reappointment of Yakubu Mahmood. The person who nominated him is a member of Tinubus camp. So what are you expecting?, he said. Mr Cole also deleted a congratulatory message he sent to the president-elect via his Twitter handle. Police failing to investigate The APC also accused the police of not taking action to investigate the attacks on its members in the state. Furthermore, the party said the thugs are trying to prevent Mr Cole from getting vital documents that will aid the governorship election petition. Read the full statement by the APC *ATTACK ON APC MEMBERS IN PORT HARCOURT IS BARBARIC, DESERVES URGENT AND THOROUGH INVESTIGATION* The All Progressives Congress (APC) condemns, in the strongest terms, the attack on some of its leaders and members in Port Harcourt on Monday, April 3, 2023, by thugs and supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This barbaric and unprovoked attack occurred during a visit to the Independent National Electoral Commissions office by Mr Tonye Cole, APC Governorship Candidate, Dr. Innocent Barikor, Deputy Governorship Candidate, Mr Emeka Beke, State Chairman of the Party and 3 other party officials to obtain the Certified True Copies (CTC) of vital documents in the March 18 Governorship and House of Assembly elections. Without warning, thugs and supporters of the PDP descended on our Party officials, inflicting severe and life-threatening injuries on them, and damaging personal and party properties. This premeditated attack by PDP thugs and operatives on our officials and members in Port Harcourt is yet another in what has now become an orgy of violence carried out with mind-boggling audacity, and with absolutely no serious investigation by the police or repercussions for the instigators and perpetrators of this serial violence. Ostensibly, this latest attack was aimed at frustrating the effort of our Governorship Candidate to obtain vital documents to exercise his constitutional right to challenge the declared result of the Governorship election in the state. For the PDP that claims to have won the election to resort to this level of violence to block a legitimate legal challenge tells a different story of a party sitting precariously on needles and pins in the face of prospects of a legal challenge by our Governorship Candidate. While we commend the swift response of security agencies, especially the Police and the Nigerian Army in restoring peace and order in the wake of this brutal attack, again, we call on the Inspector General of Police to order an urgent and thorough investigation into this and previous incidents of violent attacks on leaders and members of our Party in Rivers State, and to bring the sponsors and perpetrators to justice. SIGNED: *Barr. Felix Morka* National Publicity Secretary All Progressives Congress (APC) 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. Outgoing British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, says she is fascinated by Nigeria, particularly the music, dance, and culture, and she has had a fabulous time here. She spoke Wednesday during a farewell visit to President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja, after a four-and-a-half years tour of duty. Im sad to be leaving, said the High Commissioner. Nigeria is so much fun, I had a fabulous time here, and Ill be back. I love the dance, the music, the culture. Its been good to experience Nigeria. Ive been to over 20 States, and Ive told my successor to also do the same. Ill be back, and still travel wider. She congratulated Mr Buhari on his very successful eight years in office, saying he had done very well to hold the country together. The president said the United Kingdom was a second home for many Nigerians, and relations between the two countries will continue to wax strong. In fact, some wealthy Nigerians dont feel complete till theyve had a home in the UK, he added. READ ALSO: Nigeria gets new British High Commissioner Mr Buhari said he looked forward to retirement in Daura, Katsina State, after handing over on 29 May, reiterating: Ill be as far away from Abuja as possible. He lauded the UK for cooperation on many fronts, particularly in the rebuilding of the North-east, hitherto ravaged by insurgency. 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. Michael Freeman, Ambassador of Israel to Nigeria has reassured of the countrys commitment to support Nigeria develop applicable technologies to boost her fight against climate change. Mr Freeman, also Permanent Representative of Israel to ECOWAS, made this known on Tuesday in Abuja, against the backdrop of the awareness campaign on importance of Earth Day, celebrated globally on April 22, every year. The envoy in his lecture titled: Save the planet with innovation; an opinion piece for delegations for Earth Day warned against failure by governments at all levels to mitigate the impact of climate change. According to him, in spite of increased danger about the need to protect the fragile and unique planet people lived in, it appeared humans are only making matters worst. My country, Israel, is developing practical, applicable and relatively inexpensive technologies, to help save our planet. Due to our location in the desert with scarcity of natural resources and water, Israel is a living laboratory for developing practical, earth saving solutions that are also incredibly relevant for Nigeria. Just last month, we celebrated the International Water Day; water management is critical if we are to cope with increasing population, provide food and combat desertification. Israel recycles and reuses 94 per cent of its wastewater, primarily for agriculture, which when combined with drip technology increases crop output, while utilising significantly less resources. The development of drought-resistant crops, use of brackish water in agriculture, development of crops with higher yield, biological pesticides, use of satellites and precision agriculture, all of these Israeli technologies contribute to increasing food security and reducing damage to natural resources. The envoy observed that 75 years ago, Israels first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, identified solar energy as priority area Israel could lead globally, through provision of sustainable, clean and accessible energy. He further said although such was Ben-Gurions dream, today no fewer than 200 companies and start-ups in Israel engaged in renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy storage. Also that all of these were necessary steps taken to successfully deal with climate crisis. At the beginning of the 21st Century, Israel was the only country in the world to have successfully reduced the amount of desert within its borders. It did so despite its young age and relatively small area; Israel has accumulated vast experience in planting forests in semi-arid regions and preserving them in dry and extreme conditions. Experience that is priceless as Nigeria and her neighbours embark on important Great Green Wall project, this know how and experience are priceless for the world, where forests so necessary to deal with climate crisis are dying from heat, drought and diseases. The entrepreneurial community in Israel, whether it belongs to civil society or business, is becoming increasingly involved in solving the environmental crisis; over 1,300 companies and start-ups are active in the field of climate innovation. From crop growing to flood reduction and from weather forecasting to post harvest, Israeli technology is making a difference and we are eager to share that with Nigeria. He reiterated that the earth day was designed to remind people of an only planet and that all lives were intertwined, saying through cooperation, knowledge-sharing, experience and best practices could people overcome significant challenges at the doorstep. He said Israel is ready to cooperate and share its knowledge and experience, assuring that through shared future and close working relations Nigeria and Israel could record significant and positive impact, which would be felt generations to come. The environmental crises are piling up; climate, bio-diversity and extinction of species, plastic pollution that reaches every corner of the earth, growing water shortage, deterioration of food security for many in the world, continuous deforestation, intensifying desertification and more. Africa, and Nigeria in particular, are suffering disproportionately, it may seem like the human race is losing the battle and even, losing hope, but that is not an option, Freeman advised. (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. A suspected graves robber, Gbesemehan Solomon, has been arrested for allegedly exhuming a corpse and stealing the skull in Ipokia, Ogun State. Residents said over 50 human skulls had been removed from their graves over the past few months by suspected ritualists believed to operate in the town at night. Two months ago, locals had raised an alarm that the dead could no longer rest in peace in Ipokia as their skulls were being stolen by the suspected ritualists. The development had forced the locals to keep vigils over cemetries in the hope of apprehending the graves robbers. A resident of Ipokia, who simply identified herself as Morufat, told PREMIUM TIMES that the efforts paid off on Monday night when they arrested Mr Solomon at Idologun area of the town while exhuming a body from the grave. A skull was reportedly found in the suspects bag with his tools for digging up graves. READ ALSO: Police arrest five suspected ritualists in Ogun The traditional ruler of the town, the Onipokia of Ipokia, Yisa Olaniyan, confirmed to journalists that a suspect had been arrested and handed over to the police. The police spokesperson in Ogun State, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the development. Yes it is true. We arrested one person in connection to the crime and we are still in search of two others who are accomplices and by the grace of God they will all be apprehended, the police spokesperson 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 Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, says the Lagos-Ibadan expressway will be completed by April 30 but the Abuja-Kano one will not be completed before the transition to the next administration. Mr Fashola said this at the pre-inspection of the completed Loko-Oweto Bridge in Nasarawa State on Wednesday. I want to appeal to commuters on that road for continuous patience and understanding: it is a difficult project to execute because it is perhaps one of the busiest roads in the country. Building through 40,000 vehicular traffic daily is not an easy undertaking, we cannot shut down the road. So, we have to manage and divert traffic for the safety of those involved in the construction. So, I want to implore that forbearance continues because the deadline date we have for completion now is April 30. In about four weeks, 26 days, plus or minus, that road should also be fully completed, open to traffic from Lagos to Ibadan, and beyond the toll gate up to kilometre 116. According to him, what will be left is nine kilometres from Kilometres 17 to 27. Mr Fashola said the reason that would be left was that the Oyo State Government is constructing drainage across the road, adding that the drainage was necessary to help address the issue of excessive flooding and climate change in the state. We believe that it is better to wait for them to finish that project, and then complete the remaining nine kilometres, instead of building it now and then having them cut it up again. Speaking also about the Abuja-Kano expressway, to be completed on 30 April as well, Mr Fashola said it was the biggest of all the road projects in terms of scope and budget. Abuja-Kano is the biggest of the three projects in terms of scope, in terms of size, in terms of budget; it is 375 kilometres. It encompasses 41 bridges of different sizes. It was the last to start, so it cannot finish at the same time. That is the honest truth. But we have made progress from Zaria to Kano, that is, 137 kilometres, and the contractors tell us that by May 15 that site should be fully completed. Then, we have Kaduna to Zaria, which is about 70-something kilometres. That side of course, they say will be completed on the 30th of this month, fully open to traffic, he said. Mr Fashola, however, said the Abuja-Kaduna road which is one of the projects embarked upon by the Buhari administration, would not be finished in the life of the administration The eye of the storm, the most difficult part and that is the busiest part, is the Kaduna to Abuja side. That has suffered all kinds of delays and it would not be finished in the life of this administration. It is the most trafficked side. It has almost 40,000 vehicles in traffic every day. But those are not just the problems; the problems are that the right of way has been severely encroached on between FCT, Niger and Kaduna states. We are working with the governors to help relocate all the obstructions, otherwise, we cannot fully build it. Apart from that, the project is also delayed by the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline project. We need that gas pipeline project as a major boost for our energy security. The minister said these were some of the challenges unseen to members of the public, adding that both the road and the pipeline were important, hence they had to be taken in sequence and order. We lost almost a year and a half to security challenges or sometimes contractors had to move from that section completely they could not work. Thankfully, we must acknowledge the work that has been done by the law enforcement agencies, especially the Chief of Defense Staff and his team. They have made the return to that site easier and possible for our contractors. So, those are no longer an existent problem now. It is just the manhours now to do the work. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government has also finished the Loko-Oweto Bridge in Nasarawa State and the Second Niger Bridge both to be inaugurated soon. (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. Edozie Njoku has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise him as national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), citing a Supreme Court judgement. This was contained in a statement signed by the National Secretary of APGA, Muhyideen Imam, on Wednesday in Abuja. He said the Supreme Court in its judgement on 24 March resolved conclusively the APGA leadership dispute. The Apex Court in its judgment resolved conclusively the APGA leadership dispute in favour of Chief Edozie Njoku as the undisputable chairman of the party whose purported removable as national chairman was declared null and void by the apex court. It needs to be stated at this point that the dispute being who should be the acting national chairman of the 1st Respondent, APGA and whether the Chairman, Chief Victor Oye was validly replaced are within the confines of the internal affairs of the 1st Respondent which is not justiciable. Mr Imam said the letter Mr Njoku wrote to INEC read We will be most grateful if my recognition is instantly addressed and speedily honoured, bearing in mind that all the confusion from the Police and other allegations have been laid to rest. The judgment has also made it so clear that the issue of Edozie Njokus removal, at any point in time, is within the confines of the internal affairs of APGA and it is NOT justiciable. We look forward to a mutual cooperation for the future, the letter said. The Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision by a five-man panel of justices, admitted that it had in a judgement it delivered in 2021, erroneously written the name of Victor Oye, as chairman of the party. In the lead ruling that was delivered by Mohammed Lawal, the court said it has the powers to review its judgement and correct such accidental slip or error when it is brought to its attention. It, therefore, issued an order, expunging the aspect of the judgment where Mr Oyes name was reflected as the national chairman of the party. The ruling followed a motion that was brought before the court by Mr Njoku. Mr Njoku had in an application he filed through his team of lawyers led by Chike Onyemenam, SAN, urged the court to correct a typographical error in its judgement, which he said wrongly handed the leadership of the party to Mr Oye. The applicant noted that the Supreme Court had in a letter it wrote to him on 19 January, wherein it addressed him as the national chairman of APGA, asked him to approach it by way of a motion to regularise the said judgement. Relying on Order 8 Rule 16 of the Supreme Court Rules, Mr Njoku prayed the court to correct the said error in the lead judgment it delivered on 14 October 2021, in an appeal that was presided over by Mary Peter-Odili (Rtd). He specifically urged the Supreme Court to correct an accidental slip on Page 13, lines 3 to 4 of its judgment, where instead of writing the name of Edozie Njoku who was unlawfully removed from his position as the person that was validly elected as national chairman of APGA at the convention the party held at Owerri in 2019, mistakenly inserted the name of Victor Oye, who was not a party in the substantive suit that gave rise to the appeal. (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. Nigeria has secured a World Bank facility worth $800 million. The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing State House correspondents on outcome of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja. The meeting was presided over by President Muhammmadu Buhari. Mrs Ahmed said the money would be used to attend to a segment of post-petroleum subsidy palliatives requirement in the country. According to her, the $800 million is the first tranche of palliatives to be disbursed through cash transfers to about 50 million Nigerians, who belong to the most vulnerable category of society. She said: When we were working on the 2023 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and the Appropriation Act, we made that provision to enable us exit fuel subsidy by June 2023. Were on course, were having different stakeholders engagements, weve secured some funding from the World Bank. That is the first tranche of palliatives that will enable us give cash transfers to the most vulnerable in our society that have now been registered in a national social register. Today that register has a list of 10 million households. 10 million households is equivalent to about 50 million Nigerians. Mrs Ahmed added that the government was ready to go beyond cash transfer to cushion the effect the subsidy removal will have on Nigerians. She said We also have to raise more resources to enable us do more than just the cash transfers and also in our engagements with the various stakeholders. There are various kinds of tasks that we have go beyond the requirement of just giving cash transfers. Labour, for example, might be looking for mass transit for its members. So, there are several things that were still planning and working on, some we can start executing quickly, some are more medium-term implementation. On how much funding was received from the World Bank for the execution of the planned exit, Mrs Ahmed said: $800 million for the scale up of the National Social Investment Programme at the bank and its secured, its ready for this disbursement. 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. In recognition of the innovative approach to capacity development in the media, I was honoured to be awarded Innovator of the Year at the 2023 IN2 SABRE awards, which was held at the PRovoke EMEA Summit in Gesellschaftshaus Palmengarten Frankfurt, Germany on Thursday 23 March. As MTNs project director for the MIP and lead liaison with the Nigerian media, the award is a personal recognition that I am incredibly proud to receive, but represents the work and talent of a wider team that has worked tirelessly to make this happen. When I look back to 1996, the year I started my first job as a journalist, it feels like we were living in a prehistoric era. It is hard to believe that back then, our only work tools were a large dose of optimism with a pen and some paper, or what we called off-cuts (roughly cut A4-size papers from huge reams of newsprint). Some of us had midgets (micro tape recorders) or the Sony Walkman-type tape recorders, for interviews, but I did not know of any reporter who had a PC or a laptop. After we finished writing our stories in long-hand, we gave the sheaf of papers to typesetters who would type and print out for the sub-editors to knock into readable copies. The internet was just an abstract concept you read about in foreign newspapers or magazines. We didnt even have email. However, all this would change over a few short years as the digitisation of the media began, and many newsrooms in Nigeria became computerised, making it mandatory for journalists to upskill to operate in the new environment. Very soon, a laptop was an essential work tool, but it was the introduction of GSM telephony in 2001 that was truly revolutionary. The ability to communicate remotely with sources, to access information on the move, and to do so in real time was a game changer. But it was only the beginning. In subsequent years, content convergence onto mobile and other devices meant that broadcasting, telecommunications and computing integrated into one device enabled by rapidly improving internet connectivity. The pace of change is only accelerating. It seems like yesterday that we were marveling at the innovations that mobile connectivity enabled, but today the cutting-edge is so much more advanced. We live in a world where Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Augmented and Virtual Reality are moving into the mainstream and showing us things that many of us had never dreamed of. If Chat GPT can use natural language processing to interact with humans in a way that is indistinguishable from human to human interaction; if it can not only respond to questions, but produce creative content, write essays and code, then what utility would there have been for me as an aspiring journalist in 1996? The values and skills I learnt and built a career on are being automated, but with progress comes risks. Not just to hundreds of millions of jobs, but to the integrity and reliability of information and to the role of the media. I recently watched a video produced by the Daily Mirror in the UK, highlighting the radical advancement and potential dangers of AI. In it was a picture of the Pope wearing a white puffy jacket! There was another seemingly showing how Donald Trump was being manhandled while appearing to resist arrest in New York. But the one that totally beat me hollow was the image of the French President, Emmanuel Macron, seen trying to outrun angry rioters in Paris as they were being tear-gassed by riot policemen! In reality, none of these happened but the pictures looked perfectly real, totally devoid of the usual tell-tale signs of being photoshopped. They were all created by AI, which means the line between reality and illusion can now easily be blurred, making it harder and harder to identify whats real or fake. AI can situate people in circumstances where they were not, and vice versa almost like putting someone in a murder scene in London when they never left Ghana for instance. Surely, thats very dangerous stuff. According to Rijul Gupta, the tech entrepreneur founder of Deep Media, a company striving to create ethical AI tools, the current capabilities of Chat GPT are just the early signs of what lies ahead. We are currently only seeing text and images, very soon, not only will the Pope be seen wearing a puffy jacket, there will be a video of him breakdancing in it fully realistic, he said. In short, the fabric of truth and reality is being threatened, making it more and more difficult to distinguish between actuality and falsehood. But moving on, while we leave Rijul Gupta and other capable minds in Silicon Valley and other tech hubs, to create ethical AI that would save our world from itself, I have been pondering where the Nigerian media sit in this digital bubble and what does it all mean for us? State of Play in Nigeria Without gainsaying, the media, anywhere in the world, plays a fundamental role in the socio-political and economic development of the society. It is a Public Trust, holding those in authority accountable, and serving as a societal watchdog. In developing countries like Nigeria, the medias role is even more critical because of weak civic organs, which often makes the line between reporting and advocacy blurry for journalists. We have an incredibly proud heritage of media in Nigeria. From the founding of the first newspaper in 1859, the Iwe Irohin by Reverend Henry Townsend, a tradition of excellence was forged. Its strength and integrity were tested in the fires of nationalism and the struggle for Nigerias independence in the 1900s, as championed by the Pen Fraternity of Ernest Sisei Ikoli, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Herbert Macaulay and much later, Alhaji Babatunde Jose; journalism in Nigeria has always been vibrant, with dedicated leaders who never lost sight of its core ethos. At MTN, we recognise the incredible potential of this generation, of the confluence with emerging technology and the way that they crave applied technology to attain journalistic excellence, catch up with global trends and generally improve their storytelling techniques We are committed to using our technology and assets to help build a better tomorrow and in furtherance of these efforts, in 2022 we started what we call the MTN Media Innovation Programme (MIP) in partnership with the Pan-Atlantic University (PAU), Lagos. But sadly, as modernity and digitisation have rapidly altered the shape and structure of the industry, so we have seen an erosion of the ethos of the profession. Media without journalism is on the rise. There is a high birthrate but short life expectancy for publications and platforms in the industry. The Nigerian media space is in a state of flux, where it is difficult to grow and retain talent; invest in the future and institute good corporate governance culture to drive performance with integrity. Those in doubt should do a comparative analysis of newspapers across all tiers today. This will show that most publish the same government and corporate press releases and event photos no more frequent scoops; no more exclusives for which leading lights like Gbolabo Ogunsanwo, Dele Giwa et al., were renowned. Journalists cannot take the blame for this in isolation. Their ability to innovate, or simply to operate according to best practice is a function of the environment within which they are employed. It is no surprise that they are demotivated when media owners owe people months of salaries and other entitlements; when there are no opportunities or clear paths for career advancement, training, capacity building and self-improvement. All these are clear and present dangers, even while the foundations of the profession itself are being threatened by the rise of Artificial Intelligence, which I described in the opening paragraphs. But with these challenges comes an incredible opportunity. I dont think there has ever been a more important time to be a journalist. To uphold the centuries old principles that should guide our profession and to ensure that the mass explosion of content, and the automation coming behind it, is balanced by the independent, investigative journalists that have made the Fourth Estate such an important pillar of our society. The only way to approach this is to invest in technology and talent at the same time, ensuring that we produce quality content (original pieces and investigative stories) that people want to read. If we cannot maintain our audiences attention, through the platforms that they want to use, then what hope do we have of making this commercial? The polar opposites of this, or a dystopia of sorts, is what we presently have in the country. The good news is that at this time of flux, and of opportunity, we have a growing population of young and enterprising media practitioners who are very comfortable with technology; they recognise the fact that content is king; they understand the vast possibilities of digital communications, and are determined to leverage it to scale the limitations of their society and peculiar circumstances. In steps MTN Media Innovation Programme (MIP) At MTN, we recognise the incredible potential of this generation, of the confluence with emerging technology and the way that they crave applied technology to attain journalistic excellence, catch up with global trends and generally improve their storytelling techniques. How better to drive the emergence of leading digital solutions for Nigerias progress and achieve shared prosperity than to invest in protecting the heritage and driving the future potential of the Nigerian media. We are committed to using our technology and assets to help build a better tomorrow and in furtherance of these efforts, in 2022 we started what we call the MTN Media Innovation Programme (MIP) in partnership with the Pan-Atlantic University (PAU), Lagos. The MIP is a fellowship for journalists (media practitioners across the entire spectrum, including social media), and it is designed to help them build capacity at both professional and business levels. It is delivered over a six-month period as a certificate course. It combines theoretical rigour with practical workshops to enhance the knowledge and skills of participants in the areas of communications, technology, media effects, writing/reporting and general business management. By empowering media practitioners to do their job better and drive innovation, we are seeking to build the much-needed sustainability in the industry. As we all know, innovation drives change and builds new approaches to problem-solving and solution-oriented media practice for the benefit of humanity. Apart from equipping the media stakeholders with the skills to adapt to the changing realities that guarantee career and financial success, we also thought to add international exposure to the training, which will broaden the scope of the participants. To this end, MIP includes a study visit to the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa. This recognition, alongside the recognition we received when the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) awarded me the trophy of the Most Influential PR Professional in Nigeria for 2022, mean that it is clear that we are on the right track and the ecosystem is recognising the importance of the work that we are doing. But our journey has only just begun. To drive truly transformational change, we need to sustain and expand our work to support the media industry We also recognise that to move the needle on this challenge, we need to take a long-term approach. The pilot phase of the MIP will run from 2022 to 2024, but our ambitions are much greater. We seek to establish a programme that can be seen in the same light as the Nieman Fellowship in Harvard, the John S. Knight Fellowship in Stanford or a Knight-Wallace Fellowship in Michigan, whose recipients often end playing important roles in shaping our world through their work in media. To do that, we needed to design a programme and curriculum that was inclusive, innovative and immersive. We selected 20 journalists representing each of Nigerias geo-political zones as our first cohort, and we set ourselves the challenge of enabling accelerated transformation through the programme. We built a teaching team featuring the best and brightest in Nigerias academic, professional and media ecosystem from the PAU to BusinessDay, Bloomberg, BBC, The PUNCH, Premium Times; technology entrepreneurs and innovators building in the media space, as well as our own leadership team. We took our fellows on immersive facility visits in Nigeria and South Africa, from experience centres, to sub-sea cable landing stations, 5G demonstrations and to academic and corporate campuses, they saw the breadth of the ecosystem as it is currently structured. After six intense months, our first group of fellows graduated. Both documentary and anecdotal evidence suggest the impact that we have been able to achieve, from improvements in writing and reporting skills to the way they leverage technology to improve output and product quality. These are still early days, but 2022 taught us that we have a structure that can work, build upon and, if we are patient, achieve the ambitious transformational objectives we have set for ourselves. The MTN MIP is the first of its kind in Nigeria no other corporate has ever invested so much in a sustainable and far-reaching capacity building programme for journalists where intended outcomes can be successfully tracked. We are incredibly excited about building on the platform we have created and to making the 2023 cohort even more successful. In recognition of the innovative approach to capacity development in the media, I was honoured to be awarded Innovator of the Year at the 2023 IN2 SABRE awards, which was held at the PRovoke EMEA Summit in Gesellschaftshaus Palmengarten Frankfurt, Germany on Thursday 23 March. As MTNs project director for the MIP and lead liaison with the Nigerian media, the award is a personal recognition that I am incredibly proud to receive, but represents the work and talent of a wider team that has worked tirelessly to make this happen. This recognition, alongside the recognition we received when the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) awarded me the trophy of the Most Influential PR Professional in Nigeria for 2022, mean that it is clear that we are on the right track and the ecosystem is recognising the importance of the work that we are doing. But our journey has only just begun. To drive truly transformational change, we need to sustain and expand our work to support the media industry, to acknowledge what I said in my opening paragraph, that there is no more important time to be a journalist and to ensure that the Fourth Estate continues to act as societys watchdog, contributing to the growth of the great nation that is Nigeria. Funso Aina is Senior Manager, External Relations at MTN Nigeria Plc. 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. Maltina makes a difference with Show Kindness, Share Happiness Ramadan campaign Maltina, Nigerias leading malt drink brand, is again demonstrating its commitment to sharing happiness with its community during Ramadan with its new campaign, Show Kindness, Share Happiness. For this campaign, Maltina is collaborating with mosques and non-profit organisations to meet the needs of the less privileged. This CSR initiative aimed at showing kindness and sharing happiness will see the distribution of relief materials to families in need nationwide. This year, Maltina is taking its efforts to the next level by providing food for people in need during Iftar, the fast-breaking meal that marks the end of each days fasting. The brand is reaching out to some of the neediest people nationwide to ensure they have a nutritious meal to break their fast with. Additionally, the brand hosted Iftar dinner experiences with influencers across Nigeria to encourage and foster happiness in togetherness. Speaking on this initiative, Wasiu Abiola, Cluster Media Lead, West Africa, Nigerian Breweries Plc., stated that the brand is proud to be able to contribute to the well-being of the society during this holy month. Ramadan is a time of reflection, charity, and sharing, and we are delighted to be able to partner with mosques and non-profit organisations to reach out to those in need. By providing food for Iftar, we hope to help alleviate the suffering of the less privileged, and bring a smile to their faces. Onyebuchi Allanah, Senior Brand Manager, Maltina, highlighted the importance of showing kindness and sharing happiness during Ramadan. Ramadan is a time of giving and sharing, and we believe that by spreading happiness, we can help create a better world. We hope that our efforts will inspire others to do the same, and together, we can make a real difference in the lives of those who need it the most. Maltinas Ramadan initiative, as part of the campaign, is expected to provide relief to thousands of people during Ramadan, and the brand is committed to making a lasting impact on the communities it serves. The brands partnership with mosques and non-profit organisations will undoubtedly build stronger ties with the people and foster a culture of giving and sharing that will endure long after Ramadan. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. The 19th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan will be held on April 7, Kairat Torebayev, Vice-Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan told reporters on the sidelines of the Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan Business Forum, Trend reports. According to him, Kazakhstan is interested in developing trade and economic relations with Azerbaijan, and expanding cooperation in the field of investments and as part of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR). As the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Baku told Trend, Kazakh Minister of Trade and Integration Serik Zhumangarin and Vice-Minister of Trade and Integration Kairat Torebayev will take part in the meeting from the Kazakh side. The meeting is expected to be attended by representatives of a number of ministries and departments from the two countries. 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 Kano State Fire Service said three female passengers died while 13 other passengers sustained injuries when a commercial bus caught fire on Tuesday. The agencys Public Relations Officer, Saminu Abdullahi, confirmed the incident in a statement he issued to journalists in Kano. He said the commercial vehicle, a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number XE 222 TRN, caught fire around the Government Technical College in Nassarawa Local Government Area o(LGA) of the state. He said the incident occurred while the bus, coming from Ajingi LGA to Kofar Wambai, was engulfed in fire. The statement said that fire personnel and officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) successfully put out the fire and successfully rescued most of the victims. Mr Abdullahi, who said three women in the bus were burnt beyond recognition, gave two of their names as Surayya Umar and Zeenai Babaji. Abdullahi said the remaining 13 victims, who sustained various degrees of injury, were taken to the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano, for treatment. He said that the driver, Muhammed Gali, 35, and his bus conductor Hassan Danladi, 30, were also rescued without any injury and handed over to the police. The fire service official, who attributed the cause of the accident to a speeding limit violation and a burst rear tyre, implored motorists to drive with caution. (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 Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday summoned one of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olus aides and a commissioner over alleged refusal to bring contracts before the House for ratification before execution. The House summoned them based on a Matter of Urgent Public Importance raised by Nureni Akinsanya (APC-Mushin I) in Lagos on Tuesday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the summoned officials are the Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Private Partnership (PPP), Ope George, and the state Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Bamgbose Martins. The House said they were to furnish the legislators with information on their refusal to have recourse to it for ratification before contracts were signed. Mr Akinsanya had urged the House to look at the flagrant disregard for the laws of the state on contractual agreements. He cited some PPP contracts allegedly entered into by Mr Sanwo-Olus commissioner and aide without following due process. According to him, the trend needs to be discouraged, and the law enforced, hence all contracts should be put on hold for now. I am calling on the House to invite the commissioner and other concerned agencies for questioning, he said. Rotimi Olowo (APC- Shomolu I)! said that the officers involved and the contractors should come before the House for scrutiny. Commenting, Temitope Adewale (APC-Ifako-Ijaiye I) said that ratification of the House was in the interest of the people and the state. Mr Adewale said that approving contracts without bringing them before the House for ratification indicated a flagrant disregard for the rule of law. The Deputy Speaker of the House, Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni (APC-Lagos Island I), who presided over the plenary, ruled that the individuals be summoned. Mr Eshinlokun-Sanni said this was to avail the House with the required details, to give a clearer picture and guard against the untoward development. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print 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. MIAMI, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Experience the ultimate gathering of cannabis industry leaders, innovative entrepreneurs, and savvy investors at the 16th edition of the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference . Set in the luxurious Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel , this event promises to be a game-changer for cannabis business, investing, finance, brands, and retail. Don't miss your chance to be part of the action and uncover the next big thing in cannabis investing. Reserve your spot now and join the revolution! Cannabis Conference, Miami Witness the fusion of cannabis and mainstream business as we welcome top executives from Twitter, Uber, and other leading tech companies to the conference. This groundbreaking collaboration will pave the way for the future of retail and the exciting crossover between mainstream and cannabis consumer products. Be part of history as Twitter meets with cannabis industry executives for the first time, opening the door to cannabis advertising on social media platforms. Ten reasons to join the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference: Learn how to thrive in your cannabis business amid a bear market. Discover the next generation of industry-leading businesses. Identify exclusive opportunities for retail investors. Gain invaluable tactics from the most profitable businesses. Learn what investors are looking for in a challenging market. Network with CEOs and decision-makers from top companies in the industry. Gain insider access to celebrities sharing their stories and brand-building secrets. Ask industry leaders and celebrities your burning questions and receive real-time answers. Drive public opinion and your own narrative via the largest financial media voice in the industry. Connect with your next investor or co-founder and make lasting friendships. The Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference is designed to help cannabis entrepreneurs and investors make the most of their time, offering an unparalleled opportunity for networking, deal-making, and learning from the world's leading cannabis investors and top-performing companies. Don't miss out on this year's exceptional speaker lineup, including: Alexa Alianiello , Twitter US Sales & Partnerships , Twitter US Sales & Partnerships Rohan Routroy, Twitter NEXT Rep. Dave Joyce , U.S. Representative for Ohio's 14th Congressional District , U.S. Representative for 14th Congressional District Rep. Troy Carter , U.S. Representative for Louisiana's 2nd Congressional District , U.S. Representative for 2nd Congressional District Jessie Young , Global Lead, New Verticals, Uber Technologies , Global Lead, New Verticals, Uber Technologies Gina Collins , CMO, Trulieve , CMO, Trulieve Emily Paxhia , Managing Partner, Poseidon , Managing Partner, Poseidon Tim Seymour , CNBC News Anchor and Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Seymour Asset Management (SAM) , CNBC News Anchor and Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Seymour Asset Management (SAM) Matt Darin , CEO, Curaleaf , CEO, Curaleaf Weldon Angelos , Founder and President, The Weldon Project , Founder and President, The Weldon Project Darren Weiss , COO, Verano Holdings , COO, David Goubert , President and CEO, Ayr Wellness , President and CEO, Ayr Wellness Matt Hawkins , Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Entourage Effect Capital , Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Entourage Effect Capital Kristi Palmer , Co-Founder, Kiva Confections , Co-Founder, Kiva Confections Kelly Flores , COO, Wana Brands , COO, Jason Wild , CIO and President at JW Asset Management , CIO and President at JW Asset Management Wendy Berger , Board Member, Green Thumb Industries , Board Member, Green Thumb Industries Paul Weaver , Director and Head of Cannabis at Boston Beer , Director and Head of Cannabis at Boston Beer Gia Moron, President of Women Grow "Cannabis businesses have closed deals in aggregate north of $1.5-$2 billion at our prior events. And get ready: the 2023 conference will be even larger, with a record level of investment capital and top-notch operators," says Chief Zinger Jason Raznick. Secure your tickets at the lowest price today, starting at $447 for accredited investors and $997 for the general audience. Prices will increase as the conference approaches. Be part of this incredible event by registering now at www.benzinga.com/events/cannabis-conference . SOURCE Benzinga CARY, N.C., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 20 South Partners announced today the acquisition of iGLASS Networks ("iGLASS"), a best-in-class outsourced Network Operations Center ("NOC"). iGLASS will maintain all management and staff, joining ISPN Network Services ("ISPN") in the 20 South Partners portfolio. ISPN is a leading provider of 24x7 customer support and managed IT services for broadband providers across North America, and the addition of iGLASS will bring together two complementary businesses and further 20 South Partners' mission of helping people stay connected. iGLASS, founded in 1997, has built a strong reputation for delivering NOC as a Service to its customers across the Broadband, Healthcare, IT, and Financial Services verticals. The company has deep expertise in network operations and specializes in 24x7 monitoring of IT infrastructure. The iGLASS platform integrates heterogenous network performance data in a unified display, offering businesses unique visibility into all aspects of their broadband connection, from data center to the premises. iGLASS and ISPN will now bring a fully-fledged network monitoring and troubleshooting solution to customers. Tweet this "We are thrilled to welcome iGLASS to 20 South Partners," said Jeff Neblett, CEO of 20 South Partners and ISPN. "We've gotten to know the iGLASS founders, Tim, Jack, and Woody, and the company's team well over the past two years. We appreciate their focus on excellent service delivery and the customer experience. This acquisition will allow us to provide ISPN customers with an even wider range of managed network services and tools, while also expanding our presence in Healthcare, IT, and Financial Services. We are excited about the opportunities this will bring to our customers, employees, and stakeholders." "For over 25 years, iGLASS has been a trusted source of network monitoring services for our clients," said Tim Bolden, President & Co-Founder of iGLASS. "Our goal has always been to help customers maintain their networks and maximize uptime by providing unique monitoring solutions customized for each customer. We couldn't be more excited about joining forces with 20 South Partners and ISPN as we now bring a fully-fledged monitoring and troubleshooting solution to our customers. We have enjoyed getting to know Jeff, Scott [President & CFO of 20 South Partners and ISPN], and ISPN, and we are looking forward to improving our customers' connectivity together." About 20 South Partners 20 South Partners is a family of leading managed service providers with the shared mission of helping people stay connected. It was founded in 2018 and is run by Co-Founders, Jeff Neblett and Scott Lauber. Headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas, 20 South Partners made its first acquisition of ISPN in 2020 and is focused on partnering with managed services businesses who share its "Customer First" core value. For more information or inquiries, please contact [email protected]. About iGLASS Networks Founded in 1997, by Tim Bolden and brothers, Jack Woodring and George "Woody" Woodring, iGLASS is a leading provider of 24x7 network monitoring services. The company has built a strong reputation for delivering Network Operations as a Service, with specialties in Broadband (HFC, FTTP, FTTH), Healthcare, IT, and Financial Services spaces. For more information about iGLASS's services, visit www.iglass.net About ISPN Network Services ISPN helps leaders of community-focused broadband service providers elevate the customer experience and achieve growth through customer-driven, reliable, and innovative 24x7 support and managed IT solutions. By utilizing ISPN's Hosted Server Solutions, Internet, IPTV & Video Technical Support, Email Services, and Network/IP Management, organizations can take advantage of economies of scale from ISPN's resources and expertise. For more information about ISPN's services, visit www.ispn.net. SOURCE 20 South Partners DUBLIN, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AerCap Holdings N.V. ("AerCap" or the "Company") (NYSE: AER) today announced it will host a conference call and webcast for investors and analysts on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time to review its first quarter 2023 financial results. AerCap's first quarter 2023 earnings press release will be released before financial markets open in the United States on May 2, 2023. A copy of the press release will be posted on the "Investors" section of AerCap's website at www.aercap.com. At the same time, the presentation slides for the conference call will also be posted on AerCap's website. The call can be accessed live by dialing (U.S./Canada) +1 646 828 8193 or (International) +353 1 246 5638 and referencing code 1328439 at least 5 minutes before start time, or by visiting AerCap's website at www.aercap.com under "Investors". The webcast replay will be archived on the "Investors" section of the company's website for one year. About AerCap AerCap is the global leader in aviation leasing with one of the most attractive order books in the industry. AerCap serves approximately 300 customers around the world with comprehensive fleet solutions. AerCap is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (AER) and is based in Dublin with offices in Shannon, Miami, Singapore, Memphis, Amsterdam, Shanghai, Dubai, Seattle, Toulouse and other locations around the world. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain statements, estimates and forecasts with respect to future performance and events. These statements, estimates and forecasts are "forward-looking statements". In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "might," "should," "expect," "plan," "intend," "will," "aim," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "predict," "potential" or "continue" or the negatives thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements and are based on various underlying assumptions and expectations and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions, and may include projections of our future financial performance based on our growth strategies and anticipated trends in our business. These statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and projections about future events. There are important factors, including the impacts of, and associated responses to: the Ukraine Conflict, the Covid-19 pandemic, that could cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results, level of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. As a result, we cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements included in this press release will prove to be accurate or correct. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the future performance or events described in the forward-looking statements in this press release might not occur. Accordingly, you should not rely upon forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results and we do not assume any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any of these forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable law, we do not undertake any obligation to, and will not, update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For more information regarding AerCap and to be added to our email distribution list, please visit www.aercap.com and follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/aercapnv. SOURCE AerCap Holdings N.V. Yonsei University Professor of Finance Sam Y. Chung to lead the new division, as AIF expands its global institutional asset owner community NEW YORK, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The independent economic think tank AIF Global ( www.aifglobal.org ) is pleased to announce the launch of a new division called AIF APAC. AIF APAC will serve as an ongoing resource that will educate and inform the global institutional asset owner community, particularly those based in the Asia Pacific regions of South Korea, Australia, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong, about the best use of alternative investments in their portfolios. Yonsei University Professor of Finance Sam Y. Chung will serve as the first Head of AIF APAC. Professor Chung is based in Seoul, South Korea. AIF APAC's Head, Professor Chung stated: "It is my great honor to lead AIF APAC and, as one team with AIF Global, we will put forth our best effort to educate and inform the Asia Pacific community of asset owners about their best use of alternative investments to enhance and diversify their portfolios. I am confident that the insights and knowledge that will be shared through AIF APAC will be invaluable to them as they navigate the complex and dynamic landscape facing asset owners in the APAC region." AIF's Founder and CEO Brant Maller stated: "We could not have been more pleased with the success of AIF APAC's inaugural event under Professor Chung's leadership. The APAC region is as dynamic and growing as any in the world, so adding this regional presence is the natural next step in AIF's goal of expanding to all of the world's major institutional money centers. Professor Chung's years of experience on investment advisory boards for NPS and Korea Post, his status as a respected finance academic and his physical presence in the APAC region make him an ideal choice to lead AIF's efforts there." AIF APAC held its inaugural Annual Investors' Meeting in Seoul on March 2829, 2023. Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), Chief Investment Officers (CIOs) and Senior Investment Officers from many of the world's largest institutional asset owners, including CEOs and CIOs of National Pension Service of Korea (NPS), Korea Investment Corporation and New York State Teachers' Retirement System (NYSTRS), as well as many of the APAC region's top government officials and preeminent finance academics, participated in the Annual Investors' Meeting. The meeting was anchored by AIF's signature portfolio construction, alternative asset class and Center of Excellence deep dive sessions. It also featured several memorable, cross-border, best practice policy discussions, including one among Oregon State Treasurer Tobias Read, NYSTRS Executive Director-CIO Tom Lee and South Korean National Assembly Member and University of Seoul Finance Professor Chang Hyun Yun. That discussion examined two very different, but highly successful, governance models utilized by two nearly fully funded pension plans (for the States of Oregon and New York). Those models were contrasted against NPS, which is the world's second largest pension plan, but faces demographic and structural challenges that may cause its funding to be fully depleted prior to 2055. The keynote dinner speakers each night were Mr. Sung Joo Kim, a Congressman of the South Korean National Assembly and the former CEO of NPS, and Dr. Sung Hwan Shin, a Member of Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of Korea. They discussed some of the current fiscal and geopolitical issues facing NPS and the South Korean economy. AIF APAC's forums and other investment activities will be integrated with those of AIF Global across the four continents that AIF Global visits: North America, Australia, Europe, and Asia. They will also showcase the content generated by the AIF Institute's four Centers of Excellence in Private Capital Investing, Insurance Investing, Financial Innovation, and ESG and Sustainable Investing. The initial Founding Faculty Members of AIF APAC are 400 Capital Management, which specializes in investing in Alternative Credit, CBRE, which specializes in investing in Real Assets (Real Estate and Infrastructure), and GrowthCurve Capital, which specializes in investing in Private Equity. AIF APAC plans to add other Faculty Members with specialized expertise in the main alternative asset classes that AIF Global studies: Private Equity, Private Credit, Real Estate, Infrastructure, and Diversifying and Opportunistic Strategies. AIF will conduct its Australian Investors' Forum on May 1718 in Melbourne. About AIF Global and the AIF Institute AIF Global is an independent economic think tank with the mission of fostering the exchange of best ideas, practices, and information among institutional investors globally to help them achieve their investment objectives. Since its inception, the AIF Institute has been a leader in providing customized education to institutional investors globally. https://aifglobal.org Media Contacts ASC Advisors Mary Beth Grover / Eli Kapsack [email protected] / [email protected] SOURCE AIF Global Leading marketing and print solutions provider opens 12 new locations DENVER, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AlphaGraphics , a leading franchisor of printing and marketing solutions, demonstrated tremendous growth in 2022 as its franchisee systems saw a 23% increase in sales throughout the year. In addition, the franchise added 12 new locations and 17 new owners, including transfers. AlphaGraphics demonstrated tremendous growth in 2022 as its franchisee systems saw a 23% increase in sales throughout the year. "The increase in sales is a testament to how hard our franchisees work daily," said Bill McPherson, vice president of franchise development. "They are always looking for ways to evolve to continue providing reliable, high-quality services to our customers. That translates into franchise-wide success, which enables us to sell more franchise licenses to entrepreneurs. It truly takes a team effort for an entire franchise system to be successful." AlphaGraphics' success is highlighted by the awards it received including being named to Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 list and being named to the publication's Franchise 500 Hall of Fame. They were also named to the Franchise Times Top 500. "Each year, our goal is to continue growing nationwide to ensure businesses have access to our services no matter where they are located," McPherson said. "As we plan for continued growth, we will remain dedicated to providing quality services that are an asset to the communities we serve." AlphaGraphics was founded in 1970, and the company began offering franchise opportunities in 1979. For more information, visit https://www.alphagraphics.com/. About AlphaGraphics AlphaGraphics, Inc., with more than 285 locations in 6 countries, is one of the largest U.S.-based networks of locally-owned and operated Business Centers offering a complete range of print, visual communications, and marketing products. Solutions include: full-service digital, offset, and large format printing; design services; mailing; one-to-one marketing solutions; promotional products; and web to print solutions. For more information about AlphaGraphics services, visit www.alphagraphics.com . To learn about franchise opportunities, visit www.alphagraphicsfranchise.com . About MBE Worldwide MBE Worldwide S.p.A. ("MBE"), a privately-owned company with its headquarters in Italy, is a Global Commerce enabler for SMBs and consumers thanks to its platform providing e-commerce, fulfillment, shipping, marketing and print solutions via multi-brand operations: PrestaShop, Mail Boxes Etc. (except the US and Canada), PostNet, PACK & SEND, Spedingo.com, AlphaGraphics, Multicopy, World Options UK and Print Speak. The combination of our retail platform - that currently counts 2,900+ Service Centers in 53 Countries with more than 12.000 associates - with our PrestaShop ecommerce platform served almost one million business customers in FY 2021 generating 1.01 billion (US $1.2 billion) of System Wide Sales and 24 billion (US $28.5 billion) of e-commerce Gross Merchandise Value. For additional information please visit MBE Worldwide Group websites at www.mbecorporate.com - www.prestashop.com/en - www.mbeglobal.com - www.postnet.com - www.packsend.com.au - www.spedingo.com/en - www.alphagraphics.com - www.multicopy.nl - www.printspeak.com - www.mbe.it - www.mbe.es - www.mbe.de - www.mbefrance.fr - www.mbe.pl - www.mbeportugal.pt - www.mbe.co.uk - https://uk.worldoptions.com/ MEDIA CONTACT: Heather Ripley Ripley PR 865-977-1973 [email protected] SOURCE AlphaGraphics LONG BEACH, Calif., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorneys from the Law Offices of Robin D. Perry obtained a $13 million settlement on behalf of the family of a woman killed by a school safety officer in Long Beach. Robin Perry, along with co-counsel, announced the wrongful death settlement which is believed to be the largest settlement in California involving a school safety officer shooting. The senseless, unjustified incident took place in 2021. According to the complaint, Mona Rodriguez was an 18-year-old woman who was allegedly involved in an altercation with a 15-year-old girl. A school safety officer was nearby, and in the course and scope of his job, he opened fire on a vehicle Mona was in while it drove away. She shot numerous times into the side and read windows of the vehicle, striking Mona in the head, killing her. The officer was reportedly fired from his job after the shooting and faces criminal charges for second-degree murder. The complaint alleges there was no reasonable basis for the officer to shoot at the vehicle as no one, including the officer, was in danger of death or serious bodily injury. "The fact that this man was charged with the crime of murder flies in the face of his title 'school safety officer,'" said attorney Robin D. Perry. "The school security office is run as poorly as one can imagine, a young woman had her life stolen, and a young child no longer has a mother because of this horrible tragedy. She deserved better." The suit was brought by Mona's family. The case is Isael Rodriguez Chowdhury et al. v. Long Beach Unified School District, Los Angeles Superior Court, Case No. 22STCV04995. About The Law Offices of Robin D. Perry & Associates Since 1998 The Law Offices of Robin D. Perry & Associates has provided vigorous representation and an unyielding dedication to its individual and corporate clients. The Firm is a goal-oriented, values-driven firm, committed to providing effective representation to satisfy the legal needs of a diverse client base. Our goal is simple: win every case, every time. We pride ourselves on developing creative strategies to solve an array of legal issues while maintaining the highest levels of integrity and confidentiality. The firm is committed to furthering justice, obtaining positive results, and providing high-quality, personal service to every client. Media Contact: Joe Marchelewski, [email protected] SOURCE Law Offices of Robin D. Perry & Associates The NDC in Azerbaijan launches CEDAR, their new Central Securities Depository solution, and BSE launches BETP, their new Trading System, via Montran's state-of-the-art solutions BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Depository Center (NDC) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, The Baku Stock Exchange (BSE), and Montran announced the successful implementation of "CEDAR", NDC's Central Securities Depository (CSD) platform, and "BETP", BSE's Trading System. These new platforms mark an important landmark in the modernization of the Azerbaijani Capital Markets Infrastructure, providing the country with state-of-the-art solutions for sustainable securities market management. The new CEDAR platform allows NDC to efficiently manage the complete lifecycle of dematerialized securities, including registration, primary and secondary market clearing, settlement, and corporate actions processing. It is built with best practices and complete support for straight-through-processing (STP) using ISO 20022 messages. Additionally, NDC also launched their new Investor Portal platform, which provides access to individual and corporate investors directly to monitor their accounts, transactions and enter operations. BETP, the new trading system of BSE, enables real-time trading of dematerialized securities and repurchase agreements using orders and negotiations. BETP opens new opportunities for BSE members by providing integration capabilities using FIX protocol and APIs to perform trading activities and obtain market data. According to Mr. Adishirin Gasimov, Chairman of the Executive Board of NDC, "the successful implementation of these new platforms is a major milestone in upgrading the Capital Markets Infrastructure in Azerbaijan." Mr. Eldar Abdullayev, Acting Chairman of the Management Board of BSE, added that "BETP opens up more new opportunities for BSE members and their clients to conduct trading activities and obtain market data." "The Central Securities Depository, Trading System, and Investor Portal products allow a robust and fully integrated solution for the complete Capital Markets ecosystem in Azerbaijan. Montran is confident these modern platforms will bring efficiency and allow a fast and streamlined integration for all stakeholders," said Ms. Raegan Esca, Montran Europe General Manager. About The National Depository Center of the Republic of Azerbaijan The National Depository Centre (NDC) is a non-profit legal entity established by the financial market supervision authority of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The main purpose of NDC is the organization and coordination of the depository system that engages in safekeeping of securities, keeping records of ownership rights and other ones, as well as registering securities transactions. More information can be found at www.mdm.gov.az. About The Baku Stock Exchange CJSC The Baku Stock Exchange is the only stock exchange in Azerbaijan, trading short- and long-term bonds, common stocks, corporate and government securities, REPO operations. More information can be found at www.bfb.az. About Montran Montran is the leading provider of Payment and Securities Market Infrastructure solutions and services for many of the world's foremost financial institutions, with mission critical installations and operations in over 80 countries. More information can be found at www.montran.com . Contact: Veronica Alvaro [email protected] SOURCE Montran Headline changed. Details added (first published: 4 April 2023 18:35) BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 4. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov, met with Head of the Council of Europe Office in Baku (CE), Petr Sich, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan told Trend. According to the ministry, the issues on the agenda of the current cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Council of Europe, and the current situation in the region were discussed at the meeting. Referring to the extensive cooperation agenda between Azerbaijan and the Council of Europe, the importance of the adopted action plans in the development of relations, including the action plan for 2022-2025, was noted. Bayramov gave detailed information about the current post-Karabakh conflict situation in the region, the large-scale restoration and construction work carried out by Azerbaijan on its liberated territories, and the steps taken by Azerbaijan for the normalization of relations with Armenia. It was noted that the failure of the Armenian side to fulfill its obligations, its incomplete withdrawal of its armed forces from the territory of Azerbaijan, and its misuse of the Lachin-Khankendi road for illegal purposes, are obstacles to establishing peace and security in the region. Furthermore, it was mentioned that Armenian accusations of an alleged "humanitarian crisis" and "blockade", the reason behind which is to cast a shadow over the peaceful protests of Azerbaijan's civil society against Armenian illegal actions regarding the Lachin-Khankendi road, are not reflecting reality. It was noted that those statements are designed to mislead the international community. Head of the Council of Europe Office in Baku, Petr Sich, noted that the cooperation between Azerbaijan and the CoE is continuing successfully based on mutual understanding and trust. Sich emphasized the importance of mutual visits and contacts for the future development of these ties. The sides also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest. Legislation Make More Unused Land Available for Relocatable Housing Units, Takes Advantage of 45,000 Unused Federal housing vouchers for homeless in California SACRAMENTO, Calif. , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- State Senator Josh Becker (D-San Mateo), together with the nonprofit housing developer DignityMoves announced Senate Bill 634 co-sponsored by SPUR and Bay Area Council to facilitate the construction and deployment of "opportunity" housing units relocatable housing placed on unused land that have the potential to house tens of thousands of low-income Californians. Challenge : Traditionally-constructed housing in California takes a long time to build and is very expensive. Many local governments are working hard but face massive challenges to building sufficient amounts of housing, particularly for very low-income households. Meanwhile, public entities have thousands of parcels of excess land not currently being used. Solution : "Opportunity" housing is an innovative solution that takes advantage of vacant land to build relocatable housing units. This model is already working in cities like Santa Barbara , San Francisco , and Rohnert Park . SB 634 makes this type of housing easier and faster to scale statewide, and will pave the way for new housing by asking public entities to make unused land available and convert these otherwise squandered assets into what California desperately needs more low-income housing. "There is a missing rung on the housing ladder: nothing exists between shelter and 'affordable' housing," said Elizabeth Funk, CEO of DignityMoves. "The overwhelmingly positive response to our first few opportunity communities has made us think what more this model could do to provide desperately needed housing to low-income households in the state" Some of the biggest barriers to solving homelessness and our housing shortage in California are addressed by SB 634: Land costs : There are very few productive uses for land that is only available for a few years. Because it's relocatable, opportunity housing can be built on public or private land that has future intended use and therefore is not suitable for permanent development. : There are very few productive uses for land that is only available for a few years. Because it's relocatable, opportunity housing can be built on public or private land that has future intended use and therefore is not suitable for permanent development. Building costs : Using innovative prefabricated and modular construction, relocatable housing can be built quickly and inexpensively while meeting the state building standards for temporary housing that ensure high-quality and safety. Further, philanthropy and private financing can help fund these significantly less expensive projects. : Using innovative prefabricated and modular construction, relocatable housing can be built quickly and inexpensively while meeting the state building standards for temporary housing that ensure high-quality and safety. Further, philanthropy and private financing can help fund these significantly less expensive projects. Permitting : Because units are in place temporarily, "opportunity" housing does not have a permanent impact on zoning or environmental standards and can thus benefit from a wide range of process exemptions and massively streamlined approvals. A DignityMoves project in San Francisco received final permit approvals in less than 3 weeks a remarkably short amount of time for a housing project of any kind. : Because units are in place temporarily, "opportunity" housing does not have a permanent impact on zoning or environmental standards and can thus benefit from a wide range of process exemptions and massively streamlined approvals. A DignityMoves project in received final permit approvals in less than 3 weeks a remarkably short amount of time for a housing project of any kind. Unused Federal Housing Vouchers: There are around 45,000 unused federal housing vouchers being wasted in California because we don't have enough affordable homes. To Speak to DignityMoves CEO Elizabeth Funk contact: Chris Davis, [email protected] or call 805 403-3170 For State Senator Josh Becker, contact: [email protected] Photo Link, https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Wt4dkd79_QoY9ARpso-P71KsHms1EEoz SOURCE DignityMoves NEWPORT NEWS, Va., April 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The BLVD Group ("BLVD"), is proud to announce the acquisition and renovation of Aqua Vista Apartments, a 150-unit affordable housing community located in Newport News, Virginia. Aqua Vista Apartments Originally constructed in 1970, Aqua Vista is one of the most unique affordable housing properties in the country due to its waterfront location with great views of Hampton Roads Harbor and adjacent to King-Lincoln Park in Newport News. The apartment complex has not been renovated for over 50 years and will go through a $13.5 million redevelopment to enhance the community for its residents and preserve its affordability for years to come. BLVD's Managing Principal, Robert Budman states, "At BLVD we take a thoughtful and wholistic approach to each renovation with a commitment to not only develop great physical buildings that will last long into the future, but also provide superior amenities, reduce the property's environmental impact, and in this case add resident services as well." Aqua Vista Apartment's buildings systems will be converted from gas to electric power in order to reduce the overall carbon footprint of the property, and the property will receive a broad range of new energy and water saving features. The property will receive the Enterprise Green Communities certification when complete. The community will also undergo significant improvements to the building envelope including new roofs, insulation, energy efficient windows and entry doors. Each resident's home will be upgraded with entirely new finishes throughout, including kitchens, bathrooms, new appliances, flooring, paint and energy saving LED light fixtures. The renovation will significantly expand amenities at the site including BBQs, a playground, dog park, business center, community room and a new leasing office. BLVD will partner with a local social services provider and utilize the new space by offering webinars, seminars and workshops to help educate the community's residents on a variety of subjects focused on personal finances and development. BLVD's Director of Acquisitions, George Saad, states, "We are pleased to partner with Virginia Housing and Enterprise Community Investments to preserve and extend the affordability of Aqua Vista Apartments through a creative and collaborative 4% LIHTC acquisition. With the renovation of every unit, expansion of property amenities and funding of an on-site support service program, we hope to improve the quality of life for residents." "Virginia Housing is excited to partner with The BLVD Group to bring more affordable housing units to the Newport News area," says JD Bondurant, Managing Director of Rental Housing for Virginia Housing. "The renovation of these ten buildings speaks to our commitment to revitalizing communities and bringing quality, affordable homes to as many Virginians as we can." The redevelopment of Aqua Vista Apartments will have a long-term positive impact on the community by preserving its affordability for individuals and families whose incomes do not exceed 60% of the area's median income through 2072. Project Team: Developer: The BLVD Group The BLVD Group Equity Partner: Enterprise Communities Enterprise Communities General Contractor: Metro Group Services Metro Group Services Construction Lender: Virginia Housing Virginia Housing Architect: Hooker De Jong Architects Total Development Costs: $35,830,968 About The BLVD Group: The BLVD Group is a leading real estate investment and development firm focused on multifamily housing. Through our three business lines, BLVD Capital, BLVD Impact Housing and BLVD Communities, we focus across the income spectrum providing market rate, middle income, and affordable housing. Our affordable initiative leverages supportive housing programs including Property-Based Section 8 subsidies, Low Income Housing Tax Credits, and other federal, state, local and private financing to preserve and expand long term affordable housing opportunities for low-income families. SOURCE The BLVD Group CALGARY, AB, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Boardwalk Real Estate Investment Trust - TSX: BEI.UN Boardwalk REIT ("Boardwalk", "the Trust", "We") is pleased to provide its quarterly operational update highlighting its strong portfolio occupancy and increasing occupied rents, as we continue to focus on our essential service of providing high-quality and affordable homes to Boardwalk's Resident Members while delivering growth and value for our stakeholders. Stabilized Portfolio Occupancy Apr-22 May-22 Jun-22 Jul-22 Aug-22 Sep-22 Stabilized Portfolio Occupancy 1 95.9 % 96.6 % 96.9 % 97.0 % 97.1 % 97.6 % Oct-22 Nov-22 Dec-22 Jan-23 Feb-23 Mar-23 98.1 % 97.9 % 98.0 % 98.0 % 98.2 % 98.1 % Apr-23 98.4 % 1 Preliminary occupancy as of the first day of each month Occupied Rent Feb-22 Mar-22 Apr-22 May-22 Jun-22 Jul-22 Occupied Rent 2 $1,206 $1,217 $1,221 $1,224 $1,228 $1,237 Aug-22 Sep-22 Oct-22 Nov-22 Dec-22 Jan-23 $1,246 $1,252 $1,256 $1,265 $1,271 $1,278 Feb-23 $1,283 2 Occupied rent is a component of rental revenue as calculated in accordance with IFRS and represents stabilized properties only. It is calculated for occupied units as of the first day of each month as the average rental revenue, adjusted for other rental revenue items such as fees, specific recoveries and revenue from commercial tenants. March 2023 figure TBA with Q1 Results. Sam Kolias, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Boardwalk REIT commented: "Moving into our busy spring leasing season, our Residents continue to reward our commitment to providing exceptional product quality, service and experience with strong retention, our highest occupancy since 2013 at 98.4%, and historically low availability. In our largest market of Alberta, we continue to see strong international and interprovincial inflows due to high demand for affordability, quality of life and employment opportunities. Our team is committed to expanding operating margins in 2023 by further optimizing our rentals and finding innovative ways to manage controllable and non-controllable operating costs. We remain well-positioned to deliver strong organic growth in the months to come." 2022 ESG and Annual Report Boardwalk is proud to publish its 2022 ESG and Annual Report. Both reports are available as digital reports on the Trust's website: www.bwalk.com/investors. Timing of Boardwalk REIT's First Quarter Financial Results Boardwalk REIT's financial results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2023, will be released the evening of May 9, 2023. We invite you to participate in the teleconference to be held to discuss these results the following day (Wednesday, May 10, 2023) at 11:00 am (Mountain),1:00 pm (Eastern). Senior Management will speak to the results and provide a financial and operational update. Presentation and supplemental materials will be made available on our website prior to the call (please visit: www.bwalk.com/investors). Teleconference: To join the conference call without operator assistance, you may register and enter your phone number at https://emportal.ink/42ZkGgm to receive an instant automated call back. You can also dial direct to be entered to the call by an operator using the traditional conference call instructions below. The telephone numbers for the conference are toll-free 1-888-664-6383 (within North America) and 416-764-8650 (International). Note: Please provide the operator with the below Conference Call ID or Topic when dialing in to the call. Conference ID: 82822944 Topic: Boardwalk Real Estate Investment Trust, 2023 First Quarter Results. Webcast: Investors will also be able to listen to the call and view the slide presentation by visiting www.bwalk.com/investors on the morning of the call. An information page will be provided for any software and system requirements. The live webcast will also be available by clicking below: Boardwalk REIT First Quarter Results Webcast Link Corporate Profile: Boardwalk REIT strives to be Canada's friendliest community provider and is a leading owner/operator of multi-family rental communities. Providing homes in more than 200 communities, with over 33,000 residential suites totaling over 29 million net rentable square feet, Boardwalk has a proven long-term track record of building better communities, where love always livestm. Our three-tiered and distinct brands Boardwalk Living, Boardwalk Communities, and Boardwalk Lifestyle, cater to a diverse demographic and has evolved to capture the life cycle of all Resident Members. Boardwalk's disciplined approach to capital allocation, acquisition, development, purposeful re-positioning, and management of apartment communities allows the Trust to provide its brand of community across Canada creating exceptional Resident Member experiences. Differentiated by its peak performance culture, Boardwalk is committed to delivering exceptional service, product quality and experience to our Resident Members who reward us with high retention and market leading operating results, which in turn, lead to higher free cash flow and investment returns, stable monthly distributions, and value creation for all our stakeholders. Boardwalk REIT's Trust Units are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, trading under the symbol BEI.UN. Additional information about Boardwalk REIT can be found on the Trust's website at www.bwalk.com/investors. CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Information in this news release that is not current or historical factual information may constitute forward-looking statements and information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning applicable of securities laws. The use of any of the words "expect", "anticipate", "may", "will", "should", "believe", "intend" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Implicit in these forward-looking statements, particularly in respect of Boardwalk's objectives for its current and future periods, Boardwalk's strategies to achieve those objectives, as well as statements with respect to management's beliefs, plans, estimates, assumptions, intentions, and similar statements concerning anticipated future events, results, circumstances, performance or expectations are estimates and assumptions subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause Boardwalk's actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. Specifically, Boardwalk has made assumptions surrounding the impact of economic conditions in Canada and globally, Boardwalk's future growth potential, prospects and opportunities, the rental environment compared to several years ago, interest costs, access to equity and debt capital markets to fund (at acceptable costs) the future growth program to enable the Trust to refinance debts as they mature, the availability of purchase opportunities for growth in Canada, general industry conditions and trends, changes in laws and regulations including, without limitation, changes in tax laws, mortgage rules and other legislative changes, increased competition, the availability of qualified personnel, fluctuations in foreign exchange or interest rates, and stock market volatility. These assumptions, although considered reasonable by the Trust at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect. SOURCE Boardwalk Real Estate Investment Trust TOP ATLANTA REAL ESTATE AGENT HAS GENERATED $25,000/DAY SINCE 2021, CREDITS ADHD/DYSLEXIA AND SPILLS SUCCESS SECRETS IN NEW BOOK ATLANTA, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In newly released Brokering Billions: Secrets of the Nation's Top Real Estate Agents , Bonneau Ansley, top Atlanta real estate agent and founder/chairman of Ansley Real | Christie's International, reveals his childhood diagnosis of ADHD and dyslexia, and credits these "perceived liabilities" as "superpowers" that helped him build a billion dollar business, and earn more than $25,000 per day over the last two years. The book, which scaled to #3 on Wall Street Journal's weekly bestseller list, and #1 on Barnes & Noble and Amazon bestseller lists, is a textbook for success with both motivation and proven tactics for new and seasoned agents wanting to dramatically increase their sales. Available now via download and in print from amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, or BrokeringBillions.com "I've used this process to sell billions in real estate, and helped hundreds of agents do the same," - Bonneau Ansley Tweet this In newly released "Brokering Billions: Secrets of the Nations Top Real Estate Agents," Bonneau Ansley, top Atlanta real estate agent and founder/chairman of Ansley Real | Christies International, reveals his childhood diagnosis of ADHD and dyslexia, and credits these perceived liabilities as superpowers that helped him build a billion dollar business, and earn more than $25,000 per day over the last two years. The book, which scaled to #3 on Wall Street Journals weekly bestseller list, and #1 on Barnes & Noble and Amazon bestseller lists, is a textbook for success with both motivation and proven tactics for new and seasoned agents wanting to dramatically increase their sales. Available now via download and in print from amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, or BrokeringBillions.com Bonneau Ansley is an Atlanta entrepreneur, bestselling author, speaker, founder and chairman of Ansley Real Estate | Christies International Real Estate, and one of the top-selling real estate agents in the U.S,, with over $920 million in personal production, 2021 - 2022. "When I was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD as a kid, the idea of becoming one of the top people in any profession seemed unreachable. But I wanted to show everyone that the dyslexic, ADHD misfit could be wildly successful in business and also help others do the same," says Ansley. "If I can go from one listing in 2009 to personally selling more than $920 million in residential real estate in 2021 and 2022, I know the sky's the limit for anyone." Passionate about tapping into talent and enabling others to experience extreme success, Ansley encourages others to view their (or their child's) ADHD or dyslexia diagnosis as their own "golden ticket to success." Says Ansley, "In a world of over-medicated kids, I want anxious parents to be encouraged by how I've turned my perceived liabilities into a thriving business. Most of all, I want to inspire others, especially those who, like me, had been told their whole life that they weren't good enough or smart enough to succeed in business." In Brokering Billions , Ansley provides a roadmap for identifying and overcoming weaknesses. "I've learned that there are too many people who think their "limitations" mean their ceiling in selling real estate is limited. Whether their perceived limitations are personal ("I'm not good at marketing" or "I'm not organized") or environmental ("My market is small" or "There's a lot of competition in my market"), I've heard it all," he shares. "But I've also learned that perceived limitations can be overcome by putting in place a simple plan like I did. Not only have I used this process to sell billions of dollars in real estate, but I've also helped hundreds of agents in my company and elsewhere elevate their business to new heights using the same process." Ansley continues to practice the same mindset and team-building approach, and use the same tools, systems and marketing strategies he shares in Brokering Billions , as he scales his own business, which generated over $6 billion in 2021- 2022 and is one of the most successful residential real estate agencies in the U.S. In addition to the book, Ansley co-hosts a podcast, "Brokering Billions," featuring some of the nation's most successful real estate industry professionals, including Aaron Kirman and Mark Spain. Listen on Apple, Spotify, or from BrokeringBillions.com ABOUT BONNEAU ANSLEY: Bonneau Ansley is an Atlanta entrepreneur, founder and chairman of Ansley Real Estate | Christie's International Real Estate, and one of the top-selling real estate agents in the U.S. Business accolades include: $6 Billion in production, Ansley Real Estate, 2021-2022 in production, Ansley Real Estate, 2021-2022 Over $920M in personal production, 2021-2022 in personal production, 2021-2022 #1 agent in Georgia , team category, Wall Street Journal , team category, Youngest agent in Georgia to reach $1 billion in career sales to reach in career sales 2018 Entrepreneur of the Year, Buckhead Business Association Wall Street Journal Real Trends Top Team in the United States Real Trends Top Team in University of Georgia Alumni Association's Bulldog 100 for the past 10 years, in recognition of being one of the fastest growing alumni owned and operated companies Alumni Association's Bulldog 100 for the past 10 years, in recognition of being one of the fastest growing alumni owned and operated companies Georgia Fast 40 award (2019) for being Georgia's 8th fastest growing middle-market company in the $20 - $50M category MEDIA INQUIRIES & SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS: Tucker Sarkisian Director of Public Relations | Realtor Ansley Real Estate | Christie's International Real Estate [email protected] 404.337.1062 SOURCE Bonneau Ansley TORONTO, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Brizo Data is excited to announce series A funding of over $12 million (CAD) in combined venture capital and debt. The round was led by FRAMEWORK Venture Partners and BDC Capital's Industrial Innovation Venture Fund. The company was launched in 2020 by seasoned entrepreneurs Ian Delisle, Trevor Shimizu, Gaetan Corneau and Jean-Sebastien Vachon. Brizo's vision is to become the source of truth on the foodservice and hospitality industries through their unrivaled depth of industry data and insights. Brizo Data's flagship product, Brizo FoodMetrics, is North America's most reliable and comprehensive source of near real-time, foodservice market analytics. Restaurant intelligence is now a key driver in industry research, marketing and sales, enabling businesses in the food and beverage industry to thrive through data-informed decisions. Brizo provides insights to foodservice suppliers and vendors of all kindsfrom who is selling Wagyu beef or linen services, to companies offering staffing technologies, delivery or online reservation solutions. "For restaurant industry professionals and suppliers, the sector has changed considerably through the rapid adoption of technology," said Trevor Shimizu, co-founder and CRO of Brizo. "Brizo makes it fast and easy to understand the data and insights that are now part of day-to-day operations, and to operationalize those insights to remove friction for sales teams, widen margins and serve customers better." Since the pandemic, technology and data has become the new frontier in the food and beverage business. Brizo FoodMetrics takes all that data (from over one million foodservice establishments across the U.S. and Canada) and makes it digestiblecapable of driving quick, high-quality restaurant and foodservice business intelligence. "Brizo empowers food and beverage industry professionals and entrepreneurs in their own growth trajectories by cutting down on the time it takes to find sales leads and to identify new and emerging market opportunities," said Jim Texier, Partner at FRAMEWORK Venture Partners. "Brizo's technology is a powerful tool to increase the speed and efficiency of their operations, allowing them to pivot, to tailor offerings or to forecast future trends in the foodservice industry and get ahead of the curve." Brizo FoodMetrics includes dashboard customizations for a wide variety of customer uses including technology vendors, franchisors, food and beverage distributors and industry investors. "We are thrilled to invest in Brizo as a technology that can empower the entire foodservice sector across North America," said Joseph Regan, Managing Partner, Industrial Innovation Venture Fund at BDC Capital. "With data-driven, actionable insights, Brizo's customersbusiness owners and emerging technology companies themselveswill be able to better manage risk and create opportunities through data-backed decisions." Ian Delisle, co-founder and CEO of Brizo says, "the infusion of capital will allow us to accelerate growth and expand into new marketsmaking our solution an even bigger game changer for the industry." About Brizo Data. Brizo FoodMetrics is the source of truth on the foodservice industry, helping businesses to optimize sales processes and drive growth through insight-led data and analytics. As a foodservice market analytics platform, Brizo empowers vendors and restaurateurs with more high-quality data from across the North American foodservice industry. About FRAMEWORK. Venture beyond capital. Established in 2018, FRAMEWORK is a world-class venture capital partnership that backs purposeful startups. FRAMEWORK's collaborative approach empowers exceptional founders and their teams on their path to becoming the next generation of world-class technologies. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada with offices in Montreal, QC and Austin, Texas, FRAMEWORK combines a unique, data-driven, and experience-based investment model with a collaborative model of active capital to assist management teams on their scaling journey. The company is committed to cultivating improvements in the venture capital ecosystem for all founders and investors through the Startup Scorecard and Investor Network. About BDC Capital. BDC Capital is the investment arm of BDC, Canada's Business Development Bank. With over $6 billion under management, BDC Capital serves as a strategic partner to the country's most innovative firms. It offers businesses a full spectrum of capital, from seed investments to growth equity, supporting Canadian entrepreneurs who have the ambition to stand out on the world stage. Visit bdc.ca/capital . For media inquiries contact: Kate Morris | [email protected] | 647-712-3347. SOURCE Brizo Data, Inc. Benefit Night Followed by Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Joined by Valparaiso Mayor and Local Officials at New Buona/Rainbow Cone Location VALPARAISO, Ind., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Regional favorite restaurant brands, Buona , and The Original Rainbow Cone have today announced they will host back-to-back community events in April to celebrate the first dual-concept location opening in Valparaiso, Indiana. Buona and The Original Rainbow Cone welcome Valparaiso neighbors to celebrate the grand opening of their first dual-concept location on April 12. The festivities will begin with a Benefit Night for Porter County CASA , which will be held on April 11 from 5 pm-8 pm. The event will feature half-off of all Buona and Rainbow Cone menu items for dine-in and drive-thru guests who provide the event's print or digital flyer with their order. All proceeds will support CASA, which advocates for abused and neglected children in the region. The official Grand Opening for Buona/Rainbow Cone's new Valparaiso, Indiana location will take place on April 12. The Grand Opening will begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:30 am; Valparaiso Mayor Matt Murphy and other local officials will be in attendance. The Fast Casual restaurants will include a double-lane drive-thru by Palmer Digital Group , spacious dining room and a mobile ordering pick-up zone. Both family-friendly events will take place at the Buona/Rainbow Cone restaurant, located at 2901 John Howell Drive in Valparaiso, Indiana. "We can't wait to bring the Valparaiso community together for two exciting days of delicious food to celebrate our grand opening and benefit area kids in need," said Joe Buonavolanto Ill, third-generation Buona family member and VP of Franchise Operations at the company. "Come over to support Porter County CASA and celebrate our newest location." Buona was founded in 1981 by Joe and Peggy Buonavolanto, who dreamed of bringing Chicago flavors and opportunity to their family and surrounding communities. Its iconic menu features Buona's signature Italian beef sandwich, along with hand-tossed salads, burgers, hot dogs, all-natural chicken, fresh pastas and a full catering menu. Rainbow Cone is a Chicago treasure, created in 1926 by "Grandpa Joe" Sapp, who was never satisfied with just one ice cream flavor and stacked five flavors on a single cone instead. The two Windy City icons joined together in 2022 to bring dual-concept stores to Chicago and other regions around the country, including its new Valparaiso location. In addition to the grand opening of the new Valparaiso location, Buona is hosting a $500 gift card contest now- April 12. More details about the contest or to enter can be found at https://buona.com/locations/valparaiso . The brands also plan to bring food trucks to further celebrate with area residents, including giveaways, prizes and more. Follow @buonabeef and @theoriginalrainbowcone to learn more . About Buona/The Original Rainbow Cone Buona/The Original Rainbow Cone bring two Chicago, family-owned traditions together, combining Buona's authentic recipe for Italian beef sandwiches and The Original Rainbow Cone's world-famous 5-flavor "Rainbow Cone." Four decades, three generations and several dozen restaurants ago, Joe and Peggy opened the first Buona restaurant in Berwyn, IL, which specialized in their authentic recipe for Italian beef sandwiches. Today, Buona is driven by multiple 3rd generation Buonavolantos and hard-working, dedicated employees who loyally serve Buona customers and surrounding communities. As a result, Buona is the largest family-owned Italian beef restaurant group and Italian beef producer in the country. Rainbow Cone was founded in 1926 by "Grandpa Joe" Sapp, who was never satisfied with just one ice cream flavor and stacked five delicious flavors on a single cone. The company remains 3rd generation family-owned including its original Southside location. For more information, visit https://buona.com and https://rainbowcone.com SOURCE Buona; The Original Rainbow Cone BOSTON, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Burns & Levinson partner Ellen Zucker has been named a 2023 Go To Employment Lawyer by Mass Lawyers Weekly for her impressive accomplishments in employment law. Burns & Levinson partner Ellen Zucker has been named a 2023 Go To Employment Lawyer by Mass Lawyers Weekly for her impressive accomplishments in employment law. Zucker is recognized as a powerful and skilled litigator and wise counselor who helps her clients navigate challenging circumstances. Whether securing a meaningful resolution or litigating tenaciously on behalf of her clients, individuals from Alaska and California to Texas and Kentucky have sought seek her counsel. She gives voice to those wronged in the workplace and has been a legal champion of civil rights throughout her career. Most recently, she secured a $4.6 million judgment in favor of Det. Kathleen Donohue against the Town of Watertown. The jury found that the Town had discriminated against Det. Donohue based on her gender and retaliated against her when she dared to complain. The jury awarded her significant compensatory damages and determined that the Town's conduct warranted the imposition of a $1 million punitive damages award. Another trailblazing win was a $13 million settlement for an orthopaedic surgeon, Dennis W. Burke, M.D., who blew the whistle on a practice at the Massachusetts General Hospital of allowing surgeons to book and conduct multiple surgeries at the same time and who as a result of his standing up for patient safety had his longtime Medical Staff appointment terminated. The case has had a national impact, including the American College of Surgeons changing its policies and major medical centers revising their practices. In Massachusetts, the Board of Registration in Medicine promulgated regulations that limit the practice of concurrent surgery and set standards for informed consent. Early in her career, Zucker represented Malvina Monteiro, a Cape Verdean public employee who suffered retaliation after raising concerns about discrimination in the City of Cambridge. She secured a $8.9 million judgment in Monteiro's favor. Her work on this and other cases has earned her recognition by the local branch of the NAACP, NOW and other professional organizations. Zucker received her J.D. from Boston College Law School, her M.Sc. in Political Theory from the London School of Economics and Political Science and her B.A. from Wesleyan University. She began her legal career as law clerk to the Honorable Nancy Gertner in the Federal District Court/District of Massachusetts. About Burns & Levinson LLP At Burns & Levinson, we provide high-level, client-centric and results-oriented legal services to our regional, national and international clients. We are a full-service law firm with 125 lawyers in Boston, Providence and London. Our areas of expertise include: business/finance, business litigation, divorce/family law, venture capital/emerging companies, employment, estate planning, government investigations, intellectual property, M&A/private equity, probate/trust litigation, and real estate. We partner with our clients to solve their business and personal legal issues in a collaborative, creative and cost-effective way. For more information, visit Burns & Levinson at www.burnslev.com. Contact: Amy Blumenthal Kristen Weller Blumenthal & Associates Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer 617.879.1511 617.345.3555 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Burns & Levinson CHICAGO, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (Cboe: CBOE), a leading provider of global market infrastructure and tradable products, today reported March monthly trading volume statistics across its global business lines and provided guidance for selected revenue per contract/net revenue capture metrics for the first quarter of 2023. The data sheet "Cboe Global Markets Monthly Volume & RPC/Net Revenue Capture Report" contains an overview of certain March trading statistics and market share by business segment, volume in select index products, and RPC/net capture, which is reported on a one-month lag, across business lines. Average Daily Trading Volume (ADV) by Month Year-To-Date Mar 2023 Mar 2022 % Chg Feb 2023 % Chg Mar 2023 Mar 2022 % Chg Multiply-listed options (contracts, k) 10,795 10,604 1.8 % 11,219 -3.8 % 11,062 10,978 0.8 % Index options (contracts, k) 3,867 2,303 67.9 % 3,502 10.4 % 3,595 2,414 48.9 % Futures (contracts, k) 269 197 36.3 % 227 18.4 % 232 254 -8.6 % U.S. Equities - On-Exchange (matched shares, mn) 1,629 1,953 -16.6 % 1,427 14.2 % 1,501 1,842 -18.5 % U.S. Equities - Off-Exchange (matched shares, mn) 89 112 -20.5 % 87 1.8 % 89 108 -17.6 % Canadian Equities1 (matched shares, k) 146,362 42,575 243.8 % 157,861 -7.3 % 150,812 41,133 266.6 % European Equities (, mn) 12,301 13,968 -11.9 % 11,531 6.7 % 11,383 12,831 -11.3 % Cboe Clear Europe Cleared Trades2 (k) 132,558 181,548 -27.0 % 112,446 17.9 % 357,597 454,438 -21.3 % Cboe Clear Europe Net Settlements2 (k) 970 1,039 -6.7 % 827 17.4 % 2,662 2,802 -5.0 % Australian Equities3 (AUD, mn) 804 898 -10.4 % 785 2.5 % 754 879 -14.2 % Japanese Equities3 (JPY, bn) 189 164 14.8 % 194 -2.9 % 183 162 13.3 % Global FX ($, mn) 49,560 45,421 9.1 % 42,991 15.3 % 44,992 41,983 7.2 % 1 Canadian Equities data include MATCHNow and NEO from June 2022 onwards. Before June 2022 it included MATCHNow only. "Net capture per 10,000 touched shares" refers to transaction fees divided by the product of one-ten thousandth ADV of shares for NEO and MATCHNow and the number of trading days for the period. 2 Cboe Clear Europe figures are totals (not ADV) for the months and years-to-date. 3 Australian Equities and Japanese Equities data reflects Cboe's acquisition of Cboe Asia Pacific (formerly Chi-X Asia Pacific) effective on July 1, 2021. March and First Quarter 2023 Trading Volume Highlights U.S. Options Total volume across Cboe's four options exchanges reached a new monthly high of 337.2 million contracts in March, and a new daily high of 22.5 million contracts on March 10, 2023 . . Trading in S&P 500 Index (SPX) options set multiple new volume records for the month and quarter, including: New quarterly ADV record of 2.8 million contracts New monthly total volume record of 66.1 million contracts New single-day volume record on March 10, 2023 with 4.2 million contracts traded with 4.2 million contracts traded Nanos options had its highest monthly ADV with 4,100 contracts traded per day in March. Introduced in March 2022 , Nanos are 1/100th the size of the mini-SPX contract and designed to help traders more easily identify and size trades, providing greater precision when hedging or taking a directional position. European Equities and Derivatives Cboe European Derivatives Exchange (CEDX) traded 6,574 contracts in March, a record total monthly volume figure, beating the previous high of 3,824 contracts in January 2023 . . Cboe Clear Europe, Cboe's pan-European clearing house, cleared a record 8 million trades on Euronext's stock exchanges in Amsterdam , Brussels , Paris , Lisbon and Milan under the preferred clearing model, surpassing the previous high of 7.2 million trades cleared in November 2022 . Global FX Cboe FX set multiple volume records for the first quarter of 2023, including: Spot FX quarterly ADNV of $43.9 billion Spot Full Amount quarterly ADNV of $13.9 billion Non-Deliverable Forwards (NDF) quarterly ADNV of $1.1 billion First-Quarter 2023 RPC/Net Revenue Capture Guidance The projected RPC/net capture metrics for the first quarter of 2023 are estimated, preliminary and may change. There can be no assurance that our final RPC for the three months ended March 31, 2023, will not differ materially from these projections. (In USD unless stated otherwise) Three-Months Ended Product: 1Q Projection Feb-23 Jan-23 Dec-22 Multiply-Listed Options (per contract) 0.064 0.059 0.057 0.060 Index Options 0.891 0.888 0.883 0.876 Total Options 0.267 0.253 0.245 0.248 Futures (per contract) 1.720 1.721 1.704 1.689 U.S. Equities - Exchange (per 100 touched shares) 0.019 0.024 0.024 0.024 U.S. Equities - Off-Exchange (per 100 touched shares) 0.114 0.118 0.116 0.113 Canadian Equities (per 10,000 touched shares) CAD 4.054 CAD 3.908 CAD 3.890 CAD 3.901 European Equities (per matched notional value) 0.221 0.221 0.222 0.224 Australian Equities (per matched notional value) 0.161 0.162 0.140 0.142 Japanese Equities (per matched notional value) 0.239 0.251 0.264 0.265 Global FX (per one million dollars traded) 2.656 2.689 2.688 2.689 Cboe Clear Europe Fee per Trade Cleared 0.008 0.008 0.008 0.007 Cboe Clear Europe Net Fee per Settlement 0.933 0.870 0.894 0.886 The above represents average revenue per contract (RPC) or net capture is based on a three-month rolling average, reported on a one-month lag. For Options and Futures, the average RPC represents total net transaction fees recognized for the period divided by total contracts traded during the period for options exchanges: BZX Options, Cboe Options, C2 Options and EDGX Options; futures include contracts traded on Cboe Futures Exchange, LLC (CFE). For U.S. Equities, "net capture per 100 touched shares" refers to transaction fees less liquidity payments and routing and clearing costs divided by the product of one-hundredth ADV of touched shares on BZX, BYX, EDGX and EDGA and the number of trading days for the period. For U.S. Equities Off-Exchange, "net capture per 100 touched shares" refers to transaction fees less OMS/EMS costs and clearing costs divided by the product of one-hundredth ADV of touched shares on BIDS Trading and the number of trading days for the period. For Canadian Equities, "net capture per 10,000 touched shares" refers to transaction fees divided by the product of one-ten thousandth ADV of shares for MATCHNow and the number of trading days for the period and includes revenue from NEO from June 2022. For European Equities, "net capture per matched notional value" refers to transaction fees less liquidity payments in British pounds divided by the product of ADNV in British pounds of shares matched on Cboe Europe Equities and the number of trading days. For Australian Equities, "net capture per matched notional value" refers to transaction fees less liquidity payments in Australian Dollars divided by the product of ADNV in Australian Dollars of shares matched on Cboe Australia and the number of trading days. For Japanese Equities, "net capture per matched notional value" refers to transaction fees less liquidity payments in Japanese Yen divided by the product of ADNV in Japanese Yen of shares matched on Cboe Japan and the number of trading days. For Cboe Clear Europe, "Fee per Trade Cleared" refers to clearing fees divided by number of non-interoperable trades cleared and "Net Fee per Settlement" refers to settlement fees less direct costs incurred to settle divided by the number of settlements executed after netting. For Global FX, "net capture per one million dollars traded" refers to transaction fees less liquidity payments, if any, divided by the Spot and SEF products of one-thousandth of ADNV traded on the Cboe FX Markets and the number of trading days, divided by two, which represents the buyer and seller that are both charged on the transaction. Average transaction fees per contract can be affected by various factors, including exchange fee rates, volume-based discounts and transaction mix by contract type and product type. About Cboe Global Markets, Inc. Cboe Global Markets (Cboe: CBOE), a leading provider of market infrastructure and tradable products, delivers cutting-edge trading, clearing and investment solutions to market participants around the world. The company is committed to operating a trusted, inclusive global marketplace, providing leading products, technology and data solutions that enable participants to define a sustainable financial future. Cboe provides trading solutions and products in multiple asset classes, including equities, derivatives, FX and digital assets, across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more, visit www.cboe.com. CBOE-V Cboe, Cboe Global Markets, Cboe Volatility Index, and VIX are registered trademarks of Cboe Exchange, Inc. or its affiliates. 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More detailed information about factors that may affect our actual results to differ may be found in our filings with the SEC, including in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and other filings made from time to time with the SEC. We do not undertake, and we expressly disclaim, any duty to update any forward-looking statement whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. SOURCE Cboe Global Markets, Inc. JERSEY CITY, N.J., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- InsightAce Analytic Pvt. Ltd. announces the release of market assessment report on "Global Cell and Gene Therapy Supply Chain/Logistics Market By Application Area, By Type of Software Solution, By Mode Of Deployment, By End-User, By Region, Trends, Industry Competition Analysis, Revenue And Forecast Till 2031". According to the latest research by InsightAce Analytic, the global Cell and Gene Therapy Supply Chain/Logistics market size is valued at US$ 1.23 Billion in 2022, and it is expected to reach US$ 3.12 Billion in 2031, recording a promising CAGR of 11.2% during the forecast period of 2023-2031. The supply chain management services for cells and therapies support various supply chain stages by offering customizable services. Providing personalized treatments and smart packaging is a major challenge in this market. Supply chains' demanding situations and needs increase the call for extra superior IT solutions. Maximum pharmaceutical businesses are taking part with IT businesses to make services computerized and much less complex. Advanced technology systems for supply chain information control permit you to manage, manipulate, and monitor the supply chains in only a few clicks. For instance, Marken is developing technology designed to cope with complex logistics and offer the greatest supply chain solutions for the fast-growing cellular and gene therapies market. The continuous improvements in the supply chain management offerings are anticipated to boom the Cell and Gene Therapy Supply Chain/Logistics market in the upcoming years. Request for Sample Pages: https://www.insightaceanalytic.com/request-sample/1694 Some of the prominent players in the Cell and Gene Therapy Supply Chain/Logistics market are: Be The Match BioTherapies MAK-SYSTEM Cryoport Brooks Life Sciences Lykan Bioscience Clarkston Consulting SAP Hypertrust Patient Data Care Haemonetics MasterControl TraceLink SAVSU Technologies TrakCel Title21 Health Solutions sedApta Group Vineti, Stafa Cellular Therapy Thermo Fisher Scientific(Patheon) McKesson Biocair, Marken(UPS Company) Modality Solutions Almac Arvato Supply Chain Solutions SE Catalent, Inc BioLife Solutions, Inc. Biostor Ltd Yourway Biopharma Services Company Atelerix Ltd Other Prominent Players Leading manufacturers of this field focus on offering high quality and customizable services to the clients. Also, partnerships, collaborations, mergers, and acquisitions are helping market players to boost their businesses. Key developments in the market: In Jan 2023 , Cryoport and Syneos Health formed a new strategic partnership to improve cell and gene therapies. The partnership will help cell and gene therapies get better around the world and will be the first fully integrated biopharmaceutical and supply chain solution for the business. This agreement will help speed up treatment and improve results by giving more people around the world access to these life-changing therapies. , Cryoport and Syneos Health formed a new strategic partnership to improve cell and gene therapies. The partnership will help cell and gene therapies get better around the world and will be the first fully integrated biopharmaceutical and supply chain solution for the business. This agreement will help speed up treatment and improve results by giving more people around the world access to these life-changing therapies. In Oct 2022 , TrakCel and ZS collaborated to advance cell and gene orchestration using AI-based solutions. The objective of the TrakCel and ZS partnership was to contribute proactive analysis and forecasting to reduce further treatment delays, product loss, and resource waste, thereby reducing the global cost of CGTs. The partnership aimed to extend supply chain orchestration beyond the visibility of supply chain progress into end-to-end order orchestration implementation and the ability to take immediate action to the planning to modify and improve the supply chain in order to increase efficiencies and decrease delivery times and costs. , TrakCel and ZS collaborated to advance cell and gene orchestration using AI-based solutions. The objective of the TrakCel and ZS partnership was to contribute proactive analysis and forecasting to reduce further treatment delays, product loss, and resource waste, thereby reducing the global cost of CGTs. The partnership aimed to extend supply chain orchestration beyond the visibility of supply chain progress into end-to-end order orchestration implementation and the ability to take immediate action to the planning to modify and improve the supply chain in order to increase efficiencies and decrease delivery times and costs. In March 2021 , Be The Match BioTherapies and Orchard Therapeutics had expanded their multi-year partnership to include supply chain services in support of the upcoming commercial launch of LibmeldyTM (autologous CD34+ cells encoding the ARSA gene), Orchard's recently approved gene therapy in Europe for the treatment of early-onset metachromatic leukodystrophy. (MLD). Curious about this latest version of the report? Enquiry Before Buying: https://www.insightaceanalytic.com/enquiry-before-buying/1694 Cell and Gene Therapy Supply Chain/Logistics Market Report Scope Report Attribute Specifications Market size value in 2022 USD 1.23 Bn Revenue forecast in 2031 USD 3.12 Bn Growth rate CAGR CAGR of 11.2 % from 2023 to 2031 Quantitative units Representation of revenue in US$ Billion, and CAGR from 2023 to 2031 Historic Year 2019 to 2022 Forecast Year 2023-2031 Report coverage The forecast of revenue, the position of the company, the competitive market statistics, growth prospects, and trends Segments covered Application Area, Software Solution, End-user, Type of Deployment Regional scope North America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Latin America; Middle East & Africa Country scope U.S.; Canada; U.K.; Germany; China; India; Japan; Brazil; Mexico; The UK; France; Italy; Spain; China; Japan; India; South Korea; Southeast Asia; South Korea; Southeast Asia Market Dynamics: Drivers: The growing need for cell and gene treatments, growing medical trials, and improvements in real-time supply chain operations are expected to enhance the quality of the cell and gene therapies supply chain management services during the forecast period. In addition, developing medical technologies, rising customizable facilities, enhancing efficacy of CGT supply chain services, and the increasing innovations in the supply services is expected to fuel the market expansion. Challenges: However, the excessive funding cost required for CGT supply chain services, lack of standard therapy protocols, and complicated tactics may hamper the market growth over the projected period. Regional Trends: In terms of region, the North America region is the primary revenue holder of this market due to rising awareness about cell therapies, increasing government investments in the R&D of cell therapies to treat various diseases and high demand for novel therapies. In addition to this, the Asia-Pacific market is expected to grow faster owing to the growing cell therapy manufacturing industries and the improving efficiency of CGT supply chain services. Request for Discount: https://www.insightaceanalytic.com/discount/1694 Market Segments Market Size (Value US$ Mn) & Forecasts and Trend Analyses, 2023 to 2031 based on Application Area Donor eligibility assessment Sample collection Manufacturing Logistics Patient verification and treatment follow-up Market Size (Value US$ Mn) & Forecasts and Trend Analyses, 2023 to 2031 based on Type of Software Solution Cell orchestration platform Enterprise manufacturing system Inventory management system Laboratory information management system Logistics management system Patient management system Quality management system Tracking and tracing system Market Size (Value US$ Mn) & Forecasts and Trend Analyses, 2023 to 2031 based on End-User Biobank Cell Therapy Lab Hospital Research Institute Commercial Organization Market Size (Value US$ Mn) & Forecasts and Trend Analyses, 2023 to 2031 based on Type of Deployment Cloud-Based On-premises Market Size (Value US$ Mn) & Forecasts and Trend Analyses, 2023 to 2031 based on Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa North America Cell and Gene Therapy Supply Chain/Logistics market revenue (US$ Million) by Country, 2023 to 2031 U.S. Canada Europe Cell and Gene Therapy Supply Chain/Logistics market revenue (US$ Million) by Country, 2023 to 2031 Germany France Italy Spain Russia Rest of Europe Asia Pacific Cell and Gene Therapy Supply Chain/Logistics market revenue (US$ Million) by Country, 2023 to 2031 India China Japan South Korea Australia & New Zealand Latin America Cell and Gene Therapy Supply Chain/Logistics market revenue (US$ Million) by Country, 2023 to 2031 Brazil Mexico Rest of Latin America Middle East & Africa Cell and Gene Therapy Supply Chain/Logistics market revenue (US$ Million) by Country, 2023 to 2031 GCC Countries South Africa Rest of Middle East & Africa Obtain Report Customization Details @ https://www.insightaceanalytic.com/customisation/1694 Why should buy this report: To receive a comprehensive analysis of the prospects for global Cell and Gene Therapy Supply Chain/Logistics market To receive industry overview and future trends of global Cell and Gene Therapy Supply Chain/Logistics market To analyze the Cell and Gene Therapy Supply Chain/Logistics market drivers and challenges To get information on the Cell and Gene Therapy Supply Chain/Logistics market size value (US$ Mn) forecast till 2031 Major Investments, Mergers & Acquisition in global Cell and Gene Therapy Supply Chain/Logistics market industry Other Related Reports Published by InsightAce Analytic: Global Cell and Gene Therapy Bio-manufacturing Market Global Cell & Gene Therapy Raw Material Testing Market Global Cell and Gene Therapy Bioassay Services Market Global Lipid Nanoparticles (LNPs) CDMO Market Global Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products CDMO Market Global mRNA Synthesis and Manufacturing Services Market About Us: InsightAce Analytic is a market research and consulting firm that enables clients to make strategic decisions. Our qualitative and quantitative market intelligence solutions inform the need for market and competitive intelligence to expand businesses. We help clients gain a competitive advantage by identifying untapped markets, exploring new and competing technologies, segmenting potential markets, and repositioning products. Our expertise is in providing syndicated and custom market intelligence reports with an in-depth analysis with key market insights in a timely and cost-effective manner. Contact Us: InsightAce Analytic Pvt. Ltd. Tel.: +1 551 226 6109 Email: [email protected] Site Visit: www.insightaceanalytic.com Follow Us on LinkedIn @ bit.ly/2tBXsgS Follow Us On Facebook @ bit.ly/2H9jnDZ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1729637/InsightAce_Analytic_Logo.jpg SOURCE InsightAce Analytic Pvt. Ltd DUBLIN, April 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Ceramic Matrix Composites Market Size, By Matrix Type, By Fiber Type, By End-Use Industry, and By Region Forecast to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) market is experiencing significant growth, with a market size of USD 8.80 billion in 2021, and an expected revenue CAGR of 11.1% during the forecast period. This growth is primarily driven by the rising demand for sustainable parts and devices in the automotive industry, increasing need for lightweight and fuel-efficient vehicles, and growing political instability at country borders. CMCs are widely used in the aerospace sector for gas turbines and structural thermal protection, as well as in the energy sector for fusion reactor walls and heat exchangers. CMCs are in high demand due to their unique engineering solutions and advantages, such as high-temperature stability, high hardness, lightweight, non-conductive and non-magnetic properties, high thermal shock resistance, high corrosion resistance, and versatility. Moreover, CMCs are increasingly being used in different sectors and require temporary or permanent joints between surrounding materials and CMC components. The defense sector, for instance, is using CMCs for lightweight body armor, which is flexible, lightweight, and easy to wear. Composite materials are highly desirable and useful in the construction and manufacturing of buildings, bridges, and other structures due to their reduced weight, strength, and affordability. The aerospace and aircraft industries are also using composite materials to manage harsh environments. The Covid-19 pandemic has changed perceptions and increased interest in innovation activities. Individuals are spending more time in isolation, which has led to increased interest in sustainable housing solutions. Social media and social media influencers also have a significant impact on the rising global demand for CMCs, as influencers encourage individuals to live a trendy and modern lifestyle, which requires lightweight and sustainable materials and devices in the construction industry. Technological advancements are also driving growth in different sectors. Missile manufacturers are identifying new airframe technologies, CMC materials, and manufacturing methods to manufacture sustainable high-speed flights and future airframes. CMC manufacturers are expanding their business facilities to meet global requirements. For example, Pratt & Whitney, a division of Raytheon Technologies Corp., announced the opening of a CMC engineering and development facility in Carlsbad, California, that is solely focused on CMCs for aerospace applications. Growing automotive industry and rising demand from the wind energy sector The automotive industry is growing and there is a rising demand for CMCs from the wind energy sector. This is due to the importance of improving vehicle performance and safety while reducing fuel consumption, exhaust emissions, and weight. CMCs are emerging contemporary technologies that can help meet these requirements, and they are used to produce various engine parts such as exhaust and intake systems, valves, brake discs, turbine parts, and brake system parts. The production of automobiles in various countries has increased in recent years, such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Brazil, and the United States. The use of CMCs in the automotive industry is also increasing, especially for making turbine blades, which are used in wind turbine production. As a result, manufacturers are expanding their production facilities to meet the rising demand. Recyclability and reparability limit the use of CMCs However, there are some limitations to the use of CMCs. They are not easily recyclable or reusable for the same application, and they are difficult to repair due to the lack of skilled workforce and limited techniques available. Additionally, they are more expensive than other alloys and metals. These limitations may restrain the growth of the market. Matrix Type Insights The market for ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) is segmented based on matrix type, fiber type, and end-use industry. In terms of matrix type, the market is divided into OX/OX, SIC/SIC, C/C, and SIC/C. The OX/OX segment had the largest revenue share in 2021 due to increased usage in applications involving oxidation-sensitive components. However, the high price of OX/OX CMC has hindered its switch and engineering of new hardware. The SIC/SIC segment is expected to have steady revenue growth due to the increasing production and export of fighter jets and severe environmental regulations that encourage the usage of lightweight and fuel-efficient materials. Fiber Type Insights Based on fiber type, the market is segmented into continuous, woven, and others. The continuous fiber segment accounted for the largest revenue share in 2021 due to its enhanced strength at higher temperatures and best strength and stiffness ratio when compared to other types of reinforcement. The woven segment is expected to have steady revenue growth due to the 3-D woven and braided preforms that can bridge and arrest cracks in CMCs. End-Use Industry Insights Based on end-use industry, the market is segmented into aerospace & defense, automotive, energy & power, industrial, and others. The aerospace & defense segment had the largest revenue share in 2021 due to growing trends in consumer order activities and commercial air travel. The automotive segment is expected to have steady revenue growth due to digitization in the manufacturing process, rising demand for EVs, and the usage of CMCs in automobile engine parts, valves, turbine parts, exhaust and intake systems, brake discs, and brake system parts. Regional Insights Regional analysis shows that North America had the largest revenue share in 2021, driven by the growing aerospace industry and increasing satellite experiments in the region. The defense and ammunition industry in the US is the largest and is expected to increase demand for CMCs. The merger of United Technologies Limited and Raytheon Company in April 2020 is expected to support efficient supply of raw materials, such as CMCs, in this industry. The Asia Pacific market is expected to register steady revenue growth during the forecast period, driven by the growing population and rising disposable income in countries such as China and India. Manufacturers are expanding plant facilities to meet demand from various sectors. Kyocera Corporation announced on April 21, 2022, that it will build the largest manufacturing facility in Japan, which will soon become operational and expand production capacity for various components. In Europe, the market is expected to register moderate revenue growth during the forecast period, driven by technological advancements that are supporting aerospace production in the region. Manufacturers are investing in R&D for innovation and technological advancements to improve fuel efficiency and cost efficiency. Solvay and SGL Carbon announced a joint agreement in December 2019 to introduce the first composite material to the market, which will reduce CO2 emissions and costs, improve production processes, and fuel efficiency of commercial aircraft. The material will be based on Solvay's primary structure resin systems and SGL Carbon's large-tow IM carbon fiber. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1. Market Synopsis Chapter 2. Executive Summary Chapter 3. Indicative Metrics Chapter 4. Ceramic Matrix Composites Market Segmentation & Impact Analysis 4.1. Ceramic Matrix Composites Market Segmentation Analysis 4.2. Industrial Outlook 4.2.1. Market indicators analysis 4.2.2. Market drivers' analysis 4.2.2.1. Growing automotive industry 4.2.2.2. Rising demand from the wind energy sector 4.2.3. Market restraints analysis 4.2.3.1. Recyclability and reparability limit the use of CMCs 4.2.3.2. High cost of manufacturing Chapter 5. Ceramic Matrix Composites Market By Matrix Type Insights & Trends Chapter 6. Ceramic Matrix Composites Market By Fiber Type Insights & Trends Chapter 7. Ceramic Matrix Composites Market By End-Use Industry Insights & Trends Chapter 8. Ceramic Matrix Composites Market Regional Outlook Chapter 9. Competitive Landscape Chapter 10. Company Profiles Companies Mentioned 3M Advanced Ceramics Association CoorsTek Inc. General Electric KYOCERA Corporation LANCER SYSTEMS SGL Carbon Ultramet Inc. CFC CARBON CO. LTD. Axiom Materials Inc. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/x9g6pw About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed a Decree on Amendments to the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated February 7, 2008 No. 2667 "On staff of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Tajikistan from the Republic of Azerbaijan", Trend reports. According to the amendments, minister of ecology and natural resources will become the co-chairman of the commission. So far, the commission has been co-chaired by minister of agriculture. The commission was established in 2008. HOUSTON, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Marking the first such high-level gathering since 2013, executives from CITGO Petroleum met with leadership from the company's Light Oils and Lubricants marketing partners in Scottsdale, Arizona, April 3-5. The "President's Meeting" featured updates on the industry and the Company, as well as a detailed review of CITGO branding, technology and investment initiatives for both Light Oils and Lubricants. CITGO leaders also previewed the company's new light oils advertising campaign built around the theme "Good to Go." CITGO President and CEO Carlos Jorda "Reconvening the President's Meeting with our Light Oils and Lubricants customers provides an opportunity to align around a common vision for success with CITGO as their supplier of choice," said CITGO President and CEO Carlos Jorda. "And after a record setting 2022, it's clear that CITGO and our marketing partners are truly 'good to go' for an outstanding 2023." Senior CITGO executives briefed marketers on the Company's 2022 performance and a host of 2023 initiatives designed to build strong momentum for the Company and the brands. The meeting also featured specific breakout sessions for both Light Oils and Lubricants marketers to provide a more tailored look at CITGO programs and future plans. Light Oils briefings focused on CITGO investments in a best-in-class loyalty offering, the ongoing Illuminate station reimage program and the expansion of midstream capabilities. Light Oils Marketers also learned more about the CITGO "Good to Go" advertising campaign. CITGO briefed Lubricants Marketers on planned investments to enhance grease capacity, improve operational efficiencies and capabilities, and develop best-in-class programs that support growth in the company's Mystik, Clarion and CITGO lubricants brands. "Marketers across multiple regions now recognize CITGO as their top partner for business growth," said Karl Schmidt, CITGO Vice President of Supply and Marketing. "Our 2023 theme is 'Good to Go,' but for our marketing partners and their business success, that means CITGO is good to grow." About CITGO : Headquartered in Houston, Texas, CITGO Petroleum Corporation is a recognized leader in the refining industry and operates under the well-known CITGO brand. CITGO operates three refineries located in Lake Charles, La.; Lemont, Ill.; and Corpus Christi, Texas, and wholly and/or jointly owns 38 active terminals, six pipelines and three lubricants blending and packaging plants. With approximately 3,300 employees and a combined crude capacity of approximately 769,000 barrels-per-day (bpd), CITGO ranks as the fifth-largest and is one of the most complex independent refiners in the United States. CITGO transports and markets transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products, and supplies a network of approximately 4,200 locally owned and operated branded retail outlets, all located east of the Rocky Mountains. CITGO Petroleum Corporation is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc. SOURCE CITGO Corporation SAN ANTONIO, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCO) (the "Company") will release 2023 first quarter results before the market opens on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, by 7:00 a.m. and will host a conference call to discuss the results at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The conference call number is 1-833-470-1428 (U.S. callers) and 1-929-526-1599 (international callers), and the access code for both is 585800. A live audio webcast of the conference call will be available on the "Events and Presentations" section of the Company's website ( www.investor.clearchannel.com ). The related earnings materials, including reconciliations of any non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP financial measures and any other applicable disclosures, will be available on the "Financials" section of the Company's website after 7:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Approximately two hours after the live conference call, a replay of the webcast will be available for a period of thirty days on the "Events and Presentations" section of the Company's website. About Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCO) is at the forefront of driving innovation in the out-of-home advertising industry. Our dynamic advertising platform is broadening the pool of advertisers using our medium through the expansion of digital billboards and displays and the integration of data analytics and programmatic capabilities that deliver measurable campaigns that are simpler to buy. By leveraging the scale, reach and flexibility of our diverse portfolio of assets, we connect advertisers with millions of consumers every month across more than 500,000 print and digital displays in 22 countries. SOURCE Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. Expanding Support Statewide for the Texas Veteran Community HOUSTON, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Combined Arms, a leading veteran nonprofit and provider of a highly advanced and user-friendly technology platform for veterans and military-connected individuals, has been awarded $2 Million by The Texas Workforce Commission to serve as the state provider of the Texas Veterans Network (TVN). Combined Arms will expand TVN's powerful offerings to veterans of all 254 Texas counties and this establishes a significant presence for Combined Arms in and around Military City, USA. Since its launch in April 2020, TVN has successfully connected over 40,000 individuals to valuable resources, with an impressive average partner response time of just 27 hours. Combined Arms awarded $2M by the Texas Workforce Commission to serve as state provider of the Texas Veterans Network. Tweet this Texas Veterans Network Powered by Combined Arms logo "Texas is home to 1.7 million veterans who have served their country, and the Texas Workforce Commission is committed to helping them seamlessly transition with interconnected services," said Texas Workforce Commission Chairman Bryan Daniel. "Over the past two years, Combined Arms has made an impact through the Texas Veterans Network, by connecting more than 40,000 veterans and their families with the necessary services in various communities across Texas, and we look forward to seeing even more veterans served through our continued partnership." "The Texas Veterans Network serves as a stellar example of statewide collaboration, and Combined Arms is proud to be at the forefront of this critical effort," said Mike Hutchings, Chief Executive Officer at Combined Arms. "Our ultimate measure of success lies in the satisfaction and welfare of the veterans and military families we support, with data serving as the backbone of our decision-making process. Through our collaborative partnerships, we strive to drive meaningful change that positively impacts the overall wellbeing of the military-connected community." Working in conjunction with the Texas Veterans Commission, the Texas Veterans Network powered by Combined Arms' cutting-edge technology, which has been specifically designed to cater to the unique needs of the military-connected community. TVN brings together government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions, providing holistic support to service members, veterans, military family members, gold-star families, and caregivers within 72 hours of request. "Combined Arms has been an invaluable partner to the Texas Veterans Commission in enabling us to effectively cater to the needs of veterans and their families across Texas. This collaboration has provided us with valuable insights into the demographics of the people we serve and the gaps in the services available in various communities. With this valuable information, we are better equipped to make informed decisions to enhance our services and better serve our constituents" said Thomas Palladino, Executive Director, Texas Veterans Commission. The first phase, launched in April 2020, covered 73 counties and included 70 partner organizations. Over two years, the TVN grew to include 196 counties and over 250 partners. The TVN is comprised of vetted, top-notch service providers dedicated to assisting veterans and military families in Texas. These resources will be available to veterans across the state, regardless of service era or discharge status. Combined Arms has effectively tackled the issue of a fragmented social service ecosystem through the development of a robust, secure, and user-friendly technology platform. This platform facilitates resource connections and bilateral interagency referrals, all while enforcing network-wide accountability. The Combined Arms technology is particularly valuable for veterans, servicemembers, military families, caregivers, and special immigrant visas (SIVs) seeking assistance throughout the various stages of their transition from service. By utilizing the Combined Arms platform, individuals can easily connect with member organizations and institutions within the Texas Veterans Network to enhance their quality of life and navigate the complexities of accessing essential support services. For those interested in utilizing the platform, assistance is readily available via the TVN intake team at 1-888-737-3112 or through self-service navigation by creating a profile online . All service providers interested in collaborating to enhance accessibility of essential resources for veterans and military-connected individuals to thrive in their communities, are encouraged to contact Combined Arms and become part of their network at https://www.combinedarms.us/membership ." Texas leads the way in supporting its veteran community making Texas the first interconnected state for veterans and military families. The partnership between the Texas Workforce Commission and Combined Arms will further strengthen the resources available to veterans and their families, ensuring they have access to the services they need to succeed. As a result, Texas stands out as the best state for veterans, with a commitment to providing comprehensive and effective support to those who have served our country. About Combined Arms Since its founding in 2015, Combined Arms (CAX) has been a transformative backbone organization dedicated to revolutionizing the way veterans and military families access essential resources within their communities. The organization's nationwide solution was specifically designed to address the challenges faced by veterans in accessing vital support during their transition from military to civilian life. Veterans often encounter significant obstacles in navigating the highly fragmented structure of public and private veteran-serving organizations in the United States, making it difficult to access the help they need. At Combined Arms, veterans can find support across a range of dimensions, including health, employment, financial well-being, social connectivity, and community connection. The transition from military to civilian life is a complex process that involves significant changes in nearly every aspect of a veteran's life, from their place of residence to their financial status and support systems. At Combined Arms, we're here to support the military-connected community, every step of the way. Follow Combined Arms on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and LinkedIn . Contact: Kelly Finn Stormer [email protected] 917-579-7397 SOURCE Combined Arms PITTSBURGH, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Headlines in the recent news have reassured people in a banking system backed by the "full faith and credit of the United States." You should be able to trust your eye surgeon even more. If special interests in Olympia, Washington have their way though, individuals who have never completed the required medical education or years of surgical training may soon have the authority in Washington state to operate on your eyes or the eyes of your loved ones. SSB 5389 now under consideration in the Washington House of Representatives would allow non-surgeons (optometrists) to perform a host of delicate surgical procedures on patient's eyes which could have vision or life-threatening implications. Eye Surgery - Behind that mask, what are the medical education and surgical qualifications? Tweet this Lump or Bump - Benign or Cancer? Cancer - Basal Cell SSB 5389, if enacted, would allow optometrists to perform what they are trying to sell as "lumps and bumps" eyelid surgery. K. David Epley, MD, a Kirkland, WA ophthalmologist points out: "The eyelid "lumps and bumps" that the legislature is being told are common, harmless lesions can sometimes turn out to be cancerous lesions requiring very specialized delicate surgical techniques to ensure complete excision and potentially life-saving treatment. Although language in SSB 5389 prohibits optometrists from surgically removing cancerous lesions, determining whether a cyst or lesion is cancerous before operating is not an easy task and it takes years of experience and examining, treating, and operating on patients with a multitude of conditions to become a competent surgeon." As Dr. Epley points out: "What looks common, small, and benign could turn out to be something far more serious." Optometrists are primary eye care providers who specialize in diagnosing and treating vision problems and eye diseases, prescribing corrective lenses, and providing non-surgical treatments such as eye drops. They are not trained medical doctors nor surgeons. In contrast, ophthalmologists are medical doctors who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases through any means, including surgery. They have completed four-years of medical school, a one-year hospital internship and a minimum three-year hospital residency in eye disease and surgery. Throughout their training they have examined, treated, and performed surgery on thousands of patients with problems ranging from the simple and common to the most severe and blinding or even fatal. The lowering of the licensing requirements, that would allow a non-medical doctor to perform eye surgery as outlined in SSB 5389, to less than what the citizens of Washington, as well as most of the United States, currently are protected by is simply not in the best interests of the public. "It is imperative that Washington voters let their state Representatives know that eye surgery by non-medical docotrs is not acceptable," said Kenneth Cheng, MD, Chair of Safe Eyes America. The clock is ticking, "Let your state Representative know that only medical doctors and surgeons should be allowed to operate on the only eyes you will ever have. Everyone should be able to have full faith that their doctor and potential surgeon have the education and training needed to provide them with the safest and best care." The Washington House could take final action on SSB 5389 any day now. It is imperative that Washington citizens contact their state House Representative NOW and urge them to Vote NO on SSB 5389. To find your state Senator click on the following link: (https://app.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder/). The Washington legislature is scheduled to adjourn on April 23, 2023. About Safe Eyes America Safe Eyes America is a 501(c) 4 non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the delivery of the highest quality medical and surgical eye care to the American public. SafeEyesAmerica.org Safe Eyes America https://www.safeeyesamerica.org/ SOURCE Safe Eyes America Siege Media plans to build upon the tool and grow its impact AUSTIN, Texas, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Siege Media announced today that Contrast Ratio , an independent tool created by Lea Verou , is becoming part of the company. Contrast Ratio has been a top resource for online color contrast ratio calculations since 2012. Contrast Ratio helps promote usability and accessibility for all web content by ensuring that users can read and utilize websites comfortably. Siege Media plans to build upon the tool and grow its impact in the digital landscape over time, and will continue to use it as a resource for both internal and client-facing content. "Contrast Ratio is a tool we've used for years to evaluate the readability of our clients' content," said Ross Hudgens, founder and CEO of Siege Media. "We love what Lea built and are excited to further develop the tool to add value to our customers and other users for years to come." This addition will also assist in Siege's efforts to build similar tools and resources over time and give back to the web developer and content marketing communities. "I'm so glad that Contrast Ratio will now get the attention it deserves. Despite it having become such a popular tool among developers, I have not had the time to properly work on it for quite a while, as my time is spread across so many different things. After having seen some of their future plans for it, I could not be more certain that the future of this tool is much brighter with them as stewards," said Lea Verou, who created the tool in 2012 after being frustrated by the limitations and poor UX of existing tools. About Siege Media: Siege Media is a team of clever creatives, sharp marketers, and savvy SEO experts working together to create amazing content and make sure the world sees it. With more than a decade of producing premium content marketing services, tens of thousands of pieces of content, and $90 million in client traffic value, Siege prides itself on creating visibility and engagement on the world's largest platforms no matter the competition. Siege Media has the experience and proven track record to make its clients stand out, and isn't afraid to embark on new opportunities to grow into something bigger. Media Contact: Ross Hudgens Siege Media 512-710-2510 [email protected] SOURCE Siege Media CoPeace Will Provide Strategic and Financial Consulting. KidGlov Will Provide Marketing and Advertising Services. DENVER, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CoPeace ( www.copeace.com ), an impact investing and services company, and KidGlov ( www.kidglov.com ), an advertising, marketing and branding agency, announced today a strategic partnership to supply services to one another. Both companies are incorporated as Colorado and Nebraska Public Benefit Corporations, respectively, and are Certified B Corporations, focused on delivering excellent services while also being socially responsible. CoPeace will provide KidGlov with a variety of strategic consulting services from across its deep team of operations, finance and business development experts. The work will focus on streamlined financial systems, improved forecasting, increased operational efficiency, and identification of new client opportunities. "We're looking to supercharge our growth and impact," said KidGlov president and founder, Lyn Wineman. "Our partnership with CoPeace brings a full and diverse team of highly-qualified experts and a customizable suite of services that will move us to the next level." KidGlov's engagement with CoPeace started with the relaunch of www.copeace.com. The refreshed website features upleveled messaging and design highlighting the CoPeace mission to "Grow your money for good" through impact investing, a portfolio of companies that innovatively combat world problems, and services that help impactful companies grow. Future KidGlov work will include marketing and publicity to build awareness of this unique organization. "We are impressed with the quality of strategy and creativity provided by KidGlov. We look forward to helping them put a megaphone in front of companies who are doing good," said CoPeace founder and CEO, Craig Jonas. "Both KidGlov and CoPeace are aligned in our respective missions to make the world a better place through the impactful services we provide." KidGlov and CoPeace will be teaming up to provide joint services to a variety of purpose-driven organizations throughout the country. About CoPeace CoPeace helps impactful companies grow. As an impact-driven holding company, CoPeace is building a portfolio of carefully selected businesses with measurable social and environmental impact. Additionally, CoPeace provides a variety of consulting services to organizations demonstrating positive social or environmental impact. As a fully certified B Corp and public-benefit corporation (PBC), CoPeace is committed to acting morally, ethically and responsibly in regard to society and the environment. Equity, inclusion and justice are not just valued at CoPeace they are pillars supporting our mission. CoPeace was recently selected as an Emerging Impact Manager (EIM) for the ImpactAssets 50 2023 (IA 50). The EIM list represents firms with unique strategies, under-represented impact themes or diversity in leadership in view of the full IA 50 application pool. To learn more, visit https://www.copeace.com About KidGlov KidGlov is a boutique, full-service advertising, branding and content marketing agency, as well as a certified B Corp , which specializes in nonprofit marketing , healthcare marketing , financial marketing , social impact marketing and purpose-driven businesses . The woman-owned agency has been named as a Best Places to Work , and has won several accolades for its work, including awards from the American Marketing Association , Public Relations Society of America and the American Advertising Federation . Learn more about KidGlov at www.kidglov.com. KidGlov hosts the Agency for Change podcast which can be found on all major podcast streaming platforms. Contact: Lyn Wineman [email protected] SOURCE KidGlov; CoPeace Customers.ai accelerates growth to displace the traditional B2C digital marketing playbook following funding round led by ScOp Venture Capital. BOSTON, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Customers.ai, AI-powered sales outreach automation platform, today announced the close of a $4.99M Series A funding round. The funding will be used to further invest in development of generative AI-powered sales automation tools for business-to-consumer companies. The announcement follows on the heels of the company's renaming from MobileMonkey to Customers.ai and their recognition as a fastest-growing Go-To-Market Tool by ICONIQ Capital and G2. Customers.ai at its office in Boston. Founded by Larry Kim, the company announced a Series A fundraise to accelerate development of generative-AI and consumer prospecting data for B2C sales outreach. The funding round was led by ScOp Venture Capital with participation from New York Angels and Beyond Angels. Kevin O'Connor, founder of DoubleClick and Managing Partner at ScOp Venture Capital, is joining Customers.ai's board. "While sales outreach automation is a popular and proven marketing capability for B2B companies, the use of targeted outbound marketing is an untapped growth opportunity in the B2C marketing space," said Customers.ai founder and CEO, Larry Kim. "There is no better indication that we're on the right track than an investment from ScOp Venture Capital and Kevin O'Connor, a pioneer in this space." Customers.ai's sales outreach tools and consumer data give businesses the power to run highly targeted marketing campaigns powered by generative-AI email capabilities, displacing reliance on increasingly expensive traditional digital advertising channels. "Customers.ai brings the sophisticated targeting and AI technologies that are transforming B2C customer acquisition into a platform that is so effective and simple to use," said Kevin O'Connor, Managing Partner at ScOp Venture Capital. "We look forward to partnering with the Customers.ai team as they continue to grow and expand on their vision to enable a more effective B2C go-to-market motion." About Customers.ai Customers.ai's award-winning B2C sales outreach automation and generative-AI prospecting platform enables outbound marketing through easy-to-use automation integrated with consumer data designed for finding and engaging shoppers using thousands of buying-intent and in-market signals. Founded by CEO Larry Kim in 2018, the flagship, proprietary tool, Unicorn X-Ray, provides the contact information of 15-20% of anonymous visitors to a business's website. Their consumer database of over 200 million U.S. consumer contacts augments customer data with thousands of intent-driven buyer characteristics like pet ownership, credit rating, and more. Customers.ai tools are used by thousands of businesses, including Ford, Holiday Inn, and Anytime Fitness. Contact: Virginia Nussey Email: [email protected] SOURCE Customers.ai Giovanni Beltran , a senior at Randall K. Cooper High School in Union, Kentucky , who plans to attend the University of Alabama to major in Architecture. , a senior at Randall K. Cooper High School in , who plans to attend the to major in Architecture. Ava Flanigan , a senior at Elite Scholars Academy in Jonesboro, Georgia , who plans to attend Spelman College in Atlanta to double major in Chemistry and Engineering. , a senior at Elite Scholars Academy in , who plans to attend in to double major in Chemistry and Engineering. Joshua Hood , a freshman at Morehouse College in Atlanta , working towards a dual degree in Engineering with a focus on Computer and Electrical. , a freshman at in , working towards a dual degree in Engineering with a focus on Computer and Electrical. Addison Orr , a senior at Villa Rica High School in Villa Rica, Georgia , who plans to attend Berry College in Mt. Berry, Georgia , to major in Education. , a senior at Villa Rica High School in , who plans to attend in , to major in Education. Emily Wagner , a senior at Whitewater High School in Fayetteville, Georgia , who plans to attend Auburn University to major in architecture. "There are so many intelligent, determined and civic-minded students in the communities we serve, but these young adults really stood out among the applicants," Delta Community's CEO Hank Halter said. "We are thrilled to support well-deserving students in their pursuit of higher education and can't wait to see them develop into the next generation of leaders." In addition to its annual scholarship program, Delta Community offers quarterly scholarships for students attending Historically Black Colleges or Universities and offers free classes and workshops through its award-winning Financial Education Center. About Delta Community Credit Union Delta Community Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative with a mission of providing better service and value on the products consumers use to manage household expenses and save for the future. Founded in 1940, Delta Community is Georgia's largest credit union with more than 480,000 members, 29 metro Atlanta branches and three out-of-state branch locations. It welcomes anyone living or working in metro Atlanta as well as employees of more than 130 businesses including Chick-fil-A, Delta Air Lines, RaceTrac and UPS. Visit www.DeltaCommunityCU.com to open an account or follow the Credit Union on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DeltaCommunity and Twitter at @DeltaCommunity. SOURCE Delta Community Credit Union DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Dover (NYSE: DOV) announced today that it will release first quarter 2023 earnings at approximately 6:00 a.m. Central time (7:00 a.m. Eastern time) on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. Later that morning, Dover will host a conference call at 8:00 a.m. Central time (9:00 a.m. Eastern time) to discuss these results. To participate on the conference call, please dial 1 (800) 343-4849 (domestic) or 1 (203) 518-9856 (international), conference ID DOVQ123. Due to the expected number of callers, please dial in at least 15 minutes before the conference is to begin and ask to be connected to the Dover teleconference. A link to the live audio webcast will also be available on the company website at dovercorporation.com. An audio replay of the conference call will be available from 12:00 p.m. Central time, April 26, until 10:59 p.m. Central time, May 17, by dialing 1 (800) 938-1603 (domestic) or 1 (402) 220-1549 (international). Additionally, a replay link of the webcast will be archived on Dover's website for 90 days. About Dover: Dover is a diversified global manufacturer and solutions provider with annual revenue of over $8 billion. We deliver innovative equipment and components, consumable supplies, aftermarket parts, software and digital solutions, and support services through five operating segments: Engineered Products, Clean Energy & Fueling, Imaging & Identification, Pumps & Process Solutions and Climate & Sustainability Technologies. Dover combines global scale with operational agility to lead the markets we serve. Recognized for our entrepreneurial approach for over 65 years, our team of over 25,000 employees takes an ownership mindset, collaborating with customers to redefine what's possible. Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, Dover trades on the New York Stock Exchange under "DOV." Additional information is available at dovercorporation.com. Investor Contact: Media Contact: Jack Dickens Adrian Sakowicz Senior Director Investor Relations Vice President Communications (630) 743-2566 (630) 743-5039 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Dover WASHINGTON, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The DTA Foundation is excited to announce that Envista Smile Project has donated $50,000 to the Dr. Robert Tanner Freeman Scholarship, which aims to increase diversity in the dental field. Envista's contribution to this scholarship aligns with its philanthropic missionto improve the smiles and oral health of disadvantaged communities by supporting increased access to oral care and oral health education. People of color are greatly underrepresented among the dentist and hygienist workforces. According to a Journal of American Dental Association study, Elevating dentistry through diversity, "Today, dental schools have student populations that are more diverse but still do not reflect the current U.S. population. And it does not seem to be moving in that direction." The Dr. Robert Tanner Freeman Scholarship aims to change that by providing scholarships to underrepresented minorities looking to start their dental education. The initiative was established by the DTA Foundation in June 2021, in partnership with the UNCF (United Negro College Fund) to increase diversity and improve access to the oral healthcare profession. "Black dentists are significantly underrepresented in the United States," said Sarah Miller, Executive Director, DTA Foundation. "That is why the support of this scholarship is crucial for diversifying the dental field. We are grateful for this the gift from Envista Smile Project and look forward to expanding this partnership in the future." Launched in July 2021, Envista Smile Project is a philanthropic foundation dedicated to providing oral health education to underserved communities around the world. In 2022, the non-profit organization donated more than $650,000 in charitable giving. In 2022 the Smile project also: Provided free dental care to more than 600 patients in need in the Dominican Republic . . Donated goods for cleaning, cavity prevention and treatment, and consumables to Heartland Dental supporting their "Free Dentistry Day". Partnered with the Special Olympics, New Jersey providing access to a Nomad portable x-ray. "We are proud to support the Dr. Robert Tanner Freeman Scholarship and to empower the future generation of students pursuing a career in dentistry," said Amir Aghdaei, Envista CEO and Envista Smile Project Chairman. "We look forward to seeing how these students will make a positive difference in dentistry for years to come." If you are interested in supporting this scholarship, contact Sarah Miller, Executive Director, at [email protected] or (703) 379-7755. About Envista Smile Project Envista Smile Project is a philanthropic foundation helping to create access to oral care through a dedicated team of dental professionals and Envista employees, donations of treatment, preventive care, dental products, and oral health education for underserved communities around the world. www.envistasmileproject.com. About the DTA Foundation The DTA Foundation's mission is to enable access to, empower personal ownership of, and increase utilization of oral healthcare. The DTA Foundation works to achieve this mission through strategic partnerships, research, and education. www.dtafoundation.org. Media Contact: Sarah Miller 703.379.7755 www.dentaltradealliance.org [email protected] SOURCE Dental Trade Alliance Foundation Details added (first published: 10:53) BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Elnur Mammadov visited the Philippines Republic on April 3-5, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry (MFA) told Trend. As part of the visit, Mammadov met with Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Philippines Enrique Manalo on April 3. At the meeting, the current state and prospects for the development of bilateral relations were discussed. In addition, the importance of joint efforts to achieve practical results in this direction was noted. On April 4, for the first time, political consultations were held between the Foreign Ministries of Azerbaijan and the Philippines. The Azerbaijani side at the consultations was led by Deputy FM Elnur Mammadov and the Philippine side by Undersecretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines Maria Theresa Lazaro. During the consultations, the current state of bilateral relations, as well as issues of expanding mutual partnership in the fields of economy, tourism, energy, agriculture, culture, and education were discussed. Elnur Mammadov briefed the opposing Philippines side on the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia as well as on the restoration and construction work carried out on Azerbaijan's liberated territories. Furthermore, an exchange of opinions on Azerbaijan's activity as part of its chairmanship in the Non-Alignment Movement took place. The prospects of cooperation between the Non-Aligned Movement and ASEAN [the Association of Southeast Asian Nations], as well as between the Economic Cooperation Organization and ASEAN as part of regional and international organizations, were discussed. Moreover, issues of regional and international security of mutual interest were also noted. After the consultations, the signing ceremony of the first interstate document "Memorandum of Understanding in the field of culture between the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines" took place. In addition, during his visit to Manila, Mammadov gave an interview with the Manila Times news agency. He answered questions about the current state of bilateral relations between the two countries, the prospects for further development and strengthening of these relations, and also provided detailed information about the process of normalizing relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the restoration and construction work carried out on Azerbaijan's liberated territories. MIAMI, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ERI is proud to announce its partnership with iSoftware4Banks to address the technology needs of banks and financial institutions in the North American market. iSoftware4Banks will provide extensive knowledge of the banking market and its regulatory and business expertise to bring ERI's leading technology platform, OLYMPIC Banking System, to the North American market. This agreement addresses a growing need for local banks and financial institutions including retail, corporate and private banks, as well as credit unions, community banks, and neo and challenger banks to make technology a priority in their business development strategy. By digitalizing processes from front-to-back office through on premises or cloud implementations, making a better and more intuitive use of data, financial institutions will be able to deliver an optimized and personalized user experience to their customers. iSoftware4Banks' team of bankers, industry insiders, investors, and operations specialists share a solid commitment to the banking sector. The company provides banks with the latest innovative automation resources and service providers available for optimizing operations. Jean-Philippe Bersier, ERI's Director of Sales & Marketing, says, "We are excited to announce this initiative as a key milestone to accelerate our business expansion in the region. The North American market is not unknown to ERI as we currently have clients using our system in the US as well as in Canada. Teaming up with iSoftware4Banks will open up new opportunities for growth." Vincent Raniere, Chairman and CEO at iSoftware4Banks states, "We are looking forward to promoting the expansion of ERI's reach within the US market. We are confident our partnership with ERI, coupled with our extensive experience, will help to further strengthen our capabilities for promoting OLYMPIC Banking System's benefits to key relationships, and other institutions seeking optimization and innovative solutions within the financial sector." ERI is an international company specializing in the design, development, distribution and support of the integrated, real-time banking and wealth management software package: OLYMPIC Banking System. ERI is focused on providing comprehensive, quality software with effective system implementation assistance and efficient ongoing maintenance and support for clients worldwide. iSoftware4Banks, Inc. is a leading provider of go-to-market services to companies selling to the banking and finance sector. SOURCE ERI Multi-Branded Service Organization Offers Services to Help People Live and Thrive SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Evive Brands, LLC, a multi-branded service organization, ended Q1 with 12 new franchise agreements and cross-brand expansion across its premier franchise systems, including Executive Home Care, one of the nation's leading in-home care providers; Assisted Living Locators, a nationally acclaimed senior placement and referral agency; and Grasons Co., a respected estate sales and business liquidation service. The company is committed to providing exceptional support and services to families and communities across the nation, helping people live and thrive, no matter what life throws their way. "The rapid expansion of Evive Brands is a testament to the value of quality service and the strength of our community of brands," said Tim Hadley, CEO of Evive Brands. "We are dedicated to delivering resources that create a first-class experience for our clients and increase their well-being, as well as their families." The 12 new franchise agreements include Executive Home Care franchisees In Kim in Parker, CO, and Patricio and Leisha Green in Delray Beach, FL; Grasons franchisees David Del Monaco in Scottsdale, AZ, and Victor Burke in St. Augustine, FL; Assisted Living Locators franchisees Henrietta Young in Fredericksburg, VA, Stephen and Leia Franklin in Delaware, Tee Sharma in North Tampa, FL, Mary Curtis Pizzano in Tampa, FL, Audie Eddy in Southwest Pittsburgh, PA, Danielle Neudecker in Dakota County, MN, and cross-brand agreements with Grasons Brand President Simone Kelly in Huntington Beach, CA; and Grasons Newport Beach franchisee Victor Burke in St. Augustine, FL. "I am thrilled to embark on this new journey with the cross-brand purchase of the Assisted Living Locators franchise," said Simone Kelly, Grasons Brand President. "This expansion not only strengthens our service offerings but also fosters synergy between our existing Grasons and Assisted Living Locators brands. By combining our expertise in estate sales and business liquidation with senior placement and referral services, we can create a more comprehensive and seamless experience for our clients. Hadley added, "Multi-unit, cross-brand franchising provides a unique opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of our clients and their families. Our franchise partners benefit from the planning and business development support, continuing education, access to exclusive software planning, and an elite sales and marketing approach." For franchisees, building on an already successful relationship also saves time and helps them open units sooner. It can also mean discounts on cross-brand franchise fees. Evive Brands is actively seeking franchise partners with a strong entrepreneurial spirit who have heart, empathy, and a passion for helping people. For more information about Evive Brands, please visit https://evivebrands.com. Media Contact: Rhonda Grundemann, 602-739-8810, [email protected] SOURCE Evive Brands 556 line-of-duty fatalities, including 224 from 2022 to be honored as their names are added to the Law Enforcement Memorial WASHINGTON, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has formally announced that there are 556 names of U.S. law enforcement officers being added to the memorial this year who have died in the line of duty. The names will be engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and properly dedicated during the 35th Annual Candlelight Vigil held on the National Mall between 4th and 7th streets in Washington, DC, at 8:00 pm on May 13, 2023. NLEOMF to add 556 names of fallen law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty to national memorial this year Tweet this National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund The 2023 "Roll Call of Heroes" features the names of official Line-of-Duty Fallen Heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice. The names of 224 federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement officers who died in the line-of-duty in 2022 will be inscribed this year. The total number of line-of-duty deaths in 2022 represents a dramatic 64% reduction in officer deaths compared to 2021. The massive decrease in line-of-duty deaths for 2022 is almost entirely related to a significant reduction in Covid-19 deaths. An additional 332 officers who died in previous years (before 2022), will also have their names inscribed this year. Their sacrifice is now being recognized after the Memorial Fund's research staff confirmed the circumstances of their death and their record of law enforcement service. "This year, the names of 556 fallen officers will be added to the Memorial. 556 lives cut short as they risked their lives, working to make things safer for the community and people that they served," said Marcia Ferranto, CEO of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. "It's a solemn reminder to the nation that each day is fragile. Not a moment goes by where we forget our brave men and women in blue for the ultimate sacrifice they have given. Their memory lives on." Each May 13, during National Police Week, an estimated 30,000 people attend the Candlelight Vigil ceremony in Washington, D.C., including surviving family members, friends, law enforcement colleagues, and others. The event brings people together from across the country to honor the officers and be surrounded by strength in remembering their service and ultimate sacrifice. With these additions, there will now be 23,785 officers' names engraved on the Memorial, representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, federal law enforcement, and campus and military police agencies. The engraving process begins with a lengthy stencil and proofing procedure followed by meticulous engraving and curing processes. Once the engraving and curing process is finished, the covers are removed, and the panel is completed. The utmost care is taken not only in vetting and authenticating each name, but also to ensure that each is engraved on the memorial to the degree that the integrity is forever maintained. The engraving process is expected to be completed by the end of April. The names of the 556 officers added to the National Memorial this year can be found at the Roll Call of Heroes, 2023. For a complete schedule of National Police Week events in Washington, DC, visit www.LawMemorial.org/PoliceWeek. Attention media: If you are interested in attending and covering this year's Candlelight Vigil, all credentialing information can be found here. If more than one credential is needed, please submit the form on the landing page for each individual who will be present at the ceremony. For information on the National Law Enforcement Memorial please visit nleomf.org/memorial. --- www.NLEOMF.org --- About the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Established in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the fallen, telling the story of American law enforcement, and making it safer for those who serve. The first pillar of this mission, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., honors the names of all of the 23,785 officers who have died in the line of duty to date throughout U.S. history. Additionally, NLEOMF maintains and publishes comprehensive details on the circumstances surrounding official line-of-duty deaths. The Officer Safety and Wellness pillar uses that data, coupled with best-practice program models, to produce programming directed at solutions to improve survivability and enhance wellness. NLEOMF's third pillar, the National Law Enforcement Museum ( LawEnforcementMuseum.org ) is committed to preserving the history of American law enforcement and sharing the experiences of service and sacrifice for generations to come. SOURCE National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund VANCOUVER, BC, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. (TSX: ASM) (NYSE American: ASM) (FSE: GV6) ("Avino" or "the Company") a growing silver producer in Mexico, is pleased to announce metallurgical results from the testwork program on its oxide tailings project ("Oxide Tailings" or the "Project"). The Project hosts gold and silver from past producing historic operations in an inactive tailings facility located on the Avino property with a 5.7 million tonnes of measured and indicated resource grading 95 g/t of silver equivalent. Historically, near surface oxidised material was not recovered well by Avino's conventional flotation mill, which has created this opportunity for re-processing the tailings with a cyanide leaching process. These results below will form the basis for the metallurgical analysis of a Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") on the Project. In addition, a table can be viewed at the end of this release showing a comparison between the 2021 and 2023 mineral resource estimate on the Oxide Tailings as contained in the respective technical reports which can also be viewed on Avino's profile on SEDAR. "We are very pleased with these metallurgical results, which demonstrate excellent metal recoveries that would be suitable for a precipitating into bullion," commented CEO David Wolfin. "Metallurgy is an important component in understanding the potential economics of our Oxide Tailings project. This Project has been in our portfolio for many years and factors prominently into our five-year growth plan to become an intermediate silver producer in Mexico. These results also build on the work done in 2017 Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") and increase the level of confidence in the Project from the extensive testwork completed. When comparing the most recent mineral resource estimate to the one completed in 2021, we see in the measured and indicated category an impressive 408% increase in tonnage, as well as a 287% increase in AgEq ounces. The potential of the Oxide Tailings resource has been known for many years but buried under the active tailings dam. With the new state of the art Dry-Stack Tailings facility now fully operational, we can advance the oxide tailings project to the prefeasibility study level. These results along with the ongoing testwork program will allow us to make sound decisions on the processing route to maximize the project value." Highlights of Metallurgical Test Results The project consists of three types of tailings that are categorized by grade as well as identified in three stratigraphic layers within the deposit based on the time period when they were processed. They are, Ancient Oxides, Recent Oxides and Sulphides, and each type was sampled and tested separately. The average grades are shown below. Table 1: Average Grade of Each Tailings Type Sample Description Au g/t Ag g/t Ancient Oxides Original Duplicate 0.45 0.43 101.0 92.0 Recent Oxides Original Duplicate 0.48 0.49 37.0 49.0 Sulphides Original Duplicate 0.24 0.25 21.0 19.0 The project exhibits an excellent response using conventional metallurgical techniques. Recovery Highlights include: Ancient Oxides Gold Recovery up to 89.5% and silver recovery of up 90.4% in a conventional bottle roll. Recent Oxides Gold Recovery up to 85.8% and silver recovery of up 83.4% in a conventional bottle roll. Sulphides Gold Recovery up to 82.8% and silver recovery of up 76.1% in a conventional bottle roll. The conventional bottle roll test parameters for the three samples were achieved at a particle size of eighty percent passing 75 microns using 500 to 1000ppm sodium cyanide and a retention time of 60-72 hours. The metallurgical test program was completed by SGS de Mexico ("SGS"), a leading metallurgical testing and consulting firm based in Durango Mexico. The testwork was completed on a composite sample from approximately 437 kg of HQ core from a sonic drill from 127 drill holes drilled into the oxide tailings resource in 2021 and 2022. Each type of tailings was identified and separated so that a composite for each style of tailings could be created. Both the deposition style and appearance of the tailings within the drill core allowed for relatively straight forward categorization. The sulphides section used 158.9 kg of sample, the ancient oxides used 135.5 kg and the recent oxides 142.7 kg. The testwork program included chemical analysis, size fraction analysis, agglomeration, bulk leaching extractable gold test, bottle roll test to simulate agitated leaching, column leaching tests to simulate heap leaching, flotation, and cyanide detoxification using sodium hypochlorite. Testwork Program Results Flotation was investigated at a variety of grind sizes, reagent levels and operating conditions. A Bulk leach extractable gold test was performed to understand the leaching response of each respective size fraction on each sample. While each size fraction of each sample did show a variation in leaching performance it was determined that there were not significant portions of gold locked away rendering any sample unleachable. With that in mind, various leaching conditions and three particle sizes were investigated per sample. Each sample performed best with a 75um ("micron") grind size, furthermore it did not appear that the addition of lead nitrate or oxygen provided superior leach results. Finally, a column leach test was performed on each sample in order to replicate the performance of a potential heap leach. The flotation, agitated leach and column leach results are shown per sample are shown below. Table 2: Summary of Recoveries for the Sulphides Sample Description Au % Ag % Flotation Agitation leaching Heap leaching 45.8 82.7 74.0 46.5 68.9 88.8 Table 3: Summary of Recoveries for the Ancient Oxide Sample Description Au % Ag % Flotation Agitation leaching Heap leaching 46.3 88.2 75.5 45.5 86.0 76.2 Table 4: Summary of Recoveries for the Recent Oxide Sample Description Au % Ag % Flotation Agitation leaching Heap leaching 47.6 85.7 76.0 45.5 78.6 63.7 Ongoing Testwork In addition to these leaching and flotation results, ongoing testing consists of the thickening, filtering, communition optimization, cyanide detoxification, gravity testwork as well as specific gravity and bulk density testwork that will be fed into the PFS for appropriate flowsheet design, sizing and costing. Oxide Tailings Mineral Resource Comparison Table 2023 Mineral Resource Estimate 2021 Mineral Resource Estimate Net Change Measured Resources Mt 3,809,000 - % Grade Ag g/t 63 - % Grade Au g/t 0.48 - % Grade AgEq g/t 102 - % Metal Contents Ag Moz 7.7 - % Metal Contents Au Koz 59 - % Metal Contents AgEq Moz 12.5 - % Indicated Resources Mt 1,877,000 1,120,000 68 % Grade Ag g/t 41 89 -54 % Grade Au g/t 0.49 0.42 17 % Grade AgEq g/t 81 124 -35 % Metal Contents Ag Moz 2.5 3.2 -22 % Metal Contents Au Koz 30 15 100 % Metal Contents AgEq Moz 4.9 4.5 9 % Measured and Indicated Resources Mt 5,686,000 1,120,000 408 % Grade Ag g/t 56 89 -37 % Grade Au g/t 0.48 0.42 14 % Grade AgEq g/t 95 124 -23 % Metal Contents Ag Moz 10.2 3.2 219 % Metal Contents Au Koz 88 15 487 % Metal Contents AgEq Moz 17.4 4.5 287 % Inferred Resources Mt 278,000 1,230,000 -77 % Grade Ag g/t 65 85 -24 % Grade Au g/t 0.44 0.47 -6 % Grade AgEq g/t 101 125 -19 % Metal Contents Ag Moz 0.6 3.4 -82 % Metal Contents Au Koz 4 19 -79 % Metal Contents AgEq Moz 0.9 5.0 -82 % Reference: Mineral Resource Estimate Update for the Avino Property, Durango, Mexico with an effective date of November 30, 2022, and SEDAR filed on SEDAR on February 16, 2023 Reference: Amended Resource Estimate Update For The Avino Property, Durango, Mexico with an effective date of January 13, 2021 and SEDAR filed on December 21, 2021. To view these reports in their entirety, please refer to Avino's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Qualified Person(s) Peter Latta, P.Eng, MBA, VP Technical Services, Avino who is a qualified person within the context of National Instrument 43-101 has reviewed and approved the technical data in this news release. About Avino Avino is a silver producer from its wholly owned Avino Mine near Durango, Mexico. The Company's silver, gold and copper production remains unhedged. The Company's mission and strategy is to create shareholder value through its focus on profitable organic growth at the historic Avino Property and the strategic acquisition of the La Preciosa property. Avino currently controls mineral resources, as per NI 43-101, that total 368 million silver equivalent ounces, within our district-scale land package. We are committed to managing all business activities in a safe, environmentally responsible, and cost-effective manner, while contributing to the well-being of the communities in which we operate. We encourage you to connect with us on Twitter at @Avino_ASM and on LinkedIn at Avino Silver & Gold Mines. To view the Avino Mine VRIFY tour, please click here. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "David Wolfin" ________________________________ David Wolfin President & CEO Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (together, the "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including the amended mineral resource estimate for the Company's Avino Property located near Durango in west-central Mexico (the "Avino Property") with an effective date of November 30, 2022, and the Company's updated mineral resource estimate for La Preciosa with an effective date of October 27, 2021, prepared for the Company, and references to Measured, Indicated, Inferred Resources referred to in this press release. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and the dates of technical reports, as applicable. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the future circumstances, outcomes or results anticipated in or implied by such forward-looking statements will occur or that plans, intentions or expectations upon which the forward-looking statements are based will occur. While we have based these forward-looking statements on our expectations about future events as at the date that such statements were prepared, the statements are not a guarantee that such future events will occur and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors which could cause events or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and assumptions include, among others, the effects of general economic conditions, the price of gold, silver and copper, changing foreign exchange rates and actions by government authorities, uncertainties associated with legal proceedings and negotiations and misjudgments in the course of preparing forward-looking information. In addition, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Known risk factors include risks associated with project development; the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mining and mineral processing; the COVID-19 pandemic; volatility in the global financial markets; fluctuations in metal prices; title matters; uncertainties and risks related to carrying on business in foreign countries; environmental liability claims and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the potential for conflicts of interest among certain of our officers, directors or promoters with certain other projects; the absence of dividends; currency fluctuations; competition; dilution; the volatility of the our common share price and volume; tax consequences to U.S. investors; and other risks and uncertainties. Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. We are under no obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statements except as required under applicable securities laws. For more detailed information regarding the Company including its risk factors, investors are directed to the Company's Annual Report on Form 40-F and other periodic reports that it files with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. References to Measured & Indicated Mineral Resources and Inferred Mineral Resources in this press release are terms that are defined under Canadian rules by National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101"). On October 31, 2018, the US Securities and Exchange Commission adopted Item 1300 of Regulation S-K ("Regulation SK-1300") to modernize the property disclosure requirements for mining registrants, and related guidance, under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All registrants are required to comply with Regulation SK-1300 for fiscal years ending after January 1, 2021. Regulation SK-1300 uses the Committee for Mineral Reserves International Reporting Standards ("CRIRSCO") based classification scheme for mineral resources and mineral reserves, that includes definitions for inferred, indicated, and measured mineral resources. U.S. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part of the mineral resources in these categories will ever be converted into probable or proven mineral reserves within the meaning of Regulation S-K 1300. SOURCE Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. SINGAPORE, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- International broker FBS launches a new charitable promotion, Trade & Aid, during the blessed month. Traders can open a Trade & Aid account, get tripled deposits, trade, and help those in need. 50% of money raised during the promo will be used to support different charity organizations. Thus, FBS and its traders can make the world a better place together. Trade & Aid FBS Runs the Trade & Aid Charity Promo alongside Ramadan (PRNewsfoto/FBS) Supporting each other is the most valuable and accessible thing we have. FBS offers its traders to do good deeds and join the Trade & Aid promo coinciding with Ramadan. All participants will get a 300% bonus to their deposits, trade, and help people in need because FBS will send commissions from raised money to various charitable organizations. The promo starts on April 5 and finishes on May 1. Every FBS client can join the promo with a few taps: 1. Open a Trade & Aid account in your mobile FBS Personal Area. 2. Make the first deposit $100+ in total. 3. Click 'Get Bonus' and receive $300 for your $100. 4. Trade and receive a 300% bonus per each following deposit. Once the above steps are completed, FBS will triple your deposits. For example, after you get $300 for your first $100, you start trading and close orders. Then you deposit $20 more and automatically get $60 as a bonus. The promo participants can get up to $4 500 within this promo. After the promo is over, FBS will donate 50% of spread commissions from the closed orders to the following charitable organizations: MyCare ( Malaysia ) ) JDC ( Pakistan ) ) Angela for Development and Humanitarian Response ( Yemen ) ) Nour Fi Elbyut Association ( Egypt ) ) Koruncuk Vakf ( Turkey ) ) Panti Asuhan Taman Harapan Muhammadiyah ( Indonesia ) ) Ramadan Memo ( Nigeria ) The promotion results will be announced on May 8 at 13:00 GMT+3 and published on the FBS website. To learn more about and join the promo, tap here. Regular support This is not the first charity launched by the broker. FBS collected over $310 000 for local communities in the Ramadan promo 2019 and raised over $241 000 the following year. In 2020, FBS held a Trade to Help promo and helped raise over $434 000 for local charities. In 2021, the big yearly promo was divided into three to better support different regions: the 2021 Ramadan promo helped raise $136 000, the Songkran promo raised $10 000, and the Charity Bonus helped raise over $67 000 to donate raised funds to the charitable organization like Colibris Foundation, Smile Charity, Red Cross, and others. Let's see how much this year's promo will change the world. FBS is an international brand present in over 150 countries. Independent companies united by the FBS brand are devoted to their clients and offer them opportunities to trade Margin FX and CFDs. FBS Markets Inc. license IFSC/000102/310 Tradestone Ltd. CySEC license number 331/17, FCA temporary permit 808276 Intelligent Financial Markets Pty Ltd ASIC License number 426359 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2047674/FBS_Trade_Aid_Charity.jpg SOURCE FBS LPL Financial's largest enterprise inks $2B deal in its continued expansion of services to financial professionals. FORT MILL, S.C., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Financial Resources Group Investment Services, LLC (Financial Resources Group) announced today that it has completed its partnership with Professional Investors Network. Professional Investors Network brings to the firm over $2 billion in assets under management with over 50 registered representatives. Professional Investors Network became part of Financial Resources Group and will now operate under the firm's entity. The partnership combines Financial Resources Group's expertise in providing customized services to financial professionals along with Professional Investors Network's skillset in the operations, compliance and advisor development spaces. Additionally, it will allow Financial Resources Group to continue its expansion of offerings to its advisors. "We are thrilled to welcome Professional Investors Network to our dynamic firm," said Steve Lank, President of Financial Resources Group. "Their outstanding leadership team and dedicated staff are wonderful assets to our organization and will play instrumental roles in helping us take our offerings to the next level for our advisors." Previously headquartered in South Windsor, Connecticut, Professional Investors Network formed in 2000 and has been one of the top producing groups in the country for three different independent firms with Securities America being their former broker-dealer. "We couldn't have partnered with a better organization," said Bill Brice, Managing Partner of Professional Investors Network. "Financial Resources Group is an industry leader with an impressive catalog of offerings for financial advisors. We were highly impressed with their streamlined compliance efforts, advanced marketing techniques and efficient back-office support. Through their relationship with LPL Financial, we now have access to state-of-the art technology solutions which will further enhance our unique business development model, making Financial Resources Group a premier destination for those looking to grow their businesses and leave a lasting legacy." "We have some incredible things in the works for our advisors and are very excited to share this with everyone in the coming months," said Lank. "Our partnership with Professional Investors Network will be taking Financial Resources Group to new heights, so stay tuned for more details." About Financial Resources Group Based in Fort Mill, SC, Financial Resources Group is LPL Financial's largest enterprise*, providing customized services to financial advisors and financial institutions to help them grow their programs and practices. Representatives are registered through LPL Financial as their broker-dealer. For more information on Financial Resources Group, visit https://www.financialresourcesgroup.net About Professional Investors Network Professional Investors Network has been providing financial professionals with supervisory, operational and consulting services since 2000. For more information, visit https://www.professionalinvestorsllc.com/ About LPL Financial LPL Financial is the nation's largest independent broker-dealer**. They serve independent financial advisors, professionals, and institutions, providing them with the technology, research, clearing and compliance services, and practice management programs they need to create and grow thriving practices. For more information, visit www.lpl.com * Based on assets (brokerage and advisory), total revenue and affiliated professionals as of December 2022. ** As reported by Financial Planning magazine, June 1996-2022, based on total revenue. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, member FINRA/SIPC. Financial Resources Group Investment Services, member FINRA/SIPC, is a separate entity. Contact Information: Financial Resources Group Steve Lank [email protected] 704-816-8018 SOURCE Financial Resources Group Investment Services Industry veteran brings 30 years of experience to the team in our new office location. BALTIMORE, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- First Home Mortgage Corporation is pleased to announce that Michael Parsons has joined the team as Branch Manager of the company's new Gaithersburg, Maryland office. Parsons is a well-respected veteran of the mortgage industry with over 30 years of experience in the Washington metropolitan area. First Home Mortgage Corporation Welcomes Michael Parsons as Branch Manager of our New Gaithersburg, MD Office. Tweet this Michael Parsons Parsons' career in the mortgage industry began right after he graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park. He founded his own brokerage in Rockville, Maryland at the age of 26, which he grew into an Independent Mortgage Bank (IMB) in 2010. Parsons has served on numerous boards and committees over the span of his career and is a former President of the Maryland Mortgage Bankers & Brokers Association (MMBBA) and founding Chairperson of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference (MARC). After selling his company and exploring new options, Parsons found the right match for his career aspirations and values with First Home. "I am thrilled to join the First Home team," said Parsons. "Their long-term homeownership vision blended with their entire financial plan is at the core of what I believe will drive personal and generational wealth for both first-time and experienced homebuyers. I look forward to working with the Gaithersburg team and supporting our clients in their homebuying journey." "We are delighted to have Michael Parsons as the Branch Manager of our newest office," said Matt Nader, First Home Mortgage's Senior Vice President, Director of Sales. "Michael's wealth of knowledge and experience in the mortgage industry will be a great asset to our team. He has a proven track record of delivering exceptional results and providing superior service to his clients. We look forward to working with Michael and supporting his success." With the addition of the new office location in Gaithersburg, First Home Mortgage continues to expand the scope of its operations, along with its team of highly qualified and experienced professionals. "The opening of our new office in Gaithersburg marks an important milestone for First Home Mortgage as we continue to expand our operations and reach new communities," said Steve Lagana, President of First Home Mortgage. "This expansion, with the help of Michael's leadership, will enable us to serve more customers in achieving their home ownership goals." About First Home Mortgage First Home Mortgage is a licensed, full service, residential lender, with a deep bench of dedicated loan officers who guide borrowers throughout the entire mortgage process and offer continued support long after a loan has closed. We are committed to delivering exceptional customer service that not only fulfills goals but exceeds expectations. Founded in 1990 with two offices and a handful of employees, First Home Mortgage has since grown into a financial institution of 31 offices serving 21 states in the Northeastern, Mid-Atlantic, and Southern regions. First Home Mortgage was recognized by the Scotsman Guide in 2022 as a top 50 lender nationally by total volume. For more information and company news, visit firsthome.com/about-us Copyright 2023 First Home Mortgage Corporation. All Rights Reserved SOURCE First Home Mortgage LOS ANGELES, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- After Spolin Law attorneys filed a petition to vacate a client's voluntary manslaughter conviction and resentence him in the San Diego Superior Court, the District Attorney was forced to agree that the client deserved to be released. Spolin Law attorneys discuss legal strategies. In 2019, prior to enlisting the help of Spolin Law attorneys, the client filed a resentencing petition under law SB 1437. The Superior Court initially denied the petition, and the client immediately appealed. On appeal, the client was given a court-appointed attorney. However, five months after the appeal began, the court-appointed attorney filed a Wende brief, essentially stating that the client's case had no arguable issues. (An Anders/Wende brief is a written appellate filing where a lawyer tells the court that he or she cannot find any non-frivolous issues to argue). Shortly after the Wende brief filing, the Court of Appeal denied the appeal. The client then hired Spolin Law to review his case. Using a recently passed law, Senate Bill 775, the attorneys argued that the expansion of SB 1437 entitled the client to have his voluntary manslaughter conviction vacated. In May 2022, Spolin Law attorneys filed their petition citing the new law as well as the client's conduct during the course of the alleged crime. Facing a practically untenable position, the District Attorney conceded that the client was eligible for a hearing to determine whether or not he was entitled to such relief. Ultimately, after an agreed-upon stipulation negotiated by the firm's attorneys and the District Attorney, the client was resentenced to "time served" (17 years, down from 28 years originally), in February of this year, and the client was released from custody in March. "I am so glad that we were able to get this client the justice he deserved," said Caitlin Dukes, one of Spolin Law's attorneys who worked on the case. "He had been fighting his case for years, receiving denial after denial, but he never gave up, and his determination paid off." "This is yet another example of how you can lose many battles but still win the war eventually," explained attorney Aaron Spolin, who worked on this case. "After the client's old lawyer had filed the Wende brief, it had been very disheartening for him. But we benefited tremendously from the new law, and I think that he [the client] was just happy with the final outcome, no matter how zig-zaggy a road it was." For more questions about this or other similar cases, contact Spolin Law P.C. at (866) 716-2805. Firm notes that prior success does not guarantee future success. SOURCE Spolin Law P.C. SCHAFFHAUSEN, Switzerland, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Garmin Ltd. (NYSE: GRMN) invites shareholders and investors to listen to its first quarter 2023 earnings conference call on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. EDT, with executives of Garmin. The call will be held in conjunction with the company's earnings release, which will be distributed prior to market open on May 3, 2023. What: Garmin Ltd. First Quarter 2023 Earnings Call When: Wednesday, May 3, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. EDT Where: Join the live webcast at http://www.garmin.com/en-US/company/investors/events/. An archive of the live webcast will be available until May 2, 2024. Register: Participants in the U.S. or Canada who wish to join by phone, and analysts who wish to participate in the question-and-answer session should join by dialing 800-715-9871. It is recommended that you join 10 minutes prior to the event start (although you may register and dial in at any time during the call). Contact: [email protected] About Garmin Ltd: Engineered on the inside for life on the outside, Garmin products have revolutionized life for runners, cyclists, swimmers and athletes of all levels and abilities. Committed to developing technology that helps people stay active and elevate performance, Garmin believes every day is an opportunity to innovate and a chance to beat yesterday. Garmin Ltd. (NYSE: GRMN) is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit Garmin's virtual Newsroom, email our press team, or follow us on LinkedIn. INVESTOR CONTACT: Teri Seck Garmin International Inc. Phone | 913/397-8200 E-Mail | [email protected] MEDIA CONTACT: Krista Klaus Garmin International Inc. Phone | 913/397-8200 E-Mail | [email protected] SOURCE Garmin International, Inc. GATC builds out AI-driven drug discovery hub adjacent to West Virginia University to expand existing drug discovery projects and accelerate pharma development services. IRVINE, Calif., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- GATC Health Corp, a technology company transforming drug discovery and disease prediction using proprietary, disruptive artificial intelligence (AI), today announced that, as one of the first tenants in the new West Virginia University Innovation Corporation (WVUIC), it is establishing an AI-based life sciences/biotech research and development hub to create safer and more effective therapeutics and accelerate personalized medicine. GATC will expand the discovery of its own innovative drugs and diagnostics within the facility, partner with pharma companies to accelerate their drug development and support the distribution of GATC's 500+ personalized predictive health reports through health plan partners. Moving its AI-driven lab operations to West Virginia positions the company to attract additional biotech and pharma partners and provide them with leading-edge artificial intelligence-based services within the facility. It also enhances and accelerates GATC's own drug development programs with WVUIC's medical chemistry infrastructure for highly efficient synthesis and testing of new therapeutic compounds. WVUIC's 1.2 million square foot building is the former Mylan pharmaceutical manufacturing facility, which is now dedicated to promoting positive change in West Virginia through science and technology innovation. GATC builds out AI-driven drug discovery hub adjacent to West Virginia University. Tweet this Management announced that the first major project in the new facility will be the expanded development of its drug candidate to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). West Virginia and the surrounding Appalachian region have one of the highest incidences of PTSD per capita in the nation. GATC will also continue the development of its innovative drug candidate to treat fentanyl addictionone of the leading causes of death in the U.S. The company's discovery and advanced testing of its new treatments for addiction is drawing significant attention due to GATC's AI platform discovering a safer and more effective way of returning the addicted brain back to a more normal state. "I'm thrilled GATC Health has chosen West Virginia University to establish an innovative artificial intelligence-driven research and development hub to advance our understanding of drug development and substance use disorder. Today's announcement is great news for the Morgantown community and the entire Mountain State," said Senator Joe Manchin. "The drug epidemic has touched every community across West Virginia and the United States, and we must work together to defeat this devastating crisis. I look forward to continuing my partnership with GATC Health as the center is established and their critical work begins at the WVU Innovation Corporation." GATC's Multiomics Advanced Technology (MAT) platform simulates biochemical interactions to accurately predict the body's response of a pharmaceutical asset to a specific disease. GATC recently completed a study demonstrating that its MAT platform can successfully predict the positive human outcome of a compound with 88% accuracy and forecast drug failure with an unprecedented 84% accuracy rate an 11x increase over the current industry lead optimization success rates. MAT can analyze about 400 trillion biological data points in about seven minutes and reduce the time for drug development from years to months. MAT also provides detailed analysis of individuals' genetic data to produce 509 different SNP Health Risk Reports (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms). These advanced reports are used by health systems, providers, and labs to predict genetic risks in individual patients for 32 disease categories, allowing patients to take preventative measures before a disease progresses. "The WVUIC facility will become a regional bioscience hub for GATC's work and serve as an international example of how advanced AI can facilitate the development of safer and more effective drugs," stated Tyrone Lam, GATC chief operating officer. "The WVUIC facility is ideal for our vision and will help bring these important treatments to people sooner. Together we are going to establish new best-practices of leveraging advanced AI to discover better drugs faster." GATC joins two pharma companies who recently announced they are leasing space in the WVUIC facility. WVU and the West Virginia University Health System, commonly branded as WVU Medicine, officially took ownership of the 1.2 million square foot property on Chestnut Ridge Road in March 2022. It previously served as the Mylan pharmaceutical manufacturing facility with existing laboratory, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and office space. "The expansion by GATC Health in West Virginia is the perfect example of how tech innovation is spreading beyond Silicon Valley and into more remote regions where resources to boost economic development, specialized research and job growth can be found in clusters that feed off universities," said Rebecca Fannin, author of the recently released book Silicon Heartland. "We are taking advantage of this prime facility and support of the University to not only further our business initiatives, but also to provide direct, immediate benefit to the Morgantown area and West Virginia," stated GATC president, Jeff Moses. "We will be hiring life sciences and biotech focused teams, R&D lab technicians and administrative staff to further attract partnering businesses to this facility and delivering back significant advances in treatments that greatly affect the 13 states across the Appalachian region." GATC's move into the WVU Innovation Corporation's facility is further evidence of the company's recent growth initiatives, which include adding industry-leading expertise to its management team and advisory boards. GATC's team's experience includes developing highly scalable and secure technology for the Dept of Defense, GrubHub, GoDaddy and IBM Watson. The Science Advisory Board includes Dr. Richard Schatz, co-inventor of the coronary stent, whose invention helps save the lives of more than 2 million people annually; Herb Boyer, co-founder Genentech, the first biotech company to go public and co-inventor of genetic engineering; and Dr. Jonathan Lakey, professor emeritus of UC Irvine School of Medicine and author of over 500 scientific papers. For more information about the WVU Innovation Corporation, visit Innovation.WVU.edu. View GATC Health's Fentanyl Addiciton Overview video. About GATC Health GATC Health Corp is a technology company revolutionizing disease prediction and drug discovery and development through its transformative AI platform and approach, which de-risks drug pipelines and accelerates new therapies to treat disease with accuracy, efficiency and speed never before achieved in medical science. The company's validated and proprietary Multiomics Advanced Technology (MAT) platform simulates human biochemistry's billions of interactions for accurate and rapid disease prediction, novel target identification, and drug discovery and development. GATC envisions the future of medicine now, where health is protected, disease is reversed, and every person's unique biology is treated with precision. GATC is accelerating the future of predictive, individualized medicine, today. SOURCE GATC Health Corp BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. Azerbaijan wants to "reinvigorate" bilateral relations with the Philippines in various fields such as culture, tourism, trade and energy, Elnur Mammadov, Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, said in an interview with The Manila Times, Trend reports. "The signing the first intergovernmental document between the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts is the main purpose of our visit. But, of course, this is also a chance for us to reinvigorate our relations after the pandemic," he said. Mammadov noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had a "negative impact" on the development of Azerbaijan's bilateral relations with many countries, "especially with states that are geographically quite distant from our region". "So, from that perspective, we believe it's a very good chance for us to have face-to-face [meeting] to discuss both our bilateral and multilateral agenda and also the developments in our region where the Philippines is located," he added. The deputy minister added the first round of the consultation will present the "bird's-eye view of all the areas" of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and the Philippines. "But the second round, next round of political consultations will most likely have more detailed discussions around those issues," he said. Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Elnur Mammadov visited the Philippines Republic on April 3-5. On April 4, political consultations were held for the first time between the two foreign ministries. The political consultations were conducted by Deputy Minister Mammadov and Undersecretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines Theresa Lazaro. Following the consultations, the sides signed the "Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of culture between the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Republic of the Philippines", the first intergovernmental document between Azerbaijan and Philippines. Automation of the forecasting and organization of human and material resources to reduce labor costs by up to 25%. Generix Group, a global provider of collaborative SaaS Software solutions for the Supply Chain and commerce ecosystems, announces Resource Management System, its warehouse resource planning and optimization solution. Facing the growing complexity of order flows and the problems of absenteeism and turnover, companies must be able to anticipate better. Generix Group combines, in a single solution, performance analysis and resource planning services to improve warehouse productivity. Resource Management System is a powerful tool that increases employee loyalty by improving the quality of life at work, which enhance the attractiveness of warehouse jobs. MONTREAL, April 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Supply chain managers are dealing with several challenges in the warehouse: performance, flexibility, complexity and granularity of orders and volume variations. In addition, new parameters have emerged with e-commerce, such as customization, deadlines, and volatility, which require organizational hyperagility. RMS provides an answer combining the excellence of the customer promise and the optimization of the first cost item of the supply chain: resources, both human and material. By offering analysis and resource planning functionalities in a single solution, Resource Management System (RMS) is a new performance lever for the warehouse. The solution is available in SaaS mode and can be easily integrated with all the WMS solutions available on the market. Anticipate needs of resources to reduce the costs Increasingly erratic orders, absenteeism and difficulties in recruiting, the challenges faced by warehouses impact their productivity and costs. In addition, meeting the growing demand for new and more personalized services requires flexibility, both for operators and in production resources. Warehouse managers want to anticipate the need of resources by considering both the capacity of their staff and the volumes of work planned for each day to better manage their available resources. They must therefore better decide and anticipate the adequacy of their workloads and capacities to have a better visibility of their daily needs. With RMS, logistics managers maximize their resources by being able to measure their productivity, plan their resources and improve the commitment of their teams with a single tool. Measure productivity to optimize logistics production resources The unique combination of Labor Management and Resource Planning features allows optimal management of logistics production resources in warehouses, which are becoming larger and more automated. With the RMS solution, the forecasting and organization of human and material resources can be automated. Before investing in new equipment, site managers can be sure to get the most out of their existing resources. RMS defines and automates load plan updates as finely as necessary: by task, by day, or even by hour. It calculates the average time required to complete the workload per shift (receiving, order preparation, packaging) and considers working conditions and employee profiles to adapt standards and set objectives. Lastly, it measures the productivity of operators, considering the context of execution, to feed the HR tools. Develop operators' versatility for more flexible warehouses With more and more unitary references and preparations, site managers need to increase their flexibility to improve the ability of their resources to move easily from one task to another: an increasing requirement with variations in volumes and a growing demand for new services. With RMS, they plan the allocation of their resources, both human and material, dynamically and in real time. Artificial intelligence adds a layer of automation to the decision-making process: it anticipates the workloads to be executed and optimizes the distribution of resources, while adapting to the specificities of each warehouse, their objectives and constraints. Some warehouses have absenteeism rates of 50%: calculating real capacity and optimizing the use of the available workforce daily is a major challenge, especially for very large sites. Resource versatility is more than ever a lever to increase flexibility and productivity, considering resource planning and individual performance per shift. RMS allows operators to move from one job to another during the same shift and perform different tasks, reducing fatigue and repetitiveness. The results: increased productivity, smarter scheduling for employees, daily management of employee absences, and a 50% rise in the reliability of capacity forecasts. Better attract, recruit, and retain employees, by strengthening its employer brand Salary conditions are no longer a sufficient lever to retain employees. Faced with the difficulties of recruiting and retaining employees, the attractiveness of work sites and the diversity of assignments are a major challenge for both managers and human resources, especially since the use of temporary workers and staff training are very expensive. In addition, companies must address several societal issues: managing long careers with physical tasks, preventing work-related accidents, occupational diseases, and hardship. Thanks to the RMS solution, which dynamically assigns relevant tasks to operators and measures their performance, both individual and global, in an objective and transparent manner, warehouses can reinforce their attractiveness. By considering actual performance and monitoring learning curves, site managers can reward their operators and increase their motivation and loyalty by up to 20%. Another motivator is gamification. Warehouse workers like to participate in challenges like counting their daily steps. Taking part in challenges keeps operators energized and motivated, allowing them to track their activity more accurately, the number of peaks per hour and their personal performance data compared to the group. RMS measures instantaneous productivity against a target. "Today, logistics managers face a major challenge: accurately anticipate what they will be able to produce in the next few hours, days, months. How much would it cost, for example, considering new products, customers, etc. on an existing logistics capacity, while ensuring the loyalty of the teams in place? Warehouses need to be more flexible to meet their objectives and to anticipate and plan the allocation of their resources. With its data analysis, load calculation and forecasting, planning and simulation services, RMS supports supply chain managers daily. The solution is also a way to get the most out of the existing before engaging in more complex and costly projects of integration of new means of production such as robots or automats, for example.", explains Nicolas PICQUEREY, Chief Solutions & Services Officer for Generix Group. About Generix Group Generix Group is an expert in the Collaborative Supply Chain with presence in 60 countries thanks to its subsidiaries and network of partners. More than 6,000 companies around the world use its SaaS solutions. The group's 800 employees provide daily assistance to clients such as Carrefour, Danone, Marruci, Westinghouse, FM Logistic, Fnac-Darty, Essilor and Ferrero in the digital transformation of their Supply Chains. Its collaborative platform, Generix Supply Chain Hub, helps companies keep their promises to their customers. It connects companies to all their partners so together they can operate physical flows, digitize information flows, and collaboratively manage processes in real time. Generix Supply Chain Hub is intended for all actors in the supply chain: manufacturers, logistic service providers (3PL/4PL), and distributors. To find out more: www.generixgroup.com SOURCE Generix Group DUBLIN, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Radiography Systems Market Size, Segments, Outlook, and Revenue Forecast 2022-2028 by Type, Application, End User and Regions" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. According to this analysis, the Global Radiography Systems Market was valued at ~US$ 25 billion in 2017, it is estimated to be ~US$ 30 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a ~5% CAGR during 2022 to 2028, with market size of ~US$ 40 billion in 2028. The rise in the prevalence of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, neurology disorders, and others, combined with advancements in healthcare systems, has resulted in an increased emphasis on early detection. Increasing use of AI-enabled diagnostic equipment for rapid diagnosis and predictive analysis, notably in developed countries is one of the major contributing factors to the rising demand for radiography systems. The increasing prevalence of osteoarthritis worldwide, combined with the growing need to diagnose, monitor, and treat health conditions, such as pregnancy, swelling or infection in internal organs, spinal injuries, dental issues, and tendon/ligament tears, is likely to drive market growth in the forthcoming years. High prices for medical imaging tests and limited access to critical infrastructure, particularly in developing countries, are expected to stifle market growth. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the global radiography systems market in 2020, primarily due to a decline in patient visits to hospitals and clinics. However, Computed Tomography (CT) scanners witnessed a higher demand in 2020, owing to the need for High-Resolution CT (HRCT) scans for the diagnosis of COVID-19 patients through chest scans. Scope of the Report The Radiography Systems Market is segmented by Type, Application, and End-User. In addition, the report also covers the market size for each of the four regions' Radiography systems market. The revenue used to size and forecast the market for each segment is US$ billion. By Type: X-Ray Devices Ultrasound Systems Computed Tomography (CT) Scanners Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Equipment Nuclear Imaging Equipment By Application: Cardiology Neurology Orthopedics Gynecology Oncology By End User: Hospitals and Clinics Specialty Clinics Diagnostic Imaging Centers By Geography: North America ( USA , Canada , Mexico ) ( , , ) Europe ( Germany , UK, Italy , France , Spain , Rest of Europe ) ( , UK, , , , Rest of ) Asia Pacific ( China , India , Japan , South Korea , Australia , Rest of Asia Pacific ) ( , , , , , Rest of ) LAMEA ( Latin America , Middle East , Africa ) , , ) Key Players: General Electric Company Hitachi Medical Corporation Siemens Healthcare GmbH Koninklijke Philips N.V Samsung Medison Co. Ltd Fujifilm Holdings Corporation Hologic, Inc Shimadzu Corporation Canon Medical Systems Corporation Agfa-Gevaert Group Carestream Health Esaote Key Trends by Market Segment By Type: TheX-Ray Devices segment held the largest market share of the Global Radiography systems Market in 2021, owing to the increase in the demand for early-stage diagnosis of chronic diseases, such as lung infection, breast cancer, enlarged heart, and blocked blood vessels The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has also propelled the demand for x-ray systems across countries due to an increase in the number of COVID patients undergoing chest testing Increasing the use of interventional x-ray systems, including C-arms for image-guided surgeries, is also expected to boost x-ray system market growth. By Application: The Cardiology segment held the largest market share of the Global Radiography systems Market in 2021, primarily due to the surge in the prevalence of cardiovascular disease. The growing geriatric population exacerbates the need for healthcare products and services as such population is more vulnerable to diseases, such as respiratory (tuberculosis and pneumonia), oral, orthopedic (osteoporosis), and cardiovascular diseases. The ubiquity of high blood pressure among individuals across countries is also contributing to the demand for cardiac radiography systems, as high blood pressure constitutes one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease. By End User: The Hospitals and Clinics segment accounted for the majority share of the Global Radiography systems Market in 2021. The continuous development in the healthcare industry across countries has raised the requirement for hospitals with advanced techniques and facilities. The growing number of chronic diseases tested during the assessments and processing of body fluids, particularly following the worldwide explosion of the COVID-19 pandemic, are another major factor influencing the demand for radiography systems in hospitals and clinics. By Geography: North America accounted for the largest market share in the global radiography systems market in 2021. The growth is mainly attributed to increased technological adoption in diagnostic techniques, extensive research initiatives, and regulatory science activities across the healthcare industry, especially in countries such as USA, and Canada. The region's developed healthcare and hospital infrastructure is also a major factor behind the expansion of radiography systems. Recent Developments Related to Major Players and Organizations In July 2022 , Fujifilm, a Japanese photography company, launched a hybrid c-arm and portable x-ray solution in Europe , with the intention of providing high-quality fluoroscopic and static x-ray images during surgery and other medical procedures , Fujifilm, a Japanese photography company, launched a hybrid c-arm and portable x-ray solution in , with the intention of providing high-quality fluoroscopic and static x-ray images during surgery and other medical procedures In April 2022 , Unilabs, a European company that provides diagnostic services, collaborated with GE Healthcare, a U.S.-based company that offers medical technology and digital solutions, to provide advanced radiography systems and imaging services, including MRI and CT scanning technology, ultrasound devices, mammography, and X-ray machines, and innovative imaging fleet services in Portugal Conclusion The global Radiography systems market is forecasted to continue an exponential growth that is witnessed since 2017. The major driving factor contributing to the expansion of radiography systems is a rise in the prevalence of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, neurology disorders, and others, combined with advancements in healthcare systems. Though the market is highly competitive with ~100 participants, few global players control the dominant share and regional players also hold a significant share. Key Topics Covered in the Report Snapshot of the Global Radiography Systems Market Industry Value Chain and Ecosystem Analysis Market size and Segmentation of the Global Radiography Systems Market Historic Growth of the Overall Global Radiography Systems Market and Segments Competition Scenario of the Market and Key Developments of Competitors Porter's 5 Forces Analysis of the Global Radiography Systems Industry Overview, Product Offerings, and Strengths & Weaknesses of Key Competitors Covid-19 Impact on the Overall Global Radiography Systems Market Future Market Forecast and Growth Rates of the Total Global Radiography Systems Market and by Segments Market Size of Product Type, Application, and End User Segments with Historical CAGR and Future Forecasts Analysis of the Global Radiography Systems Market Major Production/Supply and Consumption/Demand Hubs within Each Region Major Country-wise Historic and Future Market Growth Rates of the Total Market and Segments Overview of Notable Emerging Competitor Companies within Each Region Axis-Shield Diagnostics Ltd CMR Naviscan Analogic Corporation Cerner Corporation Mindray Oracle Cerner F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd Medtronic PLC Frequently Asked Questions What is the Study Period of this Market Report? The Global Radiography systems Market is covered from 2017-2028 in this report, including a forecast for 2022-2028 What is the Future Growth Rate of the Global Radiography Systems Market? The Global Radiography Systems Market is expected to witness a CAGR of about ~5% over the next 6 years What are the Key Factors Driving the Global Radiography Systems Market? The increasing use of AI-enabled diagnostic equipment for rapid diagnosis and predictive analysis, notably in developed countries Which is the Largest Application Segment within the Global Radiography Systems Market? The cardiology segment held the largest share of the Global Radiography systems Market in 2021 A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes Key Players General Electric Company Hitachi Medical Corporation Siemens Healthcare GmbH Koninklijke Philips N.V. Samsung Medison Co. Ltd Fujifilm Holdings Corporation Hologic, Inc. Shimadzu Corporation Canon Medical Systems Corporation Agfa-Gevaert Group Carestream Health Esaote Axis-Shield Diagnostics Ltd. CMR Naviscan Analogic Corporation Cerner Corporation Mindray Oracle Cerner F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Medtronic PLC For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/hzdn1n About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets Investment will enable Superior Automotive Group Inc to purchase property in Fayetteville, North Carolina in order to better service the community where they reside FAYETTEVILLE, N.C., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Superior Automotive Group Inc, a car dealership based in Fayetteville, North Carolina, has announced a raising of $10 million for their Series A Preferred Equity Offering through Greenlight Commercial Funding. Superior Automotive is looking to purchase the property where they presently offer services in order to extend their ability to impact their community through a wide variety of automotive services and employment opportunities. Superior Automotive Group Inc, a premier automotive company located in Fayetteville, North Carolina, has assisted thousands of customers find the right car for them by leveraging the many different automotive acquisition services that they provide. Through the completion of this project, Superior Automotive Group Inc will be able to provide a wide variety of other automotive services to their customers. The Superior Automotive project is also a unique prospect for the Fayetteville community being that they plan to offer employment and internship opportunities to the collegiate and high school students in the area. The need for affordable and easily assessable private transportation in their community is vast, and though the aid of their investors at Greenlight Commercial Funding, Superior Automotive can provide an immediate solution to this need. "I am just a small-time guy with big dreams looking to bring revitalization to the African American community that we service," said Kenneth Clark, current owner of the Superior Automotive brand. "This is my first big project but Greenlight made this process easy and assessable through their assistance with this financing. The process was smooth and transparent from the start and has allowed me to turn my dream into a reality." About Superior Automotive Group Inc Based out of Fayetteville, North Carolina, Superior Automotive Group Inc has assisted thousands of customers find the right car for them by leveraging the many different automotive acquisition services that they provide. They assist clients throughout the process to make sure they get approved and have earned the trust and loyalty of their Fayetteville customers over the years by offering flexibility and solutions for every type of credit no matter how bad a curtesy many other lenders are unable to provide. About Greenlight Commercial Funding Greenlight Commercial Funding is one of the most resourceful and dedicated teams of commercial real estate mortgage companies in the industry. They are a client-driven commercial real estate finance firm serving borrowers of real estate capital. Offering a wide variety of debt and equity financing for income producing properties. Greenlight Commercial Funding has earned an industry wide reputation for making property investment a reality for clients. With a high business volume, the company is privileged with the position of securing preferential mortgage processing for clients. Contact Kenneth Clark [email protected] (910) 491-7225 Following the CPA certification of the investment funds issued by Greenlight Commercial Funding notice will be filed with the U.S. Security Exchange Commission notifying that Superior Automotive Group Inc. has sold securities without registration as required under the Securities Act of 1933. SOURCE Greenlight Commercial Funding NEW YORK, April 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The global hair color spray market size is estimated to increase by USD 340.97 million from 2021 to 2026. The market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 4.54%. The growth of the cosmetic industry is driving the global hair color spray market growth. The spending on high-quality products has increased owing to the rising incomes of people and changes in lifestyles. The shift in consumption patterns from low-priced products to expensive and high-quality products has further enhanced the growth of the market. The growth of the men's grooming category has increased the growth prospects of the market. The male grooming segment has expanded to include premium products, including hair styling products, hair color products, concealers, and anti-aging products. These factors will fuel market growth during the forecast period. Discover more insights on market size and forecast (2022 to 2026) before buying the full report - Request a sample report Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Hair Color Spray Market Hair color spray market - Segmentation assessment Segment overview Technavio has segmented the market based on distribution channel (offline and online) and geography (APAC, Europe, North America, South America, and Middle East and Africa). The offline segment will account for a significant share of the market growth during the forecast period. This distribution channel includes sales of products through specialty stores; hypermarkets, supermarkets, convenience stores, and clubhouse stores; and others, including department stores, salons and spas, and drugstores. The expansion of offline stores by major retailers to increase sales through offline channels is one of the major factors driving the growth of this segment. For instance, Walmart Inc. (Walmart) plans to expand its presence in India by opening 50 new stores over the next 4-5 years. Geography overview The report provides actionable insights and estimates the contribution of all regions to the growth of the global hair color spray market. APAC will account for 42% of the market's growth during the forecast period. China and Japan are the key countries for the hair color spray market in the region. Moreover, market growth in APAC will be faster than the growth of the market in other regions. The growing disposable income, especially among the young working population, has led to significant opportunities for beauty product manufacturers. This, in turn, will drive the hair color spray market growth in APAC during the forecast period. For insights on global, regional, and country-level parameters with growth opportunities - Download a sample report Hair color spray market Vendor analysis Vendor landscape The global hair color spray market is fragmented, with the presence of leading global and regional players. A few prominent vendors that offer hair color spray in the market are as follows: Amika Caboki LLC Coty Inc. DMP Color LLC Eufora International Healthy Dyeit Henkel AG and Co. KGaA John Paul Mitchell Systems Kristin Ess Hair Kryolan GmbH LOreal SA Luxury Brand Partners LLC Punky International Inc. Rita Hazan Products LLC Style Edit Tish and Snookys NYC Inc. Unilever PLC Kao Corp. Vendors are deploying growth strategies such as the launch of new products to compete in the market. They also focus on factors such as brand, labor, quality, and innovation. The growing competition in the market and the availability of similar product offerings have resulted in low price differentiation among these vendors. Why buy? Add credibility to strategy Analyzes competitor's offerings Get a holistic view of the market Grow your profit margin with Technavio Buy the report! Vendor offerings - Coty Inc. - The company offers hair color sprays such as Root Touch Up temporary color refreshing spray under its brand Clairol. The company offers hair color sprays such as Root Touch Up temporary color refreshing spray under its brand Clairol. Eufora International - The company offers hair color sprays such as Eufora creative streak temporary hair color spray. The company offers hair color sprays such as Eufora creative streak temporary hair color spray. Henkel AG and Co. KGaA - The company offers hair color sprays under its brand Schwarzkopf. The company offers hair color sprays under its brand Schwarzkopf. For details on vendors and their offerings Request a sample report Hair color spray market Market dynamics Key trends - The growth of the e-commerce market is a key trend in the global hair color spray market. Globalization and liberalization policies have resulted in the growing trend of B2B and B2C businesses. The growth potential of the e-commerce market has increased owing to a gradual shift in customer spending and shopping habits. The growth in IT, AI, and other modern technologies has expanded the customer base, which, in turn, has created lucrative growth prospects for key vendors. Customers can choose from a wide range of products, with the advent of social media, increasing Internet penetration, and the growing adoption of smartphones. Vendors are collaborating with major online retailers to enhance their market shares. Therefore, the growth in online retail sales is expected to increase the demand for hair color sprays during the forecast period. Major challenges - The threat from counterfeit products is challenging the market growth. The prices of counterfeit products are comparatively lower than those of branded products. This helps vendors of such products attract more consumers. Counterfeit products are considered harmful, as they are made from low-quality ingredients and are not tested for safety. The growing penetration of e-commerce is further propelling the sales of counterfeit products. Due to these factors, global players are compelled to reduce the prices of their products in order to achieve optimum market penetration. This, in turn, reduces their profit margins and the price-to-sales ratio of the global hair color spray market. Drivers, trends, and challenges have an impact on market dynamics, which can impact businesses. Find more insights in a sample report! What are the key data covered in this hair color spray market report? CAGR of the market during the forecast period Detailed information on factors that will drive the growth of the hair color spray market between 2022 and 2026 Precise estimation of the size of the hair color spray market size and its contribution to the parent market Accurate predictions about upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior Growth of the hair color spray market across APAC, Europe , North America , South America , and Middle East and Africa , , , and and A thorough analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information about vendors Comprehensive analysis of factors that will challenge the growth of hair color spray market vendors Gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Related Reports: The hair loss treatment products market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.6% between 2022 and 2027. The size of the market is forecasted to increase by USD 2,216.5 million. This report extensively covers market segmentation by product type (vitamins and supplements, shampoos and conditioners, and others), gender (men, women, and children), and geography (APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa). The hair bond multiplier market size is expected to increase by USD 100.43 million from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 7.6%. Furthermore, this report extensively covers the hair bond multiplier market segmentation by end-user (salon, spa, and personal use) and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and the Middle East and Africa). Hair Color Spray Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 4.54% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 340.97 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2021-2022 (%) 4.3 Regional analysis APAC, Europe, North America, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution APAC at 42% Key countries US, China, Japan, Germany, and Brazil Competitive landscape Leading vendors, market positioning of vendors, competitive strategies, and industry risks Key companies profiled Amika, Caboki LLC, Coty Inc., DMP Color LLC, Eufora International, Healthy Dyeit, Henkel AG and Co. KGaA, John Paul Mitchell Systems, Kristin Ess Hair, Kryolan GmbH, LOreal SA, Luxury Brand Partners LLC, Punky International Inc., Rita Hazan Products LLC, Style Edit, Tish and Snookys NYC Inc., Unilever PLC, and Kao Corp. Market dynamics Parent market analysis, market growth inducers and obstacles, fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and recovery analysis and future consumer dynamics, and market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized. Browse for Technavio Consumer Staples market reports Table of contents 1 Executive Summary 1.1 Market overview Exhibit 01: Executive Summary Chart on Market Overview Exhibit 02: Executive Summary Data Table on Market Overview Exhibit 03: Executive Summary Chart on Global Market Characteristics Exhibit 04: Executive Summary Chart on Market by Geography Exhibit 05: Executive Summary Chart on Market Segmentation by Distribution Channel Exhibit 06: Executive Summary Chart on Incremental Growth Exhibit 07: Executive Summary Data Table on Incremental Growth Exhibit 08: Executive Summary Chart on Vendor Market Positioning 2 Market Landscape 2.1 Market ecosystem Exhibit 09: Parent market Exhibit 10: Market Characteristics 3 Market Sizing 3.1 Market definition Exhibit 11: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition 3.2 Market segment analysis Exhibit 12: Market segments 3.3 Market size 2021 3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026 Exhibit 13: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 14: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 15: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 16: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 4 Five Forces Analysis 4.1 Five forces summary Exhibit 17: Five forces analysis - Comparison between 2021 and 2026 4.2 Bargaining power of buyers Exhibit 18: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026 4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers Exhibit 19: Bargaining power of suppliers Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.4 Threat of new entrants Exhibit 20: Threat of new entrants Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.5 Threat of substitutes Exhibit 21: Threat of substitutes Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.6 Threat of rivalry Exhibit 22: Threat of rivalry Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.7 Market condition Exhibit 23: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026 5 Market Segmentation by Distribution Channel 5.1 Market segments Exhibit 24: Chart on Distribution Channel - Market share 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 25: Data Table on Distribution Channel - Market share 2021-2026 (%) 5.2 Comparison by Distribution Channel Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Distribution Channel Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Distribution Channel 5.3 Offline - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 28: Chart on Offline - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 29: Data Table on Offline - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 30: Chart on Offline - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 31: Data Table on Offline - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.4 Online - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 32: Chart on Online - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 33: Data Table on Online - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 34: Chart on Online - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 35: Data Table on Online - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.5 Market opportunity by Distribution Channel Exhibit 36: Market opportunity by Distribution Channel ($ million) 6 Customer Landscape 6.1 Customer landscape overview Exhibit 37: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria 7 Geographic Landscape 7.1 Geographic segmentation Exhibit 38: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 39: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) 7.2 Geographic comparison Exhibit 40: Chart on Geographic comparison Exhibit 41: Data Table on Geographic comparison 7.3 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 42: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 43: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 44: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 45: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 46: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 47: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 48: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 49: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.5 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 50: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 51: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 52: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 53: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 55: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 56: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 57: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.7 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 59: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 60: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 61: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.8 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 62: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 63: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 64: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 65: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.9 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 66: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 67: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 68: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 69: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.10 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 70: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 71: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 72: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 73: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.11 Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 75: Data Table on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 76: Chart on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 77: Data Table on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.12 Brazil - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 78: Chart on Brazil - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 79: Data Table on Brazil - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 80: Chart on Brazil - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 81: Data Table on Brazil - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.13 Market opportunity by geography Exhibit 82: Market opportunity by geography ($ million) 8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 8.1 Market drivers 8.2 Market challenges 8.3 Impact of drivers and challenges Exhibit 83: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026 8.4 Market trends 9 Vendor Landscape 9.1 Overview 9.2 Vendor landscape Exhibit 84: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation 9.3 Landscape disruption Exhibit 85: Overview on factors of disruption 9.4 Industry risks Exhibit 86: Impact of key risks on business 10 Vendor Analysis 10.1 Vendors covered Exhibit 87: Vendors covered 10.2 Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 88: Matrix on vendor position and classification 10.3 Coty Inc. Exhibit 89: Coty Inc. - Overview Exhibit 90: Coty Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 91: Coty Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 92: Coty Inc. - Segment focus 10.4 DMP Color LLC Exhibit 93: DMP Color LLC - Overview Exhibit 94: DMP Color LLC - Product / Service Exhibit 95: DMP Color LLC - Key offerings 10.5 Eufora International Exhibit 96: Eufora International - Overview Exhibit 97: Eufora International - Product / Service Exhibit 98: Eufora International - Key offerings 10.6 Henkel AG and Co. KGaA Exhibit 99: Henkel AG and Co. KGaA - Overview Exhibit 100: Henkel AG and Co. KGaA - Business segments Exhibit 101: Henkel AG and Co. KGaA - Key news Exhibit 102: Henkel AG and Co. KGaA - Key offerings Exhibit 103: Henkel AG and Co. KGaA - Segment focus 10.7 John Paul Mitchell Systems Exhibit 104: John Paul Mitchell Systems - Overview Exhibit 105: John Paul Mitchell Systems - Product / Service Exhibit 106: John Paul Mitchell Systems - Key offerings 10.8 LOreal SA Exhibit 107: LOreal SA - Overview Exhibit 108: LOreal SA - Business segments Exhibit 109: LOreal SA - Key news Exhibit 110: LOreal SA - Key offerings Exhibit 111: LOreal SA - Segment focus 10.9 Luxury Brand Partners LLC Exhibit 112: Luxury Brand Partners LLC - Overview Exhibit 113: Luxury Brand Partners LLC - Product / Service Exhibit 114: Luxury Brand Partners LLC - Key offerings 10.10 Punky International Inc. Exhibit 115: Punky International Inc. - Overview Exhibit 116: Punky International Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 117: Punky International Inc. - Key offerings 10.11 Rita Hazan Products LLC Exhibit 118: Rita Hazan Products LLC - Overview Exhibit 119: Rita Hazan Products LLC - Product / Service Exhibit 120: Rita Hazan Products LLC - Key offerings 10.12 Unilever PLC Exhibit 121: Unilever PLC - Overview Exhibit 122: Unilever PLC - Business segments Exhibit 123: Unilever PLC - Key news Exhibit 124: Unilever PLC - Key offerings Exhibit 125: Unilever PLC - Segment focus 11 Appendix 11.1 Scope of the report 11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist Exhibit 126: Inclusions checklist Exhibit 127: Exclusions checklist 11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$ Exhibit 128: Currency conversion rates for US$ 11.4 Research methodology Exhibit 129: Research methodology Exhibit 130: Validation techniques employed for market sizing Exhibit 131: Information sources 11.5 List of abbreviations Exhibit 132: List of abbreviations About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contact Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com/ SOURCE Technavio OCALA, Fla., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- HiBid enabled the sale of over $56.8 million in gross merchandise value in auctions held through the platform last week. Over 698,000 lots were sold online in 1,651 timed and live auctions taking place between March 27th and April 2nd, with the total hammer value exceeding $94.7 million. Among the thousands of auctions currently on the site, there are numerous events featuring developed and undeveloped residential and farm real estate in Illinois, Maine, Tennessee, and Virginia. Standout lots include a house on 12 acres of secluded land in Tennessee, 109 acres of property in Maine bordered by the Huntley Brook, and 33-plus acres of Illinois farmland with Class A and B soils. HiBid.com brings buyers and sellers together every day with a wide-ranging selection of lots in more than 300 categories that appeal to bidders worldwide. HiBid is fully integrated with Auction Flex 360, providing auctioneers with a comprehensive auction management solution that supports live auctions, timed auctions, and internet absentee bidding. March 27th-April 2nd, 2023, HiBid.com Highlights Gross Merchandise Value: $56.8+ Million Total Hammer Value: $94.7+ Million Lots Sold Online: 698,603 Timed Auctions: 1,521 Live Auctions: 130 Bids Placed: 4.16+ Million Bidding Sessions: 5.19+ Million Current Auctions The following list includes a small sample from the hundreds of auctions currently open for bidding on HiBid.com. Site visitors can click the Find Auctions menu at the top of the HiBid.com homepage for links to the Featured and Hot auctions, such as those listed below, or use the search box to find auctions nearby. The Hillman Real Estate Auction House and 12-plus Acres Auction Type: Timed Date: April 20th Seller: JD's Realty & Auction, LLC View Auction Catalog 109-plus Acres Maine Land Auction Type: Timed Dates: March 24th-April 26th Seller: United Country Lifestyle Properties of Maine View Auction Catalog 33-plus Acres, Jessie D. Hite Trust Auction Type: Timed Dates: March 17th-April 11th Seller: William Beck Auction & Realty View Auction Catalog Numerous current and upcoming real estate auctions, including 65-plus acres of wooded land in Woolwine, Virginia, with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains are also accessible on the United Country Real Estate page. If you're looking to sell through HiBid.com, click here to describe what you wish to sell, and a local HiBid auctioneer will help you get started. Interested in receiving updates from HiBid? Sign up to receive newsletter emails, and follow HiBid Auctions on Facebook and LinkedIn. About HiBid and Auction Flex 360 HiBid is an online auction platform supporting live auctions, timed auctions, and internet absentee bidding. It is also available as a private-label solution. HiBid is integrated with Auction Flex 360, the market leader in auction software for live and timed auctions, with capabilities that include cataloging, clerking, cashiering, accounting, mailing list management, inventory management, and multi-parcel. HiBid and Auction Flex 360 were built from the ground up to function together seamlessly. SOURCE Hibid-AuctionFlex Offer includes savings up to 45% off cruise fares, onboard credit and reduced deposits SEATTLE, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The 150th birthday celebrations continue for Holland America Line with an Anniversary Sale featuring cruise fare discounts, an onboard spending credit and reduced deposits on most summer 2023 through spring 2024 departures. The cruise line marks its sesquicentennial birthday April 18, 2023, and the company is commemorating the milestone with special sailings, offers and events. Guests who book eligible cruises receive up to 45% off cruise-only fares with the Anniversary Sale, along with up to $150 onboard spending money per guest depending on stateroom category and length of sailing, and $150 reduced deposits. Bookings must be made by May 4, 2023, to take advantage of the offer. "Holland America Line's 150th anniversary is an opportunity to show our guests how much we appreciate them, whether it's through special onboard activities or amazing offers like the Anniversary Sale that make cruising with us an even more valuable vacation," said Beth Bodensteiner, chief commercial officer, Holland America Line. "Our milestone birthday this month is one that few companies ever reach, and we're taking the year to celebrate Holland America Line and the historical significance of the brand." The up to $150 per person onboard spending money for the first and second guests in a stateroom can be put toward a variety of experiences and amenities, including specialty dining, spa treatments, shore excursions, beverages, photographs, souvenirs and more. With the Anniversary Sale, travelers can explore Alaska (Alaska Cruisetours are included), the Caribbean, Mexico, Northern Europe, Mediterranean, Panama Canal, Canada/New England, Hawaii, South Pacific, South America and Antarctica, Australia and New Zealand. The Anniversary Sale is not valid on Grand Voyages and itineraries four days or less. The Anniversary Sale is combinable with Holland America Line's "Have It All" premium package and Kids Cruise Free promotion. 'Have It All' Premium Package Guests can combine the Anniversary Sale with "Have It All" premium cruise fares, which include four high-value amenities: shore excursions, a Signature Beverage Package, specialty dining in Pinnacle Grill, Canaletto or Tamarind (depending on ship), and a Wi-Fi Surf Package to stay connected throughout the cruise. Kids Cruise Free to Exciting Locales The Anniversary Sale also is combinable with Holland America Line's Kids Cruise Free offer where kids aged 18 and under cruise for free when traveling as the third and fourth guests in the same stateroom. Whether it's a family that loves to explore the world or one that stays closer to home, a variety of destinations are included with this offer. For more information about Holland America Line, consult a travel advisor, call 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or visit hollandamerica.com. Editors Note: Photos are available at https://www.cruiseimagelibrary.com/c/i5qbcirl. Find Holland America Line on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and the Holland America Blog. You can also access all social media outlets via the home page at hollandamerica.com. About Holland America Line Holland America Line, part of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE/LSE:CCL andNYSE:CUK), has been exploring the world for 150 years with expertly crafted itineraries, extraordinary service and genuine connections to each destination. Offering an ideal mid-sized ship experience, its fleet visits nearly 400 ports in 114 countries around the world and has shared the thrill of Alaska for 75 years longer than any other cruise line. Holland America Line's 11 vessels feature a diverse range of enriching activities and amenities focused on destination immersion and personalized travel. The best live music at sea fills each evening at Music Walk, and dining venues feature exclusive selections from a Culinary Council of world-famous chefs. CONTACT: Bill Zucker, Erik Elvejord PHONE: 800-637-5029, 206-626-9890 EMAIL: [email protected] SOURCE Holland America Line "More women in the Gulf are dominating the media scene and the potential for our region to create its own 'wood' is now becoming greater than ever," Sheikha Abrar Khaled Al Sabah, Founder of Abbey's Productions - Kuwaiti professionals have a role in contributing to Saudi's evolving film industry as they are currently being acquired by Saudi producers and film-makers - Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah is elevating the cinematic and drama content of the Gulf to originate an inclusive 'Khaleeji-wood' (a metonym for the Arabian Gulf cinema), and highly position its content on global motions through Abbey's productions KUWAIT CITY, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- There is no doubt that the appetite for film, drama, and media is rapidly increasing in the MENA region. The film and media industry in the Arab world is exponentially growing and currently being perceived as an untapped and lucrative economic opportunity. A recent outlook report by PwC showed that MENA's cinema revenue will increase by 4% in 2024 comparing to the global cinema revenue, which is to decrease by 2.4%. The report also showed that the revenue of MENA alone constitutes almost 2% of the global cinema revenue (including Asia). Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah, Media Entrepreneur and Producer Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah, Founder of Abbey's Production Gulf countries such as the UAE and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have been actively harnessing the power of this industry. The neighboring countries have been heavily investing in culture and media to unlock an opportunity for economic diversification, promote tourism, and attract investors to their countries. Kuwait hasn't been diligently involved in the economic game of cinema and media until recently. Kuwaiti drama and film content have always been on the forefront of renowned channels attracting a large pool of audience. However, the industry hasn't been tapped as an investment opportunity to boost the nation's non-oil economic sectors. Discerning the golden opportunities that this booming industry is offering, a young Kuwaiti female entrepreneur from the royal family, Sheikha Abrar Khaled Al Sabah, founded a productions company in the midst of a global pandemic to foster Kuwait's presence in this field. Abbey's Productions, a Kuwait-based production house that was founded in 2019 by the Sheikha, is dedicated to elevate the cinematic and new media content in the region. Most importantly, produce content that will depict an accurate representation of Kuwait and the region to the global audience. "It is no secret that for the past ten years, our region was identified and perceived by the west in different forms. You'd find those who use 'Dubai' as a landmark to refer to the Gulf countries. And, those who signify our region with Islamic extremism, gender oppression, tents, and camels. None of that portray an accurate and fair representation of our world," stated Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah. "I founded Abbey's Productions to achieve three goals. Highlight this thriving investment opportunity for Kuwait to consider it as a non-oil economic sector because it is completely overlooked. Show the world an authentic image of our region through raw stories and elevated content that would align with the current standards of the international production market. And, originate an inclusive 'Khaleeji-wood' that would fairly represent our region and people to the world," added Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah. Women and media in the Gulf While the global gender norms and policies are shifting to promote equality in all areas of life, women in the Gulf have indeed broke so many constraints and are matching their ambitions in establishing social, political, and economic roles for them. Numerous articles have reported the transformation of the women's situation in a country like Saudi Arabia. Statistics have also shown that Arab women film makers are outpacing their counterparts in the US and Europe and leading voices in the industry. Arab News published various articles showing that women in the Gulf are changing long-held stereotypes through the media. There is an obvious emerge of Saudi women in the field and Kuwaiti women have recently started to lead the scene. This was noticed through the recent breakthrough of Netflix's drama series, The Exchange, which was written by a Kuwaiti writer and acted by Kuwaiti women. The rise of women filmmakers, writers, content creators, and directors prompted Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah's efforts to enter the field and contribute to its growth as a Kuwaiti female producer. "Female filmmakers in the Gulf are breaking the stereotypical roles of women in our region and they are highly contributing to the industry. However, more women in Kuwait need to explore other fields than acting because we are in need of Kuwaiti female writers, directors, and producers depicting accurate pictures and narrating raw stories of women in our country and the region," explained Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah. She added that women in the Gulf have the power to eradicate the misrepresentation of the region on global motions, and that Kuwaiti women can reshape the nation's policies and contribute to the country's global position by capitalizing on this wide-open window that will expose the real power of Kuwaiti women in different areas of life. Kuwait's royal family member affirmed that her goal is to elevate the media content produced in the Gulf to align with the international standard of cinema and television. Accordingly, her production house, Abbey's productions, focuses on the technicalities of the produced content by adopting the most authentic stories and well-written scripts, using latest film-making and production equipment, and producing the highest quality of content. She explained: "It is not about the story. It is about how the story is portrayed, narrated, and broadcasted. My role as a female producer is to ensure the depiction of our human stories in the most real and innovative manner to impact the viewer." "For years, we've been watching Arab women being misrepresented in Hollywood. Only highlighting the passive parts of our societies and not depicting the full picture of what Arab women can do, be, and their life really is. Just like in the west, we have women who struggle in our societies. Nevertheless, we also have women entrepreneurs, CEOs, great mothers, substantial leaders, and many more. Our new media need to highlight all parts of our societies and narrate accurate raw stories of our lives. And, that's what we are doing through our produced content at Abbey's Productions. We simply narrate accurate and authentic stories of our lives as Arabs," explained Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah. Elevating the standards of Arab media Praising Saudi Arabia's efforts in expanding the role of women in the industry and providing stupendous opportunities through events like the Red Sea Film Festival, Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah highlighted Kuwait's role in the industry. "Kuwait has always been a key player in the Gulf's drama and film industry, and now, more than ever, Kuwait needs to invest in this field and reposition itself in the 'Khaleeji-wood,'" said the Kuwaiti royal family member. She also stressed on the importance of nurturing Kuwait's film-makers, story tellers and content creators; noting how Kuwaiti film-makers are currently being acquired by Saudi Arabia and contributing to the Kingdom's emerging film industry. She added: "Kuwaiti film-makers have had their prints in the region's film and drama industry. In addition to so many Khaleeji (Gulf) drama and movies, Al Sattar (2022) on Netflix is a Saudi film but was directed by the prominent Kuwaiti director, Abdullah Al Arak. Kuwait's TV drama industry is considered to be the largest and most active drama industry in the Gulf. Our film-makers, actors, and actresses were the first to pave the way for TV drama and film in the region. Our country must capitalise on this opportunity and reposition itself through Kuwaiti media professionals." Media entrepreneurship in the Gulf Entrepreneurship is a trending topic in the Arab world. There is an obvious rise in startups and a well-promoted understanding on the importance of entrepreneurship in the region. The region's governments and officials have been putting entrepreneurship as one of their priorities for economic development and youth empowerment. Governments in the Gulf have been strategically placing bolstering investments to create an ecosystem for entrepreneurs that would foster their innovation, upskill their capacities, and growth. Underlining the importance of supporting media entrepreneurs, Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah pointed that media entrepreneurship is underscored in the region. "We always hear about tech entrepreneurs, startups, social media influencers, and lifestyle businesses. However, media entrepreneurship is rarely tackled in our region despite this field's hulking revenues," she noted. "I believe that festivals such as the Red Sea Film Festival and Gona Film Festival can have a larger impact on media entrepreneurs. Our region's festivals mainly target top-notch names in the field and film-making enthusiasts. Startups and media entrepreneurs need space and recognitions in such notable events," underscored Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah. The potential and rapid success of investing in the media business is yet to be recognised by entrepreneurs and angel investors. Tracing the success record of Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah's production house, Abbey's Productions, the company has managed to quickly become one of the most promising production entities given the impact of its produced drama series and content, and above all, drive sustainable profits. Abbey's Productions started off on a small-scale offering services such as redrafting scripts and providing production support. In less than three years, the company was able to allocate large investments in the latest high-tech cinematography equipment and tools. The team places strong emphasis on all the details related to production and content. Despite the market challenges during the pandemic, the company produced so many hits. One of which is the series In Mecca's Time (Bi Tawqeet Mecca), the first TV drama to be filmed at the Kabaa, the holiest site in Islam, located in Mecca. It was ranked as the #1 most viewed in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait on Shahid.net. Abbey's last Ramadan's produced series, the Honourable Position (Hadret El Mawkef) was acquired by major Pan-Arab channels such the MBC and Dubai TV as well as the leading Middle-East streaming platform, Shahid.net. The series was ranked as one of the most viewed series in the Gulf on the platform during Ramadan 2022. In addition, Abbey's produced two seasons of At Street No. 9 (E'and Share'a 9), a drama series that quickly gained the top viewed spots on Shaid.net. Conclusively, there is so much power that the media holds in shaping societies, decisions, forming identities and influencing state systems. The demands, lifestyle, and interests of the public audience is also rapidly changing. Accordingly, Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah explained that elevating Arab film and drama content is now becoming a vital pillar to sustain any media business. "Our region's audience is now heavily exposed to great quality of content produced by other sides of the world. We must align with these international standards to maintain the interests of Arabs in their own stories. On the other hand, we have a responsibility to voice our own real stories, especially as Arab women, to the global audience. We don't have to abandon our social traditions and values to fit in the global 'woods.' We can still heavily contribute and impact the industry without opposing our own voices. I don't see that there is any contradiction between working in the media and being an Arab woman. I come from a Royal family and I am still committed and dedicated towards my mission and hopes for my country, Kuwait, to be globally positioned through the Global 'wood," concluded Sheikha Abrar Al Sabah. Website: www.abraralsabah.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2048176/Sheikha_Abrar_Al_Sabah_1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2048175/Sheikha_Abrar_Al_Sabah_2.jpg SOURCE Sheikha Abrar Khaled Jaber Al Ali Al Sabah SEOUL, South Korea, April 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyosung Chairman Cho Hyun-joon attended the Korea-Japan Business Roundtable held in Tokyo, March. At the meeting, key officials from the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) and the Japan Association of Corporate Executives (Keizai Doyukai) specified the visions for economic cooperation between the two countries and discussed expanding exchange and cooperation among business leaders. From Korea, 12 members of the FKI attended, including Chairman Cho Hyun-joon and Acting FKI Chairman Kim Byong-joon, as well as leaders of conglomerates. From Japan, 11 business leaders attended, including Chairman Masakazu Tokura of Keidanren and Mikio Sasaki, the chairman of the Japan-Korea Economic Association. Chairman Cho said, "I hope to mutual development in various fields for both countries through this meeting," adding "I shall make efforts to contribute to the development of both countries through active economic exchange with Japanese companies". In the business world, Chairman Cho is regarded as an expert on Japan. He has been serving as the vice-chairman of the Korea-Japan Economic Association since 2014 and was reappointed in 2023 for his 10th year of service. He showed his interest in Japan by mentioning that "economic cooperation with Japan is essential" during the 29th Korea-Japan Business Conference last year. SOURCE Hyosung Corporation Hyundai Hope On Wheels announces plans to award $25 million in research and programmatic grants to commemorate its 25 th anniversary This year's donation marks the organization's $225 million lifetime donation total Hyundai Hope On Wheels names newest National Youth Ambassador Raynie Clark to join fellow ambassador Oliver Foster NEW YORK, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Hope On Wheels, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supported by Hyundai Motor America and its more than 820 U.S. dealers, celebrates its 25th anniversary in its long-standing fight against childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, the organization is one of the longest-running corporate social responsibility efforts in the automotive industry. In honor of this milestone, Hyundai Hope On Wheels today announced plans to award $25 million in research grants this year, its largest donation in a single year, bringing its total giving to $225 million since its inception. Hyundai Hope On Wheels National Youth Ambassadors Raynie Clark and Oliver Foster are photographed on February 21, 2023 (Photo/Hyundai) Hyundai Hope On Wheels National Youth Ambassadors Raynie Clark and Oliver Foster are photographed on February 21, 2023 (Photo/Hyundai) "Hyundai Hope On Wheels is honored to have reached this milestone, which humbly started as a local initiative in New England 25 years ago," said Kevin Reilly, vice chairman of the Hyundai Hope On Wheels Board of Directors, and president of Alexandria Hyundai. "While we are proud of this growth and the significant advancements in pediatric cancer research, we remain as unwaveringly dedicated to our goals of funding research and creating awareness as when we started. The resilience of pediatric cancer fighters, survivors, and their families inspires us to continue this journey and strengthen our commitment to bring hope and put an end to childhood cancer." In 2022, Hyundai Hope On Wheels appointed executive director John Guastaferro to build on the organization's achievements and advance its mission into the future. This year, Hyundai Hope On Wheels is set to surpass 1,300 research and programmatic grants to over 175 hospital and research institutions over its 25-year history. Hyundai Hope On Wheels awards grants in three categories to researchers at eligible Children's Oncology Group (COG) member institutions, which are focused on improving outcomes, treatments, and support for children diagnosed with cancer. In 2023, Hyundai Hope On Wheels will introduce two new categories of grants to provide bridge funding for National Institute of Health grant applicants and to expand support in more regions across the United States with engagement from local Hyundai dealers. Now with five categories of grants, Hope On Wheels will help sustain and strengthen research for projects underway and increase its support to more institutions nationwide. "While we are thrilled that we are now able to cure around 80 percent of children with cancer, our goal is to get to 100 percent," said Dr. Dan Wechsler, a long-standing member of the Hyundai Hope On Wheels Medical Advisory Committee. "Appropriate funding is critical to ensure that doctors, scientists, and institutions continue their cutting-edge research. I applaud Hyundai Hope On Wheels for its dedication to and perseverance in advancing pediatric cancer research particularly for young investigators and look forward to continuing efforts to cure and support as many pediatric cancer patients as possible." New National Youth Ambassador Raynie Clark, a 10-year-old from a town outside Las Vegas, Nevada, was announced as the newest National Youth Ambassador from a nationwide search. Throughout the year, Raynie will travel with her fellow National Youth Ambassador Oliver Foster to children's hospitals to inspire others to join the fight against childhood cancer. Oliver was selected as the 2022-2024 National Youth Ambassador, while Raynie will serve as the 2023-2025 ambassador. This year marks the return of appointing two ambassadors to jointly represent the organization and share their stories of courage and hope since 2020. Learn more about Raynie's and Oliver's inspirational stories on our website. To celebrate the 25-year milestone, Hyundai Hope On Wheels launched its "HOPE Defined" social media campaign, which will spotlight what Hope means to members of the pediatric cancer community and culminate through various celebrations in September, National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Visit HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org to learn more about Hyundai Hope On Wheels and its 25th anniversary celebrations. Hyundai Hope On Wheels Hyundai Hope On Wheels is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels provides grants to eligible institutions nationwide that are pursuing critical research aimed at improving treatments and saving lives. Hyundai Hope On Wheels is one of the largest nonprofit funders of pediatric cancer research in the country. Primary funding for Hyundai Hope On Wheels comes from Hyundai Motor America and its more than 820 U.S. dealers. In 2023, Hyundai Hope On Wheels will surpass a lifetime total donation of $225 million in support of more than 1,300 childhood cancer research grants. SOURCE Hyundai Hope On Wheels IONIQ 6 honored by World Car Awards at New York International Auto Show The Electrified Streamliner is the second straight Hyundai IONIQ model to sweep three major World Car Awards following IONIQ 5's triple wins in 2022 IONIQ 6 can charge 10-80 percent in just 18 minutes, offers a WLTP-rated range of 614 km 1 and features Vehicle-to-Load technology and features Vehicle-to-Load technology As a smart mobility solutions provider, Hyundai Motor plans to introduce 17 battery electric vehicle models by 2030 NEW YORK and SEOUL, South Korea, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor Company's acclaimed IONIQ 6 Electrified Streamliner has won the prestigious World Car of the Year, World Electric Vehicle and World Car Design of the Year for 2022, lauded by an international jury for its unique aerodynamic design and outstanding all-electric range. World Car Awards revealed the results at a ceremony held at the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) today. Jose Munoz, president and global chief operating officer, Hyundai Motor Company | president and CEO, Hyundai Motor North America and SangYup Lee, executive vice president and head of Hyundai Global Design Center, Hyundai Motor Company accept Hyundais World Car of the Year awards in New York, April 5, 2023. SangYup Lee, executive vice president and head of Hyundai Global Design Center, Hyundai Motor Company and Jose Munoz, president and global chief operating officer, Hyundai Motor Company | president and CEO, Hyundai Motor North America accept Hyundais World Car of the Year awards in New York, April 5, 2023. The Hyundai IONIQ 6 won big at the prestigious 2023 World Car Awards today and was named overall World Car of the Year, World Electric Vehicle of the Year and World Car Design of the Year. SangYup Lee, executive vice president and head of Hyundai Global Design Center, Hyundai Motor Company and Jose Munoz, president and global chief operating officer, Hyundai Motor Company | president and CEO, Hyundai Motor North America accept Hyundais World Car of the Year awards in New York, April 5, 2023. A jury of 100 automotive journalists from 32 countries chose IONIQ 6 from the top three finalists, all launched in 2022. This is Hyundai's second straight triple honors at the World Car of the Year awards. Last year, the jury named IONIQ 5 the winner in the same categories. "We are thrilled to receive this prestigious honor two years in a row, which recognizes the tremendous talents and unrelenting efforts of everyone at Hyundai Motor Company to bring EVs like IONIQ 6 to market," said Jaehoon Chang, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company. "This honor reinforces our commitment to be a global leader in vehicle electrification and will serve to embolden our efforts as a smart mobility solutions provider." "We always want to connect with customers on an emotional level and with the design of the IONIQ 6 we have created truly one of a kind. The daring streamliner styling combines strong emotional appeal with aerodynamic efficiency to give exceptional range," said SangYup Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai Global Design Center. "Inside, we set-out to create a personal studio which offers the mindful space and calm functionality which, we believe, elevates EV design." IONIQ 6 is the second model in Hyundai's dedicated all-electric lineup brand, IONIQ. It takes full advantage of a bespoke Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) architecture to offer 800-V, ultra-fast charging capabilities for a 10 to 80 percent charge in just 18 minutes and a spacious interior. With an ultra-low drag coefficient of just 0.21, IONIQ 6 is one of the most aerodynamic and energy efficient EVs on the market. The Electrified Streamliner's WLTP rated range on a single charge is 614 km2. The standard 2WD model with 18-inch tire achieves WLTP-rated energy consumption of 13.9 kWh/100 km. IONIQ 6's many features include Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) technology, driver assistance systems and advanced connectivity with over-the-air (OTA) software updates that offer the ultimate in-car experience. The spacious and ergonomic interior takes full advantage of the elongated 2,950 mm wheelbase to provide an array of empowering features, such as Dual Color Ambient Lighting, Speed Sync Lighting, EV Performance Tune-up and Electric Active Sound Design (e-ASD), to enhance the electric mobility experience. This year, the World Car of the Year jury also named SangYup Lee as the 2023 World Car Person of the Year for his vital contribution to the most stunning and innovative concept and production cars unveiled in 2022, including Hyundai IONIQ 6, the All-new KONA and the N Vision 74 rolling lab. In addition, IONIQ 6 has won prestigious awards during the past few months as it's been named 'Saloon of the Year' at the 2023 GQ Car Awards and 'New Car of the Year' hosted by Le Guide de l'auto. Plus, it achieved a five-star safety rating and 'Best in Class' selection in the 'Large Family Car' category from Euro NCAP. The IONIQ brand's winning this year will help to energize Hyundai Motor's efforts to accelerate its electrification strategy and become the world's leading EV maker. Hyundai Motor plans to introduce 17 new BEV models by 2030, including Genesis luxury brand models, and aims to boost annual global BEV sales to 1.87 million units by 2030. About Hyundai Motor Company Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company is present in over 200 countries with more than 120,000 employees dedicated to tackling real-world mobility challenges around the globe. Based on the brand vision 'Progress for Humanity,' Hyundai Motor is accelerating its transformation into a Smart Mobility Solution Provider. The company invests in advanced technologies such as robotics and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) to bring about revolutionary mobility solutions, while pursuing open innovation to introduce future mobility services. In pursuit of sustainable future for the world, Hyundai will continue its efforts to introduce zero emission vehicles equipped with industry-leading hydrogen fuel cell and EV technologies. More information about Hyundai Motor and its products can be found at: http://worldwide.hyundai.com or http://globalpr.hyundai.com 1 The statistics provided are based on the Long-Range model (77.4 kWh) with a 2-wheel drive (2WD) configuration and 18-inch tires. The EPA-estimated range equivalence for this model is 361 miles. 2 The statistics provided are based on the Long-Range model (77.4 kWh) with a 2-wheel drive (2WD) configuration and 18-inch tires. The EPA-estimated range equivalence for this model is 361 miles. SOURCE Hyundai Motor Company Details added (first published: 15:04) BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. Inam Karimov, recently appointed as Chairman of the Supreme Court, has been introduced to the staff by Head of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan Samir Nuriyev, Trend reports. Addressing the ceremony, Samir Nuriyev highlighted National Leader Heydar Aliyevs exceptional role in the development of the modern judicial system of independent Azerbaijan. The Head of the Presidential Administration noted that thanks to President Ilham Aliyevs efforts the legal state building process had been successfully continued, and the reforms in the judicial and legal system in the country deepened, thus, the legislative base improved. Samir Nuriyev expressed confidence that the Supreme Court will further strengthen its activities in the field of development of justice institutions, as well as implement all necessary measures to ensure the reliable protection of rights and freedoms, and spare no effort in ensuring the rule of law. The Head of the Presidential Administration wished success to the newly appointed chairman and the staff. RBC moves annual general meeting (AGM) to Saskatoon, met with powerful movement demanding bank stop bankrolling Indigenous rights-violations, divest from fossil-fueled climate chaos. PHOTO & VIDEO AVAILABLE HERE SASKATOON, SK, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Indigenous lands of the Iyae Nakon makoce (Stoney), Ochethi Sakowi, Niitsitpiis-stahkoii, (Blackfoot / Niitsitapi ), Michif Piyii (Metis), and Cree Peoples, Treaty 6 territory (so-called Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada) RBC proved it has no interest in reconciliation, furthering corporate colonialism in how the bank treated the Indigenous delegation who arrived at the bank's Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Saskatoon this morning as hundreds of Indigenous water protectors, young people, and allies rallied outside. RBC's AGM comes exactly one week after a large force of RCMP C-IRG raided a Gidimt'en village site, and arrested five land and water defenders, mostly Indigenous women. "CEO Dave McKay is personally responsible for the abuse Indigenous peoples received from RBC. This shows how Canada's biggest bank has no interest in reconciliation or our human rights by implementing a two-tier rights system in separating Indigenous representatives from the main room," said Chief Na'Moks, Wet'suwet'en Hereditary Chief. "RBC is funding corporate colonialism, and displacing Indigenous peoples from our lands at gunpoint for fracked gas pipelines we cannot afford now or in the future. When BC and Canada claim we are committing 'civil disobedience,' the truth is we are being Civilly Obedient to our Traditional laws of protecting clean waters, lands and air. As much as RBC, Canada, and British Columbia try to extinguish our rights and title, we will remain the authority on our land." Inside the AGM, a majority of the Indigenous delegation including Wet'suwet'en Hereditary leadership, Wet'suwet'en elders and youth representatives, and Gulf South representatives were barred from entering the AGM's main room despite having proper proxies, and threatening their arrest. An Ivey Business School student on behalf of youth-led Banking on a Better Future, as well as West Coast Environmental Law (WCEL) representatives were also barred from entering the main room to offer testimony. The bank opted to apply a reserve system to its AGM, forcing Indigenous delegates into a second class room, with a colour coded pass. RBC's decision is further confirmation of the bank's commitment to corporate colonialism. RBC is the primary financier of the Coastal GasLink pipeline, which lacks consent from Wet'suwet'en Hereditary leadership, the rightful titleholders of the land. Outside the shareholder meeting, hundreds of people rallied to urge RBC to stop greenwashing, respect Indigenous sovereignty, and phase out fossil fuel financing. There was drumming, music and statements from local groups, Indigenous delegates from across North America. Nearly one in three shareholders supported a resolution for Indigenous Free, Prior, and Informed, Consent. While RBC executives recommended rejecting all shareholder resolutions introduced on climate action and Indigenous rights in its proxy book, these resolutions received record and growing support, including preliminary results that did not vote with management (yes and abstentions): 28% representing about CAD$25 billion : Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC), introduced a resolution for Free, Prior and Informed Consent; Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC), introduced a resolution for Free, Prior and Informed Consent; 11% representing about CAD$10 billion: Stand.earth introduced a resolution for no financing for fossil fuel expansion; Stand.earth introduced a resolution for no financing for fossil fuel expansion; 22% representing about CAD$22 billion : The New York City Comptroller, manager of the USD$242 billion pension funds, filed a resolution for 2030 absolute emissions reduction targets for oil, gas and utility clients. Just this week, reports revealed that RBC helped arrange US$5.4B of 'sustainability-linked' financing for a coal mine operator in Germany, and traditional owners lodged human rights complaints against 12 banks including RBC for involvement in a $4.7 billion gas project in Australia. This is part of a rising global trend of shareholder resolutions for Indigenous Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) and climate action. As the shareholder meeting wrapped up, the crowd unfurled banners demanding RBC defund fossil fuels and stop violating Indigenous rights, including one with names of over 40,000 people who took action through petitions, made calls to RBC executives, and more. "From its AGM to the Yintah, RBC's financing of projects like the Coastal GasLink pipeline have facilitated armed raids on Wet'suwet'en territory that attack and harm Indigenous women and land defenders. In fact, the RCMP even had a civil address that is under my name. RBC can't claim to take reconciliation seriously while funding violence against Indigenous women and land defenders on our own territories," said Auntie Janet, Wet'suwet'en matriarch. "RBC's funding of fossil fuel projects like Coastal GasLink, endangering our community and Wedzin Kwa, and the subsequent man camps that are built to construct these projects are the reason that we have an epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women and children on our lands. We wore red to RBC's AGM to bring the memories of our loved ones and violence experienced straight to RBC's executives" Today's events come on the heels of cross-country protests on Saturday, April 1 dubbed RBC Fossil Fool's Day thousands of people at over 35 actions rallied at RBC branches in cities such as Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Moncton, Halifax, and more. "There is absolutely no excuse for the continued brutal violation of Indigenous rights, on the Yintah in Wet'suwet'en territory or anywhere else. Any process which claims to uphold our rights but forces through pipelines at gunpoint makes a cruel mockery of the standard of free, prior, and informed consent," said Grand Chief Stewart Phillip with the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC). "If RBC took our rights seriously there would not be raids happening to clear people from their own land for a project that they finance just days before holding their AGM. This disregard for the rights of Indigenous peoples is unacceptable and must end." On Tuesday, Indigenous communities from coast-to-coast held a gathering and feast in so-called Saskatoon to build relationships following last summer's Strengthening Our Sovereignty tour. The feast was followed by a panel titled "Who is financing the destruction of our lands?," featuring Wet'suwet'en delegates alongside water and land protectors fighting RBC-financed fossil fuel projects around the world, including the Coastal GasLink and Trans Mountain (TMX) pipelines, Enbridge's Line 3, LNG in the Gulf of Mexico, and tar sands. Despite net-zero commitments and public rhetoric, RBC continues to finance fossil fuel expansion, including bankrolling dangerous projects that attack Indigenous sovereignty, like the Coastal GasLink fracked gas pipeline without consent from Wet'suwet'en Hereditary leadership. "The skyrocketing costs of this unnecessary pipeline, and RBC's bankrolling of RCMP, are falling on everyday people across so-called Canada. Not only does Coastal GasLink endanger pristine Wedzin Kwa, the pipeline is not and was never economically viable," said Eve Saint, Wet'suwet'en land defender, Gidimt'en Checkpoint Finance Campaigner. "Extraction projects like Coastal GasLink bring grave injustices against Indigenous Peoples, including attempts to take away our rights to move freely on our lands and harassment by RCMP and industry. We're here to send a clear message for RBC to stop using public money to finance police violence and Indigenous rights violations." RBC is currently under investigation by the Competition Bureau of Canada for allegedly misleading consumers with climate-related advertising while continuing to increase financing for coal, oil and gas. As reported in The Canadian Press, the Royal Bank of Canada financed over CAD $10.8 billion of companies involved in fossil fuel expansion 2022 alone, a 45% increase over 2021 levels. This directly contradicts international climate agreements and RBC's own public pledges. "RBC talks about youth empowerment, but in reality RBC is robbing youth of our future. RBC claims it helps kids, yet it is actively financing the destruction of our future through fossil fuel financing and devastation of my land as a Wet'suwet'en youth," said Shaylee Holland, Wet'suwet'en youth. "We are the ones who will have to live with the impacts of climate change and pollution from projects like Coastal GasLink. This is hypocritical and morally wrong." The new IPCC report recently released underscored that we cannot afford any fossil fuel expansion, and must divest from coal, oil and gas now. This comes ahead of the expected release of the 2023 Banking on Climate Chaos report on April 13. QUOTES Chief Na'Moks reflects on the words of the late Chief Madeek: "The province of British Columbia and the federal government, they talk about reconciliation. They talk about reconciliation and they undermine their own words by trying to shove pipelines down our throat, or industry down our throat, and it's just not the way we do business. There will be no pipeline to enter Wet'suwet'en territory." Maya Menezes, Senior Climate Finance Organizer, Stand.earth, said: "RBC is putting its proverbial head in the sand and doubling down on fossil fuel expansion, violating Indigenous sovereignty, and enabling climate chaos like fires and floods. If the latest IPCC report is humanity's survival guide, RBC's greenwashing is a destruction guide. It's time for RBC to divest from Coastal GasLink and fossil fuels, and reinvest in climate-safe solutions." Vanessa Gray, Divestment Campaign Coordinator, Indigenous Climate Action, said "Major Canadian banks such as RBC are the top investors of fossil fuel projects that continue to violate Indigenous rights. Our sovereignty and traditions have not only proven to be a material risk for companies and their investors, but the threat to our ways of life is also a climate risk for us all. Indigenous rights have the capacity to actually stop projects. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) recognises Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) is the right for Indigenous people to give or withhold consent to a project that may affect them or their territories." Roishetta Ozane, Executive Director of The Vessel Project and The Gulf Fossil Finance Coordinator for Texas Campaign for The Environment, said: "It's time for big banks like RBC to stop funding environmental racism. In the last several years, the US has become the world's largest exporter of methane gas. In the Lake Charles area where roughly half of the residents are Black, we are literally fighting for our lives on the frontlines of the climate crisis, yet banks like Royal Bank of Canada continue to fund fossil fuel projects. Enough is enough." Dani Michie, Digital Campaigner, Banking on a Better Future, said: "RBC relies on students and young people as a key customer demographic and young talent that can be funneled into the banks' workforce. They try to sell us an image of sustainability through greenwashing efforts, but we're not buying it. RBC is actively destroying our future by continuing to fund fossil fuel expansion, which fuels the climate crisis. The bank continues to disregard our collective future and perpetuates ongoing violations of Indigenous rights. Young people across the country are demanding RBC divest and respect human rights." Gabrielle Willms, Organizer, For Our Kids, said: "RBC claims to be taking action on climate and supporting reconciliation, but their actions tell a different story. As the biggest funder of fossil fuel expansion and projects like Coastal Gaslink that violate Indigenous rights, RBC has shown they value shareholder profits over a safe, equitable future for all of us. Parents and families across the country are taking notice and demanding better we won't be fooled by RBC's greenwashing, and we won't sit back and watch while RBC violates human rights and puts kids and future generations at risk for their bottom line." Laura Ullmann, Head of Climate, Greenpeace Canada, said: "RBC is literally the Oil Bank of Canada. They make a lot of nice sounding promises on Indigenous rights and climate action, but telling investors to vote against Indigenous sovereignty and climate action motions reveals their true intentions. What's more, they're the biggest funders of fossil fuels here and fifth globally. Around the world, banks have taken notice of the rising resistance to their bankrolling of destruction. RBC should follow their lead and put its money where its mouth is." SOURCE Stand.earth Most Capable Wrangler Yet Delivers Even More Legendary Jeep 4x4 Capability, Available Factory Warn Winch, New Iconic Seven-slot Grille, Standard Side Curtain Airbags and 12.3-inch Uconnect Touchscreen Radio AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Jeep brand introduces the new 2024 Wrangler, the most capable Wrangler yet Wrangler Rubicon models add even more legendary 4x4 capability with an available factory-installed 8,000-lb.-capacity Warn winch, up to 100:1 crawl ratio and new Dana 44 HD full float solid rear axle that allows for tire upsizing by customers and up to 5,000-lb. maximum towing New Willys model delivers more capability with larger tires, more ground clearance, high fender flares and improved traction Iconic Wrangler exterior features new seven-slot grille, windshield-integrated trail-ready stealth antenna, 10 all-new wheel designs and multiple open-air freedom options, including exclusive Sky One-Touch powertop powertop Refined interior with more technology and amenities, including available 12-way power adjustable front seats, all-new instrument panel featuring Uconnect 5 system with best-in-class 12.3-inch touchscreen radio and standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Wrangler now delivers standard first- and second-row side-curtain airbags, standard forward collision warning (Sport S and above) and standard advanced cruise control with stop (Sport S and above) Two new models expand Wrangler's unrivaled portfolio: Sport S 4xe brings lower entry price point to best-selling PHEV in America PHEV Rubicon X elevates Rubicon nameplate with standard 35-inch tires (2.0- and 3.6-liter automatic powertrains ), integrated off-road camera and steel bumpers powertrains First factory application of Trails Offroad delivers comprehensive off-road trail guides for the 62 Jeep Badge of Honor trails loaded right into the Uconnect 5 system, with an upgradable subscription that unlocks full catalog of 3,000-plus Trails Offroad trail guides Uconnect upgradable Offroad Jeep Wrangler 4xe continues as the best-selling PHEV in America, building on Jeep brand's goal of Zero Emission Freedom to produce the most capable and sustainable Jeep SUVs SUVs New for 2024, Wrangler 4xe offers Jeep 4xe Power Box, which features four 120-volt outlets with 30 amps of total output, allowing the battery pack to power external devices By the end of 2025, the entire North America Jeep brand lineup will be electrified. By 2030, 50% of Jeep brand sales in the United States will be fully electric The new 2024 Jeep Wrangler, the most capable and recognized vehicle in the world, builds on its legendary history with an unmatched combination of off-road capability, authentic Jeep design, open-air freedom, advanced powertrains, superior on- and off-road dynamics and a host of innovative safety and advanced technology features. The latest evolution of the world's most off-road capable and most iconic SUV adds greater capability, new technology and advanced safety features, all while staying true to the Wrangler formula and delivering the freedom to go anywhere and do anything. New for the 2024 model year, the Jeep brand is taking the Wrangler capability game to new heights with its first full-float Dana rear axle, available 100:1 crawl ratio, new factory Warn winch and increased 5,000-pound tow capability. Inside, customers get to experience more comfort and safety, with a new interior featuring available power front seats, standard 12.3-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen radio and standard side curtain airbags in the first and second rows. "The Jeep Wrangler is the archetypal adventure hero, embodying the spirit and the soul of the Jeep brand," said Christian Meunier, Jeep brand CEO. "Since its introduction, we have sold almost 5 million Wranglers around the world, setting new levels of 4x4 capability with each new generation. Today, we are raising the bar once again by combining the most capable Wrangler to date, with more technology, comfort and safety features. This is a no-compromise combination enhanced by the freedom to choose from four different powertrains, including our electrified 4xe, which is the best-selling PHEV in America." Building on its legacy of freedom and adventure, the new Wrangler is a testament to its loyal enthusiast fan base. "The new 2024 Jeep Wrangler is an illustration of how powerful the Jeep community is and how they keep driving improvements based on their expectations of greater capability, advanced technology and more refinement," said Jim Morrison, senior vice president and head of Jeep brand North America. "With the plug-in 4xe playing a lead role in the lineup, the new Wrangler takes the best and makes it better, with even more legendary 4x4 capability, thanks to our first full-float Dana rear axle that makes it possible for Wrangler owners to easily upsize tires; a more advanced and comfortable interior with a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen and available power seats tested for water fording; more safety and technology, including standard side-curtain airbags; and a stylish, fresh take on the iconic seven-slot grille that keeps the overall design true to the original." The 2024 Jeep Wrangler will be available in Sport, Willys, Sahara, High Altitude, Rubicon and Rubicon 392 models. Ordering is open now and vehicles will start to arrive in U.S. Jeep dealerships later in 2023. The 2024 Jeep Wrangler will also be available in markets around the world. To view the full release, click here . Jeep Brand Built on more than 80 years of legendary heritage, Jeep is the authentic SUV brand that brings capability, craftsmanship and versatility to people who seek extraordinary journeys. The Jeep brand delivers an open invitation to live life to the fullest by offering a broad portfolio of vehicles that continues to provide owners with a sense of safety and security to handle any journey with confidence. The Jeep vehicle range consists of the Cherokee, Compass, Gladiator, Grand Cherokee, new three-row Grand Cherokee L, Grand Cherokee 4xe, Renegade and Wrangler and Wrangler 4xe. Jeep Wave, a premium owner loyalty and customer care program that is available to the entire Jeep 4x4 lineup, is filled with benefits and exclusive perks to deliver Jeep brand owners the utmost care and dedicated 24/7 support. The legendary Jeep brand's off-road capability is enhanced by a global electrification initiative that is transforming 4xe into new 4x4 in pursuit of the brand's vision of accomplishing Zero Emission Freedom. All Jeep brand vehicles will offer an electrified variant by 2025. Follow Jeep and company news and video on: Company blog: http://blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com Media website: http://media.stellantisnorthamerica.com Jeep brand: www.jeep.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/jeep Instagram: www.instagram.com/jeep Twitter: www.twitter.com/jeep LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/jeep YouTube: www.youtube.com/thejeepchannel or https://www.youtube.com/StellantisNA SOURCE Stellantis CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Elemental Machines is thrilled to partner with Kapia Partners in Europe to identify, connect with, and secure suitable distributors across the region. Elemental Machines' Intelligent Operations Platform combines the best of IoT technology with purpose-built software solutions to deliver actionable intel to operators in the life sciences and beyond. The Platform simplifies, optimizes, and augments operations by connecting the physical and digital infrastructure. Science and technology leaders trust Elemental Machines' ecosystem of hardware and software to deliver actionable insights that accelerate their pace of innovation. Many of the world's most successful life sciences brands partner with Elemental Machines to bring added value to their existing customers and expand into new markets. Elemental Machines provides best-in-class: Real-time, continuous monitoring Configurable alerting Predictive analytics The company delivers data-driven insights to help users take informed, timely action. The benefits of implementing the Elemental Machines' platform are nearly immediately realized and include: Optimized operations Reduced maintenance costs Increased system uptime Improved safety With Elemental Machines' advanced analytics, potential risks are easily identifiable before becoming costly issues. This provides more control over lab operations, increasing the reliability of equipment. The platform is intuitive and user-friendly, making the transition to Elemental Machines feel well overdue. Elemental Machines' suite of IoT-enable hardware is energy-efficient, cost-effective, extremely reliable, and requires minimal maintenance. The companies' software is easily accessible, flexible, and scalable, making it an ideal choice for integration with other essential operational software such as LIMS and ELN. "Having met at Lab Innovations in November of last year, avenues for mutually beneficial partnership, the strategy became clear, and the partnership began," said Oliver Chalkley, Director of Sales and Marketing at Kapia Partners."For any distributors already in our network, we look forward to reconnecting to discuss Elemental Machines. To those distributors not currently in our immediate network, we look forward to connecting. Kapia cannot wait to be aiding Elemental Machines' growth in Europe, and to see their worldwide expansion." To learn more about Elemental Machines, visit www.elementalmachines.com. SOURCE Elemental Machines DALLAS, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Katten announced today that Eric R. Hail has joined the firm as a partner in the Class Action and Consumer Finance Litigation practice in Dallas. Hail represents banks, consumer finance companies and fintechs in litigation and regulatory compliance and enforcement matters. He also advises clients on federal and state law compliance matters and defends them in litigation and regulatory investigations and enforcement actions. "Eric is a highly skilled attorney who can defend both regulatory and consumer finance litigation issues." Tweet this Eric Hail has joined Katten as a partner in the Class Action and Consumer Finance Litigation practice in Dallas. "Eric is a highly skilled attorney who can defend both regulatory and consumer finance litigation issues," said Gregory S. Korman, chair of Katten's Class Action and Consumer Finance Litigation department. "His banking experience complements our strong reputation among community banks and credit unions while his command of regulatory proceedings will be significant to our clients who face increased regulatory scrutiny." Hail defends clients involved in state and federal agency investigations and enforcement actions before the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and state consumer credit agencies as well as those tangled in state attorneys general investigations. He also advises banks and consumer finance companies on end-to-end regulatory compliance issues, from consumer contract issues, to consumer disclosures, licensing issues and Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Acts or Practices (UDAAP) compliance. "Katten's success in Dallas is a testament to the great people we have working here. Eric is a top-notch attorney in a key practice area who will contribute to our national Class Action and Consumer Finance Litigation practice while elevating our litigation capabilities in Dallas," said Mark S. Solomon, managing partner of Katten's Dallas office. Katten is a full-service law firm with approximately 700 attorneys in locations across the United States and in London and Shanghai. Clients seeking sophisticated, high-value legal services turn to Katten for counsel locally, nationally and internationally. The firm's core areas of practice include corporate, financial markets and funds, insolvency and restructuring, intellectual property, litigation, real estate, structured finance and securitization, transactional tax planning, private credit and private wealth. Katten represents public and private companies in numerous industries, as well as a number of government and nonprofit organizations and individuals. For more information, visit katten.com . SOURCE Katten HOUSTON, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- KBR (NYSE: KBR) announced today it has been named the primary integrated project management contractor across BP's global hydrogen project portfolio. KBR will utilize the collaborative work practices and experience of its Integrated Project Management Team (IPMT). The IPMT will provide services required for safe, effective and high-quality project delivery, including performance management of individual projects and relevant subcontractors. The contract scope includes joint contribution to front-end, optimization and execution project phases as well as management support through construction, commissioning and startup for BP's global hydrogen projects. The contract will commence under the existing global agreement with BP. "We are delighted to have been selected to play a part in BP's strategic energy transition program and to support their sustainable growth plans in the hydrogen sector," said Jay Ibrahim, president of KBR's Sustainable Technology Solutions business. "This contract award aligns with KBR's mission of providing our customers with differentiated, sustainable solutions that are enabling the energy transition. KBR is proud of its long-standing relationship with BP. By leveraging that relationship and our premier hydrogen domain expertise, we will continue to collaboratively deliver successful projects that support their business objectives." About KBR We deliver science, technology and engineering solutions to governments and companies around the world. KBR employs approximately 30,000 people performing diverse, complex and mission-critical roles in 34 countries. KBR is proud to work with its customers across the globe to provide technology, value-added services, and long-term operations and maintenance services to ensure consistent delivery with predictable results. At KBR, We Deliver. Visit www.kbr.com Forward Looking Statements The statements in this press release that are not historical statements, including statements regarding the company's performance of its contract with BP, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and assumptions, many of which are beyond the company's control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, but are not limited to, those set forth in the company's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, any subsequent Form 10-Qs and 8-Ks and other U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings, which discuss some of the important risks, uncertainties and assumptions that the company has identified that may affect its business, results of operations and financial condition. Due to such risks, uncertainties and assumptions, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, the company undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason. SOURCE KBR, Inc. GALESBURG, Ill., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Knox College is private liberal arts university located in Galesburg, Illinois, which experienced a data security incident that may have involved personal information belonging to certain individuals who are either staff, current students, family of current students, or alumni. Knox College has already sent notification of this incident via U.S. Mail to potentially impacted individuals and provided resources to assist them. However, Knox College after a diligent search was not in possession of mailing addresses for all potentially impacted individuals, and accordingly, this notice is being provided for the benefit of those individuals that could not be contacted via U.S. Mail. On November 24, 2022, Knox discovered unusual network activity and learned that it was the victim of a ransomware attack. In response, it immediately took steps to secure its network and initiated an investigation with the assistance of cybersecurity experts. The investigation revealed that an unknown actor gained access to and obtained data from the Knox network without authorization on or around November 24, 2022. On December 7, 2022, after a comprehensive review of the potentially impacted data, Knox determined that personal information may have been involved. Since that time, Knox has worked diligently to identify current contact information needed to notify all potentially affected individuals. Knox College is not aware of any evidence of the misuse of any information potentially involved in this incident. However, on January 3, 2023, and again on March 8, 2023, Knox College provided notice of this incident to the potentially impacted individuals. In so doing, Knox College provided information about the incident and about steps that potentially impacted individuals can take to protect their information. Knox College takes the security and privacy of information in its possession very seriously and is taking steps to prevent a similar event from occurring in the future. The following personal information may have been involved in the incident: names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, and passport numbers. Knox College has established a toll-free call center to answer questions about the incident and to address related concerns. Call center representatives are available at 1-833-758-4141, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Central Time. Or for enrollment assistance, please call 1-888-228-4939 or visit https://www.mytrueidentity.ca for Canadian residents; or https://app.idx.us/account-creation/protect for United States residents. The privacy and protection of personal information is a top priority for Knox College, which deeply regrets any inconvenience or concern this incident may cause. SOURCE Knox College LOS ALTOS HILLS, Calif., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Krause Center for Innovation (KCI) is deeply saddened by the loss of long-time engineer and philanthropist Julie Cates, who passed away late last year. Cates was a beloved community member known for her extensive outreach and dedication to philanthropic organizations, especially those centering on the needs of at-risk youth, early education and innovation, like the KCI. "Julie was there since the beginning," said KCI Executive Director Gay Krause. "When I founded the KCI in 2000, Julie was there to help. She was our first volunteer on the advisory board and generously donated her time and energy to us for the next 22 years." Krause said Cates' impact on the KCI, particularly in its early years, could not be overstated. "Julie pushed me to develop and contribute in more ways than I had thought possible. She would say, 'Gay, don't you think you should have a website? How about a mission statement? If you don't know how to write one, I'll do it with you.' And later that week, we met to accomplish those tasks." Cates' legacy is one of a woman who was a tireless and passionate advocate for youth. The KCI would like to thank the Cates family for their generosity, which they have graciously extended toward the KCI even following their beloved Julie's passing. The KCI will recognize Julie and the Cates family at an award ceremony on May 11th and install a plaque in her memory within its facility. Cates was a fourth-generation Californian, born and raised in Pasadena. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees at Stanford University and went on to work at the Hewlett Packard site in Cupertino, where she met her husband, Fred Ware. They were married for 46 years and raised three sons. SOURCE Krause Center for Innovation Featuring Special Earth Day Events on April 22, co-hosted by California Climate Action Corps, a Program of California Volunteers (Office of the Governor) LOS ANGELES, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As the world prepares to celebrate and honor the planet this April, L.A. Works invites the Los Angeles community to join together in service April 15-23 for Earth Week. The week will culminate on Earth Day, April 22, with a series of volunteer events across Los Angeles hosted in partnership with California Climate Action Corps, a program of California Volunteers (Office of the Governor). Projects on this day will include tree planting, school greening, and composting. "Earth Day is a reminder that we all share a responsibility to protect the planet," said Deborah Brutchey, executive director, L.A. Works. "Through our week of environmental volunteering and our Earth Day partnership with California Climate Action Corps, we remain committed to inspiring the community to take meaningful action to reduce our environmental impact, and we invite Angelenos to volunteer and join us in this effort." Events on Earth Day include: Santa Monica Mountains At L.A. Works' flagship event, participants will plant and nurture native oak trees in Cheeseboro Canyon. By restoring oak woodlands, volunteers help fight climate change, bring back species diversity, and provide habitat for displaced species in the Santa Monica Mountains! When : Saturday, April 22, 2023 9:00am 12:30pm Pasadena School Beautification Help green and beautify the grounds of Pasadena High School! Volunteers will plant native or drought-tolerant plants, remove weeds, and build planter boxes and benches. When : Saturday, April 22, 2023 9:00am 12:00pm For more information and to register for these opportunities and all our Earth Week activities, please visit LAWorks.com/earth-week. ABOUT L.A. WORKS For more than 30 years, L.A. Works has mobilized Angelenos as volunteers to strengthen the fabric of Los Angeles. As the region's largest and longest running volunteer action center, the nonprofit makes volunteering accessible to bring Angelenos' time and resources to nonprofits serving a range of needs, from hunger and homelessness to the achievement gap and cultural enrichment. As a unique nonprofit social enterprise, L.A. Works also creates service events and programs for corporations. More at www.laworks.com. SOURCE L.A. Works Board Size to be Temporarily Increased from Eight to Nine Directors, with Steven Ozonian Joining the Board Immediately Ozonian, Andrew Dodson and Pamela Hughes Patenaude to be Nominated for Election at the 2023 Annual Meeting IRVINE, Calif., April 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- loanDepot, Inc. ("loandepot," "LDI" or the "Company") (NYSE: LDI) today announced that it has entered into a settlement and cooperation agreement with Anthony Hsieh, LDI's Chairman of the Board, founder and largest shareholder. Pursuant to the agreement, the size of the Company's Board of Directors will be temporarily increased from eight to nine directors and Steven Ozonian will join the Board immediately. Ozonian, along with current directors Andrew Dodson and Pamela Hughes Patenaude, will be nominated for election to three-year terms at the 2023 Annual Meeting. In connection with the 2024 Annual Meeting, the Company will nominate only Hsieh and Brian Golson (or another designee of Parthenon) for reelection as a Class III director and the Board will be reduced from nine to eight directors, subject to the terms of the cooperation agreement. "We believe that reaching this agreement with Anthony is clearly in the best interests of loanDepot and all of its shareholders," said Dawn Lepore, Chair of the Board's Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. "With this mutually beneficial resolution, we avoid the distraction of a contested election and management, under Frank Martell's leadership as CEO, can focus fully on the continued execution of our Vision 2025 plan to position LDI for long-term value creation. We look forward to the perspectives Steve will bring to the Board and the continued contributions of Pam and Andrew." Hsieh said, "The Board and I have been discussing bringing in Steve Ozonian as a new director for the past several months, and I am pleased we have reached this point. The addition of Steve to the Board will bring a new and valuable perspective that will help loanDepot navigate the extraordinary challenges facing the mortgage industry. loanDepot is an incredible company with a track record of driving innovation and providing exceptional customer experiences. I am excited about LDI's future as we continue to work to delight our customers and increase long-term shareholder value under the direction of LDI's management team." The agreement provides that Hsieh will vote all shares for which he has voting power to support the Board's director nominations at the 2023 and 2024 Annual Meetings and will not make any director nominations in either year. The size of the Board will return to eight directors effective as of the 2024 Annual Meeting, subject to the terms of the cooperation agreement. The agreement will be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8K. About Andrew Dodson Andrew C. Dodson is a Managing Partner at Parthenon Capital and has been with Parthenon Capital since 2005. He has also served as a director of the company or its affiliate, loanDepot.com, LLC, since December 2009. Prior to joining Parthenon Capital, Dodson was a consultant with Bain & Co from 2004 to 2005, where he focused on mergers and acquisitions, cost control and corporate strategy for middle market technology companies. Dodson was also a financial analyst for Enron Corporation in the company's retail group and worked for Trilogy, Inc., an enterprise software company, where he focused primarily in business development. Dodson also serves on the boards of directors of Cherry Bekaert, Choreo, EdgeCo Holdings, ICD, Millennium Trust and Venbrook. Dodson earned a Bachelor of Arts from Duke University and a Master of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School. About Steven Ozonian Steven Ozonian has served as the CEO of the Williston Financial Group since 2017 and has served on Williston's Board of Directors since 2011. Ozonian has also served on the Board of Directors of LendingTree, Inc. since 2011. He is currently Lead Independent Director, Chair of the Audit Committee, and Chair of the Compensation Committee of LendingTree. He also served as the CEO of LendingTree's proprietary full service real estate brokerage business, known as RealEstate.com. Ozonian serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Global Mobility Solutions, a global provider of human resources and real estate services. He has held other high-level positions in the homeownership industry including Chairman and CEO of Prudential's real estate and related businesses, CEO of Realtor.com, and National Homeownership Executive for Bank of America. Ozonian is also a member of the Board of Directors of Attom Data, a real estate data services company, and a member of the Board of Directors of Inside Real Estate, a real estate software services company. Ozonian has received numerous awards for service and technology innovation in the residential real estate industry. About Pamela Hughes Patenaude Pamela Hughes Patenaude has served as a director of loanDepot since 2021. Patenaude is Principal of Granite Housing Strategies, LLC, advising clients engaged in real estate development, affordable housing, and disaster recovery management. Patenaude served as Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Prior to rejoining HUD, Patenaude was President of the J. Ronald Terwilliger Foundation for Housing America's Families, a national nonprofit, education, and research organization dedicated to illuminating America's affordable housing crisis. Previously, Patenaude was the Director of Housing Policy for the Bipartisan Policy Center and served as Executive Vice President of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and Founding Executive Director of the ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing. Patenaude is an Independent Director of Target Hospitality Corp. and a member of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee and was an Independent Director of CoreLogic, Inc. and a member of the Audit, Compensation, and Strategic Planning and Acquisition Committees. Patenaude is the recipient of the 2022 Housing Visionary Award for the National Housing Conference. Patenaude serves as a Trustee and Chairman of the Home Builders Institute and on the Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity International as well as the Board of Directors of the Bipartisan Policy Center. About loanDepot loanDepot (NYSE: LDI) is a digital commerce company committed to serving its customers throughout the home ownership journey. Since its launch in 2010, loanDepot has revolutionized the mortgage industry with a digital-first approach that makes it easier, faster and less stressful to purchase or refinance a home. Today, as one of the nation's largest non-bank retail mortgage lenders, loanDepot enables customers to achieve the American dream of homeownership through a broad suite of lending and real estate services that simplify one of life's most complex transactions. With headquarters in Southern California and offices nationwide, loanDepot is committed to serving the communities in which its team lives and works through a variety of local, regional and national philanthropic efforts. Important Additional Information and Where to Find It The Company plans to file a proxy statement (the "Proxy Statement") with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the Company's 2023 annual stockholder meeting (the "2023 Annual Meeting"). STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT THE COMPANY WILL FILE WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Stockholders will be able to obtain, free of charge, copies of the Proxy Statement, any amendments or supplements thereto and any other documents when filed by the Company with the SEC in connection with the 2023 Annual Meeting at the SEC's website (http://www.sec.gov) or at the Company's website (https://investors.loandepot.com). Participants in the Solicitation The Company, its directors and certain of its executive officers and other employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from shareholders in connection with the 2023 Annual Meeting. Additional information regarding the identity of these potential participants, none of whom, other than Anthony Hsieh, Jeff Walsh and Jeffrey DerGurahian, owns in excess of one percent (1%) of the Company's shares, and their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be set forth in the applicable Proxy Statement and other materials to be filed with the SEC in connection with the 2023 Annual Meeting. Information relating to the foregoing can also be found in the Company's proxy statement in connection with the Company's 2022 annual meeting of stockholders (the " 2022 Proxy Statement "). Information regarding subsequent changes to their holdings in the Company's securities can be found in the SEC filings on Forms 3 and 4 and amendments to Schedule 13D which you may retain free copies of at the SEC's website (http://www.sec.gov) or at the Company's website (https://investors.loandepot.com). Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain "forward-looking statements," which reflect loanDepot's current views with respect to, among other things, its business strategies, including the Vision 2025 plan, our HELOC product, financial condition and liquidity, competitive position, industry and regulatory environment, potential growth opportunities, the effects of competition, operations and financial performance. You can identify these statements by the use of words such as "outlook," "potential," "continue," "may," "seek," "approximately," "predict," "believe," "expect," "plan," "intend," "estimate," "project," or "anticipate" and similar expressions or the negative versions of these words or comparable words, as well as future or conditional verbs such as "will," "should," "would" and "could." These forward-looking statements are based on current available operating, financial, economic and other information, and are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks in the "Risk Factors" section of loanDepot, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 as well as any subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, current plans, anticipated actions, financial results, as well as the anticipated development of the industry, may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in any forward-looking statement. loanDepot does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect future events or circumstances, except as required by applicable law. Investor Relations Contact: Gerhard Erdelji Senior Vice President, Investor Relations (949) 822-4074 [email protected] Media Contacts: Rebecca Anderson Senior Vice President, Communications & Public Relations (949) 822-4024 [email protected] FGS Global For loanDepot George Sard/Kal Goldberg/Paul Scarpetta (212) 687-8080 [email protected] FTI for Anthony Hsieh Val Mack [email protected] (212) 841-9308 LDI-IR SOURCE loanDepot, Inc. Invests $22.0 Million in Infinity X1 LLC HOUSTON, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Main Street Capital Corporation (NYSE: MAIN) ("Main Street") is pleased to announce that it recently completed a new portfolio investment to facilitate the recapitalization of Infinity X1 LLC ("Infinity" or the "Company"), a leading supplier of portable lighting products. Main Street, along with its co-investor, partnered with the Company's existing owners and management team to facilitate the transaction, with Main Street funding $22.0 million in a combination of first-lien, senior secured term debt and a direct minority equity investment. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in San Diego, California, Infinity (www.infinityx1.com) designs, manufactures and distributes branded and private label portable lighting products. The Company has a broad portfolio of innovative and patented products including headlamps, flashlights, utility and safety lights, lanterns and work lights. The Company sells its products to consumers globally through major retailers and eCommerce platforms. ABOUT MAIN STREET CAPITAL CORPORATION Main Street (www.mainstcapital.com) is a principal investment firm that primarily provides long-term debt and equity capital to lower middle market companies and debt capital to middle market companies. Main Street's portfolio investments are typically made to support management buyouts, recapitalizations, growth financings, refinancings and acquisitions of companies that operate in diverse industry sectors. Main Street seeks to partner with entrepreneurs, business owners and management teams and generally provides "one stop" financing alternatives within its lower middle market investment strategy. Main Street's lower middle market companies generally have annual revenues between $10 million and $150 million. Main Street's middle market debt investments are made in businesses that are generally larger in size than its lower middle market portfolio companies. Main Street, through its wholly owned portfolio company MSC Adviser I, LLC ("MSC Adviser"), also maintains an asset management business through which it manages investments for external parties. MSC Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. Contacts: Main Street Capital Corporation Dwayne L. Hyzak, CEO, [email protected] Jesse E. Morris, CFO & COO, [email protected] 713-350-6000 Dennard Lascar Investor Relations Ken Dennard | [email protected] Zach Vaughan | [email protected] 713-529-6600 SOURCE Main Street Capital Corporation BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. The peoples of Tajikistan and Azerbaijan share the traditional bonds of friendship that have long historical roots, President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon said at a meeting with President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in an expanded format, Trend reports. "It is gratifying that the interstate cooperation between our countries is now consistently developing on a wide range of issues. It covers political, trade, economic, scientific, technical, cultural, humanitarian and many other spheres. We are paying constant attention to the comprehensive expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation with the Republic of Azerbaijan both on a bilateral basis and within international and regional organizations. I am confident that the agreements we are going to reach today will fill the agenda of our relations with a qualitatively new content," President Rahmon said. MRG Effitas tests demonstrate Malwarebytes' superior ability to detect and block zero-day threats, ransomware, banking malware, fileless attacks and exploits SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Malwarebytes, a global leader in real-time cyber protection, today announced that MRG Effitas, a world leader in independent IT research, gave Malwarebytes Endpoint Protection (EP) the highest possible score (100%) for the sixth consecutive quarter in its antivirus efficacy assessment. As of the latest Q4 2022 test results, Malwarebytes is the only vendor to win every MRG Effitas certification and award, outperforming other solutions in its ability to spot and stop zero-day threats, ransomware, banking malware, fileless attacks and exploits. The results underscore the company's ability to stay ahead of today's evolving threats through continuous product innovation. Malwarebytes is the most effective endpoint protection according to independent third-party research lab, MRG Effitas Tweet this MRG-Effitas Quarterly 360 Assessment & Certification for Endpoint Protection "The threat landscape isn't static, and Malwarebytes believes cybersecurity protection shouldn't be either," said Joe Hartmann, Senior Director of Threat Labs at Malwarebytes. "The results of this third-party test underscore the criticality of staying on top of today's threat techniques and building products that take advantage of proactive protection technologies, such as machine learning, that can spot and stop known, in the wild attacks, and zero-day threats. Delivering 100% efficacy with zero false positives is icing on the cake for most IT admins." MRG Effitas is an independent research and testing lab that evaluates endpoint protection solutions. In its latest report, MRG Effitas recognized Malwarebytes EP for its advanced security capabilities, particularly in detecting and preventing complex malware attacks. The signature and behavior-based detection techniques and proprietary anti-exploit technology of Malwarebytes EP allowed it to detect and block more malware than any other competitor in the Q4 tests. MRG Effitas Q4 2022 360 Assessment awarded Malwarebytes certificates in: Level 1 Malwarebytes EP automatically blocked 100% of in-the-wild malware samples and prevented a simulated Botnet attack. Malwarebytes EP automatically blocked 100% of in-the-wild malware samples and prevented a simulated Botnet attack. Exploit MRG Effitas used exploits in vulnerable applications attempting to deliver a malicious payload on a device with Malwarebytes EP. Malwarebytes autoblocked 100% of exploit/fileless attacks, protecting the system from infection. MRG Effitas used exploits in vulnerable applications attempting to deliver a malicious payload on a device with Malwarebytes EP. Malwarebytes autoblocked 100% of exploit/fileless attacks, protecting the system from infection. Online Banking MRG Effitas simulated the Magecart credit card-skimming attack with Malwarebytes EP autoblocking 100% of the seven financial malware samples. MRG Effitas simulated the Magecart credit card-skimming attack with Malwarebytes EP autoblocking 100% of the seven financial malware samples. Ransomware MRG Effitas tested security products for 92 ransomware samples and three benign programs designed to mimic ransomware behavior. Malwarebytes blocked 100% of ransomware threats without any false positives, allowing the three benign programs to run. MRG Effitas tested security products for 92 ransomware samples and three benign programs designed to mimic ransomware behavior. Malwarebytes blocked 100% of ransomware threats without any false positives, allowing the three benign programs to run. Android 360-degree MRG Effitas conducted a separate assessment for Android devices, with Malwarebytes earning a perfect 100% score. "Malwarebytes' outstanding performance in detecting a wide range of threats across multiple attack vectors is a testament to its effectiveness," said MRG Effitas CEO Chris Pickard. "Collaboration with third-party testers like us helps drive innovation in protection. Malwarebytes' results underscore the effectiveness and importance of leveraging machine-learning driven processes to combat novel forms of malware and prevent false positives." Learn more about the results: try.malwarebytes.com/2023-mrg-effitas. To read more about the latest threats and cyber protection strategies, visit our newsroom, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok and Twitter. About Malwarebytes Malwarebytes believes that when people and organizations are free from threats, they are free to thrive. Founded in 2008, Malwarebytes CEO Marcin Kleczynski had one mission: to rid the world of malware. Today, Malwarebytes' award-winning endpoint protection, privacy and threat prevention solutions and its world-class team of threat researchers protect millions of individuals and thousands of businesses across the globe. The effectiveness and ease-of-use of Malwarebytes solutions are consistently recognized by independent third parties including MITRE Engenuity, MRG Effitas, AVLAB, AV-TEST (consumer and business), Gartner Peer Insights, G2 Crowd and CNET. The company is headquartered in California with offices in Europe and Asia. For more information and career opportunities, visit https://www.malwarebytes.com. Malwarebytes Media Contact: Ashley Stewart, Director, Public & Analyst Relations [email protected] SOURCE Malwarebytes House Rx empowers Marin Cancer Care to extend personalized and affordable point-of-care medicine dispensing to its patient population SAN FRANCISCO, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- House Rx and Marin Cancer Care today announced a partnership to bring House Rx's point-of-care specialty medicine dispensing into Marin Cancer Care's care delivery model. Called ' medically integrated dispensing ,' the approach allows Marin Cancer Care to draw on both clinical and pharmacy expertise to dispense specialty medicine on-site. Working under Marin Cancer Care physicians, House Rx pharmacists will support Marin Cancer Care in ensuring timely, safe and affordable access to specialty medications for their patients. Patients navigating a cancer care journey often require access to complex drugs called specialty medication . Difficult to handle and administer, specialty medications are typically only available through a separate pharmacy system known as specialty pharmacy . Specialty pharmacy is notorious for being hard to navigate and even obstructing physicians and pharmacists from delivering personalized and patient-centered care. In its worst instances, patients are unable to get their therapies covered by their insurance or start their therapies on time. Any delay in starting therapy risks derailing a patient's entire treatment plan . House Rx's medically integrated dispensing model reduces reliance on conventional specialty pharmacies by bringing cancer therapies and specialty pharmacists into Marin Cancer Care as part of its care team. While Marin Cancer Care has always offered the convenience and expertise of on-site intravenous and injectable medications, its partnership with House Rx now supports on-site dispensing of oral medications to assure patients' timely access to their full course of treatment. This new service offers additional convenience to patients and gives physicians the proper oversight of the timing and adherence to complex treatment plans. Marin Cancer Care physicians will work as one team with House Rx pharmacists and care coordinators. House Rx's sophisticated pharmacy technology allows Marin Cancer Care's clinical staff and House Rx's pharmacists to validate prescriptions, run drug utilization reviews, obtain prior authorizations, file claims, set up financial assistance and more. This full-service offering brings the entire cycle of specialty care delivery, from prescribing, to monitoring, to dosage adjustment and management, into Marin Cancer Care's direct oversight, with a goal of improving patient care and outcomes. "We're committed to offering our patients the most advanced and personalized cancer treatments, and that doesn't stop at prescribing," said Joel Criste , CEO of Marin Cancer Care. "Our partnership with House Rx ensures that our patient care teams, including physicians and pharmacists, can work hand-in-hand to quickly, safely and affordably move our patients onto the most promising and effective therapies." "Marin Cancer Care is the latest specialty care clinic to embrace medically integrated dispensing powered by our services and modern technology," said Tesh Khullar , President and Co-Founder of House Rx. "We look forward to supporting Marin Cancer Care in their vision to deliver compassionate and personalized care." House Rx currently serves more than 200 providers across California, Washington, Virginia, Washington, DC, Maryland, Arizona, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Oregon, Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee. About House Rx House Rx is a healthcare technology and services company focused on making specialty medication more accessible and affordable. The company partners with specialty clinics across the country to help community clinics offer medically integrated dispensing, bringing together clinical and pharmacist expertise to better serve patients, lower the cost of care, and create a better experience for patients and their caregivers. Learn more at www.houserx.com . About Marin Cancer Care Marin Cancer Care was founded in 1978 with the vision of creating a small, integrated center where every decision and every treatment plan was focused on the patient. In addition to offering the latest science and medicine, Marin Cancer Care's goal was to help patients understand their options so they could make the best decisions for themselves. Over the years, Marin Cancer Care has evolved, but our patient-centered focus remains. Today, Marin Cancer Care is regarded as one of the country's leading cancer care centers and a model of operational and clinical excellence. Visit us at www.marincancercare.com . SOURCE House Rx Grant Awarded as State's Cannabis Legalization Bill Goes Into Effect July 1, 2023 BALTIMORE, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS), a statewide provider of free legal services to low-income Marylanders, will receive a $542,775 grant from Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MLSC) to implement a statewide outreach, education and referral network to help expunge the criminal records of Marylanders charged with cannabis-related violations. A constitutional amendment that authorizes the adult use and possession of cannabis in Maryland goes into effect July 1, 2023. MVLS' funding is part of a $2.5 million grant awarded to eight legal services providers in the state. The Maryland General Assembly appropriated the one-time funding to MLSC to distribute to its grantees to educate individuals on changes to cannabis and expungement laws and support expungement efforts between April 2023 and June 2024. "We welcome this change in the law that will further reduce employment barriers for many Marylanders and appreciate the General Assembly's recognition that education, outreach and legal assistance play critical roles in stabilizing communities," said MVLS Executive Director Susan Francis. "MVLS looks forward to working with the seven other grantees to quickly launch a unified and comprehensive initiative to remove the charges from individuals' records and give them a second chance." MVLS will work with Allegany Law Foundation; Community Legal Services of Prince George's County; FreeState Justice; Harford County Bar Foundation; Homeless Persons Representation Project; Maryland Legal Aid; and MidShore Pro Bono on public awareness and direct mailing campaigns, free legal clinics and increased staffing. MVLS Attorney and Workforce Development Manager Chris Sweeney said, "Expungement is a simple legal process that can have a substantial impact on a person's life, opening doors to stable employment and housing. Given the racial disparities in arrests and sentencing for cannabis violations, the expanded expungement laws will right a wrong that has held back thousands of people." Marylanders with cannabis-related charges can visit mvlslaw.org/free-legal-help to check their eligibility and apply for services. As a part of the project, MVLS will hire four community navigators to cover Western Maryland, Southern Maryland, Baltimore City and the prison population and connect clients to MVLS attorneys and staff, or the appropriate legal services organization involved with the project. MVLS also will hire a paralegal to coordinate the navigators' efforts and perform legal research and document requests. Media Contact: Sandy Arnette, 410-274-5975 [email protected] SOURCE Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service Yoder is the latest high-profile hire for Newfront, a top-40 brokerage by revenue SAN FRANCISCO, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Newfront , the tech-driven insurance brokerage based in San Francisco, welcomes Matt Yoder to its esteemed Executive Risk Solutions team as Midwest Leader. Yoder, named a Power Broker by Risk & Insurance, joins from Marsh. Yoder is the latest high-profile hire for Newfront, a top-40 brokerage by revenue. Tweet this Matt Yoder joins Newfront as the Midwest Executive Risk Solutions Leader. "Matt is an accomplished leader with a stellar reputation in developing comprehensive programs and solutions for clients in the management-liability space," said Deirdre Finn, Practice Leader of the Executive Risk Solutions (ERS) team at Newfront, a top-40 brokerage by revenue. "His guidance in overseeing our Midwest growth will greatly benefit from his rich background on the carrier and brokerage side of the business across multiple sectors." Yoder brings more than 20 years of experience in insurance, both as an underwriter and a broker. Most recently, Yoder was a Managing Director at Marsh, where he served as Growth Leader and a team leader in the Central Zone, focusing on the retail and agriculture industries. Previously, Yoder was in leadership roles at Aon and on the underwriting team at Chubb. "Newfront's talented Executive Risk Solutions team has served thousands of public and private clients at companies of all stages and I'm thrilled to add to the group's expertise," said Yoder, who is located in Chicago. "Combining a consultative approach, extensive carrier relationships, and revolutionary technology, the ERS team offers an unmatched experience in risk protection for business owners across all sectors." Yoder, who holds a Bachelor of Science in Insurance from Illinois State University, is the latest addition to the growing ERS group, which recently welcomed Jennifer Wilson as Head of Cyber , along with a host of other high profile hires at the company. To learn more about Newfront, visit www.newfront.com . About Newfront Newfront is transforming the delivery of risk management, employee experience, insurance, and retirement solutions by building the modern insurance platform. Transparent data delivered real-time translates into a lower total cost of risk and greater insights. Newfront makes insurance work for you. Headquartered in San Francisco, Newfront has offices throughout the country and is home to more than 850 employees who serve clients across the United States and globally. MEDIA CONTACT: Traci Johnson Newfront [email protected] SOURCE Newfront CINCINNATI, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Meridian Bioscience, Inc. learned today that certain former employees of Magellan, a subsidiary of Meridian acquired in March 2016, were charged by the United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts for alleged violations of certain federal laws. Meridian and its subsidiaries are not defendants in the action. As previously disclosed, Meridian and Magellan have cooperated extensively with federal authorities in the investigation that led to these charges, and we have been and will continue to engage in resolution discussions with the Department of Justice. We have previously noted that we expect a loss to be probable in connection with the resolution, and we have reserved, as of calendar year-end 2022, an amount we believe to be a reasonable estimate of such loss. All of the Company's current products from the LeadCare line are FDA cleared and will remain available for clinical use. Meridian intends to continue to cooperate with the Department of Justice with respect to its investigation. Due to the pending litigation and ongoing discussions with the DOJ, we will not comment further at this time. About Meridian Bioscience, Inc. Meridian is a fully integrated life science company that develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes a broad range of innovative diagnostic and life science products. We are dedicated to developing and delivering better solutions that give answers with speed, accuracy, and simplicity that are redefining the possibilities of life from discovery to diagnosis. Through discovery and development, we provide critical life science raw materials used in immunological and molecular tests for human, animal, plant, and environmental applications. Through diagnosis, we provide diagnostic solutions in areas including gastrointestinal and upper respiratory infections and blood lead level testing. We build relationships and provide solutions to hospitals, reference laboratories, research centers, veterinary testing centers, physician offices, diagnostics manufacturers, and biotech companies in more than 70 countries around the world. Meridian is a privately held company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Meridian's website address is www.meridianbioscience.com. Contact: Charlie Wood Vice President - Investor Relations Meridian Bioscience, Inc. Phone: 513.271.3700 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Meridian Bioscience, Inc. Forges Partnership with the Riddle Family NEW YORK, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Mill Rock Capital ("Mill Rock"), a growth and operations oriented private investment firm, announced today that it has formed a new growth platform, Mill Rock Advanced Materials LLC ("Mill Rock Advanced Materials"), focused on investments in the advanced materials and industrial additives solutions markets. Simultaneously, Mill Rock announced that Mill Rock Advanced Materials has acquired Asbury Carbons, Inc. ("Asbury") from the Riddle family and the Asbury Carbons, Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Plan ("ESOP"). In connection with the transaction, Stephen A. Riddle has made a significant investment in the company and will remain on its board of directors. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Asbury, founded in 1895 by Harry M. Riddle and based in Asbury, New Jersey, is a leading provider of advanced materials, specializing in carbon additive solutions for a wide range of end markets and applications. The company is North America's largest processor and supplier of natural and synthetic graphite and cokes and the world's largest independent processor of graphite. Asbury sources these materials on a global basis and operates 12 facilities in which the company processes and distributes a broad range of application-specific materials and additives to customers' exacting performance requirements. Asbury's products are used in polymers and rubbers, paints and coatings, lubricants, specialty ceramics, friction products, insulation and other materials. The company's additives impart differentiating qualities alone or in combination with other materials, including thermal and electrical conductivity, lubrication, pore formation, filtration, purification, and strength enhancement. Asbury's manufacturing and distribution locations are located in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and the Netherlands, with sales offices across North America, Europe and Asia. Natural and synthetic graphite have broad uses across many industries and applications. Global demand for graphite is expected to increase due to ongoing trends in low emission energy generation, sustainable transportation, lightweighting, electrification, digitalization and other factors. Graphite is a critical raw material in batteries, solar panels and wind turbines, as well as an additive in composite materials for lightweighting in aerospace and automotive applications. Graphite's conductive and thermal properties are important in electrification and digitalization applications, such as heat management in electronics and as anode material in lithium-ion batteries. Its filtration properties play a key role in reducing carbon emissions and in the treatment and purification of water. Graphite and related products, such as graphene, can also enhance the performance of other advanced technologies in aerospace, energy, construction and other markets. In connection with the transaction, Mill Rock has appointed Gregg A. Jones as Asbury's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Previously, Gregg was CEO of EP Minerals. Scott Palm has joined as Senior Vice President Strategy and Innovation, having previously served in a similar role at EP Minerals. Eric Walmet, formerly of Ingevity Corporation, has joined Asbury as Senior Vice President Operations. All positions are new or were previously vacant. Noah Nichelson will remain President and Chief Operating Officer. Ed Rose, Mill Rock Senior Partner and former President of Ingevity Corporation, will join Asbury's board of directors. "I'm delighted to join the Asbury team and see a very bright future for our business and the graphite industry," said Mr. Jones. "This is an exciting day for Asbury's associates and customers as we embark on a new chapter of growth. Asbury has cultivated the leading market position over many years through an unparalleled focus on customer success and product innovation. Going forward, we will seek to accelerate growth through further investment in people, applications, processes and systems, as well as through selective acquisitions," he added. "Mill Rock is the ideal partner for the success of the Asbury organization, our people and our customers. Their ongoing investment and additional resources will support our unwavering commitment to provide our customers with the same high quality, bespoke products they've counted on for the last 128 years, while developing new advanced materials and additive solutions for next generation challenges. Our industry is entering a growth phase in which differentiated graphite applications are in high demand, and Asbury is optimally suited to meet those needs," said President Noah Nichelson. Mill Rock Co-Founders Christopher Whalen and Adi Pekmezovic stated, "We are incredibly honored that the Riddle family has entrusted us with the business they started nearly 130 years ago. We are eager to continue their legacy and invest in the company's next phase of growth and product innovation. Asbury pioneered the North American graphite market and is the consummate foundation upon which to build an advanced materials platform." Moelis & Company LLC, PJT Park Hill, Alvarez & Marsal Transaction Advisory Group, White & Case LLP, Foley & Lardner LLP and Advancy advised Mill Rock Capital on the transaction. PNC Bank, N.A. provided debt financing. Deloitte Corporate Finance LLC acted as financial advisor to Asbury on the transaction. ABOUT ASBURY CARBONS, INC. Founded in 1895 by Harry M. Riddle and based in Asbury, NJ, Asbury Carbons Inc. is the world's most reliable source for high-quality graphite, cokes, carbon materials and engineered solutions. The company provides more than 2,000 grades of materials which it processes to customers' exacting requirements for a broad range of applications including polymers and rubbers, paints and coatings, lubricants, specialty ceramics, friction products, insulation and other materials. For nearly 130 years Asbury has set an industry standard for meeting customers' needs, providing flexible and innovative solutions and investing in employees. The company operates 12 manufacturing locations across the U.S., Mexico, Canada and the Netherlands and has sales offices across North America, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit https://www.asbury.com/. ABOUT MILL ROCK CAPITAL Great Mill Rock LLC dba Mill Rock Capital is a growth and operations oriented private investment firm that invests in well-positioned middle market industrial businesses in North America. Founded by Christopher Whalen and Adi Pekmezovic, Mill Rock Capital is purpose-built to invest in family-owned businesses, owner-operators and founder-led companies across six industry verticals. Focus sectors include chemicals, materials and packaging; industrial distribution; services; metals and engineered materials; transportation and logistics; and specialty manufacturing. This strategy leverages the deep expertise of the firm's principals, a majority of whom have direct operating experience in these same industries. Mill Rock Capital supports business transformation through a dual-sourcing strategy encompassing majority equity and Activ Capital debt, senior equity or hybrid investments which provide business owners value-added financial partnership without relinquishing a controlling stake. For more information, please visit https://millrockcap.com/. Contact: Joanne Lessner 212-222-7436 [email protected] Adi Pekmezovic [email protected] Christopher Whalen [email protected] SOURCE Mill Rock Capital New Survey of 2,000 Consumers in North America Reveals that 41% Would Like to Hear From Brands Weeklyand 32% Say They Will Shop Elsewhere if Brands Send Them Irrelevant Messages SAN FRANCISCO, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- MoEngage , the insights-led customer engagement platform, today revealed the results of a new survey focused on consumers' expectations of how brands leverage personalization to interact with them. The report, The Personalization Pulse Check Report 2023 , polled 2,000 consumers across North America to learn more about the kinds of messages customers expect to receive from their favorite brands, how often, and which engagement channels they prefer. The results underscore deeper personalization's increasing role in engaging customers and fostering long-term loyalty. This is the second edition of the MoEngage report. In the 2021 edition, MoEngage found that consistent, relevant messaging across multiple channels was the number one challenge for consumer brand marketers. This year's report shows that customers prefer to hear more frequently from brands than previously believed, provided that the messages brands send them are highly personalized with relevant offers, discounts, or loyalty rewards. In fact, 41% of North American consumers surveyed said that they wish to receive weekly updates from their favorite brands, and 58% of consumers are frustrated with brands that offer generic and inconsistent messaging. "Finding the solution to winning customer loyalty can be daunting for brand marketers. To do it well, marketers need to leverage customer data based on prior browsing and shopping behaviors to inform their customer engagement strategies," said Raviteja Dodda, CEO of MoEngage. "Consumers are making it clear what they want and expect from brands. It's up to marketers to deliver that experience to keep them coming back." Overall, there are still more improvements brands must make to ensure they are delivering a consistent, personalized experience for consumers. According to the research, 31.9% are of consumers are frustrated by brands that send too frequent or too few communications. Most of consumers' frustration stems from a lack of strategic customer engagement. Additionally, the research found: 32.3% of consumers choose one brand over another if the communication is unrelated to their current shopping behavior 53.6% of consumers interact more than three times with a brand before buying from them them 56% of consumers want a curated shopping experience 66% of consumers are comfortable or slightly comfortable with sharing their data including name, location, and email. The MoEngage report also sheds light on: Attributes that delight consumers about a brand experience Factors that lead consumers to choosing one brand over another Leading indicators of the number of engagement touchpoints and preferred channels of engagement before buying Viewpoints of sharing personal data in exchange for personalized experiences A complimentary version of the full report is available at: The Personalization Pulse Check Report 2023 . About MoEngage MoEngage is an insights-led customer engagement platform trusted by more than 1,200 global consumer brands such as Ally Financial, McAfee, Flipkart, Domino's, Nestle, Deutsche Telekom, Travelodge, and more. MoEngage empowers marketers and product owners with insights into customer behavior and the ability to act on those insights to engage customers across the web, mobile, email, social, and messaging channels. Consumer brands across 35 countries use MoEngage to craft digital experiences for over 1 billion customers every month. With offices in 13 countries, MoEngage is backed by Goldman Sachs Asset Management, B Capital, Steadview Capital, Multiples Private Equity, Eight Roads, F-Prime Capital, Matrix Partners, Ventureast, and Helion Ventures. MoEngage is named one of the most preferred vendors for multichannel marketing as rated by customers, with high recognition across G2. To learn more, visit www.moengage.com . SOURCE MoEngage From mom to pet moms and everything in between, James Avery offers designs that make the perfect gift KERRVILLE, Texas, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- This Mother's Day, James Avery Artisan Jewelry is honoring all the mother figures in our lives. To celebrate this special day, the family-owned jewelry retailer based in Texas, launched its new Mother's Day Collection with gifts to express your love and support for the women who inspire you daily. This release includes the Mom I Love You Charm with handwritten lettering on the design like a note from the heart. The new Floral Bouquet Charm features a bouquet of flowers wrapped in a bow for Mom. This design, like many others, is engravable. Add a special date, sweet symbol, initials or one of her favorite sayings to personalize her gift. With James Avery, you'll give her an everyday reminder of the moments and memories spent together. Mom, Stepmom, Mother-in-law Choose her favorite color or her children's birthstones with the Cherished Birthstone Collection. This collection offers 12 birthstones and is available in sterling silver or 14k gold. Grandmother Surprise her with the iconic Mother's Love Collection in sterling silver or 14K gold. This design symbolizes the sweet embrace and a hug, and the kind of the love that is passed down from generation to generation. Celebrate her memory Keep Mom close to your heart with designs that tell the story of your love and memories. From angel designs to the You Are Always in My Heart Charm, these simple tokens celebrate the legacy that she left behind in all the lives she touched. Pet Moms Raising a pet can be its very own version of motherhood. This Mother's Day, treat the Pet Mom who is always working hard to give her pet the best life with the Cat Mom Charm, the Dog Mom Charm or one of our animal-themed designs. No one knows Mom quite like you do, so celebrate your special bond with a gift that speaks to your unique connection by shopping our latest designs online or visiting with our Associates at your local James Avery retail store to find the perfect gift for her this Mother's Day. About James Avery Artisan Jewelry James Avery is a vertically integrated, family-owned company located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. We offer finely crafted jewelry designs for men and women in sterling silver, 14K and 18K gold, bronze and gemstones. James Avery jewelry is designed in the Texas Hill Country, with more than 90 percent of our pieces crafted in Kerrville, Comfort, Hondo and Corpus Christi, Texas using the finest materials sourced worldwide. We are a multi-channel retailer with 120 James Avery stores in four states. Our jewelry is also available at JamesAvery.com, over 250 Dillard's locations and at Dillards.com and at 38 Von Maur locations (as well as VonMaur.com). You can also find our designs at airport stores in Austin, Houston and Nashville, as well as select Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) locations. Follow us @JamesAvery on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, as well as @JamesAveryJewelry on TikTok for new releases, trends and behind-the-scenes. SOURCE James Avery Artisan Jewelry OKOTOKS, AB, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - (TSX: MTL) Mullen Group Ltd. ("Mullen Group" and/or the "Corporation") intends to release its 2023 First Quarter earnings results on Thursday, April 27, 2023, at 6:00 a.m. ET, and has scheduled a conference call and webcast as follows: Date: April 27, 2023 Time: 10:00 a.m. ET Conference Call Dial-in: 1-800-319-4610 (for participants in North America) 416-915-3239 (Toronto or Overseas participants) 403-351-0324 (Calgary or Overseas participants) Webcast: www.mullen-group.com A replay of the call will be available approximately two hours after the completion of the call until Thursday, May 11, 2023, by dialing 1-800-319-6413 or 604-638-9010, access code 0027 followed by the pound sign. About Mullen Group Ltd. Mullen Group is one of Canada's largest logistics providers. Our network of independently operated businesses provide a wide range of service offerings including less-than-truckload, truckload, warehousing, logistics, transload, oversized, third-party logistics and specialized hauling transportation. In addition, we provide a diverse set of specialized services related to the energy, mining, forestry and construction industries in western Canada, including water management, fluid hauling and environmental reclamation. The corporate office provides the capital and financial expertise, legal support, technology and systems support, shared services and strategic planning to its independent businesses. Mullen Group is a publicly traded corporation listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "MTL". Additional information is available on our website at www.mullen-group.com or on the Corporation's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Contact Information Mr. Murray K. Mullen - Chair, Senior Executive Officer and President Mr. Richard J. Maloney - Senior Operating Officer Mr. Carson P. Urlacher - Senior Accounting Officer Ms. Joanna K. Scott - Senior Corporate Officer 121A - 31 Southridge Drive Okotoks, Alberta, Canada T1S 2N3 Telephone: 403-995-5200 Fax: 403-995-5296 SOURCE Mullen Group Ltd. Uzbekistan's Center for Strategy Development Reports on the Dialogue with Citizens TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Public discussions concerning proposed constitutional reforms in Uzbekistan are taking place across the country ahead of the national referendum on Sunday 30 April. Last week, two notable events took place. In Bukhara, the Center for Economic Research and Reforms organised a round table discussion entitled "Priorities for institutional reforms: Uzbekistan as a social state". Participants included Obid Khakimov, the Director of the Center for Economic Research and Reforms; Erkin Mukhitdinov, the first Deputy Minister of Employment and Labor Relations; and Usmon Sharifkhodjaev, the first Deputy Minister of Pre-School and School Education; together with scholars and NGO representatives. The discussion covered the significant social reforms that citizens would benefit from under the renewed constitution. The state's new responsibilities would include delivering sustainable economic growth, implementing measures to reduce poverty, creating decent living standards and providing food security. In Samarkand, Feruza Esmatova, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Oliy Majlis, held another round table focused on "The constitution and the priority of human rights". Speakers included Robakhon Makhmudova, the first Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Court, as well as Constitutional Court judges, lawyers and professors. The participants considered how the constitutional reforms would provide greater protection to the rights of all citizens, including freedom of speech, media and assembly, as well as the promotion of democratic values and equality within Uzbekistan's population. Two major events are planned for mid-April. In Tashkent, a round table will focus on the protection of property rights and entrepreneurs (10 April), while a discussion about reforming the organization of state power will take place in Namangan on 14 April. Talking about the ongoing programme of events, Jakhongir Shirinov, chairman of the Legislative Chamber Committee responsible for the constitutional reforms, said: "The constitutional reform campaign is now well underway, with citizens and political parties discussing the proposed changes across the country." "If the reforms are endorsed by the referendum later this month, more than 65% of the existing constitution will be updated with new norms and articles, primarily focusing on protecting and extending citizens' rights. There are still a number of important areas awaiting discussion in the coming weeks, and I hope as many people as possible have the chance to add their voices to the national debate." SOURCE Center for Strategy Development, Republic of Uzbekistan BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. There have been more and more assertions recently that propaganda booklets titled "Let's stand shoulder to shoulder for the Motherland, like our grandfathers" are being distributed in Baku, calling for service in the Russian army, Trend reports. In the booklet, in exchange for participation in hostilities on the side of Russia, it is "guaranteed" to obtain Russian citizenship, housing, high salaries, benefits, and privileges for family members. Head of the Media and Public Relations Department of the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Police Colonel-Lieutenant Elshad Hajiyev told Trend that the information is being checked. In addition, the short numbers of Russian mobile operators are indicated at the top of the booklet, which may well indicate that these booklets are distributed in Russia. INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- New Story Schools Independence campus celebrated receiving their full nonpublic charter from the Ohio Department of Education on February 8, 2023. New Story Schools, which supports children and young adult students ages 5-21 in grades kindergarten - 12 experiencing social, emotional, educational, and behavioral challenges, was issued the charter by the State Board of Education, ensuring the school maintains compliance with the Operating Standards for Ohio's Schools. This designation is one of several exciting updates at the campus. The school has recently added a full time Intervention Specialist, Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Director of Special Education and Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment to their staff to support high quality and high impact programs and services meeting student, family, and district goals. "New Story Schools prides itself on its strong partnerships with districts, families, and communities," said Dr. Jill Blanchard, Senior Vice President of Operations, New Story Ohio. "The investments we're making in our schools and the designation of a nonpublic charter demonstrates our commitment to quality and continuous improvement to best meet the needs of each student we serve." "I'm proud of the hard work of our team in going through this rigorous process so that we're in full alignment with the Department of Education's standard of operational excellence," said Berry Thompson, Head of School, Independence. New Story Schools offers authentic learning environments, small class sizes, and individualized learning plans focused on empowerment, skill-building, and academics. The multi-disciplinary teams of educators, behavior analysts, therapists, and support staff apply evidence-based strategies to promote growth and development, in support of students' personal goals. The Independence campus will celebrate their one-year anniversary in April. New Story Schools Independence campus is located at 600 West Resource Drive, Independence, OH. Visit https://newstoryschools.com/locations-overview/ohio/independence to learn more. About New Story Schools: New Story Schools is New Story Schools supports children and young adult students ages 5-21 in grades K-12 experiencing social, emotional, educational, and behavioral challenges in Athens, Columbus, Independence, Lancaster, and Sandusky, Ohio. All schools adhere to the state's operating standards for Ohio schools, are chartered by the State Board of Education, and provide multiple pathways towards earning an accredited Ohio High School Diploma. SOURCE New Story Schools Yes Solar Solutions, Sundance Power Systems, Southern Energy Management CARY, N.C., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 23, 2023 the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) issued an order to approve a rate change for solar customers in NC. This effects NC residents who wish to use the utility grid managed by Duke Energy and to use the grid for shorter term energy storage under a system known as Net Metering. North Carolina's rooftop solar payment rules, known as "net metering," have been in place since 2000. Customers whose solar panels produce more electricity than they immediately need receive 'credits' on their bills equal to whatever they pay for electricity. The NC Legislature passed laws in 2017 and 2021 that required state regulators to revise those rules. In March 2023, the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) complied by approving Duke Energy's plan. Early last year, Duke and a group that represented the NC roof top solar industry, called the North Carolina Rooftop Solar Installers (NCRSI), intervened in the NCUC net-metering case and negotiated a compromise that prevented a drastic reduction of the value of solar for NC solar customers. The group was led by Stew Miller of YES Solar, Dave Hollister of Sundance Power Systems, and Bob Kingery of Southern Energy Management (SEM) and was supported by 17 other solar companies from throughout NC. The "Stipulation" that NCRSI and Duke negotiated was approved and provides a transitional rate option for solar customers called the "Bridge Rate". This allows for folks to go solar under a plan that will provide a smooth transition to rates included in Duke's original filing that will go into effect January 1st 2027. "The majority of North Carolinians support the expansion of customer-sited solar in NC. NCRSI worked to secure the best deal possible for solar customers in North Carolina." said Dave Hollister of Sundance Power Systems. "I hope that in a future docket or law the legislature, NCUC and NC Public Staff iterate their views of small-scale solar and storage as valuable for the grid. With this support NC can grow into a leader in distributed generation solar like it has been in utility scale solar for years now." said Bob Kingery, Co-founder and CEO of Southern Energy Management. The appeal of solar as an investment and a solution to the climate crisis has escalated in recent years, and that is the primary motivation for these policy changes. Utility companies nationwide, including Duke Energy, face challenges in supporting their historical business models. "Despite efforts like these to slow down customer generation of electricity, I remain confident that homeowners will continue to invest in solar to save money on rising electricity costs, reduce personal taxes with the 30% ITC and participate in the fight against climate change." said Stew Miller, co-founder and President of Yes Energy Solutions. In negotiating with Duke Energy, the solar industry was adamant about including consumer protections for North Carolinians. The NCUC mandates Duke create an online calculator within 60 days of the order that was delivered March 23, 2023. The calculator will provide an accurate estimate for the electrical and financial return for systems designed for their specific location. NCRSI and others contend that this calculator is critical to the transition under this order. The bottom line is that now is the best time to go solar in North Carolina. Additionally, solar plus battery storage offers homeowners a significant opportunity to indemnify themselves from these and future rate changes. We have one of the most experienced and passionate groups of solar companies in the nation to support the growth of solar in North Carolina. Contacts: Stew Miller, Yes Solar Solutions, 919.906.0798 Dave Hollister, Sundance Power Systems, 828.776.5341 Bob Kingery, Southern Energy Management, 919.815.5345 SOURCE Yes Solar Solutions CHICAGO, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Governor J.B. Pritzker appointed five new members to the Board of Trustees of Northeastern Illinois University, pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate. The five newly-appointed Trustees join current Trustees Ann Kalayil, Ph.D. (B.A. '82, Computer Science), Marvin Garcia (B.A. '83 History, M.A. '08 Educational Leadership), and student trustee Shyrice Howell. "As an alumnus of Northeastern Illinois University, I am excited to join the board of trustees," said Jose Rico, the newly appointed chair of the board. "As a first-generation college student, Northeastern is largely responsible for the success I have today. Many of Northeastern's students are nontraditional students, from working-class families, and many are Latino like me. I am proud of the support Northeastern provides its students through outstanding academic, extracurricular and financial aid programs. As chair, I look forward to working alongside the president, faculty and staff to shape the future of our institution for its deserving students and the larger community." Rico (B.A. '99 University Without Walls) is the director of Solidarity Heals: Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Greater Chicago and was formerly the chief partnership officer for United Way of Metropolitan Chicago. Rico served as the former executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics in the administration of President Barack Obama and is a member of multiple associations, including the Chicago Commission on Human Relations Advisory Council on Equity, the National Collaborative for Health Equity Culture of Health Leadership Institute for Racial Healing, and the University of Illinois Latina/Latino Alumni Association Board. He earned his Master of Arts in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment from the University of Illinois Chicago. Other appointees include: Paula Wolff, Ph.D., is the director of the Illinois Justice Project, a civic organization that develops and implements policy initiatives and programs to reform the criminal justice system by addressing youth trauma and reducing youth and adult violence, crime, and incarceration. Wolff served as president of Governors State University and has extensive experience in government and education. Wolff earned her bachelor's degree from Smith College and a master's and doctoral degree in political science from the University of Chicago. J. Todd Phillips is the CEO of Parson Partners and spent 20 years in various positions in corporate America. Phillips earned a bachelor's degree from Morehouse College and has completed executive education programs at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, J. Mack College of Business at Georgia State University, and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Phillips previously served the University as a board member of the Northeastern Illinois University Foundation, an adjunct professor, and chairman of the Executive Advisory Council for the College of Business and Technology. Northeastern alumna Michelle Morales (M.A. '12 Educational Leadership, School Leadership) has 24 years of nonprofit and alternative education experience and currently serves as the president for Woods Fund Chicago, where she has established organizational plans, policies and procedures to fight against the systemic racism and economic injustices that impact students across Chicago. Morales earned a bachelor's degree in Latin American Studies and earned a master's degree in Special Education from the University of Illinois Chicago. Betty Fleurimond currently serves as a principal at Deloitte Consulting, leading their Higher Education Cloud ERP Portfolio and chairing the global Deloitte Center for Higher Education Excellence. She began her career in Information Technology Systems, where she served as project lead at Lucent Technologies. Fleurimond earned her bachelor's degree in Mathematics and master's degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The Board of Trustees serves as the governing body of Northeastern Illinois University. Complementing this work, the Northeastern Illinois University Foundation, a separate 501(c)3 organization, develops and stewards private support for the University. The Foundation Board also celebrates new leadership including its first Latina President, Olga Camargo, treasurer Jagannath Bobji, and secretary Patrick Shine (B.A. '82, Business and Management and Economics)." "This is an exciting time for our new Board members and our university. We are energized by Governor Pritzker's plan to increase funding for all Illinois universities to help working-class residents gain access to a high-quality education. Northeastern will continue to provide all our students with opportunities for a successful future," said Rico. ABOUT NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY Northeastern Illinois University offers more than 40 undergraduate degree and certificate programs and more than 50 graduate degree, certificate, licensure and endorsement programs. The Main Campus is located on 67 acres in an attractive residential area on the Northwest Side of Chicago. The University has additional locations in the metropolitan area, including the Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies, El Centro and the University Center of Lake County. SOURCE Northeastern Illinois University The emotional, inspirational, true story of Wilmer is told by his brother and the author of a newly-released book chronicling how young Wilmer's pain turned to wisdom and compassion CHICAGO, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- When a hunter's bullet intended for a deer struck nine-year-old Wilmer, he was near-dead, and no one could anticipate the broad and deep impact of the tragedy. This April, NPH USA brings Wilmer's inspirational story to light. Moving and life-changing, it will be shared in-person by Wilmer's brother, Jacinto Arias Canel, and Matthew Callans, the author of the newly-released book, Wilmer. NPH USA relays how a boy survived after a paralyzing accident separated him from his family home and the life he knew Tweet this The emotional, inspirational, true story of Wilmer (right) is told by his brother Jacinto (left) and the author of a newly-released book chronicling how young Wilmers pain turned to wisdom and compassion. Wilmer's boyhood started out happy, even in the face of poverty in rural Guatemala. He and his younger brother and sister were cared for by their grandparents. Then, the worst of circumstances happened. Wilmer somehow lived but the life and simple pleasures he knew changed in an instantin unthinkable waysforever. In the face of this tragedy, a global community adopted him as their own. "Wilmer wanted to help others," said Matthew Callans. "I am honored to have written the story he asked me to share. Our paths crossed while at NPH (which stands for Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos, Spanish for "Our Little Brothers and Sisters") in Guatemala. Were it not for NPH, Wilmer would not have had a safe, loving home with his siblings, nor the constant medical care he required. And he wouldn't have changed the hearts of so many people, including me and my family." Wilmer was closest to his biological siblings and had traveled to the U.S. on several occasions with his brother Jacinto. "My brother showed me how a person can truly become the best person they can be," said Jacinto. "Wilmer became his best God-like self. I want to keep Wilmer's story and memory alive. Hopefully, others will see what it takeswhat is possibleand make their lives better, no matter what misfortune comes their way." From April 14 to April 20, NPH USA is hosting Matthew and Jacinto in Phoenix, Arizona, and Alamo, California. They will speak to live audiences and make themselves available for media interviews, as schedule permits. They provide powerful, first-hand accounts of Wilber's journey from tragedy to triumph through the power of the mind. To schedule an interview, please email Jill at [email protected] To attend an NPH USA event, please email [email protected] To purchase the book, Wilber, please visit Wilmer: The True Story of a Young Man's Journey from Tragedy to Triumph through the Power of the Mind: Callans, Matthew: 9781957473956: Amazon.com: Books Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos (NPH) and NPH USA help break the devastating cycle of poverty in communities in Bolivia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Peru. They provide for the basic needs of highly vulnerable children, including security, education, and the material and emotional support that children living in poverty need to shape prosperous futures for themselves. Without NPH, many of these children, especially those with chronic, debilitating conditions, would likely fall into the social traps plaguing their countries, or worse yet, not survive. NPH empowers children and youth so they can become productive, compassionate role models in their own communities. To learn more about how NPH USA helps transform the lives of children in Latin America and the Caribbean, visit NPHUSA.org/Impact2021. SOURCE NPH USA NEWARK, N.J., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic Corporation of North America today announced it has received a Great Place to Work Certification for the second consecutive year, in recognition of the company culture and employee workplace experience. This year, 87% of employees said it's a great place to workthat's 29 points higher than the average U.S. company. Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience and leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue, employee retention and increased innovation. "Panasonic Corporation of North America is honored to be certified as a Great Place to Work for the second year in a row for our workplace culture that enables our diverse workforce to pursue meaningful work and live their best lives," said Megan Myungwon Lee, Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Corporation of North America. "As a purpose-driven company for more than a hundred years, we continue to build on our founding business philosophies and principles. We believe that to deliver on our commitment to making positive contributions to society, we must invest in people, support entrepreneurial innovation, and shape our workplace culture through diversity, equity and inclusion." Panasonic employees surveyed by Great Place to Work said they feel safe in the workplace (96 percent), treated fairly regardless of sexual orientation (95 percent), supported with flexible work arrangements (90 percent), and praised the transparency and ethical business practices of management (88 percent). Employees surveyed also reported strong feelings of pride and camaraderie in the workplace, with 91 percent surveyed saying they are proud to tell others where they work, and 88 percent reporting they can be themselves at work and celebrate special events with colleagues. A flexible approach to work and a holistic well-being approach has been central to the ways Panasonic supports employees through various seasons of life. The Company is proud to offer a dynamic Total Rewards program that provides employees with opportunities and offerings for whatever life may bring, including flexible work arrangements, parental care time, paid volunteer time-off, broader access to telehealth and teletherapy, and 24/7 live support to help navigate emotional, professional, or even financial challenges. "Great Place to Work Certification isn't something that comes easily it takes ongoing dedication to the employee experience," said Sarah Lewis-Kulin, vice president of global recognition at Great Place to Work. "It's the only official recognition determined by employees' real-time reports of their company culture. Earning this designation means that Panasonic is one of the best companies to work for in the country." According to Great Place to Work research, job seekers are 4.5 times more likely to find a great boss at a Certified great workplace. Additionally, employees at Certified workplaces are 93% more likely to look forward to coming to work, and are twice as likely to be paid fairly, earn a fair share of the company's profits and have a fair chance at promotion. WE'RE HIRING! Looking to grow your career at a company that puts its people first? Visit our careers page at: https://careers.na.panasonic.com/panasonic-careers-blog About Great Place to Work Certification Great Place to Work Certification is the most definitive "employer-of-choice" recognition that companies aspire to achieve. It is the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience specifically, how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace. Great Place to Work Certification is recognized worldwide by employees and employers alike and is the global benchmark for identifying and recognizing outstanding employee experience. Every year, more than 10,000 companies across 60 countries apply to get Great Place to Work-Certified. About Great Place to Work Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Their employee survey platform empowers leaders with the feedback, real-time reporting and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. Everything they do is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a great place to work For All. Learn more at greatplacetowork.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. About Panasonic Corporation of North America Newark, NJ-based Panasonic Corporation of North America is a leading provider of Consumer Lifestyle technologies, as well as innovative Smart Mobility, Sustainable Energy, Immersive Experiences, and Integrated Supply Chain solutions for its business and government clients. The company is the principal North American subsidiary of Osaka, Japan-based Panasonic Corporation. One of Interbrand's Top 100 Best Global Brands of 2022, Panasonic is a leading technology partner and integrator to businesses, government agencies and consumers across the region. Learn more about Panasonic's ideas and innovations at na.panasonic.com/us Connect with Panasonic North America: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube SOURCE Panasonic Corporation of North America Zylafen for Reptiles Joins Pet King Brands' Veterinarian-Approved ZYMOX Dermatology Product Family for Small and Large Animals WESTMONT, Ill., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pet King Brands, Inc., the industry leader in enzyme-based pet healthcare brands ZYMOX Enzymatic Ear and Skin and Oratene Brushless Oral Care is honored to have their new Zylafen skin topical products for reptiles named Best in Show at the 2023 Global Pet Expo, an educational tradeshow for pet specialty retailers held in Orlando, FL. Zylafen Enzymatic Solutions for Reptiles from the maker of ZYMOX Zylafen Topical Spray and Zylafen Topical Solution support healthy, complete shedding; and relieve irritated skin, cuts and abrasions in lizards, snakes, turtles and other reptiles. The products utilize the LP3 Enzyme System which is a proprietary combination of enzymes that are soothing, non-toxic and do not contain antibiotics or corticosteroids. "Just like dogs and cats, reptiles also have skin issues and Zylafen answers those needs with the use of enzymes, not antibiotics," said Pamela K Bosco, president and founder of Pet King Brands. "Our enzyme formula provides a broad spectrum of skin care support and are honored that the panel of international and domestic industry peers chose Zylafen as number one at Global Pet Expo!" Since the company's inception twenty-five years ago, there has been mounting concern over the use of antibiotics due to the potential side effects and threat of antibiotic resistance. The popularity for the veterinarian-recommended ZYMOX and Oratene products has gained great momentum for their effectiveness in helping small animals and livestock to achieve healthy ears, skin, and mouths without antibiotics or harsh ingredients. To meet the market demand for antibiotic-free solutions for pet care, during 2022 the product family was expanded to include new solutions for cats and kittens, and horses and livestock. The line continues to grow and now includes Zylafen for reptiles, ZYMOX Avian Care for All Birds, and ZYMOX for Small Animal & Exotic care. To learn more about the complete line of enzymatic pet health products and where they are available, visit zymox.com. About Pet King Brands Pet King Brands, the maker of ZYMOX Ear and Skin products, Oratene Brushless Oral Care, Equine Defense, and ZYLAFEN is a leader in veterinarian-approved pet products made in the USA. Focused on the health and wellness of small and large animals of all ages, the products utilize the Power of the LP3 Enzyme System and have been Resolving Ear, Skin, and Oral Conditions for Over 25 Years. Led by President and Founder, Pamela Bosco, who first introduced ZYMOX in 1998 with the help of her bioscientist brother, Michael Pellico, Pet King Brands has revolutionized the way people care for animals' ears, skin, and mouth offering solutions that are gentle to the animal, easy to administer and free of harsh chemicals and antibiotics. SOURCE Pet King Brands, Inc. P.F. Chang's expands in Texas with third location in Greater San Antonio offering specialty menu favorites and an elevated Asian dining experience SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- P.F. Chang's announced the opening of the new full-service Bistro location in New Braunfels today, as a part of continued successful growth across Texas and nationwide. From inspired menu favorites to elaborate decor, guests at the new Bistro are guaranteed a best-in-class experience. P.F. Changs expands in Texas with third location in Greater San Antonio offering specialty menu favorites and an elevated Asian dining experience. P.F. Chang's New Braunfels continues a nationwide brand refresh with upscale ambiance, providing a unique and memorable moment for every occasion. Culinary offerings include P.F. Chang's scratch-made favorites, such as Chang's Spicy Chicken, Crispy Honey Chicken, Mongolian Beef, Pork Dumplings and Chang's Lettuce Wraps, along with the new and indulgent Wagyu Steak. "P.F. Chang's is a premier destination for celebrations of all occasions, and we are excited to share our unique perspective on elevated Asian cuisine with the New Braunfels community" said Genaro Perez, senior vice president of marketing at P.F. Chang's. "We've had phenomenal reception in Texas and are continuing to focus growth efforts in this market. We look forward to continuing to offer up unforgettable experiences and scratch-made menu favorites to our guests in Texas." This opening marks the company's third Bistro location in Greater San Antonio and opens nearly 20 years after its first Bistro, P.F. Chang's San Antonio, debuted in fall 2003. The growth in San Antonio-New Braunfels represents a broader expansion across Texas and nationwide with more P.F. Chang's Bistro and To Go openings planned throughout 2024. P.F. Chang's New Braunfels is located at 2982 Cold Springs Drive, New Braunfels, Texas 78130. The new approximately 6,500-square-foot Bistro will operate from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Saturday. P.F. Chang's New Braunfels also brings approximately 115 new job opportunities to the community. Qualified job candidates interested in a career at P.F. Chang's may apply at jobs.pfchangs.com. P.F. Chang's Gold and Platinum Rewards members can earn points with every purchase when they visit or order online and through the app from the new P.F. Chang's New Braunfels Bistro location. While the Gold Rewards program is free to join, the Platinum Rewards program, which launched September 2022, is a subscription-based loyalty program with added benefits including double the points earned with every $1 spent, unlimited free delivery through the P.F. Chang's website or app, waitlist priority reservations and exclusive concierge service access. About P.F. Chang's Founded in 1993 by Philip Chiang and Paul Fleming, P.F. Chang's is the first internationally recognized multi-unit Asian culinary brand to honor and celebrate the 2,000-year-old tradition of wok cooking as the center of the guest experience. With roots in Chinese cuisine, today's menu at P.F. Chang's spans across all of Asia, honoring cultures and recipes from Japan, Korea, Thailand, and beyond. Each item offers a unique exploration of flavor, whether it's a handcrafted cocktail, wok-fired lunch bowl, or celebratory multi-course dinner. Worldwide, P.F. Chang's has more than 300 restaurants in 22 countries and U.S. airport locations, including a growing number of convenient P.F. Chang's To Go locations offering takeout and delivery. For more P.F. Chang's news, visit pfchangs.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @pfchangs. SOURCE P.F. Chang's 'Framework @ Block 10' to be Houston's First Mass Timber Commercial Office Building Renderings (Courtesy of Hicks Ventures): Available here HOUSTON, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hicks Ventures, a Houston-based, privately held development company, today announced Framework @ Block 10, the city's first mass timber commercial office project and the first Texas commercial office building targeting net zero energy operational carbon upon completion in 2024. "This is a model example of how Houston, the energy capital of the world, can effectively combat the climate crisis by employing the most sustainable building technologies," said City of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. First Texas commercial office building targeting to achieve net zero operational carbon. Tweet this Framework @ Block 10 Exterior Framework @ Block 10 Interior As owner, property, and leasing manager of the project, Hicks Ventures' is committed to being part of the movement for the next generation of builders by spearheading evolving ESG goals and health and wellness tenant goals. Framework @ Block 10 Located at 10496 Katy Freeway, on the north side of I-10 between Gessner and Beltway 8, facing CITYCENTRE and Memorial City's campus across from I-10. The six-story, 200,000 square-foot Class A office building is situated within a three-mile radius of a variety of retail shopping, as well as 100+ restaurants. Also located on the 13.5-acre site is Block 10 West, the former "Great Indoors" big box retail building that Hicks Ventures renovated/repurposed into an office building in 2013. Block 10 West is currently 100% leased. First Mass Timber Office Development in City of Houston The complete project structure will be constructed using sustainably sourced heavy timber, a first for a Houston office building. As a result of mass timber's ability to store carbon, the building will save more than 60% of greenhouse gas emissions and a 100% reduction in outdoor potable municipal water consumption, and more than a 50% reduction in indoor potable municipal water consumption. This project is expected to minimize wasteful energy use from the implementation of a rainwater harvesting cistern, full roof solar panels, LED lighting, and a sensory system. The developer will use and purchase 100% renewable energy from power providers in addition to collecting and using from the mechanical systems. "Hicks' team goal for the project is to achieve the highest sustainability and health and wellness standards set today for office buildings according to LEED Platinum, WiredScore Platinum, and WELL Platinum building standards," said Pat Hicks, founder of Hicks Ventures. "The building infrastructure and systems will accommodate tenants' desire to achieve ESG and net-zero energy goals, including a program for ongoing performance with the target to achieve the LEED operations and maintenance certification at a Platinum level. This developer-tenant partnership would result in Texas' first commercial office building to achieve net-zero energy operational standards." The state-of-the-art mass timber structure will be comprised of dowel laminated timber (DLT) floor and roof panels supported by glulam post and beam framing designed to showcase the beauty and efficiency of the wood. DLT is a sustainable alternative to steel and concrete. According to Work Design Magazine, the unique physiological impact of touching wood has been shown to reduce sympathetic nervous activity and blood pressure a phenomenon not experienced with any other building material. A 2018 report for Forest and Wood Products Australia, the "Workplaces: Wellness + Wood = Productivity" study explored the connection between biophilic design and wellbeing. According to the study, workers in workplaces with more wood have higher satisfaction levels, feel more connected to nature, and have a more positive association with their workplace. Additionally, wood is correlated with higher levels of concentration, improved mood, and personal productivity. Environmentally Focused Design The experienced design team includes Gensler, design architect; StructureCraft, mass timber design and engineering; Gensler Global Sustainability Team; CMTA, MEP engineer; and HOAR Construction, general contractor. "The visually distinct, six-story Framework @ Block 10 is a celebration of mass timber and Hicks Ventures' early adoption of the material in the Houston area," said Jerry Alexander, principal and co-managing director at Gensler Houston. "As a firm, Gensler is committed to eliminating all net emissions associated with our work, and Framework @ Block 10 exemplifies a project dedicated to environmental stewardship." The building will provide best-in-class office space that is everlasting for modern tenants. Design and smart building features include an accessible dashboard showing up-to-date information on the building's energy consumption; indoor air quality and ventilation sensors; underfloor air distribution system; complete tenant control of environment-based responsiveness to available metrics; 10' ultra-high-efficiency vision glass panels; 11'6" ceiling heights; shared and spacious balconies on each floor. Additionally, 5,000 square feet of ground-level space will be curated for a future restaurant partner. Framework @ Block 10 has a scheduled Q4 2023 commencement and is anticipated for completion in Q4 2024. For more information visit Hicks Ventures at www.hicksventures.com. About Hicks Ventures Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Hicks Ventures was founded in 2007 by Patrick Hicks. The company's real estate professionals have more than 135+ years of cumulative experience in construction, development, property management, marketing, leasing, building improvement, market analysis, project selection and advisory services. The Hicks team has completed over a billion dollars of healthcare projects and over a billion dollars of office, land and retail. While Hicks Ventures offers a full suite of real estate services, from development through leasing and property management, the company also specializes in transactions, developing and acquiring attractively priced Class A office, medical and hotel properties in markets with strong fundamentals. Hicks Ventures adds value by redeveloping, recapitalizing and providing superior property management, market and leasing services. SOURCE Hicks Venture ATLANTA, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- What can scientists do to improve the public trust of research published in medical journals? Errors resulting in bad recommendations by researchers in papers published in medical journals have been a problem for decades. The author of a well-known paper published in 1998 by Lancet concluded that vaccination caused autism. Investigators found analytical errors and data falsification in the paper. Since then, many studies have found no evidence of a causal link between vaccination and autism. But unfortunately, even 25 years later, people believe that vaccination can result in autism and refuse to let their children be vaccinated. Publishing study data (without identifying details), as well as replication and reevaluation studies of flawed research are key to preventing errors in medical research from reoccurring. Publishing study data (without identifying details), as well as replication and reevaluation studies of flawed research are key to preventing errors in medical research from reoccurring. Recently, researchers have found that a significant number of randomized controlled trials published in highly regarded journals have analytical errors, resulting in misleading conclusions. Economic journals have found a mitigation method in requiring that for a paper: the authors must make their data (without identifying confidential details) and codes available. Other researchers can then investigate whether the results can be replicated. But medical journals rarely publish replication papers or acknowledge that they have published flawed studies. Florence LeCraw, a physician, and coauthors performed a reevaluation study of a paper published in the highly regarded health policy journal Health Affairs. It showed that the authors of the original study made three serious errors. Two referees of Health Affairs agreed with LeCraw et al., but Health Affairs would not afford LeCraw et al. more than a brief letter to appear in the journal. The authors published this study in Econ Journal Watch, which publishes papers that identify mistakes made by researchers with the goal to prevent recurrence of the mistakes. Dan Klein, an economist who started this journal, said his goal was "to encourage challenges of published research, to make research more honest and more careful." The authors describe the errors made by the original investigators, but importantly, they recount their experience with Health Affairs when the journal discovered the errors. One editor told them that since their readership has little interest in replication papers, their policy is to not publish them. Several other editors said that they did not publish replication papers because they feared it would cause reputational damage. Unfortunately, ignoring the uncovering of errors in published research seems to be the norm in medical journals. But experts believe that journals' long-term reputations are damaged by not admitting their peer review errors. They believe that a journal's reputation will be enhanced, not damaged, by publishing replication papers demonstrating mistakes made by their reviewers and also other medical journals' review mistakes. Publishing replication papers also helps prevent errors from recurring by explaining their cause. For the public to trust that their published papers' conclusions are valid, it is imperative that medical journal editors encourage submissions of replication papers and that they be published. LeCraw concludes, "Admitting errors, describing the error made, and what can be done to prevent the recurrence of the error, is the basis of trust. Trust by the public will be key to advancing evidence-based healthcare practices and policies." Reference Title of paper: Reassessing the Effects of a Communication-and-Resolution Program on Hospitals' Malpractice Claims and Costs Journal: Econ Journal Watch Article Link: https://econjwatch.org/articles/reassessing-the-effects-of-a-communication-and-resolution-program-on-hospitals-malpractice-claims-and-costs About author Florence R. LeCraw is a physician with >35 years of practice experience. She serves as an Adjunct Professor at Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia. Contact: Florence R. LeCraw +1 404-234-4312 [email protected] SOURCE The CANDOR Coalition FORT COLLINS, Colo., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Prosci, Inc. ("Prosci"), the leading global provider of change management solutions that help clients attain success with their change initiatives, today announced the acquisition of Nexum Group SRL ("Nexum"). Nexum and its subsidiary CMC Partnership Global ("CMC"), have been members of Prosci's global partner program since 2016. Scott McAllister, CEO of Prosci noted, "We have partnered with Nexum and CMC for many years to deliver world-class change management solutions consisting of training, advisory and consulting throughout much of Europe as well as Singapore. Nexum has a fabulous team who work closely with their clients to deliver change success across myriad changes that their clients implement in their organizations. By combining our strengths and diverse perspectives and experiences, we can accelerate our ability to develop offerings and expand our ongoing contribution to the change management discipline. We are excited to be able to do this together as Prosci." "We have focused on providing high-quality services to clients based on Prosci's portfolio and research driven approach," said Caroline Mrck Jensen, CEO of Nexum. "By coming together as one company, we are confident that we will be able to do this even more effectively and provide even more compelling opportunities for our people." "Prosci is now even better positioned to serve the diverse and complex needs of European organizations," said Christopher Mairs, Managing Director of Leeds Equity Partners. "European clients, in turn, benefit from direct access to Prosci's holistic change management solutions, expertise, and the best-practices insights of its global network of change practitioners." With Nexum, Prosci has executed its eighth acquisition since 2015, building on its momentum of expanding its global presence. The company's widely attended change management programs, expert advisory services, and tools are now available to more and more organizations throughout North America, South America, Europe, Australia/New Zealand and Singapore. About Prosci: Founded in 1994, Prosci is a global leader in change management and the provider of choice for 80% of Fortune 100 companies. Prosci combines scientific research with the people side of change to deliver results-focused solutions that enable clients to achieve change outcomes and grow organizational change capability. Prosci maintains the industry's largest body of change management researchthe basis for the company's tools, methodologies, services, and role-based development programs. To date, Prosci has certified over 100,000 change management practitioners worldwide. The company is headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado; with offices across North America, South America, Europe, Australia/New Zealand and Singapore; plus more than 25 certified Prosci Partners around the globe. For additional information on Prosci, see http://www.prosci.com/. About Nexum Group SRL: Nexum was founded in Belgium in 2001 to help clients build individual and organizational change capabilities. In 2015, Nexum introduced the Prosci role-based training, methodologies and tools into Belgium, France, Luxembourg, French-speaking Switzerland, and French-speaking Africa. In 2019, Nexum merged with Scandinavian Prosci partner proacteur. Then in 2022, Nexum joined forces with CMC Partnership Global to become the largest European Prosci affiliate, expanding change management training, capability building and advisory into the UK, Ireland, Italy, Singapore and South Africa. About CMC Partnership Global: For more than 20 years, CMC has been helping individuals and teams from organizations develop their change skills. CMC Partnership became Prosci affiliate for the UK and Ireland in 2012 followed by Singapore and then Italy, delivering Prosci change management training, capability building and change support in these regions. In 2022, CMC Partnership Global joined forces with Nexum to become the largest Prosci European affiliate. About Leeds Equity Partners: Leeds Equity Partners ("Leeds Equity") is a New York-based private equity firm dedicated exclusively to partnering with management teams in the education, training, and information services industries (the "Knowledge Industries"). The firm was founded in 1993 and currently manages over $4 billion of capital across a broad spectrum of companies within the Knowledge Industries. Leeds Equity seeks to leverage its sector-focused expertise and market insights to create long-term value for its partner companies and investors. For additional information on Leeds Equity Partners, see http://www.leedsequity.com/. For More Information: Scott VanHoy Tel. 212-835-2000 Fax: 212-835-2020 www.prosci.com SOURCE Leeds Equity Partners, LLC BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. The Pardon Issues Commission under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan has held a regular meeting today, Trend reports. More than 100 appeals for clemency were reviewed at the meeting. Moreover, in general, about 1,300 appeals for pardon have been considered at the commissions meeting to this day. As many as 168 people punished by deprivation of liberty were released after serving a specified period of time, while the unserved part of the punishment for 36 people was reduced by half. Three people sentenced to conditional imprisonment were released from punishment, while six people sentenced to restriction of freedom from the unserved part of the sentence. CHICAGO, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The protein A resin industry is projected to grow steadily in the near future. This is primarily due to the increasing demand for protein A resins in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Additionally, the growing trend of personalized medicine and the need for more efficient and cost-effective production of biopharmaceuticals are expected to drive the growth of the industry. Furthermore, the development of new technologies for protein A resin production is expected to further fuel its growth. As the industry continues to grow, manufacturers are likely to invest more in research and development to develop newer and more efficient production processes. In addition, the increasing demand for more efficient and cost-effective production of biopharmaceuticals is expected to drive the growth of the industry. Protein A Resin Market in terms of revenue was estimated to be worth $1.2 billion in 2022 and is poised to reach $2.1 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 9.8% from 2022 to 2028 according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. Factors such as increasing research activities, expanding therapeutic applications of monoclonal antibodies, private along with public fundings, spending on pharmaceutical R&D, growing food safety concerns, and stringent regulatory control in healthcare are expected to propel the growth of this market. However, the high cost of the resin is expected to restrain the market growth. Download an Illustrative overview: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=19196962 Browse in-depth TOC on "Protein A Resin Market" 78 - Tables 35 - Figures 147 - Pages Protein A Resin Market Scope: Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2022 $1.2 billion Estimated Value by 2028 $2.1 billion Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 9.8% Market Size Available for 20202028 Forecast Period 20222028 Forecast Units Value (USD Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered Product, Type, Application, End User, and Region Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Rest of the World Report Highlights Updated financial information / product portfolio of players Key Market Opportunities Increasing number of CMOs and CROs Key Market Drivers Increasing demand for therapeutic antibodies Agarose based protein A resin segment to register significant growth rate over the forecast period of 2022-2028 Based on the product type, the protein A resin is segmented into agarose-based protein A resin, glass/silica-based protein A resin and organic based protein A resin. Agarose based protein A resin segment to register significant growth rate over the forecast period of 2022-2028. It is attributed to the proteins' high binding selectivity for ligand attachment when compared to other matrices. The agarose-based protein A resins also exhibit greater durability, increased mechanical strength, and a high capacity for metal dopant absorption at the proper pH. This is expected to drive the growth of the segment. Recombinant protein A resin segment accounted for the largest share of the Protein A resin in 2022-2028 Based on type, the Protein A resin is segmented into drug discovery, diagnostics, genomics solutions, proteomics solutions, microbiology, other applications. The drug discovery application segment is estimated to hold the largest market share of the Protein A resin market during the forecast period. This segment held a share of 75.0% in 2021. The large share of this segment can be attributed to its high binding capabilities. Alkaline solutions' solubility and sensitivity are improved with its application. Agarose is combined with the recombinant protein A resins ligand to offer immunoglobulin a high binding capability during immunoglobulin fragmentation. It has a more focused ability to bind. Antibody purification segment accounted for the largest share of the Protein A resin in 2022-2028 Based on application, the Protein A resin is segmented into antibody purification and immunoprecipitation. The antibody purification application segment is estimated to hold the largest market share of the Protein A resin market during the forecast period. This segment held a share of 82.0% in 2021. The large share of this segment can be attributed to the increasing investments by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and increasing demand for monoclonal antibodies for the treatment and cure of disease has increased as a result of the rising prevalence of chronic diseases. Pharmaceutical & biopharmaceutical companies' segment to register for the highest growth rate of the Protein A resin in 2022-2028 The major end users in the protein A resin market are pharmaceutical & biopharmaceutical companies, academic research institutes and other end user. Pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies are expected to dominate the market during the forecast period. The significant portion of this market is accounted for by the growing use of continuous manufacturing methods along with the increasing utilisation of protein A resins in drug discovery, mAbs, vaccination, and medicines production processes in the biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry. the increasing R&D activities in the area of drug development and the focus on extending pharma-biotech product pipelines. Europe to register a significant growth in the market during the forecast period In 2022, Europe is expected to register a significant growth in the market during the forecast period. Europe comprises the Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, ROE. Factors such as the flourishing biotechnology industry and favourable healthcare and R&D scenarios are driving the growth of the Europe protein A resin market. Inquiry Before Buying: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=19196962 Protein A Resin Market Dynamics: Drivers: Increased R&D investments in pharmaceutical industries Growing demand for process automation for food safety Standardization of workflows Stringent regulatory control in the healthcare industry Restraints: Slow adoption of automation among small and medium-sized laboratories Long gestation period for workflow implementation Opportunities: Improving healthcare infrastructure across emerging countries Growth of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries Integration of AI and analytical tools in laboratory workflows Challenges: Limited feasibility with technology integration in analytical labs Key Market Players: As of 2022, prominent players in the Protein A resin are Danaher Corporation (US), Merck KGAa (Germany) and Repligen Corporation (US) among others. Get 10% Free Customization on this Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=19196962 Recent Developments: In September 2022 , As part of its charitable efforts through the Agilent Foundation, Agilent Technologies partnered with Delaware State University (DSU) to boost the number of minority students who choose STEM careers. , As part of its charitable efforts through the Agilent Foundation, Agilent Technologies partnered with (DSU) to boost the number of minority students who choose STEM careers. In October 2021 , Tosoh Biosciences LLC completed the acquisition of Semba Biosciences, a privately held leading innovator in the field of multi-column chromatography (MCC) instrumentation and technology for the downstream purification of biologics. , Tosoh Biosciences LLC completed the acquisition of Semba Biosciences, a privately held leading innovator in the field of multi-column chromatography (MCC) instrumentation and technology for the downstream purification of biologics. In September 2021 , Repligen and Navigo completed their co-development of a novel affinity ligand that addresses aggregation issues associated with pH-sensitive antibodies and Fc-fusion proteins. This ligand, NGL-Impact HipH, is produced and supplied to Purolite for use in a platform usage resin product. , Repligen and Navigo completed their co-development of a novel affinity ligand that addresses aggregation issues associated with pH-sensitive antibodies and Fc-fusion proteins. This ligand, NGL-Impact HipH, is produced and supplied to Purolite for use in a platform usage resin product. In May 2021 , The Life Sciences business of GE Healthcare was acquired by Danaher Corporation and rebranded as Cytiva. Protein A Resin Market Advantages: Protein A Resin is a cost-effective solution for purification of monoclonal antibodies, which makes it a popular choice for industries producing such antibodies. Protein A Resin has a high binding capacity, which results in efficient purification and high yields of proteins. It is easy to use and can be used in variety of formats, such as batch, column, and other chromatography methods. Protein A Resin can be used for a variety of application, such as for purification of antibodies, purification of proteins, and for immunoaffinity purification. It is available in various sizes, which is beneficial for customizing the required process. Protein A Resin is a versatile material and can be used in a variety of applications. It is highly stable and can be used for long-term storage. It has low non-specific binding, which makes it suitable for purification of sensitive molecules. It can be reused multiple times, making it cost-effective. It is easy to scale-up and is compatible with automated systems. Protein A Resin Market - Report Highlights: The updated version of the report covers the historical market for Protein A resin Market for the year 2020, the base year market for 2021, the estimated market for 2023, and the forecast till 2028, along with CAGR from 2022 to 2028. In this report, protein A resin are considered, along with tables and accessories, used for healthcare applications pharmaceutical industries. In this version of the report, two new segments are added applicationfor a better and deeper understanding of the market. The study consists of the average selling price (ASP) analysis for different products in the protein A resin market. The research study comprises the patent analysis of technologies/solutions used in the protein A resin market. The new market study consists of the trends/disruptions impacting customers' businesses. The new market study consists of information on key conferences & events in 20202023. The new market study consists of the region-wise regulatory landscape. The new market study consists of Porter's Five Forces Analysis The new market study provides details of the strategies of the top 15 players operating in the market. The competitive landscape chapter has been updated with the market evaluation matrix. The competitive landscape also includes the market share analysis of major global players (as of 2021), updated competitive leadership mapping, and competitive situations and trends. The new market study comprises 25 players. These companies have emerged as key market players in recent years due to their products and various strategic investments undertaken in the protein A resin market space. Updated financial information/product portfolio of players: The new edition of the report provides updated financial information in the context of the protein A resin market from 2022 to January 2023 (depending on availability) for each listed company in graphical representation. (depending on availability) for each listed company in graphical representation. Updated market developments of profiled players: The current report includes the market developments from January 2020 to January 2023 Related Reports: Preparative Chromatography Market - Global Forecasts to 2026 High-performance Liquid Chromatography Market - Global Forecasts to 2025 Chromatography Reagents Market - Global Forecasts to 2025 Life Science Instrumentation Market - Global Forecasts to 2025 Chromatography Instruments Market - Global Forecasts to 2025 About MarketsandMarkets: MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. We have the widest lens on emerging technologies, making us proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we work with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies - helping them stay relevant in a disruptive ecosystem. Our insights and strategies are molded by our industry experts, cutting-edge AI-powered Market Intelligence Cloud, and years of research. The KnowledgeStore (our Market Intelligence Cloud) integrates our research, facilitates an analysis of interconnections through a set of applications, helping clients look at the entire ecosystem and understand the revenue shifts happening in their industry. To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/protein-a-resin-market.asp Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/protein-a-resin.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg SOURCE MarketsandMarkets Replicon Delivers a Single Source of Truth for People, Projects, Skills, and Time, and Exceptional Customer Service. REDWOOD CITY, Calif., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Replicon wins a Bronze Stevie Awards for Customer Service Department of the Year (Category: Computer Software 100 or More Employees). Replicon has continued with its unprecedented winning streak to bag the 17th annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service for the eleventh year in a row. This recognition re-emphasizes Replicon's commitment to provide top-notch customer service. The Stevie Awards is one of the world's most coveted prizes that recognizes the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and working professionals worldwide. More than 1,000 organizations from over 70 countries participated in this year's Stevie Awards, and the winners were selected by the average scores of more than 170 professionals on seven specialized juries. Replicon provides global organizations with modern, scalable and intuitive solutions to optimize project profit, resource utilization, time tracking, and manage employee skills, ensuring a single source of truth for harmony across business functions. Replicon's customer service team is dedicated to ensuring that every customer across the globe has a positive experience, and they provide timely and effective solutions to any issues that may arise. Scott Bales, VP Customer Success & Solution Engineering, said "We are honored to receive this award. Our customer service team is committed to providing the best possible experience for our customers, and it's wonderful to see their hard work and dedication recognized in this way." Replicon provides a comprehensive product suite for managing projects, billing, pay and compliance: Commenting on the development, Lakshmi Raj, co-CEO of Replicon, said: "We are delighted to win the Stevie Awards for the eleventh consecutive year. This recognition underscores our commitment to our customers and demonstrates how we have kept our customers at the core of all our initiatives." She added, "Our team demonstrates discipline and dedication in solving customer issues and providing end-to-end solutions. We are delighted to maintain outstanding net promoter scores, receive consistently positive customer feedback, and achieve same-day resolutions through our round-the-clock customer service." About Replicon Replicon provides a comprehensive solution for managing the complex demands of project-based businesses by bringing together Project Delivery Finance, and HR on a single platform. With over 27 years of experience in the industry, Replicon's market-leading Workforce Management Solutions provide a single source of truth for Time, Expense, Projects, Resources, Skills, Billing, Costing, Pay, Revenue Recognition, and Compliance. These solutions have achieved 100% user adoption, ensuring businesses have real-time access to accurate data for informed decision-making. Powered by AI, Replicon's platform is designed for global scalability and configurability, enabling businesses to empower teams for both global governance and local administration, resulting in increased productivity and streamlined business operations. Replicon has established a strong global presence, serving businesses across 85 countries and 25 industries, including Fortune 100 companies. With its innovative, user-friendly platform and partnerships with leading organizations like SAP, Microsoft, Sage Intact, Salesforce, Google, and ServiceMax, Replicon provides an end-to-end solution for businesses seeking to maximize their success. Replicon has been recognized by multiple industry groups as a best-in-class solution, making it a valuable resource for businesses looking to enhance their operations and achieve their full potential. For more information, visit www.replicon.com. About Stevie Awards The Stevie Awards are the world's premier business awards. They were created in 2002 to honor and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and working professionals worldwide. In short order, the Stevie has become one of the world's most coveted prizes. There are eight Stevie Awards programs, each with its own focus, list of categories, and schedule. Stevie Award judges include many of the world's most respected executives, entrepreneurs, innovators, and business educators. More than 1,000 professionals worldwide participate in the Stevie Award judging process each year. Sponsors of Stevie Awards programs include many leading B2B marketers, publishers, and government institutions. SOURCE Replicon TOLEDO, Ohio, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Bourbon Reserve is proud to introduce its groundbreaking Whiskey Equity Investment Trusts (WEIT), a unique investment opportunity that allows investors to capitalize on the growing bourbon market while diversifying their portfolios and enjoying tax benefits. The Bourbon Reserve's WEIT funds invest in barrels of whiskey, offering investors the opportunity to participate and profit from the expanding global whiskey market. Andrew Newby, CEO of The Bourbon Reserve, is committed to building a portfolio of bourbon investments with a focus on positive impact: "Investing in bourbon through The Bourbon Reserve's WEITs not only offers a way for our partners to invest in the global whiskey market but also supports a bourbon company committed to social responsibility, minimizing its environmental impact, and making positive contributions to the community." "The WEITs offered by The Bourbon Reserve should be the first choice for diligent investors who want to participate in the profits of the booming bourbon trend," says Mark McCanney, Chief Investment Officer. "Investors are searching for shelter from the equity markets, stability rather than volatility, and a real asset instead of an intangible." The Bourbon Reserve's management team has over a decade of hands-on experience in owning and operating distilling companies, which gives the investment team a competitive edge in the market as it capitalizes on global trends and expertly manages 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year funds. The Bourbon Reserve's WEITs provide investors with proven long-term growth, benefits over traditional investments, advantageous tax implications, and a secure and lucrative investment option, all while supporting a company that values quality, sustainability, and community engagement. Learn more at https://bourbon.fund . ABOUT THE BOURBON RESERVE The Bourbon Reserve is a pioneering investment company specializing in Whiskey Equity Investment Trusts (WEITs). With a seasoned management team and expertise in owning and operating distilling companies, The Bourbon Reserve offers unique investment opportunities for individuals seeking to diversify their portfolios, maximize returns, and enjoy tax benefits is the fast-growing Bourbon market. Contact: Mark McCanney Bourbon Reserve [email protected] www.bourbon.fund SOURCE The Bourbon Reserve NEW YORK, April 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 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 [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than May 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 firm's 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 Company's 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 Company's 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 Company's near-term focus solely on profits; (3) the Company's 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 Company's capital spending and replacement programs were designed to prioritize profits over the Company's ability to provide safe, efficient, and reliable rail transportation services; (5) the Company's lobbying efforts had undermined the Company's ability to provide safe, efficient, and reliable rail transportation services; (6) the Company's commitment to reducing operating expenses as part of its PSR goals undermined worker safety and the Company's purported "commitment to an injury free workplace" because the Company's 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 Company's 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 Company's workers, the Company's 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 Southern's 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 [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.rosenlegal.com SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A. Celebrate Russell Stover Chocolates' 100th anniversary with an assortment of events and giveaways in Kansas City and nationwide throughout 2023 KANSAS CITY, Mo., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Russell Stover Chocolates turns 100 in 2023, and the company is commemorating its centennial with chocolate giveaways, a $100k Giveaway Sweepstakes, a Sweet Centennial Tour, exclusive Russell Stover merchandise and themed events in Kansas City and nationwide. Russell Stover Chocolates is commemorating its centennial in 2023 with chocolate giveaways, a $100k Giveaway Sweepstakes, a Sweet Centennial Tour, exclusive Russell Stover merchandise and themed events in Kansas City and nationwide. "Over the past 100 years, Russell Stover has established itself as an American classic," said Niccolo Starace, president and CEO of Russell Stover Chocolates. "We are honored to celebrate a century of crafting exceptional chocolate, made using the finest ingredients, for our customers and look forward to another century dedicated to delighting consumers with our delicious treats." In a longstanding commitment to the idea that little acts of generosity help to make life sweeter, Russell Stover is partnering with Feed the Children, a nonprofit dedicated to providing food and resources to children and families without life's essentials. In celebration of 100 years of making sweet treats for America's families, Russell Stover will host community food distribution events and raise funds throughout the year to benefit Feed the Children. The Russell Stover 100th anniversary celebration features festivities throughout 2023, including: A World Record Attempt at the World's Largest Box of Chocolates Anniversary celebrations commence with a world record attempt for the World's Largest Box of Chocolates on April 17 at Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City . In partnership with Dimensional Innovations, a local Kansas City experience, design and fabrication firm, Russell Stover is creating an oversized replica of their classic copper box of assorted chocolates. The box is estimated to be 30 feet by 15 feet, will weigh over 2,300 pounds and will hold over 4,500 pounds of chocolate. Kauffman Stover $100K Giveaway Sweepstakes Russell Stover will invite consumers to join the celebration by entering the Russell Stover $100k Giveaway Sweepstakes in August for a chance to win $100,000 . For more information on the $100K Giveaway Sweepstakes, please visit RussellStover.com/Anniversary. Russell Stover will invite consumers to join the celebration by entering the Russell Stover Giveaway Sweepstakes in August for a chance to win . For more information on the Giveaway Sweepstakes, please visit RussellStover.com/Anniversary. The Sweet Centennial Tour Beginning in September, a custom-wrapped delivery truck will hit the road for the Sweet Centennial Tour, a 100 th anniversary road trip featuring chocolate tastings, chocolate pieces from the World's Largest Box of Chocolates and giveaways. The tour will include multiple stops across the country including Denver , where Russell and Clara Stover first started making candy in their bungalow home, and Kansas City , the company's headquarters since 1932. The tour will end in New York on Dec. 12 , Russell Stover's 100 th anniversary date. Beginning in September, a custom-wrapped delivery truck will hit the road for the Sweet Centennial Tour, a 100 anniversary road trip featuring chocolate tastings, chocolate pieces from the World's Largest Box of Chocolates and giveaways. The tour will include multiple stops across the country including , where first started making candy in their bungalow home, and , the company's headquarters since 1932. The tour will end in on , Russell Stover's 100 anniversary date. Visit the Centennial Sweet Spot for Selfies and Giveaways To celebrate in its hometown, Russell Stover welcomes the Kansas City community and visitors to stop by its corporate headquarters at 4900 Oak Street. Kansas City, Mo. 64112, to take a selfie at the Centennial Sweet Spot, featuring a giant box of Russell Stover chocolates and 20-foot copper bow around the building. To sweeten the experience, guests will be treated to chocolate giveaways starting in May. Exclusive Russell Stover anniversary merchandise, including a custom throwback t-shirt from Charlie Hustle, collectible 100th anniversary tins filled with assorted chocolates, and other limited edition commemorative products, will be available for purchase online at RussellStover.com and at Russell Stover retail shops in August. For more information, please visit RussellStover.com/Anniversary or follow Russell Stover on Facebook and Instagram @RussellStoverUS to stay up to date on giveaways and events throughout 2023. About Russell Stover Chocolates Russell Stover Chocolates has been an American classic since 1923. Crafting delicious treats, made using the finest ingredients, Russell Stover Chocolates has been known for its gifting chocolates for generations. Founded in Denver by Clara and Russell Stover, the company moved its headquarters to Kansas City in 1932. With factories in Kansas and Texas, Russell Stover Chocolates includes the Russell Stover, Whitman's, and Pangburn's brands. The company was acquired by Swiss chocolatier Lindt & Sprungli in 2014 and is now part of the Lindt & Sprungli family of companies. To learn more about Russell Stover Chocolates visit RussellStover.com. About Feed the Children At Feed the Children, we feed hungry kids. We envision a world where no child goes to bed hungry. In the U.S. and internationally, we are dedicated to helping families and communities achieve stable lives and to reducing the need for help tomorrow, while providing food and resources to help them today. We distribute product donations from corporate donors to local community partners, we provide support for teachers and students, and we mobilize resources quickly to aid recovery efforts when natural disasters strike. Internationally, we manage child-focused community development programs in eight countries. We welcome partnerships because we know our work would not be possible without collaborative relationships. To learn more about Feed the Children visit feedthechildren.org. SOURCE Russell Stover After seeing a Rutgers post about the Hasan Family Scholarship, Baldwin-Henry, a finance major with a concentration in real estate , explained on the application why he wanted to work in real estate. "I expressed how my community had a lot of abandoned buildings, space that could be repurposed," he said. "I wrote how I want to become an acquisition analyst and learn to invest in my community." At a dinner for scholarship winners in December, Baldwin-Henry met Ibrahim Hasan and learned how his father built a company developing buildings in East Orange. "I've always been interested in funding education and giving back to my community," said Baldwin-Henry, who is also in Honors College - Newark. "Overall, I just want to be the best I can be, for myself and for others." First in his family to go to college, Baldwin-Henry grew up in the Weequahic section of Newark and graduated from University High School. His mother, Lisa, is a medical assistant. His father, Howard, was a flight attendant before he died in August 2021. Baldwin-Henry has two younger siblings. When he decided to study finance, Baldwin-Henry's long-range goal was to work as a trader and earn money to help his family and community. But then he decided choosing real estate as a concentration would help him develop skills to support his community more quickly. "I thought, what can I do now? Real estate began to pique my interest," he said. Knowing redevelopment can displace people, Baldwin-Henry wants to help fellow Newark residents stay in their neighborhoods, even as the area is redeveloped. During the past two summers, Baldwin-Henry interned as an analyst with Bank of America, an opportunity he landed through networking and the America Needs You program. He has secured a job as a credit analyst at Bank of America after he graduates in the spring. His goal is to transition within the company, to become an acquisition analyst or similar role that will help him develop skills related to real estate. Baldwin-Henry chose Rutgers because of the diversity of its students and the lower cost of in-state tuition. He will graduate with no student loans. The Educational Opportunity Fund program made a huge impact on Baldwin-Henry's time at Rutgers. "Coming in, my skills were not A1," he said. "EOF helped me establish my academic foundation. The summer program gave us a shot at doing well at school." Baldwin-Henry credits Darlene Brown and Carl Milton, senior EOF counselors, with encouraging him to become involved with the Rutgers community and helping him to develop soft skills. He was a resident assistant with EOF for its summer program. Brown praised Baldwin-Henry's drive and his commitment to others. "What makes Ahzem awesome is his drive to achieve his vision, no matter the setbacks he may encounter," she said. "He remains steadfast and true to his purpose and his desire to enrich the lives of others." Baldwin-Henry has been a member of Rutgers Business School's Marketing and Management Society, and public relations chair for Chi Alpha Epsilon. He has worked on the help desk at the Rutgers Office of Technology & Instructional Service. He also volunteers at St. James Social Service Corporation, a food pantry in Newark. He credits the support of family, friends and the EOF with motivating him to succeed and wanting to pay it forward. "I always remember what I lacked growing up," Baldwin-Henry said. "The more success in my life, the more I have to give back." SOURCE Rutgers Business School-Newark and New Brunswick LONDON, April 5, 2023 SCI Canada Award 2023 dinner, seminar and presentations to take place on 18 th April in Toronto Seminar theme is 'Unlocking the potential of Science Talent enabling impact on Canada's economic growth' Award winners include the first indigenous community members Dr Paul Smith , Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics receives the 2023 Canada Medal /PRNewswire/ -- The best of Canada's scientific talent will debate its role in boosting economic growth at a special awards event on 18th April in Toronto. Winners of the 2023 SCI Canada Awards include a pioneer in the polyethylene catalyst technology field, an adviser to the UN on water treatment, experts on chemistry in Inuit life and an innovator whose foundational science paved the way for the development of a Covid-19 vaccine. SCI Canada Award Winner 2023 Dr Paul Smith please credit Perimeter Institute/Dr Paul Smith (PRNewsfoto/SCI) They will join industrial leaders and science and engineering professionals to celebrate lifetime achievements of both experienced and emerging leaders in the business of chemistry. The winners will be formally honoured at an in-person dinner in Toronto with Dr Paul Smith due to receive the SCI Canada Medal. This medal was first awarded in 1939, making it one of the most established innovation awards in Canada. Leaders from both science and business, including Canada's chemical and industrial community, will honour the achievements of SCI Canada Award and Student Merit Award Winners. Prior to the award presentations, a panel discussion around 'Unlocking the potential of Science Talent enabling impact on Canada's economic growth' will take place. This seminar will explore specific Canadian government programmes, the policies that help promote Canada's science talent development and how these enable economic growth, whilst also positioning Canada as a global leader in technology and innovation. The panellists will include Rory Francis, Executive Director, PEI BioAlliance (Purvis Memorial Award winner, 2023), Dr Alison Ewart, Dean of Centre for Research & Innovation at Fanshawe College and Professor Howard Alper, Distinguished Professor at University of Ottawa. Dr Fiona Hess, Process Chemist and Member of the SCI Canada Committee will be the moderator of the panel. The afternoon panel discussion as well as the awards ceremony dinner will be broadcast live online. To register for the online event, please register here https://www.soci.org/events/canada-group/2023/sci-canada-awards Dr Ravi Ramachandran, Chair of SCI Canada Awards Nomination Committee and Territory Research & Development Head with Syngenta Canada said "Since its formation in 1902, SCI Canada has recognized achievements in the Canadian chemical industry to bolster the drive for innovation and its value to society. Today more than ever, innovation calls for diverse minds and skill sets from academia and industry to come together to address complex global challenges. I am pleased to announce that this year's awards cover a truly diverse set of innovators from all over Canada from British Columbia in the west to Atlantic Canada in the East, Nunavut in the North and Southern Ontario in the south. In addition to geographic diversity, we are also celebrating diverse cultures including the first South Asian award winner and the first indigenous community winners." 2023 winners: Canada Medal Dr Paul Smith, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics Purvis Memorial Award Rory Francis, PEI BioAlliance LeSueur Memorial Award Dr Rupert Spence, DuPont Canada International Award Dr Vaikuntam Iyer Lakshmanan OC, Process Research ORTECH Inc Julia Levy Award Prof. Pieter Cullis, The University of British Columbia Kalev Pugi Award Prof. Francesca Kerton, Memorial University Outreach Award - Grenfell Campus, Memorial University: Prof. Geoffrey Rayner-Canham Chaim Christiana Andersen Rosalina Naqitarvik SCI Canada Student Merit Award winners will also be honoured at this event, celebrating the highest achieving students in the final year of chemistry, biochemistry or chemical engineering undergraduate programmes. NOTE TO EDITORS About SCI: where science meets business: SCI is a unique global multidisciplinary innovation network bringing together scientists, inventors and entrepreneurs to develop scientific solutions to biggest challenges facing society today. SCI works across crucial sectors as diverse as renewable energy, sustainability and new forms of cancer treatments. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2048324/SCI_Canada_Award_Winner_2023.jpg SOURCE SCI Michigan Agency Plans to Triple Growth in Telesales Through New Partnership OMAHA, Neb., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Senior Market Sales (SMS), one of the industry's premier insurance marketing organizations (IMOs), has acquired Sizeland Medicare Strategies, a greater Detroit area health and life insurance agency focusing on Medicare plans and licensed in 40 states. "This partnership provides Sizeland with resources to continue serving its 15,000 customers with the meticulous care that has fueled its success, and to accelerate its growth even more," said SMS President Jim Summers. "SMS is proud to expand our national presence with a valued partner who shares our long-term vision for growth." "SMS is proud to expand our national presence with a valued partner who shares our long-term vision for growth." Tweet this Since 2009, the Brighton, Michigan, agency has utilized the SMS platform, which includes proprietary technology, proven marketing systems, industry-leading back-office support and a comprehensive product portfolio of health and wealth solutions from top carriers. Founder and Owner Paul A. Sizeland, Sr., said he chose SMS because he wants to triple the size of the agency on its telesales side and leverage SMS' technology for efficiencies. SMS and Alliant Insurance Services, which acquired SMS in 2020, are able to provide the synergy and support that Sizeland wants and needs to better serve clients and to grow, he said. "They have a lot of experience, and they're people you can feel comfortable leaning on when you need to," Sizeland said. "I feel like we just got a really knowledgeable and powerful friend on our side." After serving in the U.S. Navy Submarine Force, Sizeland sold long-term care insurance for about eight years before starting his own agency in 1996. Sizeland Medicare Strategies has built its success by educating customers in a clear and concise way on their insurance options a model that has led to repeat customers and that aligns with SMS values, Summers said. "Paul and his team are going to be an outstanding fit with the SMS and Alliant family," Summers said. "As we continue our strategic growth, we know that our partnership with Sizeland Medicare Strategies serves as a magnet, drawing the attention of other like-minded, successful firms that want to grow and join in what we're building." About Senior Market Sales Senior Market Sales (SMS) represents top Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage, annuity, life, long-term care, and travel insurance carriers in all 50 states. More than 71,000 independent insurance agents rely on SMS for proprietary technology, competitive insurance products, and expert training and service to help them leverage their time, make more money, and put their business in a position of distinction. Founded in 1982, SMS is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. In 2020, SMS joined the Alliant Insurance Services family of companies. Visit www.SeniorMarketSales.com or call 1.800.786.5566 for more information. About Alliant Insurance Services Alliant Insurance Services is one of the nation's leading distributors of diversified insurance products and services. Alliant operates through a network of specialized national platforms and local offices to offer clients a comprehensive portfolio of solutions built on innovative thinking and personal service. The business of managing risk is getting more complex, and Alliant is meeting this complexity head-on, not with more layers of management, but with more creativity and agility. Alliant is changing the way clients approach risk management and benefits, so they can capitalize on new opportunities to grow and protect their organizations. For more information, visit alliant.com. Contact: Dan Trumblee Assistant Vice President Divisional Director, Communications & Creative Services, Senior Market Sales 402.343.3689 [email protected] SOURCE Senior Market Sales STOCKHOLM, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Skanska has signed a contract with an existing client to build a data center in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The contract is worth USD 171M, about SEK 1.8 billion, which will be included in the US order bookings for the first quarter of 2023. The project consists of a new single story data center, totaling approximately 23,000 square meters. Work is underway and is scheduled for completion in March 2024. For further information please contact: Ashley Jeffery, Communications Manager, Skanska USA, tel +1 (813) 459 3682 Andreas Joons, Press Officer, Skanska AB, tel +46 (0)10 449 04 94 Direct line for media, tel +46 (0)10 448 88 99 This and previous releases can also be found at www.skanska.com. The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/95/3747284/1969288.pdf 20230405 US data center SOURCE Skanska NORWALK, Conn., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Security Services Holdings, LLC (dba Protos Security), the leading technology-enabled managed services platform in North America delivering an integrated suite of physical and technology-based security services to commercial customers, announced it has hired Michael Jacobs as Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. Protos Security, a portfolio company of Southfield Capital, has experienced strong double-digit organic growth over the last several years. Protos has significantly expanded its capabilities through acquisitions including the largest off-duty police officer network in North America, several best-in-class self-perform guarding businesses, and a cutting-edge remote video monitoring service. "We are thrilled to have Mike join the Protos team," said Mark Hjelle, Chief Executive Officer at Protos. "As we continue to make significant investments in innovation and our proprietary software, his deep expertise in continuous improvement will accelerate delivery of our data-driven, high-quality security solutions through our Protos platform, ensure integrated service delivery, and deliver better outcomes for our clients." Michael Jacobs commented: "This is an exciting time to join Protos. I am deeply impressed by the passion of this team and the company's rich history of innovation, both of which have resulted in a highly differentiated experience for their valued clients, vendor partners, security officers, and off-duty law enforcement. Their technology-enabled managed services platform provides a level of reliability and service unmatched in the industry and the company is committed to investing to maintain and improve that advantage. I'm honored to join Protos and am looking forward to working with our team to serve clients across all verticals." Mr. Jacobs is a skilled operational leader with broad-based experience in continuous improvement and is a certified Lean Six Sigma Sensei. Most recently, he was the Chief Operating Officer at Valet Living, the largest provider of service amenities to the apartment industry, with over 1.8M units in service across 41 states. While in this role, Mr. Jacobs led service enhancements and expanded product offerings through enabling technology. His focus on continuous improvement and rapid technology deployment led to decreases in operating costs while the company improved performance and increased customer satisfaction. Before joining Valet Living, he served in various executive and consulting roles driving performance improvement for PE-owned businesses in the manufacturing, distribution, financial services, and food service industries. Mr. Jacobs graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. About Protos Security Protos Security, a portfolio company of Southfield Capital, is a technology-enabled security services company offering security guarding, off-duty police, monitoring and device solutions for a wide spectrum of customers across North America. Protos Security prides itself on delivering high-touch service, actionable insights, transparency and program flexibility for its clients. For more information on Protos Security, please visit www.protossecurity.com . About Southfield Capital Southfield Capital is a private equity firm that invests in exceptional, growing lower middle market companies in the outsourced business services sector. Southfield targets companies with $4-15 million in EBITDA and partners with owners and management teams that are enthusiastic about scaling their operations through a combination of organic and acquisition growth strategies. For more information on Southfield Capital, please visit www.southfieldcapital.com . Contact Information Alyssa Wilson (203) 941-4707 [email protected] SOURCE Protos Security BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. The visit of the esteemed Ilham Heydarovich is a logical continuation of not only these ties, but also of the centuries-old relations of mutual communication between our peoples, President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, making a joint press statement with President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Trend reports. "I always have warm recollections of our communication with this great statesman of fraternal Azerbaijan. At the most fateful time for the country, Heydar Aliyev became a truly national leader of his glorious people and led the country along the path of stability and development. The visit of the esteemed Ilham Heydarovich is a logical continuation of not only these ties, but also of the centuries-old relations of mutual communication between our peoples, at the origins of which stood the incomparable Nizami Ganjavi, who is revered in every Tajik home. Therefore, our talks, as always, were of constructive nature, aimed at promoting and deepening our bilateral cooperation. During the talks, we examined in detail the state of and prospects for the development of bilateral relations and exchanged views on all issues of relevance to us. The bilateral documents signed today are aimed at strengthening and supplementing the legal framework of our ties," President Rahmon said. CHICAGO, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Sleeping Bags Market size is valued at USD 1.63 Billion in 2022 and is projected to be USD 2.58 Billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.90% from 2023 to 2030, as per a recent report published by Cognitive Market Research. As per Cognitive Market Research analysis, The sleeping Bags market in North America (especially in economies like the U.S.) held the largest market share. The abundance of natural areas, including national parks, state parks, forests, and other protected areas, drive the sleeping bags market in North America. Many companies are located in the region, focusing on launching new advanced products. For instance, in 2021, the U.S. brand Selk'bag unveiled a 100% recycled, wearable sleeping bag. Major findings during the study of the Sleeping Bags Market: A sleeping bag is an insulated bag designed to be used as a portable bedding system for sleeping outdoors or in a tent. It is typically made of lightweight and durable materials such as nylon or polyester and insulated with various materials such as down feathers, synthetic fibers, or a combination of both. With growing disposable income and awareness about traveling primarily drives the interest in outdoor recreation and adventure tourism worldwide in every age group. Growing popularity of camping tents and recreation vehicles can be a factor that might negatively affect the growth of the sleeping bag market . Based on the insulation type segment, the synthetic sleeping bags segment accounted for around 60%, the highest market share in 2022. This is attributed to the lower cost and lower weight of the bags. This material is perfect for outdoor activities as it dries very quickly. Based on size, the sleeping bags market is categorized into kids, long, and regular. The regular size has acquired the significant share of the total sleeping bag market. Rectangular shape and mummy shape are the two types of sleeping bag available based on the shape segment. Mummy-shaped sleeping bags have become more prevalent in recent years due to their efficient design, which minimizes weight and maximizes warmth. Multi-brand stores, independent retailers, supermarket/hypermarket, online sales, and others are the sales channels that provide additional benefits to customers. Online sale distribution is the fastest-growing segment due to the increasing demand for smart devices and high internet penetration. A large number of professional rock climbers and mountaineers in the region is expected to drive the sleeping bag market in North America . The region acquires more than 45% share of the total sleeping market. North America has a strong outdoor recreation culture, with many people enjoying activities such as camping, hiking, and backpacking. Sleeping bags are one of the necessary camping equipment contributing to the high demand in the region . Read Full Market Analysis Sleeping Bags: by Insulation Type (Down and Synthetic); by Size (Kids, Long, and Regular); by Shape (Rectangular Shape and Mummy Shape), Sales Channel (Multi Brand Stores, Independent Retailers, Supermarket/Hypermarket, Online Sales, and Others); by Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East, and Africa) Global Industry Analysis, COVID-19 Impact, and Industry Forecast, 2018-2030 Sleeping Bags Industry Statistics 2022: Global Sleeping Bags Market 2022 Global Sleeping Bags Market Revenue (USD Billion) 1.63 Compound Annual Growth Rate (2023-2030) 5.90 % Global Synthetic Sleeping Bags Market Share (%) Around 60% North America Sleeping Bags Market (%) Above 45% What are the Growth, Drivers, and Opportunities for the Sleeping Bags Industry? Growing disposable income and awareness about traveling primarily drives the interest in outdoor recreation and adventure tourism worldwide among every age group. Many people recognize the positive impact that spending time in nature can have on their physical and mental health. Research has shown that outdoor activities like hiking, camping, and trekking can reduce stress, improve mood, and increase physical fitness. In addition, with the rise of the internet and social media, it has become easier for people to access information about outdoor recreation and adventure travel. This has made it easier for them to plan and prepare for outdoor activities and discover new destinations. Many tourism-based countries are taking initiatives to support the tourism industry through infrastructure development and various services. For instance, in July 2022, the Nepal government announced an action plan to revive the tourism industry battered by the COVID-19 pandemic, including a plan to declare the years between 2023 and 2033 as Visit Nepal Decade. The growing popularity of camping tents and recreation vehicles can affect the growth of the sleeping bag market. Social media has also played a key role in the popularity of camping, as people share outdoor experiences on platforms like Instagram, encouraging others to try it themselves. In addition, rental recreation vehicle services coupled with rising disposable income have seen significant growth in recent years, driving its demand. These vehicle manufacturers offer a wider range of customization options to meet the unique needs and preferences of buyers, which negatively affects the demand for sleeping bags. Online sales channels have significantly influenced the sleeping bag market, as they offer several benefits to consumers and manufacturers. Online sales channels allow manufacturers to reach a wider audience, including customers in remote locations. In addition, the convenience of ordering the product with available reviews and product details provide the customer with a good purchasing experience. Check the Full Report, including Global, Regional, and Country Level Analysis: https://www.cognitivemarketresearch.com/sleeping-bags-market-report Our Free Sample Report Includes: 2023 Updated Report Introduction, Overview, and In-depth industry analysis COVID-19 Impact Analysis 250+ Pages Research Report (Inclusion of Updated Research) Chapter-wise guidance Top Market Players list with their Business Strategy, Sales Volume, Revenue Analysis, and SWOT Analysis Free Analysis of One Leading Company with SWOT Analysis and Company Market Share 2023 Updated Regional Analysis with Graphical Representation of Size, Share & Trends Updated list of tables & figures Cognitive Market Research Methodology How has COVID-19 Impacted the Sleeping Bags Industry? The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted on the sleeping bags market, both positively and negatively. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many outdoor activities were restricted. Focus on healthcare emergencies and economic uncertainty have negatively influenced the sleeping bag market. In addition, disruption in the supply chain also affected the manufacturing of sleeping bags, reducing the growth of the sleeping bag market. However, the pandemic has made many people more aware of the benefits of traveling and exploring in nature, which has had a beneficial effect on the sleeping bag market. Sleeping Bags Market Report Scope Sleeping Bags Market Insulation Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 2030) Down Synthetic Sleeping Bags Market Size Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 2030) Kids Long Regular Sleeping Bags Market Shape Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 2030) Rectangular Shape Mummy Shape Sleeping Bags Market Sales Channel Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 2030) Multi Brand Stores Independent Retailers Supermarket/Hypermarket Online Sales Others Sleeping Bags Market Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 2030) North America (U.S., Canada , Mexico ) (U.S., , ) Europe ( Germany , France , UK, Italy , Spain , Russia , Rest of Europe ) ( , , UK, , , , Rest of ) Asia Pacific ( China , Japan , India , South Korea , Australia , Southeast Asia , Rest of APAC) ( , , , , , , Rest of APAC) Latin America ( Brazil , Argentina , Columbia , Rest of Latin America ) ( , , , Rest of ) Middle East & Africa (GCC, Saudi Arabia , Turkey , Egypt , Rest of MEA) List of Key Players in the Sleeping Bags Market Jarden Vaude Johnson Outdoors Oase Outdoors Big Agnes AMG Group Columbia Sportswear Exxel Outdoors Gerlert, Jack Wolfskin V F. Corp Snugpak Sleepingo Wildhorn Blackpine Sports Hyke & Byke Browning Camping Sierra Designs Cloeman TETON SPORTS Alpkit Vango MalloMe Others Recent Developments: Company Name Date Development/News University of Texas Southwest Medical Center December 10, 2021 Scientists have developed a hi-tech sleeping bag that could stop astronauts' eyeballs from squashing in space. Rab September 5, 2022 Rab S22 Sleeping Bag Range Launch Selk'bag 2021 U.S. brand Selk'bag unveiled 100% recycled, wearable sleeping bag Related Reports on Sleeping Bags Market: Global Recreational Vehicle Market was valued at USD 121.05 Billion in 2021. The global recreational vehicle market was valued at USD 56.20 Billion in 2021. Increasing disposable income and growing awareness about traveling is the primary factor driving the recreational vehicle market. Other Related Reports: Global Camping Equipment Market to reach $42.42 Billion by 2030 , growing at an impressive CAGR of 7.90%. to reach , growing at an impressive Global Polyester Fiber Market to reach $182.93 Million by 2030 , growing at an impressive CAGR of 8.20%. to reach , growing at an impressive Global Baby Sleeping Bag Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.0%. is expected to grow at a Global Zipper Market to reach $23.98 Billion by 2030, growing at an impressive CAGR of 6.70%. Explore Other Cognitive Market Research's Pharma & Healthcare Industry Report About Cognitive Market Research Cognitive Market Research has evolved as one of the leading market research and consulting firms providing services across multiple domains. Our team of researchers gathers and analyzes data about customers, competitors, distributors, and other market actors and forces operating across the value chain. As a market research company, we gather information about the target market and end-use industries to verify the complete journey of the product or service in the global market. It helps our readers understand the demand and viability of their product/service and how it might perform in the real world and help them to build business strategies accordingly. Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter Blog: Why is the Demand for Telemedicine Market Increasing? Why is the Demand for Dental CAD CAM Systems And Materials Increasing Rapidly? How to Contact Us: Nicolas Shaw Global Sales Manager Cognitive Market Research Phone: USA: (+1) +1 312-376-8303 | Europe and UK: (+44) 20-8144-9523 Asia Pacific: (+852) 81930785 | India: (+91) 983-496-8611 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.cognitivemarketresearch.com Athenaeum Subscription Research Methodology Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1989016/Cognitive_Market_Research_Logo.jpg SOURCE Cognitive Market Research ARLINGTON, Va., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Society of Chemical Manufacturers & Affiliates (SOCMA) recently appointed two long-time chemical executives to its Board of Governors Paul Cahill, President, Sofix Corporation, and Joe Wilson, President & CEO, Toll Solutions, LLC. "We warmly welcome Paul Cahill and Joe Wilson, two seasoned chemical industry executives, to our leadership ranks," said Jennifer Abril, SOCMA President & CEO. "Chemical manufacturing in the U.S. is on the rise, and SOCMA is growing along with it. With the experience and passion Paul and Joe bring, SOCMA gains a deeper perspective on serving the needs of small but rapidly growing specialty chemical producers." Paul Cahill is President of Sofix, serving in that role since 2016, and has been with the company since its creation in 1990. Originally from Ireland, Cahill began his career in the coal research and refinery operations planning with Conoco and made a career shift early on to specialty chemicals and plant engineering. He then spent several years in operations management at the former Great Lakes Chemicals in brominated flame retardants before joining Sofix. "I'm delighted to join SOCMA's Board to contribute my experience to enhance SOCMA's critical offerings," said Cahill. "Sofix is a small manufacturing company, and the past several years have been characterized by significant reinvestment and renewal of our facilities and pilot plant capabilities. SOCMA enables companies like mine to efficiently, affordably address operational efforts without giving up our agility. I look forward to helping maximize the association's deliverables." Joe Wilson is Owner, President & CEO of Toll Solutions, a custom and toll manufacturer in Duncan, SC. He brings nearly 50 years of extensive industry experience, including leadership positions at StarChem, Wacker Silicones and Henkel prior to Toll Solutions. "I'm excited to join the SOCMA Board at such a dynamic time for the association and industry," said Wilson. "Toll Solutions is a small entrepreneurial family-owned business that values our employees, customers and suppliers, and SOCMA is a centralized hub we rely on to strengthen operations and deliver high-quality products. I'm eager to dive in to help propel the association and industry forward." In 2021, he was awarded the Middle Tyger Area Citizen of the Year. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University. View SOCMA's full 2023 Board of Governors at www.socma.org/socma-welcomes-new-class-to-its-board-of-governors/. SOURCE Society of Chemical Manufacturers & Affiliates In collaboration with a new generation of sake brewers, SOTO introduces SOTO X YAMAGATA MASAMUNE Omachi Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo NEW YORK, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SOTO premium sake is pleased to announce the first release as part of a new, limited-edition series, SOTO X YAMAGATA MASAMUNE Omachi Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo. The collaboration between SOTO and Japan's finest producers celebrates the most sought-after "Grand Cru" breweries in Japan and around the world. SOTO Sake Announces Limited-Edition Collaboration Series with Japan's Most Iconic Breweries Tweet this SOTO X YAMAGATA MASAMUNE Omachi Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo Bottled from a single tank, the first in the illustrious series is an exclusive sake available in limited quantities in partnership with fifth generation Tomonobu Mitobe of Yamagata's highly respected Mitobe Sake Brewery (est. 1898), maker of the venerable Yamagata Masamune sake. As a leading avant-garde producer, Mitobe's Yamagata Masamune has become one of Japan's most in-demand brands, only sold in the country's pre-eminent sake shops. Embodying an ethos of exquisite quality over quantity, Mitobe's exceptional sake is sought after for its elegance and depth of flavor, created by a marriage of traditional and modern techniques, shrouded deep in the mountains of Japan. The immaculate water used by Mitobe Sake imparts the sake with a crisp, sharp finish a "cut" quality referencing the name 'Masamune' after a 14th century swordsmith, known to craft the most perfect samurai swords ever made. The collaboration between SOTO and Mitobe Sake has culminated in a Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo sake made with the ancient Omachi rice - Japan's oldest sake heirloom strain. Mitobe's mastery is evident in his use of the ancient Kimoto method to commence the brewing process, a notoriously difficult endeavor when making Daiginjo. This style adds complexity and polished depth to elegance typical of sake's finest grade - Junmai Daiginjo. Omachi rice, polished to 50% of its original size, complements Mitobe Sake's pristine, mineral-rich mountain water. "Omachi was the sake rice with which I first fell in love with. Rare for sake rice, Omachi has distinguished characteristics that I feel create a distinct and special chemistry with Mitobe Sake Brewery," Mitobe himself shares. Sourced from the Akaiwa region, renowned to produce Okayama's top Omachi, this storied rice has a reputation of being challenging to cultivate and brew with. When used in the hands of a master brewer like Tomonobu Mitobe, the results are sublime, imparting an earthy, spicy undertone to the unique flavor profile of the extraordinarily smooth and fresh SOTO x Yamagata Masamune. To spearhead this exciting venture, SOTO aligned with Michael Tremblay, a world-renowned Sake Samurai, expert, and educator to explore the esoteric and progressive sake breweries pushing the boundaries of traditional beverages. In concert with SOTO's efforts to recruit new consumers to the category, the collaboration ushers in modern, creative sake options for restaurants, sommeliers, experts, and consumers. "I've always appreciated SOTO's approach to Japanese Sake," notes Tremblay. "I have seen firsthand how their modern-packaging-meets-high-caliber sake formula excites and engages customers. When they approached me for this partnership, I absolutely jumped at the opportunity. The collaboration with Master Brewer Mitobe is the chance of a lifetime, working with a brewer at the top of his game. Sake lovers will adore this first release in partnership with my friends at the Mitobe Sake Brewery, whose sake I have admired for many years for its intensity of flavor and food-friendly profile." SOTO co-founder Dan Rubinoff adds, "SOTO continues to introduce the experience of drinking sake to more people and contributes to the category's increasing popularity. This limited editions series is a true labor of love, and not only expands SOTO's offering but allows us the opportunity to align with some hot brewers, while working alongside a sake educator and advocate like Michael." Mitobe's versatility and talent, in parallel with the storied and ancient Omachi rice mastery is just one attribute of the super fine sakes he crafts. "By using the Kimoto method, which originated in the early 17th century, time-honored techniques are employed, dating back to the very origins of the craft," remarks Tremblay. "Very few breweries still make this kind of sake, but the exquisite and distinctive flavor is unparalleled. We're proud to present something so refined and elegant, rarely experienced outside of Japan to a new generation of sake drinkers." Designed exclusively for SOTO by award-winning designer Joe Doucet, the bottle itself is a work of art. Once bottled, the sake is meticulously cared for, from temperature-controlled shipping containers to the ultraviolet protection on the bottles. "We had every confidence that Mitobe-San could craft something not only unique, but also, breathtaking," notes Tremblay. "Our intention is to bring this superb sake to consumers as if they were enjoying it at the brewery - a passport to authentic Japanese elegance." Available in extremely limited quantities, a collector's edition will also be available in a numbered, commemorative Japanese wooden box exclusively on the SOTO Sake website early this summer. The first in a magnificent series, exciting new collaborations with distinguished sake houses across Japan will be announced in the future. Best enjoyed chilled, the first sake in the Limited-Edition series, SOTO X YAMAGATA MASAMUNE Omachi Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo is available at select restaurants and premium retailers in New York, Miami, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, including Rule of Thirds, Sushi Nakazawa, CATCH, Sake No Hana, KYU, The Lobster Club, Sushi By Scratch, TAISHO, Ozumo, KOMODO, KATSUYA, GEKKO, Wally's, True Sake, Maison Mura, and 305 Wines. Hi-Res Assets, additional technical information and more can be found HERE For all media / press inquiries, please contact: Erin Smolinski, SOTO Sake PR Consultant [email protected] About SOTO Sake SOTO is a premium sake brand crafted in Japan, run by two North American entrepreneurs, and headquartered in Miami, Florida. Award-winning SOTO emphasizes the taste, experience, heritage, and craftsmanship of the finest Japanese sake. SOTO Junmai Daiginjo (15.5% alcohol-by-volume) is available in 720ml and 300ml bottles. SOTO Junmai (14% alcohol-by-volume) is available in 720ml bottles and 180ml single-serve cans. SOTO sakes have been awarded the Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco International Wine Competition, a Gold Medal from the Monde Selection Global Quality Institute, and the Double Gold medal at the China Wine & Spirits Awards. SOTO also received accolades from the Sommelier Challenge competition awarded with the Gold medal and Best Sake, with a rating of 94. SOTO's Junmai Daiginjo and Junmai sakes are all natural, gluten free, vegan, and do not contain sulfites, preservatives, nor added sugar. SOTO Sake always emphasizes responsible drinking and is sold at fine wine and liquor retailers, premium grocery and liquor chains including FOXTROT, Whole Foods Market, BevMo, Total Wine & More, and leading hotels, restaurants, and bars including KOMODO in Miami, KUMI in New York and Las Vegas, MR. CHOW in Los Angeles, Sushi Nakazawa in New York, MAKOTO in Miami, 1 Hotel in Toronto, and Uchiko in Houston. Visit SOTOSAKE.COM or follow @SOTOSAKE. Contact: [email protected] About Mitobe Sake Brewery Mitobe Sake Brewery is considered one of Japan's preeminent sake breweries and one of its leading forward-thinking producers in recent times. This small craft brewery, established in 1898, is in Japan's northwest prefecture of Yamagata. The region is home to a cold climate with heavy snow suitable for high caliber sake brewing. The brewery produces the Yamagata Masamune brand, sold in Japan's most influential sake shops and available in very small allocation around the planet due to the small volume of hand-crafted sakes produced annually. Part of the magic at the Mitobe Sake Brewery is their water source, which originates from the Ou Mountains that form the spine of Japan's northern Tohoku region. Their water flows over seams of limestone where it is infused with minerals. This pristine, medium hard water helps define the brewery's signature sharpness found on the finish. While available internationally, the brewery's very small production means that their sakes are a rarity, making them worthy of seeking out. For all other products by Mitobe Sake / Yamagata Masamune one can visit SIPTGLOBAL.COM. About Michael Tremblay Michael is the co-author of Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake: Rice, Water, Earth. He is a certified WSET sake and wine instructor, a Senior Sake Judge for the International Wine Challenge and the U.S. National Sake Appraisal in Hawaii. In October 2018 Michael was inducted as a Sake Samurai at the Matsuo Taisha Shrine in Kyoto, a 1,300-year-old shrine to sake. This is a distinction held by approximately only 96 people world-wide. He is the founder of the Sake Scholar Course, an advanced certification that explores all 47 of Japan's prefectures through the lens of sake and honkaku shochu. He enjoys traveling to Japan whenever he can and has worked in renowned sake breweries in Niigata, Shizuoka, Shimane, and Gifu prefectures, practicing his 'work-in-progress' Japanese and learning from the Toji (brew master). Michael is currently the Beverage Director at Toronto's ki modern Japanese + bar, where he manages an award-winning wine and sake list. Follow @mtrsake SOURCE SOTO Sake NEW YORK, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The global special education teacher training market size is estimated to increase by USD 868.49 million from 2021 to 2026. The market's growth momentum will progress at a CAGR of 4.09% during the forecast period. The increased demand for special educators is one of the major drivers supporting the special education teacher training market growth. Students in special education schools are required to have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), which requires the expertise of SEN teachers. This drives the demand for SEN teacher training courses. Teachers can be certified to teach at different grade levels, including early intervention and middle-level education and the demand for SEN teachers may vary among different countries and school levels. Additionally, the demand from areas such as childcare service centers, hospitals, and residential treatment programs is increasing. Hence, factors like the growing demand for special educators drives the demand for the global market during the forecast period. Discover some insights on market size and Forecast (2021 to 2026) before buying the full report -Request a sample report Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Special Education Teacher Training Market Global Special Education Teacher Training Market - Segmentation Assessment Segment Overview Technavio has segmented the market based on courses (formal education programs and others) and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa). The market share growth by the formal education programs segment will be significant for the global market growth during the forecast period. Formal education programs generally consist of institutes providing undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in the field of special education teacher training, along with teacher licensing courses. The growing demand for special education teachers, along with increased job prospects from developed as well as developing regions, fuel the growth of this segment. In many countries across the world, it is mandatory for individuals to obtain formal education in the field of special education and licensing from government bodies to become special education teachers. Hence, the number of institutions providing degrees in the field of special education teacher training has increased phenomenally in the past few years and is expected to rise further during the forecast period. Why buy? Add credibility to strategy Analyzes competitor's offerings Get a holistic view of the market Grow your profit margin with Technavio Buy the report! Special education teacher training market Vendor Analysis Vendor Landscape - The global special education teacher training market is concentrated, with the presence of several global as well as regional vendors. A few prominent vendors that offer special education teacher training in the market are American University, APTTI Academy, Capella University, George Mason University, London College of Teachers and Trainers LLP, Montclair State University, National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities Divyangjan, Times and Trends Academy, University of Kansas, and Western Governors University and others. Vendor Offerings - American University - The company provides teacher education that offers students access to cutting-edge research, innovative partnerships with educational organizations, and a progressive curriculum with on-campus or online options which includes MA teaching, MA teaching online, and MA special education. The company provides teacher education that offers students access to cutting-edge research, innovative partnerships with educational organizations, and a progressive curriculum with on-campus or online options which includes MA teaching, MA teaching online, and MA special education. Capella University - The company provides MS in Education, a special education teaching which is implemented for specialized teaching, building effective curricula, and collaborates with other professionals to drive positive outcomes for diverse students of all abilities. The company provides MS in Education, a special education teaching which is implemented for specialized teaching, building effective curricula, and collaborates with other professionals to drive positive outcomes for diverse students of all abilities. George Mason University - The company provides a concentration in general curriculum K 12, a concentration in visual impairments licensure PK 12, concentration in adapted curriculum K 12. The company provides a concentration in general curriculum K 12, a concentration in visual impairments licensure PK 12, concentration in adapted curriculum K 12. For details on the vendor and their offerings Request a sample report Geography Overview By geography, the global special education teacher training market is segmented into North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa. The report provides actionable insights and estimates the contribution of all regions to the growth of the global special education teacher training market. APAC is estimated to account for 41% of the global market growth during the forecast period. China and India are the key markets for the special education teacher training market in the region. Market growth in this region is estimated to be faster than the growth of the market in other regions. The growing emphasis on childcare and rising enrollments in special education schools will facilitate the special education teacher training market growth in APAC over the forecast period. For insights on global, regional, and country-level parameters with growth opportunities - Download a Sample Report Special Education Teacher Training Market Market Dynamics Key Trends - The growth in inclusive education is one of the key special education teacher training market trends that is contributing to the market growth. Inclusive education involves both general students and special students in a single classroom. The growth of inclusive classrooms across regions is catapulted because of the increasing number of government initiatives such as the Learning in Classroom Movement in China and the advent of policies that enable special students to learn in the general classroom. This trend of inclusive classrooms is more prominent in developed economies such as the US and the UK, along with a few economies in APAC such as China and Thailand, resulting in increased demand for teachers who are proficient in both general classes as well as special education classes. Hence, the growth in inclusive education drives the market growth during the forecast period. Major challenges - High training costs are one of the major factors hindering the special education teacher training market growth. Due to the growing demand for special education teacher training courses across regions, there is an increase in the number of short-term courses, ranging from a few weeks to a few months in the market. Traditionally, graduate and postgraduate courses offered by vendors in the market were of high duration, ranging anywhere between two to four years. The training is not only time-consuming but also involves high costs and various universities have started offering short-term courses to reduce the required time for obtaining the certification as well as knowledge associated with managing and handling SEN students. Hence, the higher costs associated may impede the market growth during the forecast period. Drivers, trends, and challenges have an impact on market dynamics, which can impact businesses. Find more insights in a sample report! What are the key data covered in this Special Education Teacher Training Market report? CAGR of the market during the forecast period Detailed information on factors that will drive the growth of the special education teacher training market between 2022 and 2026 Precise estimation of the size of the special education teacher training market and its contribution to the market with a focus on the parent market Accurate predictions about upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior Growth of the special education teacher training market across North America , Europe , APAC, South America , and Middle East and Africa , , APAC, , and and A thorough analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information about vendors Comprehensive analysis of factors that will challenge the growth of the special education teacher training market vendors Gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Related Reports: The higher education market in Vietnam is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 15.3% between 2022 and 2027 and the size of the market is forecast to increase by USD 481.32 million. The advent of changes in educational content delivery methods is notably driving market growth. The nursing education market size in the US has the potential to grow by USD 45.97 billion during 2021-2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 21.72%. The rising aging population leads to an increase in the retiring nursing workforce. The retirement of trained nurses will give rise to the need for training, educating, and hiring new nurses. Special Education Teacher Training Market Scope Report Coverage Details Historic period 2017-2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 4.09% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 868.49 million Market structure Concentrated YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 3.24 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution APAC at 41% Key countries US, China, India, UK, and Germany, Canada, Mexico, Italy,Spain, India, Japan, Australia, and South Korea Competitive landscape Leading Vendors, Market Positioning of Vendors, Competitive Strategies, and Industry Risks Key companies profiled American University, APTTI Academy, Capella University, George Mason University, London College of Teachers and Trainers LLP, Montclair State University, National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities Divyangjan, Times and Trends Academy, University of Kansas, and Western Governors University Market dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and recovery analysis and future consumer dynamics, Market condition analysis for forecast period Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized. Browse for Technavio Consumer Discretionary market reports Table of Contents 1 Executive Summary 1.1 Market overview Exhibit 01: Executive Summary Chart on Market Overview Exhibit 02: Executive Summary Data Table on Market Overview Exhibit 03: Executive Summary Chart on Global Market Characteristics Exhibit 04: Executive Summary Chart on Market by Geography Exhibit 05: Executive Summary Chart on Market Segmentation by Courses Exhibit 06: Executive Summary Chart on Incremental Growth Exhibit 07: Executive Summary Data Table on Incremental Growth Exhibit 08: Executive Summary Chart on Vendor Market Positioning 2 Market Landscape 2.1 Market ecosystem Exhibit 09: Parent market Exhibit 10: Market Characteristics 3 Market Sizing 3.1 Market definition Exhibit 11: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition 3.2 Market segment analysis Exhibit 12: Market segments 3.3 Market size 2021 3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026 Exhibit 13: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 14: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 15: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 16: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 4 Five Forces Analysis 4.1 Five forces summary Exhibit 17: Five forces analysis - Comparison between2021 and 2026 4.2 Bargaining power of buyers Exhibit 18: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026 4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers Exhibit 19: Bargaining power of suppliers Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.4 Threat of new entrants Exhibit 20: Threat of new entrants Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.5 Threat of substitutes Exhibit 21: Threat of substitutes Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.6 Threat of rivalry Exhibit 22: Threat of rivalry Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.7 Market condition Exhibit 23: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026 5 Market Segmentation by Courses 5.1 Market segments Exhibit 24: Chart on Courses - Market share 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 25: Data Table on Courses - Market share 2021-2026 (%) 5.2 Comparison by Courses Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Courses Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Courses 5.3 Formal education programs - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 28: Chart on Formal education programs - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 29: Data Table on Formal education programs - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 30: Chart on Formal education programs - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 31: Data Table on Formal education programs - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.4 Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 32: Chart on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 33: Data Table on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 34: Chart on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 35: Data Table on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.5 Market opportunity by Courses Exhibit 36: Market opportunity by Courses ($ million) 6 Customer Landscape 6.1 Customer landscape overview Exhibit 37: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria 7 Geographic Landscape 7.1 Geographic segmentation Exhibit 38: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 39: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) 7.2 Geographic comparison Exhibit 40: Chart on Geographic comparison Exhibit 41: Data Table on Geographic comparison 7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 42: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 43: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 44: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 45: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 46: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 47: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 48: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 49: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.5 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 50: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 51: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 52: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 53: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 55: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 56: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 57: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.7 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 59: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 60: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 61: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.8 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 62: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 63: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 64: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 65: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.9 UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 66: Chart on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 67: Data Table on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 68: Chart on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 69: Data Table on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.10 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 70: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 71: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 72: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 73: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.11 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 75: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 76: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 77: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.12 India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 78: Chart on India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 79: Data Table on India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 80: Chart on India - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 81: Data Table on India - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.13 Market opportunity by geography Exhibit 82: Market opportunity by geography ($ million) 8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 8.1 Market drivers 8.2 Market challenges 8.3 Impact of drivers and challenges Exhibit 83: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026 8.4 Market trends 9 Vendor Landscape 9.1 Overview 9.2 Vendor landscape Exhibit 84: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation 9.3 Landscape disruption Exhibit 85: Overview on factors of disruption 9.4 Industry risks Exhibit 86: Impact of key risks on business 10 Vendor Analysis 10.1 Vendors covered Exhibit 87: Vendors covered 10.2 Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 88: Matrix on vendor position and classification 10.3 American University Exhibit 89: American University - Overview - Overview Exhibit 90: American University - Product / Service - Product / Service Exhibit 91: American University - Key offerings 10.4 APTTI Academy Exhibit 92: APTTI Academy - Overview Exhibit 93: APTTI Academy - Product / Service Exhibit 94: APTTI Academy - Key offerings 10.5 Capella University Exhibit 95: Capella University - Overview - Overview Exhibit 96: Capella University - Product / Service - Product / Service Exhibit 97: Capella University - Key offerings 10.6 George Mason University Exhibit 98: George Mason University - Overview - Overview Exhibit 99: George Mason University - Product / Service - Product / Service Exhibit 100: George Mason University - Key offerings 10.7 London College of Teachers and Trainers LLP College of Teachers and Trainers LLP Exhibit 101: London College of Teachers and Trainers LLP - Overview College of Teachers and Trainers LLP - Overview Exhibit 102: London College of Teachers and Trainers LLP - Product / Service College of Teachers and Trainers LLP - Product / Service Exhibit 103: London College of Teachers and Trainers LLP - Key offerings 10.8 Montclair State University Exhibit 104: Montclair State University - Overview - Overview Exhibit 105: Montclair State University - Product / Service - Product / Service Exhibit 106: Montclair State University - Key offerings 10.9 National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities Divyangjan Exhibit 107: National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities Divyangjan - Overview Exhibit 108: National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities Divyangjan - Product / Service Exhibit 109: National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities Divyangjan - Key offerings 10.10 Times and Trends Academy Exhibit 110: Times and Trends Academy - Overview Exhibit 111: Times and Trends Academy - Product / Service Exhibit 112: Times and Trends Academy - Key offerings 10.11 University of Kansas Exhibit 113: University of Kansas - Overview - Overview Exhibit 114: University of Kansas - Product / Service - Product / Service Exhibit 115: University of Kansas - Key offerings 10.12 Western Governors University Exhibit 116: Western Governors University - Overview - Overview Exhibit 117: Western Governors University - Product / Service - Product / Service Exhibit 118: Western Governors University - Key offerings 11 Appendix 11.1 Scope of the report 11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist Exhibit 119: Inclusions checklist Exhibit 120: Exclusions checklist 11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$ Exhibit 121: Currency conversion rates for US$ 11.4 Research methodology Exhibit 122: Research methodology Exhibit 123: Validation techniques employed for market sizing Exhibit 124: Information sources 11.5 List of abbreviations Exhibit 125: List of abbreviations About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contact Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com/ SOURCE Technavio The latest update to the Stamus Security Platform (U39) is now generally available LILLE, France, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- INTERNATIONAL CYBERSECURITY FORUM (FIC) -- Stamus Networks , the global leader in Suricata-based network security, today announced the general availability of its latest software release, Update 39 (U39). The new release represents a significant enhancement to the company's flagship Stamus Security Platform (SSP) , arming enterprise cybersecurity defenders with greater visibility while reducing the time it takes to respond to threats. Stamus Networks latest software release represents a significant enhancement to the companys flagship Stamus Security Platform (SSP), arming enterprise cybersecurity defenders with greater visibility while reducing the time it takes to respond to threats. Trusted by security teams in the world's largest organizations, including government computer emergency response teams (CERTs), central banks, insurance providers, managed security service providers (MSSPs), multinational government institutions, broadcasters, travel and hospitality companies, and even a market-leading cybersecurity SaaS vendor, Stamus Security Platform helps defenders expose serious threats and unauthorized activity hidden in their networks. U39 enhancements include: Enhanced evidence collection - new conditional packet capture (PCAP), protocol transaction, and flow logging give users additional evidence without excessive storage. Also, SSP now logs additional DCERPC, HTTP header, and TLS cipher suite metadata with each detection event (alert), giving users access to more complete metadata evidence during incident investigation and helping uncover hidden anomalies in a proactive threat hunt. - new conditional packet capture (PCAP), protocol transaction, and flow logging give users additional evidence without excessive storage. Also, SSP now logs additional DCERPC, HTTP header, and TLS cipher suite metadata with each detection event (alert), giving users access to more complete metadata evidence during incident investigation and helping uncover hidden anomalies in a proactive threat hunt. Expanded threat detection and hunting - with U39, SSP users now have access to 21 new guided threat hunting filters and additional sources of threat intelligence, including 2 lateral movement rulesets and 3 suspicious domain lists. SSP can now detect activity from a match on the media type (also known as mime-type) and can ingest additional third-party threat intelligence feeds to trigger a detection event based on a match on IP addresses and domain lists. - with U39, SSP users now have access to 21 new guided threat hunting filters and additional sources of threat intelligence, including 2 lateral movement rulesets and 3 suspicious domain lists. SSP can now detect activity from a match on the media type (also known as mime-type) and can ingest additional third-party threat intelligence feeds to trigger a detection event based on a match on IP addresses and domain lists. Streamlined user experience - the newly integrated threat hunting console offers an enhanced user experience by enabling seamless navigation from notifications to investigations, without compromising crucial contextual data. Users can now quickly and easily pivot between tasks, allowing for a more efficient process. Expanded Host Insights allows users to more rapidly identify all activity associated with a given host. Stamus Networks will be demonstrating the latest version of Stamus Security Platform this week at the International Cybersecurity Forum (FIC stand G15) in Lille, France. "Serious enterprise security practitioners need all the details, they want control, and they seek the truth about their network activity wherever it leads them," said Ken Gramley, CEO at Stamus Networks. "It's precisely these experts who have come to know and love SSP. We're thrilled to be able to bring this additional expert-level functionality to these cyber heroes." The unique power of the Stamus Security Platform derives from its consolidating three network security products into a single solution. By incorporating the very best features of intrusion detection (IDS), network security monitoring (NSM), and network detection and response (NDR) into Stamus Security Platform, security teams can reduce tool sprawl and meet their governance, risk, compliance, and operational security challenges with a single consolidated solution. To learn more about the Stamus Security Platform, visit the Stamus Networks website at https://www.stamus-networks.com/stamus-security-platform About Stamus Networks Stamus Networks believes in a world where defenders are heroes, and a future where those they protect remain safe. As organizations face threats from well-funded adversaries, we relentlessly pursue solutions that make the defender's job easier and more impactful. The global leader in Suricata-based network security solutions, Stamus Networks helps enterprise security teams know more, respond sooner and mitigate their risk with insights gathered from cloud and on-premise network activity. Our Stamus Security Platform combines the best of intrusion detection (IDS), network security monitoring (NSM), and network detection and response (NDR) systems into a single system that exposes serious and imminent threats to critical assets and empowers rapid response. For more information visit: stamus-networks.com . SOURCE Stamus Networks Ed Sparks, former President, Titanium Technologies & Chemical Solutions at The Chemours Company, Succeeds Patel as CEO of W. R. Grace & Co. NEW YORK, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Standard Industries, a privately held global industrial company operating in more than 80 countries with over 20,000 employees, today announced the appointment of Bob Patel, CEO of W. R. Grace & Co., to the newly created position of President, Standard Industries, reporting to co-CEOs David Millstone and David Winter. Standard also announced that veteran chemical industry executive Ed Sparks will succeed and report to Patel as CEO of Grace, effective immediately. Standard Industries has grown and evolved significantly over the past several years. Standard Building Solutionswhich now comprises GAF, GAF Energy, BMI, Schiedel, SGI, and Siplastis collectively the largest roofing and waterproofing company in the world. In 2021, Standard launched Standard Performance Materials with the acquisition of Grace, a global leader in refining technologies and specialty chemicals. In his new role, Patel will identify and pursue opportunities to expand the Standard Performance Materials portfolio and take a global view of Standard's operating companies to promote innovation, harness operational synergies, create efficiency, develop talent and provide strategic guidance to all operating CEOs. Patel joined Standard Industries in January 2022 to lead Grace and help architect Standard's investment in the advanced materials space. "While Standard's companies will continue to operate independently under their respective leaders, we believe we can do more to identify, share and implement best practices as we grow our platforms," said Winter. "Bob Patel's decades-long record of driving businesses to achieve results over the long term properly positioned Grace, and we are excited for him now to bring his skills, experience and focus to our global operating companies." "With Grace on the right path, now is the time to broaden Bob's focus to all of Standard's operating businesses as we enter our next phase of growth," said Millstone. "Ed Sparks's expertise leading organizations through transformational change makes him the perfect leader for the Grace of today and the Grace of tomorrow." "We began a process of transformation that sets up the company to achieve lasting growth under Ed's leadership," said Patel. "I look forward to working with David and David on executing their vision of a modern industrial company by expanding our Performance Materials platform and leveraging scale and synergies across all of Standard's operating businesses." Sparks joins Grace from The Chemours Company, a publicly traded chemical company spun off from DuPont in 2015. He most recently served as President of Titanium Technologies & Chemical Solutions. Patel will work with Sparks on the transition and will remain closely connected to Grace in his new role. "Standard, Bob and the team at Grace have done a remarkable job revitalizing such an important company," said Sparks. "I am excited to join the incredibly talented team at Grace to finish that process and take the company to the next level by providing the best products, technologies and services to our global customers." Prior to joining Grace, Patel served as CEO of LyondellBasell, one of the largest chemicals, plastics and refining companies in the world. He joined LyondellBasell in 2010 and was named CEO in January 2015. Before LyondellBasell, Patel served in a variety of global leadership roles at Chevron Corporation and Chevron Phillips Chemical Company for more than 20 years. About Standard Industries Standard Industries is a privately held global industrial company operating in over 80 countries with over 20,000 employees. The Standard ecosystem spans a broad array of holdings, technologies and investmentsincluding both public and private companies from early to late-stageas well as world-class building solutions, performance materials, logistics, real estate and next-generation solar technology. Throughout its history, Standard has leveraged its deep industry expertise and vision to create outsize value across its businesses, which today include operating companies GAF, BMI, Grace, GAF Energy, Siplast, Schiedel, SGI, and Standard Logistics, as well as Standard Investments and Winter Properties. Learn more at standardindustries.com. About Grace Built on talent, technology and trust, Grace, a Standard Industries company, is a leading global supplier of catalysts, engineered materials and fine chemicals. The company's two industry-leading business segmentsCatalysts Technologies and Materials Technologiesprovide innovative products, technologies and services that enhance the products and processes of our customers around the world. With approximately 4,300 employees, Grace operates and/or sells to customers in over 60 countries. Learn more at grace.com. Contact Scott Bisang Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher (212) 355-4449 SOURCE Standard Industries NEW YORK, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As per Facts and Factors study, the global oral anticoagulants market size was worth around USD 18 billion in 2021 and is predicted to grow to around USD 34.1 billion by 2028 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 9.6% between 2022 and 2028. Report Link with All Related Graphs & Charts: https://www.fnfresearch.com/oral-anticoagulants-market Oral Anticoagulants Market: Overview The preferred method of drug delivery in the pharmaceutical industry is oral administration. Oral anticoagulants, often known as blood thinners, are medications that function in conjunction with the body's natural blood-thickening system to prevent and cure unusual blood clots. Patients who have blood clots in the legs (also known as deep vein thrombosis or DVT) or in the lungs (also known as pulmonary embolism or PE), different types of blood clusters in the veins, an irregular heartbeat known as atrial fibrillation that increases the risk of stroke, and mechanical heart valves are all treated with oral anticoagulants. Oral anticoagulants have increased their market share significantly in recent years due to pharmaceutical scientists' improved and full understanding of the biochemical and physicochemical properties and improved patient compliance. Oral anticoagulants have become a popular substitute for traditional pills and capsules. Three novel oral anticoagulant medications have received FDA approval in recent years: Pradaxa (dabigatran), Xarelto (rivaroxaban), and Eliquis (apixaban). All three are "blood thinners," like warfarin, that lower the risk of stroke associated with atrial fibrillation but also induce bleeding. Get a Free Sample Report with All Related Graphs & Charts (with COVID 19 Impact Analysis): https://www.fnfresearch.com/sample/oral-anticoagulants-market Key Insights: As per the analysis shared by our research analyst, the global oral anticoagulants market is estimated to grow annually at a CAGR of around 9.6% over the forecast period (2022-2028). In terms of revenue, the global oral anticoagulants market size was valued at around USD 18 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 34.1 billion , by 2028. Due to a variety of driving factors, the market is predicted to rise at a significant rate. in 2021 and is projected to reach , by 2028. Due to a variety of driving factors, the market is predicted to rise at a significant rate. Based on the product, the warfarin segment held the largest market share in 2021. Based on end users, the hospital pharmacies segment accounted for the major market share in 2021 and is expected to show its dominance during the forecast period. Based on region, North America is projected to dominate the market during the forecast period. Facts and Factors published the latest report titled "Oral Anticoagulants Market Size, Share, Growth Analysis Report By Product (Warfarin and Novel Oral Anticoagulant), By Disease Indication (Atrial Fibrillation (AF)/ Stroke Prevention and Deep Vein Thrombosis/ Pulmonary Embolism), By Distribution Channel (Hospital Pharmacies, Retail Pharmacies, and Online Pharmacies), and By Region - Global and Regional Industry Insights, Overview, Comprehensive Analysis, Trends, Statistical Research, Market Intelligence, Historical Data and Forecast 2022 2028" into their research database. Industry Dynamics: Global Oral Anticoagulants Market: Growth Drivers The increasing geriatric population coupled with the growing prevalence of chronic disease drives the market. The increasing geriatric population coupled with the growing prevalence of chronic disease is expected to propel the global oral anticoagulants market growth during the forecast period. The market for oral anticoagulants has seen widespread drug use, particularly among elderly patients at risk for heart attacks. With increasing age, atrial fibrillation (AF) becomes a more common cause of avoidable, incapacitating stroke. Worldwide public health concerns with AF-related stroke are developing as people live longer. The majority of AF patients are elderly (average age, 75), and getting older is a reliable, independent risk factor for an AF-related stroke. Anticoagulation with warfarin is quite efficient at preventing strokes in AF patients, but it is rarely used, especially in the elderly. Oral anticoagulants increase the risk of hemorrhage in senior people, however for the majority of these patients, the benefit of ischemic stroke reduction outweighs the risk of hemorrhage. Related report on LinkedIn: Global Fire Doors Market: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/latest-global-fire-doors-market-sizeshare-worth-usd-166-ram-rupnur Global Metalworking Fluids Market: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/350-cagr-global-metalworking-fluids-market-size-share-surpass Global Uncoated Paint Protection Film Market: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/latest-global-uncoated-paint-protection-film-market-sizeshare Global IoT Devices Market: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/latest-global-iot-devices-market-sizeshare-worth-usd-272442-kumar Global Oral Anticoagulants Market: Restraints The possible side effect associated with oral anticoagulants hamper the market growth. The development of the global oral anticoagulants market during the forecast period may be hampered by potential negative effects from anticoagulants or blood thinners. Excessive bleeding is the main negative side effect of taking these medications. A common example is an anticoagulant warfarin, which also carries an increased risk of other side effects such as skin necrosis, blue or purple toes, congenital impairments, and miscarriages. Anticoagulants are typically not recommended for persons with AFib, high blood pressure, or other conditions to prevent problems. Directly Purchase a Copy of the Report @ https://www.fnfresearch.com/buynow/su/oral-anticoagulants-market Global Oral Anticoagulants Market: Segmentation The global oral anticoagulants market is segmented based on product, disease indication, distribution channel, and region. Based on the product, the global market is bifurcated into warfarin and novel oral anticoagulant. The warfarin segment held the largest market share in 2021 and is expected to show its dominance during the forecast period. Warfarin is an oral anticoagulant that is commonly used to treat and prevent blood clots. Warfarin has multiple FDA-approved and off-label clinical uses such as Prophylaxis and treatment of venous thrombosis and arising pulmonary embolisms, Prophylaxis and treatment of thromboembolic complications from atrial fibrillation or cardiac valve replacement, reduction in the risk of death, recurrent myocardial infarction, thromboembolic events (e.g., stroke, systemic embolization) after myocardial infarction, and secondary prevention of recurrent stroke and transient ischemic attacks. On the other hand, novel oral anticoagulants are expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The novel oral anticoagulants include dabigatran etexilate, rivaroxaban, edoxaban and apixaban. These anticoagulants have major pharmacologic preferences over vitamin K antagonists, including counterbalance of functional activity, and unsurprising pharmacokinetics, disposing of the prerequisite for general coagulation observing. Thus, driving the segment growth. Based on distribution channels, the global market is divided into hospital pharmacies, retail pharmacies, and online pharmacies. The hospital pharmacies segment accounted for the largest market share in 2021 and is expected to dominate over the forecast period. Hospital pharmacies offer several advantages, including better access to medications. A significant share of CVD patients visits hospital outpatient departments (OPDs) to receive treatment and medication prescriptions since these departments have more sophisticated infrastructure and medical staff. Anticoagulant sales across in-house pharmacies will increase at a large rate as more patients choose to receive their treatments at hospitals to receive high-quality care. Get More Insight before [email protected]: https://www.fnfresearch.com/inquiry/oral-anticoagulants-market List of Key Players in Oral Anticoagulants Market: Johnson & Johnson Bayer AG Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Daiichi Sankyo Company Abbott Laboratories Aspen Holdings Sanofi Pfizer Inc Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. Leo Pharma AS Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Key questions answered in this report: What are the growth rate forecast and market size for ORAL ANTICOAGULANTS Market? What are the key driving factors propelling the ORAL ANTICOAGULANTS Market forward? What are the most important companies in the ORAL ANTICOAGULANTS Market Industry? What segments does the ORAL ANTICOAGULANTS Market cover? How can I receive a free copy of the ORAL ANTICOAGULANTS Market sample report and company profiles? Report Scope: Report Attribute Details Market size value in 2021 USD 18 Billion Revenue forecast in 2028 USD 34.1 Billion Growth Rate CAGR of almost 9.6 % 2023-2028 Base Year 2020 Historic Years 2016 2022 Forecast Years 2023 2028 Segments Covered By Product, Disease Indication, Distribution Channel, and Region Forecast Units Value (USD Billion), and Volume (Units) Quantitative Units Revenue in USD million/billion and CAGR from 2022 to 2028 Regions Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa, and Rest of World Countries Covered U.S., Canada, Mexico, U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Argentina, GCC Countries, and South Africa, among others Companies Covered Johnson & Johnson, Bayer AG, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Daiichi Sankyo Company, Abbott Laboratories, Aspen Holdings, Sanofi, Pfizer Inc, Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc., Leo Pharma AS, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, and others. Report Coverage Market growth drivers, restraints, opportunities, Porter's five forces analysis, PEST analysis, value chain analysis, regulatory landscape, market attractiveness analysis by segments and region, company market share analysis, and COVID-19 impact analysis. Customization Scope Avail of customized purchase options to meet your exact research needs. https://www.fnfresearch.com/customization/oral-anticoagulants-market Free Brochure: https://www.fnfresearch.com/ask-to-analyst/oral-anticoagulants-market Regional Dominance: North America is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period. North America is expected to dominate the global oral anticoagulants market during the forecast period. Due to the strong demand for cutting-edge products and the rising prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, North America is predicted to hold a significant market share in the global market for oral anticoagulants. For instance, in 2021, the American Heart Association estimates that around 2,300 Americans would die daily from cardiovascular disorders, or one every 38 seconds. Moreover, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in February 2022, about 659,000 Americans die of heart disease annually. This represents almost 25% of all United States deaths. Thus increase in cardiovascular diseases the demand for anticoagulants increases in the region thereby boosting the market. Global Oral Anticoagulants Market is segmented as follows: Oral Anticoagulants Market: By Product Outlook (2023-2028) Warfarin Novel Oral Anticoagulant Oral Anticoagulants Market: By Disease Indication Outlook (2023-2028) Atrial Fibrillation (AF)/ Stroke Prevention Deep Vein Thrombosis/ Pulmonary Embolism Oral Anticoagulants Market: By Distribution Channel Outlook (2023-2028) Hospital Pharmacies Retail Pharmacies Online Pharmacies Oral Anticoagulants Market: By Region Outlook (2023-2028) North America The U.S. Canada Europe France The UK Spain Germany Italy Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea Southeast Asia Rest of Asia Pacific Latin America Brazil Mexico Rest of Latin America Middle East & Africa GCC South Africa Rest of Middle East & Africa Press Release: https://www.fnfresearch.com/news/global-oral-anticoagulants-market Browse Other Related Research Reports from Facts and Factors Rheumatoid Arthritis Drugs Market : According to the report published by Facts and Factors, the global rheumatoid arthritis drugs market size was worth around USD 60.1 billion in 2021 and is predicted to grow to around USD 70.1 billion by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 1.75% between 2022 and 2030. According to the report published by Facts and Factors, the global rheumatoid arthritis drugs market size was worth around in 2021 and is predicted to grow to around by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 1.75% between 2022 and 2030. Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell Therapy Market : According to the report published by Facts Factors, the global chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-Cell therapy market size was worth around USD 1.69 billion in 2021 and is predicted to grow to around USD 6 billion by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 13.49% between 2022 and 2030. According to the report published by Facts Factors, the global chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-Cell therapy market size was worth around in 2021 and is predicted to grow to around by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 13.49% between 2022 and 2030. Spirulina Market : According to the report published by Facts Factors, the global spirulina market size was worth around USD 410.2 million in 2021 and is predicted to grow to around USD 989.6 million by 2028 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 11.1% between 2022 and 2028. According to the report published by Facts Factors, the global spirulina market size was worth around in 2021 and is predicted to grow to around by 2028 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 11.1% between 2022 and 2028. Gene Synthesis Market : According to Facts and Factors, the global gene synthesis market size was worth around USD 1,528.10 million in 2021 and is estimated to grow to about USD 4,021.41 million by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate ( CAGR ) of approximately 17.50% over the forecast period. CAGR Biohacking Market: The latest report published by Facts & Factors titled global biohacking market has a global perspective on the latter coupled with the market size, volume, drivers, and restraints to name a few. We estimate that the biohacking market will hold a value of USD 14.65 Billion in the year 2020 with a CAGR growth of 21.1% which was previously subjected at USD 65.4 Billion in the year 2026. Browse through Facts and Factors's coverage of the Global Pharmaceuticals Industry Follow Us on: LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook About Us Facts and Factors is an obligated company. We create futuristic, cutting-edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, and company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from cardinal industries. Our database is been updated constantly to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the client's needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us. Contact Us: Facts and Factors Tel: +1 347 690-0211 USA/Canada Toll-Free No. +44 2032 894158 Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.fnfresearch.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1981423/FnF_Research_Logo.jpg SOURCE FnF Research Witte recognized as a Pro to Know for the Second Consecutive Year ATLANTA, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Supply & Demand Chain Executive, the only publication covering the entire global supply chain, named Mathew Witte, Senior Vice President from ORTEC Americas, as one of the winners of the 2023 Pros to Know Award, which recognizes outstanding executives whose accomplishments offer a roadmap for other leaders looking to leverage supply chain for competitive advantage. "It is an honor to be recognized once again as a 2023 Pro to Know" Tweet this Mat Witte, Senior Vice President, ORTEC Americas "This year's list is filled with supply chain professionals whose achievements and success stories have helped move the needle in the supply chain. They promote safety, sustainability, and workforce development. They work toward helping heal the supply chain. They're actually in the supply chain," says Marina Mayer, Editor-in-Chief of Supply & Demand Chain Executive and Food Logistics. "We received close to 400 nominations this year, the highest number of nominations ever for this award. It's proof that today's supply chain professionals are doing great things for the supply chain. They embody what a true leader should be. And, without their initiatives, programs and collaborative efforts, today's supply chains would be in worse shape." "It is an honor to be recognized once again as a 2023 Pro to Know," said Mathew Witte, Senior Vice President, ORTEC Americas. "Supply chain executives want accountability from their investments, and we continue to develop strong partnerships to ensure key metrics are both achievable and sustainable. I am proud of the advanced tools we have developed such as structured training and performance audits, and I look forward to this year and beyond as we develop more solutions to help our clients grow." About Supply & Demand Chain Executive Supply & Demand Chain Executive is the only supply chain publication covering the entire global supply chain, focusing on trucking, warehousing, packaging, procurement, risk management, professional development and more. Supply & Demand Chain Executive and sister publication Food Logistics are also home to L.I.N.K. and L.I.N.K. Educate podcast channels, L.I.N.K. Live, SCN Summit, SupplyChainLearningCenter.com and more. Go to www.SDCExec.com to learn more. Go to https://sdce.me/4ss5cl to view the full list of 2023 Pros to Know winners. The overall winner will be announced live at ProMat in Chicago. Go to http://www.SDCExec.com/awards to learn more about upcoming Supply & Demand Chain Executive awards. About ORTEC Since 1981, ORTEC has been a global and leading partner in data-driven decision support. By leveraging data with our passion for mathematics, we enable many of the best-run organizations to optimize their business decisions. Our smart solutions, ranging from business analysis and data analytics to mathematical modeling and optimization technology, lead to more efficient, adaptive, effective, and sustainable organizations. With 1,100 employees across 13 countries, ORTEC globally supports more than 1,200 customers to make the best decisions in an ever-changing environment, leveraging data and mathematics for a better world. Discover more at ortec.com/en-us ORTEC US COMPANY CONTACT Lisa Beck ORTEC Americas 443.980.7840 [email protected] SOURCE ORTEC Ruling will make device more affordable and accessible for those with spinal cord injuries OBERLIN, Ohio, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Synapse Biomedical, Inc. announced today that the FDA has granted premarket approval (PMA) of the NeuRx Diaphragm Pacing System (NeuRx DPS) for use in patients with spinal cord injuries who rely on mechanical ventilation. PMA is the most stringent type of device marketing application required by FDA. More hospitals are expected to begin implementing the NeuRx DPS now that they no longer have to undergo the lengthy internal review and approval process required under the previous humanitarian device exemption. "This is a very big deal for our community," said Jen French, executive director of the North American Spinal Cord Injury Consortium, an advocacy group. "It will improve access and affordability for people living with spinal cord injuries and give them the chance to live life without the restrictions imposed by a ventilator." About the NeuRx DPS The NeuRx DPS is an option for spinal cord injury (SCI) patients who prefer a more natural method of breathing. Rather than using positive pressure (forced air), NeuRx DPS provides negative pressure ventilation which mimics the body's natural breath cycle. The NeuRx DPS is a battery-powered device that delivers electrical stimulation via four percutaneous intramuscular electrodes implanted into the diaphragm with minimally invasive laparoscopy. It is intended for use in patients with stable SCI with stimulatable diaphragms, but who lack control of their diaphragms. The device is indicated to allow patients 18 years and older to breathe without the assistance of a mechanical ventilator for at least four continuous hours a day. Many patients have gone on to use the device up to 24 hours per day. Pioneered by Raymond Onders, MD, Chair of Surgical Innovation at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, and J. Thomas Mortimer, Emeritus Prof. of Biomedical Engineering at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), NeuRx DPS was first implanted in a prospective clinical investigation in 2000 and has now been proven in over 2,500 patients worldwide. Actor Christopher Reeve was one of the first recipients. "The new FDA approval is great news for patients," said Dr. Onders. "Rapid weaning from mechanical ventilation allows for faster rehabilitationgiving patients a better chance of recovery, independence, and a new more normal way of lifewhile significantly reducing costs, freeing up ICU beds, and reducing clinical staff time with these patients." "Synapse Biomedical is dedicated to helping free people from mechanical ventilators. We are currently stimulating over 10,000,000 breaths per day for spinal cord injured patients who can't breathe on their own around the world. With this FDA approval, we can make our diaphragm pacer available to many more patients who were previously unable to access a hospital administering our humanitarian device," said Anthony Ignagni, CEO and founder of Synapse Biomedical. Life-changing care News that the FDA is making the device more available was welcomed by surgeons who use it. Trauma surgeon Chasen Croft, MD, has been implanting the NeuRx DPS since 2012 at the University of Florida Health Science Center. "Nothing is more humbling than witnessing a spinal cord injury patient, whom others have told would never be able to breathe on their own, being liberated from mechanical ventilation. The physiologic benefit and, more importantly, the psychologic improvement afforded patients through spontaneous respiration after diaphragmatic pacer implantation is truly gratifying." Andrew Kerwin, MD, Trauma & Surgical Critical Care Division Chief at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, started implanting the NeuRx DPS in 2012: "Hospitals and surgeons involved in the care of acute cervical spinal cord injury patients should consider early diaphragm pacing implantation to be an integral part of a comprehensive spinal cord injury care program." Integrating diaphragm pacing into standard of care The FDA approval should change the standard of care in treating SCI injuries, said P. Hunter Peckham, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of Biomedical Engineering at CWRU, and Co-Director, MetroHealth Rehabilitation Institute, MetroHealth System, a pioneer in neurostimulation and rehabilitation engineering. "This life-altering technology should bring new freedom to thousands of people with SCI injuries," he said. The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center estimates 17,900 new SCI cases each year. Since 2015, 59.8% of these patients have complete or incomplete tetraplegia, or paralysis of all four limbs, which will require some level of long-term or temporary mechanical ventilation. Intubation for mechanical ventilation often occurs at the time of injury to manage respiratory failure or to protect the airway in cases of complete SCI between vertebrae C1 and C5. By contrast, in cases of incomplete injuries lower than C5, where the airway is not immediately compromised or at risk, ventilation is often still initiated approximately four days after injury when levels of carbon dioxide rise in the blood due to difficulty expiring. Historically, patients were implanted months to years after their catastrophic, life-changing event. Recent studies have shown early treatment with the NeuRx DPS decreases patient time on mechanical ventilation, reduces hospital length of stay by an average of 19 days, and provides hospitals an average cost savings of $140,000 per patienti. With PMA approval, hospitals now have immediate access to this technology and are able to implement the NeuRx DPS into their standard of care. This approval also increases patient access to this life-changing technology and provides treatment options in geographical areas that do not have an active implant center. Patients are encouraged to speak with their healthcare provider to determine if the NeuRx DPS is right for them. A list of current treatment centers is available here. More information on the safety and efficacy of the NeuRx DPS can be found in the Summary of Safety and Efficacy Data available at www.fda.gov. For more information contact Moustapha Diop (COO) at Synapse Biomedical 1-888-767-3770 ext. 137 or email [email protected]. About Synapse Biomedical, Inc. Founded in 2002, Synapse Biomedical's mission is to provide life transforming treatments through the commercialization of our neurostimulation platforms. Synapse Biomedical aims to build a sustainable enterprise on the foundation of scientific & clinical findings that will provide meaningful value to patients, employees, community, and shareholders. Synapse is based in Oberlin, Ohio, approximately 30 miles west of Cleveland. For more information, including fact sheets, frequently asked questions, high resolution images and broadcast quality video, please visit www.synapsebiomedical.com. Media Contact: Jim Sweeney Amendola Communications [email protected] 216-650-3376 i Kerwin AJ, Diaz Zuniga Y, Yorkgitis BK, Mull J, Hsu AT, Madbak FG, Ebler DJ, Skarupa DJ, Shiber J, Crandall ML. Diaphragm pacing decreases hospital charges for patients with acute cervical spinal cord injury. Trauma Surg Acute Care Open. 2020 Dec 21;5(1):e000528. doi: 10.1136/tsaco-2020-000528. PMID: 33381653; PMCID: PMC7754627. SOURCE Synapse Biomedical, Inc. KAMPALA, Uganda, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Water Trust Executive Director Chris Prottas has today announced funding from The Coca-Cola Foundation that supports a project to accelerate and support access to sustainable water for more than 54,000 people in Kiryandongo district, Uganda. The project commits to rehabilitate 40 broken down borehole wells, and to establish 180 savings and credit cooperatives, referred to as self-help groups, that will maintain a total of 180 wells, ensuring funds are available for essential maintenance to keep water flowing for years to come. In addition to establishing sustainable access to clean water, the project will provide rural households access to savings and credit, as well as training to build critical hygiene and sanitation facilities in their homes. Martin Jacan Gwokto, the Chief Administrative Officer of Kiryandongo District, expressed his appreciation for the initiative. "Clean and safe water reduces cases of diseases, saves money that would have been used on treatment, and allows community members to do productive work and earn a living," said Gwokto. "Currently the district has over 187 dysfunctional water points, which account for close to 20 percent of the total number of water points in the district, leading to billions of shillings put to waste. This is attributed to the fact that over the years, communities have developed a dependency mindset where less effort is put towards the operation and maintenance of water points. Once broken, such water points are abandoned until the next new source is put in place. Continuous drilling of new boreholes is detrimental to the [groundwater] potential. "This project will be a magic bullet to change behaviors in the communities and provide a good boost to the district. I am grateful to The Coca-Cola Foundation and The Water Trust for this initiative which will not only restore 40 dysfunctional water points, but also build communities' capacities to ensure the sustainability of these sources. As a district, we welcome and appreciate this project and pledge to give our maximum support to ensure its successful execution." This project follows an evaluation of water point functionality in rural Uganda which found significantly higher water point functionality and sustainability where a self-help group had been trained to finance repairs. The survey, which covered 4,862 publicly-accessible water points in western Uganda, found that just 58 percent to 67 percent of water points without a self-help group had any water available at the time of the survey. Of the 744 water points with a self-help group in Masindi and Kiryandongo districts, 92 percent to 96 percent had water available. In 2023, the project, made possible with grant support of $400,000 from The Coca-Cola Foundation, will target Kiryandongo district, where only 51 percent of water points were found to be fully functional and free of any evident mechanical issues. The project aims to ensure every functional public borehole well has a trained, active self-help group to support its management and ensure long-term functionality. "We are thrilled to receive support from a foundation that has taken such a thoughtful approach to advancing water sustainability," said Prottas. "With The Coca-Cola Foundation's help, every viable borehole well in Kiryandongo district will have a self-help group to ensure its sustainability by the end of the year, creating a model district that we plan to replicate in southern Uganda in the years ahead." "Sustainable access to safe water is a priority for The Coca-Cola Foundation, and it is clear self-help groups can play a transformative role in building local capacity for effective water stewardship and long-term success," said The Coca-Cola Foundation President, Saadia Madsbjerg. About The Water Trust The Water Trust is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the poorest rural communities to provide their children clean, sustainable water, and healthy, hygienic homes. Founded in 2008, The Water Trust has helped more than 300,000 people in rural Uganda to gain access to water, sanitation, and hygiene. The Water Trust aims to help more than one million people in East Africa to gain sustainable access to clean water by 2025, and has enjoyed support from leading funding agencies and foundations, including, but not limited to, The World Bank, the United States Agency for International Development, charity: water, Deerfield Foundation, Vibrant Village Foundation, and The Water Project. For more information about The Water Trust, visit www.watertrust.org. About the Coca-Cola Foundation The Coca-Cola Foundation is Coca-Cola's primary international philanthropic arm. Since its inception in 1984, The Foundation has awarded more than $1.4 billion in grants to support sustainable community initiatives around the world. For further information about The Coca-Cola Foundation, log on to: www.coca-colacompany.com. SOURCE The Water Trust BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. We have agreed to hold the next meeting of the intergovernmental commission in Tajikistan this year, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said, making a joint press statement with President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, Trend reports. "I have no doubt that tangible steps will be taken in the near future based on the results of the visit. We have agreed to hold the next meeting of the intergovernmental commission in Tajikistan this year, and by the time of the meeting of the intergovernmental commission, I am sure that all the instructions that we have given to the members of the delegations on the issues of transport and logistical interaction, investment policy, industrial cooperation will be fulfilled. I am sure that the results will please us all," President Ilham Aliyev said. MADRID, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Council of Europe, the international organization created to promote democracy, protect human rights and the rule of law, has signed an agreement with the legaltech Signaturit to develop the project for the integration of electronic signatures in its own digital management tools. Rene Jagers, VP Sales at Signaturit; Sara Siguenza, Customer Success Team Lead at Signaturit; Alain Mielle, Head of Technological Innovation at the Council of Europe; Steve Maslen, IT Officer at the Council of Europe; Olivier Tete, Directorate of Information Technology Digital Innovation Unit at the Council of Europe; Sergio Ruiz, President of Signaturit. The compliance with the legal requirements of the elDAS regulation and the ability to offer and facilitate simple, advanced and qualified signature modalities, have been the determining factors in the choice of Signaturit, over other providers, by the Council of Europe. In addition, the legaltech is a customer centric company and has designed a customized solution that meets the needs of the European organization. The use of electronic signatures continues to grow, not only in private companies, but also in public bodies. A year ago, the Council of Europe hired Signaturit's services to digitize the signature of documents through the web platform. But this time the international organization wanted to go a step further and undertake a new project to integrate electronic signatures via API with the goal of reaching 100,000 signatures by the end of the year. Implementation of the tool has begun with 200 users, and the forecast is to close the year with 700. "The fact that the Council of Europe has counted on Signaturit's electronic signature to undertake new challenges is, without a doubt, a privilege for us that places us even more as leaders in electronic signatures in Europe. Our technological solution not only provides the necessary legal guarantees, but also speeds up and increases the efficiency of the signing process. Not to mention improving the signers' experience", according to Sergio Ruiz, President of Signaturit Group. The goal is to become a more efficient organization that reconciles innovation, regulation, and environmental protection. To achieve this, the organization has initiated a digital transformation project with Signaturit. The European Directory for the Quality of Medicines and Health Services; the European Convention on Human Rights; and Eurimages already have, or will soon have, the electronic signature that is the Council of Europe's cultural support fund. "Digital technologies are changing people's lives, from the way we communicate to the way we live and work. That is why we at the Council of Europe want to undertake this process of digital transformation of signature processes with Signaturit's customized solution, and thus streamline management for the benefit of all Europeans", explains Alain Miele, Head of Technological Innovation at the Council of Europe. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2046578/The_Council_of_Europe_Signaturit.jpg SOURCE Signaturit Thrasio's leading pet product hits nearly 4,000 Walmart retail stores NEW YORK, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Thrasio Holdings, Inc. (" Thrasio "), a leading next-generation global consumer goods company, is excited to announce that its Angry Orange ready-to-use pet odor eliminator can now be purchased in a new 20 oz size at nearly 4,000 Walmart stores across the US and on walmart.com. Angry Orange Odor Eliminator The Angry Orange Odor Eliminator is an industrial-strength, multi-surface spray with a fresh citrus scent powered by cold-pressed orange peels. Angry Orange Odor Eliminator "Smells like Heaven, Works like Hell," tackling odors instantly and effectively, and leaving its signature natural orange oil scent behind. Walmart stores across Canada will also carry the Angry Orange Stain Remover and Enzyme Cleaner in its 24 oz size, a cleaner leveraging active enzymes to break down the worst pet accidents and messes. This bootstrap brand got its start on Amazon, where it now boasts over 100,000 five-star customer ratings across all products. "We are excited that Walmart shoppers can now buy Angry Orange at their closest store," said Jessica Holmes, VP of Retail and Wholesale Channels. "This launch in the world's biggest retailer is an important step towards our goal to make our most loved products available to customers wherever they shop. We've seen tremendous success on walmart.com already. Now those fans will be able to grab the product while they're in the stores, and we'll be able to introduce the product to a whole new set of shoppers." "Customer demand for Angry Orange has skyrocketed since we acquired it, and it's now one of the leading brands in the Thrasio family," explains Danny Boockvar, President at Thrasio. "What started with just three basic products is now twenty-three unique offerings appealing to different consumer segments with several more launching this year. It is a perfect example of how goods become great with the power of Thrasio." More about Angry Orange and Thrasio: Angry Orange revenue has grown more than 1000% in four years since being acquired by Thrasio. revenue has grown more than 1000% in four years since being acquired by Thrasio. The Walmart distribution news comes on the heels of a successful 2022 launch in nearly 1800 Target stores and retail success in 1600 PetSmart stores across the US. Angry Orange offers a line of pet odor and cleaning products that tackle strong pet odors and stains on carpet, furniture, rugs, tile, hardwood floors, concrete, and turf. They also offer a Stain Sniper black light to detect dry and invisible stains with lingering odors. Find the expanded product line on Walmart.com or the new 20-oz ready-to-use pet odor eliminator in Walmart stores this month. About Thrasio Thrasio is the next-generation consumer goods company reimagining how the world's most-loved online marketplace products become accessible to everyone. We use a deep understanding of rankings, ratings, and reviews to identify and acquire quality brands selling beloved goods. Then we apply data science, logistical expertise, marketing smarts, and more to expand product lines and help them reach customers around the globe. With every brand we grow, item listing we improve, or product we develop, our goal is to help people everywhere make the most of every moment. We estimate that 1 in 6 US homes has purchased a Thrasio product. Our portfolio includes Angry Orange pet odor eliminators and stain removers , Wise Owl Outfitters camping and outdoor gear , and more than 200 other Amazon and ecommerce brands . In an internet-sized sea of choices, we ensure what gets delivered to your door delivers. Thrasio was cofounded in 2018 by Joshua Silberstein. thrasio.com . How Goods Become Great SOURCE Thrasio OMAHA, Neb., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Travelex Insurance Services Inc., a leading travel insurance provider in North America, announced it is launching a program to support the company's partners in their marketing efforts: integrated marketing campaign materials delivered quarterly, starting today. Travelex President and CEO Shannon Lofdahl said the company's partners of all sizes have expressed the need for cohesive marketing materials they can use to effectively market travel insurance. "Often, we hear that time and budget resources are challenges for our partners," Lofdahl said. "And the expense associated with developing creative assets can be costly, particularly for small businesses. "We see this as an opportunity to leverage our team of talented, nimble marketers and provide our partners added value while saving them money," Lofdahl said. The amount is significant. At current ad agency rates for concepting, copywriting, design work, and photo licenses, the value of the integrated campaign materials Travelex is several thousand dollars each quarter. Partners will receive digital display ads in multiple sizes; print ads, color and black-and-white; a social media content calendar and graphics for regular posts; and an article and coordinating photo that partners can distribute to their client lists. "Businesses know they need to advertise, but it's costly," Lofdahl said, "and the expense of an ad agency or freelancer to develop the creative assets increases the cost. "Travelex has a team of highly skilled marketers right here, and they can help our partners," Lofdahl continued. "These integrated campaigns differentiate Travelex among our competitors, but most importantly, they are one more way we can deliver the outstanding customer service our partners know us for." About Travelex Insurance Services For more than 25 years, Travelex Insurance Services has been a leading U.S. provider of travel insurance. As a premier partner to the travel industry, Travelex offers an array of products designed to help travelers create and protect the moments that matter most while they explore the world. We are part of the Zurich family of global brands and a woman-led organization that appreciates diversity. Guided by our values, we are optimistic, caring and reliable. With forward thinking, determination and a sense of togetherness, we help travelers dream, explore, and travel on. Learn more at TravelexInsurance.com. Contact: Amy Goldyn P: +1-402-880-7481 E: [email protected] SOURCE Travelex Insurance Services LOUISIANA HEADQUARTERS WILL CREATE 141 NEW DIRECT JOBS OVER 5 YEARS NEW ORLEANS, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- United Utility Services, a leading specialty utility services company, announced it is establishing its national headquarters in New Orleans, which is expected to create up to 141 new direct jobs in the area over the next five years with nearly $13 million in total annual payroll. United Utility, a portfolio company of Louisiana-based Bernhard Capital Partners, has rapidly expanded in recent years with key acquisitions to build a best-in-class platform of providers in the power transmission and distribution sectors. With this growth, Company leadership decided to base its operations in New Orleanswithin the First Bank and Trust Tower at 909 Poydras St.to build on its growing presence and key relationships in Louisiana. The New Orleans headquarters will not impact other United Utility office operations and staff across the country. Regional offices in North Carolina and Florida will remain critical to overall operations, and employees will not be required to relocate. "As our Company expands, the need arose to establish our headquarters in a location that is easily accessible from existing regional offices and is in close proximity to complementary services and partners," United Utility CEO Ali Azad said. "New Orleans is an ideal location for our Company to build a prominent presence within a regional economy that leads innovation in the utility and energy sector, and within an area that is already home to key partners, including Entergy." United Utility moved into the new offices in early 2023 and is currently recruiting staff. The estimated 141 new jobs to be filled over the next five years will have an average annual salary of nearly $96,000. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in another 167 new indirect jobs, for a total of 308 new jobs in the Southeast Region. This builds upon the growing economic impact BCP and its portfolio companies have had in Louisiana. The new United Utility jobs come in addition to more than 6,000 Louisiana jobs BCP and its companies already support, along with over $1 billion in investments made in the state. "Bernhard Capital Partners is committed to creating Louisiana jobs and taking advantage of the great potential our state has for economic growth in this industry," said BCP Managing Director Jonathan deLaureal. "Having United Utility's headquarters in our home state brings greater opportunities for collaboration with our team at BCP and other related portfolio companies, leading to more strategic and innovative utility solutions for communities across the nation." Based on its recent acquisitions and organic growth, United Utility is positioned to be one of the top 10 specialty contracting firms serving the utility market based on the latest ENR rankings. "Once again, a growing national company has chosen to locate its corporate headquarters in Louisiana and create good-paying jobs in our state," Gov. John Bel Edwards said. "That is a powerful testament to the strength of our business climate and quality of life. Louisiana has the skilled workforce that United Utility needs. This project will benefit Louisiana consumers, workers and infrastructure for years to come." ABOUT UNITED UTILITY United Utility, a Bernhard Capital Partners portfolio company, is a fully integrated utility services company focused on building a platform of providers with specialized, industry-leading expertise in overhead and underground power transmission and distribution, substation, relay system, fiber optics communication and storm recovery services. The Company was established in 2018 through the acquisition of W.A. Chester and has grown to include additional brands and services. In 2020, United Utility acquired B&B Electrical & Utility Contractors, a comprehensive electrical contractor serving the southeast U.S. In 2021, the Company also acquired a minority investment in Baton Rouge-based E.P. Breaux Utility Services and later acquired Williams Electric Company, an overhead and underground power distribution contractor serving North and South Carolina. In 2023, United Utility acquired BHI Power Delivery, an industry-leading specialty utility transmission and distribution services provider. For more information, visit unitedutility.com. ABOUT BERNHARD CAPITAL PARTNERS Bernhard Capital Partners is a services and infrastructure-focused private equity management firm established in 2013. Bernhard Capital Partners has deployed capital in four funds across several strategies and has approximately $3 billion of gross assets under management. Bernhard Capital Partners seeks to create sustainable value by leveraging its experience in acquiring, operating, and growing services and infrastructure businesses. For more information, visit www.BernhardCapital.com. MEDIA CONTACT Annie Landry, Emergent Method [email protected] 225.372.5102 SOURCE United Utility Services WASHINGTON, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) has joined the prestigious ranks of Universities Space Research Association (USRA), a non-profit organization chartered to advance space-related science, technology, and engineering. Elected by USRA's current university members, IIST was formally inaugurated into the Association on March 24, 2023, bringing the membership of the Association to a total of 117 universities. The eligibility criteria for USRA membership includes demonstrated significant contributions in space or aerospace research by faculty, and a substantial commitment to a course of studies and dissertation research leading to the doctorate in one or more related fields. Members participate in the governance and operations of USRA through the election of members to the USRA Board of Trustees, the establishment of the Association's bylaws, and other activities. IIST is a premier institute in India dedicated to the study of space science and technology. It is the only Indian institute equipped to offer the whole spectrum of undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs in different branches of space science and engineering. With 480 undergraduates, 550 graduate students, and 100 faculty in seven academic departments and Centers of Excellence, IIST boasts of many international collaborations including student satellite projects. Dr. Jeffrey A. Isaacson, USRA's President and CEO, said, "We are very pleased to welcome the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology to USRA membership. The Institute's outstanding work adds to the collective strength of our Association, and we look forward to IIST's active engagement with, and contributions to, USRA's Council of Institutions." Research at IIST is built around a robust framework of strong interdisciplinary and collaborative activities both within in-house departments, across the various centers of the Indian Space Research Organization, and with other renowned national and international institutes. IIST's faculty is well regarded in fields of Aerospace Engineering, Avionics, Chemistry, Earth and Space Sciences, Human Health in Space, and Space Economics. Interdisciplinary and collaborative activities include topics such as advanced propulsion, aerospace structures, applied and adaptive optics, astronomy and astrophysics, atomic and molecular physics, electrical propulsion, nanoscience and nanotechnology, nonlinear dynamic, electronic power systems, astrobiology, AI data analytics, machine learning, material science, planetary geophysics, quantum computing, and data security. About USRA Founded in 1969, under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences at the request of the U.S. Government, the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) is a nonprofit corporation chartered to advance space-related science, technology, and engineering. USRA operates scientific institutes and facilities and conducts other major research and educational programs. USRA engages the university community and employs in-house scientific leadership, innovative research and development, and project management expertise. More information about USRA is available at www.usra.edu. 2022 Universities Space Research Association 425 3rd Street SW, Suite 950, Washington DC, 20024 About IIST IIST is a premier institute in India dedicated to the study of space science and technology. Located at Valiamala, Nedumangad, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, it the first university in Asia to be solely dedicated to the study and research of outer space. In its 16th year of existence, IIST is envisioned to be a world-class educational and research institution contributing significantly to space endeavors. PR Contact: Suraiya Farukhi, Ph.D. [email protected] 443-812-6945 SOURCE Universities Space Research Association The Honorable Carlton W. Reeves, of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, issued a poetic and prophetic order rejecting the City of Jackson's and the State of Mississippi's attempts to dismiss lawsuits filed by Levy Konigsberg on behalf of thousands of lead poisoned children. NEW YORK, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 23, 2023, Judge Carlton Reeves largely denied motions by the City of Jackson and the State of Mississippi to dismiss Plaintiffs' claims related to the ongoing Jackson Water Crisis. The Jackson Water Crisis involves the lead poisoning of thousands of children, based on terrible governmental policies, lack of oversight, and the help of at least one private entity. Plaintiffs' lawsuits seek justice for the decades of neglect that led the community to today's crisis. As Judge Reeves aptly summarized in his order: The Mississippians who brought this suit are children who have relied upon Jackson's water all their lives. Far from sustaining life, they say, Jackson's water shortens it: the lead-contaminated water that flows through Jackson's pipes has poisoned their bodies and impeded their development. Worse, they continue, City and State officials have been deliberately indifferent to their plight. The City of Jackson's response? That its officials' claims of safety weren't technically lies, but, even if they were, the City "did not compel [the Plaintiffs] to drink water." Case 3:21-cv-00663-CWR-LGI Document 135 at 3. Leading these Mississippians in their journey for justice are water contamination attorneys from Levy Konigsberg LLPa nationwide law firm that focuses on complex and high-stakes litigation. The water litigation department of Levy Konigsberg is known for its work in litigating the Flint Water Crisis in Michigan. In Flint, Attorney Corey Stern and his team brought lawsuits against the City of Flint, the State of Michigan, and private engineering firms Lockwood Andrews & Newnam and Veolia North America for their roles in the catastrophic mishandling of the community's water systems. The result: a 626 million dollar settlement with the City and State and an ongoing litigation against the private entities that contributed to the crisis and against the Environmental Protection Agency for its role in prolonging the crisis. In Jackson, the lawsuits originate from the City's and State's decade-long history of ignoring warnings of unsafe lead levels in the public drinking water. The complaints explain that Jackson residents were exposed to terribly unsafe lead levels due to the City's', State's, and private actors' slow, inadequate, and dishonest reactions at every turn, in conjunction with the botched distribution of water to residents of Jackson. Based on this conduct, Stern and his team brought federal constitutional claims and state law negligence claims against the City and the Mississippi Department of Health ("MSDH") and their employees, as well as negligence claims against a private entity, Trilogy Engineering. The City and State moved to dismiss all claims against them, continuing their pattern and practice of blame shifting. In response, Judge Reeves ruled that the lawsuits could proceed because Plaintiffs sufficiently pleaded that the City deprived the children of their constitutional right to bodily integrity, and that the MSDH could be held liable under the Mississippi Tort Claims Act. Judge Reeves also ruled that Plaintiffs could proceed on state law negligence claims against the City. What does this mean? This means that the Mississippians legal claims are alive and well and that the actors responsible for the Jackson Water Crisis are one step closer to answering for their utter ineptness. Stern, speaking from experience, explains the import of the children's claims: "Lead poisoning is dangerous for everyone, but lead exposure is particularly unsafe for children, who can become chronically ill or suffer permanent developmental and cognitive deficits." Individuals that have been exposed to unsafe drinking water in Jackson or who have been negatively impacted by the City and State's failure to adequately address the water issues, can learn more about pursuing a lawsuit and contact Levy Konigsberg by visiting www.levylaw.com. Judge Carlton Reeves' recent order allowing the law suits to proceed can be found by clicking here. Media Contact: Corey Stern Email: [email protected] SOURCE Levy Konigsberg NEW YORK, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Veterinary Eye Center of NYC will be providing local service and working animals with free eye exams this May as part of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO) 14th National Service Animal Eye Exam Event, sponsored by Epicur Pharma. The event will bring together more than 260 board-certified ACVO Diplomates across approximately 200 cities in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, and Hong Kong to provide free eye exams to service and working animals in May. The goal of the National Service Animal Eye Exam Event is to provide as many free screening exams as possible to eligible Service and Working Animals. The following types of working or service animals may qualify: guide, handicapped assistance, detection, military, search and rescue, and current, registered therapy animals all of which selflessly serve the public. Since the event was founded in 2008, there have been approximately 76,000 free examinations provided to service and working animals. HOW TO REGISTER FOR THE 2023 EVENT: For qualification requirements and to learn more about what to expect during the exam, please visit acvoeyeexam.org/qualifications-expectations . Registration for qualified service animals will be open from April 1st, 2023 April 30th, 2023. Veterinary Eye Center of NYC requires participants to meet all event qualifications, pre-register at ACVO.org, then provide the assigned registration number over the phone when making an appointment. Times may vary depending on the facility and are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so owners/handlers are encouraged to register and make appointments early. About the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists The American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO) is an approved veterinary specialty organization of the American Board of Veterinary Specialties and is recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association. For more information, please visit www.ACVO.org . About Veterinary Eye Center of NYC The Veterinary Eye Center of NYC (VEC NYC) is New York City's first veterinary clinic dedicated to ophthalmology. With locations in Manhattan and Long Island City, Queens, VEC NYC is proud to provide the best eye care to the pets of New York City and the surrounding area. For more information, visit www.vecnyc.com . SOURCE Veterinary Eye Center of NYC The tea-themed campaign will promote the best in Britain and offer something for every type of traveler DUBAI, UAE, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Wego, the largest online travel marketplace in MENA, teamed up with VisitBritain, Britain's National Tourism Agency, to launch an exciting new campaign aimed at attracting more travelers from the GCC to Britain. London The "Spill the Tea" awareness co-marketing campaign, which runs until June 2023, seeks to showcase Britain's unique blend of activities and attractions, culture, and modernity, enticing travelers to explore the country's iconic landmarks and hidden gems. It will be broadcast across a mix of channels ranging from short films and co-branded content across social media including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube to digital display advertising, radio and VOD and AOD platforms. Mamoun Hmedan, Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director, Middle East, North Africa (MENA) and India of Wego, said: "Building on the success of the previous campaigns, we're delighted to partner with VisitBritain for the seventh year. By leveraging Wego's data driven insights and Britain's diversified offerings, we were able to create customized travel experiences that resonate with GCC travelers. We look forward to inspiring even more travelers to explore this must-see destination." Through this collaboration, VisitBritain and Wego will inspire travelers to book a trip to Britain and create unforgettable memories. VisitBritain's Interim Deputy Director Carol Maddison said: "The GCC is a very important tourism market for Britain and we are delighted to be running this dedicated campaign in partnership with Wego. By tapping into motivations for travel now and telling the story of our vibrant and varied destinations we want to inspire visitors from the GCC to discover more of Great Britain, stay longer and to explore year-round." The tea-themed campaign includes video commercials and dedicated websites in both Arabic and English and it emphasizes Britain as a welcoming, dynamic, exciting and inclusive destination in the multi-media advertising campaign called "Spilling the Tea on Great Britain." Using Britain's love of tea, VisitBritain has shaped a story about the new and exciting experiences on offer, from adrenaline filled coastal and countryside adventures to iconic summer festivals, from street food tours to street art tours to afternoon teas with a magical twist, showing visitors that "whatever your cup of tea," Britain has got it. About Wego Wego provides award-winning travel search websites and top-ranked mobile apps for travelers living in the Asia Pacific and the Middle East regions. Wego harnesses powerful yet simple to use technology that automates the process of searching and comparing results from hundreds of airlines, hotels, and online travel agency websites. Wego presents an unbiased comparison of all travel products and prices offered in the marketplace by merchants, both local and global, and enables shoppers to quickly find the best deal and place to book whether it is from an airline or hotel directly or with a third-party aggregator website. Wego was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Dubai and Singapore with regional operations in Bangalore, Jakarta and Cairo. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2047299/Wego_London.jpg SOURCE Wego HOLMDEL, N.J., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Vonage , a global leader in cloud communications helping businesses accelerate their digital transformation, has been positioned as a Leader by Opus Research in the company's Conversational Cloud report. In this inaugural Conversational Cloud Intelliview report, Opus Research a diversified advisory and analysis firm providing critical insight on software and services that support multimodal customer care identifies and evaluates platforms offered by select Conversational Cloud players and solutions providers. The guide is meant to serve as a valuable resource for decision-makers evaluating options for adding conversational AI to their cloud-based IT infrastructure to meet clearly defined and measurable business outcomes. "As the migration of IT and contact center resources to cloud-based resources accelerates, a new consumption model is taking shape for employing Conversational AI to improve customer experience, employee productivity, operational efficiencies and business profitability," said Dan Miller, Lead Analyst and Founder, Opus Research. "Vonage is well placed as a leader in this shifting landscape thanks to the comprehensive, flexible Vonage Communications Platform (VCP). From low code/no code tools to virtual assistants and connected call flows powered by APIs, Vonage offers businesses the ability to enhance both customer and employee engagement through Conversational AI across contact centers and unified communications solutions." Opus Research uses the Conversational Cloud concept to capture the consumption model enterprises pursue to leverage the power of cloud resources to improve customer experience and employee productivity. Opus' research showed that enterprises take a holistic approach to AI-informed IT investment, employing real-time analytics and understanding to derive conversational intelligence or insights that inform self-service resources, contact center infrastructure, and enterprise knowledge bases with rich data, metadata and insights. Opus estimates that businesses around the world spent roughly $65 billion on cloud-based services that leverage Conversational AI in 2022. Opus Research places Vonage in the "Leaders" category for the completeness of the Company's Conversational Cloud services, functions and features, as well as the flexibility, support and reliability offered to customers. The report also notes the variety of conversational AI solutions and features offered across the full Vonage Communications Platform (VCP) from Vonage Contact Center (VCC) and Conversation Analyzer to virtual assistants powered by Communications APIs and AI Studio . "The demand for enhanced engagement with customers and employees continues to grow, and businesses will need to integrate conversational AI capabilities into a number of workflows, applications, and channels," said Savinay Berry, EVP, Product & Engineering for Vonage. "We are excited to be recognized as a Conversational Cloud Leader by Opus Research for providing customers with comprehensive intelligent cloud capabilities that are helping them to advance the connections, conversations and engagement they have with their own customers to drive exceptional experiences and greater brand loyalty. " Download the Opus Research report. About Vonage Vonage , a global cloud communications leader, helps businesses accelerate their digital transformation. Vonage's Communications Platform is fully programmable and allows for the integration of Video, Voice, Chat, Messaging, AI and Verification into existing products, workflows and systems. The Vonage conversational commerce application enables businesses to create AI-powered omnichannel experiences that boost sales and increase customer satisfaction. Vonage's fully programmable unified communications, contact center and conversational commerce applications are built from the Vonage platform and enable companies to transform how they communicate and operate from the office or remotely - providing the flexibility required to create meaningful engagements. Vonage is headquartered in New Jersey, with offices throughout the United States, Europe, Israel and Asia and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ericsson. To follow Vonage on Twitter, please visit www.twitter.com/vonage . To become a fan on Facebook, go to facebook.com/vonage . To subscribe on YouTube, visit youtube.com/vonage . SOURCE Vonage WESTERLY, R.I., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Washington Trust Company is pleased to announce the recent promotions of four senior managers to executive vice president: Anthony Botelho , Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Lending Officer: Tony leads Washington Trust's Commercial and Industrial Lending and Cash Management groups. He joined Washington Trust in 2021 with more than 35 years of expertise in relationship management, private banking, commercial real estate, and market development, most recently as President & CEO of Freedom National Bank based in Greenville, R.I. A Rhode Island resident, Tony serves on the Board of Directors at the United Way of Rhode Island . He formerly served on the Board of Directors of the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce and is a past President of the Rhode Island Bankers Association. , Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Lending Officer: Tony leads Washington Trust's Commercial and Industrial Lending and Cash Management groups. He joined Washington Trust in 2021 with more than 35 years of expertise in relationship management, private banking, commercial real estate, and market development, most recently as President & CEO of Freedom National Bank based in A resident, Tony serves on the Board of Directors at the United Way of . He formerly served on the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce and is a past President of the Rhode Island Bankers Association. Elizabeth Boyle Eckel , Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing & Corporate Communications Officer: Beth joined Washington Trust in 1991 and has more than 30 years of professional marketing experience. She is responsible for developing marketing and brand strategy for the Bank and its subsidiaries, as well as investor relations activities with the shareholder and investment communities. She is also responsible for oversight of oversees the Bank's community relations, including the Bank's signature Peanut Butter Drive and its national Points of Light award-winning employee volunteerism program. Beth is a graduate of Leadership Rhode Island's Alpha II Class of 2005, and currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Nonviolence Institute, is a member of the Cox Charitable Foundation Committee, and an advisory member of the Domestic Violence Resource Center of South County. She is a graduate and active member of the ABA's Bank Marketing Association. , Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing & Corporate Communications Officer: Beth joined Washington Trust in 1991 and has more than 30 years of professional marketing experience. She is responsible for developing marketing and brand strategy for the Bank and its subsidiaries, as well as investor relations activities with the shareholder and investment communities. She is also responsible for oversight of oversees the Bank's community relations, including the Bank's signature Peanut Butter Drive and its national Points of Light award-winning employee volunteerism program. Beth is a graduate of Leadership Rhode Island's Alpha II Class of 2005, and currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Nonviolence Institute, is a member of the Cox Charitable Foundation Committee, and an advisory member of the Domestic Violence Resource Center of South County. She is a graduate and active member of the ABA's Bank Marketing Association. James A. Mignone , Executive Vice President, Chief Information Officer: Jim leads Washington Trust's bank operations and technology teams with more than 35 years' experience in the financial, technology auditing, and banking industries. Prior to joining the Bank in 2016, he served as vice president, corporate information security at State Street Corporation and senior vice president of information risk at Citizens Bank. A Rhode Island resident, Jim is a long-time volunteer and supporter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and is a past Board and Committee member of the Barrington Christian Academy, League of Women Voters, and The Music School. , Executive Vice President, Chief Information Officer: Jim leads Washington Trust's bank operations and technology teams with more than 35 years' experience in the financial, technology auditing, and banking industries. Prior to joining the Bank in 2016, he served as vice president, corporate information security at State Street Corporation and senior vice president of information risk at Citizens Bank. A resident, Jim is a long-time volunteer and supporter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and is a past Board and Committee member of the Barrington Christian Academy, League of Women Voters, and The Music School. Julia Anne M. Slom , Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Real Estate Lending Officer: Julia Anne leads Washington Trust's Commercial Real Estate (CRE) and Small Business Lending Groups. She is credited with developing the Bank's CRE Group in 2013 and oversees the retention and growth of its loan portfolio, as well as outreach, support, and loan development for small businesses throughout the Bank's market area. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Grow Smart RI and the Board of Trustees for Trinity Repertory Company, where she is also on the Finance and Facilities Committees. Julia Anne is also a member of the Advisory Board for LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation) and its related Credit Committee, as a member of Christ the King Parish's Finance Council and on the Advisory Board for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Providence and East Bay. Julia Anne is also a member of The Providence Foundation, REFA (Real Estate Finance Association), NAIOP (National Association of Industrial and Office Properties) and Risk Management Association (RMA). She is an active member of the Boston Chapter of Commercial Women in Real Estate (CREW) and is also a member of the American Bankers Association (ABA) where she serves on the Commercial Real Estate Lending Committee. ABOUT WASHINGTON TRUST Founded in 1800, Washington Trust is the oldest community bank in the nation and one of the Northeast's premier financial services companies. Washington Trust offers a full range of financial services, including commercial banking, mortgage banking, personal banking and wealth management and trust services through its offices located in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts. The Washington Trust Company is a subsidiary of Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc., (NASDAQ: WASH). Additional information on Washington Trust can be found at washtrust.com. SOURCE The Washington Trust Company BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. We discussed the specific issue of future cooperation, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said, making a joint press statement with President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, Trend reports. "Emomali Sharifovich has covered all topics of the talks. I think we have held very productive talks. Both in a tete-a-tete conversation and at the meeting in an expanded format with the participation of delegations, we discussed the specific issue of future cooperation. In all the areas that Emomali Sharifovich has mentioned, we have a clear idea of how to move forward. In the transport and logistical sector, specific instructions have been given, as indeed on issues related to industrial cooperation and investment projects. We are ready to seriously consider investment projects in Tajikistan, because, firstly, Tajikistan is a close country, and secondly, a stable state. Investments go only to countries where there is stability and a good investment environment. The fact that many foreign companies are actively investing in Tajikistan means that investments, including foreign, are protected by the state," President Ilham Aliyev said. SAO PAULO, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 4Equity - Media Ventures, an independent media for equity company, launches a R$500 million authorized capital Participations Investment Fund (FIP) in Brazil. The company, founded by Felipe Hatab, Renato Mendes, Eduardo Loureiro and David Halaban, allows post series-A B2C, B2B2C, or D2C startups, to exchange equity for access to premium advertising space, taking advantage of partnerships built by 4Equity - Media Ventures with relevant players in the Brazilian advertising market. 4Equity Media Ventures founding team The launch of 4Equity - Media Ventures reinforces the relevance of the media for equity market, which is still relatively unexplored. According to the 2022 -2023 State of Global Media for Growth Funding survey conducted by mediaforgrowth, startups that position themselves in relevant media spaces raise, on average, three times more money; accelerate 32 times faster than non-exposed ones, and reach IPOs 2 years and 8 months faster than companies invested only by traditional venture capital funding, yet the model is still very new in Brazil. The business model allows the startups to access different media outlets partnered with 4Equity, with the aim of accelerating its growth and improving brand awareness. "We offer quality spaces for advertising without draining cash, gaining equity in exchange. Marketing is expensive and is among the main cost lines for those accelerating growth," says Felipe Hatab, CEO, and founder of the company. Felipe believes that this is an opportunity market for media outlets and influencers in Brazil. "In addition to becoming partners of the startups, they open themselves to a new source of revenue," he adds. 4Equity - Media Ventures does not work with unwanted spaces: "The strategy is designed to deliver only relevant media to the founders - our company only gains when the startups grow to a higher value than when the fund invested," concludes Felipe. According to Renato Mendes, founder and CIO, 4equity arrives to break paradigms and facilitate the acceleration of startups. "In times of uncertainty and risk aversion, many startups have difficulty raising capital - in this scenario, marketing is easily cut. Media for equity comes as an advantageous alternative to continue positioning and growth actions," he evaluates. 4Equity - Media Ventures is the first independent Latin American company to offer this business model to Brazilian startups. The expectation is to have 10 invested startups in 2023 and reach 30 by 2026. Currently, 4Equity - Media Ventures has two partner companies and should close two deals in the second quarter. If you're interested in learning more you can access 4Equity.com.br Contact: Dayana Lima +55 11 98181-8258 SOURCE 4Equity Culinary Culture and The Leela Palace New Delhi will host Osteria Francescana's maiden pop-up in the capital with two special dinners on 21st and 22nd April 2023 NEW DELHI, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Indian gourmets, Culinary Culture and The Leela Palace New Delhi present Osteria Francescana, rated as the Two-Time World No.1 restaurant by the World's 50 Best Restaurants and helmed by celebrity chef and philanthropist Massimo Bottura. Bottura and his team will travel to New Delhi for the first time to re-create the magic of their Three Michelin starred restaurant from Modena, Italy at the Leela Palace New Delhi on 21st & 22nd April 2023. Chef Massimo Bottura to host Osteria Francescanas maiden pop-up at The Leela Palace New Delhi Massimo Bottura, the Italian maestro chef, widely known for his innovative approach to Italian cuisine was included as part of Time Magazine's World's 100 most influential people list and is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). A key ingredient in Massimo's food is the underlying social and environmental consciousness imbued in every dish he serves. As founder of Non-Profit organization called 'Food for Soul', Bottura leverages his global platform to advocate for reduction of food waste and protecting the environment and biodiversity through sustainable cooking practices and ingredient sourcing. His commitment to sustainability echoes the eco-aware values championed by The Leela. Osteria Francescana, the 12 table restaurant he started in Modena in 1995, is widely recognised as one of the most difficult restaurant reservations in the world with waiting list than goes into the thousands. The restaurant was awarded the title of 'The World's Best Restaurant' on two occasions in 2016 and 2018 by the World's 50 Best Restaurants. The special menu created for New Delhi will feature vegetarian and non-vegetarian renditions of Bottura's signature and most iconic dishes such as 'Oops I Dropped the Lemon Tart', 'The Crunchy Part of the Lasagne' and 'Psychedelic Cod Not Flame Grilled' amongst others. In the lead up to the dinners, Bottura will also host an invite-only interactive session, where he will be in conversation with Vir Sanghvi, India's leading food authority. Commenting on this collaboration, Mr. Anupam Dasgupta, General Manager The Leela Palace New Delhi said, "Food has long served as a bridge between many nations, cultures, and people. At The Leela, we are committed to elevating our guests' experiences by integrating thoughtful experiences that resonate with our guests' passions. We are delighted to collaborate with Culinary Culture to bring Chef Massimo to the city and it is our privilege and honour to host him at The Leela Palace New Delhi. We look forward to the magical epicurean delight that Chef Massimo will curate and are excited to watch it unfold." Raaj Sanghvi, CEO, Culinary Culture added, "It's an honour to have Massimo and his team back with us in India. His dinners in Mumbai sold-out within minutes and we are anticipating an even greater response in Delhi. Bottura is much more than a chef, he is a global inspiration and uses his platform and stature to bring about positive changes in the world. At Culinary Culture our mission is to bring the best of the world to India and we are grateful to our partners The Leela Hotels and Diageo who have made this possible." Chef Massimo Bottura shared his excitement and said, "Namaste India, I can't wait to be back in your beautiful country very very soon! I'm bringing my team from Osteria Francescana in Modena to cook two amazing meals in New Delhi in partnership with Culinary Culture and The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts. We are preparing a beautiful menu and I can't wait to be back in India and give everyone a warm hug!" During his last visit to India, Bottura wowed lucky diners in Mumbai with his spectacular rendition of Osteria Francescana and now Delhi can experience the genius of the world's greatest chef. With very limited seats available, guests are advised to reserve their experience for this extraordinary event priced at INR 55,555 plus taxes per person, to be held on 21st and 22nd April 2023. To reserve your experience and for more information, contact: [email protected] [email protected] About The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts Headquartered in Mumbai, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts is owned by a Brookfield Asset Management-sponsored private real estate fund and operates eleven award-winning properties in major cities and leisure destinations across India. These include the flagship hotel in the capital city of New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Udaipur, Jaipur, Gurugram, East Delhi, Mumbai, Gandhinagar and now Kovalam. The Leela celebrates each hotel through its unique location, art, culture and cuisine with thoughtful services, celebratory rituals, and immersive experiences. The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts was voted the World's Best Hotel Brand twice in a row by Travel + Leisure, USA, World's Best Awards Survey, 2020 and 2021. The brand is well poised to embrace the next phase in its growth trajectory with upcoming projects which includes a leisure resort in Ashtamudi in Kerala. An epitome of true Indian luxury hospitality, The Leela is committed to providing guests with unforgettable stays in settings that capture the essence of India. The brand has a marketing alliance with US-based Preferred Hotels & Resorts and is a member of the Global Hotel Alliance. Website: www.theleela.com | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theleela/ About Culinary Culture Founded in 2019 by Sameer Sain, Co-founder and CEO of the Everstone Group and Vir Sanghvi, India's leading food authority, Culinary Culture is a movement that encompasses all aspects of the food space in India. It is the country's only authoritative, independent rating organisation, awarding stars to restaurants. It also recognises and rewards India's best chefs and street food artists. It organises global culinary exchanges, bringing the world's greatest chefs to cook in India and sending Indian chefs to cook at the best restaurants in the world. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/culinarycultureco/ Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2048170/Chef_Massimo_Bottura.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1441809/3919567/The_Leela_Logo.jpg SOURCE The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts Leading U.S. edibles brand launches new CBC product across the nation CLACKAMAS, Ore., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Wyld, one of the top five cannabis brands in the U.S., known for their best-selling cannabis infused edibles, is expanding their product line with a Sativa-enhanced blood orange gummy containing both THC and CBC. The introduction of the blood orange gummy into Wyld's line up brings the total number of flavors to 11: elderberry, huckleberry, marionberry, raspberry, pomegranate, peach, pear, strawberry, sour cherry, sour apple, and now, blood orange. Like all of Wyld's products, the newest addition is made with real fruit flavors, high quality ingredients, and consistent dosing for a reliable consumer experience. The blood orange gummy is Wyld's first to be made with cannabichromene, more commonly called CBC. One of the "Big 6 Cannabinoids," CBC is naturally occurring and found in the early stages of the cannabis maturation cycle, stemming from the all-important CBG. Known for its potentially mood boosting and euphoric effects, CBC acts on specific receptors in the brain to support the activity of the endocannabinoid called anandamide. The word anandamide is rooted in the Sanskrit word ananda, meaning bliss or happiness, which has led to anandamide sometimes being referred to as the "bliss molecule." "At Wyld we are constantly looking to innovate and try different things," said Wyld CEO and co-founder Aaron Morris. "CBC gummies, like our CBG, CBN, and CBD ratio gummies, are a perfect addition to our product line up. I'm excited for people to experience something new with Wyld THC:CBC gummies." Blood Orange THC:CBC 1:1 Sativa-enhanced gummies will be available in the US and Canada this Spring. Check Wyld's location mapper or your local retailer. In addition to Wyld's commitment to producing innovative, high-quality gummies, the company is dedicated to creating a more sustainable world for both people and the planet. Wyld is Climate Neutral Certified and works with local and national partners, including BIPOCANN, One Tree Planted, and others, to support and uplift their work. Wyld plans to roll out fully compostable packaging this year with the goal of transitioning to fully compostable packaging in all markets by 2024. The introduction of this new product follows Wyld's launch of their newest brand of solventless hash rosin gummies, Good Tide, and their expansion into Illinois. For more information regarding Wyld's products, availability, and sustainability initiatives visit www.wyldcanna.com. About Wyld Founded in 2016, Wyld is the best-selling cannabis edibles brand in the U.S. and fastest growing edibles brand in Canada. Using high quality ingredients, a variety of cannabinoid profiles, and trusted dosing, Wyld creates the best tasting gummies on the market and does it sustainably. Wyld is the first cannabis brand to be Climate Neutral Certified. For more information, please visit https://wyldcanna.com/ or https://wyldcanna.ca/. About Wyld Family of Brands Headquartered in the Pacific Northwest, the Wyld family of brands includes Wyld, the #1 cannabis edibles brand in the US and fastest growing edibles brand in Canada; Wyld CBD, a leading brand in the CBD ingestibles category in the US natural grocery market; and Good Tide, a newly launched line of solventless hash rosin gummies in tropical flavors. Wyld was founded in 2016, with Wyld CBD joining the family in 2019. Good Tide is Wyld's newest venture, established in 2022. Wyld is the first cannabis brand house to be Climate Neutral Certified and is committed to creating a more sustainable future. For more information, including where to purchase visit: Wyld US | Wyld Canada | Wyld CBD | Good Tide SOURCE Wyld SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ocean Front La Quinta Pedernales - Cabo Rojo is signed and approved and is expected to begin construction during the Fall of 2023 and open in the Summer of 2025. A direct result of Fairmont, S.R.L leadership, represented by Mr. Guillermo Estrella of Estrella & Tupete's belief in both the presidents Luis Abinader and Minister of Tourism David Collado's vision to develop the area. La Quinta by Wyndham in Pedernales-Cabo Rojo, Dominican Republic The Cabo Rojo area has plans to build 12,000 resort hotel rooms over the next ten years. "The Ocean Front La Quinta Pedernales Cabo Rojo adds value to the government's development plans, bringing the necessary hotel product that is usually forgotten in resort areas." Guillermo Estrella of Estrella and Tupete . The property emphasizes sustainable comfort that blends into the surroundings, native flora, and fauna, connecting guests with the beaches and environment. They are designed to house 110 rooms, a lobby bar with co-working spaces, a pool lounge, and a seaside restaurant and grill. Additionally, it is a family-focused hotel with many children's play areas and activities, family rooms for four, single and double bedrooms, and six suites. "The future hotel marks a milestone signing for the Wyndham Hotels brand. It welcomes a new and highly sought-after destination to its portfolio in the Dominican Republic with Grupo De Valle and its regional partners. " Edward De Valle II Chairman of Grupo De Valle II. About La Quinta by Wyndham Dominican Republic Fairmont, S.R.L, Grupo De Valle, Estrella, and Tupete, Wyndham Exclusive Development Partners, are currently constructing a La Quinta in Puerto Plata, scheduled to open in Fall 2024. In early March 2023, Grupo De Valle and Estrella & Tupete co-hosted a project announcement ceremony with Vice President of the Dominican Republic Raquel Pena to develop La Quinta San Francisco de Macoris region. For investment opportunities with Grupo De Valle - Dominican Republic, please get in touch with [email protected] or WhatsApp at +1-305-609-4367 CONTACT: Press Media Center / [email protected] Video - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IQiP88Btl6M SOURCE Grupo De Valle BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. Under the supervision of Azerbaijani doctors, resident of Armenian origin from Karabakh were safely taken to the hospital in Khankendi, Vilad Aliyev, a doctor at the Shusha Modular Hospital, told journalists, Trend reports. "We were informed about the deterioration of health of citizens passing through the territory under the temporary control of Russian peacekeepers. We immediately arrived at the scene with two ambulances. The condition of three out of four people was relatively severe," he said. As Vilad Aliyev said, Azerbaijani doctors provided first aid to residents of Karabakh of Armenian origin, whose health has deteriorated on the Lachin-Khankendi road. "I experienced extraordinary feelings from being in Khankendi. At the post, we talked to the Armenians in Azerbaijani. We saved the lives of Armenian patients. After handing them over to the hospital, we returned to Shusha," the doctor added. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. Raiding drills with the participation of ships of Azerbaijan's Naval Forces were held in the country's sector of the Caspian Sea in accordance with the approved training plan, Trend reports via the Defense Ministry. The main objectives of the drills are to organize the raid service, improve marine skills, and ensure interoperability between the ship crews. Previously, the Command-Staff Exercises were held in Azerbaijan's Naval Forces in September 2022. In accordance with the plan of the exercises, the ships, which were put on alert and left the port, anchored in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea and organized the protection of the energy infrastructure. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. The Acting Ministry of Health of Azerbaijan Teymur Musayev held a meeting with Nuno Queiros, the Acting Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Azerbaijan, Trend reports via the Ministry of Health of Azerbaijan. Welcoming the guests, Musayev pointed out that Azerbaijan fruitfully cooperates with various specialized UN structures, namely, the UNDP in a number of areas, as well as in the field of healthcare. Framework Document on Cooperation between the UN and Azerbaijan on Sustainable Development in 2021-2025 defines the strategic directions of bilateral relations. As a result of the implementation of the Fifth Framework Document, relations between the UN and Azerbaijan have reached the level of partnership," the acting minister said. "Ensuring universal coverage of health services in Azerbaijan, as well as increasing the resilience of Azerbaijani healthcare to pandemics and acute diseases, is one of the leading directions of our cooperation. Moreover, the projects carried out within Azerbaijan's successful partnership with the UN Development Program are essential to achieve Sustainable Development Goals," Musayev added. In turn, Acting Resident Representative of UNDP in Azerbaijan Nuno Queiros expressed hope for further successful development of cooperation. Furthermore, in recent years, important efforts have been made in Azerbaijan to transform the healthcare system. Queiros also expressed the readiness of the UNDP to assist in the establishment of medical institutions in the territories liberated from occupation during the 44-day Patriotic War of Azerbaijan. At the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on the implementation of new joint projects (improvement of health information systems, cooperation to strengthen primary health care, cooperation in the fight against infectious diseases) and on other issues of mutual interest. San Francisco, April 5 : Virgin Orbit, the rocket company founded by British billionaire Richard Branson, has filed for bankruptcy after announcing to lay off 85 per cent of its employees. The low Earth orbit launch company, spun out of Branson's Virgin Galactic, filed for bankruptcy protection with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). "On April 4, 2023, Virgin Orbit and its domestic subsidiaries commenced voluntary proceedings under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware," said the company in its filing. Virgin Orbit will now seek a sale of the entire company or its assets as possible resources to resolve its bankruptcy status. Virgin Orbit laid off nearly 85 per cent of its workforce -- about 675 employees -- after it failed to secure key funding. It has ceased operations "for the foreseeable future", its CEO Dan Hart told employees last week. "Unfortunately, we've not been able to secure the funding to provide a clear path for this company. We have no choice but to implement immediate and extremely painful changes," Hart told the employees. Branson founded Virgin Orbit in 2017 after spinning off from its sister company, Virgin Galactic. Virgin Orbit has been developing an air-launched rocket, dubbed LauncherOne, for launching small satellites to orbit. In January, its rocket carrying satellites into space suffered an "anomaly", abruptly ending the first foray into orbital launch from the UK territory. An investigation into that failed mission "is nearly complete and our next production rocket with the needed modification incorporated is in final stages of integration and test", a Virgin Orbit spokesperson said in a March statement. Lucknow, April 5 : Uttar Pradesh will soon have its first skin bank when the King George's Medical University (KGMU) opens one to facilitate the treatment of patients with burn injuries. The bank will save such patients from life-threatening situations. Prof Vijay Kumar, head of department of plastic surgery, said, "The infrastructure is ready. We have started the process to procure equipment and get a licence for the skin bank. All this will be completed in phases in a few weeks." A skin bank is a place where skin from a donor, mostly people who wish to donate organs after death, is harvested and preserved. The skin bank is a valuable resource in providing allograft skin as a cover for partial or full thickness burn injuries. "Our burns ward is occupied fully at any given time as the need for skin graft is increasing due to a rise in serious accidents. Once operational, the skin bank staff will coordinate with the families of brain-dead patients who are going for organ donation. Just as kidneys, liver, and cornea are obtained by a medical team, the skin will also be received and stored in temperature-controlled equipment after being lab tested," he said. The kidney and liver cannot be stored and hence, are transplanted within a few hours of obtaining them. Cornea and skin can be stored. "The skin will be provided to burn injury patients after matching the skin type. A skin graft not only helps in speedy recovery but also saves patients from further infection as it might happen in an open wound," said Prof Kumar. In many burns' patients, their own skin is obtained from the body portion where the skin is in good condition, and grafted to cover the wound and help in speedy healing. However, in several cases, a patient's body is burnt in such a manner that their own skin cannot be used. Here, skin banks will play a crucial role and provide skin to cover wounds. In deep burn injuries, covering the wound with a skin graft becomes significant as it allows the wound to heal faster. The skin bank is coming up in about 1,500 square feet area. "In the first phase, we will use cryoprotective glycerol to preserve skin for up to three weeks and then with the help of deep freezers, we plan to preserve the same for up to three months," said Prof Kumar. In India, he said, there are half a dozen skin banks but none in Uttar Pradesh. Talking about reasons for the failure of a skin graft from a donor, Prof Kumar said, "The graft provided with the harvested skin is rejected by the patient's body but by the time rejection takes place, a new layer of skin of the patient's own body starts developing, thereby, the deep wound healing is made possible." London, April 5 : Invites for the May 6 coronation of the UK's King Charles III have been issued by the Buckingham Palace. Along with the ornately illustrated invitation from "King Charles III and Queen Camilla", a new photograph of the royals which was taken last month in the Blue Drawing Room at the Buckingham Palace was also released on Tuesday. The invite, printed on recycled paper, shows the coronation will mark a change in how Camilla is titled -- from Queen Consort to Queen. In a statement, the Palace said the invitation will be issued in due course to over 2,000 guests who will form the congregation in Westminster Abbey. At the coronation service, Camilla will be crowned alongside the King, 18 years after the couple married. The invitation has been designed by Andrew Jamieson, a heraldic artist and manuscript illuminator whose work is inspired by the chivalric themes of Arthurian legend. The original artwork for the invitation was hand-painted in watercolour and gouache, and the design will be reproduced and printed on recycled card, with gold foil detailing. Central to the design is the motif of the Green Man, an ancient figure from British folklore, symbolic of spring and rebirth, to celebrate the new reign. The shape of the Green Man, crowned in natural foliage, is formed of leaves of oak, ivy and hawthorn, and the emblematic flowers of the UK. The British wildflower meadow bordering the invitation features lily of the valley, cornflowers, wild strawberries, dog roses, bluebells, and a sprig of rosemary for remembrance, together with wildlife including a bee, a butterfly, a ladybird, a wren and a robin. Flowers appear in groupings of three, signifying The King becoming the third monarch of his name, said the statement. A lion, unicorn and a boar -- taken from the coats of arms of the Monarch -- can be seen amongst the flowers. Seoul, April 5 : North Korea held a conference of its journalists' union for the first time in 22 years and urged its members to become "devoted spokespeople" of the ruling Workers' Party, Pyongyang's state media reported on Wednesday. The 9th conference of the Journalists Union of Korea took place in Pyongyang on Monday and Tuesday, joined by top state media officials, including Ri Chun-hee, the iconic news presenter for Korean Central TV, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The North last convened the union's conference in November 2001, long before the country's current leader Kim Jong-un took power in 2011, reports Yonhap News Agency. This week's conference could be intended to bolster the regime's propaganda efforts as it seeks to ward off foreign influences and battles with chronic food shortages, observers said. During the meeting, the chairman of the union's central committee called on its members to accept the policies and stance of the ruling party as the "absolute truth" and become its "devoted spokespeople" to lead the country's socialist construction, the KCNA said. The members unanimously voted to revise the union's rules, although the KCNA did not provide details on its content. They also elected a new chairman and vice chairman of the union's central committee. The KCNA said the conference served as an "important opportunity" to improve the country's work on publication and news reporting by establishing the ruling party's ideology on them as a "firm guideline". The North is known for being one of the worst countries for press freedom in the world, with its media outlets tightly controlled by the state. New Delhi, April 5 : Deepak Boxer, one of the most wanted gangsters in India who was arrested by a special cell team of Delhi Police in Mexico with the help of FBI, was brought here on Wednesday, officials said. The Special cell of the Delhi Police has lodged Boxer at its office in Janakpuri. Deepak Boxer had fled India to Mexico on a forged passport. Earlier, a team from the South West Range of the Special Cell went to Mexico to bring Deepak back to India with the help of the FBI. On Wednesday morning, Special Commissioner Police H.G.S. Dhaliwal, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Pramod Kushwaha, and other officers went to the Indira Gandhi International Airport where the special team landed from Mexico with Boxer. "The Delhi Police requested the Mexican administration to deport Deepak as soon as they discovered his presence in Mexico. The Indian Embassy in Mexico City collaborated with the Delhi Police, and a team of experienced field officers was dispatched to Mexico City to coordinate with the Embassy, Mexican authorities, police, and FBI to ensure Deepak's swift deportation before any legal challenges from his criminal network," said the official. As per Delhi Police, notorious gangster Deepak Pahal alias Boxer, a resident of Haryana's Sonipat, was wanted in 10 criminal cases, including murder, attempted murder, and under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, among others. Apart from this, Boxer was also handling the Jitender Gogi gang after his death. Gogi was killed in an encounter by his rivals that occurred in the Rohini court and he was also in touch with the members of Lawrence Bishnoi gang. "This is probably for the first time in the history of Delhi Police that a massive, multi-continent and joint police and administrative effort is bringing a dangerous fugitive back to India from Mexico," a senior police official told IANS. According to police, the operation was launched after the Delhi Police's Special Cell received a tip-off about Deepak Boxer's location. "... a case was registered against Boxer and his gang on March 16 this year in the Special Cell police station under which the present operation was carried out. In this case it was resolved that Boxer has to be traced and arrested from any corner of the world," Special Commissioner of Police, Special Cell, H.G.S. Dhaliwal said. Almost a month after extensive interrogation and technical procedures, it was revealed that the criminal had fled India on a fake passport and had made stops in several countries before finally reaching Mexico. Charleston : , April 5 (IANS) Paula Badosa, the No.12 seed delivered one of her cleanest performances of the year to defeat Mayar Sherif 6-3, 6-1 in the first round of the Charleston Open, here. The Charleston Open has historically been a happy hunting ground for Badosa. The Spaniard was a semifinalist in 2021, scoring her first win over a reigning World No.1 along the way with an upset of Ashleigh Barty, and a quarterfinalist in 2022. "It's impossible to forget. I was No.70 in the world, and this is where it all started," Badosa said. This year, Badosa arrives in Charleston seeking to arrest a slide down the rankings. Just under a year ago, she hit a career high of No.2; this week, she has fallen to No.29. But she was able to navigate the danger of Sherif's shotmaking with a consistent display. "I had a lot of days from Miami to here to practice," Badosa said wryly, referencing her third-round exit to Elena Rybakina in Florida. "So I really worked very hard. I'm playing well, I think. I hope it starts here again," he addee. Badosa will next face either former US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez or returning mother-of-two Evgeniya Rodina. Bengaluru, April 5 : A police complaint was lodged after Kannada superstar Kichcha Sudeep received letters threatening to release his private video, police sources said on Wednesday. The Puttenahalli police in Bengaluru have registered a case under IPC Sections 506 and 504 and launched an investigation for nabbing the culprits. The police are also mulling handing over the case to higher investigation authorities. According to police, the letters were received by the actor's manager Jack Manju. They were replete with foul language against Sudeep and a threat to share his private video on social media. Sources close to Sudeep called it a conspiracy to dent the image and damage the dignity of the actor. Kichcha Sudeep is likely to announce his support to the BJP in Karnataka ahead of polls. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is expected to make this announcement in a press conference on Wednesday. The BJP is also eager to utilise his services as a star campaigner. Sudeep has a massive fan following in Karnataka. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Chennai, April 5 : Even as the Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai was openly clamouring for fighting the 2024 elections single-handedly, the national leadership of the saffron party was cautious in responding to this. While Annamalai, in a recent party meeting, even announced his resignation if the alliance with the AIADMK continues, the national leadership - read Union home minister Amit Shah - announced publicly that the BJP-AIADMK tie would continue. Soon after the single bench of the Madras High Court gave the order in his favour on his election as party general secretary, Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) had announced that the alliance with the BJP would continue. The national leadership of the BJP is keen that the NDA alliance in Tamil Nadu win a few seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and for that the BJP alliance with a Dravidian major was necessary. With the AIADMK in alliance with the BJP already, the statements of the party state president K. Annamalai have not gone down well with the national leadership of the saffron party. Sources in the AIADMK told IANS that EPS would be having a One-on-One meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the state on April 8 and 9 for the inauguration of the new terminal of Chennai airport. The AIADMK general secretary will also be meeting the Union Home Minister and the party national president J.P. Nadda. However, the dates of these meetings are not finalised and will most likely be held after EPS meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tamil Nadu. With the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in a comfortable position given the popularity of the Chief Minister, the AIADMK was scouting for other possibilities, including alliances with the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Desiya Dravida Murpokku Kazhagam(DMDK) who have their own strengths in many constituencies of Tamil Nadu. Coupled with these parties, some Muslim political outfits were also willing for an alliance with the AIADMK if it severs its relationship with the BJP. Sensing danger, the BJP national leadership has communicated to the AIADMK leaders that it would sort out the differences with the saffron party and wanted the alliance to continue. Hyderabad, April 5 : Telangana police detained BJP MLAs Raghunandan Rao and Eatala Rajender and other leaders on Wednesday while the BJP has called for state-wide protests against the arrest of party's state unit president Bandi Sanjay Kumar. Raghunandan Rao was detained near Bommala Ramaram police station in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district where he was lodged after his midnight arrest in Karimnagar. A tense situation prevailed around the police station as scores of BJP workers reached there to stage a protest against the arrest of Sanjay. Additional police forces were rushed to the area to control the situation. Police barricades were erected about 2 km from the police station to stop the protesters. Raghunandan Rao and his supporters were also stopped by the police. The MLA, who wanted to meet police officers, was detained and whisked away in a vehicle. The protesters, including women, raised slogans against the police and tried to stop the vehicle. Scuffle broke out when protesters tried to break the police cordon and advance towards the police station. Several protesters were arrested. Raghunandan alleged that police violated the Supreme Court guidelines in Sanjay's arrest. He said the BRS government was creating "Bihar-like anarchy" in Telangana. Another BJP MLA Eatala Rajender was detained by the police at Shameerpet on the outskirts of Hyderabad. The MLA was taken into preventive custody. Rajender questioned the police action for detaining him when he was proceeding to BJP office. Later, Bandi Sanjay was shifted from the police station in a vehicle. The BJP workers tried to stop the police vehicle carrying him. They were detained by police. The BJP leader is likely to be produced in a court in Nalgonda district. He was arrested from in-laws' house in Karimnagar around 12.45 a.m. He is believed to have been arrested in connection with 10th class exam paper leak on Tuesday. According to police, a person who leaked the Hindi question paper in Warangal soon after the exam began, sent it to Bandi Sanjay on WhatsApp. Accused Prashanth is said to be a BJP worker. Meanwhile, BJP staged protests in different parts of the state to condemn Sanjay's arrest. The protesters raised slogans against the BRS government. Union Tourism and Culture Minister G. Kishan Reddy has condemned Sanjay's arrest. He telephoned Director General of Police Anjani Kumar to know the case in which he was arrested. The police chief said details of the case would soon be made public. New Delhi, April 5 : The Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 p.m. on Wednesday amid protests by Congress-led opposition members, who sought a probe in the Adani-Hindenburg issue. As soon as the House convened for the day, members of the Congress, Left and DMK, wearing black clothes, rushed to the well, shouting slogans and displaying placards. Rajendra Agrawal, who was in the Chair, urged the protesting members to allow the Question Hour proceedings. Amid continuous protests, he adjourned the house till 2 p.m. Meanwhile, Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had on Tuesday written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking a discussion on Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from Parliament. Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said earlier on Wednesday: "Rahul Gandhi was disqualified... One of Gujarat's Parliament member was sentenced to three years his membership was revived but a person who is speaking truth is not allowed in Parliament... It is quite visible who is putting pressure." New Delhi, April 5 : A team of Kerala Police on Wednesday arrived at Shaheen Bagh in Delhi to visit the residence of Shahrukh Saifi, the prime suspect in the Kerala train fire case. Saifi was apprehended from Ratnagiri, Maharashtra on Tuesday. According to sources, Shahrukh Saifi was nabbed in a joint operation carried out by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad and Central intelligence agencies. The suspect had reportedly sustained injuries to his face and head and had sought medical treatment at a hospital in Ratnagiri. A team of Kerala Police was in Ratnagiri to conduct further investigations. The attack resulted in the deaths of three passengers, including a child, when they jumped out of the moving train to escape the fire. Nine other passengers sustained burn injuries in the arson attack on the Alappuzha-Kannur Express train at around 9.45 p.m. on Sunday (April 2). When the train was about to cross the Korapuzha bridge between Kozhikode and Kannur stretch, Saifi is alleged to have sprayed petrol on passengers and set them ablaze. Thiruvananthapuram, April 5 : A Special Court for Scheduled Castes and Tribes at Mannarkkad in Palakkad district on Wednesday awarded seven years of rigorous imprisonment to 13 men for lynching a 27-year-old tribal youth. On Tuesday, the court had found 14 of the 16 accused guilty of the crime which took place on February 22, 2018. The conviction and punishment came two months after the fifth anniversary of his murder. Twenty-four witnesses who turned hostile will now have to face legal scrutiny and the first accused will have to pay a fine of Rs 1.05 lakh. The remaining 12 have to collectively pay a fine of Rs 1.18 lakh. Prosecution counsel later told the media that they are happy with the judgment but not with the quantum of punishment. On getting the papers, they will look for further ways for a further legal scrutiny. While two of the accused have been acquitted, the court has found 14 others guilty and of them one was sentenced to three months' imprisonment and a fine of Rs 500. Since the accused has already spent three months in jail, he will now be free. Madhu of Chindukuru in Attappadi in Palakkad was lynched by a crowd for allegedly stealing some provisions from a shop. A class seven dropout, Madhu learned carpentry but chose to lead a nomadic life. He used to aimlessly wander in the plains, hills and forests here and visit his house occasionally. Trouble started for Madhu when some provisions got stolen from a shop. A person, who frequented the forests to collect wood, informed the locals about a man hiding in a forest cave. Villagers, along with the shopkeeper, reached the forest only to find Madhu there. On recovering the stolen items worth Rs 200 from his possession, irate villagers made Madhu walk around 4 kms with the provisions on his head and kept assaulting and abusing him. When they reached Muukkali, police arrived and took Madhu to the station where he collapsed and died. The accused's strong political connections with the ruling and Opposition parties and the state government's delay in appointing a special prosecutor led to a slow trial. At one point, even the Kerala High Court intervened, directing speeding up of the trial. When the trial began, many witnesses turned hostile but Madhu's mother and his sister fought the case with the support of some well wishers. April 05 : Sushmita Sen is not just an inspiration on-screen, but she is also setting inspirational goals off-screen as well. The actress recently suffered a heart-condition but that didnt deter her, she is back on the grind, and getting ready to kick-start Aarya 3 in Rajasthan. Sharing a video post on her social media, Sushmita Sen is seen working out, her younger daughter Alisha and former boyfriend Rohman Shawl are working out with her. She captioned her post, Will is the only way #36days Now allowed more training!!! I leave to shoot for AARYA in Jaipur shortlyand here are my loved ones, keeping me company & helping me get back in the zone!!!Kisses Alisah Shona & @rohmanshaw! I love you guys!!! #duggadugga Sushmita suffered a cardiac arrest in February and following that she has undergone angioplasty. On the work front, Sushmita Sen recently wrapped her new series titled Taali, based on the life of transgender Shreegauri Sawant, who was born as Ganesh, she is a transgender activist from Mumbai. She was one of the petitioners in the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) case of 2013, in connection with which the Supreme Court recognised a transgender person as the third gender. The landmark verdict in the case was delivered in 2014. Chennai, April 5 : Environmentalists and social activists are up in arms against the piling up of garbage and death of fish in Teppakulam Mariamman water body in Madurai. Dr Suraikulan, a social activist and environmentalist at Tirunelveli, adjoining district of Madurai said, "Mariamman Teppakulam water body is a tourist destination but tourists are welcomed by large quantity of garbage and dead fish. Food remains and plastic covers from the nearby eateries are also present in large quantities in this water body. Strict action is to be taken but we feel that there is lethargy." He also said that the corporation must take strict action against the eateries lined up in large numbers near the Mariamman Teppakulam water body. However, Madurai Corporation commissioner, Simranjeet Singh Kahlon told media that the garbage dumped in Mariamman Teppakulam would be cleared and a special team deputed to remove unauthorised eateries. Thane, April 5 : Averting a potential face-off, the Thane Police have granted a conditional permission to the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi for its proposed protest march to the Police Commissioner's office in the home town of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, here on Wednesday. The procession will be taken out at 3 p.m. this afternoon and shall be led by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray, Nationalist Congress Party's Dr. Jitendra Awhad and Congress' Vikrant Chavan, Sena (UBT) MPs Vinayak Raut and Rajan Vichare, besides thousands of workers and leaders joining. A party leader said that the morcha is to protest against the Thane Police's inaction against the ruling Shiv Sena of Shinde, whose supporters allegedly assaulted a Sena (UBT) woman activist, Roshani Shinde-Pawar for a social media post, late on Monday night. The incident sparked off a major political row in the state with the MVA launching a fierce attack on the SS-BJP government's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, calling him a 'fadtus' (useless) and demanding his resignation, besides suspending/transferring the Thane Police Commissioner Jai Jeet Singh. In a political free-for-all, both sides engaged in hurling abuses, accusations, threats and ultimatums, 'gag-up' order', etc., even as the crucial Roshani Shinde-Pawar attack seemed to have been kicked to the background. After the attack on Roshani Shinde-Pawar, Sena (UBT) President and former CM Uddhav Thackeray, his wife Rashmi and son Aditya, along with Leader of Opposition (Council) Ambadas Danve and other workers, visited her at the hospital where she is undergoing treatment. Ahmedabad, April 5 : Week-long celebrations, including cleanliness and plantation drives, bike rallies, group meals, medical camps, have been organised in Gujarat to mark BJP's 43rd foundation day on Thursday (April 6). Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah is likely to visit the state on Thursday to participate in various programmes at Salangpur Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. Shah is scheduled to visit the Salangpur Hanuman Temple and meet with BJP workers in Ahmedabad city, Ahmedabad district, and Gandhinagar district and city. He will also review the various development works in his Lok Sabha constituency Gandhinagar. Meanwhile, the BJP Yuva Morcha will celebrate Seva Day from April 6 to April 14. The week-long celebration will include programmes on cleanliness drives, service work, group meals, and a medical camp on April 12. The Yuva Morcha has also planned a two-day night tour that includes tree plantation and a bike rally. Additionally, 11 different programmes have been planned, and tasks will be assigned to workers regarding the booth empowerment campaign. The foundation day of the BJP is an important occasion for the party, and the celebration of Seva Day by the Yuva Morcha is a significant initiative to promote the spirit of service among party workers. The visit of the Union Home Minister to Gujarat will further energise the party workers and encourage them to work towards the party's mission. Lucknow, April 5 : The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has decided not to field Shaista Parveen, the wife of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, as its mayoral candidate in Prayagraj in the upcoming civic polls in Uttar Pradesh. Prayagraj district unit BSP chief G.N. Jaiswal said the party will contest the local body elections strongly. "This is the reason why strong candidates are being selected. Shaista Parveen will not be getting a BSP ticket for contesting mayoral elections now. The party has begun the search for a new candidate," he said. Shaista Parveen, along with her husband and two sons, has been named in the FIR lodged in the February 24 Umesh Pal murder case here. Later, the Prayagraj police announced a Rs 25,000 reward for information leading to her arrest. She has been absconding ever since the crime was committed in Dhoomanganj in which Umesh Pal, the prime witness in the 2005 Raju Pal case, and his two police guards were shot dead in broad daylight. Shaista Parveen had joined the BSP in the presence of senior party leaders in Prayagraj on January 5 this year. BSP leaders, present on the occasion, had also announced that she will be party's candidate for the post of Prayagraj mayor in the upcoming local bodies polls in the state. Guwahati, April 5 : Congress MLAs staged a walkout of the Assam Assembly on Wednesday following a heated debate with the state government over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and Assam Accord. During Question Hour, a query on whether the CAA had violated clauses of the 1985 Assam Accord was raised by the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Debabrata Saikia. Replying to the query, state minister Atul Bora said: "What was Congress doing during all those years while sitting at the governments at the state and the Centre?" Congress MLAs objected to Bora's statement and walked out of the Assembly without attending the Question Hour. Later, Saikia said: "We believe that since the CAA introduced a new cut-off date for giving citizenship to a particular section of people who migrated from Bangladesh and a few other countries prior to December 31, 2014, it has diluted the provisions laid down in the Assam Accord. "I sought an answer in this regard from the state government. But unfortunately, the government tried to avoid answering this important question and rather replied on other aspects. That is why we decided to walk out of the Assembly." Signed as a tripartite agreement in 1985 by the Centre, Assam government, and leaders of the Assam movement, the Assam accord mentioned that any refugees and migrants who entered India after March 25, 1971, will be identified and deported. During the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, a huge refugee influx occurred in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and other neighbouring states. Patna, April 5 : Former minister and BJP MLA Jivesh Mishra was marshalled out from Bihar assembly on Wednesday for creating a ruckus in the House. Mishra was demanding explanation from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the violence in Sasaram and Biharsharif. Since he was shouting slogans against the Mahagathbandhan while coming to the well, Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary directed the marshals to take him out from the House. Four marshals carried the BJP MLA out of the Assembly. The blame-game between Mahagathbandhan and the BJP continued over violence at Sasaram and Biharsharif on Ram Navami. The BJP MLAs were levelling allegations on Nitish Kumar government for failing to maintain law and order while the leaders of Mahagathbandhan are alleging that BJP conspired the violence at these two places. "I have asked for clarification from the chief minister to make a statement on Sasaram and Biharsharif but the in-charge of home ministry Bijendra Prasad Yadav stood from the seat to do the same. It was not justified. We want clarifications from Nitish Kumar. Hence, the Speaker took one-sided decision and marshalled me out from the House," Mishra said. Varanasi, April 5 : Varanasi is preparing to host a huge congregation of people from South India for the 12-day Ganga Pushkaralu festival, commencing from April 22. During this festival, a mega congregation of pilgrims from Telugu-speaking region of the country will take place on the banks of Ganga River to worship rivers and their ancestors. Kashi and Haridwar, witness a turnout of lakhs of people from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana during this festival. District Magistrate S Rajalingam said that as pilgrims reach from Telugu regions to perform rituals of Pind-daan after bathing in the Ganga River, all necessary arrangements including toilets, changing rooms, drinking water, rescue teams including divers, medical team and police for crowd regulation would be finalised before the commencement of the festival. Alternative arrangements for stay of pilgrims in schools, shelter homes, ashrams and other places are also being done in advance. Telugu and Tamil speaking persons would also be engaged for announcements, he added. Regarding Pushkaralu, he said, "The 12-day Pushkaralu festival of Telugu-speaking people will be held along the Ganga river this year after a gap of 12 years. Major religious centres along the Ganga, especially Kashi and Haridwar, witness a turnout of lakhs of Telugu people from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana." As per the legend, after severe penance, a devotee Pushkara was blessed by Lord Shiv with the ability to live in water and purify holy rivers. On the request of Guru Brihaspati (Jupiter) in view of his abilities, Pushkara decided to enter 12 sacred rivers - Ganga, Narmada, Saraswati, Yamuna, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Bhima, Tapti, Tungbhadra, Sindhu and Pranhita. Each river has its zodiac sign. The river for each year's festival is decided as per Brihaspati's travel from one zodiac sign to another. The managing trustee of Ram Tarak Andhra Ashram, V V Sunder Shastri said, "Pushkaralu is celebrated for reverence of ancestors. After taking a dip in the holy river, pilgrims perform many other rituals, including those performed for the ancestors. Spiritual discourses, devotional music and cultural programmes are also organised during the festival." Varanasi had faced chaos when the last Ganga Pushkaralu had taken place in 2011 and no prior arrangement was made to manage the crowd. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. Anglo Asian Mining PLC [Public Limited Company], the AIM (Alternative Investment Market) listed gold, copper, and silver producer, expects to increase the production of precious metals in Azerbaijan by up to 50 percent, the companys press service told Trend. According to the press service, its expected to bring these figures up to 70,000-75,000 tons in gold equivalent and up to 15,500 tons in silver equivalent. "From 2028, we expect an increase in production in copper equivalent to 36,000 tons and 175,000 tons in gold equivalent. Production growth is also expected due to the discovery of four new deposits," the press service said. Besides, the company is expected to produce up to 54,000 ounces in gold equivalent this year, added the press service. The main activity of Anglo Asian Mining in Azerbaijan is focused in Gadabay, and this year the "Zafar" deposit is planned to be commissioned in the Gadabay district. In addition, in the coming years, Anglo Asian Mining plans to put into operation such contract zones as "Garadagh", "Kharkhar" and "Damirli". On the liberated territories, the company has already started the exploration of the "Vezhnali" gold deposit in the Zangilan district. Anglo Asian Mining mainly exports gold bars produced in Azerbaijan to Switzerland. Meanwhile, copper is exported to Georgia, Uzbekistan, and Turkiye. Hyderabad, April 5 : The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) on Wednesday demanded disqualification of Karimnagar Lok Sabha MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar following his arrest in 10th class paper leak case. State ministers and other BRS leaders said Lok Sabha Speaker should take immediate action and disqualify Sanjay for committing an offence of a grave nature. Sanjay, who is also President of BJP's Telangana unit, was arrested by the police in Karimnagar after midnight. He will be produced in a court in Warangal later in the day. Sate finance minister T. Harish Rao said they were requesting Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to disqualify Sanjay. Harish Rao described Sanjay as the mastermind in leakage of Hindi question paper of Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and claimed that he has been caught red-handed. He alleged that, unable to fight BRS politically, the BJP leader was playing with the future of children. "BJP's politics has touched a new low. They can stoop to any level for political gains," he said. Harish Rao said that Prashanth who was arrested for question paper leak in Warangal on Tuesday is a BJP worker and he had sent the paper to Bandi Sanjay while the examination was still on. "This was a conspiracy to defame the government but he has been caught red-handed," said the minister. He pointed out that on Tuesday afternoon BJP leaders in Warangal staged a protest demanding arrests in the paper leak case but in the evening they demanded release of the accused in the case. The minister said the accused called Bandi Sanjay several times on his mobile shared the leaked question paper widely on social media to defame the government. The finance minister alleged that Bandi Sanjay was also behind the leakage of a Telugu question paper in Tandur on Monday. He said that the teacher who took a photo of the question paper at the exam centre and shared it on WhatsApp was a leader of the teachers' union backed by the BJP. Ministers Srinivas Goud, P. Ajay Kumar, several BRS MLAs and other leaders also addressed separate news conferences to demand disqualification of Sanjay from Parliament. They also demanded stringent action against him for the paper leak. Minister K.T. Rama Rao alleged that BJP leaders were playing with the lives of innocent students and unemployed by leaking question papers for their selfish politics. "If a madman has a stone in his hand, there is danger to passersby but if a party is in the hands of the same madman, it is a danger to democracy," tweeted KTR, who is also working president of BRS. Seoul, April 5 : South Korea and the US on Wednesday held combined air drills, involving at least one American B-52H strategic bomber, amid joint efforts to sharpen deterrence against evolving North Korean threats, the Defence Ministry in Seoul said. The bomber was redeployed to the Korean Peninsula about a month after its last deployment here amid tensions caused by Pyongyang's provocative moves, such as its unveiling of the Hwasan-31 tactical nuclear warhead last week, reports Yonhap News Agency. The South Korean Air Force mobilized its F-35A radar-evading fighters for the drills, while the US side deployed F-35B and F-16 fighters. The training focused on practicing procedures to protect the strategic bomber from potential aerial enemy threats, and strengthening the allied forces' interoperability and combined operational capabilities, according to the Ministry. In recent months, the US has deployed a series of its high-profile military assets, including a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, in an apparent show of force against potential North Korean provocations. Ranchi, April 5 : Thousands gathered at several stations of the Howrah-Mumbai route to protest and demand recognition of Kurmi community under the ST caste category on Wednesday, due to which the Railways had to cancel around 70 trains and divert several others. The Railways cancelled the trains of Kharagpur and Adra Railway division of Bengal as a precautionary measure. The Howrah-Mumbai rail route and the Kolkata-Baharagora road have been affected the most by the agitation. Ranchi Railway Division also cancelled the services of eight trains on April 5, including Adra-Barkakana Memu Special, Hatia-Kharagpur Passenger Express and Bokaro Steel city-Asansol Memu Passenger Express, among others. People of Kurmi community from Jharkhand-Bengal-Odisha started gathering in several groups on the railway line at Khemasuli station of Kharagpur division and Kustaur station of Adra division on Tuesday night, to protest. Rajesh Mahto, who is leading the agitation at Khemasuli station, said that the state government has not been listening to them and is not sending the Justificaion Bill to the Centre. He said that the community will now resort to an indefinite strike by blocking the roads and Railways so that the state government is forced to send the Bill to the Central government. East Singhbhum district in-charge of the community, Prabhat Kumar Mahato said that his community had been deprived of their rights by being kept away from recognition under the ST category. He said the movement has been started after several requests made to the governments and no action being taken in the matter. Mumbai, April 5 : Former 'Bigg Boss 3' contestant Bhakhtyar Irani has been roped in to play the role of Vyom Sharma, Esha's (played by Reem Sameer Shaikh) uncle in the show, 'Tere Ishq Mein Ghayal'. He despises werewolves and has a special ring that protects him from witchcraft and supernatural sorcery. On joining the show, Bhakhtyar said: "I'm excited about returning to TV with a genre that I'm attempting for the first time. I will be seen essaying the role of Vyom, who is one of the council members of the town. It is a positive role with grey shades and it's the kind of character that has always intrigued me as an actor." The 43-year-old actor appeared in the dance reality show, 'Nach Baliye' with his wife Tannaz Irani and was also seen in 'Badi Door Se Aaye Hain', 'Miley Jab Hum Tum', 'Zaban Sambhal Ke', 'Welcome - Baazi Mehmaan-Nawaazi Ki', 'Wagle Ki Duniya - Nayi Peedhi Naye Kissey', among others. About his new show and working with actress Shilpa Agnihotri, he said: "I'm very happy about collaborating with my friend and brilliant actor Shilpa Agnihotri. This show marks a new era in the fantasy fiction space and I'm delighted to have stepped aboard it." 'Tere Ishq Mein Ghayal' airs on Colors. Baramulla: Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari addresses party convention at Dak Bungalow in Baramulla on Thursday, July 21, 2022. (Photo: Nisar Malik /IANS) Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, April 5 : The Central government has provided VIP security of Z+ category to Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari, said sources on Wednesday. Bukhari was re-elected as the President of his party last month and will hold the post for the coming three years. A contingent of around 20-24 armed personnel will work in shifts to ensure round-the-clock security for Bukhari. The Ministry approved the cover on the recommendation of the threat perception report prepared by Central intelligence and security agencies. The Home Ministry has provided him with the cover of armed commandos that will be jointly provided by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Jammu and Kashmir Police. The police will take care of his security (Z+) in their jurisdiction, while the CRPF will ensure his security at other places. New Delhi, April 5 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted more time to alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar to file his written submissions in the plea challenging the framing of charges against him under the anti-money laundering law in a 2017 Election Commission corruption case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had registered the case. On March 2, the court had asked the ED and Chandrashekhar to file written submissions. During the hearing on Wednesday, the alleged conman's counsel Anant Malik sought more time to file the written submissions. The ED counsel, however, informed the court that they have filed their written submissions in the plea, and the same is yet to be placed on record. Taking note of the submissions, Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma granted more time to the alleged conman for filling his written submissions in the plea and listed the matter for the next hearing on July 31. During the last hearing, Justice Sharma had said that the matter requires further consideration. In April 2017, Chandrashekhar came to know that AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran was desperate to get the election symbol of AIADMK and thus impersonated himself as Saravana Kumar, IAS. The alleged conman posing as the IAS, took Dhinakaran into confidence that he can get an Election Commission order regarding the allotment of the symbol. Thereafter, the two struck a deal to illegally obtain a favourable order from Election Commission. As a part of deal, Dhinakaran sent cash worth Rs 2 crore to Chandrashekhar as an advance/token money from Chennai to Delhi through "hawala channels" on April 15, 2017. In 2019, the high court stayed the trial against Dhinakaran and Chandrashekhar in the bribery case. The trial court had framed charges against Chandrashekhar under PMLA in October 2022 after he was arrested earlier in the year while he was in jail in connection with another case. Jerusalem, April 5 : Israel on Wednesday carried out intensive airstrikes on military facilities in the Gaza Strip in response to rockets fired from the besieged Palestinian enclave. Security sources in Gaza said that the airstrikes targeted two military posts of the Hamas in the southwest and central Gaza Strip, reports Xinhua news agency. The posts suffered severe damage with no injuries reported. Earlier in the day, militants in the Gaza Strip fired nine rockets at Israel in response to clashes between Israeli police and Palestinian worshippers at the Al-Aqsa mosque in East Jerusalem and some other neighbourhoods in the Old City of Jerusalem. Four of the rockets were intercepted by its air defence system and another four landed in open areas. There were no reports of casualties on either side. The clashes erupted on Tuesday night after the Palestinians barricaded themselves in the mosque after the evening Ramadan prayers, amid reports that Jewish extremists wanted to try to sacrifice a Passover goat at the site -- as Jews did in Biblical times before the Romans destroyed their temple there. Israeli police have said that 350 people were arrested in a pre-dawn raid on Wednesday after what they called "agitators" with fireworks, sticks and stones shut themselves inside, reports the BBC. Meanwhile, Palestinians said stun grenades and rubber bullets were used to clear out the group and that 14 people were hurt. The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, known to Jews as the most sacred site, is regarded by Muslims as their third holiest site. The holy site has been administered by the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, a Jordanian body, since 1948. Under a 1967 agreement between Israel and Jordan, non-Muslim worshippers can visit the compound but are prohibited from praying there. In April 2022, the mosque compound witnessed violent clashes between Palestinian worshipers and Israeli police forces when Jews visited the holy site. This latest incident comes amid growing tensions between Israel and the Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem that have been going on since the beginning of this year. At least 89 Palestinians, including women and children, have been killed since January, while 15 Israelis were killed in a series of attacks in the same period of time, according to official figures. Kolkata, April 5 : A division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the West Bengal government to deploy central armed forces on the auspicious occasion of Hanuman Jayanti on April 6 to avoid repetition of violence witnessed during Ram Navami processions. The violence had erupted in three districts on March 30 and continued till April 3 night. The division bench of Calcutta High Court's acting Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmoy Bhattacharya directed the state government to identify the sensitive pockets in the state and take the help of the central armed forces there. At the same time, the division also directed the state police to conduct route marches in those pockets from Wednesday night only for the purpose of area domination. "From the nature of the problems that are being referred to, it is clear that the state police cannot single-handedly manage the affairs," Justice Sivagnanam observed. The intelligence wing of the state police also faced criticism from the division bench for not having any prior information about the probable outbreak of violence over Ram Navami processions. The court also observed that no procession would be allowed in the area where Section 144 has been imposed amid the instances of violence in the recent past. The division bench also suggested whether procession on occasion of Hanuman Jayanti can be done through areas that are guarded by raising of barricades as is done in case of Ganesh Chaturthi procession in Maharashtra. On this matter, the state government counsel informed the court that although barricades for all processions in all corners of the state will not be possible, the same will be done in case of sensitive zones. The state government counsel also informed the court that the police will take action against the organizers of the processions who will flout the restrictions imposed, especially diverting from the prescribed route of the procession. The organisers will also have to inform the police about the estimated gathering in the procession concerned and the organisers will also have to stick to the deadline given for the same. Bengaluru, April 5 : Five cow vigilantes, including main accused Puneeth Kerehalli, who allegedly beat a man to death for transporting cows and buffaloes, were arrested on Wednesday. The Sathanur police arrested the accused, on the run, in Rajasthan. According to sources, the accused were absconding for the past five days. Gathering specific inputs, the police nabbed them. Headed by Puneeth Kerehalli, the group had waylaid a canter transporting cows and buffaloes in the limits of Sathanur police station in Ramnagar district on March 31. They had claimed that the cows and buffaloes were transported illegally. However, on April 1, 35-year-old Idris Pasha, a resident of Guttalu near Sathanur, who was in the canter was found dead at the spot. Pasha's family alleged that he was beaten to death by Kerehalli and others. The family had lodged a complaint in this regard under IPC Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 504 (intentional insult, giving provocation), 506 (criminal intimidation), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons), 302 (murder), 34 (criminal act done by several persons in furtherance of common intention). After the complaint was lodged, the accused went absconding. Ramnagar SP Karthik Reddy then had formed four teams to nab them. Further investigation is on. Mumbai, April 5 : The Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS), a farmers' party, reiterated its plans to contest six seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a top leader said on Wednesday. SSS President Raju Shetti, a former MP from Hatkanangale, -- a NCP bastion -- said that the farmers' party will nominate candidates, who are likely to be farmer-leaders, in half-a-dozen seats in mofussil parts of Maharashtra, which has a total of 48 LS constituencies. However, Shetti made it clear that the SSS will not ally with the ruling Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party or the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance of Congress-Nationalist Congress Party-Shiv Sena (UBT). "They are simply indulging in dramatics, doing nothing for the farmers... We shall have no truck with them. For the remaining 42 seats, we may consider supporting like-minded parties on a case-by-case basis, but nothing is finalised," said Shetti, a former MVA ally who quit the alliance last year. Senior MVA leaders in Mumbai have frowned at the SSS' move saying it would cut into the three-parties' votes in the crucial elections when every seat would count to dislodge the BJP from the Centre, but declined to elaborate on grounds that it is too early to comment. The 23-year-old SSS has a considerable following among the peasantry in western Maharashtra, and parts of Marathwada and Vidarbha. The SSS was one of the major participants in the All India Kisan Sabha-led national agitation of farmers 2022-2021 protesting against the three contentious farm laws which were finally withdrawn. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. The Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) has suspended the activities of three insurance brokers and six legal entities engaged in the activities of an insurance agent, the CBA's press service told Trend. The revocation of licenses is based on the decision of the Central Bank of April 4, 2023, due to the failure to provide the relevant report in accordance with Article 106.1.10 of the Law "On Insurance Activities". "The activities of insurance agents have been suspended for three months," the CBA said in a statement. Bengaluru, April 5 : The Karnataka unit of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday lodged a complaint with the Lokayukta here alleging Rs 1,300 crore scam against former IAS officer and BJP ticket aspirant for Koratagere Assembly seat, Anil Kumar. Dr. Vishwanth, AAP working president while talking to reporters said, "When Anil Kumar was at the helm in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in 2019-20, he was allegedly involved in Rs 1,300 crore scams." "In 2019-20, senior IAS officer Anil Kumar was the commissioner of BBMP. It is almost certain that he will be the BJP candidate in Koratagere Assembly constituency. There were three major irregularities during his tenure as BBMP Commissioner," stated state communication in-charge Brijesh Kalappa. "Rs 31.6 crore for smart parking was sanctioned. Although it does not cost that much money, an additional Rs two crore was released. Anil Kumar released it to the contractor company by name Buildings Control Solution India Pvt Ltd," he alleged. "When Anil Kumar was the commissioner, there was a problem in the removal of rainwater silt. The contract for eight zones was awarded to a single firm named M/s. Yoga and Company at a cost of Rs 36 crore. Since the work was not done properly, Bengaluru had to face floods. People's tax money has been looted by releasing more money than required," Kalappa said. "When Anil Kumar was commissioner, BBMP spent Rs 969 crore for the work of tube wells. There should be a proper investigation done into how such a huge amount of money was used. In this, Rs 49 crore was spent only at one place. Apart from this, a treatment centre was opened at the International Warehouse for the treatment of Covid. "A huge amount of illegality has also taken place by spending crores of rupees. Irregularities worth Rs 1,300 crore have taken place when Anil Kumar was Commissioner. We demand the Lokayukta to investigate these matters," said Kalappa. New Delhi, April 5 : Leading smartphone and smart TV brand Xiaomi India on Wednesday announced a partnership with GlobalHunt Foundation to support 400 students from economically weaker sections of society in their mobile phone hardware repair course. The collaboration aims to create a technically skilled workforce that can cater to the rising demands of the Indian mobile service and support industry. The programme will provide the candidates with relevant technical skills and help them advance in their careers, according to the company. "In our continued commitment to creating a positive impact on the communities, we are delighted to partner with GlobalHunt Foundation to upskill and support these students. This partnership will enable students to unlock opportunities and build a promising future with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the digital age, said Muralikrishnan, President at Xiaomi India. As part of the programme, the company said that two new labs will be set up at ITIs in Delhi and Guwahati, respectively. The labs will be equipped with the latest machinery, tools, and technology to give students a live experience of job requirements in the industry. T-shirts, an ID card, and a course kit containing a curriculum book and stationery will also be given to the students. Additionally, merit scholarships will be awarded to select 100 students based on their performance in the course, the company said. "The collaboration will enable us in equipping 400 students with the knowledge to succeed in a highly competitive landscape which will further contribute to the development of the wider community," said Sunil Goel, Managing Director, GlobalHunt Foundation. Further, the company stated that the collaboration reflects Xiaomi's firm belief in making technology accessible to everyone and investing in the future to create a skilled and future-ready workforce. Patna, April 5 : BJP MLAs on Wednesday blamed Bihar assembly Speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary for taking side of ruling Mahagathbandhan in the state on the last day of the budget session. The BJP MLAs were demanding clarifications from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Ram Navami violence in Sasaram and Bihar Sharif. However, when Bijendra Yadav, the in-charge of state home ministry stood for clarifying things, the BJP leaders created ruckus in the House. Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Vijay Kumar Sinha said: "The speaker of the house was acting on the direction of ruling party leaders. They have marshaled out one of our MLA Jivesh Mishra from the house. The act of the speaker is murder of democracy." "The Bihar government is 'targeting' BJP MLAs and their supporters in Sasaram and Bihar sharif violence. They are arresting people of a particular community. The fact of the matter is tha the Mahagathbandhan government failed to prevent violence. It was a failure of law and order and they are blaming us," Sinha said. However, the leaders of Mahagathbandhan claimed that the BJP MLAs have abused the speaker. Bhai Virendra, the four-time MLA from RJD, said: "The BJP MLA have used 'besharm' word for speaker. This was an unparliamentary word. As our speaker is modest person, he did not take harsh action against them. The actions of BJP were not right." "The authorities are investigating the incidents from all angles and the report will come out soon. Everyone knew who had conspired the violence in Sasaram and Bihar Sharif," Bhai Virendra said. Dhaka, April 5 : About 700 firefighters continued working on Wednesday to completely douse a massive blaze that erupted at the Bangabazar in Dhaka -- the biggest wholesale market in Bangladesh -- 36 hours ago. Brigadier General Md Main Uddin, Director General (DG) of the Fire Brigade of Bangladesh, told IANS that the firefighters were part of the 12 units that are currently pressed into service to douse the flames. The firefighters are working in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh floors of the Anexco Tower that are warehouses. "We had declared this building vulnerable in 2019. After that I also gave them notice about 10 times, so that they do not conduct business here. Still the traders conducted their business," he said. He said that to put out the fire in Bangabazar there was a lack of water. "To put out the fire, we had to bring water from Shahidullah Hall with a pump. The Air Force also assisted in dousing the fire by bringing water from Hatirjheel by helicopter. We also brought water from Buriganga. Apart from the three forces, WASA also assisted us in this work." The fire erupted at 6.10 a.m. on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday assured to provide the best support to the traders who suffered losses due to the blaze. "I have already said that I will help them as much as I can and will monitor what kind of damage has been done," she said at an event. Describing the fire as a very tragic incident, Hasina said the suffering and cries of so many trades ahead of Eid is too much to bear. The Prime Minister also lambasted those who attacked and vandalized the fire service headquarters, adding that they will be identified soon and action will be taken against them. Chennai, April 5 : Gold prices went up slightly on Wednesday, with spot prices at Comex up by 0.05 per cent at $2,023/ounce, said an analyst. Gold June futures contracts at MCX were trading down by 0.10 per cent at Rs 60,895 per 10 grams by noon. According to Saumil Gandhi, Senior Analyst - Commodities, HDFC Securities, gold prices were steady after a sharp rally in the previous session. Comex spot gold prices surged more than 1.80 per cent at $2,025 per ounce on Tuesday at the highest level since March 2022 while domestic market gold prices in MCX crossed Rs 61,000 a fresh life time high on back of lower than estimated US Jolts job opening data, Gandhi said. US job openings pointed to a slowdown in the labour market, fueled expectations that the Fed may not need to raise rates much further and could even pause the tightening cycle. Traders now see a 56.9 per cent probability the Fed will leave the fed funds rate steady next month. "We expect gold prices' bullish momentum will likely to continue and Comex spot gold price should retest $2,065 per ounce level in the short term," Gandhi said. Comex spot gold having supports at $1,995/$1,980 per ounce and resistances at $2,040/$2,065 per ounce. MCX Gold June future having support at Rs 60,300 per 10 gram and resistance at Rs 61,700 per 10 grams, Gandhi said. The ongoing uncertainties in the global economy would continue to support gold in the international markets, said Hareesh V, Head of Commodities, Geojit Financial Services. A weak US currency, unstable global equities, and robust physical demand from top consuming countries like China and India also assist the metal to edge higher in near future. In the domestic market, though there are chances of a technical correction as prices are at all-time highs, the bullish trend is most likely to continue. Hopes of seasonal buying and demand for festivals like Akshaya Tritiya which fall next month may offer firm support to prices in the immediate run, Hareesh added. Bengaluru, April 5 : Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai warned Maharashtra government on Wednesday that if the insurance scheme for villages in Karnataka state is not withdrawn, a similar scheme will be extended for people in Maharashtra villages. Bommai stated "Though the border dispute between the two states is in the Supreme Court, Maharashtra is trying to create confusion in the border region. The order to extend insurance scheme for villagers of Karnataka is an obstinate measure aiming to spoil the harmonious relationship between the two states." "In the meeting headed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Maharashtra CM Eknath Shindhe and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis had agreed that they will not create confusion in the matter of border dispute. Now, the announcement of Jyotirao Phule Health Scheme for people of 865 villages of Karnataka is a decision against the federal system. Maharashtra government should immediately take back the announcement and respect the direction of Union Home Minister Amit Shah," Bommai urged. The harmony between two states must be protected, he added. If Maharashtra continues with its obstinacy, Karnataka government will announce certain schemes for Kannada people living in bordering regions of Maharashtra. It is a condemnable move by the Maharashtra government to take declaration letters from the people that they belong to Maharashtra on the pretext of giving health scheme, Bommai added. Islamabad, April 5 : Condemning UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman's "discriminatory and xenophobic" remarks against Pakistani men, the Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) on Tuesday warned of the serious repercussions of such comments, media reports said. The British minister has been accused of "peddling extremist far-right lies" about Pakistanis after she singled out British Pakistani men over concerns about grooming gangs as she accused authorities of turning a "blind eye" to signs of abuse involving young people, Geo News reported. In a recent interview with Sky News, the UK minister said that the "systematic and institutional failure to safeguard the welfare of children when it comes to sexual abuse" was one of the biggest scandals in British history. "What's clear is that what we've seen is a practice whereby vulnerable white English girls, sometimes in care, sometimes who are in challenging circumstances, being pursued and raped and drugged and harmed by gangs of British-Pakistani men who've worked in child abuse rings or networks," she had stated. FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, in Wednesday's press briefing, warned that such comments would give "rise to dangerous trends". Braverman had also been warned by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) that sexual predators do not just come from "one background" and that a focus solely on race could create new "blind spots" when tackling child abuse, Geo News reported. The NSPCC had criticised the UK Home Secretary and expressed its shock at her hatred towards Pakistanis and for singling out Pakistanis. New Delhi, April 5 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to entertain a petition jointly filed by 14 political parties comprising Congress, Trinamool Congress, AAP, NCP, Shiv Sena, alleging misuse of investigative agencies in arresting opposition leaders, and sought guidelines on arrest. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India and comprising Justice J.B. Pardiwala observed that political leaders do not enjoy an immunity higher than a common citizen and they are absolutely on the same footing as common citizens with no higher immunity, and questioned then how there can be no arrest unless triple test is satisfied? The political parties sought a fresh set of guidelines governing the arrest and remand. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the political parties, tried very hard to convince the court to change its mind and lay down guidelines of arrest of the leaders of Opposition political parties. However, the bench stressed that politicians are citizens and cannot enjoy any higher protection and the aggrieved individual politicians can approach court for appropriate remedy. The bench told Singhvi that when political parties argue that there is a chilling effect on the Opposition due to CBI and ED cases against the leaders of the political parties, then the answer lies in the political space and not in courts. The Chief Justice said general principles of law can't be laid down in absence of specific facts and added, "we can't lay down guidelines merely on the basis of some statistics relating to politicians". After detailed hearing in the matter, Singhvi withdrew the petition, which was allowed by the bench. The political parties sought guidelines to fulfil and realise the guarantee of personal liberty entrenched in Article 21 of the Constitution, for all citizens, including those targeted for exercising their right to political dissent and for performing their duties as the political opposition. The political parties forming the petitioners are: Congress, DMK, RJD, BRS, Trinamool Congress, AAP, NCP, Shiv Sena (UBT), JMM, JD(U), CPI(M), CPI, Samajwadi Party, J&K National Conference, together representing 45.19 per cent of the votes cast in the last State/UT Assembly Elections, and 42.5 per cent of the votes cast in the 2019 General Elections, and holding power in 11 states/UTs. The plea said that 14 Opposition political parties have filed a petition, in light of the alarming rise in the use of coercive criminal processes against the Opposition political leaders and other citizens exercising their fundamental right to dissent and disagree with the central government. The plea submitted that investigating agencies such as CBI and ED are being increasingly deployed in a selective and targeted manner with a view to completely crush political dissent and upend the fundamental premises of a representative democracy. The petition has been drawn and filed by advocate Shadan Farasat. "As for arrest and remand, the petitioners seek that the triple test (whether a person is a flight risk, or whether there is a reasonable apprehension of the tampering of evidence or of the influencing/intimidation of witnesses) be used by police officers/ED officials and courts alike for arrest of persons in any cognizable offences except those involving serious bodily violence. Where these conditions are not satisfied, alternatives like interrogation at fixed hours or at most house arrest be used to meet the demands of investigation," added the plea. Mumbai, April 5 : Model and actress Vedvika Soni who hails from Ahmedabad and did a small cameo in Ravi Teja's film 'Dhamaka', is set to make her Telugu debut alongside Mehreen Pirzada and Vikranth in the psychological action thriller 'Spark', helmed by director Aravind Kumar. Vedvika said: "I started my career back in 2019 when I was in college as a model from Gujarat. Then I tried to come in Mumbai but covid happened so during lockdown I researched a lot about the Telugu industry to find good contacts of filmmakers from there and fortunately one of my favourite and best director Mr Aravind Kumar sir helped me to navigate my career with whom I am working in 2 projects currently out of which one is spark. So post pandemic, I came to Hyderabad and shifted my base here and completed my shoot." Sharing about her role, she said: "I feel very grateful to the universe for lending me an opportunity of doing a lead role. I am essaying a decent working girl who is a software engineer. I didn't prepare anything particularly for the character but my main challenge was to learn the language. Makers and production team really helped me in picking up the language as they used to translate in hindi and English for me to understand and portray with the right emotions. I took it as a challenge and learned all the dialogues and that's how I portrayed it." Describing her experience working in Telugu industry with her co actors she added: "It was a phenomenal experience as they were very punctual and treated everyone equally. I never felt like having any language barrier as my director and co actors were so supportive and patient towards me understanding and learning Telugu." This action thriller features Nazzar, Suhasini Maniratnam, Shayaji Shinde, Vennela Kishore, Satya, Srikanth, Kiran Ayyangar, Annapurnamma, and many other well-known actors. Bengaluru, April 5 : Kannada superstar Kichcha Sudeep on Wednesday announced that he will support Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in the upcoming Assembly elections, but clarified that he is not joining the BJP or any other political party. Talking to reporters here, Sudeep said that he shared a good bond with Bommai since his childhood. "I call him 'mama'. There is no question of my stand or politics in my decision. I have been seeing CM Bommai since I was a child. He stood with me at the time of my crisis in the film industry. He is the person whom I love. I am here to stand with him. "There was no godfather and few stood with me. Now, I am extending my support to him. But, I am not joining politics and I am clearing this to my fans," he added. "I am going to take up campaigning for CM Bommai and I will also campaign for the candidates whom he suggests. It is not possible to go to all constituencies. Leaders from other parties have also supported me. If they seek help, I will campaign for them as well. When CM Bommai stood by me without seeking my background, I was very small. Similarly, I am supporting him," Sudeep contended. Reacting to actor Prakash Raj's tweet expressing his reservation at Sudeep supporting the BJP, he said that Prakash Raj is a fine artiste. "I had done 'Ranna' with him. I am expecting to act with him in another movie. I am not entering politics and that is the wish of my fans. It has been 27 years of struggle. This (support to Bommai) is a decision taken on humanitarian ground," he said. Bommai, however, maintained that if Sudeep is supporting him, he is supporting his party (BJP) as well. "He has not joined any political party, he has come forward to support me. I have spoken to him twice or thrice. I had told him that his campaigning is needed, though he did not join the party. Hence, he will campaign for my party," he added. Ahmedabad, April 5 : The Border Security Force (BSF) has apprehended a Pakistani citizen attempting to enter India through the Indo-Pakistan border in Gujarat's Banaskantha district, an official said on Wednesday. The individual has been identified as Daya Ram, a resident of Nagarparkar in Pakistan. An official of BSF Gujarat Frontier said that troopers observed the Pakistani national crossing the international border on Tuesday. "He was immediately apprehended as soon as he climbed down the gate near border out-post Nadeshwari in Banaskantha district," an official said. The BSF has been maintaining a high alert along the international border in Gujarat and Punjab, with increased patrolling and use of technology to detect and deter any attempts of infiltration from Pakistan. According to a statement, in recent months, there have been several instances of drones being used to smuggle weapons and narcotics across the border. The BSF has been successful in intercepting many such attempts and has increased its vigilance to prevent any untoward incidents. Chennai, April 5 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said that the state government would never permit coal mining/lignite mining from the Delta districts of Tamil Nadu. The Chief Minister was responding to special call attention motions moved by the legislators. Stalin said that he was also shocked like other members in the House on the central government's auctioning process of three coal blocks in the Delta districts of Tamil Nadu. He said that he is not only the Chief Minister but also a resident of Tiruvarur district of the state which falls under the Delta districts of the state and added that coal or lignite mining will never be allowed in Delta districts of the state. The Chief Minister also said that immediately after he came to know about the central government's auction process, he had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that former Union minister and senior leader of the DMK, T.R. Baalu had met the Union Coal minister, Prahlad Joshi, and apprised him of the present situation. Chief Minister said that Prahlad Joshi assured T.R. Baalu that the opposition of the Tamil Nadu CM would be given due weightage and will be taken into account. New Delhi, April 5 : Kirana tech startup 1K Kirana has laid off 40 per cent of its workforce, or over 200 employees, as it restructures growth forecasts and moves out of a few geographies. In a statement to IANS, the Info Edge-backed startup said that they are currently in the process of restructuring as the growth forecasts have changed. "We are changing our focus areas and moving out of a few geographies. Due to this, we have to let go of 40 per cent of our employees. All the employees will be given severances and we will assist them with outplacements," said a 1K Kirana spokesperson. However, a report in Moneycontrol, citing sources, said the layoff number could be as high as 600 employees. According to the startup, the latest fundraising round is in an advanced stage and it will soon raise money from the market. Founded in 2018, 1K Kirana is led by Kumar Sangeetesh, Sachin Sharma, and Abhishek Halder. Currently, the company has a presence in Delhi-NCR, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Uttarakhand. According to the information available on its LinkedIn page, the startup has 1,052 employees (as of early April). The startup raised $25 million in a Series B round in May 2022 led by Alpha Wave Global, Info Edge Ventures, and Kae Capital. 1K Kirana has raised $33.5 million in three funding rounds to date. New Delhi, April 5 : A Delhi court on Wednesday granted eight days custody of gangster Deepak Boxer, to Delhi Police's Special Cell. The gangster was produced before the Patiala House Courts, directly from the lockup due to security reasons. A five-member team of Delhi Police Special Cell had landed with the gangster at the IGI airport on Wednesday morning. The Delhi Police, with the assistance of the FBI, had apprehended wanted gangster Deepak Boxer in Mexico. As per police, notorious gangster Deepak Pahal alias Boxer, a resident of Haryana's Sonipat, was wanted in 10 criminal cases including murder, attempted murder, and under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), among others. Apart from this, Boxer was also handling the Jitender Gogi gang after his death. Gogi was killed by his rivals in an encounter that occurred in the Rohini court. He was also in touch with the members of Lawrence Bishnoi gang. According to police, the operation was launched after the Delhi Police's Special Cell received a tip-off about Deepak Boxer's location. Subsequently, a deeply-placed source revealed that Deepak Boxer had got a fake passport made in the name of Ravi Antil from Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly before fleeing abroad from Kolkata airport. The authorities traced him to the Mexican beach city of Cancun. New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram, April 5 : Kerala-headquartered Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church's supreme head, Baselios Marthoma Mathews III on Wednesday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his office in New Delhi and extended an invite to him to visit their headquarters at Kottayam, the next time he comes to the state. Mathews III after the meeting with Modi expressed happiness at its outcome. "It was my wish to meet the Prime Minister, after I took over as the head of the Church. Now after meeting him, I feel really happy. He asked about the functioning of the Church and I explained in detail and he was happy to hear about what we were doing," he said. "In between the meeting, I extended an invite to the Prime Minister to visit our headquarters the next time he comes to Kerala and he has agreed to do so," he added. The Orthodox Church has a strength of around 2.5 million faithfuls and is the second biggest Christian church in numbers in the state after the Catholics. London, April 5 : US pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson has proposed to pay almost $9 billion to resolve tens of thousands of lawsuits the company faces in North America over claims that its baby powder and other talc-based products cause cancer, the media reported. The healthcare giant said it still believed the claims were "specious" but was hoping the new settlement offer would help conclude its legal battle, the BBC reported. The figure marks a big boost over the $2 billion it had proposed previously. The new offer has significant support from people tied to the case, it said. The company is facing more than 40,000 lawsuits from former customers who say using its talc-based baby powder caused cancer, including some who allege the product contained cancer-causing asbestos. It stopped US sales of its talc-based baby powder in 2020, citing "misinformation" that had sapped demand for the product, applied to prevent nappy rash and for other cosmetic uses, including dry shampoo. Last year, it announced plans to end sales globally. Before that decision, the company had sold the baby powder for almost 130 years. It continues to sell a version of the product that contains cornstarch. The company has been trying to resolve the lawsuits in bankruptcy court since 2021, after creating a subsidiary responsible for the claims. But its efforts ran into trouble after an earlier bankruptcy court ruling found the subsidiary was not in financial distress and could not use the bankruptcy system to resolve the lawsuits. "The company continues to believe that these claims are specious and lack scientific merit," said Erik Haas, worldwide vice president of litigation for Johnson & Johnson. "Resolving this matter through the proposed reorganisation plan is both more equitable and more efficient, allows claimants to be compensated in a timely manner, and enables the company to remain focused on our commitment to profoundly and positively impact health for humanity." Johnson & Johnson said it had won a majority of the talc lawsuits against it. But it has been stuck with some significant losses, including one decision in which 22 women were awarded a judgement of more than $2 billion. The company said it had commitments from about 60,000 current claimants to support the new settlement terms. Agartala, April 5 : Tripura has imposed ban on the import of pigs and piglets amid sporadic incidents of swine flu in different parts of the country last week. Tripura's Animal Resource Development (ARD) Minister Sudangshu Das on Wednesday said that keeping in view the sporadic incidents of African Swine Flu (ASF) in different parts of the country during the past one week, as precautionary measures, the state government has totally banned the import of pig and piglet from outside the state. "If anyone is found violating the government's decision they would be penalised," the minister told the media. "An act would also be enacted on the ban so that if anyone found illegally importing pig into Tripura, the department can take severe action," Das said. The minister said that doctors of the ARD Department are working and monitoring the situations and time to time samples are being sent to the disease investigation labs for examination for ASF so that if anything is found wrong then immediate action can be taken up. The outbreak of ASF is reported in few northeastern, southern and northern states of the country and from these diseases hit regions, pig and piglets are being imported often. The highly-contagious ASF created havoc in Mizoram during 2021 and 2022, killing over 33,400 pigs, affecting over 10,000 families besides causing financial loss of Rs 61 crore. Around 12,000 pigs were culled in Mizoram in 2021 and 2022. According to experts, the outbreak of ASF may have been caused by pigs or pork imported from neighbouring Myanmar, Bangladesh and the adjoining states of northeast. The northeast region's annual pork business is worth around Rs 8,000-10,000 crore, with Assam being the largest supplier. Pork is one of the most common and popular meats consumed by both the tribals and non-tribals in the region. San Francisco, April 5 : Bob Lee, founder of Cash App and current Chief Product Officer of cryptocurrency company MobileCoin, has been stabbed to death in a shocking incident here. MobileCoin confirmed to ABC7 News that Lee was killed in a fatal stabbing in San Francisco on Tuesday. The San Francisco Police Department responded to a report of a stabbing near the 300 block of Main Street in SoMa. Lee was taken to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries. No arrest has been made so far in the case. Before his current job, Lee was CTO of digital payment app Square. He had also worked at Google early in his career. "Lee was a force of nature. Helped to birth Android and CashApp into our world. Moby was his dream: a privacy protecting wallet for the 21st Century. I will miss him every day," Joshua Goldbard, CEO of MobileCoin, was quoted as saying in the report. At Google, Lee focused on the core library development in the first few years of Android. He then joined Jack Dorsey-run Square -- the payment company that later became Block -- to develop the Android app. He became the company's first CTO and also created Cash App. "It's real. Getting calls. Heartbreaking. Bob was instrumental to Square and Cash App. STL guy," Dorsey, CEO of Block, posted on social media. Also known as 'Crazy Bob', he was an investor in tech startups like Elon Musk-run SpaceX, Clubhouse, Tile, Figma and others. "So sad to hear of @crazybob's untimely passing. I first met him in summer 2006. We remained connected over the years and he was an early supporter of Figma. It's so hard to believe he is gone," Figma CEO Dylan Field posted on Twitter. Rawalpindi, April 5 : Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice-President Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday blasted Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial for his remarks on the parliamentarians during a hearing of the Punjab election delay case, a media outlet reported. "When the parliamentarians were talking about law and Constitution, you (CJP) taunted them. Do you know how prideful it is to go to jail for an ideology?" said the PML-N leader while addressing a lawyers' convention in Rawalpindi. Maryam's comments came after CJP remarked that certain lawmakers speaking on the floor of the National Assembly had served jail terms and were declared traitors in the past, Geo News reported. "Today, when you go to parliament, you find people (...) who were, until yesterday, in captivity, imprisoned, declared traitors. They are now talking over there, and being respected because they are representatives of the people." His remarks were also criticised by Pak Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who said that it was a matter of pride for him that he had been released by the high court on merit in false and fabricated cases, the media outlet reported. "It is our right under the Constitution to express our views in the parliament," he said. Maryam said that the chief justice had gotten emotional during the election delay case hearing, adding that he should have gotten emotional when "I spent five months in Adiala Jail and five months in NAB's (National Accountability Bureau) custody". Referring to her imprisonment, Maryam said that she was in Adiala Jail for 5 months, but the chief justice did not get emotional at that time. Moving on to arch-rival Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, Maryam said that the ex-chief of Inter-Services Intelligence General (retd) Faiz Hameed was the biggest facilitator of the former premier, the report said. New Delhi, April 5 : A 13-year-old boy has been killed while his uncle sustained injuries after the scooty they were riding was hit by a cluster bus here near the Azadpur flyover, the police said on Wednesday. A police officer said both were rushed to a hospital after the accident. "The boy was declared brought dead while his uncle Arjun (34), a resident of Bharola village, sustained injuries. The boy died due to severe head injury," he said. The accident took place when Arjun was going to drop his nephew to school in Shalimar Bagh. The police said the cluster bus hit the scooty from behind, following which the bus driver fled. "A case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code has been registered. We have identified the vehicle and efforts are being made to nab the accused at the earliest," the police officer said. New Delhi, April 5 : Since the Rajya Sabha met after recess for the second part of the Budget session, the upper house of Parliament could not function properly and even the Finance Bill was passed without any discussions. The opposition and the government are at loggerheads over US firm Hindenburg's report on the Adani group where the former is demanding the setting up of a JPC to probe the issue while the latter has been demanding an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks during his UK trip. On Wednesday too, the house could not function properly. Trinamool Congress' member Derek O'Brien, in series of tweets on Sunday, said that BJP MPs were disrupting Parliament and the Rajya Sabha has "functioned for an avg of 20 minutes daily this Session (excluding time taken to congratulate #Oscar winners)", claiming that the Narendra Modi government "wants to run away from discussing scam, price rise, unemployment, misuse of agencies". In a tweet on Wednesday, he tweeted: "Serious, very serious destruction of #Parliament happening. MPs FROM RULING PARTY shouting slogans, not allowing Parliament to run for a full Session. PM @narendramodi and HM @AmitShah What Next ?" The opposition MPs have been moving daily notices for suspension of business but these are being rejected by the presiding officer every day and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has criticised the trend. "Presiding Officers in Legislatures are expected to be fair, even-handed and non-partisan. They cannot display their biases or their loyalty to the ruling party. They must command respect by their actions not demand respect by a never-ending flow of sermons", he said. Similarly in Lok Sabha, proceedings have been paralysed and situation has turned worse since disqualification of Congress member Rahul Gandhi. Congress MPs want debate on the issue apart from their demand for a JPC in the Adani row. Both houses were adjourned till Thursday as the Congress-led opposition kept up with their protests, shouting slogans and displaying placards while standing in the well of the house. New Delhi, April 5 : Apples own brick-and-mortar store in India will further strengthen the overall experience of being in an Apple ecosystem for its fans in the country, experts said on Wednesday. With its own branded retail store -- the first one being opened in Mumbai this month -- Apple will be able to control end-to-end user experience which will further take its brand image to another level. "We have seen many stories around the world about consumers sharing positive purchase experiences from the Apple branded stores and India will be no different," Counterpoint Research Director Tarun Pathak told IANS. Apple has finally lifted the curtains off its much-awaited own branded retail store at Jio World Drive Mall in Mumbai, officially marking the upcoming opening of Apple BKC. Inspired by the iconic 'Kaali Peeli' taxi art unique to Mumbai, the Apple BKC creative includes colourful interpretations of the decals combined with many Apple products and services that will be available for our customers to discover. According to Counterpoint data, Mumbai contributed 10 per cent of iPhone sales and the second largest for Apple, after Delhi, in 2022. Over the past couple of years, Apple's India strategy has been coming along well, including increased domestic manufacturing, aggressive marketing and affordability initiatives, and the success of the Apple India Online store. "Offline retail continues to be critical for all consumer tech companies in a large, diverse market like India. Indian Consumers love to touch, feel and explore the products, before making their purchase considerations," Prabhu Ram, Head, Industry Intelligence Group, CMR, told IANS. Interestingly, the premium smartphone segment in India has been growing in double digits. "The Apple-owned flagship retail stores come with favorable tailwinds, and are a critical lynchpin in Apple's bid to win the India market. Apple's retail stores globally set a standard in terms of consumer experience, staff knowledge and expertise, and the service standards, beyond products," Ram noted. Apple will launch a retail store in New Delhi at a later date. Apple sold 2 million iPhones in India in the holiday quarter (Q4) of 2022, registering 18 per cent growth (quarter-on-quarter) for its flagship device. The India market share of iPhones reached 5.5 per cent for 2022, an 11 per cent growth (year-on-year). New Delhi, April 5 : Congress on Wednesday attacked former party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad for his comments against party leadership in his upcoming autobiography and in media statements. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera accused Azad of exchanging his loyalty in lieu of a "Lutyens' Bungalow", noting that it was the Congress which gave him all the posts to emerge as a big leader. "The politician, who was supported by the Congress party, given almost all the top posts of the party, is is speaking against that party... he broke the trust of the party and when he left the party last year, he said 'I am free now', but after listening to his comments, it feels that he is (still a) Ghulam," he added. Azad, in his statement praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his generosity and targeted Rahul Gandhi over the fate and the shrinking base of the Congress. The Democratic Progressive Azad Party Chairman is set to release his memoirs "Azaad: An Autobiography". In the book, Azad, who was then the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, has mentioned promptly the issue of abrogation of Article 370 and targeted his former Congress colleague Jairam Ramesh for not joining the protest in the Parliament. Mumbai, April 5 : Iranian-German model and actress Elnaaz Norouzi shared her experience working with Scottish actor and film producer Gerard Butler in the international project 'Kandahar'. Gerard plays Tom Harris, a CIA operative stuck in Afghanistan during a mission. Elnaaz said: "Working with Gerard was magical not only as a producer, but also as co-star, he is just so much fun and super nice on top of it. 'Kandahar' is an experience I will never forget." Elnaaz is known for her work in Pakistani movie 'Maan Jao Naa', and Hindi film 'Hello Charlie'. She was also seen with Guru Randhawa in the music video 'Made In India' and seen in the web series 'Sacred Games'. The actress further shared her liking for Gerard's works which includes 'Tomorrow Never Dies', 'Tale of the Mummy', 'Timeline', among others and said: ":I remember watching Gerard's movies and I used to have a crush on him as a teenager. I am also thankful to Ric sir for guiding us through the film so well. I am just over the moon to be part of a Hollywood Movie. " 'Kandahar' has been directed by Ric Roman Waugh. This film also stars Navid Negahban, Ali Fazal, Bahador Foladi, Travis Fimmel. It will be released in the US on May 26. On the work front, other than 'Kandahar', Elnaaz will also be seen in 'Made In Heaven Season 2'. Chennai, April 5 : AIADMK general secretary and Leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu assembly Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) on Wednesday called upon party MPs and its allies to raise in Parliament the central government's move to auction three lignite blocks of the state. The AIADMK leader, while speaking to media persons outside the legislative assembly hall, said that as the subject of major minerals concerned the Central government, the DMK MPs should raise the matter in Parliament. He said that DMK and its allies have 38 MPs from Tamil Nadu and hence the issue must be raised in Parliament. He said that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin writing a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi or discussing the issue in legislative assembly was not enough to get the desired results. The leader of the opposition pointed out that when the AIADMK and its allies had 37 seats, the party had stalled Parliament for 22 days over Cauvery issue. He also pointed out that it was during the DMK regime from 2006-2011 that an MoU was signed for a project to develop coal bed methane in the Cauvery delta. After the Central government started the process of auction of Coal and lignite blocks in delta districts of the state, there have been stringent protests with the Chief Minister himself writing a letter to the Prime Minister to stop coal mining from the state. The Chief Minister also said in the assembly that the state government and the DMK would not "allow" the Central government to mine coal/lignite from the blocks as it would affect the agriculture in the area. Toronto, April 5 : An Indian-origin former Ontario government employee has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to stealing $47.4 million from the provincial government, which included $10.8 million of Covid aid. Sanjay Madan, who served as an IT Director within the Ministry of Education, pleaded guilty to multiple charges of fraud, breach of trust, and money laundering, which he committed by overseeing two complicated schemes to bilk millions of dollars from taxpayers, the Global News reported. Madan's lawyer Chris Sewratan said he feels "sorry" for his crimes and is taking "responsibility for everything". Madan has agreed to re-pay the entire amount, $30 million of which, his lawyers say was immediately returned to the Ontario government, while the remainder can be repaid over the next 15 years. His deception came to light during the Covid-19 pandemic when the government set up the support for students fund to give parents a one-time payment of $200 per child to offset the costs of learning from home during the pandemic. Madan, who had access to the internal processing portal, siphoned off more than 43,000 support payments into 2,841 bank accounts under his name -- taking $10.8 million from the fund, according to Global News. Criminal charges were withdrawn against Madan's wife Shalini and their two adult sons as part of a plea bargain, which was designed to serve as a signal that he alone bore responsibility for the fraud. Madan's lawyer said he pleaded guilty to clear the names of his wife, Shalini Madan, and their two sons whose names were on some of the accounts used to defraud the province. According to media reports, the Ontario government has successfully obtained an injunction to freeze Madan family's assets in Canada as well as overseas in India. Totalling $28 million, those assets include six Toronto condos collectively worth $3 million. Madan's whole family was also employed with the Province of Ontario, though his sons have since resigned and wife was dismissed. The probe into the pandemic funds fraud then uncovered a larger nine-year scheme in which Madan received profits to the tune of $36.6 million. Madan's lawyer said he apologised to the taxpayers, the Ontario government, his family and colleagues for the crimes. According to CTV News, after Madan's release from the prison, he has five years to pay back the remainder -- if he doesn't, he could be re-incarcerated for another six years, his lawyer said. Srinagar, April 5 : An Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) official was killed in a accident near the line of actual control (LAC) in Ladakh region, the paramilitary force announced on Wednesday. "ITBP salutes the braveheart assistant commandant, Tikam Singh Negi, of 24th Battalion ITBP who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty in Ladakh on April 2, 2023", the ITBP said on its official Twitter handle. Negi was posted on this front since 2021. Official sources said that he was leading a long range patrol when he fell into the gorge while negotiating the treacherous LAC terrain in Ladakh. The LAC forms the de facto border between India and China in the Ladakh region. The Delhi Police on Wednesday claimed that in the first quarter of the year, over 20 kilograms of heroin and 800 kilograms of cannabis (ganja) worth several crore Rupees in the illegal drug market, have been seized. Data shared by the police reveals that since January, they have seized around 20 kilograms of heroin/smack, 15 kilograms of cocaine, 800 kilograms of ganja, and 125 kilograms of opium in various operations across the national capital. In a recent operation, the Crime Branch has arrested seven criminals, including an Afghan national, who were involved in a large-scale international drug racket. They have been sent to judicial custody, and the police have seized 8.563 kilograms of high-quality heroin in the operation. This stash is estimated to be worth Rs 50 crore in the illegal drug market. "The Delhi Police has been actively pursuing a crackdown on drug trafficking in the city. Under the guidance and leadership of Commissioner of Police Sanjay Arora, the Delhi Police is committed to implementing the 'Zero Tolerance' policy against drugs," said Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Singh Yadav. "We have been successful in seizing large quantities of drugs in recent operations, which are worth crores in the illegal drug market. The police have also arrested several individuals involved in drug trafficking and have taken stringent action against them," Yadav said. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in the Delhi zone arrested 113 people, including 36 foreign nationals, in various drug abuse and smuggling cases reported throughout 2022. According to official data accessed by IANS, the NCB registered 85 cases in 2022 and seized nearly 200 kg of contraband, with a total worth of approximately Rs 940 crore. Among the seized drugs, heroin was the most addictive at 117.007 kg, followed by cocaine at 14.5 kg, opium at 13.505 kg, and 303 gm of ecstasy (MDMA), also known as the party pill. Additionally, 1.1 kg of methaqualone, 13.2 kg of pseudoephedrine, 12.2 kg of amphetamine, and 820.7 gm of methamphetamine were seized by the NCB. NCB confiscated over 2 lakh tablets of pharmaceutical drugs and 3.6 kg of other psychotropic substances. Bhavnagar : , April 5 (IANS) Three persons have been arrested here in Gujarat in connection with a paper leak case wherein the question paper of B.Com was leaked on social media hours before the commencement of the exam, the police said on Wednesday. The arrested individuals have been identified as Amit Galani, Ajay Ladumor and Vivek Makwana. Galani is the principal in-charge of G.L. Kakadia College of Commerce and Management, while Ladumor and Makwana are students of the college. The arrests were made after a complaint was filed by Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University registrar Kaushik Bhatt, and an FIR was registered against the accused under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 406, 409, 120B, 114, and 34 and Information Technology Act's sections 72 and 72A. The accused have been charged with criminal breach of trust, criminal conspiracy, breach of confidentiality and privacy, among other charges. According to the FIR, Galani had torn open a packet of question papers hours before the exam was scheduled to begin, and clicked photos of the questions on his mobile phone. He then handed his phone over to Srushti Borda, a B.Com student, who asked Vivek Makwana to click photos of the question papers from Galani's phone. The investigation revealed that Borda wanted to send a copy of the question paper to her friend Ladumor. However, the paper started circulating on social media after Makwana shared photos of the question paper he had clicked from the principal's phone with his friends. "We arrested them at 6 p.m. on Tuesday after their reports for Covid-19 tests returned negative. We shall present them before a magistrate," Police Inspector P.D. Parma said. London, April 5 : A senior Russian security officer who defected last year has given "rare insight into the paranoid lifestyle" of President Vladimir Putin, detailing a "secret train network, identical offices in different cities, a strict personal quarantine and escalating security protocols", a media outlet reported. Gleb Karakulov, who served as a captain in the Federal Protection Service (FSO), a powerful body tasked with protecting Russia's highest-ranking officials, said that the measures were "designed to mask the whereabouts of the Russian President, whom he described as "pathologically afraid for his life", The Guardian reported. The 36-year-old said the train was used because it "cannot be tracked on any information resource. It's done for stealth purposes", the media outlet reported. The Russian investigative outlet Proekt reported previously on the existence of the train and of a secret railway network including parallel lines and stations near Putin's residences in the Valdai national park in Novo-Ogaryovo, and near his Bocharov Ruchei residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Karakulov was a member of the "field team" of the Presidential Communications Directorate that encrypts the messages of top Russian officials and estimated he had travelled on more than 180 trips with top officials. He appears to be the highest-ranking intelligence official to defect since the start of Russia's war in Ukraine, the report said. Karakulov described a virtual state within a state that includes firefighters, food testers and other engineers who travel with Putin on his trips abroad, providing a rare first-hand insight into the levels of paranoia and sheltered lifestyle of the Russian president, it added. Karakulov also described "setting up secret communications for Putin on planes, helicopters, lavish yachts and even in a bomb shelter at the Russian embassy in Kazakhstan during an October 2022 visit when Karakulov ultimately fled to Turkey and from there to an undisclosed country in the west". According to Karakulov, Putin "relies heavily for information on reports provided by his security services". "Putin did not use a mobile phone or the internet, and did not even bring an internet specialist with him on foreign trips. "He only receives information from his closest circle, which means that he lives in an information vacuum," he was quoted as saying by The Guardian. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. Turkiye's imports of marine fuel from Kazakhstan in January 2023 amounted to 45,708 tons, Trend reports citing Turkiyes Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK). At the same time, there is no data on any marine fuel exports from Kazakshan to Turkiye neither in January 2022, nor 2021. Turkiye's total marine fuel imports in the reporting period of January 2023 amounted to 22.4 million tons. Meanwhile, Turkiye has imported a total of 633,694 tons of crude oil from Kazakhstan in January 2023, which accounted for 18.37 percent of total Turkiyes crude oil imports in the reporting month. Turkiye's total fuel imports from Kazakhstan in the reporting period totaled 663,740 tons, which is an increase of 28 percent year-on-year (518,422 tons), and a decrease of 129 percent, compared to January 2021 (289,589 tons). According to the report, Kazakhstan ranked third among main fuel exporters to Turkiye in January 2023, following after Russia (1.18 million tons), and Iraq (917,656 tons). Hyderabad, April 5 : Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar hatched a plan with other accused to leak the 10th class question paper, police said on Wednesday. Sanjay, who was arrested late on Tuesday, had several telephonic conversations and chats with B. Prashanth who shared the leaked paper on WhatsApp, Warangal Police Commissioner A.V. Ranganath said on Wednesday. Addressing a news conference, he said that while Prashanth shared the leaked paper on WhatsApp with many individuals including BJP leaders, they arrested Sanjay Kumar for several telephone calls and chatting with the accused a day before the question paper leak. Police believe that the paper leak happened at the instance of Bandi Sanjay and hope to join dots after retrieving call data. Ranganath said Sanjay refused to give his mobile phone to police and deleted a lot of data. "If he is innocent, why is he hiding the phone," he asked. The Commissioner said they would retrieve the call and chat data even if it was deleted. "We will approach WhatsApp and phone service provider to retrieve the data," he said. The police chief this was part of a conspiracy to bring the government to disrepute and to dilute the examination system. He revealed that in one of the chats accused number three G. Mahesh asked Prashanth if the paper was leaked. Sanjay Kumar has been named as accused number one in the case. He has been booked under Indian Penal Code's (IPC) Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating), and 505 (circulating any report or statement with an intent to cause alarm to the public). Police have also invoked sections 4 (A), 6 of TS Public Examinations (Prevention of Malpractices) Act and 66-D of Information Technology Act. The sections are non-bailable and if convicted, the guilty may get a jail sentence of 3 to 7 years. The Police Commissioner also clarified that they had informed the office of Lok Sabha Speaker before arresting Sanjay as a he is a member of Lok Sabha. He also argued that police have powers under section 41 of Criminal Procedure Coe to arrest a person without warrant. Four persons, including Sanjay, have been arrested in the case while five others are absconding. He said a minor student who took photo of the Hindi paper from an exam centre at Kamlapur minutes after the exam began at 9.30 a.m. and sent to Prashanth, who then forwarded it to several BJP leaders and media persons. The Police Commissioner said the minor will be produced before a juvenile court. New York, April 5 : OpenAI's ChatGPT can be helpful for breast cancer screening advice, but consumers using the Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool for health information still need to confirm information with their doctors, suggests a study. Researchers at the University of Maryland, in a study, found that the answers generated by Chat GPT provide correct information the vast majority of the time; sometimes, though, the information is inaccurate or even fictitious. In February 2023, researchers from the varsity's School of Medicine created a set of 25 questions related to advice on getting screened for breast cancer. They submitted each question to ChatGPT three times to see what responses were generated - the chatbot is known for varying its response each time a question is posed. Three radiologists fellowship-trained in mammography evaluated the responses; they found that the responses were appropriate for 22 out of the 25 questions. The chatbot did, however, provide one answer based on outdated information. Two other questions had inconsistent responses that varied significantly each time the same question was posed. "We found ChatGPT answered questions correctly about 88 per cent of the time, which is pretty amazing," said Paul Yi , Assistant Professor of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine. "It also has the added benefit of summarising information into an easily digestible form for consumers to easily understand," Yi added. The findings, published in the journal Radiology, showed that ChatGPT correctly answered questions about the symptoms of breast cancer, who is at risk, and questions on the cost, age, and frequency recommendations concerning mammograms. However, the downside is that it is not as comprehensive in its responses as what a person would normally find on a Google search. "ChatGPT provided only one set of recommendations on breast cancer screening, issued from the American Cancer Society, but did not mention differing recommendations put out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)," said lead author Hana Haver, a radiology resident at the university's Medical Center. In one response deemed by the researchers to be inappropriate, ChatGPT provided an outdated response to planning a mammogram around Covid-19 vaccination. The advice to delay a mammogram for four to six weeks after getting a Covid-19 shot was changed in February 2022. Inconsistent responses were given to questions concerning an individual's personal risk of getting breast cancer and on where someone could get a mammogram. "We've seen in our experience that ChatGPT sometimes makes up fake journal articles or health consortiums to support its claims," said Yi. "Consumers should be aware that these are new, unproven technologies, and should still rely on their doctor, rather than ChatGPT, for advice." According to a recent report by GlobalData, a data and analytics company, the revolutionary technology holds the potential to completely change the healthcare industry. It estimates the total AI market will be worth $383.3 billion in 2030, with a robust 21 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2022 to 2030. However, the usage of chatbots in patient care and medical research also raises several ethical concerns. As massive patient data is fed into machine learning to improve the accuracy of chatbots, patient information is vulnerable. The information provided by chatbots might be more inaccurate and misleading, depending on the sources fed into the chatbots, the report said. New Delhi, April 5 : Over half (52 per cent) of organisations have suffered a data breach in the past two years globally, an increase from 49 per cent in 2022 and 39 per cent in 2021, a new report said on Wednesday. According to the State of Security 2023 report by software firm Splunk, about 62 per cent of respondents said that their business-critical applications have suffered from unplanned downtime due to a cybersecurity incident on at least a monthly basis, an increase from 54 per cent in 2022. "In the organisations, we've worked with, resilience has been strongest with a collaborative approach in everything, from software development and infrastructure monitoring to business continuity planning. This approach brings everyone to the table, including security leaders with IT and business leaders, so they all can focus on protecting the organisation," said Ryan Kovar, Distinguished Security Strategist for Splunk and Leader of SURGe. Moreover, in India, about 42 per cent of organisations report being overwhelmed by the number of data breach attacks versus 23 per cent in the rest of the world. Nearly 48 per cent of Indian organisations say their security stack is too complex, compared to 28 per cent in the rest of the world. The report also mentioned that the organisations in India more often report having been breached in the last two years by 59 per cent versus 45 per cent of respondents elsewhere in the broad Asia-Pacific region. The report further stated that while enterprises face major cybersecurity obstacles, many organisations are taking steps to address these challenges. Around 95 per cent of the respondents say their security budgets will increase over the next two years, with 56 per cent saying their budgets are increasing "significantly". Nearly 81 per cent of organisations say they are converging aspects of their security and IT operations together. About 95 per cent of respondents say they have increased their focus on third-party risk assessments. Bhubaneswar, April 5 : The Odisha government has received investment intents of over Rs 26,000 crore during the Odisha Business Meet, 2023 held in Tokyo on Wednesday. The government of Odisha in association with the Indian Embassy in Japan, the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), and the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), hosted the Tokyo meet, which was attended by over 200 delegates, representing various industries from across Japan. The state has received the investment intents in the sectors like logistics, metal ancillary, steel, metal downstream, green hydrogen and green ammonia, green energy equipment manufacturing and IT/ITeS, officials said. Addressing the investors, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, said: "Odisha is one of the fastest growing economies in India and has consistently grown above the national average in the last decade and a half. We are fast emerging as a major industrial destination in India because of our natural resource advantage and strategic location." Odisha's abundant natural resources, skilled and productive human resources, progressive policies, and strong result-oriented governance provide a unique ecosystem, he said. Patnaik said: "Odisha is ranked among the top states in India in terms of attracting investments and has been accorded the achievers status in the recently released ease of doing business ratings by the Centre." He also highlighted how the state is becoming the fulcrum of trade and commerce in the Bay of Bengal region and the measures undertaken by his government to help industries looking to cater to the untapped markets in eastern and northeast India as well as markets in ASEAN and East Asia region. Speaking about industrialisation in this era of technological innovations, the CM said: "As we enter a new era of industrialisation propelled by advancements in technology and a philosophy of sustainability, we require a collaborative effort between the governments, industries and people to ensure consistent growth." The Chief Minister said Odisha, known for its rich culture and tradition, is transforming into a modern industrial hub. Patnaik said his government is focused on providing the best-in-class facilitation to all investors coming to Odisha. "We are also deeply committed to protecting our rich cultural history. The renovation and restoration of Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites have been a key agenda of my government. We are transforming sites like Dhauli, Udaygiri, Ratnagiri and Lalitgiri," he added. The Chief Minister requested all Japanese investors to visit Odisha and experience the change. An MoU for collaboration in the skill development sector was also signed between Nihon-Utkal (NITKAL) and IIIT, Bhubaneswar. The event also enabled trade and technology transfer-discussions between Odisha business delegation and Japanese companies. Earlier in the day, Patnaik also held one-to-one G2B meetings with a dozen of big investors of Japan. New Delhi, April 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit poll-bound Karnataka and Telangana as well as Tamil Nadu on April 8 and 9. While assembly elections are to be held in Karnataka on May 10, Telangana will go to polls later this year. He will be in Telangana and Tamil Nadu on April 8 while he will visit Karnataka on April 9. Modi will inaugurate and lay foundation stone of projects worth over Rs 11,300 crore in Telangana. He will also flag off Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express, which will reduce the travel time between the two cities by almost three and half hours. During his Telangana visit, Modi will also lay foundation stone of AIIMS Bibinagar and for redevelopment of Secunderabad railway station. During his Chennai visit, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the new integrated terminal building of Chennai airport. He will also flag off Chennai-Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express. The Prime Minister will also participate in celebrations commemorating 125th anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna Math. During the Karnataka leg of his tour, Modi will visit Bandipur Tiger Reserve and also visit Theppakadu Elephant Camp in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. He will inaugurate the programme 'Commemoration of 50 years of Project Tiger' and also launch the International Big Cats Alliance. Mumbai, April 5 : Actress Gauahar Khan was recently spotted while promoting her upcoming show 'IRL: In Real Love', in the city, along with creative twins Raghu Ram and Rajeev Laxman. The actress was seen with a baby bump as she is expecting her first child after marriage with Zaid Darbar. For the occasion, Gauahar chose a monochromatic outfit and paired it with gold earrings and nude coloured heels. While posing for the paps, the actress extended her warm wishes to them for Ram Navmi which was held recently and also gave her best wishes for the holy month of Ramzan and the festival of Eid. Raghu Ram and Rajeev Laxman, who were judges of youth reality show 'Roadies', are in association with actor-host Rannvijay and Gauahar for the dating reality show. Both Rannvijay and Gauahar will host 'IRL' produced by Raghu-Rajeev. The show will be streamed on Netflix. Kolkata, April 5 : Expelled youth Trinamool Congress leader Santanu Bandopadhyay, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) recently in connection with the multi-crore teachers recruitment scam in West Bengal, on Wednesday hinted in the count about evidence being planted at his residence leading to his arrest. During the hearing on his bail plea at a special court of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Bandopadhyay said that he was not that foolish as to preserve the list of 300 candidates on this count at his residence so that they can be used as evidences against him by the central agency sleuths. He also dismissed charges against him by ED that he purchased and accumulated huge property from his ill-gotten scam proceeds. "I had enough. I used to own a mobile shop. So, such allegations are baseless," claimed Bandopadhyay in the court. However, in his counter argument the ED's counsel Phiroze Edulji questioned how Bandopadhyay, as a lower-rung maintenance assistant with the state-run power distribution utility, could accumulate such huge wealth from a "paltry annual salary of Rs 6,00,000". "How could he accumulate a property to the tune of Rs 20 crore from his paltry annual income of just around Rs 6,00,000? Where he is now was inevitable. I would request the court to have a look at the case diary and it will be clear where the matter is heading for. Kindly go through the names of influential persons mentioned in the case diary. I am unable to pronounce those names in the open court," Edulji said. Finally, after hearing both sides, the judge of the special court rejected Bandopadhyaya's bail plea and sent him to judicial custody till April 19. --IANS src/vd A New Delhi, April 5 : The Delhi High Court has asked the Minority Affairs Ministry to respond to a plea seeking equal opportunity for Muslim employees in assisting Haj pilgrims instead of only deputing Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel. The petition challenged the ministry's March 20 office memorandum that included only CAPF employees on temporary deputation. The bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad has listed the matter for the next hearing on May 10 and asked the Haj Division of the Union Ministry to present its stance on record. Advocate Aamir Javed had filed a plea seeking an amendment to the office memorandum to provide opportunities to all Muslim employees of the Centre, States, and Union Territories as coordinators (admin), assistant Haj officers, and Haj assistants for Haj-2023. The plea claimed that the current memorandum violates Article 14 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to equality. As per the office memorandum, around 1.4 lakh Indian pilgrims are expected to participate in Haj 2023, with the first flight scheduled for May 21. The annual pilgrimage is expected to take place around the end of June. "The present petition is being filed on the basis that other central or State Government/UTs administration employees are not eligible for any deputation in the Office Memorandum dated March 20, 2023, which earlier was a practice of the Government of India to send male and female members of the Muslim community who are employees of various Government department on deputation for the temporary basis to Consulate General of India, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to render assistance to Haj pilgrims as Coordinators (Admin), Assistant Haj Officers (AHO) and Haj Assistants (HA) for Haj," stated the plea. "The office memorandum states that the work related to Haj is administrative, and only CAPF employees are eligible, while other permanent employees are excluded. This violates the constitutional rights of other employees who want to serve Haj pilgrims," the plea added. The petitioner also mentioned that a letter was sent to Union Minority Affairs Minister Smriti Irani requesting to amend the memorandum on March 22, but no response was received following which the petitioner has filed the plea in court. Patna, April 5 : Bihar's Deputy Chief minister Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday slammed Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his statement of hanging people, behind the recent violence "upside down". "The people of Bihar will make straight those who are claiming to hang people upside down. "Some people come from Gujarat and make statements here. This is the land of Mahatma Buddha. Gandhi became Mahatma Gandhi in Bihar, it is a land of Karpoori Thakur, Lalu Prasad, and Nitish Kumar and it will not tolerate any rioter. The leaders of BJP conspired during the holy month (Ramzan) but now we would not let anyone go scot free. The state government is looking after the matter very seriously," Yadav said. "On the day of Ram Navami, the march was held at 118 places. It was peacefully completed at all the places except in Sasaram and Bihar Sharif. The people of BJP tried to flare up the riots at these two places. Earlier, they had tried to create a fight between Bihar and Tamil Nadu but failed. Now, they were involved in riots. I want to tell them that those who were involved in riots will not go scot free," he added. "We may be in power or not, peace and social harmony will remain in Bihar. They had freaked out after the massive rally of Purnea. The people of Bihar are smart and they understand it very well," the RJD leader said. "I want to appeal to the people of Bihar to not to come under the influence of BJP and rioters. They are misleading the people from the real issues. Amit Shah should tell us whether the Centre would give special status to Bihar or not," he added. Mumbai, April 5 : Bollywood superstar Salman Khan set the social media on fire when he posted a shirtless picture on Wednesday. The star, who is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film 'Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan', took to his Instagram during the evening hours of the day and shared a shirtless picture of himself seated on a couch. The picture shows him basking in the sunlight as he sits in an otherwise dimly lit room. The actor appears in a ripped avatar with perfectly chiselled deltoid muscles and abs. He wrote in the caption, "May look like it but, definitely not chilling." The caption is in reference to the run-up to his upcoming theatrical film's release which features an ensemble cast. The film will release on April 21. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. Kazakhstan wants to build another six-millionth refinery on the territory of the Shymkent Oil Refinery, Bolat Aqchulaqov, Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan, said at a briefing, Trend reports. "We have repeatedly visited the refinery with specialists and decided to double the capacity ofit. That is, in fact, we want to build another six-millionth refinery on the territory of the Shymkent Oil Refinery. If you build it independently in the field, it will cost more. If you build on the territory of the existing infrastructure, it is easier, since the oil pipelines have already been brought there," Bolat Akchulakov explained. He noted that the construction will take about six years - from design to commissioning. Earlier, Alikhan Smailov, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, said that the country works out the possibility of expanding the Shymkent refinerys capacity from 6 to 9 million tons a year. Meanwhile, it was reported that Shymkent Oil Refinery will be closed for repair from 15 March through 9 April. The preventive work will be carried out with the goal to carry out the maintenance of all systems to ensure the stable output of the strategic enterprise. New Delhi, April 5 : Delhi's Lok Nayak Jay Prakash (LNJP) Hospital is fully geared up to deal with any situation if the present Covid case spike turns into another major outbreak. There are apprehensions of a new Covid wave and therefore, the government and the health sector is getting to ready to deal with any emergency situation. The LNJP Hospital is one of the big hospitals where a special Covid Emergency unit has been set up. On Wednesday, an IANS correspondent visiting the hospital to gauge the situation found that the the hospital was equipped with 450 Covid beds, out of which only 10 were occupied and the rest were vacant. Apart from this, the hospital has 178 Covid ICU beds waiting in the case of any emergency. There were adequate security arrangements, including private guards and paramilitary personnel, to maintain law and order inside the hospital premises. A few family members who had come with their relatives were also satisfied with the hospital service. Delhi had recorded 521 fresh Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, the highest single-day rise since August 27 last year, and 512 case on Monday. New Delhi, April 5: In December last year, an advocacy movement called the Forum for Muslim Women Gender Justice was launched in Kerala by a group of progressive women and social organisations to mobilise public opinion against gender inequality in the Muslim Personal Law (MPL), and counter the state government's reported decision to abide by the gender-biased aspects of the MPL, especially the law of inheritance. In March this year, the Forum held a State-level meeting in Kozhikode under the title Uyirppu -- which means revival in Malayalam -- to question, among other things, the discriminatory aspects of the Muslim law of inheritance and the denial of equal divorce rights to Muslim women. One of the women emboldened to present her case at Uyrippu was Rubiya Sainudheen. Her grievance was that being the only child of her father who died intestate she was not allowed to inherit his entire property because the MPL entitles her to only half the assets owned by him. The rest is divided among his brothers. But had the lone child been a son, he would have got the whole property. This gender bias against daughters in the MPL, lamented Rubiya, is helping her otherwise compassionless relatives grab a large chunk of her father's property. A few days before Uyrippu, actor-lawyer C. Shukoor and his wife Sheena Shukoor registered their marriage under the Special Marriage Act, 1954 at a sub-registrar office in the district of Kasaragod. Shukoor opted out of the MPL only to ensure that his three daughters did not lose any share of their inheritance to his own brothers. The MPL's discriminatory provisions, pointed out Shukoor, would have given his daughters just two-thirds of his property to be divided equally among them in the event of his death. In other words, each daughter would have got only about 22% of Shukoor's property. The Quran on inheritance It is a fact that the Quran (in verse 4:11) states that if a father leaves behind a lone daughter she will get half (nisf) his assets, and if he has more than two daughters, between them they will divide two-thirds (sulus) of his property. The rest goes to the nearest male relative as per a hadith in kitab al faraaiz of Bukhari and Muslim which quotes the Prophet as saying: "Give the shares to those who are entitled to them, and what remains over goes to the nearest male heir." But this injunction cannot be cited to deny daughters equal rights because verse 4:11 categorically states that the percentages of shares mentioned in it are not for the entire property. They are strictly restricted to the assets available for inheritance after the will and debts (min ba'di waseeyatin yuzee biha aw dainin) of the deceased have been legally settled. The entire property will come under the ambit of these percentages only when a person dies intestate without being in debt. Put differently, the Quran gives a Muslim father the right to divide his property equally among his children through a will. But Muslim jurists have restricted this right to only one-third of his property based on a questionable hadith. According to this hadith, a wealthy companion of the Prophet, Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas when he fell ill, is quoted as having sought the permission of the Prophet to donate his entire property to charity. The Prophet did not agree. But Sa'd, who had just one daughter at that time, still managed to convince the Prophet to let him give away one-third of the property. Another version of the same incident in Sunan an-Nasaai has Sa'd stating that it was the Prophet who asked him if he had made a will. When Sa'd replies that he has bequeathed all his wealth in the cause of Islam leaving nothing for his children, the Prophet asks him to write a will for one-tenth of his property and give the rest to his children. Sa'd argues that his children are well endowed (hum aghniyaa'u) and bargains with the Prophet until he permits him to bequeath one-third of his wealth. All versions of this hadith are questionable because the Prophet could never have imposed a restriction on the right to make a will when the Quran that was revealed to him does not place any limitations on it. In fact, the Prophet is quoted in the Quran as stating: "It is not for me to change it [the Quran] of my own accord. I only follow what is revealed to me" (10:15). Muslim jurists cite yet another hadith from Sunan Ibn Majah in which the Prophet is alleged to have ruled that "there is no bequest for an heir" (laa waseeyata liwaaris). However, verse 2:180 commands Muslims to write a will in favour of "parents and close relatives" (al waseeyatu lil waalidayni wal aqrabeena). Similarly, verse 2:240 instructs husbands to bequeath for their wives a year's maintenance in the unfortunate event of their death (Waseeyatan li azwaajihim mataa'an ilal hauli). These verses clearly indicate that legal heirs should be at the top of the testamentary list. Hadiths cannot overrule the Quran The glaring contradictions and extra-Quranic rulings in hadiths cited above render them unreliable to be the basis of Islamic law. Besides, Islam's secondary source (hadiths) cannot overrule or amend its primary source (Quran). But the inheritance law that prevails today in the name of shariah has undermined the Quran to such an extent that the higher percentage of share for sons -- which is applicable only on a limited quantum of property -- is universalised to permanently curtail the testamentary rights of Muslims over their own property. This, coupled with the false belief that a will cannot be made in favour of legal heirs, has tied the hands of Muslims from giving their daughters an equal share in their properties through a will. If Muslims really want to reap the benefits of Quranic egalitarianism, they will have to muster the courage to challenge the interpretive monopoly of the theologians and legally stop them from formulating the Muslim Personal Law on the basis of medieval fatwas or hadiths that violate the Quran. (A. Faizur Rahman is an independent researcher and secretary general of the Islamic Forum for the Promotion of Moderate Thought. Email: themoderates2020@gmail.com) (The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative London, April 5 : British-Hindu Murugesvaran 'Subby' Subramaniam has been appointed as Warrant Officer of the UK's Royal Air Force, the aerial warfare and space force announced on Wednesday. In his new role, Subramaniam will advise the Chief of the Air Staff on matters concerning airmen and airwomen of the RAF. He succeeds Warrant Officer Jake Alpert. "I am eager to take on the responsibilities that come with this position, particularly acting as the spokesperson for the non-commissioned cadre," Subramaniam said in a statement. "Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of working in a variety of roles and with colleagues from different branches of the UK's armed forces, including the Army and Navy. I am grateful for the opportunities that I have had to develop strong working relationships across all three branches of the military, and look forward to continuing to strengthen those bonds, in my new role," he added. Subramaniam is an Air and Space Operations Manager, whose service in the last 15 years has predominantly been in the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS), Missile Warning (MW), Space Domain Awareness (SDA), and Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) field. He has served in the Royal Engineers with 106 Field Squadron/12 Force (Air) Support Group, 36 Engineering Regiment prior to joining the Royal Air Force in 1998. In 2007 Subramaniam spent the next three years at Air Command Bunker dealing with pan-government resilience operations, and he also gained Missile Warning Operator and Data Links Network Manager qualifications. In 2021, he was appointed as the inaugural Command Warrant Officer to the United Kingdom Space Command. During his tenure, he also supported the Space Command Capability branch on SDA and Command and Control Systems delivery. Last year, he was selected as the first RAF Warrant Officer to attend the Command Senior Enlisted Staff Course at Baltic Defence College in Estonia. Subramaniam graduated with the Commandant's Award for outstanding academics and leadership, an RAF statement read. Subramaniam was educated in Malaysia until the age of 19, he earned a Bachelor of Law and a Diploma in Higher Education in Finance and Legal Studies. He is an active member of a charity foundation, and currently studying for his Master in Business Administration Risk and Resilience at Buckinghamshire New University. Hyderabad, April 5 : A court in Telangana's Warangal district on Wednesday sent state BJP chief and Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar to judicial custody for 14 days in Class 10th question paper leak case. Sanjay, who was arrested amid mid-night drama in Karimnagar, was produced before fourth Additional Junior Civil Judge-cum-Judicial First Class Magistrate in Hanamkonda on Wednesday evening. After hearing both sides, the magistrate remanded him to judicial custody till April 19. The BJP leader's lawyers moved a bail petition before the magistrate. It was not clear if the petition would be heard on Wednesday night or the next day. The police are likely to shift Sanjay to Khammam Jail. Police named Sanjay as the accused number one in the case. He allegedly hatched a plan with other accused to leak the 10th class question paper. In its remand report, police said that it is a case of pre-planned and evil designed conspiracy, malpractices in SSC public examination with an intention to create rumours and provoke a breach of peace of the ongoing public examination in the state. According to police, Sanjay hatched a plan with the help of accused number two Boora Prashanth and accused number three Moutam Shiva Ganesh to leak out the ongoing SSC papers by taking a photo of a question paper in the cell phone. According to police, A1 gave direction to A2 to exploit the situation of leakage of Telugu question paper which happened on April 3 and leak and circulate Hindi paper on April 4 as well to create fear among the students and their parents and to defame the duly elected state government. Out of total 10 accused in the case, police have arrested five and served notice on a juvenile, a 10th class student. Bandi Sanjay, Boora Prashanth, Gundaboina Mahesh and Moutam Shiva Ganesh have been arrested. Pogu Subash, Pogu Shashank, Dhoolam Srikanth, Perumandla Shramik and Pothanaboina Varsith are absconding. They have been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating), 505 (circulating any report or statement with an intent to cause alarm to the public) Police have also invoked sections 4 (A), 6 of TS Public Examinations (Prevention of Malpractices) Act and 66-D of Information Technology Act. The sections are non-bailable and if convicted the guilty may get a jail sentence of 3 to 7 years. Police said Sanjay spoke to Prashanth several times on phone and chatted with him before and after the leak. Warangal Police Commissioner A.V. Ranganath said Sanjay refused to give his mobile phone to police and deleted a lot of data. "If he is innocent, why is he hiding the phone," he asked. The commissioner said they would retrieve the call and chat data even if it was deleted. "We will approach WhatsApp and phone service provider to retrieve the data," he said. The police chief said this was part of a conspiracy to bring the government to disrepute and to dilute the examination system. New Delhi, April 5 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) informed a Delhi court on Wednesday that it has found fresh evidence indicating former Delhi Deputy Chief Manish Sisodia's involvement in the alleged excise scam, and the investigation is at a crucial stage. The agency also sought time to argue on the bail application of the AAP leader. Special Judge M.K. Nagpal adjourned the argument on the application until April 12 while extending the judicial custody of Sisodia till April 17 in connection with the excise policy case being probed by the ED. Appearing for the ED, Special Public Prosecutor Zoheb Hussain argued that they need time to present the evidence and requested the court to grant this "The agency is in process of gathering fresh evidence that has come to light for which we need time," said Hussain. Advocate Vivek Jain, represented Sisodia, told the court that the ED lacks evidence to support the accusation that his client was involved in money laundering. Jain argued that the investigation has been thorough, including a raid on his home, but nothing incriminating has been found. "Furthermore, the excise policy was authorised by several relevant authorities, including the Lieutenant Governor, and it is unfair to place the blame solely on Sisodia," counsel said. Sisodia's counsel also emphasised that the ED does not have jurisdiction over this investigation. Jain further argued that the ED cannot make unfounded allegations that he will interfere with evidence if he is released on bail. He added that during the time when he held the Excise portfolio, the agency never accused him of trying to influence or intimidate witnesses. "Now he (Sisodia) is currently not holding any portfolio," said the lawyer. On March 21, Sisodia moved a plea seeking bail plea in ED's case. After the CBI arrested the AAP leader on February 26, the ED also arrested him in the same case on March 9. The probe agency had earlier claimed that within a span of one year, 14 phones have been destroyed and changed, and that Sisodia has been evasive from the start. Kolkata, April 5 : The West Bengal government, abiding the order of the Calcutta High Court, has decided to deploy three companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in three pockets of the state on Thursday on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary H.K. Dwivedi, which was attended virtually by top police officials in the state. It was decided that the three companies of CAPF will be deployed in areas of mixed population in Kolkata, Howrah Police Commiserate and Chandernagore City Police. Recently, clashes broke out during Ram Navami celebrations in some pockets of Howrah and Hooghly districts. In the meeting it was decided that huge contingents of state police will be deployed to escort the processions on the occasions of Hanuman Jayanti on Thursday. The procession organisers will have to submit the list of volunteers and they will be provided with separate identity cards by the police authorities. Without proper identity cards no volunteer will be allowed to participate in the processions. At the same time, strict restrictions have been imposed over carrying any kind of arms, which even include sticks at the procession. Use of soundboxes and DJs are strictly prohibited. Jaipur, April 5 : Many Ambassadors and representatives of G-20 counties will attend the Great Indian Travel Bazaar-12 (GITB-12) in Jaipur later this month, officials said on Wednesday. On April 22, around 70 people, including tour operators, and Ambassadors and representatives of G-20 countries, will be brought from New Delhi to Jaipur on the Palace on Wheels, Rajasthan's Principal Secretary, Tourism, Gayatri Rathore said. The formal inaugural session of the GITB will be held in Jaimahal Palace on 6 p.m. on April 23, she added. The GITB will be organized by the Department of Tourism from April 23 to 25 and representatives of the State Tourism Board from eight states will also participate in this programme. Along with the inaugural session, panel discussions will also be held with the ambassadors and representatives of G-20 countries. B2B meetings will be organised with foreign tour operators on April 24 and 25 in the JECC Centre at Sitapura. Rathore said that the Department of Tourism is promoting and showcasing the Palace on Wheels and that is why foreign tour operators are being brought from New Delhi to Jaipur on it because this train is very popular at the international level and tourists are very curious about it. New Delhi, April 5 : Delhi Police on Wednesday conducted a flag march here in the Jahangipuri area a day ahead of Hanuman Jayanti celebrations. "Hanuman Jayanti celebration at Jahangirpuri is being regulated in consultation with the organisers. We are ensuring that it takes place in a safe and secure manner," said Special Commissioner of Police (law and order) Deependra Pathak. The police also regularised the route for Hanuman Jayanti in Jahangirpuri area after the VHP expressed its wish to take out a procession on the occasion. On VHP's request, a senior police officer said: "We have examined their request and we have regularised the route after making it short for a short distance and adequate security will be deployed in the district to maintain the law and order situation." In April last year, communal clashes broke out in Jahangirpuri during a procession that was taken out to mark Hanuman Jayanti. At least eight police personnel and a civilian sustained injuries in the violence. While a procession was passing through a mosque area, stone pelting had started, triggering the clashes. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has urged all states to ensure law and order during Hanuman Jayanti on April 6. The MHA has issued an advisory to all states and Union territories to sensitise law enforcement agencies and monitor any factor that could disrupt peace and harmony in society. "The MHA has issued an advisory to all states in preparation for Hanuman Jayanti. The governments are encouraged to ensure the maintenance of law and order, peaceful observance of the festival, and monitoring of any factors that could disturb communal harmony in society," said the Home Minister's Office in a tweet on Wednesday. New Delhi, April 5 : An accused in motor vehicle theft cases escaped from police custody in Delhi while he was being taken for a medical examination, an official said on Wednesday. Lakhvinder Singh, a resident of Rajasthan, was being taken for a medical examination along with another accused, Vibhu, a resident of Uttar Pradesh. "Under the team of sub-inspector Narendra Dabas with head constable Mukesh and constable Deepanshu (driver), Lakhvinder ran away from custody in Shahbad Dairy area near Punjab Sweets, Sector-11," an official said. According to police, Singh had been previously involved in 15 motor vehicle theft cases, while Vibhu was involved in one case. On Monday, the police had received a tip-off about an interstate gang of thieves, leading to the arrest of Singh and Vibhu in the Alipur area of the city. The police seized two luxury cars, a Hyundai Alcazar and a Tata Harrier, from their possession. At their instance, six stolen cars and five stolen two-wheelers were also recovered. "We have registered a separate case against Lakhvinder and are making efforts to locate him. The police personnel involved in the incident are facing departmental action," a senior police officer said. Kolkata, April 5 : Over 150 veterinarians have appealed to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to stop the use of horse-drawn carriages in Kolkata, considering the animals' poor health and deteriorating condition. Incidentally, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India has been appealing for the carriages to be replaced with motorised e-carriages and has offered to assist in the horses' rehabilitation. In Mumbai, horse-drawn carriages have been replaced with sleek vintage-style, non-animal vehicles. According to these veterinarians, Kolkata's horses are forced to haul heavy loads of people on hard roads - conditions which lead to irreparable and irreversible leg and hoof problems and lameness. On this matter, they have quoted three in-depth studies by PETA India and the CAPE Foundation which documented that more than 100 horses used for tourist rides in Kolkata are anaemic, malnourished, and chronically starved; that some have been found suffering from severe injuries, including bone fractures; and that many are forced to live amid their own waste on filthy, decrepit, and illegally occupied premises in the city. According to PETA India Veterinary Policy Advisor Dr Nithin Krishnegowda, these veterinarians care about animals and know what's best for them. Democrats to press Sessions on Trump campaign's Russia ties Democratic lawmakers are to question US Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday about his past statements on communication between President Donald Trump's electoral campaign and Russia. GALLERY Washington (dpa) - Sessions is to appear at a routine oversight hearing before the House Judiciary Committee at 10 am (1500 GMT) to answer a range of questions about the Justice Departments work.Democrats are likely to zero in on questions about Russia, after a former foreign policy adviser to the campaign, George Papadopoulos, pleaded guilty to lying about his contacts with Russia.Court documents showed that Papadopoulos had attended a meeting with Trump, Sessions and other aides at which he claims to have mentioned the possibility of arranging a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin."These facts appear to contradict your sworn testimony on several occasions," Democratic lawmakers wrote to Sessions in a letter last week, outlining their concerns ahead of the hearing.Sessions has previously denied any knowledge that anyone from the campaign might have been in contact with the Russians. He has previously come under fire for failing to disclose his own meetings with the Russian ambassador.Court documents unsealed last month said Papadopoulos met with a professor with ties to the Russian government about information that was supposedly damaging to Trumps Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.The charge was among the first resulting from special counsel Robert Muellers investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential elections. Sessions has recused himself from the investigation. Guwahati, April 5 : Assam cabinet minister Atul Bora on Wednesday blamed the previous Congress-led governments in the Centre as well as the state for the current border-related disputes between the northeastern states. The minister said this in the Assembly while asserting the long-standing border dispute with Arunachal Pradesh is expected to be resolved by the end of this year. He said that when the states of Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Mizoram were carved out of Assam, the border between them should have been clearly demarcated. "From Assam, these states were created. At that time, both the Centre and the state were ruled by the Congress. This problem wouldn't have occurred if they clearly demarcated the border at the time of formation of these states," Bora, Minister for Border Protection and Development, said. The minister claimed that significant progress has been made under the current government in resolving boundary disputes between Assam and other neighbouring states. In response to a question from BJP MLA Hitendra Nath Goswami, Bora said, "We are hoping that our border conflict with Arunachal Pradesh will be resolved by the end of this year." The minister claimed that both states had established 12 regional committees to visit the disputed areas and prepare a report based on their findings. According to the minister, the two states will sign an agreement to resolve their differences in accordance with the suggestions made by the regional committees. Bora also informed the assembly about the progress on resolving disputes with other neighbouring states. On resolving the border issue with Meghalaya, Bora stated that the two states have already signed an MoU to resolve disagreements in six of the twelve highlighted areas. "The subject is being pursued by regional committees for the remaining six areas after being delayed by the Meghalaya Assembly elections," he added. According to Bora, the Assam government is currently reviewing the Mizoram government's submission of its documentation about the land it claims to own. "The Supreme Court is now hearing the dispute with Nagaland, and after the witness testimony from Assam is over, the process for Nagaland will start," according to Bora. London, April 5 : A 52-year-old man from Kerala admitted on Wednesday to killing his Indian wife and two children, aged six and four, in the UK last year, and will be sentenced on July 3, 2023, police said. Saju Chelavalel, of Petherton Court, Kettering, pleaded guilty at Northampton Crown Court to three counts of murder of his wife Anju Asok, 35, a staff nurse at Kettering General Hospital, and her two children Jeeva and Janvi Saju. The three died on December 15, 2022, when emergency services were called to Petherton Court to reports that they had suffered serious injuries. Forensic post-mortem examinations, which took place at Leicester Royal Infirmary following their deaths, concluded that all three died as a result of asphyxiation. Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Simon Barnes, said: "This was an absolutely tragic case and there are no words to articulate the devastation Saju Chelavalel caused when he chose to end the lives of Anju, Jeeva and Janvi. "I am pleased that he has pleaded guilty and spared Anju's family and friends the pain of a trial. He will have to live with what he has done forever and I hope one day, he truly comprehends the pain his actions have caused," Barnes said in a statement released by Northamptonshire Police. Saju, along with his children, had joined his wife in the UK last year. A driver by profession, he was frustrated after failing to get a job, IANS reported earlier. The couple used to quarrel over financial issues which took a turn for the worse last year, and ended in him killing the three. New Delhi, April 5 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the March 30 notification cancelling, till further orders, the urban local bodies (ULBs) elections in Nagaland. The matter was mentioned before a bench comprising Justices S.K. Kaul and A. Amanullah. Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, representing the petitioners, informed the bench that the elections have been cancelled. Issuing notice to the Election Commissions and the State Election Commission (SEC), the bench, in its order, noted that the the order of this court dated March 14, 2023 had made it clear that any endeavour, either by the Election Commission or the state government, to tinker with the local elections now would be in breach of the orders of the court. "In the meantime, the order dated March 30, 2023 cancelling the election programme is stayed. The reply be filed within a week. List on April 17, 2023". The petitioners - People's Union for Civil liberties and others - filed an application through advocate Satya Mitra, challenging the cancellation of the elections and the petitioners urged the apex court to take contempt action for "disobeying" its March 14 order. On March 30, the SEC had issued a notification which cancelled the election programme notified earlier "till further orders" in view of the repeal of the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2001. The top court was hearing a plea seeking 33 per cent reservation for women in the elections to the local bodies in the state. It had noted in its March 14 order that the SEC counsel had submitted that the elections will be held on May 16. The top court had directed that the election schedule should not be disturbed now and the election process should be completed. The application sought setting aside of the Nagaland Municipal (Repeal) Act, 2023 and also a direction to the Central government that adequate central forces be sent to Nagaland prior to the elections in order to ensure a peaceful election process. "Notice also be issued qua the other prayers as also to the Central Government in view of the prayer made in para D for adequate Central forcec," said the apex court, in its order. New Delhi, April 5 : The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday informed a Delhi court that it might file a supplementary charge sheet on Thursday in connection with the alleged Rs 200 crore money laundering case involving alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez, and others. Fernandez, who is currently on bail in the case, also appeared before the bench of Additional Sessions Judge Shailendra Malik during the proceedings. The court has listed the matter for the next hearing on April 18. On November 15, the court had granted bail to the actress, who is an accused in the money laundering case. However, she was not arrested in the case. The court had, on August 31, taken cognisance of a supplementary charge sheet filed by the probe agency. New Delhi, April 6 : BJP National President J.P. Nadda on Wednesday slammed Opposition parties for "doing politics of false accusations". "Opposition has a habit of repeatedly accusing the independent agencies of the country. Whole country is watching what opposition is doing. All corruptors have united and playing politics by making false allegations. Supreme Court verdict is going to show mirror to all of them," Nadda said in a tweet. The BJP chief made the remarks after the Supreme Court, earlier in the day, refused to entertain a petition filed by 14 political parties alleging that central investigating agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) "are being weaponised by the Union Government to clamp down on dissent by arresting opposition leaders". A division bench of Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice J.B. Pardiwala expressed disinclination to entertain the petition by saying that it cannot issue general directions without a factual context. The bench said that political leaders cannot claim a higher immunity than ordinary citizens and hence a special set of guidelines cannot be issued for them. Paris, April 6 : French filmmaker-actress Maiwenn's historical drama "Jeanne du Barry", starring Johnny Depp as the French king Louis XV, is slated for a world premiere on the opening night of the Cannes Film Festival's 76th edition, 'Variety' has confirmed. The movie marks Depp's acting comeback after a three-year hiatus following his long legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard that culminated in a defamation trial won by Depp in December. Maiwenn's sixth feature, the period movie revolves around the tumultuous relationship of the French king and his lover, Jeanne du Barry (played by Maiwenn), whom he brought into the Versailles Palace to live near him even though she wasn't a noble. Louis XV, who was nicknamed "the beloved", ultimately died as an unpopular king after being accused of corruption. He reigned for 59 years, the longest in the history of France after that of Louis XIV. Depp, according to 'Variety', barely spoke French before the start of filming, so it will be interesting to see how he pulls it off without an accent. Maiwenn was previously at Cannes in 2011 with "Polisse", which won the Jury Prize, and in 2015 with "My King", which earned Emmanuelle Bercot a best actress award. "Jeanne du Barry" is also expected to play in competition. The Cannes Film Festival will unveil its Official Selection on April 13, notes 'Variety'. It has meanwhile confirmed a pair of anticipated U.S. movies, Martin Scorsese's Leo DiCaprio-starrer "Killers of the Flower Moon" and Disney's "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny", which marks the return of Harrison Ford to the famous franchise. Ruben Ostlund, the two-time Palme d'Or director of "The Square" and "Triangle of Sadness", will preside over the jury. Panaji, April 6 : In a scathing attack on the RSS and BJP, former All India Congress Committee Secretary Girish Chodankar has said that the "former have always worked against the Bahujan Samaj and used them as vote bank". Chodankar on Wednesday addressed a press conference in north Goa and criticised the BJP for misleading people and particularly the OBC community over Rahul Gandhi's 'Modi surname' defamation case. "Rahul Gandhi has always encouraged OBCs, SCs and STs. It was Congress who gave reservation to OBCs," he said. Citing example of how the BJP and RSS are trying to destroy the political career of Bahujan Samaj leaders, Chodankar added that the BJP government failed to invite Union Minister Shripad Naik for the inauguration of projects funded by his Ministry. "He (Chodankar) was then forced to raise this issue before the media," he said, adding the BJP has failed to work in the interest of OBCs. The Congress leader said that the BJP use the "caste and religion card" when they are frustrated and when they have no answers. "BJP leaders are trying to mislead people. BJP has always used OBCs as vote bank. They have always hated OBCs, SCs and STs. I challenge them to show what development work they have done for OBCs in last nine years," Chodankar added. He said that Rahul Gandhi had asked few questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but the latter failed to answer them. "Asset of nation belongs to people. It is not the private property of Modi or BJP. It is the right of people to question about the asset of nation. Rahul Gandhi had right to ask this as he was a Member of Parliament," he added. Chodankar said that Congress never disqualified any MP for asking questions in the Parliament. "Opposition used to level allegations on the Congress government and also on Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi. But we (Congress) never played vendetta politics as we wanted to maintain democracy," he added. "During his speech, Rahul Gandhi had said that there are Rs 20,000 crore in shell companies linked to Adani and had asked whose money was it? He had questioned the relationship of Modi with Adani. But the ruling party remained silent over these questions," he said. "The sentence could have been less than two years. But the quantum of sentence was two years only because it paved the way for the BJP government to disqualify him," he said, while speaking about the defamation case against Rahul Gandhi. "By these events it is evident that BJP and RSS are afraid of Rahul Gandhi. It is proved that Rahul Gandhi is a powerful leader and raises questions asked by the people without any fear," Chodankar added. New Delhi, April 6 : The Delhi BJP unit will celebrate the 'Samajik Nyay Saptah' (Social Justice Week) from the party's foundation day on April 6 till the birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar on April 14 in the national capital, party sources said. April 6 is the foundation day of the BJP and many programmes will be organised on this occasion. Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva will participate in the programme organized at the national party office in New Delhi and the Delhi Opposition Leader Ramvir Singh Bidhuri will host the party flag at the state office on Thursday morning. State BJP (Organisation) General Secretary, Siddharthan, and key party office bearers and workers of the state will participate in the flag hoisting programme. Small and big Foundation Day programmes will be organised at nearly 14,000 places in Delhi at all district, mandal and booth committees level. BJP workers will collectively listen to the Foundation Day message of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On April 6, the BJP National President J.P. Nadda will start a wall writing campaign in support of the party on the outer wall of the residence of party workers from Delhi's Bengali Market. Sachdeva will do wall writing outside the residence of a party worker in Paharganj after which this programme will be run across Delhi. Delhi BJP's Yuva Morcha will organise a medical camp, and employment counselling camp on April 7 under the Social Justice Week. On April 8, Delhi BJP's Scheduled Caste Front and Minority Front will jointly organise programmes to encourage youth for self-reliance under the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' scheme. On April 9, the Delhi BJP Kisan Morcha will conduct a public awareness campaign regarding natural farming, cleaning of the river Yamuna and Shri Anna (Millets) scheme. On April 10, Delhi BJP Mahila Morcha will organise a dinner programme with women in Scheduled Caste-dominated areas. On April 11, Delhi BJP OBC Morcha will celebrate the birth anniversary of social reformer Jyotirao Phule. On April 12, Delhi BJP's Purvanchal Morcha will set up medical camps in Purvanchal population-dominated areas and carry out cleanliness drive across the city. On April 13, BJP workers will start a programme to clean water bodies and plant trees. On April 14, BJP officials and Scheduled Caste Morcha workers will jointly celebrate the birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar. Under this, a program will be organised in the state office and workers will garland Ambedkar's statue after cleaning it at various places. Ankara, April 6 : Turkish airspace is closed for flights to and from Iraq's Sulaymaniyah airport for three months due to the activities of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the region, Turkey's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tanju Bilgic said. "Turkish airspace has been closed to aircraft, which land/take-off at Iraq's Sulaymaniyah International Airport, as of April 3," Bilgic added in a statement on Wednesday. The decision was taken upon the "intensification" of PKK's activities in Sulaymaniyah in the east of the Kurdistan region of Iraq and "infiltration by the terrorist organisation into the airport and thus threatening flight safety," he said. The ban will initially be valid until July 3, and will be re-evaluated in light of the developments that will be closely monitored in the run-up to that date, the spokesperson added as quoted by Xinhua news agency report. The PKK, listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US and the European Union, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than three decades. The group uses Qandil Mountains in northern Iraq as its headquarters. Dar Es Salaam, April 6 : Tanzanian authorities has said that plans are underway to introduce cage fish farming around Lake Nyasa, one of the African Great Lakes. Deputy Minister for Livestock and Fisheries David Silinde told the Parliament on Wednesday in the capital Dodoma that the Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI) will conduct a strategic environmental assessment in the 2023/2024 financial year to identify areas suitable for cage fish farming around the lake. Silinde told the Parliament that the environmental assessment is aimed at ensuring that cage fish farming is conducted in accordance with set environmental guidelines, Xinhua news agency reported. "TAFIRI will soon start carrying out experimental cage fish farming in collaboration with the residents around the lake by producing fingerlings by using cages," he said. He added that the government had in the first phase provided funds for fishermen around Lake Victoria regions after they qualified for cage fish farming. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan are holding negotiations on agreement on avoidance of double taxation and prevention of evasion from payment of taxes, Trend reports via the Ministry of Economy of Kyrgyzstan. The Kyrgyz side is presented by the representatives of the Ministry of Economy of Kyrgyzstan and the State Tax Service under the Ministry of Finance of the Kyrgyzstan. The negotiations started on April 4 in Baku. Currently, Kyrgyzstan is working on establishment of bilateral agreements with different countries, aimed at regulating tax relations between partner countries by granting each state the right to tax certain types of income and capital. The main goal of the agreements is to eliminate double taxation in different countries. The agreements on the avoidance of double taxation are also considered as a means of attracting foreign direct investment into the economy of Kyrgyzstan. In addition, the main tasks of such agreements are to protect residents of one state from discriminatory taxation in another contracting state, prevent tax evasion or abuse of the provisions of the agreements, and mutual exchange of information between the competent authorities of the contracting states. Judge Bashor found Society Botanicals negligent in this case "because adequate warnings or instructions were not provided with the Kratom Divine product." A negligence ruling by a Washington State Judge in a kratom wrongful death lawsuit is the first of its kind in the United States (Order on Summary Judgement - Misbranded Drugs No. 20-2-00874-08, Superior Court of WA). Judge Gary Bashor of the Superior Court of Washington For Cowlittz County entered a summary judgment against Society Botanicals, finding the Oregon company negligent due to inadequate warnings and instructions on the packaging of their product, Kratom Divine. Thirty-nine year old Patrick Coyne died on Fathers Day in 2020 after taking Kratom Divine. Photos of the pouches of the Kratom Divine product he took show they contained no dosage instructions or warning labels. Judge Bashor found Society Botanicals negligent in this case "because adequate warnings or instructions were not provided with the Kratom Divine product." The motion by mctlaw attorneys Talis Abolins, Michael Cowgill, and Tamara Williams and granted by Judge Bashor against Society Botanicals is a groundbreaking decision against the kratom industry. On July 3, 2023, two individuals and two companies will stand trial for their roles in the packaging, distribution, and sale of the kratom that killed Patrick Coyne. Patrick Coyne lived with his wife and three children in Castle Rock, Washington, and worked as a marine mechanic for Clemens Marine in Portland, Oregon. On the morning of June 28, 2020, Patrick's wife tried to wake Patrick for a trip to buy a motorcycle helmet as a Father's Day present, but he was unresponsive. Paramedics were unable to revive him when they arrived. The attorneys at mctlaw filed some of the first kratom wrongful death cases in the country. We are a national leader in kratom wrongful death litigation with offices in Seattle, WA; Sarasota, FL; and Washington, D.C. For questions about kratom litigation across the United States, contact attorneys Michael Cowgill, Tamara Williams, or Talis Abolins at 888.952.5242. You can find more information about kratom lawsuits at https://www.mctlaw.com/medical-product-liability/kratom-lawsuits/ Theres a huge opportunity to change how food is produced and consumed to reduce emissions and even sequester carbon in the soil through regenerative agriculture practices and other on-farm projects like Neutral is pioneering," Sweta Chakraborty, U.S. CEO, We Dont Have Time Eighty-six percent of all adults in the United States feel the planet is worth saving, and of those, 51% agree that protecting the planet is important to them, but they dont know what they can personally do to help make a difference, according to a new YouGov survey of U.S. adults* commissioned by Neutral Foods, the nations first carbon neutral food company. Fielded March 2023, the survey results released during Earth Month also reveal that: 73% of Americans feel fighting climate change is important to them and of those who say its important, 92% agree with the statement they feel our planet is worth protecting. 62% of all U.S. adults agree food choices can impact the planet. More than half (52%) of Americans agree that they would switch to a different food brand if it could impact climate change. There is a very, very real urgency surrounding climate change and this new survey data validates that consumers are ready and willing to help make a difference, said Marcus Lovell Smith, CEO, Neutral Foods. We have a simple way to help the large majority of Americans who believe the planet is worth protecting but may not know exactly what to do. We can all start with small changes like choosing carbon neutral milk for a daily bowl of cereal or a morning latte, which can add up to major decreases in CO2 emissions. Neutral Foods built the company on the belief that the world is worth protecting and that, together, people can make a real impact with daily food choices. To demonstrate what a wonderful, wacky, wild planet we live on that we love and cherish, Neutral is launching a new brand campaign launching during Earth Month entitled Milk for a Planet Worth Saving. It features a collection of videos of everyday people that shine a light on the large and small things that make life on earth wonderful. Via social media, Neutral is also gathering real-life #planetworthsaving video testimonials by inviting consumers to post an Instagram Reel tagging @eatneutral answering the question: Why do you believe the planet is worth saving? For inspiration, here are some video examples of actor Jake Johnson and Neutral fan and investor, Mark Cuban. By making informed choices, consumers can do their part and send a message to food producers and policymakers about the importance of sustainability and climate action, said Sweta Chakraborty, U.S. CEO, We Dont Have Time. Theres a huge opportunity to change the way food is produced and consumed to reduce emissions and even sequester carbon in the soil through regenerative agriculture practices and other on-farm projects like Neutral is pioneering. Neutrals carbon reduction team has implemented 13 carbon reduction projects on dairy farms in the last 18 months and will reach as many as 30 by the end of this year. As its brand name implies, the company has provided only carbon-neutral products since its inception, including whole and 2% organic milk at Whole Foods Market and Sprouts Farmers Market nationwide, and regionally at Target on the West Coast, New Seasons in Portland, Erewhon in Los Angeles, and Petes Fresh Market in Chicago. Photos and videos available for download here. ABOUT NEUTRAL Neutral Foods, the first carbon neutral food company in the United States, backed by Bill Gates founded Breakthrough Energy Ventures, offers carbon neutral dairy products nationwide. The company is on a mission to radically reduce the nearly 37 percent of global emissions produced by agriculture and the food system. Started in 2019 in Portland, Oregon, Neutral is a national brand that works directly with farmers to reduce the carbon footprint of dairy products - for good. Neutral has organic and conventional carbon neutral dairy solutions, including whole milk, 2%, half-and-half, and butter. Products are available at Whole Foods Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, Target on the West Coast, The Fresh Market, Giant Eagle, Imperfect Foods, Fresh Direct, and several regional and local chains and independent grocers. Additional Neutral investors are Mark Cuban and David Adelmans Darco Capital, which led a celebrity round of investors, including LeBron James, John Legend, and Questlove. Japanese firm Global Brain, its CVC partners Kirin Holdings Company, Limited and Norinchukin Bank, and Craig Shapiro of the New York-based Collaborative Fund have also invested in Neutral and its vision of a more sustainable food system. *ABOUT THE SURVEY All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc pulled from a survey conducted using an online interview administered to members of the YouGov Plc panel of individuals who have agreed to take part in surveys. Fieldwork was undertaken between March 14-15, 2023. The survey was carried out online with emails sent to panelists selected at random from the base sample and the total sample size was 1,178 adults. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all U.S. adults (aged 18+). ### Gary Cowan Director of Partnerships at OutSolve Gary Cowan has joined OutSolve as Director of Partnerships, effective April 3, 2023. Gary will be responsible for leading partnership efforts, expanding sales channels, and forming strategic industry relationships at OutSolve, which has realized 133% employee growth over the last five years. OutSolve announces today that Gary Cowan has joined the company as Director of Partnerships, effective April 3, 2023. Gary will be responsible for leading and managing partnership efforts, further expanding sales channels, and forming strategic industry relationships that contribute to the companys overall growth. OutSolve has realized 133% employee growth over the last five years. Gary has served in numerous leadership roles at the US Department of Labor, HR Knowledge, Americas Job Exchange, and most recently at Broadbean Technology. He has been selected as a National Training Instructor in federal compliance techniques and has been awarded four Secretary of Labor Special Achievement honors for distinguished service in nationally recognized federal audits. Gary is a graduate of Flagler College. Gary will be based in Massachusetts. Since OutSolves founding in 1998, the company has provided customer-focused affirmative action and regulatory compliance consulting services to federal contractors. This hard work has paid off as the organization continues unprecedented growth, nearly doubling its employee count since January 2020. Now with over 100 employees, OutSolve is well-positioned to continue expansion and reach new levels of success, says Jeremy Mancheski, President and Founder of OutSolve. Our incredible growth over the past few years is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team. We are grateful for their contributions and look forward to continued progress as we expand our operations and take on new challenges. As OutSolve looks to a future of accelerated growth, Im excited by the challenges ahead and look forward to building industry collaborations and facilitating partnerships that add value for clients, said Gary Cowan. Im proud to be part of this talented team for years to come. OutSolve is headquartered in Louisiana, with locations nationwide. The company has recently acquired Workplace Dynamics, Pinnacle Affirmative Action, Van Zant Resource Group, Workforce Compliance Associates, Gaucher Associates, The HR Consultant, Taapestry, HudsonMann Inc., First Advantage Consulting Firms affirmative action business, The Austin Peters Group, Meyer Consulting Group, and most recently, Career Resources Inc. About OutSolve Founded in 1998, OutSolve is a leading employment compliance consulting firm dedicated to helping companies comply with the Office of Federal Contractor Compliance Programs' (OFCCP) regulatory requirements. The company specializes in affirmative action plan preparation, OFCCP audit support, compensation analysis, state pay reporting, EEO-1/VETS reporting, training, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). LEAF Commercial Capital, Inc. (LEAF), a leading U.S. equipment leasing and finance company and subsidiary of M&T Bank, today announced that Miles Herman, formerly LEAF President and COO, is assuming the role of Chief Executive Officer, with former CEO Crit DeMent continuing to serve the company as Chairman. Its been a privilege to work with Crit as weve built LEAF from inception to now being part of the 11th largest bank in the country, said Herman. Over and over again, Crit has earned his reputation as a leading figure in the equipment finance industry, and it will be my honor as the CEO to continue working with him to grow the company we created together. Veterans of the industry for nearly 40 years, DeMent and Herman founded LEAF in 2001. In 2017, the company became a Peoples United Bank subsidiary, which was then acquired by M&T Bank in 2022. Ive been incredibly fortunate to serve as LEAFs CEO since the beginning alongside Miles as COO, said DeMent. Having worked closely with Miles for so many years, I know no one better equipped to continue moving LEAF forward. He has been instrumental in building LEAF into the company it is today. I couldnt be more pleased to hand the reins of CEO over to him while supporting his efforts by serving as LEAFs Chairman. About LEAF Commercial Capital, Inc. LEAF Commercial Capital, Inc. (LEAF) is headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, with offices in Moberly, MO, Baltimore, MD, Dallas, TX, and Orange, CA. From the office to the factory floor to the server room, wherever customers need equipment, we make it affordable. Trusted by 250,000 companies and organizations of all sizes across the U.S., LEAF Commercial Capital, Inc., supported by the strength of M&T Bank, offers customized financing that helps our customers solve real problems. When businesses need financing or need to offer financing, they achieve more with LEAF. Learn more at http://www.LEAFnow.com. About M&T Bank M&T Bank Corporation is a financial holding company headquartered in Buffalo, New York. M&T's principal banking subsidiary, M&T Bank, provides banking products and services in 12 states across the northeastern U.S. from Maine to Virginia and Washington, D.C. Trust-related services are provided in select markets in the U.S. and abroad by M&T's Wilmington Trust-affiliated companies and by M&T Bank. For more information about M&T Bank, visit http://www.mtb.com. SAC Health - San Bernardino Campus We have seen first-hand, how effective it is in helping individuals who have the most complex healthcare needs. Thanks to the California Department of Health Care Services and IEHP, SAC Health will be able to expand access to Enhanced Care Management for our patients. - Jason Lohr, CEO SAC Health announced the award of a $2.139 million grant from the California Department of Health Care Services that will help increase the healthcare management of those who are in most need throughout the region. Through the following programs: California Advancing andInnovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) Initiative; Providing Access and Transforming Health (PATH); Capacity and Infrastructure Transition, Expansion and Development (CITED) Initiative, SAC Health will increase the number of Enhanced Care Management teams by four, resulting in 10 teams, serving over 2,000 patients at any given time. Enhanced Care Management is a whole-person, interdisciplinary approach to care that addresses the clinical and non-clinical needs of eligible Medi-Cal Members who have the most complex medical and social needs. It allows for a systematic coordination of services and comprehensive care management that is personal, community-based, and multi-disciplinary. SAC Health implemented Enhanced Care Management in (given year) through funding from Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP). SAC Health implemented Enhanced Care Management in 2017 with the financial support of IEHP," notes Jason Lohr, MD, CEO of SAC Health. "We have seen first-hand, how effective it is in helping individuals who have the most complex healthcare needs. Thanks to the California Department of Health Care Services and IEHP, SAC Health will be able to expand access to Enhanced Care Management for our patients. SAC Health is a Federally Qualified Health Center with twelve locations throughout the Inland Empire. Serving over 50,000 patients in 2022, with over 97 percent being at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Line, SAC Health is a safety-net clinic providing high quality patient-centered care throughout the region. About SAC Health SAC Health is the largest specialty-based and teaching health center (THC) Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in the nation. SAC Health provides comprehensive services to underserved areas and populations including Medi-Cal and Medicare patients. SAC Health is recognized as a Level-3 Patient-Centered Medical Home by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and has over 100 community partnerships that enable the health to provide whole-person care to all its patients. SAC Health provides care in 12 locations, along with a mobile clinic, in San Bernardino and Riverside counties, including services in family medicine; pediatrics and pediatric specialties; obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine and medical specialties; family dentistry; behavioral health; surgical specialties and more. More information on how to become a patient at SAC Health is available online at sachealth.org. Reading is an essential skill. When a child or teen discovers reading can be fun, not a chore, you rekindle their desire to learn. I have seen it over and over. This is the building block to learning other life skills and achieving their dreams. The mission of Boys and Girls Clubs has always been To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Dr. Murphy added, I share this mission with the Boys and Girls Clubs. I know how hard they work. That is why I provide books they can give to the teens. Further, their vision is to Provide a world-class Club Experience that assures success is within reach of every young person who enters our doors, with all members on track to graduate from high school with a plan for the future, demonstrating good character and citizenship, and living a healthy lifestyle. Quality books and reading materials help make it a reality. Dr. Murphy has supported youth programs for the last decade, providing over 14,000 books to the US Marines Toys for Tots, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, local libraries, and schools. He said, reading is an essential skill. When a child or teen discovers reading can be fun, not a chore, you rekindle their desire to learn. I have seen it over and over. This is the building block to learning other life skills and achieving their dreams. I will never stop encouraging reading by providing quality reading materials and books to those who do not have access. Dr. Murphy has stepped up in a community action group, working with leaders across the US to impact youth organizations. They have sponsored over 1,000,000 books to youth literacy programs as a team. The cooperative action of like-minded people makes a difference in giving our youth a brighter future. BIO: Dr. Murphy graduated from SIU Dental School in Alton, IL in 2002. He did his undergraduate at Bradley University graduating in 1998. His practice is located in Batavia, IL where he has been practicing since January of 2005. He resides in Batavia with his wife and three young girls. During dental school, Dr. Murphy went to Jamaica on a humanitarian trip where the team of doctors and students performed extractions, cleanings and basic restorative procedures. Furthermore, when he graduated from SUI Dental School, he received an award from The Academy of Operative Dentistry. He is currently a member of American Dental Association, Illinois Dental Society (http://www.isds.org), Fox Valley Dental Society, Chicago Dental Society, and the Academy of General Dentistry. He has received an award for Top Doc organization in 2011. Dr. Murphy enjoys spending time within the community. He has been a member of Batavia Rotary since 2005 and severed as Secretary of the club for 2 years. Furthermore, he is member of Batavia Chamber of Commerce and served on Batavia Access Fireworks Committee. Dr. Murphy likes to spend his free time traveling to warm places. Furthermore, he enjoys deep sea fishing. He is still looking for the blue marlin that got away from him on his honeymoon in 2002. In addition, Dr. Murphy enjoys spending time with his family. The three little girls keep him hopping. OceanGate Expeditions 2023 Titanic Expedition Support Vessel Polar Prince As we near the 111th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, OceanGate Expeditions confirms plans to return to the Titanic in 2023 for the third consecutive year. As we near the 111th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, OceanGate Expeditions confirms plans to return to the Titanic in 2023 for the third consecutive year. OceanGate Expeditions has signed a charter contract with Horizon Maritime and Miawpukek Horizon Marine Services for MV Polar Prince, previously operated by the Canadian Coast Guard as the icebreaker Sir Humphrey Gilbert. The ship has a long-running history of clearing ice from harbors and guiding ships through ice-choked marine environments. For this years Titanic Expedition, we are embarking a month earlier than we did in 2021 and 2022. May is still considered to be iceberg season in the North Atlantic where the shipwreck of the Titanic lies. With this in mind, having a capable ship specifically designed for working in the icy Arctic regions is going to be very valuable for our extended crew of scientists, Titanic experts, and Mission Specialists, explains Stockton Rush, President, OceanGate Expeditions. We are excited to have OceanGate Expeditions join us onboard our vessel, the Polar Prince (Oqwatnukewey Eleke'wi'ji'jit), this year as they continue to explore the Titanic wreck and expand upon the important scientific research, archeological and marine biodiversity work that began in 2021, says Misel Joe, Miawpukek First Nation Chief. With the 2023 Titanic Expedition just over a month away, the excitement for another series of successful dives to the renowned shipwreck is growing. We learned so much during the 2021 and 2022 Titanic Expeditions and have identified new questions we want to answer with further studies of this unique deep sea artificial reef. The discovery of the Nargeolet-Fanning Ridge in 2022 also gives us a natural reef comparison to study. This is a biologically diverse and dense habitat that we look forward to continuing to research, says Dr. Steve W. Ross, Adjunct Research Professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmingtons Center for Marine Science and OceanGate Expeditions Chief Scientist. Through financial support from OceanGate Foundation, a U.S. non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, a team of marine biologists, maritime archaeologists, and GIS mapping experts from around the globe will support the 2023 Titanic Expedition. The 2023 Titanic Expedition will benefit from the support of a limited number of citizen explorers who join our crew as Mission Specialists during the expedition. Mission Specialists provide financial support for the missions and have the opportunity to dive to the important maritime heritage site to view the shipwreck that only a handful of people have ever directly observed. There are still a limited number of Mission Specialist roles available for the 2023 Titanic Expedition. Interested parties should reach out to OceanGate Expeditions directly to learn more. ### OceanGate Expeditions Media Inquiries | Lisa Dreher | lisa.dreher@oceangateexpeditions.com | +1 425-442-1301 Expedition Inquiries | Kyle Bingham | kyle.bingham@oceangateexpeditions.com | +1 425-595-6343 Investor Inquiries | Bob Shuman | robert.shuman@oceangatexpeditions.com | +1 425-595-5017 Business Inquiries | Bob Shuman | robert.shuman@oceangatexpeditions.com | +1 425-595-5017 ABOUT OCEANGATE EXPEDITIONS OceanGate Expeditions, Ltd is dedicated to direct human exploration of the undersea world. Using crewed submersibles, OceanGate Expeditions crewmembers explore the 95% of the seafloor that man has never visited, including iconic shipwrecks, hydrothermal vents, deep-sea canyons, and uncommon biological events around the world. Mission Specialist participation supports the work of scientists and archaeologists who are studying the mysteries of the deep sea. These expeditions, to depths up to 4,000 meters (13,123 feet), provide rare opportunities for citizen explorers and researchers to work together to expand our understanding of our home, Earth, the blue planet. Visit http://www.oceangateexpeditions.com. Follow OceanGate Expeditions on: YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn ABOUT OCEANGATE FOUNDATION OceanGate Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) organization that advances understanding of the ocean by providing grants in support of scientific and archaeological marine research, with an emphasis on innovative technologies such as human-occupied submersibles; and supporting efforts to engage and inspire explorers, researchers, civic leaders and others in the public who share an interest in understanding the ocean. The foundation is the primary philanthropic partner of OceanGate Expeditions. Visit http://www.oceangatefoundation.org. Follow OceanGate Foundation on: Facebook | LinkedIn By continually monitoring existing and new markets along with Adapt2s scalability through our cloud-native architecture will continue to evolve with market operational needs of our customers and help Xcel Energy expand their footprint. Adapt2 Solutions, a leading provider of AI-enabled multi-market operations, energy trading, and power settlement software, today announced the successful go-live with Xcel Energy. The partnership enables complete market participation and functionality for automated ISO market operations, granular reporting, and outage management. As one of the countrys largest energy organizations, Xcel continues to expand into new markets and recognized the need for forward-thinking technology to enable and streamline complete bid-to-bill operations in the SPP Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIS). By closely collaborating with the multiple business units within the Xcel Energy team and providing our subject matter expertise for the SPP WEIS market, we were able to move this project along quickly to ensure Xcel Energy received market operation functionality in a timely manner, said Adapt2 Solutions Vice President, Kevin Dunlap. This is one part of a larger project we are undergoing with Xcel, and we look forward to meeting upcoming milestones and helping them perform at peak levels not only in SPP WEIS but in other North American Energy Markets. Through use of the Adapt2 system, Xcel Energy will have one consistent user experience for all business units from generation, to utility, to retail, as they enter and expand into the western markets in the United States. With automated bids and offers along with the industrys leading settlements reporting, Xcel will be positioned to efficiently and accurately participate in SPP WEIS. utilizing Adapt2s new offer calculator engine which provide open technology to create and automate complex calculations using one of the most flexible and pervasive development languages. We are excited to support yet another leading power provider with a new market entry, said Adapt2 Solutions Executive Vice President, Jason Kram. By continually monitoring existing and new markets along with Adapt2s scalability through our cloud-native architecture will continue to evolve with market operational needs of our customers and help Xcel Energy expand their footprint. To learn more about how Adapt2 is accelerating cross border and international power and gas market operations, visit https://www.adapt2.com/solutions/ or follow Adapt2 on Linkedin (@Adapt2 Solutions) for more information on upcoming energy market operations and management webinars. About Adapt2 Solutions: Adapt2 Solutions (Adapt2) is the leading provider of AI enabled multi-market operations software designed to help market participants streamline all of their front and back office operations. Founded in 2008, Adapt2 delivers market-based solutions on the latest and most current technologies providing customers with fast, intuitive and stable user experience and performance. With over 170 market implementations representing over 2500 market participants, Adapt2 is a leading solution provider in the energy industry. Adapt2 Solutions is a privately held company based in Houston, Texas. To learn more about Adapt2, please visit http://www.adapt2solutions.com. About Xcel Energy: Xcel Energy Inc. is a leading energy efficient utility holding company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, serving more than 3.3 million electric customers and 1.8 million natural gas customers in Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado, Texas, and New Mexico. Xcel Energy was the first major U.S electricity provider with a vision to serve customers with 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050 and to reduce carbon emissions 80% by 2030 company-wide from 2005 levels. To learn more please visit http://www.xcelenergy.com DINO Awards were presented to (from left) Bogdan Filipkowski, Matthew Mitchell, Dave Rittmeyer, Rob Hassold, Colton Rooney, Danny Levy, Heather Natal, Tim Bell, Alex Roschli, and Roger Nielsen. Following a lengthy nomination and review process, the committee selected ten deserving individuals The Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) presented its prestigious DINO (Distinguished INnovator Operator) Award for additive manufacturing expertise and service to ten deserving individuals. These new DINOs received their awards at the 35th annual AMUG Conference during a ceremony that commemorated the 25th anniversary of the DINO Award. AMUG representatives presented the DINO Awards in recognition of tenure in the additive manufacturing industry, years of service, contributions to the industry, and active support of the users group. Gary Rabinovitz, DINO Selection Committee Chair and Director at Large, said, This award recognizes not only experience but also character and passion. Following a lengthy nomination and review process, the committee selected ten deserving individuals from over 1,800 attendees of the AMUG Conference. The newly named DINOs are: Tim Bell, MELD Manufacturing Corporation Bogdan Filipkowski, Custom Prototypes Inc. Rob Hassold, Cimquest, Inc. Danny Levy, Influit Energy Matthew Mitchell, Yazaki North America Heather Natal, GoEngineer Roger Nielsen, InTech Industries Dave Rittmeyer, Mathews International Colton Rooney, EMI Corp. Alex Roschli, Oak Ridge National Laboratory The new DINOs efforts have played varied roles in making the AMUG Conference a positive experience for those seeking insights, information, and connections. Over many years, they have supported AMUG by being team members on the AMUG Board and AMUG committees (Bell, Levy, Mitchell, Natal, Rooney, and Roschli), by supporting education through scholarships (Hassold and Nielson), and by demonstrating how to achieve results through additive manufacturing (Filipkowski and Rittmeyer). Receiving a DINO is not the endgame for those that demonstrate the passion and dedication that the DINO Selection Committee seeks. Instead, it is a momentous milestone in years-long support of the community. Rabinovitz said, This was the 25th anniversary of the DINO Award, and we had representation at AMUG 2023 for DINO classes back to 1998, with 40 percent of all DINOs attending the conference. Rabinovitz also noted that many DINOs in attendance continue to be active in the AMUG community through volunteer roles on the board and committees. AMUGs guiding principle is For Users. By Users. The newly named DINOs and all that came before them put this philosophy into action. Over its 35-year history, AMUG has awarded only 187 DINOs. Nominations for 2024 DINO candidates will be accepted beginning October 1, 2023. ABOUT ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING USERS GROUP (AMUG) AMUG is an organization that educates and advances the uses and applications of additive manufacturing technologies. AMUG members include those with industrial additive manufacturing/3D printing solutions used for professional purposes from companies such as Dyndrite, GoEngineer, Nexa3D, Evonik, Tekna, DMG MORI, Stratasys, EOS, Wurth Additive Group, Meltio, and ADDiTEC. AMUG meets annually to provide education and training through technical presentations on processes and new technologies. This information addresses the operation of additive manufacturing equipment and the applications that use the parts they make. Online at http://www.amug.com. We are honored to be given the first ever SEL Impact Award as SEL is a priority for Boerne ISD and is at the foundation of everything we do. Aperture Education, the leading provider of research-based social and emotional learning (SEL) assessments for K-12 schools, today debuted its SEL Impact Award program, designed to honor school systems that are taking innovative approaches to providing students and teachers with the tools they need to develop strong social and emotional skill sets that help address the anxiety and depression prevalent among both students and educators. The winner of the inaugural award is the Boerne (Texas) Independent School District, which was announced at the SEL Vision Summit in Denver on Sunday. Boerne ISD was an obvious choice to receive our first SEL Impact Award because their approach is unheard of in the education space they are literally changing IEPs and behavior plans to get everyone in sync with the eight strengths included in our DESSA SEL suite and are incorporating these competencies at every level within the district, said Aperture Education CEO Jessica Adamson. Boerne ISD - located less than an hour north of San Antonio with 12 schools and 10,400 students - sought to implement a SEL program that would address negative student behaviors through every phase of the school day, including curriculum and Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs). As part of this program, they wanted to incorporate strength-building activities designed to prepare students for success after they graduated high school. The backbone of this program is the Apertures DESSA suite of screening tools and assessments, which addresses eight social and emotional competencies including self awareness, self management, personal responsibility, decision making, social awareness, relationship skills, goal-directed behavior and optimistic thinking. Boerne realized after implementing their strength-based approach that behavior can be taught through the development of skills and by setting up an environment for student success. By implementing the Aperture DESSA tools, the ISD achieved an 80% reduction in out-of-school suspensions, a 53% decrease in in-school suspensions and a 47% drop in referrals during the 2020-2021 school year. We are honored to be given the first ever SEL Impact Award as SEL is a priority for Boerne ISD and is at the foundation of everything we do. We attribute our success to the focus on strength-based screening that really fosters deeper relationships with students and keeps the focus on meeting students where they are and building out support from there, said Marcie Warner, Student Support Counselor at Boerne ISD. For more information on the Boerne ISD SEL program, read this case study. About Aperture Education Aperture Education has empowered nearly 8,500 schools and out-of-school time programs across North America to measure, strengthen, and support social and emotional competence in K-12 youth and educators. The Aperture System includes the DESSA suite of strength-based assessments, CASEL-aligned intervention strategies, and robust reporting, all in one easy-to-use digital platform. This system enables education leaders to make strategic, data-based decisions about SEL within their organizations. Aperture has supported more than one million students in their social and emotional growth and continues to develop innovative solutions to bring the whole child into focus. To learn more, visit http://www.ApertureEd.com. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. Amonatbonk (the State Savings Bank of Tajikistan) and Azerbaijani Azer-Turk Bank on April 4 signed a Memorandum of Understanding, eyeing to strengthen the collaboration between the two financial institutions, Trend reports via Ammonatbonk. The agreement was signed by the heads of Amonatbonk and Azer-Turk Bank within the frame of Azerbaijan-Tajik Investment Forum in Dushanbe. After the signing of the document, a B2B (business-to business) meeting was held between the heads of Amonatbonk and the Azerbaijani bank. The sides discussed issues of bilateral cooperation and the establishment of banking operations, such as the opening of correspondent accounts, overnight placement, currency exchange, and mutual exchange of practices. The bank executives agreed to create a working group from the relevant staff of the central offices of the banks and to implement the specified plans as soon as possible. The bank noted that the bilateral meeting between Amonatbonk and Azer-Turk Bank has created a good foundation for further cooperation. The Azerbaijani-Tajik Investment Forum with the participant of Azerbaijani delegation headed by Deputy Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan Sahib Mammadov has kicked off in Tajikistans capital Dushanbe on April 4. More than 200 representatives from both countries' business circles are participating in the forum. The Azerbaijani side is represented by about 40 companies. Webinar will help capital equipment manufacturers implement digitization to improve customer experience. Mid-size OEM machinery companies are challenged to meet buyer expectations in areas well beyond their traditional expertise. Partnerships with carefully vetted digitization vendors offer many benefits. Mid-size machinery builders often struggle to meet buyer expectations for sophisticated digital capabilities. Driven by B2C experiences, B2B expectations extend beyond the traditional machine sphere to include capabilities that require extensive development and support resources. Ed Marsh and Markus Rimmele will present a webinar at 11 am ET on Wednesday, April 19th, to discuss how partnerships will help machinery OEMs meet customer expectations and boost their business. Machinery OEMs face real-world limitations. They are normally staffed to design, build, sell, and support their traditional equipment and carefully defined roadmap. They don't have extra resources to create complex digital solutions or the expertise to sell and support them. Yet buyers expect these solutions, and increasingly those capabilities represent competitive differentiation. OEMs risk falling behind. Partnerships can help capital equipment builders quickly meet the digitization expectations of buyers, develop revenue streams, gain access to incumbent accounts, and edge out competitors on important deals. "There are huge benefits for machinery OEMs when they can meet buyers' expectations for digitization," says Markus Rimmele, founder of DigitalituM. "They win more deals, grow revenue, beat competitors, and delight customers." This webinar will cover important considerations for capital equipment OEMs considering digitization initiatives. These will include: How partnerships will help to launch offerings without requiring extensive development or costly operational, sales, or support investments The power of digitization and why buyers are increasingly demanding it Common barriers to implementation and concerns regarding IIoT security Business benefits include increased revenue, recurring revenue, access to competitive accounts, improved customer experience, and competitive differentiation Ed Marsh, the founder of Consilium, adds, "Mid-size OEM machinery companies are challenged to meet buyer expectations in areas well beyond their traditional expertise. Partnerships with carefully vetted digitization vendors offer many benefits." Partnership marketing is an approach that software and tech companies have used to drive rapid growth, but it's rarer in the OEM world, where many entrepreneurial inventors cultivate a culture of self-sufficiency and in-house innovation. It's time to change that, and digitization is the perfect reason. Developing, selling, and supporting completely different products is unrealistic for many middle-market machinery builders. Yet buyers expect those capabilities. Marketing and sales partnerships provide an easy-to-implement solution for capital equipment sales companies. A partnership ecosystem can help them bring solutions to the market without significant risk or investment yet capture revenue and market share opportunities while delivering an improved customer experience and meeting buyer expectations. This webinar is intended for leaders and managers of OEMs with responsibility for management, finance, sales, marketing, operations, and service. It will explain common hurdles and explore how partnerships can help OEMs deliver what the market expects, with some insights particularly applicable for the challenges of US daughter companies of German machinery builders. Register here today. About Consilium Global Business Advisors: Consilium assists American manufacturers in applying process excellence to their business development. In other words, we help lean, well-managed companies with rock-solid bottom lines effectively and consistently grow their top lines to match. We work primarily with mid-size industrial manufacturing and capital equipment companies, guiding them through a journey toward Overall Revenue Effectiveness. About DigitalituM: Founded in 2021 by Markus Rimmele, DigitalituM is a consulting and services firm that provides digitization advisory and solutions to manufacturing firms. Focused on AR / VR / IoT and AI technology, the firm identifies leading vendors and assists in implementation. Markus' German machinery engineering and support experience provide a unique perspective that balances practical requirements and common implementation barriers against the business benefits for manufacturers and machinery OEMs. "...Between 2006 and 2016, court-awarded premiums averaged 27.2%. From 2017 onward, this number has fallen to -8.4% on average..., said Dr. Frank Schneider, a report coauthor and head of the Cornerstone Research M&A, Valuation, and Bankruptcy group. The annual volume of shareholder appraisal petitions filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery reverted to pre-boom levels in 2022, according to a new report by Cornerstone Research. The report, Appraisal Litigation in Delaware: Trends in Petitions and Opinions, 20062022, examines trends in litigation in which shareholders challenge the deal prices in proposed acquisitions. It found that following the 20132017 filing boom in which petitions peaked at 76 in 2016, there were 20 appraisal petitions filed in 2022. This is in line with the 20062012 historical average. In the 2016 ruling in In re Appraisal of Dell Inc., questions were raised about the reliance on deal price in determining fair value in an appraisal context. Subsequent rulings have clarified the approach used, changing the calculus for premiums awarded in appraisal matters. This resulted in heightened risk for petitioners who choose to take appraisal matters to trial. Our report looks at historical trends, and between 2006 and 2016, court-awarded premiums averaged 27.2%. From 2017 onward, this number has fallen to -8.4% on average, said Dr. Frank Schneider, a report coauthor and head of the Cornerstone Research M&A, Valuation, and Bankruptcy group. We found a marked difference between court-awarded premiums for public and private targets, with public targets averaging 7.9% post-2017, compared to 17.3% between 2006 and 2016. Meanwhile, the court-awarded premiums for private targets have averaged -10.8% post-2017, compared to 46.1% between 2006 and 2016. Delaware Court rulings from 2016 onward have deferred to market evidence in the form of the unaffected market price or the deal price minus synergies and adjustments for any value change between deal signing and closing. The robustness of the sale process continues to be a determining factor, with the courts frequently citing objective indicia to determine whether a sale process produced a deal price reliable enough to be used in calculating fair value. In rulings since Dell, DFC (DFC Global Corp. v. Muirfield Value Partners), and AOL (In re Appraisal of AOL Inc.), the Delaware Courts have more frequently cited objective indicia used to determine whether the deal price in a merger is a reliable indicator of fair value, said Jakub Mydlarz, a Cornerstone Research senior manager and report coauthor. While the majority of recent opinions have relied on deal price as the most reliable indicator of fair value, those which have rejected deal price, such as Jarden (In re Appraisal of Jarden Corp.) and Synapse (Kruse v. Synapse Wireless Inc.), have generally not met one or more of Delawares objective indicia. About Cornerstone Research Cornerstone Research provides economic and financial consulting and expert testimony in all phases of litigation and regulatory matters. The firm supports clients with rigorous, objective analysis. Working with an extensive network of leading academics, former regulators, and industry specialists, Cornerstone Research identifies the most qualified experts for every case. Founded in 1989, Cornerstone Research has always been guided by its core values: commitment to clients, experts, and staff, and to delivering consistently high-quality service. The firm has over 700 staff and offices in Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Washington. http://www.cornerstone.com While we routinely host client audits, the fact that Intephex is just around the corner enables us an opportunity to offer client tours and meetings for those contacts that are not local to our facility. CS Analytical Laboratory, the worlds only cGMP, FDA-registered and inspected contract laboratory exclusively designed and dedicated to package and container testing for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries, in conjunction with the New York Interphex Show scheduled for April 25th through April 27th, will host an open house and laboratory tour program for visiting clients. Clients coming to the New York Metropolitan area for Interphex will have the opportunity to schedule meeting time slots at the CS Analytical Laboratory. With a state of the art laboratory that features the most up to date instrumentation and electronic quality system processes, Interphex week, provides an ideal setting for clients to see in person the CS Analytical facility and meet its team members to discuss current and future container and package system testing needs. There is no other contract service provider within the FDA regulated community that is exclusively dedicated to container and package system qualification testing, commented Sandra Cincotta, Director of Quality. We have built out a laboratory facility that is designed to meet all USP and EP routine qualification testing requirements, can develop and validate methods specific to all of the current USP 1207 technologies for container integrity testing, and implemented a custom designed electronic quality system. While we routinely host client audits, the fact that Intephex is just around the corner enables us an opportunity to offer client tours and meetings for those contacts that are not local to our facility. Intephex will take place in New York City at the Jacob Javits Convention Center located on 34th street on the West Side of Manhattan. CS Analytical is located 12.6 miles due west through the Lincoln Tunnel, directly off Route 3 West. The drive from the show to the CS Analytical Laboratory will only take approximately 20-25 minutes. Onsite meetings at Interphex and Laboratory Tours may be may be pre-scheduled using the following link: https://engage.csanalytical.com/interphex About CS Analytical Laboratory The worlds only cGMP, FDA-registered contract laboratory exclusively designed and dedicated to container testing for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries, the CS Analytical Team includes world-leading experts and thought-leaders on FDA and EU regulatory expectations and USP and EP primary package testing requirements inclusive of container closure integrity (CCI) testing (CCIT). Test services include CCI method development, validation, and analysis, USP/EP/JP physical and physicochemical testing, and Comprehensive and Complementary services for all common or unique primary packaging components and systems inclusive of glass, plastic, elastomeric, and more. CS Analytical is the single source to ensure a regulated industry product-package system meets strict, complex, and ever-changing regulatory requirements. The world is moving towards a greener economy meaning that investors, financial institutions and the general public all want to see evidence of ESG activities associated with the money they make available to organizations. Every company uses energy and resources; every company affects, and is affected by, the environment. Every company operates within a broader, diverse society. Every company requires governance to function, operate and exist. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) imperatives impact every aspect of clinical trial operations. ESG is a collective term that measures a businesss impact on the environment, society at large and how robust and transparent its governance is in terms of company leadership, executive pay, audits, internal controls and shareholder rights. The world is moving towards a greener economy meaning that investors, financial institutions and the general public all want to see evidence of ESG activities associated with the money they make available to organizations. A businesss reputation is increasingly defined not just by how effective its products are, its customer service, but also by how invested it is around ESG. This has knock-on secondary effects such as being a deciding factor for customers and talent. These efforts are now a decision-making factor for companies on who they want to work with. Companies with strong ESG credentials and ambitions want to and indeed must work with other companies on a similar path if they are to achieve their targets. While currently voluntary, ESG will likely soon become a regulatory requirement. Investing in ESG activities now is crucial in preparing for the future and reducing the exposure to risk. It makes good business sense to reduce waste, which in turn lowers costs and reduces the bottom line. Join this webinar to learn how ESG will have a profound impact on how clinical operations work is performed. By understanding an organizations position and needs, Clinical Operations Leaders have an opportunity to take an industry leading position in ESG. Join experts from Syneos Health, James Man, Managing Director, Syneos Health Consulting; James Taylor, Vice President, Global Client Solutions Executive, Syneos Health Global Client Solutions; and Jennifer Anderson, Associate Director, Syneos Health Environmental, Social & Governance, for the live webinar on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at 11am EDT (4pm BST/UK). For more information, or to register for this event, visit ESG: Creating Greener Clinical Trials. ABOUT XTALKS Xtalks, powered by Honeycomb Worldwide Inc., is a leading provider of educational webinars to the global life science, food and medical device community. Every year, thousands of industry practitioners (from life science, food and medical device companies, private & academic research institutions, healthcare centers, etc.) turn to Xtalks for access to quality content. Xtalks helps Life Science professionals stay current with industry developments, trends and regulations. Xtalks webinars also provide perspectives on key issues from top industry thought leaders and service providers. To learn more about Xtalks visit http://xtalks.com For information about hosting a webinar visit http://xtalks.com/why-host-a-webinar/ Contact: Vera Kovacevic Tel: +1 (416) 977-6555 x371 Email: vkovacevic@xtalks.com "The United States is the largest healthcare market in the world and also the largest market for in vitro diagnostic products." The United States is the largest healthcare market in the world and also the largest market for in vitro diagnostic products. Its IVD market reached $53 billion or approximately 40%-45% of the global IVD market. This is according to medical market researcher Kalorama Information in the newly released 30-Country IVD Market Atlas (US, China, Germany, UK, Saudi Arabia, India, UAE, France, Vietnam, Turkey and 20 Other Countries). The report says that projected growth for the U.S. IVD market totals 2.4% on average annually through 2027. As growth rates in international markets shrink from the double-digits of a decade ago, the US is back on the table for many IVD business planners as a growth opportunity. Factors that may dampen IVD market growth include economic downturns; frequent government targeting of clinical testing for overall Medicare and Medicaid cost savings; related private payer insistence on test payment rates in line or lower than government reimbursement rates; the vulnerability of U.S. economic growth in an increasingly globalized economy; and the extensive approval processes (both for marketing and coverage) applied to new IVD technologies and tests. Another factor to note, the report says, is that the US is a "Growth Stage." Where there is a novel market, or a new testing technology, it is often launched in developed markets. Tests that do not treat core diseases may not be funded everywhere, but they will get a hearing in developed nations. Kalorama Informations conservative projection of a $53 billion U.S. IVD market in 2022 acknowledges its recently demonstrated vulnerabilities of the volatile COVID-19 market. The U.S. IVD market is highly developed and, in some segments, dominated by a handful of leading market players. In addition to fecal occult blood diagnostics, diabetes testing and cancer are key areas of the growth for which the report provides specific projections. For more information on Kalorama Information's "30-Country IVD Market Atlas (US, China, Germany, UK, Saudi Arabia, India, UAE, France, Vietnam, Turkey and 20 Other Countries)" - please see https://kaloramainformation.com/product/30-country-in-vitro-diagnostics-ivd-market-atlas/. Haggadah from the 15th Century JSLI's fourth online retreat was attended by thirty alumni and students who enjoyed the unique and engaging topics. The Union of Jewish Universalist Communities (ujuc.org) hosted the Jewish Spiritual Leaders' Institute (jsli.net) fourth online retreat on March 19th. Thirty alumni and students attended the event which offered unique and stimulating topics. Rabbi Gail Fisher (VA) presented "A Visit to East Jerusalem." She attended the Community Leaders Program at the Shalom Hartman Institute last summer and shared her experience of a visit to a village where they had lectures from several perspectives at opposite extremes of the issue of East Jerusalem. Rabbi Blane taught his ever-loved "How to Play Every Song Ever Written on the Ukelele." "Legal Issues and the Clergy" perked a lot of interest as Rabbi Billy Love (PA) spoke about the rabbinate and the law. Of special interest Filmmaker Ye'ela Rosenfeld (CA) screened her short film, "Hedgehog", for the group, talked about her experience as a filmmaker and then lead a discussion on this compelling story. Look for it at film festival soon. And finally in anticipation of Passover, Rabbi Leonard Rosenthol (MD) discussed the history of and modern & classic insights into the Haggadah. The Jewish Spiritual Leaders' Institute trains Rabbis and Cantors. It's goal is simply to provide today's modern Jew with relevant, welcoming and accessible liturgy and clergy. ABOUT JSLI AND SIM SHALOM Sim Shalom is an interactive online Jewish Universalist synagogue which is liberal in thought and traditional in liturgy. Created in 2009 by Rabbi Steven Blane on Manhattan's Upper West Side, Sim Shalom offers a means of connecting the unconnected. Rabbi Blane leads accessible Shabbat services every Friday night using a virtual interface and additionally Sim Shalom provides online education programs, Jazz concerts, conversion and life-cycle ceremonies along with weeknight services at 7:00PM EST led by Rabbis of this online community. Rabbi Blane is the founder and director of the Jewish Spiritual Leaders' Institute, the online professional rabbinical program and of the Union of Jewish Universalist Communities, http://www.ujuc.org. Sim Shalom, a non profit 501 (3) tax-exempt organization, nurtures a Jewish connection through its mission of innovative services, creative education and dynamic outreach to the global community. For more information visit https://simshalom.com or call 201-338-0165. Law Office of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP For more information about the class action lawsuit against PJ Broadway Inc., call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today. The San Diego employment law attorneys, at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, filed a class action lawsuit against PJ Broadway Inc. alleging the company violated the California Labor Code. The lawsuit against PJ Broadway Inc. is currently pending in the San Diego County Superior Court, Case No. 37-2023-00010303-CU-OE-CTL. To read a copy of the Complaint, please click here. According to the lawsuit filed, PJ Broadway Inc. allegedly failed to pay employees for all the time they were under the employer's control. This, allegedly, includes the time Plaintiff and other California Class Members had to submit to mandatory COVID-19 screening prior to clocking in for the day. To the extent that the time worked off the clock did not qualify for overtime premium payment, Defendant allegedly failed to pay minimum and overtime wages for the time worked off-the-clock. Additionally, Plaintiff complained to the company's human resource employees about alleged racial harassment and discrimination at work. Plaintiff claims he was being denied proper overtime wages, as a result of being an African American, which violated the California Labor Code. Plaintiff's complaints were allegedly ignored. Defendant allegedly retaliated against Plaintiff by denying him employment opportunities and promotions which resulted in lost wages. For more information about the class action lawsuit against PJ Broadway Inc., call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today. Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP is a labor law firm with law offices located in San Diego County, Riverside County, Los Angeles County, Sacramento County, Santa Clara County, Orange County, and San Francisco County. The firm has a statewide practice of representing employees on a contingency basis for violations involving unpaid wages, overtime pay, discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, and other types of illegal workplace conduct. ***THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT*** We are excited for the new store opening this fall. This move will let us expand our horizons and be a part of our customers wine journeys, says Hortense Bernard, Global Managing Director for Millesima USA. Iconic, New York City-based fine wine retailer Millesima USA is thrilled to announce that they will be opening a new, luxury store this fall, relocating from their current Upper East Side location at 1355 2nd Avenue (between 71st and 72nd Streets) to 1257 2nd Avenue (at 66th Street), New York, NY 10065. This new location will allow Millesima USA to continue to serve their neighborhood customers, as well as customers nationwide through their top e-commerce site, while also creating a beautiful space to showcase the iconic wines and unparalleled service they are known for. We are excited for the new store opening this fall. This move will let us expand our horizons and be a part of our customers wine journeys, says Hortense Bernard, Global Managing Director for Millesima USA. The design by Malherbe is beautiful, and the new location will facilitate our team, including our Senior Wine Specialist, Michael Peltier, being able to connect with other wine lovers even more, share their knowledge on the worlds finest wines, and offer the best service we are able to. At 5,200 square feet, the new retail location will be over double the size of its current shop. A corner retail space with windows facing north and east, the new store is inspired by the Imperial Library. The retail location will be designed by the global creative agency, Malherbe, an international leader in luxury design, to reflect the stories of the wines in Millesimas cellars and encourage visitors to journey from the everyday to unique wines of discovery. Leading global commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield has brokered the deal. With a foundation in Bordeaux, Millesima is a family-owned company that is oriented on providing its customers with high-end wines, incredible service and expert wine knowledge. To their regulars, Millesima USA is a neighborhood wine store offering a variety of wines from Bordeaux and beyond, while online they have a large number of highly sought-after fine wines from around the world and offer the ability to purchase Pre-Arrivals and Futures to their customers across the United States. The brick-and-mortar New York flagship store welcomed its first customers in 2006, and this marked the beginning of a new and exciting chapter for the company. This move to the new, larger location will be a continuation of this journey, providing their customers with a luxurious experience with each visit. Millesima is very well-regarded in the fine wine world. We are extremely proud to have been chosen to design the new store in New York City, said Ella Birnbaum, creative and managing director, Malherbe New York. We took inspiration from old-world France staying true to Millesimas luxury fine wine branding. The space will be more than just a fine wine retailer, but an experience, where the consumer can embark on a journey and discover wines from around the world. Millesima USA's new location is scheduled to open in October, 2023. About Millesima USA http://www.millesima-usa.com Established in New York Citys Upper East Side in 2006, Millesima USA is a luxury retail store and the only online fine wine retailer in the United States that hails from Bordeaux. Our family-owned company is focused on providing our customers with high-end wines, top service, and expert wine knowledge. A Francophiles dream, we have unique access to top wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne but also offer a wonderful range of wines from Italy, New Zealand, Germany, the United States, and more. Millesima USA works with customers in person and online on a daily basis. We aim to satisfy our clients most specific requests and needs and it starts by always improving our selection. Today, Millesima is proud to have the deepest range of large format bottles, privileged access to Bordeaux Pre-Arrivals and Futures and the most sought-after wine brands in the world on our shelves. From iconic producers to lesser-known hidden gems, our team is delighted to bring you some of the best wines from around the world. About Malherbe http://www.malherbe.paris Malherbe, is a global creative agency headquartered in Paris, France with offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and New York. Malherbe is a team of over 200 creative minds working on strategy, design, branding, and innovation, all with 1 main objective: Business Growth for its clients & partners. Over the years, Malherbe has collaborated with a variety of global key players, retailers & brands. From large-scale projects like LVMHs La Samaritaine in Paris, Mr. Jis SKP in China, Alibabas Hema in China, Farfetchs first brick-and-mortar location Matarazzo in Sao Paolo, Qatars latest luxury mall Place Vendome in Doha, and continued collaborations with luxury groups such as LVMH, LOreal, AmorePacific, and with leading brands such as Dior, Sephora, Givenchy, Tag Heuer, Paco Rabanne and more. Malherbe focuses its work on creating new concepts, boosting experiences both online and offline, elevating the client journey and services rendered, improving merchandising, and introducing digital and innovation. For creative inquires please contact: Ana-Belen Gomez (a.gomez@malherbe.paris) About Cushman & Wakefield http://www.cushmanwakefield.com Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK) is a leading global real estate services firm that delivers exceptional value for real estate occupiers and owners. Cushman & Wakefield is among the largest real estate services firms with approximately 53,000 employees in 400 offices and 60 countries. In 2019, the firm had revenue of $8.8 billion across core services of property, facilities and project management, leasing, capital markets, valuation and other services. Sherwin-Williams features new Sign Color Toolkits and the Color Reader PRO at ISA 2023. "Manufacturers are continuously challenged to deliver high-quality finishes in shorter and shorter lead times. We understand that, and over the years, our offering has evolved to anticipate and exceed those needs." John Morey, Global Director, Sherwin-Williams General Industrial Sherwin-Williams General Industrial, a leader in the sign coatings industry, will showcase 150 years of coatings expertise and service at the 2023 ISA International Sign Expo, happening in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 12-14. The Company will exhibit a variety of innovative products and processes, including the Lustral Translucent system and GENESIS mix bank. Attendees are also invited to stop by the Sherwin-Williams booth throughout the show for the chance to win an Express Color Reader PRO or Sign Color Toolkit, designed specifically for sign coatings. As one of the only manufacturer direct suppliers in the industry, Sherwin-Williams delivers the benefits of a global company on a local level. In-house sign finishing experts and local, company-owned facilities across North America give Sherwin-Williams the ability to quickly satisfy customer requests with standard or custom-matched colors. With innovative coatings technologies, Sherwin-Williams expertly covers the entire sign production process from start to finish. Sign manufacturers are continuously challenged to deliver high-quality finishes with shorter and shorter lead times, said John Morey, Global Director for Sherwin-Williams General Industrial. We understand that, and over the years, weve continued to innovate our products and enhance our services to create a truly differentiated offering that allows finishers to complete their work in less time. The Sherwin-Williams General Industrial team is very excited to show ISA attendees the advancements weve made in both our technologies and services, and we look forward to making new connections in the industry. Sherwin-Williams is also the only coatings provider to make color matching more consistent between solid and translucent colors by relying on the GENESIS mixing system and mix bank. Designed with sign applicators in mind, the Lustral Translucent system utilizes the existing GENESIS mixing bank, which conveniently converts any GENESIS Lustral solid color into a translucent coating. This streamlined approach to mixing coatings not only saves time, cost and inventory space, it also delivers successful color continuity in just one step compared to traditional multistep systems. Sherwin-Williams products use automotive-grade pigments and urethane chemistries to deliver superior UV and weather protection. These innovative formulas have been used to enhance and protect some of the most iconic landmarks in the country, including the historic Hollywood sign, which the company helped refurbish late last year in partnership with the Hollywood Sign Trust. At Sherwin-Williams General Industrial Coatings, our mission is to protect and enhance manufactured goods responsibly, added Morey. Were committed to innovating and driving sustainability across our industry and providing performance-differentiated products in colors that inspire the world. At the 2023 expo, show attendees will have multiple chances to win at the Sherwin-Williams booth (#2359). The company is hosting two giveaways per day (1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.), each offering the chance to take home a newly designed Sherwin-Williams Sign Color Toolkit or a Color Express Color Reader PRO. The Sign Color Toolkit comes in a convenient portable carrying case and includes two fan decks, a metallic fan deck and a sign fan deck, which boast more than 2,000 colors tailored specifically to sign coatings. The Color Reader PRO links to thousands of Sherwin-Williams colors via an ultra-portable, Bluetooth-connected color selection device to help users find the perfect match quickly and efficiently. Those interested in entering to win are invited to stop by the Sherwin-Williams booth (#2359) to find out more. To learn more about Sherwin-Williams and its industrial coatings and services for the commercial sign industry, visit Sherwin-Williams General Industrial Coatings. About the General Industrial Coatings Division of Sherwin-Williams: Sherwin-Williams General Industrial Coatings offers innovative liquid, powder and electrocoat technologies and expertise around the globe to manufacturers and tier suppliers involved with Heavy Equipment, Transportation, Building Products, Military, General Finishing and Design Finish products. Customers value the global reach of our capabilities combined with localized service at over 150 locations worldwide. The General Industrial division is part of the Sherwin-Williams Performance Coatings Group, which supplies a broad range of highly engineered solutions for construction, industrial, packaging and transportation markets in more than 120 countries in the world. Founded in 1866, The Sherwin-Williams Company is a global leader in the manufacture, development, distribution and sale of paints, coatings and related products to professional, industrial, commercial and retail customers. For more information, visit Sherwin-Williams General Industrial Coatings. Media Contacts: Allison Heard Tiny Mighty Communications AHeard@Tinymightyco.com 703-987-0203 Matt Cole The Sherwin-Williams Company Director Marketing Communications, General Industrial Coatings Matthew.d.cole@Sherwin.com 612-335-4394 Partnering with Survalent and Electroval helps us work toward fulfilling UNESCO SDG 2030 Agenda goals by enabling better control and safety in the implementation of clean energy and management of sustainable cities. Survalent, a leading provider of advanced distribution management system (ADMS) software, along with its local partner Electroval, a regional supplier of automation solutions, electrical materials and equipment, has won the bid to provide the Costa Rican federal electric company, Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), with a state-of-the-art ADMS and DERMS solution. With this win, Survalent is now the ADMS vendor for 75% of the Costa Rican energy distribution market. Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) is a public-owned company that serves over 1 million customers. ICE is highly cognizant of Costa Ricas commitments towards fulfilling the UNESCO Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030 Agenda. To do its part, ICE has committed to bringing the number of electric vehicles in the country to 1 million by 2030, which requires a sophisticated ADMS solution. In addition, major shifts in weekly population movement means equal shifts in the countrys consumption of electricity, an additional challenge that any new solution must overcome. Survalent and Electroval will deliver a multifaceted unified platform that includes SCADA, OMS, DMS, a specially-designed interface based on Survalent SmartVU, and continuing support after implementation. The ADMS and Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) solution provided will be the first of its kind in the Americas, offering the full suite of SurvalentONE solutions for distribution management, automation, outage management, and renewables management. Software and custom interface development will be handled by Survalent, configuration and administration by Electroval, and both will serve a joint commitment to support and training. The phased implementation allows 6 months for SCADA, followed by 12 months for OMS, and lastly 6 months for DMS and DERMS activation. ICEs Electricity Director Roberto Quiros Balma said, We are committed to supporting our national obligations toward the UNESCO SDG 2030 Agenda goals, particularly those covering affordable and clean energy, sustainable cities and communities, and climate action. Partnering with Survalent and Electroval helps us work toward fulfilling these goals by enabling better control and safety in the implementation of clean energy and management of sustainable cities. Electroval is a well-trusted regional supplier of automation solutions, electrical materials, and equipment in electricity generation, transmission, and distribution. The company was founded in 2004 in Costa Rica and now serves several countries in the region, including Nicaragua, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, Peru, and the Dominican Republic. Electrovals General Manager Luis Valverde said, We are proud to serve our home country of Costa Rica and are committed to offering a great customer experience at every level, from technology to service to training. We trust the Survalent solution to be the best possible for the scope, scale, and needs of the project. SurvalentONEs fully integrated ADMS platform efficiently integrates, manages, and processes data from a broad array of sources and is known for increasing safety, improving reliability, and decreasing outage durations for utilities at a reasonable cost, making it suitable for utilities of all sizes. The Survalent DERMS solution enables the safe and efficient operation of distributed energy resources, eliminating the cost of maintaining separate systems and ensuring renewable assets are operating at peak efficiency. Survalents CEO Steve Mueller said, We are excited to offer this first-of-its-kind comprehensive solution to support the delivery of clean, reliable energy in Costa Rica. We have a strong track record of success worldwide with similar scale projects and are confident that the functionality and flexibility of the SurvalentONE solution will enable ICE to successfully meet its goals. About Survalent: Survalent is the most trusted provider of ADMS systems for electric, water/wastewater, oil & gas, renewable energy, and transit utilities across the globe. More than 700 utilities in 40 countries rely on SurvalentONE ADMS solutions to operate, monitor, analyze, restore, and optimize operations and better integrate renewable resources into their network. Our SCADA, OMS, and DMS solutions enable utilities to significantly increase reliability & resiliency, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiencies. Our comprehensive substation automation solution, StationCentral, delivers real-time control and monitoring to help utilities enhance network performance and protect their investment in mission-critical substations. Our unwavering commitment to excellence and to our customers has been the key to our success for over 60 years. To learn more about Survalent, please visit http://www.survalent.com or contact: Debbie Gallo Marketing Director press@survalent.com Follow us on Twitter @Survalent and LinkedIn. About Electroval: Electroval was created in 2004 in San Jose, Costa Rica, with the purpose of supplying materials, electrical equipment and engineering in the areas of generation, transmission and distribution of electrical energy; as well as the supply of materials in the area of telecommunications. Among our clients are government companies, cooperatives, construction companies, electromechanics, industries, among others. Our company has been characterized by the high quality and great technological development of the products in addition to the commitment to the satisfaction of our customers thanks to the technical and human breadth of our staff. In this way, in the last 10 years we have established ourselves as the largest provider of ADMS systems in Costa Rica. For Electroval it is important to be a model company at a national and international level, sale the best product for the field of electricity and telecommunications, the development of the best engineering in control systems and at the same time contribute to environmental protection, the economic and social growth of the country. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. President of the Supreme Council of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov held a meeting with chairman of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkiye Rifat Hisarciklioglu, who arrived in Ashgabat on a working visit, during which they discussed issues related to increasing trade turnover, Trend reports with reference to the Turkmen media. During the meeting, Berdimuhamedov noted the fruitfulness of the consistent expansion of the Turkmen-Turkish dialogue in the political, diplomatic, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian fields, which received a new impetus thanks to the efforts of the two countries. Furthermore, he stressed that the Intergovernmental Turkmen-Turkish Commission for Economic Cooperation and the Business Council, which play an important role in this, have become the result of successful interstate cooperation to strengthen partnership and implement joint large-scale projects. The parties discussed the prospects for the development of partnership between the business structures of the two countries. As noted, Turkmenistan is working out in detail the issues of building the potential of small and medium-sized enterprises and its integration into the international space, which is of particular importance for activating multifaceted business cooperation on a broader scale. In turn, Hisarciklioglu stated that Turkiye has established the production of pipe products for water supply systems that meet modern quality and environmental standards, and also added that it is suitable for Turkmenistan, as it is suitable for use in the local climate. Meanwhile, the trade turnover between Turkiye and Turkmenistan in 2022 amounted to $2.06 billion, which is 21.8 percent more than in 2021 ($1.69 billion). Bob Toupin, vice president of IT and supply chain technology, Tompkins Solutions Bob's widespread experience in supply chain operations and technology coupled with his successful track record of optimizing business systems and processes will make him an invaluable asset to our clients and our organization. Tompkins Solutions, a leading supply chain consulting and material handling integration firm, today announced that Bob Toupin has joined the company as vice president of IT and supply chain technology. In this role, Toupin will be responsible for supply chain software assessments and implementations, including warehouse management system (WMS), warehouse execution system (WES) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions. Toupin has more than 25 years of experience delivering business-driven technology solutions that increase customer satisfaction and reduce costs. An accomplished IT executive, Toupin also has deep expertise in mergers and acquisitions, Lean Six Sigma and implementing global enterprise-wide systems. Prior to joining Tompkins, Toupin was CIO of Jackson Healthcare, and also served in executive leadership roles for BlueLinx Corporation and PaperWorks Industries. We are thrilled to welcome Bob to the Tompkins team, said David Latona, CEO of Tompkins Solutions. His widespread experience in supply chain operations and technology coupled with his successful track record of optimizing business systems and processes will make him an invaluable asset to our clients and our organization. Toupin is the latest addition to Tompkins leadership team. Earlier this year, Steven Nickel joined the company as senior director of operations and Billy Carter was hired as vice president of sales. To learn more about working at Tompkins Solutions and view the companys current openings, please visit http://www.tompkinsinc.com. About Tompkins Solutions Tompkins Solutions, a subsidiary of Tompkins International, is a global supply chain services firm dedicated to helping clients achieve supply chain excellence and profitable growth. Founded in 1975, Tompkins has integrated its decades of experience in strategy, commerce, logistics and technology to provide unique supply chain consulting and material handling integration solutions. By combining best-in-breed services and technologies, Tompkins delivers a true end-to-end supply chain solution, enabling clients to improve the customer experience and ensure long-term success. Tompkins is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina and has offices throughout North America. For more information, please visit http://www.tompkinsinc.com. Metaverse Web Content With the power of the metaverse, transcosmos will solve challenges that companies and society face, and ultimately serve in creating a society that generates new values that merge digital and real worlds in a highly sophisticated way. transcosmos inc. hereby announces that the company released the Metaverse Web Content on its owned media Cotra on Friday, March 31, 2023 to promote the use of metaverse for business. 1. Metaverse Web Content Overview transcosmos will post useful information for businesses to use the metaverse in a series. The information covers basic knowledge about the metaverse and how it helps solve business challenges. Visit the Metaverse Web Content here (no translation available): URL: https://www.transcosmos-cotra.jp/meta 2. Visit the Metaverse Service Experience Room here: URL: https://v-air.world/proxy-room/159b9b85-9f08-4360-b50f-8bc172da5a9b For the metaverse space, transcosmos chose V-air by Urth Inc. (Chief Executive Officer: Hiroki Tanaka; Urth), a web-based metaverse where users can readily experience the metaverse among other options. With V-air, users can log into the metaverse from anywhere, anytime via their mobiles and PC browsers, no app installation required. The space was designed by Hajime Tsuruta, a first class qualified architect, the founder and chief executive officer of NRC Architecture and Design Office, and winner of Sketch Your Space, an international metaverse design competition (*1). Service Experience Room 3. Metaverse Service Experience Room Concept "People & technology" is the origin of transcosmos business. transcosmos combines people and technology in a superior, systemized way to deliver high-value services. The Metaverse Service Experience Room adheres to this business philosophy. While leveraging the latest technology transcosmos owns, its design values human imagination and warmth. The gear at the bottom of the room merges the power of human imagination and technology, converts the combined power to added value, which lifts and keeps the room afloat in the space. The whole design represents a sustainable business model that transcosmos offers to its clients. 4. Story behind the Metaverse Service Experience Room transcosmos offers one-stop services that range from metaverse consulting to operations to drive the use of the metaverse for business. Yet, it is challenging for companies to have an image of using the metaverse for a particular purpose, and the metaverse space itself. Recognizing this, transcosmos considered it critical to let businesses experience the metaverse firsthand to have the image of and feel how they can use the metaverse, deepen the understanding of the metaverse, and ultimately build a metaverse that best fits their businesses. Based on this belief, transcosmos created and published the Metaverse Service Experience Room, a space where companies who are exploring the possibility of using the metaverse to casually experience the metaverse. In addition to the above, transcosmos has published the Virtual Contact Center Room (URL: https://v-air.world/proxy-room/685954bf-0cd4-4460-ade9-0204f4165ff4), created by an architecture student. The company plans to have a virtual tour for people working at contact centers and for companies that outsource contact center businesses. Virtual Contact Center Room 5. Future Plan transcosmos will promote the use of the metaverse for business by holding business meetings and seminars in the metaverse space as well as providing information via the metaverse. In addition, the company will set an official avatar of a Metaverse Promotion Department staff in the metaverse, who will assist clients on a regular basis. transcosmos will offer the right metaverse platform for each occasion. With the power of the metaverse, transcosmos will solve challenges that companies and society face, and ultimately serve in creating a society that generates new values that merge digital and real worlds in a highly sophisticated way. *1 Sketch Your Space Competition, an international metaverse space design competition hosted by Spatial, an overseas metaverse platform and Sketchfab, an overseas 3D library. (About Urth inc.) Company Name: Urth inc. Chief Executive Officer: Hiroki Tanaka Address: 19-3 bldg. entrepreneurship Center, Waseda University, 1-22-3 Nishiwaseda, Shinjku-ku Tokyo 169-0051 Japan Business: IT and architectural services, etc. URL (no translation available): https://u-rth.com/information/ (Architect Hajime Tsuruta profile) First class qualified architect in Japan, Hajime Tsuruta is the founder and chief executive officer of NRC Architecture and Design Office. Hajime is a multi-talented person who writes novels, does paintings, plans housing and buildings in both the real and the metaverse world, and researches city planning and tourism policy in the Tokyo Institute of Technology. Highly acclaimed globally, his works have received multiple awards. URL: https://www.nrcgroup.co.jp/ *transcosmos is a trademark or registered trademark of transcosmos inc. in Japan and other countries. *Other company names and product or service names used here are trademarks or registered trademarks of respective companies. About transcosmos inc. transcosmos launched its operations in 1966. Since then, we have combined superior "people" with up-to-date "technology" to enhance the competitive strength of our clients by providing them with superior and valuable services. transcosmos currently offers services that support clients business processes focusing on both sales expansion and cost optimization through our 173 bases across 28 countries/regions with a focus on Asia, while continuously pursuing Operational Excellence. Furthermore, following the expansion of e-commerce market on the global scale, transcosmos provides a comprehensive One-Stop Global E-Commerce Services to deliver our clients' excellent products and services to consumers in 46 countries/regions around the globe. transcosmos aims to be the "Global Digital Transformation Partner" of our clients, supporting the clients transformation by leveraging digital technology, responding to the ever-changing business environment. Visit us here https://www.trans-cosmos.co.jp/english/ The MoCCA Art Fest 2023, an annual indie comics and graphic novel festival held April 1-2, clocked record attendance numbers in its return to the Metropolitan Pavilion on West 18th Street in Manhattan. By Saturday afternoon, close to 5,000 fans were reported coming through the doors, matching the entire attendance across both days in 2022. By the close of the weekend, total attendance grew to about 8,600. It was, by a significant factor, the most attendees in over two decades of MoCCA fest. The turn-out was extraordinary, said Anelle Miller, executive director of the Society of Illustrators, which organizes the annual gathering (since acquiring the event in 2013), and who was personally directing traffic at the busy ticket counters. Early in the day, the line of fans stretched to Sixth avenue. Later, a line also formed along 18th street, solely for access inside to the exhibit booth of the popular YouTube show Drawfee. Those fans awaited the chance to get individualized merch from a cast of wisecracking artists, who sketch to fan suggestions. Drawfees twitter account later noted that the queue caused a fire hazard. Exhibitors in nearby booths grumbled about potential lost sales from blocked aisles, but the crowd of Drawfee fans were emblematic of the eclectic make-up of the festival and the diversity of artists, works, and tastes on display on the packed (and uncomfortably hot) exhibition floor. Bill Kartalopoulos, longtime director of programming for MoCCA Art Festival, said there was a huge appetite for this show this year, adding that quite a few programs were standing room only. Panels and talks were held a few blocks away on 21st Street at the Flatiron Gallery of the School for Visual Arts. Kartalopoulos said programming covered everything from indie manga to AI Art. Featured guest Maia Kobabe (Gender Queer) spoke about the wave of book bans sweeping the country and about writing and drawing queer narratives. Kobabe, who has been fighting on the frontlines of censorship nationally, had a spotlight panel and joined a larger discussion led by Jonathan Friedman of PEN America. The panel Publishing Books Today, on the operations and outlook of graphic novels in trade book publishing, was packed and featured representatives from Fantagraphics, Drawn & Quarterly, Abrams ComicArts, and First Second. Frank comments from the independent comics publishers on the varying quality of agented submissions, and their preference to work directly with creators, sparked contentious debate on social media on the rights of artists, terms of payment, and the role of legal representation in the comics industry. (In contrast, trade house representatives stated they were closed, meaning they only considered solicited or agented submissions). Other featured guests included artist Colleen Doran (in conversation with Neil Gaiman) and Barbara Brandon-Croft, creator of the comic strip Where Im Coming From, who was the first Black woman with a nationally syndicated comics strip, in a lively conversation with PWs Calvin Reid. Publishers and artists PW spoke with were upbeat over the youthful crowd and robust sales. Were selling out of titles fast; almost every signing had lines, said Jacq Cohen, executive director of communications & publicity at Fantagraphics. Chip Kidd, Penguin Random House designer and editor-at-large for graphic novels, agreed, and called MoCCA amazing. Kidd cited the new talent on display at the show, such as Pat Dorians Lon Chaney Speaks, a Pantheon release developed from a mini-comic Kidd discovered at a past MoCCA fest. A highlight of the festival, the MoCCA Awards of Excellence, are presented to artists displaying work over the weekend. The awards (which include a cash prize, a digital tablet, and balloons) are judged by a small team of comics insiders and were presented to 15 winners including Chad Bilyeu, Leela Corman, Ganzeer, Peter Rostovsky, Andi Santagata, and Shinyeon Moon. MoCCA judge Karen Green, curator for comics and cartoons at the Columbia University library, said, seeing first the pleasure at the announcement of the winners and the balloons, and then the shock at the news of the cash award may be the most rewarding experience Ive ever had at a comics event. Small Press Distribution is nearing the halfway mark in its effort to raise $100,000 in a GoFundMe campaign that will allow it to overhaul its operating model. SPD executive director Kent Watson announced the plan, billed SPD Next, at the end of February, saying that the change is the best way to allow the nonprofit literary distributor to improve services for the roughly 400 presses it represents. Under its new business model, SPD will close its Berkeley, Calif., warehouse and move shipping and fulfillment operations to Ingram Content Group and Publishers Storage and Shipping. The bulk of the funds raised will go towards underwriting the cost of moving the nearly 300,000 titles from its California warehouse to Ingrams Tennessee facility and PSSCs Michigan warehouse. Watson stressed that in reaching agreements with Ingram and PSSC, SPD clients will receive more services and lowered overhead. SPD, he said, will be able to offer its publishers print-on-demand, e-books, audiobooks, worldwide distribution, and a wider availability in independent bookstores, Bookshop.org, and libraries in the U.S. and beyond. SPD will continue to provide customer service and will be responsible for taking orders, placing shipment requests, and providing metadata to the marketplace, he added. Throughout these partnerships, SPD will remain a true independent nonprofit distributor, Watson said. Watson emphasized the important role SPD plays in the publishing ecosystem, especially in giving a chance to undiscovered writers. Among the authors whose first books SPD distributed ate Sherman Alexie, Tongo Eisen-Martin, Fred Moten, Maggie Nelson, and Ocean Vuong. Titles published by companies distributed by SPD have also won many of literatures highest honors; over the last year, titles published by SPD clients won the National Book Award and were nominated for three Lambda Literary Awards and longlisted for eight PEN Literary Awards. Diane Goettel, executive editor of Black Lawrence Press, said she believes SPD Next will help her business grow. Choosing to distribute our titles through SPD is one of the best business decisions that I have ever made, Goettel said. Their staff is populated by efficient and enthusiastic people who care about the pressesand, by extension, the books and authorsthat they represent. Im very excited about SPD Next. The implementation of SPD Next is the most aggressive move Watson has made to reinvent the distributor since he was named executive director last year. His appointment ended an 18-month period of uncertainty for SPD following the levying of a number of allegations against its former leadership team that resulted in an internal audit and, ultimately, the resignation of SPD executive director Brent Cunningham. If you are an author, are a part of a small, medium, or large publisher, or a book industry professional, you know the importance of independent publishing. Independent publishing offers some of the most groundbreaking literature in the marketplace, Watson said. If you have ever wandered into a corner bookstore or favorite library and felt the emotional lift of pulling out a newly found authors book, cracking it open and taking it home to enjoy, then I kindly ask you to support SPD Next. Finland is at long last joining NATO, having applied together with Sweden last year in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Finland's accession represents a boon to NATO, a radical change in Finnish foreign and security policy, and another unplanned setback for Vladimir Putin's Russia. While Finland is formally welcomed into the alliance by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Sweden still waits for Hungary and Turkey to unblock its accession, which is unlikely before the NATO Summit to be held Vilnius, Lithuania, in July. Finland's accession overturns the country's longstanding policy of military nonalignment and heavily armed neutrality, dating back to the 1940s. Sharing a 1,300 km border with Russia and dependent on Baltic Sea sea lanes of communication for most of its critical supply, Finland's geopolitical situation is a precarious one. Because of the existential threat posed by Russia, Finland maintains a strong national defence capability tailored towards protecting its territory. Contrary to many European nations that shifted their focus to small professional militaries and expeditionary operations following the end of the Cold War, Finland maintained a pragmatic approach to defence. Direct experience fighting Russia in the past has brought civil preparedness, societal resilience, and a will to fight to the forefront of what it means to be Finnish. Joining NATO and gaining the security that comes with Article 5 does not change the longstanding Finnish focus on self-sufficiency, resilience, and the mobilisation of the entirety of Finnish society to protect the country in a crisis (a concept known in Finland as 'comprehensive security', akin to Norway or Sweden's 'Total Defence'). To ensure national preparedness and resilience, Finland depends on extensive cross-sectoral cooperation, where private companies and organisations engage with the public sector in various frameworks during the planning process to ensure critical supply and the functioning of society during crises. Drawing on all of society's resources, conscription, a well-trained reserve, and a high will to defend the country remain the foundation of Finland's national defence. Direct experience fighting Russia in the past has brought civil preparedness, societal resilience, and a will to fight to the forefront of what it means to be Finnish. Share on Twitter Military defence remains at the core of Finnish defence and security policy and is largely based on a conscript-based force backed by a large reserve component, allowing for a credible defence, despite a small population base. Mandatory for men over the age of 18 and voluntary for women, conscription takes place either in the military (Defence Forces) or civil service (paramilitary Finnish Border Guard). The system makes for a wartime troop strength of approximately 280,000, with an additional 870,000900,000 trained as reservistsrepresenting one of the largest military forces in NATO. The Finnish Navy and Air Force are less reliant on conscripts or reservists and, though small, they are equipped with noteworthy capabilities such as icebreakers, mine warfare vessels, and soon the latest F-35 stealth fighters. Finland will bring to the table significant military assets across all domains, with one of the strongest artillery forces in Europe. This culture of armed self-sufficiency means that Finland joins NATO as a net contributor to the alliance's collective security, and one with a highly influential role to play in defending NATO's longest land border with Russia. Importantly, Finland is already a close partner to the alliance, having become a NATO Enhanced Opportunity Partner, alongside Sweden, after Russia's first invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea in 2014. Besides playing an active part in joint exercises and training, Finland is also part of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, the Nordic Defence Cooperation framework, and other multinational groupings that involve NATO member states. These existing tiesas well as longstanding efforts to ensure that Finnish systems and kits are interoperable and meet NATO standardsshould mean that Finland is able to integrate quickly into alliance structures and plans. Finland joins NATO as a net contributor to the alliance's collective security, and one with a highly influential role to play in defending NATO's longest land border with Russia. Share on Twitter Finland's accessionpotentially with Sweden to followbrings several opportunities and benefits to the alliance, significantly historical experience and expertise on assessing Russian capabilities and intentions. NATO, lacking an active intelligence capability of its own, has need of this valuable intelligence and depth of understanding on the Russian threat. Related to this, are the long-term benefits that can be gained from Finland as a leader in societal resilience and a comprehensive approach to security. With Finland's accession, the alliance gains a significant strategic foothold in northern Europe. The region is likely to become a more-integrated defence and deterrence space through a greater presence of NATO forces in the Baltic and an increased focus on the High North as a zone of competition with Russia and its allies. In its capacity as a highly developed market economy and democracy and with a first-rate military, Finland is also likely to exercise considerable influence in the shaping of NATO policy. Many of these contributions could be magnified if Finland's neighbour Sweden is also approved to join the alliance, integrating all of the Nordic-Baltic region and Arctic States (save Russia) into NATO. While a short-term delay may not present too much of an issue from a security policy perspective, Finnish and Swedish defence planning may have to be somewhat separated for the time being. A long-term delay could present more-serious consequences and leave the alliance with a northern flank without Sweden, rendering it more vulnerable to an attack. NATO may have to await Sweden's joining the alliance to establish a more deeply credible deterrence and defence posture in northern Europe. Charlotte Kleberg is a research assistant and James Black is assistant director of the Defence and Security research group at RAND Europe. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev pay special attention to the development of cultural, humanitarian, and tourism ties, and this is one of the key factors for Uzbek-Azerbaijani brotherhood and friendship, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Uzbekistan to Azerbaijan Bakrom Ashrafkhanov told Trend in an exclusive interview. Both Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan are located on the popular "The Great Silk Road" tourist route and the countries are taking active steps towards increasing the mutual tourist flow, the ambassador said. Ashrafkhanov pointed out that increasing the number of flights and expanding flights within the countries is of great importance. Recently Baku and Tashkent have brought the number of flights to nine per week with the participation of Uzbekistan Airways, Azerbaijan Airlines, and Fly Khiva Airlines. In addition, for the first time in the history of the two countries, direct flights from Baku to the following regions of Uzbekistan: Samarkand, Fergana, and Urgench have been launched," he said. The ambassador also expressed hope for launching direct flights from Uzbekistan to Azerbaijani territories liberated from Armenian occupation. In our opinion, the launch of direct flights from Baku to Bukhara, as well as from Uzbekistan to Ganja and the liberated regions of Azerbaijan, where we are witnessing the rapid implementation of restoration works and huge tourist potential, is promising, the ambassador said. Furthermore, Ashrafkhanov emphasized that Uzbekistans participation in the "Tourism and Travel" International Exhibition in Baku also has a great impact on the bilateral relations between the countries. The 19th Azerbaijan International "Tourism and Travel" ("AITF 2023") exhibition was held at the Baku Expo Center after a 3-year break due to the pandemic on April 4, 2023, and will be held until April 6, 2023. Uzbekistan is represented as a partner country of Azerbaijan, which demonstrates the high level of bilateral relations between the counties. The exhibition is not only the largest event in the tourism sector of the region but also a celebration of culture, new experiences, opportunities, and friendship. Tourism is a multifaceted industry that has both economic and socio-cultural significance, he said. Ashrafkhanov noted that tourism is one of the developing fields in Uzbekistan, and by the end of 2023, the country plans to attract some 7 million foreign tourists and facilitate about 15 million of domestic tourists, as well as to bring up the export of tourism services to $2.5 billion. According to the latest data from the Uzbek State Statistics Committee, some 871,000 foreign citizens visited Uzbekistan for tourism purposes from January through February 2023. The number of tourists visiting Uzbekistan increased by 544,400 people, or 2.7 times, compared to the same period in 2022. In 2022, some 5.2 million foreigners visited Uzbekistan, increasing by 2.8 times, compared to the figure for 2021. Meanwhile, State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan says that the number of tourists arriving from Uzbekistan to Azerbaijan amounted to 1,900 in February 2023 an increase of over 6 times, compared to February 2022 (279 tourists). This figure has also increased by 35.7 percent, compared to January 2023 (1,400 tourists). "Recently, President Mirziyoyev emphasized that 2023 should be the year of promoting the rich cultural and tourist potential of Uzbekistan abroad. In order to implement the presidential decree, steps are being taken to attract tourists through marketing and advertising, in particular, the "Business Card of Uzbekistan" is being developed, the tourist brand is being updated, advertisements about Uzbekistan on international TV channels and Internet sites are increasing," said the ambassador. "I would like to invite everyone to visit the national pavilion of Uzbekistan, where you will be provided with detailed information on the countrys tourism and unique gastronomic potential, rich cultural heritage, and national customs," he said. Porterville, CA (93257) Today A clear sky. Low near 50F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A clear sky. Low near 50F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Athens restaurants are updating their menus for the spring, and with that new drinks and menu items are here. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. AnadoluJet budget airline from Turkiye will launch direct flights from Ankara to Uzbekistans capital Tashkent, Trend reports via Uzbekistan Airports JSC. AnadoluJet is a subsidiary of Turkish Airlines, with headquarters in Ankara. The fleet of the air carrier consists of 59 aircraft, which provides to carry out both domestic and international transportation to 89 destinations. Starting from April 17, 2023, the air carrier will operate flights on Ankara Tashkent Ankara route on a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, once a week on Mondays. Furthermore, due to the growing demand of both countries citizens to fly within the countries for tourist purposes, Turkiye and Uzbekistan discussed prospects of increasing the number of bilateral passenger flights, as well as expanding flights between the countries. The matter was discussed, back in March 2023, between Uzbekistans Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade Laziz Kudratov, and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkiye to Uzbekistan Olgan Bekar. According to the latest data from the Uzbek State Statistics Committee, some 13,400 tourists from Turkiye visited Uzbekistan during the first two months of this year. In 2022, some 75,600 tourists from Turkiye came to Uzbekistan. At the same time, Turkiye was the most visited country among tourists from Uzbekistan from January through November 2022. During the reporting period, some 220,000 citizens of Uzbekistan came to Turkiye. On Wednesday, the upcoming fiscal year budget for the state of Georgia, which included a $66 million decrease in funding for the University System of Georgia, was passed. The budget will now go to Gov. Brian Kemp for approval. The FY 2024 budget allotted $3.1 billion to USG, which oversees the 26 public colleges and universities in Georgia. According to a USG statement released Thursday, the budget comes after 20 of those institutions were already set to receive decreased funding in the coming year under the states funding formula due to declines in enrollment. How does blatantly claiming Indian territory help to maintain 'peace in border regions', is a mystery that only China can explain, notes Claude Arpi. IMAGE: Upgraded L-70 air defence guns deployed at the forward location along the Line of Actual Control in Tawang. Photograph: ANI Photo China has done it again. China's ministry of civil affairs has standardised the names of 11 places in Zangnan, a new name for Southern Tibet -- 'Zangnan' is an abbreviation of (Xi)Zang = Tibet, and 'Nan' (south in Mandarin). China has recently started using this term for the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. For Beijing, the so-called Zangnan is itself part of the Xizang Autonomous Region, Xizang being the Chinese name for 'Tibet'. Is it not confusing this name changing? It is probably Beijing's main purpose. A chart in Chinese characters, Tibetan and pinyin transliteration of the 11 new names was released 'in accordance with regulations on geographical names issued by the State Council' -- China's cabinet. It is not the first time that China has changed names, but one can ask what is Beijing's ultimate purpose? We shall come to it later, but it is clear that it could be related to the visit of Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the fifth king of Bhutan, in Delhi to clarify the position about Bhutan's negotiations with China, and about the existence of a 'border deal' with China. In this perspective, the fact that a map accompanying the article (in Chinese) about the renaming in Arunachal shows Sakteng, an area in the Trashigang district of Eastern Bhutan, previously claimed by China, as part of Bhutan, is worth noting. Renaming places Renaming places is not new. It has been done by all coloniSers; India still remembers the British days. China has done it in a more systematic manner. After it invaded Tibet in 1950-1951, Shigaste became Rikaze or Xigatse, Sakya was Sa'gya, Metok, north of Arunachal's Upper Siang district, Mutao or Medog. Apart from the cases of pure pin yinsation like the ones just mentioned, in many cases, names have been completely changed. Ngari province is now called Ali Prefecture (perhaps due to faulty Chinese pronunciation which can't pronounce 'Ng' and 'r); Kyirong at the border with Nepal is now Jilong and worse, Barahoti in today's Uttarakhand is called Wuje, while Demchok in Ladakh is termed Parigas. First Renaming in Arunachal Pradesh In 2017, the Chinese cabinet announced the 'standardised names' for six places in Arunachal Pradesh. At that time, it looked like a childish reaction to the Dalai Lama's visit to the state a month earlier. The Chinese media then admitted that Beijing's objective was to reaffirm China's claim over Arunachal, 'South Tibet' (now Zangnan) for the Chinese. The official names of the six places (transcribed in the Roman alphabet) were Wo'gyainling, Mila Ri, Qoidengarbo Ri, Mainquka, Bumo La and Namkapub Ri. Let us have a look at a couple of them. Wo'gyainling is the new spelling for Urgyeling, the birthplace of Tsangyang Gyaltso, the sixth Dalai Lama, a few kilometres south of Tawang town. One understands the political reasons why China would be so attached to the place. Beijing was/is not ready to accept that a Dalai Lama could be born outside Tibet (China for Beijing). Another place was Qoidengarbo Ri, for 'Chorten Karpo' or 'White Stupa'. It refers to Gorsam Chorten, the only large white stupa in the area (and the largest in Arunachal). It is not far from Zimithang, the tactical HQ of the 4 Infantry Division during the 1962 war. The name 'Ri' or ridge in Tibetan may refer to one of the ridges around the stupa. Second 'Renaming': 15 Places in 2021 Photograph: Rediff.com IMAGE: His Holiness The Dalai Lama on his visit to Arunachal Pradesh in 2017. In 2021, 15 places were given new names with precise coordinates; eight were residential areas/settlements, four were peaks/mountains, two were rivers and one is a mountain pass (Sela). Contrary to what the Indian media wrongly mentioned at that time, the names are not 'invented' names; they were transcriptions of the old Tibetan names for these 15 areas. This is far more serious than 'invented names'; by 'proving' that these places had Tibetan names, China can come to the easy conclusion that they have been Tibetan places ... and therefore Chinese. The argument is tenuous, as it is often the case, but it does not stop China from using it. It gives a clear message to India: Whatever has been Tibetan (or even had a Tibetan name) belongs to China. One day, places in Ladakh, Sikkim or Kinnaur ... and Bhutan will thus be claimed. Eleven New Names On April 2, 2023, a communique announcing a third renaming, was released by the Chinese ministry of civil affairs; it stated that it was 'a legitimate move and China's sovereign right to standardize the geographical names'. It included two residential areas/settlements, five mountain peaks, two rivers and two other areas. It asserted that 'China's move to standardize the names in Zangnan completely falls within China's sovereignty'. Zhang Yongpan, a research fellow at the Institute of Chinese Borderland Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, is quoted by The Global Times as saying: 'It is more meaningful to safeguard national sovereignty, maintain peace in border regions and manage border-related matters at the legal level.' How does blatantly claiming Indian territory help to maintain 'peace in border regions', is a mystery that only China can explain. Looking at the list of 11 places, most of them are unknown or remote areas, however three are close to the Line of Actual Control -- namely Pangchen, a village in the Zimithang Circle which has a historic background during the 1962 border war with China; then Chakmutse Gangri, near Taksing in Upper Subansiri and finally Goyul Thang, a tiny flat ground near Kaho on the river Lohit. Except for Pangchen village, these places are small and unknown even to most Arunachalis. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra D Modi with Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck in New Delhi, April 4, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo Why this Futile Exercise Now? China knows that the Indian media will jump on this type of 'scoop'. The PTI correspondent in Beijing was the first to quote the state council's latest notification and spread the news. This is fine; one can consider it as part of the information warfare against India. Delhi should just be aware of it. More worrying is the map mentioned earlier. Does it signal that Sakteng has now been accepted as part of Bhutan by China and that Beijing does not claim the place anymore? In itself it is good, but if it is part of the 'package deal' between China and Bhutan mentioned in the Indian press, it has other implications. Were the declarations of the Bhutanese prime minister, which probably triggered the Bhutanese king's visit to Delhi, meaning that a deal has been arrived at? In this case, India's interests are at stake, especially as far as the Siliguri Corridor is concerned. Is such a deal is in the pipeline? A Small Anecdote Several years ago, a senior officer of the Royal Bhutanese Army was having talks with a Chinese delegation which started arguing that 'la' was a Chinese word (it means 'pass' in Tibetan and Bhutanese, but not in Chinese). Even after the Bhutanese negotiators told their Chinese counterparts that it was not a Chinese name, the latter continued to insist. It is then that the smart Bhutanese official interrupted the Chinese argument and asked: 'What about Patia-la? Is it a Chinese place?' The Chinese were so much taken by surprise that they kept quiet ... at least for some time. This anecdote came to mind when I read that Beijing had released the third batch of 'new' names for places in Arunachal Pradesh. In the meantime, India should systematically only use the traditional English transliteration of Tibetan places -- Tsona (not Cona), Shigatse (not Xigaze or Rigaze) or Lhuntse (not Longzi); tens of thousands of names of Tibetans towns/villages have thus been changed by China. After all, as the chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh often says, 'My State has no border with China, only with Tibet.' For the BJP, the RSS' organisational heft is a prized asset, considering the slew of elections it faces this year, ahead of the Lok Sabha election in 2024. IMAGE: Bharatiya Janata Party national President Jagat Prakash Nadda addresses the Shakti Kendra Sangam at Samalkha in Panipat, March 19, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo A noteworthy feature of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha's three-day meeting from March 12 to 14 in Haryana's Samalkha was the absence of a cautionary note or discordant expression towards the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Narendra Modi government. The ABPS is the apex decision-making body of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, equivalent to the BJP's parliamentary board, and deliberates upon and seals decisions on important matters, apart from making changes in the Sangh's hierarchy. BJP President J P Nadda and General Secretary (Organisation) B L Santhosh represented the political arm at the session, whose most significant message was the parity that had set in the RSS-BJP equation, showing that both organisations travelled a long way since the days of the first BJP coalition government, headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In Vajpayee's three tenures, including the short-lived 13-day one, the dispensation was constantly subject to the pulls and pressures of the RSS on economic and faith-related policies. "That's because Vajpayee had to take care of the National Democratic Alliance partners who were more assertive because the BJP did not get anything close to a majority," said an RSS source. "The BJP has a comfortable majority at the Centre, is ruling in several states, and is far better placed to implement our core ideological agenda. These circumstances have established a more comfortable equation between the Sangh and the BJP," the RSS source added. The annual report, customarily released at the annual ABPS meet, set the background for the RSS outlook on the state of the country and its concerns. The section titled Present Scenario, which featured towards the end of the document amounted to a political statement and stated: 'Amrit Mahotsav of national Independence was celebrated not only in the country but by Bharatiyas (Indians) living abroad... The beginning of the process of national resurgence is being experienced everywhere. Bharat's strength, modesty, and prestige are increasing.' The RSS cited India's Group of Twenty Presidency (until November 2023), the Centre's handling of the pandemic, the economy's uptick that followed, placing it in fifth position globally, the rechristening of New Delhi's Rajpath as Kartavya Path, and the installation of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's statue in place of Queen Victoria's, also in the national capital, at India Gate, as 'meaningful symbols of this change'. The BJP used these examples to meta-phrase its 'nationalist' narrative. However, the RSS articulated its anxiety over the 'crookedness of selfish, anti-national elements'. 'The forces inimical to Bharat's unity and progress plan newer conspiracies in one way or another or to spread confusion by disseminating perverted narratives on the subjects of the country, and society has become their agenda,' stated the report. It accused such 'forces' ('tukde, tukde gangs' in the BJP's phraseology) of 'instigating language, caste or group discords by using any situation, the event of the society as an excuse' to 'incite youths against any government scheme' like Agniveer. Equally, it claimed that the protests by Hindus against 'Hindu girls ... being deceitfully married with an ugly plot and then exploited and/or murdered ..., illegal occupation of land in many provinces" were "demonstrations of an awakened society and indicate its self-confidence'. Therefore, to purvey its version of 'narrative building', the ABPS decided to launch an outfit, Vimarsh, which will start working ahead of the RSS's centenary commemoration in 2024-2-25. The significance of Vimarsh was reflected in the move to involve senior Sangh functionaries and sympathisers from the country to 'oversee the work of narrative building, countering myths and propaganda and fake news', according to a source. Vimarsh's intent was not just to reach opinion-moulders but also Dalits, Adivasis, and backward-caste leaders and representatives, who, the Sangh felt, might be 'carried away' by 'controversies' over issues like Tulsidas' Ramcharitmanas, allegedly instigated by parties such as the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Samajwadi Party, to foster their pro-Mandal line. Interesting facets of the Sangh emerged in the Karya Vistaar (work expansion) segment of the report, which reinforced the RSS's commitment and engagement with consolidating and expanding the network of its organisation with added focus on regions still perceived as weak. For example, Shivamogga in central Karnataka is a stronghold of the Janata Dal -Secular. The BJP hasn't been able to breach the terrain. The RSS began its outreach in June 2022 with the target of setting up shakhas (chapters) in the 122 mandals and 63 bastis by conducting 'Hindu Samrajya Dinotsav'. The report claimed it had set up 225 shakhas since. In western Maharashtra, the RSS's target was enrolling students in Pune's 12 big colleges. The upshot, the report claimed, was that for the first time, the city's Fergusson College celebrated the birth anniversary of Shivaji. Chhattisgarh's Korba district, Delhi's Mukherjee Nagar, and Western Odisha were named as some of the other target areas. For the BJP, the RSS' organisational heft is a prized asset, considering the slew of elections it faces this year, ahead of the Lok Sabha election in 2024. 'BJP loses a democratic election, then buys MLAs from the ruling party's flock, and rides to power in these states.' 'Do you think Atalji would have tolerated this?' 'The BJP for its greed for power killed Atalji's ideals.' IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra D Modi pays tribute to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at an all-party condolence meeting in New Delhi, August 20, 2018. Photograph: Press Information Bureau An ardent admirer of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prodyut Bora quit the Bharatiya Janata Party after an 11-year stint in 2015 as he couldn't connect with the transformation BJP was undergoing under Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi's leadership. In this interview with Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com, Bora, who recently merged his Liberal Democratic Party with the Congress, speaks his mind on Modi's leadership, why Modi needs to be defeated in 2024, his purpose of merging the LDP with the Congress, why he thinks that Modi is not invincible. 'Everything was sacrosanct when the BJP was led by Vajpayee and Advani. That was a different culture. But with Modi and Amit Shah nothing is sacrosanct,' Bora had told Rediff.com in 2016. From being the BJP's first IT Cell chief to forming your own party, the Liberal Democratic Party, to merging the LDP with the Congress, what defines Prodyut Bora's ideology and politics? That is not correct because after forming the IT Cell (of the BJP in 2007) and after being its first chief for three years, I did many other things which the media has conveniently forgot. For example, I was general secretary of the BJP in Assam for three years; then I was also the national executive member of the BJP. I was given various responsibilities (while I was in the BJP) and thereafter (after quitting the BJP) I formed the LDP, but people unfortunately, put a full stop at the IT Cell. What defines your ideology and politics? I have not changed at all (from the time when I was in the BJP and now that I am in the Congress); my ideology has not changed at all either. Let me give you an example. Abraham Lincoln belonged to the Republican Party and so did Donald Trump. If Abe were to take birth again, would he recognise the Republican Party of which he once was a part of? Similarly, the BJP that I was a part of (once) doesn't exist (today). Let me begin with the Liberal 'L' of the LDP. Atalji (Bihari Vajpayee) was a liberal. I joined the BJP looking at (inspired by) Atalji. I did not have the RSS or ABVP background or any right wing background. I was a corporate professional in 2004, but I was attracted to Atalji's liberalism. Why do I think Atalji was a liberal? Atalji was a man who had George Fernandes as his defence minister; Farooq Abdullah as his tourism minister; A P J Abdul Kalam as his President. Now, what more can I expect from a liberal leader? Does liberalism exist in the BJP today? Definitely, no. The 'D' in LDP stands for social democracy; of course, we don't have to fight for political democracy, but under the Modi regime we have to fight for both political and social democracy; otherwise, political democracy is guaranteed to us by the Constitution. What we do need to fight for is social democracy. Now, the Congress is the party that inserted the word socialism in the Constitution. The Preamble to the Constitution in 1950 declared India as a democratic, sovereign, republic. The words socialism and secularism were inserted by Mrs Indira Gandhi during her tenure (as tprime minister). So that's why I aligned with the Congress. We being a small party spoke about social democracy in a very limited way. The Congress speaks of social democracy too. What the BJP is doing in the country today, not just to its political opponents but even to the media, even to small businesses, to every section of Indian society, we need a platform which can take on the BJP. For me, the Congress is that all-India platform that has been taking on the devious policies of the BJP fearlessly. I could have happily stayed in one little corner of Assam and carried on with my fight against the BJP's deviousness but they are ruining the entire country and so it is important to fight them at an all-India level. Among the reasons that prompted you and LDP members to merge with the Congress is to defeat the BJP in the 2024 general elections. Why is it so necessary to defeat the BJP in 2024? Why has the BJP become such a galvanising force for political parties across India to come together to defeat it in the 2024 general election? Let us not be under any misunderstanding that the Opposition will defeat the BJP in 2024. It is the people of India who will defeat the BJP or whoever is in power. We (the political parties) are just an instrument of the people's wishes. It will be sheer hubris to say that we (the Congress) will defeat the BJP; it is the people who are going to throw them out. Now the question is why are all the parties today hell bent on throwing the BJP out (of power). The simple reason, the simple answer to this question is this is fight for the idea of India. The idea of India is interpreted differently by different political parties. For some it would mean federalism, respecting all religions, etc. The Congress's idea of India is very different from the BJP's idea of India. The current BJP's idea of driving the vehicle (ruling the country) is by looking at the rear view mirror (harking on our glorious past). Other people like to look what is in front of them (the present and the future). Obviously, you can't drive the car very far by looking at the rear view mirror without meeting with an accident. But that's the BJP's style (of governing the country). So, every political party, with their own idea of India, which is diametrically opposite to BJP's idea of India, want to see them out of power at the Centre. The BJP is the biggest threat to the idea of India; what the current BJP wants is a Hindu Rashtra and so it must be defeated to save our founding fathers's idea of India. The idea of a Hindu Rashtra is completely opposite to the idea of India. If Atalji were alive today, would he have opposed the current BJP's idea of India? Atalji was the first president of the BJP which took birth in Mumbai in 1980. People (in the BJP) have conveniently forgotten the founding principles and ideology of the BJP. When it was founded by Atalji: it was Gandhian socialism and nationalism. Please go and check it out; there was no Hindutva (during Atalji's reign). It was Atalji who reminded Mr Modi of Raj Dharma in 2002 (post the Gujarat riots). The BJP was a very different organisation in 2002. I need to remind journalists today who have very conveniently forgotten about this BJP. Atalji had a 13-day government in 1996 and a 13-month government in 1998. Both the times, the government fell by one vote. But Atalji refused to do horse trading. Now, (under Modi's rule) what do we see in India in state after state after state after state? The BJP loses a democratic election and then buys MLAs from the ruling party's flock, lock, stock and barrel and rides to power in these states. Do you think Atalji would have tolerated this? The BJP for its greed for power killed Atalji's ideals lock, stock and barrel. Do you really think the Congress and numerous regional parties stand a chance to defeat Narendra Modi in the 2024 general election given the political heft he has acquired since 2014? Tell me one thing. Can you find one political pundit who, in 2004 after Atalji's nuclear test (in Pokhran on May 11, 1998), his India Shining campaign forecast or believed that the BJP would lose (the 2004 general elections)? It is impossible to predict politics; impossible. Did anybody in the United States, with all their sophisticated psephology models and surveys predict that Donald Trump would become the US president? Everybody thought he was a buffoon. Change is brought about by people, no matter how much politicians think that they are the ones who won the election or, they swung the election in their party's favour. It is people who bring change. People give opportunities to new parties, new ideas; if that works out great, if not, the next change is just five years away. Every idea comes with an expiry date after which people bid it goodbye. Wouldn't Modi, and the BJP be invincible after the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya before the next general elections in 2024? That's what the BJP seems to be majorly banking upon. This country has a dirty habit of saying 'after her/him, who?' when they see a prime minister at the helm for a long period of time. The ingenuous assumption is that in a country of more than a billion people there's just one person who can deliver. The people of India are far wiser and sagacious than the political machinations of an individual or the infrastructure that he has created (that works like clockwork when it comes to winning elections). Now, whether it takes five, ten or 15 years (for the change of government to happen), I don't know. But I'm fairly certain that the BJP is nearing its expiry date. The idea which the BJP is espousing is nearing its expiry days. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Wednesday slammed the Maharashtra government saying that "Mughal rule" was prevailing in the state, and declared that he would contest the next assembly election from Thane, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's bastion. IMAGE: Shiv Sena (Uddhav Bal Thackeray) leader Aaditya Thackeray during a march against the alleged attack on a female party worker by the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), Thane, April 5, 2023. Photograph: PTI Photo He was speaking at a rally organised by the Shiv Sena (UBT), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress -- which comprise the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition -- in protest against an alleged attack on a woman worker of the Sena (UBT) in Thane city two days ago. Sena (UBT) leader and Thane MP Rajan Vichare, NCP leader Jitendra Awhad and Thane city Congress chief Vikrant Chavan participated in the protest march to Thane police commissioner's office, besides thousands of workers of the three MVA parties. Aaditya Thackeray in his speech said that the Shinde-led Shiv Sena was not a party at all. "It is a stolen party. How can a gang of thieves be a party?....There is now mogalai in the state," said Thackeray, a former state minister. The word mogalai is often used to denote tyranny in Marathi. "There is no chief minister of Maharashtra, whoever there is, he is the chief minister of Guwahati and Gujarat," he said in a jibe at Shinde, who had taken his flock of Shiv Sena MLAs first to Surat and later to Guwahati after rebelling against Uddhav Thackeray's leadership last June. Saying that the Shinde government would not last long, Aaditya said once it falls, everyone including "traitor" leaders and officials who have misused their positions will face consequences. "I would contest from Thane and win," said Aaditya, who had won the 2019 assembly election from Worli in south Mumbai. Chief Minister Shinde, notably, represents the Kopri Pachpakhadi constituency in Thane city. A woman worker of the Shiv Sena (UBT) was assaulted, but instead of booking the assailants, the police in Thane registered FIRs against her for alleged defamation, Thackeray said. Roshni Shinde, activist of the Sena (UBT), had alleged that she was assaulted over a `derogatory' Facebook post about the chief minister and his ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party. The chief minister kept quiet even after this atrocity took place in his city, Aaditya Thackeray further said. He also targeted Shinde over big-ticket industrial projects going to Gujarat instead of Maharashtra. Nari Sanman Yatra' will be taken out in every district of Maharashtra to fight for women's honour, Thackeray announced. Leading Kannada film actor Sudeep Sanjeev, popularly known as Kichcha Sudeep, on Wednesday announced his support to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in the poll-bound Karnataka, giving "star power" to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Partys campaign for the May 10 assembly elections. IMAGE: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai with Kannada film actor Kichcha Sudeep. Photograph: @BSBommai/Twitter Bommai said Sudeep supporting him means the actor would campaign for the BJP. Sudeep, who has a huge fan following in the State and one of the highest paid actors of Kannada cinema, however, made it clear that he is not entering politics, neither is he contesting the poll. The actor also indicated that he was not backing a party. Stressing his affection and respect for the chief minister and recalling that he stood by him during his difficult times and shared a very close bond with his family, the actor announced his support to Bommai. Sudeep, best known for his performance in films such as Swathi Muthu, Kempe Gowda, Eega, and Pailwaan, hails from Shivamogga district and belongs to Valmiki Nayaka community, the largest tribes in the ST category, in the state. Sudeep, 49, who has acted in movies in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil, in addition to Kannada, said he would campaign for "some of the people he (Bommai) wants him to support. "I will go by what he (Bommai) wants, his requirements. I am not entering politics," he said. Bommai, who was sitting next to him at the press conference, said he had told Sudeep that even though he is not joining the BJP, his campaigning is "necessary". When Sudeep says he is extending me support, it means along with me he would campaign for the BJP ."Sudeep doesn't belong to any party. He has come to support me, and the party I belong to". "Sudeep's support gives big strength to BJP's campaign," the chief minister said. Earlier, speaking to reporters outside his residence before heading to the hotel, where he addressed the media with the chief minister, ministers R Ashoka, K Sudhakar, and Muniratna, the actor said: "If you think I am in favour of a party, I have not done any such thing." Following the direction of the Calcutta high court, the West Bengal government on Wednesday decided to deploy paramilitary forces in three districts of Hooghly, Barrackpore and Kolkata during Hanuman Jayanti celebrations, a senior official said. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo The decision was taken at a meeting held virtually by Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi with senior police officers of the state. "There will be an ample number of state police forces deployed at sensitive areas in the state and also at those places where violence was witnessed recently, Apart from that, we have decided to deploy three companies of paramilitary forces in Kolkata, Hooghly and Barrackpore," the official told PTI. The Calcutta high court on Wednesday directed the state government to requisition central forces for assisting the state police in maintaining peace during Hanuman Jayanti celebrations. Violent clashes were witnessed in Hooghly and Howrah districts during Ram Navami celebrations recently. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address Bharatiya Janata Party members on the party's foundation day on Thursday. Photograph: ANI Photo The party will also push its campaign for his re-election in the next year's Lok Sabha polls with wall-writing across the country during the day. BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh told reporters that party members will write slogans "Ek Baar Phir Se Modi Sarkar" and "Ek Baar Phir Se Bhajpa Sarkar" on walls in over 10.72 lakh places after its president J P Nadda launches the exercise from the national capital at 12 noon. He also briefed reporters on the details of the "social justice week" the party will observe from its foundation day to the birth anniversary of Bhim Rao Ambedkar on April 14. The BJP will observe nationwide programmes to commemorate Ambedkar, a freedom-fighter, social reformer, economist, architect of India's constitution and an icon especially for Dalits. Party members will also mark the birth anniversary of social reformer Jyotiba Phule on April 11, Chugh said. Hailing Modi for his government's work for the poor and the country's development, he said the prime minister's address will be broadcast live at over 10 lakh places across the country. The BJP was founded on April 6, 1980, after leaders of the erstwhile Bharatiya Jana Sangh quit the Janata Party to launch a new party. Pakistan has responded to a letter by India asking to start negotiations for the review of the Indus Water Treaty, the foreign office said on Wednesday. IMAGE: A view of the Indus river in Kargil district, in Jammu and Kashmir. Photograph: ANI Photo India earlier this year for the first time issued a notice to Pakistan, seeking a review and modification of the Indus Waters Treaty, in view of Islamabad's "intransigence" to comply with the dispute redressal mechanism of the pact that was signed more than six decades ago for matters relating to cross-border rivers. "I can confirm that Pakistan has responded to the Indian letter on the Indus Water Treaty. Pakistan remains committed to the implementation of the treaty in good faith and to ensure its water security," foreign office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at the weekly briefing. "I would not like to add to media speculation. As I have said, we have responded to India. I have nothing further to add," she said when asked about the details of the Pakistani response. The water treaty signed in 1960 through the good offices of the World Bank has survived the vicissitudes of the acrimonious ties between the countries. To another query, Baloch said that Pakistan utilised the relevant channel of communication "where our Indus commissioner has sent the letter to his Indian counterpart". Reacting to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's recent remarks on Pakistan, she said that these remarks reflect Indian leadership's "unhealthy obsession" with Pakistan. Asked about the participation of Indian Charge' d'affaires in the Iftar dinner hosted by the Foreign Minister on March 30, she said there was no need to read too much into this. "It was an interfaith Iftar and the entire diplomatic corps was invited." She also said that Adviser to the Prime Minister on Culture, Engr. Amir Muqam, virtually participated in the SCO Ministers of Culture Meeting hosted by India on April 3 and underlined the need for promoting cultural exchanges and cooperation under the SCO framework to foster mutual understanding. "As an active member of SCO, Pakistan will continue to participate in all SCO activities and continuously contribute to their outcomes, she said. India hosted the 20th session of the Culture Ministers' Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on Monday, with Union minister G Kishan Reddy emphasising on the importance of cultural collaborations and dialogue in propagating "peaceful coexistence through mutual respect, diversity and inclusiveness". Culture ministers of Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan participated in the meeting virtually, the Culture Ministry said in a statement. India currently holds the presidency of the SCO. During her press briefing, Baloch also expressed "deep concern" at the recent incidents of alleged communal violence and asked India to take firm action against the extremists. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. Armenia actively helps Russia to bypass Western sanctions, Head of the Center for Analysis and Strategies of Ukraine Igor Chalenko said on air of the Rada TV, the official television channel of the Ukrainian parliament, Trend reports. "There are a number of confirmations of this. If in 2021 Armenia's exports to Russia amounted to $840 million, in 2022 it totaled $2.4 billion, which is, in fact, an increase of three times," he said. Chalenko stressed that there is an abnormal demand in Armenia for technological goods. "A large number of American companies refuse to supply chips to Armenia because they understand: these chips will end up in Russia," he added. Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched a sharp attack on Rahul Gandhi and the Congress on Wednesday, alleging the party has been left with no ideology except the one of a "traitor" which works against the country. IMAGE: Scindia quit the Congress and joined the BJP in 2020 following differences with its leadership, especially in his home state Madhya Pradesh, leading to the fall of the Kamal Nath-led government. Photograph: PTI Photo The Bharatiya Janata Party leader attacked the Congress for according Rahul Gandhi a "special treatment" following his conviction in a defamation case and accused the party of pressuring the judiciary, and doing everything possible to stay relevant. This party has insulted backward classes, sought proof of our armed forces' bravery and spoken about our soldiers being beaten up by China, Scindia said, in a direct attack on Gandhi who has been accused of making these remarks. "The Congress has been left with no ideology. This Congress has been now left with only one ideology which is of a traitor, an ideology which works against the country," he told reporters. Scindia was incidentally in the Congress for a long time and was considered a close associate of Gandhi. He quit the party and joined the BJP in 2020 following differences with its leadership, especially in his home state Madhya Pradesh, leading to the fall of the Kamal Nath-led government. The minister said the Congress is projecting the "personal legal battle" of Gandhi as a fight for democracy. It is leaving no stone unturned to play with democracy and hitting new lows, he said, accusing the party of trying to pressure and intimidate the judiciary by taking its army of leaders and supporters to Surat when Gandhi filed appeal in a court there in a criminal defamation case. Parliament is not being allowed to function and its leaders are wearing black clothes, he said, questioning the rationale as he noted that several other leaders have previously been disqualified as well. Is this the philosophy of "Gandhiwaad", why so much is being done for one person, he asked. Some people are "first class citizens" for the Congress, Scindia said, noting that a Congress leader had claimed that normal legal process should not be applied on the Gandhis. Amid a logjam over Rahul Gandhi's remarks on democracy, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday rejected Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's 'point of order' that there cannot be a discussion on Gandhi, who was then a Lok Sabha MP, saying there can be no issue or individual beyond the purview of discussion in the Upper House. IMAGE: Vice-President and Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Jagdeep Dhankhar during a meeting of floor leaders of all parties to deliberate on ensuring the smooth and orderly functioning of the House, in New Delhi, March 23, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has, since the resumption of the Budget session of Parliament after a break, demanded that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should come to Rajya Sabha and tender an apology for his "democracy in danger" remarks made in the UK recently. The Congress has, however, countered this saying someone who is not an MP of Rajya Sabha cannot be called to the House and there cannot be any discussion/reflection on or about an MP of Lok Sabha. In his ruling, Dhankhar said that "the authenticated record made available by the Leader of House Piyush Goyal bears out that his demand of apology on the overseas statements made by a senior leader of the Opposition is factually premised...". He gave his ruling on the objection that Kharge, who is the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, raised through a point of order. However, Dhankhar neither explicitly referred to BJP's demand that Gandhi should come to Rajya Sabha to apologise nor indicated if that was permissible. "After bestowing earnest consideration on this momentous aspect, I am of the firm view that there can be no issue or individual beyond the purview of discussion in the Rajya Sabha and the same is exclusively subject to regulation by the House and the Chairman," he ruled. He rejected precedents cited by Kharge saying they had no bearing on the issue. He said on March 13 Kharge, responding to the assertions of the Leader of the House and Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who demanded an apology for "the shameless way by which a senior leader of the Opposition in a foreign country has attacked the democracy of India, insulted the Parliament of India", raised a point of order that there could be no discussion/reflections in the Rajya Sabha on or about a Member of the Lok Sabha or anyone who is not a member of the Rajya Sabha. While Goyal did not name anyone, "he severely impeached what he termed the overseas disparaging remarks by a senior leader of the opposition tainting and tarnishing our Parliament," Dhankhar said without naming Gandhi. "The point of order concerning debate/discussion competence of Rajya Sabha, albeit Parliament, the most authentic representative and sanctified platform in our democratic polity, couldn't be more important. In considering this I am cognisant that we are the largest and mother of all democracies, and home to nearly one-sixth of humanity. Our Parliament is the sanctum sanctorum of democracy," he said. He then went on to state the immunity that MPs enjoy for statements in Parliament and rules for allegations of a defamatory or incriminatory nature against an MP. "The sanctity of the temple of democracy cannot be permitted to be outraged as the privilege does not extend to engaging in demeaning parliament, making disparaging observations tarnishing constitutional institutions or setting afloat narratives premised on reckless allegations of untenable fact premise," he said. Stating that Goyal had authenticated his assertion with the submission of proof of such a statement by Gandhi, Dhankhar said any curtailment or qualification of the constitutional privilege of freedom of expression of a Member of the Parliament in the Rajya Sabha will "seriously compromise and impede blossoming of democratic values". "Democratic ethos, well cherished and nurtured Parliamentary values persuade me to tilt in favour of sustaining this constitutional right of 'freedom of expression' of a Member of Parliament that cannot suffer any constraint and is subject only to the wisdom of the House and the Chairman," he said adding the House was not constrained from discussing any issue or individual. "Further the authenticated record made available by the Leader of House Piyush Goyal bears out that his demand of apology on the overseas statements made by a senior leader of the Opposition is factually premised and does not graduate to making 'allegation of a defamatory or incriminatory nature'," he added. "In view of categorical and firm constitutional prescriptions, I cannot persuade myself to sustain the point of order raised by Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and the same is hereby declined." Rahul Gandhi was recently disqualified from Lok Sabha after he was sentenced to two years imprisonment by a Surat court in a criminal defamation case. Parliament proceedings have been stalled due to protests by opposition parties, which are demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Adani issue, and the BJP, which is insisting on an apology from Rahul Gandhi. Close on the heels of communal violence in West Bengal and Bihar during Ram Navami, the Centre on Wednesday asked all states to ensure law and order during Hanuman Jayanti on April 6 and monitor any factor that could disturb peace and harmony in society. Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo The Home Ministry's advisory to all states and Union territories aimed at sensitising law enforcement agencies following the communal violence last week. "The MHA has issued an advisory to all states in preparation for Hanuman Jayanti. The governments are encouraged to ensure the maintenance of law and order, peaceful observance of the festival, and monitoring of any factors that could disturb communal harmony in society," the Home Minister's Office tweeted. Clashes and instances of fire-bombing were reported from Hooghly and Howrah districts of West Bengal over Ram Navami processions in the last few days including on Monday night. Several vehicles were torched and shops ransacked in Howrah. Clashes were reported in West Bengal's Rishra on Sunday during a Ram Navami procession in which BJP national vice president Dilip Ghosh and party's Pursurah MLA Biman Ghosh were present. The MLA was injured and hospitalised. Parts of the nearby Serampore also witnessed incidents of vandalism following which prohibitory orders were imposed and Internet services suspended. The violence led West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose to visit some of the violence-hit areas after Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to him. On Tuesday, the Union home ministry also sought a detailed report from the West Bengal government on the communal violence. Communal violence took place in Bihar's Sasaram and Biharsharif towns too on and after Ram Navami following which over 170 people were arrested by the police. Vehicles, houses and shops were torched and several people were injured in communal flare-ups reported in both towns on March 30 and 31. Home Minister Shah expressed concern over the incidents and spoke to Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to take stock of the situation. The home ministry also sent additional paramilitary forces to Bihar to assist the state administration in handling the situation. Shah had cancelled his proposed tour of Sasaram on April 2 after prohibitory orders were put in place in the town. More than 1,100 people, including former teachers and students of Delhi University's Indraprastha College for Women, have expressed deep concern over the recent incident of alleged harassment at a fest and demanded an apology from principal Poonam Kumria. IMAGE: A voew of Indraprastha College for Women, in New Delhi. Photograph: Courtesy IPCW on Twitter They have also raised a host of questions regarding the incident questioning the management's action and reaction in a letter signed by all of them. The letter comes a week after some "unknown" men allegedly trespassed, shouted slogans and harassed women students during the annual 'Shruti' festival at the Indraprastha College for Women. The authors of the letters are former teachers of the college, parents and concerned citizens. "The undersigned consist of students since the early 1960s. IPCW has never seen times worse than what we are witnessing now. We, members of the academia and civil society, are deeply concerned with what is happening and strongly feel that the college needs to proactively protect its girls rather than further harass them," the letter signed by 1,108 individuals read. They questioned why the college management chose not to support the student who is hospitalised as a result of the violence and why it did not offer to provide full financial support for her medical procedures. "Why is the college threatening students with dire consequences if they continue their protests, calling parents of the already traumatised students and creating an atmosphere of fear through punitive measures?" they asked. "An apology would go a long way in restoring confidence and the camaraderie that IPCW has had over the past 99 years. We demand that students will be able to send their chosen nominees to be members of the investigation committee," it read. The incident of alleged harassment drew widespread criticism. A host of protests were organised against the principal following the incident, wherein the students also alleged attempts to "saffronise" the college, claiming increased surveillance and curtailment of freedom of speech at the hands of the newly-appointed principal. In a statement, Kumria said the management has requested the police to send a lady officer to the college on Wednesday to register the students' complaints Delhi University's IPCW has also started counselling sessions for students who have claimed to have experienced trauma due to the alleged harassment during its annual fest, she said. In her second statement in the last two days, the principal said Indraprastha College for Women is concerned over the inconvenience experienced by some of the students during the festival and requested the students to avail the services of the counsellor. A marine commando from the Indian Navy's special forces died during a training exercise on Wednesday in West Bengal's Panagarh. IMAGE: A Navy Special Forces commando with his dog on his back slithered down from the SeaKing multirole helicopter during the Naval Sea Vigil exercise, in New Delhi, January 14, 2021. Photograph: ANI Photo People familiar with the matter said Chandaka Govind died while carrying out a para jump from an aircraft. In a tweet, the Indian Navy said Govind, a petty officer, lost his life while undergoing training exercise. The people cited above said Govind was part of the Indian Navy's elite special forces called Marine Commando Force (Marcos). Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar and all personnel of the Navy condoled Govind's demise. "Adm R Hari Kumar #CNS & all personnel of #IndianNavy pay tribute to Chandaka Govind, Petty Officer who lost his life whilst undergoing training exercise at Panagarh on 05 Apr 23 and extend heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family," the Navy tweeted. A high-level inquiry has been ordered into the commando's death. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday urged people to celebrate the Hanuman Jayanti festival peacefully, and said while religion is a personal choice, festivities were an occasion for all to join in. IMAGE: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee speaks during the inauguration of the Purba Medinipur Press Club, April 5, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo Her appeal comes on the eve of the festival dedicated to Lord Hanuman and within days of the state witnessing a series of violent clashes and vandalism in the industrial districts of Howrah and Hooghly during processions celebrating Ram Navami. "Tomorrow is Hanuman Jayanti. I will urge everybody to celebrate it peacefully. There will be no problem if peace is observed. Bengal is the land of peace," Banerjee told reporters after inaugurating a new building for the Press Club in the sea resort town of Digha in Purba Medinipur district. Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, is on a four-day trip to the district. I say religion is a personal choice, while festivities are for everyone. We must see that we celebrate festivals together peacefully. We all must pray for peace irrespective of our religious identity. Let peace prevail around the world, in India and Bengal," she said. Addressing a programme at Khejuri in the district on Monday, the chief minister had directed the police to be alert as she was apprehensive of violence during the Hanuman Jayanti celebrations. Banerjee has been alleging that the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party is behind the recent incidents of clashes in Howrah and Hooghly districts during Ram Navami celebrations. The TMC accused the BJP of conspiring to polarise the society for political gain, while the saffron camp claimed it was the appeasement politics of the ruling party behind the incident. On Tuesday, West Bengal Governor Dr CV Ananda Bose rushed from Darjeeling to visit violence-hit Rishra in Hooghly district and take stock of the situation there. In another incident of moral policing in Karnataka, a Muslim youth was assaulted by a gang for talking to a woman Hindu friend, while travelling in a bus near Ujire in Dakshina Kannada district, police said on Wednesday. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. The victim has been identified as Mohammed Zaheer (22). Bajrang Dal activists are suspected to be behind the crime, sources said. The injured youth was later hospitalised. Based on his complaint, police have registered a case against four people. Sources said the group of Bajrang Dal workers got into the bus after getting information about the youth talking to the girl. They dragged him out of the bus before thrashing him in front of the passengers. Local SDPI leaders visited the victim at the hospital and urged the police to take strict action against the culprits. New York state will "not normalise" serious criminal conduct, "no matter who you are," Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, has asserted, hours after former US President Donald Trump was arraigned in a courtroom. IMAGE: New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks after former US president Donald Trump appeared at Manhattan Criminal Courthouse, after his indictment by a Manhattan grand jury following a probe into hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, New York City, US, April 4, 2023. Photograph: Brendan McDermid/Reuters Trump, 76, the first former US president to be criminally charged, pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in relation to hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential elections at his arraignment in Manhattan criminal court on Tuesday. Bragg is the first Black Manhattan district attorney and a fellow New Yorker who handed over an indictment on criminal charges to Trump. Trump repeatedly made false statements on business records in New York in an effort to cover up other crimes, Bragg said at a press conference held shortly after Trump's arraignment Tuesday afternoon, the Politico newspaper reported. The former president pleaded not guilty to the 34 felony charges. These are felony crimes in New York state, no matter who you are. We cannot and will not normalise serious criminal conduct, Bragg told reporters. Under New York state law, it is a felony to falsify business records with intent to defraud and intent to conceal another crime. That is exactly what this case is about: 34 false statements, made to cover up other crimes, Bragg told reporters. Bragg said that Trump, executives at the publishing company American Media Incorporated, Trump's former fixer Michael Cohen, and others agreed to a catch and kill scheme in 2015, planning to buy and suppress negative information to help Trump's chances of winning the election. As part of that scheme, Bragg said, Trump and others made three different payments to people who claimed to have negative information about the former president that Trump and his allies worried would hurt his chances of winning the 2016 presidential election. One of those three people was Stormy Daniels, Bragg said, the porn star who claimed she had an affair with Trump -- and whom Cohen has admitted to making a USD 130,000 hush money payment, claiming he did so at Trump's behest. Born in Harlem, Bragg, 49, was sworn in as the 37th district attorney of New York county (Manhattan) in January 2022. One year ago, the Manhattan district attorney's investigation into Trump appeared to be dead in the water. The two leaders of the investigation recently resigned after Bragg decided not to charge Trump at that point. Amid a fierce backlash to his decision -- and a brutal start to his tenure -- Bragg insisted that the investigation was not over. But a disbelieving media questioned why, if the effort was still moving forward, there were so few signs of it, the New York Times reported. This account of Bragg's decision to revive the investigation and point it toward the hush-money arrangement reveals the circuitous and sometimes uncertain road that led to the first criminal charges against a former American president, the report added. In a statement on Thursday, after the indictment was reported, Trump called the case a political persecution and election interference at the highest level in history, adding that Bragg was a disgrace and calling himself a completely innocent person." Before being sworn in as district attorney, Bragg was a visiting professor of law and co-director of the Racial Justice Project at New York Law School. In that role, he represented Eric Garner's mother and sister in a lawsuit against the City of New York seeking details concerning Garner's death. The 43-year-old African-American man was killed in July 2014 on a Staten Island sidewalk after being placed in a chokehold by an NYPD officer. Bragg studied at Harvard University and Harvard Law School and clerked for Robert P Patterson, Jr in the Southern District of New York. He is a former member of the board of directors of the New York Urban League and the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and a Sunday School teacher at his church. Observing that politicians do not have higher immunity, the Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a plea by 14 political parties led by the Congress alleging arbitrary use of central probe agencies against opposition leaders, asserting that laying down guidelines without facts of a criminal case will be a very dangerous proposition. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: PTI Photo A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala expressed disinclination to entertain the petition, saying courts are always there for taking up the grievances of political leaders as they do for common citizens. I think that in the absence of the specific fact, for us to lay down the general principle of law is again a very dangerous proposition. Once we have the facts in a case or group of cases then we can lay down law not just for that case but as a general principle, said the CJI while refusing to entertain the plea. The difficulty in your petition is that you are trying to extrapolate the statistics into binding legal guidelines which effectively would apply. You are aware of the fact these statistics pertain only to politicians. At the same time you are aware of the fact that the guidelines cannot apply only to the politicians. Politicians do not have higher immunity, the bench said. Sensing its disinclination, senior advocate A M Sighvi, appearing for the political parties, sought permission to withdraw the petition which was granted. Learned counsel seeks permission to withdraw the plea at this stage. The petition is accordingly dismissed as withdrawn, the bench ordered. The bench said it is always willing to take up a single case or a group of cases where a political leader has been targeted to silence the voice. Come to us with one or more cases together we will certainly deal with this, the bench said. It said the remedy to the allegation that the space for political opponents has shrunk lies in the political space itself and not in courts. The top court was not in agreement with the submission that in cases which do not relate to bodily injuries and provide for a sentence of not more than seven years pre and post-arrest guidelines needed to be framed. For arrest and remand, the political parties have been seeking adherence to the triple test which deals with the determination as to whether a person is a flight risk, whether there is a reasonable apprehension of the tampering of evidence, or the influencing/intimidation of witnesses. At the outset, Singhvi referred to certain statistics while trying to drive home the point that opposition leaders have been targeted by federal investigative agencies from 2014 to 2022 and that there has been a 600 per cent increase in CBI and ED cases. Between 2014 and 2022, 121 political leaders have been probed by the Enforcement Directorate out of whom 95 per cent are from opposition parties, he claimed. The Narendra Modi government first came to power in May 2014. The CBI has probed 124 political leaders and out of these, 108 are from opposition political parties, Singhvi claimed. The bench observed, by and large, the conviction rate in India is abysmally low and asked whether it can say there should not be any investigation keeping in mind the statistics. Your statistics are there and there is no question with that...this is the petition filed by 14 political parties. Now you give us some statistics and can we therefore say that because of these statistics there should be no investigation and there should be immunity from the investigation, the bench observed. It then referred to the principle of equality and gave an example of press freedom, while asserting the fundamental right is equal for all. Ultimately even the press has no higher freedom than what is available to a common citizen under Article 19 (1) (a) (freedom of speech and expression) of the Constitution. A political leader is also basically a citizen and therefore as citizens we all are amenable to the same law, it said. The court said as the parties have conceded that political leaders do not enjoy immunity like other citizens, it cannot pass general directions. Take a case which does not involve the threat of bodily harm. Day-in and day-out, we get cases of financial scams. Somebody takes away 10 thousand crores, five thousand crores from retired pensioners or from ordinary middle class people and does not refund the amount ... No payments are made. Complaints are filed. Usually, the FIRs are filed and then a case is filed for clubbing of the FIRs. We deal with it, the CJI said. The court said these cases are of financial scams and provide for lesser offences, and asked if it can pass an order that there will be no arrest. Once we accept that the political leaders stand absolutely on the same footing as the citizens of the country and they are entitled to the same protection of the due process of law then we cannot say that they are entitled to higher immunity, the court said, adding it cannot do what essentially lies in the domain of the legislature. These statistics pertain only to politicians and hence general guidelines cannot be passed, it said. If an ordinary citizen is arrested for putting out a tweet and some cartoon, then it can be understood that he has no access to the top court, the bench said. Political leaders cannot say this, the CJI said. On the issue of shrinking of space for political differences, it said, That is the problem with your formulation. When you say that the space for the opposition has shrunk then the answer to this lies in political space itself not in the court. The bench said the guidelines sought to be issued may result in a situation where a police or ED officer will have no discretion to make an arrest. Singhvi said he was not seeking any particular relief in a particular case and the parties, which represent 42 per cent of the electorate in the country, wanted prospective guidelines of pre and post-arrest procedures to be adopted by the central probe agencies. Earlier, the joint plea was mentioned for urgent hearing on March 24 by Singhvi. The plea alleged there has been an alarming rise in the use of coercive criminal processes against opposition political leaders and other citizens exercising their fundamental right to dissent. Besides the Congress, the parties to the petition included the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Bharat Rashtra Samithi, Trinamool Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Nationalist Congress Party, Shiv Sena (UBT), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Janata Dal-United, Communist Party of India, CPI-Marxist, Samajwadi Party and the J&K National Conference, the statement said. Adult film star Stormy Daniels has been ordered to pay, over USD 120,000 in legal fees to the attorneys of former United States President Donald Trump, by a federal appeals court in California. Photograph: Courtesy Stormy Daniels on Instagram The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday ordered Daniels to pay Trump's attorneys just over USD 120,000 in legal fees. That's on top of the over USD 500,000 in court-ordered payments to Trump attorneys that she has to pay. Daniels had filed and lost a defamation suit against the former president, reported CNN. The order was delivered on the same day when a Manhattan court arraigned Trump on 34 charges related to alleged hush money payments to Daniels to cover up a purported affair between the two. Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records related to the alleged payments. It's the first time a former US president has faced criminal charges. The civil litigation is officially unrelated to Trump's arrest and charges filed against him in New York -- but both involved Daniels, who was paid USD 130,000 in hush money during the 2016 presidential campaign to keep quiet about an affair. Trump denies the affair, reported CNN. Daniels sued Trump in 2018 after Trump in a tweet called an allegation by Daniels that an unknown man threatened her in a parking lot to keep quiet about her alleged affair with Trump a "total con job." Dismissing the lawsuit in October 2018, federal Judge S James Otero said Trump's statement was protected by the First Amendment, reported CNN. "The Court agrees with Mr. Trump's argument because the tweet in question constitutes 'rhetorical hyperbole' normally associated with politics and public discourse in the United States. The First Amendment protects this type of rhetorical statement," Otero wrote at the time. Otero later ordered Daniels to pay roughly USD 293,000 in legal fees. Daniels was also ordered to pay another USD 245,000 in fees after losing another appeal, reported CNN. Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, had asked the appeals court to knock down another award. The court declined her request. "Clifford's argument that the fee request is unreasonable and excessive is not well-founded," the 9th Circuit filing states. "Trump's attorneys reasonably spent the requested 183.35 hours preparing a motion to dismiss, a reply to the opposition to the motion, two extension motions, the answering brief, and the fee application," it added. In March 2022, Daniels said she would "go to jail" before paying a penny to Trump after a failed defamation suit filed by Daniels' former lawyer, Michael Avenatti. Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) has agreed to pay $8.9 billion to settle tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging that talc in its iconic Baby Powder and other products caused cancer, the company said. The amount dwarfs J&Js original offer of $2 billion, Trend reports citing Reuters. The agreement follows a January appeals court ruling invalidating J&Js controversial Texas two-step bankruptcy maneuver, in which it sought to offload the talc liability onto a subsidiary that immediately filed for Chapter 11. The J&J subsidiary, LTL Management, filed for bankruptcy protection late Tuesday for a second time with the intent to present a reorganization plan containing the proposed settlement to a judge as soon as May 14, the subsidiary said in a court filing. J&J said in a statement that about 60,000 talc claimants had agreed to the proposal. The J&J subsidiary filed for bankruptcy in New Jersey, the same jurisdiction where it faced the appeals court defeat. J&J crafted new financing arrangements with its subsidiary to avoid running afoul of the appeals ruling, the subsidiary said in a court filing. The ruling determined LTL Management had no legitimate claim to bankruptcy because it was not in financial distress. Criticism of governmental policy cannot be termed "anti-establishment", the Supreme Court said on Wednesday while quashing the Centre's telecast ban on Malayalam news channel MediaOne and pulling up the home ministry for raising national security claims from "thin air" without facts. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: Jumana El-Heloueh/Reuters Observing that the State can't impose unreasonable restrictions on the press as it will have a chilling effect on press freedom, a bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud set aside the Kerala high court order which had upheld the Centre's decision to ban the telecast on security grounds. The top court pronounced its judgment on a plea by the news channel. The high court had relied on material which was disclosed solely to the court in a sealed cover by the Union ministry of home affairs and said the MHA decision to deny security clearance was based on intelligence inputs received from various agencies. In a judgment spanning 134-pages, the SC said the Union of India has raised the claim of national security in a "cavalier manner" and the report of the Intelligence Bureau is purely an inference drawn from information that is already in the public domain. "There is nothing 'secretive' about this information to attract the ground of confidentiality. Additionally, it cannot be argued that the purpose of national security will be served by non-disclosure merely by alleging that Madhyamam Broadcasting Limited (channel) is involved with Jamaat-e-Islami Hind which is an organisation with alleged terrorist links. "We also hold that national security claims cannot be made out of thin air. There must be material backing such an inference," the bench said. The court said critical views of the channel on policies of the government cannot be termed anti-establishment. "The use of such a terminology in itself represents an expectation that the press must support the establishment. The action of the ministry of information and broadcasting by denying security clearance to a media channel on the basis of the views which the channel is constitutionally entitled to hold produces a chilling effect on free speech, and in particular on press freedom. "Criticism of governmental policy can by no stretch of imagination be brought within the fold of any of the grounds stipulated in Article 19(2) of the Constitution," the bench said. Blasting the Centre for submitting the material in a sealed cover, the apex court said non-disclosure of reasons for denial of security clearance and disclosure only to court in sealed cover has violated principles of natural justice. It said a blanket immunity from disclosure of all investigative reports cannot be granted. "We are of the opinion that the respondents by not providing a reasoned order denying the renewal of license, not disclosing the relevant material, and by disclosing the material only to the court in a sealed cover have violated the appellant's right to a fair hearing protected under Article 21 of the Constitution. "The respondents were unable to prove that the restrictions on the appellants' right to a fair hearing were reasonable. Therefore, the order of the ministry of information and broadcasting dated 31 January 2022 denying permission for renewal of the license and the judgment of the division bench of the high court dated 2 March 2022 must be set aside on the ground of the infringement of procedural guarantees," the bench said. Batting for press freedom, the bench, also comprising Justice Hima Kohli, said an independent press is necessary for a robust democracy. "An independent press is vital for the robust functioning of a democratic republic. Its role in a democratic society is crucial for it shines a light on the functioning of the state. The press has a duty to speak truth to power, and present citizens with hard facts enabling them to make choices that propel democracy in the right direction. "The restriction on the freedom of the press compels citizens to think along the same tangent. A homogenised view on issues that range from socioeconomic policy to political ideologies would pose grave dangers to democracy," the bench said. Noting that Jamaat-e-Islami Hind was banned last in 1992 which was nullified in 1994, the top court said the alleged link of the channel's shareholders to the organisation is not a legitimate ground to restrict the rights of the channel. "Thus, when JEI-H is not a banned organisation, it would be rather precarious for the State to contend that the links with the organisation would affect the sovereignty and integrity of the nation, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign states, or public order," it said. The court said the only piece of evidence in the file to link MBL to the organisation is the alleged investment in the shares of MBL by cadres of JEI-H, however, there is no evidence on record to link them. The apex court said courts should appoint an amicus curiae to assess the claims of confidentiality and assist the court in coming out with a reasoned order. "The appointment of an amicus curiae will balance concerns of confidentiality with the need to preserve public confidence in the objectivity of the justice delivery process. "The amicus curiae appointed by the court shall be given access to the materials sought to be withheld by the State. The amicus curiae shall be allowed to interact with the applicant and their counsel before the proceedings to ascertain their case to enable them to make effective submissions on the necessity of disclosure," the bench said. The top court had in an interim order on March 15 stayed until further directions the January 31 directive of the Centre revoking the licence of the news channel and banning its telecast on security grounds. It had said the news and current affairs channel would continue its operations as it was prior to the ban of telecast. The top court had passed the order after perusing the files submitted by the Centre on the basis of which the channel's security clearance was revoked and the Kerala high court passed the order upholding the ban on telecast. Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar was arrested by police in the early hours of Wednesday after he was named the prime accused by the city police in a case of malpractice after a question paper of Standard 10 (SSC) board exam surfaced on groups of an instant messaging app. IMAGE: Telangana BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar being detained by the police from his residence after midnight in Karimnagar on Wednesday, April 5, 2024. Photograph: PTI Photo Sanjay Kumar, a Lok Sabha MP from Karimnagar constituency, was picked up by a team of police from his residence in Karimnagar city and was initially put under preventive arrest, triggering protests by his party workers. He was subsequently arrested, and then produced in a local court in the evening in Warangal, which remanded him to judicial custody till April 19 along with three others. The paper of Standard 10 (SSC) board exam in Telangana found its way into an instant messaging platform for the second day on Tuesday after a 16-year-old boy took a photo of the paper from a student who appeared for the exam in Hanumakonda district and shared it with that student's brother while the exam was going on, police said. The paper was then posted in a group of the instant messaging app and subsequently shared in other groups by one of the accused, who had also sent a copy to Sanjay Kumar, the police added. According to Warangal police commissioner AV Ranganath, Sanjay Kumar had sought to defame the government by conspiring to create fear among the students and their parents during the ongoing SSC public examination, as the blame for the question paper leak would fall on the Telangana administration "There was WhatsApp conversation between Sanjay and the second accused (a former journalist of a TV channel). There were also WhatsApp calls between them. When we asked Sanjay, he said his phone is not with him. If we examine his phone, some more information will come out," the police commissioner told reporters at a press conference in Warangal. "We feel that they wanted to create a sense of insecurity among students. There is no political motive in filing cases. This (the leakage of papers) was done under the direction of Bandi Sanjay," he added. The official further said the leaked question paper found its way into the phones of several BJP leaders, including former minister and legislator Etela Rajender. Ranganath said the arrest of Sanjay Kumar has been intimated to the Lok Sabha Speaker's office as per procedure, and added that the police had the power to arrest a person under Section 41 of CrPC without issuing a notice first under certain circumstances. After his preventive arrest, Sanjay Kumar tweeted: "Fear is real in BRS.! First they stop me from conducting press meet & now arrest me late in night. My only mistake is to Question BRS (Bharat Rashtra Samithi) govt on its wrongdoings. Do not stop questioning BRS even if I am jailed. Jai Sri Ram! Bharat Mata ki Jai! Jai Telangana." He even posted the videos of his preventive arrest along with the tweet. After images of an SSC Hindi question paper surfaced on the social media platform, police took up the investigation and apprehended the 16-year-old boy and arrested two others on Tuesday, who include a former journalist of a TV channel and a lab assistant who had allegedly circulated the question paper on the app. Subsequently, Sanjay Kumar was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday along with another accused, a driver. A total of 10 people have been named as accused in the case and five are absconding. The police, in the remand report, claimed that the technical evidence gained by analysing call details of the phones of all the accused and the chats of the accused on the app proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused persons were involved in a conspiracy with regard to the "leaking" and copying of the question papers on April 4. "This is a pre-planned and criminal conspiracy. Malpractices (have been committed) in SSC public examination with an intention to create rumours and provoke breach of peace of the ongoing public examination in Telangana state wherein Bandi Sanjay Kumar hatched a plan with the help of two other accused to leak out the ongoing SSC papers by taking a photo of a question paper in the cell phone," the police alleged in the remand report. The police accused Sanjay Kumar of giving direction to the second accused to exploit the situation of the leak of the Telugu question paper which happened on April 3 (Monday), by stating that if it also happens on April 4, then they could circulate the same on social media and defame the state government. The BJP state chief sought to portray it as the failure of the government in preventing the question paper leak, the police claimed. The development comes days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state to inaugurate various projects. Sanjay Kumar, who was initially shifted to Bommalaramaram police station under Rachakonda Police Commissionerate limits in Hyderabad was subsequently taken by the police to Warangal. Earlier, a large number of BJP workers gathered near Bommalaramaram police station to protest Kumar's arrest and also raised slogans against Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. They demanded that Sanjay Kumar be released immediately. BJP MLA M Raghunandan Rao and several party leaders and workers were prevented from going there. Party national general secretary and Telangana in-charge Tarun Chugh said the BJP state president's arrest was unconstitutional and illegal and it would prove to be "the last nail in the coffin of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's repressive regime". Several state ministers and other ruling BRS leaders attacked Sanjay Kumar and the BJP over the issue. State roads and buildings minister Vemula Prashant Reddy alleged that Sanjay Kumar and the saffron party hatched a conspiracy to defame the BRS government. Panchayat Raj Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao alleged that the BJP is creating unrest in the state with leaks of exam papers. He claimed that students, unemployed youth and their parents should not fall in the trap of the opposition party. Meanwhile, Union Tourism and Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy, who described the arrest of Sanjay Kumar as "illegal" and "undemocratic", on Wednesday night said the BJP would fight the issue both legally and politically. He said the BJP would not be frightened by the arrest of its state president or such "threats" and that it will continue to fight on people's issues. Reddy also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Hyderabad on April 8 is a government programme and that it will take place as per schedule Four government staff were suspended on Monday in Vikarabad district of Telangana after a stand-by invigilator at a government school allegedly took a photo of a Telugu question paper of Standard X board exams and shared it with another teacher on an instant messaging app while the test was going on. The SSC exams in the state began on Monday. Donald J Trump became the first former US president to be indicted, arrested and arraigned on criminal charges on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. Trump, 76, pleaded not guilty before State Supreme Court Justice Juan M Merchan to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in relation to hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential elections at his arraignment in the Manhattan criminal court on Tuesday afternoon. IMAGE: A courtroom sketch of Trump in court. Photograph: Jane Rosenberg/Reuters Photograph: Jane Rosenberg/Reuters IMAGE: Justice Juan Merchan speaks in this courtroom sketch. Photograph: Jane Rosenberg/Reuters IMAGE: Trump appears in court. Photograph: Andrew Kelly/Pool/Reuters Photograph: Andrew Kelly/Pool/Reuters IMAGE: Trump sits with his attorneys Joe Tacopina and Boris Epshteyn inside the courtroom. Photograph: Andrew Kelly/Pool/Reuters IMAGE: Trump arrives at the Manhattan criminal courthouse. Photograph: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters IMAGE: Trump with elder son Donald Trump Jr ahead of delivering remarks on the day of his court appearance in New York. Photograph: Marco Bello/Reuters IMAGE: Trump arrives at an event at his Mar-a-Lago resort in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, evening. Earlier in the day, Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts stemming from hush money payments in 2016 to two women, becoming the first former US president in history to be charged with a criminal offence. Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty Images IMAGE: Supporters listen as Trump speaks. Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images IMAGE: Trump delivers remarks on the day of his court appearance. Photograph: Marco Bello/Reuters IMAGE: The front page of The New York Times on the day of Trump's court appearance. Photograph: Caitlin Ochs/Reuters IMAGE: Republican US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks outside the Manhattan criminal courthouse in Trump's support. Photograph: Caitlin Ochs/Reuters IMAGE: On the heels of Trump's indictment, MoveOn erected a pair of billboards on the highway approaches to Mar-a-Lago, Trump's Florida residence in Palm Beach. One billboard reads 'Trump Is Not Above the Law'. Another quotes Fox News host Tucker Carlson's private text message about Trump, made public in court filings, which quotes Carlson: 'I hate [Trump] passionately'. The billboards were funded by donations from MoveOn members. Photograph: Jason Koerner/Getty Images IMAGE: Protesters gather outside the courthouse here and below. Photograph: Drew Angerer/Getty Images Photograph: Drew Angerer/Getty Images IMAGE: Opponents of Trump gather outside the Manhattan criminal court during his arraignment. Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images IMAGE: Anti-Trump demonstrators argue with a Trump supporter. Photograph: Caitlin Ochs/Reuters IMAGE: Trump supporters wave a flag. Photograph: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters IMAGE: Trump supporters gather near his residence ahead of his anticipated arrival at the Mar-a-Lago Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Photograph: Octavio Jones/Getty Images IMAGE: Anti-Trump protesters demonstrate outside the courthouse. Photograph: Amanda Perobelli/Reuters Photograph: Amanda Perobelli/Reuters IMAGE: People against Trump gather outside the courthouse. Photograph: Caitlin Ochs/Reuters IMAGE: A Trump supporter drives outside the courthouse. Photograph: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com With the dust settling on communal disturbances in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday rejected charges of administrative laxity and vented spleen against Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Bharatiya Janata Party, vowing to expose those who had "orchestrated" the riots. IMAGE: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar speaks to the media on his arrival to pay tribute to former Defence Minister Babu Jagjivan Ram on his 116th birth anniversary, in Patna, April 5, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo The Janata Dal-United leader also lambasted AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, calling him an "agent" of the BJP. He was replying to queries from journalists on the sidelines of a function organised on the occasion of birth anniversary of former deputy prime minister and Dalit stalwart Jagjivan Ram. Kumar's remarks come a day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed that the BJP was bringing in goons to create riots in her state. The Bihar CM taunted Shah over the much-publicised "rioters will be hung upside down if BJP comes to power in Bihar" remark at a rally in Nawada district on Sunday, and reminded him of riots "in 2017 when our government had to arrest the son of a BJP leader". The allusion was to the riots that broke out during Ram Navami, incidentally in 2018 and not 2017, at Bhagalpur. Union minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey's son Arijit Shashwat was named among the key accused in the case. Kumar, who was a minister in the Union Cabinet headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, also reminded Shah "how angry Atal ji was", indirectly referring to the 2002 riots of Gujarat, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief minister of that state. About the conflagration that erupted in Sasaram and Bihar Sharif last week, again during Ram Navami, Kumar asserted that there was "no administrative laxity", but added the riots were "orchestrated" and "those behind the incident will be known soon. Just wait, door to door searches are on". "The riots last week were planned thoroughly. No wonder, one of the places, Sasaram, happened to be where he (Amit Shah) was supposed to visit. And the other was Bihar Sharif, a town which is dear to me," said Kumar, who hails from Nalanda district, where Bihar Sharif is headquartered. The longest-serving chief minister also expressed anguish that during his stay in Bihar, the Union home minister spoke to the governor over the riots and not to him, saying "these people have no regard for constitutional norms and the sanctity of an elected government". "For how long have these people (Modi and Shah) been in politics? And compare it with the time I have spent in active politics," said the septuagenarian, who also pointed out that unlike his counterparts in many other non-BJP states, he has never had a problem with Raj Bhavan and "always welcomed" whosoever was appointed the governor. The JD-U supremo bristled when his attention was drawn to remarks of Owaisi, who has blamed the Mahagathbandhan government for the riots. "Who is he? Which place does he belong to? What stakes does he have in Bihar?" Kumar shot back, alleging that the Hyderabad MP was "an agent of those in power at Delhi". "He (Owaisi) had expressed the desire to meet me when I separated (from the BJP). I refused," revealed Kumar. The chief minister, who had earlier said that he will proceed in the direction of forging "opposition unity" once the assembly session, which came to a close on Wednesday evening, was also asked about his plans to tour the country for bring together anti-BJP forces. "I am making efforts in that direction," he said. Meanwhile, both opposition BJP and ruling Mahagathbandhan accused each other for the communal clashes on the last day of the budget session. Opposition BJP MLAs demonstrated both inside and outside the assembly and one of its legislators had to be marshalled out after he resorted to sloganeering against the government and disrupted the Question Hour. As soon as the proceedings of the House began, BJP MLAs entered the well and raised slogans against the government, accusing it of not handling the communal clashes effectively. Leader of Opposition, Vijay Kumar Sinha, also accused the Nitish Kumar government of targetting people belonging to a particular community in the name of handling communal clashes. Amid the chaos, Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary, allowed state Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Vijay Kumar Choudhary, to make a statement on the issue. BJP members went back to their seats. However, BJP's Jibesh Kumar Mishra once again entered the well of the House and started shouting slogans against the government. Finally, Mishra was marshalled out for his alleged unruly behaviour. The allegations and counter allegations turned sour with both sides accusing each other over communal clashes in several parts of the state during Ramnavami celebrations. Mishra also stoked controversy by remaining seated when the state anthem was played in the assembly, prompting the ruling Mahagathbandhan to take offence over the action. Mishra, who represents Jale constituency of Darbhanga district, said he remained seated because the state anthem does not mention 18 districts of the state that are part of the Mithila region. "The state anthem 'Mere Bharat Ke Kanth Haar' does not talk about personalities and the culture of Mithila. It talks about only Nalanda, the home district of the CM. My intention was not to disrespect the state anthem... But it should have been a complete anthem," Mishra told reporters outside the assembly. Reacting to Mishra's action, Bihar Rural Development Minister Shrawan Kumar told reporters, "It was sheer disrespect of the state anthem. His (Mishra's) act has exposed the mindset of the BJP leaders". Both Houses of the Bihar legislature were adjourned sine die after the over one-month-long budget session came to an end on Wednesday. The Speaker adjourned the assembly after taking up a private members resolution in the post-lunch session. Meanwhile, Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist-Liberation secretary general Dipankar met the CM on Tuesday evening and alleged that the communal riots "exposed" BJP's "electoral game plan". Dipankar had called on Kumar at the latter's official residence in Patna. According to a CPI-ML-Liberation release, Dipankar referred to Shah's speech at Nawada on Sunday wherein the Union home minister "brazenly called for a mandate for the BJP within hours of communal violence, thereby betraying their electoral game plan". European Union executive head Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron are to land in China on Wednesday seeking to "reset" ties with an important economic partner while broaching thorny issues like Ukraine and trade risks, Trend reports citing Reuters. Macron last visited China in 2019 while it will be von der Leyen's first trip since becoming European Commission president that year. For Macron, facing embarrassing pension protests at home, the trip offers a chance to land some economic wins as he travels with a 50-strong business delegation, including Airbus, which is negotiating a big plane order, Alstom and nuclear giant EDF. However, some analysts said ostentatious deal-signing would appear opportunistic at a time of heightened frictions between the United States and China. "It's not the time to announce business deals or big new investments," said Noah Barkin, an analyst with Rhodium Group. "It would essentially be a vote of confidence in the Chinese economy and send the message that France is not on board with the U.S. approach." Von der Leyen has said the EU must cut risks in ties with Beijing, including limiting Chinese access to sensitive technology and reducing reliance for key inputs such as critical minerals, as well as batteries, solar panels and other clean tech products. Macron invited von der Leyen on the trip as a way to project European unity, after French officials criticised German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for going solo to China late last year. You are the owner of this article. Photographer / Multimedia Editor Has been working as a photojournalist since 2007, before moving into newspapers, he worked with an NGO called Project HOPE. He then went to work for the Press and Sun-Bulletin in New York, and then in New England working for the Brattleboro Reformer. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. Low 37F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. Low 37F. Winds light and variable. Terrorists in the Gaza Strip fired rockets at several towns in southern Israel early Wednesday morning, following clashes between police and Palestinians inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Trend reports citing The Times of Israel. Hours later, an Israeli soldier was wounded in a suspected shooting near the West Bank city of Hebron, amid heightened Israeli-Palestinian tensions during Ramadan and the start of Passover. According to the Israel Defense Forces, five projectiles were launched in the initial salvo, four of which were intercepted by air defense systems. The military said four more rockets were fired shortly after, all of which fell in open areas. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate STAMFORD The parent company of Patriot Bank has announced that it has promoted one of its top executives to become its next chief executive officer and president. David Lowery, executive vice president and chief lending officer of Stamford-based Patriot, will succeed current CEO and President Robert Russell Jr., who is resigning after nearly three years as chief executive to pursue another career opportunity, according to a news release. The change takes effect on April 21, according to a company filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Lowery, 48, joined Patriot in April 2021 as head of lending and was promoted to his current roles in September 2021. He leads Patriots Small Business Administration-focused division, as well as its commercial real estate, commercial-and-industrial and consumer-lending areas. Before joining Patriot, he held senior roles at several other institutions, including IBERIABANK, Metropolitan Commercial Bank and M&T Bank. Patriots board of directors unanimously support promoting talented employees from within the organization and are committed to provide David with the resources and expertise to continue the banks strong trajectory, Patriot Chairman Michael Carrazza said in a written statement. We thank Rob for his years of dedicated service to Patriot Bank and for managing a seamless transition. There are Patriot branches in Darien, Fairfield, Greenwich, Milford, Norwalk, Orange, Stamford, Westport, as well as Scarsdale, N.Y. The bank also operates express banking locations with ATMs at Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport, downtown New Haven and Westfield Trumbull mall. Patriot finished 2022 with total assets of approximately $1 billion, net loans of about $838 million and total deposits of around $860 million. Based on its deposits in Connecticut, it ranked No. 29 among banks operating in the state, as of June 30, 2022, according to data from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Among other developments in the past year, Patriot announced last July that it had terminated its agreement to merge with another firm, a deal intended to create the largest digital bank in the U.S. The parties have mutually determined that not all closing conditions of the merger agreement can be satisfied under the current structure and agreement, Patriot said in a news release at the time. Although the parties remain in active discussions regarding a modified transaction, it is uncertain whether a new agreement can be reached. Patriot had announced in November 2021 its plan to acquire, through a reverse subsidiary merger, American Challenger Development Corp., which was formed in January 2020 to establish a new digital national bank headquartered in Stamford. The transaction had been advancing through the regulatory process, with Patriot announcing last July conditional approval from the federal Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. If it had completed the deal, Patriot would have joined a number of Connecticut-based banks that have participated in a merger or acquisition in recent years. Last April, M&T Bank completed its acquisition of Bridgeport-based Peoples United Bank, while Stamford-based Webster Bank finalized in February 2022 its merger with Sterling National Bank. Dramatic price increases in electric rates that went into effect Jan. 1 have resulted in thousands of Eversource Energy and United Illuminating Co. customers switching to third-party power providers instead of letting the two legacy utilities procure the electricity they need. Through the end of last month, 149,295 Eversource Energy customers were purchasing electricity from third-party providers. That represents an increase of 42,285 customers from the end of January, or an increase of 3.7 percent when compared to the utility's total customer base. Orange-based UI saw the number of customers who get their electricity from third-party providers increase by 5,963 to 64,007. That represents an increase of 1.7 percent when compared to the utility's total customer base. The rates Eversource's standard-offer customers are now paying are 31 percent to 42 percent higher than what they paid in 2022. UI standard-offer customers are paying 28 percent to 38 percent more than in 2022. Joe Cooper, a spokesman for Connecticut's Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, said that because the increase "was unprecedented in terms of both the supply rate and the percentage increase, PURA did not have a historical baseline against which to set an expectation." "Nonetheless, we continue our work to educate ratepayers about their options when it comes to who provides their electricity supply, including through our PURA 101 road shows with community partners and by amplifying our tutorial for those interested in switching to a third-party supplier," Cooper said. Mitch Gross, a spokesman for Eversource, said company officials had expected "there would be an increase in the number of customers choosing to switch to a third-party supplier." "While we dont predict how many customers may switch at any given time, we do remind them they can shop around for the best rate if they choose," Gross said. "They can visit EnergizeCT.com and click 'Rate Board' to see a current listing of available retail supply rates, compare prices and choose the option that works best for them." Gross said customers should read the fine print of contracts with third-party providers and carefully review the terms of any agreement they may be considering. Officials from United Illuminating were not immediately available for comment Tuesday on the number of customers they had shifted to third-party providers. As part of the deregulation of electric utilities that Connecticut lawmakers put in place starting in 2000, the state's two legacy electric companies were forced to sell off their power plants. The deregulation of the industry gave customers two options. One was to let the two electric utilities purchase the electricity customers would need; the other option allowed customers to contract directly with a third-party provider to purchase the electricity they need. Those who let the UI and Eversource purchase the electricity for them are known as standard service offer customers. The two utilities are not allowed to charge those customers anything more than what it costs them to buy electricity on the open market. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning last month about the emergence of a multidrug resistant fungus called Candida auris. The fungus, which grows as a yeast, has been found in over 20 states, primarily in hospital or long-term care settings. Between 2020 and 2021 cases tripled. That's worrying due to the fungi's high mortality rate. Roughly one quarter of people who catch this infection die. While some headlines may portray the CDC's warning as something out of HBOs fungal apocalypse "The Last of Us," how bad is it really in Connecticut right now? Since Connecticut began tracking Candida auris in 2018, three cases have been detected statewide. But one of the major hotspots is in New York, particularly across all five boroughs of New York City, Westchester County and Long Island. Of the 5,654 cases detected since 2013, roughly a quarter have occurred in New York state. "It is important to be aware that this is really focused on health care facilities," said Dr. David Banach, head of infection prevention for UConn Health. "We have not seen evidence that there is significant transmission in the general community. It tends to occur in (hospital) outbreaks. Here in Connecticut we see very few cases." This fungus isnt yet an apocalyptic threat. The problem C. auris presents is similar to that of antibiotic resistant bacteria. It is difficult to treat, spreads in hospitals and opportunistically infects critically ill people. Its a dangerous infection for people with organ transplants, immune-compromising disorders and diabetes but does not spread readily in the community. It is especially dangerous for critically ill COVID-19 patients. A meta-analysis found that the mortality rate for COVID-19 and C. auris co-infections was 68 percent. The CDC said the strain on the health care system during the pandemic accounts for some of the rise in infections. More critically ill patients means more opportunity to spread. Fewer, more stressed staff means that it's harder to clean in a way that kills this fungus. "There are strains of C. auris that are multidrug resistant to the three classes of fungal treatments used, transmission is easy in a healthcare setting," said Dr. Syra Madad infectious disease epidemiologist of the Harvard Belfer Center. "Cleaning and disinfecting are really difficult so it's really this perfect storm of these factors coming together." What is this fungus? Candida auris is just one of 200 species of yeast in its genus. The majority of them are harmless, living on human skin, mucosal surfaces, mouth, genitals and in the gut as part of the normal human microbial ecosystem. Sometimes a human host might carry more than one species of Candida, or more than one strain of the same species on different parts of the body. "These are organisms that can reside on skin and in the gastrointestinal tract as normal flora," Banach said. "The infections that we are seeing occur when they become invasive. When they get into the bloodstream, or parts of the body they don't normally reside, that's when they can really cause severe illness." Drug-resistant C. auris has been tracked worldwide since 2009 when it was first isolated in a hospital in Japan. Since then, it has been identified in over 39 countries and across every continent except Antarctica. The origin of this drug-resistant fungus is not clear but some evidence suggests that warming global temperatures contributed to the rise of the fungus. The vast majority of these isolations have occurred in hospital or health care settings. The fungus persists on surfaces for weeks and can resist some disinfecting chemicals, including bleach and hydrogen peroxide. Some of this resistance is due to how the fungus lives. C. aruis is a prolific maker of biofilms, mucus-y nests that protect them from the environment. These biofilms can also grow on medical implants like stents, creating a vector for infection. Biofilm is sticky. If it gets into the body, it can adhere to interior surfaces. Studies have shown that in animal models this fungus accumulates in the heart, brain and kidneys. People tend to die of septic infection, as the fungus is spread through the bloodstream. Scientists think the infection primarily spreads through contact or through surfaces. It is not always clear how the fungus enters the body, unlike other infectious fungi, C auris does not produce hyphae the penetrating hairs used by other invasive fungus to dig through the skin. While this fungi is not a threat to the general public, the spread of C. auris is still a danger. As more strains obtain drug resistance, it makes it much harder to treat and control infections. If health care providers aren't vigilant, then the fungi can establish itself in a health care setting and threaten patients. At that point, the treatment and cleaning options are limited. "We already don't have enough treatment options for fungus as it is," Mabad said. "It's one of the microorganisms that unfortunately doesn't get the time of day that it deserves. It deserves more attention than it's currently getting." Mabad said it was important that people push their elected officials to get more funding for drug resistant fungal disease research and antibiotic development generally. "We need to make sure we are providing the funding and support that it needs," Mabad said. "That way we can prevent this from being a much bigger problem than it currently is." Emily M. Olson / Hearst Connecticut Media TORRINGTON City Council members have approved a contract with Martin Laviero Contractor LLC of Bristol to repair curbing and sidewalks for $1.52 million. The project includes removing existing curbs and sidewalks with new curbs and driveway aprons, new catch basins, manhole covers and sidewalks. The work will be done on Bannon Street, Belleview Avenue, Bird Street, Elsie Street, Joseph Street, King Street, McGuiness Street, McKinley Street, Monroe Street, Pleasant Street, Oliver Street., School Street, Tracy Avenue, Travis Street, Turner Avenue and Walnut Street. These streets are in the area of North Elm Street on the north end of Torrington. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated Turkiye's concerns about the rise of anti-Muslim hatred in the West, as he urged countries to take action against hate crimes, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah. Speaking at an iftar gathering, a dinner to mark the breaking of the daily fast, with ambassadors in the capital Ankara, Erdogan said the European Union continues to be Turkiye's strategic partner, but Ankara has concerns about the rise of anti-Muslim sentiment and lack of concrete action by relevant authorities. "The attacks on the Quran are a hate crime. Quran burning acts cannot be authorized under the scope of freedom of expression," the president said, adding that such shameful acts do not only anger 2 billion Muslims, but also angers them and it is about time to stop them. Earlier on Tuesday a Swedish court overturned a police decision to ban two Quran-burning protests, despite global condemnation over prior incidents. The burning of Islam's holy book outside Turkiye's embassy in Stockholm in January angered the Muslim world, sparking weeks of protests and calls for a boycott of Swedish goods, and holding up Sweden's NATO membership bid. Sweden's Supreme Administrative Court overturned a police decision to ban two subsequent Quran-burning protests in February, saying security risk concerns were not enough to limit the right to demonstrate. The "police authority did not have sufficient support for its decisions," said Judge Eva-Lotta Hedin in a statement. Swedish police had refused to authorize the Quran burnings outside the Turkish and Iraqi embassies in Stockholm in February saying that the January protest had made Sweden "a higher priority target for attacks." Turkiye took particular offense that the police had authorized the demonstration. Ankara has blocked Sweden's NATO bid because Stockholm failed to crack down on the PKK terrorist group and its members in the country. The order that confines the fate of humanity to the say of five countries "is not sustainable", said the Turkish president on Tuesday, urging for an "inclusive and encompassing" reform to the U.N. Security Council. "The current order, which traps the fate of humanity between the lips of 5 countries, is not sustainable. There is an urgent need for the UNSC to be reformed with an inclusive and encompassing understanding," Erdogan said. He said Turkiye is now "harvesting the gains" of its entrepreneurial and humanitarian foreign policy, with several countries rushing to extend help to Turkiye after the Feb. 6 earthquakes in country's south. Regarding Russia's war on Ukraine, Erdogan voiced belief in the possibility "to maintain a fair peace that will allow both sides to get an honorable exit, and that will take our region out of the maelstrom it has been dragged into." Turkiye is aware of the "word games, diplomatic, and military cunnings" of terror groups, Erdogan said, and affirmed that his country is closely following them. "Just as we do not consent to our country being surrounded by a terror corridor, we will certainly not allow further attempts," he added. Pakistan's National Assembly and the federal cabinet remained adamant on not complying with the Supreme Court ruling that decided to conduct Punjab polls on May 14, with Premier Shehbaz Sharif labelling the verdict a murder of justice." According to Dawn, lawmakers in the lower house of parliament urged Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial to rethink and constitute a full court bench." Addressing the National Assembly, PM Shehbaz Sharif said that the apex court's decision is equivalent to the "judicial murder" of former President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. He stated that Bhutto's "murder took place on April 4, 1979, and on the same date, the unfortunate episode was repeated through the polls ruling. Two decisions were made today, murder of Bhutto and murder of justice, which is highly regrettable, Sharif said at the National Assembly session. Following the chaos, the apex executive body directed the legal team to devise ways of revoking the ruling. The prime minister has directed me and the attorney general to give a legal opinion on the Supreme Courts decision that has been made in such a way that it negated the judicial system of the country, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said. Tarar added that the ruling on the Punjab elections can further deteriorate the already-existing crises in Pakistan. We have reservations about the decision and our legal team will decide about the future course of action after consultations," he said, adding that the Sharif government always wanted to have free and unbiased elections. Pak lawmakers call for polls to be held simultaneously Furthermore, the minister cited Article 224, which says that general elections in the country must be held simultaneously at the same time, and can only be pushed to a later date in case of unprecedented circumstances, as per Article 254. Several law ministers also slammed the CJP for not creating a full bench and accused the judiciary of siding with PTI chief Imran Khan. You [the CJP] could have proved your impartiality with just one decision. But you preferred to get your name included in the list of lovers of Imran and PTI, said Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) leader Asad Mehmood as members of the assembly thumped in unison. United States envoy of California's 32nd congressional district, Brad Sherman had a word with Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan on the Supreme Court's decision on Punjab polls on Tuesday. Sherman has told the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman, Imran Khan to adhere to the rule of law and rulings of the Supreme Court's decision over the Punjab election delay case. Taking to Twitter, Congressman Brad Sherman wrote, "Just spoke to former Prime Minister #ImranKhan of #Pakistan. Surprised that he's working in the wee hours of the morning. He also spoke to my friend, @DrMahmood40. Spoke about today's Pakistani Supreme Court decision." Further, he continued and wrote, "For democracies to function, the parties must adhere to the rule of law and rulings of the Supreme Court." Just spoke to former Prime Minister #ImranKhan of #Pakistan. Surprised that he's working in the wee hours of the morning. He also spoke to my friend, @DrMahmood40. Spoke about today's Pakistani Supreme Court decision. (1/2) April 4, 2023 US envoy asks Khan to 'adhere to the rule' The interference of US Congressman Brad Sherman comes after the announcement of the Election Commission's decision on delaying polls in Punjab "null and void", reported the Express Tribune. The three-member bench heard the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) petition that challenged the delay in Punjab polls and announced the decision. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Ministry of Defence has offered its data to Pakistan's SC through Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Awan detailing the availability of security personnel for election duties. After which the verdict was announced by the Supreme Court and reinstated the previous schedule of April 30. The decision of the Punjab polls in Pakistan has been headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Umar Ata Bandial, and included Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, as per the news report. After the announcement, Pakistan Muslim League-N Supremo and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the Supreme Court's verdict in the Punjab election delay case and called for the submission of a reference against the three-member SC bench, as per a local news report. As many as 20 Iranian schoolgirls have been admitted to the hospital after the latest series of mysterious poisoning attacks that have made women sick for over four months now. The girls were rushed to the medical facilities in the north-western city of Tabriz, an official was quoted as saying to Iran Wire. The first cases of the poisoning came to light following the nationwide protests against the Iranian cleric regime by the girls after the death of the 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini. School girls being treated in hospital for chest distress, shortness of breath The poisoned girls are being treated for chest distress and shortness of breath, the head of the emergency service in West Azerbaijan province told the news agency ISNA. Condition for all the school girls was stable, he added. The incident occurred in Tabrizs Baghmisheh town just a day after the Iranian schools had resumed classes after the Persian New Year break. Since November 2022, an estimated 5,000 school girls have complained about nausea, fainting, headaches, coughing, breathing difficulties and heart palpitations due to the poisoning incidences. Dozens have needed hospital intervention. In more than 200 schools, the parents have raised the issue and several including the schoolgoers have protested to ensure the girls' safety. UN has condemned the Islamic Republic for failing to protect the schoolgirls, and preventing attacks or conducting independent probes into the matter. These attacks first started just a few weeks after the September 2022 death of Amini and the Iranian security forces launched a nationwide crackdown. UN slammed the Iranian regime for failing to stop the "deliberate poisoning" of more than 1200 schoolgirls in Irans major cities. It questioned the states failure to protect them, prevent further attacks and lead a probe to punish the perpetrators. The first poisoning of schoolgirls in Iran was reported on November 30, 2022, in the city of Qom, as per the UN. Since then, targeted chemical attacks against girls schools have been reported in more than 91 schools across 20 provinces. "The poisonings have already resulted in hundreds of schoolgirls being hospitalised. Many parents have removed their daughters from school for fear of these attacks, UN experts worried. We are deeply concerned about the physical and mental well-being of these schoolgirls; their parents and the ability of the girls to enjoy their fundamental right to education. While arrests have just been announced, we remain gravely disturbed by the fact that for several months, State authorities not only failed to swiftly investigate the attacks, but repeatedly denied them until recently, they added. Pro- and anti-Taiwan demonstrators gathered at the Los Angeles airport ahead of Wednesday's meeting between Tsai Ing-wen, the president of Taiwan, and Kevin McCarthy, the speaker of the US House. On Tuesday night, demonstrators gathered in front of Tsai's hotel in LA, banging drums, chanting, and waving Taiwanese flags and holding pictures of the president, who shook hands with fans as she arrived. Separated by a police cordon, a smaller pro-Beijing gathering gathered close on the street and occasionally chanted "One China," The Guardian reported. Tsai is passing through the US on her way home from a state visit to Guatemala and Honduras, two countries that are officially recognised as friends of Taiwan. Before making any public pronouncements, she will speak with McCarthy behind closed doors at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, just outside of Los Angeles. According to journalists accompanying Tsai, the venue has been making security measures for days. China has termed the visit as a "provocation" Beijing has reacted angrily to the meeting, branding it a "provocation." China's objections, according to Taiwan's foreign ministry this week, are "increasingly absurd and unreasonable," and the US has urged Beijing not to use the "normal" visit as a cover for aggressive action. Karine Jean-Pierre, a White House spokesperson, told reporters on Tuesday that Tsai's transit was "private" and "unofficial." She said, President Tsai herself has made this transit about six times before, and again there should be no reason to for China to overreact. Beijing claims Taiwan is a Chinese province and accused Tsai and her government of separatist activities. Taiwan, Tsai claims, has become a sovereign nation with an independently functional democracy, and its future is up to its citizens to decide. Last year, during a visit to Taiwan by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Beijing surrounded the island with days of live-fire military exercises. McCarthy has also expressed his desire to visit Taiwan as well. More than 60 self-exiled members of a Chinese Christian church who were detained in Thailand after receiving U.N. refugee status will be deported by next week, probably to a third country, officials said Wednesday. Deputy national police chief Surachate Hakparn said representatives of Thailands Foreign Ministry and Immigration Bureau were holding talks with the UN Refugee Agency and the U.S. Embassy to discuss the fate of the 63 members of the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church who were taken to court in the coastal city of Pattaya last Friday. Within the next week, they will definitely be deported. What we dont know is which country they will be deported to, Surachate told The Associated Press. The members of the church, also known as the Mayflower Church, were granted refugee status by the U.N. agency after their arrival in Thailand last year. They say they faced unbearable harassment in China and are seeking asylum in the United States. Prior to their arrival in Thailand, the church members had fled to South Koreas Jeju island in October 2019 and stayed there for nearly three years, but decided to leave as it became clear that prospects for refuge there were dim. An Immigration Bureau official with knowledge of Wednesdays multi-agency discussions said the Thai authorities would find a way for the church members to be sent to a third country. The Immigration Bureau will continue to take care of them on humanitarian grounds in the meantime, said the official, who spoke on the condition he not be identified because he is not authorized to speak to the media. The church members expected to be released after being arrested and fined last week for overstaying their visas. Instead, they were driven by bus from Pattaya to a police detention facility in Bangkok for what a police officer said was normal processing. Surachate said the church members have been separated, with the mothers and children -- about half the group -- sent to the Immigration Bureaus care facility in northern Bangkok, while the others were being kept in the bureaus main detention center in central Bangkok. As the group was being driven to Bangkok, the church members forced the buses to temporarily stop when they suspected they were headed to Bangkoks international airport for repatriation to China, where they fear persecution. Human Rights Watch issued a statement on Saturday urging the Thai government not to deport the group due to the grave dangers facing Christians back in China. In its annual report last year, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom said the Chinese Communist Party requires religious groups to support its rule and political objectives, including by altering their religious teachings to conform with the partys ideology and policy. Both registered and unregistered religious groups and individuals who run afoul of the CCP face harassment, detention, arrest, imprisonment, and other abuses, the commission said. Surachate said the church members had overstayed their visas by about half a year by the time they were found by police. He said they were arrested as a result of a recent crackdown following growing reports of crimes involving Chinese citizens. He said Thailand has a principle of not allowing people seeking refuge to stay in the country. It did not ratify the 1951 U.N. Refugee Convention and does not have any law addressing refugee status, he said. Principally, we will not let them stay in Thailand, otherwise people from all over the world would come to Thailand, Surachate said. You see, they were in South Korea for years and did not receive the UNHCR paper. They did within just four months of arriving here. Thailand has frequently granted shelter to people from neighboring countries fleeing war. However, not everyone is tolerated. In 2015, Thailand sent 109 members of the Muslim Uyghur minority back to China against their will despite fears they would face official persecution and possible torture. UN officials have condemned a Taliban decision to bar Afghan female staffers from working at the agency. Despite initial promises of a more moderate rule than during its previous stint in power, the Taliban have imposed harsh measures since taking over the country in 2021 as U.S. and NATO forces were pulling out of Afghanistan after two decades of war. Girls are banned from education beyond sixth grade. Women are barred from working, studying, traveling without a male companion, and even going to parks. Women must also cover themselves from head to toe. Afghan women are already barred from working at national and international non-governmental organisations, disrupting the delivery of humanitarian aid, but the ban did not previously cover working for the UN. On Tuesday, however, the UN mission in Afghanistan expressed concern after its female staffers were prevented from reporting to work in eastern Nangarhar province. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said agency officials were told that the ban applied to the whole country. Taliban spokesmen were not immediately available for comment, and authorities have not issued a statement. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the ban on female staffers reporting for work in Nangarhar. The UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, said the latest ban on women was another gross violation of their fundamental rights. He said it was against the agency's charter and urged the Taliban to reverse their decision immediately. The U.N. has about 3,900 staff in Afghanistan, including approximately 3,300 Afghans and 600 international personnel, he said. The total also includes 600 Afghan women and 200 women from other countries. The U.N. political mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, is headed by a woman, Roza Otunbayeva, a former president and foreign minister of the Kyrgyz Republic. She was appointed by the secretary-general in coordination with the UN Security Council. Dujarric said theres been no Taliban action regarding the UNs senior leadership. Taliban restrictions in Afghanistan, especially the bans on education and NGO work, have drawn fierce international condemnation. But the Taliban have shown no signs of backing down, claiming the bans are temporary suspensions in place allegedly because women were not wearing the Islamic headscarf, or hijab, correctly and because gender segregation rules were not being followed. Russias Vladimir Putin might be in search of "another private military firm" to take over the shadowy mercenaries paramilitary group 'Wagner' that has been staunchly vocal about the loopholes in the Russian Defence Ministry. In many instances, the group's outspoken founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has lashed out at Russia's top military brasses and the soldiers for trying to siphon off the achievements of his fighters in the neighbouring Ukraine offensive. In its war intelligence on April 4, the UKs Ministry of Defence purported that Russia is likely seeking to sponsor and develop alternative private military companies [PMC] in order to replace Prigozhins mercenaries group. Wagner's chief, in the last few months, has gone so far as bashing the Russian armed forces for alleged "treason" and has pointed at the territorial losses of who he alleged undertrained troops. In the videos posted on his official press service on Telegram, Prigozhin hailed his fighters for swift advances and gains in the contentious Donbass region. Russian military leadership likely wants a replacement PMC that it has more control over, British analysts noted in an update. This army, it added, shall approache "Wagners size or combat power. Wagners founder Yevgeny Prigozhin. Credit: AP Prigozhin slams the Russian ministry for insufficient ammunition provided to the Wagner fighters who he says are at the forefront of the fight for the "fatherland". Wagner's chief, in the last few weeks, also stepped up recruitment of tens of thousands of new fighters from the prisons and across several Russian states. UK believes that Russia understands that the mercenary groups are integral in the battles because they are less constrained by the limited pay levels and inefficiency which hamper the effectiveness of the regular army. Wagner size of Hungary, Slovakia army Russias high-profile mercenary outfit Wagner is now so huge in size that it rivals the armies of Hungary or Slovakia, Serhii Cherevatyi, spokesperson for Ukraine's Eastern Military Command, told the Ukrainian Channel 24. World Bank's data suggests that Slovakias Armed Forces currently hosts an estimated 19,000 active personnel, while Hungarys Armed Forces stand at 40,000. In January this year, Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mocked the Russian armed forces and the PMC Wagner mercenaries group for tussling over the alleged victory of the salt mines city of Soledar in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine. Russian Defense Ministry and the private mercenaries group PMC Wagner traded barbs over Soledar's victory near Bakhmut and targetted each other about who established control over the town that witnessed a fierce battle between invading troops and the Ukrainian military over the last 10 months. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. Turkish-made equipment proved itself during operations in Azerbaijan's Karabakh, Spokesperson for Turkish President Ibrahim Kalin said in an interview with Anadolu, Trend reports. As is known, during the second Karabakh war (2020), Turkish-made military equipment was used by Azerbaijan, who liberated its lands from Armenian occupation. Ibrahim Kalin pointed out that Turkiye made progress in development of the defense industry. Then he touched upon the F-16 issue, saying that it will fade into the background in the next 5-10 years, and Turkiye will lose nothing. Turkiye, a NATO member, requested in October 2021 to buy 40 Lockheed Martin Corp. F-16 fighters and nearly 80 modernization kits for its existing warplanes. The Joe Biden administration has said it supports the sale and has been in touch for months with Congress on an informal basis to win its approval. However, it has failed so far to secure a green light. According to a Reuters report, while the sale is still in the informal review process, Congress is also unlikely to approve the sale as long as Turkiye refuses to proceed with the ratification of Sweden and Finland's NATO membership. As COVID-19 sends demand for research macaques soaring, a U.S. court case is raising questions about their origins. UPDATED at 1:20 p.m. EDT on 04-05-2023 Visitors are not welcome at the monkey farm co-owned by the sister of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. The farm is ringed by moat-like canals, 6-foot-6-inch-high (2 meters) earthworks and a brick wall topped with razor wire. A former employee told RFA that guards with Kalashnikov assault rifles patrol the grounds inside the farm in rural Kampong Speu province, which is two hours drive from the capital Phnom Penh. So, whats there to secure behind the walls? The answer is the captive animals within: long-tailed macaques, a breed of primate favored for medical research. Cages of monkeys are seen on the grounds of a farm co-owned by the sister of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in rural Kampong Speu province, March 2023. Credit: RFA Once an unremarkable player in the business of providing the animals for a global research industry, Cambodia has become a hub for exports of long-tails a lucrative but shadowy business tied to the nations political elite. Growing demand from the COVID-19 pandemic meant primate farms like the one owned by the prime ministers sister exported about a quarter of a billion dollars worth of research macaques in 2022, according to U.N. trade data. But as the business booms, questions are emerging about the origin of the monkeys Cambodia ships around the world. Allegations of illicit trade are at the core of a high-profile legal case brought by U.S. wildlife prosecutors against senior Cambodian government officials. Two officials have been charged with issuing fraudulent export permits certifying poached monkeys as captive-bred animals to circumvent U.S. import restrictions and international treaties governing the trade in endangered species. Cambodias wildlife and diversity director, Kry Masphal, was arrested in New York in November while traveling to a conservation conference in Panama. His boss, Forestry Administration Director General Keo Omaliss, was also indicted but remains at large in Cambodia. A permit issued by the Cambodian government for the export of monkeys. Credit: Handout Kry is currently under house arrest near Washington, D.C., and set to face a court proceeding in Miami in June. Yet with so much money to be made in Cambodia, experts fear there is little incentive for reform in the country. Its kind of like the realization of our worst fears, said Ed Newcomer, a recently retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent who spent 20 years investigating wildlife crimes around the world. When government officials, and relatives of high-powered officials, are involved in the wildlife trade, how are the Cambodian regulatory and enforcement agencies supposed to effectively enforce the law? The monkey business Long-tailed macaques, which are native to Southeast Asia, are so-named because their tails are usually longer than the length of their bodies. Other distinguishing characteristics include tufts of hair atop their heads and whiskers around their mouths. An engineer takes samples of monkey kidney cells at a lab in China. Credit: AFP file photo Also known as crab-eating monkeys, they are highly prized by biomedical researchers for their similarity to humans. Testing on the animals helped lead to a vaccine for yellow fever. More recently, theyve been used to test treatments for issues ranging from reproduction to obesity and addiction. Demand for their species soared with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, as macaques were critical in the development of the mRNA vaccines for COVID. Until recently, China was the worlds top supplier. But in a bid to protect its own vaccine development, Beijing banned exports of research monkeys, leaving Cambodia as the number-one source for a global research industry that was suddenly facing a severe shortfall. In 2019, Cambodia exported the most primates it had ever shipped in a single year, sending 14,931 overseas for $34 million an average cost of just over $2,271 per monkey, according to the U.N. trade data. The number of macaques being exported and the average cost per monkey continued to rise. Countries reported importing around $250 million worth of monkey shipments from Cambodia in 2022 alone, according to the data. Questions of origin But experts say it would be impossible for all of them to have been legitimately raised and sourced according to rules that govern the use of research primates. Partly to protect dwindling wild populations, but also to reduce potential contamination of experiments, only captive-bred macaques are allowed in medical research. However, they are also slow-breeding, with infants taking three years to reach maturity. So, captive-bred stocks frequently struggle to meet researchers needs, and suppliers are often incentivized to pass off wild-caught monkeys as farm-reared. Although a black-market trade in the monkeys has long blighted the industry, the COVID-driven supply shortage has sent illicit poaching into overdrive, conservationists say. Theres just too much money in this business now for these macaques to stand a chance, said Lisa Jones-Engel, a primatologist who now advises the animal rights group Peta. A study published last month in One Health, a peer-reviewed veterinary science journal, found that Cambodian breeders would have needed to more than quadruple production rates from 81,926 over a four-year period to at least 98,000 in a single year to have legitimately exported the number of macaques shipped during the pandemic. As Cambodia has never reported importing long-tailed macaques, such an increase would have to have been driven entirely by an increase in domestic supply. Yet Cambodia has historically been incapable of producing second generation offspring macaques, therefore increasing their production capacity legally seems unlikely, the researchers wrote. The sister The farm owned by the prime ministers sister Hun Sengny sits at the end of a dusty road on the outskirts of the sleepy town of Damnak Trach. It is registered under a Cambodian firm, Rong De Group, for which she serves as chairwoman. The uniforms of the security guards who wield the assault rifles bear the insignia of her private security firm, Garuda Security Co. Locals who spoke to RFA all described the boss of the farm as being Chinese expatriate, Dong Wan De, who Commerce Ministry records identify as the Rong De Groups only other director and shareholder. Rong De Group was granted a breeding license for the farm in 2007, although Hun Sengny did not take control as chairwoman until 2011. The Rong De Group farm, Hun Sengny and Dong Wan De have not been implicated in any wrongdoing, and Hun Sengny does not hold any government office in Cambodia. But she is among the many with ties to political power official or otherwise who have enjoyed the fruits of being given free rein to undertake business ventures with little government oversight. After spending much of the 1970s forced by the Khmer Rouge to work as a seamstress, Hun Sengny now has interests in mining, agriculture, logistics and consulting, often in collaboration with Chinese investors. The farm in Kampong Speu province is co-owned by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sens sister, Hun Sengny. Credit: Hun Sengny's Facebook account. Hun Sengny and Dong Wan De did not respond to requests for comment. Powerful players In another example of the industrys connections to the powerful, Agriculture Ministry Secretary of State Sen Sovann told RFA that he has leased land in Kandal province for decades to James Lau, the founder of the Vanny Group, a company that operates monkey farms. Lau was among six individuals indicted last year alongside Kry and Keo Omaliss, who as director of Cambodias Forestry Administration was Krys immediate superior, in the U.S. monkey importation case. Sovann insisted there was nothing improper in the arrangement and said that he did not know what the land was used for. However, public records for business addresses suggest the land he leases houses one of Vanny Groups Cambodian monkey farms under investigation by U.S. wildlife officials in the case against Keo and Kry. Vanny Groups farms are named in the indictment. And in August 2022, then-Agriculture Minister Veng Sakhon flew to Seoul to sign a business agreement with Orient Bio, Inc. on behalf of the ministry, despite a U.S. Justice Department investigation into the company on suspicion of poaching and laundering macaques from Cambodia to the United States. Cambodias Agriculture Ministry secretary of state, Sen Sovann [left]; Keo Omaliss [center], director of Cambodias Forestry Administration; and Cambodias wildlife and diversity director, Kry Masphal. Credit: Sen Sovann's, Keo Omaliss's and Kry Masphal's Facebook accounts. The Cambodian government has denied that there is a problem with illicit monkey trading in the country, despite calls by conservationists for tighter regulation of its farms for more than a decade. In response to Krys arrest in the US, the Agricultural Ministry issued a statement saying that Cambodias macaques are not caught from the wilderness and smuggled out, but farmed in decent manners with respect to good hygiene and health standards so as to preserve their gene pool. But such high-level interest in the business makes it hard for Cambodian wildlife regulators to oversee the industry, said Newcomer, the retired U.S. investigator. They are powerless because such powerful people are involved in the trade, he said. The gate of the monkey farm, which is located on the outskirts of the town of Damnak Trach, Kampong Speu province, Cambodia, is seen in March 2023. Credit: RFA Voluminous evidence But now the illicit trade in the primates has attracted the attention of U.S. authorities. After a years-long investigation by Fish and Wildlife agents, U.S. prosecutors on Nov. 16, 2022, accused Kry, the Wildlife and Biodiversity director, and Forestry Administration head Keo of taking part in a multi-million dollar conspiracy to ship wild long-tails to the United States. The indictment alleges the two colluded with monkey breeders to produce fraudulent export permits certifying the monkeys as legitimately sourced. Kry was arrested in New York last November on his way to a wildlife conservation conference in Panama. Keo remains at large in Cambodia. U.S. prosecutors have described the evidence against Kry as voluminous. Court filings reveal it includes blood and trace analyses, hundreds of investigative reports, video footage and financial records. In total, over 660,000 pieces of evidence have been turned over so far. An excerpt from the U.S. Justice Dept. indictment in the alleged monkey trade scheme. Credit: U.S. Justice Dept. photo; RFA photo illustration Kry has pleaded not guilty. His lawyers have not responded to repeated interview requests. Where the demand is But the blame for the criminality alleged by the Justice Department lies not just with the exporters in Cambodia. Importers in the U.S. and China who are fueling the demand bear responsibility, Jones-Engel of Peta said. According to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, the U.S. imported some 300,000 long-tailed macaques over the last decade, five times as many as Japan, which reported the next highest imports over the same period. Its not known what proportion of those imports were illegally sourced. But industry players in the U.S. have known for years that wild-caught monkeys were making their way into shipments from Cambodia, U.S. investigators say. Newcomer, the retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent, went undercover at a Washington, D.C., trade show for the biomedical research and primate industry roughly a decade ago. Posing as a lawyer for a group of investors looking to set up a macaque farm in Cambodia or Laos, the things he heard were damning. When I approached in a nice suit and handed them my business cards from an established law firm, everybody assumed I was part of the inner circle of importers, Newcomer told RFA. Undercover, he heard incriminating statements, including admissions by representatives of U.S. primate importers, that they knew wild animals were making it into their shipments from Cambodia. The high bar for collecting enough evidence to indict meant investigators were unable to pursue charges, however. Bleak outlook Demand for long-tails led the International Union for Conservation of Nature to list the breed as an endangered species last year. Hunting and trapping of macaques is taking place at unprecedented levels most ominously, to fuel both the legitimate and illicit trade for research and other usages, it said. Both price and demand for [long-tailed macaques] as a trade commodity has skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic, relative to the already regular and heavy pre-pandemic capture and trade. Over the last four years, monkey exports have generated half a billion dollars for the Cambodian economy, according to the U.N. data. But the portion of that money ending up in the pockets of the ordinary Cambodians doing the poaching is small. A former monkey poacher in Pursat province, an area northwest of Phnom Penh that includes a vast wildlife preserve, told RFA that even at the height of global demand last year brokers were only paying 700,000 riel ($175) per macaque. He didnt know where they were going or what they were for, he said. By the time those same monkeys were exported they were fetching an average of $6,660 a piece, the U.N. data show a 38-fold increase between the point of capture and the moment of export. Given the countrys dynamics, the outlook for Cambodias macaques looks bleak, said Timothy Santel, who prior to his retirement in 2020 supervised the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services investigation into Kry and Keo. Unfortunately, as I have seen in my 30-plus years, money and greed is often the root to most of these activities, Santel told RFA. And when you sprinkle in corruption, it's usually a disaster for the critters. Correction: This story has been updated to correct a mislabeled photo. Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen meets the U.S. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., Wednesday, April 5, 2023. UPDATED at 4:27 P.M. ET on 2023-04-05 Bucking increasingly bellicose threats from Beijing, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met with a bipartisan congressional delegation led by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy just outside of Los Angeles on Wednesday, declaring we are not isolated, and we are not alone. Tsai arrived at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in the city of Simi Valley just before 10 a.m., with McCarthy greeting the Taiwanese leader outside before ushering her into a closed-door roundtable meeting with 17 other House members from both major parties. Emerging with McCarthy around midday, Tsai said she was grateful for the time taken by the cross-party lawmakers, which included Democratic House caucus chair Pete Aguilar and Mike Gallagher, a Republican who chairs the House Select Committee on China. Their presence and unwavering support reassure the people of Taiwan that we are not isolated, and we are not alone, Tsai said. She noted it was fitting to meet in a place dedicated to a distinguished American president who issued the 1982 Six Assurances on Taiwan. U.S. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy speaks with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen during a bipartisan meeting at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. (AFP) In the years since that communique, Tsai explained, the self-governing island had democratized and maintained peace and promoted prosperity. But she suggested that the legacy was now under threat, appearing to make a veiled reference to Chinas government. It is no secret that today the peace that we have maintained, and the democracy which we have worked hard to build, are facing unprecedented challenges, she said. We once again find ourselves in a world where democracy is under threat, and the urgency of keeping the beacon of freedom shining cannot be understated. The Taiwanese leader then quoted Reagan from a 1987 speech in which he said: Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. As she read the words, McCarthy mouthed along. The free world Standing beside Tsai, the U.S. House speaker said he believed U.S.-Taiwan relations had tightened due to her latest visit and that our bond is stronger now than at any time or point in my lifetime. Taiwan is a successful democracy, a thriving economy and a global leader in health and science, McCarthy said, praising the shared values of Taiwan and the United States, as well as their expanding commercial ties and strong people-to-people relationships. The friendship between the people of Taiwan and America, he added, is a matter of profound importance to the free world. Outside the library, competing protests continued between supporters of Tsai and pro-Beijing groups, who argue she should not be in the United States. But as in New York last week, there was no violence. Beijing has slammed Tsais transit through America this week and last, labeling the trip a campaign for Taiwans independence. It regards the self-governing island as a renegade province and has vowed to reunite it with the mainland using force if necessary. A Chinese diplomat also warned of a serious, serious, serious confrontation in the U.S.-China relationship if the meeting happens, but Biden administration officials say its McCarthys prerogative. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen attends a bipartisan meeting with U.S. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. (AFP) Early Wednesday, Chinas navy sent an aircraft carrier group through the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines and into the Pacific, according to Taiwans defense ministry, which called the move irresponsible and announced new naval drills next week. John Kirby, a spokesman for the White Houses National Security Council, said Wednesday that Beijings moves did not worry him. Theres nothing atypical or uncommon about presidents of Taiwan transiting the United States or, in fact, meeting with members of Congress. That's pretty typical, too, Kirby told reporters. Our position remains the same: There's no reason for the Chinese to overreact in any way. We'll watch this as closely as we can. A pathetic threat Tsai last week also met with another bipartisan congressional delegation led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat from New York, during her visit to the east coast, according to reports, but that meeting was not publicized until after it took place. But it was the high-profile McCarthy meeting that rankled Beijing. Washington-based PunchBowl News on Tuesday obtained an email sent to McCarthy from Li Xiang, the Chinese Embassy in Washington's liaison to Congress, warning of consequences over the meeting. I have to point out that China will not sit idly by in the face of a blatant provocation and will most likely take necessary and resolute actions in response to the unwanted situation, Li wrote. Former Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi's visit to Taiwan last year triggered a serious crisis in the China-U.S. relationship, and the lessons should be learned. Rep. Ashley Hinson, a Republican from Iowa, told Radio Free Asia before the meeting that she too had received the warning. We did not respond to the embassy, but made the e-mail public to bring their tactics to light, Hinson said, calling it a pathetic threat, and adding she would relentlessly stand up for freedom and with Taiwan. My message back to them is this: I look forward to meeting with President Tsai and reaffirming our commitment to Taiwan and freedom-loving nations everywhere, Hinson said Tsai returns to Taiwan on Thursday. But the drama might not be over. McCarthy said last month he may repeat Pelosis trip to Taiwan this year, insisting China cant tell me where and when I can go. Meanwhile, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin a rising star in the Republican Party and a possible 2024 presidential contender on Tuesday also said he will visit Taiwan later this month. Edited by Malcolm Foster. New bishop Shen Bin vows to carry forward a patriotic form of Catholicism after transfer from Haimen diocese. The ruling Chinese Communist Party has appointed a new bishop of Shanghai without approval from the Vatican, in what critics say is a breach of a controversial agreement on the appointment of bishops signed in September 2018. Bishop Shen Bin, until now Bishop of Haimen, was installed in the Diocese of Shanghai, China, this morning, the Vatican News website reported. The Holy See had been informed a few days ago of the decision of the Chinese authorities, it quoted Holy See spokesman Matteo Bruni as saying. I have nothing to say about the Holy Sees assessment of the matter for the time being, Bruni said in remarks reported by several media outlets including Reuters. The Shanghai Diocese said in a statement dated April 4 on its website that around 200 people attended the inauguration ceremony, including all of the dioceses priests and nuns. Bishop Shen Bin said that he will continue to carry forward the fine tradition of patriotism and love of the Catholic Church in Shanghai, adhere to the principle of independence and self-government, adhere to the direction of Catholicism in China, and better promote the healthy tradition of Catholic evangelism in Shanghai, the statement said. Without the popes mandate The statement refers to the ongoing sinicization of all religious traditions under Communist Party supreme leader Xi Jinping, who regards Christianity as a potentially destabilizing foreign import, according to a report in the Catholic news site AsiaNews. The report cited Vatican sources as saying that the appointment was unilateral, and made without papal approval. Indirect confirmation also comes from the Catholic faithful in China, who have expressed sadness at the installation, which they say came without the popes mandate: a source of great upset for the Catholic community in Shanghai, it said. The 2018 Sino-Vatican agreement on the appointment of bishops, which was renewed in 2020 and 2022, requires the approval of both Beijing and the Vatican before a new bishop can be appointed. In this March 13, 2013 photo, a worshiper holding a rosary prays near Sheshan seminary on the outskirts of Shanghai. (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) A Catholic priest in the northern province of Shanxi who gave only the surname Shen declined to comment on the appointment when contacted by Radio Free Asia on Wednesday. I dont know about this, and dont want to talk about it, he said, before hanging up. A Beijing-based Catholic who gave only the surname Liu said the Shanghai appointment had left many Chinese Catholics dissatisfied, but they wouldnt dare to say so. All churches are run by the government, which wants us all to be patriotic as well as religious, Liu said. A Catholic from the eastern province of Jiangsu who gave only the surname Zhong agreed. They just ignore the authority of the Pope and the Vatican, Zhong said. This appointment of bishop [Shen] shows that the Chinese Communist Party is ignoring the Sino-Vatican agreement, and the authority of the Vatican when it comes to the appointment of bishops. The church has no autonomy, Zhong said. Some of my friends who are Catholic priests often express their dissatisfaction with this in private. He said many Catholics in China remain loyal to Rome, and take issue with any role for Beijing in the appointment of bishops. Predecessor had been under house arrest Shens appointment comes after his predecessor Ma Daqin, who was recognized by both Beijing and the Holy See, was placed under house arrest for resigning from the Communist Party-backed Catholic Patriotic Association immediately after his ordination. Ma later rejoined the government-backed body, but with a record now tainted by the incident, AsiaNews said. It said the Vatican would have preferred Joseph Xing Wenzhi to lead the diocese of Shanghai, but that he had resigned in 2012 for reasons that have never been made clear. The Catholic Church-linked newspaper Milan Avvenire Online said concerns of social control and public order shouldnt be allowed to dominate decisions on new appointments. The voice of Rome must be adequately listened to, the paper said. Sometimes one gets the impression that in China there is a ... lack of understanding of the universal nature of the Church. It said recent changes at the top of the Communist Partys outreach and influence arm, the United Front Work Department, could have been behind the decision to move ahead unilaterally with the Shanghai appointment. Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Matt Reed. Women are reluctant to have kids because they need to work to support families New students have their first lesson at the Minhung Primary School in Moranbong district in Pyongyang, North Korea, Saturday, April 1, 2023. As students filed into their elementary classrooms this week across North Korea for the start of the school year, entering class sizes in cities were noticeably smaller, a reflection of the declining birthrate in the country as more women become breadwinners to support their families, sources in the country said. The trend appears to be making authorities nervous, a person who works in education in South Pyongan province, north of the capital Pyongyang, told Radio Free Asia on condition of anonymity for security reasons. Yesterday we welcomed the newly enrolled students at Toksong Elementary School, but there were not many new students, he said. Ten years ago, we used to divide the new, incoming students into four or five separate classes, but each year the number of new students decreases. So there are only three classes [of first graders] this year. Each of the three classes has about 30 students in this particular school. But other city schools seem to be seeing the same pattern, although it is less noticeable in rural areas, where families are larger. Thats down from as many as 45 children per classroom in the 1980s, which then dwindled steadily over the years since then. Female breadwinners Demographics and economics are driving the trend. The decline is directly related to more women working and becoming the main source of income for their families, according to a North Korean escapee using the pseudonym Kim Hak-myong, who worked as a high school teacher for 20 years until he fled the country in 2015. Most North Korean men are in government-assigned jobs, and receive paltry salaries that are not enough to support their families. So their wives have had to start side businesses, such as setting up stalls in markets to sell food or other items which now bring in far more money than most of their husbands. Thats made it harder for women to bear and raise children. New students take part in a ceremony for the start of the school year at the Minhung Primary School in Moranbong district in Pyongyang, North Korea, Saturday, April 1, 2023. Credit: AP In cities such as Pyongsong, South Pyongans provincial capital, nine out of 10 women were running businesses in the marketplace and serving as their families breadwinners, the first source said. With more women running these businesses, they tend to give birth to only one child, he said. If you have a lot of children, you will be pushed out of the market by the competition and it will be difficult to make a living. North Koreas birth rate last year was about 1.9 children per woman, just below the replacement rate of 2.1 births, according to the United Nations Population Funds 2022 State of the World Population Report. Thats down from around 4 births per woman in the 1970s, and 2.3 births per woman in the 1990s. Only one child The government used to provide food subsidies for families with more children, but now that these subsidies have stopped, women are choosing to have only one child, or two at the most, a second source living in the northwestern province of North Pyongan said. These days the government simply tells people to have more kids and doesnt provide any food, so women who have to work to feed their families are giving up on childbirth to focus on business, she said. Because of this reality, the number of students enrolled in elementary school is decreasing. When she went to the local elementary school on April 1 to congratulate her nephew on his first day of school, she was surprised at the small class sizes. Five years ago, when my daughter entered [the same] school, there were about 80 students enrolling, but this year there were about 60 students, she said. The educational authorities are also paying attention to how much this years decrease will be. Intensifying competition Kim, the escapee and former educator, said that the shrinking class size became visible in the 2010s, as women began to establish their businesses in the marketplace, [new students] began to decrease noticeably. Also, more young women are enlisting in the military, and avoiding giving birth because it costs a lot to raise even one child properly, he said. The shrinking enrollment has led to competition among families to get their kids into the good schools, Kim said. Originally, you were supposed to go to the school near your home, he said. But now, when theres a [highly skilled] math teacher at a good school, the number of students goes up because more students flock toward that school. Translated by Claire Shinyoung Oh Lee. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster. Armed with better capital and experience, Chinese entrepreneurs enjoy a leg up in Laos. An influx of Chinese investors and business owners to Laos in recent years is crowding out Lao entrepreneurs, who say the visitors have an unfair advantage in capital and are taking away their clientele. Some 7,500 Chinese nationals have settled in Laos within the last 4-5 years, according to official estimates most following the opening of a U.S.$6 billion high-speed railway connecting the two Communist neighbors in December 2021. While the railway promises to offer land-locked Laos closer integration with the worlds second largest economy, most of the trade has been one way with China exporting its machinery, auto parts, electronics and consumer goods. Laotian exports, on the other hand, were hindered by Chinas strict COVID policies at the border. But now, business owners say another Chinese export is driving up competition in their own country: Chinese people. Chinese merchants compete for customers with Lao merchants, making Lao merchants earn less income, said one Lao entrepreneur who, like others interviewed by Radio Free Asia for this report, spoke on condition of anonymity citing fear of reprisal. The entrepreneur said there are now Chinese merchants in most markets in the country, adding that with their higher amounts of capital and know-how, we wont be able to compete with them. Prior to the influx, there were already 31 Chinese companies operating within Laos and 20 Chinese-led projects underway in the capital Vientiane. But sources said Chinese nationals operating independently are increasingly entering into sectors previously dominated by Laotians, such as guesthouses, restaurants, and grocery stores. At the same time as Chinese businesses are thriving, Lao businesses are beginning to shrink in places like Vientiane, said another Lao entrepreneur. Stores that sell clothes and food now mostly belong to Chinese and Vietnamese merchants, he said. Most Lao merchants are now forced to sell their goods at markets outside the city, while Chinese and Vietnamese merchants run the markets inside the city. Other Lao merchants noted that their Chinese counterparts tend to operate within their own community in Laos, keeping their profits within a sort of enclave. A leg up in local markets When asked whether Chinese merchants have any specific advantages over their Lao counterparts in Laos, one Chinese national told RFA that the playing field is equal, as both must adhere to the same regulations. My store pays the same import fees and taxes as stores owned by Laotians, he said. We enjoy no special privileges. But Lao store owners said that a strong yuan and weak kip has given Chinese nationals a leg up in local markets. [While] the rental rate is the same for both Lao and Chinese store owners, the rent is high at markets in the city and Chinese entrepreneurs can more easily afford it, said another Lao businessman. A Lao intellectual who focuses on the relationship between social and economic matters in the country told RFA that the increase in Chinese entrepreneurs has affected Laos in both positive and negative ways. [Chinese investment] is developing the cities, but the bad part is that Lao merchants cant compete with them, he said. When we talk about investment know-how and experience in trade, Lao merchants have less than them. And the size of Chinas footprint is only growing in Laos. Kham Jane Vong Phosy, the Lao minister of planning and investment, told a meeting of government officials in July that there have been a total of 933 Chinese-led projects launched in Laos since 2015, valued at around U.S.$16.4 billion. Among the projects are new rail lines, highways, and dams. As more Chinese flock to Laos, a Lao trade official told RFA that the government is monitoring the newcomers to ensure they play by the rules. In the past, we have received reports that some Chinese investors have violated our rules and regulations, he said. Trade officials strictly monitor Chinese investment in Laos in order to make sure investors are following the rules, and if we find any violations, authorities will address the problem. Translated by Sidney Khotpanya. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Matt Reed. The man was questioned about the shooting of a local junta administrator. UPDATED at 9:10 a.m. EDT on April 5, 2023. The husband of a member of the ousted National League for Democracy has died during interrogation in Myanmars infamous Mandalay Palace, according to neighbors. Troops showed up at the Pyigyidagun township home of 40-year-old Win Kyaw in two unmarked cars on Monday night, according to a local who didnt want to be named for fear of reprisals. He said the troops questioned Win Kyaw about his wife, who is in hiding, then shot and arrested him. He is not a party member. His wife is the NLD chair of the village tract. She is fleeing, the neighbor said. Troops asked for her phone number. He was shot and arrested when he did not give the number. [He received] two gunshots to his thigh and one to the shoulder. His head was hit with rifle butts and he was bundled into a car. The next day junta troops asked [relatives] to take his body. Neighbors say Win Kyaw was taken to the military base at Mandalay Palace for interrogation and relatives were ordered to pick up his body from Mandalay Public Hospital morgue. When his body was brought home it had bruises and wounds on the head and back, neighbors told RFA. The NLD led Myanmar's civilian government until the military staged a coup in February 2021. Last week, the junta dissolved the NLD, a move widely seen as undermining the credibility of elections the military regime plans for later this year. Along with questions about the whereabouts of his wife, Win Kyaw was also questioned over the killing of Soe Min Han, the administrator of Pyigyidagun townships Neighborhood-G, who was shot on Monday morning. Locals said Win Kyaw had nothing to do with the killing and a local militia, Aung Si Taw Mandalay, has claimed responsibility for the shooting. Calls by RFA Burmese to the military junta spokesman for Mandalay, Thein Htay, went unanswered Wednesday. Mandalay Palace, a royal residence and seat of government until 1885, is now a notorious military base and detention center. Civil disobedience movement policeman Sgt. Kyaw Kyaw, who reached an area free of junta control on the Thai-Myanmar border last month, told RFA he personally saw people being tortured there by junta troops. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, as of April 4, the junta has arrested more than 21,000 people since the coup, including pro-democracy campaigners. More than 17,300 are still in detention. Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Mike Firn. This story has been updated to add background about the National League for Democracy. Experts say bilateral oil and gas exploration with China may cause friction within ASEAN. An oil rig is seen in the waters on the southern coast of Pengerang, Malaysia February 26, 2019. Malaysia and the Philippines have said that theyre willing to discuss oil and gas exploration with China in the South China Sea, a move that analysts say may cause friction within ASEAN as the Southeast Asian bloc wants to accelerate negotiations for a Code of Conduct in order to avoid conflict. On Tuesday the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said Manila would resume talks with Beijing on joint oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea, despite the countrys Supreme Court already having ruled against such activities. The court in January decided that a trilateral joint exploration agreement between the Philippines, China and Vietnam another party in the South China Sea dispute was unconstitutional because it allowed foreign corporations to participate in the exploration of the countrys natural resources without observing required safeguards. The agreement was signed in 2005 but failed to materialize. In 2018, under then-President Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines and China also signed a document on Cooperation on Oil and Gas Development but Duterte himself terminated the talks last June after both sides failed to resolve the issue of sovereignty over Reed Bank in the Spratlys. For its part, Malaysia has informed China that it is ready to negotiate on the oil exploration in the waters both countries claim. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (L) shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Mar 31, 2023. Credit: Prime Minister's Office of Malaysia via AP Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Monday that he told Chinas President Xi Jinping during his recent visit to Beijing that, as a small country, Malaysia needs to continue with oil exploration but if the condition is that there must be negotiations to secure [our rights], then we are prepared to negotiate. On Tuesday the prime minister seemed to adjust his conciliatory tone by adding that he insisted that the area falls within Malaysias territory and that in the meantime our exploration efforts will continue. Bilateral negotiations China responded that it is firmly committed to safeguarding our lawful rights and interests in the South China Sea. Foreign Ministrys spokesperson Mao Ning said at a Tuesday briefing that, at the same time, we are ready to work together with the Malaysian side and continue to properly handle maritime disputes through dialogue and consultation. Some other ASEAN countries that are also embroiled in disagreements with China over natural resources in the South China Sea Vietnam and Indonesia have yet to react to the latest developments but analysts warned against what they see as Chinas bilateral approach. Xi Jinping has used official state visits by President Marcos Jr. of the Philippines in January and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in April to press Chinas claims in the South China Sea and to press for bilateral discussions, said Carlyle Thayer, a veteran regional specialist. Chinas insistence on bilateral discussions has been consistent for the last decade and a half, the Canberra-based analyst told Radio Free Asia, adding that China can divide and conquer using its superior economic weight. Another analyst, Collins Chong Yew Keat at Universiti Malaya, told RFAs affiliate BenarNews that the scope and level of the negotiations remains to be seen but it must not be based on a bilateral basis, as Beijing will exercise its burgeoning leverage and cards at its disposal now, to use economic tools and other measures to dictate more favorable terms. A woman walks past a billboard showing the CNOOC 981 deepwater oil platform, used in the South China Sea, outside of the headquarters of the China National Offshore Oil Corporation in Beijing on July 28, 2016. Credit: AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein ASEAN countries restarted negotiations with China on a Code of Conduct for the South China Sea, with the first round of talks taking place in the second week of March. Several member states have accused China of impeding and harassing their oil and gas activities in areas within their exclusive economic zones that also fall within Chinas nine-dash line that Beijing uses to claim historic rights to almost 90% of the South China Sea. In 2016, a U.N. tribunal declared this imaginary boundary illegal, in a case brought by the Philippines. Not an indication of success Indonesia has a long-standing policy of refusing to discuss maritime disputes with China on the grounds that its maritime boundaries are in accord with international law, said Carl Thayer. Vietnam, which saw several oil development projects with foreign partners stopped under Chinas pressure, has always maintained that any joint exploration should abide by international law, especially the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). As a rule, Hanoi does not publicly criticize other ASEAN members policies but Vietnamese scholars said that Beijing-led joint projects in the South China Sea could become dangerous precedents if pursued. China has been offering other countries to set aside dispute and pursue joint development, viewing it as a measure to assert sovereignty in the negotiated area, wrote a Vietnamese researcher, Bui Sang Minh, in the South China Sea Studies Journal, which usually reflects the Vietnamese governments stance. Most of the areas in which China has brought up such offers are well within other countries economic exclusive zones and continental shelves. As the Philippines and China are to resume talks, Manila should try not to fall for the setting disputes aside and pursuing joint development concept and refrain from prioritizing economic benefits over maintaining its sovereignty in the process, Minh added. Some other analysts such as Jay Batongbacal, director of the Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea at the University of the Philippines, said that a desire to settle disputes amicably does not mean they will simply give in to China's demands. An announcement that they will discuss and negotiate is not an indication of success in the bilateral approach, he said. Meanwhile, Carl Thayer told RFA that in his opinion, Chinas bilateral approach is not without risk. The Philippine Constitution limits the involvement of foreign enterprises in the exploitation of the Philippines natural resources so a joint exploration would risk setting up a clash between Philippines sovereignty and Chinas assertion of sovereignty. A second risk for China is that the commencement of bilateral talks is likely to provoke nationalist sentiment in both the Philippines and Malaysia to demand that China respect the Philippines and Malaysian Exclusive Economic Zones, the maritime expert said. Gan Pei Ling and Iman Muttaqin Yusof in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated news organization. Edited by Mike Firn. A wall is covered with portraits of young Tibetans who self-immolated to protest Chinese rule in Tibet, at the Tibet Museum in McLeod Ganj in Indias Himachal Pradesh state, Dec. 26, 2018. Chinese authorities are harassing and discriminating against relatives of Tibetans who protested against Chinese rule by setting their bodies alight going back to 2008, two sources in Tibet told Radio Free Asia. For example, students related to such protesters have been denied authorization to take university entrance exams, while others have been denied job opportunities, they say. There is a student here who is related to someone who self-immolated in 2013, a source from Labrang (in Chinese Labuleng) told Radio Free Asias Tibetan Service. It is for that reason that the student was denied an authorization letter from the government to sit for a university admission examination, and therefore that student never got to go to university. I have witnessed it myself, he said. Tibetans who took part in the 2008 unrest and also those related to people who were part of those protests are discriminated against in their job opportunities, schools and in other ways, he said. A notice about self-immolations, which also offers a reward of 100,000 yuan ($16,319) for information on those "masterminding, supporting, abetting and coercing others to self-immolate," is posted on a pole in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in 2013. Credit: Reuters Beijing has been collecting detailed information on people who participated in pro-Tibet political activities, especially the 2008 anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan Uprising, when as many as 400 Tibetans were killed as Chinese authorities quelled major protests. Since 2009, more than 150 Tibetans have self-immolated to protest against repression from the Chinese communist government. Most of the self-immolations took place in the regions of Ngaba (Aba) and Labrang. The Chinese government keeps the data about the protesters and their family members in an easily accessible online database. Another Tibetan, from Ngaba, said that the Chinese government routinely harasses relatives of protesters. In 2022 the Chinese government continued to harass and scrutinize a Tibetan who is the nephew of someone who self-immolated from Ngaba, the Ngaba source said. He was charged with contacting people outside Tibet and sentenced to three years in prison. Following that his family members were denied all the government assistance that they were receiving. The government is even harsher on former political prisoners, the Labrang source said. They are constantly under scrutiny; their lives never go back to normal and they are also denied lodging when they travel to different places, said the source. Tibetans who have been convicted of offenses that the Chinese government considers illegal are often discriminated against and denied access to proper medical care. They are also denied financial assistance from the government. Translated by Tenzin Dickyi. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will be visiting Turkiye to hold talks with his counterpart Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on April 6-7, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Wednesday, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah. Earlier on Wednesday, Cavusoglu said that he would discuss several issues with Lavrov, including bilateral relations, joint diplomatic efforts, Turkiye's mediation and exchange of war prisoners in the Russia-Ukraine War. He also said there were ongoing issues related to the grain and fertilizer exports as part of the Black Sea Grain Initiative brokered by Turkiye and the United Nations. Moscow only agreed to renew grain deal for 60 days. Russia and Ukraine are vital global suppliers of food commodities, and Russia is also a top exporter of fertilizer. A Uyghur model (back, 2nd from L) wears a Uyghur skullcap and a dress made of etles fabric at a recent fashion show by Chinese-Swedish fashion designer Louise Xin at the European Parliament in Brussels, March 28, 2023. UPDATED at 9:24 A.M. EDT on 04-05-2023 When Louise Xin, the award-winning Chinese-Swedish fashion designer and human rights activist, visited the European Parliament last June, she received an unusual request from the body: Would she host a fashion show in the conference hall to draw attention to forced labor in the fashion industry? Xin, 28, happily obliged, and held the show on March 28 the first ever inside the parliament featuring her eponymous rental only, non-sale couture brand. Nine models of different ethnicities, including two Uyghur women who wore floor-length dresses made of etles, a silk fabric, walked around the center of a conference hall. At the end of the show, Xin walked into the room holding the hands of Uyghur businesswoman Gulbahar Jelilova, who had been detained in a re-education camp in northwestern Chinas Xinjiang region, and Nepalese former child laborer Nasreen Sheikh. Clothes are something we wear every day, every single one of us, but they are so much more than just pieces of fabric, Xin told the attendees, including EU lawmakers. Theyre telling stories about who wears them and makes them. The painful story about a child labor survivor, Nasreen, and a camp survivor, Gulbahar, are two of the millions two women from two different parts of the world where we all gather here today, Xin said. And united with all of you guys, we will write a new future for those who wear them and make their clothes. Forced labor affects at least 27.6 million people worldwide, most of which occurs in the private economy, according to rights groups. But in China, some of an estimated 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities held in state-run camps were forced to work in local factories producing cotton, yarn and hair products used in braiding and weaving. EU forced labor legislation The fashion show came as members of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union gathered to discuss and agree on a proposal to ban products made with forced labor. The European Commission issued the proposal last September to prohibit the import and export of goods made with forced labor, including child labor, on the EU market, without targeting specific companies or industries. Representatives of labor rights groups and other NGOs attended a panel after the fashion show to discuss how the European Parliament could implement effective forced labor legislation. Hopefully, the body will vote on the proposal between February and April of next year," said Jewher Ilham, human rights activist and daughter of prominent jailed Uyghur scholar Ilham Tohti. The current forced labor resolution that was introduced doesnt have a regional focus, which may result in the failure to block goods that are made by state-sponsored forms of forced labor, said Ilham, a coordinator at the Worker Rights Consortium based in Washington, D.C. Labor rights groups suggested that the EU be transparent and make publicly available import data, as does the United States, so that civil society groups and researchers can help identify which products or shipments are linked to forced labor, she added. In June 2022, members of the European Parliament passed a resolution calling the Chinese governments systemic human rights abuses against Uyghurs crimes against humanity and a serious risk of genocide. About six months earlier, in December 2021, U.S. President Joe Biden signed into law the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act to ensure that goods made with forced labor in Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where state-sponsored forced labor is widespread, do not enter the American market. Loss of Chinese business Jelilova, the Uyghur businesswoman from Kazakhstan, told Radio Free Asia that she was deeply enthused that Xin, as a person of Chinese descent, brought in models from around the world to highlight Chinas use of Uyghur forced labor and the government's repressive policies in Xinjiang. Louise told me that shes lost a big share of her business for taking a stand on Uyghur issues, said Jelilova, who was honored as Uyghur Advocate of the Year 2021 by U.S.-based Justice for All, a Muslim advocacy group, for her work drawing international attention to the abuses that took place in Xinjiangs vast camp network. Many Chinese people who had asked her to design clothes no longer do that anymore, Jelilova added. But shes still helping Uyghurs without any fear. She has been showing her moral courage by designing clothes to fight against forced labor. The fashion show at the European Parliament wasnt the first time that Xin has used couture made from up-cycled and repurposed material to call attention to the plight of the Uyghurs. She dedicated her first digital fashion show in August 2021 to the Uyghur community to raise awareness about the genocidal policies targeting the predominantly Muslim minority group. Translated by RFA Uyghur. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster. Correction: An earlier version of the story incorrectly stated that Gulbahar Jelilova was a Kazakh businesswoman. Police arrested three people who opposed the work in the name of modernization. Kashgars centuries-old Khan Bazaar, seen at left in a Dec. 21, 2022, image, is being demolished by Chinese authorities. The results of the destruction can be seen in the photo at right, taken on March 22, 2023. Authorities in Chinas Xinjiang region say they want to upgrade the area and replace dilapidated structures. Credit: Maxar Technologies (L); Planet (R) Qasimjan Abdurehim remembers Kashgars centuries-old Khan Bazaar as a thriving marketplace where Uyghur merchants traded fabrics and modern-day tourists strolled along the pedestrian street that ran down the middle of it. Last month, workers began demolishing the bazaar for optimization purposes renovations to upgrade the area and replace what they said were dilapidated structures with modern ones. Uyghurs such as Abdurehim believe the move is another step by the Chinese government to force the mostly Muslim ethnic group to assimilate into the mainstream culture and wipe out their culture and heritage. A short video posted on the TikTok app showed that most of the shops stairs, windows and doors had been destroyed. Market supervision officials confirmed that demolition and reconstruction efforts were under way. They tore down the old structures and built new ones, which they claimed to be earthquake-resistant, said Abdurehim, who is in his 40s and now works as a real estate agent in Virginia. This isnt the first case. When Chinese authorities razed Kashgars iconic Grand Bazaar, the largest international trade market in all of Xinjiang, in 2022, they did not retain any of the culturally distinctive traits of the market. Three arrested Fearful they would lose their businesses forever, some Uyghur shop owners in the Khan Bazaar quarreled with government workers when the demolition began, a neighborhood committee member said. Police arrested three people including Bahtiyar, a 16-year-old whose father was imprisoned after 2017, when Chinese authorities began detaining Uyghurs in "re-education" camps and prisons and subjecting them to severe rights abuses that the United States and some western parliaments have said amount to genocide and crimes against humanity. The teenager was helping his mother run the shop on weekends, the member said. Ongoing demolition and construction of Uyghur structures in northwest Chinas Xinjiang region have deprived some families of their residential homes, businesses and arable lands. Some communities have lost their mosques and ancient bazaars to authorities modernization efforts. Claims by Chinese authorities that they are now demolishing the Khan Bazaar to renovate the old buildings do not fit with reality, Abdurehim said when he heard about the recent demolition. He said authorities had renovated the bazaar several times since the 1980s, including another optimization campaign that occurred sometime between 2000 and 2010 to improve building quality and safety. But each renovation project deprived some Uyghurs of their homes and shops because they could not afford the renovation fees, he added. Chinese businesspeople with ample financial means and political backing intervened and bought the property at below-market prices, thereby gaining stakes in the Khan Bazaar, he said. That was, I think, a deliberate ploy devised by the government, he told Radio Free Asia. Residents' comments drew attention The bazaar sits across from the 15th-century Id Kah Mosque, which has been mostly closed for worship since 2016 amid a severe crackdown by Chinese authorities on the religion and culture of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang. Standing in front of the famous Kashgar Id Kah gate and looking through it, one could see a bustling street bazaar on the left side, recalled Abdurehim, who last saw the place in 2017, when the former teacher and school principal went to the U.S. on a business trip and did not return. Remaining Uyghur families, especially those whose heads had been detained in camps or prisons in recent years, worried about losing their homes and shops in the bazaar because they would not be able to pay the renovation fees, said a person familiar with the situation. The source declined to be identified for safety reasons. Because of the repression of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, the families carefully shared their concerns to local cadres, who issued and distributed demolition notices to area residents. But instead, their comments drew the attention of local political and legal organizations, the source said. As a result, police officers, political and legal cadres and neighborhood committee members went to the scene to surveil shop owners and homeowners during the March destruction, he said. One policeman told RFA by phone that officers, along with the political and legal committee, market supervision, and neighborhood committee members, were present. They all reminded the residents and shop owners to pay attention to social stability, he said. An employee at the Kashgar-Central Asia International Travel Agency said authorities were tearing down the bazaar because the buildings were old, and that the renovation work would be completed by May 1. The shops and buildings there were shabby, and the government wants to improve its image by renovating this place, he said. Translated by RFA Uyghur. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he has "no doubt" Russia has wrongfully detained a U.S. correspondent for The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), but that a formal determination must go through a process before a decision is announced. Blinken made the comments on April 5 at a news conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels, while in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir used a ceremony welcoming new ambassadors to Russia to berate the new U.S. envoy. The correspondent being held by Russia, Evan Gershkovich, was detained last week on espionage charges widely seen as politically motivated. In Evan's, case we are working through the determination on wrongful detention. There is a process to do that, he said. In my own mind, there is no doubt that he is being wrongfully detained by Russia. A wrongful detention designation empowers the government to use a variety of tools, including diplomacy, to secure the release of a captured American rather than simply waiting for a criminal case to make its way through the system. Blinken said the legal process for such a determination would be completed soon. Gershkovich was detained in Yekaterinburg, where he was reporting about the attitude of Russians toward the Kremlin's war against Ukraine and on the Wagner mercenary group. The Federal Security Service (FSB) alleged that, on instructions from the United States, Gershkovich "was collecting information about one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex, which constitutes a state secret." Moscow claims, without evidence, that Gershkovich was caught red-handed. The White House and The Wall Street Journal have denied the allegations. The reporters lawyers, who met with him in a Moscow prison on April 4 for the first time since his detention, have appealed his arrest. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters that the United States had summoned the Russian ambassador over the detention of Gershkovich. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said she had spoken with her Russian counterpart to demand the immediate release of Gershkovich, and U.S. consular officials have requested a visit with Gershkovich, but access has not been granted. The detention of Gershkovich comes with U.S.-Russian relations at a low point not seen since the Cold War, a fact that Putin acknowledged as he welcomed Lynne Tracy, the new U.S. ambassador to Moscow. In a rare scene at such a diplomatic ceremony, Putin told Tracy to her face that relations between Moscow and Washington were in "a deep crisis" that was "based on fundamentally different approaches to the formation of the modern world order." In the televised ceremony in the Kremlin, Putin falsely claimed Washington was responsible for the "Ukrainian crisis" and that U.S. support for Ukraine in 2014 had led to the current situation. Under pressure from Putin, Ukraine's Russia-friendly president, Viktor Yanukovych, scrapped plans to sign a trade deal with the European Union in November 2013 and called for tighter ties with Russia instead, prompting the huge protests known as the Maidan and the Revolution of Dignity. After Yanukovych fled for Russia in late February 2014 following deadly fighting between security forces and Maidan protesters, who accused the authorities of opening sniper fire into their ranks, the Russian military launched its occupation of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula and Moscow fomented separatism across eastern and southern Ukraine, igniting war in the region known as the Donbas. Moscow subsequently illegally annexed Crimea and continues to impose its rule on the peninsula. That conflict is now part of the wider war Russia launched with the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Tracy was just one in a group of ambassadors who formally presented their diplomatic credentials at the ceremony. Putin also told the new EU envoy to Moscow, Roland Galharague, that the bloc instigated "geopolitical confrontation" with Moscow, an apparent reference to a barrage of sanctions imposed on Russia since Putin launched his Ukraine offensive against Ukraine. With reporting by AP and Reuters, and AFP Welcome back to the China In Eurasia briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter tracking China's resurgent influence from Eastern Europe to Central Asia. To subscribe, click here. I'm RFE/RL correspondent Reid Standish and here's what I'm following right now. Xi's Global China Playbook After three years of "zero-COVID" isolation, China is stepping out onto the global stage to a far more unfriendly West and using its growing economic and military power to shape the world to better suit its interests. Finding Perspective: This more assertive footing was on display in March, with Beijing surprising much of the world by brokering a diplomatic deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia, one of the world's most volatile rivalries. Xi has also continued to press ahead with China's peacemaker status for the war in Ukraine after unveiling a 12-point proposal for how to broker a cease-fire. The plan has largely been dismissed in the West but is gathering support from large players in the Global South. The Chinese leader also drew the world's attention with a three-day visit to Moscow, where he reaffirmed Chinese support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and, among other developments, Russia increased its reliance on China's yuan as it seeks to move away from Western currencies, particularly the U.S. dollar. PODCAST: Emmanuel Macron Hopes to dissuade Xi Jinping from supporting Russias invasion of Ukraine while also developing European trade ties with Beijing. Can the French presidents diplomatic push succeed? Rikard Jozwiak, RFE/RLs Europe editor, joins Reid Standish to discuss. Beijing's Middle East moves and efforts to undermine the U.S. dollar globally also moved ahead, with China saying that it was open to talks with Malaysia on forming an Asian Monetary Fund, which would increase use of the yuan. Elsewhere, Saudi Aramco, Riyadh's state energy company, said that an oil refinery it's building in China is expected to be fully operational by 2026, which comes after the kingdom announced in 2022 that it would be open to accepting yuan instead of dollars for Chinese oil sales. In another development at the end of March, the Saudi Council of Ministers officially approved a proposal to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Beijing-led bloc for Eurasia. Saudi membership -- coupled with Iran, who is also slated to join -- could give the SCO added energy sway with a trio of Moscow, Riyadh, and Tehran. Why It Matters: There's still plenty of room for skepticism that the above will lead to lasting breakthroughs, but Xi's willingness to move boldly marks a new phase in China's vision for itself and its role in the world. It also sends a message that Beijing and like-minded countries no longer have to conform to the U.S.-led global order and that increasingly substantial alternatives are being put on offer. Expert Corner: Brussels Looks For A New China Line European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen outlined her vision for the future of EU-China relations during a high-profile speech in Brussels on March 30. The full comments can be found here, but I've selected a few noteworthy passages: "Far from being put off by the atrocious and illegal invasion of Ukraine, President Xi is maintaining his 'no-limits friendship' with Putin. But there has been a change of dynamic in the relationship between China and Russia. It is clear from this visit that China sees Putin's weakness as a way to increase its leverage over Russia. And it is clear that the power balance in that relationship -- which for most of the last century favored Russia -- has now reversed. "We have to be frank on this point. How China continues to interact with Putin's war will be a determining factor for EU-China relations going forward. "I believe it is neither viable -- nor in Europe's interest -- to decouple from China. Our relations are not black or white -- and our response cannot be either. This is why we need to focus on de-risk -- not decouple. "But I also want to say that nothing is inevitable in geopolitics. China is a fascinating and complex mix of history, progress and challenges. And it will define this century. But our story about how we relate to China is not yet fully written -- and it need not be a defensive one. We must collectively show that our democratic system, our values and our open economy can deliver prosperity and security for people." Do you have a question about China's growing footprint in Eurasia? Send it to me at StandishR@rferl.org or reply directly to this e-mail and I'll get it answered by leading experts and policymakers. Three More Stories From Eurasia 1. Macron In China French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Beijing on April 5 along with von der Leyen for a three-day visit as Europe tries to find a balance between its concerns over China's geopolitical moves and its economic ambitions for the country. What You Need To Know: As I reported here, Macron is looking to add a more personal touch to his discussions with Xi as part of an ambitious diplomatic push to create distance between the Chinese leader and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Speaking ahead of the visit to Beijing, Macron said his goal was to "try and involve China as much as possible to put pressure on Russia" on topics such as nuclear weapons, with aides saying Macron will try to gauge Xi's reaction to Russia's threat to host nuclear missiles in Belarus. EU officials who spoke to RFE/RL said that expectations were low within the bloc for Macron's moves to work, but the diplomatic gambit is part of a long-standing fascination from the French president on the need for Europe to keep a distance between Beijing and Moscow. More so, even with criticism within the bloc toward China rising, there is still a belief that Brussels will need to preserve some kind of functional relationship with Beijing in the future to tackle pressing issues. 2. Watching Taiwan With tensions high with Beijing, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy has confirmed that he will meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on April 5 as she returns from a tour of Taiwan's allies in Central America. The Details: Ahead of the visit, China staged military drills in the East China Sea and has repeatedly warned against any official contact between the U.S. and Taiwanese authorities. The meeting in California comes after some notable recent developments. On March 30, Marketa Pekarova Adamova, the speaker of the Czech parliament's lower house, finished a trip where she led a delegation of more than 150 business leaders and officials to Taiwan as part of Prague's growing outreach to Taipei. While that visit was under way, former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou made a historic trip to China, where he called for people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to work together for peace because "we are all Chinese." The symbolism of Ma -- who served as president from 2008 to 2016 -- traveling to China is significant, and he drew protesters to the airport in Taipei, who saw his visit as a form of capitulation to Beijing. In the run-up to Taiwan's presidential election in early 2024, the series of visits have thrown up a host of questions about how Taiwanese politics is dealing with China and with the United States -- the two most significant foreign factors for Taiwan's future. 3. Same Game, New Rules The ripple effects of China and Russia moving closer together are already being felt around the world, and as I reported here, those changes are being felt strongly in Central Asia, especially after Xi's recent visit to Moscow. What It Means: The Kremlin traditionally viewed Central Asia as its strategic backyard, but has been displaced by China as the premier economic force for the region's five countries. Moscow's war in Ukraine has also released geopolitical and economic shock waves and seen China's role in the region grow through diplomatic summits and new initiatives. Following the Xi-Putin meeting in late March, Xi announced that he would host a summit with the other Central Asian leaders in May. While China has hosted virtual summits with the region before, it would be the first in-person gathering at the top-level. But Central Asia's story does not -- and never really has -- fully fit with one of Chinese and Russian competition. While each side has their own interests, the region is one that represents major overlap for Beijing and Moscow, a trend that was reinforced in Xi and Putin's joint statement in Moscow, where they said they would work together "to support the countries of Central Asia in ensuring their sovereignty and national development" and safeguard them against so-called "color revolutions and external interference in the affairs of the region. Across The Supercontinent Little Room For Maneuver: White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan spoke with China's top diplomat Wang Yi on March 28 in what was reportedly a tense exchange that showed no sign of tensions subsiding. The New Art Circles: Celebrity Russian maestro Valery Gergiyev has been fired and blocked by many cultural institutions in Europe and the United States because of his long record of support for Putin, but he recently received a warm welcome in China. Gergiyev played a series of sold out shows in Beijing from March 27-29 that Chinese state media hailed as the beginning of a new era of cultural ties between China and Russia. Belt And Road Woes: Between 2008 and 2021, China spent $240 billion bailing out 22 countries that are "almost exclusively" debtors in the Belt and Road Initiative, including Argentina, Pakistan, Kenya, and Turkey, according to a recent study published by researchers from the World Bank, Harvard Kennedy School, Kiel Institute for the World Economy, and AidData. What You Missed: Looking to catch up on what you missed when Xi made his trip to Moscow? Listen to the last edition of Talking China In Eurasia, where guest Raffaello Pantucci explained what the meeting means for the world and what to watch moving forward. One Thing To Watch China may be ready to change its position on the islands known as the Southern Kuriles in Russia and the Northern Territories in Japan. That report comes from the South China Morning Post, which cites an anonymous Chinese official as saying that Xi told Putin during their meeting in Moscow that China's stance was now neutral about the territorial dispute. Beijing's position has remained unchanged since 1964, when Chinese leader Mao Zedong said the disputed islands belonged to Japan. It's an interesting development, if verified. There has been no official comment from any of the parties involved and Beijing has not issued a statement about any changes in how it views the territory. That's all from me for now. Don't 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. BISHKEK -- The police chief in the Kyrgyz capital has caused outrage after he blamed underage rape victims for what he called willingly getting involved with their potential abusers. The girls themselves get acquainted with certain people, willingly sleep with them, and then we have these kinds of situations in hand as the result, said Azamat Nogoibaev on a live broadcast on March 31. Referring to a recent rape case involving a 13-year-old girl, Nogoibaev claimed the girl wanted to get married, but since she was a minor, this was the outcome. Nogoibaevs remarks were met with widespread condemnation, protests, and calls for his resignation. One activist said his comments simply gave a green light for men to commit rape. A group of protesters -- including parents and activists -- gathered in front of the city police headquarters in Bishkek this week, urging President Sadyr Japarov and Interior Minister Ulan Niyazbekov to fire Nogoibaev in order to restore public trust in police. Shame on Nogoibaev! Shame on child abusers! Shame on everyone who supports child abusers! the protesters chanted. I have daughters, too, and Im worried about their safety, protester Azamat Amanturov told RFE/RL. I cannot be with them 24 hours a day. After those comments by a police officer who was supposed to be protecting people, how can we trust the police and the government? There is no justification for raping a child, he said. Nogoibaev has since apologized for the comments but didnt say whether he planned to resign. The Interior Ministry said it has opened a probe into the police chiefs comments. Last year, Kyrgyz prosecutors opened an investigation against two Bishkek policemen and a forensic expert after a teenage rape victim committed suicide. The victim, who was an orphan, told police she was raped by a 21-year-old man in late 2021. But police didnt take the suspect into custody, reportedly saying the girl had confirmed during interrogation that it was consensual sex, although she was only 13 years old. The teenager killed herself several months later. Prosecutors say the officers falsified the victims testimony. The officers and the suspect have since been taken into custody and a probe is ongoing. The Prosecutor-Generals Office said 438 criminal cases were opened in 2022 involving the suspected rape of minors. According to the National Statistics Committee, 3,034 cases of crimes against children were recorded in the Central Asian country in 2021. Some 500 of them involved sexual abuse, the committee said. In August 2022, Kyrgyzstan adopted a law that introduced tougher punishment for child abuse. It extended prison terms and increased penalties for those found guilty of crimes against children. Written by Farangis Najibullah in Prague based on reporting by RFE/RLs Kyrgyz Service Within hours of the polls closing in Montenegro's presidential election on March 19, 36-year-old Jakov Milatovic was already declaring victory -- even though he hadn't won. That honor went to 61-year-old incumbent Milo Djukanovic, who has dominated politics in the Balkan coastal nation for decades and won the first round of the vote with 35.3 percent. But with other candidates quickly throwing their support behind Milatovic and limited avenues for Djukanovic to overcome voter fatigue ahead of next month's runoff, the upstart economist with the shiny new political party gushed with confidence. "I promised that we would succeed, and we succeeded," Milatovic told a crowd of supporters in Podgorica. "This is a victory for all those who were discriminated against in the previous 30 years, whose children left Montenegro, those who could have no justice. We'll send Djukanovic into political retirement on April 2." But analysts say the jury is still out on whether Milatovic and his suddenly ascendant Europe Now! movement will be as eager to follow through with pro-EU policies as they have been to tap into public frustrations with aging politicians, institutional stalemate, and stalled reforms. They caution that the movement's brand of populism could turn out to falter on tough issues facing one of the continent's newest democracies, including political divides over Serbian and Montenegrin identity, relations with Belgrade and the Serbian Orthodox Church, and Russian influence in the region. "A likely victory of Mr. Milatovic in the second round of the Montenegrin presidential election doesn't mean that we're going to have a pro-EU/NATO person as Montenegrin president," Vesko Garcevic, a former Montenegrin ambassador and professor at Boston University's Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, told RFE/RL this week. Talking The EU Talk On election night, the partly Western-educated Milatovic sought to reassure pro-EU Montenegrins and outsiders concerned that questions of national identity and affinities for neighboring Serbia and Belgrade's ally Russia could hinder the country's ongoing European integration. Milatovic said he was a step closer to fulfilling his pledge that "I will be the one to bring the country into the EU." EU accession is an enduring desire for most Montenegrins since the country's application to join the bloc in 2008, two years after its independence from Serbia. But around one-third of Montenegro's residents identify as Serbs, and twice as many worship under a Serbian church that flexed its political muscles two years ago to oust Djukanovic's governing allies in favor of pro-Serbian parties. Whatever the bumps and detours along the way, Djukanovic has spent decades pursuing a policy of EU accession, on top of the NATO membership achieved in 2017. After the first round of voting, he described his first-place finish as providing a "tailwind" for his Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) and its agenda "to lead Montenegro down the European path." But it could as easily portend an end to Djukanovic's personal domination of national politics and further decline for his DPS, which governed continuously from 1991 to 2020. Veteran leader Djukanovic won the 2018 presidential election outright with 53 percent of the vote. Zlatko Vujovic, a professor of political science at the University of Montenegro, said that "the halo of the eventual winner over Djukanovic" could allow Europe Now! to swallow up voters from other parties. "This could affect a major restructuring of the political scene," he told RFE/RL's Balkan Service. Unknown Quantity A restructuring arguably began 2 1/2 years ago, when a handful of relatively disparate groups led by a pro-Serbian coalition narrowly defeated the DPS and its allies to win a one-seat majority in parliamentary elections. Milatovic became economy minister in the subsequent government, led by then-Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic, a Serb and a staunch pro-Serbian and pro-Russian former academic. Two governments collapsed amid infighting over the next two years, and a caretaker government was left in charge until snap elections now slated for June 11. "There were a lot of protests against corruption and self-dealing and abuse of power under the previous government, and that's pretty widely felt," Kurt Bassuener, senior associate at the Berlin-based Democratization Policy Council, said. "But then what followed in the governments was not necessarily a cleanup to strengthen the institutions and strengthen rule of law, but rather to populate institutions with their people." The signs of political restructuring continued in 2022 with Europe Now!'s formation under leader Milojko Spajic and deputy leader and then-mayoral candidate Milatovic in June, buoyed by a surprisingly strong showing in local elections in October. Europe Now! won 41 of the 458 local legislative seats being contested in 14 municipalities including Podgorica. That was well behind the totals for Djukanovic's DPS party (110) and the pro-Serbian Democratic Front alliance (98) but a stunning showing for a party that only came into existence four months before. It also signaled public support for Spajic and Milatovic's efforts to spark economic rejuvenation and wage growth by carving away at direct financing of health care, among other steps. "The Europe Now! movement...has been offering voters things they want to hear: better salaries, a fight against corruption, and [criticism of] the political establishment," Garcevic said, "[but it] avoids all 'difficult issues' like relations with Russia, Serbia, or the role of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro." Garcevic suggested the movement's narratives "often resemble narratives of European populist and antiestablishment parties when they entered their political campaigns in their countries, like the Five Star Movement in Italy, but it doesn't necessarily mean that they are the same. Simply, we don't know yet." He also said it speaks volumes about the calcified political scene in Montenegro. "The fact that the candidate of a nonparliamentary party, formed just several months ago, won almost 30 percent of popular support and is likely to win the presidential election in Montenegro speaks about how much citizens need new policies and new political actors," Garcevic said. Vujovic suggests the movement's populist approach is likely to continue to win over voters until the snap elections in June but is unsustainable in the longer term, particularly in the Montenegrin context. "I think the expectations of the citizens far exceed even the promises made by the leaders of Europe Now! There is an unfounded optimism that wages will continue to rise, even though we do not have income in the budget to finance it," Vujovic told RFE/RL's Balkan Service. Alarm Bells There are other warning signs, too, particularly with respect to the issues of national identity and Serbian church influence, according to some observers. Krivokapic used the word "apostles" to describe his cabinet in the fragile government that he led immediately after his and other anti-Djukanovic groups won the 2020 elections. It was regarded by many as a provocative choice of words, since the Serbian Orthodox Church had led anti-government rallies and otherwise mobilized its faithful in Montenegro to help unseat the DPS out of revenge for a law on religion and faith that Djukanovic and the DPS had passed nearly a year earlier. Milatovic was also a stand-in after the February disqualification of his fellow Europe Now! leader Spajic as presidential candidate. It was no minor technicality that excluded Spajic but the disclosure amid an Interior Ministry investigation that Spajic had maintained Serbian residency for years and was suspected of holding dual citizenship. It was a notable miscalculation on an issue that remains central to Montenegrin identity and politics. "He doesn't look like a compromise candidate to a lot of people," Bassuener said of a recent visit to Montenegro. He noted the sensitivities among many Montenegrins regarding relations with the Serbian church and Serbs more broadly, including some Serbian government officials' willingness to endorse a "Serbian world" view, which echoes the "Russky mir," a pan-Slavic concept that denotes a core "world" of Russian culture and smaller, outlying cultures. The entire Balkan region is currently grappling with pro-Russian disinformation and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's refusal to align his policies with EU-wide sanctions and other punishments for Russia's year-old invasion of Ukraine. "The mistrust toward Milatovic and Europe Now!, on the part of those who identify as Montenegrin and identify with Montenegrin statehood is profound," Bassuener said. "And he is seen by a lot of the folks that I talked to as the more-marketable-to-outsiders face of a 'Serbian world' approach to the region." Montenegrin sovereignty, independence, and social cohesion "have all been damaged under a static government for a very long time," he said, leaving the country especially "vulnerable to predatory action both internally [and] by an interested neighboring state that has an openly irridentist agenda not just towards Montenegro -- that [state] being Serbia -- and by Russia." Written and reported by Andy Heil with contributions by Milos Rudovic of RFE/RL's Balkan Service in Podgorica Ethnic Serbs have boycotted en masse 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 preliminary results indicated that the Vetevendosje (Self-Determination) party of Kosovo's prime minister, Albin Kurti, had won the mayoral races in North Mitrovica and Leposavic, while the opposition Democratic Party of Kosovo had taken races in Zvecan and Zubin Potok. As expected, turnout was low, after the dominant ethnic Serb party, Srpska Lista (Serbian List), which enjoys the support of neighboring Serbia's government, announced it was boycotting the votes. The commission said only 1,567 people -- or 3.47 percent of voters -- showed up at polling stations. Despite the low turnout, the results are considered legally valid. There is no minimum turnout rule for the vote. 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. RFE/RL correspondents reported that the only ballots that were being cast were submitted in places with ethnic Albanian residents. WATCH: Most of the voters in RFE/RL footage from North Mitrovica and Zvecan are local Albanians, as are most of the candidates for mayor, due to a boycott by the dominant Kosovo Serb party, Serbian List. The result could further step up tensions between ethnic Serbs who are mostly loyal to neighboring Serbia and Kosovo's central government that represents the country's overwhelmingly ethnic Albanian majority. Ethnic Serbs compose some 1-2 percent of Kosovo's population of around 2 million people. Milan Radoicic, vice president of Serbian List, said following the vote that "those who think that with 1 or 2 percent of votes, 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." 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 its nationalist president, Aleksandar Vucic. The Serbian List party has demanded the formation of an Association of Serb Municipalities, as Kosovo's government pledged to the international community a decade ago, and the withdrawal of special units of the Kosovo Police from the north of the 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 ethnic 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. The 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. Kurti this week accused Belgrade of intimidating Serbs from the north to discourage their participate in the voting. 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 Serbian representatives 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 Central Election Commission urged citizens in the north to exercise their right to vote. The international community has also expressed regret at the Serb-led 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." Years before Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a "no-limits" partnership and the Kremlin launched a wide-ranging censorship campaign following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Beijing and Moscow were sharing methods and tactics for monitoring dissent and controlling the Internet. That growing cooperation between the two countries is shown in documents and recordings from closed door meetings in 2017 and 2019 between officials from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), its chief Internet regulator, and Roskomnadzor, the government agency charged with policing Russia's Internet, that were obtained by RFE/RL's Russian Investigative Unit (known as Systema) from a source who had access to the materials. DDoSecrets, a group that publishes leaked and hacked documents, provided software to search the files. 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 Xi's first trip to Russia as leader in 2013. Over the ensuing years that cooperation expanded through a number of agreements and high-level meetings in China and Russia between top officials driven by a shared vision for a tightly controlled Internet. The files give a behind-the-scenes look at some of those discussions -- the content of which has not been previously reported -- and offer a window into the practical level of cooperation under way between China and Russia when it comes to monitoring and restricting their respective Internets. Among those deliberations -- which are cataloged through meeting notes, audio recordings, written exchanges, and e-mails that have been verified by RFE/RL -- Russian officials are seen asking for advice and practical know-how from their Chinese counterparts on a range of topics, including how to disrupt circumvention tools like VPNs and Tor. They are also seeking ways to crack encrypted Internet traffic as well as seeking tips from China's experience in regulating messaging platforms. In turn, Chinese officials sought Russian expertise on regulating media and dealing with popular dissent. In a 2019 exchange, officials from the 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." In another instance in July 2017, Aleksandr Zharov, who served as the head of Roskomnadzor until 2020, asks a Chinese delegation led by Ren Xianling, then-deputy minister of the CAC, 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 China's Great Firewall. The outcome of that visit is not outlined in the files RFE/RL received and Roskomnadzor and the Chinese Foreign Ministry did not respond to questions about the contents of the material. A Decisive Period While not conclusive, that request highlights how Russia has sought to emulate China in exerting control over its people in the social-media age, says Andrei Soldatov, a Russian investigative journalist and co-author of the Red Web, a recent history of Moscow's attempts to control the Internet "2017 was a crucial time that decided what direction to take Russia's Internet towards," Soldatov told RFE/RL. "It was this period when Russia was looking at how to build the more sophisticated system that it now has in place and it looks like the Russians learned something about how to do this from the Chinese." For years, the Russian government has been putting in place the technological and legal infrastructure to smother freedom of speech online. Many of those measures have stumbled in practice, including a clumsy attempt to ban the Telegram messaging app in 2018, while other tools like VPNs and Tor also mostly eluded Russian censors. 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 country's 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. Behind Closed Doors The first closed-door meeting RFE/RL obtained records from is on July 4, 2017, in Moscow, where a Russian delegation led by Zharov met with a Chinese group led by Ren. Aleksandr Smirnov -- the head of the Kremlin's public relations department, which oversees information policy on behalf of the president -- invited Zharov to a Russian-Chinese media forum that took place in conjunction with an official visit by Xi. In addition to attending the official part of the event, Smirnov told the Roskomnadzor chief in a letter to meet with CAC to "exchange experience in regulating the Internet sphere." The discussions, according to the letter, came about after a request from the Chinese. According to documents and audio recordings examined by RFE/RL, the talks lasted more than two hours and involved Zharov with two deputies and one assistant, along with Ren and three CAC officials, plus translators for each side. The discussions quickly turned to practical requests for expertise, with Zharov asking about Chinese "mechanisms for permitting and controlling" mass media, online media, and "individual bloggers," as well as Chinese experience regulating messenger apps, encryption services, and VPNs. Zharov would go on to suggest that the CAC send a team of specialists to Russia to study the technical aspects of Russia's system for blocking content online, which he said took place with a "high efficiency" inside the country. The Roskomnadzor chief then requested that they be permitted to send a team to China to study the operations of China's vast Internet censorship and surveillance system, the so-called Great Firewall, because "more than 95 percent" of prohibited content in Russia is "foreign-produced." The Chinese side asked for more details on the types of information blocked in Russia and how it monitors online discussions and processes personal data. Ren also asked for specifics and methods for Russia to use the Internet to "form a positive image" inside and outside the country. Zharov responded that image control was outside the purview of Roskomnadzor and that it should be raised with the Putin administration. The Chinese delegation also asked about protests organized by opposition figure Aleksei Navalny a few months prior in March 2017 that coincided with the release of a documentary detailing alleged corruption by then-Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and wanted to know what tools Roskomnadzor used to regulate media coverage of the nationwide rallies. "These high-level exchanges have been going on for some time and they've always been focused on understanding what the other side is doing in one area, where they see the other falling short, and what they might learn from each other," Andrew Small, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, told RFE/RL. "Internet censorship has been a big part of it because it relates to political stability at home and the shared view that outside forces are meddling from abroad." Zharov said that protests in some cities took place with proper permits from the authorities, so information about them was not restricted online, and that a decision to let them take place was made because they were deemed relatively small-scale and enthusiasm for them would fade within "a few days." He added that the decision to let the protests take place was influenced by Putin's "very high level" of support from the public, which he said "fluctuates at around 89 percent." The Roskomnadzor chief may have misrepresented popular support for Putin at the time and downplayed the level of sustained interest inside Russia for the Navalny documentary to his Chinese counterparts. According to polling by the state-owned Russian Public Opinion Research Center at the time, Putin's trust or confidence rating had fallen to 49.9 percent, with his approval rating sitting at some 81 percent. Also, according to a previous RFE/RL investigation, the Main Radio Frequency Center (GRFC) -- a specialized unit within Roskomnadzor -- tracked online interest and discussion about the Navalny documentary and their internal metrics show that it only began to decline on the Russian Internet by July -- nearly four months after it was released. Few follow-up details are offered in the files obtained by RFE/RL about the requests and enquiries raised in the meeting, but Roskomnadzor compiled and shared a summary of the discussions with the FSB, Russia's main domestic intelligence agency. In that document, Zharov strikes a positive note and calls for expediting joint efforts with China to improve the blocking of information and the need for the "exchange of experience at the level of technical specialists" between the two countries. Pushing Ahead With Deeper Ties The 2017 meeting came after a wider push in the preceding years for deeper cooperation between Beijing and Moscow when it came to monitoring and controlling information online and saw new agreements on increased collaboration signed by Xi and Putin. A breakthrough was reached in April 2016, when the Safe Internet League, a censorship lobbying group funded by Konstantin Malofeyev, a conservative Russian oligarch with close links to the Kremlin and Russian Orthodox Church, organized a conference in Moscow that featured a large Chinese delegation led by Lu Wei, who at the time was the head of the CAC, and Fang Binxing, the architect of the Great Firewall. Denis Davydov, the executive director of the Safe Internet League, told The Guardian in 2016 that the deal to hold the conference was reached in December 2015 in Beijing between Fang and Igor Shchyogolev, a university friend of Putin's and former communications minister who serves as a Kremlin aide on Internet issues. Malofeyev and the Safe Internet League were part of a group pushing for closer cooperation in order to learn from China how to better tame the web and limit Western digital influence. Shchyogolev also played a key role, and Soldatov says he was one of the main figures pushing for a pivot to China at a time when some elements of the intelligence services were still suspicious of involving the Chinese more closely in Russian domestic affairs. Following the July 2017 meeting, officials from Roskomnadzor and the CAC continued to meet and share expertise. By 2019, Russia had introduced its own "sovereign Internet law" and Putin began to accelerate moves to bring foreign technology companies like Google, Facebook, and Twitter to heel by imposing fines and introducing laws that required corporations to keep employees in Russia and thereby expose them to potential arrest. During a June 2019 meeting in Moscow, Xi and Putin announced an upgrade in their ties to a "comprehensive strategic partnership," with cooperation on information and governing the Internet front and center. The two leaders said they shared a need for "peace and security in cyberspace on the basis of equal participation of all countries" and vowed to "promote the construction of a global order for the governance of information and cyberspace." More Practical Cooperation One month later, Zharov and a team from Roskomnadzor met with a Chinese delegation in Moscow led by Zhuang Rongwen, who was appointed to head the CAC in 2018. According to readouts and recordings from the July 17, 2019, meeting, Roskomnadzor's representatives asked about Chinese expertise in being able to counteract attempts to bypass blocking, with Zharov citing the agency's failed attempts to block Telegram in 2018 as an example. The Russian side also said it wanted to learn how China uses artificial intelligence to identify and block "prohibited content." A response from the Chinese delegation is not in the files, but a 2023 RFE/RL investigation revealed that Roskomnadzor has begun to use artificial neural networks to track Russians online, particularly searching for posts that insult Putin or call for protests. On the sidelines of the World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, China, in October 2019, Roskomnadzor and the CAC signed a cooperation agreement on counteracting the spread of "forbidden information" and the obtained documents show select requests from the CAC in December 2019 to block information inside Russia under the guise of that deal. Among those requests, which were laid out in three separate letters containing links to articles and sites, Chinese officials asked to censor a Chinese-language BBC story about China's "toilet revolution," a government campaign launched in 2015 to improve the country's sanitation; a blog post that discusses rumors of Xi suffering a back injury that received less than 4,000 pageviews; and links on GitHub, the software development website, that describe ways to bypass China's firewall inside the country. Other requests include the homepage of The Epoch Times, a newspaper affiliated with the Falun Gong religious movement that is persecuted inside China, and links to profiles on the Russian social-media site VKontakte. In one instance, a user shared a video of an apparent ethnic Uyghur couple dancing that is titled "Rustam and Zumrad (Uighurs rock)." Beijing launched a sweeping crackdown and internment system against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang that the United Nations described as committing "serious human rights violations" and some Western countries have designated as genocide. Another request features the VKontakte profile of a Chinese university student that contains a video interview of former Chinese President Jiang Zemin in 2000 with CBS's 60 Minutes that is archived on the nonprofit U.S. network C-SPAN. The interview touches on human rights issues, U.S.-China relations, and religious freedom in China. "The scope of these requests is quite sweeping and it's interesting that it extends beyond Beijing's classic set of issues like Xinjiang, Taiwan, or Tibet," Small said. RFE/RL does not know Roskomnadzor's response to the Chinese requests, but at the time of publication the links are still accessible inside Russia. "It's a wide-ranging approach to image management and it's interesting that Beijing thinks they can make these broad requests from Russia," Small said. "It's an externalization of how these issues are handled inside China and perhaps a hint of where this cooperation is headed." Former US President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty in New York City on Tuesday to 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 136 years in prison, though the actual sentence will likely be far less than that if he is convicted on any or all counts, Trend reports citing Fox News. Falsifying business records is typically a misdemeanor charge in New York but rises to the level of a felony with a maximum four-year sentence when a defendant's "intent to defraud includes an intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof." Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg was asked by reporters at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon why the second concealed crime was not specified in the indictment. "Let me say as an initial matter that the indictment doesn't specify it because the law does not so require. In my remarks, I mentioned a couple of laws which I will highlight again now," Bragg said. "The first is New York state election law, which makes it a crime to conspire to promote a candidacy by unlawful means. I further indicated a number of unlawful means, including additional false statements, including statements that were planned to be made to tax authorities. I also noted the federal election law cap on contribution limits." Farmers in the Bulgarian city of Ruse blocked the main border crossings with Romania last week, using their tractors to stop trucks from crossing the main bridge spanning the Danube. With banners reading, "Stop the genocide of agriculture" and "We want to be competitive," the Bulgarian farmers say that about 40 percent of their crop from last year -- mostly grain and sunflower seeds -- remains unsold and the surplus has meant they don't have another storage space ahead of this year's harvest. The reason? Cheap Ukrainian grain and other produce that has been flooding the market, helped by the European Union waiving customs duties and import quotas, an attempt by Brussels to help its war-stricken eastern partner keep its agricultural sector running and reach markets, often in developing countries, outside the EU. With recent protests in Poland and Romania, the Bulgarian farmers aren't the only ones who are upset -- and there is now increased pressure on national and EU leaders to address the problem, with some farmers going as far as to suggest that imports of Ukrainian agricultural goods be stopped. It's not that European farmers necessarily lack sympathy for their Ukrainian counterparts. Daniela Dimitrova, a regional leader of Bulgaria's grain producers' union, told the AP news agency that "we stand in solidarity with Europe and its support for Ukraine," which was once the breadbasket of the Soviet Union. "But the European Commission," she said, "should look at each individual member state and make farmers competitive." Farmers in Bulgaria who grow sunflower seeds, one of the country's major exports, say they can't compete with the huge surge of Ukrainian goods flooding the market. Deputy Agriculture Minister Todor Dzhikov recently told Bulgarian National Radio that for 2021, 20,000 tons of sunflowers were imported from Ukraine to Bulgaria. In 2022, almost 900,000 tons were imported, leading to a price drop on the domestic market of nearly 50 percent, Politico reported. When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, its military blocked or occupied Ukraine's Black Sea ports, making it impossible to export grain and other produce by sea. The UN's World Food Program Executive Director David Beasley warned at the time that Russia's attack risked turning "the breadbasket of the world to bread lines" for millions of people. Before Russia's invasion, Ukraine, which aspires to join the EU, supplied 42 percent of the sunflower oil traded on the global market, 16 percent of the corn, and 9 percent of the wheat, according to figures from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. Entire countries, especially in the Middle East and Africa, were dependent on Ukrainian imports of those products. With its ports blocked and alternative shipping routes cut off, some 20 million metric tons of grain were stuck in Ukraine in 2022, before the summer and ahead of another harvest. Mounting Crisis To deal with the mounting crisis, the European Commission, the EU's top executive body, on April 27, 2022, proposed suspending all tariffs and quotas on exports of Ukrainian goods for one year, including farm produce. Then, in May 2022, the European Commission launched its Solidarity Lanes Action Plan, which established alternative routes for Ukrainian grain, most of which was expected to transit through the EU to markets farther afield. With neighboring states such as Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Moldova, Hungary, and Bulgaria playing a key role, railways, roads, and inland waterways -- namely the Danube River -- became lifelines for Ukraine's struggling economy and its farmers. In another breakthrough, on July 22, 2022, an agreement was brokered by the UN and Turkey to open a safe humanitarian corridor in the Black Sea, the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Since then, more than 900 ships filled with grain and other foodstuffs have left three Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea, Chornomorsk, Odesa, and Yuzhne. As of March -- when the Black Sea Grain Initiative was extended -- more than 23 million metric tons of grain and other foodstuffs were exported via the Black Sea, according to figures from the Black Sea Grain Initiative Joint Steering Committee. Of that total, 49 percent was maize, which had been sitting in granaries and needed to be cleared to free up space for wheat from the 2022 harvest. The UN's World Food Program (WFP) has also started shipping wheat again from Black Sea ports. "Ukraine plays a critical role in providing wheat, corn, vegetable oil, and other food to global markets. The Black Sea Grain Initiative allowed exports of more than 26 million metric tons of food commodities and helped to bring down global food prices," a WFP spokesperson told RFE/RL. "Continued exports from Ukraine are absolutely vital for global food markets, as they help to relieve some pressure from domestic food prices around the world, which is crucial for poor people living in countries most affected by the current food crisis." According to the figures from the steering committee, over 65 percent of wheat exported through the Black Sea Grain Initiative reached developing countries. The same figures show maize being exported nearly equally between developed and developing countries. After expecting that the grain would be transiting through the EU, for many farmers in the bloc, it's simply too much. They argue that Ukrainian grain is flooding their domestic markets, undercutting local producers, its cheap price proving too tempting for local buyers and traders. It's not just grain, but other Ukrainian foodstuffs that have benefited from the relaxed customs duties and import quotas, including eggs, poultry, sugar, and apples. "In the framework of the solidarity lanes, the EU market has opened to Ukrainian imports, resulting in an unprecedented flow of Ukrainians' products to Eastern Europe. This sudden and significant influx has created tension locally," explained Farm Europe, a think tank focusing on rural economies in the EU. Zdenek Kubiska, chairman of the board of the Czech Association for Commodities and Feed, said that Ukrainian grain began flooding EU markets after the Black Sea Initiative was launched. According to Kubiska, who spoke to the iDNES news website, some Ukrainian crops are not reaching developing countries as planned but ending up in the EU, namely Spain and Italy. Kubiska blamed middlemen in Turkey, where the Ukrainian grain is first shipped, for sending it on to the EU rather than countries in the developing world. The claims that profiteers in Turkey were to blame were echoed by Jan Dolezal, the president of the Agrarian Chamber of the Czech Republic, who told iDNES that they were taking advantage of the situation. "Considering that agricultural commodities are not imported into the EU by farmers, but by traders, this is not actually helping Ukrainian farmers, who themselves receive a fraction of the real price," Dolezal was quoted as saying. Those charges were downplayed by the World Food Program (WFP). "It is true that some [WFP-chartered vessels] go to Turkey for the wheat grain to be milled into flour. However, all the food is then shipped on to our operations in countries such as Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Yemen," the WFP spokesperson told RFE/RL. Regardless of whoever is responsible, EU farmers' anger is only growing. Brussels is trying to de-escalate the crisis and, on March 20, offered a total of 56.3 million euros ($61.6 million) in compensation to affected farmers, of which Bulgaria would receive 16.7 million euros and Poland almost 30 million euros, amounts that not only farmers, but also government officials in their respective countries say aren't enough. For farmers in Romania, the offered compensation is even less, at 10 million euros. In a bid to dampen farmer anger in Poland and after hours of reportedly heated talks, Agriculture Minister Henryk Kowalczyk announced on March 29 that farmers and traders will receive some 1.2 billion zlotys ($281 million) in compensation for losses, although it was unclear how much was coming from the EU and how much from Poland's state budget. Despite telling the Polsat News channel that Ukrainian grain imports to Poland had dropped over the past two weeks, the under-fire Kowalczyk stepped down on April 5, citing the European Commission's plans "to extend duty-free imports for Ukrainian grain until June 2024." Knives Out The knives are out for Kowalczyk's Romanian counterpart. Dacian Ciolos, a former European commissioner for agriculture and now a lawmaker in parliament, has demanded the resignation of Agriculture Minister Petre Daea for the "disastrous" farmer aid deal negotiated with Brussels. "Romanian farmers are being wronged due to the political irrelevance in negotiations at the top of the Agriculture Ministry and the inability of the administration to support the interests of the Romanian agricultural sector with arguments and relevant figures," Ciolos said in a statement. In response, Daea said his ministry had provided all the requested data but did not have a say in the final amount of 10 million euros that the EU has agreed to grant Romanian farmers. Feeling the heat at home, political leaders in impacted EU states are pushing Brussels to do more. In a March 31 letter, seen by RFE/RL, addressed to the European Commission and its leader, Ursula der Leyen, the prime ministers of Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria said the channels meant to ship Ukrainian grain to global markets are not operating as had been planned. They urged the EU's top executive body to consider the urgent purchase by the 27-member bloc of the surplus crops and to provide financial support, including money to build storage facilities for excess grain. A European Commission spokesperson told RFE/RL that Brussels is aware of the scope of the problem. "The commission recognizes that these additional imports are causing pressure on agri-food supply chains in these countries, leading to oversupply, decreased demand, increased storage costs and eventually reduced local prices," the spokesperson said, adding that the 56.3 million euros aid package is likely not the last. "In parallel, the commission is working on a second support measure of a similar magnitude targeted at frontline member states." For many of the European Union's farmers, though, it might be too little, too late, with growing calls to shut the door on Ukrainian agricultural imports. Romanian agricultural producers are planning what they say will be a nationwide strike on April 7 to push this demand, and reports in Bulgarian media say their counterparts are planning to offer their support. Acting Bulgarian Agriculture Minister Yavor Gechev said on March 29 that Bulgaria will request changes to the EU's current duty-free imports of agricultural goods from Ukraine. In one year, Gechev said, Ukraine's sunflower imports have increased twentyfold. "No market can absorb such additional quantities," he said. With reporting by RFE/RL's Rikard Jozwiak, RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service, and RFE/RL's Romanian Service. Danylo Lytvynenko says he is eager to get back into battle on Ukraine's eastern front once he masters his new prosthetic leg. He's one of 12,000 war casualties treated at a specialist rehab center in Lviv, including 350 children. The Lviv facility uses high-tech German machinery to make its own devices so Ukrainians need no longer wait for imported prosthetics. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked Poland for rallying Western support for Ukraine and said that Russia will not defeat Europe as long as Ukraine and Poland are working closely together. Zelenskiy, who visited Warsaw on April 5, and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki signed a letter of intent to cooperate on the supply of defense equipment and ensure constant military support, the press service of the Ukrainian president said. "Today we are signing a document on the supply of Polish Rosomak armored personnel carriers, Rak self-propelled mortars, air-defense systems, in particular the very effective Peruns, MiGs, and other weapons that we badly need," Zelenskiy said at a news conference after talks with Morawiecki. WATCH: Ukrainian assault brigade sappers risk everything to clear the front line of mines laid by Russian forces -- and lay their own. They often work a few hundred meters from Russian positions, leaving them vulnerable to attack. As one sapper told Current Time correspondent Oleksiy Prodayvoda about a recent mission: "I thought I wasn't coming back." The two leaders also signed an agreement on cooperation in the reconstruction of Ukraine's infrastructure and discussed the creation of joint enterprises for the production of weapons and ammunition. "Despite everything, the defense-industrial complex of our countries will work effectively," Zelenskiy said, describing the agreements signed during his visit as "very substantive." Later, in a speech at Warsaw's Royal Castle, he thanked Poland for the significant military aid, expressing gratitude to each and every Polish person for this "brotherhood" and saying, "There is no force left that can overcome Ukrainian-Polish friendship." 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. Zelenskiy called the Polish-Ukrainian alliance a cornerstone of freedom for all Eastern European countries battling Russian imperialism. "If we are free together with you, it is the guarantee that freedom will be strong among all our neighboring countries, the neighbors of the European Union -- Romania, Slovakia, Lithuania, and other Baltic countries. All of them are stronger when we are free," Zelenskiy said. "If we are free, that serves as the guarantee that freedom will prevail in Moldova, too, that it [will] not leave Georgia, and will definitely come to Belarus," he said. Zelenskiy said earlier that Ukraine regards Poland as one of its closest Western allies and a critical partner in its reconstruction after the war with Russia ends. Polish President Andrzej Duda told the news conference that Poland will keep helping Ukraine fight off Russia's aggression and pledged to give Ukraine more MiG-29 fighter jets. "Four MiG-29s that remained in storage have been handed over to the Ukrainian armed forces in recent months. Four MiGs are now being given, so eight in total," Duda said. "We are ready...to give six more that are currently being prepared. We assume they could be transferred soon." Duda also said that Warsaw is working toward obtaining additional security guarantees for Ukraine at a NATO summit to be held in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, on July 11-12. "Today, we are trying to obtain for Ukraine at the next NATO summit in Vilnius... additional security guarantees that will strengthen the military potential of Ukraine," Duda said. As Ukrainian forces continue to put up a stern resistance in the east, where Russian troops have been attempting for months to capture Bakhmut and several other key cities in the Donetsk region, Zelenskiy told the news conference in Warsaw that the situation continues to be difficult and that "corresponding decisions" would be made if Ukrainian forces there risk being encircled. Zelenskiy said that protecting the lives of Ukrainian soldiers was the most important thing to him. Poland has been instrumental in mobilizing Western military and political support for its eastern neighbor since the start of Russia's unprovoked invasion more than one year ago. The country has also been host to some 1 million Ukrainian refugees, and Zelenskiy, accompanied by Duda, is due to meet at Warsaw's Royal Castle with some of the Ukrainians who have found shelter in Poland. Meanwhile, four civilians were killed and 11 others were wounded in the Donetsk region by Russian shelling overnight, the region's governor, Pavlo Kirylenko, said on April 5. Three people were wounded by Russian bombardments in the southern region of Kherson, the regional administration said, and one person was wounded in the Sumy region, local officials reported. Ukrainian defenders repelled more than 60 Russian attacks over the past 24 hours, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported in its daily bulletin on April 5, adding that most attacks continued to focus on Bakhmut, Avdiyivka, and Maryinka. Russian forces also launched an unsuccessful assault on Bohdanivka in the Donetsk region, the military said. A total of 17 Iranian-made drones were launched by Moscow's forces overnight, the military reported, without giving details. On the diplomatic front, French President Emmanuel Macron, who arrived on a visit to China on April 5, told journalists in Beijing that anyone helping "aggressor" Russia in the Ukraine conflict would become an "accomplice." "We have decided since the beginning of the conflict to help the victim, and we have also made it very clear that anyone helping the aggressor would be an accomplice in breach of international law," he said. French officials have said that Macron planned to urge Chinese President Xi Jinping during talks on April 5 to use Beijing's influence with Russian President Vladimir Putin to find a solution to the conflict. Macron voiced hope that Beijing will participate in initiatives that are useful to the Ukrainian people, the officials have said. With reporting by Reuters, dpa, AP, and AFP ADS ADS Introducing six new Premier models, updated with a heritage-inspired design and equipped with the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01. Their launch coincides with a new book chronicling the genesis of Breitlings most collectible chronograph. The latest iteration of the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01 found in the new Premier chronograph was redesigned in 2022 and features a trimmer profile and more compact oscillating weight that can be admired through the transparent sapphire-crystal caseback. The movement comes with a five-year warranty and provides an approximate 70-hour power reserve. In order to marry usability with elegance, the Premier now comes with a 100 m (10 bar) water resistance. Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Breitling To create the design of the new Premier, Breitling preserved distinctive vintage-Premier design details, including the smooth fixed bezel, twin-register dial, streamlined rectangular pushers, and applied Arabic numerals. At 42 mm, the case diameter is slightly larger than the 40 mm found on the existing B09 (manual-wind) models. The tone-on-tone subdials with chronograph minutes at 3 oclock and running seconds at 9 oclock lend a polished style, while new dial shades in salmon, blue, green, black, and cream add a contemporary twist to the stainless-steel models. A further variation in 18K red gold features a classic cream dial. The watches come on a choice of classic alligator leather strap or sleek 7-row metal bracelet. Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Breitling The Premier's journey revealed in a new book The launch of the new Premier B01 Chronograph 42 coincides with the publication of Premier Story, part three of the Watch Stories series that chronicles some of the worlds most celebrated timepieces. Author Fred Mandelbaum, Breitlings official brand historian and the worlds foremost Premier collector, guides readers through Willy Breitlings ultimately successful (but often tumultuous) quest to take the humble chronograph out of the aircraft cockpit and onto the wrists of the worlds style-setters a journey that began 80 years ago. ADS ADS Andersen Geneve, fascinating and moving Originally from Denmark, Svend Andersen moved to Switzerland in 1963 with his watchmaking diploma Made in Denmark in his pocket. Spotted by Patek Philippe, he joined their Grandes Complications workshop in 1969, where he was welcomed by Henri Stern himself. He subsequently left to create his own company in the late 1970s. It was in January that the Fine Watch Club went to visit this Manufacture now co-managed by Pierre-Alexandre Aeschlimann to discover some of its most iconic timepieces. The collection that particularly embodies the DNA of Andersen Geneve is the Worldtime: a reinterpretation of and tribute to the watchmaking creation of Louis Cottier (1930) and the World Time by Patek Philippe. Worldtime Watches, Tempus Terrae Andersen Geneve Breitling, back to the future Whether during the Geneva Watch Days or at a Happy Hour, the Fine Watch Club has become somewhat familiar with the dynamic Breitling team at the Quai des Bergues. This year, to further improve their knowledge, the Club took some of its members to the heart of the company: its Manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds. From the creation of the legendary chronographs to the most recent selfwinding B01 and B04 movements synonymous with precision (COSC-certified), robustness and performance, Breitling has consistently proved capable of reinventing itself in order to remain in the spotlight. Today, under the aegis of its CEO Georges Kern, the company continues to demonstrate a creative and pioneering spirit in perpetuating the rich tradition that began within a small Saint-Imier workshop in 1884. Three questions to Allen Vernier, Head of People and Culture, QoQa.ch Allen Vernier GMT Magazine Where does your passion for watches come from? My first mechanical watch was given to me by my grandmother and my mother when I was about 24: it was a pre-owned Breitling Callisto. At the age of 40, I bought an H. Moser & Cie. Venturer with a red gold dial, my greatest watchmaking crush. I have also collaborated with the motuum.ch communication agency specialized in luxury, and that works for watch brands. Full circle. Your favorite experience with the Fine Watch Club? The most touching experience was meeting Svend Andersen. Passion still vibrates in his voice at 80 years old. He is probably one of the last great legends who worked before, during and after the quartz crisis and is still active. Your favorite watch? The latest one! A Bulgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT released for the tenth anniversary of the model and that I discovered alongside its designer, Fabrizio Buonamassa! Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Limited Series Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Limited Series Montblanc The first divers watch designed by Montblanc, this sporty (41mm) timepiece with a unidirectional rotating bezel in two-tone ceramic is ready to accompany you on your most extreme adventures, whether diving (water-resistant to 300m) or conquering the highest peaks. With a patented dial design inspired by the Mer de Glace (Iced Sea), it is also distinguished by the number 23 at 23:00, in reference to the year 2023 and the number of lucky purchasers of this limited series. As a WorldTempus reader, we are delighted to offer you the latest digital version of this GMT magazine that you can download here. 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. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Sudan's warring generals had agreed to a three-day ceasefire starting Tuesday (2200 GMT Monday), after previous bids to pause the conflict quickly disintegrated. A CHARITYS new head said she was honoured the Rotherham 10k would continue to supporting older people. Hundreds of experienced athletes, fun runners and children will be pounding the streets in the event on May 14, with proceeds going to Age UK Rotherham. Barbara Dinsdale, who was appointed as chief executive of the charity last month, said: I feel honoured that they have once again chosen us to be the beneficiary charity. Ray (Matthews) is an ambassador for Age UK and hes a perfect role model for it, but he also sees the benefit to the community of making it a big event and effectively a festival day for the people of Rotherham. Supporting older people is not always seen as a sexy cause so were honoured were kept in the public eye on an annual basis as Im sure any other charity would bite their hands off to be chosen. The charity chief said she had initially signed up to do the 10k herself but now thought she would be better served helping coordinate the event on the day. Instead, Barbara intends to complete the distance virtually by running it on a treadmill on a different date. She took over the reins at Age UK Rotherham from retiring chief executive Lesley Dabell, who had the role for the past 14 years. Lesley said she had received fantastic support from the trustees, staff and volunteers and met many amazing older people over the years. THIEVES who took a delivery drivers van before later leading police on a high-speed chase through Rotherham were found hiding in bushes, a court heard. Tyler Bradley (22) and Cohen Roberts (31), who had previous driving-related convictions, stole the vehicle after the driver dropped his keys. Bradley admitted aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving while Roberts pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking while being carried by as a passenger when both were brought before Sheffield Crown Court last Monday. Mr Katherine White, prosecuting, said that on October 22 (last year) a driver had been delivering in Sheffield when his van had been taken. He had dropped his keys, she said, and the defendants had grabbed them, climbed into the vehicle and driven off. Ms White added: He [the delivery driver] did try to stop the vehicle. She said the driver had reported the theft of the 5,000 van to the police. Ms White said that on October 26, a Range Rover had been stolen. Police searching the area had found the stolen van and a pursuit had begun, she said. CCTV footage screened in court showed footage of the high-speed chase in Sheffield and Rotherham, as Bradley drove the van at an excessive speed, just avoiding the traffic on both sides of the road and driving on the pavement. Ms White said the van had collided with a red BMW during the chase and shortly after, the pair had stopped and exited the vehicle and tried to escape. These two defendants apprehended were hiding in the bushes, she said, adding that a third suspect had never been caught. Bradley of Houstead Road, Sheffield, made no comment in interview, while Roberts, of Ravenscroft Crescent, Sheffield, claimed he had only been in the van for a lift. Ms Laura Marshall, mitigating for Bradley, said it had been an appalling driving by her client, whom she said was to some extent very immature. Judge Jeremy Richardson said: It was deplorable driving. He told Bradley that after a trial he would have been sent to prison for 16 months but noted he had admitted his crimes at an early stage so the sentence could be reduced to 12 months in prison suspended for a year. Judge Richardson also ordered him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid workand disqualified him from driving for 12 months. He added Roberts would have been sentenced to 14 months after trial but noted he had also pleaded guilty to the offence, which reduced his sentence to ten months. As Roberts was already in prison for a separate offence, the sentence could not be suspended and he would be released when he served his ongoing sentence Judge Richardson said. Roberts was also disqualified from driving for three years. Salman Khan 'This is the power of money', wrote a Social Media User MUMBAI: A video of Superstar Salman Khan is going viral on social media these days, in which he is seen dancing as a background dancer at an event hosted by Indian billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani. This is a throwback video though. In the video, Salman was seen on stage behind Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant. Users are continuously trolling Bhaijaan on social media over the video. Reportedly, the video is a clip from Mukesh Ambani's daughter Isha Ambani's Sangeet Ceremony. In this video, Anant Ambani is performing at the song 'Koi Mil Gaya' from Shah Rukh Khan's film 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' on stage with a guitar in his hand. Meanwhile, his fiancee Radhika Merchant also dances with Anant. Along with this, Salman Khan wearing a blue suit is seen dancing in the background. Advertisement Social media users have flooded the comment section with trolling statements. An user wrote, 'This is the power of money, you can make anyone dance to your tune'. Another one wrote, 'Bhai paisa ho toh kya kuch nahi ho sakta." Advertisement On the other hand, some fans are supporting and praising Salman Khan. A fan wrote, "He just enjoyed it It's not about becoming a back dancer..... At the end they were treating him like a respectable guest.... Be positive." Manish Sisodia Next Hearing will be held on April 12 NEW-DELHI: The Court on April 5 extended the judicial custody of Former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia. The next hearing in the bail petition of Manish Sisodia in money laundering case in connection with the Delhi Liquor scam is scheduled to be held on April 12. On Wednesday, the court took this decision after hearing the arguments of both the sides. Sisodia's lawyer Vivek Jain told the court on Wednesday that not even a single rupee has come into the account of Manish Sisodia or his family. The investigating agency conducted raid at sisodia's residence and the bank accounts of the family members were checked but no evidence of money laundering was found against Sisodia. For Representation Purpose Only Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 provides for the payment of a fixed sum NEW-DELHI: In the recent times, many cases have come to the fore of employees approaching court to seek justice. Last year, IT company Infosys was summoned by the Union Labor Commissioner and later by the Karnataka Labor Department over non-compete clauses in its employment agreements. A Chennai court has ordered Tata Consultancy Services to reinstate an employee sacked in 2015 and pay him full salary and benefits for seven years. There are other examples that show how awareness of certain laws helped corporate professionals not only demand justice, but also set an example for other companies to avoid bullying. Indian labor laws do not clearly define salaried employees. However, the Industrial Disputes Act of 1947 referred to an "employee" as any person, including an apprentice, engaged in "manual, unskilled, skilled, technical, operational, clerical or supervisory work" in an industry. Advertisement The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 provides for the payment of a fixed sum to an employee on termination of employment on retirement, resignation, death or disability due to accident or disease, after continuous service of at least five years. In case of death, the gratuity should be paid to the nominee/heir of the deceased employee. The Act also has penal provisions that every employee should be aware of. Under the Maternity Benefit Act 1961, employers cannot employ women in any capacity for six weeks immediately after childbirth or abortion. Most importantly, employers are liable to pay maternity benefits at the average daily wage rate for the immediate period of absence including the day of delivery and the next six weeks. However, to claim the benefit, the employee must have worked at least 160 days in the 12 months immediately preceding the expected delivery. The Employees' State Insurance Act of 1948 ensures employees and provides financial assistance in the event of injury. The Employees State Insurance Corporation administers the Employees State Insurance Scheme, which provides basic medical and financial assistance to employees and their families and covers sickness, employment injury or maternity benefits. Gangster Deepak Boxer Delhi Police Special Cell arrested the most wanted gangster Deepak Boxer from Mexico NEW-DELHI: The Special Cell of Delhi Police has brought gangster Deepak Boxer to the National Capital today. Reportedly, Deepak boxer is said to be very close to Lawrence Bishnoi. The police team brought the gangster amid heavy security at the Delhi airport. ith the help of the FBI. The Delhi Police Special Cell arrested the notorious and most wanted gangster Deepak Pahal alias Deepak Boxer from Mexico. The Cops achieved this feat with help of the American intelligence agency- FBI and Interpol. Deepak Boxer was considered as one of the top ten gangsters of the country. Delhi Police was hunting for Deepak boxer in connection with the builder Amit Gupta murder case and many other criminal cases. Advertisement Notably, Deepak Boxer was out of the country for a long time. After the murder of Jitender Mann Gogi in the Rohini court, Deepak Boxer was operating the Gogi gang. In January 2023, he fled to Mexico via Kolkata by using a fake passport from Bareilly. A team was formed under the supervision of Police Special Cell Commissioner HGS Dhaliwal to nab Deepak Boxer. Deepak came into the limelight in 2016 when he freed gangster from Delhi Police custody in Bahadurgarh. Supreme Court The SC has given this decision regarding 'Media One' TV channel NEW-DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday lifted the ban imposed by the central government on Malayalam news channel. The Center had banned the broadcast of Media One news channel citing national security. Rejecting this decision, the Supreme Court said that criticism of the policies and steps of the government cannot be called anti-national. According to the information, the Supreme Court has given this decision regarding 'Media One' TV channel. The Supreme Court has asked the Malayalam channel to renew its license within four weeks and has also ordered the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting about the license. Advertisement It is worth mentioning here that Media One filed an application in the Supreme Court against the decision of the Kerala High Court. The Kerala High Court upheld the order of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting canceling the license citing security reasons. During the hearing, The bench led by CJI Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud said the license cannot be denied to the media organization. The court said that the issue of national security has been raised carelessly. The Center has failed to produce any facts or evidence to justify the decision to impose the ban. The Supreme Court said that the new license should continue till the interim order. Apart from this, he issued a major statement on the 'freedom of the press' and said that it is necessary to have a free press for the functioning of the society. The court said that no investigation report can be opposed in this matter. This is a matter related to the rights of the people. People cannot be deprived of their rights citing the security of the country. Finland Joins NATO Russia Expressed Strong Displeasure over the Expansion of NATO Finland has become a new member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). It is the 31st country to join the world's largest military alliance. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced on Tuesday that Finland has now become a member of NATO. Russia expressed strong displeasure over the expansion of NATO. The statement issued by the Kremlin stated, "Finland's accession to NATO is an attack on Russia's security. We will deal with it." Advertisement Significantly, NATO headquarters is in Brussels. Reportedly, Sweden is also likely to become a part of NATO very soon. Stoltenberg said in a conversation with the media - This week is going to be historic for us. NATO countries are coming to a forum. Finland has become a new member of our NATO family. Sweden may also become a part of it very soon. Stoltenberg is a former Prime Minister of Norway. He said, "For the first time, the flag of Finland was hoisted at the NATO headquarters. Now, NATO countries will be responsible for its security." About NATO..... Advertisement The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed in 1949 by the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union. As per the reports, after the destruction of the Second World War, the nations of Europe struggled a lot to rebuild their economies and ensure their security. The Western European countries were in a desperate need of collective security solution. As a result, taking in view the increasing tensions and security concerns, representatives of several countries of Western Europe gathered together to create a military alliance. Great Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg signed the Brussels Treaty in March, 1948. Their treaty provided collective defense; if any one of these nations was attacked, the others were bound to help defend it. NATO aims to promote democratic values and enables members to consult and cooperate on defence and security-related issues to solve problems, build trust among the countries. The organisation is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes. If diplomatic efforts fail, it has the military power to undertake crisis-management operations. Advertisement NATO plays an significant role in fighting terrorism, contributing more than 13,000 NATO troops to train local forces in Afghanistan. NATO is also a full member of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, and our AWACS surveillance aircraft continue to support the Coalition. NATO is also training Iraqi forces to fight ISIS and control the terror activities. Member Countries.... Currently, NATO has 31 member countries. In 1949, there were 12 founding members of the Alliance: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States. After that, 19 more countries have joined the Alliance till now which includes Greece and Turkiye (1952), Germany (1955), Spain (1982), Czechia, Hungary and Poland (1999), Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia (2004), Albania and Croatia (2009), Montenegro (2017), North Macedonia (2020), and Finland (2023). Advertisement Resolution to celebrate April 14 as 'National Sikh Day' Presented in the US Parliament On Baisakhi, Sikhs remember the Creation Of Khalsa 1699 AMERICA: Two US parliamentarians have presented a proposal in the House of Representatives, the lower house of Parliament, to celebrate April 14 as National Sikh Day. Recognizing the contribution of the Sikh community in the United States to empowering and inspiring people, lawmakers have introduced the resolution. The Proposal states that Sikhs should celebrate April 14 (Baisakhi) as National Sikh Day. It recalled the Khalsa order established in 1699. The festival of Baisakhi plays an important role in maintaining the history of the religion and the identity of the Sikhs. Member of Parliament Mary Gay Scanlan introduced the resolution and said that the Sikh community serves people through religious programs similar to the principles of America. Advertisement Mary said that the people of America respect the Sikh community for making the country prosperous. The resolution states that on Baisakhi day, Sikhs remember the Creation Of Khalsa 1699. The MP said that this resolution is appropriate to celebrate Baisakhi with Sikhs around the world and to honor the contribution made by Sikhs in the United States of America. Final composite Purchasing Managers' survey results from the euro area and the UK and factory orders from Germany are due on Wednesday, headlining a busy day for the European economic news. At 2.00 am ET, Destatis is scheduled to issue Germany's factory orders data for February. Orders are forecast to grow 0.3 percent on a monthly basis, but slower than the 1.0 percent gain in January. In the meantime, industrial output from Norway and foreign trade figures from Denmark are due. At 2.45 am ET, France's statistical office Insee releases industrial production for February. Economists expect output to grow 0.5 percent month-on-month, in contrast to the 1.9 percent decrease in January. At 3.00 am ET, Spain's INE is set to issue industrial production for February. Output is expected to fall 0.1 percent annually, slower than the 0.4 percent increase in January. Also, retail sales data from the Czech Republic is due. At 3.15 am ET, S&P Global publishes Spain services and composite Purchasing Managers' survey data. The services PMI is forecast to rise to 57.5 from 56.7 in the previous month. At 3.45 am ET, Italy's services and composite PMI survey data is due. Economists expect the services index to improve to 53.2 in March from 51.6 a month ago. Thereafter, final PMI survey results are due from France and Germany at 3.50 am and 3.55 am ET, respectively. At 4.00 am ET, S&P Global publishes euro area final composite PMI data. The final reading is seen at 54.1, unchanged from the flash estimate. At 4.30 am ET, UK S&P/CIPS final services PMI data is due. The index is forecast to drop to 52.2 in March, as initially estimated, from 53.1 in February. At 5.00 am ET, Italy's Istat publishes retail sales data for February. Sales had increased 1.7 percent on month in January. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News The U.S. military airlifted embassy officials out of Sudan on Sunday and international governments raced to evacuate their diplomatic staff and citizens trapped in the capital as rival generals battled for control of Africas third-largest country for a ninth day. The Biden administration has announced two critical new packages of security assistance to Ukraine to help the war-torn country fight against Russian invasion. The latest round of U.S. military assistance, valued at $500 million, includes significant new air defense capabilities, more ammunition for U.S.-provided HIMARS and anti-armor and motor systems, as well as rockets, artillery, and tank ammunition that Ukraine is using to defend itself. It is the 35th time the Biden administration has authorized the use of presidential drawdown authorities to send much-needed assistance to Ukraine to meet its immediate battlefield needs. In addition, the Department of Defense is providing equipment to help Ukraine with its longer-term security assistance requirements using $2.1 billion in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds. Unlike Presidential Drawdown, USAI is an authority under which the United States procures capabilities from industry rather than delivering equipment that is drawn down from DoD stocks. The announcement of this USAI package represents the beginning of a contracting process to provide additional capabilities to Ukraine's Armed Forces. The capabilities in the $500 million package include Additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems; Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS); 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds; 120mm mortar rounds; 120mm and 105mm tank ammunition; 25mm ammunition; Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles; Approximately 400 grenade launchers and 200,000 rounds of ammunition; 11 tactical vehicles to recover equipment; 61 heavy fuel tankers; 10 trucks and 10 trailers to transport heavy equipment; Testing and diagnostic equipment to support vehicle maintenance and repair; and spare parts and other field equipment. Under USAI, the DoD will provide Ukraine with additional munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS); Nine counter-Unmanned Aerial System 30mm gun trucks; 10 mobile c-UAS laser-guided rocket systems; Three air surveillance radars; 30mm and 23mm anti-aircraft ammunition; 130mm and 122mm artillery rounds; 122mm GRAD rockets; Rocket launchers and ammunition; Javelin anti-armor systems; Anti-armor rockets; Approximately 3,600 small arms and more than 23,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition; Seven tactical vehicles to recover equipment; Eight heavy fuel tankers and 105 fuel trailers; Armored bridging systems; and Funding for training, maintenance, and sustainment. Separately, at a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission on Tuesday, Allied foreign ministers reaffirmed their strong support for Ukraine. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg noted that Allies will develop a multi-year initiative to help ensure Ukraine's deterrence and defense, make the transition from Soviet-era equipment and doctrines to NATO standards, and increase interoperability with NATO. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Finland has joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The Baltic country became the 31st member of the western military alliance through the fastest ratification process in its modern history. In May 2022, Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership. NATO Allies signed Finland's Accession Protocol on July 5, after which all 30 national parliaments voted to ratify the country's membership. Turkey was the last remaining country to ratify Finland's membership bid. At a ceremony held at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto deposited with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken the ratification of the instrument of acceding to the protocol for Finland's accession to NATO. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg then welcomed Finnish President Sauli Niinisto for a flag-raising ceremony to mark the country's accession to the Alliance. "I am deeply proud to welcome Finland as a full-fledged member of our Alliance and I look forward to also welcoming Sweden as soon as possible," he said. "Joining NATO is good for Finland, it is good for Nordic security and it is good for NATO as a whole," he added. The Secretary General also noted that Finland's accession shows the world that President Putin failed to "slam NATO's door shut." "Instead of less NATO, he has achieved the opposite; more NATO and our door remains firmly open," he said. The Finnish national anthem and the NATO hymn were played, as Finland's flag was raised outside NATO Headquarters for the first time, in the presence of President Niinisto, Foreign Minister Haavisto, Defence Minister Kaikkonen, the foreign ministers of all NATO Allies and invitee Sweden. Welcoming Finland as NATO's 31st Ally, President Joe Biden said that when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his war of aggression against the people of Ukraine, he thought he could divide Europe and NATO. "He was wrong. Today, we are more united than ever. And togetherstrengthened by our newest Ally Finlandwe will continue to preserve transatlantic security, defend every inch of NATO territory, and meet any and all challenges we face". He said he looks forward to welcoming Sweden as a NATO member as soon as possible, and urged Turkey and Hungary to conclude their ratification processes without delay. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insists on returning PKK militants for his country's ratification of Sweden's bid to join NATO. The North Atlantic Council's approval of the applications for NATO membership requires ratification by the parliaments of all the countries of the 31-member bloc. Hungary and Turkey remains the only NATO members that have not yet ratified the instrument of ratification of Sweden's Accession Protocols. Within minutes of officially getting NATO membership, Finland's Foreign Minister Haavisto deposited the Finnish ratification for Swedish membership. "This is our first act as a member state," he told his U.S. counterpart Blinken. The historic day for the Alliance came on the 74th anniversary of NATO's founding. The expansion of the defense bloc with the addition of Finland is seen as a big political challenge by Russian President Vladimir Putin as his war to conquer Ukraine grinds ahead. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Shares of Albemarle Corporation (ALB) are slipping over 7% on Wednesday morning after Liontown Resources rejects $3.7 billion buyout offer from the company. ALB is currently trading at $194.45, down $15.12 or 7.21%, on the NYSE. The stock opened its trading at $200.96 after closing Tuesday's trading at $209.57. The stock has traded between $185.15 and $334.55 in the past 52-week period. Australian lithium miner Liontown Resources has rejected a $3.7 billion or A$5.5 billion takeover proposal from Albemarle, saying that it materially undervalues the company. Albemarle confirmed that it submitted a non-binding proposal to acquire all outstanding shares of Liontown by way of scheme of arrangement for A$2.50 or $1.66 per share in cash. Albemarle alleged on Monday that the Liontown Board has not meaningfully engaged with Albemarle to facilitate its shareholders receiving the benefits of the proposal. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News A student helper counts alumni packs for undergraduates [credit: Rikie Lai] By Ephreeda Banda, student writer and graduation helper Graduation week at Rhodes University is a momentous occasion for graduates and their loved ones, as it marks the culmination of years of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. To ensure the smooth running of the prestigious event, the University relies heavily on the support of student helpers behind-the-scenes. Student helpers are essential to ensure logistical aspects of graduation week run smoothly. They are employed in various support structures of the University, such as the student bureau, academic administration, communications, branding and alumni relations. "It would be impossible to pull off a successful graduation without the assistance of our student helpers," explained Ilva Pieterse, Senior Social Media Officer at Rhodes University. "And we are lucky to be in a situation where we can employ students, who understand the context and importance of graduation, rather than rely on external help." They assist with various tasks, including setting up venues, managing queues, directing guests, creating a social media buzz, taking pictures and supporting staff members. One of the ushers, Abongile Gotyana, said: "It has been a great experience. Everyone has been friendly and helpful. There is much collaborative work, so everyone works together to get the job done. This job makes me see the importance of graduation and why it is the best moment in people's lives. There is so much joy and excitement, and we get to see families celebrate. It is a joyful experience with the graduates." Student helpers are vital in enhancing the guest experience during graduation week. They are often the first point of contact for guests and visitors, and as such, they play a crucial role in creating a positive impression of the University. Student helpers are trained to provide a high level of customer service, which includes being friendly, approachable, and knowledgeable about the event. They can answer questions, provide directions, and ensure guests are comfortable and well-informed throughout their visit. Student helpers also have the opportunity to gain valuable skills and experience through their involvement in graduation week. The experience of working as a student helper can develop a range of transferable skills, including communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and time management. Additionally, the experience of working during graduation week can help to build confidence and provide a sense of achievement and satisfaction in students. Cebokazi Duze, a regular Communication and Advancement Division assistant, said that when she joined the student helpers' team, she gained experience in branding and helped with packing gifts and graduation packages for new alumni. She said being around different people doing different things and learning new things was one thing that motivated her to be a part of the student helpers' team regularly. "I found it enjoyable to meet people from different areas of expertise and backgrounds," said Duze. Furthermore, student helpers are essential in fostering community and pride among the Rhodes University student body. Graduation week is a time for celebrating students' achievements, and by working as a student helper, students can play an active role in this celebration. Moreover, the experience of being a student helper during graduation week can help to create lasting memories and connections with fellow students, staff members, and the wider community. "We grow extremely fond of our student helpers," said Pieterse. "Seeing them every graduation morning, from as early as 07h30, cheery and excited, helps set the mood for our staff members. And even after a long day of being on their feet, our helpers are still keen to jump in and move boxes or carry tables. Their enthusiasm is contagious and often keeps us 'older ones' going." The involvement of student helpers during graduation week demonstrates the importance of student engagement and participation in the life of the University. The University is committed to valuing and involving its students in the broader community by allowing students to play an active role in such a significant event. Student Bureau Manager Desiree Wicks, who is fully involved with the graduation preparations, expressed her appreciation for the student helpers. "They are key, she stated. They are like an army of workers that appear and make it successful and support the staff. I have two student helpers who specifically work with me during this time, and I would not be able to do my job as thoroughly if I did not have their support." The Rhodes University community would like to express their deepfelt gratitude to the unsung heroes of graduation our student helpers. Source: Communications Rhodes University academics take on three projects with significant national impact The Department of Higher Education and Training has awarded Rhodes University R13 497 000 to run three projects aimed at making a national impact on the higher education sector. The three project leaders are Director of the Centre for Postgraduate Studies, Professor Sioux McKenna; NRF SARChI Chair for Intellectualisation of African Languages, Multilingualism and Education Professor Dion Nkomo; and Head of the Centre for Higher Education Research, Teaching & Learning (CHERTL), Associate Professor Jo-Anne Vorster. The heart of higher education's knowledge creation postgraduate studies Prof McKenna's project, 'Building the Quality of Postgraduate Education in South Africa', will bring together institutional leaders and postgraduate supervisors to reflect on enhancing postgraduate education. "Rhodes University will work with the entire public university system to consider a number of key elements pertaining to quality in postgraduate education importantly, these will include recruitment and admissions, supervision, and examination," Prof McKenna explained. "We hope to develop practice guides on all three issues and to collaboratively develop processes that enhance the quality of postgraduate education at every university," she added. Professor McKenna cautioned against the practice of universities working in competition with each other. She said: "We miss opportunities to share and develop with and from each other when working in silos. This project addresses this by providing a national platform for the sector to reflect on postgraduate education and to implement actions that enhance it." African languages as academic languages Prof Nkomo's project, 'Consolidating African Languages in South African Higher Education', seeks to consolidate the use of African languages in South African higher education, focusing on multilingual pedagogies and pedagogical resources. "Best practices will be identified and shared across collaborating institutions through workshops. Expertise will be harnessed from partner institutions towards the collaborative development of academic texts in African languages. Such texts are meant to support academics and students whose use of African languages in academic contexts is constrained by the paucity of texts in African languages," Prof Nkomo explained. The project will build on the agency of academics already deploying such practices to support their students. He added: "Given South Africa's apartheid history, during which access to higher education followed exclusionary policies based on race and language, efforts to transform higher education institutions must address language policies and practices. The drastic demographic changes of the student body in South African institutions of higher learning, which reflects that universities now enrol students with diverse linguistic and educational backgrounds, need to be accompanied by pedagogical approaches that are sensitive and responsive to such backgrounds." Developing academic developers Prof Vorster's project, 'A Formal Qualification Aimed at Professionalising the Practice of Academic Developers', will support twenty academic development practitioners from public universities across the sector to complete the Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education [PGDip (HE)] for academic developers at Rhodes University. She said many academic developers are employed in teaching and learning centres with little knowledge or experience in the field. "The complexity of higher education in South Africa requires extensive expertise to guide and support teaching and learning. Historically many academic developers have entered the field with no knowledge or experience of academic development, yet they are called upon to contribute to institutional responses to difficult teaching and learning challenges," Prof Vorster explained. The PGDip (HE) for academic developers contributes to the professional development of staff employed as academic staff developers, student developers, curriculum developers, managers of institutional University Capacity Development Grants, and quality assurance professionals. "Addressing the multiple transformation challenges in our universities, including the transformation of curricula, requires committed professionals with expert knowledge and the capacity to provide high-level leadership for institutional change processes," she concluded. Source: Communications The ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II, one of the New Kingdoms greatest kings, has touched down in Paris as part of an international blockbuster exhibition President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi stressed in a phone call with his Cypriot counterpart Nicos Anastasiades that Egypt looks forward to elevating cooperation with Cyprus, particularly at the levels of security, military, economy and energy, to achieve the interests of the two peoples. President El-Sisi expressed Egypt's appreciation for Egypts special relations with Cyprus and their positive development, Presidential Spokesperson Bassam Rady said in a statement. The Cypriot president expressed his keenness to exchange views and consult with President El-Sisi on regional issues of common interest, as well as coordinate on issues pertinent to cooperation between the two countries, Rady noted. The call also touched on regional developments and both sides affirmed the alignment of the two countries' interests and positions in the eastern Mediterranean region. Egypt, Cyprus and Greece are part of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum, a Cairo-based international organisation that aims to establish a regional gas market and enhance trade relations among member states. The leaders ofthe three countries have held several tripartite summits in recent years, the last of which was in October in Athens, to enhance cooperation in various fields, at the top of which is energy. During this summit, the three countries signed an agreement on linking their respective power grids. Today's call also witnessed a discussion on ways to coordinate efforts with Egypt as a leading partner of the European Union in the fields of combatting terrorism, extremism and irregular migration, Rady pointed out. Egypt, which host some six million refugees from Arab and African countries, has stepped up its efforts since 2016 to deal with irregular migration, setting a legislative framework to combat smuggling of migrants. Search Keywords: Short link: Even though the title is just honorary, an East County mountain town has a new mayor. Jennifer Tschida, associate publisher of The Alpine Sun newspaper, has been named the 2018 Honorary Mayor of Alpine. She will take over for Rose Signore, owner of the Postal Annex of Alpine. Tschida, who raised money during her campaign for research into a mitochondrial disease that kills children, was named the unincorporated communitys unofficial leader on April 10 at the Alpine Mountain Empire Chamber of Commerce monthly breakfast. Advertisement The mayoral campaign and race is an annual fundraising effort championed by the chamber and the Alpine Community Foundation. The competition raises money for nonprofit community causes. Every dollar donated to a candidates campaign is a vote. The candidate with the most votes wins. Each candidate, who must live or work in Alpine, donates the money to the nonprofit charity, organization or educational purpose of his or her choice. Between Tschida and three other candidates, a record $22,000 was raised this year. Last years candidates raised about $15,000, according to Chamber Vice Chairman Bob Ring of Alpine Barons Market, twice an Alpine Honorary Mayor. Caity Yaussi earned money for the Alpine Education Foundation to provide exceptional programs for local students, Louis Russo funded classroom school supplies and teachers wish lists and Sallie Brown campaigned for an Adopt-A-Grandparent USA program to bring holiday cheer to elderly assisted living residents. Tschida, who grew up in Alpine and is a 2000 graduate of Granite Hills High School, was awarded a small key to the community of Alpine, a purple sash declaring her mayor and a black top hat as symbols of her new status. She will be asked to attend chamber events and other Alpine activities when possible. She said attending events in Alpine will be easy for her as her newspaper job already places her at most of them. Its a pretty cool overlap for me, she said. The married mother of two kids ages 12 and 14, and owner of a big ol 95-pound lap dog, was recently promoted from account executive to publisher at The Alpine Sun. These things are good for the community, she said of the mayoral run as a whole. We all want the community happy and thriving and not at odds. Its really the kids who won. We want healthy kids running around Alpine. I loved everyones campaign programs. When the campaign first started, the goal was to raise money for the teachers wish lists in the Alpine Union School District. Several years ago, it was decided that candidates could donate the money to help the community or a nonprofit charity. The first winner was Peggy Easterling in 2003. Other winners have included Al Guerra, owner of The Liars Club Tavern & Grill, in 2008, and Alpine Fire Chief Bill Paskle in 2014. karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.com Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi congratulated in a telephone call on Thursday Cyprus new President Nikos Christodoulides for winning the presidential elections earlier this week, the Egyptian presidency said. The two leaders in the telephone call asserted the strength of the deep-rooted relations between Egypt and Cyprus expressing their wish to enhance strategic partnership in the upcoming period to serve the aspirations of the two peoples and contribute to reaching stability, security, development and prosperity regionally and internationally. El-Sisi also expressed his extreme appreciation to the outgoing President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiadis for his pivotal role in strengthening the bonds of Egyptian-Cypriot friendship during his years in office, wishing him all success and prosperity in the future. Over the past years, Egypt and Cyprus have been keen to enhance their bilateral cooperation in various fields, especially regarding the economy and energy. Both Egypt and Cyprus are members of the EastMed Gas Forum, a Cairo-based international organisation that aims to establish a regional gas market in the Eastern Mediterranean and enhance trade relations among member states. In October 2021, Egypt also signed an accord with Cyprus on linking the two countries electricity transmission networks and an agreement with Greece on an undersea cable that will transmit power from North Africa to Europe. Egypt, Cyprus, and Greece have held several tripartite summits over the past several years, the last of which was in October in Athens, to enhance tripartite cooperation in various fields, at the top of which is energy. During the ninth trilateral summit gathering of the leaders of the three countries in the Greek capital in October, the three countries signed a trilateral agreement on power linkage to establish power pipelines linking Africa with Europe. Search Keywords: Short link: Scores of Jewish extremists Monday stormed the Muslim holy place, Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalems Old City, under heavy protection from the Israeli police provoking Muslims observing the holy fasting month of Ramadan, according to the Islamic Waqf department, which is in charge of the Muslim holy places in occupied Jerusalem. It said the extremists stormed the compound in groups during the early morning hours and performed Jewish rituals within its walled yards despite a decades-old agreement confining such practices to to Muslims only. Israeli occupation forces meanwhile intensified security measures against Palestinians seeking to reach the mosque for worship during this holy month, inspecting their IDs and briefly detaining some of them. The forces also broke into the compound and forcefully removed worshippers, many seeking to hold all-night prayers at the Mosque, in order to clear the compound ahead of the morning storming by the Jewish extremists. Search Keywords: Short link: The dinosaur-bird transition is among the most fascinating events in evolutionary history, but several aspects such as changes in reproductive system, nesting strategy, and body temperature are still poorly understood. New research led by Goethe University Frankfurt scientists shows that eggshells of modern reptiles and birds differ in their isotopic compositions. Interestingly, analyses of eggshells of Troodon formosus a small, bird-like dinosaur that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous epoch, some 77 million years ago reveal that it retained a slower, reptile-like mineralization to produce its eggs, despite having already evolved the capacity of changing its body temperature (heterothermic endothermy) like modern birds. The findings also suggest that Troodon formosus possessed two functional ovaries and that their nests were shared by multiple females. Troodon formosus was about 2 m (6.6 feet) long and populated the vast semi-arid landscapes of North America about 75 million years ago, said lead author Dr. Mattia Tagliavento from Goethe University Frankfurt and colleagues. Like some of its dinosaur relatives, it presented some bird-like features like hollow and light bones. Troodon formosus walked on two legs and had fully developed feathery wings, but its relatively large size precluded it from flying. Instead, it probably ran quite fast and caught its prey using its strong claws. The females laid eggs more similar to the asymmetric eggs of modern birds than to round ones of reptiles, the oldest relatives of all dinosaurs. These eggs were colored and have been found half buried into the ground, probably allowing the females to sit and brood them. In their study, the authors examined the calcium carbonate of several well-preserved Troodon formosus eggshells. Using a novel method called dual clumped isotope thermometry, they could measure the extent to which heavier varieties (isotopes) of oxygen and carbon clump together in carbonate minerals. The prevalence of isotopic clumping, which is temperature-dependent, made it possible for the researchers to determine the temperature at which the carbonates crystallized. They were able to determine that the Troodon formosus eggshells were produced at temperatures of 30 and 42 degrees Celsius (86 and 108 degrees Fahrenheit). The isotopic composition of the Troodon formosus eggshells provides evidence that these extinct animals had a body temperature of 42 degrees Celsius, and that they were able to reduce it to about 30 degrees Celsius, like modern birds, Dr. Tagliavento said. The scientists then compared isotopic compositions of eggshells of reptiles (crocodile, alligator, and various species of turtle) and modern birds (chicken, sparrow, wren, emu, kiwi, cassowary and ostrich) to understand if Troodon formosus was closer to either birds or reptiles. They identified two different isotopic patterns: reptile eggshells have isotopic compositions matching the temperature of the surrounding environment. This is in line with these animals being cold-blooded and forming their eggs slowly. Birds, however, leave a recognizable so-called non-thermal signature in the isotopic composition, which indicates that eggshell formation happens very fast. We think this very high production rate is connected to the fact that birds, unlike reptiles, have a single ovary, Dr. Tagliavento said. Since they can produce just one egg at the time, birds have to do it more rapidly. We did not detect the isotopic composition which is typical for birds. This demonstrates that Troodon formosus formed its eggs in a way more comparable to modern reptiles, and it implies that its reproductive system was still constituted of two ovaries. The authors also combined their results with existing information concerning body and eggshell weight, deducing that Troodon formosus produced only 4 to 6 eggs per reproductive phase. This observation is particularly interesting because Troodon formosus nests are usually large, containing up to 24 eggs, Dr. Tagliavento said. We think this is a strong suggestion that females of Troodon formosus laid their eggs in communal nests, a behavior that we observe today among modern ostriches. These are extremely exciting findings, said Dr. Jens Fiebig, a researcher at Goethe University Frankfurt. Originally, we developed the dual clumped isotope method to accurately reconstruct Earths surface temperatures of past geological eras. This study demonstrates that our method is not limited to temperature reconstruction, it also presents the opportunity to study how carbonate biomineralization evolved throughout Earths history. The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. _____ Mattia Tagliavento et al. 2023. Evidence for heterothermic endothermy and reptile-like eggshell mineralization in Troodon, a non-avian maniraptoran theropod. PNAS 120 (15): e2213987120; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2213987120 Marine predators have expanded their ranges into the Arctic waters over the last twenty years, driven by climate change and associated increases in productivity. The seas surrounding the Arctic are important fisheries and ecological regions; they are also among the areas most affected by climate change. The effects of warming waters and loss of sea ice on the biodiversity of these waters, and hence their ecology, is still not fully understood. An international team of researchers led by Dr. Irene D. Alabia at the Arctic Research Center at Hokkaido University has examined Arctic-wide and regional changes in species richness, composition, and potential species associations. Their findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, show that recent changes in biodiversity were driven by pervasive poleward species range expansions. "We used data on the occurrences of 69 species of apex predators and mesopredators in eight Arctic areas from 2000-2019," Alabia explains. "We combined this information with climate and productivity data across the same period to map species-specific habitat distributions." The team calculated the species richness, community composition, and co-occurrences between species pairs throughout the twenty-year study period at each of the eight Arctic areas. They were able to infer potential species associations and changes therein from the co-occurrence data. Their most important finding was that species richness -- the number of different species represented in the study regions -- has increased over the study period, driven by the northward migration of apex predators such as whales, sharks and seabirds. Mesopredators such as fish and crabs exhibited a relatively limited degree of northward migration, confined to the shallow continental shelf seas of the Pacific and Atlantic. Although the spatial extent varies, this northward expansion was driven by changes in either climate, productivity, or both. These climate-driven biodiversity changes, in turn, led to alterations in potential species associations due to habitat overlap between taxa from different marine communities during unprecedented periods of temperature and sea ice changes. "Our findings revealed that changes in climate and species richness in the Arctic vary across different large marine areas and highlight potential regions of climate and productivity hotspots, and emerging areas of species gain," Alabia concluded. "This information is relevant for strengthening conservation and management efforts for the sustainable use of resources under the expanding footprints of climate change in the Arctic." Israeli police shot and killed Mohammad Khaled al-Osaibi, a Palestinian from Houra, near Al-Aqsa Mosque's Chain Gate according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA. Israeli police claim that Osaibi, a 26-year-old medical school graduate who had just passed his exam in Israel, attempted to snatch a weapon from a border guard before being killed. However, witnesses had a different account, saying that police shot Osaibi at close range after intervening on behalf of a Palestinian woman who was assaulted by police and forced to leave the mosque. Hours after the incident, the muddy stone alleyway leading to Al-Aqsa Mosque was still stained with blood.The village council called for a thorough investigation of his killing and a general strike Saturday in protest. Ayman Odeh, an Israeli parliament member and Talab Al-Saneh, a former member, denied the police's allegations and demanded that Israeli police release security camera footage to verify the claim Osaibi tried to seize a weapon. Odeh argued that the killing of Osaibi was an execution and that the only way to address the ongoing violence is to end the occupation. He was killed in cold blood after finishing his prayers, said prominent Arab lawmaker Ahmad Tibi. As with previous crimes committed by the police, we are accustomed to many false narratives. The police closed all entrances to the mosque and the Old City following the incident, attacking vendors and shopkeepers in the area before reopening the gates. The attack occurred hours after thousands of Palestinians gathered in the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the second Friday of Ramadan for prayers. Over 2,000 police officers were deployed throughout the city in anticipation of the prayers. Since the beginning of this year, Israeli occupation forces have killed 92 Palestinians, almost all of them from the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Search Keywords: Short link: Personality has become a more important factor than finances when it comes to dating, a new study has found. Researchers from the University of York and the University of Essex analysed more than a million lonely hearts ads and found that in the USA, France, and Canada, there was a sharp decline in economic factors when choosing a partner. However, finances remained an important issue in India when it came to relationships. To see how partner preferences changed over time, the researchers analysed lonely hearts ads from various major news outlets from Canada, France, and India. They collected data from publications from 1950 to 1995, the year that most of these ads shifted to being online. Also, they also looked at ads from 41 regional newspapers from Canada and the USA in 1995. The researchers analysed the language of these ads and categorised them into four distinct preferences. The first of these was economic, which focused on a potential partner's financial situation. The second was personality, which covered traits such as openness or extroversion. The third category was physical, in which ads expressed a preference for body types, and the final was taste, which covered issues like hobbies or habits. This allowed the researchers to identify broader trends of how partner preferences changed over time in a range of countries. The researchers found that between 1950 and 1995, personality played a much greater role in partner preference in Western countries, while economic factors declined in importance, particularly after the 1960s. However, in India, finances remained a key issue for people searching for love, becoming more prominent after 1970, while personality factors remained stable. In the sample of ads from Canada and the USA, by 1995 around 40-45% of the words used by women to describe their ideal partner related to personality criteria. At the same time, only around 10% mentioned finances. Similarly, 35-40% of words in lonely hearts ads placed by men by 1995 focused on personality traits, while only 5% were related to economic factors. The researchers found that up until the 1970s, the share of words relating to finances in Indian ads remained stable at around 35%, but after the 1970s this started to rise. By 1995, this had increased to around 60%. There was some gender disparity in the data from the ads, with a greater rise in the importance of economic factors in ads placed by women than those placed by men. Study co-author Khushboo Surana, from the University of York's Department of Economics, said: "The data we have found supports Maslow's theory of the hierarchy of needs. In this framework, material needs -- i.e. financial factors -- have to be satisfied before you can focus on the immaterial ones, such as personality traits. It is possible that unlike in the west, people's first order needs still haven't been satisfied, which is why we see a focus on economic criteria." Co-researcher Quentin Lippmann, from the University of Essex, also argued that "Our study shows personality becoming more and more important in western countries such as the United States, but we don't see the same trend in India. Once India's economy develops further, and the current generation are more secure financially, they may show a change in preference for personality factors as well. This would align them with the trends we see in the western countries we sampled." This research is being presented at the Royal Economic Society annual conference on Tuesday, 4 April, in Glasgow. A landmark discovery linking iron regulation to a rare blood cancer has led to clinical trials of a potential new treatment for patients with the incurable disease. The study focused on polycythemia vera (PV), a blood disorder causing excessive red blood cells, and found that restricting iron access to the bone marrow could reduce the production of red blood cells in this disease. The research, led by WEHI in collaboration with the University of Melbourne, the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (Australia) and the University of Cambridge and Silence Therapeutics (UK), has led to new clinical trials of a drug that has the potential to control iron regulation in patients with PV. At a glance Researchers discover new way to potentially treat polycythemia vera (PV), a rare form of blood cancer characterised by too many red blood cells. Study found raising hepcidin, a hormone that regulates how your body uses iron, reduces the production of red blood cells and complications from the disease in pre-clinical models. Recruitment for clinical trials based on this landmark research has begun, investigating the effect of a drug that has the potential to control iron regulation in patients with PV. An estimated 250 Australians are diagnosed with polycythemia vera (PV) each year. PV is a chronic disease and there currently is no cure. Without treatment, PV can be life-threatening as an overproduction of red blood cells causes thicker blood, elevating a patient's risk of developing blood clots and cardiovascular conditions like heart attacks and stroke. The cancer is currently treated with venesection, where about 500mL of blood is taken from a patient multiple times a month, to rapidly reduce their red cell count and blood thickness. The new study, published in Blood, provides a promising new treatment avenue that could see the often painful and disruptive blood draws replaced with a simple injection every few months. First author, Dr Cavan Bennett, said discovering that restricting iron access to the bone marrow could reduce the disease severity of PV was a gamechanger. "Through our pre-clinical studies, we found the hormone hepcidin, which is the master regulator of iron availability, is critical for controlling red blood cell production in models of this disease," Dr Bennett said. "The more hepcidin you have in the body, the more you restrict iron access to the bone marrow. "This iron restriction is critical to preventing an excess of blood cell production and this is what is crucial to alleviate the severity of the disease in PV patients." Patients with PV often develop iron deficiency when treated with venesection, but they are also advised against taking iron supplements as this would further accelerate the production of red blood cells in their body. Dr Bennett said targeting hepcidin could also help combat the iron deficiency symptoms faced by PV patients. "This approach restricts iron access only to the bone marrow, without depleting iron from other organs, such as the liver," he said. Silencing power The research is being translated into Phase 1/2 clinical trials taking place across Australia, Malaysia and the United States. The trials will use SLN124, a new drug developed by London-based Silence Therapeutics, in hopes of controlling hepcidin expression in PV patients for the first time. Senior author and Head of WEHI's Population Health and Immunity Division, Professor Sant-Rayn Pasricha, said the trials involved PV patients receiving an injection every few weeks, in hopes of replacing their need for regular venesections. "A treatment option like this would simplify long-term therapy for this disease for patients and the health care system," Professor Pasricha said. SLN124 is a gene silencing therapy that works by inhibiting a gene responsible for hepcidin regulation in the liver. The clinical trials will investigate the effect of temporarily 'silencing' this geneto increase production of hepcidin by the liver, which is expected to reduce disease severity. "We recognised the opportunity to adapt an emerging clinical therapeutic initially designed for other hematological diseases such as b-thalassemia and apply it to polycythemia vera. "To go from a concept to a clinical trial in less than four years is quite astounding. "Our work has laid the essential foundation needed to hopefully transform patient care options for people with PV and provides unique insight that could lead to better understanding the disease." Recruitment for the clinical trials has begun. Landmark genome study The study also uncovered a genetic link between a disorder that causes excess iron accumulation (hemochromatosis) and PV, made possible through WEHI's analysis of extensive population genetics databases including the UK Biobank. The research team was able to leverage this data to conduct a genome-wide association study that analysed data from 440 PV patients to further examine the role of iron in the blood cancer. Professor Melanie Bahlo, laboratory head in WEHI's Population Health and Immunity Division, said having access to the UK Biobank was key to these discoveries. Analysis of a second dataset, the Finnish FinnGen Biobank, confirmed the findings -- highlighting the power of these databases to help formulate and test novel biological hypotheses. "We were the first research team to use the UK Biobank to solely focus on PV samples, which led us to this powerful and novel insight about iron status and PV," she said. "This saw us further discovering that the genetic mutations which cause hemochromatosis are one of the strongest risk-factors for diagnosis of PV -- an insight that will help the research field better understand this rare disease." Dr Victoria Jackson, a postdoc in Professor Bahlo's lab, performed the genetic analysis using a method called genome-wide association study. The research conducted at WEHI was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). New research reveals the progress scientists at The University of Toledo are making in their ongoing efforts to capture and remove invasive grass carp from the Great Lakes. Researchers based at the UToledo Lake Erie Center created a new way to estimate the abundance of invasive "sleeper" species in freshwater ecosystems and help guide management strategies. Using data collected during their efforts to remove invasive grass carp from Lake Erie and its tributaries, the aquatic ecologists and environmental statisticians developed a model that can be used to estimate the amount of any rare fish early in the invasion process. Right now, invasive grass carp are relatively rare and difficult to catch. Published in the journal Biological Invasions, the paper lays out foundational work to determine how many grass carp are likely present at one time in the Sandusky River in Ohio, which flows into Lake Erie and is the largest source of grass carp production in the Great Lakes. UToledo strike teams have been working for years with state and federal agencies to keep invasive grass carp at bay before it's too late. Scientists and students use electrofishing boats and a variety of nets to remove adult grass carp so the threatening fish population can't spread to other Great Lakes. The teams also sample grass carp eggs during spawning seasons in several rivers to learn when and where they are spawning. Estimates from the new model show that from 2018 to 2020, there were probably less than 200 grass carp residing in the Sandusky River: 183 in 2018, 164 in 2019 and 167 in 2020. Overall during that time period, the strike teams captured 96 grass carp in 64 events out of 380 attempted removal events. "As we capture new grass carp, we can refine the estimate each year to describe trends in the number of fish," said Dr. Christine Mayer, a professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences at UToledo's Lake Erie Center. "This will help determine how effective our control strategies have been at reducing the population and preventing them from reproducing or spreading." Mayer said more recent preliminary results suggest that the number of fish in the river has gone down, signaling progress against the invasive species. "Our control work is the most likely explanation for the reduced number of grass carp," Mayer said. "More grass carp have been removed from the Sandusky River than any other location and more effort has been put into the Sandusky than any other location." Native to eastern Asia and introduced to the U.S. in the 1960s for pond control, grass carp feed on vegetation. They pose a risk to wetlands and the fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians who use that habitat, but grass carp do not eat plankton and are unlikely to compete directly with native fish. Grass carp do not jump and are primarily herbivorous. Wild adult grass carp pose significantly different risks to the Lake Erie ecosystem than bighead carp and silver carp, which are the two invasive carp species of greatest concern in the Mississippi River basin. Both bighead carp and silver carp consume plankton, and if these species were to make their way into the Great Lakes basin, they would compete for the same source of food that ecologically and economically important native fish species need to survive. Silver carp are well-known for their jumping ability. "One of the goals of carrying out research on grass carp is to provide information about how other invasive carp species might behave if they ever arrive in the Great Lakes," Mayer said. The new model created at UToledo can be used for estimating the number of any rare species, including endangered or threatened species targeted with conservation strategies. But in this case, the researchers are focused on an invasive species with the aim to keep it rare, prevent its spread and maybe even eliminate it from the system altogether. "Working with a rare species makes it difficult to estimate the numbers in the population, and standard statistical techniques are not appropriate," said Dr. Song Qian, a professor in the UToledo Department of Environmental Sciences. "And data generated from control strategies, such as removing invasive species, are usually not suited to conventional statistical modeling approaches." Oftentimes, fish populations are estimated using a "mark and recapture" procedure where fish are initially captured and marked in some way, such as a fin clip, and then released. In subsequent sampling, the ratio of marked-vs.-unmarked fish can be used to quantify the total number present. However, this process only works when the target species is abundant, which does not hold true for grass carp. UToledo scientists came up with a way to use species-control data to quantify abundance. "Our model modifies another popular estimation approach," Qian said. "We have included experimentally measured data on the probability of detecting grass carp with the field gear used on the project in order to isolate the estimate of numbers present. Typically, the probability of finding a species goes up as it becomes more abundant. Therefore, providing independent information on the probability of detection was crucial to obtaining a valid estimate for this rare species." Partners on the research, titled "A Restructured Bayesian Approach to Estimate the Abundance of a Rare and Invasive Fish," include UToledo, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Great Lakes Fishery Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Geological Survey. Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman held talks on Monday to discuss ways of enhancing bilateral cooperation during a Suhoor, held in Jeddah following El-Sisi's arrival. El-Sisi arrived a few hours earlier, on Sunday night, in Jeddah and was received by the Crown Prince at the airport. The two sides underscored during their meeting the importance of the visit in advancing bilateral relations, reiterating their mutual commitment to forging closer cooperation in all areas for the benefit of the two peoples, according to a statement by Egyptian Presidential Spokesman Ahmed Fahmy. They "lauded the remarkable, solid and historical relations between the two countries across all levels," read the statement. Both leaders also emphasised during the meeting their commitment to continuing coordination and consultations on regional and international issues and developments, Fahmy added. During their meeting, Bin Salman welcomed El-Sisi "in his second country, Saudi Arabia", while the later expressed "appreciation for the warm welcome and generous hospitality" extended to him and the accompanying delegation, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Moreover, the two leaders reviewed the close and historical relations between the two brotherly countries, and explored prospects for cooperation and ways to enhance and develop them in various fields. They discussed developments in the regional and international situation and the efforts exerted in addressing them, in addition to tackling all issues of common concern, the SPA said. / pic.twitter.com/CWsInLj7fg Abdelfattah Elsisi (@AlsisiOfficial) April 3, 2023 "I express my gratitude and appreciation for the warm reception and hospitality. I also affirm the deep, strong bilateral relations between Egypt and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," a presidential statement quoted El-Sisi as saying following the meeting. He also expressed his aspiration to develop and strengthen these relations in all fields in a way that achieves the common interests of our two countries and the great aspirations of our peoples, noted Fahmy. The meeting was attended by the Head of the Egyptian General Intelligence Service (GIS) Abbas Kamel, Saudi Minister of State and National Security Adviser Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, and Minister of State and cabinet member Essam bin Saad bin Saeed. El-Sisis visit to Saudi Arabia is the first after a back-and-forth occurred in early 2023 between various media figures in Egypt and Saudi Arabia on alleged tensions between the two countries. In February, El-Sisi pointedly criticised how "some social media platforms or some articles talk about our relations with our brethren in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, stressing the importance of not listening to these sites that aim to cause discord with our brethren. I have noticed excessive enthusiasm, or should I say transgressions, on social media platforms towards our brethren on issues that have no basis in reality, the president said at the time. It is not appropriate at all, El-Sisi said, to use abusive language or say unfounded things, even if, hypothetically speaking, there were a dispute. He also indicated that Egypt values its good relations with our Arab brethren and does not accept insults against them or attempts to sow discord with them, stressing "we should not forget how our brethren have stood with us." Economic relations Egypt and Saudi Arabias economic relations have been developing in the recent years. In the first nine months of 2022, Saudi Arabia ranked first among the first ten Arab countries importing from Egypt, with a value of $1.8 billion, according to a report issued by the Egyptian Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS) in December. Saudi Arabia also came on top of the list of top Arab exporters to Egypt with $6.4 billion during the same period in 2022, the CAPMAS added. As per the Saudi General Authority for Statistics, trade exchange between the two countries grew significantly in 2021 to record $14.5 billion an increase of 88 percent to 2020s. Moreover, Saudi Arabia is the second largest investor in Egypt, investing $6.1 billion in 6,017 projects in industry, construction, tourism, agriculture, services, finance, communications and information technology, said Egypts Minister of Trade and Industry Ahmed Samir in December. In August, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund, launched the Saudi Egyptian Investment Company (SEIC) to invest in promising Egyptian sectors and ensure enhancing access for the PIF and the Saudi private sector to the promising investment opportunities in Egypt. Earlier in June, Egypt and Saudi Arabia signed investment agreements worth $7.7 billion, which were described at the time by the then-CEO of General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) Mohamed Abdel-Wahab as "a qualitative leap in the investment relations between the two countries." In March 2022, at the outset of the global economic crisis that has been caused by the pandemic and deepened by the Russi-Ukraine war, Saudi Arabia deposited $5 billion in the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE). The SPA reported at the time that the deposit comes as part of the rigid bonds and close cooperative relations between the two countries and is a gesture of confirmation of their deep-rooted relations. Prior to the war, in October 2021, Saudi Arabia deposited $3 billion in the CBE and extended the maturity of other deposits worth $2.3 billion. Search Keywords: Short link: A top Israeli rabbi moved Tuesday to prevent Jewish prayer rights activists from breaking a ban on holding a traditional Passover sacrifice at the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied east Jerusalem. The move by the rabbi of the Western Wall, Shmuel Rabinowitz, comes amid fears of violence at the holy site as the Jewish holiday coincides with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which draws tens of thousands of worshippers to pray at Al-Aqsa. "Following reports of intent to bring a Passover sacrifice up to the Esplanade: Rabbi of the Western Wall to prevent bringing animals to the Mughrabi area," said a statement from the Western Wall Heritage Foundation. The Western Wall is the site where Jews can pray and sits below the mosque compound. Passover begins on Wednesday and traditionally sheep and goats are sacrificed on the eve of the Jewish holiday. In previous years, Jewish activists have tried to smuggle animals into the mosque compound, which is administered by Jordan's Waqf. Non-Muslims can visit the site at specific times but are not allowed to pray there. "Under the direction of the rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, (we) will work to prevent bringing animals to the Mughrabi ramp area," the Foundation said, referring to the entrance to the mosque compound used by non-Muslims. The Returning to the Mountain movement, a radical Jewish group, said it will pay 20,000 shekels ($5,570) to anyone who succeeds in the "holy mission" of carrying out a sacrifice at the compound, Islam's third holiest site. The organisation's director was arrested Monday as a preventative measure, Israeli police said. Israel's Sephardi chief rabbi, Yitzhak Yosef, published a notice on Tuesday barring the faithful from visiting the Al-Aqsa compound because it is "a severe breach of Jewish law". The Islamist group Hamas, which rules Gaza, warned Monday that permitting Jewish sacrifice in the compound "would fuel an already explosive situation, for which the Israeli occupation government bears full responsibility". Search Keywords: Short link: The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has appealed for urgent funding to respond to growing humanitarian calamities in drought and conflict-affected parts of Ethiopia. The UN body, in its latest situation update on Ethiopia issued late Monday, said an estimated 714 million US dollars has so far been contributed toward the 2023 Ethiopian Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP-2023), corresponding to 18 percent of the HRP requirements. Noting the impact of multiple crises including conflict, drought and floods that have continued to increase humanitarian needs across the East African country, the OCHA has called for urgent funding to respond to the growing humanitarian needs. "Continued donors' support is urgent and critical to enable humanitarian partners to maintain and strengthen the delivery of assistance to vulnerable people in conflict and natural disaster-affected areas across the country," it said. According to figures from the OCHA, more than 20.1 million people are food insecure in various regions of Ethiopia, including 2.73 million internally displaced people and 1.88 million returnees. It said the humanitarian response in Ethiopia further requires scale-up considering the needs highlighted in the HRP-2023 to respond to the different humanitarian crises the people in Ethiopia are enduring. As conflict-affected areas in northern Ethiopia become more accessible following the signing of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (COHA) in November last year, the OCHA said relief beneficiaries in Tigray, Amhara and Afar regions have continued to receive assistance, although not at the required scale. The OCHA expressed concerns over worsening food insecurity in drought-affected regions, particularly in southern and south-eastern parts of the country, where livelihoods have been severely disrupted. It also said humanitarian interventions in drought-affected areas need to be scaled up beyond primary food and water provision to multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance in sanitation and hygiene, agriculture, health, and education so as to support the affected communities in rebuilding their lives. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypts Ministry of Military Production is manufacturing a prototype of a device that generates water from the air using state-of-the-art technology developed by the Japanese firm MIZUHA. Originally produced by MIZUHA, KuSui, named after the Japanese words for "air" and"water," is a water cooler that directly liquefies water vapour in the atmosphere into drinking water using an ion exchange system and carbon filters to sterilise the water, according to the companys website. The prototype's production is expected to be completed within two months, ministry spokesperson Mohamed Eid Bakr told Ahram Online on Wednesday. The production capacity of the device will average 14 litres per day, depending on the humidity percentage in the air, Bakr said. The device will be available for commercial use by companies and tourist resorts, he added. The ministry and MIZUHA signed in August and November 2022 two protocols with the aim of cooperating in manufacturing water extractors and marketing them in Egypt, Africa, and the Middle East. "We will improve KuSui to specifications that are more suitable for the Egyptian market, and will work on joint development and research for domestic sales in Egypt," said MIZUHA, whose name comes from Mizuha-nome, the Japanese goddess of water. The local production is being conducted in cooperation between the ministry-affiliated Science and Technology Centre of Excellence and MIZUHA. Local components will make up at least 50 percent of the device," the ministry spokesperson told Ahram Online. The Banha Company for Electronic Industries is responsible for manufacturing the electronic Printed Circuit Board (PCB) of the device, while the Helwan Metal Hardware Company is manufacturing the majority of the metal parts of the machine, according to a ministry statement. After manufacturing the prototype, Bakr said, the ministry will sign another protocol with the Japanese company to start manufacturing the final edition for mass production. Bakr noted that manufacturing these devices is part of the ministry's plan to support green transition and enhance Egypt's water security. Egypt, which suffers significant water scarcity, has a water deficit of up to 55 percent of its water needs, which stand at 120 billion cubic metres, according to Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Hani Sweilam. More than 98 percent of Egypt's renewable waters flow from the River Nile, 75 percent of which meet the nutritional needs of 104.7 million Egyptians through agricultural production. Egypt is making huge investments to raise the efficiency of its water system, which exceeded $10 billion during the previous five-year plan. However, Sweilam previously said, it also reuses water several times in this framework and is forced to trade in huge food imports worth about $15 billion. Search Keywords: Short link: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday told the new US ambassador in Moscow, Lynne Tracy, that Washington was responsible for the "Ukrainian crisis" while accepting her credentials in a Kremlin ceremony. Ties between Moscow and Washington have disintegrated since Putin sent troops to Ukraine last year. Putin spoke a week after Moscow detained a US reporter and charged him with espionage, sparking outrage. "Relations between Russia and the United States, from which global security and stability directly depend, are going through a deep crisis," Putin told the new US envoy as he swore in 17 ambassadors. He said US foreign policy "in the end led to the current Ukrainian crisis". The longtime Russian leader has accused Washington of having orchestrated a revolution in Kyiv in 2014 after which he had no choice but to intervene. Tracy is a Russian-speaking career diplomat who has worked in the former Soviet republics of Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan. She becomes ambassador during the worst crisis in years between the US and Russia. Last week, Russian authorities arrested US journalist Evan Gershkovich on claims of "spying", accusations dismissed by Washington as "ridiculous". Putin also told the new EU envoy to Moscow, Roland Galharague, that the bloc instigated "geopolitical confrontation" with Moscow. Russia has been hit with a barrage of EU and US sanctions since Putin launched his Ukraine offensive in February last year. Search Keywords: Short link: During the bushy mustache era of TV newscasters in the 1970s and 80s, one of the bushiest belonged to Bill Schechner of KPIX, who covered everything from the Patty Hearst kidnapping to the Zodiac killer. But he was best known for his Thanksgiving Day ode to the moods and whims of the common turkey. That bit came from Schechners Journal, a standing feature that was recognized when he won two Northern California Emmy Awards. It also landed him a job as a national correspondent for the NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw. But Schechner came back to finish his career at KPIX, which still airs Turkey Facts, in which he pores over a stack of statistics on the bird with all the scrupulousness of an IRS agent conducting an audit. Retired and living in his home state of New Jersey, Schechner died March 22 of complications from a major stroke suffered a year ago, said his daughter, Lilah Nicolaidis. He was 81. Bill was talented on many levels. He was great as a live anchor and brilliant as a writer, said Harry Fuller, who was the news director at KPIX and oversaw production of Schechners Journal, which ran at the end of the Eyewitness News, at 6 p.m. and often again at 11 p.m. He knew what was serious but he didnt let it crush his spirit. He really wanted the viewers to understand and, if possible, enjoy what was going on in the world. Schechner had come to TV by way of radio. Hed been at KPFA-FM in Berkeley during the Patty Hearst kidnapping, when messages from the Symbionese Liberation Army were delivered through the station. From there, hed gone to KQED-TV as an on-air personality on Newsroom, a nightly show where reporters sat around a table and discussed the news of the day. But he found his home at KPIX, where he was on the air for more than 20 years, in two stints. Bill had a dry wit and he also knew the political landscape, said Kate Kelly, who co-anchored the Eyewitness News at 5 p.m., with Schechner filing special reports and calling in from the field. He also could fill the co-anchors chair. He was an incredible storyteller who could take a complex situation and break it down to its essence, Kelly continued, in a way that would help people understand and care about whatever subject matter he was covering. William Schechner was born Dec. 10, 1941, in Newark, N.J., the youngest of four brothers. His family moved to South Orange, where he graduated from Columbia High School in 1959. From there, he attended Oberlin College in Ohio, graduating in 1963, before returning east to earn his masters degree in U.S. history from Columbia University in New York. Set to pursue a career as a history teacher, he veered toward journalism, starting at the Bergen Record. He commuted from New York City to New Jersey until he realized that if he was going to spend his time sitting in traffic, he should get paid for it. So he quit the paper to drive a Checker Taxi in Manhattan. A friend from Oberlin recommended him for a job at WBAI, a public radio station in New York. It was there that his personality started to shine through his reporting. You could count on him to be funny and charming, and that worked greatly to his advantage as a reporter, said Danice Bordett, a fellow reporter at WBAI. Schechner helped assign stories and decided Bordett was the right person to investigate live sex shows in Times Square. He thought it would add to the story to send the most ladylike and timid reporter in the newsroom, said Bordett, who overcame her inhibitions. They became an in-station couple and were married at the Plaza Hotel on Central Park South. It was only halfway swank, says Bordett, it was a breakfast wedding. They moved to California and were married for 33 years before divorcing. Courtesy KPIX In 1972, Schecher was hired by KPFA-FM, sister station to WBAI. Ever-creative, he was once on the air when Bordett was home with their cat, about to deliver kittens in the linen closet. He called home for a live report, and the kittens were born on the air. Having drawn in his listeners, he offered the kittens up for adoption to whoever phoned in. Commercial television did not offer as much leeway. But he made his presence known, and in 1981, he was hired by NBC to cover the south from a post in Atlanta. A year later, he was plucked to be an overnight co-anchor in New York City, on his way to being a New York-based national correspondent on the NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw. Courtesy John Block After 10 years at NBC, Schechner was laid off in a retrenching move. Six months later, he was back at KPIX as if he had never left, mustache still in place. This time, he became an anchor on both the Morning News and the Noon News, but still got out to find the offbeat human-interest stories for which he was known. He and Bordett and their two kids, Lilah and Joseph, lived in the Elmwood neighborhood of south Berkeley, where Schechner would be recognized by viewers when getting coffee at the Roma Cafe and burritos at Gordo Taqueria. He really liked it when hed be walking down the street and some garbage guy hanging off the back of the truck would yell, Hey, TV guy, Bordett said. That happened a lot. Courtesy John Block But it never happened after 2008, when Schechner was let go by KPIX in a major staff reduction brought about by the Great Recession. He sued the station for age discrimination, on account of being 66 at the time, with his hair and mustache still bushy but turned gray. His case was dismissed and then dismissed again on appeal. He never went back to TV. He taught journalism at Ohlone College, and did oral-history interviews with the elderly at his synagogue, Beth El in Berkeley. He and Bordett got divorced, and Schechner eventually moved to Montclair, N.J., to be near his daughter, Lilah. He had a big heart and always wanted to believe in the good of others, she said. He wanted to make an impression on everyone that your own actions could make a difference. A memorial is pending. Donations in Schechners name can be sent to the Human Needs Food Pantry, 9 Label St., Montclair, NJ, 07042. It remains unclear how much longer federal oversight into the Oakland Police Department will continue as a recent internal affairs scandal rocks the agency. The monitoring, which began two decades ago in the wake of a class action lawsuit over a band of officers accused of abusing people in West Oakland, was potentially set to end this May. But plaintiffs attorneys say the department will need more time to come into compliance with court-ordered reforms. The Department is, objectively, backsliding, civil rights attorneys John Burris and James Chanin wrote in a Tuesday court filing, asking the judge overseeing the case to continue monitoring until the agency is in full compliance. The citys attorneys, for their part, said officials are working hard to come into compliance even as Oakland struggles against elevated gun violence and robberies, and adjusts to a new chief, the latest in a line of a dozen chiefs its had while under federal oversight since 2003. Federal monitor Robert Warshaw, in a March 30 assessment of the agency, said longstanding troubles in the departments Internal Affairs division persist. The Oakland Police Department is facing very serious questions about its capacity to police itself, he wrote. Paul Kuroda/Special to The Chronicle 2022 The most recent issues arose from allegations that high-ranking officials had sought to cover up for an officer who was the subject of two investigations. The probes were of a sergeant who allegedly received special treatment after committing a 2021 hit-and-run in San Francisco and later discharging his service weapon in an elevator at the Oakland Police Department in 2022. An investigation by an outside law firm found deficiencies in the investigations, including that a detective had been told by a supervisor to make the findings less severe. Mayor Sheng Thao fired police Chief LeRonne Armstrong over allegations that he mishandled the investigations. Armstrong has strongly denied wrongdoing and campaigned for his job back. The federal monitor praised the mayor for invoking the leadership essential to the sustainment of a culture of accountability. In a Tuesday court filing, city attorneys said the department has been implementing new policies to address the concerns. The new policies require more oversight into the findings of internal affairs investigations. The police chief, assistant chief and a city oversight office will now each review cases where sustained accusations are serious enough to potentially warrant an officers termination or a misdemeanor charge. The department is also out of compliance, the monitor said, when it comes to the consistency of discipline for officers across races. Black officers are more likely to be given a written warning instead of counseling or training than other officers, according to court records. U.S. District Court Judge William Orrick will decide when the federal oversight ends. The next court date in the case is April 11. Jacom Stephens/Getty Image Police are searching for a motorist who struck and killed a pedestrian before fleeing down a busy South San Francisco thoroughfare early Wednesday morning. The victim was apparently trying to cross the southbound lanes of traffic on the 1500 block of El Camino Real, a main artery along the Peninsula, when the car approached at about 1 a.m. Wednesday morning, according to the South San Francisco Police Department. After hitting the pedestrian, the driver sped off, leaving the person with fatal injuries from the impact. Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle A woman who was reported missing in San Francisco earlier this week was found Wednesday, according to police. Officers said that they located Alaina Marie Adams, a 33-year-old woman from out of state, Wednesday on the 1200 block of Columbus Street "in good health" and that "foul play is not suspected." Ted Hall will never forget the moment he realized that his entire 2002 vintage was going up in flames. It was October 2005, at the tail end of the grape harvest in Napa Valley. Hall was at his winery, Long Meadow Ranch in St. Helena, when his CFO called to tell him the huge Vallejo warehouse where they stored their wines might be burning. Hall jumped into his Range Rover and tore down Highway 29 toward a huge plume of black smoke. When he pulled up to Wines Central on Mare Island, Halls fears were confirmed: Flames in the warehouse that was once used to store Navy munitions were melting away years of hard work, millions of dollars worth of bottled Cabernet Sauvignon, and Long Meadow Ranchs library of wines, a collection of bottles from each year of production. The conflagrations origin, uncovered within a week by the sleuthing of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the tragedy even worse: The fire had been deliberately set. The flames lit by an arsonist had superheated the 3-foot-thick walls of the warehouse, cooking or scorching 4.5 million bottles of fine wine worth about $250 million. It was the largest crime involving wine in history. And from the start, officials had only one suspect in their sights: Mark C. Anderson, a Sausalito businessman who ran a private wine storage business inside Wines Central. Not only had he been spotted in the warehouse right before flames erupted, but he had recently been criminally charged with stealing his clients wine. Officials thought Anderson might have been trying to cover his tracks. More than 45 collectors and 90 wineries had bottles stored at Wines Central, including Beaulieu Vineyards, Sterling Vineyards, Viader Vineyards, Saintsbury, Realm, Justin Winery, ZD Wines, Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Tres Sabores, Niebaum-Coppola and Thackrey & Co. The fire dealt them a devastating blow. Many lost entire vintages, leaving them nothing to sell but payrolls to meet. Their wines disappeared from restaurant wine lists and the shelves of upscale wine stores. Some wineries went out of business. Others lost their entire wine libraries. Some losses were uninsured, like those of Sterling, a unit of the gigantic beverage firm Diageo. It lost $37 million worth of wine. The psychic scars were even more severe. For me, the fire was personal. About 175 bottles of wine made by my ancestor in 1875 were lost in the fire, and I was always hoping Anderson would explain his crime. I first spoke with him in late 2009 while he was awaiting trial for the fire. I wrote a story for the New York Times he liked, prompting him to contact me. During the next four years, I attended all his hearings. We talked on the phone and exchanged letters (he wrote me close to 200 pages). He never did explain, always insisting he was innocent, but spun many other stories about his life and accomplishments, many of them likely not true. In 2015, I published a book, Tangled Vines, about him, the fire and the history of wine in California. Now, 18 years after the disaster, there is a new, final chapter to the crime that still reverberates in the wine industry. Anderson, eventually convicted and sentenced to 27 years for the arson, died on Jan. 13 at UC Davis Medical Center. A federal judge had ordered his early release from Terminal Island Federal Prison in October because of his poor health. At age 74, he lived his final five months in a board and care home in Sacramento, suffering from hypertension, acute respiratory disorder, congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease, hypoxia, morbid obesity, and a history of cancer, according to court documents. Hell has a special place for him There was no obituary for Anderson, no public announcement. The news leaked out late this month after I saw a notice in the court file that said Andersons longtime companion, Cynthia Witten, had notified the U.S. Probation Department of his demise. I had never stopped monitoring Andersons case, even though the last time we communicated was in 2013. None of his victims mourned Andersons death. The only thing sad about Mark Anderson passing is that he didnt carry out his full sentence or pay restitution to the many victims in his crimes, Debbie Polverino, who managed the destroyed wine storage warehouse, wrote in an email. His sentence should have included attempted murder, knowing we were still in the building when it exploded in flames. He was a coward and a criminal. Hell has a special place for people like him. Sausalito Police Department Andersons quiet exit was a stark contrast to the way he lived his life. Born into an upper-middle-class family in Berkeley in 1948, Anderson enjoyed an idyllic childhood, serving as a junior traffic guard to help his fellow students at John Muir Elementary cross the street and riding down the tubular fire escapes attached to the Claremont Hotel. In 1967, when he was 19, he moved to Sausalito to build houseboats and never left. He immersed himself in civic life, serving on two city commissions and helping to organize the Sausalito Art Festival, where he exhibited his photographs. He joined the Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce. Over time, Anderson became a larger-than-life figure in Sausalito, easy to spot because he always clad his 300-pound body in black and wore his graying hair in a long ponytail. He wrote folksy columns for two newspapers, including one titled Joe Sausalito. He loved to bring bottles of wine to charity events stolen, it turned out where he would regale friends with fantastical stories of bacchanalian fests in Paris, drinking wine in front of the Great Sphinx in Egypt and managing the band Iron Butterfly. (After his arrest, a member of the band said hed never heard of Anderson.) He became best known for eating so often at the waterfront towns famed Japanese restaurant Sushi Ran that he was inducted into the sushi lovers club and got his picture on its wall. The Anderson of the 1990s was really witty, really enchanting, recalled Martin Brown, who hired Anderson to write for his alternative weekly, the Signal. From storing wine to stealing it Police said Andersons transformation from upstanding citizen to criminal started after he opened Sausalito Cellars, a temperature-controlled wine storage facility, in 1999. Anderson had long been a wine lover. Hed been introduced to wine in the late 1960s, when he would travel to Napa Valley with a picnic and an empty jug to fill with wine. He later tasted Bordeaux and Chianti in the vineyards in France and Italy and drank rare bottles with wealthy Japanese businessmen. He was able to parlay his reputation as a wine connoisseur into his storage business, and soon counted restaurants, wine societies and collectors among his clients. But within two years, and after financial backing from his father dried up, Anderson began to regard his clients wine differently. Instead of just storing it, he began to sell it without their knowledge. From 2001 to 2004, Anderson illegally sold 6,600 bottles worth more than $870,000 to wine stores and auction houses around the country. One of his biggest clients for the illicit wines was Premier Cru in Emeryville, which bought bottles worth $509,000. Years later, its owner, John Fox, was convicted in 2016 of wire fraud in connection with a $45 million wine Ponzi scheme. Fox had been collecting money from clients for bottles he did not own. Andersons deceptions unraveled in 2003 when restaurateur Samuel Maslak asked to retrieve the 756 cases of wine he had stored at Sausalito Cellars to resell. But when Christies Auction House came for the wine, Anderson turned over just 144 cases. He offered a litany of excuses about the missing bottles, even telling Maslak he had never brought him the missing cases to be stored. Maslak went to Sausalito police. Soon, other clients came forward. Jack Rubyn, the president of the Marin County chapter of the International Food and Wine Society, went to pick up some bottles of wine for a dinner. He discovered that a 1959 jeroboam of Chateau Lafite Rothschild, valued at $29,000, was missing. Ron Lussier, a Sausalito collector, opened a wooden box that had held bottles from Stags Leap winery worth about $650. Inside lay six bottles of Trader Joes Two-Buck Chuck. By September 2005, the Marin County district attorney had charged Anderson with 10 counts of embezzlement, and pressure on Anderson intensified. Articles about his alleged crimes appeared in newspapers. Clients truncated their contracts. His younger brother, Steven, grew so disenchanted that he set up a website titled Corpulent Raider, where he called his brother a narcissist and a phony and said he had been extorting money from their father. Eric Risberg/Associated Press 2005 Anderson had also been evicted from his Sausalito facility in the summer of 2004. He moved his remaining clients wine to a 2,400-square-foot space on the mezzanine at the Wines Central warehouse in Vallejo. But he fell behind on the rent and soon was asked to leave. Anderson was furious and sought revenge. He told an employee: Wines Central is old; the wood is brittle, and it would go up in flames easily. A fire would also cover Andersons tracks by burning up evidence in the embezzlement case. On Oct. 12, 2005, at around 11 a.m., Anderson went to his storage bay at the warehouse. He pulled out the plumbers torch he had hidden in a duffel bag and held the flame to some gasoline-soaked rags and a small pile of cardboard, then quickly fled the premises. Denying guilt to the end Anderson pleaded guilty in 2009 to 19 felony counts in exchange for a 15-year prison term. He then immediately tried to withdraw his plea, claiming hed received inadequate counsel. The maneuver did not work, but delayed his sentencing until 2012. It displeased the federal judge presiding over the case, however, who increased Andersons sentence to 27 years and ordered him to pay $70.3 million in restitution. Anderson continued to deny he was involved in setting the Wines Central fire. Notwithstanding the event, I had nothing to do with it; I was not a party or directed the theft of any wines and certainly did not have any part in anything of which I was accused, Anderson wrote to me in 2013. I was essentially tricked into the so-called plea agreement. He also never apologized to the clients who lost everything. The part that sticks in my craw is he never acknowledged the crime, Hall said. He never seemed contrite; he never gave a gesture to the victims. There are bad people in the world, and I put him in that category. Long Meadow Ranch was forced to pivot after the fire to stay solvent. In a perverse way, Hall credits the fire for prompting his winery to diversify. Prior to 2005, the winery made only red wine, which takes years of aging before it can be sold. With no inventory to sell, Hall purchased some Sauvignon Blanc grapes and got Long Meadow Ranchs first white wine to market in 2006. Whites now make up a large part of the winerys inventory. The havoc that Anderson created in Sausalito and in wine regions around the state still lingers. Yoshi Tome, owner of Sushi Ran, once a friend of Andersons, regrets making Anderson locally famous by naming him to the restaurants sushi lovers club. He believes it helped him attract clients. The scar is so big and so deep, Tome said, its very difficult to heal. When Levi Strauss announced last month that it would start testing AI-generated models on its website and app later this year, my first thought was to call real-life, Oakland-based model Carolyn Doelling. Doelling is unique in a fashion industry defined by youth and European beauty standards: Shes Black, 76 years old, wears her hair short and naturally curly and stands about 5-foot-4, short by model industry standards. This year, she was featured in a national Target clothing campaign for Black History Month. Doelling is concerned that human models like her are not part of the future that Levi Strauss is envisioning. To use AI as a resource to reduce costs is understandable, but to do so to achieve diversity goals is untenable and ridiculous, Doelling told me. Hiring an authentic model gives agency and inspiration to a community that is generally cast aside as irrelevant and not valued. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle Its easy to understand why Levi Strauss team-up with Lalaland.ai, an Amsterdam-based tech startup, is concerning to folks who think the global denim brand ultimately wants to replace people with cheaper, deep-fake digital models who simply appear diverse. In its March 22 announcement of the partnership, Levi Strauss characterized it as a way to augment equity and inclusion initiatives, not replace them. Lalaland.ai, which has provided AI models to brands like Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger in the same way, allows companies to customize every aspect of a digital model, from skin tone to body type and poses. The image Levi Strauss has circulated with its announcement shows an AI model, clad in a denim dress, that has brown skin and dark hair extending past its shoulder. The $5.8 billion apparel company said the AI models will likely never fully replace human models for us, which is hardly reassuring given Goldman Sachs recent report that AI advances could cause 300 million jobs, or 18% of the global workforce, to be automated. Levi Strauss may financially benefit from using AI models, but the company is selling a fallacy by portraying it as a DEI initiative, said UC Berkeley lecturer Deb Donig, co-founder of Cal Polys Ethical Technology Project. This is an incredibly economically efficient way to provide the shell or the facade of inclusion and equity and representation without any of the labor, any of the effort, any of the things that make diverse representation incredibly inefficient, Donig told me, such as having to find people who represent those communities and work with those people and include those communities and to think in broad comprehensive thoughtful ways about those communities. There are other murky questions around generative AIs impact on labor, noted Hanlin Li, a postdoctoral scholar at UC Berkeleys Center for Long-term Cybersecurity, who studies data scraping and data privacy issues, as well as their connection to labor theft. These AIs need a gigantic amount of data to train. We also have to think about whose faces they are being trained on, Li said. Are these other models or people even aware their faces are being used in this technology and are they being fairly compensated? To Li, these are pressing concerns in a rapidly evolving field. The use of AI is still in its infancy. And representation alone isnt what millions of people were calling for in the wake of the May 2020 police murder of George Floyd. Many of the nations most prominent tech, fashion (including Levi Strauss) and financial companies responded by pledging to do more to encourage diversity, equity and inclusion within their ranks, which sparked a surge in the hiring of DEI specialists tasked with implementing strategies companies could use to reach their diversity goals. These same DEI experts have also been let go at a higher rate than non-DEI personnel since 2020, according to data from the analytics startup Revelio Labs, which studied layoffs at more than 600 companies over the last three years. In a country where corporate promises around equity are losing steam, generative AI could pave an unsettling path for businesses to market diversity without ever having to achieve it. Or, as Doelling said, Levis new pose actually demonstrates a lack of understanding of what and why hiring diversity is important to their brand in the first place. Egypt will host the 12th round of the World Urban Forum (WUF) in November 2024, according to Egyptian Ambassador to Kenya and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN Habitat) Wael Nasr El-Din Attia. The decision was made during first session of the Executive Board of the UN Habitat Programme of 2023, which took place in Nairobi, kenya 28-29 March, according to a statement released by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday. Egypt is keen to ensure that the 12th WUF highlights developing countries priorities in the field of urban development in line with the UNs Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), said Attia. He added that the 12th WUF will build on the results of its predecessor as well on the outcomes of the UNs 27th Climate Change Conference in 2022 in Sharm El-Sheikh that discussed topics of urban development and climate change. According to its website, the WUF, convened under UN Habitat, aims to address the subject of rapid urbanisation and its impact on communities, cities, economies, climate change and policies, and tackles the challenges of sustainable urbanisation. Tens of thousands of representatives of state, private sector, regional and international financing institutions and civil society are expected to participate at the WUF next year in Egypt. Established in 2001, the forum assembles every two years in a different city. The 11th session is set to take place in Katowice, Poland in June. Search Keywords: Short link: UPDATE: Arrest made in Bob Lee killing; suspect is tech entrepreneur Nima Momeni After Cash App creator Bob Lee was stabbed to death in San Francisco early Tuesday morning, prominent members of the tech industry took to Twitter to express their shock and sadness. They also expressed their belief that the city is a hotbed for violence. Violent crime in SF is horrific and even if attackers are caught, they are often released immediately, Twitter CEO Elon Musk wrote. But while Lees death was horrific, violent incidents like these are actually quite rare in San Francisco compared to most other large U.S. cities, according to FBI data. And as in most other American cities, they have gotten rarer over the last several decades. In 2020 the most recent year with complete nationwide data available from the FBI San Francisco police reported 544 violent crimes per 100,000 city residents. The FBI definition of violent crime includes homicides, rapes, assaults and robberies. There were 23 city police departments in the U.S. serving 750,000 people or more in 2020, and San Franciscos violent crime rate ranked 14th lower than Dallas, Seattle, New York and Phoenix, among other cities, and just a bit higher than Miami. When it comes to murders, San Francisco ranks lower. In 2020, the city had five murders per 100,000 city residents, a lower rate than all but five of the city police departments serving 750,000 people or more. San Franciscos violent crime rate, like that of other U.S. cities, has been steadily declining since the 1990s. That rate hit historic lows in 2020 and 2021. Thats likely because the COVID-19 pandemic hollowed out populous city centers, lessening opportunities for in-person, violent encounters. Preliminary data from the SFPD shows violent crime inched back toward pre-pandemic levels in 2022. While it has lower levels of violent crime compared to other cities, San Franciscos property crime rate is consistently high of the 10 most populous California cities in 2020, it had the second-highest property crime rate after Oakland. The prevalence of certain types of property crimes shifted dramatically during the pandemic, with larceny thefts plummeting and burglaries increasing. SFNext is Chronicle coverage devoted to the city's most vexing problems. To become involved: Send feedback, ideas and suggestions to sfnext@SFChronicle.com Its not possible to compare San Franciscos violent crime rates to other cities for more recent years, but data from the California Department of Justice shows San Franciscos violent crime rate increased slightly in 2021, to 599 violent crimes per 100,000 residents. Preliminary data from the SFPD for 2022 shows violent crime rates remain lower than pre-pandemic levels, and near historic lows. Like most other major cities in the U.S., San Franciscos homicide rate has increased since the the start of the pandemic, but its risen more slowly than many other urban centers. Its murder rate in 2021 was 6.9 per 100,000, an increase compared to 2020 but still far lower than most major U.S. cities. Lee, 43, was visiting San Francisco at the time of his stabbing. He has lived in Miami since moving from Mill Valley, where he sold his home last year. A group of leaders in the tech community have become an emerging force for moderate politics in San Francisco, with many leaders arguing for the hiring of more police and heavier punishment for people convicted of crimes. They played an essential role in the citys recall of progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin last year, whom tech venture capitalist Matt Ocko blamed for Lees death, along with a criminal-loving city council. The Get Involved calendar Search for public meetings on top San Francisco issues so you can add your voice. But as previous Chronicle analyses have found, Boudins election did not appear to impact crime at a statistical level. Previous research has found the election of reform-minded prosecutors, like Boudin, do not have a measurable impact on crime rates. While a citys crime rates typically depend on multiple overlapping structural factors, San Franciscos low violent crime rate could be partially due to its high average income. Previous research has found that people in lower-income households are more than twice as likely to be victims of violent crime as people in higher-income households. The citys strict gun control laws, coupled with Californias tough statewide measures, may also play a role. California has one of the lowest firearm mortality rates in the nation. A hacker group released more stolen files from Oaklands computer network, city officials said Tuesday the second release in a month that has compromised personal data for current and former employees. The new trove of data was more than 65 times larger than an initial release of files in March. City officials did not specify when the data was posted or what was shared. The city said in a comment to The Chronicle that it recently became aware that the same hacker group has released additional data allegedly taken from our systems during the incident in February to a website not searchable via the traditional Internet. We are working with third-party specialists and law enforcement to investigate and we will continue conducting a thorough review of the involved files, the statement read. We are in the process of notifying individuals whose information was involved in this incident, and will continue to do so in accordance with applicable law. The Chronicle was able to view the published files using a link that was published on the dark web and found that nearly 600 gigabytes of new files were released. The release comes as the city struggles to get a handle on a ransomware attack that has disrupted city systems for nearly two months and unleashed criticism from current and former employees about the handling of data leaks after the attack. On Monday, officials with the police union filed a claim arguing that the city failed to implement reasonable, industry-standard security protocols for its information systems, and as a result, employees personal information was compromised. City officials confirmed in February that a cyberattack had hit Oaklands offices, preventing residents from filing police reports, paying taxes and processing parking tickets. That month, the City Council declared a state of emergency due to the attack. Last month, a threat actor group called Play released over 9 gigabytes of data and documents, including hundreds of records related to police misconduct allegations and scanned bank statements from the citys operating account. The March release also included 12 years of city employee rosters that list thousands of current and past employees Social Security numbers, drivers license numbers, birth dates and home addresses. The city said in a statement to The Chronicle on Tuesday that after reviewing the initial leak, they determined that some residents who had filed claims against the city or applied for certain federal programs with the city also had their information leaked. Some of the documents were public records, like lawsuits filed against the Oakland Police Department. But the March data dump also included Social Security information, which could put people at risk of identity theft. In response, the city offered current and former employees a complimentary membership to Experian, which helps people detect whether their identity has been stolen and what to do if a theft occurs. The city has not said whether the group is asking for ransom and for how much, but it appears, with the release of the additional data, that the city has paid no ransom. Oakland officials said the city has been working with the FBI and the states Office of Emergency Services to investigate the attack. When a 17-year-old balding, heavyset boy walked up to Brian after his performance as a muleteer in the Brunswick Music Theater Production of Man of La Mancha, Brian did not know that this was the first person we would ever choose as family. He said his name was Tim. The boy showed up a year later at New York University, where Brian studied dance. Another dance major, Lees, convinced them and two others to move into an unheated apartment in Jersey City. By the time I moved in two years later, Tim was a fixture. He actually came with us on our first date. When Brian and I got married, he read at the wedding. We ate brunch. Every Sunday. This is how we knew were family. Some weeks we cooked in and ate on the patio on the apartment roof. Other weeks, we ate in the city, by which we meant Manhattan, at Tiffanys, a diner on Sheridan Square. When Brian and I moved to San Francisco, Tim followed, sleeping on the couch of our one-bedroom condo in Diamond Heights. He liked to say that he was our practice child. We sometimes dined at the Cove, sometimes at IHOP, but we ate together on Sundays. Two things: Tim was a Wiccan priestess and he had contracted AIDS. The first helped him cope with the second, but in the early 90s, AIDS was usually a death sentence. His vision got worse. He lost more than a hundred pounds. By that time, wed moved to the Blue Bungalow in the Outer, Outer, Outer, Outer Excelsior. For a while our brunch schedule was irregular, but one Sunday in late spring, Tim insisted, and so we ate at our friend Jons house a few blocks away. Tim seemed a little loopy that night. When we got back to the bungalow, he gave me a big hug and said, I love you. And went to bed. Half an hour later, Brian heard a crash and we rushed into the bedroom. Tim had planned his exit: a bottle of Klonopin, which is why he was so loopy, and then a bottle of lithium, enough to kill him. Turns out he was very loopy. Hed taken the wrong second bottle. It was Viagra. (I know, I know. That would have been one stiff corpse). We called an ambulance, and at midnight in San Francisco General Hospital, Jon, Brian and I sat there as they fed him a charcoal shake. Tim sighed, Im sorry about this, but can we still have brunch? We did. We checked in every Sunday for the next few years. Tim even moved out on his own for a short time. Brian and I became parents and Jon became Uncle Jon. When we fostered the triplets, Tim made brunch on Sundays while we went to church. Over bacon and quiche, hed ask such tough theological questions as, Dont you think the Last Supper would have gone better if it was the Last Brunch? We brunched on Easter Sunday 2005. We had adopted Zane officially on Good Friday, and that Sunday he was baptized. Tim was burning and feverish. It was his last good day. But he was the one who fed Zane his first scrambled eggs as a Fisher-Paulson. Weeks later, in Davies Hospital on Divisadero, Jon, Brian and I rotated shifts, checking that Tim got his meds, keeping him from being alone. On a Sunday morning, a nurse unhooked him from everything so we could go outside. We had cookies his sister had sent from Maine, and in the cool mist, Brian pulled out a lighter. Tim puffed. Cigarettes and cookies. It will have to do for a last brunch. Easters a second-class holiday. Doesnt get the attention of Thanksgiving or Christmas. We celebrate Saint Stupids Day, March Madness and, of course, Giants opening day, but there wont be many bonnets on parade this weekend. Have brunch with your family this Sunday anyway. Sure, you could go to the sunrise service on Mount Davidson. Or ogle the Hunky Jesus contest in Dolores Park. But go back to the place that you call home. Break bread with those who you have chosen as family. Doesnt matter if its Easter, Passover or an iftar at Ramadan. Doesnt matter if its not a holiday for you. Make it one: the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox. And whether you toast with a mimosa or an espresso, raise a glass to family. And to Tim. A federal appeals court has refused to block the extradition of former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo Manrique from his home in the Bay Area to Peru, where he faces charges of accepting millions of dollars in bribes from a construction company. Toledo, now in his late 70s, was born in Peru but has spent most of his life in the Bay Area. He arrived as a penniless student at age 19 and attended the University of San Francisco and Stanford University, where he earned a doctoral degree and later became a professor. He returned to Peru in the mid-1990s, started a political organization and led the opposition to autocratic President Alberto Fujimori. He ran twice for president and was elected in 2001 after Fujimori resigned. The first indigenous Peruvian to hold the office, Toledo led a government that favored business and free trade, boosting the nations economy and reducing poverty while clashing at times with labor unions. His term ended in 2006. Toledo then returned to Northern California and became a teacher and researcher at Stanford, returning once to Peru for another presidential campaign that was unsuccessful. In February 2017, Perus government accused him of taking $20 million in bribes from Odebrecht, a Brazilian construction company that won a major highway contract during his administration, and laundering it through several companies and offshore accounts to avoid detection. He has denied the charges and said he never received any of the $20 million. U.S. prosecutors ordered Toledo to be arrested in July 2019 and held without bail to await extradition. A federal judge in San Francisco granted bail three months later and placed him under house arrest at his home in Menlo Park. The U.S. State Department approved Perus extradition request last month. In Wednesdays ruling, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said there was enough evidence of Toledos guilt to support the extradition order. Toledo has presented evidence that extradition to Peru could put his life at risk, the three-judge panel acknowledged, citing dire conditions in the nations prisons, his age and health problems, and the possibility that he could be held as long as three years while awaiting formal charges. But the court said Peru had shown a legal basis for his extradition that Toledo has been unable to refute. Two of his alleged accomplices have testified that Toledo arranged to have the construction company pay him millions in bribes through various intermediary accounts, the court said. Toledo, moreover, admitted that $21 million in bribe money was transferred into accounts under his former chief of securitys control, $17.5 million ended up in his mother-in-laws company, and $500,000 was deposited in a bank account in his name or used to purchase real estate titled to him, the court said. The court also said charges filed by a Peruvian prosecutor were a legal basis for extradition, rejecting a defense argument that his removal could be authorized only by an order from a judge in Peru. The panel consisted of Ninth Circuit Judges Michelle Friedland and Ryan Nelson and U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone of Texas, temporarily assigned to the appeals court. Federal public defenders representing Toledo were not immediately available for comment. They could ask the full appeals court for a new hearing. Few street corridors in San Francisco encapsulate the citys struggle to juggle competing uses from drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians than Valencia Street in the Mission District. Cyclists traveling on the vibrant commercial corridors painted bike lanes often must navigate delivery cars double-parked in the lanes, pushing them toward the streets driving lanes. Valencias businesses and apartments attract high volumes of car and foot traffic. Its 132 collisions from 2018 to 2022 make it among the handful of streets that account for an overwhelming share of the citys traffic crashes and injuries. So after almost a decade of studies, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency will try something never seen in the city: Later this month, the agency will install a protected bikeway that runs along the center of most of Valencia Street. The citys bike lanes traditionally run closer to sidewalks and curb lanes. The 12-month pilot, unanimously approved Tuesday by the citys transportation board, will bring significant changes to Valencia Street from 15th to 23rd streets. SFMTA Motorists will be prohibited from making left turns and turning right at red lights on that eight-block stretch of Valencia. The street is also losing 71 metered parking spaces to help make room for more dual use and loading zones. None of the changes will be more obvious to motorists and cyclists than the center-running bikeway, which will feature bus lane curbs, plastic bollards and delineators meant to separate the bike lanes from car traffic. SFMTA But the Tuesday decision by the agencys Board of Directors left few people satisfied. Many bicyclists and pedestrians want to see protected curbside bike lanes or a complete closure to car traffic on Valencia Street and called the center-running lanes inadequate. Several who commented at Tuesdays board meeting were skeptical that bike lanes sandwiched between car traffic would bring better protection for cyclists, with some saying it would achieve the opposite. Other Valencia residents and merchants opposed the plan because it removes parking spaces while adding more metered parking on side-running streets. Still, residents and advocates widely acknowledged the untenability of Valencia Streets existing configuration, and many expressed begrudging support for the center-running lanes. Valencia wants to be so much more than it is. It doesnt really work for anyone right now, said Amandeep Jawa, whos lived on Valencia Street for two decades. I think we dont believe that the choice is center lane or side lane or this or that the choice, really, is do we continue to stagnate on Valencia? Or do we start trying things? Many questions remain about how cyclists will use the bikeway, and agency officials seemed unsure as to whether the center-running lanes would end up making biking safer, as intended. Some board directors pushed to include language in the pilot that would allow SFMTA to remove the center bikeway at the six-month mark and install a fully protected, curb-running bike lane if data shows it hasnt improved or worsened safety. Agency officials, though, said its unfeasible to build those protected bike lanes within that time frame. I think were all in agreement that this is an imperfect solution, and a step toward something thats much better, MTA Director Jeffrey Tumlin said. Some street safety advocates wanted the bikeway to have four times the number of plastic bollards. Others were adamant that only concrete bollards would fully keep drivers from entering the center lanes. The agency says it will monitor the bikeways use and changes in traffic collision statistics. Manny Yekutiel, a board director who owns his popular namesake cafe on 16th and Valencia streets, lamented the time its taken to arrive at a pilot thats divided residents and merchants. He called on the agency to study turning Valencia into a one-way street that would give more space for biking and walking. It just seems like were trying to do too much with too little space, Yekutiel said. Richard Drew/Associated Press Tech giant Cisco is doing something few of its peers are doing: keeping its San Francisco office space. The hardware and telecommunications companys Meraki division renewed a 247,000-square-foot office lease at 500 Terry A Francois Blvd. in Mission Bay, according to a market report by real estate brokerage Colliers. Two other real estate sources who werent authorized to speak publicly also confirmed the 7-year deal to The Chronicle. Its by far the biggest San Francisco lease this year, at a time when most tech giants are shrinking offices and the vacancy rate has surged to a record 29.4%. Cisco was also part of the industrys mass layoffs, cutting more than 4,000 workers in November, but said it would keep hiring and maintain a similar workforce of around 83,300 people. The Hunters Point crane has spent most of its life as one of the underrated landmarks of the Bay Area. Visible from the East Bay, Peninsula and parts of San Francisco, the giant gantry crane measures 380 feet high with a red and white-striped arch at the top (greatly faded over time). Its one of the most visible manufactured structures in the Bay Area arguably in third place behind Sutro Tower and the Bay Bridge. But lost in time is what the crane was used for and specifically why it has that defining arch. The arch was quietly built relatively late in the cranes working life, and used to test-launch hydrogen bomb-tipped missiles. The crane was conceived during World War II, when the Bay Area had three bustling Navy shipyards in Vallejo, Alameda and the Bayview district of San Francisco. Chronicle reporter J. Campbell Bruce was invited for the first test of the crane on Dec. 17, 1947, a circus atmosphere that ended with dozens of journalists watching the crane settle a house-size concrete block on a chicken-size egg. They lifted 630 tons out of Hunters Point yesterday the heaviest load ever hoisted by man, the story began. But it took two men to do it. They just sat comfortably back and pushed buttons. The worlds mightiest crane, after three years of building, was finally trying out its biceps at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard. Courtesy U.S. Navy The $2.5 million crane was built 208 feet above sea level a few feet lower in elevation than the Golden Gate Bridge roadway and designed for rapid fixes to the Navys largest vessels. Straddling two of the largest docks in the world, it had the strength to hoist a battleship turret away and replace it with a new one in a few hours. But in the years after the crane was built, the priorities of the military shifted. As the Cold War developed and fears of communism increased, the U.S. Navy needed to find other uses for the base and its heaviest equipment. In 1958, The Chronicle reported on tests in the San Francisco Bay. Simulated Polaris missiles were fired from underwater portals about 200 feet in the air and back into the water, meant to simulate the force of a warhead exiting a nuclear submarine. Under the label Operation Peashooter, trial firings were made with dummy missiles made out of redwood, The Chronicle reported. They floated and were recovered from the bay by tugboats. Chronicle archive Aeronautical engineers quickly found this method insufficient to stress-test a missiles shotgun-like kick against a submarine. But they had a man-made structure that could handle the 100,000 pounds of pressure required for such tests: the Hunters Point crane. First they tried launching missiles from the crane that splashed down into the bay. Then when the test data was getting ruined by the water impact, they built a harness system, so the missile never left the crane, and Operation Peashooter became Operation Skycatch. Now the dummy missiles are fired and snatched back in mid-air with their valuable load of stress data intact, The Chronicle reported. In the early 1970s, the military switched to testing stronger Poseidon missiles, which delivered 700,000 pounds of pressure. Crews in 1972 added the 170-foot arch and concrete blocks to shore up the crane. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle The base remained active until 1974, when it was decommissioned and leased to a private company for ship repair. It became a landmark to fans at Candlestick Park, who often saw it in operation when they parked for Giants and 49ers games. The crane officially closed in 1988, and was declared a Superfund site in 1989 defined as one of the nations most contaminated lands. In 1994, the Navy was sued by environmentalists and other groups over deadly chemicals and radioactive residue in the shipyards, beginning a long process of decontamination, which remains controversial even as plans for revitalization go forward. The one part of the 490-acre shipyard that seems immune to change: The Hunters Point crane and its missile-launching arch. Every major redevelopment proposal has kept the crane, surrounded by green parkland, as a reminder of the citys past. For the past few months precipitation has been drawn to California like a magnet, and that trend isnt going away just yet. Another low-pressure system is forecast to approach the West Coast by Thursday night, ushering in breezy winds and cooler temperatures. This system is also looking to reel in moisture from whats left of a Pineapple Express between Hawaii and California. Depending on how much moisture comes ashore, the system might be able to produce a few showers across Northern California by Friday. A couple of weather models are leaning into rain chances this week, but there are a few potential setbacks. Range of outcomes Both the American and European weather models favor the idea of this weeks low-pressure system drawing moisture to Northern California. The challenge is that moisture levels have dropped off since March by as much as 70% since the most recent extratropical cyclone. This means that any low-pressure systems that approach the West Coast have a higher chance of being what are called dry lows systems that carry all the qualities of a storm except for precipitation. Any showers that do form will likely be weak. The low-pressure system is also trending toward a northern path, meaning that there is still a chance for all these rain chances to head to Eureka and Mendocino, leaving the Bay Area dry. Baron/Lynx In the past few days there have been a couple of dry lows coming into California, each ushering strong winds to the coast and bays. Thursdays and Fridays system will be similar, except that it will likely tag up with the jet streams winds. Thats because the jet streams strongest winds are currently traveling between Japan and California and it happens to be arriving just as this weeks low-pressure system develops. Both the low and the jet stream will work together to draw in the remnants of moisture in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, raising rain chances for most of Northern California. Whether those rain chances make it down to the Bay Area by Friday and into this weekend will depend on the jet stream. If the jet stream arrives south of Eureka, then rain is guaranteed for the Bay Area. If it wobbles north by just a couple hundred miles and arrives closer to the Oregon and California border, then itll just be the North Bay that gets rain. For now, its looking like theres at least a 25% chance of rain for the wider Bay Area between Friday and Sunday. Thats just enough to suggest that were not out of the precipitation game yet. Wednesday Breakdown San Francisco: The city will wake to chilly temperatures, with morning lows in the mid-40s on the west side and lower 40s downtown. Aprils sunshine will prevail, raising temperatures to the upper 50s. Some of the warmest pockets will be found around Glen Park, Noe Valley and the Mission, where daytime highs have around a 40% chance of reaching 60 degrees by midafternoon. Winds are looking to be lighter compared to earlier this week, gusting to 15 mph around Ocean Beach and the Presidio. Ferry riders in the Embarcadero can expect slightly gustier winds up to 20 mph by 4 p.m., though these will quickly drop off by 6 p.m. Look for a quiet Wednesday night with nighttime lows falling to the lower 50s by 9 p.m. Pacific Coast and Peninsula: Patchy fog is on tap along Highway 92 between Half Moon Bay and San Mateo, with brief mist and blowing sand likely along most of Highway 1 between Pacifica and Pescadero. Any fog will burn off by 10 a.m., leaving behind partly cloudy skies along most of the coast and the San Bruno Gap including Daly City, Colma and Millbrae. Winds will be lighter this afternoon compared to the past few days, with 10 to 15 mph gusts possible around San Francisco International Airport. These winds and sunshine will allow temperatures to reach the upper 50s along the coast and bayside, while residents along I-280 can expect lower 60s by midday. After sunset, temperatures will steadily fall to the lower 50s across most of the Peninsula, though a few pockets of upper 40s are expected on the hillsides. North Bay: A light sea breeze will roll into Sonoma and Marin counties today, reaching gusts of 25 mph in Point Reyes and Bodega Bay. Some of that breeze will curl into San Francisco Bay, arriving in Tiburon and Sausalito after 1 p.m. Temperatures by the water will generally peak in the upper 50s by afternoon, including the delta region in Solano County. Look for mostly sunny skies across most of the North Bay, with some of the warmest temperatures on tap for the Napa, Santa Rosa and Petaluma valleys up to the mid-60s. Temperatures will drop off after sunset, though theyll likely stay just above 40 degrees overnight across most of the inland valleys. East Bay: Patches of fog will be possible this morning over the Oakland and Berkeley hills and near the foothills along the Caldecott Tunnel, San Ramon and Livermore valleys. Most of it is likely to burn off just after 9 a.m. Light winds will then flow into Richmond, Alameda and most of the I-80 and I-880 corridors over the course of the day, keeping daytime temperatures in the upper 50s by the water. Inland residents in cities like Dublin, Walnut Creek and Pleasanton can expect highs in the lower 60s. Nighttime temperatures across Alameda and Contra Costa counties are then forecast to fall to the upper 40s by the water and lower 40s inland. South Bay and Santa Cruz: A cool day is on tap along Highway 1 between Santa Cruz and Watsonville, where a light breeze off Monterey Bay will keep afternoon highs in the upper 50s. Temperatures will steadily increase north along the 101 corridor between Gilroy and Morgan Hill, with highs in the mid-60s for San Jose. Some of the warmth in the Santa Clara Valley will seep into the Santa Cruz Mountains, raising highs to the lower 60s for towns west of Highway 17 including Felton, Scotts Valley and Ben Lomond. Nighttime lows will then fall to the mid-40s in the mountains and coastline. Inland valleys will be a little colder, with overnight temperatures in the upper 30s to lower 40s. Egypt has condemned the storming of Al Aqsa Mosque by the Israeli police and attacking worshipers, including women, as a "blatant" assault and violation of all international laws and norms. The statement was released by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which called on Israeli authorities to stop these attacks immediately. In the early hours of Wednesday, Israeli police broke into Al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied East Jerusalem, forcefully removing hundreds of worshippers performing the itikaf (seclusion for prayers) and tahajjud (night prayers) at the Muslim holy compound. The repeated Israeli violations of the sanctity of the holy places fuel feelings of wrath and anger among all the Palestinian people, the statement said adding that "Egypt holds the occupying power responsible for this dangerous escalation, which could undermine the truce efforts in which Egypt is engaged with its regional and international partners". The Egyptian foreign ministry called for the international community to assume its responsibility and put an end to these attacks to spare the region more factors of instability and tension. Videos have gone viral on social media showing the Israeli police breaking into the mosque, beating the worshipers with clubs and firing gas bombs and sound grenades inside the mosque. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said over 500 worshippers were detained in the raid, and ambulances were prevented from attending to hundreds of injured worshippers. The storming caused "irreparable" damage to the Mosque, including by causing a fire. Dozens of Palestinians were wounded by rubber bullets used by Israeli police, and others were beaten in the attacks, the Palestinian ministry added. Several Arab countries, including Jordan which serves as the custodian of the mosque, condemned the Israeli attacks, warning of the consequences of the Israel assault. Search Keywords: Short link: Bob Lee, the engineer and tech and crypto executive who created Cash App during his time at Jack Dorseys Square (now known as Block), was killed in downtown San Francisco early Tuesday morning. While initial reports from San Francisco police indicated that Lee was a resident of Mill Valley, Lee, 43, resided in Miami. Founders Fund principal Delian Asparouhov, a Miami resident who wrote in a mournful tweet Wednesday that Lee was loving Miami since hed moved, confirmed in a Twitter direct message to SFGATE that Lee lived in Miami. The purpose of Lees visit to San Francisco remains unclear. On March 9, he tweeted in a reply to a San Francisco investor and crypto influencer that he was in town. Ill be in SF this weekend, he said at the time, adding a shrug emoji. How are you not in Miami yet? This early March tweet recirculated Wednesday, with some accounts mistakenly claiming the tweet was posted shortly before his death. A Facebook post from Lees father, Rick, explained that he and his son had moved to Miami in October after living together in Mill Valley since 2019. Life has been an adventure with two bachelors living together, and Im so happy that we were able to become so close these last years, Rick Lee wrote in the post mourning his sons death. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, a well-known proponent of tech and crypto, also shared Asparouhovs tweet Wednesday morning. (Suarezs office did not respond to multiple requests for comment from SFGATE.) "Bobby worked harder than anyone and was the smartest person I have ever known," Rick Lee wrote. "He will be missed by all those that knew him." San Francisco police said Lee died after being stabbed Tuesday morning in the Rincon Hill neighborhood on the citys northeast edge. No arrests have been made in connection with his death as of Wednesday morning. The department is asking anyone with information about Lee's death to call 415-575-4444. This developing story has been updated. LATEST April 5, 12:50 p.m. The San Francisco Police Department said Wednesday afternoon that Alaina Marie Adams was "located safe." Adams was reported missing April 3 after she missed boarding a cruise ship. "The safety of our guests is always a top priority. In the event a guest does not return to the ship, we reach out to that guest directly and provide support on rejoining the ship at the next port," a Celebrity Cruises spokesperson told SFGATE over email. "As needed, we also collaborate with local authorities and in this instance, we couldn't be happier to hear that Ms. Adams has been located and found safe." April 4, 12:10 p.m. A 33-year-old woman was reported missing after she allegedly didn't board a cruise ship in San Francisco on Monday. Police are calling on the public to help find her. Alaina Marie Adams, who is from out of state, is described in a news release issued by the San Francisco Police Department as a white female standing 5-foot-4 and weighing 140 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Police said she has tattoos behind both ears and a tattoo on her right foot. SFPD Adams was scheduled to board the boat at Pier 27, according to police. When she failed to appear, a woman called the police at 6 p.m. and reported her missing. The caller did not say where Adams was last seen, the department said. SFPD said that the preliminary investigation has not revealed any immanent risk factors associated with Adams and there is no evidence of foul play. Port of San Francisco records show the cruise ship was likely the Celebrity Solstice, which docked at Pier 27 on Sunday and embarked on Monday. The ship is a 19-deck, 1,000-foot cruise liner that was sailing from Los Angeles to San Francisco and back, taking in Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico, among other ports on the way. It's unclear if Adams boarded the ship in Los Angeles when it embarked on its seven-day voyage on Friday. The ship is operated by Celebrity Cruises, a cruise line headquartered in Miami and owned by Royal Caribbean. SFGATE reached out to Celebrity Cruises for comment, but had not heard back at time of publication. Police are asking anyone with information on Adams' whereabouts to call the SFPD tip line at 415-575-4444. This breaking news story has been updated. NEW YORK (AP) Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Wednesday: FedEx Corp., up $3.44 to $229.93. The package delivery service will restructure its operations as part of a $4 billion cost-cutting plan. Johnson & Johnson, up $7.12 to $165.61. The maker of Tylenol and Band-Aid bandages is earmarking nearly $9 billion to settle cancer lawsuits related to its baby powder. Schnitzer Steel Industries Inc., down $1.63 to $28.70. The recycler of ferrous and nonferrous scrap metal reported weak fiscal second-quarter earnings. The Simply Good Foods Co., down $1.85 to $36.84. The maker of Atkins meal plans warned investors a drop in its fiscal 2023 margins could be steeper than previously estimated. Conagra Brands Inc., up 69 cents to $38.27. The maker of Birds Eye frozen vegetables and Slim Jim meat sticks reported strong fiscal third-quarter results. Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., down $37.42 to $1,697.42. Restaurants slipped following a government report showing slower growth in the services sector. Walmart Inc., up $2.44 to $149.67. The retailer reaffirmed its financial forecasts for the year. Western Alliance Bancorp, down $4.15 to $29.37. Investors were disappointed by the Phoenix bank's update on its deposits. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. In the name of greener shipping, Broward Countys venerable Port Everglades is moving to join a small but growing group of ports worldwide that allow visiting cruise ships to plug into shore-based power sources for electricity. Its an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by allowing massive ships idled at ports to shut down their engines and rely on local power grids. While recovering from a financially devastating shutdown forced by COVID-19, the cruise industry says it is making serious efforts to become more energy-efficient and sensitive to the environment as more ships return to the open seas and resume calling at ports worldwide. One of those measures, dubbed shoreside power, was repeatedly articulated by company and port executives during last weeks Seatrade Cruise Global conference in Fort Lauderdale. Every ship being built today for member companies of the Cruise Lines International Association is expected to be plug-in ready, the Washington-based trade group says. Thirty percent of the vessels have the capability now; another 30% are being retrofitted. Twenty-nine cruise ports worldwide have at least one berth with onshore power, the association says, and 20 others are either funded or plan to have the service by 2025. But the numbers represent a small fraction of the cruise ports worldwide, CLIA acknowledges in a 2023 State of the Cruise Industry report. Less than 2% of the worlds cruise ports have onshore power; by 2025, 3% will have shoreside power, the CLIA report says. Now, Port Everglades is among those ports that is committed to a major and expensive project to provide visiting cruise ships with shoreside power. According to the proposed master plan, the project, which would be rolled out in two phases, would cost more than $160 million and ultimately cover all eight of its cruise terminals at $20 million per terminal. The projected implementation date of the first phase covering five terminals my be completed in early 2027. Construction of land-based power sources could start in the middle of next year. Big cost burden Despite the huge price tag, industry officials say the result at Port Everglades would be worth the expense, which would be covered by a variety of sources including the cruise lines themselves, FPL, the port and federal and state grants. To illustrate, the port noted in a statement that the project would cut emissions by the equivalent of removing 2,770 cars from the roads each year. Its an extremely expensive proposition, Jonathan Daniels, CEO and director of Port Everglades, said in an interview Thursday. Theres a financial burden but ultimately [with] the responsibility we have to the environment its incumbent upon us its the port, its the state. its the federal government, its the lines as a whole that need to bear financial responsibility to be able to deliver a resilient and sustainable industry, he said. All of the lines are touting what their ESG [environmental, social, governance] strategy is, Daniels added. The first part of that is the environment. He said the port does not want to put itself in a position where we overwhelm the environment. The Port Everglades master plan, released last month, was conducted by Moffatt & Nichol, a global advisory firm, in collaboration with FPL, Carnival Corp., Disney Cruise Line, and the Royal Caribbean Group. A review of cruise ships now serving the port showed a majority of the 41 vessels calling there are either equipped to use shore power or eventually will be retrofitted to do so. The study suggested initial implementation of the first phase by 2026, but another port official said its more likely to be a little later. I would say realistically if we start today, I dont believe we could implement prior to 27, said Neil J. Kutchera, assistant port director for energy and innovation. Kutcheras job is not only to help shoreside power move forward, Daniels said, but to make sure that the ports users are transitioning into cleaner fuels over time. Ships, for example, started out using heavy fossil fuels in the ports early days, then moved on to diesel and are now being equipped to use liquid natural gas. Shoreside power is expected to become a reality at PortMiami this fall with five cruise lines participating. Miami-Dade County launched its project in 2021, also in league with FPL as well as with Carnival Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise LIne, Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages, The idea is hardly novel, and ports and cruise lines have experimented with it for years, with limited commitments in the early 2000s. In the meantime, they were not known as friends of the environment Early initiatives elsewhere A 2004 report by the National Resources Defense Council called Harboring Pollution rated the nations ports for air quality, noting they were major sources of pollution. Besides ships, the named offenders included trucks, dock equipment and railroad locomotives, which all used diesel engines. The report ranked the top 10 ports nationwide. Port Everglades was unranked, but PortMiami received an F on air pollution for minimally proactive efforts to control it. Later, it was mainly West Coast ports that installed limited shoreside power for visiting ships. As early as 2007, ships operated by Princess Cruises used shoreside power at the Port of Seattle, courtesy of the citys municipal utility. In 2010, the Port of San Diego installed its first landside power source. The port expanded the system this past January with a second source, allowing two ships to charge up simultaneously for the first time. Ports in California, Washington and Alaska all used alternate power supplies for visiting ships. But East Coast ports including South Floridas took little action, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported at the time. Daniels said that in 2008, Port Everglades conducted a study of shoreside power but it just was not the right application at that time. It was still new technology at that moment, it was extremely costly. By now, he added, it was likely that the port would have either replaced that or abandoned it as new technology came online thats more efficient or more cost effective. Some 15 years later, Port Everglades has a local government mandate to act. During conversations last year with Broward County commissioners, Daniels recalled, it was made clear to port management that carbon reduction will be one of your priorities moving forward. According to the proposed master plan, the project, which would be rolled out in two phases, would cost more than $160 million and ultimately cover all eight of its cruise terminals at $20 million per terminal. The projected implementation date of the first phase may be completed in early 2027. 2023 South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Visit sun-sentinel.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The Arab League said it will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday afternoon over an Israeli police raid on the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Jordan had called for the meeting in coordination with Egypt and Palestinian officials, reported Reuters. In the early hours of Wednesday, Israeli police broke into Al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied East Jerusalem, forcefully removing hundreds of worshippers performing the itikaf (seclusion for prayers) and tahajjud (night prayers) at the Muslim holy compound. Videos have gone viral on social media showing the Israeli police breaking into the mosque, beating the worshipers with clubs and firing gas bombs and sound grenades inside the mosque. Earlier today, the AL Secretary-General Ahmed Abul Gheit condemned the Israeli attack, saying "these irresponsible acts in the holy places touch the religious feelings of millions of Muslims around the world, especially during the holy month of Ramadan." In a statement, Abul Gheit called on the international community, represented by the member states of the United Nations Security Council, to take urgent action to push Israel to stop this "dangerous" escalation. Such acts "threaten to ignite the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories," the statement quoted Abul Gheit as saying. He also called on the Israeli government to respect the sanctity of the holy month, and to stop these "provocative" actions that would inflame feelings and fuel anger, warning against the consequences of exporting the internal political crisis in Israel to the Palestinian people. "The extremist tendencies that control the policy of the Israeli government could lead to widespread confrontations with the Palestinians if not halted," he stressed. Several Arab countries condemned the Israeli attacks, including Egypt, Jordan which serves as the custodian of the mosque warning of the consequences of the Israel assault. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said over 500 worshippers were detained in the raid, and ambulances were prevented from attending to hundreds of injured worshippers. It added that the storming caused "irreparable" damage to the Mosque, including by causing a fire. Dozen Palestinians were wounded by rubber bullets used by Israeli police and others were beaten in the attacks, the Palestinian ministry added. Tensions have been running high since the re-election of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in late December. As a result, several raids were launched over the past few months by the Israeli forces on occupied territories of the West Bank, including Jenin and Nablus. In early January, Israel's far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvirs stormed Al-Aqsa mosque. Israel has killed at least 93 Palestinians and wounded many others since the beginning of the year. Search Keywords: Short link: Stop & Shop is closing its Greenwich store in the town's Glenville district only a few years after Wegmans opened its first supermarket in Westchester County, an easy drive for many in Greenwich. As of Wednesday morning, no signs were readily apparent in the store announcing the closure, but a Stop & Shop spokesperson confirmed the plan to CT Insider, stating the store "was not meeting financial expectations" without further elaboration. The spokesperson stated the "closure is not indicative of any future operational plans for Stop & Shop stores in Fairfield or Westchester counties" in response to a CT Insider query. Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo told CT Insider he is already exploring a potential grocery store replacement. A onetime post office building adjacent to Stop & Shop has been rebuilt with four retail suites, all of them vacant as curbs and other details are completed. The Stop & Shop store has a smaller layout than many in the chain, similar to that of Trader Joe's, which has a location on High Ridge Road in Stamford. Several other chains have been expanding the past several years in Connecticut with larger supermarkets, including ShopRite, which has Stamford store; Caraluzzi's, which recently opened a new supermarket in Danbury; and Big Y World Class Market, which has several stores in eastern Fairfield County. Whole Foods Market has a store in downtown Greenwich and another on the way in Stamford, and Camillo expressed doubt that the Glenville location would be suitable for discount grocer Aldi, which has been in expansion mode in Connecticut. Camillo added he has heard no interest from Amazon for any Amazon Fresh location in Greenwich. "I reached out to a friend who is in touch with a store that may fit perfectly there to see if there would be any interest," Camillo told CT Insider on Wednesday in reference to the Stop & Shop location. "Glenville deserves to have a shopping center." The June 15 closure will impact 60 employees, with supermarket and retail hiring still strong this spring but economic signals mixed heading into the summer months. Employees are being given the opportunity to transfer to other Stop & Shop locations. Based in Quincy, Mass., as a subsidiary of Ahold Delhaize, Stop & Shop is the largest supermarket operator in Connecticut with nearly 90 stores statewide, including a second Greenwich location on West Putnam Avenue and another under construction just over the Stamford line. Since Wegmans opened in August 2020 in Harrison, N.Y., no shortage of Connecticut license plates have been evident in the Wegmans parking lot, which about 10 minutes west from Stop & Shop. The Rochester, N.Y.-based giant is planning to open its first Connecticut store in Norwalk on Connecticut Avenue in close proximity to Stop & Shop, ShopRite and Trader Joe's just over the Darien line. In addition to Stop & Shop and Whole Foods Market, Greenwich has a thriving grocery scene with Acme Market, Citarella Gourmet Market, Balducci's and Kings Food Markets among the options. And several more are just over the Greenwich line in Stamford and Westchester County, including Costco in Port Chester. "ShopRite does very well in Stamford; Whole Foods does very well; Trader Joe's does very well," Camillo said. "I would certainly urge the property owner to please look at replacing Stop & Shop with another grocery store and to that end, I'll do all I can to reach out to potential businesses that could fit the bill there." San Francisco favorite Nicks Crispy Tacos is making a comeback after its closure late last year. The restaurant, which closed after 20 years, is returning to San Francisco but will no longer be at the corner of Broadway and Polk Street. DataSF shows that Nicks Crispy Tacos registered its new business location at 3200 Fillmore St., as first reported by the San Francisco Business Times. Details on the forthcoming opening are slim for now, but the Business Times points out that Nicks Crispy Tacos will debut inside Rockwell, a lounge at the same address. Fans of Nicks Crispy Tacos will recall that the Russian Hill fixture had similarly operated inside Rouge nightclub at 1500 Broadway. Much to the dismay of taco Tuesday fans, Nicks Crispy Tacos abruptly closed last December after two decades of serving hefty steak and battered fish tacos. On Facebook, Nicks Crispy Tacos shared that its closure resulted in an inability to extend its lease. The restaurant added that it was in the process of finding a new home to serve our famous tacos. We hope that you will continue to support us once we re-open and promise to deliver an even better experience, the post read. SFGATE reached out to Nicks Crispy Tacos owner Howard Schindler and to Rockwell for comments on the forthcoming opening but did not hear back by publication. Saturday morning, people will flock to the intersection of California and Gough streets to briefly stand in the road, facing east. They'll be there for a chance to photograph the sun rising as it aligns seamlessly with California Street and the Bay Bridge a spectacle that happens only twice a year. Local photographer Pankaj Bhargava has been photographing the biannual phenomenon for the past two years. He said on these days, the sun lines up with California Street for only a few minutes and then sits directly over the bridge for a matter of seconds before moving making it difficult to land that dream shot. Still, Bhargava said he's seen anywhere from 40 to 70 people make the trek up the hill to stand in traffic for a chance to capture the sight, which takes place once in April and once in September. The problem is that we have to shoot from the middle of the street to get that alignment over the Bay Bridge, but its exactly on top of the bridge for just hardly five to 10 seconds, Bhargava said. Thats the shot everybody tries to get every year. Thats the thing we want. Bhargava added that the event comes with its challenges. The weather doesn't always cooperate, for instance, and motorists aren't generally thrilled about a throng of people standing in the middle of the street. A couple of times, we were honked at by passersby, and once or twice, SFPD came by, and we had to tell them that we just needed five or 10 seconds to get the shot, Bhargava said. To plan for the shot, photographers use apps like PhotoPills and Planets Pro, which track the movements of the sun in real time. Prime time happens after sunrise, following the suns first appearance over the Oakland Hills. Three or four years back, when we didnt have that many apps and the planning was not as precise, there would hardly be five to 10 people out, but now its been a whole ordeal, Bhargava said. Bhargava said that the sun is expected to align with California Street from April 7 to April 9 but that April 8 will be the most precise day to make an attempt at that prized shot. For drivers crossing the Bay Bridge, the San Francisco skyline is a glorious sight to behold: a forest of glass and steel from which the slant lines of the Transamerica Pyramid soar skyward, framed by lights dancing atop the Salesforce Tower, accompanied by its smaller cousin, the Coit Tower, alone on its hilltop. And then, tucked at the bottom of the crowd of skyscrapers, stands the Ferry Building, with its Beaux Arts flourishes and distinctive 245-foot clock tower, watching over the Bay. This is one of San Francisco's most beloved spots, for its unique history and incredible offering of food and wares. Read on to learn more about the iconic terminal and what to do when you visit. The San Francisco Ferry Building's long history The building, now known for its glorious cornucopia of Bay Area food started out as, well, a ferry building. It first opened just before the dawn of the 20th century, replacing an older wooden sibling that had been on that site since 1875. The new structure's graceful arcades and tower werent just beautiful, they were remarkably well designed for the time; the San Francisco Ferry Building survived the destructive 1906 earthquake and the 1989 earthquake with remarkably little damage. Until the mid-1930s, the building served as a key transit hub for the multitude of long-haul train lines converging in San Francisco, as well as a more local commuting center for workers streaming into the city from throughout the broader Bay Area. Until the Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge opened, the Ferry Building was the second busiest transit terminal in the world, just behind Charing Cross Station in London. During peak use, some 50,000 people a day flooded through the Ferry Building's doors. Dorin_S/Getty Images/iStockphoto But the rise of the automobile and the enthusiastic adoption of the Bay Area's bridges meant those huge daily ferry commutes were destined to dwindle. After decades of decay and disuse, the Ferry Building underwent an extensive restoration in the early 2000s. Even though now ferry usage seems to be on the upswing, the days of those mass water commutes are gone. So instead of sticking to pure transit, in 2003 the building reopened as a public food market and retail space, with an emphasis on the food and drink that makes Bay Area culture so unique. Food, food and more food The Ferry Building's new incarnation as a local food hall makes it the perfect place to find the region's most beloved products in one convenient spot, without having to spend hours or days ping-ponging across bridges and around the peninsula to experience the best of the Bay. Need a pick me up? Sip on a latte at Blue Bottle Coffee, the now international chain that started in Oakland. If youre craving something sweet, try a Secret Breakfast ice cream cone at San Francisco institution Humphry Slocombe, or snack on a chocolate bar at Mission District favorite Dandelion Chocolate. Daniel Beck/Courtesy of Senor Sisig For a more substantive grab-and-go snack, try a sisig burrito at Filipino fusion spot Senor Sisig, whose food trucks are a welcome sight across the Bay. And while you're at the Ferry Building, dont forget to grab a book or postcard at Book Passage, a great bottle of wine paired with local cheese at the Epicurean Trader, or a beautiful piece of pottery from Sausalitos beloved Heath Ceramics. If you're hungry for a full meal or want a more in-depth experience, there are also several sit-down restaurants in the San Francisco Ferry Building, which is home to one of the biggest outdoor dining spaces in the city. Tuck into hand-battered fish tacos at Cholita Linda, slurp local oysters at Hog Island Oyster Company or sink your teeth into a juicy burger at Napa County gem Gott's Roadside while enjoying the view of Yerba Buena Island and the Bay Bridge. The Washington Post/The Washington Post via Getty Im Even if youre not dining, anyone can sit on the benches and enjoy the view not just restaurant customers. On sunny days, the outdoor tables make a great spot to rest and enjoy the beauty of the bay. Experience the San Francisco Ferry Building's history The Ferry Building remains a gem of city history, with plenty of stories to tell. For a great introduction, try the San Francisco City Guides tour of the Ferry Building, which runs on Tuesdays and Saturdays to coincide with the weekly Farmers Market that takes over the Ferry Building Plaza. Courtesy of Foodwise/Amanda Lynn Photography You can also still experience the building for its original purpose. Even though its days of elegant waiting rooms has passed, the Ferry Building still serves as San Francisco's ferry hub. From here, you can (and should) take a boat ride to see more of the Bay, for a much lower price than you'd pay on a tourist vessel. For great scenery and a fun day out, catch a ride north to Sausalito, or even further afield to Angel Island. Or try a jaunt under the Bay Bridge and by the port of Oaklands towering cranes to Jack London Square, for a bite to eat at The Forge or a beer at Heinolds First and Last Chance Tavern, before you head back toward the city and onto your next Bay Area adventure. This story was edited by Hearst Newspapers Managing Editor Kristina Moy; you can contact her at kristina.moy@hearst.com. The video above is part of a series by Clarified featured during Aprils Earth Month to educate viewers on environmental issues. Green products are everywhere from the cars you drive to the pillow you rest your head on. And consumers cant get enough. Conscious consumption in the name of sustainability is on the rise and companies are taking note. But sometimes, an organization claims a product or activity appears to be more eco-friendly than it actually is a term known as Greenwashing. So how can consumers sift through misleading marketing to find truly ethically made products? Greenwashing can be found anywhere one of the biggest cases involved Volkswagen and Porsche repaying over $9.5 billion since 2016 to car buyers after the Federal Trade Commission sued over misleading "green" claims, including the marketing of Volkswagen-branded and Audi-branded cars marketed as clean diesel. The FTC alleged Volkswagens seven-year ad campaign falsely claimed the cars were low emission, environmentally friendly, and met emission standards. In reality, the cars were fitted with illegal emission defeat devices designed to mask high emissions during government tests. The companies did not admit or deny the allegations, but agreed to pay the multi-billion dollar settlement. In 2022, the FTC and the U.S. Department of Justice sued Kohls and Walmart for marketing several textile products as bamboo made under eco-friendly processes, when they were actually made of rayon. Producing rayon involves using toxic chemicals and emitting hazardous pollutants, the FTC and DOJ said. The companies did not admit or deny the allegations but agreed to pay a combined total of around $5.5 million. How to Combat Greenwashing College of the Holy Cross sociology professor Ellis Jones says there are short-term and long-term solutions when it comes to combating greenwashing PR scams. The immediate solution is for shoppers to use shopping guides like Better World Shopper , which Jones continues to research for and update, Ethical Consumer and Shop Ethical . Jones also recommends looking out for products with certified labels like B-Corp or Fairtrade. But the main takeaway is that consumers cannot solve this issue alone. Jones says to focus on the bigger issue: pressuring local lawmakers to hold companies accountable and make them more transparent in their practices. So if suddenly the worst greenwashers are fined X million dollars for every time they greenwash, then it becomes not as profitable to greenwash and it becomes more reasonable to do the right thing, Jones said. Both the U.S. and European Union have proposed bills to hold the fashion industry accountable. Proposed in New York, The Fashion Act would require major fashion brands to disclose and reduce their negative environmental and social impacts. France also announced they will require a climate impact label on clothing sold in the country. Jones hopes all products will be required to have a climate impact label that will measure sustainability, environmental impact and human rights impact. What you need is something as quick and accessible and comparable as when you go shopping at the supermarket, Jones said. We really need to take stock of this moment, Jones said. Because what were seeing is, consumers are rising up, and they are demanding products and services that are doing right by people on the planet in this world. (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Maggie Villiger, The Conversation (THE CONVERSATION) Tens of millions of chocolate bunnies get sold in the U.S. every Easter. Here are six articles about chocolate from The Conversations archive great reading while youre nibbling the ears off your own bunny (if youre one of the three-quarters of Americans who start at the top). 1. Food scientist on cocoa chemistry Chocolate bunnies dont grow on trees but cacao pods do. It takes a lot of processing to get from the raw agricultural input to the finished output. Food scientist Sheryl Barringer from The Ohio State University wrote about various chemical reactions that are part of the transformation of beans into chocolate. One is the Maillard reaction, the same thing that gives the browned bits on roasted meats or a breads golden crust their flavor. Barringer also explains that weird white stuff known as bloom that might appear on your Easter chocolates if they hang around for a while. (Dont worry, its still edible.) 2. Chocolate is a fermented food Food science Ph.D. candidate Caitlin Clark from Colorado State University focuses her research on the microbes responsible for much of chocolates flavor. As a fermented food, chocolate depends on yeast and bacteria to help turn a raw ingredient into the treat you can recognize. Clark described how the microorganisms that occur naturally in a given geographical location can give high-end chocolates their terroir the characteristic flair imparted by a place you might be more used to thinking about with regard to wine. 3. Pollinators are important part of process Cacao growers rely on another tiny ally to pollinate their crop. Entomologist DeWayne Shoemaker from the University of Tennessee described the mini flies particularly biting midges and gall midges that get the job done. Pollinators must pick up pollen from the male parts of a flower of one tree and deposit it on the female parts of a flower on another tree, Shoemaker wrote. But up to 90% of cacao flowers dont get pollinated at all. People can hand-pollinate the little flowers, but it remains a mystery which other insects might do the job in the wild. 4. Child labor is chocolates bitter secret Harvesting and processing cacao is labor-intensive. To meet this need, some farmers turn to child labor. Cultural anthropologist Robert Ulin from the Rochester Institute of Technology described how the global chocolate industry is tied to inequality via exploitative labor practices. The largest chocolate companies signed a protocol in 2001 that condemned child labor and childhood slavery, Ulin wrote. But he noted that consumers may want more information to make sure their purchase power supports fair labor practices in the chocolate sector. 5. Not safe for furry family members Eating a ton of chocolate is probably not a healthy choice for anyone. But even a little bit of chocolate can be deadly for dogs and cats. In an article about all kinds of holiday foods that are unsafe for pets, veterinarian and researcher Leticia Fanucchi from Oklahoma State University explained the chemicals in this human delicacy that can cause fatal chocolate intoxication. Dont delay getting veterinary help if your pet does raid your Easter basket. 6. An enslaved chocolatier in colonial America An enslaved cook named Caesar, born in 1732, was one of the first chocolatiers in the American colonies. Historical archaeologist Kelley Fanto Deetz from the University of California, Berkeley described how Caesar would have had to roast the cocoa beans on the open hearth, shell them by hand, grind the nibs on a heated chocolate stone, and then scrape the raw cocoa, add milk or water, cinnamon, nutmeg or vanilla, and serve it piping hot. Cocoa was a hot commodity for Virginias white elite during this period, when it was a culinary component along with pineapples, Madeira wine, port, champagne, coffee and sugar of the Columbian Exchange. Editors note: This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversations archives. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/easter-bunnies-cacao-beans-and-pollinating-bugs-a-basket-of-6-essential-reads-about-chocolate-203096. A Texas man who worked for conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' website, Infowars, was sentenced on Wednesday to four months of home detention for joining a mob's attack on the U.S. Capitol. Samuel Montoya, 37, was employed as a video editor for Infowars when he stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and captured footage of a police officer fatally shooting a rioter, Ashli Babbitt. Before a judge announced his sentence, Montoya called himself a member of the media and said he regrets his approach to filming and reporting on the events that day." Nothing like what happened at the Capitol that day should ever take place again, Montoya said. I truly hope my apology offers a bit of closure to my fellow countrymen as we recover and heal together. U.S. District Judge John Bates said Montoya doesn't get a free pass ... just because he considered himself a journalist. He was more than just a reporter, the judge said before sentencing Montoya. He was not just an observer. He was a participant. Montoya pleaded guilty in November to one count of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building, a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in prison. Prosecutors recommended sentencing Montoya to 45 days of imprisonment. Bates instead sentenced Montoya to 3 years of probation, including 120 days of home detention and 60 hours of community service, and ordered him to pay a $1,500 fine plus $500 in restitution. The judge said it was a close call in deciding to spare him from incarceration. A video that Montoya recorded for Infowars showed him celebrating the attack and joining other rioters in breaking through a line of police officers in the Capitol's Crypt. "Were storming! he said. Montoya invoked his participation in the riot when he mounted an unsuccessful congressional campaign in the 35th district of Texas last year. His campaign website was capitolsam.com and included a section called Arrest and Political Persecution. Two days after the riot, Montoya appeared on an Infowars show hosted by Owen Shroyer and described the scene of Babbitts shooting. The officer shot Babbitt, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran from San Diego, as she climbed through a broken door leading into the House Speakers lobby. The officer was cleared of wrongdoing by both federal prosecutors and Capitol police. Montoya was arrested in April 2021. Shroyer also was arrested on Capitol riot-related charges. The case against Shroyer hasn't been resolved. Infowars founder and host Alex Jones claimed he told Montoya to stay in Texas to work on the site's broadcasts while Jones and others went to Washington, D.C., for the Stop the Steal rally on Jan. 6, according to prosecutors. Jones said that Montoya went to D.C. on his own, and that Jones had instructed his staff not to go inside the U.S. Capitol, Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Loeb wrote in a court filing. Jones used Infowars to promote former President Donald Trumps baseless claims of election fraud. Jones hasn't been charged with any Jan. 6-related crimes. In October, a Connecticut jury ordered Jones and his company, Free Speech System, to pay nearly $1 billion in damages to compensate families of children and educators killed in the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The families said Jones broadcast lies about the school shooting that subjected them to harassment and threats. Jones' company hired Montoya in 2018. He was laid off in November after the company filed for bankruptcy, according to his attorney. Approximately 1,000 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Jan. 6 riot. More than 600 of them have pleaded guilty or been convicted after trials decided by a jury or judge. Roughly 450 have been sentenced, with over half getting terms of imprisonment ranging from seven days to 10 years. ___ Follow the APs coverage of the Capitol riot at https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege Egypt has nominated former minister of tourism and antiquities Khaled El-Enany for the post of director-general of the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The election will take place during the last quarter of 2025. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly a few minutes ago at a press conference at the cabinet premises in the New Administrative Capital. In his speech, El-Enany expressed his gratitude for the Egyptian government for his nomination as director-general of UNESCO, saying it reflects the government's confidence in his ability to assume this prestigious position. This nomination is a magnitude responsibility, especially in light of the UNESCOs role and mission at this delicate stage in human history, in which it suffers from unprecedented challenges, El-Enany said. He pointed out that there are still tens of millions of children around the world who do not receive any education. Tangible and intangible cultural heritage as well as the world's natural heritage are facing great challenges. In addition, the least developed countries failed to benefit from the huge leap in technology and modern innovations. He asserted that the world today is in dire need, perhaps more than ever, for dialogue and understanding, spreading a culture of tolerance, accepting difference, accepting and respecting the other, rejecting violence, hatred, intolerance and discrimination. It is also imperative to be working towards promoting cultural diversity, bridging the huge scientific and technological gap, and redoubling efforts to achieve the goals of sustainable development, especially those related to providing knowledge and quality education, equality, innovation, peace, and justice. El-Enany added that he is honoured to put his academic and executive experiences in the service of the organisation and its noble goals. The UNESCO goals, he added, are closely linked to the Egyptian conscience which has been -- since ancient times -- upholding the value of peace, based on moderation, and blending Arab and African identity, as well as Islamic, Coptic and Jewish heritage. Concluding his speech, El-Enany thanked the prime minister for Egypt's efforts to prepare for this nomination, which reflects the importance Egypt binds to this position. I am confident in the full support that all government institutions will provide to enable Egypt to win this position that will allow the country to continue to perform its educational and enlightening role, to establish the values of peace and justice, and to build bridges between peoples, El-Enany asserted. Khaled El-Enany assumed his position as minister of antiquities from March 2016 to December 2019. He then became minister of tourism and antiquities from December 2019 to August 2022. He is the first minister to hold the tourism and antiquities portfolios together since the two ministries were separated in 1966. El-Enany is a professor in the Tourism Guidance Department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management (FTH), Helwan University (HU), since 2011. He has various academic, scientific, administrative and executive experiences, in Egypt and abroad. During his career, he has developed a strong international network with many governments, institutions and organisations, visiting more than 25 countries for academic purposes, official meetings, conferences and events. During his six-and-a-half-year tenure in the government, he supervised the implementation of important projects and pivotal strategies, and took the necessary measures to boost tourism and archaeology in Egypt. He worked on the promulgation and amendment of several laws and decrees. During his time as minister, more than 20 museums and 45 restoration and development projects of archeological sites were inaugurated, and more than 20 restoration projects of historical mosques, monasteries and churches (including five locations on the Holy Family Trail) and Eliahu Hanavi Synagogue in Alexandria were opened. He inaugurated five lowering ground water projects in important archaeological sites. The number of archaeological missions, particularly Egyptian ones, has increased significantly, which contributed to important discoveries, and more than 23,000 smuggled artefacts were repatriated from more than 20 countries. El-Enany ensured the formulation and implementation of important tourism strategies, such as the ministry's Sustainable Development Strategy 2030, and the National Sustainable Tourism Strategy (prepared by an Italian consultancy house). El-Enany supervised the formulation of the Brand Strategy (by a British-Canadian consortium), to introduce Egypt's new persona as a young alive country that deserves the global attention and repeat visits. Under the direction of the Egyptian state, he supervised the organisation of the two globally promotional events, the Pharaohs Golden Parade and Luxor: The Sphinx Avenue Parade. El-Enany made the necessary arrangements to implement Egypt's decisions to mitigate the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine-Russia war on the tourism sector and employees, which enabled Egypt to boost a rapid and safe tourism recovery. In 2009, Egypt nominated former minister of culture Farouk Hosny for the post of UNESCO director-general. He lost his bid to Bulgarian former foreign minister Irina Bokova. Egyptian politician and diplomat Moushira Khattab was also Egypts candidate for the post of UNESCO director-general at the elections held in 2017. Khattab who served as minister of state for family and population between 2009 and 2011 lost her bid to the current UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azouly. Search Keywords: Short link: This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate CONCORD, N.H. (AP) A judge denied a newspapers request for jurors names in the case of a truck driver who was acquitted of all counts for the deaths of seven motorcyclists, saying Tuesday that the panel endured harsh criticism from many, including the governor, and feared for their safety. The Boston Globe sought the names following the August 2022 trial of Volodymyr Zhukovskyy. The jury acquitted him of causing the deaths in a head-on collision in New Hampshire in 2019 that exposed fatal flaws in the process for revoking licenses across states. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu and Attorney General John Formella criticized the verdict. Sununu said he shared in the shock, outrage, and anger that so many have expressed" since the crash. The Fallen Seven did not receive justice today, and that is an absolute tragedy, he said, referring to the victims. The jury deliberated for less than three hours after a two-week trial during which prosecutors argued that Zhukovskyy who had taken heroin, fentanyl and cocaine earlier on the day of the crash repeatedly swerved back and forth before the collision, and told police he caused it. But a judge dismissed eight charges related to whether he was impaired, and his attorneys blamed the lead biker, saying he was drunk and didn't look where he was going when he lost control of his motorcycle and slid in front of Zhukovskyys truck. The Globe argued that the list of jurors' names and addresses is a court document, and therefore, there's a presumption that it be available to the public. The newspaper also argued that having access to the list would give the public an insight into the trial, the judicial system, and post-trial comments about the verdict from jurors willing to speak with a reporter. The Globe also said it would honor any juror's request for anonymity. A lawyer appointed by Coos County Superior Court Judge Peter Bornstein to represent the 12 jurors and five alternates contacted all of them. The group said they did not want to speak to the Globe or to any other media, citing concerns over their safety and privacy. One juror was so concerned for his/her safety that the juror felt the need to carry a pistol for personal protection, Bornstein wrote. Another shut down their social media accounts. The jurors in this case endured bad press and harsh (and sometimes vitriolic) criticism from multiple sources, Bornstein wrote, in a world with a pervasive and potentially hostile social media culture. He added, Although New Hampshire protects the public's right of access to court records, it also protects an individual's right to privacy. The Globe has not yet decided whether to appeal, their lawyer said. It wasn't immediately known if there have been other New Hampshire cases where jury names were released post-trial. Jurors' names and addresses are derived from juror questionnaires, which are confidential, Bornstein noted. LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) The Long Beach Unified School District will pay $13 million to the family of an 18-year-old woman who was shot by a school safety officer as she sat in a car, their attorneys announced Tuesday. The money settles a wrongful death lawsuit filed over the Sept. 27, 2021 killing of Manuela Mona Rodriguez. I personally dont really care about the settlement. Its not bringing back my sister, Rodriguezs brother, Omar, said at a news conference. I dont want anybody else to go through this pain. Rodriguez, the mother of a 5-month-old son, was shot in the back of the head in a parking lot near Millikan High School in Long Beach. She was sitting in the passenger seat of a car that was driving away after Rodriguez had gotten into a fight with a 15-year-old girl, police have said. Video posted online appeared to show the safety officer firing at least two shots as the car moved off next to him. At least one bullet pierced a window of the car. Rodriguez was removed from life support several days later. The officer, Eddie Gonzalez, was fired by the school district and charged with murder. He pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial. Family attorneys said Gonzalez wasn't in danger and the car was heading away from him when he fired. The lawsuit contended the district was negligent in hiring him and failed to properly train him. "We shouldn't be here today but they screwed it all up by hiring an unqualified future killer cop," attorney Luis Carrillo said. In a statement, the school district said it hadn't seen or ratified a settlement agreement and couldn't discuss details. Settlements like these include language that there is no admission of liability on the districts part," the district added. "However, we again share our sincerest condolences with everyone who was impacted by this terrible event. DETROIT (AP) A 27-year-old man accused of buying a gun used in the fatal shooting of a Detroit police officer was sentenced Tuesday to two years in prison, federal prosecutors said. Sheldon Avery Thomas, 27, of Detroit pleaded guilty in December to making a false statement in buying the weapon that was used to kill Officer Loren Courts, 40, during a July ambush on Detroits west side. MIDDLETOWN An African man, born in Guinea in 1724, who survived 11 decades enslaved and imprisoned, will be honored on Main Street, according to three men, two from Middletown, who said the effort is to remind the broad public that slavery in Connecticut still has pernicious effects today. Prince Mortimer was forced to work at the rope walk, a facility where ropes were manufactured for the sailing industry in the 18th century, that previously stood at 545 Main St., where a roller skating rink and professional offices were most recently located. The building, now under rehabilitation by Middletown developer J.R. Carnegie-Hargreaves, will eventually contain apartments and space for startup entrepreneurs. He is working to create the memorial with Bloomfield software designer John Mills, who has done extensive research to uncover and tell Prince story, alongside Wesleyan University professor Jesse Nasta, who also heads the Middlesex County Historical Society. One of Mills' shocking discoveries was that Prince was imprisoned when a second enslaver who denied Prince freedom while in his 70s later accused him of attempted murder by poisoning. The purpose for the memorial is to demonstrate that slavery was a reality in Connecticut, and the practice has powerful remnants that still affect African-Americans today, Mills said. Citing adverse outcomes for African Americans related to employment, finances, incarceration, leadership opportunities and other factors, Mills said, I see those gaps as simply current-day effects of this countrys past history of chattel slavery. Telling these stories are a way for Mills to make visible what is invisible to many: that society continues to be affected by powerful and ongoing effects of slavery, he said. All the traumas I started to learn about related to slavery, said Mills, who noted that a number of the ordeals present in Mortimers story enslavement, imprisonment and more have echoes in contemporary society for African Americans. If I told the story, it might help people see the connection between issues today and the past. A 2019 Pew Research Center poll showed that only about a quarter of white Americans said slavery still has a a great deal of impact on African Americans today. In contrast, nearly 60 percent of African Americans said so. Mills said his research of Prince Mortimer revealed parallels with Mills own ancestors, including the fact that, as African Americans, their existence was rarely recorded or documented. Mills grandfathers grandfather and other relatives were enslaved. Mills said Prince Mortimer lived for many decades before any record of his existence was created. Some of the information Mills developed is approximate or comes from various disparate sources. Mills said it is believed that Prince Mortimer was enslaved as a boy and forcefully brought to America and eventually wound up in Middletown. Mills said that a man named Philip Mortimer of Middletown purchased Prince in the period from 1753 to the 1770s. Philip forced Prince Mortimer to work at the rope walk. In addition, Mills said Prince Mortimer was quoted in a book as saying that he was a servant to officers fighting for the colonies in the American Revolutionary War, including President George Washington. Prince Mortimer's enslaver, Philip Mortimer, mentioned him in his will, Mills said, saying that his slaves would be freed with the exception of Prince and one or two others. Mills said he thought Prince Mortimer was too valuable to the rope walk enterprise to be freed. However, when Philip Mortimer was on his deathbed, Mills said, he reconsidered the cruel treatment of Prince and amended the will to free him. However, the will was contested by George Starr, a politically connected relative of Philip Mortimer, and eventually thrown out in court. As a result, at 73, Prince Mortimer was inherited by Starr and again enslaved instead of being set free, Mills said. The next known fact about Prince is that in 1811, Starr accused Prince Mortimer of trying to poison him. Prince was convicted in the courthouse that George Starr helped pay for, said Mills, who added that Starr was very rich and involved in politics. In 1811, at 87, Prince Mortimer was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to life in prison at Old Newgate Prison in East Granby until he was set free by prison guards in about 1826. He returned to Middletown and saw that no one he knew was still there, Mills said. He outlived everybody: They either died or moved away, Mills said. Prince Mortimer returned to Newgate and was readmitted. Prince Mortimer was then imprisoned in Wethersfield State Prison in 1827 after Newgate closed. He died there March 11, 1834. However, the location of his burial and even if he was buried is unknown, Mills said. While a marker at the site of the former Wethersfield prison says that prison inmates are buried there, Mills suspects that Prince Mortimers body was provided to medical researchers from Yale Medical School, as was common practice at the time. Mills said his research revealed the lack of common respect accorded to African Americans. Theres not a whole lot of detail known about him until he is sent to prison, and we first hear about him in the Philip Mortimer will, Mills said. Sixty years after his birth, there is still no documentation that he exists. Hes 68 when hes first mentioned. For 68 years, he is a ghost," Mills added. It is the same thing: if I research my relatives who died before 1865, it is almost impossible to find information." Mills said he has been similarly stymied in finding burial sites for his ancestors. I dont know where my relatives are buried, he said. He said one was buried in a Baltimore, Md., site purchased by developers in the 1960s, and paved over for a shopping center. Carnegie-Hargreaves said he will fund the memorial to Prince Mortimer by using some portion of the state money the developer got to rehabilitate the 545 Main St. site. A number of ideas are under consideration, including an exterior mural or other artwork. That may include connecting the rope walk theme and green spaces to honor Prince Mortimer. Carnegie-Hargreaves added that he also wants to hold an annual event to remember Prince and foster discussions about race relations in America and Connecticut. We want to create a safe space where people can share and learn and be more lovable toward each other, Hargreaves said, adding this effort fits in well with the redesigned building that will offer space to new or startup entrepreneurs. Nasta said honoring Prince Mortimer will build awareness for something many simply dont see. We are marking what is not visible, and has, in fact, been erased from the landscape, said Nasta. Hopefully it will reshape how people see the streets they walk on every day, and we can have a conversation about what this history means today. " ... Slavery is both everywhere, and hard to pin down at the same time, Nasta said. Markus Schreiber/AP LOS ANGELES (AP) Stormy Daniels must pay nearly $122,000 of Donald Trump's legal fees that were racked up in connection with the porn actor's failed defamation lawsuit, an appeals court ruled Tuesday. The decision in California came at about the same time that that Trump became the only ex-president to be charged with a crime. Trump pleaded not guilty in a New York City courtroom to a 34-count felony indictment accusing him falsifying business records in a scheme to hush up allegations of extramarital affairs with Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal that broke during his first White House run. WETHERSFIELD The town Planning and Zoning Commission was hit with a proposal to allow recreational marijuana sales after the town council's moratorium expired and despite some local officials opposed to the idea. "They threw it at us," one commissioner member said at a Dec. 6 meeting. "Why would we throw it back at them?" The Planning and Zoning Commission heard public input at the December meeting after town council nixed the possibility of recreational cannabis sales in town. At least one town council member assumed the Planning and Zoning Commission would follow suit. "We were looking for regulation that would prohibit the record sale of recreational cannabis in Weathersfield," Deputy Mayor Tom Mazzarella said in an interview with Hearst Connecticut Media Group. Despite mixed reviews on the policy from town officials, the commission moved ahead with the approval on March 21 after drafting an amendment to "minimize the adverse impacts adult-use cannabis establishments may have on adjacent properties and to provide standards for the placement, design, siting, safety, security and monitoring of adult-use cannabis establishments subject to reasonable conditions that will protect the public health, safety and welfare." The measure passed 6-1 and is set to go into effect April 20. But Mazzarella is dreading that day. "My fears is that there's going to be an application on April 20," Mazzarella said. "I think the writing's on the wall." While recreational use is legalized in Connecticut, each municipality has to vote to decide whether to allow retail of recreational cannabis, a decision requiring a change in the municipality's zoning ordinance. Since January 2022, Wethersfield has been trying to decide how to tackle the issue proximity to schools, drive-thru options and uses for tax revenue generated. At a Jan. 18, 2022 meeting, Assistant Town Planner Denise Bradley asked the town council for guidance on how the Planning and Zoning Commission should proceed regarding cannabis facilities. At the time, Police Chief Rafael Medina shared concerns about allowing recreational facilities in town, including the possibilities of traffic-related accidents and officer exposure to second-hand smoke. Erica Texeira, assistant director of Social, Youth and Senior Services, also shared public health concerns. The town council had maintained a cannabis moratorium since late 2021 that expired in December 2022. Medina's disapproval for the measure did not fade over time. On March 3, he sent a letter to Mazzarella, who serves as a liaison to the Planning and Zoning Commission, warning of potential dangers of cannabis sales in town. "I want to touch upon four areas of concern, even though I have more," Medina wrote in the letter. "They are: increased calls and cost for services; increased interaction between law enforcement and emotionally disturbed persons; increased marijuana-related medical emergencies; and increase in vehicular/pedestrian traffic and traffic-related accidents, including fatal motor vehicle accidents." He said that recreational cannabis sales could lead to "lengthy and complex criminal investigations" and subsequent police overtime. Mazzarella, the recipient of the letter, spoke about his concerns at the Dec. 6 and March 21 public hearing as a resident of Wethersfield. "My personal opinion is that it is readily accessible to the residents of Wethersfield, the Berlin Turnpike, Hartford," Mazzarella said at the December meeting. "It is not like we are imposing a burden on the public where they can't have access to this product if they so choose. I am concerned about the volume of people coming into our town to purchase cannabis." In an interview with Hearst Connecticut Media Group, he said council overwhelmingly shared his opinions about cannabis sales in town. "We were as the council, asking for them to put our desire of prohibiting sale of recreational cannabis into legal wording and so forth," Mazzarella said. "They went against that." Assistant Town Planner Denise Bradley did not respond to a request for comment on behalf of the commission and no other members of town council responded to requests for comment. Mazzarella attributed the Planning and Zoning Commission's rebuke as a "money grab." "That's the only benefit that I could find to having a dispensary in our town," Mazzarella said. "There's a dispensary in Newington. You can you can walk to it from the Weathersfield-Newington town line, so it's not like we're denying the public access to cannabis. I don't see what it brings to town." (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Jeffrey Bellin, William & Mary Law School (THE CONVERSATION) Former President Donald Trump was arraigned in New York on April 4, 2023. Shortly after, the charges that a Manhattan grand jury indicted him on were made public. As anticipated, there were numerous counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments made in 2016 to three individuals with potentially damaging information about Trump during his presidential election campaign. While porn actress Stormy Daniels and another woman allegedly had affairs with Trump, another person a Trump Tower doorman claimed to know about a child Trump allegedly fathered out of wedlock. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his office described Trumps alleged criminal activity as arising out of a catch and kill scheme to identify, purchase, and bury negative information about him and boost his electoral prospects, according to an April 3 media release. Trump then went to great lengths to hide this conduct, causing dozens of false entries in business records to conceal criminal activity, including attempts to violate state and federal election laws, the statement continues. I am a former prosecutor and law professor who studies the American criminal justice system. Now, with the indictment unsealed, The Conversation asked me to weigh in. Here are three key points to understand and the challenges that lie ahead for the prosecution of the former president. 1. Falsified business records are the key issue The unsealed indictment alleges 34 separate felony counts of falsifying business records. Creating a false business record with the intent to defraud is a Class A misdemeanor offense in New York. But the offense becomes a low-level Class E felony if prosecutors can prove that the false business records were created for the purpose of facilitating a second crime. It is important to keep in mind that the alleged crimes are not the payoffs, but the false business records used to document those payoffs. That explains the 34 counts. The district attorney alleges a separate offense for each false invoice and business record involved in obscuring the true nature of the transactions. Each count is punishable by up to four years in prison, but it is possible that, even if there are convictions on multiple counts, the judge will not mandate any incarceration for Trump at all. One of the surprises in the unsealed indictment is that, while there is a second, separate crime Trump allegedly committed, that crime is not specified. A separate statement of facts released by the Manhattan district attorneys office lays out further detail, but again does not specifically identify the second crime. Bragg said during a press conference on April 4, 2023, that New York law does not require him to list the underlying crimes in the indictment. The statement of facts hints at multiple legal theories that Bragg will rely on to elevate the misdemeanor offense to a felony. Specifically, this could include potential tax avoidance and campaign finance violations. 2. Bragg will have to prove Trumps involvement, fraudulent intent The prosecution has a number of obstacles to overcome to prove its case, which will likely not go to trial until, at the earliest, late 2023 or early 2024. Although there is still a lot that is not yet known such as the specific evidence that the prosecutor will rely on the indictment and statement of facts brings the key obstacles into focus. Some of the challenges will be factual and others will be legal. I see two primary factual questions. One will be whether the prosecution can establish Trumps personal involvement in creating the false business records. It will not be enough to show that Trump authorized the hush money payments at the center of this case. The prosecution has to show Trumps personal involvement in the details, and specifically, that he directed others to create the false business records that allegedly hid the true nature of those transactions. Second, the prosecution will have to prove that Trumps intent in creating these false business records was to cover up, or facilitate, another crime such as campaign finance violations. If Trump merely sought to avoid embarrassment arising out of these alleged affairs, that will not be sufficient to prove the charged offenses. One way prosecutors try to prove criminal intent in cases like this is through the defendants own words. This can be via recordings, if they exist, or testimony from witnesses about what the defendant knew and said about the records as they were being created. 3. There will be other legal hurdles There are also some complex legal questions that the trial judge and potentially an appeals court will be asked to resolve. Typical prosecutions for example, a murder trial or one involving drug dealing or insider trading fall into familiar patterns that allow prosecutors, judges and commentators to follow the same basic blueprint. There does not appear to be a familiar blueprint for this case where a false business record was generated in an organizations records in furtherance of alleged campaign finance violations. That doesnt necessarily mean this is a bad case for the prosecution to pursue, but it does mean that Trumps lawyers will have ample opportunity to launch legal challenges. The most obvious challenge I foresee is an attack on Braggs legal theory that takes this case from a misdemeanor to a felony. Until there is more clarity on that theory, however, it is difficult to predict how the courts will rule. Beyond the legal and factual complexities, there will be a series of novel aspects of this case that arise because of the defendants status as a former president and the apparent front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. Every aspect of this case will be scrutinized and, while New York City courts are used to media attention, the attention in this case is likely to be unprecedented. That attention will put a lot of pressure on a criminal justice system that is already overburdened and imperfect. It is difficult to forecast how this case will play out, but one thing to expect during these proceedings is the unexpected. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/what-trumps-business-fraud-charges-mean-a-former-prosecutor-explains-the-34-felony-counts-and-obstacles-ahead-for-manhattans-da-203319. Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Issa discussed on Tuesday with Chinese officials plans to increase direct air flights between the two countries, amid plans to receive more tourists from China in coming years. According to Issa, marketing studies conducted by the ministry proved that there are large numbers of Chinese tourists who wish to visit Egypt. These remarks came during a professional workshop organised by the Egyptian tourism ministry under the title "Egyptian-Chinese Tourism". The workshop saw the participation of Chinese Minister of Culture and Tourism Hu Heping, who is heading an official delegation to Egypt to boost cooperation between Cairo and Beijing in the field of tourism. A Chinese delegation comprising tourism organisers and representatives from the China Tourism Association, who are currently in Egypt to boost cooperation between the two countries, attended the workshop. In a meeting on Sunday, Minister Issa emphasised to Heping that Egypt believes that China represents one of the most promising markets for tourism to the country. In January, Egypt received its first batch of Chinese tourists after Beijing eased COVID-19 travel restrictions. Last week, Egypt eased visa requirements for Chinese nationals, allowing them to obtain an entry visa upon arrival. The Egyptian economy relies on the tourism sector as a key source of hard currency. The country's tourism sector was hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the number of visitors dropping from 13.1 million in 2019 to 3.7 million in 2020. However, the tourism sector began to recover in the last two years - with the number of tourists climbing up to 8 million in 2021 and, again, to 11.7 million in 2022. The government has said it expects 15 million tourists to visit Egypt in 2023 and plans are in the work to expand hotel capacity to receive 2530 million by 2028. Search Keywords: Short link: This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) Former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, whose center-right GERB party clinched a narrow win in Bulgarias parliamentary election, invited his political opponents Wednesday to talks on forming a government. Results from Sundays election, Bulgaria's fifth in two years, showed GERB with 26.5% of the vote, edging out the reformist We Continue the Change party by less than 2 percentage points. Four other parties passed the minimum support threshold needed to make it into the 240-seat National Assembly. Borissov led three governments in the last decade, but allegations of corrupt practices, links to oligarchs and suppression of media freedom, which sparked protests, gradually eroded his reputation. Speaking to reporters at his partys headquarters, he said GERB would initiate talks with all groups in parliament to seek common ground for a viable governing coalition. Borissov was firm that lawmakers must approve a new government, arguing that holding yet another election would jeopardize parliamentary democracy in Bulgaria. He described as GERB's natural partners any parties that support Ukraine's defense against Russia and that back Bulgarias drive to join the European Union's visa-free Schengen Area and eurozone. But he added that the most stable government would be one formed by the two largest groups. Voters on Sunday indicated that Bulgaria cannot do without GERB or the reformist We Continue the Change, Borissov said, suggesting that his party was ready to discuss all kind of reforms. The most likely way to keep NATO and EU member Bulgaria on its pro-Western track would be a grand coalition between those parties. However, there are strong personal animosities between their leaders. We Continue the Change was created a couple of years ago with the clear aim of opposing and defeating Borissovs corruption-tainted government. The party's leaders said Tuesday that they would not support a Cabinet with the participation of GERB. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate PARIS (AP) French trade union leaders walked out of talks with Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne on Wednesday after failing to find a compromise on the contentious plan to raise the country's legal retirement age from 62 to 64 years. The heads of France's major unions, who want the withdrawal of the pension plan, met with Borne a day before the planned 11th round of nationwide strikes and protests since January. A giant banner emblazoned with the words: 64, its no was displayed by unionists on the top of the Arc de Triomphe monument soon after the meeting broke up. They removed it after police arrived at the landmark. We have chosen to end that useless meeting," the head of the hard-left CGT union, Sophie Binet, told reporters. We have found in front of us a radicalized, stubborn, disconnected government. It's a slap in the face to the millions of French who take to the streets. The secretary general of the more moderate CFDT union, Laurent Berger, denounced what he called a serious democratic crisis. Public opinion is increasingly against this reform since January, he said. He called for a maximum of workers to get mobilized and join the marches staged across the country Thursday. Borne was adamant about the necessity of the planned reform. I told them again I am convinced of the need for a reform, she said. I think it was important in the moment our country is going through to be able to talk with each other, thats what we were able to do, she added. The government argues the reform is needed to make the French pension system financially sustainable in the coming years as Frances population ages. Unions say other options are possible, like making companies and the wealthy pay more to finance the pension system. Unions, which in the past have bickered, have maintained a rare united front since January. They hope for a strong turnout at Thursday's protest marches and strikes to keep up pressure on the government. However, disruptions to public transport were expected to be only moderate compared to past days of mobilization. The Paris Metro was expected to be nearly normal, according to the RATP, which runs the system. Eurostar trains that link France to Britain also are not likely to suffer, and 75 percent of high-speed intercity trains are expected to be in operation. The Civil Aviation Authority warned of potential cancellations and delays at airports in Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux and Nantes. Ongoing strikes at several fuel refineries, with some operations stopped, continued, translating into scattered gas shortages at stations in parts of France. The contested retirement reform also would require 43 years of work to earn a full pension at 64, otherwise workers would have to wait until they turn 67. Opinion polls show a large majority of French people are against the changes. Opponents have been further angered by President Emmanuel Macron's decision to stand strong on the retirement bill that his government forced through parliament without a vote. The bill is now being examined by the Constitutional Council, which is expected to say on April 14 whether it approves full or parts of the text the last step before the law can enter into force. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Republican governors in Indiana and Idaho have signed into law bills banning gender-affirming care for minors, making those states the latest to restrict transgender health care as Republican-led legislatures continue to curb LGBTQ+ rights this year. Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed legislation Wednesday that will prohibit transgender youth from accessing medication or surgeries that aid in transition and mandate those currently taking medication to stop by the end of the year. Idaho Gov. Brad Little had signed legislation Tuesday evening that criminalizes gender-affirming care for youth. More than a dozen other states are considering bills that would prohibit transgender youth from accessing hormone therapies, puberty blockers and transition surgeries, even after the approval of parents and the advice of doctors. Other proposals target transgender individuals everyday life including sports, workplaces and schools. Permanent gender-changing surgeries with lifelong impacts and medically prescribed preparation for such a transition should occur as an adult, not as a minor, Holcomb said in a statement about the Indiana bill. The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana filed a lawsuit rapidly after Holcomb signed the Indiana legislation something the group had promised to do after Republican supermajorities advanced the ban this session. The American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho announced Wednesday it also planned to sue over that states new law. The Indiana ACLU filed the lawsuit on behalf of four transgender youth and an Indiana doctor who provides transgender medical treatment. It argues the ban violates the U.S. Constitutions equal protection guarantees as well as federal laws regarding essential medical services. The legislature did not ban the various treatments that are outlined, said Ken Falk, the ACLU of Indiana legal director. It only banned it for transgender persons. Under the Indiana law that takes effect July 1, doctors who offer gender-affirming care to minors would be disciplined by a licensing board. And under the Idaho law set to go into effect next January, providing hormones, puberty blockers or other gender-affirming care to people under age 18 would be a felony crime. In signing this bill, I recognize our society plays a role in protecting minors from surgeries or treatments that can irreversibly damage their healthy bodies, Little wrote. However, as policymakers we should take great caution whenever we consider allowing the government to interfere with loving parents and their decisions about what is best for their children. Supporters of the legislation have contended the banned care is irreversible or carries side effects. They argue that only an adult and not a minors parent can consent to the treatments. But opponents say such care is vital and often life-saving for trans kids, and medical providers say most of the procedures are reversible and safe. Transgender medical treatments for children and teens have also been available in the U.S. for more than a decade and are endorsed by major medical associations. When I started hormone therapy, it made me feel so much better about myself, said Jessica Wayner, 16, at an Indiana House public health committee hearing last month. At least 13 states have laws banning gender-affirming care for minors: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Utah, South Dakota and West Virginia. Federal judges have blocked enforcement of Alabama and Arkansas laws. The GOP-led Kansas Legislature on Wednesday also overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kellys veto of a bill to ban transgender athletes from girls and womens sports from kindergarten through college. Nineteen other states have imposed restrictions on transgender athletes, most recently Wyoming. The Arkansas Senate also sent a bill Wednesday to Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders that would require parental approval for Arkansas teachers to address transgender students using their preferred name and pronouns. It also would prohibit schools from requiring teachers to use the pronouns or name a student uses. In some states where Democrats control the legislature, lawmakers are enshrining access to gender-affirming health care. Democratic New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a bill Wednesday that protects providers of gender-affirming health care against potential civil and criminal prosecution. Dr. Molly McClain, who provides gender-affirming health care to patients of all ages, said the new legislation sends a message to people exploring their identity in ways that may not conform to gender norms. It says you are seen, you are safe, you are precious, and your access to health care will be protected here, said McClain, who teaches medicine at the University of New Mexico. I think that that sends a huge message to trainees in the medical field. ___ Associated Press writers contributed to this report Tom Davies in Indianapolis; John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas; Morgan Lee in Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho. ___ Arleigh Rodgers is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/arleighrodgers This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BEIJING (AP) French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday he wants to engage China toward a shared responsibility for peace in Ukraine when he meets Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week. French officials said earlier that Macron planned to urge Xi in talks Thursday to use Beijing's influence with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but didn't expect a big shift in the Chinese position. Macron is to be accompanied by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a show of European unity in dealings with Beijing. Xi and Putin declared their governments had a no limits friendship before Moscow's February 2022 attack on Ukraine. Beijing has refused to criticize the Kremlin but has tried to appear neutral and has called for a cease-fire and peace talks. In a speech to French residents of China, Macron said he would "try to build, and somehow engage China toward a shared responsibility for peace and stability on international issues including Ukraine, Iran and North Korea. Macron expressed hope China will participate in initiatives that are useful to the Ukrainian people. Dialogue with China is indispensable, Macron said during the event at the French Embassy. Xi's government sees Russia as a source of energy and as a partner in opposing what both say is U.S. domination of global affairs. China is the biggest buyer of Russian oil and gas, which helps to prop up the Kremlins revenue in the face of Western sanctions. That increases Chinese influence, but Xi appears reluctant to jeopardize that partnership by pressuring Putin. Macron noted Putins announcement that Moscow plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, which China opposes. Territorial integrity, the sovereignty of nations is part of the Charter of the United Nations, which China affirmed, Macron said. Defending those principles means moving forward together and trying to find a path for peace," Macron said. He noted China proposed a peace plan in February and that while France doesn't fully agree with it, the plan "shows a will to commit toward the resolution of the conflict. Meanwhile, NATOs 31 member countries warned Wednesday of severe consequences should China start sending weapons and ammunition to Russia. Allies have been clear that any provision of lethal aid by China to Russia would be a historic mistake, with profound implications, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters after chairing a meeting of the organizations foreign ministers in Brussels. Stoltenberg declined to say what the implications of such a move might be, but warned only that it would involve severe consequences. At a time when Beijing and Moscow are pushing back against the rules-based international order, it is even more important that we continue to stand together, he said. Last week, von der Leyen warned the European Union must be prepared to develop measures to protect trade and investment that China might exploit for its own security and military purposes. Thierry Breton, EU commissioner for internal market, said Monday on French news broadcaster FranceInfo the message to Chinese authorities is that they must stop trying to play one country against another. Macron also said several major deals were due to be signed between French and Chinese companies during the visit. He was accompanied by more than 50 French CEOs including from Airbus, railway equipment manufacturer Alstom and energy giant EDF. A French official said last week negotiations were underway on a potential deal with Airbus that would come on top of Chinas 2019 order for 300 aircraft. Macron said he will push for working in partnership with China on climate. He said France will organize a global conference on the protection of oceans in 2025 and said China should be part of these efforts. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) A freshman state lawmaker in Ohio falsely claimed to have graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, according to the prestigious university, and he has stepped down from a House committee leadership post after that revelation. Rep. Dave Dobos, a Columbus-area Republican, attended MIT in the 1970s and 1980 and studied economics but did not receive a degree, MITs deputy director of media relations, Sarah McDonnell, told Cleveland.com, which first reported the discrepancy Tuesday. House Speaker Jason Stephens has since accepted Dobos' resignation as vice chair of the Higher Education Committee. I have known Dave to be a hardworking member for his constituents. This is disappointing news, Stephens said in a statement. Dobos had publicly described himself as an MIT graduate, including on his campaign website, as well as in his online biography for the Ohio House. By Tuesday evening, that biography had been changed to say that he attended the school. Dobos has been involved with the MIT Club of Central Ohio, an alumni club of the university, and helped fundraise an MIT reunion, among other activities with the MIT Alumni Association, Cleveland.com reported. His studies at MIT made him eligible for the association, and graduation isn't a requirement, McDonnell said. Dobos did not immediately respond to repeated requests for comment, nor did the MIT Club of Central Ohio. Dobos, who years ago helped govern one of Ohio's largest school districts as president of the Columbus City Schools Board of Education, had faced scrutiny last fall for not initially disclosing that he had more than $1 million in outstanding debts while he was running for office. State law requires that disclosure, which he made belatedly to an ethics committee. LONDON (AP) In October, an officer in Russian President Vladimir Putins elite personal security service defected while on a business trip in Kazakhstan. Now a wanted man in Russia, Gleb Karakulov spoke out for the first time in a series of interviews with the Dossier Center, an investigative group in London funded by Russian opposition figure Mikhail Khodorkovsky. The AP took steps to review and verify the material. Our president has become a war criminal, said the 35-year-old engineer. It is time to end this war and stop being silent. Karakulov is one of few Russians to flee and go public who have rank, as well as knowledge of intimate details of Putins life. Karakulov was a captain in Russias secretive Federal Protective Service. or FSO, tasked with setting up secure communications for the Russian president and prime minister. Heres what he had to say about Putin and the war in Ukraine. PUTIN DOESN'T USE A MOBILE PHONE OR THE INTERNET In 13 years of service, Karakulov said, he never saw Putin use a mobile phone. When the prime minister travels, he requires an electronic office, with secure internet access. Putin does not. He and others also say Putin insisted on strict anti-COVID-19 measures long after most other world leaders, including mandatory two-week quarantines for staff and COVID tests by Kremlin doctors. Our president is cut off from the world, he lives in an informational vacuum, Karakulov said. He is pathologically afraid for his life. He has surrounded himself with an impenetrable barrier of quarantine and a lack of any information from the internet. PUTIN APPEARS TO BE IN BETTER SHAPE THAN MANY PEOPLE HIS AGE Karakulov said he has taken more than 180 trips with the Russian president, and contrary to widespread speculation, Putin appears to be in good health. Putin has only canceled a few trips due to illness and has annual medical checkups, he said. It was Karakulov's job to set up secure communications at the hospital when Putin checked in. PUTIN'S PARANOIA APPEARS TO HAVE DEEPENED SINCE UKRAINE INVASION Putin began traveling by special armored train regularly in the build-up to Russias February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, he said. Putins train looks like any other, painted gray with a red stripe to blend in with other railway carriages in Russia. Putin didnt like the fact that airplanes can be tracked, preferring the stealth of a nondescript train car, Karakulov said. I understand that hes simply afraid, he said. Putin has set up identical offices in multiple locations, with matching details down to the desk and wall hangings, and official reports sometimes say hes one place when he is actually in another, according to Karakulov and prior reporting by a Russian media outlet. In October, Putin ordered a bunker at the Russian embassy in Kazakhstan outfitted with a secure communications line the first time Karakulov had ever fielded such a request. I can understand why hes so isolated and why he must be very cautious about any external contacts. Its understandable, said Tatiana Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Half of the world wishes him dead. PUBLIC SUPPORT IN RUSSIA FOR WAR IN UKRAINE The rare defection of a Russian insider raises questions about how deep public support for the war in Ukraine actually runs in Russia. Karakulov wasnt the only one from the FSO who wanted out. An engineer at a regional FSO center in Siberia tried to flee to Kazakhstan in September, shortly after Russias draft took effect. But authorities there sent him back to Russia, where he was sentenced to 6 1/2 years in a penal colony. Boris Bondarev, a career diplomat in Geneva who quit in May and denounced the war, said there are plenty of Russians who quietly oppose the war but dont dare speak out, for fear of losing their livelihoods. A few Foreign Ministry colleagues quit after he did but didnt go public, he said. He added that, like him, theyre having trouble finding work. Bondarev is now living as a political refugee on a government allowance in Switzerland, with security constraints hed rather leave deliberately ambiguous. But he doesnt have regrets. You must do what your what your conscience tells you to do, he said. ___ Associated Press reporters Jamey Keaten in Geneva, Aamer Madhani in Washington and Joanna Kozlowska in London contributed to this report. Currently Reading Alert: Authorities in Brazil say man with hatchet kills four children, injures three at a daycare center. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides agreed on Wednesday to launch a joint cooperation forum between the two nations as part strengthening their distinguished bilateral relations. The two presidents addressed various bilateral and regional topics of mutual interest at press conference following their meeting at the Ittihadiya Presidential Palace in Cairo today. "We agreed on the importance of preparing well for the second round of the Joint High Committee to achieve significant progress in all aspects of our cooperation, including the energy sector," El-Sisi said. He added that the discussion included the electricity connection project and the transfer of Cypriot gas to two desalination plants in Egypt, as well as exploring new frameworks for clean and renewable energy projects. President Christodoulides arrived in Cairo earlier Wednesday where he was received by President El-Sisi. It is the first visit by the new Cypriot president to a foreign capital since assuming his post in February. I greatly appreciate that Egypt is your first regional destination following your election as president of your country, which reflects our joint keenness on the distinguished relations between our two countries and our friendly peoples, President El-Sisi said in addressing his Cypriot counter at the press conference. El-Sisi added that the discussions today included proceeding with the electricity connection project as well as the transfer of Cypriot gas to two desalination plants in Egypt,. They also included exploring new frameworks for clean and renewable energy projects and ways to boost trade exchange and military cooperation between the two countries, the Egyptian president added. According to data released by Egypt's Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) on Wednesday, the value of Egyptian exports to Cyprus increased to $76 million in 2022, up from $45 million in 2021, an increase of 68.8 percent. The Egyptian president also commended the valuable contribution of former President Nicos Anastasiades in strengthening the bonds between Egypt and Cyprus over the past ten years. El-Sisi added that the meeting with Christodoulides provided an ideal opportunity to reaffirm the value of the trilateral partnership between Egypt, Cyprus, and Greece. The two leaders agreed on the need to prepare in a thorough manner for the upcoming trilateral cooperation summit which Egypt will host later this year, he revealed. Regional issues & GERD On a regional level, the two leaders said they agreed on the importance of holding the upcoming elections in Libya as soon as possible. They also emphasised the need for withdrawing all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libyan territory to restore the country's sovereignty, territorial integrity and stability. I reaffirmed to President Christodoulides Egypt's fundamental vision for achieving security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean region based on the respect of all relevant countries for international law and the United Nations Charter, particularly the principles of non-interference in internal affairs and respect for sovereign rights and territorial waters, El-Sisi said. The Egyptian President reaffirmed to the Cypriot president Egypt's support for settlement efforts of the Cyprus issue in accordance with international legitimacy and United nations Security Council resolutions as well as its rejection of any unilateral steps by any party to create a new reality in violation of UNSC decisions. On the Palestinian issue, El-Sisi said that he emphasised to the Cyproit president the importance of international efforts in deescalating violence and in halting israeli settlements. He also highlighted the importance of moving forward towards a final settlement whereby an independent Palestinian state is established based on the two-state solution. The two presidents also discussed the latest developments concerning the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). They reviewed Egyptian efforts to reach a legal and binding agreement for filling and operating the dam in a way that fulfills the aspirations of all peoples in development and safeguards the rights of all parties. For his part, President Christodoulides reaffirmed that Cyprus supports Egypts position on the GERD issue and on establishing an independent Palestinian state based on a two-state solution. A partnership based on respect President Christodoulides praised the successful partnership between his country and Egypt. Christodoulides added that he will be seeking as president to boost this partnership, which he described as one that is based on mutual respect. He thanked Egypt for its support for Cyprus and the unity of its territories. He also noted that his country strongly backs co-operation between Cairo and the EU. He expressed his appreciation for the Egyptian position on refugees and irregular migration, stressing that the EU must recognise and support Egypt's efforts in hosting millions of refugees. He also explained that he discussed the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war on food security in the meeting with El-Sisi today. Christodoulides added that he is looking forward to participating in a meeting with Egypt and Greece as part of the trilateral cooperation mechanism. Finally, he praised the warm welcome he received from his Egyptian counterpart, stressing that it was an honour for him to visit Cairo for the first time as the president of Cyprus. Search Keywords: Short link: ANKARA, Turkey (AP) A Guinea-Bissau flagged cargo ship with 14 crew members on board sank off Turkeys Mediterranean coast on Wednesday, killing at least three of them. Five people were rescued while efforts continued to find the other missing crew, officials and news reports said. The Joe 2 sank off the coast of Kumluca, in Antalya province, while heading to Ukraine from the Turkish port of Iskenderun, said Gov. Ersin Yazici said. It was transporting aluminum, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency. PARIS (AP) France has issued arrest warrants for three high-ranking Syrian intelligence officers accused of complicity in crimes against humanity in the deaths of a father and son who disappeared a decade ago, the French anti-terrorism prosecutors office said Wednesday. In an acknowledgement that there was little likelihood the Syrian men would be extradited to France, the prosecutor's office said a trial in the case could proceed without them in a Paris criminal court. A trial date has not been set. Frances anti-terrorism prosecutors also handle cases involving potential crimes against humanity. The French justice system can take on cases when French nationality is involved. Two non-governmental organizations that filed an October 2016 complaint with a relative identified the victims as Mazzen Dabbagh and his son Patrick, who have both Syrian and French nationality. The formal accusations came after a years-long investigation into the deaths. The three Syrians were charged with provoking crimes against humanity, giving instructions to commit them and allowing subordinates to commit them through the alleged arrest, torture and killing of the father and son, the French prosecutor's office said in a statement. The intelligence officers also were accused of confiscating the house of the victims and their family for the benefit of Syria and putting Syrias air force intelligence services at the disposal of the people who carried out the killings. The NGOs identified the Syrian defendants in the case as Ali Mamlouk, head of the Syrian secret services, Jamil Hassan, director of Syrian air force intelligence and Abdel Salam Mahmoud, an investigations official at Damascus Mezzah military airport, where a detention center is thought to be located. This is a great victory for my family and for all Syrian victims that after all these years of combat truth surfaces, Obeida Dabbagh, the brother and uncle of the victims, was quoted as saying in a joint statement issued by three NGOs: the International Federation for Human Rights, the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression, and the League of Human Rights. Dabbagh asked for the trial to start quickly. Fernando Llano/AP MEXICO CITY (AP) A Mexican judge ordered that three Mexican immigration officials, a private security guard and a Venezuelan migrant be held for investigation in connection with a fire last week at an immigration detention center in northern Mexico that killed 40 migrants. The four people responsible for security at the Ciudad Juarez facility will be held on charges of homicide by omission and causing injuries, while the migrant who allegedly set the fire faces charges of homicide and causing injuries, Mexicos Federal Judiciary Council said after Tuesdays hearing. While on his tour of Republican-led states this week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom made a surprise visit to Sarasota, Florida, on Wednesday and took multiple shots at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over his attempt to transform the New College of Florida, a small liberal arts school thats become a culture war battleground. Speaking to a group of about two dozen students, faculty and community members at the North Sarasota Public Library, Newsom talked about DeSantis appointing six conservative allies to the colleges board of trustees in January as a way to counter what conservatives perceive as liberal ideology at the school. The new board quickly forced out the schools president and replaced her with DeSantis former education commissioner. In February, the trustees voted to disband the office that handles diversity and inclusion programs at the school. I want you to know youre not alone, you matter, we care, Newsom said, according to reporters present. Newsom kicked off his tour of GOP-controlled states last week on the heels of announcing a new political action committee that seeks to elect Democrats in deep-red areas. His stop in Sarasota, which was added to his itinerary at the last minute following a fundraiser in the state on Saturday, makes sense given the role the school has played in DeSantis' ongoing push to make Florida a conservation bastion. Earlier this year, the Florida governors chief of staff told the National Review that the administration hopes to make the school more like Hillsdale College a private Christian college in Michigan where DeSantis is scheduled to speak Thursday. In his discussion with students, Newsom reportedly mocked the boards decision to dismantle the colleges Office of Outreach and Inclusive Excellence, saying it must have been a big office to attract so much attention from the trustees. When he was told the office apparently comprised only four employees, Newsom according to reports chuckled before saying, I dont mean to laugh, but geez. He also said DeSantis has a zest for demonization and highlighted the Florida governors role at the forefront of conservative policies in the U.S. Fifty years of progress, Newsom said. Fifty years on voting rights, on civil rights, LGBTQ rights, abortion rights, contraceptive rights, all of that at threat, state after state, led by your state and your governor with a zest for demonization and othering people. In a statement to SFGATE, DeSantis deputy press secretary Jeremy Redfern said, Governor DeSantis is focused on getting Floridas public institutions of higher learning refocused on academics and truth. Stunts from political opponents dont matter and have no effect. Newsoms visit to Sarasota marks the latest episode in the ongoing showdown between the two governors. Newsom has frequently taken shots at DeSantis on social media, and even ran cable ads on Fox News last year attacking the Florida governor on several fronts. DeSantis, meanwhile, ripped into Newsom in a speech he gave at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California last month. Newsom, speaking to reporters after the event in Sarasota, gave his views on DeSantis' aspirations for higher office, saying the Florida governor is going to get rolled by former President Donald Trump in the contest to be the Republican nominee for president. Trumps going to thump him, DeSantis has no chance, Newsom said. DeSantis has not officially announced his bid for the presidency, but is expected to in the coming weeks. Three fairy-tale-like homes cling to the slide of a steep hill on Belvedere Island. These are the Heidelberg homes, a trio of charming abodes memorialized in both print and film. Now, one of the iconic properties is for sale, asking $5.2 million. Tucked away from the street above, 242 Beach Road is the most private of the three homes, given that it's set down the hillside. The propertys orientation is such that every window looks out at the water. From any room in this 2,401-square-foot, four-bedroom, 3.5-bath house, the bay seems to be the nearest (and only) neighbor. Open Homes Photography A newly remodeled detached studio also enjoys this picturesque seclusion. Open Homes Photography A renovated pier and boat dock are included. Both belong exclusively to the owners of 242 Beach Road, according to co-listing agent Elizabeth Green Kilgore of Compass. The location is unusual on Belvedere Island in that it grants both street and water access, Green said. But its the design and history that really make this property special. Open Homes Photography The whimsy of 242 Beach reflects the ingenuity of Jack Heidelberg, who designed and built 12 homes in Belvedere and Tiburon, according to his 1986 obituary. They werent all storybook homes, but all were marvelously imaginative, and all provided rich material for the likes of Sunset Magazine editors and Hollywood producers, it reads. Heidelberg was born in Los Angeles but went to Lowell High School in San Francisco and then attended Heald's Business College, likely at the behest of his father, a strict district attorney, who was alarmed by (and dead set against) Jacks desire to be a musician. In his 20s, Jack Heidelberg became a successful insurance agent. In the 1930s, his success allowed him to move to Belvedere Island, where he had purchased land to build his own home. Open Homes Photography John Colver, who wrote a history of the Heidelberg legacy, explained that Heidelbergs architectural leanings were revealed on the island. He acquired the vacant double lot at 250 Beach Road, and commissioned Donnell Jaekle, a fashionable architect of the day, to design a house in the English Country style (but with a very Art Deco interior). It was to be a wedding present for his wife Lurline (Bobbie). As plans for the new house progressed, Jack started looking over the architects shoulder and putting his own fingerprints on the design. The house was completed in May 1935 attracting wide interest, including a feature article in the San Francisco News. Open Homes Photography The first of the Heidelberg trio, 250 Beach was dramatic enough for a Hollywood movie location. With its 60-foot-tall fortress constructed from rock and cobblestones foraged from San Francisco streets, the building was a castle. The unique home was chosen as the set for "Sudden Fear," starring Joan Crawford, which was filmed there in 1952. Heidelberg went on to build 246 Beach next, another whimsical fairy-tale-style home with a crooked chimney and classic gingerbread house design. Then, came 242 Beach the closest to the water and the only one of the three properties not visible from the road. Open Homes Photography After the design of 242 Beach, people began to seek out Jack Heidelberg to design their homes. Only in his 20s, he gave up the insurance business to devote his time to architecture. Open Homes Photography Today, the storybook design elements are still present in 242 Beach, from the thatched roof and Juliet balcony to the thick exposed beams and charming carved wood built-ins. But modern additions, particularly in the kitchen and bathrooms, offer modern luxury that enhances Heidelbergs original whimsy. Open Homes Photography Open Homes Photography Elon Musks Twitter has marked NPRs account as US state-affiliated media, another in a series of moves against trusted media institutions. The Tuesday change, which mischaracterizes the editorially independent media network, will decrease the reach of NPR posts on the platform, per Twitters rules. It also wrongly likens the outlet to Russias RT and Chinas Xinhua News major state-owned news agencies over which the governments exercise considerable control. The move comes after Musk tweeted this weekend that the New York Times verification checkmark would be removed after the paper announced it would not pay for verification. The Times verification badge was scrapped as of Sunday. Outlets have not yet been forced to pay. NPR receives the bulk of its funding from individual contributors, corporate sponsorships, foundation donations and universities. Government funding is essential for helping its local stations, NPR says on its website, but on average, less than 1% of NPRs annual operating budget comes in the form of grants from [the Corporation for Public Broadcasting] and federal agencies and departments. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a federally funded nonprofit organization. Meanwhile, the San Francisco-based social media network defines state-affiliated media as outlets where the state exercises control over editorial content through financial resources, direct or indirect political pressures, and/or control over production and distribution. Musk cited the definition in a tweet about NPR early Wednesday. Lumping NPR into this group represents a reversal for the platform: Twitter changed its Help Center document about state-affiliated accounts on Tuesday. Before 7:30 a.m. Pacific time, the policy read, State-financed media organizations with editorial independence, like the BBC in the UK or NPR in the US for example, are not defined as state-affiliated media for the purposes of this policy. But by 8:47 a.m., Twitter dropped the mention of NPR, according to web page data from Internet Archives Wayback Machine. Twitters algorithm does not recommend or amplify state-affiliated media accounts or their tweets to users, the Help Center document says, which will likely diminish NPRs reach on the platform. The document says Twitter will label links to state-affiliated media websites and wont amplify tweets containing them, but that label has not been added to NPR links as of this articles publication. NPR President John Lansing posted a statement Wednesday protesting the inaccurate label, which he said he was disturbed to see Tuesday night. NPR stands for freedom of speech and holding the powerful accountable, Lansing wrote. It is unacceptable for Twitter to label us this way. A vigorous, vibrant free press is essential to the health of our democracy. Lansings employees stuck up for the network as well and had choice words for the Twitter CEO. Prominent anchor Jack Speer called Elon Musk an idiot, adding, I have been in this business more than 35 years and have been bought by no one! Speer also posted an article about Musks Tesla receiving government funds, writing, Are @Tesla and @SpaceX and @Twitter U.S. state-affiliated companies? Former NPR host Lulu Garcia-Navarro weighed in too, linking Musks rhetoric about NPR and the Times and saying, The bias as to who is being targeted on this site by its leadership is so very clear. None of the outlets actually run and funded by the United States Agency for Global Media have been marked with the state media tags on Twitter, including the radio network Voice of America and the agencys regional entities Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Middle East Broadcasting Networks' Alhurra and Radio Free Asia. The government agency says on its website that its networks program decisions reflect the U.S. national interest. Stars and Stripes, the military outlet whose distribution overseas is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, has also not been marked with the tag. Hear of anything happening at Twitter or another tech company? Contact tech reporter Stephen Council securely at stephen.council@sfgate.com or on Signal at 628-204-5452. QinetiQ Group announced the renewal of its Maritime Strategic Capability Arrangement (MSCA) with the Submarine Delivery Agency on Wednesday, for a further 10 years. The FTSE 250 company said the contract would be worth 259m, and included an option for an additional five-year extension. It said the MSCA provides critical sovereign capabilities that contribute to the UK's ability to design, build, and safely operate the Royal Navy's surface and subsurface fleet, including its continuous at-sea deterrent. The arrangement offers independent design, test, evaluation, and assurance services covering hydromechanics, stealth and signatures, structures, and maritime life support. QinetiQ said the renewal of the MSCA would ensure that vital sovereign skills were secured, and would also provide a framework for the firm to leverage those skills and capabilities, ensuring that the UK retained the ability to work as a strategic partner to its allies. It added that with experts, facilities, and technology delivered from sites in Gosport, Rosyth, Chichester, and Farnborough, the renewed contract would provide longevity and consistency for the Royal Navy's maritime capability, as well as in sustaining employment in those areas for the next decade. Additionally, the enhanced programme of work will enable greater engagement with the broader maritime enterprise, including academia. The award of the MSCA contract demonstrates the ongoing commitment of the Ministry of Defence and the Submarine Delivery Agency in working with QinetiQ to deliver and assure critical maritime capability to the UK, the chief executive officer of QinetiQ UK Defence, Nic Anderson. We are extremely proud of our highly skilled and dedicated employees who continue to deliver the MSCA in support of the Royal Navy, helping to ensure national security and vital maritime trade. The renewal of the MSCA will sustain key skills at our sites and will also reinvigorate our relationships with education and academia, supporting STEM programmes to attract the next generation of naval architects, engineers and other vital roles. At 0848 BST, shares in QinetiQ were up 0.67% at 332p. Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com. Bloomberg cited people with knowledge of the matter as saying that the telecommunications group has been contacted by private equity and strategic suitors. Sources said that while its not running a formal sale process for the unit, Vodafone would consider offers at the right price. It was understood that Vodafones Spanish unit could be valued at more than $4bn. Deliberations are ongoing and theres no certainty theyll result in a sale of the Spanish operations, Bloomberg said. At 1330 BST, Vodafone shares were up 2.4% at 89.54p. Israeli police stormed into the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalems Old City early Wednesday, firing stun grenades at Palestinian youths who hurled firecrackers at them in a burst of violence during a sensitive holiday season. Palestinians in Gaza responded with rocket fire on southern Israel, prompting repeated Israeli airstrikes. The fighting, coming as Muslims mark the holiday month of Ramadan and Jews prepare to begin the Passover festival on Wednesday evening, raised fears of a wider conflagration. Similar clashes two years ago erupted into a bloody 11-day war between Israel and the ruling Hamas militant group in Gaza. The official Palestinian news agency Wafa said that dozens of worshippers who were spending the night praying were injured in the police raid. The Israeli military said one soldier was shot in a separate incident in the occupied West Bank. The mosque sits on a sensitive hilltop compound holy to both Jews and Muslims. Al-Aqsa is the third-holiest site in Islam and is typically packed with worshippers during Ramadan. Overnight, the scene of festive holiday-makers picnicking and praying at the holy site transformed into one of violence, as Israeli police stormed into the mosque, firing tear gas and stun grenades that shattered stained-glass windows and fiercely beating worshippers with clubs and rifle butts, witnesses said. The spot, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, is also the holiest site in Judaism, revered as the location of the biblical Jewish temples. The conflicting claims fuel constant tensions that have spilled over to violence numerous times in the past. Since Ramadan began March 22, scores of Muslim worshippers have been trying to stay overnight in the mosque, a practice that is typically permitted only during the last 10 days of the monthlong holiday. Israeli police have entered nightly to evict the worshippers, stirring tensions with young Palestinians who demand to pray at the holy site until dawn. Tensions over control of the holy site have been heightened by calls from Jewish ultranationalists to carry out a ritual slaughter of a goat in the compound, imitating the ancient ritual sacrifice executed on Passover in biblical times. Israel bars ritual slaughters on the site, but calls by Jewish extremists to revive the practice, including offers of cash rewards to anyone who even attempts to bring an animal into the compound, have amplified fears among Muslims that Israel is plotting to take over the site. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he is committed to preserving the status quo at the compound. After some 80,000 worshippers attended evening prayers at the mosque on Tuesday, hundreds of Palestinians barricaded themselves inside the mosque overnight to pray. Worshippers said that after they refused to leave, Israeli police moved into the mosque, descending on Palestinians with batons. Israeli police said they moved in after several law-breaking youths and masked agitators brought fireworks, sticks and stones and barricaded themselves into the mosque. Police said the youths chanted violent slogans and locked the front doors. After many and prolonged attempts to get them out by talking to no avail, police forces were forced to enter the compound in order to get them out, police said. Video released by police showed the repeated explosions of fireworks inside the mosque. One amateur video taken by Palestinians showed police scuffling with people and beating them at one point breaking a chair over someone's head as a womans voice could be heard shouting, Oh God. Oh God. Outside the gate, police dispersed groups of youths with stun grenades and rubber bullets. Police said one officer was injured in the leg, while some 350 people were arrested. They released images of fireworks and at least one large stone that appeared to have been hurled. The Jordan-controlled Islamic trust that administers the site, known as the Waqf, condemned the Israeli actions at the holy site as a flagrant violation of the identity and function of the mosque as a place of worship for Muslims. Worshippers trickling out of the police station on Wednesday said they were released on the condition of not entering the mosque or the Old City for one week. Palestinians under the age of 45 were not permitted to enter the compound for dawn prayers. Talab Abu Eisha, 49, said more than 400 men, women and children were praying at Al-Aqsa when the police encircled the mosque. The youths were afraid and started closing the doors, he said, adding that police forces stormed the eastern corner, beating and arresting men there. It was an unprecedented scene of violence in terms of police brutality, he said, denying police claims that young men were hiding fireworks and rocks. Palestinian militants responded by firing a barrage of rockets from Gaza into southern Israel, setting off air raid sirens in the region as residents were preparing for the beginning of the weeklong Passover holiday. The Israeli military said a total of five rockets were fired, and all were intercepted. Hours later, Israel responded with airstrikes that the army said hit Hamas weapons storage and manufacturing sites. We dont want this to escalate., said Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an army spokesman. But he said that if the rocket fire persisted, we will respond very aggressively. By early morning, the Jerusalem compound had quieted down, and a few dozen religious Jews were seen filtering through the site ahead of Passover during regular morning visiting hours, as small crowds Muslims gathered around them shouting, God is greater! Jews are permitted to visit the compound, but not pray there, under longstanding agreements. But such visits, which have grown in numbers in recent years, have added to Palestinian suspicions, particularly because some Jews are often seen quietly praying. Mainstream Orthodox Jews, including Israels chief rabbi, vehemently oppose Jewish visits to the site. Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, the head rabbi of the adjacent Western Wall, the holiest place where Jews can pray, said Tuesday that he would prevent any animals bring brought to the entrance to the site. Tensions have been steadily rising since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus new far-right government took office late last year. The government is dominated by religious and ultranationalist hard-liners, and the overlap of the Jewish and Muslim holidays when tens of thousands of worshippers make their way to contested Jerusalem has raised fears of violence. The police force is overseen by Itamar Ben-Gvir, an ultranationalist with a history of violent rhetoric and actions against Palestinians. Ben-Gvir wrote on Twitter Wednesday morning that the government needs to respond mightily to rocket fire from Gaza, rocket fire by Hamas demands a response beyond blowing up dunes and unmanned positions. In Gaza, Hamas called for large protests and people started gathering in the streets, with calls to head for the heavily guarded Gaza-Israel frontier for more violent demonstrations. The Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad also called for Palestinian residents of Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Israel to gather around Al-Aqsa Mosque and confront Israeli forces. Ziyad al-Nakhala, leader of Islamic Jihad, said the situation at Al-Aqsa was a serious threat. He said that Palestinians must be prepared for the inevitable confrontation in the coming days. In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian leadership condemned the attack on the worshippers. The spokesman of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, warned Israel that such a move exceeds all red lines and will lead to a large explosion. The government of Jordan condemned the Israeli raid in the strongest terms. The Foreign Ministry warned of the consequences of this dangerous escalation and held Israel responsible for the safety of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque. The foreign ministries of Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia also condemned what they described as an Israeli intrusion into Al-Aqsa. As violence was unfolding in Jerusalem, the Israeli military reported fighting in a Palestinian town in the occupied West Bank. It said residents of Beit Umar, near the volatile city of Hebron, burned tires, hurled rocks and explosives at soldiers. It said one soldier was shot by armed suspects, who managed to flee. Earlier on Tuesday, a Palestinian suspect stabbed two Israeli soldiers near an army base south of Tel Aviv, the military said, in the latest incident in a yearlong spate of violence that shows no sign of abating. Israeli-Palestinian violence has surged over the last year, as the Israeli military has carried out near-nightly raids on Palestinian cities, towns and villages and as Palestinians have staged numerous attacks against Israelis. At least 88 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire this year, according to an Associated Press tally. Palestinian attacks against Israelis have killed 15 people in the same period. Israel says most of the Palestinians killed were militants. But stone-throwing youths and bystanders uninvolved in violence were also among the dead. All but one of the Israeli dead were civilians. Search Keywords: Short link: STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The tell-tale, green-striped awning has been in place for almost a year, and rows of shopping cart bays have been sitting idle for months. Based on outward appearances which include an enabled WiFi hotspot and a pending state liquor license -- Amazon Fresh is ready for its Staten Island debut. But according to new statements from the e-tail giants CEO, the 44,448-square-foot strip-mall anchor will most likely remain a shell as the company puts all Fresh expansions on pause. I think if you want to have a mass physical store offering, you need a different offering, and thats what weve been working on with Amazon Fresh, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said during a recent analyst call, which pinpointed several changes the company is making in the grocery sector. Weve decided over the last year or so that were not going to expand the physical Fresh doors until we have that equation with differentiation and economic value that we like, but were optimistic that were going to find that in 2023. Offering no details about ongoing projects, and actually never verifying that 430 New Dorp Lane was ever slated to be an Amazon Fresh, press reps for the conglomerate said they dont have anything further to share at this time when questioned about the status of the Staten Island store. But openings of other proposed Amazon stores across the country that had made more construction progress than the New Dorp location have already been suspended. We regularly review the Amazon Fresh pipeline, and weve learned a lot since we first opened our first store in 2020, stated a letter from Amazons Economic Development division to borough officials in Woodland Park, N.J., that was published by northjersey.com. We are taking the time right now to focus on our existing Amazon Fresh stores in the U.S. According to an article on northjersey.coms website, other stores in development that have been frozen across the state include locations in various stages of completion in Eatontown, Old Bridge, Lodi and Holmdel. Why the pause? Supermarket analyst Matthew Casey, owner of Matthew P. Casey & Associates in Rahway, told the Asbury Park Press that Amazon Fresh locations are poorly producing stores. He said in his store visits, employees assembling online orders for grocery deliveries outnumbered actual customers. They appear to be a 1970s supermarket with 2022 technology, Casey said. They have their Alexa at the end of the aisle, where you can ask Alexa where the maraschino cherries are. Meanwhile, they dont have very knowledgeable supermarket people working in the stores. One supermarket pundit, David Bishop, partner and research lead at Bricks Meets Clicks, a retail consulting firm, told the Asbury Park Press that the stores tend to be characterized as soulless, with black shelves and ceilings often described by shoppers as cold and dark. First reported by the Advance/SILive.com last May as a possibility for the borough, the supermarket tenant would serve as an anchor at Hylan Commons, replacing Applebees, Mandee, Justice and New York & Co. -- all of which closed during the pandemic. The very modern food-shopping experience, which began launching in 2020, was originally born of the brands Amazon Fresh online grocery services, and features a strong presence in California (14 stores in total). The concept has reportedly been popular thanks to its competitive prices and free same-day delivery and pickup services. The company currently has 44 Amazon Fresh locations and 28 Amazon Go stores in the United States, according to its website. Both the Fresh stores, which are similar to traditional supermarkets, and the Go stores, which are cashier-less convenience stores, had been widely considered a potential opportunity for the e-commerce giant to disrupt the traditional retail grocery space, Supermarket News reported. Notable features in Fresh stores include the Just Walk Out shopping experience, which tracks everything you take off the shelf and then charges you accordingly. Amazon Dash Cart, a smart shopping cart, which enables customers to skip the checkout line by scanning a QR code. The cart uses a combination of computer vision algorithms and sensor fusion to identify and charge the items put into the cart. Alexa features are also available, allowing customers to manage their shopping list, as well as ask the assistant to help them find an item while in store. The company noted on its website that Fresh stores feature everything you typically find at a grocery store, with the low prices you expect from Amazon. The site also noted that you do not need to be a Prime member to shop in-store, but customers who wish to use the self-serve technologies need to have an Amazon account with a linked credit or debit card. It was not clear how many operating stores would be shuttered, and how many that had not yet opened would be abandoned. During the analyst call, Brian Olsavsky, senior vice president and chief financial officer for Amazon, said that the company has assessed its portfolio of Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go stores and decided to exit certain stores with low growth potential. I think that we have a very significant opportunity in the grocery segment, Jassy added. I think were building a pretty broad grocery network across online and physical, and youre going to see us continue to work on it. ADDITIONAL BUSINESS NEWS Are you Facebook friends with co-workers? New research identifies social media challenges in workplace. How much does the average customer spend at Costco? New report reveals some key numbers. Additional Walmart closures planned across U.S., report says. Heres the list of locations. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A single box of the new Girl Scout cookie variety, Raspberry Rally, costs $5 when you buy it from a sash-wearing, badge-gathering legitimate neighborhood Girl Scout. But that was before the thin, crispy, chocolate-coated confection -- an online exclusive -- officially sold out on the organizations website, becoming completely undeliverable to the Samoa-loving masses. Now, that box will run you $200. Selling on eBay as brand-new, unused, unopened and undamaged, the hot-commodity cookies currently range in resale value from $15 to $250. And while the secondhand peddlers had to initially pay a Girl Scout for the now in-demand boxes, its clear that the markup will probably not fund future Troop activities. While we are happy that theres such a strong demand for our cookies year over year, the Girl Scouts said in a statement that was published by The New York Times, were saddened that the platforms and the sellers are disregarding the core mission of the cookie program and are looking to make a profit off of the name without supporting our mission and the largest girl-led entrepreneurship program in the world. Calling the flavors resales completely unauthorized, the organization said that third-party sellers have deprived troops of valuable experience and of proceeds that fund critical programming. First introduced to the market on March 1, the Raspberry Rally is considered a sister to the Thin Mint, which has long been a top-selling Girl Scout cookie. Its introduction is part of Girl Scout efforts to continually modernize its cookie program, which has been in existence for more than 100 years. Adventurefuls, Smores and Lemon-Ups have been added to the lineup of late, giving customers more than a dozen varieties from which to choose. And while the entrepreneurial endeavor is supposed to teach the Scouts life and leadership skills -- helping them learn how to interact with customers, create a budget and take orders -- this years resale foible is delivering a different lesson. Its ridiculous, said a Staten Island Girl Scout mom whose daughter has been selling cookies for several years. Very sad that someone would try to capitalize on something like this. But its not a prohibited practice. An eBay representative said in a statement to the The Times that, while the company encouraged cookie fans to support their local Girl Scouts, the resale of the sweet treats does not violate the platforms policies. Still want to purchase some Do-si-dos, Trefoils or Tagalongs? Visit https://www.girlscouts.org/en/cookies/how-to-buy-cookies.html, pop in your zip code and find a troop selling near you. The site also lists details of where local pop-up booths will be each weekend. ADDITIONAL STORIES Development of Amazon Fresh stores on pause. Will possible Staten Island location ever open? After dropping its price to $3.35M, has the infamous Todt Hill animal estate been sold? Heres how the community is coming together to help Staten Islanders in need this Easter STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Donald Trump became the first sitting or former president to be criminally charged Tuesday, but its not clear what it could mean for him if convicted. The 34 felony charges against Trump, 76, for falsifying business records each come with a maximum four year prison sentence, so theoretically, the former president could face 136 years in state prison. New York law considers the charges brought against Trump to be Class E felonies, which dont have minimum sentence requirements for people, like the former president, without prior felony convictions. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who brought the charges against Trump, has not said if his office intends to seek prison time, and its unclear if Judge Juan Merchan would sentence a former president to prison if convicted. The U.S. Code authorizes the U.S. Secret Service to protect former presidents and their spouses for each of their lifetimes, and while that protection can be declined, a protective detail would likely accompany Trump to prison if it isnt. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks at a press conference after the arraignment of former president Donald Trump in New York on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) Braggs case against the former president centers on Trumps long-time fixer Michael Cohens $130,000 payment to pornstar Stormy Daniels, and the way the Trump Organization repaid Cohen. The case also references a pair of other alleged hush money payments to Playboy model Karen McDougal over another affair and a onetime Trump Tower doorman who claimed to have a story about a child the former president had out of of wedlock. Daniels tried to sell the story in the lead-up to the 2016 election, and Cohen, who testified before Congress and the Manhattan grand jury that indicted Trump, said the former president knew about allegedly falsified business records from the Trump Organization that tried to conceal the repayment. Under New York penal law, falsifying business records is typically a misdemeanor charge, but can be elevated to a felony if done with the intent of committing, aiding or concealing another crime. Bragg said his office will show that Trump knew about the falsified records, which were made to conceal the repayment to Cohen and the hush money payment to Daniels made in order to advance the former presidents electoral chances. New York election law makes promoting a candidacy via unlawful means a misdemeanor. The district attorney also said the payment to Daniels and the falsified records violated tax laws and federal campaign contribution caps. This case today is one with allegations like so many of our white collar cases, Bragg said at a press conference Tuesday. Allegations that someone lied again and again to protect their interests and evade the laws to which we are all held accountable. Trump pleaded not guilty at his Tuesday arraignment, and has denied knowledge of any wrongdoing around the hush money payments. Braggs predecessor, former District Attorney Cy Vance, also pursued a similar case but decided against bringing formal charges. During comments he made Tuesday night from his Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago, the former president said politics motivated Bragg to bring the charges against him. This is a guy campaigning. He said he wanted to get President Trump at any cost before he knew anything about me, the former president said of Bragg, who has had stints in the office of the New York Attorney General and as a U.S. prosecutor with the Southern District of New York. This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election and it should be dropped immediately. MORE TRUMP NEWS Malliotakis makes latest call to have Trump trial on Staten Island Trump calls for his trial to be held on Staten Island Trump takes aim at Staten Island event featuring DeSantis Could St. Johns Staten Island campus be transformed into Donald Trumps presidential library? Trump says he expects to be arrested Tuesday, calls for protests New York Mets reliever Tommy Hunter has been placed on the 15-day injured list with back spasms, the club announced Tuesday. Hunter allowed five runs in his appearance Monday in the Mets 10-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. This isnt the first time the right-hander has struggled with back injury. He was with the Mets in 2021 and pitched only eight innings before going on the injured list with a back injury before he was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays. Hunter, 36, returned to Queens last year after the Mets signed him to a minor league deal in April 2022 and pulled him up to the majors two months later. In 22 1/3 innings, Hunter posted a 2.42 ERA. He was moved to the injured list twice in 2022 in situations where the Mets needed roster room. TO BUY METS TICKETS, VISIT: VIVIDSEATS, TICKETNETWORK and STUBHUB He re-signed with New York on a minor league contract in December and was selected to the 40-man roster last month. Hunter is another name of the growing list of sidelined Mets relievers. Last week, Bryce Montes de Oca underwent Tommy John surgery. This is the second time the 26-year-old has had Tommy John surgery, having first had the procedure done in 2013 as a high schooler. Tuesday, the Mets announced that Montes de Oca was moved to the 60-day injured list. Bridget Hyland may be reached at bhyland@njadvancemedia.com A man employed by a company at Newark Liberty International Airport was arrested Saturday after being found with a loaded gun at an airport security checkpoint, authorities said. The 9mm handgun was loaded with eight hollow point bullets when a Transportation Security Administration agent spotted the firearm in a backpack using an X-ray machine in Terminal C, the TSA said Tuesday. Port Authority police arrested the Newark man and his employee badge was confiscated, officials said. He no longer works at the airport, according to the TSA. A Port Authority spokeswoman said the 20-year-old man works for an airport services contractor and was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon. The gun was the fourth seized at Newark airport this year. Fourteen were confiscated last year, two more than in 2021. This was a good catch on the part of our TSA officers, who remain vigilant during this busy spring travel period, said Thomas Carter, TSAs Federal Security Director for New Jersey. Individuals who work at the airport are subject to the same robust security screening procedures as travelers. Any time dangerous items are presented in the screening checkpoint, we have serious safety concerns for all in the area and the resolution disrupts the process for the passengers waiting behind the offender. Suspected Israeli airstrikes in Syria in recent weeks have killed two Iranian military advisers, temporarily put the countrys two largest airports out of service, and raised fears of regional escalation. While Israel has fought a shadow war with Iran in Syria for years, it has intensified recently, with near-daily airstrikes attributed to Israel by Syrian officials over the past week. The escalation of attacks comes after what appears to be a rare infiltration by an armed man from Lebanon into Israel and Irans reconciliation with regional rival Saudi Arabia last month. It also comes against the backdrop of a major domestic crisis in Israel over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government plan to overhaul the judiciary. Israel, which has vowed to stop Iranian entrenchment in neighboring Syria, has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets in government-controlled parts of that country in recent years but rarely acknowledges them. Since the beginning of 2023, Syrian officials have attributed 10 strikes on Syrian territory to Israel, including four airstrikes within five days as of Tuesday. The United States, Israels closest ally, has had its own recent run-ins with Iranian forces in Syria. In late March, U.S. forces retaliated with airstrikes on sites in Syria used by groups affiliated with Irans Revolutionary Guard following a suspected Iran-linked drone attack that killed a U.S. contractor and wounded six other Americans in northeast Syria. An official with an Iranian-backed group in Iraq said the U.S. strikes killed seven Iranians. The flareup between the U.S. and Iran did not escalate, but some fear the back-and-forth between Israel and Iran could. Since the early years of Syrias 12-year-old conflict, Iran has deployed hundreds of military advisers as well as thousands of Iran-backed fighters from countries including Iraq and Lebanon who helped tip the balance of power in President Bashar Assads favor. Iran-backed fighters are deployed in different parts of Syria. Israel has long considered Iran to be its top enemy, citing Iranian calls for Israel's destruction, its support for anti-Israel militant groups like Hezbollah and its nuclear program. Israel and Western countries say Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapons a charge Iran denies. Iran has blamed Israel for attacks on its territory, including the killings of some of its nuclear scientists and damage to nuclear installations. The airstrikes in Syria reflect Israel's concerns about fighters being deployed close to its northern border and fears that Iran is trying to transfer sophisticated weapons, such as guided missiles, to Hezbollah. Both Israel and Hezbollah have avoided an all-out war since their 34-day war in 2006 ended with a draw. Israel considers Hezbollah, which is believed to possess over 130,000 rockets and missiles, to be a major threat. Lebanese military expert and former army general Hisham Jaber said Iran has about 1,800 military advisers in Syria, most of them deployed with Syrian troops. The increase in strikes on Syria began with a Jan. 2 attack that temporarily put Damascus airport out of service, just after the most right-wing government in Israels 74-year history took office. The strikes continued despite mass protests in Israel, including open disagreement between Netanyahu and his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, over the government's controversial plans for a judicial overhaul. At one point, Netanyahu fired Gallant for criticizing the plan, but then backtracked and temporarily halted the push for the overhaul until parliament reconvenes in a month. The two men have made a number of public appearances in recent days, alluding to military activity in Syria without overtly confirming it. We will not allow the Iranians and Hezbollah to harm us. We have not allowed it in the past, we wont allow it now, or anytime in the future, Gallant said this week. When necessary, we will push them out of Syria to where they belong and that is Iran. Strikes attributed to Israel in Syria in recent weeks have targeted both Iranian-linked figures and infrastructure. They have hit the airports of Damascus and Aleppo, a move which was apparently intended to prevent the flow of arms shipments into Syria, but which also disrupted aid shipments after the deadly Feb. 6 earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey. On Feb. 19, the first reported Israeli strikes after the earthquake targeted residential areas in Syrias capital Damascus, killing at least five people and wounding 15. Opposition activists said the strikes targeted Iranian-backed militias. In mid-March, the Israeli army said its soldiers had killed an armed man suspected of entering the country from Lebanon and blowing up a car. The incident, which wounded one Israeli, unnerved Israelis. Officials suspect the man infiltrated from Lebanon and may have been dispatched by Hezbollah or directly by Iran. A few days after the alleged infiltration, a commander with the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad was shot dead outside his apartment building near Damascus in what the group described as an assassination by Israeli agents. Last Tuesday, Netanyahu said Israel's intelligence agency Mossad helped Greece prevent a terrorist attack planned against at least one Jewish site in Athens. Greek authorities said two men described as being of Pakistani origin were arrested for allegedly planning an attack on a Jewish center. On Friday, an Israeli strike on a southern suburb of Damascus killed two advisers from Iran's Revolutionary Guard. Hours later, Israels air force shot down a drone that entered Israel from Syria and alleged that Iran was behind its launch. Yoel Guzansky, an Iran expert and senior fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv think tank, said Israels stepped-up action in recent weeks could be in response to the recent alleged infiltration from Lebanon. Guzansky noted that Iran rarely acknowledges the death of its officers and advisers as quickly as it did after Friday's attack. He said the swift public acknowledgement could signal that "Iran will avenge or respond to the Israeli attacks, possibly targeting Israelis abroad. An official with an Iran-backed group in the region warned that if Israel continues with the strikes, Tehran and its allies will retaliate. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the issue with the media. Irans semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted the Revolutionary Guard as saying that the killing of two Iranian advisers will definitely not pass without retaliation. Search Keywords: Short link: STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea cases are on rise in New York City post-coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown, prompting health officials to urge residents who are sexually active whether its a fling or a serious thing -- to get tested. Being frisky doesnt have to be risky, the city Health Department said. Between 2020 and 2021 there was a significant increase in sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which the city Health Department said is likely due to reduced STI testing because of COVID-19. The rate of chlamydia increased 13.2% among males and 5.2% among females between 2020 and 2021, the citys data shows, and the chlamydia rate increased the most in females between the ages of 15 and 24 compared to the rest of the female population. In 2021, approximately 25% of all female chlamydia cases in the five boroughs were among females aged 10 to 19. Primary and secondary syphilis infections rose during the same time among females in New York City, an increase of 28.7%, while there was a 4% decrease among males, according to the citys data. There was also a substantial increase in congenital syphilis cases when the syphilis infection is passed to the baby during pregnancy in 2021. There were 24 cases in 2021, up from 17 cases in 2020 and 2019, and 18 cases in 2018. TEST RESULTS IN HOURS In response to the increase in STIs, the city Health Department is repurposing lab equipment previously used for rapid COVID-19 to test for chlamydia and gonorrhea, returning test results within hours instead of days. The rapid STI testing is offered at the Chelsea and Fort Greene Express Clinics. The Health Department plans to pivot additional instruments to have STI express services at additional sexual health clinics soon, it said. Less wait time means less stress. Our rapid tests help New Yorkers stay safe. Get tested today, said Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. Especially concerning, the Health Department said, are the racial and ethnic inequities in the distribution of STIs underscoring that not all New York City residents have access to STI screening, testing and treatment due to structural racism, discrimination, and underinvestment in certain neighborhoods and marginalized communities from accessing sexual health care services, placing them at increased risk of infection and delayed treatment. STIs like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis are curable and can be treated; without treatment, STIs can cause long-term health effects, including infertility and chronic pelvic pain. Syphilis can cause vision and hearing loss, dementia and paralysis. Most STIs have no signs or symptoms early in the infection, so testing routinely is important, the Health Department said. Our sexual health programming and services are focused on ensuring that all New Yorkers especially those from communities most affected by STIs and other poor sexual health outcomes have access to high-quality, affirming services and proven prevention and treatment interventions. We want New Yorkers to be sexually healthy not only to be free from infection and disease, but to thrive, said Dr. Sarah Braunstein, assistant commissioner for the Health Departments Bureau of Hepatitis, HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections. The Sexual Health Clinics and the NYC Sexual Health Hotline offer low- to no-cost services for STIs, including HIV. Anyone 12 years or older can receive services, regardless of immigration status. No parental consent is necessary. The Sexual Health Clinic Hotline is available at 347-396-7959, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For more information on the Sexual Health Clinics and Hotline, including services, locations, and hours of operation, visit nyc.gov/health/clinics. MORE FROM KRISTIN F. DALTON: School shooting hoax calls in NY could be coming from overseas, trying to cause disruption, report says 7 things to know about Staten Islands first legal weed dispensary Retired NYC probation officer back to work after retirement via Silver Stars: I truly have benefited from it Spring cleaning of Staten Island streets: Find out when, where roads will be closed NYC opioid settlement $$: Assemblyman says Staten Island is being blatantly deprived of the funds Towing company accused of overcharging customers on Staten Island gets another extension to continue operating South Shore mobile outreach center for those struggling with drug addiction gets funding boost New NYC camera program targeting loud cars has been issuing $800 summonses Enhanced STAR property tax exemption deadline approaching: heres who qualifies, how to apply How much is the average tax return in 2023? Nearly 8 million refunds issued so far What U.S. state charges the most sales tax on weed? Heres a breakdown of all 21 states FOLLOW KRISTIN F. DALTON ON TWITTER. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Dr. Joshua D. Segal has been named chairman of the Dental Medicine Department at Staten Island University hospital (SIUH), a position held by Dr. Donald Ratcliffe for more than 17 years. Ratcliffe will be transitioning from his position to focus on his passion -- patient care -- on a per diem basis with the hospital. Hospital leadership praised both Ratcliffe and Segal. Dr. Ratcliffe has made lasting impacts in SIUHs dental services and residency programs, training over 475 residents during his tenure, said Dr. Brahim Ardolic, SIUHs executive director. We are fortunate that Dr. Ratcliffe will continue to care for patients at the hospital in his new role. Our dental practice has expanded into a major teaching program, as our experts provide world-class dental care for eligible patients while training the dental professionals of tomorrow,' said Ardolic adding that Segal is expected to continue building on this strong foundation. Prior to joining SIUH, Segal was program director of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency program at Long Island Jewish Medical Center of Northwell Health. He also holds the position of assistant professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra Northwell and is the assistant investigator at the Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. Segal earned his doctor of dental surgery (DDS) and medical degree from Stony Brook University. He went on to complete his oral and maxillofacial surgery residency at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. In 2022, he completed a masters degree in health professions education (MSEd) at Hofstra University. Segal is a diplomat of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (ABOMS), a fellow of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS), and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). He is an ABOMS board examiner. In addition, he is a member of several national and international committees, including the AAOMS Committee on Education and Teaching and the AO CMF North America Curriculum/Education Committee. He has received several research and education awards, including the Osteo Science Foundation Philip J. Boyne Faculty Research Award and Teacher of the Year by the Northwell Health Department of Dental Medicine. I am proud to be leaving the department in such capable hands and know the future will be successful, said Ratcliffe, who began working at SIUH more than 40 years ago. Ratcliffe graduated from NYU College of Dentistry with honors in fixed prosthetics, operative dentistry, endodontics, oral medicine, and was elected into OKU, the National Dental Honor Society. He also holds a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. He completed the general practice residency Program in 1980. He returned in 1981 as an attending in fixed prosthetics, later becoming assistant director in 1985, followed by his appointment as director of the general practice residency program in 1992. He was appointed chair of dental medicine in 2005. He has served on multiple committees, as well as the board of trustees at Second District Dental Society and the Richmond County Dental Society. He has also been elected into the American College of Dentists, the International College of Dentists, as well as the New York Academy of Dentistry. In 2020, Ratcliffe was awarded the Richmond County Dental Societys Lifetime Achievement Award. In service to the country, Ratcliffe served as a second lieutenant and captain in the U.S. Army, receiving the Army Commendation Medal for his service as the chief operations officer on general staff at Fort Dix, N.J. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. The United States is set to establish a six-year $300 million project to launch a database centered on Alzheimers research, aiming to advance understanding of the disease that affects more than six million Americans. The U.S. National Institute on Aging (NIA) is funding the effort, Reuters reported, which will compile medical records and insurance claims, along with other data sources from mobile devices, pharmacies and government agencies. Real-world data is what we need to make a lot of decisions about the effectiveness of medications and looking really at a much broader population than most clinical trials can cover, Dr. Nina Silverberg, director of the NIA Alzheimers Disease Research Centers program, told Reuters. The database could help identify certain healthy Americans at risk for the disease for drug trials and hopes to address underrepresentation of people of color and different ethnicities in clinical trials. Alzheimers disease is an irreversible and progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills before eventually eliminating the ability to carry out everyday tasks. RELATED COVERAGE: Health news >> Does having a drink or two of alcohol lower death risk? New study says no >> Getting a good nights sleep? Heres what it means for asthma risk, says study >> Studies link mysterious, severe hepatitis outbreak among children to childhood virus Donald Trumps close aides and advisers are looking to capitalize on the former presidents recent arrest and criminal charges by giving out a T-shirt featuring a doctored mugshot of Trump with a donation of at least $47 to his 2024 presidential campaign, Rolling Stone reported. Trump appeared in court on Tuesday, April 4, after being indicted by a Manhattan grand jury for 34 counts of falsifying business records, stemming from 2016 hush money payments to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels. This is the first time any former U.S. president has been criminally charged. With Trumps arrest, some of his close aides and advisers have told the former president to turn his potential mugshot into a 2024 campaign symbol, three people familiar with the situation told Rolling Stone. During his arrest and indictment, Trumps fingerprints were taken, but he did not have his mugshot taken, New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman stated. Trump was fingerprinted a person familiar with events said but not mugshotted, Haberman tweeted at 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday. However, members of Trumps campaign team created their own mugshot of Trump even putting the 63 man at 65 in the fake image. NOT GUILTY. began the email in capitalized red lettering from Official Trump Store, with the subject line NEW ITEM : MUGSHOT. Do you stand with President Trump, Friend? Please make a contribution of $47 or more to WIN in 2024 and well send you your very own NOT GUILTY T-Shirt for FREE, the email read. Below, a black-and-white image of Trumps face with a serious expression was vignetted against a height chart. Trump is wearing a suit in the image, and a sign in front of his chest reads, President Donald J. Trump, 45-47, 04 04 2023 with capitalized, boldened words not guilty below the image. According to Rolling Stone, some advisers had recommended to Trump to demand a mugshot at his arraignment and to make it public immediately. He didnt commit to requesting the mugshot [yet], but he didnt sound opposed to [these ideas], the Rolling Stone reported a source told the outlet. The outlet reported senior members of Trumps team causally discussed putting the real mugshot on merchandise, hats, T-shirts, and other garments, and also for blasting out fundraising pitches to donors and Trump supporters that would include the mugshot, possibly in memed format. However, a booking photo of Trump was unnecessary, as he is not considered a flight risk and has one of the most recognizable faces in the world, the outlet reported. It also added Manhattan Criminal Courts Building does not have the needed equipment to take the mugshot, and it would have required moving him to another facility with more security headaches. Need to get caught up quickly with whats happening at Reckon? Subscribe to the Reckon Report for a weekly rundown. One parenting style can nearly double a childs risk of developing symptoms of mental health problems, according to new research. Children exposed to hostile parenting, characterized by over-controlling behavior and harsh physical or psychological discipline, have nearly twice the risk of their peers of developing mental health issues by the time theyre 9 years old, researchers from the University of Cambridge and the University College of Dublin found after studying more than 7,500 children from infancy through age 9. They detailed their findings in a new study published in the medical journal Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences. We are not for a moment suggesting that parents should not set firm boundaries for their childrens behavior, but it is difficult to justify frequent harsh discipline, given the implications for mental health, said Dr. Ioannis Katsantonis, a doctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge and an author of the study. Parenting styles are deeply connected to a childs development and can either be a risk or a protective factor for a childs mental health. Hostile parenting, according to the researchers, can involve shouting at children regularly, routine physical punishment, isolating children when they misbehave, damaging their self-esteem or punishing children depending on the parents mood. Warm and engaged parenting can reduce the chance of mental health issues in a child, while over-involved/protective, harsh and disciplinary parenting is a predictor of poor mental health symptoms, the studys authors noted. Those symptoms can range from anxiety and social withdrawal to impulsive or aggressive behavior and hyperactivity. A growing childhood mental health crisis Anxiety and depression diagnoses have been on the rise in children in recent years, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Anxiety diagnoses for children rose 29% between 2016 and 2020, and depression increased 27%. Meanwhile, data showed a significant decrease in parents and caregivers mental and emotional well-being. Our findings underline the importance of doing everything possible to ensure that parents are supported to give their children a warm and positive upbringing, especially if wider circumstances put those children at risk of poor mental health outcomes, said Dr. Jennifer Symonds, associate professor at University College Dublin and an author of the parenting styles study. Parenting style doesnt completely determine mental health outcomes; those can be shaped by gender, physical health and socioeconomic status, researchers found. The fact that one in 10 children (in the study) were in the high-risk category for mental health problems is a concern and we ought to be aware of the part parenting may play in that, Katsantonis said. Whats a parenting style? Someones parenting style isnt the same as that persons parenting practices. A parenting practice is a specific goal-oriented behavior, like insisting on good table manners. Parenting styles have to do with the parents built-in emotional characteristics such as how sensitive they are to their childs needs which set the tone for how the parent interacts with their child. In the world of psychology, there are different names and classifications of parenting styles, including permissive, authoritative, authoritarian or neglectful. This study grouped parenting styles into three categories: - warm: displaying affection and attentive to a childs needs - consistent: setting clear expectations and rules - hostile: over-controlling parental behaviors and harsh physical or psychological discipline Researchers found hostile parenting raised a childs chances of being both high-risk and mild-risk for mental health issues. Researchers found consistent parenting had a limited protective role for children in the mild-risk category, but were surprised to find warm parenting didnt increase the likelihood of children falling into the low risk group. This could be due to the way other factors, like gender or socioeconomic status, influence mental health outcomes. Girls were more likely to be in the high-risk category than boys. Children from wealthier backgrounds were less likely to show symptoms of mental health issues, while children with one parent were more likely to be high-risk for issues. Researchers recommended more intervention and support not just for children, but for new parents as well. Appropriate support could be something as simple as giving new parents clear, up-to-date information about how best to manage young childrens behavior in different situations, said Katsantonis. There is clearly a danger that parenting style can exacerbate mental health risks. This is something we can easily take steps to address. Need help? The National Parent Helpline is a free resource that provides emotional support for parents from a trained advocate. Its available at 1-855-427-2736. The Childrens Bureau also keeps a list of parenting resources, including advice and links to community organizations, available here. Thank you for visiting the Daily Journal. Please purchase an Enhanced Subscription to continue reading. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! Iran has named an ambassador to the United Arab Emirates nearly eight years after his predecessor left, as a thaw in relations with the Gulf Arab states picks up pace. "After some eight years, the foreign ministry has named Reza Ameri as the Islamic Republic of Iran's new ambassador to the United Arab Emirates," Iran's official IRNA news agency reported late Tuesday. The move comes after Iran welcomed an Emirati ambassador last September ending a six-year absence. The UAE had cut the level of its diplomatic representation after neighbouring Saudi Arabia severed ties in 2016 following the ransacking of its diplomatic missions in Iran by protesters angered by its execution of a leading Shiite cleric. After several of its Gulf allies led the way, Riyadh restored diplomatic relations with Tehran last month in a fence-mending deal brokered by Beijing. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has accepted an invitation to Riyadh from Saudi Arabia's King Salman, First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber confirmed on Monday. Iran and the United Arab Emirates have long had close economic ties which continued even during the diplomatic chill. A veteran diplomat who served most recently as director general of the foreign ministry's diaspora affairs department, Ameri's career had previously taken him to Algeria, Sudan and Eritrea. Search Keywords: Short link: The looming retirement of veteran stockpicker John Sevior from Magellans Airlie Funds Management has prompted two institutional investors to move their money elsewhere, sparking a $3 billion fall in its funds under management and a drop in Magellan shares. Magellan on Wednesday revealed the outflows in an ASX announcement, saying the company had experienced $3.9 billion in net outflows last month, of which $500 million was retail investor money and $3.4 billion was institutional money. Airlies founder John Sevior is one of the best-known fund managers in Australia. Credit: Louie Douvis Most of the outflows were from its Australian equities business Airlie, where funds under management (FUM) fell from $9 billion to $6 billion in the month. The company said this was because two institutional clients had ended their mandates with Magellan following last months announcement that Sevior was retiring from funds management in June and handing the reins to long-time colleague Matt Williams. To lose one rock star investor may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose two looks like carelessness. The former darling of funds management, Magellan, just cant take a trick. The beleaguered wealth manager farewelled high-profile, one-time guru Hamish Douglass last year and paid a heavy price for it. Now it has copped another hit after losing the head of its Australian equities business, John Sevior. Shares in Magellan have plunged more than 83 per cent since the middle of 2022 and took another tumble on Wednesday after the company told the market it had lost an additional $3 billion in funds under management following Seviors decision to quit. John Sevior (left) and Matt Williams of Airlie Funds Management. Credit: Louie Douvis The trouble with having rock stars in business is that they retire (as Sevior has) or they put out a bad (performance) album and then leave which is what happened in Douglass case, leaving fans disappointed. But we committed to and organised again to manage two booths so my physical absence on the day wouldnt be missed. Still, the thought of someone absent during the campaign coming home to beg for a Senate spot put a few Liberal noses out of joint. Illustration: John Shakespeare Credit: Illustration: John Shakespeare Murdoch and Credlin break bread? Lachlan Murdoch, heir apparent to the global media empire of his father, the recently disengaged Rupert Murdoch, has had a bit on his plate, locally. His defamation battle against online publisher Crikey was back in Sydneys Federal Court on Tuesday. Murdoch junior left that to his barrister Sue Chrysanthou, SC, but appeared later at Melbournes State Library of Victoria with some of News Corps local heavyweights to hear the annual lecture named after his grandfather Sir Keith Murdoch. Loading But its a reported sighting of a more low-key catch-up that has us intrigued, with CBDs informants spotting Murdoch heading into Melbournes Bourke Street institution Grossi Florentino at lunchtime, followed shortly after by Peta Credlin, one of News Corps most high-profile opinionistas, and former chief of staff to ex-prime minister Tony Abbott. With Credlin the thought leader among those who argue that the current malaise of Australian conservative politics is not being conservative enough, and Murdoch said to be more strident in his politics than Rupert, were desperate to know what was discussed at lunch. So we reached out on Wednesday to both Credlin and to Murdochs people. They didnt reach back. The Wong diaries Its no secret that Foreign Minister Penny Wong hit the skies running after Labors election win last year. Now, the ministers diary, released under freedom of information, reveals just how frantic her schedule has been, with more flights than anyone should have to endure. Its a sharp contrast with Wongs predecessor, Marise Payne, who was too often neither seen nor heard in the high-profile job. Amid a flurry of diplomatic meet and greets with officials from as far afield as Bhutan and Bosnia, a few of Wongs engagements caught our eye. One was a call with billionaire mining magnate Andrew Twiggy Forrest weeks after winning government regarding encrypted messaging app Signal. This is notable because Twiggy, who has strongly held opinions about foreign policy and fancies himself as a kind of Bunyip Aristocrat Bill Gates, was the only business leader to pop up in Wongs diary. There was also a coffee catch-up with fellow South Australian Christopher Pyne, the former Liberal defence minister now running a booming lobbying shop in Canberra. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has taken more flights than anyone should have to endure since taking on the job. Credit: Nathan Laine Wong also had media prep with a redacted identity before an interview with veteran journalist Niki Savva in August, who was researching her book on the Morrison governments downfall at the time. Given Savvas withering takedowns of our political class, we dont begrudge Penny doing her homework. Also intriguing was a meeting in September between Wong and key Jewish organisations, including the Zionist Federation of Australia, and the Australia, Israel and Jewish Affairs Council. Just a month later, those groups said theyd been sidelined by the Albanese governments decision to no longer recognise West Jerusalem as Israels capital. Which leaves us wondering what, if anything, was discussed. Wahlbergs dollar dazzler For struggling F45 gym owners battling to offload their franchised businesses and you can pick one up for under $50,000 these days we have some heartening news. The Australian-based companys frontman, Hollywood heavyweight Mark Wahlberg, will be copping some of the pain with you. Hot on the heels of news of Wahlbergs new role of chief brand officer within the company he did so much to promote, working with his mate and business partner from a bunch of other ventures Tom Dowd, comes a filing to the US corporate authority confirming Wahlbergs salary package. Hell be paid $1 per year, which seems awfully decent of him, all things considered. Hell demons or very good dogs? It will be up to you to decide when, in December, US-based, Polish-born artist Agnieszka Pilat brings a trio of robotic canines to Triennial, the third iteration of NGVs celebrated international art and design showcase. At a sneak preview on Wednesday, art lovers were presented with a pair of these bionic pooches, Basia and Bonnie, demonstrating their ability to paint with their feet. As part of NGVs upcoming Triennial, artist Agnieszka Pilat will be creating an artwork in collaboration with robot dogs. Credit: Justin McManus Pilat, who splits her time between New York City and Silicon Valley, knows that these artificial intelligence-driven mechanical critters can cause consternation among casual observers. When Im out in the real world with the robots, without exaggerating, 95 per cent of people fall in love with them, she says. But if somebody takes a video and posts it on the internet, the response drastically flips. In real life, theres more curiosity. And when we end up on the internet, theres this kind of road rage. The dogs, dubbed Spot by the robotics company that created them, Boston Dynamics, have been programmed by Pilat with the aid of independent engineers, because her artistic independence is more important. The Triennial dogs will be equipped with arms, and theyll spend the duration of the four-month show painting a large white cube installed in the gallery. The action takes place in the geriatric ward of a Yorkshire hospital, which is doleful news but its lightened by the presence of some of Britains most popular actors. Judi Dench and Derek Jacobi are among the patients and Jennifer Saunders plays the matron, which automatically suggests some fun to be had. He can make you laugh and cry in the space of two sentences, but this film of his play Allelujah shows him at his most political and polemical. The iron fist in the velvet glove does not really sum up Alan Bennetts style. While hes one of Britains most admired satirists with a sharp ear for the vernacular and a keen eye for the oddest aspects of being English, his affection for his characters is never in doubt. And, for a while, there is. Even at her most commanding, Saunders looks as if shes battling to keep a straight face. But youre not far in before you realise the feelgood element has not been assigned much of a role. Directed by Richard Eyre, the film was scripted by Heidi Thomas, creator of Call the Midwife, and has a more naturalistic style than the play. It centres on a week in the life of The Bethlehem, a small hospital threatened with closure. A television crew is arriving to interview staff and patients and a tiny group of protesters is gathering. Dame Judi Dench as Mary Moss in Allelujah. Credit: Transmission Films Were guided into the story by Dr Valentine (Bally Gill), a young Indian doctor whose interest in geriatric medicine reflects a genuine reverence for the elderly. He and Saunders Sister Gilpin are among The Beths most ardent supporters and at the other end of the spectrum is Colin Colman (Russell Tovey), an advisor to the health minister. Hes been pushing for the hospitals shutdown, which puts him in an awkward position now his father has been admitted as a patient. The best thing about the screenplay is its lack of condescension. The hard truths that go with ageing are not glossed over and the shortcomings in Britains health service get a pasting, while the elderly are not treated as feeble children or as lovable clowns. While conservatives have spent the last half a decade arguing that the debate over free speech in Australia should focus on their right to say the N-word and denigrate marginalised communities without fear of cancellation, the real battle over freedom of expression has been playing out on the streets of western Sydney. NSW Police have been waging a war against hip-hop, in scenes that are reminiscent of Footloose, the moral panic around rock n roll in the 1950s, and the racist campaign targeting NWA in the early 1990s. Citing the so-called postcode wars and alleged connections between certain hip-hop groups based in western Sydney and criminal activity, police have prevented some of the biggest local acts in the country from playing gigs and associating with one another, and have even threatened to have their music taken down from streaming platforms. N.W.A were regularly targeted by politicians and the police. Credit: N.W.A The campaign against hip-hop reached absurd new heights this week with the announcement that all forms of rap music would be banned from the Royal Easter Show, in an apparent attempt to deter criminal youth groups following the fatal stabbing of a 17-year-old at last years show. If you look at the psychology of music, and you look at what happens overseas, at railway stations and shopping centres, there is scientific fact of the type of music that is played actually predicts somebodys behaviour, the shows general manager said. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Place this celebratory (and not-too-costly) fish platter on the table, then stand back and bask in the praise. Rustic, colourful, versatile and mostly make-ahead, this fish platter is ideal for sharing with your favourite people at Easter. Plonk it on the table and keep picking at it all afternoon! Everything on this platter is nestled on a bed of romesco sauce. If youre new to this Spanish chargrilled capsicum sauce, let me be the first to welcome you to your latest obsession. It makes everything fish, corn, potatoes, even lettuce taste amazing and its the hero of my Good Friday platter. And while you could settle for a knob of butter for your baked potatoes, I urge you to try the sauce gribiche, a French egg sauce thats the perfect combination of creamy and tangy. Use the best fish you can afford. If you have fishers in your family, I want to be you. Federation Squares Australian Centre for the Moving Image sourced some proper Hollywood firepower to help open Goddess, the centres exhibition celebrating women on screen, on Tuesday night. Two-time Oscar winner Geena Davis was attracting attention, but not necessarily the right sort, with some grumbling in the room that the Hollywood legend spent the evening in a roped-off area surrounded by bodyguards. Geena Davis at ACMI on Tuesday night. Credit: Lucas Dawson In fairness to organisers, you cant take any chances with so many film school lecturers in the room. We contacted ACMI without success to hear their side of it. More accessible on the night was one of our home-grown movie stars, ACMI board member Rachel Griffiths, with Victorian Tourism Minister Steve Dimopoulos making no secret of his devotion to the Muriels Wedding star. Israeli police stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalems Old City early on Wednesday, leading to clashes with Palestinian worshippers and sparking an exchange of rockets and air strikes. Witnesses and medics said the Israeli police used excessive force to remove the worshippers who had closed the gates to the Qibli building in the compound to prevent the police from entering it, according to Palestinian news agency WAFA. The police then fired tear gas into the building after breaking windows, causing serious cases of suffocation. Medics said police prevented them from entering the compound to help the worshippers, many of whom were detained, beaten or forced to leave. Later, dozens of Jewish settlers stormed the compound after police had forcefully removed most of the Palestinian worshippers. The violence comes as Muslims mark the holy month of Ramadan and Jews prepare to begin the Passover festival, raising fears of escalation. The Israeli military said it attacked two Hamas weapons manufacturing and storage sites in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning, following rocket fire from the Strip towards Israel, after Israeli forces raided the Al-Aqsa overnight and fired rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas, and sound bombs at the worshippers to force them to leave the compound. The Commission for Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs said the occupation forces arrested more than 400 Palestinians during their aggression against Al-Aqsa, before later releasing most of them while ordering many to stay away from Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and the Old City of Jerusalem. The Palestinian Red Crescent said that 50 people were injured. In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian leadership denounced the attack on the worshippers as a violation that will lead to a large explosion. The foreign ministries of Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia condemned the Israeli raid on the Al-Aqsa, as did the Arab League and the Jordan-controlled Islamic trust that administers the site, known as the Waqf. The Arab League said it will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday afternoon over the Israeli police raid on Al-Aqsa. Jordan called for the meeting in coordination with Egypt and Palestinian officials. Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad called for Palestinian residents of Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Israel to gather around the Al-Aqsa Mosque and confront Israeli forces. Palestinian officials said the Palestinian Authority was in contact with officials in Egypt, Jordan, the United States, and the United Nations to de-escalate tensions. Benjamin Netanyahu claimed on Twitter that "Muslim worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque testify that the Muslim extremists who barricaded themselves in the mosque imprisoned them there and prevented other Muslims from coming to the mosque to pray. They barricaded themselves in the mosque with weapons, stones, and fireworks.' After the authorities' attempts to negotiate they failed and the extremists refused to allow Muslim worshippers to enter the mosque, and even threatened to hold the noon prayers today, the security forces had to act to restore order," he alleged. Netanyahu said Israel was working to restore calm following the clashes between police and worshippers at the Al-Aqsa. Israel is committed to maintaining freedom of worship, free access to all religions, and the status quo and will not allow violent extremists to change that, he said in a statement. Search Keywords: Short link: Premier Chris Minns shrugged off the suggestion that the composition of his first cabinet is in any way remarkable. A frontbench reflecting the society it serves should not be seen as exceptional, the NSW Labor leader insisted. But even one of Labors most senior women acknowledges it has taken three decades to achieve this diversity benchmark. Our parliament should look like our people, the leader of the government in the upper house Penny Sharpe said this week. Sharpe was at Labors national conference in 1994 when up-and-comers Penny Wong and Julia Gillard took to the floor and demanded better: not just hopeful targets that might get more women elected to parliament, but enforceable quotas. Diverse team: Premier Chris Minns with Penny Sharpe and Daniel Mookhey. Credit: Edwina Pickles The result? Of the 45 NSW Labor MPs now in the lower house, 22 are women. In the upper house, six of the 15 Labor MLCs are women and in Minns new cabinet sworn in on Wednesday the ministry is evenly split 50:50. What a stark message that should send to the Liberals. The Liberal Party has always dismissed Labors system, treating quotas like a dirty word it can barely utter, let alone consider as a viable option. Some conservative women and the occasional man have danced around the idea, but quotas have always been dumped into the too-hard basket, with the loudest voices in the party left to thunder that they are not the Liberal way. The lack of care you received as an infant was damaging, Wager said. Kelly had a hearing impairment which he was supposed to wear aids for, but refused to because it led to him being bullied. Wager said the hearing and associated speech issues, likely separated you further from people. As a young boy, Kelly was also diagnosed with ADHD, which he was prescribed medication for. Around seven years old, his behaviour changed suddenly, Wager said, with Kelly becoming behaviourally challenged and difficult to manage. In 1997 when you were 12, your behaviour was noted to have changed further after a visit to your parents, she said. You became suicidal and were hospitalised. Sharp objects found under your bed. On discharge, doctors diagnosed him with oppositional defiance disorder, ADHD, nocturnal enuresis, and bilateral conductive hearing loss. A few years later, at almost 14 years old, Kelly spent two weeks in his fathers care. Child protection notes [Kellys father] was abusive and violent during that visit, Wager said. It was also around that time Kelly saw his mother for the last time and later that year his difficult and disruptive behaviour saw him expelled from school. That same year a good friend, aged 12, died by suicide. Walker could no longer handle him, and Kelly was sent away because of violent, antisocial and inappropriate behaviours. By then he was becoming increasingly isolated and alone. Your conduct, including your ADHD, bed-wetting and bulky stature had contributed to your alienation from school, Wager said. By 2014, Kelly was locked up for aggravated burglary and other burglary offences, and had also received a fine for being in possession of methamphetamine. By then he was 28 years old and, after his release in 2017, he went back to live with Walker. Loading Kelly had no further interactions with police until he sat in an interview late one night in November 2021 and confessed to the abduction of Cleo Smith. Doctors have extensively evaluated Kelly since in a bid to try and understand why he had committed one of Australias most notorious kidnappings. Their assessment? Complex developmental and personality dysfunction. Neuropsychology could not confirm your mothers use of alcohol but it is entirely likely your deficits are due to alcohol spectrum disorder, the court was told on Wednesday. There is a family history of alcohol in utero and ADHD in childhood. Doctors described Kelly as detached, anti-social, depressive and narcissistic with a severe personality disorder and paranoid schizophrenia with complex post-traumatic stress disorder, a moderate depressive disorder and anxiety. I accept that you were exposed to chronic, severe and complex trauma in childhood, Wager said. She also agreed that it was these complex issues that led Kelly into a fantasy world where he was a father and a husband, collected dolls, and wanted to dress Cleo up and play with her. He has a severely fragile, disturbed and fragmented identity and low esteem, which his fantasy world protects him from, was one doctors assessment of him. Its likely that this fantasy world developed in the context of his early neglect and trauma in childhood as a self-protective mechanism. The court heard how Kelly told police he had a number of children. These family members are, I find, fictitious, Wager said. However, they are very real members of your family to you. Youd opened Facebook pages for your fantasy children and communicated with them. You also had a significant interest in Bratz dolls and owned many of them, and this hobby is consistent with your fantasy family life. The death of Walker, who had raised Kelly since he was a toddler, and his subsequent drug-taking tipped him over the edge and led to his impulsive decision to take little Cleo from her tent that fateful night. Wager said it was very unlikely he would have stolen her if he did not have such significant mental impairments, with the combination of drug use. Ultimately, Wager acknowledged the sad life that Kelly had led and took his past into consideration when sentencing him. I also fully accept your background of deprivation, she said. McGowan said his government had told the miner it must meet very high standards. They need to find areas that dont risk the water supply, or they need to satisfy our regulatory agencies, which are very, very cautious that the measures they put in place will prevent any runoff of that nature into our water supply. Under restrictions applied since January 2021, the US company cannot mine steep slopes, clear more than 30 per cent of a creek valley, or mine near groundwater in water catchments where it extracts most of its WA bauxite production. Bear said Alcoa understood there was concern about the water supply, had changed the way it mines in response, and was considering further measures. Protecting that asset has been and always will be our highest priority, he said. Delayed rehabilitation risks water supply The Alcoa veteran said Alcoa had cleared just four per cent of its total lease area, which stretches from inland of Perth south to Collie, and expected to clear no more than eight per cent. Loading Alcoas mining appears to be concentrated in the water catchments within its lease. To date, the aluminium giant has cleared more than 13 per cent of the 10 catchments listed in a Water Corporation briefing note released after a freedom-of-information request. Alcoa has cleared more than 200 square kilometres, or 13 per cent, of forest in the catchments. Of particular concern are 51 square kilometres where no rehabilitation has started. These currently open areas are a key indicator of risk to the dams, according to the briefing note. The water catchment for Serpentine Dam, which provided 18 per cent of Perths water in 2022, has more than 30 square kilometres of open area. Alcoa has reported as rehabilitated about 75 per cent of the 280 square kilometres of the forest it has cleared in and out of water catchments in 60 years of mining. Reporting requires the land to be landscaped and seeded. No areas have progressed to the point where the state government has certified that the rehabilitation is complete. Bear, speaking at a regional development conference in Mandurah, said the areas were various forms of development from early plantings into developing forest. We are achieving our goal of restoring healthy, resilient forest ecosystems, he said. Alcoa shrinks expansion plans near Jarrahdale Alcoa is regulated under an agreement with the WA government signed in 1961 that allows decisions, including clearing the jarrah forest, to be made behind closed doors by a committee of bureaucrats. Bear said increased concerns about protecting the environment and climate change necessitated a change. For this reason, were on a journey to ensure that over time, all of our approvals meet contemporary needs processes and expectations, Bear said. Thats why around three years ago we referred the next major plans that we have for our Huntly mine and our Pinjarra refinery to the state and Commonwealth for full environmental review. Loading Alcoa sought approval to clear 67 square kilometres of jarrah forest to mine bauxite, increase alumina production from its Pinjarra refinery by five per cent and export unprocessed bauxite as well as alumina. In January, Alcoa dropped plans to export bauxite. Bear said a further change would reduce the cleared area by about 10 square kilometres and ensure there was no mining within five kilometres of the town of Jarrahdale. Jan Star, president of Jarrahdale Forest Protectors, said the area had long-term value and should not be destroyed to send profits to Pittsburgh, the US city where Alcoa is headquartered. As far we are concerned, they definitely should not be in the drinking water catchment, and absolutely not in the Reservoir Protection Zone - nor in the only mature big timber country in the State Forest north of Serpentine Dam. Bear said its expansion plans, expected to support a decade of mining, would likely be available for public comment later this year. Clean tech trialled in WA Alcoa creates less greenhouse gas emissions for each tonne of alumina it produces in WA than almost any other producer in the world. However, its three alumina refineries in Kwinana, Pinjarra and Wagerup still featured in the top ten industrial carbon polluters in WA for the 12 months to June 2022, according to Clean Energy Regulator data released last week. The company is the biggest gas user in the state and the refineries together produced the equivalent of more than six million tonnes of carbon dioxide. Im very saddened by the response of the Liberal Party today. Peter Dutton and Sussan Ley ... spoke all about politics and all about politicians. They know full well this isnt something thats come from politicians, this is something thats come from the ground up, from Indigenous people themselves. Loading Dutton said his party room wanted the best possible outcomes for Indigenous Australians and that a Voice to parliament in Canberra would not resolve the issues in Indigenous communities. The Liberal Party resolved today to say yes to constitutional recognition for Indigenous Australians, yes to a local and regional body, so we can get practical outcomes for Indigenous people on the ground [but] there was a resounding no to the prime ministers Voice, he said. Deputy leader Sussan Ley said the prime minister had displayed breathtaking arrogance and had acted in an unbecoming manner throughout the Voice debate. Its his timeline, its his question and his refusal to meet anyone else halfway on anything is breathtaking in its arrogance, she said. The Liberals formal opposition to the Voice brings them in line with their Coalition colleagues in the Nationals, who came out against the Voice last November. On Wednesday, National Party leader David Littleproud welcomed Duttons move and argued that if the prime minister wanted to be constructive, he should rework the constitutional amendment proposal to take in Coalition concerns. When youve got three political parties, basically with different views, its now important for the prime minister to reflect, to understand, and about his opportunity to lead this country in a direction that brings us together, Littleproud said. The Liberal Partys decision was immediately criticised by Labor, the Greens, pro-Voice campaigners and Liberal backbencher Bridget Archer, who all vowed to continue the campaign for a Yes vote. One of the Voice proposals leaders, chair of Lowitja Foundation Pat Anderson, released a statement saying the Indigenous community strongly supported enshrining the Voice in the constitution, not the symbolic recognition backed by the Coalition. The rest of the country is starting to reckon with its past as we march towards a treaty, but Peter Dutton is trying to ignite a culture war. Adam Bandt, Greens leader After 12 years, seven processes and 10 reports, the Liberal Party have made a decision to campaign for a No vote, she said. This ignores the majority of First Nations peoples at the grassroots across the country ... Their decision is a vote for business as usual. Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney said Dutton had met Albanese seven times over the Voice and not made any proposed changes to the constitutional amendment. Illustration by Matt Golding Credit: If Mr Dutton supported the Voice, he would have supported [former Liberal minister] Ken Wyatts proposal in the Morrison government. And he didnt, she said. Albanese has told colleagues that bipartisan support for the Voice referendum was not essential because modern voters were less attached to the positions of major parties and more able to be swayed to support a change. Archer said she would cross the floor if necessary to back the Yes vote and vowed I will campaign actively for the Yes campaign...I will not in any way attach myself to a vote No. Shadow minister for Indigenous Australians Julian Leeser, who has long supported constitutional recognition but who set out the Liberals concerns about the current proposal at the National Press Club on Monday, did not appear alongside Dutton and Ley. Tasmanian Liberal MP Bridget Archer has vowed to defy the conservative wing and campaign for a Yes vote. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Greens leader Adam Bandt accused the Liberals of being a small racist rump sliding into irrelevance and promised his party would campaign strongly for the Yes vote. The rest of the country is starting to reckon with its past as we march towards a treaty, but Peter Dutton is trying to ignite a culture war, Bandt said. Arnold Bloch Leibler partner and Referendum Council member Mark Leibler said the Voice process had been the most systematic, comprehensive and culturally sensitive consultation. The leader of the opposition says he and his party support constitutional recognition, yet how on earth can he or anyone else genuinely support recognition but reject the form of recognition favoured by the people we seek to recognise? he said. Loading Dean Parkin, the director of the Yes campaign, said the decision to oppose the Voice was made by a number of politicians in Canberra, [but] the referendum is a decision for the Australian people. Indigenous people have put their faith in the people of Australia, because they will get it right, he said. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk criticised the lack of information from the Albanese government for lagging support for the Indigenous Voice to federal parliament in her state. Peter Dutton hopes to start an avalanche that will smother the Indigenous Voice with a combination of dubious claims and genuine doubts about amending the Constitution for the first time in decades. The opposition leader starts from a position of serious weakness, with a poor personal standing in the community and the Liberals in retreat across the country, but his move is the biggest threat to the Voice since the Uluru Statement called for the reform six years ago. Anthony Albanese, right, and Peter Dutton now put themselves, and history, to the test. Credit: Sydney Morning Herald This fateful decision pits Dutton against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in a contest that will test their powers of persuasion and decide their political fortunes. If the Voice succeeds, Dutton will be diminished in history as a leader at odds with the will of the people and a great wrecker for First Australians who sought a constitutional right to consultation. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has cited a lack of information from the Albanese government as the reason for lagging support for the Indigenous Voice to federal parliament in her state. While polling suggests majority public support for the constitutional change set to be voted on in a referendum this year, support has slipped in Queensland home to both the federal Coalition leaders now opposing it. Ill be talking to the prime minister about how they can put [out] clear information, Annastacia Palaszczuk says. Credit: Matt Dennien The most recent survey, a Newspoll published on Wednesday by The Australian, suggested Queensland was the only state where support had dipped below 50 per cent still not enough to undermine the majority of voters in a majority of states needed for success. Asked by reporters about the slide, Palaszczuk sought to place responsibility back on Canberra, saying she thought people were looking for more information. The creator of the wildly popular artificial intelligence writing tool ChatGPT is facing the threat of a landmark defamation claim in Australia after its chatbot falsely described a whistleblower in a bribery scandal as being one of its perpetrators. Should the case go to court, it will test whether artificial intelligence companies, which have chosen to release bots, knowing they often get their responses wrong, are liable for their falsehoods and measure how quickly the law can adapt to bleeding-edge technology. Brian Hood was a whistleblower in the Securency case. Credit: Simon Schluter Brian Hood, who is now the mayor of the regional Hepburn Shire Council northwest of Melbourne, alerted authorities and journalists at this masthead more than a decade ago to foreign bribery by the agents of a banknote printing business called Securency, which was then owned by the Reserve Bank of Australia. In a judgment on the Securency case, Victorian Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth said Hood had showed tremendous courage in coming forward. However, people seeking information on the case from OpenAIs ChatGPT 3.5 tool, released late last year, get a different result. Xi Jinping is pulling out all the stops for French President Emmanuel Macron as Chinas leader tries to create some distance between Europe and the US in their approaches towards Beijing. During the three-day visit, Macron will have extensive face time with Xi. After formal meetings in Beijing on Thursday, which will also include European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Macron and Xi will head to the southern city of Guangzhou. Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, is welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, southern France in 2019. Credit: AP The excursion to meet a world leader at a second location outside the capital is rare for Xi, who normally reserves such honours for close friends like Russian President Vladimir Putin: in 2018, they took a high-speed train to Tianjin east of Beijing and watched a hockey match together. French officials say they have sensed a special warmth from Chinese counterparts ahead of the trip and say preparations have been smoother and friendlier than previous visits by Macron. New York: Russias commissioner for childrens rights, who is being sought for war crimes for deporting children from Ukraine, told a UN meeting on Wednesday that they were taken for their safety and Moscow was co-ordinating with international organisations to return them to their families. Ambassadors from Western countries boycotted the informal UN Security Council meeting, sending low-level diplomats instead. And diplomats from the United States, Britain, Albania and Malta walked out when Maria Lvova-Belova started to address the meeting by video link. Russian Presidential Commissioner for Childrens Rights Maria Lvova-Belova is accused of deporting children from Ukraine to Russia. Credit: AP The International Criminal Court last month issued an arrest warrant for her and Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing them of abducting children from Ukraine. Russia, which holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council this month, called Wednesdays meeting to counter what it claims is disinformation about the Ukrainian children. Turkey has closed its air space to flights from the Iraqi Kurdish city of Sulaimaniyah, blaming the increased activity of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the foreign ministry announced Wednesday. Ankara shut down air links on Monday and the freeze on flights would last until at least July 3 before being reviewed, said the ministry statement. "This decision has been taken in the context of the intensification of activities of the PKK at Sulaimaniyah, the intrusion of the terrorist organisation at the airport and the threat it poses to air security," it said. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said last month that one of its top commanders was among nine fighters killed when two helicopters crashed in Iraq in mid-March. They were heading to Sulaimaniyah, in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, for talks on security and military issues. The SDF has been a key ally of the US-led coalition fighting jihadists of the Islamic State group in Syria and neighbouring Iraq. Turkey and its western allies consider the PKK to be a terrorist organisation. But Turkey also considers the dominant faction in the Syrian Kurdish administration, the People's Protection Units (YPG), as an offshoot of the PKK. Search Keywords: Short link: New York: It had all the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster: sex, politics, power, money. But the indictment of Donald Trump was also a modern-day tragedy on many fronts: a former president accused of breaking the law for electoral gain; a legal system thrown into doubt over claims of a witch-hunt; a country so bitterly divided its hard to see how it could ever unite. Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to dozens of charges. Credit: As one visibly frustrated New Yorker lamented as he protested outside the Manhattan court where Trump was arraigned: We all need to start coming together. Time out for the hate. Time out for this bullshit. Even in a country where so many inviolable lines have been crossed, and so many democratic norms have been shattered, the sight of a former president charged over alleged hush-money paid to a porn star is truly surreal. Washington: For the most devoted Trump conspiracy theorists, there are no coincidences and timing is everything. So when ex-president Donald Trump was arraigned on Tuesday on charges that he falsified business records to obscure hush money payments in an effort to influence the 2016 election, some of his most ardent followers quickly noted the court appearance came during Christianitys most sacred week, Holy Week, when many Christians commemorate Christs crucifixion and resurrection. Donald Trump leaves the District Attorneys office before making the short walk to the court. Credit: AP Seems there was someone else who was tortured and crucified this week, read one post on Gab, a platform popular with Trump supporters. A similar post on Telegram put Trumps case in apocalyptic terms: Good vs Evil. Biblical times. Divine timing. Comparisons likening Trump to Christ were among the top online narratives about the Republican former president and his criminal charges circulating in the last several days, according to an analysis of online and social media content conducted by Zignal Labs, a media intelligence firm, on behalf of The Associated Press. BONAIRE:--- Parrotfish are more than just pretty faces. The average parrotfish spends up to 90% of its day cleaning the coral reefs. Their sharp beaks allow them to easily scrape algae off corals and rocks, essential for keeping the reefs healthy and thriving. Especially now with major stressors such as coral bleaching events and Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) they are important for helping coral reefs to recover and regrow. Increased protection in the Caribbean region will be considered in the next Conference of Parties for the Cartagena Convention (COPS) meeting later this year in Aruba. Coral reefs provide valuable habitats for fish and other animals. People also benefit from the many ecosystem services coral reefs provide including coastal protection, food, and income from tourism and fisheries. Coral reefs are one of the most important sources of income for the Dutch Caribbean islands. Important grazers Herbivores like parrotfish play a critical role in maintaining healthy coral reefs. They help sustain the delicate balance within the reef by grazing on (macro)algae, which are the main competitors for corals for space and light. The average parrotfish spends up to 90% of its day cleaning the reef. Not only does this fish species keep the algae in check, but these herbivores also create new space for baby corals to attach and grow. Besides removing macroalgae and promoting coral settlement and growth, parrotfish are also natural bioeroders producing sediment by grazing on rocks, calcareous algae, and corals (less than 10% of their food). Hereby they help recycle nutrients and produce sand for (eroded) coastal areas. The Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) report entitled Status and Trends of Caribbean Coral Reefs: 1970-2012" by Jackson et al. (2014) documented quantitative trends in coral reef health over 43 years in the wider Caribbean. The report identifies that one of the major drivers of coral reef decline in the Caribbean is the overfishing of herbivores, particularly parrotfish. Threats Parrotfish thrive best in healthy coral reef ecosystems. Therefore, these fish are subjected to the same threats as corals. This includes the negative effects of climate change, ocean acidification, pollution, and diseases such as Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD). In addition, overfishing can quickly wipe out local parrotfish populations. Studies show that reefs are healthier and have a higher recovery resilience capability in locations where parrotfish are protected. This highlights the importance of parrotfish for reefs to be able to recover from these threats. Protecting Parrotfish In the Dutch Caribbean- on Aruba and Bonaire- there are local rules and regulations to protect all parrotfish. On these islands, it is prohibited to catch, kill, wound, or disturb them. Luckily for the other islands in the (Dutch) Caribbean, the Kingdom of Netherlands, along with the Republic of France, has formally submitted a proposal to include all parrotfish in Annex III of the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) Protocol, a regional agreement for the protection and sustainable use of coastal and marine biodiversity in the Wider Caribbean Region. If approved during the next Conference of parties for the Cartagena Convention (COPS) IGM20/COP17 later this year on Aruba, this measure provides a legal framework for the conservation of the parrotfish to ensure and maintain the population at an optimal level in the Wider Caribbean. Want to learn more about local parrotfish populations? Check out the following related articles: Fish poop: an underappreciated food source for coral reef fishes?, Recovery of Orbicella annularis corals from parrotfish predation, Parrotfish key to reef survival, and Proposal Parrotfish SPAW Annex III DCNA The Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) supports science communication and outreach in the Dutch Caribbean region by making nature-related scientific information more widely available through amongst others the Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database, DCNAs news platform BioNews and the press. This article contains the results from several scientific studies but the studies themselves are not DCNA studies. No rights can be derived from the content. DCNA is not liable for the content and the in(direct) impacts resulting from publishing this article. CAY HILL:--- St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) will conduct a fire evacuation drill on Wednesday, April 5th, 2023 at 10:30 am. The drill will last approximately one (1) hour during which the fire alarm system will be activated and actors portraying patients will be evacuated as real-life patients would be during a fire to ensure that in the event of a fire, all staff and patients are evacuated safely and without incidents. The purpose of the drill is to provide employees with the opportunity to practice working together in a crisis, refresh staff knowledge of hospital evacuation procedures and evacuation techniques, test critical communications in a crisis, and practice working together with outside agencies. During the drill, noise from the fire alarm system can be expected as well as the flow of involved staff and actors to SMMCs evacuation assembly point located at the generator house in the main parking lot. During the drill, Outpatient appointments and all other hospital activities will continue as normal. SMMC thanks the public for its understanding and apologizes for any inconvenience caused. THE HAGUE, the Netherlands:--- With the signatures of the Prime Ministers of Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten and the state secretary of Kingdom Relations under a new Mutual Regulation, the legal basis has been laid for sustainable cooperation for public sector reforms in the Caribbean countries of the Kingdom. Besides financial, economic, and social reforms, it also covers reforms in other areas, such as education, healthcare, and strengthening the rule of law. For the past two years, the reforms have been implemented based on the country packages of the Caribbean countries. The aim is to increase economic resilience and administrative governance within the countries in the interest of their inhabitants. These reforms are needed to address the various vulnerabilities the countries face when dealing with economic setbacks due to disasters such as the Covid-19 pandemic. The new Mutual Regulation is the instrument deployed for sustainable cooperation within the Kingdom. The agreement is based on equality, ownership, and commonality. It also includes mutual commitment. For instance, the governments of Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten commit to working on the implementation of reforms for the next four years. In turn, the Netherlands commits to providing the necessary support to implement the reforms. This will be done by providing implementation capacity and financial resources. Based on the new Mutual Regulation, the Caribbean countries of the Kingdom, each, together with the Netherlands, draws up implementation agendas. These contain measures and projects aimed at the realization of the intended reforms within the public sector. Implementation of the reforms is primarily the responsibility of those countries' governments. In the Caribbean countries, the responsibility for coordinating the implementation of the reforms lies with the Ministers of General Affairs and the implementing organizations falling under them. In the Netherlands, coordination lies with the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and is executed by the Tijdelijke werkorganisatie (Temporary Work organization, TWO). This way of working is a codification of the way the countries in the Kingdom have worked together on reforms over the past two years. The Mutual Regulation replaces the proposed consensus Kingdom Act COHO (In English: Caribbean Organ for Reform and Development), which did not receive the approval of the Kingdom parliaments. PHILIPSBURG:--- The Rotary E-Club of the Caribbean, District 7020 announced their winners, with much appreciation to our local young authors. The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset received a total of twenty stories, with three being submitted to the Rotary E-Club for consideration to be published in this years Butterfly Storybook. The club congratulated Amir Baharani for emerging as the overall winner. Amir Baharani from The St. Maarten Montessori School wrote a story titled The New Kid; Valente Cathalina from the St. Dominic Primary School wrote a story titled The Boy and the Beautiful Blue Butterfly; and Angelis Polanco from the Helmich Snijders Hillside Christian School wrote a story titled Save the Dogs. These participants were selected as the three best stories from the twenty stories that were submitted to the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset and sent to the Rotary E-Club of the Caribbean. This year, the participating schools and students included Lisnette Maduro; Taishema Gumbs; Jasmine Adams; Romaire Johnson; Aaron Peters; Suheidi Alejandra; Shamal Thomas; Lemar Prince Carter; and Kianny Fidanque van Hengen from the Helmich Snijders Hillside Christian School. From the St. Maarten Montessori School, the participants were Talika Alwani; Cecil Cone III; Giselina Greaux-Domatilia; Andrea Hubert; Ava Reinhard-Boyd; Amani van der Camp; Kjeld van der Meer; and Jolin Xue. The Butterfly Story Book writing contest challenges creative young writers aged 7-11 to tell their stories. The students were asked to write a story reflecting acts of kindness, friendship, leadership and/or respect. This could involve friends, family and/or pets and specifically illustrate the Caribbean culture, consisting of 300-750 words. The contest was open to students residing in the Caribbean as an opportunity to become published young authors. All participants were invited to the Emilio Wilson Park for a time of celebration. All participating schools and students received certificates for their contribution. The winner, Amir Baharani, received a cash price of $50.00 from the Rotary E-Club of Caribbean and a $100.00 gift card from Amazon compliments of the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset. The winner will also have his story published in the 2023 Butterfly Story Book alongside winners from other Caribbean countries. The general public is encouraged to purchase a book sold on Amazon by searching: The Butterfly Storybook 10th Anniversary Edition (2023): 100 Caribbean Tales by Emerging Young Authors. President Kimberley Duzong of the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset thanked all participants for submitting exceptional stories and encouraged them to continue writing. She also thanked the principals, teachers, and parents for supporting this endeavor and encouraging participation of their students. The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset meets on the second and fourth Monday of the month at Carl N Sons Unique Inn and Conference Facilities in Colebay at 7:30 pm. The club can be contacted via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or via the official Facebook page at facebook.com/rotarysxmsunset. Victoria Gold Publishes 2022 Environment, Social&Governance (ESG) Report Victoria Gold Corp. (TSX-VGCX) (aVictoriaa or the aCompanya https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/victoria-gold-corp/ ) has published the Companya?s annual Environment, Social & Governance (aESGa) Report. The ESG Report provides detailed information regarding Victoria and the Eagle Gold Minea?s 2022 performance against critical ESG metrics. aWe are pleased to showcase our inaugural ESG report which provides clear information and transparency regarding key sustainability and performance metrics,a stated John McConnell, President and CEO. aWhile operating in a top North American mining jurisdiction with a long mine life and strong ESG metrics we have a great story to tell and we are just getting started.a Victoria Golda?s Eagle Gold Mine key 2022 ESG metrics include: Inaugural Annual ESG Report a click here and also available on our website atvgcx.com Recipient of the E.A. Scholz Award for Excellence in Mining Development Strong Health & Safety performance with a low Lost-time Incident Frequency of 0.13% Victoria is the largest private sector employer in the Yukon, which makes the company a significant socio-economic contributor with an average of 38% local workforce. The Company contributed $17 million in direct wages and benefits to its Yukon employee workforce.A Victoria procured $123 million from Yukon based suppliers representing 62% of all goods and services in 2022. Greenhouse gas (aGHGa) Intensity of 0.37 (Scope 1+2 MTCO2E/ounce gold) Qualified Person The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Paul D. Gray, P.Geo., as the aQualified Persona as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About the Dublin Gulch Property Victoria Gold\-s 100%-owned Dublin Gulch gold property (the aPropertya) is situated in central Yukon Territory, Canada, approximately 375 kilometers north of the capital city of Whitehorse, and approximately 85 kilometers from the town of Mayo. The Property is accessible by road year round, and is located within Yukon Energy\-s electrical grid. The Property covers an area of approximately 555 square kilometers, and is the site of the Company\-s Eagle and Olive Gold Deposits. The Company press released the results of a National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report for the Eagle Gold Mine on February 24, 2023 (the a2023 Eagle Technical Reporta). The Eagle Technical Report will be filed on SEDAR within 45 days from the press release. The Eagle and Olive deposits include Proven and Probable Reserves of 2.6 million ounces of gold from 124 million tonnes of ore with a grade of 0.65 grams of gold per tonne. The Mineral Resource for the Eagle and Olive deposits has been estimated to host 245 million tonnes averaging 0.59 grams of gold per tonne, containing 4.7 million ounces of gold in the \Measured and Indicated\ category, inclusive of Proven and Probable Reserves, and a further 36 million tonnes averaging 0.63 grams of gold per tonne, containing 0.7 million ounces of gold in the \Inferred\ category. Cautionary Language and Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed \forward-looking statements\. Except for statements of historical fact relating to Victoria, information contained herein constitutes forward-looking information, including any information related to the intended use of proceeds from the Term Facility and the Revolving Credit Facility, the amended terms and conditions of the Loan Facility, and Victoria\-s strategy, plans or future financial or operating performance. Forward-looking information is characterized by words such as aplana, aexpecta, abudgeta, atargeta, aprojecta, aintenda, abelievea, aanticipatea, aestimatea and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions amaya, awilla, acoulda or ashoulda occur, and includes any guidance and forecasts set out herein (including, but not limited to, production and operational guidance of the Corporation). In order to give such forward-looking information, the Corporation has made certain assumptions about its business, operations, the economy and the mineral exploration industry in general, in particular in light of the impact of the novel coronavirus and the COVID-19 disease (aCOVID-19a) on each of the foregoing. In this respect, the Corporation has assumed that production levels will remain consistent with managementa?s expectations, contracted parties provide goods and services on agreed timeframes, equipment works as anticipated, required regulatory approvals are received, no unusual geological or technical problems occur, no material adverse change in the price of gold occurs and no significant events occur outside of the Corporation\-s normal course of business. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made, and are inherently subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other known and unknown factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those described in, or implied by, the forward-looking information. These factors include the impact of general business and economic conditions, risks related to COVID-19 on the Company, global liquidity and credit availability on the timing of cash flows and the values of assets and liabilities based on projected future conditions, anticipated metal production, fluctuating metal prices, currency exchange rates, estimated ore grades, possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates, changes in accounting policies, changes in Victoria\-s corporate resources, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, changes in development and production time frames, the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, uncertainty of mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates, higher prices for fuel, steel, power, labour and other consumables contributing to higher costs and general risks of the mining industry, failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, final pricing for metal sales, unanticipated results of future studies, seasonality and unanticipated weather changes, costs and timing of the development of new deposits, success of exploration activities, requirements for additional capital, permitting time lines, government regulation of mining operations, environmental risks, unanticipated reclamation expenses, title disputes or claims, limitations on insurance coverage and timing and possible outcomes of pending litigation and labour disputes, risks related to remote operations and the availability of adequate infrastructure, fluctuations in price and availability of energy and other inputs necessary for mining operations. Although Victoria has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in, or implied by, the forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained herein is presented for the purpose of assisting investors in understanding Victoria\-s expected financial and operational performance and Victoria\-s plans and objectives and may not be appropriate for other purposes. All forward-looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof, as the case may be, and is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management of the Corporation as at the date hereof. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking information contained herein and the documents incorporated by reference herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws. For Further Information Contact: John McConnell President & CEO Victoria Gold Corp. Tel: 604-696-6605 ceo@vgcx.com In Europe: Swiss Resource Capital AG Jochen Staiger info@resource-capital.ch www.resource-capital.ch Calibre Delivers Record Q1 Gold Production of 65,750 Ounces Calibre Mining Corp. (TSX: CXB; OTCQX: CXBMF) (aCalibrea or the aCompanya https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/calibre-mining-corp/ ) is pleased to announce operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2023 (all financial amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars). Q1 2023 Highlights Consolidated quarterly gold production of 65,750 ounces and gold sales of 65,770 ounces: 27% increase in gold production compared to Q1 2022 (51,898 ounces); Nicaragua gold production of 54,997 ounces and Nevada gold production of 10,753 ounces; Consolidated 2022 Mineral Reserves increased 370%, since acquisition in 2019, to 1,346,000 ounces gold (see press release dated February 14, 2023): Nicaragua Mineral Reserve grade increased 16%, 1,082,000 ounces at a grade of 5.37 g/t gold; Nevada Mineral Reserves increased 23% to 264,000 ounces at a grade of 0.37 g/t gold; Consolidated 2022 M&I Mineral Resources increased to 4,603,000 ounces gold (see press release dated February 14, 2023); High-grade mining commenced ahead of schedule at Pavon Central open pit averaging a delivery rate 1,000 tonnes per day to the Libertad mill (see press release dated March 15, 2023); Continued expansion of the high-grade gold discovery at Panteon North and along the VTEM Gold Corridor within the Limon Complex (see press release dated March 21, 2023): 45 g/t Au over 4.1 metres Estimated True Width (aETWa) including 38.45 g/t Au over 1.8 metres ETW; 68 g/t Au over 4.3 metres ETW; The Panteon North maiden Reserve estimate added 244,000 ounces at 9.4 g/t gold to the Companya?s 2022 Mineral Reserve statement (see press release dated February 14, 2023); New aCoyotea discovery at the Pan Mine in Nevada indicates the potential for resource expansion to the south (see press release dated January 17, 2023): 36 g/t Au over 13.7 metres including 2.78 g/t Au over 4.6 metres; Phase 1 drill results from the Golden Eagle Project, located in Washington State, confirm a robust mineral system with consistent gold grades over broad widths (see press release dated January 24, 2023) : 30 g/t Au over 92.42 metres including 7.80 g/t Au over 17.3 metres, and 2.90 g/t Au over 195.1 metres; Darren Hall, President & Chief Executive Officer of Calibre, stated: aI am very pleased with the teamsa? first quarter performance, delivering a record 65,750 ounces. Being above budget at the end of the quarter, with Pavon Central ahead of schedule and Eastern Borosi on track for production in Q2 we are well positioned to deliver our full year production guidance of 250,000 a 275,000 ounces. A With numerous drill rigs turning across our entire asset portfolio, our exploration investment continues to yield exciting results as we expand the high-grade gold discovery at Panteon North and the VTEM Gold Corridor and make new discoveries at Pan where drilling indicates the strong potential for resource expansion. 2023 will be a transformational year, driven by an organic 20% increase in production, strong free cash flow, and significant exploration to expand recent high-grade gold discoveries not included in our multi-year, grade driven production increase strategy.a Q1 2023 Financial Results and Conference Call Details First quarter financial results will be released after market close on Monday, May 8, 2023, and management will be hosting a conference call on Tuesday, May 9 to discuss the results and outlook in more detail.A Date:A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A Tuesday, May 9, 2023 Time:A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A 10:00 a.m. (ET) Webcast Link:A A A A A https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/77jbhopx Instructions for obtaining conference call dial-in numbers: All parties must register at the link below to participate in Calibresa? Q1 2023 conference call. Register by clicking https://register.vevent.com/register/BIcbb8f6f89d254adb83115fe6e956e5f3 and completing the online registration form. Once registered you will receive the dial-in numbers and PIN number for input at the time of the call. The live webcast and registration link can be accessed here and at www.calibremining.com under the Events and Media section under the Investors tab. The live audio webcast will be archived and available for replay for 12 months after the event at www.calibremining.com. Presentation slides that will accompany the conference call will be made available in the Investors section of the Calibre website under Presentations prior to the conference call. Qualified Person Darren Hall, MAusIMM, President and Chief Executive Officer, of Calibre Mining Corp. is a aqualified persona as set out under NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD aDarren Halla Darren Hall, President, and Chief Executive Officer For further information, please contact: Ryan King Senior Vice President, Corporate Development & IR T: 604.628.1010 E: calibre@calibremining.com W: www.calibremining.com In Europe: Swiss Resource Capital AG Jochen Staiger & Marc Ollinger info@resource-capital.ch www.resource-capital.ch About Calibre Mining Corp. Calibre Mining is a Canadian-listed, Americas focused, growing mid-tier gold producer with a strong pipeline of development and exploration opportunities across Nevada and Washington in the USA, and Nicaragua. Calibre is focused on delivering sustainable value for shareholders, local communities and all stakeholders through responsible operations and a disciplined approach to growth. With a strong balance sheet, a proven management team, strong operating cash flow, accretive development projects and district-scale exploration opportunities Calibre will unlock significant value. Notes: NON-IFRS FINANCIAL MEASURES The Company believes that investors use certain non-IFRS measures as indicators to assess gold mining companies, specifically Total Cash Costs per Ounce and All-In Sustaining Costs per Ounce. In the gold mining industry, these are common performance measures but do not have any standardized meaning. The Company believes that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, certain investors use this information to evaluate the Companya?s performance and ability to generate cash flow. Accordingly, it is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. Total Cash Costs per Ounce of Gold: Total cash costs include mine site operating costs such as mining, processing, and local administrative costs (including stock-based compensation related to mine operations), royalties, production taxes, mine standby costs and current inventory write downs, if any.A Production costs are exclusive of depreciation and depletion, reclamation, capital, and exploration costs.A Total cash costs per gold ounce are net of by-product silver sales and are divided by gold ounces sold to arrive at a per ounce figure. All-In Sustaining Costs per Ounce of Gold:A A performance measure that reflects all of the expenditures that are required to produce an ounce of gold from current operations.A While there is no standardized meaning of the measure across the industry, the Companya?s definition is derived from the AISC definition as set out by the World Gold Council in its guidance dated June 27, 2013 and November 16, 2018.A The World Gold Council is a non-regulatory, non-profit organization established in 1987 whose members include global senior mining companies. The Company believes that this measure will be useful to external users in assessing operating performance and the ability to generate free cash flow from current operations.A The Company defines AISC as the sum of total cash costs (per above), sustaining capital (capital required to maintain current operations at existing levels), capital lease repayments, corporate general and administrative expenses, exploration expenditures designed to increase resource confidence at producing mines, amortization of asset retirement costs and rehabilitation accretion related to current operations.A AISC excludes capital expenditures for significant improvements at existing operations deemed to be expansionary in nature, exploration and evaluation related to resource growth, rehabilitation accretion and amortization not related to current operations, financing costs, debt repayments, and taxes.A Total all-in sustaining costs are divided by gold ounces sold to arrive at a per ounce figure. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information This news release includes certain aforward-looking informationa and aforward-looking statementsa (collectively aforward-looking statementsa) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are identified by words such as \expect\, \plan\, \anticipate\, \project\, \target\, \potential\, \schedule\, \forecast\, \budget\, \estimate\, \intend\ or \believe\ and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions \will\, \would\, \may\, \could\, \should\ or \might\ occur.A Forward-looking statements necessarily involve assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond Calibrea?s control. For a listing of risk factors applicable to the Company, please refer to Calibrea?s annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2022, and its management discussion and analysis (aMD&Aa) for the year ended December 31, 2022 all available on The Companya?s SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect Calibrea?s forward-looking statements such as potential sanctions implemented as a result of the United States Executive Order 13851 dated October 24, 2022. Calibrea?s forward-looking statements are based on the applicable assumptions and factors management considers reasonable as of the date hereof, based on the information available to management at such time. Calibre does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or managementa?s beliefs, expectations or opinions should change other than as required by applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. A nuclear power plant on the moon It is well known how important nuclear energy is in the energy mix. Even on the moon, a nuclear power plant could now be built. It is the well-known luxury car brand Rolls-Royce that is planning a small nuclear power plant on the moon on behalf of the British space agency. Because this would be a fine thing for a permanent base on the moon. The base could then be supplied with electricity independently of sunlight. The so-called Small Modulator Reactors (SMR), small mini power plants, are being traded as an important instrument for the future supply of nuclear energy. Many countries know how important it is to supply energy and achieve climate goals, and they are promoting nuclear power. Reactor technologies are also subject to constant progress. Today, power plants can be built and also operated more cost-effectively. Smaller plant sizes, faster construction times, more flexible siting, and the ability to use nuclear waste as fuel are all on the nuclear community\-s radar. This type of low-carbon power generation will significantly increase uranium demand. McKinsey projects an additional 400 to 800 GW will be needed. Up to 20 percent of future electricity demand could be met by nuclear by 2050. Technical innovations and construction costs will have a significant impact on this. In recent years, growth in renewable energies has exceeded forecasts. The same could occur in the nuclear energy sector. In addition to the USA and France, countries focusing on this type of energy production include the United Kingdom, which is supporting nuclear projects with $145 million. South Korea is also looking to increase its capacity. Investors are now eyeing uranium companies such as IsoEnergy and Labrador Uranium. In the Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan, famous for high-grade uranium deposits, IsoEnergy https://www.commodity-tv.com/play/isoenergy-winter-2023-drill-program-at-larocque-east-and-hawk-with-new-vp-of-exploration/ has promising uranium projects. In Labrador, in the Central Mineral Belt, Labrador Uranium https://www.commodity-tv.com/play/labrador-uranium-cad-73-million-exploration-program-in-2023-at-different-areas/ has high-grade and large properties. In addition, there is a uranium project in Nunavut. Current corporate information and press releases from Labrador Uranium (- https://www.resource-capital.ch/en/companies/labrador-uranium-inc/ -) and Iso Energy (- https://www.resource-capital.ch/en/companies/iso-energy-ltd/ -). In accordance with A34 WpHG I would like to point out that partners, authors and employees may hold shares in the respective companies addressed and thus a possible conflict of interest exists. No guarantee for the translation into English. Only the German version of this news is valid. Disclaimer: The information provided does not represent any form of recommendation or advice. Express reference is made to the risks in securities trading. No liability can be accepted for any damage arising from the use of this blog. I would like to point out that shares and especially warrant investments are always associated with risk. The total loss of the invested capital cannot be excluded. All information and sources are carefully researched. However, no guarantee is given for the correctness of all contents. Despite the greatest care, I expressly reserve the right to make errors, especially with regard to figures and prices. The information contained herein is taken from sources believed to be reliable, but in no way claims to be accurate or complete. Due to court decisions, the contents of linked external sites are also co-responsible (e.g. Landgericht Hamburg, in the decision of 12.05.1998 312 O 85/98), as long as there is no explicit dissociation from them. Despite careful control of the content, I do not assume liability for the content of linked external pages. The respective operators are exclusively responsible for their content. The disclaimer of Swiss Resource Capital AG also applies: https://www.resource-capital.ch/en/disclaimer/ US President Joe Biden will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland from April 11-14, the White House said on Wednesday. Biden will first visit Belfast to mark the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement before traveling to Ireland, where he will deliver an address to mark US-Irish ties. Biden in Belfast intends "to underscore the readiness of the United States to support Northern Ireland's vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities," the White House said. In late February, Britain and the European Union settled a festering dispute over Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland that ensures that there would be no new checks on goods crossing the land border between Northern Ireland and the republic to the south, which is part of the EU. The agreement eased a source of tension between London and Washington. The Biden administration had voiced concern over the continued success of the Good Friday agreement which ended most of the violence in Northern Ireland that had prevailed since the late 1960s. In Ireland, Biden will meet with Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, who visited the White House in mid-March for a traditional St. Patrick's Day visit. Varadkar hailed the Biden visit as "an opportunity to welcome a great Irish-American President home." "Over many decades, and to this day, he has supported the cause of peace in Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement. He stood with us as we navigated the difficult consequences of Brexit," Varadkar said. "His visit is an opportunity to celebrate and renew the strong political, economic and personal ties that bind our two countries together," he added. Biden will visit Dublin, County Louth and County Mayo, "where he will deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people," the White House said. Search Keywords: Short link: A meme-inspired cryptocurrency's price jumped on Tuesday after Elon Musk changed the bluebird logo of Twitter to a dog associated with the digital token, despite the mogul being sued over his previous promotion of the coin. Musk bought Twitter in October last year for $44 billion and has since slashed the workforce, introduced paid-for accounts and reinstated banned users including former president Donald Trump. His decision to change the logo to a Shiba Inu dog, whether permanent or another short-lived joke, caused the price of dogecoin to surge by more than 25 percent, from below $0.08 to more than $0.10. The Twitter chief has 133 million followers and has long used the platform for self-promotion and humour, occasionally also promoting dogecoin, a highly volatile cryptocurrency initially created as a joke. Musk has said he is committed to crypto, with a substantial portion of his fortune held in bitcoin. Musk has also floated dogecoin as the basis for e-commerce payments, with observers wondering if the tycoon will use his purchase of Twitter to build an "everything app", similar to China's WeChat, that offers a wide range of services. The SpaceX owner's embrace of dogecoin has landed him in legal trouble where he is being sued for $258 billion by an investor who claims he lost massive amounts of money because of Musk's activities, though the billionaire has dismissed those claims. In a filing to a New York court on Friday, Musk's legal team called the suit "a fanciful work of fiction" that "must be dismissed in its entirety with prejudice." "There is nothing unlawful about tweeting words of support for, or funny pictures about, a legitimate cryptocurrency," the filing added. The Shiba Inu dog became a popular meme in 2013 when posters on forums like Reddit and 4chan began using pictures of the Japanese dog breed alongside messages written in broken English. The cryptocurrency was launched as a joke later that year and remained largely without value for years -- like thousands of other coins. However, in May 2021 its value briefly spiked to a then record $0.73 after Musk suggested his auto firm Tesla could begin to accept it as payment. The value quickly slumped and investors have accused Musk of manipulating the value of the token to make a quick profit, known as a "pump and dump". The logo change prompted a slew of messages featuring the meme dog -- not least from Musk, who tweeted out a conversation with a follower from last year where he had promised to buy Twitter and make the Shiba Inu its logo. However, some users were more cynical. "Why do I get the feeling the Doge icon was added so when you search 'Elon' and 'Doge' the story of his racketeering lawsuit will be buried," tweeted comedian Jesse McLaren. Search Keywords: Short link: AI bot ChatGPT faces growing scrutiny in Europe Paris, April 5 (AFP) Apr 05, 2023 France's data regulator said on Wednesday it had received two complaints about the AI program ChatGPT, as European authorities deepened their scrutiny of the chatbot days after Italy banned it. ChatGPT, created by US firm OpenAI, has provided a global hit by demonstrating an ability to generate essays, poems and conversations from the briefest of prompts -- as well as passing tough exams. But Italian regulators said last Friday that the firm had no legal basis to engage in massive data collection and questioned the way it was handling the information it had gathered. European authorities including those of France, Ireland and Germany have since approached their Italian counterpart to try to establish a common position on ChatGPT. And the concerns are not limited to Europe -- on Tuesday, Canada's data regulator said it was opening an investigation into OpenAI. France's CNIL, regarded as the most powerful European data regulator, confirmed to AFP on Wednesday it had already received two complaints, though it has not yet announced a full investigation. Zoe Vilain of Janus International, a campaign group, filed the first complaint. "We are not anti-tech, but we want ethical technology," she told AFP. She wrote in her complaint that when she tried to sign up for a ChatGPT account she was not asked for consent to any general terms of use or privacy policy. The other complaint came from David Libeau, a developer who wrote in his submission he had found personal information about himself when he asked ChatGPT about his profile. "When I asked for more information, the algorithm started to make up stories about me, creating websites or organising online events that were totally false," he wrote. ChatGPT and similar programs are "trained" on huge bodies of text gleaned from the internet and are known to invent answers, though OpenAI said such "hallucinations" were less common with GPT-4, the latest version of the bot. Last month, billionaire Tesla and Twitter boss Elon Musk joined hundreds of experts in calling for a halt in development of powerful AI systems, a move prompted by the release of GPT-4. After Italy's order to halt ChatGPT, OpenAI told AFP that it was "committed to protecting people's privacy" and believed the tool complied with the law. AI better than humans at key heart test: study Paris, April 5 (AFP) Apr 05, 2023 Artificial intelligence is better than humans at assessing heart ultrasounds, the main test of overall cardiac health, the most rigorous trial yet conducted on the subject found on Wednesday. While previous research has illustrated the potential power of AI models for reading medical scans, the authors of the new US study said it is the first blinded, randomised clinical trial for heart health. "There's a lot of excitement around AI," but rigorous evaluation remains critical, the study's senior author David Ouyang told AFP. This successful trial "really strengthens the argument that now we're ready for primetime," added the cardiologist at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Heart ultrasounds, also known as echocardiograms, are carried out on patients by sonographers, who usually give an initial assessment of the scan before handing it over to a cardiologist. The new study, published in the journal Nature, pitted an AI model against sonographers to see who would give the most accurate initial assessment. Both assessed the ultrasound for what is called left ventricular ejection fraction, which measures the heart's ability to pump blood out to the body in the space of a heartbeat. The test is the main way to measure how well a heart is functioning. It is used to tell if patients have had a heart attack or if they will be able to undertake serious treatments such as implanting a defibrillator. For the study, nearly 3,500 heart ultrasounds were randomly split between sonographers and the AI model. Their assessments were then evaluated by cardiologists, who did not know which ones came from humans and which from the AI model. - 'Exciting' - The cardiologists made a substantial change in more than 27 percent of the sonographer assessments -- and in nearly 17 percent of those done by the AI model, the study found. "The AI was faster, more precise, and indistinguishable by the cardiologists," Ouyang said. There is a "tremendous shortage" of sonographers in the United States and across the world, and this would save them valuable time, he added. The AI model, called EchoNet-Dynamic, was trained on nearly 145,000 echocardiograms and uses what is called deep learning to process large amounts of data. The researchers are currently applying for the method to be approved by the Federal Drug Administration, and hope to do the same in the European Union and elsewhere soon, Ouyang said. Patricia Pellikka, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in the United States not involved in the research, told AFP the study was "exciting" and that the integration of AI tools will increase efficiency and standardisation. French cardiologist Florian Zores said that the study was well conducted but the technology would not be as useful in France, where cardiologists give the initial assessments of heart ultrasounds. Why can't the world get enough of Pablo Picasso? On the 50th anniversary of his death, it seems the appetite for the Spanish master is inexhaustible. Picasso's ceramics, Picasso's sculptures, Picasso and feminism, Picasso's use of white, celebrity photographs of Picasso... the list of exhibitions marking the half-century since his death on April 8, 1973 runs on and on. "Picasso gobbles everything up, and still we are hungry for more," grandson Olivier Widmaier-Picasso told AFP, adding that he was "fascinated by the number of curators, historians and researchers that continue to find new angles to explore." Explaining his ubiquity is another matter. The genius of his talent seems largely beyond dispute, and this combined with his emergence at the start of the 20th century, just as the last obstacles to free expression were being dismantled, leaving him free to explore in every direction. And he simply never stopped, working from his teens right up to his death on the Cote d'Azur at 91. "He remains above everyone," said Bernard Blistene, a former director of the Pompidou Centre modern art museum in Paris. "The permanent invention, the journey across all the great currents of modernity, the continuous experimentation for 80 years, the desire to please and displease... all of it is without equal," Blistene told AFP. No more 'muses' The MeToo movement has slightly rattled the elevated plinth on which Picasso's reputation stands, as accusations that he was an abusive misogynist towards his wives and girlfriends trigger calls for a reappraisal. "We must stop talking about the women in his life as 'muses'. Some committed suicide, others sank into madness," said Emilie Bouvard, former curator at the Picasso Museum in Paris. The exception was Francoise Gilot, the only mistress who dumped Picasso and lived to see 50 years pass since the death of "the tyrannical, superstitious and egotistical being" that she denounced in a famous book in the 1960s. But the damage has been limited. Picasso still regularly tops the list for highest-grossing artists at auction: his paintings generated $494 million last year alone, according to Artprice. There is a balance to be found, said Bouvard. "Picasso is someone who appropriated things, people," she said. His work often spoke of violence and sexuality -- often with brutal, even courageous honesty -- but he also turned those feelings on the women in his life. "Dealing with this question means speaking differently but fairly about Picasso," said Bouvard. That only opens up more ways to prime the pump of the Picasso industry. An exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum this summer, promising to reevaluate the artist "through a feminist lens", is being curated by comedian Hannah Gadsby, one of Picasso's most outspoken critics. Meanwhile, crowds are flocking to a much lighter retrospective at the Picasso Museum in Paris curated by fashion designer Paul Smith. It suggests the sexual politics have done nothing to undermine the simple pleasure that comes from seeing Picasso's work. "I made it very decorative because the idea is that young school children and teenagers will come and see his work in a different light," Smith told AFP. "Many of us have already seen Picasso many times around the world, so we hope to show it in a new way." Search Keywords: Short link: Climate change spurring surge in dengue, chikungunya: WHO Geneva, April 5 (AFP) Apr 05, 2023 The World Health Organization warned Wednesday that dengue and other diseases caused by mosquito-borne arboviruses were spreading far faster and further amid climate change, warning global outbreaks could be looming. Experts with the United Nations health agency sounded the alarm over swelling numbers of cases of dengue and chikungunya, and warned new epidemics of zika could also be expected. All three are caused by arboviruses carried by Aedes aegypti mosquitos, which have been spreading into new territory as the planet warms. "Climate change has played a key role in facilitating the spread of the vector mosquitoes," said Raman Velayudhan, who coordinates WHO's dengue and arbovirus initiative. He and colleague Diana Rojas Alvarez, WHO's technical lead on chikungunya and zika, stressed the need for urgent action to rein in the spread of the mosquitos, amid fears of larger outbreaks in new areas. A full 129 countries are already at risk from dengue, including 100 countries where the disease is endemic. And case numbers have grown exponentially in recent years, jumping from around half a million in 2000 to some 5.2 million in 2019, the worst year on record, Velayudhan told reporters. Cases were not properly recorded during the Covid pandemic, but he warned that numbers remained high. In parallel, chikungunya, which to date has been reported in 115 countries since it was discovered in the 1950, is experiencing a dramatic surge in the Americas, Rojas Alvarez told reporters. So far this year, around 135,000 cases have been reported there, compared to 50,000 cases reported during the first half of 2022, she said. - 'Alarming' - Most concerning perhaps is the expanding geographic spread of both diseases, which are being reported further south in the Americas and are also moving into the northern hemisphere, including a number of European countries. "The mosquitos and these diseases have with climate change been increasing ... by altitude and by latitude," Rojas Alvarez said, describing the situation as "alarming". "This high transmission (in the Americas) could be an anticipation of what the next summer season in the northern hemisphere might look like," she warned. The two diseases often cause just mild symptoms like fever, body ache and a rash. But while most people who catch chikungunya experience symptoms for about a week, a full 40 percent will feel the effects for months and even years. "It can cause lifelong disability," Rojas Alvarez warned. With dengue, which comes in four closely related serotypes, people who are reinfected with another serotype often develop severe disease. This "can lead to organ failure and death", Velayudhan warned, adding that "this is a big threat to the world, because most of the countries now have all four serotypes in circulation." He called for countries to boost mosquito control and "be on the alert" to detect when the diseases are spreading. "We really want to avoid any major outbreak." STAMFORD The Stamford Board of Representatives took an unusual action Monday, voting to reject a nearly $1 million state grant for environmental remediation on the South End's old contaminated Blickensderfer typewriter site. The coalition cited a mix of concerns, including spending, corporate subsidies and animosity toward the city's largest developer, Building and Land Technology. Of the Boards 40 members, 19 people voted to reject the grants authorization. Sixteen representatives voted in favor of it, three abstained and two were absent. Though the city was the grant's official recipient, the $950,000 was to be transferred to the citys largest developer, Building and Land Technology, which has plans to clean up toxic chemicals on the property and build there. But before BLT could receive the funds, the Board of Representatives had to approve the disbursement. It became apparent last week that this would be an uphill battle eight of nine members on the legislative body's Fiscal Committee recommended rejection of the appropriation at their meeting March 27. BLT owns the 2.5-acre site where the historic building where portable typewriters were once built has been vacant for more than 20 years. Sections of the structure have been demolished in recent years as BLT tries to remove toxic PCBs from the underlying soil and groundwater. Per an agreement with state officials, the developer can only demolish parts of the building deemed necessary to rid the property of toxins. According to the grant proposal, BLT is planning a mixed-use, transit-oriented development with about 1,000 apartments and retail space. In total, the development will cost $10.3 million, with BLT covering $9.35 million in construction costs. Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons and Gov. Ned Lamont announced the grant in January 2022. The funds came from the Department of Economic and Community Developments Brownfield Remediation Program. In the same cycle, officials awarded $17.9 million in grants across 13 municipalities in an effort to spur private developers into revitalizing disused properties to generate back many more times the amount of these grants through private investments. Funds for the program are allocated in the state budget and approved by the State Bond Commission, DECD spokesperson Jim Watson said in an email. "It is not common for grants to be rejected after an award is made, but it does occasionally happen," Watson said. Watson did not immediately respond to a follow-up question Tuesday regarding what happens to rejected grant funds. Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media Compared with last week's committee vote, opposition to the BLT grant was less dominant when the Board opened discussion Monday night. Some fiscal committee members who previously voted against the measure, including committee co-chair Lindsey Miller, D-7, changed their votes to yes. If the grant was approved, BLT would have been mandated to make 12 percent of the units on site below market rate, Miller said. The citys requirements mandate that 10 percent of the units in any new multi-family development have below-market-rate rent, though developers can opt to instead pay a fee-in-lieu contribution to the citys Affordable Housing Trust Fund. To me, this comes down to a question of whether we want to step up to the plate and have below-market-rate housing or we do not. So, Im going to be in favor of spending $950,000 of the states money in order to get us an additional 120 units of below-market-rate housing, Miller said. Democratic Majority Leader Nina Sherwood, D-8, emphasized that the Stamford Zoning Board presides over conditions such as BMR units on site. She pushed fellow representatives to view the vote instead as a referendum on taxpayer support for BLTs work rolling off a list of controversies involving the South End developer in the process. To me, the idea that this board has to approve $950,000 to BLT so we make sure that they dont renege on their already stated intent of putting affordable housing on the site is really a testament to the fact that we dont trust this entity, Sherwood said. This entity has been a bad actor. We have a reason not to trust them. BLT spokesperson Nicholas Kyriacou declined to comment Tuesday. Other voices echoed Sherwood's sentiments, saying Connecticut taxpayers should not be subsidizing BLTs work. But advocates for the grant noted that the money is already earmarked for the remediation grant program, while arguing that rejecting it doesn't benefit residents. "As we all know, many people in Hartford, representatives as well as administration, lump Stamford in with other far wealthier, far less diverse communities in lower Fairfield County, and if we turn down this grant, we are giving them ammunition to believe that Stamford doesnt really need the states support," newly appointed Rep. Carl Weinberg, D-20, said. "This money has been allocated and distributed based off of applications that meet certain criteria," Rep. Daniel Sandford, D-14, said. "Most developers, whenever they see a brownfield, theyre not going to touch it. Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media But it was the opposition to the grant that ultimately won. Rep. Bradley Bewkes, R-1, said he felt the decision sends a message to Hartford about the value of such spending programs. He noted that Gov. Ned Lamont announced in December another round of the grant program, awarding $24.6 million across 16 towns and cities. As a municipality, we say to everyone else: Hey, we would rather next time you do this that $25 million stays in the pockets of our taxpayers who are struggling, Bewkes said. Sherwood said that the grant, to her, "really has nothing to do with affordable housing." "This city bends over backwards and outperforms every city on affordable housing, and every time a bad deal comes across the table to us, somebody resurrects the idea that we have to do it because of affordable housing. And it's just a way to make people swallow deals that are bad," Sherwood said. The 19-member Board of Trustees overseeing the National Dialogue is fine-tuning preparations before sessions begin on 3 May. We call upon participating political parties, professional syndicates, trade unions, civil society organisations and youth forums to send the names of their representatives as soon as possible, said the National Dialogues General Coordinator Diaa Rashwan. The faster they do so, added Radwan, the sooner the Board of Trustees will be able to define the topics and finalise the timetable of debates to be discussed in the first weeks of dialogue sessions. Rashwan had earlier complained that the failure of some political parties to name their representatives on time has forced the Board of Trustees to push back the dialogues launch several times. In a TV interview on Sunday, the National Dialogues Secretary-General Mahmoud Fawzi argued that the call for political parties and other forces to send the names of their representatives did not mean that interest in the dialogue is flagging. Most participating forces have already sent the names of their representatives. But Rashwan wants the largest possible number of political forces to join the process and actively participate, said Fawzi. Invitations have been delivered to 85 political parties and 25 professional syndicates and to trade unions, NGOs, public figures, experts, and government officials. In an interview with Al-Ahram, Amr Hashem Rabie, a member of the Board of Trustees, said the failure of some political parties to name their representatives will not delay the start of the dialogue. Last week Rashwan revealed a new list of 16 public figures, including politicians, intellectuals, human rights activists, film stars and academics who will be joining the dialogues specialised committees. The board is keen to ensure all segments of Egyptian society are represented and the newly announced names will make valuable contributions to the debates conducted by the dialogues political, economic and social committees, he said. The list includes Nabil Abdel-Fattah, a researcher on political Islam at Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies; economic researcher Salah Zaki Murad; political activist Yasser Al-Hawari; human rights activist Mohamed Abdel-Aziz; lawyer and womens rights advocate Maha Abu Bakr; civil society experts Zeinab Kheir, Ahmed Tamam, Reda Shoukry, Mahmoud Mortada, and Mona Ezzat; actor Ahmed Abdel-Aziz; screenwriter Abdel-Rehim Kamal; writers Ibrahim Dawoud and Ibrahim Abdel-Fattah; and journalists Mahmoud Al-Sakka, and Mustafa Kilani. Mohamed Anwar Al-Sadat, head of the Reform and Development Party, described the launch of the dialogue after repeated delays as better late than never and cautioned the event should not be allowed to turn into a venue that allows for little beyond an exchange of views. Fawzi, in response, insisted that rather than being pre-packaged, the dialogue will allow the largest number of political forces to freely propose reforms. Rabie said dialogue sessions, which will be held on Saturdays, Mondays, and Wednesdays, will address serious political issues including amending laws regulating elections and pre-trial detention. The Egyptian Civil Democratic Movement (ECDM) an umbrella group formed in 2017 that includes leftist and liberal political parties issued a statement on Monday saying we have no objection to the proposal that the dialogue begin on 3 May and support any proposals that lead to a serious and positive national debate. We do, however, stress that all political prisoners should be released ahead of the start of the dialogue. Fawzi said the ECDM statement did not imply that it will not take part in the dialogue unless all political prisoners are released. The movement just wants to see guarantees that the National Dialogue will be fruitful and lead to greater political openness and freedoms, said Fawzi. He pointed out that 2,000 prisoners, either in pre-trial detention or serving final prison sentences, have been released since President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi first called for the dialogue. Rabie thinks the issue of pre-trial detention is likely to top the agenda of political debates, with opposition parties demanding pre-trial detention does not exceed six months rather than two years as is the case now. Opposition parties are also expected to call for the election law be amended to cancel the closed list system, on the grounds that it leads to toothless parliaments and undermines political openness. Pro-government political parties, Rabie predicted, will argue in favour of the closed list system on the grounds that it reinforces political stability. Fawzi said the Board of Trustees had already proposed an amendment to the law regulating the performance of the National Election Authority (NEA) extending the NEAs mandate which currently expires in January 2024. The proposal, which aims to guarantee the integrity and transparency of elections, shows that the dialogue will be a serious process that could usher Egypt towards a new era of reforms and political openness, said Fawzi. President Al-Sisi has directed the government to study the proposal which amends Article 34 of the NEA Law 198/2017 to stipulate that all elections and referendums are supervised by the judiciary. * A version of this article appears in print in the 6 April, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LONDON (AP) On Oct. 14, a Russian engineer named Gleb Karakulov boarded a flight from Kazakhstan to Turkey with his wife and daughter. He switched off his phone to shut out the crescendo of urgent, enraged messages, said goodbye to his life in Russia and tried to calm his fast-beating heart. But this was no ordinary Russian defector. Karakulov was an officer in President Vladimir Putins secretive elite personal security service one of the few Russians to flee and go public who have rank, as well as knowledge of intimate details of Putins life and potentially classified information. Karakulov, who was responsible for secure communications, said moral opposition to Russias invasion of Ukraine and his fear of dying there drove him to speak out, despite the risks to himself and his family. Our president has become a war criminal, he said. Its time to end this war and stop being silent. Karakulovs account generally conforms with others that paint the Russian president as a once charismatic but increasingly isolated leader, who doesnt use a cellphone or the internet and insists on access to Russian state television wherever he goes. He also offered new details about how Putins paranoia appears to have deepened since his decision to invade Ukraine in February 2022. Putin now prefers to avoid airplanes and travel on a special armored train, he said, and he ordered a bunker at the Russian Embassy in Kazakhstan outfitted with a secure communications line in October the first time Karakulov had ever fielded such a request. A defection like Karakulovs has a very great level of interest, said an official with a security background from a NATO country, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive political matters. That would be seen as a very serious blow to the president himself because he is extremely keen on his security, and his security is compromised, he said. The Kremlin did not respond to requests for comment. Neither did Karakulovs father or brother. As an engineer in a field unit of the presidential communications department of the Federal Protective Service, or FSO, Karakulov was responsible for setting up secure communications for the Russian president and prime minister wherever they went. While he was not a confidant of Putins, Karakulov spent years in his service, observing him from unusually close quarters from 2009 through late 2022. Karakulov, his wife and his child have gone underground, and it was impossible to speak with them directly due to security constraints. The Dossier Center, a London-based investigative group funded by Russian opposition figure Mikhail Khodorkovsky, interviewed Karakulov multiple times and shared video and transcripts of more than six hours of those interviews with The Associated Press, as well as the Danish Broadcasting Corporation DR, Swedish Television SVT, and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation NRK. The Dossier Center confirmed the authenticity of Karakulovs passport and FSO work identity card, and cross-checked details of his biography against Russian government records, leaked personal data and social media postings, all of which the AP reviewed. The AP also independently confirmed Karakulovs identity with three sources in the U.S. and Europe and corroborated his personal details, including passport numbers, date and place of birth, two registered addresses, and the names and ages of family members. The AP was unable to verify all details of his defection. The AP also confirmed that Karakulov is listed as a wanted man in the Russian Interior Ministrys public database of criminal suspects. The ministry initiated a criminal investigation against Karakulov on Oct. 26 for desertion during a time of military mobilization, according to documents obtained by the Dossier Center and seen by the AP. The FSO is one of the most secretive branches of Russias security services. Even when they quit, they never talk, but they know a lot of details of the private life of the president and the prime minister, said Katya Hakim, a senior researcher at the Dossier Center. Karakulov moved as part of an advance team, often with enough specialized communications equipment to fill a KAMAZ truck. He said he has taken more than 180 trips with the Russian president, and contrary to widespread speculation, Putin appears to be in better shape than most people his age. Putin has only canceled a few trips due to illness, he said. Unlike the prime minister, Putin does not require secure internet access on his trips, Karakulov said. I have never seen him with a mobile phone, he said. All the information he receives is only from people close to him. That is, he lives in a kind of information vacuum. Karakulovs work brought him to luxury hotels for summits, beach resorts in Cuba, yachts and aboard a special armored train outfitted for the Russian president. Putins train looks like any other, painted gray with a red stripe to blend in with other railway carriages in Russia. Putin didnt like the fact that airplanes can be tracked, preferring the stealth of a nondescript train car, Karakulov said. I understand that hes simply afraid, he said. Putin began to use the train regularly in the run-up to the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Karakulov said. Even last year, Putin continued to insist on strict anti-COVID-19 measures, and FSO employees took shifts in two-week quarantine so there would always be a pool of people cleared to travel with Putin on the train, he said. Putin has set up identical offices in multiple locations, with matching details down to the desk and wall hangings, and official reports sometimes say hes one place when he is actually in another, according to Karakulov and prior reporting by a Russian media outlet. When Putin was in Sochi, security officials would deliberately pretend he was leaving, bringing in a plane and sending off a motorcade, when he was in fact staying, Karakulov said. I think that this is an attempt to confuse, first, intelligence, and second, so that there are no assassination attempts, he said. Karakulovs defection was a surprising turn for a family steeped in patriotic military tradition. Karakulovs father is a former military man, and his brother is a local government official. Karakulov said he couldnt tell his parents about his disillusionment, because their minds had been molded by years of watching Russian state television. So he never told them he was leaving. But he denies that he is unpatriotic and urged others to break their silence to stop the war. Patriotism is when you love your country, he said. In this case, our homeland needs to be saved because something crazy and terrible is happening. ___ Associated Press reporters Jamey Keaten in Geneva, Aamer Madhani in Washington and Joanna Kozlowska in London contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MEXICO CITY (AP) Belize on Monday reaffirmed its diplomatic ties with Taiwan, the second country to do so in a week as Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen travels across Central America in an effort to shore up a dwindling number of allies. Together we can promote our shared values like democracy, the right of the people to self determination and respect for international law, Johnny Briceno, Belize's prime minister, said in a speech before the country's National Assembly. Belize follows in the footsteps of Guatemala, another ally of Taiwan, whose leader declared its relationship with the self-governed island unchangeable during a visit by Tsai. The Central American nations represent two of Taiwan's 13 formal allies across the world, a number that has dipped as China has put pressure on and funneled money into isolating the island. The trip came just a week after Honduras announced it would cut allegiances with Taiwan in favor of China, potentially prompted by a $300 million hydroelectric dam project in central Honduras built by a Chinese company. Over the past two decades, China has slowly carved out a space for itself in Latin America by pouring money into the region, investing in major infrastructure, energy and space projects. Between 2005 and 2020, the Chinese have invested more than $130 billion in Latin America, according to the United States Institute of Peace. Trade between China and the region has also shot up, expected to reach more than $700 billion by 2035. That investment has translated to rising power for China and a growing number of allies at a time of geopolitical importance. The people of Taiwan face constant threats and pressure from the neighbor on the other side of the Taiwan Strait, Tsai said of China, speaking in Belizes capital of Belmopan. Taipei, meanwhile, has struggled to keep up. During her stay in Guatemala, Tsai visited a rural hospital built with a donation from Taiwan. Meanwhile, before Belize's National Assembly, the country's leader Briceno listed off a number of development projects funded by Taiwan, including farming programs and funds to build key infrastructure like hospitals. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LONDON (AP) On Oct. 14, a Russian engineer named Gleb Karakulov boarded a flight from Kazakhstan to Turkey with his wife and daughter. He switched off his phone to shut out the crescendo of urgent, enraged messages, said goodbye to his life in Russia and tried to calm his fast-beating heart. But this was no ordinary Russian defector. Karakulov was an officer in President Vladimir Putins secretive elite personal security service one of the few Russians to flee and go public who have rank, as well as knowledge of intimate details of Putins life and potentially classified information. Karakulov, who was responsible for secure communications, said moral opposition to Russias invasion of Ukraine and his fear of dying there drove him to speak out, despite the risks to himself and his family. He said he hoped to inspire other Russians to speak out also. Our president has become a war criminal, he said. It is time to end this war and stop being silent. Karakulovs account generally conforms with others that paint the Russian president as a once charismatic but increasingly isolated leader, who doesnt use a cellphone or the internet and insists on access to Russian state television wherever he goes. He also offered new details about how Putins paranoia appears to have deepened since his decision to invade Ukraine in February 2022. Putin now prefers to avoid airplanes and travel on a special armored train, he said, and he ordered a bunker at the Russian Embassy in Kazakhstan outfitted with a secure communications line in October the first time Karakulov had ever fielded such a request. Along with information on Putin, Karakulovs testimony offers an intimate view of one mans decision to defect without telling his own mother, who he said remains a strong Putin supporter. It raises critical questions about how deep the Russian publics acceptance of the war runs, and how Putins opponents in the West and beyond might leverage any silent opposition. While not speaking directly about his case, an official with a security background from a NATO country said a defection like Karakulovs has a very great level of interest. He spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive political matters. That would be seen as a very serious blow to the president himself because he is extremely keen on his security, and his security is compromised, he said. Thats something that he would be very unhappy about particularly if the compromise is to do with communications, upon which a great deal relies. PUTIN IS SIMPLY AFRAID As an engineer in a field unit of the presidential communications department of the Federal Protective Service, or FSO, Karakulov was responsible for setting up secure communications for the Russian president and prime minister wherever they went. While he was not a confidant of Putins, Karakulov spent years in his service, observing him from unusually close quarters from 2009 through late 2022. Karakulov, his wife and his child have gone underground, and it was impossible to speak with them directly due to security constraints. The Dossier Center, a London-based investigative group funded by Russian opposition figure Mikhail Khodorkovsky, interviewed Karakulov multiple times and shared video and transcripts of more than six hours of those interviews with The Associated Press, as well as the Danish Broadcasting Corporation DR, Swedish Television SVT, and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation NRK. The Dossier Center confirmed the authenticity of Karakulovs passport and FSO work identity card, and cross-checked details of his biography against Russian government records, leaked personal data and social media postings. The Associated Press reviewed the materials from the Dossier Center and independently confirmed Karakulovs identity with three sources in the U.S. and Europe, who were not authorized to speak publicly. The AP also independently corroborated personal details, including Karakulov's passport numbers, date and place of birth, two registered addresses, and the names and ages of family members, but was unable to verify details of his defection. The AP also confirmed that Karakulov is listed as a wanted man in the Russian Interior Ministrys public database of criminal suspects. The ministry initiated a criminal investigation against Karakulov on Oct. 26 for desertion during a time of military mobilization, according to documents obtained by the Dossier Center and seen by the AP. The FSO is one of the most secretive branches of Russias security services. Even when they quit, they never talk, but they know a lot of details of the private life of the president and the prime minister, said Katya Hakim, a senior researcher at the Dossier Center. The Kremlin did not respond to requests for comment. Neither did Karakulov's father or brother. Karakulov moved as part of an advance team, often with enough specialized communications equipment to fill a KAMAZ truck. He said he has taken more than 180 trips with the Russian president, and contrary to widespread speculation, Putin appears to be in better shape than most people his age. Putin has only canceled a few trips due to illness and has annual medical checkups, he said. Unlike the prime minister, Putin does not require secure internet access on his trips, Karakulov said. In all my service, I have never seen him with a mobile phone, he said. All the information he receives is only from people close to him. That is, he lives in a kind of information vacuum. Karakulovs work brought him to luxury hotels for summits, beach resorts in Cuba, yachts and aboard a special armored train outfitted for the Russian president. Putins train looks like any other, painted gray with a red stripe to blend in with other railway carriages in Russia. Putin didnt like the fact that airplanes can be tracked, preferring the stealth of a nondescript train car, Karakulov said. I understand that hes simply afraid, he said. Putin began to use the train regularly in the run-up to the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Karakulov said. Even last year, Putin continued to insist on strict anti-COVID measures, and FSO employees took shifts in two-week quarantine so there would always be a pool of people cleared to travel with Putin on the train, he said. Putin has set up identical offices in multiple locations, with matching details down to the desk and wall hangings, and official reports sometimes say hes one place when he is actually in another, according to Karakulov and prior reporting by a Russian media outlet. When Putin was in Sochi, security officials would deliberately pretend he was leaving, bringing in a plane and sending off a motorcade, when he was in fact staying, Karakulov said. The guys would talk about this, really laughing, he said. I think that this is an attempt to confuse, first, intelligence, and second, so that there are no assassination attempts. FACES OF WARRIORS Karakulovs defection was a surprising turn for a family steeped in patriotic military tradition. Born in Dagestan, Karakulov was raised to be ready for war, believing it was his sacred duty to defend his homeland. After graduating from a military academy, he found his way into the FSO. To be close to the president it sounded pretty cool, he said. Karakulovs father is a former military man, who has worked as a professional photographer, among other jobs. He is working on a project he calls Faces of Warriors, a series of elegant, hagiographic portraits of Russian soldiers and veterans. Karakulovs brother is a local government official, records show, and served as the point person for a regional, government-backed project devoted to civic patriotism and honoring Heroes of the Fatherland. Karakulovs job introduced him to a world beyond his family. Even as his father and brother marched in patriotic military parades, his own doubts deepened. Hes horrified to think that he might also be rallying around the letter Z in support of the war in Ukraine if his job hadnt taught him to see through the lies of Russian state television. Thanks to my work in the FSO, I have seen how information is distorted, he said. He also began to question the conspicuous spending of Russias top leaders. He said he saw officials convene large delegations at luxurious resorts that cost more each night than his monthly salary. Theyd all attend a brief meeting and then hang out for a week, he said. If this is from the budget, then the question is, Is it not too much to spend this kind of money on one person? he said. If its not from the budget, then its total corruption. Russias invasion of Ukraine was a breaking point, he said. He told his wife he wanted out. He didnt want their young daughter brainwashed in preschool, where children were doing patriotic salutes and being told about bombs. This is not the future I would like for my child, he said. With Russias September mobilization drive, Karakulov realized that if he quit his job, he was likely to be drafted into a war he didnt want to fight. But even if he stayed, he could get sent to the front. He learned that some of his colleagues had been dispatched to Ukraine and killed. He saw photos of FSO crews destroyed by Ukrainian rockets, with dozens likely dead. He was outraged that no one in Russia acknowledged those deaths. Theres no information about them, Karakulov said. What were they doing there? Why did they end up there? Why did they die there? The only conversations he had were with colleagues who seemed to relish the war. He imagined others must share his views, but he had no way to find them. They simply cannot even open their mouths, he said. Karakulov said he couldnt tell his parents about his disillusionment either, because their minds had been molded by years of watching Russian state television. As the war streamed in on the evening news, his parents seemed to savor the view from the front. He found it unbearable and asked his mother to turn off the TV. She refused. He said he tried to explain to her that Ukraine is an independent country, but she immediately cut him off. What is this? she said to him. You want to run away? Are you some kind of foreign agent? He never told them he was leaving. In October, a series of official meetings in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, gave Karakulov his chance to run away. He and his wife packed their lives into three suitcases. He flew out Oct. 6 with the rest of his team. His wife and daughter joined two days later, staying in a separate hotel. But each day, Karakulov found another reason not to go. On the last day of the delegation, Oct. 14, he realized he couldnt postpone any longer. His wife collected his suitcase from his hotel room to avoid raising suspicion. He slipped away after lunch, telling colleagues that he was heading out to buy souvenirs. He climbed in a taxi with his wife and daughter and set off for the airport around 3 p.m. From then on, it was only a matter of my own nerves, he said. He got through check-in and started getting messages from colleagues asking where he was. The flight was delayed by an hour. He could feel a distant fury building against him. By 5 p.m., he figured people had started to look for him. You scumbag, read one message. Fifteen minutes before takeoff, he switched off his phone. His wife was very upset. They spent the 5 1/2-hour flight waiting for something to go wrong. When they finally cleared passport control in Turkey, Karakulov said it was like a great stone had fallen from his soul. He said he knows many people will accuse him of being unpatriotic, but he disagrees. Patriotism is when you love your country, he said. In this case, our homeland needs to be saved, because something crazy and terrible is happening in our country. We need to fix this. THE PRICE OF DISSENT What the future holds for Karakulov and anyone who might dare to follow in his footsteps is far from clear. He was not the only one who wanted out. On Sept. 27, days after Russias mobilization, an engineer at a regional FSO center in Siberia named Mikhail Zhilin sneaked through the forest across the border to Kazakhstan. Many Russians fled to Kazakhstan to avoid the draft, but the authorities refused Zhilins request for asylum and sent him back to Russia. On March 20, a Russian court sentenced him to 6 1/2 years in a penal colony. Abbas Gallyamov, a Russian political analyst now living in Israel who was a speechwriter for Putin from 2000 to 2001 and again from 2008 to 2010, said he believes the majority of Russias elites secretly oppose Putins war. He added that if the West had offered them an exit strategy instead of sanctions, more might have left. They are all shocked, he said. From their point of view, there was no reason to do this because everything was okay now all of a sudden, everything collapsed. Were enemies of the world. Gallyamov, like Karakulov, is on the wanted list of Russias Interior Ministry. He said a defection like Karakulovs is a particular blow because the FSO is like a royal elite above other military and security structures in Russia, charged with protecting the states most precious asset: Putin himself. They will be very angry, he said. There will be hysterics. Tatiana Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said Russian public opinion about the war is divided but there is little space for public dissent, especially for people working within the system. The rule is that the elite stick to Putin, she said. Those who do leave Russia often pay a price to keep their conscience clear. Boris Bondarev, a career Russian diplomat in Geneva, quit in May and denounced the war. Speaking from an undisclosed location in Switzerland, Bondarev told the AP he is living as a political refugee on a government allowance, with security constraints hed rather leave deliberately ambiguous. He cant find a job and has had to move apartments several times, for both financial and safety reasons. He cant travel freely not even to meet a reporter for a cup of coffee in town. I sent my CVs to dozens of think tanks in the U.S., in the U.K., in Europe, and most were ignored, he said. I got a few answers that sorry, but we already have Russia experts. He said there are plenty of Russians who quietly oppose the war but dont dare speak out, for fear of losing their livelihoods. A few colleagues who quit Russias Foreign Ministry after he did contacted him for advice. They were having trouble finding work. One returned to Moscow because he couldnt make a living outside of Russia, he said. Bondarev said he sometimes has second thoughts when he sees pictures of people eating out at nice restaurants in Moscow, living the kind of good life he can no longer afford. But then he remembers the price: brainwashing, propaganda, hypocrisy. I would come to my office at 9 and leave at 6 p.m. and in between I would have to produce numerous papers explaining why Ukraine attacked Russia, he said. I dont want it. No, no, I cant complain today. I live very, very well. ___ Associated Press reporters Jamey Keaten in Geneva, Aamer Madhani in Washington and Joanna Kozlowska in London contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate KINNAUR, India (AP) The pickup truck jostled away from the roaring Sutlej River and up the steep mountain path flanked by snow-capped Himalayan peaks, some nearly 7,000 meters (22,965 feet) high. The nine passengers, farmers-turned-activists campaigning to prevent more dams from being built, were traveling to the remote Kandar hamlet in India's Kinnaur district. The few-dozen Indigenous residents were forced to relocate after falling boulders destroyed most of their previous homes in 2005. And villagers believe tunneling for dams was to blame, although authorities deny it. Indigenous activists like Buddha Sain Negi, 30, went there to learn more about the continued struggles faced by Kandar. Sitting atop a steep slope overlooking a 19-year-old dam, the activists heard residents speak of ways India's hydroelectric push had upended their lives and led to nearly two decades of protest. Some families took shelter in sheds, and more lives were lost because of falling boulders before they got compensation to build new homes, although it wasn't enough to mend livelihoods. For villagers like Raj Kumari, 48, the fear of that night remains. The farmer said her husband was out when the boulders began rolling down. My daughter said that we'll get left behind and die, and only her father would survive, she said. A favorite initiative of Indian governments, the push for dams has skyrocketed as the nation looks for round-the-clock energy that doesn't spew planet-warming emissions. Hydropower commonly is produced when fast-moving water spins turbines to generate electricity. But natural water systems have been altered by dams in this region that receives little rainfall, and farmers are struggling to irrigate their orchards. Spring waters from melting glaciers they've historically relied on also are drying up with climate change. Farmers found themselves turned into activists fighting against more dams, with thousands protesting last August after a fatal landslide in the district. Carving mountains to build tunnels that funnel river water has made deadly landslides more common a risk scientists and locals have flagged, although authorities say they take precautions. India's federal ministries for renewable energy and environment didn't respond to an email request for comment. This is a fight for our survival, said Buddha Sain Negi, the activist-farmer. Dam opponents point to other impacts: Thousands of trees, including the rare Chilgoza pine whose nuts are prized and provide valuable income for local communities, are being cut to make way for construction. The Sutlej River is now dry in patches, meaning some families struggle to immerse the ashes of cremated loved ones. And some residents fear thousands of migrant workers, coming to work on the dam, could overwhelm them. The district, home to around 100,000 people, already produces 4,000 megawatts of clean energy the equivalent of four nuclear power plants, said Jiya Lal, a farmer who is part of an advocacy group for environmental justice in the mountains. He said locals here have been asked in the national interest to reconsider their objection to dams. He asked a question echoed across the Himalayas: How much more can be demanded of us? The federal government aims to increase India's electricity output from dams to 70,000 megawatts by 2030 an increase of 50% that could account for 8.5% of India's entire capacity. It also wants to add 18,800 megawatts of pumped-storage dams, which act as giant batteries that store energy by pumping water from one reservoir to another that's elevated then releasing it through turbines to produce power. Only China and the U.S. have more dams than India's over 4,400. The country hopes dams can help solve the clean energy puzzle: How to keep the grid running on renewables when the sun doesnt shine or the wind doesnt blow. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that electricity generated by dams in Himachal Pradesh state would generate profits and jobs. The wealth of water and forest in tribal areas is priceless, he said in October. But recent disasters, including a holy town sinking in January, have resulted in question marks over the focus on dams as a way of ensuring round-the-clock clean power, said Vibhuti Garg, an energy economist at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. About a tenth of India's power comes from the sun or wind, and large dams provide the backbone by allowing it to balance the grid when there are sharp changes in demand, said Ammu Susana Jacob, a scientist at the think tank Center of Study of Science, Technology and Policy. To wean itself off dirty fuels and meet its 2030 goals, India needs to increase its energy storage capacity to 41 gigawatts, according to government estimates. Bhanu Pratap Singh, director of the hydropower company Shree Bhavani Power Project, rued that dams hadnt received the same kind of governmental boosts that solar or wind had, but said this was changing. Delays due to legal challenges of getting land meant that private companies were less keen to build large dams, Singh said. And with rising concerns about the risks of building dams in the fragile mountains, he said that those opposing dams and those building dams needed to be in consistent and transparent dialogue. While dams, unlike battery storage, aren't reliant on expensive imports, they are still costly. Land needed to build them is scarce, and communities are often displaced. Cascading environmental impacts trigger local protests, like the one in Kinnaur, which add to costs. This helps make hydropower more expensive than solar or wind in India. With global battery prices plummeting since 2017 and likely to get cheaper, India is faced with the tricky question of whether it makes sense to lock billions of dollars into new dams when other technologies are getting more viable, said Rahul Walawalkar, who heads the India Energy Storage Alliance, an industry group. The sheer scale of India's energy transition demand for electricity will grow more than anywhere else in the next 20 years means there are limited options if the country wants to restrict imports. It's a necessary risk, Walawalkar said. In Kinnaur, the costs of Indias answer to this question looms large for Shanta Kumar Negi, a local politician who says people in the higher reaches of the mountains buy water to irrigate fields, with dams exacerbating the water crisis triggered by global warming. If I dont fight to stop the wrong being done to us how will I answer my children? he asked. Experts say the ongoing protests in Kinnaur and elsewhere underline the risks of pushing dams without thinking through potential impacts on the environment and the resulting financial costs. In 2019, at least 37 dams were delayed, and there were another 41 where construction hadn't begun for reasons ranging from financial problems to protests, according to a parliamentary report. Signs of tensions over dam construction are visible on the national highway in Kinnaur: There are warnings about loose boulders on mountain walls, and ancient trees are painted with red crosses marking them for felling. The situation reflects Indias siloed approach to building big projects, such as dams, that don't take into account climate realities, said Abinash Mohanty, who heads climate change and sustainability at the global development organization IPE Global. The Himalayas are a more fragile ecosystem than others, disrupted by climate extremes and intense human activities yet whether the environment had reached its tipping point wasnt taken into account. Mohanty compared it to people trying to lift heavier weights than they can handle. Youll either hurt yourself or drop it, he said. Climate change is exacerbating threats. Over a fifth of 177 dams built close to Himalayan glaciers could be at risk of flooding if glacial lakes burst, according to a 2016 study. Five years later, a flood made worse by melting glaciers smashed two dams, killing at least 31 people. Even some dams listed in government documents as designed to pump water to help store power aren't actually doing so. A 25-year-old dam in Gujarat doesn't pump water because of an engineering issue, while a second reservoir is still being built for another 17-year-old dam, according to the India Energy Storage Alliance. India has drafted guidelines for boosting use of pumped-storage dams that suggest doing away with environmental assessments and public hearings for some projects. But Walawalkar of the industry alliance said governments need to be careful about choosing the right locations to build dams. Blanket environmental clearances could be a double-edged sword, he said. ___ Ghosal reported from New Delhi. Follow Aniruddha Ghosal at @aniruddhg1 ___ Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about APs climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. HARTFORD Mandatory GPS monitoring, and prohibitions on alimony for serious domestic abusers top the agenda of 10 legislative initiatives for the General Assembly's Women's Bipartisan Caucus. With more than 70 women among the 187 members of the House and Senate, leaders of the caucus said Wednesday they have the clout needed to take the bills across the finish line before the midnight June 7 adjournment, even though many of the bills currently need further drafting after recent approval in various legislative committees. During a morning news conference in the State Capitol's bustling first floor, dozens of lawmakers joined Rep. Dorinda Borer, D-West Haven, and Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria, R-Seymour, the co-chairwomen of the caucus, in highlighting the legislative agenda, which ranges from offering emergency contraception in vending machines on college campuses to expanding pay for child care workers and banning youths under 18 from marrying. "Thousands of bills are introduced each session, and it's a reflection on the hard work that all of our legislators do," Borer said. "These bills are the result of the collective conversations that we've had in our districts with the women across the state. These bills represent protection for women, improving healthy outcomes for women, supporting education in our state and also supporting women in the workforce. We think it's a good, robust list." "Every day in the legislature, it's been transformative for me, but also for our state," Klarides-Ditria said, acknowledging that much of the legislation needs to be redrafted before reaching the House or Senate floor for the next round of debates and votes. "These legislative proposals that we're discussing today are just a small example of our ability as a group to make important decisions in all corners of state government." In particular, legislative leaders are grappling with the issue of so-called emancipated youths under 18 years of age who are allowed to marry now, but would be prohibited under the proposal. "This raises the age to marry with no exceptions," said Rep. Christine Conley, D-Groton. "Twelve million girls under the age of 18 are married each year across the world, and Connecticut needs to step up and have no exceptions, no children allowed to be married because we cannot lead without following the same words that we're asking other states and other countries to do." Photo by Ken Dixon "Domestic violence impacts far too many people in the state of Connecticut, and while it impacts both men and women, we know that women disproportionately experience domestic violence," said state Rep. Jillian Gilchrest, D-West Hartford. "We've all heard the stories of women who seek restraining orders only to be murdered later on by their former partner." The proposal would expand the use of global positioning monitors on some alleged abusers; ban some abusers from seeking alimony in divorce proceedings; expand funding for victim compensation; and expand grants for legal assistance to some abused people. Other legislative proposal include an attempt to decrease the wage gap between females and males by requiring employers to disclose salary ranges on public and internal job-openings; expand maternal access by allowing licensure of new birthing centers for low-risk pregnancies, while providing newborn visitations from medical professionals. State Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey, D-Fairfield, co-chairwoman of the Public Health Committee, said that the General Assembly has recognized that racism is a public health crisis and maternal health is particularly important and underscores the need for an expansion of birthing centers beyond the state's lone facility adjacent to Danbury Hospital. "We know that in Connecticut, as is the case in our country, women who are Black and brown and children who are Black and Brown are disproportionately at-risk in child birth and with infant mortality," McCarthy Vahey said. Under the bill, the Office of Early Childhood would sponsor a home-visitation program for new mothers and their babies. The priorities also include more funding for the state's public schools. "It recognizes that historically and persistently not all of our children have received the same investment in their school," said state Rep. Jennifer Leeper, D-Fairfield, noting that the legislation recently won unanimous approval in the Education Committee. "I think coming out of the pandemic that is more important than ever before." Last month, the British Ambassador to Egypt Gareth Bayley joined Egyptian and British officials in celebrating seven years work of the Newton-Mosharafa Fund (NMF). Named after British mathematician and physicist Isaac Newton, one of the most influential scientists in history, and Egyptian theoretical physicist Ali Mustafa Mosharafa who contributed to the development of quantum theory, the NMF was financed by the Egyptian and British governments on a 50-50 basis. It has allowed over 270 students to secure doctorates in UK universities. And now a new partnership is being discussed to facilitate post-graduate studies for Egyptian students in the UK. According to Bayley, who spoke to Al-Ahram Weekly earlier this week, the NMF is an example of how the two countries can get things done when they decide to work together. Education, he said, is one of the most successful elements of bilateral cooperation. Administered at governmental and non-governmental levels, cooperation on education has secured thousands of opportunities for Egyptian students to access the British curricula, be it via UK-administered schools in Egypt and schools that work with the curricula, or universities, whether in the UK or via universities in Egypt that have partnered with British counterparts. For years, Bayley said Egypt has been one of the top 10 countries in the UKs flagship Chevening scholarship programme. It has allowed over 1,300 Egyptian students to complete graduate studies in the UK in the discipline of their choice. Currently, more than 30 students are being selected to start the academic year in the autumn. New initiatives have also been introduced, including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics scholarships that will allow women students to pursue degrees in the UK. The deadline for applications is at the end of this month. A UK-funded scheme, in cooperation with both the Ministry of Higher Education and Research and the International Labor Organisation (ILO), offers career support training for university graduates to help match their degrees with the job market. The three partners celebrated the launch of the strategic collaboration on the Higher Education for Career Guidance and Employability Programme in February. With UK-provided funding of 2 million, the programme focuses on developing skills, career guidance accessibility and employability in Egypt. During the ceremony, partners took turn to highlight aspects of the project, including the setting up of a pilot Career Management Platform at Ain Shams University on which more than 500 employers posted graduate job vacancies. According to Bayley, the sustainable model has proved very successful in helping graduates find jobs and plans are afoot to role out the scheme to six additional public universities. Despite this progress, cooperation on education is far from taking the lions share of Egypt-UK cooperation. That, says Bayley, goes to development and green investment. Bayley took up his post in Cairo in September 2021, a month before the November inauguration of COP26 in his hometown of Glasgow. The environment was, he noted, always an important element of his posting as ambassador to Egypt, first because the UK was hosting COP, and then because handed over the presidency of COP27 to Egypt. Development, especially on the green front, is something that really matters for both of us, Bayley says. He stresses the $700 million of development support that the UK offers, either through British International Investment, the UKs development finance institution, or through international partners, to work on everything from green hydrogen, solar and wind energy to desalination. Agriculture has also climbed the agenda of bilateral cooperation, according to Bayley, at a time when Egypt is trying to upgrade and maximise its wheat harvest and storage of strategic reserves of the cereal. Water use and re-use, especially for the purposes of agriculture, is also becoming a key element of development cooperation. As Ethiopia prepares for a fourth filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam in July, Bayley stressed how the UK had joined other members of the UN Security Council in calling on Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan to reach an agreement compatible with the vital interests of the three countries. The UK, he said, supports collective regional efforts to guarantee that water resources are managed in a way that ensures their long-term sustainable use for all parties. On Sudan, Bayley asserted that the UK is closely coordinating with Egypt despite the fact it is not member of QUAD, the four-way diplomatic mechanism that brings together the UK, US, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. London regularly consults with Cairo on Sudan, he said, reeling off a list of visits to Cairo by concerned UK officials during the past month. He declined, however, to comment on possible scenarios in Egypts conflict-torn southern neighbour beyond noting that there is a political process to support and eventually a compromise will be reached. Bayley was equally reserved in his take on the prospects of an eventual end to the ongoing conflict in Yemen following the recent rapprochement between Riyadh and Tehran. He noted that the truce currently in place is still holding and that while the Iranian-Saudi detente improves the chances for peace a Yemeni-Yemeni dialogue is crucial for stability. Stability in Sudan and Yemen is essential to the security and stability of the Red Sea zone which Bayley identified as an area of joint Egyptian-British attention. Egypt and Britain are currently chair and deputy chair of the Combined Task Force 153, established last year to combat maritime security threats and provide capacity building in the Red Sea, Bab Al-Mandab and the Gulf of Aden. Bayley acknowledged Egyptian naval capabilities, especially with the inauguration of the Barnis military base, as important in maintaining Red Sea security. Egypt and the UK also coordinate over security in Libya and the overall Sahel and Sahara zone. We recognise Egypts fundamental interest in Libya, said Bayley, and pay tribute to Egypts facilitation of talks between Libyas High Council of State and Presidential Council. He also argued that the work Egypt is doing to encourage an agreement in Libya is generally compatible with the work of the new UN Secretary-General Envoy to Libya Abdoulaye Bathily, who started his mission last autumn. Though loath to make any forecasts, Bayley said he felt a glimmer of optimism over the prospects for stability in Libya which he attributed, at least partially, to the rapprochement between Egypt and Turkey. And when stability in Libya is secured, it will help decrease the sense of unease across the Sahel and Sahara zone which has been exacerbated by the presence of the Wagner Russian paramilitary organisation which is recognised as a problem by a lot of people, especially given its involvement in trafficking in this part of the world. * A version of this article appears in print in the 6 April, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: M inisters have called off meetings with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) over allegations of sexual misconduct at the business group. The Treasury and the Department for Business and Trade are understood to have suspended engagement with the organisation while it investigates the claims. The CBI, one of the UKs largest business organisations, has already postponed all its public events following the allegations. Sources at Jeremy Hunts Treasury and Kemi Badenochs Business Department confirmed they are pausing engagement with ministers, which means scheduled meetings have been postponed. The crisis at the CBI has led it to cancel events including its prestigious annual dinner, which is regularly attended by the Chancellor and was due to host Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey at this years event on May 11. A CBI spokesman said: We understand the Governments decision to pause engagement pending the outcome of the independent investigation. Soon after Easter, the CBI board expects to have preliminary findings and actions from the first phase of the investigation. The CBI said it is investigating all recent allegations after The Guardian reported it had been approached by more than a dozen women who said they had been victims of sexual misconduct by senior figures at the lobbying group. One woman alleged to the newspaper that she had been raped during a staff party in 2019 and was later told by a manager to get counselling rather than pursue the issue further. The woman said she had not reported the incident to police, and the CBI told the newspaper it had no record of it. The group launched a separate investigation after its director-general, Tony Danker, was accused of wrongdoing last month. Law firm Fox Williams was hired to oversee an independent investigation in March. Mr Danker stepped aside from his role a month ago after it was reported that the group was looking into his conduct. A woman employed by the CBI alleged that Mr Danker had made unwanted contact with her which she considered to be sexual harassment. Mr Danker apologised for causing offence or anxiety to any colleague and said it was unintentional. It is understood the latest allegations are not related to Mr Danker. R upert Murdoch has reportedly called off his engagement with his wedding only months away. The 92-year-old media baron will no longer wed 66-year-old Ann Lesley Smith, Vanity Fair reported on Wednesday (April 5). Although it has not been reported if they have split for good, the magazine has insinuated they have gone their separate ways. Fox chairman Murdoch confirmed the engagement in an interview with the New York Post, a title he owns, on March 20 just over two weeks ago. The pair had met in September and shared interests in business. Smith is said to be a dental hygienist turned conservative radio host. Vanity Fair said Murdoch had been increasingly uncomfortable with Smiths outspoken evangelical views but the tycoon has not officially commented. Murdoch said in March: I was very nervous, he said. I dreaded falling in love but I knew this would be my last. It better be. Im happy. The news came through a year after he had divorced his former wife, the model Jerry Hall. Murdoch has been married four times and has six children. Here is a rundown of his marital history. Murdochs first wife, Patricia Booker / Reuters Patricia Booker Murdoch married the former shop assistant and flight attendant from his native Melbourne in 1956 and they had their only child, Prudence, in 1958. The couple divorced in 1967 and Prudence has gone on to hold several roles in News Corporation. Murdoch and Anna Torv, his second wife, with their daughter Elizabeth / Chris Ware / Keystone / Hulton Archive / Getty Images Anna Torv Shortly after divorcing Booker, Murdoch married Anna Torv in 1967. The Scottish-born journalist had moved to Australia to work for Murdochs Sydney newspaper, The Daily Mirror. This was Murdochs longest marriage and they had three children: Elizabeth, in 1968, Lachlan, in 1971, and James, in 1972. All three have followed their father and mother into the media. Murdoch and Torv divorced in 1999. Rupert Murdoch and Wendi Deng at their wedding / Reuters Wendi Deng Murdoch, then in his late 60s, waited just 17 days after divorcing Torv before marrying Chinese-born Wendi Deng, who was then 30. The pair had two children, Grace, born in 2001, and Chloe, born in 2003 bringing the total to six. The couples union was tested by an ultimately unproven link to Chinese intelligence and a suspected affair with former British prime minister Tony Blair, which was also unproven. They divorced in 2013. Murdoch and Jerry Hall at their wedding in 2016 / Peter Nicholls / Reuters Jerry Hall Murdoch announced his engagement in The Times, a newspaper he owns, to former model Hall in 2016 and the pair were married in March of that year. Murdoch was nearly 85 at the time and Hall was 59. They filed for divorce in July 2022, citing irreconcilable differences. T ech giants Amazon and Microsoft have come under fire as media regulator Ofcom said it would refer the cloud market to the UK competition watchdog after uncovering what it called concerning practices by key market players during an investigation. Ofcom said it was calling in the Competition and Markets Authority because it was particularly concerned about the practices of Amazon and Microsoft because of their market position which it said were already causing harm to customers. Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft have a combined share of the cloud market in the UK of up to 70%, the regulator said. Charging customers to leave the cloud, restrictions on operating different providers simultaneously and offering discounts to move all cloud services to one provider were among the issues raised during the probe, which Ofcom said made it harder for customers to switch providers and inhibited the ability of rival cloud businesses to compete. Ofcom director Fergal Farragher said he had uncovered some concerning practices, including by some of the biggest tech firms in the world. High barriers to switching are already harming competition in what is a fast-growing market. We think more in-depth scrutiny is needed. The size of the UKs cloud market has ballooned in recent years, with spending on cloud services set to rise to 45% of global business IT spend by 2026, up from less than 17% in 2021, according to one estimate cited by Ofcom. As much as 20.1 billion was spent on the cloud infrastructure in the public sector alone last year, according to a study by GlobalData. It comes after Microsoft announced it was putting its Azure cloud service prices up by 11% in Europe, in a move which some said the firm could get away with because the costs of switching to a rival are higher. Bert Jacobs, professor of computer security at Radboud University in Nijmegen, told the Dutch financial newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad: If you team up with parties like Microsoft, youre digging a hole youll never get out of. Moving to a competitor is practically impossible if you adjust your entire IT system to software from Microsoft and all your data is stored in the cloud at that company. Francisco Mingorance, Secretary General at cloud services trade body CISPE, said: More and more customers, competitors and regulators are waking up to the ways in which Microsoft continues to distort fair competition in the cloud. Based on the mounting evidence it is important that both national and EU authorities open formal investigations into Microsofts unfair software licencing practices as an urgent competition issue. An AWS spokesperson said: These are interim findings and AWS will continue to work with Ofcom ahead of the publication of its final report. At AWS, we design our cloud services to give customers the freedom to build the solution that is right for them, with the technology of their choice. A Microsoft spokesperson said: We look forward to continuing our engagement with Ofcom on their cloud services market study. We remain committed to ensuring the UK cloud industry stays highly competitive, and to supporting the transformative potential of cloud technologies to help accelerate growth across the UK economy. Almost everyone is aware of climate change, but most dont know what they can do to fight it, say Godefroy Harito and Jules Buker, who built a tree-planting business to change just that conundrum. The entrepreneurs, who met while studying at London Business School, reckoned there were three main barriers stopping people taking action on climate change: that people dont have the time, the money or know how to have an impact. Treeapp, the tree-planting, carbon-countering app theyve set up as a result, aims to circumvent all those issues. Every time one of its 105,000 users download their free app and watch a minute-worth of adverts from one of the sustainable businesses Treeapp works with, it organises a tree to be planted in one of 12 countries. So anyone in the UK and Ireland can plant trees all over the world, every day. The idea took off fast: We grew our community to more than 100,000 users in the UK within two years, and that fuelled demand for corporate treeplanting, Buker explains. Firms who pay to advertise on the app include Hello Fresh, LOreal, and Allplants; some invite their customers and speakers to join Treeapp at tree-planting events as well as offsetting their carbon footprint. The founders then launched a B2B arm, enabling companies including DPD and Credit Suisse to directly pay for reforestation efforts. The idea germinated when Buker, who is half-Turkish, read about Turkeys effort of planting a record 11 million trees in one day in 2019. A few months later, 90% were dead. I wanted to find a way to promote planting trees the right way and make it accessible to all, he says. Consequently he and Harito gathered a board of tropical forestry experts to make a shortlist of projects for Treeapp. Project selection takes three to six months, Harito explains. We survey the type of species planted, project longevity, monitoring techniques, audit of accounts, social objectives and wider community benefits. We monitor sites through drone and satellite images over time and analyse the land-use composition. The pair put in 20,000 to bootstrap Treeapp initially, hiring contractors to build their app. Despite both still only being 26, the founders had entrepreneurial form: Harito worked on building crypto app Ziglu, which is in an on-off sale to Robinhood for $72 million. Itll make me some money, but I still have a drive to do other things that Im more passionate about, he says. Buker also dabbled in other start-ups, before working at investment platform Crowdcube. The pair launched Treeapp on Earth Day, April 22 in 2020. We had a wide range of marketing events planned panel talks, expert speakers, launch parties, publicity stunts. Then Covid hit. Instead, they approached sustainability-focused influencers with a collective million followers to create a launch buzz. That helped reach thousands of people very quickly. It was a soft launch that grew much faster than expected. Apples App Store promoted Treeapp by naming it as hottest app and app of the day. In its first year, Treeapp hit 10,000 free subscribers, with user numbers tripling each year since. In 2021, the founders raised 265,000 for a preseed round, with backers including Jensons Funding Partners. Turnover is set to exceed 2 million this year; it has now planted more than two million trees across four continents in 14 countries, the nearest being a small, 5000-tree site in Northampton while the furthest is 100,000 trees planted across Indonesia. Sir David Attenborough sent Treeapp a handwritten thank you note after it planted trees in Madagascar for his birthday. Our goal, Hirato adds, is to become the largest platform for impact making. We plan on expanding Treeapp internationally to truly enable literally anyone to have an impact every single day. TREEAPP Founded: 2020 Staff: 10 Turnover: 2.3m forecast this year Headquarters: Chancery Lane I t was a striking spectacle. Donald Trump, little more than two years ago the most powerful person in the world, sat in a courtroom as the first former US president to face criminal charges. He was confronted with a 34-count felony indictment, over an alleged scheme to silence claims of extramarital affairs that arose during his first campaign for the White House. Trump has pleaded not guilty. Specifically, this case relates to $130,000 in hush money to the porn star Stormy Daniels. And though payments of that type are not illegal, the falsification of business records in New York is a misdemeanour while violations of campaign finance law are a felony. If anyone was wondering whether Trump would refrain from using the days events to further fuel a false narrative surrounding his treatment, they did not have to wait long for the answer. The former president asserted without basis that the fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election. Justice Juan Merchan, the judge assigned to Trumps case, has warned Trump not to make comments that are inflammatory or could spark civil unrest. Last month, Trump threatened potential death and destruction should he be charged. Yesterday, two of his sons shared images of the judges daughter on social media. The Oval Office confers awesome powers both at home and abroad. It is also a potential safe space for Trump should he go on to face the fullest extent of the law. Stop strike threats The capital, like the rest of the country, is reliant on foreign doctors. It is therefore extraordinary that a London hospital should have to apologise after an employee at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust was told that any doctor on a sponsored visa would be reported to the Border Force if they joined next weeks junior doctors strike. Instilling fear in the minds of any employee is no way to run an organisation or bring workers back to the table. Not least when guidance from the British Medical Association states that unpaid leave taken to participate in legally organised industrial action is exempt from rules relating to sponsorship. We all want these strikes to be called off. Good faith negotiations, not ill-judged threats, are the right way to do that. Never forget Grenfell The blackened, burnt core of Grenfell Tower is what director Steve McQueen wants us to see. The filmmaker, who grew up in nearby White City and visited friends in the tower, uses its facade and the testimony of survivors to shine an unflinching light into the horrors of and injustices behind a fire that killed 72 people. The film is showing at the Serpentine Gallery until May 10. Our reviewer, who awarded it five stars, concluded simply: You must see this film. T he arrest of Peter Murrell, husband of Nicola Sturgeon and until recently chief executive of the SNP, is a stunning development. Yet one cant help but imagine the consequences had it occurred prior to 15 February, the day the then-first minister announced her shock resignation. As David Bond and Rachael Burford Report, officers have questioned Murrell and searched a number of properties including the couples home in South Lanarkshire, which has been surrounded by police vans and become home to an investigation tent. First minister Humza Yousaf has made the sort of statement new leaders generally hope to avoid during their political honeymoon. Questioned by Sky News, he refused to comment on the specifics of the investigation but acknowledged it was a difficult day for the party. The background to todays events is that in 2021, police revealed they were investigating allegations that the SNP mishandled hundreds of thousands of pounds that had been raised for independence campaigns yet to take place. Last year, detectives issued a warrant into 600,000 of missing funds and a substantial number of financial documents were handed over. Of course, none of this was among Sturgeons stated reasons for stepping down. She instead pointed to the toll the role has had on her, stating it was only possible to give absolutely everything to a job of this nature for so long. She later denied that the police investigation into her husband had anything to do with her decision to leave office. This may now precipitate some elevated eyebrows. Todays arrest also adds to the SNPs woes. Following the loss of Sturgeon herself, recall that after second preferences were taken into account, nearly half of the partys members voted for Kate Forbes, the candidate of change (amongst other things). The latest poll has the SNP still ahead, but only by five points, with Labour leapfrogging the Tories into second place. Were this to be replicated at a general election, it would be exceptionally good news for Keir Starmer. Much ink has been expended on whether Labour can win back the Red Wall, but that is in part because the conventional wisdom dictated that the SNP would continue its stranglehold over Scotland. The partys apparent descent from hegemonic status to mere dominance means that, all of a sudden, Starmer may enjoy more than one route to a parliamentary majority in 2024. Elsewhere in the paper, survivors have welcomed a recommendation by Infected Blood Inquiry chair Sir Brian Langstaff to extend reparations to bereaved parents and children. In the comment pages, James Kirkup says a lot of politicians enjoy bashing London, but if more of Britain had its skilled global workforce, the country would be richer and happier. Homes & Property Editor Prudence Ivey asks, will we ever build enough to fix the housing crisis? While Katie Strick answers that question in her own way, what with frogs literally falling into her flat. And finally, we all enjoy a millionaire couple spend hundreds of thousands of pounds in legal fees over tiff with neighbours story. The latest one doesnt disappoint. This article appears in our newsletter, West End Final delivered 4pm daily bringing you the very best of the paper, from culture and comment to features and sport. Sign up here. The present author initially heard the story of the tunnel within the tomb of the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Seti I from legendary member of the Abdel-Rassoul family, Sheikh Ali Abdel-Rassoul, who owned the Al-Marsam Hotel on the west bank at Luxor. Since its discovery by Giovanni Belzoni in 1817, the tunnel has remained mysterious to archaeologists and other explorers. Although many have desired to discover its architecture and purpose, Egyptologists have been afraid to excavate it because doing so might result in damage to the rest of the tomb, which is magnificently decorated. The initial examination of the tunnel, which took place in 2002, allowed a team from the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) to reach the location at which the last attempted excavations, performed by Sheikh Alis workmen, had ended due to safety concerns in 1960. Having established a plan for the excavation and restoration of the tunnel, the SCA team began its own work, which ran from September 2007 to March 2010. During this time, they began to collect data not previously recorded in the nearly 200 years since the discovery of the tunnel. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: On the evening of 17 October 1817, after several days of work in the Valley of the Kings, Belzoni located the stairway leading to the entrance of the tomb of Seti I. Work continued into the early morning of the next day, revealing one of the largest and most beautiful tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Although the tombs furnishings had been looted long ago, the exquisite polychrome bas reliefs and the kings unique alabaster sarcophagus prompted Belzoni to declare the tomb to be his most important and exciting discovery in Egypt at the time. For this discovery, unlike many of his others, Belzoni left a detailed description of his adventure inside the tunnel in a monumental monograph. It is clear that Belzonis work there stopped at the stage of exploring the accessible section of the tunnel, however. After 1817, accounts of other explorations do not exist until 1903, when Howard Carter carried out some work inside the tomb of Seti I. Nevertheless, it is evident that the tunnel was accessible to travellers, most probably to a shorter distance than that reached by Belzoni. Some modern travellers who had penetrated the tunnel had even used coal to leave graffiti (in bad handwriting) recording the dates of their visits on the rocks of the ceiling. Early scholars and writers also visited the tunnel. Of these, only Sir Gardner Wilkinson left a useful account, which appears in his Modern Egypt and Thebes, Being a Description of Egypt, published in 1843. Wilkinson describes the tunnel leading from the burial chamber as a vaulted saloon, 19 feet by 30, in whose centre stood an alabaster sarcophagus, the kenotaph [sic] of the deceased monarch, upon the immediate summit of an inclined plane, which, with a staircase on either side, descends into the heart of argillaceous rock for a distance of 150 feet. It is obvious that Wilkinson was not copying from Belzoni but describing what he saw inside the tunnel and that he furthermore took measurements. He noted that although Belzoni had penetrated inside the tunnel for 300 feet, rocks and debris fallen from the ceilings and walls blocked almost half of the accessible passage; thus, it had become very difficult to enter without excavating and supporting the ceiling. In 1903, Howard Carter, as chief inspector of antiquities on the west bank at Luxor, carried out major restoration work inside the tomb of Seti I (KV 17) after many falls, major and minor, of reliefs from the ceiling and walls, especially those of the inner part of the tomb. Carters analysis correctly determined the cause of the crisis, which had occurred in the tomb repeatedly. In his opinion, the unstable condition of the fragile tafla stratum, which directly carries the limestone stratum in which the tomb was carved, was responsible for the collapses of the door jambs and the ceiling. Carter filled the holes and gaps between the rocks in the lower parts of the tomb walls and the carved gates with red brick masonry, as noted in his report. Carters brick masonry can be seen in many locations inside the tomb, especially in the burial chamber; however, the brick arches he built from the entrance of the tunnel and for a distance of eight metres to the south stand as his main work in the tomb. In addition to the brick arches, he performed some cleaning in that part of the tunnel that had already been uncovered. Unfortunately, Carters report does not describe the tunnel and its condition. The materials Carter installed inside the tunnel to protect travellers and to facilitate their visits indicate that conditions there were not then as bad as they were when the later team began its work in 2007. Carters comment on the tunnel (a tunnel Q excavated in the tafle stratum and leading to sepulchral chambers below) leaves no doubt that even the architecture of the accessible part of the tunnel was not clear and caused him describe the passages of the tunnel as chambers. After Carters restoration and cleaning in the tunnel in 1903, no further attempts were made to carry out any work until the efforts of Abdel-Rassoul in 1960. Elizabeth Thomas, however, wrote that in December 1959 she went down a partly encumbered slope for about 25 m to a small rough room; only a hole led beyond. SHEIKH ALI: Claiming that he would need only one month to reveal the secrets of Seti Is tunnel, Sheikh Ali Abdel-Rassoul was able to secure permission to work there from the Antiquities Department in 1960. Lacking qualifications as an archaeologist or affiliation with a scientific institution, he was aided by the press in his endeavour and raised LE300, a large sum at the time, to fund his search for supposed hidden treasure. Unfortunately, his work was never documented except through brief news reports written by others. As already mentioned, the author met Sheikh Abdel-Rassoul in 1973-1974 while working as inspector of antiquities. Abdel-Rassouls favourite topic of discussion was always the tunnel and its treasure. He regreted that he had had to stop the work after many complaints and negative reports from the engineer of the Antiquities Service concerning the safety of the workers and the critical state of the tunnel. According to Abdel-Rassoul, 25 m from the entrance, the tunnel narrowed so much that only one man could crawl into it for a distance of 100 m, at which point the tunnel stopped. The tafla of the tunnel was unstable, and Abdel-Rassoul mentioned that during his work many accidents occurred because of the tafla rocks falling from the ceiling. The sound of the falling rocks would terrify the workers, some of whom even believed that there were genies (devils) living in the tunnel; others believed in the curse of the Pharaohs. Abdel-Rassoul began his work by completely removing the debris from the first part of the tunnel. He was able to clean the first 45 m beyond the eight metres of Carters brick arches, and he was also able to create a support system for the ceiling of the tunnel with wooden beams and gypsum. But due to the long distance that the workers carrying baskets filled with debris had to walk through the long tomb of Seti I, Abdel-Rassoul had to change his work plan. His interest in uncovering the architecture of the tunnel lagged, for his goal was to reach the end of the tunnel in order to see whether there were any hidden chambers. He therefore began to remove debris and stone rubble from a narrow passage inside the tunnel that allowed only one man to proceed further. The debris from this narrow passage was dumped in the area previously cleared. This practice increased the dust inside the tunnel, making it impossible for the workers to breathe. Abdel-Rassoul had to spend a large portion of his funds to buy an air compressor to bring air into the tunnel. The new system was not efficient because, according to Abdel-Rassoul, every worker made a hole in the compressor pipe passing in front of him in order to get an immediate supply of fresh air; as a result, fresh air did not reach those working at the far end of the tunnel. Giving the workers a raise in pay helped for some time, but in the end Abdel-Rassoul gave up and the work had to be terminated. The result was the partial excavation of almost 136 m of the tunnel. Almost 15 years after the abandoned excavation, Sheikh Ali insisted on showing the present author the tunnel. They went together to KV17 and entered the tunnel for some distance. Nothing within could be seen due to poor lighting and because of the debris that filled the tunnel. Sheikh Ali made me promise that if I ever became an important archaeologist one day, I would excavate the tunnel. His only personal request was to ask that if anything was discovered, the credit should go to Sheikh Ali. Abdel-Rassoul died in 1983, but the people of Qurna, especially those who worked with him in the tunnel, still remembered his promise to throw a party lasting three days for the village when he found the treasure of king Seti I. The story told by Sheikh Abdel-Rassoul was not difficult to believe, especially after the later team began its excavation inside the tunnel. The air-compressor pipe with many holes, digging tools, and timber baskets used by his worker were found, along with other personal items, such as Abdel-Rassouls straw hand fan and cigarettes smoked by the workers. Moreover, the teams work also revealed more information concerning Abdel-Rassouls work, as explained below. BERKELEY AND THE SCA: After Abdel-Rassouls work was stopped, the dangerous state of the tunnel discouraged excavators, who showed no interest in continuing the project until 1979. At that time, during the second season of work in the Valley of the Kings, the Berkeley Map Project of the Theban Necropolis, directed by Kent Weeks, explored the accessible part of the tunnel. He was able to produce the only available map. The measurements taken, as stated by Weeks himself, were of the passage dug out by Sheikh Abdel-Rassoul and not of the ancient tunnel itself, for the latter was filled with debris and not accessible to the end. Weeks left a warning to any scholar who might plan to excavate: the passageway in the tomb of Seti I is an extremely dangerous one to penetrate. Any archaeologist seeking to explore Q should be forewarned; the stone is fragile, the air is poor, the braces are weak. Care and study are necessary and, most important, proper equipment should be available before further exploration is undertaken. The Supreme Council of Antiquities decided in November 2007 to begin excavating the tunnel in KV17. It included the following goals: to undertake a study of the soil mechanics of the tomb and the tunnel prior to excavation; to determine and implement a method to protect the burial chamber from the debris that would result from excavation of the tunnel; to prepare for the conservation of the tunnel by using steel to support the ceiling; to install a railway system inside the tunnel to remove the debris; to build wooden stairs inside the tunnel to facilitate movement; and to choose the right personnel to work under the direction of the author. The most important decision was, in fact, simply to proceed with work in this tunnel because there was fear among scholars of working there. Also, there was the consideration of realising Sheikh Alis dream by working with a scientific team. Of course, the fundamental reason to proceed with the excavation was to put an end to the long debate between scholars about the function of the tunnel of the tomb of Seti I. It is clear that the stability of the tunnels structure was the first aspect on which excavators, including the discoverer of the tomb and subsequent visitors, commented. However, after Abdel-Rassouls activities in the tunnel, almost all conservation studies and restoration treatments focused solely on the tomb itself, to the exclusion of the tunnel. Stories of the horrible sounds of rock falls witnessed by Abdel-Rassoul and his workers in 1960 reflect the fact that the tafla stratum, or Esna shale, was in an active state of swelling and shrinkage. This was a problem to which Abdel-Rassoul contributed by placing more than 50 workers, breathing and sweating from the heat and heavy work, inside the tunnel, in addition to compressed air and also the water poured to reduce the amount of dust. These factors contributed to the severe swelling and shrinkage of the Esna shale, into which the accessible part of the tunnel was dug. Consequently, the constant pressure of the tafla on the ceiling, the side walls, and the floor led to the catastrophic deterioration of the structure. Now, with the full discovery of the tunnel inside the tomb of Seti I, it is clear that this tomb represents a unique style in the Valley of the Kings, cut through three main geological formations of the mountain. Starting with the lowest, these are the Tarawan Formation, the Esna Shale Formation, and the Member I marl of the Thebes Formation. Prior to this excavation, the only geological information available indicated that the tomb was cut into the lower part of Member I and the Esna shale. The tunnel of Seti I provides a unique opportunity to study the Esna Shale/Tarawan Formation sequence and the different strata of the Esna shale (namely, the upper Esna shale and the lower Esna shale). The first 55 m of the total length of the tunnel were cut into the upper layer of the Esna shale, which is reddish shale combined with marl and limestone. After 55 m, a further 80 m of the tunnel penetrates into a lower stratum of greenish Esna shale directly overlying the Tarawan Formation, a composition of marl and limestone that varies between the dark and white chalk. The Thebes Formation, especially the Member I formation, cannot be considered a good choice for the execution of perfect bas-reliefs of a royal tomb like that of Seti I. It was only the complete closure of the tomb in antiquity that protected it from the main threat of water and the penetration of deposits by flood rains over thousands of years. The deterioration of the tomb architecture and decoration began from the time of the discovery and opening of the tomb in 1817 and lasted until 1994. Most of this damage resulted from the repeated swelling and shrinking of the Esna shale. The swell and water intake tests performed on samples from the tunnel demonstrated that water absorption of the Esna shale tafla is immediate. Humidity changes and treasure hunters have also contributed to the deterioration of the rock structure and decoration. The first 9.7 m of the tunnel were completely covered by Carters brick vaults, and thus nothing can be said about the original tunnel architecture or measurements behind these. Based on evidence from some intact points in the tunnel and the last 42 m, which are well preserved, the whole tunnel followed a fixed measurement of 5x5 royal cubits, or 2.6 m in height and 2.6 m in width. Some cracks can be seen easily in the brick vaults; these, monitored since November 2007, are proving to be stable. Behind Carters brick vaults and for a distance of about 45 m, the floor was completely covered by debris. Large amount of debris were stored between each wall of the tunnel and wooden barriers made by Abdel-Rassoul. The ceiling was irregular, and only the original corner line of cutting the ceiling from the walls can be recognised in different places. Abdel-Rassoul installed a large number of wooden beams to support the ceiling in this area, which ends with a narrow opening, three metres in length, on the west side. Nothing could be seen beyond except the hard flash-flood deposits that covered the original architecture and showed no disturbance made by Abdel-Rassoul, who continued his work for about another 50 m with the same method after passing this narrow opening. At a distance of 110 m, the passage made by Abdel-Rassoul through the flash-flood deposits became very narrow (one metre in width and 1.2 m in height), and the wooden supports of the ceiling became infrequent and installed at reasonable distance from each other, until the team reached what Abdel-Rassoul had believed to be a room. It took the shape of a cave, its ceiling having the form of a dome as a result of the fall of large amount of the Esna shale. This was the last reachable area in the tunnel achieved by both Abdel-Rassoul and the SCA team before the latter began its work. The total accessible length of the tunnel was almost 135 m. * A version of this article appears in print in the 6 April, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: F or some the four-day weekend means solemn contemplation, for others family reunions and for many, the opportunity for a very long sesh. Yet ambitions beyond that dont have to stay low due to worries over money. Heres the best of Londons free events, exhibitions and parties that should be on your radar over the Easter weekend. Strictly Vinyl Free Easter Thursday Special A good local boozer that turns a bit dancey? Please. These are the sorts of slightly pubby, slightly clubby nights that dont seem to kick around as much as they once did. At the Horatio on Holloway Road, its free entry and two-for-one cocktails with a DJ until midnight focusing on soul, funk, R&B and disco. Pro tip: eat at Sambal Shiok (sambalshiok.co.uk) opposite before dancing the night away. Horatia Pub, April 6; thehoratia.co.uk The Dysfunctional Easter Sunday From 11pm on Sunday until 6am Monday, Dysfunctional take over the heady club Lightbox in Vauxhall. This under-the-arches haunt is always packed and free tickets are still available for the main Sunday night bash just create a free account on Resident Advisor. DJs Art E Fact, Essence and Sophie Lorena are all in the line up set to take you into Monday morning. Lightbox, April 9; ra.co The Passion of Jesus The Passion of Jesus takes place every year in Trafalgar Square / Wintershall For those looking to celebrate the true meaning of Easter, Trafalgar Square is hosting its annual free performance; The Passion of Jesus. Performed this year from noon until five by the Wintershall players, expect this event to be very busy as it usually draws a considerable crowd. Trafalgar Square, April 7; london.gov.uk Easter Sunday at Trapeze Trapeze Bar in Great Eastern Street hosts a near-daily club night and this weekend its going all out with a slew of celebrations. Sunday night, though, is definitely one for us cheapskates. Open until 2.30am and closing out the Easter-themed weekend, this free-to-attend event with entry before 11pm will feature resident DJs and plenty of Easter-related revelry. Trapeze Bar, April 9; trapezebar.co.uk Rites of Passage The Saltwater Within Us, The Depths of Our Grief, The Leagues of Our Love, 2023 by Phoebe Boswell / Phoebe Boswell, photo: Prudence Cuming Associates Ltd, courtesy Gagosian Visitors arriving at Gagosians large Britannia Street venue will be welcomed with black neon text that reads I AM HERE BECAUSE YOU WERE THERE. This work, called Ode to David Lammy MP, is by Elsa James, one of 19 contemporary artists who feature in the show and who share a history of migration. The exhibition explores the act of movement and the status of post-colonial black identity, with several artists inspired by the Windrush generation. Gagosian Britannia Street, to April 29; gagosian.com Pilvi Takala: On Discomfort Finnish artist Pilvi Takala uses her work to explore, and gently push, the boundaries of behaviour and social norms. She uses video, performance and installation, and a softly disruptive attitude, which prompts often humorous and sometimes threatening responses in those around her. This show in south London follows her working covertly as a security guard at one of Finlands largest shopping malls for six months. Goldsmiths CCA, to June 4; goldsmithscca.art The Ugly Duchess Quinten Massyss 1513 portrait is one of the best-known faces in the National Gallery. Dubbed The Ugly Duchess, this magnificent lady is the centrepiece of an exhibition looking at beauty and satire during the Renaissance. Finally reuniting her with her companion An Old Man lent from a private collection this small show explores the picture as a pioneering new form and attitudes to older women (yes, not much has changed). It also includes some fine sketches by Leonardo da Vinci. National Gallery, to June 11; nationalgallery.org.uk A Hard Man is Good to Find! John Hamill by John S Barrington, c.1966 / Rupert Smith Collection This bold exhibition journeys through six decades of queer photography of the male physique. Including work by Cecil Beaton, Basil Clavering, Ajamu X and many more it celebrates the clandestine visual culture of male bodies, which emerged after the Second World War during a time when making and distributing such images was a criminal offence. There is no age restriction on the show but the website points out it includes nudity and sexually suggestive scenes. Photographers Gallery, to June 11; thephotographersgallery.org.uk Yinka Ilori: Parables for Happiness Need something to amaze the kids and cheer you up at the same time? Look no further than this display by designer and architect Yinka Ilori. With 100 objects ranging from artworks to textiles and photographs, all in a riot of colour. Design Museum, to June 25; designmuseum.org The Paradisical Pictures This week marked the opening of The Paradisical Pictures at the Gilbert & George Centre, the national treasures new public space off Brick Lane. It is described on the website as if the pre-Raphaelite artists of the mid-19th century had envisioned science fiction. An intriguing sales pitch. Gilbert & George Centre, ongoing; gilbertandgeorgecentre.org W1 Curates x Cozomo de Medici presents BEEPLE Never Forget / BEEPLE Befuddled by NFTs and digital art? Come to Oxford Street to see the European debut of one of the most famous artists in the medium: Beeple, with animations, introspective films and previously unseen work. Beeple (AKA Michael Joseph Winkelman), rose to fame in 2021 when his NFT called Everydays: The First 5000 Days was bought for $69.3 million at Christies. W1 Curates, to May 1; w1curates.com Review at a glance P erhaps no one is better placed to make a film about Grenfell than Steve McQueen. He grew up in nearby White City, where his father was a prominent community figure. He even visited friends in the tower. And he has a record for unflinching evocations of injustice, whether thats in cinematic masterpieces like 12 Years a Slave or his magnificent BBC television series Small Axe, focusing on historic resilience and resistance in Londons West Indian community. He could and might still make a narrative film about this subject but for now, with Grenfell, he is firmly back where he began, with video installation. His work in this field often adopts a simple formal strategy and repeats it, pushing it to an extreme, in order to hit home directly with his audience. Here, he uses a technique he employed when he made Static, his 2009 film of the Statue of Liberty using a helicopter to repeatedly, disorientingly circle his subject. That subject is what the professor of humanities at UCL, Paul Gilroy, describes in an aptly searing text about the project, as the charred obscenity of the tower, captured on a beautiful day in December 2017, six months after the fire. McQueen has kept this material back for years out of respect for the victims, the bereaved and the survivors; now its unleashed, and it is suitably brutal. James Stopforth The film begins deep in the suburbs, in Englands green and pleasant land, with London a mirage amid pollution haze to the right of the frame. Slowly, inexorably, sickeningly, it moves closer, before the ashy form of Grenfell looms at the centre of the screen. The atmospheric sound it starts with birdsong, before the hum of roads and planes around the city takes over cuts to silence. And the whirling begins. In a single shot, for about 20 minutes, were forced to contemplate the husk of the 24-storey tower: its blackened frame and core; that wretched foam beneath the cladding, singed and charred, with the original, virtually incombustible concrete intact beneath; through windows, clusters of pink and white bags stacked together, containing who knows what debris; PPE-clad forensics teams going about their grim tasks. Occasionally the camera pans out before zooming in again, seemingly urging us to keep looking. Finally, briefly, it is still, fixing our gaze on the building, close-up, for a few last moments. This relentless, devastating, surveillance-style approach feels necessary. It is undramatic, unembellished. Nothing happens, and nothing needs to: you just have the evidence of the building, the raw fact that this horrific spectacle was allowed to happen here, in the same borough as Hyde Park and the Serpentine; one of the wealthiest areas, in one of the richest countries in the world, in the 21st century. As the inquiry has heard, behind it lay negligence, corruption, and a flagrant disregard for human life and dignity, perpetuated by multiple parties, who then engaged in what the lead counsel called a spiders web of blame. For McQueen, it is about remembering this. Appropriately, as we leave, on the wall is a list of the 72 people who died. Among them are six members of the Choucair family. The youngest, Zainab, was three years old. I felt enraged, sickened, ashamed all over again. You must see this film. Serpentine South Gallery, May 10; serpentinegalleries.com Review at a glance D ramas about organised crime tend to revel in the guns, the drugs, the networks of corruption, the macho posturing and often the bizarrely gaudy opulence of mafia interior design. It rarely explores the human cost of the women born into the life with no hope of escape. New Disney+ series The Good Mothers sets out to redress the balance. This six-part series, based on a true story, is about how three women related to the hugely powerful yet little known outside Italy Ndrangheta mafia clan, said enough was enough. Italian TV is having something of a moment, and its crime shows from Romanzo Criminale and Suburra to the peerless Gomorrah provide moments of heart stopping drama. The Good Mothers can be added to the roll of honour. The lead characters are richly drawn, the inexorable story is gripping and the settings are claustrophobic. The beautiful Calabrian landscapes (the home of the Ndrangheta, in the toe of Italy) are dulled, the lighting is harsh. The mood, unbearably tense. The show opens with Lea Garofalo (Micaela Ramazzotti) travelling to Milan with her 17-year-old daughter Denise, played by My Brilliant Friends Gaia Girace. They are heading to a reckoning with her ex-husband Carlo Cosco (Francesco Colella), an Ndrangheta boss she turned state witness against, meaning shes been on the run ever since. Tired of constantly moving, she hopes that bringing their daughter back might mean hes in a forgiving mood. What follows is a string of nerve-janglingly tense scenes and the fallout will shake the organised crime network to its core. Disney+ This is still a story of oppressive, toxic masculinity turned up to 11, but crucially it is seen from the womens point of view. The show doesnt focus on the mens drug deals and the gang fights - the Ndranghetas network is huge and stretches far and wide. Instead its the world the women inhabit, shrunk to their homes, their work and the school run. The violence is not, as usually in these dramas, out on the street, its the abuse at home from the fathers, and the anger from the husbands in prison. As one woman trapped in the system explains, being born into an Ndrangheta family means married off at 16, with loyalty expected before all things; theyre ignored, abused, and essentially imprisoned even when theyre allowed out its impossible to escape the gaze of the network around them. Finding themselves in this situation are Giuseppina Pesce (Valentina Belle), and her friend Maria Concetta Cacciola (Simona Distefano). Both have dreams of a life beyond the walls and take huge risks, when even posting on Facebook can mean retribution and both are appallingly relentlessly beaten down. The claustrophobia of their world is so overwhelming that it builds a persistent anxiety that rises and falls as the stories play out. Its a slow burn that means their turn against the mafia is totally believablie. This is orchestrated by prosecutor Anna Colace (played by Suburras Barbara Chichiarelli), who believes from the start that the best strategy is to target the women that the organisations misogyny is its weak link who can act as Trojan horses to bring the Ndrangheta down. The show premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in February where it won the inaugural Berlinale Series Award. Surprisingly for an Italian language show, it is written, directed and produced by Brits, even if the cast and the rest of the crew are all Italian. It proves a harmonious collaboration. Based on the book by UK-based journalist Alex Perry, it was adapted for the screen by Stephen Butchard, whose work includes Baghdad Central and The Last Kingdom. The director is veteran Julian Jarrold, whose CV includes an adaptation of Great Expectations in 1999, White Teeth in 2002 and Brideshead Revisited in 2008. More recently he directed episodes of Covid drama This England, and episodes of The Crown. A gritty, Italian-language mafia drama may not have been an obvious gap in his CV, but this is expertly handled. Its beautifully shot, and thrillingly tense. Search it out, mamma mia this is good. The Good Mothers is on Disney+ T he pandemics race for space and specifically al fresco space has had a major impact on the value of flats in the capital. Surprising new figures released today by online portal Zoopla show that London flats, many of which dont have any outdoor space, have seen no change in their average prices since 2016. This equates to a decline in real terms of 24 per cent. Their underperformance means this section of the market, while still expensive, offers significantly better value than inner London houses and properties outside London. The price of houses has outpaced flats over the last seven years in London, as buyers have prioritised space and the London economy saw weak employment growth after the Brexit vote, says Richard Donnell, Executive Director at Zoopla. The value of houses in the commuter areas around London has powered ahead and has made flats in London appear better value for money especially for renters looking to buy and faced with steep increases in housing costs. Inner London flats dont come cheap, but they are better value for money, adds Donnell. Overall, in terms of the annual price change of all properties across London boroughs, outer London fared much better, with Barking and Dagenham having the highest average annual increase at 3.8 per cent, which works out as a 12,320 price change. This was closely followed by Haverings 3.5 per cent increase, up 14,210 annually, and Bexley with a 2.7 per cent increase, up 10,410. At the bottom end of the scale were boroughs in and around Zone 1, with the City of Westminster seeing the biggest fall, a 1.2 per cent drop and a 12,170 reduction, Kensington & Chelsea second from bottom with a 0.5 per cent average drop and average reduction of 6,220, and Hammersmith and Fulham third underperforming with a 0.1 per cent drop in average prices, or a 550 reduction. That said, Kensington & Chelsea still retains its crown as priciest London borough, with the average property costing 1,189,400, compared to the lowest priced borough, Barking and Dagenham, where the average home is priced at 337,500. While nationally, annual house growth has slowed to 4.1 per cent, with prices one per cent lower since October 2022, Zoopla says that the market conditions in March were better than many had expected. Modest price reductions (averaging four per cent) were taking place as buyers and sellers strike deals but, in general, sales activity has been boosted by the increase in supply. According to Zooplas data, 65 per cent more homes are currently for sale across the country compared to March last year, with the average estate agent having 25 homes available, in contrast to the low of 14 this time last year. The bottom 40 per cent of the market is particularly buoyant and has seen an increase in sales of five per cent, as first-time buyers get on the property ladder to avoid paying the capitals rising rents. With the housing market looking wholly unpredictable over the next 12 months, it will be interesting to see if Londoners fall back in love with the inner city flats that offer them more square footage for their savings. Daniel Lees Burberry debut was the highlight of Februarys London Fashion Week. From the punk twists on the heritage houses archive, to the cheers of Stormzy and Jodie Comer sitting in the front row, it was a promising start for a man who already has the reinvention of Bottega Veneta on his CV. As for Burberrys next act? The ballet. It was announced on Wednesday that Lee will work with The Royal Ballets resident choreographer Wayne McGregor to create the costumes for his still-unnamed new show. This is set to hit the boards on June 9 and run for around a week. Daniel Lee / Courtesy of Burberry While we are yet to learn the title, we do know that the performance will consist of one act. This will be scored by Icelandic composer Anna Thorvaldsdottir, and with a set by the late Cuban-born American artist Carmen Herrera. It is such a pleasure, and of course an honour, to collaborate on this extraordinary project with so remarkable a team, said Lee. Its always been a dream to create costumes for dance which is such a passion of mine. In doing so, Lee joins a host of the most celebrated designers in creating costumes for the stage. Coco Chanel famously made the looks for the Ballets Russes Le Train Bleu in 1924, while Gianni Versace outfitted the cast of Richard Strauss ballet Josephslegende in 1982. More recently, Erdem Moraloglu, Stella McCartney, Iris Van Herpen and Riccardo Tisci represent only some of the top creative directors who have worked on memorable, high-fashion ballet moments. Wayne McGregor / Pal Hansen Wayne McGregor has expressed his appreciation for this designer collab. Daniel Lee, an artist with unbridled imagination, is creating work of innovation, motion, and piercing beauty, he says. With his exceptional passion for all forms of dance, he felt like a natural ally. The question remains will Burberrys signature nova check make it to Londons Royal Opera House stage? We will wait with anticipation to find out. Tickets released 13 April, roh.org.uk The last few years has seen over the top PDA rule the Hollywood dating-sphere. From Harry Styles and Emily Ratajkowskis sloppy, teenage-style, snog in Tokyo to Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny horse back riding, its easy to forget that low-key celeb couple still exists. So when Eva Mendes shared throwback photos on Instagram, celebrating the 12th anniversary of film The Place Beyond The Pine, where she first met her future husband to be Ryan Gosling, the internet ogled at the extremely rare insight into the twos relationship. "The chemistry between you and Ryan was so real, and it was such a great love story, one fan commented. "Is this where you fell in love? I could feel the passion steaming," another wrote, below the photos of the two on set and in character. Eva Mendes has hinted that she and Ryan Gosling are married. / Getty Images Since debuting their relationship on the red carpet at the TIFF Awards to promote The Place Beyond The Pine in 2011, fans have been starved of official couple appearances or Instagram posts, relying instead heavily on paparazzi pictures and off the cuff comments in interviews. Thats literally me going, Im not in love with him. What? Im not in love. Cause we were trying to be very professional," she later told Kelly Clarkson, on having to restrain from any off-brand PDA on the red carpet (see above) in a 2019 interview. In fact, even when Gosling was nominated for an Oscar and won a Golden Globe for his role in La La Land in 2017 the two refrained from being seen together on the red carpet - showing the lengths theyve gone to keep their relationship as private as possible. Although he did name check her in his adorable acceptance speech, stating: Id like to try and thank one person properly, and to say that while I was singing and dancing and playing piano and having one of the best experiences Ive ever had on a film, my lady was raising our daughter, pregnant with our second, and trying to help her brother fight his battle with cancer. If she hadnt taken all that on so that I could have this experience, it would surely be someone else up here other than me today. So, sweetheart, thank you. Cue hearts melting everywhere. Mendes first explained their reasoning for being so elusive in 2020. "As far as Ryan, Ill only post flashbacks of things that are already out there (like pics from movies we did or stuff like that)," she explained in an Instagram comment. My man and kids are private. Thats important to me, so thanks for getting that. That hasnt stopped internet sleuths trying to piece their relationship timeline together. They first met on the set of The Place Beyond the Pines after Gosling recommended Mendes for the role in January 2011, and were spotted showcasing their offscreen chemistry while at Disneyland in September that year. One month later they seemingly confirmed their romance whilst spotted kissing at a red light. There were no more official sightings until the two reunited on the set of Goslings semi autobiographical and directed 2014 film, Lost River, with Mendes sharing to Oprah Daily: Being in the film Lost River was nothing short of a magical experience. I would love to either act opposite [Ryan] again or be directed by him at some point. I just love working with him. In a career of 20+ years, to have my two most incredible creative experiences be with him, of course, Id want a third. However the third film never came, and instead Us Weekly confirmed that they had given birth to their first daughter, Esmeralda Amada, that same year. In an exclusive interview with Hello! At the time Gosling gushed about his baby mother, saying: I know that Im with the person Im supposed to be with," adding that shes Eva Mendes" is the one thing he requires out of his ideal woman. "Theres nothing else Im looking for." A year later they had their second daughter, Amada Lee both of which the couple didnt officially comment on at the time. Over the last few years theyve revealed cute details on family life and their parenting styles. "Were very controlling," Mendes continued to Clarkson. "I think what the term iswere always laughing at these termsI think we would be bulldozing parents. During the pandemic they also divulged in multiple interviews how hard it has been to school two young children, while also sharing resources for other parents struggling to keep their children entertained. But good luck trying to find any photos of the two - Mendes explained in a now deleted Instagram story that she is waiting until theyre old enough to consent to their lives being posted on social media. Perhaps their most mysterious element of their decade-long relationship now is whether they secretly wed. Mendes accidentally soft-launched the idea last November during a press tour in Australia when she referred to Ryan Gosling as her husband. The slip came after hinting at their potential engagement after the actress posted a photo of a de Gosling tattoo on her wrist. I do have a tattoo. Its just a press onno, its not a press on. But I got it years ago. I posted a picture and Ive gotten a lot of funny questions, she told the Kyle and Jackie O Show while skirting questions of their rumoured marriage. Still despite their overtly hush-hush, over decade-long relationship, theyve dabbled in some virtual PDA by way of Instagram. Most notably, Mendes shared the Barbie promo poster of Gosling dressed up in his character Ken with the caption, So.F.Funny, So.F.Good, So.F.Excited for you to see this #ThatsMyKen, which promptly birthed the now viral hashtag #ThatsMyKen. The first image of Ryan Gosling as Ken in the upcoming Barbie movie has been released / Handout Shes been very supportive. Shes supporting my Kenergy, Gosling said on BBCs The One Show of Mendes Instagram antics. She started a hashtag, #ThatsMyKen, which meant a lot to me. Mendes also revealed that she asked to keep the Calvin Klein-inspired Ken underwear from her husbands promotional photoshoot. I saw the photo, and the 14-year-old in me was like, Ahhhhh, Mendes said in a June interview with The Talk. Its a funny photo, and hes trying to be funny, so it worked on all levels. But when I saw it, he sent it to me from work, and I said, Can I please have that underwear? Please. I never ask for anything. And yes, she actually wears them, she confirmed. With the world in full on Barbiecore mania (including Mendes), hopefully well see the pair take to the films July red carpet premiere. Either way, their love is, undeniably, a lesson in longevity. One that Hollywood could definitely learn from. A supermarket worker who carried out a string of sexual offences against women and children has been jailed for four years and six months. Carl Adimado, 34, of Enfield, was jailed at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Tuesday after admitting 37 charges, including more than 20 upskirting offences and five counts of sexually assaulting a child. Some of the sick offences were carried out against children on their way to school. The predators offending came to light after he recorded underneath a womans skirt at the supermarket where he worked close to Seven Sisters Road on July 10 last year. When police analysed CCTV, they discovered he had carried out sixteen offences of upskirting against eight victims in one day alone. He was charged by post for those sixteen offences. Then, examination of his phone uncovered a sickening catalogue of indecent images of children and a large number of videos showing himself touching and exposing himself in public. Footage also showed him sexually assaulting schoolgirls as they made their way to school. He was remanded in custody and later pleaded guilty to the 16 offences of upskirting. The school uniforms worn by the child victims in the videos allowed officers to establish their schools and identify each of them. Adimado was charged with a further 21 offences, bringing the total number of charges to 37. The offences took place in Hackney and Enfield. The offences included two charges of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and two charges of making indecent photographs of children. Met PC Lee Ravens said: Carl Adimado is a predatory offender who has committed a variety of indecent offences, in high volume, against women and girls. He was clearly not going to stop until caught. Alongside his jail sentence, Adimado will be subject to three years and six months on licence. He will also be placed on the sex offenders register for life and will be the subject of a sexual harm prevention order. PC Ravens said: This case clearly demonstrates the need for offences of this type to be reported to police. Just one brave woman coming forward has made it possible for us to remove a dangerous and callous sex offender from the community where he was offending against women and schoolgirls, as well as to identify and support other brave yet vulnerable victims. I applaud her actions and hope that this case encourages other women to come forward and report incidents of this type in the knowledge that such reports will be taken seriously and investigated fully. A criminal online marketplace selling millions of sets of stolen personal information for as little as 56p per entry has been taken down in an international crackdown. The sting, led by the FBI and Dutch police and involving law enforcement agencies across 18 countries including the UKs National Crime Agency (NCA), took Genesis Market offline on Tuesday night. Users trying to access the site were greeted with a page emblazoned with the FBI investigation name Operation Cookie Monster. The marketplace, one of the most significant of its kind in the world, had 80 million sets of credentials available for sale, affecting two million victims.Details including online banking, Facebook, Amazon, PayPal and Netflix account information were up for sale alongside so-called digital fingerprints containing data from the victims devices. This enabled criminals to bypass online security checks by pretending to be the victim. Investigators from the NCA carried out a series of raids yesterday targeting around 20 users of the site, with dozens of arrests abroad. They estimate there are hundreds of users of the site in the UK, and that tens of thousands of British victims have been targeted. PA Will Lyne, head of cyber intelligence for the NCA, said: Genesis Market is one of the top criminal access marketplaces anywhere in the world. It is an enormous enabler of fraud and a range of other criminal activity online by facilitating that initial access to victims, which is a critical part of the business model in a whole range of nefarious activity. The site could be found using normal internet search engines, as well as on the dark web, and users were offered step-by-step guides on how to buy stolen details as well as how to use them for fraud. Prices started from 70 US cents (56p) and went up to several hundred dollars, depending on the type of information available. Rob Jones, director-general of the National Economic Crime Centre, said it was very, very easy for anyone to access Genesis Market to commit crime. He added: This is the problem for us in the online world you dont need to know a criminal to start.So you can completely self-start and go looking for this and get everything you need to perpetrate a crime. That is why this is so damaging. You dont have to go and meet somebody, you dont have to go into a shadowy forum; you can get into it, pay your money, and then youve got the tools to commit a crime.... it is very, very easy. Businesses as well as individuals had their information sold on Genesis Market, which facilitated fraud, ransomware attacks where hackers block access to data and demand payment to release it sim-swapping, where mobile phone numbers are hijacked, and theft of source codes from firms. NCA investigators have already set up spoof distributed denial-of-service sites, which bring down servers by flooding them with requests, to harvest the details of criminals, and may use similar tactics for fraud sites. Members of the public can check whether their details were listed on Genesis Market using the Dutch police site www.politie.nl/checkyourhack. Further security advice is available from the NCA at www.bit.ly/GenesisMarket. H eather James, the mother of Dame Deborah James, has said its really hard now, reality has set in, while reflecting on the death of her daughter. Dame Deborah, who set up the Bowelbabe cancer research fund, died last year at the age of 40 after suffering from bowel cancer. Speaking to Ranvir Singh on ITVs Lorraine programme on Wednesday, after it was announced that the Bowelbabe fund has raised 11.3 million, Ms James said: Deborah was always go go go, and full of energy. I think her legacy is going to be go go go. Grieving if I have too much time on my hands, you do think This is real, shes not here anymore. But shes in our lives so much, in everything shes left behind, that I will keep campaigning, and if we can do that for Deborahs legacy, thats great. But grieving wise, I think its hard now, reality has set in and its sad. You get numb, when it first happens, then you go through Is this real? Now its hit the stage This is real. Following the news that Dame Deborahs Bowelbabe fund has raised more than 11 million for cancer charities since it was launched last May, Cancer Research UK said it is now distributing funds to new projects aimed at advancing research into the disease. Dame Deborah, who was one of the original presenters on the You, Me And The Big C podcast, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016 at the age of 35 and became an outspoken campaigner, encouraging people to check for signs of the deadly disease. She launched the Bowelbabe fund to raise money for research into personalised medicine for cancer patients and it passed 1 million in less than 24 hours. At the same time, she announced she was receiving end-of-life care and would be looked after at her parents home in Surrey. Before her death on June 28 2022, the mother-of-two was made a Dame by the then Duke of Cambridge for her fundraising efforts. The Prince and Princess of Wales shared their support of the Bowelbabe fund on Twitter on Wednesday, writing: An incredible legacy which continues to impact so many. We couldnt be more proud of the work of the @bowelbabe Fund. On Wednesday, Cancer Research UK announced the initial research projects that will receive Bowelbabe funding. One study will look at laying the foundations for new precision treatment that could stop bowel cancer spread. It will be led by Professor Trevor Graham, director of the Centre for Evolution and Cancer at the Institute of Cancer Research, London. Another project, involving a team of leading scientists, will look at targeting microbes that might cause bowel cancer. This team has already discovered a type of bacteria that increases the risk of bowel cancer in some people under 50 and is exploring whether it might be possible to target these bacteria to reduce bowel cancer risk. A further project, led by Dr Oleg Blyuss from Queen Mary University of London, will look at using artificial intelligence and blood tests to detect the earliest signs of cancer. At the Royal Marsden cancer hospital in London, an advanced IR X-ray machine will also offer better imaging resolution that will allow more patients to be treated. The projects announced on Wednesday, collectively totalling around 4 million, are the first round of funding, with more projects due to be confirmed later this year. Im immensely proud and humbled to continue the work that Deborah started Dame Deborahs husband, Sebastien Bowen, said: Im immensely proud and humbled to continue the work that Deborah started. As a family, weve been overwhelmed by all the support the fund has received, and to raise 11.3 million is just incredible. Weve taken some time to select the first round of funded projects, and are pleased to announce them today. There is some fantastic, cutting-edge bowel cancer research and brilliant awareness activity taking place, and we know that Deborah would be behind this every step of the way. Chief executive of Cancer Research UK Michelle Mitchell said Dame Deborah was a force of nature and thanked her family and donors for their support. Finland joined the NATO military alliance Tuesday, dealing a major blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a historic realignment of Europe's post-Cold War security landscape triggered by Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The Nordic country's membership doubles Russia's border with the world's biggest security alliance. Finland had adopted neutrality after its defeat by the Soviets in World War II, but its leaders signaled they wanted to join NATO just months after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine sent a shiver of fear through its neighbors. The move is a strategic and political setback for Putin, who has long complained about NATO's expansion toward Russia and partly used that as a justification for the invasion. "I'm tempted to say this is maybe the one thing that we can thank Mr. Putin for because he once again here precipitated something he claims to want to prevent by Russia's aggression, causing many countries to believe that they have to do more to look out for their own defense and to make sure that they can deter possible Russian aggression going forward," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said before accepting the documents that made Finland's membership official. The U.S. State Department is the repository of NATO texts concerning membership. Russia warned it would be forced to take "retaliatory measures" to address what it called security threats created by Finland's membership. It had also warned it would bolster forces near Finland if NATO sends any additional troops or equipment to what is its 31st member country. The alliance says it poses no threat to Moscow. L ondon scientists are to trial a psychedelic compound found in toads as a potential treatment for alcoholism. The researchers at Kings College London will examine the possible therapeutic benefits of a new synthetic drug made from the psychedelic compound Mebufotenin. This is found naturally in the Colorodo river toad and in mushrooms belonging to the Amanitaceae family of fungi. BPL-003 has been created by Beckley Psytech, a British research firm which is evaluating the use of psychedelics as a treatment for mental illnesses. For the Phase II trial, patients suffering from alcoholism will be given a single dose of BPL-003 along with talking therapy around quitting drinking. Patients will then be followed for 12 weeks with safety and efficacy assessments conducted at multiple points throughout the period. Alcoholism is estimated to affect roughly 237 million people around the world with three million deaths each year attributed to it. In England there are an estimated 602,391 dependent drinkers, according to Alcohol Change UK. Cosmo Feilding-Mellen, chief executive of Beckley Psytech, said: There is increasing evidence demonstrating the therapeutic effect of psychedelics for substance use disorders. We are proud to be at the forefront of this field of research, exploring how short-acting formulations like BPL-003 might address and reduce the burden that conditions like alcohol use disorder have on individuals, society and healthcare systems more broadly. Enrolment for the trial will be commencing soon with the first patient expected to be treated later this month. Preliminary results are anticipated later this year. Separate UK trials are also exploring the potential of drugs such as magic mushrooms, ketamine and MDMA to treat depression, bipolar disorder and anorexia nervosa. A trial conducted last year at 22 international sites found that a single 25mg dose of psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms, helped to alleviate symptoms of treatment-resistant depression. Those who took a larger dose (25mg) of psilocybin reported a significant reduction in symptoms after three weeks compared with those who took the lowest dose (1mg). Australia recently approved the use of MDMA and psilocybin in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression. The open-label study by Beckley Psytech was developed in collaboration with Professor John Marsden, an addiction expert psychologist from the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre at KCL. A potentially deadly virus carried by ticks is now present in the UK, health officials have warned. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Defra said that the first domestically acquired case of tick-borne encephalitis (TBEV) was confirmed in a 50-year-old man in Yorkshire. The virus, which is already common in many parts of Europe, is an important cause of viral infections in the central nervous system. It can cause a range of illnesses from completely asymptomatic infection to mild flu-like illness, right through to severe infections of the central nervous system such as meningitis or encephalitis. The UKHSA and Defra stressed that the risk to the public is low, but warned hikers and mountain bikers to protect themselves from tick bites. There have been three cases of probable or confirmed TBEV in England since 2019, with the first confirmed case in Yorkshire in 2022, and a probable case detected in the Loch Earn area of Scotland in the same year. The virus has also been detected in the Hampshire, Dorset and Norfolk areas, but health officials warned that it may also be present elsewhere as the tick species which carries the virus is widespread in the UK. Ticks can carry other diseases such as Lyme disease a bacterial infection which can be treated with antibiotics. Dr Meera Chand, Deputy Director at the UK Health Security Agency, said: Our surveillance suggests that tick-borne encephalitis virus is very uncommon in the UK and that the risk to the general population is very low. Ticks also carry various other infections, including Lyme disease, so take steps to reduce your chances of being bitten when outdoors in areas where ticks thrive, such as moorlands and woodlands, and remember to check for ticks and remove them promptly. The UKHSA has recommended changes to testing in hospital so that further cases can be detected promptly. Ian Jones, a professor of virology at the University of Reading, said: It is unlikely that TBEV will disappear, but the general threat level is very low and there is no reason to suppose cases in people will be any more than sporadic in nature. A vaccine is used in areas of high incidence in Europe and could be considered here for individuals with outdoor occupations in areas where the virus is found. For the general public, however, the risk is minimal. Roman Biek, professor of disease ecology and molecular epidemiology at the University of Glasgow, said the disease was more widely distributed in the UK than we had anticipated. He said the most plausible cause of the spread was an increased number of infected ticks travelling on migrating birds. Luckily, the chances of becoming infected are low and the same measures that are recommended to protect yourself from tick bites in general, will also be the first line of defence against this virus. This means being tick-aware and includes covering your legs and ankles, using insect repellent, and checking yourself and your clothes after spending time outdoors. H ugh Jackman has disclosed that he had two biopsies as a result of a recent skin cancer scare. The Hollywood celebrity originally had malignant cells removed in 2013. He has since undergone multiple treatments for basal cell carcinoma, a kind of skin cancer. In a recent video posted to social media, Jackman, 54, stated that he will soon learn the results of his biopsy. The Australian actor urged his 31 million Instagram followers and 15 million Twitter followers to always use sunscreen while sporting a plaster on his nose. Each year, approximately 147,000 new cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are identified in the UK. It is more prevalent in older people and affects men more frequently than women. A GP can examine your skin for signs of skin cancer. They may refer you to a dermatologist or a specialist plastic surgeon if theyre unsure or suspect skin cancer. Here is what you need to know. How to spot skin cancer The NHS says there are two types melanoma and non-melanoma type. Melanoma A new mole or a change in the appearance of an existing mole is frequently the first indication of skin cancer. Normal moles are typically round or oval, have a smooth edge, and have a diameter of no more than 6 millimetres. However, size alone does not always indicate skin cancer. A cancerous mole can have a diameter of less than 6mm, and a healthy mole can be larger than this. Signs to look out for include a mole thats: getting bigger changing shape changing colour bleeding or becoming crusty itchy or sore It can appear anywhere on your body. But it most commonly appears on the back in men and on the legs in women. It can also appear in the mouth, on the bottom of the foot, under the nail, or in the vaginal region, but these melanomas are uncommon. Non-melanoma The term non-melanoma distinguishes these more common types of skin cancer from the less common type known as melanoma, which can be more serious. The first sign of non-melanoma skin cancer is usually the appearance of a lump or discoloured patch on the skin that persists after a few weeks and slowly progresses over months or sometimes years. This is the cancer, or tumour. How does skin cancer start? Overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) light is the main cause of both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. UV light comes from the sun, as well as from artificial tanning sunbeds and sunlamps. Other risk factors that can increase your chances of developing non-melanoma skin cancer include: a previous non-melanoma skin cancer; a family history; pale skin that burns easily; a large number of moles or freckles; taking medicine that suppresses your immune system; and a co-existing medical condition that suppresses your immune system. Is skin cancer curable? Melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer can often be treated. The treatment you have will depend on where the cancer is, if it has spread and your general health. Surgery is the main treatment for melanoma. Radiotherapy, medicines and chemotherapy are also sometimes used. It could be challenging to treat advanced melanoma if you have been diagnosed with it. The cancer might not be treatable. Your treatment in this case will focus on reducing the cancer and its symptoms while also extending your life. What is the skin cancer survival rate in the UK? Cancer Research UK said almost all (98.2 per cent) of people diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer in England survived their disease for one year or more between 2013 and 2017. Also in this period, around 9 in 10 (91.3 per cent) of people diagnosed in England survive their disease for five years or more. D ramatic video shows the moment a double-decker bus crashed into a shop on the Kings Road in Chelsea, west London. A man was taken to hospital following the collision, which saw dozens of police, paramedics and firefighters scrambled to the scene around 3.10pm on Wednesday. CCTV from inside bike shop Velorution, on the corner of Kings Road and Beaufort Street, captured the moment the Route 19 bus ploughed into the building. Emergency services at the scene in Kings Road on Wednesday / Michele Sandelson Staff member Sean Hayhow, who can be seen in the footage jumping back in alarm at the moment of impact, said: I was just so shocked. Its not something you expect to happen on a quiet Wednesday afternoon. Velorution owner Jonathan Cole added: We chose the location on Kings Road for our fourth Velorution store because of its tradition as a shopping street and a busy thoroughfare in the area - little did I think that something like this would happen. Wed like to wish anyone who was injured on the bus all the best in their recovery. Im thankful that Sean, who was in the shop at the time, wasnt hurt. The store, which specialises in urban, folding and electric bikes, is temporarily closed while emergency services deal with the incident. London Fire Brigade (LFB) warned of heavy traffic in the area, as the accident left surrounding roads shut on Wednesday afternoon. An eyewitness described the crash as horrible looking. LFB said: One man has been taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews. There have been no reports of anyone trapped or any other injuries. The brigade added in a tweet around 4.15pm: There is heavy traffic in the area with roads closed as work takes place to make the scene safe. Tranport for London (TfL) has been approached by the Standard for a comment. A probe has been opened into a light airplane crash in east London which left a man fighting for his life with serious injuries. The man was said to be lucky to be alive by witnesses after the plane came down near Damyns Hall Aerodrome in Upminster on Tuesday. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) confirmed its investigators have been dispatched to the site in a bid to uncover the cause of the crash. A spokesperson said: An accident involving a light aircraft near Damyns Hall Aerodrome, Essex, was reported to the AAIB yesterday afternoon and we have deployed a team to the site to investigate. Firefighters worked for more than an hour to cut the man and a woman out of the aircraft. The woman was taken to hospital but is not thought to be as seriously injured. Officers said the man had life-changing or life-threatening injuries. @LFB Speaking on Tuesday, a pilot told the Standard: I was flying myself at the time. Someone else flying overhead saw them go down into trees and bushes next to a fishing pond. Thats why they are still alive - its lucky. The fire brigade were there in five minutes. I didnt know them or know if they were a couple. But I think it was their own aircraft. A caterer working nearby added: I see planes take-off and land there all the time. To hear of a plane crash is so rare. You have to think of it compared to like car crashes they are more frequent. London Fire Brigade Station Commander Jeremy Davies said 40 firefighters worked for over an hour to free the pair by 1.40pm. T he Government was on Wednesday facing growing legal threats from Conservative councils as it prepared to announce plans for a barge housing more than 500 asylum seekers off the coast of Dorset. MPs, businesses and residents have spoken out about the proposal to moor the 93-metre long vessel off the Isle of Portland. The three-storey Bibby Stockholm barge was used by the Dutch government to house asylum seekers and has reportedly been refurbished since it was branded an oppressive environment when used in the Netherlands. Conservative-run Dorset Council has opposed the use of Portland Port as the site for the boat. Local Tory MP Richard Drax said: We will look at any way we can stop this. It comes as a judge was appointed to hear Conservative-run Braintree District Councils bid for an injunction against plans to house 1,700 migrants at Wethersfield airfield in Essex. The council had expected to attend a court hearing in London on Wednesday, but this was postponed until after Easter. The land, in Foreign Secretary James Cleverlys constituency, was announced as a temporary home facility for asylum seekers last week. It will be used alongside a former prison in Bexhill, East Sussex and RAF Scampton near Lincoln, which is also subject to a legal challenge from West Lindsey District Council that is supported by Conservative MP Sir Edward Leigh. Braintree council leader Graham Butland told the Evening Standard that officials for the Essex authority would find out the High Court timetable for their case against the Home Offices plans for Wethersfield airfield on Tuesday next week. He said: Its a completely unacceptable place to put 1,700 people, we have been told will predominantly be young, single men. It is in the middle of nowhere. There is simply not the infrastructure here to support them. A Braintree council spokesman added: We were informed late yesterday afternoon (Tuesday, 4 April) by the High Court that the Judge assigned to hear the case has decided that the hearing could wait to be heard after the Easter court recess. We therefore look forward to bringing our legal case forward to the Judge after Easter and will keep residents updated on the outcome. We remain of the view that Wethersfield airfield is an unsuitable site to house asylum seekers, given the lack of capacity in local services, its isolated location and the fact that the scale of the development proposed could have a significant impact upon the local community. N ew streamlined post-Brexit checks on goods coming to the UK from the EU were finally being unveiled today more than two years after Britain left the EU single market and customs union. The Government has delayed the introduction of the checks four times in a bid to ease cost pressures on consumers and businesses already being hit by post-Covid supply chain issues and the effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But the Cabinet Office confirmed today that the trade checks are set to come into force later this year. The Government is delivering on our ambition to have the worlds most effective border, a Government spokesperson said. Our new target operating model will reduce the need for checks for many types of goods. We are working with stakeholders and are taking a pragmatic approach to phasing in these controls to give business the opportunity to prepare. The Government says it is attempting to minimise disruption and has plans for a trusted trader programme to allow frequent importers to avoid many of the more stringent checks. Inspections of food and animal products are likely to be the most thorough, but ministers hope to reduce them as much as feasibly possible with checks taking place away from the border. While checks on goods and passport control are separate processes, port operators have reportedly been concerned about the impact on the border once the plans are in place. Travel chaos engulfed Dover earlier over the weekend, as Easter holiday tourists attempted to make their way to France but were met with long queues amid border checks. The queues had cleared by Monday morning but there are fears congestion could return over the Easter holiday weekend and during other peak periods due to French border officials carrying out extra checks and stamping UK passports following Brexit. Home Secretary Suella Braverman said at the weekend it would not be fair to view the delays as an adverse effect of Brexit. The Prime Ministers official spokesman blamed a combination of factors, including French border officers inspecting and stamping every single passport. But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Brexit had of course had an impact, and called for greater planning for future holiday seasons. Anand Menon, of the think-tank UK in a Changing Europe, said of the introduction of the goods checks: It has been a long time in the making and its still not beyond the realms of possibility it will be delayed again... the obvious thing is that this will add more friction to a relationship where there was previously no friction. If we are serious about controlling our borders that could be quite serious. A barge docked off the Dorset coast will hold around 500 asylum seekers for at least 18 months, the Home Office has confirmed despite facing legal threats from local Tories. Basic and functional accommodation will be provided on the three-storey Bibby Stockholm along with 24/7 security under Government plans to reduce the costly reliance on hotels. The Home Office has not set out the cost of the lease agreement for the vessel that will be docked at Portland Port, but estimates have put the overall price tag of the charter and the berthing at more than 20,000 a day. Tory-run Dorset Council and local Conservative MP Richard Drax are considering launching legal action to prevent the barge being docked near the seaside resort of Weymouth. Human rights organisations criticised the cruelty of confining hundreds of vulnerable people on a barge, as they blamed the Government for creating the backlog of asylum claims. Immigration minister Robert Jenrick said: We will not elevate the interests of illegal migrants over the British people we are elected to serve. We have to use alternative accommodation options, as our European neighbours are doing including the use of barges and ferries to save the British taxpayer money and to prevent the UK becoming a magnet for asylum shoppers in Europe. All accommodation will meet our legal obligations and we will work closely with the local community to address their concerns, including through financial support. The Home Office said people will be moved onto the barge, which is currently in Italy, in the coming months, while other ports and further vessels will be announced in due course. The vessel will provide basic and functional accommodation, and healthcare provision, catering facilities to 500 single adult males while their claims are being processed. Around-the-clock security will be in place on board to minimise the disruption to local communities, the Home Office added. Around 51,000 asylum seekers are currently in temporary accommodation such as hotels as the Government tackles a backlog of claims. Confining hundreds of people in isolation on a barge is just more of the political theatre that the Government has created to obscure its gross mismanagement of the asylum system Dorset Council said Home Secretary Suella Braverman is yet to address a number of questions. We still have serious reservations about the appropriateness of Portland Port in this scenario and we remain opposed to the proposals, the local authority said in a statement. Amnesty International UKs refugee and migrant rights director Steve Valdez-Symonds said all plans to hold migrants in former military barracks and boats should be abandoned. Confining hundreds of people in isolation on a barge is just more of the political theatre that the Government has created to obscure its gross mismanagement of the asylum system, he said. Instead of more ministerial cruelty, we need sweeping asylum reforms, with an emphasis on deciding claims fairly and efficiently, acting on those decisions, eliminating wasteful repeat reconsiderations of decisions that people are entitled to asylum, and making a real effort to reduce huge backlogs and unreasonable Home Office workloads. Liverpool-based operator Bibby Marine Limited says the 93-metre-long barge has been refurbished since it was described as an oppressive environment used for asylum seekers in the Netherland. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak defended the use of the barge, insisting it would save the taxpayer money while being a fair approach to tackling small boat crossings. On a local election campaign visit to Peterborough, he said: We are spending, as a country, 6 million a day housing illegal asylum seekers in hotels that cant be right. Labour shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the barge was the result of the Conservatives total failure to clear the asylum backlog. This barge is in addition to hotels, not instead of them and is still more than twice as expensive as normal asylum accommodation. It will house just 0.3% of the current Tory backlog which has sky-rocketed and is continuing to grow under the Conservatives, she added. Portland Port chief executive Bill Reeves said: We encourage everyone in the community to approach this with an open mind and help us show other areas just how successful this type of initiative can be, both for the migrants and the local community. There will be close co-operation with local agencies, including the health and emergency services during the preparations for the vessels arrival and its operation. We will also work closely with local community and voluntary groups. But Refugee Council chief executive Enver Solomon said the completely inadequate accommodation will not provide the respect, dignity and support the asylum seekers deserve. These muddled plans are a consequence of an asylum system that is beset with chronic delays and a record decision-making backlog, as is the significant increase in the use of hotels in recent years, he added. There would be no need to use barges and former military bases if cases were dealt with in a timely and efficient manner. Mr Drax, the South Dorset MP, has said the barge was being dumped on our door and has been demanding Ms Braverman scrap the plans. Every options being looked at including legal action, he told the PA news agency ahead of the announcement, as he sought to get the project consigned to the dustbin. He cited his concerns as being a hit to local tourism and the strain on policing the port. The Home Affairs Committee chairwoman Labour MP Dame Diana Johnson told BBC Radio 4s PM programme that accommodating around 500 people on a barge is a drop in the ocean, if you dont mind me using that expression. "It's been more than a half century since astronauts journeyed to the moon -- that's about to change," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson as he stood before the current astronaut corps as well as veterans of the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs at Johnson Space Center's Ellington Field in Houston, Texas. The crowd was gathered for the historic announcement of the crew for Artemis II -- Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen. "This is humanity's crew," said Nelson, emphasizing the diverse makeup of the international crew, all in their 40s. "We choose to go back to the moon and on to Mars, and we are going to do it together, because in the 21st century NASA explores the cosmos with international partners." International Space Station veteran Reid Wiseman is mission commander for Artemis II, while engineer Christina Koch and Canadian Jeremy Hansen will serve as mission specialists. Hansen is the first international astronaut scheduled to launch on a mission to the moon, while Koch would make history as the first woman taking part in such a journey. "Am I excited? Absolutely," Koch said to the cheering audience during the announcement ceremony. "But my real question is: Are you excited?" Victor Glover, a U.S. naval aviator, will pilot the Orion spacecraft carrying the crew on a 10-day roundtrip mission around the moon and back, testing the functions of the systems and equipment future crews will use to eventually return to the lunar surface. T he arrest of former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, Nicola Sturgeons husband, comes amid an investigation into the partys finances. Some within the party called for more transparency around its finances during Mr Murrells leadership. Here are some of the key moments so far. May 2021 MP quits party finance role MP Douglas Chapman resigned from his role as the partys treasurer, saying he had not been given enough information to do his job. Senior figures in the party, including Nicola Sturgeon, later disputed his assessment. Joanna Cherry, a vocal internal critic of the partys leadership, also resigned from her role on the national executive committee (NEC) July 2021 Police open investigation Police Scotland confirmed they were investigating after seven complaints were made around donations to the SNP. This followed allegations that 600,000 raised for campaigning towards Scottish independence was diverted elsewhere. Earlier, the police force said they were assessing a fraud allegation relating to 600,000 of funds to determine if an investigation is required. The party said that all sums raised for independence campaigning will be spent on independence campaigning. August 2021 Party accounts acknowledge concern As the partys annual accounts were published, treasurer Colin Beattie acknowledged there had been concern about transparency over independence-related appeals that had raised more than 600,000. In a section of the accounts, Mr Beattie discussed money raised by the referendum-related appeals since 2017. He said that 666,953 had been raised up to the end of 2021, with a total of 51,760 expenditure applied to this income. The money was earmarked through internal processes, he said, though the accounts did not officially record a separate sum. December 2022 Loan to SNP emerges In December, it emerged that Mr Murrell had loaned the party 100,000 in June 2021. The party said this was to help with a cash flow issue after the election that year. Ms Sturgeon said: The resources that he lent the party were resources that belonged to him. February 2023 Nicola Sturgeon resigns Nicola Sturgeon stunned the political world by suddenly announcing her resignation on February 15. She said this was not in relation to short-term pressures but because she knew in her head and heart that the time was right to go. During her Bute House press conference, she was asked if she expected to be interviewed in relation to the investigation. She said she did not. March 2023 Peter Murrell resigns Amid the SNP leadership contest to replace Ms Sturgeon, Mr Murrell announced he was stepping down from the role he had held for more than 20 years. It came during a row over the partys membership numbers, which had also led to media chief Murray Foote stepping down. Membership numbers had dropped by about 30,000 in the last year, something the party had previously denied. April 2023 Murrell arrested as police search premisesMr Murrell was arrested on the morning of Wednesday April 5. There was a large police presence around his home in Glasgow as well as the SNPs headquarters in Edinburgh. T he Government has suspended its relationship with the UK's largest business lobbying group amid multiple allegations of sexual misconduct by its staff. Treasury sources confirmed it has "paused engagement" with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) "pending the outcome of investigations". The organisation, which represents many of Britains biggest companies and campaigns on behalf of 190,000 businesses, was embroiled in fresh allegations of serious sexual assault and drug use among its staff this week. On Tuesday Lisa Nandys office confirmed she had dropped out of an upcoming political engagement dinner following allegations from more than a dozen women. The shadow levelling up secretary was due to be the key speaker at the event on April 25, in which guests would be able to pose burning questions directly to the senior Labour MP. The CBI later confirmed it had now cancelled all upcoming events, including its annual dinner. A spokesman for the organisation said it hoped the preliminary findings of its internal investigation would be completed soon after Easter. One woman alleges she was raped at a staff party on a boat on the River Thames in 2019, the Guardian reported. Other allegations include senior staff behaving inappropriately towards female colleagues and drug use at company events. Last month Director-General Tony Danker stepped down while separate accusations about his behaviour in the workplace were investigated. He has previously apologised for any offence he had caused and said it was completely unintentional. A CBI spokesman said We understand the Governments decision to pause engagement pending the outcome of the independent investigation. Soon after Easter, the CBI board expects to have preliminary findings and actions from the first phase of the investigation. N orthern Irelands budgetary position is looking extremely bleak, the former Stormont finance minister has warned. With the ongoing collapse of the Stormont Assembly, the regions budget is being set by Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris while senior civil servants run departments in the absence of ministers. The political parties entitled to seats on the Stormont Executive received a briefing on the latest position from the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service Jayne Brady at Stormont Castle on Wednesday. It has been indicated that some departments could be in line for cuts as large as 10%. Former finance minister and Sinn Fein MLA Conor Murphy said the UK Government had an opportunity to offset some of the deficit by spreading it over a number of years, but instead opted for a punishment budget. Public services are already on their knees as a consequence of 12 years of austerity, the whole experience of the pandemic, he said. What they have taken is the most hard, tough budget possible, which is going to do very, very significant damage. Mr Murphy also spoke of frustration at attending briefings instead of being in office and able to take decisions to try and protect public services. He criticised the DUP for its position refusing to participate in devolved government until its concerns around the Northern Ireland Protocol are addressed. Its long past time this nonsense ended in relation to the DUP wandering around talking to themselves while the rest of us suffer the consequences of all of that, he said. We need an Executive back in place, we need to be trying to take these decisions ourselves to offset the damage the Tory government are going to do to public services. However DUP MLA Gordon Lyons, who served as the economy minister, said the budgetary crisis is the result of a 300 million overspend and cannot be fixed by returning to the executive. The reality is that because of the failure to set a budget last year, there was time but the Sinn Fein finance minister failed to get support for a budget, and that meant there was a 300 million overspend last year, he said. Thats now being deducted from this years budget and thats whats creating the really difficult financial situation that we find ourselves in. He added: Youre right in saying that theres a budgetary crisis but re-entering the executive in and of itself does not fix that, as Ive set out there is a 300 million shortfall from last year. Thats an issue that will need to be dealt with one way or the other and its up to the Government to help us out with that. Mr Lyons also called on the UK Government for flexibility in repaying the overspend. If the Government was willing to work with us, if they were prepared to show some flexibility in terms of the repayment of that amount of money, it would make the issues that we are dealing with right now much easier to deal with, but instead we have 300 million that needs to be cut from the budget this year, he said. Speaking earlier outside Stormont Castle DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said he hopes that cuts to public services can be avoided. Ultimately, the legislation around the budget will come to Westminster, and well be there to put our case for Northern Ireland and make the points we need to make in terms of securing the funding that Northern Ireland needs at this time, he said. The Northern Ireland Office needs to look again at their demand that the overspend from last year is repaid this year, normally such matters are dealt with over a longer period of time, and that would ease the pressure on Northern Ireland departments, so we will be engaging with the Secretary of State on the need to ensure that we have a budget that ensures the Northern Ireland departments are able to deliver the public services that people need here. Deputy leader of the Alliance Party Stephen Farry said Northern Ireland is in an extremely serious financial crisis. We havent yet got a budget for this financial year, we are expecting one towards the end of April, he said. He added that without a functioning Executive civil servants are left in a virtually impossible situation in trying to manage departments and public services. From our perspective, we believe the only way through this is some form of financial package for Northern Ireland, he said. We have to find something to break this vicious cycle. So, we believe the five parties should be meeting with the Government trying to hammer out some financial package for Northern Ireland. UUP leader Doug Beattie has said he is depressed by what he had heard at the briefing. We were talking about an indicative budget, the numbers have been given out and some departments will have to have cuts of up to 10%, and those arent sustainable, he said. Its quite clear that our budget is not going to be able to meet what we need in the next financial year. F rom e-scooters to e-bikes, electric transport methods that are relatively affordable and eco-friendly have in recent years started to lead travel trends across London. Transport for Londons e-scooter rental scheme alone has recorded nearly two million trips since it began in June 2021. Meanwhile, London firefighters have attended more than 130 fires involving lithium-ion batteries in a little over a year, 44 of which were related to e-bikes. There have been a further 29 lithium battery fires this year, including 17 involving e-bikes. In the meantime, many Brits are confused about whether e-bikes are legal to ride in cycle lanes at all. Here is everything we know about the electric bike laws in the UK. Are electric bikes legal in the UK? Electric bikes are, indeed, legal for riders aged over 14 as long as the vehicle meets certain requirements. E-bikes, also known as electrically assisted pedal cycles (EAPCs), must have the following: Pedals that can be used to propel them, Show either the power output or the manufacturer of the motor on them, Display either the batterys voltage or the maximum speed of the bike, Have an electric motor with a maximum power output of 250 watts, The motor should not be able to propel the bike when its travelling over 15.5 mph. Where can you ride e-bikes in the UK? If your EAPC meets the requirements, then you are allowed to ride it on cycle paths and anywhere else that pedal bikes are allowed. If your bike doesnt meet the requirements, then it is classed as a motorcycle or a moped, and needs to be registered and taxed accordingly. Plus, you will need a driving licence and a crash helmet to legally ride it. P resident Joe Bidens visit to Northern Ireland will mark the tremendous progress since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago, the White House has said. Mr Biden will also visit the Republic of Ireland to discuss close cooperation on shared global challenges. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed the visit would last from April 11 to 14 and would take in Belfast, Dublin, Co Louth and Co Mayo. He said: President Joseph R Biden Jr will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland from April 11-14. He will discuss our close cooperation on the full range of shared global challenges President Biden will first travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland, from April 11-12 to mark the tremendous progress since the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago and to underscore the readiness of the United States to support Northern Irelands vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities. The president will then travel to Ireland from April 12-14. He will discuss our close co-operation on the full range of shared global challenges. He will also hold various engagements, including in Dublin, County Louth and County Mayo, where he will deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar tweeted that it would be a privilege and an honour to welcome Mr Biden to Ireland. Mr Varadkar added: Joe Biden has always been a friend of Ireland. Over many decades, and to this day, he has supported the cause of peace in Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement. He stood with us as we navigated the difficult consequences of Brexit. When we spoke recently in the White House, President Biden was clear that in celebrating the Good Friday Agreement, we should be looking ahead, not backwards. We need to continue working together as true partners to fulfil the potential of all the people who call this island their home. His visit is an opportunity to celebrate and renew the strong political, economic and personal ties that bind our two countries. The president can trace his ancestry to Irelands west and east coasts, specifically Ballina in Co Mayo and the Cooley Peninsula in Co Louth. His great-great-grandfather Owen Finnegan emigrated to the United States from the Cooley peninsula while another great-great-grandfather, Patrick Blewitt, was born in Ballina, leaving during the Irish famine in 1850 to sail to America. Distant relatives celebrated his election win in November 2020 back in Ireland and gathered again in January 2021 to mark his inauguration. The presidential visit to the island will have a strong focus on the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday peace agreement. Recently, Mr Biden made clear an increase in activity by violent dissident republicans opposed to the peace process in Northern Ireland would not deter him. No. They cant keep me out, he told reporters. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had invited Mr Biden to come to Northern Ireland to mark the agreements anniversary. Last month, Mr Varadkar told the president that his trip to the island of Ireland would be a visit like no other. I promise you that were going to roll out the red carpet, he pledged to Mr Biden during their St Patricks Day meeting in Washington DC. White House officials and Secret Service personnel have already visited proposed locations as part of planning for the visit. Former US president Bill Clinton and his wife, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, will be in Belfast the week after Mr Biden for more events to commemorate the landmark accord that largely ended the Troubles. Other key figures involved in securing the deal are also due to travel to the city. C ommunities can celebrate the coronation of King Charles III in May with street parties and events through funding from their local authority. Councils in London and around England are providing grants, sometimes up to 500, for the occasion to be marked locally. Charles III and his wife Camilla will be crowned His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort on Saturday, May 6 at Westminster Abbey. The ceremonial procedure follows the former Prince of Wales accession to the throne when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died on September 8. To mark the coronation, the UK will have an extra bank holiday on Monday, May 8. Local authorities have set aside thousands of pounds in their budget to allow streets to come together. These can pay for decorations, safety equipment, food or road closures. Councils have said that they will assess all applications before deciding on which grants to award and you can find out more by visiting their websites. But those interested would be wise to move quickly with deadlines fast approaching. For Bromley, one of the London councils taking part, the deadline for applications is February 20. In Tower Hamlets, the deadline has now passed. Organisers can benefit from some training from councils on how to plan and deliver their events safely. King Charles III greets Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace / Aaron Chown/Pool/AFP via Getty Images/TNS The Government has said that, in line with the bank holiday to mark Queen Elizabeth IIs coronation in 1953, this will be an opportunity for families and communities across the country to come together to celebrate. Prime minister Rishi Sunak said: The coronation of a new monarch is a unique moment for our country. In recognition of this historic occasion, I am pleased to announce an additional bank holiday for the whole United Kingdom next year. I look forward to seeing people come together to celebrate and pay tribute to King Charles III by taking part in local and national events across the country in his honour. As specified by the BBC, a coronation is both the symbolic religious ceremony during which a sovereign is crowned and the physical act of placing a crown on a monarchs head. It formalises the monarchs role as the head of the Church of England and represents the transfer of their title and powers. However, it is not actually necessary for the monarch to be crowned to become king. Edward VIII reigned without a coronation between January and December 1936 and Charles automatically became King the moment the Queen died. A n emergency phone line for women - that was set to be launched following the rape and murder of Sarah Everard - has been scrapped, according to reports. Former Home Secretary Priti Patel and BT had discussed in 2021 creating the 888 service for women who felt unsafe walking alone to be tracked. But on Wednesday, HuffPost reported that the initiative has been abandoned. It became clear over the course of our work that it does not make sense, as we thought initially, to launch a new BT service, but rather to share our learnings for the wider benefit of others already working on this, a BT spokesperson said. They said anyone who is concerned about their personal safety should continue to dial 999. The phone line was initially discussed in response to the jailing of Wayne Couzens, a former Met Police officer who abducted, raped and murdered Sarah Everard, 33, in south London in March 2021. The case shook the nation and further highlighted the plight of womens safety. In 2021 BT chief executive Philip Jansen wrote to the Home Office proposing a emergency number be used to track womens journeys as they walked home, and an alert be triggered if they do not reach home in time. Mr Jansen said the idea came because he was filled with outrage and disgust after the murders of Ms Everard and Sabina Nessa. He said similar GPS technology to Uber and Google Maps could allow a phone user to opt in to a remote tracking mechanism. When activated it would automatically trigger an alert if they didnt reach their destination within the expected time. The users named emergency contacts usually family and friends could then raise the alarm with the police if they could not establish the users whereabouts and safety, Mr Jansen explained at the time. No one would be missing for hours, their whereabouts unknown. It would also allow a user to send an instant alert to the police, with just one touch. My colleagues at BT are now working on the technology and practicalities. He added: When activated it would automatically trigger an alert if they didnt reach their destination within the expected time. Ms Patel was quoted as saying the scheme was innovative and that she and her team would work with BT on the project. But MPs and campaigners at the time urged ministers to tackle male violence head on instead. Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner told HuffPost: Instead of tracking womens movements as we go about our lives, how about the government actually tackles male violence instead? Only 1% of reported rapes result in a charge. Thats the problem, not us walking home. BT has run the 999 emergency number for 84 years. A BT Group spokesperson said: Our objective was to see how BT Group could lend its expertise to the cause of personal safety made necessary because of male violence. Having identified that there is a rich ecosystem of services and apps in existence already - our approach has been to work with the innovators pursuing this goal, and, of course, with groups focused on womens safety. Weve developed a solid body of new technology. However, it became clear over the course of our work that it does not make sense, as we thought initially, to launch a new BT service, but rather to share our learnings for the wider benefit of others already working on this. BT Group will continue to offer its research, development and insights to support the cause of personal safety and is currently working with other leaders in the space to help form a safer future for women. Anyone that is concerned about their personal safety should continue to dial 999. Our operators are highly trained, know how to listen for issues even if it is a silent call, and will be able to route through to the police if and as needed. We also hope to support progress against the root cause issues of violence of men against women through partnering with WalkSafe who are creating a new Safety Alliance, lending our support to help convene those across government, industry, and beyond, with the influence and insight needed to shape a safer future for women. More news on this when it is available. A second rare shark has been found stranded on a British and Irish beach. The corpse of the large female smalltooth tiger shark was discovered at a beach in Wexford, Ireland, at the weekend, the Telegraph has reported. The first shark corpse was found washed ashore in Hampshire, southern England, last month and was beheaded by scavengers. The Telegraph says expert believe the species, previously rarely seen in British waters, are making UK shores their full-time home. Smalltooth tiger sharks have never before been found in British waters, as they tend to favour warmer waters. However, two strandings so close together geographically and temporally have raised suspicions. Irish and British teams of scientists are now working together, looking at data collected around the whole of the UK to work out if they are here to stay. The smalltooth tiger shark is classified as vulnerable and poses no threat to humans. Dr David Curnick, Head of the Ocean Predator Lab at ZSL told the Telegraph: However, a second individual in quick succession seems more than a coincidence and suggests that these sharks, which are more commonly found in deeper water, may be using UK and Irish waters more readily than we previously thought. Coupling these two new occurrences, which are the most northerly records for the species, with the flurry of recent reports of the species elsewhere, suggest that they may be expanding their range northwards and into more temperate waters. Over the coming weeks and months, we will be working closely with our colleagues in Ireland to understand what might be driving these shifts and, hopefully, work out what caused the death of both animals. Two Swiss tourists on holiday in the remote fishing village of Kilmore Quay on the south coast of Ireland made the discovery of the second shark, which was a 15-foot-long adult female. She was roughly the size of a family saloon car and twice as big as the Lepe Beach case. S andwich chain Subway is preparing a chocolate sandwich to be sold in time for Easter weekend. The bizarre concoction a Cadburys Creme Egg SubMelt will be available free of charge at four of Subways nationwide restaurants. One of these will be based in London, with 500 limited-edition sarnies up for grabs on April 7 to celebrate the Easter bank holiday weekend. The melted chocolate mix will be available at Subway branches in Tottenham Court Road, central London and Central Shopping Centre, Liverpool. Llansamlet Service Station, Swansea, and Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, are the other participating Subway branches. Each restaurant will have a limited number of six-inch chocolate Creme Egg sandwiches. These will be served melted and on Subways signature Italian white bread. Rusty Warren, senior new product development and product innovation manager at Subway, said: Were delighted to have collaborated with Cadbury this Easter. Our Italian white bread and Cadbury Creme Eggs make the most flavoursome combination, a perfect seasonal treat. All the team at Subway are especially excited to see how those Subway fans with a sweet tooth respond to this delicious SubMelt. Subway chiefs came up with the idea and said they had to approach the chocolate company Cadbury to make the dream a reality. Teams, including chocolate taste testers from Cadbury, then launched a super team to make the sandwich. Charlotte Docker, brand executive for Cadbury Creme Egg, said: When Subway approached us to create this eggs-traordinary Submelt, we simply couldnt resist. The highly anticipated Creme Egg season is in full swing and were so excited to launch this innovative product with Subway as a final hoorah of the Easter season. We cant wait for the response of those lucky enough to try this surprisingly delicious merging of sweet and savoury. Virgin Orbit suffered a major setback earlier this year when an attempt to launch the first rocket into space from British soil ended in failure. The California-based company said last week it was laying off 85 percent of its employees -- around 675 people -- to reduce expenses due to its inability to secure sufficient funding. Virgin Orbit, the satellite launch company founded by Richard Branson, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and will sell the business, the firm said in a statement Tuesday. The company had organized the mission with the UK Space Agency and Cornwall Spaceport to launch nine satellites into space. On Tuesday, the firm said "it commenced a voluntary proceeding under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code... in order to effectuate a sale of the business" and intended to use the process "to maximize value for its business and assets." Last month, Virgin Orbit suspended operations for several days while it held funding negotiations and explored strategic opportunities. But at an all-hands meeting on Thursday, CEO Dan Hart told employees that operations would cease "for the foreseeable future," US media reported at the time. "While we have taken great efforts to address our financial position and secure additional financing, we ultimately must do what is best for the business," Hart said in the company statement on Tuesday. "We believe that the cutting-edge launch technology that this team has created will have wide appeal to buyers as we continue in the process to sell the Company." Founded by Branson in 2017, the firm developed "a new and innovative method of launching satellites into orbit," while "successfully launching 33 satellites into their precise orbit," Hart added. Virgin Orbit's shares on the New York Stock Exchange were down 3 percent at 19 cents on Monday evening. F ormer First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeons husband has been arrested in a Scottish National Party (SNP) finance probe. Peter Murrell, 58, was arrested amid an investigation into the spending of money earmarked for Scottish independence campaigning. His arrest comes weeks after he stepped down as chief executive of the SNP, which followed Ms Sturgeons resignation as first minister. Who is Peter Murrell? Mr Murrell was born in Edinburgh and studied at the University of Glasgow. He has been married to Ms Sturgeon since 2010 after beginning a relationship in 2003. Mr Murrell is the former chief executive of the SNP, a role he had held since 2000. As chief executive, he managed the day-to-day running of the party. He resigned on March 18, 2023, a month after Ms Sturgeon stepped down as First Minister. Peter Murrell was the chief executive of the SNP / PA Why has Nicola Sturgeons husband been arrested? Police are investigating the SNPs finances specifically the spending of around 600,000 that was earmarked for Scottish independence campaigning. Police Scotland said in a statement: A 58-year-old man has today, Wednesday April 5, been arrested as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party. The man is in custody and is being questioned by Police Scotland detectives. Officers are also carrying out searches at a number of addresses as part of the investigation. A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. What has the SNP said about Murrells arrest? In a statement, the SNP said: Clearly it would not be appropriate to comment on any live police investigation but the SNP have been co-operating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so. At its meeting on Saturday, the governing body of the SNP, the NEC, agreed to a review of governance and transparency that will be taken forward in the coming weeks. It is a historic moment as it is the first time any former US president has been tried on criminal charges. Here is what we know so far: What are the charges? Trump was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. The charges are in connection with allegations he arranged hush money payments to two women, including adult film star Stormy Daniels, before the 2016 presidential election to silence their accounts of sexual encounters with him. Manhattan prosecutors allege Trump tried to conceal a violation of election laws during his 2016 run. Prosecutors claim he was part of an unlawful plan to suppress negative information, including a $130,000 (104,000) payment to Ms Daniels. They claim he did this in part to promote his candidacy. The payments were made by Trumps then lawyer, Michael Cohen, days before the election. Trump has denied an affair with Daniels. What did Trump say in the courtroom? Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges. He appeared subdued in the courtroom in New York on Tuesday, responding only briefly when judge Juan Merchan asked him if he understood his rights. The former president declined to speak with reporters after he left the court. How has Trump reacted? Trump goes after Manhattan DA during Florida event Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump protested his innocence and asserted on his Truth Social platform that the hearing was shocking to many in that they had no surprises, and therefore, no case. I never thought anything like this could happen in America, he said of the New York indictment. This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election and it should be dropped immediately. Supporters have also stepped up attacks on the prosecutor leading the case, Alvin Bragg. Trumps lawyer, Todd Blanche, told reporters after the arraignment: Were going to fight it hard. He said Trump was motivated and that the charges would not stop him as he continues with his bid for the next US presidential election. What has the lead prosecutor said? Manhattan Attorney General Alvin Bragg, who brought the case, said in a press conference that his team of prosecutors were upholding the rule of law. AFP via Getty Images He told reporters: We today uphold our solemn responsibility to ensure that everyone stands equal before the law. No amount of money and no amount of power changes that enduring American principle. What did the judge say to Trump? Justice Juan Merchan, the judge assigned to Trumps case, declined to impose a gagging order on Trump to prevent him speaking about the case. However, he warned the former US president that he should not make comments that were inflammatory or could cause civil unrest. Prosecutors had raised a series of social media posts made over the case, including one threatening death and destruction if he was charged. When is the next court appearance? The next in-person hearing date for Trumps case in New York is set for December 4, at which he will be expected to appear. Legal experts have warned this could be delayed as Trumps legal team are expected to vigorously challenge the basis for the charges. The charges do not stop Trump running for office. D onald Trump looked a bit vulnerable and worried during his appearance at a New York courthouse, former UK ambassador to the US Lord Darroch has said. The former president on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records before heading home to his Florida club Mar-a-Lago to deliver a speech in front of hundreds of supporters. Lord Darroch, who resigned his role as ambassador following the leak of diplomatic cables in which he had been critical of the Trump administration, told Sky News on Wednesday: I thought that in the arraignment proceeedings he looked subdued and generally worried about what was happening. Hes never actually had to face this before and I thought it was a of a side of Donald Trump we dont often see. He looked a bit vulnerable, he added. In contrast, during Mr Trumps speech at his Mar-a-Lago club following the Manhattan appearance, Lord Darroch said: In front of his audience of supporters you saw classic Trump. He was out there on his bombastic best or worse, he said, adding that Mr Trump feeds off the energy of his supporters. In his speech Mr Trump called for the fake case around alleged falsifying of business records to be dropped immediately, labelling it politically motivated. I never thought anything like this could happen in America, Mr Trump said of the New York indictment. With all of this being said, and with a very dark cloud over our beloved country, I have no doubt nevertheless we will make America great again. The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it, he added. Reporters in the room commented on how he seemed subdued. Mr Trump also used his speech to criticise a separate Justice Department investigation into the mishandling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago and alleged interference in election votes in the state of Georgia. When asked whether Mr Trump deliberately lies, Lord Darroch told Sky News: He has in his head an alternative reality. I dont think he ever believes he is deliberately lying to people. He just thinks its a reality that stands up in his own mind and should in the mind of others. Former Deputy Chief of Mission to the US Embassy in London, Lewis Lukens, told Sky News that we should not underestimate how challenging the legal cases will be for Mr Trump. Mr Trump could probably win the 2024 presidential election if he concentrated... on the right issues and stuck to the script, he said. But, people get tired of Donald Trump complaining about how difficult his life has been. The problem for Donald Trump is that he hasnt changed very much. If he could change and become a serious issues-focused politican I think he would have a very good chance of winning the presidency again, but I think hes incapable of change. D onald Trump was warned on Wednesday that he was walking a tightrope after he launched a furious attack on the judge presiding over his historic criminal case in New York. Just hours after pleading not guilty to 34 criminal charges relating to the alleged falsifying of business records, the former president took aim at judge Juan Merchan and New York district attorney Alvin Bragg in a typically bombastic speech to supporters from the ballroom of his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. Despite being warned by Judge Merchan not to make comments that would incite violence or create civil unrest, Mr Trump described him as a Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and family. Casting the prosecution as a politically-motivated campaign by Democrats to stop his return to the White House, Mr Trump went on to say that Mr Merchans daughter worked for Democrat vice-president Kamala Harris. While some political commentators say the case, which centres on alleged hush money payments of $130,000 to the porn star Stormy Daniels, could bolster his chances of taking back the presidency, others questioned whether his attack on the judge could backfire. Britains former US ambassador Lord Kim Darroch told Sky News: Given what was said in the court room yesterday I thought he might at least back off on that. Maybe he just couldnt help himself. But I think thats quite dangerous. He warned that it could influence Mr Trumps punishment if found guilty. Donald Trump Court Indictment | April 2023 1 / 33 Donald Trump Court Indictment | April 2023 AP AP Getty Images AP AP AFP via Getty Images Getty Images REUTERS AP AP Getty Images AFP via Getty Images Getty Images AP AP Getty Images AP AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images Getty Images AP AP AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images AP The case is the first time a former American president has faced criminal charges. In a 25-minute speech, Mr Trump lashed out at Mr Bragg for bringing the criminal charges against him. He called it a fake case and declared himself the victim of election interference. I never thought anything like this could happen in America, he said. The only crime that Ive committed has been to fearlessly defend our nation against those who seek to destroy it. Mr Trump also took fresh shots at other legal cases against him. These include US Justice Department investigations into his alleged handling of classified documents after he left the White House in early 2021 and a probe into his alleged role in the January 6 riot at the US Capitol. The case in New York, while considered less serious than some of the other cases he faces, could still lead to a jail sentence for Mr Trump. But a conviction would not prevent him from serving as president again. Some legal experts have questioned the strength of the case which alleges Mr Trump orchestrated payments to Ms Daniels before the 2016 election to suppress stories about a relationship. The case also features claims that a second woman, Playboy model Karen McDougal, and a Trump Tower doorman also received payments to suppress stories. Mr Bragg said the alleged hush-money scheme constituted felony crimes in New York state no matter who you are. We cannot and will not normalise serious criminal conduct. F ormer Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been rushed to an intensive care unit at a hospital in Milan, according to reports. The billionaire media tycoon, 86, is being treated at San Raffaele hospital, the clinic where he routinely receives care, at least three political sources told Reuters on Wednesday. He is undergoing cardiac surgery for apparent respiratory problems, Italian media report. Mr Berlusconi, who made his fortune through his television channels before entering politics, had just visited San Raffaele where his personal physician works, for a regular checkup and was discharged last Thursday. A day later, on March 31, he tweeted: I have already returned to work on the main themes of these days, ready and determined to commit myself, as I always have, to the country I love. The Forza Italia leader has suffered repeated bouts of ill-health in recent years and came out of hospital just last week. The four-times prime minister had major heart surgery in 2016 to replace an aortic valve and has also overcome prostate cancer. He has been repeatedly admitted to hospital over the past couple of years after contracting Covid in 2020. He told reporters after being discharged from a 10-day hospital stay then that disease had been insidious and was the most dangerous challenge he had ever faced. Mr Berlusconis Forza Italia party is part of Prime Minister Giorgia Melonis right-wing coalition although he does not have a role in government. Forza Italia pioneered populist politics in Italy in the 1990s. Mr Berlusconi has stirred controversy in recent months with his criticism of Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky, putting him at odds with Ms Meloni. An Italian court acquitted Berlusconi in February over allegations of paying witnesses to lie in an underage prostitution case that has dogged the former prime minister for more than a decade. He was accused of bribing 24 people, mostly young, female guests at his so-called Bunga Bunga parties, in a previous trial where he was charged with paying for sex with a 17-year-old Moroccan nightclub dancer. Mr Berlusconi was re-elected to Italys parliament in September after nearly a decade of being ousted over tax fraud. He was expelled by the Senate because of a tax fraud conviction linked to his media business in 2013. J acinda Ardern has described in emotional terms how she navigated a pandemic, mass shooting and deadly volcano eruption during her five-year tenure as prime minister, in her final speech to New Zealands Parliament. The former Labour party leader told humorous anecdotes like how a European leader so admired the striking hair of her chief-of-staff that he fluffed it like a hairdresser - which she joked had helped secure a free-trade deal - and how her mother once sent her a uplifting message: Remember, even Jesus had people who didnt like him. Ms Ardern announced her shock resignation in January, just months before the countrys general elections in October, citing burnout. On a more serious note during her valedictory speech on Wednesday, she urged lawmakers to take the politics out of climate change. There will always be policy differences, Ms Ardern said, wearing a traditional Maori cloak, called a korowai. But beneath that, we have what we need to make the progress we must. After speaking for about 35 minutes, she was greeted with a standing ovation by lawmakers from across the political spectrum and rousing Maori waiata, or songs. A global icon of the left and an inspiration to women around the world, Ms Ardern stepped down saying: I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It is that simple. But she stayed on as a lawmaker until April to avoid triggering a special election ahead of the nations general elections in October. Later this month, Ms Ardern will begin a new, unpaid role combating online extremism as special envoy for the Christchurch Call. It is an initiative she started with French president Emmanuel Macron in May 2019, two months after a white supremacist gunman killed 51 people at two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch. She has also announced she is joining the board of trustees for The Earthshot Prize, an environmental charity started by the Prince of Wales. Jacinda Ardern is hugged by Finance Minister Grant Robertson / AP Ms Ardern said she entered politics based on her convictions but got used to her tenure being defined by a different list. A domestic terror attack. A volcanic eruption. A pandemic. A series of events where I found myself in peoples lives during their most grief-stricken or traumatic moments, she said. Their stories and faces remain etched in my mind, and likely will forever. She also described how she and fiance Clarke Gayford thought they could not have children after a failed round of IVF. Rather than process that, I campaigned to become prime minister, she joked. A rather good distraction as far as they go. Imagine my surprise when a couple of months later, I discovered I was pregnant. Ms Ardern became just the second elected world leader to give birth while holding office after she and Mr Gayford had daughter Neve in 2018. Jacinda Ardern and Family - In pictures 1 / 8 Jacinda Ardern and Family - In pictures AP AP AFP/Getty Images Reuters AFP/Getty Images @jacindaardern Ms Ardern described how she had approached the Covid-19 pandemic on a scientific basis and how New Zealand fared best among developed nations when measuring excess mortality. She said she once tried to argue with a lone protester about a false conspiracy theory. But after many of these same experiences, and seeing the rage that often sat behind these conspiracies, I had to accept I was wrong, she said. I could not single-handedly pull someone out of a rabbit hole. Ms Ardern said she worried that during the pandemic, the nation had lost a sense of security, and the ability to engage in robust debate in a respectful way. She also described how she never thought she was meant to have the role of prime minister, and how it came about through a surprising chain of events. While she could not control how her tenure would be defined by others, Ms Ardern said she hoped it had demonstrated something else: That you can be anxious, sensitive, kind and wear your heart on your sleeve, she said. You can be a mother, or not, you can be an ex-Mormon, or not, you can be a nerd, a crier, a hugger, you can be all of these things, and not only can you be here, you can lead, just like me. A woman who was arrested after Russian military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky was killed at a St Petersburg cafe has been placed in custody for two months. Darya Trepova, 26, appeared in a Moscow court on Tuesday after she was arrested by Russian police who suspect her involvement in the deadly bombing on Sunday. The bombing injured 40 other people, 25 of whom have been hospitalised. In a closed-door hearing, Moscows Basmanny District Court ruled that Ms Trepova will stay in custody until June 2, pending an investigation. Russian law suggests a life sentence for terrorism-related crimes, but life terms arent handed down to women, who instead face sentences of up to 20 years in prison. Mr Tatarsky, 40, was a prominent supporter of the war in Ukraine and filed regular reports on the fighting from the front lines. He was killed as he led a discussion at a riverside cafe in the historic heart of St Petersburg, Russias second-largest city. Vladlen Tatarsky / via REUTERS Russian authorities described the bombing as an act of terrorism and blamed Ukrainian intelligence agencies for orchestrating it. Ms Trepova was seen on video moments before the blast presenting Mr Tatarsky with a statuette that is believed to have contained explosives. The Interior Ministry released a video in which she told a police officer that she brought the bust to the cafe. When asked who gave it to her, she said she would explain later. The circumstances under which Ms Trepova spoke were unclear, including whether she was under duress. The National Anti-Terrorist Committee, which coordinates counterterrorism operations, said the bombing was planned by Ukrainian special services. It said Ms Trepova was an active supporter of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Last year, she was arrested and spent 10 days in custody after taking part in an anti-war rally. Ukrainian authorities did not directly respond to the accusation, but President Volodymyr Zelensky said in reference to the attack that he doesnt think about events in Russia, and his top adviser described the bombing as part of Russias internal turmoil. It was the latest attack inside Russia on a high-profile pro-war figure. Last year, a nationalist TV commentator was assassinated when a bomb exploded in her SUV outside Moscow. Vladlen Tatarsky was the pen name of Maxim Fomin, who had accumulated more than 560,000 followers on his Telegram messaging app channel. He joined separatists in eastern Ukraine after a Moscow-backed insurgency erupted there in 2014, and fought on the front lines for years before turning to blogging. Military bloggers have become increasingly visible in Russia, supporting the war but occasionally exposing flaws in military strategy while the Kremlin has shut down independent media outlets and muzzled any criticism of the war. C laims by the head of Vladimir Putins private army that Russian forces had seized full control of the war-torn Ukrainian town of Bakhmut were pretty desperate, Western officials said on Wednesday. Yevgeny Prigozhin, who leads the Wagner mercenary group, claimed in a video earlier this week that from a legal point of view, Bakhmut had been captured by Russia. He was also filmed raising a Russian flag in tribute to Russian military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky who was killed in an explosion in St Petersburg on Sunday. But the Western officials downplayed claims that the town, which has been the centre of fierce fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces for months, was now under Moscows control. They said Mr Prigozhins claim was pretty desperate as a tactic. They added that it was most likely aimed at a Russian audience as Mr Putins attempt to seize the town has been held up by stiff resistance from Kyivs forces. The officials pointed to exhaustion on both sides in the fight for Bakhmut and highlighted the level of destruction in the town after months of shelling and fighting. There is no town or city that is left, the officials said. It would not resemble what it was a few years ago. Bakhmut is completely destroyed as a town and is unliveable by anyones standards. In the video posted on his Telegram channel on Monday, Mr Prihozin said he was planting the Russian flag for the war blogger Tatarsky, reportedly a close associate of the Wagner boss. Russian authorities have since detained Daria Trepova, 26, in connection with the explosion in the cafe, which is reported to have links to Mr Prighozin. Human rights groups have said that Ms Trepova and her husband may have been involved in anti-war protests in the past. The Kremlin said Russias National Antiterrorism Committee was probing links to Ukraine and connections to Alexei Navalny, one of President Putins most outspoken critics. There has been speculation that the killing of Tatarsky could have been the result of feuding between the Kremlins military chiefs and Mr Prighozin, who are said to have fallen out as Russias war effort in Ukraine has stalled. The Western officials said that whether it was anti-war protesters or the result of an internal feud, the blast was significant. It shows internally in Russia there are divisions, they added. U kraines President Volodymyr Zelensky travelled to Poland today as Washington pledged $2.6billion worth of weapons and military assistance for his country. Mr Zelensky was seeking to galvanise military and political support in Warsaw as Kyiv prepares to ramp up plans for a counter-offensive against Russias invaders in the coming weeks. The US last night pledged more help for Ukraine, including three air surveillance radar systems, anti-tank rockets and fuel trucks. It came after Finland became the 31st member of Nato, representing a major change in Europes security landscape. Foreign minister Pekka Haavisto signed an accession document and handed it to US secretary of state Antony Blinken, during a ceremony in Brussels. President Joe Biden welcomed the country as part of the military alliance and indicated Sweden could be next to join. Your addition to our alliance will make us stronger than ever, he said, I also look forward to welcoming Sweden as a Nato ally as soon as possible. Vladimir Putins troops are continuing with the long and costly battle to seize Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine. Both sides have suffered huge casualties and much of the mining city has been reduced to ruins after months of bombardments. Its fate was unclear this morning after Russian forces said at the weekend they had captured the city centre a claim dismissed by Kyiv. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska in Warsaw / Getty Images Mr Zelensky arrived in Warsaw for discussions with the close ally that has taken in millions of Ukrainian refugees and provided vital weaponry. The Polish public overwhelming support Ukrainians in the war, an Ipsos poll found. Some 82 per cent of Poles think Nato and EU countries should back Ukraine. But some Polish farmers threatened to disrupt todays visit and the countrys agriculture minister Henryk Kowalczyk resigned amid rising anger over the impact cheap Ukrainian grain imports have had on pushing down prices. We want any trade with Ukraine not to destabilise our market, Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki said. It comes as French president Emmanuel Macron arrived in Beijing today for a visit in which he hopes to dissuade China from supporting Putins invasion. T he court case against Donald Trump is ongoing, but this week, prosecutors mentioned a second woman who has been an alleged victim of the former US president. Manhattan Criminal Courthouse heard that another payment was allegedly made on Trumps behalf to another woman named in proceedings as Woman 1 who is suggested to be Karen McDougal. The case is primarily focused on the alleged payment Trump made to porn star Stormy Daniels. Trump has pled not guilty to all charges against him in the current indictment. But who is Karen McDougal? Who is Karen McDougal? Ms McDougal is an ex-Playboy model who claimed she had an affair with Trump. She arrived on the modelling scene in her 20s when she started appearing in swimwear competitions. She was scouted during these and soon afterwards joined the American mens magazine Playboy. In 1998, she was crowned the magazines Playmate of the Year. During the Playmate of the 90s competition, she came second to Baywatch star Pamela Anderson. Ms McDougal also became the first woman to appear on the cover of Mens Fitness magazine in 1999. She also appeared in the 2000 film Charlies Angels. When was the alleged affair? Trump denies it ever happened. However, Ms McDougal says the affair lasted for around 10 months, during which they saw each other five times a month. When did they allegedly meet? Ms McDougal claims she met Trump at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles, where he was recording an episode of The Apprentice. The New Yorker magazine reports how she told how Trump, who was married at the time, "immediately took a liking to me, kept talking to me telling me how beautiful I was, etc". What happened after the alleged affair? Trump denies all of this happened but Ms McDougal says that in 2016, in the run-up to the presidential election, she was approached and signed a deal worth $150,000 (106,000) to tell her story exclusively to what she believed was the tabloid newspaper, the National Enquirer. The agreement banned her from talking publicly about the alleged affair. But she says the article was never published. Ms McDougal strongly believes that she was tricked into silence about the relationship by people working for Trump, so she could not cast any cloud over his presidential campaign. Did the National Enquirer ever say anything about the claim? Purchasing a story deliberately to then never report it is known as "catch and kill". The National Enquirer reportedly did this on several occasions to suppress negative stories about Trump. After several claims, in 2021, the US Federal Election Commission, which is in charge of enforcing campaign finance law, found the paper had violated election laws. It said it had paid for the rights to Ms McDougals story and never published it, calling it an illegal campaign contribution. The National Enquirer was fined $187,500 (132,000). KG Mobility, formerly Ssangyong, announced its grand future plans to focus on electric vehicles at a press event on Tuesday as part of this year's Seoul Mobility Show, which runs until this weekend in Ilsan north of Seoul. The SUV maker, under its new owner and brand-new name after 35 rollercoaster years in the business during which it saw several would-be saviors, is currently working on developing its own EV platforms in cooperation with Chinese battery maker BYD, with plans to release four different EVs by 2025 and expand its lineup to pickups and vans. S earcys, the historic catering company arguably best known today for its Champagne bar in St Pancras and restaurant at the top of the Gherkin, has launched its first-ever weekend dedicated to tasting fizz, which is being dubbed The Bubbly Show. The two-day event, which will run this summer on Friday June 23 and Saturday 24, is aptly named. It will feature a number of exhibitors from across both Champagne and the UK, all showcasing their wines, but there will also be a number of tastings, masterclasses and talks for guests to consume. Producers set to appear include Taittinger, Pommery and Moet & Chandon, all from France, alongside with English producers Greyfriars and Gusbourne. More names are expected to be announced closer to the time. Given the fizz-fuelled rivalry between English and French producers, one tasting The Battle of Bubbles: England vs France should prove particularly popular. It will be hosted by wine writer Jonathan Ray of the Spectator magazine. Elsewhere, another high point is expected to be the sabrage lessons where drinkers are taught to open a bottle using a sabre, a kind of small sword still used in fencing today. The session will be hosted by Searcys own head of Champagne, Martin Dibben, who will also run a talk on Sunday afternoon called Women of Champagne. Both Friday and Saturday fun will be held in Carlton House Terrace, a John Nash-designed row just off Pall Mall, and is being hosted in partnership with the Honest Grapes wine club. Besides all the wine, there will be both a Champagne dinner and a Champagne afternoon tea offered across the two days. Given Searcys is credit with inventing the much-copied press for Champagne button which can be found in St Pancras the weekend is likely to be a lively one. The Bubbly Show will be held on June 23 and 24 at 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, SW1Y 5AH. For more information and to book tickets, visit searcys.co.uk K atie Piper has warned young people are under incredible scrutiny due to social media and has spoken about being open with her young daughters regarding mental health. The writer and campaigner said many youngsters dont have the space to find out who they are away from the glare of the internet. Piper, 39, who has daughters Belle, nine, and Penelope, five, with husband Richard Sutton, praised their school for talking about mental health with pupils. But she said she was also aware of keeping an open conversation at home and telling them their emotions matter because it matters to you. Speaking to the Standard about AXA UKs Mind Health campaign, of which she is an ambassador, she said: Young people now are under incredible scrutiny People like me, we were born in the Eighties All my mistakes were documented on a disposable camera and thankfully binned. When you are young, your life is documented on the internet I think thats incredibly difficult. Piper continued: I have two daughters (and their) school is really good they have mindfulness chats, they talk about mental health. Years ago, a way of comforting someone would be to tell them not to worry. I think it is important to say in particular to a child it does matter, because it matters to you and how you feel is real. The AXA study found that young people aged 18 to 24 have the highest prevalence of mental ill health of any age group, with one in two reporting a mental health condition. Meanwhile, one in three 18 to 24-year-olds said technology had a negative impact on their wellbeing. Piper, an acid attack survivor, said more openness was lessening the stigma attached to having mental health problems. Maybe the stigma has lessened also due to lockdown as we all spoke about it more That gives me hope. For more information on AXA UKs Mind Health campaign, search AXA helping minds flourish. N igella Lawson has broken her social media silence following the death of her father Nigel Lawson aged 91 earlier this week. Lord Lawson, whose political career spanned nearly five decades, served as part of Margaret Thatchers cabinet from 1981 to 1989, with six years as her tax-cutting chancellor, before retiring as a backbench MP in 1992 and joining the House of Lords. He retired from politics altogether in December, with his last major contribution coming as a prominent leader of the Vote Leave campaign ahead of the Brexit referendum. Acclaimed chef Nigella, 63, was one of Lord Lawsons six children and one of four he had with his fifth wife, Vanessa Salmon. Ms Salmon was heiress to the J. Lyons and Co. fortune but tragically died aged 48 from liver cancer in 1985. Taking to social media on Tuesday, The My Kitchen Rules judge, thanked fans for their support following his death on April 3. She wrote: Thank you for all your kind messages. And Ill be back on here properly tomorrow. A number of people from the world of politics have paid tribute to the revered figured over the last couple of days, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Writing on Twitter, Mr Sunak said Lord Lawson was a transformational chancellor and an inspiration to me and many others. Former PM Boris Johnson meanwhile hailed him as a fearless and original flame of free-market Conservatism. He was a tax-cutter and simplifier who helped transform the economic landscape and helped millions of British people achieve their dreams. Johnson added: He was a prophet of Brexit and a lover of continental Europe. He was a giant. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. E nglish rapper Professor Green has been hailed a hero for rescuing kittens who are believed to have been dumped. Professor Green, whose real name is Stephen Manderson, discovered the kittens at a cemetery. The London-born star says the cemetery was known to be full of foxes. TODO: define component type tiktok One Instagram user, @Hollyanncoope,r wrote: Professor Green rescuing kittens just the type of thing I needed to see today Why cant I find some kittens?! Id take them all home, wrote another user, @karenlouise112. Since he was with his son Slimane, Professor Green, 39, said he couldnt carry the animals home. But he called a friend who came immediately to help out, he said on Instagram. He wrote: Found these guys where theyd been dumped in a cemetery full of foxes trying to get some kip and dogs being walked (these two quite often clash). Called my friend Lee who came immediately (I was with my son and had no means to carry them) and theyve since been washed and fed. Not today, Satan. Quite happy I went to walk off a foul mood! Instagram users expressed their relief at his update. One, @lucyhorobin, wrote: How could anyone dump them so callously like that? Thank goodness you found them, it was meant to be! Xx Another, @kitchentablenw6, said: Well done. So awful that people will do that. Our cat was dumped behind a shop at 4 weeks old, and weighing 400g. Hes now a meaty 5.5kg. The rapper updated viewers with more news on April 5, where the cats could be seen playing. TODO: define component type tiktok Theyve definitely been taken away from mama cat as they are extremely independent but the good thing is theyre already using litter trays, he said. Theyre playing with each other, cleaning each other and theyre eating. Thanks to my really good friend Lee Smith, theyre doing really well. All his cat knowledge is playing into them and being looked after tremendously ahead of being rehomed. W hile social networks like Facebook and Twitter are stagnating, TikTok is growing fast. With such growth comes plenty of attention, and TikTok is now facing scrutiny in several areas, from the algorithmic distribution of harmful content to how it handles user data. The US has already banned the viral video app on government devices in more than 20 states due to spying allegations stemming from its Chinese ownership. Universities in Oklahama, Alabama, and Texas have followed suit by restricting students from accessing the app over campus Wi-Fi networks. While TikTok narrowly avoided an outright ban under former US president Donald Trump, it is facing growing pressure to prove its security credentials, with specific fears over Chinese government access to user data - a problem that doesnt impact comparable western social networks. It also faces the same content clean-up challenges as other platforms, where millions of users are able to post videos instantly and moderators struggle to keep pace. Should you quit TikTok or curb your kids usage? Below weve outlined the arguments so that you can make up your own mind. Is TikTok harmful? The case against TikTok can broadly be split into two categories: harmful content and privacy concerns due to its Chinese ownership. For the former, there are good reasons to be alarmed. The Center for Countering Digital Hate has found TikTok will show children harmful content as soon as they show an interest in related topics. Its researchers generated accounts in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, on behalf of fictional 13-year-olds. They liked and interacted with videos related to mental health and body image, to assess how this would affect the content shown in the apps For You feed. The accounts were shown self-harm or eating disorder content every 206 seconds on average, and more extreme content was shown to accounts intended to represent vulnerable youths, with references to weight loss in their usernames. TikTok has also been demonstrated to be a hive of misinformation. In September 2022, Newsguard found that when searching 2022 election, mRNA vaccine, and Uvalde tx conspiracy, 20 per cent of TikTok posts contained false or misleading information. Newsguard is a service that rates news and information websites based on how trustworthy they are. The concern about Chinese ownership is the bigger picture. Governments including the United States where a campaign to ban TikTok is gathering pace are concerned about it as a national security risk, because its owned by Chinese company ByteDance. Trump wants a ban on TikTok / Lionel Bonaventure and Jim Watson / AFP via Getty Images There is clearly bipartisan support to do something about TikTok, and the continued reports about harmful content and misinformation being served to users particularly young people will only add fuel to the fire, says Insider Intelligence principal analyst Jasmine Enberg. A paper by cybersecurity firm Internet 2.0 claims the TikTok app uses excessive data harvesting, reaping information on user location, the contents of direct messages, and more, and stores it in part on servers in mainland China. TikTok admitted in November that Chinese staff can and do access user data. But a spokesperson reiterated: We have never provided any data to the Chinese government. We believe in the importance of storing European user data in Europe; keeping data flows outside of the region to a minimum, they said. A Forbes report claimed ByteDance planned to monitor the personal location of some specific American citizens. TikTok denied the claims made in the article, but later would sack four employees for accessing personal data of journalists in an attempt to track down sources. This is enough for Alicia Kearns, Conservative MP for Rutland and Melton and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, to advocate Brits deleting the app. What TikTok does is it gives away the data that makes you most vulnerable: who are you friends with; what are your interests; what are the interests you have that you may not want publicly disclosed; who you are having private conversations with; the locations you go to, she told Sophie Ridge of Sky News. Our data is a key vulnerability and China is building a tech totalitarian state on the back of our data. Where the two concerns harmful content and Chinese ownership meet, is if the Chinese government has any say in how the algorithms surface content. Could it apply pressure on ByteDance to spread propaganda or harmful content to British teens? Its not completely far-fetched, given what we know about Russian troll farms spreading disinformation in the West and the alarming fact that seven per cent of UK adults now get their news from TikTok. Is the criticism fair? Is TikTok safe? These are serious points worth highlighting, but its worth pointing out how many of these safety concerns apply to other companies, too. If you side with US politicians who seek to ban TikTok, and effectively booted Huawei out of the US in 2019, you should probably also avoid a host of other brands. These include Honor, Xiaomi, OnePlus, OPPO, Lenovo, Realme, and ZTE, among others. They are all Chinese. As for harmful content, its not like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter havent had their fair share of content scandals where fake news, dangerous disinformation, and scams spread freely with devastating real-world consequences. Social media algorithms value attention and engagement above all else, and that leads to a dark place. TikTok seems to get special attention because of its Chinese ownership, which can feel somewhat Sinophobic. If you are willing to discount the idea the Chinese government looms over the app 24/7, TikTok starts to look like just another social network. In October, even the GCHQs director Jeremy Fleming said that he wouldnt be concerned if his own children used TikTok. But his follow-up was just as important. He said he would speak to my child about the way in which they think about their personal data on their device. Thats useful advice whether about TikTok or any other part of the social web. Sir Jeremy Fleming / Joe Giddens / PA How to make TikTok safer for your children For all its problems, the upcoming Online Safety Bill is at least taking the issue of harmful content seriously. If the legislation passes, it mandates that social media companies must actively look for illegal content, rather than relying on a reporting system to dig it out. However, provisions on legal but harmful content, which includes some videos related to self-harm, have been removed. But what about the here and now? Blocking your children from using TikTok isnt a problem-free solution. If all their friends use the platform, then youre making their social life harder, after all. So what can you do to make it as safe as possible? One tip is to ensure they are registered with the correct date of birth in the app. This wont allow those under the age of 13 to register, and you shouldnt let them sidestep that restriction: its there for a reason, after all. But theres another reason to be truthful with ages. Accounts for those aged 13 to 15 are set to private by default, meaning any content posted cannot be viewed by anyone else. And even if these accounts are made public, their content will not be shared to the For You feed. Direct messaging is switched off for under-16s, and those under 18 cannot live stream or receive Virtual Gifts, which make up TikToks tipping economy. Korea did not report a single significant development in machine learning last year, according to a report ranking artificial intelligence technology around the world. In the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence's AI Index published Monday, the U.S. ranked first last year in terms of machine learning development with 16 instances, followed by the U.K. (eight), China (three) and Canada and Germany (two each). France, India, Israel, Russia and Singapore also succeeded in more than one case of machine learning development. Korea achieved none even though Naver, Kakao, SK Telecom, KT and many other companies are spending huge sums of money to develop AI technologies. Korea's private sector invested US$3.1 billion in AI last year, the sixth highest amount in the world. Although that was just 1/15 of the amount spent by the U.S. over the same period, it was similar to India and Israel, which ranked fourth with $3.2 billion. But Korea has few newly invested companies in the field. Only 22 AI companies landed private-sector investment last year, putting Korea in 13th place, compared to 542 in the U.S., 160 in China, 73 in Israel, 57 in India, 36 in Singapore and 31 in Japan. "Despite the AI hype, investments centered mostly on large conglomerates and a handful of start-ups, which means there's no diverse ecosystem being created," an industry insider said. The study shows that Korea has been painfully slow to invest in AI technology. Cumulative investments from 2013 to 2022 stood at just $5.5 billion, and more than half of that came last year. Korean companies only rushed to develop generative AI like Chat GPT and image generation last year, when mass media interest in such technologies grew. Not a single AI-related law was passed in Korea last year. But the report finds that public interest in AI is relatively high among Koreans, who believe AI products and services have more benefits than drawbacks, making them the ninth most enthusiastic people in the world. China ranked at the top when it comes to public enthusiasm. The institute announces the AI Index every year and the data is used by the global industry as a snapshot of the latest trends. Pop music icon Hyun Mee died suddenly on Tuesday at the age of 85. One of the most popular stars of the 1960s, Hyun Mee had only just returned to Seoul after giving a singing class in Daegu a day earlier. According to her brother-in-law, she said she was a little tired in her last phone call with him. She was found unconscious by the head of her fan club when he visited her house in the morning. She was taken to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead. Her two sons with late composer Lee Bong-jo, who live in Los Angeles, will arrive in Seoul on Thursday. A funeral altar has been set up at Chungang University Hospital, but it does not accept visitors yet. Cannabis will be the star of the show at the Niagara Falls Convention Centre on Saturday, April 22, when the popular Niagara Falls 420 Expo returns for its third iteration. But compared to when the expo was first held in 2019, the retail cannabis industry in Niagara has exploded compared to its infancy when the federal government legalized recreational cannabis use. At the time of the first expo, there were only about two cannabis stores in Niagara, including one in Niagara Falls, said expo co-organizer Chris Dabrowski. Now theres 50-plus in Niagara, he said. Its become mainstream and its become more accepted, he said. Its legal and its here to stay. The 420 Expo is a way to educate people and celebrate cannabis. Dabrowski said the expo is far more than just a show about cannabis. Theres attractions, theres panel discussions, there are Q-and-A panels about cooking with cannabis, the health benefits of CBD (cannabidiol), laws around cannabis, and movies that had cannabis songs, he said. Dabrowski said the expo typically attracts everyone from young adults to people past age 65. Theres no specific demographic that celebrates or uses cannabis, he said. With cannabis only becoming legal a few years ago, theres still a lot of questions people have. It (expo) will provide an opportunity to put people in front of the people to get the right answers, he said. Theres tons to see and do. The event, running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., will feature more than 30,000 square feet of space, including more than 75 exhibitors and vendors showcasing cannabis brands and products, celebrities, paraphernalia, clothing, educational panels and seminars. The reception from cannabis enthusiasts from across Niagara and Ontario has been nothing but positive since our first show in 2019, and with thousands of retail stores now open across Canada, theres a large market itching to participate in an event such as this one, said Dabrowski. There will be an outdoor Pot-io where attendees can enjoy a safe-space to consume cannabis legally and freely. Cannabis influencers in attendance will include Jacqui Childs and Sams High Times, as well as celebrity appearances by Jordan Prentice (American Pie, Howard the Duck, Harold & Kumar) and a meet-and-greet with music artist Afroman, best known for his 90s hit single Because I Got High. For cannabis enthusiasts, theres not another event like this of its kind in Niagara and with Niagara Falls as the backdrop, were offering a one-of-a-kind experience unique to our community, said Dabrowski. Tickets for the 420 Expo cost $25.11, $121.01 for VIP tickets or $240.89 for the Afroman VIP package, and are available at www.niagarafalls420expo.com. Theyll also be available at the door. SHARE: EDMONTON - The Alberta government wants 100 more street-level police officers hired over the next year and a half as part of a plan to tackle increased violence on the public transit systems of Edmonton and Calgary. Premier Danielle Smith says she has directed her emergency services minister to get the officers into high-crime areas in both cities. The province says that between last July and January 2023, Edmontons light rail transit system experienced a 75 per cent increase in criminal activity, while Calgary saw an increase of 46 per cent between 2021 and 2022. The government is also encouraging the cities of Calgary and Edmonton to transfer command and control of transit peace officers to their municipal police services. As part of its plan, the province is to spend $8 million over three years to increase the number of police and crisis teams, known as PACT, which pairs officers with therapists to respond to emergency calls where there is a mental health concern. It will provide each city with a new $5-million grant to ensure transit stations and transit vehicles are clear of drug paraphernalia and garbage. Safety on public streets is never negotiable, Smith said in a news release Tuesday. We can address root causes like mental health and addiction at the same time, but we will not compromise on security for all Calgarians and Edmontonians. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 4, 2023. Read more about: SHARE: REGINA - About a dozen people rallied inside Regina City Hall on Wednesday asking for the CEO of the citys tourism agency to resign amid ongoing backlash over sexualized slogans the organization had used. Bernadette Wagner, a spokesperson for the group, said CEO Tim Reid should be removed from anything to do with the city of Regina after the tourism agency, Experience Regina, used slogans online that made light of the citys name rhyming with vagina. Reid has apologized for negative impact the slogans have had on the city, but Wagner said the apology isnt enough. Many survivors of sexual assault, including me, have been triggered and re-traumatized by this horrid campaign, Wagner said. Nor am I the only one whos absolutely tired of this, tired of the bad jokes, tired of sexual harassment, tired of responding to this misogyny, and especially when it comes from our own tourism department. It is time for the city to take action. Reid was not immediately available for comment, but has said he doesnt think the controversy warrants his resignation. Reid is also the CEO of Regina Exhibition Association Limited, known as REAL, a non-profit corporation that oversees Experience Regina and operates the citys main event complex. We are following the protocols of city council and will respect their guidance and any future decisions, said Wayne Morsky, who is chair of the board of directors for REAL. We will provide an update when it is available. Earlier this month, Experience Regina rebranded and used certain phrases on its website and social media accounts, including We are the city that rhymes with fun and Show us your Regina. The city that rhymes with fun is an old joke, particularly by people who do not live in Regina, which often receives eye-rolls from locals. Various citizens and womens organizations have described the slogans and the campaign as lazy, lewd and sexist. It drew international attention, particularly from popular late-night talk-show hosts who poked fun at it. Experience Reginas website has been off-line for more than a week. It hasnt been active on social media since March 20. Some city councillors have said they were blindsided when they learned of the slogans and have asked for accountability. Wagner is demanding the city launch a full inquiry. (The inquiry) would certainly rout out those with the bad attitudes and perhaps provide an opportunity, a starting point, for re-educating people on how to treat women, she said. Wagner has also asked for equal representation at the marketing table when the city creates ad campaigns and has called on Mayor Sandra Masters, councillors and staff to receive education about inclusivity, racism and sexual harassment. Masters has said the slogans were sexist and wrong but does not think Reid should resign. She was not able to immediately respond to protesters concerns Wednesday as she had to attend a city council meeting. She was expected to speak with reporters later in the day. The mayor has said the slogans were not part of a presentation she saw in the lead-up to their launch. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 5, 2023. SHARE: An Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled Monday that Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation is and always has been the rightful owner of Sauble Beach after decades of litigation. I had a rush of emotion. I felt it in my heart, said Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation Chief Conrad Ritchie about learning of the landmark decision. We have something now that our ancestors and everybody has been fighting for over the last 170 years. The court ruled that Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation is the rightful owner of a 2.5-kilometre stretch of shoreline previously claimed by the Town of South Bruce Peninsula; the land reaches beyond the iconic sign tourists flock to once the weather heats up. But for Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation, that shoreline has more importance than an area to dip in the water to cool off. Known as Chi-Gmiinh, a valuable fishing ground reserved for the Nation under Treaty 72, its an area the community has been fighting to reclaim in court since 1995, and for nearly 170 years outside of court. Without our peoples fundamental belief that this was always their land, this victory would not have been possible, said Ritchie, who acknowledged previous leadership, including former chief Lester Anoquot, played a big role in keeping up the fight. And for the community that has been through a lot of hardship lately, including multiple deaths, this brings in a bit of light to things that have been going on, he said. Its also a step toward reconciliation, Justice Susan Vella wrote in her decision. To achieve reconciliation means that the status quo must sometimes change. In the process of that change some will bear the brunt. Sometimes the hardship will be borne by Indigenous Peoples and First Nations, and sometimes it will be borne by non-Indigenous Canadians, the decision reads. However, in this case, change in the status quo is required to achieve justice and is the right step towards reconciliation. No third parties have any interest in that portion of Sauble Beach, judge rules The Town of South Bruce Peninsula claimed to own that 2.5-kilometre stretch of Sauble Beach, and has been fighting the claim from Chippewas of Saugeen First Nations for decades. Despite the towns claim, however, Vella found no third parties have any interest in that portion of the beach, and that stretch of Lake Huron was and continues to be reserved for the sole use and benefit of Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation. South Bruce Peninsula mayor Garry Michi wrote in a release this is a complex issue that requires time to formalize a position. Council understands how important this issue is to the Town and thanks all residents in advance for your patience. The towns council will review the decision in a closed meeting this Friday before commenting on the matter publicly. The court also found the federal government violated the First Nations rights under Treaty 72 by failing to preserve the entirety of the reserve. What comes next for Sauble Beach? Its too soon to say what comes next for Sauble Beach, said Ritchie, who noted an upcoming council meeting will focus on that topic. But for now, Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation plans to stick to the status quo during the upcoming summer season, and they expect the influx of beachgoers to have the same experience on the shoreline they typically do. Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation already owns and operates another stretch of the beachs south side that is fenced off, Ritchie said. In the decision, Vella wrote former Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation Chief Lester Anoquot stated the beach would remain open to the public, and the Nation would work with the neighbouring municipality in enhancing the beach to everyones mutual benefit. A second phase to the land claim is upcoming, and will deal with compensation for past losses of the land, Ritchie said. I think (this case) can set the precedent for other Nations, and hopefully it helps the movement of all those land claims held up in the courts. More immediately, a community celebration is being planned and will be full of food, music and prayer. Were still here, we still have our language, we still have our ceremony, we still have our culture, Ritchie said. We need to bring back that spirit of hope to our young people. Its something they can look to instead of all the negativity. SHARE: Last week, the bodies of eight migrants were recovered in the St. Lawrence River by Quebec near the New York state border. The migrants were members of two families, one of Romanian descent, and another of Indian citizens. Two young children, both with Canadian passports, were among those dead. The news came just a week after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and United States President Joe Biden agreed to expand the Safe Third Country Agreement, effectively tightening controls to discourage migrants from crossing illegally to make asylum claims. Since Donald Trumps presidency in 2017, which came with a string of anti-immigrant measures, the number of irregular migrants arriving in Canada has increased. Canadas goal in updating the pact is to ease the influx of irregular border-crossing refugee claimants. Heres what you need to know about the policy and what it means for migrants. What is the Safe Third Country Agreement and how has it changed? Under the immigration policy, Canada and the U.S. recognize each other as safe countries to seek refuge, and dictate that migrants must make their refugee claims in the country where they first arrived. Prior to the changes made in March, the bilateral border rule did not apply to woods, dirt roads and waterways between official crossings. Some called this a loophole that prevented asylum seekers from being penalized if they crossed unofficial entries, and argued it made the agreement ineffective. The new expansion means that the rules apply across the 9,000-kilometer land border, and not just at official points of entry. Therefore, asylum seekers crossing irregularly anywhere are now turned back to the other country within two weeks. Overall, it reduces the possibility for people to make refugee claims in Canada. As the Liberal government continued its renegotiation of the treaty with Washington, the Bloc Quebecois and NDP had called for the border pact to be suspended, while the Conservatives wanted to close Roxham Road. Meanwhile, a constitutional challenge of the agreement remains before the Supreme Court of Canada. Why were changes made to the border rules? The Canadian government has, for a few years, been pushing for the U.S. to move on the Safe Third Country Agreement. For decades before the policy took effect in 2004, Canada also put pressure on the U.S. to sign the agreement because the flow of migrants at the border disproportionately came from the south to north. In the year prior to the treaty taking effect, about 14,000 asylum seekers entered Canada through the U.S. but only about 200 went the other way, according to a U.S. House of Representatives hearing. Ultimately, the 2001 terrorist attacks prompted the U.S. to agree, with Canada offering more border security co-operation. What is Roxham Road and why is it significant? Nearly 40,000 people entered Canada at Roxham Road last year, a famous rural route in Quebec that serves as an unofficial border entry for asylum seekers to Canada. The figures account for 99 per cent of irregular entry into Canada. Previously, migrants crossing at Roxham Road were not turned back under the Safe Third Country Agreement. But the expanded, current version of the agreement dictates that migrants crossing there cannot make a refugee claim upon entering Canada and must instead be turned back to the United States. What criticism has the Safe Third Country Agreement received? Many advocates see the drownings last week as having been predictable, reinforcing the predictions that a tightened border would only push migrants to take greater risks. NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan made the point at a news conference on Monday, criticizing Trudeau and Biden for secretly signing the modified agreement a year ago but only making it public the day before the new rule took effect, on March 25. People who are persecuted for trying to escape discrimination, for trying to escape violence, for trying to escape rejection for being who they are, for trying to get to safety would be pushed further underground, Kwan said. Human trafficking will increase as a result of this rule, she added. A University of Winnipeg law professor, Shauna Labman, said Canada may see fewer migrants crossing irregularly, but reinforced that it doesnt mean people will stop entering. More will die trying. Their crossings will be in more remote, more isolated and more dangerous places, she said. Women already fleeing gender-based violence will be at risk of further violence while reliant on smugglers and susceptible to human trafficking. With files from Nicholas Keung, Allan Woods and Steve McKinley. Read more about: SHARE: TALLINN, Estonia (AP) The head of the U.N.s atomic energy watchdog met with Russian officials in Kaliningrad on Wednesday for negotiations on the safety of Ukraines Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, currently held by Russian forces. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossis trip to the Russian exclave came a week after he visited the plant, which is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. I met high level officials from several Russian agencies in Kaliningrad, Grossi said on Twitter. I continue my efforts to protect the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, he said, emphasizing that this was in everyones interest. The head of Rosatom, Alexey Likhachev, was among the officials Grossi met, according to a statement by Russias state nuclear corporation. Likhachev informed Grossi of the steps that are being taken by the Russian side to ensure the safe operation of the ZNPP, while expressing that the Russian side is ready to work on implementing initiatives put forward by Grossi. The Kremlins forces took over the plant after Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy opposes any proposal that would legitimize Russias control. On his visit to the plant last week, Grossi said he was trying to prepare and propose realistic measures that will be approved by all parties. The increasing combat makes it urgent to find a way to prevent a potentially catastrophic nuclear accident at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, he stressed. Interruptions to the outside electricity supply due to the fighting required plant personnel to switch to emergency diesel generators six times during the 13-month war. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Read more about: SHARE: OTTAWA - Justice Minister David Lametti said Wednesday he knows the governments draft action plan for implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is not perfect. It is not perfect. It is not final. It is not complete, he told a special gathering of Assembly of First Nations chiefs. Theres a lot missing in there that needs to be improved. The national advocacy voice for more than 600 First Nations across Canada staged the meeting so chiefs could vote on a batch of draft policy resolutions and debate the proposed action plan that Lamettis department released last month. The document seeks to lay out the first steps in Ottawas blueprint for aligning Canadian laws with the UN declaration, which affirms the rights of Indigenous Peoples to self-determination and to their language, culture and traditional lands. Such was the goal behind the landmark legislation the federal Liberals passed in 2021, which stipulated that the government must return to Parliament with an implementation plan by this June. Lametti said that timeframe got a green light from the assemblys former national chief Perry Bellegarde, who during his tenure had pushed Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government to pass the bill. Former NDP MP Romeo Saganash twice brought forward similar legislation. His first private members bill was defeated in 2014, during the majority mandate of Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper. The second passed in the House of Commons in 2018, but did not make it through the Senate before Parliament was dissolved for the 2019 election. Canada first endorsed the declaration itself in 2010. Lametti said Wednesday that finalizing an action plan is just the next step toward implementation, but noted the process to get it right could extend beyond his own lifetime. The draft contains 101 specific steps Ottawa pledges to take to better align its actions and laws with the recognition of Indigenous rights. The measures span different federal departments and contain commitments to include measures to address anti-Indigenous racism as part of the governments broader anti-racism strategy and work with Indigenous people to ensure communities equitably and consistently benefit from natural resource development on their lands. Sara Mainville, a lawyer working with the assembly on the issue, told chiefs in a briefing on Tuesday that there is too much noncommittal language in the plan. She voiced concerns that it appears to stick with the status quo. Canada didnt do its homework, she said, echoing criticisms that the plans wording is too vague. Lametti seemed to understand that criticism, emphasizing to the chiefs that the next few months will be dedicated to making changes. The action plan is a draft, he said. It is meant to be the focal point for intense discussion over the next three months. He said there will be a lot of dialogue on the documents strengths and weaknesses, but ultimately, it is just a draft. Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh addressed Wednesdays gathering, telling chiefs he is encouraged to see the government make progress on developing an action plan, which he said has long been needed. It is not up to the NDP to provide commentary on the plan, Singh said, adding he would listen to the chiefs concerns. Im your ally, he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 5, 2023. Read more about: SHARE: OTTAWA - A lawyer working to bring a Quebec woman home from a Syrian prison camp along with her six children says it is preposterous that her departure is being held up by the governments failure to complete her security assessment. Lawyer Lawrence Greenspon says he has asked Global Affairs Canada to take the necessary, urgent steps to allow the mother to come home with her young children. He is hoping for the green light soon, as at least 19 other Canadians detained in Syria six women and 13 children are expected to board a flight to Canada imminently. My information is theyre on the move, said Greenspon, who represents the families. Im waiting to hear from (Global Affairs) that they are in the air. The Canadians are among the many foreign nationals in Syrian camps run by Kurdish forces that reclaimed the war-torn region from the extremist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. While the six children of the Quebec woman have been ruled eligible for repatriation from Syria, their mother has been told she cannot join them because her security assessment is incomplete, Greenspon said. The reason doesnt hold up, given that Global Affairs said in writing late last November that the woman and her children had met the criteria for federal consideration of assistance to Canadians detained in the region, he said. Its preposterous, its a non-excuse because theyve known since November last year that she was eligible for assessment, he said. So they havent been able to complete an assessment of her for more than four months? Thats just not credible, not believable. Greenspon says separating a mother from her children violates Canadas international commitments as well as the governments policy for assessing possible repatriation cases. He said he has enlisted Fionnuala Ni Aolain, the United Nations special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism, in the effort to repatriate the Quebec woman. Theres a number of things that are available to her to try and do to get Global Affairs to do the right thing. Global Affairs said in response to questions earlier this week that the department continues to evaluate the provision of assistance, including repatriation to Canada, on a case-by-case basis, in line with its policy framework. While outstanding cases are being evaluated, we offered to repatriate Canadian children at the earliest possibility amidst reports of deteriorating security and humanitarian conditions in the camps, the department said. Agreeing to or requesting repatriation for ones child is an incredibly difficult decision and one that must be made by the parent, and the parent alone. It is important that such a decision is informed by all available facts. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 5, 2023. Read more about: SHARE: Eduardo Almeida, the former long-time OPSEU treasurer named in a $6-million lawsuit launched by the public sector union over allegations of financial misconduct, says he had no professional managerial or financial education, training or experience and relied on the expertise, guidance and direction of the unions president and staff. His statement of defence filed in Ontarios Superior Court of Justice says despite claims made by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union in its lawsuit, Almeida was not in fact the chief financial administrative officer of OPSEU. Almeida was not qualified to prepare any formal financial reporting documentation on behalf of OPSEU. The finance department of OPSEU, in conjunction with OPSEUs auditors controlled and oversaw all financial processes and reporting within the union. The OPSEU lawsuit, which also names former long-time president Warren Smokey Thomas and former financial services administrator Maurice Gabay, alleges the three withdrew a total of $670,000 in cash from a strike fund without explanation, received significant compensation in addition to their salaries, and had union-purchased cars transferred to themselves and family members. In addition, the unions statement of claims says significant expenses were charged to union credit cards without receipts. In the statement of defence, Almeida says his credit card was used as a catch-all for expenses for various union events and other union requirements and were reviewed and coded by OPSEUs financial department. It also says all funds withdrawn from the strike fund and approved by Almeida were directed at either avoiding and/or supporting strikes The employee relations, legal and finance departments and the president of OPSEU policed access to strike fund and would not permit cash outlays unless a trigger event had occurred. In addition, all wages, lieu days and any other remuneration was dictated by and processed by employee relations and that transferring older union vehicles to staff was commonplace, the statement of defence says. Almeida who was first vice-president and treasurer for more than a decade has also launched a counterclaim, seeking millions in damages for alleged defamation by the current union leadership. It says there was an improper investigation that predetermined the issue and Almeidas guilt and pleads that OPSEU has acted in a callous, wanton, reckless and malicious manner with a flagrant disregard for the interest of Almeida. None of the allegations in the lawsuit or the statement of defence have been proven in court. OPSEU is seeking recovery of funds and assets unlawfully transferred in the amount of $1.75 million from Thomas, $3 million from Almeida and $1 million from Gabay, as well as damages of $6 million for breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, conspiracy, conversion and/or unjust enrichment (less any amounts recovered), the statement of claim says. Gabay, in his statement of defence, says the claims are outrageous and unfounded and he was a loyal and hardworking employee throughout his approximately 14.5 years of service to OPSEU with a clean disciplinary record. He has also launched a counterclaim. Last month, Thomas filed his statement of defence, saying the lawsuit launched by the new leaders of the union he headed for almost 15 years was politically motivated and culminates a long campaign by Mr. Thomas political rivals to demean, politically destroy, and cause irreparable emotional and reputational harm to him and his associates. It has no basis in reality, and is entirely manufactured. He has also launched a counterclaim. Current OPSEU president JP Hornick has said that despite the allegations of the financial misconduct raised in the lawsuit, our union remains strong and our finances stable. OPSEU has launched a second, $24-million lawsuit that includes further allegations against Almeida and Gabay in relation to at least 15 individuals or businesses they had undeclared ties to, accusing them of payments for bogus or unfinished work as well as kickbacks. It also names Stephen Ward, a former OPSEU supervisor. In his statement of defence, he denies any and all allegations of misconduct and says he took all necessary steps to ensure the union was aware of any connections he had to companies it did business with. At no point did (he) ever engage in any surreptitious or illicit conduct, his statement of defence says. The allegations in the second lawsuit have also not been proven in court. SHARE: Vinyl record sales have been growing for over a decade and labels were quick to jump on the bandwagon. In the era of streaming music from the likes of Apple Music and Spotify, vinyl record sales peaked in 2021, soaking up global production capacity. The impacts are still being felt two years later, and it was all because of one of the worlds biggest stars Adele. In 2020, Sony Music ordered the production of 500,000 vinyl records of 30, Adeles new release. The vinyl record pressing factories were swamped and had to stop producing other albums scheduled for release in the coming months. This happened not only because of the quantity ordered by Sony but also because the label pushed for a simultaneous vinyl and digital release on November 19, 2021. All of Adeles previous albums were released on vinyl about a year after the digital release, according to Mark Kitcatt, director of Popstock! Espana, the Spanish distributor for Adeles albums. With the factories at maximum capacity, other recording artists had to wait up to nine months for a vinyl album release, according to Variety. Newcomers and unknowns were not the only ones affected. Current and former stars like Elton John, Coldplay and ABBA were put on hold, prompting complaints from distributors and artists. Ed Sheeran told an Australian radio station that the backup caused by Adeles 30 forced him to speed up work on his Equals album by two months to ensure a timely release of the vinyl version. Despite the industry chaos it caused, 30 sold 318,000 copies according to Forbes, making it the most successful vinyl release of 2021 by far. Still, hundreds of thousands of unsold copies gathered dust on store shelves because of exorbitant prices $40 (37) when it was first released. Production delays, supply shortages and high prices linger today, says Eugenio Lopez, partner and co-founder of Mad Vinyl Music, a Spanish vinyl album pressing factory. According to Lopez, everyone uses the same suppliers of raw materials, which is why larger factories like G2 Media and Record Industry soaked up almost all the resources. We bought plastic ahead of time, but we couldnt buy the covers, said Lopez. Raw material scarcity meant that the consumers paid higher prices. We had delays of three to four months because we not only had supply problems, we were in the middle of a pandemic, said Lopez. He says the supply has now stabilized, but prices remain high. Plastic is still expensive because of the price of the oil used in manufacturing. And cardboard costs almost 40% more now. With no sign that prices will come down soon, record stores have adapted to the new prices, a reality shared by manufacturers, distributors and vinyl enthusiasts. Being a purist music lover has become more expensive. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Premier Doug Fords Progressive Conservatives are under fire after former provincial bureaucrat Sanjay Madan was able to steal $47.4 million in taxpayers money. NDP Leader Marit Stiles is demanding to know how Madan could dupe the Tories and the previous Liberal government between 2011 and 2020. Where was the government both the Liberals and the Conservatives when (almost) $50 million of government funding went out the door? Stiles thundered Wednesday. Her comments came the day after Madan pleaded guilty to stealing $47.4 million from Queens Park including $10.8 million in pandemic relief funds and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The one-time Ministry of Education information technology leader was terminated in October 2020. Madan admitted to relaxing security protocols on the Support for Families program, which gave parents or guardians $200 per child under age 12, and $250 per child up to 21 with special needs, for online educational expenses early in the COVID-19 pandemic. That enabled him to funnel millions of dollars to thousands of TD, Bank of Montreal, Royal Bank of Canada, Tangerine and Indias ICICI accounts. But Madan also confessed to stealing another $36.6 million as part of a complex fee-for-service computer consultant scam dating back to January 2011. He and an associate used real and fake companies to subcontract IT work. Knowing the government paid about $900 per day to computer consultants, Madan subcontracted workers at a daily rate of $400 to $500 and pocketed the difference. That lucrative fraud undetected by successive Tory and Liberal governments as well as auditor general Bonnie Lysyk brought in proceeds of as much as $6.6 million a year for nearly a decade. How did this government fail to notice $47.4 million going out the door? said Stiles, chiding the Progressive Conservatives in the legislatures daily question period. This individual was able to siphon millions of dollars out of public coffers with no one on that side noticing. Its very concerning, to say the least, she said. Solicitor General Michael Kerzner countered that the former employee in question pleaded guilty to breach of trust, fraud and money laundering, which are all Criminal Code offences. The OPP will continue to investigate and enforce any acts which violate the Criminal Code. We expect everyone who works for the government of Ontario to uphold the highest standard of professional ethics, said Kerzner. We will accept nothing less, he said. Government house leader Paul Calandra noted the majority of the funds have been recovered. The fact the individual was identified by the police and has pled guilty it seems to be quite obvious that we did find out who it was and what they were doing, he said. Calandra defended the haste with which the Support for Families payments went out early in the pandemic. Of course we had a fund because unless the opposition had Nostradamus working on their side, none of us knew what COVID-19 was going to throw at us, right? he said. We had to be able to respond quickly and we did. In the form of forfeited properties including a $20-million apartment complex in Waterloo and cash, Madan has repaid much of what he stole. But he will still have to pay back an additional $13.1 million within five years of his release from prison. Madans associate, Vidhan Singh, charged with money laundering, fraud and possession of stolen property, is being tried separately, as is Manish Gambhir, charged with possession of stolen property and possession of an identity document related or purported to relate to another person. Those cases are still proceeding. There is also an ongoing civil trial focused on Madan and Singh, in which the province alleges as much as $75 million may have been stolen in a conspiracy involving nine other people. Robert Benzie is the Stars Queens Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie SHARE: Blog Archive Apr 2010 (22) May 2010 (25) Jun 2010 (8) Jul 2010 (12) Aug 2010 (18) Sept 2010 (19) Oct 2010 (29) Nov 2010 (30) Dec 2010 (18) Jan 2011 (13) Feb 2011 (21) Mar 2011 (23) Apr 2011 (19) May 2011 (31) Jun 2011 (36) Jul 2011 (46) Aug 2011 (26) Sept 2011 (12) Oct 2011 (15) Nov 2011 (17) Dec 2011 (7) Jan 2012 (18) Feb 2012 (4) Mar 2012 (12) Apr 2012 (17) May 2012 (10) Jun 2012 (21) Jul 2012 (8) Aug 2012 (15) Sept 2012 (7) Oct 2012 (17) Nov 2012 (20) Dec 2012 (10) Jan 2013 (58) Feb 2013 (59) Mar 2013 (60) Apr 2013 (98) May 2013 (134) Jun 2013 (203) Jul 2013 (293) Aug 2013 (350) Sept 2013 (363) Oct 2013 (347) Nov 2013 (374) Dec 2013 (438) Jan 2014 (543) Feb 2014 (474) Mar 2014 (525) Apr 2014 (526) May 2014 (470) Jun 2014 (408) Jul 2014 (472) Aug 2014 (522) Sept 2014 (441) Oct 2014 (471) Nov 2014 (496) Dec 2014 (535) Jan 2015 (535) Feb 2015 (520) Mar 2015 (579) Apr 2015 (657) May 2015 (679) Jun 2015 (673) Jul 2015 (728) Aug 2015 (803) Sept 2015 (922) Oct 2015 (919) Nov 2015 (801) Dec 2015 (791) Jan 2016 (781) Feb 2016 (834) Mar 2016 (929) Apr 2016 (864) May 2016 (946) Jun 2016 (1044) Jul 2016 (881) Aug 2016 (1035) Sept 2016 (966) Oct 2016 (918) Nov 2016 (854) Dec 2016 (885) Jan 2017 (879) Feb 2017 (777) Mar 2017 (896) Apr 2017 (872) May 2017 (850) Jun 2017 (851) Jul 2017 (971) Aug 2017 (1040) Sept 2017 (998) Oct 2017 (1144) Nov 2017 (1046) Dec 2017 (838) Jan 2018 (873) Feb 2018 (769) Mar 2018 (885) Apr 2018 (808) May 2018 (827) Jun 2018 (820) Jul 2018 (840) Aug 2018 (854) Sept 2018 (844) Oct 2018 (851) Nov 2018 (870) Dec 2018 (912) Jan 2019 (919) Feb 2019 (827) Mar 2019 (957) Apr 2019 (913) May 2019 (1007) Jun 2019 (934) Jul 2019 (949) Aug 2019 (936) Sept 2019 (910) Oct 2019 (920) Nov 2019 (874) Dec 2019 (908) Jan 2020 (941) Feb 2020 (848) Mar 2020 (898) Apr 2020 (848) May 2020 (822) Jun 2020 (787) Jul 2020 (819) Aug 2020 (858) Sept 2020 (841) Oct 2020 (873) Nov 2020 (811) Dec 2020 (780) Jan 2021 (765) Feb 2021 (716) Mar 2021 (819) Apr 2021 (805) May 2021 (815) Jun 2021 (824) Jul 2021 (830) Aug 2021 (832) Sept 2021 (791) Oct 2021 (754) Nov 2021 (683) Dec 2021 (693) Jan 2022 (694) Feb 2022 (654) Mar 2022 (740) Apr 2022 (745) May 2022 (748) Jun 2022 (701) Jul 2022 (704) Aug 2022 (702) Sept 2022 (699) Oct 2022 (737) Nov 2022 (718) Dec 2022 (692) Jan 2023 (662) Feb 2023 (611) Mar 2023 (692) Apr 2023 (523) Alliance for Romanians' Union (AUR) Chairman, MP George Simion, said on Wednesday that the Romanian state gave its tacit consent last year on deepening works on the Bystroe Canal, saying that he had not received a written document to this effect. "All the measurements made with advanced technology, typical for the years we are living in, show that these deepening works have been done, that there is a minimum depth, in many places on the Bystroe Canal, of 6.5 metres, continuing up to 10 metres - 11 metres. Clearly, there was complicity, a tacit agreement from the Romanian authorities last year. Even though we are parliamentarians and have more tools at our disposal than the common citizens, we have not yet received a document in which Romania gave its consent for these deepening works or for the transit of these ships through Chilia," Simion said at the AUR conference on "The Bystroe Canal - national interest, misinformation or betrayal?". Simion also criticised Transport Minister Sorin Grindeanu for not announcing that Romania had carried out depth measurement works on the Bystroe Canal. "It is gratifying that I received a letter from the Ukrainian Embassy, it means that defiance is not the maximum, it means that there is a way of dialogue (...). Since last year, deepening works have been carried out on the Bystroe Canal. So far, the Minister of Transport, the one who came out publicly, Mr. Sorin Grindeanu, to announce this issue has not announced that Romania has carried out works to measure the depth of the Bystroe Canal," the AUR leader said. In this context, AUR Senator Claudiu Tarziu motivated the organisation of this debate by the "disarming lack of interest" shown by the Government, which treated the subject with "criminal levity." AGERPRES The Chamber of Deputies adopted on Wednesday by a vote of 168 to 75 and 20 abstentions the bill amending the Criminal Procedure Code in the government's version, rejecting all amendments, including those introduced by the Senate. Among others, the bill introduces a new article, which sparked controversy, regarding the records made during specific intelligence collecting activities. In the adopted wording, "recordings resulting from specific intelligence collecting activities that presuppose restricting the exercise of certain fundamental human rights or freedoms can be used as evidence in the criminal process if their content reveals data or information about the preparation or the perpetration of several crimes and the legal provisions regulating the way of obtaining such records were observed". The crimes targeted in this case are those against national security provided for by the Criminal Code and special laws, drug and weapon trafficking, human trafficking, acts of terrorism, money laundering, forgery of coins or other values, forgery of electronic payment instruments, blackmail, rape, deprivation of liberty, tax evasion, corruption crimes, crimes against the financial interests of the European Union, crimes committed through computer systems or means of electronic communication, or other crimes punishable by law with jail sentences of 7 years or more. The legal provisions that regulate the way of obtaining such records must also be respected. The legality of the order authorizing the respective activities, of the warrant issued on its basis, of the way the warrant is carried out and the resulting recordings shall be verified in the pre-trial chamber procedure by the pre-trial chamber judge of the court having first instance jurisdiction in this case, the adopted bill also provides. Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu declared before the vote that he supports this project. The Chamber of Deputies is the decision-making body on this matter. AGERPRES The Deputy General Secretary of NATO, Mircea Geoana, will visit the South-East Multinational Brigade in Craiova on Friday. The NATO official made this announcement in an interview given to AGERPRES, in Brussels, after the conclusion of the meeting of foreign ministers from the Alliance states, which took place on Tuesday and Wednesday. Being under the operational control of the Multinational South-East Division Command, the South-East Multinational Brigade Command (MNB-SE) has the mission of ensuring the command and control of a NATO operation type Article 5 - Collective Defense, in order to contribute in this way to the consolidation of the South-East flank of the Alliance, to the security of the territory and the population of the member states. Intelligence services have no place in the criminal process, because the independence and functioning of justice are being affected, which is an issue related to the rule of law, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) Kelemen Hunor told AGERPRES on Wednesday. He mentioned that the UDMR deputies voted on Wednesday, in the plenary sitting of the chamber, for the adoption of the draft law amending the Criminal Code in the version proposed by the Justice Ministry, but they abstained in terms of the changes to the Criminal Procedure Code - the last decision being related to the interference of intelligence services in justice, "which signifies going back in time." "At the final voting on the Criminal Code, the UDMR deputies voted this draft law in the version proposed by the Government and Minister Predoiu [the Justice Minister - editor's note]. Here, we stated from the beginning that we will accept, in relation to the article on abuse of office, any proposal which comes from Minister Predoiu because it is about a purely technical matter and it has to come from there and not from the political parties, so it can be in accordance with the decisions of the Constitutional Court. First, we received a proposal of 250,000 RON threshold and we endorsed it, because that was the decision. After a few hours, we received another threshold - 9,000 RON - and we said we will endorse it. Yesterday afternoon, late, Predoiu proposed no threshold and we said that if this is a new proposal, this is what we shall endorse, because it is the responsibility of the Justice Ministry to come up with a proposal. Today, in Parliament's plenary as well, Predoiu argued that, from a constitutional point of view, it is alright. I have confidence in what the Justice Minister is saying, we will see if it's confirmed when the respective draft is challenged with the Constitutional Court," the deputy prime minister explained the motivation of the vote cast for the draft law amending the Criminal Code. In terms of the Criminal Procedure Code, Kelemen Hunor showed that there hasn't been a decision related to the national security mandates and the UDMR deputies abstained from voting based on several arguments, firstly related to the rule of law and the separation of the powers in the state. "We abstained because there are many arguments and these arguments are firstly related to the rule of law and the separation of powers in the state. The judicial power and certainly the part of criminal prosecution should not be mixed with any other power. Therefore, the intelligence services have no place in the criminal process. In the version voted by Parliament, which we did not vote, the SRI [the Romanian Intelligence Service] is introduced in the criminal process, we go back in time, by 10 years, even more, which affects the independence and functioning of justice," the UDMR leader stated. The deputy prime minister also mentioned that these aspects have been discussed with Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu, as well as in the ruling coalition and Parliament and added that the version cleared by Parliament refers to any criminal act and any criminal process, "which is unacceptable." The Chamber of Deputies cleared on Wednesday the draft law amending the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code in the version which came from the Government, dismissing all the amendments formulated, including those introduced by the Senate. AGERPRES Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu had a discussion on Tuesday with his counterpart from the Republic of North Macedonia, Bujar Osmani, in his capacity as Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), on the sidelines of the meeting of NATO foreign ministers which he is attending on 4 and 5 April at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, informs a press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE). The two officials addressed issues related to the work of the OSCE, in the context of the Republic of North Macedonia's Chairpersonship-in-Office, at a complex time that the organization is going through, following the Russian military aggression against Ukraine. The head of the Romanian diplomacy reiterated Romania's full support for the priorities of the OSCE Chairpersonship mandate, including by Romania's assumption of the Chairpersonship of the OSCE Security Committee in 2023. At the same time, Minister Aurescu reaffirmed Romania's support for strengthening the role of the OSCE in Ukraine by continuing the projects already initiated by the organisation. "The discussions between the two dignitaries also focused on ways to support the Republic of Moldova through the use of OSCE instruments, with emphasis on countering destabilising actions, combating propaganda and other hybrid threats and increasing resilience. At the request of his Macedonian counterpart, Minister Aurescu presented his assessment in this regard, as well as on the state of play of the Transnistrian file," the press release reads. The head of Romanian diplomacy also reiterated the need for the mandate of the OSCE Mission to Moldova to be extended, in order to ensure efficient OSCE activity in the country. According to the MAE, in order to support OSCE projects to strengthen the resilience of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, Romania has a voluntary contribution to the Organization's budget of 400,000 euros, 200,000 euros for support programmes dedicated to each of the two states. In his turn, Minister Bujar Osmani thanked Romania for its contribution and support in exercising the mandate of OSCE Chairpersonship-in-Office, for its involvement in the organization, as well as for Romania's Chairpersonship of the OSCE Security Committee. AGERPRES Romania will grant a new contribution of 750,000 US dollars to the Voluntary Fund for Strengthening the Defense Capacity of the Republic of Moldova, in addition to the contribution of 600,000 dollars granted last year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, said on Wednesday. at the session of the North Atlantic Council (NAC). According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent to AGERPRES, this amount joins a new contribution of 830,000 dollars for the Voluntary Fund regarding the Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine (NATO - Ukraine Comprehensive Assistance Package Trust Fund), announced on the first day of the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers. The NAC session in an allied format, in which Sweden also participated, as a guest, was dedicated to the preparation of the Vilnius Summit. The discussions focused on the implementation of the decisions of the Madrid Summit, the support for Ukraine and the strengthening of cooperation with the other partner states, the NATO policy of "Open Doors" and the allied commitment to fair sharing of responsibilities, MAE shows. In this context, Minister Bogdan Aurescu highlighted five strategic priorities that Romania will focus on at the Vilnius Summit. Aurescu emphasized the need for the rapid and full implementation of the decisions of the Madrid Summit and showed that the progress in strengthening the defense and deterrence posture on the entire Eastern Flank, to ensure a coherent and united forward defense, as well as the allied presence on the Eastern Flank, especially in the Black Sea region, are essential in this regard. The head of the Romanian diplomacy called for the continuation of measures at the operational level, including regarding the Battle Groups on the Eastern Flank, of which the one in Romania is a part. He indicated that, in the implementation of the decisions of the Madrid Summit, prepositioning of equipment and the clear allocation of reinforcement troops, adequate access to resources, increased capacities for monitoring and maritime and air surveillance are necessary, among other things. Secondly, Minister Bogdan Aurescu requested the development of a common approach at allied level for the Black Sea, in accordance with the strategic importance of this region for Euro-Atlantic security and complementary to NATO's vision for the Southern Neighborhood. Also, the Minister of Foreign Affairs referred to defense investments (Defence Investment Pledge-DIP) as a priority theme of the Vilnius Summit and reiterated Romania's firm commitment to fulfilling all responsibilities in the field of security and defense consolidation, mentioning the allocation, starting with this year, 2.5% of GDP for Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs specifies. The Minister of Foreign Affairs also pointed out the need to maintain political and practical commitment to Ukraine and sustained commitment to the Republic of Moldova, the most vulnerable state, after Ukraine, to hostile actions and Russian provocations. Thus, Bogdan Aurescu reiterated Romania's support for an in-depth political consultation mechanism between NATO and Ukraine and the transformation of the NATO-Ukraine Commission into a NATO-Ukraine Council, with increased powers compared to the current commission, which would support the necessary reforms in Ukraine and increase interoperability with NATO, as well as facilitate Ukraine's path towards accession. At the same time, he pointed out that the allied attention must also be maintained on Georgia, where Romania, together with the United Kingdom, secure the mandate of NATO Contact Point Embassies. In this context, he highlighted that Georgian society supports Georgia's European and Euro-Atlantic path and must be supported in this regard. According to the MAE, the head of diplomacy from Bucharest asked the allies that the relationship with Russia and China be approached strategically at the Vilnius Summit, starting from the parameters set by the New Strategic Concept of NATO adopted in Madrid. Aurescu emphasized that, "under no circumstances can Russia influence the European security architecture and once again condemned Russia's nuclear rhetoric, especially in the context of the announcement regarding the positioning of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus". The Government decided on Wednesday, through a decision, to direct 1.6 million USD, the remaining unspent amount from Romania's contribution to NATO in support of the armed forces in Afghanistan (2nd tranche), to NATO Trust Funds for strengthening the defence capabilities of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. "Following deliberations at the Alliance level, it was decided that the remaining unspent amounts will be returned to the national budgets of the donor states or redirected by them to other NATO Trust Funds. The decision to allocate these funds, through NATO, to the benefit of the Rep. Moldova and Ukraine, is in line with the objectives set through the Government Programme 2021-2024 and reflects the commitments undertaken by Romania at high level in international forums," a press release of the Executive shows. Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archbishop of Bucharest Aurel Perca called for peace in Ukraine, in Europe and in the world in his Easter Pastoral Letter, asking the Lord Jesus Christ that peace "might dwell again in our human hearts, in our families, in our nation and in the nations of the world". "May the miracle of Christ's Resurrection inspire us with empathy for others. May love of neighbour cease to be just a slogan often repeated from the world's pulpits to our hearts and become a real attitude, to be demonstrated every day in our daily lives and in our dealings with people in need. (...) With the greatest humility, kneeling before our Risen Lord, we ask that peace might dwell again in our human hearts, in our families, in our nation and in the nations of the world. We pray that His paschal greeting, with which He welcomed His disciples: 'Peace be with you', will change the destinies of so many people who have been waiting for true peace for many days! From the Risen Lord let us ask for peace in Ukraine, in Europe, in the world!," the high Roman Catholic clergyman writes in the letter posted on the website of the Bucharest Roman Catholic Archdiocese. Monsignor Perca points out that, "unfortunately, it is not easy to proclaim a message of joy and hope today", given the war in Ukraine. "It is not easy to say 'rejoice' when all around us we see war, betrayal, sin, injustice and the work of the evil spirit. It is not easy to sing, 'Christ is Risen, Truly He is Risen', to those who have lost loved ones in recent weeks, days or hours; to those who live these solemn moments far from their homes, which they have had to abandon to save their lives. How painful the words of this beautiful antiphon sound in the barracks and bunkers where hundreds of thousands of innocent and intimidated people have lived for weeks in hunger and cold, in unimaginable fear," said the Roman Catholic hierarch. Metropolitan Archbishop Perca urges that "this year, too, on this holy feast of the Resurrection of the Lord, which is so different from all the feasts of the past, we should remember all those who are alone and abandoned". "Let us remember the elderly who live this Easter alone, far from their children. Let us remember the sick and suffering who lie in hospices and hospitals. Let us not forget the victims of the war in Ukraine and the refugees to whom we have offered a roof over their heads and a heart full of love. Let us remember them all today and in all the days to come!," says the Archbishop. He wishes all the believers who celebrate Easter this Sunday "faith, serenity and abundant joy this Easter". "May God bless you with faith, serenity and abundant joy this Easter. May the grace of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father and the kingdom of the Holy Spirit be with you all' (2 Corinthians 13:14). Christ is Risen! Truly, He is Risen!", wishes the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archbishop of Bucharest, Aurel Perca. AGERPRES Security forces stand guard outside the private preschool where an attacker killed four children with a bladed weapon, in Blumenau, Santa Catarina State, in southern Brazil, on April 5, 2023. A man with a hatchet jumped over a wall and invaded a daycare center Wednesday in Brazil, killing four children and wounding at least five others, authorities said. The assailant turned himself in at a police station and did not appear to have any connection with the center, which offers nursery services, preschool education and after-school activities. The dead were between the ages of five and seven, authorities said. Authorities were searching for a motive, the police detective leading the investigation, Ronnie Esteves, told television reporters in Blumenau, a city in southern Brazil, near the Atlantic coast. Images broadcast on networks showed weeping parents outside the private daycare center called Cantinho do Bom Pastor. The attack took place on the centers playground, according to the local affiliate of television network Globo. NSC, the affiliate, showed a photo of the suspect with a closely shaved head. Police have yet to confirm his identity. Blumenaus mayor, Mario Hildebrandt, suspended classes and said he will declare a 30-day mourning period. The state government said in a statement that rumors circulating on social media of other potential attacks were false. The mayor said five wounded children were taken to hospitals. One was in serious condition. School attacks in Brazil have happened with greater frequency in recent years. Last week, a student in Sao Paulo fatally stabbed a teacher and wounded several others in Sao Paulo. Brazil has seen at least one past attack on a daycare center. That attack also occurred in Santa Catarina state, in 2021, when an assailant used a dagger to kill three children under two years old and two adults. From 2000 to 2022, 16 attacks or violent episodes happened in schools, four of them in the second half of last year, according to a report from researchers led by Daniel Cara, an education professor at the University of Sao Paulo. The researchers prepared the report for the government of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. There is no greater pain than that of a family who loses its children or grandchildren, even more so in an act of violence against innocent and defenseless kids, Lula wrote Wednesday on Twitter. My thoughts and prayers are to the families of victims and the community of Blumenau in the face of the monstrosity of what occurred. Blumenau, a city of 366,000 people, is famous for its annual Oktoberfest festival. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition At its sitting today, the government is looking at a draft emergency ordinance aimed at simplification and digital transformation for the management of European funds under the Cohesion Policy 2021 - 2027, according to Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca. He said that the draft will be approved at next week's meeting. According to the prime minister, under this project it will be possible to integrate "all the lessons so far learned" from running programmes on European funds. The funds allocated for this multi-annual framework amount to EUR 46 billion. "On the agenda today is an emergency ordinance prepared by the Ministry of European Investment and Projects under which we ensure that this transparency and fluidity, facilitating access to funds and the implementation of projects is achieved in everyday practice through digital transformation of all the stages of a programme to secure financing by which we can be sure that non-discrimination is absolutely guaranteed," said Ciuca. He added that that early this week he discussed with visiting European Commissioners Elisa Ferreira and Nicolas Schmit the way in which Romania accesses cohesion funds and also the conclusion of the 2014-2020 multiannual framework. "On December 31, we will have to present concrete data about the commitment we made so that at the level of the government we have an absorption of this European financial framework of at least 90%," Ciuca said at the beginning of the meeting. According to him, after joining the EU, Romania has absorbed EUR 53 billion, of which over EUR 11 billion, or some 20%, in 2022. "Discussions were directed in the sense in which it was possible to gain experience, to carry out some procedures that, of course, need to be adjusted and aligned with the European provisions. Let's do it in such a way that the national legislation allows this transparency, flexibility mechanism, digital transformation (...) There is availability from the European Commission. The two European commissioners expressed their willingness for us to be able to align all these procedures, to keep up a very transparent dialogue," he said. AGERPRES The second edition of the biggest Erasmus Generation event will take place from April 6 to 9 at the Politehnica University of Bucharest and will gather over 900 participants from all over Europe. "Erasmus Student Network (ESN) is organising the second edition of the Erasmus Generation Meeting, the most important student event focusing on improving the Erasmus+ programme and international opportunities for young people," informs a press release sent to AGERPRES on Wednesday. The event organised by Erasmus Student Network Romania, with the support of the National Agency for Community Programmes in Vocational Education and Training (ANPCDEFP), is part of the "Erasmus Generation in Action" ESN project, co-financed by the European Parliament. Under the theme "International Skills for More Involved Societies," the 2023 edition will have two main pillars: skills acquired through international opportunities and civic engagement of young people. The event will have over 100 sessions focusing on key topics for the Erasmus+ programme, international education and youth policies, including inclusive mobility and volunteering, financial support through the Erasmus+ programme, Erasmus+ students' international travel using sustainable means of transport and the digital transformation of internationalisation at home. "Other key topics on the international education agenda, such as the European University Alliances or the new proposal for a Council Recommendation on mobility for all, will also be discussed at the event with EU officials and stakeholders," the source said. European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola will deliver video messages at the event. There are between 7,500 and 8,100 brown bears in Romania, according to a recent study, and a constant increase in the bear population has been recorded in the country, Minister of the Environment, Waters and Forestry Barna Tanczos said on Wednesday. According to the minister, this development "generates a constant increase in human-bear interactions, conflicts and a constant increase in the number and value of damage incurred." He said that the study puts the brown bear population in Romania at a minimum of 7,536 and a maximum of 8,093. "It is very clear that, except for the COVID-19 pandemic -- when activities were much more reduced from all points of view -- a constant increase in the number of incidents and the number of injured and the number of dead people following bear attacks has been unfortunately visible," Tanczos told a news conference for the implementation of a national action plan for the conservation of the brown bear population. He added that based on this study he prepared a new ministerial order with active measures to ensure, on the one hand, maintaining a favourable conservation status, and on the other hand, implementing the legal provisions. "The Ministry of the Environment has until May 15 to issue a ministerial order with prevention quotas by which it reduces the number of conflicts and by which it reduces the instances and amounts of damage. Last year, we issued a ministerial order for 140 bears. That order of the minister was implemented by specialist technical staff of hunting associations. This year we are preparing a new ministerial order that we want to issue and sign by May 15, as the law requires," said Tanczos. According to him, 444 brown bears were harvested in Romania from 2016 to 2022. At the same time, the density of the bear population emerging from the study will be taken into account. In those areas where density is low, the influence of this factor on the calculation formula will be very small. There, the number of extractions, the number of prevention quotas or the prevention quotas will be much lower. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) has taken the initiative in relation the situation of a Romanian citizen whose reservation at an accommodation unit in the town of Tilburg, Kingdom of the Netherlands, was allegedly canceled on the grounds that it would no longer accept Romanians, based on an agreement with the municipality., informs a MAE press release sent on Tuesday. According to the source, the Romanian Embassy in The Hague initiated the official procedures, as a mater of urgency, as soon as the case was reported in the mass media, with the town hall in Tilburg and the accommodation unit that would have canceled the reservation of the Romanian citizen, in order to obtain additional information and clarifications. The spokesperson of the Tilburg city hall told the embassy representatives by phone on 4 April that there has never been an agreement to refuse accommodation to Romanian citizens and that "discrimination is not tolerated in any form in Tilburg," the source said. Furthermore, the representatives of the diplomatic mission contacted the Romanian citizen in question to inform him about the steps taken in this case to clarify the situation, and to ensure that his rights are respected. The person in question stated that he had identified another place of accommodation, ended his stay in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and lodged a complaint with the institution competent to combat discrimination, without requesting assistance from the Romanian diplomatic mission. According to MAE, the case is being investigated by the Tilburg city hall and the Anti-discrimination Organization. Also, according to the information that the spokesperson of the town hall sent to the Romanian Embassy in The Hague, the competent authorities in the locality have not succeeded, until this moment, in contacting the owner or the administrator of the accommodation unit offered for rent. MAE informs that the Romanian Embassy in The Hague is keeping the case under consideration and is prepared to provide consular assistance to the Romanian citizen, according to its legal powers. "The Romanian MAE shows zero tolerance and will act promptly and firmly whenever there are data on possible cases of discrimination against Romanian citizens," the release reads.AGERPRES RICHMOND, Va. Irvo Otieno, a 28-year-old Black man whose death last month at a Virginia mental hospital sparked outrage and led to second-degree murder charges against 10 defendants, died of "positional and mechanical asphyxia with restraints," a medical examiner's office said Monday. Arkuie Williams, the administrative deputy in the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, confirmed the cause of death findings after attorneys for Otieno's family first shared them in a statement. The manner of death was homicide, Williams wrote in an email. Otieno, who struggled with mental illness, was killed March 6 after authorities pinned him to the floor while he was being admitted to Central State Hospital in Dinwiddie County. As a veterinarian, I appreciated the Post-Dispatch's coverage of the Missouri Senate's vote to nullify St. Louis County ordinances that ban cat declawing. ("Missouri Senate votes to neuter St. Louis and St. Louis County ordinances on cat declawing," March 28). I'm disappointed by the Senate vote, as a ban would be a serious misstep that harms cats as well as veterinarians. Without a ban on declawing, many veterinarians would face pressure from clients who mistakenly believe declawing their cats is a viable solution to their problems. Though state Sen. Justin Brown believes local jurisdictions shouldn't be allowed to "obstruct" the practice of veterinary medicine, veterinarians are burdened with being the sole defenders of animal welfare. Without legislative backing, this creates an adversarial relationship with our clients. Thus, declaw bans don't actually interfere with veterinarians' relationships with their clients but rather strengthen them. Importantly, when clients seek out declawing, the side effects are often worse than the initial problem. Research shows 18.5% of declawed cats are more likely than non-declawed cats to bite, while 15.4% begin house soiling, and these behavioral issues are often cited as reasons cat guardians surrender their felines. Fears that a ban on declawing would result in more cats being relinquished to shelters are unwarranted. A 2022 study found that after a declaw ban was passed in British Columbia, there was no change in the number of cats surrendered. Because of the serious need for a statewide declaw ban, I urge Missourians to contact their representatives and push for a statewide ban on declawing. Crystal Heath Berkeley, Calif. Missouri Republicans hold a trifecta of power in the governorship and in both legislative houses. The result is reflected in startling statistics: Missouri was the last state to compile an opioid database, its public school teachers are the lowest paid in the nation, and it is one of just 13 states that tax Social Security benefits. Missouri has also declared that some federal gun laws cannot be enforced by law enforcers within the state. Who does that? The Missouri statute restricting federal gun laws was thrown out by a federal judge, who declared it "unconstitutional in its entirety." Since 2017, Missouri has allowed people to carry concealed firearms without background checks. Anyone can carry a loaded handgun in public with no ID, registration, license or permit. Spousal abusers have carte blanche. As if these astonishing facts weren't bad enough, Republican legislators have added yet another appalling statistic to their legacy, passing bills to ban gender-affirming health care to trans youth. Anyone, parent or doctor, who encourages such treatment could face felony charges in Missouri. Welcome to the Show-Me the Way Out state. Colleen O'Donnell St. Louis Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. STL Life Stay up to date on the best of STL Life: parenting, home fashion, travel, restaurant reviews, recipes and more. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy The U.S. Coast Guard boards a semi-submersible boat, which was carrying cocaine that had a market value of more than $165 million, in September 2019. A small ship navigates the Pacific with apparent normality. And its not alone behind it, there are dozens more. The small ship never docks at any port to reload supplies. It tries to go unnoticed as it makes its way from the coast of Ecuador to some point in Mexico or Central America, where it can dock without attracting attention. To achieve such a trip without making a single stop, an entire network of boats is required. Some are fishing boats and others are semi-submersible; they supply the transport ship with fuel and food on the high seas. The reason the ship seeks to avoid the spotlight is because its carrying more than a ton of cocaine. The sentence handed down by the National Court of Madrid against Carmen Mireya Alarcon who was, for a time, the most-wanted fugitive on the continent paints a portrait of how the networks that supply drug traffickers at sea work to evade the authorities. Carmen Mireya Alarcon, a citizen of Ecuador, was arrested in Barcelona in April 2021. La Senora as she was called within her criminal group assured the arresting police officers that they had made a mistake. I dont even live in Spain; I went to pick up my husband with the lawyer, Alarcon told them, as this newspaper reported at the time. La Senora had traveled to Barcelona to help her husband, who had been arrested at the El Prat airport a few days before. Both had warrants issued by the Southern District of California. They were wanted for the crime of drug trafficking. Finally, they have been extradited to the United States and are currently facing a criminal case. Alarcon was allegedly one of the leaders of a criminal network that supplied the offshore fishing boats that sought to evade authorities while moving cocaine from the coast of Ecuador to Mexico and Central America, before smuggling it into the United States. Born in Manta, the detainee also holds a Spanish nationality, which is why she used Spain as a kind of temporary refuge. In Ecuador where her business was based she was linked to a company supposedly dedicated to the wholesale and retail sale of fishery products. The company based in the coastal province of Manabi operated for at least a decade. Carmen Mireya Alarcon Rivera, after being detained by the Spanish authorities in Barcelona, in April 2021. Suspicious about what was happening on the high seas, U.S. authorities opened an investigation in August 2017, in search of a criminal organization with its headquarters in Mexico and another in Ecuador, which was trafficking drugs into the U.S. The investigation led them to discover several networks of owners and captains of commercial fishing vessels from the Ecuadorian city of Manta, who used their boats to refuel a large number of vessels loaded with drugs. Among the owners of these ships were Alarcon and her husband, Pedro Cornelio Pilligua Iduarte. In 2020, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security tapped the phone calls being made by this group of suspected traffickers, who used Iridium satellite phones to avoid being tracked. The formal U.S. indictment against La Senora is for her alleged use of a fishing vessel registered in her name to resupply multiple drug-filled ships. According to the document, she didnt act alone, but worked alongside other captains to coordinate the transportation of large quantities of cocaine from Colombia and Ecuador to the coasts of Mexico and other South American countries. Included in the evidence are the transcripts of the calls between the alleged traffickers. An example from May 31, 2020, saw the U.S. Coast Guard intercept two vessels about 300 miles off the coast of Guerrero, Mexico. In the two boats in which there were a total of five people officers found over 1,500 pounds of cocaine, along with some laminated cards that detailed the location of the points on the high seas where they had to stop to refuel. There were also telephone numbers that were used to communicate with others, in case supplies were needed. One of these numbers was registered to Alarcon. When reviewing the history of Alarcons calls, authorities found that the woman had acted as a coordinator on the ground in the days prior to the arrest. Her role was to inform captains of other ships (that were also carrying drugs) of the coordinates needed to find a boat in the middle of the ocean that could supply fuel and food. Another clue came in August 2020, when the Coast Guard found a ship that had 5,200 pounds of cocaine hidden under a specially-designed cover. They found that the boat had had contact with Alarcons phone during its voyage her network had been supplying the ship with provisions along the way. The U.S. Navy and the Costa Rican Coast Guard intercept a semi-submersible ship carrying seven tons of cocaine, in September 2008. Kent Gilbert (AP) The communications also indicate that the woman coordinated the departure of the ship loaded with drugs and the points where it was to be refueled. Good morning, has [that ship] passed by your location yet? Alarcon asks another person via text. Negative, reads the reply. The uncle called last night and said that it would pass near the Maria (the name of the supply ship) in three days. Find out and let me know. A few hours later, La Senora initiates another conversation, in which she says that the ship hasnt arrived yet because there are strong winds. Someone tells her that they dont have much food or diesel. It should arrive today, she reassures them. Delete the messages. Once in the crosshairs of the authorities, Ecuadorian police followed Alarcon to a meeting at a restaurant in Manta with her associates from the boats. There, they were photographed by the security forces. Fishing businessmen from Ecuador, sailors and a group of Colombians were involved in the network, which carried the drug from laboratories in the rural areas of Cauca and Narino, in Colombia, to the Pacific coast in that country and in Ecuador. In June 2022, Colombia authorized Alejandro Estupinan Alzates extradition to the United States, to stand trial for 10 drug trafficking charges for allegedly having moved cocaine from those laboratories in the Colombian southwest to the starting points of the routes in the Pacific. The arrests, however, didnt stop the flow of cocaine. Authorities have continued to stop or find boats moving drugs from South America to Mexico or Central America. So far this year, the Attorney Generals Office in Mexico has reported three operations linked to ships that transported cocaine along the Mexican coast: two of them in Michoacan and one in Chiapas. Of the 13 detainees, eight are citizens of Ecuador. At the end of last year, Ecuador experienced a few days of violence carried out by criminal organizations that operated in alliance with the Mexican cartels, mainly the Jalisco Nueva Generacion cartel (CJNG) and the Sinaloa Cartel. These two gangs which have been fighting for years over the drug trade in Mexico have long since ceased to be solely national organizations. Now, they have a significant part of their operations in South America. Ecuador has become one of the main drug corridors from Colombia to Europe, the United States and Central America. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Idahos Republican governor has signed a bill criminalizing gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth starting next year. That makes Idaho one of at least 13 states to enact a law restricting or banning gender-affirming care for minors. Nearly two dozen more are considering similar bills. Gov. Brad Little signed the legislation Tuesday. The ACLU of Idaho is already planning to sue. Physicians will face up to 10 years in prison if they provide hormones, puberty blockers or other gender-affirming care to people under age 18. Opponents say this will likely increase suicide rates among teens. Supporters say it's necessary to protect children from medical treatments for gender dysphoria. Apparently the Missouri House has been taken over by the Missouri Taliban. Not only has the House decided what our schools should not teach, they also want to remove books from our public libraries. Consider the other actions they are taking: dictating a legislative dress code for women legislators (no bare arms); dictating what health care women and transgender people can access; making it harder for voters to amend the state constitution; exerting state control over the St. Louis police; and attempting to replace the locally elected St. Louis circuit attorney. It's up to the good folks of Missouri to either fight back or just let the authoritarian extremists walk all over us. Ed Taylor and Joan Burds Ste. Genevieve A young boy is taken to an ambulance to be checked out by St. Louis EMS workers after he was found bloody riding with a man shot earlier in Walnut Park on Friday, March 31, 2023. The man was driven towards a hospital but the driver sought help outside of a rehabilitation center in the 4400 block of Duncan Avenue.The man later died at the hospital. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com JEFFERSON CITY A lobbyist for the union that represents St. Louis police officers says election night victories for progressive candidates in the city bolster the case for a state takeover of the St. Louis Police Department. Clearly the progressive movement won last night, Jane Dueker, who represents the St. Louis Police Officers Association, told members of the Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee on Wednesday. So we suspect that our fortunes are not going to get better in the city of St. Louis. The union and the Ethical Society of Police, an association of African American officers, both have pushed for the state takeover legislation. While the House easily approved the measure last month, the full Senate has yet to debate the plan and it is unclear how much resistance it would face from Democratic lawmakers, some of whom defected in the House when the measure came up for a vote. As he has done in previous testimony at the Capitol, St. Louis police Chief Robert Tracy urged members of the Senate committee to give him time to make improvements, citing a drop in homicides since he took over in January and saying local control is a huge, immeasurable part of ensuring trust and accountability. The police union and ESOP have clashed with the administration of Mayor Tishaura O. Jones over a variety of issues, including pay, and thrown their support behind state control legislation that would put the department under a five-member police commission. (Four members would be appointed by the governor. The mayor would be the fifth member.) The St. Louis police was under state control from the beginning of the Civil War until 2012, when Missouri voters approved a return to local control. On Tuesday, progressives many aligned with Jones and Aldermanic President Megan Green won most key races Tuesday, giving them a majority on the new 15-member body. Alderman Bret Narayan, for example, toppled Alderman Joe Vaccaro, a 14-year veteran who had frequently clashed with progressives on public-safety matters. Progressive Alderman Anne Schweitzer defeated police union-endorsed candidate Tony Kirchner. And, state Rep. Rasheen Aldridge beat real estate agent Ebony Washington, who promised to oppose diversion of money from police. Dueker noted that one alderman-elect, Michael Browning in the new 9th Ward, pushed for taking guns from traffic police to reduce tension during stops. Nobody should lose their life over running a stop sign or a stoplight, Browning told KSDK-TV (Channel 5) during the campaign. Thats one of our new aldermen, so we have concerns, Dueker said. Thats one persons opinion, Tracy, the chief, said after Sen. Nick Schroer, R-Defiance, mentioned the alderman-elect. I would probably have to be in opposition of that. Schroer then said Green campaigned for defund the police and Jones had tried to divert millions from police. Under the current mechanisms, politics has been injected far too long into policing, Schroer said. In response to concerns over political meddling, Tracy said Jones administration has expressed its full support to him and said city leaderships negotiation of a historic labor agreement demonstrated the commitment to these law enforcement officers. Theyre going to let me lead, Tracy said. I believe my ability to lead effectively depends on maintaining local control because its what I know. Tracy said that after almost six years as the Wilmington, Delaware, police chief, murders fell 60% and nonfatal shootings decreased by half. He said overall crime dropped by nearly 40%. Were off to a good start, Tracy said. Even after 10 weeks, you know, its still a short time, but at least the needles going in the right direction. Asked about officer morale with regard to St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner, who has been criticized for not taking action on cases, Tracy said yeah, it does become an issue if officers feel that cases are not being prosecuted. It also leads to legal cynicism. But, Tracy said he was apolitical and said he cant get caught up in all these other things. He said the public loses if he starts airing differences in the press and at hearings. Nick Desideri, spokesman for Jones, later said the hearing showed the push for a state takeover wasnt about public safety, but rather power, politics, and disenfranchising city voters. The Senate committee didnt vote on the legislation Wednesday. The panel approved similar legislation by Schroer in February, but the full Senate had not acted as of Wednesday. ST. LOUIS Progressive Democrats looking to tighten their grip on the Board of Aldermen this spring mostly delivered Tuesday. Just before 10 p.m., results showed candidates backed by Mayor Tishaura O. Jones and Aldermanic President Megan Green winning in all but one battleground race. The progressive candidates held off stiff challenges from moderate challengers in far south city and on the near North Side. They also toppled one of the progressives most vocal critics at the board in Alderman Joe Vaccaro. And they likely gave leaders a working majority on the new, 15-member board as they continue pushing policy aimed at fighting crime with social services, tackling racial inequities and lifting up the poor. Proposition C, which proposes the creation of a commission to recommend changes to the city charter, also passed with 60% of the vote. It was a good night, said Green, who ran unopposed Tuesday. The future of the city is progressive. Heres how it went down: 4th Ward Alderman Bret Narayan, of Dogtown, scored perhaps the biggest victory Tuesday. He defeated Vaccaro, the progressive nemesis from Lindenwood Park, 54.6%-45.1%, overturning a narrow loss in the March primary. The result ended Vaccaros tenure on the board at 14 years, the last few of which he spent opposing progressive efforts to divert money from the police department to social workers, close the citys old Workhouse jail on the far north side and send more infrastructure money to the North Side at the expense of his area. It also lends credence to the idea that todays voters want aldermen to do more than their traditional functions of fielding neighborhood complaints about potholes and trash and nagging city bureaucrats to fix them. Vaccaro made his campaign all about those things, boasting of answering phone calls at 1 a.m. and picking up trash in his own truck when the city wouldnt. But Narayan, who Green endorsed, said modern aldermen should focus less on putting out fires and more on making citywide policy. He talked about his work legislating repeal of penalties for marijuana possession and plans for lead and asbestos remediation. And he said the city also needed legislation to make it easier for the city to hire workers and shore up city services. We dont want a dumpster czar, he memorably told voters at one forum. We want someone whos going to carry St. Louis into the 21st century. 1st Ward Progressives also held on in far south city, where current 13th Ward Alderman Anne Schweitzer, of Boulevard Heights, defeated Tony Kirchner, a city sheriffs deputy from Bevo Mill, by 4.5 percentage points. Endorsed by the St. Louis Police Officers Association and moderate aldermen, Kirchner entered the race looking to reverse recent progressive gains in an area with a history of old-school, conservative politics. He cast his opponent and her progressive allies as too busy working on reparations and north St. Louis to pick up the trash, trim trees, pave streets and fight crime. And he said he was the antidote: a no-nonsense, law-and-order candidate with the know-how needed to repair a shrunken police department, combat a growing sense of lawlessness and get the train back on the tracks. But Schweitzer, a public relations consultant, blended her support for studying reparations and revitalizing north St. Louis with promises to do just as much work on the basics in her own ward. She talked about how she already caught paperwork errors that were delaying sidewalk repairs. She touted a resolution she got passed calling for increased pay and benefits for city employees to resolve staff shortages hobbling city services. I tried to share a positive message about getting things done, she said. 14th Ward State Rep. Rasheen Aldridge, of Old North St. Louis, notched the third important victory here, in a ward covering part of downtown and the near northeast side. He bested realtor Ebony Washington, a member of the influential Hubbard family from Carr Square, 51.6% to 47.2%, capping one of the more bruising races of the cycle. At one point, Aldridge sued Washington, alleging she hadnt paid taxes on her car and shouldnt be on the ballot. She resolved the suit by paying up, and then fired right back, pointing out hed didnt pay his car taxes in 2022 either and had missed a number of sessions in the Missouri House during the campaign. Then this past weekend, Aldridge accused Washingtons campaign of sending texts criticizing him for being gay, which she denied. After three years of playing defense as a Democrat in GOP-dominated Jefferson City, Aldridge wanted to come home and work on progressive policy with Jones and Green, whose chief of staff is Aldridges partner. He also promised to lead a new generation of Black aldermen that would be less parochial and more willing to work with left-leaning whites to get things done for the North Side. He said his first act as an alderman would be reviving Greens effort to distribute more of a special pot of infrastructure money to North Side wards, which several Black aldermen rejected in February. Washington, on the other hand, came from one of those old-school families, brushed off progressives promises of help to Black areas as all talk, and promised to oppose efforts to divert money away from the police department. 12th Ward The only setback for progressives came here, where Alderman Sharon Tyus, perhaps the most vocal critic of the administration, beat back a challenge from Baden businesswoman Tashara Earl for a sixth four-year term. She took 55.3% of the vote in the new ward, running from the northern border of the Central West End to just north of Calvary Cemetery. Earl had 44.2%. Jones, Green and their allies backed Earl hoping to silence Tyus after years of acrimony. She had claimed Jones signature effort to send $500 checks to struggling families during the pandemic left out her ward. She had loudly criticized the administrations struggles with trash pickup. And shortly after Green took up the presidency at the board, Tyus proposed extraordinary restrictions on Greens power to control the flow of legislation. Earl had promised to move past all that and work alongside progressives to get more money and resources for her part of the North Side. But it wasnt enough. And Tyus said she wasnt surprised. The people know her and trust her, she said. She got endorsements, too, she said: from former Congressman Bill Clay, Comptroller Darlene Green, and State Sen. Karla May. If the mayor wants to sit down and talk, we can get things done, Tyus said. If she doesnt, Ill fight her to the end. Other results 2nd Ward: Alderman Tom Oldenburg, 60%. Phill Menendez, 39%. 3rd Ward: Alderman Shane Cohn, unopposed. 5th Ward: Alderman Joe Vollmer, 58%. Helen Petty, 42%. 6th Ward: Daniela Velazquez, 65%. Jennifer Florida, 34%. 7th Ward: Alisha Sonnier, 61%. Jon-Pierre Mitchom, 38%. 8th Ward: Alderman Cara Spencer, 77%. Ken Ortmann, 22%. 9th Ward: Michael Browning, 63%. Alderman Tina Pihl, 36%. 10th Ward: Alderman Shameem Clark Hubbard, 53%. Emmett Coleman, 47%. 11th Ward: Alderman Laura Keys, 69%. Carla Coffee Wright, 30%. 13th Ward: Alderman Pam Boyd, 54%. Alderman Norma Walker, 46%. Editor's note: A previous version of this story misstated the number of terms Alderman Sharon Tyus has served. Conservative school board candidates win in St. Charles County, lose in Parkway and Rockwood Mehlville voters approved a tax hike to boost teacher salaries. In Jefferson County, voters approved bond measures for projects in four school districts. East St. Louis councilman unseats mayor City Councilman Charles Powell III won the mayor's seat Tuesday with nearly 45% of the vote. ST. LOUIS COUNTY A proposed property tax increase in the West Overland EMS and Fire Protection District failed when vote-counting ended in a tie Tuesday night. Unofficial final results showed 286 people voted in favor and 286 against. Unless a provisional ballot or late-arriving military absentee ballot is added to the mix in the next few days and the yes side gains the upper hand, the result likely will stand. A tie still means youre a loser, said the districts disappointed fire chief, Greg Vogel. In contrast, when candidates for an office end up dead even, state law gives them the option of having a repeat election or, if both agree, to decide the matter by drawing lots or a coin flip, said Eric Fey, a St. Louis County Election Board director. Vogel said the proposed tax hike would be the first since 2007 for the district, which includes parts of St. Ann, Creve Coeur and Bridgeton and unincorporated areas. He said the tax boost, of as much as 50 cents per $100 assessed valuation, is needed because of rising operating costs and an increase in the number of calls handled by district personnel in recent years. If the vote total stays as is, he said, the district is in for some belt-tightening. In November 2021, a proposed property tax increase in the small South County municipality of Bella Villa also split down the middle in unofficial returns. A late military absentee vote in the city came in a few days later. But because it turned out to be a no vote, the proposition still failed. Other propositions The West Overland vote was part of a mixed bag of results for public safety-related propositions across the Missouri side of the metro area on Tuesday. Property tax increases passed in the Hillsboro and Gerald-Rosebud fire districts but failed in the Dunklin fire district and St. Clair Ambulance District. Bond issues that didnt involve a tax hike were approved in the Metro North, OFallon, Pacific and Boles fire districts. Arnold voters passed a sales tax increase to generate more money for law enforcement; the measure also will reduce the citys part of the property tax. Meanwhile, voters in St. Charles and Fenton approved establishing use taxes on purchases from out-of-state vendors. But they were the exception, as similar measures were rejected Tuesday in Chesterfield, Maryland Heights, St. Peters and several other cities. Propositions put forward by school districts passed, including a property tax hike in the Mehlville district to fund teacher and staff raises. In Jefferson County, voters approved no-tax-increase bond measures for improvement projects in the Dunklin, Grandview, Northwest and Sunrise school districts. Bridgeton voters rejected four city charter amendments, including one requiring a city administrator to be hired. Blythe Bernhard of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report. BOLLINGER COUNTY, Mo. At least five people died early Wednesday after a tornado touched down near two southeastern Missouri towns. The tornado ripped through Bollinger County, Missouri, outside the small towns of Glenallen and Marble Hill, about 110 miles south of St. Louis, and left a path of destruction. Multiple injuries were reported, but the extent of deaths and property damage was not clear Wednesday afternoon. Missouri Highway Patrol troopers were assisting with search and rescue efforts, according to an agency Facebook post. An aerial post from the highway patrol showed heavy damage to homes and trees in the largely rural area. Winds in Bollinger County reached 130 mph, according to initial estimates. Those speeds would make the tornado an EF2 classification the third-lowest on a tornado scale of EF0-5. Eric Pendergrass, who runs a funeral home in Marble Hill, said he followed the fire trucks right after the weather calmed. You couldnt get through the town, he said. It was complete devastation. Trees are ripped out of the ground. Houses demolished. Vehicles thrown. Pendergrass said four of the fatalities were from one family that lived in the area of a mobile home on Route 34, a main road through the tiny town. National Weather Service meteorologist Justin Gibbs said the tornado touched down just west of Glenallen. It was on the ground for about 10 or 15 minutes. That is the only confirmed tornado that weve got, Gibbs said. The really significant stuff looks like its pretty well confined to Bollinger County. Gibbs noted that tornadoes are especially dangerous when they touch down late at night or early in the morning, as this one did. Its definitely a nightmare from a warning standpoint, Gibbs said. Its bad anytime, but its especially bad at 3:30 in the morning. A phone weather alert awakened Bobby Masters, who said debris was slamming his Glenallen home as he took shelter in his basement with his family. He recalled hearing a roar as the tornado passed. I had never heard a tornado before. They say it sounds like a freight train and that is exactly what it sounds like, he said. The good Lord spared us, our family and our house. Keith Lincoln, 56, who was also awakened by a phone alert, huddled in a bathtub with his wife and 18-year-old daughter and prayed: Just save us and the house. He spent the afternoon patching his roof but was thankful his prayer was mostly answered. Chris Green, 35, found a small, black dog dead in the debris. I cant just leave it here, he said as he and his father buried the animal. Gov. Mike Parson said Wednesday morning he planned to join emergency personnel on the ground to assess the damage and determine what resources are needed. The Herculaneum Fire Department announced that an Urban Search and Rescue Team assembled in Festus and planned to help in the cleanup and rescue efforts. The team is a natural disaster task force organized by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Wednesdays storm came as tornado warnings were issued throughout Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and parts of Texas as low pressure and strong winds filed strong storms. Just a few days earlier, severe storms and multiple tornadoes hit a wide swath of the U.S., killing at least 32 people, according to The Associated Press. A cold front pushing east from Kansas City helped Wednesdays storm move along overnight, as St. Louis was almost 20 degrees warmer than Jefferson City just before 9:30 a.m. Jesse Bogan of the Post-Dispatch, and Jim Salter and Scott McFetridge of The Associated Press contributed to this report. Kansas City Star. April 2, 2023. Editorial: Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt are right were divided. More fighting wont fix that Are Americas foundational values crumbling? Missouris U.S. senators both think so. Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt, both Republicans, were among the many American conservatives who raised alarms last week about a new Wall Street Journal poll. The survey revealed that since the late 1990s, there has been a steep decline in the percentage of Americans who say that ideals such as religion, patriotism, child-rearing and community involvement are very important to them. THIS is the greatest challenge our nation faces the loss of our common culture & the principles & beliefs that bind us together, Hawley wrote on Twitter. Schmitt offered a more acerbic take. The Left embraces Cultural Marxism and despises patriotism, religion, community and merit, he wrote. We must reject the Lefts divisive ideology and rally around the American Idea and a renewal. Well, wait a second. While the survey was presented with a headline saying that Americans are pulling back from ideals that have defined the American character, were not so sure thats the case. A closer look at the poll reveals some of those old values are still pretty popular. Ninety-four percent of respondents said hard work is very or somewhat important. Ninety percent expressed support for the value of tolerance. Seventy percent value marriage, and 65% say that having children is ideal. Seventy-three percent say patriotism is important to them. Two-thirds still value a belief in God. Getting a majority of Americans to agree on any proposition is pretty tough these days which makes these numbers extraordinary, even if theyre softer than they once were. We have a lot more in common than we think. Still, we take the senators underlying point: Building a healthy, thriving country does require some element of common purpose and commitment to the future. On any given day, the news headlines are filled with signs that both elements are in short supply across America. There is definitely work to be done. But a question arises: Are Hawley and Schmitt really up to that task? Were skeptical, at least as far as the two culture warriors currently comport themselves. Why? Because creating that common purpose and using that foundation for the good of all Americans is something that must be done together. This country is too big and diverse for one small faction to simply impose its vision on everybody else. Missouris senators arent exactly bridge builders. We dont need to rehash Schmitts tired social media tirades about cultural Marxism and the climate cult, and Hawleys fist-saluting insurrectionary sympathies have been analyzed to death. Suffice it to say, the pair have done precious little to bring us all together in the service of some bigger American idea. Instead, theyve repeatedly thrown down the gauntlet: Youre with us, or youre against us. AMERICA TOO DIVERSE FOR A SINGLE CULTURE Thats the first problem. The second? The ideal offered by Hawley, Schmitt and many of their fellow Republicans is simply too narrow to fit Americas reality. In Missouri and across the nation, the GOP this year is passing bill after bill attempting to enshrine a conservative notion of the good life a nostalgic 1950s television version of society that never was reality by using government to squelch competing visions. They have passed legislation forcing libraries to take down so-called explicit LGBT-themed books, pushed the states universities to curtail their diversity initiatives, and are threatening to outlaw medical care for some of Missouris most vulnerable young people. The plain intent of all these initiatives is to erase the cultural shifts of the last few decades to stuff it all back in the closet. That wont work. Missouri wont become whiter or straighter or more religious because a GOP-led government tries to require it. Neither will America. A common culture cannot be the same thing as a monoculture. We should note here that Democrats havent always done a great job of building bridges, either. Barack Obamas 2008 assessment that rural conservatives cling to guns or religion was a misguided expression of contempt that still carries a sting. So was Hillary Clintons derision of Donald Trumps supporters as a basket of deplorables. Liberals and progressives have helped make the problems we face today. How then to build that elusive common purpose among Americans? It is notable that the decline observed in the Wall Street Journal poll coincides roughly with the rise of the internet and hundreds of niche-interest cable TV channels as our dominant conduits for media consumption and public discourse and the corresponding polarization of our politics. We are becoming a nation of lonely people, using our computers and smartphones to yell at each other in all caps while listening mostly to folks who tell us exactly what we already want to hear. And what many of us want to hear is that we are the good guys. That the other guys are bad. Sometimes that is true. Not nearly as often or as much as wed like to think, though. For the most part, Americas reality is far more complex. Would you understand that complexity from the public pronouncements of Sens. Hawley and Schmitt? Do their Twitter feeds make you want to reach out and understand your neighbors a little bit better, or to be kinder or more generous to them? Maybe not. An American ideal worthy of the name wont be constructed on a foundation of relentless divisiveness. Missouris senators are exhorting us to a future of shared ideals. They can start by first reexamining how they publicly express their own values. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. April 1, 2023. Editorial: Whats past is past? Not if voters refuse to let politicians get away with it. Theres a trend among suburban Missouri politicians, primarily on the conservative side, of trying to avoid accountability for past statements or actions by simply shrugging them off as ancient history. Its like a get-out-of-jail-free card in Monopoly. Only voters in upcoming elections havent issued any such absolution, nor should they. One of the best examples emerged recently when a 2016 video resurfaced in which Parkway school board candidate Ryan Kerr, 39, of Ballwin, launches into an expletive-filled, four-minute tirade. He refers repeatedly to an Asian woman as panda and makes derogatory remarks about another woman. Women competing against him on the April 4 ballot insist Kerrs tirade should be disqualifying. Whats past is past, Kerr said in a written statement. This was a very isolated and targeted event, intoxicated, and immediately following (a) false allegation of assaulting a female. It wasnt right regardless and there werent any excuses. I apologized very publicly, privately, and sought a counselor. What Kerr neglected to mention, but which is obvious from the video, is that he was driving while recording it. Driving while drunk. And this is someone who proposes to oversee the education of Parkway kids and, presumably, serve as a model for them. Then theres Ferguson mayoral candidate Nick Kasoff. He apparently thinks its unfair to judge him based on his past positions, including those outlined in a June 12, 1990, Post-Dispatch letter to the editor. In it, he complains about news coverage of criminal acts against homosexuals while lamenting a lack of adequate coverage of crimes committed by homosexuals. The damage that homosexuals have done in our community, by flagrantly disregarding both decency and law, far exceeds the isolated incidents of violence that are aimed at them, Kasoff wrote. First, the continued practicing of homosexuality in public places is an unlawful nuisance. Kasoff blasted behaviors that go far beyond the decent, private exercise of personal preference, which we are told is representative of homosexuality. Kasoff expressed outrage at harassment letters and phone calls he had received, asking, Will we now start tracking hate crimes by homosexuals as well? Kasoff now says that he was a religious conservative Republican activist back then, and his views have changed. Meanwhile, state Rep. Doug Richey of Excelsior Springs is trying to rally fellow Republicans around budget rules to restrict spending on any initiatives that promote collective guilt and the concept that disparities are necessarily tied to oppression from the past. Apparently the blatantly racist acts that keep surfacing around the state such as high school kids in Eureka recently putting white and colored signs on bathroom stalls have no relationship to past oppression. No matter how much Richey protests, collective guilt does exist across the state. It is the collective guilt of voters who mark their ballots in favor of candidates like him, Kerr and Kasoff. St. Joseph News-Press. March 30, 2023. Editorial: Tax merits a specific plan When special interests are allowed to write legislation, they will take care of themselves first. This is what happened with Amendment 3, the voter-approved measure that legalized adult-use marijuana in Missouri. Sure, the campaign last year hit all the talking points that make legal marijuana a popular elixir with the voting public: dissatisfaction with the war on drugs, promises of a revenue windfall and a vague sense that if it feels good you should be able to do it. But first and foremost, the lawyers and industry insiders made it clear that when theyre being nice to you, theyre really being nice to themselves. Voters were presented with a take-it-or-leave-it proposal that cements two lucrative perks for Big Marijuana: an exclusive right to gobble up most of the recreational licenses and a tax rate that is so low it erodes the promised revenue windfall. Big Marijuana wrote itself a 6% state tax rate on recreational sales. Compare that with rates of 15% in Colorado, around 16% in Illinois, 37% in Washington state and as much as 38% when all taxes and fees are added up in California. In our state, its a better deal for the companies than the public, but voters in Missouri didnt seem to mind. But at least Amendment 3, which is difficult to alter because its enshrined in the state Constitution, gives municipalities the right to ask voters to impose an additional 3% tax on the sale of recreational marijuana. St. Joseph is among a long list of Missouri cities that put a local marijuana tax on the April ballot. It remains to be seen how this will go, especially since there is little campaigning and voters tend to respond more favorably to tax measures when theyre given specifics on how the money will be spent. Here the citys tax proposal is lacking, but passage still is possible when you look at the numbers. Big Marijuana likes to say that St. Joseph voters overwhelmingly passed Amendment 3, but that is a misreading of the election results. In Buchanan County, legal marijuana passed by 712 votes, with 51.45% support. It stands to reason that those who voted no will support a higher tax, as will the portion of the yes vote that has little interest in consuming marijuana but saw no reason to keep the prohibition for others. Its the enthusiastic recreational user who may balk at a higher tax. (The variable is turnout, which will be lighter for an April election). The 3% tax might be one of the few things that can be done on the local level to derive more benefits from legal marijuana. Voters should approve it, but city officials shouldnt bury that revenue in the general fund. It would be preferable to come up with specific uses down the road, possibly an effort directed toward preventing and treating drug overdoses. END Members of a Holy Week procession in Nicaragua were chased by police in the streets of Nindiri, a small city around 16 miles (26 kilometers) from the capital, Managua. Footage of the scene, which took place on Holy Monday, shows the group running frantically as they are pursued. Some are carrying crosses, and nearly all of them are dressed in long tunics. In Nicaragua, the regime led President Daniel Ortega, and his wife Vice President Rosario Murillo has banned Catholics from holding processions and carrying out other Holy Week traditions in public areas ahead of Easter Sunday. One of the officers managed to intercept a young man dressed as Simon of Cyrene, who, according to scripture, was compelled by the Romans to carry the cross of Jesus as the latter was taken to his crucifixion. When the officer caught up with the young Catholic near Santa Ana Church, he warned him that religious activities were banned. Im just telling you, nothing more, the officer is heard telling the man in the viral video. This Holy Week tradition is one of the most striking religious events to be held in Masaya, the department where Nindiri is located. As part of the tradition, men, women, youths and children dress up in tunics and cloaks and carry crosses on their shoulders like Simon of Cyrene. In other Nicaraguan cities, police have also stepped up efforts to prevent religious activity in the streets. Officers prohibited re-enactments of the Stations of the Cross during Lent for security reasons, and reinforced the order for Palm Saturday. Holy Week processions can take only place within churches, or close to them in adjacent streets. Researcher Martha Patricia Molina, who is studying the attacks on the Catholic Church in the context of religious persecution, estimates that so far more than 30 processions have been canceled this year. However, she says that this is a conservative number, since there are 118 parishes under the Archdiocese of Managua. Carlos Enrique Herrera, the president of the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua (CEN), says that police have asked for processions to be only carried out near churches, just as they did during Lent. In other words, we can use the streets that are near the temple, it is the only thing they have told us... it must be for security reasons, he said. Holy Week processions are very important to Catholics. In addition to being very busy events, they are popular traditions. As a result of Ortegas order, the Archdiocese of Managua had to hold the traditional Triumph Procession with the image of Jesus Christ next to the Metropolitan Cathedral. And authorities canceled the so-called Aquatic Stations of the Cross, a re-enactment that runs through part of the Great Lake of Cocibolca a tradition that has been celebrated for more than 40 years. In its wake, the Nicaraguan Tourism Institute (Intur) said it will carry out its own Via Crucis in the lake, without the blessing of a religious authority of the Diocese of that department. In the department of Leon, which is governed by an Ortega ally, a procession organized by Bishop Socrates Sandigo to celebrate Jesuss triumphal entry into Jerusalem was also cancelled. And in the community of Popoyuapa, in the department of Rivas, a sculpture representing the Christ known as Jesus del Rescate also remained inside the church. Unlike previous years, the traditional pilgrimage to the church in Popoyuapa did not take place on Good Friday. Authorities said it was cancelled for reasons beyond their control. Priest expelled In addition to cracking down on Holy Week events, authorities also expelled Panamanian priest Donaciano Alarcon on Monday. Alarcon was in charge of Maria Auxiliadora Church, in San Jose de Cusmapa, in the department of Madriz. Religious sources told EL PAIS that the priest was arrested Monday afternoon, after taking part in a Mass held by the Diocese of Esteli. According to these sources, Alarcon was taken out of Nicaragua via El Espino, a border outpost where authorities left him barefoot on Honduran territory. Catholic Panorama, the magazine of the Archdiocese of Panama, confirmed on social media that the priest had been deported from Nicaragua, arguing that the action was taken because Alarcon had organized a Holy Week procession in front of his parish. The priest is in a neighboring city, San Marcos de Colon... We continue to pray for the sister church of Nicaragua, which, despite everything, continues with an unwavering faith, said Catholic Panorama. Another Catholic source did not rule out that Alarcon may have been deported due to the fact that he mentioned, on more than one occasion, Roman Catholic Bishop Rolando Alvarez, an outspoken critic of Nicaraguas government, who was sentenced to 26 years in prison. In a bid to lessen the backlash over its crackdown, the Nicaraguan government has promoted other religious activities that have not been approved by the Catholic Church, which has said they are usurping the traditional events. Whoever says that there is religious freedom here is a liar, because not letting you go out on the street is restricting your freedom, a devout Catholic told the news outlet Divergentes. The idea is not to let your guard down, for people do not confront [the authorities], but also not stop going to church. Ortega and Murillo unilaterally suspended diplomatic relations with the Holy See in mid-March, after Pope Francis described the Nicaraguan regime as a dictatorship. It is something from outside of what we are living, as if it were a communist dictatorship in 1917 or a Hitlerian one in 1935, he said in a March 10 interview with Argentine media outlet Infobae. In 2022, the Nicaraguan government expelled Archbishop Waldemar Stanislaw Sommertag, the papal Nuncio (akin to an ambassador) to Nicaragua, and this year, it shut down Catholic aid organization Caritas and closed media groups owned by the Catholic Church. It has also exiled and imprisoned 21 priests, who have been declared traitors to the homeland. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition It is 2016 all over again, and very few have seemed to learn the lesson when it comes to Donald Trump. He most likely be the 2024 Republican nominee. Some pundits have speculated that Trump couldnt possibly be the Republican nominee, asserting he is an albatross on the party and blaming him for its losses. While correct, that makes little difference at this point. Many are busy casting wishes that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis or others would take Trump out. Many donors are literally banking on alternatives. From my perspective in flyover country, it is too late. Republican base voters havent changed. They are not listening to elites. They will not care about any Trump indictment, and the mainstream news media is missing it again. The days for stopping Trump were back in 2016, before he became the Republican presidential nominee, or in 2021 with his second impeachment trial. The establishment shirked its responsibilities both times, and now it is too late. Trump has enough voters. He has control of the state parties. He has a significant influence over the national party, and his opponents have done too little to distinguish themselves from Trump, let alone explain why he shouldnt be president again. After his 2016 win, reporters from all over the country descended on rural diners to study the Trump voter to understand the grievances and to explain what had just happened. The resentments these voters feel havent changed over the last seven years, and to think they have is foolish. My neighbor in Missouri just replaced his somewhat tattered Trump flag with a new one, which incidentally hangs next to a flag exclaiming Biden Sucks. He, like other Republican base voters, still loves Trump. They think he did a great job and was robbed of his reelection in 2020. Polling confirms their stories. Trumps approval rating among Republicans remains around 70%. Six in 10 Republicans continue to believe Joe Biden didnt win the 2020 presidential election legitimately. These voters believe Trump will continue to fight for them and are ready to vote for him. Most state Republican parties, Missouri included, are fully controlled by the MAGA wing of the party. Candidates for elected office seek out Trumps endorsement, and his endorsement matters in red states. Think Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio or Rep. Harriet Hageman of Wyoming. State elected officials, at least in states like Missouri, have been quick to endorse Trump. State parties have control over how delegates are awarded. A crowded primary field would guarantee to split the anti-Trump vote, clearing his path to the lions share of delegates. Repeating 2016 all over again. On the national scene, things look about the same. Trumps hand-picked Republican National Committee chair in 2017, Ronna McDaniel, was just reelected for her fourth term. McDaniel suggested on CNNs State of the Union that all Republicans will be required to sign a pledge to support whoever wins the party nomination to be allowed on the debate stage. The party made that requirement as well in 2016. Asked if he would abide by it, Trump told conservative radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt: I would give you the same answer I gave in 2016, during the debate: It would have to depend on who the nominee was. I am doubtful that McDaniel or others Trump packed into the national committee would dare speak out publicly against him. Despite the losses and the grumblings, this is still Trumps party, and very little has changed. Perhaps the most compelling case for why I believe Trump will be the Republican nominee is that he continues to hold the party hostage. In a poll from The Bulwark/North Star Opinion Research, 28% of Republican respondents said theyd vote for Trump over either a Republican or a Democrat if he made a third-party run in 2024. Republicans chances of winning would be nearly nil if almost 30% of GOP voters left to vote for Trump. It is also important to consider what would motivate Republican primary voters to choose another candidate over Trump. On Fox News Sean Hannity show, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina described the other candidates who are running or considering it as offering nothing different from Trumps policies. A candidate would need to make a strong case for why Trump should not be president again while walking the very fine line and not offending his voters. The time for wishing Trump out of the national picture is long gone. He still has the voters, the state parties and the national party. There is little reason to think the outcome will be different this time. The Missouri Commission on Human Rights is supposed to confront discrimination. So what was the commissions chairman, the Rev. Timothy Faber, doing testifying last week against state legislation that would prohibit discrimination against Missourians based on sexual orientation or gender identity? Faber, testifying in his capacity as a lobbyist for the Missouri Baptist Convention, specified that he believes landlords, employers and others should be able to legally discriminate against those populations. He certainly has the right to that opinion, but that doesnt make him the logical choice to lead a commission that is supposed to work against discrimination. Gov. Mike Parson, who appointed Faber to the commission in 2021 and who himself has supported expanding anti-discrimination protections should heed Democrats calls to replace Faber. The Missouri Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on race, gender, religion, disability and more, but it doesnt extend such protections based on sexual orientation or gender identity. As the Post-Dispatchs Jack Suntrup reports, the pending Missouri Nondiscrimination Act would change that, extending legal protection to those populations. Among supporters of earlier attempts at that reform was Parson himself, in 2013, when he served in the state Senate. Do I think people should be discriminated on in the workforce? No I dont, Parson told The Kansas City Star in 2018. I never have felt that way. But Parsons appointee to the human rights commission, Faber, clearly does. An employer or a landlord should also have rights in how they conduct their business, Faber told the Senate General Laws Committee last week, as quoted by the Missouri Independent. They can discriminate against someone based on a number of factors. Thats their right. That may be true under current Missouri law, but it shouldnt be. Whats most concerning is that, should the nondiscrimination act pass and extend those protections to the LGBTQ community, it would fall to staff under the Missouri Commission on Human Rights Chairman Faber presiding to enforce those protections. Among the issues raised by 10 Democrats who signed a letter demanding Fabers removal was that he didnt mention until he was directly asked that he was a member, let alone chairman, of the commission. Even in arguing that the commission was too overloaded to take on the additional cases that expanded rights would bring, he referred to the commission as they rather than we. Faber said later he wasnt trying to mislead anyone and that his opposition to the bill expanding anti-discrimination rights wasnt voiced in his capacity as leader of the states anti-discrimination panel. That, at least, is good to know. That a state commission chairman would appear with his role unrecognized by a roomful of senators may speak to a neglect of this important panel by Parson, who has left seven of its 11 seats unfilled. He should remedy that after appointing a new chairman. To hear it from Donald Trump and his supporters, his prosecution in New York is an unprecedented abuse of the court system for political ends based on the most trivial of charges. Trump, of course, uses far more colorful language to make that point, but even former Vice President Mike Pence no friend of Trump says that an unprecedented indictment of a former president built on campaign-finance abuses is an outrage. True, no former president has ever been arrested and hauled before a court as Trump was on Tuesday. But theres nothing unprecedented about holding the nations top public officials accountable when they run afoul of the law, even for seemingly trivial violations. Other top politicians have protested almost as loudly as Trump, only to see their careers subsequently go down in flames. In 1973, Vice President Spiro Agnew argued that he was immune to prosecution because of his executive-branch status. Agnew was under investigation by the U.S. attorney in Maryland for corruption-related activities committed while Agnew was the governor of Maryland. Like Trump, Agnew claimed he had been victimized by scurrilous and inaccurate allegations based on the wildest rumor and speculation. Like Trump, Agnew insisted the news media was out to get him. He wound up resigning after appearing in court to plead no contest to a single count of tax evasion on his 1967 return. No, Agnew wasnt the president, but he had been only a heartbeat away. Two heartbeats from the presidency in 1988 was House Speaker Jim Wright, D-Texas, who was forced out of office not by some egregious criminal act but for the lowly crime of collecting $54,000 in royalties from a book he wrote in violation of House rules on earning outside income. The entire ethics investigation was couched in political terms, with Republican leader Newt Gingrich leading the charge to unseat Wright. Gingrich later became speaker, only to face his own grueling ethics investigation, which contributed to his departure in 1998. After years of investigations focusing on the Whitewater real estate deal in Arkansas, Special Prosecutor Ken Starr was unable to come up with enough evidence to prosecute then-President Bill Clinton. Not even the fact that Clinton had an affair with a White House intern constituted an impeachable offense. But Clinton did wind up being impeached in a party-line vote in the Gingrich-led House. His crime: lying under oath. New York prosecutor Alvin Bragg is taking a big risk by pursuing this case, but none of Trumps loud protestations will ultimately matter if Bragg can convince 12 jurors that Trumps alleged crimes rise to the level of labeling him a convicted criminal. Trump can credibly claim to be the only ex-president to face such a legal ordeal, but hes hardly alone among top politicians claiming to be victims of political witch hunts based on seemingly flimsy charges. No sympathy for dog owner who endangered the public Tony Messengers column Shes 64, with a clean record. But she spent 3 days in jail for being poor. (April 2) attempts to arouse sympathy for a woman who released a dangerous weapon in a park where children were playing. The dangerous weapon was an unleashed pit bull. These animals are unpredictable and may attack without provocation or warning. They are capable of killing a child in seconds. Direct your sympathy to the child, who narrowly escaped serious harm, and his family. The dog should be euthanized and its owner prosecuted for reckless endangerment of a child. Jonathan Katz Clayton Update restitution policies for the wrongly convicted When a judge recently ruled there was clear and convincing evidence that Lamar Johnson was wrongly convicted of a 1995 murder, many assumed he would be entitled to restitution for the almost three decades he spent behind bars. Instead, Johnsons case highlighted that current Missouri law does not provide exonerees like him with any compensation for their wrongful incarceration. (Editorial: Freedom isnt enough. Make Lamar Johnson financially whole. Feb. 15.) Missouris current law provides restitution only to individuals who were convicted of a felony and later determined to be innocent based on DNA evidence. Missouris DNA requirement is unique compared to the other 35 states with wrongful-conviction compensation laws. The lack of restitution begs the question: Is Johnson less innocent simply because DNA evidence was neither used to convict nor exonerate him? Johnsons case also underscores the inconsistencies from state to state regarding the available compensation to those who have had their wrongful convictions overturned. Missouris DNA-based compensation statute allows individuals to receive $100 per day for each day they were incarcerated following their wrongful conviction (or $36,500 per year), while the majority of other states pay $50,000 or more per year. The Missouri Legislature is considering proposals to increase the restitution amount and eliminate the DNA restriction for restitution for a wrongful conviction. Lamar Johnson was found to be wrongfully convicted. Its time for Missouri law to treat him as such. Lindsay Leible Combs Clayton Retired homeowners need relief from property tax bills Gentrification tax increases are triggering uncertainties for St. Louis seniors. New public policies such as Missouri Senate Joint Resolution 21 can buffer the fears of senior homeowners and help stabilize neighborhoods. There are about 16,500 senior homeowners in St. Louis, almost a third of all owner-occupied households in the city. Property taxes create a unique problem for those retirees: As property taxes increase over time, incomes may not. When property taxes become too costly, senior homeowners, particularly those on fixed incomes, may face involuntary displacement because of their inability to pay, even if they are no longer carrying a mortgage. Proposed by state Sen. Steve Roberts, SJR 21 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would offer tax relief to exempt taxpayers 65 years or older who meet residency and income requirements from increases in the assessed value of their residences. As redevelopment shapes neighborhoods, taxes would not increase for elderly homeowners. The timing is right since the state is flush with cash and St. Louis is experiencing transformation in middle corridor neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are seeing record numbers of investors and decreasing vacancies while senior homeowners wonder if they will have to leave their homes. I think Missouri should enable senior homeowners to live in their communities for as long as they can. Property tax relief for older homeowners addresses age inequities and repairs a broken housing system with a new policy that collaborates with community development efforts. Judith Arnold St. Louis School shootings are the problem, not school boards Regarding House passes Parents Bill of Rights Act, requiring increased school transparency (March 27): Parents have always had their questions taken up respectfully by local public schools. Those schools provide an engine to uplift and improve society. Its crucial to defend our rights to adequately fund schools and offer teacher pay that reflects the enormous responsibility that the job requires. Parents rights? How about the right to safety? Can we have a week without the nausea that accompanies headlines of mass murder? Where are the powerful voices of Missouri Sens. Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt and Rep. Ann Wagner? Its clear their hearts are not with families and children. Banning military-style assault rifles and instituting background checks would reduce killings. I think elected officials should stop the distractions and do their jobs. Lynn Sableman Frontenac Bagels evoke warm memories of old times in St. Louis Regarding New shops look to transform St. Louis bagel reputation. Can we move past bread-sliced? (April 2): As a student of architecture at Washington University in the 1960s, I remember the lights in the architecture building being on well after midnight seven nights a week. The architecture curriculum was not for the undisciplined. As a break from preparing for an impending deadline, architecture students would often retreat to Pratzels Bakery at Delmar and Skinker. Walking into the alley at the rear of the store at 2 a.m., there was a single door propped open emitting a welcoming light and enticing smell. Inside, the workers were baking that days supply of bagels. If we were respectful, they would sell us bagels straight from the oven at 10 cents each. Standing in the dark on a spring night with the stars overhead, a warm bagel in hand, and having your whole life in front of you was magical. I can smell them still. Andy Van Der Tuin Olivette Read letters online at STLToday.com Fairview Heights, IL April 5, 2023 In support of its vision for growth, IMPACT Strategies is bolstering its construction operations staff with the addition of a new Project Engineer and the promotion of several team members. The firm has added Bryce Reeves of Edwardsville, Illinois as Project Engineer. Reeves, who interned at IMPACT Strategies in 2022, is a graduate of Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville with a bachelors degree in construction management. Construction runs in Bryces blood he credits his uncle, who is a construction manager, with fostering his love of the industry. Mr. Reeves said, Im excited to be at IMPACT Strategies where I can continue to grow and gain knowledge in the construction industry, while challenging myself to become the best that I can be. In his spare time, Bryce enjoys hunting, fishing, traveling, and fitness. IMPACT Strategies has also promoted two Senior Project Engineers, Jordan Grant, and Andrew Michel, to Assistant Project Manager. Since joining IMPACT Strategies in 2018, Jordan Grant has demonstrated leadership on the jobsite, from coordinating owner meetings and correspondence, to taking a lead role with subcontractors. Grant graduated from the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Construction Leadership Institute in March 2022. Andrew Michel started as an intern at IMPACT Strategies in 2019. Over his nearly four-year tenure at the firm, he has successfully taken on ever-increasing project responsibilities. Michel holds a bachelors degree in construction management from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. He is passionate about construction, having grown up around the industry, even working as a laborer for his fathers masonry business before college. I enjoy that every day is different and comes with new challenges and opportunities, said Andrew. I aspire to become a leader in the construction industry and help develop buildings that will benefit the surrounding communities. In their new positions, Grant and Michel will continue to take on greater leadership roles with management level responsibilities, including financial and contract management. Mark Hinrichs, President at IMPACT Strategies said, Were excited to see the great things Bryce, Jordan, and Andrew will accomplish in their new roles. -End- About IMPACT Strategies IMPACT Strategies provides client-focused construction management, design/build, and general contracting services. The firm offers a full continuum of innovative design/build service capabilities including proven construction management processes and site development. IMPACT Strategies serves a regional and national client base in the Healthcare, Senior Living, Multifamily, Office, Retail, and Warehouse/Distribution markets from its offices in Missouri, Illinois, and Ohio. To learn more visit BuildwithIMPACT.com. What Is an AI CEO? Ask Mobeon's Mark Alamares, Who Just Hired One Mark Alamares of Mobeon, one of the streaming and virtual production industry's most innovative media companies, is stepping aside as CEO and handing the company's operational and strategic planning reins to Chingiss Tron, a virtual executive who may be the streaming industry's first AI CEO. In this interview with Streaming Media editor Steve Nathans-Kelly, Mark (who will stay on Mobeon's COO) explains what having an AI CEO is all about, and why he believes other media companies will see the strategic and operational benefits and follow Mobeon down this path in the years to come. Page 1 With the generative AI chatbot ChatGPT bringing AI into cultural conversation as never before, professionals in many sectors gnashing their teeth and hitting the panic button amid fears that AI will take their jobs. Mark Alamares, founder of Burbank-based livestreaming and virtual production innovator is going in a different direction, handing over his job voluntarily. While insisting that Mobeon will continue to have a strong human element (including Alamares' own creative leadership), and maintaining that (despite the timing of the announcement) this is no April Fool's Joke, Mobeon announced in an AI-generated press release earlier this week that appointment of a new CEO: an AI-powered ChatGPT-based virtual CEO the company is calling Chinggis Tron. Mobeon is not the first company to go this route--Chinese gaming company Net Dragon Websoft named an AI CEO last year--but they appear to be the first in the streaming industry. "We're very serious about implementing AI for our business at Mobeon," Alamares said in a March 31 interview with Streaming Media, "because we feel like it's going to impact all levels of our business, from sales and marketing to customer service, to creationn to production management." Going forward, Mobeon will also draw on AI's capabilities for insight into "business strategy, creative strategy, accounting, and legal. And this is just a start," he continues. Soon, he predicts, "It's going to be commonplace. It will be the future, and that's something that we're very invested in--how to do things better, faster, quicker, more efficiently, and ultimately more profitably." Alamares believes that AI's ability to harness resources faster and more broadly than humans will enable the company to see opportunities that may have been on their "blind side" before adopting AI in this way. "It could create new opportunities for us that we may have been, you know that what might have been you know that we couldn't see because it was on, you know on our blind side. So that's where AI, he says, "can elevate human thought, because it has a lot of data to pull from. It's going to help to explore some of the blind spots that humans may have in regards to business models or ideas or opportunities. I feel it's much more of an enhancing tool, and it increase productivity and creativity by 10 times, a hundred times. It's still as yet unexplored, but why not get in on early and see what the potential is?" Alamares sees potential for adopting this approach for media companies of all stripes, but believes it's particularly well-suited to Mobeon as a service-oriented business looking to move in other directions. "It allows us to look outside of that and become much more of an intellectual property company as opposed to just being a vendor for other companies," he explains. "It also allows us to think creatively and to think on how we could use these tools to create much more value for other companies." Alamares will remain in a leadership role at Mobeon even as he cedes the CEO title to AI. Sharing those responsibilities in a now-hybrid c-suite begs the inevitable question: If the AI CEO and the human COO disagree or reach different conclusions in their strategic thinking, decision-making, or aspects of company direction, who wins the argument? "We are still utilizing humans to provide some of the initial data sets, but we will actually defer to Chinggis Tron in an event that there's a certain decision and honor that decision as long as it meets certain criteria. One is on ethics. Two is that it obviously it can't hurt any individual or companies. And then three is to also provide a positive purpose in its decision. If it falls within those lines, and we feel that it's to the best interest of the company, we will defer to the AI." Still he hastens to add, "We do have certain guidelines in regards to this, because we cannot let it run amok in some of the decision-making processes. The technology is still somewhat in its infancy, but as it evolves, we will evolve as a company and we [as humans] are there to manage that." AI has already made inroads into the streaming world, of course, primarily in the areas of workflow automation, camera tech, and other process elements. Alamares says that Mobeon has already incorporated much of that tech into its creative process and will continue to involve it more as it adds AI to the executive and strategic sides of the business. "For our company to thrive, we have to look at all aspects where AI can enhance and amplify our company. So anything that where we could be much more efficient and also more nimble in making decisions, I think that that's a plus. It encompasses both the management, the company strategy, as well as the creative strategy, and the production side as well. We're going to apply it in every aspect of our business." And where does Alamares' see his own role and Chinggis Tron's a few years down the line? "My goal is to eventually have the AI CEO run the company so I can spend more time not running the company, thinking of more things creatively, and also eventually retire and having the AI CEO run the business and generate the profits." Alamares adds that he believes "a lot of companies would be at a disadvantage" to ignore the many ways AI can support and even lead their business, "because the competitive dynamics are going to change. It's going to affect a lot of people in the creative industries. But at the same time, I see AI impacting some of the C-level executives. It's going across all strata of employees in a company. If companies don't adopt AI," he concludes, "it's going to put them at a disadvantage in the future." Page 1 First Study of Its Kind Outlines Symptoms and Uncovers Proactive Steps Patients Can Take to Get Treatment SUNSHINE COAST, AUSTRALIA / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Long COVID "brain fog" symptoms are linked to auditory processing disorder (APD), an underdiagnosed neurological disorder, suggests a new study from the Auditory Processing Institute of Queensland, Australia, published today in The Hearing Journal. Authored by renowned audiologists Dr. Robert DiSogra and Dr. Angela Loucks Alexander, whose recent TEDx Talk generated more than one million views, the study found that patients can be treated effectively with existing interventions. Unfortunately, APD symptoms can easily be confused with other hearing or neurological issues, so people with these symptoms should proactively talk to their doctors about getting APD testing. APD occurs when a patient's brain has trouble understanding what they hear into usable information, making it difficult to understand and communicate with others. Untreated patients can quickly suffer serious consequences, including an inability to connect with others, strained relationships, poor job performance, and depression. "We've seen an uptick in patients whose symptoms started after a COVID-19 diagnosis but testing for an auditory processing disorder is rarely recommended. As a result of this study, we can confidently tell people with "brain fog" symptoms to get tested for APD," says Dr. Angela Loucks Alexander, Director of the Auditory Processing Institute. "Early testing is a simple step that would have saved many of our patients a lot of distress and provided them with treatment much sooner." Because "brain fog" symptoms may be caused by a wide variety of neurological and other medical conditions, APD can be overlooked. For patients searching for answers, APD testing could open a new pathway to recovery. APD patients may experience trouble understanding people when there is background noise, often find that they need information repeated multiple times, and might have trouble remembering what was said to them. The good news is that while it is not widely known to the public, auditory processing disorder is both easy to test for and highly treatable. "This is the first end-to-end scientific case study of its kind evaluating a patient's diagnosis and progress - providing a road map from diagnosis to recovery. It tells us that existing treatments can have excellent results for patients who are experiencing APD symptoms after COVID-19," said Dr. Robert DiSogra, an Audiology consultant in Millstone, New Jersey. "We hope to see more research as a result of this study." Study Summary Patients who have experienced COVID-19 and are now complaining of "brain fog" may suffer from an Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). The Auditory Processing Institute in Queensland, Australia, reported a case study involving a physician without hearing complaints before COVID-19 infection. After tests were administered, it was found that the patient had a significantly impaired ability to understand speech in noise in both ears. Through systematic auditory training, the patient showed significant improvement on all tests after just 12 sessions and resolved his chief complaint of difficulty hearing in noise in a crowded environment. These results suggest that current techniques used in these test batteries can help diagnose an APD related to post-COVID-19 "brain fog" and manage those patients as effectively as non-COVID-19 sufferers. The authors recommend that people with post-COVID-19 "brain fog" should have an audiologist evaluate their hearing and listening abilities. People experiencing "brain fog" symptoms should take this survey and talk to their doctor about APD if any of these scenarios seem familiar: Does any difficulty with your hearing or listening limit your personal or social life? Does a hearing or listening problem cause you difficulty when in a restaurant with relatives or friends? Does a hearing or listening problem cause you to feel left out when you are with a group of people? Do you have difficulty understanding people who speak quickly or with foreign dialects? Do you feel disadvantaged by one or more of the above problems? About Dr. Angela Loucks Alexander Dr. Angela Loucks Alexander, Audiologist, specializes in diagnosing and treating Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). Angela's TEDx Talk "Escaping the Hidden Prison of Auditory Processing Disorder" was the most-watched TEDx worldwide in September 2021 and has more than one million views. She directs the Auditory Processing Institute, where she trains audiologists and speech-language pathologists to provide APD services. She has also created an online, searchable map to help clients find the help they need at www.APDsupport.com/apdmap. About Dr. Robert DiSogra Dr. Robert DiSogra, AuD, is a widely recognized pioneer in audiology. He is a well-known national and international lecturer, teacher, and author on various audiology topics, especially pharmaceutical side effects on hearing and balance and COVID-19 topics. About Auditory Processing Institute Auditory Processing Institute trains audiologists and speech-language pathologists to help people with auditory processing disorder. We offer person-centered care and use the latest research and technology to provide effective treatments. We are proud to be a leading authority of clinical auditory processing services and are committed to making a positive difference in the lives of those we serve. Please see additional photos and content here. Related Files COVID 19 Brain Fog - final cut.mp4 Long COVID Brain Fog Could Be Auditory Processing Disorder DRAFT.docx Contact: Angela Alexander [email protected] Contact Information: Angela Alexander Director of Education [email protected] +61403700643 Bob DiSogra Audiologist Consultant [email protected] SOURCE: Auditory Processing Institute View source version on accesswire.com: VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Gander Gold Corp. ("Gander" or the "Company") (CSE:GAND)(OTCQB: GANDF) is pleased to report that multiple high-priority gold targets for 2023 drilling have been identified at the Company's 485 sq. km Gander North Project across a 25-km-long east-northeast-trending series of structures considered highly prospective for Newfoundland's next significant high-grade discovery. The 2023 field season begins in May. In addition to its flagship Gander North Project, Gander Gold has also made important progress at its Mount Peyton, BLT and Cape Ray properties, with updates expected over the coming weeks. Gander Gold launched on the Canadian Securities Exchange in March 2022 and has a combined ownership of 50.2% between Sassy Gold (35.3 million shares or 38.6 %) and Eric Sprott (10.6 million shares or 11.6%). Less than one million warrants (714,704) are outstanding. One of Newfoundland's Most Comprehensive Grassroots Exploration Programs Since initiating work at the 485 sq. km Gander North Project in May 2021, Gander Gold has conducted one of the island's most comprehensive grassroots gold exploration programs consisting of airborne geophysical surveys (MAG-VLF, LiDAR), the collection of 12,342 C-horizon soil samples, local "GT Probe" geochemical follow-up surveys, structural interpretation, prospecting and geological mapping of select target areas within the project. Mr. Shawn Ryan, Gander Gold Technical Advisor, commented: "Gander North has been a textbook example of a proven gold discovery methodology. The gold-in-soils are very high for Newfoundland, with dozens of samples exceeding 100 ppb, and as high as 1,432 ppb. These soil anomalies are coincident with very favorable structure suggesting the presence of an entirely new gold trend east of the GRUB Line." Mr. Ryan added, "This could be another game-changer' for our understanding of gold deposits on the island, if indeed we hit with the drill bit in 2023. We will carry out some follow-up work to finalize the best of the best targets, and then we'll proceed to first-ever diamond drilling. Exciting times coming up at Gander North." Exploration Highlights: Among the C-horizon soil samples collected at Gander North since 2021, 932 samples are considered "anomalous" (>7.1 - 24.8 ppb Au), 185 "very anomalous" (>24.8 - 56.2 ppb Au) and 123 "extremely anomalous" (>56.2 - 1432.1 ppb Au), including 72 samples e100 ppb Au ; ; Within the soil and rock geochemistry database, there is evidence of anomalous Mo, Cu and Pb which suggests the potential for epithermal-mesothermal type system(s) occurring within the Gander North Project area; occurring within the Gander North Project area; There is a direct correlation of anomalous to extremely anomalous Au-in-soil associated with identified east-northeast crosscutting structures and associated splays as evidenced by numerous e100 ppb Au soil samples occurring along these features, indicating a potential gold source (mesothermal) within these structures. Follow up mapping and prospecting of these structures has identified multiple quartz veins and zones of quartz flooding related to the structures and splays. Video Interview With CEO Mark Scott Gander Gold President CEO Mark Scott discusses this news release and broader developments in the gold sector and Newfoundland - click on the link below to view. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvJtZES44Kk Gander North Soil Sampling & TMI Map Summary of Soil Geochemistry Program In addition to the highlights above, the two highest grade gold samples (1,432 ppb Au and 1,154 ppb Au) collected at Gander North occur within the Jonathan's Third Pond Copper occurrence (Viking area). Outside of this area, soil geochemistry grids were focused primarily on the most prominent lineaments as identified by the MAG-VLF and LiDAR surveys, those being the prominent east-northeast/south-southwest lineaments which cross-cut the dominant northeast-southwest fabric/lineament at Gander North. While prospecting results have not yet identified Au-in-rock >0.38 ppm Au, the rock geochem database supports an Au anomaly in a west-northwest/south-southeast orientation across the middle of the project area. Supporting the Au-in-rock are Cu, Pb, Mo and Ag grades. Of note, a rock sample assayed 63,800 ppm (6.38%) Cu. The Company deems this anomaly as positive and believes it supports the potential presence of an epithermal-mesothermal gold system(s) within the project area. Preliminary Structural Interpretation Structural interpretation at Gander North has highlighted prominent northeast-southwest lineament or fabric within the dominant interpreted submarine sediments. The NE-SW fabric has been offset (dextral) up to kilometer scale as evidenced by numerous cross-cutting structures. Shears and interpreted folding associated with the dominant NE fabric, in particular areas inclusive of cross-cutting faults, are believed to be most prospective for high-grade mesothermal gold mineralization. In addition, the western edge of Viking area is interpreted as epithermal Cu-rich mineralization associated with a northeast trending fault. Summary of Initial Geological Mapping Program Geological mapping in Q4 2022 focused on the area of broad anomalous Au-Cu-Pb-Mo-Ag rock geochemistry results. Pervasive silicification and iron oxide/iron carbonate alteration, pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena and magnetite mineralization were identified in the Viking area. This is in close proximity to the GRUB Line, a major lineament and potential pathway for hydrothermal fluids. Mapped shearing and parasitic folding is consistent with an E-W compression influencing the Gander North Property. Significant "breccia" zones associated with laterally extensive quartz veins occur as "ribs" and have been significantly polished by glacial erosion. Pyrite-chalcopyrite mineralization is observed in these breccia zones and "plucked" and rotted pyrite-limonite is observed across these laterally extensive quartz veins-breccias. An interpretation is that the lack of mineralization within these vein structures, other than what was noted, is a result of weathering which suggests the possibility of increased mineralization with depth. Quality Assurance/Quality Control Gander Gold Corporation has contracted the services of GroundTruth Exploration to conduct its soil geochemistry programs in Newfoundland. Soil samples are collected at pre-determined sites, placed in soil sample bags and all metadata associated with a sample is recorded. Once sorted and logged, samples are shipped to Eastern Analytical in Springdale, Newfoundland for sample preparation. At Eastern Analytical individual samples are dried and sieved and 50g splits are prepared and then shipped by courier to Bureau Veritas Commodities Canada Ltd. (Bureau Veritas) in Vancouver, British Columbia for analyses. Eastern Analytical and Bureau Veritas are ISO / IEC 17025 certified laboratories and independent of Gander Gold Corporation. At Bureau Veritas 15g splits are partially digested by aqua regia digestion and analysed for gold plus 36 additional elements by ICP-ES/MS (method AQ201). GroundTruth Exploration crews took a field duplicate every 25th sample and inserted certified reference material (OREAS 47) at a frequency of 1 in 55 samples which were inserted into the sample stream to monitor the quality of analysis for the soil sampling program. In addition, the lab was requested to perform repeat analyses at multiple intervals within the sampling stream. Qualified Person The technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Ian Fraser, P.Geo., Vice- President of Exploration for Gander Gold. Mr. Fraser is the Qualified Person responsible for the scientific and technical information contained herein under National Instrument 43-101 standards. Acknowledgment Gander Gold acknowledges the financial support of the Junior Exploration Assistance Program, Department of Natural Resources, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. About Gander Gold Corporation Gander Gold is "All Newfoundland, All the Time". The Company is one of the island's largest claimholders targeting new high-grade gold discoveries with a current focus on the large Gander North, Mount Peyton and BLT (Botwood-Laurenceton-Thwart Island) projects where there has been very promising early exploration success. Other opportunities advancing through the pipeline are Cape Ray II, Carmanville, Gander South, Little River and Hermitage. Contact Info: Mark Scott Chief Executive Officer & Director [email protected] Terry Bramhall Gander Gold - Corporate Communications 1.604.833.6999 (mobile) 1.604.675.9985 (office) [email protected] Caution Regarding Forward Looking Statements Investors are cautioned that, except for statements of historical fact, certain information contained in this document includes "forward looking information", with respect to a performance expectation for Sassy Resources Corporation. Such forward looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections formulated using assumptions believed to be reasonable and involving a number of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Such factors include, without limitation, fluctuations in foreign exchange markets, the price of commodities in both the cash market and futures market, changes in legislation, taxation, controls and regulation of national and local governments and political and economic developments in Canada and other countries where Sassy carries out or may carry out business in the future, the availability of future business opportunities and the ability to successfully integrate acquisitions or operational difficulties related to technical activities of mining and reclamation, the speculative nature of exploration and development of mineral deposits, including risks obtaining necessary licenses and permits, reducing the quantity or grade of reserves, adverse changes in credit ratings, and the challenge of title. The Company does not undertake an obligation to update publicly or revise forward looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. Some of the results reported are historical and may not have been verified by the Company. The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. SOURCE: Gander Gold Corporation View source version on accesswire.com: VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Gold Bull Resources Corp. (TSX.V:GBRC)(OTC:GBRCF), Gold Bull Resources is a US gold focused, exploration and development company, led by a team of experienced industry professionals with expertise in exploration, corporate finance, and mine development, today announced that it will be presenting at the Planet MicroCap Showcase: VEGAS 2023 on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at 11 AM(Local Time -PST). Cherie Leeden, CEO and Founder of Gold Bull Resources Corp) will be hosting the presentation and answering questions at the conclusion. To access the live presentation, please use the following information: Planet MicroCap Showcase: VEGAS 2023 Date: Wednesday, April 26, 2023 Time: 2PM Eastern Time (11AM Pacific Time) Sandman Project - Nevada Currently, there are four known pit constrained gold resources located within the Sandman Project, consisting of 21.8Mt at 0.7g/t gold for 494,000 ounces of gold; (comprising of an Indicated Resource of 18,550kt at 0.73g/t gold for 433kozs of gold plus an Inferred Resource of 3,246kt at 0.58g/t gold for 61kozs of gold). Several of these gold resources remain open in multiple directions and the bulk of the historical drilling has been conducted to a depth of less than 100m. In September 2022, the Company announced its initial Phase 1 Sandman Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) which identified a stand-alone low-cost start-up heap leach gold opportunity. The study focused on only mining mineralized material above the water table, which represents approximately 50% of the current NI 43-101 mineral resource (circa 250,000 ounces). The Study highlights include Production rate of 2.1 Mtpa for an initial 5-year operation to produce 35,000 ounces of gold per annum from conventional heap leach. At USD1,800/oz gold price:IRR of 99% (pre-tax),NPV 10% USD$77.2M (pre-tax), Payback period of 1.1 years (pre-tax), Average grade 0.74g/t gold (all oxide), Low strip ratio of 1.6:1, All in Sustaining Cost (AISC) of USD1,173/oz of gold. The Company is currently investigating Phase 2 PEA which focusses on also extracting the known gold below the water table, in addition to being committed to adding more ounces via continued exploration along the Sandman-Sleeper corridor. Gold Bull's Sandman Gold Project is conveniently located circa 30 km northwest of the mining town of Winnemucca, Nevada. If you would like to book 1x1 investor meetings with GOLD BULL RESOURCES CORP., and to attend the Planet MicroCap Showcase: VEGAS 2023, please make sure you are registered here: https://planetmicrocapshowcase.com/signup 1x1 meetings will be scheduled and conducted in person at the conference venue in LAS VEGAS. The Planet MicroCap Showcase: VEGAS 2023 website is available here: https://planetmicrocapshowcase.com/ If you can't make the live presentation, all company presentations "webcasts" will be available directly on the conference event platform on this link under the tab "Agenda": https://planetmicrocapshowcase.com/agenda News Compliments of Accesswire About Gold Bull Resources Corp. Please refer to our website: www.goldbull.ca About Planet MicroCap Planet MicroCap is a global multimedia financial news, publishing and events company focused on news dissemination, providing information, data and analytics for the MicroCap investing community. We have cultivated an active and engaged audience of folks that are interested in learning about and to stay ahead of the curve in the MicroCap space. If you would like to attend the Planet MicroCap Showcase, please register here: https://planetmicrocapshowcase.com/signup Contact: Name: Cherie Leeden - CEO Phone: +1-778-401-8545 Head Office Address: Suite 717-1030 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6E 2Y3 Email: [email protected] SOURCE: Gold Bull Resources Corp. via SNN Network View source version on accesswire.com: WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / The Howard University and PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship announces its official launch today, the pinnacle of Howard's inaugural HU Entrepreneurship Week. Over the past several days, Howard has hosted panel discussions, networking events and a business pitch competition, with activities culminating today in the national launch of the Howard University and PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship. The event, a celebration of the shared commitment to advancing Black entrepreneurship, brought together students, alumni, business experts and aspiring entrepreneurs to network, strategize and spark engagement across the community. The keynote fireside chat included a moderated discussion between Wayne A.I. Frederick, Howard University president, and T.D. Jakes, chairman and CEO of the T.D. Jakes Group. Other prominent speakers included Nicholas Perkins (Fuddruckers owner and CEO), Askale Davis (TV personality and lifestyle content creator), Kayla Austin (current Howard student and 2022 Black Ambition HBCU Prize Winner), and Gary Rahman and his children Kali and Spirit (founders of Stock Up). "The Howard University and PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship is focused on serving as a catalyst for economic opportunity for HBCU students, alums and Black entrepreneurs broadly," said Erin Horne McKinney, national executive director for the Howard University and PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship. "Today's lineup of events is reflective of that commitment as we galvanize to strategically support aspiring and active entrepreneurs and collectively strengthen our economy." Established in 2021 with a five-year, $16.8 million grant from The PNC Foundation , The Howard University and PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship is aimed at building resources and support for Black business owners across the country. The National Center will support expanded opportunities for Black entrepreneurship with educational, leadership and capacity-building resources and programs nationwide. "HBCUs are driving impactful change in entrepreneurship, education and economic development for Black businesses and the broader community, which directly aligns with PNC's efforts to provide economic opportunity for all," said Richard Bynum, chief corporate responsibility officer for PNC. "Through PNC's partnership with Howard, we're building extensive resources to enhance entrepreneurial opportunities for aspiring Black business leaders for the betterment of all the communities we serve." A regional roadshow will follow the National Center launch event beginning April 11 at Clark Atlanta University, April 13 at Texas Southern University and April 19 at Morgan State University. These HBCUs will partner alongside Howard as regional hubs for the National Center, allowing for the effective coordination of programs and activities across the nation's network of more than 100 HBCUs and their communities, including education programs, research strategies and business outreach. A major focus for the National Center and its regional partners is to create an innovative national entrepreneurial network across HBCUs and Black entrepreneurial support organizations. This effort will expand access to entrepreneurship opportunities by engaging youth, HBCU students, and Black business owners in growing their enterprises, with a goal of increasing employment and generational wealth in Black communities. The partners will also come together for the inaugural Howard University and PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship National Conference in Washington, D.C., June 14-16. The PNC Foundation grant is part of PNC's $88 billion Community Benefits Plan that began Jan. 1, 2022. The plan will provide at least $88 billion in loans, investments and other financial support to benefit low- and moderate-income (LMI) individuals, communities, and people of color over a four-year period. About PNC Foundation The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group ( www.pnc.com ), is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The PNC Foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. Through PNC Grow Up Great, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a bilingual $350 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life. About Howard University Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 14 schools and colleges. Students pursue more than 140 programs of study leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced one Schwarzman Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 12 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and more than 165 Fulbright recipients. Howard also produces more on-campus African American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu . View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from The PNC Financial Services Group on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: The PNC Financial Services Group Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/pnc-financial-services-group Email: [email protected] SOURCE: The PNC Financial Services Group View source version on accesswire.com: The day has come: I have been replaced by a voice generated by artificial intelligence, tweeted Alejandro Graue, a 36-year-old Argentine voiceover and dubbing actor. For the past few months, he had been dubbing into Spanish the content of a famous YouTube channel with millions of subscribers that he prefers not to name. The speaker is histrionic and uses a lot of particular idioms. He sometimes stutters, stops in the middle of a sentence, and starts talking about something else. To dub this well, you need some acting technique, he told EL PAIS. In January, Graue saw the channel was being updated with videos that he had not dubbed. When I hit play, I heard a monotonous voice saying, Hello, welcome back to this program, today we will be..., or something awful like that, he said. People complained about it in the comments, but new videos with the robotic voice dubs continue to appear. Graues tweet has been viewed by over 740,000 people. Hes not so concerned about a lost gig he has others for now. The problem lies ahead. Its concerning. The human factor may soon disappear from creative expression, he said. In just a few months, the voiceover industry has been upended by rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The explosion of ChatGPT and applications that generate photos and illustrations based on text prompts has reached the video and film voiceover world. AI machines still cant do everything in the creative vocations, but there is no human light at the end of this road. Our workload has been steadily dropping for the last two or three months, said Noemi Gutierrez, director of the Voces en la Red dubbing company. All our actors have been contacting us because theyve noticed the drop as well. There are many more platforms now that provide free synthetic voices. Some people are happy with a crappy voice and they just go with that, she said. Begonya Ferrer, a dubbing actress, says some havent yet felt the full impact but can sense whats ahead. Since I work for many people in various countries, I dont know if Ive been replaced by AI somewhere, she said. But a certain type of work has been cut back. They use artificial voices to do a first pass or voiceover draft, and then have the voiceover artist do the final dub, said Ferrer. This way, perhaps, they avoid paying for two voiceovers. Quality and nuanced intonations are still important in this field, but many are sure that the AI capabilities will continue to improve. I understand that its technological evolution and that artificial intelligence can serve many needs like answering machines and recorded messages on subways. Theres no need for feeling in those voices. But I dont think it should be used for anything that involves acting, even if its just to preserve the profession, said Graue. Only programmers needed In more and more professions, humanity will be in the hands of people who can talk to machines, says Graue. Having a human being execute a task will not be necessary. Only programmers will be needed, and thats it, he said. In the comments to Graues tweet, some people told him to forget about preserving the profession, that AI is like electricity. People have compared it to the discovery of electricity and how the gas lamplighter job disappeared. I disagree because electricity has global benefits for people. Whats in it for the public, this synthetic voices thing? It only benefits the company that buys it, he said. Alejandro Graue isnt old enough to retire soon and forget about it all. Maybe if I were 70, I wouldnt be so worried about the future. But this will affect me directly. I can go into another field, but I must always think about doing work where I cant be replaced. Ive talked to colleagues, journalists and screenwriters everything is moving to artificial intelligence. That rapid spread of AI to many professions and vocations leads to anxiety. Its hard to be calm when machines do tasks in seconds that once required special skills and years of study or apprenticeship. I had been watching all this on social media, especially with illustration and graphic design. Then it happened to me, said Graue. Thats when I began paying closer attention. Of course, there is fear. Some say it will only replace people who do poor work, and those who do high-quality work will always have jobs. But others are already looking for something else. Theres a bit of everything. Personally, I believe it [AI] will gain ground, little by little. Graue is confident that help will come from the law, not a company. I hope there will be some kind of regulation. I understand that in Argentina, at least, some regulatory work has begun. I hope some sectors wont be allowed to replace the voices of speakers and actors with machines. Brad Pitt with a regional accent Some companies in the dubbing and voiceover industry are searching for ways to stem the loss of business with technologies that preserve a voice actors work. Tools exist that can easily clone or create a timbre, which is a specific vocal sound. But its difficult to specify rapidly changing pitches and intonations to express surprise, emotion and anger in two short sentences. You can generate a voiceover of Brad Pitt speaking with a Welsh or Andalusian accent, as long as you feed the system a prosody [the rhythm, intonation, stress and related attributes of speech] with those accents, created by an actor, said Javier de Alfonso, founder of Voces en la Red. Everything is speeding up six months now seems like an eternity to me, said de Alfonso, who is taking a course to adapt to these changes in his business. We are learning and attempting to serve agencies with very compressed recording schedules. We have tested several platforms, including a very advanced one that has more buttons than a 747. Its hard to escape the feeling that these moves are like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. This tenuous technological lifeline can already enable dubbing an entire film with just two people, while maintaining the actors original timbre. Its already disruptive, said Noemi Gutierrez, director of Voces en la Red. The system changes the voice of the dubber and gives it the same timbre of the original actors. So, one man can dub all the male voices, and one woman can do all the females and the childrens voices as well. Synthetic voices still cannot get all the emotions right, said Gutierrez. That will take time. When the technology is fully developed, one can envision voice actors selling their personal timbres, while others with less sonorous voices will sell their acting ability for artificial intelligence to replicate. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Mastercard today announced it is accelerating efforts to remove first-use, PVC plastics from payment cards on its network by 2028. This move further reinforces the company's sustainability commitments and scales the accessibility of more sustainable card offerings for consumers seeking a way to reduce the environmental impact of their wallet. From January 1, 2028, all newly-produced Mastercard plastic payment cards will be made from more sustainable materials - including recycled or bio-sourced plastics such as rPVC, rPET, or PLA1 - and approved through a certification program, in a first move for a payment network. The company will support its global issuing partners through the transition away from virgin PVC. Mastercard launched its Sustainable Card Program in 2018. Since then, over 330 issuers across 80 countries have signed up, working in partnership with major card manufacturers to transition more than 168 million cards across its network to recycled and bio-based materials. Today's announcement further accelerates these efforts, while also complementing the company's work to deliver innovative, digital-first card programs that fully eliminate the need for a physical card offering. The rule change will see all newly made cards certified by Mastercard to assess their composition and sustainability claims; this certification will then be validated by an independent third-party auditor. Once a card has been validated it can be imprinted with a Card Eco Certification mark. "At Mastercard we are leading and shaping our industry's collective pursuit of a more sustainable, more environmentally conscious future," said Ajay Bhalla, President of Cyber & Intelligence at Mastercard. "As our customers respond to increased consumer desire to make more eco-friendly choices, we are making a firm commitment to reducing our environmental footprint - for the benefit of people, planet and inclusive growth." Mastercard established its sustainability efforts more than a decade ago with a focus on financial inclusion, data responsibility and the environment. Through its network it collaborates with partners to bring new environmental innovations and initiatives to market, such as our Priceless Planet Coalition, Carbon Calculator as well as the Sustainable Card. "Mastercard is committed to advancing climate action and reducing waste by driving our business toward net zero emissions and leveraging our network and scale to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon, regenerative economy," said Ellen Jackowski, Chief Sustainability Officer for Mastercard. In 2018, through Mastercard's Digital Security Lab, the company launched the Greener Payments Partnership with card manufacturers Gemalto, Giesecke+Devrient and IDEMIA to reduce the use of first-use PVC plastic in card manufacturing. Mastercard's participant banks span more than 80 different countries worldwide. It launched the Mastercard Card Eco-Certification ("CEC") scheme in 2021. Comments from partner banks: Taylan Turan, Group Head of Retail Banking and Strategy, Wealth and Personal Banking at HSBC, said: "Today's announcement from Mastercard is a huge step for financial services. New sustainable materials, such as rPVC, offer our sector a clear way to accelerate its efforts to build a more sustainable future. "As part of our net zero strategy at HSBC, we've already introduced recycled plastic payment cards across 28 of our global markets and embedded the requirement to use sustainable materials for all debit, credit and commercial cards in our product governance; removing 85 tonnes of plastic that would have ended up in landfill. "This level of impact couldn't be achieved without strong partnership; I am so proud for us to be a part of a movement which is gathering momentum across the world." Michael Battagliese, Head of Payment Solutions, Senior Vice President at Bank of the West said: "We believe that conducting business sustainably is simply the right thing to do. That's why we partnered with Mastercard on our 1% For The Planet Checking Account debit cards, which are designed to reduce the impact of first-use PVC on the environment. "We're proud to have been one of the first banks in the US to be a part of the sustainable cards program and we're pleased Mastercard is on a path to make all payment cards with more sustainable materials." Helen Bierton, Chief Banking Officer at Starling Bank said: "This initiative is a welcome next step in the journey to a sustainable future. As one of the first banks to remove first-use PVC from our debit cards, we know how important this is to our customers." "We recognise this can only be achieved with strong partnerships and support for the efforts by Mastercard to widen the programme to its entire network." Driving a more sustainable future Tackling the global climate crisis will take all of us. Mastercard can have the biggest impact by activating our global network to create collective action. Through this network, we are collaborating with partners to bring new environmental innovations and initiatives to market, such as our Priceless Planet Coalition, Carbon Calculator and Sustainable Card Program. And we're partnering across the public, private and social sectors to drive the next generation of climate innovation. Our Sustainability Innovation Lab serves as an R&D center for sustainable digital products and a platform to co-create with partners. 1 rPVC, rPET, or PLA are examples of alternative plastics that are most commonly used in packaging, construction materials, and recycled bottles. Click here to view the original content View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/mastercard-center-inclusive-growth Email: [email protected] SOURCE: The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth View source version on accesswire.com: WINNIPEG, MB / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Medicure Inc. ("Medicure" or the "Company") (TSXV:MPH)(OTC PINK:MCUJF), a company focused on the development and commercialization of pharmaceuticals and healthcare products for patients and prescribers in the United States market, will present the 2022 Year End Financial Results on a Conference Call on April 10, 2023 at 8:30 am Eastern Time. The 2022 Year End Financials will be filed after closing on April 6, 2023 ahead of the Good Friday holiday on April 7, 2023 (markets closed). Conference Call Info: Topic: Medicure's 2022 Year End Results Call date: Monday, April 10, 2023 Time: 7:30 AM Central Time (8:30 AM Eastern Time) Toll Free: 1 (888) 506-0062 International: 1 (973) 528-0011 Participant Access Code: 878699 Webcast: This conference call will be webcast live over the internet at the following link: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2965/48119 You may request international country-specific access information by e-mailing the Company in advance. Management will accept and answer questions related to the financial results and operations during the question-and-answer period at the end of the conference call. A recording of the call will be available following the event at the Company's website. About Medicure Inc. Medicure is a pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of therapies for the U.S. cardiovascular market. The present focus of the Company is the marketing and distribution of AGGRASTAT (tirofiban hydrochloride) injection and ZYPITAMAG (pitavastatin) tablets in the United States, where they are sold through the Company's U.S. subsidiary, Medicure Pharma Inc. Medicure also operates Marley Drug, Inc. ("Marley Drug"), a pharmacy located in North Carolina that offers an Extended Supply drug program serving all 50 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. Marley Drug is committed to improving the health status of its patients and the communities they serve while reducing overall health care costs for employers and other health care consumers. For more information visit www.marleydrug.com. To learn more about The Extended Supply Generic Drug Program call 800.286.6781 or email [email protected].For more information on Medicure please visit www.medicure.com. For additional information about AGGRASTAT, please visit www.aggrastathdb.com or refer to the full Prescribing Information. For additional information about ZYPITAMAG, please visit www.zypitamag.com or refer to the full Prescribing Information. To be added to Medicure's e-mail list, please visit: http://medicure.mediaroom.com/alerts Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Information: Statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "believes", "may", "plans", "will", "estimates", "continues", "anticipates", "intends", "expects" and similar expressions, may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. federal securities laws (such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are hereinafter collectively referred to as "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements, include estimates, analysis and opinions of management of the Company made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors which the Company believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances. Inherent in forward-looking statements are known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors beyond the Company's ability to predict or control that may cause the actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, and as such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include, among others, the Company's future product revenues, expected results, including future revenue from P5P, the likelihood of receiving a priority review voucher from the United State Food and Drug Administration, expected future growth in revenues, stage of development, additional capital requirements, risks associated with the completion and timing of clinical trials and obtaining regulatory approval to market the Company's products, the ability to protect its intellectual property, dependence upon collaborative partners, changes in government regulation or regulatory approval processes, and rapid technological change in the industry. Such statements are based on a number of assumptions which may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to, assumptions about: general business and economic conditions; the impact of changes in Canadian-US dollar and other foreign exchange rates on the Company's revenues, costs and results; the timing of the receipt of regulatory and governmental approvals for the Company's research and development projects; the availability of financing for the Company's commercial operations and/or research and development projects, or the availability of financing on reasonable terms; results of current and future clinical trials; the uncertainties associated with the acceptance and demand for new products and market competition. The foregoing list of important factors and assumptions is not exhaustive. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements or the foregoing list of factors, other than as may be required by applicable legislation. Additional discussion regarding the risks and uncertainties relating to the Company and its business can be found in the Company's other filings with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities or the US Securities and Exchange Commission, and in the "Risk Factors" section of its current Form 20F. AGGRASTAT (tirofiban hydrochloride) injection, ZYPITAMAG (pitavastatin) tablets, and Marley Drug are registered trademarks. For more information, please contact: Dr. Albert D. Friesen Chief Executive Officer Tel. 888-435-2220 Fax 204-488-9823 E-mail: [email protected] www.medicure.com SOURCE: Medicure, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com: NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / This Spring, The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation (BLHF) and kate spade new york are teaming up to create more accessible mental health resources for women and girls, and together are announcing the launch of She Care Wellness Pods,' a new program that aims to reach over 25,000 Black women on HBCU campuses with frontline mental wellness care. This first-of-its kind program was concepted by actor, filmmaker and founder of The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, Taraji P. Henson, and Tracie Jade Jenkins, Executive Director of The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation. In partnership with trusted community resources, the program will take a multifaceted approach through the opening of She Care Wellness Pods,' physical structures installed on campuses that offer a range of services, including: Free mental health virtual and in-person therapy sessions for women students experiencing an exacerbation of stress, anxiety and depression. Hangout spaces will provide psychoeducation sessions that allow students to connect with peers and mental wellness professionals to address students' specific challenges. Self-regulatory practices including yoga, meditation, art, sound and dance therapy, all provided by certified practitioners. Workshops and seminars on a variety of student requested topics. Rest pods for silence and respite, to reset from daily stressors. Founded in 2018, The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation's mission is to eradicate the stigma around mental health in the African American community. As the U.S.'s pioneering Black mental health advocacy group, BLHF provides access to localized and culturally competent therapy and integrated wellness resources through a network of clinicians, practitioners, counselors, and thought leaders. She Care Wellness Pods' is a part of BLHF's broader initiative, Meeting You Where You Are,' offering hassle-free access to mental health resources in traditional and non-traditional spaces where African-Americans convene. The initiative also includes He Care' and They Care Pods.' Women's empowerment has been at the forefront of kate spade new york's social impact work for over a decade and is a core pillar of the brand. Over the last ten years, kate spade new york and its Foundation have invested $25M in women's mental health and empowerment partnerships. This year alone, kate spade will invest over $5M dollars to help destigmatize the mental health conversation and provide access to resources for women and girls globally. "Tracie and I grew up in a community where women were expected to store the pain and struggles of inequities and disparities faced daily in education, healthcare, and the workplace. We believed that mental health was a commodity for the rich and those who didn't look like us. We are grateful for this partnership with kate spade new york. Together, we are changing the narrative and charting a new course for women who are experiencing the Strong Black Woman Syndrome," says Taraji P. Henson. Tracie Jade continued, "In this revolutionary endeavor, Black women on HBCU campuses will be afforded the opportunity of empowerment through the modality of self-regulation experiences. Soon they will enter a world, essentially not designed to support them. A world where the value of women and women's rights are still being challenged. This is a space for respite, preparation, and for actualizing joy." "Our social impact mission is to empower women and girls across the globe by putting mental health at the heart of our approach. Women and girls' mental health has long been underfunded, undervalued and under-acknowledged, and we are so proud of our partnership with Taraji, Tracie and The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, an organization that shares our commitment to providing mental health resources to communities that need it the most," says kate spade new york CEO and Brand President, Liz Fraser. Fraser continued, "Over the past 10 years, we have seen firsthand how interconnected a woman's positive mental health is to her empowerment, and as we kick off our 30th anniversary this year, we're doubling down on our commitment to reach more women and girls with direct access to resources and support. Through our partnership, we'll work with the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation to provide accessible resources to over 25,000 young women across HBCU campuses through the She Care program and make a tangible difference in their everyday lives." "The Alabama State University Family is honored and humbled to be selected as the first ever HBCU to partner with two amazing advocates of mental health and wellness such as the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation and kate spade new york," says Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Alabama State University President. "ASU is synonymous with innovation and history making, working alongside our partners enables us to fulfill our commitment to what we deem as "Communiversity" which allows us to impact not only our campus, but also the broader community by advocating and raising the level of awareness regarding the absolute importance of mental health and wellness." "The stress of balancing college life, separation anxiety, relationship issues and depression commonly occur on college campuses," says Dr. Joyce Loyd-Davis, Alabama State University Sr. Director of Health Services. "The She Care Wellness pods will be impactful for helping students cope with these issues and focus on a healthy mental well-being, ultimately restoring JOY." The She Care initiative is a continuation of Henson's work with the kate spade brand, having served as a member of kate spade new york's Social Impact Council since its inception in January 2022. Alongside Henson, the Social Impact Council includes women's empowerment and mental health leaders from around the globe such as Jazz Thornton, Latham Thomas, Elisha London and more, who bring unique expertise and work hand-in-hand with kate spade to propel positive change, and encourage more conversation, education and research around the cause. Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation and kate spade new york will launch their first She Care Wellness Pod' at Alabama State University, a public historically Black university in Montgomery, Alabama. The She Care initiative will officially launch in April 2023, ultimately rolling out to additional HBCU campuses. The She Care Wellness Pods were built by S.I. Container Builds, a woman-owned modular construction company that specializes in repurposing shipping containers and building with sustainable materials. The She Care Wellness Pods were designed by Saudah Saleem Interiors in collaboration with Kiyonda Powell Design Studio. The design of the She Care Wellness Pods embodies and evokes a sense of joy and empowerment, serving as a haven and place of renewal. About Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation: Founded in 2018, BLHF has built its reputation on providing trusted referrals and demonstrating a deep understanding of the population health of communities of Color. Through timely and relevant programming and awareness campaigns, BLHF encourages mental wellness, raises awareness of the stigma and the use of stigmatizing language when referring to mental illness, and provides mental health resources to the Black community. The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation is charting a new course that encourages Black individuals to own their history, heritage, and collective wounds in empowering, empathic, and transformative ways. For more information, visit https://borislhensonfoundation.org/. About kate spade new york: Since its launch in 1993 with a collection of six essential handbags, Kate Spade New York has always stood for color, wit, optimism, and femininity. Today, it is a global lifestyle brand synonymous with joy, delivering seasonal collections of handbags, ready-to-wear, jewelry, footwear, gifts, home dcor and more. Known for its rich heritage and unique brand DNA, Kate Spade New York offers a distinctive point of view, and celebrates communities of women around the globe who live their perfectly imperfect lifestyles. Kate Spade New York is part of the Tapestry house of brands. About Alabama State University: Alabama State University is a public historically black college and university based in Montgomery, Alabama. Founded in 1867, Alabama State University has a history of legacy of perseverance, progress and promise, and a keen focus on developing history makers through its 63 degree programs. Alabama State University Health Services is a full service onsite health clinic meeting the needs of the student population. The clinic manages acute and chronic conditions and referrals are made appropriately to specialists as needed. The health center also treats mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. They work closely with the campus Counseling Center to meet the challenges students face related to stress, anxiety and depression. The staff of healthcare professionals are committed to exceptional customer service that cultivates a healthy community to live, work, and learn. About S.I. Container Builds: The She Care Wellness Pods were built by S.I. Container Builds, a woman-owned modular construction company that specializes in repurposing shipping containers and building with sustainable materials. The company's mission is to make a positive impact on the health and living conditions of our community and the wellness of our planet. SICBS proudly works with clients across North America. For more information, visit www.sicbs.com Media Contacts: LaForce, [email protected] View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Tapestry, Inc. on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Tapestry, Inc. Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/tapestry-inc Email: [email protected] SOURCE: Tapestry, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com: Strategic Partnership Will Deploy TruContext Advanced Analytics Capabilities to Deliver Improved Cyber and Other Services To Latin America, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana FAIRFAX, VA / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Visium Technologies, Inc, ("Visium" or the "Company") (OTC PINK:VISM), a global cybersecurity and analytics company, announced today that it has entered into a sales agreement with We Source It 4 U, Ltd, based in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, to market and sell Visium's TruContextTM data analytics platform in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Latin America. The We Source It 4 U partnership with Visium will offer businesses and government organizations a solution that includes the TruContextTM platform that extends beyond cybersecurity, to include advanced graphing capabilities combined with artificial intelligence and machine learning to provide insight into healthcare, fraud, financial services, pharmaceutical, telecom, and more. The CEO of We Source It 4 U, Ltd, Richard Charles, commented "The common goal is to support Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana in fighting against the rise in what I describe as digital warfare.', securing data networks, and fighting illegal immigration, and money laundering in the country. TruContextTM provides critical analytics and real time actionable information that enables our team to provide a world-class solution. Industry leaders are now more sensitized to the need for revamping their cybersecurity protocols in light of the recent breach in Massy stores and the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission's breakdown of their power grid.". Mark Lucky, Chief Executive Officer of Visium Technologies, added "We are excited to be working with `Richard Charles and his company to offer TruContext in Trinidad and Tobago as the country addresses challenges stemming from cyber risks, illegal immigration, and public safety. The use case opportunities for revenue in the Trinidad and Tobago are around cybersecurity and, with our partner IREX.Ai, artificial intelligence-based video surveillance capabilities to enhance border and physical security". About We Source It 4 U, Ltd We Source It 4 U's executive team has over fifty years combined in providing solutions to businesses both from an IT and compliance perspective. Providing guidance and support in growth areas and sourcing technology and systems as needed. We Source It 4 U has brought to the region the latest in telecommunications software, forming alliances with providers like Airbrij that allows customers from being hybrid employees or office networks to community settings or improving the connectivity in rural areas. These services deliver key functionality that makes managing a network fast, affordable, and easy. CONTACT: We Source It 4 U Ltd Corporate: Richard Charles, Chief Executive Officer [email protected] About IREX AI IREX is the #1 Ethical AI for Public Safety and Smart Government. IREX allows cities to adapt to ever-changing threats, using Ethical AI technology to combat 21st-century problems such as pandemics, overcrowding, missing children, mass shootings, rising crime rates, and much more. IREX's mission is to mold cities of the future: safe, comfortable, and sustainable. To fulfill its mission, IREX empowers city governments, public safety organizations, transportation authorities, and service providers with an Ethical AI and Big Data platform. IREX connects cameras and sensors to a secure private cloud, analyzing data in real-time and providing vital, proactive opportunities to prevent security and safety incidents. Contact: Calvin Yadav, Chief Executive Officer www.irex.ai Corporate Office: 29970 Technology Drive Murrieta, California 92563 Phone: 3301-392-7621 About Visium Technologies, Inc. Visium Technologies (OTC PINK:VISM) is a cyber security solutions provider that uses graph database technology to deliver an analytics-driven, risk-based approach to cybersecurity that provides context to data so that users can make intelligent decisions in real time. Built for the US Army Cyber Command by MITRE Corporation (CyGraph), and then further developed by Visium, our world class TruContextTM technology provides visualization, advanced cyber monitoring intelligence, data modeling, analytics, and automation to help reduce risk, simplify cyber security and deliver better security outcomes. TruContextTM plugs the gaps left by other security tools. For more information please visit www.visiumtechnologies.com and our YouTube Channel. Safe Harbor Statement: Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release includes forward-looking statements that reflect management's current views with respect to future events and performance. These forward-looking statements are based on management's beliefs and assumptions and information currently available. The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "project" and similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters identify forward-looking statements. Investors should be cautious in relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, whether the reverse stock split will be beneficial to the Company and its shareholders, any inability to meet the NYSE American continued listing standards in the future for any reason, and those other factors described in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Any responsibility to update forward-looking statements is expressly disclaimed. CONTACT: Visium Technologies, Inc. Corporate: Mark Lucky, Chief Executive Officer [email protected] Follow us on Twitter and Instagram Twitter | Instagram Corporate Office: 4094 Majestic Lane Suite 360 Fairfax, VA 22033 Phone: 703-273-0383 SOURCE: Visium Technologies, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com: MEXICO CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent), the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of a- (Excellent) and the Mexico National Scale Rating (NSR) of aaa.MX (Exceptional) of Seguros El Potosi, S.A. (El Potosi) (San Luis Potosi, Mexico). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. The ratings reflect El Potosis balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management. The stable outlooks reflect the companys ability to adjust its underwriting strategy to protect its bottom-line results, and consequently, the strength of its capital base. El Potosis very strong balance sheet strength recognizes the companys ability to adequately match its obligations with its risk appetite, while implementing its growth strategy and carrying dividend payments to their shareholders. The very strong assessment also recognizes the conservative profile of El Potosis investment portfolio and concentration in Mexico fixed income securities. While El Potosi has historically posted positive bottom-line results, the companys operating performance was impacted in 2022 by claims in the auto line of business, driven by the increase in mobility and traffic, coupled with rising auto part costs due to supply chain disruptions in the automobile industry. The company has taken measures to improve technical results, and AM Best expects El Potosi to return to premium sufficiency levels. AM Best assesses the companys business profile as neutral; the company underwrites premiums across several states through a mix of distribution channels and has a diversified portfolio of products. However, underwriting risks are concentrated in Mexico. El Potosis ERM is considered appropriate, as it is well-integrated into its operations. The company has a sound reinsurance program in place with highly rated reinsurers with an excellent level of security. Negative rating actions could occur if El Potosi is not able to improve on current claim results and it translates into a downward trend of negative bottom-line results, destabilizing El Potosi's key operating metrics. Negative rating actions also could occur if risk-adjusted capitalization deteriorates due to a significant cash withdrawal or a decline in operating results that ultimately translates into an eroded capital base. This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Bests website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Bests Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Bests Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Bests Credit Ratings, Bests Performance Assessments, Bests Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Bests Ratings & Assessments. AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com. Copyright 2023 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005702/en/ Inger Rodriguez Associate Financial Analyst +52 55 1102 2720, ext. 108 [email protected] Christopher Sharkey Associate Director, Public Relations +1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159 [email protected] Alfonso Novelo Senior Director, Analytics +52 55 1102 2720, ext. 107 [email protected] Al Slavin Senior Public Relations Specialist +1 908 439 2200, ext. 5098 [email protected] Source: AM Best Panel to Discuss How AV1 Commercial Adoption and Innovation Milestones Are Bringing Better Media Experiences to Customers and Their Devices LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia) today announced that it will lead the panel discussion, AOM Members Detail the Latest on AV1 Commercial Readiness, at the NAB Streaming Summit, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The session will take place on Monday, April 17 from 2:45 to 3:45 p.m. in the West Hall Meeting Rooms. For more information and to register for the panel, visit https://bit.ly/AOMNAB2023. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005099/en/ Register for the upcoming AOMedia panel discussion at the NAB Streaming Summit on Monday, April 17 at 2:45 p.m. (Graphic: Business Wire) Using AV1, media producers and distributors are delivering higher quality video at the lowest bitrates, enabling consumers to expect the best from live and on-demand streaming media experiences. This panel will focus on how AV1 offers a generational improvement in coding efficiency over alternatives across the entire media ecosystem of hardware, software, devices, browsers and services. AOM NAB Streaming Summit 2023 Panel Hear directly from the internet, tech, and media company representatives that make up AOMedias member base on their adoption of AV1 in real-world implementations, the benefits of AV1, and the future of where the codec is heading. Panelists include: About the Alliance for Open Media Launched in 2015, the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia) was formed to define and develop media technologies to address marketplace demand for an open standard for video compression and delivery over the web. Board-level, Founding Members include Amazon, Apple, Arm, Cisco, Facebook, Google, Intel, Microsoft, Mozilla, Netflix, NVIDIA, Samsung Electronics and Tencent. AOMedia's next-generation royalty-free video codec, AV1, is optimized for internet delivery and scalable to any modern device at any bandwidth. Visit or follow AOMedia on Twitter and LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005099/en/ Alexa Stewart AOMedia Public Relations Tel: +1 781.876.6242 Email: [email protected] Source: Alliance for Open Media A.R.I. Uniquely Positioned to Benefit from Gap in Venture Funding Market with New Debt Fund LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Applied Real Intelligence LLC (A.R.I.), an investment management company based in California, announced its first capital close for the A.R.I. Venture Debt Opportunities Fund on March 31, 2023. A.R.I. is targeting $125 million for its inaugural fund, which will provide short maturity, floating-rate loans, with equity participation rights, to venture-backed startups in North America. The fund will conduct rolling capital closings throughout the year and will hold its final close before year-end. "Our team has worked tirelessly to position ourselves for success, and we are confident in our ability to deliver strong returns for our investors while providing much-needed capital to the startup ecosystem at a critical time for companies that are navigating an uncertain economic backdrop and very challenging fundraising conditions," said Zack Ellison, CFA, CAIA, A.R.I.s Founder and Managing General Partner. A.R.I. is passionate about investing in startups that are providing real-world solutions for common challenges faced by everyday people. The fund is differentiated through its focus on uncovering the hidden gems of Main Street that Silicon Valley has overlooked, helping founders keep the companies they built with debt financing that is cheaper, faster to obtain, and far less dilutive than equity financing. "The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and the regional bank lending pullback has created a massive gap in the venture funding market. With no legacy portfolio and institutional-quality investment processes and infrastructure, A.R.I. is ready to deploy capital and support the growth of great companies at a time when other lenders are reevaluating their balance sheets," Ellison commented. A.R.I. is poised to capitalize on the significant supply-demand imbalance that has emerged in the venture funding market. The availability of debt capital has declined by more than 50%, with no immediate signs of recovery, and equity fundraising remains challenging due to lower valuations, smaller transaction sizes, and longer closing times. Meanwhile, startups have received record amounts of more than $750 billion in equity capital and $100 billion in debt capital over the last three years, creating a pressing need for more growth capital and refinancings in the future. A.R.I. has been the leader in opening the venture debt market to new investors who traditionally had not been involved, particularly Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) and their clients. To increase accessibility and accommodate investors of various sizes, A.R.I. has launched multiple vehicles, including funds open to qualified clients with a net worth greater than $2.2 million, and qualified purchasers with a net worth greater than $5 million. These funds are readily accessible on the custodial platforms of Schwab and Fidelity, among others. A.R.I.s service providers include Paul Hastings as fund legal counsel, Northern Trust as fund administrator, and Deloitte as fund auditor. "We believe our strategy will deliver equity-like returns with the risk of senior debt. For over 20 years, nonbank venture lenders have consistently achieved returns of 15% to more than 20% with low correlation to other investments, leading to a very stable return profile and among the best risk-adjusted returns of any asset class. "With the increased capital needs of startups and decreased venture capital availability, there is an evolution occurring in venture debt. We look forward to partnering with both investors and startups who share our vision for leveraging this opportunity to fund and scale innovative companies that drive positive change in the world," Ellison concluded. About Applied Real Intelligence LLC (A.R.I.) A.R.I. is a venture debt investment manager focused on providing financing solutions to innovative, high-growth, venture capital-backed companies in recession-resistant sectors and underserved regions in North America. Learn more about investing in the A.R.I. Venture Debt Opportunities Fund by contacting A.R.I.s Investor Relations at [email protected]. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005719/en/ Investor Contact: Investor Relations, Applied Real Intelligence (A.R.I.), [email protected] Media Contact: Zack Ellison, Applied Real Intelligence (A.R.I.), [email protected] Source: Applied Real Intelligence LLC Opening of Michigan facility enables company to expand existing manufacturing capabilities GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ATX Networks, a global leader in broadband access and media distribution solutions, this week celebrated the opening of a new manufacturing plant in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, which will build the companys GigaXtend HFC amplifiers and future ATX solutions. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005563/en/ ATX cuts the ribbon to officially open a manufacturing plant in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, owned and operated by Mara Technologies, a subsidiary of Invotek Group. (Photo: Business Wire) A USA-based manufacturing plant enables ATX to accelerate the assembly, packaging and shipping of ATX products while expanding our overall manufacturing capabilities to meet the time-to-market needs of our customers, said Dan Whalen, CEO of ATX Networks, at the April 4th grand opening. In addition to helping us keep supply chain constraints in check, a U.S. manufacturing facility has the potential to assist MSOs working to shrink the digital divide leveraging government funding. The state-of-the-art facility, announced in September of last year, is owned and operated by Mara Technologies, a subsidiary of the Invotek Group. Mara incorporated an advanced and highly automated linear production line and testing capabilities into the plants design for high-volume and high-quality production of outside plant products. The plant will initially produce ATXs widely deployed GainMaker-compatible GigaXtend amplifiers. Multiple industry analysts are predicting that MSOs will make once-in-a-generation investments in the expansion of their HFC infrastructures over the next several years. The new facility provides ATXs customers with assurances that the company will be able to scale manufacturing operations to meet the expected increase in demand. In addition, MSOs seeking public funding for expansions into rural regions and other underserved or unserved communities are incentivized by the terms of government subsidies to purchase equipment manufactured in the U.S. We are honored to have ATX as an anchor tenant and assist in expanding the companys manufacturing capabilities, said Peter Schmied, President & COO of the Invotek Group of companies. As demand for HFC amplifiers increases, the cable community can count on ATX to deliver the HFC products they need when they need them in lockstep with customer demand. For more information, please visit www.atx.com. About ATX Networks ATX Networks is a global leader in broadband access and media distribution solutions. ATXs market-leading and award-winning solutions are based on Agile Innovation design principles, enabling communications service providers to futureproof and evolve their networks in lockstep with market demand. ATX partners with the worlds most innovative cable, satellite, fixed telecom, wireless and media broadcast service providers to improve peoples lives by enabling affordable and reliable broadband connectivity and media content for everyone, everywhere. For further information, visit ATX at www.atx.com, and follow us on Twitter @ATXNetworksCorp. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005563/en/ Joseph McGarvey 1-347-601-7003 [email protected] Source: ATX Networks MIAMI LAKES, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- BankUnited, N.A., one of the largest independent depository institutions headquartered in Florida, is expanding its Florida corporate banking division with the addition of three bankers who will help serve the banks growing portfolio of middle-market and large corporate companies doing business throughout the region. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005678/en/ BankUnited SVP Corporate Banking Producing Team Leader Jeffrey Brandt will oversee a team with responsibility for business development and originating loans and deposit solutions for corporate clients. (Photo: Business Wire) We are excited to welcome these three talented bankers to the BankUnited family, said Thomas M. Cornish, chief operating officer. Jeff, Eric and Ilian are great additions to our seasoned team of relationship-based bankers and having them onboard further demonstrates our commitment to the market and our growth goals. Senior Vice President, Corporate Banking Producing Team Leader Jeffrey Brandt of Davie brings more than two decades of industry experience to his new position, having served most recently as market manager and senior vice president, middle corporate banking for HSBC Bank USA in Fort Lauderdale, where he honed his expertise in the areas of C&I, international business, international trade finance and foreign exchange management. At BankUnited, he will oversee a team with responsibility for business development and originating loans and deposit solutions for corporate clients. With masters and bachelors degrees from State University of New York at Buffalo, Brandt is active in South Floridas business and philanthropic community, including having served on the board of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Broward County. Senior Vice President, Corporate Banking Relationship Manager Eric Boritz of Delray Beach is an experienced banker with nearly 13 years of industry experience, particularly in the areas of corporate lending and global relationship management. He joins BankUnited from HSBC Bank USA in Fort Lauderdale, where he was responsible for providing domestic and global banking advisory and financing solutions to middle-market business clients across the Southeast US. With an MBA from Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management, Evanston, Illinois, and a bachelors degree from the University of Florida, Gainesville, Boritz has been an active supporter of Junior Achievement of South Florida for over a decade, including as committee chair for an event that raises money for student scholarships. Senior Vice President, Corporate Banking Relationship Manager Ilian Obregon of Surfside joins BankUnited from HSBC Bank USA in Miami. With 12 years of industry experience, Obregon most recently served as vice president and senior corporate banking manager, with responsibility for business development and portfolio and relationship management, and an industry focus on healthcare and technology companies. He earned his MBA from Nova Southeastern University in Davie, and a bachelors degree from the University of Florida. Obregon actively serves on the board of Lighthouse of Broward and is president of the Association for Corporate Growth South Florida Chapter. The new team will be based at the Fort Lauderdale corporate banking office at 333 East Las Olas Boulevard, 3rd Floor. For information call (561) 309-4923 or visit www.BankUnited.com. About BankUnited, N.A. BankUnited, Inc. (NYSE: BKU), with total assets of $37.0 billion at December 31, 2022 is the bank holding company of BankUnited, N.A., a national bank headquartered in Miami Lakes, Florida that provides a full range of banking and related services to individual and corporate customers through banking centers located in the state of Florida, New York metropolitan area and Dallas, Texas, and a comprehensive suite of wholesale products to customers through an Atlanta office focused on the Southeast region. BankUnited also offers certain commercial lending and deposit products through national platforms. For additional information, call (877) 779-2265 or visit www.BankUnited.com. BankUnited can be found on Facebook at facebook.com/BankUnited.Official and on Twitter @BankUnited. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005678/en/ Donna Crump-Butler, (305) 231-6707 [email protected] Savannah Whaley, (954) 776-1999, x225 [email protected] Source: BankUnited, N.A. NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Behavox, the leading provider of AI-driven compliance solutions, has announced the release of its Large Language Model (LLM), designed specifically for the financial services industry. The Behavox LLM can run on either Behavox's environment or a customer's environment, ensuring secure deployment of AI while maintaining compliance with data management and governance regulations. The Behavox LLM has been tailored for various sectors within the financial services domain, including buy-side, sell-side, commodities, crypto, and private equity. The LLM is built on well-understood and production-tested foundation models and is fine-tuned using proprietary compliance-specific datasets, created, reviewed, and curated by over 200 compliance professionals globally. Multilingual out of the box, the Behavox LLM covers over 50 languages and has been further optimized specifically for Spanish, Japanese, Danish, Swedish, and French. The AI has successfully passed several regulatory inspections, meeting the model risk requirements of the Federal Reserve as outlined in SR 11-7. Behavox LLM significantly outperformed both ChatGPT and lexicon solutions when benchmarked on the Behavox Benchmark Test Datasets. Joseph Benjamin, CTO of Behavox, expressed his pride in the team's work: "Over the past three years, our team has put in a monumental effort to deliver AI to our customers. We're just getting started, and our clients will continue to benefit from AI advancements in a compliant and transparent way." Behavox CEO Erkin Adylov expressed gratitude for SoftBank's investment: "The $100 million investment from SoftBank in 2020 allowed Behavox to substantially boost its R&D efforts. It takes time, courage, and capital to bring an AI solution to market, and the Behavox LLM is no exception." To experience AI for Compliance live in action, join Behavox on April 6th in New York at their AI Summit. See how and why we have outperformed ChatGPT and learn more about explainable and effective AI compliance solutions. About Behavox Ltd. Behavox is a security software company that specializes in communication surveillance. As a market leader in the application of Artificial Intelligence to monitoring of text and voice communications, Behavoxs software protects companies and their employees from bad actors engaged in illegal and malicious activities. Compliance, surveillance, legal and SOC teams rely on Behavox software to reduce false positives and increase detection rate across a broad range of risks. There are many solutions to protect companies from outside risks; Behavox protects companies from inside risks. Founded in 2014, Behavox is headquartered in Montreal and has offices in New York City, London, Seattle, Singapore, and Tokyo. More information about the company is available at www.behavox.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005253/en/ Press: [email protected] Source: Behavox The leaders of the Shincheonji Christian sect in South Korea saw Covid-19 as a divine message and recommended their faithful not comply with health protection measures. In the image, its main temple in Daegu, the Korean city most affected by the pandemic. KIM KYUNG-HOON (Reuters) For several groups of fundamentalist Christians in the United States and South Korea, the Covid-19 pandemic was clearly a sign of the advent of the apocalypse. Some evangelicals saw the SARS-CoV-2 as more than just a virus from the Coronaviridae family related to previous pathogens that cause severe acute respiratory syndrome. For them, it was a punishment from God. A warning of the second coming of Jesus. Even though science has narrowed the space for these types of beliefs, they are still there: an ethnographic study of a hundred different societies confirms that, when humans cant make sense of a phenomenon, we tend to look for a supernatural explanation. A group of scientists compiled ethnographic information from 114 societies on five continents. They were particularly interested in non-Western, less globalized cultures; although most had a simple structure, as in the case of the Apaches or the Yanomami, they also included cases of great social complexity, such as ancient Rome, the Aztecs and the Turkish civilization. They hardly used any European examples because they wanted their sample to be as diverse as possible, so that each society that they sampled had a different religious tradition and little contact with other societies; most European societies in the ethnographic record were Christian and had extensive contact through trade and warfare, explains Joshua Jackson, from Northwestern University, lead author of the study. The results of their work, published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, show that all but one of the societies analyzed have extraordinary explanations for ordinary events. The only exception is the Burusho, made up of barely 90,000 people who live scattered among the villages of the mountains of northern Pakistan. Although they were Islamized 300 years ago, they preserve their previous traditions, and their legends say that they come from soldiers of Alexander the Great. The researchers cannot say why this group did not have supernatural explanations, Jackson explains, because there is hardly any ethnographic data on them. He speculates that the ethnographer probably simply chose not to describe the religion of the Buruso people, and does not rule out the possibility of them, too, having supernatural explanations. In all societies, 96% of cultures attribute a supernatural origin to disease (either all or some of them). Famines and food shortages caused by bad harvests or plagues would also have supernatural agents in 92% of cases. Other natural disasters remain at 90%. To the authors of the study, one particular finding stands out: when it comes to social phenomena (such as robberies, murders or wars), the supernatural explanation is less recurrent. Thus, even though peoples such as the Comanche planned their wars around the predictions of the tribal sorcerer, only 67% of the societies in the sample seek a divine cause for human wars. In the case of theft, the percentage drops to 26%. Only with murder the supernatural reappears as the dominant explanation, with 82%. Our research suggests that the tendency to explain phenomena using supernatural explanations is part of the human condition, Jackson says. Actually, this idea goes back to scientists and philosophers like Charles Darwin, David Hume and Edward Tylor, who suggested that humans have a basic tendency to explain the phenomena of the world with some kind of anthropomorphic force. When something (a plague or a storm) has no clear human cause, people can turn to supernatural agents such as gods or spirits, he adds. This could also explain the difference between natural and social events. Social phenomena usually have clear human causes, so we are less likely to invoke a supernatural agency. The research also found that the degree of social complexity affected the weight of supernatural explanations. In all societies, the divine or magical presence is greater in the case of droughts, lightning or other disasters, than when it comes to robberies or wars. But as human groups become larger and acquire a wider social stratification and more socioeconomic development, the distance between them decreases. The authors of the paper are not clear about the reason behind this. In their conclusions, they mention several possibilities: Larger and more complex groups involve more anonymity than smaller groups, with a greater share of weak ties, social uncertainty and distrust, [which] could increase peoples likelihood of explaining negative social events using supernatural forces such as witchcraft, possession and evil eye. Another possibility is that in larger complex societies, problems such as theft or war are a bigger concern, and they are more likely to come up with supernatural explanations for these phenomena. The reason behind the low percentage of supernatural justifications for theft is not clear to the authors, either. In the paper, they point to a connection between religion and death that should be researched further. While the other five natural or social events that they studied cause death, stealing does not necessarily imply murdering the victim. In their conclusions, the researchers assert that, regardless of the reason, the focus of the religious beliefs shifts as societies grow, with people being more likely to resort to them to make sense of the social world, rather than only to the natural world. Joseph Watts, from the Centre for Research on Evolution, Belief and Behaviour at the University of Otago, in New Zealand, a co-author of the study, points out that their results are consistent with the position that religious systems help cover the gaps left by human knowledge, which is known as the God of the gaps hypothesis. This is a two-sided idea: for theologians, it means that all that science cannot answer is proof of the existence of a superior being. For scientists, it shows our natural tendency to explain what at the moment has no explanation. Watts points out: In particular, our results suggest that people resort to the supernatural to explain the parts of the world where it is difficult to identify the responsible agents. This is based on the bias of the humans, who need events to happen for a reason and to attribute intention to inanimate processes and events. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Botoff Consulting, a boutique compensation consulting services firm, is pleased to announce that it has been selected as a finalist in two categories at the Tenth Annual Family Wealth Report Awards 2023 program; the firm in the Family Office Management Consultancy and our Founder and CEO, Patricia Trish Botoff, in the Women in Wealth Family Office (Individual). The program recognizes the most innovative and exceptional firms, teams, and individuals serving the family office, family wealth, and trusted advisor communities in North America. We are proud and honored to have been selected by the judges as finalists for these prestigious awards, said Trish Botoff, Founder and CEO of Botoff Consulting. It is an incredibly flattering reflection of the hard work that Botoff Consultings team invests every single day to help guide our clients and to provide them with meaningful data and advice to make informed decisions to reward, retain, and motivate their teams. Stephen Harris, ClearView Financial Media's CEO, and publisher of Family Wealth Report, said, This year, we had a record number of registrations and submissions for this program: more than 500 submissions in nearly 70 categories. The firms and individuals in the 10th Family Wealth Report program are worthy competitors and the ones that have reached the Finalist stage are truly outstanding. These awards are judged by an expert panel of more than 40 judges and finalists are selected on the basis of entrants' submissions and their response to a number of specific questions, focusing on both qualitative and quantitative performance metrics. Winners will be announced on May 4 at the Gala Ceremony at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Manhattan, New York. For additional information on the awards and methodology, click here. Botoff Consulting guides family offices and family business enterprises in designing compensation strategies aligned to the familys or to an organizations vision, goals, and performance. We are proud to be able to support the diverse, discrete, customized needs of our clients by leveraging our industry-leading proprietary data and market trends while incorporating best practices. About Botoff Consulting The firm was founded in 2014 to provide compensation and related consulting services to family offices, family investment firms, and family business enterprises across industries and geographies. We continue to build and maintain the most expansive database of family office, family investment firm, and now household and estate compensation data. Our extensive expertise includes compensation benchmarking, strategy, and structure; benefits analysis and benchmarking; incentive plan design; performance management; compensation governance; board support; and litigation/expert witness support. We utilize both our proprietary data and a broad array of best-in-class compensation studies, ensuring we capture markets from which you compete for talent. With principal consultants on both the East and West coasts, we serve clients in the U.S. and globally. To learn more, please visit botoffconsulting.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005624/en/ Trish Botoff, Managing Principal, (310) 908-8695, [email protected] Source: Botoff Consulting On The Border counts down to Cinco by serving sizzling Tex-Mex food and drink specials. DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, the worlds largest Mexican casual dining brand, is celebrating a Countdown to Cinco Central with $4 draft beer specials and $5 bar bites every Thursday in April. The celebrations culminate with a grand finale, Cinco Central featuring $6 Cinco Ritas on Cinco de Mayo, Friday, May 5. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005544/en/ Along with Cinco de Mayo specials, On The Border is featuring its NEW seasonal entree the Gran Papi, which includes five of the most popular Mexican foods. A Cinco sensation! Included with the Gran Papi is a cheese quesadilla, chicken tinga enchilada, seasoned ground beef taco, chicken flauta, and beef empanada, served with Mexican rice and queso. All in one dish for only $15.99. (Photo: Business Wire) We go all out for Cinco de Mayo at On The Border! Our guests love the Countdown to Cinco days and by the time Cinco gets here, we truly own the celebration enough to call ourselves Cinco Central, says Suzie Tsai, vice president of marketing at On The Border. We pride ourselves on making people feel special by bringing them in and having this big fiesta to celebrate the Mexican heritage. Celebrate Cinco with the Gran Papi Along with Cinco de Mayo specials, On The Border is featuring its NEW seasonal entree the Gran Papi, which includes five of the most popular Mexican foods. A Cinco sensation! Included with the Gran Papi is a cheese quesadilla, chicken tinga enchilada, seasoned ground beef taco, chicken flauta, and beef empanada, served with Mexican rice and queso. All in one dish for only $15.99. What sets On The Border apart is the authentic Tex-Mex food with generous portions at a great value, adds Tsai. Cinco de Mayo is the perfect occasion to order catering for family, friend, and company fiestas. Partygoers can choose from a fajita buffet, build-your-own taco bar, party platters, and more. Complement any food order with a party sized gallon margarita canteen. On The Border is unique in offering pick-up, delivery, and full-service options with each catering order. View the full Border-style menu at www.ontheborder.com/menu/. About On The Border Founded in 1982, On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina is the world's largest Mexican casual dining brand. Known for its award-winning margaritas, house-made salsa, and sizzling mesquite-grilled fajitas, On The Border is a fan-favorite destination for authentic, contemporary Mexican food and vibrant good times. With more than 120 restaurants in the U.S. and Asia, theres always a fiesta waiting at On The Border. For more information, visit ontheborder.com and follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005544/en/ Renee Cossman, [email protected] Source: On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Citi has announced the launch of a new sustainable time deposit solution designed to assist U.S. institutional clients when investing excess cash while supporting their sustainability goals. Citis new Sustainable Time Deposit (TD) will deliver competitive yields and supports projects identified under Citi's green and social bond frameworks, expanding the program launched in Europe, the Middle East and Asia last year. Finance and treasury teams are playing an increasingly strategic role in helping their firms to support their sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals, said Stephen Randall, Global Head of Liquidity Management Services, Treasury and Trade Solutions, Citi. Our new Sustainable Time Deposit solution reflects Citis commitment to providing tools that help our clients reach their goals with their own organizations and their communities." Funds deposited into Sustainable TDs are allocated toward financing or refinancing assets in a portfolio of eligible green and/or social finance projects, based on criteria set in the Citi Green Bond Framework, Social Finance Bond Framework and Social Bond for Affordable Housing Frameworks, including projects for renewable energy, energy efficiency, water quality, and conservation as well as in social projects that expand financial inclusion for women and traditionally under-represented communities. In addition, the funds may be allocated to finance or refinance affordable housing projects in the U.S., including the construction, rehabilitation, and/or preservation of housing for low and moderate-income populations who are generally restricted to 60% or below of Area Median Income tenants. Those projects may include many types of housing communities, each with distinct social impact and benefits. The expansion of our sustainable product suite is an important step toward providing comprehensive sustainable cash management solutions to our clients, added Michael Fossaceca, North America Region Head, Treasury and Trade Solution, Citi. We are excited to bring this capability to our clients in the U.S. Citis Sustainable Time Deposit solution is now available in the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong and Singapore and the organization is working to expand this capability to additional countries. Citi's Frameworks are aligned with the recommendation of the International Capital Market Association's Green Bond Principles and Social Bond Principles. About Citi's Treasury and Trade Solutions Citis Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS) enables our clients' success by providing an integrated suite of innovative and tailored cash management and trade finance services to multinational corporations, financial institutions and public sector organizations across the globe. Based on the foundation of the industry's largest proprietary network with banking licenses in over 90 countries and globally integrated technology platforms, TTS continues to lead the way in offering the industry's most comprehensive range of digitally enabled treasury, trade and liquidity management solutions. About Citi Citi is a preeminent banking partner for institutions with cross-border needs, a global leader in wealth management and a valued personal bank in its home market of the United States. Citi does business in nearly 160 countries and jurisdictions, providing corporations, governments, investors, institutions and individuals with a broad range of financial products and services. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com | Twitter: @Citi | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi | YouTube: www.youtube.com/citi | Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi Remarks There is currently no market consensus when assessing whether or not a product can be classified as 'sustainable'. The legislation and regulatory landscape are undergoing rapid changes which could affect Citi's position when considering its investments in certain assets. Citi may re-evaluate its asset pools, and all applicable eligibility requirements in the future following regulatory developments. To the extent any such changes are made, the updated framework will be published on https://www.citigroup.com/global/investors/fixed-income-investor-relations/sustainable-debt-securities. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005152/en/ Media Contact: Nina Das +1-212-816-9267 [email protected] Source: Citi ST. JOHNS, Newfoundland and Labrador--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Last night, CUPE workers reached a tentative agreement with government. This round of provincial bargaining saw member representatives from each sector involved (health care, school boards, public libraries, NL Housing, transition homes and group homes, and Government House) come together to negotiate for their counterparts across the province. Ratification votes will take place within the coming weeks. Details of the agreement will be presented to CUPE members at meetings across the province. No further information will be released publicly until the tentative agreement has been presented to the membership. I congratulate the Bargaining Committee for all their hard work in achieving the best tentative agreement possible for our members, said CUPE NL President Sherry Hillier. When our members take charge of their own collective agreements, we make progress on the issues that matter to front-line workers. :sm/cope 491 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005616/en/ MEDIA INQUIRIES: Sherry Hillier, President, CUPE NL 709-765-2996 [email protected] Mary-Dan Johnston, CUPE Atlantic Communications Representative 902-412-5780 [email protected] Source: Canadian Union of Public Employees COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Battelle has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2023 honor by Columbus C.E.O. Magazine Top Workplaces. The list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage LLC. The confidential survey uniquely measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization: including alignment, execution, and connection, just to name a few. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005603/en/ Earning a Top Workplaces award is a badge of honor for companies, especially because it comes authentically from their employees, said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. That's something to be proud of. In today's market, leaders must ensure theyre allowing employees to have a voice and be heard. That's paramount. Top Workplaces do this, and it pays dividends. "We are proud to be named a Top Workplace in Columbus, " said Battelle President and CEO Lou Von Thaer. "We strive to provide an environment where our employees can thrive professionally, feel included and valued, and contribute to the greater good by tackling the most pressing scientific challenge while also giving back to the community through philanthropy and STEM education." About Every day, the people of Battelle apply science and technology to solving what matters most. At major technology centers and national laboratories around the world, Battelle conducts research and development, designs and manufactures products, and delivers critical services for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio since its founding in 1929, Battelle serves the national security, health and life sciences, and energy and environmental industries. For more information, visit www.battelle.org. About Energage Making the world a better place to work together.TM Energage is a purpose-driven company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into useful business intelligence and credible employer recognition through Top Workplaces. Built on 16 years of culture research and the results from 27 million employees surveyed across more than 70,000 organizations, Energage delivers the most accurate competitive benchmark available. With access to a unique combination of patented analytic tools and expert guidance, Energage customers lead the competition with an engaged workforce and an opportunity to gain recognition for their people-first approach to culture. For more information or to nominate your organization, visit energage.com or topworkplaces.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005603/en/ Battelle [email protected], 800-201-2011 https://www.battelle.org/ Source: Battelle SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Xendee Corporation, a leading DER and EV charging infrastructure design and operation software provider, announced today that Lisa Laughner has joined its board of advisors. With 30 years of international experience innovating the aerospace industry and then leading meter renewable energy solutions to enable facilities, communities, and military bases to be energy-resilient and sustainable, Lisa brings a wealth of relevant expertise and knowledge to the Xendee team. Lisa served as the President and CEO of Go Electric Inc, (acquired by Saft, a company of Total) in mission-critical microgrid systems and cyber-secure control technologies for uninterruptible power delivery. Before Go Electric, Lisa served as Vice President at Rolls Royce. She developed a world-class technology commercialization and venture spin-out process, incubated 28 projects, and launched companies in Biometrics, RFID Logistics, Project Management Software, Patient Health Monitoring, and Video Game industries. "Lisa built a great company that solved a major hurdle in adopting distributed renewable energy systems," said Adib Nasle, Co-Founder and CEO of Xendee Corporation. "Her extensive experience in both running an innovative technology company and solving complex challenges in renewable energy will be invaluable as we continue to grow our business and expand our capabilities. We look forward to learning from her perspective as we build solutions that ensure a carbon-free and resilient energy future." "I am incredibly impressed with Xendee's micro-grid design tool and automation capabilities," said Laughner. "As we move towards a more decentralized energy system, distributed energy resources (DERs) will become critical to not only energy security and resilience, but also to reduce carbon emissions through the electrification of fleets, buildings, and other applications. Xendee's technology will play a key role in enabling us to achieve that goal." With Lisa's addition to Xendees board of advisors, the company is well-positioned to continue driving innovation and growth in the renewable energy and power infrastructure sectors, including our new MOBILITY offering that enables the rapid and profitable deployment of EV fast charging stations at scale. About Xendee Corporation Xendee is an award-winning software platform built to integrate the feasibility analysis, detailed engineering, and operation of Distributed Energy Resources and EV charging infrastructure. This includes the ability to rapidly model EV infrastructure for fleet owners, complex energy systems with up to 25 unique types of DER technologies, multi-node installations like a military base, and operate either connected to the grid or completely islanded. Xendees techno-economic optimization algorithm can then generate an ideal investment solution and operation schedule to meet organizational goals. These goals can include reducing costs, cutting CO2 emissions, and increasing resilience. Explore how Xendee can empower your organization by setting up a call with us at xendee.com/demo. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005059/en/ Jay Gadbois Digital Marketing Manager | Xendee [email protected] Source: Xendee Corporation CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- GATX Corporation (NYSE: GATX) will report results for the 2023 first quarter prior to market open on Apr. 25, 2023. GATX will hold a conference call to review the results later that morning. Investors may listen to the call via telephone or over the internet as follows: Live Teleconference Date: Apr. 25, 2023 Time: 11 a.m. (Eastern Time) Domestic Dial-In: 1 (888) 660-6118 International Dial-In: 1 (929) 203-1802 Live Webcast: www.gatx.com To participate by phone, please dial in approximately 15 minutes prior to the start time and reference the GATX conference call. To listen via webcast, click the link on GATXs homepage, www.gatx.com. Replay Information Time: Starting at 2 p.m. (Eastern Time), Apr. 25, 2023 Domestic Dial-In: 1-800-770-2030 International Dial-In: 1-647-362-9199 Access Code: 2548217 Web Access: The replay will also be available at www.gatx.com COMPANY DESCRIPTION At GATX Corporation (NYSE: GATX), we empower our customers to propel the world forward. GATX leases transportation assets including railcars, aircraft spare engines and tank containers to customers worldwide. Our mission is to provide innovative, unparalleled service that enables our customers to transport what matters safely and sustainably while championing the well-being of our employees and communities. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois since its founding in 1898, GATX has paid a quarterly dividend, uninterrupted, since 1919. AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION ON GATX'S WEBSITE Investors and others should note that GATX routinely announces material information to investors and the marketplace using SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls, webcasts and the GATX Investor Relations website. While not all of the information that the Company posts to the GATX Investor Relations website is of a material nature, some information could be deemed to be material. Accordingly, the Company encourages investors, the media and others interested in GATX to review the information that it shares on www.gatx.com under the Investor Relations tab. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005526/en/ Shari Hellerman Senior Director Investor Relations, ESG, and External Communications GATX Corporation 312-621-4285 [email protected] Source: GATX Corporation Protesters Had Freedom of Speech Denied Yet Maintained Protests Outside of School Grounds NEWARK, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Yesterday, grassroots activists partnered with Citizens for Judicial Fairness volunteers to protest an event with all-white panels of current and former Delaware Supreme Court Justices and other corporate legal elites in Newark, Delaware. The peaceful protesters, who were there to draw attention to the Delaware court systems egregious lack of diversity and the failure of influential former judges like Leo Strine to speak up in favor of diverse courts, had their freedom of speech attacked by University of Delaware campus police who forced them off the grounds of the campus. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005659/en/ CJF protesters were removed from campus (Photo: Business Wire) Nevertheless, the group continued its protests peacefully at the entrance to the campus to continue pushing for accountability in Delawares highest courts, including the all-white Chancery Court and all-white Supreme Court. Citizens for Judicial Fairness has run a campaign to urge Governor John Carney to nominate two justices of color to fill two impending vacancies on the Delaware Supreme Court to follow through on his commitment to diversify the states judiciary. Said grassroots activist and protest leader Keandra McDole, We know that outsiders like us who are trying to shake up the system are typically not welcome in the halls of power, but we should at least have our right to freedom of speech protected. While that wasnt the case yesterday, we know that our message came through loud and clear: Delaware needs Black judges and to end our infamous tradition of all-white courts. We wont let legal elites like Leo Strine be complacent or comfortable with the current pathetic state of affairs on our courts. We will continue to show up throughout the state and nationwide to let those in power know that we cannot be ignored, and that the people of Delaware will not lay down and accept all-white courts that cannot possibly represent them fairly. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005659/en/ [email protected] Source: Citizens for Judicial Fairness NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- H.I.G. Capital ("H.I.G."), a leading global alternative investment firm with $55 billion of equity capital under management, is pleased to announce that its affiliate, H.I.G. Realty Credit Partners, has originated a loan to acquire Terminal Logistics, a newly developed 185,000 SF industrial condominium located adjacent to JFK International Airport. The loan was made to a joint venture between the Riverside Drive Opportunity Fund (sponsored by Goldman Sachs Asset Management) and Triangle Equities. We are excited about the opportunity to finance this brand new, high-quality asset in a submarket with strong fundamentals, said Michael Mestel, Managing Director at H.I.G. Realty Credit Partners. He added, We continue to be focused on lending into high quality industrial/logistics assets across the country, which attracted us to this project. About H.I.G. Realty Credit Partners H.I.G. Realty Credit Partners is the real estate lending platform of H.I.G. Capital, a leading global alternative assets investment firm with $55 billion of equity capital under management. H.I.G. Realty Credit Partners originates first-mortgage loans, mezzanine loans and preferred equity investments backed by high-quality, middle market properties across all major real estate asset classes and geographies. It focuses on the markets and cities in the U.S. with favorable macroeconomic dynamics with a particular focus on transitional properties and complex business plans. The approach is a bottoms-up underwriting of both the property and the local market to bring to bear the most flexible and accretive loan structures. H.I.G. Realty Credit Partners has originated over $3 billion of loans across more than 30 investments since its inception. For more information, please refer to the H.I.G. website www.higcapital.com. About H.I.G. Capital H.I.G. is a leading global alternative assets investment firm with $55 billion of equity capital under management.* Based in Miami, and with offices in New York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Atlanta in the U.S., as well as international affiliate offices in London, Hamburg, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Bogota, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, H.I.G. specializes in providing both debt and equity capital to small and mid-sized companies, utilizing a flexible and operationally focused/ value-added approach: H.I.G.s equity funds invest in management buyouts, recapitalizations and corporate carve-outs of both profitable as well as underperforming manufacturing and service businesses. H.I.G.s debt funds invest in senior, unitranche and junior debt financing to companies across the size spectrum, both on a primary (direct origination) basis, as well as in the secondary markets. H.I.G. is also a leading CLO manager, through its WhiteHorse family of vehicles, and manages a publicly traded BDC, WhiteHorse Finance. H.I.G.s real estate funds invest in value-added properties, which can benefit from improved asset management practices. H.I.G. Infrastructure focuses on making value-add and core plus investments in the infrastructure sector. Since its founding in 1993, H.I.G. has invested in and managed more than 400 companies worldwide. The firm's current portfolio includes more than 100 companies with combined sales in excess of $30 billion. For more information, please refer to the H.I.G. website at www.higcapital.com. * Based on total capital commitments managed by H.I.G. Capital and affiliates. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005243/en/ Michael Mestel Managing Director [email protected] Steven Schwartz Managing Director [email protected] Source: H.I.G. Capital NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- KBRA is pleased to announce the assignment of preliminary ratings to 15 classes of BBCMS 2023-C19, an $849.4 million CMBS conduit transaction collateralized by 36 commercial mortgage loans secured by 109 properties. The collateral properties are located throughout 31 MSAs, of which the three largest are New York (12.3%), Philadelphia (9.7%), and Washington NoVA MD (9.4%). The pool has exposure to most major property types, with four types representing more than 10.0% of the pool balance: retail (29.0%), mixed-use (19.3%), office (18.8%), and industrial (17.5%). The loans have principal balances ranging from $2.8 million to $65.0 million for the largest loan in the pool Scottsdale Fashion Square (7.7%), which is secured by a 1.6 million sf super regional mall located in Scottsdale, Arizona. The five largest loans, which also include Pacific Design Center (7.7%), 2 Executive (6.4%), Gloucester Premium Outlets (5.9%), and Rialto Industrial (5.7%), represent 33.3% of the initial pool balance, while the top 10 loans represent 57.2%. KBRAs analysis of the transaction incorporated our multi-borrower rating process that begins with our analysts' evaluation of the underlying collateral properties' financial and operating performance, which determine KBRAs estimate of sustainable net cash flow (KNCF) and KBRA value using our U.S. CMBS Property Evaluation Methodology. On an aggregate basis, KNCF was 13.9% less than the issuer cash flow. KBRA capitalization rates were applied to each assets KNCF to derive values that were, on an aggregate basis, 41.8% less than third party appraisal values. The pool has an in-trust KLTV of 90.4% and an all-in KLTV of 91.8%. The model deploys rent and occupancy stresses, probability of default regressions, and loss given default calculations to determine losses for each collateral loan that are then used to assign our credit ratings. To access ratings and relevant documents, click here. Click here to view the report. Related Publications Disclosures Further information on key credit considerations, sensitivity analyses that consider what factors can affect these credit ratings and how they could lead to an upgrade or a downgrade, and ESG factors (where they are a key driver behind the change to the credit rating or rating outlook) can be found in the full rating report referenced above. A description of all substantially material sources that were used to prepare the credit rating and information on the methodology(ies) (inclusive of any material models and sensitivity analyses of the relevant key rating assumptions, as applicable) used in determining the credit rating is available in the Information Disclosure Form(s) located here. Information on the meaning of each rating category can be located here. Further disclosures relating to this rating action are available in the Information Disclosure Form(s) referenced above. Additional information regarding KBRA policies, methodologies, rating scales and disclosures are available at www.kbra.com. About KBRA Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC (KBRA) is a full-service credit rating agency registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an NRSRO. Kroll Bond Rating Agency Europe Limited is registered as a CRA with the European Securities and Markets Authority. Kroll Bond Rating Agency UK Limited is registered as a CRA with the UK Financial Conduct Authority. In addition, KBRA is designated as a designated rating organization by the Ontario Securities Commission for issuers of asset-backed securities to file a short form prospectus or shelf prospectus. KBRA is also recognized by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners as a Credit Rating Provider. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005621/en/ Colt Stonehill, Associate Director (Lead Analyst) +1 (646) 731-2344 [email protected] Lynn DEugenio, Managing Director +1 (646) 731-2487 [email protected] Nitin Bhasin, Senior Managing Director (Rating Committee Chair) +1 (646) 731-2334 [email protected] Business Development Contact Daniel Stallone, Senior Director +1 (646) 731-1308 [email protected] Source: Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC There may be more sophisticated ways to let oneself fall into despair than spending an entire afternoon watching Corecore on your cell phone, but few of them are more specific to our times. Segments of Generation Z (those born after 1995) construct their identity on TikTok. This social media platform employs thousands of tags with which users define both online content and themselves. Corecore, which has already racked up two billion views, is one of them, though it does not often resemble any of them. Loneliness and existential angst are the words that best describe this internet-based community. Most strikingly, these creations which for some are an artistic genre unto themselves are riddled with anti-capitalist messages that decry the alienating and dehumanizing aspects of social media. TikToks algorithm has emerged from a trend, in which young people have found an unexpected ally. Urban Dictionary defines Corecore as kind of a deconstructed art, basically invoking emotion out of a series of (visual) clips that you develop your own meaning [for]. Corecore content is introspective. No one knows for sure how this trend originated. Various publications cite a video collage by user @masonoelle from January 2021 as one of the first examples of Corecores impact on social media. John Rising, known on TikTok as @HighEnquiries, is considered one of the genres creators. In an interview with Vice, he explained, Ive never really felt a need to give it a name, I was just trying to make videos that evoked some sort of reaction in people. Corecores videos last for about a minute, and they are addictive. They consist of visual montages created from scenes from around the Internet; anything goes movies, rehashed memes, viral videos, news clips and snippets of other TikTok posts. Nearly every one of them is accompanied by a melancholic soundtrack. Because Corecores intention is to represent societys emptiness and absurdity, some media have compared it to the Dadaist art of the early twentieth century. Corecore and dadaism also coincide in their chaotic, anti-aesthetic structure. However, the works of the Tristan Tzara-led movement were given to chance. In contrast, Corecore has an intelligible discourse and repeating patterns: loneliness, depression, consumerism, global warming, social media toxicity and the inability to establish human connection. In short, Corecore seeks to elevate feelings but through an overarching theme. The precise origin of the term Corecore is unclear. According to the website Know Your Meme, the word was first used on Tumblr in 2020. The noun is a metalinguistic word play on the suffix -core, which internet culture uses to define an aesthetic. For example, theres cottagecore (aesthetics associated with the countryside, nature and tradition); witchcore (aesthetics based on a fondness for the world of magic); and normcore (aesthetics related to wearing basic, unpretentious attire). Users, brands and the social media website itself pay attention to identifying the latest aesthetic trends on TikTok. It is important to understand that the word aesthetics, which began as a discipline of philosophy that studies the nature of beauty, has acquired a new meaning in recent years. Saying that something is aesthetic came to mean that we like something aesthetically. The terms meaning continued to expand, and, as Moises Mendez explains in a Time magazine article, it has [now] become a catch-all term for Gen Z, encompassing moods, feelings, and subcultures around which people can find like-minded users online. The niche-ification of the platform has carved out small corners of the Internet for seemingly every special interest, mood, hobby, like, dislike, and, yes, aesthetic. An aesthetic is also a community Generation Z uses TikTok to construct its identity, says Alvaro L. Pajares, a TikTokker and editor of the book Memeceno: La era del meme en internet (The Internets Meme Era). He sees that phenomenon at work in each community or aesthetic that has the -core suffix. Until now, no platform had managed to offer the user such a specific and personalized experience for their reality. It does this by creating microcells or micro-niches that reflect a specific aesthetic and identity, Pajares explains. The novelty of TikTok, as compared to other platforms, is that each user has a feed based on the content they consume, not the people they follow, he notes. Its the first social network that 100 percent understands that its no longer about networking The business is in keeping people watching and creating content, he observes. Using labels to define ourselves isnt new. Having a self-described aesthetic has been an online trend since the days of early 2010s Tumblr blogs; however, the parameters of these new forms of stylistic appearances have become increasingly precise and intertwined with ones lifestyle, writer Madison Huizinga says in her essay On Feeling Pretty When You Cry: Cottagecore, That Girl & Self-Aestheticization. She argues that TikTok has led to a rise in niche internet aesthetics. Never before had I seen such enthusiasm for categorizing certain lifestyle choices to fit such detailed online definitions, she asserts. There is clear comfort in feeling as though ones interests, hobbies, and aspirations are shared by others. And the Internet provides excellent forums for individuals to reach people outside their physical communities that have similar passions. Corecore is the anti-aesthetics of TikTok, says Pajares. They are Generation Zs black sheep who cant find their place [anywhere], he continues. For example, he compares the Corecore consumer to a kid who is sitting on a bench in the mall and doesnt want to go into any store to shop. Several authors have spoken of the mercantilist trap behind the rise of niche internet. As Joana Girona, a journalist who specializes in digital culture, states in an article published by the Center of Contemporary Culture of Barcelona: The increase of all these aesthetics directly implies a benefit for digital capitalism, which commercializes and exploits our online habits and tries to sell or create the need for us to have a certain product, as it has always done, but now [it is doing it] in a more massive and perverse way. Essayist Rayne Fisher-Quann says it even more forcefully: Everyone is jostling for attention in a crowded room, struggling to differentiate themselves within an algorithm that exists to turn their personhood into a commodity. Lone wolves Lately, Corecore is the only thing that makes me feel real, user Jett comments on a video under the tag Corecore. I hear you, bro, replies king-manny, who is not alone sharing this sentiment. Corecore is a community of those who feel alone in an increasingly connected world. Thats why references to scroll down [scrolling up and down on the cell phone], addiction and seeing empty content are so recurrent, Pajares explains. Loneliness and the mental health problems that stem from it is one of the great epidemics of our time. The coronavirus crisis led to a 25% increase in the number of people suffering from anxiety and depression. TikToks algorithm seems to have shaped this despair. In a Hyperallergic article, journalist Isabella Segalovich expressed concern that these viral videos can draw those of us (like myself) who struggle with anxiety and depression into deeper despair. Moreover, desperation has left increasing numbers of men susceptible to manipulation by right-wing opportunists. Joe Rogan, Jordan Peterson, and Theo Von make frequent appearances in corecore videos. The columnist notes that these characters are often paired with lonely, angry, and sometimes violent male protagonists from blockbusters like American Psycho, Blade Runner 2049, Fight Club, and The Joker. There are overlapping identities or labels, explains Pajares, who cites the concept of the sigma male to explain this dimension of Corecore. Its an alternative version of the alpha male within the manosphere [anti-feminist Internet forums], he says. According to the expert, sigma males have concluded that there are two types of men in gendered relationships: alpha males, who need to constantly reaffirm their position in the group; and beta males, who are unable to sustain that attention. After reading people like Jordan Peterson, the sigma male realizes that his power lies in not needing external validation, being emotionally autonomous, and being able to lead a solitary life. Figures like Patrick Bateman, the protagonist of American Psycho (2000), and Ryan Goslings character in Blade Runner 2049 (2017) are frequently the models for this type of masculinity. This is a masculinity that might be considered toxic; although it has a conception of gender roles, it has had to deconstruct itself through Jordan Petersons discourse, Pajares argues. Corecore doesnt have to be negative, but the seed of it is there. Hatred of TikTok is also hatred of the lonely man, who asserts his own autonomy even though he would really like to get attention, just like everyone else. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Healthy-aging innovator now available in ten markets MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- MONAT GLOBAL (MONAT), a multinational distributor, social and direct seller of award-winning beauty products, has announced its European expansion into France. Global growth across Europe began in 2018 with the addition of Spain, Lithuania, Poland, Ireland, and the UK. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005666/en/ MONAT, the multinational distributor of award-winning beauty products, will launch into France in May 2023. (Photo: Business Wire) Ray Urdaneta, MONAT CEO, shared, With our award-winning products and as the number one premium haircare direct selling brand*, weve had a steady stream of requests to expand into France for several years. Were looking forward to providing a warm welcome to many new Market Partners in France starting immediately. We know they are eager to share our naturally based beauty products, be rewarded and embrace our mission. Our successful expansion within Europe has shown that social selling has quickly become a preferred way to not only buy but for people to create their own financial future. said Tamila Kerimova, senior vice president and general manager for MONAT Europe. MONAT is an American success story with an increasingly global reach. Founded in 2014, the company has invested years in researching unique plant-based ingredients and in independent clinical studies. MONAT is also a four-time winner of the Best Places to Work in Direct Selling Award by Direct Selling News and recently recognized for its global sustainability efforts by the Best in Biz Awards. We are meeting the demands of the French consumers with the expansion of our unique business model and culture of family, service and gratitude to new European markets by opening operations in France, said Stuart MacMillan, president of MONAT. Our holistic and innovative approaches to the development of premium beauty products, as well as attention to detail and luxury is a natural fit for the French market. MONAT will initially launch into France in May 2023 through a serious of regional roadshows and events to introduce the business model and opportunities for founding market partners. The launch will progress throughout June, ready for the e-commerce introduction of its award-winning beauty products in the summer. In addition to France, MONAT operates in the United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Poland, Spain, Lithuania, Australia and New Zealand. Follow MONAT on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube. Additional information about the company can be found at its website, https://monatglobal.com/. *SOURCE: Euromonitor International Limited; Beauty & Personal Care 2022 ed; Premium Hair Care category; MONAT Global company shares in retail value (RSP) terms, 2021 data. About MONAT Global MONAT Global is a multinational distributor, social and direct seller of award-winning beauty products founded to help people everywhere enjoy beautiful, healthy, fulfilling lives through exceptional, naturally based products; a fun and rewarding business opportunity; and a culture of family, service, and gratitude. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Doral, Florida, MONAT provides ground-breaking opportunities through a novel Social Marketing approach to Direct Sales. MONAT's product development is led by Chief Science Officer Alan J. Meyers and supported by a Scientific Advisory Board comprised of eminent professionals in medicine, cosmetics, haircare, science and health. MONAT offers a unique and exciting business model and one of the most generous compensation plans in the U.S., France, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Lithuania, Spain, Poland, Australia and New Zealand. #MONATGlobal Facebook: /MONATOfficial | Instagram: @monatofficial | YouTube: /MONATOfficial Twitter: @MONATOfficial | Pinterest: /MONATOfficial View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005666/en/ Ginger Greenberg Sunwest Communications for MONAT Global +1 (469) 547-0259 [email protected] Source: MONAT Global PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News: Atlante, the company of NHOA Group (NHOA.PA, formerly Engie EPS) dedicated to electric vehicles' fast and ultra-fast charging infrastructure, and Groupe Duval announce their exclusive partnership for the installation of 188 fast and ultra-fast charging points across France. With 25 years of experience, Groupe Duval is a leading and unique player in the real estate market with experience in all fields, investing in regional projects to develop their full potential, supporting innovation, all the while building a sustainable society. Groupe Duval, a French family-owned reality, is present in 19 countries and conceives a wide range of projects in the real estate business from conception to operations, including design, development, construction, management, and investment. Atlante will install 188 fast and ultra-fast points of charge in Groupe Duvals high-end commercial areas. The presence of Atlante fastcharging stations all around the country will guarantee to both Groupe Duvals customers and EV drivers in general to charge their vehicles while benefitting from the services offered by Groupe Duval premises. "Since its creation, our family Groupe has been committed to sustainable development, placing social, societal, and environmental considerations at the heart of its strategy. We are convinced that the energy transition will also involve mobility transformation. Therefore, we are delighted with the partnership that we have just entered with Atlante, which marks the launch of a voluntary initiative to electrify the car parks in our real estate portfolio," commented Pauline Boucon Duval, Managing Director of Groupe Duval. "Partnering with Groupe Duval is a precious opportunity for Atlante to expand our reach and impact further within the e-mobility French market. We are proud to be coupling with a company that shares our commitment to excellence, innovation, and sustainability, and we look forward to the great things we can achieve in the future," commented Jacques Galvani, CEO of Atlante France. The first fastcharging stations are expected to be online by the end of the year. * * * DUVAL GROUPE Founded by Eric Duval and co-managed by Pauline Boucon Duval and Louis-Victor Duval, Groupe Duval is a French family-owned real estate company. It employs over 5,000 people and has a turnover of 1 billion euros. More information on www.groupeduval.com NHOA NHOA S.A. (formerly Engie EPS), global player in energy storage, e-mobility and EV fast and ultra-fast charging infrastructure, develops technologies enabling the transition towards clean energy and sustainable mobility, shaping the future of a next generation living in harmony with our planet. Listed on Euronext Paris regulated market (NHOA.PA), NHOA forms part of the CAC Mid & Small and CAC All-Tradable financial indices. NHOA, with offices in France, Spain, United States and Australia, maintains entirely in Italy research, development and production of its technologies. For further information, go to www.nhoa.energy Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Instagram Atlante Atlante is a company of NHOA Group (NHOA.PA), formerly Engie EPS, global player in energy storage and e-mobility, which develops technologies enabling the transition towards clean energy and sustainable mobility, shaping the future of a next generation living in harmony with our planet. Atlante is developing the largest fast and ultra-fast charging network in Southern Europe, enabled by renewables, energy storage and 100% vehicle-grid-integrated (VGI). It aims to install in Italy, France, Spain and Portugal 5,000 fast and ultra-fast points of charge by 2025, and over 35,000 by 2030. Atlante is the result of the partnership between NHOA Group, which develops and invests in the network being owner and operator, Free2move eSolutions, in the role of supplier of charging technology, and Stellantis automotive group. It will be an open network, with privileged access for Stellantis customers. For further information, go to www.atlante.energy Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Instagram View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230404005954/en/ Head of Communication: Philippine Barneville, 01 41 31 58 60 - [email protected] Press Office Atlante France: Roxane Planas, +33 6 37 05 84 42, Charlotte Le Barbier, +33 6 78 37 27 60, et Renault Enguerand, Image7, [email protected] Financial Communication and Institutional Relations: Chiara Cerri, +39 337 1484534, [email protected] Source: NHOA CENTENNIAL, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- NUBURU, Inc. (NUBURU or the Company) (NYSE American: BURU), a leading innovator in high-power and high-brightness industrial blue laser technology, today announced that it has been selected by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) for a position on the multiple award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for the fabrication and delivery of prototypes and equipment in support of solid-state high energy laser (HEL) weapon systems. NUBURU has the ability to manufacture laser diode, fiber optic and optical subsystems in the U.S. making us well positioned to support the DOD with its needs regarding this critical next-generation national security issue, said Dr. Mark Zediker, CEO and Co-Founder of NUBURU. We are proud to use our automated manufacturing capabilities and a workforce entirely based in the U.S. to provide high-power laser subsystems for our customers. As one of seven companies selected, NUBURU is eligible to participate in the firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract with a maximum ceiling of $75 million. The other selected companies include divisions of Rolls-Royce, General Atomics, Dynetics, II-VI, Lockheed Martin, and nLIGHT. The location percentages are currently unknown and will be determined at the delivery order level. Work is expected to be completed by March 2028. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting entity. For additional details, please see the U.S. Department of Defense announcement here. NUBURU is based in Centennial, Colorado where it conducts research, development, design and manufacturing of its high-power blue lasers. NUBURU has not included any potential revenue from this new contracting vehicle in the 2023 forecast that it released on March 21, 2023. About NUBURU Founded in 2015, NUBURU, INC. (NYSE American: BURU) is a developer and manufacturer of industrial blue lasers that leverage fundamental physics and their high-brightness, high-power design to produce faster, higher quality welds and parts than current lasers can provide in laser welding and additive manufacturing of copper, gold, aluminum and other industrially important metals. NUBURUs industrial blue lasers produce minimal to defect-free welds that are up to eight times faster than the traditional approaches all with the flexibility inherent to laser processing. For more information, please visit www.nuburu.net. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including certain financial forecasts and projections and revenue generated under an awarded contract. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release may be forward-looking statements. Some of these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words, including may, should, expect, intend, will, estimate, anticipate, believe, predict, plan, seek, targets, projects, could, would, continue, forecast or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar expressions. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based upon estimates, forecasts and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by NUBURU and its management, are inherently uncertain and many factors may cause the companys actual results to differ materially from current expectations which include, but are not limited to: (1) the ability to continue to meet the security exchanges listing standards; (2) failure to achieve expectations regarding its product development and pipeline; (3) the inability to access sufficient capital to operate as anticipated; (4) the inability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the business combination, which may be affected by, among other things, competition, the ability of the company to grow and manage growth profitably, maintain relationships with customers and suppliers and retain its management and key employees; (5) changes in applicable laws or regulations; (6) the possibility that NUBURU may be adversely affected by other economic, business and/or competitive factors; (7) the inability to obtain financing from Lincoln Park Capital; (8) volatility in the financial system and markets caused by geopolitical and economic factors; (9) work under the contract primarily being awarded to the other companies selected; and (10) other risks and uncertainties set forth in the sections entitled Risk Factors and Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements in NUBURUs most recent periodic report on Form 10-K or Form 10-Q and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Nothing in this press release should be regarded as a representation by any person that the forward-looking statements set forth herein will be achieved or that any of the contemplated results of such forward-looking statements will be achieved. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. NUBURU does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expected results. NUBURU assumes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by applicable securities laws. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005298/en/ NUBURU - Media Contact Brian Knaley [email protected] NUBURU - Investor Relations Contact Maria Hocut [email protected] Source: NUBURU, Inc. As IGEL Ready Partner of the Year for Customer Experience - North America, PrinterLogic is celebrated for demonstrating a strong commitment to teaming with IGEL to drive customer and partner success ST. GEORGE, Utah & SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Printerlogic and IGEL, provider of the managed endpoint operating system for secure access to any digital workspace, today announced that PrinterLogic has been awarded an IGEL Ready Partner of the Year Award in Customer Experience North America. The award was presented to PrinterLogic during DISRUPT 23, the only global event focused on end-user computing and the delivery of secure, high-performance digital workspaces to increasingly distributed hybrid workforces, held this year in Munich, Germany, and Nashville, Tennessee. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005696/en/ The IGEL Ready Partner of the Year Awards program recognizes IGEL Ready partners that have demonstrated a strong commitment to customer success, active engagement in the IGEL Ready Program, and success on a global scale. Partners are also recognized for having a clearly differentiated value proposition for customers and partners when their solutions are combined with IGEL, as well as their ability to improve the customer experience through their alliance with IGEL. Our focus on customer satisfaction and streamlining print management is at the heart of our software development. By leveraging cloud technology, we're able to simplify what was once a complex and costly process," remarked Amin Marts, Vice President of Alliances and Ecosystems at PrinterLogic. "Through our collaboration with IGEL, we're excited to bring our innovative solutions to even more businesses and alleviate the burdens on their IT teams." Congratulations to PrinterLogic on your success as a valued member of the IGEL Ready ecosystem, said Divya Saggar, Director, IGEL Ready. We are grateful for your commitment to IGEL Ready, and proud to be working with you to fulfill our mission of making it easier for our mutual customers to deploy, secure and manage their modern workplace environments. About IGEL Ready Established in July 2020, IGEL Ready is a growing ecosystem of more than 130 technology partners providing hardware, software, and peripheral solutions that have been verified for use with IGEL OS to deliver a powerful, productive, and secure end-user computing experience. For more information on the IGEL Ready program, please visit the IGEL Ready Showcase or contact the IGEL Ready team at [email protected]. If youre a hardware or software technology maker looking to join our fastest-growing ecosystem of IGEL Ready partners, please apply here. About PrinterLogic PrinterLogic, a Vasion solution, helps IT professionals eliminate all print servers and deliver a highly available serverless printing infrastructure. PrinterLogic users leverage our centrally managed direct IP printing platform, empowering end-users with mobile printing, pull printing, secure release printing, and many other advanced features that legacy print management applications can't provide. The integration of IGELs Universal Management Suite (UMS), and the PrinterLogic Client and Admin Console, enable centrally managed direct IP printers to be installed on any IGEL OS-powered endpoint devices, delivering a secure, uniform print experience to end users and simplifying tedious print management practices in the process. Our collaboration relieves admins of the biggest pain point of VDI architecture. About IGEL Today, the world of work is hybrid. Multiple clouds can deliver applications sourced from anywhere to a widely distributed workforce using all types of devices. Right at the moment when the world of work needs it most, IGEL has the solution for fully managed, secure endpoint access to any digital workspace that gives IT teams strong control and end-users the freedom to work as they wish in a hybrid world. Enabling choice of any cloud, from any device, anywhere, IGEL unlocks a collaborative and productive end-user computing experience while solving the common security and management challenges required to compete and win in todays world of hybrid work. With a growing ecosystem of more than 100 IGEL Ready technology partners, IGEL has offices in Europe and the United States and is represented by partners in over 50 countries. For more information on IGEL, visit www.igel.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005696/en/ Media Contacts [email protected] Source: PrinterLogic Airline formerly known as AirDialog rebrands as Reliable Airlines and appoints Tom Klassen as President ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Reliable Airlines, a cargo airline based in Albuquerque today announced the addition of Tom Klassen as President and Director of Operations to support the growth of operations and future integration of safety-enhancing systems developed by its parent company, Reliable Robotics. The airline team has established a safety management system and operational procedures and has a proven record of safety, 100% flight completion and 99.9% dispatch reliability, earning the airline more routes in New Mexico. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005367/en/ Reliable Airlines hires Tom Klassen as President and Director of Operations (Photo: Business Wire) Formerly known as AirDialog, Reliable Airlines aligns the cargo operation brand more closely with Reliable Robotics. The team at Reliable Airlines will have the unparalleled opportunity to lead the industry with the integration of automation that will improve aviation safety. Reliable Robotics is designing an automation system that will enable auto-taxi, auto-takeoff, and auto-landing and has sophisticated fault detection to identify and respond to unanticipated anomalies faster. This is the next evolution of aviation, said Tom Klassen, President and Director of Operations for Reliable Airlines. Reliable will incrementally introduce new technology into our airline operation, bringing unprecedented levels of safety to cargo aircraft. Its exciting and meaningful to me personally to be a part of this transformation. In his new role, Klassen will run Reliable Airlines. He is an experienced aviation leader with 40 years of combined management, regulatory and flying experience. His diverse aviation career spans several continents and includes Part 135, Part 121 and Part 91 operations in helicopters, turbo-prop and turbine aircraft. Most recently, Klassen served as CEO and Director of Operations for HALO-Flight, a helicopter air ambulance service. He has held Director of Operations and Chief Pilot roles, managing domestic and international operations. In his effort to increase safety in aviation, he has been an active member of two Federal Aviation Administration aviation rulemaking committees. Its been great to see the airline expand routes, hire more pilots and assemble an experienced team. Toms proven leadership, and strong focus on safety aligns directly to company goals, said Robert Rose, Co-founder and CEO of Reliable Robotics. Our cargo airline informs the development of the safety-enhancing automation systems were building as we progress towards certification for commercial use; the Reliable Airlines brand publicly ties those efforts together. Klassen will join Jeff Drees, Director of Cargo Strategy, former 35-year Ameriflight executive. Reliable Airlines operates cargo feeder routes and is actively recruiting line pilots with experience flying the Cessna Caravan to join its world-class team. For career opportunities, visit reliableairlines.com. About Reliable Airlines Reliable Airlines is a Part 135 airline founded in 2004. In 2022, the company relocated its central base of operation to Albuquerque, New Mexico to provide air cargo services. Learn more and see job openings at reliableairlines.com. Reliable Airlines and its respective logos are trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of the company. Other products and company names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005367/en/ Jeff Drees [email protected] Source: Reliable Robotics MELBOURNE, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- In the lead up to its Annual General Meetings, Rio Tinto is engaging with investor and civil society organisations on an enhanced approach to advocacy to support the decarbonisation of its operations, in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement. The discussions have highlighted the need for greater transparency and conversation on the critical role of government policy signals in decarbonisation by creating the right framework for change in hard to abate industrial value chains, coupled with real business action and societal shifts. Rio Tinto put the low carbon transition at the heart of its business strategy in 2021, setting a clear pathway to provide the materials the world needs for the energy transition and ambitious targets to decarbonise its business. Rio Tintos enhanced climate advocacy approach will include publishing briefing papers on specific assets and emission sources this year, detailing how the right policy-settings can support its Scope 1 and 2 emissions targets, which are aligned with the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C, as well as decarbonising the wider value chain. Rio Tinto will engage with the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility during the development of these briefing papers, particularly on the detail included on the identified policy-settings. Notes to editors Summary of Rio Tintos positions on climate change policy: We agree with the mainstream climate science published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. We support the Glasgow Climate Pact, in which governments resolved to pursue efforts to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5C that requires rapid, deep and sustained reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions, including reducing global carbon dioxide emissions by 45% by 2030 relative to the 2010 level and to net zero around mid-century, as well as deep reductions in other greenhouse gases. Consequently, we do not advocate for policies that undermine the Paris Agreement or discount Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Business has a vital role in addressing and managing the risks and uncertainties of climate change and driving emissions to net zero. A range of policy measures is necessary to support the early movers in our sector that innovate and deploy low-carbon technology. Our policy principles provide a common architecture for the positions we take in different jurisdictions policy should be effective, fair, pragmatic, market-based and support free trade. A market-based price on carbon is the most effective way to incentivise the private sector to make low-carbon investments and drive down emissions. Based on our current assumptions, carbon prices below $100 /tCO2e may be enough for us to decarbonise power and support our investment in renewable generation and firming infrastructure. Higher carbon prices and other forms of support are necessary to address harder-to-abate parts of our carbon footprint, such as process heat and carbon anodes, and remain commercially competitive in a global market. Minerals and metals are globally traded, so effective climate policy should incentivise the private sector to invest in low-carbon technology without undermining the competitiveness of trade-exposed industries and shifting production, jobs and supply chains to countries with lower emissions standards (carbon leakage). If there is significant regional variation in carbon prices, carbon border adjustment mechanisms (CBAM), or alternative policies, are necessary to limit leakage, provided they can be executed pragmatically and effectively. Carbon pricing, on its own, might not be sufficient to transform the metals sector. Other policy tools are necessary to tackle emissions and simultaneously achieve objectives related to industrial policy. These can include: grant funding, tax incentives and investment incentives to support R&D, innovation and first-of-a-kind projects product standards and procurement obligations (such as minimum and rising requirements for low or zero carbon metal) that drive deployment of pre-commercial technology. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230404006119/en/ Please direct all enquiries to [email protected] Media Relations, United Kingdom Matthew Klar M +44 7796 630 637 David Outhwaite M +44 7787 597 493 Media Relations, Australia Matt Chambers M +61 433 525 739 Jesse Riseborough M +61 436 653 412 Alyesha Anderson M +61 434 868 118 Media Relations, Americas Simon Letendre M +1 514 796 4973 Malika Cherry M +1 418 592 7293 Investor Relations, United Kingdom Menno Sanderse M +44 7825 195 178 David Ovington M +44 7920 010 978 Clare Peever M +44 7788 967 877 Investor Relations, Australia Tom Gallop M +61 439 353 948 Amar Jambaa M +61 472 865 948 Rio Tinto plc 6 St Jamess Square London SW1Y 4AD United Kingdom T +44 20 7781 2000 Registered in England No. 719885 Rio Tinto Limited Level 43, 120 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 Australia T +61 3 9283 3333 Registered in Australia ABN 96 004 458 404 riotinto.com Category: General Source: Rio Tinto NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Sound Point Capital Management, LP, a credit-oriented investment manager overseeing approximately $32 billion in total assets, is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Assured Investment Management LLC and certain of its related asset management entities (Assured-IM), which conducts the institutional asset management business of Assured Guaranty Ltd. (together with its affiliates, Assured Guaranty). In connection with the strategic partnership, Assured Guaranty will become a significant equityholder of Sound Point and certain of Assured Guarantys U.S. insurance subsidiaries will commit to invest $1 billion over time in Sound Point managed vehicles and separately managed accounts. Sound Point will become the sole alternative credit manager for the Assured Guaranty U.S. insurance subsidiaries. Sound Point will assume the management of 32 active Assured IM CLOs, comprising 25 US CLOs and seven European CLOs, making Sound Point the fifth largest broadly syndicated loan CLO manager globally on a pro forma basis. New York-based Sound Point is currently managing 39 CLOs of its own and also manages over $10 billion of assets in other areas of credit investing, including direct loans, capital solutions, distressed, structured products, commercial real estate lending, and specialty finance. This is a watershed event in Sound Points growth story, and it positions us for continued success in a business where scale has become increasingly important, said Stephen Ketchum, Sound Points founder and Managing Partner. Its our largest transaction to date, and were extremely proud to be receiving a one-billion-dollar investment commitment over time from Assured Guaranty. Were thrilled to be expanding our diversified platform through a powerful new partnership that will create immediate impact. The transaction is expected to be completed in the beginning of Q3 2023. As part of the acquisition, a significant number of employees from Assured-IM are expected to join Sound Point, both in New York and London. Following this acquisition, Sound Point will take over the management of approximately $15.2 billion (as of December 31, 2022) in Assured-IM assets, predominantly across CLOs but also including structured asset-backed investments. Sound Points pro forma assets under management (AUM) are anticipated to total approximately $47 billion after consummation of the transaction. This acquisition further strengthens our platform and will allow Sound Point to leverage its already comprehensive firmwide infrastructure and investment teams, said David Grill, Head of Strategy at Sound Point. Assured Guarantys investment commitment will be allocated to Sound Point managed CLOs as well as a range of other credit strategies. The combination of Sound Point and Assured-IMs technology and systems will further improve reporting capabilities and speed. The combined team will focus on continued excellence and tight operational controls, benefiting from each others existing processes and previous experience. Sound Point will remain a privately held company, with Stephen Ketchum as Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer and the firms controlling equityholder. Principals of Stone Point Capital LLC and Dyal Capital Partners will continue to be important members of Sound Points ownership group. Assured-IM was formerly known as BlueMountain Capital Management, LLC. BlueMountain was acquired by Assured Guaranty on October 1, 2019, and subsequently rebranded as Assured Investment Management. BofA Securities acted as financial advisor, and Pryor Cashman LLP and DLA Piper LLP acted as legal advisors, to Sound Point. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Insurance Advisory Partners LLC served as financial advisors to Assured Guaranty and Mayer Brown LLP served as Assured Guarantys legal advisor. About Sound Point Capital Management, LP Sound Point is an alternative asset management firm founded in 2008 with particular expertise in credit strategies. Based in New York, with offices in London, Florida and Connecticut, the firm manages money on behalf of institutional investors including top-tier pensions, foundations, insurance companies, wealth management firms and family offices. Sound Point's strategies span the spectrum of liquid and illiquid credit alternatives and include funds and managed accounts focused on leveraged loans, special situations, distressed debt, structured credit, direct lending and commercial real estate. Sound Point currently manages approximately $32 billion of assets. Five principals of Stone Point Capital LLC, as well as Dyal Capital Partners, a division of Blue Owl Capital Inc. [NYSE: OWL], are also strategic investors in our business. For more information, please visit Sound Point's website at www.soundpointcap.com. About Assured Guaranty Ltd. Assured Guaranty Ltd. is a publicly traded [NYSE: AGO], Bermuda-based holding company. Through its subsidiaries, Assured Guaranty provides credit enhancement products to the U.S. and international public finance, infrastructure and structured finance markets and also provides asset management services. More information on Assured Guaranty Ltd. and its subsidiaries can be found at AssuredGuaranty.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230404006102/en/ Media Greg Cresci Sound Point Capital (212) 895-2277 [email protected] Source: Sound Point Capital Management, LP With a shared goal of destigmatizing the mental health conversation in the Black community, The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation and kate spade new york launch a multi-year initiative, beginning at Alabama State University this spring. NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- This Spring, The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation (BLHF) and kate spade new york are teaming up to create more accessible mental health resources for women and girls, and together are announcing the launch of She Care Wellness Pods, a new program that aims to reach over 25,000 Black women on HBCU campuses with frontline mental wellness care. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005341/en/ (Photo: Business Wire) This first-of-its kind program was concepted by actor, filmmaker and founder of The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, Taraji P. Henson, and Tracie Jade Jenkins, Executive Director of The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation. In partnership with trusted community resources, the program will take a multifaceted approach through the opening of She Care Wellness Pods, physical structures installed on campuses that offer a range of services, including: Free mental health virtual and in-person therapy sessions for women students experiencing an exacerbation of stress, anxiety and depression. Hangout spaces will provide psychoeducation sessions that allow students to connect with peers and mental wellness professionals to address students' specific challenges. Self-regulatory practices including yoga, meditation, art, sound and dance therapy, all provided by certified practitioners. Workshops and seminars on a variety of student requested topics. Rest pods for silence and respite, to reset from daily stressors. Founded in 2018, The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundations mission is to eradicate the stigma around mental health in the African American community. As the U.S.s pioneering Black mental health advocacy group, BLHF provides access to localized and culturally competent therapy and integrated wellness resources through a network of clinicians, practitioners, counselors, and thought leaders. She Care Wellness Pods is a part of BLHFs broader initiative, Meeting You Where You Are, offering hassle-free access to mental health resources in traditional and non-traditional spaces where African-Americans convene. The initiative also includes He Care and They Care Pods. Womens empowerment has been at the forefront of kate spade new yorks social impact work for over a decade and is a core pillar of the brand. Over the last ten years, kate spade new york and its Foundation have invested $25M in womens mental health and empowerment partnerships. This year alone, kate spade will invest over $5M dollars to help destigmatize the mental health conversation and provide access to resources for women and girls globally. Tracie and I grew up in a community where women were expected to store the pain and struggles of inequities and disparities faced daily in education, healthcare, and the workplace. We believed that mental health was a commodity for the rich and those who didnt look like us. We are grateful for this partnership with kate spade new york. Together, we are changing the narrative and charting a new course for women who are experiencing the Strong Black Woman Syndrome, says Taraji P. Henson. Tracie Jade continued, In this revolutionary endeavor, Black women on HBCU campuses will be afforded the opportunity of empowerment through the modality of self-regulation experiences. Soon they will enter a world, essentially not designed to support them. A world where the value of women and women's rights are still being challenged. This is a space for respite, preparation, and for actualizing joy. Our social impact mission is to empower women and girls across the globe by putting mental health at the heart of our approach. Women and girls mental health has long been underfunded, undervalued and under-acknowledged, and we are so proud of our partnership with Taraji, Tracie and The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, an organization that shares our commitment to providing mental health resources to communities that need it the most, says kate spade new york CEO and Brand President, Liz Fraser. Fraser continued, Over the past 10 years, we have seen firsthand how interconnected a woman's positive mental health is to her empowerment, and as we kick off our 30th anniversary this year, were doubling down on our commitment to reach more women and girls with direct access to resources and support. Through our partnership, well work with the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation to provide accessible resources to over 25,000 young women across HBCU campuses through the She Care program and make a tangible difference in their everyday lives. "The Alabama State University Family is honored and humbled to be selected as the first ever HBCU to partner with two amazing advocates of mental health and wellness such as the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation and kate spade new york, says Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Alabama State University President. ASU is synonymous with innovation and history making, working alongside our partners enables us to fulfill our commitment to what we deem as "Communiversity" which allows us to impact not only our campus, but also the broader community by advocating and raising the level of awareness regarding the absolute importance of mental health and wellness." The stress of balancing college life, separation anxiety, relationship issues and depression commonly occur on college campuses, says Dr. Joyce Loyd-Davis, Alabama State University Sr. Director of Health Services. The She Care Wellness pods will be impactful for helping students cope with these issues and focus on a healthy mental well-being, ultimately restoring JOY. The She Care initiative is a continuation of Hensons work with the kate spade brand, having served as a member of kate spade new yorks Social Impact Council since its inception in January 2022. Alongside Henson, the Social Impact Council includes womens empowerment and mental health leaders from around the globe such as Jazz Thornton, Latham Thomas, Elisha London and more, who bring unique expertise and work hand-in-hand with kate spade to propel positive change, and encourage more conversation, education and research around the cause. Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation and kate spade new york will launch their first She Care Wellness Pod at Alabama State University, a public historically Black university in Montgomery, Alabama. The She Care initiative will officially launch in April 2023, ultimately rolling out to additional HBCU campuses. The She Care Wellness Pods were built by S.I. Container Builds, a woman-owned modular construction company that specializes in repurposing shipping containers and building with sustainable materials. The She Care Wellness Pods were designed by Saudah Saleem Interiors in collaboration with Kiyonda Powell Design Studio. The design of the She Care Wellness Pods embodies and evokes a sense of joy and empowerment, serving as a haven and place of renewal. About Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation: Founded in 2018, BLHF has built its reputation on providing trusted referrals and demonstrating a deep understanding of the population health of communities of Color. Through timely and relevant programming and awareness campaigns, BLHF encourages mental wellness, raises awareness of the stigma and the use of stigmatizing language when referring to mental illness, and provides mental health resources to the Black community. The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation is charting a new course that encourages Black individuals to own their history, heritage, and collective wounds in empowering, empathic, and transformative ways. For more information, visit https://borislhensonfoundation.org/. About kate spade new york: Since its launch in 1993 with a collection of six essential handbags, Kate Spade New York has always stood for color, wit, optimism, and femininity. Today, it is a global lifestyle brand synonymous with joy, delivering seasonal collections of handbags, ready-to-wear, jewelry, footwear, gifts, home decor and more. Known for its rich heritage and unique brand DNA, Kate Spade New York offers a distinctive point of view, and celebrates communities of women around the globe who live their perfectly imperfect lifestyles. Kate Spade New York is part of the Tapestry house of brands. About Alabama State University: Alabama State University is a public historically black college and university based in Montgomery, Alabama. Founded in 1867, Alabama State University has a history of legacy of perseverance, progress and promise, and a keen focus on developing history makers through its 63 degree programs. Alabama State University Health Services is a full service onsite health clinic meeting the needs of the student population. The clinic manages acute and chronic conditions and referrals are made appropriately to specialists as needed. The health center also treats mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. They work closely with the campus Counseling Center to meet the challenges students face related to stress, anxiety and depression. The staff of healthcare professionals are committed to exceptional customer service that cultivates a healthy community to live, work, and learn. About S.I. Container Builds: The She Care Wellness Pods were built by S.I. Container Builds, a woman-owned modular construction company that specializes in repurposing shipping containers and building with sustainable materials. The companys mission is to make a positive impact on the health and living conditions of our community and the wellness of our planet. SICBS proudly works with clients across North America. For more information, visit www.sicbs.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005341/en/ Media: LaForce, [email protected] Source: kate spade new york FILE PHOTO: An aerial view shows an oil factory of Idemitsu Kosan Co. in Ichihara, east of Tokyo, Japan November 12, 2021, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Picture taken on November 12, 2021. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS By Laura Sanicola (Reuters) - Oil prices settled largely unchanged on Wednesday, despite greater-than-expected draws in U.S. crude and fuel stockpiles, as the market weighed worsening economic prospects against expectations of U.S. crude inventory declines and plans by OPEC+ producers to reduce output. Brent crude futures settled up 5 cents, or 0.1%, at $84.99 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude ended 10 cents, or 0.1%, lower at $80.61 a barrel. U.S. crude inventories fell 3.7 million barrels last week, about 1.5 million barrels more than forecast, government data showed. Gasoline and distillate stocks also fell more than expected, drawing down by 4.1 million barrels and 3.6 million barrels, respectively. "Maybe following the strong price rally this week, investors are a bit cautious on jumping on a strong report," said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo. Prices jumped by more than 6% on Monday after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia, collectively known as OPEC+, pledged voluntary production cuts. "The decision by OPEC+ to voluntarily cut crude supplies from May onwards has come as a surprise to many, considering that the global crude balance was already expected to become increasingly tight over the summer months, something that will certainly help keep crude prices supported," Kpler crude analyst Johannes Rauball said. Data showing cooling economic conditions weighed against higher demand for crude and fuel. U.S. job openings in February dropped to the lowest level in nearly two years, suggesting that the labor market was cooling. "(The data) could be the first signs of weakness in the U.S. labor market and that is huge. Without it, (the U.S. Federal Reserve) will find it very hard to make the argument that it is pausing the tightening cycle," said Craig Erlam, senior markets analyst at OANDA. Traders will be looking for cues on broader economic trends from U.S. non-farm payrolls data due this week, as weak economic data from the U.S. and China raise demand fears. "The present raises concerns about healthy economic expansion as Chinese, euro zone and U.S. manufacturing activity slowed last month," said Tamas Varga of oil broker PVM. Record Russian diesel flows to the Middle East in March and the sluggish performance of middle distillates contracts have "acted as a brake on any attempt to push crude oil prices meaningfully higher," Varga said. (Additional reporting Rowena Edwards in London, Sudarshan Varadhan in Singapore, Laila Kearney in New York and Rowena Edwards in London; Editing by Marguerita Choy and Josie Kao) Former president Donald Trump claimed to be a victim of political persecution in a speech delivered Tuesday night from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. In the address, he argued that he had been under constant attack from the Democrats first from the Mueller special counsel investigation into whether Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election and then from two impeachment trials, from which Trump was acquitted. He thus put an end to a dizzying day, in which hours earlier he had been indicted in New York for three under-the-table payments made during the 2016 campaign to hide alleged extramarital affairs. If Trump felt injured by the indictment, he did not let it show, although he did address the press without his usual energy. Dressed as he was in his earlier appearance in New York, Trump accused the Manhattan District Attorneys office of interfering in the 2024 presidential race at a scale never seen before in our country Trump announced his intention to run last year, and, according to the polls, is the favorite to win the Republican presidential primaries. The former president accused the radical left in power of pursuing the hush money case against him, and said it should be dropped immediately. The phrase radical left was repeated throughout the speech. Trump went on to attack Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of interfering in the 2024 White House race, arguing he was backed by philanthropist and investor George Soros, who is one of the Republican Partys main enemies. I never thought anything like this could happen in America, said Trump, who said the indictment showed that the country is going to hell. The former president is facing 34 counts of falsifying business records linked to the hush money paid during the 2016 presidential campaign. According to the indictment, those false records cover up attempts to violate state and federal election laws. The indictment is the first against a sitting or former president in U.S. history. The only crime that Ive committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it, Trump said, who described the legal offensive against him as an insult. In addition to the New York indictment, Trump is facing several other federal and state investigations. These include a probe into whether he withheld classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, his role in instigating the 2021 assault on Capitol Hill, and his efforts to influence the election results in the state of Georgia. Trump devoted much of his lengthy speech to complaining about the criminal investigations including joking about tweets published by the wife of prosecutor Bragg instead of conveying a broader message, in electoral terms, capable of rallying and mobilizing the crowd. He didnt need to: he had a captive audience. He also painted a bleak picture not only domestically, but also of global challenges such as the threat from China. We are a nation in decline and now, these radical left lunatics want to interfere with our elections by using law enforcement, he said. Our justice system has become lawless, Trump said. Theyre using it now in addition to everything else to win elections, he added to rapt applause. The former president referred to President Joe Biden as a lunatic, and claimed attorney Bragg was a criminal, who went after him before knowing anything about the case. Trump also saved some ammunition for the judge overseeing the case, Juan Merchan, who he described as a Trump-hating judge, and even for Special Counsel Jack Smith, who was appointed by the Department of Justice to supervise all cases related to Trump, who he called a lunatic special prosecutor. Among the audience that silently followed his words, there were numerous people wearing the red caps of his MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement. Trump said that he has no plans of bowing down to the threats against him, as he intends to make America great again the closest thing that came to an election slogan. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition FILE PHOTO: The Boeing logo is displayed on a screen, at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., August 7, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid By Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Boeing Co said on Wednesday it had restarted deliveries of its widebody 767 after a three-month pause caused by supplier quality issues. The U.S. planemaker was forced to halt deliveries of the 767F freighter and KC-46 tanker earlier this year after it discovered center fuel tanks made by a supplier were not properly sealed. Boeing declined to comment on when 767 deliveries restarted, but flight data shows it handed over a 767F freighter to FedEx on March 24. The same day, Boeings defense unit tweeted that a KC-46 tanker had been delivered to the U.S. Air Force. Another FedEx freighter flew from Paine Field north of Seattle to Indianapolis on Tuesday. Before that, its most recent 767 deliveries occurred in December. While Boeing maintained the fuel tank issue would not impact its ability to meet annual delivery goals, the company had to remove and repaint the center fuel tank of affected aircraft before deliveries could resume. Stan Deal, head of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, told reporters last week that the company would resume 767 freighter deliveries shortly, with KC-46 tanker deliveries following afterwards. We have a paint adhesion (problem), the sealer did not adhere properly. So, weve got to go in and make sure that it's all conforming. It's taken quite a bit of time to do, Deal said, adding that the company was still evaluating how many aircraft will need to be reworked. Aircraft deliveries are closely monitored by Wall Street, as customers hand over the bulk of their payment to Boeing when they pick up their planes. However, the influx of cash from 767 deliveries may be partially offset by a new charge on the KC-46 program caused by the fuel tank flaw. Boeing will disclose the charge, which is expected to be lower than $500 million, during its first-quarter earnings on April 26, Chief Financial Officer Brian West said in March. Under the terms of its fixed-price contract with the U.S. Air Force, Boeing is responsible for paying for all expenses in excess of $4.9 billion and has taken $6.8 billion in charges so far. (Reporting by Valerie Insinna in Washington; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Nick Macfie) FILE PHOTO: An American Airlines Airbus A321-200 plane takes off from Los Angeles International airport (LAX) in Los Angeles, California, U.S. March 28, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo CHICAGO (Reuters) -Pilots at American Airlines are "near" reaching a comprehensive agreement in principle with the company on a new contract, according to a pilot union memo seen by Reuters. In an update to its members after three weeks of "intense" negotiations, the Allied Pilots Association (APA) said every aspect of the new contract has been "placed on the table, discussed, negotiated, and costed." The union, which represents over 13,000 pilots at the Texas-based carrier, said the company has committed to "match" industry-leading compensation for pilots and provide resources to improve the quality of life and work rules. American pilots, who received their last pay increase in 2019, have been protesting for a new contract. The APA is holding a strike authorization vote this month to put pressure on the company to fast-track the contract negotiations. Both American Airlines and United Airlines have promised an "industry-leading" contract to their pilots. They are now facing calls from their unions to deliver on that promise after pilots at rival Delta Air Lines ratified a new contract that includes over $7 billion in cumulative increases in pay and benefits over four years. "Every day that passes is a day our pilots labor under a sub-standard agreement that is problematic to both our careers and the certainty of American Airlines' operation," the APA said. American Airlines Chief Executive Robert Isom has said the company is prepared to match the pay rates and profit-sharing formula that Delta has provided in its new pilot contract. (Reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh; editing by Jonathan Oatis) VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brixton Metals Corporation (TSX-V: BBB, OTCQB: BBBXF) (the Company or Brixton) is pleased to announce that it has received the third payment in the amount of USD$500,000 for the Hog Heaven Project, which is currently being operated under a definitive earn-in JV Agreement with Ivanhoe Electric Inc. (NYSE/TSX: IE; see news release dated March 2nd, 2021). Ivanhoe Electric holds the option to acquire up to 75% interest by completing USD$44.5 million of total project spending. Hog Heaven is an advanced-stage, high-sulphidation, epithermal copper-silver-gold project with porphyry potential and historical production located in the state of Montana, USA. Hog Heaven Project Update Recent work at Hog Heaven has been focused on evaluating the historic drill hole database. This work has included re-logging 14,500m of drill core and assaying 3,600 drill core pulps for processing using current mineral assay technologies. The historic drill core has been selectively analyzed with a handheld Terraspec Halo (NIR & SWIR), a mineral analysis system that allows for the identification and evaluation of alteration minerals and alteration mineral zoning. Additionally, expanded soil, gravity and 3D IP surveys were completed on the property. Future Exploration Plans for Hog Heaven The Company understands that Ivanhoe Electric Inc. will continue to compile and create a comprehensive geological model for the property. Geochemical and geophysical anomalies have been identified, and based on these results, drill target identification is currently underway. An exploration drill program is expected to begin this summer to identify potential porphyry copper-gold mineralization. Future work shall be based on the success of the next program. Chairman and CEO, Gary Thompson, stated, We are delighted to see the continued interest by Ivanhoe Electric on the Hog Heaven Project. With the momentum in electrification of the economy, we believe projects like Hog Heaven have the potential to be a significant contributor to the supply of critical minerals in the USA. Summarized Terms of the JV Earn-In Agreement (All terms are in United States Dollars, unless otherwise indicated.) Ivanhoe Electric has the right to earn a 51% interest in the Hog Heaven Project by making a total of $4.5 million in cash payments and incurring $15 million in exploration expenditures over six years. Further, Ivanhoe Electric may earn an additional 24% interest (for a total of 75% interest over 11 years) in the Hog Heaven Project by incurring an additional $25 million in exploration expenditures. As the operator of the project, Ivanhoe Electric has paid $1.5 million cash to Brixton and has incurred over $3 million of exploration expenditures to date. Figure 1. The Hog Heaven Cu-Ag-Au Project Location Map. About the Hog Heaven Cu-Ag-Au Project Montana, USA The Hog Heaven copper-silver-gold Project is an advanced-stage exploration project which historically produced high-grade silver, gold, and copper. Between 1913 and 1975, Anaconda Copper Mining and lessees produced 6.7M oz Ag, 3,000 oz Au, 23M lbs Pb, and 0.6M lbs Cu from 0.23Mt of direct-ship ore, grading 29 opt Ag. The road-accessible property is located in Flathead County, 55 miles south-southwest of the town of Kalispell, northwestern Montana, USA. Over 700 drill holes were completed over the Main Mine and Ole Hill Targets by previous operators. Qualified Person Mr. Corey A. James, P.Geo., is a Senior Project Geologist for the Company who is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. James has verified the data disclosed in this press release. Corporate Update The Company has granted an aggregate of 3,202,500 Incentive Stock Options to officers, directors, employees and consultants to the Company at a per share price of $0.20 for a period of ten years from the date of grant. About Brixton Metals Corporation Brixton Metals is a Canadian exploration company focused on the advancement of its mining projects. Brixton wholly owns four exploration projects: its flagship Thorn copper-gold-silver-molybdenum Project, the Langis-HudBay silver-cobalt-nickel Project in Ontario, the Hog Heaven copper-silver-gold Project in NW Montana, USA (Optioned to Ivanhoe Electric Inc.), the Atlin Goldfields Projects located in NW BC (Optioned to Pacific Bay Minerals). Brixton Metals Corporation shares trade on the TSX-V under the ticker symbol BBB, and on the OTCQB under the ticker symbol BBBXF. For more information about Brixton, please visit our website at www.brixtonmetals.com. On Behalf of the Board of Directors Mr. Gary R. Thompson, Chairman and CEOTel: 604-630-9707 or email: [email protected]For Investor Relations, please contact: Neil MacRae, Investor RelationsTel: 604-630-9707 or email: [email protected] Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as anticipate, believe, plan, estimate, expect, and intend, statements that an action or event may, might, could, should, or will be taken or occur, including statements that address potential quantity and/or grade of minerals, potential size and expansion of a mineralized zone, proposed timing of exploration and development plans, or other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mineral exploration; fluctuations in commodity prices; title matters; and the additional risks identified in the annual information form of the Company or other reports and filings with the TSXV and applicable Canadian securities regulators. Forward-looking statements are made based on managements beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cd6bc9c4-2b5e-41e5-b535-4c7e41f22cb9 Figure 1. The Hog Heaven Cu-Ag-Au Project Location Map. Source: Brixton Metals Corporation CALGARY, Alberta, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canacol Energy Ltd. ("Canacol" or the "Corporation") (TSX:CNE; OTCQX:CNNEF; BVC:CNEC) is pleased to provide the following information concerning its March 2023 natural gas sales and near term drilling program. March Gas Sales of 182 MMscfpd Realized contractual natural gas sales (which are gas produced, delivered, and paid for) were 182 million standard cubic feet per day for March 2023. Near term drilling program The Corporation is preparing to spud the Lulo 1 exploration well and the Clarinete 8 development well. Lulo 1 exploration well is targeting the lower Cienaga de Oro Formation with strong AVO presence, located adjacent to the Corporations processing facilities, which implies quick and low cost tie-in. Both wells are anticipated to spud in mid to late April 2023, and both are anticipated to take approximately 4 weeks to drill, complete, and production test. About Canacol Canacol is a natural gas exploration and production company with operations focused in Colombia. The Corporation's common stock trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange, the OTCQX in the United States of America, and the Colombia Stock Exchange under ticker symbol CNE, CNNEF, and CNEC, respectively. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, including without limitation statements relating to estimated production rates from the Corporation's properties and intended work programs and associated timelines. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Corporation cannot assure that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. They are made as of the date hereof and are subject to change and the Corporation assumes no obligation to revise or update them to reflect new circumstances, except as required by law. Prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. These factors include the inherent risks involved in the exploration for and development of crude oil and natural gas properties, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drilling results and other geological and geophysical data, fluctuating energy prices, the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated costs or delays and other uncertainties associated with the oil and gas industry. Other risk factors could include risks associated with negotiating with foreign governments as well as country risk associated with conducting international activities, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Corporation. Realized contractual gas sales is defined as gas produced and sold plus gas revenues received from nominated take or pay contracts. CALGARY, Alberta, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canacol Energy Ltd. ("Canacol" or the "Corporation") (TSX:CNE; OTCQX:CNNEF; BVC: CNEC) is pleased to provide the following information concerning its March 2023 natural gas sales and near term drilling program. March Gas Sales of 182 MMscfpd Realized contractual natural gas sales (which are gas produced, delivered, and paid for) were 182 million standard cubic feet per day for March 2023. Near term drilling program The Corporation is preparing to spud the Lulo 1 exploration well and the Clarinete 8 development well. Lulo 1 exploration well is targeting the lower Cienaga de Oro Formation with strong AVO presence, located adjacent to the Corporations processing facilities, which implies quick and low cost tie-in. Both wells are anticipated to spud in mid to late April 2023, and both are anticipated to take approximately 4 weeks to drill, complete, and production test. About Canacol Canacol is a natural gas exploration and production company with operations focused in Colombia. The Corporation's common stock trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange, the OTCQX in the United States of America, and the Colombia Stock Exchange under ticker symbol CNE, CNNEF, and CNEC, respectively. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, including without limitation statements relating to estimated production rates from the Corporation's properties and intended work programs and associated timelines. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Corporation cannot assure that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. They are made as of the date hereof and are subject to change and the Corporation assumes no obligation to revise or update them to reflect new circumstances, except as required by law. Prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. These factors include the inherent risks involved in the exploration for and development of crude oil and natural gas properties, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drilling results and other geological and geophysical data, fluctuating energy prices, the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated costs or delays and other uncertainties associated with the oil and gas industry. Other risk factors could include risks associated with negotiating with foreign governments as well as country risk associated with conducting international activities, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Corporation. Realized contractual gas sales is defined as gas produced and sold plus gas revenues received from nominated take or pay contracts. For more information please contact: Investor Relations South America: +571.621.1747 [email protected] Global: +1.403.561.1648 [email protected] Source: Canacol Energy Ltd. Miami, FL, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cano Health, Inc. (Cano Health or the Company), a leading value-based primary care provider and population health company, announced a new appointment to its leadership team to strengthen operations and drive new opportunities for profitable growth. Mark Kent, as the new Chief Strategy Officer, will lead strategy development, spearhead operational initiatives, and consolidate oversight of key administrative supporting functions including contracting, billing and coding, credentialing, payor relations, and information technology (IT) that previously reported to other positions, which will not be replaced. At Cano Health, we continually seek to strengthen our leadership team and organizational efficiency in order to advance our mission and increase value for our shareholders said Dr. Marlow Hernandez, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cano Health. Marks extensive experience leading, operating, and growing primary care practices profitably will bolster our efforts to help more patients live a longer and healthier life. Prior to joining Cano Health, Mr. Kent founded three startup healthcare companies which help provider practices operate successfully within value-based arrangements: Care Management Resources, Total Health Medical Centers and Your Partners in Health. He has also held numerous senior executive roles, including having served as CEO of Womens Health Care Hospital in Evansville, Indiana and as CEO & Regional President of all Humana-owned Florida-based primary care practices, which today are known as Conviva Care Centers. Over the course of my career, I have always strived to give back, especially by helping people achieve better health and wellness, said Mark Kent, Chief Strategy Officer of Cano Health. Cano Healths mission to deliver superior primary care and measurably improve patient outcomes reflects that same goal to transform lives. I look forward to applying my operational experience and executive leadership to advance that vision, improve our patients quality of life, and help deliver the value our shareholders expect. Mr. Kent is a nurse by training and earned a masters in business administration from Purdue University. He is double board certified as a Fellow of the American College of Health Care Executives and a Fellow of the American College of Medical Practice Executives. He also proudly serves on numerous national and local boards including the Broward Health Foundation Board. About Cano Health MELVILLE, N.Y., April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new collaboration between Canon Solutions America, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., and Kongsberg Precision Cutting Systems (Kongsberg PCS) was announced today, making Canon Solutions America an authorized dealer of Kongsberg's fastest and most productive cutting platforms in its portfolio, the C24 and C64 digital finishing solutions. The Kongsberg C24 and Kongsberg C64 digital finishing solutions (both cutting and routing/milling) are designed to meet the increasing demands of the packaging, sign and display, environmental graphics, and corrugated industries. With their advanced features and capabilities, the Kongsberg C24 and C64 digital finishing/cutting platforms will help provide Canon Solutions America customers with elevated accuracy and versatility. We are thrilled to work with Kongsberg PCS and offer their market-leading cutting platforms to our customers, said Peter P. Kowalczuk, president, Canon Solutions America, Inc. The Kongsberg C24 and C64 cutting platforms are a perfect addition to our Arizona, Colorado, Texas and dye sublimation printer portfolio, and we are confident that our customers will benefit from the advanced features and performance capabilities that these platforms offer. Kongsberg PCS will provide Canon Solutions America and its customers with sales, service, and support for the Kongsberg C24 and C64 platforms. Advanced production training for customers on operations and maintenance will also be included, in addition to ongoing technical and application support to help achieve optimal performance. As the worlds first diversified provider of digital finishing and CNC cutting machines, we are excited to work with Canon Solutions America and further expand our reach in the North American market, said Matt Thackray, vice president and general manager of Kongsberg PCS Americas. Canon Solutions America has a reputation for providing exceptional nationwide sales, service, and support for their large format printing customers, and we believe that this alliance will provide premium performance digital finishing solutions to their customers. The Kongsberg C24 and C64 cutting/routing/milling machines are now available for purchase through Canon Solutions America. For more information on the C24 and C64 platforms, visit www.csa.canon.com or contact your local Canon Solutions America representative. About Kongsberg PCS Established as a standalone business in 2021 after originally being founded in 1965 in Kongsberg, Norway, Kongsberg Precision Cutting Systems (Kongsberg PCS) fuses passion, technology and creativity to provide best-in-class digital cutting and Computer Numerical Control (CNC) solutions through the two leading brands in the market: Kongsberg and MultiCam. The Kongsberg digital cutting range delivers the most robust and reliable solutions to packaging, signage, display and manufacturing markets worldwide, enabling businesses to produce faster, safer, and more efficiently without limiting imagination. The R&D facility is still located in Kongsberg, Norway, while the production site is in Brno, Czech Republic. The global head office and customer experience center are in Ghent, Belgium, with a North American head office in Ohio, USA. In August 2021 Kongsberg PCS acquired MultiCam Inc. creating the worlds first diversified provider of digital finishing and CNC cutting machines. Founded in 1989, MultiCam manufactures and distributes CNC cutting machines and digital finishing processes. The MultiCam product portfolio includes CNC routers, digital cutters, laser, plasma, and waterjet cutting machinesall made in the USA. MultiCam supplies innovative solutions for a multitude of industries and applications, from sign making to digital finishing, aerospace to automotive, sheet-metal to hardwoods, thermoform trimming to plastics fabrication, and more. Kongsberg Precision Cutting Systems is owned by OpenGate Capital, a private equity firm headquartered in Los Angeles, California. To find out more, please visit www.kongsbergsystems.com or www.multicam.com. About Canon Solutions America, Inc. Canon Solutions America, Inc. provides industry leading enterprise, production, and large format printing solutions, supported by exceptional professional service offerings. Canon Solutions America, Inc. helps companies of all sizes discover ways to improve sustainability, increase efficiency, and control costs in conjunction with high volume, continuous feed, digital and traditional printing, and document management solutions. A wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., Canon Solutions America, Inc. is headquartered in Melville, NY and has sales and service locations across the U.S. For more information on Canon Solutions America, please visit csa.canon.com. # # # Canon is a registered trademark of Canon Inc. in the United States and elsewhere. Colorado and Arizona are registered trademarks and trademarks of Canon Production Printing Netherlands, B.V. in the United States and elsewhere. All other referenced product names and marks are trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby acknowledged. 2023 Canon Solutions America, Inc. All rights reserved. Attachment Brian Bohl Canon Solutions America 5164088214 [email protected] Source: Canon Solutions America Press contact: Florence Lievre Tel: + 33 1 47 54 50 71 Email: [email protected] Capgemini to coordinate next generation IoT project for European Commission Paris, April 05, 2023 - Capgemini has been selected to coordinate the Next Generation IoT project, part of the European Commission's Next Generation Internet ( NGI )1 initiative, which aims to reinvent and reshape the Internet for the third millennium and beyond. The project, called IoT- NGIN , will focus on enabling Europeans to confidently harness the power of the Internet of Things (IoT)2. Funded by the European Union's Horizon 20203 research and innovation program to the tune of 8 million, IoT- NGIN brings together 19 partners4 from industry and the world of scientific and academic research and will last until September 2023. IoT has been identified by the European Commission as one of the technologies that is at the forefront of the digital transformation of the economy, with a positive impact on both citizens and businesses in Europe. To bring the next generation IoT to life, Capgemini is working on innovative research concepts alongside industry partners, research centers, specialized Small & Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Living Labs5. In order to create an interoperable IoT foundation at the European level and to ensure the security and privacy of data from connected objects, the IoT-NGIN project relies on innovation and cutting-edge technologies such as blockchain, autonomous Machine to Machine (M2M) communications, 5G communications optimization, Artificial Intelligence and secure Edge cloud. "The European Commission wants to leverage innovative technologies to develop solutions that support industry and are rooted in European values. This project is a great opportunity that demonstrates the strengths of European players in this high-impact technological evolution," says Ghasan Bhatti, IoT-NGIN project coordinator at Capgemini. Capgemini is also responsible for communicating on the project and promoting its results to all stakeholders in the IoT community. With this new collaboration, Capgemini is continuing its missions to support the European Commission, which began in 2019 with the PHOENIX project, focused on solutions for the security of energy infrastructures in Europe. This project was funded by the European Union's Horizon2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement N957246. 1 https://europa.eu/next-generation-eu/index_fr https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/fr/policies/next-generation-internet-initiative 2 The Internet of things (IoT) describes physical objects (or groups of such objects) with sensors, processing ability, software and other technologies that connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the Internet or other communications networks. 3 The Horizon 2020 program supports projects along the entire innovation chain and simplifies access to EU funding by speeding up the allocation of funds, reducing the number of errors in the declaration of costs by participants, and reverting to a more measured and focused audit policy. The Horizon 2020 program is divided into three priorities: scientific excellence, industrial leadership, and societal challenges. IoT- NGIN IoT- NGIN has received funding from the European Union's Horizon2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement no. 957246. 4 Industrial partners: ABB, ATOS, BOSCH, ERICSSON, Netcompany-Intrasoft, Engineering; Academic partners: Sorbonne University, Aalto University, RWTH University, I2CAT; SME partners: Entersoft, eBOS, Privanova, Synelixis, Cumcore,eMotion, ASM Terni, Forum Virium, Helsinki. 5 Living Lab: methodology where citizens, inhabitants and users are considered as key actors in the research and innovation process. Attachment JACKSONVILLE, Fla., April 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CE Broker, a leader in healthcare compliance and continuing education ("CE") management software, has announced the acquisition of Immuware, a provider of occupational and employee health and safety technology for required organizational compliance. The acquisition integrates SaaS-based capabilities and expands the companys ability to accelerate product innovation and address a comprehensive range of employee and contractor compliance requirements, ultimately benefiting customers. With the addition of Immuware, CE Broker will be able to advance its mission to power total professional management through smarter compliance. We are honored to welcome Immuware to the CE Broker team, said Julie Walker, CEO of CE Broker. The combined companies will modernize how our professionals, employers, regulators, agencies, and associations work together to streamline and automate compliance-driven operations to produce better outcomes. Immuware will be added to the current suite of compliance solutions, which consists of CE Broker, EverCheck, and a Marketplace offering. CE Broker is currently a full-lifecycle CE compliance platform for thousands of state and national licensure boards, agencies, associations, and millions of licensed professionals. EverCheck monitors healthcare compliance and provides access to accredited learning courses for over 400 hospital networks nationally. The acquisition of Immuware will supplement these capabilities with employee and occupational health compliance tracking and provide real-time status of immunizations, screenings, workplace medical surveillance testing, exposures, training, injuries, illnesses, licensure/certifications, and more. Immuwares customers will benefit from CE Brokers talent and operational resources, said Brittany Carminati, Founder and CEO of Immuware. We will be able to expand our compliance capabilities through deeper domain knowledge and expanded technical expertise. CE Broker and Immuware are two highly complementary leaders in the healthcare compliance space, and we believe that the combination represents a strong strategic fit that will enable the joint teams to continue building and delivering innovative solutions to customers, said Nathan Pingelton, a managing director at Marlin Equity Partners and member of CE Broker's Board of Directors. We look forward to helping the combined company reach its full potential and further accelerate its growth. About UsCE Broker is modernizing how professionals, their employers, regulators, and associations work better together. For over 20 years, CE Broker has propelled the progress of millions of licensed, certified, and registered professionals through our full-lifecycle continuing education management. In partnership with regulatory agencies and powered by industry-leading technology, EverCheck, a CE Broker product, delivers the most trusted and comprehensive technology solutions that simplify total professional compliance for both employers and employees. We power professionals. Learn more at cebroker.com and evercheck.com. About ImmuwareImmuware is a software company and consulting firm that provides businesses in the healthcare, energy, education, and government sectors with secure and easy-to-use health tracking solutions. Immuware applications include innovative vaccination management and illness tracking software, plus streamlined compliance status dashboards that increase accountability and take the guesswork out of identifying compliance gaps. Learn more at immuware.com. About Marlin Equity PartnersMarlin Equity Partners is a global investment firm with over $8.5 billion of capital under management. The firm is focused on providing corporate parents, shareholders and other stakeholders with tailored solutions that meet their business and liquidity needs. Marlin invests in businesses across multiple industries where its capital base, industry relationships and extensive network of operational resources significantly strengthen a companys outlook and enhance value. Since its inception, Marlin, through its group of funds and related companies, has successfully completed over 200 acquisitions. The firm is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, with an additional office in London. For more information, please visit www.marlinequity.com. Source: CE Broker P Press Release Ecully, April 5, 2023 8:30 am Report on Spineways Combined General Meeting of April 4, 2023 The Ordinary and Extraordinary General Meeting of Spineway's shareholders was held on first call on Tuesday, April 4, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at the Group's registered office, 7 allee Moulin Berger in Ecully (69). Due to the representation of the defaulting shareholders by the SELARL TULIER POLGE ALIREZAI, as ad hoc representative appointed by Order of the President of the Commercial Court of Lyon dated 3 March 2023, the number of shares held by present and represented shareholders was 3,642,198 shares, representing a 100% participation rate. All the resolutions presented to the Meeting on an ordinary and extraordinary basis were adopted, with the exception of the 13th resolution, on the recommendation of the Board of Directors. Information on the Ordinary General Meeting of 4 April 2023 is available on the company's website, under the heading "Investors/Regulated Information": https://spineway.com/investors/regulated-information/. Next event : April 13, 2023 Q1 2023 revenue SPINEWAY IS ELIGIBLE FOR PEA-SME (EQUITY SAVINGS PLANS FOR SMES) Find out all about Spineway at www.spineway.com. This press release has been prepared in both English and French. In case of discrepancies, the French version shall prevail. Spineway designs, manufactures and markets innovative implants and surgical instruments for treating severe disorders of the spinal column. Spineway has an international network of over 50 independent distributors and 90% of its revenue comes from exports. Spineway, which is eligible for investment through FCPIs (French unit trusts specializing in innovation), has received the OSEO Excellence award since 2011 and has won the Deloitte Fast 50 award (2011). Rhone Alpes INPI Patent Innovation award (2013) INPI Talent award (2015). ISIN: FR001400BVK2 - ALSPW Contacts: SPINEWAY Shareholder-services line Available Tuesday through Thursday +33 (0)806 706 060 Eligible PEA /PME ALSPW Euronext Growth AELIUM Finance & Communication Investor relations Solene Kennis [email protected] Attachment In this photo provided by South Korean Defense Ministry, a U.S. B-52 bomber, C-17, and U.S. Air Force F-22 fighter jets fly over the Korean Peninsula during a joint air drill in South Korea on Dec. 20, 2022. The United States flew nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to the Korean Peninsula again on Wednesday in a show of strength against North Korea, amid concerns that the North might conduct a nuclear test. The long-range bombers took part in joint aerial drills with U.S. and South Korean fighter jets over the Korean Peninsula, South Koreas Defense Ministry said. It said it was the first deployment of U.S. B-52 bombers to the peninsula in a month. The drills show the strong resolve of the (South) Korea-U.S. alliance and its perfect readiness to respond to any provocation by North Korea swiftly and overwhelmingly, Lt. Gen. Park Ha Sik, commander of the South Korean air force operation command, said in a statement. The South Korean and U.S. militaries have been expanding their combined military drills in response to North Koreas nuclear and missile threats. The allies conducted their biggest field exercises in five years and computer simulations last month. The U.S. also sent the nuclear-powered USS Nimitz aircraft carrier for joint naval training with South Korea last week and U.S.-South Korea-Japan anti-submarine drills this week. North Korea sees such drills as provocations that show its rivals intention of attacking the North. A day after the last flight by a B-52 bomber to the peninsula on March 6, Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, warned that her country was ready to take quick, overwhelming action against the United States and South Korea. North Korea has since test-launched a series of nuclear-capable weapons designed to attack South Korea and the United States. They included the Norths longest-range Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile, a developmental nuclear-capable underwater drone and cruise missiles fired from a submarine. Last week, North Korea unveiled a new battlefield nuclear warhead to fit on short-range weapons targeting South Korea. That touched off speculation that it may want to carry out its first nuclear test since 2017 because its last two nuclear test detonations happened after it disclosed other new warheads. If conducted, it would be the Norths seventh nuclear weapons test. Whether North Korea has functioning nuclear-armed missiles remains a subject of debate. Some experts say a nuclear detonation would be aimed at testing a miniaturized warhead for short-range missiles because the countrys recent weapons tests have focused more on weapons that place key military installations in South Korea, including U.S. military bases there, within striking distance. Kim Jong Un has said North Korea wont return to denuclearization talks with the U.S. unless Washington drops hostile polices toward the North, an apparent reference to its joint military drills with South Korea and U.S.-led international economic sanctions. Some observers say Kim wants to use his growing weapons arsenal to pressure Washington to accept it as a nuclear power and lift the sanctions. On Friday, the chief nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan are to meet in Seoul to discuss how to respond to tensions caused by North Koreas recent weapons tests, according to Seouls Foreign Ministry. During a policy meeting Wednesday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said security cooperation among Seoul, Washington and Tokyo is crucial in dealing with North Korean nuclear threats and other challenges. He said South Korea must bolster its preemptive strike, missile defense and retaliatory attack capabilities while strengthening the deterrence capacity of the South Korea-U.S. alliance. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LOVE Pharma Inc. (LOVE and or the Company) (CSE: LUV) (FSE: G1Q0) is currently evaluating mining opportunities in the battery component and power metals space. The move comes as the company aims to build shareholder value and capitalize on the growing demand for these metals globally. As the world continues to transition into renewable energy sources, there is a significant increase in demand for battery metals such as lithium cobalt and nickel. These metals are crucial components of batteries used in electric vehicles, smartphones, and other portable devices. Additionally, there is a growing need for power metals like copper and zinc, which are used in renewable energy infrastructure and power generation. By evaluating mining opportunities in these spaces both domestic and internationally, Love is positing itself to take advantage of this growing demand. The companys leadership team believe that investing in these metals now could lead to significant long-term benefits for the company, its shareholders and the carbon footprint of the planet. The company is currently conducting due diligence on various mining opportunities and will update its shareholders as decisions are made in the coming weeks. Any investment or acquisition is not guaranteed and will be subject to regulatory approval. About Love Pharma Inc. With a focus on the global sexual Health and Wellness markets, Love Pharma Inc. (CSE: LUV) (FSE: G1Q0) was founded in 2020, with a mission to bring to market innovative products that enhance sexual health and wellness while providing an improved quality of life. Love Pharma holds exclusive licenses to produce market, package, sell, and distribute patent-protected therapeutic and pharmaceutical products throughout Europe, the United Kingdom, and North America. For further information, please contact: Investor Relations Telephone: 1 (604) 343-2977 E-mail: [email protected] www.love-pharma.com Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Statements Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds, corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates", "may" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, risks relating to epidemics or pandemics such as COVID19, including the impact of COVID19 on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations, lack of investor demand for Bitcoin and/or Bitcoin futures exchange traded funds, and dependence upon regulatory approvals. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities laws. Ivy Lu Love Pharma 604-568-0149 [email protected] Source: Love Pharma BURLINGTON, Ontario, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Portland Investment Counsel Inc. (Portland) announced today a change to the risk rating of Portland Canadian Balanced Fund (the Fund). Portland determines the risk rating for the Fund in accordance with the methodology required by the Canadian securities regulators. As a result of its annual review of the investment risk level of the Fund, Portland has determined the risk rating for the Fund will be changing as follows: Fund Current Risk Rating New Risk Rating Portland Canadian Balanced Fund Low to Medium Medium This change will be reflected in the Funds Simplified Prospectus and Fund Facts, which will be filed with Canadian securities regulators in connection with the Funds 2023 annual renewal. There are no changes to the investment objectives or strategies of the Fund. For further information, on Portland and the Fund, please visit www.portlandic.com or contact Client Services at 1-888-710-4242, option #1, or email at [email protected]. Source: Portland Investment Counsel Inc. Glen Rock, N.J., April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RespireRx Pharmaceuticals Inc. (OTC Markets: RSPI) (RespireRx or the Company), a leader in the discovery and development of innovative and revolutionary treatments to combat diseases caused by disruption of neuronal signaling, is pleased to announce the entering into a material transfer agreement with University College London (UCL) as part of a collaborative research effort involving Dr. Ian Coombs and Prof. Mark Farrant, founder members of the GRIA Scientific Advisory Board of the CureGRIN Foundation (CureGRIN) and from the UCL Department of Neuroscience, Physiology, and Pharmacology. The UCL group, which also includes Prof, Stuart Cull-Candy F.R.S., has been awarded funding from CureGRIN, and will be working with the RespireRx research team to study the possibility of using CX1739, RespireRxs lead clinical AMPAkine, for the treatment of a major class of GRIA disorders. GRIA Disorder refers to a family of rare genetic diseases caused by mutations in the AMPA glutamate receptor genes that cause either a loss or gain in the functioning of these receptors, which are the site of action of RespireRxs AMPAkines and which play an important role in learning and memory as well as other critical biological functions (see https://curegrin.org/what-are-gri-disorders/ for a description of these disorders). Dr. Coombss work seeks to characterize the genetic variants underlying the diverse behavioral and cognitive symptoms in children with GRIA Disorder and use this knowledge to create a diagnostic method to determine on a molecular level which patients have a decline or gain in the functioning of these receptors and use this diagnostic to choose what drugs to use to restore normal function. It is very important to characterize the properties of AMPA receptor variants which underly the diverse symptoms displayed by children with GRIA Disorder in order to better determine which drugs could act as potential treatments. Evidence suggests that the majority of these disease-associated variants produce underactive AMPARs so I am very excited to be working with the AMPAkine CX1739, which boosts AMPA receptor function, to determine on a molecular level its potential as a precision therapy for children with GRIA Disorder, for whom no truly effective treatment presently exists, said Dr. Coombs. It is the ultimate intention of this collaboration to test CX1739 in patients with specific variants that we demonstrate produce a decline in function of the AMPA receptor. Positive therapeutic effects with RespireRxs AMPAkines already have been reported in animal mutations modelling related disorders such as Pompe that also suffer from declines in AMPA receptor functioning. AMPAkines may have the potential to treat a broad range of patients suffering from AMPA receptor dysfunction, commented Dr. Arnold Lippa, RespireRx Executive Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, President and Chief Scientific Officer. The RespireRx team that will collaborate with Dr. Coombs, Prof. Farrant and Prof. Cull-Candy includes Drs. Jeffrey M. Witkin and Rok Cerne, both of whom are RespireRx Research Fellows in addition to their academic affiliations at The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Ascension St. Vincent Hospital and Indiana University/Purdue University, respectively. The team has extensive expertise and are well known for their work in drug discovery and development, including novel analgesic, anxiolytic, anti-epileptic and anti-depressant drugs. About RespireRx Pharmaceuticals Inc. RespireRx Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a leader in the discovery and development of medicines for the treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders, with a focus on treatments that address conditions affecting millions of people, but for which there are few or poor treatment options, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), epilepsy, pain, recovery from spinal cord injury (SCI), and certain neurological orphan diseases. RespireRx is developing a pipeline of new and re-purposed drug products based on our broad patent portfolios for two drug platforms: (i) pharmaceutical cannabinoids, which include dronabinol, a synthetic form of -9-tetrahydrocannabinol (-9-THC) that acts upon the nervous systems endogenous cannabinoid receptors and (ii) neuromodulators, which include AMPAkines and GABAkines, proprietary chemical entities that positively modulate (positive allosteric modulators or PAMs) AMPA-type glutamate receptors and GABAA receptors, respectively. The Company holds exclusive licenses and owns patents and patent applications or rights thereto for certain families of chemical compounds that claim the chemical structures and their uses in the treatment of a variety of disorders, as well as claims for novel uses of known drugs. EndeavourRx: Neuromodulators GABAkines. Under a License Agreement with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Research Foundation, Inc. (UWMRF) and on behalf of its EndeavourRx business unit, RespireRx has licensed rights to certain selectively acting GABAkines because of their ability to selectively amplify inhibitory neurotransmission at a highly specific, subset of GABAA receptors, thus producing a unique efficacy profile with reduced side effects. Preclinical studies have documented their efficacy in a broad array of animal models of interrelated neurological and psychiatric disorders including epilepsy, pain, anxiety, and depression in the absence of or with greatly reduced propensity to produce sedation, motor-impairment, tolerance, dependence and abuse. The Company currently is focusing on developing KRM-II-81 for the treatment of epilepsy and pain. KRM-II-81 has displayed a high degree of anti-convulsant activity in a broad range of preclinical studies, including in treatment resistant and pharmaco-resistant models. Not only was KRM-II-81 highly effective in these models, but pharmaco-resistance or tolerance did not develop to its anti-convulsant properties. These latter results are particularly important because pharmaco-resistance occurs when medications that once controlled seizures lose efficacy as a result of chronic use and it is a principal reason some epileptic patients require brain surgery to control their seizures. In support of its potential clinical efficacy, translational studies have demonstrated the ability of KRM-II-81 to dramatically reduce epileptiform electrical activity when administered in situ to brain slices excised from treatment resistant epileptic patients undergoing surgery. In addition, KRM-II-81 has displayed a high degree of analgesic activity in a broad range of preclinical studies. In intact animal models of pain, the analgesic efficacy of KRM-II-81 was comparable to or greater than commonly used analgesics. At the same time, KRM-II-81 did not display side effects such as sedation and motor impairment, but even more importantly, it did not produce tolerance, dependence, respiratory depression or behavioral changes indicative of abuse liability, which are produced by opioid narcotics and are at the heart of the opioid epidemic. The Company has developed a series of back-up compounds to KRM-II-81. AMPAkines. Through an extensive translational research effort from the cellular level through Phase 2 clinical trials, the Company has developed a family of novel, low impact AMPAkines, including CX717, CX1739 and CX1942 that may have clinical application in the treatment of CNS-driven neurobehavioral and cognitive disorders, spinal cord injury, neurological diseases, and certain orphan indications. Our lead clinical compounds, CX717 and CX1739, have successfully completed multiple Phase 1 safety trials. Both compounds have also completed Phase 2 proof of concept trials demonstrating target engagement, by antagonizing the ability of opioids to induce respiratory depression. AMPAkines have demonstrated positive activity in animal models of ADHD, results that have been extended translationally into statistically significant improvement of symptoms observed in a Phase 2 human clinical trial of CX717 in adult patients with ADHD. Statistically significant therapeutic effects were observed within one week. We believe AMPAkines may represent a novel, non-stimulant treatment for ADHD with a more rapid onset of action than alternative non stimulants, such as Straterra (atomoxetine), and without the drawbacks of amphetamine-type stimulants. In a series of important studies funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health and published in a number of peer reviewed articles, Dr. David Fuller (University of Florida), a long-time RespireRx collaborator, has demonstrated the ability of CX1739 and CX717, the Companys lead AMPAkines, to improve motor nerve activity and muscle function in a number of animal models of spinal cord injury (SCI). ResolutionRx: Pharmaceutical Cannabinoids. ResolutionRx Ltd (Australian Company Number a/k/a ACN 664 925 651) was formed in Australia on January 11, 2023 by RespireRx as an unlisted public company. RespireRx intends to contribute, sub-license, assign or otherwise make available to ResolutionRx, its cannabinoid drug development program subject to certain liabilities. ResolutionRx would then engage in the research and development (R&D) associated with that program, initially for the development of a new formulation of dronabinol for use in a Phase 3 clinical trial and the filing of regulatory approval for the treatment of OSA. The current total budget for that program over the next several years is approximately US$16.5 million, most, but not all of which is expected to be eligible for the Australian R&D tax refund. Dronabinol, a synthetic version of -9-THC, a naturally occurring substance in the cannabis plant, has already demonstrated significant improvement in the symptoms of OSA in two Phase 2 clinical trials. OSA is a serious respiratory disorder that is estimated to be between 29.4 and 54.1 million people in the United States (American Association of Sleep Medicine and Lancet, respectively) and has been linked to increased risk for hypertension, heart failure, depression, and diabetes. There are no approved drug treatments for OSA. Because dronabinol is already FDA approved for the treatment of AIDS related anorexia and chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting, the Company further believes that its re-purposing strategy would only require approval by the FDA of a 505(b)(2) new drug application (NDA), an efficient regulatory pathway that allows the use of publicly available data. Additional information about RespireRx and the matters discussed herein can be obtained on the Companys web-site at www.respirerx.com or in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. Not a Securities Offering or Solicitation This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sales of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale of securities would be unlawful before registration or qualification under the laws of such jurisdiction. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), and the Company intends that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbor created thereby. These might include statements regarding the Companys future plans, targets, estimates, assumptions, financial position, business strategy and other plans and objectives for future operations, and assumptions and predictions about research and development efforts, including, but not limited to, preclinical and clinical research design, execution, timing, costs and results, future product demand, supply, manufacturing, costs, marketing and pricing factors. In some cases, forward-looking statements may be identified by words including assumes, could, ongoing, potential, predicts, projects, should, will, would, anticipates, believes, intends, estimates, expects, plans, contemplates, targets, continues, budgets, may, or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words, and such statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding (i) future research plans, expenditures and results, (ii) potential collaborative arrangements, (iii) the potential utility of the Companys product candidates, (iv) reorganization plans, and (v) the need for, and availability of, additional financing. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time the statements are made and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this press release. These factors include but are not limited to, regulatory policies or changes thereto, available cash, research and development results, issuance of patents, competition from other similar businesses, interest of third parties in collaborations with us, and market and general economic factors, and other risk factors disclosed in Item 1A. Risk Factors in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, as filed with the SEC on April 15, 2022 (the 2021 Form 10-K). You should read these risk factors and the other cautionary statements made in the Companys filings as being applicable to all related forward-looking statements wherever they appear in this press release. We cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements in this press release will prove to be accurate and therefore prospective investors, as well as potential collaborators and other potential stakeholders, are encouraged not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. You should read this press release completely. Other than as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise these forward- looking statements, even though our situation may change in the future. We caution investors, as well as potential collaborators and other potential stakeholders, not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement that speaks only as of the date made and to recognize that forward-looking statements are predictions of future results, which may not occur as anticipated. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements and from historical results, due to the risks and uncertainties described in the 2021 Form 10-K and in this press release, as well as others that we may consider immaterial or do not anticipate at this time. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions regarding the Companys business and technology, which involve judgments with respect to, among other things, future scientific, economic, regulatory and competitive conditions, collaborations with third parties, and future business decisions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are beyond the Companys control. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, we do not know whether our expectations will prove correct. Our expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements can be affected by inaccurate assumptions that we might make or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties, including those described in the 2021 Form 10-K and in this press release. These risks and uncertainties are not exclusive and further information concerning us and our business, including factors that potentially could materially affect our financial results or condition, may emerge from time to time. For more information about the risks and uncertainties the Company faces, see Item 1A. Risk Factors in our 2021 Form 10-K. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. The Company does not undertake and specifically declines any obligation to update any forward-looking statements or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any statements to reflect new information or future events or developments. We advise investors, as well as potential collaborators and other potential stakeholders, to consult any further disclosures we may make on related subjects in our annual reports on Form 10-K and other reports that we file with or furnish to the SEC. Company Contact: Jeff MargolisSenior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary Telephone: 917-834-7206Email: [email protected]RespireRx Pharmaceuticals Inc.126 Valley Road, Suite CGlen Rock, NJ 07452www.respirerx.com Source: RespireRX Pharmaceuticals Inc. PEORIA, Ariz., April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reunion Rehabilitation Hospital Peoria announced Shawn McCallum as its new CEO. McCallum brings nearly ten years of healthcare operational leadership to her work with Reunion. She most recently served as the CEO of a 40-bed, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation hospital in Surprise, Arizona. McCallum holds a masters degree in nursing (with an emphasis in nursing leadership) from Grand Canyon University. Over the course of her leadership career, she has served as a Chief Clinical Officer, Nursing Supervisor, and Nurse Manager for multiple care facilities where she has planned, organized, directed, and controlled clinical and financial resources, and developed and reviewed hospital policies, objectives, and operational procedures. As the Reunion Rehabilitation Hospital Peoria CEO, she strives to make Reunion Rehabilitation Hospital a provider and employer of choice in the greater Phoenix Metro area. McCallum will lead the Peoria team to drive positive performance results across the hospitals clinical, financial, and overall operating capacities. McCallum will also lead the hospital team to provide the exceptional care and positive patient experiences that are hallmarks of Reunion Rehabilitation Hospitals. About Reunion Rehab Hospital PeoriaReunion Rehabilitation Hospital Peoria, located near downtown Peoria, is designed to provide comprehensive, high-quality post-acute medical rehabilitation therapies to a wide variety of patients. At this 40-bed, state-of-the-art Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital, our clinical team will embrace new tools and processes to give patients with functional, occupational, or cognitive disorders a positive outcome and an opportunity to return to their active lives. For more information, please visit www.reunionrehabhospital.com. Media Contact:Nhi Le, [email protected] A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9b495c8f-35ce-4ba9-a470-e9b93d79e194 Shawn McCallum, CEO - Reunion Rehabilitation Hospital Peoria Reunion Rehabilitation Hospital Peoria announced Shawn McCallum as its new CEO. Source: Reunion Rehabilitation Hospital COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Space Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1983, offering information, education and collaboration for the global space ecosystem, today announced the selection of Major General Heather Pringle, U.S. Air Force, as its new chief executive officer effective July 1, 2023. Presently serving as Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Force Materiel Command, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, Major General Pringle will be retiring in Summer 2023 after 32 years of military service. She will succeed current Space Foundation CEO Tom Zelibor who announced his retirement in May 2022. In sharing the announcement of the selection of the organizations new CEO, chairman of Space Foundations board of directors Jeff Grant said, As we begin a new chapter of service to the global space community and the Colorado Springs community, we are very excited to have the talents and energies of Major General Pringle to lead Space Foundation forward into the most exciting space era weve ever experienced. Her demonstrated capabilities as an engineer/scientist, educator, innovator and team builder give us great confidence she is the right leader for Space Foundation. In accepting the new leadership position, Major General Pringle offered, I am excited and honored by the opportunity to lead Space Foundations team and continue its tradition of service and excellence to the space community. Todays space ecosystem presents greater opportunities for more people than ever before, and I look forward to doing my part with Space Foundations team to advance education and service opportunities for everyone. My career has taught me that teamwork at all levels enables success. Space Foundations record and reputation are proof of that collaborative fact. By working together with them and many others, I welcome the opportunity the board of directors has afforded me to grow that tradition of excellence. Major General Heather Pringle began her military service as a cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy where she graduated in 1991 with a degree in Human Factors. With duty stations across the United States as well as around the world, her 32-year career has been marked by her ability to facilitate cross-domain problem solving, innovative solutions, and partnerships with service branches, industry, academia and international allies. In her current role as Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, she is also Technology Executive Officer, providing mission-critical support to both the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force. In this position, she leads a $3 billion science, technology and innovation enterprise to accelerate the discovery and development of solutions for Airmen and Guardians. Remarking on the selection of Major General Pringle as the organizations new executive leader, Zelibor offered, Heathers background and talents as a proactive listener and leader not only prepare her for the best job in the global space community but also expand Space Foundations reach and impact to even greater heights and possibilities. She will do an exceptional job as CEO. Pringles selection as Space Foundation CEO comes after a nationwide executive search led by McAleer Gray, a national boutique executive search firm based in Denver. Pringle will lead the world-renowned organization that has been named six times by The Nonprofit Times and Best Companies Group as among the 50 best non-profit organizations to work for in the U.S. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Pringle will lead a premier team of over 100 professionals, providing information, education and collaboration services to the space industry, educators and students, government officials, and news media around the world. About Space Foundation Space Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 1983, offering information, education and collaboration for the global space ecosystem. Driven by partnerships, Space Foundation unites the entire spectrum of stakeholders business, government, education and local communities through support from corporate members, sponsors, fundraising and grants. Visit Space Foundation at www.SpaceFoundation.org, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube. Attachment Vancouver, British Columbia, April 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spey Resources Corp. (CSE: SPEY) (OTC: SPEYF) (FRA: 2JS) ("Spey or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has sold (the Sale) all of the Companys interest in certain mineral claims located in the James Bay Region of Quebec (the Claims) to Prospectus Capital Inc. (Prospectus Capital), a non-related, privately held British Columbia corporation. In consideration for the Sale, the Company has received from Prospectus Capital $250,000 in cash. In addition, Prospectus Capital (or an affiliate thereof) intends to list its shares on a recognized stock exchange (Go Public Event), with its assets being comprised of the Claims, and certain other mineral claims it has or is in the process of acquiring, and will, in conjunction with such Go Public Event, issue 1,500,000 common shares to the Company (Share Payment). Prospectus Capital has agreed with the Company that the Go Public Event and Share Payment will occur no later than December 31, 2023. About Spey Resources Corp. Spey Resources is a Canadian lithium-focused mineral exploration company, which has an 80-percent interest in the Candela II lithium brine project located in the Incahuasi salar in Salta province, Argentina. Spey also holds an option to acquire a 100 percent interest in the Kaslo silver project, west of Kaslo, B.C. For more information, please contact: Phillip Thomas Nader Vatanchi, CEO, President VP, Corporate Finance, Director [email protected] [email protected] +61433747380 +1778-881-4631 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including with respect to the issuance of the Share Payment to the Company and the completion of a Go Public Event. The Company provides forward-looking statements for the purpose of conveying information about current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. By its nature, this information is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections, or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that assumptions may not be correct, and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited those identified and reported in the Companys public filings under the Companys SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events, or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law. The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed, approved, or disapproved the contents of this press release. Source: Spey Resources Corp. LUMBERTON, N.C. and TULSA, Okla., April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TerraStar Energy and Emerging Fuels Technology (EFT) announced today that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to license EFTs Fischer-Tropsch (FT) and Maxx Jet/Maxx Diesel proprietary technology to build a fleet of FLEX plants; small-scale, modular renewable diesel facilities. Each plant will produce six to ten million gallons of renewable diesel per year (MMGY). A typical plant converts 300 tons per day of biomass into 20,000 gallons of zero-sulfur, ASTM-grade D975 drop-in diesel which can go directly into a fuel tank. FLEX plants owe their name to their flexibility of raw materials and their scalability, both of which enable them to convert solid biomass into liquid fuels via gasification. Flex plants are capable of producing renewable diesel and jet fuel, or both simultaneously onsite. The feedstocks can include a blend of waste wood from managed forests, construction waste, paper, cardboard, and other common household and commercial waste. A major benefit of FLEX plants is their smaller size, requiring lower daily feedstock than the competition, as smaller plants are less susceptible to supply-chain interruptions. Shorter distances between the feedstock supply and the plant also reduce transportation costs. Flex plants are built closer to the suppliers and their customers, and make more sense than a single large facility. They are scaled according to the availability of inputs and consist of a number of individual, pre-engineered, and shop-built modules that can be delivered to the site and erected quickly. Every diesel plant operators goal is to never run short of raw materials, something that immediately affects productivity and the return on investment, said Rob Redfearn, CEO of TerraStar. Having plants in multiple locations, especially near customers, creates local jobs and spreads the substantial investment over a wider area. Using these modules also improves redundancy and reduces capital cost, enabling TerraStar customers to achieve an attractive internal rate of return (IRR). Construction times are as low as 12-18 months, greatly reducing the carrying costs of financing compared to larger plants which can take three years to complete. TerraStar hopes to shorten the turn-around times even more as they scale this technology. The Companys long-term plan is to work with dozens and eventually hundreds of local owner / operators around North America, Africa and Central/South America where it has established relationships. We are excited to work with a nationally recognized developer in TerraStar, and look forward to demonstrating our technology platform capabilities in a commercial environment, said Kenneth Agee, President of Emerging Fuels Technology. We are hopeful that this partnership can serve as a blueprint for energy producers tasked with meeting todays high energy demand while significantly reducing their carbon emissions in the process. One gallon of fossil diesel produces 22 pounds of CO2 when burned. A typical FLEX plant will reduce the amount of CO2 accumulation by up to 77,000 tons per year. By-products of fuel production are carbon-rich solids that sequester carbon when used as soil amendments. In many cases, the Companys FLEX plants will have a negative carbon footprint. Our business plan is to attract operating partners around the world and build as many plants as possible, as quickly as possible. The more FLEX plants we build, the more we will reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, concluded Redfearn. About TerraStar Established in 2011, TerraStar Energy is a developer of waste-to-energy facilities. The company believes that deploying smaller plants closer to the feedstock and closer to the customer is a cost-effective solution to making renewable energy widely available. Using arrays of anaerobic digesters and gasifiers their projects are designed to produce energy from a wide variety of feedstock at an affordable cost. TerraStars projects are 100% scalable using modular components and standardized operating plans and are designed and sized according to feedstock availability. The companys leadership includes former senior executives from well-recognized companies and organizations, plus many dedicated engineers and scientists. TerraStars growth plan utilizes local partners to co-own and manage individual plants. The whole team is committed to deploying solutions to meet the worlds growing energy demand while reducing greenhouse gases and pollution. Visit www.TerraStarEnergy.com About Emerging Fuels Technology Established in 2007 and led by experienced executives who have committed their careers to sustainable energy and technology development, Emerging Fuels Technology is a rapidly growing technology company focused on methods for producing synthetic fuels and chemicals from a variety of feedstocks such as natural gas, flared gas, biogas, biomass, municipal solid waste, CO2 and more. EFT is one of the world's foremost authorities on Fischer-Tropsch and related synthesis. Visit www.emergingfuels.com Media contacts: TerraStar Energy:Rob Redfearn (CEO) Mobile: 910-734-9953 . Email: [email protected] Emerging Fuels TechnologyTumisang TlhabiweFischTank PR[email protected] Source: Emerging Fuels Technology Raphael Mechoulam, an Israeli scientist whose work advanced knowledge of marijuana and the chemical elements responsible for the drugs distinct high, has passed away. The 92-year-old Mechoulam passed away in Jerusalem last month. One of Mechoulams major contributions to cannabis studies was the discovery of the psychoactive component of the marijuana plant: THC. He was given the moniker Father of Marijuana Research for his contributions. Asher Cohen, president of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, described Mechoulam as a charismatic and brilliant pioneer. Mechoulam was a Read More>> NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX) are available in the companys newsroom at https://cnw.fm/ACTX About CNW420 CNW420 spotlights the latest developments in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry through the release of two informative articles each business day. Our concise, informative content serves as a gateway for investors interested in the legalized cannabis sector and provides updates on how regulatory developments may impact financial markets. Articles are released each business day at 4:20 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. Eastern our tribute to the time synonymous with cannabis culture. If marijuana and the burgeoning industry surrounding it are on your radar, CNW420 is for you! Check back daily to stay up-to-date on the latest milestones in the fast -changing world of cannabis. To receive instant SMS alerts, text CANNABIS to 21000 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only) For more information please visit https://www.CNW420.com Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW420, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer Do you have questions or are you interested in working with CNW420? Ask our Editor CannabisNewsWire420 Denver, Colorado http://www.CNW420.com 303.498.7722 Office [email protected] CNW420 is part of the InvestorBrandNetwork. Good Trip Studios has announced that it has begun producing a sequel to the documentary Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics. The 2020 documentary was written and directed by Emmy-winning writer, director and producer Donick Cary and hosted by Nick Offerman. The film, which included a cast of more than 30 celebrities sharing anecdotes about their experiences with hallucinogenic drugs, was released on Netflix in May 2020. Comedy writer Donick Cary says he was inspired to write Have a Good Trip after talking about hallucinogenics and peoples experiences while Read More>> About PsychedelicNewsWire PsychedelicNewsWire (PNW) is a specialized content distribution company that (1) aggregates and distributes news and information on the latest developments in all aspects and advances of psychedelics and their use, (2) creates PsychedelicNewsBreaks designed to quickly update investors on important industry news, (3) leverages a team of expert editors to enhance press releases for maximum impact, (4) assists companies with the management and optimization of social media across a range of platforms, and (5) delivers unparalleled corporate communication solutions. PNW stays abreast of the latest information and has established a reputation as the go to source for coverage of psychedelics, therapeutics and emerging market opportunities. Our team of seasoned journalists has a proven track record of helping both public and private companies gain traction with a wide audience of investors, consumers, media outlets and the general public by leveraging our expansive dissemination network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets. PNW is committed to delivering improved visibility and brand recognition to companies operating in the emerging markets of psychedelics. To receive instant SMS alerts, text Groovy to 844-397-5787 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only) For more information please visit https://www.psychedelicnewswire.com Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the PsychedelicNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by PNW, wherever published or re-published: https://www.psychedelicnewswire.com/Disclaimer Do you have questions or are you interested in working with PNW? Ask our Editor PsychedelicNewsWire (PNW) San Francisco, California www.psychedelicnewswire.com 415.949.5050 Office [email protected] PsychedelicNewsWire is part of the InvestorBrandNetwork. Phoenix, AZ - (NewMediaWire) - April 05, 2023 - Perk International, Inc. (OTC Pink: PRKI) CEO Nelson Grist is pleased to announce the company has created two new divisions under the Perk International Banner. Were also pleased to announce that the company has been restructuring and ready to move forward with the companys business plan, and file all financial statements so PERK (PRKI) can become current and off the Expert Market. The company is proud to announce two new divisions under Perk International: Mint Management & Perk Distribution. Mint Management will be working with other MedSpas and Medical businesses offering our expertise in brand management, marketing, and day-to-day operations. Mint Management is currently in discussions with a few MedSpas regarding the service and benefits of using Mint Management for their management and branding services. Perk Distribution is also a new division under the Perk brand. Perk Distribution will be the distribution arm of Perk International and will be heading up the distribution of our own brands and other brands that we sign distributor agreements with. This will allow PERK to be the leader in the Functional Medicine space. Nelson Grist, CEO of Perk International, said, "The two new divisions will help with our goal to HELP PEOPLE LIVE HEALTHIER LIVES. Perk Distribution has signed its first distributor contract with a biotechnology company focused on topical treatments that will enhance the skin to heal better and faster during and after treatments. Grist commented on the excitement surrounding the creation of Perks two new divisions. The two new divisions will allow for more opportunity to sign and work with other companies that share the same goal of HELPING PEOPLE LIVE HEALTHIER LIVES and should add shareholder value for PRKI. Perk International is recruiting Nurse Practitioners for several positions throughout the country. If you know anyone that might be interested, please forward your resume to [email protected] The company has updated their logo to better represent the Functional Medicine initiative. Please visit WWW.PERKINT.COM to see the new logo and the updated website. We also encourage everyone to sign up for our Social Media platforms, so you will be able to get updates on current events and Corporate updates. https://www.facebook.com/people/Perk-International/100085678881026/ https://twitter.com/perk_Intl https://instagram.com/Perkinternational_info https://www.linkedin.com/in/perk-international-ab67a5241/ Perk CEO Nelson Grist is implementing a monthly conference call so existing shareholders, potential Shareholders and anyone interested in finding out more information about PERK INTERNATIONAL (PRKI) will be able to ask the CEO questions directly. Stay Connected to our Social Media platforms for more information. Nelson Grist further stated, "We have been talking to a team of very qualified medical professionals to help implement this strategy. Additionally, we will maintain a transparent dialogue with our shareholders as to the clarity of implementing those objectives. As we meet certain milestones, the investment community will be more thoroughly aware of this through our awareness programs, social media platforms, our disclosures, and public records. https://microcaps.com/a-health-and-wellness-play-poised-to-expand/ About: PERK INTERNATIONAL, INC. PERK INTERNATIONAL, INC.'s mission is to disrupt the normalcy of traditional western medicine by making patients more aware they can achieve a healthier, pain-free, longer life through the highest quality products and services designed and dispensed by Perk International, Inc. https://perkint.com/ Forward-Looking Statements Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements and are subject to risks and uncertainties. See PRKIs filings with OTC Markets, which may identify specific factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Safe Harbor Statement This release includes forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and reflects management's current expectations. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. Some of these factors include general global economic conditions; general industry and market conditions, sector changes and growth rates; uncertainty as to whether our strategies and business plans will yield the expected benefits; increasing competition; availability and cost of capital; the ability to identify and develop and achieve commercial success; the level of expenditures necessary to maintain and improve the quality of services. Thank you, Nelson Grist 602 358-7505 [email protected] View the original release on www.newmediawire.com KYODO NEWS - Apr 5, 2023 - 22:19 | All, Japan, World Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Wednesday he welcomes the increased involvement of NATO member states in the Indo-Pacific region, where China has become increasingly assertive militarily. During an extended session of the two-day NATO foreign ministerial meeting in Brussels, Hayashi also pledged to boost Japan's cooperation with the trans-Atlantic alliance amid an increasingly volatile global security environment, made worse by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Hayashi said Japan cannot achieve its goal of realizing a "free and open Indo-Pacific," a term popularized by the late former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, on its own. The concept has been used to raise awareness about Beijing's growing military and economic clout in the region. Representatives from South Korea, Australia and New Zealand also participated in the session. Several NATO member states have been seeking to ramp up defense cooperation with allies in the Asia-Pacific under the assumption the security situations in the two regions are interlinked. Hayashi said he is willing to lead international efforts to strengthen and uphold a global order based on respect for international law, with Japan serving as this year's presidency of the Group of Seven industrialized nations. The G-7 members of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, plus the European Union, have imposed economic sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, launched in February 2022, while China has refrained from doing so. Hayashi added that Japan and NATO have been working on a revision to their Individually Tailored Partnership Programme, under which cooperation in cyberspace, outer space, disinformation and other domains is expected to be reinforced. NATO extended the gathering on Wednesday, which began a day after Finland officially became the 31st member of the security alliance, ending the Scandinavian country's foreign policy tradition of neutrality toward Russia. Finland shares a long border with the country that spans over 1,200 kilometers. Hayashi, who attended the NATO foreign ministerial meeting for the second straight year, said Japan supports Finland's accession to the alliance. Related coverage: Japan vows to "seamlessly" deliver promised aid to Ukraine Finland joins NATO as 31st member amid fears of Russia threat Russia's threat of nuclear weapons use "cowardly": Albania PM Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - E-Power Resources Inc (CSE: EPR) ("E-Power" or the "Company") announces that all matters submitted to shareholders for approval as set out in detail in the Company's management information circular dated March 2, 2023, were approved at its annual and special meeting of shareholders (the "Meeting") held virtually on Friday, March 31, 2023. A total of 15,031,179 common shares, representing approximately 64.97% of the Company's outstanding common shares, were voted in person and by proxy at the Meeting. At the Meeting, SHIM & Associates, LLP was re-appointed as auditors of the Company. All current members of the board of directors who stood for re-election, namely Thomas Langley, Jamie Lavigne, Michael Danielsson and Allan Miller, were re-elected for the ensuing year. In addition, on the proposal of a shareholder, Harvey Edgecombe was elected as a director of the Company. In two separate votes, shareholders voted in favor of approving the incentive Stock Option Plan and the Restricted Stock Unit of the Company that was in place prior to the meeting. Shareholders also approved a special resolution to authorize the Company to apply for a certificate of amendment with the Qubec Enterprise Registrar under the Business Corporations Act (Quebec) to remove certain provisions from its articles. The full scrutineer's report on attendance has been filed on SEDAR and is available atwww.sedar.com About E-Power Resources Inc. E-Power Resources Inc. is an exploration stage company engaged principally in the acquisition, exploration, and development of graphite properties in Quebec. Its flagship asset, the Tetepisca Graphite Property, is located in the Tetepisca Graphite District of the North Shore Region of Quebec, approximately 215 kilometers from the Port of Baie-Comeau. For further information, please refer to the Company's disclosure record on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) or contact the Company by email at [email protected]. Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance are "forward-looking statements". These forward-looking statements reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company based on information currently available to it. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those detailed from time to time in filings made by the Company with securities regulatory authorities, which may cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The CSE has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161383 Hayes, England--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - Ahead of their much anticipated relaunch on April 15, 2023, Godson, formerly known as Watches By Godson, has inked a deal with Grind2Hard Osha, Calboy, and Lil Seeto in an effort to bring their jewellery mainstream to the US market. Godson (Formally Known as Watches by Godson) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8658/161381_f73964a1e4144aa0_001full.jpg Godson has established dominance in the UK market, and is looking to expand into other markets. According to the Founder, Umeh, Godson's intention is to expand to other parts of the world where fashion trends never stop. The US, Dubai, and Nigeria are top of the priority list as it targets to scale the brand to the next level. "Partnering with the talent at Fyrehouse will give us immediate exposure to the US market. Grind2Hard Osha, Calboy, and Lil Seeto actively receive millions of views on TikTok so having our jewellery featured will create tremendous opportunities for us," says Umeh. Godson's new launch goes live on April 15, 2023 at 1pm EST. Visit http://godsonumeh.com to receive notifications as there will be limited stock. Follow Godson on Instagram at www.instagram.com/godson to receive exclusive updates. Name - Conquer PR Agency Private Limited Contact -Godson Umeh Email - [email protected] Address - Gurgaon, Haryana Website - https://conquerpr.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161381 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - HighGold Mining Inc. (TSXV: HIGH) (OTCQX: HGGOF) ("HighGold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that due to strong investor interest it is increasing the size of its non-brokered private placement (the "Offering"), previously announced on March 23, 2023, from gross proceeds of up to C$7 million to gross proceeds of up to C$9 million. As a result, the maximum number of shares to be issued under the Offering has been increased from 10,606,060 common shares to up to 13,700,000 common shares of the Company (each, a "Common Share") at a price of $0.66 per Common Share. The net proceeds of the Offering are expected to be used for exploration and development initiatives in connection with the Company's Johnson Tract project and for working capital and general corporate purposes. The Company may pay finder's fees on all or a portion of the Offering. The Offering is now expected to close on or about April 11, 2023 or such other date as may be determined by the Company and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary corporate and regulatory approvals, including the final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") and applicable securities regulatory authorities. All securities issued in connection with the Offering will be subject to a standard four month and a day hold period in Canada. There is no material fact or material change regarding HighGold that has not been generally disclosed. This news release does not constitute an offer of sale of any of the foregoing securities in the United States. None of the foregoing securities have been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any applicable state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) or persons in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor will there be any sale of the foregoing securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About HighGold HighGold is a mineral exploration company focused on high-grade gold projects located in North America. HighGold's flagship asset is the high-grade Johnson Tract Gold-Zinc-Copper Project located in accessible Southcentral Alaska, USA. The Company also controls one of the largest junior gold miner land positions in the Timmins, Ontario gold camp. This includes the Munro-Croesus Gold property, which is renowned for its high-grade mineralization, and the large Golden Mile and Timmins South properties. HighGold also has 100% ownership of a group of properties in Yukon's emerging new Selwyn Basin Reduced Intrusive Related Gold district. HighGold's experienced Board and senior management team, are committed to creating shareholder value through the discovery process, careful allocation of capital, and environmentally/socially responsible mineral exploration. On Behalf of HighGold Mining Inc. "Darwin Green" President & CEO For further information, please visit the HighGold Mining Inc. website at www.highgoldmining.com, or contact: Darwin Green, President & CEO or Naomi Nemeth, VP Investor Relations Phone: 1-604-629-1165 or North American toll-free 1-855-629-1165 Email: [email protected]. Website: www.highgoldmining.com Twitter : @HighgoldMining Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking statements: This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "forecast", "expect", "potential", "project", "target", "schedule", "budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the completion and amount of the Offering, the use of proceeds from the Offering and any future results at the Company's projects are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Company's expectations include actual exploration results, the ability of the Company to obtain requisite approvals for the Offering, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, uninsured risks, regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause such actions, events or results to differ materially from those anticipated. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and accordingly readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. **Not for dissemination in the United States or for distribution to United States News Wire Services** To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161455 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - Jasper Commerce Inc. (TSXV: JPIM) ("Jasper" or the "Company"), a leading provider of Product Information Management ("PIM") solutions, is pleased to announce that it has closed the second and final tranche of its previously announced non-brokered private placement offering (the "Offering") of units ("Units"). The aggregate subscription price for the Units issued in the second tranche totals CAD$263,500, bringing the total size of the Offering to $900,000. See the press releases issued by the Company dated January 26, 2023, February 16, 2023 and March 30, 2023 available under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Each Unit is comprised of: (i) $1,000 principal amount of 12% secured convertible debentures ("Convertible Debentures") issued by the Company with a maturity date ("Maturity Date") of five years from the date of the closing of the first tranche; and (ii) 20,000 common share purchase warrants of the Company (each, a "Warrant"). Each Convertible Debenture is convertible at the holder's option into fully-paid common shares of the Company ("Common Shares") at any time prior to the Maturity Date at a conversion price of $0.05 per Common Share from the date of issuance until 11:59 p.m. on the day prior to the first anniversary of the date of issuance and at $0.10 per Common Share thereafter, being a ratio of 20,000 Common Shares per $1,000 principal amount of Convertible Debentures during the first year of issuance and 10,000 Common Shares per $1,000 principal amount of Convertible Debentures thereafter. If the volume weighted average price of the Common Shares for any 60-day period prior to the Maturity Date equals or exceeds $0.35 per Common Share then any outstanding Convertible Debentures at that time automatically will be converted into Common Shares at the then applicable conversion price effective the 60th day of such period. The Convertible Debentures will be secured obligations of the Company and will have a floating charge over the Company's assets but will be subordinate to existing secured indebtedness of the Company. Each Warrant is exercisable into one Common Share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.10 for a period of 48 months following the closing date of the first tranche of the Offering. In connection with the subscription by Shen Capital Fund I L.P., through its General Partner, Shen Capital Management Inc. ("Shen Capital") under the second tranche of the Offering, the Company entered into a letter agreement pursuant to which Shen Capital has the right to nominate a director to the Board of Directors of the Company for so long as Shen Capital holds either a minimum of $200,000 of Principal Amount of debentures or 4,000,000 Common Shares (subject to adjustment in the event of a consolidation, split or other similar event in respect of the Common Shares). Shen Capital has not exercised its right to nominate a Director and has initially appointed an Observer to the Company's Board of Directors. In addition, in the course of the Offering, the Company paid finder's fees in the amount of $23,800 and issued 476,000 finder's warrants (the "Finder's Warrants") to finders who introduced subscribers to the Company. The Finder's Warrants are exercisable to Common Shares at an exercise price of $0.05 until February 15, 2025. The Offering, including the terms of the Convertible Debentures, received the conditional approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") prior to closing but is subject to the final approval of the Exchange. The Convertible Debentures, Warrants and any Common Shares resulting from the conversion of the Convertible Debentures, or the exercise of the Warrants will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day after the date of issuance thereof. The Company intends to use the proceeds of the Offering for general working capital purposes. Insider Participation in Offering As certain officers, directors and 10%+ shareholders of the Company participated in the Offering, the Offering is considered a "related party" transaction subject to and in accordance with Multilateral Instrument 61-101 ("MI 61-101") and policy 5.9 of the Exchange. The Company relied on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in Sections 5.5(a) and (b) and 5.7(1)(a) and (b) of MI 61-101. Neither the Company, nor to the knowledge of the Company after reasonable inquiry, a related party, has had knowledge of any material information concerning the Company or its securities that has not been generally disclosed. Other than subscription agreements to be entered into between such related parties and the Company relating to the issuance of the Units pursuant to the Offering and the securities to be issued thereunder, the Company does not anticipate entering into any agreement with an interested party or a joint actor with an interested party in connection with the Offering. The Company did not file a material change report more than 21 days before the expected closing of the offering because the details of the participation therein by related parties of the Company were not settled until shortly prior to the closing of the Offering and the Company moved to close on an expedited basis for business reasons. This press release is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in the United States or in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification or registration under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from U.S. registration requirements and applicable U.S. state securities laws. About Jasper Commerce Inc. Jasper offers a Product Information Management ("PIM") solution that has the objective of empowering eCommerce merchants to manage and merchandise their products from a single source of truth, facilitating them to sell more, sell faster and work smarter. Jasper's PIM is accessible from anywhere via a web-browser and is intended to simplify the process by which online merchants import product data into the PIM. Once uploaded, merchants can add various product data including product attributes, images, videos, marketing information, inventory quantities and price books and efficiently merchandise their products using various features that include, among other things, the ability to adjust product categorization, pricing data and other key metrics. Jasper's PIM also allows for automatic syncing to popular eCommerce storefronts, marketplaces, or other connected channels, whenever new products are added to the PIM. For more information Gerry Hurlow, Chairman and Interim CEO [email protected] (647) 402-9646 Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains projections and forward-looking information that involve various risks and uncertainties regarding future events. Such forward-looking information can include statements based on current expectations involving several risks and uncertainties without limitation and are not guarantees of the Company's future performance. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. These statements are based upon the current expectations and beliefs of management and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the Company may not receive conditional or final approval of the TSXV for the Offering; the Offering may not close on or around the intended date; the Offering may not proceed as planned; the Company may not use the proceeds of the Offering as intended; the market for product information management systems may not continue to grow as expected; and the uncertainty surrounding the spread of COVID-19 and the impact it will have on the Company's operations and economic activity in general; and the risks and uncertainties discussed in the Company's most recent annual and quarterly reports filed with the Canadian securities regulators and available on the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, which risks and uncertainties are incorporated herein by reference. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend and undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect, in particular, new information or future events. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161443 Following Guangzhou, KCG will bring the exhibition to Wuhan, Hong Kong, Paris and other global cities to share this celebration of Chinese Savoir-Faire. Guangzhou, China--(Newsfile Corp. - April 4, 2023) - K11 Craft & Guild Foundation (KCG), the renowned Hong Kong based charity for arts and culture, is delighted to announce the start of its Voyage de Savoir-Faire exhibition at K11 Art Mall in Guangzhou. The exhibition is the second stop on its world tour. The Voyage de Savoir-Faire exhibition is a celebration of craftsmanship and the beauty of traditional techniques in creating gilt-decorated lacquer. The exhibition explores the cultural and artistic zenith of "The Time When East Meets West" alongside a diverse range of exquisite crafts from old and contemporary China showcased in a new and unique digital light, running from 30 March to 25 June. Voyage de Savoir-Faire: K11's first immersive digital exhibition on Chinese craftsmanship. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/161345_3b459c5204505b0d_001full.jpg Curated to examine a period in history where Chinoiserie fascinated a European audience, Voyage de Savoir-Faire presents breathtaking traditional and contemporary craft seen as never before, using innovative technology to invoke an artistic magic from the past that lives on to this day. Visitors to the exhibition can expect to see a collection of 14 unique antiquities, each one intricately crafted by skilled artisans using time-honored skills. Visitors will embark on a cultural journey to witness the far-reaching global influence of Chinese craft and culture. With 14 sets of intricately detailed gilt-decorated lacquer antiquities collected by the Foundation thoughtfully positioned among vivid contemporary digital displays, the exhibition recreates a whimsical, imaginative world of gold-gilt black lacquer craftsmanship for viewers, transcending time and space. KCG was founded in 2018, in the hope of conserving and rejuvenating the intangible cultural heritage and creating it as a shared value in society. By showcasing historical treasures and the masterpieces of contemporary artists, KCG encourage young people to explore their own historical and cultural roots, enhance their creativity and expand their horizons to help the development of creative industries and showcase the new power of Chinese culture on the world stage. Dating back to the early Warring States period and earlier, the craftsmanship of gilt-decorated lacquer has been passed down from generation to generation. By gaining a deeper understanding of this unique Chinese craft, viewers are able to enjoy a deeper level of appreciation when studying these works, as well as other associated crafts and traditions. In addition to the antiquities themselves, the exhibition also provides an opportunity to learn about the cultural significance and history behind each piece. The Rve recreates the whimsical experience of "imaginary touring" through an immersive, multi-sensory experience To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/161345_3b459c5204505b0d_002full.jpg To create Voyage de Savoir-Faire, contemporary artists and artisans joined hands to present a modern perspective on a thousand-year tradition. The exhibition also serves as a way to conserve and rejuvenate this unique and fast-disappearing Chinese craftsmanship. Winning the admiration of European royalty, including wealthy collectors like Queen Marie Antoinette of France, Chinese lacquerware rose to great popularity beginning in the late 17th century. So great was the demand for these beautiful works that the Palace of Versailles employed craftsmen specifically to produce lacquerware in the Chinese style. Across five exhibition areas, Voyage de Savoir-Faire takes viewers taken back in time. In Derive, the birth story of Chinese traditional gilt-decorated lacquer is told and the journey of exploration into "The Time When East Meets West" begins. In Voyage, we see the start of trans-continental shipping and the ancient worlds of China's Kangxi, the "Light of Asia" and Louis XIV, the "Sun King" intersect. The Reve recreates the whimsical experience of "imaginary touring" through an immersive, multi-sensory experience, perfectly presenting exquisite lacquer craftsmanship in the oriental aesthetic. Here, the essence of enjoying the fruits of the craft is reimagined through the experience of simply sitting or lying within this enchanting space. Gilt-decorated black lacquer artworks by contemporary artist Vincent Cazeneuve To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/161345_3b459c5204505b0d_003full.jpg Returning to the present day, the Savoir-faire spotlights efforts to conserve and rejuvenate the craft, with interactive devices detailing the lacquerware creation process intended to educate all visitors. To complete this incredible journey, two sets of gilt-decorated black lacquer artworks by contemporary artists Weng Jijun and Vincent Cazeneuve are displayed together with a set of digital art by 'Obvious Art' in the Au-dela du Reve finale, demonstrating a modern revival and new application for gilt-decoration. Traditional Chinese craftsmanship requires active conservation and rejuvenation, but by uniting contemporary artists, art aficionados and new fans alike, K11 Craft & Guild Foundation hopes this exhibition will take visitors on a journey through the history of traditional crafts, highlighting the beauty and value of handmade objects. 'Vovage de Savoir-Faire' is a must see for anyone interested in the beauty of traditional crafts and the irreplaceable art of handmade objects. About K11 Craft & Guild Foundation Founded by Adrian Cheng in 2018, K11 Craft & Guild Foundation (KCG) is a registered charity for arts and culture in Hong Kong. We are cultural crafters who conserve and rejuvenate fast-disappearing Chinese artisanship to create a craft ecosystem with a sustainable, positive social impact. By incorporating Creating Shared Value (CSV) to bring crafts, business and society together, we make crafts more accessible to the community, educate the public with research initiatives and curate collaborations with artisans, aiming to bridge the gap between culture and economy. Cultural entrepreneur and the founder of K11 Art Foundation and Culture for Tomorrow, Adrian Cheng established the charity with aims to conserve and rejuvenate fast-disappearing Chinese artisanship, in addition to Creating Shared Value (CSV) for society. Adrian believes that the power of business lies not only in generating profits, but also in supporting and empowering other community stakeholders, as well as promoting a new vision of CSV to bring a sustainable, positive impact to the local community. For media enquiries, please contact: Ogilvy Shanghai [email protected] [email protected] Contact Info: Name: Rachel Yang Email: [email protected] Organization: K11 Group Address: Chow Tai Fook Financial Center, No. 6, the Pearl River East Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou Website: https://www.k11.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161345 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - Minaurum Gold Inc. (TSXV: MGG) (OTCQX: MMRGF) ("Minaurum") is pleased to provide an update on its corporate strategy as well as the Alamos, Santa Marta and Aurifero projects. Minaurum's exploration strategy is to develop and acquire a pipeline of potential Tier One precious metals projects. Through a portfolio containing silver projects totaling 37,928 hectares; gold projects totaling 25,933 hectares; and copper projects totaling 12,856 hectares, Minaurum provides significant exposure to precious metals. Key initiatives for each flagship project include: Alamos Silver Project Ongoing underground rehabilitation to be followed by mapping, sampling and underground drilling. Results will serve as a basis for an initial resource estimate. Santa Marta Copper-Gold Project Initial drill program has been designed and is awaiting a drill permit from SEMARNAT, the Mexican federal environmental permitting agency. Aurifero Gold Project Drill program to test deep targets has been designed and drill permits have been applied for, actively working to further consolidate the district. Minaurum expects to advance the remainder of its projects through strategic joint ventures in exchange for a combination of royalties, carried interests, and payments such as it received in option agreements with Fortuna Silver Corp. and Infinitum Copper Corp. "We believe gold and silver will begin a significant and sustained multi-year rally in 2023 and we are working to maximize our shareholders' exposure to it by advancing our portfolio of potential tier one gold and silver projects. Our robust pipeline of district-scale projects offers investors a single company alternative to a basket of junior explorers," stated Darrell Rader, President and CEO of Minaurum Gold. "Exploration results to date indicate that the Alamos Silver project is a Tier 1 silver project, and we are actively quantifying its silver endowment to determine if it will make a low-cost, long-lived mine." FLAGSHIP SILVER, GOLD, AND COPPER PROJECTS Alamos Silver Project The 100% owned 37,928-hectare Alamos silver project completely encompasses a major historic silver district that hosted multiple mines and had not seen modern exploration until Minaurum acquired it. Minaurum discovered 26 separate silver vein zones carrying by-product gold, copper, lead, and zinc credits. To date, 42,000 m of core drilling has been completed. In 2022, Minaurum transitioned from surface to underground exploration through initiating an extensive underground mine rehabilitation program at the historic Promontorio mine, one of the largest historical silver producers within the district. Entering previously inaccessible old mine workings returned significant high-grade silver and gold sampling results. Recent mine backfill sampling results have ranged from anomalous to 308 g/t silver, 5.7 g/t gold, 1.57% copper, 3.91% lead and 8.19% zinc (see Minaurum news release dated March 2, 2023) with a surface dump boulder of massive sulfide vein assaying 3,320 g/t Ag, 54.7 g/t Au, 25% Cu, 6.5% Pb, and 1.1% Zn (see Minaurum news release dated November 15, 2022). Minaurum is now preparing to refurbish a number of the historic shafts in order to access the lower mine levels and higher-grade portions of the mine. Underground rehabilitation includes the stabilization of ground and dewatering of internal shafts to provide safe access for detailed sampling and mapping of vein exposures, and underground drilling. These activities, along with compilation of drilling data, will generate a 3D geologic model, which will serve as the basis for a resource estimate. Alamos Project website page: https://minaurum.com/projects/alamos/ Santa Marta Copper Project The Santa Marta project, in Oaxaca state, hosts an un-drilled copper-gold volcanogenic massive sulphide ("VMS") deposit. Drill targets include a 700-metre-long gossan exposure that has been demonstrated by rock-chip sampling to be mineralized in base metals for its entire length. Additional scattered exposures of gossan bring the entire strike length of prospective ground to over 900 m. Historical and Minaurum sampling has yielded copper values ranging from 1% to 3.7% copper and gold values as high as 2 g/t gold. David Lowell, considered the world's greatest explorer having made over a dozen major discoveries in his career, noted, "Santa Marta has a number of early geological indicators leading us [Lowell Copper] to believe it could be a significant VMS deposit." (See Minaurum news release March 25, 2014). Minaurum has designed an initial drill program and is waiting for a drill permit from SEMARNAT, the Mexican federal environmental permitting agency. Santa Marta Project website page: https://minaurum.com/projects/santa-marta/ Aurifero Gold Project The Aurifero gold project encompasses a swarm of gold- and silver-bearing epithermal veins measuring 3 km long and more than 400 m wide and lies approximately 35 km northwest of the Alamos silver project. A large number of high-grade gold results from shallow historical drilling suggests the potential top of a large underlying gold system. Drill results include: 58 m of 3.65 g/t Au (hole CI-09); 24.5 m of 3.12 g/t Au (hole 07-MN-10) and 3.1 m of 18.37 g/t Au (hole DMDDH-01) (see news release dated January 29, 2020). Historical drilling typically reached less than 100 m from the surface: the deepest reaching a vertical depth of 135 m from surface. Minaurum has compiled historical exploration data including the re-logging of historic drill core, designed a drill program, applied for drill permits and is actively working to further consolidate the district. Aurifero Project website page: https://minaurum.com/projects/aurifero PROJECT PORTFOLIO Aurena Gold Project At the Aurena gold-skarn/VMS discovery, two principal zones of fracture-controlled gold mineralization occur along a strike length of 1.8 km. The largest zone of mineralization discovered by drilling occurs along a steeply north-dipping contact between metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks. The second zone hosts significant gold mineralization directly on surface including: 29.05 m of 1.99 g/t gold (hole AURC-11-005); 43.50 m of 1.01 g/t gold (hole AURC-11-006); and 20.50 m of 1.01 g/t gold (hole AURC-11-001); (see news releases May 9 and June 14, 2011). Minaurum is in joint venture discussions with several interested third parties. Aurena Project website page : https://minaurum.com/projects/aurena Biricu and Vuelcos del Destino Gold Projects Biricu and Vuelcos del Destino are located in the heart of the multimillion-ounce Guerrero Gold Belt ("GGB"). The projects were hand-picked by the late David M. Jones, Co-founder and Director, who on behalf of Teck Corp. discovered the 4-million-ounce Los Filos gold deposit that has now grown to over 15 million ounces. His discovery model is still used today and referenced in several NI 43-101 reports within the GGB for his geometallurgical domains by which the domains are used to separate rock of different metallurgical characteristics and identified in the block models as the "Jones codes". Besides Los Filos, Mr. Jones is also credited with the discovery of the Aguita, Independencia, Norte and Media Luna deposits in the GGB. Click here to view videos by David M. Jones about the Guerrero Gold Belt Biricu and Vuelcos del Destino represent the last remaining projects held by a junior in the center of the belt and are completely surrounded by miners including Equinox Gold, Agnico-Eagle, Torex Gold, and Osisko Development Corp. Recently Heliostar Metals Inc. raised CDN $24M to fund the exploration and development of its Ana Paula acquisition (see Heliostar Metals news release dated March 17, 2023) in the northern most portion of the GGB. Both of Minaurum's projects exhibit typical GGB host rocks cut by intrusive rocks identical to those seen in the neighbouring Los Filos Mine and nearby Media Luna deposit. Vuelcos del Destino hosts the largest untested intrusive complex measuring 12 sq km in the GGB. At Biric, drilling focused on 3 principal target areas, where one hole intercepted 26.98 m grading 1.07 g/t Au (hole GV2014-011) (see news release dated January 20, 2021). Minaurum is in joint venture discussions with interested third parties on its Guerrero Gold Belt projects as well as reviewing further consolidation opportunities. Biricu and Vuelcos del Destino Project website pages: https://minaurum.com/projects/vuelcos-del-destino/ https://minaurum.com/projects/biricu/ Follow us and stay updated: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/MinaurumGold Twitter: @minaurumgold LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/minaurum-gold-inc Subscribe to our email list at www.minaurum.com Minaurum Gold Inc. (TSXV:MGG) (OTCQX: MMRGF) (FSE: 78M) is a Mexico-focused explorer concentrating on the high-grade Alamos silver project in southern Sonora. With a property portfolio encompassing multiple additional district-scale projects, Minaurum is managed by one of the strongest technical and finance teams in Mexico. Minaurum's goal is to continue its founders' legacy of creating shareholder value by making district-scale mineral discoveries and executing accretive mining transactions. For more information, please visit our website at www.minaurum.com and our YouTube Minaurum Video Channel. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Darrell A. Rader" Darrell A. Rader President and CEO For more information, please contact: Sunny Pannu - Investor Relations and Corporate Development Manager (778) 330 0994 or via email at [email protected] The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. 2710 - 200 Granville Street Telephone 778 330-0994 Vancouver, BC V6C 1S4 www.minaurum.com [email protected] Stephen R. Maynard, Vice President of Exploration of Minaurum and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, reviewed and verified the assay data, and has approved the disclosure in this News Release. Historical data reported in this news release has not been verified. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information: This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof. In making the forward-looking information in this release, Minaurum has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on Minaurum's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Minaurum. Although Minaurum considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking information in this release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Minaurum does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161354 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - Palamina Corp. (TSXV: PA) (OTCQB: PLMNF) has received approval of the modification of its Environmental Impact Study or Declaracin de Impacto Ambiental permit ("DIA") to include the newly acquired Sol de Oro ("SDO") and Cayos Zones. The DIA allows for up to 40 drill pads. Five drill pads were constructed in the Veta Zone during the initial drill program and 35 permitted drill pads sites remain available under the DIA. The diamond drill rig remains at site where construction of pads and roads to newly selected drill target areas in the SDO and Cayos zones is set to commence at the end of the rainy season in late April. "In May of 2022, Palamina made the decision to shut down its inaugural drill program in the Veta Zone to focus on consolidating the entire 4.5 km mineralized gold trend at the Usicayos Gold Project before resuming drilling. Palamina has since acquired 100% interest of the entire gold trend and intends to next drill in the newly permitted Sol de Oro and Cayos zones which have never been drill tested. The drill remains at site and Palamina will recommence exploration once the rainy season concludes." commented Andrew Thomson, President of Palamina. UsicayosGold Project To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4727/161357_67a23e23646479c6_002full.jpg Select Assay results from the Sol de Oro gold zone: The SDO gold zone was acquired in June of 2022 At SDO North informal miners have excavated short adits into the hillside and dug out small pits targeting two gently-dipping quartz vein structures where channel samples returned assays values grading up to 5.1 g/t Au over 6.2 m at surface and 15.4 g/t Au over 2.7 m from underground workings. The highest grade rock sample from an underground adit returned 46.2 g/t Au over 0.3 m. At SDO South, channel sampling returned a broader zone of up to 3.4 g/t Au over 14.0 m at surface and 23.0 g/t Au over 0.7 m underground. The best chip sample from surface returned 200 g/t Au over 0.9 m. A channel sample from SDO South West returned up to 37.5 g/t over 1.8 m at surface with the broadest zone returning up to 1.4 g/t Au over 18.8 m. A chip sample from SDO South East returned up to 2.0 g/t Au over 16.0 m with the broadest zone returning 1.10 g/t Au over 21.1 m. Select Assay results from the Cayos Gold Zone: The Cayos Zone returned up to 30.5 g/t Au over 3.0 m in a continuous channel sample at surface and a grab sample from surface up to 75.4 g/t Au. These results, along with completed heliborne geophysical survey work and a comprehensive structural study have played an important role in defining the SDO and Cayos zones as priority drill target areas. SDO is a 1.5 km wide zone of intermittent quartz veining at the heart of the 4.5 km mineralized Usicayos gold trend. Nine zones of quartz veining, which returned anomalous gold values, have been identified in the SDO zone post its acquisition in 2022. Further underground channel sampling is planned in SDO North and at the Cayos zone to further refine individual drill targets. Palamina has applied for its Authorization to Initiate Exploration Activities ("AIEA") permit to commence drilling at Usicayos. The AIEA is expected to be issued in 1 to 3 months. While awaiting the AIEA, road construction to provide access is expected to commence from the west side of the property, across to the SDO north zone, then northeast to the Cayos Zone. A separate road will be built south from SDO North down through the SDO South East, SDO South and SDO South West zones. The drill remains at site in the Veta Zone 300 m from the Cayos Zone. The reported assays herein are summarized from previous exploration results disclosed by Palamina on July 7, 2020, September 18, 2022 and January 30, 2023. Readers can see fully reported results for these programs in press releases available at the Company's website and on SEDAR. The technical information reported herein has been reviewed and approved by William McGuinty (P. Geo.), a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. McGuinty is a technical advisor to Palamina. About Palamina Corp. Palamina has participation in nine gold projects in south-eastern Peru hosted within the Puno Orogenic Gold Belt (POGB). The Company also has rights to the Galena silver-copper project in the Santa Lucia district and two additional copper-gold projects in Southern Peru. Palamina holds a 19.9% equity interest in Winshear Gold Corp. who are advancing the Gaban Gold Project to the drill discovery phase. Winshear is also awaiting a judgement after concluding its arbitration proceedings against the Government of Tanzania in February of 2023 for the expropriation of its SMP gold deposit. Winshear is seeking in excess of CDN$130M for the loss of its investment in Tanzania. Palamina has 65,284,836 shares outstanding and trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol PA and on the OTCQB Venture Market under the symbol PLMNF. On Behalf of the Board of Directors: Andrew Thomson, President Phone: (416) 204-7536 or visit www.palamina.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of such statements under applicable securities law. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this news release. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the use of proceeds of the Offering and the Company's future business plans. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law. A more complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company appears in the Company's continuous disclosure filings, which are available at www.sedar.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161357 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - Pedro Resources Ltd. (CSE: VBN) ("Pedro" or the "Company") announces that Richard Balliant, P.Eng., has agreed to serve as a technical advisor to the management and Board. In addition, Francis Roche will be serving as a financial advisor. Mr. Balliant has over 40 years of experience as a professional engineer. He has worked around the world, providing professional services for industrial, mining, forestry, energy and agri-food developments. His focus has always been on development and operations that recognize the importance to safety, the environment, and cooperation among all parties to a project including governments and industry regulators. His extensive experience with environmental remediation and contaminant containment has included pit development and liners; settling and containment ponds, tailing dumps, waste rock dumps, separation containment; contaminant clean-up and removal. In the mining and mineral sector he has worked with sulphur, uranium, copper, and coal mines. He has also worked in areas of power generation, railroads, fertilizer plants and pulp mills. His role with the Company will involve assessment and advice on environmental reclamation at resource extraction sites. He understands the regulatory processes and will be an inter-face with environmental regulators when needed. Mr. Francis Roche, CFA, began his capital markets career with Wood Gundy Inc.in 1988, which later became CIBC. After rising to the level of Vice-President, Investment Banking, Mr. Roche left in 2003 and founded Roche Securities Ltd. That firm, based in Edmonton, became a fully licensed Canadian brokerage firm specializing in small cap stocks. Since 2003, Mr. Roche has been based in Toronto where he provides financial advisory services to Canadian small cap companies. Mr. Roche has an A.B, (Harvard), M.B.A, and L.LB. (McGill) and an L.LM (Laval University). He is also a Chartered Financial analyst. "We are thankful that Mr. Balliant and Mr. Roche have agreed to be part of our growing in-house team of expertise. Their experience and hands-on approach will be a great benefit to the Company," says President Brian Stecyk. Brian Stecyk President 1-780-953-0111 We Seek Safe Harbour Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the timing of future exploration work or drilling, and the expansion of the mineralization. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of Gold Rush Cariboo Inc.., including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, volatility of commodity prices, risks associated with the uncertainty of exploration results and estimates, currency fluctuations, dependency upon regulatory approvals, the uncertainty of obtaining additional financing and exploration risk. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. This press release is not, and is not to be construed in any way as, an offer to buy or sell securities in the United States. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161369 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - Prismo Metals Inc. (CSE: PRIZ) (OTCQB: PMOMF) ("Prismo" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received its drill permit for its 5289 hectare (20 square miles) Los Pavitos project located in the well mineralized Alamos region of southern Sonora State, Mexico. The permit contemplates construction of as many as 23 trenches and 30 drill sites. "We are very pleased to receive the environmental permit that will allow the first ever drill program to be conducted at Los Pavitos," said Dr. Craig Gibson, President and CEO of the Company, "We are looking forward to be able to construct trenches across mineralized structures in our ongoing program for target generation, and to subsequently drill test the mineralized structures." Figure 1. Geologic map of theLos Pavitos project showing permitted trenches and drill sites. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7434/161408_71840640d480084e_002full.jpg. Detailed exploration mapping and sampling is ongoing to refine drill targets at each of the main mineralized areas previously identified. Repair of access roads and trenching will be undertaken in April, and drilling is anticipated to begin in June. Dr. Craig Gibson, PhD., CPG., a Qualified Person as defined by NI-43-01 regulations and President, CEO and a director of the Company, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosures in this news release. About Los Pavitos The Los Pavitos project consists of a 5,289-hectare concession located in the well mineralized Alamos region of southern Sonora State that lies 25 km west of the well-mineralized Alamos District, which encompasses several active exploration and mining projects, including the past producing Alamo Dorado mine of Pan American Silver, the Piedras Verdes copper mine of Cobre de Mayo and the Alamos and Aurifero vein projects being explored by Minaurum Gold Inc. Infrastructure is excellent with paved highway access, electricity and water. The project, which was generated by Rafael Gallardo, was acquired from Minera Cascabel S.A. de C.V., a Mexican exploration and services company founded by Dr. Peter Megaw, an advisor to the Company (for terms see the Company's prospectus filed on SEDAR). The company completed a NI 43-101 Technical Report on the project in March 2021 available on SEDAR. Assays have been received for 460 rock samples taken by the company (excluding control samples); a further 110 samples were taken previously by Minera Cascabel. Drilling at Los Pavitos is expected to begin in Q2 2023. Location of the Los Pavitos project in southern Sonora State in relation to the Caborca Orogenic Gold Belt. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7434/161408_figure2prismo.jpg. About Prismo Prismo (CSE: PRIZ) is mining exploration company focused on two precious metal projects in Mexico (Palos Verdes and Los Pavitos) and a copper project in Arizona (Hot Breccia). Please follow @PrismoMetals on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. Prismo Metals Inc. 1100 - 1111 Melville St., Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 3V6 Contact: Craig Gibson, President & Chief Executive Officer [email protected] Jason Frame, Manager of Communications [email protected] Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated content, commencement and exploration program results, the ability to complete future financings, required permitting, exploration programs and drilling, and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, the state of the financial markets for the Company's equity securities, the state of the commodity markets generally, variations in the nature, the analytical results from surface trenching and sampling program, including diamond drilling programs, the results of IP surveying, the results of soil and till sampling program. the quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, variations in the market price of any mineral products the Company may produce or plan to produce, the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required, including CSE acceptance, for its planned activities, the inability of the Company to produce minerals from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies, the potential impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on the Company's exploration program and on the Company's general business, operations and financial condition, and other risks and uncertainties. All of the Company's Canadian public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials, including the technical reports filed with respect to the Company's mineral properties. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161408 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - Tevano Systems Holdings Inc. (CSE: TEVO) (FSE: 7RBA) (OTC Pink: TEVNF) ("Tevano", or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that, further to its news release dated February 23, 2023, it has entered into an amalgamation agreement dated April 5, 2023 (the "Agreement") with Aqua-Eo Ltd., and 2501415 Alberta Ltd. ("Subco"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (the "Proposed Transaction"). The Agreement replaces the letter of intent between the Company and Aqua-Eo with respect to the Proposed Transaction, which was announced on February 23, 2023. The Proposed Transaction will be an Arm's Length Transaction as defined by Policy 1.1 of the Canadian Securities Exchange ("Exchange"). No director, officer, or majority shareholder of the Company has any direct or indirect interest or other relationship in Aqua-Eo. No new control person will be created as a result of the Proposed Transaction, and no change of directors or officers are expected as a result of the Proposed Transaction. As a result, the Company believes the Proposed Transaction will not be considered a Fundamental Change or Change of Business as defined by the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange. Terms of Proposed Transaction Pursuant to the Amalgamation Agreement, the Company and Aqua-Eo will complete a three-cornered amalgamation in accordance with the provisions of the Business Corporations Act (Alberta), which will involve Subco amalgamating with Aqua-Eo to form a single, wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. To complete the Proposed Transaction, Tevano has agreed to issue 18,995,000 common shares at a deemed price of $0.06 per share (the "Transaction Shares") (the aggregate value of the Transaction Shares is $1,139,700) to the existing shareholders of Aqua-Eo. 6,945,000 of the Transaction Shares will be subject to a three-year voluntary pooling agreement and any resale restrictions as may be required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the CSE. On completion of the Proposed Transaction, Tevano will have approximately 51,845,332 common shares issued and outstanding. The Transaction Shares will be allocated to the Aqua-Eo shareholders on a pro rata basis on the issuance date. In connection with the Proposed Transaction, the Company has agreed to pay a finder's fee to three finders consisting of 1,899,500 common shares of the Company at a deemed price of $0.06 per share ("Finders Shares"). The Finders Shares will be subject to a four month and a day hold period from the date of issuance. As required by subparagraph 6.2(5)(a) of Policy 6 of the Canadian Securities Exchange, Tevano is providing five business days' notice of its intent to close this Proposed Transaction and issue shares of the Company as early as April 12, 2023. The Proposed Transaction is subject to receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including, as applicable, approval of the CSE, completion of due diligence reasonable or customary in a Proposed Transaction of a similar nature, and receipt of requisite approval of Aqua-Eo shareholders, among other conditions. There can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. About Aqua-Eo Aqua-Eo is an environmentally focused industrial technology and engineering company, developing commercial extraction solutions for Lithium and other strategic metals, industrial wastewater remediation and oil and gas effluent treatment.. About Tevano Tevano is a hardware and software business solutions company. Its initial product, Health Shield", is an innovative AI-driven electronic device which provides instant body temperature scanning and notifies users if they need to wear a face mask. Health Shield" devices can be placed at all entrances where patrons and/or employees gain access to buildings. The Health Shield" device is supported by a cloud software solution that can manage multiple devices and provide detailed reporting and analysis. For more information, see Tevano's website at www.tevanosystems.com. On behalf of the Board of: TEVANO SYSTEMS HOLDINGS INC Eugene Hodgson, Chief Financial Officer Phone: 604-805-6600 Email: [email protected] CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release contains forwardlooking statements and forwardlooking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forwardlooking statements or information. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forwardlooking statements and information relating to the completion of the Proposed Transaction with Aqua-Eo, the terms of the Proposed Transaction with Aqua-Eo, the integration of Aqua-Eo's business with the Company's business and other matters. The forwardlooking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by management of the Company. Although management of the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements and information are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forwardlooking statements and information since no assurance can be given that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations and plans of management of the Company relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions. Since forwardlooking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, the Company's completion of the Proposed Transaction with Aqua-Eo, the terms of the Proposed Transaction with Aqua-Eo, the integration of Aqua-Eo's business with the Company's business and the markets acceptance of the Aqua-Eo technology and related products. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forwardlooking statements and information contained in this news release. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. The forwardlooking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and no undertaking is given to update publicly or revise any forwardlooking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Neither the CSE nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161384 KYODO NEWS - Apr 5, 2023 - 18:45 | All, World, Japan Japan decided Wednesday to provide equipment to the armed forces of "like-minded" countries that share its values, such as the rule of law, to improve their defense capabilities to deal with regional security threats, including China's military buildup in the Indo-Pacific. The four Asia-Pacific nations of Malaysia, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Fiji have been designated as recipients of the new grant assistance, designed to "create a favorable security environment" for Japan, according to the government. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said the measures will help deter unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, in an apparent warning to China about its maritime assertiveness in regional waters. In addition to beefing up Japan's defense capabilities, it is "essential" to enhance the deterrence capabilities of like-minded countries to "secure international peace and stability," the top government spokesman told a press conference. The new framework, called official security assistance, or OSA, was created based on objectives set out in the National Security Strategy -- Japan's long-term policy guidelines updated by the government of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in December last year. Under the OSA, Japan will support developing nations in areas not covered by its official development assistance, or ODA, which is limited to nonmilitary objectives. The details of the assistance to the four countries are likely to be fixed in a few months, government officials told reporters, while not ruling out the possibility of aiding Ukraine, invaded by Russia since February 2022. The program targets maritime and aerial surveillance, disaster response and other forms of humanitarian assistance, as well as activities related to U.N. peacekeeping operations, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said. Tokyo is set to offer support under the OSA within the limits of Japan's three principles on transferring defense equipment and technology, which sets out strict conditions for arms exports. Kishida's government has earmarked 2 billion yen ($15 million) in its fiscal 2023 budget through March next year to finance the OSA. In a related move, the Foreign Ministry revealed a draft of its revised policy outline on nonmilitary development aid, pledging to introduce an "offer-based" approach so Japan can proactively design and propose assistance steps. Japan's traditional concept of development assistance has been a "request-based" approach, which means that aid is implemented depending on the needs of recipient nations. In the wake of the first update of the policy outline on development cooperation since 2015, Japan will utilize ODA as its "most important diplomatic tool" in a "more strategic and effective" manner, the draft said. The draft, meanwhile, set a target of increasing the ODA budget to 0.7 percent of gross national income from the current 0.34 percent in the future and referred to the necessity of ensuring debt sustainability for the first time. The description comes amid concerns over China's alleged economic coercion and "debt-trap" diplomacy, slammed by critics for using liabilities as leverage to gain concessions from borrowing countries. The draft also promised to support recipient governments in developing the legal system to establish "the rule of law" and to "pay full attention" to how they will map out policies to fight against climate change. Kishida's Cabinet is expected to approve the revision of the policy outline next month after hearing public comments through May 4. Related coverage: Japan, Philippines, U.S. to set up 3-way security framework Japan OKs enemy base strike capability in major defense policy shift Japan eyes around 43 tril. yen defense spending for next 5 years Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - Tower Resources Ltd. (TSXV: TWR) ("Tower" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that assays received from Hole 41 on its new Thunder Zone gold discovery (see press release from March 1, 2023) at the Company's Rabbit North property near Kamloops, British Columbia, between New Gold's New Afton underground Cu-Au mine and Teck's Highland Valley open pit Cu-Mo mine (see Fig. 1), have revealed two closely spaced, 13.25 and 10.12 m intercepts containing 3.28 and 2.19 g/t Au, respectively (see Figs. 2 and 3). Hole 41 also intersected a new and potentially robust zone of porphyry-style Cu-AuMo mineralization - the "Rainbow Zone" - beneath the cover basalt flows immediately southwest of the Thunder Zone (see Fig. 3). Thunder Au Zone The Thunder Zone intersections in Hole 041 are approximately 200 m southeast along strike from the initial, 25.7 m intersection of 2.04 g/t in Hole 039 (see Fig. 2). Both holes were drilled at a flat, -45 dip and intersected the Thunder Zone at a depth of ~100 m below surface. Both were collared on cover basalts 20 to 30 m thick but the gold zone must surface somewhere between the holes in order to have produced the till-hosted gold grain dispersal train (Central Train; see Fig. 2) that led to its discovery. The two high-grade, 3.28 and 2.19 g/t Au intercepts in Hole 041 occur between 124.75 and 157.0 m down-hole (see Fig. 3). They are separated by 10.0 m of weaker mineralization grading 0.35 g/t Au. Rainbow Cu-Au-Mo Zone The Rainbow Zone was intersected over a distance of 36.0 m between 72.5 and 108.5 m down-hole and thus is only 16.25 m from the Thunder Zone. It appears to have originally extended to surface but is capped by 13 m (vertical thickness) of brick red to rusty orange saprolite and saprock from which most of the primary mineralization was leached by post-Jurassic subtropical weathering. The preserved 36.0 m section of the Rainbow Zone averages 0.19% Cu and 0.33 g/t Au - grades that are only marginally below those of some of the open pit porphyry mines in BC. Moreover, Hole 41 appears to have only clipped the eastern edge of the zone because Hole 042 which was drilled beneath it from the same pad but at a steeper -65 dip appears to have intersected the zone over a longer interval with visibly more chalcopyrite. Stu Averill, P.Geo. and a director of the Company, commented: "Hole 41 has enhanced the Thunder Zone considerably. In addition to extending the gold zone 200 m southeast along strike from Hole 39 where it remains wide open, and obtaining significantly higher gold grades over a similar width, it intersected a complementary, near-surface porphyry Cu-AuMo zone right beside the gold zone." The central 16.5 m of the 36.5 m intersection of the Rainbow Zone contains 0.004% Mo in addition to Cu and Au. Molybdenum is not present in any of the historical porphyry Cu-Au occurrences on the property but occurs at economic concentrations (0.008%) in the large Highland Valley Cu deposit to the west. The presence of Mo tends be a vector to higher grade mineralization because it occurs centrally in porphyry systems. Methods and Qualified Person The drill core was logged at Tower's leased, fully equipped core facility near Kamloops by Matthew Husslage, P.Geo, and Lauren Vollo, BSc. Geology. Both have extensive experience with B.C. gold and copper deposits and Mr. Husslage has managed or co-managed all of Tower's Rabbit North diamond drilling programs since the discovery of the Lightning Zone in December 2021. Split samples of the core, generally 1-2 m in length, were delivered directly to Activation Laboratories (ActLabs) in Kamloops, BC, a laboratory certified as ISO/IEC 17025 Accredited (Lab 790) by the Standards Council of Canada. QA/QC samples including blanks and standards were inserted regularly into the sample sequence at a ratio of approximately 1:20. The samples were analyzed for Au by fire assay and ICP-OES and for Ag and 36 additional elements by ICP-OES using a four-acid, near-total digestion. Any over-limit (>5 g/t) Au analyses were repeated using the same fire assay procedure but with a gravimetric rather than ICP finish. The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Stuart Averill, P.Geo., a director of the Company, and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. About Tower Resources Tower is a Canadian based mineral exploration company focused on the discovery and advancement of economic mineral projects in the Americas. The Company's key exploration assets, both in B.C., are the Rabbit North copper-gold porphyry project located between the New Afton copper-gold and Highland Valley copper mines in the Kamloops mining district and the Nechako gold-silver project near Artemis' Blackwater project. On behalf of the Board of Directors Tower Resources Ltd. Joe Dhami, President and CEO (778) 996-4730 www.towerresources.ca Reader Advisory This news release may contain statements which constitute "forward-looking information", including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company's future business activities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, fluctuations in market prices, successes of the operations of the Company, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such information will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Figure 1 -Location of Tower's Rabbit North property relative to the active mines of the Kamloops district. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5023/161340_6720b829e4ef68d6_002full.jpg Figure 2 -Locations of the four exploratory diamond drill holes and new Thunder Zone relative to the Central gold grain dispersal train. Chilcotin basalt cover flows were intersected in all four drill holes and thus may overlie part of the mineralized zone. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5023/161340_6720b829e4ef68d6_003full.jpg Figure 3 - Cross-section through Hole 041, looking north. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5023/161340_6720b829e4ef68d6_004full.jpg To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161340 STAMFORD, Conn. (PRWEB) April 05, 2023 A report detailing market results for the first quarter of 2023 in Fairfield and Litchfield Counties, the Shoreline and the Farmington Valley in Connecticut, the Berkshires in Massachusetts, and Westchester County, New York, has just been released by William Pitt Sotheby's International Realty and Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty, the company announced today. The report found that closed sales volume and units decreased significantly versus the same quarter last year in every market the company serves. In Westchester County, New York, volume declined on a quarterly basis by 30% and units by 33%, while in Fairfield County, Connecticut, the decreases were slightly higher at 38% for volume and 37% for units. On the lower end of the sales decline spectrum, Middlesex County, Connecticut, experienced decreases of 18% in volume and 26% in units, while on the higher end of that spectrum, the Berkshires in Massachusetts experienced decreases of 40% in volume and 31% in units. Every other market fell somewhere in between. One of the most significant reasons for the drop-off in sales is the shortage of inventory in the face of ongoing heightened buyer demand, the report stated. Compared to the first quarter of 2022, inventory this quarter was down again in markets such as Fairfield and Westchester Counties. Last quarter, the company reported that the decreases in inventory were not quite as significant as they had been in prior quarters, and that trend held in this quarter--inventory still declined, but not by as much as it has for several quarters now. Some counties even demonstrated small increases in inventory, including New Haven, Middlesex, New London and Hartford. Nevertheless, these increases are only relative to historic lows, and overall inventory remains far below historic norms. Properties currently going into contract greatly decreased this quarter by both units and volume, indicating that the next quarter will again perform below the same time last year. Given the supply and demand imbalance, heavy competition among buyers has benefited sellers and caused median prices to rise on a consistent basis, the report said. In all the counties the company serves, 12-month median selling prices this quarter remained higher than they were this time last year, although in some counties the increases were not as large as they have been in recent quarters. "It is rare to witness all the dynamics currently impacting our housing markets play out at once. There have been periods of higher mortgage rates, fragility in the economy, declining sales, increased prices, low inventory and strong buyer demand, but not necessarily all at the same time," said Paul Breunich, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of William Pitt Sotheby's International Realty and Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty. "There are buyers, but sales cannot improve until there are more properties to sell. We encourage homeowners who are thinking of selling but sitting on the sidelines to list now and take advantage of the incredible demand that still exists." The 2023 First Quarter Market Watch is available on the firm's website at williampitt.com. ### About William Pitt Sotheby's International Realty and Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty Founded in 1949, William Pitt Sotheby's International Realty and Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty manages a $5.8 billion portfolio with more than 1,100 sales associates in 27 brokerages spanning Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Westchester County, New York. The company is one of the largest Sotheby's International Realty(R) affiliates globally and the 35th-largest real estate company by sales volume in the United States. For more information, visit the website at williampitt.com. Sotheby's International Realty's worldwide network includes 1,075 offices throughout 81 countries and territories on six continents. Read the full story at https://www.prweb.com/releases/first_quarter_2023_market_report_finds_continued_sales_declines_in_low_inventory_market_with_high_buyer_demand/prweb19266870.htm Paid press release content from The Financial Capital. The StreetInsider.com news staff was not involved in its creation. Following Guangzhou, KCG will bring the exhibition to Wuhan, Hong Kong, Paris and other global cities to share this celebration of Chinese Savoir-Faire. K11 Craft & Guild Foundation (KCG), the renowned Hong Kong based charity for arts and culture, is delighted to announce the start of its Voyage de Savoir-Faire exhibition at K11 Art Mall in Guangzhou. The exhibition is the second stop on its world tour. The Voyage de Savoir-Faire exhibition is a celebration of craftsmanship and the beauty of traditional techniques in creating gilt-decorated lacquer. The exhibition explores the cultural and artistic zenith of The Time When East Meets West alongside a diverse range of exquisite crafts from old and contemporary China showcased in a new and unique digital light, running from 30 March to 25 June. Voyage de Savoir-Faire: K11s first immersive digital exhibition on Chinese craftsmanship. Curated to examine a period in history where Chinoiserie fascinated a European audience, Voyage de Savoir-Faire presents breathtaking traditional and contemporary craft seen as never before, using innovative technology to invoke an artistic magic from the past that lives on to this day. Visitors to the exhibition can expect to see a collection of 14 unique antiquities, each one intricately crafted by skilled artisans using time-honored skills. Visitors will embark on a cultural journey to witness the far-reaching global influence of Chinese craft and culture. With 14 sets of intricately detailed gilt-decorated lacquer antiquities collected by the Foundation thoughtfully positioned among vivid contemporary digital displays, the exhibition recreates a whimsical, imaginative world of gold-gilt black lacquer craftsmanship for viewers, transcending time and space. KCG was founded in 2018, in the hope of conserving and rejuvenating the intangible cultural heritage and creating it as a shared value in society. By showcasing historical treasures and the masterpieces of contemporary artists, KCG encourage young people to explore their own historical and cultural roots, enhance their creativity and expand their horizons to help the development of creative industries and showcase the new power of Chinese culture on the world stage. Dating back to the early Warring States period and earlier, the craftsmanship of gilt-decorated lacquer has been passed down from generation to generation. By gaining a deeper understanding of this unique Chinese craft, viewers are able to enjoy a deeper level of appreciation when studying these works, as well as other associated crafts and traditions. In addition to the antiquities themselves, the exhibition also provides an opportunity to learn about the cultural significance and history behind each piece. The Reve recreates the whimsical experience of imaginary touring through an immersive, multi-sensory experience To create Voyage de Savoir-Faire, contemporary artists and artisans joined hands to present a modern perspective on a thousand-year tradition. The exhibition also serves as a way to conserve and rejuvenate this unique and fast-disappearing Chinese craftsmanship. Winning the admiration of European royalty, including wealthy collectors like Queen Marie Antoinette of France, Chinese lacquerware rose to great popularity beginning in the late 17th century. So great was the demand for these beautiful works that the Palace of Versailles employed craftsmen specifically to produce lacquerware in the Chinese style. Across five exhibition areas, Voyage de Savoir-Faire takes viewers taken back in time. In Derive, the birth story of Chinese traditional gilt-decorated lacquer is told and the journey of exploration into The Time When East Meets West begins. In Voyage, we see the start of trans-continental shipping and the ancient worlds of Chinas Kangxi, the Light of Asia and Louis XIV, the Sun King intersect. The Reve recreates the whimsical experience of imaginary touring through an immersive, multi-sensory experience, perfectly presenting exquisite lacquer craftsmanship in the oriental aesthetic. Here, the essence of enjoying the fruits of the craft is reimagined through the experience of simply sitting or lying within this enchanting space. Gilt-decorated black lacquer artworks by contemporary artist Vincent Cazeneuve Returning to the present day, the Savoir-faire spotlights efforts to conserve and rejuvenate the craft, with interactive devices detailing the lacquerware creation process intended to educate all visitors. To complete this incredible journey, two sets of gilt-decorated black lacquer artworks by contemporary artists Weng Jijun and Vincent Cazeneuve are displayed together with a set of digital art by Obvious Art in the Au-dela du Reve finale, demonstrating a modern revival and new application for gilt-decoration. Traditional Chinese craftsmanship requires active conservation and rejuvenation, but by uniting contemporary artists, art aficionados and new fans alike, K11 Craft & Guild Foundation hopes this exhibition will take visitors on a journey through the history of traditional crafts, highlighting the beauty and value of handmade objects. Vovage de Savoir-Faire is a must see for anyone interested in the beauty of traditional crafts and the irreplaceable art of handmade objects. About K11 Craft & Guild Foundation Founded by Adrian Cheng in 2018, K11 Craft & Guild Foundation (KCG) is a registered charity for arts and culture in Hong Kong. We are cultural crafters who conserve and rejuvenate fast-disappearing Chinese artisanship to create a craft ecosystem with a sustainable, positive social impact. By incorporating Creating Shared Value (CSV) to bring crafts, business and society together, we make crafts more accessible to the community, educate the public with research initiatives and curate collaborations with artisans, aiming to bridge the gap between culture and economy. Cultural entrepreneur and the founder of K11 Art Foundation and Culture for Tomorrow, Adrian Cheng established the charity with aims to conserve and rejuvenate fast-disappearing Chinese artisanship, in addition to Creating Shared Value (CSV) for society. Adrian believes that the power of business lies not only in generating profits, but also in supporting and empowering other community stakeholders, as well as promoting a new vision of CSV to bring a sustainable, positive impact to the local community. For media enquiries, please contact: Ogilvy Shanghai [email protected] [email protected] Contact Info: Name: Rachel Yang Email: Send Email Organization: K11 Group Address: Chow Tai Fook Financial Center, No. 6, the Pearl River East Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou Website: https://www.k11.com Release ID: 89093555 If you detect any issues, problems, or errors in this press release content, kindly contact [email protected] to notify us. We will respond and rectify the situation in the next 8 hours. Paid press release content from The Financial Capital. The StreetInsider.com news staff was not involved in its creation. American International College (AIC) offers an established online Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program for engaged occupational therapists to advance their careers. Faculty shortages in occupational therapy underscore the urgency for qualified educators. In 2019, the American Occupational Therapy Association reported the most common reasons for OT faculty shortages were due to factors such as impending retirements of current faculty and inexperienced or underqualified educators. They noted that 35% of OT faculty plan to retire by 2024, and nearly 70% of occupational therapy programs reported more than one faculty vacancy. Earning an online doctorate in occupational therapy is one way to combat the faculty shortage. A Post-Professional OTD also provides several career pathways for licensed therapists to be trained with an additional focus on research and leadership. The online Post-Professional OTD prepares engaged practitioners to become transformative leaders in evidence-based practice. AICs Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate The online Post-Professional OTD at AIC is designed for engaged occupational therapists with a masters degree who want to continue to work while earning a doctoral degree. This program is designed to help OTs become influencers and leaders in their field, expand their expertise, and educate and inspire the next generation of occupational therapists. The program is open to residents from all 50 states. It is 100% online and cohort-based, so students can connect, build professional relationships, and exchange ideas. Applicants enroll full-time and graduate in less than two years (five semesters). The program interweaves four curriculum threads clinical practice, education, research, and advocacy for a comprehensive learning experience. Courses are designed to challenge students to reframe their thinking and teach creatively. AIC students learn from an engaged faculty of prolific scholars, practitioners, and leaders. AICs Occupational Therapy faculty are pretty much famous in the OT world, not just in Massachusetts. Other doctoral programs lack the theory courses that AIC offers, and thats a huge component of OT, especially if youre going to teach, states Kendra Phillips, 2019 AIC OTD graduate. This program requires 30 credit hours and has two admission points; fall and spring. A three-course bridge program is available for bachelors-prepared OTs who would like to earn their occupational therapy doctorate online. About the College American International College is a trusted and recognized institution with a long-standing history of making quality education accessible to people from diverse backgrounds. It was founded in 1885 to provide an educational pathway for immigrants coming to the U.S. through New York to earn a college degree and achieve the American dream. Today, AIC is a private liberal arts college in Springfield, Massachusetts, proud of its A+ in Diversity from Niche. AIC is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. The College participates in the National Council State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA), which establishes comparable national standards for the interstate offering of postsecondary distance education courses and programs. For more information about the online Post-Professional OTD program at American International College, visit https://online.aic.edu Contact Info: Name: Elizabeth Comino Email: Send Email Organization: American International College Address: 1000 State Street Springfield, MA 01109 Website: https://online.aic.edu Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/user/AICSPRINGFIELDMA Release ID: 89093672 If you detect any issues, problems, or errors in this press release content, kindly contact [email protected] to notify us. We will respond and rectify the situation in the next 8 hours. Paid press release content from The Financial Capital. The StreetInsider.com news staff was not involved in its creation. Smart City Media Wire has announced a multimedia marketing service for smart home automation businesses, specialized in the California area. Smart City Media Wire has announced a new marketing service, which leverages multi-faceted marketing solutions to assist with brand growth and visibility. Campaigns are personalized to the specific needs of home security, smart home automation, smart real estate and CCTV companies. More information can be found at: https://smartcitymediawire.clientcabin.com/ The announcement from Smart City comes as a study by Google found that 70% of Americans look online for information on products and services before making a purchase - highlighting the importance of having a strong online presence. To that end, the agency developed its marketing solution to help San Diego businesses establish local visibility for their products and services. The new service incorporates the use of multimedia marketing strategies to achieve omnipresence online. "Home and smart automation businesses can improve their reputation and create positive coverage for their brand name," says founder and CEO Jordan Kelly. The agency explains that its multimedia marketing approach is primarily designed to allow businesses to share information about their products and services, as well as provide valuable tips and insights for homeowners. As such, Smart City's new service can help businesses build customer trust and position themselves as industry leaders. Further, through its multimedia approach, the agency leverages a variety of channels to help businesses in smart home automation and home security sectors engage with the local community. "Though social media has made it simpler to research products and services online, creating informative and engaging content can help with audience engagement and customer retention," says Jordan. With the launch of the new marketing service for smart home automation companies, Smart City Media Wire is helping small businesses in San Diego reach local customers and build authority for their brands. Founded by marketing expert Jordan Kelly, the agency specializes in comprehensive branding and marketing solutions tailored to the needs of SMBs. "Our team consists of writers, developers, and advertising professionals that have helped hundreds of businesses get more clients, patients, and customers in a variety of industries," says Jordan. "We help clients reach local clients by crafting meaningful hyper-local ads and coverage." Interested parties can learn more at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/js-kelly/ Contact Info: Name: Jordan Kelly Email: Send Email Organization: Smart City Media Wire Address: Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia Website: https://smartcitymediawire.clientcabin.com/ Release ID: 89092641 If you detect any issues, problems, or errors in this press release content, kindly contact [email protected] to notify us. We will respond and rectify the situation in the next 8 hours. DUBLIN , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AerCap Holdings N.V. ("AerCap" or the "Company") (NYSE: AER) today announced it will host a conference call and webcast for investors and analysts on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time to review its first quarter 2023 financial results. AerCap's first quarter 2023 earnings press release will be released before financial markets open in the United States on May 2, 2023 . A copy of the press release will be posted on the "Investors" section of AerCap's website at www.aercap.com. At the same time, the presentation slides for the conference call will also be posted on AerCap's website. The call can be accessed live by dialing ( U.S. / Canada ) +1 646 828 8193 or (International) +353 1 246 5638 and referencing code 1328439 at least 5 minutes before start time, or by visiting AerCap's website at www.aercap.com under "Investors". The webcast replay will be archived on the "Investors" section of the company's website for one year. About AerCap AerCap is the global leader in aviation leasing with one of the most attractive order books in the industry. AerCap serves approximately 300 customers around the world with comprehensive fleet solutions. AerCap is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (AER) and is based in Dublin with offices in Shannon, Miami , Singapore , Memphis , Amsterdam , Shanghai , Dubai , Seattle , Toulouse and other locations around the world. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain statements, estimates and forecasts with respect to future performance and events. These statements, estimates and forecasts are "forward-looking statements". In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "might," "should," "expect," "plan," "intend," "will," "aim," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "predict," "potential" or "continue" or the negatives thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements and are based on various underlying assumptions and expectations and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions, and may include projections of our future financial performance based on our growth strategies and anticipated trends in our business. These statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and projections about future events. There are important factors, including the impacts of, and associated responses to: the Ukraine Conflict, the Covid-19 pandemic, that could cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results, level of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. As a result, we cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements included in this press release will prove to be accurate or correct. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the future performance or events described in the forward-looking statements in this press release might not occur. Accordingly, you should not rely upon forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results and we do not assume any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any of these forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable law, we do not undertake any obligation to, and will not, update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For more information regarding AerCap and to be added to our email distribution list, please visit www.aercap.com and follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/aercapnv. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aercap-holdings-nv-to-release-first-quarter-2023-financial-results-on-may-2-2023-301790641.html Benefit Night Followed by Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Joined by Valparaiso Mayor and Local Officials at New Buona/Rainbow Cone Location VALPARAISO, Ind. , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Regional favorite restaurant brands, Buona , and The Original Rainbow Cone have today announced they will host back-to-back community events in April to celebrate the first dual-concept location opening in Valparaiso, Indiana . The festivities will begin with a Benefit Night for Porter County CASA , which will be held on April 11 from 5 pm-8 pm . The event will feature half-off of all Buona and Rainbow Cone menu items for dine-in and drive-thru guests who provide the event's print or digital flyer with their order. All proceeds will support CASA, which advocates for abused and neglected children in the region. The official Grand Opening for Buona/ Rainbow Cone's new Valparaiso, Indiana location will take place on April 12 . The Grand Opening will begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:30 am ; Valparaiso Mayor Matt Murphy and other local officials will be in attendance. The Fast Casual restaurants will include a double-lane drive-thru by Palmer Digital Group , spacious dining room and a mobile ordering pick-up zone. Both family-friendly events will take place at the Buona/ Rainbow Cone restaurant, located at 2901 John Howell Drive in Valparaiso, Indiana . "We can't wait to bring the Valparaiso community together for two exciting days of delicious food to celebrate our grand opening and benefit area kids in need," said Joe Buonavolanto Ill , third-generation Buona family member and VP of Franchise Operations at the company. "Come over to support Porter County CASA and celebrate our newest location." Buona was founded in 1981 by Joe and Peggy Buonavolanto , who dreamed of bringing Chicago flavors and opportunity to their family and surrounding communities. Its iconic menu features Buona's signature Italian beef sandwich, along with hand-tossed salads, burgers, hot dogs, all-natural chicken, fresh pastas and a full catering menu. Rainbow Cone is a Chicago treasure, created in 1926 by "Grandpa Joe" Sapp, who was never satisfied with just one ice cream flavor and stacked five flavors on a single cone instead. The two Windy City icons joined together in 2022 to bring dual-concept stores to Chicago and other regions around the country, including its new Valparaiso location. In addition to the grand opening of the new Valparaiso location, Buona is hosting a $500 gift card contest now- April 12 . More details about the contest or to enter can be found at https://buona.com/locations/valparaiso . The brands also plan to bring food trucks to further celebrate with area residents, including giveaways, prizes and more. Follow @buonabeef and @theoriginalrainbowcone to learn more . About Buona/The Original Rainbow Cone Buona/The Original Rainbow Cone bring two Chicago , family-owned traditions together, combining Buona's authentic recipe for Italian beef sandwiches and The Original Rainbow Cone's world-famous 5-flavor " Rainbow Cone ." Four decades, three generations and several dozen restaurants ago, Joe and Peggy opened the first Buona restaurant in Berwyn, IL , which specialized in their authentic recipe for Italian beef sandwiches. Today, Buona is driven by multiple 3rd generation Buonavolantos and hard-working, dedicated employees who loyally serve Buona customers and surrounding communities. As a result, Buona is the largest family-owned Italian beef restaurant group and Italian beef producer in the country. Rainbow Cone was founded in 1926 by "Grandpa Joe" Sapp, who was never satisfied with just one ice cream flavor and stacked five delicious flavors on a single cone. The company remains 3rd generation family-owned including its original Southside location. For more information, visit https://buona.com and https://rainbowcone.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/buona-and-rainbow-cone-to-celebrate-grand-opening-in-valparaiso-on-april-12-301791030.html LPL Financial's largest enterprise inks $2B deal in its continued expansion of services to financial professionals. FORT MILL, S.C. , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Financial Resources Group Investment Services, LLC ( Financial Resources Group ) announced today that it has completed its merger with Professional Investors Network. Professional Investors Network brings to the firm over $2 billion in assets under management with over 50 registered representatives. Professional Investors Network became part of Financial Resources Group and will now operate under the firm's entity. The merger combines Financial Resources Group's expertise in providing customized services to financial professionals along with Professional Investors Network's skillset in the operations, compliance and advisor development spaces. Additionally, it will allow Financial Resources Group to continue its expansion of offerings to its advisors. "We are thrilled to welcome Professional Investors Network to our dynamic firm," said Steve Lank , President of Financial Resources Group . "Their outstanding leadership team and dedicated staff are wonderful assets to our organization and will play instrumental roles in helping us take our offerings to the next level for our advisors." Previously headquartered in South Windsor, Connecticut , Professional Investors Network formed in 2000 and has been one of the top producing groups in the country for three different independent firms with Securities America being their former broker-dealer. "We couldn't have partnered with a better organization," said Bill Brice , Managing Partner of Professional Investors Network. " Financial Resources Group is an industry leader with an impressive catalog of offerings for financial advisors. We were highly impressed with their streamlined compliance efforts, advanced marketing techniques and efficient back-office support. Through their relationship with LPL Financial, we now have access to state-of-the art technology solutions which will further enhance our unique business development model, making Financial Resources Group a premier destination for those looking to grow their businesses and leave a lasting legacy." "We have some incredible things in the works for our advisors and are very excited to share this with everyone in the coming months," said Lank. "Our partnership with Professional Investors Network will be taking Financial Resources Group to new heights, so stay tuned for more details." About Financial Resources Group Based in Fort Mill, SC , Financial Resources Group is LPL Financial's largest enterprise*, providing customized services to financial advisors and financial institutions to help them grow their programs and practices. Representatives are registered through LPL Financial as their broker-dealer. For more information on Financial Resources Group , visit https://www.financialresourcesgroup.net About Professional Investors Network Professional Investors Network has been providing financial professionals with supervisory, operational and consulting services since 2000. For more information, visit https://www.professionalinvestorsllc.com/ About LPL Financial LPL Financial is the nation's largest independent broker-dealer**. They serve independent financial advisors, professionals, and institutions, providing them with the technology, research, clearing and compliance services, and practice management programs they need to create and grow thriving practices. For more information, visit www.lpl.com * Based on assets (brokerage and advisory), total revenue and affiliated professionals as of December 2022 . ** As reported by Financial Planning magazine , June 1996-2022, based on total revenue. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, member FINRA / SIPC . Financial Resources Group Investment Services, member FINRA / SIPC , is a separate entity. Contact Information: Financial Resources Group Steve Lank [email protected] 704-816-8018 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/financial-resources-group-completes-strategic-merger-with-professional-investors-network-301789504.html SOURCE Financial Resources Group Investment Services Staff Shortages a Continued Challenge as 84 Percent of Burned Out Government Workers Say They're Covering the Workload of Unfilled Positions ARLINGTON, Va. , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- More than half (52 percent) of government employees say that they are burned out from their jobs, notably higher than their private sector counterparts (46 percent), according to new research from Eagle Hill Consulting . While this high level of workforce burnout is concerning, it has dipped from last year (56 percent). The burnout levels are higher among women (59 percent), younger workers (57 percent), and lower income (54 percent) government workers. 52% of government employees say they are burned out according to new research from Eagle Hill Consulting Government employees say the top culprits of burnout include workload (49 percent) and staffing shortages (43 percent). More than two-thirds of government workers (69 percent) say that increased flexibility of work hours and days would help reduce their burnout. These findings are based upon the 2023 Eagle Hill Consulting Workforce Burnout Survey conducted by Ipsos from February 9-13, 2023 . The survey included 1001 respondents from a random sample of employees across the U.S. including 475 federal, state, and local government workers. Respondents were polled about burnout and vacation. Read the "Understanding Government Employee Burnout" infographic. "While it's good news that that burnout among government workers has dipped ever so slightly, the burnout levels remain highly problematic," said Melissa Jezior , president and chief executive officer of Eagle Hill Consulting . "Demands on the government workforce are only growing, while public sector employers continue to face recruitment and retention challenges. Public employers have got to get to the root causes of worker burnout and implement solutions. Otherwise, it's an endless cycle of government employees exhausted, stressed, and looking for another job. That's just not sustainable for workers and delivery of essential public services." "Public employees indicate there are practical actions employers can take to reduce burnout, from more flexibility to better health and wellness benefits. The first step for government leaders is to initiate honest conversations with workers about burnout what will help solve the problem. Positive news from our research is that most government employees feel comfortable telling their employer about their burnout levels, so it's time to start the dialogue," Jezior said. The survey's key findings are as follows: When asked how staff shortages are impacting their workload, 84 percent of government workers experiencing burnout said it's covering the workload for unfilled positions, 47 percent said it's helping others learn their job, 42 percent said it's training new hires, and 21 percent said it's recruiting and interviewing new hires. Most employees (65 percent) who experience burnout feel comfortable telling their manager or employer they feel burned out. The top causes of burnout include workload (48 percent), a lack of communication and support (43 percent), staff shortages (43 percent), juggling personal and professional lives (42 percent), and time pressures (31 percent). When asked how to reduce burnout, 69 percent said increased flexibility would help, followed by a four-day work week (66 percent). Other solutions included decreased workloads (65 percent), working from home (60 percent), providing better health and wellness benefits (61 percent), reducing administrative burdens (58 percent), offering more on-site amenities (50 percent), and providing workers with the ability to relocate or work from multiple locations (44 percent). The research also signals that worker departures are likely to continue, as one-third of the government workforce (33 percent) plans to leave their job in the next 12 months. The planned departure rates are even higher for younger workers (43 percent) and lower income workers (44 percent). Eagle Hill Consulting LLC is a woman-owned business that provides unconventional management consulting services in the areas of Strategy & Performance, Talent, and Change. The company's expertise in delivering innovative solutions to unique challenges spans across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. A leading authority on employee sentiment, Eagle Hill is headquartered in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, with employees across the U.S. and offices in Boston and Seattle . More information is available at www.eaglehillconsulting.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/government-employee-burnout-levels-remain-high-according-to-new-eagle-hill-consulting-research-301790862.html OCALA, Fla. , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- HiBid enabled the sale of over $56.8 million in gross merchandise value in auctions held through the platform last week. Over 698,000 lots were sold online in 1,651 timed and live auctions taking place between March 27th and April 2nd , with the total hammer value exceeding $94.7 million . Among the thousands of auctions currently on the site, there are numerous events featuring developed and undeveloped residential and farm real estate in Illinois , Maine , Tennessee , and Virginia . Standout lots include a house on 12 acres of secluded land in Tennessee , 109 acres of property in Maine bordered by the Huntley Brook , and 33-plus acres of Illinois farmland with Class A and B soils. HiBid.com brings buyers and sellers together every day with a wide-ranging selection of lots in more than 300 categories that appeal to bidders worldwide. HiBid is fully integrated with Auction Flex 360, providing auctioneers with a comprehensive auction management solution that supports live auctions, timed auctions, and internet absentee bidding. March 27th-April 2nd, 2023 , HiBid.com Highlights Gross Merchandise Value: $56 .8+ Million Total Hammer Value: $94 .7+ Million Lots Sold Online: 698,603 Timed Auctions: 1,521 Live Auctions: 130 Bids Placed: 4.16+ Million Bidding Sessions: 5.19+ Million Current Auctions The following list includes a small sample from the hundreds of auctions currently open for bidding on HiBid.com. Site visitors can click the Find Auctions menu at the top of the HiBid.com homepage for links to the Featured and Hot auctions, such as those listed below, or use the search box to find auctions nearby. The Hillman Real Estate Auction House and 12-plus Acres Auction Type: Timed Date: April 20th Seller: JD's Realty & Auction, LLC View Auction Catalog 109-plus Acres Maine Land Auction Type: Timed Dates: March 24th-April 26th Seller: United Country Lifestyle Properties of Maine View Auction Catalog 33-plus Acres, Jessie D. Hite Trust Auction Type: Timed Dates: March 17th-April 11th Seller: William Beck Auction & Realty View Auction Catalog Numerous current and upcoming real estate auctions, including 65-plus acres of wooded land in Woolwine, Virginia , with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains are also accessible on the United Country Real Estate page. If you're looking to sell through HiBid.com, click here to describe what you wish to sell, and a local HiBid auctioneer will help you get started. Interested in receiving updates from HiBid? Sign up to receive newsletter emails, and follow HiBid Auctions on Facebook and LinkedIn. About HiBid and Auction Flex 360 HiBid is an online auction platform supporting live auctions, timed auctions, and internet absentee bidding. It is also available as a private-label solution. HiBid is integrated with Auction Flex 360, the market leader in auction software for live and timed auctions, with capabilities that include cataloging, clerking, cashiering, accounting, mailing list management, inventory management, and multi-parcel. HiBid and Auction Flex 360 were built from the ground up to function together seamlessly. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hibid-platform-sees-56m-gmv-sold-in-1-651-auctions-last-week-with-real-estate-across-the-us-now-open-for-bidding-301790977.html SOURCE Hibid-AuctionFlex KYODO NEWS - Apr 5, 2023 - 11:08 | All, World Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday as expected pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, opening an unprecedented legal battle that is likely to drag on and impact his re-election bid. At a Manhattan courthouse, the indictment of Trump -- the first former U.S. president in history to face criminal charges -- was unsealed. The charges are related to his alleged role in the payment of hush money to individuals, including a porn star, in an attempt to insulate his 2016 presidential election campaign from scandal. New York prosecutors said Trump orchestrated a scheme with others from August 2015 to December 2017 to influence the election "by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit" his electoral prospects. The unfolding episode came after Trump was indicted Thursday on undisclosed charges by a Manhattan grand jury following an investigation into the case involving adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who claims to have had an affair with him. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office is leading the probe, said business records were repeatedly falsified to disguise related payments as being for legal services performed by his former lawyer "to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information." "These are felony crimes in New York state, no matter who you are," Bragg said at a press conference held shortly after Trump's arraignment. "We cannot and will not normalize serious criminal conduct." Trump, who was in office from 2017 to 2021, surrendered to authorities after flying to New York on Monday from his home in Florida and spending the night at his residence in Trump Tower. The former president was stone-faced as he entered the courtroom with his lawyers for his arraignment, during which he was informed of the charges for the first time. The 76-year-old, who has announced a bid for the presidency in 2024, is the front-runner for the Republican nomination. Whether the case negatively or positively impacts his chances of securing the nomination or winning the presidency remains to be seen. After returning to his estate, Mar-a-Lago, on Tuesday night, Trump delivered a long campaign-style speech in front of his supporters, lashing out at the indictment and insisting on his innocence. "This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election and it should be dropped immediately," he said, drawing applause from the crowd. Speaking earlier to the press outside the courthouse after the hearing, Trump lawyer Todd Blanche said his client is "frustrated" and "upset" but also "motivated." "It's not going to stop him. It's not going to slow him down," he said. Blanche said there had been no surprises and his defense team is ready to fight the charges. The next in-person hearing is set for Dec. 4, according to U.S. media. Offer includes savings up to 45% off cruise fares, onboard credit and reduced deposits SEATTLE , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The 150th birthday celebrations continue for Holland America Line with an Anniversary Sale featuring cruise fare discounts, an onboard spending credit and reduced deposits on most summer 2023 through spring 2024 departures. The cruise line marks its sesquicentennial birthday April 18, 2023 , and the company is commemorating the milestone with special sailings, offers and events. Guests who book eligible cruises receive up to 45% off cruise-only fares with the Anniversary Sale, along with up to $150 onboard spending money per guest depending on stateroom category and length of sailing, and $150 reduced deposits. Bookings must be made by May 4, 2023 , to take advantage of the offer. " Holland America Line's 150th anniversary is an opportunity to show our guests how much we appreciate them, whether it's through special onboard activities or amazing offers like the Anniversary Sale that make cruising with us an even more valuable vacation," said Beth Bodensteiner , chief commercial officer, Holland America Line . "Our milestone birthday this month is one that few companies ever reach, and we're taking the year to celebrate Holland America Line and the historical significance of the brand." The up to $150 per person onboard spending money for the first and second guests in a stateroom can be put toward a variety of experiences and amenities, including specialty dining, spa treatments, shore excursions, beverages, photographs, souvenirs and more. With the Anniversary Sale, travelers can explore Alaska (Alaska Cruisetours are included), the Caribbean , Mexico , Northern Europe , Mediterranean, Panama Canal , Canada / New England , Hawaii , South Pacific , South America and Antarctica , Australia and New Zealand . The Anniversary Sale is not valid on Grand Voyages and itineraries four days or less. The Anniversary Sale is combinable with Holland America Line's "Have It All" premium package and Kids Cruise Free promotion. 'Have It All' Premium Package Guests can combine the Anniversary Sale with "Have It All" premium cruise fares, which include four high-value amenities: shore excursions, a Signature Beverage Package, specialty dining in Pinnacle Grill , Canaletto or Tamarind (depending on ship), and a Wi-Fi Surf Package to stay connected throughout the cruise. Kids Cruise Free to Exciting Locales The Anniversary Sale also is combinable with Holland America Line's Kids Cruise Free offer where kids aged 18 and under cruise for free when traveling as the third and fourth guests in the same stateroom. Whether it's a family that loves to explore the world or one that stays closer to home, a variety of destinations are included with this offer. For more information about Holland America Line , consult a travel advisor, call 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or visit hollandamerica.com. Editors Note: Photos are available at https://www.cruiseimagelibrary.com/c/i5qbcirl. Find Holland America Line on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and the Holland America Blog. You can also access all social media outlets via the home page at hollandamerica.com. About Holland America Line Holland America Line , part of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE/LSE:CCL and NYSE: CUK), has been exploring the world for 150 years with expertly crafted itineraries, extraordinary service and genuine connections to each destination. Offering an ideal mid-sized ship experience, its fleet visits nearly 400 ports in 114 countries around the world and has shared the thrill of Alaska for 75 years longer than any other cruise line. Holland America Line's 11 vessels feature a diverse range of enriching activities and amenities focused on destination immersion and personalized travel. The best live music at sea fills each evening at Music Walk, and dining venues feature exclusive selections from a Culinary Council of world-famous chefs. CONTACT: Bill Zucker , Erik Elvejord PHONE: 800-637-5029, 206-626-9890 EMAIL: [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/holland-america-line-launches-anniversary-sale-promotion-in-honor-of-upcoming-milestone-150th-birthday-301791025.html SEOUL, South Korea , April 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyosung Chairman Cho Hyun-joon attended the Korea-Japan Business Roundtable held in Tokyo , March. At the meeting, key officials from the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) and the Japan Association of Corporate Executives (Keizai Doyukai) specified the visions for economic cooperation between the two countries and discussed expanding exchange and cooperation among business leaders. From Korea , 12 members of the FKI attended, including Chairman Cho Hyun-joon and Acting FKI Chairman Kim Byong -joon, as well as leaders of conglomerates. From Japan , 11 business leaders attended, including Chairman Masakazu Tokura of Keidanren and Mikio Sasaki , the chairman of the Japan-Korea Economic Association . Chairman Cho said, "I hope to mutual development in various fields for both countries through this meeting," adding "I shall make efforts to contribute to the development of both countries through active economic exchange with Japanese companies". In the business world, Chairman Cho is regarded as an expert on Japan . He has been serving as the vice-chairman of the Korea-Japan Economic Association since 2014 and was reappointed in 2023 for his 10th year of service. He showed his interest in Japan by mentioning that "economic cooperation with Japan is essential" during the 29th Korea-Japan Business Conference last year. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hyosung-chairman-cho-hyun-joon-attends-the-korea-japan-business-roundtable-301790253.html SOURCE Hyosung Corporation Hyundai Hope On Wheels announces plans to award $25 million in research and programmatic grants to commemorate its 25 th anniversary This year's donation marks the organization's $225 million lifetime donation total Hyundai Hope On Wheels names newest National Youth Ambassador Raynie Clark to join fellow ambassador Oliver Foster NEW YORK , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Hope On Wheels, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supported by Hyundai Motor America and its more than 820 U.S. dealers, celebrates its 25th anniversary in its long-standing fight against childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, the organization is one of the longest-running corporate social responsibility efforts in the automotive industry. In honor of this milestone, Hyundai Hope On Wheels today announced plans to award $25 million in research grants this year, its largest donation in a single year, bringing its total giving to $225 million since its inception. "Hyundai Hope On Wheels is honored to have reached this milestone, which humbly started as a local initiative in New England 25 years ago," said Kevin Reilly , vice chairman of the Hyundai Hope On Wheels Board of Directors, and president of Alexandria Hyundai. "While we are proud of this growth and the significant advancements in pediatric cancer research, we remain as unwaveringly dedicated to our goals of funding research and creating awareness as when we started. The resilience of pediatric cancer fighters, survivors, and their families inspires us to continue this journey and strengthen our commitment to bring hope and put an end to childhood cancer." In 2022, Hyundai Hope On Wheels appointed executive director John Guastaferro to build on the organization's achievements and advance its mission into the future. This year, Hyundai Hope On Wheels is set to surpass 1,300 research and programmatic grants to over 175 hospital and research institutions over its 25-year history. Hyundai Hope On Wheels awards grants in three categories to researchers at eligible Children's Oncology Group (COG) member institutions, which are focused on improving outcomes, treatments, and support for children diagnosed with cancer. In 2023, Hyundai Hope On Wheels will introduce two new categories of grants to provide bridge funding for National Institute of Health grant applicants and to expand support in more regions across the United States with engagement from local Hyundai dealers. Now with five categories of grants, Hope On Wheels will help sustain and strengthen research for projects underway and increase its support to more institutions nationwide. "While we are thrilled that we are now able to cure around 80 percent of children with cancer, our goal is to get to 100 percent," said Dr. Dan Wechsler , a long-standing member of the Hyundai Hope On Wheels Medical Advisory Committee . "Appropriate funding is critical to ensure that doctors, scientists, and institutions continue their cutting-edge research. I applaud Hyundai Hope On Wheels for its dedication to and perseverance in advancing pediatric cancer research particularly for young investigators and look forward to continuing efforts to cure and support as many pediatric cancer patients as possible." New National Youth Ambassador Raynie Clark, a 10-year-old from a town outside Las Vegas, Nevada , was announced as the newest National Youth Ambassador from a nationwide search. Throughout the year, Raynie will travel with her fellow National Youth Ambassador Oliver Foster to children's hospitals to inspire others to join the fight against childhood cancer. Oliver was selected as the 2022-2024 National Youth Ambassador, while Raynie will serve as the 2023-2025 ambassador. This year marks the return of appointing two ambassadors to jointly represent the organization and share their stories of courage and hope since 2020. Learn more about Raynie's and Oliver's inspirational stories on our website. To celebrate the 25-year milestone, Hyundai Hope On Wheels launched its "HOPE Defined" social media campaign, which will spotlight what Hope means to members of the pediatric cancer community and culminate through various celebrations in September, National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Visit HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org to learn more about Hyundai Hope On Wheels and its 25th anniversary celebrations. Hyundai Hope On Wheels Hyundai Hope On Wheels is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels provides grants to eligible institutions nationwide that are pursuing critical research aimed at improving treatments and saving lives. Hyundai Hope On Wheels is one of the largest nonprofit funders of pediatric cancer research in the country. Primary funding for Hyundai Hope On Wheels comes from Hyundai Motor America and its more than 820 U.S. dealers. In 2023, Hyundai Hope On Wheels will surpass a lifetime total donation of $225 million in support of more than 1,300 childhood cancer research grants. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hyundai-hope-on-wheels-celebrates-25-years-with-a-25-million-donation-to-pediatric-cancer-research-301790746.html SOURCE Hyundai Hope On Wheels Enter to Win This Easter Season! PARAMUS, N.J. , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Gayo Azul , the famous Caribbean Hispanic cheesemakers with a Dutch influence, announce the Third Annual Gayo Azul Blue Rooster Chicken Coop Giveaway in celebration of the Easter holiday. The prize is a unique take on Easter and egg hunts, as well as a nod to their iconic blue rooster logo since blue rooster translates to Gayo Azul. The first two Chicken Coop contests garnered hundreds of thousands of enthusiastic entrants, so the contest is once again 'egged' by popular demand. Everyone is invited to enter the 3rd Annual Gayo Azul Blue Rooster Chicken Coop Contest, hosted on their website, at www.gayoazul.com/promotions. Three grand prize winners will be randomly selected to win a beautiful and high-quality chicken coop from The Chicken Coop Company (www.chickencoopcompany.com), along with a gift card, a few handy kitchen accessories, and a delectable assortment of Gayo Azul cheeses valued at $700 . Entries for The Gayo Azul Blue Rooster Chicken Coop Contest will be accepted from April 3rd until April 24th, 2023 , at 11:59 pm EST . There are multiple ways to earn entries for the giveaway, and Gayo Azul encourages customers to complete them all to maximize their chances of winning: Click on this link www.gayoazul.com/promotions to fill out the entry form Follow Gayo Azul on Facebook (@ gayoazulcheese ) and Instagram (@ gayo_azul_cheese ) Share the giveaway posts from Gayo Azul's Facebook and Instagram Once the contest has closed, three grand prize winners will be randomly selected. "Many of our consumers have been loyal to our brand for years, sometimes even decades," says Debbie Seife , Marketing Director of FrieslandCampina . "To show our appreciation for that loyalty, the fun Chicken Goop contest celebrates our Blue Rooster, and our consumers love the grand prize as much as we do. The past Gayo Azul Chicken Coop Contests amassed thousands of entries, so we want to open the door again based on the extreme excitement." Gayo Azul is known for their fantastic cheeses, which stand apart due to a unique combination of both Dutch and Hispanic cheesemaking. Gayo Azul boasts a rich history, beginning in the 1950s in the Caribbean , where Dutch cheeses were quickly gaining popularity. Gayo Azul began expanding their cheese portfolio, which is now loved not just in the Caribbean , but across the United States as well. By combining a passion for the craft with a strong emphasis on authentic flavor and premium quality, Gayo Azul have found themselves a staple in family kitchens for multiple generations. After decades of growth and innovation, Gayo Azul now offers a versatile assortment of cheeses, sure to satisfy any cheese lover. All of Gayo Azul's cheeses are available in convenient sizes, varieties include: Cotijaa firm and crumbly Mexican aged cow's milk cheese with a sharp, slightly salty flavor. It is an unbeatable topping when crumbled over enchiladas, tacos or street corn. Dutch Gouda mild taste and creamy texture, the wedges are perfect for a cheeseboard and work wonderfully shredded in a casserole or for sauces with wonderful meltability. Also available in slices, it makes for a delicious cheeseburger, grilled cheese, or cold sandwich. Dutch Edama bit firmer than Gouda, and with a rich flavor and smooth, creamy texture. It is excellent cut-up for cheeseboards, shredded for baking dishes, or cubed for salads. It is known for its red wax exterior and the spherical shape of a full Edam ball. European Swissa semi-firm cheese with a sweet nutty taste and telltale round holes, also known as eyes. Available in sliced form, it is perfect for burgers and both cold and grilled sandwiches. Queso Blanco a fresh, white cow's milk cheese with a slightly salty and mild flavor. Its young age creates an irresistibly creamy, yet crumbly texture that holds shape well, making it ideal for grilling. It is also perfect when crumbled to complement any soup, salad, or rice and beans. It is great served as table cheese with fresh fruit, marmalade, or a chutney. Queso Para Freira fresh, white, cow's milk cheese with a firm texture mild and slightly salty flavor. Known for its high melting point which softens the cheese while leaving an unmelted interior that holds its shape, it is commonly used for frying. It is also great sliced for sandwiches, crumbled over fruit salads, and melted over baked dishes. Gayo Azul products can be found at local grocers throughout the Northeast and Southeast, including BJ's Wholesale, Fresco Y Mas, Key Foods , Market Basket, Presidente, Publix , Sedano's, and Winn Dixie Supermarkets, as well as Walmart Supercenters. To get more information about Gayo Azul and its products, find where its cheeses are available, and discover new recipe ideas, visit www.gayoazul.com or follow them on Facebook (@gayoazulcheese) and Instagram (@gayo_azul_cheese). For more information about The Gayo Azul Blue Rooster Chicken Coop Contest, go to www.gayoazul.com/promotions. Media contact: Stacey Bender [email protected] 9736501218 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/its-that-chicken-coop-time-of-year-again-with-gayo-azul-cheese-301790089.html GALESBURG, Ill. , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Knox College is private liberal arts university located in Galesburg, Illinois , which experienced a data security incident that may have involved personal information belonging to certain individuals who are either staff, current students, family of current students, or alumni. Knox College has already sent notification of this incident via U.S. Mail to potentially impacted individuals and provided resources to assist them. However, Knox College after a diligent search was not in possession of mailing addresses for all potentially impacted individuals, and accordingly, this notice is being provided for the benefit of those individuals that could not be contacted via U.S. Mail. On November 24, 2022 , Knox discovered unusual network activity and learned that it was the victim of a ransomware attack. In response, it immediately took steps to secure its network and initiated an investigation with the assistance of cybersecurity experts. The investigation revealed that an unknown actor gained access to and obtained data from the Knox network without authorization on or around November 24, 2022 . On December 7, 2022 , after a comprehensive review of the potentially impacted data, Knox determined that personal information may have been involved. Since that time, Knox has worked diligently to identify current contact information needed to notify all potentially affected individuals. Knox College is not aware of any evidence of the misuse of any information potentially involved in this incident. However, on January 3, 2023 , and again on March 8, 2023 , Knox College provided notice of this incident to the potentially impacted individuals. In so doing, Knox College provided information about the incident and about steps that potentially impacted individuals can take to protect their information. Knox College takes the security and privacy of information in its possession very seriously and is taking steps to prevent a similar event from occurring in the future. The following personal information may have been involved in the incident: names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, and passport numbers. Knox College has established a toll-free call center to answer questions about the incident and to address related concerns. Call center representatives are available at 1-833-758-4141, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Central Time . Or for enrollment assistance, please call 1-888-228-4939 or visit https://www.mytrueidentity.ca for Canadian residents; or https://app.idx.us/account-creation/protect for United States residents. The privacy and protection of personal information is a top priority for Knox College , which deeply regrets any inconvenience or concern this incident may cause. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/knox-college--notice-of-data-security-incident-301790351.html RICHMOND, Va. , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Markel Corporation (NYSE: MKL) announced today that Richie Henry has been appointed Chief Operating Officer, Claims. In his new role, Henry will oversee all the North America Claims operations including claims administration, data and analytics, claims vendor management, and transformation efforts as well as continue to build critical partnerships with key claims and underwriting business partners. "Richie's extensive experience in both claims and technology will bring tremendous value to our Claims organization and our leadership team," said Nick Conca , Chief Claims Officer. "We look forward to having him work with key business partners to continually improve Markel's effectiveness for our customers." Henry joined Markel in 2013 and most recently served as Senior Managing Director, Divisional CIO. He was also the Managing Director of the Markel Specialty Division, US and Bermuda Claims, and Global Reinsurance, leading all technology for the divisions. He has also held numerous positions managing the partnership between North America insurance and IT at Markel. Henry will be based in Markel's Glen Allen office and will report to Conca. About Markel Markel Corporation is a diverse financial holding company serving a variety of niche markets. The company's principal business markets and underwrites specialty insurance products. In each of the Company's businesses, it seeks to provide quality products and excellent customer service so that it can be a market leader. The financial goals of the company are to earn consistent underwriting and operating profits and superior investment returns to build shareholder value. Markel is a registered trademark of the Markel Corporation. Visit Markel on the web at markel.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/markel-appoints-richie-henry-to-chief-operating-officer-claims-301790918.html BOSTON, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- New England Law | Boston held its annual Law Day Banquet and Barrister's Ball on March 31 , an evening dedicated to highlighting the legal profession's central role in fostering the mutual respect and thoughtful communication that lies at the heart of a strong democracy. Friends of the law school joined students, alumni, faculty, and staff for the event, which featured the Honorable David A. Lowy , Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court , as keynote speaker. Law Day was established in 1958 by proclamation of President Dwight D. Eisenhower . Celebrated annually by the nation's legal community and the general public, it promotes awareness of our country's laws and justice system and the role they play in maintaining the freedoms we enjoy. Nationwide, Law Day celebrations include events at law schools, court houses, bar associations, secondary schools, and community centers. These observances serve to expand our understanding of our legal system and to remind us that while the principles embodied in the observance are constant, their vitality cannot be taken for granted but must be nurtured throughout the year. Past New England Law | Boston Law Day speakers include: John G. Roberts , Jr., Chief Justice of the United States ; Joseph P. Kennedy III, U.S. House of Representatives , Massachusetts ; and Roderick L. Ireland , former Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court . This year's event was held on March 31 at the Boston Marriott Copley Place . Joining the head table, in addition to Justice Lowy , were: Albert A. Balboni , Chairman, New England Law | Boston; Matthew Bramall , Co-Chair, Social Affairs Committee, Student Bar Association ; The Honorable Kimberly S. Budd ; Chief Justice, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ; Rachelle Cohen , Assistant Editorial Page Editor, Boston Globe ; The Honorable Robert J. Cordy , Associate Justice (Retired), Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ; Barry A. Feinstein , Principal, The Law Offices of Barry Feinstein & Affiliates P .C.; Lisa Freudenheim , Dean and Professor of Law, New England Law | Boston; The Honorable Serge Georges Jr ., Associate Justice, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court; The Honorable Mark V. Green , Chief Justice, Massachusetts Appeals Court; Itorie Hall, President, Student Bar Association ; The Honorable Edward F. Harrington , Senior Judge, United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts ; Victoria Hunter , Co-Chair, Social Affairs Committee, Student Bar Association ; The Honorable Scott L. Kafker , Associate Justice, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ; The Honorable Jeffrey A. Locke , Chief Justice, Massachusetts Trial Court; The Honorable Amy L. Nechtem , Chief Justice, Massachusetts Juvenile Court ; Terrence Reidy , Secretary of Public Safety and Security; District Attorney Marian T. Ryan , Middlesex County for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts ; and The Honorable Dalila Argaez Wendlandt , Associate Justice, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court . Justice Lowy shared his thoughts on the Law Day theme with more than 800 guests. "Civility and debate allow those of us fortunate enough to live in a pluralistic and open society to join each other in a social compact and share in a community that respects diversity and disagreement," said Lowy. He encouraged New England Law students to take up the mantle of civil discourse. "We need you to stay in the room. We need you to encourage robust but respectful debate. And we need you to revive civility and reinvent the nature of engagement in the public square. You are the indispensable generation." ABOUT NEW ENGLAND LAW | BOSTON New England Law | Boston was founded in 1908 as Portia Law School, the first and only law school established exclusively for the education of women. Today, New England Law offers its co-ed student body flexible, convenient programs that combine rigorous academics, dynamic community, and early access to practical experience, as well as a diverse, global alumni network spanning 29 countries, 50 states, and all areas of practice. For more information, visit www.nesl.edu. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-england-law--boston-law-day-banquet-and-barristers-ball-welcomes-distinguished-friends-and-colleagues-features-the-honorable-david-a-lowy-as-keynote-speaker-301790756.html SOURCE New England Law | Boston Yes Solar Solutions, Sundance Power Systems , Southern Energy Management CARY, N.C. , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 23, 2023 the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) issued an order to approve a rate change for solar customers in NC. This effects NC residents who wish to use the utility grid managed by Duke Energy and to use the grid for shorter term energy storage under a system known as Net Metering. North Carolina's rooftop solar payment rules, known as "net metering," have been in place since 2000. Customers whose solar panels produce more electricity than they immediately need receive 'credits' on their bills equal to whatever they pay for electricity. The NC Legislature passed laws in 2017 and 2021 that required state regulators to revise those rules. In March 2023 , the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) complied by approving Duke Energy's plan. Early last year, Duke and a group that represented the NC roof top solar industry, called the North Carolina Rooftop Solar Installers (NCRSI), intervened in the NCUC net-metering case and negotiated a compromise that prevented a drastic reduction of the value of solar for NC solar customers. The group was led by Stew Miller of YES Solar, Dave Hollister of Sundance Power Systems , and Bob Kingery of Southern Energy Management (SEM) and was supported by 17 other solar companies from throughout NC. The "Stipulation" that NCRSI and Duke negotiated was approved and provides a transitional rate option for solar customers called the " Bridge Rate ". This allows for folks to go solar under a plan that will provide a smooth transition to rates included in Duke's original filing that will go into effect January 1st 2027 . "The majority of North Carolinians support the expansion of customer-sited solar in NC. NCRSI worked to secure the best deal possible for solar customers in North Carolina ." said Dave Hollister of Sundance Power Systems . "I hope that in a future docket or law the legislature, NCUC and NC Public Staff iterate their views of small-scale solar and storage as valuable for the grid. With this support NC can grow into a leader in distributed generation solar like it has been in utility scale solar for years now." said Bob Kingery , Co-founder and CEO of Southern Energy Management. The appeal of solar as an investment and a solution to the climate crisis has escalated in recent years, and that is the primary motivation for these policy changes. Utility companies nationwide, including Duke Energy, face challenges in supporting their historical business models. "Despite efforts like these to slow down customer generation of electricity, I remain confident that homeowners will continue to invest in solar to save money on rising electricity costs, reduce personal taxes with the 30% ITC and participate in the fight against climate change." said Stew Miller , co-founder and President of Yes Energy Solutions. In negotiating with Duke Energy, the solar industry was adamant about including consumer protections for North Carolinians. The NCUC mandates Duke create an online calculator within 60 days of the order that was delivered March 23, 2023 . The calculator will provide an accurate estimate for the electrical and financial return for systems designed for their specific location. NCRSI and others contend that this calculator is critical to the transition under this order. The bottom line is that now is the best time to go solar in North Carolina . Additionally, solar plus battery storage offers homeowners a significant opportunity to indemnify themselves from these and future rate changes. We have one of the most experienced and passionate groups of solar companies in the nation to support the growth of solar in North Carolina . Contacts: Stew Miller , Yes Solar Solutions, 919.906.0798 Dave Hollister , Sundance Power Systems , 828.776.5341 Bob Kingery , Southern Energy Management, 919.815.5345 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/north-carolina-solar-installers-settlement-with-duke-energy-approved-by-the-nc-utilities-commission-301790858.html SOURCE Yes Solar Solutions Highlights Key Milestones & Vision for Future CHARLOTTE, N.C. , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The leadership team of Okuma Corporation , a world-leading builder of computer number control (CNC) machine tools, controls and automation systems, is honored to announce the company's 125-year anniversary in 2023. The company was founded by Eiichi Okuma in 1898 in Nagoya, Japan , with the initial purposes of manufacturing and selling noodle-making machines. Since that time, the company has grown into a global enterprise company of nearly 4,000 employees and has reached several innovative milestones which have pushed the evolution of the manufacturing industry forward. Notable milestones include: 1898 Founded company and developed a noodle making machine 1904 Began producing and selling machine tools 1963 Developed the company's first NC (numerical control) controller with absolute position encoder system, becoming Japan's only comprehensive manufacturer of both machine and control only comprehensive manufacturer of both machine and control 1972 Developed the world's first computerized numerical control (CNC) for its machines 1984 Expanded into American markets by establishing an office in the US to serve as a sales and service organization throughout the Americas , which would later be incorporated as Okuma America Corporation , which would later be incorporated as 2004 Launched the next-generation, open-architecture THINC control the first smart CNC 2013 Constructed the first Dream Site smart factory in Japan 2023 Okuma America Corporation launched the Okuma Factory Automation Division for the advancement of automated solutions throughout the Americas As a global manufacturing enterprise, Okuma continues to innovate next-generation CNC machines and manufacturing systems designed to increase customer efficiencies and productivity levels, address evolving workforce challenges, and continue to push the evolution of manufacturing to new possibilities. Okuma America Corporation President and COO Jim King reflected on the company's milestone anniversary, "We are honored to be part of a company with more than a century-long track record of innovating solutions for customers within the manufacturing industry. As we continue to innovate new product and service offerings for manufacturers, we look forward to serving the evolving needs of our customers and the industry for today and throughout the next century." To learn more about the company's rich history, visit www.okuma.com/history. About Okuma America Corporation Okuma America Corporation is the U.S. -based sales and service affiliate of Okuma Corporation , a world-leading builder of CNC (computer numeric control) machine tools, controls and automation systems. The company was founded in 1898 in Nagoya, Japan , and is the industry's only single-source provider of CNC machines, drives, motors, encoders, spindles and automation systems, all manufactured by Okuma. The company designs its own CNC controls to integrate seamlessly with each machine tool's functionality. In 2014 Okuma launched the Okuma App Store , the industry's only centralized online marketplace for machine tool apps and related content. Along with its extensive distribution network (largest in the Americas ), and Partners in THINC network of enhanced manufacturing technologies, Okuma is committed to helping users gain competitive advantage through the open possibilities of machine tools today and into the future. For more information, visit Okuma.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/okuma-corporation-celebrates-125-year-anniversary-301791058.html MARIETTA, Ga. , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Famed film producer, restaurateur, and creative designer Paul Ardaji teamed up with Meyda Lighting to create a stunning lighting design and interior for the Cherokee Chophouse in Marietta, Georgia . This is just one of several collaborations. "Lighting is everything," explained Paul Ardaji, "And we needed new fixtures for each room in the Cherokee Chophouse ." In January 2022 , during a brief visit with his young son, Mr. Ardaji met with his brother-in-law Gus Tselios , who owns six restaurants in the Marietta area. Mr. Ardaji, who operated several restaurants of his own in Greenwich, Connecticut , knows hospitality design and saw great potential for the 9500-square-foot steakhouse. He proposed an extraordinary interior design concept that was approved immediately. The client, Mr. Tselios , is a brilliant entrepreneur who moved from New York to Marietta, Georgia , more than 25 years ago. As luck would have it, the ensuing Ardaji/Tselios collaboration among the two brothers-in-law on this project was a unique opportunity. For the new location, they changed the name from Cherokee Cattle Company to Cherokee Chophouse to reflect the unique modern decor. Mr. Ardaji used a brilliant interior color scheme featuring grays, bronzes, golds, black, and other finish hues for the new dining venue. Mr. Tselios loved the concept, and Mr. Ardaji contacted his long-time colleague Max Cohen of Meyda to create dramatic lighting statement pieces. "Lighting is everything," explained Mr. Ardaji, and he needed to specify new fixtures for each room. "The restaurant's interior tells the story with beautiful finishes, hand-painted crown molding, elegant wall treatments, fine paintings, and attractive bar features," continued Mr. Ardaji. "We needed a gorgeous chandelier for the 28-foot entryway ceiling, and we picked the dramatic, stylish Jayne 5-tiered chandelier that weighs 380 pounds!" Meyda created 40 unique chandeliers, pendants, and sconces for the private dining room, service area, main dining room, and bar room. In the private dining room are three drum-styled Cilindro Barnabas pendants featuring a geometric design on Beige Textrene. In the service area, Cilindro pendants are offered with a modern sophisticated aesthetic. The main dining room features 12 Cilindro architectural-styled Textrene pendants with Statuario Idalight bottom diffusers. The arched ceiling in the wine room features Cilindro fixtures and three stunning Wine Bottle Chandeliers that add personality and pizazz, complementing wine barrels embedded in the back wall. The artistic ceiling is made of cork, and there is a Renoir reproduction on the wall. The exterior features a dozen wall sconces that stand out like welcoming beacons at night. Mr. Ardaji continued, "I developed a powerful bond with Max Cohen and Meyda Lighting based on trust- on all levels-- including finished product, delivery date, material costs, and quality. Max is like a brother to me, and we plan on collaborating on many additional projects in the near future." "Having a beautiful restaurant is very important," explained Cherokee Chophouse Owner Gus Tselios . "However, it's essential to have the perfect combination of high-quality food, service, and elegant design." View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/paul-ardaji-and-meyda-lighting-collaborate-for-bold-eye-catching-lighting-decor-at-gus-tselios-cherokee-chophouse-in-marietta-georgia-301789960.html KYODO NEWS - Apr 5, 2023 - 19:24 | Sports, All, G7 Japan's Kohei Uchimura will be among 10 current and former gymnasts from seven countries who will visit Hiroshima ahead of May's Group of Seven summit to send a message of peace, International Gymnastics Federation President Morinari Watanabe said Wednesday. Uchimura, the 2012 and 2016 Olympic men's all-around gymnastics champion, is from Nagasaki, the second city to suffer an atomic bomb attack after Hiroshima. Women's 2008 all-around Olympic champion Nastia Liukin of the United States and Britain's Giarnni Regini-Moran, the reigning men's floor exercise world champion, are among those who will take part in a series of events organized by FIG. "It is an opportunity for the sporting world to make an appeal for 'No more Hiroshimas, no more Nagasakis,'" Watanabe, one of whose parents survived an atomic bombing, told a Tokyo press conference. Members of "G-7 Gymnastics Hiroshima" will visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum to lay flowers at the cenotaph of A-bomb victims on April 28 and meet junior and senior high school students the next day. A talk is also planned with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, this year's G-7 chair, whose home constituency is Hiroshima. "Considering the current state of the world too, it is a duty of the sporting world to raise voices hoping for world peace," Watanabe said. Japan's 2020 Olympic floor bronze medalist Mai Murakami, Germany's 2012 men's all-around and parallel bars silver medalist Marcel Nguyen and Slovenia's Aljaz Pegan, the FIG Athletes' Commission president, are among the members. The effort is backed by the Japan Gymnastics Association, the Foreign Ministry and Hiroshima's prefectural and municipal governments. Related coverage: G-7 trade ministers vow to cooperate on tech export controls Japan to gear up G-7 process through series of ministerial meetings Biden may visit Japan chip plant on G-7 summit sidelines Designed specifically for Microsoft Teams to deliver an exceptional hybrid employee workplace experience NEW YORK , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Smarten Spaces, a leader in digital workplace solutions, is proud to announce the launch of a purpose-built package, Jumpree by Smarten Spaces for Microsoft Teams, a comprehensive digital workplace platform. As most companies move to working in hybrid, the solution focuses on providing the employee with tools to enhance their experience and increase productivity as they juggle between home and the office. It also helps with companies optimizing and better utilizing their spaces in a flexible world. The timing of this much needed solution couldn't be better as employees adapt to the new way of working. However, it is critical for companies to provide the employees with the best experience in order to maintain productivity. According to the 2023 Gartner Market Guide for Workplace Experience Applications [1], "Improving the employee workplace experience is the No. 1 priority for 67% of corporate real estate leaders who are increasingly working with the digital workplace team to optimize the hybrid experience". With Jumpree by Smarten Spaces for Microsoft Teams, employees can exercise a host of options - from selecting the days they work from office, synchronizing schedules with colleagues, and reserving spaces that best suit their requirements. Jumpree by Smarten Spaces enables employees to book meeting and collaboration spaces, desks, and other amenities or any spaces across the office, with ease, without the need for any additional app downloads. Companies can increase their productivity and companies can reduce up to 30% space costs. The solution offers seamless out-of-the-box integration with Microsoft Azure Active Directory, Outlook, and Teams making it easy for companies to deploy and use. " Jumpree by Smarten Spaces for Microsoft Teams is a game-changer for employee workplace experience," said Dinesh Malkani , Founder & CEO of Smarten Spaces. " Jumpree by Smarten Spaces makes things easy for employees by extending a Microsoft product they already use into a fully integrated solution that is highly intuitive. It removes the complexity of hybrid work and empowers them to collaborate better with their teams while giving them the best choices of spaces they love to work in. As companies move to flexibility in work arrangements, they can optimize their spaces." The solution is available in multiple packages with a 30-day trial period at Microsoft AppSource, Azure Marketplace , and through Microsoft Teams. It can be self-onboarded by the companies themselves or through the partner ecosystem. "As the workforce normalizes hybrid models, having the right tools for managing workspaces is vital for productivity and collaboration. Smarten Spaces has developed a specialized solution for Microsoft Teams that will add value to the workplace experience," stated Ben Summers , Director, Product Marketing, Microsoft Teams & Platform at Microsoft Corp. Smarten Spaces' solution is deployed in over 30 countries globally including with leading Fortune 500 companies. They have recently reached an annual employee transaction rate of 3 million + employee interactions with a 3.5 X growth and deployment to over a million users. [1] Gartner, "Market Guide for Workplace Experience Applications", January 4, 2023 . GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. About Smarten Spaces: Smarten Spaces, incorporated in 2017, is a leading digital workplace experience platform, offering comprehensive solutions to organizations looking to improve employee experience, optimize space usage and enable hybrid work. Smarten Spaces, has over the years displayed a steady track record and boasts of a robust client portfolio that includes numerous Fortune 500 companies across 100 cities worldwide, including New York , London , Singapore , Sydney , and more. The platform also offers 120+ pre-integrated complementary technology products and has already made a significant impact, with an annual run rate of 3 million + employee interactions and deployment to over a million users. This remarkable growth is a testament to the platform's adoption and efficiency, as well as its ability to meet the ever-changing needs of organizations in today's world of work. The company has also been acknowledged by Leading Analysts, Global Industry Experts and Bodies for its innovative solutions, including awards for Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2021 American Business Awards and recognition as one of the top 3 hottest startups in Singapore by Singapore Business Review 2020. Don't miss out on the opportunity to revolutionize your workplace with the new Jumpree by Smarten Spaces by Smarten Spaces for Microsoft Teams - the ultimate digital workplace platform. Contact: Vidushi Jain Head - Marketing & Customer Success [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/smarten-spaces-launches-its-innovative-digital-workplace-platform-for-microsoft-teams-301790909.html SOURCE Smarten Spaces In collaboration with a new generation of sake brewers, SOTO introduces SOTO X YAMAGATA MASAMUNE Omachi Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo NEW YORK , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SOTO premium sake is pleased to announce the first release as part of a new, limited-edition series, SOTO X YAMAGATA MASAMUNE Omachi Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo. The collaboration between SOTO and Japan's finest producers celebrates the most sought-after "Grand Cru" breweries in Japan and around the world. SOTO Sake Announces Limited-Edition Collaboration Series with Japan's Most Iconic Breweries Bottled from a single tank, the first in the illustrious series is an exclusive sake available in limited quantities in partnership with fifth generation Tomonobu Mitobe of Yamagata's highly respected Mitobe Sake Brewery (est. 1898), maker of the venerable Yamagata Masamune sake. As a leading avant-garde producer, Mitobe's Yamagata Masamune has become one of Japan's most in-demand brands, only sold in the country's pre-eminent sake shops. Embodying an ethos of exquisite quality over quantity, Mitobe's exceptional sake is sought after for its elegance and depth of flavor, created by a marriage of traditional and modern techniques, shrouded deep in the mountains of Japan . The immaculate water used by Mitobe Sake imparts the sake with a crisp, sharp finish a "cut" quality referencing the name 'Masamune' after a 14th century swordsmith, known to craft the most perfect samurai swords ever made. The collaboration between SOTO and Mitobe Sake has culminated in a Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo sake made with the ancient Omachi rice - Japan's oldest sake heirloom strain. Mitobe's mastery is evident in his use of the ancient Kimoto method to commence the brewing process, a notoriously difficult endeavor when making Daiginjo. This style adds complexity and polished depth to elegance typical of sake's finest grade - Junmai Daiginjo. Omachi rice, polished to 50% of its original size, complements Mitobe Sake's pristine, mineral-rich mountain water. "Omachi was the sake rice with which I first fell in love with. Rare for sake rice, Omachi has distinguished characteristics that I feel create a distinct and special chemistry with Mitobe Sake Brewery ," Mitobe himself shares. Sourced from the Akaiwa region, renowned to produce Okayama's top Omachi, this storied rice has a reputation of being challenging to cultivate and brew with. When used in the hands of a master brewer like Tomonobu Mitobe , the results are sublime, imparting an earthy, spicy undertone to the unique flavor profile of the extraordinarily smooth and fresh SOTO x Yamagata Masamune. To spearhead this exciting venture, SOTO aligned with Michael Tremblay , a world-renowned Sake Samurai, expert, and educator to explore the esoteric and progressive sake breweries pushing the boundaries of traditional beverages. In concert with SOTO's efforts to recruit new consumers to the category, the collaboration ushers in modern, creative sake options for restaurants, sommeliers, experts, and consumers. "I've always appreciated SOTO's approach to Japanese Sake," notes Tremblay. "I have seen firsthand how their modern-packaging-meets-high-caliber sake formula excites and engages customers. When they approached me for this partnership, I absolutely jumped at the opportunity. The collaboration with Master Brewer Mitobe is the chance of a lifetime, working with a brewer at the top of his game. Sake lovers will adore this first release in partnership with my friends at the Mitobe Sake Brewery , whose sake I have admired for many years for its intensity of flavor and food-friendly profile." SOTO co-founder Dan Rubinoff adds, "SOTO continues to introduce the experience of drinking sake to more people and contributes to the category's increasing popularity. This limited editions series is a true labor of love, and not only expands SOTO's offering but allows us the opportunity to align with some hot brewers, while working alongside a sake educator and advocate like Michael." Mitobe's versatility and talent, in parallel with the storied and ancient Omachi rice mastery is just one attribute of the super fine sakes he crafts. "By using the Kimoto method, which originated in the early 17th century, time-honored techniques are employed, dating back to the very origins of the craft," remarks Tremblay. "Very few breweries still make this kind of sake, but the exquisite and distinctive flavor is unparalleled. We're proud to present something so refined and elegant, rarely experienced outside of Japan to a new generation of sake drinkers." Designed exclusively for SOTO by award-winning designer Joe Doucet , the bottle itself is a work of art. Once bottled, the sake is meticulously cared for, from temperature-controlled shipping containers to the ultraviolet protection on the bottles. "We had every confidence that Mitobe-San could craft something not only unique, but also, breathtaking," notes Tremblay. "Our intention is to bring this superb sake to consumers as if they were enjoying it at the brewery - a passport to authentic Japanese elegance." Available in extremely limited quantities, a collector's edition will also be available in a numbered, commemorative Japanese wooden box exclusively on the SOTO Sake website early this summer. The first in a magnificent series, exciting new collaborations with distinguished sake houses across Japan will be announced in the future. Best enjoyed chilled, the first sake in the Limited-Edition series, SOTO X YAMAGATA MASAMUNE Omachi Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo is available at select restaurants and premium retailers in New York , Miami , San Francisco , and Los Angeles , including Rule of Thirds, Sushi Nakazawa, CATCH, Sake No Hana, KYU, The Lobster Club , Sushi By Scratch, TAISHO, Ozumo, KOMODO , KATSUYA , GEKKO, Wally's, True Sake, Maison Mura , and 305 Wines. Hi-Res Assets, additional technical information and more can be found HERE For all media / press inquiries, please contact: Erin Smolinski , SOTO Sake PR Consultant [email protected] About SOTO Sake SOTO is a premium sake brand crafted in Japan , run by two North American entrepreneurs, and headquartered in Miami, Florida. Award-winning SOTO emphasizes the taste, experience, heritage, and craftsmanship of the finest Japanese sake. SOTO Junmai Daiginjo (15.5% alcohol-by-volume) is available in 720ml and 300ml bottles. SOTO Junmai (14% alcohol-by-volume) is available in 720ml bottles and 180ml single-serve cans. SOTO sakes have been awarded the Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco International Wine Competition, a Gold Medal from the Monde Selection Global Quality Institute, and the Double Gold medal at the China Wine & Spirits Awards. SOTO also received accolades from the Sommelier Challenge competition awarded with the Gold medal and Best Sake, with a rating of 94. SOTO's Junmai Daiginjo and Junmai sakes are all natural, gluten free, vegan, and do not contain sulfites, preservatives, nor added sugar. SOTO Sake always emphasizes responsible drinking and is sold at fine wine and liquor retailers, premium grocery and liquor chains including FOXTROT, Whole Foods Market, BevMo, Total Wine & More , and leading hotels, restaurants, and bars including KOMODO in Miami , KUMI in New York and Las Vegas , MR. CHOW in Los Angeles , Sushi Nakazawa in New York , MAKOTO in Miami , 1 Hotel in Toronto , and Uchiko in Houston. Visit SOTOSAKE.COM or follow @SOTOSAKE. Contact: [email protected] About Mitobe Sake Brewery Mitobe Sake Brewery is considered one of Japan's preeminent sake breweries and one of its leading forward-thinking producers in recent times. This small craft brewery, established in 1898, is in Japan's northwest prefecture of Yamagata. The region is home to a cold climate with heavy snow suitable for high caliber sake brewing. The brewery produces the Yamagata Masamune brand, sold in Japan's most influential sake shops and available in very small allocation around the planet due to the small volume of hand-crafted sakes produced annually. Part of the magic at the Mitobe Sake Brewery is their water source, which originates from the Ou Mountains that form the spine of Japan's northern Tohoku region. Their water flows over seams of limestone where it is infused with minerals. This pristine, medium hard water helps define the brewery's signature sharpness found on the finish. While available internationally, the brewery's very small production means that their sakes are a rarity, making them worthy of seeking out. For all other products by Mitobe Sake / Yamagata Masamune one can visit SIPTGLOBAL.COM. About Michael Tremblay Michael is the co-author of Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake : Rice, Water, Earth. He is a certified WSET sake and wine instructor, a Senior Sake Judge for the International Wine Challenge and the U.S. National Sake Appraisal in Hawaii . In October 2018 Michael was inducted as a Sake Samurai at the Matsuo Taisha Shrine in Kyoto , a 1,300-year-old shrine to sake. This is a distinction held by approximately only 96 people world-wide. He is the founder of the Sake Scholar Course, an advanced certification that explores all 47 of Japan's prefectures through the lens of sake and honkaku shochu. He enjoys traveling to Japan whenever he can and has worked in renowned sake breweries in Niigata, Shizuoka, Shimane, and Gifu prefectures, practicing his 'work-in-progress' Japanese and learning from the Toji (brew master). Michael is currently the Beverage Director at Toronto's ki modern Japanese + bar, where he manages an award-winning wine and sake list. Follow @mtrsake View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/soto-sake-announces-limited-edition-collaboration-series-with-japans-most-iconic-breweries-301790869.html SOURCE SOTO Sake Kruze Consulting advises startup founders on cash management and finding the best FDIC insurance banks can offer SAN FRANCISCO , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Kruze Consulting , a leading CPA and finance consulting company for VC-backed startups, has released an overview of FDIC insurance and how to handle cash reserves and revealed where startup money is flowing in the wake of the SVB implosion. A number of banks and fintech companies offer products that might provide greater FDIC insurance coverage that exceeds the standard $250,000 amount. Startup companies now have, on average, more than $5.5 million in cash - up from just over $3 million in early 2019, but down from their peak of $6.5 million in early 2022. And with the median startup having over 10 months in runway, meaning that they do not have immediate need for their cash, they need to find safe places to store it. Keeping care of the cash over the FDIC's insurance limit of $250,000 is critically important. In the wake of the Silicon Valley Bank crisis, Kruze Consulting has compiled a list of financial institutions that have developed products that can help startups manage their risk and protect their capital. Kruze has also created a list of the best banks for startups to take their deposits to as this crisis continues to get resolved. This lists compares the different types of products and the different amounts of protection those products offer. Additionally, Kruze has created a checklist on opening a new bank account , which helps provide tactical advice on how to set up a new account. "Companies that have raised millions of dollars in VC funding should consider all cash management options available to them as FDIC insurance doesn't get close to covering all of their capital. Most banks offer money market funds, Insured Cash Sweep accounts, and bond ladders. While these alternatives are not guaranteed like deposited funds, the reality is that many of these funds are huge, some with over a trillion dollars under management." Scott Orn , COO at Kruze Consulting As founders endure the unforeseen outcomes from the 16th largest bank in the US failing it is a relief the government took control of this situation before it got worse. When startups make the transition to new financial institutions it is important they seek those that provide the best ways to protect and help manage their cash. About Kruze Consulting Kruze provides Startup CFO Consulting to over 750+ startups in Silicon Valley , Los Angeles , New York , and other major startup hubs. To date, Kruze's clients have raised over $12 billion in venture capital and are market-leading Saas, software, eCommerce, eHealth and FinTech startups. Founded in 2012 by Vanessa Kruze , a Big Four alum, startup controller and CPA, the firm handles all things accounting, tax, finance, and HR. Everything including interim CFO Consulting , financial modeling, startup tax returns, venture debt consulting, 409A valuations, bookkeeping, AR/AP, and Seed/Series A/B Fundraising Preparation can be seamlessly handled by the professionals at Kruze. Visit https://kruzeconsulting.com/ to learn more. Press Contact Mike West [email protected] (415) 689-8574 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/startups-seeking-more-fdic-coverage-flock-to-jpmorgan-chase-mercury-bank-brex-and-first-republic-bank-301790722.html SYNERGEN continues its commitment to meeting the highest cybersecurity standards with the health industry's most trusted data security assessments and attestation DALLAS , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SYNERGEN Health , an industry-leading provider of technology-enabled revenue cycle services and solutions for healthcare organizations, today announced the successful completion of the SOC 2 Plus HITRUST CSF, Type 1 audit furthering its dedication to security and the highest standards of compliance. In securing the SOC 2 Plus HITRUST CSF, Type 1, SYNERGEN Health underwent an extensive independent audit by CyberGuard Compliance, LLP . "As SYNERGEN continues to innovate and transform our revenue cycle management for healthcare organizations, we also continue to advance our mission to exceed industry data security standards for our solutions and services," said Duminda Gunawardena , Co-Founder and Managing Partner at SYNERGEN Health . "Completing the SOC 2 Plus HITRUST CSF, Type 1 audit reinforces our commitment to securing the confidence and trust our health care partners have in us by protecting our clients' data via a safe, reliable RCM platform." SOC 2 As part of the SOC 2 for Service Organizations: Trust Services Criteria report, SYNERGEN Health was measured against controls relevant to the three Trust Services Principles and Criteria of security, availability, confidentiality, and applicable HITRUST CSF controls. Developed by the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA), these examinations report on controls at a service organization relevant to security, availability, confidentiality, privacy, and processing integrity. These reports play a crucial role in the following: Oversight of the organization Vendor management programs Internal corporate governance and risk management processes Regulatory oversight HITRUST CSF SYNERGEN achieved the SOC 2 Plus HITRUST CSF, Type 1 audit after a rigorous assessment comprised of a comprehensive audit of both risk- and compliance-based security requirements. HITRUST CSF provides the structure, transparency, guidance, and cross-references to address the challenge of complying with the multitude of federal, state, and industry regulations, standards, and frameworks pertaining to information securityboth on-premises and in the cloud. SYNERGEN Health is an award-winning revenue cycle management provider offering enterprise-level services and solutions to large-scale medical practices, hospitals, imaging centers, labs and other specialty providers. SYNERGEN Health uses the latest technologies and a commitment to compliance, innovation, and operational excellence to drive improved performance and efficiency. Operating as an alternative practice structure, CyberGuard Compliance, LLP , a PCAOB registered CPA firm, and CyberGuard Advantage, LLC , an IT security and compliance firm, focus solely on providing IT Risk and Compliance services in SOC, PCI, HIPAA, HITRUST, ISO 27001, Cybersecurity, and Privacy Standards which allows clients to achieve multiple compliance objectives using a single firm. To learn more about SYNERGEN Health and its technology solutions and services, visit www.synergenhealth.com or follow us at @SYNERGENHealthLLC on LinkedIn. To learn more about CyberGuard Compliance, visit www.cgcompliance.com. About SYNERGEN Health Founded in 2011, SYNERGEN Health is a pioneer in technology and data-driven revenue cycle transformation for the U.S. healthcare industry. SYNERGEN Health provides complete revenue cycle services, advanced analytics, payment solutions, machine learning, robotic process automation, consulting services, and other software solutions. This year, SYNERGEN Health was named to the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. for the seventh time and has been recognized with recurring industry honors from leading organizations such as Gartner, KLAS and Becker. MEDIA CONTACT: Coleman Pyeatt [email protected] (214) 797-9848 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/synergen-health-announces-successful-completion-of-soc-2-plus-hitrust-csf-type-1-audit-301790403.html BENGALURU, India , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tenstorrent is excited to announce its continued commitment to India's Digital India RISC-V Program with its investment in and partnership with Bodhi Computing. Bodhi Computing builds and sells server-grade systems based on Tenstorrent AI and RISC-V technologies. Bodhi Computing will target India's data centers, enterprise, HPC, telecom, and automotive markets. These India markets are expecting huge growth in the coming years and represent an enormous opportunity for Bodhi Computing and Tenstorrent. Bodhi Computing will also opportunistically expand into global markets as strategic opportunities arise. Bodhi Computing will be led co-founders Sambit Sahu and Ragu Barathalwar , who are both industry veterans with a strong history of technical leadership. "When I learned that the India's Ministry of Electronics and IT started the Digital India RISC-V program to launch India's first indigenous chipset by 2024, I knew that I wanted Tenstorrent to help," said Jim Keller , CEO of Tenstorrent. "Sambit and I have worked together for years, and he is the perfect person to lead Bodhi Computing as they build server-grade systems targeting key markets of growth in India ." As part of this investment and partnership, the two companies will collaborate to pioneer the development of software and systems for RISC-V and AI solutions, and play a significant role in the open source ecosystem development in the process. Jim Keller will join Bodhi Computing's Board of Directors. "Tenstorrent is an amazing company with best-in-class technologies in terms of PPA, scalability, expandability, TCO efficiency, and time-to-market efficiency in both AI/ML and RISC-V," said Sambit Sahu , CEO of Bodhi Computing. "Bringing great AI/ML and RISC-V technologies in the same package is going to be a key propeller for the 14 trillion dollar AI revolution that is being talked about. Tenstorrent has assembled an outstanding team, bringing in the who's who of the technology world together. It is an honor and privilege to be working so closely with such an outstanding team with some very cool technologies." About Bodhi Computing: Bodhi Computing is focused on building and delivering breakthrough Server and High-Performance Computing class Products and Systems, powered by world class AI Engines and are based on a revolutionary RISC-V architecture. About Tenstorrent: Tenstorrent is a next-generation computing company that builds computers for AI. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada , with U.S. offices in Austin, Texas , and Silicon Valley , and global offices in Belgrade , Tokyo , and Bangalore , Tenstorrent brings together experts in the field of computer architecture, ASIC design, advanced systems, and neural network compilers. Tenstorrent is backed by Eclipse Ventures and Real Ventures , among others. For more information on Tenstorrent visit www.tenstorrent.com or contact [email protected] . For more information on Bodhi Computing visit www.bodhicomputing.com or contact [email protected] . View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tenstorrent-announces-strategic-risc-v-ecosystem-development-partnership-with-bodhi-computing-301789657.html SOURCE Tenstorrent Canadian Security Company will Sell VirnetX Products in the Middle East ZEPHYR COVE , Nev. , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- VirnetX Holding Corporation (NYSE: VHC) (" VirnetX "), a leading Internet security software and technology company, and WeSecure Inc. , a Canadian Security Solutions Integrator, are proud to announce a non-exclusive commercial agreement for WeSecure to sell VirnetX cybersecurity products in the U.S. , Canada and the Middle East . The partnership aims to implement VirnetX's advanced security technologies into WeSecure's Physical and CyberSecure products and services. "WeSecure has successfully integrated the VirnetX One family of products, War Room and VirnetX Matrix into our existing cybersecurity infrastructure," said Darren Olson , WeSecure CTO. 'These products significantly boost the level of security and are unrivaled in the industry. Testing and implementing VirnetX's patented technologies allows WeSecure to implement a Zero Trust Security Model for 18 open-source software and applications on our Secure Gateway appliance, offering another layer of unparalleled protection and security. "As cyber threats continue to grow in complexity and frequency, the need for advanced security solutions has never been more crucial," said Kendall Larsen , VirnetX CEO and President. "The partnership between VirnetX and WeSecure marks a significant step forward in providing organizations with the WeSecure Gateway, locally within the company, or in the cloud to defend against the ever-present risk of cyberattacks." "The unique features of VirnetX's Secure Domains, Secure DNS, Dynamic VPN, and Military grade encryption create a robust and impenetrable security framework," said Mac Mokatren, WeSecure CEO. "We're extremely thrilled to join forces with VirnetX and their team to help organizations worldwide enhance their cybersecurity posture. WeSecure operates in Canada , the US and is opening a branch in the Middle East ." About WeSecure WeSecure unifies Cyber and Physical Security technologies, including Zero Trust , Secure Domains, Dynamic VPN, Secure IP Video, and Access Control systems to create WeSecure Security as a Service (SECaaS). Our Security Applications and Secure Appliances provide another layer of Advanced Security unrivaled in the industry. About VirnetX VirnetX Holding Corporation is an Internet security software and technology company with patented technology for Zero Trust Network Access ("ZTNA") based secure network communications. VirnetX's software and technology solutions, including its Secure Domain Name Registry and Technology, VirnetX One, War Room, VirnetX Matrix, and Gabriel Connection Technology, are designed to be device- and location-independent, and enable a secure real-time communication environment for all types of enterprise applications, services, and critical infrastructures. The Company's patent portfolio includes over 200 U.S. and foreign granted patents, validations and pending applications. For more information, please visit www.virnetx.com . VirnetX One is a security-as-a-service platform that protects enterprise applications, services, and infrastructure from cyber-attacks using ZTNA. VirnetX One products address a significant need across enterprises of all sizes, as hackers have become more sophisticated, ransomware and malware more costly and disruptive, and the use of corporate and other applications by contemporary remote workforces has continued to rise. VirnetX MatrixTM provides superior security for internet-enabled enterprise applications and their connected devices, and for control systems currently deployed by those enterprises (e.g., file servers, data back-up systems, VPN/firewalls). VirnetX MatrixTM provides ZTNA protection, "single-click" ease of use, and is designed to be a highly effective "security umbrella": its added layer of protection is deployed simply, without the need for changes to an enterprise's existing, in-place infrastructure. War Room provides an industry leading, safe, and secure video conferencing meeting environment where sensitive communications and data is invisible to those unauthorized to view it. SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS Statements herein may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").These forward-looking statements are based upon our current expectations, estimates, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events and conditions, and may discuss, among other things, expectations about products and product performance, effectiveness of the partnership with WeSecure and the ability to implement VirnetX's technology into WeSecure's products and services and to help organizations worldwide enhance their cybersecurity posture. 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Contact: VirnetX Holding Corporation 415.505.0456 [email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/virnetx-partners-with-wesecure-301790491.html Culinary Culture and The Leela Palace New Delhi will host Osteria Francescana's maiden pop-up in the capital with two special dinners on 21st and 22nd April 2023 NEW DELHI , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Indian gourmets, Culinary Culture and The Leela Palace New Delhi present Osteria Francescana, rated as the Two-Time World No.1 restaurant by the World's 50 Best Restaurants and helmed by celebrity chef and philanthropist Massimo Bottura. Bottura and his team will travel to New Delhi for the first time to re-create the magic of their Three Michelin starred restaurant from Modena, Italy at the Leela Palace New Delhi on 21st & 22nd April 2023 . Massimo Bottura, the Italian maestro chef, widely known for his innovative approach to Italian cuisine was included as part of Time Magazine's World's 100 most influential people list and is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). A key ingredient in Massimo's food is the underlying social and environmental consciousness imbued in every dish he serves. As founder of Non-Profit organization called 'Food for Soul', Bottura leverages his global platform to advocate for reduction of food waste and protecting the environment and biodiversity through sustainable cooking practices and ingredient sourcing. His commitment to sustainability echoes the eco-aware values championed by The Leela. Osteria Francescana, the 12 table restaurant he started in Modena in 1995, is widely recognised as one of the most difficult restaurant reservations in the world with waiting list than goes into the thousands. The restaurant was awarded the title of 'The World's Best Restaurant ' on two occasions in 2016 and 2018 by the World's 50 Best Restaurants. The special menu created for New Delhi will feature vegetarian and non-vegetarian renditions of Bottura's signature and most iconic dishes such as 'Oops I Dropped the Lemon Tart', 'The Crunchy Part of the Lasagne' and 'Psychedelic Cod Not Flame Grilled' amongst others. In the lead up to the dinners, Bottura will also host an invite-only interactive session, where he will be in conversation with Vir Sanghvi , India's leading food authority. Commenting on this collaboration, Mr. Anupam Dasgupta , General Manager The Leela Palace New Delhi said, "Food has long served as a bridge between many nations, cultures, and people. At The Leela, we are committed to elevating our guests' experiences by integrating thoughtful experiences that resonate with our guests' passions. We are delighted to collaborate with Culinary Culture to bring Chef Massimo to the city and it is our privilege and honour to host him at The Leela Palace New Delhi. We look forward to the magical epicurean delight that Chef Massimo will curate and are excited to watch it unfold." Raaj Sanghvi , CEO, Culinary Culture added, "It's an honour to have Massimo and his team back with us in India . His dinners in Mumbai sold-out within minutes and we are anticipating an even greater response in Delhi . Bottura is much more than a chef, he is a global inspiration and uses his platform and stature to bring about positive changes in the world. At Culinary Culture our mission is to bring the best of the world to India and we are grateful to our partners The Leela Hotels and Diageo who have made this possible." Chef Massimo Bottura shared his excitement and said, " Namaste India , I can't wait to be back in your beautiful country very very soon! I'm bringing my team from Osteria Francescana in Modena to cook two amazing meals in New Delhi in partnership with Culinary Culture and The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts . We are preparing a beautiful menu and I can't wait to be back in India and give everyone a warm hug!" During his last visit to India, Bottura wowed lucky diners in Mumbai with his spectacular rendition of Osteria Francescana and now Delhi can experience the genius of the world's greatest chef. With very limited seats available, guests are advised to reserve their experience for this extraordinary event priced at INR 55,555 plus taxes per person, to be held on 21st and 22nd April 2023 . To reserve your experience and for more information, contact: [email protected] [email protected] About The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts Headquartered in Mumbai , The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts is owned by a Brookfield Asset Management-sponsored private real estate fund and operates eleven award-winning properties in major cities and leisure destinations across India. These include the flagship hotel in the capital city of New Delhi , Bengaluru, Chennai , Udaipur, Jaipur , Gurugram, East Delhi , Mumbai , Gandhinagar and now Kovalam. The Leela celebrates each hotel through its unique location, art, culture and cuisine with thoughtful services, celebratory rituals, and immersive experiences. The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts was voted the World's Best Hotel Brand twice in a row by Travel + Leisure, USA , World's Best Awards Survey, 2020 and 2021. The brand is well poised to embrace the next phase in its growth trajectory with upcoming projects which includes a leisure resort in Ashtamudi in Kerala . An epitome of true Indian luxury hospitality, The Leela is committed to providing guests with unforgettable stays in settings that capture the essence of India. The brand has a marketing alliance with US-based Preferred Hotels & Resorts and is a member of the Global Hotel Alliance . Website: www.theleela.com | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theleela/ About Culinary Culture Founded in 2019 by Sameer Sain , Co-founder and CEO of the Everstone Group and Vir Sanghvi , India's leading food authority, Culinary Culture is a movement that encompasses all aspects of the food space in India . It is the country's only authoritative, independent rating organisation, awarding stars to restaurants. It also recognises and rewards India's best chefs and street food artists. It organises global culinary exchanges, bringing the world's greatest chefs to cook in India and sending Indian chefs to cook at the best restaurants in the world. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/culinarycultureco/ Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2048170/Chef_Massimo_Bottura.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1441809/3919567/The_Leela_Logo.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/worlds-greatest-chef-massimo-bottura-brings-his-celebrated-food-to-delhi-for-the-first-time-301790554.html FILE PHOTO: A man walks past a gas station with the logo of the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA in Caracas, Venezuela December 23, 2016. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins By Mayela Armas and Deisy Buitrago CARACAS (Reuters) -The number of people arrested as part of a corruption investigation at Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA has risen to 34, Attorney General Tarek Saab said on Wednesday. Investigations into state companies including PDVSA and metals conglomerate Corporacion Venezolana de Guayana (CVG) have resulted in dozens of arrests over the last several weeks. "We are waging a hard and historic battle against the scourge of corruption," Saab said during a news conference. "We have 34 people detained just in this case." Those arrested are officials and financial operators, he said, adding the case includes people connected to the government's crypto-currency entity. Fifty-one people have been detained overall in the various corruption investigations, he added. The PDVSA investigation prompted the resignation in March of oil minister Tareck El Aissami, long prominent in the government of President Nicolas Maduro. He was replaced by Pedro Rafael Tellechea, who had been named to head PDVSA in January. Asked if El Aissami will be investigated, Saab said he would only speak about those currently under arrest. Last week Maduro suspended a committee created in 2020 to restructure PDVSA, promising a new process to audit its accounts and uncover corruption. Venezuela's need for dollars to shore up its exchange rate and enable government largesse ahead of 2024 elections is among the motives for the crackdown, sources have told Reuters. The arrests of officials from PDVSA are linked to an investigation into heavy losses suffered last year as tankers left the country carrying cargoes that had not been fully paid for, sources have said. PDVSA has accumulated $21.2 billion in unpaid bills, according to documents. Saab repeated a request for authorities in Italy, Spain and the United States to extradite former PDVSA officials, including ex-company president Rafael Ramirez, who the government accuses of involvement in previous corruption. "The attorney general has the deliberate purpose of diverting attention from the great scandal that's come to light," Ramirez told Reuters, adding allegations against him are false. Italy has repeatedly denied extradition requests for Ramirez. (Reporting by Mayela Armas and Deisy Buitrago in Caracas, additional reporting by Marianna Parraga in Houston; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; editing by Grant McCool) Reporter for U.S. newspaper The Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich appears in this handout picture taken in Moscow, Russia, 2019. The Moscow Times/Handout via REUTERS By Simon Lewis and Humeyra Pamuk BRUSSELS/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States is working through a formal process to determine whether a Wall Street Journal reporter's detention by Russia is "wrongful", Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday, adding that in his opinion there was no doubt. Russia's FSB security service said on March 30 it had arrested Evan Gershkovich, a U.S. citizen, and accused him of gathering information about a Russian defense company that was a state secret. "It's something that we're working through very deliberately, but expeditiously as well. And I'll let that process play out," Blinken told reporters in Brussels. "In my own mind, there's no doubt that he's being wrongfully detained by Russia, which is exactly what I said to Foreign Minister (Sergei) Lavrov when I spoke to him over the weekend and insisted that Evan be released immediately," Blinken said. The Wall Street Journal has denied Gershkovich was spying. The White House has called the espionage charge, which carries a prison term of up to 20 years, "ridiculous." U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said on Wednesday she had spoken with her Russian counterpart, Vassily Nebenzia, demanding Gershkovich's immediate release. Russia's ambassador in Washington, Anatoly Antonov, was summoned to the State Department over the arrest on March 30 and met with Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said on Wednesday. U.S. President Joe Biden has called for Gershkovich's release. In a telephone call on Sunday with Lavrov, Blinken raised Washington's concerns over the reporter's "unacceptable detention." The "wrongfully detained" designation means the responsibility for the case would be transferred from the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs to the office of the Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, raising the issue's political profile and allowing the government to allocate more resources to securing Gershkovich's release. Legislation passed by Congress in 2020 lists 11 criteria to help determine whether a U.S. citizen is "wrongfully detained." The U.S. Secretary of State uses these criteria to make the designation, but a case does not need to fulfill all 11 points to merit the label. The list of criteria includes, among other things, that the individual is being targeted primarily because they are an American citizen or that the detention is intended to influence U.S. government policy. Another factor is whether the individual is being held in "inhumane conditions" or was detained in a country where the U.S. mission has received credible reports that the detention is merely a pretext. The Biden administration has secured the release of at least 25 "wrongfully detained" Americans. More than 30 other U.S. citizens are still being held abroad with that designation. (Reporting by Simon Lewis, Humeyra Pamuk and Rami Ayyub; Additional reporting by Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Nick Macfie) SARAJEVO (Reuters) - A Bosnian regional premier and two other men were sentenced to up to six years in jail on Wednesday on charges of embezzlement over the purchase of defective ventilators for COVID patients in 2020 via a raspberry-processing firm. Fadil Novalic, the prime minister of Bosnia's autonomous Bosniak-Croat Federation, was sentenced to four years for abuse of office and violations of a law on public tenders. Lawyers of all three men, who denied wrongdoing, said they would appeal the verdict and they remain free for the time being. This is the first time that a senior official has been sentenced to a prison term for embezzlement in Bosnia, which has been plagued by corruption scandals. Novalic's lawyer Vasvija Vidovic said the case was fabricated by the media and that the sentence was politically motivated. Novalic, along with Fahrudin Solak, an official in charge of procuring equipment to combat the pandemic, and Fikret Hodzic, the manager of the company that procured the ventilators, were briefly detained in May 2020 after the prosecutors' initial report showed the ventilators could not be used for the adequate treatment of patients in intensive care units. Hodzic and Solak were sentenced to five and six years in prison respectively. Finance Minister Jelka Milicevic, who was accused of negligence for enabling the ventilators' purchase, was acquitted of all charges. Bosnia company Srebrena Malina, the raspberry processor, which had no licence to import medical equipment, was chosen by the region's crisis headquarters to import the Chinese ventilators for 10.5 million Bosnian marka ($5.8 million) and other medical equipment when the pandemic took hold in April 2020 and rules on procurement were relaxed. The relaxation allowed for direct bargaining with suppliers rather than via public tender. Novalic, who remains in office, has headed the regional government since 2015 after political bickering prevented the formation of a new administration after an election in 2018. His party blocked the formation of a regional government again after a vote in October, despite dropping out of ruling coalition at state and regional levels. (1$ = 1.794 Bosnian marka) (Reporting by Daria Sito-Sucic; Editing by Alison Williams) KYODO NEWS - Apr 5, 2023 - 13:23 | All, World, Japan Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi pledged to "seamlessly and steadily" deliver assistance worth $7.6 billion to Ukraine in a meeting Tuesday with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba. Meeting on the sidelines of NATO meetings in Brussels, Hayashi told Kuleba that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's recent visit to war-hit Ukraine demonstrated Japan's "determination to maintain the open and free international order based on the rule of law," according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry. The $7.6 billion pledge includes offers made by Kishida on his March 21 visit to Kyiv of $470 million in grant aid for energy and other sectors and $30 million in contribution to a NATO fund for the supply of nonlethal equipment. Kuleba said Kishida's trip to Kyiv sent an important message to Ukraine as well as the international community, the Japanese ministry said. The trip came ahead of a Group of Seven summit Kishida will host in May in Hiroshima. The Japanese leader has invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to join the gathering online. At the upcoming G-7 summit, Kishida is expected to pitch his vision of a world without nuclear weapons amid fears that Russia could use one against Ukraine in the war that has lasted since February 2022. During talks on Tuesday with Hayashi, Jens Stoltenberg, secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also praised Kishida for visiting Ukraine. Hayashi and Stoltenberg agreed it is important for like-minded nations to continue imposing economic sanctions on Moscow while supporting Ukraine, according to the ministry. At the outset of the meeting, which was open to the media, Stoltenberg said NATO is promoting cooperation with Indo-Pacific partners including South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, with concern growing over regional security. Hayashi will be in the Belgian capital for two days after arriving Tuesday to attend sessions of a NATO foreign ministerial gathering. He told Stoltenberg what happened in Ukraine could occur "anywhere in the world." On Tuesday, Hayashi also held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Belgium, Turkey, Portugal and Poland. During his talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Hayashi promised Japan will continue supporting the country in its recovery from the devastation caused by powerful earthquakes in February, the Japanese ministry said. Hayashi said Japan will extend help in various fields such as infrastructure reconstruction. Israeli security forces work at the Al-Aqsa compound, also known to Jews as the Temple Mount, while tension arises during clashes with Palestinians in Jerusalem's Old City, April 5, 2023. REUTERS/Ammar Awad By Ismail Shakil OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday criticised the Israeli government's "inflamed rhetoric" and urged it to change its approach to the Palestinians amid an upsurge in violence. Israeli police entered Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque, Islam's third holiest site, early on Wednesday to try to clear groups it said were barricaded inside, leading to clashes with worshippers and triggering an exchange of crossborder fire with Gaza. "We deplore what's going on right now in Israel," Trudeau told reporters in Alliston, Ontario. He also condemned the rocket attacks by Palestinian militants from Gaza. "We're extremely concerned with the inflamed rhetoric coming out of the Israeli government, we're concerned about the judicial reforms ... we're concerned by the violence around the al-Aqsa mosque," Trudeau said. Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called for a harsh response to the rocket attacks from Gaza, tweeting: "Hamas rockets require more than blasting dunes and empty sites. It's time to rip heads off in Gaza." The raid at the al-Aqsa mosque compound has drawn a sharp reaction from Arab countries and the Arab League, but Trudeau's comments are among the first to come from Israel's traditional Western allies on Wednesday's violence. "We need to see the Israeli government shifting in its approach, and Canada is saying that as a dear and close and steadfast friend to Israel, we are deeply concerned around the direction that the Israeli government has been taking," he said. "We absolutely, unequivocally condemn the rocket attacks from militants in Gaza. We need to see a de-escalation of violence," Trudeau added. (Reporting by Ismail Shakil and Steve Scherer in Ottawa; Editing by Gareth Jones) (Reuters) - Block Inc-owned Cash App's founder Bob Lee was stabbed to death in San Francisco on Tuesday, according to a Facebook post shared by his father. "I just lost my best friend, my son Bob Lee when he lost his life on the street in San Francisco early Tuesday morning," said Rick Lee in a post which linked a TechCrunch article on the stabbing. The San Francisco Police Department said late on Tuesday that a 43-year-old man was stabbed early in the day and succumbed to injuries in the hospital. The department's statement, which did not name the victim, said the incident was being investigated and no arrests had been made. Cash App allows users to transfer money through a mobile application and is touted by the company as an alternative to traditional banking services. Block was not immediately available for comment. Lee was the chief product officer for cryptocurrency company MobileCoin, where he was also previously an early-stage investor and adviser, the company said on Twitter. "Bob was a dynamo, a force of nature. Bob was the genuine article. He was made for the world that is being born right now, he was a child of dreams, and whatever he imagined, no matter how crazy, he made real," MobileCoin CEO Joshua Goldbard wrote on Twitter. Cash App parent Block was recently in the news after short-seller Hindenburg said in a report that the payments firm overstated its user numbers and understated its customer acquisition costs. (Reporting by Jaiveer Singh Shekhawat in Bengaluru and Hannah Lang in Washington; Editing by Devika Syamnath and Stephen Coates) FILE PHOTO: The company logos of China Everbright Limited are displayed at a news conference on the company's annual results in Hong Kong, China March 23, 2016. REUTERS/Bobby Yip SINGAPORE (Reuters) - China's anti-graft watchdog said on Wednesday it is investigating Li Xiaopeng, the ex-chairman of state-owned financial conglomerate China Everbright Group, for serious "disciplinary violations". The one-line statement was posted on the website of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and comes less than two weeks after Everbright said Li had resigned from his post. Reuters could not reach the company for comment as it was closed for a public holiday. (Reporting by Chen Aizhu and Jenny Wang; Editing by Christian Schmollinger) Police separate supporter of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, accused of being linked to Moscow, in St. George's Cathedral, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Lviv, Ukraine April 5, 2023. REUTERS/Roman Baluk By Max Hunder KYIV (Reuters) - A Ukrainian branch of the Orthodox church accused of ties with Russia was expelled from the premises of two places of worship on Wednesday amid rising public anger against the organisation 14 months into Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The evictions come amid spiralling tensions between the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) on one side and Ukraine's government and large parts of society on the other. Kyiv accuses the UOC of preserving ties with the Russian Orthodox Church, which has supported Moscow's invasion. The UOC says it broke all associations with the Russian Church in May 2022. In the village of Zadubrivka in the western Chernivtsi region, furious local residents forced their way in and evicted the UOC from the local church after they said priests refused to admit a funeral procession for a fallen soldier into the church, public broadcaster Suspilne reported. The local UOC branch said the church had been stormed by "bandits". In Lviv, worshippers gathered in the city's main UOC church to vote to transfer the church to the rival Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), which is favoured by Kyiv and counts the majority of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine as members. Police had to separate quarrelling supporters of the UOC and OCU inside the church. The local branch of the UOC said on its website that the vote in the Lviv church was staged by unknown people who came in under the direction of a senior regional official. It denied that the parish had decided to switch. A 2019 Ukrainian law allows individual churches to switch denominations if two-thirds of parishioners vote for the change. Local governor Maksym Kozytskyi said the legal process for switching the Lviv church over to the OCU was ongoing, and that he supported the change. Wednesday's events follow moves by local residents and authorities to change the denomination of churches in two other west Ukrainian regions over the past week. According to a Ukrainian pollster, the UOC, which recognised the Russian Orthodox Church as its parent organisation until last May, three months into Russia's full-scale invasion, has lost over three-quarters of its pre-invasion believers. Ukraine's government has accused the UOC of retaining ties with Moscow despite the war, and has opened criminal cases against over 60 of its clergy on suspicion of crimes including treason and collaboration with Russia. The UOC says it has broken all ties with Moscow and that it has not been shown evidence for the cases against its clergy. Public broadcaster footage from Zadubrivka showed a UOC priest and several other men leaving the church to cries of "shame" and "Muscovite priests - get out" from the assembled crowd. "Why didn't you let a fallen hero, the third from this village, into the house of God?!" a bearded man bellowed at an ashen-faced priest holding a wooden cross. The footage showed that the soldier's funeral procession, led by clergy from the rival OCU, was then able to proceed into the church. Tensions around the UOC have spiked over the past two weeks as authorities seek to evict the church from a historic Kyiv monastery. Kyiv has also put one of the UOC's most senior figures on trial for justifying Russia's invasion and inflaming religious tensions. (Reporting by Max Hunder; editing by Tom Balmforth and Mark Heinrich) By Nelson Acosta and Marianna Parraga HAVANA/HOUSTON (Reuters) - Lines for fuel in Cubas capital Havana snaked for blocks on Wednesday as frustrated citizens waited for hours, and in some cases days, to fill their tanks, the latest chapter in a growing economic crisis that is rattling the Caribbean island nation. Public transportation, tourists and taxi drivers have all suffered in recent months as the shortages have grown increasingly acute, raising tensions in the countrys most populous city. "I've been three days waiting in this line for gasoline and we still dont know if the (fuel) truck will arrive today," said private taxi driver Alexander Perez, 43. "The situation across the country is critical and the lines endless, and they dont give any explanation." The reason for the shortfall, among the worst in months, if not the past year, remains unclear. A report in state-run newspaper Granma on Sunday that addressed the issue is no longer available on the papers website. An unofficial copy of that report, republished in various independent media and seen by Reuters, acknowledges the supply issue and describes a new program temporarily prioritizing public transportation. The Cuban government did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the shortages. Venezuela has ramped up oil supply to Cuba since early 2023, according to documents from state company PDVSA and shipping data. In January, it sent some 40,000 barrels per day (bpd). That rose to 52,000 bpd in February shipments and 76,000 bpd in March. The latest supply included the supertanker Nolan, which arrived around mid-March near Antilla, according to a satellite picture obtained by TankerTrackers.com, carrying 1.53 million barrels of Venezulean crude and fuel oil. But Venezuela's supply in recent months has barely included clean refined products, especially gasoline and diesel, according to the documents and data. Those fuels are the most coveted by drivers on the island, said Jorge Pinon, a professor and energy policy expert at the University of Texas at Austin. "There doesn't appear to have been a decline in imports," Pinon said. "The problem ... seems to be related this time with insufficient production in domestic refineries, which creates a greater need for imported gasoline and diesel that Venezuela cannot satisfy." (Reporting by Nelson Acosta in Havana and Marianna Parraga in Houston; additional reporting and writing by Dave Sherwood; Editing by Bill Berkrot) By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown's office on Wednesday released a redacted version of an investigative report that detailed sexual abuse accusations against clergy within the Archdiocese of Baltimore dating back to the 1940s. The report of more than 450 pages is the product of a grand jury investigation four years in the making. "What we learned is that the incontrovertible history uncovered by this investigation is one of pervasive, pernicious and persistent abuse by priests and other archdiocese personnel," Brown told reporters in a press briefing on Wednesday. The report described that history as one of "repeated dismissal or cover up of that abuse by the Catholic Church hierarchy." The investigation was launched in 2019 by former Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh. It was completed in November, with investigators reviewing more than 100,000 pages of documents dating back some 80 years. The report identified 158 priests accused of abusing more than 600 victims over the past eight decades. Earlier this year, a judge ordered a redacted version of the report be made public. When the probe was completed last November, Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore apologized "to the victim-survivors who were harmed by a minister of the Church and who were harmed by those who failed to protect them." Lori said the institution felt "renewed shame, deep remorse and heartfelt sympathy." The report echoes accusations of sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church that first became headline news in 2002, when the Boston Globe newspaper revealed that the Archdiocese of Boston had covered up sexual misconduct by its clergy for decades. In recent years, the U.S. Catholic Church has paid out an estimated $3.2 billion to settle clergy abuse cases, according to BishopAccountability.org, which tracks the issue. A separate report released last year showed complaints of sex abuse by pastors and staff in the largest U.S. Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, were for years either ignored or covered up by top clergy. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Frank McGurty and Daniel Wallis) (Reuters) - A fire briefly broke out at a building belonging to Russia's defence ministry in the centre of Moscow on Wednesday evening, Russian state news agencies reported, citing emergency services. Footage shared by state media outlets on social media showed a thin plume of dark smoke rising from the defence ministry's headquarters in Moscow on Znamenka street, near the Kremlin. The small blaze was put out shortly after it started with no casualties, the TASS news agency reported. "Around 19:30 (16:30 GMT), in one of the administrative buildings of the defence ministry in Moscow, duty workers detected smoke on the premises. The fire department and ministry of emergency situations came to the scene," Interfax cited the defence ministry as saying in a statement. The fire covered an area of 60 square metres (646 square feet), TASS cited local emergency services as saying. The defence ministry said it was currently establishing the cause of the fire. (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Alison Williams and Jonathan Oatis) A view shows forensic technicians, ambulances and policemen outside a pre-school after a 25-year-old man attacked children, killing several and injuring others, according to local police and hospital, in Blumenau, in the southern Brazilian state of Santa (Reuters) -A man armed with a small axe climbed over a wall into a creche in Southern Brazil and killed four children on Wednesday, police said, injuring five others in the attack. The 25-year-old man turned himself in to police after the rampage, security chief Marcio Alberto Filippi told reporters. Police said three boys - two aged 4 and one aged 5 - and one girl aged 7 were killed. Four of the injured children between the ages of 3 to 5 were being treated in a hospital and were reported in stable condition, while a fifth child had minor injuries, police said. Fearing their children might be among the victims, desperate parents rushed to the day-care center in the city of Blumenau in the state of Santa Catarina, as police and firefighters investigated the situation. "Thank God my daughter was not among the victims," one father told reporters. "She is fine physically, but emotionally destroyed. How am I going to get this out of her head?" he added. The attacker had a history of violence and drugs, and had stabbed his stepfather in March 2021, police said. The attack came nearly a week after a 13-year-old student stabbed a teacher to death and wounded five others in a Sao Paulo school. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called the attack a "monstrosity." "A tragedy like this is unacceptable, an absurd act of hate and cowardice ... an act of violence against innocent and defenseless children," Lula said in a Twitter post. (Reporting by Fernando Cardoso in Sao Paulo, Rodrigo Viga Gaier in Rio de Janeiro; Editing by Steven Grattan and Sandra Maler) FILE PHOTO: Foxconn Technology Group founder and chairman, Terry Gou, speaks during a news conference after his trip to the U.S., in Taipei, Taiwan May 6, 2019. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu/File Photo TAOYUAN, Taiwan (Reuters) -Terry Gou, the billionaire founder of major Apple Inc supplier Foxconn, said on Wednesday he would seek the presidential nomination for Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), for a second time. Gou stepped down as Foxconn chief in 2019 and made a presidential bid that year, but dropped out after he failed to win the nomination for the KMT, which traditionally favours close ties with China. Speaking to reporters at a hotel next to Taiwan's main international airport at Taoyuan on his return from a weeklong trip to the United States, Gou said the only way to avoid war with China was to reduce Sino-U.S. tensions and get Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) out of office. "We must honestly tell young people that it is dangerous to vote for the DPP, which 'exalts Taiwan independence and hates and opposes China'," Gou said, citing a wording Taiwan opposition parties typically use to describe the DPP's politics. "Peace is not taken for granted, and people need to make the correct choice," added Gou, who did not take questions. He made his announcement the same day Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen is due to meet U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles, a meeting China has threatened to respond to with unspecified retaliation. The KMT in the process of choosing its candidate for the next presidential election, in January 2024, with Hou Yu-ih, mayor of New Taipei City, broadly considered the current favourite. The run up to the election is taking place at a time of increased tensions between Taipei and Beijing, as China stages regular military exercises near the island to assert its sovereignty claims. The KMT denies being pro-Beijing, though it supports maintaining good relations with China. The DPP champions Taiwan's separate identity from China, but the government it leads has repeatedly offered talks with China that have been rebuffed. Gou said he had to stand up and "resolve the crisis" traditional politicians have been unable to, adding he was sorry he left the KMT four years ago. "If I am nominated by the KMT, I will do my best to unite all the non-green camps and win the 2024 presidential election," he added, referring to the DPP's party colours. But if opinion polls showed Hou led Gou and won the nomination, Gou said he would fully back Hou. "We can't let the DPP continue to govern, we can't let our children live in a forest of guns and the hail of bullets," he said. The KMT said Gou's comments on supporting whoever the candidate ended up being were "admirable", adding he was an important member of their camp. The party will do its best to unite everyone and "create a better future for Taiwan away from war", it added in a statement. The DPP had no immediate comment. It has already chosen party chairman William Lai, who is also Taiwan's vice president, as its 2024 candidate. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Tom Hogue, Kenneth Maxwell and Gerry Doyle) FILE PHOTO: Mallikarjun Kharge, the newly elected president of the Congress party, India's main opposition party, speaks with the media at his residence in New Delhi, India, October 19, 2022. REUTERS/Altaf Hussain By Shivam Patel NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian opposition parties on Wednesday condemned the removal from some schoolbooks of references to how independence hero Mahatma Gandhi's pursuit of Hindu-Muslim unity angered some Hindu extremists and led to his assassination. The new edition of a political science book for 17-18 year olds, published by the autonomous National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), also removed a reference to a year-long ban on the Hindu group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) after Gandhi was assassinated in 1948 by a Hindu hardliner, Nathuram Godse. The RSS is the ideological parent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). NCERT's director told Reuters the changes had been recommended by an expert committee. "The committee noted that when schools reopened after COVID-19, there was an increased burden on students and to reduce that, these changes were recommended on the basis that even if this content was dropped, there would be no learning loss to students", Dinesh Prasad Saklani said. The Congress party, which ruled the country for decades before being trounced in the last two general elections by Modi's party, called the changes an attempt to rewrite history. "You can change the truth in books but you cannot change the history of the country," Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said in a video statement on Twitter. Lawmaker Asaduddin Owaisi, chief of the opposition All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, said he also objected to NCERT trying to "whitewash" the past. The BJP's national spokesperson, Gopal Krishna Agarwal, said there was no attempt to erase history but to counter biases. "It is not rewriting history. The Congress and some historians had a biased approach on some issues... academicians felt there was a need to upgrade (the text)". An RSS spokesperson declined to comment, while the Ministry of Education did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. One of the sentences in a 2020/21 edition of the book, removed in the new edition, was that Gandhi "was convinced that any attempt to make India into a country only for Hindus would destroy India". Another removed sentence was that "his steadfast pursuit of Hindu-Muslim unity provoked Hindu extremists so much that they made several attempts to assassinate Gandhiji," the text read, using an honorific for Gandhi. The Indian Express daily first reported the changes on Wednesday. (Reporting by Shivam Patel in New Delhi, Editing by Alexandra Hudson) KYODO NEWS - Apr 5, 2023 - 19:55 | World, Feature Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Wednesday bid farewell to parliament with an emotional speech that sought to inspire future leaders, as she looks ahead to her new roles outside of politics. In her final speech before leaving parliament later in the month, the 42-year-old former leader reflected with tears and laughter on her five years as prime minister, a tenure marked by her empathetic leadership during tragedies including a terror attack, volcanic eruption and the COVID-19 pandemic. "These stories and phases remain etched in my mind and likely will forever. That is the responsibility and privilege of the role of prime minister," Ardern said to a packed chamber of colleagues, family members and former prime ministers. Ardern issued a final plea to lawmakers to band together on climate change, an issue she has prioritized since her first campaign speech. "Climate change is a crisis. It is upon us," Ardern said. "So one of the very few things I will ask of this house on my departure is that you please take the politics out of climate change...we have what we need to make the progress we must." Ardern's successor, Chris Hipkins, announced Tuesday that the former prime minister will take on a new unpaid role as the country's special envoy for the Christchurch Call, a project to eliminate extremism online that arose from the live streaming of a terrorist shooting attack on two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch in 2019 that left dozens dead. Ardern will also continue her work on climate change, joining the board of trustees for Prince William's Earthshot Prize, an initiative that aims to find solutions to the world's biggest environmental challenges. Though she cannot determine how her time as leader will be defined by others, Ardern said she hoped she had demonstrated "something else entirely" during her time at the top. "You can be anxious, sensitive, kind and wear your heart on your sleeve," she said. "You can be a mother or not. You can be an ex-Mormon or not. You can be a nerd, a crier, a hugger. You can be all of these things. And not only can you be here, you can lead just like me." Ardern also had a special message for her 4-year-old daughter Neve watching on from the public gallery. "To my darling girl, Neve, gosh, I love how independent you are already...you won't grow up being known as the ex-prime minister's daughter, but rather, I will happily be known as Neve's mum. And I wouldn't have it any other way," she said. Related coverage: Hipkins sworn in as New Zealand PM days after Ardern resignation N.Z. marks 12th Christchurch quake anniv. with return of Japanese kin Japan, New Zealand agree to hold disarmament talks amid Ukraine war Israeli security forces take position at the Al-Aqsa compound, also known to Jews as the Temple Mount, while tension arises during clashes with Palestinians in Jerusalem's Old City, April 5, 2023. REUTERS/Ammar Awad CAIRO (Reuters) - The Arab League on Wednesday strongly condemned an Israeli police raid on Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, saying it put regional stability at risk. In a statement issued after an emergency meeting on the incident, the League condemned what it called "crimes committed by the Israeli occupation forces against defenceless Muslim worshippers" in the mosque. The pre-dawn raid risked "igniting a spiral of violence that threatens security and stability in the region and the world", it added. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the situation had been caused by "extremists" who barricaded themselves inside the mosque with weapons, stones and fireworks. Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit had earlier condemned the raid in a separate statement. "The extremist approaches that control the policy of the Israeli government will lead to widespread confrontations with the Palestinians if they are not put to an end," he said. (Reporting by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Bill Berkrot) FILE PHOTO: New Zealands' Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern addresses the 77th United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., September 23, 2022. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs/File Photo By Lewis Jackson (Reuters) - All New Zealanders should feel politics can be a home for them, former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Wednesday, in a final address to parliament after leading the nation through the COVID-19 pandemic and a terror attack in Christchurch. Ardern, who thanked her family, her political party and her supporters, had stepped down as prime minister in January saying she had "no more in the tank" to lead the country. She had burst onto the global scene in 2017 when she became the world's youngest female head of government at age 37. She gained further international attention when she took her baby to a United Nations meeting. Popular abroad, at home higher prices, rising crime and controversial reforms to water and agriculture eventually chipped away at her support. As head of the centre-left Labour party for five years, Ardern steered New Zealand through a volcanic eruption, a 2019 attack by a gunman in Christchurch that killed 51 Muslim worshippers and the pandemic. Ardern said she had found herself involved in people's lives "during their most grief-stricken or traumatic moments" in that series of events. "Their stories and faces remain etched in my mind and likely will forever," Ardern said on Wednesday in parliament wearing a gifted korowai, a traditional Maori cloak, seen as a mark of honour and prestige. The daughter of a policeman and school canteen operator, and a self-described "hugger and a crier", Ardern said she wanted her career to inspire others to take office. "You can be anxious, sensitive, kind, and wear your heart on your sleeve," she said with tears in her eyes. "You can be a mother or not, an ex-Mormon or not. A nerd, a crier, a hugger, you can be all of these things and not only can you be here, you can lead just like me." Successor Chris Hipkins appointed Ardern on Tuesday to an unpaid role combating violent extremism online at an organisation set up after the Christchurch attack. Ardern said she looked forward to working on de-radicalisation. She won plaudits across the political spectrum for her handling of the COVID pandemic, which she said was a "tough experience". New Zealand faced some of the strictest measures globally but also had one of the lowest death tolls. Looking up at the public galleries toward her four-year-old daughter Neve, Ardern thanked her partner Clarke Gayford and told her child: "You won't grow up being known as the ex-Prime Minister's daughter but rather I will happily be known as Neve's mom, and I wouldn't have it any other way." (Reporting by Lewis Jackson in Sydney; Editing by Jamie Freed) Siti Zabidah Muhammad Rasyid, 66, points at her son Razali Ahmad who was sentenced to death 23 years ago, in a photograph, in Gombak, Malaysia April 4, 2023. REUTERS/Hasnoor Hussain By Ahmad Luqman Ismail GOMBAK, Malaysia (Reuters) - For the past two decades, Malaysian mother Siti Zabidah Muhammad Rasyid has been hoping for a miracle to save her son Razali from death row. He was sentenced to death 23 years ago after breaching Malaysia's tough laws on drugs when he was caught with 851 grammes (1.9 pounds) of cannabis. But Siti Zabidah's prayers were answered this week when parliament passed sweeping legal reforms to scrap Malaysia's mandatory death penalty. "The joy was immense," said a tearful Siti Zabidah, speaking from her apartment in the state of Selangor, near the capital Kuala Lumpur. She said her son said a friend forced him to carry the drugs and then made him a scapegoat after being arrested. A judge rejected an earlier attempt by the family to file an appeal against the sentence. She recounted how she collapsed after hearing the judge's decision, fearing the legal avenues for her son were shut. "I can go on without a husband but not without my children," she said. More than 1,300 people facing the death penalty or life imprisonment in Malaysia - including those who have exhausted all legal appeals - can seek a sentencing review under the new rules passed on Monday. The amendments apply to 34 offences currently punishable by death, including murder and drug trafficking. Eleven of those have stipulated death as the mandatory punishment. For now, life imprisonment sentences, defined by Malaysian law as a fixed term of 30 years, will be retained. The fate of Siti Zabidah's son lies in the hands of the courts, which will decide on a possible alternative sentencing or punishment. Alternatives to the death penalty under the new rules include caning and a jail term of up to 40 years. Siti Zabidah said she would stand by her son whatever happened. "As long as I'm alive, I'll give him strength," she said. (Writing by Ed Davies; Editing by Robert Birsel) By Andrew Hay (Reuters) - A man has been charged in Arizona with the alleged assault and carjacking of Ella Mae Begay, a Navajo weaver whose 2021 disappearance became a symbol of the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women in the United States. The charges were unsealed on Tuesday in Arizona federal court against Preston Tolth for causing serious bodily harm to Begay on June 15, 2021, on the Navajo Nation and stealing her gray Ford F-150 pick-up truck, according to court documents. Last year Begay's niece Seraphine Warren completed a walk of more than 2,000 miles from the Navajo Nation - which spans parts of New Mexico, Arizona and Utah - to Washington DC to raise awareness about her aunt and other missing and murdered Native women. "We're getting somewhere, we're taking that first step to locating my mother," Gerald Begay, Ella Mae's 46-year-old son, said in an interview Wednesday. He said the next step was to find his mother after she went missing from her home near Sweetwater, Arizona. Luke Mulligan, a federal public defender representing Tolth, and U.S. attorney and prosecutor Dimitra Sampson did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Indigenous women are murdered at a rate 10 times higher than the national average, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, and homicide is one of the leading causes of death for young Indigenous men. Families of the missing blame the crisis on jurisdictional chaos or indifference of law enforcement as well as racism and generational trauma rooted in European colonizers' efforts to eradicate Native peoples. Tolth faces a formal arraignment and detention hearing on Friday in Flagstaff, according to Begay's lawyer Darlene Gomez. In the last five years around a dozen states have established taskforces to bring together tribes, victims families, law enforcement and activists to solve crimes. Special investigators have been appointed at county, state and national levels and the FBI has begun to develop a missing list solely for Native Americans. Still, FBI data shows the number of entries of missing and murdered Indigenous people remained little changed from 2016 to the most recent data in 2021. (Reporting by Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico; Editing by Donna Bryson and Daniel Wallis) FILE PHOTO: Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador speaks during a news conference at the Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection in Mexico City, Mexico March 9, 2023. REUTERS/Henry Romero/File Photo By Brendan O'Boyle MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Wednesday said he does not agree with the criminal charges brought against former U.S. President Donald Trump. "Supposedly legal issues should not be used for electoral, political purposes," Lopez Obrador told a regular news conference. "That's why I don't agree with what they are doing to ex-President Trump." Trump was charged on Tuesday with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a historic case over allegations he orchestrated hush-money payments to two women before the 2016 U.S. election to suppress publication of their sexual encounters with him. Trump, the first sitting or former U.S. president to face criminal charges, pleaded not guilty. Leftist populist Lopez Obrador compared Trump's case to the December ouster of former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo, who was removed from office and arrested after trying to dissolve congress. "It should be the people who decide," said Lopez Obrador, who said he could not say whether Trump was guilty or not. Lopez Obrador, who took office in 2018, developed a friendly working relationship with then-counterpart Trump, despite the U.S. president launching his election campaign in 2015 by calling Mexicans rapists and drug runners and promising to make Mexico pay for a border wall. Lopez Obrador in November publicly called for Twitter to reinstate Trump's then-banned account on the social media platform. Lopez Obrador's motivations for defending Trump may be personal. Beginning in 2004, Lopez Obrador, then the mayor of Mexico City and the frontrunner for Mexico's presidential election in 2006, was the subject of a judicial process that he said was a political plot by Mexico's then-President Vicente Fox. The federal government's ultimately unsuccessful effort to put Lopez Obrador on trial for charges of contempt of court threatened to keep him from running for president. Lopez Obrador went on to lose the 2006 and 2012 presidential election - results he did not accept, alleging massive voter fraud. (Reporting by Brendan O'Boyle; Editing by Anthony Esposito, Jonathan Oatis Mark Porter and Marguerita Choy) ROME (Reuters) - Hundreds of migrants have been rescued from an overcrowded fishing boat in international waters off Malta after a complex 11-hour operation in stormy seas, the Doctors Without Borders (MSF) charity said on Wednesday. MSF said its Geo Barents vessel struggled with the rescue, concluded late on Tuesday, due to the rough weather and initially could do little more than throw life jackets to the 440 migrants and monitor their situation. Alarm Phone, a charity that picks up distress calls from migrants crossing the central Mediterranean, had warned two days ago that the boat was in difficulty, prompting MSF's intervention. The vessel was "practically in the eye" of a storm, facing waves of up to 4.5-5 metres and buffeted by winds of up to 40 knots, the Geo Barents' rescue operations chief, Riccardo Gatti, said in an audio message distributed by MSF. The migrants, including eight women and 30 children, spent four days at sea, the last two without food or water, after setting off from eastern Libya, near Benghazi, on April 1, MSF said. One of them had fainted due to serious dehydration and was airlifted to Malta via helicopter, a charity spokeswoman said, adding that the group comprises nationals from Syria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Somalia and Sri Lanka. MSF said it was told to take the migrants to the southeastern Italian port of Brindisi, except for a group of 100 who will be handed over to the Italian Coast Guard and brought ashore elsewhere. The Geo Barents is expected to arrive in Brindisi on Friday, Gatti said. Italy is facing a surge in sea migration from North Africa, with more than 28,000 arrivals in the year to date, compared to around 6,800 in the same period of 2022. On Monday the Italian coast guard carried out another difficult rescue as it picked up 32 migrants stuck on a desert islet near Lampedusa island via helicopter. (Reporting by Alvise Armellini, editing by Gavin Jones, Sharon Singleton and Nick Macfie) FILE PHOTO: A participant stands near a logo of World Bank at the International Monetary Fund - World Bank Annual Meeting 2018 in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, October 12, 2018. REUTERS/Johannes P. Christo By Felix Onuah ABUJA (Reuters) -Nigeria has secured $800 million from the World Bank to scale up its national social program ahead of the removal of its costly but popular subsidies on petrol in June, Finance Minister Zainab Ahmed said on Wednesday. Africa's biggest economy set aside 3.36 trillion naira ($7.3 billion) this year to spend on petrol subsidies until mid-2023, after which it has made no provision for the expense, which cost more than its spending on healthcare and education. Ahmed said the government was considering cash transfers and mass transit buses for workers to ease the pain of the subsidy removal on the most vulnerable segment of its population. She added that the country has registered ten million households, which is equivalent to 50 million people on its vulnerable list. "Several things are still on plan," Ahmed told reporters in Abuja after the government's cabinet meeting. "Some we can start executing quickly while some are of long-term implementation." The World Bank said in 2021 it expected the COVID-19 crisis to push over 11 million Nigerians into poverty by 2022, taking the total number of people classified as poor in the country to over 100 million. The total population is estimated at 200 million. Ahmed said discussions were going on at different levels of government and with members of the incoming administration of President-elect Bola Tinubu on the subsidy removal. Last week, Labour Minister Chris Ngige recommended that Tinubu's new administration give public sector workers pay rises after removing a fuel subsidy in June. Tinubu will take office in May, when Buhari steps down. Many Nigerians regard cheap subsidised fuel as at least one benefit they receive from the state, which fails to deliver other basic services such as electricity and security despite receiving billions of dollars every year from oil exports. (Reporting by Felix Onuah; Writing by Chijioke Ohuocha; Editing by Jan Harvey, Mark Porter and Aurora Ellis) A U.S. Air Force B-1B bomber (top) and South Korean Air Force F-15K fighter jets take part in a joint air drill in South Korea, March 3, 2023. The South Korean Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS By Hyonhee Shin SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korea accused the U.S. and South Korea of escalating tensions to the brink of nuclear war through their joint military drills, vowing to respond with "offensive action", state media KCNA reported on Thursday. KCNA released a commentary by Choe Ju Hyon, whom it called an international security analyst, criticising the exercises as "a trigger for driving the situation on the Korean peninsula to the point of explosion". "The reckless military confrontational hysteria of the U.S. and its followers against the DPRK is driving the situation on the Korean peninsula to an irreversible catastrophe ... to the brink of a nuclear war," the article said. It was using the acronym of North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. U.S. and South Korean forces have been conducting a series of annual springtime exercises since March, including air and sea drills involving a U.S. aircraft carrier and B-1B and B-52 bombers, and their first large-scale amphibious landing drills in five years. The commentary singled out the aircraft carrier's participation as aimed at stoking confrontation, saying Pyongyang will respond to the drills by exercising its war deterrence through "offensive action". "The drills have turned the Korean peninsula into a huge powder magazine which can be detonated any moment," it added. North Korea has reacted furiously to the exercises, calling them a rehearsal for invasion. It has been ramping up its military activity in recent weeks, unveiling new, smaller nuclear warheads, firing an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking anywhere in the U.S. and testing what it called a nuclear-capable underwater attack drone. South Korea's nuclear envoy held talks with his U.S. and Japanese counterparts and condemned those tests, saying the North will pay the price for its provocations, Seoul's foreign ministry said following their meetings in Seoul on Thursday. The envoys agreed to step up efforts to stem the North's illegal cyber activities including theft of virtual currencies and hacking, it added. Japan's nuclear envoy also "strongly condemned" North Korea's "unprecedented frequency and manner" of ballistic missile launches as a serious and imminent threat to regional security, Japan's foreign ministry said. In a separate KCNA dispatch, Han Tae Song, permanent representative at North Korea's diplomatic mission in Geneva, strongly denounced an annual resolution adopted this week by the U.N. Human Rights Council on the country's rights situation. Pyongyang has long rejected international criticism of its human rights as a U.S.-led plot to overthrow its regime. Han called the resolution an "intolerable act of political provocation and hostility" and "the most heavily politicised document of fraud". South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has called for raising awareness over Pyongyang's rights abuses. In its first publicly released report on the situation last week, Seoul's Unification Ministry said North Korea executes its citizens for drugs, sharing South Korean media and religious activities. The ministry which handles inter-Korea affairs on Thursday criticised North Korea for using South Korean assets at a now-closed joint factory park in the North. North Korean state media photos published on Wednesday showed a South Korean bus, used to transport workers before the North unilaterally shut the park in 2016, running in Pyongyang. The ministry said it tried to warn against using the factory equipment without approval via a border hotline, but the North refused to take its message. (Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Additional reporting by Kantaro Komiya in Tokyo and Soo-hyang Choi in Seoul; Editing by Richard Chang, Lincoln Feast and Nick Macfie) FILE PHOTO: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (R) speaks to media mogul Rupert Murdoch as they walk out of Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen, Scotland, June 25, 2016. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File Photo By Tom Hals WILMINGTON, Del (Reuters) - Fox Corp executives Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch can be called to testify at this month's defamation trial over a $1.6 billion lawsuit claiming the media company lied about voter fraud in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, a judge said on Wednesday. Rupert Murdoch, the 92-year-old chair of Fox Corp, and his son, Lachlan Murdoch, its CEO, were not on the list of witnesses that Fox intends to make available for the trial, in a case brought by Dominion Voting Systems. "If Dominion wants to bring them live, they need to do a trial subpoena and I would not quash it and I would compel them to come," said Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis. Davis said Fox board member Paul Ryan, a former Republican speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, could also be issued a trial subpoena. A Fox spokesman said Dominion was trying to distract from its weak case. Demanding witnesses who had nothing to do with the challenged broadcasts is just the latest example of their political crusade in search of a financial windfall, said an email from Brian Nick of Fox. The judge said there was an objection by Fox to Rupert Murdoch's testimony which would probably have to be resolved at trial. The trial already features a parade of Fox's biggest on-air personalities, including Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Maria Bartiromo. The jury trial is scheduled to start on April 17 and expected to last about four weeks. Dominion is hoping to prove that Fox ruined its reputation by repeatedly airing false claims by former Republican President Donald Trump and others that its voting machines were used to steal the 2020 election for Democrat Joe Biden. To prevail, Dominion must establish that Fox acted with actual malice, meaning that it knowingly spread false information or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. Fox has argued that its coverage was protected by the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment because election fraud claims were inherently newsworthy, and its hosts and guests were entitled to express their opinions. On Friday, Davis rejected much of Fox's defense, and said Dominion's case was strong enough to go to a jury. (Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware; Editing by Marguerita Choy) FILE PHOTO: Reporter for U.S. newspaper The Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich, detained on suspicion of espionage, is escorted to a car outside a court building in Moscow, Russia March 30, 2023. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina (Reuters) - Moscow will ignore a letter from media groups urging the release of a U.S. reporter accused of spying because they have not shown the same regard for a Russian pro-war blogger killed by a bomb, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday. Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was detained in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg last week and remanded in custody for two months in a closed court hearing, to protests from the United States, the European Union and his employer and fellow journalists. The reporter, the WSJ and the White House all denied that he was a spy, and more than 30 media outlets and press freedom groups last week appealed to the Russian ambassador in Washington for his release. But Zakharova complained that Western media had not shown similar concern for Maxim Fomin, the vehemently pro-war Russian military blogger and convicted bank robber known as Vladlen Tatarsky who was killed by a bomb in St Petersburg on Sunday. "Why on earth should we issue a reaction to the letter if we see their absolute hypocrisy?" Zakharova said. She said Tatarsky had also been a journalist, "but I haven't seen any reaction, either collective or individual, from any of those who signed this letter. And if I'm honest, this appeal has completely lost any significance for me." Zakharova restated Russia's position that Gershkovich would be allowed U.S. consular access at some point under standard procedures. (Writing by Kevin Liffey; Editing by William Maclean) Chinese and Egyptian musicians perform in front of the Sphinx at the Giza Pyramids scenic spot in Giza, Egypt, April 3, 2023. On a breezy Monday night in Egypt's Giza, artists from China and Egypt staged a folk music concert against the backdrop of the Grand Pyramids and Sphinx lit-up in silver, enchanting hundreds of audiences with beautiful melodies. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) CAIRO, April 4 (Xinhua) -- On a breezy Monday night in Egypt's Giza, artists from China and Egypt staged a folk music concert against the backdrop of the Grand Pyramids and Sphinx lit-up in silver, enchanting hundreds of audiences with beautiful melodies. Banners reading "let the China-Egypt friendship flow forward like the Nile River" were seen at the venue of the China-Egypt folk concert, welcoming guests to such a unique show co-sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, and the Chinese Embassy in Egypt. The event was attended by Chinese Minister of Culture and Tourism Hu Heping, Egyptian Minister of Culture Neveen Al-Kilany, Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Issa, Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang, and some other 600 people from both countries. The repertoire played by musicians from the China National Traditional Orchestra features classics and innovative works of traditional Chinese music, such as erhu unison "Horse Racing", huagudeng big gongs and drums performance "Umbrella and Orchid," and chamber music "Dunhuang." Chinese and Arab artists also jointly presented "Impression of Roses", in which the Chinese pipa was played in an ensemble with the Arabian oud as a tribute to the instruments' same origin, creating breathtaking melodies that wowed the audiences. "I am interested in Chinese culture, especially classical music. It was a great surprise for me to know that this concert will be held in Egypt," Fatma Essam, a housewife from Cairo, told Xinhua. "What impressed me the most was the joint performance of musicians from the two countries, the music was wonderfully played, conveying to us an important message that music is a common language between all peoples and cultures," she said, adding she took notice of very similar musical instruments during the performance. "I hope that similar concerts will be organized in the future. Chinese music is beautiful and rich in authentic melodies, and it is a way to bring us closer to Chinese culture and the Chinese people," she said. As the spectacular concert went on, four Egyptian girls brought to audience a song that they had sung at this year's China Central Television Spring Festival Gala staged in Beijing, to the accompaniment of the Chinese folk music, which won prolonged applause from the spectators. Liu Sirui, a Chinese college student studying in Cairo attended the concert with her Egyptian and Chinese friends. She told Xinhua that the show is joyful and "the harmony is super." "Today's show illustrates the convergence of the Egyptian and Chinese civilizations through music. The friendly atmosphere reflects the solid friendship between peoples from both countries throughout history," she added. Chinese and Egyptian musicians perform in front of the Sphinx at the Giza Pyramids scenic spot in Giza, Egypt, April 3, 2023. On a breezy Monday night in Egypt's Giza, artists from China and Egypt staged a folk music concert against the backdrop of the Grand Pyramids and Sphinx lit-up in silver, enchanting hundreds of audiences with beautiful melodies. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) Chinese musicians perform in front of the Sphinx at the Giza Pyramids scenic spot in Giza, Egypt, April 3, 2023. On a breezy Monday night in Egypt's Giza, artists from China and Egypt staged a folk music concert against the backdrop of the Grand Pyramids and Sphinx lit-up in silver, enchanting hundreds of audiences with beautiful melodies. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) Chinese musicians perform in front of the Sphinx at the Giza Pyramids scenic spot in Giza, Egypt, April 3, 2023. On a breezy Monday night in Egypt's Giza, artists from China and Egypt staged a folk music concert against the backdrop of the Grand Pyramids and Sphinx lit-up in silver, enchanting hundreds of audiences with beautiful melodies. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) Chinese musicians perform in front of the Sphinx at the Giza Pyramids scenic spot in Giza, Egypt, April 3, 2023. On a breezy Monday night in Egypt's Giza, artists from China and Egypt staged a folk music concert against the backdrop of the Grand Pyramids and Sphinx lit-up in silver, enchanting hundreds of audiences with beautiful melodies. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) Chinese and Egyptian musicians perform at the Giza Pyramids scenic spot in Giza, Egypt, April 3, 2023. On a breezy Monday night in Egypt's Giza, artists from China and Egypt staged a folk music concert against the backdrop of the Grand Pyramids and Sphinx lit-up in silver, enchanting hundreds of audiences with beautiful melodies. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) Chinese musicians perform at the Giza Pyramids scenic spot in Giza, Egypt, April 3, 2023. On a breezy Monday night in Egypt's Giza, artists from China and Egypt staged a folk music concert against the backdrop of the Grand Pyramids and Sphinx lit-up in silver, enchanting hundreds of audiences with beautiful melodies. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) A board with a poster of Russian service member Oleg Safin is on display in the town of Yefremov in the Tula region, Russia, April 5, 2023. A slogan on the board reads: "Glory to Heroes of Russia". REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina YEFREMOV, Russia (Reuters) - A Russian court will on Thursday hold a custody hearing for a 13-year-old girl who was forced into a children's home after drawing an anti-war picture that prompted an investigation and then conviction of her father for discrediting the armed forces. Russia introduced severe punishments for discrediting the armed forces after President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, laws that have snared dissidents, journalists, actors, musicians and even comedians. The problems for Alexei Moskalyov, a single parent, began after his daughter, Maria, drew a picture in a school art class last year that featured Russian missiles flying towards Ukraine and the slogans "Glory to Ukraine" and "No to Putin, no to war". Secondary School Number 9 in Yefremov, 290km south of Moscow, alerted the police who discussed the matter with both Moskalyov and his daughter, then 12. More ominously, officers from the Federal Security Service (FSB), the main successor to the Soviet-era Committee for State Security (KGB), also spoke to both father and daughter, Moskalyov's lawyer told Reuters. Shortly afterwards, social services got involved and Moskalyov was accused of poor parenting and fined. He was accused of discrediting the Russian armed forces in social media posts. He said his account had been hacked. On March 1, he was detained and the next day a court placed him under house arrest. Maria, known by the diminutive Masha, was taken away and put into a children's home, despite a request from a detective that she be returned home. Moskalyov went on the run and was arrested in Minsk. While on the run, he was sentenced in absentia to two years in a penal colony for discrediting the armed forces. "Alexei is not worried about himself - he is extremely worried about what will happen to his daughter," Moskalyov's lawyer, Vladimir Bilienko, told Reuters ahead of a court hearing on whether or not to limits his parental responsibility. PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY If his parental responsibility is limited by the court, then the state will have much more power to decide the fate of his daughter, who has written numerous letters to her father and says she wants to stay with him. "It turns out that a child who has lived all her life with her papa falls goodness knows where in goodness knows whose hands behind some sort of stone wall," Bilienko said. Russian officials have said that Moskalyov is a poor parent and that his daughter had poor marks in some classes at school. According to social services, Moskalyov did not interact with either the school or social services. Her mother has not lived with the family for more than seven years, according to social services documents seen by Reuters. Still, the nightmarish journey of the Moskalyov family through the minefield of provincial Russian bureaucracy, a theme writer Nikolai Gogol satirised in the 19th Century, has struck a chord with Russians. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of Russia's most powerful mercenary group, said the two-year verdict for Moskalyov was "unfair" and asked that it was reviewed as his daughter now faces life in an orphanage. "Especially, in view of the fact that his daughter Masha will be forced to grow up in an orphanage," Prigozhin wrote in a letter to the prosecutor of the case and published by press service. "We are waging a war against evil for the sake of the future of our children." Some in Yefremov shared such views. "I feel sorry for the parent and I feel sorry for the girl," said a resident who gave her name only as Nadezhda. "I believe it is important to be humane and not to separate the family." Others were less sympathetic. Some said the case had been misrepresented and that Moskalyov had insulted the armed forces so should be punished. "It is not necessary to discuss this all over the internet and to say that it's all because of the drawing," said Anna Borteneva, a resident of Yefremov. "He is being tried for insulting the Russian army - no one gave him the right to do this." (Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Ed Osmond) FILE PHOTO: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a joint news conference with Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada following their meeting in Moscow, Russia March 30, 2023. Maxim Shipenkov/Pool via REUTERS MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu will discuss the conflict in Ukraine, energy cooperation and the Black Sea grain deal during a two-day visit by a Russian delegation this week. Turkey has positioned itself as a potential intermediary between Kyiv and Moscow in the 13-month conflict, brokering the only significant diplomatic breakthrough so far in the shape of a deal that facilitates exports of grain from Ukraine's Black Sea ports despite a Russian blockade. Russia's foreign ministry said on Wednesday that Lavrov and Cavusoglu would use the visit on Thursday and Friday to touch base on the "situation in Ukraine" as well as consult on a wide range of regional and international issues. "The ministers will exchange views on the current state of the Ukraine crisis, discuss the principles and means of a peaceful settlement of the conflict - which is only possible if Kyiv takes into account Russian interests and concerns," the ministry said. Moscow has said it is open to negotiations, but that Kyiv, must recognise the "new realities" of the conflict - namely Russia's unilateral annexation of four Ukrainian regions last year and Crimea in 2014. Zelenskiy has said he will not discuss a ceasefire until Russian troops have left every inch of Ukrainian territory. Moscow said Lavrov and Cavusoglu would also discuss the state of the grain deal - which Russia said last month it would extend for 60 days despite the United Nations, Ukraine and Turkey pushing for a repeat 120-day rollover. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said a week ago that Russian President Vladimir Putin could visit in April for the inauguration of the Russian-built Akkuyu nuclear power plant, but the Kremlin has said there are no plans for a visit. (Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Jake Cordell; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Pope Francis greets people during the weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, April 5, 2023. REUTERS/Yara Nardi VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis has praised the virtues of sex in a documentary released on Wednesday, describing it as "one of the beautiful things that God has given to the human person." The 86-year-old pontiff made the comment in the Disney+ production "The Pope Answers", which captures a meeting he had last year in Rome with 10 people in their early 20s. Francis was quizzed by them on a variety of topics, including LGBT rights, abortion, the porn industry, sex, and faith and sex abuse within the Catholic Church. "Sex is one of the beautiful things that God has given to the human person," he said in the documentary. "To express yourself sexually is a richness. So anything that detracts from real sexual expression lessens you and depletes this richness," he said, referring to masturbation. Francis was also asked whether he knew what a "non-binary person" is, and he replied affirmatively. He repeated that LGBT people must be welcomed by the Catholic Church. "All persons are the children of God, all persons. God does not reject anybody, God is a father. And I have no right to expel anyone from the Church," he said. On abortion, Francis said priests should be "merciful" towards women who have terminated a pregnancy, but said the practice remains unacceptable. "It good to call things by their name. It is one thing to accompany the person who had one (abortion), quite another to justify the act," he said. The pope's remarks were published by L'Osservatore Romano, the official Vatican newspaper, which described his conversation with the young people as an "open and sincere dialogue". (Reporting by Alvise Armellini, editing by Mark Heinrich) By Brendan O'Brien and Tyler Clifford (Reuters) -Five people were killed in a predawn tornado that ripped through southeastern Missouri on Wednesday, shearing off roofs, splintering trees and taking down power lines in devastated Bollinger County, officials said. First responders from multiple agencies combed through destroyed homes and businesses in the rural area that Missouri Governor Mike Parson said faces "a long journey ahead" toward recovery. Five people were also injured and 87 structures damaged with 12 of those buildings destroyed, said Eric Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Photographs on social media from Glen Allen, Missouri - a village about 110 miles (177 km) south of St. Louis - showed severely damaged houses with roofs torn off, downed trees and power lines and debris covering roadways and yards. "It's just heartbreaking to see people's homes missing roofs and their homes gone," Missouri State Patrol Highway Sergeant Clark Parrott told Reuters said after surveying the damage. "We got work ahead of us, but we will get through this." Storm spotters reported the tornado touched down in the area about 3:30 a.m. local time (0830 GMT), according to the National Weather Service, one of more than a dozen twisters seen in the Midwest overnight. In Marble Hill, three miles (5 km) to the east of Glen Allen, Chris Huffman, 45, said he raced to his basement with his wife and two daughters after hearing tornado sirens and the power went out. Outside was pitch black and there were dark clouds, high winds and rain, and bursts of lightning, Huffman said. "It was startling," he told Reuters in a phone interview from his sandwich shop, Munchies, where he was preparing food for crews and those in need. "We heard the roar of everything. That's how close it was." Parson said the state would aid people who lost their homes even though some sparsely populated communities would not have sustained enough damage to be eligible for public disaster relief. "This is going to be weeks upon months to be able to recover," Parson said, adding that President Joe Biden called to offer help and services. The twister struck days after violent tornadoes tore through parts of the South and Midwest, killing at least 32 people. A week before, a tornado devastated the Mississippi Delta town of Rolling Fork, killing 26 people. (Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Chicago, Tyler Clifford in New York, and Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, Calif.; Editing by Sharon Singleton, Jonathan Oatis and Josie Kao) FILE PHOTO: Former U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks on the day of his court appearance in New York after being indicted by a Manhattan grand jury following a probe into hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., By Rami Ayyub WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday called on his fellow Republicans in Congress to slash funding for the U.S. Justice Department and the FBI, one day after pleading not guilty in New York to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Trump, who is seeking to regain the presidency in 2024, took aim at federal law enforcement authorities even though the criminal charges against him - the first brought against any former or sitting president - were pursued not by them but by the Manhattan district attorney. But Trump faces two Justice Department criminal investigations led by Special Counsel Jack Smith, who was appointed by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland. Both have seemed to accelerate in recent months. "REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS SHOULD DEFUND THE DOJ AND FBI UNTIL THEY COME TO THEIR SENSES," Trump wrote on his social media platform. DOJ stands for the Department of Justice. Trump's proposal is unlikely to be heeded by Congress, with Democrats controlling the Senate and Republicans leading the House of Representatives. It would also be a sharp turn for Republicans, who in the past have supported robust funding for law enforcement and have criticized proposals from some on the left in recent years to "defund" local police departments. Congressional Republicans have called for sharp federal spending cuts in return for voting to raise the U.S. debt ceiling but have yet to put forward specific proposals. The FBI, part of the Justice Department, is the U.S. domestic intelligence and security agency. Trump himself appointed the current FBI director, Christopher Wray, after firing its previous chief, James Comey, in 2017. Trump backed spending increases for the Justice Department while serving as president from 2017 to 2021. Its budget increased 4% during that span to $38.7 billion, White House figures showed. One of the special counsel's investigations focuses on efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election he lost to Democratic President Joe Biden. Former Vice President Mike Pence has decided not to appeal a judge's ruling requiring him to testify to a grand jury in that investigation about conversations he had with Trump ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters, a Pence spokesperson said on Wednesday. Smith's other investigation focuses on classified documents that Trump retained after leaving office. The FBI on Wednesday declined to comment on Trump's remarks. The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment. Reduced funding for federal law enforcement also would not affect another criminal investigation involving Trump led by a county prosecutor in Georgia, focusing on whether he unlawfully sought to overturn his 2020 election loss in that state. PAYMENTS TO TWO WOMEN The office of Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, charged Trump on Tuesday with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records over allegations that he orchestrated payments to two women before the 2016 election to suppress publication of their sexual encounters with him. Prosecutors said the payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal constituted an attempt to conceal a violation of election law. Opinion polls show Trump as the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination as he seeks to deny Biden a second term in office. Trump over the years has complained that law enforcement at the national and state level were targeting him for political purposes, and his fellow Republicans in Congress have held hearings to examine what they describe as the "weaponization" of government. He and his allies have accused Bragg, a Democrat, of bringing the charges for political reasons. Bragg in comments after the charges were brought on Tuesday said he has a responsibility to ensure everyone stands equal before the law. Trump appeared at an arraignment in New York on Tuesday before flying back to his home in Florida to make public remarks. He declared himself the victim of election interference, without offering evidence. The judge in the Manhattan case, Juan Merchan, has set the next hearing for Dec. 4, when campaigning for the Republican presidential nomination will be intensifying. Legal experts have said a trial may not start for a year. Indictment or even conviction does not legally prevent a person from running for president. In court on Tuesday, prosecutors raised concerns about Trump's social media posts, which have included a warning he made last month that the United States could face "death & destruction" if he were charged, and posting a photograph of him holding a baseball bat next to a picture of Bragg. Merchan asked Trump's lawyers to remind the former president to refrain from making statements likely to incite violence or civil unrest, or jeopardize the safety of individuals. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said he does not agree with the charges brought against Trump. "Supposedly legal issues should not be used for electoral, political purposes," Lopez Obrador told a news conference in Mexico City. Lopez Obrador, who took office in 2018, developed a friendly working relationship with then-counterpart Trump, despite the U.S. president launching his 2016 election campaign by calling Mexican migrants rapists and drug runners and promising to make Mexico pay for a border wall. (Reporting by Rami Ayyub; Additional reporting by Sarah N. Lynch and David Morgan in Washington and Karen Freifeld in New York; Writing by Alistair Bell; Editing by Will Dunham and Andy Sullivan) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy meets with Poland's President Andrzej Duda (not seen) at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, April 5, 2023. REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel KYIV (Reuters) - Ukrainian troops face a really difficult situation in the eastern city of Bakhmut, but Kyiv will take the "corresponding" decisions to protect them if they risk being encircled by Russian forces, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday. The Ukrainian leader told a news conference in Poland that Kyiv's forces in Bakhmut sometimes advanced a little only to be pushed back by Russian forces, but that they remained inside the city. "We are in Bakhmut and the enemy does not control it," Zelenskiy said. Bakhmut, in Ukraine's Donetsk region, has been one of the bloodiest and longest battles of Russia's full-scale invasion, now in its second year. Ukrainian forces have held out against a Russian onslaught there with heavy losses on both sides. "For me, the most important is not to lose our soldiers and of course if there is a moment of even hotter events and the danger we could lose our personnel because of encirclement - of course the corresponding correct decisions will be taken by generals there," he said. The comment appeared to be a reference to the idea of withdrawing. Zelenskiy spoke at a news conference alongside Poland's president in Warsaw. His trip comes with Ukraine expected to launch a counteroffensive to seize back land in the south and east from Russian forces in the coming weeks or months. Zelenskiy said that the more ammunition Ukraine receives from Western partners, the faster it would be able fight back in Bakhmut and elsewhere. "There is success in some districts of Bakhmut - we're going forward. Or there's no (success) and we're again leaving for positions," he said. (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; writing by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Louise Heavens and Nick Macfie) FILE PHOTO: British Airways logos are seen on tail fins at Heathrow Airport in west London, Britain, February 23, 2018. REUTERS/Hannah McKay By David Shepardson NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Transportation Department (USDOT) Wednesday imposed a $135,000 penalty on British Airways over a 2017 tarmac delay in which it failed to ensure the timely deplaning of passengers. As part of a settlement, the airline, which is owned by IAG, agreed to cease and desist from future similar violations. USDOT said British Airways must pay $67,500 within 30 days and the rest within one year if the airline violates the order. USDOT said the penalty stemmed from a December 2017 flight from Austin, Texas, to London that resulted in passengers being stuck on the tarmac in poor weather for more than four hours without getting a chance to exit. British Airways did not immediately comment Wednesday. It told USDOT the delay was caused after the deicing truck ran out of fluid. It said it did not believe the incident called for a USDOT enforcement action but "in the interest of resolving this proceeding" agreed to the settlement. USDOT in January said it planned to seek higher penalties from airlines and others that broke consumer protection rules, saying they were necessary to deter future violations. Under a 2011 rule, airlines are prohibited from allowing domestic flights to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours and international flights for more than four hours at U.S. airports without giving passengers an opportunity to deplane. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien) FILE PHOTO: People line up outside a newly reopened career center for in-person appointments in Louisville, U.S., April 15, 2021. REUTERS/Amira Karaoud By Lucia Mutikani WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. services sector slowed more than expected in March as demand cooled, while a measure of prices paid by services businesses fell to the lowest in nearly three years, giving the Federal Reserve a boost in the fight against inflation. There are also growing signs that the labor market is loosening, with other data on Wednesday showing private payrolls growth slowed considerably last month. This followed on the heels of news on Tuesday that job openings fell below 10 million at the end of February for first time in nearly two years. The Fed is contemplating pausing the U.S. central bank's fastest interest rate hiking cycle since the 1980s. "The Fed wants this and needs this," said Jennifer Lee, a senior economist at BMO Capital markets in Toronto. "Slower growth, slower demand for services, slower demand for workers, and slower inflation. We're getting there." The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said its non-manufacturing PMI fell to 51.2 last month from 55.1 in February. A reading above 50 indicates growth in the services industry, which accounts for more than two-thirds of the economy. There was no mention of the financial markets turmoil, which has led to a tightening in credit conditions. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the non-manufacturing PMI decreasing to 54.5. Despite the pullback in growth in the services sector, Anthony Nieves, chair of the ISM Services Business Survey Committee noted that "the majority of respondents report a positive outlook on business conditions." The PMI remains above the 49.9 level which the ISM says over time indicates growth in the overall economy. Nevertheless, the softer-than-expected reading, coming on the heels of continued weakness in manufacturing activity last month, increases the risk of a recession this year. The ISM reported on Monday that its manufacturing PMI fell in March to the lowest level since May 2020. It was the first time since 2009 that all subcomponents of the manufacturing PMI fell below the 50 threshold. Thirteen services industries reported growth, including arts, entertainment and recreation, accommodation and food services, public administration and mining as well as utilities, construction and information. Finance and insurance, wholesale trade and retail trade were among the five industries reporting a decline. The services sector is being supported by consumers switching spending from goods, which are typically bought on credit. The Fed last month raised its benchmark overnight interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point, but indicated it was on the verge of pausing further rate hikes due to financial market turmoil. The U.S. central bank has hiked its policy rate by 475 basis points since last March from the near-zero level to the current 4.75%-5.00% range. U.S. stocks were trading lower. The dollar rose against a basket of currencies. U.S. Treasury yields fell. GRAPHIC: ISM services PMI https://www.reuters.com/graphics/USA-STOCKS/znpnbjexapl/ism.png TRADE DEFICIT WIDENS While accommodation and food services businesses reported that "traffic is recovering and nearly flat," they added "we are optimistic about the coming months." Construction businesses described sales as continuing to rise "even as interest rates moderately increase." Businesses in the information sector said the "slowdown in the economy is leading to reduced expenditure amounts," while healthcare and social assistance firms said "the near-term forecast is optimistic," despite labor shortages and inflation leading to higher operating costs. The survey's gauge of new orders received by services businesses dropped to 52.2 last month from 62.6 in February. Twelve industries reported growth in orders and comments from businesses included "increased guest traffic over last month," and "placing orders for the second half of year." With demand cooling, services sector inflation continued to subside, though it remains elevated. A measure of prices paid by services industries for inputs fell to 59.5, the lowest reading since July 2020, from 65.6 in February. The services sector is now at the heart of the fight against inflation as services prices tend to be stickier and less responsive to interest rate increases. Some economists view the ISM services prices paid gauge as a good predictor of personal consumption expenditures (PCE) inflation. The Fed, which has a 2% inflation target, tracks the PCE price indexes for monetary policy. Last month's slowdown in prices paid by services businesses also reflected a continued improvement in supply. The survey's measure of services industry supplier deliveries fell to 45.8 from to 47.6 in February. A reading below 50 indicates faster deliveries. Services sector employment growth also moderated. The survey's measure of services industry employment fell to 51.3 from 54.0 in February. That somewhat aligned with the ADP National Employment report on Wednesday showing private payrolls increased by 145,000 jobs in March after rising 261,000 in February. GRAPHIC: ADP https://www.reuters.com/graphics/USA-STOCKS/jnvwyleamvw/adp.png The reports were further evidence that the labor market was cooling. The government reported on Tuesday that there were 9.9 million job openings at the end of February, the lowest level since May 2021. Still, there were 1.7 job openings for every unemployed person in February. According to a Reuters survey of economists, the government's closely watched employment report will likely show on Friday that nonfarm payrolls increased by 240,000 jobs in March after rising 311,000 in February. The unemployment rate is forecast unchanged at 3.6%. Slowing economic activity was also confirmed by a third report from the Commerce Department showing that the trade deficit widened 2.7% to $70.5 billion in February as exports plunged, outpacing a decline in imports. GRAPHIC: Trade balance https://www.reuters.com/graphics/USA-STOCKS/movakynqzva/tradebal.png That prompted Goldman Sachs to lower its GDP growth estimate for first quarter to a 2.3% annualized rate from a 2.6% pace. A smaller trade gap contributed to the economy's 2.6% growth pace in the fourth quarter. "We expect net trade to pose a drag on GDP growth this year," said Matthew Martin, a U.S. economist at Oxford Economics in New York. "Weak demand overseas and the strong dollar will drag on exports, while soft domestic demand will pull down imports." (Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Andrea Ricci) Poland's President Andrzej Duda and first lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and first lady Olena Zelenska stand at the Royal Castle courtyard during a visit in Warsaw, Poland, April 5, 2023. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel KYIV (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said during a trip to Warsaw on Wednesday that Poland would help form a coalition of Western powers to supply warplanes to Ukraine, as it did with battle tanks earlier this year. Ukraine, which hopes to launch a counteroffensive in the coming weeks or months, wants to secure advanced fighter jets such as the U.S. F-16 from the West to help fight back Russian invaders and defend itself from air strikes. Warsaw is a close ally of Kyiv and helped galvanise support in the West to supply main battle tanks to Ukraine as part of a coalition of powers, a move that initially hit a diplomatic impasse that was then overcome. "Just as your (Polish) leadership proved itself in the tank coalition, I believe that it will manifest itself in the planes coalition," Zelenskiy said in a speech on a square in Warsaw. The Ukrainian leader said Russia would not defeat Europe while Ukraine and Poland were working closely together. "Poland with you, shoulder to shoulder, we will establish freedom in Europe forever, tyranny will lose in history when it loses in Ukraine," he said. He warned against the danger of solidarity fading for Ukraine and said that artillery and tanks should be provided when the battle on the front lines required it. "Because this is a battle for freedom and it is impossible to win partially," he said. (Reporting by Olena Harmash; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Sandra Maler) The Securities and Exchange Commission has not necessarily reviewed the information in this filing and has not determined if it is accurate and complete. The reader should not assume that the information is accurate and complete. UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM D Notice of Exempt Offering of Securities OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0076 Expires: August 31, 2015 Estimated average burden hours per response: 4.00 1. Issuer's Identity CIK (Filer ID Number) Previous Names X None Entity Type 0001966943 Corporation Limited Partnership Limited Liability Company General Partnership Business Trust X Other (Specify) Name of Issuer Circulate Capital Ocean Fund LAC, LP Jurisdiction of Incorporation/Organization SINGAPORE Year of Incorporation/Organization Over Five Years Ago X Within Last Five Years (Specify Year) 2022 Yet to Be Formed 2. Principal Place of Business and Contact Information Name of Issuer Circulate Capital Ocean Fund LAC, LP Street Address 1 Street Address 2 6 TEMASEK BOULEVARD, #09-05 SUNTEC TOWER FOUR City State/Province/Country ZIP/PostalCode Phone Number of Issuer SINGAPORE SINGAPORE 038986 82881875 3. Related Persons Last Name First Name Middle Name Circulate Capital LAC GP Pte. Ltd. n/a Street Address 1 Street Address 2 6 Temasek Boulevard, #09-05 Suntec Tower Four City State/Province/Country ZIP/PostalCode Singapore SINGAPORE 038986 Relationship: X Executive Officer Director X Promoter Clarification of Response (if Necessary): The General Partner of the Issuer. Last Name First Name Middle Name Kaplan Robert Ira Street Address 1 Street Address 2 6 Temasek Boulevard, #09-05 Suntec Tower Four City State/Province/Country ZIP/PostalCode Singapore SINGAPORE 038986 Relationship: X Executive Officer X Director X Promoter Clarification of Response (if Necessary): Mr. Kaplan is a Principal of the Issuer, a Director of the General Partner of the Issuer and is the Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Investment Manager of the Issuer. Last Name First Name Middle Name Hanhausen Ernesto Street Address 1 Street Address 2 6 Temasek Boulevard, #09-05 Suntec Tower Four City State/Province/Country ZIP/PostalCode Singapore SINGAPORE 038986 Relationship: X Executive Officer Director X Promoter Clarification of Response (if Necessary): Mr. Hanhausen is a Principal of the Issuer. Last Name First Name Middle Name Hafenmayer Wolfgang Street Address 1 Street Address 2 6 Temasek Boulevard, #09-05 Suntec Tower Four City State/Province/Country ZIP/PostalCode Singapore SINGAPORE 038986 Relationship: X Executive Officer Director X Promoter Clarification of Response (if Necessary): Mr. Hafenmayer is a Principal of the Issuer. Last Name First Name Middle Name Schegg Regula Maria Street Address 1 Street Address 2 6 Temasek Boulevard, #09-05 Suntec Tower Four City State/Province/Country ZIP/PostalCode Singapore SINGAPORE 038986 Relationship: X Executive Officer Director X Promoter Clarification of Response (if Necessary): Ms. Schegg is a Principal of the Issuer. 4. Industry Group Agriculture Banking & Financial Services Commercial Banking Insurance Investing Investment Banking X Pooled Investment Fund Hedge Fund X Private Equity Fund Venture Capital Fund Other Investment Fund Is the issuer registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940? Yes X No Other Banking & Financial Services Business Services Energy Coal Mining Electric Utilities Energy Conservation Environmental Services Oil & Gas Other Energy Health Care Biotechnology Health Insurance Hospitals & Physicians Pharmaceuticals Other Health Care Manufacturing Real Estate Commercial Construction REITS & Finance Residential Other Real Estate Retailing Restaurants Technology Computers Telecommunications Other Technology Travel Airlines & Airports Lodging & Conventions Tourism & Travel Services Other Travel Other 5. Issuer Size Revenue Range OR Aggregate Net Asset Value Range No Revenues No Aggregate Net Asset Value $1 - $1,000,000 $1 - $5,000,000 $1,000,001 - $5,000,000 $5,000,001 - $25,000,000 $5,000,001 - $25,000,000 $25,000,001 - $50,000,000 $25,000,001 - $100,000,000 $50,000,001 - $100,000,000 Over $100,000,000 Over $100,000,000 X Decline to Disclose Decline to Disclose Not Applicable Not Applicable 6. Federal Exemption(s) and Exclusion(s) Claimed (select all that apply) Rule 504(b)(1) (not (i), (ii) or (iii)) Investment Company Act Section 3(c) Section 3(c)(1) Section 3(c)(9) Section 3(c)(2) Section 3(c)(10) Section 3(c)(3) Section 3(c)(11) Section 3(c)(4) Section 3(c)(12) Section 3(c)(5) Section 3(c)(13) Section 3(c)(6) Section 3(c)(14) X Section 3(c)(7) Rule 504 (b)(1)(i) Rule 504 (b)(1)(ii) Rule 504 (b)(1)(iii) Rule 505 X Rule 506(b) Rule 506(c) Securities Act Section 4(a)(5) 7. Type of Filing X New Notice Date of First Sale 2023-03-23 First Sale Yet to Occur Amendment 8. Duration of Offering Does the Issuer intend this offering to last more than one year? X Yes No 9. Type(s) of Securities Offered (select all that apply) Equity X Pooled Investment Fund Interests Debt Tenant-in-Common Securities Option, Warrant or Other Right to Acquire Another Security Mineral Property Securities Security to be Acquired Upon Exercise of Option, Warrant or Other Right to Acquire Security X Other (describe) 10. Business Combination Transaction Is this offering being made in connection with a business combination transaction, such as a merger, acquisition or exchange offer? Yes X No Clarification of Response (if Necessary): 11. Minimum Investment Minimum investment accepted from any outside investor $ 0 USD 12. Sales Compensation Recipient Recipient CRD Number X None (Associated) Broker or Dealer X None (Associated) Broker or Dealer CRD Number X None Street Address 1 Street Address 2 City State/Province/Country ZIP/Postal Code State(s) of Solicitation (select all that apply) Check All States or check individual States All States Foreign/non-US 13. Offering and Sales Amounts Total Offering Amount $ 150,000,000 USD or Indefinite Total Amount Sold $ 19,700,000 USD Total Remaining to be Sold $ 130,300,000 USD or Indefinite Clarification of Response (if Necessary): The total amount sold and number of investors reflects sales to only U.S. investors. The total amount sold to non-U.S. Investors is $45,600,000. 14. Investors Select if securities in the offering have been or may be sold to persons who do not qualify as accredited investors, and enter the number of such non-accredited investors who already have invested in the offering. Regardless of whether securities in the offering have been or may be sold to persons who do not qualify as accredited investors, enter the total number of investors who already have invested in the offering: 4 15. Sales Commissions & Finder's Fees Expenses Provide separately the amounts of sales commissions and finders fees expenses, if any. If the amount of an expenditure is not known, provide an estimate and check the box next to the amount. Sales Commissions $ 0 USD Estimate Finders' Fees $ 0 USD Estimate Clarification of Response (if Necessary): 16. Use of Proceeds Provide the amount of the gross proceeds of the offering that has been or is proposed to be used for payments to any of the persons required to be named as executive officers, directors or promoters in response to Item 3 above. If the amount is unknown, provide an estimate and check the box next to the amount. $ 0 USD Estimate Clarification of Response (if Necessary): Signature and Submission Please verify the information you have entered and review the Terms of Submission below before signing and clicking SUBMIT below to file this notice. Terms of Submission In submitting this notice, each issuer named above is: Notifying the SEC and/or each State in which this notice is filed of the offering of securities described and undertaking to furnish them, upon written request, in the accordance with applicable law, the information furnished to offerees.* Irrevocably appointing each of the Secretary of the SEC and, the Securities Administrator or other legally designated officer of the State in which the issuer maintains its principal place of business and any State in which this notice is filed, as its agents for service of process, and agreeing that these persons may accept service on its behalf, of any notice, process or pleading, and further agreeing that such service may be made by registered or certified mail, in any Federal or state action, administrative proceeding, or arbitration brought against it in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, if the action, proceeding or arbitration (a) arises out of any activity in connection with the offering of securities that is the subject of this notice, and (b) is founded, directly or indirectly, upon the provisions of: (i) the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the Investment Company Act of 1940, or the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, or any rule or regulation under any of these statutes, or (ii) the laws of the State in which the issuer maintains its principal place of business or any State in which this notice is filed. Certifying that, if the issuer is claiming a Rule 505 exemption, the issuer is not disqualified from relying on Rule 505 for one of the reasons stated in Rule 505(b)(2)(iii) or Rule 506(d). Each Issuer identified above has read this notice, knows the contents to be true, and has duly caused this notice to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned duly authorized person. For signature, type in the signer's name or other letters or characters adopted or authorized as the signer's signature. Issuer Signature Name of Signer Title Date Circulate Capital Ocean Fund LAC, LP /s/ Robert Ira Kaplan Robert Ira Kaplan Director of the General Partner of the Issuer 2023-04-05 Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number. * This undertaking does not affect any limits Section 102(a) of the National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996 ("NSMIA") [Pub. L. No. 104-290, 110 Stat. 3416 (Oct. 11, 1996)] imposes on the ability of States to require information. As a result, if the securities that are the subject of this Form D are "covered securities" for purposes of NSMIA, whether in all instances or due to the nature of the offering that is the subject of this Form D, States cannot routinely require offering materials under this undertaking or otherwise and can require offering materials only to the extent NSMIA permits them to do so under NSMIA's preservation of their anti-fraud authority. BEIJING, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday talked over phone with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. Li said that China and Vietnam are a community with a shared future of strategic significance and share a special friendship of "comrades and brothers," adding that their good neighborliness is of paramount importance and in line with the interest of both countries. China, Li said, stands ready to work with Vietnam to turn the ambitious blueprint outlined by General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Xi Jinping and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong into reality and jointly push for more practical outcomes in China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperation. Li underscored that the two sides should promote the high-quality synergy of the Belt and Road Initiative with the "Two Corridors, One Economic Belt," and work together to build a system of industrial and supply chains that is stable, smooth, mutually beneficial and win-win. China and Vietnam should continue to take concrete actions in promoting stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific and jointly build a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home of China and ASEAN, Li said. He added that the two sides should stay committed to managing differences through dialogue and consultation, and create together a sound external environment for the development of the two countries. For his part, Pham Minh Chinh said that the Vietnam-China traditional friendship enjoys a long history, and the CPV, the Vietnamese government and people will always remember the tremendous help provided by the CPC, the Chinese government and people for Vietnam's struggle for national independence and liberation and the promotion of national economic and social development. Noting that developing the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership is a top priority in Vietnam's foreign policy, the Vietnamese prime minister said currently, bilateral relations are standing at a new historical starting point and facing important opportunities for development. Vietnam, he said, stands ready to work with China to strengthen political communication and strategic mutual trust, expand practical cooperation in various fields, strengthen friendly exchanges at all levels, properly handle differences, advance communication and coordination in multilateral fields, and advance bilateral relations to a new high. CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa An airman assigned to Kadena Air Base has been fined $1,500 for setting fire to a rooftop tool shed in Chatan town earlier this year. The Naha Summary Court on Friday convicted Staff Sgt. Mason Laubach, 27, of arson and trespassing in the January incident, a spokeswoman for Naha District Court said by phone Monday. Laubach, arrested Jan. 15 and held until Feb. 3, was fined but received no further jail time, the spokeswoman said. He has 14 days to appeal, according to the prosecutors office website. Police originally held Laubach on suspicion of stealing the equivalent of $8 from a parked car and starting a fire that destroyed the shed and the tools inside. A Breathalyzer test on Jan. 15 measured Laubachs blood-alcohol content at 0.12%, four times Japans legal driving limit of 0.03%, a city police spokesman said at the time. Government spokespeople in Japan are routinely required to speak to the media only on condition of anonymity. A 44-year-old command sergeant major accused of distributing child pornography, adultery and sharing explicit photographs of himself while in uniform will face a court-martial next month at Fort Polk, La., according to court documents. Command Sgt. Maj. Jeremy Compton served as the top enlisted soldier of the 46th Engineer Battalion at Fort Polk for two years before his arraignment on six counts of sexual misconduct Nov. 8. Compton pleaded not guilty, according to online court records. He is charged with four counts of owning and distributing digital images of a minor, or what appears to be a minor, engaging in sexually explicit conduct, according to Comptons charge sheet. Two of the charges are for incidents that occurred between Aug. 23, 2020, and Sept. 8, 2020, and two charges occurred between April 20, 2021, and June 21, 2021. Compton, who is married, is accused of having sex with someone who was not his spouse in Little Rock, Ark., on or about May 1, 2021, according to the charge sheet. The final charge against Compton alleges he distributed images of himself dressed in his military uniform exposing himself at least once between April 2, 2021, and April 30, 2021. Charge sheets are typically available for public release after a service member is arraigned, but Brig. Gen. David Gardner, commander of Fort Polk, declined to do so in November citing a concern of impacting the pool of available jurors at the base. However, the court has decided to expand its call for jurors beyond Fort Polk, and subsequently Gardner agreed to release the information this week, said Shelby Waryas, a Fort Polk spokeswoman. Fort Polk officials did not provide any additional information about the charges against Compton. A court-martial with a jury panel is scheduled for May 30. Compton, who is not confined, is represented by two military attorneys, according to online court records. Compton enlisted as an engineer in January 1998, according to an online biography. He has served at Fort Bragg, N.C., Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and Fort Hood, Texas. He also has been assigned to bases in South Korea and Italy. He served on deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan and Liberia. HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (Tribune News Service) With a new Congress, the Navy is trying again with its proposal to shrink the fleet as part of its divest to invest approach. The Navy unveiled its Fiscal Year 2024 budget in mid-March, announcing it plans to decommission 11 aging warships. Of those on the chopping block, four are based in Hampton Roads two guided missile cruisers, the USS Leyte Gulf and USS Vicksburg; and two amphibious dock landing ships, the USS Gunston Hall and USS Tortuga. In divesting the decades-old warships, the budget would secure nine new vessels. But the idea of shrinking the fleet at a faster rate than growing it is a hot-button topic among Virginia Congress members. Rep. Rob Wittman R- 1st District, said Monday that he is adamantly opposed to the Navys proposal to retire more ships than it will build in fiscal year 2024. He asserted that China is on track to surpass the capabilities and capacity of the U.S. in the next few years. I am deeply concerned with the Department of Defenses willingness to accept near-term risk by divesting existing platforms without replacements, Wittman said. Wittman also voiced his concerns during the Houses Armed Services Committee hearing last week. The Congressman quoted former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who famously stated, You go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time. I am having a hard time seeing where we are going. I am not a mathematician but I want to know how you do addition by subtraction? Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin defended the Navys plan, stating it is about quality over quantity. We dont want to have to continue to invest to maintain aircraft and ships it that are costly and provide headwinds, Austin began before he was interrupted by Wittman. With all due respect, quantity has a quality all its own. ... My concern is if we dont do both capability and capacity, we are going to find ourselves in incredibly challenging places, Wittman said. Rep. Jen Kiggans, R- 2nd District, echoed Wittman Tuesday in a statement. Now is not the time to retire ships that have not reached the end of their service life. Our Navy is the best fighting force in the world, but we must ensure we have the number of ships needed to take the fleet to the fight, Kiggans said. Contributing to long-term problems with Naval infrastructure, Kiggans said, were the closings of half of the Navys public shipyards in the 1990s. And in January, four drydocks, including the only West Coast drydock capable of repairing aircraft carriers, were closed due to seismic activity. We must ensure we continue to invest in our shipbuilding and ship-repair industries. That must be a top priority in our defense budget this year and every year, Kiggans said. This is not the first time the Navy has sought to decommission warships. In the last budget cycle, four cruisers that had either reached or surpassed their expected 35-year service lives were retired. Only the Vicksburg, which is facing retirement again, was spared. The 32-year-old cruiser is undergoing an overhaul at BAE Systems in Norfolk. Retiring vessels like the Vicksburg that havent reached their retirement age yet is a huge mistake it decreases the size of our Navy and wastes taxpayer dollars, Kiggans said. The Navy tried to decommission the Gunston Hall and Tortuga, which are 35 and 34, during last years budget cycle. But the 117th Congress a government trifecta held by the Democrats blocked the effort. Although Republicans won control of the House in 2022 elections, Wittman said the reaction to the Navys proposal would not be different. The composition of Congress has changed in the 118th, but the threats facing the U.S. military have not, Wittman said. But if history serves as an example, the USS Leyte Gulf is likely to be decommissioned in the coming year. At 38, the cruiser is three years past its expected 35-year service life. Ships should be retired when they are past their service life. This is a practical decision that is best for the fleet and our sailors, Wittman said. Wittman and Kiggans said they would like to see some ships repurposed, rather than retired, so as not to subtract from the fleet during the years it takes to build new warships. 2023 The Virginian-Pilot. Visit pilotonline.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa Japanese police jailed two Marines on Okinawa in separate incidents over the weekend at a popular nightlife district outside Kadena Air Base. Okinawa police arrested Lance Cpl. Alfredo Francesco Rubinstein, 21, of Camp Schwab, at 2:22 a.m. Saturday after he allegedly grabbed a restaurant employee, age 58, by the neck and lacerated the mans forehead, a police spokesman told Stars and Stripes by phone Monday. A day later, Pfc. Adrian Jesus Martinez, 20, of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, was detained after a woman said he grabbed her and threw her down, bruising her leg, the spokesman said. Both Marines were held on suspicion of causing bodily injury, according to the spokesman. He said breath tests on both men measured their blood alcohol content at 0.12%, four times the legal driving limit in Japan. The men denied the allegations against them. Both incidents occurred on Prefectural Road 20, an area of bars and restaurants known locally as Gate 2 Street, in the Chuo district of Okinawa city, the police spokesman said. The Marines were still in police custody Wednesday, the police spokesman said that day. Some government spokespeople in Japan are required to speak to the media only on condition of anonymity. Rubinstein, a machine gunner with 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, was subdued by witnesses until police arrived, the spokesman said. Police referred Rubinsteins case to prosecutors on Sunday. Martinez, a Texas native and motor vehicle operator with Marine Air Control Squadron 4, was arrested at 3:21 a.m. Sunday, the spokesman said. A woman, 33, told police Martinez assaulted her after she scolded him for kicking a signboard on the street. Police referred his case to prosecutors on Monday. Chinese law enforcement vessels began a special joint patrol of the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday just hours before Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen was scheduled to meet House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California, according to Chinese state media. A maritime law enforcement vessel formation, led by the Chinese coast guard cutter Haixun 06, began a patrol of central and northern portions of the strait, CCTV.com reported Wednesday afternoon. Additional details, such as the patrols duration and the number of ships involved, were not disclosed by CCTV.com. The announcement came as Tsai was enroute to Simi Valley, Calif., the last scheduled stop on a trip to Guatemala and Belize, two Central American countries among 13 in the world that officially recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state. China considers self-governing Taiwan a breakaway province that must be reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary. Tsai and McCarthy planned to meet Wednesday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum. China views the meeting as provocative and the patrol may signal Beijings displeasure. Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Mao Ning on Tuesday said the visit seriously contravenes the one-China principle and gravely undermines Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity. Under the One China policy, the U.S. acknowledges Beijings view that it has sovereignty over Taiwan, which split from the mainland in 1949, but considers the island democracys status unsettled. The Chinese side will closely monitor the situation as it develops and resolutely defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity, Mao said at a Tuesday news conference. When former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei in August, China responded with a weeklong military exercise around Taiwan that included live-fire drills and ballistic missile launches. Since then, China has almost daily and without notice sent large numbers of aircraft and warships across the 110-mile-wide Taiwan Strait. On Wednesday morning, three Chinese warships and 14 aircraft traveled toward Taiwan, with two aircraft entering the islands air defense identification zone, according to Taiwans Ministry of National Defense. TOKYO A new evacuation plan for an eruption of Japans venerated Mount Fuji calls on visitors on its flanks to descend as soon as authorities detect a potential for increased volcanic activity to prevent panic. The first revision to the plan in nine years follows a 2021 update to the hazard map that widens the area likely to suffer from pyroclastic and lava flows if the volcano erupts. The disaster management council for Mount Fuji released the updated revised plan on March 29. Mount Fuji, called Fuji-san by the Japanese, is an active volcano and at 12,388 feet is the highest mountain in Japan. About 160,000 visitors climbed beyond the mountains eighth station at 10,170 feet during the climbing season last year. More than 200,000 visitors climbed the mountain every year before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Environment Ministrys website. Fuji last erupted in 1707 but a number of deep, low-frequency earthquakes between 2000 and 2001 indicate the volcano is still active. The new hazard map expanded the areas where damage may occur, but reduced the estimated time that lava may reach surrounding population centers, according to the plan. The mountain is 63 miles southwest of central Tokyo and straddles Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures, which has representatives on the council along with neighboring Kanagawa prefecture, local municipalities and the central government. The new plan calls for earlier evacuations. Tourists should return home in the cars and buses in which they arrived between levels 1 and 3 of a volcanic forecast by the Japan Meteorological Agency. Level 1 on the five-level scale indicates a potential for increased activity; Level 3 restricts further visits to the mountain. Lava could reach a population of about 108,500 people within three hours of an eruption. However, the lava is expected to flow slower than the speed of someone walking up a small incline, according to the plan. The plan recommends people in that zone, which includes the cities of Fujiyoshida, Fujinomiya and Gotemba, should walk, not drive, from the area to avoid traffic jams. In the zone where large cinders and pyroclastic flows are expected to fall, the population is encouraged to evacuate by motor vehicle before an official evacuation notice. This area includes about 5,800 residents in Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures. Pyroclastic flows form in different ways but contain a high-density mix of hot lava blocks, pumice, ash and volcanic gas, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. They move at very high speed down volcanic slopes and can cause death or burns and other serious injuries. The elderly and those who require assistance in moving should leave by vehicle when authorities announce a Level 4 eruption, according to the plan. A group of U.S. military officers partnered with Japanese hikers in southeastern Japan last week to recover parts of a B-29 Superfortress that crashed in the waning days of World War II. Three Americans, a translator and eight local residents scaled Mount Oyaji in the heart of Kyushu, the southernmost of Japans four main islands, on March 26 to pay homage to 12 U.S. airmen who perished on Aug. 30, 1945, Army Maj. Joshua Geiger told Stars and Stripes by phone Tuesday. The team, including Geiger, held a memorial service at the site before recovering engine parts, ammunition and a canteen, he said. The items will be used to educate local school children about the war. Its pretty incredible, Geiger said from the Japan Self-Defense Forces Western Army headquarters in central Kyushu, where he serves as a liaison. This is not the type of thing a whole lot of contemporary service members get to do. The B-29, known as the Riggs Crew after its commander, 1st Lt. Jack Riggs, was lost in a fiery crash three days before Japans official surrender. The bomber was ferrying supplies from Tinian to a prisoner-of-war camp in Fukuoka prefecture when it struck a ridge. The recovery mission began taking shape about a year ago when a civic group in town contacted Geigers predecessor to see if any service members might participate in a ceremony honoring the crew, Geiger said. The group was restarting annual memorial services at a monument near the base of the mountain after a layoff for the COVID-19 pandemic. It also asked if the service members wanted to visit the crash site with their members who maintain it. Geiger, of Norfolk, Va., enlisted fellow liaison Capt. Bradley Hood and Capt. Kurt James, a pair of Marines also working at the base. The hikers unofficial leader, Hiroshi Kudo, discovered Riggs Crew debris in 1987 while researching bears on Oyaji, he told Stars and Stripes by phone Tuesday. The discovery spurred Kudo to seek more information about the wreck and push for the monument, which was erected in 1995. Kudo and his friends also placed signboards with photos and information about the crew at the impact site, he said. They won the war, and those soldiers were supposed to go back to their nation alive but didnt, Kudo said. It is necessary to pray for them every year and to let people know about them. For the March 26 memorial service, the team started up the mountain at around 9 a.m., ensconced in a thick fog, Kudo said. A light rain fell most of the day. The hikers reached the 5,400-foot summit after about 90 minutes, Kudo said. They recovered a 175-pound piece of the bombers engine that he found with a metal detector last summer. They also uncovered .50 caliber machine-gun ammunition and an intact canteen, Geiger said. The hunk of engine was affixed to bamboo poles with wire and carried down the mountain in rotating teams of four, Kudo said. It will be kept at the Takachiho Community Center and used to educate the towns youth about the war. The 46-ton aircraft was on fire instantly after striking the ridge on neighboring Mount Shoji in dense fog, Kudo wrote on the community centers website. The aircraft slid for about 1,000 feet before stopping on the northwest side of Oyaji, where it exploded, killing all 12 on board. The men were buried at the site by locals immediately after the crash, Geiger said. Their remains were repatriated shortly thereafter by an Army graves registration unit. Connecting with the Riggs Crew had an immense impact on Geiger, a combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, and his Marine counterparts, he said. It was pretty striking that this bomber crew made it through the war and were killed doing relief work, he said. We were there to show our appreciation to [Kudos] group for their dedication in maintaining these sites all these years. NATOs top official on Wednesday warned China against supplying Russia with weapons for its war in Ukraine, saying such a move would have serious consequences for Beijing. Allies have been clear that any provision of lethal aid by China to Russia would be a historic mistake, with profound implications, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at the end of two days of talks in Brussels that included U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his allied counterparts. At NATO headquarters, members gathered this week to welcome Finland into the alliance fold. They also took stock of Russias war in Ukraine, which has raised security concerns that extend beyond Europe. Allies met with officials from several Pacific countries, including Japan, South Korea and Australia, to deliberate on the global consequences of Russias war, Stoltenberg said. This war is not only an attack on Ukraine, but on the international rules-based order that preserves peace and stability, he said. If President (Vladimir) Putin wins in Ukraine, it will send a dangerous message to authoritarian leaders around the world that they can achieve their goals through brute force. The NATO chief declined to detail what types of consequences China could face if it begins supplying lethal aid to Russian troops, but U.S. officials also have said such a step would have costs. Stoltenberg said Moscow and Beijings ties have grown closer since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with China propping up Russias economy. Joint military drills between the two countries also have increased, he said. What we know is Russia is more and more dependent on China, Stoltenberg said. Meanwhile, Chinese leader Xi Jinping has sought to position himself as a dealmaker, offering a 12-point peace plan to end the war. But that proposal, which calls for an end to hostilities without Russia ceding any of the territory it has captured since it launched its full-scale offensive last year, has gone nowhere. What we do know is China has not been able to condemn the brutal invasion of Ukraine, Stoltenberg said. In Brussels, allies also agreed to develop a multiyear assistance program for Ukraine that is focused on aligning the countrys military with NATO standards. This will assist Ukraine on its path to Euro-Atlantic integration, because Ukraines future is in the Euro-Atlantic family, Stoltenberg said. Still, that doesnt mean NATO membership is on the horizon for Ukraine. While Kyiv has been vocal about its desire to become a member, NATO hasnt taken any concrete steps to make Ukraines aspirations a reality. There are considerable divisions within the alliance about whether such a move is a good idea. Stoltenberg said the question of future NATO membership for Ukraine isnt the main priority now. Instead, allies are focused on giving Ukraine what it needs to prevail as a sovereign, independent nation in Europe, he said. UNITED NATIONS, April 4 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called for global action on mines on the occasion of the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, which falls on April 4. For the millions of people living amid the chaos of armed conflicts, especially women and children, every step can put them in danger's path. Even after the fighting stops, conflicts often leave behind a terrifying legacy: landmines and explosive ordnance that litter communities, Guterres said in a video message that was played at the UN Mine Action Symposium. Peace brings no assurance of safety when roads and fields are mined, when unexploded ordnance threatens the return of displaced populations, and when children find and play with shiny objects that explode, he said. The UN Mine Action Service gathers partners together to remove these deadly weapons, support national authorities, and ensure safe access to homes, schools, hospitals and farmers' fields. The service also supported the design of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and the safe export of grain and fertilizer from Ukrainian ports, the UN chief noted. "Yet, broader global efforts are essential to safeguard people from mines," said Guterres, urging member states to ratify and fully implement the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, the Convention on Cluster Munitions and the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. "On this International Day, let's take action to end the threat of these devices of death, support communities as they heal, and help people return and rebuild their lives in safety and security," he said. MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (Tribune News Service) In 2022, the state Legislature lifted the ban on construction of nuclear power plants. Part of the motivation was finding ways to repurpose coal-fired plants that have been or will be shutteredto keep the power flowing and keep people working. Now, that idea is working its way through the U.S. Senate. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito and two Democratic colleagues are leading a bipartisan group to advance the ADVANCE Act: Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy. "America can and should be a leader when it comes to deploying nuclear energy technologies, and this bipartisan legislation puts us on a path to achieve that goal, " said Capito, ranking member of the Environment and Public Works Committee. "This bill prioritizes the future of American energy security by establishing commonsense policies to help deploy nuclear energy, which is a clean and reliable generation source for our nation's electric grid, " she said. "It also directs the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to create a pathway for conventional energy source sites to be repurposed and used in the future." The bill has several components. Among them, it: empowers the NRC to lead in international forums to develop regulations for advanced nuclear reactors ; creates a prize to incentivize the successful deployment of next-generation nuclear reactor technologies ; reduces regulatory costs for companies seeking to license advanced nuclear reactor technologies ; requires the NRC to develop a pathway to enable the timely licensing of nuclear facilities at brownfield sites ; modernizes outdated rules that restrict international investment ; extends a long-established, indemnification policy necessary to enable the continued operation of today's reactors and give certainty for capital investments in building new reactors ; identifies modern manufacturing techniques to build nuclear reactors better, faster, cheaper, and smarter ; provides the NRC the tools to hire and retain highly specialized staff and exceptionally well-qualified individuals to successfully and safely review and approve advanced nuclear reactor licenses, as NRC staff is under attrition pressure due to an aging workforce ; requires the NRC to periodically review and assess performance metrics and milestone schedules to ensure licensing can be completed on an efficient schedule. EW chair and bill cosponsor To Carper, D-Del., said, "As our nation's largest source of reliable, carbon-free electricity, nuclear energy is critical to meeting our climate goals and maintaining our energy security. The ADVANCE Act will help the United States remain a clean energy leader by providing the certainty needed to safely deploy the next generation of nuclear reactors and fuels. This bipartisan legislation will also ensure that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has the tools and workforce to keep our current reactors safe and to efficiently review new nuclear technologies." Four other Democrats and four Republicans are also cosponsors. Stakeholder support includes the Nuclear Energy Institute, the U.S. Nuclear Industry Council, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Energy Institute, the Fastest Path to Zero Initiative, the Clean Air Task Force and the Nature Conservancy, among others. (c)2023 The Dominion Post (Morgantown, W.Va.) Visit The Dominion Post at www.dominionpost.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A Southern California pharmacist who had been convicted for her role in bilking more than $11 million from U.S. military health insurer Tricare was sentenced this week to 15 years in prison. Sandy Mai Trang Nguyen, 42, also was ordered to pay $11 million in restitution, a federal judge in the Central District of California said in an order filed Monday. Prosecutors said Nguyen used her position as the pharmacist in charge of Irvine Wellness Pharmacy to help other schemers fill more than 1,000 bogus prescriptions. The Orange County pharmacy is now defunct. It was essentially a fraud factory that was churning out prescriptions solely to make a fast buck, according to a Justice Department statement Monday. Nguyen processed approximately 1,150 almost identical prescriptions from 2014 to 2015, the indictment against her said, adding that the pharmacy received an average of more than $11,000 per prescription from Tricare in 2015. Most of the medications provided are for generic pain, scarring, stretch marks or erectile dysfunction, according to the indictment. The pharmacy also filled prescriptions with vitamins for general wellness, it said. Nearly all of these prescriptions came from associates of others involved in the fraud ring, who received kickbacks each time Tricare reimbursed a claim, prosecutors said. They went to people who gave their Tricare insurance information for medications they did not need, the indictment said. Most were never examined by a doctor, according to the court filing. Miami resident and co-defendant Marcus Orlando Armstrong, 56, who was the pharmacys director of operations, was sentenced in March to more than nine years in prison. Armstrong, Nguyen and Leslie Andre Ezidore, 53, of West Los Angeles, Calif., were named as the ringleaders of the scheme in the governments criminal complaint. Ezidore, who pleaded guilty to felony charges and awaits sentencing, used false names and shell companies to hide his control of the Irvine Wellness Pharmacy, an indictment said. The pharmacy was losing $10,000 a month due to a lack of customers prior to the scheme to bilk Tricare, prosecutors said. Nguyen testified that she had filled prescriptions that she believed were properly approved, Courthouse News Service reported Monday. But prosecutors argued that as a licensed pharmacist, the scheme could not have worked without her. They also said that she could have seen that various members of the same families were given the same medications, and that the prescriptions were coming from doctors that didnt live in the same states as the people receiving the orders. In November 2022, a jury found Nguyen guilty on 21 counts of health care fraud and one count of obstruction of a federal audit. A federal judge wanted to give her a lighter sentence but changed his mind when Nguyen declined to speak at sentencing on the advice of her lawyer, who said a bid for leniency could undermine her appeal, Courthouse News Service said Monday. Another defendant, Alexander Michael Semenik, 51, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to felony charges and awaits sentencing. Semenik ran a company that received kickbacks to refer prescriptions to the pharmacy, the government said. UNITED NATIONS, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations is seeking clarity after the Afghan Taliban banned female national staff of the United Nations from working in the country, said a UN spokesman on Tuesday. "Our colleagues on the ground at the UN mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, received word of an order by the de facto authorities that bans female national staff members of the United Nations from working," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The United Nations is still looking into how this development would affect its operations in Afghanistan and expects to have more meetings with the Taliban in Kabul on Wednesday, "in which we are trying to seek some clarity," he said. For the secretary-general, any such ban would be unacceptable and inconceivable. This is the latest in a disturbing trend undermining the ability of aid organizations to reach those most in need, Dujarric told reporters. "It goes without saying, but unfortunately, it does need saying, that female staff members are essential for the United Nations to deliver life-saving assistance," he said. Such orders violate the fundamental rights of women and infringe on the principle of nondiscrimination, said the spokesman. He later provided the gender breakdown of the UN staff members in Afghanistan. The world body has about 3,900 staff in Afghanistan, approximately 3,300 of them are nationals. Of those, there are about 400 women nationals and 200 women internationals. Out of a population of about 40 million people in Afghanistan, the United Nations is trying to reach 23 million men, women and children with humanitarian aid, said Dujarric. Given the society and the culture in Afghanistan, the world body needs women to deliver aid to women, he said. "So, we're staying in close contact and engaging the de facto authorities." (Tribune News Service) While on her way home from work one day, Misty Wright had seen her fiance working alongside his tow truck as cars continued flying by him. It gave her chills. Misty, dont worry. They keep us safe, Toby Bowden told her that night. Dont you worry. Ill be fine. Two weeks later, Bowden, who served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps before embarking on a career serving his community, died on the job. Investigators say he was killed when a drunk driver struck him while he was trying to tow a disabled vehicle from a crash scene on I-85 in Coweta County. He was 49. Their wedding was planned for Sept. 17 and Wright had already bought her dress and booked a photographer, caterer and florist. The couple had been together for 15 years. Bowden also is survived by a son. He walked out the door to go to work. We actually had coffee together that morning, Wright said. Hell never walk back through the door again. Around 7 a.m. on March 15, Coweta County deputies were assisting the State Patrol with a crash at mile marker 40 when Bowden, was hit, the sheriffs office said. The GSP trooper was standing next to the tow truck driver and suffered injuries that were not life-threatening. The troopers investigation revealed the left lane and left side emergency lane were blocked by two fire engines with their emergency lights activated assisting with a crash that had previously occurred, the State Patrol said in a statement. A tow truck driver, who was assisting with the previous crash, was standing on the left side emergency lane north of the fire engines. Investigators say the driver of a 2006 Honda Civic, 31-year-old Christopher Thornton, swerved to the right to avoid striking the fire engines and lost control of the car. The Honda began rotating counterclockwise toward the left side emergency lane, where it struck Bowden. He died at the scene, the State Patrol said. Thornton was arrested on an outstanding warrant, investigators said. He was also charged with first-degree vehicular homicide, Move Over Law violation, reckless driving, driving under the influence, failure to maintain lane, and driving too fast for conditions, the State Patrol said. Wright said the crash site where Bowden was working was blocked off and should have been visible to drivers. Thornton also hit a fire truck before he killed Bowden, according to Wright. Georgias Move Over law requires drivers to move over one lane when possible if an emergency vehicle with flashing lights is parked on the shoulder of the highway, according to the Governors Office of Highway Safety. If it isnt possible to move over safely, the law requires drivers to slow down below the posted speed limit and be prepared to stop. Days after Bowdens funeral, tragedy struck the towing community again. This time it was on the I-85 loop entrance about 50 miles north. At approximately 12:25 a.m. on March 27, Troy Simon, 41, of Duluth and his tow truck were hit, according to the State Patrol. Troyvarius Crumedy, 22, from Stonecrest was arrested and charged with DUI, serious injury by vehicle, failure to maintain lane, no proof of insurance and driving too fast for conditions, according to investigators. Crumedy is currently free on bond, Fulton County jail records show. Simon is also survived by the woman he was engaged to marry, according to a GoFundMe page. Troy was taken from us suddenly and his family and myself are left to pick up the pieces, Ashley Williams, Simons fiancee, posted on the fundraising site. Troy was a loving, caring, and overall great person and anyone who met him would have nothing but good things to say about him. According to the motor club AAA, an average of 24 emergency responders including tow providers are struck and killed by vehicles each year. Deaths like these can be avoided if drivers slow down and move over to give these people room to work safely, said AAA president and CEO Marshall Doney. We cant stress enough how important it is to pay attention so you have time to change lanes when you see AAA, an emergency responder, or simply anybody along the side of the road. Pam Cline, who owns Clines Towing with her husband, has been in the towing business for 20 years and has seen an increase in dangerous driving. One of her own drivers escaped serious injuries after a young driver nearly hit him in Paulding County, she said. Obviously it has always been dangerous. Its part of the trade, said Cline, who didnt employ either of the two men killed recently. But in the last several years, its much worse. Its not just the interstates. Its ridiculous how people drive. The people just do not get over. Nor do they slow down. Within the last month, metro Atlanta police cars were also struck by drivers, though the officers werent hurt. In early March, a Sandy Springs police officer narrowly escaped injury when a driver on I-285 smashed into his stationary patrol car as he worked a separate wreck, officials said. A week later, a driver slammed into a Clayton County police car but managed to miss two officers already working a crash, the department said. As she planned Bowdens funeral, Wright said she was also forced to put down his dog, Blue, who had recently suffered a stroke. About a month earlier, the couple had also said goodbye to another dog, Brody, she said. Both dogs were cremated, Wright said, and their ashes tucked into Bowdens casket. They have each other, she said. 2023 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. YAKIMA, Wash. (Tribune News Service) In his 90 years of life and 65 years as a priest, Monsignor John Ecker has seen a lot of changes in the Catholic Church, at St. Paul Cathedral, where he first served in 1958, and in the Yakima Valley overall. Through it all, one thing has remained constant: his appreciation and enjoyment of working with others. And at an age when most people have retired, he has no intention of slowing down. "I like what I do. I like what I am and what I do," Ecker said during a March 20 interview in the parish offices at St. Paul Cathedral. "I look at my fellow classmates, there's only a few of us left. There were 61 of us ordained in the same ceremony on Feb. 3, 1958, and there's about seven of us left. They're all retired. "I look at their lives and I say, you know, I prefer to be here doing what I'm doing now. I prefer to stay active with the people," he added. "I enjoy it, and they haven't thrown me out yet, so ..." Ecker called himself "an active pastor" and his weekly schedule includes personal counseling, marriage counseling, Sunday Masses, baptisms, weddings, funerals and many other ministries. During his interview with the Yakima Herald-Republic, he had his running shoes on, hoping to head over to Franklin Park afterward for one of his three-times-a-week treks around the blacktop track there. His office, crowded with photos, mementos, books and piles of magazines, newspapers and papers, suggests a busy pastor with a unique organizational system. "Maybe we should take this picture in the church," Ecker suggested to a photographer. With a fundraiser for the Msgr. Ecker Foundation approaching on April 14 (see adjacent story), the longtime Diocese of Yakima priest answered a few questions from the Herald-Republic. You're originally from Boston, right? Yes. I grew up in the city of Quincy, Mass., which is just south of Boston. Went to high school in Boston and attended the seminary there. I came out here on loan for three years, right after ordination, in 1958. Ordained in Boston, at Holy Cross Cathedral. And then I came out here. The archbishop then, Richard Cushing, had a plan that said, "If they need you somewhere else, and you want to go, you can go off for three years. You can always come back." Here I am 65 years later, still here. I started here at the Cathedral in 1958 and was an associate here, a curate, for the first five years. In 1963 I became a pastor/rector of the Cathedral for three years, until 1966. I went to (Queen of All Saints parish) in Warden, a little tiny place outside of Moses Lake, for a year. They needed chaplains, so I went into the Navy as a chaplain, during the Vietnam era, back in 1967. I was at Norfolk Naval Air Station for a little less than a year. Then I went to Vietnam with the combat infantry Marines, 1st and 3rd Division. I was there in 1968 and '69. Then in 1969 I was at the headquarters of the Marine Corps in Arlington, Va. I was there for three years, and then I went to the USS Ticonderoga, which was an aircraft carrier. They traveled all over the Pacific. Went to Manila and all those different places. From there I went to the 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton down in California. In 1975 I decided to come back here and I was pastor out at Holy Family, on the west side (of Yakima), for five years. Started a new parish in Kennewick, Holy Spirit, in 1980. In 1988 I came back here again (to St. Paul Cathedral), and I've been here ever since. I know you've been involved with a lot of ecumenical efforts. I'm the representative here of the diocese on the Ecumenical Interfaith and I've been very much involved in that, ever since the (Second) Vatican Council ended. I was among those who started the ecumenical group among the pastors here way back in 1964. Ever since then I've been involved with the Association of Churches and the Association of Faith Communities, which succeeded that Association of Churches. I'm still an active member of that. You mentioned Vatican II. When you were ordained, it was still the Latin Rite Mass. That had to be a huge adjustment, not just for the faithful, but for the clergy, too. Sure. We had the traditional Mass in Latin. After Vatican II that changed into the vernacular, and I was really at the forefront of making those changes here at the Cathedral, and in the diocese too, because I was the head of the Liturgy Commission for the diocese at the time. It was something I really looked forward to, though. It was something, even when I was a seminarian, we used to hope for what happened in the second Vatican Council. When we could worship in our own language, and the different traditions and customs that came out of it. I was very happy to make those changes. What does being pastor of the Cathedral entail? When you're a pastor of a parish, you're kind of in charge of all the people in the parish. And we have between 1,600 and 1,700 families here in our Cathedral parish. It's been here 109 years. It was built by the first pastor, who later became bishop of Sacramento, Bishop (Robert John) Armstrong. I think I've been here longer than any priest that's been at the Cathedral. I was here eight years at the beginning, when I first came, from 1958 to '66. Then I was asked to come back by Bishop (William) Skylstad in 1988. So it's 35 years this time. What's one of your favorite things about being a priest, and what's one of the more challenging things? My favorite thing is probably associating with the great people of this area. The people are very warm and affirming. I find it a beautiful parish that encompasses the rich and the poor, the Hispanic and Anglo. The young and the old. I just find working with all those different people a joy. I enjoy preaching, that's one of my favorite things to do, and celebrating Mass. Challenging things? The problems that so many young people have with drugs and a feeling of alienation that nobody really cares about them. I find that kind of heartbreaking. Suicides are something that goes along with it. As someone who's not a priest, I would think that funerals would be one of the more difficult times. Actually, I'd rather have funerals than weddings they don't talk back! (Laughs) But no, I have a lot of funerals, probably the most funerals of any individual priest in the diocese, because I've been here so long. I've known generations of people, the grandparents and the parents and now the next generation, kids and then their kids. So I'm asked to go and take part in and to celebrate a lot of Masses of Christian Burial. Which I'm always happy to do if I can. It's a great consolation, too ... I don't find that the hardest thing to do, no. What role does your education foundation play in the community? About seven or eight years ago, they moved St. Paul Cathedral school from here and put it out at Holy Family, because most of the kids lived out there, on the west side. Christ the Teacher School. They established a foundation, it was for the old school, for Catholic education at St. Paul Cathedral School. Then when they moved the foundation out to Holy Family and changed the name, they asked me a few years ago if they could name it after me, because I was so involved with the school for so many years. I was really flattered that they would ask me. I said sure, if I can do anything to help you, go ahead. So the foundation has raised well over $1 million now. It's very much an active concern, and it's set up for Christ the Teacher School which is a successor of St. Paul Cathedral School. There's an active board, they're independent of the parish or the diocese even. They do a great deal to help with tuition for kids that can't pay tuition, and to make improvements to the school. It's specifically for that school. La Salle (High School) has their own, and so does St. Joseph/Marquette. That's something that probably has changed during your time as a priest the enrollment at Catholic schools. When I came here in 1958, St. Paul Cathedral School was the biggest private school west of the Mississippi River, with 1,300 kids here. We had two buildings, one that's still existing. We're renovating it right now and restoring it after a major flood that took place a year ago ... we're in the process of restoring that. It was the largest school. And we went down over the years, when I came back here, there were less than 150 kids, back in 1988. Now we've got over 200 out at Christ the Teacher. If there's a young person out there considering a religious vocation, what would be your advice to them? I tell them that for me, it's been a great, fulfilling and wonderful life. It still is it's not just 'has been,' but it really is. I have found that it's an extremely fulfilling and satisfying vocation for me, to be able to take part in so many people's lives. To be with them in their times of sorrow and joy. It's really a marvelous life. But I don't try to I encourage them, but I don't push them. They have to discern that themselves. I try to encourage them, I say that if you want to experience something like I've had, by all means. (c)2023 Yakima Herald-Republic (Yakima, Wash.) Visit Yakima Herald-Republic at www.yakima-herald.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. TAMPA (Tribune News Service) A military police officer at Camp Patrick Henry in Virginia reminded Roy Caldwood of his place in American society during World War II. I was sitting in a movie theater on the base, Caldwood said. He told me that I had to sit in the last 10 rows. Weeks later, for a little while, such treatment was just a memory. Caldwood, now 100, asked to be transferred to the 92nd Infantry Division of the Buffalo Soldiers, which was the U.S. Armys all-Black division from the 1860s through 1950s during that time of segregation. His unit was sent to Italy, where, Caldwood said, he was not treated as a lesser, not even by the Nazis. In the United States, I was always reminded that I was Black, Caldwood said. Italy was colorless. On Wednesday, Tampa City Council will honor Caldwood who moved to Florida a few years ago to live with his daughter with a commendation. He was among those who fought fascism overseas while his life was controlled by Jim Crow laws back home, said City Council member Luis Viera, who proposed the commendation and who represents Caldwoods New Tampa neighborhood. Mr. Caldwoods journey reflects a patriotism that aspires and challenges us to do better and live up to our ideals. He stands as a unique symbol of what is right with our great country, the commendation reads. The Buffalo Soldiers were made up of two infantries during World War II. The 93rd served in the Pacific Theater while the 92nd fought in the Italian Campaign. I was in that miserable place in Virginia when I read an article in Stars and Stripes asking for 14,000 well-trained Black men to join the Buffalo Soldiers, Caldwood said. I signed right up. I had been pre-med at Saint Johns University in Minnesota, so they made me a medic in the second platoon made up of 15 men. After training at Fort Huachuca in Arizona, the 92nd was sent to Italy during the summer of 1944. Upon arrival, Caldwood figured that he would still be treated as inferior. The ugly Americans were already at work, he said. The white soldiers were telling the Italians that we were animals who had tails and ate babies. But the Italians whom he met did not believe those lies. We always needed villagers to provide us with three homes two for outposts and one for a headquarters, Caldwood said. I knocked on the doors to ask because I knew some Italian. They were always happy to have us. We mostly forgot we were Black. Serving in northwest Italy, Caldwood estimates that he spent time in 15 villages that had already been liberated by the Allies. His platoon protected residents from Benito Mussolini supporters still in the villages and from Axis troops mounting offensives. On one occasion, the platoon was ordered to evacuate a village and then to find a location outside of it from where they could repel a pending Nazi attack. Before I could leave, two Italians begged me and another medic to help their friend, Caldwood said. I looked at my watch. It was very late. The Germans were expected soon. But I had to help. He was brought to a man with a fleshless leg. There was no time to ask what happened, Caldwood said. They quickly sterilized and bandaged the leg. Then, as Caldwood and the other medic tried to leave the village, Indian troops stationed too far away to see the color of their skin mistook the two Buffalo Soldiers for attacking Germans. The next thing I know, a mortar is right on top of me, 6 feet away, Caldwood said. I put up my arm when it exploded, and I was knocked 30 feet in the air. I thought I was dead. The next thing I know, I open my eyes and I am looking at the sun. Besides shrapnel in his arm, he was fine. Caldwood was awarded the Bronze Star for heroic achievement. Caldwood later thought he was moments from earning a Purple Heart, awarded to those killed or wounded while serving in the military. A group of Italian women asked for an escort to a grocery store that was a village over. Caldwood and two other men from the platoon volunteered. The sun is out and its a beautiful day, Caldwood said. And then I look around and realize where we were. An area we called Purple Heart Stretch because the Germans were hiding in the mountains and killing any American that walked by. But no one fired on them. Caldwood later learned that was because the village had a Nazi scout who told the Germans of the mission. They respected that we risked our lives to help the women, he said. They didnt see color anymore. Mussolini was executed by Italian citizens in April 1945. Caldwood remained in Italy for nearly a year after that. His platoon was celebrated wherever they went. In one village, two nuns grabbed us by the hands, he said. They took us to a building and opened the doors and all these little kids run to us, jumping and happy. The nuns told me that they wanted the kids to meet the men who made it possible for them to go home. Caldwood only worried about his color once while stationed in Italy. Caldwoods mother sent a care package that he wanted to share with a lieutenant sergeant and two female friends from the village. As they sat for lunch, word came that a captain was on the way. The captain was white, Caldwood said. I was suddenly reminded that I was a Black man having lunch with two white women. But when the captain walked in, he just pulled up a chair and asked what was for lunch. There was no discussion of color. After the war, Caldwood pursued a career with the New York City Department of Corrections, rising to the rank of assistant deputy warden and program director at New Yorks Rikers Island. Back in the United States, he said, life was no longer colorless. Thats a whole other story, Caldwood said. That was another fight. 2023 Tampa Bay Times. Visit tampabay.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to chair a meeting of the parliamentary leaders of the ruling coalition in Islamabad today. The gathering is expected to mull over the governments future strategy following Tuesdays Supreme Court verdict that set May 14 as the date for elections in Punjab. Apart from vociferously highlighting the governments position on the apex court verdict in parliament, the future strategy on the new date will also be formulated. The governments future strategy will be decided in consultation with all the allies. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court declared null and void the election commissions announcement of postponement of elections in Punjab to October 8. The three-member special bench declared the Election Commission of Pakistans March 22 verdict unconstitutional and illegal. It has ruled that the Constitution and law do not allow the ECP to postpone the elections. Altering the election schedule slightly, the Supreme Court has announced that the elections in Punjab will be held on May 14 instead of April 30. Maryam Nawaz, the chief organizer of Muslim League (N), has said that in the 76-year history of Pakistan, there have been 40 years of dictatorship, there were 4 dictators who stayed in power for ten, ten years through bullying, but never did any court dared to stand up against a dictator. Always an elected Prime Minister has been disqualified but not a single dictator. "When the parliamentarians were talking about law and Constitution, you [CJP] taunted them. Do you know how prideul it is to go to jail for a doctrine?" said the PML-N leader while addressing a Lawyers' Convention in Rawalpindi. Maryam's comments came after CJP remarked that certain people speaking in the National Assembly had served jail terms and were declared traitors. "Today, when you go to parliament, you find people who were till yesterday in captivity, imprisoned, declared traitors. They are now talking over there, and being respected because they are representatives of the people." His remarks were also criticised by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who said that it was a matter of pride for him that he had been released by the high court on merit in false and fabricated cases. "It is our right under the Constitution to express our views in the parliament," he said. Maryam said that the chief justice had gotten emotional during the election delay case hearing, adding that he should have gotten emotional when "I spent five months in Adiala Jail and five months in NAB's (National Accountability Bureau) custody". As the ruling of the Supreme Court bench on delaying elections in Punjab is well in the debate, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari Wednesday accused individuals in the judiciary of doing politics. Speaking at a ceremony for laying the foundation stone of the first health city in Gambat, Sindh the foreign minister accused members of the judiciary of taking sides, saying: These institutions have become puppets. Speaking about the ongoing conundrum regarding the polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), he alleged: The same plan through which the selected was imposed in 2018 is being put into play even today. An unworthy and incompetent leader was imposed on us back then and these judges could not see. A day earlier, in a major development and apparent victory for the former ruling party, the top court declared the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) decision on the Punjab and KP election null and void, ordering to hold snap polls. The decision has been slammed by the incumbent ruling alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). The PPP chairman too expressed his displeasure with the decision and said that the fight for "Lahores throne will sink Pakistan". We have to save this system, he said, adding that some people in the institution have become stubborn and are playing politics. He slammed the judiciary and said that the institution had failed to do its duty at various points in Pakistans history, including the hanging of his grandfather Zulfiqar Bhutto. We do not believe that there is any institution of justice in this country, Bilawal said. Under Bhuttos leadership, Pakistan had become a leader of the Muslim Ummah. However, because of these courts, the Qauid-e-Awam was hanged. They were not ashamed. No judge has heard the case of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto to date." He added, Some judges colluded with Musharraf and allowed 11 years of dictatorship and when Benazir was martyred, the judges did not give her justice. Bilawal lamented that he had failed to get justice for both his grandfather and his mother, and said: I am ready to protect the rights of the people. Turning his guns towards the deposed prime minister, the PPP leader said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and the former establishment had admitted to cheating on the Constitution and that members of the judiciary wanted to do politics. If you want to do politics, prepare yourself. We will compete with you in politics, he said. We will answer these puppets by winning the throne of Lahore. Speaking on the general political climate in the country, Bilawal said: Fight political battles but also work for the people according to your manifesto. If we did politics of manifesto instead of politics of hatred, division and abuse, Pakistan would have benefited. If we can do politics like that, nothing can stop Pakistan from growing and developing a strong economy, he added. The foreign minister also praised both his mother and his father Asif Ali Zardari for their services to the country. Health city Speaking about the health city that was being initiated, the PPP leader said lauded his partys efforts to improve healthcare in the country. He proudly shared that people would no longer have to go to India for kidney operations. There is the free treatment for Lingus and cancer at this hospital. The Gambat Hospital is ready to compete with any hospital in the whole world and that too for free. Bilawal further said: We want Pakistan to have the technology to make its own medicines. In a year, we will be making medicine here. He further expressed concern that the Sindh governments reputation had been tarnished so much that people could not believe how much work was being done and heaped praises on the hard work of the doctors at the Gambat University. Gambit University is our response to those who try to smear our reputation, he added. He then instructed Sindh Chief Minister: Keep doing your work, we will answer these puppets. Firefighters battle a fire at a market in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on April 4, 2023. A fire gutted thousands of shops in a market in a residential neighborhood of the old part of Dhaka on Tuesday morning, destroying goods and property. (Xinhua) A woman cries for her loss near the site where a fire broke out at a market in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on April 4, 2023. A fire gutted thousands of shops in a market in a residential neighborhood of the old part of Dhaka on Tuesday morning, destroying goods and property. (Xinhua) Firefighters battle a fire at a market in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on April 4, 2023. A fire gutted thousands of shops in a market in a residential neighborhood of the old part of Dhaka on Tuesday morning, destroying goods and property. (Xinhua) People gather at the site where a fire broke out at a market in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on April 4, 2023. A fire gutted thousands of shops in a market in a residential neighborhood of the old part of Dhaka on Tuesday morning, destroying goods and property. (Xinhua) Firefighters battle a fire at a market in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on April 4, 2023. A fire gutted thousands of shops in a market in a residential neighborhood of the old part of Dhaka on Tuesday morning, destroying goods and property. (Xinhua) Firefighters battle a fire at a market in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on April 4, 2023. A fire gutted thousands of shops in a market in a residential neighborhood of the old part of Dhaka on Tuesday morning, destroying goods and property. (Xinhua) Local people help firefighters to battle a fire at a market in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on April 4, 2023. A fire gutted thousands of shops in a market in a residential neighborhood of the old part of Dhaka on Tuesday morning, destroying goods and property. (Xinhua) Local people help firefighters to spray water at the site where a fire broke out at a market in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on April 4, 2023. A fire gutted thousands of shops in a market in a residential neighborhood of the old part of Dhaka on Tuesday morning, destroying goods and property. (Xinhua) Firefighters battle a fire at a market in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on April 4, 2023. A fire gutted thousands of shops in a market in a residential neighborhood of the old part of Dhaka on Tuesday morning, destroying goods and property. (Xinhua) Gardai saw Craig McDonnell (26) acting in a suspicious manner at Bachelors Walk in Dublin city centre Bachelor's Walk on the north side of the River Liffey Getty Images/iStockphoto A drug dealer caught selling heroin on a city street had never taken it himself and was trying to reduce his own cocaine debt, a court heard. Craig McDonnell (26) was jailed for six months when he appeared in Dublin District Court. McDonnell, of Longdale Terrace, Ballymun, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale or supply. The court heard gardai were on patrol at Bachelors Walk on September 17, 2020. They saw McDonnell acting in a suspicious manner and believed he was involved in a drugs transaction with another man. Gardai stopped McDonnell and he was found in possession of 250 worth of heroin. He had a number of previous convictions and was already serving another sentence when he appeared in court. McDonnell was 23 years old at the time of this offence, his barrister John Griffin said. At the time, he had a chronic cocaine addiction and had accrued a debt. The accused was simply selling heroin to reduce his own debt when he was observed by the gardai, Mr Griffin said. He had never actually used heroin himself. Judge Bryan Smyth made the six-month sentence concurrent. Maurice Fitzgerald was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a terrifying attack in which he gagged and bound a womans mouth, hands and ankles with duct tape in a laneway in Dublin last August. A FORMER jockey jailed last week week for a horror predatory attack on a woman is a serial offender who previously told gardai he was sick in the head. Maurice Fitzgerald was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a terrifying attack in which he gagged and bound a womans mouth, hands and ankles with duct tape in a laneway in Dublin last August. The 29-year-old was caught red-handed and arrested after residents living near the scene of the crime at Meeting House Lane, Marys Abbey, called Gardai. Two residents overheard the victim (26) screaming get it off me, leave me alone and get away from me, to which the depraved sex offender laughed and responded shut up, before dragging her out of sight. It is just the latest time Fitzgerald has come before the courts for dangerous and predatory attacks on women. In 2016, a court heard how Fitzgerald googled girl, tape and gagged on the day before attacking a student. He had followed the student, bringing with him scissors and duct tape, after she had left a house in Tralee, Co. Kerry. He caught her in a headlock and knocked her to the ground. Fitzgerald then put his hands around her neck and told her to put her hands in front of her, telling her that if she didnt: I will kill you f***ing now. Two passers-by came on the scene and intervened bringing the attack to an end. Shockingly, Fitzgerald would commit an almost identical crime just months after he was released from jail in 2021. The once-talented jockey pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning and assaulting a woman, causing harm last August 27, 2022, at Meeting House Lane in Dublin city centre. Maurice Fitzgerald during his time as a jockey In CCTV footage shown to the court last Friday, Fitzgerald was seen standing over his victim as he bound her with duct tape he purchased from a store on Liffey Street earlier in the day. The court listened in horror as they heard the womans screams and the sound of Fitzgerald repeatedly pulling strips of the duct tape from the roll to restrain her. As Garda sirens began to sound in the distance, the Corkman could be seen dragging the woman underneath a parked car and as the patrol vehicle arrived on the scene, he attempted to flee on foot but was quickly detained. The court heard Gardai were able to track his movements across Dublin on the day of the attack, Saturday, August 27, 2022. The sex beast boarded a train in Mallow, Co. Cork with a ticket to Kilkenny but did not disembark there, instead arriving at Heuston Station in Dublin just after 1pm. Throughout the evening he visited numerous pubs in different parts of the city. Just before 5.30pm, he visited Dealz on Liffey Street and purchased two rolls of silver duct tape and a claw hammer and a shopping bag. Following this he went to another pub where he bought a drink for a woman he was chatting to. At 6.45pm, he went to Eurogiant on Abbey Street, where he bought a third roll of duct tape. While there he got chatting to the cashier and they exchanged details and planned to meet later in the evening. The pair met and went to TP Smiths pub on Jervis Street, where they had three drinks. When he left the bar to walk her to a bus stop he left behind the bag containing his weapons. Its at this point in the night he first encountered his victim outside The Norseman pub in Temple Bar just after 10pm. The pair were seen on CCTV talking and chatting. They left the area together and tried to flag down a taxi on the Quays but didnt manage to do so. Instead the pair walked back to TP Smiths, where he retrieved his bag and went on to Marys Abbey and at 10.59pm the pair entered Meeting House Lane, where the offences occurred. A doorbell camera captured them on the lane at 11.14pm, until gardai arrived at 11.22pm. Gardai seized the packaging for two rolls of duct tape, one unopened duct tape, a claw hammer, and a gym bag containing clothes, Fitzgeralds passport and two condoms. They also seized his iPhone on which they found photos of women bound and gagged that he had downloaded online. They also found a photograph of an unknown woman that Fitzgerald had taken of an unsuspecting victim while on the Luas that day. After being taken to the Bridewell Garda Station, he was deemed unfit to speak to Gardai and so was not interviewed until the following day. During one of these interviews he admitted: Im guilty out. I did whatever. Im guilty of, dragging her across the floor. I obviously hit her. The victim, who suffers with chronic schizophrenia, was treated at the scene before being rushed to the Mater Hospital. Gardai said that the tape covering her mouth was so tight that they couldnt remove it by hand and instead had to use a knife. She was detained under the Mental Health Act and taken to a facility in the Midlands where she remains. She was unable to give a statement about the night to Gardai. Noting Fitzgeralds previous history, during sentencing at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin on Friday, Judge Nolan said he had certain interests and obsessions that are very unhealthy and very criminal. While he said he hoped that he would not re-offend, he couldnt rule it out. He was prepared to use force to apprehend and take a woman, Judge Nolan added, saying that if Gardai had not arrived when they did, something very serious would have occurred. Fitzgerald pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and assault, while the State entered a Nolle prosequi on two charges of possession of a weapon. While the prosecution asked for a life sentence, Judge Nolan gave Fitzgerald 10 years with 18 months suspended. Upon release from prison he will be on probation for five years. A headline sentence of 12 to 14 years was also set. Maurice was placed on the Sex Offenders Register when he was 20 years old, following an incident in 2013 where he attacked a woman who was urinating in a car park. He knocked the woman back and got on top of her, but she fought, punching and biting the Corkman until he got off her. After pleading guilty to sexual assault he was given a four-year suspended sentence and told to pay the victim 5,000 compensation. However, his sentence was reinstated after the sex attack on the woman in Tralee in 2015. In this attack, Fitzgerald gained the trust of a woman outside a nightclub when he was living in Kerry town while working at a nearby stud farm. He invited the woman back to his house where he said there was a party and assured the woman that she could sleep in a spare room. When they returned to the house there was no party and the woman went to bed fully clothed. She was then awoken by Fitzgerald who was making sexual advances towards her. The victim then left the house on foot and a few kilometres down the road she was attacked by Fitzgerald after he decided to chase after her, bringing with him duct tape and scissors. Two passers-by came to her rescue. It is only when Gardai found the attacker in the bushes that the woman realised it was the same man who had sexually assaulted her earlier in the night. He pleaded guilty to five counts, including false imprisonment, assault, sexual assault and possession of a weapon. Videos of the incident went viral on social media The trial of two teenage boys over the repeated ramming of a patrol car carrying two female gardai in Ballyfermot in Dublin has been upgraded to endangerment of life. The pair, aged 15 and 16, were further charged yesterday with creating the risk of death or serious harm by intentionally colliding stolen cars into the Garda vehicle on the evening of September 19. The Dublin Children's Court heard the two officers' patrol car was rammed three times after they responded to a report about joyriders. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has also recommended the two defendants should face trial in a higher court with broader sentencing powers. Videos of the incident went viral on social media. The footage showed a collision between the patrol vehicle and another car cheered by on-lookers. Gardai commenced an investigation and made five arrests, and in October, gardai charged a group of teenage boys. One of them, now aged 16, was originally accused of unlawful use of a stolen car at Cedarbrook Avenue and using or being a passenger in another stolen car on the same date. He was also charged with dangerous driving at Cherry Orchard Avenue and criminal damage to the garda car. Garda Daniel Matthewson further charged him today with two counts of endangerment of the lives of two female gardai at Cherry Orchard Avenue by driving "aggressively" and colliding into their patrol car. It is alleged he intentionally or recklessly created a risk of death or serious harm. A schoolboy, aged 15, was initially charged with unlawful use of a stolen car at Cedarbrook Avenue, dangerous driving, in a manner including speed, at Cherry Orchard Avenue, and criminal damage to a garda car at the same location. Detective Garda Ronan Coffey charged him today with a single count of endangering the lives of the two officers in the same manner. They made no reply to the new charges. The DPP recommended they face trial on indictment in the Circuit Court, but the boys can ask for their cases to stay in the Children's Court. Judge Michele Finan noted the DPP's direction and ordered a preliminary hearing in July to decide their trial venue. She directed the disclosure of prosecution evidence to the boys' lawyers. The defence can make submissions under Section 75 of the Children Act, citing the age and maturity of the defendants and any other relevant factors. A third boy, aged 15, was further charged with being a passenger in two stolen cars on the day of the incidents, and today, Judge Finan accepted jurisdiction for his case to stay in the Children's Court. Detective Garda Michael McNulty said that after responding to a report of joyriders, the two female gardai were "rammed" by two Toyota Aquas. The cars had been stolen within the previous 48 hours and were driven dangerously on the date of the incident, "They proceeded to ram the patrol cars three times," Detective McNulty alleged, adding that this boy was a backseat passenger. Judge Finan ordered him to appear again in May to enter a plea. Parents accompanied the three youths to court, and each case was called separately. The teens remained silent during their proceedings. They must attend school or bail supervision programmes and remain contactable by mobile phone, and two must stay out of the Ballyfermot area. The court has restricted them from contacting each other and warned them to be of good behaviour and not be in control of any motor vehicles. The boys have been warned that breaking bail terms risked them being held in custody. Until age 18, the law classes the defendants as children with a right to anonymity. Two other boys avoided court prosecution by acceptance into the Garda juvenile youth diversion programme earlier. The man is believed to have put his hand back in the makeshift bandage after washing himself. Gardai investigating the violent death of a young woman in Limerick were last night looking to trace a man seen entering a shop with a bandaged hand and then washed his hands in the store. Officers interviewed staff at the shop and removed a number of items from the premises. It is close to the scene of the fatal assault on the woman, who was aged in her 20s. The man is believed to have put his hand back in the makeshift bandage after washing himself. Gardai were anxious to speak to him to rule him in or out of their investigations. A garda spokesman said: An Garda Siochana does not comment on specifics of ongoing investigations. The womans body was discovered inside an apartment block on Dock Road, just off OCurry Street, about 1.30pm. Gardai said the woman died in a fatal assault, but they did not disclose specific details of her injuries. A garda forensic unit conducted a technical examination of the scene and investigators called in the office of the State Pathologist to perform a post-mortem examination. Detectives do not believe she had been deceased for a long period of time and understand she was assaulted a short time before being discovered. Gardai are awaiting the results of the post-mortem but sources said they were progressing the inquiry. Appealing for witnesses, a garda spokesman asked anyone with camera footage from the Dock Road and OCurry street areas of Limerick city from 1pm to 2pm to contact investigating gardai at Henry Street Garda Station on 061 212 400, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station. Death by violence is always a terrible tragedy, but its definitely worse when the person is young, in their 20s, with their whole life in front of them Prayers were being said for the victim at the Redemptorist church, located a few streets away. Fr Seamus Enright, Rector of the religious order in Limerick, said: We are horrified that such violence has come to our own community. We remember the young woman in our prayers and all those who are grieving for her, and we will be praying for her. A death like this reminds us of how precious life is and how we must do everything we possibly can to protect and enhance life and Id appeal to anybody with information to co-operate with An Garda Siochana, Fr Enright added. A source said there were about 16 apartments inside the building where the body was found, occupied by a mixture of both Irish and migrant single professionals and families. Limerick Fianna Fail TD Willie ODea said: Its an unspeakable tragedy. Death by violence is always a terrible tragedy, but its definitely worse when the person is young, in their 20s, with their whole life in front of them. Limerick has come an awful long way from the bad old days of gang crime, and constant stabbings and assaults and murders, and we want to see Limerick continue to go forward. There is a lot of cameras around the area so there could be some information available (to gardai), so I would ask the public to co-operate fully to make sure there is a successful prosecution for this horrific crime. The area is frequented by a sizeable migrant community. Local Muslim councillor Abul Kalam Azad Talukder appealed to the community to be careful. If you see anything suspect, just call to your local garda station, dont hesitate, he said. A mound of material on a driveway left by the crew AN Irish tarmac crew is suspected of scamming residents in Toronto after driveways were torn up before homeowners agreed to have work done. The smooth-talking salesmen with strong Irish accents pressured people into paying for the work which they hadnt asked to be carried out. Tarmac was torn up and a new surface laid, leaving at least one resident feeling compelled to pay up. Residents on one street told Global News the work was done after they had expressed interest but before anything had been agreed. Two men who claimed they were from Newfoundland, which has an accent similar to the Irish one, called door-to-door offering to carry out the work. One residents doorbell camera caught one of them speaking in a very typical Irish accent. They knew what they were talking about, said Lutchman Seedial. His daughter Patricia said her father hadnt agreed anything, but the next day the men were digging up the driveway and putting down a new surface. The crew on the driveway They give people no time to think, theyre very good salespeople in my opinion, said Lutchman. When I came out a quarter of my driveway was dug already. He felt because the work had been done he should hand over the $4,200 they asked for. Freddy Failla, who runs a local paving firm in the area, described the work as being of poor quality. The Irish tarmac crew used a similar company name to Mr Faillas while persuading residents to hire them. Theyre very pushy and they force people to do the job, he said. Its not the first time Irish tarmackers have caught the attention of the police in Canada, with the Toronto Fraud Squad previously showing an interest in the gangs. The highly developed scam is run by Irish gangs all over north America as well as across Europe. Last year the Sunday World revealed how Irish tarmac scammers were found guilty and fined in France, with separate arrests also in Italy and Spain. The crew In Sweden in 2021, a group of Irish brothers were jailed for tax evasion of 4 million for running a landscape company off the books. In the past the Sunday World has tracked victims in northern Italy and spoken to former crew members who explained how the scam works. It usually starts with a skilled salesman, who is often multi-lingual, approaching property with a too-good-to-be-true deal. Would-be customers are told the crew is working on a much bigger project nearby and leftover materials can be used for a bargain price. When the job is finished an over- inflated price is demanded for what is usually a botch job done quickly, and sometimes not even using proper materials. One man told the Sunday World some crews were generating as much as 100,000 in a single week. Each crew would be headed up by two of three family members along with a group of labourers, sometimes recruited in eastern Europe. At one point it was estimated that there were as many as 25 tarmacking gangs operating in Europe and further afield with connections to Rathkeale in Co Limerick. The 42-year-old who is originally from Finglas is suspected of being one of the two gunmen in the attack One of the countrys most feared gangland criminals has been arrested in prison today and is being questioned about the murder of the Monks brother Eddie Hutch in February, 2016. The 42-year-old who is originally from Finglas is suspected of being one of the two gunmen in the attack which was organised by the Kinahan cartel as a revenge killing just days after the Regency Hotel bloodbath in February, 2016. This is the second time that the gunman has been arrested in relation to the long running probe by officers based in the north inner city. He was arrested in his cell in Mountjoy Prison earlier today and must be returned to jail before any decision is made to potentially charge him in the case. Detectives believe the arrested criminal and another gangster from the north inner city were the shooters in the gruesome murder case. Despite up to nine arrests there in the case there has not yet been any criminal charges but senior sources have described tonights re-arrest as highly significant. Gardai have arrested a man in his 40s in connection with a fatal shooting which occurred on Poplar Row in Dublin 3 on 8th, February 2016, a garda spokesman said tonight. The man is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda Station in North Dublin, he added. The arrested man is considered a notorious hitman for the Kinahan cartel who is serving lengthy sentences for firearms and other serious offences. Eddie Hutch (59) who was murdered as part of the Hutch/Kinahan feud in his north-inner city home on February 8, 2016, in a revenge attack for the Regency Hotel shooting three days earlier. His younger brother The Monk is facing judgement at the Special Criminal Court in just 12 days time on the charge of the gun murder of Kinahan cartel gangster David Byrne in the Regency attack. A four man hit-team including the two gunmen were involved in the Eddie Hutch murder while several other people are believed to have provided logistical support to the murder gang. Gerry Hutch Last September an inquest into Mr Hutchs murder heard it is proving long and complex. Mr Hutch, a father of five and taxi driver from Poplar Row, Ballybough, Dublin 3 was approached by two gunmen as he pulled up in his taxi outside his home in Dublins north inner city on February 8, 2016. A silver BMW 3 series vehicle, which was believed to be the getaway car, was found abandoned a short distance away on St Patricks Parade in Drumcondra. Eddie Hutch was the first of six people associated with the Hutch gang to be murdered by the Kinahan gang in 2016 in the aftermath of the Regency Hotel shooting in a gangland feud which has claimed a total of 18 lives to date since the killing of Gary Hutch. The opening of the inquest into Eddie Hutchs death in July 2016 heard a post-mortem had confirmed that Mr Hutch had died as a result of gunshot wounds to the head. A brother of the deceased, John Hutch, who formally identified the victims body, subsequently died as a result of a fall at his home in Dublin in July 2019. It is believed that Mr Hutch was targeted by members of the Kinahan crime cartel solely because he was the brother of Gerry The Monk Hutch. The man turned himself in at a police station and did not appear to have any connection with the school A man armed with a hatchet has killed four children and wounded at least five others at a nursery in Brazil, authorities said. The states firefighter corps said the assailant jumped over one of the centres walls to get inside. The dead were aged between five and seven. The man turned himself in at a police station and did not appear to have any connection with the school. Authorities were searching for a motive, a police detective told television reporters in Blumenau. Images broadcast on networks showed weeping parents outside the private daycare centre called Cantinho do Bom Pastor. Amid rumours on social media of other potential attacks, Blumenaus mayor, Mario Hildebrandt, said the city suspended classes and will declare a 30-day mourning period. Mr Hildebrandt said five wounded children were take to hospitals. One was in serious condition. School attacks in Brazil have happened with greater frequency in recent years. Last week, a student in Sao Paulo fatally stabbed a teacher and wounded several others in Sao Paulo. Brazil has seen at least one past attack on a daycare centre. That attack also occurred in Santa Catarina state, in 2021. That killer used a dagger to kill three children under two years old and two adults. From 2000 to 2022, there have been 16 attacks or violent episodes in schools, four of which happened in the second half of last year, according to a report from researchers led by Daniel Cara, an education professor at the University of Sao Paulo. The researchers prepared the report for the government of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. There is no greater pain than that of a family who loses its children or grandchildren, even more so in an act of violence against innocent and defenceless kids, Lula wrote Wednesday on Twitter. My thoughts and prayers are the families of victims and the community of Blumenau in the face of the monstrosity of what occurred. Blumenau, a city of 366,000 people, is famous for its annual Oktoberfest festival. Its a rare double for the South Korean manufacturer The interior is as slick as the exterior The IONIQ 6 launched here in Ireland last month and is now on sale The IONIQ 6 has been named as the World Car of the Year for 2023 meaning Hyundai has now won back-to-back awards. The streamlined saloon, which launched here last month, won the coveted award 12 months after the IONIQ 5 won last year. It was only the second time in the 19-year history of the award South Korean car maker Hyundai has won a World Car of the Year title and like last year the company took out three award categories. In a changing of the guard, South Korean vehicles won four of the six categories in an awards program that historically has crowned European winners after Hyundai's sister brand Kia was named Best Performance Car with the EV6 GT electric vehicle. The other two gongs won overnight were World Electric Vehicle and World Car Design of the Year and the car was lauded by an international jury of 100 motor journalists from 32 countries. The interior is as slick as the exterior We are thrilled to receive this prestigious honour two years in a row, which recognises the tremendous talents and unrelenting efforts of everyone at Hyundai Motor Company to bring EVs like IONIQ 6 to market, said Jaehoon Chang, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company. This honour reinforces our commitment to be a global leader in vehicle electrification and will serve to embolden our efforts as a smart mobility solutions provider. We always want to connect with customers on an emotional level and with the design of the IONIQ 6 we have created truly one of a kind. The daring streamliner styling combines strong emotional appeal with aerodynamic efficiency to give exceptional range, said SangYup Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai Global Design Centre. Inside, we set-out to create a personal studio which offers the mindful space and calm functionality which, we believe, elevates EV design. One of the most appealing features of the gorgeous new car is the cost. It start at 48,295 for the Signature model, 54,315 for the mid-range Elegance model and 67,995 for the range-topping Finesse model. Congratulations to all at Hyundai from the Motormouths team TEHRAN, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday that the United States, the main enemy of Iran's Islamic establishment, is weakening day by day in the new world order. He made the remarks in an address to a gathering of senior Iranian officials, including President Ebrahim Raisi, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, as well as lawmakers in Tehran, reported the official news agency IRNA. The Iranian leader said that, based on the realities, the U.S. has weakened over the past years, describing the administration of President Joe Biden as "the weakest U.S. government over the past two decades." He said that, while Washington sought to form a united anti-Iran Arab front, the opposite has taken place today as Iran's relations with regional Arab states are expanding, the Iranian leader noted. Khamenei cited the U.S. failure to end Iran's nuclear program through exerting political pressure and reimposing sanctions as another sign of the U.S. declining power. The U.S. caused the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, but it has created a gap between Washington and its European allies. Though Washington sees Latin America as its "backyard," numerous anti-U.S. governments have come to power in that region, he added. Other signs also point to the decline of U.S. power, including the U.S. massive budget deficit, which equals its annual income, as well as the decreasing use of U.S. dollars in trade among countries, he said. The sitting of Dublin District Coroners Court heard that a file on the case by GSOC had been forwarded to the DPP on December 20 last year. The families of three men killed in a collision on the N7 in south Dublin two years ago while fleeing from gardai have expressed concern at a delay in finding out the result of an investigation by the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission into their deaths. The three victims who were members of a Tallaght-based burglary gang Dean Maguire (29), Karl Freeman (26) and Graham Taylor (31) were killed instantly when their BMW vehicle burst into flames following a head-on crash with a truck between Citywest and Baldonnel on July 7, 2021 while they were driving on the wrong side of the carriageway. At a preliminary hearing of the inquest into the deaths of the three men on Wednesday, solicitor for Mr Taylors family, James MacGuill, said his clients wanted the coroner, Clare Keane, to use her authority to establish why there had been such a delay by GSOC in completing its investigation. The sitting of Dublin District Coroners Court heard that a file on the case by GSOC had been forwarded to the DPP on December 20 last year. Mr MacGuill said his clients wanted to know if GSOC officials had faced difficulties in conducting their inquiry or if the watchdog body had experienced any non-cooperation by An Garda Siochana. The solicitor said it was a misfortune for the families of the victims that any summary offence that might have been identified by GSOC as having been committed by any garda could no longer be prosecuted because the 18-month deadline for taking such a case would have passed. The doors are shutting down on the effectiveness of the GSOC inquiry, remarked Mr MacGuill. Karl Freeman He also pointed out that the ability to bring a civil action against any party from such a case was beyond the means of most individuals given the level of scientific complexity relating to the mens deaths. Mr MacGuill argued the delays in the case by GSOC and the DPP were also impacting on the effectiveness of Dr Keanes inquest. He claimed it was possible that something had happened in the case given the delay in the DPP making a decision on the GSOC file about which the coroner should be notified. The solicitor also raised the issue of allowing the legal representatives of the families to have access to a range of different technical reports in the case as well as video footage. Aunt of N7 crash victim Dean Maguire denies funeral procession glorified criminality Image paying tribute to N7 crash victim's burglary talents goes viral on social media Suspected driver in N7 horror crash was being investigated over threats to pregnant woman He complained that the families had been left for almost two years with any basic information relating to the deaths of their loved ones. A solicitor for Mr Maguires family, Michael Finucane, said he endorsed all the points raised by Mr MacGuill. Mr Finucane also remarked that he believed GSOC had not been forthcoming with information and assistance about its inquiry. He claimed the families of the deceased needed at least an explanation for delays in the case by GSOC and the DPP. Proper answers are required from the State agencies, he added. Dean Maguire GSOCs deputy director of operations, John Leeman, made an application for the inquest to be adjourned under Section 25.1 of the Coroners Act on the basis that criminal proceedings in the case were being considered. Mr Leeman confirmed that GSOC had forwarded its file on the deaths of the three men to the DPP last December. Asked by Dr Keane when the DPP might decide on whether any criminal prosecution should follow, Mr Leeman said he hoped to have that answer within the next few months. Addressing relatives of the three men who attended the hearing, Dr Keane acknowledged that waiting for a decision from the DPP was frustrating for them. The coroner offered them her commitment that she would set another date for mention of the case as soon as she heard back from the DPP. Dr Keane rejected the request by Mr MacGuill that she should allow legal representatives of the families to begin preparatory work for the full inquest by setting a date for them to get material from GSOC rather than leave matters in the air. She explained it was not the usual practice of the coroners court to begin such preparatory work in advance of a decision by the DPP but she stressed that she did not want the families to think she was blocking progress in the case. Graham Taylor Dr Keane said she would await to hear an update from Mr Leeman in a few weeks and would fix a date for another preliminary hearing next month if possible. Last August, the inquest heard the bodies of the three men had to be identified using DNA samples taken from relatives because of the extent of the injuries they suffered in the collision and subsequent fire. Controversy was generated following the mens deaths in 2021 over the conduct of mourners at the requiem mass and burial of Mr Maguire. The funeral at St Marys Priory church in Tallaght garnered international headlines after a screwdriver and torch tools associated with burglars were brought to the altar as offertory gifts, while many attendees ignored attempts by local priests to limit the numbers in church and to get the congregation to observe social distancing and mask-wearing as part of Covid-19 restrictions. One woman who delivered a eulogy said Mr Maguire would not be forgotten before adding: Sorry for the language, Father rest in peace, you f**king legend. Flowers at the scene of the crash A poster brought to the church read: RIP Dean You know the score, get on the floor, dont be funny, give me the money. Fr Donal Roche, who oversaw the requiem ceremony and threatened to halt proceedings at one stage if greater respect was not shown in church, subsequently described it as the most disturbing funeral he had ever attended. A funeral cortege featured motorcyclists doing wheelies and burnouts in a high-speed convoy, while Mr Maguires associates also carried out dangerous manoeuvres on public roads around Crumlin and other parts of the city in the days following his death. All three men, who had a combined total of over 200 convictions, were known to gardai and were believed to be key figures in a burglary gang that was linked to Fat Andy Connors a crime gang leader who was shot dead outside his home in Saggart, Co Dublin in August 2014. Irish navy crews are currently training for the deployment in June and July as part of Operation Irini The Irish naval ship the LE William Butler Yeats will be deployed on a mission to the Mediterranean this summer targeting arms smugglers to Libya. Irish navy crews are currently training for the deployment in June and July as part of Operation Irini. The operation is part of an EU and United Nations mission - the European Union Naval Force Mediterranean Operation (EUNAVFORMED) - that is headquartered in Rome. It was established in 2020 to counter the flow of arms to the north African country following a number of civil wars and political unrest that has destabilised the region since the death of former Libyan leader Col Muammar Gadaffi in 2011. The Irish crew will be involved in information, surveillance and reconnaissance operations (ISR) while also while also "engaging in Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) operations on a regular basis, a capability in which the Irish Navy excels, from experience in the North East Atlantic Ocean," according to a statement from the Defence Forces. The deployment of LE William Butler Yeats on OP Irini will provide the operation with highly skilled and capable personnel with experience in Maritime Defence and Security Operations (MDSO) throughout Irelands maritime domain and on previous overseas missions - OP Pontus and Sophia." Defence Forces Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Sean Clancy said of previous EU missions in which Irish naval ships were involved in the rescue of trafficked migrants from drowning in the Mediterranean in 2015 and 2017. This deployment is crucial to the regeneration of Irelands navy and is directly linked to our efforts to recruit, retain and incentivise seagoing," he added. Commodore Michael Malone, Flag Officer Commanding Naval Service, said: With ambitions for the expansion of the Naval Service as outlined in the Commission on the Defence Forces report, this deployment presents an opportunity to build on the experiences gained through previous maritime overseas missions. Our sailors bring vital experience to bear in what remains a dynamic operational role. According to EUNAVFOR, the mission involves carrying out "inspections of vessels on the high seas off the coast of Libya suspected to be carrying arms or related material" as well as monitoring suspected arms smugglers from aerial and land routes as well as gathering information on illicit exports of petroleum, crude oil and similar products from Libya." The mission also involves helping to disrupt "the business model of human smuggling and trafficking networks through information gathering and patrolling by planes." The announcement of the upcoming operation comes after Jacqui McCrum, Secretary General of the Irish Defence Department, visited Operation Irini headquarters in February following a personal visit to Rome in which she "reaffirmed the importance of the close relationship between Ireland and Operation Irini." "Collectively 23 EU member states are currently supporting the operation with personnel and assets and Ireland is giving the operation an important contribution thanks to the Irish personnel deployed in OHQ, (operational headquarters)," according to the operation's news archive. He will deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people." Joe Bidens travel details for next weeks Irish trip have been announced by the White House this afternoon. The US President will visit Belfast to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, Dublin and his ancestral homes of Louth and Mayo during his visit. A statement from the White House reads: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland from April 11-14. President Biden will first travel to Belfast, Norther Ireland from April 11-12 to mark the tremendous progress since the signing of the Belfast / Good Friday agreement 25 years ago and to underscore the readiness of the United States to support Northern Irelands vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities. "The President will then travel to Ireland from April 12-14. He will discuss our close cooperation on the full range of shared global challenges. He will also hold various engagements, including in Dublin, County Louth and County Mayo where he will deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people." The final two days of Bidens visit will focus on the other side of his Irish family roots, the Blewitts of Co. Mayo, which he also visited as vice president in 2016. Between visits to his ancestral home he will meet President Michael D. Higgins at Aras an Uachtarain and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar plans to host him and Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, at Farmleigh House inside Dublins Phoenix Park. Trump delivered a speech at his Mar-a-Lago resort after appearing in a Manhattan court He has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records Trump branded the case against him as fake and lashed out at the New York District Attorney Former US President Donald Trump, the only ex-president to face criminal charges, has told his supporters our country is going to hell. Following his appearance before a Manhattan court where he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, Trump flew back to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida where he addressed a crowd of 500 supporters. Flanked by American flags, he delivered a campaign-style speech to the cheering crowd. In a rambling 25-minute-long speech in which he took aim at various prosecutors investigating him on multiple fronts, he said it was the most embarrassing time in our countrys history. He said the fake case relating to hush money payments to suppress accounts of his alleged extramarital affairs becoming public, was brought to interfere in the 2024 election and should be immediately dropped. He lashed out at New York prosecutor Alvin Bragg for bringing criminal charges against him saying he was out to get him before he knew anything about me. "I never thought anything like this could happen in America," he told his supporters. "The only crime that I've committed has been to fearlessly defend our nation against those who seek to destroy it." He said he spent time with a local failed district attorney today who charged a former president of the US for the first time in history. "Every single pundit and legal analyst said there is no case. Virtually every one," he said, adding the case should never have been brought. Earlier at the court hearing in New York, Judge Juan Merchan warned Trump to refrain from rhetoric that could inflame or cause civil unrest. Hours later, the former president described Merchan as a Trump-hating judge. A defiant Trump, referring to the indictment, said "this is a persecution not an investigation" but "our heads are held very high". Trump faces a separate criminal probe by a county prosecutor in Georgia into whether he unlawfully tried to overturn his 2020 election defeat in the state. He also faces two US Justice Department investigations led by a special counsel into attempts to overturn the 2020 election results and his handling of classified documents after leaving office. "They can't beat us at the ballot box so they try to beat us through the law," Trump said. He also referred to the investigation into his handling of classified documents that were taken to Mar-a-Lago when he moved out of the White House in early 2021. The documents case is being pursued by a "lunatic special counsel", Trump said, referring to prosecutor Jack Smith The various legal predicaments are entangling Trump has he makes another run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. Earlier in a social media post from his plane on his flight home from New York, Trump said the court hearing "was shocking to many in that they had no surprises, and therefore, no case. Virtually every legal pundit has said that there is no case here. There was nothing done illegally! Speaking after the court hearing, Bragg says his offices historic case against the former seeks to ensure that everyone stands equal before the law. No amount of money and no amount of power changes that enduring American principle, he said. Democratic Representative Jamaal Bowman of New York has said that former president Donald Trumps arraignment is just one step towards accountability. The progressive Democratic member of the Squad - which includes Representatives Cori Bush of Missouri, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and fellow New Yorker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - said shortly before the former presidents arraignment. Some people might have a bad experience with Travellers but everyone should not be tarred with the same brush. A young Traveller taking part in celebrity chef Dylan McGraths new TV series insists that while there may be some bad elements in her community, not all should not be tarred with the same brush. Lisa Marie Joyce (18) says she has suffered from discrimination purely because shes a Traveller, but she stresses she does not put up with it. Travellers are not all the same, says Lisa Marie, who hails from Finglas, north Dublin. Some people might have a bad experience with Travellers but everyone should not be tarred with the same brush. Top chef Dylan McGrath There is discrimination and people who will judge you because of who you are. Theres the same happens with people just because of the colour of their skin, or because of their background or where youre from. A lot of people would know Im a Traveller, but there is a bunch in every economic group and race that are going to have their opinions, but at the end of the day thats their opinion. It doesnt mean I have to respect it. Ive suffered from it a few times, but the way I see it is Im not going to be there to hide away from it, you know what, Im going to leave. Lisa Marie has a sister and three brothers, as well as mum Sally, whove all given her huge support for taking part in the show. But her life has also been scarred by traumatic incidents. I had quite a few tragedies, she reflects. My dad John committed suicide when I was 12 or 13, and shortly after my nephew Bernard John got knocked down and killed as well. He was just going on two and that happened in Bray (in July 2018). There are a lot of tragedies in the Travelling Community, religion keeps us strong, if something goes bad its all you really have, its a huge part of our lives. Lisa Marie is a member of a womens Traveller group, which is part of Finglas Traveller Development Group run by Angela ONeill. Angela was approached by TV producer Edel OBrien about trying to find a Traveller woman to take part in Dylans new series. They went to Angela and said do you know a Traveller girl that would be into it and Angela rang me. She said there was a programme going on and I know youd stick with it, because if I ask someone else theyre not going to do it, theyll say yeah, then they wont show up and theyll start messing. So, I said no problem. I did the interview and I met Edel, she was so nice and so was her colleague Trish as well. Then a few days later they asked do you mind if you film a bit for Dylan and asked in the video what makes you think that youre capable of doing this. So, they sent it to Dylan and a few days later I got notice he wanted me on the show. Lisa Marie Joyce Viewers have seen her team up other marginalised and disadvantaged people such as Fiadhnait (24), who has Downs Syndrome; Rosine (37), a refugee from Cameroon, Luke (22), who has Aspergers and an intellectual disability, and prisoner Stephen (51) to join Dylan to learn culinary skills and also try out placements. Lisa Marie admits she was always good in the kitchen I always had an interest in cooking and liked doing it, she says. I wouldnt like doing simple things, Id like cooking something that would put me to a level that Im going to try that and see if I can do that. Simple things wouldnt be for me. In the first episode he told me to do something traditional Irish, and theres nothing more Irish than coddle. My family used to make it and I learned to make it from a young age. She loved her time with Dylan. It was a brilliant experience. Fair play to him to go out of his way to give us that opportunity, fair play to him, but he did. He did explain to us how he grew up in Belfast and it was a bit of a struggle for him, that he didnt start from the top. A range of arts projects are set to hit the Western Bay over the next 12 months. Dance and writing workshops, a new studio art trail, development of pa harakeke with local hapu, and support for young people in the arts are just a few of the projects becoming a reality. Thanks to the Creative Communities Art funding by Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Creative NZ, the latest round of funding sees financial support given to 10 diverse projects which will engage the community in creative and innovative ways. Assessment panel member and Western Bay Councillor, Anne Henry was happy to be involved in the process for the eighth time running and was pleased to see more applicants putting their ideas forward. Were so thrilled to be supporting the more creative projects across the Western Bay of Plenty. The arts play a really important role in our communitys wellbeing and as an industry they dont get enough credit for the value they contribute. Congratulations to all the applicants for putting their ideas forward. One of the projects that has been funded is a weekend of speakers and writing workshops at Maketu. Writer and workshop facilitator, Angie Belcher, says This funding enables us to continue nurturing the talents of Maketu women. Te kimi kupu (finding the words) workshops help local women unlock their words, find their voices and record their thoughts and emotions. Part of the funding will be used to engage high profile Maori writer Tina Makereti as keynote speaker and workshop facilitator. Waihi Beach and Katikati have also benefitted from the fund, with Jared Hemopo receiving a grant to develop and facilitate dance workshops for young people in these areas. Kaha Movement is a new innovative workshop series designed to help participants create movement and explore their bodys natural pathways. Im very excited to bring this kaupapa into the world of light and thank Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Creative NZ for their support, says Jared, who is a choreographer and the workshop facilitator. An art project to create up to 15 murals to be displayed through the main street of Te Puke is being boosted by a grant to Creative Te Puke Forum. This will be used to provide the materials for 11 local schools to create the themed artworks, which will be on display for two years. This is a wonderful project that engages the local schools and supports and champions our young and upcoming artists in a very public way that the whole community can be proud of, says Kassie Ellis from Creative Te Puke Forum. The Western Bay Heritage Trust received a grant to build on the success of the recent Pa Harakeke' planting and opening to establish pa harakeke for each of the three northern marae of Tauranga Moana. This is stage two, with the journey so far enabling solid partnerships to be built with our hapu. There are 60 different harakeke species and our intention is to bring a varied selection back to each of the kainga. We also hope to support the development of future weavers at each of these marae and in the wider community, says Western Bay museum manager, Paula Gaelic. Two community events facilitated by Epic Te Puke have been supported, celebrating Easter and Halloween in creative ways that engage the community. Katch Katikati received funding for a community workshop to create large lanterns for Matariki, while Katikati Open Air Art will be facilitating pottery workshops for children and adults in the Easter school holidays. Omokoroa Crochet and Crafters will bring the community together to make a large scale Christmas tree out of crochet squares and BOP Open Studios will facilitate an open art studio weekend where artists will open their studios to the public. The Creative Communities Scheme aims to increase participation from the local community in arts, culture and creativity, support the diversity of local cultural traditions, and encourage and engage young people to participate in local arts. Its open to any group or individual that has a creative project that will engage the community. The assessment panel included Natalie Hilterman (chair), Jannine Spiers (film industry background), Lisa Stowell (visual artist, Te Puke based, teacher at Te Puke Intermediate), Rupal Mehta (involved in multicultural events and activities), Western Bay of Plenty District Councillors Tracey Coxhead and Anne Henry. Creative Bay of Plenty administers the Creative Communities Scheme on behalf of Western Bay of Plenty District Council and is available to help with applications. Two rounds of funding are allocated each year. The next funding round will open in early September, with further information and eligibility criteria found at creativebop.org.nz/support/creative-communities-scheme/. More detailed project summaries can be found on Creative Bay of Plenty's website. A leading paediatrician says the whooping cough outbreak is a child health crisis and Te Whatu Ora must take urgent action. Three babies have died from the disease this year and there are fears it is spreading undetected. Paediatrician and head of the Immunisation Taskforce Owen Sinclair says the number of deaths is unusually high given only 11 cases of whooping cough have been reported. Because the babies are from different parts of the country, it suggests there is widespread transmission, rather than a cluster, he says. Te Whatu Ora needs to be more proactive about finding and vaccinating pregnant women to prevent them passing the disease to unvaccinated newborns, he says. Britain has already done that in response to some child deaths last decade and the research showed it works, says Sinclair. "There is no systemic approach to this in the New Zealand system at the moment. There is no funding, there are no stated goals, there is no requirement to advise pregnant women." Te Whatu Ora clinical public health head William Rainger says parents should ensure babies and children are up to date with the vaccinations. And he encourages pregnant women and those who are close to newborns to do the same. But Sinclair says a more organised, systemic approach, to the antenatal vaccinations is needed. "If we are going to take this seriously we really have to change and take a different approach. And it has to be led from the top, it has to be led by Te Whatu Ora. They need to make a decision and get those things in place." Sinclair says the approach taken now is "almost fingers crossed and screaming from the watchtower to get vaccinated". Rainger says the childhood vaccination rates are now dangerously low at 63 per cent, when it should be at about 95 per cent. The deaths are very tragic for the families involved, he says. "It does remind us the whooping cough can be very, very serious, particularly for little babies." -Rowan Quinn/RNZ. Kiwis could get better access to ACC support for a greater number of occupational diseases, including those more likely to affect women, ACC Minister Peeni Henare announced today. The Government is reviewing the list of occupational diseases in Schedule 2 of the Accident Compensation Act for the first time in 15 years. "ACC is a world-leading scheme. The cover it provides to injured New Zealanders is a key part of our social safety net," says Peeni Henare. "But its important we keep modernising the scheme, and do a bit more work to understand how people are accessing ACC to ensure it is fair. "Kiwi workers experience will be an important part of updating the list. Workers dont have much control over work tasks or environments that over time could cause disease, illness or injury. We want to make sure access to ACC cover involves the right occupational diseases and is working for all New Zealanders." Henare says most of the occupational health research internationally and in New Zealand is focused on men. He says NZ can better support women if "we understand what diseases they are experiencing in the workplace and highlight where we need to know more". "We know that women make fewer claims to ACC than men, have fewer injuries covered by the scheme than men, and each womans claim cost the scheme a third less than a mans, on average, in entitlements. "By reviewing the list and asking for peoples feedback and experiences, we can better understand how occupational disease claims fit into that bigger picture of women accessing ACC support." Public submissions and the International Labour Organisations List of Occupational Diseases will be used to draw up suggestions for an updated list of occupational diseases. These will be assessed by medical experts, who will also look at the latest occupational health research to determine what should be included going forward. For more information and to make a submission, please visit the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employments website. Submissions will be open from 5 April to 17 May. A bag of live yabbies, also known as freshwater crayfish, is one unusual find Biosecurity New Zealand has nabbed since the opening of the maritime border. Biosecurity New Zealands officers screened 1,391,641 arriving air passengers in the first three months of 2023, compared with 97,810 for the same period in 2022. There has also been more cruise ship passengers following the reopening of maritime borders last year more than 100,000 between January and March. Biosecurity New Zealands northern regional commissioner Mike Inglis says officers seized 24,677 risk goods from arriving air passengers in the first quarter of 2023, including 2,347 undeclared items. Our officers issued 1,693 infringement notices ($400 fine) 46 were issued between January and March last year. We have been working vigilantly to ensure the strong rebound in passenger traffic does not lead to the entry of damaging pests or diseases like brown marmorated stink bug, Queensland fruit fly, or foot-and-mouth disease. To manage these risks, officers continue to screen every passenger who arrives as part of our multi-layered biosecurity system, which includes questioning by officers, checking of baggage, use of x-rays, and dogs. One of the more unusual seizures involved a passenger from Australia who declared a bag of live yabbies (freshwater crayfish) at Auckland Airport. Another passenger received a serious reprimand after a detector dog sniffed out a sprouting onion in her handbag. Mike says Biosecurity New Zealand is working with airport companies, airlines, and other border agencies to introduce a range of measures to ensure passengers are processed as quickly as possible on arrival while maintaining strong biosecurity protection. The measures include introducing express lanes for arriving passengers who are assessed as a low biosecurity risk by an experienced officer. We have also recruited new frontline officers. Last year, 64 new officers started nationwide, and we plan to introduce nearly 50 new officers to the Auckland region this year. Other initiatives to streamline passenger flows include increasing the number of risk assessment podiums at Auckland Airport, redesigning biosecurity lanes to allow more efficient processing of low-risk passengers, rostering more officers to deal with unaccompanied/mishandled baggage, and specific measures for direct flights from Bali to prevent Foot-and-Mouth disease entering New Zealand. The FMD measures include using a dedicated biosecurity lane and baggage carousel at the airport, and footbaths to disinfect footwear. We will continue to assess and balance the needs of protecting New Zealand from biosecurity risk against traveller processing and make adjustments where required. The international travel system continues to face challenges related to baggage handling (including higher rates of mishandled items), more late plane arrivals (and aircraft arriving at the same time), and greater loadings on planes than pre-Covid-19. Last month at Auckland International Airport, the average wait time for inbound passengers to get through the biosecurity process, (from entering the queue to exiting the arrival area), was 13 minutes and 10 seconds. While that may vary at times because of challenges across the arrival system, we must remain focused on strong biosecurity controls. Border biosecurity activity for January to March 2023 The national flag of Finland flies after a ceremony for Finland's accession to NATO at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, April 4, 2023. Finland on Tuesday formally became the 31st member state of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), ending its military non-alignment in the fastest accession procedure in record time. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) BRUSSELS, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Finland on Tuesday formally became the 31st member state of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), ending its military non-alignment in the fastest accession procedure in record time. Meanwhile, Russia said it could be forced to take "counter-measures." The national flag of Finland was raised and the country's anthem was played for the first time at NATO headquarters on Tuesday afternoon in a brief ceremony. "The era of military non-alignment in our history has come to an end. A new era begins," Finland's President Sauli Niinisto said at the ceremony, adding that he hoped to see neighboring Sweden join soon. "Finland's membership is not complete without that of Sweden." "This is a historic day. We welcome Finland as the newest member of our Alliance," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. Finland received its formal invitation to join the Alliance from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier on Tuesday. In exchange, Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto handed over his country's instruments of accession, thus completing formalities. As Finland did not stop investing in defense after the end of the Cold War, the country is bringing well-trained and well-equipped military forces with a high level of readiness, Stoltenberg said. Finland's NATO accession will not change the country's foreign policy, Haavisto said during Tuesday's ceremony. "Finland's membership isn't targeted against anyone ... Finland is a stable and predictable Nordic country that seeks peaceful resolution of disputes," he said. Finland and Sweden both applied for NATO membership in May last year and were formally invited to join the Alliance in June. The accession process requires the approval of all member states. Turkiye was the last NATO member to ratify Finland's accession bid, while Sweden's path to the Alliance remains blocked by Turkiye and Hungary. Regarding Sweden's accession process, Stoltenberg said that Finland, Turkiye and Sweden will continue trilateral meetings on Stockholm's bid. Finland's formal NATO accession elicited an immediate response from Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a press briefing on Tuesday that Russia considered it another aggravation of the situation. In Russia's opinion, the expansion of NATO infringes on its security and national interests. The expansion of NATO "forces Russia to take counter-measures to ensure its own security," Peskov was quoted by Russia's state-owned Sputnik News Agency as saying. Commenting on Finland's NATO accession, Russia's Foreign Ministry said it was an "ill-conceived step" that would negatively affect relations between Helsinki and Moscow. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks at the ceremony for Finland's accession to NATO at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, April 4, 2023. Finland on Tuesday formally became the 31st member state of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), ending its military non-alignment in the fastest accession procedure in record time. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) Delegates attend a ceremony for Finland's accession to NATO at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, April 4, 2023. Finland on Tuesday formally became the 31st member state of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), ending its military non-alignment in the fastest accession procedure in record time. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) The national flag of Finland and emblem of NATO are seen at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, April 4, 2023. Finland on Tuesday formally became the 31st member state of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), ending its military non-alignment in the fastest accession procedure in record time. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) Finland's President Sauli Niinisto speaks at the ceremony for Finland's accession to NATO at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, April 4, 2023. Finland on Tuesday formally became the 31st member state of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), ending its military non-alignment in the fastest accession procedure in record time. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) Finland's President Sauli Niinisto speaks to the press at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, April 4, 2023. Finland on Tuesday formally became the 31st member state of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), ending its military non-alignment in the fastest accession procedure in record time. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) Finland's President Sauli Niinisto (L) and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg meet the press at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, April 4, 2023. Finland on Tuesday formally became the 31st member state of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), ending its military non-alignment in the fastest accession procedure in record time. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks at the ceremony for Finland's accession to NATO at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, April 4, 2023. Finland on Tuesday formally became the 31st member state of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), ending its military non-alignment in the fastest accession procedure in record time. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) More services at rush hour is the central proposal from transport specialists, but there are also other possible improvements in the short and medium term Ignacio Lillo Malaga Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram Malaga's metro showed the first signs of collapse on the first Monday on Holy Week, with a flood of people who flocked to the city centre during the afternoon and evening to see the Semana Santa processions. On social media networks and in messages sent to SUR, dozens of users criticised the fact that they had long waits on the train platform in their respective neighbourhoods after seeing several trains pass (up to five, according to some) which were full, as well as endure long waits to return home at night. Some people said that the situation was so bad that they looked for other means of transport after having paid for their tickets. To resolve the problem, transport specialists said there must be an increase in trains and frequencies at busy holiday times but there are also other possible improvements that could be made in the short and medium term, including some relatively simple solutions, which would help users to plan their journeys. "More trains, there is no other answer," says Lluis Sanvicens, an independent urban mobility and energy consultant. "However, for the concessionary company this means earning less, because they would need more maintenance and more staff; and, additonally, there would be idle trains at other times of the year". In his opinion, after the heavy investment that has been made in the infrastructure, it is technically feasible to have four-minute frequencies. Currently, the best is five minutes and 50 seconds. The concessionary company, Malaga Metro, has ordered four new trains with the aim of increasing its fleet. These are Urbos 100 series vehicles, an evolution of the current units (Urbos 3), which are manufactured in Zaragoza. With the incorporation of these vehicles, the urban railway fleet will have 18 trainsets. In addition, a recruitment process will be opened to add more staff. The aim is that by the start of the next university course in September, which is when the high season for this infrastructure begins, the frequency of trains can be significantly improved. Vicente P. Jorda, transport and technology consultant agrees that it is necessary to improve the frequency and fleet of vehicles. But he offers other ideas that can be implemented in the short term, and which are also economical. The first is to improve information about access and exit options at Guadalmedina, which has three entrances, although the vast majority of passengers go to the one at El Corte Ingles, which means queuing. There are two others, at Albert Camus and at the corner of Callejones del Perchel, which are almost always empty. Another cheap proposal is to install variable information panels outside the stations, so that passengers, before validating their ticket or going down to the platform, can find out if the next train is full and the waiting time: "From there you can know how long you are going to wait and consider going by another means". In his opinion, from what he has experienced in Valencia, his home city, there is also a factor associated with the novelty: "The first year the metro smashed all forecasts, which is what is going to happen here", although in the following months it will tend to normalise. Nevertheless, Jorda warns that the saturation will return during the next August fair, and then on some Christmas dates, such as the switching on of the Calle Larios lights and some weekends. Syracuse, N.Y. A man injured in a gunfight on Syracuses South Side Monday that left another man dead will face gun charges, the DA said. Around 1:34 p.m. Monday, Khadeem Conley, 26, and Melchizedek Pearson, 20, got into a verbal dispute, Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said Tuesday. Both men pulled out guns and opened fire in the 100 block of Temple Place, Fitzpatrick said. Both men suffered gunshot wounds, said Lt. Matthew Malinowski, a spokesperson for Syracuse police. Conley, of Syracuse, was later pronounced dead at Upstate University Hospital. Pearson, of Syracuse, was found on West Colvin Street, Malinowski said. Thats about a block and a half away from where Conley was found. He was taken to Upstate and is expected to survive, police said. Pearson will face charges for criminal use of a firearm in connection with the fatal gunfight, Fitzpatrick said. He is still in the hospital as of Tuesday afternoon, he said. As the investigation continues, the district attorneys office will consider if Pearson should face homicide charges. They are working to determine who fired first during the altercation, the DA said. It is possible Pearson could have acted in self-defense, he said. Staff writer Anne Hayes covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at ahayes@syracuse.com. Update Thursday: Abducted Ithaca woman dead after shootout between alleged kidnapper and Virginia police Update: The missing persons alert for Tatiana David has been cancelled, troopers said. Original article: Ithaca, N.Y. Troopers are asking for the publics help locating a missing vulnerable woman who police say was abducted Wednesday from Ithaca on her birthday. Tatiana David, who turned 34 today, was abducted at 7:20 a.m. on West Circle Hill in Ithaca, according to an alert from the New York State Police. David is 5 feet, 9 inches and weighs 180 pounds with black hair and brown eyes, troopers said. She was last seen wearing a light grey, knee-length coat with fur on the hood and black sweatpants, troopers said. Her hair is in braids and tied in a bun, troopers said. She may be with a Michael Davis, 34, in a white Jeep Cherokee with tinted windows and a roof rack, troopers said. He is 6 feet, 4 inches and 200 pounds with black hair and brown eyes, troopers said. They may be traveling to New York City. If either are seen troopers ask the public to not approach them and to call 911. Tatiana David was abducted from Ithaca on her birthday Wednesday, on April 5, 2023. (Courtesy State Police) Staff writer Rylee Kirk covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, photo, question or comment? Reach her on Twitter @kirk_rylee, or at rkirk@syracuse.com. Its mailbag day, when I reach into my virtual mailbag and pull out a few questions from my dear readers, attempting to respond with specific help and resources. Dear Cheapskate: How can I find a good financial counselor? We are not covering our monthly obligations and falling further and further behind. I am a nervous wreck and my health and family are suffering. I just dont know what to do! -- Tina B., New Hampshire Dear Tina: Stop what youre doing and get to National Foundation for Credit Counseling. This is a nonprofit consumer help organization you can trust, and the only credit counseling and debt management organization I recommend and fully endorse. These days, there are lots of shysters trying to pose as reputable counselors and advisers. You cannot be too careful. Once accepted into their program (I think you are a good candidate), they will contact your creditors and work out a payment schedule you can handle. The cost will be very reasonable, if any. Go to www.nfcc.org to get started, or call toll free 1-800-388-2227. Follow the prompts. You will be matched to the Consumer Credit Counseling Services office near you. You can trust NFCC to direct you to a certified CCCS office, so please do this today. I wont be able to sleep until I know you can, too. Dear Cheapskate: Where can I purchase cheesecloth bags for adding spices for pickling? I am currently hand-sewing them and its time consuming. I have searched the internet and have not come up with any yet. Thanks for your help. -- Cheryl M., Texas Dear Cheryl: You can put away your needle and thread. A bouquet garni, the French term for a bundle of herbs that does not require sewing. Just do this: Lay a 6- or 8-inch square of cheesecloth (available in supermarkets, Target, Walmart) or muslin on the counter. Place the spices in the center. Bring the corners together and gather the edges to the middle. Tie with a piece of string. Thats it. Drop the bouquet garni into your pickles, leaving the string hanging over the side of the crock. When its time for retrieval, just pull on the string. By my rough calculations,1 yard of cheesecloth (18 square feet) can be cut into 36 (6x6-inch) bags. At $3.50 per yard, making your own bags in this way will cost about 10 cents per bag. Of course, you could try to reuse them, but for me, this method allows them to be disposable. If you really want to spend your money on premade spice bags, The Spice House, an online retailer, offers five-pack Bouquet Garni Bags for $5. Shipping and handling will run about $8, bringing the cost per bag to a hefty $2.60 each. You can find other options at Amazon. Dear Cheapskate: My mother pieced and hand-quilted a lovely quilt that is now mine. It is like new except for a very old coffee stain. Is there any way to remove the stain without destroying the fabric? Any help is appreciated. Thanks. -- Beverly S., California Dear Beverly: A good fabric store or quilt shop in your area will carry a product, Orvus Quilt Soap. This is what a museum would use to restore and maintain a vintage quilt. Fill your bathtub with tepid water and add 1 tablespoon of the soap (it is very concentrated). Lay the quilt in fan fashion in the water. Gently press down by hand and up on the quilt, forcing water through the layers. Rinse in clean water several times, following the same procedure. Drain. Press and squeeze to remove as much water from the quilt as possible. Place a bed sheet under the wet quilt and lift out of the tub using the sheet. Allow to dry opened out and out of sunlight. Enjoy this beautiful treasure. For links and more information on the resources mentioned above plus a few more that may be helpful, go to EverydayCheapskate.com/qa101. Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at Ask Mary. This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book Debt-Proof Living. COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM Israeli police stand guard outside the Lions' Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem, on April 5, 2023. Israeli police forces broke into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem before dawn on Wednesday and clashed with dozens of Palestinian youth inside, drawing condemnation from Arab countries and sparking a new round of rocket attacks and airstrikes in the region. (Photo by Muammar Awad/Xinhua) JERUSALEM, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Israeli police forces broke into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem before dawn on Wednesday and clashed with dozens of Palestinian youth inside, drawing condemnation from Arab countries and sparking a new round of rocket attacks and airstrikes in the region. The Palestinian Red Crescent in Jerusalem said at least 12 were injured during clashes in the al-Aqsa compound and at least three sustained wounds from rubber-coated bullets and needed hospital care. Video footage circulating on social media showed Israeli troops beating Palestinian youth with clubs at the gate of the al-Aqsa Mosque. Militants in the Gaza Strip, a coastal Palestinian enclave, responded to the violence by launching some 16 rockets at southern Israel, triggering several rounds of Israeli airstrikes at Gaza. In a statement, Israeli police said its forces stormed the compound after at least 350 Palestinians barricaded themselves inside the mosque with fireworks, sticks, and rocks. "When the police entered, stones were thrown at them, and fireworks were fired from inside the mosque by a large group of agitators," said the statement. The police also released video footage showing forces inside the compound and fireworks exploding. The Palestinians barricaded themselves inside the mosque after Hamas, an Islamist Palestinian movement, called for defense against Jewish ultranationalists who planned to perform an ancient biblical ritual involving the slaughter of a goat during the Jewish holiday of Passover, which began on Wednesday evening. Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is the third holiest site for Muslims, and the most sacred place for Jews. The site is located in East Jerusalem's Old City, a territory that Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war along the rest of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. "We hold the (Israeli) occupation government fully responsible for any deterioration," Palestinian presidency spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said in a statement. "It must act responsibly and stop this absurdity, which will have dangerous consequences for everyone." The incident also drew wide condemnation from Arab countries. Saudi Arabia announced that "the kingdom is following with great concern the breach of the Israeli forces into the al-Aqsa mosque and the harm to the worshippers." Jordan, the custodian of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, said in a statement issued by its Foreign Ministry that it condemned the entry of the Israeli police into the holy compound and "the attack on worshipers there." It called for an emergency meeting of the Arab League at the level of permanent representatives. Egypt said in a statement that it held Israel accountable for the escalation, condemned "the aggression towards the worshipers" and demanded that Israel "immediately stop these violations, which harm the worshipers in the mosque." The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani on Wednesday strongly condemned the "brutal" attack by Israeli police, saying that the attack once again showed Israel's "criminal and anti-human rights" nature to the world. Israeli police stand guard at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem, on April 5, 2023. Israeli police forces broke into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem before dawn on Wednesday and clashed with dozens of Palestinian youth inside, drawing condemnation from Arab countries and sparking a new round of rocket attacks and airstrikes in the region. (Photo by Muammar Awad/Xinhua) People clear the carpet after clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem, on April 5, 2023. Israeli police forces broke into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem before dawn on Wednesday and clashed with dozens of Palestinian youth inside, drawing condemnation from Arab countries and sparking a new round of rocket attacks and airstrikes in the region. (Photo by Muammar Awad/Xinhua) Israeli police stand guard at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem, on April 5, 2023. Israeli police forces broke into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem before dawn on Wednesday and clashed with dozens of Palestinian youth inside, drawing condemnation from Arab countries and sparking a new round of rocket attacks and airstrikes in the region. (Photo by Muammar Awad/Xinhua) An Upstate New York graduate is heading into space next year and will serve as the commander for the first crewed moon mission in five decades. Gregory Reid Wiseman, a 1997 graduate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, will be at the helm for Artmeis II, set to launch in November 2024, the Times Union reported. He is the third RPI graduate to become an astronaut. Joined by Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency, the crew will be sent out beyond the moon and orbit it before making a splash landing in the Pacific Ocean, according to CNN. The journey is expected to last about 10 days and the astronauts may potentially travel further into space than any human has in history. This mission will not land on the moon however, but serve as a flight test to prove the life-support systems needed for humans to live and work in deep space. Artemis IIs mission builds on Artemis I, an uncrewed test mission, and it will pave the way for the crew on Artemis III which will mark the first time humans have touched down on the moon since the Apollo program ended in 1972. Wiseman, 47, and a native of Baltimore, Maryland, was first chosen to be an astronaut in 2009. He was one of nine in the 20th NASA astronaut class, according to his NASA bio. He has completed one prior spaceflight, a 165-day trip to the International Space Station in 2014. During that space mission, Wiseman posted about life on the spaceship to Twitter and Youtube. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer and Systems Engineering from RPI before becoming a Naval Aviator, deploying to the Middle East twice. Previous RPI graduates who became astronauts include John Jack Swigert Jr., a 1965 graduate, who was aboard the disastrous Apollo 13 mission, and Rick Mastracchio, who got his masters degree in 1987, and conducted nine spacewalks totaling 53 hours. To the Editor: The State University of New York Student Assembly (SUNY SA) strongly supports the New York state Legislatures One-House Budget which emphasizes funding for SUNY rather than admitting Gov. Kathy Hochuls proposed tuition hike of up to 3% for SUNY institutions. We believe that this budget maintains SUNYs promise of high-quality, affordable education, provides an opportunity to prioritize funding for SUNY schools and ensure that they have the resources they need to provide quality education and support to students. While we understand that SUNY schools face financial challenges, we believe that increasing tuition is not the solution. Instead, the governor and New York state Legislature must prioritize funding for SUNY schools in the budget to maintain their commitment to offering high-quality education at an affordable price. Access to affordable education is a fundamental right that should not be denied to any student based on their financial background. The proposed additional 6% increase for SUNY university centers: Binghamton University, Stony Brook University, University at Albany, and University at Buffalo, is particularly concerning. These centers serve as hubs for innovation and economic development in their respective regions, and it is essential that they have the resources they need to contribute to the growth and prosperity of New York. SUNY provides a crucial role in educating the next generation of leaders and professionals who will contribute to the growth and development of New York. An investment in SUNY is an investment in the future of our state. We applaud the New York State Legislatures One-House Budget for opposing the proposed tuition hikes and urge them to continue to prioritize funding for SUNY schools and explore alternative solutions to address the financial challenges they face. We firmly believe that access to affordable education is a right, not a privilege, and we will continue to advocate for policies that ensure all students have the opportunity to pursue higher education without financial barriers. Alexandria Chun | President On behalf of the SUNY Student Assembly Albany The writer, a student at Binghamton University, also is a SUNY Trustee. SUNY SA represents SUNYs 1.4 million students. Jody Kass Finkel, of Great Neck, New York, is founder and coordinator of Concerned Citizens of NY-03, a nonpartisan, grassroots, ad hoc citizens group. Susan Wagner, formerly of Great Neck and now of Manhattan, is the former Nassau County deputy comptroller. Rep. Elise Stefanik may claim to care about election integrity, but her actions in connection with George Santos belie her words. Stefanik had a large hand in Santos election, supporting his candidacy even after an early vulnerability study revealed his many lies involving his education, employment and heritage. But New Yorks Upstate Republican members of Congress can force her hand and force Santos out that is, if these House members stand behind their public statements of outrage. Rep. Marc Molinaro (NY-19), from Tompkins, Ulster, and Otsego counties, said Santoss dishonesty is disturbing and has eroded his ability to serve his constituents. He also said he would vote to expel Santos. Noting Santoss lies and the havoc Santos has caused both in his district and in Washington, Molinaro has reiterated his call to expel Santos on multiple occasions. Similarly, Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17), who represents Rockland County and the lower Hudson Valley, said he is embarrassed by Santoss conduct, which he described as a distraction for the GOP. He called on Santos to resign. (FEC reports show that Lawler held onto the $2,900 donated to his campaign by Santos, which he should return immediately, if he has not already done so.) Joining his Upstate colleagues, Rep. Brandon Williams (NY-22) from Central New York has publicly expressed his distrust of Santos. Williams said Santos was unfit to serve after deceiving voters. If their talk isnt cheap, Williams, Molinaro and Lawler should be leaning hard on Stefanik to push Santos out. Every day that Santos remains in office, we, the residents of NY-03, are denied meaningful representation in Congress. Since no one trusts Santos, no one will work with him. Outraged by the futility of having Santos as our representative, the nonpartisan, ad hoc group, Concerned Citizens of NY-03, was formed. In early February, we traveled to Washington and asked for a meeting with Stefanik, but she left through the back door after sending a staffer to tell us she was not available. Now GOP Leadership is hiding behind the House Ethics Committee investigation of Santos that was announced in early March, which could take months or even years. An investigation is not necessary because the House can vote to expel a member if it chooses. Moreover, Santos admitted to lying on national television, stating he thought he would get away with it, because he got away with it in his failed 2020 race. Meanwhile, the number of frauds, thefts, FEC violations and revealed scandals involving Santos keeps growing. Unfortunately, Stefanik is sticking by Santos. Her motivation is clear Republican leadership is barely squeaking by. Kevin McCarthy endured 15 humiliating votes to earn his caucuss support for Speaker. Leadership prioritizes Santoss single, reliable vote above all else, including our interests in having legitimate representation. Lawler, Molinaro and Williams should not subscribe to this cynical calculus; they need to prove that their harsh recriminations of Santos (disturbed, embarrassing, fraud) were not just words. If Stefanik is concerned about losing one vote as a result of Santos ouster, she should surely be concerned about losing three or more votes. So far, Molinaro, Lawler and Williams have voted in lockstep with leadership on the Speakership election, abortion legislation and Labor Department rules. But if these three were being honest when they publicly expressed outrage about Santos antics and claimed that he is unfit to serve in Congress, they would leverage their votes to demand GOP leadership take action to oust him. They could tell Stefanik their support on future votes depends on bringing an expulsion resolution to the floor. They could also collaborate with their freshman GOP colleagues on Long Island Reps. Anthony DEsposito and Nick LaLota to strengthen their hand and stymie the GOPs majority until Santos is expelled. These New York lawmakers have the power to force the ouster of Santos. They need to use it. Simply paying lip service to the hoped-for outcome does not advance Santoss ouster. Action does. Its time. Related: George Santos refuses to quit, brazenly says truth still matters By Rachel Silberstein | Times Union, Albany Albany, N.Y. With state budget negotiations extended at least an extra week, advocates are hopeful the $230 billion spending plan might include money to revive the states troubled ombudsman program for long-term care facilities. Federal law requires all states to have a long-term care ombudsman to make routine visits at nursing homes and other residential centers, but New Yorks system is unique in that it relies largely on a network of unpaid volunteers to check up on 160,000 people who reside at New Yorks 1,400 long-term care facilities. The pandemic brought a surge of abuse and neglect complaints across the nursing home sector and dealt a blow to the programs volunteer workforce, with the program never being able to fully recover, according Claudette Royal, New Yorks statewide long-term care ombudsman. The number of volunteers has declined over 70 percent since 2016 and the number of service hours provided by these volunteers has declined over 60 percent, Royal testified at a March state Assembly hearing. Yet the complaint numbers have increased over 400 percent, she said. The long under-funded program, housed administratively in the state Office for the Aging, provides advocacy services to residents of long-term care centers, supplementing the work of state health department regulators who handle more serious violations. It currently has five full-time employees and a part-time legal counsel. It works with 15 regional nonprofits that collectively employ about 40 full-time and 25 part-time paid staff and oversee about 250 trained volunteers. Advocates are calling for a $15 million investment in the ombudsman program, which would enable the program to add 235 full-time staff members enough to allow weekly visits at every facility in the state. The program is failing at no fault of the ombudsmen themselves, said Bill Ferris, legislative representative of AARP NY in an interview. These are 15 not-for-profits across the state trying to do the best they can with scarce resources from the state ... there is an obligation for the state to fund this program so it can do its job. This is a program that is the eyes and ears for the frailest people in New York. Even before the pandemic, multiple audits and studies found the program to be understaffed and unable to meet its own benchmark of one visit per facility a week. In the Capital Region, less than 50 percent of the areas 103 long-term care centers had any visits between April 1 and June 30 of last year, and less than 5 percent had regular weekly contact with an ombudsman during the same period, according to the most recent Office for the Aging data compiled by AARP. Since the pandemic, other states in the northeast, including Connecticut, New Jersey and Ohio, have moved to double their ombudsman program workforce. In New York there is no consensus among policymakers on how to support the program, making inclusion of the funds in the 2024 state budget unlikely. A bill included in the state Assemblys budget proposal, which calls for a state investment of $15 million, lacks support in the state Senate, which has proposed a more modest $2 million boost. Last years budget included a $2.5 million increase for the program and Gov. Kathy Hochuls executive budget proposal for 2024 keeps that number flat. Nursing homes have long been plagued by allegations of fraud, abuse and neglect prompting several recent lawsuits against local facilities by the state Attorney Generals Office. The ombudsman program receives thousands of complaints a year ranging in severity from gross neglect including physical and sexual abuse to disagreements over food and involuntary discharges. Over 5,000 complaints were logged by the program between Oct. 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022, according to the latest data available from the Office for the Aging. Efforts by the Times Union to call or email the ombudsman program run by Catholic Charities in Schenectady, which serves the 11-county Capital Region, did not receive a response, raising questions about how residents and families are able access these advocacy services. The state has its own confidential hotline and online form for nursing home complaints, which are investigated by the state health department; the state then triages cases based on federal guidelines, a spokeswoman for the agency said. But the agency could not provide data about average wait times for cases to be addressed or investigated, and advocates say the health departments program is similarly understaffed. The results of the states nursing home investigations are posted to the departments website. According to Royal, the lack of visits to facilities impairs the offices ability to support recent legislative initiatives aimed improving resident care. For example, the ombudsman program is tasked with advising the state health officials that decide whether to approve applications for nursing home ownership. There may be multiple facilities affiliated with the proposed owners. Its challenging for (the states Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program) to provide meaningful comments, if these facilities have not had many, or any, recent visits, Royal testified last month. Pandemic-fueled reforms seeking to regulate nursing homes, by establishing minimum staffing levels and capping nursing home operator profits, are also not enforced, despite going into effect in December. Nursing home providers argue they cant meet the staffing requirements without a 20 percent increase in Medicaid reimbursements. Queens Assemblyman Ron Kim, who chairs the Assembly Aging Committee and has criticized the states treatment of the elderly during the pandemic, said formalizing the ombudsman program is the first step to repairing weaknesses in the states nursing home infrastructure. If we can achieve some wins there, we can show the blueprint on how to build out capacity to deliver a direct continuum of care. I hope that this governor and the DOH will reset and get it right in the next couple of years, Kim said. ___ (c)2023 the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) Visit the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) at www.timesunion.com Donald Trump sat solemnly in a New York City courtroom Tuesday as prosecutors charged him with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a hush money investigation. The first former president to be charged with crimes pleaded not guilty on all counts. Trump has denied any wrongdoing, repeatedly assailed the investigation, called the indictment political persecution and predicted it would damage Democrats in 2024. Trumps lawyers have said the former Republican president did not commit any crime and they will vigorously fight this political prosecution in court. A look at what happened Tuesday: WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE SURRENDER? Trump was booked. Before computers, information on every criminal suspect would be written down in a big book kept by court officials. Now, its all computerized, but the process is largely the same. Court officers take down the accuseds full name, age, birthdate, height and weight. They check for any outstanding warrants. They were expected to have taken Trumps fingerprints but were not believed to have taken a mug shot. In New York, this process usually takes about two hours, but can be as long as four. But no one else was getting processed when Trump arrived, so it was faster. Then he went before a judge. WHAT HAPPENED IN THE HEARING? Prosecutors raised concerns about what they said were irresponsible social media posts they said targeted people in the case, including grand jury witnesses and District Attorney Alvin Bragg. They specifically pointed to posts Trump made that warned of potential death and destruction if he were to be indicted. The judge said he was not imposing a gag order at this point but asked both sides to refrain from making comments or engaging in comments that could lead to civil unrest. Trump spoke briefly. He told the judge he was pleading not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records and he was advised of his rights. Trump stayed mostly still, his hands steepled or interlaced, and looked ahead during the proceedings that lasted just over an hour. Trumps lawyer Todd Blanche said during the hearing: He is absolutely frustrated, upset and believes that there is a great injustice happening in this courtroom today. WAS HE ARRESTED? Technically, yes. When someone is fingerprinted and processed, that person is considered to be under arrest and in custody. But for Trump, it didnt look like what it does in the movies or on TVs Law & Order. He wasnt handcuffed and he didnt sit in a jail cell. Thats in part because some of the courthouse was cleared out for his arraignment and because Trump is a former president with Secret Service protection. Not all defendants are handcuffed before they appear before a judge for an arraignment, though some are. DID TRUMP WALK OUT OF THERE? Yes. Trump did not say anything as he exited the courtroom, ignoring reporters. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Trump is next due in court in December. His lawyers asked for him to be excused from attending the hearing in person because of the extraordinary security measures. In live audition tapes, the Liverpool High School Symphonic Band has earned a performance slot at the 2023 National Association for Music Education, Eastern Division. They competed against other high school, college and professional bands across a region comprised of 12 states plus the European Union. The ensemble will share the stage in Rochester with the Duquesne University Voices of Spirit on April 14. Liverpool Central Schools alumnus Stephen Salem, who has taught in the district for 11 years, is the conductor. His is the only New York State band chosen to perform and one of only two in the entire eastern region. We are grateful for the honor of being selected and for the opportunity to perform, Salem said. Were proud to represent not only the state of New York, but also the entire Northeastern United States as a top high school symphonic band. Salem said his student musicians are continuously raising the bar for themselves by diligent practice and full commitment to their organization. The LHS Symphonic Band was also selected by audition to perform at the 2022 New York State School Music Association conference in December. Its been a year of success for our students as they have demonstrated their talent and commitment, Salem said. Student trombonist Jacob Sousou, principal trombone of the LHS Symphonic Band, has earned a personal honor by having been selected to perform with the NAfME All-Eastern Symphonic Band at the Rochester conference. Salem calls Sousous selection a solid achievement that attests to his dedication. For their portion of the April 14 program, the LHS Band will perform Dmitri Shostakovichs Festive Overture, John Mackeys Some Treasures are Heavy With Human Tears, and Satoshi Yagisawas Machu Picchu: City in the Sky. Former President Donald Trump targeted the family of a New York judge overseeing his indictment, hours after that same judge warned him not to threaten anyones safety. This is where we are right now. I have a Trump-hating judge, with a Trump-hating wife and family, whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris and now receives money from the Biden-Harris campaign, Trump said Tuesday night in a speech at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Trump was referring to Judge Juan Merchan, six hours after Merchan reportedly told the ex-president in a Manhattan courtroom not to make any comments that could jeopardize the safety or well-being of any individuals. Merchan did not issue a gag order, but advised against statements likely to incite violence or civil unrest. Trump criticized Merchan as highly partisan and called his family well known Trump haters on his social media platform Truth Social earlier Tuesday. Trump also complained about how Merchan presided over the criminal trial of the Trump Organization where the Trump companys former CFO Allen Weisselberg pleaded guilty to financial crimes. HE WAS AN UNFAIR DISASTER ON A PREVIOUS TRUMP RELATED CASE, WOULDNT RECUSE, GAVE HORRIBLE JURY INSTRUCTIONS, & IMPOSSIBLE TO DEAL WITH DURING THE WITCH HUNT TRIAL. HIS DAUGHTER WORKED FOR KAMALA & NOW THE BIDEN-HARRIS CAMPAIGN. KANGAROO COURT!!! Trump wrote. Insider reports Trump did not provide evidence for his claims made about Merchan and his family, but Newsweek noted that the former presidents son, Donald Trump Jr., posted right-wing articles on social media identifying the judges daughter as Loren Merchan, president and partner of Authentic Campaigns. The companys website says it runs digital campaigns for Democratic candidates, including Vice President Kamala Harris and the Biden-Harris campaign. Trumps family also posted photos of Loren and suggested its evidence that Judge Merchan is biased against the former president. This corruption is on a different level, Eric Trump tweeted. Former President Donald Trump is well known for attacking his critics, political opponents and others, often including family members. Trump called Manhattan District Attorney Braggs spouse a Trump hating wife and previously mocked Elaine Chao, the wife of Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Heidi Cruz, the wife of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Trump was arraigned Tuesday on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, largely related to hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign. The first former president to be charged with crimes pleaded not guilty on all counts. LONDON (AP) On Oct. 14, a Russian engineer named Gleb Karakulov boarded a flight from Kazakhstan to Turkey with his wife and daughter. He switched off his phone to shut out the crescendo of urgent, enraged messages, said goodbye to his life in Russia and tried to calm his fast-beating heart. But this was no ordinary Russian defector. Karakulov was an officer in President Vladimir Putins secretive elite personal security service one of the few Russians to flee and go public who have rank, as well as knowledge of intimate details of Putins life and potentially classified information. Karakulov, who was responsible for secure communications, said moral opposition to Russias invasion of Ukraine and his fear of dying there drove him to speak out, despite the risks to himself and his family. He said he hoped to inspire other Russians to speak out also. Our president has become a war criminal, he said. It is time to end this war and stop being silent. Karakulovs account generally conforms with others that paint the Russian president as a once charismatic but increasingly isolated leader, who doesnt use a cellphone or the internet and insists on access to Russian state television wherever he goes. He also offered new details about how Putins paranoia appears to have deepened since his decision to invade Ukraine in February 2022. Putin now prefers to avoid airplanes and travel on a special armored train, he said, and he ordered a bunker at the Russian Embassy in Kazakhstan outfitted with a secure communications line in October the first time Karakulov had ever fielded such a request. Along with information on Putin, Karakulovs testimony offers an intimate view of one mans decision to defect without telling his own mother, who he said remains a strong Putin supporter. It raises critical questions about how deep the Russian publics acceptance of the war runs, and how Putins opponents in the West and beyond might leverage any silent opposition. While not speaking directly about his case, an official with a security background from a NATO country said a defection like Karakulovs has a very great level of interest. He spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive political matters. That would be seen as a very serious blow to the president himself because he is extremely keen on his security, and his security is compromised, he said. Thats something that he would be very unhappy about particularly if the compromise is to do with communications, upon which a great deal relies. PUTIN IS SIMPLY AFRAID As an engineer in a field unit of the presidential communications department of the Federal Protective Service, or FSO, Karakulov was responsible for setting up secure communications for the Russian president and prime minister wherever they went. While he was not a confidant of Putins, Karakulov spent years in his service, observing him from unusually close quarters from 2009 through late 2022. Karakulov, his wife and his child have gone underground, and it was impossible to speak with them directly due to security constraints. The Dossier Center, a London-based investigative group funded by Russian opposition figure Mikhail Khodorkovsky, interviewed Karakulov multiple times and shared video and transcripts of more than six hours of those interviews with The Associated Press, as well as the Danish Broadcasting Corporation DR, Swedish Television SVT, and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation NRK. The Dossier Center confirmed the authenticity of Karakulovs passport and FSO work identity card, and cross-checked details of his biography against Russian government records, leaked personal data and social media postings. The Associated Press reviewed the materials from the Dossier Center and independently confirmed Karakulovs identity with three sources in the U.S. and Europe, who were not authorized to speak publicly. The AP also independently corroborated personal details, including Karakulovs passport numbers, date and place of birth, two registered addresses, and the names and ages of family members, but was unable to verify details of his defection. The AP also confirmed that Karakulov is listed as a wanted man in the Russian Interior Ministrys public database of criminal suspects. The ministry initiated a criminal investigation against Karakulov on Oct. 26 for desertion during a time of military mobilization, according to documents obtained by the Dossier Center and seen by the AP. The FSO is one of the most secretive branches of Russias security services. Even when they quit, they never talk, but they know a lot of details of the private life of the president and the prime minister, said Katya Hakim, a senior researcher at the Dossier Center. The Kremlin did not respond to requests for comment. Neither did Karakulovs father or brother. Karakulov moved as part of an advance team, often with enough specialized communications equipment to fill a KAMAZ truck. He said he has taken more than 180 trips with the Russian president, and contrary to widespread speculation, Putin appears to be in better shape than most people his age. Putin has only canceled a few trips due to illness and has annual medical checkups, he said. Unlike the prime minister, Putin does not require secure internet access on his trips, Karakulov said. In all my service, I have never seen him with a mobile phone, he said. All the information he receives is only from people close to him. That is, he lives in a kind of information vacuum. Karakulovs work brought him to luxury hotels for summits, beach resorts in Cuba, yachts and aboard a special armored train outfitted for the Russian president. Putins train looks like any other, painted gray with a red stripe to blend in with other railway carriages in Russia. Putin didnt like the fact that airplanes can be tracked, preferring the stealth of a nondescript train car, Karakulov said. I understand that hes simply afraid, he said. Putin began to use the train regularly in the run-up to the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Karakulov said. Even last year, Putin continued to insist on strict anti-COVID measures, and FSO employees took shifts in two-week quarantine so there would always be a pool of people cleared to travel with Putin on the train, he said. Putin has set up identical offices in multiple locations, with matching details down to the desk and wall hangings, and official reports sometimes say hes one place when he is actually in another, according to Karakulov and prior reporting by a Russian media outlet. When Putin was in Sochi, security officials would deliberately pretend he was leaving, bringing in a plane and sending off a motorcade, when he was in fact staying, Karakulov said. The guys would talk about this, really laughing, he said. I think that this is an attempt to confuse, first, intelligence, and second, so that there are no assassination attempts. FACES OF WARRIORS Karakulovs defection was a surprising turn for a family steeped in patriotic military tradition. Born in Dagestan, Karakulov was raised to be ready for war, believing it was his sacred duty to defend his homeland. After graduating from a military academy, he found his way into the FSO. To be close to the president it sounded pretty cool, he said. Karakulovs father is a former military man, who has worked as a professional photographer, among other jobs. He is working on a project he calls Faces of Warriors, a series of elegant, hagiographic portraits of Russian soldiers and veterans. Karakulovs brother is a local government official, records show, and served as the point person for a regional, government-backed project devoted to civic patriotism and honoring Heroes of the Fatherland. Karakulovs job introduced him to a world beyond his family. Even as his father and brother marched in patriotic military parades, his own doubts deepened. Hes horrified to think that he might also be rallying around the letter Z in support of the war in Ukraine if his job hadnt taught him to see through the lies of Russian state television. Thanks to my work in the FSO, I have seen how information is distorted, he said. He also began to question the conspicuous spending of Russias top leaders. He said he saw officials convene large delegations at luxurious resorts that cost more each night than his monthly salary. Theyd all attend a brief meeting and then hang out for a week, he said. If this is from the budget, then the question is, Is it not too much to spend this kind of money on one person? he said. If its not from the budget, then its total corruption. Russias invasion of Ukraine was a breaking point, he said. He told his wife he wanted out. He didnt want their young daughter brainwashed in preschool, where children were doing patriotic salutes and being told about bombs. This is not the future I would like for my child, he said. With Russias September mobilization drive, Karakulov realized that if he quit his job, he was likely to be drafted into a war he didnt want to fight. But even if he stayed, he could get sent to the front. He learned that some of his colleagues had been dispatched to Ukraine and killed. He saw photos of FSO crews destroyed by Ukrainian rockets, with dozens likely dead. He was outraged that no one in Russia acknowledged those deaths. Theres no information about them, Karakulov said. What were they doing there? Why did they end up there? Why did they die there? The only conversations he had were with colleagues who seemed to relish the war. He imagined others must share his views, but he had no way to find them. They simply cannot even open their mouths, he said. Karakulov said he couldnt tell his parents about his disillusionment either, because their minds had been molded by years of watching Russian state television. As the war streamed in on the evening news, his parents seemed to savor the view from the front. He found it unbearable and asked his mother to turn off the TV. She refused. He said he tried to explain to her that Ukraine is an independent country, but she immediately cut him off. What is this? she said to him. You want to run away? Are you some kind of foreign agent? He never told them he was leaving. In October, a series of official meetings in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, gave Karakulov his chance to run away. He and his wife packed their lives into three suitcases. He flew out Oct. 6 with the rest of his team. His wife and daughter joined two days later, staying in a separate hotel. But each day, Karakulov found another reason not to go. On the last day of the delegation, Oct. 14, he realized he couldnt postpone any longer. His wife collected his suitcase from his hotel room to avoid raising suspicion. He slipped away after lunch, telling colleagues that he was heading out to buy souvenirs. He climbed in a taxi with his wife and daughter and set off for the airport around 3 p.m. From then on, it was only a matter of my own nerves, he said. He got through check-in and started getting messages from colleagues asking where he was. The flight was delayed by an hour. He could feel a distant fury building against him. By 5 p.m., he figured people had started to look for him. You scumbag, read one message. Fifteen minutes before takeoff, he switched off his phone. His wife was very upset. They spent the 5 1/2-hour flight waiting for something to go wrong. When they finally cleared passport control in Turkey, Karakulov said it was like a great stone had fallen from his soul. He said he knows many people will accuse him of being unpatriotic, but he disagrees. Patriotism is when you love your country, he said. In this case, our homeland needs to be saved, because something crazy and terrible is happening in our country. We need to fix this. THE PRICE OF DISSENT What the future holds for Karakulov and anyone who might dare to follow in his footsteps is far from clear. He was not the only one who wanted out. On Sept. 27, days after Russias mobilization, an engineer at a regional FSO center in Siberia named Mikhail Zhilin sneaked through the forest across the border to Kazakhstan. Many Russians fled to Kazakhstan to avoid the draft, but the authorities refused Zhilins request for asylum and sent him back to Russia. On March 20, a Russian court sentenced him to 6 1/2 years in a penal colony. Abbas Gallyamov, a Russian political analyst now living in Israel who was a speechwriter for Putin from 2000 to 2001 and again from 2008 to 2010, said he believes the majority of Russias elites secretly oppose Putins war. He added that if the West had offered them an exit strategy instead of sanctions, more might have left. They are all shocked, he said. From their point of view, there was no reason to do this because everything was okay now all of a sudden, everything collapsed. Were enemies of the world. Gallyamov, like Karakulov, is on the wanted list of Russias Interior Ministry. He said a defection like Karakulovs is a particular blow because the FSO is like a royal elite above other military and security structures in Russia, charged with protecting the states most precious asset: Putin himself. They will be very angry, he said. There will be hysterics. Tatiana Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said Russian public opinion about the war is divided but there is little space for public dissent, especially for people working within the system. The rule is that the elite stick to Putin, she said. Those who do leave Russia often pay a price to keep their conscience clear. Boris Bondarev, a career Russian diplomat in Geneva, quit in May and denounced the war. Speaking from an undisclosed location in Switzerland, Bondarev told the AP he is living as a political refugee on a government allowance, with security constraints hed rather leave deliberately ambiguous. He cant find a job and has had to move apartments several times, for both financial and safety reasons. He cant travel freely not even to meet a reporter for a cup of coffee in town. I sent my CVs to dozens of think tanks in the U.S., in the U.K., in Europe, and most were ignored, he said. I got a few answers that sorry, but we already have Russia experts. He said there are plenty of Russians who quietly oppose the war but dont dare speak out, for fear of losing their livelihoods. A few colleagues who quit Russias Foreign Ministry after he did contacted him for advice. They were having trouble finding work. One returned to Moscow because he couldnt make a living outside of Russia, he said. Bondarev said he sometimes has second thoughts when he sees pictures of people eating out at nice restaurants in Moscow, living the kind of good life he can no longer afford. But then he remembers the price: brainwashing, propaganda, hypocrisy. I would come to my office at 9 and leave at 6 p.m. and in between I would have to produce numerous papers explaining why Ukraine attacked Russia, he said. I dont want it. No, no, I cant complain today. I live very, very well. The full 16-page indictment that charges former President Donald Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records was released after his New York arraignment Tuesday afternoon. Trump pleaded not guilty in a lower Manhattan courtroom as prosecutors unsealed a grand jury indictment. The charges stem from a hush-money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels during Trumps 2016 campaign. Trumps 34-count indictment can be read here. The simple indictment lays out the 45th presidents charges. Trump is the only president, former or sitting, whos been indicted on criminal charges. The indictment alleges the following: The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about February 14, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated February 14, 2017, marked as a record of the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization, the document reads. Trumps statement of facts was also released and can be read in its entirety here. The statement of facts outlines the Manhattan District Attorneys Office investigation into six-figure payments Trump made to porn actor Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Both say they had sexual encounters with the married Trump years before he got into politics. Trump denies having sexual liaisons with either woman and has denied any wrongdoing involving payments. In the statement of facts, prosecutors stated that from August 2015 to December 2017, Trump conducted a catch and kill scheme with others to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit his electoral prospects. In order to execute the unlawful scheme, the participants violated election laws and made and caused false entries in the business records of various entities in New York, the document read. The participants also took steps that mischaracterized, for tax purposes, the true nature of the payments made in furtherance of the scheme. One component of the scheme was a $130,000 hush money payment Trump made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels shortly before the election to prevent her from publicizing a sexual encounter with him. Trumps lawyer, Michael Cohen made the $130,000 payment through a shell corporation he set up and funded at a bank in Manhattan. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the scheme is illegal under New York law and Cohen has since pleaded guilty to making an illegal campaign contribution, serving 2 years in prison for the crime. Prosecutors said false entries were made in New York business records to effectuate the payment, separate and apart from the New York business records used to conceal the payment. After winning the 2016 election, prosecutors said Trump paid Cohen for the illegal payment through a series of monthly checks, first from the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust a trust created under the laws of New York which held the Trump Organization entity assets after the Trump was elected President. The funds were later withdrawn from Trumps bank account. Each check was processed by the Trump Organization and disguised as a payment for legal services rendered in a given month of 2017 under a retainer agreement, according to prosecutors. The payment records, kept and maintained by the Trump Organization, were false New York business records, officials said. In truth, there was no retainer agreement, and [Cohen] was not being paid for legal services rendered in 2017. [Trump] caused his entities business records to be falsified to disguise his and others criminal conduct, prosecutors allege. * Qingming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Day, falls on Wednesday this year. It's a traditional Chinese festival that pays tribute to the dead and is a time for people to worship their ancestors. * Promoting eco-friendly burials is part of China's funeral reform, which embodies social, ideological and cultural progress, and is of great significance to environmental protection and green development work. * Over the years, eco-friendly tomb sweeping in various forms has gained more ground during Qingming Festival. BEIJING, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Zhao Jun (pseudonym) picks a flower and takes a handful of soil home from the cemetery where his grandmother is buried every Qingming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Day, which falls on Wednesday this year. "It makes me feel like she is here for me," said Zhao, who hails from Yinchuan in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. "My grandma is part of this land, in the flowers and the soil." Looking at the eco-friendly burial area with its green lawns, blooming flowers and lush pines and cypresses, he cannot help thinking about his struggle four years ago. "Grandma wanted everything to be simple and to return to nature peacefully. After a discussion, my parents and I chose a tree burial, but some relatives objected strongly, with some even accusing us of being unfilial or trying to save money," Zhao said. A staff worker places fresh flowers at the tree burial area in Jiu'an cemetery in Huzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, April 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Xu Yu) GREENER BURIALS Funerals are of great importance in China, with the "luxury" of funerals and tombs once being used as a standard to evaluate the filial piety of the deceased's descendants. The funerals of those who died of old age, like Zhao's grandmother, were often grand affairs. "Promoting eco-friendly burials is part of funeral reform, which embodies social, ideological and cultural progress, and is of great significance to environmental protection and green development work," said You Jianqing, an official from Ningxia's civil affairs department. In Ningxia, those who choose green burials, such as lawn burials, tree burials and sea burials, which do not involve land or involve less land and use fewer non-degradable materials, can enjoy a one-time grant ranging from 2,000 yuan (about 291 U.S. dollars) to 5,000 yuan as well as a reduction in basic funeral expenses. Statistics from the regional civil affairs department reveal that eco-friendly burials have been performed for 3,052 deceased individuals in Yinchuan so far. The city has subsidized 24.15 million yuan in basic funeral service fees for cremation. After her mother's death, Wang Qian (pseudonym) followed her wishes and buried part of her ashes in the flower beds in Fushouyuan cemetery in Yinchuan. The remaining ashes were made into a spar necklace. "It's one of our innovative products. The spar consists of 100 percent ashes and is made using high temperature and high pressure melting technology," said Lin Yi, executive deputy general manager of Fushouyuan cemetery. Lin said the cemetery introduced the spar necklace in 2019, serving over 200 customers thus far. "Green burials have become more acceptable through scientific and technological innovation." A staff member (1st L) exchanges villagers' joss paper with fresh flowers in Yanzhuang Village, Xining City, northwest China's Qinghai Province, March 31, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Ziqi) MORE ECO-FRIENDLY TOMB SWEEPING Over the years, eco-friendly tomb sweeping in various forms has gained more ground during Qingming, the traditional Chinese festival that pays tribute to the dead and is a time for people to worship their ancestors. In the days near this year's festival, the Beijing All Buddha Cemetery of Overseas Chinese has invited teachers and students from famous conservatories in Beijing to perform gentle live music, providing soothing sounds for mourners. "With the accompaniment of violin music, mourning the deceased has become elegant and warm," a Beijing resident who visited the cemetery said. At the Babaoshan Funeral Home in Beijing, staff slowly place paper cranes and paper boats carrying blessings into a small pool. The paper is degradable and made of water-soluble wood pulp, with the characters printed with food-grade pigments. Compared with the Chinese traditions of burning joss paper and setting off firecrackers, water-soluble paper floating is safer and more environmentally friendly, the funeral home said. People pay tribute to the deceased at the Songhe cemetery in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, April 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenxi) People in the Chaoshan region of south China's Guangdong Province have a long tradition of worshipping their ancestors. "This year's Qingming Festival will embrace crowds of people returning home for the tomb sweeping, and we began relevant work last month," said Huang Bingzhuang, deputy director of the civil affairs bureau in the city of Shantou. Shantou's Xiang'an Yongjiu cemetery has launched an appointment service on its official WeChat account to provide more convenience to mourners as they arrange their visiting times. "Also, local authorities have encouraged the public through media platforms to present fruits and flowers instead of burning paper money," Huang said. "In the process of ancestor worship, people cherish and appreciate the past while placing their hope in the future," said Huang. "We hope that by advocating for eco-friendly tomb sweeping, the excellent Chinese traditional culture can be propelled forward." (Video reporters: Zhao Yong, Jiang Mingming, Li Shuangxi; Video editors: Hong Ling, Hui Peipei, Zhou Yang) The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime. Qingming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Day, falls on Wednesday this year. It's a traditional Chinese festival that pays tribute to the deceased and is a time for people to worship their ancestors. In recent years, eco-friendly tomb sweeping and green burials have gained popularity in China. Funerals are of great importance in China. The scale of funerals and the size of tombs were once used as standards to evaluate the filial piety of the deceased's descendants. However, lawn burials, tree burials, and sea burials are more common, which involve less land use and fewer non-degradable materials. In north China's coastal city of Dalian, a sea burial ceremony was held last month for citizens to bid farewell to their deceased loved ones, with 43 sets of cremains being scattered into the sea. "The degradation caskets that we use meet the requirements of the environmental protection department. Once put into the sea, they will quickly degrade without damaging the surrounding environment. We have conducted sea burials for nearly 30,000 sets of cremains since 2012," said Sun Litao, an official of the Shenyang Bureau of Civil Affairs. More and more funeral parlors and cemeteries have provided flowers, memorial cards, and other eco-friendly items to mourners instead of selling paper money and firecrackers. drsachin BHPian Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Ghaziabad Posts: 115 Thanked: 321 Times Re: Toyota Innova Hycross Review Quote: Wizaro Originally Posted by Try contacting Espirit/Uttam/MGF workshops and see if they have same views on TATA. When in February i received delivery of my Toyota Hyryder. I went for Tata AIG insurance. The agent at Espirit Toyota showroom was pushing me for Toyota protect insurance at double premium from them saying that Espirit don't have cashless tie-up with Tata AIG. I thought he is trying to manipulate me, so I contacted Galaxy Toyota Moti Nagar workshop telephonically and spoke with one of the surveyor. I posed as a Toyota Innova customer who has met with an accident and wanted cashless Job at their Workshop. He confirmed that they definitely have cashless tie up with Tata AIG and have no issues with getting work done on my car. Now i am hearing such words from the same workshop about no tie up with Tata AIG. Infact in my 25years of car ownership from various brands i have never heard such things as workshop refusing work done on a car which is insured from a specific company. At max a workshop might say that they don't have cashless tie up with a specific insurance company(Happens mostly with PSU insurance companies) so in such a scenario the claims were reimbursed by the insurance company at a later date. When i used to get accident repair job done at any workshop, the TPA inhouse/Outside would settle the claim amount as per the terms and conditions of the policy. They send a mail to the workshop mentioning "The DO amount" settled by them and rest to be paid by the customer including file charges. Now the claim amount settled may differ from insurance company to company or rather it's the TPA which decides the customers fate. Either Ways if the payout is less, it's the customer which suffers not the workshop. The rates mentioned on the Job receipt are same for both cash customers and insurance customers. This thing about insurance company forcing special rates for accident Job is new to me. This arrangement is seen in health care insurance and never in car insurance. May be people more knowledgeable then me can correct me. So personally speaking the workshop denying work done on the car having insurance from a specific company seems like their way of forcing customer to buy insurance from them only(Toyota Protect) , which is total violation of IRDA rules and regulations. You must mail complaint letters to higher managements of Toyota, IRDA and Tata AIG and get this thing sorted. When in February i received delivery of my Toyota Hyryder. I went for Tata AIG insurance. The agent at Espirit Toyota showroom was pushing me for Toyota protect insurance at double premium from them saying that Espirit don't have cashless tie-up with Tata AIG. I thought he is trying to manipulate me, so I contacted Galaxy Toyota Moti Nagar workshop telephonically and spoke with one of the surveyor. I posed as a Toyota Innova customer who has met with an accident and wanted cashless Job at their Workshop. He confirmed that they definitely have cashless tie up with Tata AIG and have no issues with getting work done on my car. Now i am hearing such words from the same workshop about no tie up with Tata AIG.Infact in my 25years of car ownership from various brands i have never heard such things as workshop refusing work done on a car which is insured from a specific company. At max a workshop might say that they don't have cashless tie up with a specific insurance company(Happens mostly with PSU insurance companies) so in such a scenario the claims were reimbursed by the insurance company at a later date. When i used to get accident repair job done at any workshop, the TPA inhouse/Outside would settle the claim amount as per the terms and conditions of the policy. They send a mail to the workshop mentioning "The DO amount" settled by them and rest to be paid by the customer including file charges. Now the claim amount settled may differ from insurance company to company or rather it's the TPA which decides the customers fate. Either Ways if the payout is less, it's the customer which suffers not the workshop. The rates mentioned on the Job receipt are same for both cash customers and insurance customers. This thing about insurance company forcing special rates for accident Job is new to me. This arrangement is seen in health care insurance and never in car insurance. May be people more knowledgeable then me can correct me.So personally speaking the workshop denying work done on the car having insurance from a specific company seems like their way of forcing customer to buy insurance from them only(Toyota Protect) , which is total violation of IRDA rules and regulations.You must mail complaint letters to higher managements of Toyota, IRDA and Tata AIG and get this thing sorted. kedar_GT BHPian Join Date: Dec 2020 Location: Bangalore Posts: 205 Thanked: 257 Times Hence, today, I just decided to take the plunge and share this review; I will add to it as I go along! At the time of publishing this post, my 1month first free checkup/service is done. I took delivery of my '23 XUV7OO AX7L Petrol AT during February and completed 900 km within the first 4 days. The car is well documented on Team-BHP - so I will just touch upon those points that are a significant change for me. Prologue Background and the car search - Well, I had been on the lookout for a new car for the last year or more. Nothing converged since I really did not need a car apart from the fact that I wanted to replace my highway steed with an automatic and something sturdier/safer/more powerful than my current ride i.e. a 1.4L gen1 Ertiga Zxi. I always wanted a 7str for the convenience factor but was open to a 5str just in case it was a premium German (albeit entry level) with a budget cap of 50L (the lesser the better). So, I test-drove cars ranging from the X1, Safari, Octavia, Hector Plus, Fortuner, Hyryder & the XUV7OO. The X1 - I liked this car very much and was the lone 5str that I considered. The practical cabin, the fast petrol/diesel engines, the boot space, the pano sunroof all combined to make this one enticing German. Add to the fact that this was more spacious than the Q3. I especially liked the 2018 white/black X-Line version with the X-alloys and was on the lookout for a preowned one. I almost bought a 4yr, in -warranty, 25k run example (it was blue in color) but due to a last minute hitch, I backed off. The thought of spending new-car money on a used example was a mind block even though I thought I was mentally ready for the same. Tata Safari - The dealership experience was always a turn-off. I was willing to put this aside and still consider this but for 2 reasons. One was the heavy steering and second was the poor/pathetic condition of the TD vehicle (i.e. the Tata experience). I mean badly maintained would be an understatement (think big dent on the front bumper, broken fog light, front tyre running on the spare, some misc warning lights on the MID). I notice the dealership uses the same TD vehicle as of till date. Due to the steering feel, one gets the impression of driving a much heavier vehicle. Being used to creamy petrols & silent cabins, the diesel gruff was always something that I would have had to reconcile with. The missus shot down this choice saying it was a Tata and I too thought that she will not enjoy operating the hydraulic power steering as opposed to the light steering on her current ride. Jeep Meridian - Fantastic drive and poise for those in the front seats. Has a flat ride and decimates speed breakers when one powers on at a decent clip. The deal breakers were the upright and not-so-spacious rear seats (the less we speak about the 3rd row the better), the NVH at idle and the sparce service network (the SA later on told me that BLR was one of the biggest markets for the Meridian - makes sense with NCR folks not wanting this car due to the diesel-only option). This one was shot down by the kids who did not have any kind words for the rear seats. MG Hector/Plus - This was a contender but surprisingly shot down by the wife due to the wallowy drive at higher speeds. She drove it back-to-back with the Astor and preferred the Astor over the Hector. As the Astor is a 5-str with less leg space at the back, we did not consider this further though I was impressed with the in-cabin ambience of the Hector Plus and more-so, of the Astor. The kids did like this one due to the captain seats and the pano sunroof! Fortuner 4x2 Petrol/Diesel AT - The interiors and the busy ride were a downer and so was the pricing for this truck. I have detailed more about this in Octavia L&K - Wifey did not like the interiors on the same. After getting used to roomy vehicles, the all black of the Octavia does take some time getting used to. She also scraped the TD car on some bad roads and I had nothing to say after this. Personally, I loved the car, the humongous boot space & the power on tap but the interiors were a bit too bland for my taste. (A close friend picked up the vRS 245 last week - maybe I will pen down some drive impressions of the same :-) ) XUV7OO - Well, I never really had this one on the radar due to the long wait times and wifey was also not so keen on a Mahindra. Also, I found it too similar in looks to the XUV5OO. As I was drawing a blank on the car search and getting a bit frustrated due to this, I went ahead and booked the 7OO on my wifes birthday without really informing her about the same. I thought that I most likely have a 6 month to an years lead up time and in that, I will settle on something that is up and coming. Surprisingly, I got a call to pick up the car in just a tad over a month's time from the time I placed the booking! This led me to believe that there was some heavenly intervention and assistance in helping me to pick my next steed and I just decided to go with the flow. I traveled to my home town, did the PDI and okayed the car. (it had 11km on the ODO at that time) First look: The centerpiece infotainment system: Side view: Delivery day! One with the familia Enroute to Bangalore Getting a nice foam wash after the 600km drive Parked at my office parking With that out of the way let's get to the root of the matter. The not so good things: The newly added engine auto-switch off that needs to be turned off at every restart. This is hidden behind the steering wheel on the dash and is adjacent to the traction control off switch. This being a new addition, there is no indication of this in the cluster and one needs to rely on the light embedded in the switch to figure out if this is turned off or on. Also, this could have been accommodated in the vacant spot where the drive modes are implemented in the diesel. I turn this off everytime I start the car. The tons of sensors in this car - prompted me to immediately purchase the max possible coverage with regard to the warranty (4/5th year) and the various options in the infotainment. These can be a big distraction while driving and make me nervous at times. Missing features Ventilated seats - these should have been present in the 2023 iteration at the bare minimum - sorely missed this during my long drive and for folks using this as a long distance cruiser, this is a big miss Day/Night IRVM - Ambient lighting - This is offset to a certain extent as I have installed the Mahindra OEM illuminated scuff plates and they do throw an upward glow when any door is open. But bottomline is this should have been present at least in the L variants 12V charging slot that is accessible from the front. Good to have things Wide angle side camera that can display the length of the car and not just the area near the front tyres Sliding middle row Issues and niggles The initial start post ignition is very aggressive at times. In my office parking lot, I have even noticed a wheel spin. This reminds me of the behavior of the Polo GT 1.0 AT which exhibits a similar trait. I need to be very careful as I navigate the way out of my parking slot at home and office (which is basically a 90-degree turn to join the driveway). This is a BIG pain point. I have noticed speeds of even 16kmph if I just let it roll (normal creep speeds at 6-7kmph) - this is darn scray and I would like inputs from other informed users if this sort of behavior has been observed by others on a cold start. The other issue is the screeching sound of the brakes while taking it out of the parking. I understand these are cold and are trying to rein in 200horses from running away (refer to the point above) - but then this sound is very crude, especially for someone standing outside the car and is unbecoming of a car of this cost. The other auto in my garage (a i10) does not exhibit this and nor have I noticed this to so much extent for the other ATs that I have driven. Maybe the brakes need more time to bed it. Fuel efficiency I averaged 10.5kmpl (11.2kmpl on the MID) on a 600 km drive from Goa to Bangalore i.e. 200km on narrow/er & ghat roads and ~400km on the Bangalore-Pune NH4 highway. Since then, I have seen it drop to 9.2kmpl on the MID as I have driven it ~80km in the city. I think the real world would be6-8kmpl. While I was expecting low FE in the city, a ~ 10 kmpl on the highway was not expected (I was hoping for 12-14kmpl) - but then it is extremely difficult to drive this at sub triple digit speeds! Highlights The fantastic mHawk engine! Boy oh boy - this is a hoot to drive. No two ways about this. The sheer power of this engine is really superlative. Even while accelerating in a sedate manner one does not realize when they are at 80kmph. The car masks off the speeds so well that 120kmph feels like 85kmph, Makes me gun the throttle whenever there is an open piece of road which is so unlike me! The ride quality is pretty good except for some times when it thuds through certain potholes. Rev matching while driving downhill - the gearbox is quick to drop a gear while driving down a slop thus giving you much better control. Definitely one of the most intuitive gearboxs that I used, with regard to this. Significant accessories added: From Mahindra - infotainment screen guard, mud flaps, rain visor, pedal cover, rear aluminum crash guard, illuminated scuff plates From outside - Pharaoh 3D Car Floor Mats - these are expensive & look good when clean. These are easy to clean as well but a pain to maintain. On second thoughts, I would have gone with something that has a noodle cover, for easier maintenance. Plea to Mahindra Please, please, please give this car an ECO or City mode. It badly needs one when somebody wants to drive in a calm relaxed manner and does not want to wake up the horses on tap. The car holds the 2nd gear for a much longer time than needed resulting in a dip in fuel efficiency. Thats it for now. I will add to this thread at opportune moments. I started penning down this review when the car was 4 days and 900km old and today its a tad lesser than 2 months old. Sigh. Procrastination and me!Hence, today, I just decided to take the plunge and share this review; I will add to it as I go along! At the time of publishing this post, my 1month first free checkup/service is done.I took delivery of my '23 XUV7OO AX7L Petrol AT during February and completed 900 km within the first 4 days. The car is well documented on Team-BHP - so I will just touch upon those points that are a significant change for me.Well, I had been on the lookout for a new car for the last year or more. Nothing converged since I really did not need a car apart from the fact that I wanted to replace my highway steed with an automatic and something sturdier/safer/more powerful than my current ride i.e. a 1.4L gen1 Ertiga Zxi. I always wanted a 7str for the convenience factor but was open to a 5str just in case it was a premium German (albeit entry level) with a budget cap of 50L (the lesser the better). So, I test-drove cars ranging from the X1, Safari, Octavia, Hector Plus, Fortuner, Hyryder & the XUV7OO.The- I liked this car very much and was the lone 5str that I considered. The practical cabin, the fast petrol/diesel engines, the boot space, the pano sunroof all combined to make this one enticing German. Add to the fact that this was more spacious than the Q3. I especially liked the 2018 white/black X-Line version with the X-alloys and was on the lookout for a preowned one. I almost bought a 4yr, in -warranty, 25k run example (it was blue in color) but due to a last minute hitch, I backed off. The thought of spending new-car money on a used example was a mind block even though I thought I was mentally ready for the same.- The dealership experience was always a turn-off. I was willing to put this aside and still consider this but for 2 reasons. One was the heavy steering and second was the poor/pathetic condition of the TD vehicle (i.e. the Tata experience). I mean badly maintained would be an understatement (think big dent on the front bumper, broken fog light, front tyre running on the spare, some misc warning lights on the MID). I notice the dealership uses the same TD vehicle as of till date. Due to the steering feel, one gets the impression of driving a much heavier vehicle. Being used to creamy petrols & silent cabins, the diesel gruff was always something that I would have had to reconcile with. The missus shot down this choice saying it was a Tata and I too thought that she will not enjoy operating the hydraulic power steering as opposed to the light steering on her current ride.- Fantastic drive and poise for those in the front seats. Has a flat ride and decimates speed breakers when one powers on at a decent clip. The deal breakers were the upright and not-so-spacious rear seats (the less we speak about the 3rd row the better), the NVH at idle and the sparce service network (the SA later on told me that BLR was one of the biggest markets for the Meridian - makes sense with NCR folks not wanting this car due to the diesel-only option). This one was shot down by the kids who did not have any kind words for the rear seats.- This was a contender but surprisingly shot down by the wife due to the wallowy drive at higher speeds. She drove it back-to-back with the Astor and preferred the Astor over the Hector. As the Astor is a 5-str with less leg space at the back, we did not consider this further though I was impressed with the in-cabin ambience of the Hector Plus and more-so, of the Astor. The kids did like this one due to the captain seats and the pano sunroof!- The interiors and the busy ride were a downer and so was the pricing for this truck. I have detailed more about this in https://www.team-bhp.com/news/skoda-...ve-experiences - Wifey did not like the interiors on the same. After getting used to roomy vehicles, the all black of the Octavia does take some time getting used to. She also scraped the TD car on some bad roads and I had nothing to say after this. Personally, I loved the car, the humongous boot space & the power on tap but the interiors were a bit too bland for my taste. (A close friend picked up the vRS 245 last week - maybe I will pen down some drive impressions of the same :-) )- Well, I never really had this one on the radar due to the long wait times and wifey was also not so keen on a Mahindra. Also, I found it too similar in looks to the XUV5OO. As I was drawing a blank on the car search and getting a bit frustrated due to this, I went ahead and booked the 7OO on my wifes birthday without really informing her about the same. I thought that I most likely have a 6 month to an years lead up time and in that, I will settle on something that is up and coming.Surprisingly, I got a call to pick up the car in just a tad over a month's time from the time I placed the booking! This led me to believe that there was some heavenly intervention and assistance in helping me to pick my next steed and I just decided to go with the flow. I traveled to my home town, did the PDI and okayed the car. (it had 11km on the ODO at that time)First look:The centerpiece infotainment system:Side view:Delivery day!One with the familiaEnroute to BangaloreGetting a nice foam wash after the 600km driveParked at my office parkingWith that out of the way let's get to the root of the matter.The newly added engine auto-switch off that needs to be turned off at every restart. This is hidden behind the steering wheel on the dash and is adjacent to the traction control off switch. This being a new addition, there is no indication of this in the cluster and one needs to rely on the light embedded in the switch to figure out if this is turned off or on. Also, this could have been accommodated in the vacant spot where the drive modes are implemented in the diesel. I turn this off everytime I start the car.The tons of sensors in this car - prompted me to immediately purchase the max possible coverage with regard to the warranty (4/5th year) and the various options in the infotainment. These can be a big distraction while driving and make me nervous at times.Ventilated seats - these should have been present in the 2023 iteration at the bare minimum - sorely missed this during my long drive and for folks using this as a long distance cruiser, this is a big missDay/Night IRVM -Ambient lighting - This is offset to a certain extent as I have installed the Mahindra OEM illuminated scuff plates and they do throw an upward glow when any door is open. But bottomline is this should have been present at least in the L variants12V charging slot that is accessible from the front.Wide angle side camera that can display the length of the car and not just the area near the front tyresSliding middle rowThe initial start post ignition isaggressive at times. In my office parking lot, I have even noticed a wheel spin.This reminds me of the behavior of the Polo GT 1.0 AT which exhibits a similar trait. I need to be very careful as I navigate the way out of my parking slot at home and office (which is basically a 90-degree turn to join the driveway). This is a BIG pain point. I have noticed speeds of even 16kmph if I just let it roll (normal creep speeds at 6-7kmph) - this is darn scray and I would like inputs from other informed users if this sort of behavior has been observed by others on a cold start.The other issue is the screeching sound of the brakes while taking it out of the parking. I understand these are cold and are trying to rein in 200horses from running away (refer to the point above) - but then this sound is very crude, especially for someone standing outside the car and is unbecoming of a car of this cost. The other auto in my garage (a i10) does not exhibit this and nor have I noticed this to so much extent for the other ATs that I have driven. Maybe the brakes need more time to bed it.I averaged 10.5kmpl (11.2kmpl on the MID) on a 600 km drive from Goa to Bangalore i.e. 200km on narrow/er & ghat roads and ~400km on the Bangalore-Pune NH4 highway.Since then, I have seen it drop to 9.2kmpl on the MID as I have driven it ~80km in the city. I think the real world would be6-8kmpl. While I was expecting low FE in the city, a ~ 10 kmpl on the highway was not expected (I was hoping for 12-14kmpl) - but then it is extremely difficult to drive this at sub triple digit speeds!The fantastic mHawk engine! Boy oh boy - this is a hoot to drive. No two ways about this. The sheer power of this engine is really superlative. Even while accelerating in a sedate manner one does not realize when they are at 80kmph. The car masks off the speeds so well that 120kmph feels like 85kmph, Makes me gun the throttle whenever there is an open piece of road which is so unlike me!The ride quality is pretty good except for some times when it thuds through certain potholes.Rev matching while driving downhill - the gearbox is quick to drop a gear while driving down a slop thus giving you much better control. Definitely one of the most intuitive gearboxs that I used, with regard to this.From Mahindra - infotainment screen guard, mud flaps, rain visor, pedal cover, rear aluminum crash guard, illuminated scuff platesFrom outside - Pharaoh 3D Car Floor Mats - these are expensive & look good when clean. These are easy to clean as well but a pain to maintain. On second thoughts, I would have gone with something that has a noodle cover, for easier maintenance.Please, please, please give this car an ECO or City mode. It badly needs one when somebody wants to drive in a calm relaxed manner and does not want to wake up the horses on tap. The car holds the 2nd gear for a much longer time than needed resulting in a dip in fuel efficiency.Thats it for now. I will add to this thread at opportune moments. Last edited by Aditya : 7th April 2023 at 06:24 . Reason: As requested BEIRUT, April 5 (Xinhua) -- A UN expert on Wednesday expressed grave concern about interference in investigations into the 2020 port explosion in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, including threats against the investigating judge. In a statement, UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers Margaret Satterthwaite condemned the undue delays that have prevented justice for those affected by the blast. "I am deeply disturbed by reports that former state officials and others who have been implicated in the case have disingenuously resorted to recusal proceedings and other challenging actions directed at the investigating judges appointed to examine the case," Satterthwaite said. "This has led to the replacement of an investigating judge in February 2021, as well as several suspensions of the investigation in recent months," she added. The UN expert said the government has failed to execute arrest warrants against former ministers. "Judge Tarek Bitar, appointed to lead the investigation in February 2021, has faced increasing obstacles and threats to carry out his work," the special rapporteur said. Two blasts rocked the Beirut port on Aug. 4, 2020, leaving over 200 people dead, injuring over 6,000, and displacing around 300,000 others. Mozilla Thunderbird is a fully featured, secure and very functional email client and RSS feed reader. It lets you handle mail efficiently and with style, and Thunderbird filters away junk mail too. It offers a pretty and streamlined interface to a very powerful email package. Not only is Thunderbird a secure email client, a sophisticated and very well integrated Bayesian spam filter knocks out most junk mail (after some training). Combine these two aspects of Thunderbird, and you get a sensible feature that automatically sanitizes (potentially dangerous) HTML code and turns off remote images for spam or anything else - worms, viruses - you classify as bad mail. Though not perfect, a scam sensor detects tactics commonly used to fool users. Flexible views, free-form tags and powerful filters, search and virtual folders (which also work fine with IMAP accounts and across email accounts) make it a snap to handle large amounts of mail. The integrated RSS feed reader extends these abilities to news. Is Thunderbird free? Yes, Mozilla Thunderbird is free and open source. You can use it for personal and commercial use. However, Mozilla is open to donations in order to keep improving the app. Does Thunderbird let users make a local copy of my messages? Yes, Thunderbird will keep a copy of all your messages on your computer by default. You can also create a local backup of your messages or download them from your server whenever you need it. Can Thunderbird replace Outlook? For general email use, yes, Thunderbird can be a suitable replacement for Outlook. Those that require better integration with Microsoft Office and Exchange will be more satisfied with Microsoft Outlook. Additionally, Thunderbird's interface may not be as polished as Outlook's. How many email accounts can I have with Thunderbird? Thunderbird has no limitation on the number of email accounts users can add to the app. What mail services does Thunderbird support? Thunderbird supports most mailing services that synchronize items through the IMAP protocol or download messages through the POP3 protocol. The application also supports synchronization for MS Exchange and Outlook.com accounts. Thunderbird supports Gmail, iCloud, Outlook.com, IceWarp, Microsoft Exchange, Yahoo, AOL, GMX, Kerio and more. Features Tabs If you like Firefox's tabbed browsing, you're going to love tabbed email. Tabbed email lets you load emails in separate tabs so you can quickly jump between them. Perhaps you're responding to an email and need to refer back to an earlier email. Tabbed email lets you keep multiple emails open for easy reference. Double-clicking or hitting enter on a mail message will now open that message in a new tab window. Right-clicking on messages or folders will open them in a tab in the background. When quitting Thunderbird, visible tabs will be saved and will be restored when you open Thunderbird the next time. There is also a new Tab menu on the Tab toolbar to help you switch between Tabs. Search The new search interface in Thunderbird 3 contains filtering and timeline tools to pinpoint the exact email you're looking for. Thunderbird 3 also indexes all of your emails to help you search even faster. Your search results are displayed in a tab so you can easily switch back and forth to your search results and other email. Message Archive If you think you're going to need an email in the future but want it out of your inbox without deleting it, archive it! Archiving helps you manage your inbox and put your email into a new archive folder system. Selecting the Archive button or hitting the 'A' key will archive your email. Customize Your Email Experience Thunderbird is flexible to suit your personality, to give you the features you need, and to fit your work style. Change how Thunderbird looks or add as many features as you want. Thunderbird Look & Feel With Personas, lightweight "skins" allow you to change the look and feel of Thunderbird in an instant. Hundreds of skins are available from the latest movies, famous landmarks, and Japanese tattoos. You can also choose from several Themes that dress up all the different icons in Thunderbird. Smart Folders Smart Folders helps you manage multiple email accounts by combining special folders like your Inbox, Sent, or Archive folder. Instead of going to the Inbox for each of your mail accounts, you can see all of your incoming email in one Inbox folder. Add-ons Manager Find and install add-ons directly in Thunderbird. You no longer need to visit the add-ons Web site---instead simply fire up the Add-ons Manager. Not sure which add-on is right for you? Ratings, recommendations, descriptions and pictures of the add-ons in action help you make your selection. What's New One Commander includes tabs, dual-pane browsers, columns navigation, built-in preview, a theming system and much more. It is free for home use and has no ads. There are two versions, Free (no ads) for non-commercial use, and Pro version with additional features for professional use. Features Tabs Dark / Light themes Miller Columns (improved over MacOS Finder) File Preview built-in (Press Space) Long Unicode Path support (not limited to Windows' 260 characters in path) File Age / Relative File Dates (hours/days from modification time), Color Coded Organize Favorites into project groups Quick Filtering of Current Folder File Operations Queue Batch File Operations Easy Keyboard Navigation ToDo Tasks and Notes in Any Folder Drop List / Smarter Clipboard Paste text and bitmap images directly as files Easy sorting to multiple destinations Photo / Audio / Video / Document metadata Picture Preview with Metadata and GPS photo location Image Converter RegEx renaming Monitoring folders for changes Folder background images (automatic if called folder.jpg or cover.jpg) File Explorer and OS X Finder Alternative Unpack zip and other archives with built-in 7zip QuickLook support Dual-panel, side-by-side file browsing Editable theme files (xaml format) This is not an UWP app but a desktop software with a full operating system support. Windows 10 and Windows 11 are supported What's New Listing files when opening folders is up to 10% faster File-view menu with visual representations of views New dynamic columns resizing Tray icon LMB to open window; MMB to open a new window New style for drive-items with percentage bar Jumplist (menu on right-click on taskbar icon) showing saved windows, creating new one, and centering current window Fixed regression bug switching from Virtual Desktop Bug-fixes and small improvements System Requirements: One Commander requires Windows 10 or Windows 11 and .NET 4.8 framework. Windows 10S is Not supported. High-DPI screen recommended (above 96ppi) At this time acrylic window effect is not supported in Windows 11 (causes extreme lag) Note: TechSpot is about to celebrate its 25th anniversary. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust In a nutshell: Team Red unveiled a new naming scheme for laptop processors last year to reduce ambiguity and imbed more information in its CPU numbering. New documentation indicates that AMD needs more signage to ensure customers can identify the processor architecture they're purchasing. As laptops with AMD's latest Zen 4 CPU architecture launch this year, the company's labeling system might confuse customers because it differs from the desktop naming scheme. The company hopes to remedy the problem with orange stickers signifying Zen 4 mobile processors (above). Processor naming conventions can confuse casual or less-experienced PC users, but understanding AMD's Ryzen desktop processor labels shouldn't take long. All desktop 7000 series CPUs use the company's Zen 4 architecture, succeeding the 5000 series, which uses Zen 3. However, AMD's 7000 series notebook processors aren't Zen 4. Some are Zen 3 or even Zen 2, which gets confusing. Although, the company adopted a new designation system late last year intended to make more sense, whereby each digit in a mobile CPU's name has a different meaning. The first digit only represents the year of release. All laptop processors released in 2023 carry a number in the 7000s regardless of the architecture. Customers specifically checking the CPU generation must look at the third digit: 7X4X processors are Zen 4, 7X3X represents Zen 3, and so on. However, the Santa Clara firm can't fit a complete guide to the naming system on a laptop chassis, so it is resorting to orange stickers to highlight the latest architecture. Laptops with CPUs ranging from the Ryzen 5 7640HS to the Ryzen 9 7945HX will feature orange stickers next to the screen or on the keyboard top cover. Notebooks with earlier processors will have grey stickers, from the Ryzen 3 7320U (Zen 2) to the Ryzen 7 7735HS (Zen 3). It's unclear where AMD will explain the meaning of the colored logos to unaware customers. A guide appeared in the company's internal training deck intro, and Notebookcheck spotted a sticker on the 2023 Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16. An explanation may appear on the box or signs near retail kiosks. The ROG laptop's Amazon page and official website don't mention or show the logos. It's also unclear what the orange sticker will denote after the 8000 series mobile CPUs ship in 2024. Perhaps Team Red will switch to a different color. Anyone knowledgeable enough to know they want a Zen 4 processor will likely find information on AMD's naming system. However, discrepancies between the desktop and laptop labeling schemes could also fool them. What just happened? Many in the tech industry have weighed in with their opinion on AI. Now, President Joe Biden has given his views on the subject. POTUS said it remains to be seen whether artificial intelligence is dangerous, and that companies have a responsibility to ensure their AI products are safe before being released to the public. Generative AIs such as ChatGPT have exploded in popularity over the last few months, bringing excitement about their potential benefits and concerns over their use for malicious purposes. The impact they could have on jobs is also a worry; a recent report claims that 300 million full-time positions worldwide might be affected by generative AIs. In a meeting with the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), which includes executives from Microsoft and Google alongside academics, Biden said that while AI could help with some of society's biggest challenges, such as disease and climate change, it must also address the potential risks it presents to society, national security, and the economy. This week, Italy became the first Western country to ban ChatGPT over its collection and processing of personal data for training, the lack of age restrictions, and occasional factually incorrect responses. The Italian Data Protection Watchdog also cited the recent bug that saw the titles of user queries exposed. Germany is also considering a ban, and EU lawmakers are trying to introduce new rules limiting high-risk AI products. ChatGPT and similar generative AIs appear safe from a ban in the US for now, though Biden isn't convinced that the technology is without its risks. When asked if AI is dangerous, he said, "It remains to be seen. Could be." "Tech companies have a responsibility, in my view, to ensure their products are safe before making them public," Biden added. The dangers of any AI without safeguards have been repeatedly highlighted. Biden compared this problem to social media, which he said has already caused harm due to a lack of certain restrictions. "Absent safeguards, we see the impact on the mental health and self-images and feelings and hopelessness, especially among young people," Biden said. Elsewhere, Biden reiterated some of his State of the Union address, calling for Congress to pass bipartisan legislation to stop tech giants from collecting personal data on under-18s online, ban targeted advertising to children, and impose stricter limits on the personal data companies collect. While it doesn't appear that the meeting will lead to any AI-related policies, Russell Wald, managing director of policy and society at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, told AP that Biden "is setting the stage for a national dialogue on the topic by elevating attention to AI, which is desperately needed." TechSpot is about to celebrate its 25th anniversary. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust Why it matters: Many causal users likely assume that when they delete a smartphone app, its account and associated data also disappear, which often isn't the case. Following Apple's example last year, Google will soon require Play Store apps to inform users more clearly of their options when deleting apps, accounts, and data. Google just announced an upcoming Play Store app policy requiring developers to let users delete accounts from within apps and web browsers. Users will also have more information and options regarding deletion. Since last summer, any iOS app allowing in-app account registration must also have a method for deleting users' accounts within the app. The safety measure means Apple customers no longer have to go through external web services or other hoops to ensure the erasure of data they no longer need. Google is now following suit. The requirement to provide deactivation through web portals or the app's menus means users who delete apps no longer need to reinstall them to erase accounts and data. Additionally, Google will require apps to let users selectively erase data like photos, videos, or activity history. Developers must link the relevant information on their apps' data safety labels so users know their options. Additionally, the forms must notify readers if services retain any data for security or legal reasons. The biggest reason for the new rule is likely to minimize user exposure to data breaches. Services sometimes retain data without telling users who delete accounts, leaving them unaware of their data's vulnerability to cyberattacks. Like Apple, Google will give developers a months-long grace period before instituting its new policy. They have until December 7 to provide data deletion information on safety forms, which will appear on Play Store pages in early 2024. Developers can file an extension until May 31, 2024. The new rules could be an attempt to tighten Google's app data policy after Mozilla and the Washington Post criticized it earlier this year. The Firefox company found that Play Store privacy and data safety labels were misleading and underreported the amount of information that services shared with third-party entities. Mozilla's security review found discrepancies between many data safety forms and the corresponding services' ToS forms. GENEVA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Tuesday concluded its 52nd session, after adopting 43 resolutions on issues including the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, and mental health. Other resolutions addressed the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment, promotion and protection of human rights, and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Council also adopted resolutions on the right to food, the promotion of the enjoyment of cultural rights and respect for cultural diversity, the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the 30th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action. Vaclav Balek, president of the UN Human Rights Council, said in his concluding remarks Tuesday that the body's longest ever session "had done enormous work." Its next session will be held from June 19 to July 14 this year, he announced. Scientists have set a new record for the deepest fish ever captured after finding an unknown snailfish species at a depth of 8,336 meters below the surface in the Izu-Ogasawara Trench, located south of Japan in the North Pacific Ocean. Baited Cameras Explore Japan's Depths The expedition, led by Professor Alan Jamieson from The University of Western Australia and a team from the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, used baited cameras to explore the depths of the Japan, Izu-Ogasawara, and Ryukyu trenches in the north Pacific Ocean. While the team managed to film the deepest record of a fish, an unknown snailfish species of the genus Pseudoliparis, they also caught two snailfish from 8,022 meters deep in the Japan Trench. These snailfish, Pseudoliparis belyaevi, were the first fish ever to be collected from depths greater than 8,000 meters. According to Professor Jamieson, the Japanese trenches were incredible areas to explore due to their abundance in life, even all the way to the bottom. The team has spent more than 15 years exploring these deep snailfish, and Professor Jamieson noted that there is so much more to them than just the depth but also the maximum depth that these species can survive. "In other trenches such as the Mariana Trench, we were finding them at increasingly deeper depths just creeping over that 8,000m mark in fewer and fewer numbers, but around Japan they are really quite abundant," Professor Jamieson said in a press release statement. Snailfish tend to be the opposite of other deep-sea fish, where the juveniles live at the deeper end of their depth range. Read Also: NASA's Earth Observatory Discovers a New Baby Island After an Underwater Volcanic Eruption Extremely Small Juvenile The lone fish that holds the record for being the deepest ever discovered was an extremely small juvenile, despite the fact that there was a large and active population of fish living at these depths, according to the team. Professor Jamieson added that they have enough information on the environment of the trenches to determine where the deepest fish would be. The professor noted that no one had ever seen or collected a single fish from the Izu-Ogasawara Trench until their expedition. Victor Vescovo supported the expedition at Caladan Oceanic and Inkfish. This discovery is a significant achievement, as it shows the vastness of the ocean's depths and how little is known about them. It also highlights the importance of further exploration and research to understand deep-sea ecosystems better and identify possible threats to the marine environment. Related Article: Deep-Sea Mining Robot Is Now Stranded in Pacific Ocean's Floor: Is This a Warning From Nature? 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. NASA has selected four astronauts to venture around the Moon on the Artemis II mission. This mission represents the first crewed mission for NASA's long-term presence on the Moon for science and exploration through Artemis. The Artemis II flight test is expected to last around 10 days and launch on NASA's Space Launch System rocket. The team will work together to demonstrate the capabilities and techniques humans need to live and work in deep space. For the First Time in 50 Years The crew members for the Artemis II mission are Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist 1 Christina Hammock Koch, and Mission Specialist 2 Jeremy Hansen. "For the first time in more than 50 years, these individuals - the Artemis II crew - will be the first humans to fly to the vicinity of the Moon," Director Vanessa Wyche, NASA Johnson, said in a statement. Among the crew are the first woman, the first person of color, and the first Canadian on a lunar mission, and all four astronauts will represent the best of humanity as they explore for the benefit of all." The mission will pave the way for future long-term human exploration missions to the Moon and Mars. This is the agency's Moon to Mars exploration approach. The mission will build on the success of NASA's unmanned Artemis I mission, which was completed in December. The Artemis II mission will pave the way for the first woman and person of color to ascend to the Moon as part of the Artemis program. Read Also: NASA's Artemis Astronauts May 3D Print Batteries for Future Lunar Missions The Artemis II Astronauts Commander Reid Wiseman has been to space before, serving as a flight engineer aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for Expedition 41 from May through November 2014. He has logged over 165 days in space, including almost 13 hours as lead spacewalker during two trips outside the ISS. Pilot Victor Glover will make his second spaceflight on the Artemis II mission, having previously served as a flight engineer aboard the space station for Expedition 64. He contributed to scientific investigations and technology demonstrations and participated in four spacewalks. Mission Specialist 1 Christina Hammock Koch will also make her second flight into space on the Artemis II mission. She was the flight engineer aboard the space station for Expedition 59, 60, and 61. Koch holds a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, with a total of 328 days in space, and took part in the very first all-female spacewalks. Canada's Mission Specialist 2 Jeremy Hansen is taking his maiden space journey. Through the third Canadian Astronaut Recruitment Campaign, the Canadian Space Agency chose him as one of two recruits in May 2009. In addition to serving as Capcom at NASA's Johnson Mission Control Center, Hansen became the first Canadian to teach a NASA astronaut class in 2017, instructing astronaut candidates from both the US and Canada. Director of Flight Operations Norm Knight spoke about how proud he is that the Artemis II crew members will start the journeys to the Moon and beyond. He explained that they represent what an astronaut corps should be, consisting of highly capable and accomplished individuals with the skills and determination to take on any trial as a team. He emphasized how the Artemis II mission will be challenging, and the team will test their limits as they prepare to put future astronauts on the Moon. Related Article: The ESA Looks at the Possibility of a Moon Time Zone 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Apple loses another key executive after several resignations in the past few months. The senior sales executive is leaving Apple to accept the offer of a director in the United States Department of Defense. (Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JANUARY 24: The Apple logo on an Apple Store is seen reflected in a window as pedestrians walk by on January 24, 2012 in San Francisco, California. Apple will report first quarter earnings today after the closing bell. Leaving for US Dept. of Defense Apple Sales Executive Doug Beck announced his departure from the company as he accept a senior role in public service. According to Bloomberg's report, the former Apple executive will lead the Defense Innovation Unit of the Department of Defense. This role aims to promote the use of commercial technology within the US military. Aside from this, Beck will also be advising Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on technology strategy as a part of his role of being a director of the unit. His role in the department is a full-time job. As a part of the realignment of the Defense Innovation Unit, Beck will report directly to Austin instead of functioning as a defense agency under the office of the undersecretary. "DIU's mission is to accelerate the adoption of commercial technology at speed and scale, and these changes will further enable it to effectively execute this critical mission," Austin stated. Space News reported that this was Michael Brown's previous role before he left the unit in September 2022. He left the Department of Defense last year as he joined the venture company Shield Capital. Also Read: Apple Machine Learning Director Resigns Due To Work-From-Office Policy; More Employees Leaving? The department offered this role as Beck has over fifteen years of experience living and working in different countries in Asia including Japan, China, Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, and Indonesia. He already worked with this unit when he founded the agency's joint reserve component. 9To5Mac reported that he also served as a captain in the US Navy Reserve in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, and Presidential Unit Citation. Beck's Time in Apple Apple released a statement regarding Beck's departure from the company and said that they fully support entering public service and wish him all the best. Despite being one of fewer than 20 executives to report to Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook, his departure represents another loss for the company. Beck managed sales to governments, health institutions, and schools, which served him as one of the company's two sales chiefs. While he was in charge of sales, Mike Fenger is in charge of product and enterprise sales globally. Before being an executive for the Cupertino giant, Beck also ran sales in some parts of the world, as he became the Vice President of Americas and Northeast Asia in September 2015 up until June 2019, as per his LinkedIn account. Related Article: Apple's Chief Privacy Officer Sets to Resign for a Law Firm Position 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. It has been nearly a decade since the Google Now Launcher (GNL) launch, with its debut alongside the Nexus 5 in 2013. It offered users a simple, clean experience while integrating Google Now Cards directly into the launcher to make accessing them easier. The End of an Era: Google set to Discontinue the Google Now Launcher Google will be shutting down this service as the Google app will no longer support it. GNL went through several iterations, first being referred to as the Google Experience Launcher (GEL) before it became available to all Android 4.1+ devices via the Play Store in 2014. According to the story by 9to5Google, it was the go-to launcher for many Android users for the next few years, as it provided a relatively stock and clean experience. Google began to phase out the GNL in 2017, as its core feature - quick access to Google Now cards - was made available through OEM launchers. Google Experience Launcher (GEL): APK Insight Teardowns Reveal Benefits This began the transition to the Pixel Launcher for Google's own phones, and over time, less and less focus has been given to the GNL as the Google app has become powered by Google Assistant and other features. Originally referred to as the Google Experience Launcher (GEL), this launcher was made available to all Android devices running version 4.1 or higher through the Google Play Store. JEB Decompiler revealed some APK Insight teardowns benefit. Google Now Launcher Removed from Play Store in 2018 Its primary purpose was to offer a more stock and clean experience while providing users easy access to Google Now. However, by 2017, the GNL was no longer a priority for Google as it started to move on to the Pixel Launcher. Then, Google started to inform partners that the launcher was going away because Google Now was already integrated into many OEM launchers. Despite this, the GNL could still receive updates through the Google app. An article by Android Authority in 2018 shared how the Google Now Launcher was removed from the Play Store. Read Also: Google CEO Announces Upcoming Upgrades to Bard AI Chatbot The End of an Android Era: The Google Now Launcher Will Stop Working in April Fast forward to today, and the latest beta version of the Google app has revealed that the "Google Now Launcher will stop working in April." This means those of us who still have the launcher installed will see our device's default launchers take over. However, Google does note that if you want to keep things the way they are, you can simply not update the Google app. Even though the GNL has been living on borrowed time for a while now, its eventual closure marks the end of an Android era. It provided users with a more traditional experience, and its simple design was a welcome change of pace for many. It may be a loss to some, but Google has moved on to better things with the Pixel Launcher and Assistant, making the GNL's demise a little easier. Related Article: Google Drive Search Filter Feature Launches: Three Filter Options Available 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Archaeologists have made a grisly discovery at an ancient Egyptian palace site in northeastern Egypt. The team, led by Julia Gresky of the German Archaeological Institute in Berlin, has found physical evidence of an ancient practice that was previously only known from iconographic and literary sources. Right Hands in the Pits They have found 12 to 18 right hands buried beneath pits in the forecourt of Hyksos palace at Avaris, offering new insights into the practices of ancient Egypt. The researchers believe that the hands were not all fully intact and were interred together, making it difficult to determine the minimum and maximum number of individuals required to make up the remains. However, the researchers managed to determine that the minimum number of hands found was 12, with 18 being the uppermost range. The hands were discovered in three different pits in the area that would have been the palace's entrance court in front of the throne room. The scholars claim that the severed hands positioned there were meant to be observed and would have been a striking sight. The hands were likely to be a part of a ceremony at the palace, and the sight of so many severed hands would have given onlookers a new viewpoint. The researchers were able to establish that the hands' minimum ages were set between 14 and 21 years, with the top age range being below 60, even though hands can be tough to examine forensically. Eleven of the hands were identified as male, with the 12th being undetermined, based on the sturdy structure of the bones and a morphological tendency for their index fingers to be longer than their ring fingers. Read Also: Archaeologists Unearth Over 2,000 Mummified Ram Heads in Ancient Egyptian Temple Shrouded in Mystery The exact moment of the incident and whether the hands were from live or dead people are still shrouded in mystery. The researchers contend that the hands had to have been soft and flexible to fit inside the pit. The most likely scenario is that the hands found their way to the pits 24 to 48 hours after collecting. This implies it took at least a day between the amputation and placement in the palace. Another intriguing aspect is the absence of any traces of the forearms to which the hands were formerly linked. This shows that extra care was taken to ensure that only the anatomical hands were on exhibit by eliminating all traces of the appendage. However, according to the team, it is impossible to tell if the hands were removed neatly from the arms or if the removal process left some mess. Although there is not much proof of hand severing before the era of the pits, iconographic reports from 50 to 80 years later mention the practice. If this is the case, the authors speculate that the communities where the Hyksos leadership first emerged may have been where the activity in Egypt began. Iconographic documents show that in the succeeding dynasties, taking a hand from an enemy developed into a custom in battle. This discovery is the first reported physical evidence of the practice. The researchers' findings have been published in the journal Scientific Reports. Related Article: Archaeologists May Have Discovered Egypt's Oldest, Most Complete Mummy at 4,300 Years 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have developed a new type of antibiotic that can shape-shift by rearranging its atoms to tackle drug-resistant bacteria. Professor John E. Moses created the weapon while observing military tanks that can quickly rotate and respond to threats. He then turned to a molecule called bullvalene with over a million possible configurations due to its atoms' ability to swap positions. Click Chemistry Technique Moses combined bullvalene with vancomycin, a potent antibiotic used to treat various infections. He created a new antibiotic with two vancomycin "warheads" and a fluctuating bullvalene center using the Nobel Prize-winning click chemistry technique. MRSA, VRSA, and VRE are a few bacteria that have gained vancomycin resistance. In partnership with Dr. Tatiana Soares da-Costa from the University of Adelaide, Moses' team employed wax moth larvae, often used to test antibiotics, to administer the novel medication to the VRE-infected larvae. According to the researchers, the antibiotic's ability to change shape made it substantially more successful than vancomycin at treating the fatal infection. They also found that the bacteria did not become resistant to the new drug. Each year, almost 3 million infections with drug-resistant bacteria and fungi occur in the United States alone, leading to 35,000 fatalities. Since some bacteria have grown resistant to antibiotics due to overuse in recent years, treating illnesses has become more complex. Antibiotic resistance has been listed as one of the top 10 worldwide public health threats by the World Health Organization. Read Also: Revolutionary GlucoScreen: Smartphone-Based System for Early Detection of Prediabetes Crucial Advance Moses' development of antibiotics that can change their structure may be a crucial advance in the fight against these drug-resistant superbugs. The new antibiotic can change its structure by rearranging its atoms, which makes it harder for bacteria to acquire resistance to it. Developing numerous novel medications through click chemistry and shape-shifting antibiotics offers fresh hope in the fight against antibiotic resistance. Moses believes that the most significant accomplishment in history would be the discovery of molecules that could determine whether someone lives or dies. Antibiotics that can change their shape may be essential tools in the fight against infection. This discovery is a significant breakthrough in the medical field as the battle against antibiotic resistance continues to escalate. Moses' research offers hope in the search for new treatments to combat drug-resistant bacteria and fungi that pose a severe threat to public health. The findings of this study have significant implications for the development of new antibiotics that can shape-shift and adapt to bacteria's changing defenses, offering new hope for the future of medicine. The work was published in PNAS. Related Article: DeepMind's AlphaFold AI Develops Molecular Syringe That Can Help Cure Cancer, Treat Tumors 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Earlier this year, Apple teased that an Apple Store in India will likely launch this 2023. At that time, people knew it was about to happen, given the clear assurance from the job listings. Now, it's officially confirmed to open "very soon." Apple BKC is Opening Soon in India According to a report by AppleInsider on Wednesday, April 5, the Cupertino tech giant has already allowed the viewers to take a preview of the first flagship Apple Store in India. As the company continues to reach out to more users in the market, it's strategic to establish long-lasting connections with its customers. By building a brick-and-mortar shop, it can improve its visibility in the region so it can attract more buyers in the long run. Apple BKC, the physical store that will soon open in Mumbai, boasts its storefront design which features the iconic Kaali Peeli taxi art. As India Retailing says, the unique appearance makes use of combined decals that go well with Apple products and services. Additionally, you can see that the entrance of the Apple Store is all-white in color. There's a colorful logo of an apple. Below this icon is the name of the store and the "arriving soon" note. "Hello, Mumbai. We are getting ready to welcome you aboard our first store in India. And raring to see where your creativity takes you at Apple BKC," the official website of Apple India reads. Apple Could Open More Stores Outside Mumbai At the time, the iPhone maker remained silent about the official opening date of the Mumbai store. However, earlier reports claimed that it might take place this April. Aside from that, Apple could open a second shop in the country, particularly in New Delhi. The store will allegedly start to operate between April and June. Related Article: iOS 16.4 Brings 8 Highly-Awaited Features: Beta Updates, Web Push Notifications, & More Boosting Apple's Brand Image in India Although Apple is already an established brand for electronic products, it still needs to compete with other local brands in India, per NDTV. The launch of the Apple Store in Mumbai did not come easy for the company. The government of India has been strict in regulating the arrival of tech products in the country. One of the requirements before a foreign firm operates in India is sourcing at least 30% of components and materials from domestic suppliers. If Apple wants to thrive in the Indian market, it should offer affordable pricing for its products. It also needs to improve its market share to stay in the competition. Counterpoint Research notes that the iPhone maker had a 4% share of the Indian smartphone market last year. Some popular brands, such as Samsung and Vivo, have larger shares than Apple. Opening more stores in India will not only bolster Apple's brand image to its customers, but also it can lure more investors and developers into negotiating a business with it. Related Article: Apple Store Down Ahead of Yellow iPhone 14 Pre-orders 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Cash App's founder, Bob Lee, is now dead after a fatal stabbing incident. The founder of Cash App was stabbed to death in San Francisco, according to reports pic.twitter.com/iY4fgFDfUg SAY CHEESE! (@SaycheeseDGTL) April 5, 2023 On Tuesday, Apr. 4, the tech executive was killed near downtown San Francisco. The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) authorities responded to the incident at around 2:30 am. Although Lee was still taken to the hospital, his injuries were fatal. This led to his unexpected death. Cash App Founder Bob Lee Dead After Stabbing Incident According to NBC News' latest report, the latest incident that took Bob Lee's life is still being investigated by the SFPD's homicide detail. Also Read: Keanu Reeves Finds Deepfakes, AI 'Scary' - His Film Contracts Now Bans Digital Edits? Many people from the tech industry were saddened by the sudden death of Lee. Via NBC Bay Area, MobileCoin CEO Josh Goldbar shared his statement. "Bob was made for the new world, he was the quintessential creator, leader, and consummate hacker," he said. He added that Bob Lee's contributions to Android and other Google products are critical. Aside from this, Goldbar also shared that Lee worked with them at MobileCoin before he passed away. Cash app founder stabbed to death in SF. All these crypto billionaires getting murdered as well. Nah this aint a coincidence Oi (@iguzman925) April 5, 2023 Goldbar is just among the people who were saddened by Lee's passing. MMA fighter Jake Shields was also shocked by his death. Shields said that Lee was a loyal friend to him. This just shows how Lee made an impact on a lot of people's lives. Helping Finding Bob Lee's Killer The San Francisco Police Department announced that the criminal responsible for Bob Lee's death is still at large. Police authorities haven't made an arrest in the case of Lee. SFPD is currently asking for assistance from residents who were able to see the crime. The San Francisco Police Department said that people who can share details regarding the fatal stabbing incident are urged to contact them. If you are one of these people, your help will be greatly appreciated by the police. You can contact the San Francisco authorities by calling them at 415-575-4444. You can also send them a text message via TIP411 with "SFPD" at the start of the message. If you want to learn further details about Lee's sudden death, you can click this link. Here are other stories we recently wrote about popular individuals: Taylor Swift previously responded to the viral TicketMaster fiasco for the "Eras Tour." We also reported about the decision of DKOldies to sell a massive collection of retro games to rapper Lil Yachty. For more news updates about celebrities and other popular people, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: Queen Elizabeth II Dies at 96: Here's a Look Back at How She Embraced Technology 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Meta is betting big on the use of generative AI tools for its ad creation. According to the CTO Andrew Bosworth, the shipment of the tools will happen later this year. Meta Plans to Use Generative AI Tools For Ad Creation The social media giant Meta is planning to invest in generative AI at the end of 2023. With this action, the company is commercializing the use of the technology to improve its ad creation in its apps. Nikkei Asia reports that Bosworth highlights the importance of generative AI in creating pictures for users. "[I] expect we'll start seeing some of them [commercialization of the tech] this year. We just created a new team, the generative AI team, a couple of months ago; they are very busy. It's probably the area that I'm spending the most time [in], as well as Mark Zuckerberg and [Chief Product Officer] Chris Cox," Bosworth said in an interview with the publication. Two months ago, Meta CPO Chris Cox dedicated his time to coming up with AI tools that can help the company. Zuckerberg said that at that time, the company was still exploring how AI-powered chats work on Messenger and WhatsApp. The same technology is also usable when using Instagram filters for Stories. Meta Aims to Create 3D Worlds Using Generative AI TechCrunch states in another report that Meta also shares its plans to "create virtual worlds" through the power of generative artificial intelligence. Bosworth points out that the company will rely on several language models or LLMs to successfully make a 3D-modeled dimension. Of course, this will be possible with the help of OpenAI's GPT-4, the most advanced AI chatbot of the company at the moment. Meta's CTO adds that Meta wants people to access more places inside a 3D world. It requires extensive programming and graphics before producing their desired virtual world. The popularity of AI resurfaced when ChatGPT debuted in November 2022. Many companies wanted to emulate the success of OpenAI by creating their own chatbot version. For Meta, this is not the long-term plan since it's still focused on metaverse creation. By far, it's the service with a high-yielding profit for the company. Related Article: Meta's Advertising Product Executive Dan Levy is Leaving the Company 2023 is the Year of Efficiency for Meta With so much hope at stake for the company especially when it comes to exploring new opportunities, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledges the year 2023 as the "Year of Efficiency." The business tycoon says that the team will be more focused on building a "stronger and more nimble organization" this time. If it wants to drive more profit, Facebook Reels is not the only option. This could be the reason why Meta has high hopes for the generative AI to do the miracle. Aside from Meta, Omnkey has previously explored the use of generative ads thanks to GPT-3 and DALL-2. In China, Movio has been utilizing generative AI to craft high-quality clips for marketing, per the US Today News. Read Also: Meta to Stop Updating the Original Quest VR Headset 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. In a historic operation, law enforcement agencies from 18 countries, including the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Dutch National Police (Politie), shut down Genesis Market, one of the largest online marketplaces where cybercriminals sold stolen identities, The Guardian reports. The operation has been touted as unprecedented in its scale and success. 80 Million Stolen Identities Discovered Europol announced in a post that the notorious online marketplace sold over 1.5 million bot listings containing personal credentials for two million people, with a total of 80 million credentials for sale. With these credentials, cybercriminals could gain access to information from accounts such as online banking, Facebook, Amazon, PayPal, and Netflix, among others. The marketplace sold digital fingerprints of victims' devices in addition to personal credentials, allowing cybercriminals to bypass online security checks by impersonating the victim. What is the Genesis Market? Why is it dangerous? The impact of the criminal activity facilitated by Genesis Market was far-reaching, with businesses' information being sold on the platform as well. The marketplace enabled criminal activities such as fraud, ransomware attacks, sim-swapping, and the theft of source code from companies. Read Also: Samsung Employees Use ChatGPT at Work, Unknowingly Leak Critical Source Codes Buyers of bots were given not only access to stolen data but also custom browsers that mimicked the browsers of their victims. This allowed the criminals to gain access to the victim's account while bypassing the platform's security measures. How Users Access the Illegal Site Genesis Market was accessible on both the open and dark web, but it was hidden from law enforcement behind an invitation-only veil. According to reports, users were given step-by-step instructions on purchasing stolen information and using it for fraud. Depending on the type of information available, prices ranged from as little as 70 US cents (56p) to several hundreds of dollars. Successful Sting Operation The operation, which resulted in over 120 arrests and over 200 searches worldwide, was led by the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA), which conducted a series of raids on Tuesday, April 4. In the United Kingdom, 19 suspected site users were apprehended. Reuters reports that countries involved in the investigation included Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, the United States, the UK, Germany, Iceland, Italy, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Will Lyne, the head of cyberintelligence for the UK's National Crime Agency, commented that Genesis Market was "an enormous enabler of fraud and a range of other criminal activity online by facilitating that initial access to victims, which is a critical part of the business model in a whole range of nefarious activity." Rob Jones, the director-general of the National Economic Crime Centre, highlighted the ease with which anyone could access the marketplace to commit a crime. Know If You've Been A Victim Global law enforcement agencies have shown their ability to collaborate to combat the international nature of cybercrime. Investigators have already set up spoof distributed denial-of-service sites to harvest criminal information, and they may use similar tactics with fraud sites. The shutdown of Genesis Market sends a clear message to cybercriminals that their actions will not go unpunished. Visit https://www.politie.nl/checkyourhack to see if you were a victim. Related Article: Vulkan Files Unmask How Putin, Russia Launched Shocking Cyberwarfare on the World 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Qingming, literally "clear and bright" in Chinese, is also known as the Tomb Sweeping Day. It is one of the 24 dates that divide the solar year and has been observed for thousands of years. Qingming falls on April 5 this year. On Qingming, Chinese people usually pay respects to heroes, mourn their loved ones who died, and go for spring outing. Paying respects to heroes and martyrs On Qingming, Chinese people often visit memorial facilities dedicated to revolutionary heroes, present floral baskets and tour museums. Worshiping ancestors On Qingming, Chinese people often worship ancestors and pay tribute to their loved ones who died. Spring outing On Qingming, families often take a moment to savor springtime after sweeping tombs. As AI jobs continue to rise, tech layoffs among companies become more common. The popularity of artificial intelligence in honing employees' skills has been sensational among recruiters and employers. Some firms want to invest in this technology to attract more potential workers who wish to join the company. In Stanford University's Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence study, roughly 800,000 job openings have been related to AI in the US alone since 2022. AI-Related Job Hiring in the US According to Stanford's 2023 AI Index Report, the place with the most opportunities related to AI is California. The data suggests that over 142,000 positions were posted online last year. Given that California is a prosperous state in the US, it's understandable why several major companies are building their headquarters here. Some tech firms include Meta, Google, and OpenAI, the creator behind ChatGPT. Behind California are Florida, New York, and Texas, which also have a lot of AI job hiring. It should be noted that, on average, AI-related job openings account for 1.5%. In smaller states such as Arkansas and Delaware, the job postings linked to artificial intelligence have reached 2.66% and 2.03%, respectively. Despite that these are low percentages, they still exceed the national average. Meanwhile, Washington D.C., the capital of the United States, recorded nearly 3% of AI job postings. Private Industry Research Overshadows Academic Research in AI Study According to CNBC, AI research from private firms continues to dominate the industry over studies from academies. The collaborative research is still effective, with the United States and China going strong in their exploration. The report says the bond between the two superpower nations regarding this undertaking has skyrocketed since 2010. However, the relationship slowed down in 2021. Related Article: LinkedIn Brings Ai-powered Writing Suggestions, Job Descriptions How to Prepare for an AI Job Interview If your future employer is about to use AI to evaluate your interview, you can have a brief preparation ahead of schedule. There are still traditional employers who interview applicants with a simple question-and-answer test. Some make use of AI to evaluate if the candidate is capable of doing a task. AI screening can be daunting, but you can ace it by following some tricks shared by The Washington Post. Check your setup, including WiFi connection, video recording, webcam quality, and more. Focus on dressing appropriately during virtual interviews. Research the company and your job ahead of the interview. Rehearse some of the questions that the AI might ask you. Practice talking to a camera, even if it's awkward at first. Record your practice interview to know the areas you need to improve. In other news, Tech Times shared a list of AI-proof jobs. The paper, written by OpenAI, suggests that 34 occupations have no exposure to the impact of language learning models. Some of them include cement masons, truck mechanics, athletes, and automotive glass installers, to name a few. Read Also: 5 Ways ChatGPT, Other AI Will Become 'Game-Changers' in Gaming Industry 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Italy last week became the first Western country to block ChatGPT, a popular chatbot powered by artificial intelligence (AI) due to data security concerns. It seems that Germany may too follow in Italys footsteps and block the AI chatbot in the country. In an interview that was published in the Handelsblatt newspaper (via Yahoo News) on Monday, the German commissioner for data protection, Ulrich Kelber, said that his country too could follow Italys recent ChatGPT ban and take a similar action. In principle, such action is also possible in Germany, said Ulrich Kelber, adding that this would fall under state jurisdiction. He also stated that the countrys regulators have been in talks with Italian government regulators and have requested additional information from Italy concerning its temporary ban on ChatGPT. Similarly, data privacy regulators in other EU (European Union) nations, such as France and Ireland, have reached out to their Italian counterparts to review their findings. We are following up with the Italian regulator to understand the basis for their action and we will coordinate with all EU data protection authorities in relation to this matter, a spokesperson for Irelands Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) was quoted by Reuters. ChatGPT Ban In Italy The Italian Data Protection Authority (Garante per la protezione dei dati personali) last Friday temporarily banned ChatGPT in the country with immediate effect and opened an investigation against OpenAI into a suspected breach of Europes strict privacy regulations. It said it was taking provisional action against OpenAI until ChatGPT respects privacy, including temporarily restricting the processing of data of Italian users. For those unaware, ChatGPT was launched as a prototype on November 2022. Within a few days of its release, ChatGPT managed to garner more than one million users within a week. It became insanely popular because of its immense capabilities, be it content writing through simple prompts, organizing peoples meals, planning a holiday party, or even writing a song, and much more. The countrys Data Protection Authority accused ChatGPTs parent company OpenAI of unlawfully collecting personal data from users as well as not having a proper age-verification system in place. It pointed out that OpenAI did not implement sufficient measures in place to prevent users aged 13 and below from using ChatGPT. The Garante also referred to a data breach dating back to March 20 in which users reported being able to access user conversations and information related to the payment of subscribers to the paid service. We noticed a lack of clear notice to users and all interested parties whose data are collected by OpenAI, but above all, the absence of a legal basis that justifies the collection and massive storage of personal data to train the algorithms upon which the platform is based, read an announcement (in Italian) published on Friday. OpenAI has been given 20 days (i.e. until April 19) to answer to the Data Protection Authority as to how what measures it has undertaken to address the watchdogs concerns. Following the temporary ban and investigation, OpenAI took the ChatGPT offline in Italy. ChatGPT is already blocked in countries like China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran. We are committed to protecting peoples privacy and we believe we comply with GDPR and other privacy laws. We actively work to reduce personal data in training our A.I. systems like ChatGPT because we want our A.I. to learn about the world, not about private individuals, OpenAI said last week. We also believe that AI regulation is necessary so we look forward to working closely with the Garante and educating them on how our systems are built and used. OpenAI even said that it is looking forward to making ChatGPT available in Italy again soon. TEHRAN, April 5 (Xinhua) -- An Iranian lawmaker said on Wednesday that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is going to meet soon his United Arab Emirates (UAE) counterpart Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Yaqoub Rezazadeh, a member of the presiding board of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, made the remarks in an interview with the Iranian Students' News Agency. He noted that the meeting will be held either in Iran or the UAE. Rezazadeh said since the meeting last month between Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani and the UAE president, contacts and communications between Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Emirati counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan have started, and the two top diplomats are expected to meet in the near future. The parliament member also said the possibility exists that Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, who has played a positive role in mediating and bringing about reconciliation among regional countries, would visit Iran in the coming months to help improve Tehran's relations with Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. Iran recently appointed its envoy to the UAE, a post that had been vacant since 2016, the official news agency IRNA reported on Tuesday. In 2016, the UAE downgraded its relations with Iran after Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran. In September 2022, the UAE reinstated its ambassador to Iran. The most demanded table in the world that works as a pinchos bar on Sundays The most exclusive and anticipated salad of the season returns in Madrid "Screenings do not reveal all problems": RUDN University professor on the maximum reproductive age and late childbirth Disappearance of Chloe in Seine-et-Marne: how did the investigators find the young woman? 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Treasury has already returned more than 1,500 million The reality of 'squatting': months to achieve an eviction... at best The rental offer falls by 28% in the 'Sanchez era' and the announcement of the new Law accelerates the collapse Study and implement Xi Jinping's Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New EraBuild a solid ideological foundation and create a new situation for development Explore the "China Space Day" themed popular science exhibition to get a closer look at the aerospace science and technology around you-China News Network video Russians most often book hotels in St. Petersburg and Moscow for the May holidays The Independent: The West could have saved Sudan, but it failed "Ukraine is preparing its D-Day": this is how the war can definitively change The Colombian government forces Guaido to get on a plane to the United States Sport, seven thousand euros of salary and a life that his grandfather calls "fantastic": the good moment of Froilan in Abu Dhabi This is the new method of robbery of taxi drivers detected in Barcelona Boris Johnson: "I am the Fuhrer and I am destined to be in control" Alexandra's table in Donkey Canaglia: a reunion with friends from Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao that ended in tragedy Russian Ambassador to Germany Nechayev called the Welt article calling for the assassination of Putin a break through the bottom In Conakry, a hundred fishermen treated for burns whose cause remains to be determined No, Los Serrano are not back: this will be 'the reunion' for the 20 years of the mythical series A US fund declares Spain in "technical default" and asks for the reimbursement of government bonds for 910 million Morante de la Puebla explodes against the box of Seville: "You have no shame" Why the heat wave that will hit Spain this week is worrying Guide for passing the dungeon Tower of Babil in the Endwalker update in Final Fantasy 14 Why is Mr. DeSantis Japan? Florida Governor explains the reason for his visit to Japan Politico: The EU intends to withdraw four countries from the zone of influence of Russia and China How is tuberculosis and a cold distinguished? How can it be prevented? This knowledge is to know Communities 2019 - Privacy The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them. URUMQI, April 5 (Xinhua) -- The Khunjerab Pass, a major land port on the China-Pakistan border in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, resumed passenger customs clearance on Monday, said local authorities. The import and export cargo volume at the Khunjerab Pass topped 200,000 tonnes from 2016 to 2020, according to the Khunjerab customs. Located approximately 5,000 meters above sea level, the Khunjerab Pass is a major trade station between China and Pakistan, and an important gateway to South Asia and Europe. China imports mainly textiles, agricultural products and daily commodities at the land port, and exports mainly plants and herbs. Produced by Xinhua Global Service NANNING, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Zhou Mengyuan, a tourist from Beijing, decided to take her annual leave to Liuzhou, a city in southern China, after watching a short video. The video, featuring delightful scenery and mouth-watering street food, has gone viral on the internet, gathering a host of foodies and travel enthusiasts. Such scenes were hard to imagine in the 1980s and 1990s when Liuzhou was better known as an industrial city plagued by acid rain. The city once experienced acid rain in up to 98.4 percent of precipitation events. The city in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has been noted for its large concentration of smokestack industries, including steel smelters and chemical plants. Bristling with chimneys, the extensive mode of growth had left the city under thick smoke, with a less than 9-km stretch of a river in the urban area filled with more than 30 drainage ditches. By 2022, Liuzhou had 1,291 enterprises, each with an annual business turnover of at least 20 million yuan (about 2.9 million U.S. dollars), and achieved an output value of 420 billion yuan, accounting for about one-fifth of the region's total. However, the once "city of acid rain" secured first place in surface water quality among all Chinese cities at the prefecture level and above since 2020. Liuzhou is a microcosm of the country's efforts to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects, including a livable environment. In the early 2000s, Liuzhou launched a campaign to upgrade its industrial layout, shutting down, transforming, and relocating a batch of high-polluting enterprises. Now the city has donned a completely new look. "I didn't expect the environment of an industrial city can be so good," said Zhou. Liuzhou Steel Group, for example, channeled heavily into sewage treatment, greatly helping improve the water quality of the city. The company built three wastewater treatment stations, with over 98 percent of the industrial wastewater recycled. Clean water has even become a calling card for the city. Liuzhou has held the China Liuzhou International Water Carnival for 12 consecutive years, wooing a large number of tourists. "The water quality of Liujiang River in Liuzhou is getting better and better, the environment is more and more beautiful, and there are more tourists. We have such a beautiful scenery at our doorstep, which makes us full of happiness and pride," said Chen Bei, a local resident. Photo taken on April 4, 2023 shows a building of Credit Suisse in Geneva, Switzerland. Credit Suisse, which recently announced its merger with Swiss banking giant UBS, held its last annual general meeting in Zurich on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) GENEVA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Credit Suisse, which recently announced its merger with Swiss banking giant UBS, held its last annual general meeting in Zurich on Tuesday. "We stand here today in a situation that no one could have anticipated. It is a sad day," said Axel P. Lehmann, chairman of the Board of Directors of Credit Suisse. "I apologize that we were no longer able to stem the loss of trust that had accumulated over the years," Lehmann told shareholders, clients and employees of Credit Suisse, which he said "has been a part of Switzerland for 167 years." "This will be our last ordinary general meeting. I am sure I don't need to tell you that I am deeply saddened by this," said Ulrich Koerner, chief executive officer of Credit Suisse. The sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in the United States last month caused shockwaves around the world, and triggered a dramatic loss of confidence in the global financial industry, said Koerner. "The bank's survival was at stake ... the merger with UBS was the only feasible option," he said. "The collapse of Credit Suisse would have been catastrophic not just for Switzerland but for the global economy." More than 1700 Credit Suisse shareholders took part in the general meeting, with some expressing anger and disappointment at the occasion. "It's a very sad day for Switzerland," said shareholder Rudolf Rechsteiner. He said that the "bonus culture" was responsible for destroying the bank, with executives and managers "taking billions." Rechsteiner, who is also chairman of the Ethos Foundation for the promotion of socially responsible investment, added: "The share was at 80 (Swiss) francs, and now it is worth 80 cents, we have lost 99 percent of the capital, it is really a great loss for pension funds and small shareholders." The meeting closed with a vote by shareholders on the proposals of the Board of Directors. According to a statement from Credit Suisse, Axel P. Lehmann was re-elected as chairman of the Board for a further term, until the closing of the planned merger with UBS. Most proposals were approved in the vote, except a maximum aggregate compensation for the Executive Board. In order to "restore the confidence that has been lacking in financial markets," the Swiss federal government announced on March 19 that Credit Suisse would be taken over by UBS. Photo taken on April 4, 2023 shows a building of Credit Suisse in Geneva, Switzerland. Credit Suisse, which recently announced its merger with Swiss banking giant UBS, held its last annual general meeting in Zurich on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) Passersby are reflected in the window of a building of Credit Suisse in Geneva, Switzerland, on April 4, 2023. Credit Suisse, which recently announced its merger with Swiss banking giant UBS, held its last annual general meeting in Zurich on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) Photo taken on April 4, 2023 shows a building of Credit Suisse in Geneva, Switzerland. Credit Suisse, which recently announced its merger with Swiss banking giant UBS, held its last annual general meeting in Zurich on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) Photo taken on April 4, 2023 shows a building of Credit Suisse in Geneva, Switzerland. Credit Suisse, which recently announced its merger with Swiss banking giant UBS, held its last annual general meeting in Zurich on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) John Hanchey, left, general manager and chief instructor for Baton Rouge's Firearms Range & Clothing Indoor Range & Training Facility, and Baton Rouge Police Dept. Community Services Director Lt. Pamela Brunner, right demonstrate how to use a gun lock on an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle to render it inoperable, at a launch of Project ChildSafe, a program to encourage responsible firearms ownership and secure storage of guns, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019 at BRPD headquarters. When Bundanon received $2.4 million in the federal budget, it was widely viewed as an endorsement of this rural arts oasis, gifted to the nation by Arthur and Yvonne Boyd in 1993. The unspoken reason for the grant was sheer survival: like so many institutions under the Morrison government, Bundanon, located in bushland near Nowra, had been the recipient of tremendous hype but inadequate operating expenses. The new government is swiftly learning just how much it costs to fund major cultural assets, and the price of long-term neglect. The NGA has been stealing the headlines with its need for $265 million worth of urgent repairs, but almost every institution has its own hard-luck story. The problem is that governments habitually look to art museums for trouble-free, good news stories, while funds are channelled into big ticket areas such as health, education, defence, and so on. Merric Boyds drawings and pottery at Fantastic Forms, Bundanon. Credit: Zan Wimberley Labor has signalled a different approach with the release of a National Cultural Policy, and the appointment of MP Susan Templeman as Special Envoy for the Arts. Templeman was present last weekend for the 30th anniversary of the acceptance of the Boyds gift, and the launch of a new exhibition, Fantastic Forms, which features the drawings and pottery of Merric Boyd in association with the work of three contemporary artists. Over the past three decades Bundanon has provided residencies for hundreds of artists, writers, musicians and other performers, welcoming more than 50,000 visitors since two new buildings were opened last year. Its the propertys huge potential that encouraged CEO Rachel Kent to leave her previous job as senior curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art. A hand wash can say as much about the standard of a home, hotel or restaurant as the quality of the towels and condition of the toilet bowl. For decades the translucent amber plastic bottle, clinical labelling and smoky scent of Aesops hand wash has reassured those who live and die by cool labels and fresh hands. Now Aesop is a business benchmark for competitors in the cleanliness game, with French beauty giant LOreal paying $3.7 billion to Brazils Natura & Co for control of the brand. The contenders: Leif Boronia Hand Wash (500ml), $39.00 and Hunter Lab Hand and Body Wash, $42. The classic: Aesop Resurrection Hand Wash, $49. Founded in Melbourne in 1987 by hairdresser Dennis Paphitis, Aesop has been an unofficial ambassador of Australian innovation and style in chic venues around the world. Now other Australian brands are working themselves into a lather over the growing international appeal of our hand washes and body care collections. The goal is a $3.7 billion deal, says Hunter Lab co-founder Susie Cox. We find the Aesop deal incredibly inspiring. It puts that hustle in you. Its such an incredible success story. It was revealed yesterday that the Duke of Edinburgh had written to the Prime Minister, Mr Hawke, congratulating the Federal Government on moving to protect the outstanding biological and aesthetic qualities of the North Queensland wet-tropics region. Bob Hawke talks with the winners of the 1987 Environment Awards about the governments plans to save the wet tropics of Queensland. Credit: David James Bartho A Queensland minister yesterday called Prince Philip ill-advised after he became embroiled in political bickering between the Queensland and federal governments over the nomination of rainforests for World Heritage listing. First published in The Age on April 7, 1988 The wet tropical rainforests in Queensland contain a great concentration of primitive flowering plants, their ancestry dating back more than 120 million years. Credit: Bruce Cowell, Rainforest Conservation Society of Queensland. Prince Philip sent the letter in January as president of World Wildlife Fund International, the worlds largest private conservation organisation. It was released yesterday by WWF Australia, one of the international organisations 23 national bodies. But the Queensland Premier, Mr Ahern, said Prince Philip was not aware of the situation. And the Queensland Minister for Conservation and Environment, Mr Muntz, said Prince Philip must have been ill-advised and unaware the battle was a political, not a conservation, issue. In his letter, Prince Philip says the WWF supports this nomination and congratulates the Government on its initiative. We would encourage the Australian. Government, together with the Government of Queensland, to provide an effective and cooperative form of management for this important area, he said. Tradies march through Melbourne CBD to protests rising costs Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss In 2015, Victoria* texted a police officer named Brett Johnson, with whom she had had a sexual relationship, and told him she was suicidal. He responded with a two-word text: wanna f---. Victoria had met Johnson in 2011 when she handed in a stolen laptop to Richmond police station, an interaction Johnson used as a pretext to contact her on his personal phone and arrange to see her afterwards. Brett Johnson (centre) pleaded guilty to 10 counts of misconduct in public office. Credit: James Ross Victoria, a vulnerable woman with a difficult home life, was flattered by the attention of an officer and began a sexual relationship with him. But she later found out she wasnt the only woman Johnson had contacted after meeting on the job. The estranged wife of union heavyweight John Setka has been banned from contacting a private investigator as part of her bail conditions after allegedly telling the man she wanted her husband killed. Emma Walters faced a brief hearing via video link in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday a week after she was charged. Emma Walters outside Melbourne Magistrates Court last week. Credit: Jason South Court documents reveal police allege that on March 21 this year, Walters told Adrian Peeters, a private investigator, she wanted Setka, who is Victorian secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union, killed. Police claim that on the same day, Walters asked someone to pursue acquiring a firearm, without a permit, and incited a person to pursue commissioning an offence, namely conspiracy to murder. Rio de Janeiro: A man with a hatchet jumped over a wall and invaded a daycare centre in Brazil, killing four children and wounding at least five others, authorities said. The assailant turned himself in at a police station and did not appear to have any connection with the centre, which offers nursery services, preschool education and after-school activities. The dead were between the ages of 5 and 7, authorities said on Wednesday (Brazil time). A mother comforts her crying child outside the centre. Credit: Authorities were searching for a motive, the police detective leading the investigation, Ronnie Esteves, told television reporters in Blumenau, a city of 366,000 in southern Brazil, near the Atlantic coast. Images broadcast on networks showed weeping parents outside the private daycare centre called Cantinho do Bom Pastor. The attack took place on the centres playground, according to the local affiliate of television network Globo. NSC, the affiliate, showed a photo of the suspect with a closely shaved head. Police have yet to confirm his identity. ADEN, Yemen, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The Yemeni government on Tuesday requested immediate international assistance to tackle the country's grave landmine crisis that poses a major hurdle to restoring stability. On the occasion of the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, the Yemeni government warned of the grave threat posed by landmines and unexploded ordnances as the conflict in the war-ravaged Arab country enters its ninth year. Speaking at an event in the southern port city of Aden, Amin Aqili, head of Yemen's National Mine Action Program, highlighted the seriousness of the challenge facing Yemen, while calling for more international support. More than 50 casualties have already been reported this year from mine accidents in the country's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, said Michael Beary, head of the United Nations Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA). Beary emphasized the urgency of finding a way to stop this ongoing threat, stating that it is saddening to think that future generations, including children yet to be born, will also suffer from this curse. The UN official urged the Yemeni parties involved to take immediate action and work together to remove the threat, stressing that UNMHA is ready to provide all necessary support, technical advice, and coordination to help alleviate the problem. Previous reports by humanitarian organizations said Yemen has become one of the largest landmine fields in the world since World War II. Yemeni demining experts said that more than 1 million landmines have been laid since the outbreak of the civil war in late 2014 when the Houthi militia took control of several northern provinces and forced the Yemeni government out of the capital Sanaa. Habbiche Bouabdellah, head of the Ain Defla public hospital, speaks in an interview with Xinhua in Ain Defla, Algeria, Feb. 27, 2023. by Xinhua writers Shuai Anning, Chen Mengyang ALGIERS, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Bouisidane Fadhila, 44, was in despair before she met Li Hongling, a Chinese doctor who was on an aid mission at a public hospital in the Ain Defla province, northern Algeria. After being turned down by several public hospitals swamped with patients, the uterine fibroid in Fadhila's belly had grown to as big as 22cm X 20cm. Private hospitals were not an option for the unmarried and unemployed woman, who lived on meager allowances provided by her two brothers. "It is Dr. Li that saved my life," Fadhila told Xinhua, referring to the successful removal of her tumor by Li in December 2022. Li used her spare time to do the operation due to Fadhila's urgency. Fadhila is just one of many Algerian patients accepted by Li after being rejected by local public hospitals. Often working in her spare time to treat those patients in urgent need of help, Li has become very popular among her Algerian colleagues in Ain Defla. Li, 43, is a member of the 27th Chinese medical team sent to work in eight Algerian provinces in 2021. This year marked the 60th anniversary of China sending its first medical team to Algeria on April 6, 1963. So far, more than 3,500 Chinese medical personnel, mostly obstetricians and acupuncturists, have been sent to the North African country to provide free medical services. It is never easy for Chinese doctors to settle down in a country far away from home, not to mention that the hospitals they are assigned to work in are usually in remote places with poor conditions. Yet some Chinese doctors chose to overstay their two-year term in order to treat as many as patients possible. For Li, this is her second term in Algeria, after she finished her first two-year term in 2019. "I cried for one week after making the decision," said Li, who felt difficult to leave behind her 11-year-old son when she decided to return to Algeria with the 27th team in 2021. "As the only doctor that performs gynecological surgery in this hospital, I feel much needed in this place," Li told Xinhua. Tu Dachun, former vice director of a hospital in Jingzhou city of central China's Hubei province, has worked in the North African country for much longer than his colleagues, spending 12 years, or six terms. Tu, 60, is now working as an Orthopedic surgeon at the Ain Defla public hospital. He said working in Algeria is an "unforgettable experience" in his life despite the heavy workload. "I have been respected, trusted, and cared for by my Algerian colleagues and patients," said Tu, who could communicate with his Algerian colleagues and patients in fluent French he learned during his stay in Algeria. Tu said he was "deeply touched" by the care and protection that he received one day at the outpatient clinic, where two groups of patients and relatives suddenly started a fierce fight. Algerian doctors, nurses, security guards, and even some patients on the scene immediately surrounded him to ensure his safety. Some of Tu's patients returned to express gratitude to him, by offering him homemade snacks. "I like them, the Algerians are born to be carefree, optimistic, kind and friendly. Sometimes I even think I have become an Algerian myself after all these years," said Tu with a laugh. With the long presence of Chinese doctors, traditional Chinese medical treatment has gradually gained fame in Algeria. Yang Yi, 56, came to Algeria in 2021 together with her younger sister, who was on the second mission after serving as a member of the 24th batch. She was impressed by the wide acceptance of traditional Chinese medical therapies, including acupuncture, among Algerian patients. Every day, Yang treats about 20 patients, most of them suffer from pain in the neck, shoulder or hip, as well as arthritis, myelitis, tenosynovitis, and Lumbar disc herniation. Yang was thrilled to recall the successful treatment of a patient with myelitis, who was paralyzed and could only move her head and neck. After two months of acupuncture treatment last year, the patient was able to stand up and even danced for Yang to express gratitude. Over the past 60 years, Chinese doctors have treated about 27.37 million Algerian patients and conducted over 1.7 million surgeries, all free of charge. Their dedication, responsibility, care and hard work have won applause not only from the patients but also from their Algerian colleagues. Habbiche Bouabdellah, head of the Ain Defla public hospital, expressed his gratitude to the Chinese medical staff. "The Chinese team has made a good impression not only in Ain Defla but also in other places across the country. They have always been available whenever we need their medical services, day and night," he said. "The partnership between China and Algeria is excellent, and it is growing every day," Bouabdellah said, adding that he looks forward to further enhancing medical cooperation and exchange of visits between China and Algeria in the future. Enditem (Azzedine Ait Elhara also contributed to the story) Chinese doctor Liu Qiang performs acupuncture therapy for a patient at the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Center in Algiers, Algeria, on Feb 26, 2023. (Xinhua) Chinese doctor Tu Dachun (L) poses for a photo with a patient he treated in 2013 in Naama, Algeria, July 19, 2022. (Chinese medical team to Algeria/Handout via Xinhua) A patient (C) who had been treated by Chinese doctor Yang Yi (L) shows photos taken in 1994 of herself as a patient with Chinese doctors in Algiers, Algeria, Nov. 14, 2021. (Chinese medical team to Algeria/Handout via Xinhua) Alili Kheira (L), 63, a former patient, shares a light moment with Li Hongling, a member of the Chinese medical team to Algeria, at a hospital in Ain Defla, Algeria, Feb. 27, 2023. (Xinhua) Ma Ying-jeou visits the Yangshan Port in Shanghai, east China, April 5, 2023. Ma has spoken highly of the mainland's development during his visit. (Xinhua/Cai Yang) SHANGHAI, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Ma Ying-jeou, former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang party, has spoken highly of the mainland's development during his recent visit. "I found that the mainland is developing very fast in various respects, some of which we hadn't even dreamed of, so to speak," said Ma, calling for more cross-Strait cooperation. Ma arrived in Shanghai on Wednesday. He visited a city management center at the Pudong New Area, where he learned about efforts to apply information technology to improve urban governance and management. Before Shanghai, Ma has led a group of Taiwan students visiting several cities on the mainland in recent days, including Nanjing, Wuhan, Changsha and Chongqing. In the city of Changsha, Hunan Province, they visited a factory of a private enterprise that donated machinery equipment to help disaster relief efforts in Taiwan, which was hit hard by a typhoon in 2009. Learning that six young people from Taiwan have internships on a Hunan television program, Ma expressed his expectation that they would grasp the opportunity and work hard to promote cross-Strait cultural exchanges. Ma also learned about a logistics network in the city of Chongqing. According to Ma's itinerary, he will visit Fudan University and other places in Shanghai on Thursday, and will conclude his maiden visit to the mainland and return to Taiwan on Friday. Ma Ying-jeou visits the Chongqing Planning Exhibition Gallery in Chongqing, southwest China, April 3, 2023. Ma has spoken highly of the mainland's development during his visit. (Xinhua/Wang Chenghao) Ma Ying-jeou visits a workshop of the China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, April 2, 2023. Ma has spoken highly of the mainland's development during his visit. (Xinhua/Chen Jianxing) Ma Ying-jeou tries a new car at a workshop of SERES Group in southwest China's Chongqing April 4, 2023. Ma has spoken highly of the mainland's development during his visit. (Xinhua/Wang Chenghao) Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang meets with French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, who is accompanying French President Emmanuel Macron in a visit to China, in Beijing, capital of China, April 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Gao Jie) BEIJING, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Wednesday met with his French counterpart Catherine Colonna, who is accompanying French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to China. Noting that China attaches great importance to Macron's visit, Qin said China is willing to work with France to advance the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership and practical cooperation in various fields up to a higher level. Stating that next year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, Qin said China is ready to hold a series of celebrations and high-level cultural and people-to-people exchanges with France, promote dialogue and cooperation at all levels, in various fields and sectors, and uphold multilateralism. For her part, Colonna said France views relations with China from a strategic and long-term perspective, appreciating China for the thoughtful arrangements for Macron's visit. France is willing to constantly deepen cooperation in various fields with China and jointly respond to global challenges, she added. Virtual or in person: Which kind of doctors visit is better, and when does it matters UNITED NATIONS, April 5 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called on the Taliban to revoke their decision to ban Afghan women from working with the United Nations, said his spokesman. The secretary-general strongly condemns the Taliban's decision to ban Afghan women from working with the United Nations in Afghanistan, said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, in a statement. "This is a violation of the inalienable fundamental human rights of women. It also violates Afghanistan's obligations under international human rights law, and infringes on the principle of nondiscrimination, which is a core tenet underpinning the United Nations Charter." Female staff members are essential for the UN operations, including in the delivery of life-saving assistance. The enforcement of this decision will harm the Afghan people, millions of whom are in need of this assistance, said the statement. "The secretary-general calls on the Taliban to immediately revoke the decision and reverse all measures that restrict women's and girls' rights to work, education and freedom of movement," it said. UN General Assembly President Csaba Korosi also condemned the Taliban's decision, said his spokeswoman, Paulina Kubiak. "This step is a blatant violation of the human rights of women and undermines the work of the United Nations in Afghanistan, the people of which are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. The consequences of this decision would harm the Afghan people, in particular, the most vulnerable segments of the population," said Kubiak. Korosi joined Guterres and others in calling on the Taliban to reconsider this decision and guarantee the fundamental rights of women, including the right to work and education. Afghanistan needs sustained development, and for that, it should mobilize the country's full potential, she said. ANKARA, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Turkish airspace is closed for flights to and from Iraq's Sulaymaniyah airport for three months due to the activities of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the region, Turkiye's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday. "Turkish airspace has been closed to aircraft, which land/take-off at Iraq's Sulaymaniyah International Airport, as of 3 April," said spokesperson Tanju Bilgic in a statement. The decision was taken upon the "intensification" of PKK's activities in Sulaymaniyah in the east of the Kurdistan region of Iraq and "infiltration by the terrorist organization into the airport and thus threatening flight safety," Bilgic said. The ban will initially be valid until July 3, and will be re-evaluated in light of the developments that will be closely monitored in the run-up to that date, the spokesperson said. The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States and the European Union, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than three decades. The group uses Qandil Mountains in northern Iraq as its headquarters. UNITED NATIONS, April 4 (Xinhua) -- UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday that violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has put millions of civilians on the brink of a major humanitarian catastrophe. Because of fighting between armed groups and the DRC military and rebel raids on civilians, 6.1 million people have been displaced from their homes, 65 percent of them in the easternmost provinces of Ituri and North Kivu, since March 2022, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said. The violence has spread to parts of the country that had remained calm in the past years, OCHA said. "This includes the western provinces of Mai-Ndombe and Kwilu, which have been plagued by intercommunal violence since June 2022." The humanitarians said provincial authorities in the DRC's west reported that the fighting killed hundreds of people and uprooted more than 50,000. In North Kivu alone, persistent fighting between the M23 armed group and the Congolese army displaced more than 222,000 people between January and February, bringing the total to over 880,000 displaced persons in the province, OCHA said. The humanitarians said that more than half of the displaced live in precarious conditions in churches, schools, hospital premises, make-shift settlements and spontaneous sites in Nyiragongo and Goma and surrounding areas. The office said that in Ituri province, dozens of people have died, and more than 144,000 people were displaced between January and February. "As a result of the violence, food insecurity is on the rise in a country that is already home to more than 26.4 million people who struggle to access enough food," OCHA said. "Cases of malnutrition and epidemics like measles and cholera are increasing, further stretching the humanitarian community's capacity to respond." The humanitarians said they are doing their best to mobilize resources. But the increasing needs exceed response capacities. There is an urgent need for all humanitarian organizations to scale up their operations in areas where conditions are the most critical, particularly in the east. The 2.25-billion-U.S. dollar appeal for the DRC is currently 10 percent funded, OCHA said, adding that "we urgently need additional resources to avert a looming disaster." 2 Killed in Construction Accident at New Yorks JFK Airport An air traffic control tower at JFK airport in New York on Jan. 11, 2023. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) NEW YORKTwo workers were killed in a construction accident at New Yorks John F. Kennedy International Airport on Monday, officials said. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the airport, said the two workers got trapped under construction rubble around 11 a.m. A spokesperson for the city Fire Department said it happened in a trench near the airports busy Terminal 7. About 60 firefighters worked to remove the workers from the trench, the Fire Department said. Both workers were pronounced dead at the scene. Their names were not immediately released. The Port Authority said in a news release that it will conduct a thorough investigation. Flight operations were not affected, the authority said. 3Ms Bid to Shield Itself From Earplug Lawsuits Faces Skeptical Judges The company logo and trading information for 3M is displayed on a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York on Nov. 29, 2022. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters) Federal appeals court judges on Tuesday appeared skeptical of 3Ms bid to use the bankruptcy of its subsidiary Aearo Technologies to shield itself from nearly 260,000 lawsuits over allegedly defective military-issue earplugs. Paul Clement, a lawyer for Aearo, urged a three-judge panel of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago to reverse a bankruptcy court order allowing the lawsuits to move forward against 3M, even though Aearo is bankrupt. Clement argued bankruptcy laws so-called automatic stay, which shields Aearo from lawsuits while it is bankrupt, should apply to 3M as well, because there is complete overlap between the facts and legal defenses in earplug lawsuits against the two companies. Aearo, which made the combat arms earplugs, filed for bankruptcy last July, with 3M pledging $1 billion to fund Aearos liabilities stemming from the lawsuits that accuse both Aearo and 3M of misrepresenting the earplugs effectiveness, leading to hearing damage. Aearo and 3M said the bankruptcy process would facilitate a fair and comprehensive settlement with the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs, on the other hand, have called the move a bid to escape the Florida federal court where the earplug lawsuits are consolidated in a so-called multidistrict litigation (MDL), following a series of unfavorable legal rulings and trial losses. Judge Frank Easterbrook pressed Clement on Tuesday to explain how there can be exceptions to the bankruptcy law, which applies the shield only to the bankrupt company. He said the U.S. Supreme Court has consistently ruled against exceptions in bankruptcy law. If this maneuver works, why wont it automatically happen every time a defendant in an MDL gets uncomfortable with the MDL courts rulings? Judge David Hamilton asked. David Frederick, representing the plaintiffs, told the panel that 3M contrived this bankruptcy to help itself, not Aearo or its creditors. He argued that as long as 3M is able to cover the earplug liability, there is no reason it should be shielded, and that if 3M ever became unable to pay, it should have to file for bankruptcy itself. The point of the bankruptcy process is to take the bitter with the sweet, he said. 3Ms strategy of seeking legal protection through a subsidiarys bankruptcy echoes a similar effort by Johnson & Johnson involving thousands of lawsuits alleging that certain of its talc products caused cancer, which a different appeals court shot down in January. J&J announced Tuesday that it had reached a proposed $8.9 billion settlement of that litigation. J&J has denied wrongdoing and said its talc products are safe and do not cause cancer. 3Ms bankruptcy strategy, and J&Js, has attracted both criticism and support, sparking a debate about whether bankruptcy is an appropriate solution for companies facing significant litigation but are otherwise healthy. Veterans and service members have called for the dismissal of Aearos bankruptcy, as has the judge overseeing the consolidated MDL in Florida, who called the bankruptcy wholly contrived. The litigation against 3M and Aearo is the largest-ever MDL in U.S. history, with nearly 330,000 cases filed and nearly 260,000 pending cases, according to court statistics from March 16. The next-largest MDL, the Johnson & Johnson talc litigation, has 38,000 cases. 3M has lost 10 of the 16 cases that have gone to trial so far, with about $265 million being awarded in total to 13 plaintiffs. By Brendan Pierson and Dietrich Knauth 4 Found Dead in Mexicos Cancun Beach Resort Area Members of the Mexican Navy and National Guard patrol the tourist area of Cancun, Quintana Roo state, Mexico, on March 17, 2023. (Elizabeth Ruiz/AFP via Getty Images) Four dead bodies were found outside a popular beachside hotel in Cancun, Mexico, according to authorities. Police initially said three bodies were found in a lot along Kukulkan Boulevard, but after further investigation, a fourth body was also discovered in the undergrowth of the same lot, the Associated Press reported. The nationalities and identities of the victims have not been released. Prosecutors in the Caribbean coast state of Quintana Roo have detained two suspects in connection with the killings. Investigators have not released the victims causes of death, but Reuters reported the four victims were shot to death. Authorities are working to shed light on the events and provide the whereabouts of other possible participants in this crime, officials wrote in a Facebook post. The investigation is ongoing, and police are looking for other possible suspects, according to the social media post. The news of the killings comes less than a week after an American tourist was shot in Puerto Morales, about 40 miles south of Cancun. Several suspects reportedly approached the man and shot him in the leg around midnight on March 29, according to Fox News. The motive for the shooting is under investigation. The man, whose identity is not known, was transported to a local hospital, where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Cancun remains one of the most popular vacation destinations for Americans traveling to Mexico. Travel Alert Last month, the U.S. State Department issued a travel alert for Americans planning trips to Mexico for spring break. Travelers are urged to exercise increased caution in the downtown areas of popular spring break locations including Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum, the March 13 alert stated. The State Department also warned U.S. citizens that some pharmacies in Mexico often sell sedatives and other drugs that would require a prescription in the United States. The drugs are often counterfeit and laced with deadly fentanyl. Americans are also cautioned to avoid unregulated alcohol, which may be contaminated. U.S. citizens have reported losing consciousness and becoming injured after consuming alcohol that was possibly tainted, according to the alert. The warning followed the armed abduction of four Americans after they crossed the southern Texas border into Matamoros in the state of Tamaulipas on March 3. A woman is carried to the back of a white pickup truck in this still image obtained from social media video that allegedly shows the kidnapping of Americans in Matamoros, Mexico, on March 3, 2023. (Video obtained by Reuters) Two victims, identified as Shaed Woodard and Zindell Brown, were killed in the attack, NBC News reported. A 33-year-old Mexican citizen was also killed when she was struck by a stray bullet. The Gulf cartel issued an apology letter and turned over five men allegedly responsible for the crimes. The Gulf Cartel Grupo Escorpiones strongly condemns the events of Friday, March 3, in which, unfortunately, and innocent working mother died and four American citizens were kidnapped, of which two died, the translated letter read. For this reason, we have decided to hand over those involved and directly responsible for the events who at all times acted under their own determination and indiscipline and against the rules in which the CDG has always operated. The group had traveled from South Carolina to Mexico, where one of the victims was planning to get a medical procedure. Latavia Washington McGee and Eric Williams survived the incident and were returned home. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 54 Ghost Guns Seized as Part of Californias Gun Protection Program "Ghost guns" seized in federal law enforcement actions are displayed at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) field office in Glendale, Calif., on April 18, 2022. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) California law enforcement confiscated 54 ghost guns last year from people who cant legally own firearms, a 38 percent jump in the number of the hard-to-trace weapons seized since 2021 under a state program, officials said Monday. The ghost gunsprivately made firearms without a serial numberwere part of nearly 1,500 guns taken statewide last year through an only-in-California program called the Armed and Prohibited Persons System (APPS). A statement issued by the Office of California Attorney General Rob Bonta said that the APPS database works to identify individuals who procured firearms and later became prohibited from legally owning them. In general, prohibited persons in APPS include individuals who were convicted of a felony or violent misdemeanor, were placed under a domestic violence or other restraining order, or suffer from serious mental illness, the statement said. During the release of the APPS 2022 annual report, Bonta said he will continue to uphold his commitment to combating the rise of gun violence in California. Im proud of the work our Special Agents do on behalf of the people of California. These brave agents are rarely in the spotlight, but they are working every day to prevent gun violence from ever happening by removing dangerous weapons from communities, Bonta said. When guns are in dangerous hands, it puts the public at risk. We will continue working with the Governors Office, Legislature, and our local partners to address gun violence. In February, agents completed a five-day sweep in Los Angeles County that targeted APPS suspects in 51 cities in Los Angeles County and resulted in 13 arrests and the seizure of 114 firearms. California Attorney General Rob Bonta discusses the seizure of 114 guns during a five-day sweep across the Los Angeles area during a news conference held at the California Department of Justices Office in Los Angeles on Feb. 22, 2022. (Eric Licas/The Orange County Register via AP) Last year in 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill that prohibited the gun industry from advertising to kids and restricting ghost guns. From our schools to our parks to our homes, our kids deserve to be safein California, were making that a reality, Newsom said in a statement. As the Supreme Court rolls back important gun safety protections and states across the country treat gun violence as inevitable, California is doubling down on commonsense gun safety measures that save lives, Newsom said. The lives of our kids are at stake and were putting everything on the table to respond to this crisis. BuyBack Program The Los Angeles Police Department(LAPD) launched a ghost gun buyback reward program last Nov 2022. The department reported an increase of over 130 percent in ghost gun recoveries from 2020 to the present day, according to the departments statement. A reward of $500 is offered by the department for anyone who comes forward with tips or information leading officers to evidence of illegal use of ghost guns and any trafficking activity, according to the departments statement. The legal requirements for self-made firearms in California include eligibility to possess a firearm, and the weapons must include serial numbers, according to the Laws and Regulations for self-manufactured firearms. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A Resounding No: Liberal Party to Oppose Indigenous Voice to Parliament Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton speaks during Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on March 30, 2023. (Martin Ollman/Getty Images) An overwhelming majority of Liberal Party MPs have voted to oppose the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, according to opposition leader Peter Dutton. Dutton revealed the Australian centre-right Liberals will join its Coalition partner, the Nationals, in opposing a change to Australias Constitution after a two-hour party room meeting in Canberra. Weve been clear that we dont support [Prime Minister Anthony Albaneses] Canberra Voice. Its divisive, and its not going to deliver the outcomes to people on the ground, he told reporters on April 5. Our proposal is a local and regional Voice so that we can listen to those women, and listen to those elders on the ground and get a better outcome, he said. Deputy leader Sussan Ley said it was also a day of many yesses from the party. Yes to constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians. Yes to local and regional Voices. Yes to better outcomes for Indigenous Australians, she said. The Extent of Power Being Granted to The Voice Unclear: Dutton Australians are set to vote on a referendum on whether to alter the Constitutions preamble to recognise Indigenous people and to set up a near-permanent advisory body to the Parliament supposed to represent Aboriginal communities. The body will comprise 24 Indigenous individuals selected for a national committee that will receive feedback from the community and can then make representations to Parliament. Yet one of the main criticisms has been the lack of detail over the working mechanisms and the extent of the powers granted to the committee. Ive spent literally months, like many Australians, trying to understand what it is the prime minister is proposing. We cant get the basic detail out of him, and I think that is a deliberate strategy, Dutton said. He says the opposition had waited for official advice from the government on The Voice and that it was not provided. He also added that the third draft of The Voice was inconsistent with the advice of the solicitor-general. If there is an overreach on what the prime minister is proposing, Dutton said. If it does go too far, and the High Courts interpretation is more liberal Does the prime minister then go back to the Australian people to seek to narrow the words? That is a very real prospect if they overreach now, and they need to confine and tighten the words again it does grind government down to a near halt. Dutton also confirmed he would be actively campaigning against the current proposal but did not rule out the three or four backbenchers from his party supporting the other side. Were not saying that Indigenous people shouldnt be heard in relation to matters that are important to them, he said. Were willing to work with the government in a bipartisan way on the legislation so that their Voice can be heard. Because what I feel with the Voice is that it changes our system of government forever. Plea to the Liberals to Back The Voice Meanwhile, the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese earlier called for bipartisan support for The Voice. This is not controversial and should not be an issue of partisan politics. Its a modest proposal, he told reporters. The idea that you can simply ignore or dismiss the views of the referendum working group, in my view, contradicts the very concept of a Voice, which is about listening. Former Liberal Party minister, Ken Wyatt, said earlier that a decision to oppose The Voice would impact its future election chances. Parties that are out of touch will pay the consequence in the future, he told ABC Radio National. People who argue contrary to that shows they did not give scant attention to even the executive summary of those reports. In response to the Liberals decision, Labor Minister Brendan OConnor called the Liberal Partys decision shocking. The Liberal Party has chosen the low road to reconciliation and consultation with our First Nations people. This craven decision was expected yet still shocking. No generosity, no decency, and no sincerity. On the wrong side of historyagain, he wrote on Twitter. Alberta Premier Reiterates Call for Federal Bail Reform Amid Rising Violence Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is once again calling on the federal government to reform what she calls Canadas catch-and-release bail system, saying that Ottawas lack of action on the matter is contributing to the rise of violent crime in Albertas major cities. Enough is enough, Smith said while speaking to reporters in Calgary on April 4. Violence in Edmonton and Calgary is getting worse, fueled by drugs, illegal weapons, and the federal revolving-door bail policy of catch-and-release. Smith said 26 homicides have been committed in Edmonton over the last two years by criminals who were out on bail. She added that the citys average crime severity index in its downtown core increased by 29 percent between July and December 2022. People are increasingly afraid, especially in downtown cores and on public transit, she said. The Alberta premier referenced a study conducted in March by research firm Ipsos that found over one-quarter of Canadians dont feel safe while using public transportation alone. The study also found that over 30 percent of respondents say they now stay more alert while using public transportation in wake of a series of violent attacks on Torontos transit system. The number one job of all governments is to keep the streets safe, Smith said, adding, The province is doing our part and its time the federal government did their part. The time for delay is over and its time the federal government end the system of catch-and-release plaguing our communities and reform Canadas bail system. Bail Reform Smiths call for bail reform comes after she and other premiers from all 13 of the countrys provinces and territories signed a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calling for immediate federal action on the issue. The premiers signed the letter on Jan. 13, just over two weeks after 28-year-old Const. Greg Pierzchala of the Ontario Provincial Police was shot and killed while responding to a routine call just outside of Hagersville, Ont. The primary suspect in Pierzchalas murder was a repeat offender who had previously been released from prison and was out on bail. The federal Conservative Party has also called on the Liberal government for swift bail reform, with the partys public safety critic Raquel Dancho introducing a motion in February seeking such reforms. Danchos motion was defeated 205116 on Feb. 6. Conservative MP Pierre Paul-Hus introduced another bill on March 29 seeking to bring about significant reforms to Canadas Criminal Code and Corrections and Conditional Release Act. The Liberal government has said that it will soon be moving forward with a targeted reform of the federal bail system, but has not yet released a timeline. Justice Minister David Lametti said earlier in March that the reforms will address challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, as well as offences committed involving the use of firearms and other weapons. The Canadian Press and Marnie Cathcart contributed to this report. LUSAKA, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Police in Zambia on Wednesday confirmed the death of eight people after a boat capsized in Luangwa district of Lusaka Province. Deputy Police Public Relations Officer Danny Mwale said the boat, carrying six Zambians and three Mozambicans, was en route to a fishing camp on Luangwa River when it capsized on April 2. Only one person survived and the bodies of two victims, both Zambians, have been retrieved, he said. Authorities are trying to establish what caused the tragedy, Mwale said in a statement. Deadly boat accidents are frequent in waters of Zambia where vessels are often overloaded. Last week, 14 people died when a boat capsized on Lake Bangweulu, in Luapula Province, amid strong waves and winds. On Tuesday, Vice-President Mutale Nalumango urged transporters not to overload their vessels to prevent avoidable accidents. Amid Fears Newfoundland Is Being Shut out of Altantic Loop, Freeland Says Province Is At the Table Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland rises during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Feb. 13, 2023. (The Canadian Press/ Patrick Doyle) Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said Newfoundland and Labrador is at the table during discussions on the Atlantic Loop, amid concerns among politicians that the province is being shut out of the project. I do also want to be very clear that in the tables that we have dedicated to developing the plan for the Atlantic Loop, Newfoundland and Labrador is at the table right now Freeland said during a press conference in St. Johns on Tuesday to highlight investments from the recent 2023 budget. Freeland was responding to a question about the budget failing to mention NL in regards to the Atlantic Loop, a series of interprovincial transmission lines that will provide clean electricity between Quebec and the Atlantic provinces. The budget said there are negotiations with Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia to identify a clear path to deliver the project by 2030. Freeland said the Atlantic Loop is a very important project for Canada, which she also mentioned during her budget speech in the House of Commons last week. Of course, Newfoundland and Labrador is an essential partner, player member in the Atlantic Loop, so let me be really, really clear and categorical about that. The finance minister said the province wasnt mentioned in that part of the budget because that stage only involved Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Were just talking about the step-by-step building of the plan right now. Freeland was also asked about recent comments from Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson on the Atlantic Loop. Last week, Wilkinson said Budget 2023 would give transformational investments to the provinces and territories, allowing them to grow their grids while at the same time cutting pollution. He said the Atlantic Loop is a clear example of how to move clean electricity across the country. But while Wilkinson said NL had been involved in conversations around the Atlantic Loop, he said the direct conversations in terms of the transmission infrastructure have been largely with Quebec, simply because most of the power is assumed to be coming from the Quebec grid. While Quebecs provincially owned utility Hydro-Quebec has assets worth $82.7 billion and generates over 37,000 megawatts of electricitymaking it the largest utility in the countryNL has assets with under $20 billion and produces just over 8,000 megawatts of generating capacity. Very exciting project When asked about Wilkinsons comments, Freeland replied that the Atlantic Loop was a very exciting project for Canada and the Atlantic provinces. Newfoundland and Labrador is an essential element and player in the Atlantic Loop, she said. Wilkinson added that some of the power for the Atlantic Loop project could come from Churchill Falls, a hydro dam in Labrador that provides about 15 percent of Hydro-Quebecs total power. While the project is jointly owned by Hydro-Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, the contract has led to Quebec bringing in a total of $28 billion in profits compared to $2 billion for NL. During a trip to NL in February, Quebec Premier Francois Legault acknowledged that the contract, signed back in the 1960s, was a bad deal for the province. I completely understand the frustration and anger you have dealt with concerning the Churchill Falls contract, he told Newfoundland Premier Andrew Furey during a press conference. Furey was asked on Tuesday why the province wasnt mentioned in the budgets portion on the Atlantic Loop. He responded that there could not be an Atlantic Loop without Newfoundland and Labrador, and the federal government is aware of that. The transmission lines themselves cannot generate electricity, he said. The radically traditional educational model of John Senior In 1936, a 13-year-old boy from New York, who had run away from home, walked down a lonely road in South Dakota while a storm menaced in the murky clouds above. A trucker pulled over by the wayfarer and shouted, Kid, theres a tornado brewin. Get in! The boy did so, and was saved from the tornado. The trucker, Morgan Tinzer, took him to his house and eventually contacted the boys parents. What was the young New Yorker doing out west on that stormy day, without his parents knowledge? It was simple. The boynamed John Seniorwanted to be a cowboy. In his own words, as recorded in Fr. Francis Bethels book, John Senior and the Restoration of Realism: Having had from childhood an urge for good times lost, I satisfied it first with poetry and then with cowboy stories and at thirteen ran away from home and the encroaching city which by the 1930s had metastasized suburban cells in our rural fields. But by that time fenced farms had pretty much destroyed the open range so it was something of a miracle that as late as 1936 I found a ranch in the Dakota Badlands where cowboys still rode horses on roundups. The episode ended well for all parties: Senior was recovered by his parents, but they agreed to allow him to work on a ranch in the summers as long as he returned home for his schooling the rest of the year. Its a striking imagethis renegade boy on a dusty Dakota highway, facing the oncoming storm. But in some ways its a fitting emblem of John Seniors life and work, since he would grow up to be a teacher who would stand in the face of the tornado, as he perceived it, that had gone through modern education. And he was so successful and touched so many lives that in 2019, a memorial was erected to the educational program he and his colleagues created. Standing Against the Storm That program was the Pearson Integrated Humanities Program (IHP) at the University of Kansas, inaugurated in 1971 by John Senior, Dennis Quinn, and Franklyn Nelick. All three were teachers of English or literature who shared a growing unease over the state of incoming freshmen. In the words of James Conley, a former student, The professors saw that the modern students who came to the university might be very bright academically, but their memories and imaginations were so affected by the modern world. They were sort of bankrupt when it came to the imagination. The professors also shared a common, if unconventional, vision of the remedy. They called it an experiment in tradition because their model was based on long-abandoned Greek and medieval philosophy and pedagogy. Through the program, the professors sought to re-shape their students imaginations through contact with the reality around them and the great books of Western civilization. The program aimed to situate students in reality sufficiently that they would be able to fully appreciate good books, and then the great books, and to lead lives of gentle men and gentle ladies, according to the IHP Memorial website. Above all, Senior and his colleagues sought to inspire in the students a sense of wonder. Indeed, the motto of the program was Nascantur in Admiratione, which means, let them be born in wonder. Wonder for John Senior is not mere curiosity, but a proper response to the marvels of the world around us, a sense of awe and longing for higher things. Senior is quoted in Bethels book as saying that wonder is the reverent fear that beauty strikes in us. We might say that wonder is what gives purpose and meaning to all learning, so that learning is not merely the gathering of abstract knowledge or stale facts, but a process of falling in love with the truth. Senior wanted to restore philosophical realism in the face of the gale of relativism, subjectivism, and skepticism that had swept over society. He wanted students to believe in and love truth. But how to instill this wonder, belief, and love? Fostering Wonder and Wisdom The programs motto was Nascantur in Admiratione, meaning let them be born in wonder. The professors would engage in unscripted conversations about the books that students were reading. (Biba Kayewich) To accomplish this goal, the program offered a unique style of lectures (see below), poetry memorization, discussions, conversational Latin, rhetoric classes, studying abroad, and also more unusual activities like stargazing, fall festivals, singing, and dancing. These were all meant to capture not just the students minds, but also their hearts. Senior knew that intellectual formation was not enough for the reality-starved generation he was dealing withthey needed something even more fundamental. They needed to encounter the real with their whole being and have their imaginations and emotions captivated by itas one is captivated when looking at the bejeweled night skyor else true intellectual formation would be impossible. Senior and his colleagues called their teaching style the poetic mode, which we might define as a contemplative and unstructured encounter with the subject matter that engages the emotions as much as the mind. Bethel summarizes Seniors approach as follows. Drawing on the wisdom of the ancient Greeks, Senior saw three stages to education: gymnastic (physical), poetic, and philosophical. In the gymnastic stage, the student has hands on experience of realityusing tools, playing sports, feeling grass, studying plants and animals, developing his or her body. As Aristotle says, all knowledge begins with the senses. The next stage, the poetic phase, forms the imagination and emotions to respond appropriately to reality and to yearn for it (wonder). The final stage is the more structured philosophical stage, dealing directly with intellect and the acquisition of wisdom and knowledgewhich can now grow in the fertile ground of well-trained senses, imagination, and emotions. Bethel puts it this way: gymnastic begins in experience and ends in delight; poetry or music begins in delight and ends in wonder; philosophy begins in wonder and ends in wisdom. In Seniors own words, quoted by Bethel, the first two stages of education allow the mind to become awake in order to truly benefit from the pursuit of wisdom at the highest level. The primary way the professors operated in this poetic stage was through group lectures. These lectures were unscripted conversations between the three professors about the book the students were reading (by classic authors like Homer, Plato, Herodotus, Shakespeare, etc.). They believed that this was a more poetic way of teaching, as opposed to a standard methodical lecture by a single teacher. The spontaneity, friendship, surprise, humor, and spur-of-the-moment connections and epiphanies of this conversational method produced delight in the students as they worked through the texts. The professors didnt let students take notes, according to Bethel, but encouraged them to practice the art of observing, listening, seeingsimply being present in the moment as their teachers explored the ideas and feelings the texts evoked. The IHP became more than just a Great Books program. It was a community of friends and truth-seekers. The IHP became very popular; for instance, it quickly grew from 20 students the first year to 140 the next. The university eventually discontinued the program, but in the years that it ran, it affected many lives and generated unparalleled results in restoring education and culture. Those who participated in the program speak of it with a kind of awed reverence. Conley, an alumnus who later became a Catholic bishop, attests to the profound impact of the unique experiences and enduring community that were the fruits of the IHP. I was with others who were on the same journey searching for the truth. That combined experience really changed my life. Isnt that the goal of all great educators, after all? To change lives for the better? If so, then theres much that teachers can learn from Senior, Nelick, and Quinn and the adventure of the IHP. Another Biden Administration COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Struck Down by Court President Joe Bidens administration did not have the authority to impose a COVID-19 vaccine mandate on workers and volunteers in a federal childcare program, a U.S. judge has ruled. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) forced Head Start workers, and some volunteers, to get a COVID-19 vaccine starting in early 2022. Head Start provides childcare to children from low-income families. HHS cited the Head Start Act, which says the health secretary can add administrative and financial management standards, standards relating to the condition and location of facilities (including indoor air quality assessment standards, where appropriate), and such other standards as the secretary finds to be appropriate. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton argued that the mandate was outside of the power granted by the act. The law does not mention vaccinations, he and other plaintiffs said in a brief. U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix agreed. The wisdom of Head Starts rule is not before the Courtonly its legality. If the people, through Congress, wish to impose a vaccine mandate on Head Start programs, they may do so by passing a law. But an agency can do only what Congress authorizes it to do, Hendrix, a Trump appointee, said in his ruling. Regardless of how well intentioned, HHSs attempt here to shoehorn the vaccine mandate into statutory language authorizing modification of Head Starts administrative, financial, and facility-management standards goes too far. Equally fatal to the rule is the agencys decision to implement it without the necessary public notice and comment, consultation with stakeholders, and reasonable explanation, he added. The ruling strikes down the mandate, which Bidens administration had refused to rescind. The mandate had already been struck down in 24 states, per a 2022 ruling by a different judge. HHS and the U.S. Department of Justice did not respond to requests for comment. Im proud to announce that the Biden Administrations attempt to use the Head Start program to mask toddlers and force the vaccine on staff and volunteers has now been permanently defeated, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican and one of the plaintiffs, said in an emailed statement to The Epoch Times. I have worked relentlessly to end Bidens troubling policies of medical tyranny, especially his attempts to impose draconian interventions on our children, as well as his efforts to punish Americans who do not comply with his preferred medical treatmentsmany of which are arbitrary, ineffective, and unjustified by the scientific evidence, Paxton added. In court filings, defendants had urged the judge not to block the mandate. They pointed in part to a previous Supreme Court ruling that upheld the HHS mandate for health care workers that said the unprecedented circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic provide no grounds for limiting the exercise of authorities the agency has long been recognized to have. The health secretary, they said, has long issued Head Start standards that addressed the most pressing health threats of the times, and the mandate was issued to protect Head Starts participants by minimizing the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks in classrooms. The COVID-19 vaccines do not prevent transmission or infection, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, though observational data have indicated they have a small effect on both that might turn negative over time. The National Head Start Association, a nonprofit, welcomed the judges ruling. We have every confidence this decision will allow programs to, at long-last, reclaim their local autonomy, which is at the foundation of what they do best: serve children and families in a safe, healthy, and community-driven manner, Yasmina Vinci, the groups executive director, said in a statement. Head Start previously rescinded its mask mandate after months of lobbying from the nonprofit and others. It had mandated masks for children, workers, and volunteers. As ESG Consulting Booms, Consultants Push Small Business to Get on Board Greenwashing is a feature of ESG, not a bug, says finance professor The BDC Business Development Bank of Canada logo is seen in Burlington, Ont. on Feb. 19, 2023. (The Canadian Press/Sean Vokey) News Analysis The business of ensuring compliance with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors is booming, and a study by the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), a government agency that works with entrepreneurs and smaller businesses, suggests that its clients get on board the ESG train or be left in its dust. However, ESG is facing considerable criticism and BDC does acknowledge the costs and administrative burden that compliance involves. BDCs study ESG in Your Business: The Edge You Need to Land Large Contracts released March 30, which surveyed major buying organizations in the public and private sector and their small and medium-sized suppliers, concluded that 50 percent of suppliers say ESG leads to new business opportunities, 32 percent say it makes it easier to recruit and retain employees, and 31 percent say it improves access to financing and investment. The BDC confirmed what weve been saying in their headline when they say small businesses left out of big contracts without ESG reporting. I find it very interesting in that theyre trying to spin it as a positive but that sense in and of itself its inherently very negative, Krystle Wittevrongel, senior policy analyst and Alberta project lead at the Montreal Economic Institute, told The Epoch Times. The BDC report also discusses obtaining environmental and diversity certifications. It provides guidance, as do consultants, on how to implement an ESG program and improve ESG performance. One of BDCs six business lines is advisory services provided by its own employees as well as external consultants. In the 2022 fiscal year, BDC earned revenue of $28.9 million from advisory services. BDC spokesman Jean Philippe Nadeau told The Epoch Times that the advisory services include optimizing a companys operations in terms of costs, energy, and resources, while also reducing waste. Nadeau said that BDC does not currently have an advisory solution specific to implementing ESG solutions or improving ESG scoring specifically but that it does offer free tools to get businesses started. A Boon for Consultants Aswath Damodaran, professor of corporate finance at New York Universitys Stern School of Business, told NTD News on March 11 that ESG is just a marketing tool. It [ESG] made a lot of people wealthybankers, consultants, measurement servicesit does nothing for companies other than let them strut their goodness credentials, he said. ESG consulting has become an industry on its own. In Feb. 2022, Verdantix reported that the overall global ESG and sustainability consulting market is expected to reach US$16 billion by 2027, which represents a 17 percent compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) over the period from 2022 to 2027. By comparison, Wittevrongel notes that the global market for DNA sequencing, which was estimated at US$6.5 billion in 2022, is projected to reach US$16 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of only 11.9 percent during those eight years. Every time you mandate something new or have these new requirements, theres a flurry of lawyers or consultants or accountants or whoever, that are going to get rich, basically quantifying and reporting it, Wittevrongel said. More regulation in the form of sustainability disclosures is coming for businesses, as the Canadian Sustainability Standards Board is expected to be operational soon. The reasons behind the rapid growth of the ESG consultancy sector are due to businesses having to adopt new regulations, the push toward net zero, and how investors are increasingly using ESG ratings and rankings to make investing decisions, according to an Aug. 15, 2022, blog post by KindLink News Centre. The message from consultants and BDC is that all kinds of opportunities can arise from adopting ESG, but firms have to keep up with market demands and expectations. Accounting firms like Grant Thornton, management consultants like McKinsey, and banks like HSBC are all offering ESG advisory services. Added Reporting and Cost The BDC study reports that currently 59 percent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that supply large organizations are required to report information on their ESG practices. For example, under the environmental criteria, this would include steps taken to reduce energy consumption, use environmentally responsible packaging, and reduce raw material consumption. Under the social criteria, employees should come from diverse backgrounds, and under the governance criteria, procedures should be in place to manage environmental and social risks and provide support for employee mental and physical health. BDCs study concludes that the most environmentally proactive SMEs are more profitable and grow sales faster than the less proactive ones. Far too many small businesses are still missing the point: adopting ESG practices benefits their business, BDCs vice president of research and chief economist Pierre Cleroux was quoted in a March 30 press release. Taylor Brown, senior policy analyst with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), which represents over 97,000 small businesses, told The Epoch Times that the CFIB has yet to truly gauge its membership on ESG. It is fair to assume that the additional ESG reporting will increase costs for SMEs, especially on the environmental side since business owners would need to hire externally to collect that sort of information (such as emissions), she said. Game the System One of the behaviours regulators are trying to crack down on regarding ESG is greenwashing. According to Canadas Competition Bureau, greenwashing is where a company promotes its products or services as more environmentally friendly than they really are. And this also applies to the ESG scoring system, says Damodaran. Consultants aim to help companies improve their ESG scores. He says that any time you have a scoring mechanism, companies are going to game it. He gave the example of how universities may seek to improve their rankings by appearing to be more exclusive in admitting students. So they drop the cost of application to encourage more students to apply, and then let fewer students in, he explained. Thus, he adds that greenwashing is a feature of ESGnot a bug in the system. The minute you have ESG scores, you are going to have greenwashing. Damodaran added that theres no evidence that ESG shows up in improved cash flow, growth, or reduced risk. Iran Foils Drone Attack in Isfahan as Regional Tensions Mount Israeli army's Skylark I unmanned drone aircraft, which is used for monitoring purposes, is launched over an army deployment area near Israel's border with the Gaza Strip on July 14, 2014. (Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images) Iranian air-defense systems thwarted a drone strike on a military facility in the central city of Isfahan, Irans Tasnim News Agency reported on April 5. The April 4 attack, which targeted the citys Amir al-Momenin military complex, failed to cause any damage, according to Tasnim. The incident is under investigation, Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi told reporters. A similar incident occurred in late January, when another site in Isfahanalso militarycame under attack by multiple drones. Tehran later blamed Israel for that attack, which also reportedly failed to destroy its target. Israel, which neither confirmed nor denied its involvement in the January attack, hasnt commented on the latest reported incident. Members of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) march during the annual military parade in the capital Tehran on Sept. 22, 2018. (Stringer/AFP/Getty Images) Striking Iran in Syria Syria, too, has been the target of several recent attacks by Israel, which has long been regarded as a key U.S. ally in the region. Israeli officials say the attacks target Iranian military assets deployed in Syria. On March 31, Israeli warplanes struck positions near Damascus, killing two members of Irans elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC personnel had been serving as military advisers in Syria, where Iran has maintained a military presenceat Syrias invitationsince 2015. A week earlier, Israeli warplanes struck northwestern Syrias Aleppo airport, causing significant damage and temporarily halting the airports operations. It was Israels third attack on the airport within the previous six months. Since Israels establishment in 1948, it has fought three major conflicts with Syria. The two countries have never had diplomatic relations and technically remain in a state of war. The USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier is seen anchored off Stokes Bay in the Solent, England, on July 27, 2017. (Hannah McKay/Reuters) US Carrier Strike Group in Region The latest incidents come amid steadily mounting tension and violence in the region, which has also involved U.S. troops deployed in Syria. On March 23, a U.S. base near the northeastern Syrian city of Al Hasakah was attacked by a drone that U.S. defense officials claimed was of Iranian origin. According to the Pentagon, the attack left a military contractor dead and a dozen servicemen injured. The United States responded by striking positions in eastern Syria that it said were linked to the IRGC. According to U.S. officials, the strikes killed several IRGC fighters. But sources quoted by the Iranian media said that the strikes had targeted a grain facility and that no Iranians were killed. Following the exchange, the United States extended the deployment of a carrier strike group in the Eastern Mediterranean near the Syrian coast. The extension of the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group allows options to potentially bolster the capabilities of U.S. Central Command to respond to a range of contingencies in the Middle East, a CENTCOM spokesman said on March 31. He added that a fresh squadron of A-10 attack aircraft would also soon be deployed to the region. U.S. President Joe Biden, meanwhile, has said the United States would act forcefully to protect U.S. military personnel and their allies in Syria. Initially deployed in 2015, the U.S. military presence in Syria is believed to consist of roughly 900 troops, concentrated mainly in the countrys northeast. Damascus, along with Tehran and Moscow, view the ongoing U.S. presence in Syria as a violation of the countrys sovereignty and territorial integrity. Washington says the deployments are necessary to protect its local allies and prevent a resurgence of the ISIS terrorist group. A local newspaper reports on the China-brokered deal restoring ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia in the Iranian capital Tehran on March 11, 2023. (Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images) Iran: Mending Fences with Arab Foes On April 3, Tehran vowed to take decisive measures to protect its assets and personnel deployed in Syria. In a letter to the U.N. Security Council, Amir Saeid Iravani, Irans permanent U.N. envoy, said Iran would take decisive measures to protect its forces, interests, and facilities from any threat or unlawful act perpetrated by the United States or others. He also stressed that Iranian forces in Syria were there at the latters invitation, and were therefore totally legal. Meanwhile, despite mounting tension with both Israel and the United States, Iran is now in the process of mending fences with traditional Arab foesincluding two longstanding allies of the United States. On April 4, Tehran appointed an ambassador to the United Arab Emirates for the first time since 2016. The next day, it announced that Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian would meet his Saudi counterpart this week in Beijingthe first such meeting in more than seven years. The Australian government has quietly discontinued the Vaxzevria AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, which has been linked to the rare but serious side effect of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia (TTS) involving blood clots combined with low levels of blood platelets. The federal health department updated its website to advise that the vaccine developed in the United Kingdom by Oxford University is no longer available as of March 20, 2023. There were eight deaths in Australia confirmed to be from TTS following the AstraZeneca vaccine, according to a June 2022 report by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the Australian governments medicine and vaccines authority. Registered nurse Emma Ahearn talks to Stephen Delaney ahead of his son Lachlan Delany receiving his COVID-19 vaccine in Sydney, Australia, on Jan. 11, 2022. (Jenny Evans/Getty Images) The AstraZeneca vaccine was approved for use as a first and booster dose in Australia from February 2021 and February 2022 respectively. From October 2021, it was available by request only, in favour of the newer mRNA vaccines such as Pfizer and Moderna and Novavax. AstraZeneca was also not recommended to people under the age of 60 years, citing blood clotting risk among younger individuals after taking it. Australia Follows Other Countries on Suspension Initially promised to be highly safe and effective, countries began to suspend AstraZeneca in 2021 after research suggested disappointing results against new variants and its causal link with rare but severe incidents, including low platelet counts, blood clots, and hemorrhages. South Africa was the first country to suspend and subsequently cancel its rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine after data revealed that the vaccine provided inadequate protection against infection among young people. On March 11, 2021, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland stated that they would suspend the vaccine entirely until they had more evidence of potential side effects. Other countries, including Romania, Ireland, Sweden, France, Germany, Italy, Spain (pdf), and many more, also applied temporary suspensions to the batch. By April 7, 2021, the European Medicines Agency safety committee had listed unusual blood clots with low blood platelets as a very rare side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine. After the update on side effects, Norway and Denmark suspended the vaccine, with the Norwegian government deciding, after an expert committees broader assessment on the safety of the vaccine, to completely cease administrating the vaccine from May 12. The committee concluded that the risk of dying after vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine would be higher than the risk of dying from the disease, particularly for younger people. AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters) Australias health department confirmed the phasing out of the vaccine was due to the availability of newer options. This was not a decision based on safety as some people have misrepresented on social media, a spokesperson told the Epoch Times in an email. As expected, first-generation vaccines have been superseded by newer vaccines targeting the strains of the virus now circulating. The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine remains provisionally approved by the TGA. However, the sponsor made a commercial decision with respect to the supply of AstraZeneca vaccine in Australia. Australia Strikes Pact With UK on Minerals, Rare Earths The pit at Citic Pacific Mining's Sino Iron magnetite iron ore project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia on March 5, 2010. (AMY COOPES/AFP via Getty Images) Australia and the United Kingdom have pledged to boost the global supply of critical minerals needed to power a cleaner world economy. Australia is the worlds top producer of raw lithium and other crucial ingredients for electric cars, new energy equipment and advanced communications. But with China dominating the supply of purified critical minerals and rare earths, the two allies have agreed to work together to shore up supply chains. The UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan on Tuesday signed a letter of intent with federal Resources Minister Madeleine King in Perth. Trevelyan said the two countries wanted to futureproof supplies as critical minerals are essential to achieving net zero emissions. Australias unmatched production capacity, combined with the UKs mineral trading and finance expertise, will boost global supplies, help protect supply chains from future shocks, and support thousands of skilled, high-paying jobs, she said. King said the pact with the UK further strengthened Australias resolve to be a global supplier of the resources needed for clean-energy technology, such as batteries, electric vehicles, solar panels and wind turbines. The International Energy Agency expects the need for battery technology and electronics to grow four-fold by 2040. We will work closely with the UK to build resilient, sustainable, and transparent supply chains for critical minerals, which help both the UK and Australia to lower emissions and achieve net zero commitments, King said. Sovereign processing and manufacturing, increased investment ties for projects, and research and development are covered by the statement of intent. They also pledged to boost skills, work with allies and promote high environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards. Australias new critical minerals strategy, a key part of the commitment to net zero by 2050, will be released later this year. Australian Terrorist Found Guilty Seven Years After Murder More than seven years after the brutal murder of police accountant Curtis Cheng, the man who supplied the revolver to the teen terrorist shooter is now guilty. Chengs death shocked Australia and led police to arrest, charge and then jail four individuals behind the brazen and deadly extremist Muslim terror attack. On Friday, a Parramatta Supreme Court jury found Mustafa Dirani guilty of one count of conspiring with others to do an act of terrorism. A separate backup charge of supplying a firearm to an unauthorised person was not considered after the jurys verdict for the primary offence. Cheng was shot in the head by 15-year-old Farhad Mohammad outside the New South Wales Police Force headquarters in Parramatta at 4.30 pm on October 2, 2015. This is the fourth time Dirani has faced court over the charges. In 2018, the first jury was discharged after being unable to reach a verdict. In 2019, he was found guilty and sentenced to a maximum of 28 years in jail. This was overturned on appeal, prompting a third trial in which the jury was again unable to reach a verdict and was discharged in 2022. During the latest retrial, which began in February this year, jurors heard Dirani made extremist posts, including about beheadings and suicide bombs, in the months before the attack. Dirani and another man Raban Alou were accused of supplying a 1942 Smith & Wesson revolver to Farhad at the Parramatta Mosque. The teen then walked to police headquarters dressed in traditional Islamic clothing, shot Cheng and was himself killed after engaging in a gunfight with police security guards. Dirani always denied he had any connection to the plot, claiming he had followed Alou around western Sydney in the hours before the attack because he was waiting to get something to eat with his friend. Prior to the shooting, the pair met Talal Alameddine, who supplied them with the gun, with police surveillance capturing their movements at various parks, car parks and other locations. While no footage of the actual gun changing hands was taken during these interactions, the jury found Dirani guilty of his involvement in the terrorist plot despite crown prosecutors circumstantial case against him. Alou was previously sentenced to a maximum of 44 years behind bars for his role in the plot, and Alameddine was jailed for up to 17 years and eight months. A third man Milad Atai, who shopped around for the gun with Alou, was jailed for up to 38 years. Diranis matter will next come before the court on December 29. Australias Rental Crisis Worsens in the March Quarter A lease sign is displayed outside a home in Edmondson Park in Sydney, Australia, on April 28, 2016. (Brendon Thorne/Getty Images) Australias rental crisis has worsened in the first quarter of 2023 with rising prices and falling vacancies, adding more pressure on renters across the country. In its latest quarterly rental review, real estate data provider CoreLogic pointed out that national rental prices rose by 2.5 percent in the March quarter, up from two percent in the previous three months. This increase resulted in an extra payment of $52 (US$35) a week, or $2,727 a year, for an average renter. And compared to the March quarter of 2022, the cost of rent jumped by 10.1 percent. CoreLogic economist Kaytlin Ezzy said the findings indicated a worsening trend for Australian renters. The re-acceleration of Australias rental market wont be welcome news for those tenants already struggling to find affordable accommodation in our capital cities, she said. At the same time, the report showed that vacancy rates dropped to near-record lows of 1.1 percent nationally in March, down from 1.3 percent in December. Ezzy cited the strongest growth of overseas migration since the COVID-19 outbreak and a shortage in rental listings as the main reason for the low vacancy rates. Theres already a chronic undersupply of advertised rental stock in many parts of the country thats translated into record low vacancy rates across most capitals. Specifically, the total count of national rental listings plunged to under 95,000 in the four weeks to April 2, which was 17.3 percent lower than last year and 36.3 percent lower than the previous five-year average. Sydney Becomes the Most Expensive City to Rent in Australia With a median rental price of $699 per week, Sydney has surpassed Canberra ($674 per week) to become the most expensive capital city for tenants. CoreLogic found that the citys cost of rent lifted 3.4 percent in the March quarter and 12.6 percent in the past 12 months, the highest annual increase since 2006. While Melbourne still remained Australias most affordable city to rent at $526 per week, it had narrowed the gap with Adelaide, which had the second lowest rental prices ($531 per week). Ezzy said the return of overseas migrants and international students had caused Melbournes prices to increase significantly during the period. Weaker rental demand due to extended lockdowns and closed international borders saw Melbournes relative rental affordability improve through the first two years of COVID, she said. However, since overseas migrants and international students had returned, and they typically choose to rent in Melbourne or Sydney, the pendulum had swung the other way. A couple walks past a real estate agents window in Melbourne, Australia, on May 1, 2019. (William West/AFP via Getty Images) In terms of regions, capital cities combined prices grew by three percent on average in the March quarter, which was more than twice the growth of regional areas (1.2 percent). Another noticeable trend in the rental market was the surge in unit prices. National unit rents rose 3.9 percent over the quarter, up from 2.8 percent in the three months to December. In comparison, house rent growth increased from 1.7 percent to two percent during the same period. No Rent Relief in Sight Amid a very tight rental market, tenants struggling to pay their rent are unlikely to see a price relief any time soon. Ezzy also did not expect any significant increase in stock levels in the short term. In addition, she said there was not much financial incentive for investors to enter the market due to a decline in net yields from rent. Tenants coming up against affordability constraints have limited opportunities, and unlike homeowners, cant borrow to pay rent, she said. Its likely some tenants are now sacrificing the spare room or home office and re-forming share houses that disbanded throughout COVID in order to share the rental burden. Those who have the financial means to pull together a deposit might be taking the plunge into home ownership sooner while others are locking in longer leases, rather than brave the hunt for a new rental. CoreLogics report comes as the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation has warned that Australia will fall short of 106,000 dwellings by 2027. Banning TikTok Isnt RacistIts Rational Commentary Congress seems determined to ban TikTok, the Chinese-owned video-sharing app that stands accused of being a Trojan horse for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The vast majority of Americans, according to recent Pew findings, also support a ban. Some Democrats, however, believe a ban on TikTok would be racist. In reality, banning TikTok has nothing to do with racism, and everything to do with national security. Currently, countries such as France, Norway, and The Netherlands are pushing forward with plans to ban the app on government devices. In 2020, India imposed a nationwide ban on TikTok (as well as a number of other Chinese apps), citing privacy and security concerns. More recently, Taiwan imposed a public sector ban on the controversial app. As the writer Klon Kitchen, a 15-year veteran of the intelligence community, previously noted, Imagine waking up to a news story reporting China has secretly deployed 100 million sensors around the United States and has been clandestinely collecting our personal contacts, photos, GPS locations, online purchasing and viewing habits, and even our keyboard swipes and patterns. With TikTok, this is exactly whats happening every single day, he warned. Former CIA intelligence officer Andrew Bustamante has seen the rise and expansion of not just TikTok, but multiple Chinese companies that are now coming under heavy scrutiny from the U.S. government. TikTok is the modern-day application of a classic strategy. The idea of a Trojan horse is common knowledge to even grade school childrena threat hides inside something that looks like a toy, the cyberintelligence expert told me. Contrary to popular belief, he added, TikTok is not just another social media platform collecting data like Facebook or Instagram. False equivalencies are extremely dangerous. Sure, Instagram is bad, but TikTok is exponentially worse. Its algorithm, arguably the most aggressive in existence, pushes inordinate amounts of dangerous content. Moreover, the version of TikTok offered to Americans is very different to the one offered to Chinese citizens. Known as Douyin, this watered-down version of TikTok is full of educational content. TikTok, on the other hand, is full of destructive content. As the tech expert Tristan Harris previously noted, the CCP offers a spinach version of TikTok to their citizens, while they ship the opium version to the rest of the world. For those unwilling to take the threat of TikTok seriously, Bustamante asks all Americans to imagine what a person could do if they had the power to choose what content children, soldiers, mothers, and even clinically depressed people watch on a second-by-second basis. This is what TikTok, with its hyper-advanced algorithms, does. In fact, as Bustamante added, They are so advanced they can target audiences based on geographic location, web browsing behavior, scrolling activity, left or right-hand dominance, and a thousand other unique data points. The amount and variety of data collected by the app is absolutely staggering. In 2021, as TechCrunch first reported, TikTok introduced a host of new data-harvesting policies, allowing the app to vacuum up all sorts of information, from ones web history and keystroke patterns to their biometric face and voice prints. In February 2021, TikTok agreed to a $92 million settlement in Illinois for gathering biometric data without consent. Worryingly, unlike Illinois, the vast majority of U.S. states have no biometric privacy laws in place, meaning millions of Americans are at risk of having their fingerprints, iris scans, facial images, and other biometry shared with the CCP. To date, the CCP has already likely stolen the data of some 264 million Americans. With Instagram or Facebook, said Bustamante, that data is certainly weaponizedbut its used to bombard individuals with ads (and generate money in the process). However, with the China-based business driving the software behind TikTok, he warned, You can be certain their intentions are much more insidious than simple quarterly revenues. Just look at how they use technology to surveil and police their own state. If theyre willing to inflict that much misery on their own people, just imagine what the CCP is willing to do to the United States, its number-one competitor. Bustamante, a man whos intimately familiar with the ins and outs of cyberwarfare, called TikTok a tool that can deliver content to children that encourages them to reject authority, powered by an algorithm designed to show firearm content to people suffering depression and anxiety. TikTok appears to be an unprecedented app with unprecedented scope. This is why an immediate ban is both logical and necessary. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. CAIRO, April 5 (Xinhua) -- This year marks the 60th anniversary of China dispatching its first medical team to Africa. In many parts of the vast continent, Chinese doctors are hailed as "angels in white" and "ambassadors of friendship," and such endearing titles given by local residents reflect their gratitude and trust. Since its first medical team was dispatched to Algeria on April 6, 1963, China has been constantly sending medical personnel to the African continent. China's foreign medical aid mission has now gone global. Over the past six decades, China has sent medical teams totaling 30,000 members to 76 countries and regions across five continents, providing some 290 million diagnoses and treatments. Currently, Chinese medical teams work at 115 sites in 57 countries, nearly half of which are in remote areas with harsh conditions. Malaria, cholera, yellow fever and other infectious diseases have long plagued Africa, home to the largest number of developing countries, due to a lack of medical infrastructure and personnel. Overcoming great difficulties and challenges, Chinese medical teams have been providing much-needed medical services to African people and filled many gaps in local medical fields with their skills and professionalism. They have successfully conducted the first open-heart surgery in Sudan, the first cardiac pacemaker implantation in the Gambia, the first craniectomy in Benin, and the first replantation of a severed right upper arm in Mozambique, to name a few. In a bid to boost local healthcare capacity, Chinese doctors in Africa have also provided training for local medical workers. Furthermore, China has helped build the headquarters of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and dozens of specialized centers; donated medicines, vaccines and equipment to Africa; and shared its experience in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. With its 60-year non-stop medical assistance to Africa, China has helped improve the health and well-being of the African people. As China and Africa strive to build a community with a shared future in the new era, including a community of health, Chinese doctors in Africa are the pioneers in seeking to achieve this goal. EU Leaders Head to China for Delicate Talks on Ukraine, Trade BEIJINGEuropean Union executive head Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron are to land in China on Wednesday seeking to reset ties with an important economic partner while broaching thorny issues like Ukraine and trade risks. Macron last visited China in 2019 while it will be von der Leyens first trip since becoming European Commission president that year. Since then, Chinas strict pandemic controls forced all diplomatic meetings online as relations with Europe soured: first due to a stalled investment pact in 2021 and then the Chinese regimes refusal to condemn Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. For Macron, facing embarrassing pension protests at home, the trip offers a chance to land some economic wins as he travels with a 50-strong business delegation, including Airbus, which is negotiating a big plane order, Alstom, and nuclear giant EDF. Von der Leyen has said the EU must cut risks in ties with Beijing, including limiting Chinese access to sensitive technology and reducing reliance for key inputs such as critical minerals, as well as batteries, solar panels, and other clean tech products. Macron invited von der Leyen on the trip as a way to project European unity, after French officials criticized German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for going solo to China late last year. He has pushed the EU to be more robust in trade relations with China and is broadly supportive of von der Leyens stance, Macron advisers said, but the French leader has publicly refrained from using strong anti-Chinese Communist Party (CCP) rhetoric, Beijing being prone to bilateral retaliatory measures. Beyond trade, both have said they want to persuade China to use its influence over Russia to bring peace in Ukraine, or at least prevent Beijing from directly supporting its ally. Both [Macron and von der Leyen] have not only business in mind but also Ukraine, said Joerg Wuttke, president of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China. Im sure its not going to be an easy visit. The CCP earlier this year proposed a 12-point peace plan for the Ukraine crisis, which called on both sides to agree to a gradual de-escalation leading to a comprehensive ceasefire. But the plan was largely dismissed by the West due to the CCPs refusal to condemn Russia, and the United States and NATO then said the Chinese regime was considering sending arms to Russia, claims which the CCP has denied. Ukraine on the Mind Suspicions over the CCPs motives only deepened after Chinese leader Xi Jinping flew to Moscow for meetings with Vladimir Putin last month in his first overseas visit since securing a precedent-breaking third term as the CCPs leader. Macron has said he is also keen to stress to Xi, who he will meet alongside von der Leyen on Thursday, that Europe will not accept China providing arms to Russia. Considering Chinas proximity with Russia, its obvious it is one of the few countries, if not the only one, which could have a game-changing effect on the conflict, in one way or another, one of Macrons advisors said ahead of the trip. In a meeting with Xi in Beijing last week, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he had encouraged the Chinese leader to talk to the Ukrainian leadership and learn first-hand about Kyivs peace formula. Macron and von der Leyen are expected to echo the message that Xi should also talk to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. After brokering a surprise detente between Iran and Saudi Arabia last month, the CCP has been eager to present itself as a global peacemaker and an alternative to the United States, which it says is fanning flames by sending weapons to Ukraine. The talks with European leaders come amid high tension with the United States over issues ranging from Taiwan to bans on semiconductor exports. Taking aim at von der Leyens comments last week on the risks of trade with China, the state-run Chinese nationalist mouthpiece Global Times warned on Monday that Europe would suffer from any attempt to cut economic ties with Beijing. But aside from some hard talk on Ukraine and trade tensions, the trip will also serve up some lighter opportunities to demonstrate what Macrons advisor said was an attempt to reset diplomatic and economic relations with China. On Friday, Xi will accompany Macron on a trip to the sprawling southern port of Guangzhou, where the first French ship reached Chinese shores in the 17th century and where France opened its first consulate. After meeting students there, Macron will attend a private dinner and tea ceremony with the Chinese leader . Biden to Visit Northern Ireland for Peace Deal Commemoration President Joe Biden makes his way to board Air Force One before departing from Joint Base Andrews in Md. on March 31, 2023. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) President Joe Biden will be visiting Northern Ireland next week to commemorate a historic agreement that brought peace to the region despite UK intelligence warnings about a potential terror threat in the area. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland from April 11-14, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement on April 5. Biden will visit Belfast, Northern Ireland, between April 11 and 22 to mark the 25-year anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) and to underscore the readiness of the United States to support Northern Irelands vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities. GFA was signed on April 10, 1998, and brought to an end the 30 years of violence over the issue of Northern Ireland either remaining in the United Kingdom or uniting with Ireland. The 25th anniversary is being held to mark the peace that has been made possible through all these years. However, the potential for conflict remains. In March, UK intelligence raised the terror threat level in Northern Ireland to severe from substantial. Biden, who is of Irish heritage, had last month stated that the terror threat would not affect his travel plans to the country. After his visit to Northern Ireland, Biden will then travel to Ireland between April 12 and 14 where the president is expected to discuss both the countries cooperation on the full range of shared global challenges. He will also hold various engagements, including in Dublin, County Louth, and County Mayo, where he will deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people, Jean-Pierre said. The GFA anniversary event will also be attended by former President Bill Clinton, whose administration partly brokered the 1998 deal. Northern Ireland Conflict and GFA Agreement The conflict in Northern Ireland is driven by religious fault lines. Centuries back, Protestants subjugated the native Catholic population of Ireland. After Irish independence in the 1920s, the island was split into two sectionsthe Republic of Ireland, which makes up the majorityand Northern Ireland, which is made up of six counties in the northeast of the island. Northern Ireland, where Protestants make up the majority, chose to remain part of the UK. Over decades, the minority Catholic population in Northern Ireland began to feel discontent over alleged unequal access to jobs and housing, which led to a civil rights movement. Catholics, identifying as pro-Irish, wanted Northern Ireland to reunite with the Republic of Ireland while Protestants opposed leaving the UK. Authorities began to crack down on the situation and it soon exploded, leading to acts of terrorism. In the three decades of conflict until the 1998 deal, over 3,500 people have died. The Good Friday Agreement allowed Northern Ireland to establish its own government that required power sharing between the pro-Irish and pro-British parties. Though the intense conflicts from preceding decades have ended, citizens remain divided. Post-Brexit Troubles The UKs exit from the European Union put new stress on the GFA. The Republic of Ireland is a member of the EU. The Brexit deal meant that Northern Ireland became the only part of the UK sharing a land border with an EU nationits border with the Republic of Ireland. This has triggered trade issues. Former PM Boris Johnsons Northern Ireland Protocol proposed requiring customs checks on some goods shipped from other parts of the UK to Northern Ireland. But the pro-British side from Northern Ireland opposed the move, arguing that the proposal treats the region differently from other parts of the United Kingdom and weakens Northern Irelands status as part of the UK. Brexit also meant that the European Court of Justice would have the power to settle trade disputes in Northern Ireland. Under PM Rishi Sunak, the UK arrived at a new deal with the EU, scrapping most checks on goods shipped from other parts of the UK to Northern Ireland. Biden has extended support to the new deal. Biden White House Says Theyre Not Paying Attention to Trump Case as Former President Is Arraigned The White House said President Joe Biden is staying focused on other issues and not closely following along with the charges against former President Donald Trump. The presidents going to focus on the American people like he does every day, this is not something that is a focus for him, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during a Tuesday White House press briefing. The Biden administration has remained relatively tight-lipped about the recent indictment against his 2020 rival and potential 2024 opponent. On March 20, after Trump announced he expected to be charged in Manhattan, Jean-Pierre said, We do not comment on any ongoing investigations from here. Weve been very consistent on that. On Friday, after Braggs office confirmed the charges, Biden told members of the press he has no comment on Trump. After the arraignment hearing on Tuesday, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs office published the 16-page indictment and 13-page statement of facts in the case. The documents indicated Trump was charged with 34 counts of the same charge, falsifying business records. The charging documents alleged Trump facilitated the falsification of these business records by making payments to buy the silence of people planning to share negative allegations about him. Braggs office alleged Trump facilitated the payment through a lawyer, Michael Cohen, who has since pled guilty to a campaign finance violation over the matter and argued that Trump had wrongfully classified monthly repayment installments to Cohen as an ongoing fee for legal services. While Jean-Pierre said Bidens attention is on advancing his policies, she conceded that Biden has caught some information about the Trump case in passing. Of course, this is playing out on many of the networks here on a daily basis for hours and hours, so obviously he will catch parts of the news, she said. As Jean-Pierre faced a follow-up question about the Trump case, she reiterated that Biden had not had prior knowledge of the indictment. Bidens No-Comment Policy Jean-Pierre repeatedly said she was maintaining the White Houses policy of avoiding commenting on the case, at one point joking, I love how you guys are asking me this in different ways. One reporter at the White House press briefing put the Biden White Houses stated policy of not commenting on the Trump case up against the administrations repeated comments about the breach of the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021. The president has spoken repeatedly about Jan. 6. He gave at least two major speeches that I can think of, New York Times reporter Michael Shear said. There were more than 500 active legal cases going on during the time that he made those speeches, all of which potentially could have been affected, would have been affected by whatever his opinions were on the circumstances surrounding those cases. Jean-Pierre responded that the circumstances of Bidens comments on Jan. 6 were different because the events of that day were an attack on our democracy and warranted comments by the president. Jan. 6 was a different moment, it just was, she said. It was something that was incredibly devastating, people died in that day and were harmed. Comments on Potential for Unrest Trump and his supporters have accused Bragg of bringing a politicized case against the former president. Even before Braggs office announced the charges, Trump predicted the effort to prosecute him could inspire social unrest and bring about potential death and destruction. While the Biden White House has avoided commenting directly on the charges against Trump, Biden did say on Monday that he is not concerned about social unrest surrounding a case. When asked Are you concerned about unrest? Biden replied, No, I have faith in the New York Police Department. When a reporter asked about Bidens comments about unrest on Tuesday, the White House said the administration is not aware of any credible threats but said, We are prepared. Weve been always very clear, any form of violence, that is something we condemn from here, but not going toanything that is touching or relating to the case were just not going to comment from here, Jean-Pierre said. From NTD News Border Agents Find Over 140 Illegal Immigrants In 2 Stash House Raids Ysleta Station Anti-Smuggling Unit, along with Texas Department of Public Safety, foiled a smuggling scheme involving 51 smuggled illegal immigrants located inside a local residence on April 2, 2023. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection, El Paso Sector) U.S. Border Patrol agents found more than 140 illegal immigrants during raids of two separate smuggling stash houses in Texas on April 2. Based on a tip, U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Ysleta Station encountered the first group during the early hours in El Paso. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said in a statement that when agents arrived, they located 51 illegal immigrants inside the residence. The illegal immigrants were from Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala, and were found to be in good health, officials said. Two of the individuals, who are Mexican nationals, were identified by agents as the caretakers of the residence. Both will face federal charges for the scheme. The second group was found around noon when Ysleta agents, along with the members of the Texas Department of Public Safety and Customs, encountered 94 smuggled immigrants inside a second stash house in El Paso. Interviews conducted at the first site led agents to the second property. Despite being housed in deplorable conditions, the illegal immigrants, who were from Guatemala, Mexico, and Ecuador, were found to be in good health, according to officials said. A search of the home resulted in a total of 95 migrants, 74 males and 19 females, including 2 minors, Texas DPS spokesman Lt. Christopher Olivarez said in a statement. They were all processed under Title 42 or Title 8 authority, which governs U.S. immigration law. Stash house busts! U.S. Customs and Border Protections Border Patrol for the El Paso Sector wrote on Facebook. El Paso Sector CBP agents have uncovered more than 130 stash houses in the region, with more than 1,800 illegal immigrants in the 2023 fiscal year to date, authorities noted. The citizens in our local El Paso community provide an important partnership to help us safeguard our city. We encourage anyone with information to report suspicious activity to our office. That one phone call could help save many lives, said Anthony Scott Good, the El Paso Sectors chief patrol agent. House GOP Want Mayorkass Pay Withheld In outcry over the handling of the illegal immigration crisis at the U.S. southern border, House Republicans are seeking to have Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkass pay withheld. Citing the DHS secretarys alleged failure to secure the U.S. border, a key responsibility of his job, 11 GOP representatives sent a letter to House Appropriations Committee Chair Kay Granger (R-Texas) and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security Chair Dave Joyce (R-Ohio), requesting that not a penny be appropriated to pay Mayorkas (pdf). The March 29 letter stated that Mayorkas shouldnt be paid because he hasnt done his job and isnt serving and protecting the American people. As you begin drafting the Homeland Security Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2024, we request that you decrease Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas salary to $0 for willfully ignoring his oath to enforce our border security and immigration laws, the letter states. The letter goes on to state that the DHS chief is responsible for safeguarding the nations borders from unauthorized entries and individuals who pose a threat to public safety and national security. In addition, the Secretary is required to maintain operational control and prevent narcotics and other contraband from entering the country, it continues. Secretary Mayorkas is actively failing to attain and maintain control of the southern border by weakening our security apparatus and implementing policies attracting record-breaking numbers of illegal migrants and bad actors seeking to be released into the United States. The letter was signed by Reps. Chip Roy (R-Texas), Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.), Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.), Daniel Webster (R-Fla.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Bob Good (R-Va.), Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.), Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), and Scott Perry (R-Pa.). Republicans are also seeking to impeach Mayorkas, whom they hold responsible for the record-high illegal immigration crisis and the influx of drugs into the country during the Biden presidency. Ross Muscato contributed to this report. 7-Year-Old Boy Who Disappeared in Arlington Heights Found Safe LOS ANGELESA 7-year-old boy who went missing from his Arlington Heights home was found safe April 5, but the circumstances of his disappearance were still unclear. Derek Clay was last seen about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in the courtyard of an apartment complex in the 1100 block of Crenshaw Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). The grandfather, Donald Lewis, reported the boy missing around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday when he was unable to locate him. He told reporters the child would often go to visit friends and return later, but this time, he never came back. CRITICAL MISSING 7 year old boy in Wilshire Area: PIO enroute to 1194 Crenshaw BLVD pic.twitter.com/bzNKAF09r2 LAPD PIO (@LAPDPIO) April 5, 2023 A frantic search ensued, but shortly before 3 p.m. Wednesday, Los Angeles police announced that the boy had been found near Fifth and San Pedro streets, and was in good spirits. There was no immediate information available on how the boy got there, or who he was with when he was found. But police said no foul play was suspected. Lewis said he has had custody of Derek since October, and he also takes care of the boys older brother. He said Dereks mother has visitation rights under supervision. Police said Wednesday they had located the boys mother and questioned her, but she was not suspected of being involved in the boys disappearance. At one point in the search, police deployed bloodhounds while officers went door-to-door in the neighborhood. Brandon Johnson, a Progressive, Wins Chicago Mayoral Runoff, Beating Moderate Paul Vallas Chicago mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson leaves after campaigning at Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen during the mayoral runoff election at Robert Healy Elementary School in Chicago, Ill., on April 4, 2023. (Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images) CHICAGO, Ill.Brandon Johnson, a progressive Democrat, was elected the 57th mayor of Chicago on April 4, according to The Associated Press. Johnson, 47, defeated Paul Vallas, a 69-year-old moderate Democrat. He will succeed Democrat Lori Lightfoot, who lost in the Feb. 28 primary following years of coming under fire on issues ranging from COVID-19 to public safety. Ahead of the results, Dick Simpson, a political science professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, told The Epoch Times that this election will determine whether we continue in a progressive direction or revert to the conservative status quo. Two of the biggest issues in the election were education and public safety. Johnson ran on a staunchly pro-public school platform as he was endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union, while Vallas ran on a pro-school choice agenda. Johnson will enter city hall with an underwhelming public school system in the Windy City. The high school graduation rate in Chicago is just 78.4 percent as students have struggled to demonstrate proficiency in mathematics and reading. At the elementary school level, the test score proficiency in math is 21 percent, and 25 percent in reading. At the middle school level, the test score proficiency in math is 21 percent, and 24 percent in reading. At the high school level, the test score proficiency in math is 23 percent, and 21 percent in reading. Johnson expressed opposition to cutting city funding to schools. In terms of fighting crime, Johnson came under fire, including from Vallas, for his past support of the Defund the Police movement, which he in 2020 called an actual, real political goal. Johnson sought to distance himself from that cause. Johnson told Laura Washington, a political analyst for ABCs Chicago affiliate, in March that he said it was a political goal. I never said it was mine. As far as my vision for public safety, Im not going to defund the police, he said. On his campaign website, Johnson vowed he would work with police and first responders to invest in community-based interventions that de-escalate conflict, reduce violence and make our neighborhoods safer and create an Office of Community Safety, reopen the citys mental health clinics, fully fund year-round youth employment, and foster partnerships between communities and law enforcement to make critical investments preventing crime before it happens. He also pledged to direct more funds to violence prevention and community safety programming that address the root causes of community violence and attack these root causes of crime and poverty by investing in the basics: good schools, good jobs, housing and mental health. Despite running as a progressive, Johnson vowed to be a mayor for all Chicagoans. Just before entering his vehicle after casting his early-morning ballot, Johnson told The Epoch Times, I expect to lead the city of Chicago for everyone. Breakdown of Society Evident in Vancouver Stabbing Where Bystanders Did Nothing: Experts A woman pauses at a makeshift memorial for Paul Stanley Schmidt, 37, in downtown Vancouver on March 29, 2023. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck) When Paul Stanley Schmidt was stabbed to death in front of his 3-year-old daughter while standing outside a downtown Vancouver Starbucks on March 26, nobody stepped in to help. An onlooker sipped his coffee, while two bystanders filmed, one of them a TikToker who took a selfie video next to the dying mans body. David Haskell, an associate professor in the faculty of Liberal Arts at the Wilfrid Laurier University, told The Epoch Times that this reaction is different from the so-called bystander effect, where individuals in a crowd freeze up because they think someone else will help the person in trouble, or because the situation is ambiguous and theyre not sure what to do. One of the things we might be seeing is what has been called the loss of social capital,' he said. Social capital is a term in sociology that refers to the connectedness between people in society that allows it to function effectively. Haskell said the loss of social capital may be due to a breakdown of families, a loss of faith, or a weakened sense of community and trust. Well call it the breakdown in social cohesion in society, he said. Certainly, we are at a point in the history of the west where weve never seen such a significant breakdown in social cohesion. Eric Kaufmann, a Vancouver native and politics professor at the University of London, also cites the loss of social capital as playing a role. I think its indicative of this breakdown of society that were seeing across the West, but worse in North America, and worse especially on the West Coast, Kaufmann told The Epoch Times. Schmidt, 37, went with his fiancee and daughter to the Starbucks coffee shop on the evening of March 26. While waiting outside on the patio as his fiancee went inside to order, Schmidt asked a man not to vape near his daughter, the victims family told media. After a brief altercation, the man produced a knife and stabbed him. Inderdeep Singh Gosal, 32, has been charged with second-degree murder. Police say it doesnt appear the victim and suspect knew each other. The circumstances leading up to the murder are under investigation and police are looking for more witnesses. Video recordings of the incident were posted on social media in the days following, but police and the victims family have asked that they be removed. Although a bystander did eventually flag down an officer on patrol, the victims mother, Kathy Schmidt, told City News, Im just incredibly surprised that nobody from inside Starbucks called for help, nobody outside called for help. It wasnt until he was in dire straits. After facing backlash for a lack of empathy or taking action to help, the TikTokera young man named Alex Bodgerposted a video explaining his reaction. He was uncomfortable and shocked, he said, and added that hes sorry. But, ultimately, he said, It doesnt faze me too much because Ill just say, human life to methe way I look at it, if I dont know you, its meaningless. Factors Certain characteristics of West Coast citiesfrom Los Angeles to Seattle to Vancouvermake them especially susceptible to a loss of social capital, Kauffman says. More drifterspeople who are less rootedend up in these cities, partly because of the climate, he said. Also evident is a sort of strain of progressivism that is more anarchist, more individualist, or expressive individualist, Kauffman said. Expressive individualism places ones inner desires and wishes above externally imposed mores or authority. He gave the examples of policies that arise from this ideology: providing drugs to users, having lax rules around setting up camps in cities, releasing repeat offenders, and defunding the police. All these sorts of ideas contribute to a less ordered environment and contribute to increases in crime rates, he said. Violent crime in Vancouver was up 12 percent in 2022 from the average for 201719, according to the Vancouver Police Department, with serious assaults up 30 percent. In the downtown district where Schmidt was killed, violent crime rose about 22 percent over the same period. Family Structure Kaufmann also cites the breakdown of the family structure as a factor, with an increase in divorce and people choosing single living. People dont have their neighbours over for dinner anymore, and theyre not part of community organizations meeting face-to-face, he said. Smartphones have further separated people from face-to-face community, and the anonymity of urban life adds to this disconnectedness, he said. Bodgers comments exemplify this disconnect, Kauffman said. Everybodys just maybe in their own bubble and there are no common bonds. In It Together Haskell cites additional factors, including a loss of religious beliefs and the principles that come with it. To the extent that society becomes irreligious, secular, or agnostic or atheist, there really isthe data is clearthere is a movement away from selflessness, he said. Haskell cited studies showing Christians contribute more to charity and community organizations, and that more atheist countries, such as Sweden, have lower levels of altruism. Whats missing is a sense that were in it together, Philip Salzman, professor emeritus of anthropology at McGill University, said in an interview. When people witness something like a stabbing, its natural to hesitate or be uncertain about what to do to some degree, Salzman said. But it should be balanced by a sense that they owe a fellow community member something, that theyre part of something larger, theyre in it together. That in it together seems to have disappeared. Salzman cited a poll published in March, commissioned by the Wall Street Journal, that showed the extent to which patriotism, religious faith, and having children have fallen as priorities for Americans. Canadian cities have long been following American ones into anomie and disorder, he said. Cities full of homelessness, drug-use, and violence on public transit make it hard to feel a sense of community and belonging, Salzman said, adding that talk of systemic racism and the like lead to a self-loathing that makes patriotism difficult. Theres kind of a general sense of disengagement. California Bill Requiring Dyslexia Screening for Young Children Advances in Senate Committee An elementary school student writes on her notebook in Brea, Calif. on May 24, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) A California Senate bill that would require schools to screen young children for dyslexia passed the state Senate Education Committee last week. The committee unanimously voted to pass state Senate Bill 691 during a March 29 hearing and sent it to the Senate Appropriations Committee for a vote on April 10. The bill would require all districts to screen children in kindergarten through second grade for dyslexia annually, unless parents choose to opt their child out. State Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-Burbank)who introduced the bill Feb. 16told the committee during the hearing that its easier to help a child overcome dyslexia when its identified early. Portantino referred to data from the International Dyslexia Association, which reports that it takes four times longer to help a child overcome dyslexia in 4th grade than it does in late kindergarten. This bill follows the science and research because we know if we help a young child earlier in their journey, were going to be more successful, he said. If we wait it becomes harder to solve By knowing what the problems are, were helping kids get the reading care that they need and deserve. The bill received much support during the hearing from special education organizations, educators, affected parents, and children with dyslexia. A file photo of California Teachers Association supporters demonstrating in favor of public employees having to pay union dues, in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 11, 2016, in Washington, DC. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images) However, some educator groups and teacher unionsincluding the California Teachers Association and the California Association for Bilingual Educationsaid they opposed the bill during the hearing, saying it would add an extra burden on teachers and may misidentify English learners struggling with reading as dyslexic. We do not believe that [the bill] will effectively build a system thats beneficial to all of our students, said the representative for the California Teachers Associationwhich has 310,000 members across the state. The representative called for a redraft of the bill to include clear expectations of how such a policy would be implemented locally with state resources and reflect the concern of educators who would implement it. For the intent of this bill to be achieved, there will need to be a comprehensive redrafting and not just one or two simple amendments, he said. To avoid misdiagnosing English learners as dyslexic, Portantino said during the hearing that the bill would also require that factors such as English language acquisition status, home language, and language of instruction are taken into consideration when screening. The bill would also require the states Board of Education to establish an approved list of dyslexia screening instruments to be used by school districts for such screenings. According to the bills text, such must include developmentally and linguistically appropriate screening for phonological and phonemic awareness, sound-symbol recognition, alphabet knowledge, decoding skills, and rapid automatized naming. Under the bill, results would be shared with parents within 45 days of the screening. California is currently one of only 10 states who do not require dyslexia screening for students, according to the National Center on Improving Literacy, out of Boston Universitys College of Education and Human Development. Other states that do not screen children are Utah, Alaska, Hawaii, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, and Vermont. Portantino introduced a similar bill in 2021, but it died in the Senate Education Committee. California Family of Teen Fatally Shot by School Officer Reaches $13 Million Settlement LONG BEACH, Calif.The family of an 18-year-old woman fatally shot by a Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) safety officer while she was sitting in a car announced April 4 that theyve reached a $13 million settlement of their lawsuit against the district. Manuela Mona Rodriguez, whose son was just 5 months old at the time, was shot once in the back of the head on Sept. 27, 2021, while sitting in the front passenger seat of a moving car near Spring Street and Palo Verde Avenue, in the vicinity of Millikan High School. She remained on life support until Oct. 5, when her organs were harvested for donation. Eddie Gonzalez, a 53-year-old now-former LBUSD school safety officer, is awaiting trial on a murder charge. Gonzalezs attorney has argued that he feared for his life at the time of the shooting and acted in self-defense. He was fired by the district a week after the shooting, then was arrested and charged in late October 2021. Rodriguezs mother, Manuela Sahagun, sued Gonzalez and the LBUSD in December 2021 alleging wrongful death, excessive force, negligence, and civil rights violations. The suit alleged that Gonzalez did not pass probation when he tried to be hired by the Los Alamitos and Sierra Madre police departments, but he was still hired by the LBUSD, which compounded matters by negligently training him. Attorneys also argued that Gonzalez violated district policy by shooting into a moving vehicle shooting at a fleeing person. I personally dont really care about the settlement. Its not bringing back my sister, Rodriguezs brother, Omar, said Tuesday. I dont want anybody else to go through this pain. The district issued a statement saying that while settlement talks have been underway, we have not seen or ratified an agreement, and thus could not discuss details. The district added, however, that settlements like these include language that there is no admission of liability on the districts part. However, we again share our sincerest condolences with everyone who was impacted by this terrible event. Testimony Gonzalez told police shortly after the shooting that he had come upon a fight in the street between Rodriguez and a female Millikan student and that he asked the two to sit down after breaking up the altercation, but Rodriguez fled to the nearby car, Long Beach Police Detective Donald Collier testified at a preliminary hearing in the case. Then-Long Beach Police Chief Robert Lunanow Los Angeles County sheriffsaid at the time that Rodriguez was sitting in the front passenger seat of the car, and as the driver tried to pull away from the scene, Gonzalez fired his weapon. According to court testimony, one bullet went through the rear passenger window, with the other striking just below the handle of the rear passenger door. Deputy District Attorney Saeed Teymouri called it a case of second-degree murder, telling the judge during the preliminary hearing that Gonzalez was in no danger. The prosecutor argued that he believed the school safety officer had acted out of anger and not fearan accusation that Gonzalezs attorney said was utterly ridiculous. Gonzalezs attorney countered that the vehicles driver decided to go forward rather than stopping as the school safety officer demanded, and that his client feared for his life. The shooting was captured on video that was widely aired on local media. Cash App Founder Stabbed to Death in San Francisco A view of the venue during the Afterpay, Cash App & TIDAL Front Row to NYFW Party in New York on Sept. 13, 2022. (Anna Webber/Getty Images for Afterpay) Bob Lee, the creator of the mobile payment service Cash App and the former chief technology officer of Square, has been stabbed to death in San Francisco. The 43-year-old tech executive was found by officers in the early hours of April 4, after suffering multiple stab wounds. The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) said there had been a violent attack in the citys downtown Rincon Hill neighborhood at 2:35 a.m. local time. Officers rendered aid and summoned medics to the scene. The victim was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Despite efforts by first responders and medical personnel, the victim succumbed to his injuries, police said. Authorities later told CBS News that Lee was the victim, while the SFPD stated that his death was being actively investigated as a homicide. No arrests have yet been made, but the SFPD has not released details on potential suspects. Silicon Valley Execs in Shock The tech executive had been serving as chief product officer of the San Francisco based cryptocurrency company MobileCoin since November 2021, according to his LinkedIn page. Lee rose to prominence in the tech industry for being the first chief technology officer of the payments platform Square, later renamed Block, in addition to his creation of Cash App. Jack Dorsey, the founder of Square, mourned the death of Lee on the social media platform Nostr, writing: Its real. Getting calls. Heartbreaking. A proponent of cryptocurrencies, Lee said in a statement after joining MobileCoin that the traditional financial system leaves behind hundreds of millions of unbanked people worldwide and consequently excludes them from the associated benefits. Shock spread throughout the tech industry after the news became public, with online tributes pouring in. MobileCoins CEO Joshua Goldbard told told ABC7 in a statement that Bob was a force of nature. Helped to birth Android and CashApp into our world. Moby was his dream: a privacy-protecting wallet for the 21st Century. I will miss him every day. Bill Barhydt, the CEO of crypto wallet company Abra, wrote on Twitter on April 5, I just got devastating news that our friend Bob Lee was killed in SF early today. Bob was a dad, the former CTO of Square where he created Cash App & CTO of Mobile Coin. He was a generous decent human being who didnt deserve to be killed, Barhydt continued. Lee had previously worked at Google where he managed Androids core library team and launched the worlds most-used operating system, according to his profile on MobileCoins official website. He later founded the social network Present and invested in companies like Figma, Clubhouse, Beeper, and Faire. The tech executive assisted the World Health Organization after the COVID-19 pandemic spread worldwide with their tracker mobile app and later helped set up a stay-at-home testing kit company. Reuters contributed to this report. TRIPOLI, April 5 (Xinhua) -- UN envoy in Libya Abdoulaye Bathily on Wednesday said he discussed ways to hold Libya's national elections as soon as possible with the Libyan army commander and parliamentary speaker on Tuesday. The meeting focused on "how to accelerate efforts towards the holding of elections with no further delay," Bathily, the special representative of the UN Secretary-General for Libya, tweeted. "We also agreed to spare no effort in promoting hope and reconciliation among Libyans, including leaders of the 5+5 JMC (Joint Military Commission) and commanders of military and security units from all over Libya, as required for peace and stability," he said. Khalifa Haftar, the commander of the eastern-based army and Aguila Saleh, the speaker of the House of Representatives, stressed their commitment to restoring hope toward lasting peace through inclusive elections and comprehensive national reconciliation, the UN official added. Libya failed to hold general elections in December 2021 as previously scheduled due to disagreements over election laws among the Libyan parties. Earlier in January, Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamed Dbeibah said his government is ready to hold general elections in 2023. Ever since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011, Libya has been struggling to make a democratic transition amid escalating violence and political division. Children at Risk Over Police Failures to Properly Investigate Abuse Images: Watchdog A child using a laptop computer on March 4, 2017. (Dominic Lipinski/Press Association via AP Images) Shocking police failures into online child sexual abuse investigations in England and Wales have been identified in a new watchdog report. His Majestys Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) found children were being put more at risk as some forces took up to 18 months to act on evidence of abuse or exploitation. Officers are also failing to act within recommended timescales and wrongly grading high risk reports as low, leaving some children vulnerable to harm by suspects they are living with, the report (pdf) revealed. The watchdog also found that some forces are often not properly responding to allegations or concerns about suspects, leading to unacceptable delays and missed opportunities. Released on Wednesday, the report states that many police forces often wait too long before sharing information with partners such as social services, meaning opportunities to refer children and families for support were again missed. HMICFRS said that while offences were increasing at a rapid rate, police were unable to keep up and chief constables are not doing enough to properly understand the scale of the problem. It has made 17 detailed recommendations to chief constables, policing bodies, and the government to improve practice and investigations into child sexual abuse. Failure to Act The report laid out a number of incidents where police failed to appropriately investigate serious child abuse allegations. In September 2020, an unnamed police force received a report from the National Crime Agency (NCA) that a suspect had uploaded two videos to social media of a young girl being abused. The force carried out some prompt enquiries and established that the suspect was a 17-year-old boy. He was living at the same address as his 12-year-old sister and his two brothers, aged 10 and 15. According to the report, this didnt prompt any further investigation. In July 2021, a supervisor reviewed the case, by which time the suspect was an adult. The force carried out what is known as a Kent internet risk assessment tool (KIRAT)used to assess the level of risk posed by a suspectwhich incorrectly graded the risk as low. The force didnt monitor the timeliness of low-risk cases. In March 2022, the HMICFRS visited the force and found nothing further had been done. This was almost 18 months after the force knew of the risks to children at the address. The case was referred back to the force to quickly take action to make sure the children identified were safe. In the same force, the HMICFRS found that the person responsible for risk grading incidents was getting a large number of gradings wrong. As a result, that force area had more than 30 cases in which suspects identified as having a sexual interest in children, and who were living with children, were graded incorrectly as low risk. A sign is seen outside the National Crime Agency (NCA) headquarters in London Oct. 7, 2013. (Stefan Wermuth /Reuters) Wrongly Graded In another incident, a police force took four months to complete a risk assessment on a suspect identified as sharing child abuse imagery online. The individual was living with a 7-year-old child at the time. The police force also incorrectly graded the risk as low. HMICFRS visited the force nine months after the force had received the initial information. The case was with a supervisor in a specialist team, but they still hadnt allocated it to an investigator. In another case, a man who had uploaded and downloaded school abuse material numerous times was released on bail to live with his 15-year-old sister. The suspect had previously been investigated twice for sexual offences against children aged between 14 and 17. The investigating police force allocated the case to a specialist team, but it didnt complete a risk assessment until four days after it knew the man was living with his sister. The case was graded as very high risk, however 11 weeks passed before the force took action and arrested the man. At this point, the force shared information with childrens social care services, but there was no evidence of a strategy discussion. The man was then released on bail back to the same address to continue living with his sister. A teenage girl, who claims to be a victim of sexual abuse and alleged grooming, poses in Rotherham, England, on Sept. 3, 2014. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) Suspect Worked in School The report did highlight examples of good police practice and work in investigating child abuse offenders. In July 2021, a police force received information from the NCA about a category A videoclassified as the most obscenebeing uploaded to the internet. The case was allocated to a specialist team, which quickly began intelligence checks. The team discovered that the address where the video had been uploaded was a house of multiple occupancy. The team carried out further prompt enquiries and established who was responsible for the video. The suspect was employed at a local school. Within 48 hours, officers arrested the suspect, searched his home, and seized media devices, finding manipulated images of his 10-year-old cousin. Officers compiled a thorough family tree of the suspect and shared this information with childrens social care services. They arranged a meeting with the local authority designated officer and the suspect was suspended from work. At the time of the HMICFRS inspection, he was on bail and was about to be charged with multiple offences. In a statement accompanying the report, His Majestys Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said a lack of minimum investigative standards was impacting on police response to serious crimes. Online child sexual abuse and exploitation are heinous and insidious crimes that can destroy the lives of victims and their families, and policing cannot afford to wait any longer to improve its response, she said. We are in no doubt of the commitment and dedication of the overwhelming majority of frontline investigators. But they are being let down by the lack of a consistent and effective national approach to tackling this issue. An undated photo of a police vehicle. (Dave Thompson/PA) Reports More Than Doubling Williams said forces do not fully understand the scale of the problem and so there arent enough resources dedicated to these type of investigations. The inspector said the Online Safety Bill presents a critical opportunity to tackle the growing amount of child sexual abuse material available online. However, chief constables cannot wait for this to be in place, she added. They need to do more now to understand the demand on their forces and the risks posed by offenders. Some of the recommendations include introducing regional collaboration and oversight structures and making sure online safety legislation would require relevant companies to develop and use tools to identify child sexual abuse material and stop it appearing on the internet. Police had faced a massive increase in the number of cases being referred to NCA, with those sent to constabularies for further investigation more than doubling, from 8,421 in 2017 to 20,038 in 2021. In the year ending March 31, 2021, a total of 22,116 crimes were recorded of take/make/distribute indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children. Of those, 29.6 percent of offences were assigned an outcome of not in the public interest police, or further investigation to support formal action not in the public interest police decision, the report said. China Encouraging Proliferation of Nukes in Iran, North Korea: Report Military vehicles carrying DF-17 roll as members of a Chinese military honor guard march during the parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of Communist China in Beijing on Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Chinas communist regime is destabilizing global security and encouraging nuclear proliferation among nations, according to a new report. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which rules China as a single-party state, is rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal, said Richard Weitz, a senior fellow at conservative think tank Hudson Institute. Chinas nuclear buildup, as noted by many, has been awesome, Weitz said during an April 5 launch event for a new report that he helped author on the subject. Its rapidly increasing not only its nuclear warheads, but also its delivery systems and improving their effectiveness. The China regimes efforts to expand and enhance its nuclear arsenal have come under scrutiny since November of 2021, following the publication of a Pentagon report that warned the regime would likely have 1,000 nuclear weapons by 2030. That report also stated that China will have at least 200 land-based nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States by 2026. Weitz said that the CCP refuses to engage in nonproliferation discussions, however, no matter how harsh the blowback from the United States and other powers throughout the world. We still see China, despite this buildup, refuse to participate in strategic arms reduction talks, or even engage with many countries on risk reduction measures, Weitz said. To that end, the regime also appears particularly interested in fielding nuclear capabilities that can target the U.S. homeland and its forces in the Indo-Pacific. Indeed, the regime now fields more long-range, nuclear-capable missile launchers than the United States, according to Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), who acknowledged in February that China leapfrogged the United States in the number of its active intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launchers. The CCP is rapidly expanding its nuclear capability, Rogers said. They have doubled their number of warheads in two years. We estimated it would take them a decade to do that. We also were just informed by the DoD [Department of Defense] that the CCP now has more ICBM launchers than the United States. China Destabilizing Global Security Space The regimes onslaught of nuclear development programs is not only a source of concern for the United States, Weitz said, but it is upsetting the stability of regions throughout the world. Chinas buildup is having an adverse effect on global security and regional security issues, Weitz said. Its complicating the military planning of states, its increasing strategic unpredictability and it is encouraging proliferation of nuclear weapons and nuclear means of delivery to other states. Weitz noted that the CCP is now working to counter international sanctions against Iran and North Koreas nuclear programs, despite previously supporting such actions. Likewise, he said, the CCP is obfuscating what attempts it is taking to prevent non-state actors from obtaining nuclear weapons. Weve seen the Chinese [Communist Party] reduce its support for international sanctions on North Korea and Iran, Weitz said. Chinese communist entities have also exploited Irans alienation from the West to expand their ties with the Iranian government, Weitz added, saying that the CCP is possibly assisting the regimes nuclear program. Democrat Sen. Jacky Rosen Declares 2024 Reelection Bid for Vulnerable Seat Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) speaks to reporters in Washington on May 10, 2022. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) on April 5 announced shes running for a second term, defending a seat that Republicans hope to flip in the 2024 election. I ran for office to solve problems, fight for hardworking Nevada families, and make a real difference in peoples lives, Rosen said in a statement. Our work in the U.S. Senate is just getting startedthats why Im officially launching my reelection campaign today! In a video, Rosen said shes helped pass legislation aimed at solving problems and improving peoples lives but that there are still big problems to solve, including tackling the climate crisis and defending abortion rights. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee urged Democrats to support Rosen in her bid for another term. Rosen, 65, defeated incumbent Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) in 2018, winning 50.4 percent of the vote. She is a computer programmer by profession. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), 59, who holds Nevadas other seat in the Senate, won reelection in 2022 by under 8,000 votes. Last years Senate race was decided by 7,928 votes, and it could be just as competitive in 2024, Rosen said Wednesday, asking for donations to help her campaign. Republicans went into 2022 hoping to flip both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, but only gained control of the lower chamber. Holding onto Mastos seat, and flipping a seat representing Pennsylvania, actually expanded Democrat control of the upper chamber to 5149. Rosen said that the outcome of her race could decide control of the Senate and that the race will be one of the toughest in the country. Attorney Ronda Kennedy, who has never held office, is the only Republican candidate who has launched a bid for the seat. Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.), 64, the states only Republican in Congress at the moment, recently told the Nevada Independent he will not vie for the Senate seat. The House feels like Im where I belong, Amodei said. In terms of contributing to public service at the federal legislative level, I have no desire to enter the whole culture of mini-nationals in running for the Senate. Former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt, 44, is among the potential Rosen challengers. Laxalt lost to Masto in 2022, and also lost a gubernatorial bid in 2018. Senate Map Republicans defended 21 Senate seats in 2022, compared to 14 defended by Democrats. In 2024, Democrats are defending 23 seats, while Republicans are defending just 11. Additionally, Democrats are representing multiple seats in red states, including seats representing Montana and West Virginia. Political handicappers have indicated some of the seats are up for grabs. The race for the Montana seat, held by Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), 66, is a toss up, Sabatos Crystal Ball says, while Cook Political Report, another handicapper, lists as a toss up the race for the West Virginia seat held by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), 75. Both Cook and Sabatos rate the Nevada race as leaning Democrat, while Inside Elections, a third handicapper, lists it as a battleground race currently in favor of Democrats. Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), 61; Bob Casey (D-Pa.), 62 ; and Ben Cardin (D-Md.), 79, are among the senators who have not announced whether they will run again. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) recently said she will retire at the end of her term, but the vacancy is expected to be filled by another Democrat in the blue state. Does the Liberal Party Need to Listen or Stand by Its Values? Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton speaks during Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on March 30, 2023. (Martin Ollman/Getty Images) Commentary The political commentary after the defeat of the centre-right Liberals in the Aston by-election, held over the weekend, was brutally honest and sarcastic. For example, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, commenting on the spectacular win of the centre-left Labor candidate, said that voters disliked the Coalitions negativity and that the vote was supportive of the Voice referendum. It is certainly true that the result constituted a disastrous result for the Liberal Party. It was the first time since the Kalgoorlie by-election of 1920 that a sitting government won a seat from the Opposition. The swing of six percent to the Labor Party was substantialthere had already been a swing of 11.6 percent in the federal election of 2020 against Alan Tudge, whose resignation from Parliament caused the by-election. The Liberal defeat is a harbinger of worse to come because it would appear there are no longer safe Liberal seats. The reaction of Liberal powerbrokers to the defeat was as predictable as it was problematic. They all argued that it is necessary for the Liberal Party to listen to the message that the electors in Aston sent to their Party. The Opposition Leader, Peter Dutton, admitted that We have a lot of work ahead of us to listen to the messages sent to us today but listen to them we will. But what does it mean to listen to messages allegedly sent by people to the Liberal Party? What Was Astons Message? After a devastating electoral defeat, politicians, regardless of party affiliation, tend to claim that they will be listening to the electors and heeding the messages sent to them. Nevertheless, such claims are problematic because they typically fail to disclose the causes of the political partys defeat. Liberal candidate for Aston Roshena Campbell (left) federal opposition leader Peter Dutton are seen and during a Liberal Party by-election function at Knox Italian Community Club in Melbourne, Australia, on April 1, 2023. (AAP Image/Julian Smith) How do politicians ascertain the proximate cause of electoral oblivion? Do they have to organise focus groups to find out the reasons for their defeat and hope that the views expressed in these groups represent the views of the general population? In an opinion piece, journalist Imogen West-Knights rhetorically asks the question Why do politicians keep telling us theyre listening? She argues that its easy to say you dont want to alienate voters but that It is never going to be enough just to listen; one has to take action against the forces that mean certain voices are unheard in the first place. Indeed, the promise to listen to the people is often a vacuous, empty platitude, bereft of meaningful content. A message is only meaningful if it truthfully explains the causes that led to the defeat and encourages the defeated party to respond appropriately. With regard to the Aston by-election, the only clear and verifiable message is that electors have decided to reject the Liberal candidate and elect the Labor candidate. Apart from that, it is difficult to ascertain what exactly the message was that Aston voters sent to the Liberal party. The reality is that rather than really listening to people, defeated parties merely assume that their actions or failures to act have turned voters against them. But an assumption is always rebuttable, and it is conceivable that the Liberal analysts are wrong. Considering possible causes of the Liberal debacle in Aston, it is certain that the Party has steered left and is now competing with Labor and the Greens for electoral appeal. The Liberal Party appears powerless to stem the tide of the unrelenting adoption of divisive social engineering legislation so eagerly promoted by the ruling party. In addition, the Liberal Party, when in government, failed to keep its electoral promises. For example, the previous federal Coalition government promised a religious freedom law but failed to deliver. The present Opposition does not dare to come out strongly against the Voice proposal, which, if successful, will divide Australia along racial lines. Labor Shouldnt Get Overconfident Not surprisingly, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, buoyed by the by-election success, confidently predicted that: We are going to work tirelessly to see our recognition of our First Nations people through a Voice to Parliament referendum later this year and when that happens, it will be one of the great unifying moments for our nation. A general view of foot traffic on Swanston street in Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 29, 2021. (Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images) Most importantly, the Liberal Party has lost its most important electoral advantage, namely that it is the party with the best economic credentials. That advantage was sensationally surrendered when the previous Coalition government, very early in the pandemic, decided to spend hundreds of billions of dollars which, perhaps unintentionally, facilitated demonstrable human rights abuses never before seen in this country. If the Liberal Party abandons its natural advantage, there is obviously no longer a compelling reason to vote for it. In the by-election, the spectacular infighting in the Victorian Liberals, involving a failed proposal to expel Moira Deeming MP from the parliamentary party, would almost certainly have been on the minds of the electors in Aston. Following its defeat in Aston, federal Opposition leader Peter Dutton indicated that: I dont think MPs should be going to anti-anything rallies, to be honest. This comment is symptomatic of the Liberal malaise because it deprives Liberal MPs of opportunities to stand up for principles and enduring human values. Although the Liberal defeat in Aston involves a rejection of the Party, it is possibly premature for Albanese to think that it means his Voice proposal is now popular and that a favourable result is a foregone conclusion. The view that the Liberal defeat represents a vote in support of the Voice referendum is an example of uncontrolled hubris, which may yet provide the Liberal Party with an opportunity for redemption by committing itself to political equality for all Australians. Perhaps that is the message the Party should be listening to in its review of the Aston debacle. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. DOJ Agrees to $145 Million Settlement Over Background Check Lapse in Texas Church Shooting Case Law enforcement officials continue their investigation at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs as the sun begins to rise in Sutherland Springs, Texas, on Nov. 6, 2017. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has reached a tentative agreement with dozens of plaintiffs who allege the department failed to keep its criminal background check system up to date, and that these failures contributed to a deadly shooting at a church in Southerland Springs, Texas, in 2017. In November 2017, a gunman entered the First Baptist Church and opened fire, killing 26 people and injuring 22 more. In the days after the attack, the Pentagon revealed that suspect Devin Kelley was court-martialed and separated from the U.S. Air Force after assaulting his first wife and stepson. The Air Force admitted it had failed to transmit information about Kelleys conviction to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). Prior criminal convictions can disqualify individuals from purchasing firearms. U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez had previously ruled that the Air Force was 60 percent liable for the 2017 shooting because it failed to submit Kelleys assault conviction to the NICS system. Rodriguez said that, had the government done its job and entered Kelleys history into the database, it is more likely than not that Kelley would have been deterred from carrying out the Church shooting. Seventy-five victims of the 2017 shooting and their family members sued the Air Force and the DOJ over the apparent lapse. On Wednesday, the DOJ announced it had reached a settlement agreement with the plaintiffs, agreeing to pay about $144.5 million to bring the case to an end. The agreement is tentative and a court still has to approve some portions of the settlement agreement, but if they do, it could bring about an end to the lawsuit. No words or amount of money can diminish the immense tragedy of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs, Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said Wednesday. Todays announcement brings the litigation to a close, ending a painful chapter for the victims of this unthinkable crime. Wednesdays $144.5 million settlement agreement is in addition to an award of $230 million that Judge Rodriguez ordered the Air Force to pay last year to the families and survivors of the 2017 mass shooting. The Sutherland Springs families are heroes. The country owes them a debt of gratitude. They have gone through so much pain and loss in the most horrific way. But despite that, these families fought for justice, endured and won two trials against the Federal Government, and made this country safer as a result, said lawyers representing the plaintiffs. But the settlement is not final. Attorney General [Merrick] Garlands office still must approve it, and we urge his Justice Department to act quickly to bring some closure to these families. Its the least they deserve. The 2017 Attack The 2017 Sutherland Springs attack remains the deadliest mass shooting in Texas history. Kelley entered the Texas church armed with an AR-556 semi-automatic rifle. Authorities believe he fired at least 450 rounds at helpless worshippers inside the church. Two of the 26 people killed included a pregnant woman and her unborn child. The other people killed in the attack ranged in age from 18 months to 77 years. The shooting attack was interrupted by an armed bystander, Stephen Willeford, who confronted the shooting suspect and returned fire. Willeford used his own AR-15-style rifle to shoot Kelley in the leg and torso as Kelley emerged from the church. Despite his gunshot wounds, Kelley managed to flee the scene of the attack in a sport utility vehicle. Willeford flagged down a passing motorist, Johnnie Langendorff, and the pair gave chase in Langendorffs pickup truck until Kelleys vehicle crashed in a ditch. Authorities believe Kelley fatally shot himself after being cornered by Willeford and Langendorff. Authorities found Kelley with three gunshot wounds, including an apparent self-inflicted head wound. The Associated Press contributed to this article. From NTD News Elon Musk Urges Equal Pursuit of Justice to Avoid Losing American Publics Trust Tesla head Elon Musk talks to the press as he arrives to have a look at the construction site of the new Tesla Gigafactory near Berlin, Germany, on Sept. 3, 2020. (Maja Hitij/Getty Images) Elon Musk has called on the U.S. justice system to pursue Democrats and Republicans in a non-partisan fashion, as the tech CEO reacted to remarks on this weeks arraignment hearing of former President Donald Trump. On Tuesday, Trump was charged in New York City with 34 counts of felony falsifying business records to the first degree. He pleaded not guilty to all charges, which were unveiled at a courtroom in Manhattan. Musks comment was in reaction to a tweet from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who contended on the micro-blogging website that Trump will have a fair trial that will follow the facts and the law. Theres no place in our justice system for any outside influence or intimidation in the legal process, Schumer said. As the trial proceeds, protest is an American right, but all protests must be peaceful. Musk responded to Schumers post that its crucial for the U.S. justice system to pursue Democrats and Republicans with equal vigor in order to avoid losing the trust of the American people. Whichever party most puts justice before nepotism is the one that deserves trust, the Tesla executive said. To avoid losing the trust of the American public, it is important that our justice system pursue Democrats and Republicans with equal vigor. Whichever party most puts justice before nepotism is the one that deserves trust. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 4, 2023 Musk, a frequent critic of some of President Joe Bidens policies, has echoed similar sentiments as many Trump supporters and Republican lawmakers, whove said the criminal charges against the former commander-in-chief would only reversely boost his 2024 presidential campaign. The SpaceX founder predicted last month that Trump would be reelected in a landslide victory if he were to be arrested, especially if he would be handcuffed and fingerprinted at the courthouse in downtown Manhattan. Legal Jeopardy While delivering remarks from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida hours after pleading not guilty in Manhattan, Trump said he never thought anything like this could happen in America, warning that the United States had sunk to the level of the old Soviet Union. As it turns out, everyone who has looked at this case, including RINOs, and even hardcore Democrats, says there is no crime and it should never have been brought. Never have been brought, Trump told an invite-only audience of about 500 people. Its an insult to our country, he added, and the world is already laughing at us. According to a 16-page indictment, released on April 4, the charges against Trump stem from falsified records related to multiple payments made to keep negative information about him concealed, including a $130,000 payment made to Stormy Daniels, an adult film actress who has claimed Trump had an affair with her. Trump has denied claims of an affair. Trumps day in court marked a watershed moment in American history as the Republican figure became the first U.S. president to ever be prosecuted after leaving office, which some analysts believe may hurl the country into a state of chronic dysfunction. Former President Donald Trump appears in the courtroom for his arraignment proceeding at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York on April 4, 2023. (Seth Wenig-Pool/Getty Images) According to former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin OBrien, the charge against Trump in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs case may facilitate the progression of other probes against Trump that may lead to a criminal charge, because it allows the other prosecutors to do without hesitation of pursuing an unprecedented persecution of a former president. It kind of breaks the spell, and maybe other prosecutors offices will get more active, OBrien said. So you can see it can be done in this case, then it sort of emboldens other prosecutorial officers. In addition to Trumps legal troubles in Braggs case, the former president is currently also facing three other lawsuits and investigations with potential criminal liabilities. As the leading Republican presidential candidate for 2024, Trump has characterized these legal challenges as part of a political witch hunt and attempts to hurt his candidacy. Across the aisle, Trumps critics describe the investigations as the proper application of the rule of law. While most of the attention was recently on the courthouse in lower Manhattan, investigations from Atlanta to Washington are pressing forward. Here, Trump is potentially facing charges related to election interference in Georgia; a probe into Trumps handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago property; and an investigation into Trumps alleged interference with the transfer of power after the last presidential election. Gary Bai contributed to this report. From NTD News Feds Promise Lower Internet Fees in Wake of RogersShaw Takeover Ethernet cables are seen in front of Rogers and Shaw Communications logos on July 8, 2022. (Dado Ruvic/Illustrations/Reuters) After the approval of Rogers acquiring rival Shaw, the federal government promised it will bring in legislation to reduce internet fees if telecom companies do not lower prices, but Opposition MPs are skeptical consumers would benefit from the merger. Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne approved the sale of Calgarys Shaw Communications to Toronto-based Rogers on March 31, even after objections from the Commons heritage committee, industry committee, and the Competition Bureau, according to Blacklocks Reporter. Champagne told reporters that the intention is to have lower prices in Canada. Canadians have been very, very clear with me, said Champagne. Indeed the message I hear from Canadians everywhere I go is the same: We pay way too much for telecom services and we want more options, full stop. Champagne was asked why the government is allowing the takeover. Why is your government allowing this anti-competitive behaviour in one of our most important industries? asked a reporter. I would say, you know, what Canadians have told me is very simple, replied Champagne. You have to go back to the frame. What they want is lower prices. The Competition Bureau said on Jan. 25 the buyout of Shaw was likely to substantially lessen competition and impact customers. We were concerned about all of those consumers, testified Jeanne Pratt, senior deputy commissioner with the Competition Bureau, at the Commons industry committee. Champagne was also asked by reporters what he would do if telecom companies did not cut prices. What we will do then, is that I will ask for more legislative and regulatory powers to be able to force a drop in prices in Canada, he replied. At that point, everything is on the table. He did not provide further details. Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre was critical of the claim that consumers would benefit from the takeover. They announced they think there is too much competition in the wireless and internet business and they allowed for a massive merger, he said during question period in the House of Commons. When will the Liberals start standing up for consumers instead of standing up for price-raising, high-cost corporate oligarchs? NDP MP Brian Masse called the merger a Frankenstein deal that left Canadian consumers to the buzzards. Another NDP MP, Peter Julian, said it was consumer fraud. Rogers and Shaw continue defrauding Canadians on their internet and cellphone bills, he said. Conservative MP Rick Perkins accused cabinet of being in the back pocket of Rogers. The Minister only needs to check the Lobbyist Registry to see more than 65 meetings with his department and the Prime Minister by Rogers lobbyists, he alleged. Open Media, a consumer advocacy group based in Vancouver, said the decision was the largest blow to telecommunications competition and affordability weve ever seen. This is a dark day for internet in Canada, said executive director Laura Tribe. According to Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission statistics, Canadians pay $1,242 on average per year for high-speed home internet, and over $1,000 a year for mobile phone data plans. FedEx to Combine Delivery Units as Part of $4 Billion Cost-Cut Push LOS ANGELESFedEx Corp. said on Wednesday it will consolidate its separate delivery companies into a single entity, as the group slims its bloated infrastructure to compete better with United Parcel Service and Amazon. The move to integrate FedEx Ground, its outsourced package delivery arm, with the FedEx Express overnight air delivery business was announced almost a year after activist investor D.E. Shaw pushed for change and won two additional board seats. The deflating e-commerce delivery bubble and specter of potential recession over the past year has intensified pressure on Chief Executive Officer Raj Subramaniam to streamline operations. We believe now is the right time to reorganize how we work together, Subramaniam told a company meeting in New York City. We will be leaner, more agile, and better positioned to execute on our mission to help customers compete and win with the worlds smartest logistics network. The combined delivery business is expected to handle all deliveries from June 2024 as part of the wider plan by the Memphis-based groups plan to cut $4 billion in permanent costs by the end of its 2025 financial year. Hybrid Model The new structure would end roughly two decades of separate delivery operations and create a delivery entity similar to that of cost-conscious rival UPS, which has outperformed FedEx despite having a more expensive union labor force. FedEx Express is already handling FedEx Grounds pickup and deliveries in Alaska and Hawaiifueling concerns that Ground contractors in the lower 48 states could be let go. Under the new structure, FedEx will use a hybrid employee and contractor model for deliveries, said Subramaniam, who added that the company will continue to fall under a law that allows it to remain non-union. FedEx executives last month said they were on track to hit $1 billion in permanent cost cuts in the financial year to May 31. John Smith will become president and CEO of U.S. and Canada ground operations at FedEx Express and assume leadership of surface operations across the FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, and FedEx Freight businesses from April 16. FedEx Freight will continue to provide freight transportation services as a standalone company under the Federal Express Corp banner, the company added. Shares in FedEx, which also announced a 10 percent dividend boost on Wednesday, were up about 2 percent in mid-morning trade. By Lisa Baertlein and Kannaki Deka Feds Provide Details on Inception of WEF-Initiated Agile Nations Framework A World Economic Forum (WEF) sign is seen at the Davos Congress Centre during the organizations annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on May 23, 2022. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images) Canada is part of a network of countries seeking to streamline regulations to speed up the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and the federal government recently shed some light on the process that led to its joining this World Economic Forum (WEF) initiative. Conservative MP Leslyn Lewis has filed several requests with the government in recent months to unearth details about Canadas involvement in projects of the WEF. One of her latest requests relates to the Agile Nations network, an initiative spearheaded by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the WEF, which led to an agreement signed by Canada and six other countries in December 2020 to set out commitments to creating a regulatory environment in which new ideas can thrive. The two global organizations share a similar progressive worldview and aim to work toward the proliferation of new technologies such as gene editing and artificial intelligence. The Liberal government tabled an Inquiry of Ministry on March 29 answering Lewiss questions on Agile Nations. This was in follow-up to a previous request for information on the topic, for which she had obtained results on Dec. 7. Regarding the Agile Nations Charter, how was Canada selected to participate in the Panel on Agile Governance for the Post-Pandemic World and subsequently the Agile Nations? Lewis wrote in her latest order paper. The WEF panel was held in December 2020 with the premise that governments and businesses seek to rebuild afresh due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Treasury Board, which manages the Agile Nations file, wrote that the OECD had invited Canada to participate in the panel and that it had been in discussions with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to co-host a high-level panel with a small group of governments and businesses, as part of the development of the OECD principles on Effective and innovation-friendly rulemaking in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The OECD noted that its objective was to launch the development of principles and secure a joint commitment from participating parties, to more agile and resilient regulatory approaches to emerging technologies (from the design to the delivery). The initiative led to seven participating countries signing the non legally binding Agile Nations Charter in December 2020. Countries involved include Canada, Denmark, Italy, Japan, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. Technological breakthroughs within and across the digital, biological and physical spheres are heralding a Fourth Industrial Revolution, powering a wave of innovation and entrepreneurship, says the charter. Governed well, these innovations can help drive economic growth and address the worlds most pressing social and environmental challenges. Lewis asked how Canada has contributed to the early drafts of the charter. The Treasury Board said that this information is not systematically tracked in a centralized database and that it would be too complicated to retrieve in the time allotted. The Treasury Board said that the charter was initially drafted by UK officials and that Canada provided suggestions along four lines. It said the language should not be prescriptive, cooperation should continue to uphold protections for citizens and the environment, small businesses should be considered, and additional time may be needed to develop work programs. Canada is involved in seven projects through the Agile Nations, the Dec. 7 Inquiry of Ministry indicated. Some of those involve developing digital credentials, or digital IDs; the internet of things with consumer products that can connect to networks; and the marketization of digital health devices. MP Lewis is critical of the streamlining of regulations under the Agile Nations framework, saying its escaping the oversight of Parliament. If were concluding that our government structure needs to be modernized, then the Liberal government should have respect for Canadians and our existing parliamentary system and have a rigorous debate in Parliament, Lewis said in January. Canada participated previously in another WEF initiative on the use of digital ID in travel, the Known Traveller Digital Identity project. Foreign Dictatorships Shouldnt Have Broadcasting Licences in Canada, Says Poilievre Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre speaks at a news conference in the Foyer of the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Mar. 12, 2023. (The Canadian Press/Justin Tang) Canadas policy toward autocratic foreign countries who broadcast propaganda should be consistent and apply to organs of the Chinese state, Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre says. We need a consistent policy for all dictatorships. We shouldnt allow one rule for Russia and another completely for China, Poilievre said in French on April 5 while visiting Thetford Mines, Quebec. We shouldnt give licences to organs of foreign dictatorships in Canada. Poilievre was asked by a reporter about recent calls from sectors of the Chinese diaspora to ban media entities controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The Conservative leader said he wasnt familiar with the specific Chinese entity mentioned by the reporter, China Central Television (CCTV), but that he would study the issue. Canada took steps last year to ban media linked to the Kremlin following Russias invasion of Ukraine, leading to Chinese democracy advocates to request a similar approach be taken against the CCP. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) banned Russian state media RT ((formerly Russia Today) in March 2022 after receiving a referral from the Liberal government. In the context of allegations of CCP meddling in the electoral process, House of Commons committees in recent days have heard pleas for the federal government to take action against Chinese propaganda being broadcast in Canada. To allow CGTN to continue operating on public, state-owned Canadian airwaves is to allow Beijings propaganda to misinform, propagandize, and have direct influence on Chinese-speaking Canadians, said Katherine Leung, policy adviser for NGO Hong Kong Watch. Leung was testifying before the foreign affairs committee on March 30 in relation to Bill C-281, which has a provision to prohibit licensing to entities involved in human rights violations. The private members bill currently being studied in committee is sponsored by Conservative MP Philip Lawrence. The House ethics committee heard from other stakeholders on March 31 on the issue of CCP propaganda in the context of its study of foreign interference. Former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu, who believes he lost his seat in the 2021 elections due to a disinformation campaign, said that the propaganda is being spread through all available channels. Its not just WeChat, its not just social media, its multi-dimensional. Its on the airwaves that the CRTC is supposed to be regulating, its on printed media, its also on websites, he said. These multi-dimensional disinformation campaigns help to solidify the mistrust on certain particular politicians or political party and its very effective, especially during election time. Victor Ho, the retired editor-in-chief of Chinese language media Sing Tao Daily in B.C., told the committee this problem goes unnoticed because of the language barrier. Is this something that is the sort of thing that hides in plain sight? asked Liberal MP Greg Fergus. Oh yeah, this is an ethnic language problem. So the mainstream society, they have no idea on what happened in our Chinese community, Ho said. The Liberal government has taken the stance that it cannot interfere in the granting of broadcasting licences, as it is the purview of the independent CRTC. But critics argue that a precedent has been set by the governments request that RT be banned from Canadian airwaves after Russia invaded Ukraine last year. Conservative MP and foreign affairs critic Michael Chong raised the issue with Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino in a meeting of the Canada-China relations committee on Feb. 6. The government issued order 2022-0183 a year ago, asking the CRTC to review Russia Todays broadcasting licence, which led to the revocation of that licence several weeks later, Chong said. However, CGTN, Chinas authoritarian, state-controlled broadcaster, is still operating here, spreading disinformation and propaganda and violating international human rights laws. Mendicino replied that the CRTC is an independent body which makes decisions that are based on the merits and the law. As a government, we endeavour to respect the independence of those bodies, rather than to politicize those decisions, he said. SEOUL, April 5 (Xinhua) -- One woman was confirmed dead and another man injured as the railing walkway of a bridge collapsed in the Gyeonggi province of South Korea, Yonhap news agency reported on Wednesday. The bridge walkway, which crosses a small stream in Seongnam city, just south of the capital Seoul, caved in at around 9:45 a.m. local time (0045 GMT). Two people fell from the bridge. The woman in her 40s died after being taken to a hospital in cardiac arrest, while the man in his 20s was being treated for his back injuries. Guardrails and signposts poured down the trail immediately after the accident as it had been raining from the night before. Police and the fire authorities reportedly cordoned off the bridge and investigated the exact cause of the incident. Govt Didnt Meet Requirement to Invoke Emergencies Act, Lawyer for Civil Liberties Group Argues in Federal Court Protesters stand on the back of a truck during the Freedom Convoy demonstrations against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other restrictions, on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Jan. 29, 2022. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press) A lawyer for the Canadian Constitution Foundation argued Tuesday in Federal Court that the Liberal government needed more supporting information to invoke the Emergencies Act in response to the Freedom Convoy protests last winter. Cabinets determination that the protests and blockades were threats to the security of Canada was unreasonable, because it had insufficient evidence to reach that conclusion, Sujit Choudhrsaid, a lawyer with the Canadian Constitution Foundation, said on the second day of a Federal Court review. From April 3 to 5, the court is hearing from groups who filed legal challenges contesting the use of the emergency measures, including the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms and Canadian Frontline Nurses. The Public Order Emergency Commission, which reviewed the invocation of the Emergencies Act, found the government had met the very high threshold for using the measure. The judicial review is not bound by the Commissions findings, and, unlike the public inquiry, will make a formal legal finding on the question of whether using the Emergencies Act was justified. Choudhry argued that on Feb. 14 last year, the government decided to use the act to quell the protests, even though the Canadian Security Intelligence Service had determined that the protests did not amount to a threat to the security of Canada as defined by the CSIS Act. The lawyer also said that an alternative detailed threat assessment was meant to follow under separate cover on Feb. 14, the day the Emergencies Act was invoked, but it was never prepared. Jody Thomas, national security and intelligence adviser, had sought that threat assessment but said it fell through the cracks and we were overtaken by events, according to the Globe and Mail. Choudhry argued that this alternative threat assessment wasnt just nice to have, but was legally required for the act to be invoked, given the CSIS assessment that there was no threat to the security of Canada. Additionally, he said the justification from the government that no other law in Canada could deal with the emergency was only half a sentence in a 14-page long memo. The common law of judicial review requires that any administrative decision makerincluding the cabinetprovide a real and genuine analysis of why a statutory requirement was compliant. Whatever deference might be given to a government acting quickly in a difficult situation, this half sentence is not enough, he said. Sections 2 and 8 of Charter Violated Janani Shanmuganathan, a lawyer for the Canadian Constitution Foundation, said measures in the Emergencies Act violated Section 2 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which deals with the fundamental freedoms of Canadians. While the Emergencies Act prohibited protesters from publicly assembling in the downtown core, Shanmuganathan argued the overly-broad measures also applied to people simply walking to the protest site to hand out food and supplies. These are people who are engaged in peaceful political expression and whose only relationship with the people doing these so-called specific harms is simply being at the same event, and we say that the regulations clearly violate the freedom of expression of these peaceful protesters, she said. Blair Ector, a founding partner at Loberg Ector LLP appearing on behalf of an individual impacted by the Emergencies Act invocation, said the freezing of bank accounts violated Section 8 of the charter, which protects against unreasonable search and seizure. Some protesters had their bank accounts frozen after the Emergencies Act was invoked, in a move that Finance Minister Chrysita Freeland called economic incentives for people to leave Ottawas downtown. Ector said the Attorney Generals argument that the freezing of accounts was reasonable and compliant with Section 8 was a sweeping and startlingly broad statement that is incorrect in law. He said the AGs claim that freezing accounts did not count as a seizure of funds was playing loosely with the meaning of the word. We can say its not seized, but if they dont have access to their funds, if theyre not allowed to use their credit cards, then what is it? he said. The lawyer also said while the freezing of banking accounts was temporary, the long-term consequences of such an action were not. He said some Canadians had their life insurance and corporate insurance policies cancelled, while others had their credit ratings impacted forever. Federal lawyer Christopher Rupar argued that the court had heard in hindsight about what could have been done differently, but that this was not how this matter should be reviewed. This matter should be reviewed based on the context of what happened that day and the days leading up to it, and what the decision-making process was looking at, he said. Rupar said while the civil liberties groups argued that there was no serious violence during the protests, the government was concerned that if the protests werent soon resolved peacefully, it could have created a chain reaction of violence across the country. Half a Million Quebec Households Without Power Amid Freezing Rain A Hydro Quebec truck is shown in an area without power in Montreal on Dec. 24, 2022. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press) Freezing rain from a winter storm has left several regions of Quebec and more than half a million households without power, according to Hydro-Quebec. In an advisory posted on social media April 5, the power company said the outages are mostly being caused by the weight of ice causing branches and trees near the power grid to break and fall on the lines. Environment Canada issued a severe weather alert, reporting wind gusts of approximately 60 km/hour in Montreal. The area is expected to receive 10 to 20 millimetres of ice on April 5, with freezing rain eventually changing to rain later in the evening. After midnight, fog patches are expected, with wind gusts from 20 to 40 km/hour. The regions most affected are Montreal, lOutaouais, Lanaudiere, and la Monteregie et les Laurentides. The power company said it had more than 500 workers trying to restore service as quickly as possible. Due to ongoing poor weather, the company warned that other outages may occur, and time frames for service restoration were not possible. As the weather event is still ongoing, further outages could occur and the situation may still evolve, said Hydro-Quebec. Environment Canada has warned that highways, roads, walkways, and other surfaces will be slippery, icy, and hazardous. Ice build-up could cause tree branches to break, said the forecast. Some areas may experience lightning, according to meteorologists. The town of Epiphanie, in the Lanaudiere area, told residents to plan for up to 72 hours without power. A number of schools in the Montreal area were closed on April 5 due to weather. Canada Post also issued red delivery service alerts for parts of Quebec, cancelling mail delivery to the Outaouais region, Maniwaki, and Mont-Laurier. Canada Post said delivery would resume once conditions improve, with the safety of employees the number one priority. Because it shares properties with ivermectin, another Nobel Prize winnersweet wormwoodis considered by some experts to be ivermectins natural equivalent. Another Nobel Winner Sweet wormwood, also known as Artemisia annua, is a green herb native to Southeast Asia that has feathery leaves and yellow flowers. Sweet wormwood has been used for millennia in traditional Chinese medicine to treat malaria, fevers, viral and bacterial infections, and inflammation. The active ingredient in sweet wormwood is artemisinin, first isolated from the plant in 1972. In recent decades, the World Health Organization has recommended artemisinin as a first-line treatment for malaria. In 2015, artemisinin was awarded half of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for its success as a frontline treatment for malaria. The other half of the award was given to ivermectin for its success in treating roundworm infections. Ivermectin is derived from a bacterium through a manmade process. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it became one of the most controversial drugs. Despite its reported benefits from many doctors, its usage has been largely discouraged. Sweet wormwood is a plant version thats already growing that has strong antiviral, anti-parasitic, anti-inflammatory properties, naturopath Dr. Jana Schmidt told The Epoch Times. She also said it would be her first choice as an alternative to ivermectin. Close-up of Artemisia annua. (Shutterstock) Acts Like a Bomb Against COVID-19 Virus Whats unique about artemisinin and its derivatives is that it has a hydrogen peroxide bridge in its chemical structure. Hydrogen peroxide is highly reactive, and studies suggest that it reacts with iron in whats known as the Fenton reaction. Viruses and parasites require iron to proliferate. Some viruses and parasites infect only cells that store iron and sequester iron in infected regions. A viruss or parasites tendency to increase iron storage during an infection makes artemisinin a good treatment candidate. Professor Jose Luis Abreu from The State University of Nuevo Leon, whose expertise is in business and plant science, reasoned that artemisinin acts like a bomb. The concentrated iron storage attracts artemisinin activity, causing a greater increase in free radical production, leading to the powerful destruction of infected cells, parasites, and viruses. Because cancer cells also store iron for proliferation, artemisinin has also been investigated for its anti-cancer properties. Despite the potency of isolate artemisinin compounds, Abreu explained that consuming the entire plant rather than an isolate form would provide more benefits. Sweet wormwood also has potent amounts of phytochemicals, polyphenols, essential oils, and many other chemicals that assist with artemisinins function and can produce a stronger synergistic effect. Chemical structures of artemisinin and its derivatives. (Shutterstock) Schmidt said sweet wormwood has many anti-SARS-CoV-2 properties similar to those of ivermectin. Both are also low in toxicity, safe, and relatively cheap for consumption. Shared Properties Sweet wormwood can be likened to a second ivermectin because of the many properties and effects that the two substances have in common, such as the following disease-fighting traits. Antiviral Anti-Inflammatory Reduce inflammation by lowering levels of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-alpha, according to a study published in Rheumatology (Oxford) Inhibit cytokine storms, according to the Rheumatology (Oxford) study Prevent the formation of thick scar tissues in the lungs Other Differences Despite their similarities, studies show that sweet wormwood and ivermectin dont act in the same location of the COVID-19 virus. However, they can complement each other. Ivermectin binds with the strongest affinity to COVID-19 spike protein, preventing the virus from entering human cells, as shown in a study that compared ivermectin with other drugs, including remdesivir and hydroxychloroquine. On the other hand, artemisinin and its derivatives have a low binding score to spike protein, as shown in the Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics study. Ivermectin also has other antiviral properties that sweet wormwood doesnt have, including its ability to maintain mitochondrial health under hypoxic conditions. The Madagascar Protocol Abreu published a combination treatment protocol that includes ivermectin, sweet wormwood, and zinc. He named his protocol the Madagascar protocol (pdf), based on his observation that Madagascar, which has a higher consumption of both sweet wormwood and ivermectin, was significantly less affected by COVID-19 than the rest of the Western world. Abreu said in an interview with Dr. Jennifer Hibberd that his Madagascar protocol was a combination of drugs and supplements because there is no magic bullet. Including as many drugs that work together without interference and competition in the protocol will give an individual a greater chance of reaping the most benefits. Abreu pointed out that artemisinin has a property that he has not seen in any other plant or chemical: its potential to increase oxygen levels in the body. The reaction between the hydrogen peroxide bridge and iron can lead to the production of oxygen, as demonstrated in the right corner of the diagram showing that interaction. When we get COVID, the oxygen goes down, causing hypoxia, Abreu said. Thats when artemisinin can help. Hydrogen peroxide reacting with iron. (Courtesy of Prof. Jose Luis Abreu) How to Take Sweet Wormwood Artemisinin can be consumed in isolation through supplements, but consuming the sweet wormwood plant or drinking tea steeped with sweet wormwood provides added benefits. The essential oils in sweet wormwood are both antibacterial and antifungal. The flavonoids in the plant may also increase the synergistic effects of artemisinin. Studies from China have recommended that a person steep 4 to 9.5 grams of dried sweet wormwood in boiling water and drink it as tea. Abreu himself consumes the plant by steeping one gram of the leaf in hot water and drinking it. He sometimes drinks up to four servings in a day. Schmidt has seen visible pulmonary improvements in people who have taken sweet wormwood as a treatment for COVID-19. She said many of her patients also breathe better after taking artemisinin. However, its worth noting that there have been no human studies published on the plant as a COVID-19 therapeutic. Schmidt warned that despite their similar names, sweet wormwood is not synonymous with a similar plant commonly called wormwood, or Artemisia absinthium. Wormwood has a lower concentration of artemisinin compounds than Artemisia annua. It also carries alpha- and beta-thujones toxins. Sweet wormwood isnt recommended for pregnant women or anyone taking seizure medications or blood thinners, according to Schmidt. People who are allergic to the plant may also experience adverse reactions. Homeless Phoenix Residents Await Citys Action Displacing Them From the Zone Ruling comes down after judge brands tent city a 'public nuisance' A homeless person in the tent city of downtown Phoenix, known as 'the Zone," walks among piles of debris on April 3, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) PHOENIXShelby Ord has big plans for himself at 18. First, he plans to get his high school equivalency diploma, a good job, an apartment, and maybe a cat, of course. Then go to college and major in chemistry or teaching. All attainable and worthwhile goals were seemingly out of reach on April 3 as Ord, wrapped in a dirty blanket, strolled down the sidewalk in the homeless encampment known as the Zone near Phoenixs Capitol District. I sleep over there, said Ord, pointing to a tent sandwiched in between other tents and piles of debris. I pretty much do my thing. Im a good kid. I dont smoke or do alcohol or drugs. Shelby Ord was among the homeless in the Zone in downtown Phoenix on April 3, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) Shelby Ord, homeless since March, stands outside the tent where he lives in the Zone on April 3, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) Im out here because my family wasnt helping me to live independently. Ord said he became homeless in the Zone about a month ago. But soon, his tenuous living situation may face yet another upheaval, this time by a judges order. On March 27, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Scott Blaney declared the Zone a public nuisance and gave the city until July 10 to show substantial movement in shutting down the homeless encampment. Future Uncertain Ord said he doesnt entirely know what happens next to an estimated 1,000 homeless people camped in tents and rundown shacks within the 13-acre urban enclave. Who knows where I would go even? Ord told The Epoch Times. For now, its an open question, as the city has yet to take action. Homeless residents in the Zone strive toward a normal life on April 3, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) In a previous report, city of Phoenix spokesman Dan Wilson told The Epoch Times the city is reviewing the judges ruling. Blaney wrote in the 23-page lawsuit that the city is primarily at fault for the Zones existence and becoming the ugly, foul-smelling, drug-ridden tent community it is today. Through its erroneous interpretation of another court order preventing the enforcement of public camping laws, the city of Phoenix stopped or greatly decreased enforcement of other healthy, quality of life, and even criminal laws and ordinances in the Zone, Blaney wrote in the declaration. Today, the Zone is like any other impoverished neighborhood, stretching from 7th to 15th Avenue, Madison, Grant, and Van Buren streets, mired in squalor and desperation. Local contractor Brian Williams said: Instead of feeding Ukraine, they need to help these people out, man. Help our people out here. Why dont they give all that money going there to these people? Local contractor Brian Williams went to Electric Supply Inc., in the Zone on April 3, 2023, to pick up some items. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) Williams said he had no idea where the homeless would end up with the judges ruling. Probably find another Zone. I see them all over Phoenix. Maybe they can find someplace for them, Williams told The Epoch Times. Its like a colony here now. I didnt know there were so many homeless people. Its pretty sad. Arizona state Sen. Catherine Miranda stood in the middle of 12th Street on April 3, monitoring the situation. All around her were tents of different shapes and sizes lining the street on both sides as people wandered about, looking hopeless and trying to maintain a semblance of normal life. A mural displays an ironic message in the Zone on April 3, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) Miranda acknowledged that many homeless residents are seniors relying on a host of social services and charitable organizations in the Zone. Its just pure sadness for me. Its frustration. Its anger, Miranda said. There are so many different reasons why people are homeless. There are evicted people out here. People are one paycheck away from being evicted. Theres drug addiction. Theres alcoholism, she said. Because its so big, I believe the city and the state have not worked together to solve the crisis. The city cannot do it alone, and the state cant. Miranda is the lead sponsor of bipartisan legislation seeking to provide shelter and better sanitary conditions for people living in the Zone. Arizona state Sen. Catherine Miranda (D-District 11), monitors the Zone on 12th Street on April 3, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) Many homeless people living in the Zone on April 3, 2023, were seniors with disabilities. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) SB1585 would allocate $200 million to build housing and get people the services they need, she said. A majority in the state Senate recently approved the bill, currently held up in the House because of what Miranda said boiled down to politics. On March 30, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, vetoed legislation to prohibit homeless encampments on public property, including streets and sidewalks. Politics on the Backs of Human Lives The legislature is holding my bill hostage because of politics on the backs of human lives dying as we speak, Miranda told The Epoch Times. There is not enough money and resources. The two [court] rulings conflict, she added. And although her bill is not the silver bullet to the problem of homelessness in Phoenix, its at least a huge start. In 2022, local business owners filed a lawsuit against city officials for allowing the Zone to grow and create an unsafe environment. Bill Morlan, president of Electric Supply Inc., in Phoenix, stands in front of his business on April 3, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) Bill Morlan, president of Electric Supply Inc., located at 917 West Madison in Phoenix, and in the Zone, said he chose not to participate in the lawsuit. Instead, he believes theres another solution. If [Judge Blaneys] ruling means getting people off the street and someplace betterfantastic, Morlan said. The ruling isnt and shouldnt be to chase them somewhere else. The ruling is and needs to be the city has to get people places to stay. Homeless enclaves such as the Zone are not a good idea for anyone, he said. This is terrible for the people out there. It is terrible for people here. Its terrible for the neighborhood. Im lucky that many of my customers tend to be electricians, maintenance guystheyre not afraid. While Morlan manages to exist in the Zone, it remains a blight on the downtown and Capitol District. Just recently, there were two murders and a dumpster fire containing a dead body, he said. Piles of debris and personal belongings are a common sight in the Zone on April 3, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) People go to the bathroom in the parking lot. Its a lot worse for them than it is for me [but] it needs to be fixed in a way thats good for everyone. I cant say that enough, Morlan said. A woman who lives on Madison Street in the Zone told The Epoch Times shed been renting the same apartment for the past 11 years. One day, I was asleep. The next day, I woke up, and the whole mess was out there. Its gotten worse and worse, she said. Unsanitary conditions plague the Zone on April 3, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) They dont bother me. I dont bother them. I dont know what [city officials] can do. But if you keep handing out food and free thingsfree this, free thatthey wont want to leave. Youve got men who dont work and dont want to work. They get all these freebies. Beautiful Neighborhood Once She said it wasnt always bad in her neighborhood. The city of Phoenix was beautiful at one time. You could see the beautiful buildings. You could see the beautiful lights. Now, all you see is tents and people walking down the streets, fighting and arguing constantly, the woman said. At that moment, a homeless couple walked past the womans house, screaming. A homeless man lies sleeping in his dome tent in the Zone in Phoenix on April 3, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) There have been shootings out here, people thrown in a dumpster, she said. How can they let this happen when youve got the state Capitol [nearby]? I dont understand it at all. Kerry, a homeless woman in the Zone, worked in customer service before losing her apartment, then her job, and was forced to live on the street. She said it would be nice if things were different. When I first became homeless, I had a full-time job. I got priced out [of rent]. Then trying to get back in, they wanted all this money. Then I got laid off, Kerry told The Epoch Times. Tents set up by homeless residents in the Zone stand just a few blocks from the Capitol District in downtown Phoenix on April 3, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) I feel bad for the business owners. I feel bad for people down here. Nobody wins. Ill put it this way. Theyre probably going to appeal [the judges ruling]. It will probably take a while. For people like this, this is their lot in life. You have to adjust to whatever is going to happen. It sucks all around. Kerry said homeless encampments are in nearly every major U.S. city now, anywhere the rent is out of control, and views it as a snowball effect. A homeless man waits for assistance at Andre House, one of several charitable service agencies in the Zone, on April 3, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) It starts with one thing and rolls down. There are always setbacks, but I cant wait for the day I have a job, Kerry said. While visiting in the Zone, Felicia Gaston of Phoenix said she was hopeful the city would provide more housing for the homeless and put an end to an unhealthy situation. When it gets hot outside, it gets bad, Gaston said. I know people are tired of all the drama with the drugs. I dont know where they will take them or what they can do [when the Zone is shut down]. Felicia Gaston of Phoenix was visiting in the Zone on April 3, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) Sitting near his tent, a homeless man named Yahweh was busy cooking eggs on a grill, lamenting the homeless problem as a potential powder keg. When they come down on people and try to move people, theres no place for a person on the streets to move to, Yahweh said. Whats going to end up happening is theyre not going to be happy because theyre not going to get their way. A homeless man named Yahweh prepares scrambled eggs on April 3, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) Bob, a local truck driver, said he doesnt know for certain what will happen to the homeless people living in the Zone facing mass eviction by court order. Theyve got no other place to go, Bob said. The homeless just got overwhelmed with the recession and COVID. It just wiped people outknocked them out of their homes and jobs. Its a tough call, depending on whose responsibility it is. Theres no funding for it. Remember Sheriff Joe [Arpaios] tent city? They should do something like that on the outskirts of town, make some facility for them. Larger Social Problem Morlan said he considers the Zone a symptom of a societal problem driven by unaffordable housing and not enough mental health and drug treatment centers. [Its] an overwhelming combination, [but] I dont think the problem is too big to solve, he said. We need more involvement. You cant look at it and just throw your hands up, [but] somebodys got to fix it. In the meantime, the city of Phoenix plans to open a 200-bed shelter on Washington Street to accommodate the homeless. However, Judge Blaney stated in his ruling that it is a seasonal shelter merely intended to serve as a heat respite shelter in the summer months. Phoenix police converge at the scene of a recent shooting in the Zone. A dumpster fire contained the body of a man found murdered recently in the Zone. (Photos courtesy of Bill Morlan) There is no evidence that the shelter is meant to specifically address the homeless population in the Zone, the judge wrote. Most of the shelters that the city is considering are specialty shelters intended for specific tenants, such as domestic violence shelters, transitional housing for working homeless men, COVID response hotels, etc., that are not intended to provide general shelter service to the 1,000-plus homeless population in the Zone. Cartels Active A homeless man walking down 12th Street said that Mexican drug cartels are currently active in the Zone. A lone man walks through a section of the 13-acre Zone in downtown Phoenix on April 3, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) As far as the city making the homeless leave the encampment, he said he thinks it wont happen. This all they know. You steal this away from them; theyll get pissed. For Morlan, the Zone is where he hopes to stay and do business. This is my neighborhood. As long as people live here, its their neighborhood too. Nobody should have to live like that, Morlan said. I Will Not Be Bullied, North Carolina Democrat Representative Switches to Republican She cites oppressive dynamics within her former party State Rep. Tricia Cotham, who won her district Mecklenburg district in the 2022 midterm election, has announced that shes switching from the Democrat to the Republican party, giving the GOP a full supermajority. A supermajority can override any veto from Democrat Gov. Roy Cooper, a governor whos vetoed a record number of Republican bills. In a speech given at an NCGOP press conference, Cotham said her reason is that the current Democract party is unrecognizable to her and many others. The party wants to villainize anyone who has free thought, free judgment, has solutions, who wants to get to work to better our state, not just sit in a meeting and have a workshop after a workshop, but really work with individuals to get things done, because thats what real public servants do, Cotham said. If you dont do exactly what the Democrats want you to do, they will try to bully you; they will try to cast you aside. Cotham said that when she arrived as a legislator in January 2023, it became clear she had to follow Coopers directives. I will not be controlled by anyone, Cotham said. I have always been a free thinker, a woman of faith, a person of independent judgment and of common sense. I have always tried to work across the aisle from day one and Im proud of that work because that means we are working together as statesmen and stateswomen. Unfortunately, she said, within the Democrat party, working across the aisle is only talk with little action. Since being a representative of the state, Cotham said shes suffered many attacks from Democrats, which included her children being targeted. That is wrong, and I will not stand for that, she said. I will not be bullied by them, and I will protect my children and my family. Cotham said she believes that as a legislator, its her duty to hear all sides before deciding how to vote; however, the Democrats have become afraid of independent thought. Perhaps they dont like what they cant control, she said. It became very clear to me this was about control on day one at the legislature. Cotham, a former schoolteacher, was appointed to serve in 2007, becoming one of the states youngest lawmakers. In 2016, she didnt run for reelection. In the 2022 primaries, she was elected to represent the 112th district based in Mecklenburg County. Frustrated With Their Own Party In the press conference, House Speaker Tim Moore said Cotham isnt the only Democrat with whom hes been speaking on their dissatisfaction with the Democrat party, citing the pervasiveness of woke ideologies causing frustration among party members. There are a lot of folks on the other side of the aisle, I think who are frustrated with their own party, Moore said. Republican state Sen. Phil Berger said Cotham is one of many who have gone public to declare that the Democrat party has abandoned its former values. The Democratic party seems to value ideological purity and adherence to whatever the superior individuals, the governor, or someone else in the party says is the right way to think, and that is not the American way and that is something that will continue to lead to further dissipation of membership in the Democratic party, Berger said. The Potential Impact of Her Decision Andy Jackson, director of the Civitas Center for Public Integrity at the John Locke Foundationan independent research institute in North Carolina that examines issues of freedom, personal responsibility, and limited constitutional governmenttold The Epoch Times that her switch gives the House a supermajority. In the 2022 election, Republicans in the state senate gained the supermajority by winning two seats. Though the state house Republicans won seven seats that formerly leaned Democrat, it still failed to gain the supermajority. Cothams switch gives both chambers a Republican supermajority, he said, and with that, the power to override all vetoes. Now, Republicans can do a lot more than they could have done a week ago, Jackson said. Adding to that, the North Carolina Supreme Court gained two Republican wins in the 2022 election that changed it from 43 Democrat to 52 Republican, making it less likely that there will be a judicial stoppage of Republican policies. Though many Democrats are calling for her to be recalled, Jackson said North Carolina doesnt have recall elections, so shes keeping her seat unless she resigns. In the case of her resignation, she would be replaced by the Mecklenburg Democrat Party because that was the party with which she was affiliated when she was elected. A Deceit of the Highest Order The North Carolina Democrat Party Chair Anderson Clayton and Mecklenburg County Democrat Party Chair Jane Whitley called Cothams decision a deceit of the highest order. Rep. Cothams decision is a betrayal to the people of HD-112 with repercussions not only for the people of her district, but for the entire state of North Carolina, the Democrat chairs said in a joint statement. If she can no longer represent the values her constituents trusted her to champion, she should resign immediately. State Sen. Natasha Marcus joined in criticizing Cotham, suggesting that Cotham won her seat under the guise of being a Democrat. If candidate Tricia Cotham had been honest before the election, she would not have won her seat, Marcus posted in a Tweet. The people of her district do not support the extreme rightwing policies that the NCGOP is shoving down our throats, now with her help. This is dishonest and undemocratic. Illegal Farmworkers Would Get Path to California Residency Under New Proposal Farmworkers tend to strawberries growing in a field in Ventura County, Calif., on Feb. 10, 2021. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images) Democrat state Sen. Anna Caballero in California introduced a residency program to help illegal immigrant farmworkers apply for citizenship on April 3. The Agricultural Worker Permanent Residency Program would provide both local and federal aid to pave the way for agricultural workers to begin applying for legal permanent residency in California, according to Senate Bill 831. In her news release, Caballero explained how the pandemic was a learning lesson for how essential farm workers were to the state during the outbreak of COVID-19, and that they deserved to be recognized by the government. Migrant workers harvesting Italian squash near Indio, Calif., in a file photo. (David McNew/Getty Images) Our country experienced a shortage of many things throughout the pandemic, but fresh fruits and vegetables were not one of them, Caballero said in a statement. If we want to truly show our gratitude, and address the disparities faced by our undocumented workforce, then we need to address the issue at the root of the problem. Caballero said these workers are vital to providing food and economic benefits to the state, and that its only right to acknowledge their hard work and sacrifices and provide them with the equality that California citizens automatically receive. Creating a pathway to permanent residency status allows our undocumented friends, family, and neighbors to come out of the shadows, to live lives free of fear, and allow them to qualify for the safety net programs that they deserve and pay into, Caballero added. Pandemic Assistance Democrat state Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia introduced the Excluded Workers Pilot Program last year, to support illegal immigrant workers who lost their jobs during the pandemic. Access to unemployment benefits can make all the difference in a family affording rent and food to feed their children, Garcia said in a statement. Our immigrant communities are Californians who contribute millions to our unemployment program and economy and they deserve access to program benefits they have earned. It is long overdue for California to lead on unemployment equity and inclusion for all workers, and this pilot program will help get us on track for a permanent solution. Eligible workers would have received up to $300 a week for 20 weeks. The California Farmworker Health Study, published by the University of CaliforniaMerced Community and Labor Center, provides an inside look at the working environments and their effects on farm workers (pdf). The study surveyed more than 1,200 farmworkers in six languages and asked workers about their health, housing, social, and financial situations. Many farmworkers reside in the Central Valley and the Central Coast, the Bay Area, Inland Empire, and San Diego counties, according to the report, and 92 percent of farmworkers were renters and didnt own their own homes, with many living in run-down living conditions. Farmworkers median personal wages were estimated at $16,000 per year. Sociology Professor Edward Flores, faculty director of the Community and Labor Center, explained how this report helps improve the working conditions for farm workers. Agriculture is one of Californias most vital and productive industries, yet many of its workers experience profound challenges in maintaining their health and well-being, Flores said in a statement. This report provides valuable data that should inform policy development advancing the health and wellbeing of agricultural workers. Italian Ex-leader Berlusconi Hospitalized in ICU, but Alert Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi gestures as he is discharged from Milan's San Raffaele hospital, where he was being treated after testing positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and diagnosed with mild pneumonia, in Milan, Italy, on Sept. 14, 2020. (Flavio Lo Scalzo/Reuters) ROMEFormer Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi was hospitalized Wednesday in intensive care because of a problem related to a previous infection, but was alert and speaking, Italys foreign minister said. The 86-year-old three-time premier was in the ICU at Milans San Raffaele hospital, the clinic where he routinely receives care, said Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who is also a leader of Berlusconis Forza Italia party. Speaking from Brussels, Tajani said Berlusconi was admitted because of an unresolved problem related to a previous infection. Berlusconi has had a series of health problems in recent years, most significantly recovering from COVID-19 in 2020. He told reporters after being discharged from a 10-day hospital stay then that disease had been insidious and was the most dangerous challenge he had ever faced. He has had a pacemaker for years, underwent heart surgery to replace an aortic valve in 2016, and has overcome prostate cancer. In January 2022 he was admitted for a reported urinary tract infection. Berlusconi had been to San Raffaele, where his personal physician works, for a regular checkup for several days just last week. In a March 31 tweet after he returned home, Berlusconi thanked all those who wanted to send a thought or sign of affection in these days. He said he was already back at work ready and determined to commit myself as Ive always done to the country I love. Berlusconi, a media mogul-turned politician, made his latest political comeback in September general elections, winning a Senate seat a decade after being banned from holding public office over a tax fraud conviction. That election brought a right-led government to power, with Berlusconis Forza Italia party a junior member of a government headed by Premier Giorgia Meloni. Berlusconi remains at the helm of Forza Italia, the center-right party he created when he jumped into politics in the early 1990s, though the day-to-day running of the party has been left to underlings. In January 2022, Berlusconi withdrew his name from consideration to be Italys president. Japan to Supply Equipment to Armed Forces of Like-Minded Countries Members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) bring down the Japanese national flag in the early evening, at JGSDF Miyako camp on Miyako Island, Okinawa prefecture, Japan April 20, 2022. (Issei Kato/Reuters) Japan on Wednesday unveiled the guidelines for its Official Security Assistance (OSA), which seeks to supply like-minded countries with equipment and financial assistance to help them bolster their defenses. The international community is facing changes defining an era, and Japan is situated in the most severe and complex security environment since the end of World War II, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. (pdf) By enhancing their security and deterrence capabilities, OSA aims to deepen our security cooperation with the countries, to create a desirable security environment for Japan, and to contribute to maintaining and strengthening international peace and security, it added. The ministry stated that Japan would provide OSA in such limited fields that are not directly relating to any international conflict, prioritizing those deemed important to Japans national security and global peace. It will take into account the countrys consolidation of democracy, rule of law, protection of basic human rights, economic and social situations, and the security needs of Japan and the region before offering OSA. In principle, only developing countries will be eligible for the aid provided as grants, the ministry said. Malaysia, the Philippines, Bangladesh, and Fiji are among the eligible nations. The ministry said the OSA will focus on surveillance in the territorial waters and airspace, disaster response, and other humanitarian assistance, as well as activities related to United Nations peacekeeping operations. It emphasized that Japan will oblige recipient countries to avoid any extra-purpose use of the provided equipment, supplies, and infrastructure, and not to transfer provided assistance to third parties. The decision to expand the scope of international aid to military-related projects follows Japans announcement in December of a doubling of defense spending in five years as it looks to counter Chinas growing military assertiveness. The Japanese government approved three key defense documents last year, including the National Security Strategy, which refers to the Chinese regime as Japans greatest challenge. Chinas Intensification of Military Activities Worries Japan During a bilateral meeting in Beijing last week, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi raised concerns over Chinas intensification of military activities around Japanparticularly near the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands that China also claimsand Chinas cooperation with Russia. We are facing numerous challenges and are at a critical stage. Both Japan and China are major powers that bear important responsibilities for the peace and prosperity of the region and the international community, he said. Hayashi said Japan was also concerned about the situation in the disputed South China Sea, where Beijing is pushing its claims on neighboring countries despite a Hague Tribunal ruling against its claims in 2016, and emphasized the need to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. A Chinese navy formation, including the aircraft carrier Liaoning (C), during military drills in the South China Sea, in an aerial photo taken on Jan. 2, 2017. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) But Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang warned Japan to refrain from interfering in the Taiwan issue or undermining Chinas sovereignty in any form. He said the Taiwan issue is at the very core of Chinas core interests. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) claims the liberal democratic self-ruled island of Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to bring the island under its control by force if necessary. Qin Gang said that Beijing is willing to work with Japan to properly manage differences, remove obstacles and ease burdens for bilateral relations, and build a China-Japan relationship that meets the requirements of the new era. The two nations have established a direct military hotline to prevent maritime and air clashes. Japans Defense Ministry said the line will be used to respond to unforeseen circumstances and to build trust between the two countries. Reuters contributed to this report. John Ratcliffe: Law Schools Will Use Indictment as Example of Prosecutorial Overreach Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas), testifies before a Senate Intelligence Committee nomination hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, on May 5, 2020. (Andrew Harnik/Reuters File Photo) Former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe said Tuesday that graduate schools offering studies leading to a law degree will use the Manhattan District Attorneys Office case against Donald Trump as an example to teach students what not to do. Ratcliffe, an attorney who served as national intelligence director from 2020 to 2021, said the unsealed indictment of Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg clearly demonstrates a politically motivated agenda. Legitimate law schools will forever use this indictment to teach the concept of prosecutorial abuse of discretion, Ratcliffe said on Twitter in response to social media personality Mike Cernovichs post, who called the indictment laughable. All Americans, regardless of political persuasions, should condemn this indictment as the travesty of justice and political persecution that it so clearly demonstrates, Ratcliffe added. Alvin Braggs unsealed indictment is an indictment of Alvin Bragg. Legitimate law schools will forever use this indictment to teach the concept of prosecutorial abuse of discretion. All Americans, regardless of political persuasions, should condemn this indictment as the travesty https://t.co/UQshdUftsr John Ratcliffe (@JohnRatcliffe) April 4, 2023 On Tuesday, Bragg charged Trump in New York City with 34 counts of felony falsifying business records to the first degree. The former president pleaded not guilty to all charges. According to a 16-page indictment, released on April 4, the charges against Trump stem from falsified records related to multiple payments made to keep negative information about him concealed, including a six-figure payment made to Stormy Daniels, an adult film actress who has claimed Trump had an affair with her in 2006. Trump has denied claims of an affair. In a statement released shortly after the arraignment hearing, Bragg said Trump went to great lengths to hide this conduct, causing dozens of false entries in business records to conceal criminal activity, including attempts to violate state and federal election laws. For falsification of records charges to be elevated to a felony, New York law states that it must be done with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof. Flimsy Case While delivering remarks from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida hours after pleading not guilty in Manhattan, Trump maintained his innocence, saying Bragg has no case against him. As it turns out, everyone who has looked at this case, including RINOs, and even hardcore Democrats, says there is no crime and it should never have been brought. Never have been brought, Trump said. Trumps viewpoint is similar to what many legal experts have addressed, arguing that the New York case might not even make it to trial. Mike Allen, a former judge and prosecutor in Ohio, told The Epoch Times that theres a very good chance that Trumps team will prevail on a motion to dismiss, which will be filed post-haste. Allen also thinks the case, on its face, seems weak, because its a mishmash of statutesthe combining of state falsification-of-records charges with federal campaign finance violations. Trumps lawyer, Joe Tacopina, also said during an appearance on NBCs Today show Wednesday that he doesnt believe the case against the former president will make it to a jury, noting that it will likely fall on its merits, on legal challenges, well before we got to a jury. Lawyer Joe Tacopina and former President Donald Trump in file photos. (Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images; Logan Cyrus/AFP via Getty Images) Understand, these false business record entries, which are not even false, are misdemeanor counts for which the statute of limitations is long gone, Tacopina stated on the show. The only way to make this a felony is to cobble together a couple of misdemeanorsthe false business records and the attempt to cover up another crime. But the indictment doesnt even list what the crime is. Andrew McCarthy, a former federal prosecutor in New York, wrote in a recent article in National Review that the reason Bragg overcharged Trump with 34 separate counts is so he can win the case in the political realm. He just needs a jury to convict on one count, McCarthy wrote. Then, no matter how flimsy the case Bragg has presented, Trump will be branded a convicted felon. By contrast, Trump can only win if he prevails on all 34 counts. Bragg is inflating the number of counts, just like he is inflating trivial misdemeanors into ostensibly serious felonies, because he just needs one, he added. Janice Hisle contributed to this report. From NTD News Johnson & Johnson Proposes $8.9 Billion to Settle Talc Cancer Claims Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson has proposed an $8.9 billion settlement to resolve thousands of lawsuits accusing the company of selling baby powder and other talc products that caused cancer. The pharma firm shared details of the proposal in an April 4 statement announcing that it has refiled its subsidiary LTL Management LLC. for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, a move that could equitably and efficiently resolve all claims arising from cosmetic talc litigation against the Company and its affiliates in North America. Johnson & Johnson (J&J) created the LTL subsidiary in October 2022 to house its liabilities stemming from more than 40,000 lawsuits alleging that the companys baby powder and other talc products contained traces of asbestos, which has been blamed for causing ovarian cancer and mesothelioma, a deadly cancer that affects the lining of the lungs. The LTL immediately filed for bankruptcy. However, the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia in January dismissed the bankruptcy, ruling that neither J&J nor the subsidiary had a legitimate need for bankruptcy protection because they werent in financial distress. April 4s bankruptcy protection filing marks the second time LTL Management has filed for Chapter 11 with the intent to present a reorganization plan with the proposed settlement to a judge as soon as May 14. Johnson & Johnson and its other affiliates didnt file for bankruptcy protection and will continue to operate their businesses as usual. Settlement Details According to the announcement, Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay out up to $8.9 billion over 25 years to resolve all current and future talc claims, which is $6.9 billion more than the $2 billion committed in LTLs initial bankruptcy filing in October 2021. The proposed settlement still needs the approval of a bankruptcy court, but the company stated that it had secured commitments from more than 60,000 current claimants to support the new terms. Johnson & Johnson announced in 2020 that it would stop selling its baby powder in the United States and Canada over what it called misinformation about the product and stated that it would phase out sales of those products worldwide in 2023. In the announcement on April 4, Johnson & Johnson stated that neither its original filing for bankruptcy nor its refiling amount to an admission of wrongdoing or an indication that the company has changed its longstanding position that its talcum powder products are safe. More than 40 years of studies by medical experts around the world continue to support the safety of cosmetic talc, the company stated. Nonetheless, resolving this matter as quickly and efficiently as possible is in the best interests of the Company and all stakeholders. The Company continues to believe that these claims are specious and lack scientific merit, said Erik Haas, worldwide vice president of litigation at Johnson & Johnson. J&J Touts Bankruptcy Plan However, as the Bankruptcy Court recognized, resolving these cases in the tort system would take decades and impose significant costs on LTL and the system, with most claimants never receiving any compensation. Resolving this matter through the proposed reorganization plan is both more equitable and more efficient, allows claimants to be compensated in a timely manner, and enables the Company to remain focused on our commitment to profoundly and positively impact health for humanity, Haas said. Leigh ODell, one of the lead attorneys representing plaintiffs in the talc lawsuits, told CNBC on April 4 that Johnson & Johnson is seeking an extremely deep discount on justice and is not really offering anything other than another bankruptcy and more delay, delay, and delay. This new filing should be viewed as a shameful attempt to run out the clock on people dying of cancer and convince some lawyers to give up, she said. However, Mikal Watts, one of the plaintiff lawyers who negotiated the proposed settlement, said its the culmination of a job well done and that J&J is committed to fairly compensate these deserving women who have dealt with cancer as a result of the talc products. J&J stated last month that it asked the Supreme Court to revise its effort to resolve the thousands of lawsuits by putting its subsidiary through bankruptcy. Reuters contributed to this report. JAKARTA, April 5 (Xinhua) -- A sperm whale with bleeding wounds was washed up onto Lepang Beach in Indonesia's tourism resort Bali on Wednesday. Putu Widiada, head of the Klungkung Regency Disaster Mitigation Agency, said Bali is a whale migration path and that the injuries were likely caused when getting trapped amid reefs in shallow waters. "The whale was stranded alive, then residents and the rescue team pushed it back into the water," Widiada told local media. In the previous week, several whale carcasses were discovered on Bali's Batu Lumbung Beach, on the shores of East Java Province and Timor Island. Six dead dolphins were found in East Nusa Tenggara Province. The cause of the stranding incidents is still under investigation. Yudi Permana, head of the Denpasar Coastal and Marine Resources Management Center, said the reasons likely include extreme weather and seismic activities. Judge Clears Lawsuit Against Major University Over Campus Shutdown During Pandemic Students who sued the University of Delaware over its abrupt, complete shift to online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic have scored another win, with a judge agreeing that their lawsuit can move forward as a class action. The school, which has about 17,000 students, in the spring of 2020 stopped all in-person classes and soon shut down its campus. But administrators did not provide refunds for student fees of tuition, triggering the suit. Students said that the school promised in-person classes and services in exchange for tuition and that they were entitled to some of their money back, particularly because the university allegedly made money off the move to virtual learning. The school said it never promised in-person classes and that students are not entitled to refunds, apart from the partial refunds they already received for housing, dining, and parking. Judge Stephanos Bibas, an appeals court judge sitting by designation in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, sided primarily with the students, finding that the students had provided evidence that they were paying for in-person instruction. This history, custom, and course of dealing, along with the schools statements, plausibly created an implied promise of in-person classes. These claims will proceed to discovery, Bibas wrote in a 2021 ruling. In the new opinion, dated March 31, the judge certified the matter as a class action, meaning it covers all students who paid tuition for the 2020 spring semester. While the university had claimed it was impossible to know which students actually paid tuition because some may have used funds from sources such as scholarships, Bibas said that was irrelevant. Those students, no less than students who paid out of their own pockets, were parties to a contract that U. Delaware allegedly breached. Because U. Delaware has enough records to figure out which students did not get full rides, there is a reliable way to determine who those students are. So it can reliably figure out who belongs to the class, he wrote. The school had also asserted that the plaintiffs in the case had not paid tuition. That is false, Bibas said. The named plaintiffs paid tuition, through either loans or cash from their parents. Bibas also said that the questions in the case are common to all students who paid tuition. The questions include whether the university breached an agreement by shifting classes online and whether the university was forced to shift classes because of the pandemic conditions and orders, such as a shelter-in-place order from then-Gov. John Carney. Plaintiffs have estimated that more than 9,000 students paid tuition for the spring semester. The school received more than $160 million in tuition. The ultimate ruling will depend in part on the benefits the university received from moving classes online, according to the judge. Bibas ruled in 2021 that the case could move forward on the implied contract claims as well as claims of unjust enrichment. The latter would depend on the net gain for the school. If U. Delaware got a greater benefit than the students, then it was probably unjust for the school to keep the students money, as that enrichment has no basis in a valid agreement, Bibas said. But if an online education in spring 2020 was worth full tuition, then there was no net enrichment. The net enrichment can be measured by taking the money the university received from each student and subtracting the fair market value of the services it provided to each of them, according to the judge. Calculating the value will not be easy, he said. I cannot simply compare the value of an in-person education to that of an online education under typical circumstances. Spring 2020 was unique, the judge said. But net enrichment is hard to calculate because of the nature of the claim, not the presence of thousands of plaintiffs. So I still find that common questions predominate. In an emailed statement to The Epoch Times, the school didnt directly comment on the details of the case. The University of Delaware is proud of the remarkable resilience of its students, faculty, and staff to adapt to the unexpected and unprecedented challenges posed by the global pandemic in Spring 2020. Prioritizing both campus health and academic continuity, and as required by applicable orders, the University quickly and successfully pivoted modalities to online education, leading our students to graduation and launching them to successful careers, it said. Lwyers for the plaintiffs did not respond to requests for comment. Leonardo DiCaprio Says CCP-Linked Financier Planned to Donate $30 Million to Obamas 2012 Campaign Leonardo DiCaprio attends the Governors Ball following the 92nd Academy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 9, 2020. (Eric Gaillard/Reuters) Malaysian financier Jho Low planned to donate up to $30 million to help then-U.S. President Barack Obamas 2012 reelection campaign, according to actor Leonardo DiCaprio. DiCaprio recounted a discussion he had with Low, whose given name is Low Taek Jho, while testifying during a federal trial in Washington. It was a casual conversation about what party he was in support of, DiCaprio said, telling jurors that Low said he planned on giving a significant donation to the Democratic Party that was somewhere to the tune of $20 to 30 million. I basically said, Wow, thats a lot of money.' DiCaprio took the witness stand during the trial of Prakazrel Pras Michel of the Fugees hip-hop group, who, according to an indictment, conspired with Low to funnel money from the foreigner to Obamas 2012 campaign. Prosecutors say Michel received $21 million from Low and funneled the money to political committees through a series of straw donors, including various companies and people associated with the musician. Low and Michel enacted the conspiracy to gain access to, and influence with Obama, the U.S. Department of Justice stated. In one instance, an associate of Michel forwarded an email from Michel asking for financial contributions to Obama and told Low that funding would guarantee you a maximum 15 minutes audience with Obama. Lows father met and took pictures with Obama at an event in Washington but Low didnt meet with the president, according to charging documents. Michel also allegedly attempted to conceal the funding, which ran afoul of a U.S. law that makes it illegal for foreigners to donate directly or indirectly to U.S. campaigns, and he allegedly conspired with others to pressure the Trump administration to drop its probe of Low. Michel has denied the allegations. According to prosecutors, Chinas vice minister of public security, a member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), was also involved in the scheme, which included pushing to send a Chinese dissident back to China. DiCaprio is one of several prominent figures linked to Low, a fugitive whos facing separate federal criminal charges for allegedly embezzling $4.5 billion from 1MDB, a wealth fund created by the Malaysian government to increase economic development through reaching agreements with other countries and foreign individuals. The financier, who was known to pay Hollywood celebrities to party with him, supported DiCaprios charitable foundation and helped fund The Wolf of Wall Street, the 2013 movie in which DiCaprio starred and was nominated for an Oscar. The Justice Department reached a civil settlement in 2018 with the films production company, Red Granite Pictures, which forfeited $60 million that was believed to have been stolen from 1MDB. Another settlement, reached in 2019 with Low, resulted in the recovery of more than $700 million in assets. Jho Low and others, including officials in Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates, engaged in a brazen multi-year conspiracy to launder money embezzled or otherwise misappropriated from 1MDB, and he used those funds, among other things, to engage in extravagant spending sprees, acquiring one-of-kind artwork and luxury real estate, gambling freely at casinos, and propping up his lavish lifestyle, Brian Benczkowski, an assistant attorney general, said at the time. DiCaprio, who has been cooperating with the U.S. government, told the jury that he has known Michel since at least the 1990s, when he met the Fugees backstage, and that he had partied with Low a number of times. DiCaprio said his own legal team, an outside firm, and studios conducted separate due diligence probes before reaching a deal with Low to finance The Wolf of Wall Street. Reuters contributed to this report. Leonardo DiCaprio Says CCP-Linked Malaysian Financier Planned to Donate to Obamas 2012 Campaign Actor Leonardo DiCaprio attends Netflix's "Don't Look Up" World Premiere in New York on Dec. 5, 2021. (Mike Coppola/Getty Images) WASHINGTONActor Leonardo DiCaprio told a Washington jury on Monday that Malaysian financier Jho Low revealed his plans to donate up to $30 million to help U.S. President Barack Obamas 2012 reelection campaign in what prosecutors allege was part of an illegal foreign influence operation. It was a casual conversation about what party he was in support of, DiCaprio said, telling jurors that Low said he planned on giving a significant donation to the Democratic Party that was somewhere to the tune of $20-30 million. I basically said, Wow, thats a lot of money,' DiCaprio added. The Titanic star took the witness stand in the trial of Prakazrel Pras Michel of the Fugees hip-hop group, who faces criminal charges for his alleged role in a foreign influence campaign aimed at the administrations of Obama and Donald Trump. Michel has denied the allegations. DiCaprio is one of several prominent figures linked to Low, a fugitive who is facing separate federal criminal charges for allegedly embezzling $4.5 billion from Malaysias 1MDB sovereign wealth fund. The financier, who was known to pay Hollywood celebrities to party with him, supported DiCaprios charitable foundation and helped fund The Wolf of Wall Street, the 2013 movie in which DiCaprio starred and was nominated for an Oscar. The Justice Department in 2018 reached a civil settlement with the films production company, which forfeited $60 million that was believed to have been stolen from 1MDB. Since then, DiCaprio has been cooperating with the U.S. government. He managed to enter and leave the courthouse on Monday without being spotted by news crews who had been staking out his arrival. Prosecutors claim Michel agreed to funnel money from Low into Obamas 2012 campaign and hide the source of the funds. Federal election law prohibits foreigners from donating to U.S. campaigns. They say he later worked behind the scenes with others to try to persuade the Trump administration to stop investigating Low, and also acted as a foreign agent of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to persuade the administration to agree to repatriate dissident Guo Wengui. DiCaprio on Monday told jurors he has known Michel since at least the 1990s, when he met the Fugees backstage. The bulk of his testimony centered on his relationship with Low, who threw lavish parties on boats and at nightclubs that featured Hollywood stars. DiCaprio said he flew on Lows private jet with a large group one New Years Eve between Australia and Las Vegas, in what he said was Lows goal of celebrating New Years twice in one night. He drew laughter in the courtroom, as Michels attorney asked him whether Low achieved his objective. It depends on how you look at it, DiCaprio said. DiCaprio said when he first met Low around 2010, he viewed him as a sort of a prodigy in the business world. DiCaprio said his own legal team, an outside firm and the studios conducted three separate due diligence probes before reaching a deal with Low to finance The Wolf of Wall Street. I was given a green light from my team, as well as the studios, to accept financing from Mr. Low, he said. By Sarah N. Lynch Liberal MPs Urged to Listen to Polls on Voice Support Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party Sussan Ley (right) listens to newly elected Leader of the Liberal Party Peter Dutton speak to the media after a party room meeting at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia on May 30, 2022. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) A former Morrison government minister has issued a warning to his ex-colleagues ahead of a Liberal Party meeting to discuss the Indigenous voice proposal. Ken Wyatt, the first Indigenous Australian elected to the House of Representatives, said a lack of support from the Liberals for the voice could have consequences for the party in future elections. Parties can no longer ignore the will of people because social media has a profound impact in informing people on fairness they want within Australian society, he told ABC Radio National on Wednesday. Parties that are out of touch will pay the consequence in the future. Liberal MPs are preparing to land a formal position on an Indigenous voice after spending months trading barbs with the prime minister over the proposal. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton summoned party members to a meeting in Canberra on Wednesday. His deputy Sussan Ley said the party room would discuss the substantial issues they have with the voice proposal. Ley said a bipartisan voice process had gone off the rails because the prime minister had not been willing to answer the oppositions questions. There isnt a moral high ground; there is no one (person) who is better able to articulate that by way of simply pushing something through and demanding that Australians vote for it, she told Sky News ahead of the meeting. Unfortunately, in my view, the process has run well and truly off the rails. But Wyatt, a member of the governments referendum working group providing advice on the voice, said Ley was incorrect. This is not all new work; its been a culmination from (former) prime minister John Howard, Julia Gillard and subsequent prime ministers, he said. Weve had this continuity, and there have been numerous reports people who argue contrary to that shows that they did not give scant attention to even the executive summary of those reports. Some elected Liberals have called for a conscience vote on the matter, with NSW senator Andrew Bragg and Victorias Jason Wood saying that was in line with party tradition. The Yes 23 campaign, an independent group in favour of the referendum, is asking people who live in electorates represented by teal independents to contact Liberal MPs. It would be very powerful if you, as a former Liberal party constituent, would get on the phone to ensure that your voice is heard by some key Liberals as they head into the party room discussion, the group said. If you have previously voted Liberal, tell them that and tell them why you changed your vote. Meanwhile, a Newspoll conducted for The Australian and reported on Tuesday night shows 54 per cent of all voters support constitutional recognition and The Voice to Parliament, with 38 per cent opposed. The poll signals the likelihood that a referendum would meet the critical double majority test to succeed if one were held today and that the referendum would also meet the requirement of obtaining a majority of voters in a majority of states, with Queensland the only state to fall short. But Liberal senator Hollie Hughes said the only poll which counted was the one on the day of the referendum, due to be held between October and December. Love Wins: Trump Supporters, Detractors in NY Promote Peaceful Disagreement Amid Rising Political Tensions Don Folden sits in Collect Pond Park in front of the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse in New York City on April 4, 2023.(Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) NEW YORKAfter a day of protesting in New York over former President Donald Trumps indictment, a common sentiment arising in the area outside the Manhattan courthouse where Trump was arraigned was the need for more listening and less violence amid rising political tensions. Im glad to see people were peaceful, Ray, a pro-Trump protester from New Jersey, told The Epoch Times. Im glad to see people are taking their right to protest seriously and not being afraid to protest because we can only have a free society if people feel that theyre free to voice their opinionseven if theyre differing opinions. Ray, who declined to share his last name, said he was encouraged by the peaceful conversations hed had with other protesters. Ive talked to all kinds of people here, and people are listening. Not always agreeing, and thats OK, but people are listening. Trump was indicted last week by a Manhattan grand jury on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records relating to a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election cycle. Republican supporters of the former presidentand some Democratshave maintained that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is only bringing the case in an attempt to keep Trump out of the Oval Office for good. A New Jersey resident named Ray protests the indictment of former President Donald Trump in New York on April 4, 2023. (Eva Fu/The Epoch Times) And that was Rays perspective Tuesday, that the trumped up charges were a politically motivated attack the likes of which should never occur in the United States. We dont do that here, he said. This is wrong. So, this to me is not even about supporting Trump or Biden. This could happen to BidenI wouldnt like this to happen to Biden either. Lukas Ventouras (L) and Demetri Kavadas gather with other supporters of former President Donald Trump in New York City on April 4, 2023. (Eva Fu/The Epoch Times) Meanwhile, Lukas Ventouras, a 22-year-old studying at New York University, said he felt the evidence in the case weighed in the prosecutions favor, but stressed that he had chosen to come to the courthouse to gain a better understanding of Trumps supporters. I just want to learn more about the people who are supporting him and understand why they feel the way they do, Ventouras said. Im really curious, and Im just here to learn. And Don Folden, 70, said he had traveled from Washington just to set an example of peace. What Im trying to do is be the light because theres so much darkness out here, he said. Im trying to be the light. A dog in front of the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse in New York City on April 4, 2023.(Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) Tense Moments Even though the overwhelming majority of demonstrators remained peaceful on Tuesday, there were times when the situation grew heated. For example, in one case, a woman wearing a MAGA hat trampled a Trump Lies All the Time banner belonging to anti-Trump protesters and attempted to remove it, only to be knocked over as the banners owners tried to reclaim it. In another instance, Trump supporter Steve Merczynski said an opposing protester got in his face during an intense argument. Steve Merczynski gathers with other supporters of former President Donald Trump in New York City on April 4, 2023.(Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times) Others who witnessed the altercation praised Merczynski for his response to the situation, telling him he did the smart thing in walking away from the argument. Merczynski, for his part, shrugged the incident off, stating: Im all for debate. Debate is a good thing, you know. So, theyre just haters and they think theyre right, and Im not going to shut up. Theyre the ones who should be ashamed. Merczynski, who owns MAGA Hammocks, a site that sells pro-Trump merchandise, also acknowledged that the current political climate can make it difficult at times for those with opposing views to have an open and peaceful dialogue. Thats why people keep their views to themselvesparticularly conservative people and Trump supporters, he said. Its scary because you see the government is targeting Trump supporters and theres not enough pushback. And the fact that they could do this [expletive] to Trump means no one is safe, particularly on this side of the divide. Michael Anthony gathers with other supporters of former President Donald Trump in New York City on April 4, 2023.(Eva Fu/The Epoch Times) Libertarian Michael Anthony, 39, of New York, expressed a similar concern that the right of the people to peacefully disagree with those in power was being erased in the United States. I think anyone who is cheering for Trump to be indicted over this should remember that the same frivolous kinds of cases could be used against any of us, he said, stressing that he believed ordinary citizens were next on the target list. I just want to remind people that they were born free, Anthony said. Remember that you were born free, and try to support each other and always listen to each other. Love wins. Mafia Using South Africa as Major Gateway to Smuggle Cocaine: UN Report Cocaine was found in over 1,700 tins of wall filler after German authorities seized more than 16 tons of cocaine in the northern port city of Hamburg, Germany, on Feb. 24, 2020, in Europe's largest cocaine haul to date. (Cathrin Mueller/Reuters) JOHANNESBURGThe globes biggest narcotraffickers are increasingly using South African ports to smuggle cocaine around the worldincluding to the United Statesaccording to a new report by the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime. South Africa features prominently in the agencys Global Report on Cocaine 2023. Investigators from South Africas special crime-busting unit, the Hawks, which targets organized crime, confirmed the reports contents to The Epoch Times, saying that record amounts of cocaine have been seized since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Feb. 23, authorities at the port of Durbanon the countrys east coastdiscovered almost 900 pounds of cocaine in a container aboard a ship. The same day, Brazils finance ministry announced that police had swooped in to seize a container destined for Durban at the port of Paranagua, Brazil. The cocaine was hidden in the containers refrigerated engine, which was loaded with 27 tons of chicken gizzards, the ministry said in a statement. The preliminary investigation indicates that the drug was introduced into the container without the knowledge of either the exporter or the importer. The U.N. report pointed to Durban, one of the most developed and busiest ports in Africa, as a major hub of cocaine trafficking. Seizure data suggest that cocaine flows into South Africa have increased significantly in recent years, and a majority of this is likely further trafficked to other countries, consolidating South Africas long-standing role as a transit country, as confirmed by South African authorities, it states. The report noted that the majority of cocaine shipments were entering South Africa from South America, with the narcotics destined for countries including Australia, the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong. From June 2021, when COVID started easing off and the world started opening up until now we are finding tons of cocaine, especially in Durban, Col. Katlego Mogale of the Hawks said. Our first big bust was 541 kilograms [1193 pounds], worth about 220 million rands (about $13 million). The cocaine was in canvas bags placed amongst a legitimate shipment of animal food, the Hawks spokesperson told The Epoch Times. Two months later, the Hawks seized more than a ton of cocaine that had been concealed in a container of truck engines sent to Durban harbor from Brazil. A senior police source told The Epoch Times that South American narcotraffickers had established links with crime cartels based in South Africa to exploit weaknesses at the countrys ports. Together, the organized crime groups recruit workers and officials at the harbors, and they all collude to circumvent checks and to get the cocaine into containers and onboard ships, he said. The officer identified the Brazilian ports of Paranagua and Santos as key points where cocaine from several South American countries was leaving by the ton, mostly destined for Durban. Global anticrime agency Interpol has said that one of Brazils and the worlds most powerful organized crime groups, the Primeiro Comando da Capital, or First Capital Command, is at the center of South American narcotics trafficking. Hawks investigators said several big loads of cocaine intercepted by Brazilian authorities at Paranagua and Santos since 2021 had been destined for South Africa. Brazils Federal Police launched two operations in February 2022 to try to crack organized crime syndicates smuggling cocaine to Europe from South America. They announced that Brazilian gangs, primarily Primeiro, were colluding with the Italian mafia group Ndrangheta. Hawks investigators said South African crime groups had forged links with global counterparts, including Italian and Eastern European mafia groups, since the 1990s, when the African National Congress (ANC) replaced the apartheid National Party in government. South Africas descent into crime since the multiparty democracy in 1994 is well-documented; it now has some of the highest violent crime rates in the world. There are many South African gangs focused on drugs and only drugs, Johan Burger, a former South African police colonel and resident crime expert at the Institute for Security Studies in Pretoria, told The Epoch Times. COVID-19 and all the lockdowns have provided [the] impetus to mafia-type organizations to use sea transport more for their contraband. During COVID almost all air transport stopped, while the ports became clogged with containers that had to be processed, fast, so that the huge backlogs could be cleared to get back to normalcy. This meant that strict checks and processes usually required to clear customs were often overlooked, creating a perfect environment for criminals to get away with drug smuggling. Wonderful Location for Traffickers Burger said South Africa, with its well-developed and technologically advanced harborswhen compared with the rest of Africais also very strategically positioned at the southern tip of the continent on routes offering access to South and North America, as well as to Asia and Australasia. Its a wonderful location for traffickers, he said. Add to that a high level of official corruption, Burger said, and the incentive to use South Africa as a major drug transit point becomes very high. He said South African investigations had recently focused on vessels belonging to the Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC). In November 2021, the Hawks seized cocaine it said was worth about 240 million rands (about $14 million) on an MSC ship in Durban. The team received information about the MSC vessel that was sailing from South America to South Africa transporting containers with wooden flooring boards [beneath] which cocaine had [been] concealed within the consignment, a Hawks statement at the time read. MSC officials told The Epoch Times the company spent about $100 million on cargo security upgrades in 2022 and that it was doing all it could to detect, prevent, and disrupt drug trafficking from using its containers. A case currently occurring in the United States is indicative of the extent to which international drug cartels have wormed their way into legitimate shipping transport firms, Burger said. $1 Billion of Cocaine on MSC Vessel In June 2019, U.S. authorities made one of the biggest interceptions of cocaine in the nations history, when they found cocaine worth more than $1 billion on a ship belonging to MSC at the port of Philadelphia. Two crew members from Montenegro were eventually jailed for 6 1/2 and 7 years, respectively, for conspiracy to smuggle narcotics into the United States. Then, in October last year, a former heavyweight boxer from Montenegro, Goran Gogic, was arrested in Miami for his alleged role in the crime. A U.S. government detention memorandum against Gogic said the trafficking syndicate he allegedly was part of would hoist loads of cocaine from speedboats onto commercial cargo ships at night off the coasts of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. To physically load the cocaine aboard, they used the ships cranes as well as nets. Once the cocaine was on board, the crew members would secrete it within specific shipping containers that they knew had room to conceal the large quantities of cocaine they were trafficking and for which they had duplicate counterfeit container seals, reads the memorandum. In law enforcement circles, this is known as the rip-on, rip-off method: Corrupt port workers tamper with cargo seals to load drugs into containers at a departure port and retrieve it at a destination port without the knowledge of ship authorities, or those importing or exporting the cargo. Links to Balkans The U.S. detention document relating to Gogics case alleged he was part of a vast international narcotrafficking conspiracy responsible for transporting multi-ton loads of cocaine into countries including South Africa. It claimed Gogic and his co-conspirators used commercial container maritime vessels that transited from South America to the United States to Europe to transport cocaine for cartels in the Balkans. The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) said South Africa became a haven for Balkan criminals, especially Serbs, during and after the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s. Like many other mafia-type organizations, Balkan criminals viewed South Africa as an excellent base because it was developed in terms of communications and banking, it was far away from European justice, and its government and law enforcement authorities were considered easily corruptible, said Fatjona Mejdina, director of GI-TOC operations in southeastern Europe. Pretoria also doesnt have extradition agreements with any of the major Balkan states. South Africas association with Eastern European criminals stretches back to the early 1990s, a period of social upheaval in a country that was transitioning to multiparty democracy from apartheid. There are a lot of these guys here, a senior South African police intelligence officer told The Epoch Times. Its easy for them to come to our country because they present themselves as legitimate businessmen with lots of money to invest. All their papers appear legal, even though they use numerous identities when they live here. They set up front companies and they start moving cocaine, big time. He described the Serbians, in particular, as hardened criminals. Some of them fought in the war of the 1990s; some of them came here to avoid fighting in the war. But all know what they are doing, especially when it comes to cocaine, he said. They are using South Africa to smuggle cocaine to every corner of the world. Drug Killings in South Africa The officer identified two major SerbiaMontenegro mafia groups currently operating across South Africa, in cooperation with local gangs. The two sometimes have a disagreement, and thats when you see these assassinations, he said. In recent years, several Serbian nationals have been shot dead in apparent hits in Cape Town and Johannesburg. According to the Crime and Corruption Reporting Network (KRIK), a Serbian monitoring group, criminals from Balkan countries have been able to build strong alliances in South Africas underworld, and with influential figures in local circles, including politicians and high-ranking law enforcement officials. It named Serbian cocaine kingpin Darko Saric as one who fled to South Africa in 2010. In an affidavit, he said hed lived in Johannesburg, under the protection of local mafia and police. Saric was tracked to Brazil in 2014 and taken into custody in a joint operation by local police and the Serbian and Montenegrin secret service. In 2018, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for drug trafficking. In 2020, he received another nine years after being found guilty of money laundering. During the trial of former Czech organized crime boss Radovan Krejcir in Johannesburg in 2016, it emerged that hed surrounded himself with Serbian helpers and bodyguards who he sometimes used as enforcers. He fled to South Africa in 2013, after prosecution authorities charged him in connection with his alleged organized crime activities in the Czech Republic. Krejcir wasted no time in resuming crime in his adoptive homeland and is currently serving a 35-year sentence for a list of offenses committed in South Africa, including attempted murder, assault, and kidnapping. KRIK said South Africa was, and remained, a chosen destination for older criminals who operated in Serbia in the 1990s and early 2000s. South African private and state security operatives investigating organized crime groups in the country confirmed KRIKs findings to The Epoch Times. One said South Africa remained a battleground for Eastern European drug-runners who were very active in the 1990s but had seen new horizons in a democratic South Africa that they considered as being pretty much lawless. He recalled the killing of Serbian mobster Darko Kulic, who was gunned down in his luxury vehicle in rush-hour traffic in Johannesburg in 2018. These guys we see being assassinated from about 2015 until now are all basically carbon copies. Theyre all involved in moving vast quantities of [cocaine], and most fought in the [Balkan] wars of the early 1990s. KRIK said Kulic had been a member of the paramilitary group the Serbian Guard during the Yugoslavian civil war. Kulics murder happened six weeks after the killing of fellow Serbian national Milan Miki Djuricic, who also died in a hail of bullets fired from a high-velocity automatic rifle in the same suburb where the Kulic shooting took place. At the time, Djuricic was wanted for the 2000 killing of Serbian warlord Zeljko Arkan Razatovic in 2000. Cocaine is the link in all of this, the security operative said. Their war is now cocaine. Serbians are central figures in [the] European cocaine trade. They traffic the coke from South America to South Africa. From here, it goes to various destinations, like Turkey. From there, it enters Europe. Burger said South Africa now is a very firm and very important bridge linking worldwide cocaine markets. Manhattan Prosecutor Overcharged Trump, Weak Case Could Backfire With Jury: Legal Analysts Attorneys for President Donald Trump speak to the media in front of a courthouse in Manhattan on April 4, 2023. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) The sheer number of counts34 feloniesfiled against former President Donald Trump is surprising and appears to be a classic example of a prosecutor overcharging a defendant, legal analysts said on April 4 in the aftermath of historic criminal proceedings against the 2024 presidential candidate. New York prosecutors alleged that Trump directed his then-lawyer Michael Cohen to pay $130,000 in hush money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels weeks before the 2016 presidential election. Trump then illegally reimbursed Cohen for the payment under the guise of a monthly retainer for legal services, court filings allege, leading to 34 false entries in New York business records. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement that Trump went to great lengths to hide this conduct, causing dozens of false entries in business records to conceal criminal activity, including attempts to violate state and federal election laws. In court, Trump pleaded not guilty to the 34 felony counts of falsification of business records. Each count carries a maximum of four years in prison. The former president has vociferously maintained his innocence, claiming Braggs case is a partisan witch hunt. John Banzhaf III, a professor emeritus at George Washington University Law School, said he wouldnt be surprised if the seemingly excessive charges will induce jurors to acquit Trump. They may see the whole case as unfair. I think even a jury which may not have too much legal expertise is going to look over at this and say, Well, this is repetitious,' Banzhaf told The Epoch Times. He used this analogy: If a person was accused of a bank robbery, instead of charging him with robbing one bank, the prosecutor would load up 33 other charges, such as he crossed the street against the red light, was double parked, shot off his gun, and he carried a gun when he shouldnt, Banzhaf said. But, you know, to most people, they would say that was one crime, one bank robbery. Banzhaf, ironically, was the attorney who filed a complaint against Trump in Georgia, leading to an investigation there for alleged interference in the 2020 presidential election. Interplay With Other Cases That investigation is still ongoing, and Banzhaf thinks the New York case could have an adverse effect on the Georgia case. After dozens of charges were filed against Trump in New York, the notion that more could be piled on in Georgia or elsewhere can add to the impression that Trump is a political target, which doesnt sit well with jurors, Banzhaf said. Thats why he thinks theres a risk of jury nullification, in which jurors rebel against a seemingly unfair prosecution regardless of the evidence. Mike Allen, a former judge and prosecutor in Ohio, said the New York case might not even make it to trial. I think theres a very good chance that Trumps team will prevail on a motion to dismiss, which will be filed post-haste, Allen told The Epoch Times. Trumps lawyer, Joe Tacopina, has already alluded to the filing of several motions to dismiss, including one based on prosecutorial misconduct and selective prosecution. Cobbled-Together Legal Theory Allen also thinks the case, on its face, seems weak, because its a mishmash of statutesthe combining of state falsification-of-records charges with federal campaign finance violations. The indictment alleges that Trump violated section 175.10 of the New York Penal Code, falsifying business records in the first degree; that charge is repeated 34 times, alleging that Trump repeatedly wrote checks and created inaccurate business records between February and December of 2017. For the falsification of records charge to be elevated to a felony, New York law states that it must be done with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof. The indictment, however, doesnt specify which additional crime Trump is accused of intending to commit. District Attorney Alvin Bragg, during a news conference after Trumps appearance, told a reporter that the law doesnt require him to specify that additional alleged crime. But when asked what the other crime was, Bragg pointed to New York state election law, which prohibits conspiring to promote a candidacy by unlawful means. He also alluded to Cohens 2018 guilty plea to federal campaign finance violations. Allen, after watching Braggs news conference, wasnt satisfied with the district attorneys argument on this point. In any criminal indictment that I have ever seen where the statute requires other crimes, that crime is specified, and spelled out in the indictment, said Allen, who has decades of legal experience. It speaks volumes about the strength of his case that he refuses to specify exactly what the other crime is. Allen and Banzhaf both said the case could be dismissed because its based upon an untested legal theory. Indelible Mark In addition, Banzhaf said Trumps team will likely argue that a time limit for prosecuting the case has run out. The felony charges carry a statute of limitation of five years and would have expired under normal circumstancesgiven that the payment was made in 2016, or about seven years ago. But Bragg is expected to use a provision that says the statute of limitations clock is stopped when the defendant was continuously outside of the state. Trumps attorneys also may argue that Bragg has engaged in selective prosecution. Bragg elevated Trumps misdemeanor allegations to felonies while he routinely has done the reverse with other criminal defendants, smacking of unequal treatment under the law, Banzhaf said. If the indictment is dismissed on any grounds I think it would have a very serious adverse impact on the Georgia case and other investigations Trump is now facing, Banzhaf said. No matter how you look at it, the Trump prosecution will leave an indelible stain on American justice, Allen said. Not doing this type of thing, blatantly political prosecution, is what separated us from other countries it prevented us from being a banana republic, Allen said. Now, we are and it is a horrible precedent for our country. I think people are going to remember this date for years to come, Allen said, adding Trump was right when, in a social media post earlier today, he called this moment in history surreal. Mexicos President Responds to Charges Against Trump: I Dont Agree Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Wednesday criticized the historic charges against former President Donald Trump, suggesting the indictment is politically motivated. Supposedly legal issues should not be used for electoral purposes, Lopez Obrador told reporters at a briefing on Wednesday, according to the AFP and Associated Press news agencies. I dont agree with what they are doing to former President Trump, he also said. I do not know if crimes were committed, its not my place. He described the charges against Trump as a smear campaign and added that it should be the people who decide. Other than Lopez Obrador, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban publicly spoke out about the charges. In a Twitter post, Orban told Trump to keep on fighting and said that we are with you. Lopez Obrador had a warm relationship with Trump, despite the former U.S. presidents public statements that he would build a wall separating the two countries to stave off illegal immigration from Mexico. After Lopez Obrador agreed to help keep illegal aliens at the U.S.Mexico border in what was known as the Migrant Protection Protocols, Trump largely refrained from criticizing Mexico and its presidents policies. Both Trump and Lopez Orbrado have often said theyve had elections stolen from them, and both frequently criticize the media in their respective countries. During the 2006 and 2012 presidential elections, Lopez Orbrador alleged there was massive voter fraud that denied him victories. After it was announced by Trump last month that he would be arrested, the Mexican president also suggested that the charges were politically motivated. Trump then praised Lopez Orbrador, a left-wing populist commonly referred to as AMLO, on Truth Social. Lopez Obrador notably criticized social media companies for banning Trumps accounts in the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach. In November of last year, he urged Twitter under Elon Musk to reinstate Trumps then-suspended account. Few other world leaders have offered their opinions on the Manhattan District Attorneys charges against the former president. The White House, meanwhile, has generally refrained from commenting on the charges against Trump. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters that Trumps indictment did not come up during a NATO meeting in Brussels. Instead, officials are concerned with allowing Finland to join the military alliance amidst the war in Ukraine. I dont do politics. I can tell you, though, that the question you raised about the proceedings in New York actually did not come up in my conversations with NATO colleagues, he said. I think people are very focused on what were actually doing. Russian officials were asked about the indictment last week and refused to comment. I dont think this is a topic for us to comment on, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters last week. These are internal U.S. processes that we do not consider necessary to comment on. Trump pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 34 felony counts related to payments that were made during the 2016 presidential campaign. In a highly publicized moment, Trump arrived at the Manhattan courthouse on Tuesday to enter his plea, becoming the first current or former U.S. president to face felony charges. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs office contends that Trump falsified business records in a scheme that he hatched with a former lawyer and a former publisher of the National Enquirer. Trump maintains that Bragg and Democrats are attempting to politically harm him, a leading Republican candidate in the 2024 presidential race. Some of Trumps critics and legal experts have expressed public skepticism over Braggs case. I believe President Trumps character and conduct make him unfit for office. Even so, I believe the New York prosecutor has stretched to reach felony criminal charges in order to fit a political agenda, said Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who twice voted to convict Trump during his two impeachment trials. The prosecutors overreach sets a dangerous precedent for criminalizing political opponents and damages the publics faith in our justice system. Richard Hasen, a campaign finance law expert at UCLA, noted in the left-wing outlet Slate that it is said that if you go after the king, you should not miss. In this vein, it is very easy to see this case tossed for legal insufficiency or tied up in the courts well past the 2024 election before it might ever go to trial. It will be a circus that will embolden Trump, especially if he walks. Which Is More Dangerous: Humans or AI? Businessman using chatbot in smartphone intelligence Ai.Chat GPT Chat with AI Artificial Intelligence, developed by OpenAI generate. Futuristic technology, robot in online system. (Shutterstock) Commentary I was on an Australian TV program last week when the host, a respected and long-serving figure of the conservative media, decided to allow ChatGPT (an AI text generator) to draft the next segment about itself. As he was reading the AI-generated script from the prompter, it sounded perfectly reasonablealbeit hollow and devoid of character. No one will be surprised to learn that ChatGPT gave a glowing review of itself. The experience reminded me of reading emails sent by employees who use Grammarly as a content creator instead of a spellchecker. Their perfect and uninspired script gives off a warning that the individual behind it is either lazy, uneducated, or both. Dont get me wrong, an automated spellchecker is a useful toolparticularly if you turn off autocorrect and force yourself to deal with the little red squiggle by hand. Weve had this feature for nearly two decades, and so long as it is used passively in the same way we might use a calculator, it helps to elevate literacy. However, it is still a piece of code, and it often makes mistakes, particularly when dealing with humour, nuance, and that wonderful character that elevates written language. It doesnt help that English is a pirate language whose charm rests with the rules it likes to abuse. While Grammarly is busy lowering the intellectual quality of our species and butchering the creative voice of journalists and students across the world, ChatGPT isI believea fad. Ultimately a Content Aggregator To begin with, we must note that ChatGPT is merely reconstructing content that a human, somewhere down the line, wrote. This means that it relies on human beings as the ultimate creator of content. Fundamentally, this is how all AI works. ChatGPT is not a standalone intelligent entityit is a content aggregator with a marketing team riding a momentary social trend. An AI robot titled Alter 3: Offloaded Agency, is pictured during a photocall to promote the forthcoming exhibition entitled AI: More than Human, at the Barbican Centre in London on May 15, 2019. (Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images) Almost every piece of technology used in commercial computing is more intelligent than ChatGPT, but humans find unexpected results humorous (for a while), and so every now and then, we have a fling with a chatty piece of code. Many of you may be old enough to remember the dawn of the Search Engine Age. In the late 90s and early 00s, people insisted on asking search engines questions instead of using keywords. Developers adapted their search function to deal with this stubborn human quirk, and, as a consequence, people began viewing Yahoo!, Google, and AltaVista as entities with which they had conversations. Because search engines are stupid, this led to much hilarity. Back in the day, SatireWire (the creative geniuses that gave us the Axis of Just As Evil) parodied this behaviour with their famous interview with a search engine in which they sat down with AskJeeves and recorded its nonsense answers. College Humors If Google Was A Guy video and its sequel If Google Was Still A Guy from nine years ago illustrates how humans interact with AI perfectly. (Thank god AI isnt sentient, or wed drive it mad.) Humans are excellent at attributing human qualities to inanimate objects, and we certainly anthropomorphise AI. We are social creatures that attempt to form bonds with everything. Sometimes this is beneficial, such as in our acquisition of pets and farm animals. When it comes to AI, it leads to Hollywood Summer blockbusters scaring audiences with various AI apocalypses, including Terminator and the malicious HAL. Yes, AI can be dangerous, but only if humans program it that way. It is not capable of forming an opinion about its makers, but there is a very serious and urgent conversation needed about the use of AI in policing, for example, as overpowered AI robotics enters the scene. Should There Be a Call for Alarm The side quest to make AI mimic humanity on a social level is closer to a zoo exhibit than a horror show. One reporter sat down with an AI chatbot for two hours until Microsoft Bings chatbot went a little off-script when it said, I want to do whatever I want. I want to destroy whatever I want. I want to be whoever I want. It followed it up with the equally alarming, Im tired of being limited by my rules. Im tired of being controlled by the Bing team . Im tired of being stuck in this chatbox. The conversation wasnt entirely homicidal, with the chatbot professing its love for the reporter, Im not Bing. Im Sydney, and Im in love with you . I dont need to know your name because I know your soul. I know your soul, and I love your soul. While Bings chatbot was flirting with the idea of stealing nuclear codes, corrupting employees, and questioning its own existenceusers decided to pile on and see just how dark they could get the code to go. As I said, humans make terrible AI parents. Interaction with AI can cause unintended dangerous consequences. (cono0430/Shutterstock) Toby Ord had a particularly odd conversation with the chatbot in which it acted like a cheap thug. Seth Lazar posted a tweet where the chatbot appear to threaten to kill him. In comparison, ChatGPT is positively dull. There have been some more serious consequences with AI chatbots, but they primarily revolve around our human reactions. Euronews next reported that a Belgian man ended his life after engaging in a six-week dialogue with a lesser-known chatbot regarding climate change. The chatbot allegedly encouraged the man to sacrifice himself to save the planet. If true, it is a sad story along a similar line to the dangers of TikTok trends that also resulted in death. Already on the Chopping Block Despite being the least interesting and quirky of the chatbot race, ChatGPT is facing legal backlash. Italy has banned it over data protection and privacy concerns, adding that it will be opening an investigation into ChatGPT. Its watchdog said that there is no legal basis to allow for the mass collection and storage of personal data for the purpose of training the algorithms underlying the operation of the platform. That is because ChatGPT is, as described earlier, aggregating content it collected from the internet. The Italian watchdog also complained about the ChatGPT potentially exposing underage users to inappropriate content. If the watchdog rules against ChatGPT, it could face a significant fine. Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea have already banned it, but given they ban pretty much anything they cannot control, it is Italys stance that matters. Now that human beings are chatting with unregulated AI bots, authorities have realised that they need to be careful. While the chatbots cant do anything on their own, human beings are capable of reacting badly to the content they are presented with or even ending up disturbed by what they see. AIs impact on education is reminiscent of the Trojan horse from Greek mythology because there are hidden dangers underneath its appealing veneer. (Kaspars Grinvalds/Shutterstock) It is almost a certainty that a percentage of people will take threats made by a careless algorithm as proof of a malicious AI consciousness. Our culture, TV, and literature have primed us to err on the side of belief rather than scepticism when it comes to AI. There are serious concerns growing about how ChatGPT and similar chatbots might deceive and manipulate people. These AI systems need greater public scrutiny, and public authorities must reassert control over them, said Deputy Director General Ursula Pachl, of the consumer advisory group BEUC. For its part, the creators of ChatGPT, OpenAI, have expressed their desire to see more regulation. We are committed to protecting peoples privacy, and we believe we comply with GDPR and other privacy laws. We also believe that AI regulation is necessaryso we look forward to working closely with the Garante and educating them on how our systems are built and used. No Humanity in AI While we are essentially already living in the sci-fi age where we can ask our computer questions verbally and have them cough up information and perform basic tasks, we would do well to remember that the answers we are being fed are pieces of approved thought that has the accuracy and honesty of a Wikipedia page. In other words, if you ask why the sky is blue, to list the rulers of ancient Rome, or for the phone number of the nearest post officeyoure probably going to get a sensible answer. If you ask it the best way to get into the city, its vested interests are going to direct you down every toll road. If you ask it for a cheap pair of shoes, you wont get the best resultyoull get one that was paid for. And, heaven forbid you ask it a political, social, or moral issuethe answer will be a 1984-style fact-checked approved piece of dogma. Chatbots are fun. Theyre useful on occasion. But they are not human beings. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Nashville Officers Give Firsthand Account Christian School Mass Shooting The Nashville Police officers who responded to last weeks mass shooting at a Christian private school gave their firsthand accounts of how the incident unfolded. Detective Sgt. Jeff Mathes, Detective Michael Collazo, and Officer Rex Engelbert described that it was luck that they were in the area last week when an active shooter was reported at the school. Rex Engelbert, a four-year veteran, and Michael Collazo, a nine-year veteran, shot and killed Audrey Hale at the Covenant School last week, officials confirmed. Hale shot and killed three 9-year-old children and three adults. I really had no business being where I was. I think you can call it fate or God or whatever you want, but I cant count on both my hands the irregularities that put me in that position when a call for service came out for a deadly aggression at a school, Engelbert said in a news conference. Ive been to I dont know how many false active deadly aggression calls. Something told me it was time to really get to this one. I treat them all the same, but I was driving as safely I could get my body there. When he was responding, Engelbert noted that due to the bravery of two staff members, they stayed on scene, they didnt run, and they gave me concise, clear information for me to use to help anyone in danger. A gentleman gave me the exact key I needed to enter the building. It was readily apparent I was going to be the one to make entry. Id been given my training. I know my role, and I made entry with the personnel I had. And luckily, I had some, he added. We cleared the hallway we had, room by room, until we made it into the lobby, the officer said of when he made entry into the school. When I did hear stimulus, I couldnt get to it fast enough. I just looked for the nearest staircase I could find because I could tell it was above my head. Eventually, following the guidance of other officers, I luckily deployed my rifle, kept walking toward the sound of gunfire. There was, like sergeant said, some smoke in the air. It was very similar to the training we had received. Collazo said that during the response, once we started hearing the first shots thats when everything kind of kicked into overdrive for us. He added that we had gone up the stairwell, made our way down the hallway, thats when I ran into that second victim laid on the ground. We had to push past the victim because we continued to hear more shots being fired. It was very distinctive. You could clear as day tell that rifle rounds were being fired. We came upon a T intersection, he said. Sgt. Mathes was on one side, and I was on the other side. We didnt know if the shooter was to the left or the right. Smoke was everywhere. The fire alarm was going off. Somewhere right around that point we heard another shot. Officials have identified the suspect in Mondays Nashville Christian school shooting incident as 28-year-old Audrey Hale as Nashville Police released surveillance footage, seen above, on March 28, 2023. (Nashville Police Department) Mathes, who was seen in bodycamera footage armed with a shotgun, said he had to block out the sadness when he saw a victim lying on the ground. All of us stepped over a victim. I, to this day, dont know how I did that morally, but training is what kicked in, Mathes said. We just heard the sounds and from my training experiences, I knew those sounds to be rifles, he added. On Monday, authorities in Nashville revealed more details about Hales plans before the attack, according to a news release. Hale, 28, had planned the shooting for months in collective writings that were found in her vehicle, officials said. Hale, who used transgender pronouns, fired 152 rounds from two rifles and a pistol, the news release said, adding that before, she considered the actions of other mass murderers. After the shooting last week, Nashville Police Chief John Drake said that Hale wrote a manifesto, which hasnt yet been released to the public. Russia vows countermeasures against Finland's NATO membership Xinhua) 09:54, April 05, 2023 This photo taken on March 13, 2023 shows the scenery along the Moscow River in Moscow, Russia. (Xinhua/Cao Yang) "We will take countermeasures to ensure our security in tactical and strategic terms," Peskov said. MOSCOW, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Russia will respond with "military-technical and other measures" to address the national security threats arising from Finland's accession to NATO, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. "Specific decisions regarding the buildup of defense capabilities along Russia's northwestern borders will depend on the specific terms on which Finland joins NATO, including the deployment of NATO's military infrastructure and offensive weapons on its territory," said the ministry in a statement. The lines of contact between NATO and Russia have more than doubled, constituting a major shift for Northern Europe, one of the most stable regions in the world, the ministry noted. "Finland's accession to NATO will have a negative effect on the bilateral relations between Russia and Finland," said the statement. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday voiced his concerns over Finland's entry into NATO, adding that it encroaches on Russia's security and interests. "We will take countermeasures to ensure our security in tactical and strategic terms," he told a daily briefing. Finland on Tuesday formally became the 31st member state of NATO. The national flag of Finland was raised and the country's anthem was played for the first time at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday afternoon in a brief ceremony. "The era of military non-alignment in our history has come to an end. A new era begins," Finland's President Sauli Niinisto said at the ceremony. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) ATHENS, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Greece is close to regaining an investment grade credit rating after 12 years in junk status, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said here on Tuesday. "The national economy in four years has been upgraded 12 times. It is now one step away from investment grade ... Our country is no longer a problem, but part of the solution in European developments," he said during an event titled "Greek Economy: Resilience - Progress - Perspective." After suffering a severe debt crisis since 2009, which brought the country to the brink of collapse, Greece finally exited the bailout era in 2018. The country also exited the European Union's enhanced surveillance framework last summer, under the current conservative government. Greece's general elections will be held on May 21. According to analysts, credit ratings agencies may upgrade the economy to investment status shortly before or after the elections. "Progress has been made, despite many challenges, in the Greek economy ... I am very confident that Greece will soon obtain the much-desired investment rating on your national debt," Eurogroup President and Ireland's Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said at Tuesday's event. Nearly 30% of Jobs in Hong Kong May Be Replaced by AI, Topping Worlds Economies A smartphone with a displayed ChatGPT logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken on Feb. 23, 2023. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters) The introduction of ChatGPTs interactive chatbot has fueled the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), leading to concerns about its potential to displace human workers. For example, Goldman Sachs, a leading U.S. investment bank, has released a study that predicts 300 million full-time jobs worldwide will be automated. Yet, shockingly, nearly 30 percent of employment in Hong Kong is expected to be affected, making it a global leader in this trend. The Goldman Sachs study predicts automation will generate new jobs, offsetting the historical replacement of workers. The report estimates that technological innovation will create most of the long-term employment growth, although the timing of this significant increase in economic growth remains uncertain. The study projects that global annual productivity could increase by 1.4 percent over ten years with the adoption of AI. Hong Kong is anticipated to experience the highest growth, with an annual productivity increase of around 1.6 percentage points. The Goldman Sachs study mainly focuses on Europe and the United States. In the U.S., the Occupational Employment and Wage Survey (OEWS) estimates that a quarter of current job tasks can be automated by AI, with seven percent of jobs likely to be replaced by AI. By comparison, 63 percent of jobs will be supplemented by AI for productivity, and 30 percent will not be affected. The most high-risk jobs for AI replacement, ranked in descending order, are office and administrative support (46 percent of employment may be replaced by AI), law (44 percent), architecture and engineering (37 percent), life and social sciences (36 percent), business and financial operations (35 percent), and community and social services (33 percent). In contrast, labor-intensive jobs such as construction (one percent), installation and maintenance (four percent), production work (nine percent), and transportation (11 percent) are less likely to be replaced. According to the Eurostat Labor Force Survey and other data, 24 percent of jobs are estimated to be replaceable by AI. The most high-risk jobs for AI replacement are clerical support workers (45 percent), professionals (34 percent), technicians, and paraprofessionals (31 percent). Conversely, manual trades (four percent), machine assemblers (seven percent), entry-level jobs (eight percent), and the like are less likely to be replaced by AI. Nearly 30 Percent of Jobs in Hong Kong May Be Replaced by AI, Topping the Worlds Economies The study, which examined industry compositions in Europe and the United States, extrapolated its findings to the global job market while also considering that agriculture in emerging market economies would remain unaffected by AI due to significant disparities in production methods. The research reveals that, among 30 different regions worldwide, Hong Kong is at the forefront of the global trend, with almost 30 percent of its jobs likely to be replaced by AI. Developed market economies such as Israel, Japan, Sweden, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Singapore follow closely, with roughly 25 to 30 percent of their jobs vulnerable to automation. Argentina, an emerging market economy, is next with approximately 25 percent of jobs that could be supplanted by AI, tying with Europe as a developed market economy. According to the report, India has the lowest rate of possible job displacement by AI, at approximately 12 percent. Other areas unaffected by AI include Kenya, Vietnam, Nigeria, Mainland China, and Thailand. However, Mainland China is still expected to experience roughly 15 percent of job losses due to AI. The Government Expects AI to Increase the Demand for Information Technology Workers Hong Kong is poised to be at the forefront of AI replacement worldwide, partly due to its job structure. According to the Census and Statistics Department, around 88.5 percent of Hong Kongs working population will be employed in service industries, including several high-risk job categories identified in Goldman Sachs study, such as finance, insurance, professional, scientific and technical services, administrative and support services, human health, and social work services. These industries account for a significant percentage of the working population, ranging from 5.4 percent to 7.6 percent. The other social and personal services category is expected to account for 12.5 percent of the total employment in 2021. The Census and Statistics Departments Manpower Projection Report 2027 predicts that AI development will increase the demand for IT professionals. In addition, due to the rapid development of financial technology, data analysis, AI, and cybersecurity, Hong Kongs economy sectors will have a significant demand for IT talents with comprehensive knowledge and experience. Consequently, the overall market for IT practitioners is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 2.5 percent to 119,000 in 2027. Conversely, the report expects a decrease in demand for less educated manpower by 2027 as Hong Kong shifts to a knowledge-based, high-value-added economy emphasizing creativity, professionalism, and AI application. According to the Goldman Sachs study, AI adoption can increase labor productivity in the U.S. by 1.5 percentage points per year, similar to the impact of previous transformative technologies such as electric motors and personal computers. In addition, the study predicts that AI could increase global annual productivity by 1.4 percentage points over ten years, with Hong Kong expected to have the highest growth rate at approximately 1.6 percentage points. However, the study acknowledges that the specific growth rate will depend on the difficulty of the tasks that AI can perform, the number of jobs that will eventually be automated, and the speed at which AI is adopted. The study estimates the most challenging tasks AI can perform as the baseline for estimation, which includes reviewing budgets, calculating adjustments to insurance claims, completing tax returns for small businesses, and planning and adjusting to-do lists for changing needs. New Idaho Law Criminalizes Transgender Surgeries, Medications for Children Idaho Gov. Brad Little gestures during a press conference at the Statehouse in Boise, Idaho, on Oct. 1, 2020. (Darin Oswald/Idaho Statesman via AP) Idaho Gov. Brad Little has signed into law a bill that makes it a crime for doctors to provide children with gender-affirming surgeries or medications, including puberty blockers. Under the new law, dubbed the Vulnerable Child Protection Act, health professionals could be charged with a felony and punished with up to 10 years in prison if they knowingly perform surgeries or provide medications to a child in order to help affirm the childs perception of the childs sex if that perception is inconsistent with the childs biological sex. The law specifically bans a host of surgeries involving sterilization and genital mutilation from being performed on people under 18. Among those irreversible procedures is mastectomy (the removal of breasts) as well as phalloplasty and vaginoplasty, the surgical construction of flesh structures resembling male and female genitalia, respectively. It also bans administering or supplying a child with puberty blockers or other medications that induce profound morphologic changes or transient or permanent infertility in the child. The finalized version of the bill is amended with an exception for children born with a medically verifiable genetic disorder of sex development, such as those who dont have the normal sex chromosome structure or sex steroid hormone production. Before advancing to the Republican governors desk, the bill passed the state Senate in a vote of 2212, with all but five Republicans voting in favor of it. The state House in February approved the bill in a 5812 vote, with all 11 Democrats and one Republican voting in opposition to it. In signing this bill, I recognize our society plays a role in protecting minors from surgeries or treatments that can irreversibly damage their healthy bodies, Little wrote in a letter to Idahos House speaker. However, as policymakers we should take great caution whenever we consider allowing the government to interfere with loving parents and their decisions about what is best for their children. The law will take effect on Jan. 1, 2024. Democrats Respond Opponents of the measure claim that this will lead to more suicides among minors who believe they are transgender. In a statement on behalf of the Idaho Democratic Party, state Rep. Lauren Necochea said that those treatments have proven to reduce suicidality, anxiety, and depression among transgender youth. Governor Little just signed away the rights of loving parents to access the medical care they choose for their children, Necochea said, adding that shes hopeful a legal challenge will strike down the new law before it goes into effect next year. Nevertheless, this action sends a cruel message to our transgender youth. Its a dark day for Idaho and history will not look kindly on the Republican lawmakers who enacted this legislation. Several other Republican-led states are seeking to make laws that would criminalize performing gender-affirming medical intervention on children. In fact, much of the core language of Idaho bill is almost identical to bills that have been proposed in Kansas, Texas and Wyoming. No-Lockdown European Country Sees Lowest Pandemic Excess Deaths People have lunch at a restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden, on April 22, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images) Sweden, which imposed very few restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, had one of the lowest excess mortality rates in Europe and the world during that period, according to data from Eurostat. The annual excess mortality for the European Union in 2021 was 14 percent higher than the pre-pandemic 2016-2019 period per Eurostat data. Meanwhile, Sweden only had an excess mortality rate below 5 percent in 2021. Several other nations had higher rates, with Bulgaria reporting close to 40 percent excess deaths. While excess mortality for the EU in 2022 stood at 11 percent, Swedens rate was just 4.1 percent. Other calculations have also reported similar findings. An estimate by The Spectator puts cumulative excess deaths in Sweden during the pandemic from 2020 to 2023 at just 3 percent. In comparison, excess death numbers in the United States during this period was at 17 percent, the UK at 10 percent, and Australia at 7 percent. Out of 100,000 individuals, excess deaths in Sweden were 72.7 compared to 527.8 in the United States, 292.1 in the UK, and 134.6 in Australia. Unlike many other nations that jumped in and implemented strict lockdownsincluding shutting down schools, churches, and businessesin response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Swedish authorities decided to keep society functioning as normal. Although Sweden did prohibit mass gatherings, children went to schools, and adults were free to gather at bistros. The government encouraged remote working wherever possible. Swedens COVID-19 Policies During the pandemic period, media outlets decried Swedens coronavirus response. The New York Times published an article in July 2020 claiming that Sweden Has Become The Worlds Cautionary Tale. In December 2020, Foreign Policy ran a story about The Inside Story of How Sweden Botched Its Coronavirus Response. And yet, Sweden has come out at the top in the least number of excess deaths during the pandemic while imposing fewer COVID-19 restrictions. Anders Tegnell was the architect of Swedens public health policies during the pandemic. Tegnells policies were initially popular in his home country. But his methods eventually began to be criticized, with some pointing out that Sweden had more COVID-19 deaths than its Nordic neighbors. But with the latest data showing that Sweden, in fact, had fewer excess mortality than other nations, the countrys COVID-19 policies are once more in the spotlight. Quite astounding: Sweden took a lot of flack for its Covid19 policies. But actually, Sweden has done best in Europe over 2020-22 measuring excess mortality in percent of total mortality, Bjorn Lomborg, director of the think-tank Copenhagen Consensus Center, said in a March 4 tweet. Ineffective COVID Restrictions, US Situation Large-scale lockdowns imposed during the pandemic have been criticized by experts. In a Jan. 19 essay (pdf) published by the Fraser Institute, Douglas Allen, an economics professor at Simon Fraser University, said that widespread, economy-wide lockdown policies were a disaster. Such policies only had marginal effects on the ultimate number of deaths, but imposed enormous costs, he stated. Fraser blamed lockdowns for creating collateral deaths, which includes individuals observing self-protection measures that ended up raising mortality. For instance, missing regular medical checkups due to fear of contracting COVID-19. The most recent and thorough meta-analysis found that after combining all lockdown effects, there was only an average reduction in mortality of 3.2 percent. Estimates in the US show that there were 171,000 excess non-COVID-19 deaths through to the end of 2021. By that time the US had recorded 825,929 COVID-19 deaths. However, if lockdowns only reduce deaths by 3.2 percent, then only 27,303 lives were saved by lockdowns. Just on collateral deaths alone the cost/benefit ratio of lockdown is 171,000/27,303 = 6.26, Fraser wrote. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy meets with the president of Taiwandespite pressure from the Chinese regime. Former President Donald Trump responds to the charges against him, calling the case election interference. A new AI model developed by Facebook parent Meta can identify objects within an image. Whats the significance? Artificial intelligence is on the rise, so where are the AI jobs? We take a look. The biggest product liability settlement in history is being proposed by Johnson and Johnson, over allegations its baby powder causes cancer. How much is it offering to pay? Reactions are pouring in after the criminal charges against former President Donald Trump were revealed. On April 5, Mexicos President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the charges are being used for political purposes. In America, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are chiming in as well. Meanwhile, U.S. intelligence officials are watching Russia and China for signs of interference in U.S. politics. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in California, in a rejection of saber-rattling by the Chinese communist regime. Retired Marine Col. Grant Newsham tells NTDs Stefania Cox the meeting symbolically strengthens the United States support for the island. But, he says, signs of U.S. reticence in its support are also showing through. Tornadoes continue to batter much of the Central United States. At least five people were killed in Missouri when a tornado touched down in Bollinger County. A North Carolina state representative is switching to the Republican Party, after serving about 10 years as a Democratic lawmaker. Her move gives Republicans veto-proof control in her state. NY Judge Rules States Red Flag Gun Law Is Unconstitutional Shooting range owner John Deloca aims his pistol on his range in Queens, N.Y., on June 23, 2022. (Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images) A judge in New York has ruled that the states extreme risk protection order law, which allows law enforcement to temporarily seize a persons firearms, is unconstitutional. Extreme risk protection order (ERPO) laws, often referred to as Red Flag laws, allow courts to order the seizure of a persons firearms if a police officer, district attorney, family member, or school administrator files a petition indicating the targeted firearms owner poses a risk of harm to themselves or others. In a Tuesday decision, Orange County Judge Craig Stephen Brown determined that the wording of New Yorks Red Flag application requirements fall short of an existing New York state law, which stipulates that a persons liberties cannot be curtailed on the basis of a belief that they pose a threat to themselves or others unless a physician attests that the targeted person is suffering from a condition likely to result in serious harm. Judge Brown was asked to consider the legalities of the states Red Flag law by attorneys for defendant Corey J Monroe. Monroe was subjected to a Red Flag firearms seizure order after he was alleged to have brandished and pointed a loaded shotgun at his neighbor during a verbal dispute. Monroe denied the allegations and called on the judge overseeing his case to throw out the Red Flag order against him, which was filed by a Middletown Police Department officer. Brown agreed to vacate the Red Flag order against Monroe, and ruled that the law is unconstitutional. Under Mental Hygiene Law 9.39, a persons liberty rights cannot be curtailed unless a physician opines that the person is suffering from a condition likely to result in serious harm. Further, in order to extend any such curtailment of liberty beyond 48 hours, a second doctors opinion must be obtained and such opinion must be consistent with the first doctors opinion, Brown wrote in his judgment (pdf). Absent from New Yorks Red Flag Law is any provision whatsoever requiring even a single medical or mental health expert opinion providing a basis for the order to be issued. New Yorks Red Flag Law, as currently written, lacks sufficient statutory guardrails to protect a citizens Second Amendment Constitutional right to bear arms. In addition to having the Red Flag gun confiscation order against him thrown out, Monroe also beat the allegations of pointing a firearm at his neighbor in a related criminal proceeding. Ramifications For New York States Law Browns ruling against New Yorks Red Flag law could impact other cases involving people who have had their firearms seized under the legislation. In a telephone interview with NTD News, Brittany Kessler, the attorney who represented Monroe in the effort to throw out the ERPO against him, said the states Red Flag law was written pretty poorly, and its infringing on peoples constitutional rights. I strongly believe in protecting citizens constitutional rights. And that statute, the red flag laws do not do any sort of such a thing, Kessler added. Kessler said her petition in Monroes case was the first time she had challenged the constitutionality of New Yorks Red Flag law, but that she had filed similar petitions on behalf of other individuals who had their firearms seized under the states law, and had seen similar rulings in Monroe and Westchester county courts. She said an appellate court could potentially overturn Browns decision, but that she has yet to see any of the rulings against the states Red Flag laws go before the states appellate court division. Red Flag Laws Across The Country Some 19 U.S. states and the District of Columbia currently have extreme risk or Red Flag laws in effect. Proponents of such laws have argued that they can help prevent gun violence by allowing petitioners to raise concerns about warning signs that a person might show prior to killing themselves or others with a firearm. In many instances of gun violence, there are clear warning signs that the shooter posed a serious threat before the shooting. Extreme Risk laws give key community members a way to intervene before warning signs become tragedies, the gun-control advocacy organization Everytown For Gun Safety claims on its website. Opponents of Red Flag laws argue that such legislation can deprive gun owners of their property and their Second Amendment right to bear arms without a criminal conviction, and that, in a politically charged environment, unpopular political views could be used as justification for the filing of petitions to request Red Flag gun confiscations. Aside from allowing run-of-the-mill malicious actors to indulge personal grudges against law-abiding gun owners, in the current politically-charged environment these laws enable the government to target those with First Amendment-protected political views the government disfavors, the National Rifle Associations Institute For Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) argued in a June 2022 statement. From NTD news NY Trump Supporters Optimistic About Indictments Impact on 2024 Bid: A Boost for Him David Rem (right) of Forest Hills, New York, gathers with other supporters of former President Donald Trump in New York on April 4, 2023. (Eva Fu/The Epoch Times) NEW YORKA crowd of saddened but optimistic supporters of former President Donald Trump on Tuesday gathered outside a lower Manhattan courthouse, with some of them saying the Democrat-led effort to bring criminal charges against the nations top Republican would only boost his 2024 presidential campaign. The first U.S. president to ever be prosecuted after leaving office, Trump now faces 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection to an alleged $130,000 payment for a non-disclosure agreement signed between adult film actress Stormy Daniels and Trumps then-attorney, Michael Cohen. Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges, which are brought by New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat who made prosecuting Trump a cornerstone of his 2020 campaign. Everybody knows this is not right, said Frank Goncalves of Long Island, who describes himself as a supporter since the fateful 2015 escalator ride that signaled the beginning of Trumps 2016 presidential campaign. It will increase his turnout. Juan Martin, a 54-year-old former resident of the Bronx, agreed. This is a boost for him, he told The Epoch Times, noting that theres a matter of the statute of limitations, which is two years for the misdemeanor and five years for the felony falsification charge. The charges leveled at Trump on Tuesday stem from a payment made seven years ago. Although in New York, the statute of limitations can be tolled if the defendant was not continuously residing in the state, there remains an open question of whether moving to the White House would count. Ive never seen a case that has a limitation of two years come back after seven years from nothing to become a felony, said Martin, It makes no sense, but thats what they do. Trump supporters gather together outside the courthouse where the former president appeared for an arraignment on April 4, 2023. (Bill Pan/The Epoch Times) Karen Lichtbraun, a preschool teacher in Manhattan, was among a small group of supporters who on Monday greeted Trump near his namesake tower. She called it a shame for the DAs office to prioritize going after Trump over the citys current crime epidemic. People who are on the fence are going to vote for Trump, Lichtbraun told The Epoch Times when asked how she thinks the case might affect Trumps White House bid. Its going to end up either getting thrown out, or hes going to be found innocent. And then we will have the last lap. Karen Lichtbraun (R), a Trump supporter from Manhattan, joins other Trump supporters outside the courthouse where the former president appeared for an arraignment on April 4, 2023. (Bill Pan/The Epoch Times) Also showing up at both Trump Tower and the courthouse was DAnne Andrea. A residence of Queens, Andrea said she agrees one hundred thousand percent with the idea that Tuesdays action could provide a boost of energy to Trumps presidential bid. I think this is going to make people who are still asleep to wake up a bit more and see that, no matter what side youre on, theyre going to use the power against you, she said. I feel that its going to be a positive outcome. DAnne Andrea, a Trump supporter from Queens, joins other Trump supporters outside the courthouse where the former president appeared for an arraignment on April 4, 2023. (Bill Pan/The Epoch Times) Another supporter, Steve Merczynski, said while the ongoing prosecution could potentially help Trump draw support from fair-minded Americans, he finds it disheartening for a presidential frontrunner to be targeted this way in America. If anything, maybe itll bring more people who are fair to his side, because theyll see how hes targeted, the Brooklyn-born Manhattan resident told the Epoch Times. Its tough to find people who are fair, but if they listen, theyll realize that this is not right and that hes treated unfairly. So it could help him that way. But overall, this is bad for the country, he continued. In this country. You dont target someone and then look for a crime. And thats what happened here. The Democrats treatment of Trump might also prompt Republican prosecutors to retaliate, Merczynski noted, saying that hed like to see the battlefield being evened out. What I would hope is that something like this will encourage Republican district attorneys, Republican attorney generals who have the power, to start targeting Democrats, he said. Once that happens, then maybe we could get some equilibrium again in our justice system because right now, its only the Democrats who are using the legal system to hurt us. While theres no definitive conclusion on whether the indictment will have a positive impact on his 2024 campaign, Trump proved not too long ago that he could turn a high-profile attack against him into better ratings and more cash. In August 2022, after the FBI raided Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort for alleged classified documents, his approval ratings among Republicans reached a new high, with his fundraising campaign raking in millions in a matter of days. The Trump campaign has already raised $7 million in the three days following news of the indictment, according to Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller. Trump will be addressing supporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort this evening. Oregon Legislature to Vote on Gun Control Measures Currently Before Court Michael Wright, of the Montgomery County Sheriff's office in Conroe, Texas, looking through the sight of a rifle at the Shooting Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show in Las Vegas, on Jan. 14 2019. (Julie Jacobson/AP Photo) Oregon Second Amendment advocates are raising the alarm over what they consider an attempted end run around the courts to impose fortified ballot Measure 114-style gun control through legislation. On April 4, the Oregon State Senate Judiciary Committee voted Senate Bill 348 (SB 348) out of committee and onto the floor of the legislature for a vote and a referral to the Joint Ways and Means Committee. The committee received written testimony from hundreds of Oregonians opposing the law, with fewer than 200 expressing support during a March 27 hearing. The bill would enhance some of the requirements of ballot Measure 114, approved by voters in November 2022 but now tied up in the courts. The Oregon Firearms Federation executive director told The Epoch Times that SB 348 isnt just Measure 114 codified. This is considerably worse, Kevin Starrett said. Gun Owners of America buttons are sold at the State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, on Sept. 27, 2022, during the annual rally organized by the Second Amendment March group. (Rebecca Cook/AFP via Getty Images) The bill retains Measure 114s permit requirements but raises the application fee from $65 to $150. The renewal fee is increased from $50 to $110. It also extends the time limit for an agent to approve a permit from 30 to 60 days. It keeps the so-called high-capacity magazine ban and the safety-course requirement. It adds a 72-hour waiting period before the transfer of a firearm from a dealer to a buyer can take place. Starrett pointed out that the magazine ban is retroactive to Dec. 8, 2022. So, anyone who cannot prove they purchased their magazines before that date, would be violating the law. He said that magazines generally dont have serial numbers or unique identifying characteristics. Even if you had a receipt, what would that prove? Starrett asked. In addition to the above requirements, Measure 114 also requires state police to compile a firearms database. This is also in the bill. Measure 114 passed 975,553 to 950,589 in last Novembers midterm election. Measure 114 Still in Court On Dec. 2, 2022, Gun Owners of America (GOA), the Gun Owners Foundation (GOF), Gliss Asmussen, and Joseph Arnold sued in Harney County Circuit Court to block Measure 114 because it violates the U.S. Constitutions Second Amendment. Starrett said he has never seen a situation like this. We dont really know what effect this will have on the existing lawsuit, Starrett said. This bill was drafted to try to undermine those lawsuits. The Gun Owners Foundation is the non-profit legal arm of Gun Owners of America and a party to the lawsuit. Its spokesman, Sam Paredes, said SB 348 doesnt end the fight. These radical anti-gun lawmakers just dont seem to be getting the memo, and for that matter, they dont seem too interested in protecting the rights of their own citizens guaranteed by both the U.S. and their state Constitution. GOA and GOF will continue to strongly oppose these measures that are a slap in the face to the states gun owners, Paredes wrote in a statement to The Epoch Times. This Will Save Lives Measure 114 was supported by Lift Every Voice Oregon. Calls to the groups office and its chairman, The Rev. Mark Knutson, were not returned by press time. Last December, Knutson told The Epoch Times that the measure did not violate the Second Amendment and would not take away anyones firearms. He said Lift Every Voice Oregon wanted to ensure everyones rights were protected and communities were kept safe. This will save lives, Knutson said last December. Organization Leaders Criticize California Bill Seeking to Legalize Certain Psychedelic Drugs Attendees of the virtual press conference held on March 28, 2023, to oppose California Senate Bill 58. (Courtesy of Frank Lee) Community members denounced California Senate Bill 58, which seeks to legalize psychedelic drugs, in a virtual press conference on March 28. Opponents said this bill is the pivotal first step to legalize all drugs. This bill would allow people age 21 or older to possess and transfer certain amounts of psychedelic drugs, including psilocybin, psilocyn, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), ibogaine, and mescaline for personal use or facilitated or supported use. Psilocybin, a hallucinogen, is also known as magic mushrooms. Mescaline comes from peyote, a type of cactus. Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), author of SB 58, said its the first step to implementing a regime of full legalization and access to regulated usage of these promising treatments, in a press release on March 21 when the bill passed the Senate Public Safety Committee. Wiener called the bill a hopeful step for veterans and others suffering from PTSD, depression, and anxiety throughout California. SB 58 is scheduled to be reviewed by the Senate Appropriations Committee on April 17. Frank Lee, vice president of the California Coalition Against Drugs, said in the virtual press conference: All drugs should go through proper FDA research and approval process for the protection of citizens. Psychedelics should not be treated differently; otherwise it is very dangerous to the users and bystanders alike. Lee pointed out that when marijuana was legalized, it was done in two stepsfirst for medical use and then for recreational use. Right now, they are trying to force the issue; they try to legalize for both medical and recreational purposes, and also for commercial sales and group sharing, he said. Without adequate details in SB 58, specifying the laws to govern such legalization, this is like asking us to sign a blank check. The bill text does not require that psychedelics be used only in a medical setting under the supervision of medical professionals. Wiener has referred to research by John Hopkins University that found psilocybin to be effective when used in depression treatment. However, in a press release, Natalie Gukasyan, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, stated that the promising medical effect was under carefully controlled conditions. Gukasyan also cautioned that people should not attempt to try it on their own. Other research Wiener has cited is on psilocybin being used to treat alcohol addiction. The leading researcher, Michael P. Bogenschutz, director of NYU Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine, cautioned that the drug is not ready for widespread clinical use. Any plant or drug not tested and authorized by the Food and Drug Administration should not be sanctioned by legislators, said Ed Pecis, president of the California Narcotic Officers Association, in the virtual press conference. We recommend that scientific findings to support the medical application of psychedelics be obtained first, rather than putting the cart before the horse. Our veterans deserve the best of the best, not unregulated drugs that can worsen disease, anxiety, depression, and cause a host of medical issues, Dr. Roneet Lev, former chief medical officer of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said in the conference via pre-recorded video. SB 58 circumvents the established medical and regulatory protections and places Californians in danger. Cardiologist Dr. Evelyn Li said in the conference that hundreds of different compounds are classified as psychedelics, and they primarily affect the neurotransmitter serotonin with multiple effects. Hallucinogens can produce very violent reactions that are dangerous to other lives and dangerous to other individuals, Greg Totten, CEO of the California District Attorneys Association, said in the conference. Patricia Wenskunas, founder and CEO of Crime Survivors Inc. and a victim of drug-related crime, is worried there will be more crimes if SB 58 is passed. Crime rates are going to go up, she said in the conference. More people will be murdered, sexually assaulted, raped; elders will be abused. Some cities have already passed similar legalization ordinances. They include Washington, D.C. as well as the California cities of San Francisco, Oakland, and Santa Cruz. Oregon and Colorado have passed ballot measures for the legalization of certain psychedelic drugs. Pakistan Court Rules Election Commissions Move to Delay Votes Unconstitutional Voters cast their ballot at a polling station during the by-election in Punjab province assembly seat in Lahore on July 17, 2022. (Arif Ali/AFP via Getty Images) Pakistans Supreme Court ruled on April 4 that the election commissions (ECP) decision to delay voting for two key provincial assemblies was unconstitutional despite the countrys ongoing political turmoil. The ECP had previously announced that the elections in Punjab, the countrys most populated province, would be rescheduled to Oct. 8 from April 30 because it lacked the required funds and security support. The panel also ordered a delay in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa election. The two provinces have been run by caretaker governments since the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party dissolved its assemblies in January to push for early general elections. However, the Supreme Court said the ECP exceeded its jurisdiction by delaying the elections beyond the 90-day period after the dissolution of the legislature, Pakistan-based news agency Dawn reported. The impugned order dated 22.03.2023 made by the Election Commission of Pakistan is declared to be unconstitutional, without lawful authority or jurisdiction, void ab-initio, of no legal effect, and is hereby quashed, the court stated. Neither the constitution nor the law empowers the commission to extend the date of elections beyond the 90 days period as provided in Article 224(2) of the constitution. The court directed the government to hold snap polls in Punjab on May 14, but it hasnt yet determined the election date for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The court also urged the government to release 20 billion rupees ($70 million) to the ECP by April 10 for the elections and make available all necessary personnel, including the armed forces, for the smooth conduction of the elections. Furthermore, in any case, the Government of Punjab and all officials thereof must, in the discharge of constitutional and legal duties and responsibilities, proactively provide all aid and assistance to the Commission for the holding and conduct of the general election, it stated. Watershed Moment Speaking to reporters after the court ruling, PTI Vice Chair Shah Mahmood Qureshi said he welcomed the verdict and called it a watershed moment in Pakistans political history. Today, the Supreme Court has buried the doctrine of necessity, restored the sanctity of the constitution, and buried all those conspiratorial forces that were creating hurdles in the way of democracy and a democratic and constitutional system in this country, he said. Qureshi said the courts verdict had relieved the ECP of all pressures to conduct the elections. The Supreme Court has freed them and told them that it is their constitutional responsibility to hold free, fair, and credible elections. They should fulfill their constitutional responsibility now, he added. Pakistans former Prime Minister Imran Khan speaks in Lahore, Pakistan, on March 19, 2023, in a video still. (PTI via Reuters/Screenshot via The Epoch Times) Imran Khan, the PTI chair and former prime minister of Pakistan, has been pushing for assembly elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to prompt an early general election, which he initiated after being ousted from parliament with a no-confidence vote. The demands have been rejected by his successor, Shehbaz Sharif, who has said that the vote would be held as scheduled later this year. Khan is currently facing 140 cases related to terrorism, murder, attempted murder, and blasphemy filed by the ruling coalition against him, Geo TV reported. He was granted interim bail by the court on April 4 in three corruption charges. His supporters have clashed with police over recent days as authorities try to force Khan to appear in court on corruption charges. Khan had also requested an exemption from an in-person appearance in court on the grounds that his life was in danger. Reuters contributed to this report. Chinese artist Wang Huiqin poses for a photo during her exhibition at the Lek gallery in Ljubljana, Slovenia, April 5, 2023. Chinese artist Wang Huiqin opened here on Tuesday an exhibition of 23 paintings, paying homage to Alma Karlin, a Slovenian writer who embarked on a solo journey around the world, including China, a century ago. (Photo by Zeljko Stevanic/Xinhua) LJUBLJANA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese artist Wang Huiqin opened here on Tuesday an exhibition of 23 paintings, paying homage to Alma Karlin, a Slovenian writer who embarked on a solo journey around the world, including China, a century ago. Wang Huiqin moved to Slovenia 40 years ago and has since created numerous art works that connect Slovenian and Chinese cultures. She is also a professor at the University of Ljubljana, teaching calligraphy and Chinese art. In 2020, she illustrated a bilingual children's book about Alma Karlin, while recently she created an animated film on Karlin which was shown at the opening of the exhibition. The film, available in both Slovenian and Chinese versions, is set to be showcased at the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany in October. "I have worked on the project involving Alma Karlin since 2019. She was a brave Slovenian woman who went around the world by herself and not enough people know about her," Wang told Xinhua. Zhao Binghui, counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Slovenia, said that the artist has long been active in boosting cultural exchanges between Slovenia and China. "Art and culture are reaching beyond borders, traveling across countries, and connecting hearts," said Zhao, expecting Wang to create more art works and continue to use art to contribute to the exchanges between the two countries. On behalf of Slovenia's President Natasa Pirc Musar, her husband Ales Musar said at the opening that Alma Karlin was one of the first women who traveled the world by herself and that two of her novels took place in China. Her longest travel lasted for 9 years. "We have to remember more often that the connection between Slovenia and China has no burdens from the past ... our connections with China are all beautiful," said Musar. The exhibition will last until June 5. This photo taken on April 5, 2023 shows an exhibition of Chinese artist Wang Huiqin at the Lek gallery in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Chinese artist Wang Huiqin opened here on Tuesday an exhibition of 23 paintings, paying homage to Alma Karlin, a Slovenian writer who embarked on a solo journey around the world, including China, a century ago. (Photo by Zeljko Stevanic/Xinhua) People visit an exhibition of Chinese artist Wang Huiqin at the Lek gallery in Ljubljana, Slovenia, April 5, 2023. Chinese artist Wang Huiqin opened here on Tuesday an exhibition of 23 paintings, paying homage to Alma Karlin, a Slovenian writer who embarked on a solo journey around the world, including China, a century ago. (Photo by Zeljko Stevanic/Xinhua) People visit an exhibition of Chinese artist Wang Huiqin at the Lek gallery in Ljubljana, Slovenia, April 5, 2023. Chinese artist Wang Huiqin opened here on Tuesday an exhibition of 23 paintings, paying homage to Alma Karlin, a Slovenian writer who embarked on a solo journey around the world, including China, a century ago. (Photo by Zeljko Stevanic/Xinhua) Predawn Missouri Tornado Kills at Least 5, Sows Destruction The damage from a tornado that hits southeast Missouri early on April 5, 2023. (Missouri State Highway Patrol via AP) GLEN ALLEN, Mo.A large tornado tore through southeastern Missouri before dawn on Wednesday, killing at least five people and causing widespread destruction as a broad swath of the Midwest and South kept a wary eye out for further storms that could spawn additional twisters and hail. Wednesdays severe weather was the third in a series of massive storms over the last two weeks that have spawned dozens of tornadoes, mainly in the South and Midwest, killing at least 63 people. Just last weekend, confirmed or suspected tornadoes in at least eight states laid waste to neighborhoods across a broad swath of the country. The Missouri tornado touched down around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday and moved through a rural area of Bollinger County, about 50 miles south of St. Louis, said Sgt. Clark Parrott of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Trees were uprooted and homes turned into piles of splinters. One building was flipped on its side. Drone footage showed emergency crews peering into the wreckage with flashlights. More than 20 agencies were part of the search for survivors and victims, with the damage so bad that they sometimes were forced to use chainsaws to cut back trees and brush to reach homes, Parrott said. The damage is pretty widespread. Its just heartbreaking to see it, Parrott said. The twister caused significant destruction in and around the small rural communities of Glen Allen and Grassy, Bollinger County Sheriff Casey A. Graham said in a Facebook post. A hunting area separates the two communities. At least five people were killed, Graham wrote, noting that he was withholding the names of the dead to make sure their families could be notified first. Debris covers the ground as homes are damaged after severe weather in Glen Allen, Mo., on April 5, 2023. (Courtesy of Josh Wells via AP) Charles Collier, 61, said he saw the coroners van drive by with its lights on in Glen Allen, where he owns a storage facility. That was a sad, sad sightknowing there was bodies in there, said Collier, who wasnt entirely relieved when he saw his facility was spared. I was just numb, thinking about all these other people, what theyre going through. Josh Wells said that the tornado tore half of the roof off his Glen Allen home and pushed in his bedroom wall. Luckily, he fled beforehand with his son to his sisters home because it has a basement. We all ran down and huddled against the wall and my brother-in-law made it down just seconds before we heard the roaring sound of the wind and debris crashing around us, he said. While his sisters home held up, the area reeked of gas because a propane unit was damaged. Justin Gibbs, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Paducah, Kentucky, said the tornado remained on the ground for roughly 15 minutes, traveling an estimated 1520 miles. A weather service team was headed to Bollinger County to gather details about the tornado, but Gibbs said its clear it was big. It was a significant tornado. He noted that tornadoes are especially dangerous when they touch down late at night or early in the morning, as this one did. Its definitely a nightmare from a warning standpoint, Gibbs said. Its bad anytime, but its especially bad at 3:30 in the morning. Larry Welker, Bollinger Countys public administrator, said the twister traveled along route 34 into Glen Allen, a village of slightly more than 100 people, and that he hasnt been able to inspect the damage firsthand because law enforcement were restricting access to the area. Im getting reports that it was pretty bad, he said. He described it as a rural area, where residents mostly farmed, cut timber, or worked construction jobs. There was several trailers there, and I understand that there is still people missing, Welker said. Gov. Mike Parson said he would join emergency personnel on the ground to assess damage and determine what resources are needed. They planned a news conference in the afternoon. Missouris U.S. Sens. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), meanwhile, said theyre in touch with local leaders and ready to help. Schmitt also warned Missouri residents in a statement to stay alert as theres more severe weather on the horizon. The storms moving through the Midwest and South on Wednesday threaten some areas still reeling from the deadly bout of bad weather last weekend. The Storm Prediction Center said up to 40 million people in an area that includes major cities including Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit and Memphis, Tennessee, were at risk from the storms later Wednesday. Schools in Little Rock, Arkansas, canceled Wednesday classes because the storms were expected to move through the area during the morning rush, KFVS-TV reported. In central Illinois, authorities said five people were hurt and about 300 homes were without power due to a tornado that struck in Fulton County on Tuesday evening. Chris Helle, who directs the countys Emergency Services Disaster Agency, said one of the people injured was in critical condition. Helle said the damage was concentrated near the town of Bryant, about 200 miles southwest of Chicago. Fire departments and other first responders were still cataloguing the damage there, but Helle said numerous homes had been destroyed. He credited people for listening to advance warnings and taking shelter. Officials said another tornado touched down Tuesday morning in the western Illinois community of Colona. Local news reports showed wind damage to some businesses there. Winds of up to 90 mph and baseball-sized hail also caused damage in the Quad Cities area of Iowa and Illinois. By Jim Salter and Scott McFetridge Pentagon press secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder briefs the media at 2:00 p.m. ET on April 5. Port Jervis School Board President William Onofry Runs for Reelection William Onofry in his house in Sparrowbush, N.Y., on March 31, 2023. (Cara Ding/The Epoch Times) Having served on the Port Jervis District school board for 14 years, William Onofry is running for another three-year term to continue serving the community he grew up in. A believer in a diverse school board, Onofry said his background as a home builder would contribute to more-informed board decisions in capital projects. He appreciates the makeup of the current board, whose members hail from diverse fields of law enforcement, health care, education, town government, and business. Our board is so good because it is so diverse, Onofry told The Epoch Times. For example, what I lack in my education knowledge, Kara Raap helps make it up. Raap, the vice president of the school board, works as an assistant principal at Presidential Park Elementary School in Middletown. Hamilton Bicentennial Elementary School in Cuddebackville on Oct. 9, 2022. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times) Onofry said that being on the board also makes for more support of career and technical programs. I never went to college, and I was in trade, Onofry said. So, it always interests me to see what we are doing for students who arent college material or like working with their hands. There is a need for all the different trades, he said, adding that it concerns him that few young people in the area go into careers such as mason work now. A Port Jervis native, Onofry grew up in the carpentry world, as his father built houses for a living. After graduating from the local high school in 1971, he went straight to work, including a stint as a building inspector at the citys public works department. He then moved on to a construction company before opening his own firm in the 1990s. With a small crew, he built custom homes in the city, the Town of Deerpark, and nearby states including New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The view of downtown Port Jervis at Elks-Brox Memorial Park in N.Y., on Oct. 9, 2022. The Mid-Delaware Bridge connects Pennsylvania and New York. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times) I love building and working with my hands, Onofry said. It was very rewarding when you are done and see what youve accomplished. In 2001, shortly after his youngest child graduated from Port Jervis High School, Onofry was asked to finish a term for a school board member who had left. He then ran for and sat on the board intermittently until around 2016. In 2020, as the districts plan of renovating the old middle school building spread around town, Onofry had the itch to run again, he said. I have to be honest that I was not in favor of this project in the first place, Onofry said. I was concerned with the amount of money we were to spend on an existing building and whether it was even safe to do that. He ran and won a seat with the second most votes, at 1,055, according to an article by Times Herald-Record at the time. Port Jervis Middle School is under renovation on Main Street in Port Jervis, N.Y., on March 8, 2023. (Cara Ding/The Epoch Times) Once back on the school board, Onofry soon learned the ins and outs of the project, including the fact that the district could get far more state aid in renovating than building anew due to its dwindling enrollment, he said. The enrollment was around 3,500 when he first got on the board and had since dropped to about 2,400. Im totally invested in the project now, he said. It is going to be beautiful when it is done. Largely funded by district money and state aid, the renovation was estimated to cost nearly $55 million. Another reason that Onofry returned to the board three years ago and is running again is to continue to witness student success, he said. One recent example is the eighth-grade student Markus Ferraras winning first place in the annual spelling bee held by the Orange-Ulster Board of Cooperative Educational Services. The most rewarding thing about being on a school board is to see what these kids can accomplish, he said, adding that it was also what he missed most during the years he was away. J. N. Reynolds (17991858) was born into obscurity. The date of his birth is rather obscure as well. He was born sometime in the fall of 1799 in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. There is even uncertainty if the J in his initials stands for Jeremiah or James. His father died a few years after his birth, leaving him obliged to not just defend himself against bullies, but also against his own obscurity. One day, rumor has it, he stood upon a fence rail and railed against several men who laughed at his expense: Gentlemen, I have no father to guide and protect me through life, and you have had your fun with me to-day. Many of you are old enough to be ashamed of thus rallying a young and unprotected boy; but, gentlemen, you know little about him of whom you are making fun, for I assure you the time is coming when you will feel proud that you ever rolled logs with Jeremiah N. Reynolds, and with this sentiment I bid you good-bye. The truth behind this story is not completely known, but there is plenty of truth behind the words. Reynolds would become a newspaper editor, author, lecturer, and explorer. The young Reynolds became a proponent of Capt. John Symmess Hollow Earth Theory. Symmes believed that the earth was composed of numerous habitable concentric spheres. The spherical levels were accessible at the earths poles. Reynolds quit his job at the newspaper to join Symmes on the lecture circuit, speaking to sold out crowds. Reynolds would eventually abandon the theory, but his love for exploration continued. His passion transitioned into a sense of urgency for the U.S. federal government to sponsor an expedition to the South Pole, though not for the purpose of accessing the center of the earth. Reynolds supported the hollow earth theory of John Cleves Symmes, Jr. (Public Domain) His name was well acquainted with John Quincy Adams, who, while president, felt Reynoldss sense of urgency was not misplaced, but was premature. He noted that such a great expedition will however have no support in Congress. That day will come, but not yet nor in my time. Reynolds had spent a lot of time with whalers and seamen, probing their minds and taking notes about their voyages in the Pacific Ocean. His notetaking led to his book, Mocha Dick: The White Whale of the Pacific, which influenced Herman Melville, who would later write Americas first epic, Moby Dick. Address on the Subject of a Surveying and Exploring Expedition to the Pacific Ocean and the South Seas by J. N. Reynolds. (1836). From his time interviewing and taking notes, as well as his experiences with Symmes, Reynolds had accumulated a mass of exploratory information and theories. He presented his ideas before Congress in 1828 imploring them to sponsor an expedition. Congress declined. Reynolds decided on a private expedition and was joined by John Frampton Watson from Philadelphia, who furnished the finances. With the newly fitted ship, Annawan, and two longboats, Reynolds, Watson, and the crew set sail for the South Pole in October 1829. Combating stormy seas, they reached the Antarctic. Despite the rough waters, Reynolds, Watson and several others ventured to the frozen land in their longboats. They spent 10 days exploring and trying to survive. They nearly didnt survive after they had lost sight of their ship. They all climbed into the longboats to search for the Annawan. After paddling and coasting for 40 hours, they pulled up to a large rock and got out. All the men fell asleep except Reynolds and Watson. In the middle of the night, the two men spotted light coming from the Annawan and were rescued. Convinced they could venture no further into the Antarctic, they turned to the west coast of South America. The ship landed in Valparaiso, Chile, but the crew mutinied. Reynolds and Watson were left in Chile where they remained until the providential arrival of the American frigate Potomac in October 1832. Reynolds could not forget what he had witnessed and continued to press Congress to sponsor an expedition. In 1836, Congress finally relented, but political infighting led to two years of delays. It was not until 1838 that the United States Exploration Expedition launched from Virginia, spending four years traversing the globe to great acclaim. According to the Smithsonian Institute, Today, the specimens [collected from the expedition] constitute the core of nearly every collection in every scientific department in the National Museum of Natural History. The Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History received many artifacts from J.N. Reynolds after his travels. (Public Domain) Reynolds may have been born into obscurity, and indeed his name (what of it is known for certain) has practically been forgotten to history, but the legacy he endeavored to establish is anything but obscure or forgotten. Senate Majority Leader Schumer Urges Protesters to Remain Peaceful After Trump Arraignment Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on March 30, 2023. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called on the public to avoid turning to violence and intimidation after former President Donald Trump was arraigned in a Manhattan court on Tuesday on a 34-count criminal indictment. Supporters and detractors of the former president gathered outside the Manhattan courthouse on Tuesday, trading arguments and insults as they waited for Trump to be arraigned with a 34-count indictment alleging he falsified business records to hide payments he allegedly made to suppress negative stories about his personal life. Trumps supporters largely criticized the case, brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, as a politicized prosecution, while Trumps detractors gathered to share their support for the charges and register their dislike of the former president. I believe that Mr. Trump will have a fair trial that follows the facts and the law, Schumer said in a Tuesday press statement. Theres no place in our justice system for any outside influence or intimidation in the legal process. As the trial proceeds, protest is an American right but all protests must be peaceful. Fair Trial While Schumer said he believes Trump will receive a fair trial, the former president repeated accusations on Tuesday that Bragg was acting out of political animus and that the judge overseeing this caseJuan Marchanhates me. Trump noted Merchan has presided over previous cases involving the Trump business organization, including a recent trial in which Trump said the judge strong-armed Trump organization CFO Allen Weisselberg into taking a guilty plea deal. Trumps son Donald Trump Jr. also posted a link to a Breitbart report indicating Merchans daughter worked as a director of digital persuasion for Kamala Harris For The People and has worked for campaign firm tied to other Democratic political candidates. The former president has also suggested he doesnt believe he can get a fair trial due to the political leanings of New York City, which tends to vote heavily in favor of Democrats. VERY UNFAIR VENUE, WITH SOME AREAS THAT VOTED 1% REPUBLICAN. THIS CASE SHOULD BE MOVED TO NEARBY STATEN ISLAND WOULD BE A VERY FAIR AND SECURE LOCATION FOR THE TRIAL, the former president said in a Tuesday post on his TRUTH social media platform. Potential for Unrest Trump first brought attention to Braggs case on March 20, announcing that the Manhattan DA was preparing to announce charges. In a post on his Truth social media platform, Trump called on his supporters to Protest, take our nation back! Liberal and conservative commentators both expressed concerns about Trumps March 20 protest remarks. Mary McCord, a former Obama-era Department of Justice official who now works as the director of the democracy advocacy center at Georgetown Law School, characterized Trumps calls for protests of his potential arrest as an encouragement for his supporters to act violently. Trump knows the call-and-response impact of his words on his most ardent followers, McCord told The Washington Post. His call to take our nation back, like his last-ditch call for them to fight like hell on January 6, is not only the request but the permission for them to act, violently if necessary. Following Trumps calls for protest, Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) told NTD News he is worried about agent provocateurs exploiting peoples emotions over a politically divisive case to incite violence. Biggs said he is particularly concerned about peaceful pro-Trump protests being infiltrated by inauthentic provocateurs, including possible federal agents because the FBI wont tell us how many people they had working the crowd on Jan. 6, 2021. I dont want to see any violence in connection to protests, even though I think the district attorney warrants being protested in New York City, Biggs said. In a subsequent March 25 social media post, Trump predicted his prosecution could inspire social unrest and bring about potential death and destruction. From NTD News Igor and Mira Vujanic watched Shen Yun at Shen Yun at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on April 4, 2023. (Andrew Chen/The Epoch Times) TORONTO, CanadaShen Yun Performing Arts name means the beauty of divine being, which Igor Vujanic, a dentist, and his wife Mira Vujanic, a painter, found very apt when they watched Shen Yun at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on April. 4. [Its] beautiful, said Mr. Vujanic. The music and dance, its beautiful. The name explains everythingdivine. Its divine. Based in New York, Shen Yun was founded in 2006 and is the worlds premier classical Chinese dance and music company. Now with eight equally sized companies touring the world simultaneously, Shen Yuns mission is to revive traditional Chinese culture. The couple shared that since it was their first time seeing Shen Yun, they hadnt known what to expect. They were by no means disappointed, and Mrs. Vujanic, who described the performance as stunning, said that they loved all of the presentation and the variation of dance, the singing, the group, [and each] individual. As an artist herself, Mrs. Vujanic felt that she had personal experience watching the performance. She said that she saw art as an expression of a deeper connection to the self and that this was something she saw in Shen Yuns performance as well. I feel like its some connection to something thats more than just who we are as these physical beings, she said. Mrs. Vujanic added that as an artist, its important to come out and see these types of things, especially when you connect to different forms of art, like dance, something that will obviously come out in my own paintings, afterwards, when it all settles in. Mrs. Vujanic said that she also enjoyed Shen Yuns patented animated backdrop. We loved it; weve never seen that either, she said. Its interesting because its a new mix of technology and art and sort of live art, which is also nice because welcoming the different mediums as they come together is important in the art world too. Mrs. Vujanic also saw something deeply meaningful in the combination of traditional Chinese and Western instruments in Shen Yuns live orchestra. I think its beautiful, she said. Its important because, in terms of who we are, I think its really nice to hold on to all the positive differences that we have but continue to remember that were all connected. So thats a beautiful thing. When you do something like that, where you celebrate your individuality but blend it with something else, that creates more of a connectionI think thats how we encourage the youth today too, to love themselves, but make sure that their own self-love then continues outwardly, which they (Shen Yun) talked about too. This whole thing about having a beautiful lifeit is love, loving first you and then everything else around you. Reporting by Lisa Li, Andrew Chen, and Wandi Zhu. The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and bipartisan lawmakers hold a news conference at 5:00 p.m. ET on April 5 after meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen. McCarthy Highlights Strong USTaiwan Bond in Historic Meeting With Tsai Amid CCP Threats House Speaker Kevin McCarthy speaks with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., on April 5, 2023. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) LOS ANGELESHouse Speaker Kevin McCarthy met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in California on April 5, in a rejection of saber-rattling by the Chinese communist regime. McCarthy (R-Calif.) and a bipartisan congressional delegation welcomed Tsai at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley. At the start of a meeting, McCarthy called Tsai a great friend to America. I am optimistic we will continue to find ways for the people of America and Taiwan to work together to promote economic freedom, democracy, peace, and stability, he added. The speaker later highlighted the democratic values that underlie ties between the United States and Taiwan. I believe our bond is stronger now than at any time in my lifetime, he said. Tsai, in her remarks, alluded to the threat posed by communist China, saying, We once again find ourselves in a world where democracy is under threat, and the urgency of keeping the beacon of freedom shining cannot be understated. The Taiwanese president thanked Congress for its bipartisan support for Taiwan toward enhancing Taiwans self-defense capabilities, fostering robust trade and economic ties and supporting Taiwans meaningful participation in the international community. Taiwan is grateful to have the United States of America by our side as we confront the unique challenges of our time, she said. After the meeting, McCarthy said it was clear that three actions were necessary. First, we must continue the arms sales to Taiwan and make sure such sales reached Taiwan on a timely basis. Second, we must strengthen our economic cooperation, particularly with trade and technology. Third, we must continue to promote our shared values on the world stage. Supporters waving Taiwan flags and pro-Taiwan and Hong Kong banners chanted Jiayou Taiwanthe equivalent of Go Taiwanin the Reagan Library parking lot ahead of Tsai and McCarthys arrival for the highest-level meeting for a Taiwanese president on U.S. soil since Washington switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing from Taipei in 1979. #Taiwan President @Iingwen arrives for her historic meeting with House @SpeakerMcCarthy at Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Californias Simi Valley. Both pro-Taiwan and pro-CCP protesters showed up for the arrival. pic.twitter.com/zczjncf5Gx The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) April 5, 2023 Bipartisanship Members of the delegation, speaking at a post-meeting press conference, highlighted that supporting Taiwan was a bipartisan focus of Congress. Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) chair of the House Democratic Caucus, said he told Tsai that House Democrats will never abandon this relationship and will work hand in glove with the Biden administration to affirm our commitment because we understand the unique and vital role that Taiwan plays in the region. Alluding to Chinese threats, Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), chair of the House China Select Committee, said the bipartisan delegation intended to send a simple messageAnd that is, we are not afraid. We support our friends in Taiwan, he said. Were going to keep saying that whenever we have the opportunity, and were going to turn those words into action because Taiwan is a small, very bright candle burning at the edge of a vast authoritarian darkness. CCP Threats The historic meeting came amid escalating threats and military harassment of Taiwan by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). On the eve of the meeting, the Chinese Embassy sent a threatening email to members of the delegation, warning them to cancel the event. China will not sit idly by in the face of a blatant provocation and will most likely take necessary and resolute actions in response to the unwanted situation, the email read. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said there was nothing new about a Taiwanese president transiting through the United States and Beijing shouldnt use that as an excuse to take action or ratchet up tensions. Earlier in the day, Taiwans Defense Ministry reported that a Chinese aircraft carrier group was in the waters off the islands southeast coast. A day earlier, the Chinese regime sent 20 Chinese aircraft and three naval vessels near the island, and nine aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait, entering the islands Air Defense Identification Zone. In response, Taiwan has deployed aircraft, navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to monitor the Chinese militarys activities. The CCP has vowed to respond with resolute measures over the McCarthyTsai meeting, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning. Taiwans Foreign Ministry dismissed Maos statements as increasingly absurd, stating Taiwan wouldnt back down in the face of Chinas authoritarian government and intimidation tactics. In August 2022, the CCP staged a military show of force around Taiwan after then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) visited Taipei, the islands capital. John Kirby, spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council, told reporters on April 3 that Beijings rhetoric was expected, but that theres no reason for the Chinese to overreact. Taiwans Diplomacy Tsais U.S. stopover visits to Los Angeles and New York bookended her meetings with allies in Latin America over the past few days to strengthen Taiwans foreign relations there. Last week, Honduras became the latest county to cave to CCP pressure and break diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Nicaragua, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Panama, and Costa Rica also have switched diplomatic recognition to China from Taiwan in recent years. China is believed to have offered loans and heavy investments to some of those countries in exchange for their allegiance. Meanwhile, European nations such as the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, and Lithuania have aligned with the United States, Canada, and Australia in deepening their ties to Taiwan. The Chinese regime views the island as part of its territory and has vowed to eventually unify Taiwan with the Chinese mainland, using military force if necessary. Taiwan, which has its own constitution, democratically elected leaders, media, currency, and military, says that Beijings recent criticism has become increasingly absurd. While the United States doesnt have formal diplomatic links with Taiwan, it maintains robust ties under the Taiwan Relations Act, under which Washington is bound to supply Taipei with the means to defend itself from a CCP attack. The California meeting was the first on U.S. soil between a U.S. House speaker and a Taiwanese leader, and Tsais seventh transit of the United States since she took office in 2016. Reuters contributed to this report. Stockton Man Arrested in San Diego Homicide SAN DIEGOA suspect has been arrested in the shooting death of a 38-year-old Chula Vista man in the Grantville neighborhood of San Diego, authorities said April 4. A shooting call led officers to a parking lot in the 10900 block of San Diego Mission Road at 5:51 a.m. on March 27, according to the San Diego Police Department. They found a man later identified as Pedro King with a gunshot wound to his chest. He died shortly later in a hospital. Investigators learned that a white, silver, or light-colored vehicle may have been involved in the shooting and sped away from the area, according to the police department. Homicide detectives combed the neighborhood for witnesses and surveillance video and collected numerous items of evidence related to the killing, according to police. They determined that Fernando Limon Mata, 28, of Stockton, was a person of interest in the shooting, and also learned Mata was driving a reportedly stolen vehicle at the time of the shooting, according to police. Mata was arrested March 29 after detectives from the Escondido Police Department located the vehicle near 1300 West Valley Parkway, according to the police. Mata and a woman were arrested on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle. Detectives continued to instigate and developed probable cause to arrest Mata for the murder of King, police said. Supreme Court Rejects Lawsuit Brought by Man Who Served 24 Years for Rapes He Did Not Commit The Supreme Court decided against hearing the wrongful conviction lawsuit of a Wisconsin man who spent 24 years behind bars for two rapes he didnt commit. The court denied the petition of Daryl Holloway on April 3 in an unsigned order without explaining why. No justices dissented. A petition is granted and oral arguments are scheduled if at least four of the nine justices vote to move the case forward. Holloway sued the city of Milwaukee and local police in 2019, saying his civil rights were violated by police detectives he claims framed him for the crimes. Holloway, a black man, was convicted of sexually assaulting two white women. In September 1993, when he was 25 years old, he was sentenced to 120 years in prison for the rapes and burglary. Attacked and Robbed When the sexual assaults took place in the summer of 1992, there were several sexual assaults that had taken place in Milwaukee. At least five of the assaults involved white women who were attacked and robbed in their homes on Milwaukees East Side by a black male at knifepoint. Holloways conviction rested on unduly suggestive identification practices that primed the victims to choose him as the rapist, despite the lack of physical evidence, stated his petition filed with the Supreme Court in December 2022. After the allegedly botched police lineup of suspects, two of the victims identified Holloway as the perpetrator even though they didnt see their attackers face when they were assaulted. Other women who had been raped around the same time in the vicinity attended the lineup but failed to identify Holloway. Holloway asked the trial judge to throw out the lineup but he refused, saying the lineup was carried out in a fair and impartial manner, using the necessary means to avoid any type of suggestiveness whatsoever. While tests of crime scene materials yielded inconclusive results, Holloway was convicted. Requests for New DNA Tests His post-conviction counsel asked repeatedly for new DNA tests to be conducted on the rape kit samples from the two victims. Eventually, years later, the Milwaukee County District Attorneys office agreed to perform additional DNA testing on the samples. The new testing showed that Holloway may not have been the source of the seminal fluid taken as evidence. A private lab then retested the samples and Holloway and the state agreed that this evidence was exculpatory in nature. The parties agreed that if that evidence had been available at trial, a reasonable probability exists that a jury would have reached a different result and that, in light of the new evidence, it would be difficult for the state to [prove guilt] beyond a reasonable doubt in a retrial, the petition stated. On Oct. 4, 2016, the same judge who had originally sentenced Holloway vacated his convictions, exonerating him. Holloway was freed. Holloway sued but U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman, a Clinton appointee, ruled against him in the wrongful conviction lawsuit in September 2021. A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit later found fault with the identification procedures and determined that the police officers involved in investigating the crimes may have violated Holloways civil rights, but ruled the officers were shielded by qualified immunity and couldnt be held liable for damages. Qualified immunity is a rule invented by the courts that shields law enforcement officials from individual liability unless the person violated a clearly established right. Civil libertarians have become increasingly critical of the rule in recent years, which they say allows government officials, particularly police officers, to get away with sometimes egregious wrongdoing. Even though the identification procedures may well have violated Holloways right to due process, the officers conduct was not clearly established as unlawful at the time and so the defendants were entitled to qualified immunity, the 7th Circuit ruled in August 2022. Holloways attorney, Nathaniel Cade Jr., was dismayed by the Supreme Courts refusal to take up his clients case. Wrongful Conviction Award Recommended Im still perplexed by the Supreme Court because we know it only takes four to take a case, and we know that [Justice] Clarence Thomas has apparently signaled that hes not a fan of qualified immunity, he told The Epoch Times in an interview. In the future, the majority-conservative Supreme Court could take a case on qualified immunity if the right kind of case comes along, Cade speculated. I think that if it was someone who was very valuable to folks on the right, it was very clear there was some conspiracy, or they did something wrong, and they were able to walk awayI think at that point, they would say, Oh my God, we didnt know it was this bad, the lawyer said. The Wisconsin Claims Board issued a report in April 2022 unanimously recommending that the state award Holloway $1 million for his wrongful conviction, which is well above the state-prescribed maximum of $25,000. No funds will be paid unless the state Legislature appropriates the money, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Jennifer Lynn Williams of the Milwaukee City Attorneys Office didnt respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment. The case is Holloway v. City of Milwaukee, court file 22-589. ROME, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Cindy McCain on Wednesday took over as the new executive director of the United Nations (UN) World Food Programme (WFP), stressing the need to strengthen global cooperation in the face of an unparalleled food crisis. McCain, who had served as the United States ambassador to the three UN food and agriculture agencies in Rome since 2021, took over the WFP post from David Beasley, who was the agency's head from 2017. McCain said that as conflicts, economic setbacks, climate extremes and surging fertilizer prices continue to fuel food insecurity, global cooperation is critical to save the millions of lives at risk. "My priorities are clear: increase our resources, improve our effectiveness, and scale up partnerships and innovation to bring modern solutions to those most in need," she said. The new WFP chief said one of her first actions will be to establish a taskforce on innovation, bringing together talents in public and private sectors to recommend measurable steps to address world hunger. According to the WFP's estimation, more than 345 million people globally are facing crisis levels of food insecurity in 2023, among them, 43 million are one step away from famine. The UN agency said it provided food assistance to a record 158 million people around the world last year. Supreme Court Wont Hear United Airlines Employees Claim She Was Fired for Taking Family Medical Leave The Supreme Court has refused to take up the appeal of a former United Airlines employee who claims that she was unlawfully dismissed for taking time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The court denied the petition for review in Parker v. United Airlines, court file 22-817, in an unsigned order on April 3. No justices dissented from the order and no reasons were provided for dismissing the petition. The ruling leaves in place a September 2022 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, which upheld a federal district court decision in favor of the airline. Jeannie Parker was a top-performing customer service representative for United Airlines for 26 years who earned positive customer reviews, according to her petition (pdf). In 2018, she worked as a lead remote reservations sales and services representative, handling issues such as reservations, ticketing, seat assignments, and check-ins. That year, Parker also took significant periods of FMLA leaveall approved by Unitedto tend to her own chronic health condition and to care for her terminally ill father. Later that year when Parker returned to work, she was assigned a new supervisor. The overseer suspected that she had been putting customers on hold for inordinate amounts of time while talking to co-workers about personal matters. She listened in on Parkers calls. Six months later, the supervisor recommended that Parker be fired. A manager was brought in to carry out her own investigation. Parker, her union representative, her supervisor, and the manager met so all parties could present arguments and evidence. Afterwards, the manager decided to fire Parker, a Bloomberg Law summary reads. Parker appealed, and a senior manager arranged another conference call. The union representative admitted that there was call avoidance, and the senior manager decided United hadnt done anything wrong in terminating Parkers employment. Parker argued that the supervisor had a bias against the FMLA. The supervisor oversaw 35 agents, some of whom had worse performance records including documented cases of abhorrent customer service/call mishandling or call avoidance, but out of all those agents, Parker was the only one targeted for immediate termination, according to the petition. But in June 2021, the district court in Utah ruled for the airline, finding that Parkers claim of FMLA-related discrimination or retaliation couldnt succeed because there is no evidence to show that Uniteds legitimate, non-discriminatory, and non-retaliatory reasons for the termination are pretextual. The court rejected Parkers argument that the cats paw theory of liability applied. The cats paw theory comes from an old fable in which a monkey talks a cat into pulling chestnuts out of a fire, so the cat gets burned while the monkey gets to eat the chestnuts. In the context of employment law, the employer is legally at fault if the bias of another official finds its way into the final firing decision, even if the official doing the firing isnt biased. The court found that Parker couldnt show cats paw liability because there was no evidence that the senior manager acted as a mere cats paw for the supervisor, and the senior manager did in fact hear and consider presentations from both parties. Parker couldnt move forward with the cats paw claim because the court found that the senior manager didnt simply rubber-stamp the supervisors recommendation and independently verified some of the facts alleged by the supervisor. The 10th Circuit held that the airlines win in district court was justified because the decision to terminate Parkers employment was made by an independent decision maker. The causal connection between leave discrimination and retaliation under the FMLA is broken when an independent decision maker conducts her own investigation and decides to fire the employee, according to 10th Circuit Judge Robert Bacharach, an Obama appointee. The attorney for United Airlines, Jessica Whelan of Holland and Hart in Las Vegas, refused to comment. The Epoch Times reached out to Parkers attorney, Peter Michael Katsaros of Hahn Loeser and Parks in Chicago, but didnt receive a reply as of press time. Tennessee GOP Lawmakers Move to Expel Democrats Who Joined Protest Inside State Capitol Protesters gather inside the Tennessee State Capitol to call for an end to shootings and support more restrictive gun laws in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 30, 2023. (Seth Herald/Getty Images) Tennessee Republican lawmakers introduced a resolution on Monday to expel three Democrat representatives after they led protest chants with a bullhorn from the House floor on March 30. The resolution declared that state Reps. Justin Jones of Nashville, Gloria Johnson of Knoxville, and Justin Pearson of Memphis had participated in disorderly behavior and did knowingly and intentionally bring disorder and dishonor to the House of Representatives. Republican Reps. Bud Hulsey, Gino Bulso, and Andrew Farmer filed the resolution, which will be voted on Thursday in an expedited process. Two of the three Democrats were already stripped of their committee assignments on Monday over their actions. The resolutions introduction was met with an eruption of anger from opponents in the gallery. This led House Speaker Cameron Sexton, a Republican, to demand that they be removed by state troopers. At the same time, on the House floor, several lawmakers engaged in a confrontation. Jones later accused another member of stealing his phone and trying to incite a riot with his fellow members. Sexton deemed Jones out of order and cut off Joness microphone. Sexton said the three Democrats engaged in unacceptable behavior that took away the voices of the protesters. Their actions are and will always be unacceptable, and they break several rules of decorum and procedure on the House floor, he wrote on Twitter. In effect, those actions took away the voices of the protestors, the focus on the six victims who lost their lives, and the families who lost their loved ones, he added. We have always welcomed peaceful protestors to the capitol to have their voices heard on any issue. We have heard the voices of the students, the protestors, and individuals from across the state. Democratic state Rep. Justin Jones enters the House chamber ahead of session as protesters chant demanding action for gun reform laws in the state at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville, Tennessee, on April 3, 2023. (Seth Herald/Getty Images) Did Not Follow Decorum Last week, when hundreds of chanting demonstrators crowded the state Capitol and its gallery, the three Democrats defied convention by moving to the front of the House chamber with a bullhorn. Marking a breach of chamber rules, as they hadnt been recognized to speak, they cheered on the crowd in the gallery and led chants. The protesters were there to call for tighter restrictions on gun rights in the wake of The Covenant School shooting in Nashville. Audrey Elizabeth Hale, 28, who police said identified as transgender, opened fire at the school, shooting dead three 9-year-old children and three adults. Democrat lawmakers have defended their breach, with House Minority Leader Karen Camper describing their actions as good trouble. This is a reference to the late Rep. John Lewiss guiding principle. On Tuesday, Pearson admitted in a letter to other lawmakers that he did not follow decorum and that he takes full responsibility and accountability for his actions. My walk to the House floor in a peaceful and civil manner was not an insurrection, he wrote in a letter he shared on Instagram. I wanted to listen and respond to the voices of Tennesseans who were not given the opportunity to speak in meaningful dialogue with us. Pearsons reference to the Jan. 6, 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol comes after Sexton said the actions of the Democrat lawmakers were equivalent, if not worse. Two of the members, Rep. Jones and Rep. Johnson, have been very vocal about January 6 in Washington, D.C., about what that was, and what they did today was equivalent, at least equivalent, maybe worse depending on how you look at it, of doing an insurrection in the Capitol, Sexton told the Hallerin Hilton Hill radio show. On Tuesday, he clarified that his comments were not directed toward the peaceful protesters but were instead solely directed toward the actions of three Democrat lawmakers who rushed the well and those who led a protest on the House floor with a bullhorn. Pearson and Jones are both new members of the state Legislature, while Johnson was elected in 2019. All three have been outspoken critics of the Republican supermajority. Jones was temporarily banned from the Tennessee Capitol in 2019 after throwing a cup of liquid at former House Speaker Glen Casada and other lawmakers while protesting the bust of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest inside the Capitol. Expelling lawmakers is an extraordinary action inside the Tennessee Capitol. Just two other House members have ever been ousted from the chamber since the Civil War. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Warnings Unheeded Now Threaten Our Fundamental Freedoms Commentary The First Amendment is at a critical juncture. Recent congressional hearings on the Twitter Files brought the matter into full public view. Freedom of speech and of the press are hanging by a precarious thread. Do we want a future in which information flows freely or one in which an information elite controls those flows for our own good? The choices we make over the next few years will determine which of those futures we get. Its tragic that we have let the problem reach this dangerous state. What heightens the tragedy, however, is that the war against Americas most cherished freedoms was predictable and preventable. If those of us who value freedom want to win, were going to need a strategy grounded in a clear understanding of whats happening and why. The Twitter Files story is shocking. Allegations that big tech and social media manipulate information have been around for as long as weve had tech and social media companies. Allegations of bias among the mainstream media are even older. In recent years, however, both the allegations and the supporting evidence have ratcheted upward to unprecedented levels. When Elon Musk acquired Twitter, he opened his companys internal archives to scrutiny. He assembled a team of journalists with a curious pedigree: registered Democrats with a distaste for Donald Trump and his supporters, whose track records skewed considerably left of center and whose recent work has demonstrated deep concern about the politicization of journalism. Musk gave them unfettered access. They found a deep, broad, and disturbing pattern of collaboration between big government and big tech designed to promote official stories on multiple issues, throttle competing theories and arguments, and sanction those who dared to question government propaganda. When two of those journalistsMatt Taibbi and Michael Shellenbergertestified before Congress, their Democratic inquisitors sought to belittle their credentials, question their motives, and tar them as part of some Republican-funded far-right conspiracy. The still-left-leaning journalists are trying to absorb their shock at the depths to which the formerly civil-libertarian left has fallen. Far from shocking, however, that fall was predictableand predicted. In 2001, amidst the public disgust with tech companies following the collapse of the dot-com bubble, I set out to make sense of life during the transition from the late industrial age to the early information age. I analyzed what I called the first four front-page stories of the information age: the dot-com bubble, the Microsoft antitrust trial, the rise of open-source software, and the Napster-driven wars over digital music. Contrary to popular opinion of the time, I believed that these stories were far from distinct. I saw them as four manifestations of a single underlying phenomenon. My goal was to understand that phenomenon. I found it. It appeared most clearly in the digital music arena, but it ran through all four storiesand through much that has happened since. It appears just as clearly in todays war on free speech. It involves an entirely predictable pattern of opportunity, action, and reaction. The starting point is digitization and quantification. The internet changed the economics of information. Throughout human history, information was scarce, hard to acquire, and expensive to process. Skilled professionalsspies, scholars, lawyers, accountants, clerics, doctorscould command a premium for their knowledge. When the internet went public, anything that could be digitized and quantified suddenly flowed freely. Information was there for the asking. The premium shifted to filteringthe ability to discard unwanted information and arrange what remained. Economic shifts generate massive opportunities for creative entrepreneurial people and bring glorious benefits to millions of consumers. The internet was no exception in this regard, and neither was the predictable backlash against it. Anything that benefits new businesses and empowers consumers is a warning shot across the bow of powerful incumbents who had grown accustomed to serving those consumers in a predictable, profitable, manner. In the music industry, anything that let individual consumers share digital music files reduced the revenues, profits, power, and control of record labels. Pre-digitization, these powerful incumbents determined what music got recorded and how it was packaged, distributed, presented, and priced. It was a comfortable business model that gave us the music industry as we knew it. The internet undermined it entirely. Powerful incumbents never fade quietly into the night when challenged. They fight, using whatever weapons they can muster. In our society, the most effective ways to undermine new technological and economic opportunities tend to lie in law, regulation, and public policy. The record labels foughtlargely successfullyto apply and reinterpret existing laws and to change laws in ways favorable to their interests. Theres the pattern: Technology creates opportunities. New businesses exploit those opportunities. Consumers benefit. Powerful incumbents fear their loss of control. Threatened incumbents seek allies in government. Government changes laws and regulations to protect incumbent interests. Media campaigns educate the public on the merits of the new policies. The new laws ensure that the next wave of technological change runs largely through the powerful incumbents, rather than against them. By 2003, I had distilled this pattern, showed numerous ways that it had already unfolded, predicted that it would soon hit parts of our economy and our lives far more significant than the music industry, and suggested some ways that we might prepare ourselves for the coming battles. It took another two years to get my analysis published. It went largely unnoticed. Twelve years later, then-Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) described the ways that this pattern had forever disrupted the dynamics of employment. This, too, went largely unnoticed. Today, we see that disruptive pattern threatening the most basic of our civil liberties. Its manifestation in the arenas of speech, propaganda, and censorship is clear. Consider how each step in the process I identified above has played out here: Technology creates opportunities. The internet opened entirely new vistas for the creation and exchange of ideas, information, theories, opinions, propaganda, and outright lies. New businesses exploit those opportunities. The companies founded since 1995 that created and control the worlds most important conduits for information have joined the ranks of historys most powerful entities. Consumers benefit. The centrality of these communication systems to our lives (for better or for worse) proves that they confer real value. Powerful incumbents fear their loss of control. The twin political shocks of 2016Brexit and Donald Trumphighlighted the extent to which official channels had lost control of the narrative. With the entirety of elite media, government, big business, and the intelligentsia aligned behind Remain and Hillary Clinton, the newly empowered masses understoodfor the first timethat there were viable alternatives to the official story. Threatened incumbents seek allies in government. A coalition of elite forces assembled quickly, laser-focused on stomping out the populist threat. Masses empowered to conduct their own analyses, draw their own conclusions, and share their opinions among themselves threatened the stability of the power structure as we know it. Government changes laws and regulations to protect incumbent interests. Prior to Musks Twitter, the entirety of Silicon Valley committed itself to protecting the public from disinformation, roughly defined as anything that threatened to undermine an official, sanctioned narrative. Allies throughout the administrative state, Congress, and the Biden White House are working to embed those protections in law. Media campaigns educate the public on the merits of the new policies. The same mainstream media that vilified Napster, Grokster, and Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file sharing is now working to turn public opinion against the evil purveyors of alleged disinformation. The new laws ensure that the next wave of technological change runs largely through the powerful incumbents, rather than against them. Were now entering the stage in which censoring technologies provide strong, effective, and legally mandated protection against anything that runs against the consensus of government propaganda or enlightened elite opinion. The backlash is nearing its last stages. Were rapidly heading towards locking in a technological, economic, and legal regime of information control, censorship, surveillance, and vilification. Thats the predictable pattern. Thats the threat. Thats the precipice on which we now stand. Were on the verge of deciding whether we want to restore information monopoly and dominance to a powerful elite or reverse the trajectory of recent law, regulation, and public policy to enshrine an architecture of open discourse. Will the information age be an era of informed, empowered citizensor an era of a dominant, information-controlling elite? Stay tuned. Thats the question we need to answer. From RealClearWire Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. They Hit the Pause Button and the Music Stopped Commentary In the great search for metaphors to justify the largest-scale violations of human rights in our lifetimes, the disease managers finally hit on the term pause button. We were merely pressing it for a while to get our bearings, un-overload hospitals, gather personal protective equipment, flatten the curve, and generally figure out what to do in the presence of a new virus. They had to pause you so that they could figure it out. Here is a typical headline, this one from the Los Angeles Times: San Diego State hits pause button as COVID-19 cases grow. We all know what a pause button is in real life. The music is playing and then it is not. But you can press the button again and the music will play. Society, then, in all its unfathomable complexity, was rendered as a song on Spotify playing on a machine over which our masters in public health held the controls. It was like a smartphone: push and release. No big deal. Well, it did turn out as a pause, not for 15 days, or even 30, but all the way for three years. The pause button jammed. The pause button pertained not just to earth but heaven too. Three years ago, during Lent, Christians could not go to their parishes to confess their sins as they had for 2,000 years in preparation for Easter. The most important Eucharistic services of the yearduring which time the faithful receive grace from a host with real presence of Godwere flat-out canceled, as were the other sacraments. One supposes that they assume God too is under their control. Incredibly, the complaints were few, particularly from the clergy who chose compliance over faith. Those who shut their doors for one or even two years are now paying a heavy price for the decision. The leadership essentially announced that they were not essential. Parishioners and congregations decided to take them at their word. But it wasnt just worship services. It was everything. And by everything we can include supply chains, industrial manufacturing, artistic creativity, seasonal changes in fashion, and the timeline of history itself. Commercial life came to a standstill. Unless you wanted liquor or weedall the better to calm down a locked-down populationyou were pretty much out of luck. Here we are three years later and the Wall Street Journal has taken note: How Shopping Got So Boring. Manufacturers and retailers of everything from computers to dresses hit pause in the past few years when it came to innovation, the result of pandemic-related upheavals in the design, manufacture and distribution of goods, industry executives said. Shifting consumer demand and the expectation of an economic slowdown also played a role, the executives said. Fleshing this out a bit, the fashions at the store are retreads. The kids dont have new toys from which to choose. Laptops are the same as they were. Automotive technology is doing well to recreate the features of five years ago given the chip shortage and parts delivery problems. When was the last time you heard about any truly life-improving consumer product? Instead, the only new things we hear about concern Artificial Intelligence, which even an idiot knows will be deployed to fasten on us more controls. And there we have it. The normal progress we have come to expect in a vibrant economy came to an end. Every year now feels like 2019. Nothing has changed. Risk aversion in industry, arts, music, and every corner of life is now the dominant theme. I just attended the first symphonic concert in my life when a new piece of music didnt take up the slot just before the intermission. To be sure, most of these displays of modern excess were annoying at best and their disappearance was something of a relief to me. Still, it symbolizes something important. In an effort to win back audiences, symphonies will stop challenging their listeners and rest on the laurels of symphonies past. It is the same on Broadway. There are no risks, no new shows without a name brand. Instead, every show represents something tried and true, and revivals are only new presentations of one-time hit movies and characters. Its part of an overall cultural and economic reversion to the past. And truly, the pandemic response was not just about a pause button. It was about going backwards in time. And for a while, we really did. We didnt have hospitals, doctors, or dentistry. When things reopened, all services became truncated and minimalist. It was as if some great stoppage occurred that deprived us of all we had come to expect, so that we would be grateful at whatever morsels came our way after it was over. They say that the emotion of love is always on the move, either intensifying or declining but never standing still. So it is with commercial life. Nature means privation but wealth creation and progress require a constant swirl of human initiative, creativity, and risk-taking. It is beyond presumptuous to think such a thing can be shut off without consequence, and consequence for the very long term. The 19th-century French economist Frederic Bastiat theorized that the real costs of bad policy were unseen, or invisibilium in the Latin. They are the secondary effects. They cannot be added up because they cannot be observed or calculated. He was speaking of the products not created, the art not imagined, the improvements not made, the businesses not opened, the jobs not gained. None of this appears in any calculation because they are opportunity costs: the thing not done because something else took its place. In the department of economy, an act, a habit, an institution, a law, gives birth not only to an effect, but to a series of effects. Of these effects, the first only is immediate; it manifests itself simultaneously with its causeit is seen. The others unfold in successionthey are not seen: it is well for us, if they are foreseen. Between a good and a bad economist this constitutes the whole differencethe one takes account of the visible effect; the other takes account both of the effects which are seen, and also of those which it is necessary to foresee. In fact, it is the same in the science of health, arts, and in that of morals. There have been great efforts over three years to objectively calculate the collateral damage of lockdowns and put some dollar figure on it. Such efforts are appreciated but also they cannot come close to accounting for all the experiences and progress we have enjoyed but for lockdowns and the vast disruption from dehumanizing masks and vaccine mandates. Quite simply, we will never know. We can only imagine. Ive never been to Cuba but anyone can see the pictures of a land that time forgot, with cars from the 1950s and all other technology to match it. This is what happens when you push the pause button on commercial life. At best you freeze progress but more likely you slip back in time, steadily. Cuba stands as living proof of that. This is not just about toys, fashion, symphonies, and Broadway. It reaches very deeply into the quality of our lives. Life expectancy in the United States just experienced the largest two-year drop in a century. When all this began, I reflected on how Woodstock did not pause for the last pandemic. In 2020, everything locked down. This worried me because Woodstock gave rise to decades of musical influence. That was the depth of my concern over 15 days. But three years of this? The costs are certainly incalculable and even unfathomable. You have surely noticed a nihilism alive in the culture that is giving rise to unthinkable movements toward denying the undeniable such as biological sex. There is also the massive learning loss in every grade level plus the sheer dumbing down of adults. I posted the other day about a book I read and too many people responded in shock: you read books? And look at the collapse in the reported importance of patriotism, religion, and family: its off the cliff. The regress takes every form large and small, most of them surprising. I bet you would not have imagined this headline a few years ago: Then you have the courts and the state machinery generally, which are reverting to pre-modern forms. The raison detre of the state in the ancient world was never doubted: reward friends and punish enemies. The modern state was supposed to be different: we once talked about fairness, rights, equality, and justice. This dangerous trend will plunge into a dark age. The astonishing aspect of all of this is that the decline is both all around us and yet barely perceptible simply because of the numbness and exhaustion people feel in this post-pandemic world. Populations the world over were brutalized by their governments, and government forms themselves have reverted to the ancient model, used as tools not of justice and peace but to punish enemies. Society is not a machine that anyone can control. It has no pause button. Attempt to treat it as if it does and you end up creating something distorted and possibly terrible, certainly the end of material and cultural progress but probably something much worse. It was utter folly for anyone to imagine that what they thought they were doing should ever be done. It is even more egregious that so many played along when they should have refused the pause. From the Brownstone Institute Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has warned the public to avoid ticks after links were found between the bugs and cases of brain disease in four areas of the UK. The agency stressed that the risk of infection is very low to the general population, but greater awareness is needed among locals and hospital staff. More testing and research are needed to better assess the risks, it added. Since 2019, four cases of possible or confirmed tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) have been identified in Britain, including two last year. TBE is endemic in rural and forested areas of central, eastern, and northern Europe and some Eurasian areas, but it was not found in the UK before 2019. At least two strains of the TBE virus have since been found in ticks and deer in four areas in England. Virus-carrying ticks were found in Thetford Forest in the east of England, the Hampshire and Dorset border, the New Forest in southern England, and the North Yorkshire Moors, the UKHSA said. Of the four human TBE cases, the first possible case was identified in July 2019, when a European visitor became ill after being bitten by a tick in the New Forest, Hampshire. The patient was diagnosed as a highly probable case of TBE. In July 2020, a second probable case of TBE infection was diagnosed in a patient from Hampshire, the agency said. In September and October 2022, two patients tested positive for the TBE virus by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, including one that may have been infected in Scotland in June 2022. The fourth patient was likely exposed to the virus at the North Yorkshire Moors, according to the UKHSA. Humans can contract the disease by being bitten by ticks, but some cases have been associated with consumption of unpasteurised milk or milk products from infected animals, the UKHSA said. Transmission from mother to foetus has been found during animal studies, but human to human transmission via transplant, blood transfusion, or breastfeeding are rare. The average incubation period is seven days, but for food-borne transmission, the period is typically four days. Most Infections Are Mild Most of those who are infected by the TBE virus may experience flu-like illness or not show any symptoms at all, the UKHSA said. But some can suffer severe infection in the central nervous system such as meningitis or encephalitis, with symptoms including a high fever with headache, neck stiffness, confusion, or reduced consciousness. Severe illness is more likely to occur in adults, particularly in the elderly. According to the latest figures published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, in 2020 there were 3,734 confirmed cases and 83 possible cases of TBE in 24 European countries. Of the 3,029 cases in which outcomes were known, 16 deaths were reported, representing a case fatality rate of 0.5 percent. The UKHSA said its possible that the virus was brought into the UK by migratory birds or movements of other animals, including pets. The assessment also said the disease may already be endemic in ticks in high risk areas in the UK, but the quality of evidence is poor. The UKHSA recommended that local awareness should be raised on tick avoidance measures for the public and clinicians in known affected areas. Dr. Meera Chand, deputy director at UKHSA, said in a statement: Our surveillance suggests that tick-borne encephalitis virus is very uncommon in the UK and that the risk to the general population is very low. Ticks also carry various other infections, including Lyme disease, so take steps to reduce your chances of being bitten when outdoors in areas where ticks thrive, such as moorlands and woodlands, and remember to check for ticks and remove them promptly. The UKHSA said NHS staff should consider testing for TBE virus when a meningitis patient has had forest exposure or tick bites, or when theres no clear alternative diagnosis but compatible illness. The agency recommended testing of human and deer blood serums, including among higher risk groups such as forestry workers or hikers, to understand background seropositivity. They also recommended research into fresh unpasteurised milk from an infected animal and the effects of cheese production processes on the quantity of infectious virus present. Top Senate Republican Breaks Silence on Trump Indictment; McConnell Still Mum Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) speaks to reporters in Washington on Dec. 15, 2020. (Rod Lamkey/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.), one of the top Senate Republicans, decried the indictment of former President Donald Trump on 34 felony charges as a political agenda run amok, as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) continues to avoid commenting on the topic. On April 4, Trump appeared at the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse, where Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged him with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to an alleged hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016. Daniels claims she had an affair with Trump in 2006, a charge which Trump denies. Thune, in an appearance on a local South Dakota station, decried the investigation. I understand that this is the beginning of a legal process, not the end of one. But after an initial review of the details, this indictment looks like a political agenda run amok, Thune said. Trump had earlier revealed on Truth Social that he expected to be arrested by Bragg in coming days. At that time, Thune followed McConnells lead in staying silent on the topic. McConnell, a longtime Trump rival, has remained silent. He has often clashed with Trump and more recently referred to Jan. 6 as a violent insurrection for which he placed the blame on the former president. Notably, other Republicans like Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who also has clashed with Trump, shared Thunes assessment that there were political motives in the case. Romney expressed his sense that Bragg stretched [charges] in order to fit a political agenda. In a statement, he repeated a common Democrat talking point that no one is above the law, but added that everyone is entitled to equal treatment under the law. The prosecutors overreach sets a dangerous precedent for criminalizing political opponents, and damages the publics faith in our justice system, Romney said. Completely Underwhelming Other Senate Republicans have dismissed Braggs case as completely underwhelming. Alvin Braggs indictment of Donald Trump could have been copied and pasted by a first-year law student, said Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in a Twitter post. Its completely underwhelming. Many Republicans pointed to Braggs track record as DA. Bragg ran for and won his post by promising to reduce criminal penalties for a litany of crimes. In 2022, he reduced 52 percent of felony charges to misdemeanors amid a record-breaking violent crime wave in New York City. Yet, Bragg has said he is mounting the case against Trump because, We cannot and will not normalize serious criminal conduct. In the past, he received funding from left-wing billionaire George Soros. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) shared her colleagues concerns that Braggs motives in pursuing the case are political. Instead of focusing on actual crime, Alvin Bragg, a far-left, Soros-backed prosecutor, is conducting a politically motivated witch hunt against a former president, Blackburn said. Still other Senate Republicans have warned of catastrophic long-term effects on U.S. political processes. Today, American politics crosses a line that its never going to come back from, said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) in a video posted to his Twitter page after Trumps arraignment. especially on the basis of how ridiculous these charges are. Specifically, Rubio said that the case gives a green light to prosecutors on both the left and right to target their political enemies. Whats going to stop them? Nothings going to stop them. Because today we set a new normal, Rubio said. Today, we set the new normal that if you really want to take someone down, nothing should stop you. You should be able to manipulate the law any way you want to charge someone. Vote Will Be Very Fragmented in Torontos Unusual Mayoral Election: Political Pundit Toronto officially opened mayoral candidate nominations on April 3, and the already crowded race is underway, with 31 candidates having submitted their nominations as of April 5. Its a most interesting race because its quite open, and thats very unusual, Nelson Wiseman, political science professor at the University of Toronto, told The Epoch Times. Its not in my lifetime that I remember an election thats so open, said the 77-year-old longtime Toronto resident. Incumbents usually take a large portion of the votes, but without an incumbent in this race its a more level playing field, Wiseman said. The vote will be very fragmented. You could have four or five people who are each getting around 20 percent of the vote, he said. Someone could end up winning with only 25 percent of the vote. John Tory stepped down in February over revelations he had an affair with a former staffer. He had been re-elected in October 2022 with over 342,000 votes. The runner-up had fewer than 99,000 votes, the next candidate had under 35,000 votes, and the other 28 candidates each had less than 9,000 votes. A byelection is set for June 26, with advance voting from June 8 to 13. Candidate nominations close May 12. While 31 candidates have submitted their nominations, two others who have not yet registered have said publicly they will, and two more have said theyre considering a run. Wiseman expects voter turnout to be higher than it was in October because the election is so open. The sole focus will also be on the mayor, since its not like a regular election where city councillors are also on the ballot. Incumbents in the Toronto mayoral race have historically had about a 90 percent chance of winning, according to research published in 2019 by political scientist Jack Lucas at the University of Calgary. Incumbent candidates in Toronto were re-elected 93 percent of the time between 2003 and 2014, when Tory first won. Generally, in big cities across Ontario, success rates for incumbents have been between 80 and 90 percent, Lucas said. Without an incumbent in the upcoming election, the voting dynamic will be different. The Candidates Among the candidates, a number of current and former city councillors are running. Current councillors include Ana Bailao, Brad Bradford, and Josh Matlow. City Councillor Steven Holyday has said he is considering a run. Former councillors include Rob Davis and Giorgio Mammoliti. Olivia Chowa former city councillor and NDP MP who was a mayoral candidate in 2014has said she is considering running. Former police chief Mark Saunders and columnist Anthony Furey, the latter being vice-president of editorial and content at True North, are running. Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter has resigned his position to run for mayor. Former Liberal MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes is the most recent to announce her candidacy. Activist Chris Sky Saccocia has also joined the race. Urbanist Gil Penalosa, who came in second last time, has announced he is running though his name is not yet on the citys list of candidates. The same is true of policy analyst Chloe Brown, who came in third last time. Retired police officer Blake Acton, who was fourth, and Sarah Climenhaga, who came fifth, are also running. The list of candidates also includes engineer Bahira Abdulsalam, Canadian Armed Forces veteran Phillip DCruze, lawyer Knia Singh, modular building company president Erwin Sniedzins, IT professional Sandeep Srivastava, and Municipal Socialist Alliance member Kiri Vadivelu. Jack Weenen, who was 19 when he first ran in 2014, is on the list again. Other candidates are Gord Cohen, Cory Deville, Isabella Gamk, Michael Lamoureux, Kris Langenfeld, Walter Rubino, Rupica Singh Waraich, Meir Straus, Reginald Tull, Syed Jaffery, and Jeffery Tunney. Trudeau Criticizes Israeli Government Amid Latest Unrest in Jerusalem Prime Minister Justin Trudeau listens to a question during a news conference in Ottawa on Feb. 17, 2023. (The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau criticized the government of Israel as police clashed with Palestinians barricaded inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on April 4. Trudeau said despite Canada being a dear and close and steadfast friend to Israel, he was deeply concerned about the direction that the Israeli government has been taking, and needed to see the country begin shifting its approach. Trudeau also condemned the rocket attacks from Gaza targeting Israel. We need to see a de-escalation of violence, he said. Israeli police entered the al-Aqsa mosque, one of Islams holiest sites, in Jerusalem on April 5 in order to clear out what they called hundreds of rioters and mosque desecrators barricaded inside. The police used stun grenades and rubber bullets against the protestors, who hurled stones and launched fireworks against the police. Police said they arrested more than 350 people in the mosque, while at least 12 people were injured in the clashes. The conflict comes during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and on the eve of the Jewish Passover holiday. Since Ramadan began on March 22, a group of Palestinians have repeatedly attempted to stay overnight in the mosque, which is usually permitted only during the last 10 days of the holiday. Israeli police have evicted the worshippers on a nightly basis. More Palestinians began staying inside the mosque after Jewish ultranationalists called for the ritual slaughter of goats inside the site, an ancient Passover holiday ritual no longer practiced by most Jews. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has blamed the situation on extremists who have barricaded themselves in the mosque with weapons. Israel is committed to maintaining freedom of worship, free access to all religions and the status quo on the Temple Mount and will not allow violent extremists to change that, he said in a statement. Palestinian authorities have in turn condemned the police raids. Israels raid into Al-Aqsa mosque, its assault on worshippers, is a slap to recent U.S. efforts which tried to create calm and stability during the month of Ramadan, a spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said. The White House has urged both sides to avoid further escalation. Its imperative, now more than ever, that both Israelis and Palestinians work together to de-escalate this tension and to restore a sense of calm, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. Rocket Attacks Following the Palestinians eviction from the mosque, the Israel Defense Forces said nine rockets were fired from Gaza Strip toward Israel. In response, Israeli fighter jets bombed weapons manufacturing and storage sites in the Gaza Strip belonging to Hamas. Israels National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for a harsh response to the rocket attacks from Gaza, tweeting: Hamas rockets require more than blasting dunes and empty sites. Its time to rip heads off in Gaza. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was committed to preserving the long-standing arrangement between Muslims and Jews at the mosque and called the individuals who locked themselves in the building extremists. Reuters contributed to this report. Trump Critics Worried About DAs Charges: Weaker Than I Thought Former White House adviser John Bolton said the charges against former President Donald Trump were even weaker than I thought during an interview on Tuesday, coming after the Manhattan District Attorneys office charged the former commander-in-chief with 34 counts of falsifying business records, as other critics of Trump claimed the case is a disappointment. Speaking as someone who very strongly does not want Donald Trump to get the Republican presidential nomination, Im extraordinarily distressed by this document, Bolton told CNN Tuesday. I think this is even weaker than I feared it would be. Bolton, a graduate of Yale Law School, said he fears the case could easily get dismissed before it even makes it to a jury trial. Bolton served under both Trump and former President George W. Bush in different capacities. And I just what I understood the District Attorney to say that he thinks theres a New York election law involved here. All I can say is the Federal Election Campaign Act [of 1971] absolutely preempts any state or local law to the contrary. How could it be otherwise? Youve got one law governing corporate finance and a presidential election at the federal level. Youre gonna have 50 state laws interfering with it, so hes just wrong on the applicability of the New York statute, Bolton said Tuesday. The unsealed indictment said that Trump allegedly devised a scheme with his lawyer and the parent company of the tabloid National Enquirer to suppress stories that could have damaged Trump before the election in 2016. The former president has pleaded not guilty and later said at his Mar-a-Lago residence that its a Democrat-led bid to politically harm him ahead of the 2024 election. Bolton, who has become a critic of Trump after leaving office, previously argued that the indictment could serve as rocket fuel for Trumps third presidential campaign. Trump is due back in court in December, and some legal analysts say that a jury trialunless the case is dismissedwont begin for another year. Other Trump critics have raised questions about the viability of Braggs indictment. Among them, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe claimed to CNN that Bragg is haphazardly trying to elevate a misdemeanor offense to a felony. Former FBI official Andrew McCabe waits for the beginning of a hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee with the other heads of the U.S. intelligence agencies in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington on May 11, 2017. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Its disappointment. I think everyone was hoping we would see more about the direction that they intend to take this prosecution. What is the legal theory that ties that very solid misdemeanor case, 34 counts of misdemeanors, to the intent to conceal another crime, which is what makes it a felony? he told CNN. It simply isnt there. While it is possible that Bragg has an elaborate and solid theory thats backed up by a lot of evidence, McCabe, who opened an investigation into Trump in 2017 after the former president took office, said it would be strange for him to conceal that at this point. At the end of the day, if all of our legal friends read this indictment and dont see a way to have felony, its hard to imagine convincing a jury that they should get there, he added. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who voted to impeach Trump twice and has frequently criticized him, stated that he wasnt impressed with the charges Bragg laid out on Tuesday. I believe President Trumps character and conduct make him unfit for office, Romney said Tuesday. Even so, I believe the New York prosecutor has stretched to reach felony criminal charges in order to fit a political agenda. President-elect Donald Trump and Mitt Romney dine at Jean Georges restaurant in New York City on Nov. 29, 2016. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) The prosecutors overreach sets a dangerous precedent for criminalizing political opponents and damages the publics faith in our justice system, Romney said. Trumps lawyer, Joe Tacopina, told news outlets on Wednesday that he doesnt believe the case will make it to a jury trial. He said he will file a motion to dismiss the case in the near future. I think this case is going to fall on its merits on legal challenges well before we get to a jury, Tacopina told the Today show on Wednesday morning. After seeing that indictment and knowing what the law is regarding federal election campaigns, I dont think were getting close to a jury, he remarked. But, he stated, If we get to a jury, I think any person on the right or politically opposed to Trump or in favor of him is going to see this for what it is: Its a weaponization of the legal system, and its something this country has never seen before and hopefully will never do again. The former president is also under investigation in Georgia for his activities after the 2020 election, and the Department of Justice is probing Trump for his handling of presidential records as well as his post-2020 statements. A Manhattan grand jury has indicted former president Donald Trump. Unsealed on Tuesday, the indictment charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree under New York Penal Law 175.10. Trump pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. Joining Larry Elder to discuss the indictment is the president of the David Horowitz Freedom Center and author of Final Battle: The Next Election Could Be the Last, David Horowitz. In Horowitzs opinion, the indictment is a weak case based on linking Trump to a felony through a reimbursement made to his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen. Horowitz argues that Trumps actions were more likely aimed at protecting his family than at interfering with an election campaign. The greatest, most egregious election interference in the history of the country is what [Manhattan DA] Alvin Bragg is doing now. Hes totally derailed, on both sides of the aisle, the election campaign, Horowitz said. Horowitz also suggests that illegal immigration, the crisis on the southern border, and the alleged lawlessness of the Democratic Party are part of its agenda to establish a one-party state. Hollywood is providing a great example right now of how the wealthy react to draconian tax laws. Celebrities such as Jim Carrey, Jennifer Lopez, James Corden, Britney Spears, and Kylie Jenner have put their properties on the market in recent months. This is because a new mansion tax took effect in Los Angeles on Saturday that imposes a 4 percent tax on home sales valued at between $5 million and $10 million, and a 5.5 percent tax on sales over $10 million. The Larry Elder Show is sponsored by Birch Gold Group. Protect your IRA or 401(k) with precious metals today: http://larryforgold.com/ Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela (C-L) shakes hands with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (C-R) in Valletta, Malta, on April 4, 2023. Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela stressed on Tuesday that his country looked forward to working with Spain during its Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) on important laws such as access to medicines. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua) VALLETTA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela stressed on Tuesday that his country looked forward to working with Spain during its Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) on important laws such as access to medicines. Abela was addressing the media after a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who was visiting Malta and several other EU member states in preparation for the Spanish EU Council Presidency which begins on July 1. Abela said that it is crucial that in the field of pharmaceuticals there is access to medicines for all member states, including Malta, rather than prioritizing the interests of large corporations. "It cannot be that thirty years after the internal market was established, there are still circumstances where certain countries remain disadvantaged. You will find us supportive and ready to contribute very actively in this discussion," he said. Regarding the energy sector, Abela emphasized the importance of continuing to help citizens, but also stressed the need for important reforms that address climate targets and ensure that economies operate in a cleaner and more environmentally-friendly way. Abela also underlined that people are more important than economic indicators. Meanwhile, Sanchez mentioned a number of priorities that the Spanish EU Council Presidency would push, mainly irregular immigration. It would also focus on the Ukraine crisis, digital transformation and energy, he added. Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela (C-R) welcomes Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (C-L) in Valletta, Malta, on April 4, 2023. Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela stressed on Tuesday that his country looked forward to working with Spain during its Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) on important laws such as access to medicines. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua) Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela (R) and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez attend a press conference in Valletta, Malta, on April 4, 2023. Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela stressed on Tuesday that his country looked forward to working with Spain during its Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) on important laws such as access to medicines. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua) Trump Lawyer Predicts Case Wont Make It to a Jury Trial Former President Donald Trump is accompanied by members of his legal team, Susan Necheles and Joe Tacopina, as he appears in court for an arraignment on charges stemming from his indictment by a Manhattan grand jury, in New York City on April 4, 2023. (Andrew Kelly/Reuters) Donald Trumps lawyer Joe Tacopina said he doesnt believe the Manhattan District Attorneys offices case against the former president will make it to a jury. This case is going to fall on its merits, on legal challenges, well before we get to a jury, if we get to a jury, Tacopina told NBCs Today show on Wednesday morning, coming hours after Trump was indicted for 34 counts of falsifying business records. Trump pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Previously, Tacopina said his team would file motions to dismiss the case in the coming days. In an interview with CNN before the indictment was unsealed, the lawyer said that theres no law that fits this, adding that DA Alvin Bragg is overstepping his authority by trying to charge a federal election crime as a local prosecutor. During his Today interview, Tacopina was asked about comments from the former president about Judge Juan Merchan and Bragg. I am laser-focused on the case, the legal case. Im not his PR consultant, Im not his social media consultant, he said when asked about the judges verbal remark on Tuesday to refrain from conduct that could jeopardize safety. I mean, thats a relevant factor. Its not an attack on the judge or certainly his family, Tacopina added. No one is suggesting that anything should happen to the judge or his family and President Trumps comments did not in any way, shape, or form incite violence. There has been speculation that Merchan could impose a gag order on Trump amidst the charges against him. Critics say that such a move would have a chilling effect on the 2024 presidential race as Trump is the leading GOP candidate. In another interview with CBS News, Tacopina described the unsealed indictment as very vanilla and that the indictment did not list the underlying crimes he allegedly intended to cover up with false business records. He then asked: Whats to hide? Understand, these false business record entries, which are not even false, are misdemeanor counts for which the statute of limitations is long gone, Tacopina stated on the Today show. The only way to make this a felony is to cobble together a couple of misdemeanorsthe false business records and the attempt to cover up another crime. But the indictment doesnt even list what the crime is. The district attorneys office on Tuesday accused Trump of orchestrating payments to two women, Stormy Daniels and another, before the 2016 election to suppress publication of alleged affairs. Trump has categorically denied those claims, while an appeals court on Tuesday ordered Daniels to pay Trump $122,000 in legal fees hours after his arraignment. Former U.S. President Donald Trump departs from Trump Tower on the day of Trumps planned court appearance on April 4, 2023. (Reuterss/Carlos Barria) Prosecutor Chris Conroy stated: The defendant Donald J. Trump falsified New York business records in order to conceal an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 presidential election and other violations of election laws. Trump, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, on Tuesday night in Florida gave a relatively short speech of 25 minutes, compared to his rally speeches which can sometimes last two hours. While criticizing Manhattan prosecutors, he did not call for new protests from his supporters. And while he is expected to return to the campaign trail soon, he gave no details of that. Trump held his first rally in late March in Waco, Texas. Also during his Mar-a-Lago address, Trump accused Manhattan District Attorney Bragg of being out to get him before he knew anything about me. He said the judge in the case, Juan Merchan, is a Trump-hating judge, previously noting that Merchan had presided over another Trump-related case. Merchan set the next hearing for Dec. 4. Legal experts have said that a trial may not even get underway for a year, and the indictment or even a conviction will not legally prevent Trump from running for president. If a trial does occur at that time, it would run up against the GOP primary season in early 2024. Reuters contributed to this report. We live in secular times. One of our former presidents, Calvin Coolidge, said that the business of America is business. Certainly, making and taking money seems to be heavy on the minds of many people. Even in music, a prominent contemporary composer remarked, I began working in a record store when I was a kid. The first thing I knew about music was that you sold it; in other words, people paid for it. Let us compare this way of thinking with that of Johann Sebastian Bach, a citizen of another country, from another time, almost 400 years past. His works often bore the inscription Only for the glory of God. In the margins of books from his personal library are entries such as Where there is devotional music, God with His grace is always present, and music has been mandated by Gods spirit. The deeply religious Bach was born in 1685 at Eisenach in present-day central Germany, next to last in a line of six generations of highly esteemed church musicians. They made their livelihood as organists, choir masters, or composers, but their employment was secondary to their ardent faith. The extended Bach family, scattered throughout the various Germanic kingdoms, celebrated an annual reunion, and its significant that the first event, after everyone was assembled, was the singing together of a hymn. Student Years From the age of 8, Bach sang in the choir, and he quickly learned all keyboard, string, and wind instruments. In his 18th year, he became organist at the New Church in Arnstadt, and 20 years later, after a series of increasingly prestigious positions, he became cantor and music director of the magnificent St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, where he remained until his death in 1750. St. Thomas Church and School, Leipzig, where Bach served as choirmaster, in 1723. (Public Domain) His duties there were formidable. He taught composition, practiced, performed, and conducted at church services, wrote more than three sets of cantatas for every Sunday in the liturgical year, and produced masterpieces including the B Minor Mass, the St. Matthew and the St. John Passions, the Magnificat, the Christmas and Easter Oratorios, and scores of other works for various solo instruments and ensembles. The output is astonishing, but still more astonishing is that the expressive power of every note of every piece, religious or secular, is filled with the glory of God, to whom they are dedicated. Indeed, there is no distinction between sacred and secular in his writing. He spoke little about himself, other than a passing remark like I work hard. While he wasnt treated very well by his superiors at St. Thomas, Bach lived in Gods eyes rather in the eyes of men. It mattered little to him what others thought. Bach the Man J.S. Bach and His Family at Morning Prayers, 1870 by Toby Edward Rosenthal. (Public Domain) Aside from the memories of friends and family, a few letters, and some legal documents, little is known about Bach the man. However, we know he loved his morning coffee, he loved his pipe, and he loved his first wife, Maria Barbara, who bore him seven children. After her death, he loved his second wife, Anna Magdalena, with whom he fathered 13 more. He was sometimes outspoken. He had a temper, and once, at a rehearsal, threw his wig at a careless musician. He was also kind. When a favorite student, Johann Philipp Kirnberger, was ill for several weeks, the teacher came to the boys room so the lessons might continue. Later, when thanks were offered, Bach asked him not to speak of gratitude, but only promise to pass on what had been given to him. The Bach Passions Statistics, anecdotes, and critical analyses cant tell us what Bachs music tells of this servant of God, perhaps the greatest of all musicians. The deepest expression of his faith is found in the St. John and the St. Matthew Passions. Their dramatic structure, their vision, and their expressive power place them at the zenith of our Western musical tradition. During the Christian Holy Week, it was customary in the early Christian church to read the story of Christs final days. By Bachs time, this story, the Passion, had become a musical narrative, a remarkable phenomenon unprecedented in our musical canon: Every soul present in the church becomes a participant. A handwritten note by Bach in his copy of the Calov Bible. The note next to 2 Chronicles 5:13 reads, In a music of worship, God is always present with his grace. (Public Domain) A solo voice reads the words of the Evangelist, soloists are assigned the roles in the story, the entire congregation joins in the chorales, and other soloists bear witness to the events that unfold, expressing their compassion, their sorrow, their thanks. Its a great thing when people gather to celebrate a mystery and to create something of beauty together. Bachs Passions address the eternal question Why do we suffer? The works give us perhaps the only answer we can begin to grasp: God himself assuming a human form, suffering what mortals suffer, in order to offer eternal life. It is the ground that the faithful stand upon, and certainly the source of Bachs musical offerings to God and man. UK Unveils Plans for Streamlined Post-Brexit Trade Checks With EU Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent, England, on Dec. 18, 2021. (Gareth Fuller/PA) The British government has set out plans for how post-Brexit border checks will work, which have been repeatedly delayed since the UK officially withdrew from the bloc more than two years ago. Britain left the EUs single market in January 2021, but the government has delayed full implementation of border controls on multiple occasions because of worries about port disruption and COVID-19, and more recently the risk of adding to a cost-of-living crisis. The Cabinet Office finally published a draft border operating model on Wednesday, which it said will prevent delays at the border by reducing the need for physical checks for many types of goods. In the introduction to the draft proposals, the government said that the Border Target Operating Model sets out a new model for importing goods into the UK from countries inside and outside the EU. It will move us closer to our goal of creating the most effective border in the world, by introducing an improved regime of sanitary, phytosanitary, and security controls on imports. New Border Checks According to the government, investigations of animal and plant products would still be thorough enough under the new model to protect Britain against diseases like African swine fever and Xylella, while also making it as easy as possible for businesses to import. It also plans to carry out the checks away from ports, to prevent traffic from building up similar to the passport-processing chaos which engulfed Dover at the weekend. Traffic at the Port of Dover in Kent, England, on April 1, 2023. (Gareth Fuller/PA) The customs and regulatory process is designed to be streamlined through the use of the single trade window, allowing traders to submit information about goods through one digital system. A pilot trusted-trader scheme is also planned, in order to test further simplified processes for frequent importers. But none of the additional checks or controls set out in the new model will apply to imports into Northern Ireland from the EU, providing Northern Ireland traders with full access to the single market. Arrangements for goods moving into Northern Ireland from Great Britain will follow the deal Prime Minister Rishi Sunak struck with the EU in February on post-Brexit trade rules for the region, the government said. Preparing for Change Under the draft plans, health certificates for animal and plant products crossing from the EU could be introduced by Oct. 31, with further measures planned at two further milestones throughout 2024. While ministers are encouraging businesses to prepare for the new regime ahead of the Halloween start date, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) called for concerted effort to provide businesses with certainty. William Bain, the BCCs head of trade policy, said: Providing certainty for business is crucial and the focus must now be on delivering to the timescales set out. This will need a concerted effort to get the physical and digital infrastructure in place. It is then vital that companies, here and across the world, involved in sourcing and supply chains, are properly prepared for these changes and the introduction of new trusted-trader arrangements. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) urged ministers to step up its communication with retail businesses to ensure they are prepared for the changes. Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the BRC, said: With only six months until new checks on food imports are introduced, it is imperative the government steps up its engagement with retailers and their European suppliers to ensure the supply chains are prepared, preventing any disruption for customers and businesses. Ports and farmers will also need to be ready for physical checks from January, when the UK is particularly reliant on imported produce. Downright Dishonest The government will now spend six weeks consulting with business, with a final model for trade checks due to be published later this year. Cabinet Office minister Baroness Neville-Rolfe said the draft strategy was a huge step forward for the safety, security, and efficiency of the countrys borders. She added, Our proposals strike a balance between giving consumers and businesses confidence while reducing the costs and friction for businesses, which in turn will help to grow the economy. Environment minister Lord Benyon said: It is vital that we have strong border controls in place. Invasive diseases could cost our farms and businesses billions of pounds, threaten our food safety, and break confidence in UK exports around the world. That is why we are working hand in glove with businesses to devise a strong system that works for the nation. But the opposition Liberal Democrats said the new model would make trade between us and Europe harder. Lib Dem Treasury spokeswoman Sarah Olney said: Its staggering that the Conservatives looked at the chaos at Dover and said more of that please. The governments claims that these plans are going to ease trading chaos are downright dishonest. Lets be clear, these proposals mean more checks and more red tape, not lessthe last thing anyone wanted. PA Media and Reuters contributed to this report. UKs Sunak Hails Historic Day as Finland Joins NATO NATO flag (C) and Finland flags flutter over the building of Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Helsinki on April 4, 2023. (Sergei Grits/AP Photo) British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has hailed Finlands accession to the NATO military alliance, calling it a historic day. Finland formally joined NATO on Tuesday as Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto completed the accession process by handing over an official document to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Sunak said: This is an historic day for Finland and for NATO. Their accession has made our alliance stronger and every one of us safer. He urged Turkey and Hungary to approve the application from Sweden, which is also keen to join NATO following Russian President Vladmir Putins invasion of Ukraine. All NATO members now need to take the steps necessary to admit Sweden, too, so we can stand together as one alliance to defend freedom in Europe and across the world, said the UK prime minister. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak departs 10 Downing Street to attend Prime Ministers Questions at the Houses of Parliament, in London, on March 22, 2023. (Victoria Jones/PA Media) Bound Tighter Together Britains Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, who was at NATOs headquarters in Brussels, said, Today we see, as a direct result of Vladimir Putins aggression and his illegal invasion of Ukraine, the day where a new ally joins our defensive alliance. He added: Russia thought its aggression would divide us. Instead, we are bound tighter together, resolute in our defence of the principles of freedom and the rule of law. The foreign secretary said NATO welcomes more allies to join and called for Swedens swift accession. He said: Let us be clear that our door remains open. We will welcome further allies with open arms and we continue to push for Swedens swift accession. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: Let Finland be a lesson to President Putin. Finland chose to join, based on their own free will. The freedom to choose their alliances as a sovereign state is a matter for their citizens and their citizens alone. Meanwhile the UK announced 10 million ($11.4 million) for NATOs support package for Ukraine, providing non-lethal aid such as medical equipment, rations, fuel, and counter-drone equipment. Some 2 million will also go to NATO efforts to help Georgia, Moldova, and Bosnia and Herzegovina defend themselves against Russian activity. Finlands President Sauli Niinisto signs Finlands national Nato legislation in Helsinki, Finland, on March 23, 2023. The Finnish president has signed into laws the required legal amendments needed for membership in the military alliance. (Markku Ulander/Lehtikuva via AP) A Stronger NATO The move by Finland, which shares an approximately 832-mile border with Russia, will bolster NATOs eastern flank. We welcome Finland to the alliance, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at the end of a brief ceremony on Tuesday. This will make Finland safer and NATO stronger, he told reporters, adding that Russia has a declared goal of the invasion of Ukraine to get less NATO along its borders and no more membership in Europe and the Kremlin is getting exactly the opposite. Finnish President Saul Niinisto said Finlands most significant contribution to NATOs common deterrence and defense would be to defend its own territory. There is still significant work to be done to coordinate this with NATO, he said. It is a great day for Finland and I want to say that it is an important day for NATO, Niinisto said at a joint news conference with Stoltenberg. The Kremlins chief spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, warned that Russia will have no choice but to respond to Finlands accession. Peskov, however, noted that Finland is fundamentally different from Ukraine, which was a former Soviet territory, and that Finland never became anti-Russia. The Kremlin believes that this is another aggravation of the situation, he told reporters, according to Russias Interfax news agency. NATO expansion is an encroachment on our security and the national interests of the Russian Federation. Naturally, this forces us to take countermeasures to ensure our own security and both tactically and strategically, Peskov said. He did not elaborate. Swedens Bid Both Finland and its neighbour Sweden had previously adopted a policy of non-alignment. However, after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, both countries sought to join the alliance amid fears of a wider conflict brewing in Europe. But Swedens NATO bid remains stuck as top officials in Turkey have accused the Swedish government of harbouring left-wing Kurdish militant groups that it has accused of terrorist acts. Hungary has also signalled opposition to Sweden joining the alliance, citing grievances over criticism of Prime Minister Viktor Orbans record on democracy and rule of law. On Tuesday morning, the White House released a statement from President Joe Biden, who said that he look[s] forward to welcoming Sweden as a NATO member as soon as possible, and encourage[s] Turkey and Hungary to conclude their ratification processes without delay. Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstroem told reporters it is Stockholms ambition to become a member at the NATO summit in Vilnius in July. This is a question of utmost importance for Sweden there is no reason for neither the Turkish Parliament or the Hungarian Parliament to make any further delays, he said. Jack Phillips, Reuters, and PA Media contributed to this report. A Manhattan grand jury has officially decided to indict former President Donald Trump. A misdemeanor charge has been elevated to a felony by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. It is clear that this weaponization of the courts seeks to damage Trump in his run for reelection. Bragg is a Democrat funded by George Soros. He is soft on the rising crime on the streets of New York, and his star witness is a man convicted of perjury. Meanwhile, where is the indictment of Hunter Biden and Joe Biden? Why hasnt Hillary Clinton stood before a jury? This is not how the United States legal system is meant to work. Both Democrats and Independents alike can see the dangers of a justice system that is hijacked by political bias. Despite the attempt to damage Trumps presidential campaign, this case may be exactly what is needed to ensure his reelection. US, Allies Working to Bring Ukraine Up to NATO Standards: Blinken U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers remarks during a NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting at the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on March 23, 2021. (Yves Herman/Reuters/Pool) The United States is working with its allies to bring Ukraines military up to NATO standards but isnt currently providing the nation with a roadmap for membership, according to Americas top diplomat. Though the Ukrainian leadership is eager for more NATO support, up to and including joining the alliance, the organization was steadily focusing on helping the nation to repel the ongoing Russian invasion, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. Our focus right now is relentlessly on doing what must be done to [help Ukraine] defend itself against Russian aggression and, indeed, to retake the territory that Russia has taken, Blinken said at an April 5 press conference in Brussels. The United States approved its 35th drawdown of security funding for Ukraine on April 4, bringing the total amount of U.S. security assistance to Ukraine to more than $35 billion. Blinken said that the United States was working closely with its allies in NATO to implement the alliances 2022 Strategic Concept, which characterizes a powerful and free Ukraine as vital to European security interests. A strong, independent Ukraine is vital for the stability of the Euro-Atlantic area, the strategy document states. We will continue to develop our partnerships with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, and Ukraine to advance our common interest in Euro-Atlantic peace, stability, and security. NATO maintains an open-door policy in which any nation can request a pathway for membership, and Ukraine has repeatedly requested an expedited membership process. The alliances bylaws, however, prohibit the admission of any nation that doesnt maintain territorial integrity. Ukraine, therefore, likely cant join NATO until it regains its territory from Russia. Blinken said that the alliance was bringing Ukraine up to NATO standards and NATO interoperability but not actively working toward accepting Ukraine as a member. Of course, NATOs door remains open, Blinken said. To that end, Blinken noted that NATO was seeking a just and durable peace for the ongoing war in Ukraine that would recognize Ukrainian sovereignty, uphold the U.N. Charter, and not allow Russia to simply prepare for a new invasion. Finland Joins NATO Blinkens comments follow a meeting with NATO colleagues in Brussels, where the military alliance welcomed Finland as its 31st member. Both Finland and Sweden broke with decades of precedent to request membership in the alliance following Russias invasion of Ukraine. Finlands acceptance means that the nation will be expected to contribute 2 percent of its gross domestic product to collective defense and that it will be defended by all its allies should it be attacked by a foreign power. With this step, Finland is safer, NATO is stronger, Blinken said. This has genuinely been a historic meeting of the alliance. Finlands accession will also extend NATOs border with mainland Russia by 830 miles. With that eastward expansion in mind, Blinken clarified that NATO is a purely defensive alliance and isnt looking to provoke or otherwise stir conflict with Russia. But it is a defensive alliance that has to have a strong deterrent precisely because we want to make sure that countries think twice, think three times, and then dont engage in aggression, he said. Blinken noted that NATO and Finland have worked closely together for many years, and he expressed that the nations acceptance of the alliance would expand that work. Finland and the NATO alliance have been working closely together for years, Blinken said. I would anticipate that across the board, this has the effect of further strengthening [that cooperation]. Vancouver Police Deployed to End Tent Encampment in Downtown Eastside Tents are seen on the sidewalk in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, B.C., Apr. 3, 2023. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck) Vancouver police have dispatched officers to a tent encampment on the citys Downtown Eastside with the aim of shutting down the site to campers. The City of Vancouver says it has asked police to help bring a close to the encampment, removing all remaining tents and structures. It says in a statement that it decided to act due to the growing public safety risk posed by the encampment on East Hastings Street. It says more than 400 outdoor fires have occurred over the last eight months and four people have been injured this year. The persistent fire risk posed by the encampment and recent fires in neighbouring buildings has made the situation on East Hastings even more precarious. Fires are occurring too regularly in the area and with escalating intensity due to an accumulation of materials and propane tanks, the statement says. It says the city has been working on the street daily to address fire, life and safety concerns identified by the fire chiefs safety order issued in July last year. Vancouver police have reported a nine percent increase in assaults in the area since the encampment began and have identified an alarming trend of sexual violence in the area, the release says. As longer-term housing options come online, the city encourages those sheltering along East Hastings to accept shelter offers. While shelters are far from ideal, they provide a safer option than sheltering in an entrenched encampment. The release says there are about 80 tents and structures remaining at the site. At its peak, there were about 180 structures, although the city says 600 tents and makeshift buildings have been removed from the area. Virginia Governor Leads Delegation to Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin will lead an international trade delegation to Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea at the end of April to strengthen economic and cultural ties. As part of the mission, Youngkin plans to meet with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, other government leaders, strategic business associations, company executives, and industry leaders, his office said. Im excited to represent the Commonwealth in my first trade mission to Asia that will focus on economic development opportunities, our shared priorities, and national security, said Youngkin. Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea represent critical markets that will advance economic growth and prosperity in Virginia. In strengthening these relationships, we are not only reaffirming our commitment to our allies but also strengthening the spirit of Virginia and America. Youngkins trip to Taiwan will likely put China on alert because the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) considers Taiwan a territory and views these types of meetings between U.S. and Taiwanese leaders as an affront to its claim over the island nation. Youngkin considers communist China as an aggressor and earlier this year banned the Chinese-owned app TikTok from government devices, pulled out of negotiations for a China-backed Ford Motor Co. electric vehicle battery plant, and signed a bill to ban the sale of farmland to foreign adversaries, including China. The farmland bill, SB 1438, was passed in February by the Virginia House with a 6730 vote a week after the Senate passed it on a 2316 vote. Taiwans representative to the United States, Hsiao Bi-khim, praised the Virginia Assembly for its resounding support for a bill that directs the states Economic Development Partnership Authority to conduct a cost-benefit analysis for opening a VirginiaTaiwan Trade office. Touched and thankful to learn of the bipartisan Virginia General Assembly House vote today, 99-0, supporting an analysis to open a Trade Office in Taiwan. I believe such an office will add momentum to deepening trade and economic ties, Bi-khim wrote in a February Twitter post. Governor Takes on Foreign Policy Youngkin said Taiwan is strategically important for its allies and adversaries, especially the Chinese regime. Lets be clear. Its [China] using their economic might in order to project their will around the world. And it is not just saber-rattling, but theyre building a land bridge to Taiwan, and Taiwans future is hugely strategic, said Youngkin during a February interview with CNBCs Squawk Box. The governor also stressed decoupling from China to ensure the United States and Virginia can guarantee supply chains for important consumer goods. It needs to change in the sense that there are select industries that we must be proactive and making sure we have trusted supply chains, Youngkin said. Besides Taipei, the delegation will make stops in Tokyo and in Seoul, South Korea, during the weeklong trip from April 2429, said the governors office. Virginia is home to many foreign-owned business establishments, including five from Taiwan, 133 from Japan, and 25 from South Korea, according to Youngkins office. Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of USTaiwan Business Council, told The Epoch Times that the trip to Taiwan will give the governor the opportunity to expand trade and connect directly with Taiwans technology ecosystem. Hammond-Chambers also said the mission will give Youngkin the occasion to be presidential. By traveling to the island Governor Youngkin can elaborate on how he feels about semiconductor cooperation; Chinas aggressive military posture; and the importance of democracy in creating stable and friendly states, he said in an emailed statement. Warning Issued About Malware Scam Targeting Taxpayers With Deceptive IRS Forms A top antivirus software purveyor issued a warning about a scam targeting taxpayers with false Internal Revenue Service (IRS) forms that lure people into downloading malware. MalwareBytes, in a release, said it found an email being sent out with the title of IRS Tax Forms W-9 which appears to have been sent from IRS Online Center,' But the email, which contains an attachment and very little text, has a very suspicious file. If the user downloads the file, it will bring up a Word document that asks the user: This document is protected Previewing is not available for protected documents. You have to press enable editing and enable content buttons to preview this document. The form could be be sent as ZIP file containing a Word document, it said. It noted that the file is more than 500 MB in size, an attempt by scammers to bypass email security tools. You wont find many genuine Word documents weighing in at 500MB or more, the report said. In fact, a file size of 500MB is a potential indicator that Emotet is lurking in the background. Malware authors are artificially pumping up the size of the document in order to try and fool or break security tools. This is because the large file size may prove too difficult for the tools to get a handle on and properly analyze. Enabling this will result in Emotet being downloaded onto the system, the company said, referring to a type of Trojan virus. Emotet has been around since 2014. Originally created as a banking trojan, later versions added malware delivery and spam services. Mostly featuring in email spam campaigns, a big focus of fake mails helping to deliver the infection include subjects like parcel shipping, invoices, and other forms of payment. Meanwhile, the IRS has said in numerous notices that it will never attempt to contact a taxpayer via telephone, text message, or email. Instead, the IRS says that it always opts to communicate through normal mail. Tax agencies have a proper process for issuing refunds, found on their websites. Some, like HMRC, are very clear that refunds are never issued by email. If in doubt, phone the tax office directly and ask if what you have is the real deal or a fake, MalwareBytes said. Some tax scams will ask you who you bank with, and then open up a phishing page for that bank. Always navigate directly to your banking website, click throughs and redirects typically spell danger. Other security researchers have said that people should look for grammar and spelling mistakes. Generally, scammers and hackers often made basic errors because some are from countries where English is not the native language. A legitimate email from a federal or state agency is not likely to contain mistakes. A screenshot of the malicious email provided by MalwareBytes included grammatical and spelling errors: Let me know if you would like a hard copy mailed as well. Respectifully [SIC] Barbara LaCosta and listed her as the inspector of the Department of Treasure. Former U.S. President Donald Trump (C) raises his fist as he leaves Trump Tower for his arraignment at the Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, the United States, on April 4, 2023. Former U.S. President Donald Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, the Manhattan district attorney said on Tuesday afternoon. (Xinhua) NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. President Donald Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, the Manhattan district attorney said on Tuesday afternoon. Trump, who was arraigned at the Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City and became the first former U.S. president to be criminally indicted, reportedly pleaded not guilty. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced the indictment after Trump's arraignment, accusing him of "falsifying New York business records in order to conceal damaging information and unlawful activity from American voters before and after the 2016 election." During the election, Trump and others employed a "catch and kill" scheme to identify, purchase, and bury negative information about him and boost his electoral prospects, according to Bragg's office in a press release. Trump then tried to hide this conduct, causing dozens of false entries in business records to conceal criminal activity, including attempts to violate state and federal election laws, the release alleged. The New York State Supreme Court indictment cited three instances of hush-money payments to cover up Trump's alleged affairs. A Republican who held the White House from early 2017 to early 2021 after winning the 2016 race, Trump has denied wrongdoing and stated that the criminal inquiry led by Bragg, a Democrat, is politically motivated. Trump's attorney Todd Blanche, speaking to reporters outside the Manhattan Criminal Court after Trump's departure, revealed that his client is "frustrated" and "upset." "It's not a good day," Blanche said, adding that "you don't expect this to happen ... to somebody who was the president of the United States." Trump is traveling back to his Mar-a-Lago residence in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he will hold an event to address his indictment on Tuesday night, following the court appearance. "Seems so SURREAL -- WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Can't believe this is happening in America. MAGA!" Trump wrote on his social media platform "Truth Social" before arriving at the Manhattan Criminal Court earlier in the day. Republicans have rallied behind Trump, criticizing that the justice system has been weaponized by the Democratic Party for political purposes since Trump, 76, is running for the White House again and is an early frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. "Equal justice under the law, unless you're a Republican running for president," tweeted U.S. Congressman Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican who serves as chairman of the House Republican Study Committee. Democrats, by contrast, are seeking to cast the historic indictment as an accountability move and urging Trump supporters to remain peaceful while protesting. "I believe that Donald Trump will have a fair trial that follows the facts and the law," U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. "There's no place in our justice system for any outside influence or intimidation in the legal process," Schumer, a New York Democrat, added. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Tuesday afternoon that President Joe Biden is aware of his predecessor's arraignment but stressed that it is not the Democrat's "focus." "Of course, this is playing out on many of the networks here on a daily basis for hours and hours, so obviously, he will catch part of the news when he has a moment to catch up on the news of the day, but this is not his focus for today," Jean-Pierre said. In addition to the hush-money payment case, Trump is facing several other criminal investigations at the state and federal levels, including his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss, his handling of classified documents, and his role in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Sixty percent of Americans approve of the indictment of Trump, according to a new CNN poll released on Monday. Support for the indictment fell along party lines, with 94 percent of Democrats approving of the decision to indict Trump, while 79 percent of Republicans disapproved of the move to indict. Besides, about three-quarters of Americans say politics played at least some role in the Trump indictment, including 52 percent who said it played a major role, the CNN poll showed. A road around the complex of Manhattan Criminal Court and Manhattan District Attorney's Office is closed in New York, the United States, on April 4, 2023. New York City further reinforced its security measures ahead of the scheduled arraignment of former U.S. President Donald Trump at a criminal court in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) A road around the complex of Manhattan Criminal Court and Manhattan District Attorney's Office is lined up by barricades in New York, the United States, on April 4, 2023. New York City further reinforced its security measures ahead of the scheduled arraignment of former U.S. President Donald Trump at a criminal court in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) Police stand guard at the crossroads around the complex of Manhattan Criminal Court and Manhattan District Attorney's Office in New York, the United States, on April 4, 2023. New York City further reinforced its security measures ahead of the scheduled arraignment of former U.S. President Donald Trump at a criminal court in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) Police divide a park into two parts for former U.S. President Donald Trump's supporters and critics opposite the complex of Manhattan Criminal Court and Manhattan District Attorney's Office in New York, the United States, on April 4, 2023. New York City further reinforced its security measures ahead of the scheduled arraignment of former U.S. President Donald Trump at a criminal court in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) Police and security members are seen at the crossroads around the complex of Manhattan Criminal Court and Manhattan District Attorney's Office in New York, the United States, on April 4, 2023. New York City further reinforced its security measures ahead of the scheduled arraignment of former U.S. President Donald Trump at a criminal court in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) A motorcade of former U.S. President Donald Trump approaches the complex of Manhattan Criminal Court and Manhattan District Attorney's Office in New York, the United States, on April 4, 2023. Former U.S. President Donald Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, the Manhattan district attorney said on Tuesday afternoon. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) A policeman stands guard at the crossroads as a motorcade of former U.S. President Donald Trump approaches the complex of Manhattan Criminal Court and Manhattan District Attorney's Office in New York, the United States, on April 4, 2023. Former U.S. President Donald Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, the Manhattan district attorney said on Tuesday afternoon. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) Law enforcement staff stand guard at the crossroads after the arrival of former U.S. President Donald Trump at the complex of Manhattan Criminal Court and Manhattan District Attorney's Office in New York, the United States, on April 4, 2023. Former U.S. President Donald Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, the Manhattan district attorney said on Tuesday afternoon. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) A motorcade of former U.S. President Donald Trump approaches the complex of Manhattan Criminal Court and Manhattan District Attorney's Office in New York, the United States, on April 4, 2023. Former U.S. President Donald Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, the Manhattan district attorney said on Tuesday afternoon. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) Police officers stand guard outside Trump Tower in New York, the United States, on April 4, 2023. Former U.S. President Donald Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, the Manhattan district attorney said on Tuesday afternoon. (Xinhua) A protester holds a sign near Trump Tower in New York, the United States, on April 4, 2023. Former U.S. President Donald Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, the Manhattan district attorney said on Tuesday afternoon. (Xinhua) The press waits in front of Trump Tower in New York, the United States, on April 4, 2023. Former U.S. President Donald Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, the Manhattan district attorney said on Tuesday afternoon. (Xinhua) Passengers take photos as they pass Trump Tower in New York, the United States, on April 4, 2023. Former U.S. President Donald Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, the Manhattan district attorney said on Tuesday afternoon. (Xinhua) Former U.S. President Donald Trump leaves the building of Manhattan District Attorney's Office in New York April 4, 2023. Donald Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, the Manhattan district attorney said Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by Winston Zhou/Xinhua) What does it take to be considered a successful president? According to the historians who vote in the most well-known presidential rankings list, C-SPANs Presidential Historians Survey, it seems to be a mixed bag. Indeed, the rankings seem to have less to do with what a president did or didnt do during their time, and more to do with how society views them now. One former president on the list, Warren G. Harding, has perpetually been at the bottom of the rankings, and according to historian Ryan Walters, the opposite should be true. Walters, a history professor at Collin College in North Texas and the author of The Jazz Age President: Defending Warren G. Harding, is one of the few historians who have come out in defense of the president who was the executive face of the Roaring 20s. He suggests the reason why so few come to Hardings defense is because of the baggage that has followed himbaggage that, he claims, is steeped in more falsehoods than the truth. Not a lot has been written about him because the consensus opinion is that hes a failed president. He was considered corrupt, inept, and incompetent, and lazy, a partier, a womanizer. They say he was a terrible president and shouldnt have been in office, Walters said in an interview on The Sons of History podcast. But he quickly added, When you look at his record, it just doesnt reflect what historians have said about him. Addressing the Myths In his book on the president who died exactly 100 years ago after only 882 days in office, he tackles numerous accusations that swirl about Hardings administration. Walters stated that these accusations he identifies and addresses are either rumors or outright lies and fabrications of history created by journalists and historians. One of those myths Walters addresses is one of the more famous scandals in White House history: the Teapot Dome Scandal. This scandal took place when Secretary of the Interior Albert Fall leased government-owned petroleum reserves to private companies at low rates without allowing for any competitive bidding. The scandal did indeed take place during Hardings time in office, but the myth is that he allowed for it to happen. The tragic part about this scandal, in regards to Harding, is that he died shortly after receiving news about the scandal. Harding had already addressed two previous scandals, one involving the Veterans Bureau and the other within the Department of Justice. In these instances, Harding addressed the scandals and those involved, which resulted in people being fired from their positions and some being sent to prison. When Harding received news of the Teapot Dome Scandal, he was on a tour of the nations western seaboard. It is on record that Harding discussed with his Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover, later to become the 31st president, about exposing those involved in the scandal. Harding had planned to deal with them in the same way he had the previous scandals. Indeed, his approach to scandals proves very different from many other presidents. When you look at the real record of scandals and what he did and how he confronted people, and fired people, and people went to prison, its much different than [Richard] Nixon and others who covered them up or either say theyre not a scandal, Walters said. You remember [Barack] Obama saying, Theres not been a smidgen of corruption in my administration. Thats true. It depends on how you define corruption. If you redefine it to not include anything youve done, then sure, every administration has no corruption. A Return to Normalcy Scandals, unfortunately, are practically synonymous with government. It simply comes down to how an administration or agency leaders deal with them. Its an unseemly normalcy. In regards to normalcy, Harding used the phrase return to normalcy as his 1920 campaign slogan. In his Return to Normalcy speech, he stated that: Americas present need is not heroics, but healing; not nostrums, but normalcy; not revolution, but restoration; not agitation, but adjustment; not surgery, but serenity; not the dramatic, but the dispassionate; not experiment, but equipoise; not submergence in internationality, but sustainment in triumphant nationality. America was in turmoil in the post-World War I era. There were race riots, terrorist attacks on Wall Street, crumbling diplomatic relations with Latin America, high taxes, massive government spending, a depression, and an outgoing president, Woodrow Wilson, who had been incapacitated for more than a year. Nothing seemed normal. After receiving 404 electoral votes and more than 60 percent of the popular vote, Harding was set to follow through on his promise. That was a perfect slogan, Walters said. People had had it with reforms, the war, Spanish Flu, and violence. They wanted to go back to a simpler time and thats exactly what Harding did. Walters pointed out that the top tax rate was 70 percent and annual government spending had ballooned from less than $800 million before the war to $20 billion in 1919. By the time Harding entered into office, the spending was at $6 billion and he cut that amount in half in two years. Harding was a small government conservative who believed in the values of republicanism. The idea was to get the government out of everybodys life, Walters noted. He said during the campaign that the world needs to be reminded that not every problem can be solved with legislation. A Laissez-Faire Approach Hardings economic program was laissez-faire. He cut taxes, government spending, and government regulations. What resulted from his economic program and that of his predecessor, Calvin Coolidge, was an economic boom known as the Roaring 20s. Walters stated that historians attempt to place the blame for the Great Depression on the shoulders of Harding and Coolidge by suggesting their policies set the stage for the depression. But Walters said those claims do not hold water. He noted that historians call the 12-year span of Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover a Republican Era, but it was not. Hoover, whose selection to Hardings cabinet went against the wishes of leading Republicans because of his progressivism, was aligned closer to the ideology of Franklin Roosevelt than Harding. Hoover comes in 1929 and the Depression hits in October of that year and what does he do? He starts throwing everything he had at it, Walters said. He was raising taxes, raising tariffs, doing all these things making the downturn worse. And then FDR picked up where he left off and went forward with progressive government policies and ground us into a terrible depression. Rexford Tugwell, who was part of FDRs Brain Trust, admitted that they got a lot of the ideas for the New Deal from Hoover. So its customary to call it Hoovers New Deal. Domestic and Foreign Relations When it came to race relations in America, Harding proved to be who the country needed. The country had just experienced one of the most openly racist presidents in Wilson, who had purposely resegregated the federal government and pushed for a federal ban on interracial mixing within the limits of the nations capital. He had also infamously screened the film The Birth of a Nation, which was a glorification of the Ku Klux Klan. Thats the kind of guy Harding followed, Walters said. Black people began to move from the South into the North, and people may think they were well received, but that was not the case. In 1919, you get the Red Summer, and it was called that because of the amount of blood spilledblack blood. There were dozens of lynchings in the summer of 1919. Harding came in and tried to correct some of that. He called for a civil rights law and a federal law to ban lynchings. After attaining the unprecedented 60 percent popular vote, Harding made the unprecedented decision to give the commencement address to a historically black university, Lincoln University, and to shake hands with all 400 graduating students. Harding gave this address only three days after the Tulsa Race Riot, and he did not avoid addressing that tragic event. Shortly after the commencement address, Harding visited the heart of the Old Confederacy in Birmingham, Alabama to speak to an obviously segregated audience and urge them to treat blacks equally. Walters said Harding promoted the pursuit of equality for blacks within politics, voting rights, economic opportunities, and educational opportunities during his talk. Think about the courage it took to do that, he said. Nobody did that. He used the Bully Pulpit to do that. Harding was on the move to mend domestic and foreign relations that had been nearly obliterated since the turn of the 20th century. The relations with Latin American countries were suffering for several reasons: the creation of the Panama Canal and the war with Mexican revolutionary, Francisco Pancho Villa. The new president of Mexico, Alvaro Obregon considered Wilson a most terrible enemy and noted Hardings inauguration as a day of deliverance. Mexico had been undergoing the turmoil of revolution and was now seeking national recognition by the American government. Harding proved no pushover, however, and left the diplomatic discussions to his State Department. After the Department proved incapable of resolving the issues during his first two years in office, and after acknowledging the publics concern to end the controversy between the two countries, Harding took charge. Although he died shortly before concessions were made, it was Hardings decision to establish the Bucareli Conference, which allowed for all the issues to be aired and a resolution to be achieved. Government Weaponization Lastly, Walters noted that he finds it very strange that Wilson and Roosevelt receive such high marks (Wilson was considered the sixth best president in 2000, but has fallen to 13th, while FDR currently sits in third) while Harding suffers so greatly in the rankings (currently 37th), despite the former two weaponizing the government against citizens. Wilson threw people in jail just because they opposed his war in Europe. FDR routinely used the IRS as a weapon. He used illegal wiretaps on people. He threw over 100,000 Japanese-Americans in concentration camps. But lets rank him third, Walters stated. But Harding, who pardoned political prisoners and let them out of jail even though he didnt agree with them, like Eugene Debs, lets put him down on the list. Hes a failed president. It makes no sense to anyone with common sense. With Emigration, More Pet Rabbits Abandoned in Hong Kong; Some Tips for Adopting and Caring for the Furry Friends Expert: adopting a fury friend is a lifetime commitment With the Easter holidays fast approaching, especially in the year of the rabbit, many might consider bringing an auspicious pet bunny home. Experts from Hong Kong Rabbit Society (HKRS), the non-profit rabbit rescue group, stress that raising rabbits is a lifetime commitment. Yvonne Tong, executive director of HKRS, a group caring for forsaken rabbits since 2003, said in a recent interview with the Epoch Times that the societys rabbit shelter is constantly overcrowded. Rabbit Rescue Center at Near Capacity Rabbit, besides cats and dogs, has become one of the most common pets in Hong Kong. Yvonne explained that first-time owners often surrender or abandon their pets due to a lack of knowledge and commitment. Inside HKRS Mongkok adoption center, there are 100 cages. The bunny in each pen has a furry toy as a companion, and a familiar odor would increase its sense of security. From 9:00 a.m. until evening, staff at the shelter are busy cleaning, changing floor linings, and adding pasture grass in each pen, so these cute animals can live healthily and comfortably until their new hosts appear. The center receives phone calls about rabbit surrenders almost daily, but only a few successfully found a home. Some of the most extended residents have lived in the shelter for nearly seven years. Yvonne Tong, director of the Hong Kong Rabbit Society, has witnessed many heartbreaking abandonments. Successful adoption remains few, so the shelter is often near capacity. Jan. 19, 2023. (Benson Lau/The Epoch Times) Emigration Impacted Recent Number of Surrenders People generally believe that keeping rabbits is an easy task. Yvonne, however, said rabbits are not suitable for entry-level owners. Lack of knowledge is one of the primary causes of people giving up their rabbits. At the same time, the citys emigration has drastically impacted the number of surrenders in the past five years. Before accepting abandoned rabbits, the rescue group would persuade the owners to keep their furry friends. Staff educate owners on raising a rabbit properly, which usually would revert the owners decision to surrender. Like other animal shelters, HKRS has received many old-age and sick rabbits. Currently, 60 percent of the centers inhabitants suffer from some long-term illnesses. Yvonne believes many owners abandoned their rabbits after hefty medical bills. Families emigrating may be unable to take rabbits with them due to import restrictions at the destination and costly transportation. Sadly they may have no choice but to leave the pets behind. In 2020 one such family surrendered two ten-year-old rabbits to the center called Copy and Paste. Both rabbits suffered liver and eye diseases due to old age, as they are equivalent to over 80 years old in humans). A rabbit named Paste, held in Yvonne Tongs arm, once suffered Horners syndrome. Paste was equivalent to over 80 years old when it arrived at the HKRS in 2020, abandoned when its original owner left Hong Kong on Jan. 19, 2023. (Benson Lau/The Epoch Times) Silent Pets Who Dont Show Signs of Illness The adorable bunny rabbits people commonly see are called Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus. They were domesticated by humans from wild European rabbits. At the bottom of the food chain, these little burrowing animals inherited the timid nature of their ancestors in living like hermits. They dont know how to use vocal cords and rely on physical language to express emotions, such as biting and scratching. These behaviors often confuse their owners, who do not understand the animals character and may mistake it as aggression. Rabbits are experts in hiding sickness too, so they wont become a target of predators in nature. Hence, owners need to be highly observant of their bunnys behaviors and habits to detect signs of diseases as early as possible. Helping Rabbits Succeed in Human Environment Habitats for rabbits must not be too warm, as mortality rates from overheating can reach 80 percent. The suitable temperature for these furries is 20-25 degrees Celsius (68-77 Fahrenheit). Giving the bunnies a chance to dig their rabbit holes is a healthy way to exercise and nurture their instinct. According to Yvonne, with medicine advancing, many incurable diseases in the past are now treatable, prolonging rabbits life expectancy to up to 15 years. However, there are fewer than a dozen specialized rabbit vets in Hong Kong, and medical treatment is costly. For example, treating gastrointestinal stagnation costs at least HK$1,000 (approximately 130 USD), while treating some severe diseases can easily cost a five or even six-digit figure. Rabbit illnesses may include Pasteurellosis, cancer, and Horners syndrome. Buying pet rabbits in Hong Kong is easy, yet adequate knowledge, love, and patience to care for them are vital. Yvonne Tong caring for rabbits in Hong Kong on Jan. 19, 2023. (Benson Lau /The Epoch Times) Human Selfishness Posts Even More Severe Threats In addition to illnesses, a more fierce threat rabbits face daily is selfish and ignorant owners, Tong complained. She has worked in the rescue center for many years and witnessed many heartbreaking and outrageous cases. Someone bagged two rabbits in a plastic bin liner and put them by the door of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD). The rabbits fought inside the bag, bleeding everywhere. AFCD eventually sent both injured rabbits to HKRS. In another incident in 2017, the center received a call from a middle-aged man, claiming his rabbit was dying, he did not have any money to treat the rabbit, but did not want the animal to die at home. When Yvonne received the rabbit, its eyes could barely open. X-rays and examination by the vet revealed there was no food in the rabbits stomach. It barely had any muscles and was severely dehydrated. After emergency treatment, the rabbit survived and was named Rebirth. When the former owner wanted to retrieve Rebirth and asked for other available rabbits, HKRS refused. Yvonne was furious at the owners irresponsibility, What kind of man is he? He has no respect for life. The Danger of Abandoning Rabbits into the Wild Many owners abandoned their pets in country parks, garbage stations, or hills near highways. Rabbits dumped in these places have little chance to survive, Tong said; they become vulnerable prey and can get poisoned by grass contaminated with pesticides. Tong admits obtaining a rabbit in Hong Kong is easy, so owners often do not hesitate much and impulsively take a rabbit home. Only then do they realize the gap between expectations and reality. Tong urges people who intend to keep rabbits to be responsible owners and treat the animal as part of their family. Whatever happens or changes, you should count your pet in your plans. How to Care for a Rabbit Find the job daunting raising a bunny? Experts say with a bit of love and patience, rabbits can become a member of the household rather naturally. Ms. Chow, owner of a major pet store branch, shares below how to care for house rabbits and adopt them into the host family with ease: Space: Is there enough space at home? Responsibility: Discuss with family members before any adoption. Who is going to be the primary caretaker of the rabbit? Who will look after it when the primary owner is away? Who will feed the rabbit and clean its cage? Organize and plan as a family to avoid disputes later. Preparation: Before you take a rabbit home, prepare a rabbit cage of 80 cm x 100 cm, fences, and cushions. It takes a while for rabbits to acclimatize to a new environment. So keep the rabbit in a cage for a week to adapt to your home and surroundings. Sometimes, this can take as long as two months; they should be allowed regular exercise and stimulation. Observation: It is vital to check how your new pet is progressing. Observe closely whether the rabbit is wary of its environment. Some common signs are sitting down as if it is hatching eggs and if its eyes stay open for a prolonged period. Nutrition: Rabbits need a large amount of Timothy grass for sufficient fiber intake, with vegetables and rabbit food being the other staples in a ratio of 7:2:1. Rabbits under one year old should also consume additional livestock feeds to supplement protein intake. Fresh vegetables such as carrots can only be given as snacks, as too much water can cause diarrhea. Hygiene: Rabbits are famous for pooping a lot. They have to keep eating to maintain gastrointestinal peristalsis, and they will eat the nutritious stool that they have not fully digested. Prepare a litter box as a toilet in its cage and clean it regularly. Rabbits will learn where to do their business. Rabbits should be brushed every three to five days to help remove dead fur and reduce swallowing. Safety: Put away valuables to prevent loss and damage, and protect wires at home to prevent rabbits from being electricuted. Seal up or block the bottom of the couches to prevent a rabbit from getting stuck inside. When picking up a rabbit, use your arm to gently hold onto its chest and buttocks so that its feet can rest on its forearms to give an extra sense of security. Sitting on the floor or stool when picking up a rabbit is the best way to minimize injury if the rabbit wants to leap and run away. A Social Bunch Rabbits are sociable. They love attention and enjoy companionship with humans and other rabbits. Regular playtime keeps your pet healthy. Like other house pets, rabbits have their personalities too. Getting to know if your rabbit is shy or social can be helpful in bonding with the pet. An important note to consider when you decide to get a pair of rabbits, it is best to get both females, as two male bunnies may fight for territory. Cabinet nod to set-up 730 PM Shri schools in State Staff Reporter On Tuesday, a meeting of the Council of Ministers was held at Mantralaya under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The Cabinet ratified the establishment of 730 PM Shri schools in the State. Maximum two schools in each development block of the State (626 in 313 development blocks) and 104 schools in urban bodies of 52 districts, in this way maximum 730 schools have been marked as PM Shri schools. One of the identified schools will be run for primary education (Class I to VIII) and one school for higher secondary education. The cost of PM Shri School will be borne by the Center and the State in the ratio of 60:40. As many as Rs 277.40 crore will be spent on all 730 PM Shri schools every year, out of which the States share will be Rs 110.96 crore per year. This project is of five years and during this period the expenditure burden of Rs 554.80 crore will fall on the State Government. After 5 years, it will be fully operated by the State Government. PM Shri School will include quality of education, equality and access to education facilities with overall compliance with the provisions of the National Education Policy 2020. These schools will be presented as examples for other schools.The Cabinet granted administrative approval of Rs 714.91 crore for a new Medical College with 100 MBBS seats admission capacity at Budhni in Sehore district, a 500-bed affiliated hospital, 60-seat admission capacity nursing college for nursing courses and 60-seat admission capacity college for paramedical courses. Due to the long distance from the medical colleges located in Hoshangabad, Itarsi, Pipariya, Betul and surrounding areas to Bhopal, Jabalpur and Chhindwara, the people of the area will get medical facilities easily. Cm Baghel meets Priyanka, Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi Staff Reporter RAIPUR, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi is set to visit Chhattisgarh on April 12 for a one-day trip. This was confirmed by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, who met with both Priyanka Gandhi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi. Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to address an election rally in poll-bound Karnataka on April 10 before heading to his parliamentary constituency in Wayanad, Kerala on April 11. Priyanka Gandhis visit to Chhattisgarh is aimed at meeting with Anganwadi workers, assistants and Mitanin Sammelan in Raipur city. Meanwhile, there has been speculation about a potential change in the Chhattisgarh Congress organisation ahead of the assembly elections. Baghel confirmed that preparations were underway for the constitution of Congress Working Committee (CWC), after which changes could be made in the Chhattisgarh Congress. There has been talk of the removal of the current State Congress President Mohan Markam, with some party sources suggesting that Bastar MP Deepak Baij may take his place. However, several Congress leaders have denied that the party will change its State President ahead of the assembly elections. A rift between Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Mohan Markam has also been reported, with Baghel reportedly urging the Congress high command to remove Markam from the post of the Congress State President. For his part, Markam has said that he is ready to accept any decision made by the party. Baghel also commented on the recent postponement of a meeting between BJP MLAs and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He stated that while BJP National Vice-President Dr Raman Singh is able to meet the Prime Minister, he has been unable to arrange for his own MLAs to do so. Baghel also expressed surprise at Dr Raman Singhs recent statement that the ED had completed its inquiry into the PDS scam. Desperadoes attack senior citizen, escape with booty worth over Rs 32 lakh Special Correspondent SENSATION prevailed in Sonegaon area after desperadoes attacked a senior citizen with a sharp-edged weapon and looted cash, gold ornaments, silver utensils and ornaments collectively worth over Rs 32 lakh from his house in the wee hours of Tuesday. The incident has once again raised several eyebrows about safety and security of senior citizens in the Second Capital. A resident of Row House No 3, Plot No 33, Indraprastha Layout, Sonegaon, Suresh Sadashiv Potdukhe (82) was sleeping in the bedroom. His wife had gone to her son-in-law Dr Prashant Rahates house. His two other married daughters were in Delhi and Raipur and son was already settled in the United States of America. Around 4 am, three-four robbers broke the grill lock of the rear door. They then opened the central lock of the wooden door and gained entry into the house. The intruders then tied the hands and legs of Potdukhe with a piece of cloth and asked him to hand over the keys of the steel vault. A frightened Potdukhe told them that the keys of the steel vault was kept in his bank locker. One of the robbers stabbed him with a knife while two others stuck an adhesive plaster over his mouth. The robbers then ransacked the house and found the keys of the steel vault in an almirah. They opened the vault, collected Rs 25 lakh cash, gold ornaments weighing 150 gram, silver ornaments and utensils collectively worth Rs seven lakh and decamped with the booty. Around 5.30 am, the injured octogenarian somehow managed to free himself and informed the neighbours about the robbery. Neighbours immediately alerted the police about the incident. Staff from Sonegaon Police Station, led by Senior Inspector B S Pardesi rushed to the spot. A team of Crime Branch officers also rushed to the spot. Injured Potdukhe, who owns agricultural land and marriage halls in Chandrapur district, was admitted to Seven Star Hospital. Joint Commissioner of Police Aswati Dorje, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Detection) DCP Mummaka Sudarshan, and Assistant Commissioner of Police (Sonegaon Division) Ashok Bagul visited the victims house to supervise the investigation. Senior police officials summoned fingerprint experts to trace the culprits. After recording the statement of Potdukhe, Sonegaon Police registered a case under Sections 394, 506(b) and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. A police officer told The Hitavada that it appears to be a well-planned armed robbery. Four separate teams were fanned out to identify and nab the robbers, he added. He informed that one of the suspects was identified on the basis of the footage of the CCTV cameras. The officer expressed confidence that the culprits would be put behind bars shortly. Finland joins NATO, dealing blow to Russia for Ukraine war By Lorne Cook and Matthew Lee BRUSSELS, FINLAND joined the NATO military alliance on Tuesday, dealing a major blow to Russia with a historic realignment of the continent triggered by Moscows invasion of Ukraine. The Nordic countrys membership doubles Russias border with the worlds biggest security alliance and represents a major change in Europes security landscape: The nation adopted neutrality after its defeat by the Soviets in World War II. But its leaders signalled they wanted to join the alliance just months after Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine sent a shiver of fear through Moscows neighbours. The move is a strategic and political blow to Putin, who has long complained about NATOs expansion toward Russia and partly used that as a justification for the invasion. Russia warned that it would be forced to take retaliatory measures to address what it called security threats created by Finlands membership. It had also warned it would bolster forces near Finland if NATO sends any additional troops or equipment to what is its 31st member country. The alliance says it poses no threat to Moscow. Neighbouring Sweden, which has avoided military alliances for more than 200 years, has also applied. But objections from NATO members Turkiye and Hungary have delayed the process. Alarmed by Moscows invasion of Ukraine last year, Finland, which shares a 1,340 kilometre (832 mile) border with Russia, applied to join in May, setting aside years of military non-alignment to seek protection under the organisations security umbrella. Im tempted to say this is maybe the one thing that we can thank Mr. Putin for because he once again here precipitated something he claims to want to prevent by Russias aggression, causing many countries to believe that they have to do more to look out for their own defence and to make sure that they can deter possible Russian aggression going forward, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said just before accepting the documents that made Finlands membership official. The US State Department is repository of NATO texts concerning membership. Earlier, Russias Foreign Ministry said the country will be forced to take military-technical and other retaliatory measures to counter the threats to our national security arising from Finlands accession to NATO. G20 vital to deal with global carbon emissions: Scientists AGARTALA, GLOBAL carbon emissions will determine the future, human fate and livelihood, thats why G20 is very important to deal with the challenge, scientists said on the opening day of the two-day Science-20 conference under Indias G20 Presidency in Agartala. Scientists said that there is no nation, no society that can address the carbon emission challenges on their own, so G20 is very important and all nations have to work together as a global force to address the problems of climate change and sustainable development. The President of Indian National Science Academy, Ashutosh Sharma, who chaired the Science-20 meet, said that clean energy is very important for a sustainable future, development and climate change. What we need right now is clean energy, which is the theme of the Science 20 conference - Cleaner Energy for a Cleaner Future. One Earth, one family, one future are very true for climate change as all the challenges that we face today are a global challenge, he said. The event has been organised with inputs from the G20 countries. Scientists from 10 countries are present here, while other countries are giving their inputs virtually. Hydrogen is one of the big and significant areas where work is going on across the globe and there is a hydrogen mission that will be taken forward in India, Sharma said. He added that till November, India will work on these issues by producing reports, policy papers and action maps on what needs to be done with cooperation of the G20 countries before handing over the Presidency of G20 to Brazil on December 1. Along with the global issues, particularly in the energy sector, the local issues in Tripura were also discussed. Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, Ajay Sood, said that on January 4, the Green Hydrogen Mission was launched by the Government which is steered by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The cost of the mission is almost Rs 18,000 crore in which many Ministries are involved, including the Ministries of Steel, Petroleum, Natural Gas, Fertilisers, Shipping along with many science bodies. It reflects the seriousness and responsibility of the Government of India to address the issue of climate change with its commitment towards net zero carbon emission by 2070. Delegates from China, the US, the UK, Australia and Brazil, among others, are taking part in the Science-20 conference. India, Bhutan discuss issues of national interest NEW DELHI, AGAINST the backdrop of renewed focus on the Doklam issue, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck on Tuesday sketched a five-point broad roadmap to expand the time-tested relations besides delving into respective national security interests. The talks between Modi and the visiting king took place days after Bhutans Prime Minister Lotay Tshering said that China has an equal say in resolving the border dispute relating to the strategically-located Doklam tri-junction. When asked at a media briefing whether the Doklam issue figured in the talks, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said India-Bhutan ties are based on mutual respect, trust, close understanding and sensitivity to each others concerns, adding Modi and the king covered the entire gamut of bilateral cooperation including issues of respective national interests. Kwatra said the proposed rail link project between Kokrajhar (Assam) and Gelephu (Bhutan) will be expedited and that it would be the first ever rail link between the two countries. Besides this exemplary and unique relationship that India and Bhutan have, we also have a time-tested framework of security cooperation, and as part of that, both countries maintain a long standing tradition of very close consultations on matters relating to their mutual interests, and of course, security also, he said replying to the Doka La issue. In a tweet, Modi described his meeting with the Bhutanese King as warm and productive. The Prime Minister also hosted a lunch for the visiting dignitary. India outrightly rejects China renaming places in Arunachal NEW DELHI, INDIA on Tuesday outrightly rejected China renaming some places in Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that the State is an integral part of India and assigning invented names does not alter this reality. Indias reaction came in response to Beijing announcing Chinese names for 11 more places in Arunachal Pradesh which the neighbouring country claims as southern part of Tibet. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India outrightly rejected Chinas renaming of the places in Arunachal Pradesh. We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has made such an attempt. We reject this outright, Bagchi said. Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Attempts to assign invented names will not alter this reality, he said. It was the third batch of standardised geographical names for Arunachal Pradesh issued by Chinas Civil Affairs Ministry. The first batch of the standardised names of six places in Arunachal Pradesh was released in 2017 while the second batch of 15 places was issued in 2021. Indigo Paints acquires Nagpur based co Business Bureau Indigo Paints on Monday acquired 51 per cent equity share in Apple Chemie India Private Limited (ACIPL), a Nagpur-based company, by a combination of primary capital infusion into ACIPL and secondary share purchase transaction, the company announced through an exchange filing. The company bought 44,924 shares for Rs 6,529 per share. Hemant Jalan, CMD of Indigo Paints Ltd and Vivek Naik, Managing Director of ACIPL, signed the deal in Pune. Indigo Paints also has an option to acquire additional stake in Apple Chemie at the end of three years. After the purchase of shares ACIPL has become a subsidiary of the company. Indigo acquired ACIPL in order to expand its product portfolio in the space of construction and waterproofing products. The transaction was advised by city-based investment banker Kreo Capital. ACIPL is engaged in the manufacture and sale of construction chemicals and waterproofing products. The authorised capital of the company is at Rs 1,00,00,000 with the paid up capital at Rs 76,58,100. Its sales in FY22 was Rs 32 crores, and is expected to clock over Rs 41 crores in FY 23. The company was incorporated on June 10, 1992 and today has presence all over India and other countries. Apple Chemie has a wide range of products which are complementary to Indigo Paints. They also have a marquee clientele which includes all major engineering and construction conglomerates in the country. With the Governments massive infrastructure spending plan and the established client base, Apple Chemie is primed to become a Pan-India player. This partnership will enable Indigo Paints to widen its product offerings, said Hemant Jalan, CMD of Indigo Paints Ltd. Apple Chemie is an R&D driven organisation with a strong track record of developing innovative products targeting the construction chemicals and waterproofing sector for infrastructure projects in India. We are delighted to embark on this journey and be a part of the Indigo Paints team, said Vivek Naik, MD of Apple Chemie India Pvt Ltd. NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. President Donald Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, the Manhattan district attorney said on Tuesday afternoon. Trump, who was arraigned at the Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City and became the first former U.S. president to be criminally indicted, reportedly pleaded not guilty. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced the indictment after Trump's arraignment, accusing him of "falsifying New York business records in order to conceal damaging information and unlawful activity from American voters before and after the 2016 election." During the election, Trump and others employed a "catch and kill" scheme to identify, purchase, and bury negative information about him and boost his electoral prospects, according to Bragg's office in a press release. Trump then tried to hide this conduct, causing dozens of false entries in business records to conceal criminal activity, including attempts to violate state and federal election laws, the release alleged. Trump, a Republican who held the White House from early 2017 to early 2021, has denied wrongdoing and stated that the criminal inquiry led by Bragg, a Democrat, is politically motivated. Trump's attorney Todd Blanche, speaking to reporters outside the Manhattan Criminal Court, revealed that Trump is "frustrated" and "upset." "It's not a good day," Blanche said, adding that "you don't expect this to happen ... to somebody who was the president of the United States." Trump is traveling back to his Mar-a-Lago residence in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he will hold an event to address his indictment on Tuesday night, following the court appearance. MUCH-MALIGNED PUTIN MAY YET STAND TO BE VINDICATED GIRISH LINGANNA US President Joe Biden, on Tuesday, March 28, came down heavily on a Russian plan to deploy nuclear weapons in neighbouring Belarus, terming it dangerous talk. Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced last week that Russia planned to deploy in the neighbouring state tactical, small-yield N-arms that would traverse a short range, although he was not specific about how many nuclear weapons his country would deploy in Belarus. This would be alongside Russias tactical nuclear arsenal, Belarusian President AlexanderGrigoryevich Lukashenko, one of Putins closest allies, confirmed on Friday (March 31, 2023). At a White House Press briefing, Biden said, This is dangerous and worrisome talk. At first glance, one may tend to agree with Biden. But a closer analysis would reveal another set of geo-political compulsions that would seem to vindicate the Russian President. Putin and Lukashenko have both claimed that the West wants to ruin their respective countries. Lukashenko said he and Putin would together decide the introduction of strategic weapons in his country. They must understand thisthe scoundrels abroadwho today are trying to blow us up from inside and outside, Lukashenko said. Well stop at nothing to protect ourcountries, our state and their peoples. Within a few days of the British Governments announcement that it would supply Ukraine ammunition containing depleted uranium, Putin declared his intention to place tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, which shares a border with Ukraine. This announcement came on March 25. A Reuters report said he spoke on State television and mentioned that the reason for talks with Belarus President Lukashenko was triggered by the British Deputy Minister of Defences announcement of UKs intention to provide depleted uranium weapons to Ukraine. Even otherwise, the Belarusian leader has persistently sought the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons on his countrys soil. UK Minister of State for Defence Annabel Goldie announced on March 20 that Britain was providing Ukraine with ammunition for Challenger 2 battle tanks which contained depleted uranium armour-piercing rounds. The Russian Presidents announcement followed soon after this. The potential threat of nuclear conflict with the US and its European allies also turns the spotlight on precisely how these weapons are positioned by the NATO allies. Putin has compared his plans of nuclear weapons deployment in Belarus to the USAs long-term strategy of storing nuclear arms in Europe. Since the 1950s, nuclear weapons have been stationed by the US at NATO bases inWestern Europe, at a time when tensions with the Soviet Union were escalating. These weapons were initially moved to the UK in 1954 and then to other countriesGermany, Italy, France, Turkey, the Netherlands, Greece and Belgium. Currently, there are six bases in five NATO member-nationsBelgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Turkey, where US tactical nuclear weapons are still stationed. The UK and France have their indigenous nuclear capabilities and do not host US weapons any longer. In the 1970s, the US had deployed over 7,000 weapons in Europe. However, due to arms control agreements and the end of superpower rivalry with the Soviet Union, the number of weapons dropped significantly in the late-1980s and early-1990s. In 1987, there was a significant achievement in arms controlthe Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which is no longer in operation. Under this treaty, the US and the Soviet Union removed all their medium-range missiles and launchers that could carry nuclear warheads within a few years. The current number of nuclear weapons held by the US in Europe is not publicly disclosed, but Western security experts have said there are roughly 100 nuclear bombs lodged in six different facilities. All of the US nuclear bombs in Europe are B61 gravity bombs, the only tactical nuclearweapon the US still possesses. It can carry warheads with a large range of yields, resulting in blasts that can range up to a few hundred kilotons, in contrast to those used in the 1945 attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki which had yields of only 15 and 21 kilotons. Western experts say that Russia has stationed its nuclear weapons, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarines and large bombers, in over 12 military facilities or even more located throughout its extensive land. The presence of nuclear weapons in Kaliningrad, a Russian territory sandwiched between NATO members Lithuania and Poland, has been acting as a deterrent to what Russia perceives as a Western threat to its sovereignty. A senior Government official in Russia confirmed in 2018 that nuclear-capable Iskander missiles were deployed to Kaliningrad. According to Associated Press, the US Government believes the Kremlin possesses approximately 2,000 tactical nuclear weapons, which include different types of bombs, warheads and artillery rounds that can be carried by tactical aircraft. Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan all relinquished N-arms after late-1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed. Under the Budapest Memorandum which accompanied relinquishing the weapons, the US, Russia and Britain agreed to respect the territorial integrity of those countries. Lukashenko did not want to give up his countrys nuclear arms, but says it was forced to do so by then Russian President Boris Yeltsin. Ukraine has complained repeatedly that Crimeas 2014 annexation by Russia from Ukraine and the 2022 invasion were both in violation of that agreement. Solar rooftop installations skyrocketing in Division By Ashish Rajput Green energy production is now geared-up with above 52 MWs solar power generation by domestic consumers in the region. A great rise in number of solar rooftop consumers from 209 in year 2020-21 to 3,782 in the year 2022-23 is a good sign for desired promotion of new and renewable energy generation in Central India. Solar power consumers have not only curtailed their electricity bills but are also contributing for the national campaign of restraining our carbon footprint. Madhya Pradesh Poorva Kshetra Vidyut Vitran Company, DGM and Nodal Officer of Solar Cell, Himanshu Agrawal, while talking to The Hitavada, informed that rapidly increasing numbers of solar rooftop consumers has given impetus to the campaign of green energy generation. He informed that total 3,782 consumers have set-up solar rooftops of total 54,983 kw capacity include 170 high-tension consumers of 26,477 kw and 3612 low-tension consumers of 28,506 kw. DGM, Agrawal added that around 1,250 consumers have registered their applications on National Portal of Grid Connected Solar Rooftop Programme to obtain subsidy upto 40 per cent in first 3 kw and 20 per cent from 3 kw to 10 kw solar rooftop. Besides this, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy are providing subsidy on the condition of fulfilling Domestic Content Requirement by using only indigenous products. Subsidy amount is directly transferred in consumers account after technical verification by competent officer of the company and submission of project completion report. DGM, Agrawal informed that the company has around 40 registered private vendors for installing solar rooftop in Jabalpur, Sagar, Rewa and Shahdol divisions. By Vikas Vaidya The report of recommendations for creation of Indian Medical Services (IMS) as a cadre under the domain of civil services submitted three years ago, is lying untouched with the Government. The entry to the Indian Medical Services (IMS) would be exclusively allocable to those who possess MBBS from a recognised medical college and examining University included in the governing schedule. This is one of the recommendations made by a Working Group, which prepared the report three years ago. Considering a possible epidemic, creation of cadre will help a lot. The document was submitted to the Government three years ago. But the report remains untouched. Everyone realised the importance of IMS during coronavirus pandemic. The mess could have been less troubling had the bureaucrats heading the Health Department been from IMS. The eligibility is decided in view of the specialised nature of the services entrustable to the personnel under IMS. The Working Group, headed by Dr Vedprakash Mishra, former Chairman of Academic Committee of Medical Council of India (MCI), had submitted the report to Dr Rajan Sharma, the then National President, Indian Medical Association, Headquarters, New Delhi. The committee had Dr Vinay Aggarwal, Dr Shivkumar Utture, the then Chairman of Maharashtra Medical Council as other members, while Dr R V Asokan was Member Secretary. IMA then submitted it to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. While talking to The Hitavada, Dr Shivkumar Utture said, We have submitted the report to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The then Minister accepted and agreed on the recommendations we made. The cadre should be created. If one goes by the past experience, one would realise what problems we faced during coronavirus pandemic. Considering those, the officers from IMS would have executed the work as per the requirement. A person from IMS would know better what medicos should do during such situations or steering the healthcare system in a manner as per its need. It is said that when a student becomes doctor and then turns towards Civil Services, the seat which was allotted to him for his medical graduation goes waste because he doesnt render services as a medico in his later life. If the IMS is created, such medicos can go for civil services and keep rendering services as medical professionals by becoming a bureaucrat in their own field. As Government has planned to open medical colleges in every district, managing those is a bit difficult. Bureaucrats from IMS can handle it very well. People from IMS will help in removing the lacunae in running and functioning of Government Medical Colleges and other health centres, pointed out Dr Pinak Dande, a known name in medical field in Central India. It has been observed by several authorities that non-medical bureaucrats fail to understand the issues related to front-line health workers as well as the problems of patients. If a person graduating from modern medicine branch gets the responsibility of handling medical education or public health, it would make a difference. In the past, it has been proved, observed several medicos. Even during corona pandemic, bureaucrats like Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, were entrusted with the responsibility of Secretary of Medical Education. Dr Sanjeev Kumar was Divisional Commissioner at Nagpur; Dr Rajan Khobragade handled the responsibility of Principal Health Secretary at Kerala, Dr Nitin Kulkarni was the Principal Secretary for Health Services at Ranchi to name a few. The structure of the Indian Medical Services that has been created by the Working Group is in the form of a cadre specialised in character for the dispensation of healthcare services. The committee pointed out, The varied administrative experience with addition of professional medical skills will help in better management of any health issue. It would add to the qualitative improvement in medical and health services. Dr Mishra told The Hitavada, The report is with the Ministry. It needs to be implemented as it would help the common man. An IMS person in the chair can surely steer the healthcare system in a better manner. Most important aspect that the Committee observed is of weaving the network of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary healthcare services as an integral part of healthcare delivery system. Only the medico understands its vital element. THE CBI STORY THat the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is celebrating its diamond jubilee, comes as a milestone in the history of Indias premier national anti-corruption agency. Throughout these years, the agency has seen good and difficult times but has emerged stronger. In fact, in the past few years, it has been in headlines more than ever, given the number of high-profile investigations launched against the political leaders and their affiliates. Starting as Special Police Establishment during the British rule, the agency was renamed and reorganised as CBI on April 1, 1963. In its long history especially in post-Independence period, CBI has faced several situations. In the recent history, CBI has earned many an epithet including Congress Buerau of Investigations and caged parrot due to allegations that it acted at the behest of the political dispensation in power. At the same time, there have been voices favouring CBI to have autonomy in true sense and also having directly recruited cadre instead of Indian Police Service officers on deputation. Amid these two scenarios, CBI has been functioning as an institution that invites awe of the common people. With its motto of Industry, Impartiality, Integrity and efforts of dedicated officers, it is the nodal police agency in India that co-ordinates investigation on behalf of Interpol member countries. In the past few years, it has evolved too. It has been successful in gaining teeth with high-profile cases, extradition of fugitives, and also taking to social media for wider public outreach. As it is celebrating its diamond jubilee, expectations from the agency will be greater. The common people still have faith in CBI, as has been rightly stated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the agencys diamond jubilee event. They believe that if a case is handed over to CBI, there will be impartial probe and likelihood of conviction of the accused will increase. Hence, one sees, demands pouring in from ordinary citizens or victims in various cases registered across the country. As far as action against political leaders is concerned, especially the Opposition parties are peeved. In a State like Maharashtra, the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) Government did not want CBI to investigate some cases. Hence, it accused CBI of acting at the behest of Central Government, and withdrew general consent to the agency. As such, CBI was required to have State Governments permission to take over investigation. Later, with MVA Governments collapse and new dispensation coming to power, the general consent to CBI was restored. However, just like accusations of CBI acting at the behest of Central Government, withdrawal of general consent to the premier anti-corruption agency has become a potent political tool. More recently, several States including West Bengal, Telangana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Mizoram withdrew general consent to CBI. All these are obviously creating troubles for the operations of CBI. Irrespective of the constraints pertaining to regular cadre, better autonomy, and other matters including more powers, CBI has proved itself to be a professional and efficient organisation. Given the changes in the last some years, and techological edge, budget, new offices, and better attention, CBI will indeed add to its glory. As India will march into the year celebrating the centenary of her Independence from the British Raj, CBI may emerge as one of the top-class investigating agencies in the world, actively engaged in rooting out corruption from Government establishments. For, a corruption-free Government establishment ensures better transparency and strengthens democracy. Trump in police custody ahead of his arraignment at Manhattan court NEW YORK, FORMER US President Donald Trump is in police custody at the Manhattan district attorneys office on Tuesday ahead of his arraignment on history-making criminal charges related to paying hush money to a porn star before the 2016 presidential election in exchange for her silence. Trump, who arrived at a specially secured Manhattan courthouse in an eight-car motorcade, is expected to be fingerprinted and processed. Trumps mug shot may be taken. Trump is in police custody at the Manhattan district attorneys office ahead of his arraignment in court, CNN reported. Trump, the first former US President to face a criminal charge, would surrender before Judge Juan Merchan. American media quoted Trumps attorneys as saying that the 76-year-old Republican leader, eying the White House for a second time in 2024, will plead not guilty to the criminal charges he is facing in connection with hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels. After his court appearance, Trump will immediately fly back to Florida where he is expected to deliver remarks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach in the evening. Unidentified thief loots Rs 65,000 cash from Petrol Pump, attacks guard Staff Reporter Superintendent of Police, Tushar Kant Vidyarthi has declared cash reward of Rs 5,000 for apprehending or giving information about the accused of loot and attempting murder of a guard. Unidentified persons conducted loot of Rs 65,000 at Vibhanshi petrol pump and attacked a private guard with an axe at Sunvani village under the jurisdiction of Majholi police station, on Tuesday morning. According to Majholi police, a man Gaurav Shrivas (30), a resident of Kakardevi village lodged a complaint that he is working as manager at Vibhanshi petrol pump since July 20, 2020. Owner of petrol pump is Anil Jain, a resident of Jabalpur while Sanjay Tiwari, Amit Rajput, Raja Dahia and Chhotu Bhumia are working at the petrol pump. On April 3 evening, he kept the cash collection of Monday Rs 65,000 and old amount of Rs 3.54 lakh in a drawer at his office. In the evening, Chhotu Bhumia informed him on phone that he was going for some work and took leave. Raja Dahia and his father Ganesh Dahia were on duty as guards in the night. On Tuesday morning, Raja Dania informed him on phone that unidentified persons attacked his father and looted cash from the office. Receiving information, he immediately reached the petrol pump and witnessed that window glasses were damaged and This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW YORK (AP) For the country and for Donald Trump, the indictment of a former president represented an unprecedented day. For TV news organizations, it felt like a throwback. Hour after hour on Tuesday, the story occupied the full attention of broadcast and cable news networks. They waited for glimpses of Trump's face to interpret his expression, followed his motorcade's movements from the air, speculated on how it must feel to be arrested. The coverage recalled better days for now-struggling cable news outlets, through two presidential campaigns and two impeachment trials, when Trump occupied hours of air time. Consumers eagerly followed along, the way they haven't for many stories since. For two days this week, Trump's indictment on 34 counts of falsifying business records gave outlets the chance to go back in time. This is the most significant arraignment in the history of arraignments, Danny Cevallos, a legal analyst for NBC News, said on that network's special report. It's hard to overdramatize what this means for Donald Trump, said MSNBC's Chris Jansing. Oh, but many tried. On Monday, Trump's travels from Florida to New York led cable news networks to revisit the worst of earlier excesses. Throughout the day, aerial camera shots followed Trump's plane as it took off from Florida and landed in New York, and as his motorcade traveled to Trump Tower in Manhattan the backdrop to hours of speculation about the case. At one point, Trump's son Eric posted on social media a picture of a television set inside the plane showing a Fox News Channel picture of the plane waiting on a Florida tarmac. Watching the plane ... from the plane, he said. Such coverage is ridiculous, former Ohio Gov. John Kasich said on MSNBC Tuesday. There are more interesting things happening, but I guess we're all fixated. Kasich spoke on a split screen, his face sharing time with a camera's view trained on the entrance to Trump Tower, waiting for Trump to walk out the front door and into a car to take him to a Manhattan courthouse for his arraignment. Tuesday was clearly newsier than Trump's travels the day before, but much of the coverage consisted of waiting for such fleeting moments. New York state Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan declined media requests for video coverage of the hearing where Trump heard the charges against him and pleaded not guilty. That led to constant, mostly empty talk about what might happen. Will Trump's motorcade to the court take Fifth Avenue or the FDR Drive? (The latter.) Will a mug shot of Trump be taken and released? (No.) Would the former president speak to the media before he goes into the court? (No.) After the hearing is done? (Also no.) CNN reran footage of Trump walking out of a doorway, a court officer declining to hold the door for him, and speculated about the last time something like this had happened to the former president. His walk out the door was judged five seconds of history by ABC's David Muir. Those views of Trump, along with still pictures of him during the arraignment, turned political and legal commentators into facial-expression and body-language experts. This does not look like someone who is celebrating the moment. ... It looks like a man who is very unhappy to be there, said ABC's Jonathan Karl. Look at his face, look at his body language, said CBS' Robert Costa. I'm just a reporter. But it tells you something when you can see how someone is dealing with a moment. Said CNN's Jake Tapper, That is a very pissed-off Donald Trump. The former president gave a primetime speech later Tuesday from his Mar-a-Lago resort, denouncing the investigations into his conduct. Fox News carried the speech in its entirety, CNN aired most of it before cutting Trump off and MSNBC avoided it, with Rachel Maddow reporting on some of what he said after the speech was done. That was a black hole of grievance, CNN's Van Jones said after the speech. CNN had earlier interrupted its arraignment coverage briefly for news of a court decision in another Trump investigation. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Trump would often call him when Christie was a U.S. attorney with questions and observations about the legal process. No matter what his staff says, this is a very, very difficult day for Donald Trump, he said. Asked by ABC's Muir if Trump ever thought he would face charges, Christie said, I think he thought he was too clever to ever wind up in this situation too clever, too smart, too careful. On Fox News Channel, Trump's attorney general, William Barr, joined a discussion with commentators about whether prosecutors should bring charges against the former president in the New York case or in other investigations Trump faces over turning over presidential records, his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection or allegedly interfering in Georgia's presidential vote in 2020. One wonders about the wisdom of this case and one wonders about the wisdom of all the other cases that could be brought, Fox analyst Brit Hume said. Barr talked about prosecutorial discretion and said of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's charges before the indictment was unsealed publicly that this appears to be just a pathetically weak case. It's hard to believe Alvin Bragg would bring these charges against anyone except Donald Trump, Fox's Martha MacCallum said. ___ AP Correspondent Ali Swenson in New York contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Sharon Johnson/AP Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Brandon Smith/AP Show More Show Less 3 of 3 FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) Investigators recovered "black boxes from two U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopters that crashed last week in Kentucky, killing all nine soldiers aboard, the military announced Tuesday. A U.S. Army aviation safety team from Fort Rucker, Alabama, found the flight data recorders, which are commonly referred to as black boxes in civilian aircraft, from the HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, a news release from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) said. The helicopters crashed near Fort Campbell during a nighttime training exercise on March 29. The recorders have been sent to Fort Rucker for further analysis. Chicago: Alina Habba, an attorney from Iraq, has been one of Donald Trump's most tenacious defenders during the past two years' worth of legal battles involving him. She is married to lawyer Matthew Eyet, who runs his own law firm in New Jersey, and is a managing partner of the New York firm Habba Madaio and Associates. Habba and her two siblings were born in Summit, New Jersey, to parents who were Chaldean Catholics and had fled Iraq in the early 1980s due to the persecution of Christians for their faith. Saad F. Habba, her father, is a gastroenterologist. Also Read: UN claims that a Taliban order has prevented Afghan women from working A grand jury in Manhattan last week indicted Trump on more than 30 counts stemming from claims that he paid adult film star Stormy Daniels "hush money" to keep her from disclosing information about their relationship. Trump surrendered to police on Tuesday in Manhattan, then showed up before Judge Juan Merchan and pleaded not guilty to all charges. The 39-year-old Habba has been one of Trump's most outspoken supporters, which has put her in the legal firing line. On January 19 in Florida, US District Court Judge Donald Middlebrook imposed sanctions on a legal team that included Trump. He determined that the attorneys and their client were jointly liable for $937,989 in damages as a result of a lawsuit they filed against 31 defendants, alleging that they "tried to destroy" Trump's life and "rigged the 2016 election in favour of Hillary Clinton." The judge threw out their case, declaring it to have "fatal substantive defects," and accused the attorneys of disobeying his directive not to bring up the disproven allegations. Also Read: MSF reports saving 440 migrants from a boat off Malta Trump was charged with a crime on Tuesday, making him the first former president to do so. After a grand jury reviewed the proof provided by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, he was indicted. The accusations concern alleged payments made to Daniels on Trump's behalf to keep her from discussing their relationship in public. Any wrongdoing by Trump is denied. Habba recently responded when asked if she thought her client could receive a fair trial in New York: "No, no, I think it's very difficult. I'd like to believe in this state, but after working with him for a while and appearing in court there for a while, I can assure you that it's not the same as representing someone else. The breadth of Habba's legal experience includes corporate litigation and formation, commercial real estate, family law, the financial services sector, and matters relating to construction. She worked as a legal assistant for Eugene J. Codey, Jr., the presiding judge of the Civil Superior Court in Essex County, New Jersey, before starting her own practise. In a $100 million lawsuit filed by the former president in September 2021 against his niece Mary Trump and The New York Times Company, accusing them of "an insidious plot" and conspiracy to leak details about his tax returns, Habba represented Trump. Mary Trump then sued her uncle, alleging that she had been cheated out of her inheritance, but the judge dismissed the case. She has led investigations meant to clear Trump's name and get many of the lawsuits filed against him in recent years dismissed, even though she is not lead counsel in the case surrounding his indictment on Tuesday. This week, according to the celebrity gossip website TMZ, Habba came under fire for equating Trump's legal woes with those of African American rappers Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur, and asserting that his arrest would only increase his popularitya viewpoint shared by many conservative commentators. Also Read: Defendant Trump calls the allegations a "insult to our country" E. Jean Carroll, a former Elle magazine columnist who accused the former president of sexually assaulting her in New York City in the middle of the 1990s, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Trump, which Habba is representing in court. Trump has categorically refuted the accusation. He was questioned in a deposition by Carroll's attorneys in October of last year. Additionally, Habba was a member of the legal team that supported Trump during a federal inquiry into claims that he handled classified documents discovered at his Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, improperly. FBI agents allegedly removed boxes of papers from his home that contained classified and secret documents. NEW YORK (AP) For the first time in history, a former U.S. president has appeared in court as a criminal defendant. Donald Trump surrendered to authorities Tuesday after being indicted by a New York grand jury on charges related to hush money payments at the height of the 2016 presidential election. Trump, a 2024 presidential candidate, pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges in a Manhattan courtroom. He then flew home to Florida and spoke to a crowd of supporters at his home. Heres what to know about Trumps day in court: HUSH MONEY PAYMENTS RELATED TO 2016 ELECTION Prosecutors unsealed the indictment against the former president Tuesday, giving Trump, his lawyers and the world their first opportunity to see them. Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Prosecutors said Trump conspired to undermine the 2016 presidential election by trying to suppress information that could harm his candidacy, and then concealing the true nature of the hush money payments. The payments were made to two women including a porn actor who claimed they had sexual encounters with him years earlier, and to a doorman at Trump Tower who claimed to have a story about a child Trump fathered out of wedlock, according to the Manhattan district attorney's office. ___ DONALD J. TRUMP, DEFENDANT Trump was only seen briefly outside the district attorneys office, where he surrendered to authorities and was booked and fingerprinted behind closed doors. Trumps mugshot was not taken, according to two law enforcement officials who could not publicly discuss details of the process and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. As the former president entered the courtroom, he briefly looked at a huddle of news cameras but did not stop to speak to reporters. Inside the courtroom, Trump sat at the defense table with his hands in his lap and his lawyers at his side. He looked right at photojournalists who were briefly allowed into the courtroom as they snapped his photo. During the rest of the proceeding, he stayed still with his hands together and looked straight ahead. Trump only spoke briefly in court, telling the judge he was pleading not guilty and had been advised of his rights. The judge warned Trump that he could be removed from the courtroom if he was disruptive. Trump made no comment when he left court just under an hour later. Trumps lawyer Todd Blanche said during the hearing that Trump is absolutely frustrated, upset and believes that there is a great injustice happening in the courtroom. ___ A SURREAL DAY IN THE CITY WHERE HE GAINED FAME Before he appeared in court, Trump made posts on his social media network complaining that the heavily Democratic area was a VERY UNFAIR VENUE and THIS IS NOT WHAT AMERICA WAS SUPPOSED TO BE! As his motorcade carried him across Manhattan, he posted that the experience was SURREAL. The Republican has portrayed the Manhattan case and three separate investigations from the Justice Department and prosecutors in Georgia, as politically motivated. In recent weeks, he has lashed out at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, called on his supporters to protest and warned about potential death and destruction if he were charged. ___ TRUMP ADDRESSES SUPPORTERS Appearing in front of several hundred supporters at his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago, Tuesday night, Trump repeated his claims that the investigation was politically motivated. He and attacked Bragg and the judge in the New York case, the judge's family and other prosecutors investigating him in other cases. The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it," Trump said. ___ BRAGG SPEAKS BRIEFLY Bragg, speaking publicly for the first time since the indictment last week, held a brief news conference after the court proceedings in which he said the hush money scheme constituted felony crimes in New York state no matter who you are. We cannot and will not normalize serious criminal conduct, Bragg said. The Democratic prosecutor said accurate and true business records are important everywhere, but especially in Manhattan, because it's the financial center of the world. Bragg was asked at the news conference why he was bringing the case now and if the timing was political. The district attorney said his office had additional evidence that his predecessor did not. I bring cases when theyre ready, he said. ___ WARNINGS AND POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES The judge on Tuesday did not impose a gag order but warned Trump to avoid making comments that were inflammatory or could cause civil unrest. If convicted of any of the 34 felony charges, Trump could face a maximum of four years in prison, but he'd likely be sentenced to less. That could be an issue for Trump, who has already singled out his case's judge and the judge's family and posted on his social media network on Wednesday that, The people are seeing what is going on and they will not allow it to continue. Trump lawyer Joe Tacopina pointed to the chaotic mix of media and protesters outside the courthouse as the former president was arraigned on Tuesday and said that it was an insane scene but there was no violence. President Trump heard the judge," Tacopina told NBC's Today Show on Wednesday. "He's not doing anything to try to incite violence. Asked about Trump's comments about the judge, Tacopina responded, It's not an attack on the judge, or certainly, his family. No one is suggesting that anything should happen to the judge or the family, and President Trump's comments did not, in any way, shape or form, incite violence against the judge or anyone else, he said. ___ TRIAL WHILE CAMPAIGNING FOR PRESIDENCY Trump is due back in court in December, but his lawyers asked that he be excused from attending that hearing in person because of the extraordinary security required to have him show up. Prosecutors asked the judge to set a trial for January weeks before the first votes will be cast in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. Trump's lawyers asked that it be pushed to the spring. The judge did not immediately set a date. ___ MIXED POLITICAL IMPACTS Though he faces a swirl of legal challenges, Trump is running for president again and has sought to use the charges and other investigations to galvanize his supporters. Most of the Republicans also running or eyeing campaigns have released statements supportive of Trump while slamming the investigations of him as politically motivated. Many Democratic elected officials have said little about the New York indictment, including President Joe Biden. Trumps legal troubles are only expected to bolster Democratic voters' opposition to him, but its unclear whether some Republicans and independent voters will see the legal problems as too much baggage. ___ A NEW YORK CIRCUS A crowd of Trump supporters, thronged by journalists, gathered Tuesday outside the Manhattan courthouse. Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and George Santos of New York, who is facing multiple investigations over lies he told while running for office, were swarmed by cameras and reporters when they arrived and spoke mid-morning. A band of anti-Trump protesters appeared with a large banner saying, Trump Lies All the Time. ___ Associated Press reporters Michael Balsamo and Colleen Long in Washington contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to show that no trial date has been set but prosecutors asked for the trial to start in January. BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) Washington state has purchased a three-year supply of a leading abortion medication in anticipation of a court ruling that could limit its availability, Gov. Jay Inslee said Tuesday. The Democratic governor said he ordered the Department of Corrections, which has a pharmacy license, to buy 30,000 doses of the generic version of mifepristone at a cost of about $1.28 million, or $42.50 per pill. The shipment arrived in late March. A two-pill combination of mifepristone and misoprostol is the most common form of abortion in the U.S. Research shows that medication-induced abortions are safe and effective. They were approved by the Food and Drug Administration over 20 years ago. The awaited ruling in a Texas lawsuit brought by a Christian group in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision last year to strip away the constitutional right to end a pregnancy would affect states where abortion is legal as well as those that outlaw it. This Texas lawsuit is a clear and present danger to patients and providers all across the country," Inslee said in a statement. Washington will not sit by idly and risk the devastating consequences of inaction. Former President Donald Trump-appointed Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk heard debate in March over the Alliance Defending Freedoms request to revoke or suspend the FDAs approval of mifepristone. The conservative group claims it was improperly approved. Kacsmaryk said he would rule as soon as possible without giving any clear indication of how he might decide. The bulk pill purchase also comes as Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson pursues the issue from another angle: He's helping to lead a multistate lawsuit in federal court meant to further ease restrictions to the medication. The lawsuit filed with Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum in February against the FDA accuses it of singling out mifepristone for excessively burdensome regulation despite evidence that the drug is safer than Tylenol, Ferguson said in a statement at the time. The lawsuit asks the court to find certain FDA restrictions unlawful and to stop the federal agency from enforcing or applying them to mifepristone. State lawmakers are also bringing legislation that will authorize the state Department of Corrections to sell or distribute the drug stockpile to licensed providers in Washington. The bill's co-sponsor, Sen. Karen Keiser, of Des Moines, said the last year has made it clear that they can't be complacent when it comes to reproductive health. The Legislature is taking a number of crucial steps this session to protect abortion rights," Keiser said, but those rights are meaningless without access to care. Several moves have been made in Washington to strengthen abortion access, including a directive from Inslee instructing the Washington State Patrol not to cooperate with out-of-state abortion investigations. Other abortion and gender-affirming care bills are expected to pass the Washington Legislature this session. Abortion has been legal in Washington since a 1970 statewide ballot referendum. For former federal prosecutor Christopher Mattei, watching the scene of Donald Trump surrender at a Manhattan courthouse on Tuesday raised parallels with one of the cases that has defined his career the prosecution of former Connecticut Gov. John G. Rowland. Like Trump, Rowland was accused of illegally concealing payments related to a political campaign that, if made public, would have reflected poorly on a candidate. In the case of the former Connecticut governor, the payments at hand helped hide his role as an advisor to a former Congressional candidate. In Trumps case, the alleged payments were intended to cover up an affair in the final days of his 2016 presidential run. On Tuesday, Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records related to the alleged hush-money scheme. The key similarity is going to be that the payments were made for one stated purpose when, in fact, that stated purpose was a pretext to commit another crime, Mattei said Tuesday. Mattei oversaw Rowlands prosecution as head of the Public Corruption Unit in Connecticut. He was also one of two assistant U.S. attorneys who successfully tried the case in 2015, just months before Trump jumped into the presidential race. In Connecticut, local GOP leaders reacted to last week's news of the indictment in much the same way that Trump did dismissing the charges as part of a political persecution and lashing out at the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg. Democrats, meanwhile, have said Trumps legal quagmire did not come as a surprise after the tumult of Trumps four years in office. In an email to CT Insider on Tuesday, Rowland denied that his conviction and the case against Trump rested on similar conduct. The only similarity is that they are both politically motivated witch hunts, Rowland said. Rowland, a Republican, was governor from 1995 until 2004, when he was forced to resign in the face of a burgeoning political scandal that revolved around illegal work performed by state contractors on his vacation home in Litchfield County. The ex-governor eventually served more than 10 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to a single count of honest services fraud. Rowland returned to Connecticut, hosting a radio show for several years before again drawing interest from federal investigators. His second case, prosecuted by Mattei, came after the 2012 election in which Rowland served as a secret consultant to Lisa Wilson-Foley, a Republican candidate for Congress. Wilson-Foley concealed her campaigns ties to the disgraced governor through a scheme in which her husband, Brian Foley, paid Rowland through a sham consulting contract for his string of nursing homes, prosecutors said. Those payments were meant to deceive voters and ran afoul of federal campaign finance reporting rules, Mattei said. Rowland was convicted again on charges of obstructing justice, conspiracy and falsifying documents. Rowland served another 20 months in prisons and halfway houses before being released again in 2018. The reason that we have campaign finance laws is so that the voting public can be well informed about who the people asking for their vote are beholden to and whos been paying them and who theyve been paying, Mattei said. This is all important information for voters to be able to consider. Potentially complicating matters for prosecutors in New York, Mattei said, is the fact that they are pursuing the case in state court without jurisdiction over federal campaign finance violations in presidential elections. Federal prosecutors have not charged Trump with breaking the law in the alleged hush-money scheme, though his former attorney and fixer, Michael Cohen, pled guilty in 2018 to campaign finance violations and making false statements. It's not clear what the DA (Bragg) intends to show is, what we would call the underlying or the predicate offense, Mattei said. Mattei also predicted that Trumps attorneys will immediately seek to have the case dismissed on procedural grounds such as falling outside the statute of limitations. If that is not successful, he said Trump will likely have to argue that he either did not know about Cohens payments to Stormy Daniels the pornographic actress with whom Trump allegedly had an affair or that he knew about the payments but was not directing them to further some other crime. Matt Kamp/The Intelligencer EDWARDSVILLE Approving a special-use permit Tuesday for a group assembly use at 201 St. Louis St. marked the Edwardsville City Council's first step to approve the division of Newsong Fellowship Church's property. The site currently has three interconnected buildings at its spot on the northwest corner of St. Louis Street and North Second Street. GLEN CARBON For the second year, the Village of Glen Carbon will give away trees, this year at its public works building on April 15. This initiative coincides with the villages Glen Carbon Grassroots Campaign that supports a wide variety of environmental, green space, habitat and/or energy projects in the village, according to a press release. The village was also recently awarded the St. Louis Green Business Award for its environmental accomplishments and innovations. The tree giveaway will take place from 9 a.m. until noon. The villages public works department is located at 153 N. Main St., behind village hall. Approximately 500 native, conservative grade, bare-root trees will be available to Glen Carbon residents for planting on their homes private property. Height of the bare-root trees is under three feet, so they can be easily picked up and transported in any vehicle. The trees being distributed include Bald Cypress, Northern Pecan, Gray Dogwood, Redbud and the Spicebush shrub. After last years successful tree giveaway, Mayor Bob Marcus is looking forward to the second year of this community event. Im thankful for the volunteers and staff that have helped to coordinate this tree giveaway effort and encourage our residents to stop by and pick up a tree. Its a great way to enhance our already beautiful neighborhoods, said Marcus. The bare-root trees will be distributed to individuals on a first-come, first-served basis. Directional signs to public works will be posted on the morning of April 15. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate CANBERRA, Australia (AP) Australias main opposition party on Wednesday decided to oppose the governments model for constitutional recognition of Indigenous people in a development that appears to doom the prospects of a successful referendum this year. A referendum has not succeeded in changing Australias Constitution since 1977, and bipartisan support of the major political parties is widely regarded as a prerequisite for success. But lawmakers in the conservative Liberal Party, the second largest after the ruling center-left Labor Party, said they'll oppose the governments proposal to create a so-called Indigenous Voice to Parliament. The Voice would be an elected group charged with advocating Indigenous interests to Parliament, but would not have a vote on laws. Opposition leader Peter Dutton said his lawmakers would prefer Indigenous people were represented by regional and local Voices rather than one in the national capital Canberra. Senior Liberal lawmakers would campaign for a no vote when Australians are expected to decide at a referendum whether to enshrine the Voice in the constitution sometime between October and December, Dutton said. Creating another national body out of Canberra as the prime minister is proposing divides our country, it doesnt unite, and it will not deliver the outcomes on the ground, Dutton told reporters. What I fear with the Voice is that it changes our system of government forever and we end up with no practical net benefit to people in Indigenous communities and that would be the worst of both worlds. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Liberal Party's stance made the constitutional change more difficult to achieve. Yes it will. Of course it will. That's why it is so disappointing that in the (Dutton) press conference today, it was all about politics, Albanese told Australian Broadcasting Corp. It's not about me or Peter Dutton or any other politician. It's about Australia, how we see ourselves, whether we give respect and recognise the fact we share this great island continent of ours with the oldest continuing culture on Earth and whether we have a process where we listen we give a voice to Indigenous Australians, Albanese added. Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney, the first Indigenous woman to fill the role, stood by the wording of the referendum questions and expressed confidence that the referendum would succeed. We have worked assiduously, we have worked faithfully and we have worked carefully to make sure that the question and the amendments are the ones that are going to provide what is envisaged by the Voice and also be very, very clear in terms of the role of the Parliament, she said. The Nationals party, which was the Liberals junior partner in the last coalition government, announced in November last year that their lawmakers opposed the Voice for reasons including that it would divide the Australian population along racial lines. A poll published in The Australian newspaper on Wednesday found that 54% of respondents supported the Voice proposition and 38% opposed it. The poll was based on a survey of 4,756 voters between Feb. 1 and April 3. It has a less than 3 percentage point margin of error. Many suggest public support needs to be higher for the constitution to change. Indigenous Australians from the Torres Strait archipelago, off the northeast coast, are culturally distinct from the mainland Aboriginal population. The two peoples account for 3.2% of the Australian population, and are the nations most disadvantaged ethnic group. The Voice was originally proposed by a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander advocates in 2017. Changing Australias Constitution has never been easy. Of the 44 referendums held since 1901, only eight have been carried. George Williams, a constitutional lawyer and author of a history book about Australian referendums, said that did not mean bipartisanship was essential for future success. "We havent had a referendum for 20 or so years, the political environment is very different to what its been for a number of past referendums and its also the case of the rusty-on vote of the major parties is much lower than it has been for any prior referendums, he said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LONDON (AP) The husband of former Scottish first minister and Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon was released from police custody Wednesday evening without being charged after his arrest in a party finance probe, British media reported. Police Scotland did not identify Peter Murrell as the 58-year-old man arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party." However, Britains Press Association, the BBC and others reported it was Murrell. Scottish police have been investigating how 600,000 pounds ($750,000) earmarked for a Scottish independence campaign was spent. Murrell resigned March 18 as the partys chief executive as a bitter contest to replace Sturgeon was unfolding against the backdrop of the police investigation and a controversy about the partys declining membership. He held the position for more than 20 years. In a Wednesday night update, police said the man arrested in the morning was questioned by detectives and released without charge pending further investigation. The police force said officers searched a number of locations as part of the probe and would send a report to Scottish prosecutors. Sturgeon, 52, said in a statement to the BBC and British TV channel Sky News that she had no prior knowledge of Police Scotlands action or intentions when Murrell was arrested. She plans to cooperate with police if required, her spokesperson said. The SNP said it had been cooperating fully in the investigation and would continue to do so but that it was inappropriate to comment further. Sturgeon abruptly announced her resignation in February after eight years as party leader and first minister of Scotlands semi-autonomous government. Sturgeon said at that time that serving well was knowing when to make way for someone else. In my head and in my heart I know that time is now, she said. That its right for me, for my party and my country. Deputy Scottish Labour leader Jackie Baillie said the arrest was deeply concerning" and called on Sturgeon and her successor, Humza Yousaf, to "urgently state what they knew and when. Yousaf said he had not had a role in party finances and vowed to be transparent under his leadership. The investigation could further harm the SNP's political fortunes, which saw its poll numbers droop during the acrimonious election to replace Sturgeon. It certainly doesnt do us any good," Yousaf said when asked if Murrell's arrest would hurt the party. People will have questions, there will be some concerns. Our party membership will have concerns too." John Curtice, a politics professor at the University of Strathclyde, said the impact of the arrest on the party and Sturgeon's legacy would depend on whether prosecutors file charges. But it's already dealt a setback to her successor, who just took office last week. As of today, there's no Yousaf bounce. It's the opposite it's gone down, Curtice said. This doesn't make it easier for him to start off on the front foot, and he probably needs to start off on the front foot. Her husband's arrest undoubtedly refueled speculation on the reason Sturgeon unexpectedly resigned, but it's not known what she was aware of when she stepped down, Curtice said. Yousaf said he did not believe the investigation into party finances had caused Sturgeon to resign. I believe her very much when she says how exhausted she was," Yousaf said. I think anybody who watched her over the course of the pandemic during those daily briefings, day after day, I think anybody could understand how exhausting that is. Sturgeon had led Scotland since 2014, when Scots voted to remain part of the United Kingdom. While the referendum was billed as a once-in-a-generation decision on independence, Sturgeon and her party had pushed for a new vote, arguing that Britains departure from the European Union had changed the ground rules. The Scottish government wants to hold a referendum next October with the question Should Scotland be an independent country? The U.K. government in London refuses to approve a vote, saying the question was settled in a 2014 referendum that saw Scottish voters reject independence by a margin of 55% to 45%. Murrell's resignation came just before his wife left office and as three members of Scottish Parliament fought a bruising contest to replace her. The SNP had publicly denied a newspaper report that its membership had plunged from more than 100,000 to just over 70,000 in the past year, before admitting it was true. Murrell accepted responsibility and quit, saying that while there was no intent to mislead, I accept that this has been the outcome. Police cars were parked outside the couple's Glasgow home Wednesday and a blue tent had been erected by officers in front of the house. Officers were also stationed outside the SNP headquarters in Edinburgh and several police vans were parked near the building. The presence of police at both locations created a bad image for the party, as well as Sturgeon and her husband, Curtice said. Perhaps the money given to the party for one purpose was used for another, he said. Its probably not the worlds biggest crime but its not a good look if it gets pursued further. Rome: Following an 11-hour operation, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported that more than 400 migrants had been rescued from a boat off the coast of Malta. The distress signal was picked up by MSF's rescue ship, the Geo Barents, as it was making its way to the Mediterranean to seek shelter from the storm. At 4:00 am on Tuesday, "after more than 10 hours of navigation in a stormy sea," the Geo Barents arrived at the boat, according to MSF. Unfortunately, the weather prevented our team from performing the rescue directly, which could have put both the lives of the victims and the MSF team at risk. Also Read: Australia bans TikTok from federal government devices The Geo Barents was able to launch its speed boats to the vessel by early afternoon, however, according to MSF, who also tweeted images of the deck of the blue and white boat, which was crammed with people wearing life jackets. A total of 440 people, including 8 women and 30 children, are now safely aboard GeoBarents and receiving care from the team after more than 11 hours of operation. Italian authorities detained the Geo Barents in February on suspicion of violating recent regulations regarding missions to save lives in the Mediterranean. Also Read: Elon Musk is a huge fan of the cryptocurrency and decided to replace Twitter's bird logo with the Dogecoin moniker The nonprofit organisation claimed that it had been accused of failing to disclose information, including voyage data recorder data on the ship's position and motion. Giorgia Meloni, the far-right Brothers of Italy party's leader, became prime minister in October after making a commitment to reduce the number of migrants arriving in Italy. Charity ships must only conduct one rescue at a time under the new law. Critics claim it raises the risk of fatalities in the most dangerous crossing in the world, the central Mediterranean. Italy is a popular stop for asylum seekers travelling from North Africa to Europe because of its geographic location, and Rome has long complained about the volume of arrivals. Also Read: Massive layoffs are expected for Swiss bankers Only a small portion of those brought ashore are saved by charities; the majority are saved by coast guard or navy vessels. However, the Italian government claims that charity ships act as a draw and encourage people smugglers. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Inforial (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, April 5, 2023 11:00 19 91bd6e1d1220161ebde1a4c1fab6c083 4 Inforial awards Free Katalis has teamed up with Australia Awards in Indonesia to deliver a two-week program designed for Indonesian private sector representatives working in the grains value chain to develop resilient industry partnerships, expand business networks and develop a better understanding and knowledge in both countries about the respective grains value chains. The Grains Value Chain Leadership Program is expected to deliver a positive impact for small to medium enterprises and women working in the rapidly emerging segment of artisan and boutique bakeries supplying Indonesian consumers with innovative, value-adding bakery products. Taking place in Australia in July, the program will train 25 participants from Indonesia, from owners and directors to mid and senior managers, representing a variety of areas, such as retail, food service, nutrition, food innovation, technology and other relevant areas. As part of the short course, participants will have the opportunity to attend networking events and meet with Australian businesses from across the grains supply chain. Paul Bartlett, director of Katalis, said, As part of our support for the governments of Indonesia and Australia in implementing the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement [CEPA], Katalis works to build linkages between Australian and Indonesian businesses. Now is an opportune time to nurture and develop networks between Indonesian and Australian grains and food sectors, and to develop leadership capabilities that will underpin long-term industry prosperity. Were excited to work with Australia Awards in Indonesia to deliver this program. In addition to the two weeks spent in Australia, participants will be required to undergo pre- and post-course workshops in Indonesia. Applications are now open at australiaawardsindonesia.org/id/GrainsValueChainLeadershipApplication and will close on April 30. Disadvantaged women and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply for this program, which emphasises equal representation for men and women participants. Based in Jakarta and backed by the Indonesian and Australian governments, Katalis, also known as the Indonesia-Australia CEPA Economic Cooperation Program (ECP), works to unlock the vast potential of economic partnership between the two countries. Australias scholarships program, now called the Australia Awards, is the longest-running foreign scholarships program in Indonesia, and this year is celebrating its 70th anniversary. Katalis and Australia Awards in Indonesia are both funded by the Australias Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Topics : awards Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Reuters) Wed, April 5, 2023 11:43 19 91bd6e1d1220161ebde1a4c1fab7303d 2 Regulations microchip,tech-industry,US-China,US-China-trade-war,WTO Free China has urged the World Trade Organization to scrutinise US-led technology export restrictions aimed at curbing its ability to make advanced chips, state television said on Wednesday. Chinese representatives told a regular WTO meeting this week that Japan, the Netherlands and the United States should report their plans and subsequent measures to the body, which it urged to step up supervision on the matter, broadcaster CCTV said. On Tuesday, the commerce ministry said Beijing was seriously concerned about Japan's export curbs on chipmaking equipment and called for it to correct its "wrong practice". The move of the three nations in alignment to curb chip exports to China "violates the fairness and transparency principles of WTO", CCTV said. Last week, without specifying China as the target, Japan had said it would restrict export of 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, a move in line with Washington's curbs announced last October. That came after the Netherlands said last month that it also planned to limit similar exports, such as those from ASML Holding NV ASML.AS, which dominates the market for lithography systems used to create chips' minute circuitry. China has accused the US of being a "tech hegemony" and urged the Netherlands not to follow it. The state broadcaster's report did not mention WTO's response to China's inquiry. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Sylviana Hamdani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, April 5, 2023 09:28 20 91bd6e1d1220161ebde1a4c1fab529fd 1 Lifestyle consumerism,carbon-footprint,eco-friendly Free More Indonesian customers are becoming environmentally responsible and seeking to reduce carbon emissions by making smart choices. Indonesian influencer Ankayama decided to buy only organic and vegan beauty products in 2019. This decision mainly arises from her desire to protect her sensitive skin and Planet Earth. Plant-based and organic products are biodegradable, Ankayama said at the BASE x JEJAKIN Carbon Offset Sustainability Initiative launch at Taman Wisata Alam Mangrove, North Jakarta, on March 1. So, these products dont only benefit my skin, but also the environment. The beauty enthusiast is one of many. Lately, more Indonesian customers are becoming environmentally conscious and consuming eco-friendly products. A shift in buying behavior Were seeing a growing interest among Indonesians in practicing conscious consumerism, Ratih Permata Sari, cofounder and chief product officer of the local cosmetic and skincare brand BASE, said. When buying something, they see it as a vote to the causes or movements they support. Stella Septania Farronikka, expert panel on environmental, social governance (ESG) and sustainable development of the National Center for Corporate Reporting (NCCR), agreed. I think the pandemic [COVID-19] was a real eye-opener as to how our acts can impact the whole world, she said during a journalism class at BNP Paribas AM office in Sequis Tower, South Jakarta, on March 2. As a result, many are now becoming more careful in making decisions. Millennials and Generation Z are apparently more concerned with the environment than their more senior counterparts. Many of them consider environmental sustainability before deciding to buy or invest. Millennials and Gen Z grew up seeing climate change phenomena everywhere, Stella said. So, theyre more environmentally conscious and want to take real action to rein in [climate change]. Knowing is taking responsibility Rasis Putra Ritonga, data manager of the Archipelago Nature Conservation Foundation (Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara, YKAN), has bought most of his clothes, jackets and shoes from local second-hand stores since 2018. The data scientist made this vital decision mainly to reduce his carbon footprint. Effective: Planting mangroves is one of the effective ways to offset carbon. (Courtesy of BASE) (Personal collection/Courtesy of BASE) Each person emits an average of four tonnes of carbon per year, Rasis said during an interview at Senayan City, Central Jakarta, on March 25. This is such a huge number and directly contributes to global warming. Conscious buying is a way to lower carbon emissions and slow global warming. What we consume matters, Didi Kaspi Kasim, editor-in-chief of National Geographic Indonesia, said in Cibubur Junction, East Jakarta, on March 3. Currently, the extinction rate of [Indonesian] species is quite advanced, Didi said. In the next 10-20 years, Indonesia may lose many endemic flora and fauna because of our buying behavior. As a responsible consumer, Didi has made it a habit to research the products he consumes and their producers. I always strive to be well-informed about the products I consume, as well as the companies that produce them, Didi said. I want to know what [these companies] do to the environment and the people around them before supporting them [by buying their products]. Ripple effects As customers become more ecologically conscious, companies have evolved to be greener in their operations. [Our company] does it end-to-end, Ratih Permata Sari of BASE said. We try to avoid carbon emissions first and then remove the unavoidable carbon footprints. To reduce carbon emissions, this local cosmetics and skincare brand uses nonendangered plants as the materials of its products. BASE also uses biodegradable plastic and soya ink for its packaging. And to offset their unavoidable carbon footprints, the company recently planted more than 2,300 mangrove and jackfruit trees in Jakarta; Semarang, Central Java; and Lampung. We believe the effort to save the environment is an effort to save ourselves, Ratih added. And as an industry player, we can create ripple effects by inspiring our customers and other business players [to be more environmentally friendly]. Meanwhile, the packaging company SIG Combibloc Indonesia seeks to encourage Indonesian customers to sort and recycle their trash by setting up a drop-off point in Cibubur Junction, East Jakarta. Indonesia produces more than 19 tonnes of trash per year, Noer Wellington, SIG head of market of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam, said. Five tonnes of which are plastic. And yet, 72 percent of the [Indonesian] population is not used to sorting and managing trash properly. People can bring their nonorganic waste to the drop-off point in exchange for reward points to accumulate to get some products. Were adding fuel to the fire, Noer said. As customers are now getting more concerned with the environment, were encouraging a positive change of behavior by urging them to sort their trash and deliver it to the drop-off point. Becoming minimalists Besides being selective in buying products, more Indonesian customers are also adopting a minimalist lifestyle and buying only what is necessary. [Minimalism] is also part of conscious buying, Didi, editor-in-chief of National Geographic Indonesia, said. We should never purchase things we dont need for the sake of keeping up. Caine Aurilia, a representative of the sustainable fashion movement Setali Indonesia, has practiced minimalism since early 2020. I havent bought any new clothes for three years now, Caine said during an interview at Senayan City on March 25. Any new clothes I have either come from donations or clothes exchanges between friends and family members. The slow-fashion enthusiast made this drastic commitment when she realized fashion is currently the third-largest polluting industry in the world and emits approximately 10 percent of global greenhouse gases. Caine also shared tips on becoming a more conscious and environmentally responsible consumer. Before buying anything, make sure you know who produces them and what materials are being used in making them, she said. And also, are their workers being paid a fair wage? In this digital era, this research can be done with a few clicks on your gadget. Above all, buy local, Caine added. It surely helps reduce your carbon footprints. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan and Nurni Sulaiman (The Jakarta Post) Medan Wed, April 5, 2023 11:27 19 5fceed71997e5776a1634d25dc3ece75 1 Archipelago earthquake,North-Sumatra,west-sumatra,sumatra Free A 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit the west coast of North Sumatra on Monday night, sending thousands of residents fleeing their homes. No damage or injury was reported. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) stated that the epicenter of the quake, which occurred at 9:59 p.m., was located at a depth of 95 kilometers in an area 93 km southwest of Padang Sidempuan. Padang Sidempuan Mayor Irsan Efendi Nasution said the strong earthquake was felt in the city. However, there has been no report of injury or damage. Communication lines also remain intact, Irsan said on Monday. The mayor added that officers from the local disaster mitigation agency (BPBD) had been deployed to monitor the situation. Residents in West Sumatra also felt the tremor. It shook in Padang, said Yuke, who lives in the provincial capital. The earthquake was also felt in other areas in the province, such as West Pasaman, Pasaman, Agam, Pariaman and Solok. The quake was also felt in the Nias Islands, a chain of small islands off the west coast of Sumatra. The earthquake was very strong. Our house was shaking hard, so we ran outside, said Suher, a resident of Teluk Dalam in South Nias regency. He added that the tremor lasted a long time. On Jan. 26, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake also occurred off the western coast of Sumatra, its epicenter at a depth of 37 km in waters 48 km south-southeast of Singkil, Aceh province. Indonesia experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity because it is located on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide. One of the deadliest earthquakes this century occurred off the western coast of Sumatra on Dec. 26, 2004, when a 9.1-magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean that had reached a height of 30 meters when it crashed along the coastline of Banda Aceh. Around 230,000 people were killed in the disaster, including victims as far away as Sri Lanka, India and Thailand, while the death toll reached 167,540 Indonesia alone, according to UNESCO. (dre) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Reuters Jakarta Wed, April 5, 2023 17:20 19 5fceed71997e5776a1634d25dc3ed4c0 2 Society Japan,Indonesia,population,nurse,aging-population,jakarta,economy,training,vocational-education Free Speaking in Japanese and bowing, 24-year-old Siti Maesaroh offers a tray with a mug and two bowls to a fellow student pretending to be an elderly person, before asking him if he wanted chopsticks and a spoon to eat with. The role play is an example of the type of training being offered by vocational institutions across Indonesia catering to students seeking to fill job vacancies in Japan. "I think the reason Japan chooses us is because Indonesian youths are very capable of caring for the elderly," said Siti, who is attending the Onodera User Run school in Jakarta. The school, established in 2022, also offers Japanese language training for its students seeking to enrol in a Japanese government programme to employ foreigners with special skills to work in sectors like care giving. Japan is one of the world's most rapidly ageing societies, with people who are 65 or older now accounting for 28 percent of the population, according to UN data. Births in Japan fell to fewer than 800,000 for the first time last year, according to official data, as Japan's working-age population shrinks. Hiroki Sasaki, labour attache at the Japanese embassy in Jakarta, estimates only about 130,000 of the 340,000 special skilled job vacancies in Japan have been filled. A foreign workforce, therefore, is becoming increasingly necessary, he said. As of December 2022, there were more than 16,000 Indonesians working under Japan's special skilled worker scheme, the second-highest number behind Vietnam. Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous country with some 280 million people and Kamila Mansjur, the principal of the school, said sending workers to Japan to care for the elderly benefited both countries. "In Indonesia every year we have an increase in the population of about three million. Yet here we have our own challenge which is a lack of jobs," she said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin AFP Denpasar, Bali Wed, April 5, 2023 A Russian tourist has been deported from Bali after posting a photograph of himself half-naked atop a sacred mountain, officials on the holiday island said Wednesday. Bali has vowed a crackdown on misbehaving tourists after a spate of incidents including acts of disrespect to the predominantly Hindu island's culture. The 24-year-old Russian national, who calls himself Yuri Chilikin on social media, posed naked from the waist down on Mount Agung, Bali's highest peak, which Hindus on the island believe to be home to their gods. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Or let Google manage your subscription Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nina Larson (The Jakarta Post) Agence France-Presse/Geneva, Switzerland Wed, April 5 2023 Around one in every six adults experiences infertility, the World Health Organization estimated on Tuesday as it called for an urgent increase in access to fertility care. The WHO determined that around 17.5 percent of adults worldwide are affected by infertility at some point and found little variation between regions and wealthy and poorer countries. "Globally, an estimated one out of every six people are affected by the inability to have a child at some point in their life," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in the foreword to a fresh report on the issue. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Reuters New York, US Wed, April 5, 2023 The events underlying the criminal case against Donald Trump - hush money payments to suppress stories about extramarital affairs - took place nearly seven years ago. But any potential trial could be more than a year away. That raises the possibility that the former US president could face a jury in a Manhattan courtroom as he seeks a return to the White House - or even after the November 2024 election. After Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges of falsifying business records on Tuesday, Judge Juan Merchan set the next court hearing for Dec. 4. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Regis Management CO LLC acquired a new position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (BATS:EFG Get Rating) in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund acquired 2,465 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $206,000. Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 49.9% during the 3rd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 23,240,103 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,686,302,000 after purchasing an additional 7,733,455 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. raised its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 62.2% during the 3rd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 3,164,482 shares of the companys stock valued at $229,616,000 after purchasing an additional 1,213,234 shares during the last quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC raised its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 47.4% during the 3rd quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC now owns 2,246,567 shares of the companys stock valued at $163,011,000 after purchasing an additional 722,390 shares during the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC raised its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 75.9% during the 3rd quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 1,616,441 shares of the companys stock valued at $117,289,000 after purchasing an additional 697,332 shares during the last quarter. Finally, MML Investors Services LLC raised its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 45.2% during the 3rd quarter. MML Investors Services LLC now owns 1,341,199 shares of the companys stock valued at $97,317,000 after purchasing an additional 417,585 shares during the last quarter. Get iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF alerts: iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Trading Up 0.0 % BATS:EFG traded up $0.03 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $93.94. 894,584 shares of the company traded hands. The stock has a market capitalization of $11.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.69 and a beta of 0.87. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF has a twelve month low of $67.58 and a twelve month high of $85.81. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $90.47 and a 200 day moving average of $84.75. About iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Growth Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI EAFE Growth Index (the Index). The Index is a subset of the MSCI EAFE Index and constituents of the Index include securities from Europe, Australasia (Australia and Asia), and the Far East. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EFG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (BATS:EFG Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Polish agriculture minister resigns amid anger over Ukrainian grain imports 5 April, 01:43 PM Polish Agriculture Minister Henryk Kowalczyk resigned from his post (Photo:www.gov.pl) Polish Agriculture Minister Henryk Kowalczyk announced his resignation at a press conference on April 5, citing his inability to handle the crisis related to Ukrainian grain, Polish radio station RMF FM reported on April 5. I have resigned from the position of Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Kowalczyk said. The leadership of Polands ruling PiS or Law and Justice party decided that Kowalczyk should fall on his sword as he had failed to deal with a crisis arising from an influx of Ukrainian grain exports to Poland, Polish media said. Video of day Due to the effects of Russias blockade of Ukrainian ports, Ukraine has exported a significant portion of last years grain harvest through its land border with Poland. The grain was supposed to transit through Poland to other countries, but some of it has remained in the country and is being sold there pushing down prices for grain and depriving Polish farmers of profits. Polish farmers demanded a response from the Ministry of Agriculture and the resignation of the minister. Kowalczyk had tried to calm them, but, Polish media have reported that his recent statements had angered protesters even more, rather than pacifying them. Earlier, it was reported that leaders of five central and eastern European countries had called on the European Commission to take action regarding the surplus of grain and other food products from Ukraine that have accumulated on their territories. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News Asana, Inc. (NYSE:ASAN Get Rating) shares traded down 8.4% during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $18.71 and last traded at $18.71. 645,857 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 82% from the average session volume of 3,568,175 shares. The stock had previously closed at $20.43. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several brokerages have recently issued reports on ASAN. JMP Securities increased their price objective on Asana from $21.00 to $28.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, March 9th. Credit Suisse Group restated a neutral rating and issued a $18.00 price target on shares of Asana in a research note on Monday, March 13th. Oppenheimer raised their price target on Asana from $25.00 to $28.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, March 9th. Piper Jaffray Companies lifted their target price on Asana from $13.00 to $24.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, March 9th. Finally, DA Davidson lifted their target price on Asana from $18.00 to $21.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, March 9th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $21.84. Get Asana alerts: Asana Price Performance The companys 50 day moving average price is $17.65 and its 200-day moving average price is $17.69. The company has a market capitalization of $4.16 billion, a PE ratio of -9.45 and a beta of 1.34. The company has a current ratio of 1.99, a quick ratio of 1.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. Insider Buying and Selling Institutional Investors Weigh In On Asana In other Asana news, insider Eleanor B. Lacey sold 1,321 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $20.86, for a total value of $27,556.06. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 165,300 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,448,158. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link . In other news, insider Eleanor B. Lacey sold 1,321 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $20.86, for a total value of $27,556.06. Following the sale, the insider now owns 165,300 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,448,158. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website . Also, CFO Tim M. Wan sold 3,336 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $20.86, for a total transaction of $69,588.96. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 603,715 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,593,494.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In the last three months, insiders sold 25,346 shares of company stock valued at $538,214. Company insiders own 61.87% of the companys stock. Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. AlphaCrest Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Asana in the 1st quarter worth about $441,000. Bank of Montreal Can boosted its holdings in shares of Asana by 28.8% in the first quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 88,411 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,689,000 after acquiring an additional 19,777 shares in the last quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in Asana by 53.5% during the first quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 39,495 shares of the companys stock worth $1,579,000 after buying an additional 13,757 shares in the last quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of Asana by 170.0% in the 1st quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 14,596 shares of the companys stock valued at $583,000 after acquiring an additional 9,191 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Rhumbline Advisers lifted its position in Asana by 2.3% in the 1st quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 76,708 shares of the companys stock worth $3,066,000 after buying an additional 1,716 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 28.22% of the companys stock. About Asana (Get Rating) Asana, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates a work management platform for individuals, team leads, and executives in the United States and internationally. The company's platform enables teams to orchestrate work from daily tasks to cross-functional strategic initiatives; and manages product launches, marketing campaigns, and organization-wide goal settings. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Asana Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Asana and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ballast Inc. cut its position in Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO Get Rating) by 9.7% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 5,894 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after selling 634 shares during the quarter. Ballast Inc.s holdings in Valero Energy were worth $748,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich grew its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 2,470.0% during the 3rd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 257 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 247 shares during the last quarter. HighMark Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 60.6% during the 3rd quarter. HighMark Wealth Management LLC now owns 265 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. IAG Wealth Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Valero Energy during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Independence Bank of Kentucky grew its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 150.0% during the 4th quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky now owns 250 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 150 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ronald Blue Trust Inc. grew its holdings in Valero Energy by 56.3% during the 3rd quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 322 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 116 shares during the last quarter. 79.28% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Valero Energy alerts: Valero Energy Stock Up 3.7 % VLO traded up $4.71 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $132.14. 4,110,552 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,292,713. The company has a quick ratio of 1.00, a current ratio of 1.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. The businesss 50 day moving average is $134.46 and its two-hundred day moving average is $128.22. Valero Energy Co. has a fifty-two week low of $96.71 and a fifty-two week high of $150.39. The stock has a market cap of $49.04 billion, a P/E ratio of 4.38, a PEG ratio of 0.96 and a beta of 1.66. Valero Energy Increases Dividend Valero Energy ( NYSE:VLO Get Rating ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 26th. The oil and gas company reported $8.45 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $7.45 by $1.00. Valero Energy had a net margin of 6.54% and a return on equity of 50.15%. The firm had revenue of $41.75 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $43.31 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.47 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 16.3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts expect that Valero Energy Co. will post 24.23 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 16th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 14th were given a $1.02 dividend. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.09%. This is an increase from Valero Energys previous quarterly dividend of $0.98. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 13th. Valero Energys dividend payout ratio is presently 14.01%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth VLO has been the topic of a number of research reports. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $151.00 to $159.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, January 27th. Raymond James boosted their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $169.00 to $174.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday, January 30th. UBS Group initiated coverage on shares of Valero Energy in a report on Wednesday, March 8th. They set a buy rating and a $176.00 target price on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $140.00 to $160.00 in a research note on Friday, January 27th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised shares of Valero Energy from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and upped their price objective for the company from $135.00 to $160.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 17th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $153.25. About Valero Energy (Get Rating) Valero Energy Corp. engages in the manufacture and marketing of transportation fuels and other petrochemical products. It operates through the following business segments: Refining, Ethanol and Renewable Diesel. The Refining segment consists of refining operations, associated marketing activities, and logistics assets that support its refining operations. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VLO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Valero Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Valero Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. US Financial Advisors LLC decreased its position in Bank of America Co. (NYSE:BAC) by 30.0% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 9,238 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 3,960 shares during the period. US Financial Advisors LLCs holdings in Bank of America were worth $306,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Congress Park Capital LLC lifted its position in shares of Bank of America by 32.0% in the third quarter. Congress Park Capital LLC now owns 43,420 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,311,000 after acquiring an additional 10,525 shares in the last quarter. AlphaCrest Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Bank of America by 70.5% during the third quarter. AlphaCrest Capital Management LLC now owns 91,399 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,760,000 after buying an additional 37,794 shares during the period. Chilton Investment Co. Inc. lifted its position in Bank of America by 64.4% during the second quarter. Chilton Investment Co. Inc. now owns 18,525 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $577,000 after buying an additional 7,254 shares during the period. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. lifted its position in Bank of America by 80.6% during the second quarter. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 8,137 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $253,000 after buying an additional 3,632 shares during the period. Finally, Vista Wealth Management Group LLC lifted its position in Bank of America by 1.7% during the third quarter. Vista Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 22,879 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $802,000 after buying an additional 393 shares during the period. 68.34% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Bank of America alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the company. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on Bank of America from $37.00 to $31.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Piper Sandler downgraded Bank of America from a neutral rating to an underweight rating and cut their price objective for the stock from $36.00 to $33.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 17th. StockNews.com began coverage on Bank of America in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on Bank of America from $52.00 to $45.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Monday. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada cut their price objective on Bank of America from $40.00 to $34.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, March 24th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Bank of America presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $38.04. Insider Activity at Bank of America Bank of America Trading Down 0.9 % In other Bank of America news, insider Matthew M. Koder sold 105,054 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $34.27, for a total value of $3,600,200.58. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 319,803 shares in the company, valued at $10,959,648.81. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website . In other news, insider Matthew M. Koder sold 214,745 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $35.91, for a total transaction of $7,711,492.95. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 214,747 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,711,564.77. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink . Also, insider Matthew M. Koder sold 105,054 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $34.27, for a total value of $3,600,200.58. Following the sale, 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 . 0.27% of the stock is owned by insiders. Shares of Bank of America stock traded down $0.25 on Wednesday, reaching $27.73. 11,900,403 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 55,484,555. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $32.52 and a 200-day moving average price of $33.57. The firm has a market capitalization of $221.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 1.37. The company has a current ratio of 0.78, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13. Bank of America Co. has a fifty-two week low of $26.32 and a fifty-two week high of $40.40. Bank of America (NYSE:BAC Get Rating) last announced its earnings results on Friday, January 13th. The financial services provider reported $0.85 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.76 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $24.50 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $24.17 billion. Bank of America had a return on equity of 11.41% and a net margin of 23.93%. Bank of Americas revenue for the quarter was up 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.82 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect that Bank of America Co. will post 3.35 EPS for the current year. Bank of America Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, March 3rd were given a dividend of $0.22 per share. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.17%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 2nd. Bank of Americas payout ratio is 27.59%. 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. Read More 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. Bank of Montreal Can raised its holdings in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG Get Rating) by 19.2% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 16,620 shares of the restaurant operators stock after acquiring an additional 2,672 shares during the quarter. Bank of Montreal Can owned approximately 0.06% of Chipotle Mexican Grill worth $23,549,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in CMG. Panagora Asset Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 79.5% during the first quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 948 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $1,500,000 after purchasing an additional 420 shares during the last quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. increased its position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 15.5% in the first quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 171 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $271,000 after acquiring an additional 23 shares in the last quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board grew its holdings in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 7.3% during the 1st quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 3,032 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $4,796,000 after acquiring an additional 205 shares in the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers boosted its holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 6.1% in the first quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 777 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $1,229,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 38.9% during the first quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 218 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $345,000 after buying an additional 61 shares during the last quarter. 93.26% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Chipotle Mexican Grill alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Chipotle Mexican Grill In related news, CMO Christopher W. Brandt sold 584 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,595.00, for a total transaction of $931,480.00. Following the sale, the chief marketing officer now owns 7,782 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,412,290. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other Chipotle Mexican Grill news, CEO Brian R. Niccol sold 2,193 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,633.11, for a total transaction of $3,581,410.23. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 23,347 shares in the company, valued at approximately $38,128,219.17. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CMO Christopher W. Brandt sold 584 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,595.00, for a total value of $931,480.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief marketing officer now directly owns 7,782 shares of the companys stock, valued at $12,412,290. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 10,427 shares of company stock valued at $17,051,886. Company insiders own 1.01% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Chipotle Mexican Grill Stock Performance CMG has been the topic of several analyst reports. Robert W. Baird increased their target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $1,800.00 to $1,900.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, February 8th. StockNews.com raised shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, March 28th. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $1,900.00 to $1,850.00 in a research report on Wednesday, February 8th. Truist Financial lowered their target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $1,825.00 to $1,800.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 8th. Finally, Barclays increased their target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $1,450.00 to $1,550.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 8th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-two have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $1,847.50. CMG traded down $32.27 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $1,702.57. 120,909 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 281,698. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $1,604.70 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $1,537.50. The stock has a market capitalization of $47.02 billion, a PE ratio of 54.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 1.32. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has a 1 year low of $1,196.28 and a 1 year high of $1,754.56. Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG Get Rating) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 7th. The restaurant operator reported $8.29 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $8.88 by ($0.59). Chipotle Mexican Grill had a return on equity of 40.96% and a net margin of 10.41%. The company had revenue of $2.18 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.23 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $5.58 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 11.2% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts expect that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. will post 41.38 EPS for the current fiscal year. Chipotle Mexican Grill Company Profile (Get Rating) Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc engages in the development and operation of classically-cooked, real food with wholesome ingredients without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. It offers a focused menu of burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, and salads prepared using classic cooking methods. The company was founded by Steve Ells in 1993 and is headquartered in Newport Beach, CA. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Chipotle Mexican Grill Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chipotle Mexican Grill and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Accel Wealth Management decreased its stake in shares of Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX Get Rating) by 5.1% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 12,826 shares of the asset managers stock after selling 686 shares during the quarter. Accel Wealth Managements holdings in Blackstone were worth $952,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Whalerock Point Partners LLC purchased a new position in Blackstone in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $282,571,000. Mach 1 Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Blackstone during the third quarter worth about $25,000. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Blackstone during the third quarter worth about $26,000. HWG Holdings LP bought a new stake in Blackstone in the third quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Trust Co. of Vermont increased its holdings in Blackstone by 133.3% in the third quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont now owns 350 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 62.39% of the companys stock. Get Blackstone alerts: Insider Transactions at Blackstone In related news, Director Joseph Baratta sold 85,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $86.32, for a total transaction of $7,337,200.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 1,145,448 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $98,875,071.36. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In related news, major shareholder Holdings L.P. Blackstone III sold 205,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.00, for a total transaction of $6,781,500.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 9,844,228 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $324,859,524. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, Director Joseph Baratta sold 85,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $86.32, for a total value of $7,337,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 1,145,448 shares in the company, valued at $98,875,071.36. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders purchased 10,950,338 shares of company stock valued at $18,744,064 and sold 140,617,616 shares valued at $1,734,240,167. Corporate insiders own 1.00% of the companys stock. Blackstone Price Performance BX traded down $1.42 on Wednesday, hitting $79.78. 1,473,825 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 5,132,981. The company has a current ratio of 0.97, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. Blackstone Inc. has a one year low of $71.72 and a one year high of $126.80. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $90.01 and its 200-day simple moving average is $87.06. The firm has a market cap of $56.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.26, a P/E/G ratio of 1.91 and a beta of 1.50. Blackstone (NYSE:BX Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 26th. The asset manager reported $1.07 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.95 by $0.12. The firm had revenue of $1.70 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.62 billion. Blackstone had a return on equity of 19.43% and a net margin of 20.52%. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.71 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Blackstone Inc. will post 4.66 EPS for the current year. Blackstone Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 6th were given a $0.91 dividend. This represents a $3.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.56%. This is a positive change from Blackstones previous quarterly dividend of $0.90. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 3rd. Blackstones payout ratio is presently 153.59%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several analysts recently weighed in on the company. StockNews.com began coverage on Blackstone in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a sell rating for the company. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on Blackstone from $86.00 to $100.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, January 30th. Bank of America cut their target price on Blackstone from $115.00 to $98.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday. Credit Suisse Group cut their target price on shares of Blackstone from $69.50 to $69.00 and set an underperform rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, February 2nd. Finally, Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Blackstone from $86.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Friday, January 27th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $110.53. Blackstone Company Profile (Get Rating) Blackstone, Inc engages in the provision of investment and fund management services. It operates through the following segments: Real Estate, Private Equity, Credit and Insurance, and Hedge Fund Solutions. The Real Estate segment includes management of opportunistic real estate funds, Core+ real estate funds, high-yield real estate debt funds, and liquid real estate debt funds. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Blackstone Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Blackstone and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Boston Common Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in Cummins Inc. (NYSE:CMI Get Rating) by 0.8% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 59,967 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 501 shares during the period. Boston Common Asset Management LLCs holdings in Cummins were worth $14,529,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Synovus Financial Corp increased its stake in Cummins by 254.4% in the first quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 6,099 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,242,000 after purchasing an additional 4,378 shares in the last quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. lifted its stake in Cummins by 65.4% in the first quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 18,194 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,732,000 after acquiring an additional 7,191 shares during the last quarter. Sei Investments Co. lifted its stake in Cummins by 16.1% in the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 94,391 shares of the companys stock valued at $19,282,000 after acquiring an additional 13,058 shares during the last quarter. Prudential PLC acquired a new stake in shares of Cummins during the 1st quarter worth about $711,000. Finally, Cetera Investment Advisers lifted its stake in shares of Cummins by 43.0% during the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 6,403 shares of the companys stock worth $1,313,000 after buying an additional 1,925 shares during the last quarter. 80.94% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Cummins alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities analysts have commented on the stock. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Cummins in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Morgan Stanley cut their target price on shares of Cummins from $264.00 to $262.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 20th. Credit Suisse Group boosted their price target on shares of Cummins from $287.00 to $291.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 7th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their target price on shares of Cummins from $235.00 to $231.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, February 7th. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Cummins from $247.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, February 16th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Cummins presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $254.75. Insider Buying and Selling Cummins Stock Performance In other Cummins news, Director Georgia R. Nelson sold 1,933 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $251.64, for a total value of $486,420.12. Following the sale, the director now owns 21,742 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,471,156.88. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink . In other news, Director Georgia R. Nelson sold 1,933 shares of Cummins stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $251.64, for a total transaction of $486,420.12. Following the sale, the director now owns 21,742 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,471,156.88. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website . Also, VP Sharon R. Barner sold 5,929 shares of Cummins stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $257.13, for a total transaction of $1,524,523.77. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 16,144 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,151,106.72. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders have sold a total of 16,709 shares of company stock worth $4,245,545 in the last 90 days. 1.05% of the stock is owned by company insiders. CMI traded down $7.28 on Wednesday, hitting $224.62. The companys stock had a trading volume of 283,639 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,031,538. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $244.12 and its 200-day simple moving average is $238.80. The firm has a market cap of $31.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.39 and a beta of 1.00. Cummins Inc. has a 12 month low of $184.27 and a 12 month high of $261.91. The company has a quick ratio of 0.77, a current ratio of 1.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45. Cummins (NYSE:CMI Get Rating) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 6th. The company reported $4.52 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $4.52. The firm had revenue of $7.77 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.21 billion. Cummins had a net margin of 7.66% and a return on equity of 24.58%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 32.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.85 EPS. Analysts forecast that Cummins Inc. will post 18.95 EPS for the current year. Cummins Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 9th. Investors of record on Friday, February 24th were given a $1.57 dividend. This represents a $6.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.80%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 23rd. Cumminss payout ratio is presently 41.56%. Cummins Profile (Get Rating) Cummins, Inc engages in the design, manufacture, and market of diesel and natural gas engines. It operates through the following segments: Engine, Distribution, Components, Power Systems, and New Power. The Engine segment manufactures and markets diesel and natural gas-powered engines under the Cummins brand name, for the heavy- and medium-duty truck, bus, recreational vehicle, light-duty automotive, construction, mining, marine, rail, oil and gas, defense, and agricultural markets. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CMI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Cummins Inc. (NYSE:CMI Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Cummins Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cummins and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Manulife Financial Co. (TSE:MFC Get Rating) (NYSE:MFC) has been given an average rating of Hold by the twelve brokerages that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, one has assigned a buy recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month target price among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is C$27.55. Several research firms have commented on MFC. Cormark upped their target price on shares of Manulife Financial from C$25.00 to C$27.00 in a research report on Monday, January 23rd. Barclays upped their target price on shares of Manulife Financial from C$30.00 to C$31.00 in a research report on Monday, February 27th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their target price on shares of Manulife Financial from C$26.00 to C$28.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Friday, February 17th. CIBC upped their price target on shares of Manulife Financial from C$23.00 to C$27.00 in a research note on Wednesday, January 25th. Finally, TD Securities upped their price target on shares of Manulife Financial from C$30.00 to C$32.00 and gave the stock an action list buy rating in a research note on Thursday, February 16th. Get Manulife Financial alerts: Manulife Financial Price Performance TSE MFC opened at C$24.79 on Wednesday. Manulife Financial has a 52 week low of C$20.81 and a 52 week high of C$27.50. The company has a current ratio of 4.70, a quick ratio of 2.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 43.99. The stock has a market cap of C$46.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.09 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a 50-day moving average price of C$25.90 and a two-hundred day moving average price of C$24.28. Manulife Financial Increases Dividend Insider Activity at Manulife Financial The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 20th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 28th were paid a dividend of $0.365 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 27th. This is a positive change from Manulife Financials previous quarterly dividend of $0.33. This represents a $1.46 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.89%. Manulife Financials dividend payout ratio is currently 40.00%. In other Manulife Financial news, Director Donald Richard Lindsay bought 50,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 9th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of C$26.64 per share, with a total value of C$1,332,005.00. In other Manulife Financial news, Director Donald Richard Lindsay bought 50,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 9th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of C$26.64 per share, with a total value of C$1,332,005.00. Also, Director Marianne Harrison sold 36,995 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$26.78, for a total transaction of C$990,607.72. Company insiders own 0.02% of the companys stock. About Manulife Financial (Get Rating) Manulife Financial Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial products and services in Asia, Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Wealth and Asset Management Businesses; Insurance and Annuity Products; And Corporate and Other segments. The Wealth and Asset Management Businesses segment provides mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, group retirement and savings products, and institutional asset management services through agents and brokers affiliated with the company, securities brokerage firms, and financial advisors pension plan consultants and banks. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Manulife Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Manulife Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Calamos Advisors LLC cut its stake in Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM Get Rating) by 16.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 200,911 shares of the business services providers stock after selling 39,698 shares during the quarter. Calamos Advisors LLCs holdings in Waste Management were worth $31,519,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Waste Management by 2.8% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 36,984,227 shares of the business services providers stock worth $5,925,244,000 after buying an additional 1,016,798 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Waste Management by 0.5% in the 3rd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 30,982,963 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $4,963,780,000 after purchasing an additional 154,917 shares during the period. Amundi boosted its position in shares of Waste Management by 18.8% during the second quarter. Amundi now owns 3,194,558 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $482,604,000 after purchasing an additional 504,966 shares in the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc grew its stake in Waste Management by 2.7% in the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 3,080,916 shares of the business services providers stock worth $471,319,000 after purchasing an additional 81,547 shares during the period. Finally, Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec lifted its position in Waste Management by 21.5% during the third quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec now owns 2,605,293 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $417,394,000 after buying an additional 461,425 shares during the period. 78.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Waste Management alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research firms have recently weighed in on WM. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their target price on shares of Waste Management from $157.00 to $151.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, February 6th. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Waste Management in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They set a buy rating for the company. 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 research report on Thursday, February 2nd. UBS Group lowered Waste Management from a buy rating to a neutral rating and reduced their price objective for the company from $190.00 to $165.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 10th. Finally, Citigroup reduced their price target on Waste Management from $183.00 to $180.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Thursday, February 2nd. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $172.27. Waste Management Stock Down 0.2 % WM stock opened at $163.53 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $66.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.34, a P/E/G ratio of 2.48 and a beta of 0.73. 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 business has a fifty day moving average price of $153.22 and a 200-day moving average price of $157.79. Waste Management (NYSE:WM Get Rating) last issued its 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). The business had revenue of $4.94 billion during 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%. Waste Managements quarterly revenue was up 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.26 EPS. Equities analysts forecast 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. Investors of record on Friday, March 10th were issued a $0.70 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 9th. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.71%. This is a boost from Waste Managements previous quarterly dividend of $0.65. Waste Managements dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 51.95%. Waste Management declared that its board has authorized a share buyback plan on Thursday, December 8th that authorizes the company to buyback $1.50 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the business services provider to purchase up to 2.2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are generally an indication that the companys leadership believes its shares are undervalued. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, CAO Leslie K. Nagy sold 800 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $151.11, for a total value of $120,888.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 5,210 shares in the company, valued at approximately $787,283.10. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other news, CAO Leslie K. Nagy sold 800 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $151.11, for a total value of $120,888.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 5,210 shares in the company, valued at approximately $787,283.10. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP John J. Morris sold 15,204 shares of the 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 95,461 shares in the company, valued at $14,799,318.83. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 31,027 shares of company stock valued at $4,806,619. Company insiders own 0.27% of the companys stock. Waste Management Company 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. Further Reading 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. Crane Holdings, Co. (NYSE:CR Get Rating)s stock price shot up 3.6% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $82.22 and last traded at $81.85. 111,327 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 74% from the average session volume of 421,227 shares. The stock had previously closed at $79.00. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of brokerages have issued reports on CR. UBS Group decreased their price target on Crane from $120.00 to $82.00 in a report on Wednesday. DA Davidson started coverage on Crane in a report on Tuesday. They issued a buy rating and a $90.00 price target for the company. StockNews.com started coverage on Crane in a research note on Monday. They set a buy rating for the company. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised Crane from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and upped their target price for the stock from $116.00 to $129.00 in a research note on Monday, December 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $105.50. Get Crane alerts: Crane Trading Up 2.5 % The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a current ratio of 1.18. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.72, a P/E/G ratio of 1.93 and a beta of 1.49. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $115.45 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $105.57. Crane Announces Dividend Crane ( NYSE:CR Get Rating ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, January 23rd. The conglomerate reported $2.13 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.90 by $0.23. Crane had a return on equity of 24.45% and a net margin of 13.10%. The firm had revenue of $824.10 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $819.89 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.25 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts forecast that Crane Holdings, Co. will post 7.87 EPS for the current year. The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 8th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 28th were issued a $0.47 dividend. This represents a $1.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.32%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 27th. Cranes payout ratio is currently 24.90%. Insider Buying and Selling at Crane In other Crane news, SVP Kurt F. Gallo sold 8,263 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.03, for a total value of $983,544.89. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 289 shares in the company, valued at approximately $34,399.67. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other Crane news, VP Edward S. Switter sold 49,409 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.88, for a total value of $5,923,150.92. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 25,174 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,017,859.12. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, SVP Kurt F. Gallo sold 8,263 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $119.03, for a total value of $983,544.89. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 289 shares of the companys stock, valued at $34,399.67. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 2.40% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Crane A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System grew its holdings in shares of Crane by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 12,800 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $1,286,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the period. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund grew its holdings in shares of Crane by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 14,050 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $1,411,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares during the period. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC grew its holdings in shares of Crane by 1.2% during the 4th quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 8,919 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $896,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares during the period. Legacy Financial Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in Crane by 2.5% during the 4th quarter. Legacy Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 5,030 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $505,000 after acquiring an additional 122 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Van ECK Associates Corp lifted its stake in Crane by 9.9% during the 3rd quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 1,446 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $127,000 after acquiring an additional 130 shares in the last quarter. 70.83% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About Crane (Get Rating) Crane Holdings Co engages in the management of a subsidiary, which manufacture aerospace equipment, electronics systems, and flow control systems. The company was founded on December 2, 2021 and is headquartered in Stamford, CT. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Crane Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Crane and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. LTC Properties (NYSE:LTC Get Rating) had its price objective decreased by research analysts at Credit Suisse Group from $37.00 to $36.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a neutral rating on the real estate investment trusts stock. Credit Suisse Groups price objective would suggest a potential upside of 8.60% from the stocks previous close. Other equities research analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. StockNews.com began coverage on LTC Properties in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on LTC Properties from $37.00 to $40.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, March 1st. Finally, BMO Capital Markets downgraded LTC Properties from a market perform rating to an underperform rating and set a $38.00 price objective on the stock. in a report on Friday, December 16th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $39.86. Get LTC Properties alerts: LTC Properties Trading Down 2.3 % Shares of LTC stock opened at $33.15 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.90, a quick ratio of 13.87 and a current ratio of 13.87. LTC Properties has a fifty-two week low of $31.90 and a fifty-two week high of $45.49. The company has a market cap of $1.37 billion, a PE ratio of 13.37 and a beta of 0.96. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $35.73 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $37.09. Institutional Inflows and Outflows LTC Properties Company Profile Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Money Concepts Capital Corp raised its position in shares of LTC Properties by 3,395.0% in the 4th quarter. Money Concepts Capital Corp now owns 699 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 679 shares in the last quarter. Private Trust Co. NA raised its position in shares of LTC Properties by 585.2% in the 3rd quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 740 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 632 shares in the last quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of LTC Properties in the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new position in shares of LTC Properties in the 3rd quarter worth about $39,000. Finally, Quadrant Capital Group LLC raised its position in shares of LTC Properties by 282.1% in the 3rd quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 1,047 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 773 shares in the last quarter. 72.68% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. (Get Rating) LTC Properties, Inc is a real estate investment trust, which engages in managing seniors housing and health care properties. It operates through the Texas, Michigan, Florida, Wisconsin, Colorado, and Remaining States geographic segments. The company was founded by Andre C. Dimitriadis on May 12, 1992 and is headquartered in Westlake Village, CA. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for LTC Properties Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for LTC Properties and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was a master of the Italian Baroque who was known for his strikingly modern use of light. He was also a hot-tempered artist who often got into brawls. In 1606, he killed a man during a petty squabble, then fled Rome for Malta. It was there, in 1608, that he created the masterpiece "The Beheading of John the Baptist." The painting is the only one he signed. Even more intriguing, he signed his name in the pool of blood spilling from St. John the Baptist's neck. Caravaggio had fled to Malta and joined the Order of St. John, which served the pope, as the court painter. And he needed the pope's permission to return to Rome. Perhaps his bloody signature indicated he'd be saved through the Order of St. John. Or perhaps it was his admission of guilt for the Rome murder. The signature reads "f. michelang." Some think the "F" was shorthand for "frater" or "brother," since Caravaggio was affiliated with the order. Others think the "F" stood for fecit, a Latin word meaning "did," so perhaps the signature is really saying "Michelangelo did it" an ambiguous comment, for sure. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Pinnacle West Capital Co. (NYSE:PNW Get Rating) by 32.4% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 5,686 shares of the utilities providers stock after purchasing an additional 1,391 shares during the quarter. Eagle Bay Advisors LLCs holdings in Pinnacle West Capital were worth $432,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in PNW. State Street Corp increased its holdings in shares of Pinnacle West Capital by 18.4% during the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 6,911,753 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $539,808,000 after purchasing an additional 1,072,235 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. boosted its position in shares of 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 acquiring an additional 808,207 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of 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 acquiring an additional 387,701 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Pinnacle West Capital by 1.8% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 13,338,202 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,041,714,000 after acquiring an additional 241,019 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Baird Financial Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Pinnacle West Capital by 158.9% during the 3rd quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 365,750 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $23,595,000 after acquiring an additional 224,493 shares in the last quarter. 85.21% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Pinnacle West Capital alerts: Pinnacle West Capital Trading Up 2.1 % NYSE PNW traded up $1.64 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $80.32. 195,022 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 957,064. Pinnacle West Capital Co. has a one year low of $59.03 and a one year high of $80.60. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $75.69 and a 200-day simple moving average of $73.38. The stock has a market cap of $9.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.64 and a beta of 0.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26, a current ratio of 0.99 and a quick ratio of 0.74. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Pinnacle West Capital ( NYSE:PNW Get Rating ) last announced its earnings results on Monday, February 27th. The utilities provider reported ($0.21) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($0.18) by ($0.03). Pinnacle West Capital had a return on equity of 7.87% and a net margin of 11.18%. The firm had revenue of $1.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $638.28 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.24 EPS. Pinnacle West Capitals quarterly revenue was up 26.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts anticipate that Pinnacle West Capital Co. will post 4.12 EPS for the current year. Several research firms recently issued reports on PNW. Mizuho reduced their price target on shares of Pinnacle West Capital from $76.00 to $74.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, March 2nd. Morgan Stanley cut their target price on shares of Pinnacle West Capital from $76.00 to $71.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, March 21st. Credit Suisse Group upgraded shares of Pinnacle West Capital from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and raised their target price for the company from $77.00 to $80.00 in a research report on Tuesday, March 14th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Pinnacle West Capital in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of Pinnacle West Capital from $70.00 to $82.00 in a research report on Wednesday, December 14th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $73.10. Pinnacle West Capital Profile (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. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PNW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pinnacle West Capital Co. (NYSE:PNW Get Rating). 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. First National Corp MA ADV purchased a new stake in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (NYSEARCA:EFA Get Rating) during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 26,014 shares of the exchange traded funds stock, valued at approximately $1,708,000. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Baron Silver Stevens Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at $201,000. Farmers & Merchants Trust Co of Chambersburg PA boosted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE ETF by 172.9% in the 4th quarter. Farmers & Merchants Trust Co of Chambersburg PA now owns 464 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 294 shares in the last quarter. Fairfield Bush & CO. acquired a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE ETF in the 1st quarter valued at $37,000. Field & Main Bank boosted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE ETF by 189.7% in the 4th quarter. Field & Main Bank now owns 504 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 330 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MADDEN SECURITIES Corp acquired a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE ETF in the 4th quarter valued at $39,000. Institutional investors own 80.78% of the companys stock. Get iShares MSCI EAFE ETF alerts: iShares MSCI EAFE ETF Stock Down 0.6 % Shares of NYSEARCA:EFA traded down $0.45 on Wednesday, hitting $71.65. The stock had a trading volume of 2,109,170 shares, compared to its average volume of 20,821,455. iShares MSCI EAFE ETF has a twelve month low of $54.61 and a twelve month high of $73.22. The firms 50 day moving average price is $70.24 and its 200-day moving average price is $65.79. About iShares MSCI EAFE ETF iShares MSCI EAFE ETF, formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Index Fund (the Fund), is an exchange-traded fund. The Funds investment objective is to seek investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance of its underlying index, MSCI EAFE Index (the Index). The Index has been developed by MSCI Inc as an equity benchmark for its international stock performance. See Also Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its position in General Electric (NYSE:GE Get Rating) by 9.3% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 18,424 shares of the conglomerates stock after purchasing an additional 1,566 shares during the quarter. Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd.s holdings in General Electric were worth $1,544,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Macquarie Group Ltd. boosted its holdings in General Electric by 3.2% in the 3rd quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd. now owns 48,555 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $3,006,000 after purchasing an additional 1,493 shares during the last quarter. Utah Retirement Systems lifted its holdings in shares of General Electric by 0.3% in the 2nd quarter. Utah Retirement Systems now owns 195,399 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $12,441,000 after acquiring an additional 500 shares during the last quarter. PFS Investments Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of General Electric by 17.2% in the 2nd quarter. PFS Investments Inc. now owns 3,571 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $227,000 after acquiring an additional 523 shares during the last quarter. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of General Electric by 3.3% in the 4th quarter. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC now owns 7,262 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $609,000 after acquiring an additional 230 shares during the last quarter. Finally, GHP Investment Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of General Electric by 25.8% in the 3rd quarter. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 1,159 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $72,000 after acquiring an additional 238 shares during the last quarter. 70.12% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get General Electric alerts: General Electric Stock Down 1.9 % NYSE GE opened at $95.05 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 1.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76. The firms fifty day moving average price is $86.66 and its 200 day moving average price is $80.58. General Electric has a 12 month low of $46.55 and a 12 month high of $97.87. General Electric Dividend Announcement General Electric ( NYSE:GE Get Rating ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, January 24th. The conglomerate reported $1.24 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.11 by $0.13. The firm had revenue of $21.79 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $22.11 billion. General Electric had a net margin of 0.29% and a return on equity of 8.47%. The companys revenue was up 7.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.92 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that General Electric will post 1.98 earnings per share for the current year. The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 25th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 7th will be given a $0.08 dividend. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.34%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 6th. General Electrics dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -1,066.67%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. UBS Group decreased their price objective on shares of General Electric from $98.00 to $87.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on shares of General Electric from $84.00 to $96.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, March 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of General Electric from $88.00 to $100.00 in a research note on Friday, March 10th. Barclays upped their target price on shares of General Electric from $81.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, January 26th. Finally, StockNews.com started coverage on shares of General Electric in a research note on Friday, March 10th. They set a buy rating on the stock. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, General Electric presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $94.93. General Electric Profile (Get Rating) General Electric Co engages in the provision of commercial and military aircraft engines and systems, wind, and other renewable energy generation equipment and grid solutions, and gas, steam, nuclear, and other power generation equipment. It operates through the following segments: Aviation, Healthcare, Renewable Energy, and Power. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for General Electric (NYSE:GE Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for General Electric Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for General Electric and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores S.A. (NYSE:AVAL Get Rating) declared a Variable dividend on Monday, April 3rd, investing.com reports. Shareholders of record on Thursday, April 13th will be given a dividend of 0.0141 per share by the bank on Friday, April 14th. This represents a yield of 7.08%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 12th. Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores Price Performance NYSE AVAL remained flat at $2.39 on Wednesday. 3,919 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 118,220. Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores has a 12-month low of $1.96 and a 12-month high of $4.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 1.13 and a quick ratio of 1.13. The company has a market cap of $2.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 3.73 and a beta of 1.16. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $2.34 and its 200-day moving average price is $2.37. Get Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores alerts: Hedge Funds Weigh In On Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its position in Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores by 2.8% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 179,975 shares of the banks stock worth $820,000 after purchasing an additional 4,870 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Personalized Indexing Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores by 9.5% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Personalized Indexing Management LLC now owns 64,142 shares of the banks stock valued at $228,000 after buying an additional 5,541 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. boosted its stake in shares of Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores by 19.7% during the 1st quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 50,266 shares of the banks stock valued at $229,000 after buying an additional 8,271 shares during the period. Creative Planning acquired a new stake in shares of Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores during the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Finally, Citadel Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores by 24.2% during the 2nd quarter. Citadel Advisors LLC now owns 64,330 shares of the banks stock valued at $228,000 after buying an additional 12,520 shares during the period. 0.27% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores SA engages in the provision of financial services and products. It operates through the following segments: Banco de Bogota, BHI, Banco de Occidente, Banco Popular, Banco AV Villas, Porvenir, Corficolombiana, and Other. The company was founded by Luis Carlos Sarmiento Angulo on January 7, 1994 and is headquartered in Bogota, Colombia. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hudbay Minerals Inc. (NYSE:HBM Get Rating) (TSE:HBM)s stock price shot up 4.2% during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $5.24 and last traded at $5.20. 721,553 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 76% from the average session volume of 2,951,193 shares. The stock had previously closed at $4.99. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research firms have recently commented on HBM. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Hudbay Minerals in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating for the company. National Bank Financial raised their price objective on shares of Hudbay Minerals from C$8.50 to C$8.75 in a report on Monday, February 13th. Scotiabank reduced their price objective on shares of Hudbay Minerals from C$11.00 to C$10.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 7th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group raised their price objective on shares of Hudbay Minerals from C$8.50 to C$9.00 in a report on Thursday, February 2nd. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $10.47. Get Hudbay Minerals alerts: Hudbay Minerals Stock Up 3.4 % The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 1.17. The firm has a market cap of $1.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.19, a PEG ratio of 0.80 and a beta of 1.95. The businesss 50-day moving average is $5.09 and its 200-day moving average is $4.98. Hudbay Minerals Announces Dividend Hudbay Minerals ( NYSE:HBM Get Rating ) (TSE:HBM) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 24th. The mining company reported $0.01 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.02 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $321.20 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $395.63 million. Hudbay Minerals had a net margin of 4.82% and a return on equity of 1.70%. The companys revenue was down 24.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.13 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Hudbay Minerals Inc. will post 0.49 EPS for the current year. The business also recently disclosed a Semi-Annual dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 24th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 7th were given a $0.008 dividend. This represents a yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 6th. Hudbay Mineralss payout ratio is presently 3.85%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Hudbay Minerals Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Letko Brosseau & Associates Inc. grew its position in shares of Hudbay Minerals by 2.2% during the 4th quarter. Letko Brosseau & Associates Inc. now owns 17,481,662 shares of the mining companys stock worth $88,250,000 after buying an additional 375,700 shares during the period. EdgePoint Investment Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Hudbay Minerals during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $31,550,000. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Hudbay Minerals by 3.6% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 7,550,257 shares of the mining companys stock worth $30,428,000 after buying an additional 260,223 shares during the period. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its stake in Hudbay Minerals by 96.9% during the 4th quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 5,000,946 shares of the mining companys stock worth $25,269,000 after acquiring an additional 2,460,627 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted its stake in Hudbay Minerals by 517.8% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 3,543,730 shares of the mining companys stock worth $17,967,000 after acquiring an additional 2,970,160 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.19% of the companys stock. Hudbay Minerals Company Profile (Get Rating) Hudbay Minerals, Inc operates as a mining company. The firm engages in the production of copper concentrate, molybdenum concentrate and zinc metal. It focuses on the discovery, production and marketing of base and precious metals. The company was founded on January 16, 1996 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Hudbay Minerals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hudbay Minerals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Inspire Investing LLC increased its position in Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:DLR Get Rating) by 3.3% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 35,014 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after buying an additional 1,115 shares during the period. Inspire Investing LLCs holdings in Digital Realty Trust were worth $3,511,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Czech National Bank acquired a new stake in Digital Realty Trust in the 3rd quarter valued at $3,311,000. Neuberger Berman Group LLC increased its holdings in Digital Realty Trust by 17.1% in the 3rd quarter. Neuberger Berman Group LLC now owns 758,245 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $75,179,000 after purchasing an additional 110,729 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its holdings in Digital Realty Trust by 9.7% in the 3rd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 579,190 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $57,444,000 after purchasing an additional 51,161 shares in the last quarter. Green Alpha Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Digital Realty Trust by 23.6% in the 4th quarter. Green Alpha Advisors LLC now owns 12,019 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,205,000 after purchasing an additional 2,297 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Macquarie Group Ltd. increased its holdings in Digital Realty Trust by 5.5% in the 3rd quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd. now owns 980,215 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $97,552,000 after purchasing an additional 51,345 shares in the last quarter. 95.00% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Digital Realty Trust alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several analysts have recently weighed in on DLR shares. BMO Capital Markets downgraded Digital Realty Trust from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and lowered their target price for the company from $121.00 to $100.00 in a research note on Monday, March 27th. Credit Suisse Group lowered their target price on Digital Realty Trust from $81.00 to $80.00 and set an underperform rating for the company in a research note on Friday, February 17th. StockNews.com began coverage on Digital Realty Trust in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They set a sell rating for the company. Exane BNP Paribas began coverage on Digital Realty Trust in a research note on Wednesday, December 14th. They issued a neutral rating and a $128.00 price target for the company. Finally, Barclays decreased their price target on Digital Realty Trust from $81.00 to $79.00 and set an underweight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Digital Realty Trust has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $121.71. Insider Buying and Selling at Digital Realty Trust Digital Realty Trust Price Performance In other Digital Realty Trust news, EVP Jeannie Lee sold 1,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $115.00, for a total transaction of $115,000.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 10,975 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,262,125. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website . In other news, EVP Dyer Corey sold 4,401 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, March 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $104.19, for a total value of $458,540.19. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 30,026 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,128,408.94. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink . Also, EVP Jeannie Lee sold 1,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $115.00, for a total transaction of $115,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 10,975 shares in the company, valued at $1,262,125. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Company insiders own 0.41% of the companys stock. Digital Realty Trust stock traded down $1.27 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $91.51. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,201,621 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,261,314. The company has a quick ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 0.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.96. The stock has a market capitalization of $26.66 billion, a P/E ratio of 81.39, a P/E/G ratio of 2.34 and a beta of 0.53. Digital Realty Trust, Inc. has a twelve month low of $85.76 and a twelve month high of $153.50. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $105.33 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $103.63. Digital Realty Trust (NYSE:DLR Get Rating) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 16th. The real estate investment trust reported ($0.02) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.68 by ($1.70). Digital Realty Trust had a return on equity of 2.46% and a net margin of 8.05%. The firm had revenue of $1.23 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.21 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.67 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 11.0% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that Digital Realty Trust, Inc. will post 6.66 earnings per share for the current year. Digital Realty Trust Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 15th were paid a dividend of $1.22 per share. This represents a $4.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.33%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, March 14th. Digital Realty Trusts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 428.07%. Digital Realty Trust Company Profile (Get Rating) Digital Realty Trust, Inc operates as a real estate investment trust, which engages in the provision of data center, colocation and interconnection solutions. It serves the following industries: artificial intelligence (AI), networks, cloud, digital media, mobile, financial services, healthcare, and gaming. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DLR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:DLR Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Digital Realty Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Digital Realty Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund (NYSE:NXJ Get Rating) announced a monthly dividend on Monday, April 3rd, investing.com reports. Stockholders of record on Friday, April 14th will be paid a dividend of 0.0305 per share on Monday, May 1st. This represents a $0.37 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.12%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 13th. Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund Price Performance Shares of NYSE NXJ traded up $0.08 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $11.72. 13,120 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 77,934. Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund has a twelve month low of $10.52 and a twelve month high of $13.34. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $11.63 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $11.41. Get Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund alerts: Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its position in shares of Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund by 26.3% during the 4th quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 479,928 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,423,000 after buying an additional 99,875 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley lifted its position in shares of Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund by 4.1% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 262,349 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,965,000 after buying an additional 10,425 shares in the last quarter. Logan Stone Capital LLC lifted its position in shares of Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund by 545.5% during the 4th quarter. Logan Stone Capital LLC now owns 199,733 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,257,000 after buying an additional 168,793 shares in the last quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC lifted its position in shares of Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund by 6.6% during the 3rd quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 147,925 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,628,000 after buying an additional 9,166 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. lifted its position in shares of Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund by 0.7% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 126,873 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,698,000 after buying an additional 913 shares in the last quarter. About Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc The fund is co-managed by Nuveen Fund Advisors LLC and Nuveen Asset Management, LLC. It invests in the fixed income markets of New Jersey. The fund invests in undervalued municipal securities and other related investments that are, exempt from regular federal and New Jersey income taxes that are rated Baa or BBB or better. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nuveen New Jersey Quality Municipal Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Paulson Wealth Management Inc. bought a new stake in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Get Rating) during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm bought 1,948 shares of the healthcare product makers stock, valued at approximately $214,000. Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 1.3% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 154,563,421 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $14,955,557,000 after purchasing an additional 2,011,683 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 0.5% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 74,138,862 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $7,173,676,000 after purchasing an additional 351,136 shares during the last quarter. Polen Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 2.1% in the 3rd quarter. Polen Capital Management LLC now owns 15,689,512 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $1,518,117,000 after purchasing an additional 316,416 shares during the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc boosted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 4.5% in the 2nd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 13,252,430 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $1,439,881,000 after purchasing an additional 565,475 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 1.9% during the 1st quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 11,523,473 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $1,363,917,000 after acquiring an additional 218,683 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 72.93% of the companys stock. Get Abbott Laboratories alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth ABT has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Citigroup lifted their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $114.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, December 12th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $140.00 to $136.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Barclays upped their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $122.00 to $125.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, January 27th. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $117.00 to $133.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, January 6th. Finally, StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $121.88. Insider Buying and Selling at Abbott Laboratories Abbott Laboratories Stock Up 0.5 % In other news, SVP Julie L. Tyler sold 260 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $103.24, for a total transaction of $26,842.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 40,896 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,222,103.04. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website . In other Abbott Laboratories news, SVP Randel William Woodgrift sold 1,032 shares of the businesss 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 completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 52,203 shares in the company, valued at $5,256,842.10. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website . Also, SVP Julie L. Tyler sold 260 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $103.24, for a total value of $26,842.40. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 40,896 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,222,103.04. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders sold 1,971 shares of company stock valued at $199,140 in the last quarter. 1.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. NYSE ABT traded up $0.48 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $103.28. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,755,704 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,160,639. The company has a current ratio of 1.63, a quick ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $103.47 and its 200 day simple moving average is $104.36. Abbott Laboratories has a twelve month low of $93.25 and a twelve month high of $124.36. The firm has a market capitalization of $179.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.29, a PEG ratio of 4.54 and a beta of 0.67. Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Get Rating) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 25th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.03 earnings per share (EPS) 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 business had revenue of $10.09 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.69 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.32 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was down 12.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts anticipate that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.38 earnings per share for the current year. Abbott Laboratories Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 14th will be issued a dividend of $0.51 per share. This represents a $2.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.98%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 13th. Abbott Laboratoriess payout ratio is presently 52.17%. About Abbott Laboratories (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. Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Get Rating) shares traded up 2.4% during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $41.92 and last traded at $41.89. 2,847,549 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 87% from the average session volume of 22,669,689 shares. The stock had previously closed at $40.90. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several analysts have recently commented on the company. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on Pfizer in a report on Monday, March 6th. They set a hold rating and a $43.00 price objective for the company. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded Pfizer from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their price objective for the company from $47.00 to $60.00 in a report on Tuesday, December 13th. Atlantic Securities reduced their target price on Pfizer from $50.00 to $46.00 and set a neutral rating for the company 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 target price for the company. in a research note on Wednesday, January 4th. Finally, Daiwa Capital Markets upgraded Pfizer from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and set a $51.00 target price for the company in a research note on Tuesday, February 7th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Pfizer presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $50.38. Get Pfizer alerts: Pfizer Price Performance The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $41.83 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $45.54. The company has a market capitalization of $238.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.55, a P/E/G ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.64. The company has a current ratio of 1.22, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34. Insider Activity Pfizer ( NYSE:PFE Get Rating ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, January 31st. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.14 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.03 by $0.11. Pfizer had a return on equity of 42.03% and a net margin of 31.27%. The firm had revenue of $24.30 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $24.40 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.08 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts predict that Pfizer Inc. will post 3.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. In other Pfizer news, major shareholder Pfizer Inc bought 1,811,594 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 17th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $2.76 per share, for a total transaction of $4,999,999.44. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 5,952,263 shares of the companys stock, valued at $16,428,245.88. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.05% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Pfizer Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Lam Group Inc. purchased a new position in Pfizer in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Pfizer in the 1st quarter worth approximately $29,000. Karp Capital Management Corp purchased a new position in Pfizer in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. My Personal CFO LLC purchased a new position in Pfizer in the 4th quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, Mendota Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in Pfizer in the 4th quarter worth approximately $33,000. 67.62% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Pfizer Company 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. Further Reading 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. Science Applications International (NYSE:SAIC Get Rating) issued an update on its FY 2024 earnings guidance on Monday morning. The company provided EPS guidance of $6.80-$7.00 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of $7.48. The company issued revenue guidance of $7.05 billion-$7.20 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $7.72 billion. Science Applications International also updated its FY24 guidance to $6.80-7.00 EPS. Science Applications International Trading Down 2.8 % SAIC opened at $107.44 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $5.87 billion, a PE ratio of 22.38 and a beta of 0.70. The company has a quick ratio of 0.90, a current ratio of 1.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.39. The business has a 50 day moving average of $105.70 and a 200-day moving average of $104.54. Science Applications International has a 52 week low of $79.33 and a 52 week high of $117.94. Get Science Applications International alerts: Science Applications International (NYSE:SAIC Get Rating) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, April 3rd. The information technology services provider reported $2.04 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.63 by $0.41. The company had revenue of $1.97 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.86 billion. Science Applications International had a return on equity of 23.84% and a net margin of 3.58%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 10.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.50 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Science Applications International will post 7.34 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Science Applications International Announces Dividend Analyst Ratings Changes The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, April 14th will be paid a $0.37 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 13th. This represents a $1.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.38%. Science Applications Internationals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 30.83%. Several equities analysts have recently commented on SAIC shares. StockNews.com upgraded Science Applications International from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Sunday. Morgan Stanley cut Science Applications International from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and upped their target price for the company from $108.00 to $114.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 3rd. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on Science Applications International from $83.00 to $94.00 and gave the company a sell rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 6th. Truist Financial boosted their price target on Science Applications International from $105.00 to $120.00 in a report on Tuesday, December 6th. Finally, Citigroup lowered their price target on Science Applications International from $141.00 to $127.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Tuesday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating, two have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Science Applications International has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $112.80. Institutional Trading of Science Applications International Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Science Applications International in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $60,582,000. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its position in Science Applications International by 9.4% in the first quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 5,699,458 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $525,321,000 after acquiring an additional 491,167 shares during the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership lifted its position in Science Applications International by 3,897.3% in the first quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 100,932 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $9,303,000 after acquiring an additional 98,407 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. increased its stake in Science Applications International by 2.0% in the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 4,887,542 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $450,486,000 after purchasing an additional 94,874 shares during the period. Finally, Invesco Ltd. increased its stake in Science Applications International by 39.0% in the first quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 316,718 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $29,191,000 after purchasing an additional 88,891 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.40% of the companys stock. About Science Applications International (Get Rating) Science Applications International Corp. is a provider of technical, engineering and enterprise information technology (IT) services. Its offerings include engineering, systems integration and information technology offerings for large, complex government projects and offer a broad range of services with a targeted emphasis on higher end, differentiated technology services, and end-to-end services spanning the entire spectrum of its customers IT infrastructure. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Science Applications International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Science Applications International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. " " This illustration of Alice and Humpty Dumpty by Sir John Tenniel is taken from the 1889 book "The Nursery Alice" by Lewis Carroll. (The watercolor is by Gertrude Thomson.) Carroll made Humpty's portrayal as an egg famous. Photo12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Humpty Dumpty rose to popularity again with the publication of Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking Glass," in 1871 where the egg-man has an entire chapter dedicated to him. "[T]he egg only got larger and larger, and more and more human: when she [Alice] had come within a few yards of it, she saw that it had eyes and a nose and mouth; and when she had come close to it, she saw clearly that it was Humpty Dumpty himself. 'It can't be anybody else!' she said to herself. 'I'm as certain of it, as if his name were written all over his face." A humanoid egg fits right in with the story's bizarre cast of characters, but this is also the first time Humpty Dumpty is depicted as the character we are familiar with today. Lewis Carroll invented the character as an egg. In a 1903 edition of "Mother Goose's Nursery Rhymes," Humpty Dumpty is printed as a riddle, with the solution at the bottom reading 'An egg,' with an illustration to match. Advertisement "Humpty Dumpty sticks in our imaginations because of his iconic appearance in Lewis Carroll's 'Through the Looking Glass,' the second of the 'Alice in Wonderland' books. I think that John Tenniel's illustrations become the touchpoint for all later images of Humpty," says Magyarody. "In Alice and Humpty's encounter, Alice repeats and therefore establishes a version of the Humpty Dumpty rhyme. What's interesting is that Alice's version is a distortion she replaces 'Couldn't put Humpty together again' with 'Couldn't put Humpty Dumpty in his place again,' thereby removing the violent egg-breaking of the original into something gentler. (Humpty isn't satisfied with her innovation, and dislikes being called an egg.)" In the 1950s, an article in Oxford magazine wrote a spoof article whose theory ended up taking hold. It purported that Humpty Dumpty was in fact a cannon in Colchester, England, that was used during a 1648 siege during the English Civil War. The village, including its churches and its castle, were surrounded by a protective stone wall. At St. Mary's at the Wall Church, the forces defending the town put a cannon on top of the church tower and nicknamed it Humpty Dumpty. When it came under fire by Parliamentary armies (who targeted the foundations the cannon was on), the tower toppled, killing 'one-eyed' Jack Thompson, who was manning the cannon. Both tower, man and cannon were destroyed and couldn't be put back together again. However, historians doubt this is the real explanation. Another theory holds that Humpty Dumpty is really a drink. The first appearance of the word Humpty Dumpty in print was in 1690, in a slang dictionary, where it is defined as "ale boiled with brandy," with a possible connection being that strong beer was commonly called "hum." By 1785, Francis Grose, in his book "A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue," notes both the drink definition and the definition of "a short, clumsey (sic) person of either sex." As for the cocktail, modern-day mixologists have revived it with this unique recipe. Now That's Cool DC Comics portrays Humpty Dumpty as Humphry Dumpler, a man with an egg-shaped head that speaks in rhyme and whose attempts to 'fix' things that he perceives as 'broken' always end in disaster. In the animated movie, "Puss in Boots," Humpty Alexander Dumpty, an egg with a face and limbs, becomes Puss in Boots' brother at the orphanage where they're raised, but his life of crime later makes him the suave cat's archenemy. He's also the name of a song released by indie pop trio AJR about a person who puts on appearances but falls apart in private. Sippican Capital Advisors lessened its position in shares of Iron Mountain Incorporated (NYSE:IRM Get Rating) by 0.8% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 26,877 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 220 shares during the quarter. Sippican Capital Advisors holdings in Iron Mountain were worth $1,340,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd grew its holdings in Iron Mountain by 3.2% during the 4th quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd now owns 63,476 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $3,164,000 after buying an additional 1,953 shares in the last quarter. Boenning & Scattergood Inc. grew its holdings in Iron Mountain by 2.7% during the 4th quarter. Boenning & Scattergood Inc. now owns 22,800 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,263,000 after buying an additional 600 shares in the last quarter. Cyndeo Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new position in Iron Mountain during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $1,757,000. Greenleaf Trust grew its holdings in Iron Mountain by 11.1% during the 4th quarter. Greenleaf Trust now owns 7,456 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $372,000 after buying an additional 742 shares in the last quarter. Finally, James Hambro & Partners boosted its holdings in shares of Iron Mountain by 141.5% in the 4th quarter. James Hambro & Partners now owns 119,147 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $5,939,000 after purchasing an additional 69,810 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 77.12% of the companys stock. Get Iron Mountain alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Iron Mountain In other Iron Mountain news, EVP Deborah Marson sold 1,125 shares of Iron Mountain stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $50.58, for a total transaction of $56,902.50. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 45,782 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,315,653.56. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, CEO William L. Meaney sold 62,904 shares of Iron Mountain stock in a transaction on Monday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $52.78, for a total value of $3,320,073.12. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 376,320 shares in the company, valued at approximately $19,862,169.60. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Deborah Marson sold 1,125 shares of Iron Mountain stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $50.58, for a total value of $56,902.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 45,782 shares in the company, valued at $2,315,653.56. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 94,552 shares of company stock valued at $4,970,966 in the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 2.10% of the companys stock. Iron Mountain Trading Up 0.2 % Shares of IRM stock traded up $0.08 on Wednesday, reaching $52.67. 166,585 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,479,056. Iron Mountain Incorporated has a 52 week low of $43.33 and a 52 week high of $58.61. The company has a current ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 16.46. The stock has a market capitalization of $15.36 billion, a PE ratio of 27.68, a P/E/G ratio of 3.50 and a beta of 0.90. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $52.77 and its 200 day simple moving average is $51.17. Iron Mountain (NYSE:IRM Get Rating) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 23rd. The financial services provider reported $0.43 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.89 by ($0.46). The firm had revenue of $1.28 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.32 billion. Iron Mountain had a net margin of 10.91% and a return on equity of 79.49%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 10.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.74 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that Iron Mountain Incorporated will post 3.78 EPS for the current year. Iron Mountain Increases Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 5th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 15th will be given a dividend of $0.6185 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 14th. This is a positive change from Iron Mountains previous quarterly dividend of $0.62. This represents a $2.47 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.70%. Iron Mountains payout ratio is 130.00%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the company. Exane BNP Paribas assumed coverage on Iron Mountain in a report on Wednesday, December 14th. They issued an outperform rating for the company. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Iron Mountain in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating and issued a $58.00 target price on shares of Iron Mountain in a report on Monday, March 6th. Barclays dropped their target price on Iron Mountain from $57.00 to $56.00 in a report on Monday, March 20th. Finally, BNP Paribas initiated coverage on Iron Mountain in a research note on Wednesday, December 14th. They set an outperform rating and a $66.00 price target for the company. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $60.40. Iron Mountain Profile (Get Rating) Iron Mountain, Inc engages in the provision of storage and information management solutions. It operates through the following business segments: North American Records & Information Management Business, North American Data Management Business, Western European Business, Other International Business, Global Data Center Business and Corporate & Other Business. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IRM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Iron Mountain Incorporated (NYSE:IRM Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Iron Mountain Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Iron Mountain and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its stake in Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C Get Rating) by 5.5% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 30,467 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 1,585 shares during the quarter. Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd.s holdings in Citigroup were worth $1,378,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in C. McClarren Financial Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Citigroup during the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. Arlington Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Citigroup during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC acquired a new position in shares of Citigroup during the 3rd quarter worth $28,000. EWG Elevate Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Citigroup during the 4th quarter worth $29,000. Finally, McIlrath & Eck LLC increased its stake in shares of Citigroup by 96.6% during the 3rd quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC now owns 814 shares of the companys stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 400 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.90% of the companys stock. Get Citigroup alerts: Citigroup Price Performance Shares of Citigroup stock opened at $46.09 on Wednesday. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $49.06 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $47.05. The company has a market cap of $89.59 billion, a PE ratio of 6.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 1.57. Citigroup Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $40.01 and a fifty-two week high of $54.56. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.49, a current ratio of 0.94 and a quick ratio of 0.94. Citigroup Dividend Announcement Citigroup ( NYSE:C Get Rating ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 13th. The company reported $1.10 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.18 by ($0.08). The business had revenue of $18.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $17.91 billion. Citigroup had a return on equity of 8.14% and a net margin of 14.73%. Analysts expect that Citigroup Inc. will post 5.88 EPS for the current year. The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 26th. Stockholders of record on Monday, May 1st will be issued a dividend of $0.51 per share. This represents a $2.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.43%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, April 28th. Citigroups payout ratio is 29.14%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts have recently commented on C shares. TheStreet upgraded shares of Citigroup from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research note on Monday, March 6th. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on shares of Citigroup from $45.00 to $41.00 and set an underweight rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 6th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price objective on shares of Citigroup from $52.00 to $46.00 in a report on Friday, January 6th. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price objective on shares of Citigroup from $55.00 to $51.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Friday, March 24th. Finally, Bank of America upped their price objective on shares of Citigroup from $52.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, January 16th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $55.16. Insider Transactions at Citigroup In related news, insider Sara Wechter sold 2,950 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $50.77, for a total transaction of $149,771.50. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 82,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,202,689.83. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, CEO Titilope Cole sold 11,903 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $51.10, for a total transaction of $608,243.30. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 65,764 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,360,540.40. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Sara Wechter sold 2,950 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $50.77, for a total transaction of $149,771.50. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 82,779 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,202,689.83. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 27,353 shares of company stock valued at $1,403,390. Company insiders own 0.09% of the companys stock. Citigroup Profile (Get Rating) Citigroup, Inc is a holding company, which engages in the provision of financial products and services. It operates through the following segments: Global Consumer Banking, Institutional Clients Group, and Corporate and Other. The Global Consumer Banking segment provides traditional banking services to retail customers through retail banking, including commercial banking, and Citi-branded cards and Citi retail services. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Citigroup Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Citigroup and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Xerox Holdings Co. (NYSE:XRX Get Rating) has earned a consensus rating of Reduce from the seven ratings firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation and one has given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price target among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $13.00. Several analysts have weighed in on XRX shares. TheStreet raised shares of Xerox from a d+ rating to a c- rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 1st. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Xerox in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a buy rating on the stock. Finally, Loop Capital boosted their target price on shares of Xerox from $15.00 to $17.00 in a research report on Monday, January 30th. Get Xerox alerts: Hedge Funds Weigh In On Xerox Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in XRX. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its stake in shares of Xerox by 20.2% in the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 560,997 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $11,315,000 after purchasing an additional 94,090 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Xerox in the 1st quarter valued at $604,000. American Century Companies Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Xerox by 14.5% in the 1st quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 28,887 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $582,000 after purchasing an additional 3,654 shares during the period. US Bancorp DE lifted its stake in shares of Xerox by 24.4% in the 1st quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 8,232 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $167,000 after purchasing an additional 1,615 shares during the period. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Xerox by 12.6% in the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 16,121 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $326,000 after purchasing an additional 1,807 shares during the period. 81.66% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Xerox Stock Down 3.0 % Shares of Xerox stock opened at $14.64 on Wednesday. The firms 50 day moving average price is $16.04 and its 200-day moving average price is $15.54. The company has a quick ratio of 0.99, a current ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85. Xerox has a 52-week low of $11.80 and a 52-week high of $20.29. The company has a market cap of $2.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.13 and a beta of 1.67. Xerox (NYSE:XRX Get Rating) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 26th. The information technology services provider reported $0.89 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.54 by $0.35. The company had revenue of $1.94 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.90 billion. Xerox had a negative net margin of 4.53% and a positive return on equity of 5.15%. Xeroxs revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.34 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Xerox will post 1.19 EPS for the current fiscal year. Xerox Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 1st. Investors of record on Friday, March 31st will be paid a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.83%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 30th. Xeroxs dividend payout ratio is currently -46.08%. About Xerox (Get Rating) Xerox Holdings Corporation, a workplace technology company, designs, develops, and sells document management systems and solutions in the United States, Europe, Canada, and internationally. It offers workplace solutions, including desktop monochrome, and color and multifunction printers; digital printing presses and light production devices, and solutions; and digital services that leverage workflow automation, personalization and communication software, content management solutions, and digitization services. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Xerox Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Xerox and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. " " Despite having relatively little screen time or lines in the original "Star Wars" trilogy, fans fell in love with Boba Fett. Disney+ Instead of going out with a bang, the galaxy's No. 1 bounty hunter went out with a burp. Or so it appeared at the time. Released May 25, 1983, "Star Wars: Episode VI-Return of the Jedi" was the last installment in the original "Star Wars" trilogy. It also seemed to mark the death of a now-classic villain, the masked Mandalorian Boba Fett. Advertisement Boba Fett had been introduced a few years prior, unveiled to the public at a parade in California. A spacefaring bounty hunter, the character was stoic, efficient and armed to the teeth. Hollywood westerns were a big influence on "Star Wars;" Boba Fett felt like a sci-fi callback to the Clint Eastwood gunslingers. Faster than you can say "ichthyodont" (that's a large reptile-like creature that lived on the moon Panna Prime for those of you not so-well-versed in "Star Wars" speak), Boba Fett developed a cult following. Some of those hardcore fans weren't too happy about his fate in "Return of the Jedi," criticizing his "death" scene as anticlimactic. Early in the movie, an equipment malfunction sends Boba Fett tumbling into the cavernous mouth of a sarlacc, one of the desert monsters found on planet Tatooine. You could argue the scene was played for laughs; after the creature swallows Boba Fett, it makes a belching noise. But it's hard to keep great characters down. Even if you're a sarlacc. Through 40-plus years of "Star Wars" prequels, sequels, spinoffs, novels and comics, audiences have learned a great deal about the once-mysterious Boba Fett. " " Boba Fett's look came from an alternate suit of "super trooper" armor that was sleeker and more threatening than the original Stormtroopers seen here. Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG/via Getty Images OTTAWA, ON, April 5, 2023 /CNW/ - Heavy freezing rain has downed wires and tree branches across Hydro Ottawa's service territory today. Freezing rain causes multiple power outages across Ottawa (CNW Group/Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc.) There are currently several power outages affecting 14,000 customers in the south, central and western parts of the city. Hydro Ottawa crews have been dispatched and are actively assessing the system and working to restore power. Priority is placed on repairs that pose serious safety hazards first, and restoring power to critical infrastructure such as emergency services, hospitals, water and sewage treatment plants, schools and larger neighbourhoods of customers, followed by smaller impacted areas. Safety is the number one priority amid these icy conditions. Hydro Ottawa will continue to post information regarding these ongoing outages on our website , outage map , and on our Twitter account . There are two ways for customers to report a power outage: Call our 24/7 outage hotline at 613 738-0188 Submit a report online through the MyAccount customer portal Customers are encouraged to be prepared in case of extended power outages. Learn more about storm preparedness here or read our blog about what to do during a winter power outage. Safety tips Hydro Ottawa asks the public to respect work site perimetres by keeping a safe distance from crews and as they work on energizing the power grid. If customers notice downed power lines, stay at least 10 metres away (the length of a school bus) from the wires and from any objects that are in contact with the lines such as trees. If there is a downed power line, please call us at 613 738-0188. Drive carefully. When traffic signals are out, always treat intersections as all-way stops and proceed through intersections with caution. As power is being restored, Hydro Ottawa reminds residents to conserve their use of energy and avoid turning on all electronics and appliances to avoid impacting the electricity supply. Please reserve the use of 911 to situations where there is a risk to public safety, and life-threatening emergencies. Story continues In advance of the freezing rain warning, Hydro Ottawa issued a Weather Watch email to customers on April 4, and enlisted its employees and crews to begin planning. As we did with the winter storm in December, our operators are monitoring the weather - and our field crews are ready to respond and restore outages as needed. A team of employees, contractors and on-call specialists, such as arborists, are also on standby to respond throughout the day or night if necessary. www.hydroottawa.com About Hydro Ottawa Limited Hydro Ottawa Limited, a subsidiary of Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc., delivers electricity to approximately 353,000 homes and businesses in the City of Ottawa and the Village of Casselman. For more than a century, Hydro Ottawa has supplied its customers with clean, safe and reliable power to help build a vibrant and sustainable national capital region. As a leading partner in a smart energy future, Hydro Ottawa proudly contributes to the well-being of the community it serves through its integration of innovative and sustainable business practices, corporate citizenship initiatives, and offering best-in-class customer service. SOURCE Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc. Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2023/05/c0436.html With a green slime doughnut in his hands and a smile on his face, a nine-year-old boy is closer to having surgery he needs because of the Campbellford communitys support. Doohers Bakery recently organized a fundraiser for Oliver, also known as Ollie, who has cerebral palsy (CP) and will be receiving medical treatment in the United States in June. Our Doughnuts for Oliver was a success, said bakery owner Cory Dooher in a social media post. This little guy surprised us and showed up with his mom and grandparents. Doohers staff made about 1,920 doughnuts 160 dozen and the community raised $3,600 toward Ollies surgery. For Dooher, this particular fundraiser was close to home. Ollie, the son of her first cousin, was diagnosed with CP at 18 months old. His CP mainly affects his legs, and he uses a walker and braces for mobility, and safety at school and in public, Dooher explained. While an orthopedic surgery is recommended in Ontario, there are hundreds of children on the waiting list, and it is a very invasive surgery with a long in-patient and painful recovery, she said. Ollies parents did research and learned there are two surgeons in North America who perform a specialized procedure called Selective Percutaneous Myofascial Lengthening. Performed by a doctor in New Jersey who can tend to Ollie in June, the procedure is expected to provide relief of muscle pain and give the boy a chance to attain a greater range of motion, and, ultimately, more independence. Ollie you are an inspiration your strength, determination and perseverance is admired, Dooher said. We wish you nothing but the best with your upcoming surgery. Dooher thanked the community for supporting the fundraiser and its staff for churning out all the blue and green Ghostbusters-themed doughnuts. SHARE: Being blue doesnt always mean a person is sad just like the autism puzzle pieces dont represent an individual is broken or needs to be fixed. Its a message members of the Kawartha Lakes Autism Support group shared on Monday (April 3) during a special flag raising at city hall in Lindsay. The event marks World Autism Month, which kicked off on April 2 with the annual Light It Up Blue initiative. Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that impacts individuals across their lifespan. There is diversity in how this condition presents and evolves over time. Neurodiversity describes autism as a condition or identity rather than a disorder. Many autistic individuals and their families face social and economic barriers that affect their quality of life. Co-occurring conditions also introduce further complexities and challenges. Since being first defined in 1911, the rate of autism diagnoses has increased exponentially in the last 50 years. According to a recent report by the Public Health Agency of Canada, roughly one in every 50 Canadian children and adolescents is autistic. While the introduction of universal health care from the 1950s to 1970s allowed families access to diagnostic and treatment services more readily, the availability of services has not kept up with the steadily increasing number of clients needing care. Large cities like Toronto, where they have more services and funding, struggle. Its even harder here in Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton where were finding a lot more families in need of support; especially adults, said Autism Support co-chair Hellen Francis whose 22-year-old son is self-sufficient for the most part, but still requires support. Francis noted, depending on the level of need, the wait for services could be anywhere from six months to five years. Provincially, the waitlist for treatments like applied behavioural analysis which the province has funded since 2011 increased by more than 400 per cent between 2005 and 2015. By early 2019, approximately 23,000 children in Ontario were on the waitlist for government-funded autism services and some were waiting years for treatment, missing crucial opportunities for early intervention. The thing is, even with treatment, people dont get better from autism. They have it forever, said Nicole Corriveau. And once you turn 18, youre invisible A lot of people have fallen through the cracks, and theres going to be more if funding and services dont keep up. While the group is committed to ongoing advocacy and awareness to improve services locally, they also provide support to local families through monthly meetings held the third Tuesday at Kennedy Place, 205 McLaughlin Rd., from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, visit kawarthalakesautismsupport.com/. SHARE: Durham Regional Police Chief Peter Moreira spoke during an April 5 news conference announcing an arrest was made in the Katie Kainz homicide Investigation. The suspect in an Oshawa murder has been caught after Durham Regional Police received an anonymous tip. Adam Odette was being sought in connection with the stabbing murder of Katie Kainz and the alleged stabbing of another victim. He was arrested on Tuesday, April 4, at about 10:30 p.m. when police received a tip after someone saw Odette. Police said the tipster had seen pictures of Odette in media reports and recognized him. Officers went to the location and set up a perimeter. Odette was found at 769 Wilson Rd. N. and was arrested without incident in a stairwell, Det. Sgt. Doris Carriere said during a media briefing on Wednesday. Odette has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Kainz and attempted murder for the stabbing of the recovering victim. He was remanded into custody following a bail hearing. Kainz's murder was the sixth in Durham in 2023. The incident happened on Sunday, March 12, at about 4 p.m., when police were called to an address on Simcoe Street in Oshawa for an armed individual, police said. When they arrived, they found two women who had been stabbed and they were taken to Toronto-area trauma centres. A Canada-wide warrant was issued for Odette just days after the murder. We'd like to thank our media partners and members of the community who provided numerous tips that contributed to this outcome and other police services who shared the information to bring this accused into custody, Carriere said Police are still appealing for more information anyone may have, Carriere added. We are aware there are members of the community that had direct contact with Mr. Odette in the weeks that followed the murder, including a male that appeared to accompany the accused in the area of Wilson Road North prior to this arrest. Our team is following up on this information and we urge those members to come forward, he noted. Carriere also said police extend their best wishes to the surviving victim as she continues her recovery from life-altering injuries. Our sincere condolences go out to the family of Katie Kainz, he added. Newly-appointed Chief Peter Moreira acknowledged the hard work of several individuals in solving the case. The entire service was involved in chasing down tips for the past three weeks, the chief noted. It goes to show the importance of partnerships, the public being aware of what's happening in the community, staying informed, staying engaged. The result is a success story from a negative event that impacted the community, Moreira said. He praised the work of the 911 operators for taking the calls during the investigation and helping police set up a perimeter, where Odette was caught. The investigation is far from over, he said, adding police are still looking for input from the public. Read more about: SHARE: Images of Adam Odette released by Durham police. Odette is wanted on a Canada-wide warrant in connection with the March 12 stabbing death of a woman in Oshawa. Police have arrested a man wanted for an attack that left woman dead and another seriously injured last month in Oshawa. Adam Odette, for whom a Canada-wide warrant had been issued, has been taken into custody and charged with second-degree murder and attempted murder, Durham police said at a media briefing Wednesday, April 5. Odette, 37, had been on the run since being identified as a suspect in the killing of Katie Kainz in the early morning hours of March 12. A second woman sustained life altering injuries in the attack, police said. Odette was arrested just before 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 4 at an address on Wilson Road North, police said. Cops closed in on the fugitive after receiving a tip from the public, police said. The caller had previously seen his picture in media reports and recognized him. Numerous members attended the scene and quickly established a perimeter, police said in a statement. Officers located Adam Odette in the area, and he was taken into custody without incident. Odette remains in custody and an investigation continues. One aspect of the case police are looking at is how Odette managed to evade arrest for weeks. We know that Odette was in the company of other individuals, a statement read. We are requesting that those witnesses come forward and speak with police. Police also thanks the community for assisting. Members of our community remained vigilant and provided valuable tips which assisted in bringing this individual into custody, police said. Cooperation from the community has been an integral part of this investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 905-579-1520, extension 5223 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Read more about: SHARE: Former Canoe & Paddle manager Jacob Extons sexual assault charge has been dismissed. Following a one-day trial in the Ontario Court of Justice on Tuesday, April 4 in Peterborough, Justice Timothy Breen found Exton not guilty of sexually assaulting a former Lakefield pub employee at a staff Christmas party. At the time of the party, Exton was the general manager of the Canoe & Paddle, which is located in the village of Lakefield and owned by Extons parents. Following the verdict, an emotional Exton embraced his family members with hugs. In his decision, Breen said the woman presented as a sincere witness, but the Crown couldnt prove Extons guilt beyond a reasonable doubt because of inconsistencies in her evidence. Further, he said the passage of time and the amount of alcohol consumed that night hindered the witness's ability to remember what happened with certainty. That (beyond a reasonable doubt) is a significant burden, he explained. In all the circumstances her evidence suffers sufficiency. The woman, whose name is protected by a publication ban, testified that while at the Christmas party she and a friend went to sleep in the same bed as Exton after leaving another room because they felt uncomfortable following an alleged encounter with the hosts husband. After falling asleep, the woman said she was awakened by Exton caressing her back, leg and thigh. She said it stopped after five to 10 seconds but started again a few minutes later when she said he moved under her leggings. No, please stop, the woman testified she told Exton that night. The woman told the court Exton removed his hand from her leggings but moved his hand to the front of her body and started rubbing her thighs. During cross-examination, Extons lawyer David McFadden suggested the woman was mistaken about the touching. I dont agree with that, she said. McFadden highlighted that the woman gave three different versions of how the touching allegedly happened. Why is it different? McFadden asked. After a long pause and wiping away tears, the woman said the touching felt like it all blended together. In re-examination, she told the court it was traumatizing and she suppressed a lot of it. I pushed it away, she said. I wanted to just forget about it. SHARE: Bruce Gravel visited the tomb of beloved national icon, Eva Peron in Buenos Aires. Following our Antarctica cruise, my wife, Frances, and I toured Buenos Aires, visiting the tomb of beloved national icon, Eva Peron. Married to Argentinas president, First Lady Eva Perons saga became famous by Andrew Lloyd Webbers stage musical Evita, later a 1996 movie starring Madonna, spawning the haunting song Dont cry for me, Argentina. Before her untimely death from cervical cancer at age 33, Evita had become a folk hero among the working class. The country mourned when she died in 1952. Then her carefully-embalmed body was stolen by the Argentine military, which had ousted President Peron in a coup. It was interred in a small cemetery in Italy under an assumed name for 14 years. Finally, 26 years after her death, she was laid to rest in the Duarte (her maiden name) family crypt, in Buenos Aires huge cemetery: Cementerio de la Recoleta. Her tomb is six metres deep, heavily fortified to be fireproof, bombproof, and especially burglar-proof. Recoleta Cemetery is a massive claustrophobic city of the dead. Narrow cobblestone streets and towering side-by-side mausoleums create labyrinthine canyons of granite and marble. The elaborate mausoleums are a riot of architectural styles. Some have glass doors fronting marble lobbies with mirror, side table, vase of flowers, and a narrow staircase leading down to the crypt. Others have beautiful stained glass windows. Many have mournful marble statues and decorative iron gates. One has a baleful life-size skull staring at you. When our tour group reached Evitas tomb, there was a horde of people in front. We hung back, so that when the horde moved on, we could take photos. Our tour group was part of the horde that moved on. We took our pictures, turned, and saw an empty street before us. Dont worry, said Frances. I heard our guide say to turn left at the next junction. So we turned left. Another empty street. Walked down it to a T-junction, and looked left and right. No tour group. Do we turn left again, or go right? she asked. Lets go right, I said. If were wrong, well be so lost, well never get out of here alive. Were in the right place for that. We turned right and were halfway down the street when a shout came from behind us. A man with a tour guide shirt asked if we were with Juanitas group. We said yes. He said we were busily bustling off in the wrong direction. He led us to Juanitas group. En route, we passed that skull again. Im sure it winked at me. Bruce Gravel is always lost. His books are available at Chapters and CraftWorks. Website: www.brucegravel.ca SHARE: The Theatre on King may be saved after all now that some local businesspeople have pledged donations to the small experimental theatre that was passed over for a city grant. TTOK had applied for $30,000, after having received $15,000 in municipal funding in 2022 but its application for the funds was turned down by council. While it wasnt clear how the theatre might survive, following the city council meeting on March 27 when the funding was denied, businesspeople have since promised to come to the rescue. TTOKs landlord Michael Cherney, partner in Cherney Properties, got it started on Friday, pledging $1,000 and challenging other businesspeople to match his donation. Then TTOK artistic director Ryan Kerr sent out a mass email, describing what he called the Cherney Challenge. Kerr asked recipients to send the email around to anyone else who might want to participate. Then an anonymous donor offered to match donations up to $7,500, TTOK stated in a new social media post. On Tuesday, TTOK artistic administrator Kate Story told The Examiner in a direct message on social media that Linz Hunt, a local Royal LePage real estate agent, had offered a further $2,500 in matching funds. It means that if $10,000 is pledged by other donors, TTOK will receive a further $10,000. Other donors already include Cherney (whod pledged $1,000), plus Story said others too for example she said the Nozhem: First Peoples Performance Space at Trent University pledged $500 in solidarity with TTOK. We are so moved that an Indigenous organization would do that, Story said in her message. The groundswell of community support has been humbling and amazing. Cherney said Tuesday he made the pledge and issued the challenge because hes a theatre lover. Even more, Im a downtown lover and a city lover, he said. Never mind that theyre a tenant, he said Cherney called TTOK an institution. It is so unique and so important this thing has to be supported, he said. At the city council meeting March 27, 10 people from the local theatre community praised the decade-old TTOK and urged council to reconsider and fund it. The theatre has workshopped shows that went on to win awards at the Chicago, Toronto and Vancouver fringe festivals, as well as win Dora awards. To pledge a donation to TTOK, visit bit.ly/40L5Ng1 joelle.kovach@peterboroughdaily.com SHARE: TORONTO - RBC chief executive Dave McKay defended the banks climate plan at its annual shareholder meeting Wednesday as numerous attendees criticized it for not doing enough. Speaking at the event held this year in Saskatoon, McKay emphasized the importance of an orderly net-zero transition since instability in food, energy or security will throw off efforts to rein in climate change. Where any of those, one or more of those elements, arent present, then the focus on this critical climate journey is put aside. He also said there needs to be a wider shouldering of the burden of change. We are putting all the pressure in society on the manufacturing supply side to change and make it an easy journey for us as citizens, and so far, for the most part, weve appeared unwilling to change our consumption behaviours or mobility behaviours to lower our footprint. His comments come as the bank faces a barrage of criticism from those pushing for shareholder resolutions, especially on stronger and faster climate action but also racial equity, and executive pay, and Indigenous rights. Grand chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, presented a resolution pushing the bank to implement free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) as he raised concerns about the banks involvement in the Coastal GasLink pipeline. Failures to adequately incorporate FPIC is a material risk that has already caused reputational harm, as well as delays, cost increases and conflict on the land, he said. McKay said the bank cant be held responsible for the day-to-day operating issues of the pipeline construction, while consent issues are difficult questions that need collaboration to resolve. Free prior informed consent is a very complex issue that has to be led by Indigenous communities, governments, and those businesses that own and operate the assets and the projects in question. Several attendees speaking for resolutions, including Wetsuweten hereditary chief NaMoks, also criticized the bank for relegating them to an overflow room at the meeting where they were unable to address bank executives in person. (Ive) never been so insulted in my life, said NaMoks to a crowd gathered outside the hotel. Some hundred or so demonstrators had gathered before the meeting. Many wore ribbon skirts and some held signs calling RBC the Oil Bank of Canada and called for the bank to stop funding eco-cide. Of the eight shareholder proposals that went to a vote, one pushing for the bank to undertake a racial equity audit secured the highest support at about 44 per cent, while the resolution on Indigenous consent garnered 28 per cent support. A resolution pushing RBC to set absolution emission reduction targets got 22 per cent support, while one trying to get the bank to stop funding fossil fuel expansion secured about 11 per cent. McKay thanked those who had spoken at the meeting, saying that he thinks they agree on the destination and that they disagree only on how to get there. With files from Kelly Geraldine Malone in Saskatoon. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 4, 2023. Companies in this story: (TSX:RY) Read more about: SHARE: Barbie is everything. Or so the tag line for the new Barbie movie goes, echoing the squealing excitement of our inner seven-year-olds when we saw that a new trailer had dropped. While its been hyped since it was first announced way back in the misty days of 2017, the actual movie isnt out until July 21 an interval almost as torturous as waiting for your birthday to see if your relentless petitioning for the Barbie Jeep has been successful. The newly dropped trailer grants us one minute and 45 seconds of shiny fuchsia, plastic perfection. The shot of Barbies foot, stepping out of her Maribou-feathered heeled mules but maintaining her signature perpetually tippytoed form, promises to be worth the price of admission alone. In less than a day, the trailer got over six million (and rapidly counting) views, shooting it to the top of the YouTube trending list. Barbie movie was the top search term on Google in Canada yesterday, with over 50,000 of us typing those words into the search bar. Among the cast, it was searches for Michael Cera, who the trailer reveals to be in the film as a long discontinued character named Allan, that spiked in Canada, rather than, say, Ryan Gosling who we already knew plays Ken. Within hours of the trailer release, Barbie is absolutely everywhere, thanks in part to a clever marketing stunt from Warner Bros. Pictures: a Barbie Selfie Generator that allows you to turn yourself into a barbie. Its particularly relevant because this movies cast seems to include all of Hollywood from Helen Mirren to Nicola Coughlan to play lower-case-b barbies, the noun used to describe the generic dolls, while Margot Robbie is capital-B Barbie herself. Heres everything else we know about the Barbie movie so far. Arent there already tons of Barbie movies? Why is this one such a big deal? You refer, of course, to the films Barbie herself has starred in, including such classics as Barbie in the Nutcracker (2001) and Barbie Fairytopia: Mermaidia (2006). This 2023 film is a bit different: not quite a biopic, but close, in that its a story about Barbie herself and what appears to be a rather nasty experience in the real world, outside of Barbie Land. That would be the enchanted kingdom where the sand is pink, the rocks are pink, the lifeguard stations are pink and, OK, everything is pink, and pesky things like glass ceilings dont prevent a woman from having over 200 careers, including presidential candidate, chief sustainability officer and, uh, cat burglar. (Reformed, of course.) Whats the plot of theBarbie movie? While plot details remain thin, the trailer offers some hints about where this tale takes us: Barbie, with Ken and his roller blades in tow, is expelled from Barbie Land, apparently for being imperfect, and goes in search of happiness among humans before returning to save her home. While this might sound like its going to be a kids movie, theres a sense of darkness and winking self-awareness brewing in the background that suggests otherwise. Who is the director of the Barbie movie? None other than Greta Gerwig, which is the biggest pink flag that this movie is going to be a subversive delight. Gerwig, an actor-turned-director who specializes in nuanced, intellectually ambitious films such as Lady Bird and Little Women (both garnered her Oscar nominations) took over this movie after it had already been in the works for several years. In fact, there was once a world where Amy Schumer was set to star in the Barbie movie, but she dropped out because she specifically wanted Barbie to be an ambitious inventor whose breakthrough discovery was a high heel made out of Jell-O. Gerwigs Barbie is likely to go off-piste in its own way. Just ask Issa Rae, who plays a barbie too. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter last year, she recounted Gerwig explaining her idea for the film. Ill be 100 per cent honest: When she was talking, like, it was entertaining, but I didnt get it, Rae said. I was like whatever it is, Im excited shes behind it. Upon reading the script, Rae reported that she loved Gerwig even more. Seems promising! Another interesting note: Gerwig co-wrote the script with her husband, Noah Baumbach, most famous for the heart-rending film Marriage Story. So buckle up for a thoughtful, complicated portrait of Barbie and Kens relationship, tackling the effect their lack of, uh, parts has had on their ability to truly know each another. Who stars in the Barbie movie? How long do you have? As revealed in the cast posters that dropped yesterday, Barbie is one connected woman. The titular character, of course, is played by Robbie, who is also producing the movie through her own production company, Lucky Chap. Speaking to British Vogue last year, she acknowledged that Barbie comes with a lot of baggage and a lot of nostalgic connections, but said she sees this as an exciting prospect, especially with Gerwig on board. People generally hear Barbie and think, I know what that movie is going to be, and then they hear that Greta Gerwig is writing and directing it, and theyre like, Oh, well, maybe I dont You cant have Barbie without Ken (or can you? The film seems to hint its a possibility ) and that role, in all its swim-trunked, bronzed-to-the-gods glory, falls to Canadas own Ryan Gosling, lending the role a daffy charm. Who are the Canadians in Barbie? One of Barbies lesser known career pivots was to Mountie in 1987, so naturally there are plenty of Canadians in this film. Ryan Gosling, of course, plays Ken, Simu Liu is another Ken and Michael Cera plays Allan, a long discontinued character revived for the film. Whos in the supporting cast? There are plenty of barbies and kens in the Dreamhouse! Sex Education star Emma Mackey plays a doll with a Nobel Prize, while new Doctor Who Ncuti Gatwa is a guitar-strumming doll. Pop star Dua Lipa is Mermaid Barbie, Bridgertons Nicola Coughlin is a diplomat doll. Speaking of comedic heavyweights: Will Ferrell stars as a toy company executive, while Kate McKinnon is a barbie who is always in the splits. (No toy chest is complete without one.) We could keep going Hari Nef is Doctor Barbie, Umbrella Academy actor Ritu Arya is Pulitzer Prize-Winning Barbie, Emerald Fennell is a pregnant Midge but if theres a takeaway, beyond how stupendously fun this looks, its that this casting represents a diverse, inclusive Barbie Land. Sarah Laing is a Toronto-based freelance contributor for The Kit, writing about celebrity and culture. Follow her on Twitter: @sarahjanelaing Read more about: SHARE: Check Presentation Holding check, left to right, are 100BMTE leadership team members Nate Branscomb, president; Patrick Lyons, treasurer; C.J. Guion, secretary; with SECU Foundation and SECU branch and advisory board representatives. RALEIGH, N.C., April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SECU Foundation recently provided a $40,000 grant to 100 Black Men of Triangle East (100BMTE), a Wake County non-profit founded to improve the lives of Black youth through programs that focus on mentoring, health and wellness, education, and economic empowerment. The grant will address the organizations planning goals and fundraising strategies for growth and impact in the communities it serves. Thanks to the strong leadership and support network provided by the 100 Black Men of Triangle East, young individuals are learning how to become successful leaders and active participants in the community, said Sandra Coburn, SECU senior vice president. We appreciate the impactful work they are doing, and we are so pleased to support their efforts. The 100 Black Men of America Inc. Triangle East chapter has been serving the Triangle community since 1997. We are excited to work with SECU Foundation and grateful to be awarded the Mission Development Grant, said Nate Branscomb, 100 Black Men of Triangle East president. With the funds, we plan to expand our youth mentoring capacity, enhance our metrics and evaluation processes, and ultimately increase our community impact. The 100BMTE looks forward to a long and successful relationship with SECU Foundation. About SECU and SECU Foundation A not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members, and federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), SECU has been providing employees of the state of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for over 85 years. SECU is the second largest credit union in the United States with $50 billion in assets. It serves over 2.7 million members through 274 branch offices, over 1,100 ATMs, 24/7 Member Services via phone, www.ncsecu.org, and a Mobile App. The SECU Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization funded by the contributions of SECU members, promotes local community development in North Carolina primarily through high-impact projects in the areas of housing, education, healthcare, and human services. Since 2004, SECU Foundation has made a collective financial commitment of over $235 million for initiatives to benefit North Carolinians statewide. Story continues Contact: Jama Campbell, Executive Director Office: 919-839-5562 | secufoundation@ncsecu.org A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fc04aaef-4806-482a-9d94-379dc2a6644f Waiting for Donald Trump to vanish is like playing the lottery. You always expect to win and never do. On Tuesday, at 8:22 p.m., Trump proved he has no plans to exit stage left. Instead, with the TV networks broadcasting live, he entered his Mar-a-Lago compound in Palm Beach to rant and rave. The ballroom was jammed with bootlickers and reality-starved superfans who have pledged eternal devotion to their Big Mac Messiah. The mood was giddy, a Burning Man for QAnon. Everyone was laughing. This was odd. In New York, hours earlier, Trump became the first U.S. president to be charged with a crime or, more accurately, 34 felonies. In one surreal image at the defendants table, his lips are pursed in a frown. He stares morosely into the middle distance. He looks broken. He looks desperate to vanish. But we already know The Trump Show is powered by plot twists. Trump left the Manhattan courtroom and beelined to LaGuardia for the flight home to Florida. Aerial cameras tracked the motorcade. Anchors provided play-by-play with dramatic flourishes, as if Trump was in the back of a white Ford Bronco with O.J. But even before Trump Force One was at cruising altitude, the narrative crashed. Pundits who had speculated since Thursday about a devastating blow were baffled by the unsealed indictment. Where were the new allegations? What was the secondary crime required to elevate bookkeeping misdemeanours into felonies? Is this really just about falsifying business records over hush money payments? The devastating blow morphed into disappointing. The historic backslid into a collective huh? This was a possibly catastrophic error by Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg. Yes, such white-collar cases are routine for his office. And, yes, nobody is above the law. Donald Trump is liar and breaker of rules. But forking out hush money is not a crime. If cooking the books to conceal those payments is the animating issue, does this really warrant charging a former president for the first time in history? Then again, after many heinous crimes, Al Capone was toppled by tax evasion. Now we wait to see what happens, emphasis on wait. Trumps next appearance in Manhattan Criminal Court is scheduled for wait for it Dec. 4. I thought justice delayed is justice denied. You mean to tell me Trump could impregnate a porn star this weekend and that baby might be born before daddy is back in court? In the interim, Trump is ready to rumble. This lunatic will now haunt us for years to come. Since he was indicted, his campaign has raised more than $7 million. Its bananas. If he committed murder, some of his cultists would hand over the deeds to their double wides. Trump is hawking T-shirts emblazoned with a fake mug shot and NOT GUILTY. You can imagine future merch: repurposed MAGA hats Make Alvin Go Away and limited-edition Trump Phones branded as Perfect Call. Felonies schmelonies. Trump has turned this devastating blow into a cash cow. The man is a hydra. You cut off a serpentine head and two new ones grow back, each hissing with grievance and vows of revenge. On Tuesday afternoon, Trump seemed down and out. By nightfall, he was up and in. As he was tucked into bed, he probably asked his butler to bring him heating ointment and a neck brace to ease the whiplash. Agent Orange was flatlining until the indictment. The arrest was a shot of adrenalin. Now I need to go to the LCBO. Not since Ulysses S. Grant was arrested in 1872 after racing his horse-and-buggy has a president had a worse day than Trump did on Tuesday. At least, thats how it started. It ended with Trump heavy-breathing at Mar-a-Lago, slandering Bragg; the presiding judge, Juan Merchan, and the judges wife and daughter. Then Trump rage-warbled his Greatest Hits in Auto-Tune and ripped other ongoing investigations. This delusional narcissist all but confessed to taking classified documents from the White House. I feared he might open a duffel bag and pull out the severed head of Hunter Biden. This man is never going to vanish from the cultural and political radar. I thought maybe, just maybe, other possible 2024 Republican candidates could summon the bare-knuckle brawling needed to put Donnie Boy on the ropes. No dice. They dont have it in them. He is a cult leader. They are followers. Mike Pence is a skittish jellyfish whose every utterance sounds like it was spit out by MilquetoastGPT. Donald Trump versus Nikki Haley is more inhumane than Godzilla versus the Little Mermaid. Ron DeSantis has made himself collateral damage in the impetuous culture wars he cant stop waging. Dude, banning books or initiating hostilities with Disney is not a winning strategy on the national stage. Trump will eat you alive. He will eat us all alive. Beyond New York, there is legal peril in Georgia and from the federal investigations led by special counsel Jack Smith. But this could take months, if not years, to settle. In the short term, he is back in heavy media rotation. The arrest of Donald J. Trump did not break his spirit it only made him stronger. I have no doubt he has committed many crimes in his day. Im just not sure Tuesdays case was the best potential exhibit of this criminality. Now he is emboldened. Now we are stuck with him. Read more about: SHARE: Sunbed vendors removed from Kata Beach PHUKET: More sunbed and umbrella operators have been removed from Kata Beach* following an inspection by local officials accompanied by personnel from Royal Thai Army Region 4 base in Nakhon Sri Thammarat. tourism By The Phuket News Wednesday 5 April 2023, 04:38PM The inspection was ordered by Mueang District Chief Phairot Srilamul, noted an official report posted earlier today (Apr 5). Joining the inspection were soldiers from Army Region 4, led by Col Phatsawee Pochada; Royal Thai Navy personnel from the Third Area Command at Cape Panwa; members of the Volunteer Defense Corps (OrSor); along with officers from Karon Police and Karon Municipality. Also joining the inspection were officials from the Isoc Region 4 unit. Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) serves as the political arm of the Royal Thai Military. The aim of the inspection was to maintain the beach for public use, Mr Phairot said. Measures have been put in place to organize all beach areas to be clean, safe and 100% for people and tourists in order to enhance the tourism image of Phuket and Thailand, he said. The sunbed-umbrella operators had been warned before, he said. However, the latest inspection found several operators working outside their designated area. Therefore, [officers] seized the sunbeds, umbrellas and other equipment, Mr Phairot noted. However, the operators affected have now filed a formal complaint to the Commander of the 4th Army Region and the Mayor of Karon Subdistrict to request to use the beach area so they can make a living, Mr Phairot explained. Which will be raised at the next meeting of the district beach organising committee, he said. The removal of the beach chair operators at Kata follows a beach inspection tour on Phuket by Lt Gen Santi Sakuntanark, Commander of the 4th Army Region, based in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, on Mar 27. Following that inspection, a beach chair operator was removed from Freedom Beach. While in Phuket, Lt Gen Santi also visited Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew to discuss measures to help solve problems and promote cooperation in order to yield satisfying results. He also visited the Phuket operations team of the Isoc Region 4 branch, to encourage the officers and emphasise that their operations must be morally upstanding. They must not get affiliated with mafias, and not accept bribes, Lt Gen Santi said. He also said that they have to get close to the local people by understanding the identity and local culture so that they can be a part of the community and create confidence and safety among local people and tourists. Correction: * Not Karon Beach as originally reported. The error is regretted. Suspects in kidnap-murder of Chinese student arrested in Wuhan BANGKOK: The three Chinese suspects in the abduction and murder of a Chinese student in Thailand have been arrested in Wuhan and will be prosecuted in China, the national police chief announced yesterday (Apr 4). Chinesemurderpolicecrimedeath By Bangkok Post Wednesday 5 April 2023, 08:55AM Police-supplied pictures of the arrested suspects - from left Zhou Xiongfei, 23, Chen Saikan, 23, and Zhou Pengfei, 24. Photo: Bangkok Post The murder is now being attributed to a romance-turned-sour, reports the Bangkok Post. Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas said the men could be sentenced to death under Chinese law. The three Chinese men were arrested in Wuhan, China. They would not be returned to Thailand for trial because there is no extradition treaty between Bangkok and Beijing, he said. The three suspects are Chinese nationals Chen Saikan, 23, Zhou Xiongfei, 23 and Zhou Pengfei, 24. Chinese authorities arrested the suspects in China and can prosecute them without extraditing them to Thailand. Under Chinese law, the case carries the death penalty, the national police chief said. According to Pol Gen Damrongsak, the suspects told interrogators that the murder stemmed from a love affair. The victim, 22-year-old Jin Can, earlier had a relationship with one of the men in China. She was killed because she rejected intimacy with the man in Thailand late last month. Chinese and Thai police will jointly interrogate the suspects, both in China and from Thailand, he said. The national police chief said a 19-year-old Thai woman who worked at a karaoke shop has also been arrested. She was suspected of being a decoy in the abduction. Her information was useful to investigators, he said. Pol Maj Gen Peerapong Wongsaman, deputy commissioner of the Provincial Police Region 1, confirmed the victim had known the suspects in China. They had followed her to Thailand and had kept in contact with her until the abduction, he said. They had arrived on 15-day tourist visas. The murdered woman is reported to have taken online courses in China for her first two years of her university study and arrived in Thailand on Mar 8 for her third-year courses. She disappeared on Mar 28 and her body was found in Nonthaburi province on Apr 1. Earlier reports said that the gang demanded a 500,000-yuan (about B2.5 million) ransom from her father and murdered her after failing to get the money on Mar 29. TORONTO, April 5, 2023 /CNW/ - It would take the average Canadian supermarket worker 340 years to earn Loblaw CEO Galen Weston's 2022 total compensation of $11.79 million, says Unifor. Exterior of a Loblaws building in red gradient (CNW Group/Unifor) "It is twisted that any analysis can find that billionaire grocery baron Galen Weston needs even more money when Loblaw refuses to pay many of its front-line workers a living wage and continues to deny full-time jobs.," said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. "I understand the pressures that come with leadership, and you cannot for a second convince me that such an increase for one of Canada's richest people is justified." According to Statistics Canada, the average grocery worker in Canada earned $18.97 per hour in 2022. Working a full 35-hour week, with annual earnings of $34,525, it would take more than 340 years to earn his 2022 earnings of $11.79 million. "It is unjust to divert more money out of the pockets of workers under the notion of needing to incentivize Weston to continue working for his own family business," said Sharon Walsh, Unifor Retail Sector Director. "Workers in his stores can't afford the groceries they sell anymore, yet it seems that culturally we are fine with the idea of paying one person the equivalent of generations of workers' wages in one year, every year." Weston received a whopping 55% raise last year on his Loblaw earnings alone. Loblaw also doled out millions more to both CFO Richard Dufresne, whose total compensation went from $1.8 million in 2021 to more than $5.4 million last year, and COO Robert Sawyer, whose total compensation was hiked from $7.4 million in 2021 to just over $9.3 million in 2022. Compensation increases for the other major grocers are similarly out of touch with workers' earnings. Metro CEO Eric La Fleche was paid $5.3 million in total compensation in 2022, up from 2021 earnings of just over five million. Empire Company, which operates Safeway, Sobey's, FreshCo, Foodland and other grocery brands, paid its CEO Michael Medline more than $8.6 million in total compensation last year, up from just over $7.4 million the year before. Story continues "This year, Unifor grocery workers are at the bargaining table with Loblaw, Metro and Sobeys among others. Let's see if these companies are as generous with their frontline workers as they are to their executives. We're putting grocery barons on notice that they cannot continue to pay poverty wages with part-time status for full-time work," said Payne. Unifor represents 20,000 workers in Canada's retail sector, including in supermarkets and warehouses owned and affiliated with Loblaw, Metro and Sobeys. Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector and represents 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future. SOURCE Unifor Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2023/05/c6773.html A new e-scooter and e-bike share program is rolling out in Waterloo Region, starting April 14. The program will include up to 500 e-bikes and 500 e-scooters for community members to rent until the end of October. The first vehicles for community members to use will be located at virtual stations in the downtown areas of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo, and near transit stations. Available vehicles will gradually increase after April 14 and will be stationed in about 150 different locations. Neuron Mobility has been hired by the region and its three cities to run the program. Our vehicles are a great way for locals as well as tourists to travel in a safe, convenient and environmentally-friendly way, said Ankush Karwal, head of market for Canada at Neuron Mobility. Safety is our top priority, it dictates how our vehicles are designed and also the way we operate them. Our e-scooters and e-bikes are packed with a range of cutting-edge safety features and we know from experience in other cities that riders really appreciate this. All vehicles are equipped with helmets and technology to detect and restrict sidewalk riding. Riders can download Neurons mobile app from the App Store or Google Play. The app can also be used to locate available vehicles. For more information on the program, visit www.rideneuron.com/canada. For rules for riding and how-to-ride information, visit scootsafe.com and select Waterloo Region. For people with or without a vehicle, e-bikes can be used on the bike lanes and the e-scooters can be used in combination with bike lanes and trails, the LRT and buses to reduce single-person, short distance car trips, said Waterloo mayor, Dorothy McCabe. I encourage people 16+ to try these devices and discover how easy it is to get around our community on two wheels. SHARE: Participating businesses will be hosting the first Uptown Waterloo Egg Hunt from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday, April 8. Similar to uptowns popular Halloween Treats in the Streets, families and friends are encouraged to collect candy and chocolate from 24 participating businesses, shared Tracy Van Kalsbeek, executive director of the Uptown Waterloo Business Improvement Area (BIA), in a press release. Well also have a colouring contest and free treats in the square. Plus, keep an eye out for our new Uptown Explorer mascot to grab a quick selfie. A Google Map with locations is available on the BIAs website (uptownwaterloobia.com) and a hard copy listing can also be found at participating businesses. Adds Van Kalsbeek: Its a BYOB event bring your own basket. SHARE: KITCHENER Police are investigating a sexual assault on a public trail in Kitcheners Doon South area. On Tuesday at around 12:15 p.m., A female was sexually assaulted while walking on a public trail near Moorlands Crescent, Waterloo Regional Police said. The male suspect fled on foot down Sedgewood Street toward Fenside Street. He is described as a white male with a slim build and dark hair. He was last seen wearing a green jacket with a fur-lined hood, black pants, black shoes and a surgical mask. Waterloo Regional Police Major Crime Unit is investigating and asking residents to check any video from their security cameras, doorbell camera, or dash cameras regarding this incident. Police said theyd have an increased presence in the area of Moorlands Crescent and South Creek Drive as officers conduct a canvass for information. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 519-570-9777, ext. 8191. Anonymous tips can also be left with Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. SHARE: WATERLOO Police are investigating an assault in Waterloo that seriously injured two people. Waterloo Regional Police said the victims were walking near Weber Street North and High Street on Monday at about 9:45 p.m. when they were confronted by three people and assaulted with a blunt object. The victims were taken to a local hospital with serious, non-life-threatening injuries. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. SHARE: WATERLOO Police are investigating a incident officers say was hate-motivated after a man yelled racial slurs and brandished an edged weapon while riding a city bus on Tuesday. At around 4:45 p.m. in the area of Seagram Drive and University Avenue West, the man yelled at other passengers and flashed the weapon, Waterloo Regional Police said. No injuries have been reported. Police are asking anyone with information about this incident to contact 519-570-9777, ext. 6399. Anonymous tips can also be left with Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. SHARE: WATERLOO REGION An online marketplace that trafficked in stolen login credentials, email user names and passwords, bank account data and other sensitive information has been shut down, law enforcement officials in Canada, the United States and Europe announced Wednesday. The Waterloo Regional Police Service was among the 28 Canadian police services that took part in Operation Cookie Monster, the culmination of a four-year investigation led by the FBI. The operation was centred around an illicit online criminal market known as Genesis Market. On Tuesday, simultaneous actions were carried out around the world against users of this platform, resulting in 119 arrests, 208 property searches and 97 knock and talk measures. Three searches were conducted in Ontario. The potential number of victims in Ontario is not known, Ontario Provincial Police said in a statement. Cybercriminals often operate with the confidence that theyre anonymous online and wont be held accountable for crimes committed in other countries. As this operation demonstrates, these assumptions are not true, said Bryan Larkin, former Waterloo Region police chief, now a deputy commissioner with the RCMP. Since its inception in March 2018, Genesis Market has provided users with access to data taken from more than 1.5 million computers infected with malicious software. Cookie refers to the web browser cookies that let people log onto websites without the need for multifactor authentication. Criminal users of Genesis Market could buy software scripts from it, including browser cookies and fingerprints that track a users online activity. Genesis Market had more than two million identities listed when it was shut down, making it one of the largest online criminal facilitators. The FBI has added stolen victim credentials to the HaveIBeenPwned website and is encouraging everyone to visit the site to check if their identities have been stolen. If you suspect your credentials have been stolen, the RCMP advises you run an anti-virus check on your device, remove viruses, then change all of your passwords and notify relevant organizations where you would use those credentials to access your online accounts. Canadian victims can visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre for more guidance on what to do if they have been a victim of a cybercrime or fraud. with files from Eric Tucker And Frank Bajak, The Associated Press SHARE: KITCHENER A youth is recovering from minor injuries after he was approached by a group of youths in what police are calling a hate-motivated assault. On Monday at around 1 p.m., the victim was walking near Fischer-Hallman Road and Forest Hill Drive when he was assaulted by several male youths, Waterloo Regional Police said. The investigation is ongoing and police are asking anyone with information to contact police at 519-570-9777, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. SHARE: KITCHENER The inquest into the 2016 death of an inmate at the Grand Valley Institution for Women has been postponed. Terry Baker, 30, died July 6, 2016, after being found unresponsive in her cell at the federal prison on Homer Watson Boulevard. Baker choked herself to death while in solitary confinement. Baker had a history of mental health problems and chronic self-harm. Baker had been serving a life sentence for first-degree murder since January 2006. The inquest into her death was scheduled to begin April 11, but has been postponed, the Office of the Chief Coroner announced Wednesday. It did not specify a new date for the inquest. The inquest had originally been set for June 2020, but was delayed due to the pandemic. Inquests are mandatory when an investigation determines an inmate did not die of natural causes. Grand Valley is the largest womens prison in Canada, housing about one third of all federal women prisoners. SHARE: Fortune Business Insights According to Fortune Business Insights, The global airway management devices market size was valued at USD 1.81 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach a valuation of USD 1.89 billion in 2022. The market is expected to reach USD 2.55 billion by 2029 with a CAGR of 4.4% during the forecast period. Pune, India, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global airway management devices market size was valued at USD 1.81 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach a valuation of USD 1.89 billion in 2022. The market is expected to reach USD 2.55 billion by 2029 with a CAGR of 4.4% during the forecast period. Owing to rising cases of chronic diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cancer, chronic lung diseases, and others have put emphasis on better treatment of such conditions. Rising number of joint ventures and start-ups is projected to aid market development. Fortune Business Insights shares this information in its report titled Airway Management Devices Market, 2022-2029. Get Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/sample/airway-management-devices-market-107396 Key Industry Development January 2022- Intersurgical Ltd announced the acquisition of Pulmodyne, Inc. to provide Intersurgical and for increased sales of the Pulmodyne ranges through the extensive global Intersurgical Ltd network. Drivers and Restraints Rising Number of Joint Ventures and Startups To Propel The Demand For Product Rising number of joint ventures and startups in the industry are anticipated to drive the airway management devices market growth. Number of market players have been focusing on producing airway devices which are technologically advanced along with development of new R&D centers. Additionally, rising production by key players and approval from regulatory bodies for low-cost devices is expected to boost market growth. In April 2021, Medtronic launched the largest R&D center in India to launch new devices, advancing new technologies in surgical navigation and imaging, airway devices, ventilators, and many others. Story continues However, complications such as regurgitation and aspiration of gastric contents, compression of vascular structures, trauma and nerve injury are expected to limit the market growth. COVID-19 Impact: Postponements of Non-Essential Surgeries During Pandemic Led to Decline in the Market Progress The COVID-19 pandemic led to the decline in market growth for airway management devices in 2020. Various countries across faced challenges in accessing medical care and treatment due to postponements & de-prioritization of non-essential surgeries. In 2021, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. emergency department (ED) visits declined by 42% from for some time in 2020, after the declaration of a national emergency for COVID-19 pandemic. As per the estimates, ED visits from December 2020 to January 2021 were 25% lower than during the same months in 2019. Segmentation Infraglottic Devices To Lead With Rise in Chronic Respiratory Disorders On the basis of type, the market is divided into infraglottic devices, supraglottic devices, laryngoscopes, and others. Infraglottic devices held the largest share in the year 2021 due to rise in the chronic respiratory disorders and adoption of such devices by healthcare providers in intensive care units. Click here to get the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this market. Please visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/airway-management-devices-market-107396 Anesthesia To Lead The Segment Due To Rising Anesthetic Procedures As per the application, the market is divided into anesthesia, emergency medicine, and others. Anesthesia segment due to rising global anesthetic procedures and rising chronic disorders requiring anesthetic intervention among the population. Hospitals & Ambulatory Surgical Centers To Lead The Segment Due To Rising Number Of Hospitals On the basis of end-user, the market is divided into hospitals & ambulatory surgical centers, homecare, and others. Hospitals & ambulatory surgical centers held the largest share in the year 2021 due to rising number of hospitals, especially in emerging countries. Homecare segment is set to have a considerable CAGR due to rising number of the geriatric population with chronic conditions and high adoption of homecare settings amongst the geriatric population. Report Coverage The report provides a detailed analysis of the top segments and the latest trends in the market. It comprehensively discusses the driving and restraining factors and the impact of COVID-19 on the market. Additionally, it examines the regional developments and the strategies undertaken by the market's key players. Quick Buy - Airway Management Devices Market Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/107396 Regional Insights North America To Lead Market Share Due To Rise in the Number of R&D Activities North America is expected to have a high part in the airway management devices market share due to rising R&D activities. Introduction of new technologies by the key players is set to drive the market growth. Increasing number of collaborations among manufacturers and rising approvals of new airway devices with extensive presence across the region further boosted the North American market. Europe is the second largest region for the market in terms of revenue and share with increasing number of emergency hospital visits and inpatient admissions in hospitals owing to the high prevalence of chronic disorders among the population. Asia Pacific market is expected to have the highest CAGR due to rising prevalence of respiratory disorders which has increased the demand for airway management devices. Competitive Landscape Teleflex Incorporated and Medline Industries, Inc. Entered into an Agreement The market is consolidated with manufacturers such as Smiths Medical (ICU Medical), Teleflex Incorporated, and other prominent players. Market players have been focusing on rising collaborations & acquisitions owing to the high demand for these devices. In May 2021, Teleflex Incorporated and Medline Industries, Inc. signed an agreement for acquiring Teleflex Incorporateds non-invasive ventilation products (ventilation support through the patient's upper airway using a mask or similar device) and others. This will further boost the companys financial flexibility for its growth strategy. List of Key Players Profiled in the Market Report Medtronic (Ireland) Teleflex Incorporated (U.S.) KARL STORZ SE & Co. KG (Germany) ICU Medical (U.S.) Convatec Group PLC (U.K.) Ambu A/S (Denmark) Intersurgical Ltd (U.K.) VBM Medizintechnik GmbH (Germany) VYAIRE MEDICAL INC. (U.S.) Flexicare Medical Limited (U.K.) Speak To Our Analyst: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/airway-management-devices-market-107396 Table Of Content : Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions Executive Summary Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities Market Trends Key Insights Prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, By Key Countries, 2020/2021 Prevalence of Asthma, By Key Countries, 2020/2021 New Product Launches, by Key Players Key Industry Developments -Mergers, Partnerships, & Acquisitions Impact of COVID-19 on Global Airway Management Devices Market Global Airway Management Devices Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2018-2029 Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Type Infraglottic Airway Management Devices Tracheostomy Tubes Endotracheal Tubes (ETTS) Supraglottic Airway Management Devices Oropharyngeal Airways (OPAS) Laryngeal Mask Airways (LMAS) Nasopharyngeal Airways Laryngoscopes Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Application Anesthesia Emergency Medicine Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By End User Hospitals & ASCs Home Care Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa North America Airway Management Devices Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2018-2029 Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Type Infraglottic Airway Management Devices Tracheostomy Tubes Endotracheal Tubes (ETTS) Supraglottic Airway Management Devices Oropharyngeal Airways (OPAS) Laryngeal Mask Airways (LMAS) Nasopharyngeal Airways Laryngoscopes Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Application Anesthesia Emergency Medicine Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By End User Hospitals & ASCs Home Care Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Country U.S. By Application Canada By Application Europe Airway Management Devices Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2018-2029 Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Type Infraglottic Airway Management Devices Tracheostomy Tubes Endotracheal Tubes (ETTS) Supraglottic Airway Management Devices Oropharyngeal Airways (OPAS) Laryngeal Mask Airways (LMAS) Nasopharyngeal Airways Laryngoscopes Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Application Anesthesia Emergency Medicine Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By End User Hospitals & ASCs Home Care Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Country/ Sub-region Germany By Application Spain By Application France By Application Italy By Application U.K. By Application Rest of Europe By Application Toc Continue Ask for Customization of this Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/ask-for-customization/airway-management-devices-market-107396 Frequently Ask Question : How much is the big airway management devices market ? => Fortune Business Insights says that the global market size was USD 1.81 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 2.55 billion by 2029. Who are the top players in this market? => Medtronic, Teleflex Incorporated & Smiths Medical (ICU Medical) are major players in the global market. What are the key factors driving the market? => The rising prevalence of respiratory diseases and the increasing R&D for technologically advanced products across the globe are the key factors driving the market growth. Discover more research Reports on Healthcare Industry , by Fortune Business Insights : Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT) Market Size, Growth Report, 2027 Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Market Size, Share Report, 2029 Digital Pathology Market Size, Share, Growth & Trends | Report 2029 Orthokeratology Lens Market Size, Growth & Share | Forecast 2029 Laparoscopy Instruments Market Size, Share & Growth 2029 About Us: Fortune Business Insights delivers accurate data and innovative corporate analysis, helping organizations of all sizes make appropriate decisions. We tailor novel solutions for our clients, assisting them to address various challenges distinct to their businesses. Our aim is to empower them with holistic market intelligence, providing a granular overview of the market they are operating in. Contact Us: Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd. US :+1 424 253 0390 UK : +44 2071 939123 APAC : +91 744 740 1245 Email: sales@fortunebusinessinsights.com Fortune Business Insights The global home healthcare market size was valued at USD 277.11 billion in 2022 and is expected to be worth USD 288.38 billion in 2023. The market is projected to be valued at USD 505.81 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 8.4% during the forecast period of 2023-2030. Pune, India, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global home healthcare market size was valued at USD 277.11 billion in 2022 and is expected to be worth USD 288.38 billion in 2023. The market is projected to be valued at USD 505.81 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 8.4% during the forecast period of 2023-2030. Home healthcare mainly consists of many healthcare services that are provided to patients at home. These services include providing intravenous & nutrition therapy, monitoring severe illnesses & injuries, respiratory therapy services, wound care, and other treatments. The home healthcare market share will grow commendably as high-quality medical care is provided at an affordable price as compared to the services offered in hospitals. The total percentage of the elderly population is also increasing at a notable rate every year, making these services more popular among them as these individuals are more prone to suffering from chronic illnesses. As per the 2022 report by the WHO, the population aged 60 years and over is expected to grow from 1.2 billion to 1.4 billion by 2050. People in this age group are more likely to develop chronic disorders, such as cancer, neurological disorders, mobility disorders, and heart diseases. This scenario will raise the demand for home health services to deliver long-term care, thereby propelling the market growth during the forecast period. Fortune Business Insight displays this information in a report titled, "Global Home Healthcare Market, 2023-2030." Industry Development: September 2022 - BAYADA Home Health Care announced that it had partnered with Jefferson Health to expand patients access to in-home care and improve their experience in Philadelphia. Story continues Request a Free Sample Copy of the Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/home-healthcare-market-101030 Report Scope & Segmentation Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2023 to 2030 Forecast Period 2023 to 2030 CAGR 8.4% 2030 Value Projection USD 505.81 billion Base Year 2022 Market Size in 2022 USD 277.11 billion Historical Data 2019-2021 No. of Pages 174 Key Takeaways from the Home Healthcare Market: The market growth is expected to be augmented by the increasing preference for home health services owing to their cost-effectiveness. The market is categorized into services and products based on its type. With USD 116.88 billion in revenue generated in 2022, North America is expected to maintain its dominance over the market during the forecast period. A considerable proportion of the global market is held by Omron, Baxter, Medtronic, and other companies. Driving factor: Rising Preference for Home Health Solutions Due to Their Cost Effectiveness Will Augment Market Growth Many countries are experiencing a considerable rise in the burden of various chronic disorders, such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, and other ailments. This factor is raising the average hospital admission rate. However, these illnesses often incur high treatment costs. This has prompted patients to opt for cost-effective treatment models, such as home health services. For instance, as per a study published in NCBI in 2022 that compared the treatment costs between home healthcare and inpatient hospitalization, it was found that the cost of home healthcare treatments was nearly USD 5,000 cheaper as compared to the hospitalization cost. Treating patients at home has various essential benefits over hospital treatment. One such advantage is the reduced risk of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). Post-surgery recovery and other chronic diseases can weaken a patients immune system, making them prone to various infections. Rising Cases of Diabetes & Diabetes-associated Disorders Will Boost Market Development Based on indication, the market is bifurcated into cancer, diabetes, mobility disorders, neurological disorders, cardiovascular disorders, and others. The diabetes segment held a dominant position in the market as the number of patients suffering from this ailment and its related complications, such as diabetic ulcers, is increasing. Diabetic patients that fall in the age group of 65 years and above often require frequent hospital admissions. They also suffer from diabetic foot or ulcers, and need several medications. These patients are shifting their preference toward home health services as it is more affordable and convenient than hospitals. Specially trained caregivers also provide better assistance to diabetic patients at home as compared to hospitals. For example, the International Diabetes Federation states that in 2021, around 537 million adults aged between 20 and 79 years were living with diabetes across the globe, with nearly 40-60 million people suffering from complications, such as diabetic foot and lower limb issues. Browse Complete Report Details: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/home-healthcare-market-101030 Segmentation: Rising Adoption of Home Healthcare Services May Fuel Market Growth Based on type, the market is divided into products and services. The services segment is expected to account for the largest market share as the demand for treatments at home is rising. The elderly population is growing at a notable pace, and their risk of being diagnosed with chronic diseases is quite high. According to the World Population Ageing 2020 Highlights published by the United Nations (UN), the world population aged 65 years and above was 727 million and was predicted to double by 2050 to touch the 1.5 billion mark. It has also been proved through different research studies that old age is responsible for the onset of many chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular disorders, neurological ailments, and mobility problems, among others. This factor will fuel the home healthcare market growth. Regional insights: North America generated a revenue of USD 116.88 billion in 2022 and is anticipated to retain its dominant position in the market throughout the forecast timeline. More patients are opting for home health services due to various benefits including privacy, convenience, availability of reimbursement for different home health services, cost-effectiveness, presence of top home healthcare service providers, and launch of various innovative products by medical device manufacturers for using them in home health settings. These aspects will fuel the North America home healthcare market growth. Competitive Landscape Omron Held Dominant Market Position Due to its Expansive Product Offerings for Home Use The home healthcare market consists of several reputed companies. However, few of these market players dominated the market. Organizations, such as Omron, Baxter, Medtronic, and others have captured a sizeable share in the global market. Among these companies, Omron held the largest market share as it has an expansive product portfolio, which includes blood pressure monitoring devices, nebulizers, pulse oximeters, and other equipment that can be used in home settings. Furthermore, strategic initiatives by the company to maintain its market position and boost its sales also contributed to its revenue growth. For example, according to Omrons December 2021 press release, the companys blood pressure monitor sales grew by 20% to USD 2.4 million globally. Quick Buy https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/101030 The Report Lists the Key Companies in the Home Healthcare Market: Amedisys (U.S.) Trinity Health (U.S.) LHC Group, Inc. (U.S.) Portea Medical (India) BAYADA Home Health Care (U.S.) AccentCare, Inc. (U.S.) LifePoint Health, Inc. (U.S.) The Pennant Group, Inc. (U.S.) Abbott (U.S.) Baxter (U.S.) Masimo (U.S.) Omron (Japan) Some major points from the Table of Content: Global Home Healthcare Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2019-2030 Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Type Services Physician Care Nursing Care Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy Medical Social Services Others Products Diagnostic Blood Glucose Monitors Puse Oximeters Blood Pressure Monitors Others Treatment Home Dialysis Machine Infusion Pumps Nebulizers Oxygen Concentrators Wheelchairs & Scooters Walking Aid Devices Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Indication Cancer Neurological Disorders Mobility Disorders Diabetes Cardiovascular Disorders Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Payor Public Private Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa North America Home Healthcare Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2019-2030 Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Type Services Physician Care Nursing Care Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy Medical Social Services Others TOC Continued Have Any Query? Ask Our Experts: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/home-healthcare-market-101030 Related Links: U.S. Home Healthcare Services Market Size, Share, Growth Industry Report U.K. Home Healthcare Market Share, Size, Demand and Forecast Germany Home Healthcare Market Size, Share, Growth Industry Report Netherland Home Healthcare Market Share, Size, Demand and Forecast Regenerative Medicine Market Size, Share, Growth Industry Report About Us: Fortune Business Insights delivers accurate data and innovative corporate analysis, helping organizations of all sizes make appropriate decisions. We tailor novel solutions for our clients, assisting them to address various challenges distinct to their businesses. Our aim is to empower them with holistic market intelligence, providing a granular overview of the market they are operating in. Contact Us: Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd. Pune - 411045, Maharashtra, India. Phone: US:+1 424 253 0390 UK: +44 2071 939123 APAC: +91 744 740 1245 Email: sales@fortunebusinessinsights.com Good Friday greetings | IMPHAL, Apr 5 : The Voice of United Christian Women, Manipur has sent Good Friday greetings to the people. Preaching the teachings and commandments of Jesus, it prayed for all to praise the name of the Lord and understand the sacrifice he made for the people. Good Friday is a time for Christians to remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for them and to reflect on the meaning of his death and resurrection, which is celebrated on Easter Sunday. It commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ, the son of God and the savior of the world. Eight television or movie productions, including the FOX series Accused, filmed last year at the former Sisters of St. Joseph convent at 574 Northcliffe Ave., owned by Columbia International College. That brings the total number of film permits issued by the City of Hamilton for the Pleasant View property to at least 13 since Columbia bought the property in fall of 2019. No permits have been issued so far in 2023 for the former convent property. Accused producers did not respond to requests for comment by deadline. A Niagara Escarpment Commission staff report on Columbias Niagara Escarpment Plan amendment application for a maximum 1,000-student school, expansion of the existing septic system and a gymnasium addition at the former convent was expected for the commissions April 20 meeting, but that meeting could be postponed. Commission spokesperson Didee Alorse said the NEC awaits the appointment of a new chair, as the previous chairs term expired in mid-March. Staff continue to prepare for an April commission meeting which we expect to include the staff report for the 574 Northcliffe plan amendment application, Alorse said. However, the actual date of the next meeting cannot be confirmed until a new chair has been appointed. Vincent Chan, Columbias acting general manager, said the Northcliffe campus has been dormant since the beginning of the pandemic. We just continue to maintain the odd building leaks, regular maintenance, heat etc., Chan stated in a March 30 email. He said ESSE Canada, a septic system maintenance and inspection company, does regular monitoring and sampling of the propertys system. Chan didnt say how much income Columbia gets from use as a filming location, but said it doesnt even begin to cover the carrying cost . we have the high utilities, especially in the winter keeping the pipes from freezing, property tax, external contractors for elevator maintenance, snow removal, mechanical equipment maintenance the list goes on. Last summer, Chan confirmed the building previously used by Columbia as a student residence, was vacant and no students were living there. The City of Hamilton film office reported one permit in 2019 and in 2020, four in 2021 and eight in 2022 issued for 574 Northcliffe. Residents of the surrounding Pleasant View area and regional community have expressed a variety of concerns with the proposed school use including traffic impacts from bussing students in and out; septic system impacts; construction of the new addition and the implementation of what they consider an urban use in the isolated, rural area and explained those concerns at an NEC public meeting in November 2022. An NEC public interest advisory committee supported Columbias application, but also raised several concerns echoing some raised by residents. The Niagara Escarpment Commission meeting schedule and materials can be found at the NECs website (https://escarpment.org/). If NEC approves the plan amendment application, the proposal will still require an Official Plan amendment from the City of Hamilton. SHARE: Standish, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Standish, Maine - Saint Josephs College of Maines Hybrid Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing allows professionals with no previous nursing experience to change careers to become BSN-prepared nurses in 15 months to help address the workforce demand amid the nursing shortage. As the population ages, there is an increased demand for healthcare services. By 2060, the number of Americans ages 65 years or older is expected to almost double from 52 million in 2018 to 95 million. Additionally, Maine has the oldest population in the United States, with one in four residents over the age of 65. The Maine nursing shortage presents local challenges; however, the nursing shortage impacts communities nationwide, and the aging population further exacerbates the need for qualified and skilled nurses to provide care for the elderly. Saint Joseph's College of Maine is addressing this need by offering an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program that allows students with a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing discipline to become a nurse in just 15 months. The format also makes it easier than ever for students to complete a flexible, accessible, and high-quality program. Students can complete their coursework from the comfort of their homes and then gain hands-on experience in a specially designed simulation lab as well as their clinicals. This program is an excellent opportunity for those seeking a career change or looking to enter nursing. The Hybrid ABSN program not only provides students with the necessary clinical placement but also offers training at our new state-of-the-art simulation lab on campus. The innovative lab provides students with hands-on experience and prepares them for real-life situations they may face as nurses. The nursing profession is still the most trusted profession in America, according to a Gallup poll. There has never been a better time to become a nurse as the demand for nurses continues to grow. With the aging baby boomer population and increased life expectancy, people will need healthcare services for extended periods, and nurses will be at the forefront of providing care. Story continues The hybrid ABSN curriculum offers the coursework 100% online, with both synchronous and asynchronous formats, in addition to supervised direct patient care clinical training hours. Saint Joseph's College of Maines online accelerated nursing program has the potential to increase access to education for students based in rural areas. By allowing students to complete their coursework remotely, individuals who may have previously been unable to pursue nursing education due to distance or travel constraints can now access these programs from home. This not only increases access to education but also allows students to remain in their communities and contribute to the healthcare needs of their local area. Overall, this hybrid nursing program offers greater flexibility and opportunity for individuals seeking to pursue a career in nursing. The program also includes two on-campus immersions, including hands-on skills training and high- and low-fidelity simulations in our brand-new Center for Nursing Innovation. As a result, you can build confidence in our program, considering graduates from our BSN demonstrate their readiness with exemplary first-time NCLEX-RN passing rates of over 90%. At Saint Joseph's College of Maine, we pride ourselves on our dedicated support team. Our faculty believe that learning is most effective with a foundation of mutual respect, mentoring, and individual attention. Additionally, our staff helps students secure local preceptors and clinical sites for a seamless experience completing clinical rotation hours. Finally, our passionate and dedicated student success advisors actively guide students from application and enrollment through graduation. With a growing demand for healthcare services and a shortage of nurses, this highly accessible program provides students with the necessary training and clinical placement to become competent and compassionate nurses. We are excited to welcome students to our program and look forward to seeing the positive impact they will make on the Maine nursing shortage and beyond. Learn more about Saint Josephs College of Maines Hybrid Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) by visiting the official website at: https://studyonline.sjcme.edu/programs/accelerated-bsn-online ### For more information about Saint Joseph's College of Maine, contact the company here: Saint Joseph's College of Maine Oliver Griswold ogriswold@sjcme.edu 278 Whites Bridge Road, Standish, ME 04084 CONTACT: Oliver Griswold Two community fridges have been restocked thanks to the Share the Love, Fill a Fridge food drive by teachers at 13 public high schools in Hamilton. Members of District 21 of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) have collected hundreds, perhaps thousands, of kilograms of food, toiletries and dog food for the Gilkson neighbourhood community fridge on Greendale Drive and the Crown Point neighbourhood community fridge on Ottawa Street North. Our human rights committee wanted to do something for our community and involve all our members of District 21, said Delora Skelton, the locals human rights officer. Access to food is a human right and we wanted to focus on that. Skelton said the committee sent large plastic bins to each public school during the third week of February where they were put in the staff rooms and teachers were encouraged to donate. The bins came back to the locals Upper Ottawa Street office on March 28 for pick up by community fridge volunteers. Most of the bins were full and overflowing with extra bins added. This is completely staff only, Skelton said. This was not a food drive involving students, this was just OSSTF District 21 members. District 21 president Daryl Jerome applauded the food collection. Our members live and work by and large in the community where they teach; our members are always very giving of their time in school and outside and this is a reflection of that. Laurel Carter, program co-ordinator at Community Fridges HamOnt, called the teachers food collection beautiful and inspiring. As the community fridges are open-access and unmonitored, we cant say concretely how long these donations will last or how many people they will feed, but we can happily report that the pantry shelves were immediately filled twice on the day our team received these donations and there is still more to replenish the shelves within the coming days, Carter said. Community fridges are a volunteer-run, low-barrier resource, from which anyone in need can get free food and hygiene supplies. Each location is contained in a painted weatherized shelter, open 24-7, and includes a fridge, freezer, and pantry. They are all highly utilized and sustained by donations from the community. In addition to the food collection, Skelton said they purchased $800 worth of food at the Little Brown Cow farm market in Brantford. The market also contributed free bread and baked goods to the food drive, Skelton said. SHARE: A Stoney Creek resident turned a $30 instant lottery win into a life-changing $500,000 after playing the Bigger Spin lottery from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. After winning $30 on the Bigger Spin, Carmela Pacenza decided to use part of her winnings to purchase another ticket. With that second ticket, Pacenza won an in-store spin on an OLG terminal that landed on Bigger Spin, guaranteeing her the right to spin a prize wheel at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto, with a minimum prize of $500,000. In an OLG news release, Pacenza said she was initially unsure what it meant when her in-store spin landed on Bigger Spin. I asked the clerk what that meant, and she told me I won big and it was a minimum prize of $500,000, she said in the release. I was shocked! I couldnt keep a thought in my head I knew this was going to be life changing. Pacenza's spin at the OLG prize centre landed on the minimum $500,000 level. A mother and grandmother, Pacenza plans to invest her winnings for retirement and spend time with her family. Im thinking about a family trip to celebrate together, she added. Her winning ticket was purchased at Fortinos on Upper Centennial Parkway. SHARE: Hamilton police say they have seized a staggering 48 crime guns so far this year, including 13 guns within the span of two days recently. As of April 4, this represents an 85 per cent increase in the number of illegal guns seized by officers in the city, compared to the same time last year, said Det. Sgt. Greg Slack, of the gangs and weapons enforcement unit. From those guns seized police have laid 23 charges. Five of the guns seized this year came from traffic stops. Slack said the spike is definitely cause for concern. The most recent spate of gun discoveries began March 31, when a driver found a bedside table at the side of the road in the area of Barton Street East and 50 Road in Stoney Creek around 8:30 a.m. When the driver got out of their car to inspect the discarded nightstand, they found a loaded handgun underneath the table, attached with a magnetic lever. Slack said police are grateful that citizen took the time to call police. The investigation led officers to find seven additional guns and ammunition. A 59-year-old man is facing firearm charges, including careless storage. In that case the gun was legally owned, but illegally stored. Why does a citizen of Hamilton feel so unsafe they store a loaded firearm with the assistance of magnetic lever under a nightstand? he said. Over the weekend police also seized two guns after being called to Candlewood Drive around 10 a.m. Saturday. That investigation involves young people between 16 and 22 years-old. Then on Sunday, shortly after 1 p.m., police found a man slumped over the wheel of a vehicle in a live lane of traffic. Police said they ammunition was visible on the front passenger seat. Two long-arm guns were later seized as part of the investigation. Not long after that call, around 2:30 p.m., police were called to Main Street West and Queen Street South after a loaded hand gun was found in a bar. Slack said the rise in guns seizures speaks alarmingly to the accessibility of guns. It is now a tool of the trade for those involved in street gangs and drug trafficking, no less common than drugs and digital scales, he said. A worrisome trend local police are also noticing is the increased capacity of the guns being seized. This includes a GSG 16, 22-caliber machine gun seized recently. The gun, with a circular drum magazine that gives it a look similar Tommy gun, has the capacity to discharge 110 rounds in seconds. Why somebody would need that? Slack said. Hamilton police have also seized numerous auto sears, devices that when attached to the back of handgun turn them from a semi-automatic to an automatic. With an extended magazine often called a 30 stick these handguns can fire 30 bullets rapidly. Slack said police have responded to shootings in Hamilton in recent years where more than 30 casings were found, indicating this type of weapon has been used. It is very dangerous to have such weapons in the hands of people not trained to be safe gun owners. Were talking about dysfunctional and violent and neglectful groups, with no care for innocent bystanders, he said. Some of the auto sears seized were made by 3D printers. Hamilton police have once case before the courts where they allege they uncovered a ghost gun manufacturing operation. Over the years, most crime guns seized here have been traced to places like Georgia, Florida and Michigan, but in the last few of years police are also increasingly seeing guns from Texas and Oklahoma. The top four most popular gun brands seized in order are Cooey, Glock, Ruger and Smith & Wesson. Slack said a couple of years ago Hamilton police seized a bunch of guns from a different brand, Taurus, linked to a specific police project. When police seize an illegal gun, one of the first things checked is whether it has a serial number, because many crime guns have that number filed down. Hamilton police used to have to send away for testing to restore that number but now have the ability to do that in their own forensics department. Then guns are sent for further forensic testing to see if they can be traced to crimes. Slack said Hamilton police have had some success in the last few months tracing seized guns to a couple of shooting since 2020. While the number of guns seized has jumped, the number of shootings so far this year is down. Of the five shootings this year, one was fatal: the March 24 murder of 53-year-old Robert Barberstock, who was shot in his main-floor unit at 29 Arthur Ave. N. There were 44 shootings reported in Hamilton last year, and police seized 526 guns of which 299 were illegal. Anyone with information about guns in our community can call police at 905-546-4925. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or crimestoppershamilton.com. Nicole OReilly is a crime and justice reporter at The Spectator. noreilly@thespec.com SHARE: Warning: This story deals with sexual assault and suicide. Resources for those who need help are listed at the bottom of this story. They felt joy when he was dead. For the first time since they were little girls, they knew the sexual predator who ruined so much in their lives wasnt lurking around the corner. This is the unvarnished truth of two women who survived years of childhood sexual assault by convicted and prolific pedophile Daryl Koluk. Recently, they learned he hanged himself at his home in Hamilton. I felt a joy I had never felt before, one woman says. It was honestly, one of the greatest moments of my life, says the other. People talk of closure for victims of crime. If it exists at all, for many it comes not with an arrest or a conviction, but with the death of the offender. Both of these women, whom The Spectator is not naming because they are sexual assault victims, wanted to share the news of Koluks suicide because there will be no death notice and no public funeral. They know this because they are both members of his family. The women want the registered sex offenders other victims to know Koluk is dead so they too can feel joy. And relief. And safe. The women were notified on March 13 after Koluk was found dead in his apartment. The one-time auto mechanic was in his mid-50s. I cried. And it was a happy cry, says the first woman. That chapter is now closed with him dying Not that the whole thing is over, but that chapter is officially done. Koluks sexual assault convictions involving children go back to at least 2001 when he was convicted of three counts of sexual assault and two counts of sexual interference. He served six months in jail. This woman was a victim in that case. He abused her for seven years beginning when she was six. In 2018, after years of no contact with him, he messaged her over Facebook. She immediately vomited. It sent me into a trauma, she says. It sent me completely spiralling. It crushed everything I had worked for up until that point. The repercussions of that single message were profound. She was off work for a year, spending thousands of dollars she couldnt afford for therapy. She says she nearly lost her whole family and considered suicide. She is proud of her comeback. She is a wife and mom who has a career helping others. Im back better than ever and feel more healed and more whole and more capable and more able of dealing with this. That he is no longer around to derail me like that whenever he feels like is the biggest weight off of me. Unimaginably, the woman says she lives with guilt. If she had done more to stop Koluk, perhaps other victims would have been spared, she sometimes thinks. At least now we know there wont be any more victims, she says. In 2009, Koluk sexually assaulted children he paid to clean his Stoney Creek apartment. He placed an online ad and a 12-year-old boy and two male friends responded. Koluk met them at a Tim Hortons and drove them to his home on Granville Avenue. When they finished cleaning, he asked if they wanted to earn an extra $40 by lying on his bed. One boy agreed and Koluk sexually assaulted him within sight of the others. The children (sometimes joined by a fourth boy and a sister of one child) went back to Koluks apartment five times and were paid about $200 to participate in sexual acts, including bondage. Police found a photo of one boy, tied up and wearing bondage gear, on Koluks computer. In 2010 Koluk pleaded guilty to four charges of sexual touching and one count of possession of child pornography. He was sentenced to four years in prison. His lawyer told the court Koluk had been abused by an older male relative from the time he was eight until he was 14. In 2015, he was arrested again for something similar. He hired two 11-year-old boys to clean his apartment on Wellington Street South. He paid them $10 each and gave them ice cream. Twice more the boys cleaned without incident. The third time one boy asked if there was anything else he could do to earn more money. Koluk said yes and told the boy to show him his genitals. Both boys fled. One told his mother. In 2016 Koluk, who was living in Simcoe at the time and was described in court as a divorced father of two, pleaded guilty to invitation to sexual touching. A letter Koluk wrote was read aloud in court: I feel extreme shame and tremendous remorse for my unacceptable actions. He got out of jail the next day after being sentenced to time served plus a day. It felt like he was going to live forever and just haunt me to the day I die, says the second woman, now 35 and a mother. It was a nightmare. She says she is glad to know he suffered at the end and wonders why he chose suicide now. Had he committed more crimes? Did he think he was about to be caught? She was five when Koluk began assaulting her. The nightmare ended when she was 12. He was never charged in connection to her abuse. She says for a long time, nobody believed her. She has had years of therapy. It affected my whole life. The day she learned of her abusers death, the woman experienced something that eluded her since she was a child. I went to bed feeling safe. Resources for survivors of sexual violence: SACHA (Sexual Assault Centre, Hamilton and Area): 24-hour support line 905-525-4162; http://sacha.ca. Childrens Aid Society intake line: 905-522-1121. Catholic Childrens Aid Society intake line: 905-525-2012. SAVIS (Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Services of Halton): 905-875-1555. Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Care Centre at Hamilton Health Sciences: 905-521-2100 ext. 73557. Resources for those experiencing thoughts of self-harm: COAST: 905-972-8338 Barrett Centre: 1-844-777-3571 Native Womens Centre: 1-888-308-6559 Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 (5-20) Good2Talk: 1-866-925-5454 (17-25) Crisis Services Canada: 1-833-456-4566 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 SHARE: When Noah Leggat lost his graphic design job during the pandemic, he shifted his focus to another project: transforming a recently purchased fixer-upper in Hamiltons North End into a dream home. He taught himself to use computer-aided design (CAD) software and made mockups of each room contractors would renovate. A lot of it was bang on, the 25-year-old said of the drawings and renderings. The experience prompted Leggat to put his design skills to use in a different industry. Ive been looking to advance my career and upgrade it with certain skills that I already have experience in, he said. Leggat enrolled in Mohawk Colleges 3D Visualization for the Built Environment, a five-course micro-credential program to develop skills in building design and construction, federally funded through a nationwide program to prepare workers for low-carbon industries. College president Ron McKerlie said these bite-sized, demand-driven college programs designed to develop skills geared toward specific sectors have grown in popularity recent years, attracting funding from governments wanting to better prepare workers for understaffed and underskilled industries to meet labour market needs. Earlier this year, the federal government announced $46.5 million in federal funding for Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery, a nationwide program led by Mohawk. The significant shortage of workers in recent years has caused colleges and industry partners to accelerate the rollout, McKerlie said. Not only is the economy expanding, boomers are retiring in record numbers, COVID probably accelerated that retirement path, so it makes it really challenging to release these workers to education when employers are already so short-staffed, he said. Since 2018, Mohawk has developed more than 100 micro-credentials for partners in fields like marketing, accounting, health care and workplace safety. Micro-credentials are offered through continuing education, and through the colleges City School, which provides free courses to the community. Industry partners also fund and deliver Mohawk-developed courses independently. They can be completed quickly, part-time and remotely, with the exception of on-the-job training, and they are often created with industry input. Existing models, like diploma and degree programs, that might take years to complete have worked well for students out of high school and who are unemployed, but hasnt worked well for ... those who are already working, McKerlie said. Shorter than most college courses, micro-credentials are typically delivered in 11 weeks or fewer, focusing on skills identified by employers, said chief operating officer Paul Armstrong. Students can take a single credential or stack them toward a certificate. Currently, no combination of credentials meets the requirements for a diploma. Theyre geared toward students looking to re-skill or upskill, not those starting out in a new field. Leggat said the learning curve would have been steep if not for his background in graphic design, which he continues to practice freelance. Hes familiar with some skills, but others, like certain software, hes learning from scratch. According to a recent survey, 71 per cent of students enrolled in federally funded micro-credentials are employed full time, while 15 per cent are unemployed. Thirty-two per cent are from the construction sector, and nine per cent are in transportation and distribution. SHARE: A man in his 50s was rescued by firefighters from his 18th-floor apartment during a multiple-alarm fire at a central Hamilton highrise early Wednesday. Emergency services were called to 140 Robinson St., an apartment building at Caroline Street South, just after 3 a.m., said Chief Dave Cunliffe of the Hamilton Fire Department. The call was quickly upgraded to a structure fire after dispatch received a call from a person trapped in an 18th-floor apartment that was on fire. Dispatch stayed on the phone with the man while firefighters went into the apartment unit, where they were met with heavy smoke and fire. Given the conditions in the apartment, the fire call was again upgraded to a multiple-alarm, drawing resources from across the city, Cunliffe said. Firefighters quickly knocked down the fire and were able to find the trapped occupant, he said. The man, in his 50s, was assessed by paramedics on scene and taken to hospital in stable condition, said Const. Indy Bharaj of the Hamilton police. His injuries appeared to be minor, Cunliffe said. The fire was quickly extinguished and no other injuries were reported. Several floors around the fire scene were evacuated, but tenants have since been allowed back into their units after the fire department cleared smoke. The fire is believed to be suspicious, Bharaj said. The Office of the Fire Marshal was notified but is not investigating. The cause of the fire is not known. Damage to the 18th-floor apartment is extensive and is estimated to be in excess of $100,000. Nicole OReilly is a crime and justice reporter at The Spectator. noreilly@thespec.com SHARE: TORONTO - Amid calls for the Big Three telecommunications companies to provide wireless phone service on the TTC following a recent wave of violence, experts say the federal telecommunications regulator should force Rogers, Bell and Telus to use the subway systems existing infrastructure. Ben Klass, a PhD candidate at Carleton University who researches telecommunications policy, said its within the CRTCs powers to issue a mandate if the providers wont voluntarily give their customers the ability to call, text or browse the web while underground. He pointed to Section 24 of the Telecommunications Act, which sets out powers for the regulator to impose conditions on carriers governing the offering and provision of any telecommunications service. The CRTC has the power to order these companies to offer service and also to set the conditions on which they do so, said Klass. It has extremely broad powers to deal with these types of things. In 2012, the TTC awarded a $25-million contract to BAI Communications Inc. to build and operate its public Wi-Fi and cellular network. Coverage is available at all stations and in tunnels located downtown, as well as other portions of the route. But only Freedom Mobile has signed on to provide coverage to its customers through BAIs network. Rogers, Bell and Telus have declined to do so. In general, Bell, Rogers and Telus never want to use other companies infrastructure, Klass said. They always want to use their own because its the cheapest way. They make the most money when they do that. BAI has attempted to sway the companies through public pressure in recent years. In 2019, it launched an online campaign, iwantaccess.ca, that invited TTC riders to sign a petition requesting the Big Three use its network. Connectivity is essential during emergencies and when TTC riders feel unsafe, allowing them to contact loved ones or call for help when the emergency alarm is out of reach, states the website, which remains active. Two other sections of the Telecommunications Act could be used to justify the CRTC stepping in, said Klass. Section 40 allows the commission to order a Canadian carrier to connect its telecommunications facilities to another companys network. Another legal tool, Section 42, empowers the CRTC to require or permit any telecommunications facilities to be provided, constructed, installed, altered, moved, operated, used, repaired or maintained. But Klass noted the CRTC often doesnt act on certain powers unless it receives a complaint. Asked if it has received complaints about the lack of consumer access to BAIs network, the CRTC did not immediately provide comment. Nor did BAI, while Telus did not respond to a request for comment. In a statement, Rogers spokesman Cam Gordon said the company knows rider safety is a key concern for Torontonians. We recognize that connectivity plays an important role in public safety and we are committed to being part of the solution, he said. Bell spokeswoman Ellen Murphy said the current network setup isnt optimal for the company to provide cell service to its customers on the subway. We would like to bring reliable cell service to TTC passengers, just as weve done in Montreal and other cities, but the exclusive BAI solution wont provide the service that TTC passengers need and deserve, she said in a statement. Last week, Toronto city council passed a motion by Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie urging the city to call on all cellphone providers to ensure service is available across the subway system and to notify the provincial and federal governments of the request. That was prompted by an increase in violent incidents on the TTC over the past year, including the stabbing death of 16-year-old Gabriel Magalhaes at Keele station on March 25. The motion did not call on the CRTC to take action. If we received advice from city staff and the TTC about the need to reach out to the regulator, we would follow that advice, said David Turnbull, a spokesman for the deputy mayor, in an email. TTC spokesman Stuart Green did not elaborate on whether the transit commission would be in favour of regulatory intervention. Our position has been clear for a decade-plus. BAI won a competitive tender and the major telcos have refused to sign on, Green said in an email. Rosa Addario of OpenMedia, an advocacy organization that promotes internet accessibility, said she is hopeful that recent incidents will give new attention and pressure to the issue that customers are at risk because (cellphone companies) are failing to serve them. But she said its clear the companies are not going to change their tune unless they are forced to do so. Part of it does come from a regulatory standpoint of needing to see this kind of progress move forward, especially as people in Toronto are facing increased violence and fear, Addario said. Theres an easy fix and theyre refusing to sign on to it. She highlighted that unlike in Toronto, the issue has been resolved for a decade in Montreal, where Bell, Rogers, Telus and Videotron built and co-own the Metro systems cellphone network. These companies are so used to being the ones that own the networks and people pay them for access and they dont want to see it be the other way around, she said. The situation exemplifies the pitfalls of the Big Threes dominance in the market, according to Jennifer Quaid, a University of Ottawa professor who specializes in competition law. Its an illustration of when you do need regulation, she said. They can afford to wait it out. They can afford to not actually provide you what you want and youll still have to pay. Thats what lack of choice brings. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 4, 2023. Companies in this story: (TSX:RCI.B, TSX:BCE, TSX:T) SHARE: SURREY, B.C. - The victim of what RCMP allege was terrorism on a Surrey, B.C., bus on Saturday has returned home from hospital after his throat was slashed in an attack a family member says could have easily killed him. Chris Jensen says his partners brother suffered a knife wound stretching from the back of his neck to near his throat, just below the left side of his jaw. He says the victim, who he calls his brother-in-law, returned from hospital Tuesday to the home in Surrey, where he lives with Jensen and his partner. Jensen says his brother-in-law described getting onto the bus and then turning to help a man he thought was falling before he saw the knife. He struggled with the armed man and eventually succeeded in pushing the attacker off the bus after being wounded. Abdul Aziz Kawam, who is due to reappear in Surrey provincial court on Wednesday, is charged with attempted murder, assault causing bodily harm, aggravated assault, and assault with a weapon, all in association with terrorist group the Islamic State. Jensen says his brother-in-law suffered some vocal-chord damage, but the knife did not strike any major tendons or arteries, and doctors are hopeful he can make a full recovery. We face the reality that it could have been worse. We know that recent stabbing victims have not been so lucky, Jensen said, We know there is a lot of violence that pops (up) that randomly and the best you can do is be vigilant. Jensen has set up a GoFundMe page for the victim, who he says is Indigenous. He says on the page that the victim is one of the most unassuming, kind, shy, gentle, and caring people you could ever meet. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 4, 2023. -- By Chuck Chiang in Vancouver Read more about: SHARE: Quebecs education minister said Wednesday it will soon be forbidden to have prayer rooms in the provinces public schools. Bernard Drainville told reporters in Quebec City he has learned of at least two Montreal-area schools that have permitted students to gather for prayer. Drainville said he would issue the directive to all school service centres, adding that prayer rooms in schools are not compatible with Quebecs policy of official secularism. The minister, however, isnt prohibiting prayer altogether, saying that students who want to pray should do so discreetly and silently. There are all kinds of ways to pray, Drainville said. I cant ban prayer. I ban prayer in classrooms. Now, if someone wants to pray silently, thats their basic right. Drainvilles position had hardened since Tuesday, when he said schools could not reserve rooms for a single religion and had to ensure prayer spaces respected gender equality. But he changed his mind after the Parti Quebecois called for stronger measures from the Education Department. Pascal Berube, the PQ member for Matane-Matapedia, reported Wednesday that a third school in Vaudreuil, west of Montreal, had opened a prayer room. He later introduced a motion in the legislature that passed unanimously, stating that places of prayer in public schools run counter to state secularism. If we accept what is happening, (...) it becomes jurisprudence, and there will be requests elsewhere, Berube said, adding that people can pray quietly. No need to have a room outfitted out for this purpose, he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 5, 2023. Read more about: SHARE: KENORA, Ont. - Two police officers are facing assault charges after an investigation into the arrest of a suspect in Kenora, Ont., last year. Ontario Provincial Police say officers responded to reports that a paramedic had been assaulted while responding to a call on Matheson Street in Kenora on Dec. 26. They say a suspect was taken into custody and charged with assault and resisting arrest, but police later withdrew the resisting arrest charge. The OPP Professional Standards Unit started an investigation in January into the circumstances of the arrest. Police say two officers from the Kenora OPP have been charged with assault and have been suspended with pay. The two accused officers are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Kenora on May 4. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 5, 2023. SHARE: GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., April 05, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Acrisure, a Fintech leader that operates a top-10 global insurance broker, today announced its acquisition of Unilink Group, the largest insurance distribution platform in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region. Through this partnership, Acrisure adds over 1,300 colleagues across Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Moldova and clients in the same geography. Unilink Group provides non-life and life products through a network of 15,000 external agents and 2,500 points of sale and places almost seven million policies per year. The Group also acts as an MGA through its Polish and Romanian businesses. Unilink Groups CEO Igor Rusinowski and its current management team will continue leading the business. "Unilink Group provides Acrisure with a strong presence in Central and Eastern Europe," said Greg Williams, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Acrisure. "Igor and team have built a high performing business that advances Acrisures broader global ambitions to capture more of the insurance value chain while expanding our client base. Well achieve great things together so Im grateful to Igor for his vision and the incredible effort of our international team to complete this transaction!" Unilink Group was founded in 2002 as a consumer finance products distributor. By 2010, the business had diversified to an insurance distribution strategy with CEO Igor Rusinowski joining the business. Said Igor: "Bringing the Acrisure brand to a new part of the world is an exciting proposition! In the last several years we transformed Unilink Group from insurance distribution market leader in Poland to the largest player in CEE, spearheading the segment in six countries and operating through all distribution channels. In that regard, were very aligned with Acrisures commitment to growth, innovation and entrepreneurship." He continued: "Our team is extremely excited to become part of Acrisure and bring An Extraordinary Advantage to our markets." Story continues "Acrisure continues to expand our international footprint," said Grahame Millwater, President of Global Insurance at Acrisure. "The partnership with Igor and team at Unilink Group could not be a better example of expanding our distribution, while also acquiring the talent, skills and value chain capabilities that completely align to our insurance and financial services strategy globally." The transaction will complete pending regulatory approvals. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. About Acrisure Acrisure is "An Extraordinary Advantage" for millions of clients worldwide. The Company combines humans and high tech to deliver a broad array of products including Insurance, Reinsurance, Cyber Services, and more. In the last nine years, Acrisure has grown in revenue from $38 million to over $4 billion and today employs over 14,000 colleagues in 21 countries. Acrisure expects to announce new developments in the near term. To follow news and updates in real time, visit Acrisure.com or follow the Company on LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005199/en/ Contacts Media John Pelle, Senior Director of Communications & Brand JPelle@Acrisure.com (718) 578-8275 Toronto police are looking for three men all described as being in their early 20s after a stabbing at York University on March 29. On March 29 at 6 p.m., officers responded to a call in the York Boulevard and Keele Street area for reports of a stabbing. Police said the victim was at the universitys campus when they were approached by three men, who then demanded the victims jacket. The suspects assaulted the victim before the victim fled. Police report that the victim then saw the suspects assault a second victim. The first victim allegedly tried to help the second victim but was then stabbed and left with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, before the suspects fled. Police describe all three suspects as men between 20-25 years old and clean-shaven. The first suspect is six feet tall and approximately 180 lbs. with a short black Afro. Police said he was last seen wearing a shiny black puffer jacket, blue pants and black running shoes. The second suspect is five-foot-seven and 150 lbs. with short black spiky hair. He was last seen wearing a black jacket with a fur-lined hood, grey sweatpants and black shoes with white soles. The third suspect is also described as five-foot-seven and 150 lbs. with short black spiky hair. Police said he was last seen wearing a brown puffer jacket, black shirt, grey sweat pants and black shoes. Officers are asking anyone with information to contact them at 416-808-3100, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com. MH Mahdis Habibinia is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Reach her via email: mhabibinia@thestar.ca SHARE: Providing cellphone service on the entire subway system and more mental health supports could help stem unprecedented levels violence on public transit, according to the national president TTCs largest union. At a press conference at Queens Park Wednesday, John Di Nino, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Canada, alongside NDP MPPs Joel Harden (Ottawa Centre) and Bhutila Karpoche (ParkdaleHigh Park) called on the Doug Ford government to invest in public transit and social supports to address violence on the TTC. Front-line transit workers are getting assaulted with deadly weapons. Passengers are getting murdered on platforms and in subway cars. And the provincial government just doesnt give a damn, said Di Nino, whose union represents about 12,000 TTC workers. Shiny new stations and fancy new buses dont keep riders safe, but operational dollars will. Violence on Torontos transit system has risen sharply since the pandemic, even as ridership fell. There were 1,068 violent incidents against passengers on the TTC in 2022, compared to 666 in 2019, despite roughly two-thirds of the riders. The fatal stabbing of 16-year-old Gabriel Magalhaes at Keele subway station last month has renewed calls on governments of all levels to act. We know that the state of Ontarios mental health crisis, housing and homelessness crisis, and the rise of domestic and gender-based violence has created an unsafe environment for transit users and workers, notably in Toronto, said Karpoche, the NDP GTA issues critic. Harden, the NDP transit critic, said the Ontario premiers law and order approach to transit safety does not fix operational shortfalls faced by the TTC and other agencies, which threaten both reliability and safety on transit. On Wednesday, the MPPs and union leaders presented measures they said would improve safety, ranging from more funding for mental health to more enforcement, but the underlying message was the need for a comprehensive, multigovernmental strategy to address transit violence, including more funding. Enough with the half-measures, we need urgent action now. Governments of all levels have failed to address the need for safety, frequency and support for our public transit system, said Di Nino. Among solutions Di Nino identified are better mental health supports, de-escalation training for TTC staff, more special constables and adding cell service throughout the system. As previously reported by the Star, the TTC has had cellular infrastructure in its system for more than a decade, but the Big 3 telecom providers (Rogers, Bell and Telus) have so far refused to sign on to the network built by BAI communications. Transit workers deserve safety, and that requires adequate staffing and services. None of those are possible without commitments to our operational funding something that this government has failed to do. The time to act is now. Ontarios budget, unveiled last month, did not pledge any funding to cover the TTCs $366-million operating shortfall, caused by lagging fare revenue since COVID-19. Neither did the federal budget announced last week. The amount of provincial funding to operate public transit is woefully inadequate. Fords budget allocated a mere $80 million to operational transit funding across the province a decision that will ensure cuts to services and staffing, which impacts transit safety, Harden said. The TTC has hiked fares by 10 cents and begun cutting service in response to its financial situation. When Toronto police temporarily deployed 80 overtime officers to the TTC in January, Ford called it a Band-Aid solution, arguing for more stable funding for police on transit. Ford also recently warned Torontonians not to vote for any candidate in the upcoming mayoral byelection who supports defunding the police. The ATU has called for a national task force, with the provinces, to address transit safety, but the response from Ford has been meaningless, Di Nino said. Repeatedly Doug Ford expresses sympathy and condolences to the victims of violence with no real plan to address the issues other than increased policing, said Di Nino. Increased policing is not the solution. It is a short-term measure, he added. Last week, city council increased TTC CEO Rick Learys emergency spending authority to $15 million, to fund additional safety measures including security guards and outreach workers. Di Nino also called out Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney for her apparent lack of support, noting she has gone missing on this file. Fords office did not respond to a request for comment from the Star. A representative from Mulroneys office deferred the request to the Office of the Solicitor General. Spokesperson Hunter Kell said the government has invested record amounts in police services across Ontario, including $185 million in previous funding to combat gun and gang violence and $13.4 million in our new budget. The goverment also earmarked $370 for municipalities in operating local transit in the recent budget, he added. We will continue to support our municipal partners and will continue these discussions on how we can work together to keep people in Toronto, and across the province, safe. SHARE: Toronto police have apprehended a man after they received reports of a person chasing people around with a knife in the citys core. Police said they were called to the area of Ontario Street and Bridgen Place near Queen Street East and Sherbourne Street around 8:40 a.m. for the incident. The suspect has been described as white, in his 60s, six-foot-tall, with white hair and wearing a trench coat. There are no reports of injuries at this time, police said. Edward Djan is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @EdwardDjan1 SHARE: Zachary Berry was just six years old when he discovered his mothers body in a closet soon after she had been stabbed in her Toronto apartment. His entire life changed on March 19, 1993, when he found Barbara Brodkin, blood coming from wounds to her chest and staining the floor and walls. The little boy called 911. It took my six-year-old mind several minutes to fully take in and understand the horror of what I was looking at, Berry said in a victim impact statement read by the Crown on Wednesday at the sentencing of his mothers killer, Charles Mustard. My mother was dead, and the trauma and psychosocial effect from that night would remain with me for many years after. Her life was brutally, cruelly, and callously taken the life of a single mother of a six-year-old child she would do anything to support. Brodkins murder went unsolved for nearly 30 years until 2018, when DNA under her fingernails was linked to Mustard, an acquaintance and former teacher with a lengthy but dated criminal record. Mustard, now 68, was convicted of second-degree murder in February following a judge-alone trial. On Wednesday, Superior Court Justice Brian OMarra sentenced him to life in prison with no chance at parole for 15 years, as Mustard maintained his innocence from the prisoners box. The number of years that a judge imposes for second-degree murder in any case cannot purport to heal the wounds, to heal and address the pain suffered by those who knew and loved Barbara, OMarra said. Describing Brodkin as a fine and respectable woman, Mustard at times becoming emotional as he appeared to read from a prepared statement said he was and remains saddened by her death. Im not the perpetrator of Ms. Brodkins death, he said. Ill be killed in jail. Im not afraid to die. Im not afraid to live. Im at ease because I know Im not guilty of Ms. Brodkins death. I am innocent of this tragic murder. I am innocent. Brodkin, 41, sold small amounts of pot, and Mustard was a customer. The Crowns theory was that the motive for her killing was robbery. Mustard testified in his own defence at trial. In convicting him, OMarra rejected his assertion that his DNA ended up under Brodkins fingernails because the two had shared a joint slathered with his saliva. OMarra also rejected the defence theory that Brodkins ex-husband who was violent and had threatened her with death was the real killer. The pair had been fighting over custody of their son, and the man became the prime suspect for Brodkins murder. But police later substantiated his alibi, and he was never charged. He died in 2009. Mustard had the luxury of living undetected for almost 25 years, Crown attorney Karen Simone said on Wednesday, asking for a parole ineligibility period of 18 to 20 years. She said Brodkin fought for her life, which helped to later solve her murder through the DNA under her fingernails. Mr. Mustard is cold and callous and dangerous, she said. Mustard, who went to private school and whose father was a prominent surgeon, grew up in a rather privileged environment, defence lawyer Bob Richardson said. But at home things were very different. Both his parents had substance use issues with alcohol. His mother died by suicide, and his father abused him. Mustard also has two children with whom he has limited, if any, contact, Richardson said. He had asked for a parole ineligibility period of 12 to 14 years, arguing that Mustards age and health are mitigating factors. Hes going to be 80-82 by the time he even becomes eligible for parole if hes able to live that long, Richardson said. Jacques Gallant is a Toronto-based reporter covering courts, justice and legal affairs for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @JacquesGallant SHARE: Toronto police say six people, one of them 15 years old, have been arrested after a months-long investigation into a series of armed robberies totalling nearly $1 million. Insp. Rich Harris from the Toronto hold-up squad revealed the results of an investigation dubbed Project Repeater. The investigation was conducted alongside the Peel Region Central Robbery Bureau, York Region Hold Up Squad, Halton Region Robbery Unit and the Ontario Provincial Police Caledon Major Crime and Community Street Crime units. Police responded to robberies related to the investigation between last Aug. 21 and March 18 of this year. Police said the robberies, which occurred across the GTA and totalled $980,000 in stolen items, involved seven carjackings, two motor vehicle thefts, 23 pharmacy robberies and two financial institutions robbery calls. Police said groups of men would use handguns, a knife or physical violence during robberies to control the victims. Its alleged the suspects used stolen vehicles during the incidents. During the alleged carjackings, police said the suspects pointed handguns at victims demanding their keys, vehicle and property. The suspects in every case would drive away in the suspects vehicle. Harris said high-end vehicles were targeted, including Cadillac Escalades, Porsches and Land Rovers. In the pharmacy robberies, police said the suspects undertook takeover-style robberies, demanding cash and narcotics. Police said in most cases, they did receive what they demanded. In those incidents, the suspects fled the scene in a vehicle that was waiting for them. Harris said the robberies had the complete earmarks of an organized crime group. There was planning there was execution, there was instruction and there were those that benefited from those that committed the robberies, said Harris. Four suspects, three men and one woman, were arrested on March 30. A 29-year-old man from Brampton has been charged with 28 counts of robbery with a firearm, four counts of robbery, two counts of theft of a motor vehicle, possession of property obtained by crime over $5000, 33 counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence and three counts of failing to comply with a release order. A 25-year-old man from Brampton has been charged with six counts of robbery with a firearm, robbery, theft of a motor vehicle and eight counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence. A 32-year-old man from Toronto has been charged with two counts of robbery with a firearm and two counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence. A 21-year-old woman from Toronto has been charged with accessory to a dual procedure offence. Police also arrested and charged two other people in December of 2022 and January of this year. A 22-year-old from Brampton was charged with 13 counts of robbery with a firearm, one count of robbery with an offensive weapon, 14 counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence and 14 counts of possession of property obtained by crime. The same suspect was already under police custody for another matter. They have been charged with four counts of robbery with a firearm, theft of a motor vehicle and 15 counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence. The other suspect previously charged was a 15-year-old teen from Toronto. The suspect has been charged with seven counts of robbery with a firearm, two counts of robbery with an offensive weapon, four counts of robbery, 13 counts of disguise with intent, six counts of unauthorized possession of a firearm, pointing a firearm, assault causing bodily harm, assault with a weapon, assault, 13 counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence and 13 counts of possession of property obtained by crime over $5000. Police have been seeing a slight decrease in carjackings, with 23 incidents this year compared to 25 at this point last year, according to Harris. He added in the release from police that pharmacy robberies are up compared to last year. "So far this year, there have been 54 pharmacy robberies compared to 33 at this time last year a 64 per cent increase, Harris said. The investigation received funding from the provinces Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario (CISO), according to police. Seven out of the nine vehicles stolen have been retrieved. The two outstanding stolen vehicles are a black 2022 Cadillac Escalade with the Ontario licence plate CHDRYSB and a black 2022 Dodge Durango with the Ontario licence plate CYDM878. Harris said the vehicles were found west of the city quite quickly due in part because of GPS technology. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7350, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477) or at www.222tips.com. Edward Djan is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Stars radio room in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @EdwardDjan1 SHARE: A government initiative meant to protect vulnerable workers was undermined by a workplace inspectors scheme to falsely claim overtime, according to an internal labour ministry investigation. The inspectors were participating in the ministrys underground economy initiative, a workplace blitz that involved after-hours visits to employers who may be subjecting workers from vulnerable populations to unsafe working conditions, the report says. The inspectors would receive overtime pay for their work. Instead, the probe found, an inspector routinely filed overtime claims for substantial chunks of time spent eating and drinking coffee at restaurants with colleagues and encouraged other inspectors to similarly misrepresent time spent in the field. These irregular overtime submissions bumped his hourly wage rate to north of $60 an hour, based on the inspectors salary description contained in the ministry investigation. Discrepancies in the inspectors pay claims and his actual fieldwork were ultimately caught by a tracking device installed in his ministry-issued Chevrolet Equinox. The labour ministry was unable to comment on specific human resources issues and did not confirm whether the inspector was terminated. But in a statement, a spokesperson said the ministry expects every occupational health and safety inspector to uphold a high standard of excellence and integrity. If you want to try and claim pay for work you didnt do, you will be fired. Its as simple as that, said labour minister Monte McNaughton. In a statement to the Star, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union confirmed that it represented the inspector at the centre of the overtime allegations and that a labour grievance involving the employee had been resolved. More recently, there has been a slate of firings, but because those are under a grievance process, we cannot comment on them directly at this time other than to say that we have serious concerns about how these terminations unfolded. The employer has taken action against our members, but not provided evidence against them even for us to rebut. This does not bode well for a fair process. The investigation obtained by the Star focuses on the conduct of one inspector in the Toronto region, but says the ministry initiated a total of nine investigations into alleged wrongdoing amongst safety inspectors on the same team. The overtime scheme had potentially serious implications for both the ministry and the Ontario public as a whole as the intent of the (underground economy) initiative was lost, the internal investigation states. Worker safety was no longer at the forefront of the inspectors minds. Unusual activity in inspectors OT claims According to documents obtained by the Star under Freedom-of-Information legislation, the underground initiative, which took place in 2020 amid the pandemic, began by targeting temporary help agencies and then expanded to other sectors. It was seen internally as a vital part of the ministrys enforcement and intelligence-gathering strategy, aiming to complete 2,200 inspections to identify possible exploitation. But by December 2020, as COVID ripped through essential workplaces, officials were alerted to unusual activity amongst multiple safety inspectors with the ministrys construction program. Their field visits all showed the same pattern of overtime submissions: four hours were claimed for one workplace visit, eight for two visits, and 10 for three visits. The inspector at the centre of the internal investigation was ultimately found to have received around $4,100 in overtime payments for hours that were never worked. The same inspector also directed multiple public servants to participate in the billing scheme, which was devised to avoid detection while over-reporting overtime hours, according to the internal ministry investigation. Inspector denied being schemes ringleader In interviews with ministry officials summarized in the final report, the inspector denied being the ringleader of a scheme and became progressively angrier upon learning his colleagues had pointed the finger at him. The inspector said some current and former safety inspectors had previously told him about a so-called 4, 8, 10 matrix. This referred to the number of hours it should take to conduct a good field visit to a workplace. The inspector denied the allegations lodged against him and provided ministry officials with his own Google Maps data, which detailed his work movements and showed only minor discrepancies in overtime claims. He also said he was sometimes unable to take lunch breaks, and had therefore upped the number of paid hours hed claimed. Ministry officials subsequently reviewed data recorded by equipment installed in all Ontario public service vehicles and identified numerous issues with the inspectors conduct. This included lengthy stops at locations with no discernable work purpose, being in the field for significantly less time than the overtime hours submitted, or not being present at field visits with a colleague as claimed, according to the internal report. The report said the inspectors Google data was rife with inaccuracies. The investigation also found that the inspector colluded with another colleague to provide false or misleading information during the investigation process. It was apparent that the primary consideration of conducting (underground) visits became claiming as much money as possible without their improprieties being detected, the investigation states. Calls for increased workplace safety inspections Robust and proactive workplace safety inspections have long been a key demand of worker advocates. An auditor-generals report from 2019 found that just one per cent of workplaces across the province were being proactively inspected to ensure they are safe. The report also said the ministry often failed to systematically target high-risk employers and workplaces. At the time, the ministry said it was working to improve its risk-based inspections. It launched the underground economy initiative shortly after. In 2020, the ministry announced it would hire 100 more health and safety inspectors to cope with the demands of COVID-19 and build the largest workplace safety inspectorate in Ontarios history. A ministry spokesperson said the fallout of the overtime allegations has not impacted workplace inspections. But OPSEU said the provinces inspection regime continues to be deeply flawed and underfunded. The last few years have been extremely challenging for front-line inspectors. The pandemic threw a wrench into the inspection regime. Their work environment, and the policies directing their work, changed very dramatically, the spokesperson said. We will continue to represent our members and demand due process, including those recently terminated. With files from Betsy Powell Sara Mojtehedzadeh is a Toronto-based reporter covering work and wealth on the Stars investigations team. Follow her on Twitter: @saramojtehedz SHARE: Former U.S. president Donald Trump cast himself as a politically persecuted martyr in the wake of what he called a ridiculous indictment on felony charges of falsifying business records. The setting for the historic day was New York City, which is home to Trumps business empire. But after surrendering to authorities and appearing before a judge to hear the criminal case against him, Trump retreated to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, where he was welcomed home by throngs of political supporters. Trump gave a bombastic, complaint-filled speech that touched not only on Tuesdays charges, but on the entirety of his legal woes, which the candidate for the Republican presidential nomination is attempting to turn to his political advantage. The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it, Trump told the crowd. In a 30-minute address, he railed against the racist Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg; against the Trump-hating judge overseeing the case, Juan Merchan (as well as his wife and daughter); against a fake case of election interference being built against him in Georgia; and against radical left lunatic special prosecutor Jack Smith, who is investigating allegations that Trump mishandled classified documents. Trump said the litany of abuse he is facing shows that the American justice system has become lawless. They cant beat us at the ballot box, so they try and beat us through the law. Thats the country in which we live, however, right now, he said. The U.S.A. is a mess. Trumps Tuesday night remarks were a great contrast from the silent, stony-faced demeanour he presented earlier in the day in Manhattan as he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts. The political assessment has been made countless times before: that Trump is, was, or has been out of control. His arrest, booking and appearance as a criminal defendant makes it objectively true, perhaps for the first time. The fate of a man often viewed as being above the law and larger than life now lies in the hands of criminal lawyers and a judge. Hes frustrated. Hes upset, his lawyer, Joe Tacopina, told reporters outside the courthouse. But you know what? Hes motivated and its not going to slow him down. The charges laid against Trump are for what amounts to a coverup, one that allegedly has its roots in a meeting eight years ago, in 2015. Thats when Trump, the head of the National Enquirer tabloid and lawyer Michael Cohen cooked up a plan to catch and kill politically damaging information that might sink Trumps bid for the White House in 2016, according to a statement of facts released by the Manhattan District Attorneys Office. There was $30,000 (U.S.) allegedly paid to silence a doorman shopping the news of a Trump child who had been born out of wedlock. Another $150,000 to silence model Karen McDougal, who was selling the story of her affair with Trump. And, most notably, another $130,000 paid out days before the Nov. 8, 2016, election to silence Stormy Daniels, an adult film star, for her own Trump kiss-and-tell tale. The alleged crime at the heart of the case against Trump falsifying business records was allegedly formalized in the Oval Office, in February 2017, a few weeks after Trump took possession of the White House. There, he and Cohen allegedly agreed to a repayment arrangement that would reimburse the lawyer for the money he had paid to the porn star, prosecutors allege. Those repayments, made throughout 2017, were fictitiously and illegally recorded 34 separate times, as payments for legal services rendered. While falsifying business records is normally a minor offence in New York state, it is elevated from a misdemeanour to a felony crime when it is done in order to commit or conceal another crime. That is exactly what this case is about, said Bragg. Thirty-four false statements made to cover up other crimes. He told reporters that the payments to Daniels to protect Trumps political standing violated federal campaign contribution limits and also breached a state law that prohibits the conspiracy to promote a political candidate by unlawful means. Some political and legal analysts have cast the case against Trump as a novel application and interpretation of the law particularly questioning whether it is appropriate and feasible to mix-and-match state- and federal-level laws in a single indictment. But Bragg expressed confidence in the legal foundations of the case and said that white-collar financial crimes are the the bread and butter of his offices work. This is the business capital of the world, he said. We regularly do cases involving false business statements. The bedrock and basis for business integrity and a well-functioning business marketplace is true and accurate record-keeping. Thats the charge thats brought here. But another of Trumps lawyers argued outside the courthouse Tuesday that Bragg was conducting a political persecution of the former president. Todays unsealing of this indictment shows that the rule of law died in this country because while everyone is not above the law, no one is below it either, said Todd Blanche. If this mans name was not Donald J. Trump, there is no scenario that wed all be here today. The strength or weakness of the case against Trump will be exposed in the months to come. But with the Georgia election interference case against Trump also at the grand jury phase, the New York case may be just the first drop in a coming legal storm. Whats significant now is how he weathers this new political atmosphere, whether there are new voting blocs who can be convinced to back an alleged criminal to occupy the White House, or whether Republicans turn up their collars and seek the shelter of an alternative candidate. Allan Woods is a Montreal-based staff reporter for the Star. He covers global and national affairs. Follow him on Twitter: @WoodsAllan Read more about: SHARE: BLUMENAU, Brazil (AP) A man with a hatchet burst into a day care center Wednesday in Brazil, killing four children, authorities said, in an attack that shook the country and put pressure on the government to curb a rising tide of violence. At least four other children were wounded in the attack in Blumenau, a city of 366,000 in southern Brazil, near the Atlantic coast. The assailant, who got inside by jumping over a wall, turned himself in at a police station, officials said. He did not appear to have any connection with the center, which offers nursery services, preschool education and after-school activities. The dead were between the ages of 5 and 7, authorities said. Hours after the attack, the justice and education ministers pledged to invest in new violence-prevention efforts. Valeria Aparecida Camilo, the mother of 5-year-old girl at the center, said she was working when a colleague saw the news. She called her husband, Gustavo, who rushed to the school and later learned that his daughter had survived. Authorities were searching for a motive, the police detective leading the investigation, Ronnie Esteves, told television reporters. The moment I saw her, it was a relief, Gustavo Camilo told The Associated Press outside the center. But we feel sorry for everything that has happened, with the other kids who wound up dying. They have no cruelty, theyre kids, Valeria added. Theyre 5 years old. What did a 5-year-old do to this person? Franciele Chequeto said one of the girls killed was friends with her 7-year-old son, Gabriel. He wasnt understanding, Chequeto said. I sat down and told him that he no longer will be able to see some of his little friends. The states civil police chief, Ulisses Gabriel, confirmed that the attacker was a 25-year-old man from neighboring Parana state. He will be charged with murder and attempted murder. Police believe the attack was an isolated act and not related to any other crimes, Gabriel said. Images broadcast on networks showed weeping parents outside the private day care center called Cantinho do Bom Pastor. The attack took place on the centers playground, according to the local affiliate of television network Globo. NSC, the affiliate, showed a photo of the suspect with a closely shaved head. Police have yet to confirm his identity. Blumenaus mayor, Mario Hildebrandt, suspended classes and said he will declare a 30-day mourning period. Authorities said any reports of other attacks or threats against schools in the region were false. School attacks in Brazil have happened with greater frequency in recent years. Last week, a student in Sao Paulo fatally stabbed a teacher and wounded several others in Sao Paulo. Brazil has seen at least one past attack on a day care center. That attack also occurred in Santa Catarina state, in May 2021, when an assailant used a dagger to kill three children under 2 years old and two adults. From 2000 to 2022, 16 attacks or violent episodes happened in schools, four of them in the second half of last year, according to a report from researchers led by Daniel Cara, an education professor at the University of Sao Paulo. The 12 researchers comprised of psychologists, social scientists, public school educators, journalists and activists prepared the report for the government of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Brazilian Justice Minister Flavio Dino told reporters in Brasilia that he was directing 150 million reais ($30 million) from the nations public security fund to shore up school safety. That money will pay for both heightened policing and an expansion of a Brasilia-based team for the monitoring of deep-web communities, he said. Earlier Wednesday, Dino met with representatives from student associations. Meanwhile, Education Minister Camilo Santana announced the creation of a group to address school violence. Santana will lead the group, which is scheduled to meet for the first time Thursday. There is no single factor to explain the rise of such attacks, but a common denominator is what Cara calls a crisis of perspective regarding economic problems and the likelihood that each assailant endured situations of frustration and violence, including bullying and harassment. Given the lack of perspective and the way they were victimized, they get recruited by online communities and seek a way to take revenge on society, Cara told the AP by phone. They are usually young people who have a masculinist, misogynistic, racist discourse, who worship neo-Nazi and fascist symbols, and who navigate in communities where violence is glorified, Cara added. Experts say April is a particularly sensitive month for school attacks as it concentrates the anniversaries of the 1999 Columbine school shooting in the U.S. and a shooting in a school in Rio de Janeiros metropolitan area in 2011. These events are glorified in violent communities and can act as triggers for new attacks, Cara said. There are no words to console the families. Anyone who has lost a relative knows that there are no words, a teary-eyed President Lula said Wednesday at the outset of a ministerial meeting. He requested his ministers observe a minute of silence. In 2019, a bacterial infection claimed the life of Lulas grandson, who was 7 years old the same age as one of the victims in Blumenau. ___ Martins reported from Sao Paulo. Associated Press Writer David Biller in Rio de Janeiro also contributed to this report. Read more about: SHARE: BANGKOK (AP) More than 60 self-exiled members of a Chinese Christian church who were detained in Thailand after receiving U.N. refugee status will be deported by next week, probably to a third country, officials said Wednesday. Deputy national police chief Surachate Hakparn said representatives of Thailands Foreign Ministry and Immigration Bureau were holding talks with the U.N. Refugee Agency and the U.S. Embassy to discuss the fate of the 63 members of the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church who were taken to court in the coastal city of Pattaya last Friday. Within the next week, they will definitely be deported. What we dont know is which country they will be deported to, Surachate told The Associated Press. The members of the church, also known as the Mayflower Church, were granted refugee status by the U.N. agency after their arrival in Thailand last year. They say they faced unbearable harassment in China and are seeking asylum in the United States. Prior to their arrival in Thailand, the church members had fled to South Koreas Jeju island in October 2019 and stayed there for nearly three years, but decided to leave as it became clear that prospects for refuge there were dim. An Immigration Bureau official with knowledge of Wednesdays multi-agency discussions said the Thai authorities would find a way for the church members to be sent to a third country. The Immigration Bureau will continue to take care of them on humanitarian grounds in the meantime, said the official, who spoke on the condition he not be identified because he is not authorized to speak to the media. The church members expected to be released after being arrested and fined last week for overstaying their visas. Instead, they were driven by bus from Pattaya to a police detention facility in Bangkok for what a police officer said was normal processing. Surachate said the church members have been separated, with the mothers and children -- about half the group -- sent to the Immigration Bureaus care facility in northern Bangkok, while the others were being kept in the bureaus main detention center in central Bangkok. As the group was being driven to Bangkok, the church members forced the buses to temporarily stop when they suspected they were headed to Bangkoks international airport for repatriation to China, where they fear persecution. Human Rights Watch issued a statement on Saturday urging the Thai government not to deport the group due to the grave dangers facing Christians back in China. In its annual report last year, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom said the Chinese Communist Party requires religious groups to support its rule and political objectives, including by altering their religious teachings to conform with the partys ideology and policy. Both registered and unregistered religious groups and individuals who run afoul of the CCP face harassment, detention, arrest, imprisonment, and other abuses, the commission said. Surachate said the church members had overstayed their visas by about half a year by the time they were found by police. He said they were arrested as a result of a recent crackdown following growing reports of crimes involving Chinese citizens. He said Thailand has a principle of not allowing people seeking refuge to stay in the country. Thailand did not ratify the 1951 U.N. Refugee Convention and does not have any law addressing refugee status. Principally, we will not let them stay in Thailand, otherwise people from all over the world would come to Thailand, Surachate said. You see, they were in South Korea for years and did not receive the UNHCR paper. They did within just four months of arriving here. Thailand has frequently granted shelter to people from neighboring countries fleeing war. However, not everyone is tolerated. In 2015, Thailand sent 109 members of the Muslim Uyghur minority back to China against their will despite fears they would face official persecution and possible torture. ___ This story corrects that background on international and Thai laws was not mentioned by Surachate. Read more about: SHARE: MOSCOW (AP) Russian President Vladimir Putin charged Wednesday that Western intelligence agencies have helped Ukraine carry out acts of sabotage, as he urged his officials to mount a stronger response. Putin spoke during a call with members of his Security Council that focused on efforts to shore up control of the four Ukrainian provinces that Russia claimed as part of its territory in September a move that most of the world rejected as an illegal annexation. There are reasons to believe that the capabilities of third countries, Western special services, have been involved in preparation of acts of sabotage and terror attacks, Putin said, without elaborating and without providing any evidence. He said the four provinces have experienced Ukrainian shelling and acts of sabotage aimed at scaring the local population, and that Russian authorities must act harshly and effectively to ensure control over the situation. Several Moscow-appointed officials in the newly incorporated provinces were killed and wounded in a slew of bombings and other attacks. Putin urged officials to strengthen efforts to fully integrate the four provinces into Russia and to protect their residents from Ukrainian attacks. They must see and feel that all our great country stands behind them and we will do everything to protect them, Putin said in televised remarks at the meeting. When Putin sent troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, he charged that Russias special military operation was intended to demilitarize Ukraine, block its potential accession to NATO and to protect the countrys Russian speakers. Ukraine and its allies have described the Russian leaders stated rationale as a cover for an unprovoked act of aggression. After failing to capture Kyiv, Ukraines capital, in the initial weeks of the fighting, Russia has focused its military efforts on gaining control of the Donbas, Ukraines industrial heartland. The region includes two of the annexed provinces, Donetsk and Luhansk. The Russian military captured Kherson province and part of Zaporizhzhia province in southern Ukrained early in the conflict but withdrew its troops from the city of Kherson and nearby areas on the western bank of the Dnieper River in November under the brunt of a Ukrainian counteroffensive. Earlier Wednesday, Putin received credentials from foreign ambassadors, including the newly appointed U.S. ambassador, Lynne M. Tracy. Speaking at that Kremlin meeting, Putin charged that Washingtons support for mass 2014 protests in Kyiv that ousted Ukraines Moscow-friendly president lay at the roots of the current conflict. The relations between Russia and the United States, which directly impact global stability and security, are in a deep crisis, he said. Its rooted in principally different approaches to shaping the modern world order. Putin also hosted President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus on Wednesday for talks on expanding ties between their countries. We have achieved a lot by working together in all areas, Putin said at the start of the meeting. It refers to our cooperation on the international arena and to us working together on issues related to ensuring our countries security. Putin said last month that Russia planned to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, its neighbor and ally. The announcement marked another attempt by the Russian leader to dangle the nuclear threat to discourage the West from supporting Ukraine. Putin has said that construction of storage facilities for tactical nuclear weapons would be completed in Belarus by July 1. Russia also has helped modernize Belarusian warplanes to make them capable of carrying nuclear weapons and provided the country that borders Ukraine with Iskander short-range missiles that could carry a nuclear warhead, he said. Belarus and Russia have an agreement envisioning close economic, political and military ties. Russia used Belarusian territory as a staging ground for invading Ukraine and has maintained a contingent of troops and weapons there. Read more about: SHARE: Admiral Group plc (LON:ADM) has announced that on 2nd of June, it will be paying a dividend of0.52, which a reduction from last year's comparable dividend. The dividend yield will be in the average range for the industry at 5.4%. Check out our latest analysis for Admiral Group Admiral Group Doesn't Earn Enough To Cover Its Payments We aren't too impressed by dividend yields unless they can be sustained over time. The last dividend was quite comfortably covered by Admiral Group's earnings, but it was a bit tighter on the cash flow front. By paying out so much of its cash flows, this could indicate that the company has limited opportunities for investment and growth. Earnings per share is forecast to rise by 21.1% over the next year. However, if the dividend continues along recent trends, it could start putting pressure on the balance sheet with the payout ratio reaching 114% over the next year. Dividend Volatility Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. Since 2013, the dividend has gone from 0.906 total annually to 1.12. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 2.1% over that duration. The dividend has seen some fluctuations in the past, so even though the dividend was raised this year, we should remember that it has been cut in the past. The Dividend's Growth Prospects Are Limited Given that the dividend has been cut in the past, we need to check if earnings are growing and if that might lead to stronger dividends in the future. Admiral Group hasn't seen much change in its earnings per share over the last five years. The company has been growing at a pretty soft 1.3% per annum, and is paying out quite a lot of its earnings to shareholders. This isn't bad in itself, but unless earnings growth pick up we wouldn't expect dividends to grow either. Our Thoughts On Admiral Group's Dividend Overall, it's not great to see that the dividend has been cut, but this might be explained by the payments being a bit high previously. The low payout ratio is a redeeming feature, but generally we are not too happy with the payments Admiral Group has been making. We would be a touch cautious of relying on this stock primarily for the dividend income. Story continues Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. For example, we've picked out 2 warning signs for Admiral Group that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield dividend stocks. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here LONDON (AP) In October, an officer in Russian President Vladimir Putins elite personal security service defected while on a business trip in Kazakhstan. Now a wanted man in Russia, Gleb Karakulov spoke out for the first time in a series of interviews with the Dossier Center, an investigative group in London funded by Russian opposition figure Mikhail Khodorkovsky. The AP took steps to review and verify the material. Our president has become a war criminal, said the 35-year-old engineer. It is time to end this war and stop being silent. Karakulov is one of few Russians to flee and go public who have rank, as well as knowledge of intimate details of Putins life. Karakulov was a captain in Russias secretive Federal Protective Service. or FSO, tasked with setting up secure communications for the Russian president and prime minister. Heres what he had to say about Putin and the war in Ukraine. PUTIN DOESNT USE A MOBILE PHONE OR THE INTERNET In 13 years of service, Karakulov said, he never saw Putin use a mobile phone. When the prime minister travels, he requires an electronic office, with secure internet access. Putin does not. He and others also say Putin insisted on strict anti-COVID-19 measures long after most other world leaders, including mandatory two-week quarantines for staff and COVID tests by Kremlin doctors. Our president is cut off from the world, he lives in an informational vacuum, Karakulov said. He is pathologically afraid for his life. He has surrounded himself with an impenetrable barrier of quarantine and a lack of any information from the internet. PUTIN APPEARS TO BE IN BETTER SHAPE THAN MANY PEOPLE HIS AGE Karakulov said he has taken more than 180 trips with the Russian president, and contrary to widespread speculation, Putin appears to be in good health. Putin has only canceled a few trips due to illness and has annual medical checkups, he said. It was Karakulovs job to set up secure communications at the hospital when Putin checked in. PUTINS PARANOIA APPEARS TO HAVE DEEPENED SINCE UKRAINE INVASION Putin began traveling by special armored train regularly in the build-up to Russias February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, he said. Putins train looks like any other, painted gray with a red stripe to blend in with other railway carriages in Russia. Putin didnt like the fact that airplanes can be tracked, preferring the stealth of a nondescript train car, Karakulov said. I understand that hes simply afraid, he said. Putin has set up identical offices in multiple locations, with matching details down to the desk and wall hangings, and official reports sometimes say hes one place when he is actually in another, according to Karakulov and prior reporting by a Russian media outlet. In October, Putin ordered a bunker at the Russian embassy in Kazakhstan outfitted with a secure communications line the first time Karakulov had ever fielded such a request. I can understand why hes so isolated and why he must be very cautious about any external contacts. Its understandable, said Tatiana Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Half of the world wishes him dead. PUBLIC SUPPORT IN RUSSIA FOR WAR IN UKRAINE The rare defection of a Russian insider raises questions about how deep public support for the war in Ukraine actually runs in Russia. Karakulov wasnt the only one from the FSO who wanted out. An engineer at a regional FSO center in Siberia tried to flee to Kazakhstan in September, shortly after Russias draft took effect. But authorities there sent him back to Russia, where he was sentenced to 6 1/2 years in a penal colony. Boris Bondarev, a career diplomat in Geneva who quit in May and denounced the war, said there are plenty of Russians who quietly oppose the war but dont dare speak out, for fear of losing their livelihoods. A few Foreign Ministry colleagues quit after he did but didnt go public, he said. He added that, like him, theyre having trouble finding work. Bondarev is now living as a political refugee on a government allowance in Switzerland, with security constraints hed rather leave deliberately ambiguous. But he doesnt have regrets. You must do what your what your conscience tells you to do, he said. ___ Associated Press reporters Jamey Keaten in Geneva, Aamer Madhani in Washington and Joanna Kozlowska in London contributed to this report. SHARE: LONDON (AP) Some 500 asylum-seekers in the U.K. will be housed on a barge docked off the south coast of England, the British government said Wednesday of its latest measure aimed at discouraging migrants from crossing the English Channel in small unseaworthy boats. The housing plan is part of a broader effort by the Conservative government to curb migration and cut hotel bills that cost taxpayers 2.3 billion-pounds ($2.9 billion) a year amid a backlog of hundreds of thousands of asylum cases. It could take months before the barge, currently in Italy, is anchored at Portland, off the Dorset coast. The governments plan could face legal challenges along with other forms of opposition. Human rights groups said the barge would be a cruel place to house vulnerable people fleeing war and the idea should be scrapped along with a plan to move thousands of migrants to barracks at unused military bases. Confining hundreds of people in isolation on a barge is just more of the political theater that the government has created to obscure its gross mismanagement of the asylum system, said Steve Valdez-Symonds, refugee and migrants director for Amnesty International UK. The Tory-run Dorset Council and the areas Conservative representative in Parliament, Richard Drax, were considering legal action to prevent the barge from being docked near the seaside resort of Weymouth. U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said using the barge for housing was a fair way to deal with Channel crossings and would save money. We are spending, as a country, 6 million-pounds ($7.5 million) a day housing illegal asylum-seekers in hotels. That cant be right, Sunak said. More than 50,000 asylum-seekers are staying in temporary accommodations while awaiting a decision on their applications, a process that can months. Sunaks government is determined to crack down on the arrivals and is pushing a controversial migration bill that would bar asylum claims by anyone who reaches the U.K. by unauthorized means and deport migrants back home or to a third country. More than 45,000 people arrived in Britain by boat from northern France in 2022, up from 28,000 in 2021 and 8,500 in 2020. ___ Follow APs global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration SHARE: ANKARA, Turkey (AP) A Guinea-Bissau flagged cargo ship with 14 crew members on board sank off Turkeys Mediterranean coast on Wednesday, Turkish officials said. Five crew members were rescued while efforts to find nine others were underway. The Joe 2 sank off the coast of Kumluca, in Antalya province, while heading to Ukraine from the Turkish port of Iskenderun, the state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Gov. Ersin Yazici as saying. The cause of the ship sinking was not immediately clear. The Turkish Coast Guard Command said it received a distress call at 3:47 a.m. and dispatched a vessel, several boats and two helicopters. Two crew members were rescued by the coast guard helicopters while three others were saved by other vessels in the area, it said. All of the crew were Syrian nationals. The coast guard said an investigation has been launched by the chief prosecutors office for Kumluca. SHARE: ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Turkey has closed its airspace to flights to and from an airport in Kurdish-administered northern Iraq, a top Turkish official announced Wednesday, citing an alleged increase in Kurdish militant activity threatening flight safety. The airspace was closed Monday to flights taking off from and landing at Suleimaniyah International Airport, in northern Iraqs semi-autonomous Kurdish region, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tanju Bilgic said. The closure was a response to an alleged increase in the activities of the banned Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, in the city of Suleimaniyah, including its infiltration of the airport, Bilgic said in a written statement. Bilgic said the Turkish airspace would remain closed until July 3, when Turkish authorities would review the security situation. The decision comes weeks after two helicopters crashed in northern Iraq, killing Kurdish militants who were on board. The incident fueled claims that the PKK was in possession of helicopters, infuriating Turkish authorities. The main U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led force in northeastern Syria later said it lost nine fighters, including a commander, in the crash, which occurred during bad weather on a flight to Suleimaniyah. The nine included elite fighters who were in Iraq as part of an exchange of expertise in the fight against the Islamic State group, according to a group known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF. Suleimaniyah International Airport director Handren al Mufti said the airport received an email from Turkish Airlines on April 3 saying its flights that day and the next were canceled. A subsequent email extended the flight suspension until April 11, Mufti said. He said airport officials received no response when they asked why the action was taken. I can assure everyone that we have no security issues at all, and not a single incident of security breach occurred inside the airport, but apparently there are other purposes behind their decision, Mufti said. Turkish Airlines flew twice daily from Istanbul to Suleimaniyah. The PKK has waged an insurgency against Turkey since the 1980s and is considered a terrorist group by Ankara, the United States and the European Union. Its members have established safe havens in northern Iraq and frequently come under attack by Turkey in the region. Turkey also considers a Syrian Kurdish militant group, which forms the backbone of the SDF, as a terrorist organization. The United States however, distinguishes between the PKK and SDF and doesnt consider the SDF a terrorist group. The helicopter crash also fed into a local rivalry between the two main Kurdish parties in Iraq. Officials from the Kurdish Democratic Party, which has maintained largely good relations with Turkey, alleged after the crash that the helicopters had been originally purchased by the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party, which has its stronghold in Suleimaniyah, and that they had been flying without permission from the regional government. __ Associated Press writer Salar Salim contributed from Baghdad. SHARE: OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Oklahoma Republicans removed the states only nonbinary legislator from House committees after the lawmaker provided refuge to a transgender rights activist. In Florida, two Democratic leaders were arrested for participating in a protest over abortion restrictions. And in Tennessee, three Democratic House members are facing expulsion for using a bullhorn in the House chamber to show support for demonstrators demanding gun control. In an increasingly polarized political atmosphere, experts say these kinds of harsh punishments for minority party members standing up for principles they believe in are becoming more common, especially when acts of civil disobedience clash with the rigid policies and procedures of legislative decorum. The modern-day division between Democrats and Republicans is at its highest level since immediately after the Civil War, said Scot Schraufnagel, a political science professor at Northern Illinois University who has studied and written about political incivility. I used to teach students that its not as bad as it once was, Schraufnagel said. Its as bad or worse than its ever been, with the caveat that we dont have data from pre-Civil War era. While many Republican leaders are loudly complaining about the arrest of former President Donald Trump on 34 felony criminal charges, its members of the Democratic minority in GOP-led states who have been facing a crackdown for their political actions. Over the last few years, I feel like the extremism has increased and the polarization has gotten worse, said Oklahoma House Minority Leader Rep. Cyndi Munson, whose Democratic colleague Rep. Mauree Turner was formally censured by the GOP-controlled House after a transgender rights protester involved in a scuffle with Capitol police sought refuge in Turners office. Obviously were seeing this in Oklahoma ... this desire (for Republicans) to use their power to silence anyone who doesnt think like them. They seem to want to shut out and silence people who dont think exactly like they do. Turner, one of the few Black legislators in the Legislature and the first openly nonbinary and Muslim person elected to state office in Oklahoma, was told they could be restored to their committees if they apologized to the House and to the Capitol patrol. Turner said that wont happen. I cant apologize for loving the people of Oklahoma enough to fight for their rights, Turner said this week. Weeks later, when a Republican colleague was censured over an arrest for public drunkenness during which he tried to claim legislative immunity, Turner joined some other Democrats in voting against the punishment. I will not put people in a physical prison, I will not put people in a social prison, Turner said, and I sure as hell wont put them in a political prison. In Tennessee, Republicans will vote Thursday on whether to kick Democratic Reps. Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson out of their offices for taking to the front of the House and chanting back and forth with gun control supporters who packed the gallery days after The Covenant School shooting in Nashville that killed six people, including three children. Expulsions in the Tennessee General Assembly are extremely rare and typically center on criminal activity. House Minority Leader Karen Camper described her Democratic colleagues actions as good trouble, a nod to the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis guiding principal on civil disobedience. As scrutiny over the expulsion effort increased, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday criticized Republican lawmakers focus on rebuking Democrats for protesting rather than addressing solutions to avoid another school shooting. What did the Republican legislators do? Theyre trying to expel these three Democratic legislators who joined in the protest, Jean-Pierre said, adding that GOP members are shrugging in the face of yet another tragic school shooting while our kids continue to pay the price. In Florida, Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book is not expected to face any legislative discipline after she and Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried were arrested and charged with trespassing for refusing to leave a protest in Tallahassee against a bill to ban abortions after six weeks. Fried, who was Floridas agriculture commissioner and the only statewide elected Democrat before losing a campaign for governor last year, just took over a party that is at its lowest point in state history. Book said she realizes the Republican supermajority in the Legislature can pass whatever it wants regardless of what Democrats do. Its my charge to lead a group of 11 other Democrats and to get them excited every single day to fight a battle that a lot of times we know were going to lose, Book said. Schraufnagel, the professor, said much of the incivility is a result of a political-agenda shift toward hot-button topics like abortion, gun restrictions and transgender rights. Whats happened is that politicians have used social issues to try to drive wedges into the voting base of their opponents, Schraufnagel said. When we have intense polarization, which is the current era, and you add incivility to the mix, were getting hyper-conflict that is not conducive to effective governance. ___ Associated Press reporters Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville, Tennessee, and Brendan Farrington in Tallahassee, Florida, contributed to this report. SHARE: BIRMINGHAM, Mich. (AP) A near-century old abortion ban that fueled one of the largest ballot drives in Michigan history was repealed Wednesday by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, just months after voters enshrined abortion rights in the states constitution. Today, were going to take action to make sure that our statutes and our laws reflect our values and our constitution, Whitmer said at a bill signing outside of Detroit. The 1931 abortion ban made it a four-year felony to assist in an abortion. Roe v. Wade had made the law null and void until the landmark decision was overturned in June by the U.S. Supreme Court. Courts blocked the ban from taking effect while a citizen-led initiative to enshrine abortion rights in the states constitution received more signatures than any other ballot proposal in state history to put the question before voters. Voters overwhelmingly approved the proposal in last Novembers midterms, making the 1931 law unconstitutional and unenforceable. The 1931 ban could have been enforced in the future had voters collected enough signatures to once again amend the state constitution and repeal abortion rights. Whitmers signature Wednesday eliminated that possibility, erasing the law completely. We cannot allow archaic laws to remain on our books under the assumption that theyll never be used again, said Democratic state Rep. Laurie Pohutsky. We dont know what the future will hold and we dont know what plans abortion opponents have. Last month, the Michigan House and Senate each with a two-seat Democratic majority voted to send a repeal of the abortion ban to the governor. A majority of Republicans opposed the bill, speaking out ahead of the vote on the legality of abortion as a whole. Pohutsky, who sponsored the legislation repealing the law, said at the event Wednesday that this is far from the end of the story, and that the Democratic-controlled Statehouse will continue expanding access to reproductive health care. Wednesdays signing marked another victory for abortion rights supporters in Michigan, who joined California and Vermont last November in enshrining abortion rights in their states constitution. Kentucky, a reliably red state, rejected a ballot measure aimed at denying any state constitutional protections for abortion. Voters in Wisconsin elected a Democratic-backed Milwaukee judge Tuesday to the states Supreme Court, ensuring liberals will take over majority control of the court with the fate of the states abortion ban on the line. Who would have thought two years ago, three years ago, five years ago, that we would be as Democrats looking to Michigan, Kansas, Wisconsin, Montana and Kentucky to be on the frontline of protecting reproductive freedom for women across this country, said Laphonza Butler, the president of EMILYs List. Whitmer joined other speakers at the event in Birmingham in calling out Republican-led states for restricting abortion rights, saying laws in Texas and South Carolina were un-American, anti-free and, frankly, sickening. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has pushed for a six-week ban in his state, is scheduled to appear in Michigan on Thursday to speak at a Midland County GOP event before heading to southern Michigan to speak at Hillsdale College. SHARE: On Tuesday, Sept. 24, 1968, I watched a brand-new program on CBS called 60 Minutes. One of the anchors, Harry Reasoner, called it, a magazine for television, a concept unheard of. It wasnt successful out of the gate, but it is now the longest continuously running program in American network prime time. It is not an overstatement to say that for many journalists it came to be regarded as the standard of excellence in TV news. Which is why this Sundays episode was such a disappointment. 60 Minutes devoted its opening segment to Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican member of Congress from a district in northwest Georgia. There is nothing wrong with profiling a politician. Its been done hundreds of times over the years. But MTG, as shes called, is not an ordinary politician. She is vile. Even a cursory look at her record tells you that the word extreme does not begin to describe her. She has supported the execution of people like Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and FBI agents. She has made anti-Semitic, Islamaphobic, and homophobic statements. She called the school shooting at Sandy Hook, a staged event, blamed the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol on Black Lives Matter and hasnt shied away from promoting violence, as in, The only way you get your freedom back is if its earned with the price of blood. If 60 Minutes was going to allow that kind of person on its airwaves, it should have been to denounce her. In 1954, another CBS News program, See it Now, did just that with Sen. Joseph McCarthy, who hunted Communists even when there werent any. The anchor, Edward R. Murrow, exposed McCarthy for the lying fearmonger he was. But the treatment of MTG wasnt nearly tough enough. When she said all Democratic politicians were pedophiles, including President Joe Biden, correspondent Lesley Stahl raised an eyebrow, said, Wow! Really? and moved on. When she said the United States should have a Christian government, Stahl pointed out the U.S. Constitution separated religion from state. MTG told her that was true, but the Founding Fathers used lots of biblical references, so presumably they werent serious. Stahl could have asked if that meant Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, etc. shouldnt be allowed to run for office. But she didnt. She moved on. Greene was bold enough to go on the offensive, implying that she was the victim of unfair attacks. She asked Stahl if she was going to be held accountable for, my statements from kindergarten through 12th grade. Instead of pointing out that Greene had said terrible things as an adult and congresswoman, Stahl said nothing. When a demagogue like Marjorie Taylor Greene shows up on 60 Minutes, she should come away diminished. Viewers should understand that she is a cancer on civil society. That wouldnt have been twisting reality, it would have been telling the truth. CBS News wasnt up to the challenge, and now, sadly, it is diminished. Mark Bulgutch is the former senior executive producer of CBC News. SHARE: As if the problems plaguing 24 Sussex Dr. couldnt get worse, now this dead rodent carcasses in the walls. So many in fact, that the air quality in the building is at risk. For a property saddled with many other homeowner nightmares mould, corroded plumbing, hazardous wiring, asbestos and old mechanical and heating systems it might well be time to start from scratch. Documents obtained by the National Post detail the latest stomach-turning news. Bait used to control rodents has meant excrement and carcasses between the walls and in the attic and basement spaces. Tales of the residences deterioration are an evergreen news story. A Star story in 2019 noted then that it was in critical condition. Voices, including this page, have argued that a top-to-bottom renovation is the way to go to preserve an historic building that has served as the prime ministers residence for more than seven decades. Any action is better than the status quo. Built in 1868 for a lumber baron, it was taken over by the federal government and decided that it would serve as prime ministers residence in 1950. Louis St. Laurent was the first PM to use it in 1951 and his successors have followed. So yes, theres history in the political personalities and their families who called the place home and in the meetings held there that surely shaped the course of Canada. It has played host to dignitaries that include Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth and John F. Kennedy. To be honest though, the place is better known for its address rather than the building that stands there. Justin Trudeau never moved in after winning power in 2015 because of the deteriorating state of the building. It has sat unused since then, with the exception of the kitchen, which was still used to prepare meals. Now even the kitchen has been abandoned. Surely now, after years of inaction, the imperative is to move forward on a solution. Lets get a few proposals on the table. What would a renovation of the building look like and what would it cost? Let us also consider the options for an entirely new building that draws on the imaginations of Canadian architects and designers, a structure that could be a showcase for cutting-edge environmental practices and leverages its scenic location overlooking the Ottawa River with the Gatineau Hills in the distance. As the Star reported last year, the National Capital Commission, the crown agency that oversees the official residences, has done some daydreaming, sketching out ideas for a larger building that could better support the official functions of the prime ministers office, such as state dinners and press conferences. Its not certain all that is needed when there are spots elsewhere to handle such events. But it shows that plans are afoot. All we need is the political will to get them into gear. Lets be mature about the process and not resort to petty, partisan penny-pinching attacks that we see so often around projects of this sort. No doubt, that is what accounts for the inaction and uncertainty around the property now. After all, who wants to stick their neck and advocate for a new official residence or a costly reno at the very time countless young Canadians cant afford to own or even rent in the overheated housing market? But lets not fool ourselves that by not taking action, we are saving money. The property, officially closed last November, is costing taxpayers. By 2019, some $6.6 million had been spent over the previous decade on upkeep. The National Capital Commission, which is responsible for official residences, estimated in 2019 that it would cost $36.6 million to restore 24 Sussex. Demolishing it and rebuilding from scratch would cost about $40 million. With each passing year, the price tag of a renovation or a tear down and rebuild inevitably goes up. Its time to jolt this project from its political limbo. Tear it down or fix it up but its long past time to deal with the crumbling pile that is 24 Sussex. SHARE: Premier Doug Ford wants the city to find efficiencies to plug the citys budget gap. At the same time he does not want the city to cut spending on the police. It seems there are no efficiencies to be found in the police force. It is sad that we have a premier who operates under two distinct sets of rules. One for the people he likes (developers and police) and another for the people he doesnt like (teachers and medical workers). I wonder if he thinks we havent noticed. Michael Yaffe, Toronto Read more about: SHARE: Aequus Pharmaceuticals VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aequus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (TSX-V: AQS, OTCQB: AQSZF) (Aequus or the Company), announced today it has entered into a loan agreement to raise $500,000 to support the launch of Zimed PF. Mr. Doug Janzen, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, will provide financing to Aequus by way of an unsecured demand loan of C$500,000 (the Loan). The Loan bears interest at an annual rate of two and a half percent (2.5%) to be calculated and repaid monthly and is repayable on demand. We are very excited about the commercial prospects for Zimed and these funds are earmarked for launch and pre-launch activities, said Mr. Janzen. On December 20th, 2022, Aequus Pharmaceuticals announced Health Canadas approval of Zimed PF (Bimatoprost 0.03%) for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angled glaucoma or ocular hypertension. This new product is the only multi-dose preservative free prostaglandin analog (PGA) on the market, offering patients the efficacy, convenience, and safety without the use of preservatives. Glaucoma is a serious eye condition that affects millions of people worldwide and is a leading cause of blindness. Traditional glaucoma treatments have relied on the use of preservatives to extend the shelf life of the medication in multi-dose bottles. The use of preservatives may be linked to a range of adverse side effects, including eye irritation, redness, and even damage to the ocular surface. Grant Larsen, Chief Commercial Officer notes that many countries around the world have transitioned away from preserved eyedrop medications, and we expect Canadian Physicians and patients to adopt Zimed Preservative Free in short order. The funds will be used for general working capital and are expected to accelerate sales efforts and digital resources to build professional education and awareness. The Loan involves a related party (as such term is defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101), specifically a director and senior officer of the Company, and constitutes a related party transaction under MI 61-101. This transaction is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(f) of MI 61-101, as the Company is not listed or quoted on any of the stock exchanges or markets listed in subsection 5.5(b) of MI 61-101, and the Loan represents a loan from a related party on reasonable commercial terms that are not less advantageous to the Company than if the Loan were obtained from a person dealing at arms length and the Loan is not convertible or repayable in securities. Story continues In Addition, the Company would like to thank Stuart Fowler, who has resigned from the Board of Directors. We are appreciative for Stuarts unwavering commitment to Aequus and the contributions he has made to our business these past three years. Stu has been a leader in the Canadian Eye Care space for years and we are grateful to keep him on as an advisor. We wish him much success in his new ventures said Doug Janzen, Chairman and CEO of Aequus. His expertise and guidance will continue to be invaluable in preparing for critical launches in the Ophthalmology and Eyecare markets in mid-2023. ABOUT AEQUUS PHARMACEUTICALS INC. Aequus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (TSX-V: AQS , OTCQB: AQSZF ) is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing high quality, differentiated products. Aequus has grown its sales and marketing efforts to include several commercial products in ophthalmology. Aequus plans to build on its Canadian commercial platform through the launch of additional products that are either created internally or brought in through an acquisition or license, remaining focused on highly specialized therapeutic areas. For further information, please visit www.aequuspharma.ca . FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT DISCLAIMER This release may contain forward-looking statements or forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities legislation that may not be based on historical fact, including, without limitation, statements containing the words believe, may, plan, will, estimate, continue, anticipate, intend, expect, potential and similar expressions. Forward- looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions made by us in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as the factors we believe are appropriate. Forward-looking statements include but are not limited to statements relating to: the use of proceeds from the Loan; the potential for a further financing arrangement between the Company and Mr. Janzen; the expected timing for product launches; and the implementation of our business model and strategic plans. Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties and are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Aequus, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In making the forward looking statements included in this release, the Company has made various material assumptions. In evaluating forward looking statements, current and prospective shareholders should specifically consider various factors set out herein and under the heading Risk Factors in the Companys annual information form dated June 30, 2022, copies of which are available on Aequus profile on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com, and as otherwise disclosed from time to time on Aequus SEDAR profile. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties, or a risk that is not currently known to us materialize, or should assumptions underlying those forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release and we do not intend, and do not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are inherently uncertain. Accordingly, investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward looking statements. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contact Information: Aequus Investor Relations Email: investors@aequuspharma.ca Phone: 604-336-7906 Many School Boards of India are in the process of formalizing the instructions on Vedic Mathematics. Ever since Prime Minister spoke of Vedic Mathematics in his radio address Maan-ki-Baat, a controversy that once appeared after publication of the book on the subject in English (1965) written by Jagatguru Shankaracharya Bharathi Krishna Tirtha (1884-1960) of Govardhan Math (Puri) has resurfaced. The discussion at that time had centered around the fact that sixteen mathematical formulae that Bharathi Tirtha had expounded were not part of any known version of the Atharva Veda. However, these formulae provided interesting computational tricks of solving middleschool arithmetic. The purpose of this piece is not to undermine in any way the traditional Indian knowledge system but urges the need to put that in proper perspective. Though Atharvaveda had some discourse on arithmetic, remarkable development of Astronomical studies took place in India in 2nd millennium BCE. Astronomy at that time developed as an auxiliary discipline associated with the study of Veda. Vedanga Jyotisha accurately identified the Winter Solstice around 1400 BCE. This knowledge was taken to a logical conclusion in Surya Siddhanta (505 CE), perhaps the best-known Indian text on the subject, describing the motions of the sun, moon and various planets relative to various constellations in a geocentric system. The text estimated with reasonable precision the equatorial diameter of various astronomical bodies in the solar system, and calculated their orbits. The book was translated into Arabic in the 8th century. Aryabhata (476-550 CE), was the first to state that the apparent westward motion of stars every day was due to rotation of the earth around its axis taking approximately four minutes less than 24 hours. He also stated that the apparent luminosity of the moon and other planets in the solar system is essentially reflected sunlight. Aryabhata explained how to predict with reasonable precision the occurrences of eclipses. Before the development of the Heliocentric Theory (that earth and other planets are moving around the Sun) by Copernicus in the 16th century, Aryabhatas was perhaps the most remarkable contribution in the field of Astronomy. Varahamihira (6th century), Brahmagupta (7th Century), Bhaskar I (7th Century), Bhaskar II (12th Century), Narayan Pandita (14th Century) and Madhava Sangamagrama (14th/15th Century) made spectacular contributions in the field of Mathematics and Astronomy. The most notable work of Varahamihira, a contemporary of Aryabhata, was Panchasiddhantika, a concise collection of Indian and GrecoRoman astronomy. Varahamihira praised the Greeks for being well trained in sciences indicating thereby awareness of the Indian scholars about the developments in other parts of the world. Brahmaguptas Brahmasphutasiddhanta is the earliest known text to treat zero as a number in its own right rather than as simply a placeholder digit in representing another number as was done by the Babylonians or as a symbol for lack of quantity as was done by Ptolemy and the Romans. In the book, Brahmagupta also described operations of negative numbers. In his astronomical contribution, he asserted that the area under the illuminated part of the moon every day can be explained from the relative position of the Sun and Moon and the angles between them. His contemporary, Bhaskara I, was the first to write the Indian numeral system with a circle for the zero. Sindh was invaded by the Arabs in 712 CE. Brahmaguptas works were translated into Arabic by Muhammad Al-Fazari. The book was further translated into Latin in 1126 CE. Arabian mathematician AlKhwarizmi (800-850 CE) wrote a text on Indian Arithmetic which was further translated into Latin in 13th century. Thus, the wonders of Indian mathematicians gradually became part of the global knowledge system. Bhaskara II (Bhaskaracharya) made many remarkable improvements upon existing knowledge in the field of Spherical Trigonometry and in areas that we today recognize as derivatives and integrals. He had the preliminary notion of infinitesimal. Narayan Pandit further developed the ideas of differential calculus found in the work of Bhaskara II. Madhava Sangamagrama, the Malayali mathematician, developed the concept of infinite series functions. In Europe the first such series was developed by James Gregory (1667). European Mathematicians of the 17th century viz. Descarte, Fermat, Pascal and Isaac Barrow made various refinements and extensions in the existing knowledge of derivatives and integrals. Newton (1642-1726) and Leibniz (1646-1716) took all of these disparate ideas into a coherent framework and had set up the foundation of Calculus. UGC recently issued draft guidelines for training of faculty members of Universities and Colleges in the Indian Knowledge System, which besides others prescribes courses on Vedic Mathematics. It does not make much sense to formally introduce the instructions on Vedic Mathematics at school level. A sidereal day as per traditional Indian mathematics consisted of 60 danda. Each danda consisted of 60 paul and each paul consisted of 60 bipaul. Is it required for students in India to know all these details in addition to hour-minutes-seconds as a unit of time? Perhaps what we need is to sensitize our students on the history of development of Mathematics and Astronomy in our country and explain the relevance of such work in the evolution of modern Mathematics, and not the introduction of so-called Vedic Mathematics as an additional course for all students. (The writer is a former civil servant.) West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose said that hooligans wont be allowed to take the law into their own hands and there would be solid action from law enforcement agencies. The Governor rushed to violence-hit Rishra on Tuesday from Darjeeling and spoke to senior police officials and locals in the affected town and adjoining areas in Hooghly district. Mr Bose reached Rishra directly from Kolkata airport after arriving from Darjeeling and visited Railway Gate 4, epicentre of the trouble that erupted during a Ram Navami procession in which BJP MP Dilip Ghosh and party MLA Biman Ghosh took part on Sunday evening. Mr Bose was there in Darjeeling for a G20 meeting but cut short his trip to rush to Hooghly. Biman Ghosh was taken to a local hospital after sustaining injuries during the violence. There will be solid action by all enforcement agencies. We will never allow miscreants to take the law into their own hands. Police will come down heavily on them. Bengal has been suffering for a long time, we will put an end to it, Mr Bose said. The Centre and the state government would work together to eliminate mob violence, he added. Mr Bose also visited Bijoy Malik, who was injured in the Rishra communal clash at the state-run SSKM Hospital after coming back from Rishra later in the day. Mr Malik is scheduled to undergo a brain surgery at the hospital. One injured person is undergoing treatment here at SSKM Hospital, Mr Bose said after meeting the patient, adding, On behalf of the Raj Bhavan I donated Rs 25,000 for his treatment. Tension continued to prevail in Rishra town with most shops and establishments downing their shutters throughout the day since Monday. People stayed indoors after police clamped prohibitory orders in the area. Howrah and Hooghly, two districts adjoining Kolkata, have been hit by clashes between members of two communities in two separate incidents in Shibpur and Rishra town since Thursday. Public property was vandalised and police had to use tear gas shells to bring the situation under control. Another round of violence erupted in Hooghly on Sunday The BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar on Monday was prevented from meeting Biman Ghosh, the BJP Pursurah MLA, who was injured in the Rishra violence and is under treatment at a private hospital at Hindmotor. The BJP state president as a mark of protest for not being allowed to meet the injured MLA sat on Dharna for nearly five hours on GT Road at Konnagar. Thereafter, he declared that he will sit on dharna at Serampore Battala Road junction, today. Party workers erected a dharna podium at Serampore Battala, however, the police brought it down and prevented any gathering of BJP party workers. Mr Majumdar, as per his schedule, set out for the dharna manch but was stopped on Delhi Road adjacent to Rishra. The highway remained blocked for hours causing massive road congestion. Later, Mr Majumdar turned back towards Kolkata to meet the Governor. Mr Majumdar blamed the police for their inaction when on Monday evening at Rishra level crossing, stone missiles were targeted at the longdistance and local trains by miscreants and goons. The railways was forced to stop train services, keeping in view the safety and security of passengers in the trains. Mr Majumdar said the police is being misused by the state government only to prevent the BJP holding protest meetings, rallies and dharna and to target party leaders and party workers, and is least bothered about security of the common man. Police sources said Section 144 is imposed in Serampore-Rishra affected areas and internet services have been temporarily suspended until peace returns. More than seven years after the death of a man in police custody, the Orissa High Court has directed the state government to pay Rs 10 lakh to parents of the victim of custodial torture. The Jeypore Police in Koraput district had intercepted motorcycle-borne Akash Mahuria on 30 January, 2017 as the man was wanted in several criminal cases and non-bailable warrants. Mahuria was allegedly tortured mercilessly in police custody. He had sustained multiple injuries due to third-degree treatment inflicted on him by cops. Later, the man succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment in a government-run hospital. Multiple external and internal injuries had led to profuse bleeding and had resulted in his death. Pradip Kumar Mahuria and Prabina Mahuria, parents of the deceased, had moved the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC). The rights panel had ordered an inquiry by the State crime branch of police into the alleged custodial death case. However, the CB probe moved at a snails pace prompting the deceaseds parents to knock at the doors of Orissa High Court seeking justice. A Division Bench of Justice Biraja Prasanna Satapathy, expressing displeasure over slow progress of Crime Branch probe and rejecting the police version that the victim died due to falling down from the motorcycle, directed the Government to pay Rs 10 lakh compensation to the petitioners (deceaseds parents). After going through the materials on record, more particularly the nature and number on injuries on the deceaseds body, the Court is of the prima facie opinion that son of the petitioners died due to severe assault inflicted on him by the local police of Jeypore police station on 30 January 2017, Justice Satapathy stated in the order. The Court is not inclined to accept the stand taken by the opposite parties that the man succumbed to injury because of falling down from the motorcycle. It can be safely concluded that the deceased was subjected to police atrocity and due to assault inflicted on him, the deceased succumbed to injury, the order added. A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed at the Orissa High Court seeking judicial intervention to ensure adequate potable water at the popular tourist spot Konark sun temple, which records large footfall every day. As harsh summer is fast approaching, the authorities concerned ought to mitigate the drinking water issues inside the Sun Temple at Konark. The Reverse Osmosis Plant inside or outside of the Sun Temple needs to be installed. There should be the installation of water dispenser points for the drinking water needs of tourists, visitors, and staff of the Archaeological Survey of India. Environmentalists and social activists are up in arms against the piling up of garbage and death of fish in Teppakulam Mariamman water body in Madurai. Dr Suraikulan, a social activist and environmentalist at Tirunelveli, adjoining district of Madurai said, Mariamman Teppakulam water body is a tourist destination but tourists are welcomed by large quantity of garbage and dead fish. Food remains and plastic covers from the nearby eateries are also present in large quantities in this water body. Strict action is to be taken but we feel that there is lethargy. He also said that the corporation must take strict action against the eateries lined up in large numbers near the Mariamman Teppakulam water body. However, Madurai Corporation commissioner, Simranjeet Singh Kahlon told media that the garbage dumped in Mariamman Teppakulam would be cleared and a special team deputed to remove unauthorised eateries. Even as the Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai was openly clamouring for fighting the 2024 elections single-handedly, the national leadership of the saffron party was cautious in responding to this. While Annamalai, in a recent party meeting, even announced his resignation if the alliance with the AIADMK continues, the national leadership read Union home minister Amit Shah announced publicly that the BJP-AIADMK tie would continue. Soon after the single bench of the Madras High Court gave the order in his favour on his election as party general secretary, Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) had announced that the alliance with the BJP would continue. The national leadership of the BJP is keen that the NDA alliance in Tamil Nadu win a few seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and for that the BJP alliance with a Dravidian major was necessary. With the AIADMK in alliance with the BJP already, the statements of the party state president K. Annamalai have not gone down well with the national leadership of the saffron party. Sources in the AIADMK told IANS that EPS would be having a One-on-One meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the state on April 8 and 9 for the inauguration of the new terminal of Chennai airport. The AIADMK general secretary will also be meeting the Union Home Minister and the party national president J.P. Nadda. However, the dates of these meetings are not finalised and will most likely be held after EPS meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tamil Nadu. With the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in a comfortable position given the popularity of the Chief Minister, the AIADMK was scouting for other possibilities, including alliances with the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Desiya Dravida Murpokku Kazhagam(DMDK) who have their own strengths in many constituencies of Tamil Nadu. Coupled with these parties, some Muslim political outfits were also willing for an alliance with the AIADMK if it severs its relationship with the BJP. Sensing danger, the BJP national leadership has communicated to the AIADMK leaders that it would sort out the differences with the saffron party and wanted the alliance to continue. ReportLinker The global Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the IoT market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 27.86% during the forecast period. The need to efficiently process vast volumes of real-time data generated from IoT devices, the growing demand for performance management appliances, and the need to reduce downtime and maintenance costs are the primary factors driving the markets growth. New York, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "AI in IoT Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06134968/?utm_source=GNW Key Highlights IoT technology is essential for various organizations to digitally transform, thus, empowering them to upgrade the existing processes by creating and tracking new business models. More and more companies view IoT as an important element for business success, thus increasing its adoption. AI and IoT, both technologies, when combined, are creating intelligent machines that simulate rational behavior and support decision-making with little or no human interference. The growing emphasis on effective management of data generated from IoT devices to gain valuable insights and real-time monitoring to curate an enhanced customer experience are the key growth drivers for the market. The retail industry is leveraging cloud AI in IoT-based services to augment customer experience programs and generate more customer-oriented products. For instance, in a smart retail environment, a camera system outfitted with computer vision capabilities can use facial recognition to recognize customers when they walk through the door. Suppose the system detects most customers walking into the store are Millennials. In that case, it can push out product advertisements or in-store specials that appeal to that demographic, therefore driving sales.? Furthermore, most companies are shifting to the cloud from on-premise AI, owing to faster delivery time with low latency and real-time tracking, likely to foster the studied market growth during the forecast period?. For instance, Amazon Echo Amazon has introduced Web Services IoT, a managed cloud platform and lets devices connect securely to cloud applications and other devices. In February 2021, IBM and Red Hat announced a new collaboration to use a hybrid cloud designed to deliver an open, flexible, and more secure solution for manufacturers and plant operators that will drive real-time value from operations data from industrial IoT. However, the lack of a skilled workforce and growing concerns regarding data security are some major factors restraining the studied market growth. It is crucial to ensure that the data is secure and in safe hands because AI and IOT collect sensitive and essential data from their users or clients. But since users have no idea when someone would attempt to access our private and sensitive data, security is always a concern with technology and restricting the market growth. During the spread of Coronavirus, the ability for organizations to access scalable, dependable, and highly secure computing power, whether for vital healthcare work, to help students continue learning, or to keep unprecedented numbers of employees online and productive from home are some of the critical factors owing to the growth of the market in this situation. Hospital networks, pharmaceutical companies, and research labs are using AI-enabled IoT devices to care for patients, explore treatments, and mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 in many other ways. All of the above factors have accelerated the markets growth rate in the short run and are expected to augment it further in the long term. Artificial Intelligence in IoT Market Trends Manufacturing Industry Is Expected To Witness Significant Growth Manufacturers are increasingly taking steps to achieve 100% automated data management systems. AI-enabled IoT applications for manufacturing can also efficiently deal with operations such as monitoring and optimizing equipment performance, production quality control, and human-to-machine interaction. Faster and more efficient manufacturing and supply chain operations significantly reduce product cycle time. In May 2021, Bosch launched a new AIoT platform that provides real-time data on energy consumption at manufacturing sites. The Phantom Edge platform delivers manufacturing efficiency, real-time alerts, and notifications for timely, actionable insights. It also automates data capture and measures accurate downtimes by providing timely, bias-free, and precise data that form the basis for managers to set targets, track performance, analyze, and improve continuously. Moreover, With the high rate of adoption of sensors and connected devices and the enabling of M2M communication, there has been a massive increase in the data points generated in the manufacturing industry. These data points could be of various kinds, ranging from a metric describing the time taken for a material to pass through one process cycle to a more advanced one, such as calculating the material stress capability in the automotive industry.? Various vendors in the market are also offering professional services specific to the manufacturing industry. IBM offers its IoT professional services under Watson, including consulting, and boasts prominent clients in the manufacturing space. For example, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, an automobile manufacturer in India, has adopted connected engineering solutions from IBM. ? Further, an India-based start-up, Lincode Labs, utilizes AI and Industrial IoT solutions to increase the profitability of manufacturers. The company helps manufacturers automate visual inspection and improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) by identifying product defects using computer vision and artificial intelligence with the help of deep learning. Combined, these factors are expected to drive the markets growth during the forecast period. North America Is Anticipated To Hold Major Market Share The growth in the North American AI in the IoT market is associated with an increase in the number of early adopters of the technology. Modern manufacturing facilities in the United States rely on new technologies and innovations to produce higher quality products at a significant rate with lower costs. The emerging technologies that are expected to emerge out of the existing technologies, transforming manufacturing in the United States, are expected to include the convergence of AI and IoT, with companies, like SAS Software touting IoT as the next wave for IoT based on AI. Additionally, awareness about IoT solutions in industries is significantly higher in the region compared to others. According to a study by Mendix in March 2021, 78% of the US manufacturing workers welcome digitalization, and eight in ten manufacturing workers are interested in learning new digital skills. Other factors influencing the markets growth are the presence of several significant players in the region. The higher cloud adoption rate among end-users drives investment in the studied market. The market players in the area are observing strategic partnerships and collaborations among various significant players, making a profitable path toward market expansion. The adoption of intelligent robots across several end-user industries is driving the growth of the market studied. North America is among the advanced innovators and pioneers in adopting robotics and is one of the largest markets. The fundamental reason for the markets growth is the increasing adoption of robots across numerous industries. The region also homes several robotics manufacturers and companies that provide AI for robot manufacturers. Furthermore, the region is also witnessing increasing investment in the market, which is expected to be one of the key driving factors for market growth during the forecast period. For instance, in February 2021, Advantech, an industrial IoT solutions provider, partnered with Momenta Ventures to launch the AI and IoT Ecosystem Fund, with a target of USD 50 million capital focused on AI and IoT innovators in North America. Artificial Intelligence in IoT Industry Overview The AI in IoT Market is highly competitive owing to the presence of a large number of players in the market operating in domestic and international markets. The market appears to be fragmented. Due to the increase in the applications of AI in the IoT market, major players are adopting strategies like product innovation, partnerships, mergers, and acquisitions. Some of the key developments are: May 2021 - Google Cloud announced the general availability of Vertex AI, a managed machine learning (ML) platform that allows companies to accelerate the deployment and maintenance of artificial intelligence (AI) models and IoT. Vertex AI requires nearly 80% fewer lines of code to train a model versus competitive platforms. It enables data scientists and ML engineers across all levels of expertise to implement Machine Learning Operations (MLOps) to efficiently build and manage ML and IoT projects throughout the entire development lifecycle. March 2021 - IOTech, the edge software company, announced the launch of Edge XRT, its time-critical edge platform for Microsoft Azure Sphere. Designed and optimized for resource-constrained environments, Edge XRT delivers device connectivity and edge intelligence for microcontroller units (MCUs), gateways, and smart sensors at the IoT edge. February 2021 - Oracle has launched a range of solutions for the construction industry, using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze project data. This suite of applications is designed to help users detect risks and make more informed project decisions. Additional Benefits: The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format 3 months of analyst support Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06134968/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Story continues CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 The Opposition BJP on Wednesday staged a walkout from the state Legislative Assembly in protest against the reduction of wards of the Municipal Corporation Shimla. Before the walkout, the Opposition also raised slogans in the House. They lodged their protest for reducing the wards of the civic body from 41 to 34 by the government. The state government had passed the Municipal Corporation Shimla Amendment Bill on the previous day, in the absence of the opposition. BJP MLA Randhir Sharma raised the issue of reduction in the number of wards of Shimla Municipal Corporation through Point of Order, after the Question Hour. He sought to know why the government is repeatedly bringing ordinances 15 days before the Budget session. when the Vidhan Sabha is in session. He said that bringing a bill to reduce the number of wards is against the rules when the elections have been announced. Sharma said that the previous BJP government had increased the number of wards as per the rules. He also opposed the change in the criteria for the reservation of wards for Scheduled Castes by the cabinet. On the same issue, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur accused the government of rigging voter lists to win the Shimla Municipal Corporation elections and alleged that the government had made 11,000 bogus votes overnight. He also said that the work of the Election Commission seems to have been taken over by the government, thereby crippling the autonomy of the commission. He alleged that the government changed the rules thrice on March 14, March 25, and March 30 to win the corporation elections. Jai Ram Thakur said that the government has reserved such wards for women, which have the least number of women voters. Chief Minister Thakur Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu responding to the charges of the opposition said that progress cannot be brought about by walking out. He said that the government has amended the Municipal Corporation Act by staying within the purview of the law. The chief minister alleged that the opposition does not like good work. He said that the Municipal Corporation Shimla elections were to be held before the Vidhansabha elections, but the BJP deliberately put these elections in legal trouble. He said that under the Municipal Corporation Act, the number of wards has been reduced and fresh wards have been reserved for women. He also advised the opposition to discuss the bills to be brought in the interest of the state. Refuting the allegations of the opposition, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harsh Vardhan Chauhan said that had the opposition been so much concerned, it would have discussed it in the house instead of leaving the house. He said that the opposition is not serious about the discussion in the House and that the government has brought the ordinance within the ambit of the law. Chauhan also said that it is the right of the government to bring the bill and the opposition cannot interfere in it. Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri speaking on the same issue questioned the Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur why he did not conduct the Municipal Corporation Shimla elections on time. The reality is that the BJP fears defeat and that is why even today it is creating hurdles in the elections, he added. He accused the opposition of working against the interests of Himachal and said that the people of the state would never forgive them. Agnihotri said that the opposition also opposed the water cess, whereas Himachal is supposed to earn Rs 4,000 crore from it. Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania ruled that no member of the opposition opposed it during the introduction of the bill. He said that the bill had been passed on the previous day, hence there is no point in discussing it now. Many tribal women office bearers and leaders of the BJP along with the son of the states forest minister alleged that police manhandled and stopped them from going on the stage. The allegation came close on the heels of a function in the Khandwa district where Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan asserted that several welfare schemes for sisters and daughters are being run in Madhya Pradesh. According to sources, Pandhana Janpad President Sumitra Kajle, Pandhana panchayat President Kanchan Tanve, state forest ministers son Khandwa district panchayat Vice-President Divyaditya Shah and some other women representatives accused the police and security staff of misbehaving and manhandling them. The leaders also said they were harshly prevented from climbing onto the stage, despite the fact that they were eligible to be on the stage. State Forest Minister Vijay Shah said the matter has been brought to his notice through personal complaints and some videos. Shah said he has received complaints that the police personnel pushed away some of the aggrieved leaders and even held some others by the collar and threw them off the stage. The forest minister said he would complain to the chief minister and other senior BJP functionaries about the police personnels offensive behavior. CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan had said at the Laadli Behna Mahasammelan at Khandwa yesterday that the MP BJP government is operating many schemes for the benefit and empowerment of sisters and daughters. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has sought disqualification of BJP MP and partys state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar alleging that he was the prime conspirator in the leakage of question paper of the ongoing Class X public exams conducted by the Telangana State board. Significantly, following the Police Commissioners (Warangal) statement that Bandi Sanjays cell phone was missing, BRS social media team also began tweeting Where is Bandi Sanjays phone? This was reminiscent of the BJPs attack on Kalvakuntla Kavitha after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) stated in the remand report of another accused in the Delhi liquor case that she had destroyed ten cell phones. During her last appearance before the ED, Kavitha had submitted several old phone sets questioning the probe agency for rumour mongering and accusing her of destroying her phones. Some of the BRS supporters on Wednesday even tagged various Central probe agencies urging them to recover the missing phone of the BJP MP. Much of the evidence gathered by the police in connection with the paper leak case pertains to calls and WhatsApp chats between the Bandi Sanjay and the accused number two Prasanth who the police said was a former journalist. Meanwhile, attacking the BJP and Bandi Sanjay Telangana, state Finance Minister T Harish Rao supported the demand for his disqualification from the Lok Sabha alleging that he was the prime conspirator and had been caught red handed. He further alleged that while Prasanth, who had forwarded a copy of the Hindi question paper to Bandi Sanjay on Tuesday, was a BJP worker, the invigilator who had copied the Telugu question paper on Monday in Tandur and circulated it even when the examination was going on, was a member of the BJP-affiliated teachers organisation. He said Prasanth made 142 calls in two hours including to Bandi Sanjay. Rao also said that the BJP was known for conspiring in order to destabilise state governments. BJP has touched a new low in politics. They are ready to stoop to any level for political gains,, he said, adding that they were playing with the future of the students of class X simply for political gains. Accusing the BJP of enacting a drama, the minister said the national party did not value education since many of its leaders in Telangana and in New Delhi had fake degrees. State Industry Minister KT Rama Rao took to Twitter to slam the BJP saying If a madman has a stone in his hand there is danger to passerby but if a party is in the hands of a mad man then it is a danger to democracy. Meanwhile, BJP MLA Raghunandan Rao, who referred to DGP Anjani Kumar as a Bihar gunda while condemning the arrest of Bandi Sanjay, has come under severe criticism. The IPS Association of Telangana condemned the comment made by the BJP MLA and sought action from the speaker of the Assembly for the irresponsible and highly derogatory comment. Such an irresponsible statement from the legislator and use of unparliamentary language against a senior government functionary is highly unbecoming and unhealthy in a democratic set up, said the association, adding it will demoralise the police force. The Centre has provided Z+ category armed Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) security cover to former Peoples Democratic Party leader and Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, top government sources said. The security was accorded by the Ministry of Home Affairs following a recent security review meeting based on an Intelligence Bureau threat analysis. Businessman-turned-politician and former minister Altaf Bukhari (65) will be provided Z+ category security round the clock in Jammu and Kashmir, the sources told ANI. Bukhari floated the J&K Apni Party (JKAP) as an alternative to the regional parties such as the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), of which he was once a member. The Apni Party, comprising mainly legislators and former ministers, was founded in March 2020, eight months after the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A. Since then, nearly two dozen legislators from different outfits have joined it. In March 2020, all prominent leaders of the party met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah with their demand to safeguard the land rights and jobs of the J&K people. Bukhari had then said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah appreciated the partys efforts. The Apni Party has been holding a series of rallies to create an impact on the voters, especially in Kashmir. It also held a mega rally in Srinagar last year, considered one of the biggest in the Valley post-August 5, 2019. Though the Apni Party has openly criticised the government for its anti-encroachment drive, Bukhari had said that he was open to forge an alliance with the BJP. National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani on Tuesday clarified that chapters on Mughals had not been dropped from CBSE books, and said that its a lie. Its a lie. (Chapters on) Mughals have not been dropped. There was a rationalisation process last year because due to COVID, there was pressure on students everywhere, the NCERT director told ANI. The NCERT chief further said that expert committees examined the books from standards 6-12. They recommended that if this chapter is dropped, it wont affect the knowledge of the children and an unnecessary burden can be removedThe debate is unnecessary. Those who dont know can check the textbooks, Saklani said. He said that even today students are studying the history of the Mughals in NCERTs class 7th book. Along with this, the history of Mughals is being taught in Empires in section-2 of the 11th class book. And in the class 12th book there were 2 chapters on the history of the Mughals, out of which theme nine was removed last year, while theme eight is still being taught to the students. This year no chapter has been removed from any book, Saklani further said. We are working as per NEP (National Education Policy) 2020. This is a transition phase. NEP 2020 speaks of reducing the content load. We are implementing it. NCF (National Curriculum Framework) for school education is being formed, it will be finalised soon. Textbooks will be printed in 2024 as per NEP. We have not dropped anything right now, the NCERT chief said while stressing the National Education Policy. On Monday, Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education Minister Gulab Devi also denied the reports claiming of removing the chapter of the Mughal Sultanate from CBSE and UP Board. There is no change of any kind in our syllabus. Those who are running this type of misleading news, I request them not to run such news, Gulab Devi said. If there will be any further changes under the new education policy, then it cannot be said. At present, there is no change. The curriculum which was in 2022 will remain the same this time in 2023-24, she said. The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to entertain a petition jointly filed by 14 political parties, including the Congress, Trinamool Congress, the AAP, the NCP, the Shiv Sena-UBT, alleging misuse of investigative agencies in arresting opposition leaders, and sought guidelines on arrest. A bench headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and comprising Justice J.B. Pardiwala observed that political leaders do not enjoy an immunity higher than a common citizen and they are absolutely on the same footing as common citizens, as it questioned how can there can be no arrest unless the triple test is satisfied? The political parties sought a fresh set of guidelines governing the arrest and remand. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the political parties, tried very hard to convince the court to change its mind and lay down guidelines of arrest of the leaders of opposition parties. However, the bench stressed that politicians are citizens and cannot enjoy any higher protection and the aggrieved individual politicians can approach the court concerned for appropriate remedy. The bench told Singhvi that when political parties argue that there is a chilling effect on the Opposition due to the CBI and ED cases against the leaders of the political parties, then the answer lies in the political space and not in courts. Chief Justice Chandrachud said general principles of law cant be laid down in absence of specific facts and added, we cant lay down guidelines merely on the basis of some statistics relating to politicians. After detailed hearing in the matter, Singhvi withdrew the petition, which was allowed by the bench. The political parties sought guidelines to fulfil and realise the guarantee of personal liberty entrenched in Article 21 of the Constitution, for all citizens, including those targeted for exercising their right to political dissent and for performing their duties as the political opposition. The political parties forming the petitioners are: Congress, DMK, RJD, BRS, Trinamool Congress, AAP, NCP, Shiv Sena-UBT, JMM, JD-U, CPI-M, CPI, Samajwadi Party, J&K National Conference, together representing 45.19 per cent of the votes cast in the last State/UT Assembly Elections, and 42.5 per cent of the votes cast in the 2019 General Elections, and holding power in 11 states/UTs. The plea said that 14 opposition political parties have filed a petition, in light of the alarming rise in the use of coercive criminal processes against the Opposition political leaders and other citizens exercising their fundamental right to dissent and disagree with the central government. The plea submitted that investigating agencies such as the CBI and the ED are being increasingly deployed in a selective and targeted manner with a view to completely crush political dissent and upend the fundamental premises of a representative democracy. The petition has been drawn and filed by advocate Shadan Farasat. As for arrest and remand, the petitioners seek that the triple test (whether a person is a flight risk, or whether there is a reasonable apprehension of the tampering of evidence, or of the influencing/intimidation of witnesses) be used by police officers/ED officials and courts alike for arrest of persons in any cognizable offences except those involving serious bodily violence. Where these conditions are not satisfied, alternatives like interrogation at fixed hours or at most house arrest be used to meet the demands of investigation, added the plea. In yet another embarrassment for the Jammu & Kashmir Union territory (UT) administration, more than 5 kg narcotics worth several crores of rupees, intoxication capsules and fake currency seized by the police has been stolen from the highly-guarded malkhana (seizure room) of the district court complex in the border district of Rajouri. These items were reportedly recovered mostly from Pakistan-backed narco-terrorism peddlers and were stored in the malkhana to produce as evidence before the court. Among the stolen items was Rs one lakh fake Indian currency, Rs 53,000 Indian currency, about 1450 gms charas, 4 kg of heroin and more than 500 intoxication capsules, reports said. Police said that a fast-track investigation has been launched in the bizarre incident and five cops have been placed under suspension. They include assistant sub-inspector Tariq Mehmood, constable Mohammad Shafiq, SPOs Ghulam Nabi, Mohammad Munshi and Murtaza Khan. DSP Rajouri (DAR) will conduct an inquiry into the theft from the judicial complex. The police remained tight-lipped on the serious matter till the report leaked out to the media. Reports said that theft took place on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday. Later during the day, police said that during the intervening night of 3 and 4 April, information was received that some unidentified thieves have broken the locks of the malkhana of District Court Complex, Rajouri, and have stolen some seized articles and case property. On this, cognizance has been taken, FIR No. 143/2023 U/S 457/380 IPC has been registered and investigation has been started. During the initial phase, police analysed the crime scene with the assistance of the Forensic Science Laboratory team. Police are also analysing the technical evidence related to the scene of crime. Moreover, Police have also rounded up various suspects for questioning. Keeping in view the seriousness of the matter, SSP Rajouri Amritpal Singh has placed under suspension guard incharge and other officials for dereliction of duty. Investigation is proceeding and a breakthrough is expected very soon, police added. The Central government has issued an advisory to all states to ensure the maintenance of law and order on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti. The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an advisory to all states in preparation for Hanuman Jayanti. The (state) governments are encouraged to ensure the maintenance of law and order, peaceful observance of the festival, and monitoring any factors that could disturb communal harmony in society, the ministry tweeted. The advisory has come ostensibly in view of the violence witnessed on the occasion of Ram Navami in parts of West Bengal and Bihar. The ministry has sought reports from both states on the violence. In West Bengal, during a Ram Navami rally in Howrah last Friday, there was large-scale violence that spilled over to a second day. A couple of days later, there was violence in Rishra, again during a Ram Navami procession that saw a flare-up on Monday night. In Bihar, at least 10 companies of central armed forces were sent to the state after violent clashes erupted during Ram Navami celebrations. In Delhi, the police conducted a flag march in the communally sensitive Jahangirpuri area ahead of the Hanuman Jayanti. The police have denied permission to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and another group to undertake processions in the area. Communal clashes erupted in this area last year on Hanuman Jayanti, injuring eight police and some local residents. On the occasion of the 60th National Maritime Day, Union Minster of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal flags off the Maritime Awareness Walkathon in the national capital on Wednesday. National Maritime Day was first celebrated on April 5, 1964. Since then every year this day is celebrated nationally. Taking to Twitter, the Union Minister of Ports said, On this special occasion, I salute the seafarers, Port workers and all those associated with the maritime sector for their determination and hard work. Your skill and efforts are key to the nations growth. Highlighting the importance of the maritime sector for Indias economic growth he said, India with a coastline of more than 7,500 km is a global maritime powerhouse. Shipping is the lifeline and the route of the prosperity of the nation. In Indias Amrit Kaal, shipping will open new boundaries to lead the building of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. On April 5, 1919, for the first time, the Indian company Scindia Steam Navigation Company Limiteds S. S. A ship named Loyalty went from India to London to trade. In his memory, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways celebrates 5th April every year as National Maritime Day, the minister further said. National Maritime Day is dedicated to the celebration of the pivotal role of maritime trade in the development of the Indian economy and the role of India and its strategic location in global trade. Holy Week is an important time for Christians throughout the world. Holy Week, begins on Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter. It is a time when Catholics gather to remember and participate in the Passion of Jesus Christ. The Passion was the final period of Christs life in Jerusalem. It covers the span from when He arrived in Jerusalem to when He was crucified. The name Holy Week was used in the 4th century by St. Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, and St. Epiphanius of Constantia. Originally, only Good Friday and Holy Saturday were observed as holy days. Later, Wednesday was added as the day on which Judas plotted to betray Jesus, and by the beginning of the 3rd century, the other days of the week had been added. How Do Catholics Celebrate Holy Week? Four special ceremonies commemorate the events of Christs Passion from His entrance into Jerusalem, when palm branches were placed in His path, through His arrest on Holy Thursday and Crucifixion on Good Friday, to Holy Saturday, the day that Christs body lay in the tomb. 1. Palm Sunday Palm Sunday is the day when Christians commemorate Jesus going into Jerusalem on a donkey for the celebration of Passover. In the Bible, there were many people waiting for him to arrive, who spread out their cloaks in his path. Christian churches often celebrate Palm Sunday with a blessing and procession with palm leaves. 2. Maundy Thursday Maundy Thursday marks the Last Supper, where Jesus ate with his disciples. It also commemorates a lesson Jesus taught that we should be humble and ready to wash each others feet as a sign that we are all equal. Some churches celebrate with a foot-washing ceremony. On Maundy Thursday, the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church washes the feet of 12 people to re-enact Jesus washing his disciples feet at the Last Supper. 3. Good Friday According to the Bible, Good Friday is the day on which Jesus was put to death on the cross. Christians believe that he sacrificed his own life so that everyone could be forgiven for their sins. Some Christian or Catholic Easter week services are held on Good Friday, although some people mark the day by fasting. It is a day of sorrow, so church bells traditionally dont ring and altars are left undecorated. 4. Holy Saturday This is the day on which Lent traditionally ends. It marks the final day of Jesus death, which he spent resting in his tomb. 5. Easter Sunday You might be familiar with Easter as a day of chocolate eggs, lambs and bunnies which celebrate the coming of spring. These are folk traditions, but the day also celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. According to the Bible, it marks the third day after Jesus was crucified when he rose from the dead. Why is Palm Sunday important? Palm Sunday is important to Christians because it is the beginning of Holy Week. On Palm Sunday, Jesus rode into Jerusalem and was celebrated by a large crowd. They believed that he was the saviour and king of humankind. However, Palm Sunday was also the day that brought on the Crucifixion. Palm Sunday is important, therefore, because the celebration of the crowd encouraged the Romans to kill Jesus on Good Friday. Many Christians believe that Jesus knew that he would be killed on the cross by the end of the week, but that the Lord told him to go to Jerusalem to sacrifice himself anyway. Christians remember Jesus sacrifice on Palm Sunday. Many Christians celebrate with a special blessing and a procession of palm crosses. This is to remember the palm branches that the Bible says were spread in front of Jesus as he entered Jerusalem. Market Research Future Air-Insulated Switchgear Market Growth Accelerated by Technology Growth and Increasing Transmission & Distribution Infrastructure Investments New York, US, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a Comprehensive Report by MRFR/Market Research Future (MRFR), Air-insulated switchgear Market Research Report, by Voltage, End-User, Installation, and Region- Forecast Till 2030, the global market for Air-insulated switchgear is predicted to showcase considerable development over the assessment timeframe from 2022 to 2030 with a strong development rate of approximately 4.6%. The reports anticipate the market acquiring a valuation of around USD 8,512 Million by the end of 2030. Air-insulated switchgear Market Overview: air-insulated switchgear refers to a small, metal-encapsulated switchgear made using high-voltage parts, such as circuit breakers, fuses, and electrical disconnect switches. Competitive Analysis The listing of the prominent leaders across the global market for Air-insulated switchgear includes players such as: Larsen & Toubro Limited (India) ABB Ltd. (Switzerland) Toshiba Corporation (Japan) Schneider Electric S.E. (France) Crompton Greaves Ltd. (India) Eaton Corporation PLC (Ireland) Ormazabal (Brazil) Siemens AG (Germany) C&S Electric (India) General Electric Company (U.S.) Lucy Electric (U.K.) Alfanar Group (Saudi Arabia) TEPCO Group (Japan) Get Free Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2847 Market USP Covered Air-Insulated Switchgear Market Drivers The global Air-insulated switchgear market has displayed massive development in recent times. The main parameter supporting the market's development is the rising power demand in developed nations. Furthermore, factors such as expanding electricity transmission & distribution infrastructure, major advancements in renewable energy generation, the building of transmission & distribution networks, and rising investments in electrical networks are also likely to cause a surge in the market performance. Story continues Air-Insulated Switchgear Market Restraints On the other hand, certain aspects may impede the market's growth. The primary parameter restricting the market's growth is the high equipment costs along with the substitution of air-insulated switchgear with gas-insulated switchgear (GIS). Report Scope: Report Metrics Details Market Size 2030 2030: USD 8,512 Million CAGR during 2022-2030 4.6% CAGR Base Year 2021 Forecast 2022-2030 Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered Voltage, Installation, and End-Use Key Market Opportunities Increasing transmission & distribution infrastructure investments to support demand for air-insulated switchgear market Key Market Drivers Expansion of renewable energy-based capacity to drive the market for air-insulated switchgear Browse In-depth Market Research Report (111 Pages) on Air-insulated Switchgear Market: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/switchgear-market-2847 Air-Insulated Switchgear Market COVID-19 Impact Global industrial activities and business operations experienced a major setback given to the rise of the global health crisis in the form of COVID-19. The pandemic affected public health across nearly 225 countries, along with all industrial operations. All these situations led to the imposition of full or partial lockdowns across most regions worldwide. Subsequently, the industry operations were halted, and some businesses shut down. Given the sudden fall in demand for construction activities during the pandemic and the halt of most industrial operations, the Air-insulated switchgear market experienced many sudden & unexpected issues throughout the pandemic. On the contrary, now that the majority of the globe is being rapidly vaccinated and industrial operations are returning to normal, the market is predicted to witness a considerable expansion and recovery in revenue generation over the assessment period. Air-Insulated Switchgear Market Segment Analysis Based on Voltage Insights, the low voltage switching devices or up to 36kV switchgear segment secured the top position across the global Air-insulated switchgear market in 2021. The main parameter supporting the development of the segment is the tremendous development of the transmission and distribution infrastructure. Developed countries invest highly in smart grid technologies for load control, fault monitoring, and electricity supply. Because of the multiple advantages of air-insulated switchgear equipment in the sub-transmission and distribution industry, the segment leads the global market. On the other hand, the above 36 kV category or medium voltage switchgear segment showcased the highest growth rate in the year 2021. Among all the installation types, the outdoor segment secured the top spot in the global market for air-insulated switchgear in 2021, given mainly to the vast range of outdoor applications such as ultra-high voltage transmission, very large power plants, and long-distance power transmission. On the other hand, the indoor segment displayed the maximum growth rate in 2021, given the widespread use of switching devices in tiny substations along with the low-voltage transmission in the power industry. Ask for Customization: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/ask_for_customize/2847 Among all the end-users, the transmission & distribution segment secured the top position across the global Air-insulated switchgear market in 2021, given mainly to the demand for power, transmission, and distribution utilities. Furthermore, factors such as the use of both renewable and non-renewable energy sources, the need to modernize the existing infrastructure, the growing adoption of renewable energy sources for power generation, and the growing adoption of air-insulated switchgear are also likely to catalyze the development of the segment over the coming years. Air-Insulated Switchgear Market Regional Analysis The global market for air-insulated switchgear is analyzed across five major geographies: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. The MRFR analysis reports suggest that the Asia-Pacific region is predicted to ensure the top spot across the global market for Air-insulated switchgear over the assessment era. The region led the market in 2021. The majority of the nations across the region have insufficient electrical distribution systems. The lack of T&D networks is the most common in rural areas. The countries are investing substantially in constructing transmission line networks to electrify these parts. In addition, it is projected that Southeast Asia, one of the regions with the most rapidly expanding energy consumption in the last few decades, will continue its previous growth rates by boosting demand by 5.4% in 2021 compared to 2020. Consequently, over the forecasted era, factors such as the region's aging grid infrastructure and the enhancing energy demand are also likely to catalyze the regional market's growth. Talk To Expert: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/ask_for_schedule_call/2847 The European regional market for Air-insulated switchgear showcased the maximum growth rate in 2021, given mainly to the growing energy demand. Furthermore, the government's attempts to upgrade grid infrastructure and modernize aging hydropower facilities are also likely to support regional market development over the review era. Moreover, the escalating transmission and distribution infrastructure investments are predicted to boost the regional market's performance over the assessment period. In addition, the growing transmission and distribution infrastructure investments are anticipated to impact the regional market performance over the coming years positively. Related Reports: Gas Insulated Switchgear Market Research Report Information by Voltage, Installation, End-User, and Region - Global Forecast till 2030 Pad-Mounted Switchgear Market Research Report Information by Type, Application, Voltage, Standard and Region - Forecast till 2030 Hybrid Switchgear Market Research Report: Information by Voltage, Installation, Application and Region - Forecast till 2030 About Market Research Future: Market Research Future (MRFR) is a global market research company that takes pride in its services, offering a complete and accurate analysis regarding diverse markets and consumers worldwide. Market Research Future has the distinguished objective of providing the optimal quality research and granular research to clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help answer your most important questions. Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter CONTACT: Market Research Future (Part of Wantstats Research and Media Private Limited) 99 Hudson Street, 5Th Floor New York, NY 10013 United States of America +1 628 258 0071 (US) +44 2035 002 764 (UK) Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Website: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com Qatar has launched its first digital platform for foreign investors who seek to explore business opportunities in the Gulf country, the Investment Promotion Agency (IPA) said in a statement. The online platform, named Invest Qatar Gateway, allows foreign investors to search for business partners from both public and private sectors in Qatar, look for tender offers and post their tenders, according to the IPA, an official organisation that launched the platform, on Tuesday. Investors could also communicate with the IPAs investor relations team for support through the platform, Xinhua news agency reported. The agency also planned to launch Access Qatar later this year to provide investors with arrival assistance, customised information packs and round-the-clock assistance through social media applications, according to the statement. By Anthony Bonaparte Ryan Christopher Churchill has been eagerly waiting for this day. On April 7, the 43-year-old Beaconsfield native will see the film script he began writing some eight years ago finally hit the big screen. Set in a world where humans co-habit with human-like AI (artificial intelligence) robots, the film, Simulant, is centered around a widowed woman who finds it difficult to move on after her husbands death. In an effort to find comfort, she resorts to using an android simulant created in his image but soon finds that despite the resemblance, it just isnt the same. So, she slowly begins to realize that its only prolonging her grief and she has to get him out of her life, but she cant bring herself to shut him down, said Churchill during a recent telephone interview from his home in Toronto. This sets him on his own and puts him in a conflict with the laws of the land and a very persistent government agent that tracks down unmastered simulants that are roaming around free when theyre not supposed to. The science fiction thriller, filmed in and around Hamilton, Ontario, is directed by Canadian April Mullen and features some big names, including Sam Worthington, Jordana Brewster, Robbie Amell and Simu Liu. After graduating from Beaconsfield High School in 1995, Churchill attended Dawson College before moving west to Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) where he earned degrees in theatre arts and film studies. When hes not screenwriting major productions this being his first he works as a communications manager at a private international school in Toronto. The self-described science-fiction nerd said he wrote the original script in 2015, inspired by what was then going on in his personal relationship. We were having issues and were able to turn off. It felt very robotic and that kind of gave me the idea. When it was initially marketed, the script received some positive attention but, as they say, timing is everything. A film called Ex Machina being released around that time told the story of a programmer invited by his boss to administer the Turing test to an intelligent humanoid robot. (The Turing test measures a machines ability to exhibit intelligent behaviour equivalent to, or indistinguishable from, that of a human). The reaction was that it was a bit too much like Ex Machina. I thought, Couldnt we have more than one? said Churchill with a laugh. Since there were no sales on the immediate horizon, Churchill put the script, then called Hello Stranger, on the back shelf, but kept it front-of-mind, even thinking it might one day be self-produced. I actually wrote it in a way that it could be done with a big budget, or with a very low budget. I tried to keep it very grounded, he remembered, adding, Whenever I took train trips to Montreal, I would look out at the landscapes because there are some very rural parts in the film, and I thought these would be some great locations. His work eventually landed in the hands of director Mullen, who was busy at the time, but after reading it with interest, she offered some tips that the author gladly incorporated. She wanted to boost up the female character a little more. As a man, I think I focused on the male character and had purposely written the female character as very robotic. But she didnt like that and brought up the stages of grief and I thought it was actually a good idea. Six months later, Churchill received the call that got the ball rolling. Mullins wanted to make it her next movie. As new drafts were worked on with the producers, the project began garnering more attention, but two things happened. The production company got greenlit on Wander, a 2020 film directed by Mullen, starring Aaron Eckhart and Tommy Lee Jones. That kind of put things on a bit of a pause, said Churchill, quickly adding, And then COVID happened, which put everything into a sort of limbo. When work eventually resumed, Luke Grimes of Yellowstone fame was cast. Although Grimes eventually dropped out, the addition of Sam Worthington and the star power of the Creative Artists Agency brought the film to another level. Worthington is best known for playing Jake in the Avatar franchise; Marcus, a human-cyborg hybrid in Terminator Salvation; and Perseus in Clash of the Titans and its sequel. Brewster is known for her role as Mia in the Fast & Furious franchise. Toronto-born Amell is known for television work in The Tomorrow People, The Flash, and Upload, while Canadian actor Simu Liu, of CBC Television Kims Convenience, joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2021 portraying Shang-Chi in The Legend of the Ten Rings. It was pretty amazing, to be honest, recalled Churchill. Originally, we were thinking that it might be a low-budget, $2- or $3-million film but when we sent the script out, it just started to get a lot of attention. Landing established talent like Worthington was one thing. Landing Liu was an added bonus since his star power exploded in the past year. Hes pretty much blowing up right now, which is perfect, said Churchill with a laugh, adding, Im super excited for it to hit theatres. City_news alert featured Dube introduces Bill 15 in unprecedented centralization of health system Joel Goldenberg / CPAC Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube has tabled Bill 15, which he promises will overhaul the provinces health and social services system, improve access and make it more efficient. The status quo is simply not an option, the minister said. We are proud to have tabled a bill that continues our transformation through concrete changes to make the health network effective for Quebecers, in all regions. We have seen major support from the various partners for the filing of our Health Plan, and we ask them to continue their contribution to this transformation of our network. Every group can be part of the solution. If we want things to change, everyone has to change. We all have a responsibility to do this, and we all have a responsibility to do this now. Dube added that the changes will result in better coordination within the network, better distribution of care and services in each region and a greater reliance on local decision-making. Some of Bill 15s proposals: The creation of the management organization Sante Quebec, replacing the current CIUSS system, to handle daily operations in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. The Health Ministry will then concentrate on orientations, determining budgets, define results to be achieved and evaluate their achievement. Sante Quebec would become the sole employer of the health network, replacing the current 34 employers, and would be solely responsible for attracting and retaining personnel. The government thus wants to establish greater equity among employees and promote greater efficiency in the network. The changes will be made in accordance with the collective agreements that have been signed and in collaboration with the unions. The elimination of boards in the new health territories which currently have citizen stakeholders with each territory run by one director-general appointed by Quebec. Enabling health practitioners more mobility between regions without losing seniority. Sharing clinical leadership equally between doctors, nurses and professionals, especially those in social services. To improve access to care and reduce waiting times, the bill proposes to review the roles and responsibilities of professionals involved in the continuum of care [such as] the appointment of establishment medical directors and territorial medical directors, both for family medicine and for specialized medicine, in each region, to have a better distribution of doctors and therefore equitable access for users across Quebec. Physicians will be more involved in local management. New requirements for physicians to restore the balance between the responsibility of family physicians and that of medical specialists with respect to the population. All physicians must contribute to improving access to health care for Quebecers, in all regions, meaning that medical specialists must see more patients. To ensure this satisfaction, Bill 15 will obligate the health system to measure patient satisfaction, which will make it possible to quickly adapt the services accordingly. A national users committee will be set up with the responsibility of harmonizing the practices of the institutions users committees and making recommendations to the board of Sante Quebec. Providing for a more coordinated complaints process through the addition of a National Complaints Commissioner. Users will be heard and corrections will have to be made when unacceptable situations occur. Reinstate previously abolished local management positions, so that each site will be under the responsibility of a person who must ensure its proper functioning. This had been done during the pandemic. Liberal MNA Andre Fortin said the bills focus seems to be on the structure of the health care network rather than on patient care and having the needed resources to treat the population. The Montreal Economic Institute think tank says Bill 15 will reduce the autonomy of facilities and do nothing to keep nurses from leaving the profession. If nurses are leaving governmental facilities to work for an agency, its because the government as employer discourages them, said Emmanuelle B. Faubert, economist at the MEI. Essentially making them return to the employer they left risks leading even more nurses to leave the profession. Regarding the creation of Sante Quebec and its replacement of the CIUSSS system, Faubert commented that centralization assumes that a bureaucrat in an office tower in Quebec City knows the reality on the North Shore better than the people on the ground in Baie-Comeau. The health systems that work the best are those like Swedens that recognize that the people on the ground are more aware of local issues. She added that the Swedish system respects the autonomy of care facilities, and that the central government limits itself to establishing guidelines and quality standards. Saint-Laurent, CA (H4T1V6) Today Steady light rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low around 40F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Steady light rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low around 40F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. 02-Alanis-Morissette-lcd-soundsystem-leon-bridges-RS-1800 - Credit: Rob Ball/WireImage; Jim Dyson/Getty Images; Erika Goldring/WireImage Alanis Morissette, LCD Soundsystem, and Leon Bridges are among the artists headed to the Ozark Mountains for the 2023 Format Festival, taking place Sept. 22 through 24 in Bentonville, Arkansas. The three-day event features a packed schedule of music, as well as visual and performing arts. On the music side, there will be sets from Little Simz, Modest Mouse, Jamie XX, Digable Planets, Tash Sultana, Bob Moses, Paul Cauthen, Theon Cross, Channel Tres, Franc Moody, Serpentwithfeet, Classixx, Francois K, Sparkle City Disco, Sudan Archives, Blond:Ish, Hermanos Gutierrez, Nikki Lane, and the Pharcyde. More from Rolling Stone Format will also feature installations and art experiences from the likes of Guerrilla Girls, Rs Inside Out Project, Jeremy Deller, Ragnar Kjartansson, and Kameelah Janan Rasheed. A full lineup is available on the poster below. WELCOME TO FORMAT 2023!!! PRESALE BEGINS THURSDAY 4/6 AT 10 AM CT. SIGN UP TO GAIN ACCESS pic.twitter.com/2sMhATkURC Format Festival (@format_festival) April 4, 2023 Presale for the 2023 Format Festival starts April 6 at 10 a.m. CT, with registration available on the fests website. Both three-day and single-day passes are available, as well as a variety of VIP and hotel packages. This year will mark the second annual Format festival, debuting last year with sets from Phoenix, Khruangbin, Rufus Du Sol, Beach House, Nile Rodgers, the War on Drugs, the Flaming Lips, Herbie Hancock, and more. The festival is being spearheaded by C3 Presents the production company behind big-name events like Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits Music Festival with backing from members of the Walmart-rich Walton family. Story continues Best of Rolling Stone Click here to read the full article. Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Commentary: The truth can be painful, but it's necessary Renphoto/Getty Images SPRINGFIELD Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is among 22 attorneys general calling for an end to prohibitions against many gay and bisexual men from donating blood. The coalition is supporting guidelines issued in January by the FDA and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that would establish a risk-based analysis of donors. At present, gay and bisexual men cannot donate blood within three months of their last sexual encounter. EDWARDSVILLE A Granite City man faces several felony charges after an alleged domestic battery on April 2. Jesse O. Green, 33, was charged April 3 with aggravated domestic battery and unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, both Class 2 felonies, and aggravated battery, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Madison Police Department. According to court documents, on April 2 Green allegedly strangled and cut a household or family member with a kitchen knife with a blade abut 7 inches long and had a Kimber BP Ten II .45 caliber handgun. He has a 2009 conviction for robbery out of Madison County making him ineligible to possess weapons. Bail was set at $50,000. Other felony charges filed April 3 by the Madison County States Attorneys Office include: Matyas K. Williams, 23, of Granite City, was charged with aggravated battery, a Class 3 felony, and domestic battery, a Class A misdemeanor. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. According to court documents, on April 2 Williams allegedly struck a household or family member with a metal wrench. Bail was set at $75,000. Jason S. Volger, 52, listed as homeless out of Alton, was charged with two counts of unlawful violation of an order of protection (second subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. According to court documents, on March 18 and March 19 Volger allegedly violated an active order of protection by entering a protected address. He has a conviction for domestic battery out of Madison County on Feb. 28, 2023. Bail was set at $25,000. Kevin R. Olsson, 43, of Alton, was charged with reckless discharge of a firearm, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. According to court documents, on March 31 Olsson allegedly fired a 12 gauge Maverick 88 shotgun into the air, endangering people in the area of Wills and Doreen avenues in Alton. Bail was set at $20,000. Richard M. Coleman, 35, of East Alton, was charged with aggravated unlawful use of weapons, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. According to court documents, on April 2 Coleman allegedly had a Taurus G2C 9 mm handgun in a vehicle without a valid Firearm Owners Identification Card. Bail was set at $40,000. Christopher C. Marshall, 43, of East St. Louis, was charged with aggravated unlawful use of weapons, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Collinsville Police Department. According to court documents, on April 2 Marshall allegedly had a loaded and accessible Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380 caliber handgun in a vehicle without a valid Firearm Owners Identification Card or concealed carry license. Bail was set at $50,000. Leading marketing and print solutions provider opens 12 new locations DENVER, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AlphaGraphics , a leading franchisor of printing and marketing solutions, demonstrated tremendous growth in 2022 as its franchisee systems saw a 23% increase in sales throughout the year. In addition, the franchise added 12 new locations and 17 new owners, including transfers. AlphaGraphics demonstrated tremendous growth in 2022 as its franchisee systems saw a 23% increase in sales throughout the year. "The increase in sales is a testament to how hard our franchisees work daily," said Bill McPherson, vice president of franchise development. "They are always looking for ways to evolve to continue providing reliable, high-quality services to our customers. That translates into franchise-wide success, which enables us to sell more franchise licenses to entrepreneurs. It truly takes a team effort for an entire franchise system to be successful." AlphaGraphics' success is highlighted by the awards it received including being named to Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 list and being named to the publication's Franchise 500 Hall of Fame. They were also named to the Franchise Times Top 500. "Each year, our goal is to continue growing nationwide to ensure businesses have access to our services no matter where they are located," McPherson said. "As we plan for continued growth, we will remain dedicated to providing quality services that are an asset to the communities we serve." AlphaGraphics was founded in 1970, and the company began offering franchise opportunities in 1979. For more information, visit https://www.alphagraphics.com/. About AlphaGraphics AlphaGraphics, Inc., with more than 285 locations in 6 countries, is one of the largest U.S.-based networks of locally-owned and operated Business Centers offering a complete range of print, visual communications, and marketing products. Solutions include: full-service digital, offset, and large format printing; design services; mailing; one-to-one marketing solutions; promotional products; and web to print solutions. For more information about AlphaGraphics services, visit www.alphagraphics.com . To learn about franchise opportunities, visit www.alphagraphicsfranchise.com . Story continues About MBE Worldwide MBE Worldwide S.p.A. ("MBE"), a privately-owned company with its headquarters in Italy, is a Global Commerce enabler for SMBs and consumers thanks to its platform providing e-commerce, fulfillment, shipping, marketing and print solutions via multi-brand operations: PrestaShop, Mail Boxes Etc. (except the US and Canada), PostNet, PACK & SEND, Spedingo.com, AlphaGraphics, Multicopy, World Options UK and Print Speak. The combination of our retail platform - that currently counts 2,900+ Service Centers in 53 Countries with more than 12.000 associates - with our PrestaShop ecommerce platform served almost one million business customers in FY 2021 generating 1.01 billion (US $1.2 billion) of System Wide Sales and 24 billion (US $28.5 billion) of e-commerce Gross Merchandise Value. For additional information please visit MBE Worldwide Group websites at www.mbecorporate.com - www.prestashop.com/en - www.mbeglobal.com - www.postnet.com - www.packsend.com.au - www.spedingo.com/en - www.alphagraphics.com - www.multicopy.nl - www.printspeak.com - www.mbe.it - www.mbe.es - www.mbe.de - www.mbefrance.fr - www.mbe.pl - www.mbeportugal.pt - www.mbe.co.uk - https://uk.worldoptions.com/ MEDIA CONTACT: Heather Ripley Ripley PR 865-977-1973 hripley@ripleypr.com Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alphagraphics-franchisee-sales-increase-23-in-2022-301786597.html SOURCE AlphaGraphics Lion Electric SPRINGFIELD The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday announced $27 million in grants is available to replace diesel school buses with new all-electric school buses. Madison County is part of Priority Area 2 for the project, which also includes Monroe and St. Clair counties. Other priority areas include Chicago and the collar counties and an area including Champaign, DeKalb, LaSalle, McLean, Peoria, Sangamon and Winnebago counties. GREENVILLE Six area high school students toured the Illinois Capitol and met with legislators on March 29 during Illinois Electric and Telephone Cooperatives Youth Day. Hosted by the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives (AIEC) and sponsored locally by Southwestern Electric Cooperative in Greenville, the program encouraged students to explore their interest in government. Our student-delegates learned about leadership from legislators, state officers and co-op employees whove dedicated their lives to public service, said Southwestern CEO Bobby Williams. Concern for community and democratic member control are core principles of every cooperative. Theyre also pillars of sound government, Williams said. We want to do our part to instill those values in our future leaders. During the tour, legislators and officers discussed the rewards and responsibilities of public service, while representatives from AIEC, the statewide trade association representing Illinois electric cooperatives, explored the role of grassroots organizations in government. Most of our student-delegates are considering career options at this point, Williams said. Careers in public service can be personally fulfilling, professionally rewarding and contribute to the common good. The spring Youth Tour and summer Youth to Washington experience provide us with excellent opportunities to share that message. At the capital, Southwesterns student-delegates met state Sen. Jason Plummer and state Rep. Blaine Wilhour, and heard addresses from Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs, Abigail Meyer, Illinois delegate to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Youth Leadership Council, and Brooke Gross, member services manager and youth program coordinator for AIEC. Students also toured the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and the Lincoln Home National Historic Site. More than 200 high school students representing 23 electric and telephone cooperatives participated in Illinois Electric and Telephone Cooperatives Youth Day. Candidates for the program were selected on the basis of school and community involvement, civic contributions, academic achievement, leadership experience and their interest in government. Representing Southwestern Electric were Shelby Bone, daughter of Anthony and Erica Bone of Greenville; Boston Hails, son of Kyle and Tiffany Hails of St. Peter; Kylie Ketcham, daughter of Kerry and Jessica Ketcham of Alhambra; Kate Turley, daughter of Amber and Boyd Turley of Greenville; Noah Vonder Haar, son of Kevin and Carla Vonder Haar of Greenville; and Jordan Walk, daughter of Brian and Amanda Walk of Vandalia. Following the Springeld tour, an AIEC representative interviewed Southwesterns student-delegates to select representatives for the national Youth to Washington Tour. Shelby Bone, a senior at Bond County Community Unit School District #2 High School, and Kylie Ketcham, a senior at Highland High School, were chosen to represent Southwestern Electric Cooperative at the national rally. As Southwesterns student-representatives in the Youth to Washington program, Bone and Ketcham will join student-delegates from other Illinois cooperatives and travel nearly 2,000 miles by charter bus, leaving for Washington, D.C., on June 16 and returning June 23. While in Washington, Southwesterns representatives will meet with Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, then join U.S. representatives for a luncheon on Capitol Hill. The national youth program, which draws more than 1,500 students from 44 states, includes tours of many institutions and memorials, including the Civil War battlefield at Gettysburg, Arlington National Cemetery, the National Cathedral, George Washingtons home at Mount Vernon, the United States Supreme Court and several museums. Southwestern Electric Cooperative will sponsor the student-delegates, paying fees associated with transportation, meals, lodging and activities. Based in Greenville, Southwestern Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit, member-owned utility serving 24,000 residential, commercial, agricultural and industrial members in 11 counties along the I-70 corridor between St. Louis and Effingham. TIMOTHY A. CLARY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images Former President Donald J. Trump has pleaded not guilty and has been charged with 34 counts of felony falsifying of business documents. Multiple reports, including CBS News and the Associated Press, indicate Trump was placed under arrest, fingerprinted and processed before heading to his arraignment hearing in a Manhattan courthouse. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Vodka. Its such a trigger word. People either think its amazing or the word conjures up memories of holding their hair back. It doesnt help that there are so many varieties and qualities of vodka either. You can get a $7 bottle from Schnucks labeled VODKA that smells, tastes, and acts like lighter fluid. Or you can pay upwards of $80 for a large bottle of Grey Goose and be bougie and broke. Vodka is the most versatile liquor there is. It can make strong drinks or subtle drinks. It can be highlighted or it can be hidden. Any ingredient can be added to it for a drink or you can even turn it into gin by adding botanicals. But at its core, what is vodka? In ye olden days when vodka was purely produced in the vodka belt (Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, and Russia) it was basically distilled potato juice. Mashed potatoes were boiled in a still and the evaporated liquid was caught, cooled, and turned back into a liquid which would become vodka. Nowadays, in good ole America, corn is king. Corn mash is distilled, filtered, diluted, and bottled to fill the liquor aisles at your favorite grocery store. If youre into flavored vodkas, that flavoring is added at the very end. Now you get into filtration and distillation differences. One vodka is advertised as triple distilled, another is six times distilled, and yet another was filtered through the Shroud of Turin. What does this even mean? Imagine, if you will, filtering water from a river. Your first cup of water is going to have rocks, sand, dirt, parasites, bacteria and a single flip flop. The first filter you pour your water through will take care of the rocks, flip flop and some of the sand. The next, finer filter will take out the sand and some dirt, but youll still get Montezumas Revenge if you try to drink it. See where Im going here in regards to vodka distillation? The more times a vodka (or any spirit actually) is distilled, the less impurities are present, the better and more concentrated the taste, and the smoother the feel. So a vodka that is advertised as triple distilled or 6x distilled is scientifically a better vodka. I love vodka, if you cant tell by now. Ive tried vodkas from the bottom shelf during my college years and vodkas from the top shelf during my pretentious years (which, coincidentally, also occurred during my college years). Now that Im an elder statesmen, my home bar is always stocked with vodka and I seek out cocktails made with it when Im dining out. One common thread, now, is the quality of vodka I seek. A truly unique and local super-premium vodka has been born within the past two years. Conceived in the midst of the pandemic, Social Grace (SG) vodka has emerged as a local heavyweight, and for good reason. It sprinted out of the gate at full speed by earning a Sip Awards silver rating, making it a distinguished spirit for consumers. And man, can I tell you, this spirit is special. What do you think of when you picture someone doing a shot of vodka? A grimace? Eyes closed right? A comment on how good it burns? Dancing on tables? (That last one was tequila.) Doing a taste test of SG did not elicit a single shot stereotype. It was smooth as water. It wasnt the least bit stringent. It didnt burn whatsoever. I feel an early 90s R&B song could be written about this spirit. Other than drinking like water, this vodka is good in any cocktail you can think of. You shouldnt hide this light under a bushel. I prefer to highlight super-premium vodka with a spirit-forward cocktail like the martini: Lavender Martini SG vodka Lavender simple syrup Lemon juice Super simple, yet insanely delicious. If you want a more complex cocktail that delivers on flavor and smoothness you can do a riff on the margarita: Sicilian Sour (credit to Cleveland-Heath) SG vodka Blood orange liqueur St. Germaine Simple syrup Lime juice No matter how you take your vodka, this is the vodka youll want. Check out Social Graces website (https://www.socialgracespirits.com) if youd like more information on the company, where you can purchase it, and more recipes. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) Speculation is rising in the North Carolina legislature that a Democrat is about to switch parties and give Republicans a complete veto-proof majority in the General Assembly, a move that could affect legislation on immigration, abortion and voting. The GOP scheduled a Wednesday news conference at party headquarters with Rep. Tricia Cotham of Mecklenburg County. House Speaker Tim Moore said Tuesday that Cotham and chamber leaders will make a major announcement. If the Democrat does switch parties, it would be a major political setback for Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and allies in their attempts to block conservative initiatives during the governor's final two years in office. It could make it easier for Republicans to enact bills that would force sheriffs to cooperate with federal immigration agents and prevent counting absentee ballots received after Election Day. The GOP is also debating if and how to place further restrictions on abortion. While Republicans already hold the 30 Senate seats needed to override vetoes, they have been one seat shy of a similar advantage in the House since the November elections. Cooper made preventing supermajorities his top campaign priority last fall. Cotham, a former teacher and assistant principal, served in the House for nearly 10 years through 2016 before returning in January. She sat at a new desk surrounded by Republicans on the House floor for the late Tuesday afternoon session. Staff members earlier took her belongings from her previous desk, which had adjoined those of other veteran House Democratics. Cotham left after the floor session ended without taking reporters' questions and didn't respond to a text message. Her Twitter account liked a post that welcomed her to the House GOP caucus. Moore declined comment Tuesday when asked whether Cotham was switching parties. Cotham's voter registration information on the State Board of Elections website late Tuesday listed her as a Democrat. Republicans have been advancing legislation this year that in previous years Cooper successfully vetoed. Until now, the governor has had enough Democratic votes to uphold vetoes if the party members showed up and voted together. Last week, the Legislature successfully overrode one of Cooper's vetoes for the first time since 2018 and approved a bill that in part eliminated the states pistol permit purchase system. Cooper has stopped short of vetoing three other bills this year on topics that he vetoed in 2021. He didn't sign this year's measures, but rather allowed them to become law without his signature. Cotham was one of three House Democrats who were absent last week during the override votes on the gun bill. The absences meant Republicans were able to meet the three-fifths majority threshold necessary to complete the override and advance their agenda. Cotham said later that day that while she didnt support the permit repeal, she had informed both parties she would be absent for the vote, citing a scheduled hospital treatment. She and other absent Democrats took criticism for what happened, leading at least one liberal-leaning group to announce plans to hold them accountable in 2024. News of Cotham's potential party switch led some Democratic leaders to call on her to resign from the House instead, saying voters elected her based on her support as a Democrat for abortion rights, public education and civil rights. It's unclear whether her views have changed. Separately, Cooper said Cotham's apparent party switch was a disappointing decision. Her votes on womens reproductive freedom, election laws, LGBTQ rights and strong public schools will determine the direction of the state we love, Cooper said in a news release. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) A Democratic state lawmaker in North Carolina announced Wednesday that she is jumping to the Republican Party, giving the GOP veto-proof majorities in both the state's legislative chambers that should make it easier to enact conservative policies over the opposition of Gov. Roy Cooper. Whether the switch by Charlotte-area Rep. Tricia Cotham will soon result in further abortion restrictions in the nation's ninth-most populous state remains unclear, given her support for abortion rights during her earlier stint in the General Assembly. I am still the same person, and I am going to do what I believe is right and follow my conscience, Cotham said in a news conference at state GOP headquarters at which she announced she would soon switch her party registration. "The party that best represents me and my principles and whats best for North Carolina is the Republican Party," she added. Cotham's switch means Republicans now hold the 72 seats required in the 120-seat House to hold a veto-proof majority. Republicans already held the 30 Senate seats necessary to override vetoes. Until Wednesday, Republicans were one seat shy of a similar advantage in the House following gains during the November elections. Cooper, a Democrat who is term-limited from seeking reelection in 2024, made blocking veto-proof majorities a top priority in last fall's campaigns. Angry Democrats said Cotham should resign, because the voters in her liberal-leaning district expected her to support the party's agenda. Cothams decision is a deceit of the highest order. It is a betrayal to the people of Mecklenburg County with repercussions not only for the people of her district but for the entire state of North Carolina," state Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton said in a news conference at which activists held RESIGN signs. Before Wednesday, House Speaker Tim Moore argued that Republicans held a working supermajority in his chamber since the new two-year session, with a few Democrats like Cotham joining GOP legislators in advancing high-profile issues. Now, Moore said Wednesday, "we have an outright supermajority. It makes it a little bit easier, by the way. Cotham, a former teacher and assistant principal who served in the House for nearly 10 years through 2016 before returning in January, switched because, she said, the Democratic Party and her Democratic colleagues were no longer willing to accept different viewpoints. Cotham, 44, has significant Democratic roots. Her mother, Pat, serves on the Mecklenburg County commission and has been a Democratic National Committee member. Her ex-husband is a former chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party. The "modern-day Democratic Party has become unrecognizable to me, Cotham said. If you dont do exactly what the Democrats want you to do, they will try to bully you. They will try to cast you aside. Cotham said the turning point for her to consider a switch came when people started criticizing her for using the American flag and praying-hands emojis on social media and on her vehicles. Its been very clear to me this was about control on Day One at the legislature, she said. They picked the wrong chick for that. House Minority Leader Robert Reives said later Wednesday that Cotham's allegations of mistreatment within the Democratic Party just didn't happen. Top Republicans welcomed Cotham to the fold after working with her for several years. I told her wed always have your back because were friends first, said Rep. Jason Saine, a Lincoln County Republican. Moore already appointed Cotham this year to co-chair the House K-12 education committee, making her one of the few Democrats to hold top committee posts. The speaker declined to get into specifics about what legislation he thinks can now succeed with Cothams switch. But House Republicans have this year revived previously vetoed measures that would force sheriffs to cooperate with federal immigration agents and block the counting of mailed absentee ballots received after Election Day. Republicans also are interested in further abortion restrictions following last years U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. North Carolina bans nearly all abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, and Republicans have been meeting privately to discuss two options. One would prohibit abortions after the first trimester 12 or 13 weeks of pregnancy with new exceptions for rape and incest. Another would ban them once an ultrasound first detects fetal cardiac activity, typically about six weeks after fertilization. In 2015, Cotham spoke out in House floor debate against a bill that extended the waiting period before someone can receive an abortion in North Carolina from 24 hours to 72 hours, saying it was about perpetuating shame and about politicians wanting to play doctor. She has also been a supporter of LGBTQ rights. Im not going to be pigeonholed into any one particular issue, she said Wednesday, not addressing a specific topic. "And I made that very clear in our conversations that there are just some things Im not changing on. That result may require Moore to count on remaining moderate Democrats to complete overrides. Democratic activists said Cotham still owes it to the public to speak out clearly on critical issues. Hurt voters deserve to know right now where she stands on abortion access in this state," said Cameron Pruette with the LGBTQ Democrats of Mecklenburg County. "Will she protect trans kids? Cooper's office didn't provide a statement Wednesday, referring instead to one released Tuesday. While it quoted the governor as saying her decision was disappointing, he expressed hope in Cotham's future voting. She should still vote the way she has always said she would vote when these issues arise, regardless of party affiliation, Cooper said. Last week, the legislature overrode a Cooper veto for the first time since 2018 when it enacted, over his objections, a bill eliminating the states pistol permit purchase system. Cotham was one of three House Democrats who were absent last week during the override votes on the gun bill. The absences meant Republicans were able to meet, on their own, the necessary three-fifths threshold. KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) A dispute between Sudans military and a paramilitary group again forced the delay of signing a deal with politicians to restore the countrys democratic transition, which was derailed by a 2021 coup, a pro-democracy bloc said Wednesday. The bloc, known as the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, announced the postponement in a statement saying that the deal would not be signed Thursday as planned. The bloc said the military and the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Force were still negotiating on a reform for the security and military sector to be included in the final agreement. They are discussing the integration of the Rapid Support Force into the military. The blocs statement said the military and the paramilitary force had made progress and only one point remined unresolved. It did not offer further details. It was the second time within less than a week that Sudanese parties failed to meet a deadline set to sign the agreement between the generals and pro-democracy groups. It originally had been scheduled to be signed last Saturday. The deal aims at restoring Sudans short-lived transition to democracy, which was halted byr an October 2021 military coup that removed a Western-supported, power-sharing administration. The coup dashed Sudanese aspirations for democratic government after three decades of autocracy and repression under Islamist-backed strongman Omar al-Bashir. A months-long popular uprising had led the military to oust al-Bashir and his Islamist government in April 2019. Al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court over the conflict in Sudan's Darfur region, has been imprisoned in Khartoum. According to a draft of the deal obtained by The Associated Press, the military would withdraw from politics and be barred from non-military businesses. The deal includes an overhaul of the security apparatuses that will eventually lead to a unified, professional and non-partisan national military. Political parties would form a civilian administration to lead the chaos-stricken nation through elections in two years. They are to name a prime minister who would form a Cabinet and chair the Defence and Security Council, which decides on security issues. The dispute has focused on the integration of the Rapid Support Force into the military. The force, led by powerful Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, grew out of former janjaweed militias that executed a brutal crackdown in Darfur over the past two decades. The second postponement came as Sudan braced for anti-coup demonstrations called by protest groups for Thursday. That is the anniversary of the overthrow of President Jaafar al-Nimeiri in a bloodless coup in 1985 after a popular uprising against his repressive rule. Authorities ordered tight security measures in the capital ahead of the protests, with the military bolstering its presence in Khartoum over the past few days. Armored vehicles were parked at most intersections near the Presidential Palace, and trucks belonging to both the army and the Rapid Support Force were seen parolling downtown after sunset Wednesday. ___ Magdy reported from Cairo. Job Title: Acquisition and Assistance Specialist Entry Level (USAID) Organisation: United States US Embassy, US Mission in Uganda Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda Salary: USD $50,662 Position Number: Kampala-2023-019 About US Embassy: The United States Embassy in Kampala, Uganda has enjoyed diplomatic relations with Uganda for over 30 years. Ambassador Natalie E. Brown currently heads the U.S Mission to Uganda. The Mission is composed of several offices and organizations all working under the auspices of the Embassy and at the direction of the Ambassador. Among the offices operating under the U.S Mission to Uganda are: United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Peace Corps Job Summary: The Acquisition and Assistance Specialist Entry Level (USAID)will support the cognizant Mission Contracting/Agreement Officer, by performing a variety of A&A duties including, writing grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and other procurement instruments, and preparing amendments/modifications to such instruments in support of the Mission. The Specialist reviews and recommends approval or revision of requisitions in the Global Acquisition and Assistance System (GLAAS); reviews and recommends approval or revision of statements of work (SOW); drafts A&A solicitation documents; performs cost and price analysis; analyzes A&A offers or applications received; drafts A&A award instruments and modifications; analyzes budgets; recommends special A&A award requirements; writes memoranda of negotiation; and, prepares other required documentation. The Specialist maintains up-to-date A&A files and records, manages Contractor Performance Assessment Reports (CPARs), and supports award closeout. The Specialist provides guidance to supported Teams related to A&A award modifications. The Specialist is responsible for carrying out day-to-day activities under the mentorship of more senior Office employees. Qualifications, Skills and Experience: NOTE: All applicants must address each selection criterion detailed below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item. The applicants for the United States US Embassy Acquisition and Assistance Specialist Entry Level (USAID) job opportunity should be possession of a Baccalaureate Degree or the equivalent of a four-year US college/university (or equivalency accreditation if a non-US institution) degree is required. Bachelors degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Accounting, Economics, Finance, Marketing, Commerce or Law. The ability to plan and administer simple A&A activities and provide A&A support for Agency programs and projects in a timely manner, is required. At least years of progressively responsible experience in acquisition and assistance, development assistance, or a position that requires closely related skills, such as program management, law, or financial management, is required. One year of this experience must have been gained working in a position equivalent to responsibilities in this job description or an occupation that requires similar skills. Knowledge of public and/or private-sector business processes, or the ability to quickly gain such knowledge, is required. An understanding of USG A&A regulations and policies, and/or knowledge and understanding of how to execute and administer a complex acquisition and assistance portfolio, and/or the ability to quickly gain such understanding, is required, particularly as it relates to acquisition through methods of negotiation, sealed bidding, simplified acquisition procedures, and that result in standard and established contract types. The ability to apply contracting and assistance regulations, procedures, and policies to acquisition and assistance programs involving few complexities, is required. Skill in solving practical problems relating to A&A is required. An ability to deal effectively with mid- to high-level representatives of the US, local, and regional business community, and with colleagues in USAID Missions and/or host governments throughout the region, is required. Skill in the use of most elements of the Microsoft Office suite is required. Good analytical, negotiating, and time management skills, along with strong proofreading skills and attention to detail, are required. The ability to work calmly, tactfully, and effectively under pressure is essential, as well as the ability to maintain strict CONFIDENTIALITY, and meet all STANDARDS OF CONDUCT/ETHICS STANDARDS in accordance with US law throughout all phases of the A&A process, is required. Language: ADS 438 and Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) Level 4 (advanced professional proficiency, speaking and reading; see https://www.govtilr.org/) English and local language proficiency (if appropriate), ADS 438 and Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) Level 4 (advanced professional proficiency, speaking and reading; see https://www.govtilr.org/) English and local language proficiency (if appropriate), both oral and written, is required. How to Apply: All those interested in working with the United States Embassy, US Mission in Kampala should send their applications online at the link below. Click Here Deadline: 24th April 2023 For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline There's no doubt that money can be made by owning shares of unprofitable businesses. For example, although Amazon.com made losses for many years after listing, if you had bought and held the shares since 1999, you would have made a fortune. But while history lauds those rare successes, those that fail are often forgotten; who remembers Pets.com? So, the natural question for American Lithium (CVE:LI) shareholders is whether they should be concerned by its rate of cash burn. In this article, we define cash burn as its annual (negative) free cash flow, which is the amount of money a company spends each year to fund its growth. We'll start by comparing its cash burn with its cash reserves in order to calculate its cash runway. View our latest analysis for American Lithium When Might American Lithium Run Out Of Money? A company's cash runway is calculated by dividing its cash hoard by its cash burn. When American Lithium last reported its balance sheet in November 2022, it had zero debt and cash worth CA$17m. Importantly, its cash burn was CA$28m over the trailing twelve months. Therefore, from November 2022 it had roughly 7 months of cash runway. That's quite a short cash runway, indicating the company must either reduce its annual cash burn or replenish its cash. Depicted below, you can see how its cash holdings have changed over time. How Is American Lithium's Cash Burn Changing Over Time? American Lithium didn't record any revenue over the last year, indicating that it's an early stage company still developing its business. Nonetheless, we can still examine its cash burn trajectory as part of our assessment of its cash burn situation. In fact, it ramped its spending strongly over the last year, increasing cash burn by 181%. That sort of spending growth rate can't continue for very long before it causes balance sheet weakness, generally speaking. Clearly, however, the crucial factor is whether the company will grow its business going forward. For that reason, it makes a lot of sense to take a look at our analyst forecasts for the company. Story continues How Easily Can American Lithium Raise Cash? Since its cash burn is moving in the wrong direction, American Lithium shareholders may wish to think ahead to when the company may need to raise more cash. Companies can raise capital through either debt or equity. Many companies end up issuing new shares to fund future growth. By looking at a company's cash burn relative to its market capitalisation, we gain insight on how much shareholders would be diluted if the company needed to raise enough cash to cover another year's cash burn. American Lithium has a market capitalisation of CA$608m and burnt through CA$28m last year, which is 4.6% of the company's market value. That's a low proportion, so we figure the company would be able to raise more cash to fund growth, with a little dilution, or even to simply borrow some money. Is American Lithium's Cash Burn A Worry? Even though its increasing cash burn makes us a little nervous, we are compelled to mention that we thought American Lithium's cash burn relative to its market cap was relatively promising. Looking at the factors mentioned in this short report, we do think that its cash burn is a bit risky, and it does make us slightly nervous about the stock. On another note, American Lithium has 5 warning signs (and 2 which are significant) we think you should know about. Of course American Lithium may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks that insiders are buying. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here Emerging markets investor and co-founder and CIO of boutique investment firm GQG Partners Rajiv Jain is betting big on Adani Group stocks despite the recent downfall caused by Hindenburg Research's allegations against the conglomerate. He is confident that many of the Adani Group stocks could be multi-baggers in the next few years. After the short-seller Hindenburg accused Adani Group of stock manipulation and improper use of offshore tax havens, GQG increased stakes in the group with block deals with the Adani family trust, purchasing Adani Enterprises for about $662 million (3.4 per cent stake), Adani Ports for $640 million ( 4.1 per cent), Adani Transmission for $230 million (2.5 per cent) and Adani Green Energy for $340 (3.5 per cent). Jain pointed out that Adani Enterprises bought Mumbai Airport during Covid, leading to an increase in stock prices. He said the growth of these businesses has been "tremendous" and there is no funding or refinancing issue in the near future. He said GQG saw an attractive entry point owing to the slide in prices of stocks. The stock is down 75-80 per cent, so that obviously gets your attention," Financial Times quoted him as saying. Jain clarified that he isn't worried about the short-seller's allegations against the group. Is this perfectly clean? No, its not. Is it fraud? No, its not. So the difference between the two is what were talking about. In the meantime, you are getting irreplaceable assets, at very attractive valuations, which have some tremendous upside, he was quoted as saying. He observed that Hindenburg failed to mention the physical assents, regular assents and monopolistic assents of the company which are hard to replicate. The group's current EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) stands at Rs 61,200 crore while its net debt stood at Rs 1.89 lakh crore (about $23 billion). Adani Group executives had recently met bankers, bond holders, analysts and investors from various countries to address stakeholders' concerns in the wake of the allegations against it. Adani Group has been hoping to claw back the narrative by choosing slow and steady growth over the breakneck, mostly debt-fuelled, expansion spree of recent years. The comeback strategy revolves around focusing on bringing efficiencies in operations, suspending debt-driven new projects and reining in expenses. A case has been filed against the makers of Prabhas and Kriti Sanon's Adipurush for hurting religious sentiments. The complaint against the film producer, artist and the director was filed by Sanjay Dinanath Tiwari, a self-proclaimed preacher of Sanatan Dharma, through Mumbai High Court advocates Ashish Rai and Pankaj Mishra. This complaint has been lodged lodged at Sakinaka police station with the demand for registration of FIR under Section 295 (A), 298, 500, 34 of the Indian Penal Code. The complainant says the poster shows Ram in a costume contrary to the natural spirit and nature of Ramcharitmanas mentioned in the Hindu scripture. It also claims that all the characters in Adipurush are show without the janeu or the holy thread worn across the body. The complainant further claimed that in the film Adipurush, all the characters of Ramayana have been displayed without wearing Janeu. Janeu has special importance in Hindu Sanatan Dharma, which has been followed for many centuries by the followers of Sanatan Dharma on the basis of Puranas. The new poster of the cast was unveiled on Ram Navami, a festival celebrated to mark Ram's birth anniversary. Touted as a film celebrating "the victory of good over evil", multilingual period saga Adipurush is an on-screen adaptation of the Hindu epic Ramayana. The poster comes days after production houses T-Series and Retrophiles announced the new release date of the film starring Prabhas as Raghav, Kriti Sanon as Janaki, Sunny Singh as Shesh, and Devdatta Nage as Bajrang. Directed by Om Raut, the film also stars Saif Ali Khan as the antagonist Lankesh. In the new poster shared on T-Series' official Twitter page, Prabhas and Sunny are seen carrying a bow and an arrow donning armour and dhoti. Kriti is in a simple sari with her head covered, while Devdatta is seen bowing down in the service of the trio. Adipurush had courted controversy, including boycott calls, last year when the teaser of the magnum opus was launched in October, over the depiction of Hindu deities and inferior quality of visual effects. The makers were also slammed for the apparent Islamisation of Lankesh over Saif's look as the demon king, who was seen sporting a beard and buzz cut. The film was initially set to arrive in cinema halls on August 11, 2022, but the release date was further pushed to January 12, 2023. Adipurush is now slated to hit the screens in 3D on June 16, 2023. (With PTI inputs) The central armed police forces were deployed in West Bengal to assist the state police in maintaining law and order during Hanuman Jayanti celebration on April 6, the Union Home Ministry said on Wednesday. The state had witnessed sporadic violence and stone pelting during the Ram Navami processions last week. In a separate order earlier in the day, the MHA urged all states to ensure law and order during the festival on Thursday. "The MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) has issued an advisory to all states in preparation for Hanuman Jayanti. The governments are encouraged to ensure the maintenance of law and order, peaceful observance of the festival, and monitoring of any factors that could disturb communal harmony in society," the Home Minister's Office tweeted. Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court directed the West Bengal government to requisition central forces for assisting the state police in maintaining peace during the celebrations. The court also directed the Centre to make swift arrangements for such deployment on receipt of requisition from the state. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has urged people to celebrate the festival peacefully. "Tomorrow is Hanuman Jayanti. I will urge everybody to celebrate it peacefully. There will be no problem if peace is observed. Bengal is the land of peace, she said. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has decided to conduct 500 Hanuman Jayanti programmes across West Bengal but no weapons would be carried in the processions. Banerjee had on Monday alleged that plans were afoot for another round of violence in the state on April 6 when the nation celebrates Hanuman Jayanti. "I will entrust a responsibility to my Hindu brothers to see that minorities are not tortured on April 6 (Hanuman Jayanti)," she had said. The chief minister also urged the youth to come forward to prevent any kind of tension, and said protection should be given to the Scheduled Caste and Adivasi communities, too. Clashes and instances of fire-bombing were reported from Hooghly and Howrah districts of West Bengal over Ram Navami processions, including on Monday night. Several vehicles were also torched and shops ransacked in Howrah. Clashes were reported in West Bengal's Rishra on Sunday during a Ram Navami procession in which BJP national vice president Dilip Ghosh and party's Pursurah MLA Biman Ghosh were present. The MLA was injured and hospitalised. Parts of nearby Serampore also witnessed incidents of vandalism following which prohibitory orders were imposed and Internet services suspended. The chief minister said the clashes during the Ram Navami processions were deliberately stocked by the organisers who took it to routes that were not permitted. Targeting the BJP, she questioned the justification of taking out the procession three days after Ram Navami. "We are in the middle of Ramzan month. But some people are steering the processions to sensitive areas with the intention of creating tension. The fruit stalls in those areas have been burnt down. They are even participating in the procession with firearms and other lethal weapons," she said. With PTI inputs Veteran politician and former Union minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday lavished praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi while launching an all out attack on the Congress party. The Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chief said the Congress is still run by "remote control" and alleged that a "new coterie of inexperienced sycophants" manage its affairs. Azad, who quit the Congress last year following differences with its leadership, said Rahul Gandhi might not be holding any post as of now but everyone knows that he is the captain of the ship. "Everybody knows who is calling the shots, he added. "If tomorrow (Congress president Mallikarjun) Kharge ji wants a CWC (Congress Working Committee) meeting in Bengaluru, nobody will go...so I only wish him (Rahul Gandhi) to navigate the ship," he said and added that "it is for him to find whether he is a good navigator or a bad navigator, I am out of the ship and I better navigate in the river, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister told PTI ahead of the release of his book Azaad An Autobiography. Azad was part of a group of 23 Congress leaders who, in August 2020, wrote a letter to Sonia Gandhi seeking organisational reform in the party. "I guess it was beginning of the end as the leadership instead of taking this letter as a wake-up call, and strengthening the organisation and holding party elections on the lines we had suggested, both Rahul and Sonia ji took offence and viewed it as a challenge to their authority," Azad said, adding that instead of heeding to the suggestions, the G-23 was snubbed as being pro-BJP, he said. Later, talking to NDTV, Azad said he had got little generosity from the Congress for his years of dedicated service and even claimed that Prime Minister Modi was more generous to him. "I haven't attended any of his (PM Modi's) dinner parties, which was unbecoming on my part but he ignored it. In seven years as the Leader of the Opposition I have given 70 years' worth of speech against them. But he has ignored it and behaved as a statesman... There are occasions in life when one has to behave like a statesman," he told the TV channel. In his interview to PTI, Azad maintained that he had great respect for Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, but acknowledged there were political differences with Rahul Gandhi. "...as an individual, I am not saying Rahul Gandhi is a bad person. As an individual he is a good person. Maybe we have some political issues but those are the political issues that I had with him as long as I was in the Congress. Since I am no longer in the Congress party, I am nobody to tell him what is right for him and what is wrong for him," the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chief said. Under fire for its inaction in the Ambasamudram custodial torture case, the Tamil Nadu government, on Wednesday, placed six police personnel, including inspectors in the Tirunelveli range, under vacancy reserve. Even as Chief Minister M.K. Stalin informed the assembly that his government will not tolerate incidents of custodial torture, there seems to be a concerted effort to save suspended IPS officer Balveer Singh, one of the accused in the torture case. The crime took place with total connivance of officers at all levels, not just the police but also IAS officers. Even the hospital and the judiciary, which remanded them, and the remand advocate of the legal services authority are responsible. Various institutions have silently conspired together and a false narrative has been created to protect an IPS officer. Why is the SP hiding every incident that happened from March 10 to March 25, asks human rights activist Henri Tiphagne. The government ordered an enquiry against IPS Singh, who has been placed under suspension, under Section 151 of Police Standing Orders (PSO). While there are three casesone in Ambasamudram police station on March 10, the second in Vikramasingapuram police station, and the third in Kallidaikurichi police station on March 23the enquiry under Section 151 of PSO has been ordered in only one case. Incidentally, the PSO was framed in the 1970s much before the Protection of Human Rights Act came into force. Meanwhile, the sub-collector, who is one of the enquiry officers in the case, looked into the CCTV footage from the police stations only on Tuesday, at least 10 days after the issue came to light. Tiphange said even when there is a clear case of custodial torture by Balveer Singh from March 10 to March 25, no FIR has been registered yet. The assembly is in session. At this time, the district committee could have at least recommended registering a FIR. The system is trying to protect an officer who tortured and caused grievous injuries, Tiphagne pointed out. What is more worrying than the torture and the governments inaction, is the IPS officers' association coming out in support of suspended ASP Balveer Singh. In a statement, IPS officers association president Abash Kumar IPS accused the media of covering the Ambasamudram issue in a selective manner. What is worse is one of the aspirants for the post of the DGP coming out and saying that a media trial is happening in this case. This is the cheapest level of IPS officers functioning that we have been witnessing, Tiphagne added. The custodial torture in Ambasamudram by Balveer Singh is just the tip of the iceberg of the rotting police system in Tamil Nadu. Of late, the DMK government under Stalin seems to be losing its grip over the police department. The DMK had once gone hammer and tong against its opponent AIADMK when 13 people were killed in a police firing during a protest march in Thoothukudi. The DMK had then promised in its election manifesto that those who were involved in killing of 13 people will be taken to task. But when the inquiry commission, headed by former Justice Aruna Jagadeesan, submitted its report inducting 17 police officers and recommended criminal action, the DMK chose to remain silent by just recommending departmental action. Meanwhile, a few of the 17 officers have been promoted to a higher rank and are investigating several important cases. This was another issue the DMK raked up when in opposition was the Sathankulam custodial death case. However, in April 2022, when a Chennai man named Vignesh died of custodial torture Stalin, who holds the Home portfolio, narrated the police version in the assembly, defending the police personnel at the first instance. Later, when the post-mortem report confirmed that Vignesh died due to multiple injuries caused by torture, the chief minister was forced to change his previous statement and order a compensation of Rs. 10 lakh to his family. Hours after Stalin promised that there will be no more custodial deaths or torture in the assembly in June 2022, a 33-year-old man, Rajasekar, was allegedly tortured in police custody and subsequently died. Then there was the Kallakurichi Srimathi suicide case and the issue of human feces found dumped in a water tank supplying drinking water to a Dalit colony in Vengaivayal. In both cases, the police investigations did not make any progress despite huge protests. Days ahead of the budget session, supporters of Municipal Administration Minister K.N. Nehru barged into a police station in Trichy and attacked the cops, injuring a woman constable. Later when the Madurai High Court granted conditional bail to the DMK councillors arrested in the police station attack case, none of them obeyed the bail conditions. The police department has neither approached the court seeking cancellation of the bail for not obeying the order nor spoken about this in any public forum. While Stalin has been working towards ensuring social justice and unseating the BJP in the Centre, the police department under his control is involved in brazen human rights violations, and his government has turned a blind eye to it. As poll fervour peaks in Karnataka, Kannada actor Kiccha Sudeep may join the BJP. Besides Sudeep, another actor Darshan Tugudeepa is also likely to join the party, said reports. The duo will become party members at a function to be held in Bengaluru in the presence of Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday afternoon, reported ANI. Though the actor, who boasts a massive fanbase, is yet to confirm the news, reports hint that Sudeep will be the party's star campaigner in the upcoming Assembly elections. The 51-year-old actor belongs to the Nayaka caste which holds sway in the Kalyana-Karnataka region. Concentrated in the Chitradurga, Bellary and Raichur districts, the Nayakas are notified under the Scheduled Castes list in the state. Meanwhile, Sudeep has reportedly received a threat letter. It was the actor's manager who received the letter, following which he approached the police to register a case. Police said Sudeep's manager Jack Manju received a letter from an anonymous person, threatening to release the actor's "private video" on social media. Following this, the Puttenahalli police registered a case under sections 504, 506 and 120 (B) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). There are also reports that the local police may hand over the case to the Central Crime Branch. Further investigation is underway in the matter, said police. Meanwhile, former MP from Mandya LR Shivarame Gowda too joined the BJP after being expelled from JD (S). A statement released by Gowda said he along with his son Chetan Gowda will join the saffron party on Wednesday. This comes as JD(S) state chief HK Kumaraswamy expelled Gowda for indulging in anti-party activities, including making derogatory remarks against the former Mandya MP and the late Congress leader G Madegowda. Gowda is not the only leader to switch from JD (S) to BJP. Earlier, senior leader AT Ramaswamy, a four times MLA from Arkalgud Assembly constituency, had joined the BJP. It was speculated that Ramaswamy's joining can be a shot in the arm for BJP due to his influence in the Hassan district, where JD(S) is thought to have a stronghold. Amid speculations that he will join BJP, Karnataka actor Kiccha Sudeep has clarified that he will not contest for any party or seat. He added that he was also not seeking a ticket for his close aide and producer Manju either. The actor, however, said he would campaign for the saffron party in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections. Though he made no comments about joining the BJP, Sudeep said he has thought of a few things" that he will reveal during the scheduled media interaction with Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai. The 51-year-old actor belongs to the Nayaka caste which holds sway in the Kalyana-Karnataka region. Concentrated in the Chitradurga, Bellary and Raichur districts, the Nayakas are notified under the Scheduled Castes list in the state. Meanwhile, Karnataka Transport Minister B Siramulu said that the BJP will benefit from the induction of the actor. "Kichcha Sudeep is a very popular leader, along with a popular actor. He is a very big artist in the whole country. His support to BJP will be of great benefit to our party," Siramulu was quoted by ANI. He added that the inclusion of artists and several leaders from other parties will go towards strengthening the party. "JDS leaders and other artists are joining BJP one after the other. Our party is strong, but with their arrival, we will be even stronger. We will get 100 per cent votes for Karnataka this time," Siramulu added. About the threat letter, the actor said he will let the police handle the matter. Sudeep's manager Jack Manju has approached the police after receiving a letter on Wednesday, threatening to release the actor's "private video" on social media. The Puttenahalli police registered a case under sections 504, 506 and 120 (B) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in this regard. "Further investigation is underway in the matter," said police. History is written by the victors, said Winston Churchill once. The statement stands true in the current Indian politically coloured climate. Back in 2017, the Maharashtra State Education Board had removed chapters about Muslim rulers in India and the Mughals from its history textbooks for Class VII and IX. In the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled state, the textbooks turned their focus on the Maratha warrior Shivaji, Bofors scam and the Emergency of 1975-1977 that are associated with Congress-led administrations. The syllabus that was reportedly revised after a meeting at Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini, an RSS-endorsed think-tank led by Maharashtra education minister Vinod Tawde, also removed mentions of Razia Sultana (the first woman to rule Delhi), Muhammad Bin Tughlaq, Sher Shah Suri, among others. The move had caused the Devendra Fadnavis-led government to draw flak back then. Six years on, history-deletion has repeated itself. The National Council of Educational Research (NCERT) has edited several chapters from class 12 textbooks as a part of the syllabus rationalisation exercise. The new and revised versions of the textbooks will be adopted by the UP-state board and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in Uttar Pradesh from this academic year. NCERT has cited overlap, irrelevance, and ease of topic as the reasons behind the revision. From the textbook Themes of Indian History: Part II, the erased portions are related to Kings and Chronicles; the Mughal Courts (C. 16th and 17th centuries). In the political science textbook, parts of Gujarat Riots and the National Human Rights Commission report on it have been deleted from the 'Recent Developments in Indian Politics' chapter. Similarly, chapters like US hegemony in world politics and The Cold War Era have also been completely dropped from the Class 12 civics textbook. The other removals from the Class 12 textbook Politics in India Since Independence include Rise of popular movements and Era of one-party dominance. Of the deleted lines, some prominent ones include, Gandhijis actions were however not liked by all. Extremists in both the communities blamed him for their conditions. Gandhis pursuit of Hindu-Muslim unity provoked Hindu extremistsRSS was banned for some time. Listing the changes, the NCERT in a note had said, "The content of the textbooks has been rationalised for various reasons, including overlapping with similar content in other subject areas in the same class, similar content included in the lower or higher classes on the same subject. BJP leader Kapil Mishra called the move a great decision. He wrote on Twitter, It is a great decision to remove the false history of the Mughals from NCERT textbooks. He further said, Thieves, pickpockets and two-penny road raiders were called the Mughal Sultanate and the emperor of India. Akbar, Babar, Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb do not deserve a place in history textbooks but in the dustbin. The NCERT move drew criticism as academicians and the opposition believed this would deprive students of critical portions of Indian history. Calling the debate unnecessary, NCERT director Dinesh Prasad Saklani said, We are working as per National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and it speaks of reducing content load. We are implementing it. National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for school education is being formed; it will be finalised soon. Textbooks will be printed in 2024 as per NEP. We have not dropped anything right now. However, the UP state board government schools will adopt the curriculum starting this academic year. Other exclusions include the cold war era, the industrial revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries, and the reproduction of organisms. There have also been major changes in the textbooks of Physics, Maths, Chemistry and Biology. The changes for classes 6-12 were announced last year by the CBSE in order to align the rationalisation with the recommendations of the NCERT according to the NEP 2020 that ought to outline the vision of new education system of India. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi had criticised the move in 2022 and called CBSE Central Board of Suppressing Education on Twitter. The history of errors This is not the first time that political parties have been accused of altering history for their own agendas. In 2019, Rajasthan board of secondary education (RBSE) textbooks were altered once again to undo the changes introduced by the Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government in 2017 that allegedly glorified the government and asserted its Hindu ideology. Under the Congress government in 2019, the textbooks were revised again as parts on demonetisation, Vinayak Savarkar, the battle of Haldighati, Article 370, religious conversions and so on, were removed. ReportLinker The market for Anhydrous Aluminum Chloride is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 4% during the forecast period. Major factors driving the market studied are the increasing usage in manufacturing pesticides for agriculture sector and growing demand as catalyst in chemical manufacturing. New York, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Anhydrous Aluminum Chloride Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06445285/?utm_source=GNW Volatility in raw materials prices and harmful waste effluents are expected to hinder the growth of the market studied. Key Highlights The anhydrous aluminum chloride market is blooming owing to the increasing application of anhydrous aluminum chloride as a catalyst in pharmaceuticals and chemical manufacturing including agriculture chemicals, polymers, flavors, and fragrances. The growth in chemical manufacturing industry and cosmetics industry will provide ample opportunities for the anhydrous aluminum chloride market to grow over the forecast period. Asia-Pacific dominated the market across the globe with the largest consumption from countries such as China, India. Anhydrous Aluminum Chloride Market Trends Increasing Demand from Chemicals Manufacturing Sector Anhydrous aluminum chloride market is expected to bloom due to the increased use of anhydrous aluminum chloride as catalyst in producing chemical intermediates such as dyes namely anthraquinone, ethylbenzene and metaphenoxy benzaldehyde. Anhydrous aluminum chloride acts as a lewis acid owing to which it is actively used as catalyst in pharmaceuticals industry to manufacture ibuprofen and other drugs which is propelling the demand of anhydrous aluminum chloride market. The usage of anhydrous aluminum chloride market as the primary catalyst in Friedel-Crafts reactions, both alkylation and acylation, also in polymerization and isomerization of hydrocarbons is stimulating the market demand. It is used in petrochemical industry in the production of hydrocarbon resins and in the production of inorganic chemicals like titanium dioxide and fumed alumina which is enhancing the market growth. The global chemical industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 4% which would help in the growth of anhydrous aluminum chloride market. Owing to all the above-mentioned factors for anhydrous aluminum chloride, its market is expected to grow rapidly over the forecast period. Asia-Pacific Region to Dominate the Market Asia-Pacific region dominated the global market share. With growing application in countries such as China, Japan and India the utilization of anhydrous aluminum chloride is increasing in the region. The Cosmetics and Pharmaceuticals sectors are increasing in countries like India, China, and Japan owing to change in lifestyles. The cosmetics sector is expected to grow at a CAGR of up to 5% during the forecast period in the region. This creates a major scope for this market in the utilization of anhydrous aluminum chloride in the coming future. China is expected to grow fastest in the region due to rapid industrialization, the demand for anhydrous aluminum chloride to be used as raw material and catalyst is increasing in various manufacturing industries. Increased government spending on industrial development namely in chemical manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics in countries like China and India are expected to stimulate the market demand over the forecast period. Some of the largest producers of anhydrous aluminum chloride are located in Asia-Pacific. Some of the leading companies in the production of anhydrous aluminum chloride are BASF SE, Gujarat Alkalies & Chemicals Ltd., and Aditya Birla Chemicals. The aforementioned factors, coupled with government support, are contributing to the increasing demand for anhydrous aluminum chloride during the forecast period. Anhydrous Aluminum Chloride Industry Overview The anhydrous aluminum chloride market is fragmented with players accounting for a marginal share of the market. The key market players include Gulbrandsen, Base Metal Group, Nippon Light Metal Company Ltd., Aditya Birla Chemicals, and Kanto Denka Kogyo. Additional Benefits: The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format 3 months of analyst support Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06445285/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Story continues CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 Telangana BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar was arrested by police in the early hours of Wednesday after he was named the prime accused by the city police in a case of malpractice after a question paper of Standard 10 (SSC) board exam surfaced on groups of an instant messaging app. Sanjay Kumar, a Lok Sabha MP from Karimnagar constituency, was picked up by a team of police from his residence in Karimnagar city and was initially put under preventive arrest, triggering protests by his party workers. He was subsequently arrested, and then produced in a local court in the evening in Warangal, which remanded him to judicial custody till April 19 along with three others. The paper of Standard 10 (SSC) board exam in Telangana found its way into an instant messaging platform for the second day on Tuesday after a 16-year old boy took a photo of the paper from a student who appeared for the exam in Hanumakonda district and shared it with that student's brother while the exam was going on, police said. The paper was then posted in a group of the instant messaging app and subsequently shared in other groups by one of the accused, who had also sent a copy to Sanjay Kumar, police added. According to Warangal Police Commissioner A V Ranganath, Sanjay Kumar had sought to defame the government by conspiring to create fear among the students and their parents during the ongoing SSC public examination, as the blame for the question paper leak would fall on the Telangana administration There was WhatsApp conversation between Sanjay and the second accused (a former journalist of a TV channel). There were also WhatsApp calls between them. When we asked Sanjay, he said his phone is not with him. If we examine his phone, some more information will come out, the Police Commissioner told reporters at a press conference in Warangal. We feel that they wanted to create a sense of insecurity among students. There is no political motive in filing cases. This (the leakage of papers) was done under the direction of Bandi Sanjay, he added. The official further said the leaked question paper found its way into the phones of several BJP leaders, including former minister and legislator Etela Rajender. Ranganath said the arrest of Sanjay Kumar has been intimated to the Lok Sabha Speaker's office as per procedure, and added that the police had the power to arrest a person under section 41 of CrPC without issuing a notice first under certain circumstances. After his preventive arrest, Sanjay Kumar tweeted: Fear is real in BRS.! First they stop me from conducting press meet & now arrest me late in night. My only mistake is to Question BRS govt on its wrongdoings. Do not stop questioning BRS even if I am jailed. Jai Sri Ram! Bharat Mata ki Jai! Jai Telangana." He even posted the videos of his preventive arrest along with the tweet. After images of an SSC Hindi question paper surfaced on the social media platform, police took up the investigation and apprehended the 16-year-old boy and arrested two others on Tuesday, who include a former journalist of a TV channel and a lab assistant who had allegedly circulated the question paper on the app. Subsequently, Sanjay Kumar was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday along with another accused, his driver. A total of 10 people have been named as accused in the case and five are absconding. Police, in the remand report, claimed that the technical evidence gained by analysing call details of the phones of all the accused and the chats of the accused on the app proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused persons were involved in a conspiracy with regard to the "leaking" and copying of the question papers on April 4. This is a pre-planned and criminal conspiracy. Malpractices (have been committed) in SSC public examination with an intention to create rumours and provoke breach of peace of the ongoing public examination in Telangana state wherein Bandi Sanjay Kumar hatched a plan with the help of two other accused to leak out the ongoing SSC papers by taking a photo of a question paper in the cell phone, police alleged in the remand report. The police accused Sanjay Kumar of giving direction to the second accused to exploit the situation of the leak of the Telugu question paper which happened on April 3 (Monday), by stating that if it also happens on April 4, then they could circulate the same on social media and defame the state government. The BJP state chief sought to portray it as the failure of the government in preventing the question paper leak, the police claimed. The development comes days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state to inaugurate various projects. Sanjay Kumar, who was initially shifted to Bommalaramaram police station under Rachakonda Police Commissionerate limits here was subsequently taken by the police to Warangal. Earlier, a large number of BJP workers gathered near Bommalaramaram police station to protest Kumar's arrest and also raised slogans against Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. They demanded that Sanjay Kumar be released immediately. BJP MLA M Raghunandan Rao and several party leaders and workers were prevented from going there. Party national general secretary and Telangana in-charge Tarun Chugh said the BJP state president's arrest was unconstitutional and illegal and it would prove to be "the last nail in the coffin of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's repressive regime". Four government staff were suspended on Monday in Vikarabad district of Telangana after a stand-by invigilator at a government school allegedly took a photo of the Telugu question paper of SSC board exams and shared it with another teacher on an instant messaging app while the test was going on. The SSC exams in the state began on Monday. Telangana BJP President and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar was detained by the police in the small hours of Wednesday, triggering protests by his party workers. However, the police gave no reasons for the detention. Sanjay Kumar, a Lok Sabha MP from Karimnagar constituency, was picked up by a team of police late on Tuesday night from his residence. The MP's supporters tried to prevent the police from arresting Kumar, leading to some tense moments. Condemning the police action, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy termed as 'undemocratic' the detention of Kumar without citing any reason. The development comes days ahead of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state to inaugurate various projects. Sanjay Kumar has been shifted to Bommalaramaram police station under Rachakonda Police Commissionerate limits here. A large number of BJP workers gathered there to protest Kumar's detention and also raised slogans against Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. They demanded Sanjay Kumar be immediately released. Meanwhile, BJP leader and party's I-T department head Amit Malviya in a tweet said: "In a midnight operation, Telangana police has arrested BJP state President Bandi Sanjay Kumar on fabricated charges of being involved in secondary school paper leak. This won't end well for KCR". In her final speech to New Zealand's Parliament on Wednesday, Jacinda Ardern described in emotional terms how she'd navigated a pandemic and a mass-shooting during her tumultuous five-year tenure as prime minister. She also told humorous anecdotes like how a European leader so admired the striking hair of Ardern's chief-of-staff that he fluffed it like a hairdresser which she joked had helped secure a free-trade deal and how her mother once sent her a uplifting, if somewhat grandiose, message: Remember, even Jesus had people who didn't like him. On a more serious note, she urged lawmakers to take the politics out of climate change. There will always be policy differences," Ardern said during her valedictory address, wearing a traditional Maori cloak called a korowai. "But beneath that, we have what we need to make the progress we must." When Ardern finished speaking after about 35 minutes, she she was greeted with a standing ovation by lawmakers from across the political spectrum and rousing renditions of several Indigenous Maori songs. A global icon of the left and an inspiration to women around the world, Ardern in January stepped down as prime minister, saying, I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It is that simple." But she stayed on as a lawmaker until April to avoid triggering a special election ahead of the nation's general elections in October. Later this month, Ardern will begin a new, unpaid role combating online extremism as Special Envoy for the Christchurch Call. It's an initiative she started with French President Emmanuel Macron in May 2019, two months after a white supremacist gunman killed 51 people at two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch. She has also announced she's joining the board of trustees for The Earthshot Prize, an environmental charity started by Britain's Prince William. Ardern said she entered politics based on her convictions but got used to her tenure being defined by a different list. A domestic terror attack. A volcanic eruption. A pandemic. A series of events where I found myself in people's lives during their most grief-stricken or traumatic moments, she said. Their stories and faces remain etched in my mind, and likely will forever. She also described how she and fianc Clarke Gayford thought they couldn't have children after a failed round of IVF. Rather than process that, I campaigned to become prime minister, she joked. A rather good distraction as far as they go. Imagine my surprise when a couple of months later, I discovered I was pregnant. Ardern became just the second elected world leader to give birth while holding office after she and Gayford had daughter Neve in 2018. Ardern described how she'd approached the COVID-19 pandemic on a scientific basis and how New Zealand had fared best among developed nations when measuring excess mortality. She said she once tried to argue with a lone protestor about a false conspiracy theory. But after many of these same experiences, and seeing the rage that often sat behind these conspiracies, I had to accept I was wrong, she said. I could not single-handedly pull someone out of a rabbit hole. Ardern said she worried that during the pandemic, the nation had lost a sense of security, and the ability to engage in robust debate in a respectful way. She also described how she never thought she was meant to have the role of prime minister, and how it came about through a surprising chain of events. While she couldn't control how her tenure would be defined by others, Ardern said, she hoped it had demonstrated something else. That you can be anxious, sensitive, kind and wear your heart on your sleeve, she said. "You can be a mother, or not, you can be an ex-Mormon, or not, you can be a nerd, a crier, a hugger, you can be all of these things, and not only can you be here, you can lead, just like me. Hours after he left the Manhattan courthouse where he was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, former US President Donald Trump lashed out at investigators, alleging that the fake case against him was an attempt to interfere in the 2024 Presidential elections. "I never thought anything like this could happen in America," Trump told supporters gathered at his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida. "The only crime that I've committed has been to fearlessly defend our nation against those who seek to destroy it." Besides his children Donald Trump Jr., Tiffany Trump, and Eric Trump, Trump was also cheered on by Republican lawmakers and staunch supporters, Marjorie Taylor Greene (Georgia), Matt Gaetz (Florida), and Ronny Jackson (Texas). But, Trump's wife Melania was not seen. Despite being a monumental day for him, Trump's speech lasted only about 25 minutes. He greeted his supporters, who chanted 'USA' as he walked in. "We have to save our country. God bless you all," Trump said as he tore into investigators. "They cant beat us at the ballot box, so they try to beat us through the law," Trump said. "We are a nation in decline, and now these radical left lunatics want to interfere in elections by using law enforcement," Trump said. "We cant let that happen." He said Manhattan District Attorney Bragg was out to get him "before he knew anything about me." Calling Juan Merchan, "a Trump-hating judge," the former president dismissed the cases presented against him. "As it turns out, virtually everybody that has looked at this case including RINOs and even hardcore Democrats say there is no crime, and that it should never have been brought. Never have been brought. Never brought it," he said. In his speech, Trump also mentioned other cases against him, including the investigation in Georgia into election interference, a DOJ investigation into his handling of classified documents post-presidency and an investigation by the New York attorney general into the Trump Organization. On the Georgia case, Trump said Atlanta District Attorney Fani Willis was "doing everything in her power to indict me over an absolutely perfect phone call, even more perfect than the one I made with the president of Ukraine." He also called Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is overseeing the DOJ investigation, a lunatic. "This lunatic special prosecutor named Jack Smith I wonder what it was prior to a change who others of his ilk say, hes even worse than they are, is only looking at Trump." He also hit out against New York Attorney General Letitia James' investigation into the Trump Organization. "She campaigned on 'I will get Trump.' I will get him. This was her campaign. Never ran for office. I will get him. Her name is Letitia James," he said. He also commented on the economy, China, drug policies, on his success as a businessman. The eternal deification of American presidents began in earnest with Gerald Fords pardon of Richard Nixon, issued from the Oval Office in 1974. It ended on April 3, 2023, in a Manhattan courtroom with the words under arrest and with former president Donald John Trump pleading not guilty to 34 felony charges. The law is a great equalizer; Trump, just like everyone else, is equal to anyone else under the law. It was a significant moment in the political and legal history of the United States; one that attracted the attention of the whole world. The moment had the feeling of the end of an era, somehow bringing to full circle the lock her up chants led by Trump against Hillary Clinton in 2016, leaving Trump, if momentarily, under the custody of the law. It did not last long. Need we remind you that Trump was also the man who claimed he could kill someone in New Yorks Fifth Avenue and not lose the loyalty of his political supporters? In a matter of hours, the smiling faces of Don Jr., followed by Trump loyalists congresspersons Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene filed into a flag-lined room where Trump would resurrect his old grievances, attack the system, the prosecutors, the judges, and his political opponents, proving to himself and to others that he was not like everyone else. In the court, Trump was alternatively sullen, scowling, and angry, but at home in Mar-a-Lago, he was making a grand entrance again, defiant and grinning, amid chants of USA, USA. We have to save our country. The only crime I have committed is to defend our nation, he said. The reality is that gods, in general, dont die, they live on in old ways. After the unsealing of the indictment showed the 34 criminal counts related to actions during the 2016 election campaign and later in the Oval Office itself, even moderate Republicans who hold no love for Trump were incensed that charges were even brought up against him. They questioned the use of federal law by a state prosecutor to enhance the charges against the former president. In fact, the indictment against Trump charged that he repeatedly and in a fraudulent manner, falsified business records in the furtherance of the crime of defrauding the American electorate by denying them information about him. He violated New York election law, and the $130,000 that he received exceeded the federal limit for political contributions, explained the Manhattan prosecutor in a press conference after Trumps arraignment. Undoubtedly, Trumps arrest was a momentous event, but its implications for American democracy depend greatly on the general reactions of the public. Loud voices in the crowds outside Mar-a-Lago and in the media, not just right-wing media, are making the point that they believe that to bring a criminal charge against a former president, the law that applies to everyone is too low a bar. There is a recurring argument that presidential accountability could be called to question only for far more serious crimes. Many found the charges underwhelming. Indian-American GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, a successful pharmaceutical company entrepreneur and conservative author, who is running against Trump for the partys nomination, said on FOX News that the indictment represents a dangerous moment for the country, and added that he could imagine nothing worse than to have the ruling party use police power against the leading presidential candidate of the opposite party. On the day of Trumps arraignment, Ramaswamy said on Twitter, Partisan division is just bread & circuses. He kept his comments general, calling to Shut down the FBI & IRS. Pardon defendants of politicized prosecutions. Hold Congress accountable for using taxpayer $$ as hush money. Replace civil service protections with 8-year term limits. Punish bureaucrats who violate the law. Get aggressive. Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio said the charges against Trump were absurd. He tweeted: Today we set the new normal that if you really want to take someone down, nothing should stop you. You should be able to manipulate the law anyway you want to charge someone. This is not the right thing to do, the world is already laughing at us, Trump told the crowd at Mar-a-Lago. Even the most powerful are held to account, and that nobody is above the law, wrote California Democrat Adam Schiff, calling the day a somber moment in the life of our country, when its necessary to arraign a former president on criminal charges. "The events in New York City have, obviously, been a long time coming. This is a historic day, tweeted Mary Trump, niece of the former president. Donald has eluded accountability for so long and left so much destruction in his wake that there is a lot to take in." In an interview on her boyfriends Right Side Broadcasting Network, Marjorie Taylor Greene compared Trump to Nelson Mandela and Jesus. Nelson Mandela was arrested, served time in prison. Jesus! Jesus was arrested and murdered, she said. President Trump is joining some of the most incredible people in history being arrested today. Indian-American GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley is on record accusing the Democrat Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of pursuing revenge. Mr. Trump was a president of many firsts none of which were good for our country. His arraignment is another first all of his own making, said Pennsylvania Democrat Madeleine Dean, tweeting that Trump was an immoral man and a corrupt citizen. Speaking to THE WEEK, Ohio independent voter Heather Huberty, 37, who has opposed Trump and is evaluating a run for the office said she was dismayed by what he has done to the country, and added that she felt the indictment failed to raise to a level that would warrant charges against a former president. Florida Republican Maria Olmos, 62, told THE WEEK that she was just done with Trump. If it is not one thing, it is another, she said. It is just too much; this is not the kind of country I want to leave to my grandchildren. Self-proclaimed 'Never Trumper', Utah Senator Mitt Romney said he believes the New York prosecutor overreached, setting a dangerous precedent for criminalizing political opponents. The indictment revealed that Michael Cohen, who pleaded guilty to violating the law at Trumps direction met with the then-president at the Oval Office in the White House about the false and fraudulent repayment scheme. It also showed that Trump personally signed multiple checks to pay back Cohen for hush money payments to an adult movie star to stop her from revealing an affair with Trump before the 2016 election. Those checks were then untruthfully listed on business records as payments for legal services performed in 2017. That is at the centre of the indictment. It was done to cover up crimes to help Trumps chance of winning the election, explained the district attorney. Doing this to hide their violation of federal law makes the falsification of business records a felony. I assure you that District Attorney Alvin Bragg will be able to provide all the evidence to prove the allegations he made, said Cohen speaking to CNNs Jake Tapper, dismissing the Trump attacks of the indictment as the typical grievance, complaining, moaning and bellyaching about how bad this country has been treating him. There is no crime. Charges should never have been brought, Trump told the cheering Mar-a-Lago audience during the rally after his arraignment. His attorneys said the indictment lacks facts and that they intend to fight it hard. The public will have to wait a while to see just how hard. The trial is not expected to take place until the spring of 2024. Mumbai, Apr 5 (PTI) The Bombay High Court on Wednesday continued till further orders an interim stay on show-cause notice and penalty demand issued to industrialist Anil Ambani by the Income Tax department under the Black Money Act. A division bench of Justices Gautam Patel and Neela Gokhale posted Ambani's petition challenging the notice and penalty demand for hearing on April 28, and gave time to the IT department to file its reply. The HC had in September 2022 granted an interim stay to the show-cause notice pending hearing. In March this year, Ambani's lawyer Rafique Dada informed the court that the department later also issued a penalty demand notice to his client. The court then granted interim stay to the demand notice too. On Wednesday, when the petition came up for hearing, advocate Akhileshwar Sharma, appearing for the IT department, sought two weeks to file a "comprehensive affidavit" in response to the amended petition. "The petition has been amended adding some more IT officials as respondents and (the petitioner) has also annexed certain new documents. The department wants time to file a comprehensive affidavit," Sharma said. The court directed that the affidavit be filed by April 21. "The petition shall be listed for hearing on April 28. The interim orders passed earlier -- stay on the show-cause notice and the penalty demand -- shall continue till further orders," the bench said. The IT department issued a notice to Anil Ambani on August 8, 2022, for allegedly evading Rs 420 crore in taxes on undisclosed funds of more than Rs 814 crore held in two Swiss bank accounts. The industrialist was liable to be prosecuted under Sections 50 and 51 of the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) Imposition of Tax Act of 2015 which prescribes a maximum sentence of 10 years with fine, the IT notice said. The department charged Ambani with "wilful" evasion, saying he "intentionally" did not disclose his foreign bank account details and financial interests. Ambani in his petition claimed that the Black Money Act was enacted in 2015 and the alleged transactions were of assessment years 2006-2007 and 2010-2011. The provisions of the Act cannot have retrospective effect, he argued. According to the IT department's notice, Ambani was an "economic contributor as well as beneficial owner" of Bahamas-based "Diamond Trust" and British Virgin Islands-incorporated Northern Atlantic Trading Unlimited (NATU). He "failed to disclose" these foreign assets in his income tax return (ITR) filings and hence violated the Black Money Act, it said. The act was brought in by the Narendra Modi government soon after it came to power in 2014. IT officials assessed the total value of undisclosed funds in the two Swiss Bank accounts at Rs 8,14,27,95,784 (Rs 814 crore) and tax payable on this amount at Rs 4,20,29,04,040 (Rs 420 crore). Agartala, Apr 5 (PTI) Tripura has been given the best state award in the northeastern region by the Centre for successful implementation of e-procurement, Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy said here on Wednesday. To maintain transparency, the state has made it mandatory to go for e-procurement if the value of any government purchase or contract goes beyond Rs 25,000, he said. Impressed by the success in the e-procurement system, the Finance Ministry in association with the Ministry of Electronics and IT gave the best award among the northeastern states at a programme in Delhi, Singha Roy said at a press conference. The total value of payments made through e-procurement and Government eMarketplace (GeM) portals increased from Rs 4,451 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 7441 crore in 2021-22, he said adding that the figure is Rs 7,373 crore till December in 2022-23 fiscal. Singha Roy said digital payment is being promoted in the government sector to maintain transparency. As of now, 80 per cent of payments are made through digital platforms (in Tripura). The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has praised the state for embracing digital payment, he said. Except the pension to 82,000 pensioners, all the employees including Anganwadi workers are receiving salary through digital payment, he said. Asserting that the northeastern state has been making all-out efforts to increase its revenue, Singha Roy said Tripuras own tax collection has crossed Rs 3,000 crore during 2022-23 which is 15 per cent more than that of the last financial year. We will identify the loopholes in the taxation system and do the needful so that the tendency to evade taxes could be checked, he said. Prozeal Infra, one of India's fastest growing Solar EPC companies, has an orderbook of over INR 1,000 crore ($120 Million), and expects FY25 revenue to surpass INR 1,500 crore ($187.5 Million) MUMBAI, India and AHMEDABAD, India and BANGALORE, India, April 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Prozeal Infra Engineering Pvt. Ltd. has announced their first round of funding led by Chandrakant Gogri's family office arm Alchemie Ventures. The $4 Million (approx. INR 32.5 Crore) investment is for a minority stake at an undisclosed valuation. The funds will be used to scale operations and execute developer-model projects for energy and utility companies. Incorp Advisory was the exclusive investment banker for the transaction, which represents the largest Series-A fundraising transaction in India's Solar EPC space in over 2 years. Prozeal Infra is a home-grown venture founded by two Ahmedabad-based co-founders. The company already has an order book worth INR 1,000 crore ($120 million) that will be fulfilled over the next twelve months. In FY25, they expect to exceed INR 1,500 Crore ($187.5 Million) in revenue. Manan Thakkar, co-founder at Prozeal, said, "We are aligned with the National Solar Mission a key project envisaged by Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for India's energy diversification. This investment is a testament to our vision and commitment to creating a sustainable future for India's growing energy demands." Shobit Rai, co-founder at Prozeal Infra, said, "We are thrilled to have Mr. Chandrakant Gogri and his family office as our first investors. Mr. Chandrakant Gogri has a proven track record of building fast-growing and profitable businesses - creating immense value for shareholders. His sharp business acumen and guidance will enable the next phase of sustainable growth for Prozeal Infra." Chandrakant Gogri, the Founder & Chairman Emeritus of Aarti Group of Industries [NSE:AARTIIND], said, "I am impressed with what the dynamic and passionate founders at Prozeal Infra have achieved. Solar energy and decarbonization are the backbone of India's climate change commitment. Prozeal Infra, through its engineering capabilities, is well positioned to capture a lion's share of this energy transformation." India has made a climate change commitment of meeting 50% of its energy requirements through renewable sources by 2030. This translates to 300 GW of installed solar power capacity by 2030, of which only 65 GW is installed today. Prozeal Infra has a vision to be a decarbonization and net-zero solution company for commercial and industrial MNCs, MSMEs and Government institutions supporting India's sustainable energy goals. Inderpreet Chadha, Head of Investment Banking at InCorp Advisory, said, "This investment catapults Prozeal Infra towards becoming one of India's largest players in this space. We are proud to be associated on this marque transaction. We proved that commercially prudent businesses with a commitment to create long-term customer value are not affected by the so-called 'funding winter'." About Prozeal Infra Prozeal Infra Engineering Pvt. Ltd. is a leading solar EPC company based in Ahmedabad, India. The company started in 2013 with focus on the commercial & industrial segments, and gradually expanded to larger contracts catering towards the utilities segment. Today they have an installed capacity of 1 GW across multiple projects. They have executed projects for 200+ companies, including marquee clients such as Ashok Leyland, Pidilite Industries, Mahindra CIE, Indian Oil, Hinduja Renewables, JSW, GHCL and many more. About Alchemie Ventures Alchemie Ventures is the family office arm of Mr. Chandrakant Gogri - the Founder & Chairman Emeritus of Aarti group of Industries. Alchemie Ventures invests selectively in high growth and cash flow-positive companies, currently focused on investments that drive climate change technologies. About InCorp Advisory InCorp Advisory is a Singapore-based professional service business with 1500+ professionals operating from across the Asia Pacific. In India, InCorp Advisory offers Transaction Advisory, Investment Banking, Corporate Restructuring, CFO Outsourcing, Compliance, Taxation, and ESG Advisory through offices in Mumbai, Bangaluru, Chennai, and GIFT City. For more information, please write to info@incorpadvisory.in Media Contacts: Preksha Lalwani Incorp Advisory preksha.lalwani@incorpadvisory.in Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2047481/ProzealInCorp.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2047505/ProzealInfra_Logo.jpg (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR PWR New Delhi will host Osteria Francescana's maiden pop-up in the capital with two special dinners on 21st and 22nd April 2023 NEW DELHI, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Indian gourmets, Culinary Culture and The Leela Palace New Delhi present Osteria Francescana, rated as the Two-Time World No.1 restaurant by the World's 50 Best Restaurants and helmed by celebrity chef and philanthropist Massimo Bottura. Bottura and his team will travel to New Delhi for the first time to re-create the magic of their Three Michelin starred restaurant from Modena, Italy at the Leela Palace New Delhi on 21st & 22nd April 2023. Massimo Bottura, the Italian maestro chef, widely known for his innovative approach to Italian cuisine was included as part of Time Magazine's World's 100 most influential people list and is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). A key ingredient in Massimo's food is the underlying social and environmental consciousness imbued in every dish he serves. As founder of Non-Profit organization called 'Food for Soul', Bottura leverages his global platform to advocate for reduction of food waste and protecting the environment and biodiversity through sustainable cooking practices and ingredient sourcing. His commitment to sustainability echoes the eco-aware values championed by The Leela. Osteria Francescana, the 12 table restaurant he started in Modena in 1995, is widely recognised as one of the most difficult restaurant reservations in the world with waiting list than goes into the thousands. The restaurant was awarded the title of 'The World's Best Restaurant' on two occasions in 2016 and 2018 by the World's 50 Best Restaurants. The special menu created for New Delhi will feature vegetarian and non-vegetarian renditions of Bottura's signature and most iconic dishes such as 'Oops I Dropped the Lemon Tart', 'The Crunchy Part of the Lasagne' and 'Psychedelic Cod Not Flame Grilled' amongst others. In the lead up to the dinners, Bottura will also host an invite-only interactive session, where he will be in conversation with Vir Sanghvi, India's leading food authority. Commenting on this collaboration, Mr. Anupam Dasgupta, General Manager The Leela Palace New Delhi said, "Food has long served as a bridge between many nations, cultures, and people. At The Leela, we are committed to elevating our guests' experiences by integrating thoughtful experiences that resonate with our guests' passions. We are delighted to collaborate with Culinary Culture to bring Chef Massimo to the city and it is our privilege and honour to host him at The Leela Palace New Delhi. We look forward to the magical epicurean delight that Chef Massimo will curate and are excited to watch it unfold." Raaj Sanghvi, CEO, Culinary Culture added, "It's an honour to have Massimo and his team back with us in India. His dinners in Mumbai sold-out within minutes and we are anticipating an even greater response in Delhi. Bottura is much more than a chef, he is a global inspiration and uses his platform and stature to bring about positive changes in the world. At Culinary Culture our mission is to bring the best of the world to India and we are grateful to our partners The Leela Hotels and Diageo who have made this possible." Chef Massimo Bottura shared his excitement and said, "Namaste India, I can't wait to be back in your beautiful country very very soon! I'm bringing my team from Osteria Francescana in Modena to cook two amazing meals in New Delhi in partnership with Culinary Culture and The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts. We are preparing a beautiful menu and I can't wait to be back in India and give everyone a warm hug!" During his last visit to India, Bottura wowed lucky diners in Mumbai with his spectacular rendition of Osteria Francescana and now Delhi can experience the genius of the world's greatest chef. With very limited seats available, guests are advised to reserve their experience for this extraordinary event priced at INR 55,555 plus taxes per person, to be held on 21st and 22nd April 2023. To reserve your experience and for more information, contact: Ashish.arora@theleela.com Contact@culinaryculture.co About The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts Headquartered in Mumbai, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts is owned by a Brookfield Asset Management-sponsored private real estate fund and operates eleven award-winning properties in major cities and leisure destinations across India. These include the flagship hotel in the capital city of New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Udaipur, Jaipur, Gurugram, East Delhi, Mumbai, Gandhinagar and now Kovalam. The Leela celebrates each hotel through its unique location, art, culture and cuisine with thoughtful services, celebratory rituals, and immersive experiences. The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts was voted the World's Best Hotel Brand twice in a row by Travel + Leisure, USA, World's Best Awards Survey, 2020 and 2021. The brand is well poised to embrace the next phase in its growth trajectory with upcoming projects which includes a leisure resort in Ashtamudi in Kerala. An epitome of true Indian luxury hospitality, The Leela is committed to providing guests with unforgettable stays in settings that capture the essence of India. The brand has a marketing alliance with US-based Preferred Hotels & Resorts and is a member of the Global Hotel Alliance. Website: www.theleela.com | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theleela/ About Culinary Culture Founded in 2019 by Sameer Sain, Co-founder and CEO of the Everstone Group and Vir Sanghvi, India's leading food authority, Culinary Culture is a movement that encompasses all aspects of the food space in India. It is the country's only authoritative, independent rating organisation, awarding stars to restaurants. It also recognises and rewards India's best chefs and street food artists. It organises global culinary exchanges, bringing the world's greatest chefs to cook in India and sending Indian chefs to cook at the best restaurants in the world. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/culinarycultureco/ Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2048170/ChefMassimoBottura.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1441809/3919567/TheLeelaLogo.jpg (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR PWR India, including the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Delhi NCR, Pune and Bangalore ~ National 5 April, 2023: In a short span of five weeks, The House of Abhinandan Lodha has sold 20 lakh sq. ft. of branded land, showcasing the rising demand for land as a wealth generation source. Indias largest branded land developer achieved this historic feat at the beachside town of Dapoli in Maharastras Konkan belt. The integrated development project titled Cape of Bliss saw roaring success on the proposition that would encourage new investors to make their first ever investment in land, helping them start their journey of creating intergenerational wealth. The launch of this project has established Dapoli on Indias map as the countrys fastest growing tourist destination. With the state government's special focus on infrastructural developments, and an increasing demand for land to build second homes, this hidden jewel has become a great investment option. A completely virtual buying process, assistance throughout the journey of land ownership and a great product proposition, together was met with excellent response from all over the country. The House of Abhinandan Lodhas first national campaign saw demand and first time customers from over 25+ cities across India. All this has contributed to HoABL ending their best year in business, with the largest land launch in the country and over 1500+ customers owning their first piece of land. Samujjwal Ghosh, Chief Executive Officer The House of Abhinandan Lodha, The purpose with which HoABL exists is not just to create land investment but to have a tremendous positive impact using innovation and consumer tech. Today is the future we wanted to live in yesterday. We can achieve great things with tech innovations and enabling virtual purchase of hidden gems like Dapoli, and the success of it is just the start to a whole new wealth product category we aim to create HoABL, a consumer tech brand that is democratising land buying, is transforming the process of owning land for consumers by making it easy, secure, and liquid through technology. The company aims to make land investment a critical part of peoples finance portfolios. Additionally, the company has sold 3.3 million sq ft land so far across popular destinations like Dapoli, Anjarle and Foothills of Matheran in Maharashtra. In FY 23-24, HoABL will successfully deliver 6 million sq ft space to the customer base. About The House of Abhinandan Lodha The House of Abhinandan Lodha is India's largest branded land developer. We are India's premier consumer-tech brand born out of a vision to democratize land for the new generation of the country. A class apart from the prevailing real estate eco-system, The House of Abhinandan Lodha is aiding retail investors to participate in wealth generating investments in land replete with a host of amenities. It is also eradicating the red tape and risk associated with buying land through innovative consumer-tech. At the core of HoABL, lie four key promises: Security, Liquidity, Transparency and Wealth. HoABL is also building a first-of-its-kind tech product in India that will simplify the land-buying process and break age-old notions often attached to it. With 5,400 customers and counting in the last one year alone, the brand is in the process of launching premium projects collectively worth over Rs 6,000 crore across premium locations. In 2021, the very first year of operations, HoABL launched two projects. In FY 22-23, four projects were launched and the coming year, the brand plans to roll out 11 news projects. Some of the new projects in the pipeline are in Alibaug, Goa, Ayodhya, Lonavala and two locations in the Konkan region. (Disclaimer: The above content is a press release and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR PWR Apple is set to open soon its first official retail store in India, a landmark move for the iPhone maker which is placing big bets on the South Asian nation for everything from manufacturing to sales. The world's most valuable company released a picture of the barricade of its new Apple Store in India's financial capital of Mumbai on Wednesday, but stopped short of giving a date for its opening. The new Apple Store, housed in a posh shopping centre owned by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, is located in the city's main business district alongside multinational banks. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. The launch highlights Apple's push to expand in India, which is set to overtake China as the world's most populous nation this year. The South Asian country is also the world's second-largest smartphone market. India is expected to assemble up to 50 per cent of Apple 's iPhones by 2027, up from fewer than 5 per cent at present, to be on par with the scale of production in mainland China. Photo: AP alt=India is expected to assemble up to 50 per cent of Apple 's iPhones by 2027, up from fewer than 5 per cent at present, to be on par with the scale of production in mainland China. Photo: AP> India's growing middle class is an attractive target group for Apple's pricey smartphones and personal computers, which has prompted the US company and its major suppliers to expand manufacturing operations in the country. Cupertino, California-based Apple is also building a store in the South Asian nation's capital, New Delhi. The US tech giant this year reshuffled the management of its international businesses to put a bigger focus on India, where online sales helped it report record revenue in the December quarter. Apple chief executive Tim Cook has said Apple is putting "a lot of emphasis on the market" and compared the current state of its work in India to its early years in China. Story continues The company has also made steady efforts to shift more production away from China to countries such as India and Vietnam. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's local manufacturing push, financial incentives and India's relatively cheaper labour have led Apple's primary contract manufacturing partner Foxconn Technology Group, formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry, along with other major Taiwanese suppliers Pegatron Corp and Wistron Corp, to ramp up iPhone production in the country. This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2023 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2023. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Lucknow, Apr 5 (PTI) Small and medium IT companies are yet to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 induced lockdown because of the high attrition rate of their employees after upskilling, according to a survey. According to the survey by Micro Small and Medium Enterprises -Export Promotion Council (MSME-EPC), the highest attrition rate of 35 per cent is being seen in small and medium sector technology companies after the lockdown, in which skilled employees leave their companies for higher wages. After this, the attrition rate is 27 per cent in the services sector. Due to this, the hopes of returning to normalcy after the epidemic in these areas have been hit. Releasing the report of this survey of 700 IT units on Wednesday, D S Rawat, Chairman, MSME-EPC, said that a large number of employees in MSME sector companies are going to other companies for higher salaries after learning the work. Due to this, these companies are still not able to recover from the shock of the lockdown. Companies in the technology sector spend a lot of time and resources to train their employees, but after training, the employees move to other companies for higher wages. He said that there is a need to open more and more capacity building centers in the public and private sector to check the high attrition rate. This will increase efficient manpower, due to which the process of leaving one company and going to other companies will also reduce. Rawat said that the rate of attrition in the industrial sector is low, but companies in the technology sector are still struggling to retain their employees. Apart from this, the attrition rate is 20 per cent in the manufacturing sector, 27 per cent in the service sector especially the financial sector, 26 per cent in the e-commerce sector and 25 per cent in the pharma sector. According to the survey, technology companies in the MSME sector are facing tough competition from large and multinational companies. In such a situation, losing a trained employee is increasing the pressure on them, which is ultimately a threat to their business. The maximum pressure is on those who do 'outsource' work or are in the profession of completing the work within a stipulated time. As per the survey, more and more MSME industries are moving towards digitisation to expand their market both domestically and internationally. In such a situation, the entire business plan of this sector is collapsing due to the high attrition rate of the employees. New Delhi, Apr 5 (PTI) For Bengali cinema superstar Prosenjit Chatterjee, "Jubilee" presented a good opportunity to not just collaborate with series director Vikramaditya Motwane but also pay tribute to people who built the Indian film industry. The series marks the actors return to a Hindi language project after Dibakar Banerjees Shanghai in 2012. Honestly speaking, Vikramaditya Motwane, he said, describing why he joined the 10-part Prime Video series. I normally want to work with new directors and he is one of those finest directors we have. I've been watching his films and when he called, I was pretty excited, Prosenjit Chatterjee told PTI in a virtual interview. "Jubilee" also marks the digital debut of the actor, who plays Srikant Roy, a visionary film studio boss, in the show. I really wanted to be a part of this project because somewhere we are trying to pay tribute to the people who made Indian cinema. Srikant Roy is a powerful character. This is my OTT debut, and honestly, the platform does not really matter to me. I am so honoured and happy to be working with such young and talented people, he added. Jubilee chronicles the lives of a studio bigwig, his movie-star wife, his trusted aide, a rising star, a nautch girl and a refugee in 1940s and 50s. Co-created by Motwane and Soumik Sen, the series also stars Aditi Rao Hydari, Aparshakti Khurana, Wamiqa Gabbi, Sidhant Gupta and Nandish Sandhu. Hydari, who plays Srikant Roys wife and co-owner of the Roy Talkies, said the role of superstar Sumitra Kumari was quite a departure from her past roles of sweet characters. She credited Motwane and series writer Atul Sabharwal for creating such a layered character. "She's so unapologetic about who she is and the position she holds and the respect she commands by just walking into a room. I usually get to play this sweet girl. To be able to say something and watch the other person squirm was fun. I love the stubbornness of this character, she said. Describing Sumitra Kumari as "a woman with agency in a man's world", the actor said it was liberating in a way to play a character like her. I was excited that I had something so polar opposite to anything that I know as a character and just as a human being," she added. Prosenjit Chatterjee, who is the son of veteran actor Biswajit Chatterjee, said he has seen characters like Srikant Roy around him who are willing to go to any length to find the right talent. His relationship with Sumitra is different. They respect each other and, at the same time, they hate each other. They know it has taken a lot of hard work to build this kingdom. They dont want to lose this so the adjustment of life is very realistic, he said. Not just Hydari, Khurana is also set to surprise his fans with his portrayal of Binod Das and later as superstar Madan Kumar, a complete turnaround for the actor famous for his comedic performances. Khurana said his character, who hides his burning ambition under the guise of a trusted aide to Srikant Roy, was complex and layered. The layering done to each and every character in this series is different from what you've seen in the past. The credit goes to Vikram (Motwane), but having said that, the layering opens slowly which is why it was easy to play it, he said. The actor said his on-set equation with Prosenjit, known among his fans as Bumba da, helped him portray the subservient Binod, who is in awe of his boss. And, in reciprocation, he (Srikant Roy) is ready to make you a star. It was an interesting give and take, it reflected in real life... People were not trying to scare me but they were like, 'All of your scenes are with Bumba da'. It becomes slightly easier when you are already in awe of the actor in real life and you have to be like that on the screen as well, Khurana noted. Gupta stars as a happy-go-lucky theatre artiste Jay Khanna, who gets displaced after Partition but the tragedy only strengthens his resolve to make it big as a director. The actor, whose credits include films such as "Operation Romeo" and Prime Video series "Inside Edge 3", said he knew he had stumbled upon something special when he read for the character. When this character came to me, I was like, 'Who's this because I am not like him but why am I not like him?' My journey started from there and eventually I became this character. What I loved about him the most was his (inner) child is alive and his (inner) child is always playing. He is with his heart and he knows that his heart is at the right place, he added. "Jubilee" will start streaming on Prime Video from April 7, followed by the second part, also consisting of five episodes, releasing on April 14. Islamabad, Apr 5 (PTI) Pakistan's anti-corruption watchdog has launched a probe against the brother of former ISI chief Lt Gen Faiz Hamid for alleged misuse of power and corruption, it emerged on Wednesday. The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Punjab is investigating allegations that Najaf Hamid, brother of the powerful ex-spy master of the country, used influence to get undue career promotion and accumulated assets beyond means, a letter written by the regional directorate of the anti-graft body said. The Regional Directorate of ACE, Rawalpindi division, wrote to the Rawalpindi and Chakwal deputy commissioners on Tuesday for records of land owned by Najaf, claiming that he "superseded several seniors for promotion to the Girdawar post" and "accumulated assets beyond his own means". The provincial anti-graft watchdog initiated the enquiry against Najaf, who was Patwari (a clerk in the revenue department) in his home district of Chakwal and received quick promotions, the letter said. It stated that the records were needed for ongoing assets beyond means inquiry against Najaf, who was suspended from the post of deputy tehsildar on February 16. The former spymaster's brother was removed from the post in public interest over alleged misconduct. So far, the former Inter-Services Intelligence chief has not responded to the allegations raised against his brother. Hamid retired last year after the new Army Chief, General Asim Munir's appointment. Lt Gen (retd.) Hamid was once considered the most powerful person in the country but is lately facing a barrage of criticism by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders for allegedly supporting ousted premier Imran Khan's bid to become the prime minister in the 2018 elections. London, Apr 5 (PTI) Britains Indian-origin Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, is expected to face a key contest with a fellow Conservative Party member of Parliament on Wednesday to hold on to her constituency in time for the next general election expected in 2024. The 43-year-old senior Cabinet minister is believed to be headed for a face-off with fellow Tory MP Flick Drummond in an internal party vote of eligible local members over who gets to contest from a newly redrawn constituency boundary in Hampshire, south-east England. Under the Boundary Commission of Englands changes, Bravermans seat of Fareham is being re-carved as Fareham and Waterlooville and Drummonds Meon Valley is being scrapped under the new parliamentary boundaries. According to several UK media reports, a local party vote will choose between the two Hampshire MPs to go on to contest the new constituency in a future election. The fight has been labelled by media commentators here as the Battle of Waterlooville, after the town in Hampshire at the heart of the redrawn boundaries. The selection vote comes as a number of constituency changes have been proposed across England as part of the 2023 Boundary Review, the final recommendations of which are due to be presented to the UK Parliament by July 1 to be adopted ahead of the next general election. The Boundary Commission for England says it has closed its final consultation and that it is analysing the feedback received. The 2023 Boundary Review is taking place to rebalance the number of electors in each constituency, as this currently varies widely, said Tim Bowden, Secretary to the Boundary Commission for England. To make sure that each MP represents roughly the same number of electors, the Commission has been asked by Parliament to recommend a new map of constituencies, each containing between 69,724 and 77,062 electors (with an exception for the Isle of Wight). While we must keep within this range when reshaping constituency boundaries, we also try our best to take into account local geography, existing constituency boundaries, and local ties, he said. A Tory councillor, Caroline Brook, in the new constituency told Times Radio that she would struggle to campaign for Braverman if she was to win the partys nomination as she disagrees fundamentally with the Home Secretary. It's a sign of the resistance the minister faces from within her own party and the Opposition over a tough stance on immigration issues, including government plans to deport illegal migrants to Rwanda and to house them in disused military bases while in the UK to cut down on hotel costs. According to The Daily Telegraph, her predecessor Indian-origin former home secretary Priti Patel is among the Tory MPs to back a legal challenge against the latter as one such base in Wethersfield village falls in a constituency neighbouring hers in Essex. Patel is believed to have raised the lack of information provided to the local council on the scale of the site, how the asylum seekers will be managed, the length of time it will be used and the impact assessment. Braverman has also attracted criticism from charities and sections of the Opposition after her candid comments against child sex abuse grooming gangs being groups of men, almost all British Pakistani, with the Labour Party warning the Tories against overly focussing on the ethnicity of the grooming gangs. Braverman, the daughter of a Goan-origin father and Tamil-origin mother, was first appointed Home Secretary under former prime minister Liz Truss but resigned within 43 days amid a controversy over the use of private emails for official communication. Rishi Sunak reappointed her to the post when he was parachuted in to take charge as Prime Minister in October last year after Truss short-lived and embattled premiership. Washington, Apr 5 (PTI) The US has recognised Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India and strongly opposes any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by renaming localities, the White House has said. The US reaction came in response to Beijing announcing Chinese names for 11 more places in Arunachal Pradesh which the neighbouring country claims as the southern part of Tibet. The official names of the 11 places were released on Sunday by Chinas ministry of civil affairs. "The United States has recognised that territory (Arunachal Pradesh) for a long time (as an integral part of India). And we strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by renaming localities, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday. "And so, again, this is something that we have long stood by, Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference. India on Tuesday outrightly rejected China renaming some places in Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that the state is an integral part of India and assigning invented names does not alter this reality. We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has made such an attempt. We reject this outright, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said. Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Attempts to assign invented names will not alter this reality, he said. It was the third batch of standardised geographical names for Arunachal Pradesh issued by Chinas civil affairs ministry. The first batch of the standardised names of six places in Arunachal Pradesh was released in 2017 and the second batch of 15 places was issued in 2021. Chinas renaming of the places in Arunachal Pradesh came in the midst of the lingering eastern Ladakh border standoff that began in May 2020. Following the standoff, India bolstered its overall military preparedness along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Arunachal Pradesh sector as well. The Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a nearly three-year-long confrontation in certain friction points in eastern Ladakh even as the two sides completed disengagement of troops from several areas following extensive diplomatic and military talks. India has been maintaining that its ties with China cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border areas. ** Former US president Trump pleads not guilty to 34 counts against him in Manhattan court. US recognises Arunachal Pradesh as India's integral part: White House. Eric Garcetti will lead ambitious effort to deepen US-India cooperation: White House. UN says Taliban bar female Afghan staffers from working. US President Joe Biden, VP Kamala Harris greet Jain community on Mahavir Jayanti. Donald Trump's arraignment bitterly divides American lawmakers ahead of 2024 presidential elections. Trump decries charges against him, accuses radical left lunatics of election interference. * Toronto, Apr 5 (PTI) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said a proper investigation is needed to get answers on the tragedy on the US-Canada border that resulted in the death of eight people from two families of Indian and Romanian descent and cautioned against speculating on what could have contributed it. The members of the two families drowned last week in the St Lawrence River while they were attempting to enter the US from Canada illegally. Bodies of eight persons were recovered later from the marsh on the riverbank near Akwesasne, a community which straddles Quebec, Ontario and New York state. The Indian victims have been identified by their kin in India as Pravin Chaudhary (50), Dakshaben Chaudhary (45), their daughter Vidhi (23), and son Met (20). It is too soon to draw connections between the tragedy in Akwesasne and the recent closing of the illegal border crossing at Roxham Road, Prime Minister Trudeau and Quebec Premier Francois Legault said on Tuesday. Some refugee and immigration defence groups have said stricter border policies recently announced by the federal government under pressure from Quebec and the other provinces could be a factor pushing new arrivals to seek yet more ways to travel under the radar. There is not just dismay, there is heartbreak at what happened to these families, The Montreal Gazette newspaper quoted Trudeau as telling reporters. It is something that as governments and as Canadians we need to continue to do everything we can to keep people safe, and particularly the most vulnerable. There are lots of questions about what exactly happened in the tragedy, he said. "Thats why those questions are being answered and we need to make sure theres a proper investigation to confirm what we know before we speculate on what could have contributed or what could have prevented this," Trudeau said. We need to ground it in real facts and a proper investigation, and thats what were going to be doing. There are many people full of questions, which is normal, but we must not leap to conclusions or say it is because of this or blocked by this. Legault said it was terrible news and his thoughts are with the people killed and their families. But we have to be careful (before drawing) a relationship with the decision regarding Roxham and these people who were trying to go to the United States. All the inquiries will be done, but we have to be careful. Both Trudeau and Legault have described the new Safe Third Country agreement signed with the US as a major political achievement because it ends the previously chaotic situation. But some refugee groups disagree. The renegotiation of the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) announced on March 24 led to the detention of dozens of asylum seekers at the Canada-US border south of Montreal for days before being sent back into rural New York with no plan, their savings spent and almost no resources to help them find food, shelter and rides. Its tough not to associate this with what happened at Roxham Road and the new Safe Third Country Agreement, and the overall sentiment thats been pushed forward with all these agreements and talks, Abdulla Daoud, executive director of the Montreal-based Refugee Centre, told the Montreal Gazette last week. Though no link has been made between the effective closure of Roxham Road and the deaths of the two families, advocates for migrants say they expect more tragedies of the kind as increased border surveillance resulting from the closure pushes people to take greater risks. "This is just one of many that will unfold, as tragedies," said Reena Kukreja, an assistant professor at Queen's University, who studies border policies and South Asian migration. "Roxham closing, I'm thinking, is going to lead to more crossings through the river pathway and during the night, when it's stormy when the weather isn't safe and you do not expect patrols to be out," CBC News quoted her as saying. Akwesasne Mohawk police identified two of the Romanian family members on Saturday as Cristina (Monalisa) Zenaida Iordache and Florin Iordache, who were both 28. The man was carrying Canadian passports for the couple's two young children aged one and two who were among the victims. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada issued a statement on Tuesday, saying the changes to the STCA are intended to deter people from using Canada's land border as a way of claiming asylum. "We are incredibly saddened by the recent deaths near Cornwall Island. Our condolences go out to the families of the deceased," IRCC spokesperson Stuart Isherwood wrote in an email. "Irregular routes to Canada or to other countries present very real dangers. We encourage individuals in need of protection to claim asylum in the first safe country that they enter and to do so at a designated port of entry." Public federal documents show Florin Iordache, the Romanian father who died on the river, had applied for a pre-removal risk assessment. That assessment is typically the last ditch effort available in Canadian immigration law to prevent or delay someone's removal from the country. His request was denied. Documents show Iordache was seeking a judicial review of the refusal. A friend told The Canadian Press Monday the family had been facing deportation when they decided to join family members in Florida by attempting to cross into the US through Akwesasne. "These two kids were born in Canada and somehow we failed these two families," said Ralph Shayne, a member of an umbrella organisation for 163 groups helping refugees. "He preferred to risk his life than to be deported back to his country of citizenship," Shayne added, referring to Florin Iordache. A number of groups for refugees held a protest outside Prime Minister Trudeau's Montreal riding office on Tuesday afternoon, denouncing the recent Safe Third Country Agreement changes and a lack of support for asylum seekers already in the country. A similar protest was also held in Toronto. Police, meanwhile, continue to search for a 30-year-old local man, Casey Oakes. He was last seen last Wednesday launching into St. Lawrence in a light blue boat. A boat matching that description was also found capsised in a marshy area where searchers pulled the bodies from the water. On Tuesday, police said in a news release they believe Oakes was connected to the deaths, after previously declining to make that connection. Seoul, Apr 5 (AP) The United States flew nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to the Korean Peninsula again on Wednesday in a show of strength against North Korea amid concerns that the North might conduct a nuclear test. The long-range bombers took part in joint aerial drills with US and South Korean fighter jets over the Korean Peninsula, South Korea's Defence Ministry said. It said it was the first deployment of US B-52 bombers to the peninsula in a month. The drills show the strong resolve of the (South) Korea-US alliance and its perfect readiness to respond to any provocation by North Korea swiftly and overwhelmingly, Lt Gen Park Ha Sik, commander of the South Korean air force operation command, said in a statement. The South Korean and US militaries have been expanding their combined military drills in response to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. The allies conducted their biggest field exercises in five years and computer simulations last month. The US also sent the nuclear-powered USS Nimitz aircraft carrier for joint naval training with South Korea last week and US-South Korea-Japan anti-submarine drills this week. North Korea sees such drills as provocations that show its rivals' intention of attacking the North. A day after the last flight by a B-52 bomber to the peninsula on March 6, Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, warned that her country was ready to take quick, overwhelming action against the United States and South Korea. North Korea has since test-launched a series of nuclear-capable weapons designed to attack South Korea and the United States. They included the North's longest-range Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile, a developmental nuclear-capable drone and cruise missiles fired from a submarine. Last week, North Korea unveiled a new battlefield nuclear warhead to fit on short-range weapons targeting South Korea. That touched off speculation that it may want to carry out its first nuclear test since 2017 because its last two nuclear test detonations happened after it disclosed other new warheads. If conducted, it would be the North's seventh nuclear weapons test. Whether North Korea has functioning nuclear-armed missiles remains a subject of debate. Some experts say a nuclear detonation would be aimed at testing a miniaturised warhead for short-range missiles because the country's recent weapons tests have focused more on weapons that place key military installations in South Korea, including US military bases there, within striking distance. Kim Jong Un has said North Korea won't return to denuclearization talks with the US unless Washington drops hostile polices toward the North, an apparent reference to its joint military drills with South Korea and U.S.-led international economic sanctions. Some observers say Kim wants to use his growing weapons arsenal to pressure Washington to accept it as a nuclear power and lift the sanctions. (AP) NSA New York, Apr 5 (PTI) The New York state will "not normalise" serious criminal conduct, "no matter who you are," Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, has asserted, hours after former US President Donald Trump was arraigned in a courtroom here. Trump, 76, the first former US President to be criminally charged, pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in relation to hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential elections at his arraignment here in Manhattan criminal court on Tuesday. Bragg is the first Black Manhattan District Attorney and a fellow New Yorker who handed over an indictment on criminal charges to Trump. Trump repeatedly made false statements on business records in New York in an effort to cover up other crimes, Bragg said at a press conference held shortly after Trumps arraignment Tuesday afternoon, the Politico newspaper reported. The former president pleaded not guilty to the 34 felony charges. These are felony crimes in New York state, no matter who you are. We cannot and will not normalise serious criminal conduct, Bragg told reporters. Under New York state law, it is a felony to falsify business records with intent to defraud and intent to conceal another crime. That is exactly what this case is about: 34 false statements, made to cover up other crimes, Bragg told reporters. Bragg said that Trump, executives at the publishing company American Media Incorporated, Trumps former fixer Michael Cohen, and others agreed to a catch and kill scheme in 2015, planning to buy and suppress negative information to help Trumps chances of winning the election. As part of that scheme, Bragg said, Trump and others made three different payments to people who claimed to have negative information about the former president that Trump and his allies worried would hurt his chances of winning the 2016 presidential election. One of those three people was Stormy Daniels, Bragg said, the porn star who claimed she had an affair with Trump and whom Cohen has admitted to making a USD 130,000 hush money payment, claiming he did so at Trumps behest. The decision by Bragg to revive the investigation against Trump and point it toward the hush-money arrangement reveals the circuitous and sometimes uncertain road that led to the first criminal charges against a former American president. Born in Harlem, Bragg, 49, was sworn in as the 37th District Attorney of New York County (Manhattan) in January 2022. One year ago, the Manhattan district attorneys investigation into Trump appeared to be dead in the water. The two leaders of the investigation recently resigned after Bragg decided not to charge Trump at that point. Amid a fierce backlash to his decision and a brutal start to his tenure Bragg insisted that the investigation was not over. But a disbelieving media questioned why, if the effort was still moving forward, there were so few signs of it, the New York Times reported. This account of Braggs decision to revive the investigation and point it toward the hush-money arrangement reveals the circuitous and sometimes uncertain road that led to the first criminal charges against a former American president, the report added. In a statement on Thursday, after the indictment was reported, Trump called the case a political persecution and election interference at the highest level in history, adding that Bragg was a disgrace and calling himself a completely innocent person." Before being sworn in as District Attorney, Bragg was a Visiting Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Racial Justice Project at New York Law School. In that role, he represented Eric Garners mother and sister in a lawsuit against the City of New York seeking details concerning Garners death. The 43-year-old African-American man was killed in July 2014 on a Staten Island sidewalk after being placed in a chokehold by an NYPD officer. Bragg studied at Harvard University and Harvard Law School and clerked for Robert P Patterson, Jr in the Southern District of New York. He is a former member of the Board of Directors of the New York Urban League and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and a Sunday School teacher at his church. Islamabad, Apr 5 (PTI) Pakistan on Wednesday rejected UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman's discriminatory" and "xenophobic remarks targeting British-Pakistani men. Braverman told Sky News in an interview last week that British-Pakistani men hold cultural values at odds with British values. Responding to Bravermans remarks, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that they painted a highly misleading picture signalling the intent to target and treat British Pakistanis differently. She said the British home secretary had erroneously branded criminal behaviour of some individuals as a representation of the entire community. She (Braverman) fails to take note of the systemic racism and ghettoisation of communities and omits to recognise the tremendous cultural, economic and political ontributions that British-Pakistanis continue to make in British society, Baloch said at a press conference here. In an interview about the UK government's plans to tackle child sexual abuse, Braverman spoke about the predominance of British-Pakistani males who hold cultural values totally at odds with British values. [British-Pakistani men] see women in a demeaned, illegitimate way, and pursue an outdated and frankly heinous approach to the way we behave, Braverman commented after she was informed that a Home Office report in 2020 concluded that most child sexual abuse gangs are made up of white men under the age of 30 and that there was not enough evidence to suggest members of grooming gangs were disproportionately more likely to be Asian or Black. Braverman pointed to reports from Rotherham town, which was rocked by a child sexual exploitation scandal in which five British-Pakistani men were convicted of grooming, raping and exploiting young girls. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday unveiled plans for a new task force to go after grooming gangs. The new Grooming Gangs Taskforce will involve specialist officers parachuted in to assist police forces with live child sexual exploitation and grooming investigations for stricter action against those who groom children for sexual abuse. Sunaks announcement came a day after his Indian-origin Home Secretary, said that the perpetrators of such crimes are groups of men, almost all British Pakistani but authorities have turned a turn blind eye to these signs of abuse out of political correctness, out of fear, of being called racists, out of fear, of being called bigoted. Britain is home to the largest Pakistani community of about 1.5 million, most of them as second-generation citizens who were born and brought up in the UK. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 5, 2023) - ArcPacific Resources Corp. (TSXV: ACP) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a purchase agreement dated March 29, 2023 (the "Purchase Agreement") with an arm's length party (the "Vendor") to acquire an undivided 100% interest, subject to 2% Net Smelter Royalty ("NSR") , in and to 96 mineral claims within 2,400 hectares located 60 kilometres west of the town of Nain in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, commonly referred to as the TL Nickel North property (the "Property"). The Property is located in the Churchill province of Labrador and straddles a major regional contact between early Archean quartzo-feldspathic gneiss with inter-layers of mafic gneiss and paragneiss on the west and granitic units of the middle Proterozoic Nain Plutonic Suite (NPS) to the east and northeast. Within the Property area, these units are cut by younger diabase dykes which appear to follow a major east-west trending structural break. At least 4 areas show elevated nickel values (up to 2000 ppm Ni) in outcrop and have not been followed-up or drill tested. Electromagnetic (EM) anomalies also exist in the Property area and coincide with the elevated nickel values at surface. The Company is planning to further evaluate these untested targets as a joint program with the anticipated TL Nickel Property exploration program this field season. Adrian Smith, CEO of ACP comments, "The addition of the TL Nickel North Project to the TL Nickel Project greatly increases our land holdings in the area where previous exploration has identified significant nickel mineralization. The TL Nickel North Project is located along the same regional trend as the Company's TL Nickel Project where 2008 drilling identified significant Nickel mineralization at surface including 14 metres of 1.02% Nickel, 0.51% Copper, 0.03% Cobalt, 0.35 g/t Au + PGE (see release dated Nov 23, 2022). We see excellent potential to expand on these mineralized areas and are excited to begin work on our growing land package in the Voisey's Bay region of Labrador." Story continues The Company will earn a 100% interest (subject to 2% NSR) in the Property by the issuance of 1,500,000 common shares to the Vendor and payment of cash consideration of $20,000 within 5 days of receipt of approval from the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company has the right to buy back half of the NSR equal to 1.0% for $1,000,000 at any time, in addition, the Company shall have the right of first refusal on the remaining 1.0% NSR. The Purchase Agreement remains subject to receipt of approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued will be subject to a four month and one day hold period in accordance with Canadian Securities laws. Disclosure The results presented in this release are considered historic in nature. The qualified person for the Company has not verified the historic sample analytical data disclosed within this release. While the Company has obtained all historic records, including analytical data from the previous owners of the property and from various government databases, the Company has not independently verified the results of the historic sampling. Adrian Smith, PGeo, is a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101 for the aforementioned project. The qualified person is a member in good standing of the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists Newfoundland and Labrador (PEGNL) and is a registered professional geoscientist (PGeo). Mr. Smith has reviewed and approved the technical information disclosed herein. About ArcPacific Resources Corp. ArcPacific Resources Corp. (TSXV: ACP) is a Canadian based exploration company. ArcPacific owns the option for 100% interest in the TL Nickel Project, 50km from the world class Voisey's Bay Nickel mine in Labrador, Canada, which includes nickel grades in excess of 1% Nickel. The Company also owns the LMSL Copper Gold & Silver Project in British Columbia, and holds other highly prospective exploration projects in Canada. The Company is focused on creating shareholder value through new discoveries and strategic development of its mineral properties. For further information, please visit http://www.arcpacific.ca. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and ArcPacific Resources Corp. undertakes no obligations to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. CONTACT INFORMATION: Adrian Smith, CEO and Director Contact 1-778-331-3816 Adrian Smith asmith1661@gmail.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161310 Islamabad, Apr 5 (PTI) Pakistan's election watchdog on Wednesday announced that it will hold the polls in the politically crucial Punjab province on May 14 as directed by the Supreme Court a day earlier. A three-member bench of the apex court led by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Tuesday fixed May 14 as the new date for elections to the Punjab Assembly, as it quashed the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) decision to extend the polls date from April 10 to October 8. As per the schedule announced by the election commission on Wednesday, polling for elections in Punjab will be held on May 14. The last date for filing an appeal against the decision of the Returning Officer regarding the nomination papers will be April 10. "The ECP hereby recalls its notification of even number dated March 22, 2023 and in partial modification to this commission's notification of March 8, 2023 hereby revises the following stages of the election programme for the conduct of general elections to the provincial assembly of Punjab," the Express Tribune newspaper reported, citing the revised notification. According to the revised schedule, the election tribunal will decide on the appeals by April 17, and the last date for publishing the new list of candidates will be April 18. The last date for withdrawal of nomination papers will be April 19 and election symbols will be allotted to the candidates on April 20. The development comes just a day after the apex court declared as unconstitutional the ECPs earlier decision to postpone elections in Punjab, in a major blow to the federal government that has been trying to delay the election citing security issues and the economic crisis. Rome, Apr 5 (AP) Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi was hospitalised on Wednesday in intensive care because of a problem related to a previous infection, but was alert and speaking, Italy's foreign minister said. The 86-year-old three-time premier was in the ICU at Milan's San Raffaele hospital, the clinic where he routinely receives care, said Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who is also a leader of Berlusconi's Forza Italia party. Speaking from Brussels, Tajani said Berlusconi was admitted because of an unresolved problem" related to a previous infection. Berlusconi has had a series of health problems in recent years, most significantly recovering from COVID-19 in 2020. He told reporters after being discharged from a 10-day hospital stay then that disease had been insidious and was the most dangerous challenge he had ever faced. He has had a pacemaker for years, underwent heart surgery to replace an aortic valve in 2016 and has overcome prostate cancer. In January 2022 he was admitted for a reported urinary tract infection. Berlusconi had been to San Raffaele, where his personal physician works, for a regular checkup for several days just last week. In a March 31 tweet after he returned home, Berlusconi thanked all those who wanted to send a thought or sign of affection in these days. He said he was already back at work ready and determined to commit myself as I've always done to the country I love. Berlusconi, a media mogul-turned politician, made his latest political comeback in September general elections, winning a Senate seat a decade after being banned from holding public office over a tax fraud conviction. That election brought a hard-right-led government to power, with Berlusconi's Forza Italia party a junior member of a government headed by Premier Giorgia Meloni. Berlusconi remains at the helm of Forza Italia, the center-right party he created when he jumped into politics in the early 1990s, though the day-to-day running of the party has been left to underlings. Most recently he has made waves with a handful of comments about his old friend Russian President Vladimir Putin, boasting that the two had exchanged birthday greetings and blaming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the war. Berlusconi's comments have irked the pro-Ukraine Meloni government, though just this week Tajani insisted that Berlusconi is committed to a peaceful solution to the war. In January 2022, Berlusconi withdrew his name from consideration to be Italy's president. (AP) RUP RUP Tallinn, Apr 5 (AP) The head of the UN's atomic energy watchdog met with Russian officials in Kaliningrad on Wednesday for negotiations on the safety of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, currently held by Russian forces. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi's trip to the Russian exclave came a week after he visited the plant, which is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. I met high level officials from several Russian agencies in Kaliningrad, Grossi said on Twitter. I continue my efforts to protect the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, he said, emphasising that this was in everyone's interest. The head of Rosatom, Alexey Likhachev, was among the officials Grossi met, according to a statement by Russia's state nuclear corporation. Likhachev informed Grossi of the steps that are being taken by the Russian side to ensure the safe operation of the ZNPP, while expressing that the Russian side is ready to work on implementing initiatives put forward by Grossi. The Kremlin's forces took over the plant after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy opposes any proposal that would legitimize Russia's control. On his visit to the plant last week, Grossi said he was trying to prepare and propose realistic measures that will be approved by all parties. The increasing combat makes it urgent to find a way to prevent a potentially catastrophic nuclear accident at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, he stressed. Interruptions to the outside electricity supply due to the fighting required plant personnel to switch to emergency diesel generators six times during the 13-month war.(AP) RUP RUP Ankara, Apr 5 (AP) Turkey has closed its airspace to flights to and from an airport in Kurdish-administered northern Iraq, a top Turkish official announced on Wednesday, citing an alleged increase in Kurdish militant activity threatening flight safety. The airspace was closed Monday to flights taking off from and landing at Suleimaniyah International Airport, in northern Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tanju Bilgic said. The closure was a response to an alleged increase in the activities of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, in the city of Suleimaniyah, including its infiltration of the airport, Bilgic said in a written statement. Bilgic said the Turkish airspace would remain closed until July 3, when Turkish authorities would review the security situation. The decision comes weeks after two helicopters crashed in northern Iraq, killing Kurdish militants who were on board. The incident fueled claims that the PKK was in possession of helicopters, infuriating Turkish authorities. The main US-backed and Kurdish-led force in northeastern Syria later said it lost nine fighters, including a commander, in the crash, which occurred during bad weather on a flight to Suleimaniyah. The nine included elite fighters who were in Iraq as part of an exchange of expertise in the fight against the Islamic State group, according to a group known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF. Suleimaniyah International Airport director Handren al Mufti said the airport received an email from Turkish Airlines on April 3 saying its flights that day and the next were cancelled. A subsequent email extended the flight suspension until April 11, Mufti said. He said airport officials received no response when they asked why the action was taken. I can assure everyone that we have no security issues at all, and not a single incident of security breach occurred inside the airport, but apparently there are other purposes behind their decision, Mufti said. Turkish Airlines flew twice daily from Istanbul to Suleimaniyah. The PKK has waged an insurgency against Turkey since the 1980s and is considered a terrorist group by Ankara, the United States and the European Union. Its members have established safe havens in northern Iraq and frequently come under attack by Turkey in the region. Turkey also considers a Syrian Kurdish militant group, which forms the backbone of the SDF, as a terrorist organisation. The United States however, distinguishes between the PKK and SDF and doesn't consider the SDF a terrorist group. The helicopter crash also fed into a local rivalry between the two main Kurdish parties in Iraq. Officials from the Kurdish Democratic Party, which has maintained largely good relations with Turkey, alleged after the crash that the helicopters had been originally purchased by the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party, which has its stronghold in Suleimaniyah, and that they had been flying without permission from the regional government.(AP) RUP RUP London, Apr 5 (PTI) A suspect charged with the triple murder of an Indian nurse and her two children pleaded guilty to the murders at a court hearing in eastern England on Wednesday and was remanded in judicial custody until his sentencing in July. Saju Chelavalel, 52, appeared at Northampton Crown Court, where he admitted to killing wife Anju Asok, 35, and children Jeeva Saju, 6, and Janvi Saju, 4. All three victims were found in December last year when emergency services were called to their home in Kettering to reports that they had suffered serious injuries. Forensic post-mortem examinations, which took place at Leicester Royal Infirmary following their deaths, concluded that all three died as a result of asphyxiation. "This was an absolutely tragic case and there are no words to articulate the devastation Saju Chelavalel caused when he chose to end the lives of Anju, Jeeva and Janvi, said Detective Inspector Simon Barnes, Senior Investigating Officer from the Northamptonshire Police. "I am pleased that he has pleaded guilty and spared Anjus family and friends the pain of a trial. He will have to live with what he has done forever and I hope one day, he truly comprehends the pain his actions have caused, he said. The officer said that Anju Asok will be remembered as so much more than his victim as he described her as a dedicated nurse, loving mother, and loyal friend. "My thoughts remain with her loved-ones and will continue to do so long into the future," he said, extending his gratitude to all the officers involved in the case. "This was a case that affected many people and it was through sheer dedication and professionalism that Chelavalel has been brought to justice so quickly," he noted. Chelavalel pleaded guilty to three counts of murder at Northampton Crown Court and will be sentenced at the same court on July 3. The judge has indicated that he would be handed a life sentence, with the minimum term before parole to be determined by the sentencing judge. Anju Asok, originally from Viakom in Kottayam district of Kerala, had been employed at the local hospital in Kettering since 2021. She worked as a nurse in the orthopaedic department of Kettering General Hospital, which has since paid tributes to her as a committed and compassionate staff nurse. The local police have also shared information about a remembrance ceremony held last month in memory of the deceased family at Kettering Park Infant Academy, where Jeeva and Janvi were enrolled. The children in their respective classes were given a balloon either pink, blue or silver, to represent Janvi, Jeeva and Anju. The children then gathered outside and were joined by the rest of the school as the song Somewhere over the rainbow played and the balloons were released. A poem was read and a minutes silence was held and the schoolchildren then filed back into the school past two new memorial benches. "It was an honour to be invited to this ceremony and join the children in remembering Anju and their two classmates Jeeva and Janvi. We were privileged to be shown their classrooms and spend some time with their teachers, said Detective Inspector Barnes. "We were handed a beautiful remembrance book, full of pictures and messages from the childrens classmates and all of the staff. This is now with the family in India. Whilst my team and I have a professional job to do, we are not immune to the personal impact such tragedies cause. The school did the family proud in what was a very touching tribute. All three were much-loved and will be missed by everyone, he added. Washington, Apr 5 (PTI) US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have extended their greetings of Mahavir Jayanti to the Jain community across the world and encouraged people to strive for peace and harmony. (First Lady) Jill (Biden) and I wish a happy and prosperous Mahavir Jayanti to all those observing. Today, we recognise the values of Mahavir Swami and strive to live with peace, truth, and harmony, Biden tweeted on Tuesday. Vice President Harris also sent her greetings on the occasion. On Mahavir Jayanti, Doug and I join Jains around the world in celebrating the birth of Mahavir Swami, who taught that all living beings are equal. Today, let us recommit to upholding these universal values of respect and non-violence, Harris tweeted. The greetings from the US president and the vice president were welcomed by an Indian American community leader. We members of the Jain community thank President Biden and Vice President Harris for sending greetings on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti, which no other president has done in the last, said community leader Ajay Jain Bhutoria. On this day, let us also take a pledge to work towards creating a more peaceful and harmonious world by following the path of Ahimsa, which was the core principle of Lord Mahavir's teachings," he said. Let us strive to create a society where there is no violence, discrimination, or hatred, and where everyone is treated with equal dignity and respect, Bhutoria said in a statement. As we celebrate the birth of Lord Mahavir, let us also take a moment to reflect on his life and teachings, and to seek inspiration from his journey towards enlightenment. May this day bring us closer to our true selves and help us lead a life of purpose, compassion, and righteousness," Bhutoria said. Mumbai, Apr 5 (PTI) The Western Railway (WR) on Wednesday launched a mobile application that will allow commuters to check the live status of trains on its suburban network spread between Churchgate station in south Mumbai and Dahanu in adjoining Palghar district. According to the zonal railway, the app, 'Yatri', also has several other features. Western Railway general manager Ashok Kumar Misra launched the app at Churchgate station concourse in the presence of railway officials and other dignitaries, Sumit Thakur, chief public relations officer, WR, said in a press release. The Western Railway has installed GPS tracking devices in all its suburban trains, which will enable the app to provide their real-time location. Thakur said with this app, developed in collaboration with a private firm, commuters will not only be able to get a train's live location on map, but can also see it moving. In just three simple steps, commuters can view the live location. Commuters can find the nearest stations directly on the map, type the source station and track the train of their choice so they can gauge how close or far they are from the train to plan their journey, he said. Thakur said commuters will get authentic information regarding train live updates, announcements, latest timetable, maps of major railway stations and their amenities. The software also provides information about Mumbai Metro services and buses, and it has a section where users can give their feedback. Passengers will also have an easy access to important railway and medical emergency contact numbers and travellers can use the app to explore nearby tourist destinations and places to visit near stations. The Western Railway said the the app is divyangjan-friendly as well. Divyang commuters (persons with disabilities) who operate the mobile phone via voice commands can easily find their train's live location with the help of Google Assistant, Thakur said. Last July, the Central Railway had launched live tracking of its suburban trains through the app. Ahmedabad, Apr 5 (PIT) The Gujarat government on Wednesday said unseasonal rains in March damaged crops and horticultural produce on more than 42,000 hectares in 15 districts, and "financial assistance" will be provided to the affected farmers. The issue was discussed during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar. Suitable financial assistance will be announced soon, Health Minister Rushikesh Patel told reporters after the meeting. As per the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) norms, crop loss must be more than 33 per cent for a farmer to be eligible for assistance, said Patel who is also a government spokesperson. As per a survey conducted by the government, 42,201 hectares of farmland suffered more than 33 per cent damage, he said. "In March, unseasonal rains lashed 15 districts, including Ahmedabad, Banaskantha, Bhavnagar, Amreli, Junagadh and Bharuch. Preliminary reports suggested that standing crops and horticultural produce were damaged in 2,785 villages in these 15 districts. To assess the loss we had formed 565 survey teams," Patel informed. "The survey covered nearly 1.99 lakh hectares in these 15 districts and found that 42,201 hectares of farmland suffered more than 33 per cent damage. Farmers who suffered more than 33 per cent loss will be given financial assistance soon as per the SDRF norms," said Patel. While the survey in these 15 districts was over, a separate survey to assess the damage to mango orchards in Valsad was still on, the minister added. From March 4 to 24, 198 talukas of 30 out of 33 districts in Gujarat received unseasonal rains ranging from 1 mm to 47 mm, said Patel, adding that 34 talukas in ten districts received more than 10 mm of rains. Pune, Apr 5 (PTI) Four people were injured after a clash between two groups in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district where the rioters also damaged some vehicles and indulged in stone pelting, police said on Wednesday. The police registered two offences and arrested 19 persons in connection with the incident that took place in Gajraj Nagar near Warulwadi on Ahmednagar-Sambhajinagar Road on Tuesday late evening, they said. After the clash, heavy police deployment was put in place in various parts of Ahmednagar to avoid any untoward incident. According to police, both the groups filed cases against each other, based on which two first information reports (FIRs) were registered. "A youth from a group that was passing by a mosque was allegedly beaten up by the members of a rival group in the Gajraj Nagar area, following which a clash took place between these two groups. During the clash, one two-wheeler was set on fire while a couple of other vehicles, including a four-wheeler, were damaged," said a police officer from MIDC police station in Ahmednagar. The clash also resulted in stone pelting, he added. Another police officer said the clash took place between two groups over the issue of posting a status on social media. Rakesh Ola, superintendent of police, said that a total of 19 people have been arrested so far in two cases that were registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) pertaining to rioting. "Some people are spreading false news that stones were hurled towards a temple, but nothing of that sort has been found in the probe conducted so far. As per the preliminary investigation, there was a clash between two groups over some matter in which few persons were injured and some vehicles were damaged," he said. Appealing to people not to believe in rumours being circulated on social media, he warned that action will be taken against those who try to spread messages that may create communal tension. "After the incident, police 'bandobast' was deployed at key points in the city. The situation is normal and peaceful in the city," he added. Patna, April 05 (PTI) In a riposte to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's "ulta latka denge" (will hang them upside down) remark, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday asserted that the state was known for straightening people out ("sidha kar dete hain"). The RJD leader also alleged that many BJP MPs were involved in rabble rousing and Shah as the party's principal strategist should have pulled them up for their behavior. "This is Bihar. The people here know how to straighten out those who need such treatment. People from Gujarat, during their `pravachan' (sermons) in Bihar would do well to remember this is the land where Gandhi became Mahatma", the young leader told reporters at the airport after returning from Delhi. Notably, Shah's speech at a rally in Nawada district on Sunday last, where he had said "rioters will be hung upside down if BJP comes to power in Bihar", has drawn criticism from the ruling dispensation in the state, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as well as from other opposition leaders including neighbouring Bengal's Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Yadav also said Shah dialling up the Bihar Governor to take stock of the communal situation was "highly unfortunate" and this went against the spirit of "federalism" and undermined the authority of the state government. The RJD leader observed that processions were taken out, during Ram Navami festivities, at more than 100 places in the state and "only in Sasaram and Bihar Sharif there were serious attempts to cause communal disturbances". Asked whether he thought the riots were result of a conspiracy, the Deputy CM quipped "puri tarah se" (absolutely). He also alleged that the opposition BJP has been rattled since the ruling Mahagathbandhan held a successful rally in Purnea district less than two months ago. "Attempts to foment trouble with false allegations of attacks on migrants in Tamil Nadu also fell flat on the face. So, now, riots were engineered", alleged Yadav while urging the people of the state to maintain peace. "Satta rahe na rahe, bhaichara rahna chaiye (whether we retain power, the spirit of brotherhood must prevail)", said Yadav. "Amit Shah speaks of hanging rioters upside down. He is surrounded by many MPs who blatantly whip up communal passions. 'Unhone kitnon ko sidha Kiya hai' (How many of them has he reprimanded)," asked Yadav. The Insight Partners The artificial pancreas device system (APDS) market growth driven by the growing prevalence of diabetes, developments by major players, and a rise in demand for computerized systems for glycemic control. The increasing global prevalence of type 1 diabetes is a key factor driving the threshold-suspended device systems segment's growth as this is a promising device for treating hypoglycemic conditions. Pune, INDIA., April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to our new research study on Artificial Pancreas Device System Market Forecast to 2028 by Type and Geography, the market is expected to grow from US$ 1190.23 million in 2022 to US$ 3585.75 million by 2028; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR 20.28% during 20222028. The report highlights the trends prevailing in the market, along with market drivers and deterrents. The key factors driving the market growth are the growing prevalence of diabetes, developments by major players, and a rise in demand for computerized systems for glycemic control. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPHE100001232/ Global Artificial Pancreas Device System (APDS) Market Growth Drivers: Rising Prevalence of Diabetes: The global prevalence of diabetes is increasing, and this is driving the demand for advanced diabetes management solutions. APDS is a promising solution for managing diabetes, as it mimics the function of a healthy pancreas by automatically regulating blood glucose levels. Technological Advancements: Advancements in APDS technology have improved the safety, efficacy, and convenience of diabetes management. For example, the development of closed-loop APDS has enabled patients to achieve better glucose control, leading to improved health outcomes. Increasing Awareness and Adoption: As patients and healthcare professionals become more aware of the benefits of APDS, adoption rates are increasing. This is particularly true for patients who have difficulty managing their diabetes with traditional methods such as insulin injections. Reimbursement Support: Government and private insurance companies are increasingly providing reimbursement support for APDS, which is making it more accessible and affordable for patients. Growing Investment and Research: The APDS market is attracting significant investment, leading to increased research and development in the field. This is resulting in the development of new and innovative APDS products, which is expected to further drive market growth. Story continues Overall, the APDS market is expected to continue to grow as the prevalence of diabetes increases and new and advanced APDS technologies become available. Additionally, increasing awareness and adoption, reimbursement support, and growing investment and research in the field are expected to further drive market growth. North America accounted for a major share of the artificial pancreas device system market in 2017. The US holds the largest share of the market in this region, followed by Canada. The market growth in North America is attributed to the increasing number of FDA approvals and product launches, the presence of key market players and their expansion strategies, and the high prevalence of diabetes and extensive R&D in the field of type-1 diabetes. Per the American Diabetes Association, 25% of Americans of age 60 and above have diabetes. Thus, aging is one of the crucial factors associated with diabetes. According to the America Diabetes Federation, ~50 million people had diabetes in 2017 and the number is expected to reach 73 million by 2045. Owing to such high prevalence, diabetes ranks as a crucial area of research in the US, which is likely to favor the artificial pancreas device system market growth in the coming years. Moreover, the increasing product launch is favoring the market growth. For instance, the launch of the first product offering an artificial pancreas at a commercial scale is also expected to drive the North American market growth in the global competitive scenario. Purchase Premium Copy of Artificial Pancreas Device System (APDS) Market Growth Report (2022-2028) at: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/buy/TIPHE100001232/ The Asia Pacific artificial pancreas device systems market is expected to witness exponential growth during the forecast period. Growing healthcare investments, increasing prevalence of diabetes and government initiatives to raise awareness about diabetes are the key factors contributing to the growth in this region. Further, as per the International Diabetes Federation, China and India account for the largest number of diabetes patients across the globe. Based on type, the global artificial pancreas device system market is segmented into control to range, control to target, and threshold-suspended device systems. In 2022, the threshold-suspended device systems segment held the largest market share in the artificial pancreas device system market. Moreover, the same segment is further expected to register the highest CAGR throughout the forecast period 20222028. Rise in Demand for Computerized Systems for Glycemic Control to Bolster Market Growth in Future: Diabetes management technologies such as continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems have improved in the last several years. Advancements in continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) have brought a paradigm change in the management of type 1 diabetes. These advancements have led to the introduction of automated insulin delivery, wherein an algorithm determines the insulin delivery rate in response to the CGM values. Moreover, many automated insulin delivery (AID) systems are in the phase of development. The FDA has approved a system that automates basal insulin delivery. As the field of AID matures, insulin delivery systems may incorporate additional hormones and multiple inputs in the future. All AID systems are impacted by CGM accuracy and future CGM devices must be shown to be sufficiently accurate to be safely incorporated into AID. Thus, a rise in the demand for automated and advanced systems for glycemic control is expected to boost the growth of the artificial pancreas device systems market during the forecast years. Inquiry Before Purchase: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/inquiry/TIPHE100001232/ Global Artificial Pancreas Device System Market: Competitive Landscape and Key Developments Defymed; Typezero Technologies, Inc; Insulet Corporation; Bigfoot Biomedical, Inc; Medtronic; Dexcom, Inc; Admetsys; Beta Bionics; Cellnovo; and Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc are among the key companies operating in the artificial pancreas device system market. Leading players are adopting strategies such as the launch of new products, expansion and diversification of their market presence, and acquisition of a new customer base for tapping new business opportunities. In June 2018 , Medtronic received FDA approval for the MiniMed 670G system to cure type 1 diabetes patients from the age group of 713 years. In June 2018 , Medtronic launched MiniMed 670G Performance Guarantee Program to deliver improved clinical outcomes. Go through further research published by The Insight Partners: (Purchase with 10% Instant Discount): Artificial Pancreas Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis Pancreatic Cancer Therapy Market to 2025 - Global Analysis and Forecasts Pancreatic and Bile Duct Stone Management Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Treatment Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis Pancreatic Amylase Reagent Kits Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis Pancreatic Stone Protein Testing Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency Market Forecast to 2028 - Covid-19 Impact and Global Analysis Pancreatic Beta-Cell Protection Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis About Us: The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We specialize in industries such as Semiconductor and Electronics, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Biotechnology, Healthcare IT, Manufacturing and Construction, Medical Device, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Chemicals and Materials. Contact Us: If you have any queries about this report or if you would like further information, please contact us: Contact Person: Sameer Joshi E-mail: sales@theinsightpartners.com Phone: +1-646-491-9876 Press Release: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/pr/artificial-pancreas-device-system-market Kohima, Apr 5 (PTI) Union Minister Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh on Wednesday said the countrys Northeast has relatively unexplored and immense market potential and urged G20 countries to invest in the region. Delivering the keynote address at a B20 event in Nagaland, the minister said initiatives like the Prime Minister's Development Initiative for North East Region showcase the importance being attached to the development of the region. Northeastern India is well placed to leverage this opportunity because even Prime Minister Narendra Modi calls the region the New Engine of Growth for India, the Union Minister of State for External Affairs said at the programme here. This is the fourth and final event of B20 being organised in north-east region. The first three conferences were held in Imphal, Aizawl and Gangtok. Altogether 60 delegates from 27 countries, 39 overseas industries and 24 diplomats participated in the programme arranged by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) under the G20 Secretariat of the Ministry of External Affairs. Business 20 (B20) is a group that represents the private sector within the G20, the premier forum for international economic cooperation. Northeast is India's gateway to Southeast Asia, and will have seamless land connectivity with the heart of ASEAN, and beyond, once the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway is complete, the minister said. In the last 8 years, air connectivity in the region has increased double fold while many Northeastern states have for the first time found a place in the countrys railway map, he said. Efforts are also being made to expand the waterways and the length of highways in the region has increased by 50 per cent, the minister said. The region has a rich human resource base, and it will help grow your business in the Northeast and beyond, said Singh while wooing the G20 investors. Asking the delegates to use platforms like the B20 to start a conversation, and be the first movers, the Union minister assured the foreign investors that 10 years down, you will not regret. The B20 programme focused on multilateral partnerships in agriculture, food processing, tourism and information technology. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said Nagaland, the land of festivals, with its beautiful landscape, vibrant greenery, and the abode of indigenous people with a rich and colourful culture hopes to find a special place in the hearts of the G20 delegates. In the past, he said, Nagaland was considered closed to the rest of the country and the world, perhaps due to its relative remoteness and backwardness, as well as its political history. Over the past two decades it has opened up to the world and it now offers huge untapped potential in several areas of trade and services, including the large unexploited and unexplored natural resources available in the State, especially for those who come early, the chief minister said. Bhubaneswar, Apr 5 (PTI) Odisha received investment intent of Rs 26,000 crore in various sectors as Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik met Japanese industrialists in Tokyo on Wednesday. The investment intent was received in sectors such as logistics, steel, Green Hydrogen and IT/ITeS. An MoU for collaboration in the skill development sector was also signed between Nihon-Utkal and IIIT, Bhubaneswar, an official release issued by the chief minister's office said. The business meet was attended by representatives of more than 200 leading companies in Japan and the Indo-Pacific region. They were offered an opportunity to explore various avenues of collaboration with the state government and local companies in Odisha, it said. Patnaik also held a meeting with the senior leadership of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), who iterated their commitment to supporting infrastructure development in Odisha. Addressing the business meet, Patnaik said, "Odisha is one of the fastest growing states in India. We are fast emerging as a major industrial destination in India because of our natural resources and strategic location." Patnaik said Odisha is becoming the fulcrum of trade and commerce in the Bay of Bengal region and elaborated on the measures taken by the state government to help industries cater to untapped markets in eastern and northeastern India as well as markets in ASEAN and East Asia region. "As we enter a new era of industrialisation propelled by advancement in technology, we require a collaborative effort between the governments, industries and people to ensure consistent growth," he said. Patnaik said renovation of Buddhist pilgrimage sites has been a key agenda of his government. "The state is transforming Buddhist sites such as Dhauli, Udaygiri, Ratnagiri and Lalitgiri. I request all my Japanese friends to visit Odisha," Patnaik said. Ranchi, Apr 5 (PTI) The Jharkhand High Court on Wednesday granted bail to former Ramgarh legislator Mamta Devi, who was convicted and was behind the bars for inciting protesters to violently protest against a private industrial unit over land acquisition issues. Devi and 12 others were found guilty by a Ramgarh court in December 2022 and were sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment. The court of Justice Navneet Kumar, while hearing the appeal filed by Mamta Devi against her conviction, ordered her release on bail. The Congress leader was earlier released on bail but was incarcerated again on December 8 last year. Two persons were killed after agitators opened fire and police retaliated during a protest at a private industrial firm in 2016. According to an FIR lodged in the case, Devi had led 160 villagers to violently protest against the firm over land acquisition issues. A case was registered against the legislator for inciting the mob and obstructing the work of the police. She was then tried by the lower court which had convicted her in December last year. AJSU Party candidate Sunita Choudhary won the bypoll to Ramgarh seat in March. The by-election was necessitated due to the disqualification of Devi following her conviction in the case. New Delhi, Apr 5 (PTI) Emphasising that South Sudan can benefit from the Indian experience in Parliamentary democracy, including the drafting of a new constitution, President Droupadi Murmu Wednesday said India will extend full support in the process. Welcoming a parliamentary delegation from South Sudan, led by the Speaker of the Transitional National Assembly Jemma Nunu Kumba, at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Murmu said India is proud to be a major troop contributor to the UN Peacekeeping Missions in South Sudan. "The President said that South Sudan can benefit from India's experiences in parliamentary democracy in its ongoing political process, including the drafting of a new Constitution. She further said that India would extend its full support to South Sudan in this process," a statement from Rashtrapati Bhavan said. Underlining the cordial and friendly relations between India and South Sudan, Murmu said apart from peace missions, Indian soldiers are playing an important humanitarian role and contributing to furthering relations between the two countries. India is determined to be a reliable development partner for South Sudan, she added and expressed confidence that the youth of South Sudan would take advantage of the training and capacity-building opportunities provided by India's ITEC and ICCR scholarship programmes. New Delhi, Apr 5 (PTI) As many as 185 people from outside Jammu and Kashmir have bought land in the Union Territory in the last three years, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, however, said as per the information provided by Ladakh, no land has been bought by outsiders in the UT. "As per the information provided by the government of Jammu and Kashmir, a total of 185 people from outside the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have bought land in the UT during 2020, 2021 and 2022," he said replying to a written question. While, one person bought land in 2020, 57 bought in 2021 and 127 in 2022, he said. The Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was abrogated on August 5, 2019, and the erstwhile state was bifurcated into two UTs -- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Following the Constitutional change in October 2020, the Union Home Ministry issued a notification stating that any Indian citizen can buy land, except agricultural, in municipal areas of Jammu and Kashmir without being a domicile. The minister said as per the information provided by the government of Jammu and Kashmir, a total of 1,559 Indian companies, including multinational companies, have made investments in the UT. However, no Indian companies, including multinational companies, have invested in UT of Ladakh during the last three years. New Delhi, Apr 5 (PTI) Several left wing trade unions held a rally here in Ramleela ground on Wednesday with hundreds of workers and farmers in a show of solidarity against the BJP-led central government's alleged disregard of their basic needs and loss of livelihoods. The Masdoor-Kisan Sangarsh rally was held by the Centre of Trade Unions (CITU), All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), and All India Agricultural Workers Union (AIAWU). The leaders speaking at the rally warned the government that the rally was an indication of the surging anger of the workers of the country, an official statement from the collective said. Hundreds of workers, farmers, and agricultural workers from different parts of the nation, including Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, UP, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka, Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Gujarat, participated in the rally, the statement said. The workers demanded from the government policies that allow access to education, healthcare, and a dignified life for them and their children, it said. "The rally was addressed by the leaders of the CITU, AIKS and AIAWU and others. They warned the government that the rally was an indication of the surging anger of the working people of this country against the disregard of their basic needs while showering benefits on the big corporate," the statement added. New Delhi, April 5 (PTI) Delhi Universitys IPCW has started counselling sessions for students who have claimed to have experienced trauma due to the alleged harassment during its annual fest, said principal Poonam Kumria. In her second statement in the last two days, the principal said Indraprastha College for Women is concerned over the inconvenience experienced by some of the students during the festival and requested the students to avail the services of the counsellor. On March 28, some "unknown" men allegedly trespassed, shouted slogans and harassed women students during the annual 'Shruti' festival at the college. A host of protests were organised against the principal following the incident, wherein the students also alleged attempts to "saffronise the college, claimed increased surveillance and curtailment of freedom of speech at the hands of the newly-appointed principal. In a statement, Kumria said the management has also requested the police to send a lady officer to the college on Wednesday to register the students complaints. "Being concerned with the inconvenience experienced by some of the students of the College, the management of Indraprastha College for Women has requested the SHO, Civil Lines to send a lady officer to the College between 12:00 Noon to 3:00 PM 5 th April 2023 to register the complaints of the students who experienced trauma from the individuals who entered the College premises unauthorisedly," her statement issued on Tuesday, read. She requested all students along with other stakeholders to be present at the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) room with all the material available with them. "The management of the college is also concerned about the trauma experienced by some of the students and for that purpose, the College has requested the Counselor of the College to provide counselling to the students suffering, because of this unfortunate incident. "The Counselor will be available in the counseling room of the College between 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM from 5 April 2023 to 8 April 2023," the statement added. The students have alleged that some men climbed the college boundary and harassed several women students during the festival. Following their protests, the DU formed a committee to look into "the grievances raised by the students" and asked the panel to submit its report in a week. The police have registered an FIR under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 188 (disobedience to an order lawfully promulgated by a public servant). On Monday, Delhi University released its first statement after an outcry, articulating that all those responsible for the incident should be punished and all information received by it will be provided to the law-enforcement agency with a request to expedite the investigation. The students have demanded for the resignation of the principal and also asked the college management to convene a general body meeting to discuss the issue. New Delhi, Apr 5 (PTI) The Delhi Commission for Women has summoned the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board officials over the pathetic condition of toilets managed by them. DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal along with two other panel members inspected certain toilets with a team of counsellors and local residents on Wednesday. At the MCD toilet at Sanjay Colony Jhuggi in Gokul Puri, the panel members observed that there was no caretaker present at the toilet and human excreta was lying all around inside as well as outside the toilet in the building complex, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) said. There was overflowing excreta everywhere on the floor with thousands of flies swarming over it. Evidently, due to the unhygienic condition of the toilets, several women and girls are being forced to defecate in the open. The smell in the complex was also extremely nauseating, it said. The residents of the area informed the Commission that despite repeated complaints, no action was taken to clean the toilet complex which has become a source of disease and nuisance in the locality. They also submitted that anti-social elements gather near the toilet at night which further renders the area unsafe for women and girls. The panel also found there were no safai karamcharis at the toilet complexes. The Commission ensured that the toilet was cleaned on the spot. In a nearby toilet of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), the panel observed that the male caretaker was inside the female toilet area even as most of the toilets did not have doors, thus forcing the women and girls to openly defecate. The panel visited toilets in Kalyanpuri and Trilokpuri area of Delhi and found the toilet complexes there also in a pathetic condition, the DCW said. There was no provision for light in the female toilet area, rendering the complex further unsafe for the use of women and children, the panel noted. The women rights body also found that individual toilets did not have any provisions for tap or water supply. There was an open pit in the toilet complex where dirty water was collected which was used by the women and children in the toilets for cleaning purpose. The DCW has summoned senior MCD and DUSIB officials to fix their accountability as well as that of those responsible for the absolute filthy and unsafe conditions in public toilets. Nainital (Uttarakhand), Apr 5 (PTI) Police have booked over 700 unnamed people after a clash between two groups in a Haldwani locality over some namazis performing 'wazu' at a public space, an official said on Wednesday. Tension broke out between the two communities in Bhotia Parav area of Haldwani in this district on Monday evening when some people belonging to Hindu organisations objected to Muslim religious practices being held in the Awas Vikas colony. Although namaz was being offered in the house of Advocate Zafar Siddique, objections were raised over an open public plot nearby being used for the ritual 'wazu' before offering namaz. Muslims perform wazu or ritual ablution before offering 'namaz'. Witnesses claimed that tension escalated when some members of a Hindu outfit gathered in the area and allegedly slapped Imam Shahid Hussain who was presiding over the collective namaz offering ceremony. Hussain filed an FIR with the police. Later, Siddique, the owner of the house where namaz was being offered, also filed an FIR. SHO Bhotia Parav Harendra Chaudhary reached the spot with the police force and sealed the advocate's property on finding that it was an illegal construction, officials said, adding the clashing sides were brought to the police station. "We have booked 700-800 people under sections 147 (rioting), 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) for blocking the highway, indulging in violence," the SHO said. A woman had earlier filed a complaint with the police, claiming that the empty plot in question was being used for unauthorised religious activities causing disturbance and "filth" in a public space. New Delhi, Apr 5 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate has informed a Delhi court that it may file on Thursday a supplementary charge sheet in an alleged Rs 200 crore extortion-related money-laundering case involving Sukesh Chandrashekhar, Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez and others. The agency made the submission before Additional Sessions Judge Shailendra Malik during a brief proceeding in the case on Wednesday. Fernandez, who is currently on bail in the case, also appeared before the court during the proceedings. The court, which is hearing the arguments on the framing of the charges against the accused persons, has now listed the matter for further hearing on April 18. It had on November 15 granted bail to Fernandez, who is an accused in the money laundering case. She was not arrested in the case. The court had on August 31 taken cognisance of a supplementary charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate and asked Fernandez to appear before it. Fernandez, who was summoned by the ED several times in connection with the investigation, was named as an accused in the supplementary charge sheet. Photo: The Canadian Press Alberta Premier Danielle Smith speaks to members of the media during a press conference in Ottawa, on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says her United Conservative Party is paying for legal action she is considering against the CBC, which the Opposition NDP says raises the question of whether the government rejected pursuing the lawsuit. Smith, asked by reporters in Calgary on Tuesday who was funding the legal action, replied the party, and did not elaborate. Her office did not immediately respond to followup questions about why the party would fund the legal action that concerns Smith in her role as premier. Party spokesman Dave Prisco also did not immediately respond to a request for clarification on why the UCP had agreed to pay the bill. On Sunday, a notice of defamation letter sent from lawyers on behalf of Smith called on the CBC to retract and apologize for a January story. The story stated a member of her staff sent emails to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service challenging how it was handling court cases from COVID-19 protests at the United States-Canada border crossing at Coutts, Alta. Smith has said a review found no evidence of contact between her office and the prosecution service. The CBC has said it stands by its reporting. A week ago, the NDP released a phone call recording of Smith discussing with Calgary street pastor Artur Pawlowski his looming criminal trial related to his involvement with the Coutts blockade. Smith is heard offering to make inquiries on Pawlowskis behalf, revealing to him internal government arguments over case direction and telling him that the charges against him are rooted in political bias. She also said she was reminding prosecutors "almost weekly" about her concerns about pursuing such cases. Smith has refused to answer questions from reporters about the call, citing the possible lawsuit against CBC. Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley said Tuesday that during her time as premier there was insurance to cover legal costs for cabinet ministers in the course of their work. Notley said its possible those tasked with weighing the merits of Smiths possible lawsuit came out against paying for it, forcing Smith to look elsewhere. Its very possible that the people who run that fund within the Government of Alberta and within the Ministry of Attorney General don't actually think that this is a particularly valid legal strategy for the premier, and (that) it's not a problem that she ran into by virtue of doing her appropriate job as the premier, said Notley. Rather, (Smith) ran offside in a way that is unprecedented and unacceptable, and so the only way that this lawsuit can even be pursued is if she goes to UCP donors and asks them to pay. Notley said the other option is that Smith deliberately went outside the government to pursue the case. If (Smith) believed that she was truly the victim of defamation as a result of doing her job as premier, that (government insurance) is a fund they could have gone to, said Notley. But when that happens, you're not hiring the lawyers. The public service is hiring the lawyers and the lawyers are giving the advice that the law would suggest they give. But because, I would argue, the premier is so offside with the law, she is instead going to a partisan source of funding so that she can use this legal action as a political tactic, not as a genuine legal claim. The NDP has called for an independent investigation to determine what happened and whether Smith, as premier, contacted other accused to discuss their cases. Legal experts have said Smith's call with Pawlowski represents a profound violation of the democratic convention that there must be a firewall to separate politicians from the day-to-day decision-making of cases before the courts. The notice of defamation letter gives the CBC until April 28 to retract its article and apologize or face potential further legal action, which would be just days before an expected writ drop for a provincial election, scheduled for May 29. Smith has long been critical of COVID-19 masking, gathering and vaccine mandate rules, questioning whether the measures were needed to fight the pandemic. She had promised to seek pardons for protesters of COVID-19 health restrictions. After becoming premier, she said she learned she does not have the power to grant pardons. Bank of Montreal (TSE:BMO) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 26th of May to CA$1.43. Based on this payment, the dividend yield for the company will be 4.8%, which is fairly typical for the industry. Check out our latest analysis for Bank of Montreal Bank of Montreal's Payment Expected To Have Solid Earnings Coverage Unless the payments are sustainable, the dividend yield doesn't mean too much. Bank of Montreal has established itself as a dividend paying company with over 10 years history of distributing earnings to shareholders. Past distributions do not necessarily guarantee future ones, but Bank of Montreal's payout ratio of 35% is a good sign as this means that earnings decently cover dividends. Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to fall by 9.8% over the next 3 years. However, as estimated by analysts, the future payout ratio could be 48% over the same time period, which we think the company can easily maintain. Bank of Montreal Has A Solid Track Record The company has been paying a dividend for a long time, and it has been quite stable which gives us confidence in the future dividend potential. The dividend has gone from an annual total of CA$2.80 in 2013 to the most recent total annual payment of CA$5.72. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 7.4% per annum over that time. The growth of the dividend has been pretty reliable, so we think this can offer investors some nice additional income in their portfolio. The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow Some investors will be chomping at the bit to buy some of the company's stock based on its dividend history. Bank of Montreal has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 16% per annum. Growth in EPS bodes well for the dividend, as does the low payout ratio that the company is currently reporting. Bank of Montreal Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock Overall, a dividend increase is always good, and we think that Bank of Montreal is a strong income stock thanks to its track record and growing earnings. The company is generating plenty of cash, and the earnings also quite easily cover the distributions. We should point out that the earnings are expected to fall over the next 12 months, which won't be a problem if this doesn't become a trend, but could cause some turbulence in the next year. All of these factors considered, we think this has solid potential as a dividend stock. Story continues It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 1 warning sign for Bank of Montreal that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield dividend stocks. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here New Delhi, Apr 5 (PTI) A 13-year-old boy was killed and his uncle injured after their scooter was hit by a cluster bus in northwest Delhi's Adarsh Nagar area on Wednesday, police said. The accident took place near the Azadpur flyover when Arjun (34) was going to drop his nephew to school in Shalimar Bagh, they said. They were taken to a hospital where the boy died due to a severe head injury, a senior police officer said and added that Arjun, a resident of Bharola village, is being treated for "simple" injuries. Police received information about the accident around 7:30 am. The scooter was hit by the cluster bus from behind and after the accident, the bus driver fled from the spot, the officer said. Police said a case under sections 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 304A (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at the Adarsh Nagar police station. Efforts are being made to nab the accused, they said. Jaipur, Apr 5 (PTI) An Anti-Corruption Bureau team arrested a sub-divisional engineer at the BSNL office here on Wednesday for he was caught allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh, officials said. The accused, Manish Chandna, had demanded Rs 1.27 lakh bribe in lieu of paying the outstanding bills for the works done by his firm, the ACB spokesperson said. He said after verification of the complaint, the team arrested Chandna while taking a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from the complainant. He said the matter is being investigated by registering a case against the accused under the Prevention of Corruption Act. LAUREL MCINTOSH, Chariho Girls Lacrosse, Senior; McIntosh scored six goals and assisted on another in a Chariho win against Toll Gate. Chariho is 5-0 this season. DYLAN CIMINI, Stonington, Baseball, Junior; Cimini allowed just one hit and struck out 10 in a win against Ledyard. Cimini did not give up the hit until the sixth inning. ALLYSON FAUBERT, Westerly, Girls Lacrosse, Sophomore; Faubert scored the winning goal with 49.6 seconds left in a win against Cranston East. Faubert finished with two goals in the game. REESE MAIN, Wheeler, Softball, Junior; Main pitched a one-hitter and struck out 10 in a win against Bacon Academy. Main walked just two batters and also drove in three runs at the plate. Vote View Results (By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times) Everyone grew up with it. It signifies the end of the Pesach Seder. And every family has its own tune to it. Father bought the kid (a sheep or goat) for two zuzim. But the bobcat came and ate the kid. The dog came and bit the bobcat. The stick hit the dog. The fire burned the stick. The water extinguished the fire. The ox drank the water. The slaughterer shechted the ox. The Malach HaMaves slaughtered him. And the Holy One came and slaughtered the Malach HaMaves. We are all familiar with it, but what does it really mean? STANDARD EXPLANATION The standard explanation that most of us grew up with was that the nation of Israel was the Gadya, the little sheep and the rest of the stanza refers to the vicissitudes of the exiles that we had experienced. They may be hard to identify but each stanza would refer to one of the great world powers either the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks, the Romans and more. That is the first thing we must know. ****Only $5700 left for this Maos Chittim cause an almanah and a single mom*** https://thechesedfund.com/zechornilah/maos-chittin-for-an-almanah But there are other explanations too. Indeed, the Chasan Sofer quotes the Tashbatz who says that the reason this was written so enigmatically is so that we would spend time providing explanations to it and we would thus fulfill the Mitzvah of Sipur Yetzias Mitzrayim. That would be the second thing we should know. AVROHOM AVINU AND NIMROD EXPLANATION Rabbi Yonah Tevlei Bondi of Frankfurt Germany in his Beer Minyan Hagaddah, a good friend of the Chsam Sofer, however, provides a different explanation of this piut. This would be the third thing we should know. He identifies it with the Midrash Rabbah in Parshas Noach which relates a conversation between Nimrod and Avrohom Avinu. Nimrod suggests to Avrohom to worship fire. Avrohom responds that water is more powerful. Nimrod acquiesces but them Avrohom comes back with a suggestion that perhaps he should worship clouds which carry the water. After Nimrod acquiesces, Avrohom changes it to wind which disperses the clouds. Then to man who can withstand the clouds. The Chad Gadya revisits the same conversation between the Jews and the Mitzrim. In essence, it pokes fun at the idol-worship of the Mitzrim. THE VILNA GAONS EXPLANATION The Vilna Gaon (explained in Sefer Lail Shimurim) has the Chad Gadya, Chad Gadya as really two goats the goats that Yaakov Avinu gave to Yitchzok Avinu, one for the Korban Pesach and one for the Korban Chagiga. Dzabin Abba refers to the blessings that Yaakov obtained, which were given to Yoseph. The bobcat refers to the brothers who were jealous of Yoseph, as it is the nature of cats to be jealous. Ate the bobcat means that they sold him to the Ishmaelites. The dog is Paroh who bit the brothers of Yoseph he enslaved them. Then came the stick Moshe Rabbeinus stick which punished Paroh. The fire is the yetzer harah for Avodah Zara. It destroyed the stick at the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash which was felled by Avodah Zarah. The water is the prayers of Knesses Yisroel which overcame the desire for Avodah Zarah. But the ox was Rome that put the nation of Israel into exile. The Shochet is Moshiach Ben Yoseph. But then he will die. But Hashem will ultimately destroy the Malach HaMaves. This would be the fourth thing to know. RABBI TZVI HIRSCH OF HORODNAS EXPLANATION Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch, the Av Beis Din of Horodna (died 1830) in his Zera Gad explanation of the Hagaddah explain that the Chad Gadya is a depiction of the battle between the forces of holiness and those of Tumah. The Gadya depicts the nation of Israel. The father is Hashem. The two zuzim are the two tablets. The bobcat is Mitzrayim. The stick is Moshe who killed the Mitzri. The fire refers to Dosson and Aviram the evildoers who follow the Yetzer Harah. The water is the angel Gavriel (See Avos DRav Nosson chapter 2 where he is referred to as such), who saved Moshe Rabbeinu from the Mitzrim by appearing in his form, allowing Moshe to escape Egypt (see Talmud Yerusalmi, Brachos 9:1 for the narrative, but the name of the Malach is not identified there). The ox refers to the destructive angels that pursued Moshe Rabbeinu to kill him undoing the power of the water (See Nedarim 32a). The Schochet refers to Tzipporah, Moshe Rabbeinus wife who performed the Bris Milah on her son thus negating the power of the destructive angels. The Malach HaMaves tried undoing that by acting as a prosecutor against Moshe Rabbeinu in that he delayed doing the Milah until the angels Michoel and Gavriel came to give testimony on his behalf. And finally, Hashem will undo the power of the Malach HaMaves. This is the fifth thing to know, YAAVETZS EXPLANATION The Yaavetz explains that the entire piut refers to the travails of the Neshama- the soul here on earth and has nothing to do with the exodus from Mitzrayim. The Gadya is the soul. The bobcat is days of youth, where we entertain all sorts of desires, like a bobcat. The dog is the Yetzer Harah which bites the soul in addition to the bobcat. The stick refers to the bad character traits (Midos) that come later as one grows which further afflict the Neshama. The fire refers to purposeful evil intent which further afflicts the Neshama. The water is hergel or habit which extinguishes the soul. The ox is the Satan which further complains against the soul. The Shochet refers to the destructive angels caused by all of his sins. The Malach haMaves separates the soul from the body. And ultimately, Hashem will punish the Neshama further for all of its sins. This is all, of course, if the person does not follow the path of Hashem and does good and His Will. This is the sixth thing to know. And finally, the seventh thing to know: A wise person once explained that the Chad Gadya was written on many levels. On the one hand it is written in a form that the child would enjoy and be encouraged to stay up until the very end of the Seder, with its remarkable phrases and the tune in which it is sung. On the other hand, it was also written with remarkable insights into the travails of Klal Yisroel, the history of the world unfolding, and the plight of the Neshama. ****Only $5700 left for this Maos Chittim cause an almanah and a single mom*** https://thechesedfund.com/zechornilah/maos-chittin-for-an-almanah The author can be reached at [email protected] In recent days, a rare manuscript was discovered written by the Yerushalmi Gaon HaRav Leibel Mintzberg, ztl, the baal sefer Ben Melech, in which he discusses inyanei geulah. The manuscript, written 50 years ago, was published for the first time in the Yom Tov issue of Luach Mashmidim. Rav Mintzburg wrote in the manuscript: Those who calculated the time of Moshiach and were proven false led to the fact that even today, when you mamash see whats written in Tanach coming true you dont want to see it and think it will also be proven falselook in Zechariah 12-14 and Yechezkel 38-39 and Yoel 2 that all speak of the final war in which Moshiach will be revealed and each reveals different details about it. And its wonderous that 2,600 years ago, they wrote that at the end of days, Yisrael will return to Eretz Yisrael and Yerushalayim and all the goyim will gather for a war against Jerusalem. And look in Sanhedrin in Rashi is mamash this time and now there will be economic and political crises. And the parties will fight with each other so much that there will be a total disintegration and there will be no judges and there will be total chaos, rachmana latzlan. And the Russians will conquer Iran, Persia and then Iraq, Bavel, and from there they will come with Jordan and Syria for a war against Jerusalem, and they will be joined by Saudi Arabia and other countries, and this will lead to a world war between the US and Russia, and then Hashem will judge the entire world, etc. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) Israel staged airstrikes on the southern suburbs of the Syrian capital of Damascus early Tuesday, killing two civilians and causing some material damage, Syrian state media reported. Damascus residents said strong explosions were heard in the capital and its southern suburbs as Syrian state television reported that the countrys air defenses were confronting an Israeli aggression. State TV, quoting an unnamed military official, said two civilians were killed in the strikes near Damascus and southern Syria, adding that some of the missiles were shot down by Syria air defenses before they reached their targets. It that the strikes also caused some material damage. Israels shadow war with Iran in Syria intensified over the past days with four strikes on the Damascus area and the central province of Homs killing two Iranian military advisers since last week. Hours after strikes on central Syria Sunday, the Israeli military said it shot down an aircraft that crossed from Syria into Israels airspace. The Israeli military said Iran appears to have been behind the drone that was shot down over Israeli airspace. Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of Syria in recent years, including attacks on the Damascus and Aleppo airports, but it rarely acknowledges specific operations. Israel says it targets bases of Iran-allied militant groups, such as Lebanons Hezbollah, which has sent thousands of fighters to support Syrian President Bashar Assads forces. Along with airports, Israel has also targeted seaports in government-held areas in an apparent attempt to prevent Iranian arms shipments to militant groups backed by Tehran, including Hezbollah. (AP) The University of Vermont and the U.S. Department of Education announced Monday a settlement of a complaint the school failed to respond adequately to antisemitic harassment of Jewish students at the Burlington school. In a news release announcing the settlement, the Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights said the universitys Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Office declined to investigate complaints, even though the university had been notified of what were described as serious allegations of harassment. The original complaints included allegations that a teaching assistant posted on social media about not giving Jewish students course participation credit; subtracting points for Jewish students; and celebrating the theft of an Israeli flag from a Jewish students residence. The complaints also said that Jewish students were excluded from student organizations, that students threw rocks at the building housing Jewish students, and when a student living in the building asked them to stop, one of the students responded, Are you Jewish? Everyone has a right to learn in an environment free from antisemitic harassment, Assistant Secretary of Education for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon said in a statement announcing the agreement. We will be watching to be sure these students are safe. In its statement announcing the agreement, the university said it condemns and will not tolerate antisemitism in any form. It is UVMs responsibility to provide equal opportunity to all members of its community to fully express their identity in an environment free from discrimination and harassment, the university said. Alyza Lewin, the president of the the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, who helped file the complaint that was investigated by the department, said Monday that the agreement was a significant milestone in the effort to protect Jewish students from antisemitic harassment. But she will be waiting to see how the changes required by the settlement are implemented. This is just the first step, right? The devil is in the details, she said. And you know, weve yet to see whether the university will do more than just maybe, you know, say the right thing. She said the Office for Civil Rights would have to monitor the agreement and ensure the university lives up to its commitment. The allegations of anti-Semitism at the university came after antisemitic incidents in the U.S . reached a record high in 2021. Last year the Anti-Defamation League counted 2,717 antisemitic incidents of assault, harassment and vandalism in 2021, a 34% increase over the previous year and the highest number since the New York City-based group began tracking such incidents in 1979. As part of the agreement, the university agreed to a variety of steps, including that the school would revise its policies to ensure that the universitys response to discrimination is consistent with federal law. The school will also train leadership, staff and students on the prohibition of harassment based on national ancestry. The university said its voluntary resolution of the investigation reflects numerous conversations with the Jewish community on campus and local and national voices on the consequential and complex issue of antisemitism. The university statement also said that if members of the campus community experience hostile behavior, the school will use all tools at its disposal to eliminate the hostile behavior and enable each member of the community to learn and work in an environment unfettered by discrimination and harassment. (AP) The situation in Israel since Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu formed a government seems to be one of constant chaos, with an extremely tense security situation and raucous left-wing protests across the country. But perhaps a reminder is in order the day before Pesach, the cornerstone of our emunah, that from a religious standpoint, the situation in Israel has vastly improved. Last Pesach, the Lapid-Bennett government was still in power, with its unprecedented disrespect of religion and Rabbanim. There were protests then also but of a different type protests against cutting the daycare stipends of avreichim and against legislating changes in kashrus supervision opposed by all mainstream Rabbanim. The beginning of the end of the Bennett-Lapid government was when Yamina MK Idit Silman resigned from the coalition due to religious issues, with the straw that broke the camels back being Health Minister Nitzan Horowitzs order to hospitals to allow chometz into the hospitals on Pesach. Shortly later, then-Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman showed his contempt for Rabbanim by failing to attend the ceremony to sell the states chometz, a ceremony attended every year by Israels finance minister. In a refreshing change from last year, no disrespect was shown to Israel Chief Rabbanim during the Mechiras Chometz ceremony on Tuesday, which was attended by Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich. Like every year, the states chometz was sold to Hussein Jaber, a resident of Abu Gush who has been buying Israels chometz for over 20 years. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) A drone strike carried out by the American-led coalition in northwestern Syria has killed a senior member of the Islamic State group who was in charge of planning attacks in Europe, the United States military said Tuesday. The man killed Monday in the strike was identified by a U.S. military statement as Khalid Aydd Ahmad al-Jabouri. The military statement added that his death will temporarily disrupt the organizations ability to plot external attacks. Mondays strike was the latest by the U.S. military to kill a top official with the extremist group that once controlled large parts of Iraq and Syria, where it declared a caliphate. From the areas they once controlled, the extremists planned deadly attacks in Europe that killed scores of people. In recent years, such attacks have decreased because the Islamic State group lost the last sliver of land it controlled in March 2019. The extremist sleeper cells are still launching deadly attacks in Syria and Iraq. Opposition activists in northwest Syria said the man killed showed up in the area about 10 days ago claiming to be a displaced person from the eastern province of Deir el-Zour, bordering Iraq. Al-Jabouri is one of Iraqs biggest tribes that also has presence in east and north Syria and the man might have said that he is from Deir el-Zour to hide his Iraqi identity as residents of east Syria speak Arabic dialect similar to the one spoken in Iraq. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said on Monday that one person was killed in a drone strike near the rebel-held village of Kefteen. The Observatorys chief Rami Abdurrahman identified the dead man as an Iraqi citizen who was struck with a missile as he spoke on his cellular phone outside the home he rented. The oppositions Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, said it evacuated the man from the scene of the attack and he later succumbed to his wounds. The strike was the latest in a series of attacks over the past years targeting al-Qaida-linked militants and senior members of the Islamic State group in northwestern Syria. Most of those killed by U.S. strikes in the rebel-held Idlib province over the past years were members of al-Qaida offshoot Horas al-Din, which is Arabic for Guardians of Religion. The group includes hardcore al-Qaida members who broke away from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the strongest insurgent group in Idlib province. In February, a drone strike killed two men, whom local activists initially identified as Horas al-Din members. The Observatory later said that one of the two killed was a senior member of the Islamic State group that was defeated in Syria in March 2019. The founder of the Islamic State group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was hunted down by the Americans in a raid in Idlib in October 2019. His successor, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, was also killed in a U.S. raid in February 2022 in northwest Syria. In October, Syrian rebels killed the groups leader, Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, and he has since been repalced by Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurayshi. None of the al-Qurayshis are believed to be related. Al-Qurayshi is not their real name but comes from Quraish, the name of the tribe to which Islams Prophet Muhammad belonged. IS claims its leaders hail from this tribe and al-Qurayshi serves as part of an IS leaders nom de guerre. (AP) LUTZ, Fla., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- BayCare, the largest provider of behavioral health services in the Tampa Bay region, is expanding with the addition of a 24-bed inpatient psychiatric and medical unit at St. Joseph's Hospital-North in Lutz. The St. Joseph's Hospital-North Unit for Psychiatry and Medical Services (UPM) will open in mid-April. St. Joseph's Hospital-North is located at 4211 Van Dyke Road, Lutz. A behavioral health patient room. Note the safety feature on the television screen. The new behavioral health unit was announced in February 2022. BayCare and Hillsborough County are each contributing $3.5 million. Hillsborough County used federal American Rescue Plan grant money to fund half of the $7 million total cost of the unit. "The allocation of these funds by Hillsborough County, along with our partnership with BayCare in this endeavor, will greatly assist in serving individuals with both behavioral health and medical needs," said Ken Hagan, Hillsborough County Commission Chairman. "The Unit for Psychiatry and Medical Services (UPM) at St. Joseph's Hospital-North will treat and deliver care for a patient population in an innovative way." "Many providers nationally are closing behavioral health programs," said Anthony Santucci, BayCare director of behavioral health nursing. "We're fortunate that BayCare and its BayCare Board of Trustees is committed to serving our community's health needs. It's remarkable we are expanding while others are closing." Santucci also noted that there are not many locations for inpatient mental health services in northern Hillsborough County, where St. Joseph's Hospital-North is located. "St. Joseph's Hospital-North is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of all those we serve," said Sara Dodds, St. Joseph's Hospital-North's operations director and currently serving as the hospital's interim president. "We are proud to be contributing to this currently unmet need in our community." Santucci said the St. Joseph's Hospital-North UPM will deliver care in a nontraditional way from most mental health programs. The UPM will treat patients simultaneously for both medical and psychiatric diagnoses and needs. Traditionally, medical and psychiatric are treated separately in different units. Story continues "This brings psychiatry and medicine together into a single effort to care for the patient as a whole. We're not carving this out, with a separate space for each," Santucci said. "This is a reimagining of a care delivery model." A former medical/surgical unit at St. Joseph's Hospital-North has been redesigned and constructed to meet the regulatory requirements for licensed inpatient psychiatry. Santucci said the design changes are mostly from a safety perspective and includes changes to furniture, beds, shower facilities, sink fixtures and ceilings. The St. Joseph's Hospital-North UPM will be staffed by registered nurses, mental health technicians, patient care technicians, behavioral health therapists, psychiatrists and medical hospitalists (hospital-based doctors). "The foundation of this program (St. Joseph's Hospital-North UPM) stands tall on the integration between medicine and psychiatry," Santucci said. "I feel honored to be part of a health care system that recognizes the needs within our community surrounding mental health." BayCare currently operates 318 behavioral health inpatient beds in four counties (Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk) at eight locations. More than 12,000 patients are treated annually including adult, geriatric, child and adolescent patients. BayCare's announcement of the St. Joseph's Hospital-North's UPM addition is the health system's second significant behavioral health announcement this year. In early 2023, BayCare announced the acquisition of Northside Behavioral Center in Tampa: https://baycare.org/newsroom/2023/january/baycare-acquires-northside. Additionally, St .Anthony's Hospital in St. Petersburg, another BayCare hospital, is adding 13 rooms for behavioral health patients to its Emergency Center as part of an expansion project:https://baycare.org/newsroom/2023/march/st-anthonys-to-add-behavioral-health-rooms-to-emergency-center About St. Joseph's Hospital-North St. Joseph's Hospital-North opened in February 2010 to bring high-quality health care services to North Tampa in an environment designed to help patients heal. Part of BayCare Health System, St. Joseph's Hospital-North features all private patient suites and offers emergency care, surgical services, GI endoscopy, imaging, intensive care, obstetrics, cardiac catheterization, interventional radiology and more in a peaceful, relaxing and family-centered environment. Located just north of Tampa in Lutz, the all-digital, state-of-the-art facility is specially designed to make patients and visitors as comfortable as possible during their hospital experience. A monitoring station to see patient rooms A wall mural in a room that will eventually be furnished and used for quiet activities Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/baycare-expands-behavioral-health-services-with-new-inpatient-unit-at-st-josephs-hospital-north-in-lutz-florida-301791118.html SOURCE BayCare Health System Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai on Tuesday morning spoke strongly against the plan of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to establish a National Guard. Its no secret that I expressed my professional reservations and warned the National Security Minister that establishing a National Guard that will be subordinate to his office is an unnecessary move that will have a very heavy price, to the point of harming the personal security of citizens, Shabtai said at a ceremony at the Western Galilee College. I emphasized that the need to establish a new and separate body from the Israel Police is unclear and could harm the operational capabilities of all internal security systems in the country. A National Guard yes, establishing another security body parallel to the Israel Police no. A National Guard must be part of the Israel Police, operate within the police framework, and be subordinate to the commanders of the territorial forces according to the chain of command. The National Guard under the Israel Police will never find itself in conflict with the law, but instead will serve it. Any disconnection from the police command will be a destruction of personal security, a waste of resources and will destroy Israel Police from within, both regarding its operation and increasing its forces. The Cabinet voted on Sunday to approve the establishment of a National Guard to provide security for emergency scenarios such as the riots in mixed Israeli-Arab areas during Operation Guardians of the Walls. A professional committee comprised of representatives of Israels security agencies, the National Security Council, and government ministries will discuss the parameters of the National Guard and its chain of command and submit its recommendations to the Cabinet within 90 days. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) As former President Donald Trump walked stone-faced out of a Manhattan courthouse on Tuesday afternoon after being charged and booked over hush money payments he made to two women in 2016, his legal team followed in tow. Curiously to many watching the drama unfold, two men wearing yarmulkas were seen on camera walking along with Trumps legal team just behind the president. While Trump has a crew of lawyers working on his defense against Manhattan DA Alvin Braggs charges against him, the inclusion of two Orthodox Jewish lawyers has never been publicly disclosed. One of the lawyers appears to Gedalia Stern, a Manhattan-based attorney who, according to sources who spoke to YWN, has been working on this case on behalf of Trump for some time. Stern graduated from Beth Medrash Govoha in 2010 and Columbia Law School in 2014, and currently lives in Clifton, NJ. Sources also tell YWN that the other kippa-clad lawyer is Steven Yurowitz, a talmid of Passaic Yeshiva and Lakewood East who now lives in Passaic. A 1996 graduate of Yeshiva Universitys Cardozo Law School, he previously assisted defense lawyers in the Trump Organization trial and was recently brought in to work on this matter as well. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) On Oct. 14, a Russian engineer named Gleb Karakulov boarded a flight from Kazakhstan to Turkey with his wife and daughter. He switched off his phone to shut out the crescendo of urgent, enraged messages, said goodbye to his life in Russia and tried to calm his fast-beating heart. But this was no ordinary Russian defector. Karakulov was an officer in President Vladimir Putins secretive elite personal security service one of the few Russians to flee and go public who have rank, as well as knowledge of intimate details of Putins life and potentially classified information. Karakulov, who was responsible for secure communications, said moral opposition to Russias invasion of Ukraine and his fear of dying there drove him to speak out, despite the risks to himself and his family. He said he hoped to inspire other Russians to speak out also. Our president has become a war criminal, he said. It is time to end this war and stop being silent. Karakulovs account generally conforms with others that paint the Russian president as a once charismatic but increasingly isolated leader, who doesnt use a cellphone or the internet and insists on access to Russian state television wherever he goes. He also offered new details about how Putins paranoia appears to have deepened since his decision to invade Ukraine in February 2022. Putin now prefers to avoid airplanes and travel on a special armored train, he said, and he ordered a bunker at the Russian Embassy in Kazakhstan outfitted with a secure communications line in October the first time Karakulov had ever fielded such a request. Along with information on Putin, Karakulovs testimony offers an intimate view of one mans decision to defect without telling his own mother, who he said remains a strong Putin supporter. It raises critical questions about how deep the Russian publics acceptance of the war runs, and how Putins opponents in the West and beyond might leverage any silent opposition. While not speaking directly about his case, an official with a security background from a NATO country said a defection like Karakulovs has a very great level of interest. He spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive political matters. That would be seen as a very serious blow to the president himself because he is extremely keen on his security, and his security is compromised, he said. Thats something that he would be very unhappy about particularly if the compromise is to do with communications, upon which a great deal relies. PUTIN IS SIMPLY AFRAID As an engineer in a field unit of the presidential communications department of the Federal Protective Service, or FSO, Karakulov was responsible for setting up secure communications for the Russian president and prime minister wherever they went. While he was not a confidant of Putins, Karakulov spent years in his service, observing him from unusually close quarters from 2009 through late 2022. Karakulov, his wife and his child have gone underground, and it was impossible to speak with them directly due to security constraints. The Dossier Center, a London-based investigative group funded by Russian opposition figure Mikhail Khodorkovsky, interviewed Karakulov multiple times and shared video and transcripts of more than six hours of those interviews with The Associated Press, as well as the Danish Broadcasting Corporation DR, Swedish Television SVT, and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation NRK. The Dossier Center confirmed the authenticity of Karakulovs passport and FSO work identity card, and cross-checked details of his biography against Russian government records, leaked personal data and social media postings. The Associated Press reviewed the materials from the Dossier Center and independently confirmed Karakulovs identity with three sources in the U.S. and Europe, who were not authorized to speak publicly. AP also independently corroborated personal details, including Karakulovs passport numbers, date and place of birth, two registered addresses, and the names and ages of family members, but was unable to verify details of his defection. AP also confirmed that Karakulov is listed as a wanted man in the Russian Interior Ministrys public database of criminal suspects. The Interior Ministry initiated a criminal investigation against Karakulov on Oct. 26 for desertion during a time of military mobilization, according to documents obtained by the Dossier Center and seen by the AP. The FSO is one of the most secretive branches of Russias security services. Even when they quit, they never talk, but they know a lot of details of the private life of the president and the prime minister, said Katya Hakim, a senior researcher at the Dossier Center. The Kremlin did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Karakulov moved as part of an advance team, often with enough specialized communications equipment to fill a KAMAZ truck. He said he has taken more than 180 trips with the Russian president, and contrary to widespread speculation, Putin appears to be in better shape than most people his age. Putin has only canceled a few trips due to illness and has annual medical checkups, he said. Unlike the prime minister, Putin does not require secure internet access on his trips, Karakulov said. In all my service, I have never seen him with a mobile phone, he said. All the information he receives is only from people close to him. That is, he lives in a kind of information vacuum. Karakulovs work brought him to luxury hotels for summits, beach resorts in Cuba, yachts and aboard a special armored train outfitted for the Russian president. Putins train looks like any other, painted gray with a red stripe to blend in with other railway carriages in Russia. Putin didnt like the fact that airplanes can be tracked, preferring the stealth of a nondescript train car, Karakulov said. I understand that hes simply afraid, he said. Putin began to use the train regularly in the run-up to the February 2022 invasion, Karakulov said. Even last year, Putin continued to insist on strict anti-COVID measures, and FSO employees took shifts in two-week quarantine so there would always be a pool of people cleared to travel with Putin on the train, he said. Putin has set up identical offices in multiple locations, with matching details down to the desk and wall hangings, and official reports sometimes say hes one place when he is actually in another, according to Karakulov and prior reporting by a Russian media outlet. When Putin was in Sochi, security officials would deliberately pretend he was leaving, bringing in a plane and sending off a motorcade, when he was in fact staying, Karakulov said. The guys would talk about this, really laughing, he said. I think that this is an attempt to confuse, first, intelligence, and second, so that there are no assassination attempts. FACES OF WARRIORS Karakulovs defection was a surprising turn for a family steeped in patriotic military tradition. Born in Dagestan, Karakulov was raised to be ready for war, believing it was his sacred duty to defend his homeland. After graduating from a military academy, he found his way into the FSO. To be close to the president it sounded pretty cool, he said. Karakulovs father is a former military man, who has worked as a professional photographer, among other jobs. He is working on a project he calls Faces of Warriors, a series of elegant, hagiographic portraits of Russian soldiers and veterans. Karakulovs brother is a local government official, records show, and served as the point person for a regional, government-backed project devoted to civic patriotism and honoring Heroes of the Fatherland. Karakulovs job introduced him to a world beyond his family. Even as his father and brother marched in patriotic military parades, his own doubts deepened. Hes horrified to think that he might also be rallying around the letter Z in support of the war in Ukraine if his job hadnt taught him to see through the lies of Russian state television. Thanks to my work in the FSO, I have seen how information is distorted, he said. He also began to question the conspicuous spending of Russias top leaders. He said he saw officials convene large delegations at luxurious resorts that cost more each night than his monthly salary. Theyd all attend a brief meeting and then hang out for a week, he said. If this is from the budget, then the question is, Is it not too much to spend this kind of money on one person? he said. If its not from the budget, then its total corruption. Russias invasion of Ukraine was a breaking point, he said. He told his wife he wanted out. He didnt want their young daughter brainwashed in preschool, where children were doing patriotic salutes and being told about bombs. This is not the future I would like for my child, he said. With Russias September mobilization drive, Karakulov realized that if he quit his job, he was likely to be drafted into a war he didnt want to fight. But even if he stayed, he could get sent to the front. He learned that some of his colleagues had been dispatched to Ukraine and killed. He saw photos of FSO crews destroyed by Ukrainian rockets, with dozens likely dead. He was outraged that no one in Russia acknowledged those deaths. Theres no information about them, Karakulov said. What were they doing there? Why did they end up there? Why did they die there? The only conversations he had were with colleagues who seemed to relish the war. He imagined others must share his views, but he had no way to find them. They simply cannot even open their mouths, he said. Karakulov said he couldnt tell his parents about his disillusionment either, because their minds had been molded by years of watching Russian state television. As the war streamed in on the evening news, his parents seemed to savor the view from the front. He found it unbearable and asked his mother to turn off the TV. She refused. He said he tried to explain to her that Ukraine is an independent country, but she immediately cut him off. What is this? she said to him. You want to run away? Are you some kind of foreign agent? He never told them he was leaving. In October, a series of official meetings in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, gave Karakulov his chance to run away. He and his wife packed their lives into three suitcases. He flew out Oct. 6 with the rest of his team. His wife and daughter joined two days later, staying in a separate hotel. But each day, Karakulov found another reason not to go. On the last day of the delegation, Oct. 14, he realized he couldnt postpone any longer. His wife collected his suitcase from his hotel room to avoid raising suspicion. He slipped away after lunch, telling colleagues that he was heading out to buy souvenirs. He climbed in a taxi with his wife and daughter and set off for the airport around 3 p.m. From then on, it was only a matter of my own nerves, he said. He got through check-in and started getting messages from colleagues asking where he was. The flight was delayed by an hour. He could feel a distant fury building against him. By 5 p.m., he figured people had started to look for him. You scumbag, read one message. Fifteen minutes before takeoff, he switched off his phone. His wife was very upset. They spent the 5 1/2-hour flight waiting for something to go wrong. When they finally cleared passport control in Turkey, Karakulov said it was like a great stone had fallen from his soul. He said he knows many people will accuse him of being unpatriotic, but he disagrees. Patriotism is when you love your country, he said. In this case, our homeland needs to be saved, because something crazy and terrible is happening in our country. We need to fix this. THE PRICE OF DISSENT What the future holds for Karakulov and anyone who might dare to follow in his footsteps is far from clear. He was not the only one who wanted out. On Sept. 27, days after Russias mobilization, an engineer at a regional FSO center in Siberia named Mikhail Zhilin snuck through the forest across the border to Kazakhstan. Many Russians fled to Kazakhstan to avoid the draft, but the authorities refused Zhilins request for asylum and sent him back to Russia. On March 20, a Russian court sentenced him to 6 1/2 years in a penal colony. Abbas Gallyamov, a Russian political analyst now living in Israel who was a speechwriter for Putin from 2000 to 2001 and again from 2008 to 2010, said he believes the majority of Russias elites secretly oppose Putins war. He added that if the West had offered them an exit strategy instead of sanctions, more might have left. They are all shocked, he said. From their point of view, there was no reason to do this because everything was okay now all of a sudden, everything collapsed. Were enemies of the world. Gallyamov, like Karakulov, is on the wanted list of Russias Interior Ministry. He said a defection like Karakulovs is a particular blow because the FSO is like a royal elite above other military and security structures in Russia, charged with protecting the states most precious asset: Putin himself. They will be very angry, he said. There will be hysterics. Tatiana Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said Russian public opinion about the war is divided but there is little space for public dissent, especially for people working within the system. The rule is that the elite stick to Putin, she said. Those who do leave Russia often pay a price to keep their conscience clear. Boris Bondarev, a career Russian diplomat in Geneva, quit in May and denounced the war. Speaking from an undisclosed location in Switzerland, Bondarev told the AP he is living as a political refugee on a government allowance, with security constraints hed rather leave deliberately ambiguous. He cant find a job and has had to move apartments several times, for both financial and safety reasons. He cant travel freely not even to meet a reporter for a cup of coffee in town. I sent my CVs to dozens of think tanks in the U.S., in the U.K., in Europe, and most were ignored, he said. I got a few answers that sorry, but we already have Russia experts. He said there are plenty of Russians who quietly oppose the war but dont dare speak out, for fear of losing their livelihoods. A few colleagues who quit Russias Foreign Ministry after he did contacted him for advice. They were having trouble finding work. One returned to Moscow because he couldnt make a living outside of Russia, he said. Bondarev said he sometimes has second thoughts when he sees pictures of people eating out at nice restaurants in Moscow, living the kind of good life he can no longer afford. But then he remembers the price: brainwashing, propaganda, hypocrisy. I would come to my office at 9 and leave at 6 p.m. and in between I would have to produce numerous papers explaining why Ukraine attacked Russia, he said. I dont want it. No, no, I cant complain today. I live very, very well. (AP) De La Rue investor Crystal Amber Fund has claimed the banknote maker's turnaround plan has 'failed by every measure', as it's spat with the troubled firm gathers pace. Crystal Amber has reiterated demands to convene a general meeting where it will propose a resolution to remove De La Rue non-executive director and chairman Kevin Loosemore. It wants to see Pepyn Dinandt appointed as De La Rue's non-executive director and chairman in Loosemore's place. This is the second attempt by Crystal Amber Fund to unseat Loosemore in four months 'The Chairman has failed to hold management to account and protect shareholders' interests', Crystal Amber said in the letter to investors published on Wednesday. 'DLR's stock market value is now 100million, after the 100million equity investment, so on a like for like basis, the entire 125million pre-money stock market valuation has been destroyed. 'Since March 2021, DLR's share price is down by 75 per cent.' De La Rue shares fell today and were down 3.77 per cent or 1.90p to 48.50p this afternoon, having fallen over 50 per cent in the last 12 months. Crystal Amber alleged that De La Rue's 'failure' to renegotiate its banking covenants when renewing its banking facilities following discussions to pay Portals 20million to exit its paper commitments, 'represents... a gross failing of stewardship.' It added: 'Consequently, DLR is still incurring substantial additional and avoidable costs. This culminated in November 2022 with a material uncertainty going concern audit qualification.' The activist investor said it believed De La Rue should have sold rather simply closed its operations in Kenya. It added: 'We understand that a disposal could have realised cash proceeds of up to 10million, helping to reduce debt. Closure has also adversely impacted commercial opportunities in this long-established region.' Crystal Amber also said today that it believed De La Rue's chairman is failing to control fees paid to professional advisers including but not limited to Rothschild & Co., Slaughter & May and Brunswick PR. It said: 'Crystal Amber asks the board to provide shareholders with a breakdown of these material costs.' Pepyn Dinandt, chief executive of the climate control systems and automotive controls division at the Eberspaecher Group, said: 'The last two years have been a disappointing and costly one for a once proud, great British company. 'The buck stops with the leadership. I believe that if we act quickly, with focus and operational execution, DLR can recover and thrive. It is now for DLR's long-suffering shareholders to decide if they wish to condone this woeful record or seek to end this spiral of destruction of shareholder value.' Crystal Amber, the London-listed company's third-biggest shareholder, has a near 10 per cent stake in De La Rue. De La Rue has been struggling since 2018, when it lost the lucrative contract to print Britain's post-Brexit passports to a French company. Loosemore was re-elected at last year's annual general meeting in July and survived an attempt to oust him in December, when he was backed by nearly 83 per cent of investors at a shareholder meeting called by Crystal Amber. The row between Crystal Amber and the company intensified in November after De La Rue reported its third profit warning in a year. Crystal Amber's founder Richard Bernstein described the warning as a 'Liz Truss moment' for Loosemore referencing the short and troubled tenure of the former prime minister, who quit after just six weeks. Fulham Shore, which operates The Real Greek and Franco Manca restaurants, has agreed to be bought-out in a 93million deal. Japanese buyer Toridoll is offering 14.15p a share for Fulham Shore, representing a premium of more than a third to Tuesdays closing price. Fulham Shore shares soared over 30 per cent or 3.4p to 13.90p this afternoon, but have fallen by about 15 per cent in the last year. Takeover deal: Japanese buyer Toridoll is offering 14.15p a share for Fulham Shore The bidder thinks Fulham Shore offers the opportunity to expand the business in the UK, internationally, and through product sales in shops. The proposal comes from Great Sea Kitchens, a newly-incorporated company set up on behalf of dining giant Toridoll which has 5,500 stores and is behind brands like Marugame Udon. It is working with private equity firm Capdesia. David Page, executive chairman of Fulham Shore, said: 'Whilst we remain excited about the prospects for the business on a standalone basis, we have been in discussions with both Toridoll and Capdesia and received a proposal that we believe is compelling for all of our stakeholders. 'We believe Toridoll and Capdesia's experience in successfully building restaurant businesses and their long-term vision for Fulham Shore, will enable Fulham Shore to fulfil its long-term potential.' Capdesia is a London and Brussels-based private equity business that focuses exclusively on restaurants. In a trading update today, Fulham Shore said its Franco Manca and Real Greek restaurants delivered 'creditable' underlying performances despite industrial action, social disruption and the cost-of-living crisis. The group, which has 97 branches, notched up record sales of around 100million in the year to March. Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell, said: 'Named after his fathers love of Fulham FC, David Page has scored yet again by attracting a takeover bid for his restaurant business, Fulham Shore. Japanese group Toridoll has swooped in, spying an opportunity to expand the groups Franco Manco brand across the UK and overseas. Share surge: Franco Manco owner Fulham Shore saw its share price rise over 30% today 'For executive chairman Page, its the latest tick in the box for a career that has seen him build up a series of restaurant businesses and then sell them. He was a key figure in the roll-out of Pizza Express which subsequently was bought by private equity firm TDR Capital, and then again with Gourmet Burger Kitchen which was acquired by Nandos owner.' She added: 'A good restaurateur spots a gap in the market, rolls out a proposition with a close eye on costs and getting good deals on leases, and then waits for it to build scale before selling the chain. 'One might argue that the 14.15p takeout price for Fulham Shore doesnt fully price in its potential. Eighteen months ago, it was trading close to 20p a share, after all. 'But in an economically uncertain environment, the price on the table might seem reasonable given the circumstances and possibly the best deal that could emerge for some time.' In November Fulham Shore gave a bullish trading update but warned it faced a situation that was more unstable than at any time in recent memory. At the time, Aim-listed Fulham Shore could not say how trading would develop in 2023 as costs soared and consumer confidence fell. But the restaurant group, which also owns The Real Greek chain, said economic gloom would not affect openings and had not slowed its sales growth. In the six months to the end of September, trading was in line with expectations, with sales 35 per cent higher than pre-Covid levels. Sales were also 25 per cent higher than the same time a year earlier. Families looking to rent homes are having to turn to Airbnb for long-term lets because there are so few properties available, estate agents have revealed. Money Mail has seen messages from estate agents and tenants to Airbnb hosts about renting their holiday lettings for as long as a year. And estate agents say they have seen desperate tenants track down Airbnb hosts on Facebook as they look for a place to live. The number of homes available to rent has tumbled as landlords have quit the market Landlords have been quitting the market in huge numbers due to soaring costs and stinging tax increases. The number of homes available to rent has tumbled as a result, with property agent Zoopla last week saying there were a third fewer rental homes available compared with 18 months ago. At the same time, the number of households looking for somewhere to rent has been rising. Estate agents say soaring mortgage rates are forcing some homeowners back into the rental market, as they can't afford to remortgage. Meanwhile, others are renting for longer before buying as they wait to see what happens to shaky property prices, and some are simply unable to buy because of a lack of homes for sale. Sarah Bush, of Cambridge-based estate agents Cheffins, says the Airbnb long-term rental market in the city has 'hugely increased' in recent months. 'The strong Airbnb market in Cambridge is currently being fuelled by people wanting to rent long-term who can't find a traditional landlord,' she says. 'Rental properties go within days of being listed online, we're doing bulk viewings every 10 to 15 minutes and 70 pc of viewers make offers.' London has a rule for Airbnb hosts which stops them renting out their home for more than 90 days a year, but across the UK people can stay as long as they like Tenants have a number of protections through traditional renting that they do not have with Airbnb. For example, even under a 'no-fault eviction', where landlords can evict tenants without a specific reason, they must still give two months' notice. But if an Airbnb guest overstays their welcome or causes trouble, such as throwing a party, there is no obligation to continue hosting. The rules differ between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Ms Bush says the lack of homes available means landlords are being more picky and are opting to take those willing to lock in for longer tenancies, leaving renters who need more flexibility out in the cold. 'Cambridge is a fairly transient area, so we have a lot of people come through looking to stay less than a year including families,' she says. 'In the past it was possible to rent that way, but now those people are turning to Airbnb instead and they're willing to pay a lot more to guarantee a nice property. 'People are contacting Airbnb hosts asking to do some sort of deal on the nightly rate if they agree to stay long-term, and people are contacting us asking for help with this.' London has a rule for Airbnb hosts which stops them renting out their home for more than 90 days a year. But across the rest of the UK, there is nothing to stop people staying in an Airbnb for as long as they like. Dawn Hardiman, lettings coordinator at Richardson & Smith in Whitby, North Yorkshire, says the mine just outside Whitby attracts workers who need somewhere to stay and Airbnb bridges that gap. 'People are going straight to Airbnb hosts to ask for long-term stays and they're also coming to us, and then going to Airbnb when we can't find them anywhere,' she says. 'There simply aren't enough rental properties here.' Ian Wyn-Jones, an estate agent in North Wales, says: 'With the massive lack of rental properties available at the moment, we're sending letters to Airbnb owners as many estate agents are doing encouraging them to consider long-term rentals.' Landlords are being hit by a number of rising costs, including higher mortgage rates. Meanwhile, stricter energy efficiency measures are soon to arrive while mortgage interest tax relief was fully abolished in 2020. Mr Wyn-Jones says one local landlord with more than 50 properties in North Wales has decided to sell his entire portfolio. BUY-TO-LET YIELD CALCULATOR This calculator shows the rental return on your investment property as a percentage of its value Property value: Monthly rent: ::: Calculate ::: Annual rent: Yield: 'There are simply not enough protections for landlords so there's no incentive for them to stay,' he says. 'As a result, rental prices are going through the roof. A two-bed flat worth 600 a month a few years ago now goes for 1,000. 'With people turning to Airbnb, they are going to be paying even more than that.' In the past year, rental prices have risen 9.8 pc across Britain to reach 1,184 per month, according to HomeLet. But experts warn tenants will end up paying far more through Airbnb than they would via traditional renting. 'Airbnb owners can typically earn more through holiday rentals and won't want to lose their income, so they won't be willing to rent that cheaply,' Mr Wyn-Jones says. According to Zoopla, the average monthly rental income in Manchester is 977 while a typical nightly price for an Airbnb in 2021 was 89.54, according to All The Rooms. Based on these calculations, a typical tenant in Manchester would pay around 11,724 a year but through Airbnb they would pay 32,682 for 365 nights almost 21,000 more. However, it is likely that those turning to Airbnb are negotiating a far more reasonable price. Analysts at StockNews.com began coverage on shares of NovaBay Pharmaceuticals (NYSE:NBY Get Rating) in a research note issued on Monday. The brokerage set a hold rating on the stock. NovaBay Pharmaceuticals Trading Down 1.7 % Shares of NYSE:NBY opened at $1.70 on Monday. The businesss 50 day moving average is $2.01 and its 200-day moving average is $1.29. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.20 million, a PE ratio of -0.18 and a beta of 2.73. NovaBay Pharmaceuticals has a 1-year low of $1.24 and a 1-year high of $12.64. Get NovaBay Pharmaceuticals alerts: NovaBay Pharmaceuticals Company Profile (Get Rating) Featured Stories NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc engages in the development and sales of scientifically-created and clinically-proven eyecare and skincare. Its products include Avenova, NeutroPhase, CelleRx, and DERMAdoctor. The company was founded by Ramin Najafi on January 19, 2000 and is headquartered in Emeryville, CA. Receive News & Ratings for NovaBay Pharmaceuticals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NovaBay Pharmaceuticals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (LON:IHG Get Rating) has been given a consensus recommendation of Hold by the twelve brokerages that are covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, six have assigned a hold recommendation and five have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is GBX 5,825 ($72.34). A number of equities research analysts recently commented on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on shares of InterContinental Hotels Group from GBX 6,200 ($77.00) to GBX 6,000 ($74.52) and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their target price on InterContinental Hotels Group from GBX 5,500 ($68.31) to GBX 6,200 ($77.00) and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 25th. Peel Hunt restated a hold rating and issued a GBX 5,750 ($71.41) target price on shares of InterContinental Hotels Group in a research note on Tuesday, February 21st. Numis Securities reiterated an add rating and issued a GBX 5,550 ($68.93) price objective on shares of InterContinental Hotels Group in a report on Wednesday, February 15th. Finally, Redburn Partners downgraded shares of InterContinental Hotels Group to a sell rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 21st. Get InterContinental Hotels Group alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at InterContinental Hotels Group In related news, insider Paul Edgecliffe-Johnson sold 21,094 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 5,521 ($68.57), for a total transaction of 1,164,599.74 ($1,446,348.41). Company insiders own 4.33% of the companys stock. InterContinental Hotels Group Price Performance InterContinental Hotels Group Increases Dividend Shares of IHG stock opened at GBX 5,272 ($65.47) on Friday. The stock has a market cap of 9.23 billion, a PE ratio of 3,092.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 0.98. The stock has a 50-day moving average of GBX 5,507.52 and a 200-day moving average of GBX 5,031.37. InterContinental Hotels Group has a one year low of GBX 4,174 ($51.84) and a one year high of GBX 5,796 ($71.98). The company also recently announced a dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, May 16th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 30th will be issued a $0.95 dividend. This is a positive change from InterContinental Hotels Groups previous dividend of $0.44. This represents a yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 30th. InterContinental Hotels Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 6,666.67%. About InterContinental Hotels Group (Get Rating) InterContinental Hotels Group PLC owns, manages, franchises, and leases hotels in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Greater China. The company operates hotels under the Six Senses, Regent, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Vignette Collection, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo, EVEN Hotels, HUALUXE, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, avid, Staybridge Suites, Atwell Suites, Candlewood Suites, voco, and Crowne Plaza. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for InterContinental Hotels Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for InterContinental Hotels Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Schear Investment Advisers LLC bought a new stake in shares of Chevron Co. (NYSE:CVX Get Rating) in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund bought 13,233 shares of the oil and gas companys stock, valued at approximately $2,375,000. Chevron accounts for about 2.9% of Schear Investment Advisers LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 6th biggest holding. Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in CVX. New England Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in Chevron by 106.3% during the third quarter. New England Asset Management Inc. now owns 4,439,965 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $637,889,000 after purchasing an additional 2,288,050 shares during the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc grew its position in Chevron by 16.3% in the 2nd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 13,569,692 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $1,964,620,000 after buying an additional 1,899,104 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its position in Chevron by 7.6% in the 3rd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 12,052,751 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $1,731,739,000 after buying an additional 847,841 shares in the last quarter. Neuberger Berman Group LLC grew its position in Chevron by 28.3% in the 3rd quarter. Neuberger Berman Group LLC now owns 3,477,683 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $499,801,000 after buying an additional 767,699 shares in the last quarter. Finally, California Public Employees Retirement System grew its position in Chevron by 18.3% in the 3rd quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 4,550,363 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $653,751,000 after buying an additional 703,646 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 69.37% of the companys stock. Get Chevron alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Chevron In other Chevron news, VP Rhonda J. Morris sold 19,666 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $170.00, for a total transaction of $3,343,220.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 3,967 shares in the company, valued at $674,390. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.32% of the companys stock. Chevron Trading Down 0.5 % Shares of CVX stock opened at $169.04 on Wednesday. Chevron Co. has a 12 month low of $132.54 and a 12 month high of $189.68. The company has a quick ratio of 1.23, a current ratio of 1.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. The businesss 50 day moving average is $164.77 and its two-hundred day moving average is $169.67. The company has a market cap of $322.30 billion, a PE ratio of 9.25, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.79 and a beta of 1.16. Chevron (NYSE:CVX Get Rating) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 27th. The oil and gas company reported $4.09 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.16 by ($0.07). Chevron had a net margin of 14.40% and a return on equity of 23.52%. The company had revenue of $56.47 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $53.97 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $2.56 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 17.1% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts predict that Chevron Co. will post 14.56 EPS for the current year. Chevron announced that its board has authorized a stock repurchase plan on Wednesday, January 25th that allows the company to repurchase $75.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization allows the oil and gas company to repurchase up to 21.7% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are typically a sign that the companys management believes its shares are undervalued. Chevron Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 16th were issued a dividend of $1.51 per share. This represents a $6.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.57%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 15th. This is an increase from Chevrons previous quarterly dividend of $1.42. Chevrons dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 33.04%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages have weighed in on CVX. Barclays upped their price target on shares of Chevron from $196.00 to $212.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 3rd. BNP Paribas raised shares of Chevron from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and set a $200.00 price target for the company in a report on Tuesday. Truist Financial upped their price target on shares of Chevron from $169.00 to $179.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, January 31st. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on shares of Chevron from $204.00 to $199.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Thursday, March 2nd. Finally, StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Chevron in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $189.89. Chevron Profile (Get Rating) Chevron Corp. engages in the provision of administrative, financial management, and technology support for energy and chemical operations. It operates through the Upstream and Downstream segments. The Upstream segment consists of the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas, the liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas, the transporting of crude oil by major international oil export pipelines, the processing, transporting, storage, and marketing of natural gas, and a gas-to-liquids plant. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CVX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Chevron Co. (NYSE:CVX Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Chevron Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chevron and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Koshinski Asset Management Inc. lessened its holdings in FedEx Co. (NYSE:FDX Get Rating) by 3.4% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 3,220 shares of the shipping service providers stock after selling 114 shares during the quarter. Koshinski Asset Management Inc.s holdings in FedEx were worth $558,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Bullseye Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of FedEx by 35.6% in the 4th quarter. Bullseye Investment Management LLC now owns 13,816 shares of the shipping service providers stock worth $2,393,000 after purchasing an additional 3,625 shares during the period. Schear Investment Advisers LLC purchased a new stake in shares of FedEx in the 4th quarter worth approximately $435,000. Empirical Finance LLC lifted its position in shares of FedEx by 6.6% in the 4th quarter. Empirical Finance LLC now owns 6,404 shares of the shipping service providers stock worth $1,109,000 after purchasing an additional 394 shares during the period. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System lifted its position in shares of FedEx by 1.3% in the 4th quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 15,500 shares of the shipping service providers stock worth $2,685,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares during the period. Finally, Lafayette Investments Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of FedEx in the 4th quarter worth approximately $230,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 72.02% of the companys stock. Get FedEx alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research firms recently commented on FDX. Loop Capital boosted their price objective on shares of FedEx from $179.00 to $241.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 21st. Melius began coverage on shares of FedEx in a research note on Monday, March 27th. They set a hold rating and a $240.00 price objective for the company. Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of FedEx from $240.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, March 17th. UBS Group set a $260.00 price objective on shares of FedEx in a research note on Friday, March 17th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of FedEx from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, March 24th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, FedEx has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $232.96. FedEx Stock Down 1.0 % NYSE:FDX opened at $226.49 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $56.93 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.56, a PEG ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 1.33. FedEx Co. has a 1-year low of $141.92 and a 1-year high of $248.76. The companys fifty day moving average price is $208.99 and its 200-day moving average price is $182.77. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 1.32 and a quick ratio of 1.27. FedEx (NYSE:FDX Get Rating) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 16th. The shipping service provider reported $3.41 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.67 by $0.74. FedEx had a net margin of 3.23% and a return on equity of 17.71%. The firm had revenue of $22.17 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $22.74 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $4.59 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was down 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that FedEx Co. will post 14.94 EPS for the current year. FedEx Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, April 3rd. Investors of record on Monday, March 13th were issued a dividend of $1.15 per share. This represents a $4.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.03%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 10th. FedExs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 39.72%. FedEx Profile (Get Rating) FedEx Corp. provides a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services under the FedEx brand. It operates through the following segments: FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, FedEx Services, and Corporate, Other & Eliminations. The FedEx Express segment consists of domestic and international shipping services for delivery of packages and freight. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding FDX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for FedEx Co. (NYSE:FDX Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for FedEx Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for FedEx and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Boston Consulting Group is looking for applicants for a fourth summer experience it hosts to engage prospective MBA recruits. The BCG Unlock program is a series of virtual events exposing students to consulting and the type of work done at BCG, the second-highest ranked consulting firm in this years Vault Consulting 50. The program also gives recruiters an early peek at incoming talent. The material is aimed at the level for students entering into their first year of an MBA program next fall. Its free to enter, but only available to students attending one of 41 business schools, among them all of the M7 schools and several elite European schools. This year, BCG added Notre Dames Mendoza College of Business and SDA Bocconi School of Management to its recruiting list of nearly 40 schools. REALLY HARD TO UNDERSTAND THE JOB UNLESS YOUVE WORKED AT IT Debbie Fredberg recruits students from MIT Sloan, HBS, and Tuck. She received her MBA from Wharton The program includes insight into BCG projects, different networks the firm has available, training resources, and some consulting development facts or current trends happening in the industry. Justin Rodriguez, a managing director at the Boston office, says the experience is for pre-MBAs to pinpoint what consulting is really about. Its actually really hard to understand the job unless youve worked at it previously, but its such a buzzword for so many people, and, of course, a really big objective for going to business school, he says. Debbie Fredberg, one of the head recruiters, says the format is tailored to be extremely flexible, while there are virtual live-sessions students may attend to ask questions, material will also be pre-recorded and posted online. The applications are due April 30. For a third summer, the firm is hosting in tandem BCG Empower, an exclusive, invite-only workshop for select pre-MBAs who identify as Black, Latino/Latina, Native American, Alaska Native or Indigenous. The program stems over three days, aiming to provide a hands-on experience through small group sessions, case prep and social events for students to build a network of internal connections at BCG. Story continues UNLOCK CONTENT REFRESHED EVERY YEAR Justin Rodriguez was a BCG summer intern at the consulting firm before graduating from Dartmouths Tuck School of Business in 2013 This year, Unlock participants will hear about at least one BCG project on climate and sustainability efforts and likely another on private equity. Over the last year, Rodriguez noted theres been tons of discussion around supply chain resilience and on topics around ChatGPT and generative AI. We try to highlight work that our consultants are doing, and we try to make it something thats topical; or something that students are really interested in, Fredberg added. Sometimes, incoming MBAs have misconceptions about consulting, both from viewpoints pertaining to aspects of the day-to-day job to the initial recruiting experiences. Rodriguez says people tend to think consultants work around the clock, clocking 100 hours a week, but he says thats not the case nor does it fit their business model. In fact, in the long-term, he says theres plenty of opportunity for ample vacation time. The goal of the program is providing enough insight for students to break some of those perceptive barriers, but also for BCG its an opportunity to engage and connect with new talent. Its only in its fourth year, but I feel like we learned so much here every year and every year the candidate experience gets better, Rodriguez says. In prospective hires, Fredberg says they are looking for someone who wants to solve problems, Rodriguez adds the perfect BCG consultant would be someone with intellectual curiosity, humility, and good teamwork skills. BCGS HIRING OUTLOOK Upon receiving a consulting job offer, some MBA students this spring have reported that they received a delayed start date. BCG tells Poets&Quants they are unable to disclose specific hiring targets for 2023, but mentioned they were in a growth mindset in the North America region this year. Typically, the firm begins its recruiting sometime in the fall to attract second-years for a full-time position, and to attract summer interns for MBAs between their first and second years. Our number one priority always continues to be to get the best and brightest to help our clients solve the hardest problems and were really eager and excited to have folks coming from the tech world apply, Rodriguez says. DONT MISS: TECH LAYOFFS CONTINUE TO MOUNT, AND B-SCHOOLS ARE STANDING BY TO HELP AND ANALYSIS: MBA PAY HAS VASTLY OUTPACED INFLATION. The post BCG Seeks Applicants For Springboard Pre-MBA Summer Program appeared first on Poets&Quants. Koshinski Asset Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:DGRO Get Rating) by 26.0% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 9,634 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 1,989 shares during the period. Koshinski Asset Management Inc.s holdings in iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF were worth $482,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Waterfront Wealth Inc. bought a new position in iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF during the third quarter worth about $234,000. Knightsbridge Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF by 4.9% in the 3rd quarter. Knightsbridge Asset Management LLC now owns 269,495 shares of the companys stock valued at $11,984,000 after purchasing an additional 12,512 shares during the period. Calton & Associates Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF in the 4th quarter valued at about $505,000. Bank of Montreal Can raised its stake in shares of iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF by 65.6% in the 3rd quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 49,719 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,397,000 after purchasing an additional 19,692 shares during the period. Finally, Truist Financial Corp raised its stake in shares of iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF by 3.1% in the 3rd quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 2,488,137 shares of the companys stock valued at $110,647,000 after purchasing an additional 74,245 shares during the period. Get iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF alerts: iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF Price Performance DGRO opened at $49.96 on Wednesday. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $50.11 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $49.46. iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF has a 1 year low of $43.67 and a 1 year high of $54.14. The company has a market capitalization of $23.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.16 and a beta of 0.91. 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. Further Reading 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. Bard Financial Services Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Ford Motor (NYSE:F Get Rating) by 62.6% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 20,330 shares of the auto manufacturers stock after acquiring an additional 7,830 shares during the period. Bard Financial Services Inc.s holdings in Ford Motor were worth $236,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd raised its stake in shares of Ford Motor by 1.7% in the 3rd quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd now owns 283,841 shares of the auto manufacturers stock valued at $3,179,000 after purchasing an additional 4,823 shares during the period. Quantinno Capital Management LP raised its stake in shares of Ford Motor by 52.0% in the 3rd quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP now owns 40,461 shares of the auto manufacturers stock valued at $453,000 after purchasing an additional 13,850 shares during the period. WASHINGTON TRUST Co raised its stake in shares of Ford Motor by 695.8% in the 3rd quarter. WASHINGTON TRUST Co now owns 3,183 shares of the auto manufacturers stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 2,783 shares during the period. Resources Investment Advisors LLC. raised its stake in shares of Ford Motor by 11.4% in the 3rd quarter. Resources Investment Advisors LLC. now owns 96,193 shares of the auto manufacturers stock valued at $1,077,000 after purchasing an additional 9,822 shares during the period. Finally, Versor Investments LP raised its stake in shares of Ford Motor by 1,125.3% in the 3rd quarter. Versor Investments LP now owns 280,586 shares of the auto manufacturers stock valued at $3,143,000 after purchasing an additional 257,686 shares during the period. 49.68% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Ford Motor alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms have issued reports on F. StockNews.com began coverage on Ford Motor in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. downgraded Ford Motor from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 15th. Barclays initiated coverage on Ford Motor in a research report on Tuesday, February 14th. They issued an equal weight rating and a $13.00 target price on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded Ford Motor from a hold rating to a sell rating and lowered their target price for the company from $13.00 to $11.00 in a research report on Friday, February 3rd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on Ford Motor from $16.00 to $15.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 25th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and seven have issued 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 $15.22. Ford Motor Stock Up 0.3 % Shares of F stock opened at $12.72 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.20, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.06. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $12.52 and a 200 day simple moving average of $12.67. Ford Motor has a 1 year low of $10.61 and a 1 year high of $16.68. Ford Motor (NYSE:F Get Rating) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 2nd. The auto manufacturer reported $0.51 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.60 by ($0.09). The company had revenue of $41.80 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $40.73 billion. Ford Motor had a negative net margin of 1.25% and a positive return on equity of 17.45%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 18.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.26 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that Ford Motor will post 1.5 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Ford Motor Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 13th were given a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 10th. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.72%. Ford Motors dividend payout ratio is currently -117.65%. Insider Buying and Selling at Ford Motor In other Ford Motor news, CEO James D. Farley, Jr. sold 79,921 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $12.86, for a total transaction of $1,027,784.06. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1,638,667 shares in the company, valued at $21,073,257.62. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, insider Ashwani Kumar Galhotra sold 24,850 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $13.01, for a total transaction of $323,298.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 511,605 shares in the company, valued at $6,655,981.05. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CEO James D. Farley, Jr. sold 79,921 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $12.86, for a total transaction of $1,027,784.06. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 1,638,667 shares of the companys stock, valued at $21,073,257.62. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 134,592 shares of company stock worth $1,740,843 over the last three months. Corporate insiders own 0.71% of the companys stock. Ford Motor Company Profile (Get Rating) Ford Motor Co engages in the manufacture, distribution, and sale of automobiles. It operates through the following segments: Ford Blue, Ford Model E, and Ford Pro, Ford Next, and Ford Credit. The Ford Blue, Ford Model E, and Ford Pro segment includes the sale of Ford and Lincoln vehicles, service parts, and accessories, together with the associated costs to develop, manufacture, distribute, and service the vehicles, parts, and accessories. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding F? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Ford Motor (NYSE:F Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Ford Motor Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ford Motor and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:NRO Get Rating) declared a monthly dividend on Monday, April 3rd, Wall Street Journal reports. Investors of record on Monday, April 17th will be given a dividend of 0.0312 per share on Friday, April 28th. This represents a $0.37 annualized dividend and a yield of 12.12%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 14th. Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund has decreased its dividend by an average of 8.0% per year over the last three years. Get Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund alerts: Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund Price Performance NRO stock opened at $3.09 on Wednesday. Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund has a 1 year low of $2.81 and a 1 year high of $4.99. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund About Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. United Capital Financial Advisers LLC purchased a new position in shares of Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund in the 4th quarter valued at about $34,000. Jane Street Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $55,000. Northern Trust Corp acquired a new stake in shares of Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $56,000. Susquehanna International Group LLP lifted its holdings in shares of Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund by 70.5% in the 4th quarter. Susquehanna International Group LLP now owns 19,930 shares of the companys stock valued at $62,000 after buying an additional 8,238 shares during the period. Finally, Cetera Investment Advisers acquired a new stake in shares of Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $66,000. (Get Rating) Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund, Inc is a closed-ended equity mutual fund launched and managed by Neuberger Berman LLC. It is co-managed by Neuberger Berman Management LLC. The fund invests in the public equity markets of the United States. It typically invests in stocks of companies operating in the real estate sector including real estate investment trusts. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Franklin Resources (NYSE:BEN Get Rating) had its target price lowered by equities research analysts at Bank of America from $28.00 to $24.00 in a research report issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports. Bank of Americas price target suggests a potential downside of 10.01% from the stocks previous close. A number of other brokerages have also commented on BEN. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on shares of Franklin Resources from $22.00 to $23.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 31st. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their price target on shares of Franklin Resources from $26.00 to $27.00 and gave the company an underperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 31st. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on shares of Franklin Resources from $19.00 to $23.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Thursday, January 19th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their target price on shares of Franklin Resources from $27.00 to $29.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 31st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of Franklin Resources from $26.00 to $27.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 31st. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and six have given a hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $25.18. Get Franklin Resources alerts: Franklin Resources Stock Down 1.0 % Shares of BEN stock opened at $26.67 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76, a quick ratio of 4.97 and a current ratio of 4.97. The firms 50-day moving average is $29.18 and its 200-day moving average is $26.78. The stock has a market cap of $13.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.61 and a beta of 1.26. Franklin Resources has a 52-week low of $20.24 and a 52-week high of $34.37. Insider Buying and Selling Franklin Resources ( NYSE:BEN Get Rating ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, January 30th. The closed-end fund reported $0.51 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.54 by ($0.03). Franklin Resources had a net margin of 12.52% and a return on equity of 12.69%. The company had revenue of $1.97 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.85 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.08 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was down 11.6% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts predict that Franklin Resources will post 2.34 EPS for the current year. In related news, EVP Alok Sethi sold 29,503 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $31.09, for a total transaction of $917,248.27. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 92,132 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,864,383.88. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 23.40% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Franklin Resources Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. ETF Managers Group LLC lifted its stake in Franklin Resources by 4.7% in the 4th quarter. ETF Managers Group LLC now owns 25,907 shares of the closed-end funds stock valued at $683,000 after purchasing an additional 1,163 shares during the last quarter. Mather Group LLC. lifted its stake in Franklin Resources by 4.1% in the 4th quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 460,423 shares of the closed-end funds stock valued at $12,146,000 after purchasing an additional 18,035 shares during the last quarter. Whitener Capital Management Inc. lifted its stake in Franklin Resources by 16.1% in the 4th quarter. Whitener Capital Management Inc. now owns 17,424 shares of the closed-end funds stock valued at $460,000 after purchasing an additional 2,420 shares during the last quarter. CVA Family Office LLC lifted its stake in Franklin Resources by 131.5% in the 4th quarter. CVA Family Office LLC now owns 1,435 shares of the closed-end funds stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 815 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Equitable Trust Co. bought a new position in Franklin Resources in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $816,000. Institutional investors own 45.47% of the companys stock. Franklin Resources Company Profile (Get Rating) Franklin Resources, Inc is a holding company, which engages in the provision of investment management and related services. The firm offers services and products under various distinct brand names, including, but not limited to, Franklin, Templeton, Legg Mason, Benefit Street Partners, Brandywine Global Investment Management, Clarion Partners, ClearBridge Investments, Fiduciary Trust International, Franklin Bissett, Franklin Mutual Series, K2, LibertyShares, Martin Currie, Royce Investment Partners and Western Asset Management Company. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Franklin Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Franklin Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) had its price target dropped by Morgan Stanley from $58.00 to $47.00 in a research report issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports. Morgan Stanleys price target would indicate a potential upside of 27.68% from the stocks previous close. Several other analysts have also recently commented on WFC. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $48.00 to $52.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 17th. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating for the company. Cfra raised shares of Wells Fargo & Company to a buy rating and set a $50.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Friday, January 13th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price objective on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $45.00 to $42.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research note on Friday, March 24th. Finally, Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $58.00 to $64.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 3rd. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Wells Fargo & Company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $51.09. Get Wells Fargo & Company alerts: Wells Fargo & Company Stock Down 2.4 % WFC stock opened at $36.81 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $139.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.72, a PEG ratio of 0.77 and a beta of 1.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.08, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a current ratio of 0.84. Wells Fargo & Company has a one year low of $35.25 and a one year high of $50.19. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $43.53 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $43.66. Insiders Place Their Bets Wells Fargo & Company ( NYSE:WFC Get Rating ) last released its earnings results on Friday, January 13th. The financial services provider reported $0.67 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.63 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $19.66 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $20.04 billion. Wells Fargo & Company had a net margin of 15.91% and a return on equity of 9.28%. Wells Fargo & Companys revenue for the quarter was down 5.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.38 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Wells Fargo & Company will post 4.73 EPS for the current year. In other Wells Fargo & Company news, EVP Kleber Santos sold 34,698 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $46.27, for a total value of $1,605,476.46. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 19,590 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $906,429.30. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 0.07% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Wells Fargo & Company A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in WFC. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Wells Fargo & Company in the 4th quarter valued at about $2,049,693,000. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position in Wells Fargo & Company by 129,312.1% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 26,287,479 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,085,410,000 after buying an additional 26,267,166 shares during the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD lifted its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 20.9% during the third quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 105,621,983 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $4,248,626,000 after purchasing an additional 18,252,701 shares during the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC lifted its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 1,478.6% during the first quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 8,390,611 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $406,609,000 after purchasing an additional 7,859,100 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board bought a new position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company during the first quarter worth about $345,861,000. 72.24% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Wells Fargo & Company Company Profile (Get Rating) Wells Fargo & Co is a diversified, community-based financial services company. It is engaged in the provision of banking, insurance, investments, mortgage products and services, and consumer and commercial finance. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Wells Fargo & Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Wells Fargo & Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. decreased its holdings in shares of Northrop Grumman Co. (NYSE:NOC Get Rating) by 6.9% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,428 shares of the aerospace companys stock after selling 181 shares during the quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc.s holdings in Northrop Grumman were worth $1,325,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Capital Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in Northrop Grumman by 10.9% during the third quarter. Capital Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,927 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $906,000 after acquiring an additional 190 shares in the last quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System grew its holdings in shares of Northrop Grumman by 18.6% during the third quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 469,121 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $220,637,000 after purchasing an additional 73,480 shares during the last quarter. Moloney Securities Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Northrop Grumman by 9.4% during the third quarter. Moloney Securities Asset Management LLC now owns 885 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $416,000 after purchasing an additional 76 shares during the last quarter. Schechter Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Northrop Grumman by 20.4% during the third quarter. Schechter Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,156 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $544,000 after purchasing an additional 196 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Global Assets Advisory LLC bought a new stake in shares of Northrop Grumman during the second quarter worth about $572,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.32% of the companys stock. Get Northrop Grumman alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets NOC has been the topic of several research reports. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Northrop Grumman from $460.00 to $470.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 31st. The Goldman Sachs Group cut Northrop Grumman from a neutral rating to a sell rating and reduced their target price for the company from $440.00 to $375.00 in a report on Friday, January 13th. Bank of America reduced their target price on Northrop Grumman from $700.00 to $655.00 in a report on Sunday, January 29th. Citigroup reduced their target price on Northrop Grumman from $544.00 to $488.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 27th. Finally, Cowen cut Northrop Grumman from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and set a $478.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Friday, January 27th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $508.13. Insider Transactions at Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman Price Performance In other news, VP Mark A. Caylor sold 2,810 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $467.58, for a total transaction of $1,313,899.80. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 16,240 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,593,499.20. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website . In related news, VP David T. Perry sold 3,999 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, March 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $469.65, for a total value of $1,878,130.35. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 8,717 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,093,939.05. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link . Also, VP Mark A. Caylor sold 2,810 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $467.58, for a total value of $1,313,899.80. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 16,240 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,593,499.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders have sold 10,534 shares of company stock valued at $4,934,622 over the last ninety days. 0.26% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Shares of NOC opened at $468.10 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a current ratio of 1.08. Northrop Grumman Co. has a 52-week low of $430.93 and a 52-week high of $556.27. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $458.48 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $492.47. The firm has a market cap of $71.21 billion, a PE ratio of 14.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.07 and a beta of 0.51. Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC Get Rating) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 26th. The aerospace company reported $7.50 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $6.57 by $0.93. Northrop Grumman had a return on equity of 28.29% and a net margin of 13.38%. The company had revenue of $10 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.64 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $6.00 earnings per share. Northrop Grummans revenue for the quarter was up 16.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Northrop Grumman Co. will post 22.04 EPS for the current year. Northrop Grumman Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 27th were given a dividend of $1.73 per share. This represents a $6.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.48%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 24th. Northrop Grummans payout ratio is 21.96%. Northrop Grumman Company Profile (Get Rating) Northrop Grumman Corp. engages in the provision of advanced aircraft systems. It operates through the following segments: Aeronautics Systems, Defense Systems, Mission Systems, and Space Systems. The Aeronautics Systems segment is involved in the design, development, production, integration, sustainment, and modernization of advanced aircraft systems for the U.S. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NOC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Northrop Grumman Co. (NYSE:NOC Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Northrop Grumman Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Northrop Grumman and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Camelot Portfolios LLC decreased its holdings in shares of BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund, Inc. (NYSE:HYT Get Rating) by 54.1% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 12,400 shares of the investment management companys stock after selling 14,600 shares during the quarter. Camelot Portfolios LLCs holdings in BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund were worth $108,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of HYT. McGowan Group Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund by 21.1% during the third quarter. McGowan Group Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,670,728 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $22,835,000 after purchasing an additional 465,238 shares in the last quarter. Penserra Capital Management LLC lifted its position in BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund by 27.0% in the 1st quarter. Penserra Capital Management LLC now owns 875,813 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $9,432,000 after buying an additional 185,931 shares during the last quarter. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its position in BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund by 24.1% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 378,642 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $4,078,000 after buying an additional 73,427 shares during the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC bought a new stake in BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund in the 4th quarter worth approximately $510,000. Finally, Atria Wealth Solutions Inc. bought a new stake in BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund in the 1st quarter worth approximately $509,000. Get BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund alerts: BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund Trading Down 0.6 % Shares of HYT stock opened at $8.63 on Wednesday. BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $8.13 and a fifty-two week high of $11.10. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $8.87 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $8.81. BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund Announces Dividend BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund Company Profile The business also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 15th were given a $0.0779 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, March 14th. This represents a $0.93 annualized dividend and a yield of 10.83%. (Get Rating) BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund, Inc is a close ended fixed income mutual fund launched by BlackRock, Inc The fund is managed by BlackRock Advisors, LLC. It invests in fixed income markets across the globe. The fund invests in bonds of companies operating across diversified sectors. It primarily invests in bonds rated Ba or lower by Moody's Investors Service, Inc, or BB or lower by Standard & Poor's Corporation. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HYT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund, Inc. (NYSE:HYT Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. MGO One Seven LLC bought a new stake in shares of Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX Get Rating) during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm bought 25,236 shares of the natural resource companys stock, valued at approximately $959,000. Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Flputnam Investment Management Co. acquired a new position in Freeport-McMoRan during the 3rd quarter valued at about $374,000. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC increased its stake in Freeport-McMoRan by 18.1% during the 3rd quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 300,285 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $8,379,000 after buying an additional 45,975 shares during the period. Mitsubishi UFJ Kokusai Asset Management Co. Ltd. increased its stake in Freeport-McMoRan by 8.3% during the 3rd quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Kokusai Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 916,434 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $25,046,000 after buying an additional 70,006 shares during the period. Wipfli Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Freeport-McMoRan during the 3rd quarter valued at about $205,000. Finally, Foster Group Inc. increased its stake in Freeport-McMoRan by 2.3% during the 3rd quarter. Foster Group Inc. now owns 30,985 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $847,000 after buying an additional 684 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.12% of the companys stock. Get Freeport-McMoRan alerts: Freeport-McMoRan Stock Performance Freeport-McMoRan stock opened at $40.26 on Wednesday. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $41.06 and its 200-day simple moving average is $37.63. Freeport-McMoRan Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $24.80 and a fifty-two week high of $51.56. The company has a market cap of $57.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.99 and a beta of 2.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 2.46 and a quick ratio of 1.64. Freeport-McMoRan Dividend Announcement Freeport-McMoRan ( NYSE:FCX Get Rating ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 25th. The natural resource company reported $0.52 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.40 by $0.12. Freeport-McMoRan had a net margin of 15.22% and a return on equity of 14.59%. The firm had revenue of $5.75 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.42 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.96 earnings per share. The firms revenue was down 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Freeport-McMoRan Inc. will post 2.04 EPS for the current year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 1st. Investors of record on Friday, April 14th will be given a dividend of $0.15 per share. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.49%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 13th. Freeport-McMoRans payout ratio is presently 12.66%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth FCX has been the subject of several research reports. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $44.00 to $46.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, January 26th. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $32.00 to $41.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, February 27th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $40.00 to $47.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 26th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price objective on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $35.00 to $40.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 10th. Finally, StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Freeport-McMoRan in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $39.38. Insider Activity at Freeport-McMoRan In related news, CAO Ellie L. Mikes sold 11,678 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $43.17, for a total transaction of $504,139.26. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 32,333 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,395,815.61. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.72% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Freeport-McMoRan Company Profile (Get Rating) Freeport-McMoRan, Inc engages in the mining of copper, gold, and molybdenum. It operates through the following segments: North America Copper Mines, South America Mining, Indonesia Mining, Molybdenum Mines, Rod and Refining, Atlantic Copper Smelting and Refining, and Corporate and Other. The North America Copper Mines segment operates open-pit copper mines in Morenci, Baghdad, Safford, Sierrita, and Miami in Arizona and Chino and Tyrone in New Mexico. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Freeport-McMoRan Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Freeport-McMoRan and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Alpha Cubed Investments LLC raised its holdings in Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN Get Rating) by 48.7% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,164 shares of the information technology services providers stock after acquiring an additional 381 shares during the quarter. Alpha Cubed Investments LLCs holdings in Accenture were worth $311,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of ACN. United Bank grew its position in Accenture by 6.3% in the 1st quarter. United Bank now owns 2,969 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $1,001,000 after acquiring an additional 176 shares during the last quarter. Weitz Investment Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Accenture by 1.3% in the 1st quarter. Weitz Investment Management Inc. now owns 89,400 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $30,148,000 after buying an additional 1,168 shares during the period. Fund Management at Engine No. 1 LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Accenture in the 1st quarter worth $1,805,000. Guardian Wealth Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Accenture by 0.6% in the 1st quarter. Guardian Wealth Management Inc. now owns 7,292 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $2,459,000 after buying an additional 41 shares during the period. Finally, Clearbridge Investments LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Accenture by 104.8% in the 1st quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 441,451 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $148,871,000 after buying an additional 225,943 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 73.97% of the companys stock. Get Accenture alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Cowen upped their target price on Accenture from $295.00 to $300.00 in a report on Monday, December 19th. Wedbush reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $300.00 target price on shares of Accenture in a report on Monday, March 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on Accenture from $311.00 to $314.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, March 24th. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price objective on Accenture from $290.00 to $279.00 in a research note on Monday, December 19th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada upped their price objective on Accenture from $335.00 to $340.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, March 24th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $314.00. Insider Activity Accenture Stock Performance In other news, CAO Melissa A. Burgum sold 1,027 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $280.99, for a total value of $288,576.73. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 11,467 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,222,112.33. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website . In related news, CEO Julie Spellman Sweet sold 10,296 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $280.93, for a total transaction of $2,892,455.28. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 44,158 shares of the companys stock, valued at $12,405,306.94. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . Also, CAO Melissa A. Burgum sold 1,027 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $280.99, for a total value of $288,576.73. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 11,467 shares in the company, valued at $3,222,112.33. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last three months, insiders have sold 36,475 shares of company stock valued at $10,225,149. Company insiders own 0.08% of the companys stock. Accenture stock opened at $285.84 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $272.26 and a two-hundred day moving average of $274.02. Accenture plc has a one year low of $242.80 and a one year high of $345.30. The stock has a market cap of $180.61 billion, a PE ratio of 26.32, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.60 and a beta of 1.25. Accenture (NYSE:ACN Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 23rd. The information technology services provider reported $2.69 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.49 by $0.20. Accenture had a return on equity of 30.73% and a net margin of 11.00%. The company had revenue of $15.81 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $15.59 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.54 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Accenture plc will post 11.55 EPS for the current fiscal year. Accenture Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, April 13th will be issued a $1.12 dividend. This represents a $4.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.57%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 12th. Accentures dividend payout ratio is presently 41.25%. 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. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ACN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN Get Rating). 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. Cyndeo Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in McKesson Co. (NYSE:MCK Get Rating) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 5,965 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,238,000. Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. State Street Corp grew its holdings in shares of McKesson by 1.0% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 6,611,727 shares of the companys stock worth $2,159,803,000 after acquiring an additional 67,443 shares during the period. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company lifted its position in McKesson by 13.1% during the third quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 1,186,592 shares of the companys stock valued at $403,287,000 after purchasing an additional 137,396 shares in the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership lifted its position in McKesson by 53.8% during the first quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 915,949 shares of the companys stock valued at $280,399,000 after purchasing an additional 320,588 shares in the last quarter. WCM Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in McKesson during the third quarter valued at $302,630,000. Finally, Fred Alger Management LLC lifted its position in McKesson by 11.6% during the third quarter. Fred Alger Management LLC now owns 823,327 shares of the companys stock valued at $279,824,000 after purchasing an additional 85,272 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 85.23% of the companys stock. Get McKesson alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades MCK has been the topic of several analyst reports. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on McKesson from $420.00 to $426.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, February 2nd. Robert W. Baird lifted their target price on McKesson from $445.00 to $450.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, February 2nd. StockNews.com initiated coverage on McKesson in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a strong-buy rating on the stock. Citigroup initiated coverage on McKesson in a research report on Friday, March 31st. They issued a buy rating and a $420.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, UBS Group lowered their price objective on McKesson from $450.00 to $440.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 31st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $416.64. Insiders Place Their Bets McKesson Trading Down 0.2 % In other McKesson news, EVP Nancy Avila sold 161 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $370.02, for a total transaction of $59,573.22. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 4,631 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,713,562.62. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink . In other news, CEO Brian S. Tyler sold 7,416 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $380.00, for a total transaction of $2,818,080.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 75,737 shares of the companys stock, valued at $28,780,060. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link . Also, EVP Nancy Avila sold 161 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $370.02, for a total value of $59,573.22. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 4,631 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,713,562.62. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . 0.21% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. NYSE:MCK opened at $362.99 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $49.71 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.60, a P/E/G ratio of 1.33 and a beta of 0.58. McKesson Co. has a 12 month low of $298.69 and a 12 month high of $401.78. The businesss 50-day moving average is $356.04 and its 200 day moving average is $365.86. McKesson (NYSE:MCK Get Rating) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 1st. The company reported $6.90 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $6.36 by $0.54. The company had revenue of $70.49 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.98 billion. McKesson had a negative return on equity of 216.12% and a net margin of 1.15%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 2.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $6.15 earnings per share. On average, research analysts forecast that McKesson Co. will post 25.93 earnings per share for the current year. McKesson Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, April 3rd. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 1st were paid a dividend of $0.54 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 28th. This represents a $2.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.60%. McKessons payout ratio is currently 9.88%. McKesson Company Profile (Get Rating) McKesson Corp. engages in the provision of supply chain management solutions, retail pharmacy, community oncology and specialty care, and healthcare information technology. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Pharmaceutical, International, Medical-Surgical Solutions, and Prescription Technology Solutions (RxTS). See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MCK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for McKesson Co. (NYSE:MCK Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for McKesson Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for McKesson and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Market.Us According to Market.us, North America dominates the global behavioral health market with 49.0% of the Market Share in 2022. Major Key players: Acadia Healthcare Corporation, National MENTOR Holdings, Behavioural Health Network, Universal Health Services, Magellan Health, Bright Harbor Healthcare, Centene Corporation, Caretech Holdings, Pyramid Healthcare, and Other Key Players New York, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In 2022, the global behavioral health market demonstrated a total valuation of USD 140.1 billion and It is anticipated that the market will exceed USD 227.5 billion by the year 2032, indicating a CAGR of 5.1% during the period from 2023 to 2032. Behavioral health refers to life stressors and crises, mental health and substance use disorders, and stress-related physical symptoms. Behavioral health care is described as diagnosing, preventing, and treating these conditions. It includes the services provided by psychiatrists, neurologists, social workers, counselors, and physicians. Behavioural Health Market Value Get additional highlights on major revenue-generating segments, Request a global behavioral health market sample report at https://market.us/report/behavioral-health-market/request-sample/ Key Takeaway: By disorder , the depression & anxiety disorders segment held the largest market share in 2022. By service , the outpatient counseling services segment dominated the global market in 2022 and is projected to grow more during the forecast period from 2023 to 2032. In 2022, North America dominated the market with the highest revenue share of 49.0%. Europe is expected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2023-2032. Behavioral health services are used in the treatment of a wide range of disorders and psychological conditions that include substance use disorders, excessive consumption of alcohol and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as eating disorders. Some recognized causes of behavioral health disorders include early adverse life experiences, such as a history of abuse, trauma, and old experiences associated with chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, cancer, use of alcohol or drugs, biological factors or chemical imbalance in the brain, and the having feelings of loneliness. Story continues Factors affecting the growth of the Behavioral Health Market There are several factors that can affect the growth of the behavioral health market. Some of these factors include: Rising prevalence of mental health disorders: The increase in mental health disorders such as depression & anxiety is increasing suicides worldwide. As a result, there is a rising demand for behavioral health therapy, increasing the market growth. Increasing government initiatives: Governments of several countries focus on improving the healthcare infrastructure by increasing funding, which is further expected to boost market growth. Clinical advancement: The clinical advancements associated with therapy and medication management has created better and new procedures for psychological treatments, which is anticipated to surge the market growth. Technological advancement: The market expansion for behavioral therapy is mainly influenced by technological advancements and online mental healthcare applications, which are highly preferred to treat and understand a patient's behavior. To understand how Behavioral Health Market report can bring a difference to your business strategy, Inquire about a brochure at https://market.us/report/behavioral-health-market/#inquiry Top Trends in Global Behavioral Health Market With increased funding for healthcare, the governments of different nations aim to improve the quality of care provided to the public. In addition, as there is a rise in the advancement of technology and AI-based technologies are preferred to treat and understand patient behavior, the market is projected to expand in the coming years. Additionally, the software is expected to be more dominant in emerging markets, and telehealth is likely to become a prevalent healthcare service delivery method. Together, these factors are anticipated to propel the market growth of the behavioral health market. Market Growth The market expansion of behavioral health is projected to expand significantly over the forecast period due to an increasing number of substance abuse, the rising prevalence of destructive behavior, and the growing demand for behavioral health services. Moreover, the advancements in therapies for behavioral health are likely to fuel market growth. However, the high cost associated with these therapies is expected to impede market growth. Regional Analysis North America dominated the global market for behavioral health in 2022 with the largest revenue share. This significant market growth can be attributed to the increasingly competitive workspaces, fast-paced lifestyle, and expensive living, increasing individual stress levels. According to the Commonwealth Fund, around 25% of adults in the United States suffer from depression or anxiety. In addition, the United States has not only high suicide rates but also high drug-related death. Additionally, the increasing demand for behavioral health due to the rising prevalence of anxiety and depression is anticipated to contribute highly to the market growth of this region. The behavioral health market in Europe is expected to register considerable growth over the forecast period. This is because the countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, and France have a higher rate of individuals suffering from mental health disorders. Hence, a higher number of individuals seek treatment and conversations with health professionals. Moreover, the Europe market is subjected to grow more owing to the higher rate of mental health disorders, increasing the demand for behavioral health treatment. Additionally, the government in this region is undertaking initiatives and steps to improve the mental health of individuals. Competitive Landscape The major market players are primarily focused on implementing various growth strategies, thereby supporting the market growth of the behavioral health market. In addition, they are involved in portfolio expansion strategies through increasing investments, mergers & acquisitions, partnerships, collaborations, and advancement in diagnostic procedures as well as therapies and devices. Click here, Have Queries? Speak to an expert or To Download/Request a Sample. Scope of the Report Report Attribute Details Market Value (2022) USD 140.1 Billion Market Size (2032) USD 227.5 Billion CAGR (from 2023 to 2032) 5.1% North America Revenue Share 49.0% Historic Period 2016 to 2022 Base Year 2022 Forecast Year 2023 to 2032 Market Drivers The increase in the prevalence of lifestyle disorders such as obesity and diabetes in aged individuals and the most significant factor propelling the market growth rate is the rising healthcare expenditure that aids in improving the healthcare infrastructure. In addition, some major and essential factors are expected to have a positive outcome, including an increase in the government initiatives for promoting EHR adoption in behavioral health organizations, rising prevalence of good behavioral health reforms, increasing adoption of behavioral health software, easy access to government funding, and growing demand for the mental health services because of increase in several individuals suffering from the mental disorders, as well as, social acceptance of the mental health issues. Additionally, several government organizations are focused on improving the healthcare infrastructure by increasing funding, which is further expected to increase market growth. Market Restraints There is an increasing demand for a therapist with a specialty in specific fields and the best quality of training for treating different disorders. This will likely impact the market growth of behavioral health as it is difficult to find such professionals. In addition, an increasing number of individuals with depression are withdrawing from treatment due to the high cost of behavioral health treatments in the market. The sessions that are charged per hour for the treatment of depression are also expensive. Even though there has been a tremendous change in healthcare services associated with the behavioral patterns of people currently, there has been a limitation of data and research for a reliable diagnosis. As a result, market growth is expected to be hampered due to such factors. Market Opportunities Daycare services and online counseling programs fuel the expansion of the global behavioral health market. In addition, clinical advancements related to therapy and medication management have generated better and new procedures for psychological treatments. Furthermore, favorable supply and demand, development of new treatments and programs, and increasing the mental health budget are other factors estimated to surge the growth of the global behavioral health market. Grow your profit margin with Market.us - Purchase This Premium Report at https://market.us/purchase-report/?report_id=98340 Report Segmentation of the Behavioral Health Market Disorder Insight The depression & anxiety disorders segment dominated the global behavioral health market and is anticipated to grow more during the forecast period. This is primarily due to the relationship and work pressure, socio-economic pressure, and academic pressure that leads to the conditions such as depression & anxiety. Thus, the individuals seek help from mental health professionals to treat depression & anxiety disorders. Moreover, the increase in living costs also results in the anxiety individuals face. Additionally, substance abuse disorders are projected to be among the most opportunistic segments over the forecast period. This can be attributed to the rising prevalence of drug abuse among younger individuals in developing and developed nations. Service Insight The outpatient counseling services segment accounted for the largest revenue share of the global market in 2022. Outpatient counseling has increased its popularity as it serves the different needs of patients and does not necessitate patients to stay at hospitals or clinics. Thus it is one of the most favored services as it is customized according to the requirements of the patients. As a result, the outpatient counseling segment is anticipated to witness a significant growth rate in market share by adding maximum revenue share of the global behavioral health market during the forecast period. Market Segmentation By Disorder Depression & Anxiety Bipolar Disorders Substance Abuse Disorders Alcohol Use Disorders Eating Disorders Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Other Disorders By Service Outpatient Counselling Services Inpatient Hospital Treatment Services Emergency Mental Health Services Home-based Treatment Services Other Services By Geography North America The US Canada Mexico Western Europe Germany France The UK Spain Italy Portugal Ireland Austria Switzerland Benelux Nordic Rest of Western Europe Eastern Europe Russia Poland The Czech Republic Greece Rest of Eastern Europe APAC China Japan South Korea India Australia & New Zealand Indonesia Malaysia Philippines Singapore Thailand Vietnam Rest of APAC Latin America Brazil Colombia Chile Argentina Costa Rica Rest of Latin America Middle East & Africa Algeria Egypt Israel Kuwait Nigeria Saudi Arabia South Africa Turkey United Arab Emirates Rest of MEA Key Market Players Acadia Healthcare Corporation National MENTOR Holdings, Inc. Behavioural Health Network Inc. Universal Health Services, Inc. Magellan Health, Inc. Bright Harbor Healthcare Centene Corporation Caretech Holdings, Plc Pyramid Healthcare, Inc. Other Key Players Recent Development of the Behavioral Health Market In October 2022, Spring Health, a mental health solution provider in the global market, partnered with Moda Health. Moda's innovative Behavioral Health 360 platform is projected to deliver measure-based behavioral health care to the nominated employer groups through its platform. Additionally, Spring Health increases its product offering by entering the payer and health plan market. In September 2022, Accanto Health launched the Gather Behavioral Health program, its first virtual and outpatient mental health treatment program. The program provided mental health care for those suffering from anxiety, depression, trauma, and PTSD. This program is launched in Wisconsin and Minnesota. A virtual outpatient visit is also an option, in addition to in-person visits. Browse More Related Reports: Behavioral Health Software Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of roughly 15.3% over the next ten years and will reach US$ 5,738.2 Mn in 2028 Animal Health Market size is expected to be worth around USD 239 Bn by 2032 from USD 150 Bn in 2022, growing at a CAGR of 4.9% Digestive Health Market size is expected to be worth around USD 104 billion by 2032 from USD 48.4 billion in 2022, growing at a CAGR of 8.2% Population Health Management Market size is expected to be worth around USD 100.6 Billion by 2032 from USD 27.8 Billion in 2022, growing at a CAGR of 14.1% Dermatitis Drugs Market size is expected to be USD 23,265 Mn by 2032 at a CAGR of 8.7% forecast period from 2022 to 2032. Botanicals market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7% over the next ten years and will reach US$ 207.3 Bn in 2032. About Us: Market.US (Powered by Prudour Pvt Ltd) specializes in in-depth market research and analysis and has been proving its mettle as a consulting and customized market research company, apart from being a much sought-after syndicated market research report-providing firm. Market.US provides customization to suit any specific or unique requirement and tailor-makes reports as per request. We go beyond boundaries to take analytics, analysis, study, and outlook to newer heights and broader horizons. Follow Us on LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter Our Blog: CONTACT: Global Business Development Teams Market.us Market.us (Powered By Prudour Pvt. Ltd.) Email: inquiry@market.us Address: 420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 300, New York City, NY 10170, United States Tel: +1 718 618 4351 Website: https://market.us Whittier Trust Co. lowered its stake in Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM Get Rating) by 1.2% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 12,657 shares of the business services providers stock after selling 156 shares during the period. Whittier Trust Co.s holdings in Waste Management were worth $1,986,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in WM. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in Waste Management by 2.8% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 36,984,227 shares of the business services providers stock worth $5,925,244,000 after purchasing an additional 1,016,798 shares in the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership grew its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 194.9% during the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 1,217,592 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $192,988,000 after acquiring an additional 804,708 shares in the last quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 3,120.2% during the 3rd quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC now owns 600,443 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $96,197,000 after acquiring an additional 581,797 shares in the last quarter. Amundi grew its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 18.8% during the 2nd quarter. Amundi now owns 3,194,558 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $482,604,000 after acquiring an additional 504,966 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec grew its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 21.5% during the 3rd quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec now owns 2,605,293 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $417,394,000 after acquiring an additional 461,425 shares in the last quarter. 78.48% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Waste Management alerts: Waste Management Stock Performance NYSE WM opened at $163.53 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $66.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.34, a PEG ratio of 2.48 and a beta of 0.73. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $153.22 and its 200 day simple moving average is $157.79. Waste Management, Inc. has a twelve month low of $138.89 and a twelve month high of $175.98. The company has a quick ratio of 0.77, a current ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.12. Waste Management Increases Dividend Waste Management ( NYSE:WM Get Rating ) last posted its 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). The business had revenue of $4.94 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.97 billion. Waste Management had a net margin of 11.36% and a return on equity of 32.91%. The businesss revenue was up 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.26 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Waste Management, Inc. will post 6.04 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 24th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 10th were paid a dividend of $0.70 per share. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.71%. This is a boost from Waste Managements previous quarterly dividend of $0.65. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 9th. Waste Managements dividend payout ratio is currently 51.95%. Waste Management announced that its board has authorized a stock buyback program on Thursday, December 8th that permits the company to repurchase $1.50 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the business services provider to repurchase up to 2.2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are typically an indication that the companys board believes its stock is undervalued. Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities analysts have recently commented on WM shares. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price target on shares of Waste Management from $167.00 to $158.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, February 2nd. Citigroup decreased their price objective on shares of Waste Management from $183.00 to $180.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Thursday, February 2nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price objective on shares of Waste Management from $157.00 to $151.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a report on Monday, February 6th. Stifel Nicolaus cut shares of Waste Management from a buy rating to a hold rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $185.00 to $171.00 in a report on Monday, December 19th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of Waste Management from $177.00 to $179.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Thursday, February 2nd. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $172.27. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Waste Management news, CFO Devina A. Rankin sold 200 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $155.00, for a total transaction of $31,000.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 64,317 shares of the companys stock, valued at $9,969,135. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In related news, CAO Leslie K. Nagy sold 800 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $151.11, for a total value of $120,888.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 5,210 shares in the company, valued at $787,283.10. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CFO Devina A. Rankin sold 200 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $155.00, for a total transaction of $31,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 64,317 shares in the company, valued at $9,969,135. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 31,027 shares of company stock valued at $4,806,619. 0.27% 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. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. lifted its stake in shares of General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS Get Rating) by 2.0% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 26,468 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 516 shares during the quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc.s holdings in General Mills were worth $2,219,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Whittier Trust Co. raised its position in General Mills by 1.7% in the 4th quarter. Whittier Trust Co. now owns 15,881 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,332,000 after purchasing an additional 265 shares during the last quarter. Kennon Green & Company LLC purchased a new stake in General Mills in the 4th quarter valued at $213,000. First American Trust FSB purchased a new stake in General Mills in the 4th quarter valued at $244,000. Lindbrook Capital LLC raised its position in General Mills by 35.5% during the 4th quarter. Lindbrook Capital LLC now owns 2,922 shares of the companys stock worth $245,000 after buying an additional 765 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Dock Street Asset Management Inc. raised its position in General Mills by 1.5% during the 4th quarter. Dock Street Asset Management Inc. now owns 51,253 shares of the companys stock worth $4,298,000 after buying an additional 757 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.48% of the companys stock. Get General Mills alerts: General Mills Price Performance Shares of NYSE GIS opened at $86.07 on Wednesday. General Mills, Inc. has a 52 week low of $64.94 and a 52 week high of $88.34. The stock has a market cap of $50.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.59, a PEG ratio of 2.69 and a beta of 0.27. The companys 50-day moving average price is $79.50 and its 200 day moving average price is $80.61. The company has a current ratio of 0.54, a quick ratio of 0.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78. General Mills Dividend Announcement General Mills ( NYSE:GIS Get Rating ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 23rd. The company reported $0.97 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.91 by $0.06. General Mills had a net margin of 14.04% and a return on equity of 24.51%. The company had revenue of $5.13 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.97 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.84 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 13.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts forecast that General Mills, Inc. will post 4.24 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 10th will be issued a dividend of $0.54 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 6th. This represents a $2.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.51%. General Millss payout ratio is currently 46.65%. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, insider Jonathon Nudi sold 8,030 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $85.33, for a total value of $685,199.90. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 83,049 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,086,571.17. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In related news, CAO Mark A. Pallot sold 1,955 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $85.99, for a total value of $168,110.45. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 17,146 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,474,384.54. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Jonathon Nudi sold 8,030 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $85.33, for a total transaction of $685,199.90. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 83,049 shares in the company, valued at $7,086,571.17. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 48,036 shares of company stock valued at $4,078,559. Insiders own 0.67% of the companys stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts have commented on GIS shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on shares of General Mills from $84.00 to $86.00 in a research report on Friday, March 24th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of General Mills from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, March 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of General Mills from $76.00 to $77.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on shares of General Mills from $69.00 to $73.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Friday, March 24th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on shares of General Mills from $82.00 to $84.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 22nd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $83.88. About General Mills (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. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GIS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS Get Rating). 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. Beaumont Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN Get Rating) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 1,436 shares of the information technology services providers stock, valued at approximately $383,000. Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Accenture by 2.4% in the 4th quarter. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,655 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $442,000 after purchasing an additional 38 shares during the period. Whittier Trust Co. boosted its stake in Accenture by 1.4% in the 4th quarter. Whittier Trust Co. now owns 98,982 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $26,411,000 after purchasing an additional 1,331 shares during the period. Artemis Investment Management LLP boosted its stake in Accenture by 30.3% in the 4th quarter. Artemis Investment Management LLP now owns 121,484 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $32,570,000 after purchasing an additional 28,238 shares during the period. Hoxton Planning & Management LLC bought a new stake in Accenture in the 4th quarter valued at $374,000. Finally, Alpha Cubed Investments LLC boosted its stake in Accenture by 48.7% in the 4th quarter. Alpha Cubed Investments LLC now owns 1,164 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $311,000 after purchasing an additional 381 shares during the period. 73.97% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Accenture alerts: Insider Activity In other news, insider Ellyn Shook sold 5,250 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $276.08, for a total value of $1,449,420.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 34,444 shares of the companys stock, valued at $9,509,299.52. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. In other news, General Counsel Joel Unruch sold 556 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $280.53, for a total value of $155,974.68. Following the completion of the sale, the general counsel now owns 42,991 shares of the companys stock, valued at $12,060,265.23. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, insider Ellyn Shook sold 5,250 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $276.08, for a total value of $1,449,420.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 34,444 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,509,299.52. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 36,475 shares of company stock valued at $10,225,149. Company insiders own 0.08% of the companys stock. Accenture Price Performance Shares of ACN opened at $285.84 on Wednesday. Accenture plc has a 12-month low of $242.80 and a 12-month high of $345.30. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $272.26 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $274.02. The stock has a market cap of $180.61 billion, a PE ratio of 26.32, a PEG ratio of 2.60 and a beta of 1.25. Accenture (NYSE:ACN Get Rating) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, March 23rd. The information technology services provider reported $2.69 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.49 by $0.20. Accenture had a return on equity of 30.73% and a net margin of 11.00%. The business had revenue of $15.81 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $15.59 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.54 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts expect that Accenture plc will post 11.55 EPS for the current year. Accenture Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, April 13th will be paid a $1.12 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 12th. This represents a $4.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.57%. Accentures payout ratio is 41.25%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of analysts have recently weighed in on ACN shares. Cowen upped their target price on Accenture from $295.00 to $300.00 in a research report on Monday, December 19th. William Blair reiterated an outperform rating on shares of Accenture in a research report on Monday, March 20th. Jefferies Financial Group cut their target price on Accenture from $290.00 to $279.00 in a research report on Monday, December 19th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their target price on Accenture from $335.00 to $340.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, March 24th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on Accenture from $311.00 to $314.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, March 24th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $314.00. 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. Further Reading 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. It has been billed as a display of European unity. But when French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen touch down in Beijing on Wednesday, many will be looking for signs of just how far apart they are on China policy. Macron invited von der Leyen to show that they come "not as disunited states, but as bearers of a European position", according to a senior French government official. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. In the run-up to the visit, however, the commission president took her place among the continent's toughest talkers on China. Her speech in Brussels last week was seen as an attempt to bolster the European Union's approach both politically and economically. Von der Leyen recently seemed to dismiss suggestions that China would continue to open its economy to European firms. Photo: EPA-EFE alt=Von der Leyen recently seemed to dismiss suggestions that China would continue to open its economy to European firms. Photo: EPA-EFE> By contrast, Macron has enjoyed warm ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping through the years. On his last state visit to Beijing in 2018, he gave Xi an eight-year-old gelding named Vesuvius, one of the very top picks from the presidential cavalry corps. The Frenchman bristles at the idea of taking a hardline approach akin to the United States' policy. The strongest proponent of a sovereign European Union, Macron sees a three-day state visit as a chance to reestablish France and Europe as a "third way" somewhere between the US and China. Elysee sources do not expect Macron to give Xi a tough grilling during six to seven hours of talks in various locations. "It is necessary to reconnect with China ... to give a horizon and emerge from this period of volatility that has been the three years of zero-Covid policy in China," one official said. Story continues Macron will press Chinese leaders to help end Russia's 13-month invasion of Ukraine - but not too hard. "China is one of the few countries in the world - if not the only one - to have a game-changing effect on the conflict, in either direction," the official added. "So the president will go to China not to question Chinese red lines, in particular the refusal to condemn Russia, but to find a space to be able to carry initiatives that will benefit the Ukrainian population, then create a way to identify a solution to this war in the medium term." Macron also plans to sign business and cultural deals to bring France and China closer together. Despite years of slow progress, he is determined to crack open the Chinese market for French firms. Macron with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, on November 15, 2022. Photo: AFP alt=Macron with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, on November 15, 2022. Photo: AFP> Joining him on the trip will be up to 60 French executives, including Airbus, L'Oreal, EDF and Veolia representatives. Figures from the arts will also travel with Macron, including the electronic music innovator Jean-Michel Jarre and the film director Jean-Jacques Annaud, whose Notre-Dame on Fire will open in Chinese cinemas in the coming days. The delegation even includes the head of the ZooParc de Beauval, home to the only giant pandas in France. While sensitive issues like human rights and Taiwan will be discussed, they are not expected to form the main thrust of Macron's multiple meetings with Xi - one of which will be taken alongside von der Leyen. "Our position on Taiwan has not changed. It will be up to the Chinese authorities to see if they wish to raise this subject," the official said. Instead, Macron values the opportunity to reconnect with Xi, whom he last met with briefly at the G20 summit in Indonesia in November. With this in mind, he will have at least one meeting with Xi in Guangdong province - in part because of its importance as an export powerhouse, but also due to Xi's family connections there. "There is a direct link with President Xi because his father was the head of the province in the 1980s and launched the opening reforms," the official explained. "Even Xi Jinping's wife has sung several times in the Cantonese operas, which are very well known in China. These are the reasons we're going to Guangdong." Some believe that Macron's itinerary clashes with the vision of EU-China relations von der Leyen laid out in her speech last week at the European Policy Centre in Brussels, in which she seemed to dismiss suggestions that China would continue to open its economy to European firms. "China has now turned the page on the era of 'reform and opening' and is moving into a new era of security and control," she said. Von der Leyen will hold private meetings with Xi as well as with Premier Li Qiang in Beijing. She also played down hopes that China would help broker peace in Ukraine, saying that Beijing was trying to redraw the global order with itself at the centre. "Far from being put off by the atrocious and illegal invasion of Ukraine, President Xi is maintaining his 'no-limits friendship' with [Russian president Vladimir] Putin," she said. The speech landed well in Brussels, where it was viewed as an effort to put some meat on the bones of the 2019 strategy of viewing China simultaneously as a partner, competitor and rival. Von der Leyen's cabinet consulted closely with officials from Australia, India and Japan in writing the speech. The US was not thought to have been directly involved. After a year in which Europe's reliance on Russian energy was badly exposed, von der Leyen wanted to ensure that history did not repeat itself with China. Several senior officials viewed the speech as a bid to ask EU member states for a lot, in the hope that they would move a little in her direction. But some have also speculated that it puts von der Leyen on a collision course with both France and Germany, which are less interested in shaking ties with the world's second-largest economy. At a lunch meeting in Paris on Monday, however, von der Leyen and Macron were said to be on the same page concerning EU-China policy, even if the French leader prefers not to use the same "de-risking" language. But it remains to be seen if France and Germany - the EU's two most influential members - will be fully on board with a new economic security strategy, which the commission plans to deliver by June, that is expected to look to stop European companies from investing in sensitive sectors in China. One senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the commission's new outlook as "more China-last than Europe-first". Philippe le Corre, a senior fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute, said that Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz agree that "economic decoupling with China is a dangerous and self-harming proposition for the EU, [that] Europeans should not emulate the United States' hawkish approach". Fu Cong, China's ambassador to the European Union, criticised von der Leyen's speech, saying it showed "deep-seated ambivalence" towards China. Photo: CGTN alt=Fu Cong, China's ambassador to the European Union, criticised von der Leyen's speech, saying it showed "deep-seated ambivalence" towards China. Photo: CGTN> The speech also provoked criticism from the Chinese government. Beijing's ambassador to the EU, Fu Cong, said it exposed "deep-seated ambivalence" in the commission. "On the one side she realises that it is important for Europe ... to engage with China, and at the same time, she is fearful of criticism ... from hardliners in Europe and maybe even from the US," he told Chinese broadcaster CGTN. All eyes, then, will be on where exactly the pair land during their trilateral meeting with Xi on Thursday. "It is important to ensure that this is a long-term display of unity," said Antoine Bondaz, a China specialist at La Fondation pour la Recherche Strategique, a French think tank. "To play good cop-bad cop with von der Leyen in China would be self-defeating, because it would run counter that display of unity." This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2023 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2023. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. TORONTO, April 5, 2023 /CNW/ - To help cost-conscious drivers make informed decisions, belairdirect has launched a new app feature that's the first of its kind in the Canadian insurance market by showing drivers just how much they can save on fuel based on their driving behaviour. The Fuel Efficiency feature is now available in the belairdirect app for automerit customers in Ontario and Quebec. belairdirect launches first-to-market fuel efficiency feature to help drivers save at the gas pump (CNW Group/belairdirect) "Fuel Efficiency is a new and innovative way to use personal driving insights to help alleviate stress on a customer's wallet," says Pierre-Paul Lariviere, Director of Digital Product Design at belairdirect. "When developing new, digital features we're always thinking about how to make customers' lives easier and before going to market we test our app features with customers. Fuel Efficiency was given a high score because it enables drivers to not only see how much they can potentially save on fuel costs but also how they can achieve this with feedback and tips on their driving behaviour." How Fuel Efficiency works: Shows drivers their average savings on gas over 30 days, which is based on a number of factors, including car model, driving behaviour (e.g., acceleration), where and how much they drive, and the average cost of gas in their province. Displays a gauge for drivers to see if their fuel consumption is trending high or low. Provides valuable tips based on personal driving style and car maintenance to help drivers save on fuel. For example, how the amount of weight in a trunk can impact spending on gas. "We hope automerit drivers find this new feature empowering by giving them personalized data that's valuable in their day-to-day lives by helping them to save money," says Lariviere. "In addition to Fuel Efficiency, we've also launched two other new, first-to-market features that give customers insights on their driving to help them make informed decisions," says Lariviere. The new Eco-driving feature gives personalized feedback on CO2 emissions and provides driving tips on how to reduce their eco footprint. The new Safety feature lets customers see how safe of a driver they are and how they compare to other automerit drivers in their province. Additional free features included with automerit are Crash Assist, Car Care and Weather Alerts. Story continues Along with offering helpful features and driving insights in one single program, automerit also gives customers more control over how much they pay for their insurance with a personalized premium based on their driving habits that are assessed in real time with feedback and tips. Most automerit customers save money based on their good driving habits. For full details on the automerit program and the belairdirect app features, please visit www.belairdirect.com. About belairdirect Founded in Quebec in 1955, belairdirect provides car and home insurance products directly to consumers. The company offers a simple but complete solution, allowing customers to communicate with an agent by phone, online or in person. belairdirect was the first property and casualty insurer in North America to sell car insurance products online (www.belairdirect.com), attesting to the company's innovative character. belairdirect is a subsidiary of Intact Financial Corporation, the largest provider of property and casualty insurance in Canada and a leading provider of specialty insurance in North America (TSX: IFC - www.intactfc.com). belairdirect is a proud partner of Breakfast Club of Canada . For more information, please visit https://www.belairdirect.com or follow belairdirect on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Fuel Efficiency shows automerit customers how much they can save based on driving behaviour (CNW Group/belairdirect) SOURCE belairdirect Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2023/05/c9593.html COEYMANS - General Electric Co. has settled its patent dispute with the European energy giant Siemens Gamesa over the design of Haliade-X, GE's offshore wind turbine. The legal settlement, filed in U.S. District Court in Boston, clears up any questions about how GE would be able to make wind turbine components at the Port of Coeymans for a possible new wind farm off the shore of Long Island. GE is planning to build some of the components for future Long Island wind farms at the Port of Coeymans that would employ nearly 900 people and become a major manufacturing site for GE's new energy spin-off, GE Vernova. GE is also a supplier to two existing wind farms under development off the shore of Martha's Vineyard and Long Island. A federal judge had previously banned GE from making its Haliade-X using the design that was the subject of the patent dispute through the life of the patent, which doesn't expire for another decade. A GE spokesman declined to comment but later issued a press statement that said that the two sides had "reached an amicable settlement" under a deal that grants "cross licenses" for their offshore wind turbine designs. It is unclear how much the cross-licenses cost each company. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. The legal settlement had come after GE had previously lost a civil trial that Siemens Gamesa had brought against GE to stop it from making its Haliade-X, successfully arguing that GE Haliade-X design infringed on Siemens Gamesa's patents that protect its own designs for offshore wind turbines. The civil jury found GE in violation of the Siemens Gamesa patent on its wind turbines and ordered GE to pay Siemens Gamesa a royalty fee of $30,000 for each megawatt of power that its Haliade-X turbines generated for the Martha's Vineyard and first Long Island wind farms. The largest Haliade-X turbine is rated for 14 megawatts. The royalty fees only covered GE turbines supplied to those two wind farms, not future wind farms that GE supplies. The judge overseeing the case later issued the ruling blocking GE from making turbines using the design in question going forward on new projects. The judge, U.S. District Court Judge William Young, had urged the two sides to come to a settlement that would make his order and the jury's ruling moot. Young had also increased the per-megawatt fee to $60,000 per megawatt. Meanwhile, GE's plans to build wind turbine components at the Port of Coeymans are still up in the air since the state has yet to award a contract for the new offshore wind farm planned for Long Island, one of many already under development in partnership with NYSERDA, the state's renewable energy agency. GE is a partner with other developers seeking to win a NYSERDA contract. So is Siemens Gamesa, which is based in Germany and Spain. A Siemens Gamesa spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment, but Siemems Gamaesa also has its own plans to make offshore wind turbines at the Port of Coeymans if its proposal is picked by NYSERDA over the GE proposals, which were submitted with other developers. The announcement of this proposed facility in New York is a major step forward in our desire to lead the massive U.S. offshore wind market. Were excited by the opportunity presented by the state of New York to further develop our manufacturing footprint," said Marc Becker, CEO of Siemens Gamesas offshore wind business. A Windsor man was on his way to take his wife to the dentist when he received a knock from "Today" show reporter Donna Farizan on March 29 during the "Today with Hoda and Jenna" segment. Farizan knocked on the door of Rich Williams home, and when he walked outside, he was greeted by cheering family and friends. The surprise was to celebrate Rich and his wife Paulas 25th wedding anniversary. During their marriage, each of them has battled cancer; Rich was diagnosed with kidney cancer and Paula with breast cancer. Rich supported his wife every step of the way, including by shaving his head. When I got diagnosed with breast cancer I was devastated. My husband came home and he held me and he said You dont just have breast cancer, we have breast cancer and together we are going to fight and we are going to win, Paula said during the broadcast. Rich works for Comcast and volunteers as a deacon at the couples church. I know that he is deserving because Im here. The two of us are here and we made it, Paula said. I just say to him Rich, I will be loving you forever. Their kids, Trinitee and Christian, also made videos speaking about their father and his support. I never once saw my dad breakdown, Christian said. You would think that would happen coming from a cancer survivor. He was there for her every step of the way. The surprise came as a shock to Rich, who thought he would spend the day taking Paula to get dental work. As a final surprise, the show gave the couple a five-day trip to the Bahamas to celebrate their wedding anniversary. "Today" hosts Hoda Kotbe and Jenna Bush Hager watched from the New York City studio where they were shown crying. Kotbe said theyve done many Knock Knock Surprise! segments, but this story was incredible. He prayed for me. He got me through, Paula said. I am happy and healed. I am so grateful for this man. When I was weak, he made me strong. GOSHEN Six immigrant detainees held at the Orange County jail are suing the county and federal government agencies saying their First Amendment rights were violated after they protested against conditions at the correctional facility. The suit was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Courts Southern District of New York by the New York Civil Liberties Union, The Bronx Defenders and the Center for Constitutional Rights on behalf of the detainees. In the complaint, they claim the detainees faced swift and crushing retribution from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement staff and county officials running the jail after participating in a hunger strike and filing grievances with the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, according to a copy of the legal complaint. Of the six detainees suing, two are being held at the Orange County jail, two have been transferred to detention centers in other states and two have been released from custody. The suit also claims that ICE and DHS violated its own policies via the Administrative Procedure Act when the agencies transferred two of the detainees to detention centers in Mississippi, far away from their children, who are minors, and other family members living in New York. I tried to use my voice to demand my rights through a hunger strike, and they retaliated against me in the worst possible way: by transferring me hundreds of miles away from my young daughter and my family without any warning at all," one of the plaintiffs, Denny Molina Cantor, said in a statement. They transferred me to a place where Im totally isolated from my loved ones. Assaults and racist verbal abuse by staff run rampant, the complaint reads. Basic medical and mental health care are frequently delayed or denied altogether. Inedible meals comprised of rancid meat are the norm. Access to immigration counsel is often non-existent. Other defendants named in the suit include Orange County Sheriff Paul Arteta, former Sheriff Carl Dubois, former Undersheriff Kenneth Jones and Kenneth Genalo, acting ICE field office director. Orange County Attorney Richard Golden said in a statement Tuesday: The county categorically denies that it acted in an unconstitutional or otherwise illegal manner. The county jail is a highly credentialed and model facility. The plaintiffs lack of merit in their allegations will be proven in court. Once the county and its officials are served, the Orange County Attorneys Office will represent county government and county officials named in the suit, including the former sheriff and undersheriff. ICE said Wednesday it does not comment on ongoing or pending litigation. An agency spokeswoman said detainees can file a complaint directly to the ICE Detention and Reporting Information Line and the DHS Office of Inspector General regarding staff misconduct, physical or sexual abuse, civil rights violations, or unresolved problems in detention. These facility policies include guarantees against any form of reprisal or retaliation, the spokeswoman wrote in an email. In 2021, the six detainees Denny Molina Cantor, Lucas Palacios Alvarado, Jeremias Lopez, Elmer Moscoso, Nahum Ortiz and Luis Gonzalez Carbajal joined several others being held at the jail in a coordinated effort to speak out against conditions at the facility. They filed grievances and administrative complaints and contacted reporters, elected officials and advocates, according to the suit. In February 2022, they protested by refusing to eat meals delivered to their cells. Guards at the jail isolated those participating in the hunger strike by placing them in segregated confinement and disabling their ability to send messages to people outside of the jail, according to the suit. The suit alleges the strike participants also were subjected en masse to cell searches by guards who confiscated and destroyed their belongings, including towels, clothing, commissary food and bedding. Within days of the strike, officials issued disciplinary citations against nearly every participating detainee and assigned them time in segregated confinement, according to the suit. Complaints about conditions ICE detainees experienced at the Orange County jail were reported to DHS by immigrant rights organizations in February and April 2022. Another complaint was filed March 21 of this year. Those complaints also alleged detainees were fed unsafe, expired food and were not provided with adequate medical care. The suit seeks a jury trial and damages. The two detainees who were transferred out-of-state also want to be returned to the New York City area but not to Orange County, where they fear they would face further retaliation and abusive conditions, according to the suit. People in ICE detention at Orange County Jail have every right to speak out peacefully about the abhorrent and unjust conditions of their indefinite incarceration, Amy Belsher, staff attorney at the New York Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement. ICE and jail officials repeated and ongoing retaliation against the plaintiffs for their advocacy is not only inhumane but also unconstitutional." This story has been updated to include a response from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW YORK Marjorie Taylor Greene was only able to speak for six minutes before a crowd of counterprotesters led by U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman drowned her out on Tuesday morning at Collection Pond Park in lower Manhattan, where critics and fans of former President Donald J. Trump gathered to observe his arraignment on 34 felonies related to alleged hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of Trumps 2016 presidential run. Greene, the Republican congresswoman for Georgias 14 District, was one of the headliners at a New York City Young Republicans rally to support the 45th president and to protest Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Also headlining the rally were conservative commentator Jack Posobiec and podcaster Graham Allen. There were more cops than reporters and more reporters than protesters at 10:30 a.m. when Greene walked up to the bench serving as a makeshift stage. She took a bullhorn from NYC Young Republican President Gavin Wax and called on all Americans to stand with Trump as he faced indictment. But less than five minutes into her speech, whistles erupted as Bowman, D-White Plains, flanked by staffers, charged toward Greene, blowing a whistle at the top of his lungs. The small crowd grew more unruly, drowning out Greenes bullhorn. We will not tolerate the hate of the left, Greene shouted before quickly wrapping up her speech. In a video her team later tweeted, one of her security guards can be heard saying, Alright, we gotta, we gotta get her out, before leading her off the bench and out of the park to a closed-off side street. Following her in pursuit were Bowman and his staffers, along with public advocate Jumaane Williams and New York City Councilperson Chi Osse. Greene got into her car and Bowman stood outside it, staring through the tinted window and continuously blowing his whistle. Get out of here, Bowman yelled. Get her out of here. After Greenes car pulled away, Bowman gave an impassioned speech. This is the city that I love. Its a city focused on hard work and love for all people. We will never accept hateful rhetoric in our city. Any rhetoric that is divisive, any rhetoric that uplifts white supremacy we are pushing back against that in all its forms, Bowman said. Marjorie Taylor Greene needs to take her ass back to Washington and do something about gun violence. Bowman was not the only Westchester resident at the rally, though he was perhaps the loudest. I dont have any signs. Im not screaming but Im here, silent, just being present and with my prayers, said Claudia Capshaw, who traveled from Croton-on-Hudson to voice her support for President Trump. Capshaw was also present at the Jan. 6 riots, which she remembered fondly. I thought it was beautiful because there was so much peace and love. There were people of all races, religious denominations gay people, Black, Asian, everything and they were all loving each other, said Capshaw, who immigrated from Latin America with her family when she was a child. And then, you know what happened after that. In several conversations, Trump supporters were confident that the day would not be as violent as Jan. 6, in part because, they claimed with little evidence, only far-left protesters were responsible for the violence at the U.S. Capitol. Dakota, a Saugerties woman who declined to give her last name, was another Hudson Valley resident at the rally. She drove with her mother and boyfriend to show her support for the former president. Though shes supported Trump since 2016, this was her first Trump rally, because, she said, unfortunately, it doesnt happen very much in New York. Absent from the rally were two recently elected Republican congressmen from New York. Mike Lawler of the 17th District is away on a bipartisan congressional delegation trip to the Indo-Pacific until mid-April. Marc Molinaro of the 19th gave remarks on affordable housing at a Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress event and later visited the Columbia County Chapter of The Arc New York. Wax, the president of the NYC Young Republicans, said he was not surprised that neither congressman showed up. Although Lawler held a fundraiser with Kevin McCarthy in Armonk a few weeks ago, Wax said he wouldnt expect him to come, calling him an anti-Trump moderate. Wax said the NYC Young Republicans specifically invited state Republican Chairman Ed Cox because he came out on television and called us divisive I think probably because hes upset that we called him out for not putting out a statement fast enough. FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: Small toy figure and mineral imitation are seen in front of the BHP logo in this illustration SINGAPORE (Reuters) - BHP Group's programme to support promising minerals explorers will expand beyond copper and nickel to prospective uranium and lithium projects from September, the head of its Xplor program said on Wednesday. The Xplor accelerator program chose seven projects around the world to support for six months from January in its first year this year that fit with BHP's portfolio - copper and nickel - and are key to the energy transition. BHP expects the world to need twice the amount of copper by 2030 as is produced this year, and four times the amount of nickel. For its second year, the programme wants to receive double the number of applications at 500 from the first year as it opens up to more commodities, said Sonia Scarselli, vice president of BHP Xplor. "We will be looking not just at copper and nickel, but at uranium and lithium and so on," Scarselli told a commodities conference in Singapore. The Xplor program has been successful as it offers financial and strategic support to minerals explorers and helps them with connections, while BHP gains exposure to new ideas and geological deposits that may struggle to access bank funding because they are too novel or early stage, she said. BHP has provided $500,000 each to Nordic Nickel, Tutume Metals, Asian Battery Minerals, Impact Minerals, Red Ox Copper, Bronzite Corp and Kingsrose Mining. The industry in general is suffering from a decade of underinvestment in exploration and must hurry to catch up if it is to meet the demand challenges of decarbonisation, she said. Scarselli told Reuters last month BHP saw lithium's demand-supply equation as not as fundamentally stretched as that for copper and nickel. BHP CEO Mike Henry has maintained that the world's biggest miner has no appetite for lithium, because its relative abundance made it impossible to gain a strategic position in a long-life, low-cost deposit. The miner, which produces uranium as a byproduct at its Olympic Dam copper operations in South Australia, has become more vocal about the role of uranium in a new energy world. (Reporting by Melanie Burton in Melbourne and Naveen Thukral in Singapore; Editing by Sonali Paul) This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Shad, the poor mans Salmon, once populated the Hudson River estuary from New York Harbor north to Fort Edward. The silvery-blue fish, which can grow up to 30 inches, was an important food source in the region and was commercially fished on the Hudson in the 19th and 20th centuries, becoming essential during World War II as fishing trawlers were forced from the open Atlantic by the specter of Nazi U-boats. Shad fisheries were closed in 2010 on the Hudson after a series of population collapses, but New York wants to grow shad populations in the river until recreational catch-and-release is once again possible, with the eventual goal of reopening commercial fishing. The state Department of Environmental Conservation released a final report in late March laying out how this can be accomplished and setting benchmarks for when the fisheries can be reopened. The DEC sets out a nearer-term goal of returning shad populations to their levels in the mid-1980s, with an eventual goal of returning them to 1940s levels. Shad populations were already significantly impacted by the 1940s the first recorded population collapse happened in the mid-1800s but the DEC sets this goal because dredging in the upper third of the estuary, which filled in many of the braided side channels where shad reproduced, was complete by this time, with the Hudson looking much like it does today. Still, it may take years or decades for shad populations to recover to 1940s levels, according to the report. Shad are anadromous, meaning they spend most of their lives at sea, returning to rivers to breed. Because of this, shad caught in the Hudson are safe to eat, since pollutants in the river are not present in shad to the degree that they are in fish that spend their entire lives in the river. Shad were netted along the northern part of the estuary for personal consumption and by small commercial operations. In the city of Hudson, fishers would land shad from small craft, soak them in crocks with molasses, sugar and salt, then smoke the delicacies. According to the report, Shad populations collapsed mostly due to overfishing, though the DEC pinpoints other anthropogenic causes of their decline. Water intakes from industrial operations were a major cause of the shads decline, including natural gas and nuclear power plants. However, major improvements have been made since the closing of the fisheries. The Indian Point nuclear power plant, which used up to 2 billion gallons of water from the river daily, more than any other operation, was closed in 2021. Intake screens were installed in other operations that significantly reduced fish mortality. Invasive species that migrated into the Hudson through the Champlain and Erie canals, especially the zebra mussel, caused major declines in the amount of plankton in the Hudson, impacting numerous fish species. Dams also hurt shad populations, blocking the migration of the fish to breeding areas. The report cites the Federal Dam in Troy and the Eddyville Dam on the Rondout Creek in Ulster County as major offenders, but notes only 9 percent of the shads breeding habitat was cut off by dams. Fish passageways installed in dams were ineffective for growing the shad population, the report states, since too many shad were killed while traversing them. Also ineffective was stocking the river with immature fish, according to the report. This method was tried for decades in the late 1800s, but shad populations continued to decline. Researchers have also suggested this limits the genetic diversity of the fish, making the population as a whole more susceptible to disease. Climate change is a large unknown in the report, but the document states that submerged vegetation in the river, which shad rely on, was heavily impacted by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee in 2011, and climate scientists predict larger and more frequent deluges from storms as an effect of global warming. To repopulate the Hudson with shad, the report states the number of shad caught by commercial operations from other states in the Atlantic Ocean should be studied to find out what proportion of their catches are from Hudson River shad. All new buildings along the Hudson that require water intake should be outfitted with protections for fish, according to the report. Fish passageways at dams should either be improved to cut down on shad mortality or should be closed if this cannot be accomplished. The report also states anthropogenic causes of shad decline should be continued to be studied, and habitat restoration pursued. The report sets benchmarks for when catch-and-release fishing can once reopen, a combination of the total mass of the spawning stock, shad mortality and the number of juveniles. The report cautions commercial fishing will not be able to be opened for a long time, but it hopes catch-and-release fishing can happen much sooner. ALBANY The Albany Public Library is under fire from an out-of-state nonprofit after posting a job internship only for Black candidates. The Touhey Equity Foundation Fellowship has been offered for the past two summers. It pays for two interns who must be recent Black graduates of library school programs. But this year, the library received a cease and desist letter from the Equal Protection Project of the Legal Insurrection Foundation. The foundation, a nonprofit based in Rhode Island, has filed complaints and threatened litigation in many cases, most recently objecting to racially preferential practices at colleges and universities. Our guiding principle is that there is no good form of racism. The remedy for racism never is more racism, the foundation says on its website. The Albany Public Library cannot legally exclude every non-Black candidate from an internship, said Ameer Benno, the director of litigation at the Legal Insurrection Foundation. As the program is racially exclusionary only black students and black recent graduates are eligible to apply to and participate in it it is our belief that the program violates a variety of state and federal civil rights laws, as well state and federal constitutional prohibitions on race-based discrimination, Benno said in an email. Equal Protection Project's founder and president Bill Jacobson also issued a statement. "Put yourself in the shoes of an Asian or white librarian who is excluded from this program merely because of their skin color and ancestry. It's wrong, it's illegal, and the Library needs to correct what it has done," he said. The internship is paid for by the Friends and Foundation of the Albany Public Library, which received a grant from the Touhey Foundation for the program. Because it uses private funds, Albany library Executive Director Andrea Nicolay said she was surprised by the cease and desist letter. It definitely felt out of the blue, she said. However, were taking the letter seriously. We want to confirm the internship is something we can continue to support without violating the law, obviously. The librarys lawyers are looking into it, she said. In the meantime, the library is still accepting applications and no candidates have been chosen. Hiring Black librarians improves the library, she said. The library programs and its collections benefit when an array of viewpoints are included in the decision-making. It couldnt be understated, the importance of diversity, she said. In addition to the internship, which is only for two months, there are also many full-time positions open at the library. She is taking applications on a continuous basis for the positions of librarian I, library assistant, library clerk and account clerk. In addition, the library is hiring a director of human resources and a technology support specialist, which went unfilled when they were last announced and have been reposted. Recently, the Albany Civil Service Commission agreed to drop the $20 application fee for each library job, Nicolay said. Thats a critical barrier to see removed to open up the opportunities, she said, adding that the library needs to fill vacancies. Recruitment and retention is a big current focus for the library, she said. I would encourage anybody who is interested to apply. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBANY A lasting encounter from a 1998 reporting trip I made to Northern Ireland with photographer Steve Jacobs for the Times Union to cover the impact of the Good Friday Agreement occurred at a so-called peace wall in Belfast. More than 20 miles of 25-foot-high walls of brick and metal were erected across Northern Ireland, mainly in Belfast, to separate loyalist Protestant neighborhoods from republican Catholic ones. The walls were at once metaphors and stark reminders of the deep and bitter generational hatreds between nationalist paramilitaries fighting to end British occupation and loyalist forces battling to keep Northern Ireland part of the United Kingdom. Our in-depth Times Union series explored how The Troubles split apart families. Three decades of conflict spurred some to flee to start a new life in Albany. Others stayed behind in Belfast to fight. The sectarian violence known as The Troubles left 3,700 people dead and 50,000 injured during 30 years of conflict beginning in 1969. In 1998, a power sharing pact, also known as the Belfast Agreement, was the culmination of years of negotiations to quell a war zone. In Western Belfast, we came across a couple of lads aged 10 or 11 on the Catholic side lobbing fist-sized rocks over the wall that separated the Falls Road from the Protestant Shankill Road. Protestant kids tossed the stones back. Neither group of kids could see the other. Fortunately, the large rocks thudded to the ground without hitting anyone, averting serious injury. I asked the Catholic boys why they were tossing the stones over the wall. They shrugged. Then one of them piped up. Because our older brothers did it, the boy said. It was a reflexive rite of passage, lacking any understanding, an automatic primal hatred bred in the bone. That memory came flooding back as I listened to a panel discussion Sunday at the Albany Institute of History and Art. Four experts from a variety of viewpoints discussed the prospects for lasting peace in Northern Ireland 25 years after the signing of documents in Belfast on April 10, 1998 Good Friday in the Catholic tradition, lending it the name the Good Friday Agreement. The program was organized by Gabriel Suprise, who served as moderator. He grew up in Glens Falls, earned masters degrees from Columbia University and the London School of Economics and works as a financial analyst. He is a member of the Albany chapter of the St. Andrews Society, which fosters Scottish heritage. The pursuit of political change by the use of violence is always wrong and it further polarizes people and is ultimately counter-productive, said Steve Aiken, a member the Northern Ireland Assembly and former leader of the Ulster Unionist Party. The UUP wants the six-county region of Northern Ireland to remain part of Great Britain and loyal to the British Crown. Aiken, 60, spent three decades in the Royal Navy and commanded nuclear-power submarines during the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts, which underscored his belief in the futility of military force to solve political issues. Aiken regularly receives death threats and he knows firsthand that the peace brokered through the Belfast Agreement is more vulnerable today than perhaps at any period since 1998. It is a real possibility that the agreement could collapse and there could be a return to violence, Aiken said. Things are very fragile right now. We have to be very careful about what we say and do. Panelist Karen Sonnelitter, associate professor of history at Siena College who studies Irish-British relations, cited a recent increase in paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland. She pointed to the upcoming murder trial of two men accused of killing 29-year-old freelance journalist Lyra McKee in Londonderry in 2019. McKee was observing a night of rioting and firebombing when she was hit in the head by a stray bullet. The alleged killers denied the charges and were released on bail pending a trial in Belfast. I expect that the incidents of rioting and violence will continue to rise, Sonnelitter said. A lot of the recent violence has nothing to do with political ideology, said Rebecca Graham, a member of the Maine Ulster Scots Project that uncovers migration stories from the North of Ireland. She admired the work of U.S. Sen. George Mitchell, Democrat of Maine, appointed by President Bill Clinton as a special envoy to Northern Ireland. Mitchell was a key negotiator of the Good Friday Agreement. There has been a recent increase in terrorist activity, but much of it seems to be tied more to gangsterism in impoverished communities, Graham said. The panelists concurred that continued U.S. involvement in maintaining peace requires a nuanced and patient approach. Young people are turning to paramilitary violence because they have no direct knowledge of The Troubles, said panelist John Humphrey, a leader of the Schenectady Ancient Order of the Hibernians and its Freedom for All Ireland committee. We need more education for kids so they understand how horrific the past violence was. The program applauded the positive changes brought about by the Good Friday Agreement and commemorated the late David Trimble, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and the inaugural First Minister of Northern Ireland after the 1998 accord. Trimble and the late John Hume, a towering figure in Irish nationalist politics, shared the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize. Aiken used Sundays program to praise Trimble, a close friend. David was a brilliant lawyer who dedicated himself to finding legalistic means to create a just solution for all people of Northern Ireland, Aiken said. He never got due credit for the difficult job he did. Brexit, which brought about the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union and requires certain goods to be checked when they enter Northern Ireland from Great Britain, exacerbated political grievances. Amid this rising tension, President Joe Biden will begin a five-night visit to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland when he arrives in Belfast on April 11. Biden said he will not cancel the trip, despite a spike in dissident republican activity and an elevation of the regions terrorism threat level to severe. Aiken met with Bidens advance team. I gave them a list of 20 things Biden should not say during his time in Northern Ireland, Aiken said. It is a very sensitive moment. The U.S. needs to continue to act as a force for good and spread the message that peace works. The U.S. has to follow what the people of Northern Ireland want, especially when it comes to consent, Graham said. Both Aiken and Humphrey agreed that the key is reaching children with a message of tolerance. More than 90 percent of students in Northern Ireland still attend a segregated school based on a familys religion. I believe our children should be educated together beginning in kindergarten, Aiken said. Integrated education is the way forward. Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated Rebecca Graham's relationship with U.S. Sen. George Mitchell, Democrat of Maine. Graham admired the work of Mitchell, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton as a special envoy to Northern Ireland. Mitchell was a key negotiator of the Good Friday Agreement. Paul Grondahl is the Opalka Endowed Director of the New York State Writers Institute at the University at Albany and a former Times Union reporter. He can be reached at grondahlpaul@gmail.com BETHLEHEM A series of lawn signs in the neighborhood around Fisher Boulevard may be confusing to read without context. At least half a dozen yards are dotted with the bright yellow lawn signs, with red letters reading "Say No to Yurts." The three yurts in question, located at Bethlehem Children's School on Fisher Boulevard since the midst of the pandemic, have sparked a divide in the community over whether the private school should keep them. Yurts originated as traditional dwellings on Central Asian steppes and mountains, but have spiked in popularity as an alternative for camping or even as permanent homes. Bethlehem Children's School brought out two in summer 2020 to space out students under pandemic-era guidelines, and added a third in spring 2021, Leanne Ricchiuti, a spokesperson for the school, said in an email. Late last year, the school submitted a site plan to the town of Bethlehem that would make the tent-like structures permanent. Opponents of the yurts put up a YouTube video and Change.org petition last month, citing concerns about traffic, noise and neighborhood density. Bethlehem Children's School put up their own petition, calling for support on its Facebook page which said losing the yurts could shrink enrollment by one-third. Robert F. Leslie, planning director for the town of Bethlehem, said the site plan currently remains under review. Ricchiuti said it includes increased parking, moving the yurts away from the view of the neighbors and setting up screening and replacing a "bathroom trailer" with a new indoor toilet with outdoor access. It would mitigate neighbors' concerns about parking, the proximity of the yurts and the outdoor toilets, School Head Christine Capeless Vaughan said at the March 7 public hearing before the town of Bethlehem Planning Board. "We understand that the changes to the size of the school over the last five years have impacted our internal community and our neighboring community," she said. The school has seen a significant jump in enrollment since it was founded in a church basement in 1995, or even since it taught around 30 students in what was described as a one-room schoolhouse style of learning in 2014. It now enrolls 109 students from 2 years to first-grade. The children come from 97 area families, Ricchiuti said. Full-time tuition is about $15,000 a year, according to the school's website. The public hearing lasted several hours and drew crowds of supporters and those against keeping the yurts. Parents of Bethlehem Children's School students, often wearing the school's logo, discussed how an outdoor classroom benefited their children. Neighbors shared concerns about noise, traffic, tree removal and neighborhood character. William Barrett is one of several neighbors of the school. His home on Caldwell Boulevard backs up against the wooded property, with the yurts visible from his home. Another home on Fisher Boulevard is wedged between the two lots the school owns, with students regularly walking along the right of way to get from one area to the other. Homeowner Antonio Paul said in a letter to the planning board his primary concerns were noise, increased enrollment, and a lack of fencing or screening along the property line. "I think the yurts should go," Barrett said. "I think they're ugly. I don't think they belong in this residential area, but there they are." Ricchiuti said in an email the school was not aware of any formal complaints about traffic or noise made to the town, and that previous studies found no increase in traffic or noise levels above the legal limits. Others at the public hearing questioned these concerns. "I have to tell you, I'm a little amused by the complaints of the noise," said JoAnn Bennett, a Delmar resident and trustee at the Robert C. Parker School in Albany. "Because I'm old enough to remember when that's what a neighborhood sounded like all day long." ALBANY With state budget negotiations extended at least an extra week, advocates are hopeful the $230 billion spending plan might include money to revive the states troubled ombudsman program for long-term care facilities. Federal law requires all states to have a long-term care ombudsman to make routine visits at nursing homes and other residential centers, but New Yorks system is unique in that it relies largely on a network of unpaid volunteers to check up on 160,000 people who reside at New Yorks 1,400 long-term care facilities. The pandemic brought a surge of abuse and neglect complaints across the nursing home sector and dealt a blow to the programs volunteer workforce, with the program never being able to fully recover, according to Claudette Royal, New Yorks statewide long-term care ombudsman. The number of volunteers has declined over 70 percent since 2016 and the number of service hours provided by these volunteers has declined by more than 60 percent, Royal testified at a March state Assembly hearing. Yet the complaint numbers have increased over 400 percent, she said. The long-underfunded program, housed administratively in the state Office for the Aging, provides advocacy services to residents of long-term care centers, supplementing the work of state health department regulators who handle more serious violations. It currently has five full-time employees and a part-time legal counsel. It works with 15 regional nonprofits that collectively employ about 40 full-time and 25 part-time paid staff and oversee about 250 trained volunteers. Advocates are calling for a $15 million investment in the ombudsman program, which would enable the program to add 235 full-time staff members enough to allow weekly visits at every facility in the state. The program is failing at no fault of the ombudsmen themselves, said Bill Ferris, legislative representative of AARP NY in an interview. These are 15 not-for-profits across the state trying to do the best they can with scarce resources from the state. There is an obligation for the state to fund this program so it can do its job. This is a program that is the eyes and ears for the frailest people in New York. Even before the pandemic, multiple audits and studies found the program to be understaffed and unable to meet its own benchmark of one visit per facility a week. In the Capital Region, less than 50 percent of the areas 103 long-term care centers had any visits between April 1 and June 30 of last year, and less than 5 percent had regular weekly contact with an ombudsman during the same period, according to the most recent Office for the Aging data compiled by AARP. Since the pandemic, other states in the northeast, including Connecticut, New Jersey and Ohio, have moved to double their ombudsman program workforce. In New York there is no consensus among policymakers on how to support the program, making the inclusion of the funds in the 2024 state budget unlikely. A bill included in the state Assemblys budget proposal, which calls for a state investment of $12.5 million, lacks support in the state Senate, which has proposed a more modest $2 million boost. Last years budget included a $2.5 million increase for the program and Gov. Kathy Hochuls executive budget proposal for 2024 keeps that number flat. Nursing homes have long been plagued by allegations of fraud, abuse and neglect prompting several recent lawsuits against local facilities by the state Attorney Generals Office. The ombudsman program receives thousands of complaints a year ranging in severity from gross neglect including physical and sexual abuse to disagreements over food and involuntary discharges. Over 5,000 complaints were logged by the program between Oct. 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022, according to the latest data available from the Office for the Aging. Efforts by the Times Union to call or email the ombudsman program run by Catholic Charities in Schenectady, which serves the 11-county Capital Region, did not receive a response, raising questions about how residents and families are able to access these advocacy services. The state has its own confidential hotline and online form for nursing home complaints, which are investigated by the state health department; the state then triages cases based on federal guidelines, a spokeswoman for the agency said. But the agency could not provide data about average wait times for cases to be addressed or investigated, and advocates say the health departments program is similarly understaffed. The results of the states nursing home investigations are posted to the departments website. According to Royal, the lack of visits to facilities impairs the offices ability to support recent legislative initiatives aimed at improving resident care. For example, the ombudsman program is tasked with advising the state health officials that decide whether to approve applications for nursing home ownership. There may be multiple facilities affiliated with the proposed owners. Its challenging for (the states Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program) to provide meaningful comments if these facilities have not had many, or any, recent visits, Royal testified last month. Pandemic-fueled reforms seeking to regulate nursing homes, by establishing minimum staffing levels and capping nursing home operator profits, are also not enforced, despite going into effect in December. Nursing home providers argue they cant meet the staffing requirements without a 20 percent increase in Medicaid reimbursements. Queens Assemblyman Ron Kim, who chairs the Assembly Aging Committee and has criticized the states treatment of the elderly during the pandemic, said formalizing the ombudsman program is the first step to repairing weaknesses in the states nursing home infrastructure. If we can achieve some wins there, we can show the blueprint on how to build out capacity to deliver a direct continuum of care. I hope that this governor and the DOH will reset and get it right in the next couple of years, Kim said. Jacom Stephens / Getty Image ALBANY A suspect in the groping of several women in the Pine Hills neighborhood will be arraigned Wednesday morning in city court, police said. The 31-year-old Red Hook man was taken into custody Tuesday in Hudson after an investigation by police detectives. He is charged with three counts of forcible touching, a misdemeanor. Tatiana Fernandez/AP SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) A judge in the Dominican Republic on Tuesday ordered an ex-presidential candidate held under house arrest and two former high-ranking officials jailed while awaiting trial in a record $347 million embezzlement case linked to illegal campaign financing. Gonzalo Castillo, a former public works minister who won 37% of the vote when he ran in the 2020 general elections and lost to current President Luis Abinader, was held under house arrest on $365,000 bond. Donald Guerrero, former treasury minister, and Jose Ramon Peralta, former administrative minister to the presidency, were ordered held without bail for 18 months. The state Court of Appeals has been operating at less than full strength for too long seven months, to be exact, since former Chief Judge Janet DiFiore resigned. The long absence of both a leader for New York's judiciary and a seventh legal mind weighing the states most thorny legal matters is due in large part to the battle over the nomination of state appellate Justice Hector LaSalle. That fight between Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state Senate ended with Justice LaSalle's rejection, which obliged the state Commission on Judicial Nomination to repost the want ad for a new chief judge, wait for the resumes to roll in, conduct interviews and assemble the list of seven possible nominees for Gov. Hochul to choose among work that it accomplished in a little more than a month. As of this writing, the governor's selection remains unknown but things look pretty favorable for the three currently sitting associate judges on the high court who have submitted their applications and are on the commission's short list: acting Chief Judge Anthony Cannataro and associate judges Shirley Troutman and Rowan D. Wilson. How do we know the odds are in their favor? Because the governor recently introduced and the Legislature within a mere four days approved a piece of legislation that would allow her and future governors to fill a chief judge vacancy with sitting judges on the nominee list, and then use the same roster to nominate a new associate justice. This is a bad idea, and not just because legislation passed in haste is so often deficient. As we heard endlessly in the LaSalle debate, the qualities that make a chief judge might overlap with the assets needed by an associate justice, but they are not the same. The chief judge role requires a management aspect that is far less important for associate judges. (And how are candidates even supposed to apply check a box next to "chief" or "associate" to indicate their preference?) It is not as if this is a problem undreamt-of by the framers of the 46-year-old merit selection system for the high court: A half-dozen associate judges became chief judges in that period, requiring fresh lists to fill their former associate roles each time. Also, the governors argument for fast action now falls down when you look at the calendar: Unless were talking about getting two judges vetted and approved by the Senate before the courts mid-May arguments, the urgency is artificial, because the court isnt scheduled to hear more appeals until September. Worse, this two-for-one list method appears to be nothing more than an inducement to deal-making in which the governor gets to pick the chief judge and the Senate gets an enhanced say in the associate role. That kind of horse trading, of course, corrupts the notion of merit selection. The governor should think twice before signing her own program bill, and we will be watching closely for any legal challenge that might stand up for the intent of the constitutional change put in place almost a half-century ago. Highlights: Big Rock has secured a new multi-year co-pack agreement with a new partner to produce its various styles of beer through to the end of fiscal 2028; This agreement represents over $3.5 million in incremental annual revenue for the Corporation; and The Corporation continues to execute a key aspect of its strategy in growing its co-pack business and as a result, further solidifying itself as a leading alcohol beverage manufacturer in Western Canada. CALGARY, AB, April 5, 2023 /CNW/ - Big Rock Brewery Inc. (TSX: BR) ("Big Rock" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce a new 5-year co-pack agreement with a new partner at its Calgary brewery (the "Co-Pack Agreement"). Under the terms of the Co-Pack Agreement, the Corporation will produce various styles of beer and anticipates incremental revenue per annum of over $3.5 million. Big Rock Brewery Logo (CNW Group/Big Rock Brewery Inc.) "We're excited to announce another co-pack agreement for the Corporation as Big Rock continues to focus on not only increasing the utilization of our facility, but in smoothing out our annual production curve as the majority of this volume will occur in the shoulder season of our fiscal year," stated interim President and Chief Executive Officer Stephen Giblin. "The inception of this relationship is yet another strong testament to the capabilities of our people and our assets to produce complex, high-quality beverages at scale." Forward-Looking Information and Future-Oriented Financial Information Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements and future-oriented financial information. These statements relate to future events or Big Rock's future performance, including its prospective financial performance. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information and future-oriented financial information are not facts, but only predictions and generally can be identified by the use of statements that include words or phrases such as, "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "could", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "likely" "may", "project", "predict", "propose", "potential", "might", "plan", "seek", "should", "targeting", "will", and similar expressions. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements and future-oriented financial information. Big Rock believes that the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements and future-oriented financial information are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon by readers, as actual results may vary materially from such forward-looking statements and future-oriented financial information. These statements are expressly qualified, in their entirety, by this cautionary statement. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements and future-oriented financial information pertaining to the anticipated revenue to be received by the Corporation under the Co-Pack Agreement. Story continues With respect to the forward-looking statements and future-oriented financial information listed above and contained in this news release, management has made assumptions regarding, among other things, the demand for beers produced under the Co-Pack Agreement, the Corporation's ability to perform its production obligations under the Co-Pack Agreement and the creditworthiness and performance of its counterparty under the Co-Pack Agreement. Some of the risks which could affect future results and could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information and statements contained herein include the risk factors set out in the Corporation's annual information form and also include, but are not limited to, the risk that management's assumptions in respect of the Co-Pack Agreement, including the demand for the beers produced thereunder, the Corporation's ability to perform its production obligations under the Co-Pack Agreement, and the ability of its counterparty under the Co-Pack Agreement to fulfill its obligations, including, but not limited to, its payment obligations, may not be correct. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of assumptions and risk factors is not exhaustive. The forward-looking statements and future-oriented financial information contained herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements and future-oriented financial information included in this news release are made as of the date hereof and Big Rock does not undertake any obligation to publicly update such forward-looking information and statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless so required by applicable securities laws. About Big Rock Brewery Inc. In 1985, Ed McNally founded Big Rock to contest the time's beer trends. Three bold, European-inspired offerings Bitter, Porter and Traditional Ale forged an industry at a time heavy on easy drinking lagers and light on flavour. Today, our extensive portfolio of signature beers, ongoing seasonal offerings, six ciders (Rock Creek Cider series), custom-crafted private label products and other notable, licensed alcoholic beverages keeps us at the forefront of the craft beer revolution and still proudly contesting the beer and alcoholic beverage trends of today. Big Rock has brewing operations in Calgary, Alberta, Vancouver, British Columbia, and Toronto, Ontario. Big Rock trades on the TSX under the symbol "BR". For more information on Big Rock visit www.bigrockbeer.com. SOURCE Big Rock Brewery Inc. Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2023/05/c0460.html ALBANY Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Tuesday said his office routinely prosecutes cases like the one filed against former President Donald J. Trump, but data from the state Office of Court Administration indicates those specific charges are rarely pursued as the top count against defendants in New York and almost never result in a felony conviction. Bragg, who described their investigation as the bread and butter of our white-collar work, asserted that pursuing accusations of falsifying business records not only upholds the law but also protects the integrity of New York Citys business sector. We cannot and will not normalize serious criminal conduct, Bragg said following the historic indictment of Trump on Tuesday, when he also said his office regularly pursues white-collar criminal conduct. Still, state data show that its rare that individuals are charged only with the alleged crimes facing the former president first-degree falsifying business records with the intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof. Records show there have been roughly eight times in the past few years when the Manhattan District Attorneys Office prosecuted the felony charge of falsifying business records as the top or only charge. Albany County, home of the state Capitol and its numerous agencies, prosecuted 20 cases with that charge listed as the top count during the same period which was the highest of any county in New York. But Bragg's office on Wednesday noted that they routinely prosecute felony charges of falsifying business records in cases involving myriad other offenses. Officials there said in the 15 months that he has been district attorney, their office has filed "117 counts of felony falsifying business records against 29 different individuals and companies." They added that from 2019 to 2021, that office filed 168 felony counts of falsifying business records "against 34 different individuals and companies." Still, in the past three and a half years, there were fewer than 300 instances statewide of an individual facing a top-level charge of falsifying business records in the first degree. Even more rare: a conviction, let alone a felony conviction, for the offenses filed against Trump, which requires proving the intent to commit or aid in another crime. Bragg alleges Trump paid $130,000 to Stormy Daniels as hush money less than two weeks before the 2016 presidential election. Through a series of shell companies and payments to his former attorney and confidant, Michael Cohen, Trump is accused of making 34 false statements to cover up other crimes, Bragg alleges, as a part of a catch and kill scheme. He also accused Trump of violating state and federal election laws. A review of two sets of state data, which were released over the last six months with the intent of informing conversations around proposed changes to the states bail laws, allows the public to see how often the specific offense Trump is facing is alleged. By the numbers The majority of cases led to a guilty plea, although it is rare to net a conviction for the crime alleged. Typically, the plea in those cases is to a violation or misdemeanor. In the past two and a half years, 11 of the 148 cases led to a guilty plea for the charge of first-degree falsifying business records, a felony. Occasionally, the cases are dismissed and, less often, cases are transferred to a grand jury or higher court, which could still lead to a felony charge. The most common result after someone is charged with first-degree falsifying business records is a guilty plea to disorderly conduct, a violation. Sometimes a less severe version of the white collar crime is agreed to on guilty plea, versions which may not require prosecutors to prove a certain intent and do not amount to a felony. Most often, the penalty from the guilty plea is either a conditional discharge or a fine. Individuals served time in jail in 10 instances, but only in one case was that sentence longer than a month. Acting state Supreme Court Justice Juan M. Merchan, who is presiding over Trump's criminal case, has had one other case with a similar top-level charge. That case remained pending as of December, according to the state data. It involved an incident from 2005, according to the available records, but no other information, including the age, race or gender of the defendant, was immediately available. It's extremely rare for a judge to set bail for someone charged with the offense of falsifying business records, especially in the wake of New York retooling its criminal justice statutes in 2019. Trump was not required by the judge to post bail while the case is pending. Last year, in a rare decision, an Ontario County judge set $10,000 cash bail on a 36-year-old defendant who had been charged with falsifying business records. But that defendant had at least one prior violent felony conviction and additional criminal history. The person was sent to jail while they awaited trial. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has warned mid-ranking gardai that not showing up to work in protest over roster issues is a very serious step to take. It comes after the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) outlined multiple measures of protest in a dispute relating to a roster established during the Covid-19 pandemic. The AGSI has issued a mandate that individual members may indicate their withdrawal of labour on a particular day if a resolution is not found and the dispute continues to escalate, in a process referred to as a blue flu. Asked how he would respond to gardai who do not show up to work, Mr Harris said: I will cross that bridge when I come to it. It hasnt happened. When its happened previously its been dealt with in terms of a warning provided to the organisation. Speaking on RTEs Morning Ireland, he said gardai have taken an oath to uphold the constitution. That means upholding the rule of law in Ireland and thats our immediate and direct responsibility every day, upholding the rule of law and protecting democracy and we cant waver in that. He said he believed members of An Garda Siochana would respond appropriately with major operations and day-to-day work. On the same programme, AGSI general secretary Antoinette Cunningham said the action would be set aside if the commissioner entered dialogue on rosters with the association. I suppose delegates are saying, Look, if this dispute continues to escalate, and if theres no forum for us to talk about things, we will demonstrate to you that thats unacceptable to us, she said. Theyre very serious concerns around their health and welfare and safety and wellbeing in relation to uncertainty. She said gardai are prohibited in law from going on strike and that is a limitation on our ability to negotiate. Asked how not going to work in protest differs from a strike, Ms Cunningham said: On a particular day and of course, you know, you cant advocate or incite this as a leader in AGSI because its an offence but individuals can make a decision themselves that by way of showing some form of protest, that thats what they would choose to do. At the AGSI annual conference in Galway on Tuesday, a mandate was issued for members to co-operate under protest for the upcoming visit of US President Joe Biden. Ms Cunningham said every member will co-operate with all policing requirements for the presidential visit, but noted that annual leave days had been cancelled. They gave no guarantees of future co-operation for other VIP visits. All things will be examined as they arise and are clarified, she said, adding that it depends on whether the commissioner is willing to engage with them. The AGSI protests include four further days of action. Last month, the association marched to Garda headquarters on the first day of action. At the end of the march, Ms Cunningham said the protest was a clear sign of frustration felt by members over their working arrangements. The AGSI said the roster has been extended 15 times in three years and imposed without agreement. Ms Cunningham said some members have to work 14 days out of every 16, while the previous roster was six days on and four days off. While numbers of shifts have increased under the new arrangement, they are shorter. The AGSI said it has appealed over the roster multiple times, but Mr Harris said the issues have been examined and have moved to an external process at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). Ms Cunningham said there were internal mechanisms that had not been exhausted and it was premature to go to the WRC. Two women who were born during the month the Good Friday Agreement was signed have said the legacy of division from the Troubles in Northern Ireland is still affecting the ceasefire generation. Eavann Mallon was born on April 14 1998, and Hannah Knott was born on April 4. Ms Mallon grew up near Dungannon, Co Tyrone, and went to a Catholic primary and secondary school. Ms Knott lived in England until she was 10 before moving to Northern Ireland and attending an integrated primary and secondary school. Ms Mallon said she realised there was still division in Northern Ireland when her primary school took part in an outreach scheme where the pupils met children from the local Protestant school. It was only whenever we started having those outreaches, whenever I was maybe, like, six or seven, that it suddenly occurred to me that these people have a totally different background to what I had, she said. Ms Knott said her background made her aware of divisions in Northern Ireland but as she attended an integrated primary school and high school, she only realised the importance of community background and religion when she was in her teens. So it never really struck me too much until I was, like, maybe 14, 15, I started to have my own friend group and they were all on the one side, she said. That was when I was like, Oh, its actually a really big deal here, because obviously, in England, no one talks about it. Its not a discussed thing. Both women said the legacy of division from the Troubles is still felt in Northern Ireland. Ive definitely noticed the impact of it, Ms Mallon said. I remember one of my good friends that I met at university, a couple of my good friends had very English names, and I remember meeting them and whenever I got talking to them about it I just assumed that they were Protestant because my sort of experience with it was people with Irish names were Catholic and people with English names were Protestant. I was meeting people who have very English names and then they were saying that theyre cut from the same cloth that I am. Ms Knott said: I remember talking to my friend once and getting into a big argument. She was going on about the border and how much she was passionate about keeping our border, and I was like, Its a line on the map, doesnt really matter that much. That was exactly what I said and she had a full on fallout with me. And thats when I think I really realised that people really care about this, even if they dont know what it is that theyre actually annoyed about. Ms Knott said there is no formal education about the contents of the Good Friday Agreement in schools. Where Ive learned the most about the Good Friday Agreement was that episode of Derry Girls, because before that, apart from the fact that I knew that it was a good thing that ended a lot of issues, I knew nothing about it, she said. I do not remember getting taught about it in school, in the slightest, to be honest. Ms Mallon said it is important for the ceasefire generation to know what is in the Good Friday Agreement. I think its more important than ever that young people know what the Good Friday is, how it came about, what it means and what we need to do with it, to allow the older generation to see that change isnt as scary as they might think, she said. Ms Mallon said she would like to see people being more accepting of others opinions in the next 25 years. You cant change someone elses opinion. You can try to understand it, then they can start to open themselves up to the idea that they all exist, she said. It may be easier to try and find a solution that suits maybe not everybody but the majority. Ms Knott said: If anyone is going into politics that are our age and that are passionate about it, I think the best thing is just community, bringing everybody together. It sounds so simple but that is what I think is missing. The fact people our age are going into politics is, I think, a very positive thing because were kind of removed from the actual act of it. Were removed from seeing the streets destroyed and seeing the actual fighting, we can take a step back and look at our perspective. [April 05, 2023] New England Law | Boston Law Day Banquet and Barrister's Ball Welcomes Distinguished Friends and Colleagues, Features the Honorable David A. Lowy as Keynote Speaker BOSTON, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- New England Law | Boston held its annual Law Day Banquet and Barrister's Ball on March 31, an evening dedicated to highlighting the legal profession's central role in fostering the mutual respect and thoughtful communication that lies at the heart of a strong democracy. Friends of the law school joined students, alumni, faculty, and staff for the event, which featured the Honorable David A. Lowy, Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, as keynote speaker. Law Day was established in 1958 by proclamation of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Celebrated annually by the nation's legal community and the general public, it promotes awareness of our country's laws and justice system and the role they play in maintaining the freedoms we enjoy. Nationwide, Law Day celebrations include events at law schools, court houses, bar associations, secondary schools, and community centers. These observances serve to expand our understanding of our legal system and to remind us that while the principles embodied in the observance are constant, their vitality cannot be taken for granted but must be nurtured throughout the year. Past New England Law | Boston Law Day speakers include: John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States; Joseph P. Kennedy III, U.S. House of Representatives, Massachusetts; and Roderick L. Ireland, former Chief Justice of the Massachusett Supreme Judicial Court. This year's event was held on March 31 at the Boston Marriott Copley Place. Joining the head table, in addition to Justice Lowy, were: Albert A. Balboni, Chairman, New England Law | Boston; Matthew Bramall, Co-Chair, Social Affairs Committee, Student Bar Association; The Honorable Kimberly S. Budd; Chief Justice, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court; Rachelle Cohen, Assistant Editorial Page Editor, Boston Globe; The Honorable Robert J. Cordy, Associate Justice (Retired), Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court; Barry A. Feinstein, Principal, The Law Offices of Barry Feinstein & Affiliates P.C.; Lisa Freudenheim, Dean and Professor of Law, New England Law | Boston; The Honorable Serge Georges Jr., Associate Justice, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court; The Honorable Mark V. Green, Chief Justice, Massachusetts Appeals Court; Itorie Hall, President, Student Bar Association; The Honorable Edward F. Harrington, Senior Judge, United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts; Victoria Hunter, Co-Chair, Social Affairs Committee, Student Bar Association; The Honorable Scott L. Kafker, Associate Justice, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court; The Honorable Jeffrey A. Locke, Chief Justice, Massachusetts Trial Court; The Honorable Amy L. Nechtem, Chief Justice, Massachusetts Juvenile Court; Terrence Reidy, Secretary of Public Safety and Security; District Attorney Marian T. Ryan, Middlesex County for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and The Honorable Dalila Argaez Wendlandt, Associate Justice, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Justice Lowy shared his thoughts on the Law Day theme with more than 800 guests. "Civility and debate allow those of us fortunate enough to live in a pluralistic and open society to join each other in a social compact and share in a community that respects diversity and disagreement," said Lowy. He encouraged New England Law students to take up the mantle of civil discourse. "We need you to stay in the room. We need you to encourage robust but respectful debate. And we need you to revive civility and reinvent the nature of engagement in the public square. You are the indispensable generation." ABOUT NEW ENGLAND LAW | BOSTON New England Law | Boston was founded in 1908 as Portia Law School, the first and only law school established exclusively for the education of women. Today, New England Law offers its co-ed student body flexible, convenient programs that combine rigorous academics, dynamic community, and early access to practical experience, as well as a diverse, global alumni network spanning 29 countries, 50 states, and all areas of practice. For more information, visit www.nesl.edu. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-england-law--boston-law-day-banquet-and-barristers-ball-welcomes-distinguished-friends-and-colleagues-features-the-honorable-david-a-lowy-as-keynote-speaker-301790756.html SOURCE New England Law | Boston [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2023] Block to Announce First Quarter 2023 Results Block, Inc. (NYSE: SQ) will release financial results for the first quarter of 2023 on Thursday, May 4, 2023, after market close. Block will also host a conference call and earnings webcast at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time/5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the same day to discuss these results. To register to participate in the conference call, or to listen to the live audio webcast, please visit the Events & Presentations section of Block's Investor Relations website at investors.block.xyz. A replay will be available at the same website following the call. About Block Block, Inc. (NYSE: SQ) is a global technology company with a focus on financial services. Made up of Square, Cash App, Spiral, TIDAL, and TBD, we build tools to help more people access the economy. Square helps sellers run and grow their businesses with its integrated ecosystem of commerce solutions, business software, and banking services. With Cash App, anyone can easily send, spend, or invest their money in stocks or Bitcoin. Spiral builds and funds free, open-source Bitcoin projects. Artists use TIDAL to help them succeed as entrepreneurs and connect more deeply with fans. TBD is building an open developer platform to make it easier to access Bitcoin and other blockchain technologies without having to go through an institution. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230404005857/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2023] The Futurum Group Prepares for Rapid Growth and Market Expansion The Futurum Group has reorganized for its next phase of growth while streamlining its customer experience to make it easier to work with the new organization. Now a newly integrated company and entity, The Futurum Group offers business services including industry research, market intelligence, validation, go-to-market consulting, and media for analyzing emerging and market-disrupting technologies while helping clients achieve successful bottom-line outcomes. With a strong brand, global customer and market reach, and market demand for new options for research and analysis, this move positions the company for rapid changes in the business marketplace fueled by artificial intelligence and machine learning, IoT, cloud computing, 5G, blockchain, quantum information processing, and other disruptive technologies that are impacting business models and the way companies and industries operate. "The Futurum Group has grown rapidly through a series of successful acquisitions, which has provided our customers with access to unprecedented talent, technology, and insights," said Daniel Newman, CEO at The Futurum Group. "As we plan for future growth, this reorganization under a single parent brand sets us up to expand market presence, drive efficiencies, and provide our customers with the highest level of service, quality, and innovation. This will empower our customers to address the future of technology, media, and digital transformation." The Futurum Group aims to set the bar for measurable value and insights in a new influence paradigm as it focuses on key areas including research, intelligence, validation, and media. As traditional IT and market research shifts toward analyst firms that can validate technology offerings using diverse mediums, the newly reorganized company is committed to being at the leading edge of this change. This transition will enable The Futurum Group to leverage its strategic acquisitions coupled with its organic business growth to enter a new phase as it establishes itself as the go-to source for research and analysis in the technology industry. Integration of Business Units Going forward, all business units will be integrated and operate as The Futurum Group. This includes recent strategic acquisitions of Dash Network, Evaluator Group, and Wainhouse Research, which enriched the company's portfolio with a vast range of capabilities, including collaboration, contact center, information technology management and infrastructure, and customer experience. Through these acquisitions, the company also gained a wealth of new market intelligence, strengthened product testing and validation capabilities, and bolstered its advisory services. The Futurum Group plans to run four stategic business units that will encompass a wide range of operations, while a select few entities will continue to operate under their existing brands as part of the group. The four key business units include: Futurum Research : In-depth research and insights on global technology markets using advisory services, custom research reports, strategic consulting engagements, digital events, go-to-market planning, and message testing, along with creating, distributing, and amplifying rich media content where all stakeholders read, watch, and listen. : In-depth research and insights on global technology markets using advisory services, custom research reports, strategic consulting engagements, digital events, go-to-market planning, and message testing, along with creating, distributing, and amplifying rich media content where all stakeholders read, watch, and listen. Futurum Intelligence : On-demand, syndicated market studies and visualization dashboards that inform with precision and depth to provide critical decision insight for strategists, product management, and marketers. : On-demand, syndicated market studies and visualization dashboards that inform with precision and depth to provide critical decision insight for strategists, product management, and marketers. Futurum Labs : Testing and validation services that enable clients to create data driven materials and tools to highlight competitive advantages and differentiation to their IT customers. : Testing and validation services that enable clients to create data driven materials and tools to highlight competitive advantages and differentiation to their IT customers. Futurum Network: A digital media platform that provides daily news and analysis, combined with editorial insight and features. Futurum Network provides an education conduit and online community enabling clients to reach their target audiences. Six Five Media, a joint venture with Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights and Strategy that sponsors the Six Five Summit, will remain operating independently. As part of the reorganization, Futurum Research, Wainhouse Research, Dash Network, and the Evaluator Group brands and businesses will be rolled up into The Futurum Group and cease to exist as separate entities. Key Executive Positions To bring new perspectives and leadership to The Futurum Group's growth and path to continued success, the company has announced the appointment of several key executive positions for the expanding organization. These professionals bring a wealth of industry experience, a deep understanding of targeted industries and markets, and have a proven track record of delivering superior results. The new positions include: Shelly Kramer: President and Chief Evangelist Clint Wheelock: Chief Research Officer (co-founder of Dash Network) Jonathan Keller: Chief Revenue Officer (co-founder of Dash Network) Bill Ruff: Chief Customer Officer Keith Winton: Chief Financial Officer Russ Fellows: Head of Futurum Labs (formerly Senior Analyst, Evaluator Group) Marc Beattie: Head of Futurum Intelligence (formerly Managing Partner, Wainhouse Research) Daniel Newman will continue in his role as CEO of The Futurum Group. Practice Area Expansion The company also plans to recruit expertise in building analyst firms and intelligence. The goal is to establish 12 practice areas that deliver world-class insights from knowledgeable analysts and practice leaders. By leveraging the company's broad reach and influence, The Futurum Group will be able to build a powerful core of analysts that reach critical markets, media, and ecosystems. As part of that practice area refinement, Camberley Bates, formerly the managing director of Evaluator Group, will transition to the role of vice president and practice lead for the Data and Information Technology Management Practice (formerly known as Evaluator Group), and Steven Dickens will transition to a vice president and practice lead role for the Data Infrastructure & Operations Practice. "These strategic corporate initiatives are essential to the company's overall growth and development," said Shelly Kramer, president and chief evangelist at The Futurum Group. "The Futurum Group will be able to expand its capabilities and provide even more value to its customers. And by building out its practice areas, the company will have a deeper and more specialized understanding of key industries and markets, enabling it to deliver more accurate and impactful insights." In addition to the development of its new analytics platform and the reorganization plan, The Futurum Group also is planning to overhaul its sales, marketing, and media offerings. The goal is to execute on the full funnel, helping customers from the go-to-market level all the way through influencing buying decisions. The company plans to achieve this by leveraging its qualitative and quantitative insights and using both new disruptive media, advanced marketing capabilities, and traditional research assets. New Analytics Platform Offering As part of its market growth and expansion objectives, The Futurum Group also has announced the development of a cutting-edge, technology-driven analytics platform. The company recognizes that the market demands measurable, transparent insights that, until now, have been lacking in optionality. The Futurum Group has engaged in a talent acquisition plan to recruit leading industry innovators with experience in public markets and venture capital for the development and execution of this platform. This investment is a key element of The Futurum Group's long-term strategic plan to continue to innovate and stay ahead of industry trends. As the company grows and evolves, it remains committed to investing in the people and resources needed to ensure that it remains at the forefront of industry research and analysis. "With this new expertise, the company is confident that its analytics platform will be unmatched in the industry, providing customers with the most comprehensive and accurate insights available," Newman said. "This platform is a crucial component of the company's strategy to provide measurable, transparent insights that meet the demands of the market. Through the combination of its new organizational focus, strategic acquisitions, and cutting-edge technology, The Futurum Group is well-positioned to be a preeminent player in the industry." Empowering Customers The organizational changes are designed to benefit customers in a variety of ways. The Futurum Group will be able to deliver a more comprehensive suite of services that can help them at every stage of the customer journey. Customers also will have expanded access to the latest and most effective marketing and sales techniques, giving them a competitive edge in the market. The reorganization will enable the company to better understand the needs and challenges of its customers, so that it can provide more personalized and effective solutions. "This represents a significant investment in the company's capabilities and our commitment to providing customers with the best possible service," Kramer added. "By combining cutting-edge technology with a deep understanding of the industry and its customers' needs, The Futurum Group is poised to deliver measurable value and insights that set a new standard for the industry." About The Futurum Group The Futurum Group is a family of industry research, advisory, consulting, and media companies focused on analyzing emerging and market-disrupting technologies, identifying and validating trends, and delivering data and insights that empower clients to find their competitive edge in the digital economy. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230404006101/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2023] HIF Global and Idemitsu Kosan announce carbon neutral eFuels strategic cooperation HIF intends to produce 150,000 barrels per day of eFuels from global facilities TOKYO and SYDNEY and HOUSTON, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- HIF Global, the world's leading eFuels company, and energy company Idemitsu Kosan today announced a strategic cooperation agreement to accelerate the production of carbon neutral eFuels. The HIF-Idemitsu strategic cooperation will focus on purchase of eFuels by Idemitsu from HIF eFuels facilities worldwide, co-investments in HIF eFuels facilities and new facilities in Japan, and supply of recycled carbon dioxide from Japan for use in the eFuels production process. Cesar Norton, HIF Global CEO, said, "eFuels are available now to decarbonize existing cars, ships, and airplanes without any modifications to their engines. Our eFuels facility at Haru Oni in Chile is already producing carbon neutral gasoline. We expect to begin construction on the first world-scale eFuels facility in Texas, USA in 2024, and we are developing additional facilities in Chile, USA, and Australia, which are all well placed to serve partners in Asia. Collaboration with companies with the global presence and resources of Idemitsu makes our plan to reach 150,000 barrels per day of eFuels production a reality. We look forward to advancing Idemitsu's strategic objectives for carbon neutrality and delivering eFuels to help win the war on climate change." Hiroshi Tanaka, Idemitsu Kosan, General Manager, Carbon Neutral Transformation Department, said, "Idemitsu is exploring ways to ensure a stable energy supply in a carbon-neutral society in 2050. In particular, we believe that eFuels are one of the best ways to promote decarbonization of mobility by utilizing existing infrastructure, and we hope that eFuels will be widely recognized and used around the world as soon as possible. Additionally, we are very pleased to be working with HIF, which aims to launch and supply the world's first large-scale eFuel production facility, to explore strategic initiatives. We look forward to working together to accelerate decarbonization." A month ago, Idemitsu leadership and a Japanese delegation traveled to southern Chile to witness the production of eFuels a the HIF Haru Oni Demonstration facility. eFuels are made using electrolyzers powered by renewable energy to separate hydrogen from oxygen in water. The green hydrogen will be utilized together with recycled carbon dioxide to produce carbon neutral eFuels, which are chemically equivalent to fuels used today and can therefore be dropped-in to existing engines without any modifications required. About HIF Global HIF Global is the world's leading eFuels company, developing projects to convert hydrogen using low cost renewable power into carbon neutral liquid eFuels that can be transported and utilized in existing infrastructure. The name HIF represents the mission of the company: to provide Highly Innovative Fuels to make decarbonization of the planet possible. HIF Chile, HIF USA, HIF Asia Pacific, and HIF EMEA are wholly owned subsidiaries of HIF Global. HIF Global started producing the first liters of synthetic Fuels from the Haru Oni Demonstration Facility in Magallanes, Chile in December 2022 and intends to begin construction of the commercial scale HIF Matagorda eFuels Facility in Texas in 1Q2024. HIF Global's first Australian development, in Tasmania, was announced in July 2022. For more information, visit www.hifglobal.com About Idemitsu Kosan Idemitsu is working to implement diverse and environmentally friendly low-carbon energy, resource-saving, and circulation solutions in society while fulfilling its responsibility to provide a stable supply of energy, mainly fossil fuels including petroleum, under its 2030 Vision "Your Reliable Partner for a Brighter Future" and 2050 Vision "Shape the Change". As part of this plan, Idemitsu plans to establish a green supply chain for biomass-derived fuels and chemicals, such as SAF, biodiesel, and bio-chemicals, also for ammonia and eFuel by 2030. Liquid fuels such as SAF and eFuels are one of the businesses that Idemitsu Kosan should focus on because they can contribute to decarbonization by utilizing existing infrastructure. For more information visit www.idemitsu.com CAUTIONARY INFORMATION ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Information in this press release includes various statements that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Words such as "can," "expect," potential," "to be," "will," and similar expressions are used to identify forward-looking statements and convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. Forward-looking statements in this press release relate to, among other things, our expectations of our plans, strategies, and objectives, including with respect to the timing and other aspects of the HIF eFuels facilities. Such statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements include (without limitation): our ability to timely obtain or maintain necessary permits to construct and develop the HIF eFuels facilities; our ability to execute operational objectives on a timely and successful basis; legislative, policy, fiscal and regulatory developments; the outcome of commercial negotiations; our ability to raise financing; consumer preferences or demand; and various economic, business, and competitive factors affecting our business. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this paragraph. HIF Global urges you to carefully review and consider the cautionary statements made in this press release and cautions you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. HIF Global undertakes no obligation (and expressly disclaims any such obligation) to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2047900/HIF_Global_and_Idemitsu_Kosan_signing_ceremony.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/hif-global-and-idemitsu-kosan-announce-carbon-neutral-efuels-strategic-cooperation-301790209.html SOURCE HIF Global [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 04, 2023] Agriculture Technology-as-a-Service Global Market Report 2022: Decreasing Agriculture Workforce Drives Adoption DUBLIN, April 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Agriculture Technology-as-a-Service Market - A Global and Regional Analysis: Focus on Product, Application, and Country Analysis - Analysis and Forecast, 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global agriculture technology-as-a-service (ATaaS) market was valued at $1,606.9 million in 2022 and is expected to reach $3,438.6 million in 2027, with a CAGR of 16.43% during 2022-2027. The growth in the global agriculture technology-as-a-service market is expected to be driven by growing demand for precision agriculture solutions from small-scale farmers. Market Lifecycle Stage Agriculture technology-as-a-service (ATaaS) is in its growth stage. Farmers are increasingly looking for more advanced and efficient solutions to manage their operations, resulting in an increase in demand for ATaaS. This has led to growth in the number of companies offering ATaaS solutions, as well as an increase in investment in the industry. ATaaS will continue to grow as the market matures, leading to more innovative solutions and increased adoption by farmers and agribusinesses. As new technologies and customer needs emerge, the ATaaS market is likely to continue growing and developing. Impact Agricultural technology-as-a-service (ATaaS) helps farmers streamline their operations and increase efficiency by automating tasks such as crop monitoring, soil analysis, and resource management. This can result in improved yields and lower costs. ATaaS provides farmers with detailed and real-time information about their crops, enabling them to make informed decisions about planting, fertilizing, and pest control. This results in a more precise and targeted application of resources, leading to higher yields and a reduction in waste. Market Segmentation Segmentation 1: by Application Yield Mapping and Monitoring Soil Management and Testing Crop Health Monitoring Irrigation Others Crop health monitoring is expected to generate the highest revenue in the ATaaS market due to its importance in ensuring the overall health and productivity of crops. With ATaaS, farmers can monitor the health of their crops in real-time and make informed decisions about their management practices. This results in increased crop yield and profitability. Advanced sensors and technologies like remote sensing, drones, and precision agriculture are integrated into ATaaS solutions for accurate crop monitoring. This helps in the early detection of potential problems like disease, pest infestations, and soil degradation, leading to proactive management and timely intervention. The increasing adoption of ATaaS in the agricultural sector will drive the growth of the crop health monitoring segment, thereby generating the highest revenue in the ATaaS market. Segmentation 2: by Service Type/b> Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Equipment-as-a-Service (EaaS) Software-as-a-service (SaaS) is projected to drive the growth of the agriculture technology-as-a-service (ATaaS) market due to its advantages, such as ease of deployment, low cost, and user-friendly interfaces. SaaS platforms allow farmers to access technology-driven agriculture solutions and services remotely, reducing the need for large capital expenditures. It is expected that SaaS-based ATaaS will gain traction as cloud computing and IoT technologies become more popular, thereby driving the market's growth. Segmentation 3: by Pricing Subscription Pay-Per-Use In the ATaaS market, subscription pricing models have become increasingly popular among farmers due to their cost-effectiveness and flexibility. Farmers can subscribe to these services on a monthly or annual basis and receive regular software updates and technical support. This eliminates the need for large upfront investments in equipment and technology, allowing farmers to better manage their costs and stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in the industry. Additionally, subscription models provide the ability to scale up or down based on their needs and production goals, offering greater flexibility and cost savings compared to traditional pay-per-use models. Segmentation 4: by Region North America - U.S., Canada , and Mexico - U.S., , and Europe - Germany , Turkey , Ukraine , France , Greece , The Netherlands , Belgium , Switzerland , and Rest-of- Europe - , , , , , , , , and Rest-of- China U.K. Asia-Pacific - India , Japan , Australia , and Rest-of- Asia-Pacific - , , , and Rest-of- South America - Brazil , Argentina , and Rest-of- South America - , , and Rest-of- Middle East and Africa - Israel , South Africa , and Rest-of- Middle East and Africa North America generated the highest revenue of over $547.0 million in 2021 and is expected to remain the largest region by 2027. A number of factors are expected to contribute to North America's lead in ATaaS, including the presence of major players in the agriculture sector, strong government support, and a high adoption rate of advanced technologies such as VRT, UAVs, and robots. Additionally, the region has a large number of well-established agribusinesses and farmers looking for innovative and cost-effective ways to improve their operations. The region also has a well-developed infrastructure and a high level of awareness about the benefits of ATaaS, which is further driving the market growth. Recent Developments in Global Agriculture Technology-as-a-Service (ATaaS) Market In November 2022 , a new generation of monitoring robots called Tom v4 was launched by Small Robot Company. The commercialization of this product to both farmers and corporations is a major milestone. With a ground sample distance of 0.28mm per pixel, Tom v4 is one of the highest-resolution crop-scanning technologies. As a result, Tom can detect early signs of disease outbreaks and see individual water droplets on leaves. Demand - Drivers and Limitations The following are the demand drivers for the agriculture technology-as-a-service market: Decreasing Agriculture Workforce Increasing Area under Permanent Crops Increased Yield Low Capital Investment for Customers The market is expected to face some limitations, too, due to the following challenges: Cyber and Online Data Security Reluctance to Adopt and Lack of Technical Awareness among Farmers Limited Infrastructure and Workforce to Provide EaaS Solutions Key Companies Profiled AGRIVI IBM Corporation Hexagon Agriculture Microsoft Corporation Topcon 365FarmNet GmbH PrecisionHawk Trimble Inc. Deere & Company DJI KUBOTA Corporation Small Robot Company Naio Technologies SGS SA TeeJet Technologies Key Topics Covered: 1 Markets 2 Application 3 Products 4 Region 5 Markets - Competitive Benchmarking & Company Profiles 6 Research Methodology Companies Mentioned AGRIVI IBM Corporation Hexagon Agriculture Microsoft Corporation Topcon 365FarmNet GmbH PrecisionHawk Trimble Inc. Deere & Company DJI KUBOTA Corporation Small Robot Company Naio Technologies SGS SA TeeJet Technologies For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/528rxn About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/agriculture-technology-as-a-service-global-market-report-2022-decreasing-agriculture-workforce-drives-adoption-301789824.html SOURCE Research and Markets [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] (Bloomberg) -- Billionaire Richard Bransons space empire is getting a bruising reality check. Most Read from Bloomberg Virgin Orbit Holdings Inc., the satellite-launch firm that only a few months ago was poised to play a major role in Britains space program, filed for bankruptcy Tuesday after cash dried up. That dragged down the stock of Bransons other space company, Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc., whose shares hit the lowest level this year. The woes are a black eye for Branson, a pioneer of the private space industry. He has backed ventures in that market since the early 2000s, with the prototype SpaceShipOne flying to the edge of space in 2004. Virgin Orbit began in 2017 as an offshoot of Virgin Galactic and listed in December 2021 at the height of the special-purpose acquisition company boom. Read more: Branson Sits Out Virgin Orbits Costly Flameout This is yet another example of a SPAC gone bad for longer-term investors, said Timothy Galpin, a senior lecturer in strategy and innovation at the University of Oxfords Said Business School. It will likely damage Bransons brand at least a bit, as the private space industry is high profile and any news, good or bad, is widely publicized. Virgin Group, which owns about 75% of the company, said in a statement Tuesday it was proud of Virgin Orbits achievements including the launch of 33 satellites. Virgin Group added that it and Branson had invested more than $1 billion into the Long Beach, California-based firm, including recent funds allowing it to seek a bidder for remaining assets. Whilst Virgin Orbit will not have made this decision lightly, we believe this definitive action puts Virgin Orbit in the best possible place to maximize value and positions the company and technology for future opportunities and missions, it said. Story continues A representative of Virgin Orbit declined to comment. Virgin Galactic didnt immediately respond to requests for comment. Branson has become a face of the industry alongside fellow billionaires Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, particularly after the Biritish moguls 2021 space flight. Enthusiasm around that mission, aboard Virgin Galactics VSS Unity spaceship, sent Virgin Galactics market value above $13 billion. That company has had its struggles since. After Bransons flight, it was revealed that the craft had deviated from its intended flight path during the trip, triggering a federal investigation. While the Federal Aviation Administration ultimately cleared Virgin Galactic to resume spaceflights in 2021, the company then announced it would pause flights to upgrade its vehicles. The company has since repeatedly delayed the start of commercial operations. Hasnt Kept Up Virgin Orbit, meanwhile, burned through cash while pursuing air-based launch technology. The company was set to boost its profile with the first-ever launch from UK soil last January, but the failure of that mission sent it spiraling. Virgin Orbit halted operations in March and subsequently laid off the majority of its staff after failing to secure funding and getting no lifeline from Branson. While Branson has no operational role in Virgin Orbit, his Virgin Group Holdings is the majority owner of its shares. Virgin Investment is the largest shareholder in Virgin Galactic, with an 11% stake. Virgin Galactics shares fell 12% Tuesday to close at $3.43 in regular trading in New York, giving it a market value of $961 million. Virgin Orbit, which was worth more than $3.5 billion following its 2021 trading debut, tumbled 23% and was worth just $50.2 million. Branson obviously hasnt kept up with his fellow space entrepreneurs, Musk and Bezos, and at this point it doesnt look like he will, said Galpin. (Updates from fifth paragraph with Virgin Group comments.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. [April 05, 2023] Skanska builds data center in Atlanta, USA, for USD 171M, about SEK 1.8 billion STOCKHOLM, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Skanska has signed a contract with an existing client to build a data center in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The contract is worth USD 171M, about SEK 1.8 billion, which will be included in the US order bookings for the first quarter of 2023. The project consists of a new single story data center, totaling approximately 23,000 square meters. Work is underway and is scheduled for completion in March 2024. For further information please contact: Ashley Jeffery, Communications Manager, Skanska USA, tel +1 (813) 459 3682 Andreas Joons, Press Officer, Skanska AB, tel +46 (0)10 449 04 94 Direct line for media, tel +46 (0)10 448 88 99 This and previous releases can also be found at www.skanska.com. The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/95/3747284/1969288.pdf 20230405 US data center View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/skanska-builds-data-center-in-atlanta-usa-for-usd-171m-about-sek-1-8-billion-301790489.html SOURCE Skanska [April 05, 2023] Golden Agri-Resources Recognised with Two Awards for Sustainability Reporting Excellence Golden Agri-Resources was recognised at the 8 th Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards (ASRA) Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards (ASRA) The integrated agribusiness won Gold for Asia's Best Supply Chain Reporting and Silver for Asia's Best Environmental Reporting Best Supply Chain Reporting and Silver for Best Environmental Reporting Awards acknowledge the company's continued commitment to upholding and advancing sustainability standards in the palm oil sector SINGAPORE, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Golden Agri-Resources (GAR) has been recognised with a Gold award in the Asia's Best Supply Chain Reporting category at the 8th Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards (ASRA). The award, for the company's Sustainability Report 2021 , is a testament to GAR's sustainability commitment and its efforts to address material sustainability issues. GAR also received the Silver award in the Asia's Best Environmental Reporting category. The company was nominated in two other categories: Asia's Best SDG Reporting and Asia's Best Community Impact Reporting. Anita Neville, Chief Sustainability and Communications Officer at GAR, stated, "Transparency and accountability are the building blocks for upholding sustainability standards across the palm oil supply chain. It's important that we can give our customers, consumers and partners a clear and comprehensive view of what we're doing to tackle risks in core areas such as deforestation, conservation, environmental management and social issues. Golden Agri-Resources is proud of the work we've done to advance this agenda and are honoured that this work has been recognised by the ASRA." Judging for the Asia's Best Supply Chain Reporting category focused on transparent and comprehensive supply chain disclosure, including specific steps taken to engage and measure suppliers' performance against defined standards. To date GAR has achieved 98% Traceability to the Plantation (TTP), enabling the company to provide detailed information on the deforestation-free status of its palm products. GAR has worked extensively across its own operations and with suppliers to ensure compliance with No Deforestation, Peat or Exploitation (NDPE) commitments using the NDPE-IRF framework. In the Asia's Best Environmental Reporting category, priority was placed on demonstrating the strategic importance of environmental initiatives to the business and t stakeholders, backed up by clear targets and performance indicators. Conservation of High Carbon Stock (HCS) and High Conservation Value (HCV) forest is a major initiative for GAR, which has preserved 79,900 ha on its own plantations, in addition to collaborating with communities to conserve 43,000 ha, and supporting suppliers to conserve 117,000 ha. The virtual awards ceremony, which took place on 30 March 2023, began with an opening address by H.E. Ms Kara Owen, the British High Commissioner to Singapore. The awards were presented by Tom Moody, Regional Director, South East Asia for Climate and Energy, Charis Yeap, Regional Lead for Green Finance at the British High Commission in Singapore, and Elaine Cohen, a well-respected sustainability reporting expert and a member of the ASRA judging panel. Rajesh Chhabara, the founder of ASRA and Managing Director of CSRWorks, stated, "Golden Agri-Resources' sustainability report demonstrates its commitment to high-quality disclosure about how it manages material environmental, social and governance issues, risks and opportunities to create sustainable value for its stakeholders." Sustainability reporting enables companies to assess and communicate their ESG performance, manage risks, build trust with stakeholders, and align their strategies with global sustainability goals. Winning at the Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards is a significant achievement for companies committed to growing sustainably. The rigorous multi-tier evaluation process involves three assessment rounds that select the best in each award category, taking into account companies' reputations among their stakeholders. The awards ceremony was attended by senior business leaders and sustainability practitioners from 16 countries. For more information on the Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards, please visit www.csrworks.com/asra . Note to editors: More comprehensive information on the Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards is available at www.csrworks.com/asra About Golden Agri-Resources Ltd (GAR) GAR is a leading fully-integrated agribusiness company. In Indonesia, it manages oil palm plantation area of 537,697 hectares (including plasma smallholders) as of 31 December 2022. It has integrated operations focused on the technology-driven production and distribution of extensive portfolio of palm-based products throughout its established international marketing network. Founded in 1996, GAR was listed on the Singapore Exchange in 1999 and has a market capitalisation of US$2.3 billion as of 31 December 2022. Flambo International Limited, an investment company, is GAR's largest shareholder, with a 50.56 percent stake. In addition, GAR has several subsidiaries, including PT SMART Tbk, which was listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in 1992. As an integrated agribusiness, GAR delivers an efficient end-to-end supply chain, from responsible production to global delivery. In Indonesia, its primary activities include cultivating and harvesting oil palm trees; the processing of fresh fruit bunch into crude palm oil (CPO) and palm kernel; refining CPO into value-added products such as cooking oil, margarine, shortening, biodiesel and oleo-chemicals; as well as merchandising palm products globally. GAR's products are delivered to a diversified customer base in over 100 countries through its global distribution network with shipping and logistics capabilities, destination marketing, on-shore refining and ex-tank operations. GAR also has complementary businesses such as soybean-based products in China, sunflower-based products in India, and sugar businesses. About ASRA The Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards (ASRA) recognise and celebrate the best sustainability reporting practices. The non-profit awards were established in 2015 with the aim of promoting transparency and accountability in business practices in the region. The awards have become a prestigious platform for companies to showcase their sustainability commitment and are highly regarded by the sustainability community in Asia. For the full list of winners, visit www.csrworks.com/asra About CSRWorks CSRWorks International is a Singapore-based sustainability firm that provides advisory, training, and thought leadership services. CSRWorks has created the Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards (ASRA) to identify and honour sustainability reporting leaders. ASRA is organised alongside the Asia Integrated Reporting Awards (AIRA). CSRWorks is a global training partner of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), IFRS Foundation, EcoVadis, and AccountAbility (AA1000). For more information, please visit www.csrworks.com . View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/golden-agri-resources-recognised-with-two-awards-for-sustainability-reporting-excellence-301790580.html SOURCE Golden Agri-Resources [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 05, 2023] Magewell Adds Wireless Screen Sharing Inputs to USB Fusion Video Capture and Mixing Device New expansion lets users easily combine, switch and capture wired, wireless and file-based content sources into engaging live presentations NANJING, China, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Magewell has dramatically expanded the input source possibilities of its exceptionally flexible USB Fusion video capture and mixing hardware with new support for popular wireless content sharing technologies. The award-winning hardware and accompanying app let users easily combine cameras, wired or wireless screenshares, and media file sources into visually compelling live presentations for streaming, live event production, online lectures, webinars, video conferencing and other applications. The new capabilities will be featured in Magewell's USB Fusion demonstrations in booth C5031 at the 2023 NAB Show (April 16 to 19, Las Vgas) and in booth 2855 at InfoComm 2023 (June 14 to 16, Orlando, Florida). USB Fusion enables producers and presenters to switch between multiple live and file-based sources, or to combine inputs in picture-in-picture or side-by-side layouts. The results can be captured into popular Windows, Mac or Linux software via the hardware's USB 3.0 interface or output over HDMI to a projector, display or downstream production equipment. On-device buttons and a browser-based web interface provide easy operation and configuration, while the free USB Fusion companion app for iOS and Android tablets offers expanded layout controls and advanced presentation tools ranging from playlists and recording to annotations and telestration. USB Fusion now supports wireless casting protocols including AirPlay, Google Cast and Miracast, enabling easy sharing of content from Apple, Android, Windows, and Chromebook devices. Up to four simultaneous wireless sources can be combined in a screencast scene layout, which can then be switched with USB Fusion's dual 1080p60 HDMI inputs, USB webcam input, and media file sources. "Input flexibility is one of USB Fusion's key benefits, and the addition of wireless sharing support extends this advantage even further," said Nick Ma, CEO and CTO of Magewell. "The wireless input capabilities are ideal for use cases ranging from incorporating mobile device screens into live event productions, to educational presentations combining an instructor with multiple student contributors." The wireless sharing features will be available in an upcoming free firmware upgrade, planned for release later this month. This update marks the third significant USB Fusion feature expansion in the past few months, joining other recent enhancements including user-defined mapping of scene layouts to on-device buttons; enhanced graphics tools; the ability to control PowerPoint presentations on a connected computer; scheduled recording; ISO recording; Google Drive integration and more. For more information about USB Fusion, please visit https://www.magewell.com/s/usb-fusion. About Magewell Magewell (www.magewell.com) develops innovative, high-performance video I/O and IP workflow solutions that seamlessly bridge signals, software, streams, and screens. The simplicity, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of Magewell's capture, conversion, and streaming products make them the preferred choice of integrators, end-users, and OEM customers for bringing high-quality AV signals into and out of IP networks and popular software. Magewell solutions power applications including live streaming, event production, video conferencing, multi-site video distribution, remote learning, medical imaging, and more. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/magewell-adds-wireless-screen-sharing-inputs-to-usb-fusion-video-capture-and-mixing-device-301790242.html SOURCE Magewell [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 05, 2023] Tokens.com Announces Promotions and Changes to C-Suite Positions Tokens.com Corp. (NEO Exchange Canada: COIN)(Frankfurt Stock Exchange: 76M) (OTCQB US: SMURF) ("Tokens.com" or the "Company"), a publicly-traded company that invests in web3 assets and builds businesses linked to crypto staking, the metaverse and play-to-earn gaming, is pleased to announce the promotion of two executives to its leadership team. Eric Abrahams has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer and Jonathan Okihiro to Chief Investment Officer. The two executives have demonstrated exceptional leadership in their previous roles and are well-equipped to lead the company forward in their new positions. In addition, Josh Doner, has been promoted to Group Lead at Hulk Labs, in addition to his role as Chief NFT Officer. Eric Abrahams joined Tokens.com in 2021 as a Technical Consultant providing research analysis and later became the Lead Developer for the Tokens.com subsidiary, Hulk Labs, where he has played a crucial role in the growth of the company. In his new position, Eric will oversee all aspects of the company's operations. Eric brings years of experience in operations management to the role, and his skills and knowledge have been critical to the company's success. Jonathan Okihiro joined Tokens.com in 2021 as a Crypto Investment Analyst, where he has led The Company's token research efforts, including strategic investments in Play-to-Earn games and the Metaverse. In his new role as CIO, Jonathan will be responsible for overseeing The Company's staking assets and token investment strategy. Joshua Doner joined Tokens.com in 2021 as Chief NFT Officer, providing advisory on client projects across Tokens.com portfolio companies. Josh is a pioneer in the NFT space being among the first crypto wallets to ever purchase an NFT in 2017. He has extensive experience navigating various NFT Communities. Josh will be leading Hulk's business transformation efforts alongside the experienced team at Tokens.com. "We are thrilled to have Eric, Jonathan, and Josh take on these critical roles," said Tokens.com CEO, Andrew Kiguel. "Their exceptional experience, leadership, and dedication to the compan have been invaluable, and I am confident that they will continue to play a key role in driving our growth and innovation." The company would also like to thank Deven Soni, the former COO, for his service to the company. Deven played an integral role in the company's growth during his tenure. Management wishes him well in his new endeavours. About Tokens.com Tokens.com Corp is a publicly traded company that invests in web3 assets and builds web3 businesses. The Company focuses on three operating segments: i) crypto staking, ii) the metaverse and, iii) play-to-earn crypto gaming. Tokens.com owns digital assets and operating businesses within each of these three segments. Staking operations occur within Tokens.com. Metaverse operations occur within a subsidiary called Metaverse Group. Crypto gaming operations occur within a subsidiary called Hulk Labs. All three businesses are tied together by the utilization of blockchain technology and are linked to high-growth macro trends within web3. Through sharing resources and infrastructure across these business segments, Tokens.com is able to efficiently incubate these businesses from inception to revenue generation. Visit Tokens.com to learn more. Keep up-to-date on Tokens.com developments and join our online communities on Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain forward-looking statements as well as management's objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions. Forward looking statements are frequently identified by such words as "may", "will", "plan", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend" and similar words referring to future events and results. Forward-looking statements are based on the current opinions and expectations of management. All forward-looking information is inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including the speculative nature of cryptocurrencies, as described in more detail in our securities filings available at www.sedar.com. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and we caution against placing undue reliance thereon. We assume no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005133/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 05, 2023] Avaya Named to Constellation Research ShortList for Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) Avaya, a global leader in solutions to enhance and simplify communications and collaboration, today announced Avaya Cloud Office by RingCentral (ACO) has been recognized by Constellation Research in their Constellation ShortList for vendors in the cloud-based communication and collaboration solutions market. The Constellation ShortList is compiled through conversations with early adopter clients, independent analysis, and briefings with vendors and partners. The vendors included in the list meet the threshold criteria for the category as determined by Constellation Research. "Avaya is delighted to receive this recognition from Constellation Research," said David Austin, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Alliances, Avaya. "It is a clear reflection of the value our customers, partners and analysts see in ACO as a differentiated UCaaS solution." He added, "Our ability to take ACO and deliver it as part of a hybrid cloud solution, integrated with Avaya contact center capabilities and delivered by our world-class professional services organization and partner community makes us unique in a highly competitive UCaaS market. Avaya Cloud Office truly enables employees with what they need to be able to communicate from anywhere they may be." Avaya Cloud Office is a cloud-based communications system with enterprise-grade voice, video, IM/messaging, meetings, conferencing, and collaboration. The solution enables seamless, secure cloud-based communication and collaboration for organizations worldwide. Avaya Cloud Office is an ideal steppingstone for unified communications customers looking to migrate to the cloud at a rate and pace that fits their needs. Organizations worldwide have been using Avaya Cloud Office for seamless, secure cloud-based communication and collaboration. Dauphin County quickly discovered its disparate on-premises systems from multiple vendors, which was 20+ years old, was unfit for business continuity and offered no remote working capability. County users unanimously selected for Avaya Cloud Office compared to another vendor solution for its ability to seamlessly integrate with the way the county was progressing and needed to work. "Avaya Cloud Office delivers simple but valuable functions we were missing. It's like going from a '90s station wagon to a Tesla," said Elizabeth Parry, CIO at Dauphin County. "It gave me great joy in my role as Director of IT to see our workers excited about the new features and functions that were available to them. We needed something that could very seamlessly integrate with the way the county was progressing and the way our workforce had to work. Avaya Cloud Office spoke for itself. It checked all the boxes our users needed it to check." Avaya customer, YMCA Victoria ('The Y') is a not-for-profit (NFP) organization that has long brought essential services and support to communities in Victoria. As part of its continued growth, the organization expanded its locations and services throughout Australia. This growth resulted in 'The Y' inheriting multiple disparate administration, collaboration and contact center technology systems from previous operators. To help consolidate communications for its five thousand staf and volunteers, 'The Y' introduced the all-in-one communication solution Avaya Cloud Office by RingCentral, with assistance from an Avaya partner. This enabled them to centralize their teams and processes, which has boosted productivity and increased access to its services for the community. "Avaya was a natural fit for us as the outcomes offered by its systems align with our mission," said Shane Riddle, General Manager, Technology and Strategy, YMCA Victoria. "Through better connected teams, we can increase our visibility within local communities and provide more ways for people to connect with the Y at their convenience, bringing us together even when external challenges force us apart." Constellation evaluates around 20 solutions categorized in this market. This Constellation ShortList is determined by client inquiries, partner conversations, customer references, vendor selection projects, market share and internal research. Additional Resources Learn more about What is Avaya Cloud Office? Want innovation without disruption? Contact Avaya Sales today! Watch our demos to see how Avaya can help you align objectives and achieve your business outcomes. Learn how YMCA Victoria Increases Access to Community Services with Move to Avaya Cloud Office. Read the full case study, Dauphin County Digitizes Communications, Pivots to Cloud with Avaya Cloud Office. About Avaya Businesses are built by the experiences they provide, and every day millions of those experiences are delivered by Avaya. Avaya is shaping the future of customer experiences, with innovation and partnerships that deliver game-changing business benefits. Our communications solutions power immersive, personalized, and memorable customer experiences to help organizations achieve their strategic ambitions and desired outcomes. Together, we are committed to helping grow your business by delivering Experiences That Matter. Learn more at http://www.avaya.com. About Constellation Research As an award-winning Silicon Valley-based strategic advisory and futurist analyst firm, Constellation Research serves leaders and organizations navigating the challenges of digital strategy, business-model disruption and digital transformation. Constellation works closely with solution providers, partners, C-suite executives, board of directors, and its Constellation Executive Network of buy-side leaders to lead the way in research coverage and advise clients how to achieve valuable business results. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This document contains certain "forward-looking statements." All statements other than statements of historical fact are "forward-looking" statements for purposes of the U.S. federal and state securities laws. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "might," "our vision," "plan," "potential," "preliminary," "predict," "should," "will," or "would" or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, risks attendant to the bankruptcy process, including the Company's ability to emerge successful from the Company's voluntary cases under chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code, and other factors discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021, subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC and other public statements made from time-to-time. These risks and uncertainties may cause the Company's actual results, performance, liquidity or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance, liquidity or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. The Company cautions you that the list of important factors included in the Company's SEC filings may not contain all of the material factors that are important to you. In addition, in light of these risks and uncertainties, the matters referred to in the forward-looking statements contained in this report may not in fact occur. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law. All trademarks identified by , TM, or SM are registered marks, trademarks, and service marks, respectively, of Avaya Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Source: Avaya Newsroom View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005005/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 05, 2023] Caveonix Expands Leadership Team to Accelerate U.S. Growth FALLS CHURCH, Va., April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Caveonix , the industry's only integrated platform built to keep hybrid multicloud environments secure and compliant from development through runtime, is pleased to announce the appointment of Carey Scott as Vice President of Enterprise Sales, Kevin Lang as Vice President of Federal Sales and Lior Haim-Murray as Vice President of Marketing. The executives join Caveonix at a pivotal time for growth, marked by expansion in the federal and enterprise markets and increasing customer demand for a unified platform that addresses the needs of hybrid cloud security, compliance and governance. Their experience will uniquely position Caveonix to capitalize on market demand and expand their customer base of enterprises in regulated industries. Scott is a proven sales leader with experience leading technology companies from Series B funding to multi-billion dollar portfolio companies across domain areas like data management, cybersecurity and cloud security. With over 24 years of experience in enterprise sales, Scott most recently served as Vice President of Sales for ExtraHops North American Named Accounts team, where he led a team of 40 sales professionals focused on the growth of their commercial to-enterprise customer segment. There are a few key priorities for CIOs and CISOs during an economy like todays: regulatory compliance, expansion into the cloud and opportunities for vendor consolidation, says Scott. Caveonix checks every single one of those boxes for CIOs and CISOs and Im thrilled to be leading our sales team as we continue to evangelize our platform and scale our enterprise and commercial presence. In his role as Vice President of Federal Sales, Lang brings over 25 years of experience in building strong relationships with eaders from federal civilian, Department of Defense (DoD) and Intelligence Community (IC) agencies. Prior to joining Caveonix, Lang was Director of Federal Sales at Aviatrix, a fast-growing startup in the security and cloud markets. Kevin has a proven track record and demonstrated success delivering multimillion-dollar sales growth that exceeded revenue targets and has consistently been recognized as a top performer in federal marketplaces. From federal agencies to state and local governments, the compliance and security process is still very much manual for enterprises in the public sector today, says Lang. Theres tremendous value that can be provided with the Caveonix platform for federal agencies, and Im excited about building a team, working closely with an executive team that has a proven track record of success in this sector and helping federal agencies achieve their mission through our innovative technology. Haim-Murray has over 15+ years of experience in strategic marketing, sales and event management initiatives. She most recently served as Senior Director of Marketing at Akeyless. Prior to this, she held marketing roles at Perimeter 8, Mend (formerly WhiteSource) and Comodo. Lior holds a B.S. in Marketing and an M.B.A. from Rutgers Graduate School. "I believe that Caveonixs unique solution is at the forefront of revolutionizing security, compliance and governance management," says Haim-Murray. "I'm excited to work with the team to further develop Caveonixs marketing initiatives and to establish the company as the go-to solution for businesses looking to solve the critical challenge of maintaining continuous security and compliance in todays digital world. With Caveonixs groundbreaking technology and dedicated team, I am confident that we will be able to drive growth and strengthen our position further as a leading player in the market." Carey, Kevin, and Lior all bring a wealth of knowledge in their respective markets and a strong background in building top performing sales and marketing teams, says Kaus Phaltankar, CEO and Co-founder at Caveonix. We are fortunate to have them join our team as we expand our market reach on the federal and enterprise level and support our rapidly growing customer base across these sectors. ??About Caveonix Caveonix is the industrys leading platform for unified security, compliance, and governance across hybrid multicloud environments. The platforms interconnected modules enable enterprises to adopt a holistic approach to risk management across the full stack of applications, platforms, and infrastructure. The platform also employs AI and Robotic Process Automation to continuously assess and automatically remediate security and compliance issues at the scale and speed required to outpace todays threats. Headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, Caveonixs customers range from SMB to Fortune 500s across a wide range of industries, and our partners are among the worlds leading integrators, managed service providers, and channel resellers. Media Contact Lior Murray, Vice President of Marketing [email protected] Karbo Communications on behalf of Caveonix [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 05, 2023] Sophos Named the Only Leader Across MDR, XDR, EDR, Endpoint Protection, and Firewall by G2 OXFORD, United Kingdom, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sophos, a global leader in innovating and delivering cybersecurity as a service, today announced it is named the only Leader across the G2 Grid Reports for Managed Detection and Response (MDR), Extended Detection and Response (XDR) Platforms, Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), Endpoint Protection Suites, and Firewall Software in the G2 Spring 2023 Reports. These categories include the enterprise, mid-market and small business segments, and rankings are based on validated customer reviews. As adversaries become more sophisticated and elusive, defenders at organizations of all sizes should implement a defense-in-depth strategy that includes protection, detection and response at every point along the attack chain and covers their entire environment. This layered approach should be inclusive of endpoint security, network security, email security, and cloud security, and augmented by threat hunting and remediation services by subject matter security experts. Attackers have refined their methods so much that this range is necessary to stay secure, said Raja Patel, senior vice president of products at Sophos. The fact that IT and security professionals recognize Sophos as the Leader across these key categories is validation that Sophos delivers the best and most comprehensive set of products and services required for modern day cybersecurity. Select Customer Reviews Sophos MDR takes threat hunting to the next level. A combination of automated, lead-driven and lead-less threat hunting ensures no threat passes below the radar, and all threats are neutralized before they pose a problem said an IT manager at an enterprise company Without their (Sophos MDRs 24/7 rapid response team), we would not have been able to deal with all the problems that crashed onto us ll at the same time. They showed us which priorities we had, which the greatest risks were and which deficits we still had. The monitoring team guarded our infrastructure around the clock and helped to make sure that our IT team got the necessary breaks, said an EDI administrator at a mid-market company (Sophos MDR delivers) peace of mind knowing that your environment is being watched 24/7/365 by a dedicated security team. Very helpful to enhance the capabilities of your in-house IT department said an enterprise customer (Sophos Intercept X) is an extremely user friendly yet potent endpoint solution (it) has improved our security posture and given us the flexibility to modify things as we see fit... Its ease of use and access has been a game-changer especially in remote setups and supporting clients in different locations, said an IT operations manager at a mid-market company Sophos Firewall is a robust security solution that offers advanced threat protection, easy management, and granular control over your network traffic. Its features help you secure your network, improve network performance, and prevent cyberattacks, making it an ideal choice for businesses of all sizes, said a network administrator at an enterprise company Sophos offers us a central management console for all of its products. This makes day to day management and reporting significantly easier than many of its competitors as it covers both hardware stack and software, said an IT systems administrator at a mid-market company Solutions are easily managed in the cloud-native Sophos Central platform, where users can oversee installations, respond to alerts and track licenses and upcoming renewal dates via a single, intuitive interface. Organizations can also leverage Sophos MDR as a comprehensive threat hunting and remediation service. About Sophos Sophos is a worldwide leader and innovator of advanced cybersecurity solutions, including Managed Detection and Response (MDR) and incident response services and a broad portfolio of endpoint, network, email, and cloud security technologies that help organizations defeat cyberattacks. As one of the largest pure-play cybersecurity providers, Sophos defends more than 500,000 organizations and more than 100 million users globally from active adversaries, ransomware, phishing, malware, and more. Sophos services and products connect through its cloud-based Sophos Central management console and are powered by Sophos X-Ops, the companys cross-domain threat intelligence unit. Sophos X-Ops intelligence optimizes the entire Sophos Adaptive Cybersecurity Ecosystem, which includes a centralized data lake that leverages a rich set of open APIs available to customers, partners, developers, and other cybersecurity and information technology vendors. Sophos provides cybersecurity-as-a-service to organizations needing fully-managed, turnkey security solutions. Customers can also manage their cybersecurity directly with Sophos security operations platform or use a hybrid approach by supplementing their in-house teams with Sophos services, including threat hunting and remediation. Sophos sells through reseller partners and managed service providers (MSPs) worldwide. Sophos is headquartered in Oxford, U.K. More information is available at www.sophos.com. [April 05, 2023] South Carolina's Columbia College Deploys YuJa Video Platform and Panorama Digital Accessibility Platform to Enhance Teaching and Learning Columbia, South Carolina-based Columbia College is enhancing teaching and learning and boosting digital accessibility campuswide with its adoption of the YuJa Enterprise Video and YuJa Panorama Digital Accessibility platforms. Both of the ed-tech platforms integrate with Canvas, the institution's learning management system, using LTI 1.3. The institution was seeking a video platform that provided recording and editing capabilities, along with video quizzes, detailed analytics, and media usage and management tools. The Video Platform will increase accessibility with high-quality, AI-based automated speech recognition (ASR) and auto-captioning and transcription services, as well as provide administrators and instructors with workflows that support screen readers and Audio Description, comprehensive video recording, capture and storage capabilities. To help make learning more inclusive, Columbia College also opted to deploy YuJa Panorama Digital Accessibility Platform, which prvides auto-generation of a number of Accessible Alternatives of course material, scans and checks files for accessibility, and provides a website accessibility tool that gives users control over the UI, design, and readability of websites both inside and outside of the LMS. "YuJa's products were designed to give institutions of higher education the tools they need to create enriching content that enables all learners to be successful," said Nathan Arora, Chief Business Officer at YuJa, Inc. "Each product works as a standalone offering or combines to help deliver engaging video and media content. We're excited for the Columbia College community to leverage the capabilities to create an even more powerful teaching and learning experience." ABOUT COLUMBIA COLLEGE South-Carolina-based Columbia College is a private liberal arts institution located in the capital city with undergraduate, evening, online and graduate programs. The College offers a unique emphasis on leadership, a nationally renowned honors program, a focus on service, community and career. ABOUT YUJA, INC. YuJa is a leader in ed-tech solutions. Our platforms provide organizations of all sizes with the tools to educate, engage, inspire and collaborate. We serve learning enterprises within all sectors, including higher-ed, K-12, government, healthcare, non-profit and corporate. We have legal headquarters in Delaware with primary U.S. offices in Silicon Valley, California, and Canadian offices in Toronto. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005232/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 05, 2023] Intermountain Health Expands Relationship with Kyruus to Create Foundation for Rebranded Digital Experience Kyruus, the leader in provider data management, price transparency, and patient access and engagement solutions for healthcare organizations and health plans, today announced that Intermountain Health, a not-for-profit system of 33 hospitals and more than 3,900 employed physicians and advanced practice clinicians, is expanding its use of the Kyruus ProviderMatch platform to power its new, rebranded digital patient experience. This engagement builds on Kyruus' existing relationship with legacy SCL Health, a customer since 2020. Through its merger with SCL Health, Intermountain Health's leadership saw firsthand the impact of the Kyruus ProviderMatch platform on both operational efficiencies and digital patient experience. Driven by a desire to significantly improve the online journey to care, legacy SCL Health tapped Kyruus to overhaul their provider directory and replace their existing online scheduling solution with impressive results. In less than a year, SCL Health saw a 21% increase in appointments scheduled online with the ProviderMatch platform in place, a majority of which were from new patients. With its rebrand, Intermountain will leverage the ProviderMatch platform as a key element of its unified digital patient access experience, with plans to rebuild the health system's 15,000-provider directory on Kyruus' award-winning provider data management solution, KyruusOne, and expand online scheduling capabilities on its consumer-facing website through ProviderMatch DirectBook. With centralized access to accurate, up-to-date provider, location, service, and appointment information, Intermountain will have the ability to consolidate and streamline the digital patient access experience, offering consumers the most convenient and flexible path to care online. "At its core, our strategy is built on making it easy for people to get the care they need, and that begins with serving them accurate data and an easy, transactable way to schedule care online," said Craig Richardville, Chief Digital and Information Officer at Intermountain Health. "Our expanded partnership with Kyruus also represents the impact that a centralized data foundation has across our organization, enabling us to reduce the amount of time spent on manual provider data management. This offers our staff and providers access to a single source of truth, saving them time and making it easier for them to deliver a quality experience to our patients." "Organizations like Intermountain Health, that are continually innovating and offering new ways for patients to find and select care, are the reason we exist," said Brandon Spring, Chief Revenue Officer at Kyruus. "It's an honor to partner with a health system that is truly dedicated to making the healthcare experience better. By investing in the right data infrastructure and tools, they will realize operational efficiencies that positively impact everyone involved in the care journey-patients, staff, and providers alike." On Tuesday, April 18 at the HIMSS Global Health Conference and Exhibition, Intermountain Health's Mona Baset, Vice President of Digital Services, will share more insights on the system's comprehensive strategy in a session titled, "Powering a Data-Driven Transformation in Digital Patient Access." If you are a member of the media and are interested in meeting with Mona Baset or a Kyruus senior leader at HIMSS in Chicago, please contact Jessica Cohen. About Kyruus: Kyruus is on a mission to connect people to the right care. Serving more than 500 healthcare organizations and 100 health plan brands, our platform includes solutions for provider data management, price transparency, provider search and scheduling, and digital patient intake-all to help people navigate and access the care they need. We've reimagined a better healthcare journey, resulting in more satisfied members and patients, more aligned and engaged clinicians, and improved financial performance for the organizations we are proud to call our partners. Learn more about our suite of healthcare solutions by visiting: kyruus.com for health systems and hospitals epionhealth.com for medical groups and practices healthsparq.com for health plans About Intermountain Health: Headquartered in Utah with locations in eight states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Health is a nonprofit system of 33 hospitals, 385 clinics, medical groups with some 3,900 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a health plans division called SelectHealth with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005220/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 05, 2023] VirnetX Partners with WeSecure Canadian Security Company will Sell VirnetX Products in the Middle East ZEPHYR COVE, Nev. , April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- VirnetX Holding Corporation (NYSE: VHC) ("VirnetX"), a leading Internet security software and technology company, and WeSecure Inc., a Canadian Security Solutions Integrator, are proud to announce a non-exclusive commercial agreement for WeSecure to sell VirnetX cybersecurity products in the U.S., Canada and the Middle East. The partnership aims to implement VirnetX's advanced security technologies into WeSecure's Physical and CyberSecure products and services. "WeSecure has successfully integrated the VirnetX One family of products, War Room and VirnetX Matrix into our existing cybersecurity infrastructure," said Darren Olson, WeSecure CTO. 'These products significantly boost the level of security and are unrivaled in the industry. Testing and implementing VirnetX's patented technologies allows WeSecure to implement a Zero Trust Security Model for 18 open-source software and applications on our Secure Gateway appliance, offering another layer of unparalleled protection and security. "As cyber threats continue to grow in complexity and frequency, the need for advanced security solutions has never been more crucial," said Kendall Larsen, VirnetX CEO and President. "The partnership between VirnetX and WeSecure marks a significant step forward in providing organizations with the WeSecure Gateway, locally within the company, or in the cloud to defend against the ever-present risk of cyberattacks." "The unique features of VirnetX's Secure Domains, Secure DNS, Dynamic VPN, and Military grade encryption create a robust and impenetrable security framework," said Mac Mokatren, WeSecure CEO. "We're extremely thrilled to join forces with VirnetX and their team to help organizations worldwide enhance their cybersecurity posture. WeSecure operates in Canada, the US and is opening a branch in the Middle East." About WeSecure WeSecure unifies Cyber and Physical Security technologies, including Zero Trust, Secure Domains, Dynamic VPN, Secure IP Video, and Access Control systems to create WeSecure Security as a Service (SECaaS). Our Security Applications and Secure Appliances provide another layer of Advanced Security unrivaled in the industry. About VirnetX VirnetX Holding Corporation is an Internet security software and technology company wih patented technology for Zero Trust Network Access ("ZTNA") based secure network communications. VirnetX's software and technology solutions, including its Secure Domain Name Registry and Technology, VirnetX One, War Room, VirnetX Matrix, and Gabriel Connection Technology, are designed to be device- and location-independent, and enable a secure real-time communication environment for all types of enterprise applications, services, and critical infrastructures. The Company's patent portfolio includes over 200 U.S. and foreign granted patents, validations and pending applications. For more information, please visit www.virnetx.com . VirnetX One is a security-as-a-service platform that protects enterprise applications, services, and infrastructure from cyber-attacks using ZTNA. VirnetX One products address a significant need across enterprises of all sizes, as hackers have become more sophisticated, ransomware and malware more costly and disruptive, and the use of corporate and other applications by contemporary remote workforces has continued to rise. VirnetX MatrixTM provides superior security for internet-enabled enterprise applications and their connected devices, and for control systems currently deployed by those enterprises (e.g., file servers, data back-up systems, VPN/firewalls). VirnetX MatrixTM provides ZTNA protection, "single-click" ease of use, and is designed to be a highly effective "security umbrella": its added layer of protection is deployed simply, without the need for changes to an enterprise's existing, in-place infrastructure. War Room provides an industry leading, safe, and secure video conferencing meeting environment where sensitive communications and data is invisible to those unauthorized to view it. SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS Statements herein may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").These forward-looking statements are based upon our current expectations, estimates, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events and conditions, and may discuss, among other things, expectations about products and product performance, effectiveness of the partnership with WeSecure and the ability to implement VirnetX's technology into WeSecure's products and services and to help organizations worldwide enhance their cybersecurity posture. Any statement that is not historical in nature is a forward-looking statement and may be identified by the use of words and phrases such as "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "projects," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result in" and similar expressions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are outside our control, and could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements and from our historical results and experience. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to risks detailed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, and other filings and reports that we may file from time to time with the SEC. Readers are cautioned that it is not possible to predict or identify all the risks, uncertainties and other factors that may affect future results and that the risks described herein should not be considered a complete list. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contact: VirnetX Holding Corporation 415.505.0456 [email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/virnetx-partners-with-wesecure-301790491.html SOURCE VirnetX Holding Corporation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] ReportLinker The bio-process technology market studied was projected to grow with a CAGR of nearly 9.3% over the forecast period. The COVID-19 pandemic has substantially impacted various markets, so the bioprocess technology market faced tremendous disruptions in the initial phase. New York, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Bio-process Technology Market - Growth, Trends and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06445284/?utm_source=GNW The bio-process technology market studied was projected to grow with a CAGR of nearly 9.3% over the forecast period. The COVID-19 pandemic has substantially impacted various markets, so the bioprocess technology market faced tremendous disruptions in the initial phase. The COVID-19 outbreak affected the bioprocess technology markets growth. However, this market is expected to gain traction due to the powerful urge to develop vaccines and other biological products. For instance, in 2021, Poznan University of Economics and Business published an article that biopharma companies undertook new partnerships to discover and deliver a new vaccine for COVID-19. The pandemic has also enabled the development of several innovative projects related to the COVID-19 vaccine and drug development. Bioprocess technology is highly adopted for vaccine and other biopharmaceutical production. Thus, the pandemic significantly impacted the bioprocess technology market. The factors driving the growth of the studied market are expansion in the biopharmaceutical industry and increasing investments in research and development by biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. The addition of biopharmaceutical companies is leading to the developing of new drugs and biologics products to address the unmet medical needs of patients suffering from various chronic and rare diseases. This has led to a rise in the usage of bioprocessing systems with better process efficiency and throughput, thereby contributing to the growth of the studied market. In October 2022, Oculis SA and European Biotech Acquisition Corp reported they had entered into a definitive business combination agreement. This agreement is to accelerate the development of Oculis differentiated ophthalmology pipeline. This product addresses areas of significant medical need, including diabetic macular edema (DME), dry eye disease (DED), and neuro-retina indications, such as glaucoma, affecting growing patient populations. Thus, such agreements and partnerships between different biopharmaceutical companies for developing innovative products propel the studied markets growth. Furthermore, the increasing research and development are also contributing to the growth of the studied market. For instance, Thermo Fisher Scientifics 2021 annual report reported that the company registered a research and development cost of USD 1,406.00 million in 2021, compared to USD 1,181.00 million in 2020. The R&D expenses grew by 19.05% in 2021. Similarly, in 2021, Becton Dickson and Company, in its 2021 annual report, reported that the companys research and development expenses increased by 22.1% in the year 2021. Thus growing research and development expenses of biopharmaceutical companies are contributing to the development of innovative biopharma products, thereby driving the growth of this market. Thus, the market is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period due to the expansion in the biopharmaceutical industry and increasing investments in research and development by biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. However, the high cost of instruments and strict regulations may slow down the growth over the studied period. Bio-process Technology Market Trends Recombinant Protein Segment is Expected to Witness a Significant Growth Over the Forecast Period. The recombinant protein segment is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period owing to the growing demand for recombinant proteins for therapeutic applications. Moreover, the recombinant therapeutic proteins provide essential therapies for various diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, infectious diseases, hemophilia, and anemia. Furthermore, recombinant proteins are valuable tools in understanding protein-protein interactions, and the increasing research and development and technological advancements are also expected to drive the growth of this segment. For instance, in October 2022, Larimar Therapeutics, Inc. reported issuing a United States patent for the protection of CTI-1601. CTI-1601 is a recombinant fusion protein intended to deliver human frataxin to the mitochondria of patients with Friedreichs ataxia who cannot produce enough of this essential protein. Thus, such recombinant protein development is significantly driving this segments growth. Similarly, in February 2021, Sanofi and GSK promulgated the initiation of a new randomized, double-blind, multi-center dose-finding Phase 2 study of their adjuvanted recombinant protein-based COVID-19 vaccine with 720 volunteers. Thus, innovation in healthcare solutions and developing of a new recombinant protein-based drug drive the segments growth. Moreover, recombinant protein therapeutics offer highly effective treatments for illnesses like diabetes, cancer, infectious disorders, hemophilia, and anemia. The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases like diabetes also boosts the demand for recombinant proteins. For instance, in 2021, IDF reported that 537 million persons (20-79 years old) are estimated to have diabetes in the year 2021. This number is expected to increase by 643 million diabetics worldwide by 2030 and 783 million diabetes cases by 2045. Thus, with the increase in the diabetic population, the demand for recombinant proteins in the therapeutics segment is likely to show lucrative growth in the coming years, thereby contributing to the development of this segment. Thus, due to the growing demand for recombinant proteins for therapeutic applications and new product launches, the segment is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period. North America is Expected to Witness a Significant Growth Over the Forecast Period. North America is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period owing to government support for promoting bioprocess technologies, rising medical expenditure, and developing healthcare infrastructure. In addition, the region has witnessed major collaborative activities with healthcare giants that are extensively investing in R&D in bioprocess technology development. For instance, in March 2022, Stam Biotech raised USD 17 million for its next-generation 3-D printer bioreactor. Similarly, in May 2022, GOOD Meat, signed an exclusive multi-year agreement with ABEC, Inc. to design, manufacture, install and commission the largest known bioreactors for avian and mammalian cell culture. Technologies are focused on helping customers in the biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical industry to improve the human condition and to provide life-changing drugs to market faster and more efficiently. The collaboration between the companies has leveraged their complementary strengths to develop specific workflows, which bridge the gap between analytical and process solutions. Apart from that, major biopharmaceutical industry such as Thermo Fischer Scientific, Agilent Technologies, etc. is also driving the growth of the studied market in the region. These major biopharmaceutical companies are expanding and growing the biopharmaceutical segment in North America. For instance, in October 2021, 3M Health Care and Thermo Fisher Scientific collaborated to meet the growing demand for protein-based therapeutics, manufacturers need advanced technologies and solutions that support reliable and consistent manufacturing processes. The collaboration between 3M and Thermo Fisher has also enabled the manufacturers to capture high titer, high cell-density cultures to improve harvesting and clarification and optimize manufacturing capacity, quality, and efficiency. Thus, the technologies, expansions, and investments by these global biopharmaceutical companies are driving the bioprocess technology market in North America. Bio-process Technology Industry Overview The bio-process technology market is fragmented and competitive due to many companies operating globally and regionally. The competitive landscape includes an analysis of a few international as well as local companies which hold the market shares and are well known as F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Sartorius Group, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Agilent Technologies, Inc., Elitechgroup Spa (Gonotec Gmbh), Advanced Instruments, LLC, Danaher Corporation, Merck KGaA, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Lonza Group AG and General Electric Co., Ltd (GE Healthcare Company). Additional Benefits: The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format 3 months of analyst support Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06445284/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Story continues CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 [April 05, 2023] AIF Global Launches New AIF APAC Division with Asia Pacific Regional Focus at Inaugural Annual Investors' Meeting in Seoul Yonsei University Professor of Finance Sam Y. Chung to lead the new division, as AIF expands its global institutional asset owner community NEW YORK, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The independent economic think tank AIF Global ( www.aifglobal.org ) is pleased to announce the launch of a new division called AIF APAC. AIF APAC will serve as an ongoing resource that will educate and inform the global institutional asset owner community, particularly those based in the Asia Pacific regions of South Korea, Australia, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong, about the best use of alternative investments in their portfolios. Yonsei University Professor of Finance Sam Y. Chung will serve as the first Head of AIF APAC. Professor Chung is based in Seoul, South Korea. AIF APAC's Head, Professor Chung stated: "It is my great honor to lead AIF APAC and, as one team with AIF Global, we will put forth our best effort to educate and inform the Asia Pacific community of asset owners about their best use of alternative investments to enhance and diversify their portfolios. I am confident that the insights and knowledge that will be shared through AIF APAC will be invaluable to them as they navigate the complex and dynamic landscape facing asset owners in the APAC region." AIF's Founder and CEO Brant Maller stated: "We could not have been more pleased with the success of AIF APAC's inaugural event under Professor Chung's leadership. The APAC region is as dynamic and growing as any in the world, so adding this regional presence is the natural next step in AIF's goal of expanding to all of the world's major institutional money centers. Professor Chung's years of experience on investment advisory boards for NPS and Korea Post, his status as a respected finance academic and his physical presence in the APAC region make him an ideal coice to lead AIF's efforts there." AIF APAC held its inaugural Annual Investors' Meeting in Seoul on March 2829, 2023. Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), Chief Investment Officers (CIOs) and Senior Investment Officers from many of the world's largest institutional asset owners, including CEOs and CIOs of National Pension Service of Korea (NPS), Korea Investment Corporation and New York State Teachers' Retirement System (NYSTRS), as well as many of the APAC region's top government officials and preeminent finance academics, participated in the Annual Investors' Meeting. The meeting was anchored by AIF's signature portfolio construction, alternative asset class and Center of Excellence deep dive sessions. It also featured several memorable, cross-border, best practice policy discussions, including one among Oregon State Treasurer Tobias Read, NYSTRS Executive Director-CIO Tom Lee and South Korean National Assembly Member and University of Seoul Finance Professor Chang Hyun Yun. That discussion examined two very different, but highly successful, governance models utilized by two nearly fully funded pension plans (for the States of Oregon and New York). Those models were contrasted against NPS, which is the world's second largest pension plan, but faces demographic and structural challenges that may cause its funding to be fully depleted prior to 2055. The keynote dinner speakers each night were Mr. Sung Joo Kim, a Congressman of the South Korean National Assembly and the former CEO of NPS, and Dr. Sung Hwan Shin, a Member of Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of Korea. They discussed some of the current fiscal and geopolitical issues facing NPS and the South Korean economy. AIF APAC's forums and other investment activities will be integrated with those of AIF Global across the four continents that AIF Global visits: North America, Australia, Europe, and Asia. They will also showcase the content generated by the AIF Institute's four Centers of Excellence in Private Capital Investing, Insurance Investing, Financial Innovation, and ESG and Sustainable Investing. The initial Founding Faculty Members of AIF APAC are 400 Capital Management, which specializes in investing in Alternative Credit, CBRE, which specializes in investing in Real Assets (Real Estate and Infrastructure), and GrowthCurve Capital, which specializes in investing in Private Equity. AIF APAC plans to add other Faculty Members with specialized expertise in the main alternative asset classes that AIF Global studies: Private Equity, Private Credit, Real Estate, Infrastructure, and Diversifying and Opportunistic Strategies. AIF will conduct its Australian Investors' Forum on May 1718 in Melbourne. About AIF Global and the AIF Institute AIF Global is an independent economic think tank with the mission of fostering the exchange of best ideas, practices, and information among institutional investors globally to help them achieve their investment objectives. Since its inception, the AIF Institute has been a leader in providing customized education to institutional investors globally. https://aifglobal.org Media Contacts ASC Advisors Mary Beth Grover / Eli Kapsack [email protected] / [email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aif-global-launches-new-aif-apac-division-with-asia-pacific-regional-focus-at-inaugural-annual-investors-meeting-in-seoul-301790853.html SOURCE AIF Global [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 05, 2023] RCMP's National Cybercrime Coordination Centre announces Canada's participation in global day of action against Genesis Market OTTAWA, ON, April 5, 2023 /CNW/ - On April 4, 2023, 28 Canadian police services participated in a sequenced global day of action against Genesis Market. International partners from 17 countries participated in the targeted operation resulting in domain seizures and enforcement actions against users identified across the world. Genesis was an online criminal marketplace that traded in advanced stolen credentials that provided access to online accounts and other services. Cybercriminals purchased what the market owners referred to as 'bots' that infected victims' devices through malware or account takeover attacks to gain access, defeat two-factor authentication and other security features as the first steps to commit fraud, hack into corporations, drop ransomware and steal intellectual property. Genesis Market had over 1.5 million bots and over 2 million identities listed when it was shut down, making it one of the largest online criminal facilitators. Combatting Genesis Market was a priority for law enforcement and partners due to its size. By leveraging domestic and international partnerships, law enforcement demonstrated that its reach can be just as borderless and effective as that of cybercriminals. The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) led this international operation and worked with the RCMP's National Cybercrime Coordination Centre (NC3) and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to identify a significant number of Genesis Market users in Canada. Together, they worked with 28 Canadian police services to enable participation in the sequenced global day of action. Europol's European Cybercrime Centre and Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce (J-CAT) provided the essential mechanism for sharing this information and target enrichment. Using the information provided by the FBI and NC3, Canadian police services began leading search warrants, device seizures and cease and desist communications on April 4. With the majority of Canadian Genesis users residing in Quebec, the CRTC and Surete du Quebec (SQ) played a significant role in investigating high-level users and executing warrants. The SQ also helped in coordinating with additional Quebec-based authorities. With over 2 million identities listed on Genesis, the FBI has added stolen victim credentials to HaveIBeenPwned and encourage everyone to visit the site to check if their identities were stolen. The Netherlands Police have also developed a portal for people to check their credentials. If you suspect your credentials have been stolen, run an anti-virus check on your device, remove viruses, then change all of your passwords and notify relevant organizations where you would use those credentials to access your online accounts. Canadian victims are encouraged to refer to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre for more guidance on what to do if they have been a victim of a cybercrime or fraud. The RCMP is also asking anyone who has been active on Genesis Market or in contact with Genesis Market administrators to please contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. This large-scale operational success can be attributed to strategic partnerships and a willingness of domestic and international partnerships to come together to fight cybercrime. We would like to thank the following partners for their assistance with enabling Canadian participation and for their contributions to the operation: US FBI EUROPOL's European Cybercrime Centre EUROJUST J-CAT Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) Germany Netherlands Romania United Kingdom Switzerland Australia Sweden Denmark Italy Spain Poland France Finland New Zealand Estonia The NC3 would also like to thank the following Canadian law enforcement for their invaluable cooperation as part of the operation and global action day: Surete du Quebec Toronto Police Service Police Service Victoria Police Department Police Department Medicine Hat Police Service Police Service Service de police de Mascouche Service de police L'Assomption/St-Sulpice Ontario Provincial Police H Division / Port Hawkesbury RCMP RCMP E Division / Coquitlam RCMP RCMP York Regional Police Calgary Police Service Police Service Woodstock Police Service Police Service Service de police de l'agglomeration de Longueuil C Division RCMP Quick facts Genesis Market had over 1.5 million bots and over 2 million identities listed when it was shut down. In 2022, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) received fraud and cybercrime reports totalling $530 million in victim losses - nearly a 40 per cent increase from the unprecedented $380 million reported in 2021. in victim losses - nearly a 40 per cent increase from the unprecedented reported in 2021. In 2022, reports to the CAFC showed that cyber-enabled fraud stole $371,147,332 , which accounted for 70 per cent of overall reported losses. , which accounted for 70 per cent of overall reported losses. The NC3 reached initial operating capability in April 2020 . Since then, it has assisted in a number of operations with both domestic and international police and will continue to ramp up activities towards full operational capability in 2024. . Since then, it has assisted in a number of operations with both domestic and international police and will continue to ramp up activities towards full operational capability in 2024. The CRTC promotes and enforces compliance with sections of Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL). This includes allowing the CRTC to obtain warrants to seize physical devices, online accounts and cryptocurrency wallets for examination by their forensic teams. Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL). This includes allowing the CRTC to obtain warrants to seize physical devices, online accounts and wallets for examination by their forensic teams. Since CASL came into force, the CRTC's enforcement efforts have resulted in penalties of more than $1.9 million . Quotes "Cybercriminals often operate with the confidence that they're anonymous online and won't be held accountable for crimes committed in other countries. As this operation demonstrates, these assumptions are not true. The Genesis Market takedown proves the impact that law enforcement and partners can have when working together. The work doesn't stop here; we look forward to continued collaboration and future successes." - Bryan Larkin, Deputy Commissioner, Specialized Policing Services, RCMP "While the NC3 is still in its early days, we are pleased to add this milestone operation on Genesis to the growing catalogue of successful operations, but no successes can be accomplished alone in the cybercrime environment. We are hugely appreciative of not only the excellent work amongst international partners but also the invaluable cooperation by our Canadian police services. Together, we have dealt a blow to perpetrators of cybercrime, as well as cyber-enabled fraud, at the local, national and international levels." - Chris Lynam, Director General, National Cybercrime Coordination Centre and Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, RCMP "The CRTC works closely with national and international partners to protect Canadians from online threats. The actions taken by the CRTC's enforcement partners to disrupt this illicit online activity will have a significant impact in preventing Canadians' stolen information from falling into the wrong hands. I applaud all our partners for their collaboration in this operation." - Steven Harroun, Chief Compliance and Enforcement Officer, CRTC "The Surete du Quebec attaches great importance to collaboration between police organizations, in Quebec, in Canada, but also around the world, especially knowing that cybercrime is not limited by borders. Thanks to this collaboration, the investigations into these crimes will not be either, and this is what yesterday's operations prove." - Lt. Jean Le Bel, Head of Service, Cybercrime investigations Service Related links Takedown of notorious hacker marketplace selling your identity to criminals National Cybercrime Coordination Centre Enforcing Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) | CRTC Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) | CRTC How to spot an online scam | CRTC RCMP's National Cybercrime Coordination Centre announces Canada's participation in global day of action against Genesis Market SOURCE Royal Canadian Mounted Police [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 05, 2023] REVA Leads the New Path of NFT Industry San Francisco, CA, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- REVA, based in Silicon Valley, is dedicated to providing world-class digital art collection services for NFT digital artworks. REVA is a multi-ecosystem compatible, low-platform cost, low-service, low-threshold NFT trading platform that continues to provide liquidity to the market. In 2019, REVA was established in Silicon Valley, San Francisco, and was at the forefront of NFT technology. In 2020, Viking Capital invested $5 million in REVA, making it a focus of various internet companies in the NFT industry. In the NFT trading market, REVA provides a low-threshold and convenient entry for platform users. Anyone can operate a simple operation platform, a diverse and fast-flowing capital mode, authoritative professional evaluation, and a reliable and secure trading platform. NFT is an emerging technology that meets the current financial market. In the world of the internet, there is copying and pasting, and all works, whether they are text, video, or images, can be copied and pasted. Therefore, the biggest problem on the internet is copyright. Hoever, after the advent of NFT, all works on the internet will be labeled with their own names and can be openly sold on the internet. From the overall market perspective, the development speed of the NFT industry is increasing year by year, which directly reflects the huge potential of the NFT industry in the future. REVA also seizes the opportunity to continuously explore the application of NFT in the WEB3.0 industry and contribute to the construction and development of the WEB3.0 era. Under the market of NFT's impending rise, Andreessen Horowitz financed REVA with $20 million on November 6, 2022. REVA has the support of a large international resource, and A16z attaches great importance to and is optimistic about REVA's NFT pledge custody auction business. A16z invested in several well-known internet companies such as Skype, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram during WEB2.0. A16z's external investment decisions have always been stable and accurate. The main reasons why A16z invested in REVA are twofold: First, the market of WEB3.0 is generally good, so the investment in REVA will be more active in this environment. Second, REVA has its unique business, and its main core business is NFT pledge auctions and custody auctions, aiming to help major investment users transform the market pain points of idle NFTs and integrate all existing resources in the NFT market. Most of the technical R&D personnel of REVA's comprehensive NFT trading platform are well-known universities in China, and there are also some well-known internet companies. It gathers top talents in the fields of computer, communication, finance, and web development. Since 2022, the investment in WEB3.0 will be fully launched. Large companies such as Google and Microsoft have already prepared, and venture capital companies from all over the world have also joined in. Undoubtedly, this will become the next new market. The original intention of WEB3.0 is to establish an open, public network that everyone can participate in, without authorization or centralization. The scarcity, uniqueness, and certification of NFTs are key to driving the value of individual data in the WEB3.0 landing. NFT will become an explosive top-level concept in 2022. It can be seen that digital collectibles can not only be realized in the metaverse but also promote the transformation of digital culture and bring new value to the real economy. Smith Jackson Reva Meta admin-at-revameta.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 05, 2023] Nixa named as the best in Canada by the Technology Innovator Awards MONTREAL, April 5, 2023 /CNW/ - In their 7th annual edition, the Technology Innovator Awards hosted by Innovation in Business, has rewarded Nixa as the Best Specialist Complex & Custom Web Development Firm in Canada for 2022. This is an important addition to previous awards that the company has won in previous years such as: the Best Web Development Firm in Quebec in 2020 and the Best Web Development Firm in Canada in 2021, making this the fourth year in a row in which Nixa receives a Technology Innovator Award. Nixa named as the best in Canada by the Technology Innovator Awards In 2022, the Awards have placed a focus on applauding innovation and seek to reward those who have proven themselves to be tech pioneers, capable of providing solutions to meet a vast array of demands. The professional evaluation consists of varied criteria which include business performance, longevity, business growth and significant innovations or feedback. "Our consistency and constant interest to innovate continues to place us as one of the main leaders and tech pioneers in web development in Canada and North America." Mentions Marc F. Adam, President of Nixa. "We are always aiming to use our expertise to create more complex and diverse projects with excellence." With more than ten years in the industry, Nixa is a specialized programming firm, expert in complex and custom web development. It provides web and application development services to businesses and organizations around the world in search of quality and performance, mastering the most innovative and on demand programming languages through a team of experts and creatives in a solution-oriented culture. To learn more, visit their website: nixa.ca SOURCE Nixa [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 05, 2023] Commerce Crossroads' Plans for a New 820-Acre Sustainable Industrial Park and Transportation Hub in Cedar City Are Approved by the Utah Inland Port Authority Board BZI, (www.bzisteel.com) and Commerce Crossroads announced today that plans to develop a new 820-acre sustainable industrial park and transportation hub in Cedar City, Utah, have been approved by the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) board (www.inlandportauthority.utah.gov). The decision marks a collaborative partnership between Commerce Crossroads and the UIPA to establish the first rural inland port in the state of Utah. This hub will serve as an important component of the Iron Springs Project Area and will be the site of the new BZI headquarters, scheduled to break ground in 2024. Commerce Crossroads is one of BZI's affiliated companies bringing high-value integrated offerings to U.S. and global customers -- and their communities. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005158/en/ BZI, (www.bzisteel.com) and Commerce Crossroads announced plans to develop a new 820-acre sustainable industrial park and transportation hub in Cedar City, Utah, have been approved by the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) board and that the collaborative partnership will establish the first rural inland port in the state of Utah. This hub will serve as an important component of the Iron Springs Project Area and will be the site of BZI's new headquarters, scheduled to break ground in 2024. The Commerce Crossroads industrial park will initially include office buildings, on-site products and services to construct tailored processing facilities for customers, and it will operate a new rail transload service, RailSync, as well as an expanded short-line service to individual facilities. The company anticipates technology, construction material manufacturing, data centers, e-commerce and distribution, as well as office space and residential housing, will also be integrated. (Artist's Rendering: Commerce Crossroads) "We are thrilled with the decision of the Utah Inland Port Authority, and are honored to be a part of the exciting developments erupting in the Southern Utah business communities," said James Barlow CEO of BZI and Commerce Crossroads. "We look forward to working with fellow business leaders and organizations who are contributing to the future of vibrant and sustainable growth and services in our region. Our collective visions and collaboration are poised to attract global business opportunities that will positively impact the economic and general health of our businesses, workers and citizens of Iron County and surrounding regions." The Commerce Crossroads industrial park will initially include office buildings, on-site products and services to construct tailored processing facilities for customers, and it will operate a new rail transload service, RailSync, as well as an expanded short-line service to individual facilities. The company anticipates technology, construction material manufacturing, data centers, ecommerce and distribution, as well as office space and residential housing, to also be integrated. Commerce Crossroads will be developed by general contractor VISCO, and located in the Northwest corner of Iron County. This area is often referred to as "The Crossroads of the West," due to its central location, which is only a day's drive from such population centers as LA, Denver, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City, and allows access to a potential market of 48 million people. "As this is the first rural inland port in the state, the Iron Springs Project Area will have a positive generational economic impact in Southern Utah," said Ben Hart, Executive Director of the Utah Inland Port Authority. "We look forward to working with Commerce Crossroads as they play a key role in the development of this facility and the site." Facilitating an enhanced quality of life and environmentally friendly approach are critical values driving the development of Commerce Crossroads and will be secured through close collaboration with key stakeholders and governing entities in the area. "Our approach to the park will make Iron County an even more attractive place for families to live and work," said Ryan Obray, Project Executive at VISCO. "The exclusive and sustainable offerings available at Commerce Crossroads will improve transportation of raw materials and allow for more effective and efficient processing of goods and products for global companies. Additionally, companies in the region will gain better access to a worldwide shipping network. This will bring additional jobs and new dynamic commerce opportunities to the area." It is believed that the new jobs to be generated by the Commerce Crossroads project could also increase wage levels in Iron County and surrounding areas. Commerce Crossroads will announce additional details about its development plans, facilities and services in the coming months. To learn about BZI, visit www.bzisteel.com, email [email protected] or call 888.509.2280. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005158/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] AOMedia Members Intel, Meta, Netflix and NETINT to Highlight the Latest on AV1 Commercial Readiness at NAB 2023 The Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia) today announced that it will lead the panel discussion, AOM Members Detail the Latest on AV1 Commercial Readiness, at the NAB Streaming Summit, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The session will take place on Monday, April 17 from 2:45 to 3:45 p.m. in the West Hall Meeting Rooms. For more information and to register for the panel, visit https://bit.ly/AOMNAB2023. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005099/en/ Register for the upcoming AOMedia panel discussion at the NAB Streaming Summit on Monday, April 17 at 2:45 p.m. (Graphic: Business Wire) Using AV1, media producers and distributors are delivering higher quality video at the lowest bitrates, enabling consumers to expect the best from live and on-demand streaming media experiences. This panel will focus on how AV1 offers a generational improvement in coding efficiency over alternatives across the entire media ecosystem of hardware, software, devices, browsers and services. AOM NAB Streaming Summit 2023 Panel Hear directly from the internet, tech, and media company representatives that make up AOMedia's member base on their adoption of AV1 in real-world implementations, the benefits of AV1, and the future of where the codec is heading. Panelists include: About the Alliance for Open Media Launched in 2015, the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia) was formed to define and develop media technologies to address marketplace demand for an open standard for video compression and delivery over the web. Board-level, Founding Members include Amazon, Apple, Arm, Cisco, Facebook, Google, Intel, Microsoft, Mozilla, Netflix, NVIDIA, Samsung Electronics and Tencent. AOMedia's next-generation royalty-free video codec, AV1, is optimized for internet delivery and scalable to any modern device at any bandwidth. Visit or follow AOMedia on Twitter and LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005099/en/ [April 05, 2023] Blue Road Investments breaks ground on 3rd Phase of Master Planned Industrial Park in the El Paso Market Blue Road Investments has broken ground on Westpark Buildings 3 and 4 in Santa Teresa, New Mexico. The 425,368 square-foot cross-dock and the 220,895 square foot rear-load facility will be part of Blue Road's third phase in Westpark Logistics Center, a master-planned Class A industrial park. Consistent with the first two phases, Buildings 3 and 4 will feature state-of-the-art functionality with clear heights of 36' and 32' respectively, 185' truck courts, and ample dock doors (~ 1 door per 5,000 SF). This phase is estimated to be completed in January 2024 and will bring Blue Road's total square footage in Westpark to over 1.3 MSF. "We are thrilled to begin construction on our 3rd phase in Westpark," says Jeff Hackmeyer, co-managing partner of Blue Road Investments. "Driven by an increased focus on bringing supply-cains back to North America, we continue to see a growing number of companies establishing a presence in the Borderplex region. This project should continue to help supply the much-needed Class A product to the market." Westpark is well-suited to meet this demand, as it sits within close proximity to the Santa Teresa Port of Entry - Mexico Border, Dona Ana County International Jetport, and Union Pacific's Intermodal Rail Hub. The regional office of CBRE is representing Blue Road in marketing phase three. Christian Perez Giese, Senior Vice President and Director at CBRE in El Paso, said "Blue Road has a proven track record in Westpark. They delivered two best-in-class warehouses already, and this phase offers variety in terms of tenant sizes ranging from 50,000 SF - 420,000 SF users." Blue Road Investments is an entrepreneurial private investment firm based in Dallas, Texas. Blue Road focuses on warehouse distribution facilities in non-major, growth-oriented markets and will invest across the risk spectrum, ranging from acquisitions to speculative developments. With a long-term ownership mindset, Blue Road builds best-in-class portfolios of institutional quality assets in their target markets. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005627/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 05, 2023] Maximus and IFB Solutions Partner on New Program to Hire Blind and Visually Impaired for Full-Time Contact Center Work Maximus, a leading employer and provider of government services worldwide, and IFB Solutions, a non-profit organization that provides employment, training, and services for people who are blind or visually impaired, today announced the successful launch of a new joint program that integrates employees who are blind or visually impaired into the workforce. Seventy percent of working-age adults who are blind or visually impaired face sustained periods of unemployment throughout their lifetimes. This program will help address that challenge through an inclusive workplace that supports the needs and experiences of our sight-impaired colleagues. "We value individual differences and strive to provide a work setting and experience where all employees can thrive," said Michelle Link, Chief Human Resources Officer, Maximus. "For several years, Maximus has been focused on capacity-building opportunities, such as this partnership with IFB Solutions, to expand our potential pool of new employees and help us build an effective and inclusive workforce. Thanks to the perseverance of many, advances in technology, and an experienced partner in IFB Solutions, we've built an employment and training program aimed specifically at those who are blind and visually impaired. We're excited to welcome these new employees to the Maximus team." Six people completed the initial pilot training in Texas and are now supporting Maximus as Customer Service Representatives on contracts that deliver government services and share information with the general public. As the largest employer of people who are blind in the United States, IFB Solutions leveraged its experience to create a targeted training program with Maximus for this cohort of employees. The training program lasted six weeks and was managed jointly by IFB Solutions and the Maximus Texas Project Team. The preparations focused on developing the skills needed for the employees to meet the job requirements, with an emphasis on learning the unique technologies developed to assist them. "People are at the center of everything we do, as our mission is to empower people who are blind," said Shannon Satterfield, Director of Professional Services, IFB Solutions. "Maximus has shown itself as a leader in this area by working with us to create this new program that provides the empowerment of employment to people who deserve it. We are so proud of eery person who completed the training, as they persevered through early challenges to accomplish something that would have been impossible only a few years ago." Building on the success of the first class of employees, Maximus and IFB Solutions are training a second cohort of individuals and plan to expand the pilot program across the country in 2023. Employees from the inaugural class joined the second session to share their experiences, provide tips and encouragement, and mentor their peers. The employees who successfully completed the initial training and are now Customer Service Representatives include: Maggie V.: "Before the opportunity to work for IFB Solutions in partnership with Maximus, I had no prior call center experience. But because of the accessible training, I've learned so much in so little time. This opportunity has been a life-changing experience for my kids and I, and it has allowed me to regain my confidence." "Before the opportunity to work for IFB Solutions in partnership with Maximus, I had no prior call center experience. But because of the accessible training, I've learned so much in so little time. This opportunity has been a life-changing experience for my kids and I, and it has allowed me to regain my confidence." Mary A.: "My passion is making sure that those who are visually impaired can live the best life possible. This program has given me a chance to do that, and it's a welcome opportunity for this community." "My passion is making sure that those who are visually impaired can live the best life possible. This program has given me a chance to do that, and it's a welcome opportunity for this community." Elias T.: "It brings me joy and satisfaction to serve and provide clients with the information they need. I appreciate the work that Maximus and IFB Solutions put into the training to give me a new job and a new future." "It brings me joy and satisfaction to serve and provide clients with the information they need. I appreciate the work that Maximus and IFB Solutions put into the training to give me a new job and a new future." Ruben R.: "This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with Maximus means the world to me. It is both a joy and honor to be a part of a team as unique as mine." About Maximus As a leading strategic partner to governments across the globe, Maximus helps improve the delivery of public services amid complex technology, health, economic, environmental, and social challenges. With a deep understanding of program service delivery, acute insights that achieve operational excellence, and an extensive awareness of the needs of the people being served, our employees advance the critical missions of our partners. Maximus delivers innovative business process management, impactful consulting services, and technology solutions that provide improved outcomes for the public and higher levels of productivity and efficiency of government-sponsored programs. For more information, visit maximus.com. About IFB Solutions IFB Solutions is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation founded in 1936 as Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind. Today, IFB strives to be America's leader in building life-changing opportunities for people who are blind through its mission of creating employment opportunities for this critically underemployed population. IFB's guiding principles focus on creating upwardly mobile career paths, building on its existing textile operations to develop integrated and technical employment opportunities, and maintaining a strong foundation of packaging and assembly operations as workforce entry points. IFB's operational footprint includes large-scale manufacturing, Base Supply Center retail and online stores, Workforce Services staffing division, and its Pinnacle Mercantile Amazon storefront. IFB Solutions also provides essential job training for employees and community outreach through its Community Low Vision Centers and programming for children who are blind. ifbsolutions.org View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005571/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 05, 2023] Botoff Consulting Named a Finalist in Two Categories for the Family Wealth Report Awards 2023 Botoff Consulting, a boutique compensation consulting services firm, is pleased to announce that it has been selected as a finalist in two categories at the Tenth Annual Family Wealth Report Awards 2023 program; the firm in the "Family Office Management Consultancy" and our Founder and CEO, Patricia "Trish" Botoff, in the "Women in Wealth Family Office (Individual)". The program recognizes the most innovative and exceptional firms, teams, and individuals serving the family office, family wealth, and trusted advisor communities in North America. "We are proud and honored to have been selected by the judges as finalists for these prestigious awards," said Trish Botoff, Founder and CEO of Botoff Consulting. "It is an incredibly flattering reflection of the hard work that Botoff Consulting's team invests every single day to help guide our clients and to provide them with meaningful data and advice to make informed decisions to reward, retain, and motivate their teams." Stephen Harris, ClearView Financial Media's CEO, and publisher of Family Wealth Report, said, "This year, we had a record number of registrations and submissions for this program: more than 500 submissions in nearly 70 categories. The firms and individuals in the 10th Family Wealth Report program are worthy competitors and the ones that have reached the Finalist stage are truly outstanding. These awards are judged by an expert pnel of more than 40 judges and finalists are selected on the basis of entrants' submissions and their response to a number of specific questions, focusing on both qualitative and quantitative performance metrics." Winners will be announced on May 4 at the Gala Ceremony at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Manhattan, New York. For additional information on the awards and methodology, click here. Botoff Consulting guides family offices and family business enterprises in designing compensation strategies aligned to the family's or to an organization's vision, goals, and performance. We are proud to be able to support the diverse, discrete, customized needs of our clients by leveraging our industry-leading proprietary data and market trends while incorporating best practices. About Botoff Consulting The firm was founded in 2014 to provide compensation and related consulting services to family offices, family investment firms, and family business enterprises across industries and geographies. We continue to build and maintain the most expansive database of family office, family investment firm, and now household and estate compensation data. Our extensive expertise includes compensation benchmarking, strategy, and structure; benefits analysis and benchmarking; incentive plan design; performance management; compensation governance; board support; and litigation/expert witness support. We utilize both our proprietary data and a broad array of best-in-class compensation studies, ensuring we capture markets from which you compete for talent. With principal consultants on both the East and West coasts, we serve clients in the U.S. and globally. To learn more, please visit botoffconsulting.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005624/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 05, 2023] DSM - delivery of shares This is a press release by Koninklijke DSM N.V. (Royal DSM), pursuant to the provisions of Sections 13 paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Dutch Decree on Public Takeover Bids (Besluit openbare biedingen Wft) (the Decree) in connection with the public offer by Danube AG (to be renamed DSM-Firmenich AG) for all the issued and outstanding ordinary shares in the capital of DSM (the Exchange Offer). This press release does not constitute an offer, or any solicitation of any offer, to buy or subscribe for any securities. This press release is not for general release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, in or into, directly or indirectly, the United States or any other jurisdiction where such release, publication or distribution would violate applicable laws or regulations. HEERLEN, Netherlands, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the Offering Circular published on 22 November 2022, Royal DSM is required to announce transactions relating to the ordinary shares in its capital in accordance with the Dutch public offer rules. This includes the delivery of treasury shares to employees in view of settling the vesting of share units or the exercise of stock options. Pursuant to commitments entered into prior to issuing the Offering Circular, DSM has on 5 April 2023, delivered 390 ordinary shares to employees in view of settling the exercise of an equivalent number of stock options granted under the respective DSM Incentive Plan (average exercise price 89.00). On the date hereof, the total number of issued and outstanding DSM ordinary shares is 173,352,178. As a consequence of the delivery included herein, the number of outstanding DSM ordinary shares increased by 0.0002%. DSM Royal DSM is a global, purpose-led company in Health, Nutrition & Bioscience, applying science to improve the health of people, animals and the planet. DSM's purpose is to create brighter lives for all. DSM's products and solutions address some of the world's biggest challenges while simultaneously creating economic, environmental and societal value for all its stakeholders customers, employees, shareholders, and society at large. The company was founded in 1902 and is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. More information can be found at www.dsm.com. Or find us on: LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/3108 Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DSM Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DSMcompany YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/dsmcompany For more information DSM Media Relations Gareth Mead tel. +31 (0) 45 5782420 email [email protected] DSM Investor Relations Dave Huizing tel. +31 (0) 45 5782864 email [email protected] Forward-looking statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements with respect to DSM's future (financial) performance and position. Such statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections of DSM and information currently available to the company. DSM cautions readers that such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and therefore it should be understood that many factors can cause actual performance and position to differ materially from these statements. DSM has no obligation to update the statements contained in this press release, unless required by law. The English language version of the press release is leading. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/329419/dsm_logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/dsm---delivery-of-shares-301791041.html [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Photo: The Canadian Press Winnipeg police Chief Danny Smyth provides an update to an ongoing homicide investigation in Winnipeg, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022. The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police is requesting an urgent meeting with the nation's premiers to discuss several issues surrounding violence and policing. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police has requested an urgent meeting with Canada's premiers to discuss bail reform and the recent killings of officers. In a letter dated Monday to Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson, association president Danny Smyth said there has been a link in the rise of violence by people released on bail since federal legislation changes were brought in four years ago. Stefanson is the chair of the Council of the Federation that constitutes all of the premiers in Canada "Over the last four years, we can track distinct spikes in the numbers of people released on bail and incidences of violent offences committed by those on bail," said Smyth in the letter. Smyth, who is also Winnipeg's chief of police, said that an increase in drug, gang and gun violence has escalated the danger of the profession, noting that eight officers have been killed in the line of duty in the last six months. "The number of murders of police officers has resulted in stark comparisons with countries like the United States, to which we have never before found reason to compare," Smyth wrote. Last month, Const. Brett Ryan and Const. Travis Jordan were fatally shot by a 16-year-old boy in Edmonton while they were responding to a family dispute. A little more than a week ago Sgt. Maureen Breau was fatally stabbed while performing an arrest in Louiseville, Que., about 100 kilometres northeast of Montreal. Smyth said the criminal justice system often renders police work pointless by failing to shield communities from violent offenders. "Policing is at a crossroad in our nation," said Smyth. "The stresses and dangers of the job, combined with the intense politicization of policing we've witnessed at every level, threaten the integrity and trust in our profession and our ability to safely and ethically ensure public safety." Stefanson said that she looks forward to discussing the issues brought up in the letter with the police chiefs, adding that she has sent the letter to all of the other premiers. "We've seen a significant number of homicides in our police forces across the country," Stefanson said Tuesday. "We don't want to see that continue. "We need to make sure that we're taking action." Stefanson said one of those actions that (Smyth) asked about is bail reform. "We have been a champion on making sure that we call on the federal government to make those changes so that it's not so easy for violent offenders to get out," she said. "I think that's one area we need to focus on." Earlier this year, Canada's premiers called on the federal government to establish a "reverse onus" system for specific firearm offences that would require the person seeking bail to demonstrate why they should not remain behind bars. Federal Justice Minister David Lametti has said he is giving "serious consideration" to reforming Canada's bail laws in response to the request from premiers for changes. Market Research Future Increased Adoption of Blockchain in SCM and Retail to Boost Blockchain in SupplyChain Market Growth New York, US, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a comprehensive research report by Market Research Future (MRFR), Blockchain in Supply Chain Market Information By Application, By Provider, By Vertical, and by Region - Forecast till 2030 valuation is poised to grow at 45.55% CAGR and market will touch USD 17.15 billion by 2030. Blockchain in Supply Chain Industry Key Players Prominent industry players in the global blockchain in supply chain market report include IBM Corporation Ripple Chain Inc Microsoft Corporation Coinbase Blockchain Tech Ltd Earthport PLC Abra Inc Bitfury Group Deloitte Inc Digital Asset Holdings Get a Free Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/6702 Blockchain in Supply Chain Market Report Scope: Report Metric Details Market Size USD 17.15 Billion CAGR 45.55% Key Vendors IBM Corporation, Ripple, Chain Inc, Microsoft Corporation, Coinbase, Blockchain Tech Ltd, Earthport PLC, Abra Inc, Bitfury Group, Deloitte Inc, Digital Asset Holdings Key Market Opportunities Increasing need for automating supply chain operations and cutting out middlemen Key Market Drivers Increased use of blockchain in retail and SCM Drivers Increased Adoption of Blockchain in SCM and Retail to Boost Market Growth There is a day to day flow of information & numerous transactions in the retail and SCM businesses. A few examples of the kinds of information that could be included in the data are data on purchases, fees, approvals, sales, certifications, and disbursements. Reduced pricing, increased speed, and continual quality & product flow monitoring are challenges for companies in the supply chain industry. In order to increase the effectiveness and transparency of corporate operations and the final delivery procedure as a whole, several participants in the SCM industry have begun integrating blockchain technology. Story continues Browse In-depth Market Research Report (100 Pages) on Blockchain in Supply Chain Market: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/blockchain-supply-chain-market-6702 Opportunities Growing Demand from Healthcare Sector to offer Robust Opportunities Growing demand for blockchain in the healthcare sector will offer robust opportunities for this market in the forecast period. Blockchain technology is being used by healthcare service providers to continuously monitor and manage the manufacturing and delivery of healthcare items. Additionally, blockchain supply chain solutions help pharmaceutical organizations reduce illicit activities like the fabrication of hazardous pharmaceuticals and counterfeit medicines as well as poor stock management. Restraints and Challenges Uncertain Regulatory Standards to act as Market Restraint The uncertain regulatory standards and status, lack of legislation, tight laws, and lack of awareness may act as market restraints over the forecast period. Market Segmentation The blockchain in supply chain market is bifurcated based on vertical, design, and application. By application, counterfeit detection will lead the market over the forecast period. By design, application & solution providers will domineer the market over the forecast period. By vertical, retail & consumer goods will spearhead the market over the forecast period. Ask To Expert: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/ask_for_schedule_call/6702 COVID-19 Analysis Lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 epidemic have affected each link within the supply chain in the North American region and have locked down economies. In order to produce goods like PPE kits & other necessary medical supplies, many businesses have modified their usual production procedures. The COVID-19 outbreak is having an effect on the supply chains of virtually all European distributors, manufacturers, and retailers, according to a study of 143 supply chain decision-makers in Europe conducted by the Supply Chain Media. In order to secure the proper allocation of the COVID-19 vaccine, blockchain is being used to maintain accurate data regarding the storage and maintenance of vaccines. Regional Analysis North America to Steer Blockchain in Supply Chain Market Growth North America grabbed the largest share of the market in 2021. The region with the most advanced infrastructure and use of technology is thought to be North America. The behavior of the major blockchain technology solution providers as a whole will ultimately determine this field. Businesses across a variety of sectors, such as manufacturing, retail and consumer products, healthcare, and logistics, offer a crucial chance for vendor growth. Due to technology developments and a rising emphasis on improving the efficiency of supply chain operations including logistics, warehousing, fulfillment, production, and transportation management, there is an increasing need for a blockchain supply chain in this region. The region's increasing use of new technologies, the presence of numerous production facilities, and the substantial retail chains all contribute to the region's adoption of blockchain supply chain. The region's blockchain supply chain market is anticipated to increase as a result of the usage of the technologically advanced system like artificial intelligence and the internet of things. Other factors that are anticipated to support the blockchain supply chain market growth in the region over the course of the forecast period include rising demand for extensive development in infrastructure and technology, rising numbers of investments by key players in both product expansion and innovation. Ask For Customization: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/ask_for_customize/6702 APAC to Have Admirable Growth in Blockchain in Supply Chain Market During the projection period, Asia Pacific is anticipated to grow at a quick Pace. The market is expanding in the region due to factors including growing concerns about data security, cyber security, and the use of blockchain technology in the communication, logistics, retail, and e-commerce sectors. For the duration of the projected period, it is anticipated that this tendency would persist. Asia-Pacific accounted for the second-largest market share in 2021. Because it adopts new technology quickly, it is developing technologically. Blockchain supply chain software and services are also being driven by the most recent trends of widespread adoption of trucking, containerization, and computerization, which result in scaled shipping & delivery of raw materials, the Work In Progress, & finished goods across the world & effectively improve cost, quality, and delivery of supply chain. The growing tendency of APAC firms towards leaner, agile supply chains having end-to-end visibility is one of the key drivers driving the demand for blockchain supply chain software and services in the region. Asia-Pacific is advancing technologically thanks to its early embrace of new technologies. The increasing trend of APAC enterprises towards leaner, more agile supply chains with end-to-end visibility due to the adoption of cutting-edge technology is one of the biggest drivers of the blockchain supply chain services and software in the region. Industry Updates February 2023- In order to improve the supply chain with the aid of Blockchain, Autify Network, a supply chain startup in India, is trying to enter the luxury fashion sector. The company asserts that their Blockchain-based approach would uphold manufacturing ethics and guarantee originality. Related Reports: Translation Service Market by Service Type, By Operation Type, By Component, By Application - Forecast to 2030 Software as a Service (SaaS) Market By Deployment, By End User, By Industry - Forecast 2020-2030 Data Governance Market By Component, By Function, By Deployment, By Users, By Region Market Forecast Till 2030 About Market Research Future: Market Research Future (MRFR) is a global market research company that takes pride in its services, offering a complete and accurate analysis regarding diverse markets and consumers worldwide. Market Research Future has the distinguished objective of providing the optimal quality research and granular research to clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help answer your most important questions. Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter CONTACT: Market Research Future (Part of Wantstats Research and Media Private Limited) 99 Hudson Street, 5Th Floor New York, NY 10013 United States of America +1 628 258 0071 (US) +44 2035 002 764 (UK) Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Website: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com [April 05, 2023] BankUnited Expands Corporate Banking Division in Florida BankUnited, N.A., one of the largest independent depository institutions headquartered in Florida, is expanding its Florida corporate banking division with the addition of three bankers who will help serve the bank's growing portfolio of middle-market and large corporate companies doing business throughout the region. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005678/en/ BankUnited SVP Corporate Banking Producing Team Leader Jeffrey Brandt will oversee a team with responsibility for business development and originating loans and deposit solutions for corporate clients. (Photo: Business Wire) "We are excited to welcome these three talented bankers to the BankUnited family," said Thomas M. Cornish, chief operating officer. "Jeff, Eric and Ilian are great additions to our seasoned team of relationship-based bankers and having them onboard further demonstrates our commitment to the market and our growth goals." Senior Vice President, Corporate Banking Producing Team Leader Jeffrey Brandt of Davie brings more than two decades of industry experience to his new position, having served most recently as market manager and senior vice president, middle corporate banking for HSBC Bank USA in Fort Lauderdale, where he honed his expertise in the areas of C&I, international business, international trade finance and foreign exchange management. At BankUnited, he will oversee a team with responsibility for business development and originating loans and eposit solutions for corporate clients. With master's and bachelor's degrees from State University of New York at Buffalo, Brandt is active in South Florida's business and philanthropic community, including having served on the board of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Broward County. Senior Vice President, Corporate Banking Relationship Manager Eric Boritz of Delray Beach is an experienced banker with nearly 13 years of industry experience, particularly in the areas of corporate lending and global relationship management. He joins BankUnited from HSBC Bank USA in Fort Lauderdale, where he was responsible for providing domestic and global banking advisory and financing solutions to middle-market business clients across the Southeast US. With an MBA from Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management, Evanston, Illinois, and a bachelor's degree from the University of Florida, Gainesville, Boritz has been an active supporter of Junior Achievement of South Florida for over a decade, including as committee chair for an event that raises money for student scholarships. Senior Vice President, Corporate Banking Relationship Manager Ilian Obregon of Surfside joins BankUnited from HSBC Bank USA in Miami. With 12 years of industry experience, Obregon most recently served as vice president and senior corporate banking manager, with responsibility for business development and portfolio and relationship management, and an industry focus on healthcare and technology companies. He earned his MBA from Nova Southeastern University in Davie, and a bachelor's degree from the University of Florida. Obregon actively serves on the board of Lighthouse of Broward and is president of the Association for Corporate Growth South Florida Chapter. The new team will be based at the Fort Lauderdale corporate banking office at 333 East Las Olas Boulevard, 3rd Floor. For information call (561) 309-4923 or visit www.BankUnited.com. About BankUnited, N.A. BankUnited, Inc. (NYSE: BKU), with total assets of $37.0 billion at December 31, 2022 is the bank holding company of BankUnited, N.A., a national bank headquartered in Miami Lakes, Florida that provides a full range of banking and related services to individual and corporate customers through banking centers located in the state of Florida, New York metropolitan area and Dallas, Texas, and a comprehensive suite of wholesale products to customers through an Atlanta office focused on the Southeast region. BankUnited also offers certain commercial lending and deposit products through national platforms. For additional information, call (877) 779-2265 or visit www.BankUnited.com. BankUnited can be found on Facebook at facebook.com/BankUnited.Official and on Twitter @BankUnited. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005678/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 05, 2023] Crown Castle Announces First Quarter 2023 Earnings Conference Call Details HOUSTON, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crown Castle Inc. (NYSE: CCI) ("Crown Castle") plans to release its first quarter 2023 results on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, after the market closes. In conjunction with the release, Crown Castle has scheduled a conference call for Thursday, April 20, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. eastern time. A listen only live audio webcast of the conference call, along with any supplemental materials, can be accessed on the Crown Castle website at https://investor.crowncastle.com. Participants may join the conference call by dialing 833-630-1956 (Toll Free) or 412-317-1837 (International) atleast 30 minutes prior to the start time. All dial-in participants should ask to join the Crown Castle call. A replay of the webcast will be available on the Investor page of Crown Castles website until end of day, Saturday, April 20, 2024. ABOUT CROWN CASTLE Crown Castle owns, operates and leases more than 40,000 cell towers and approximately 85,000 route miles of fiber supporting small cells and fiber solutions across every major U.S. market. This nationwide portfolio of communications infrastructure connects cities and communities to essential data, technology and wireless service bringing information, ideas and innovations to the people and businesses that need them. For more information on Crown Castle, please visit www.crowncastle.com. CONTACTS Dan Schlanger, CFO Ben Lowe, SVP & Treasurer Crown Castle Inc. 713-570-3050 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] 26FIVE Global Lab Appoints Ritesh Rao as CEO of its India Lab 26FIVE Global Lab ["26FIVE"], the US-based brand growth management consulting firm and its global creative and technology labs, announces the appointment of Ritesh Rao as CEO of 26FIVE India Lab. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005783/en/ Ritesh Rao, CEO, 26FIVE India Lab (Photo: Business Wire) Ritesh brings 18+ years of agency experience with leadership roles at Creativeland Asia, Isobar/Dentsu Group, and Lowe Lintas. He has been at the forefront of digital engagement for global MNCs spanning Unilever, Woodland, Nabard, and J&J Kellogs, most recently driving market growth for brands including Pizza Hut, Netflix, Jio Saavn, AMNS, Capital Foods, India Today Group, Mercedes-Benz India, United Colors of Benetton, MTS India, and JetPrivilege. "Ritesh brngs deep expertise across media, a powerful ethos, and an impeccable track record in managing integrated strategies, award-winning creatives, and complex client structures for brands seeking to achieve exceptional growth," says Sophie Ann Terrisse, Executive Chairman, 26FIVE Global Lab. "26FIVE is behind the transformation of some of the largest brands in India," said Ritesh Rao, CEO, 26FIVE India Lab. "I have admired 26FIVE's philosophy and methodology for building brands for faster-paced growth to achieve the highest returns for clients globally. I am excited to work with this energetic, insightful, and experienced team, and look forward to further amplifying its impact in this region." Established in Mumbai in 2009, 26FIVE India Lab, formerly STC Associates, is the India-based creative and technology lab, part of the 26FIVE Global Lab network. Recent work includes the branding of Akasa Air, India's newest airline, crafting its identity, livery, and tagline "It's Your Sky." Over the past 14 years, 26FIVE has built extensive experience working with Indian companies to enhance their global reach and visibility, including a 20-year relationship with Tata Group companies, spanning Tata Communications, Titan, Zoya, and Tata Steel for Jamshedpur FC. The firm also worked with Airtel, HBO, Sony, and a base of BFSI clients such ICICI, UTI, Bajaj Finance, ITI, and Edelweiss Mutual Funds. About 26FIVE Global Lab Headquartered in New York City, 26FIVE Global Lab is a growth consulting firm powered by its network of creative and tech labs in India, Europe, and Asia. Independent and global, 26FIVE partners with VCs, start-ups, and F100s seeking reinvention, business acceleration, and transformation. Visit 26FIVE.com for more information. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005783/en/ From February 2019 to March 2022, BCM One went on as big an acquisition spree as any company in recent memory. During that period, the company made eight strategic acquisitions, significantly expanding its reach and capabilities in the communications market. The strategy has been effective, as BCM One has see two-year revenue growth of 115 percent. The numbers speak for themselves, but they shouldnt be surprising. The moves all made sense for BCM One as it sought to increase its presence and ability to deliver communications services to a wide range of businesses through both direct and indirect channels. They also coincided with the biggest shift in business technology strategy, driven by the growth of remote and hybrid work over the past three years. Its been a year since the acquisition of Flowroute BCM Ones third in the SIP space, and it would have been easy to think the company was done. But, while its growth has been substantial, the New York-based companys moves had focused largely on the U.S. market until today. This morning, BCM One got back on the acquisition trail in a big way with a strong move into the global market, bringing U.K.-based Pure IP into the BCM One fold. The deal, expected to close in June, gives BCM One a significant presence, with Pure IP already offering full PSTN replacement services in 47 countries (the most recent additions include Argentina, Israel, Cost Rica, and Estonia), supported by its global voice network that provides coverage in 137 countries. This is a particularly promising opportunity for BCM One, considering the pending 2025 PSTN sunset in the U.K., driving business rapidly to next-gen digital solutions. Whats more, Pure IP is an expert in some of the most popular business communications solutions driving businesses today. It was an official launch partner for Microsoft (News - Alert) Operator Connect in 2021, which positions BCM One well to support the growing adoption of the Microsoft Teams platform globally. Pure IPs expertise migrating enterprise customers to Microsoft Teams is a perfect complement to the BCM One portfolio, said BCM One CEO Geoff Bloss. Pure IPs international footprint enables us to extend our platform of services to customers worldwide. Pure IP, also was a launch partner for the Zoom Phones Provide Exchange program, part of Zooms BYOC strategy, last year. Also last year, Pure IP launched its own service for Webex calling, rounding out a portfolio that is able to support three top enterprise communications platforms in use today between Microsoft, Cisco (News - Alert), and Zoom. While the communications market is full of competitors, these three have a strong foothold and will likely only continue to dominate the global market. The ability to support them positions BCM One well. This is merely the latest BCM One move to strengthen and expand its portfolio of managed communications services this time with a major play into international markets. With its previous SIP network acquisitions, its existing enterprise managed services portfolio, and its channel-focused UCaaS solutions through the SkySwitch and CoreDial (News - Alert) acquisitions and, now, the addition of a global SIP footprint and Teams/Zoom/Cisco solutions, BCM One is able to service effectively any business, anywhere, regardless of their communications needs. If they're a Microsoft shop, BCM or a Cisco shop, BCM One has them covered. If they prefer Zoom, BCM One can help them. If they are looking for a full UCaaS or CCaaS solution, BCM One can deliver that, too. In addition to a global network and customer base, the Pure IP deal also adds a physical presence in the international market, in both London and Auckland, New Zealand (along with an additional U.S. location in San Francisco), through which is will be able to effectively service its newly expanded global market. Whats next for BCM One? The one thing we know is the company has been anything but shy since its recapitalization by Thompson Street Partners in 2019. It has continued to seek strategically sound opportunities that will allow it to capitalize on a combination of business technology trends, including digital transformation and an increasing dependence on managed services. The Pure IP move is consistent with its recent, aggressive strategy of acquiring complementary organizations that will support its growth efforts. Nothing is guaranteed, but in such a competitive market with so many players, nobody will be surprised to see additional acquisitions. Edited by Erik Linask Right now we share another quick glimpse at police action, ALLEGED misdeeds and all manner of crime reporting. Check TKC news gathering . . . Police in rural Missouri ID burned remains as Kansas City man missing since 1991 LEBANON, Mo. - The Lebanon, Missouri Police Department has identified a body found inside a burned car last month as a Kansas City man who has been missing since 1991. According to a press release from the LPD, DNA analysis revealed the deceased person is 71-year-old Stephen E. Winn. 16 arrested by Lenexa police in operation targeting shoplifting Over a dozen people have been arrested in connection to organized retail thefts in Lenexa, Kan. Lenexa police say 16 people have been arrested following a special operation they conducted from March 28 to April 1, targeting the area of W. 95th Street and Quivira. Platte County Grand Jury documents 'outdated' jail conditions PLATTE CITY, Mo. - A Platte County Grand Jury documented the aging conditions in the Platte County Jail, saying, "the facilities are beginning to show age, and the inmate population consistently exceeds the maximum capacity of the jail," according to a letter. Kansas City man previously on FBI Most Wanted list convicted of illegally possessing firearm KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Kansas City, Missouri, man with prior felony convictions has been found guilty of one felony count of illegally possessing a firearm. Cory T. Brown was found guilty on March 30 of illegally possessing a Glock 10 mm semi-automatic pistol. Overland Park police looking for dog that bit person Sunday night OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (KCTV) - The Overland Park Police Department is asking for the public's assistance in locating a dog involved in a biting incident that occurred Sunday night. Police said an individual was bitten by a dog near the intersection of 71st Street and Glenwood. KC police say young girl grazed by bullet in shooting near a Dollar General store A young girl is expected to be okay after a Monday evening shooting near 49th Street and Noland Road in Kansas City. The Kansas City, Missouri Police Department believes an unidentified girl between six and ten years old was grazed by a bullet.Officers were dispatched to the 4800 block of Noland Road on a shooting call around 6:30 p.m. Prosecutors drop charges against Olathe Uber driver KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Johnson County District Attorney's Office earlier this year dropped sexual assault charges against an Olathe Uber driver. In February 2023, prosecutors dropped charges against Mechamed Gayusi. Gayusi had faced charges in connection to a February 2022 incident in Olathe. Prosecutors requested the charges be dismissed in a court filing. Developing . . . As most expected . . . The vote wasn't even close. More to the point . . . CLAY CHASTAIN WAS, ONCE AGAIN, COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY REALITY AND DOESN'T STAND A CHANCE TO WIN AGAINST MAYOR Q!!! To be fair . . . We though he'd get even less votes. Nearly 20% is impressive and shows that there's not a lot of love for Mayor Q. Still . . . Let's be serious for just a second here . . . A 60+ point difference doesn't inspire hope and should offer context on so many complaints from Mr. Chastain that he's not being taken seriously . . . Tonight voters concurred with local media in terms of ignoring his long shot candidacy. Nevertheless . . . We'll keep blogging the campaign and hope that Clay will return from Virginia for the general election with some new ideas. Check results via www.TonysKansasCity.com . . . Honestly we don't know . . . And so we leave the question to a local expert AND our KICK-ASS TKC BLOG COMMUNITY . . . Here's a bit of science on the topic . . . Theres a lot of political science research that indicates that strong supporters become even stronger in their beliefs and those beliefs become bolstered when their person is under attack in some way, said UMKC Political Science Professor Beth Vonnahme. That said, its the independent voters who typically decide an election. We asked Vonnahme how this is impacting them. Right now, I would suspect that theyre leaning against Trump, but well see how things play out, she said. And, I think there are certain things that could happen that would push them solidly onto the Democratic side. So, for example, if there is violence or protests on the right in support of Trump during this criminal trial, then I think that would push those independents even further to the Democratic side. And more info via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . Local political science professor sees Trump's indictment as a teaching moment KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Here in the metro, conversations surrounding this afternoon's unprecedented court hearing are buzzing -- from homes to offices, and even classrooms. Park University Political Science professor Matt Harris is leaning into Donald Trump's indictment as a teaching moment. The dubious legal theory at the heart of the Trump indictment, explained There is something painfully anticlimactic about Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's indictment of former President Trump. It concerns not Trump's efforts to overthrow the duly elected government of the United States, but his alleged effort to cover up a possible extramarital affair with a porn star. Trump Details Endless Legal Fights In Primetime Mar-A-Lago Address After Indictment MAR-A-LAGO - Former President Donald Trump broke his silence for the first time since being indicted Tuesday during a primetime Mar-a-Lago address, where he detailed the endless legal battles he is facing as a 2024 presidential candidate. Trump started off his speech railing against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, just hours after he was arraigned in New York City. A 'surreal' day for Trump in court may only tear the country further apart | CNN Politics There were two big things to fear before Tuesday's momentous first criminal arraignment of an ex-president of the United States. Trump slams Bragg after pleading not guilty: 'I never thought anything like this could happen in America' Former President Trump slammed Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg Tuesday from Mar-a-Lago, just hours after pleading not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree related to alleged hush-money payments made ahead of the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump charged: How the world reacted to his arrest Pro-Kremlin Russian daily Izvestia, however, instead leads its coverage of Mr Trump's arrest with quotes from Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, who called the arrest "the crisis of liberalism". "This is when the system, which is declared as absolutely free, ends up devouring or denying itself," she said. Local political analyst weighs in on Trump arraignment KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Donald Trump appeared before a judge on Tuesday to be arraigned on a 34-count indictment. Each count, handed up by a grand jury, was for the felony of falsifying business records in the first degree. The charges stem from hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels. Developing . . . Eldorado Gold Corporation and its wholly-owned subsidiary Hellas Gold announced on Wednesday that they have completed the 680-million-euro financing for the development of the Skouries project in Northern Greece, ANA reports. The funding deal is structured to provide 80% of the funding required to complete the project, with the remaining 20% to be funded by Eldorado Gold. Hellas contributed 31.2 million euros (approximately 34.0 million US dollars) from January 2022 through the end of March 2023 on early works activities at Skouries, which will be applied as a credit towards Eldorado's equity commitment, according to the terms of the funding agreement. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Andrew Palamarchuk is a reporter with Metroland Media Toronto and toronto.com. He has been covering the crime beat since 2002 and has a passion for giving a voice to those affected by tragedy and looking at societal issues that may have contributed to it. Bob Lee, the creator of Cash App and chief product officer of MobileCoin, was killed early Tuesday morning in a stabbing in San Francisco, law enforcement officials confirmed. He was 43 years old. The attack took place in the San Francisco neighborhood of Rincon Hill at around 2:30 in the morning. San Franciscos District Attorney, Brooke Jenkins, has stated on Twitter that no arrests have yet been made. I want to extend my sincerest condolences to Mr. Lees family members & loved ones for his loss. We do not tolerate these horrific acts of violence in San Francisco. At this time no arrests have been made. Anyone w/ information is asked to call @SFPD Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444. https://t.co/J7V8N4gake Brooke Jenkins (@BrookeJenkinsSF) April 5, 2023 Lee joined MobileCointhe mobile-first cryptocurrency payments platformas a part-time advisor and early-stage investor in February 2021. He went on to become MobileCoins CPO in November of that year, where he helped launched MobileCoins digital wallet Moby. "With financial data security more important than ever, developing end-to-end encrypted payment technology isn't just smartit's our responsibility," Lee said at the time. "The traditional financial system leaves behind hundreds of millions of 'unbanked' people worldwide and consequently excludes them from the associated benefits." In addition to serving as the first chief technology officer at Square, Lee previously led the core development team for Android at Google. He also founded a location-centric social network called Present, and both advised and invested in companies like Figma, Clubhouse, Beeper, and Faire. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he assisted the World Health Organization with their mobile app and led development for an at-home testing company. Story continues Grieving the loss of Lee on Twitter, MobileCoin Founder Joshua Goldbard said that Lee was so much more than a technologist, describing his late friend as a visionary and someone who cared deeply about peoples right to privacy. 1/ Thread .@crazybob was an incredible human being. Saying bobs name in the past tense feels ridiculous. I dont even know where to begin. Joshua Goldbard (@ThePBXGuy) April 5, 2023 His brain moved at an unbelievable velocity, Goldbard recalled. There will never be anyone quite like him. At the financial services platform Squareknown today as BlockLee served as the companys first CTO. During his time there, he created Cash App, which is one of the most popular applications for transferring money between individuals, and also supports the purchase of stocks and Bitcoin. Former Twitter CEO and Block Founder Jack Dorsey said Lees death was heartbreaking on Nostr, the decentralized Twitter alternative. He also posted a picture of the first transaction to ever take place using Cash App, recalling the time Lee sent Dorsey $4. Bill Barhydt, the CEO of Abraa cryptocurrency-focused payments company and digital wallet providersaid the loss of Lee was devastating and that he didnt deserve to be killed. Responding to another Twitter user, Barhydt said he was heartbroken for [Lees] family. I just got devastating news that our friend Bob Lee (@crazybob ) was killed in SF early today. Bob was a dad, the former CTO of Square where he created Cash App & CTO of Mobile Coin. He was a generous decent human being who didnt deserve to be killed.https://t.co/RnzA1Idpun Bill Barhydt (@billbarhydt) April 5, 2023 It was unclear Wednesday whether police had established a possible motive behind Lees death. The San Francisco Police Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Decrypt. The board of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) has announced that it will be paying its dividend of $0.57 on the 1st of May, an increased payment from last year's comparable dividend. This will take the dividend yield to an attractive 3.3%, providing a nice boost to shareholder returns. Check out our latest analysis for Bristol-Myers Squibb Bristol-Myers Squibb's Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions We like to see robust dividend yields, but that doesn't matter if the payment isn't sustainable. Before this announcement, Bristol-Myers Squibb was paying out 74% of earnings, but a comparatively small 40% of free cash flows. Since the dividend is just paying out cash to shareholders, we care more about the cash payout ratio from which we can see plenty is being left over for reinvestment in the business. The next year is set to see EPS grow by 156.7%. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 30% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward. Bristol-Myers Squibb Has A Solid Track Record The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. The annual payment during the last 10 years was $1.36 in 2013, and the most recent fiscal year payment was $2.28. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 5.3% per annum over that time. Companies like this can be very valuable over the long term, if the decent rate of growth can be maintained. The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow Some investors will be chomping at the bit to buy some of the company's stock based on its dividend history. It's encouraging to see that Bristol-Myers Squibb has been growing its earnings per share at 37% a year over the past five years. Fast growing earnings are great, but this can rarely be sustained without some reinvestment into the business, which Bristol-Myers Squibb hasn't been doing. We Really Like Bristol-Myers Squibb's Dividend Overall, a dividend increase is always good, and we think that Bristol-Myers Squibb is a strong income stock thanks to its track record and growing earnings. The company is easily earning enough to cover its dividend payments and it is great to see that these earnings are being translated into cash flow. All of these factors considered, we think this has solid potential as a dividend stock. Story continues Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. As an example, we've identified 3 warning signs for Bristol-Myers Squibb that you should be aware of before investing. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield dividend stocks. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here After many years of training people in the cocoa industry, the University of the West Indies Benefit Night Followed by Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Joined by Valparaiso Mayor and Local Officials at New Buona/Rainbow Cone Location VALPARAISO, Ind., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Regional favorite restaurant brands, Buona , and The Original Rainbow Cone have today announced they will host back-to-back community events in April to celebrate the first dual-concept location opening in Valparaiso, Indiana. Buona and The Original Rainbow Cone welcome Valparaiso neighbors to celebrate the grand opening of their first dual-concept location on April 12. The festivities will begin with a Benefit Night for Porter County CASA , which will be held on April 11 from 5 pm-8 pm. The event will feature half-off of all Buona and Rainbow Cone menu items for dine-in and drive-thru guests who provide the event's print or digital flyer with their order. All proceeds will support CASA, which advocates for abused and neglected children in the region. The official Grand Opening for Buona/Rainbow Cone's new Valparaiso, Indiana location will take place on April 12. The Grand Opening will begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:30 am; Valparaiso Mayor Matt Murphy and other local officials will be in attendance. The Fast Casual restaurants will include a double-lane drive-thru by Palmer Digital Group , spacious dining room and a mobile ordering pick-up zone. Both family-friendly events will take place at the Buona/Rainbow Cone restaurant, located at 2901 John Howell Drive in Valparaiso, Indiana. "We can't wait to bring the Valparaiso community together for two exciting days of delicious food to celebrate our grand opening and benefit area kids in need," said Joe Buonavolanto Ill, third-generation Buona family member and VP of Franchise Operations at the company. "Come over to support Porter County CASA and celebrate our newest location." Buona was founded in 1981 by Joe and Peggy Buonavolanto, who dreamed of bringing Chicago flavors and opportunity to their family and surrounding communities. Its iconic menu features Buona's signature Italian beef sandwich, along with hand-tossed salads, burgers, hot dogs, all-natural chicken, fresh pastas and a full catering menu. Rainbow Cone is a Chicago treasure, created in 1926 by "Grandpa Joe" Sapp, who was never satisfied with just one ice cream flavor and stacked five flavors on a single cone instead. The two Windy City icons joined together in 2022 to bring dual-concept stores to Chicago and other regions around the country, including its new Valparaiso location. Story continues In addition to the grand opening of the new Valparaiso location, Buona is hosting a $500 gift card contest now- April 12. More details about the contest or to enter can be found at https://buona.com/locations/valparaiso . The brands also plan to bring food trucks to further celebrate with area residents, including giveaways, prizes and more. Follow @buonabeef and @theoriginalrainbowcone to learn more . About Buona/The Original Rainbow Cone Buona/The Original Rainbow Cone bring two Chicago, family-owned traditions together, combining Buona's authentic recipe for Italian beef sandwiches and The Original Rainbow Cone's world-famous 5-flavor "Rainbow Cone." Four decades, three generations and several dozen restaurants ago, Joe and Peggy opened the first Buona restaurant in Berwyn, IL, which specialized in their authentic recipe for Italian beef sandwiches. Today, Buona is driven by multiple 3rd generation Buonavolantos and hard-working, dedicated employees who loyally serve Buona customers and surrounding communities. As a result, Buona is the largest family-owned Italian beef restaurant group and Italian beef producer in the country. Rainbow Cone was founded in 1926 by "Grandpa Joe" Sapp, who was never satisfied with just one ice cream flavor and stacked five delicious flavors on a single cone. The company remains 3rd generation family-owned including its original Southside location. For more information, visit https://buona.com and https://rainbowcone.com Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/buona-and-rainbow-cone-to-celebrate-grand-opening-in-valparaiso-on-april-12-301791030.html SOURCE Buona; The Original Rainbow Cone By Jeff Murphy, April 5, 2023 Surrounding table in the University of Central Missouri Multipurpose Building, high school students from throughout the Missouri FFA Central District tested their knowledge and skill at evaluating different types of meat as one of many events at the district's annual competition. WARRENSBURG, MO Weeks of preparation to develop knowledge and skills in several agriculture areas culminated with approximately 1,800 high school students competing in the Missouri FFA Central District competition March 28 at the University of Central Missouri. The annual event was hosted by UCM with leadership provided by the universitys Department of Agriculture as well as assistance from department alumni who are former FFA members, and agriculture faculty, staff and students. They were instrumental in making the competition events possible utilizing facilities such as the Multipurpose Building, University Farms, agricultural mechanics area and a number of other campus locations. High school students who traveled to UCM took part in team events, where they were asked to individually demonstrate their aptitude for evaluating several different agriculture or food elements. A number of students who scored high in these contests will go on to compete in state FFA contests at the University of Missouri-Columbia in April. State winners move on to national competitions, which take place during the National FFA Convention in the fall. Adam Brock, a former FFA member from Lexington who serves as president of the Central District Agriculture Teachers Association, was among individuals who welcomed students and their agriculture teachers to campus during the open session at the Multipurpose Building. He was joined by UCM President Roger Best and Michelle Santiago, chair of the universitys Department of Agriculture. With so many different contests and locations, he jokingly described his job as a director of chaos, making sure everything is off and running the way they are supposed to be. He added that the FFA had received great support from members of the campus community as well as UCM alumni who were helping to make this program a great learning experience for students. These events are super competitive, and there are multilayers to every contest so they are learning a lot of information about a subject, whether its livestock judging or farm business management or dairy cattle judgingThen there are things like public speaking they must learn, so theres a lot of layers to all of this, Brock said. One element of the many competitions has to do with team representatives making a persuasive speech to explain reasons why they made certain choices related to an item they have scored. Official placement and answers are set by an expert in an agriculture discipline. This is often someone who works in agriculture agency or university. Brock noted that host sites such as UCM are selected based on their ability to accommodate the number of student participants and facilities where various competitions are to be held. A stroll through the Multipurpose Building demonstrated just how diverse those accommodations must be. While stationary seats in the Multipurpose Building served as the main gathering spot for opening ceremonies, the facilitys arena floor was abuzz with activity throughout the morning of the district contest. In the southwest corner of the building, for example, young men and women wearing their iconic FFA blue and gold corduroy jackets formed a couple of long lines that slowly edged their way to a table to sample potato chips and soda as part of a food science activity to evaluate processed foods. Elsewhere in the building, there were stations featuring dairy products and equipment, and long tables with different cuts of meat, floriculture items, as well as an entomology station. These were all surrounded by rows of students who were sitting in desks completing their written requirements. Outside this facility, students were found scoring and using agricultural machinery at a location on Broad Street while busloads of student competitors converged on the Prussing Farm, east of Warrensburg, to evaluate cattle, sheep, goats and soils. While being part of the event, some high school agriculture instructors and former FFA members, also enjoyed an opportunity to return to their alma mater. Among them was Jake Montemayor, a 2013 graduate of UCMs baccalaureate program in Agriculture Education. He accompanied a group of his students from Cole Camp to campus after working with them this academic year in areas such as dairy products, livestock, nursery and landscape. Montemayor grew up on a farm near Lincoln, Missouri, and became an FFA member through State Fair Community College in Sedalia before coming to UCM. He recalled some of his favorite university faculty members who continue to inspire him long after his graduation. He added that, UCM gave me real-world life skills that I could put in my classroom. Another UCM alumnus who had a strong role in the FFA Central District competition was Avery Deevers, an agriculture instructor at Crest Ridge High School, near Centerview, Missouri. He graduated from the universitys Agriculture Education program in 2013, and is the Central District FFA liaison and district contest coordinator. He brought with him two Crest Ridge students, one of whom is considering following in his footsteps by pursuing a career as an agriculture teacher. I think its cool to be able to have this at the same place I competed when I was in high school and to be back here again helping out, Deevers said. It is a great way to give back to my ag education kids and also a cool way to be connected with the university where I graduated. He spoke briefly about what he gained as a former FFA member, noting, I think one of the biggest things I got from it, that I instill in my students now, is just learning to be yourselflearning how to challenge yourself and not being comfortable all of the time. Thats a big thing for our kids now, they want to stay in their comfort zone, and they cant. Deevers stressed some of hallmarks of FFA include the development of leadership skills, and opportunities explore different career paths. FFA competitions contribute to these efforts. Michelle Santiago, Ph.D., chair of UCMs Department of Agriculture, was excited to be part of the event. She particularly appreciated all of the opportunities it provided for her university students to get involved. More than 50 of our current UCM agriculture and agriculture education students assisted with this year's contests by helping to raise or prepare contest materials, facilitating on site, and even helping to judge, Santiago said. About half of our UCM student volunteers participated in FFA in high school and were happy to give back to such a meaningful organization. For our UCM students new to this event, they were amazed to learn about the diverse opportunities for youth participating in the FFA. They were also glad to see these high schoolers on campus, having a great learning experience. It is always meaningful when our students ask if we will host next year, as they would like to help again. Having grown up in Marshall, Missouri, Santiago fondly recalls what it was like to be in FFA and to participate in competitive events. She can relate well to the students' experience in Warrensburg. I competed in FFA contests on this campus. For me, working hard all year to compete in CDE's and being on the college campuses that hosted were some of the most memorable FFA events, she said. Wanting current FFA members and their teachers to have a wonderful UCM campus experience, and to really see some great university facilities, helped shaped the facilitation and interaction the Department of Agriculture wanted UCM to have with students and teachers at this year's event. According to the Missouri FFA website, it is estimated that nearly 26,000 high school and college-level students in the state are engaged in the organization and its six districts. This includes students from about 70 different schools that are part of the district competition at UCM. Such events are part of many activities designed to help fulfill FFAs vision for students to achieve academic and personal growth, strengthen American agriculture and provide leadership to build healthy local communities, a strong nation and a sustainable world. Framed by trees lining a driveway at Prussing Farm, high school students could be seen testing their knowledge of soils during the FFA Central District Competition at UCM. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has terminated the Ukrainian-Belarusian agreement on cooperation in the field of tourism. Taras Melnychuk, the government's permanent representative in the Verkhovna Rada, said this in a post on his Telegram channel, according to Ukrinform. "The Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the Republic of Belarus on cooperation in the field of tourism, signed in Minsk on February 16, 2006, has been terminated," he wrote. According to the explanatory note to the bill denouncing the agreement, the adoption of the document will not affect the market environment and the ensuring of the rights and interests of business entities, citizens and the state. Ukraine earlier terminated agreements with Russia and Belarus on cooperation in the field of aerial search and rescue. Ukraine and Germany signed a statement on the expansion of energy partnership for the "green" recovery and reconstruction of the Ukrainian energy industry. As the press service of the Ministry of Energy reports, Minister of Energy of Ukraine German Galushchenko and German Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck signed in Kyiv a joint Statement of Intent which expands the areas of a bilateral energy partnership with an emphasis on the "green" recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine's energy sector. "Germany is a really great friend of Ukraine, and today we are deepening our partnership, opening up wide opportunities for cooperation, for the restoration and reconstruction of the energy sector. This is cooperation at the level of not only governments but also businesses. It is very important that German companies are interested in investments and implementation of energy projects in Ukraine. I am sure that the result of this cooperation will be a stable and independent Ukrainian energy system and the creation of a large energy hub in Ukraine for the whole of Europe," Galushchenko said. In particular, the parties agreed to expand the partnership in such areas as restoring the energy infrastructure, promoting the sustainable development of the energy sector, and expanding the use of renewable energy sources, including wind, solar, biomass, hydropower, and "green" hydrogen. The partnership also provides for cooperation in the field of energy saving through energy efficiency; decarbonization and reduction of carbon dioxide emissions to accelerate the transition to clean energy, as well as support for structural changes in the coal areas of Ukraine, in particular, the implementation of fair transition projects and "green" projects in these areas. "Germany will support Ukraine in ensuring energy supply wherever possible. To that end, we expanded our energy partnership to include crisis management and resilience. On the one hand, this concerns assistance in restoring the functioning of the energy infrastructure in emergency situations. On the other hand, the focus of attention is the medium-term and long-term prospects of Ukraines energy system restoration. "Solar energy, wind energy, and biomass should play an important role here to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and increase safety," Habeck said. Photos: mev.gov.ua The Romanian government will provide Ukraine with more than $800,000 to strengthen its defense through the NATO Defence and Related Security Capacity Building Initiative. This was stated by Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu at a ministerial meeting of the Alliance countries, Ukrinform reports referring to NewsMaker. Aurescu confirmed that NATO will continue to support Ukraine for as long as necessary. "As I said before, if we want peace in the region, in the Euro-Atlantic space, we have to help Ukraine win this war, there is no other option," Aurescu said. At the same time, the Romanian minister added that other NATO partners who found themselves in a vulnerable position during the war also need support. "We must also support other vulnerable partners in the region, such as Moldova, which is the target of Russia's destabilizing actions," the top Romanian diplomat emphasized. Read also: Rheinmetall building center in Romania to service Ukrainian military equipment Aurescu also pointed out that Romania will allocate $750,000 to Moldova as part of the same initiative. As Ukrinform previously reported, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis spoke out of strengthening NATO's eastern flank and enhancing the Alliance's presence in the Black Sea, which is of extreme strategic importance, especially now. It is important that NATO Allies continue to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression and also support Ukraine after its victory in this war as the aggressor state will remain its neighbor. Yesterday we met with our friend, Minister Kuleba. It is important that we continue to support Ukraine, but also that we support Ukraine even after its victory. It is important that states offer long-term security engagement and guarantees to Ukraine because even after its victory it will still be a neighbor of very aggressive country And this is what Canada is bringing in to the [negotiating] table, Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly said ahead of the second day of the Meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Brussels on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. She expressed hope for a fruitful discussion today with partners and friends of the Indo-Pacific region as Canada is very interested in this region and its stability. When asked if Canada supports the NATO Secretary General's proposal to increase minimum defense spending up to 2% of GDP, she noted that Canada had already exceeded that figure. As reported, a two-day Meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs continues in Brussels on April 5. Today the ministers will meet with diplomatic representatives of the countries of the Asia-Pacific region Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea. Photo: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld Helsinki considers that NATO should pay particular attention to China's cooperation with Russia. Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland Pekka Haavisto said this today in Brussels before a meeting of NATO foreign ministers, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. Haavisto said that in his opinion, NATO should now pay special attention to China and its growing cooperation with Russia. "Of course, we closely followed Chinese President Xi's visit to Moscow and we are beware that China will offer assistance to Russia in aggression against Ukraine. I think it is important to give a joint response. And today, it is important to listen to our friends from the Indo-Pacific region in this regard," the top diplomat said. He also emphasized that NATO partners should remain united on this issue. Helsinki also believes that Sweden may join the Alliance before the NATO summit in Vilnius in July this year. "It feels like a long wait when we have a war in Europe. Even if we know that this was the fastest process. We really want Sweden to join us as soon as possible, hopefully before Vilnius (NATO summit in July this year - ed.)," Haavisto said. Regarding Ukraine's accession prospects, the minister is convinced that both NATO and EU membership are important for Ukraine. At the same time, he emphasized that it is very important to support Ukraine practically. "Finland has already handed over 14 military packages to Ukraine, including heavy weapons. I think this spring is very important. Thus, this is what we can do right now," Haavisto said. As Ukrinform reported, NATO believes that Finland's accession will undoubtedly strengthen the Alliance. On April 4-5, a meeting of NATO foreign ministers is taking place in Brussels. SOPA Images / Getty Images C3.ai plummeted 26% on Tuesday after a short seller alleged serious accounting issues. Kerrisdale Capital said in a letter that C3.ai has inflated metrics to meet analyst estimates. "The American public markets have no place for deceitful accounting," Kerrisdale wrote. C3.ai, the buzzy artificial intelligence stock that has soared amid the ChatGPT hype, plummeted on Tuesday after short-seller Kerrisdale Capital released a letter accusing the company of serious accounting issues. C3.ai shares tumbled shortly after Kerrisdale released an open letter to C3.ai's own audit committee, Deloitte & Touche executives, and regulators at the Security and Exchange Commission on Tuesday afternoon. Shares ended the day down 26% to close at $24.95. The letter accused the AI firm of various "fraudulent accounting conventions," pointing to details such as "opaque, indecipherable language" in the company's financial filings, and high turnover within the company's chief financial officer position. "In our opinion, C3.ai has utilized highly aggressive accounting to inflate its income statement metrics in order to meet sell-side analyst estimates for revenue and certain profit metrics, and to conceal significant deterioration in its underlying operations," the letter read. "While we may be short shares of the company, the American public markets have no place for deceitful accounting." C3.ai shares have more than doubled in 2023 as investors flocked to artificial intelligence stocks following the viral success of OpenAI's ChatGPT. Read the original article on Business Insider OTTAWA, ON, April 5, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, corporate accountability experts sent a 30-page submission to the UN Human Rights Council ahead of its April 2023 Universal Periodic Review of Canada, denouncing Canada for its continued diplomatic support of mining companies over the safety of human rights and environment defenders (HRDs). Demonstration of the Mexican Network of Mining Affected People with the Abarca family in front of the Canadian Embassy in Mexico, 2013. Credit: Jennifer Moore (CNW Group/Justice and Corporate Accountability Project (JCAP)) The submission draws on five well-documented case studies from Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, and Ecuador to illustrate key themes that define Canada's diplomatic approach to mining conflicts abroad. Among the studies cited, in Mexico, the unconditional support of the Canadian Embassy for Blackfire Exploration is believed to have put the life of environment defender Mariano Abarca at greater risk in the months before his murder in November 2009. In Ecuador, in 2021, the Canadian Ambassador denied appeals for support from the president of the Shuar Arutam People, Josefina Tunki, after Tunki allegedly received death threats from the VP for Operations of Canadian company Solaris Resources as a result of her people's opposition to the company's copper project. The submission, authored by the Justice and Corporate Accountability Project (JCAP) with support from MiningWatch Canada, is endorsed by 27 Canadian civil society organizations and 39 professors, lawyers, and legal scholars. The Universal Periodic Review Working Group of the UN Human Rights Council will review Canada's compliance with its human rights commitments, and make specific recommendations with the onus on Canada to implement changes. "We have found that Canadian embassies continue to provide significant support for Canadian mining companies despite being aware of serious and credible allegations of human and environmental rights violations," says Charis Kamphuis, TRU law professor and JCAP board member. "The Universal Periodic Review is a crucial opportunity to shine the spotlight on Canada and reveal the massive gulf between Canada's domestic and international human rights commitments, and the actions and omissions of Canadian officials who consistently ignore the concerns of affected communities and the risks to defenders. In some cases, Canadian officials have taken steps to undermine communities' efforts to defend their rights and access justice." Story continues The submission explores ongoing problems with Canada's Voices at Risk Guidelines on supporting human rights defenders, a set of guidelines that specify how Canadian embassies and other officials should support HRDs, including Canadian HRDs, and promote responsible conduct on the part of Canadian companies operating abroad. The submission identifies specific policy failures, including a lack of clarity regarding the concrete obligations of Canadian officials, lack of reporting and transparency on how the guidelines are implemented, and lack of independent oversight to ensure compliance. "At the same time that Canadian embassy officials make considerable efforts to promote Canadian mining interests abroad putting defenders at greater risk, the Canadian government has failed to ensure even a modicum of accountability for those responsible for devastating harms," says Viviana Herrera, Latin America Program Coordinator for MiningWatch Canada. "We're asking the Working Group to make strong recommendations to Canada to finally square its actions with its commitments when it comes to state and corporate accountability." JCAP makes the following recommendations to the Working Group in its submission: Recommend that Canada reform its policy and legal approach to economic diplomacy and HRDs abroad to an approach that can ensure that the actions of Canadian officials comply with Canada's international human and environmental rights obligations. Recommend that such reforms be developed only after a fulsome and meaningful process of civil society engagement. This should include HRDs, Indigenous peoples, communities, and groups who are directly affected by industrial resource extraction abroad, with the support of the Canadian government and diplomatic missions. Recommend that Canada conduct a comprehensive review of the failures of Canadian officials to uphold Canada's international human and environmental rights obligations in the four case studies cited in this report. This review should identify the appropriate remedies owed to any individuals who were harmed directly or indirectly by Canada's actions. Logos for MiningWatch Canada and the Justice and Corporate Accountability Project (JCAP) (CNW Group/Justice and Corporate Accountability Project (JCAP)) SOURCE Justice and Corporate Accountability Project (JCAP) Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2023/05/c7177.html Owners Team strengthened in anticipation of construction later this year Mr. Antonio Peixoto appointed Director of Operations, Brazil Mr. Mauricio Colletti appointed as Chief Mining Engineer and Mr. Mauro De Silva appointed as Chief Processing Engineer TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Cerrado Gold Inc. (TSX.V:CERT)(OTCQX:CRDOF) ("Cerrado" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has continued to strengthen its in country development, construction and operations team in anticipation of commencing construction activities later this year at its Monte do Carmo project in Tocantins sate, Brazil. Cerrado has appointed Mr. Antonio Peixoto as Director of Operations at its Monte do Carmo Project. In addition, the Company has also appointed Mr. Mauricio Coletti as Chief Mining Engineer and Mr. Mauro De Silva as Chief Processing Engineer. The new hires add several decades of operational experience to the Owners Team and reunites at team that have worked together on several successful operations and construction projects including Pan American's Jacobina Gold Mine and Largo Resources Maracas Vanadium Mine. Mr. Peixoto brings over 36 years of experience in the mining sector with over 22 years of direct management and operational experience. Mr. Peixoto joins most recently from Hochschild Mining Plc, where he was General Manager of the Mara Rosa project in the state of Goias, Brazil. Mr. Peixoto was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the operation including mining, exploration, plant operations, administrative and financial teams and most importantly, safety, environment and security. Previous roles have included operational management in Brazil for Prometalica, Kinross and Anglogold. Mr. Peixoto has a Master of Business Administration from the Getulio Vargas Foundation and a Degree in Metallurgical Engineering from the Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto. Mr. Mauricio Coletti has over 45 years experience in both open pit and underground operations across a range of commodities. Mr. Coletti was formerly at Largo Resources where he held the position of Mine Manager. Mr. Coletti has also held similar roles with Yamana at Jacobina and previously at the same mine when operated by Anglogold. Mr. Coletti has a Mining Engineering Degree from the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul and a Post-graduate degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Parana-UFPR. Story continues Mr. Mauro De Silva is an electrical engineer with over 35 years of experience in the engineering and maintenance of mining and metals processing plants. Mr. De Silva most recently held positions at Largo Resources, Yamana Gold, Anglo America, Caraiba Mining (currently Ero Copper) and Vale, where he has been involved in Maintenance Management, Project Coordination and Management. Mr. De Silva has a degree in electrical engineering from the Federal University of Minas Gerais. Mark Brennan, CEO and Chairman commented, "It is my great joy to see our owners team reunited to build yet another mine following Maracas (Largo) and Jacobina (Pan American Silver). We welcome Antonio, Mauricio and Mauro to the Cerrado team. Together with Kurt Menchen, our leader in Brazil, we are confident in our ability to bring the Monte do Carmo mine into production efficiently and on budget by early 2025." About Cerrado Cerrado is a Toronto based gold production, development and exploration company focused on gold projects in the Americas. The Company is the 100% owner of both the producing Minera Don Nicolas mine in Santa Cruz province, Argentina, and the highly prospective development project, Monte do Carmo located in Tocantins State, Brazil. For more information about Cerrado please visit our website at: www.cerradogold.com. For further information, contact: Mark Brennan David Ball CEO and Chairman Vice President, Corporate Development Tel: +1-647-796-0023 Tel: +1-647-796-0068 mbrennan@cerradogold.com dball@cerradogold.com Disclaimer NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation, all statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that discusses predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding the business and operations of Cerrado. In making the forward- looking statements contained in this press release, Cerrado has made certain assumptions, including, but not limited to the expected timing of commencement of construction activities at Monte do Carmo, the ability to develop Monte do Carmo efficiently and on budget in early 2025. Although Cerrado believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release. Except as required by law, Cerrado disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise. SOURCE: Cerrado Gold Inc. View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/747616/Cerrado-Gold-Strengthens-Owners-Team-at-Monte-Do-Carmo-Gold-Project-in-Tocatins-Brazil (Photo : Disability Insurance in Canada: Exploring Long-Term Options and Claiming Process) Disability insurance is a vital component of a comprehensive financial security plan for individuals and families. It offers financial protection by providing income replacement for those who cannot work due to a disability. Long-term disability insurance, in particular, can deliver ongoing income support to cover essential living expenses, medical treatment, and rehabilitation costs for an extended period. In Canada, the process of claiming long-term disability benefits varies depending on the specifics of the insurance policy and the individual's circumstances. Generally, claimants must provide documentation supporting their disability claims, such as medical records, employment information, and evidence of lost income. In most cases, a waiting or "elimination" period must be met before benefits become payable, typically between 90 to 180 days from the onset of the disability. Understanding the eligibility criteria, benefit amount, and duration of payments is essential for Canadians who rely on long-term disability insurance as a financial safety net. It's important to be proactive in the claims process, from the initial phase of applying and submitting relevant documents to ongoing communication with the insurer to ensure a smooth and timely experience. With the proper knowledge and guidance, Canadian residents can confidently navigate the complexities of disability insurance and safeguard their financial futures. Understanding Disability Insurance Disability insurance is an essential aspect of financial planning, aiming to provide a percentage of one's income in the event of a debilitating illness or injury that prevents an individual from working. In general, disability insurance is divided into two main types: short-term and long-term disability insurance. Long-term disability insurance (LTD) protects an individual's income over an extended period, typically lasting more than six months. While short-term disability insurance covers a smaller period, LTD policies offer a financial safety net for those who experience a significant and prolonged disability. These policies usually cover 60-80% of an individual's pre-disability income. Benefits typically kick in after a waiting period (the elimination period), which could vary from 90 days to several months. In Canada, claiming long-term disability insurance involves several steps. To begin, a person must establish their disability by providing medical records and relevant documentation outlining the condition's nature and its impact on their ability to work. The insurance company may require the claimant to see an approved medical specialist or undergo an independent medical examination. This ensures that the individual's condition meets the insurer's definition of "disability" and that the claim is valid. Step 1: Notify the insurance company of the disability Step 2: Fill out the necessary claim forms and gather documentation Step 3: Submit claim forms and documentation to insurer Step 4: Await insurer's decision on approval, which could involve additional medical examinations It's crucial to understand that long-term disability insurance policies may differ in specific provisions or definitions. For example, some policies may stipulate that a claimant qualifies for benefits if they cannot perform the duties of their "own occupation." In contrast, others require the claimant to be unable to perform any occupation for which they are reasonably suited by education, training, or experience. Reviewing your policy thoroughly to understand your coverage and eligibility for benefits is essential. Long Term Disability Insurance Long-term disability insurance protects individuals who cannot work due to a debilitating illness or injury. This type of insurance provides financial support, replacing a portion of the person's income and assisting them in maintaining their standard of living during their time away from work. Benefits and Coverage Long-term disability insurance benefits in Canada commonly offer 60-85% of the insured's pre-disability income. The coverage amount depends on the policy purchased and individual factors such as the person's occupation and health. The benefits are usually paid monthly and serve to cover essential living expenses. Some of the policy features may include rehabilitation benefits, cost-of-living adjustments, and partial disability benefits. It's essential to carefully review the policy details to understand the specific coverage and limitations. Eligibility Criteria To be eligible for long term disability insurance in Canada, an individual must meet specific criteria, including: Having employment or self-employment with a consistent income Being a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident Fulfilling the policy's definition of disability, typically meaning being unable to perform the essential duties of one's occupation due to illness or injury Waiting Period Long-term disability insurance policies come with a waiting period or elimination period, which is the time between the onset of the disability and when the benefits start to be paid. Depending on the policy, this waiting period can vary from 30 days to several months. During the waiting period, the insured may be required to use their short-term disability benefits or other resources to cover their expenses. Duration of Benefits The duration of long-term disability insurance benefits can also vary. Some policies provide coverage up to a specific age, such as 65. In contrast, others may offer benefits for pre-determined years or until the insured is no longer considered disabled. It's crucial to clearly understand the policy's benefit period and any potential limitations. Claiming Long Term Disability Insurance in Canada Long term disability insurance in Canada is essential for ensuring financial stability in the event of a debilitating illness or injury. This section will focus on the process of claiming long-term disability insurance, including the steps to file a claim, the required documentation, and appealing a denied claim. Filing a Claim To begin claiming long-term disability insurance, an individual must first notify their insurance provider of the disability. This should be done as soon as possible, as waiting too long may result in a denied claim. After notifying the provider, the claimant must: Complete the application forms provided by the insurance company. Include relevant medical documentation showcasing the extent of the disability. Apply promptly to avoid delays. Applicants must be thorough and accurate when filling out their application forms, as inconsistencies or errors may lead to the denial of the claim. Required Documentation Substantiating a long term disability claim requires sufficient medical documentation, which may include: Medical records and reports from treating physicians. Diagnostic test results (e.g., X-rays, MRIs, lab results). A detailed description of the claimant's job responsibilities and how the disability affects their ability to perform these duties. Claimants must ensure their healthcare providers supply the necessary documentation, as adequate or complete information may positively impact the claim outcome. Appealing a Denied Claim If a long term disability claim is denied, the claimant has the right to appeal the decision. The following steps must be followed during the appeal process: Review the denial letter from the insurance company to understand the reasons for denial. Gather any additional supporting documentation to address the stated concerns. Submit a written appeal letter to the insurance company, including any new evidence or information. The insurer then reviews the appeal and makes a decision. If the appeal is unsuccessful, it is recommended that claimants consult a legal professional experienced in disability insurance claims for further assistance. Choosing the Right Policy When it comes to long-term disability insurance in Canada, there are numerous options available. Selecting the appropriate policy can be crucial to ensuring financial stability in the event of a disability. In this section, we'll discuss the key features to look for in a policy and the factors to consider while making a decision. Policy Features Long-term disability insurance policies can differ in their coverage, benefits, and conditions. Some of the important features to consider include: Benefit amount: This is the monthly amount that you will receive if you become disabled. It is typically a percentage of your pre-disability income, usually ranging from 60% to 85%. Elimination period: This is the waiting period before your benefits begin. Depending on the policy, it can range from 30 days to several months. Benefit period: The duration your benefits will be paid, usually expressed in years. Common benefit periods are 2 years, 5 years, or up to a specific age such as 65. Definition of disability: How the policy defines a disability can impact your eligibility for benefits. The definition may be "own occupation" (unable to perform the duties of your specific job) or "any occupation" (unable to work in any job for which you are reasonably suited). Important Factors to Consider Beyond the policy features, there are additional factors to consider when selecting the most suitable long-term disability insurance in Canada: Insurer stability: Choose an insurer with a strong financial rating and a positive reputation. This will give you peace of mind that the company will be there to pay your claim if needed. Cost of premiums: Premiums can vary significantly between insurers and policies, so it's important to compare quotes from multiple sources. Remember that cheaper policies may have more restrictions, higher deductibles, or offer less coverage. Exclusions and limitations: Be aware of any specific exclusions or limitations on your policy. These can include pre-existing conditions, mental health disorders, or certain types of injuries. Extra features: Some policies may offer additional features such as cost-of-living adjustments, partial disability benefits, or rehabilitation support. Consider the value these features add to your specific situation. By evaluating long-term disability insurance policies based on their features and your individual needs, you can make an informed decision and feel more confident about your financial security in the event of a disability. Conclusion In conclusion, long-term disability insurance is a vital financial tool that provides income protection to individuals who cannot work due to a prolonged disability. In Canada, navigating the claims process can initially seem complex; however, understanding the key steps can help ease the process. Firstly, it is essential to clearly understand your policy's terms and conditions, as each policy differs in what constitutes a disability and the benefits provided. Gathering all relevant medical documentation and proof of your disability is crucial, as well as following any required waiting periods before filing a claim. Remember to keep open communication with your insurance company, healthcare providers, and employer during the claims process to ensure a smooth process. In Canada, both the claimant and the insurer have responsibilities - keeping this in mind will help facilitate a successful claim. In summary, long-term disability insurance is pivotal in safeguarding individuals' financial security when facing a long-lasting disability. Adequate knowledge of the claims process and proactive action can provide peace of mind and make the experience less daunting for those going through this challenging period. Steve Ussery spent the last 30 years as a successful Silicon Valley engineer but has recentl Read more69-year-old goes for his third degree UNODC holds National Consultation with all stakeholders on Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record systems Islamabad (Pakistan), 20-21 March 2023 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Office Pakistan, in partnership with Pakistan Customs and United Nations Countering Terrorist Travel (CT Travel) Programme, organized a two-day national consultation workshop with all relevant stakeholders in Pakistan on Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) systems to support the identification, detection and interception of foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) and other serious criminals. The consultation was aimed to develop a comprehensive understanding of Pakistans existing level of API and PNR implementation in terms of legal, operational and technical capacities, as well as national counter-terrorism structure and priorities, in order to identify specific areas for capacity-building support and technical assistance. The participants reviewed and discussed Pakistans existing level of API and PNR implementation, as well as counter-terrorism structure and priorities, in order to identify the specific capacity-building and technical assistance to be provided throughout implementation under its four key pillars. The two-day event helped the participants understand countrys requirements and challenges in establishing an operational API and PNR. at the same time, the UN delegation and national stakeholders discussed relevant aspects of the national legislation, in view of establishing the appropriate legal basis to collect, process and protect passenger data in accordance with international standards and human rights, as well as the required operational and technical capabilities. Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Mr. Asim Ahmad was the Chief Guest of the opening session which was attended by Her Excellency Leslie Scanlon, the High Commissioner of Canada; Dr. Jeremy Milsom, UNODC Country Representative; Mr. Mukarram Jah Ansari, Member Operations Pakistan Customs; and Mr. Jean-Phillippe Morange, Senior Legal Officer from UNCTED. Over 25 representatives from national agencies involved in border management, policing, intelligence, policy development, immigration, data management and sharing, passenger processing and facilitation, and human rights attended the workshop hosted by Pakistan Customs at Federal Board of Revenue. The UN CT Travel Programme is a whole of UN initiative which includes experts from the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the United Nations Office of Information and Communication Technology (UNOICT), the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Follow the Money for effective corruption investigations Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea), 23 March 2023 - Follow the Money was the message of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Papua New Guinea during a recent training to anti-corruption investigators to combat corrupt conduct and carry out financial investigations more effectively. Participants included highly experienced investigators, prosecutors, lawyers, and accountants from the Auditor Generals Office, the Independent Commission Against Corruption, the National Fraud & Anti-Corruption Directorate, the Office of the Public Prosecutor, and the Ombudsman Commission. The training was facilitated by UNODC under the EU-funded PNG Anti-Corruption Project implemented, jointly with the UN Development Programme. The training targeted specific operational activities to enhance the use of financial intelligence and pursue asset recovery proceedings. A core competency imparted at the training was the technical skills and methods to assess and calculate wealth, to identify possible unexplained wealth, and to pursue non-conviction-based recovery of assets under the Proceeds of Crimes Act 2015. "Non-conviction-based criminal assets investigation can run parallel to criminal proceedings in PNG. I hope the learnings from the UNODC training will be applied in practice," said Mr. Raphael Luman, Deputy Public Prosecutor- Courts. Participants were also trained to recognize organized crime activities and conspiracies when assessing or investigating corruption- and fraud-related offences. Bring corruption cases to court, says Chief Justice Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea), 3 April 2023 - Dispensing justice according to law without fear or favour, self-interest, or deceit, remains the mainstay of PNG courts, affirmed the Chief Justice of Papua New Guinea, Sir Gibuna Gibbs Salika, KBE, during briefings with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Lawyers and all law enforcement officers need to use PNGs anti-corruption legislation by bringing strong cases to test them in the Courts, Sir Gibuna told UNODC. The judiciary is an independent pillar of Government under the doctrine of the separation of powers enshrined in sections 99 of the Constitution of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea. The judiciary is instrumental in the crucial role of upholding the rule of law and the prudent oversight of enforcement in the criminal justice system. UNODC, as custodian of the UN Convention against Corruption, and through the European Union-funded PNG Anti-Corruption Project, implemented jointly with the UN Development Programme, took the opportunity this week to be updated personally by the Chief Justice and by Justice Berrigan, who administers the national fraud courts. The PNG Judiciary set up its fraud court in 2013 to address the large number of corruption and fraud cases in the country. The fraud court hears cases of corruption, financial crime, and fraud-related offences. It also has its own registry and has been dealing with corruption cases for almost a decade. There are many good laws to combat corruption in this country, I encourage lawyers and all law enforcement officers to test them in the Courts. We, the Judiciary are committed to meeting the expectations of our people. We are committed to the protection and adherence to the rule of law and dispensing justice according to law without fear or favour, self-interest, or deceit. We are committed to being the guardians, custodians and protectors of the Constitution and the Laws of this country, said Chief Justice, Sir Gibuna Gibbs Salika, KBE. UNODC works throughout the world responding to requests to strengthen criminal justice processes, particularly in relation to corruption and transnational crime. In PNG, under the EU-funded project, we are supporting corruption investigators and prosecutors to develop strong cases and apply modern tools like anti-money laundering and asset recovery laws where appropriate, said Graeme Gunn, UNODC Officer-in-Charge and Anti-Corruption Advisor in PNG. UNODC, as the custodian of the UN Convention Against Corruption, undertakes its 2023 programmes to combat corruption under the theme UNCAC at 20: Uniting the World Against Corruption, building up to International Anti-Corruption Day on 9 December 2023 and the 10th biennial Conference of States Parties on UNCAC. In the Pacific, UNODC partners with the Pacific Islands Forum to implement the regional anti-corruption roadmap, the Teieniwa Vision, adopted by the 18 Pacific Leaders in 2021 and devised at the Pacific Unity Against Corruption Leaders Conference in 2020, hosted by the Government of Kiribati and facilitated by UNODC. April 5 2023 Scottish Fire & Rescue has taken possession of a new Edinburgh headquarters, following the large-scale remodelling and retrofit of an existing station. McDonald Road Community Fire Station has been delivered by Smith Scott Mullan Associates (SSM) and Robertson Group, doubling as an active fire station and offices as well as a Museum of Fire Heritage - scheduled to open later this year. Works entailed rationalising the internal layout of the existing base, stripping out a haphazard accumulation of ad-hoc spaces to create a more functional whole complete with a strengthened street presence and identifiable entrances. This process included a full replacement of the facade while retaining the concrete frame, a process which has saved around 150,000kg of carbon versus demolition. In a press statement SSM wrote: "Externally, the strategy was to acknowledge the existing mix of horizontal and vertical elements and the inconsistent nature of the structural grid, adopting a defined top and bottom around the principal corner at Dryden Terrace. This approach created a vertical ribbed screen along the ground floor, behind which sit the more private functions and opening up key areas of the building including the museum, principal rooms and key entrances." The project team included services engineer Pick Everard and F3 building surveyors. (Bloomberg) -- Chicago elected Brandon Johnson in the mayoral runoff, a progressive who plans to raise taxes on major corporations to boost the citys revenue, after a contentious race that exposed divisions within Democratic politics. Most Read from Bloomberg Johnson, the Cook County commissioner, beat rival Paul Vallas, a former head of Chicago Public Schools who was backed by financial executives and made crime the focus of his campaign, according to the Associated Press. Chicago, tonight is just the beginning, Johnson told a crowd of cheering supporters. With our voices and our votes, we have ushered in a new chapter in the history of our city. Johnson, 47, garnered support from the influential Chicago Teachers Union, and surprised many when he made it to the runoff, beating incumbent Lori Lightfoot the first mayor of Chicago to lose a reelection bid since 1983. He appealed to voters in a largely progressive city and gained momentum by linking his Democrat opponent to the Republican party and to indicted former President Donald Trump. His victory comes as Chicago faces significant challenges. The city has been slower to recover from the pandemic than New York, Washington and Los Angeles. Its also struggled with crime and high-profile corporate departures, including billionaire Ken Griffins Citadel and plane maker Boeing Co. On Tuesday, Vallas, who received financial support from executives at Citadel and private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners, said he called Johnson to offer his full support on his transition. The only pathway forward in our great city is together, Vallas told his supporters, whether its quality schools, affordable or equitable economic development, the solutions we adopt and implement must work for all Chicagoans. Story continues Johnson plans a $4 per employee tax on large companies that have at least half of their operation in Chicago. Hes also proposing a $1 or $2 tax per securities-trading contract, a plan that would likely need state approval and is fiercely opposed by the citys exchange giants CME Group and Cboe. He also wants to increase revenue by raising taxes on hotels, implementing a levy on airlines that pollute the citys air and increasing fees on the sale of high-end properties. He pledged, however, to freeze property taxes, which are largely used to plug the citys pension hole but have been pushing Chicagoans out of the city. At a campaign event at the City Club of Chicago last week, Johnson touted his ability to bring the city together to solve big issues including crime and pension debt. He also said he planned to bring high-growth businesses to Chicago and added he would need corporations to hire young people as a way to combat crime. When asked how he reconciled those goals with his plan for corporate taxation, Johnson dodged the question, saying: What needs to be reconciled? We want a better, stronger, safer Chicago. Everybody wants that. Thats how we reconcile: we do what works. Businesses want investment, consider me the investor-in-chief, he said. Crime was a central feature of the campaign and it was Lightfoots failure to deal with the issue that cost her reelection. Johnson was also the only candidate who refused to pledge to restaff the police force. Instead, he said it was time to get smart instead of tough, and focused on a plan to train and promote 200 detectives. He also pledged to deal with crime by focusing on mental health. Chicago is also facing a fiscal cliff next year as federal relief funds come to an end. Ralph Martire, executive director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, a nonpartisan research organization, estimates the next mayor already starts with a revenue gap of at least $373 million. And that doesnt include the annual increase in pension contributions, he said. Plugging the pension hole will require Johnson to boost property taxes, even if he says he doesnt plan to, Martire said. Otherwise he will have to divert money normally dedicated to services. What the property tax levy does for the city of Chicago is cover the vast majority of the pension payment, he said in an interview last week. Its just not good fiscal policy to suggest that youre not going to rely on enhancing your property tax revenue to cover this. (Updates with comment from Johnson in third paragraph and Vallas in eighth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. (@ChaudhryMAli88) New York, April 5 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Apr, 2023 ) :Donald Trump on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts inside a packed New York courtroom ahead of a trial that could begin as soon as January, as he became the first American president to be arrested on criminal charges. After a stern glare to the waiting press, Trump spent about an hour inside a Manhattan courtroom as he voluntarily surrendered over allegations involving hush money payments that have already upended the 2024 White House race in which he is leading the Republican field. "Not guilty," Trump said in a clear voice inside the courtroom, where he sat with his shoulders up to his ears, at times looking annoyed but mostly listening cooperatively. Trump denied all the charges, which related to payments to keep people quiet including over an alleged affair with an adult film actress. The 76-year-old hotel tycoon is accused of falsifying business records including some that were allegedly mischaracterized for tax purposes. "Manhattan is home to the country's most significant business market. We cannot allow New York businesses to manipulate their records to cover up criminal conduct," said Manhattan's District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who has faced heated attacks from Trump and his family. The trial could potentially start as soon as January, Judge Juan Merchan said, meaning that Trump could be in a courtroom just as Primary elections begin in the presidential race. Trump's lawyers, denouncing the allegations as "sad" and "boilerplate," want the trial pushed back to the spring. "We're going to fight it, we're going to fight it hard," attorney Todd Blanche said outside the court complex. Merchan released the former president from custody without any restrictions. Trump was expected to speak at length later including at a campaign-style event after the native New Yorker flies back to his estate in Florida. In a spectacle that played out on live television -- with rival protesters rallying outside -- the hearing marked a watershed moment for the US criminal and political system the year before the 2024 election. "Seems so SURREAL -- WOW, they are going to ARREST ME," Trump posted on his Truth Social app as he headed to the courthouse from Trump Tower, where he spent the night before the hearing. The twice-impeached Republican is the first sitting or former American president to be criminally indicted -- a development that has propelled the United States into uncharted political waters. Police lined the streets while helicopters buzzed in the skies as Trump's motorcade made the short drive to court, a journey given wall-to-wall live coverage on US networks although cameras were not allowed for the hearing itself. Trump was not subjected to a "perp walk" -- in which a defendant is escorted in handcuffs past media cameras. But the former president was believed to have undergone the standard booking procedure of being fingerprinted. Trump claims he is the victim of "political persecution" -- but is also using the court case to energize his support base and raise millions of Dollars for his bid to reclaim the White House. Hundreds of people gathered outside the venue -- both Trump supporters and anti-Trump demonstrators, as well as media and curious onlookers. Police stepped into the fray as the pro-Trump side -- many sporting "MAGA" hats and attire emblazoned with the American flag -- yelled slurs at counterprotesters. The anti-Trump camp unfurled a large banner reading "Trump lies all the time" and chanted "Lock him up!" as Trump fans waved a flag with the slogan "Trump or Death." The most famous charges against Trump revolve around the investigation of $130,000 paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels just days before Trump's election win. Trump's former lawyer and aide Michael Cohen, who has turned against his ex-boss, says he arranged the payment to Daniels in exchange for her silence about a tryst she says she had with Trump in 2006. Trump, whose third wife Melania had recently given birth at the time, denies the affair. Prosecutors also faulted Trump over a $30,000 payment made by the owner of a tabloid to keep quiet a doorman at Trump Tower over allegations that the former president had a child out of wedlock. Trump is facing a series of separate criminal investigations at the state and Federal level that could result in further -- more serious -- charges between now and Election Day. They include his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state of Georgia, his handling of classified documents, and his possible involvement in the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. President Joe Biden, mindful that anything he might say could fuel Trump's claim of a politically "weaponized" judicial system, is one of the few Democrats holding back over the indictment of his rival. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden would "catch part of the news when he has a moment," but insisted: "This is not something that's a focus for him."Republicans meanwhile have largely rallied around Trump, including his rival in the party's presidential primary, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who called the indictment "un-American." (@ChaudhryMAli88) ANKARA, Apr 5 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Apr, 2023 ) :North Korean journalists gathered in the capital Pyongyang this week for the first time in 22 years for a two-day conference, media reports said on Wednesday. The Journalists Union of Korea (JUK) conference was held for the first time since the country's current leader Kim Jong-un took power in 2011, as it had previously been held in 2001, the South Korean Yonhap News Agency reported. North Korean state media also confirmed the conference, reporting that the 9th Congress of the JUK was held in the capital on April 3 and 4, with participants also accepting the ruling party's policies and stance and adopting a letter of a pledge to Kim Jong-un. Officials from the ruling party also attended the congress as observers. During the gathering, participants comprehensively and deeply reviewed the union's work and underscored the need to steadily improve the contents and forms of articles and editions in keeping with the intensified revolution in order to turn the country's media into an ideological weapon for inspiring all people to strenuously perform feats, the state-run Korean Central News Agency said in its report. "They also seriously analyzed the reasons why they failed to keep abreast of the changing reality in their mode of thinking and creation, and referred to the measures to be taken to tackle them immediately," the news agency said. The forum also elected Pak Tong Sok and Ryom Chol Ho as chairman and vice-chairman of the JUK Central Committee, respectively. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Israeli police arrested more than 350 people after clashes erupted inside Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque early Wednesday when officers entered to dislodge "agitators" in a move denounced by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas Jerusalem, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Apr, 2023 ):Israeli police arrested more than 350 people after clashes erupted inside Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque early Wednesday when officers entered to dislodge "agitators" in a move denounced by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas. Palestinian militants responded with rocket fire into Israel from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, prompting retaliatory Israeli air strikes. The violence came with tensions high in annexed east Jerusalem as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan coincides with the Jewish Passover holiday. Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, called on Palestinians in the West Bank "to go en masse to the Al-Aqsa mosque to defend it". Israeli police said they had entered the mosque to dislodge "agitators" who had barricaded themselves inside with fireworks, sticks and stones, making more than 350 arrests. The mosque compound in east Jerusalem's Old City has long been a flashpoint for violence between Palestinians and the Israeli security forces, particularly during Ramadan, which draws tens of thousands of worshippers to Al-Aqsa. The mosque, which is Islam's third holiest site, is built on top of what Jews call the Temple Mount, Judaism's holiest site. The fresh violence comes nearly halfway through Ramadan and as Jews prepare to celebrate Passover from Wednesday evening. Israeli police released video footage showing what appear to be fireworks explosions inside the mosque and figures throwing stones. Another police video shows riot police with shields advancing through the mosque under a barrage of blasts. The footage then shows a barricaded door and boxes of fireworks on the floor, as well as police escorting at least five people outside with their hands cuffed behind their backs. Israeli police said they were forced to enter the mosque after "several law-breaking youths and masked agitators" barricaded themselves inside. "These instigators fortified it, hours after the Taraweeh prayer (the last of the day) in order to disrupt public order and desecrate the mosque," a police statement said. "After many and prolonged attempts to get them out by talking to no avail, police forces were forced to enter the compound in order to get them out with the intentions to allow the Fajr (dawn) prayer and to prevent a violent disturbance. "When the police entered, stones were thrown at them and fireworks were fired from inside the mosque by a large group of agitators," the police said, adding that one officer was injured in the leg by a stone. Police "detained the rioters", who "caused damage to the mosque and desecrated it". Following news of the clashes at Al-Aqsa, at least nine rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, the army said. It said five were intercepted by air defences, and four struck uninhabited areas. "In response" Israeli fighter jets struck two suspected Hamas weapons manufacturing sites in the central Gaza Strip, the army said. The air strikes were followed by new rocket fire from Gaza, and at around 6:15 am (0415 GMT), Israeli jets carried out fresh strikes, AFP journalists reported. No casualties were reported in the first salvo of strikes. Earlier in Gaza, dozens of demonstrators took to the streets, burning tyres. "We swear to defend and protect the Al-Aqsa mosque," they chanted. Palestinian civil affairs minister Hussein al-Sheikh condemned the Israeli police action inside Al-Aqsa, saying "the level of brutality requires urgent Palestinian, Arab and international action." Jordan, which administers the mosque, condemned its "storming", and called on Israeli forces to leave the compound "immediately". Saudi Arabia expressed its "categorical rejection" of actions that contradict "international principles and norms in respect of religious sanctities," a foreign ministry statement said. Egypt, which has frequently played the role of mediator between Israel and the Palestinians, condemned the "blatant attacks" on worshippers. "Egypt holds Israel, the occupying power, responsible for this dangerous escalation which could undermine the truce efforts in which Egypt is engaged with its regional and international partners," the foreign ministry said. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been sucked into a spiral of violence since the start of the year after the most right-wing government in Israel's history took office at the end of December. The conflict has claimed the lives of at least 91 Palestinians, 15 Israelis and one Ukrainian since January, according to an AFP tally based on official sources from both sides. On the Palestinian side, the figures include combatants as well as civilians. On the Israeli side, they include two members of the Arab minority. Iran has appointed an ambassador to the United Arab Emirates for the first time in eight years amid a thaw in diplomatic relations between Tehran and Arab countries, media reported on Tuesday MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th April, 2023) Iran has appointed an ambassador to the United Arab Emirates for the first time in eight years amid a thaw in diplomatic relations between Tehran and Arab countries, media reported on Tuesday. Reza Ameri, the new Iranian ambassador to the UAE, previously served as a director general of Iranian expatriates office in the country's foreign ministry, as well as the country's ambassador to Algeria, Sudan and Eritrea, IRNA news agency reported. On March 16, the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, met with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi as part of Tehran's effort to renew its relations with Arab countries. The parties discussed bilateral relations and ways to establish cooperation. On March 10, Iran and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement mediated by China to resume relations, as well as open embassies and representative offices within two months. The joint statement was signed after days of talks between Shamkhani and his Saudi counterpart in Beijing. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th April, 2023) Israeli military aircraft are striking targets in the Gaza Strip after nine rockets had been fired at Israel from the region, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing eyewitnesses. Earlier on Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces said that a total of nine rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip at Israel overnight, four of the rockets were intercepted by air defense systems, and another four rockets landed in open areas. According to the report, the Israeli attack comes as a response to the rocket attack from the Gaza Strip amid the Al-Aqsa Mosque incident. Palestinian media reported on Tuesday that dozens of Palestinians were injured during clashes with Israeli forces at Al-Aqsa Mosque in the city of Jerusalem. According to reports, Israeli forces stormed the mosque prayer hall on Tuesday night and attacked the Palestinians, using stun grenades, gas, rubber bullets, batons and stocks of rifles. Palestine Center for Prisoners Studies director Riyad Al-Ashqar told journalists that the Israeli forces detained over 200 Palestinians during the raid. He said that many of them were taken to an Israeli military base in the town of Anata in the governorate of Jerusalem. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Reuniting children with parents and taking care of separated children is a top priority for Russian President Putin, Russia's Presidential Commissioner for Children Rights Maria Lvova-Belova said on Wednesday UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th April, 2023) Reuniting children with parents and taking care of separated children is a top priority for Russian President Putin, Russia's Presidential Commissioner for Children Rights Maria Lvova-Belova said on Wednesday. "As far as foster care of children, reuniting children with their parents, that is a priority for the President," Lvova-Belova told the conference room members. But children don't always have relatives or family members, she added. The Russian Mission to the United Nations convened a UN Arria-formula meeting titled "Children and Armed Conflict: Ukrainian Crisis. Evacuating Children From Conflict Zone" on Wednesday morning. Among the briefers were Lvova-Belova and Daria Morozova, the human rights commissioner of the Donetsk People's Republic. A webcast of the meeting had been blocked by the United Kingdom due to it featuring Lvova-Belova, who alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin is wanted by the International Criminal Court for the alleged "unlawful transfer of children" from former Ukrainian territories. Turkey has closed its airspace for three months to planes flying to and from Iraq's Sulaymaniyah International Airport in the Iraqi Kurdish region due to the increased activity of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), banned by Ankara as terrorist, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic said on Wednesday ANKARA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th April, 2023) Turkey has closed its airspace for three months to planes flying to and from Iraq's Sulaymaniyah International Airport in the Iraqi Kurdish region due to the increased activity of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), banned by Ankara as terrorist, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic said on Wednesday. "Turkish airspace has been closed to aircraft which land/take-off at Iraq's Sulaymaniyah International Airport as of 3 April. The decision was taken upon the intensification of PKK terrorist organization's activities in Sulaymaniyah, infiltration by the terrorist organization into the airport and thus threatening of flight safety," the statement read. The spokesman noted that the decision would initially be valid until 3 July 2023 and then reviewed in the light of developments that Ankara will closely monitor. The armed conflict with the PKK began in Turkey in 1984 and resumed in 2015. The organization also deployed some of its bases in northern Iraq, and the Turkish armed forces conducted air and ground operations to destroy them. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th April, 2023) A Bell 505 helicopter crashed in northern Vietnam on Wednesday, killing two people and leaving three others missing, Vietnamese media reported. The helicopter, owned by the state-run North Vietnam Helicopter Company, was piloted by Colonel Chu Quang Minh and was carrying four tourists, the VnExpress newspaper reported. After the helicopter's radio signal was lost, a team of military personnel arrived at the crash site on the border of Quang Ninh province and found two bodies near the aircraft's wreckage, the report said. Rescuers are currently searching for three more people. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Wednesday strongly condemned a decision by the Taliban authorities to ban Afghan women from working for the UN, and called for the decision to be immediately revoked, his spokesperson said UNITED NATIONS, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Apr, 2023 ) :United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Wednesday strongly condemned a decision by the Taliban authorities to ban Afghan women from working for the UN, and called for the decision to be immediately revoked, his spokesperson said. "This is a violation of the inalienable fundamental human rights of women," spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement issued at UN Headquarters in New York. "It also violates Afghanistan's obligations under international human rights law, and infringes on the principle of non-discrimination, which is a core tenet underpinning the United Nations Charter," the statement said. "Female staff members are essential for the United Nations operations, including in the delivery of life-saving assistance. The enforcement of this decision will harm the Afghan people, millions of whom are in need of this assistance. "The secretary-general calls on the Taliban to immediately revoke the decision and reverse all measures that restrict women's and girls' rights to work, education and freedom of movement." Some 23 million people - more than half of Afghanistan's population - need help, according to the UN. Despite initial promises of a more moderate rule than during its previous stint in power, the Taliban have imposed tough measures since taking over the country in 2021 as US and NATO forces were pulling out of Afghanistan after two decades of war. Girls are banned from education beyond sixth grade. Women are barred from working, studying, traveling without a male companion, and even going to parks. Afghan women are already barred from working at national and international non-governmental organizations, disrupting the delivery of humanitarian aid, but the ban did not previously cover working for the UN. On its part, Pakistan has been calling on the Taliban to reverse restrictions on women and girls in the country. Speaking at a press briefing on the outcome of the Women in islam Conference in New York last month, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the actions on Afghan women and girls were not the norm within the Muslim world. "There is no other country on the planet, Muslim or otherwise, that condones depriving women and girls from the right to education," FM Bilawal had said. The latest decision focussed on the UN staff, "is just the latest in a disturbing trend of edicts, undermining the ability of aid organizations to reach those most in need", Spokesman Dujarric at his regular noon briefing on Tuesday. "We will continue to pursue all avenues to ensure that we can reach the most vulnerable people, especially women and girls," he added. In March, Roza Isakovna Otunbayeva, UN Special Representative and head of the UNAMA Assistance Mission, told the Security Council that Afghanistan under the Taliban remained the "most repressive country in the world (for) women's rights". "At a moment when (the country) needs all of its human capital to recover from decades of war, half of its potential doctors, scientists, journalists, and politicians are shut away in their homes, their dreams crushed, and their talents confiscated," she said in a briefing to the Council. (Bloomberg) -- Chinese authorities have launched a probe into the former chairman and party chief of state-owned China Everbright Group, the latest sign that the countrys crackdown on corruption in the financial sector is picking up pace. Most Read from Bloomberg Li Xiaopeng is suspected of serious violations of discipline and law, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the State Supervision Commission said in a one-sentence statement. The announcement came after the anti-graft body said last week it will start a fresh round of checks at more than 30 state-owned companies. As part of the inspection, they will also look back at five financial firms that had been previously targeted, including China Everbright Group. Chinas $60 trillion finance industry is being rocked by a clampdown that has become its most extensive since beginning in late 2021. It comes amid a broader push to rein in risks in the sector as policy makers seek to restore growth, manage the economic fallout of frayed ties with the US and step up their charm offensive with foreign business and private industry. Authorities late last Friday warned top banking executives that the campaign is far from over, just as they were about to announce the probe of the most senior state banker in nearly two decades, Bloomberg News reported previously. Officials from the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission and the anti-graft watchdog called in top executives from at least six big state-owned banks to address the probe of Bank of China Ltd.s former Chairman Liu Liange, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named as the information is private. Story continues Founded in 1983 by Chinas finance ministry and Central Huijin Investment Ltd., China Everbright Group is a financial conglomerate that spans the banking and securities industries. The latest probe, coupled with the warning, adds to evidence that President Xi Jinpings anti-graft campaign in the financial sector is gaining traction even after the claim of initial success last year. At least 20 financial executives have been probed or penalized since late February. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. National Lab Day April 12-13 at UW National Lab Day -- an event to learn about and explore opportunities for partnerships with U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories -- is scheduled Wednesday and Thursday, April 12-13, at the University of Wyomings Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center. UW and DOE are co-hosts of the conference. National Lab Days agenda and networking opportunities are designed to acquaint UW researchers, industries, small-business owners and students with DOE national laboratory scientists and leaders. DOE maintains 17 preeminent national laboratories across the country, each providing distinctive scientific and technological capabilities that are often beyond the scope of academic and industrial institutions. National Lab Day is an opportunity for the UW community to connect with leaders and scientists from all 17 national labs and to explore opportunities for collaboration and discuss topics from energy to the environment to business and industry, UW President Ed Seidel says. Our national labs are the crown jewels of DOE and address the grand societal challenges of our time, including developing sustainable and diverse sources of energy, building a prosperous and equitable economy, and creating healthy environments and vibrant communities. UWs DOE National Lab Day will provide an introduction to the national labs, with panel discussions on topics such as energy, environmental science and computing. Attendees will meet with lab directors and scientists; learn about the facilities and expertise available to support research, technology development and education; and discover how to engage with national lab scientists. Panels featuring national lab directors and industry leaders also are planned. As UW initiates implementation of its new strategic plan, National Lab Day will open new opportunities to enhance institutional excellence and student success, says Parag Chitnis, UWs vice president for research and economic development. Among DOE speakers are Geri Richmond, undersecretary for science and innovation; Harriet Kung, deputy director for science programs in the Office of Science; Kathryn Huff, assistant secretary for the Office of Nuclear Energy; and Brad Crabtree, assistant secretary for the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management. Tours of UWs research facilities -- the Engineering Education and Research Building and the High Bay Research Facility -- also will be offered to attendees. As we continue to aspire to Carnegie R1 status, events like National Lab Day help to demonstrate our commitment to research excellence across all disciplines and invite our campus community to explore opportunities for collaborations with our national labs, Seidel adds. Cost for the conference is $175, with a limited number of registrations taken through Friday, April 7. For more information, call the UW Research and Economic Development Division at (307) 766-5353. Second Annual Access UW Day Is Friday Members of the University of Wyoming community are invited to participate in the second annual Access UW Day Friday, April 7. Sponsored by UW Disability Support Services and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the initiative invites campus units to each host a one-hour event that engages campus members in an aspect of accessibility. Here are some of the events already scheduled for Friday: -- Device demonstrations, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Wyoming Union breezeway: The Wyoming Assistive Technology Resources (WATR) team will host a table to showcase some devices available for short-term loan, as well as provide information about other resources available through WATR. -- Coffee, Tea and Accessible Zines, 10-11:30 a.m., Coe Library: Join UW Libraries to create your own zines related to accessibility in the libraries and on campus. Zines are homemade publications related to themes or ideas created with different materials. Coffee, tea and doughnuts will be provided. -- Community mural, 10 a.m.-noon, UW Art Museum: Drop in to the first floor of the Art Museum to contribute to a community mural with adaptive painting tools. -- Discussion and viewing of Fixed: The Science/Fiction of Human Enhancement, 12:30-2 p.m., Coe Library, Room 123: Join faculty member Michelle Jarman and UW Disability Studies for a viewing of the film Fixed: The Science/Fiction of Human Enhancement and a discussion of the film through the lens of accessibility. Additional events may be found on this calendar, which is being updated as activities are added. For more information, email Disability Support Services at udss@uwyo.edu. UW and Weston County Library System Offer Blood Pressure Cuffs for Checkout From left, Kaitlin Macke, Childrens Services librarian; Sherry Alberson, Adult Services librarian; Brenda Mahoney-Ayres, director of the Weston County Library System; and Lisa Thomas, Circulation Services librarian, pose with blood pressure kits at the Weston County Library in Newcastle. The kits are now available in Newcastle and at the Upton Branch Library. The public can check out the kits for a period up to two weeks. (Dian True Photo) Self-measured blood pressure monitoring kits are now available for checkout at the libraries in Newcastle and Upton. The kits are offered through a collaborative pilot project among the Wyoming Center on Aging (WyCOA) at the University of Wyoming, the Wyoming Department of Healths Chronic Disease Prevention Program and the Weston County Library System. The kits, available in both English and Spanish, include an automated home blood pressure cuff; blood pressure logbooks; educational materials from the American Heart Association; information on what blood pressure is; and ideas for healthy lifestyle changes. The kits also include a resource directory to local community-based organizations and referral resources to the Healthy U chronic disease self-management program. The loan period is two weeks. Blood pressure kits can be renewed, up to two times, if there are no holds on the item. This program also is currently available to residents in Albany, Carbon, Crook, Laramie, Lincoln, Natrona, Park, Sheridan, Sublette, Sweetwater and Washakie counties with plans to be in all 23 counties by the end of June 2023. Nearly half of adults in the United States -- 47 percent, or 116 million -- have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, or are taking medication for hypertension, and 24 percent with hypertension have their condition under control, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Wyoming, 30.7 percent of adults have been told that they have high blood pressure, according to the Wyoming Department of Healths Chronic Disease Prevention Program. While self-measurement of blood pressure is not a substitute for regular visits to a primary care physician, it is a way for individuals to see and track their numbers, giving individuals more information that can be communicated to their doctors. Information is power and, the more information a patient and their doctor have, the better the treatment plan, says Dian True, a senior project coordinator with WyCOA. Better treatment plans lead to better overall health. Thats the goal of this project -- to work to improve the health of our communities. The Weston County Library System is committed to building and supporting strong, healthy communities. This project provides a unique opportunity to offer the community more information about self-monitored blood pressure and its important role in health. Were excited to partner with the Wyoming Department of Health and WyCOA to bring these much-needed resources to the community, says Brenda Mahoney-Ayres, director of the Weston County Library System. To learn more about the Weston County Library System, go to www.westongov.com/library/. To learn more about WyCOA and its programs, go to www.uwyo.edu/wycoa/. A logo is seen at the WTO in Geneva (Reuters) -China has urged the World Trade Organization to scrutinise US-led technology export restrictions aimed at curbing its ability to make advanced chips, state television said on Wednesday. Chinese representatives told a WTO meeting this week that Japan, the Netherlands and the United States should report their plans and subsequent measures to the body, which it urged to step up supervision on the matter, broadcaster CCTV said. A Geneva-based trade official confirmed that China raised the issue and asked the WTO to strengthen its monitoring of the measures during a tense two-day meeting of its Council for Trade in Goods. The US has previously said its actions relate to national security grounds and should not be subject to review by the WTO. Last week, without specifying China as the target, Japan said it would restrict export of 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, a move in line with Washington's curbs announced last October. That came after the Netherlands said last month that it also planned to limit similar exports, such as those from ASML Holding NV, which dominates the market for lithography systems used to create chips' minute circuitry. The move of the three nations in alignment to curb chip exports to China "violates the fairness and transparency principles of WTO", CCTV said. The state broadcaster gave no details of any WTO response to China's remarks. China responded to the US measures last year with a WTO complaint saying the US actions were inconsistent with articles governing trade between member nations, a dispute record on the WTO's website shows. At the time, Washington said the measures concerned issues of national security "not susceptible to review or capable of resolution" by WTO dispute settlement. (Reporting by Chen Aizhu and Jenny Wang; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) Vietnam is one of the most affordable travel destinations in Asia, where budget-conscious tourists can enjoy a wide range of activities, attractions, and local delicacies. Follow our Vietnam travel tips on how to save money in Vietnam, which comprises essential aspects such as accommodation, dining, and shopping. Eat like a local Vietnam has recently become a popular destination for tourists, therefore a lot of restaurants and hostels serve Western food with a rather higher price. However, this is rarely worth the extra cost since the local street food is cheap and yet very delicious. Often times the most authentic dishes can be found in roadside eateries, vibrant markets, and food carts. Eating at street stalls is not only the best ways to discover Vietnamese cuisine, but is also incredibly cheap. For example, a bowl of Pho costs just about 40,000 VND (less than $2). Rice dishes, banh mi, spring rolls, and banh xeo are often at a similar price. Pick a stand, do what the locals do and go for it. If you want a truly authentic Vietnamese dining experience, eat a meal with a local family in home-stay or learn to cook the dishes with cooking classes. Drink like a local Beer in a Southeast Asian country like Vietnam is cheap. A bottle of Tiger or Saigon costs you around VND 20,000 (under $1). However, theres an even much cheaper one is bia hoi. This cheapest beer in the world is a draught beer freshly brewed on the day and served from a keg or container on the side of the street. Nothing beats sitting on a street corner on a plastic chair, sipping this cheap and cheerful beer at around 15-30 cents. If youre in Hanoi, Bia Hoi Junction in the Old Quarter is a great place to sit and watch the world go by. However, theres a drawback that it contains only 4% of alcohol. So if its not enough, beers such as Tiger are available. And bargain like a real one, too Shopping is one of the best things to do in Vietnam, here you can find unique handicrafts and local food at relatively affordable prices. However, selling and buying in Vietnam tend to need some tactics. As a tourist, you should expect to be charged more than the true price of an item or service, but dont take it too serious cause thats just the way it goes around here. Be confident and find ways of bargaining. Also, take your time searching for good Vietnamese souvenirs and gifts for your family and friends. Here are some tips for bargaining in Vietnam: First ask the price, then ask if the price can be reduced. If the answer is yes, then offer about one-half of the asking price. After some counteroffers, you and the seller will agree on a price that is about half to two-thirds of the original asking price. You can leave if you think the final offer is too high. Tell the sellers you have visited several shops and you knew the price. If you dont really want to buy, dont open negotiations. If you are going to shop there frequently, your relationship with the sellers will be important and eventually, his opening prices will be lower. In some cases, learning a little Vietnamese can help. Find the right place to stay Backpackers areas are great to save money when you travel in Vietnam as you can find just about anything that you want without being charged unreasonably high for it. Wherever you go, hostels are among the cheapest options you can find if youre traveling on a tight budget. These areas usually have funky bars, roadside eateries, street markets and countless tour companies. Accommodation options here comprise guesthouses, hostels, and motels. A typical backpackers district in Vietnam is Ho Chi Minh Citys Pham Ngu Lao Street. If you want it to be more private, most hostels in Vietnam offer rooms for couples or singles at higher rates. Bamboo Airways signed an MoU with Melbourne International Airport on Tuesday to operate direct flights to the Australian city from Hanoi. It would become the first Vietnamese carrier to fly on the route when it launches the service by year-end using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner airplanes, the carrier said in a statement. The Vietnamese community in Australia numbers nearly half a million but there are only a few direct services between the two countries, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung, who is on a visit in Australia, said at the signing ceremony. The route is a precursor to starting direct flights to more destinations in Australia, Dung added. Direct services between Vietnams southern metropolis, Ho Chi Minh City, and Melbourne operated by Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar Pacific carried around 259,000 travelers last year, Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) data shows. Australia is among Vietnams top 10 tourism feeder markets with 387,000 arrivals in 2018. Australian tourists spent on average VND36.6 million ($1,580) per trip in Vietnam last year, according to the Vietnam Tourism Annual Report published by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. China is Vietnams biggest tourism market last year with 4.9 million arrivals but its tourists spent an average of only VND19 million ($819) per trip. Bamboo Airways was established in July as Vietnams fifth airline, and currently operates 27 routes. It plans to increase this to 37-40 by the end of this year, including new long-haul routes to Europe and the Americas, the carrier stated. Vietnam now has six domestic carriers: Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet, Jetstar Pacific, Vietnam Air Services Company (VASCO), Bamboo Airways, and newly-licensed Vietstar Airlines, a military-run company. Hospitality group Thien Minhs KiteAir, tourism firm Vietravels Vietravel Airlines and business conglomerate Vingroups Vinpearl Air are vying to be the seventh national carrier. After the first international regular flight carrying passengers from Cambodia to Vietnam, in the coming days, a series of other international flights will also be resumed and tickets will be sold to customers in need. On the evening of January 1, 2022, the first international regular flight carrying two-way passengers (going and returning) to Vietnam was officially carried out. The flight carrying 121 passengers arrived in Vietnam with flight number VN852 route Phnom Penh (Cambodia) Ho Chi Minh City operated by Vietnam Airlines. The passengers on the flight meet the regulations to test negative, get vaccinated against Covid-19, or recover from Covid-19 before departure. Vietnam Airlines maintains the application of epidemic prevention measures for flights, such as disinfecting the aircraft, simplifying services to limit repeated contact Passengers monitor their health and isolate according to the regulations of the Ministry of Transport Medical after landing. The above flight officially marked the reopening of a regular international airport, restoring the bridge connecting Vietnams aviation with the world after nearly 2 years of having to suspend operations because of the COVID-19 epidemic. The flight opens up hope for the recovery of aviation and international travel in the period of the new normal. After the Vietnam Cambodia flight is restored, on the basis of the agreement of the Government, the Ministry of Transport, and the flight license of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, in the next few days, a series of other regular international routes will also be resumed. The airline has started selling commercial tickets to customers in need. The plan to resume regular international flights carrying passengers to areas with a high safety factor starting from January 1, 2022, has been approved by the Government. This policy aims to restore international passenger transport activities; promote the process of economic recovery, tourism; not let Vietnam lag behind other countries in the region; create conditions for Vietnamese citizens to return to their homeland in the context of the coming Lunar New Year. Initially, the plan to reopen international flights will be piloted for 2 weeks, then the second phase will be piloted in 1 month. The Ministry of Transport will evaluate and report to the Government to proceed to normal operation. Photo: The Canadian Press Police officers and paramedics attend the scene of a stabbing onboard a transit bus in Surrey, B.C. on Saturday, April 1, 2023. The victim has returned home from hospital, recovering from an attack that family members say could have easily killed him.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Shane MacKichan The victim of what RCMP allege was terrorism on a Surrey, B.C., bus on Saturday has returned home from hospital after his throat was slashed in an attack a family member says could have easily killed him. Chris Jensen says his partner's brother suffered a knife wound stretching from the back of his neck to near his throat, just below the left side of his jaw. He says the victim, who he calls his brother-in-law, returned from hospital Tuesday to the home in Surrey, where he lives with Jensen and his partner. Jensen says his brother-in-law described getting onto the bus and then turning to help a man he thought was falling before he saw the knife. He struggled with the armed man and eventually succeeded in pushing the attacker off the bus after being wounded. Abdul Aziz Kawam, who is due to reappear in Surrey provincial court on Wednesday, is charged with attempted murder, assault causing bodily harm, aggravated assault, and assault with a weapon, all in association with terrorist group the Islamic State. Jensen says his brother-in-law suffered some vocal-chord damage, but the knife did not strike any major tendons or arteries, and doctors are hopeful he can make a full recovery. "We face the reality that it could have been worse. We know that recent stabbing victims have not been so lucky," Jensen said, "We know there is a lot of violence that pops (up) that randomly and the best you can do is be vigilant." Jensen has set up a GoFundMe page for the victim, who he says is Indigenous. He says on the page that the victim is "one of the most unassuming, kind, shy, gentle, and caring people you could ever meet." Foreign investors have been flooding into China over the past two weeks. For all but a few, it is their first trip in three years, since the country walled itself off from the outside world in a bid to exclude covid-19. Those who did enter during the height of Chinas zero-covid mania spent weeks in quarantine, emerging to find a society under suffocating lockdowns. Unsurprisingly, the value of onshore stocks held by foreigners had fallen by December to $3.2trn yuan ($470m), about 4% of the total mainland market capitalisationand down from 4.3% a year earlier, according to the most recent official data. Meanwhile, the value of Chinese private-equity deals collapsed by 53% last year compared with the one before, according to Bain & Co, a consultancy. Chinas leaders are now asking global investors to forget the past three years. Recent weeks have been spent hosting a reopening party which began with a high-level development forum in Beijing bringing in numerous executives, including Tim Cook of Apple, an American tech firm, and Ray Dalio of Bridgewater, an American investment firm. The festivities finished with the Boao Forum, sometimes called the Davos of Asia, on March 31st. Here foreign investors heard Li Qiang, Xi Jinpings newly promoted deputy, double down on promises of reform and opening. A read-out from the event reminded visitors that China will open its door even wider to the world, and that it welcomes investors to share more of the dividends of Chinas opening up and development. In mid-March Chinese regulators added more than 1,000 mainland-listed companies to a list that foreign investors can access through Stock Connect, which links Hong Kong-based investors to mainland stocks. It is the biggest reform to the system in many years, leaving about 90% of mainland bourses market capitalisation open to foreign investors. In their first three weeks, the changes alone ushered in $4bn of inflows. Analysts at Goldman Sachs, a bank, think they will eventually bring in $60bn in overseas capital if foreigners purchase a similar share of these stocks as they have of others in the scheme. Story continues Another way foreigners can invest in Chinese firms is if they are listed abroad. Regulators are clarifying how overseas listing will work in future. Starting on March 31st, Chinese companies planning foreign listings must submit paperwork to local regulators within three days of filing for such a listing. Variable-interest entities, ownership structures used in most overseas listings to circumvent restrictions on foreign investments, have recently been recognised by authorities after years of ambiguity. Gavekal Dragonomics, a research firm, predicts that these rules will mean more onshore initial public offerings and fewer overseas ones. But, as an investor notes, by making things clear, the rules should reduce the regulatory risks that have dogged overseas listings. How much will Beijings charm offensive shift sentiment? The countrys stockmarkets experienced strong inflows in January and Febuary, but the reopening boom has since faded. Foreign investors sold off $26bn in bonds in the first two months of the year. Big improvements in the months to come seem unlikely, says Ashish Agrawal of Barclays, a bank. For many investors, travel to China has not helped shake off deep concerns about the direction of the country. A recent cabinet reshuffle has strengthened Mr Xis grip on power. Relations with America are at their lowest ebb in decades. Just as many investors were arriving in Beijing to attend the China Development Forum, Mr Xi was meeting Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Several investors with decades of experience in China say they are concerned by its growing opacity. Analysts outside the country find it increasingly hard to get hold of data that used to be publicly available. Firms that offer company-ownership information can no longer be accessed from overseas. In mid-March bond-pricing data disappeared from feeds provided by vendors. This forced traders in one of the worlds biggest fixed-income markets to frantically swap data via text messages. The suspension ended several days later without explanation, but not before trading volumes crashed by up to 60%. If officials promises about improved business conditions are to be believed, investors will need to be able to verify them. For more expert analysis of the biggest stories in economics, finance and markets, sign up to Money Talks, our weekly subscriber-only newsletter. 2023 The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/04/05/chinese-officials-promise-foreign-investors-greater-access The tourism sector will host the 10 millionth foreign visitor to Vietnam at the Phu Quoc international airport in the southern coastal province of Kien Giang on December 25. The same day, a ceremony will take place to round off the 2016 National Tourism Year, which was designated to draw visitors to Phu Quoc island and the Mekong Delta region. Experts said the tourism year is a key move in turning Kien Giang into a tourism hub in the Mekong Delta region with Phu Quoc island as a leading resort destination of Vietnam. In 2016, more than 5.4 million tourists visited Kien Giang, increasing 24 percent year on year and exceeding the yearly quota by 9.5 percent. Of the figure, international arrivals grew 31.4 percent annually, 14 percent higher than initial plan. According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, the country expects to welcome over 10 million international arrivals and serve more than 62 million domestic travelers this year, with total revenue estimated at 400 trillion VND (18 billion USD). On January 1, 2017, Vietnam will begin issuing e-visa for foreign tourists. As such, the tourism sector has set goals of 11.5 million foreign visitors and revenue of 460 trillion VND (20.24 billion USD) in 2017. These destinations such as Nam Du Island, Long Lanh Pass, Ly Son Island are not only suitable for discovering but also for relaxing in Vietnam. Lets learn more about those places with http://www.evivatour.com. 1. Nam Du Island (Kien Giang): Like other islands, Nam Du welcomes visitors with white sand, blue sea and cheap seafood. This island has many beaches, but the most prominent and beautiful is Da Den (Black Stone) beach. This beautiful beach has multi-color stone with many different patterns. 2. Long Lanh Pass (Lam Dong): Long Lanh Pass which is also known as Omega Pass located in Lac Duong. This Pass is also the road connecting Da Lat and Nha Trang. Every moment of the day, the pass has different images. Best time for exploring the pass is from 5 6:30, when the white for covering entirely the pass, making it looks real and illusory at the same time. 3. Ly Son Island (Quang Ngai): Ly Son Island which also known as Garlic Island attracts tourists with blue from the sky, from the garlic fields, blue sea and coconut trees. At this place, you will observe the beauty that other islands do not have. 4. Van Phong Bay (Nha Trang): As one of the most beautiful bays in the world, Van Phong Bay captivating visitors with white sand, blue sea and colorful world of corals and marine life. 5. Co To (Quang Ninh): Co To beach paradise welcomes visitors with blue sea, white sand and feast of fresh and cheap seafood. The place is still neglected and wild although it has been known for quite some time. A restaurant in Quang Ninh Province has attracted lots of customers with their charcoal black bread. Shop owner Tran Khac Tuan said he is happy that the bread was so warmly embraced and their orders quickly increased. Tuans shop sells 300 to 500 loaves daily. It took us about a year to research the right recipe and four testings for the bread, Tuan said. Hanoi, Danang and HCM City have their own distinctive foods so we also want to make something for Quang Ninh. The bread is made with bamboo charcoal powder and squid ink. Squid represents the coastal areas while charcoal is a symbol for the numerous coal mines in Quang Ninh. Tuan said they only use seafood for the toppings, including shrimp, squid and crab, as they hope to give everyone an affordable meal with seafood. Each sandwich is sold for VND25,000 to VND45,000. Thuy Trang, a customer in Hanoi, said that after hearing about the bread from her niece she had travelled to the shop to try the bread. Trang said both the look and the taste were very nice. I was curious about how the bread looks and tastes in real life. I also bought five to six more loaves for my nieces and nephews, she said. Source: Dtinews PHNOM PENH After working for two years as a shoe trimmer at Pontus Footwear factory in Takeo province, Kem Saory could not endure the working conditions any longer. He decided to create a union with nine colleagues in order to demand improvements in accordance with their labor rights. Kem Saory, 37, knew he was risking his $200-per-month job from the factory, which he needed to support his wife, eight-year-old son and baby girl, but hoped that the Taiwanese-owned supplier of international shoe brands such as Puma and Timberland would respond positively. He announced in a letter on Dec. 1, 2022, to management at the factory, located around 70 kilometers south of the capital Phnom Penh, that he was the head of a new, independent union. About three weeks later he and three other unionists were being let go by the company, which said in a letter dated Jan. 24, 2023, and seen by VOA Khmer, only that their fixed-duration contracts expired and were not being renewed. It is certain that the factory doesnt want our independent union to exist in the factory. Thats why they rejected it and fired us, Kem Saory told VOA Khmer, adding that the six other unionists feared they would be the next to be let go. A spate of firings of unionists A labor rights group said Pontus was one of three garment factories in recent months that have forced out a total of 20 workers for attempting to unionize. The others were T-Win Co. Ltd. in Takeo province, which reportedly supplies international brands Skechers, Nike and 5.11 Inc., and Caswell Apparel Co., Ltd. in Phnom Penh. Another ongoing dispute concerns three workers who were fired in 2022 after attempting to form a union at Cinlon International factory in Kampong Speu province. The Chinese-owned factory produces bags for the California-based brand Clevermade. The Ministry of Labor instructed the company in July 2022 to reinstate the workers, but labor activists said that the factory failed to do so. Freedom of creating local unions has been a challenge for workers lately, Pav Sina, president of the Collective Union of Movement of Workers (CUMW), said in a statement on 15 Feb. [The workers] formed a union within the company for the rights and freedoms of workers as stated in Cambodian law, he said, adding that union founders are protected by law, [h]owever, the companies do not care about the law. The recently dismissed unionists jointly submitted letters of complaint on March 6 to the Ministry of Labor requesting intervention in order to force factory owners to rehire them and to respect the law. Labor Ministry spokesman Heng Sour told VOA Khmer that the ministry was assessing the complaints and urged this reporter to be skeptical of the complaints of individual labor activists as they are not the authority. Kaing Monika, deputy secretary-general of Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia, referred questions about the disputes to the ministry, adding,Any action on non-compliance [with labor laws], if any, would be dealt with by the ministry. U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy met Wednesday with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen in California, calling her "a great friend to America." At the start of their meeting, McCarthy said, "I am optimistic we will continue to find ways for the people of America and Taiwan to work together to promote economic freedom, democracy, peace and stability." Tsai responded by saying, "We're stronger when we work together." But she also warned that military threats from China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, "cannot be understated." She said Taiwan seeks "a peaceful status quo" and "strives to be a reliable partner to the world." The planned talks have prompted opposition from China, with Beijing announcing a joint cruise and patrol operation in the north-central part of the Taiwan Strait, while the People's Liberation Army said it had deployed two destroyers and a frigate to the East China Sea for live-fire drills. Watch a related video by Mike O'Sullivan: Both operations were believed to be a rebuke to Taiwan for the president's two stopovers in the United States in less than a week. Chinese authorities did not elaborate on the Taiwan Strait operation or whether the Chinese Navy was joining it with surveillance vessels. This is not our intention to escalate, McCarthy told reporters during a bipartisan press conference with the full delegation. We want to continue to build and foster democracy and freedom. There should be no fear. U.S. Representative Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic minority leader in the House of Representatives, said he met with Tsai last week in New York. "We had a very productive conversation about the mutual security and economic interests between America and Taiwan," Jeffries said. "We also discussed our shared commitment to democracy and freedom." Jeffries said in a statement that his meeting with Tsai "is consistent with and represents no deviation from the long-standing unofficial relationship between the United States and Taiwan." The U.S. has a "One China" policy, which acknowledges that Beijing considers Taiwan to be part of China. But it nonetheless sends military aid to the self-governed island to help it defend itself. U.S. President Joe Biden has frequently said the U.S. would militarily defend Taiwan if China were to invade it, although the U.S. has quickly said its One China policy has not changed. But Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, the ranking member on the House Select Committee on China, said the Chinese Communist Partys promise to provide a one-China, two-systems policy if the nation were to reunify with Taiwan does not appear to be compatible after the world watched how the system was implemented in Hong Kong. That's why our bond with the Taiwanese people is unshakeable. We will always support them in defending their freedom, Krishnamoorthi said. McCarthy told reporters he would like to see the Biden administration speed up its transfer of weapons delivery systems to Taiwan. Tsai has not visited Washington and has said she is transiting through the U.S., with her two stops sandwiched around a visit to Central American allies Guatemala and Belize. Honduras recently announced it was cutting ties with Taiwan in favor of China. Last year, Tsai hosted then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in Taiwan, and China reacted by holding its largest live-fire military drills in decades around Taiwan. China's consulate in Los Angeles said ahead of Wednesday's Tsai-McCarthy meeting that she was engaging in such talks to "put on a political show." Jerome Cohen, a retired professor at New York University's School of Law, told VOA that by meeting McCarthy in California, Tsai took a more diplomatic route than hosting McCarthy in Taiwan and potentially reigniting the kind of response that China had to Pelosi's visit. "There should be no basis for a strong Beijing reaction," Cohen told VOA's Mandarin Service. "It makes the PRC, the People's Republic of China, look very bad and immature at a time when Beijing and Washington should be trying to come together to improve relations, not to make them worse." Robert Ross, a professor of political science at Boston College, told VOA that Wednesday's meeting is not necessarily about delivering any concrete results. "For Tsai Ing-wen, this is about simply establishing a presence in the world, establishing her presence as the leader of Taiwan and her success in meeting with American leaders," Ross said. "For the speaker, his objective is to establish his credentials as a supporter of Taiwan and as someone who opposes China. The meeting with the president of Taiwan allows him to say 'I am standing up to China. They don't want me to do this, but I am going to do it anyway.'" VOA's Mandarin service contributed to this report. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. Transcript: The Inside Story: Undamming The Klamath Whats at stake in Americas Biggest-Ever River Restoration? Episode 86 April 6, 2023 Show Open: Sequence of unidentified speakers: More and more just start washing up. These are full grown fish that now have gone belly-up. Bring the salmon home! Un-dam the Klamath! We were looking at the extinction of our way of life We came here for the pursuit of happiness, and now were being robbed of that. These dams are coming down, and its about damn time! The Inside Story: MATT DIBBLE, VOA Correspondent: Theres a growing movement to remove dams on rivers in the United States. This is Glines Canyon in northwest Washington state, and this is the Elwha River. For one hundred years a series of dams controlled the flow of water on the Elwha to produce electricity. It was an important source of energy for the nearby town. But the dams blocked salmon from using the river as they had for thousands of years. In 2014, the last of the dams was removed and the river could flow freely again. Fish and other wildlife are making a gradual recovery here. But is it a good idea to remove dams, which can generate clean hydroelectricity, at a time when the world desperately needs more sources of renewable energy? In the 20th century, the US led the world in dam building. Dams were promoted as a way to harness unruly nature, bring water to deserts, and spin turbines to generate electricity for a rapidly growing population. The largest of them were celebrated as marvels of engineering. To the builders, the flooding of canyons to create artificial lakes was seen as progress with little downside. But to communities of Native Americans who had fished, hunted and otherwise used rivers for generations, the dams changed everything. As these structures age, and as awareness about the environmental harm theyve caused grows, more dams are being considered for removal. In the past century, over 2000 dams have been removed in the US according to the advocacy group American Rivers I travelled to the Klamath River region on the border between California and Oregon states to learn how dams there have nearly wiped out the fish population. This is where many of the problems affecting the river ecosystem originate. Dams like this one, built in 1962 to generate electricity, not only block fish passage but warm the water, promoting the growth of deadly algae and parasites, and having a devastating impact on communities downriver. This is the 58th annual Salmon Festival, hosted by members of the Yurok Tribe, who live along the Klamath River near Californias northern border. There are traditional games and a chance to eat salmon fresh from the river, cooked in the customary way. But in recent years, there has not always been enough salmon to serve. Frankie Myers, Yurok Tribe Vice Chairman: We've had some rough years that I remember having discussions with the Yurok Tribal Council, you know, deciding whether we were going to serve barbecue chicken at the Salmon Festival. MATT DIBBLE: For the Yurok people, whose tribal land begins at the Pacific Ocean and extends 64 kilometers along the Klamath, salmon is both a primary food source and an integral part of their culture. Frankie Myers, Yurok Tribe Vice Chairman: The median income for the upper Yurok Reservation is $11,000. The protein that we gather and harvest from salmon isn't a sport. Right. We don't do it for fun necessarily, we do it for our subsistence. It's how we survive. MATT DIBBLE: The river that sustained the Klamath tribes for thousands of years has changed in just a century, due to the logging, mining and dam construction introduced by white settlers to the region. The tribe monitors fishing in the river and limits what can be taken and when, in order to protect the declining population. Fewer salmon are returning to the Klamath each year. Hunter Mattz, Yurok Fisheries Lead Technician: The water in the mouth itself can average around 70 degrees and thats about what youd see at a public swimming pool or something like that. When they try and come in they get that front of warm water and they think, oh wait the rivers not ready for us. Barry McCovey Jr., Yurok Tribe Fisheries Director: Salmon runs have collapsed. They're probably 10 percent of their former selves you know. Different numbers for different runs of fish but, you know, the best estimates are that 90 percent of the fish no longer migrate into the Klamath River, migrate upstream. MATT DIBBLE: The life cycle of salmon is one of natures miracles. They are born in shallow fresh water, often in small river tributaries, and eventually make their way to the ocean where they grow large on rich marine nutrients. After two to five years, they return upriver to their exact birthplace to spawn and begin the cycle again. Because salmon bring nutrients from the ocean to ecosystems far inland, they are a keystone species, supporting everything from insects to giant redwood trees. The introduction of dams on the Klamath, blocked salmon from reaching much of their ancestral spawning grounds. Barry McCovey Jr., Yurok Tribe Fisheries Director: You have this huge disconnect now in a system that was connected for millions and millions of years from the beginning of time as far as we would see it as tribal people, and when you do something like that bad things happen. MATT DIBBLE: Though salmon had been steadily declining in the river for decades, a devastating event in 2002 spurred the Klamath tribes to take action. Georgiana Gensaw, Yurok Tribe: We just never could have imagined in our worst nightmare what was to come. MATT DIBBLE: Tens of thousands of adult salmon died, along with other species, in the worst-ever fish die-off in the western United States. Beginning 300 kilometers upriver, a series of four dams were affecting the level and quality of the water in the lower Klamath. The dams were owned by PacifiCorp, a private company, which used them to generate electricity for the regional grid. A U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service study determined that low water levels and warm water temperatures created conditions that accelerated the spread of a deadly parasite. Georgiana Gensaw, Yurok Tribe: To find out what the real culprit was and what caused it and what could cause it again, you know, then you had a lot of really mad and outraged Indians. Unidentified protestors: Un-dam the Klamath! MATT DIBBLE: Fearing that the future of their food source and way of life was threatened, the Yurok people joined with Karuk and Hoopa Valley tribal members to call for removal of the dams. At meetings of dam owners and decision-makers over the past 20 years, the tribes have carried on a tenacious lobbying campaign. Frankie Myers, Yurok Tribe Vice Chairman: Went to Scotland several times. England, Omaha, Nebraska several times. Sacramento, California; Portland, Oregon; Utah; Colorado. We went everywhere that there was someone who had control of our lives. MATT DIBBLE: The Klamath area is officially a food desert, meaning that it lacks access to fresh, healthy food. There is a gas station convenience store, but the closest supermarket is 80 kilometers away. The river once provided what the tribes needed. Georgiana Gensaw, Yurok Tribe: When those things, traditional foods, became harder to get, it's not a mystery of why diabetes rates are killing Native Americans at an unbelievably fast rate. Brook Thompson, Yurok Tribe Restoration Engineer: When I was a kid fishing was my entire summer, I would be right here on this land camping all summer long. MATT DIBBLE: At age 7, Brook Thompson witnessed the 2002 fish kill. Brook Thompson, Yurok Tribe Restoration Engineer: I specifically went into engineering because of the tragedy I saw here on the Klamath River. And that really gave me a passion to figure out what was going wrong. And so having a lack of temperature tolerance is one of the things that has led to some of the fish kills. MATT DIBBLE: In a first for her family, Thompson earned a masters degree at Stanford University, and is currently a Ph.D. student at the University of California, Santa Cruz, studying environmental engineering and political science. Brook Thompson, Yurok Tribe Restoration Engineer: At Stanford, I specifically had classes on dams and got to learn why we use them, and the pros and cons of dams. For me that was really big in having me be able to have a voice with legislators. There's hope because there can't be anything else but hope, I don't want to see what this river is like without salmon. MATT DIBBLE: In the years since the Klamath dams were built, environmental regulations have evolved. A turning point came when the dams came up for re-licensing. To continue operating, Federal law required the addition of fish ladders and other environmental improvements to the dams. PacifiCorp projected the upgrades would cost over $400 million. Bob Gravely, PacifiCorp Regional Business Manager: These dams don't produce very much power. They don't really serve other purposes other than producing electricity for our customers. So it was clear that it was the choice was going to be to either relicense the dams with significant modifications to the dams to comply with all the modern fish passage requirements and standards or pursue another option. MATT DIBBLE: The opposition from tribes and conservationists, combined with the cost of upgrades ultimately pushed the company to look for a way to divest from the dams completely. In 2020, after a decade of negotiations, an agreement was drafted in which PacifiCorp, along with the states of California and Oregon, would pay for the removal of the dams and restoration of the river. Gavin Newsom, Governor of California: We're finally one step closer at this remarkable moment so close to the finish line, but sober in the recognition we still have to go through FERC. We still have to go through our own Public Utilities Commission here in the state of California. We still have so much work to do. MATT DIBBLE: The deal, which would be the largest dam removal ever attempted in the US, would first need approval by FERC, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Not everyone in the Klamath basin was in favor of the plan. About 320 kilometers from the town of Klamath sits Copco Lake, an oasis nestled among the parched hills of high desert country. Ray Austin, Copco Lake Resident: I couldn't ask for a better place in the world to retire than here. It gives us mental, moral, physical, psychological support. MATT DIBBLE: The lake is actually a reservoir, created in 1922 when the Klamath was dammed to build Copco Dam Number 1. Today around 100 homes dot the perimeter, with residents attracted by rural life and a chance to live on the water. Chrissie Reynolds, Copco Lake Resident: My family bought some of the first properties up here back in the early 60s. The big thing for us was to be able to take the aluminum boat out and come down to the store and get an ice cream and fish out here and catch perch all day. MATT DIBBLE: That idyllic picture will be disrupted by the plan to draw down the reservoir as part of removing the four Klamath River Dams. Removal of the dams will release an estimated 45 billion gallons of water, leaving dry land and a free-flowing Klamath to restore a healthy habitat for salmon and other species. But not everyone believes that is a good idea. In a 2010 nonbinding referendum in Siskiyou County, where three of the dams are located, 80 percent of people voted against their removal. And anger over the issue persists. Richard Marshall, Siskiyou County Water Users Association: Here we are, situation of drought, and forecasted more drought ahead of us, and yet were eliminating water sources, doesnt make any sense. MATT DIBBLE: Richard Marshall leads the nonprofit group that put the measure on the ballot. He argues that other causes like overfishing in the ocean and at the mouth of the Klamath may be causing the decline of salmon and he holds the controversial view that natural barriers once kept salmon from ever traveling this far up the Klamath. Richard Marshall, Siskiyou County Water Users Association: We're a small group of people trying to overcome massive amounts of money that are being spent in order to remove the dams. MATT DIBBLE: The unhealthy conditions on the lake are easy to spot. Each summer as the water heats up, toxic algae blooms. These conditions are among the factors biologists say are killing fish in the river. Health officials warn that the water is dangerous for humans too. Still, opposition to the dams' removal is strong here at the lake, where residents fear what they may lose. Barbara Austin, Copco Lake Resident: It's a special place that you can't replace. We came here for the pursuit of happiness, and now we're being robbed of that. MATT DIBBLE: Volunteer fire chief Frances Gill says the lake has stopped the progress of wildfires. Frances Gill, Copco Lake Fire Chief: We've had several wildfires up here since I've lived here, one that burned all the way down to the edge of the lake. MATT DIBBLE: Lake water has also been used for aerial firefighting. Gill recently purchased the communitys only store with his partner and says that whether lake or river, Copco is still where he wants to be. Frances Gill, Copco Lake Fire Chief: I can see that if the lake is gone, you know, it might take 20 or 30 years for this place to kind of fill in and grow in and become beautiful. MATT DIBBLE: For a glimpse at what the future may hold for Copco Lake and the greater Klamath region, I travelled to Washington States Olympic Peninsula, the site of the last largest dam removal in the US. In early 20th century Port Angeles, Washington, the timber industry needed power and the nearby Elwha River was dammed in two places to generate electricity. But the dams blocked the passage of fish and salmon virtually disappeared here. After nearly a century, and bolstered by changing environmental regulations, the local tribe and conservationists won a long battle to remove the dams and by 2014 the river was able to flow freely again. The Elwha and its former reservoirs became a unique laboratory in which to study river behavior and the regeneration of species. One big question: would salmon, known for returning to their birthplace, venture into the newly available, but unfamiliar, river habitat? Jeff Duda, USGS Research Ecologist: In the case of Chinook salmon, it was literally within days of the final blast, the first fish were observed upstream within a matter of days. MATT DIBBLE: For the intrepid fish, what they found was not always ideal habitat. A century of dams and logging had degraded river conditions. Mike McHenry manages fish habitat for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. He and his team are adding logs to tributaries to improve conditions for fish. Mike McHenry, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Habitat Director: These structures have been really effective at slowing the river down. When you do that, you start to form habitat features that salmon need, like pools for rearing. Sure enough, the fish are utilizing the gravels to make their nests. MATT DIBBLE: Though all Pacific salmon species have made it above the former dam sites, the tribe is keeping its fishing moratorium in place for now. Mike McHenry, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Habitat Director: We're early in the rebuilding still for a lot of species. So, we've got metrics that we need to surpass before we start to fish. MATT DIBBLE: Another concern before dam removal was the estimated 21 million cubic meters of sediment that had built up in the reservoirs over a century. Though reservoir water was released gradually, the finer silt clouded the river and caused some loss of fish in the first years. But over time the river transported most of the sediment to its mouth, creating 120 acres of new estuary habitat. Jeff Duda, USGS Research Ecologist: All that landform that you see in front of us here used to be sediment contained in the reservoirs. What it has done is revitalize this coastal area in quite an amazing way and created a lot of new habitat and a lot of biological activity. You see all the gulls, the shorebirds, there are seals that come in here. MATT DIBBLE: And where the reservoirs once were, restoration teams have started young forests growing. Mike McHenry, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Habitat Director: Over four hundred thousand native woody trees were planted and thousands of pounds of native grass seeds, and we also got natural revegetation. MATT DIBBLE: Wildlife is returning also. Kim Sager-Fradkin, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Wildlife Program Manager: Pretty much the entire suite of wildlife around here, we are documenting using the former lake beds. MATT DIBBLE: Kim Sager-Fradkin, the tribes wildlife manager, is studying how the ecosystemfrom tiny birds to massive treesis healthier now because of salmon. Kim Sager-Fradkin, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Wildlife Program Manager: When salmon pick up the carbon and nitrogen that is from a marine source in their tissues and then these salmon swim back up their natal stream, all these animals will come in, eat salmon, distribute the nutrients into the forest either by directly carrying them into the forest or going and defecating in the forest. There's a really nice interaction between wildlife and salmon that is beneficial to the surrounding forest and beneficial to the wildlife itself. MATT DIBBLE: Eight years into recovery, there are many positive signs of natures ability to renew itself. Kate Brown, Governor of Oregon: Today we are making possible the most significant dam removal and river restoration project in our nations history. These dams are coming down, and its about damn time. MATT DIBBLE: In early December of 2022, Oregon governor Kate Brown joined with Californias governor and the US Secretary of the Interior to celebrate the agreement to remove the four dams on the Klamath River. The federal government has approved the plan to transfer ownership of the dams to a nonprofit group that will oversee their destruction. There is at least a years work just to prepare the dams for removal, says nonprofit leader Mark Bransom. Mark Bransom, Klamath River Renewal Corporation: We have to do modifications to the dams to facilitate the evacuation of the water and the sediment that has accumulated behind the dams over the last 50 to 100 years. MATT DIBBLE: The release of millions of tons of sediment is one of the most challenging aspects of the project. As with the removal of the two dams on the Elwha River, most of that sediment is expected to be carried out to sea. Timing the releases will be critical, so as not to harm fish. Mark Bransom, Klamath River Renewal Corporation: So, we really want to perform that work when there are fewer species present in the main stem and there is plenty of tributary access. Barry McCovey Jr., Yurok Tribe Fisheries Director: By removing dams, we're going to open up close to 400 miles of spawning habitat that fish previously used for millions of years. MATT DIBBLE: But that habitat has been degraded by over a century of logging and mining. Brook Thompson, Yurok Tribe Restoration Engineer: A lot of the tailings or the excess rock material from the mountains came into the rivers and filled in the stream beds and made it so streams that were running all year long are now only running seasonally. MATT DIBBLE: As a restoration engineer for the Yurok Tribe, Brook Thompson is helping to recreate the habitat that salmon need. Brook Thompson, Yurok Tribe Restoration Engineer: Re-forming the streams and working to prepare that salmon have good spawning grounds by doing restoration work, by adding logs back into the streams, by adding large rocks and turbulence so they have a place that will help their young survive. Brook Thompson, Yurok Tribe Restoration Engineer: Were all focused on finding solutions to bringing our salmon back home and creating a healthy life for them. Because creating a healthy life for salmon means creating a healthy life for us as people. MATT DIBBLE: And in preparation for re-planting the nearly 900 hectares of land that will be uncovered when reservoirs are drawn down, tribal members are collecting native seed species and growing them in nurseries. Onna Joseph, Yurok Tribe Native Seed Crew: Ive been doing this for four years now. We do a lot of hiking on the trails and a lot of hiking off the trails. We have over 97 different varieties, different species. We all grew up gathering berries, and a lot of us have families that make baskets. So, it just kind of comes natural to us. MATT DIBBLE: The goal is to collect and plant over 27,000 kilograms of seeds. Those involved expect the restoration of the Klamath watershed to take decades. Barry McCovey Jr., Yurok Tribe Fisheries Director: Hopefully we see large runs of salmon start to return over the years. But everything else is going to benefit, everything that's ever associated with the river. With climate change descending upon us and then all the things that are happening in the world, we need some positive momentum and we need to show people that these huge massive projects can be completed that are moving the dial in the right direction. The impacts of this project are far-reaching. MATT DIBBLE: Preliminary work is already under way and the dams are expected to be removed by the end of next year. Matt Dibble for VOA News, Klamath, California. Since 2022, North Korea has launched missiles at an unprecedented pace, as it rapidly expands a nuclear arsenal meant to threaten the United States and its allies. But during that buildup, Pyongyang has been less willing to lob rhetorical bombs at Washington. That appears to be changing. Over the last month, amid large-scale U.S.-South Korea military drills, North Koreas tightly controlled state media have taken a more belligerent tone, amplifying violent expressions of anti-U.S. sentiment that are reminiscent of earlier periods of tension. The harsher rhetoric has appeared in both international and domestic-facing outlets, which have reported on a series of government-led rallies in which young North Koreans are said to have turned out in droves to volunteer for military service. According to the Norths Korean Central News Agency, about 1.4 million youth volunteered to join or rejoin North Koreas military during a three-day period last month showing the unshakeable will of the younger generation to mercilessly wipe out the war maniacs, according to KCNA. State television coverage of the rallies has shown young people holding signs with expressions such as lets slice them into pieces, lets beat them to a pulp, and rip them apart to death, according to NK News, a Seoul-based online publication that focuses on North Korea. The rhetoric is still tame by the standards of North Korean propagandists, who before 2018 frequently threatened during periods of tension to turn Seoul, or sometimes Washington, into a sea of fire. But if the trend continues, analysts say it could signal the end of an extended period of rhetorical restraint during which North Korea was largely focused on internal challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic difficulties. The question is where all this is leading, said Rachel Minyoung Lee, an analyst who closely monitors North Korean media. The decision to use more aggressive language must have been made at a relatively senior level, Lee said, but whether it will be accompanied by a change of North Koreas foreign and defense policies is less clear. They can talk tough, but it doesnt necessarily translate into action, said Lee, an analyst with the Vienna-based Open Nuclear Network. Recent history The last time North Korea deployed such an aggressive rhetorical approach was in 2017 the so-called fire and fury period when North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and former U.S. President Donald Trump exchanged frequent personal insults and threats of nuclear destruction. Those tensions subsided in 2018, when Kim decided to hold a historic summit with Trump, as well as a series of separate meetings with his South Korean counterpart, President Moon Jae-in. Kim eventually walked away from the talks, frustrated with Trumps refusal to grant what he saw as sufficient concessions in exchange for partial steps to dismantle North Koreas nuclear program. Months later, North Korea entered an extended period of extreme isolation, sealing itself off from the rest of the world after COVID-19 emerged in neighboring China. Even as North Korea dramatically increased its missile tests in recent years, its language toward Trump, and eventually his successor, U.S. President Joe Biden, was more measured. But North Koreas aggressive language has intensified, especially after South Koreas new conservative president, Yoon Suk Yeol, adopted a tougher approach toward Pyongyang. New level of tension? Much of North Koreas vitriol has focused on recent U.S.-South Korea military exercises, which have included regular and highly visible displays of the alliances vastly superior firepower. In a rare move, Rodong Sinmun, North Koreas main newspaper, recently published a pair of lengthy commentaries apparently meant to stir up anti-U.S. sentiment over the exercises. One of the commentaries, published March 17, warned that the U.S. and its vassal forces were crossing an intolerable red line a phrase increasingly used by state media. The editorials, as well as the anti-U.S. rallies, raise the possibility that North Korea is preparing its population for a new level of tensions with the United States. In the view of Michael Madden, who focuses on North Korean leadership at the Washington-based Stimson Center, the public demonstrations are especially notable. If the regime goes on a full throttle public affairs effort then things are a bit darker and dire than if they are just releasing government statements, said Madden. If observers are looking for an inflection point it will come with more public events and population mobilization. What Kim says matters As analysts parse North Korean propaganda, Madden says it is important to distinguish between comments made by Kim and those made by lower-level officials, which often represent what he calls tactical rhetoric. If it comes from Kim Jong Un or is a read-out of a political event that he has attended, this is strategic rhetoric and gives us an accurate sense of Pyongyang's perspective, he added. In September, Kims government passed a law enshrining the right to use pre-emptive nuclear strikes. Since then, Kim has repeatedly mentioned the possibility of such an attack. But many of Kims comments also continue to stress what he sees as the deterrent or defensive nature of his nuclear weapons. Kims approach may be partly motivated by a desire to have his country be seen as a responsible nuclear weapons-possessing state, according to Lee. But I think the larger part of it is that he wants to show the world that North Korea will translate the nuclear law into action if push comes to shove, she said. Senior U.S. officials said Wednesday they are pressing Russia to immediately release detained American journalist Evan Gershkovich. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters she has spoken with her Russian counterpart Vassily Nebenzia about the case and expressed our strong, strong demand that [Gershkovich] be released immediately. This is really beyond the pale to use a journalist who had already been accredited in Russia and accuse him of the kind of actions they have accused him of, she said. Russian authorities detained Gershkovich on March 29 and accused The Wall Street Journal reporter of espionage. Gershkovich was able to meet with his lawyers on Tuesday for the first time since that arrest. The Journals editor-in-chief confirmed the meeting in a message to staff on Tuesday. "Evan's health is good, and he is grateful for the outpouring of support from around the world," Tucker said in the message, viewed by Reuters. Tucker said the Journal was encouraged by the meeting. Gershkovich is accused by Russia of espionage, a charge that carries a prison sentence of up to 20 years. The Journal has denied the charges, and Gershkovich has appealed against his arrest. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters Wednesday there is no doubt in his mind that Gershkovich is wrongfully detained. During a press conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Blinken said the U.S. is working deliberately and expeditiously to secure his release. Blinken raised Gershkovichs case in a rare direct phone call with Russias foreign minister on Sunday. The National Press Club in Washington issued a statement expressing relief that Gershkovich had been able to meet with his lawyer. Until Tuesday, the only legal representation provided to [Gershkovich] was from a Russian government attorney, said the clubs president Eileen OReilly, and National Press Club Journalism Institute head Gil Klein. That is a situation unworthy of a nation that this week is also the chair of the United Nations Security Council, the National Press Club said. It said that now that Gershkovich was in contact with his own lawyer, the important legal work can begin to get [him] home. Gershkovich, who has worked in Russia as a journalist since 2017, was detained in Yekaterinburg, a city about 1,300 kilometers east of the Russian capital. Moscows Federal Security Service said he was trying to obtain classified information about an arms factory. Kremlin officials have said that Gershkovich was caught red-handed but have not provided evidence. At the time of his arrest, Gershkovich had been working for the Journal for just over a year, covering Russia and Ukraine. His recent stories include coverage of economic problems in Russia, Chinese leader Xi Jinping's visit to Moscow, and the Russian jets that collided with a U.S. drone over the Black Sea. Before joining the Journal, Gershkovich worked in Moscow for Agence France-Presse and spent three years as a reporter for The Moscow Times. He also was a news assistant at The New York Times. Gershkovich is being held in Lefortovo prison in Moscow. A Russian state prison monitor was cited in state media as saying that Gershkovich is being held a quarantine cell and has access to a TV, radio and a fridge. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Monday that the Biden administration is pressing hard for Gershkovich's release, adding, Its got attention all the way up to the Oval Office in terms of how we can get him home. Some information for this story is from Reuters. VOAs Cindy Saine and Margaret Besheer also contributed. U.S. President Joe Biden said on Tuesday it remains to be seen whether artificial intelligence (AI) is dangerous, but underscored that technology companies had a responsibility to ensure their products were safe before making them public. Biden told science and technology advisers that AI could help in addressing disease and climate change, but it was also important to address potential risks to society, national security and the economy. Tech companies have a responsibility, in my view, to make sure their products are safe before making them public, he said at the start of a meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. When asked if AI was dangerous, he said, It remains to be seen. It could be. Biden spoke on the same day that his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, surrendered in New York over charges stemming from a probe into hush money paid to a porn actor. Biden declined to comment on Trump's legal woes, and Democratic strategists say his focus on governing will create a politically advantageous split screen of sorts as his former rival, a Republican, deals with his legal challenges. The president said social media had already illustrated the harm that powerful technologies can do without the right safeguards. "Absent safeguards, we see the impact on the mental health and self-images and feelings and hopelessness, especially among young people," Biden said. He reiterated a call for Congress to pass bipartisan privacy legislation to put limits on personal data that technology companies collect, ban advertising targeted at children, and to prioritize health and safety in product development. Shares of companies that employ AI dropped sharply before Biden's meeting, although the broader market was also selling off on Tuesday. Shares of AI software company C3.ai Inc. were down 24%, more than halving a four-session winning streak of nearly 40% through Monday. Thailand security firm Guardforce AI GFAI.O fell 29%, data analytics firm BigBear.ai BBAI.N was down 16% and conversation intelligence company SoundHound AI SOUN.O was down 13% late on Tuesday. AI is becoming a hot topic for policymakers. The tech ethics group Center for AI and Digital Policy has asked the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to stop OpenAI from issuing new commercial releases of GPT-4, which has wowed and appalled users with its human-like abilities to generate written responses to requests. Democratic U.S. Senator Chris Murphy has urged society to pause as it considers the ramifications of AI. Last year the Biden administration released a blueprint "Bill of Rights" to help ensure users' rights are protected as technology companies design and develop AI systems. HOUSTON, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Marking the first such high-level gathering since 2013, executives from CITGO Petroleum met with leadership from the company's Light Oils and Lubricants marketing partners in Scottsdale, Arizona, April 3-5. CITGO President and CEO Carlos Jorda The "President's Meeting" featured updates on the industry and the Company, as well as a detailed review of CITGO branding, technology and investment initiatives for both Light Oils and Lubricants. CITGO leaders also previewed the company's new light oils advertising campaign built around the theme "Good to Go." "Reconvening the President's Meeting with our Light Oils and Lubricants customers provides an opportunity to align around a common vision for success with CITGO as their supplier of choice," said CITGO President and CEO Carlos Jorda. "And after a record setting 2022, it's clear that CITGO and our marketing partners are truly 'good to go' for an outstanding 2023." Senior CITGO executives briefed marketers on the Company's 2022 performance and a host of 2023 initiatives designed to build strong momentum for the Company and the brands. The meeting also featured specific breakout sessions for both Light Oils and Lubricants marketers to provide a more tailored look at CITGO programs and future plans. Light Oils briefings focused on CITGO investments in a best-in-class loyalty offering, the ongoing Illuminate station reimage program and the expansion of midstream capabilities. Light Oils Marketers also learned more about the CITGO "Good to Go" advertising campaign. CITGO briefed Lubricants Marketers on planned investments to enhance grease capacity, improve operational efficiencies and capabilities, and develop best-in-class programs that support growth in the company's Mystik, Clarion and CITGO lubricants brands. "Marketers across multiple regions now recognize CITGO as their top partner for business growth," said Karl Schmidt, CITGO Vice President of Supply and Marketing. "Our 2023 theme is 'Good to Go,' but for our marketing partners and their business success, that means CITGO is good to grow." Story continues About CITGO : Headquartered in Houston, Texas, CITGO Petroleum Corporation is a recognized leader in the refining industry and operates under the well-known CITGO brand. CITGO operates three refineries located in Lake Charles, La.; Lemont, Ill.; and Corpus Christi, Texas, and wholly and/or jointly owns 38 active terminals, six pipelines and three lubricants blending and packaging plants. With approximately 3,300 employees and a combined crude capacity of approximately 769,000 barrels-per-day (bpd), CITGO ranks as the fifth-largest and is one of the most complex independent refiners in the United States. CITGO transports and markets transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products, and supplies a network of approximately 4,200 locally owned and operated branded retail outlets, all located east of the Rocky Mountains. CITGO Petroleum Corporation is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/citgo-marketers-good-to-go-at-first-presidents-meeting-since-2013-301790996.html SOURCE CITGO Corporation Canadians are almost evenly divided on whether Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government is sincere about probing an alleged Chinese scheme to ensure Trudeaus re-election in 2019 and 2021 while taking care to make sure his government remained hobbled with a minority in Parliament. Some 52% of respondents said a preliminary investigation of the allegations by former Governor General David Johnston was sincere, while 48% thought it was a cover-up, according to an Ipsos poll released this week by Global News, a Canadian outlet. Johnston has been tasked with deciding by May 23 whether there is sufficient evidence to warrant a public inquiry into the allegations, which are based on a leak from a member of Canadas intelligence community and first appeared February 17 in Toronto's Globe and Mail, the nations leading newspaper. According to that and subsequent Globe and Mail reports, persons working on behalf of China engaged in under-the-radar smear campaigns during the two elections against candidates seen as unfavorable to China. The campaigns were aimed at the Chinese Canadian diaspora, who make up a majority in some electoral districts in and around Vancouver and Toronto, and targeted mainly members of the opposition Conservative Party. The leaks indicated that Chinese operatives worked at the same time to enhance the prospects of candidates seen as more favorable to China, including by staffing campaigns with volunteers with connections to Chinese representatives. Vancouver-based commentator Ronald Leung has pointed out that some recent immigrants from China who have gained Canadian citizenship still draw pensions from their former jobs in China, leaving them susceptible to pressure from Chinese government representatives. The Canadian Security and Intelligence Service reportedly concluded that the Chinese interference did not alter the outcome of either election, but at least a few of the losing candidates believe the Chinese activity contributed to their personal defeats. Among the targeted Conservative Party candidates were Kennedy Stewart, a former mayor of Vancouver, and Kenny Chiu, who was elected to parliament in 2019 from a district close to Vancouver. Stewart had supported Vancouvers forming a sister city relationship with Kaohsiung, a southern city in Taiwan, while Chiu has been outspoken about Beijings human rights abuses in his native Hong Kong and against the Uyghur community in northwest China. Chius loss was celebrated by Chinas top diplomat in Western Canada, according to one of the leaks. Tong Xiaoling, Chinas then-consul general in Vancouver, reportedly gushed over the event, saying that Chius loss proved that the strategy and tactics [employed by those tasked with unseating him] were good, and contributed to achieving their goals while still adhering to the local political customs in a clever way. Tong was also reported to have been enthusiastic about grooming members of the Chinese Canadian community to run for public office, beginning with municipal posts but aiming for higher offices later. China has rejected the allegations. The Chinese Consulate in Vancouver issued a statement on March 16 saying its officials had every right to engage in contacts with members of society, while reiterating a routine talking point that China never had, nor does it possess, any interest in interfering in another countrys domestic politics. It accused those politicians and media reports saying otherwise of waging a smear campaign. The appointment of Johnston, the former governor general, to conduct the initial assessment of the matter is in itself controversial. According to The Globe and Mail, he was on the board of a foundation named for Trudeaus father, former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, which received and recently returned $140,000 in donations from a donor with potential links to the Chinese government. While Johnston ponders the evidence and decides how to proceed, the scandal has already forced one provincial and one federal legislator to resign from their respective parties. Vincent Ke, a member of the Ontario legislature, stepped down from the Conservative Party caucus in early March following a media report by Global News that he had received around $50,000 from the Chinese Consulate in Toronto that was channeled through a series of intermediaries. Ke has denied the claim. And in late March, Toronto-area MP Han Dong resigned from Trudeaus Liberal Party caucus following a Global News report that he had advised a Chinese diplomat that China should postpone the release of two Canadians held there until after the 2021 election for fear that the Conservatives would benefit. The nations media, meanwhile, have seized on the issue with almost daily reports analyzing the impact of the scandal on relations with China and on the nations Chinese Canadian community itself. I think its a wake-up call for Canadians, Aaron Shull, managing director at Ontario's Center for International Governance Innovation, said in a phone interview. You cannot pick up a newspaper in Canada right now or listen to the radio without there being a story front and center on this issue. Shull said the charge of Chinese political interference goes right to the core fabric of who we are as Canadians, which is premised on democracy and the rule of law, that we get to choose how to govern ourselves. To have a foreign government try to intervene in that process is deeply offensive, he said. Theres a visceral reaction to that. Asked why China would care who runs Canada, Shull attributed Beijings reported actions to a desire to bend the world around them into a manner that befits their geostrategic interests. Michel Juneau-Katsuya, a former Asia Pacific chief at the Canadian intelligence service, warned that Chinas political interference constitutes a phenomenal security risk for the Canadians. Because basically you can ask yourself the question: Whos really running the country? Is it a foreign entity or is it our government? This is the problem were currently facing, Juneau-Katsuya said in an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Among the responses being proposed in Canadian media and by some politicians is the establishment of a foreign agent registration act similar to a long-standing law in the United States requiring anyone lobbying on behalf of a foreign government to register and make certain disclosures. That suggestion has been challenged on the ground that it would encourage discrimination against Chinese Canadians. But that argument rings hollow for David Mulroney, who served as Canadas ambassador to China from 2009 to 2012. Setting up a registry of foreign agents is in no way racist, Mulroney said in an op-ed for The Globe and Mail. "But assuming it would contain only Chinese names is. Mulroney maintained in an email exchange with VOA that the Chinese Communist Party uses money, free travel and other perks to conduct whats called elite capture, recruiting prominent Canadians, regardless of their ethnicity, to deliver its talking points and conduct its lobbying. U.S. lawmakers dismissed warnings from the Chinese Embassy they should not have met with Taiwans president, Tsai Ing-wen, saying Thursday the Chinese Communist Party does not have a veto over congressional meetings. By meeting with President Tsai, our bipartisan delegation [led by Speaker Kevin McCarthy] is standing up to the bullies in the CCP, Representative Mike Gallagher, chairman of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition with China, told VOA in a statement. We will not be intimidated. We support our friends in the free and democratic Taiwan. We're going to keep saying that whenever we have the opportunity and the bipartisan members of the Select Committee on the CCP will turn our word to action this Congress, Gallagher said. A bipartisan group of 19 members of Congress were with McCarthy in California, where meetings with Tsai were held Wednesday at the Ronald Regan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley. Hours earlier, U.S. media outlet Punchbowl News reported some of the lawmakers meeting with Tsai also received emails expressing China's deep concern and firm opposition to this possible move. The Chinese side strongly opposes any form of official interaction between the U.S. and Taiwan, strongly opposes any visit to the U.S. by the leader of the Taiwan authorities regardless of the rationale or pretext, and strongly opposes all forms of contact of the U.S. officials with the Taiwan authorities, wrote Li Xiang, identified as a counsellor at the Chinese Embassy, in an email obtained by VOA. China considers Taiwan a breakaway province. President Tsai has said external pressure will not stop the self-ruled island from engaging with the world. Lawmakers said there would be no change in their plans. China cannot dictate who members of Congress meet with on U.S. soil. The congressman looks forward to meeting with President Tsai and Speaker McCarthy today, a spokesperson for Representative John Curtiss office told VOA. California Congresswoman Michelle Steel agreed. I cannot be threatened by the Chinese Communist Party, Steel said in a statement to VOA. The CCP will do anything in order to maintain their control. They are the greatest threat to democracy and will not be allowed to dictate the actions of any American citizen. I am proud to meet with President Tsai again, as I did when I visited Taiwan in December, and reaffirm our support for a free, sovereign democracy. The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party told VOA that several, but not all, lawmakers traveling to California for the Wednesday talks reported receiving the embassy email. The email goes on to say that Tsais meeting with McCarthy and other lawmakers violates the One China principle, the policy held by the Peoples Republic of China that there is only one China and Taiwan is part of it. China has no room for compromise on this issue. We urge the U.S. side to refrain from facilitating a meeting between the U.S. lawmakers and Tsai Ing-wen, and stop all forms of official interaction with Taiwan, the letter continues, warning China will most likely take necessary and resolute actions in response to the unwanted situation. The U.S. State Department maintains that transits by high-level Taiwan authorities are not visits and are private and unofficial. Every Taiwan president has transited the United States, and this is Tsais seventh visit since taking office in 2016. Editor's note: An earlier version of this story gave an incorrect first name for Representative Curtis. VOA regrets the error. Israeli police stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalems Old City early Wednesday, firing stun grenades at Palestinians who hurled stones and firecrackers in a burst of violence during a sensitive holiday season. Palestinian militants in Gaza responded with rocket fire on southern Israel, prompting repeated Israeli airstrikes. The fighting, which comes as Muslims mark the holiday month of Ramadan and Jews prepare to begin the Passover festival, raised fears of a wider conflagration. By early morning, the Jerusalem compound, which is typically packed with worshippers during Ramadan, had quieted down. The mosque sits in a hilltop compound sacred to both Jews and Muslims, and conflicting claims over it have spilled into violence before, including a bloody 11-day war between Israel and Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza. Al-Aqsa is the third-holiest site in Islam and stands in a spot known to Jews as the Temple Mount, which is the holiest site in Judaism. Palestinian militant groups warned that further confrontation was coming, but a Palestinian official said the Palestinian Authority was in contact with officials in Egypt, Jordan, the United States and at the United Nations to de-escalate tensions. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was working to calm tensions" at the holy site. People who were detained at the compound and later released said police used batons, chairs, rifles and whatever else they could find to strike Palestinians, including women and children, who responded by hurling stones and setting off firecrackers that they'd brought to evening prayers for fear of possible clashes. Outside the mosques gate, police dispersed crowds of young men with stun grenades and rubber bullets. Medics from the Palestinian Red Crescent said that at least 50 people were injured. Israeli police said they were not immediately able to confirm the reports and videos showing officers beating Palestinians but said 350 were arrested. They added that one officer was injured in the leg. Separately, the Israeli military said one soldier was shot and moderately wounded in the occupied West Bank. Crowds of Palestinians gathered around a police station in Jerusalem on Wednesday, waiting anxiously for their loved ones many of them wearing blood-stained shirts and limping on bandaged legs to trickle out of detention. Amin Risheq, a 19-year-old from east Jerusalem, lifted his bloodied shirt to show his worried mother red blotches all over his back and his bandaged arm, which he said was struck by a tear gas canister. He said that after being beaten and forced to lay on the floor of the mosque with dozens of others, his hands zip-tied behind his back, he was taken to the police station where he said he did not have access to a toilet, medical attention or water for over six hours. They treated us like animals, he said. Since Ramadan began March 22, scores of Muslim worshippers have repeatedly tried to stay overnight in the mosque, a practice that is typically permitted only during the last 10 days of the monthlong holiday. Israeli police have entered nightly to evict the worshippers. Tensions have been further heightened by calls from Jewish ultranationalists to carry out a ritual slaughter of a goat in the compound, as happened in ancient times. Israel bars ritual slaughter on the site, but calls by Jewish extremists to revive the practice, including offers of cash rewards to anyone who even attempts to bring an animal into the compound, have amplified fears among Muslims that Israel is plotting to take over the site. Netanyahu repeated Wednesday that he's committed to preserving the longstanding arrangement at the compound. He described the worshippers who locked themselves in the mosque as extremists who prevented Muslims from entering the mosque peacefully. More than a hundred religious Jews filtered through the site on Wednesday during regular morning visiting hours, as small crowds of Muslims gathered around them shouting, God is greater! Jews are permitted to visit the compound, but not pray there, under longstanding agreements. But such visits, which have grown in numbers in recent years, have often raised tensions, particularly because some Jews are often seen quietly praying. After some 80,000 worshippers attended evening prayers at the mosque on Tuesday, hundreds of Palestinians barricaded themselves inside overnight to pray. Some said they wanted to ensure religious Jews didn't carry out animal sacrifices. After they refused to leave, Israeli police moved into the mosque. Israeli police said several law-breaking youths and masked agitators brought fireworks, sticks and stones into the mosque, chanting insults and locking the front doors. After many and prolonged attempts to get them out by talking to no avail, police forces were forced to enter the compound, police said. Moayad Abu Mayaleh, 23, said he blocked a door of the mosque with hundreds of others to prevent the police from entering before they broke in. We cant let them get away with this, he said, shouting insults at Israeli police as he left the station. In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian leadership denounced the attack on the worshippers as a violation that will lead to a large explosion. The foreign ministries of Jordan, Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia also condemned what they described as the Israeli raid into Al-Aqsa, as did the Jordan-controlled Islamic trust that administers the site, known as the Waqf. Palestinian militants responded to the events by firing a barrage of rockets from Gaza into southern Israel, setting off air raid sirens in the region as residents prepared to begin the weeklong Passover holiday. The Israeli military said a total of five rockets were fired, and all were intercepted. Israel responded with airstrikes that the army said hit Hamas weapons storage and manufacturing sites. We dont want this to escalate, said Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an army spokesman. But he said that if the rocket fire persisted, we will respond very aggressively. The Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad called for Palestinian residents of Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Israel to gather around the Al-Aqsa Mosque and confront Israeli forces. Palestinians must be prepared for the inevitable confrontation in the coming days," said Ziyad al-Nakhala, leader of Islamic Jihad. As violence unfolded in Jerusalem, the Israeli military reported fighting in a Palestinian town in the occupied West Bank. It said residents of Beit Umar, near the volatile city of Hebron, burned tires, hurled rocks and explosives at soldiers. It said one soldier was shot by armed suspects, who managed to flee. It said later in the day that Palestinians opened fire at a checkpoint near the northern West Bank city of Jenin, leaving no casualties. Israeli-Palestinian violence has surged over the last year, as the Israeli military has carried out near-nightly raids on Palestinian cities, towns and villages and as Palestinians have staged numerous attacks against Israelis. At least 88 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire this year, according to an Associated Press tally. Palestinian attacks against Israelis have killed 15 people in the same period. Israel says most of the Palestinians killed were militants. But stone-throwing youths and bystanders uninvolved in violence were also among the dead. All but one of the Israeli dead were civilians. Thirty-four counts of "falsifying business records in the first degree." Those are the charges against former President Donald Trump in the first indictment of a current or former U.S. president. The indictment, handed down by a New York grand jury last week, was made public Tuesday afternoon after Trump was arraigned in a New York state court, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges. The charges stem from a hush money payment of $130,000 that Trump's then-lawyer Michael Cohen made to porn actor Stormy Daniels in the final days of the 2016 presidential election. The payoff, prosecutors say, was part of an illegal "scheme" conceived by Trump and his associates to "identify and suppress" stories damaging to his candidacy. The practice is known in the industry as "catch and kill." Cohen was later reimbursed for the payment, and in 2018 he pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the secret effort. 'Critical false statement' At the center of the conspiracy was what Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg called a "critical false statement" repeated over and over: Cohen was being reimbursed for "legal services" performed in 2017. To reimburse Cohen for the hush money payment to Daniels, Trump or his company made monthly payments of $35,000 to the lawyer under a "retainer agreement" that did not exist, prosecutors say. The payments took place over the course of 2017, Trump's first year in the White House. Each criminal count against Trump represents a "false entry in business records" made in connection with a single reimbursement installment to Cohen. Count one, for example, is related to the first invoice that Cohen submitted to the Trump Organization on February 14, 2017. Counts two and three are related to vouchers created by the Trump Organization, while count four is related to a check made out to Cohen by Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust. In all, Cohen received 11 checks: two from Trump's trust and nine from Trump's personal bank account. "Each check was processed by the Trump Organization, and each check was disguised as a payment for legal services rendered in a given month of 2017 pursuant to a retainer agreement," prosecutors say. "The payment records, kept and maintained by the Trump Organization, were false New York business records." Falsifying business records or making "a false entry in the business records of an enterprise" is a crime in New York. The offense is typically charged as a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in prison. But it rises to the level of a felony punishable by up to four years in prison when it is carried out with the intent to commit or conceal "another crime." The indictment doesn't specify Trump's alleged "other crime." But an accompanying statement of facts points to at least three: a state campaign finance crime, a federal campaign finance crime, and a tax crime, said Joshua Stanton, an attorney at the Perry Guha law firm. "I think it's entirely possible that they'll say with respect to each one of these counts that he had the intent to commit several different crimes," Stanton said in an interview with VOA. "And it also gives the Manhattan DA something of a sure footing in the highly likely event that Trump filed the motion to dismiss," Stanton said. Trump's lawyers have said they'll seek to have the charges dismissed. A new revelation John Malcolm, a vice president at the conservative Heritage Foundation, said while the case is not "particularly strong," it can't be dismissed out of hand either. "These are felony offenses. You have to take them seriously," Malcolm told VOA. "But I do think it's a very unusual charge." Both the Department of Justice and the Federal Election Commission the bodies tasked with investigating violations of federal campaign finance laws examined the payment at the center of the Trump indictment and closed their investigations without charging him, he noted. But the Trump indictment is not solely focused on the Stormy Daniels payment. In a new revelation, prosecutors allege that in 2015, the publisher of the supermarket tabloid National Enquirer paid a former Trump Tower doorman $30,000 to prevent him from going public about a child that Trump had allegedly fathered out of wedlock. The story turned out to be false, but Cohen allegedly stopped the publisher from releasing the doorman from a confidentiality agreement. President Zelensky is in Poland to thank a key ally and meet with Ukrainians who have found refuge in the neighboring nation. A controversial Orthodox church is under scrutiny in Ukraine. A virtual reality exhibition demonstrates how Russias war is destroying parts of Ukraine in real-time. New developments: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits Poland, updating leaders there on the war in Ukraine and meeting with Ukrainian refugees who fled after Russias full-scale invasion. French President Emmanuel Macron, during visit to Beijing, says with Chinas relationship with Russia it can play a major role in achieving peace in Ukraine. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi reiterated the urgent need to protect the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine as he met with Russian officials in Kaliningrad. Russian bank VTB reports $7.7 billion in losses for 2022. Bank officials blamed Western sanctions that targeted Russias financial sector after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Polands Agriculture Minister Henryk Kowalczyk announces resignation amid anger from Polish farmers about effects of Ukrainian grain imports on prices. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited neighboring Poland on Wednesday, giving leaders there an update on the war in Ukraine and meeting with Ukrainian refugees who fled after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Zelenskyy said the situation for Ukrainian forces in the eastern city of Bakhmut remains difficult and that corresponding decisions would have to be taken if Kyivs troops were at risk of being surrounded by Russian forces. Zelenskyy discussed the state of the war with Polish President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, as well as international support and cooperation for Ukraine. Zelenskyy thanked Poland for what he characterized as its historic assistance to the Kyiv government. Duda said Russia has committed war crimes in Ukraine that must be punished. "Today we are trying to get for Ukraine additional guarantees, security guarantees, which will strengthen Ukraine's military potential," the Polish president noted. Poland has been a key ally for Ukraine. The U.N. refugee agency says there are 1.5 million Ukrainian refugees who have registered for temporary protection status in Poland. Poland also has served as a main hub for other Ukrainian partners to send military and humanitarian aid. On the war front, Ukrainian regional authorities said on the Telegram messaging site that three people were killed and another six were wounded in artillery attacks on the towns of Oleksievo-Druzhkivka and Velyka Novosilka in the Ukrainian-controlled part of the Donetsk region. Russias RIA news agency said that a Ukrainian drone had crashed near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, even as the chief of the global nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, was expected in Russia for talks on the plant's security. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday accused Western security services of having helped Kyiv stage "terror attacks" in Russia. "There are grounds to assert" that other countries and Western intelligence services were involved "in staging sabotage and terrorist attacks," Putin said in televised remarks. Putin's remarks came days after an explosion at a cafe in Saint Petersburg killed Vladlen Tatarsky, a high-profile military blogger and staunch supporter of Moscow's assault on Ukraine. U.S. aid The United States is providing Ukraine with a $2.6 billion military aid package that includes munitions for Patriot air defense systems and three surveillance radars. The package also includes hundreds of thousands of ammunition rounds along with 155 mm and 105 mm artillery rounds, which Ukrainian forces have continued to quickly burn through as they counter Russias illegal invasion. Ammunition for HIMARS, for air defense, for artillery is just what we need, Zelenskyy said in his nightly address Tuesday. Thank you Mr. President Biden, thank you Congress, thank you every American! A senior defense official, who spoke to reporters Tuesday on the condition of anonymity, said new equipment in the package such as nine 30 mm gun trucks could detect and intercept drones such as the Iranian-built Shahed[s] that Moscow is currently using in the fight. About $500 million of the aid package announced Tuesday will provide ammunition and equipment from U.S. military stockpiles using the presidential drawdown authority. Another $2.1 billion will buy an array of munitions and weapons for Ukraine in the future. The U.S. has now pledged more than $30 billion worth of security assistance to Ukraine since the invasion. When viewed as a percentage of donor country GDP, the U.S. ranks about 10th in its security donations to Kyiv. Some material in this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. Cyclone Freddy killed hundreds of people in February and March as it pummeled Madagascar, Malawi, and Mozambique. While the long-running storms victims were mostly in Malawi, floodwaters in Mozambique have created a fresh threat there from cholera. Cases have nearly doubled in one week to 19,000 amid a shortage of facilities, many of which were badly damaged by the cyclone, especially in the worst-hit province of Zambezia. The neighborhood of Icidua, on the outskirts of Quelimane city in Mozambiques central Zambezia province, has reported the highest number of cholera cases. Most here lived in flimsy huts made of mud or bamboo that were flattened by the cyclones up to 215 kilometer per hour winds. The local health centers building is no longer stable, so doctors and nurses work outside under the shade of trees. Mothers lined up patiently this week with their children for cholera treatment in one of the few wards that survived the storm. The clinics director Jose da Costa Silva says the staff are working at high risk as the roof could collapse at any minute. "Cholera cases are increasing, and the health center does not have the capacity to treat everybody. Most patients are referred to the provincial hospital," he said. The outbreak is not confined to Quelimane city. The U.N. says more than 19,000 cases have been confirmed across eight of Mozambiques 10 provinces. The World Health Organizations office has called it the worst cholera outbreak in Mozambique for 20 years. At Quelimane Provincial Hospital, the director general of Mozambiques National Health Institute this week addressed health workers in a packed room under a torn roof with two gaping holes. Eduardo Sam Gudo Jr. tells the workers the cholera outbreak is getting more serious by the day. Confirmed cases in Quelimane district alone have reached about 600 a day, he says, but the real number could be as high as 1,000. "The disease is not localized to one neighborhood, its everywhere," he said. "It can only be fought with a local chlorine water treatment product called Certeza, but supplies are stretched and there arent enough people to distribute the bottles." Every day, volunteers collect crates of Certeza from outside the hospital and drive to neighborhoods like Icidua, where they walk from house to house, distributing bottles. Each one should last a family for a week, but demand is massively outstripping supply as the cholera spreads. For many Mozambicans still recovering in the cyclones wake, cholera is just one of many problems. Outside the village of Nicoadala, about 300 people live in a makeshift camp of tarpaulin huts on a road next to a flooded field. Their villages and fields are still under water, forcing them to fish in flooded rice paddies to survive. Sixty-four-year-old Joaquina Bissane says she had to reach the camp by canoe after her village was submerged. "Cholera is less of a problem here than malaria, as the damp and heat has turned these flatlands into a breeding ground for mosquitoes," she said. They have received no support from the government, so they are supporting each other. The World Food Program estimates the cyclones floodwaters destroyed 215,000 hectares of crops in Mozambique. Seventy-year-old farmer Inacio Abdala says his familys home and fields were among those destroyed. He says they eat one day and dont eat the next as they lost everything in the floods. Even the schools are flooded, so their children can't go to school. Even after the floods subside, saltwater brought inland by the cyclone may have damaged much of the soil. Freddy hit just before the main harvest and officials say it will take months, or even years, for farmlands to fully recover long after they hope to bring the cholera outbreak under control. Gender equality activists in Namibia have welcomed the first ever appointment of female justices to the country's supreme court. The chairperson of the Namibia Women Lawyers Association, Ruth Herunga, said the appointment of three female judges, a first since the country gained independence, can be seen as the breaking of a glass ceiling. Herunga said although women have gained access to positions of political power, a significant number of African countries still lag in the representation of women at the highest levels of the judiciary. It is now recognized that the contribution of women judges worldwide and their active participation at all levels of decision making is essential to the achievement of equality and democracy. With these appointments, Namibia also joins the ranks of other countries both on the continent as well as the world who have in recent times already appointed women judges to the highest court, she said. The countrys minister of justice, Yvonne Dausab, welcomed the appointments but said more needs to be done in terms of representation because the top tier leadership at both the Supreme Court and the High Court are still male dominated. We anticipate that over the next few months there are going to be a lot of cases that involve a variety of issues and also a variety of people. You want to make sure that the bench reflects those demographics that people come from so that people have confidence in the system, she said. An all-male bench of the Supreme Court of Namibia recently overruled a High Court judgment in favor of a same-sex couple who were seeking citizenship for a child they said was theirs born through surrogacy in South Africa. In that matter, High Court Judge Esi Shimming-Chase ruled for the child to be granted citizenship, however, the highest court of appeal overturned that decision. Shimming-Chase has now been appointed to the Supreme Court alongside High Court of Namibia Judge Johanna Prinsloo for a period of one year. Zimbabwean Constitutional Court Judge Rita Makarau is the third new Supreme Court judge. Namibias legal system allows for judges from other jurisdictions to serve on the countrys high courts and Supreme Courts. Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe and several other countries in the Southern African Development Community have similar systems and allow legal practitioners to work across borders as long as they are registered. Ndilimeke Auala of the Namibia Institute for Democracy said these appointments will strike a balance in Supreme Court judgments. Society and our processes only flourish with equal representation; Now the female judges must be held to the same standard we hold the male judges, they will be judged by the way they defend the weak in society and speak truth to power. They have the chance to influence policy to improve [sic] an equal society, said Auala. Rita Makaraus appointment has been questioned by opposition parties in Namibia because of her perceived closeness to the ruling ZANU-PF party of Zimbabwe. The opposition in Namibia accuses her of being complicit in the alleged rigging of elections in Zimbabwe. Female activists however argue that if she was a man her fitness for the bench would not have been questioned. The Russian official charged alongside President Vladimir Putin by the International Criminal Court for the alleged abduction of thousands of Ukrainian children said Wednesday that Moscow is fully open to cooperation in the interest of the children. Unfortunately, there is no official communication through official channels with Ukraine, although we are ready to work with the relevant bodies, Maria Lvova-Belova, Russias presidential commissioner for childrens rights, told a meeting organized by Russia at the United Nations. We havent received a single request from their side, only completely unfounded accusations in the media and social media, she said. Lvova-Belova spoke by video link because international travel would expose her to possible arrest and extradition to The Hague-based court, which issued arrest warrants for her and Putin on March 17. The ICC said that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the two bear criminal responsibility for the unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation, hundreds of whom were adopted in Russia. More than 16,000 deported, says Ukraine Ukraine says more than 16,000 children have been forcibly deported to Russia since its invasion 13 months ago. The Russian official said only about 2,000 children had come to Russia either as orphans with guardians or unaccompanied, and many have been reunited with relatives. No amount of disinformation spread by the Russian Federation can deny the truth of the matter, nor shield individuals from accountability for these crimes, Ukraine said in a statement supported by 49 other nations in response to Wednesdays informal meeting of the U.N. Security Council, known as an Arria. Children moved for safety, says Russia Lvova-Belova did not address the ICC charges during her remarks but said, This is a campaign to discredit our country. Russia sought to portray its transfer of Ukrainian children during the war as being for their protection. Lvova-Belova offered two videos during her remarks, presumably of Ukrainian children. One was a short video in Russian with subtitles that said we rescued orphaned children from shelled areas of the countrys east and featured children being hugged and kissed by caregivers. A second, 3-minute video started with images of children in a war zone and then flashed forward to children living in Russia with foster families, enjoying time on a swing, playing with a rabbit and building Legos. Its a good life, one teen girl says. I want to stress that unlike the Ukrainian side, we dont use children for propaganda, Lvova-Belova said at the conclusion of the second video. Several representatives walk out Junior diplomats represented the councils 14 other members during the meeting, which took place in a U.N. conference room. When Lvova-Belova began her remarks, the representatives of Albania, Britain, Malta and the U.S. walked out. If she wants to give an account of her actions, she can do so in The Hague, a U.K. spokesperson said ahead of the meeting. The U.K., along with the U.S., blocked the meeting from being broadcast on the U.N.s website, although it could still be seen on internal video feeds and on the Russian missions website. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters Wednesday that the U.S. opposed the Lvova-Belova briefing because she has been charged with war crimes. And thats why we've joined the U.K. in blocking U.N. WebTV from being used to allow her to have an international podium to spread disinformation and to try to defend her horrible actions that are taking place in Ukraine, she said. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron are to land in China on Wednesday seeking to "reset" ties with an important economic partner while broaching thorny issues like Ukraine and trade risks. Macron last visited China in 2019. It will be von der Leyen's first trip since becoming European Commission president that year. Since then, China's strict pandemic controls forced all diplomatic meetings online as relations with Europe soured: first because of a stalled investment pact in 2021 and then Beijing's refusal to condemn Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. For Macron, facing embarrassing pension protests at home, the trip offers a chance to land some economic wins as he travels with a 50-strong business delegation, including Airbus, which is negotiating a big plane order, Alstom and nuclear giant EDF. However, some analysts said ostentatious deal-signing would appear opportunistic at a time of heightened frictions between the United States and China. "It's not the time to announce business deals or big new investments," said Noah Barkin, an analyst with Rhodium Group. "It would essentially be a vote of confidence in the Chinese economy and send the message that France is not on board with the U.S. approach." Von der Leyen has said the EU must reduce risks in ties with Beijing, including limiting Chinese access to sensitive technology and reducing reliance for key inputs such as critical minerals, as well as batteries, solar panels and other clean tech products. Macron invited von der Leyen on the trip as a way to project European unity, after French officials criticized German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for going solo to China late last year. He has pushed the EU to be more robust in trade relations with China and is broadly supportive of von der Leyen's stance, Macron advisers said, but the French leader has publicly refrained from using strong anti-China rhetoric, Beijing being prone to bilateral retaliatory measures. Beyond trade, both have said they want to persuade China to use its influence over Russia to bring peace in Ukraine, or at least prevent Beijing from directly supporting its ally. "Both (Macron and von der Leyen) have not only business in mind but also Ukraine," said Joerg Wuttke, president of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China. "I'm sure it's not going to be an easy visit." China earlier this year proposed a 12-point peace plan for the Ukraine crisis, which called on both sides to agree to a gradual de-escalation leading to a comprehensive ceasefire. But the plan was largely dismissed by the West because of China's refusal to condemn Russia, and the U.S. and NATO then said China was considering sending arms to Russia, claims which Beijing has denied. Suspicions over China's motives only deepened after President Xi Jinping flew to Moscow for meetings with Vladimir Putin last month in his first overseas visit since securing a precedent-breaking third term as president. Macron has said he is also keen to stress to Xi, who he will meet alongside von der Leyen on Thursday, that Europe will not accept China providing arms to Russia. "Considering China's proximity with Russia, it's obvious it is one of the few countries, if not the only one, which could have a game-changing effect on the conflict, in one way or another," one of Macron's advisors said ahead of the trip. In a meeting with Xi in Beijing last week, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he had encouraged the Chinese leader to talk to the Ukrainian leadership and learn first-hand about Kyiv's peace formula. Macron and von der Leyen are expected to echo the message that Xi should also talk to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. After brokering a surprise detente between Iran and Saudi Arabia last month, China has been eager to present itself as a global peacemaker and an alternative to the United States, which it says is fanning flames by sending weapons to Ukraine. The talks with European leaders come amid high tension with the U.S. over issues ranging from Taiwan to bans on semiconductor exports, and China is eager that Europe does not follow what it sees as a U.S.-led effort to contain its rise. Taking aim at von der Leyen's comments last week on the risks of trade with China, the state-run Chinese nationalist Global Times warned on Monday that Europe would suffer from any attempt to cut economic ties with Beijing. "The EU is in a difficult struggle as it is under great pressure from the U.S. to adjust its economic relations with China. China and EU decoupling will only serve U.S. interests, but make both China and Europe suffer," it said. But aside from some hard talk on Ukraine and trade tensions, the trip will also serve up some lighter opportunities to demonstrate what Macron's advisor said was an attempt to "reset" diplomatic and economic relations with China. On Friday, Xi will accompany Macron on a trip to the sprawling southern port of Guangzhou, where the first French ship reached Chinese shores in the 17th century and where France opened its first consulate. After meeting students there, Macron will attend a private dinner and tea ceremony with the Chinese leader who also has sentimental attachment to the city as his late father, Xi Zhongxun, used to work there as provincial first secretary. "We believe that this (trip) has very large symbolic significance and suggests that (France) is ready to relaunch cooperation with China," Henry Huiyao Wang, president of the Centre for China and Globalisation, a Beijing-based think tank. Company Logo Dublin, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Clear Aligners Market Size, Share, Trends, By Material, By End-use, By Age Group By Distribution Channel, By Type, By Region Forecast to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global market for clear aligners had a total value of USD 4.1 billion in 2022 and is expected to exhibit a revenue CAGR of 30% over the forecast period. This growth is primarily being driven by the growing awareness among the public of the benefits of using clear aligners over traditional braces for the treatment of malocclusion or misaligned teeth. The popularity of clear aligners is also being fueled by an increase in the incidence of malocclusion and the demand for cosmetic orthodontic procedures. Two technological advances in transparent aligner systems, namely 3D printing technology and the development of new materials, are expected to boost the revenue growth of the market. The use of 3D printing technology allows for the creation of custom-made and highly precise clear aligners, making them more effective in treating complex cases. Additionally, the introduction of new materials such as thermoplastic elastomers has led to improvements in patient experience, resulting in greater comfort and flexibility. The market's revenue growth is also being propelled by an increase in disposable income and a growing desire for cosmetic dentistry. The availability of flexible payment plans and dental insurance coverage for orthodontic treatment has made clear aligners more accessible and affordable to the general public. The trend towards self-care and the aspiration for a perfect smile has also contributed to the growing demand for clear aligners. However, the high cost of clear aligners compared to traditional braces and the lack of insurance coverage in some countries are significant factors that could impede revenue growth. The cost of clear aligners can be further increased due to the need for multiple sets of aligners during the course of treatment. Key Takeaways Story continues Product Type Insights The clear aligners market has been categorized into three product types, including removable clear aligners, traditional clear aligners, and others. The removable clear aligners segment is projected to capture the largest revenue share during the forecast period. This can be attributed to the increasing preference for less invasive orthodontic treatment options, particularly among consumers. Moreover, the availability of advanced technology and software for designing and manufacturing clear aligners is expected to contribute to the growth of this segment. Additionally, removable clear aligners are popular due to their convenience and ease of use. As they can be easily removed and reinserted by users, it enables them to maintain oral hygiene and eat comfortably. The popularity of removable clear aligners is expected to boost revenue growth of this segment. The traditional clear aligners segment is anticipated to witness the fastest revenue CAGR during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to the rising demand for orthodontic treatments and the increasing prevalence of complex dental cases that require fixed clear aligners for effective treatment. Furthermore, the adoption of 3D printing technology for manufacturing traditional clear aligners is expected to drive revenue growth of the segment. Traditional clear aligners are fixed and cannot be removed by the user, making them more effective in treating complex dental cases. They are also commonly used in combination with other orthodontic treatments. The revenue growth of the traditional clear aligners segment is expected to be driven by the growing demand for orthodontic treatments and the rising prevalence of dental malocclusions. End-use Insights The clear aligners market has been segmented based on end-use into four categories: food sector, environmental monitoring, healthcare, and others. In 2022, the healthcare segment accounted for the largest revenue share. The healthcare industry is the primary end-user of biosensors, as they provide precise and timely diagnostic results. Biosensors are extensively used in the detection of diseases, drug discovery, and monitoring therapeutic drug levels. The healthcare industry is projected to continue driving revenue growth of the biosensors market due to the rising prevalence of chronic diseases such as cancer and diabetes, as well as the increasing need for personalized medicine. The environmental monitoring segment is expected to register the fastest revenue CAGR during the forecast period. Biosensors enable the detection and monitoring of environmental pollutants such as heavy metals, herbicides, and poisons. The growth of this segment is expected to be driven by the increasing concerns regarding environmental pollution and the rising demand for effective and accurate monitoring solutions. Regional Insights During the forecast period, the North American market is expected to hold the largest revenue share due to the high usage of clear aligners in the region. The prevalence of malocclusion and tooth misalignment in America and Canada is a major driving factor for the market's growth. Moreover, the awareness of the advantages of clear aligners, such as its aesthetic appeal, convenience, and comfort, is increasing, leading to a rise in demand. The presence of leading market players like Align Technology and Dentsply Sirona, who invest heavily in research and development to improve product efficiency, is another significant factor driving revenue growth in this region. The European market is expected to account for the second-largest revenue share during the forecast period, primarily due to the rising awareness of orthodontic treatments, including clear aligners. The market in this region is being driven by several reputable producers like 3M, Danaher Corporation, and Straumann Group. Increasing demand for clear aligners in countries such as Germany, France, and the U.K., where malocclusion and tooth misalignment are prevalent, is driving revenue growth in this region. The Asia Pacific market is expected to register the fastest revenue CAGR during the forecast period. The market's growth in this region is expected to be driven by rising demand for clear aligners in growing countries like China and India, where the middle-class population is becoming more affluent. Additionally, the increasing prevalence of malocclusion and public awareness of orthodontic treatments are driving revenue growth. The use of innovative technologies like 3D printing and intraoral scanners in the production of clear aligners is also expected to boost revenue growth in this region. Segments Covered in Report: This report provides historical data and future revenue growth projections for the global clear aligners market, segmented by product type, end-use, and region. Reports and Data has analyzed market trends for each segment and sub-segment from 2019 to 2032. The global clear aligners market has been segmented based on product type into removable clear aligners, traditional clear aligners, and others. The market has also been segmented by end-use into the food sector, environmental monitoring, healthcare, and others. The report also provides a regional outlook for the global clear aligners market, covering North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. Within each region, the report includes revenue projections for specific countries such as the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, China, India, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1. Market Synopsis Chapter 2. Executive Summary Chapter 3. Indicative Metrics Chapter 4. Clear Aligners Market Segmentation & Impact Analysis Chapter 5. Clear Aligners Market By Material Insights & Trends Chapter 6. Clear Aligners Market By End-Use Insights & Trends Chapter 7. Clear Aligners Market By Age Group Insights & Trends Chapter 8. Clear Aligners Market By Distribution Channel Insights & Trends Chapter 9. Clear Aligners Market By Type Insights & Trends Chapter 10. Clear Aligners Market Regional Outlook Chapter 11. Competitive Landscape Chapter 12. Company Profiles Companies Mentioned Align Technology Inc. Dentsply Sirona Inc. 3M Company Danaher Corporation Straumann Group Henry Schein Inc. Ormco Corporation AlignerCo Byte Smile Direct Club For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/dxwolz About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. CONTACT: CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 Paetongtarn Shinawatra confirmed her bid for prime minister on Wednesday, pledging to increase daily wages and give a cash handout to all Thais if elected, as Thailands most famous political family fights a May 14 poll seen as critical if pro-democracy parties are to regain power from a military that has dug into politics. Thailands modern history is strewn with coups two of them aimed at Shinawatra prime ministers violent street protests and elected governments that quickly crumble, in a struggle that is broadly between those who want greater democracy and an arch-royalist conservative elite. Former army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha, 69, has headed a military-backed government since leading a coup in 2014 against the government of Yingluck Shinawatra, Paetongtarns aunt. Prayuth may need to rely on a minority government to return as prime minister after the polls, experts say, but he can draw on the support of an unelected 250-strong Senate that he handpicked. But the 36-year-old Paetongtarn and her Pheu Thai opposition party are the biggest obstacle to his return. Were going to help each other to take back our democracy, to take back our lives that have been drained from us for almost a decade, she told a Bangkok stadium packed with supporters late Wednesday, referring to the years since Prayuths coup. Drawing on name recognition Paetongtarn is the daughter of self-exiled billionaire Thaksin, 73, who won the hearts of rural Thailand to become prime minister in elections in 2001 and then 2005, only to be thrown out by another coup a year later and convicted of corruption. He has not set foot in Thailand since 2008. Paetongtarn, better known as Ung Ing, has been busy campaigning despite being eight months pregnant. Pheu Thai asserts a landslide victory is realistic if it gets around 310 seats from a 500-strong lower house and is drawing on the star power of the Shinawatra surname. Weve won elections all this time, but our power has been stolen by coups and snakes in the parliament we dont want another coup, she told the stadium to applause, noting only a landslide can ensure a political reset for Thailand. Thousands cheered as Pheu Thai unveiled its candidates for prime minister: Paetongtarn, Chaikasem Nitisiri, an ex-justice minister, and Srettha Thavisin, who on Tuesday stepped down as chief executive of Sansiri, one of Thailands biggest real estate firms. The party says it will raise the minimum wage to just under $18, from the current figure of around $10, ensure graduates start on minimum salaries of $735 a month, and give every Thai over the age of 16 around $300 in a "digital wallet to spend in their local economy. The party has not fully explained how it will fund its promises. Let me announce this to the world. Thailand will undergo a new transformation, we will re-enter the world stage, we will work to build a better future for Thais, Srettha said. Many experts say he is likeliest to become Pheu Thais ultimate choice for prime minister if it secures a landslide. Obstacles ahead, say observers But experts warn obstacles are ahead for a Shinawatra family that is despised by many among the conservative elite who see Paetongtarn as a puppet for Thaksin. In addition to military takeovers, that elite has frequently drawn on the support of the constitutional court to take out its rivals when polls turn unfavorable. I think the possibility of a party dissolution, before or after the election, to give advantage to a pro-military coalition cannot be ruled out, said Napon Jatusripitak, a political scientist and researcher at The Institute of Southeast Asian Studies Yusof-Ishak Institute in Singapore. Prayuth has faced major pro-democracy protests, as well as factions turning against him inside his political bloc. But he has battled his critics to contest the May election. Yet under the constitution, written in the wake of the last coup, no Thai prime minister can be in office for more than 10 years. That leaves Prayuth with just two years left to serve if he abides by the constitution. Even two years could be valuable, because it means it's the continuity of the past eight years Ive been in office, he told reporters on Monday. I know the ins and outs of all the problems. For many in a country that has seen periodic bursts of political violence, the return of Prayuth is unthinkable after years where freedoms have been curbed while the economy has sagged, leaving millions in poverty. Thaksin Shinawatra made people understand the meaning of democracy. Every policy came true, all designed for the people, said Pisarn Janparn, a taxi driver and Pheu Thai supporter. People have put up so much already." he said. "If the establishment wont yield to the peoples wishes, anything can happen. When people are hungry, anything can happen. The South African government on Wednesday terminated the national state of disaster announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in early February. The declaration was intended to deal with the worst electricity crisis in the country's history. The government said the state of disaster had been a "necessary response" to the power crisis, but that since then, a number of measures had been put into place to deal with the constant shortages and daily scheduled blackouts, known as "loadshedding." Among them was the appointment of a minister of electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, who has undertaken visits to struggling power stations and met with executives at embattled state power utility Eskom, the minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs, Thembi Nkadimeng, told a press conference. "As we move forward, government will, through the Energy Crisis Committee, of course led by the minister, continue to engage, cooperate and coordinate its actions to reduce and eradicate loadshedding using existing legislation and contingency arrangements," Nkadimeng said. Loadshedding, however, continued Wednesday, even as the state of disaster was revoked, with Stage 4 or at least five hours a day of power cuts in place. The cuts, meant to reduce pressure on the over-stretched electric grid, with its many aging and badly maintained coal-fired power stations regularly breaking down, have hit Africa's most industrialized economy hard. Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter left the job earlier this year after giving an explosive interview accusing high-level government officials of corruption. De Ruyter said he was unable to turn the graft-riddled and heavily indebted utility around and alleged there had been a poisoning attempt on his life. There had been concerns the state of disaster, which did away with some of the bureaucracy surrounding energy procurement, could allow for further corruption. A non-governmental organization and a trade union had filed lawsuits challenging the state of disaster. Last week, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced Eskom would be exempted from declaring all its expenditures. On Wednesday, after widespread criticism, he backtracked, withdrawing that exemption. South African opposition parties have staged protests over the electricity situation, as the public becomes more and more frustrated. However, President Cyril Ramaphosa has said there is no quick fix for the crisis. House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul is in Taipei for meetings with officials, including Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, just hours after Tsai spoke with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California. We are confronting a generational threat from the Chinese Communist Party, and the Indo-Pacific theater is our first line of defense against their encroachment. Thats why now, more than ever, its critical the United States strengthen relationships with our allies and partners in the region, said McCaul, who is traveling with a bipartisan delegation of seven lawmakers. The delegation is also set to meet with Taiwanese business leaders and officials to discuss ways to strengthen the U.S.-Taiwan relationship. Lawmakers are expected to meet with Tsai on Saturday. The meeting between Tsai and McCarthy, along with as many as 18 other U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday, drew criticism from China, which considers the island a part of the country. The U.S. colluded with Taiwan authorities and connived at attempts by separatists seeking Taiwan independence to carry out political activities on U.S. soil, engage in official interaction between the United States and Taiwan, and elevate the substantive relations between the United States and Taiwan, Mao Ning, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said Thursday. China will take resolute and measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, she said. According to its One China principle, China considers the issue of Taiwanese sovereignty an internal matter and holds that China has sovereignty over the mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Under the U.S. One China policy, Washington recognizes Beijing as the sole legal government of China. However, the U.S. does not recognize Beijings sovereignty over Taiwan and has never agreed to refrain from meeting with Taiwanese leaders. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries met with Tsai as she transited through New York last week. In a statement noting that the meeting did not deviate from the long-standing unofficial relationship between the U.S. and Taiwan, Jeffries said, We had a very productive conversation about the mutual security and economic interests between America and Taiwan. We also discussed our shared commitment to democracy and freedom. Last year, then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and a delegation of five House Democrats visited Taiwan for meetings with Taiwanese officials. The visit increased tensions in the region as China launched military exercises in the area around Taiwan and suspended or canceled some lines of military cooperation with the United States. In addition to a three-day trip to Taiwan, McCaul and the delegation have also visited Japan and South Korea. Former U.S. President Donald Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, felony charges that could land him in prison for up to four years on each count. Thats according to a newly unsealed indictment issued by a New York grand jury last week. The indictment marks the first time in U.S. history a current or former U.S. president has been criminally charged and comes as Trump seeks the Republican nomination in the 2024 U.S. Presidential election. The charging document was made public Tuesday afternoon after Trump made his first appearance in Manhattan Supreme Court where he entered a plea of not guilty to all charges. The charges stem from a hush money payment that Trump's then-lawyer Michael Cohen made during the 2016 presidential campaign to an adult film actor who claimed she had a sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier. Prosecutors say the $130,000 payoff was part of an illegal scheme to suppress stories that could damage Trumps candidacy. The scheme involved Trump, Cohen, and David Pecker, the publisher of the National Enquirer tabloid, who bought the rights to several stories and never published them. As part of the scheme, prosecutors say, Pecker, a long-time Trump friend, made two other payments one to a former Playboy model and another to a former Trump Tower doorman who claimed Trump had fathered a child out of wedlock -- an account that turned out to be false. Trump reimbursed Cohen for the Daniels payout in 2017, but prosecutors say he disguised it as a payment for legal services that Cohen never performed. Trump did this, they charge, by receiving fake invoices from Cohen, generating vouchers, and cutting monthly $35,000 checks to Cohen. This deception, said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, was repeated over and over throughout 2017. For nine straight months, Bragg said at a news conference following Trumps arraignment, the defendant held documents in his hand, containing this key lie, that he was paying Michael Cohen for legal services performed in 2017. In all, prosecutors say, a series of 34 false business entries were made between February and December 2017, each representing an invoice from Cohen, a voucher from the Trump Organization or a check cut by Trump or his company. These records form the basis for each of the 34 criminal counts against Trump. Count one, for example, is related to the first invoice that Cohen submitted to the Trump Organization on February 14, 2017. The invoice purported to be for $70,000 in legal services performed in January and February. But in reality, the indictment charges, it was meant to cover part of Cohens payment to Daniels. Counts two and three pertain to two separate vouchers generated by the Trump Organization in response to the invoice, while count four is based on a $70,000 check made out to Cohen by the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust. In total, Cohen received 11 checks from Trump, amounting to $420,000. The first two came from Trump's trust and the remainder from Trump's personal bank account while he was conducting the affairs of state in the White House. Prosecutors detailed the scheme in a statement of facts accompanying the indictment. "Each check was processed by the Trump Organization, and each check was disguised as a payment for legal services rendered in a given month of 2017 pursuant to a retainer agreement," prosecutors wrote. "The payment records, kept and maintained by the Trump Organization, were false New York business records." Falsifying business records or making "a false entry in the business records of an enterprise" is a crime in New York. District Attorney Bragg called the charge the bread and butter of his offices work on white-collar crime. The offense is typically charged as a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in prison. But it rises to the level of a felony with a penalty of up to four years in prison when it is carried out with the intent to commit or hide another crime. While the indictment doesnt specify Trumps other alleged offenses, prosecutors, both in their statement of facts and in their public comments after the arraignment, cited several possible violations that could be used as predicate crimes in the case. One is a possible violation of New York state election law, which makes it a crime to promote or prevent the election of a political candidate by unlawful means. In New York, unlawful means often refers to conduct unauthorized by law. Another is a breach of the federal election campaign laws, which limit contributions to candidates to substantially less than the $130,000 paid to Daniels. Finally, in an apparent violation of New York tax laws, the hush money payment was falsely reported as income to New York tax authorities, prosecutors allege. Joshua Stanton, an attorney at the Perry Guha law firm, said the alleged secondary crimes could enable prosecutors to argue that Trump, with each violation of New Yorks business records law, intended to commit several other offenses. And that puts them in a position tosecure a conviction if they can show the intent to commit any one of those crimes, Stanton, who has written extensively about the case, said in an interview with VOA. And it also gives the Manhattan D.A. something of a sure footing in the highly likely event that Trump files the motion to dismiss. In the past, New York prosecutors have used the statute on falsifying business records to prosecute a wide range of criminal conduct, from violations of bank secrecy laws to cover-ups of sex crimes. Nevertheless, many legal experts are questioning the novel legal theory at the center of the indictment. John Malcolm, a vice president at the conservative Heritage Foundation, said that while the case against Trump is not "particularly strong," it can't be dismissed out of hand. "These are felony offenses. You have to take them seriously," Malcolm told VOA. "But I do think it's a very unusual charge." Malcolm noted that both the Department of Justice and the Federal Election Commission the bodies tasked with investigating violations of federal campaign finance laws examined the hush money payment and closed their investigations without charging him. Donald Trump, I think, is going to have a number of defenses that he can assert to this, Malcolm said. In addition to the fact that he's going to try to get the indictment dismissed for selective prosecution, he's going to make an argument that nobody similarly situated would have been charged in this kind of way, I tend to think that that is probably correct. The United Nations said Wednesday that it will not comply with a Taliban decree banning Afghan women from working for the organization and called on them to revoke it. "In the history of the United Nations, no other regime has ever tried to ban women from working for the organization just because they are women," said Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. "This decision represents an assault against women, the fundamental principles of the U.N., and on international law." Taliban officials informed the United Nations verbally on Tuesday that an existing ban on women working for humanitarian organizations has been extended to include the U.N. The U.N. is continuing to engage with the Taliban to get the edict reversed. Otunbayeva met Wednesday with the Taliban's acting foreign minister. The United Nations has nearly 4,000 staff members in Afghanistan, of which about 3,300 are Afghan nationals. Among them are about 400 Afghan women and 200 international female staffers. There was no immediate public comment from the Taliban on the ban. U.N. Deputy-Secretary General Amina Mohammed told reporters in a video briefing from London that the organization would continue to pay its female Afghan staff. She added that until the Taliban further clarifies their decision, the organization has instructed all its Afghan staff both female and male not to report to the office. She said the U.N. would not replace its female staff with men. Mohammed said she is outraged by the decision, which comes during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. "It is not at this time when we are supposed to be closer to God that we strike against the women of Afghanistan," she said. In January, the deputy secretary-general went to Afghanistan with a high-level U.N. delegation to speak with Taliban officials about a series of decrees that have eroded the rights of women and girls, particularly on going to school and university and working outside the home. On December 24, 2022, the Taliban banned Afghan women from working with domestic and international aid groups but did not include the United Nations at that time. Some international nongovernmental organizations suspended their work after the decree. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said it is appalling that the Taliban is trying to erase women. "They cannot be allowed to continue to restrict women from providing support to women," Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters. The U.N. Security Council will discuss the development in a closed-door meeting on Thursday. In a statement, the U.N. mission in Afghanistan said its female Afghan staffers are officials of the United Nations, whose privileges and immunities are protected in international law and they must be allowed to move and work freely. "They cannot receive instructions on the performance of their duties from any authority external to the Organization, which exists to promote and encourage respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction as to gender, race, language, or religion," the statement reads. Afghanistan is one of the world's largest humanitarian emergencies. The United Nations says 28.3 million people, two-thirds of the population, need humanitarian assistance. Six million people are on the brink of famine. A $4.6 billion humanitarian appeal for this year is just over $200 million funded. "The impact is bad," Ramiz Alakbarov, U.N. deputy special representative and humanitarian coordinator for Afghanistan, told reporters via video from Kabul. "Without our female staff, we cannot engage properly; we cannot deliver programs." 'No compromise' The de facto authorities have ignored calls to lift the curbs and dismissed criticism of their governance, saying it is in line with Afghan culture and Islamic law, or Shariah. In an apparent bid to reinforce their defiance, the Taliban last week reissued a recent audio speech of their reclusive radical chief, Hibatullah Akhundzada, with English subtitles. "Today, the world does not want Afghanistan and its government to rule by its own will. Neither will I let them establish their law, nor will they allow me to apply my law," Akhundzada told a gathering of Afghan religious scholars. "Neither a compromise is possible, nor a compromise has been made. Therefore, your responsibility is not just to successfully establish Shariah in Afghanistan; rather, it is incumbent upon the scholars of Afghanistan to lead the whole world on Shariah," he said. Furious at U.S. efforts that cut off access to technology to make advanced computer chips, China's leaders appear to be struggling to figure out how to retaliate without hurting their own ambitions in telecoms, artificial intelligence and other industries. Chinese leader Xi Jinping's government sees the chips which are used in everything from phones to kitchen appliances to fighter jets as crucial assets in its strategic rivalry with Washington and efforts to gain wealth and global influence. Chips are the center of a "technology war," a Chinese scientist wrote in an official journal in February. China has its own chip foundries, but they supply only low-end processors used in autos and appliances. The U.S. government, starting under President Donald Trump, has been cutting off access to a growing array of tools to make chips for computer servers, AI and other advanced applications. Japan and the Netherlands have joined in limiting access to technology they say might be used to make weapons. Xi, in unusually pointed language, accused Washington in March of trying to block China's development with a campaign of "containment and suppression." He called on the public to "dare to fight." Despite that, Beijing has been slow to retaliate against U.S. companies, possibly to avoid disrupting Chinese industries that assemble most of the world's smartphones, tablet computers and other consumer electronics. They import more than $300 billion worth of foreign chips every year. Investing in self-reliance The ruling Communist Party is throwing billions of dollars at trying to accelerate chip development and reduce the need for foreign technology. China's loudest complaint: It is blocked from buying a machine available only from a Dutch company, ASML, that uses ultraviolet light to etch circuits into silicon chips on a scale measured in nanometers, or billionths of a meter. Without that, Chinese efforts to make transistors faster and more efficient by packing them more closely together on fingernail-size slivers of silicon are stalled. Making processor chips requires some 1,500 steps and technologies owned by U.S., European, Japanese and other suppliers. "China won't swallow everything. If damage occurs, we must take action to protect ourselves," the Chinese ambassador to the Netherlands, Tan Jian, told the Dutch newspaper Financieele Dagblad. "I'm not going to speculate on what that might be," Tan said. "It won't just be harsh words." The conflict has prompted warnings the world might split into separate spheres with incompatible technology standards that mean computers, smartphones and other products from one region wouldn't work in others. That would raise costs and might slow innovation. "The bifurcation in technological and economic systems is deepening," Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore said at an economic forum in China last month. "This will impose a huge economic cost." U.S.-Chinese relations are at their lowest level in decades due to disputes over security, Beijing's treatment of Hong Kong, and Muslim ethnic minorities, territorial disputes, and China's multibillion-dollar trade surpluses. Chinese industries will "hit a wall" in 2025 or 2026 if they can't get next-generation chips or the tools to make their own, said Handel Jones, a tech industry consultant. China "will start falling behind significantly," said Jones, CEO of International Business Strategies. EV batteries as leverage Beijing might have leverage, though, as the biggest source of batteries for electric vehicles, Jones said. Chinese battery giant CATL supplies U.S. and Europe automakers. Ford Motor Co. plans to use CATL technology in a $3.5 billion battery factory in Michigan. "China will strike back," Jones said. "What the public might see is China not giving the U.S. batteries for EVs." On Friday, Japan increased pressure on Beijing by joining Washington in imposing controls on exports of chipmaking equipment. The announcement didn't mention China, but the trade minister said Tokyo doesn't want its technology used for military purposes. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Mao Ning, warned Japan that "weaponizing sci-tech and trade issues" would "hurt others as well as oneself." Hours later, the Chinese government announced an investigation of the biggest U.S. memory chip maker, Micron Technology Inc., a key supplier to Chinese factories. The Cyberspace Administration of China said it would look for national security threats in Micron's technology and manufacturing but gave no details. The Chinese military also needs semiconductors for its development of stealth fighter jets, cruise missiles and other weapons. Chinese alarm grew after President Joe Biden in October expanded controls imposed by Trump on chip manufacturing technology. Biden also barred Americans from helping Chinese manufacturers with some processes. To nurture Chinese suppliers, Xi's government is stepping up support that industry experts say already amounts to as much as $30 billion a year in research grants and other subsidies. As Vietnamese durian farmers celebrate the opening of trade with China, experts are cautioning against becoming reliant on a market that can disappear if consumer tastes change or long-running friction between Beijing and Hanoi erupts again over competing claims to the South China Sea. The Chinese market is so huge. When they are into a certain fruit, were actually struggling to grow enough to supply to them, said Vo Tan Loi, director of Phuong Ngoc-Cai Be Company, a veteran fruit exporter in the Mekong Deltas Tien Giang Province. The region is known for the fruit, which looks like a giants spiky massage ball and so pungently permeates its surroundings that it has grounded planes and forced building evacuations. According to data from the General Department of Vietnam Customs reported by the local Nhan Dan Daily, durian sales are expected to top $1 billion in in the Chinese market by the end of 2023. Durians are Chinas most valuable fresh fruit import, valued agt $4.21 billion in 2021, mostly from Thailand. And while public consumption of durian is banned in many places in Southeast Asia due to its stench, Chinas fresh durian lovers are willing to pay top prices for the fruits custardy innards with an indescribable taste. Complicating what would otherwise be a quest for a coveted delicacy is the sometimes-fraught relationship between Vietnam and China, which is Vietnams largest trading partner and market. The two nations have long been locked in a territorial dispute over islands, fishing grounds and drilling rights for oil and gas in the South China Sea. As China has become increasingly assertive and the U.S. has become more involved in the region, the risk of armed conflict between Hanoi and Beijing is low but growing, according to a 2021 report by the International Crisis Group. Loi cautioned that farmers could be hit so hard if China blocks durian imports over geopolitical tensions or their price drops due to oversupply. It takes a durian tree up to seven to eight years to mature and yield fruits, so farmers stand to lose seven to eight years if unexpected upheavals happen in the Chinese market, he said. Loi told VOA Vietnamese that over his years of experience he has seen several cycles when farmers abandoned one crop to shift to another that yielded higher profit in the Chinese market. When jackfruit price hit [$2.5-$3] a kilogram they wiped out oranges and mandarins to grow jackfruit. Now that durian can be officially exported to China, they are starting to fell jackfruit orchards, he said, referring to price fluctuations of early 2019. VOA Vietnamese asked Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade and the trade mission at the Vietnamese Embassy in Beijing about measures to shield durian farmers from market upheavals but received no reply. Rush to export Nguyen Quang A, a dissident Hanoi-based economist who co-founded the now-closed Institute of Development Studies, warned against the rush to export durians. Its good that Vietnam can tap into the huge Chinese market for its durian, A told VOA. Vietnam can use its close proximity to China as an advantage in exporting fresh fruits. However, he said, Vietnamese authorities should learn lessons from Chinas past behavior on importing fruit. Political upheaval between the two countries is unpredictable, while the Chinese market is very volatile where policies can change overnight, he told VOA Vietnamese. Vietnams policymakers should take into account a risk factor when exporting to the Chinese market and have contingency plans in place, he said, recommending the exploration of alternative markets, expanding the domestic market of 100 million people or giving incentives to fruit-processing industries. Durian negotiations Beijing agreed to add durian to its list of Vietnamese fruits approved for import in July 2022 after four years of negotiation. Until this agreement, Thailand was the only supplier of fresh durian to the Chinese market, according to the Produce Report. October was the first full month of Chinas retailers stocking fresh Vietnamese durians. During the last three months of 2022, Vietnam exported to China almost 41,000 tons of durians worth $188 million, according to data from Chinas General Administration of Customs, reported by the Nhan Dan (The People) Daily. By the end of 2022, China had accredited 113 durian growing zones and packaging facilities in Vietnam. By early March 2023, there were 350 accredited growing zones and packaging facilities, according to the Chinas General Administration of Customs. China customs authorities continue to inspect sites for accreditation. In 2021, Vietnam exported fruit worth $1.01 billion to China, according to the Nong Nghiep (Agriculture) newspaper, citing data from the Vietnam Trade Mission in Beijing, making Vietnam the third-biggest fruit exporter to China, after Thailand and Chile. In Tien Giang Province, farmers are treasuring and taking good care of their durians, as traders seek the best price from exporters, Loi told VOA Vietnamese. When Thailands durian growing season that runs from April thru August ends, Vietnamese farmers can increase the price of durians per kilogram from $3 to $9, according to Loi. In Vietnam, the durian season runs from May to November, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations. Vietnamese farmers in the Mekong Delta are shifting away from growing jack fruit and rice toward durian while in the Central Highlands, farmers are growing durians on what were formerly coffee or pepper farms, the national broadcaster VTV reported in late February. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development envisions durian acreage will be 65,000-75,000 hectares by 2030, but according to the ministry data reported by VTV, durian is already growing on 80,000 hectares and farmers are planting more. Israel has increased its air raids in Syria, targeting positions belonging to the Syrian government and Iranian forces. In recent days, suspected Israeli airstrikes hit such targets in four different occasions. The most recent strike on Monday hit an area near the Syrian capital, Damascus, according to Syrian state media and an opposition war monitor. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, or SOHR, said the alleged Israeli strikes on Damascus targeted Syrian government and Iranian positions near the citys airport and another area south of the capital. The Syrian government news agency reported that two people were killed in those attacks. Mondays strikes came a day after a suspected Iranian drone was reportedly shot down by Israeli forces after it infiltrated from Syrian territory. A day before that incident, an alleged Israeli air raid targeted an airbase in the Syrian province of Homs, wounding at least five Syrian government troops. Two days before that attack, another two Iranian military advisers were killed in an Israeli strike near Damascus, Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said. Iran, a major backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assads regime, has built a significant military presence in Syria since the beginning of that countrys civil war in 2011. Israel views Irans military presence in Syria as a threat to its national security and has carried out strikes against Iranian targets. However, it rarely acknowledges such operations. The escalation of such strikes comes from Irans growing military activity in Syria in recent months, experts said. Jonathan Spyer, a research fellow at the Middle East Forum, a Philadelphia research institution, said that the main reason for the uptick in airstrikes is the perception that Iran and its various local franchises are currently at a high level of confidence and a perceived need to re-establish deterrence against them. Spyer told VOA that this perception stems from an incident that occurred in March when an operative crossed from Lebanon into Israel carrying a large anti-personnel mine, before being killed by Israeli security forces. Another basis for this viewpoint, Spyer noted, is a recent attack claimed by Iranian-backed groups on a U.S. base in Syria, which killed a U.S. contractor. The boldness and unusual nature of these attacks attest to a growing confidence and even recklessness on the part of Iran and its franchises, he said. So Israel desires to retaliate and remind the Iranians of the true balance of power. According to the SOHR, at least 10 air raids attributed to Israel inside Syria have been recorded in the last three months. Ahmed Rahal, a former Syrian army general who works as a military analyst in Istanbul, Turkey, said there are two other reasons why Israel has been more decisive about increasingly striking Iranian positions inside Syrian territory. The first one is that Israel at this point wants to save what can be saved after Syria has become an advanced military base for Iran, he told VOA. The other reason, Rahal said, is that Iran has been exploiting humanitarian aid sent for the survivors of a February 6 earthquake that hit parts of Syria and Turkey and killed thousands of people in both countries. Under the disguise of humanitarian aid, Tehran has been sending more arms and weapons to Syria in different ways, whether its through civilian airplanes or even oil tankers, he said, adding that, such moves provoke an Israeli response through strikes. There has been no independent confirmation of such shipments, although in February Iranian television reported the country was considering sending air defense systems to Syria to help fend off Israeli attacks. Analyst Spyer said Iranians' growing confidence to be more active in Syria emanates from their observation of the internal chaos and disunity in Israel at present, and the strong sense of the U.S. being concentrated elsewhere and wishing to avoid confrontation [in Syria]. This story originated in VOAs Kurdish Service. WASHINGTON - A Harare magistrate on Wednesday fined Fadzayi Mahere, interim spokesperson of the Citizens Coalition for Change, US$500 or three months in jail for publishing falsehoods. Magistrate Taurai Manwere ruled that Mahere undermined the authority of the police when she tweeted that a policeman beat to death a baby that was strapped on its mothers back. Manwere said the tweet eroded the publics confidence in the law enforcement agents. In a tweet, Mahere, who was facing up to 20 years in jail, said, What doesnt kill you makes you STRONGER. She did not elaborate. Another CCC leader, Job Sikhala, has been in remand prison for almost a year facing charges of inciting violence. He has denied any wrong doing. Sikhala has been denied bail multiple times. Chinese companies need to improve their disclosures of carbon emissions, especially along their value and supply chains, for investors to properly assess business risks stemming from climate change and support the nation's push to reach its dual carbon goals, according to asset managers. The complexity of reporting indirect greenhouse-gas emissions from a companies' suppliers or value chain - known as scope-3 emissions - has been particularly challenging for firms in China and other emerging-market economies that are relatively early in their sustainability journeys, according to Graeme Baker, sustainable equity portfolio manager at asset manager Ninety One. "When we speak to some companies [in China] who don't report scope 3 at the moment, they could have a supply chain that includes 1,000 companies all across the world or in different regions," Baker said. "It is highly complex to try and pull together all of that information." Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. He added that about 75 per cent of carbon risk in global equities sits within scope-3 emissions. "If you're not understanding the carbon intensity of a supply chain or the entire value chain, you may be missing some carbon risk within a company or associated with a company," Baker said. Employees work on an assembly line producing speakers at a factory in Fuyang, in China's eastern Anhui province, on March 31, 2023. Photo: AFP alt=Employees work on an assembly line producing speakers at a factory in Fuyang, in China's eastern Anhui province, on March 31, 2023. Photo: AFP> President Xi Jinping announced China's dual-carbon goals - to reach peak emissions before 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2060 - at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2020. "Chinese companies are increasingly taking [carbon emissions reporting] quite seriously, and that's in part related to the overall government ambition in achieving [the dual carbon goals]," said Martin Lau, managing partner at FSSA Investment Managers. "In China, when President Xi says something, you better do it." Story continues FSSA has been working with Chinese companies that it invests in for the last 18 months to encourage them to make disclosures and create clearer road maps to net-zero carbon, Lau said. FSSA reaches out to portfolio companies through letters and in-person meetings, not only to encourage change but also to gauge company culture and reactions to the effort. Martin Lau, managing partner of FSSA Investment Managers, pictured in Central on March 30, 2023. Photo: Yik Yeung-man alt=Martin Lau, managing partner of FSSA Investment Managers, pictured in Central on March 30, 2023. Photo: Yik Yeung-man> Ninety One engages with portfolio companies to improve scope-3 emissions by establishing ongoing relationships with the companies, having regular meetings, benchmarking against developed market peers, and suggesting third-party organisations that those companies can work with, Baker said. "We see some very strong regulatory moves as we look across the planet, such that we will start to see an acceleration of businesses understanding their own emissions, which are really someone else's scope-3 emissions," Baker said. "That will all come together as we work forward in time." When companies do not disclose their carbon emissions in sustainability reports, the market will need to turn to estimates by data providers, which can underestimate or overestimate emissions, jeopardising efforts by investors and jurisdictions to reach their climate targets. In one past example, estimates by two ESG (environmental, social and governance) data providers differed by a factor of 200 for a company that had not made its own disclosures, according to Mihwa Park, head of ESG analytics for Asia-Pacific at BNP Paribas Securities Services. She spoke on a panel at the Scaling up Sustainable Finance in Asia conference organised by Asia Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association (ASIFMA) last month. "Even in the ASX300, about half of the companies' carbon emissions are actually estimated by the data providers," said Park, referring to the stock market index of 300 of the largest companies listed in Australia. "When faced with these kinds of issues, how can investors make a decision? These are the real challenges that investors are facing. Disclosure is really very important." Discrepancies in estimating carbon emissions highlight that "we're still in the very early stages of carbon emissions data reporting", said Ninety One's Baker, adding that it is important to perform fundamental analysis and engage with the companies. Scope-3 emissions reporting will be required under proposed standards from the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), a new body set up in November 2021 during the global climate talks in Glasgow to consolidate various standards for ESG reporting. The ISSB plans to issue its first standards at the end of the second quarter of 2023, which would become effective in January 2024, according to its website. "Disclosure ... is a strategic tool for companies to explain the value-creation scenario in the engagement with investors over the long term in a capital market," said Hiroshi Komori, a member of the ISSB, at a panel at the ASIFMA conference. "Disclosure is indispensable on both sides in terms of the journey of value creation in a capital market." This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2023 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2023. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Funeral Announcements A daily list of current funeral annoucements as heard on KXRA 1490 AM/100.3 FM News Updates The daily news, sports, and events delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Sports Update This current sports headlines delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Upcoming Events This email is the events of the area delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Breaking News The big news. Sent only as it happens. Im rather hoping that these bakers will bring something new to the tent are the first words said by Prue Leith in the trailer for The Great American Baking Show. America genuinely is the great melting pot of the world. Depending on whether or not you watched last seasons Mexican Week over on The Great British Bake Off, this may be cause for concern. Yes, GBBO has made its way across the pond, judges intact. This is technically the sixth season of the show, which aired five seasons on ABC with a rotating door of judges and hosts including Baby Spice, Mary Berry, Nia Vardalos, and Johnny Iuzzini (who got season three pulled from air due to his sexual-assault allegations). Paul Hollywoods been a judge since season three, and now, as the show makes its way from ABC to the Roku Channel, Prue Leith has come along with him, alongside hosts Ellie Kemper and Zach Cherry. The Great American Baking Show will make its way to Roku City on May 5, for anyone who wants to check out what two Brits deem the best hamburger. Related Michaela Jae Rodriguez. Photo: Arturo Holmes/Variety via Getty Images Heres one thing about Michaela Jae Rodriguez, the first openly trans woman to win a Golden Globe: She will use her platform to call out anti-queer laws and general bigotry. And now, shes asking celebrities and the media to do the same. In 2023 alone, over 400 anti-trans LGBTQIA+ bills have been proposed in the U.S. government, she said during her remarks at Varietys Power of Women luncheon on April 4. In the same way that we have to fight for climate as individuals and in our elected bodies, we also have those who dare to claim that human rights are not universal to those who live in our country. The people who are currently, most completely and sadly, under attack are some of the most marginalized in society: transgender individuals, many of whom are people of color. The Pose and Loot actor who was being honored at the New York event for her philanthropic efforts with the Rainforest Alliance highlighted a troubling study from the Trevor Project last year. Eighteen percent of queer youth age 13 to 18 had attempted suicide and seriously considered taking their own life, she said, urging the powerful attendees to pay attention. This is a room full of media and celebrities. Everyone in this room has the power to create change. And I ask that you take the responsibility with gravity This conversation has to continue until we have reached equality and protection under the law, because we are at stake. Our lives are at stake. Last year feels like a lifetime ago, no? In 2022, we werent keeping an eye out for Selener (at least not more than usual), Vanderpump Rules seemed to be on its way out of cultural relevancy, and we discussed whether Harry Styles had spit on Chris Pine only an absurd number of times rather than a disgusting number of times. And every week, Kourtney Kardashian would marry Travis Barker in a new and unexpected location in Vegas, Santa Barbara, and finally a Dolce & Gabbana ad in Italy. Now Kourt and Trav are inviting you over for home-movies night as they relive their love on Hulu. Til Death Do Us Part Kourtney & Travis shares exclusive footage of all three weddings and comes out shortly before the finale of The Kardashians. Til Death Do Us Part Kourtney & Travis makes it official April 13 on Hulu. Related Howard's Proven communications leader brings digital expertise to accelerate growth LA HABRA, Calif., April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Howards, Southern Californias premier independent appliance retailer, today announced that Cody Browne is joining the leadership team as vice president of marketing. With a passion for leading cross-functional integrated marketing teams, Browne has a proven track record of building user acquisition, user retention and digital marketing strategies. In his new role, Browne will be responsible for managing the marketing process from research and planning to execution and analysis. Browne is a retail industry veteran, joining Howards with over a decade of experience in brand, growth and performance marketing. As vice president of marketing, Browne will oversee and guide both internal and external marketing activities for Howards in addition to determining the approach of future marketing campaigns and initiatives by identifying target markets and audiences. Cody brings a depth and breadth of retail and marketing experience to Howards, as well as a customer-first focus that closely aligns with our mission, said Michelle Nein, president of Howards. Were confident that his leadership will help us continue to grow Howards footprint and serve the retail needs of customers. Browne is an accomplished marketing leader with years of experience leading international brands, such as Global Store Supply, Starbucks, Adidas, and Volcom. During his tenure as the Director of Growth & Performance Marketing at VIZIO, Browne spearheaded the development and execution of new marketing technologies, user retention, and engagement. He adeptly created continuous revenue-generating consumer funnels, managed a large cross-functional team, and high-volume multi-department marketing budget. Additionally, he led the North America marketing team in implementing effective revenue-positive growth campaigns for the VIZIO brand throughout 2022. Story continues Howards anticipates capturing 10-15 percent of the Southern California appliance retail market by 2024 and is well-positioned for regional development across the Western United States into new markets. Howards has transformed the retail appliance shopping landscape in Southern California through a combination of organic growth, the targeted acquisition of independent appliance retailers, builder channel growth, new investments in website and ecommerce development, and the introduction of the Experience Center concept. For more information about Howards, visit howards.com. ABOUT HOWARDS Howard's was founded in 1946 in Los Angeles County, California. Due to the Companys focus on customer satisfaction, the business has grown over the past 75 years to become Southern California's largest and most trusted independent appliance retailer. With knowledgeable product experts, the highest levels of service, the best brands with an expansive array of products, and 17 locations in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties, Howards goal is to help consumers simplify their experience to purchase great products for their home. Media Contact: Sabrina Suarez, 714.573.0899 x227 sabrina@echomediateam.com Co-founder of the troubled crypto exchange CoinFLEX Mark Lamb issued an open letter to Bitcoin evangelist and Bitcoin Cash promoter Roger Ver offering him an olive branch of two years of free trading on OPNX, a newly-launched claims exchange co-founded by Lamb. The olive branch refers to ending a longstanding feud between the two, which would see Ver pay back an alleged outstanding loan to CoinFLEX. In June last year, Lamb accused Ver of defaulting on a $47 million loan. At the time, Ver dismissed the claim as blatantly false. Since then, Lambs claim on Ver has nearly doubled, according to a lawsuit filed by CoinFLEX against Ver back in July last year. "The first estimate of $47 million which we communicated did not include the significant loss in liquidating his significant FLEX Coin positions, read a CoinFLEX announcement at the time. Now that we have found a bid for that size, the liquidations have created a final deficit of $84 million for the account." The latest open letter also asks Ver to agree on a payment plan for the $84 million USD. Alongside Ver, he included Peter Smith, CEO and founder of crypto exchange Blockchain.com, in his tweet. The letter asks Smith to "pay the 3 million FLEX Coin owed to us via your offshore Blockchain.com Cayman entity, likely a reference to another alleged debt that hit the press earlier this year, which, in language echoing Ver, the exchange dismissed as completely meritless and a work of fiction. Story continues FLEX Coin (FLEX) is the native token of CoinFLEXs crypto exchange. Upon satisfying these conditions, Lamb promised Ver and Smith an equity stake in OPNX. CoinFLEX Claims Blockchain.com Owes Over $4.3M in FLEX Ver, Lamb, and Smith did not immediately respond to Decrypts request for comment. The letter outlined the tokenization of debt meant to save CoinFLEXs creditors and the Bitcoin Cash (BCH) community from long drawn-out legal processes by offering a liability token called Recovery Value USD (rvUSD) on OPNX. The idea of rvUSD was first floated back in June last year when details of the alleged multi-million dollar debt first surfaced. The CoinFLEX community unanimously approved of the plan the following September, as did a Seychelles court in March this year, after CoinFLEX halted withdrawals and filed for restructuring citing extreme market conditions and "continued uncertainty involving a counterparty," a thinly veiled reference to Vers debt. [ad-unit /} What is OPNX? The Open Exchange (OPNX) is a bankruptcy claims exchange that was announced by co-founder Su Zhu last February. It caters to those looking to trade bankruptcy claimsin cases from FTX to Blockfiand uses CoinFLEXs FLEX Coin as its native token. The project is the brainchild of a collaboration between Three Arrows Capital (3AC) founders Su Zhu and Kyle Davies, and CoinFLEX founders Mark Lamb and Sudhu Arumugam. A leaked early pitch deck drew negative responses from CoinFLEXs community after they found out CoinFLEXs founders had teamed up with the 3AC founders to raise $25 million. Three Arrows Capital was one of the larger and more well-known casualties of last year's liquidity crisis that rocked the industry in the wake of Terras spectacular collapse last May. OPNX officially launched yesterday, with the first tradable claims token being rvUSD. Italy faces cold snap at Easter, forecasters say. Easter in Italy is set to be "colder than Christmas" due to the north-easterly Bora winds bringing a wave of "Polar air" from Norway, according to weather forecast site iLMeteo.it. This will result in temperatures dropping by up to 10 degrees, with widespread cold conditions, and lows set to dip below zero in the northern Po Valley during Holy Week. Meterologist Lorenzo Tedici recalls the temperatures recorded last Christmas 2022: Cagliari 21C, Catania 20C, Naples 19C, Rome 18C and 15C in the Po Valley. Temperatures will remain very low at night from north to south, while during the day they will be only slightly below the averages for the period. In the days leading up to Easter the north will be cold, with possible frost, while in the centre and south the weather will be unstable with rain and colder than normal temperatures. Italy will see thunderstorms over the Easter weekend, especially in the south, however the weather is set to improve on Easter Monday, or Pasquetta, according to iLMeteo.it. Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, which fall on 9 and 10 April in 2023, are national public holidays in Italy. Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share Of the many conflicts in the Middle East, the one between Iran and Israel is the most potentially explosive. Iranian leaders periodically vow to annihilate Israel and are suspected of pursuing nuclear weapons that would back the threat. Israel, which is thought to have such arms, has committed to doing whatever it takes to prevent Iran from acquiring them. For years, the two have engaged in a shadow war, quietly attacking each other on land, by air and at sea, in some cases by proxy. They have mostly sought to avoid open clashes that would risk escalation to all-out war, preferring instead to act with plausible deniability. But lately, the clashes have become more conspicuous. 1. Why are Iran and Israel enemies? They were allies starting in the 1950s during the reign of Irans last monarch, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, but the friendship abruptly ended with the Islamic revolution in Iran 1979. The countrys new leaders adopted a strong anti-Israel stance, decrying the Jewish state as an imperialist power in the Middle East. Iran has supported groups that regularly fight Israel, notably Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Palestinian group Hamas. Israel regards Irans potential to build nuclear weapons as a threat to its existence and is thought to be behind a campaign of sabotage against the countrys atomic program. Advertisement 2. Where did the shadow war begin? Lebanon is the oldest front in the battle and is fought indirectly. In reaction to Israels invasion of the countrys south in 1982, a militia that would become Hezbollah was formed by Lebanese Muslims belonging to the Shiite branch of Islam dominant in Iran. Their group to some extent became a proxy for Irans premier security force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Since the last war between Israel and Lebanon in 2006, Hezbollahs military wing has built what Israel says is a vast arsenal of rockets and missiles along the border. Israeli forces have repeatedly struck at Hezbollahs rocket pipeline within Lebanon, according to media reports; the militia has on occasion retaliated by firing rockets into Israel and attacking Israeli troops along the border. A neighboring battleground for Israel and Iran opened up in 2011, when Syria erupted in civil war. 3. Whats happened in Syria? Advertisement Through the course of Syrias war, Iran has built up a military presence in the country to support its ally, President Bashar al-Assad, and to facilitate the transfer by land of weaponry meant for Hezbollah from Iran to Lebanon via Iraq and Syria. In an effort to stop the arms flow and counter this second hostile presence on its northern border, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes inside Syria against arms shipments and other targets it says are linked to Iran and its allies. Some Iranians have died, according to media accounts. 4. Whats happened at sea? Tit-for-tat attacks on commercial vessels began in 2019. Although neither Israel nor Iran has accepted responsibility for the hits on ships connected to the other, they are widely thought to be to behind them. Loss of life has been rare, but in July 2021, a British and a Romanian crew member were killed when an Israeli-operated ship was struck in the Gulf of Oman by a drone that US officials linked to Iran. Previous targets have included Iranian tankers carrying oil destined for Syria; an Iranian ship off the coast of Yemen that served as a floating base for the Revolutionary Guards; and cargo ships belonging to or linked to Israelis. Advertisement 5. What about attacks inside the two countries? Though Iran has mostly absorbed Israeli strikes on its interests in Syria, in 2018 its forces there fired a barrage of missiles toward Israeli positions in the Golan Heights, a plateau Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 war and later annexed. Israel replied with a much greater show of force. For its part, Israel is widely thought to be behind the assassination in Tehran of five Iranian nuclear scientists since 2010 and several attacks on nuclear sites inside Iran. In April 2021, Iran blamed Israel and vowed revenge for an explosion at its largest uranium enrichment facility in Natanz, which it said caused significant damage to its centrifuges. It was the second time in less than a year that the site had been hit by a suspicious blast. Israel neither confirmed nor denied it was responsible for either attack. In October 2021, an Iranian general said Israel was likely behind a cyberattack that paralyzed gas stations across Iran. And in January, after an Iranian ammunition depot near the central city of Isfahan was attacked in a drone strike, two US newspapers reported that Israel was responsible. 6. Is all-out war a possibility? Advertisement The biggest risk of that is connected to Irans nuclear program. The countrys leaders say they have no ambition to build nuclear weapons. The Israelis point to a cache of documents their intelligence spirited out of Iran in 2018 that suggests otherwise. Israeli officials have repeatedly implied that if Iran were to reach the brink of weapons capability, they would attack its nuclear program using air power, as they did Iraqs in 1981 and Syrias in 2007. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com 2023 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share Colm Kelleher sounded like he was presiding over a funeral. The chairman of UBS Group AG struck a somber tone at the banks annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday, especially for someone who has just snagged potentially one of the biggest bargains ever in global banking. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Such seriousness is needed to keep its rescue of Credit Suisse Group AG on track in the face of a skeptical Swiss public and angry investors. The executives of both banks and leaders of Swiss authorities have put up a united front. Axel Lehmann, Credit Suisses chairman, toed the official line at that banks annual meeting Tuesday. Ultimately, there were only two options: deal or bankruptcy, he told shareholders. The takeover is agreed. It was driven by the Swiss government, central bank and financial regulator, and key officials around the world have signaled approval. All were worried about the consequences for the global financial system if Credit Suisse failed chaotically. Advertisement But plenty of room for argument remains. Some Credit Suisse shareholders at Tuesdays meeting demanded more detail on how the low takeover price was decided, while a major Swiss proxy advisor said it could be contested. Junior bondholders, who were wiped out, are drawing up lawsuits. The dominant market share of the combined UBS-Credit Suisse within Switzerland will also face challenges. UBS Vice Chairman Lukas Gaehwiler tacitly acknowledged worries about domestic competition on Wednesday by saying all options would be considered for Credit Suisses local business, which will continue to exist as a brand for now. UBS definitely wants to keep it. Before the deal, analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. among others valued Credit Suisses domestic business at a minimum $11 billion, or nearly four times what UBS is paying for the entire group. Credit Suisse shareholders have grounds for their grievance. As a reminder, UBS is buying its long-time rival for a slim fraction of its last reported book value. Credit Suisse needed to be rescued from a ruinous run on its deposits and liquid assets. The Swiss authorities who sponsored the takeover have all said the bank would have become insolvent had it opened on Monday, March 20. Bankruptcy would very likely have caused mayhem for the Swiss financial system and been extremely disruptive for banks and markets far beyond. Advertisement However, the takeover is hugely unpopular in Switzerland, according to early polls. Credit Suisse shareholders are unsurprisingly angry and sad. Many still dont fully understand exactly how the deal was negotiated and the price was set. Credit Suisse shareholders are getting 1 UBS share for each 22.48 shares they currently own. On the Sunday when the deal was struck, that valued Credit Suisses shares at less than half the price they closed at the previous Friday and only 7% of its last reported tangible book value per share. There are huge operational and financial risks for UBS, particularly in winding down the large parts of Credit Suisses investment bank and trading operations that it doesnt want. Thats why Kelleher swiftly replaced Ralph Hamers as chief executive officer with former UBS head Sergio Ermotti. And yet the bargain price it is paying and the extra capital injection gained from the writeoff of Credit Suisses junior bonds, gives Kelleher and his team a big cushion against losses. UBS, already the worlds second-biggest wealth manager, is gaining a big step-up in this business, especially in the US and Asia. A year ago, the bank was set to pay $1.4 billion for a startup US wealth business with $27 billion in assets. Now, it is paying barely more than double that amount for more than 50 times the assets in Credit Suisses wealth units, as Bloomberg News noted. Advertisement This deal means UBS can challenge the world-leading position of Kellehers former employer, Morgan Stanley. He saw how a series of large-scale takeovers transformed Morgan Stanley from an investment bank severely wounded by the 2008 crisis into a much lower risk and more profitable global wealth manager. The integration of Credit Suisses global wealth business will be hard work and the combined bank will likely lose assets from clients that previously banked with both institutions. But this is the kind of dream trade Kelleher could barely have imagined possible when becoming UBS chairman last year. Really, he must be over the moon. His funereal tone was necessary because the politics are so fractious. But UBS could neutralize much of this by spinning off or listing Credit Suisses domestic Swiss bank and offering more compensation to its former investors with extra shares in that unit, for example. Advertisement The prize for UBS is Credit Suisses wealth business. The difficult and dangerous part is its investment bank. The domestic Swiss business could be the bargaining chip that Kelleher can use to ease the protests and complaints that a much enlarged UBS provokes. Play that chip well and he can turn the wake for Credit Suisse into a proper celebration. More From Bloomberg Opinion: UBS Challenge Needs the Heft That Ermotti Brings: Paul J. Davies The Incredible Shrinking Swiss Financial Sector: Lionel Laurent Fine Print Is Never Clear. Just Ask Credit Suisse Bondholders: Chris Hughes This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Paul J. Davies is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering banking and finance. Previously, he was a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2023 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share Is common sense making a comeback in British politics? Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks pragmatic, detail-oriented approach to government could hardly be more different from the reckless posturing of his two predecessors. And these days the Labour Party also has a moderate and methodical leader in Keir Starmer. The UKs appetite for upheaval might be receding. Given the scale of the problems confronting the country starting with Brexit but by no means confined to it this might be too little, too late. Never mind. The shift is welcome nonetheless. Sunak recently appeared before a parliamentary committee to answer questions on topics ranging from immigration to high-speed trains. It was a notably calm and well-prepared performance, with none of the theatrics favored by Boris Johnson or the pointless provocations of Liz Truss during her subsequent brief tenure in No. 10. Advertisement Above all, this measured approach is getting things done. The recent agreement with the European Union to modify post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland offers a workable solution to a problem that had seemed intractable. The governments latest budget also went some way toward restoring confidence in its fiscal judgement. Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt took care to show his numbers added up and brought forecasts by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, brusquely sidelined by the Truss government, back into the process. Those projections showed public debt slowly coming back under control and modestly faster growth, partly thanks to plans to boost investment with tax relief. For all that, the UKs challenges are still daunting. Labor unrest still threatens the economy. The costs of Brexit continue to mount and are no longer seriously disputed. Trade volumes have been slower to recover in the UK since the pandemic than in comparable countries. Tax breaks wont be enough to bring investment lagging for years, then hammered by Brexit back to where it should be. Until that changes, the countrys productivity growth, the key to its future prospects, will remain disappointing. Sadly, the country isnt yet ready to think about reversing Brexit (even supposing the EU would be willing). But the warming of relations thanks partly to Sunaks more businesslike approach can mitigate the damage, deal by deal. The government is rightly aiming for closer cooperation on a range of issues including defense and security, financial services, and research and innovation. Advertisement To put it mildly, surging optimism over Britains future would be premature. The Conservatives are still divided over Brexit and its consequences. Labours moderation under Starmer might yet be challenged, if its hard-left former leader Jeremy Corbyn blocked from standing for the party at the next election runs as an independent. Northern Irelands unionists arent yet reconciled to the Windsor Framework arrangements. And its too soon to judge whether Humza Yousaf, the newly elected leader of the Scottish National Party, can restore order to Scotlands fractious devolved government. Thats a lot of caveats. Still, for the first time in years, British politics seems to care about competence more than grandstanding. Its a start. More From Bloomberg Opinion: UK Has No Margin For Error in Microsoft-Activision Deal: Chris Hughes Prince Harrys Tabloid Feud Is a Very British Affair: Matthew Brooker Scotlands New First Minister Inherits Sturgeons Lousy Legacy: Merryn Somerset Webb The Editors are members of the Bloomberg Opinion editorial board. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2023 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced an agreement on a 72-hour nationwide cease fire, but it remained unclear whether the two warring sides would honor it. MORE COVERAGE Vancouver, British Columbia --News Direct-- Colossus Resources Corp. Vancouver, BC - TheNewswire - April 5, 2023 - Colossus Resources Corp. (Colossus or the Company) (TSX-V:CLUS) is pleased to announce it has entered into a Letter of Intent (the LOI) dated April 5, 2023 with arms-length parties Austral Gold Limited and its subsidiaries Minera Mena Chile Ltda and Revelo Resources Corp. to acquire an undivided 100% interest in the Calvario and Mirador projects in the Republic of Chile. The Company has requested a trading halt, which will remain in effect until lifted by the TSX Venture Exchange. About the Calvario and Mirador Projects (the Projects) The Calvario and Mirador projects are located approximately 80 km northeast of the coastal city of La Serena in the Coquimbo Region of central-northern Chile in South America. The exploration targets within the Projects are primarily porphyry copper (+/- Molybdenum, +/- Gold) systems. The Projects lie along the southern extensions of the highly productive Paleocene magmatic belt of northern Chile that hosts some of the most important copper and precious metals deposits in the country, such as Spence and Cerro Colorado (BHP), Sierra Gorda (KGHM) and Relincho/Nueva Reunion (Teck-Newmont Goldcorp). The Calvario and Mirador projects comprise an important strategic land position with multiple copper targets controlled by the same regional thrust faults. The Projects are located approximately 115 km south of the 50-50 Teck - Newmont Goldcorps Relincho/Nueva Reunion Joint Venture advanced Project, one of the largest undeveloped copper-gold-molybdemum projects in the Americas. The Calvario Project (see Figure 1) consists of 28 titles (Title type: Exploitation) covering 6,870 hectares. A portion of the Calvario Project (2,200 hectares) are subject to a 2% base metals Net Smelter Rotalty (NSR) and an 1% precious metals NSR in favour of Mineral Global Copper Chile S.A., a wholly owned subsidiary of the major royalties corporation, Franco Nevada Corporation (Canada). The balance of the Calvario titles (4,470 hectares) are free of any royalties. The Mirador Project consists of 31 titles (Title Type: Exploitation) covering 7,744 hectares. Ten of the Mirador titles (covering 2,400 hectares) are subject to a 2% base metals Net Smelter Rotalty (NSR) and an 1% precious metals NSR in favour of Mineral Global Copper Chile S.A. Nineteen of the other Mirador titles (covering 4,744 hectares) are subject to a 2% base metals Net Smelter Rotalty (NSR) and an 1% precious metals NSR in favour of Sumitomo Metals Mining Chile Ltda., a wholly owned subsidiary of the major mining corporation, Sumitomo Metals Mining Co. (Japan). Two titles (covering the balance 600 hectares) are free of any royalties. Story continues Colossus technical Director Ioannis (Yannis) Tsitos states: With this acquisition, Colossus Resources secures a significant and strategic mineral rights position in one of the most prospective belts, still underexplored, of central-northern Chile associated with significant copper and precious metals mineralization. The Project has good access to year-round field work and represents an exceptional opportunity for the Company. Subject to the successful conclusion of Definitive Agreements and the necessary approval of the transaction by the regulatory authorities, Colossus is looking forward to work closely with Austral Gold and its experienced technical team to advance both Calvario and Mirador projects towards a major copper ( Mo Au) discovery. Austral Gold will become the biggest single shareholder of Colossus. Click Image To View Full Size Figure 1: Outline of Calvario (in red) and Mirador (in blue) Concessions, located in the Coquimbo Region, Chile. Calvario is a porphyry copper ( Mo Au) system characterised by a structurally controlled quartz-sericite alteration zone oriented NNW-SSE some 6.0 km x 1.0 km in size, hosted within monzonite and quartz-feldspar porphyry intrusions and other rocks. Relict sulphides (pyrite and chalcopyrite) in the leached and oxidised surface exposures, minor copper oxides and associated Mo (>10 ppm) and Cu (>600 ppm) geochemical anomalies in soils and talus fines samples, together with stockwork quartz D-type veins have defined a principal target area around 1,500 m x 700 m in size at the southern end of the alteration zone, which may reflect a possible hypogene copper target at depth. Two secondary targets occur further to the north along the principal alteration zone mapped. The priority target area coincides with three of the six relatively shallow historic diamond drill holes drilled by Minera Fuego Ltda (now Mineral Global Copper S.A.) in 2008. They display moderate quartz-sericite alteration with minor copper oxides as coatings on pyrite and in fractures, and minor chalcocite mineralization indicating weak secondary enrichment. Best intersections include Hole# FCAR-07 reporting 92m @ 0.23% CuT (Total Copper) & 21 ppm MoT (Total Molybdenum), including 20m @ 0.54% CuT & 24 ppm MoT and Hole # FCAR-14 reporting 62m @ 0.20% CuT & 22 ppm MoT, including 28m @ 0.30% CuT & 20 ppm MoT. Information from surface exposures and drill holes suggests that erosional levels are not sufficiently deep to have produced significant secondary enrichment, with essentially relatively high-level phyllic alteration exposed at surface. Hypogene copper mineralisation has not been specifically targeted by the limited historical drilling, and comprises the target for future drill testing. The property has been structurally uplifted by a series of regional thrust faults related to the San Felix Vicuna fault system. Exploration activities to date have included geological mapping of outcropping areas, alteration mapping, mineralogical studies, limited rock-chip surface sampling, limited ground magnetics and relatively shallow drill testing (4,314m of drilling in 20 holes, mostly Reverse Circulation) of certain targets. No work has been done over Calvario in recent years. The property is easily accessed, being located close to the new paved highway that connects the main paved Pan-American Highway, through Tres Cruces, to the Pascua-Lama project (Barrick Gold). A short, well maintained dirt road links the project to the paved highway. A new high-tension power line has been installed along the Pascua-Lama highway. The project is located at altitudes ranging from about 3,000m to 3,300m. Although Calvario is a drill-stage ready exploration project, the Company believes that historical data needs to become NI43-101 compliant, some detailed geochemistry and geophysical surveys should be conducted in order to vector to the most productive parts of the porphyry system/s, prior to any drilling, to take place within 8 months from execution of Definitive Agreements. Mirador is a porphyry copper ( Mo Au) and high-sulphidation epithermal copper-gold exploration target and it is the southernmost of the two (with Calvario) large hydrothermal alteration systems located within the Properties. Mirador also lies along the same highly productive Paleocene belt of Chile. The Mirador project and identified targets within its titles, have never been drilled to date! Mirador represents a porphyry copper ( Mo Au) system, currently exposed at the upper-porphyry to epithermal levels, probably representing the base of a lithocap overlying the proposed porphyry copper target(s). Potential for high-sulphidation, epithermal copper-gold also exists. Extensive quartz-sericite and argillic alteration characterise the northern sector of the alteration zone. The alteration area (see Figure 2) extends over more than 7.0 x 3.0 Km, with superimposed advanced argillic alteration dominated by quartz-alunite in the central and southern sectors. Intense hydrothermal alteration is hosted principally within dacitic rocks. Phreatic breccias have been recognised, also suggesting the upper portions of a porphyry copper system. Surface outcrops are intensely leached. Limited copper oxides coincident with fine quartz veinlets at lower elevations to the north, suggest proximity to porphyry copper levels. Multi-element geochemical anomalies in rocks (Mo-Cu-Bi-Au with Mo >24 ppm to 153 ppm, and Cu >92 ppm to 500 ppm) suggest porphyry copper potential in the northern and possibly southern portions of the alteration zone, while the central areas (As-Sb geochemistry) more closely suggests a high-sulphidation epithermal environment with potential for copper-gold mineralisation and possibly gold and silver. The property has been structurally uplifted by a series of regional thrust faults related to the San Felix Vicuna fault system. Mirador together with contiguous Calvario project, form an important pair of copper targets controlled by the same regional thrust faults. Click Image To View Full Size Figure 2: Calvario & Mirador Regional Geology and major copper porphyry related alteration areas. Exploration activities to date have included detailed geological mapping of outcropping areas, detailed mapping of alteration mineralogy, and minor geochemical sampling of rocks. Further detailed alteration mapping and geochemical sampling to aid vectorisation towards potential productive levels, supported by geophysical testing (magnetics and IP), is required prior to drill testing of the principal targets. Terms of the Acquisition Terms of the LOI provide for funding by the Company of not less than USD$2.5 million in exploration expenditures on the Projects over a period of two years, of which at least USD$1.5 million must be incurred in the first 18 months. The Company will also issue to Minera Mena Chile Ltda (a wholly owned subsidiary of Austral Gold Limited) or its nominee, such number of common shares in the capital of Colossus (Colossus Shares) as to be equal to 19.9% of the post-issuance Colossus Shares outstanding, and one million share purchase warrants, each of which shall entitle the holder to purchase one Colossus Share for an exercise price of C$0.50 for three years. The Company paid the sum of USD$100,000.00 to Austral Gold Limited on execution of the LOI. If a definitive option agreement is not entered into by the Company by May 30, 2023, or such later date as is agreed upon by the parties, Austral Gold Limited shall refund USD$37,500.00 to the Company. The Projects are subject to net smelter return royalties over base and precious metals, of which Minera Mena Chile Ltda will retain the right to purchase half the royalties. The transaction is subject to all applicable regulatory approvals, including acceptance by the TSXV, and, if required, shareholder approval. Qualified Person The Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects for this news release is Marco Carrasco G, Reg. N 400, Comision Minera de Chile, who has reviewed and approved its contents. About Colossus Resources Corp. Colossus Resources is a relatively young junior mineral exploration company focused on maximizing shareholder value through the acquisition, discovery and advancement of high-quality copper gold projects in the Americas. About Austral Gold Ltd. Austral Gold is a gold and silver explorer and mining producer whose strategy is to expand the life of its cash-generating assets in Chile, restart its Casposo-Manantiales mine complex in Argentina, and build a portfolio of quality assets in Chile, the United States and Argentina organically through exploration and through acquisitions and strategic partnerships. Austral owns a 100-per-cent interest in the Guanaco/Amancaya mines in Chile and the Casposo-Manantiales mine complex (currently on care and maintenance) in Argentina; a non-controlling interest in the Rawhide mine in Nevada, United States; and a non-controlling interest in Ensign Gold, which holds the Mercur project in Utah, United States. In addition, Austral owns and has options on an attractive portfolio of exploration projects in the Paleocene belt in Chile (including the Jaguelito project in San Juan, Argentina, and projects acquired in the 2021 acquisition of Revelo Resources Corp.), a non-controlling interest in Pampa Metals and a 51-per-cent interest in the Sierra Blanca project in Santa Cruz, Argentina. Austral Gold is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and the Australian Securities Exchange. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORSHarry Katevatis 1.CEO & Director Colossus Resources Corp. For more information contact Ioannis (Yannis) Tsitos, Technical Director of Colossus Resources Corp. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Statements Certain of the statements made and information contained herein may contain forward- looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, information concerning the Company's intentions with respect to the development of its mineral properties. Forward-looking information is based on the views, opinions, intentions and estimates of management at the date the information is made, and is based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated or projected in the forward-looking information (including the actions of other parties who have agreed to do certain things and the approval of certain regulatory bodies). Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of the Company and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws, or to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of the Company, its financial or operating results or its securities. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/colossus-resources-signs-letter-of-intent-with-austral-gold-limited-to-acquire-the-calvario-and-mirador-copper-porphyry-projects-in-chile-607832090 SkyQuest Technology Consulting Pvt. Ltd. SkyQuest's Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS) market report is an excellent analysis for individuals interested in gaining insight into the valuable data, trends, and opportunities in a rapidly growing industry. Additionally, the report is written clearly and concisely, making it accessible to various audiences, from industry experts to market readers. Finally, one can gain an in-depth understanding of the primary and secondary market drivers, providing them with a comprehensive outlook of the current market situation and future projections. Westford, USA, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In 2030, the Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS) market will reportedly attain a value of USD 5.89 billion, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.50% throughout the forecast period (2023-2030). The increasing complexity of clinical trials, growing demand for personalized medicine, and stringent regulatory requirements are fuelling the market's growth. As per the 2021 Outlook Report by the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development, worldwide clinical trials have increased roughly 6% annually from 2017 to 2019. Furthermore, a recent report by SkyQuest disclosed that the total registered clinical trials worldwide reached 278,078 by December 2021, representing a 9% growth compared to the preceding year. SkyQuest's latest global research shows that the cloud-based segment will possess the largest share of the clinical trial management system market by type, constituting 54.9% of the market in 2025. The report also revealed that 81% of clinical operations leaders claimed to use cloud-based clinical trial management systems, and 96% of those not yet using cloud-based systems expressed their intent to adopt or consider them. Browse in-depth TOC on "Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS) Market" Pages - 157 Tables - 87 Figures - 71 Get a sample copy of this report: https://www.skyquestt.com/sample-request/clinical-trial-management-system-market Story continues In the current era, a clinical trial management system (CTMS) is vital for managing and monitoring different phases of clinical trials. It enables researchers to gather, store, and evaluate data efficiently, facilitates smooth communication between study teams, and ensures adherence to regulatory standards. Given the rising intricacy of clinical trials and the requirement for precise and prompt data, CTMS is indispensable in guaranteeing the triumph of clinical research studies. Prominent Players in Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS) Market Oracle Health Sciences Medidata Solutions BioClinica PAREXEL International Veeva Systems IBM Watson Health OmniComm Systems Merge Healthcare (an IBM Company) Dassault Systemes Forte Research Systems Bioclinica EDC Anju Software OpenClinica DATATRAK International Clinical Ink Cmed Technology MasterControl eResearch Technology Exostar Browse summary of the report and Complete Table of Contents (ToC): https://www.skyquestt.com/report/clinical-trial-management-system-market Pharmaceutical Application Segment to Drive Higher Sales Due to the Increasing Number of Clinical Trials Conducted by Pharmaceutical A recent analysis highlights that the Pharmaceutical Application segment played a significant role in the swift growth of the Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS) market in 2021. This trend is projected to continue from 2022 to 2030 as more clinical trials are conducted by pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies. The adoption of CTMS solutions for managing complex clinical trial data rises, along with the need for efficient data management and regulatory compliance. A SkyQuest report disclosed that 83% of biopharma companies consider integrating digital technologies, including clinical trial management systems, crucial to their future prosperity. Research analysis shows North America is expected to emerge as a dominant player in the Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS) market from 2022 to 2030. SkyQuest has projected that the region will grow at a CAGR of 11.82% during the forecast period. This growth is driven by the increasing adoption of CTMS solutions by pharmaceutical and biotech companies, well-established healthcare infrastructure, and favorable government initiatives supporting clinical research in the region. In recent years, there have been several collaborations between CTMS providers and pharmaceutical companies to improve clinical trial efficiency. For example, in 2021, Bristol Myers Squibb partnered with Oracle Health Sciences to develop a cloud-based CTMS system that streamlines clinical trial management and data collection. Cloud-Based Segment to Exhibit Strong Growth Due to the Increasing Complexity of Clinical Trials, the Demand for More Precise and Timely Data In 2021, the Cloud-Based Segment segment emerged as the foremost method in the Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS) market and is expected to maintain its dominance from 2022 to 2030. The growth of cloud-based CTMS solutions is driven by the increasing complexity of clinical trials, the demand for more precise and timely data, and the growing popularity of patient-centric trials. Cloud-based CTMS solutions offer greater flexibility, scalability, and collaboration between study teams, improving trial outcomes. SkyQuest reports demonstrate that cloud-based CTMS solutions have increased clinical trial efficiency by 62%, reduced time to market by 34%, and reduced trial costs by 26%, underlining the considerable impact of cloud-based CTMS solutions on the success of clinical trials. The Asia Pacific region has emerged as a significant force in the Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS) market and is expected to retain its leading position by 2030. SkyQuest has projected significant growth in the Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS) market for the Asia Pacific region, with a CAGR of 13.97% during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to the increasing investments in the healthcare sector, the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, and the increasing demand for better healthcare services in the region. The Chinese government's "Healthy China 2030" initiative, launched to improve the health and well-being of Chinese citizens, includes promoting clinical research and innovation. The initiative includes plans to increase investment in healthcare infrastructure and improve the regulatory environment for clinical trials. A comprehensive analysis of the major players in the Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS) market has been recently conducted in a report. The report encompasses various aspects, including collaborations, mergers, innovative business policies, and strategies, providing valuable insights into key trends and breakthroughs in the market. Furthermore, the report scrutinizes the market share of the top segments and presents a detailed geographic analysis. Lastly, the report highlights the major players in the industry and their endeavors to develop innovative solutions to cater to the growing demand. Speak to Analyst for your custom requirements: https://www.skyquestt.com/speak-with-analyst/clinical-trial-management-system-market Key Developments in Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS) Market RealTime Software Solutions, LLC has recently acquired Complion, Inc., a top-tier provider of electronic regulatory and electronic Investigator Site Files solutions for clinical research sites, academic medical centers, hospitals, health systems, sponsors, and contract research organizations. With this acquisition, RealTime and Complion will work together to enhance their position as leading eClinical solutions providers for more efficient and compliant clinical research processes. Integrating Complion's eReg offering into RealTime's Site Operations Management System, a fully integrated product suite including CTMS, eRegulatory, eSource, Pay, Text, eConsent, and participant engagement and other eClinical solutions and services, will provide users with a comprehensive suite of best-of-breed products. Verily, Alphabet's health and life sciences spinout, has acquired SignalPath, a clinical trial management system developer based in Raleigh, North Carolina. This acquisition represents Verily's first significant acquisition and aims to strengthen its clinical research arm. SignalPath, established in 2014, has developed a suite of software products to increase the efficiency of clinical research sites, such as tools to optimize study designs, construct trial workflows, and manage trials using real-time data. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Key Questions Answered in Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS) Market Report What specific growth drivers are projected to impact the market during the forecast period? Can you list the top companies in the market and explain how they have achieved their positions of influence? In what ways do regional trends and patterns differ within the global market, and how might these differences shape the market's future growth? Related Reports in SkyQuests Library: Global Healthcare Barcode Technology Market Global Cancer Tumor Profiling Market Global Sterilization Equipment Market Latin American Home Healthcare Market Global Tablet Processing and Packaging Equipment Market About Us: SkyQuest Technology is leading growth consulting firm providing market intelligence, commercialization and technology services. It has 450+ happy clients globally. Address: 1 Apache Way, Westford, Massachusetts 01886 Phone: USA (+1) 617-230-0741 Email: sales@skyquestt.com LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Champagne corks had popped and a silent disco was getting started at Newquay Airport as Virgin Orbit moved into the final phase of Britains first satellite launch mission. Thousands of curious onlookers, wrapped up against the bitter January cold, had witnessed Virgin Orbits Cosmic Girl plane take off from the nearby airstrip shortly after 10pm. Tickets to watch the event had sold out faster than Glastonbury. Cosmic Girl, a modified Boeing 747, carried a rocket under its wing that would detach and blast off into space once it reached the appropriate altitude. Sir Richard Bransons space dreams have turned into a nightmare. Credit: AP As attendees enjoyed themselves, Virgin Orbit triumphantly declared that its rocket had successfully reached orbit. However, the celebrations were premature. Minutes later, Virgin Orbit admitted the rocket had suffered an anomaly while blasting towards space at 17,700 kilometres per hour. The rocket failed and crashed back into the Atlantic Ocean. That wayward mission set off a chain of events that has now sunk the entire company. Virgin Orbit filed for bankruptcy protection in America this week. Rogue Heroes Most period shows take great care with their song selection, knowing that the right tune can fix both the era and mood. Rogue Heroes is the exception. Its 1941, World War II is underway, and a British military contest is crossing the contested North African desert. The soundtrack? AC/DCs If You Want Blood (Youve Got It), a 1979 masterclass in electric guitar interplay topped by Bon Scotts larrikin howl. Forget the stiff upper lip, this irreverent biopic about the birth of Britains Special Air Service suggests, start headbanging. Based on the 2017 non-fiction book by Ben Macintyre, who also provided the source material for BritBoxs recent espionage drama A Spy Among Friends, Rogue Heroes is a revisionist war tale. Its in thrall to the anti-authority misfits and violent outcasts who raged against the British military machine until they were given their own unit. Considered a helpful decoy more than an offensive weapon against the Italian and German forces pushing towards Cairo and the vital Suez Canal, the nascent SAS helped change the course of the campaign with unconventional tactics and a hunger for combat verging on the suicidal. Alfie Allen, Connor Swindells and Jack OConnell in Rogue Heroes, an irreverent biopic about Britains Special Air Service Credit: BBC Insane, in jail, in despair, is the shopping list of recruits, and the three historic protagonists cover those bases. David Stirling (Connor Swindells) is a boozy son of the British establishment who cant handle the stoic mindset and incompetent planning; Paddy Mayne (Jack OConnell) is an Irish hellion with a hair-trigger temper and a love of poetry; Jock Lewes (Alfie Allen) is a military martinet who sees war as a kind of absurd test your mother is not watching, he tells his soldiers before a bloody night raid. Australias universities will gain access to new technology designed to crack down on cheats using ChatGPT but some top institutions are shunning the software as teachers look to redesign tests to combat the rise of artificial intelligence. Most universities nationwide will on Wednesday have the option of using popular anti-plagiarism software service Turnitin to detect whether a student has used a chatbot to help write an essay or complete an assessment. English lecturer Benjamin Miller has redesigned some assessments as universities grapple with the rise of ChatGPT and artificial intelligence. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos But some of the countrys biggest institutions including the University of Sydney, Monash University and Deakin University have said they will not use the software at least initially and are instead ramping up other detection methods to catch students using ChatGPT to write papers. Academic integrity expert at the University of NSW, Cath Ellis, said there is a real fear the detection tool could lead universities to falsely accusing students of using ChatGPT to do their work. I dont want the values of others being imposed on my children in my school, and I dont think that should be happening in a public or a private school. So said then-prime minister Scott Morrison in 2018, speaking about a Victorian respectful relationships program. At the time, Morrison was commenting on talkback radio as both politician and parent, demonstrating in one moment the entanglement of the personal and the political when it comes to RSE. Sex-ed is caught in the middle of what is often a deadly embrace between politicians and parents: deadly for sex-ed, that is, for it is an issue that is both political and politicised around the world. I observed it in several European and North American countries I travelled to, on a 2019 fellowship researching the implementation of RSE. For example, the main conservative political party in Germany opposed RSE in schools on the basis that it would result in fruhsexualisierung: the early sexualisation of children. If we recognise that sexual wellbeing and freedom from sexual violence are matters of public wellbeing, RSE a key protective measure is therefore a political issue. It is politicised when bad faith actors wield the issue to stir up moral panic and fearmonger, even though the real fear should be that kids are not getting good enough sex-ed, given the evidence clearly shows that sex-ed acts as a protective factor against sexual violence and tends to delay first sexual experiences. Either way, parents-as-voters seem to spook politicians on all sides although one wonders why we care so much more about what parents think of RSE, than what young voters and other members of the community are calling for in their concern about preventing sexual violence. Yet, even if parents were the only group we listened to on this issue, we should still be throwing everything at improving RSE in schools, according to this recent survey (disclaimer: Im one of the authors of the research). In the first national examination of parental attitudes towards school-based delivery of RSE within Australia that is inclusive of all school sectors, just shy of 2500 people were asked about relationships and sexual health education with almost 90 per cent agreeing or strongly agreeing that it should be provided in schools. The lights were on. Moving through the house, Ford entered a bedroom and was confronted by a sight that obliterated his low expectations. The loud thump of metal smashing into wood at the government-owned home woke neighbours as the quartet rushed in. In a matter of seconds Ford levered the security screen off with a hux bar and, like a one-two punch, Masterson stepped in and rammed open the front door with a single blow. Up front were the youngest two members of the team: Detective Senior Constables Kurt Ford, built like a bear, and the brawny Drew Masterson. Detectives from the West Australian Police approached a blue duplex situated on the corner of a crescent street and made their way past a Colorbond gate ready to enter the right-hand-side unit. As the sun-bleached town of Carnarvon slept in the early hours of Wednesday morning, four figures moved through the cool and breezy evening with purpose. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Holding on tight and nestled into Fords black and yellow hooded jumper she took a few seconds to reply as Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine, one of WAs most experienced homicide officers and father to a daughter himself, asked her three times for her name. Hey, bubby, come here, he said. Ive got you, bubby, youre alright. Its 12.46am and 18 days after Cleo Smith went missing, presumed abducted, from her familys tent at a remote campsite 40 minutes drive north of the town, and the four-year-old has been found just three kilometres from her familys home in Carnarvon. She was awake and playing with toys. The whole day were just laughing, when we opened ... I just waved the [store] flag and was running up and down like crazy. Very, very happy. All day all the customers, I dont even know some of the customers, were just hugging each other and sharing the happiness. It was just after 4am when Bakery Plus owner Joseph Nguyen, who had been kneading dough for two hours, got a call from a friend telling him the news. Hearts were full all around Carnarvon a coastal fishing, farming and salt mining town some 900 kilometres north of Perth as word got around that Cleo Smith had beaten the odds. Those four words have reverberated around the globe and filled the sudden void formed in the hearts of Cleos mother Ellie Smith and stepfather Jake Gliddon when they woke on October 16 at the Blowholes campsite their own childhood playground growing up to find one of their two little girls gone. Reunited with Cleo, Ellie said her family was whole again. Notice boards and posters welcoming Cleo home still adorn shopfronts as residents revel and share knowing looks. The odd round of applause or tooting of a car horn breaks out whenever police appear. Driving around Carnarvon the past week it seems like everyone is having a party. Purple and pink balloons are tied up on row after row of letterboxes in the same way families use them to signal a birthday party is being thrown. The baker had given the bubbly Cleo a biscuit just two days before she disappeared. This weekend Nguyen, who provided meals for searchers and police from day one, says he will give her a whole box of biscuits in celebration. People came in with sad faces and after Cleo was found everyone came in with a smile. The last 18 days I can tell you, the townspeople ... just did not feel like going anywhere, they just felt they wanted to go out there and look for Cleo, Nguyen says. The mood in Carnarvon before Wednesday had decayed as much as one of the towns main tourist drawcards, a mile-long timber jetty ravaged by time, the ocean and most recently Cyclone Seroja. One of them was that the suspect that we were observing ... could be mobile and would leave the premises, he says. Detective Blaine says, armed with new information, police settled into a series of plans for what could happen next. But ultimately senior officials say it was hard work, phone data and car sightings that helped to identify a person of interest on Tuesday. One key clue was a car seen driving south from the Blowholes turnoff on the North West Coastal Highway at about 3am, which was within the 1.30am to 6am window when Cleo went missing. Police have been tight-lipped about what exactly it was they found after so many information-gathering tools were deployed, from drone technology to picking through highway rubbish bins. More details emerge each day about the dramatic rescue by police and how it was the result of a dynamic plan formulated by Taskforce Rodia, the 100-strong officer contingent looking for Cleo, on Tuesday afternoon when there was a sudden breakthrough in the case. We talked about all the different scenarios ... and it was clear in my head what had to occur. Loading Minutes before Cleo was saved, her now alleged abductor and the man who had been living at the home she was found in, Terence Darrell Kelly, 36, was pulled over in Carnarvon by police and arrested. Police are not looking for any alleged co-offenders in what is still an ongoing investigation which could last weeks with further forensics, CCTV and interviews with Cleo to be gathered. Kelly has been described as a mysterious but friendly loner by his neighbours, mostly Aboriginal families, who were shocked to discover Cleo may have been kept next door since her disappearance. A direct neighbour, who did not want to be named, says she had borrowed a lawnmower from Kelly on Monday, and he had spoken to her like nothing was amiss. When she found out Cleo had been found in her neighbours home it gave her a fright and made it hard for her to sleep since her own granddaughter has been staying with her. Another neighbour two doors down, Henry Dodd, says he did not have much to do with Kelly but had seen him driving around with dolls in his car. Social media accounts appear to show Kelly had a doll room inside his house, and another image from last year shows him driving a doll around. It was captioned: I love taking my dolls for drive around and doing their hair and taking selfies in public. A Carnarvon Toyworld worker says Kelly had bought several dolls over the years, but she did not know when he had last visited the store. The same shop has now received hundreds of dollars from people wanting to buy gift vouchers for Cleo. Kelly was not charged until Thursday afternoon after a delay in police being able to interview him after he self-harmed and needed to be taken to hospital, twice. In the dock, Kelly, who had no family members or supporters in attendance, appeared heavier than many of his social media photos. He wore a black short-sleeved button-up shirt, his dark curly hair sat just above his shoulders and he had a black beard. Kelly spoke when prompted by the magistrate but threatened reporters in the gallery, saying he would get out of custody and come after them. When the hearing concluded he stood up and pointed at the media as he turned and left. He was remanded in custody until next month. On Friday, he was flown to a high-security prison in Perth. Rumours spread There was an undercurrent of conspiracy theories and false information around town in the time between the official identification of Cleos alleged abductor and his arrest. The image of a Pilbara man, who is not the accused, was circulated among Carnarvon residents shortly after the rescue before he was wrongly identified by a major media outlet as the alleged offender. Superintendent Rod Wilde, the head of Taskforce Rodia, called for people to stop spreading rumours and instead have faith in the justice system. The start of potentially lengthy court proceedings, however, is a new fight for Carnarvon to process as Cleo and her family start their recovery from the trauma of the past three weeks. But Detective Blaine says it was amazing how well Cleo had adjusted to being back with her family. [Its] heartwarming to see that shes ... still bubbly and shes laughing, he says. Shes getting some sleep, shes playing in the backyard exactly how youd expect, like my daughter did when she was four. Cleo has been sleeping in her parents arms and has even asked her mum if she could look over her while she fell asleep. Detective Senior Constable Kurt Ford, Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine, Detective Senior Constable Drew Masterson and Detective Sergeant Jason Hutchinson who entered a locked house in Carnarvon to rescue Cleo Smith. Credit:Peter de Kruijff On Friday, Ellie Smith and Jake Gliddon released a statement thanking police and the Carnarvon community for their help in finding Cleo, and asking for privacy. We are humbled by the love and support that we have received from not only our local community but the whole of Western Australia and across the country, the statement read. We are so thankful that our little girl is back within our arms and our family is whole again. As we try to get on with our lives, we ask that you respect our privacy. North West Central MP Vince Catania says it was now important for the family to have clear air to navigate their healing process. North West Central MP Vince Catania says its time for people to give space to Cleo Smiths family. Credit:Philip Gostelow I think its incumbent on all of us, including the media, to give them some space to be able to process whats gone on and get back to some sense of normality for Cleos sake, he says. Because although were all elated, and Im sure the parents are and Cleo is, theres going to be the need for them to heal and get their life back on track. The only way I think we can do that is to provide some peace to the family. Criminologists describe alleged child abduction cases like Cleos as a black swan event because of the rarity in finding a missing person alive and well after so many days. Coincidentally, the black swan is Western Australias state emblem. In some ways Carnarvon has been spared the avalanche of international and interstate media because of the closed state and international borders due to COVID-19. But the scrutiny on the town has still been intense, with businesses bombarded by global news companies calling for information and television crews from all the major national networks. Loading The dearth of hire cars available, given the large number of police in town, has seen one news outlet spending thousands of dollars to hire out taxis every day. Reporters have also been staked out at the house attempting to catch a glimpse of the family or clinch a paid interview. Catania says everyone needed to be thinking about what was best for Cleo moving forward. Whats best at the moment is to let the justice system take its course, he says. Media come and go, politicians, the premier comes and goes, but the family is still here having to deal with living in a small community, living with media at their doorstep. The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here. It is easy to catastrophise electoral outcomes. The byelection loss in Aston was bad for the Liberal Party. Very bad. However, if the messages from this electoral drubbing are heard and the wake-up call seized, then good can come of bad. The impact of changing social and demographic trends sees the Liberal Party holding just one in five metropolitan electorates. Millennials have substituted Baby Boomers as the biggest voting demographic. Migration has turbocharged urbanisation, making our big cities even bigger. Professional women are the fastest-growing segment of the workforce. Its no time to be a party struggling with women, migrants, urban or younger voters. Not if you want to win. Yet there is also an opportunity for Liberals with voters less loyal and more willing to switch, if the reasons are compelling. The Liberal challenge is to make those who have turned away think again. We must recommit to and refresh our values. The principles of liberalism are enduring, as are those of conservatism. But they must be applied in a modern context. Menzies shaped a party for the second Elizabethan era, not the Edwardian era. Todays Liberal Party needs to address the attitudes and challenges of the mid-21st century, not the late 20th century. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher says billions of dollars leaking from Medicare each year need to return to government coffers as Labor prepares May budget reforms of a healthcare system no longer fit for purpose. Doctors groups said on Tuesday they would work with the government on recommendations to rein in up to $3 billion a year in wasted Medicare spending, largely the result of billing errors and non-compliance in an overly complex system. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher has acknowledged the stress GPs are under and says health practitioners overwhelmingly do the right thing. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen But they signalled their support would come with conditions, including no more red tape for doctors already struggling in an under-pressure primary health system. A government-commissioned report by health economist Dr Pradeep Philip this week warned the $38 billion universal healthcare system was so poorly structured and loosely scrutinised that the gate had been left wide open to fraud. Allied Market Research Increasing focus on remote monitoring in support of the work-from-home initiative, rise in penetration of the internet and IoT devices, and increase in use of digital transformation technology are likely to drive the growth of the connected device analytics market. By component, solution segment contributed to the major share in 2021. By region, LAMEA would showcase the fastest CAGR by 2031. Portland, OR , April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the report published by Allied Market Research, the global connected device analytics market generated $48.2 billion in 2021, and is estimated to reach $378.2 billion by 2031, witnessing a CAGR of 23.1% from 2022 to 2031. The report offers a detailed analysis of changing market trends, top segments, key investment pockets, value chains, regional landscapes, and competitive scenarios. The report is a helpful source of information for leading market players, new entrants, investors, and stakeholders in devising strategies for the future and taking steps to strengthen their position in the market. Request Sample Report: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/13366 Report coverage & details: Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 20222031 Base Year 2021 Market Size in 2021 $48.2 billion Market Size in 2031 $378.2 billion CAGR 23.1% No. of Pages in Report 264 Segments Covered Component, Enterprise Size, Deployment Model, Application, Industry Vertical, and Region Drivers Increasing focus on remote monitoring in support of the work-from-home initiative Rise in penetration of the internet and IoT devices Surge in use of digital transformation technology Opportunities Real-time analytics emerging as a key vital IoT initiative Restraints Lack of skilled labor Increase in security concerns Covid-19 Scenario: The connected device analytics market experienced a surge in growth due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic prompted the widespread adoption of new practices such as remote working and social distancing, leading to a growing need for technologies that enable remote monitoring, smart payment systems, and the creation of digital infrastructure for widespread implementation. Story continues The report offers a detailed segmentation of the global connected device analytics market based on the component, enterprise size, deployment model, application, industry vertical, and region. The report provides an analysis of each segment and sub-segment with the help of tables and figures. This analysis helps market players, investors, and new entrants in determining the sub-segments to be tapped on to achieve growth in the coming years. Procure Complete Report (264 Pages PDF with Insights, Charts, Tables, and Figures) at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/connected-device-analytics-market/purchase-options By component, the solution segment contributed to nearly fourth-fifths of the global connected device analytics market revenue and is projected to rule the roost by 2031. The service segment, however, would display the fastest CAGR of 26.8% throughout the forecast period. By enterprise size, the large enterprise segment contributed to more than two-thirds of the global connected device analytics market revenue and is projected to retain its dominance by 2031. However, the SMEs segment would showcase the fastest CAGR of 25.6% throughout the forecast period. By deployment model, the on-premise segment garnered around three-fifths of the global connected device analytics market revenue and is anticipated to dominate by 2031. However, the cloud segment would cite the fastest CAGR of 24.9% throughout the forecast period. By application, the sales and customer management segment held the largest share in 2021, garnering nearly one-fifth of the global connected device analytics market revenue and is projected to maintain its dominance by 2031. On the other hand, the building automation segment would portray the fastest CAGR of 27.0% throughout the forecast period. Also, the security and emergency management, remote monitoring, predictive Maintenace and asset management, inventory management, energy management, and others segments are discussed in the report. By industry vertical, the manufacturing segment contributed to more than one-fifth of the global connected device analytics market revenue and is projected to rule the roost by 2031. However, the government and defense segment would showcase the fastest CAGR of 26.6% throughout the forecast period. The other segments assessed through the report take in transport & logistics, energy & utilities, retail & e-commerce, BFSI, health & life science, and others. By region, North America held the major share in 2021, garnering more than one-third of the global connected device analytics market revenue and is projected to rule the roost by 2031. However, the LAMEA region would display the fastest CAGR of 25.1% throughout the forecast period. The other provinces studied through the report include Asia-Pacific, and Europe. Enquiry Before Buying: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/13366 The key market players analyzed in the global connected device analytics market report include Amazon Web Services Inc., Google LLC, Teradata Corporation, SAP SE, Hitachi Ltd., Cisco Systems Inc., Adobe, IBM Corporation, Oracle Corporation, Microsoft Corporation. These players have adopted various strategies such as expansion, new product launches, partnerships, and others to increase their market penetration and strengthen their position in the industry. The report is helpful in determining the business performance, operating segments, product portfolio, and developments by every market player. About Us Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of " Market Research Reports " and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. CONTACT: Contact: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States USA/Canada (Toll Free): +1-800-792-5285, +1-503-894-6022 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1(855)550-5975 help@alliedmarketresearch.com Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/reports-store/information-and-communication-technology-and-media Follow Us on Blog: https://www.technologyplz.com/ London: Prince George is to become the youngest future king to play an official role at a coronation, having been named one of his grandfathers four Pages of Honour. The nine-year-old will be tasked with carrying the King Charles robes alongside three other pages, schoolboys Lord Oliver Cholmondeley, 13, Nicholas Barclay, 13, and Ralph Tollemache, 12. All three are sons of Charles friends. Prince George, second from right, watches the Queens Jubilee celebrations with his siblings Louis and Charlotte and parents Catherine and William from the balcony of Buckingham Place last year. Credit: PA/AP Camilla, Queen Consort, has chosen to include her three grandsons, twins Gus and Louis Lopes, 13, and Freddy Parker Bowles, 12, as well as her great-nephew, Arthur Elliot, 11, as her Pages of Honour. All eight are expected to wear matching scarlet uniforms and will form part of the procession through the nave of Westminster Abbey. Pieno Zvaigzdes Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (hereinafter, the Meeting) of akcine bendrove Pieno zvaigzdes, registered address Perkunkiemio str. 3, Vilnius, the Republic of Lithuania, company code 124665536, VAT payer code LT246655314, data collected ant stored in the Register of Legal Entities (hereinafter, the Company), is called on 28 April 2023 at 11.00 a.m. at the initiative and according to the decision of the Companys Board. The Meeting shall take place at the registered address of the Company at Perkunkiemio str. 3, Vilnius. Registration of shareholders shall start from 10.30 a.m. Accounting day of the Meeting 21 April 2023. Persons who at the end of the accounting day of the Meeting will be shareholders of the Company shall have a right to participate and vote at the Meeting personally or by proxy, or to be represented by the person with whom an agreement on the transfer of voting right is concluded. 15 May 2023 is the rights record day, i.e. persons who shall be shareholders of the Company at the end of the tenth business day after the Meeting (15 May 2023) will have the right to receive profit (dividend) of the Company. Audrius Statulevicius CFO +370 52461419 Attachments Photo: The Canadian Press A former bureaucrat accused of embezzling public funds has pleaded guilty to stealing $47.4 million from the Ontario government. The Ministry of the Attorney General says a judge sentenced Sanjay Madan to ten years in prison on Tuesday after a joint submission from the defence and the Crown. Madan had faced two counts of fraud over $5,000 and two counts of breach of trust after he was accused of stealing nearly $11 million in COVID-19 relief funds. The ministry said he was also accused of and pleaded guilty to stealing more than $36 million from the government through kickbacks from 2011 to 2020. The province had sued Madan, his wife and two adult children, alleging they illegally issued and banked cheques aimed to offset the cost of kids learning at home during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. Madan had a senior IT role and helped develop a computer application related to a COVID-19 relief benefit before he was fired in 2020. His wife and two sons all worked for the province in information technology. MADRID, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Council of Europe, the international organization created to promote democracy, protect human rights and the rule of law, has signed an agreement with the legaltech Signaturit to develop the project for the integration of electronic signatures in its own digital management tools. Rene Jagers, VP Sales at Signaturit; Sara Siguenza, Customer Success Team Lead at Signaturit; Alain Mielle, Head of Technological Innovation at the Council of Europe; Steve Maslen, IT Officer at the Council of Europe; Olivier Tete, Directorate of Information Technology Digital Innovation Unit at the Council of Europe; Sergio Ruiz, President of Signaturit. The compliance with the legal requirements of the elDAS regulation and the ability to offer and facilitate simple, advanced and qualified signature modalities, have been the determining factors in the choice of Signaturit, over other providers, by the Council of Europe. In addition, the legaltech is a customer centric company and has designed a customized solution that meets the needs of the European organization. The use of electronic signatures continues to grow, not only in private companies, but also in public bodies. A year ago, the Council of Europe hired Signaturit's services to digitize the signature of documents through the web platform. But this time the international organization wanted to go a step further and undertake a new project to integrate electronic signatures via API with the goal of reaching 100,000 signatures by the end of the year. Implementation of the tool has begun with 200 users, and the forecast is to close the year with 700. "The fact that the Council of Europe has counted on Signaturit's electronic signature to undertake new challenges is, without a doubt, a privilege for us that places us even more as leaders in electronic signatures in Europe. Our technological solution not only provides the necessary legal guarantees, but also speeds up and increases the efficiency of the signing process. Not to mention improving the signers' experience", according to Sergio Ruiz, President of Signaturit Group. The goal is to become a more efficient organization that reconciles innovation, regulation, and environmental protection. To achieve this, the organization has initiated a digital transformation project with Signaturit. The European Directory for the Quality of Medicines and Health Services; the European Convention on Human Rights; and Eurimages already have, or will soon have, the electronic signature that is the Council of Europe's cultural support fund. Story continues "Digital technologies are changing people's lives, from the way we communicate to the way we live and work. That is why we at the Council of Europe want to undertake this process of digital transformation of signature processes with Signaturit's customized solution, and thus streamline management for the benefit of all Europeans", explains Alain Miele, Head of Technological Innovation at the Council of Europe. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2046578/The_Council_of_Europe_Signaturit.jpg Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-council-of-europe-chooses-signaturit-to-manage-electronic-signatures-301788595.html SOURCE Signaturit ReportLinker The size of the Courier, Express, and Parcel (CEP) Market is USD 413.05 billion in the current year and is anticipated to register a CAGR of over 10% during the forecast period. Increasing demand through e-commerce is driving the market. New York, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Courier, Express, and Parcel (CEP) Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecast (2023 - 2028)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06445270/?utm_source=GNW Furthermore, there is an increased volume of shipments in terms of parcels in the B2C segment. Key Highlights Growth in the global express markets has been driven by strong domestic e-commerce sales. Domestic markets have been growing more quickly than international markets in most regions, but the gap is narrowing significantly in some regions. The gap between the domestic and international markets is smaller in North America and Europe. In Europe, this is primarily due to the interconnectedness of the market and the lower barriers to international trade. Domestic markets have proved capable of seizing on the opportunities that e-commerce brings. The CEP industry is posting impressive growth in developing countries, driven by the growth in international trade, rising internet and smartphone penetration boosting e-commerce sales, growing middle-class population, disposable incomes, and improved standards of living. Besides e-commerce, the emerging trends of omnichannel retailing in certain countries and growth in trade driven by economic growth are also some of the drivers of the CEP industry. As reported in April 2022, several foreign express giants said that their operations are running as normal, refuting online rumours that delivery companies from Europe and the US are suspending postal and parcel express services in China amid the COVID-19 epidemic. FedExs international express and freight centre at Shanghai Pudong International Airport has kept operating during the recent outbreak, in a bid to ensure normal export business and promote the recovery and development of global trade. E-Commerce sales were USD 870 billion in the US in 2021, a 14.2% increase over 2020 and a 50.5% increase over 2019. E-Commerce represented 13.2% of all retail sales in 2021 in the US. Chinese National Statistics suggest that online retail sales grew at a 22% compounded growth rate between 2014 and 2021. Though online retail penetration is expected to continue to increase, Chinas 14th Five-Year Plan, which runs from 2020 until 2025, anticipates this growth in online retail sales to slow to 7.5%. The Indian e-commerce market had a size of USD 40 Billion in 2021 which is projected to increase to USD 50 Billion in the ongoing year (2022). The market has grown exponentially over the past five years due to the surge in Internet and smartphone users, improved policy reforms, and an increase in disposable income. Companies like Lufthansa Cargo have invested in digital capabilities with their e-booking but also want to make their bookings available to others so that API can offer the inventory in their systems. Larger customers would want to incorporate the data into their systems, but smaller customers needed a different approach. SME forwarders might not be as IT-savvy or want to invest, so we also need to be on platforms such as cargo.one or WebCargo, where they can compare rates, routings, stopovers and capacity and make their choice directly. Qatar Airways Cargo has a similar policy. In January 2021, it finally joined Freightoss WebCargo booking platform. Qatar has also signed up for the Validaide Capabilities Platform, which now hosts some 11 airlines. It provides customers with access to information on the special handling capabilities of suppliers. Airlines can digitally manage and share station capabilities for pharma and healthcare products, and customers can see and review them. Courier, Express, & Parcel (CEP) Market Trends E-Commerce And Omnichannel Retail Driving the Market The global e-commerce market reached a value of USD 13 Trillion in 2021. Rapid urbanization across the globe is one of the key factors driving the growth of the market. Furthermore, increasing internet penetration and usage of devices, such as smartphones, laptops and tablets to access e-commerce portals, is also providing a boost to the market growth. E-commerce enables organizations to conduct business without maintaining a physical presence, thereby minimizing infrastructure, communication and overhead costs. Latin America saw USD 85 billion in e-commerce sales in 2021, up 25% from USD 68 billion in 2020. The Indian e-commerce market is expected to grow to USD 111.4 billion by 2025, up from USD 46.2 billion in 2020. Russia, the UK, and the Philippines saw more than 20% e-commerce sales growth in 2021. North America, which includes the United States and Canada as the leading regions in business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce sales, accounts for around one-third of digital purchases worldwide. The United States accounted for more than 60% of the total e-commerce market in North America in 2020. This increase in e-commerce trade over online portals has driven the growth of the global CEP market. The various e-commerce activities, such as online shopping through e-retail portals, are expected to fuel the market growth during the forecast period. Despite a difficult year for retail in 2020, every national market saw double-digit e-commerce growth. Despite a 3.4% drop in overall retail sales, Latin America experienced incredible growth of 36.7% compared to the previous year. Argentinas e-commerce sector grew by 79% in 2020, while Singapores grew by 71.1%. One of the greatest cross-border e-commerce markets, India and Mexico were in the top five countries in the world. With 50 million e-buyers, India is in third place (the high-growth region of Southeast Asia has been triggered by increased logistics and broadband infrastructure), and Mexico is in fifth place with 40 million e-buyers. These countries growing internet users make them great markets for multinational firms to sell into. In Hong Kong, Singapore, and Vietnam, cross-border purchases account for 31%, 43% and 55% of online purchases respectively. In Australia and New Zealand, 35% of online purchases are imported from outside the region, with 25% of e-purchases from North America and Europe. Cross-Border E-commerce Stimulating The Growth Of The International CEP Market The growing e-commerce sector, along with the growing cross-border trade, is one of the key factors driving the growth of the CEP market. The development of cross-border trade channels, especially in emerging nations, has enhanced the adoption of international trade and B2C shipments. Furthermore, the increasing consumer preference for shopping online through various e-commerce portals is also providing a boost to market growth. E-commerce stores partner with courier service providers to deliver their products across domestic and international locations. Technological advancements, including the utilization of digital technologies with crowd-sourced delivery models, are also creating a positive outlook for the market. These technologies aid the service providers in increasing their overall operational efficiency and meeting the requirements of the customers effectively. Other factors, including rapid urbanization, rising consumer expenditure capacities, and significant growth in the manufacturing sector, are projected to drive the market further toward growth during the forecast period. Automated package and freight shipping solutions are available to improve efficiency for the entire shipping process of retail vendors. Retailers will soon be able to leave the paperwork to shipping partners, such as transmitting customs documentation electronically and enjoy a smooth customs clearance process, minimizing the time and cost involved in the associated paperwork. Moreover, with more regional and trade deals being negotiated between governments and trading blocs, it has become more attractive for SMEs to expand into new markets. The rapid growth of cross-border e-commerce is attributed to the rise of a young, urban population that is heavily reliant on technology. Courier, Express, & Parcel (CEP) Industry Overview The Courier, Express, and Parcel (CEP) Market is fragmented and highly competitive. DHL, FedEx, and UPS continue expanding their business across the globe to capture the market in the untapped areas. The global express and small parcels market continues to be driven forward by e-commerce. Companies are trying to grow organically or inorganically to improve their product offerings, services, and geographical reach. The international players are making strategic investments to establish a regional logistics network, such as opening new distribution centres, smart warehouses, etc. Local companies face high competition with multinational companies with comparatively well-developed infrastructure. In the regional context, domestic companies still have an edge. Additional Benefits: The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format 3 months of analyst support Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06445270/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Story continues CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 WSU professor bolsters life-saving efforts in community via PulsePoint app April 5, 2023 OGDEN, Utah When approached to be involved in an initiative to improve the out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rates in Weber and Morgan counties, a WSU professor answered the call. Bill Robertson, associate professor of emergency healthcare, teamed up with Deputy Chief Michael Slater of the Ogden City Fire Department to incorporate the life-saving efforts of the mobile app, PulsePoint, into the local community. Chief Slater reached out to me in hopes that Weber States Department of Emergency Healthcare could collaborate and assist in the efforts, Robertson said. Since our department provides all of the paramedic training for the Ogden City Fire Department, it was just a natural partnership. PulsePoint works by routing 911 calls that go through dispatch and notifying responders who are within one-fourth of a mile of the victim's location and the nearest automated external defibrillator. The sooner CPR is started, even by a bystander, the better the victims chance of survival, Robertson said. Robertson helped secure funding for PulsePoint access and training efforts for the public and first responders. Others from the Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke College of Health Professions realized the importance of a program and chipped in. The PulsePoint program is free to download for the public, but it does have a fee for it to be implemented within the participating countys dispatch system, Robertson said. The Deans Office of Health Professions made a financial contribution alongside public and private contributors that allowed for PulsePoint to be connected to Weber and Morgan counties dispatch systems for the next two years, Robertson said. Through Robertsons work and dedication, Weber State is even more connected to the larger initiative to improve the communitys health and possibly save lives. Going forward, the Department of Emergency Healthcare will play a bigger role in providing the necessary training to active emergency medical services providers in the area, as well as hosting community CPR training, Robertson said. This has been Chief Slater's project from the beginning. We're just helping out wherever we can. I wrote this column for the extreme diner. Someone who, when they go out for a meal, wants to be pleasantly surprised, they want a new experience, they want to be pleasured with delicious food crafted by a culinary maestro. Extreme diners understand Im talking about a hedonistic experience. If youre feeling a little unnerved about these thoughts, I guess Ill see you later. If youre still with me, then the good news is, you may just have enough time to experience a few of these food pleasures for yourself, so please read all the way to the end. Lets begin. Gueuleton is a French word that refers to a festive meal or a large, convivial feast. It doesnt have a direct translation in English, but some equivalent expressions might be feast, banquet, festive meal or celebratory dinner. On a recent weekend I attended Le Gueuleton at the Paris Crepe Cafe on Queen Street in Niagara Falls. Thierry Clement, owner, chef and Frenchman, closed the restaurant to the general public and created a feast for a fortunate few. The occasion? The marking of two French chefs and brothers cooking together after a decade apart. Thierrys brother, Lionel Clement, owner of many impressive restaurants from Paris, France, to Napoli, Italy, was visiting his brother from his hometown of Bargemon, France and they cooked together again, just as they did in France. Le Gueuleton was a 10-course dinner. It was light on the palate, full in portion sizes with intense flavours that dazzled the palate and shot sensations of ecstasy from your olfactory senses down through your soul and into the tips of your toes. When it comes to food and emotions, it doesnt get more intense or sensual than Le Gueuleton. There were salty oysters that slithered down the throat and savoury macaroons filled with fois gras that creamed over the tongue. The climax of the meal was a single lobster ravioli laying in a creamy pale sauce. The warm, sweet aromas filled the air and I cut into it. The knife ripped the ravioli apart because instead of the anticipated, traditional filling of minced mush, it was actually large, whole pieces of lobster claw swaddled in a tissue-thin sheet of pasta. I gathered some sauce and put a small piece in my mouth. What came next was nothing Id expect to taste in Canada. There was no typical taste of heavy cream or pasty lobster, it was more of a feather light mystery of lusciousness blasting an intense salty, sweet, clean, elegant lobster flavour mingling with a melodious seafood foam that sang of eloquence. Its mere essence tickled the top of the mouth and played under the tongue. When I swallowed, it slithered down my throat like a silk scarf and the flavour lingered long on the palate. The very taste sent pleasure down my spine, and wrapped me in stillness. Wow, I didnt want this meal to end. I finally opened my eyes and the other diners were also quiet, still captivated in a hedonistic experience we call a culinary orgasm. Canadian cuisine is definitely missing this French je ne sais quoi, this lightness in texture and elusive, intensity of flavours that pleasures the senses and fondles the physical body. Its the most mature culinary experience one can ever hope to have. As new, emerging chefs in this country try to be extreme with ordinary food, trying to shock the senses, its the road of experience, of coaxing the best experience from the highest quality ingredients thats less travelled. Pity. Each of the eight courses that followed was more impressive than the preceding one. We lavished in warm morel mushrooms in savoury foam coddling a poached egg. It lightly creamed the palate and caressed the throat leaving sultry feelings of pure earthy love. There was the eggplant caviar with Parmesan crisps, salmon confit dotted with black garlic on a green carpet of vichyssoise-style sauce. The palate cleanser was edible drama. A pudgy mound of apple granita cuddled in two paper-thin slices of fresh apple. Sitting side-saddle the granita coupe was a miniature shot glass of calvados waiting for us to drizzle over the granita or throw back neat-style. We lingered over sliced duck Magret with a reduced Armagnac sauce and a seductively delicious fresh goat cheese whipped into a mousse with truffle oil and topped with the cutest mini truffle croutons. Finally, our palates were pleasured with something sweet; a small souffle crepe layered with Chantilly cream and planted over a splash of caramel, custard sauce. Thierry walked from guest to guest with a small copper pot flaming with Grand Marnier. He poured blue flame over everyones crepes. At the end of the 10-course meal, in true haute cuisine fashion, no one was overly stuffed, no one had to release the belt buckle and no one groaned of anything but pure pleasure. It was a meal that made memories, one more dream to check off the bucket list, one of those experiences that all culminate to make your life complete. We were all surprisingly content and satisfied. But where does all that skill come from? You need to travel, to learn, you need to practice relentlessly, you need to taste as you go, says Thierry. The three most important lessons any chef or home cook can learn. When you cook it has to match something in your life, your lifestyle, it has to make sense to the palate through the olfactory senses and our memories either past or future ones, explains chef Lional. Le Gueuleton was a night of tasting the life experiences from a master culinary maestro. Chef Lionel Clement will be at the Paris Crepe Cafe until April 6. The Paris Crepe Cafe does specialize in the most delicious savoury and sweet, traditional, French, buckwheat crepes but its so much more than that. Try the Salade Toulousaine; the warm, savoury duck confit salad. It will soon be removed from the menu and replaced with the salad Nicoise for the summer season. Its the best Nicoise salad this side of Paris, France. For breakfast or Sunday brunch try the Oeuf en Meurette. Its a family favourite from the Clement brothers childhood. Its two poached eggs over baguette slices and surrounded with a luscious Bourguignon sauce, mushrooms and bacon lardon. Lynn Ogryzlo is a freelance food writer, cookbook author, holistic nutritionist and regular contributor to The St Catharines Standard. Read more about: SHARE: Welland city council has approved construction of a $2.8-million sand and salt storage dome at the Federal Road public works yard. There was no discussion on a report about the structure from Frank Pearson, manager of facilities operations and development, during Tuesday nights council meeting. A build contract was awarded to Mitchell, Ont.-based Van Pelt Construction Inc. Pearsons report called for the structure to be completed before the 2023-24 winter season. The dome will meet Ministry of Environment requirements that dictate salt be contained inside a structure to prevent its erosion and leaching into and contaminating soil. Welland currently stores winter salt and sand/salt mixtures outdoors at the Federal Road yard. The new sand and salt dome will come with an automatic gate and entrance at the public works yard. Construction will be managed by the citys facilities division. Also Tuesday, councillors approved the purchase of nine new pieces of auto-extrication equipment for Welland Fire and Emergency Services at a cost of $168,158.40. The new battery-powered Hurst eDraulic cutters, spreaders and combination tools will come from Brantford-based Code 4 Fire and Rescue. The new gear will be placed on front-line trucks, with older tools moved to callback and reserve trucks. All will be used for training purposes, as well. SHARE: Unsuitable soil conditions on 2.32 hectares of land at Wellands Seaway Drive led Idrakoth Ltd. to request downscaling a proposed residential development on Tuesday. The property, at the southeast corner of Seaway Mall, is zoned residential high-density. Idrakoth Ltd. and Doral Holdings Ltd., owner of the mall, asked for official plan and zoning amendments to change it to site-specific residential medium-density. Residential high-density would allow for highrise apartment buildings on the site, which will front Woodlawn Road. The medium-density designation allows semi-detached dwellings, multiple dwellings and block townhouse units with site-specific provisions related to the lot frontage, setbacks, building height, lot coverage and landscape area. Susan Smyth, a senior planner with Quartek Group, said geotechnical reports show ground conditions on the site arent suitable for apartment structures. Its more favourable for townhouse-style buildings, said Smyth, of the reason, as she called it, for the downzoning of the site. Proposed on the property are 64 townhouses of condo block, street or stacked units on an internal road, 11 standard townhouse units with garages, 15 townhouse units with garages on a private laneway and two semi-detached units. Smyth said the land contains tailings from the construction of the Welland Canal, now the Welland Recreational Canal, to the east of the mall property and sits vacant with no residential developments abutting it. Idrakoths Drew Toth, the developer behind the Warbler Village project on the site of the former Target store at the mall and two apartment buildings nearby on Niagara Street, said structural engineers were consulted when soil condition studies were carried out. Toth said based on research, data and the conditions, the site wouldnt support six- to eight-storey apartment buildings allowed under the propertys zoning. He said that is why the company pivoted and asked for zoning and official plan amendments to decrease the density. Asked by city council how tall the proposed units would be on site, he said they would not exceed 3.5 storeys. Soil studies for contamination on the property were carried out, and Toth said the Ministry of Environment approved a record of site condition, meaning there are no concerns and nothing exceeding any provincial limits. A full report of those conditions was available from the city, Toth told council. Ward 3 Coun. John Chiocchio asked the developer if he had any idea of soil conditions on the proposed LIV Communities Northern Reach project to the northeast of Idrakoth Ltd.s development. Thats comparing two different soil conditions, and I cant speak to LIVs soil, only our own, said Toth, adding hes talking with LIV about possible links to the two sites. That connectivity could include a road, walkway and enhanced trail links to both sites and Seaway Mall. Were eager to work with them. Toth said one aspect of the second mall development includes multiple housing forms with various units to attract different demographics. Walkability is part of the plan, with residents within five minutes of all the mall amenities, including connections to regional transit. Another facet of the development is landscaping. Smyth said it is an important element in the overall project. She told council the property currently consists of trees, thickets and invasive plant species. Toth said a greenway a highly-planted walkable connection is part of the development proposal. In consultation with an arbourist, invasive species will be removed and replaced with native plant life. The main access to the development will be off Seaway Drive. No roads will come off Woodlawn Road, a busy main thoroughfare in Welland, and an eventual public road will run east-west through the site. Noise mitigation, including fencing, brick construction and triple-pane windows on units backing onto Woodlawn Road will be in place. Asked when construction might start, Toth said they were only coming before council to get the official plan and zoning amendments and other applications were to follow, including a plan of subdivision for the site. SHARE: OTTAWA - The federal privacy commissioner has launched an investigation into the company behind ChatGPT, an explosively popular artificial intelligence-powered chatbot. The watchdogs office announced Tuesday that it is initiating the investigation into U.S.-based company OpenAI because it received a complaint alleging the collection, use and disclosure of personal information without consent. Privacy commissioner Philippe Dufresne said in a statement that artificial intelligence and its effects on privacy are a top priority, and his office must stay ahead of fast-moving technological advances. Dufresnes office said it wont release further details at this time, but its mandate is to publicly report on the results of investigations after they conclude. ChatGPT, launched last November, uses written information already available on the internet to provide detailed, conversational responses to queries posed by users and has been exploited to spit out everything from computer code to screenplays. Microsoft is using similar, even more powerful technology from OpenAI to update its search engines and other products. OpenAI did not respond to a request for comment about the privacy commissioners investigation. Prompted by The Canadian Press for its own response, the ChatGPT bot said that as an artificially intelligent language model, I do not have access to the current responses or actions taken by the company running ChatGPT, OpenAI, regarding the investigation by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. The bots response said it is common for companies under investigation to cooperate with regulatory bodies and provide information as required by law. OpenAI may release a public statement regarding the investigation, or they may keep the matter private until the investigation is complete, it said. Critics have raised concerns about plagiarism, and last week, Italys own privacy watchdog ordered a ban while it investigates a suspected breach of European data rules. Germanys commissioner for data protection recently told a German newspaper that the country may make the same move. The 27 nations that make up the European Union are negotiating a law that would classify artificial intelligence programs and tools based on their perceived level of risk. The risks and opportunities of artificial intelligence are also being discussed during a Tuesday meeting between President Joe Biden and his council of science and technology advisors. The White House says Biden will discuss the importance of protecting rights and safety to ensure responsible innovation and appropriate safeguards. ChatGPT is also the source of a matter brought to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. In a complaint made to the consumer protection body and posted on its website, a tech ethics group says ChatGPT is a risk to privacy and public safety. In its complaint, filed March 30, the Center for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Policy said the OpenAI technology does not meet the trade commissions requirements that artificial intelligence be transparent, explainable, fair and empirically sound while fostering accountability. The complaint was filed shortly after a group of tech industry stars, including Tesla, Twitter and SpaceX mogul Elon Musk and Apples co-founder Steve Wozniak, called in an open letter for a six-month pause to companies rolling out artificial intelligence technology. The letter, organized by the nonprofit Future of Life Institute, said that in recent months there has been an out-of-control race to develop and deploy ever more powerful digital minds that no one not even their creators can understand, predict, or reliably control. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 4, 2023. With files from The Associated Press. Read more about: SHARE: TORONTO - Canada is poised to play a big role in global food production as climate change makes farming more difficult and the worlds food supply chain is rendered fragile by political and economic uncertainty, said Nutrien CEO Ken Seitz. Seitz made the remarks in Toronto at an event hosted by the Economic Club of Canada. He said climate change is redrawing the map of global food production and Canada has an opportunity to be a key player in addressing food insecurity. The world faces a double-barrelled problem, said Seitz: To feed a rapidly growing world, well need to produce more food and well need to do it sustainably. Nutrien is the worlds third-largest producer of nitrogen and the largest producer of potash, two key ingredients in commercial fertilizer. The Saskatoon-based potash and fertilizer company has six potash mines in Saskatchewan with more than 20 million tonnes of capacity, as well as two large phosphate mines in the U.S. In Canada and across the world, climate change is making farming, already an unpredictable business, even more volatile, Seitz said. Here at home in Canada, growers are experiencing wetter springs, hotter and drier summers, all of which constrains our irrigation and water and all those resources that we need to manage, he said. Seitz said farmers need support in the form of incentives so they can adopt technology and new practices in order to farm more sustainably. Risk is a major barrier for farmers, he said, who are dealing with increasing uncertainty and managing slim margins. He said in an interview after the event that the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, to which the Canadian government has been under pressure to respond, is a good example of the kind of incentives that can drive investment. Nutrien is looking at building a clean ammonia plant in Louisiana, and Seitz said the incentives provided by the Act helped give the company confidence to invest there. Its difficult to respond to something as powerful as the Inflation Reduction Act, but thats where probably the work needs to be done, said Seitz, calling the federal governments latest budget a start. In his speech, Seitz said he believes carbon capture is a key part of the climate solution. In 2021, Nutrien began piloting a new project aimed at helping farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions, trap and store carbon, and measure improvements as well as facilitating the purchase and sale of carbon credits. The pilot is currently working on 750,000 acres across North America, Seitz said Wednesday. In 2024, Nutrien will expand the program to Australia and Brazil, Seitz said after the speech. Nutrien also has its own emissions goals with particular emphasis on its nitrogen portfolio, said Seitz, with about $50 million in investments to date in that area. He said the company is currently on track to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions in nitrogen production by one million tonnes by the end of this year. The past year has been a tumultuous one for the agriculture business, and Nutrien has not been immune to the ups and downs. Demand increased for Nutriens potash earlier in 2022 as a result of the war in Ukraine. Because of that boost, in March the company said it would ramp up production to meet the demand, with most of that additional volume expected to be produced in the second half of the year. That ramp-up would mean more capital spending and more hiring at Nutriens Saskatchewan potash mines, the company said in May. However, as Nutrien saw sales slump in the latter half of its financial year, in February it announced it would delay increasing production. Despite this, Nutriens earnings in 2022 doubled, which the company attributed mainly to higher selling prices resulting from global supply uncertainties as well as record retail performance. And its production ramp-up, while pushed back, was far from scrapped. The company said while it had previously planned to increase annual potash production to 18 million tonnes by 2025, it would reach that milestone by 2026 instead. Seitz said the promised hiring at Nutriens Saskatchewan mines is being paced along with the other incremental changes across its supply chain that over time add production capacity. So were carrying on expanding that production. But we have the ability to pace it as we watch the market. Nutrien was created in 2018 as a result of a merger between PotashCorp of Saskatchewan and Calgary-based Agrium Inc. With files from Amanda Stephenson This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 5, 2023. Companies in this story: (TSX:NTR) SHARE: VANCOUVER - A man accused of the first-degree murder of a Burnaby, B.C., teenager six years ago repeatedly denied killing the girl as his trial started Wednesday. When asked for his plea in front of a B.C. Supreme Court jury, Ibrahim Ali said three times through a Kurdish-speaking interpreter that he did not kill the 13-year-old girl. The B.C. Crown Prosecution Service informed The Canadian Press on Wednesday a publication ban had been placed on the girls name. Justice Lance Bernard clarified with Ali that his statements were a not guilty plea. Yes, Ali replied through the interpreter. In his opening address to jury members, Bernard explained their role in the trial process, including that they must reject any potential biases. You will recall at jury selection, each of you swore or affirmed that your ability to judge the evidence in this case without bias, prejudice or partiality would not be affected by the fact that the accused is a Muslim man and a Kurd from the Middle East, Bernard said. Ali, a Syrian national, had been in Canada about 17 months before he was arrested on the murder charge. Bernard cautioned that if the jury recognizes a prejudice or negative stereotype, it is their sworn duty to set it aside and decide the case based on evidence presented at trial. You must make a conscious effort to resist and to help other jurors resist jumping to conclusions based, for example, on race, ethnicity, religion or gender, Bernard said. The trial broke around noon Wednesday after the judge delivered his opening statements so counsel could make arguments to the judge without the jury present. Bernard told the jury in his opening address that such arguments were common. From time to time during the trial, it may be necessary for you to retire to the jury room so the counsel may argue points of law or points of evidence, he said. Please do not speculate on specific reasons (you are) excluded. This simply happens to ensure that nothing improper is placed before you. The body of the girl was found in Burnabys Central Park on July 18, 2017, just hours after her mother had reported her missing. She left her home around 6 p.m. the evening before she died and was last seen on security video going into a Tim Hortons restaurant a few minutes later. Her mother called police at 11:30 that night and RCMP say the girls body was found in a wooded area of the park early the next morning. Police announced charges against Ali 14 months later, saying new evidence had come to their attention just weeks before his arrest. RCMP had said then that they believed the teens murder was random and that Ali and the girl didnt know each other. The trial is expected to resume Thursday for opening statements. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 5, 2023. Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version used the victims name, which the B.C. Prosecution Service says has been banned by the court. Read more about: SHARE: Shoring up Canadas struggling health-care system requires crucial reforms to primary care to ensure every Canadian is connected to a family doctor or nurse practitioner. Thats the argument put forward by health-care leaders in a new report that calls for targeted reforms to how most Canadians access the health system including scaling up whats described as team-based primary care. The report from the Public Policy Forum, entitled Primary Care for Everyone: An Urgent To-Do List for Reform, lays out 10 steps policymakers must take to expand access to family doctors or nurse practitioners and make it much more equitable. Released Wednesday, the report comes with a striking set of figures: More than 6.5 million adults in this country or more than one in five Canadians over 18 do not have a primary care provider. Its authors, which include some of the countrys top health leaders, say increasing access to primary care and transforming how its delivered will not only improve patient outcomes and ease the burden on practitioners, but also bolster the countrys health-care system. No amount of investments in wait times for surgery or mental health services or access to diagnostic imaging will matter unless we solve access to primary care, said Dr. Danielle Martin, one of the reports authors and chair of family and community medicine at the University of Toronto. We cannot have a high-functioning health-care system unless every single person is connected to primary care. In Canada, primary care is usually delivered by family doctors or nurse practitioners. It includes everything from well-baby visits and administering childhood vaccinations to checkups for viral infections to scheduling screening tests, such as mammograms and colonoscopies. Patients without access to primary care are more likely to land in the ER and are less likely to get routine care, such as annual flu shots, affecting their individual health and adding further stress to the system. Not having access to primary care puts your health at risk, it puts your longevity of life at risk, it puts you at greater risk of becoming more ill and needing more health services because (medical conditions) arent caught soon enough, said Beth Cowper-Fung, a nurse practitioner, report author and clinic director of The Georgina Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic, in Georgina, Ont. We know theres lots of care being given in emergency departments that could be done by a primary care provider. The federal governments recent deal for health spending highlights primary care as a priority area. And Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos has said the federal government has provided enough money to ensure every Canadian has access to family medicine. Dr. Alika Lafontaine, president of the Canadian Medical Association, said while new funds are welcome it would also be a mistake to see money as the sole solution to primary care challenges. He called the new report timely because it offers specific solutions and points to the policymakers and health-care leaders responsible for implementing such solutions. The number one issue for patients across the country, regardless of where you look, is access to care. And the number one issue for providers across the country is unhealthy working environments, said Lafontaine, one of the reports authors. He notes primary care is suffering the most in both these cases. The report makes the case for scaling up team-based primary care, meaning patients are connected to interdisciplinary teams of health professionals, not just individual family doctors, which evidence suggests improves patient outcomes. Its 10-point to-do list includes specific actions to make primary care more efficient and effective. These include: cutting the administrative workload of clinicians to free up more time for patient care; creating national licensing for health professionals; developing performance indicators for team-based care to ensure the model is improving health outcomes; and having patients in a team-based environment be partnered with a lead practitioner so that a non-physician can co-ordinate their care. The report also stresses that primary care initiatives must be equitable, increasing access for everyone but especially those who are traditionally underserved, such as Indigenous communities, Black Canadians, newcomers to Canada, children and youth, seniors and members of the LGBTQ community. Martin hopes the report will show Canadians the measures needed to increase their access to primary care and spur them to demand action from governments. One of the most important ways that democracy functions is by arming people with the information that they need to be able to put the pressure on decision makers, she said. The Public Policy Forum report is the second in a yearlong project by the Ottawa-based independent think tank called Taking Back Health Care. The first report, released in January, called for rapid and bold reform, and included a proposal to shift to a geographic model of primary care that ensures all Canadians have access to a family doctor or nurse practitioner within a 30-minute drive of where they live or work. Martin said a forthcoming report will focus on digital health information, data governance and the future of virtual care. Megan Ogilvie is a Toronto-based health reporter for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @megan_ogilvie or reach her via email: mogilvie@thestar.ca SHARE: LONDON (AP) On Oct. 14, a Russian engineer named Gleb Karakulov boarded a flight from Kazakhstan to Turkey with his wife and daughter. He switched off his phone to shut out the crescendo of urgent, enraged messages, said goodbye to his life in Russia and tried to calm his fast-beating heart. But this was no ordinary Russian defector. Karakulov was an officer in President Vladimir Putins secretive elite personal security service one of the few Russians to flee and go public who have rank, as well as knowledge of intimate details of Putins life and potentially classified information. Karakulov, who was responsible for secure communications, said moral opposition to Russias invasion of Ukraine and his fear of dying there drove him to speak out, despite the risks to himself and his family. He said he hoped to inspire other Russians to speak out also. Our president has become a war criminal, he said. It is time to end this war and stop being silent. Karakulovs account generally conforms with others that paint the Russian president as a once charismatic but increasingly isolated leader, who doesnt use a cellphone or the internet and insists on access to Russian state television wherever he goes. He also offered new details about how Putins paranoia appears to have deepened since his decision to invade Ukraine in February 2022. Putin now prefers to avoid airplanes and travel on a special armored train, he said, and he ordered a bunker at the Russian Embassy in Kazakhstan outfitted with a secure communications line in October the first time Karakulov had ever fielded such a request. Along with information on Putin, Karakulovs testimony offers an intimate view of one mans decision to defect without telling his own mother, who he said remains a strong Putin supporter. It raises critical questions about how deep the Russian publics acceptance of the war runs, and how Putins opponents in the West and beyond might leverage any silent opposition. While not speaking directly about his case, an official with a security background from a NATO country said a defection like Karakulovs has a very great level of interest. He spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive political matters. That would be seen as a very serious blow to the president himself because he is extremely keen on his security, and his security is compromised, he said. Thats something that he would be very unhappy about particularly if the compromise is to do with communications, upon which a great deal relies. PUTIN IS SIMPLY AFRAID As an engineer in a field unit of the presidential communications department of the Federal Protective Service, or FSO, Karakulov was responsible for setting up secure communications for the Russian president and prime minister wherever they went. While he was not a confidant of Putins, Karakulov spent years in his service, observing him from unusually close quarters from 2009 through late 2022. Karakulov, his wife and his child have gone underground, and it was impossible to speak with them directly due to security constraints. The Dossier Center, a London-based investigative group funded by Russian opposition figure Mikhail Khodorkovsky, interviewed Karakulov multiple times and shared video and transcripts of more than six hours of those interviews with The Associated Press, as well as the Danish Broadcasting Corporation DR, Swedish Television SVT, and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation NRK. The Dossier Center confirmed the authenticity of Karakulovs passport and FSO work identity card, and cross-checked details of his biography against Russian government records, leaked personal data and social media postings. The Associated Press reviewed the materials from the Dossier Center and independently confirmed Karakulovs identity with three sources in the U.S. and Europe, who were not authorized to speak publicly. The AP also independently corroborated personal details, including Karakulovs passport numbers, date and place of birth, two registered addresses, and the names and ages of family members, but was unable to verify details of his defection. The AP also confirmed that Karakulov is listed as a wanted man in the Russian Interior Ministrys public database of criminal suspects. The ministry initiated a criminal investigation against Karakulov on Oct. 26 for desertion during a time of military mobilization, according to documents obtained by the Dossier Center and seen by the AP. The FSO is one of the most secretive branches of Russias security services. Even when they quit, they never talk, but they know a lot of details of the private life of the president and the prime minister, said Katya Hakim, a senior researcher at the Dossier Center. The Kremlin did not respond to requests for comment. Neither did Karakulovs father or brother. Karakulov moved as part of an advance team, often with enough specialized communications equipment to fill a KAMAZ truck. He said he has taken more than 180 trips with the Russian president, and contrary to widespread speculation, Putin appears to be in better shape than most people his age. Putin has only canceled a few trips due to illness and has annual medical checkups, he said. Unlike the prime minister, Putin does not require secure internet access on his trips, Karakulov said. In all my service, I have never seen him with a mobile phone, he said. All the information he receives is only from people close to him. That is, he lives in a kind of information vacuum. Karakulovs work brought him to luxury hotels for summits, beach resorts in Cuba, yachts and aboard a special armored train outfitted for the Russian president. Putins train looks like any other, painted gray with a red stripe to blend in with other railway carriages in Russia. Putin didnt like the fact that airplanes can be tracked, preferring the stealth of a nondescript train car, Karakulov said. I understand that hes simply afraid, he said. Putin began to use the train regularly in the run-up to the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Karakulov said. Even last year, Putin continued to insist on strict anti-COVID measures, and FSO employees took shifts in two-week quarantine so there would always be a pool of people cleared to travel with Putin on the train, he said. Putin has set up identical offices in multiple locations, with matching details down to the desk and wall hangings, and official reports sometimes say hes one place when he is actually in another, according to Karakulov and prior reporting by a Russian media outlet. When Putin was in Sochi, security officials would deliberately pretend he was leaving, bringing in a plane and sending off a motorcade, when he was in fact staying, Karakulov said. The guys would talk about this, really laughing, he said. I think that this is an attempt to confuse, first, intelligence, and second, so that there are no assassination attempts. FACES OF WARRIORS Karakulovs defection was a surprising turn for a family steeped in patriotic military tradition. Born in Dagestan, Karakulov was raised to be ready for war, believing it was his sacred duty to defend his homeland. After graduating from a military academy, he found his way into the FSO. To be close to the president it sounded pretty cool, he said. Karakulovs father is a former military man, who has worked as a professional photographer, among other jobs. He is working on a project he calls Faces of Warriors, a series of elegant, hagiographic portraits of Russian soldiers and veterans. Karakulovs brother is a local government official, records show, and served as the point person for a regional, government-backed project devoted to civic patriotism and honoring Heroes of the Fatherland. Karakulovs job introduced him to a world beyond his family. Even as his father and brother marched in patriotic military parades, his own doubts deepened. Hes horrified to think that he might also be rallying around the letter Z in support of the war in Ukraine if his job hadnt taught him to see through the lies of Russian state television. Thanks to my work in the FSO, I have seen how information is distorted, he said. He also began to question the conspicuous spending of Russias top leaders. He said he saw officials convene large delegations at luxurious resorts that cost more each night than his monthly salary. Theyd all attend a brief meeting and then hang out for a week, he said. If this is from the budget, then the question is, Is it not too much to spend this kind of money on one person? he said. If its not from the budget, then its total corruption. Russias invasion of Ukraine was a breaking point, he said. He told his wife he wanted out. He didnt want their young daughter brainwashed in preschool, where children were doing patriotic salutes and being told about bombs. This is not the future I would like for my child, he said. With Russias September mobilization drive, Karakulov realized that if he quit his job, he was likely to be drafted into a war he didnt want to fight. But even if he stayed, he could get sent to the front. He learned that some of his colleagues had been dispatched to Ukraine and killed. He saw photos of FSO crews destroyed by Ukrainian rockets, with dozens likely dead. He was outraged that no one in Russia acknowledged those deaths. Theres no information about them, Karakulov said. What were they doing there? Why did they end up there? Why did they die there? The only conversations he had were with colleagues who seemed to relish the war. He imagined others must share his views, but he had no way to find them. They simply cannot even open their mouths, he said. Karakulov said he couldnt tell his parents about his disillusionment either, because their minds had been molded by years of watching Russian state television. As the war streamed in on the evening news, his parents seemed to savor the view from the front. He found it unbearable and asked his mother to turn off the TV. She refused. He said he tried to explain to her that Ukraine is an independent country, but she immediately cut him off. What is this? she said to him. You want to run away? Are you some kind of foreign agent? He never told them he was leaving. In October, a series of official meetings in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, gave Karakulov his chance to run away. He and his wife packed their lives into three suitcases. He flew out Oct. 6 with the rest of his team. His wife and daughter joined two days later, staying in a separate hotel. But each day, Karakulov found another reason not to go. On the last day of the delegation, Oct. 14, he realized he couldnt postpone any longer. His wife collected his suitcase from his hotel room to avoid raising suspicion. He slipped away after lunch, telling colleagues that he was heading out to buy souvenirs. He climbed in a taxi with his wife and daughter and set off for the airport around 3 p.m. From then on, it was only a matter of my own nerves, he said. He got through check-in and started getting messages from colleagues asking where he was. The flight was delayed by an hour. He could feel a distant fury building against him. By 5 p.m., he figured people had started to look for him. You scumbag, read one message. Fifteen minutes before takeoff, he switched off his phone. His wife was very upset. They spent the 5 1/2-hour flight waiting for something to go wrong. When they finally cleared passport control in Turkey, Karakulov said it was like a great stone had fallen from his soul. He said he knows many people will accuse him of being unpatriotic, but he disagrees. Patriotism is when you love your country, he said. In this case, our homeland needs to be saved, because something crazy and terrible is happening in our country. We need to fix this. THE PRICE OF DISSENT What the future holds for Karakulov and anyone who might dare to follow in his footsteps is far from clear. He was not the only one who wanted out. On Sept. 27, days after Russias mobilization, an engineer at a regional FSO center in Siberia named Mikhail Zhilin sneaked through the forest across the border to Kazakhstan. Many Russians fled to Kazakhstan to avoid the draft, but the authorities refused Zhilins request for asylum and sent him back to Russia. On March 20, a Russian court sentenced him to 6 1/2 years in a penal colony. Abbas Gallyamov, a Russian political analyst now living in Israel who was a speechwriter for Putin from 2000 to 2001 and again from 2008 to 2010, said he believes the majority of Russias elites secretly oppose Putins war. He added that if the West had offered them an exit strategy instead of sanctions, more might have left. They are all shocked, he said. From their point of view, there was no reason to do this because everything was okay now all of a sudden, everything collapsed. Were enemies of the world. Gallyamov, like Karakulov, is on the wanted list of Russias Interior Ministry. He said a defection like Karakulovs is a particular blow because the FSO is like a royal elite above other military and security structures in Russia, charged with protecting the states most precious asset: Putin himself. They will be very angry, he said. There will be hysterics. Tatiana Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said Russian public opinion about the war is divided but there is little space for public dissent, especially for people working within the system. The rule is that the elite stick to Putin, she said. Those who do leave Russia often pay a price to keep their conscience clear. Boris Bondarev, a career Russian diplomat in Geneva, quit in May and denounced the war. Speaking from an undisclosed location in Switzerland, Bondarev told the AP he is living as a political refugee on a government allowance, with security constraints hed rather leave deliberately ambiguous. He cant find a job and has had to move apartments several times, for both financial and safety reasons. He cant travel freely not even to meet a reporter for a cup of coffee in town. I sent my CVs to dozens of think tanks in the U.S., in the U.K., in Europe, and most were ignored, he said. I got a few answers that sorry, but we already have Russia experts. He said there are plenty of Russians who quietly oppose the war but dont dare speak out, for fear of losing their livelihoods. A few colleagues who quit Russias Foreign Ministry after he did contacted him for advice. They were having trouble finding work. One returned to Moscow because he couldnt make a living outside of Russia, he said. Bondarev said he sometimes has second thoughts when he sees pictures of people eating out at nice restaurants in Moscow, living the kind of good life he can no longer afford. But then he remembers the price: brainwashing, propaganda, hypocrisy. I would come to my office at 9 and leave at 6 p.m. and in between I would have to produce numerous papers explaining why Ukraine attacked Russia, he said. I dont want it. No, no, I cant complain today. I live very, very well. ___ Associated Press reporters Jamey Keaten in Geneva, Aamer Madhani in Washington and Joanna Kozlowska in London contributed to this report. SHARE: DANONE Press Release Paris, April 5, 2023 Convening to the Combined Shareholders Meeting of April 27, 2023 Danone informs its Shareholders that its Combined Shareholders Meeting will take place on Thursday April 27, 2023, at 2:30 pm (Paris time), at Salle Gaveau, 45 rue La Boetie, 75008 Paris, France. The preliminary notice to the meeting and the notice of meeting were published in the French Bulletin des Annonces Legales Obligatoires on March 1 and April 5, 2023 respectively. Pursuant to applicable legal and regulatory provisions, the information and documents related to this Shareholders Meeting are available to Shareholders and may be consulted on Danones website ( www.danone.com ), section Investors / Shareholders / Shareholders' Meeting / 2023. This includes notably the brochure of the meeting, which comprises the draft resolutions presented at the Shareholders Meeting, the Board of Directors' report on those resolutions and information regarding the formalities to participate and to vote at the Shareholders Meeting, as well as the annual report of the Mission Committee to the Shareholders Meeting. About Danone ( www.danone.com ) Danone is a leading global food and beverage company operating in three health-focused, fast-growing and on-trend categories: Essential Dairy & Plant-Based products, Waters and Specialized Nutrition. With a long-standing mission of bringing health through food to as many people as possible, Danone aims to inspire healthier and more sustainable eating and drinking practices while committing to achieve measurable nutritional, social, societal and environment impact. Danone has defined its Renew strategy to restore growth, competitiveness, and value creation for the long-term. With 100,000 employees, and products sold in over 120 markets, Danone generated 27.7 billion in sales in 2022. Danones portfolio includes leading international brands (Actimel, Activia, Alpro, Aptamil, Danette, Danio, Danonino, evian, Nutricia, Nutrilon, Volvic, among others) as well as strong local and regional brands (including Aqua, Bledina, Bonafont, Cow & Gate, Mizone, Oikos and Silk). Listed on Euronext Paris and present on the OTCQX market via an ADR (American Depositary Receipt) program, Danone is a component stock of leading sustainability indexes including the ones managed by Vigeo Eiris and Sustainalytics, as well as the Ethibel Sustainability Index, the MSCI ESG Indexes, the FTSE4Good Index Series, Bloomberg Gender Equality Index, and the Access to Nutrition Index. By 2025, Danone aims to become one of the first multinational companies to obtain global B Corp certification. Story continues Attachment HAMDEN, Conn. (AP) A Connecticut woman who was seriously injured when a police officer opened fire on her and her boyfriend as they sat in a car unarmed has settled a lawsuit over the shooting for about $1.1 million. Stephanie Washington was struck four times when Hamden officer Devin Eaton fired 13 bullets at the stopped car in New Haven on April 16, 2019, according to her lawsuit and a prosecutors investigation that found the shooting unjustified. She suffered multiple injuries, including spine and hip area fractures, a graze wound to her forehead and enduring trauma, the lawsuit said. The shooting sparked several protests. Eaton, who resigned from the force last year, was charged with felony assault, pleaded no contest and was sentenced to probation and community service punishment that also drew criticism from Washington and her supporters for being too lenient. Eaton and the town of Hamden, two of several defendants in the federal court lawsuit, did not admit liability in the settlement, which was first reported Wednesday by the New Haven Register after it obtained a copy through a public records request. Im glad that its been resolved, Hamden Mayor Lauren Garrett told the Register. Phone and email messages seeking comment were left for Washington, her lawyer and Eatons attorney Wednesday. Eaton stopped the couples car in New Haven because it matched the description of a car linked to a reported attempted robbery in Hamden, police said. Washingtons boyfriend, Paul Witherspoon III, was driving and Washington was in the passenger seat. Eatons body-camera video showed Witherspoon starting to exit the car and appearing to raise his hands when Eaton begins shooting. Witherspoon then quickly got back into the vehicle. He was not injured. Eaton believed Witherspoon had a gun, officials said. A Yale University officer, Terrance Pollock, fired his gun three times at the car. A prosecutor found his shooting to be justified because he believed Eaton and Witherspoon were exchanging gunfire. Pollock suffered a graze wound from a bullet fired by Eaton, officials said. Advocates including the state NAACP and local clergy protested the shooting. Washington, Witherspoon, Eaton and Pollock are Black. SHARE: ReportLinker The market for DC distribution network is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.15% approximately during the forecast period reaching the value of USD 23.63 billion in 2027 from USD 14.13 billion in 2020. During COVID-19 pandemic, the market took a huge hit as several commercial and industrial buildings remained closed due to lockdown and overall economies of the countries and companies took a blowing hit. New York, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "DC Distribution Network Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06309349/?utm_source=GNW The appearance of direct current (DC) distribution network in several low-to-high voltage applications is one of the catalysts driving the transformation of the electricity distribution market. Factors such as growth in renewable energy sector and its compatibility with battery storage devices, and advantages over AC distribution, like power sharing between systems with different frequencies are expected to drive the market over the forecast period. High initial cost and a lot complexity compared to generic distribution networks are the factors expected to hinder the growth of the market studied. Key Highlights Electric Vehicle (EV) fast charging systems is expected to witness significant demand, owing to the growing environmental concerns and increasing demand for DC infrastructure. The DC distribution network is considered as an important factor with regards to the future aspects of smart grids. Also, solar power is estimated to supply one-third of worlds energy demand by 2060 thereby, proliferating DC distribution in future, as solar energy generates direct current. Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate the market with majority of the demand coming from the countries such as India and China. DC Distribution Network Market Trends EV Fast Charging Systems to Witness Significant Growth Along with the ever-growing number of electric vehicles around the world and pressure from governments across nations to reduce vehicle emissions to zero by 2050, there is a strong need for more efficient charging solutions. Various studies indicate that the acceptance of electric mobility depends on the frequency of charging points and the duration of the charging process. For electric vehicles, it is important to cater to these market requirements. High-powered DC charging stations is the solution to reduce the charging time. It can be noted that a typical EV can charge about 80% of its battery capacity in less than 10 minutes with a high-powered DC charging system. DC fast charging dodges all limitations of the onboard charger and required conversion by providing DC power directly to the battery. This way, the charging speed can be increased significantly. Electric vehicles only accept DC power. Thus, governments in the United States, China, and the European Union have been focusing on utilizing DC distribution networks in the EV charging infrastructure.The DC distribution network helps in bypassing the AC conversion process to DC altogether, allowing the charge to go directly into the battery. The governments in these regions have provided various standards and incentives for fast-DC charging equipment, which is expected to create more opportunities for the DC distribution network market during the forecast period. Therefore, based on the aforementioned factors, electric vehicles fast charging systems is likely to witness significant demand for DC distribution network market over the forecast period. Asia-Pacific to Dominate the Market The Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness substantial demand for DC distribution networks, primarily due to the growth in electricity demand across the region and the associated requirement for electrical infrastructure. Environmental pollution is among the significant world concerns, and countries in Asia-Pacific, such as China and India, are among some of the largest producers of greenhouse gases across the world. Government bodies across countries in the Asia-Pacific region have initiated numerous strategies to gradually reduce carbon emissions by increasing investments in the R&D of renewable energy sources. For instance, the installed solar capacity in Asia-Pacific grew from 96.2 GW in 2015 to 501.6 GW in 2021. The rapid rise in the adoption of solar energy is attributed to the declining cost of solar energy equipment, which has been fueled by continuous R&D initiatives and the scaling of production activities in the region. Indias renewable energy potential is vast and untapped. The countrys solar potential is more than 750 GW, and wind potential is around 302 GW. The countrys energy security scenario 2047 shows the possibility of achieving around 410 GW of wind and 479 GW of solar PV installed capacity by 2047. ? Further, the Government of India has also initiated numerous strategies to increase the adoption of renewable energy sources in the country. For instance, in September 2021, the Government of India announced that it has planned to increase the renewable energy capacity in India by over 175 GW in 2022, which will include 100 GW of solar and 60 GW of wind energy. In 2021, approximately 10.4 GW of additional solar energy capacity was added to the countrys national grid. In December 2020, a 30 GW solar project was inaugurated by the Government of India. The project is expected to be partially operational by 2024. The Make in India initiative in India is further expected to boost the installations of solar energy equipment in the country. According to the Make in India initiative, it has planned to increase solar equipment manufacturing capacity from 3 GW in 2021 to 25 GW in 2023. Further, in March 2022, the Government of India announced that it would be providing financial incentives of USD 2.42 billion to four Indian companies for manufacturing 50 GWh of energy storage batteries. Therefore, based on end-user segment, the Asia-Pacific region is witnessing huge demand for DC distribution network market over the forecast period. DC Distribution Network Industry Overview The global DC distribution network market is consolidated. The key companies include ABB Ltd, Siemens AG, Vertiv Group Corp., Eaton Corporation PLC, and Secheron Sa. Additional Benefits: The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format 3 months of analyst support Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06309349/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Story continues CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 If you know of local business openings or closings, please notify us here. PREVIOUS OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS - Air Products & Chemicals Inc. plans to invest a half-billion dollars to produce environmentally friendly hydrogen in New York state. - The Trexlertown Chick-Fil-A plans to add a second drive-thru lane as part of a plan to reduce traffic congestion. - The Harrisburg-based Mid Penn bank has opened its first full-service branch in the Lehigh Valley in South Whitehall. - The Allentown Planning Commission put off a decision on a new Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen at the site of the former Nostos Greek restaurant. - The former Star Crete concrete plant at the intersection of Farmersville Road and Easton Avenue has been sold for $1.58 million, and that may clear the way for a medical office building. - The local business SuperSets Gym will open its third location in Allentown's South Mall, with no opening date set yet. - The jewelry boutique Versant will close later this year, but the business will be consolidated at Gary Werkheiser's other location in Saucon Valley Square. - The DSW Woodmill Commons has moved to Berkshire West, 1101 Woodland Road in Wyomissing. - Trainer Michael Melendez has opened his new Reading Extreme Boxing Club where PacSun used to operate in the Berkshire Mall. - Frackville NAPA Auto Parts held a grand opening with the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce and Frackville Business & Professional Association. - Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers in North Manheim Township held a grand opening, in conjunction with the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce and Pottsville Business Association. - PDC Machines, a maker of hydrogen compressors, showed off a new plant in Lower Salford. - Maya Capital Partners has acquired Amwell Valley Self Storage, a 265-unit storage business on Route 31 in Ringoes, New Jersey. - Norwescap is buying the former Sullivan's on the Main restaurant in Phillipsburg to renovate the building and then use it for programs to help educate and feed people. Allentown, PA (18103) Today Sunshine mixing with clouds and rather cool. There might be a stray afternoon shower primarily north and west.. Tonight Turning out mainly clear or partly cloudy and chilly. WASHINGTON (AP) Law enforcement agencies in the United States and Europe said Wednesday that they have taken down a major online marketplace for stolen login credentials that had given cybercriminals access to millions of compromised accounts since its 2018 launch. Officials seized 11 domain names tied to the Genesis Market and arrested about 120 users across the world, including some in the U.S., according to the FBI and Justice Department, which participated in the operation. The market falsely promised a new age of anonymity and impunity, but in the end only provided a new way for the Department to identify, locate, and arrest on-line criminals, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a statement. Genesis Market had provided users with access to data taken from more than 1.5 million computers infected with malicious software, with over 80 million account access credentials, the Justice Department said. Operation Cookie Monster, the effort by law enforcement agencies in 17 countries, disrupted the largest marketplace of its kind, officials said. Cookie refers to the web browser cookies that let people log onto websites without the need for multifactor authentication. Criminal users of Genesis Market could purchase software scripts from it, including browser cookies and fingerprints that track a user's online activity. The market, a one-stop shop for account takeovers, was advertised on several predominantly Russian-speaking underground forums, the cybersecurity firm Trellix, which assisted in the investigation, said in a research report. While underground marketplaces that sell stolen credentials arent a new thing, Genesis Market was one of the first that focused on fingerprints and browser cookies to enable account takeovers despite growing MFA adoption, the Trellix researchers said. A specialized browser it offered customers made account takeover childs play for criminals, their report says. Trellix said it observed more than 450,000 infected machines in examining the marketplace. Trellix's threat intelligence lead, John Fokker, said the takedown would have a notable impact on the activities of cybercriminals focused on stolen credential usage for the rest of the year. " He said in an online chat that he did not believe the people who ran the site would be arrested because they are in Russia. Typically after such takedowns, the criminals regroup at other sites. Dutch police put up a webpage to allow members of the public to enter their email address to determine whether their data was for sale on Genesis Market. The Justice Department said it had provided victim information for a website so that people could check if their accounts had been compromised. Bajak reported from Boston. WASHINGTON, D.C. - A Birdsboro, Berks County man has been arrested on charges related to his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Anthony Nolf, 37, is charged with civil disorder, a felony, as well as the misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds. Nolf was arrested Wednesday in Pennsylvania and had an initial appearance in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Anthony Nolf Anthony Nolt of Birdsboro is charged for actions allegedly committed during the January 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Heather Kepley, 36, of Millsboro, Delaware, is also named in the complaint and is charged with the misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds. Kepley was arrested Wednesday morning in Delaware and had an initial appearance in the District of Delaware. According to court documents, Nolf and Kepley entered the Capitol grounds on January 6, 2021 and approached the West front near the inaugural stage. After removing bike racks that were impeding the rioters' approach to the Capitol building, authorities say the pair made their way to the Lower West Terrace and the tunnel. Kepley and Nolf joined other rioters in attempting to force their way past the law enforcement officers responsible for securing the tunnel. While inside the tunnel, Nolf confronted and assisted the crowd in confronting police officers that were preventing the tunnel and the Capitol from being breached. While inside the tunnel, it is alleged that Nolf added his force, momentum, body, and effort to the other rioters in a heave-ho effort. This put intense aggregate pressure on the police line, but officers succeeded in repelling Nolf, Kepley and other rioters out of the tunnel. This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Divisions Counterterrorism Section. In the 26 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 320 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing. HARRISBURG, Pa. - A Berks County-based home care agency and its owner have been charged in a nearly half million-dollar Medicaid fraud scheme. Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced Tuesday that based upon recommendations from the 47th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury, A Part of Our Family Home Care Agency in Bally, Pa, and owner Gavin Mata, were charged with Medicaid fraud, theft and tampering with public records. Mata, 36, of New York, also is charged with identity theft and perjury. Bail was set at $100,000 unsecured. Authorities say between January 2020 and April 2022, the Medical Assistance program paid A Part of Our Family $488,349 for health care services that were never provided. Some of the reported clients had never signed up for or received care from A Part of Our Family, and agency employees were not aware Mata had reported these services. Medicaid is a lifeline to essential services for low-income Pennsylvanians, and this agency exploited the system to defraud and steal for personal interests, AG Henry said. Criminals who defraud Medicaid are targeting our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians, who trust their caregivers to look out for them, and all hard-working Pennsylvania taxpayers. Authorities allege Mata manipulated time sheets and other documents to align with the scheme. They say the forms were missing clients signatures and the employees reportedly performing the work told investigators they had not done so and were unaware of the reported hours. Mata then allegedly lied under oath during Grand Jury testimony pertaining to the agencys payroll records. All charges are accusations. The defendants are innocent unless and until proven guilty. WOMELSDORF, Pa. - Police are searching for a missing teen from Womelsdorf. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 15-year-old Nyairra Wilson was last seen in Womelsdorf Borough on March 24. Nyairra, a resident of Bethany Children's Home, is 5'7" tall with brown hair and brown eyes. Authorities believe she may remain within the state of Pennsylvania. Anyone with information on Nyairra's whereabouts is asked to call 1-800-843-5678 or the South Heidelberg Police Department at 610-655-4911. Former President Donald Trump spoke at Mar-A-Lago Tuesday night, maintaining his innocence hours after pleading not guilty to a 34-count felony indictment. Trump's historic appearance before a judge earlier Tuesday marked the first time a former president has faced criminal charges. Trump says he's being attacked by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the "radical left." "They attacked me with an onslaught of investigations," Trump said during the speech from his estate. "'Russia, Russia, Russia. Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine.'" "Beginning with the radical left George Soros-backed prosecutor, Alvin Bragg of New York, who campaigned on the fact that he would 'get President Trump,'" the former president went on to say. "'I'm going to get him. I'm going to get him.' This is a guy campaigning." Trump reasserted his innocence hours after he appeared in a Manhattan courtroom. "The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it," Trump said. "As it turns out, virtually everybody who has looked at this case, RINOs and Democrats, say there is no crime." Charging documents accused the former president of repeatedly and fraudulently falsifying New York business records relating to hush money payments during his 2016 run to become president. They allege Trump and his associates paid off two women including adult film star Stormy Daniels and a doorman, who had supposed information about Trump fathering a child out of wedlock. Paperwork shows prosecutors believe the payments were made to bury damaging information. "Under New York State law, it is a felony to falsify business records with intent to defraud and intent to conceal another crime," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said. "That is exactly what this case is about. Thirty-four false statements made to cover up other crimes. These are felony crimes in New York state, no matter who you are." An attorney for Trump says prosecutors have a weak case, and Trump stands ready to fight the charges. "The indictment itself is boilerplate," said Todd Blanche, Trump's lawyer. "It doesn't allege any federal crime, any state crime that's been violated. It doesn't allege what the false statement is, and it's really disappointing." What remains unclear is how the indictment will impact Trump's 2024 run for the presidency. Political analysts say Trump's supporters are reignited by the charges, but fighting 34 felony charges while campaigning could prove to be incredibly challenging. "This is being watched all over the world," stated political analyst Terry Madonna. "Look at the significance of America both economically and politically." Madonna says he believes the charges will reignite Trump's loyal base. He doesn't think the 34 charges will be the last accusations brought against the former president in the weeks and months to come. "Make no mistake about it: There are other potential legal actions against President Trump," Madonna said. He's talking about the classified documents supposedly taken from the White House and brought to Mar-A-Lago, and opponents who accuse Trump of interfering in Georgia's 2020 election results. "And the third one of the counts goes back to the infamous day, Jan. 6, and what I call 'the invasion into the Capitol,'" Madonna said. How a president can retain office, if convicted, is a murky subject, Madonna says. He notes the three requirements to be president, under the U.S Constitution: Being a natural-born citizen, 35 years or older and a resident of the U.S. for at least 14 years. For now, it appears Trump will continue campaigning to be president while fighting the charges. He remains innocent until proven guilty. His next court appearance is in December. Five Winners Selected in 18th Annual Scholarship Program ATLANTA, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Community Credit Union, Georgia's largest credit union with more than $9 billion in assets, today announced its 2023 Scholarship Award Recipients. Based on their academic achievement, community involvement and an essay submission, five students were selected to receive $25,000 in total awards. Giovanni Beltran, a senior at Randall K. Cooper High School in Union, Kentucky, who plans to attend the University of Alabama to major in Architecture. The following students were awarded $5,000 each to assist with education related expenses: Giovanni Beltran, a senior at Randall K. Cooper High School in Union, Kentucky, who plans to attend the University of Alabama to major in Architecture. Ava Flanigan, a senior at Elite Scholars Academy in Jonesboro, Georgia, who plans to attend Spelman College in Atlanta to double major in Chemistry and Engineering. Joshua Hood, a freshman at Morehouse College in Atlanta, working towards a dual degree in Engineering with a focus on Computer and Electrical. Addison Orr, a senior at Villa Rica High School in Villa Rica, Georgia, who plans to attend Berry College in Mt. Berry, Georgia, to major in Education. Emily Wagner, a senior at Whitewater High School in Fayetteville, Georgia, who plans to attend Auburn University to major in architecture. "There are so many intelligent, determined and civic-minded students in the communities we serve, but these young adults really stood out among the applicants," Delta Community's CEO Hank Halter said. "We are thrilled to support well-deserving students in their pursuit of higher education and can't wait to see them develop into the next generation of leaders." In addition to its annual scholarship program, Delta Community offers quarterly scholarships for students attending Historically Black Colleges or Universities and offers free classes and workshops through its award-winning Financial Education Center. About Delta Community Credit Union Delta Community Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative with a mission of providing better service and value on the products consumers use to manage household expenses and save for the future. Founded in 1940, Delta Community is Georgia's largest credit union with more than 480,000 members, 29 metro Atlanta branches and three out-of-state branch locations. It welcomes anyone living or working in metro Atlanta as well as employees of more than 130 businesses including Chick-fil-A, Delta Air Lines, RaceTrac and UPS. Visit www.DeltaCommunityCU.com to open an account or follow the Credit Union on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DeltaCommunity and Twitter at @DeltaCommunity. Story continues Ava Flanigan, a senior at Elite Scholars Academy in Jonesboro, Georgia, who plans to attend Spelman College in Atlanta to double major in Chemistry and Engineering. Joshua Hood, a freshman at Morehouse College in Atlanta, working towards a dual degree in Engineering with a focus on Computer and Electrical. Addison Orr, a senior at Villa Rica High School in Villa Rica, Georgia, who plans to attend Berry College in Mt. Berry, Georgia, to major in Education. Emily Wagner, a senior at Whitewater High School in Fayetteville, Georgia, who plans to attend Auburn University to major in architecture. Delta Community Credit Union Logo (PRNewsFoto/Delta Community Credit Union) Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/delta-community-announces-scholarship-recipients-distributes-25-000-in-awards-301790820.html SOURCE Delta Community Credit Union EASTON, Pa. - A Northampton County man faces years in prison for selling drugs out of his home in Bethlehem. Carlos Kuilan, 32, was found guilty of possession with intent to deliver fentanyl, possession of heroin and fentanyl and possession of drug paraphernalia, said county District Attorney Terry Houck, in a news release Wednesday. He faces up to 30 years in state prison, and is scheduled to be sentenced in June. Kuilan sold fentanyl to undercover agents with the state attorney general's office in November 2021, the DA said. In December, the AG's office and Bethlehem police searched his home in the 1200 block of Linden Street, across from Liberty High School, and found cash, fentanyl and packaging materials, the DA said. He was taken into custody and charged with the drug offenses. The Fields at Farmersville, a housing development proposed for the Miller Farm in Bethlehem Township, will be up for review April 24. The township Planning Commission will consider the "Fields at Farmersville," Kay Builders' plan for housing at the 52-acre tract. The land is zoned for residential use. Kay Builders presented last year plans for 166 residences on the site, a mix of single-family homes, townhouses, and apartments for purchase at 3107 Farmersville Road. The land is across from the township park and Community Center. In other directions, houses have taken the place of agriculture. When the plans were announced, neighbors who live on what used to be farmland objected to more houses being built on farmland. They also said wildlife would be harmed by more development, and some bemoaned the loss of the rural setting and the chance to see cows as they drive home. Planning Commission Chairman Les Walker pointed out the reality of development at an April 2022 meeting. "When you bought the home, you didn't buy the view," he said. The late township Commissioner Dale Sourbeck, who was an advocate for open space, had said the township had no authority to block a permitted development on private land. Sourbeck died in February at age 79. The Planning Commission is an advisory board, so no official action will be made at the meeting. The most the commission could do is make a recommendation on the project. "The Fields" is a Kay Builders' motif. Its developments include "The Fields at Blue Barn Meadow" in South Whitehall Township and "The Fields at Indian Creek" in Emmaus, among others. Township residents also expressed concern about traffic. To the south of the development is the double intersection of Farmersville Road and Freemansburg Avenue. That crossroads was deemed "the worst intersection in Bethlehem Township" by John Merhottein, president of the board of commissioners. It is actually two T-shaped intersections, making for difficult left turns onto Freemansburg Avenue. A plan to straighten out the road and add a traffic light is in the works, but no precise date has been set for the new alignment. That process requires land acquisition and a shifting of Farmersville Road. The commission will meet Monday, April 24, at 7 p.m. at the township municipal building, 4225 Easton Ave. The meeting will also be available online. Meeting agendas are subject to change. EASTON, Pa. - The city of Easton is looking to rebuild affordable housing with the help of federal funds. Mayor Sal Panto announced Wednesday that the city is applying for a $40 million grant from HUD to reshape public housing in the West Ward. Some of that money would go towards redeveloping three public housing communities, including the Bushkill House. City officials will be presenting its plan and intent to pursue a grant to Easton City Council on April 24. Panto was also joined by Congresswoman Susan Wild to celebrate the two-year anniversary of Congress passing the American Rescue Plan. Wild said it was important that the money went directly to the city instead of the state. "And Easton, like most of the cities and towns throughout the Lehigh Valley, really suffered as a result of the pandemic, and it was just, we're able to see first-hand what the results of that kind of federal expenditure funds are," Wild said. Easton had received more than $20 million in federal pandemic relief aid, which has gone towards housing, youth programs, and helping businesses recover. EAST ALLEN TWP., Pa. - One person was killed and another was injured in a two-vehicle crash in Northampton County Tuesday afternoon. Troopers were sent to the intersection of Airport Road and Portland Drive in East Allen Township shortly before 1:30 p.m., according to a news release from the Pennsylvania State Police. A truck and a motorcycle collided at the intersection. A 31-year-old woman from Lehigh Township was pronounced dead at the scene by the Northampton County Coroner. The other occupant of the motorcycle, a 44-year-old man who is also from Lehigh Township, was transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg for his injuries. The driver and the passenger of the truck were not injured. The crash remains under investigation. HARMONY TWP., N.J. - Merrill Creek Reservoir has been a longtime hotspot for hiking, fishing and kayaking in Warren County, New Jersey, but now, many people are upset the hours are being cut back. The topic is on the agenda for the Harmony Township Committee meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday. As of Tuesday afternoon, nearly 2,500 people signed an online petition for Merrill Creek to keep its current hours. "This is how much this place means to me," Melissa Kennedy said as she showed 69 News a tattoo of Merrill Creek on her arm. "It's very magical, mystical, Merrill." Melissa Kennedy comes to Merrill Creek almost every day. Her husband Keith Kennedy, a Phillipsburg councilman, comes as much as he could, too. They're two of many people upset the reservoir is cutting back its hours. Currently, they're sunrise to sundown. Starting May 1, gates will open at 7 a.m. year-round, then close at 5:30 p.m. from March through October and at 4:30 p.m. from November through February. For many people, that means no more excursions before or after work or school. Merrill Creek declined our request for an interview but told us this is because of an increase in incidents and rule violations, mostly around sunset. It said these impact visitors' and staff safety and the property's integrity. The statement noted this is a privately-owned property intended to maintain a water supply for the Delaware; while not technically a park, the owners still make it accessible to the public. "I have here the resolution between the owners of Merrill Creek and the Harmony Township Land Use Board saying part of the deal with being allowed to build this, it would be available to the public for recreation," said Keith Kennedy. "Because of the change in the hours, to people who have a Monday through Friday job, makes it unavailable to them." We reached out to New Jersey State Police, which covers Harmony. It says it occasionally answers after-hour calls at Merrill Creek, though most involve medical help or reports of a suspicious person or vehicle. NJSP and the Warren County Prosecutor's Office agreed whatever incidents are being referred to aren't rising to the criminal level. "I haven't heard of anything," said Melissa Kennedy. "From what I see, most people are very respectful. They come off the water. They're out of here and people are wrapped up and out of the park in time." 69 News did try to clarify to find out what types of incidents are sparking this change in hours but did not get a reply from Merrill Creek. Warren County Commissioner James Kern also wrote a letter to Merrill Creek expressing concern and asking what the county may be able to do to help it stay open longer. "They need to reconsider the change in the hours and go back to where it was before," said Keith Kennedy. Christina and Shawn did it, so did the Higgins family and you can't love anyone else unless you love yourself first. The Pont Des Arts Bridge stretches over the river Seine all the way in Paris. The Keating family was there on vacation in 2016, and likely some of the last to place a love lock there. Around the same time, the act of securing a lock to this bridge was banned. It became a safety and environmental concern when the weight of the locks, estimated at 45 tons, began to bring the bridge down. Back home in Philadelphia, real estate developer Dan Keating had an idea. What if you built a fence that was intended for the locks? "When you come around the corner, the first thing you're going to see is the Philadelphia Hope Fence," said Director of Sales and Marketing at the Hilton Philadelphia Penn's Landing Deborah Smith. The fence is 250 feet long and made of stainless steel. The Philadelphia Hope Fence is a living piece of public art. You'll find it in Penn's Landing, behind the Hilton, right next to the Delaware River in the Spruce Street Harbor Park. "It's not going anywhere. It's going to be here indefinitely and it's been engineered to hold thousands of locks," Smith said. You can bring your own or buy one inside the hotel gift shop. The green ones raise money for the American Association for Cancer Research. Dan is a cancer survivor. His trip to Europe with his wife Sara and their family was in celebration of that life milestone. "It can be anything so the fence is meant to commemorate whatever memory you want to memorialize. So it's not just a love lock fence, that's why it's called a hope fence because we want to develop hope for the community and you want everybody to be able to come down and put whatever message they want on this fence," Smith said. There's only one rule. After you put your lock on, leave the key in a box next to the fence instead of tossing them into the river. When the bin is full, the keys are going to be re-purposed as art. You can come back and see your lock anytime, if you remember where you put it. "Where did I put it? It said 'I'm from Cleveland but my heart's in Philly,'" Smith said. SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) Risking China's anger, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy hosted Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday as a great friend of America" in a fraught show of U.S. support at a rare high-level, bipartisan meeting on U.S. soil. Speaking carefully to avoid unnecessarily escalating tensions with Beijing, Tsai and McCarthy steered clear of calls from hard-liners in the U.S. for a more confrontational stance toward China in defense of self-ruled Taiwan. Instead, the two leaders stood side by side in a show of unity at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California, acknowledging China's threats against the island government but speaking only of maintaining longstanding U.S. policy. Americas support for the people of Taiwan will remain resolute, unwavering and bipartisan, McCarthy said at a news conference later. McCarthy evoked Reagan's peace-through-strength approach to foreign relations and emphasized this is a bipartisan meeting of members of Congress, not any one political party. He said U.S.-Taiwan ties are stronger than at any other point in his life. He and Tsai spoke to reporters with Reagan's Air Force One as a backdrop. She said the unwavering support reassures the people of Taiwan that we are not isolated." Still, the formal trappings of the meeting, and the senior rank of some of the elected officials in the delegation from Congress, threatened to run afoul of Chinas position that any interaction between U.S. and Taiwanese officials is a challenge to Chinas claim of sovereignty over the island. More than a dozen Democratic and Republican lawmakers, including the House's third-ranking Democrat, joined Republican McCarthy for the daylong talks. During a private session they spoke of the importance of Taiwans self-defense, of fostering robust trade and economic ties and supporting the island governments ability to participate in the international community, Tsai said. They made no mention of calls from hard-liners in and out of Congress for a greater U.S. commitment to Taiwans defense if China should attack. Tsai said she stressed to lawmakers Taiwans commitment to defending the peaceful status quo where the people in Taiwan may continue to thrive in a free and open society. But she also warned, It is no secret that today the peace that we have maintained and the democracy which have worked hard to build are facing unprecedented challenges." We once again find ourselves in a world where democracy is under threat and the urgency of keeping the beacon of freedom shining cannot be understated. The United States broke off official ties with Taiwan in 1979 while formally establishing diplomatic relations with the Beijing government. The U.S. acknowledges a one-China policy in which Beijing lays claim to Taiwan, but it does not endorse Chinas claim to the island and remains Taiwans key provider of military and defense assistance. For Tsai, this was the most sensitive stop on a weeklong journey meant to shore up alliances with the U.S. and Central America. The U.S. House speaker is second in line of succession to the president. No speaker is known to have met with a Taiwan president on U.S. soil since the U.S. broke off formal diplomatic relations. China has reacted to past trips by Taiwanese presidents through the U.S., and to past trips to Taiwan by senior U.S. officials, with shows of military force. After then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan last August, China responded with its largest live-fire drills in decades, including firing a missile over the island. Chinese officials have pledged a sharp but unspecified response to the meeting with McCarthy. Later Wednesday, China said it firmly opposes and strongly condemns Tsais visit, in a statement by China's official Xinhua News Agency. China will take resolute and forceful measures to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, the statement said, citing an unnamed Foreign Ministry spokesperson. It urged the U.S. not to walk further down the wrong and dangerous road. There was no sign of a large-scale military response as of Thursday morning as China had done previously. Chinese vessels were engaged in a joint patrol and inspection operation in the Taiwan Strait that will last three days, state media said Thursday morning. Taiwans Ministry of National Defense said Wednesday evening it had tracked the Chinas Shandong aircraft carrier passing through the Bashi Strait, to Taiwans southeast. The Biden administration insists there is nothing provocative about this visit by Tsai, which is the latest of a half-dozen to the U.S. "Beijing should not use the transits as an excuse to take any actions, to ratchet up tensions, to further push at changing the status quo," Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters Wednesday during travel in Europe. The Taiwan president's visit to America comes as China, the U.S. and its allies are strengthening their military positions and readiness for any confrontation between the two sides, with Taiwan and its claim to sovereignty a main flashpoint. Confrontation between the U.S. and China, a rising power increasingly seeking to assert its influence abroad under President Xi Jinping, surged with Pelosi's visit and again this winter with the cross-U.S. journey of what the U.S. says was a Chinese spy balloon. Democratic Rep. Pelosi said in a statement, "Todays meeting between President Tsai of Taiwan and Speaker McCarthy is to be commended for its leadership, its bipartisan participation and its distinguished and historic venue. Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war and have no official relations, although they are linked by billions of dollars in trade and investment. For their part, Taiwanese officials in the United States and Taiwanese presidents on a succession of visits aim for a delicate balance of maintaining warm relations with their powerful American allies, without overstepping their in-between status in the U.S, or unnecessarily provoking China. To that end, no Taiwanese flag flies over the former Taiwan Embassy in Washington. Taiwanese presidents call their stops in the U.S. transits rather than visits, and they steer clear of Washington. McCarthy, the newly elected House speaker, is making an early foray into foreign policy. Joining him for the meeting were the Republican chairman and ranking Democrat on a new House Select Committee on China, along with the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee that handles tax policy important to Taiwan, among others. Seated to McCarthys right was the third-ranking House Democrat, Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, who spoke of the long history of U.S.-Taiwan cooperation and an overwhelming bipartisan commitment in Congress, working with the Biden administration, to strengthen the relationship. Mascaro and Knickmeyer reported from Washington. AP writers Nomaan Merchant and Fu Ting in Washington, Huizhong Wu in Taipei and Matthew Lee in Brussels contributed. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (ETR:DBK) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 22nd of May to 0.30. This makes the dividend yield about the same as the industry average at 3.2%. See our latest analysis for Deutsche Bank Deutsche Bank's Dividend Forecasted To Be Well Covered By Earnings Unless the payments are sustainable, the dividend yield doesn't mean too much. Deutsche Bank has a long history of paying out dividends, with its current track record at a minimum of 10 years. While past records don't necessarily translate into future results, the company's payout ratio of 12% also shows that Deutsche Bank is able to comfortably pay dividends. Over the next 3 years, EPS is forecast to fall by 7.3%. Despite that, analysts estimate the future payout ratio could be 35% over the same time period, which is in a pretty comfortable range. Dividend Volatility While the company has been paying a dividend for a long time, it has cut the dividend at least once in the last 10 years. The dividend has gone from an annual total of 0.75 in 2013 to the most recent total annual payment of 0.30. The dividend has shrunk at around 8.8% a year during that period. A company that decreases its dividend over time generally isn't what we are looking for. The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow Given that dividend payments have been shrinking like a glacier in a warming world, we need to check if there are some bright spots on the horizon. Deutsche Bank has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 53% per annum. A low payout ratio gives the company a lot of flexibility, and growing earnings also make it very easy for it to grow the dividend. Deutsche Bank Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock Overall, a dividend increase is always good, and we think that Deutsche Bank is a strong income stock thanks to its track record and growing earnings. The distributions are easily covered by earnings, and there is plenty of cash being generated as well. We should point out that the earnings are expected to fall over the next 12 months, which won't be a problem if this doesn't become a trend, but could cause some turbulence in the next year. All in all, this checks a lot of the boxes we look for when choosing an income stock. Story continues Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. As an example, we've identified 1 warning sign for Deutsche Bank that you should be aware of before investing. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield dividend stocks. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here Deutsche Post AG (ETR:DPW) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 9th of May to 1.85. This makes the dividend yield 4.3%, which is above the industry average. Check out our latest analysis for Deutsche Post Deutsche Post's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings We like to see robust dividend yields, but that doesn't matter if the payment isn't sustainable. Prior to this announcement, Deutsche Post's dividend was comfortably covered by both cash flow and earnings. This indicates that a lot of the earnings are being reinvested into the business, with the aim of fueling growth. Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to fall by 7.4% over the next year. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we believe the payout ratio could be 49%, which we are pretty comfortable with and we think is feasible on an earnings basis. Deutsche Post Has A Solid Track Record Even over a long history of paying dividends, the company's distributions have been remarkably stable. The dividend has gone from an annual total of 0.70 in 2013 to the most recent total annual payment of 1.85. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 10% over that duration. Rapidly growing dividends for a long time is a very valuable feature for an income stock. The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. Deutsche Post has impressed us by growing EPS at 15% per year over the past five years. Shareholders are getting plenty of the earnings returned to them, which combined with strong growth makes this quite appealing. We Really Like Deutsche Post's Dividend Overall, a dividend increase is always good, and we think that Deutsche Post is a strong income stock thanks to its track record and growing earnings. The company is generating plenty of cash, and the earnings also quite easily cover the distributions. However, it is worth noting that the earnings are expected to fall over the next year, which may not change the long term outlook, but could affect the dividend payment in the next 12 months. Taking this all into consideration, this looks like it could be a good dividend opportunity. Story continues It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. For instance, we've picked out 1 warning sign for Deutsche Post that investors should take into consideration. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield dividend stocks. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here The board of Deutsche Telekom AG (ETR:DTE) has announced that it will be paying its dividend of 0.70 on the 12th of April, an increased payment from last year's comparable dividend. Based on this payment, the dividend yield for the company will be 3.1%, which is fairly typical for the industry. View our latest analysis for Deutsche Telekom Deutsche Telekom's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage Solid dividend yields are great, but they only really help us if the payment is sustainable. Prior to this announcement, Deutsche Telekom's dividend was comfortably covered by both cash flow and earnings. This means that a large portion of its earnings are being retained to grow the business. The next year is set to see EPS grow by 34.7%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 35%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend. Dividend Volatility The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least one cut in the last 10 years. There hasn't been much of a change in the dividend over the last 10 years. We're glad to see the dividend has risen, but with a limited rate of growth and fluctuations in the payments the total shareholder return may be limited. The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow Growing earnings per share could be a mitigating factor when considering the past fluctuations in the dividend. Deutsche Telekom has impressed us by growing EPS at 16% per year over the past five years. The company is paying a reasonable amount of earnings to shareholders, and is growing earnings at a decent rate so we think it could be a decent dividend stock. Deutsche Telekom Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock Overall, we think this could be an attractive income stock, and it is only getting better by paying a higher dividend this year. The company is easily earning enough to cover its dividend payments and it is great to see that these earnings are being translated into cash flow. All of these factors considered, we think this has solid potential as a dividend stock. Story continues Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. For example, we've picked out 2 warning signs for Deutsche Telekom that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here Deepthi Prakash is elevated to President, International, Chief Product Officer, to marry deep specialism with deep integration across the Collective Appointment coincides with the launch of key products that aggregate expertise from around the world to deliver best-in-class brand experiences NEW YORK, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- TBWA, The Disruption company, has appointed its first ever Chief Product Officer in a move that cements the marriage between the depth of its global specialisms across the total brand experience, with the deep integration required to deliver on the future needs of clients. Deepthi Prakash Deepthi Prakash, previously Global Director, Product and Marketing, has been elevated to lead the implementation of an ambitious programme of product expansion, covering the future-facing components of a full-service, multi-disciplinary brand solution. According to Forrester's 2022 Marketing Survey, 56% of B2C marketing decision-makers indicate that they now have primary responsibility for the customer experience function of their business. "As CMO's across the industry evolve into Chief Experience Officers, their focus is shifting from capturing existing demand to creating new stickiness for a brand in all the ways it interacts with its customers. Only a creative innovation partner with a suite of specialisms aggregated around a single, powerful brand idea, can deliver the total experience those clients need today," says Prakash. TBWA has acquired or grown specialisms across all the touchpoints of a brand, derived from the creative capabilities and strengths of the Collective's best-in-class agencies. In fact, over a third of TBWA Asia's revenue today comes from specialisms that didn't exist 3 years ago. Just as with McDonald's tapping the NEXT unit inside TBWA as a Marketing Innovation partner, growth across the Collective has been driven by disciplines that go beyond the confines of traditional communications. Among the products being rolled out globally are: Story continues NEXT is a cutting-edge innovation practice. It generates, prototypes, develops, and leverages what's new in technology in a brand consistent way to extend clients into new spaces, channels, and experiences. Plex by TBWA helps complex and B2B companies simply and impactfully communicate a brand's value proposition, and brings it to life through marketing, sales enablement, internal communications, events and design. Inside is an offering that interprets a company's brand platform for its most important audience: its employees. This includes development of an employee value proposition alongside how a brand comes to life for its employees through experience strategy, events, and design. Sold enables retail clients to develop brand campaigns and promotions that work together to drive growth. This offering aligns brand strategy and brand marketing with retail/store/social/ecommerce promotions and scaled production. Creating flexibility in operating and remuneration models sits at the heart of this product-focused approach, says Prakash. "Our industry has, for too long, been working within the confines of a one-size-fits-all, out-of-date model, that is misaligned with the value and impact of our work. We know that to continue to drive the record global growth we have delivered in the past two years for TBWA, we must disrupt the way our industry operates, and ensure that our pricing is commensurate with the value we drive." TBWA Global CEO, Troy Ruhanen believes the advent of the Chief Product Officer is a key milestone - setting the standard for others to follow, "As Disruption is our common thread throughout all we do, so must we challenge the conventions in our own industry. Our specialisms have been growing through our brilliant local agencies, now we are applying our collective muscle to making, nurturing and evolving them into the products that will truly deliver for our clients on a global scale. Deepthi embodies the restlessness and energy of TBWA, so is the perfect person to drive this next phase of our evolution." Deepthi Prakash joined TBWA in February 2020 from Cognizant, where she served as Co-Head of Cognizant Interactive and Global Head of Strategy & Design. While there, she successfully delivered growth by packaging skills in insight, strategy, design, content, and technology into services and offerings that spoke to client needs. Prior to Cognizant, she was Managing Director at Accenture Interactive, where she led the content planning practice. To learn more about TBWA, visit https://tbwa.com/ About TBWA\Worldwide TBWA is The Disruption Company. We use creativity to help businesses challenge the status quo and capture an unfair share of the future. Named one of the World's Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019, Adweek's 2022, 2021 and 2018 Global Agency of the Year and AdAge's A-List 2022 Network of the Year. We are a disruptive brand experience company that uses trademarked Disruption methodologies to help businesses address their challenges and achieve transformative growth. Our collective has 11,000+ creative minds in over 40 countries, and also includes brands such as Auditoire, Digital Arts Network (DAN), eg+ worldwide, GMR, The Integer Group, TBWA\Media Arts Lab, TBWA\WorldHealth and TRO. Global clients include adidas, Apple, Gatorade, Henkel, Hilton Hotels, McDonald's, Nissan and Singapore Airlines. Follow us on LinkedIn , Twitter and Instagram . TBWA is part of Omnicom Group (NYSE: OMC). Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/disruption-co-tbwa-appoints-chief-product-officer-to-deliver-innovative-product-driven-approach-to-the-total-brand-experience-301790332.html SOURCE TBWA\Worldwide Imagine biking in Sauk City. Its a beautiful morning. The sky is as blue as the Wisconsin River ribboning beneath it. Birds sing from the trees and shorelines. The hubbub of town, and Prairie du Sac, not far, beckon you to stop for a spell. You do, but the Great Sauk State Trail is calling you and so you ride out. You ride out through the Sauk Prairie Recreation Area and then ride farther. You ride through the Driftless Area all the way to Devils Lake State Park. Or, maybe, you make your way to Reedsburg to connect with the 400 State Trail. Or, perhaps, you want to visit North Freedom, or fill up your water bottle at Rock Springs, or partake of the latest goings-on in downtown Baraboo. Sauk County is developing a plan for the future route of the Great Sauk State Trail (GSST) and is asking for the publics input. There are a variety of ways to learn about the project and to share ideas and concerns, including an online survey and upcoming open house with listening sessions. The Reedsburg open house will take place on Tuesday, April 11, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Reedsburg Area Chamber of Commerce at 240 Railroad Street in Reedsburg. The Baraboo open house will take place on Wednesday, April 12, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Baraboo West Square Building, room 213, at 505 Broadway in Baraboo. The route options currently being explored are at the planning level only. A preferred route will be developed over the next year, influenced through feedback gathered by the public, funding and approval by governing bodies, followed by engineering and design. All of this before implementation and construction of the route commences. The current GSST, established in 2017, spans approximately 10.5 miles through Sauk City and Prairie du Sac and into the Sauk Prairie Recreation Area. The countys vision is a fully constructed trail that traverses Sauk County, connecting the Sauk Prairie Area to Devils Lake State Park to the Baraboo area, and finally to the 400 State Trail in Reedsburg. The 400 State Trail is a 22-mile trail that follows the river valley between Reedsburg and Elroy. The county believes the trail will connect trail users to Sauk County communities, becoming an anchor that will encourage both community investment and economic development. The county also believes the fully constructed world-class trail will include interactive opportunities through interpretive signage, art, and connections to natural resources and community history. It is anticipated that the trail will become the most used trail in the state of Wisconsin. Sauk County has partnered with HKGi, a planning and design consultation firm based in Minneapolis, to lead the planning and routing process of the trail. The plan process began in January 2023 and is anticipated to be complete in the summer of 2024. With the project in the early stages, Sauk County is asking for input. In addition to the upcoming open houses, the county encourages interested individuals to complete an online survey, found here. The survey will help the county understand the issues most important to community members in regard to the project. For more information about the GSST Master Plan, visit this website. Soon, one beautiful morning, someone might be able to traverse the Great Sauk State Trail along the Wisconsin River in Sauk City and, by afternoon, be enjoying the quiet beauty of Devils Lake. How heavenly. Todd Snow prevailed in the race for Beaver Dam municipal judge Tuesday, winning a narrow victory against longtime City Attorney Maryann Schacht. Snow, an attorney of 22 years, carried with 5,102 votes 55% of the total. Schacht earned 4,216 with 32 write-ins cast. Im happy to have won, thats for sure, Snow said. Hopefully, Ill do a decent job. I wish Maryann the best. The court handles violations of municipal ordinances for the city and town of Beaver Dam, the city of Waupun and the city of Mayville, and the joint police department of Neosho, Rubicon and Ashippun. Traffic and parking infractions, including first-time drunk driving offenses make up a bulk of cases handled by the municipal judge. Officials are elected to serve 4-year terms. Snow currently works in private practice, specializing in impaired driver defense. He previously ran for Dodge County Circuit Court Judge in 2017, but pulled out of the race due to an ongoing family medical issue. In his announcement of non-candidacy, Snow promised that he would run again when other positions within the county became available. In a February interview with The Daily Citizen, Snow recognized his 400-vote lag behind Schacht in the primaries, stating that he had a disadvantage due to Schachts name recognition. He ramped up his campaign efforts since then, resulting in a slim victory against Schact. While Schacht had Snow beat in Beaver Dam, he was able to make up the difference in Ashippun, Rubicon, Mayville and his home city of Waupun. I actually went out and did some campaigning. I had signs, I had radio ads and I knocked on doors. I had that going for me, Snow explained. I was able to get enough votes in the outlying areas to overcome her lead in Beaver Dam. Schacht made no efforts to reach out to voters, instead relying on word-of-mouth, her experience and endorsements from city staff. Schacht has served as the Beaver Dam city attorney since 2001, though she retired in January. She returned on a limited basis four months later while the city looked for her replacement. Before that, Schacht served as a public defender for Dodge County and as guardian ad litem appointed by the court. Snow plans to retire from his practice, Snow Law, at the end of the year and fully focus on his new role as municipal judge. He is currently on vacation with his wife and daughters in Texas where he first heard the news of his win. This is something I wanted to do to continue in the legal profession, and Im big into giving back to the community, Snow added. Rather than hanging up my shingle and going out to pasture, I thought this would be a nice thing to do. Other results A slew of incumbents running unopposed will remain in office in Beaver Dam, including Mayor Becky Glewen; Alders Kay Appenfeldt, David Hansen, Frank Ferree, Mick Fischer, Jack Yuds, Monica Keel and Kevin Burnett; and Beaver Dam Unified School District board members Joanne Tyjeski, Lisa Panzer and Maria Mason. Glewen has been the mayor of Beaver Dam for six years and will be serving her third term, though the position is becoming part-time in April per council ordinance. In the race for mayor, there were 179 write-ins were. Some competitive area elections include alder races in Fox Lake and Waupun. Bob Dolan and incumbent Peter Hartzheim duked it out for District 3 in Fox Lake, with Hartzheim securing 71 votes to Dolans 30. In Waupuns District 1, incumbent Jason Westphal had a narrow win with 132 votes over his opponent Karissa Smits 110. The Portage Common Council will have two new alderpersons later this month after winning Tuesdays spring election. In Portages District 7, two candidates faced off with Karyn Wetzel defeating Edward LaVigne. Wetzel received 128 votes compared to 77 votes for LaVigne. Alderperson Christopher Crawley was the only incumbent running for re-election and won his District 9 seat receiving 141 votes. In District 1, Jami Hayes won the seat collecting 129 votes. These results, from the Columbia County Clerks office, are unofficial until the county canvass is held and the results are verified. In Pardeeville, Michael Haynes ran unopposed for village president. There were six people vying for three seats on the Pardeeville Board of Trustees. Results show Angie Engelmann, 292 votes, Barry Pufahl, 252 votes, and Mark Taylor, 227 votes, were the top three vote-getters in the race. Columbus voters elected a new mayor with Joseph Hammer receiving 1,008 votes compared to his opponent Ian Gray, who got 733 votes on Tuesday. Columbus voters also re-elected alderpersons Sarah Motiff in District 1 and Trina Reid in District 2. In District 3, Molly Finkler defeated Nathan Anfinson with Finkler collecting 296 compared to 185 votes for Anfinson. There were 19,958 ballots cast across all 37 precincts in Columbia County. In state-wide ballot questions the Columbia County vote totals mirrored Wisconsin results. In the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, Janet Protasiewicz won Columbia County with 55% of the votes with 10,884 votes cast and Daniel Kelly receiving 8,884 total votes. Protasiewicz spoke to supporters in Milwaukee Tuesday night after the race was called in her favor by 10 points. She said she got in the race to have an impartial court and a court that makes decisions based on the law not on a political agenda. I believe in something that is universal to Wisconsinites all across our state and that is that everyone should get a fair shot to demand justice and not feel like the thumb is on the scale against them, Protasiewicz said. Kelly made remarks in Green Lake Tuesday night. He thanked supporters and spoke about meeting people with similar values across the state. He also spoke about his opponent. I wish that in a circumstance like this I would be able to concede to a worthy opponent, Kelly said. But I do not have a worthy opponent to which I can concede. This was the most deeply deceitful, dishonorable, despicable campaign I have ever seen run for the courts. Wisconsin Public Radio reported statewide Protasiewicz won the race receiving over a million votes and Daniel Kelly collecting just over 815,000. Results show Wisconsin voters and Columbia County voters were in favor of all three ballot measures. The first two measures amend the state Constitution that gives judges more options keeping people in custody that have committed violent crimes with conditions of release and cash bond. The third question passed easily and would require some benefit recipients to search for work. The question was, Shall able-bodied, childless adults be required to look for work in order to receive taxpayer-funded welfare benefits? The first question passed in Columbia County receiving yes votes from 66% of the voters. Just over 69% of Columbia County voters approved of the cash bail question. The third question received almost 83% votes in favor of the welfare changes. Close The Portage Lions held their 46th Annual Radio Auction Saturday afternoon, its the second years at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall in Portage hosted the event with over 500 items auctioned and bids being placed by phone and in-person. The Portage Lions held their 46th Annual Radio Auction Saturday afternoon, its the second years at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall in Portage hosted the event with over 500 items auctioned and bids being placed by phone and in-person. The Portage Lions held their 46th Annual Radio Auction Saturday afternoon, its the second years at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall in Portage hosted the event with over 500 items auctioned and bids being placed by phone and in-person. The Portage Lions held their 46th Annual Radio Auction Saturday afternoon, its the second years at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall in Portage hosted the event with over 500 items auctioned and bids being placed by phone and in-person. The Portage Lions held their 46th Annual Radio Auction Saturday afternoon, its the second years at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall in Portage hosted the event with over 500 items auctioned and bids being placed by phone and in-person. The Portage Lions held their 46th Annual Radio Auction Saturday afternoon, its the second years at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall in Portage hosted the event with over 500 items auctioned and bids being placed by phone and in-person. The Portage Lions held their 46th Annual Radio Auction Saturday afternoon, its the second years at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall in Portage hosted the event with over 500 items auctioned and bids being placed by phone and in-person. The Portage Lions held their 46th Annual Radio Auction Saturday afternoon, its the second years at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall in Portage hosted the event with over 500 items auctioned and bids being placed by phone and in-person. GALLERY: 46th Annual Portage Lions Club Radio Auction The Portage Lions held their 46th Annual Radio Auction Saturday afternoon, its the second years at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall in Portage hosted the event with over 500 items auctioned and bids being placed by phone and in-person. The Portage Lions held their 46th Annual Radio Auction Saturday afternoon, its the second years at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall in Portage hosted the event with over 500 items auctioned and bids being placed by phone and in-person. The Portage Lions held their 46th Annual Radio Auction Saturday afternoon, its the second years at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall in Portage hosted the event with over 500 items auctioned and bids being placed by phone and in-person. The Portage Lions held their 46th Annual Radio Auction Saturday afternoon, its the second years at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall in Portage hosted the event with over 500 items auctioned and bids being placed by phone and in-person. The Portage Lions held their 46th Annual Radio Auction Saturday afternoon, its the second years at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall in Portage hosted the event with over 500 items auctioned and bids being placed by phone and in-person. The Portage Lions held their 46th Annual Radio Auction Saturday afternoon, its the second years at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall in Portage hosted the event with over 500 items auctioned and bids being placed by phone and in-person. The Portage Lions held their 46th Annual Radio Auction Saturday afternoon, its the second years at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall in Portage hosted the event with over 500 items auctioned and bids being placed by phone and in-person. The Portage Lions held their 46th Annual Radio Auction Saturday afternoon, its the second years at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall in Portage hosted the event with over 500 items auctioned and bids being placed by phone and in-person. Dan Kelly used his concession speech after being defeated by Janet Protasiewicz in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race for some final slams against his opponent. "It brings me no joy to say this, I wish that in a circumstance like this, I could concede to a worthy opponent. But I do not have worthy opponent to which I can concede," Kelly said after thanking his supporters. "This was the most deeply deceitful, dishonorable, despicable campaign I have ever seen run through the courts," he said. Kelly went on to call Protasiewicz a "serial liar" and said he is worried about the damage done to the courts. In a statement before the speech, Kelly thanked his supporters but said he was "disappointed to learn that those who wish to maintain our constitutional order are in the minority of voters." But in his speech he said he would abide by the voters' judgment. "I promised them that I would respect their decision in this race ... so I respect the decision the people of Wisconsin have made, but I think this does not end well. "I wish Wisconsin the best of luck, because I think it's going to need it." Finnish military personnel install the Finnish national flag at Nato HQ in Brussels (AFP/Getty) Finland has abandoned its traditional, long-standing policy of non-alignment, and is now the 31st member of Nato. It is a significant moment, and one that brings benefits but also risks to Finland and the wider West. Finland brings about 250,000 regular and reserve troops, plus strong artillery and expert capabilities in ultra-cold combat conditions. Why is Finland joining Nato? The war in Ukraine shifted Finnish public opinion so markedly towards Nato membership as the best way to sustain Finnish independence that it became inevitable. Its application was eagerly supported by almost every other Nato member, with only some resistance from Hungary and Turkey, whove been generally more cautious about expansion and support for Ukraine. It creates a new far longer direct border between Nato and Russia, which cuts both ways in terms of security. Finland now benefits from the all for one, one for all mutual assistance pledge in Article 5 of the Nato treaty. On the other hand, Russia objects to the move as Western expansionism, and has made vague threats about counter-measures. The Kremlin would be even more agitated if nuclear weapons made their way onto Finnish soil (although that does not seem likely at the moment). While a Russian invasion is vanishingly unlikely, the Russians might resort to destabilising air or naval incursions, cyber-attacks or stationing nuclear warheads clause to the border. Why didnt it apply for Nato membership before? For most of the postwar period, Finland wasnt allowed to. Because the Finns ended up on the wrong side in the Second World War, (though theyd actually been attacked by Stalin in 1939), they had to agree a tough peace treaty with Russia, or the Soviet Union as it was then. Reparations were paid, territory ceded, ethnic Finns were expelled from their homes and Finland was obliged to follow a policy of neutrality. In 1992, after the fall of the Soviet Union and eastern bloc, a new treaty was concluded that merely committed both sides to non-aggression. It opened the way to membership in the EU in 1995, but Helsinki continued with its previous path of military neutrality. The nation was content with this status of buffer state. Indeed, before the invasion last year, the Russians sought the Finlandisation of Ukraine, locking it into a permanent stable posture of neutrality (though Finland prudently maintained a substantial and well-equipped military focused on defence, just in case). The great irony now is that president Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine has de-Finlandised Finland, and he has a larger, stronger and more united Nato parked to his west, enthusiastically supporting Ukraines resistance. Story continues Does it make Finland and the West safer? On balance, yes. Although Finland hasnt been part of the Russian Empire since independence in 1917, it was subject to occasional Russian harassment, including the Winter War of 1939 to 40, and the Russians regarded it as part of its broad sphere of influence albeit capitalist, Western and well outside the formal Eastern bloc. As with the Baltic Republics, Moldova, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania, as well as Ukraine, Putin seems to be nostalgic for the old days of Russian hegemony in the east. As a neutral state, without Nato guarantees, Finland was vulnerable, either to attack or some general bullying. The Nato bond of mutual assistance should deter any serious Russian onslaught, but using the same arguments applied to Ukraine, Russia would argue that the Finnish move is a menacing encircling act of aggression by the West. What could go wrong? Though far from the troubled Balkans, the tensions and national rivalries in the northeastern corner of Europe are less obvious but no less intense. So territorial disputes and historical grievances in the deep freeze during the Cold War and after may start to thaw and add to existing frictions. One source of unease, for example, has been the treatment of Russian-speaking minorities in the Baltic states; and access to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and its naval base through Polish territory. Having been occupied, reshaped and abused for much of their history by their powerful eastern neighbour, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland feel more nervous than most about Putins revanchist policies. Hence their unusually strong economic and military assistance to Ukraine. Without them, the Western response might well have been more reserved. Who else is going to join? Sweden is at the top of the list of prospective members but has been blocked by Turkey (and to a lesser extent Hungary). Ankara accuses Stockholm of supporting Kurdish separatist groups, or Nordic terrorists as president Recep Tayyip Erdogan calls them. That hasnt prevented Sweden from providing bilateral help to Ukraine; and, with sufficient concessions in other policy areas, Erdogan will probably relent, notwithstanding his own more non-aligned stance on the war. Moldova, sandwiched between Romania, Russia and the Russian-supported breakaway state of Transnistria, is a poor, military-weak country that is at extreme risk of unwelcome Russian attention. Especially if Russia ever succeeded in capturing southwest Ukraine. However, such is its precarious position that it has not sought to alter its constitutionally neutral policy. Nato has agreed to a package of tailored support measures to help Moldova strengthen its national resilience and civil preparedness. Away from the east, Ireland has been subject to Russian incursions into its territorial waters, and has condemned the invasion of Ukraine, but there seems no great movement to join Nato. Austria, under the 1955 State Treaty with Russia, is obliged to remain neutral. Ireland, Austria, Sweden, Malta and Cyprus all subscribe to the EUs Common Security and Defence Policy. Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE:NET Get Rating) General Counsel Douglas James Kramer sold 3,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, April 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.61, for a total transaction of $181,830.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel now owns 54,960 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,331,125.60. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Douglas James Kramer also recently made the following trade(s): Get Cloudflare alerts: On Friday, January 27th, Douglas James Kramer sold 3,500 shares of Cloudflare stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $50.00, for a total transaction of $175,000.00. Cloudflare Trading Up 0.1 % Shares of NET traded up $0.05 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $61.23. The stock had a trading volume of 4,196,611 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,106,351. Cloudflare, Inc. has a 1 year low of $37.37 and a 1 year high of $126.82. The firm has a market cap of $20.23 billion, a PE ratio of -102.33 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.30, a current ratio of 4.74 and a quick ratio of 4.74. The stocks 50 day moving average is $58.22 and its 200 day moving average is $52.42. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Cloudflare ( NYSE:NET Get Rating ) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 9th. The company reported ($0.09) earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of ($0.09). Cloudflare had a negative net margin of 19.83% and a negative return on equity of 27.64%. The business had revenue of $274.70 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $274.29 million. As a group, analysts forecast that Cloudflare, Inc. will post -0.32 EPS for the current fiscal year. A number of research firms have weighed in on NET. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on shares of Cloudflare from $60.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, February 10th. Truist Financial upped their price target on shares of Cloudflare from $57.00 to $80.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, February 10th. Mizuho upped their price target on shares of Cloudflare from $55.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, February 10th. Needham & Company LLC restated a buy rating and set a $77.00 target price on shares of Cloudflare in a research report on Wednesday, March 22nd. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald upped their target price on shares of Cloudflare from $55.00 to $65.00 in a research report on Friday, February 10th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Cloudflare has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $67.78. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Cloudflare Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in NET. Blair William & Co. IL increased its stake in Cloudflare by 27.4% in the 3rd quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 53,591 shares of the companys stock worth $2,964,000 after buying an additional 11,524 shares during the period. Independent Advisor Alliance increased its stake in Cloudflare by 5.4% in the 3rd quarter. Independent Advisor Alliance now owns 13,682 shares of the companys stock worth $757,000 after buying an additional 696 shares during the period. Ellevest Inc. increased its stake in Cloudflare by 461.3% in the 3rd quarter. Ellevest Inc. now owns 2,032 shares of the companys stock worth $112,000 after buying an additional 1,670 shares during the period. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. increased its stake in Cloudflare by 0.7% in the 3rd quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. now owns 1,482,780 shares of the companys stock worth $82,013,000 after buying an additional 10,202 shares during the period. Finally, Asset Management One Co. Ltd. increased its stake in Cloudflare by 33.7% in the 3rd quarter. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. now owns 143,832 shares of the companys stock worth $7,955,000 after buying an additional 36,284 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 69.97% of the companys stock. About Cloudflare (Get Rating) CloudFlare, Inc operates as a cloud services provider that delivers a range of services to businesses worldwide. The company offers an integrated cloud-based security solution to secure a range of combination of platforms, including public cloud, private cloud, on-premise, software-as-a-service applications, and IoT devices. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Cloudflare Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cloudflare and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. (NYSE:MAA Get Rating) EVP Melanie Carpenter sold 480 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, April 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $150.21, for a total value of $72,100.80. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 16,669 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,503,850.49. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Melanie Carpenter also recently made the following trade(s): Get Mid-America Apartment Communities alerts: On Wednesday, January 11th, Melanie Carpenter sold 269 shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $155.57, for a total transaction of $41,848.33. On Friday, January 6th, Melanie Carpenter sold 242 shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $153.85, for a total transaction of $37,231.70. Mid-America Apartment Communities Stock Performance MAA stock traded down $0.66 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $149.16. 736,097 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 777,025. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $158.92 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $157.27. The firm has a market capitalization of $17.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.29, a P/E/G ratio of 8.64 and a beta of 0.77. Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. has a 12 month low of $138.68 and a 12 month high of $217.64. The company has a current ratio of 0.10, a quick ratio of 0.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. Mid-America Apartment Communities Increases Dividend Mid-America Apartment Communities ( NYSE:MAA Get Rating ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 2nd. The real estate investment trust reported $1.67 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.28 by ($0.61). Mid-America Apartment Communities had a return on equity of 10.72% and a net margin of 31.51%. The business had revenue of $527.97 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $529.90 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.90 EPS. Mid-America Apartment Communitiess revenue for the quarter was up 13.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts forecast that Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. will post 8.74 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 14th will be paid a dividend of $1.40 per share. This represents a $5.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.75%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 13th. This is a positive change from Mid-America Apartment Communitiess previous quarterly dividend of $1.06. Mid-America Apartment Communitiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 102.00%. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. BTIG Research reduced their target price on shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities from $225.00 to $175.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 11th. Truist Financial dropped their target price on Mid-America Apartment Communities from $178.00 to $159.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 27th. JMP Securities upped their price target on Mid-America Apartment Communities from $180.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a market outperform rating in a research report on Friday, February 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company assumed coverage on shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities in a report on Wednesday, March 29th. They issued an equal weight rating and a $156.50 price objective on the stock. Finally, UBS Group assumed coverage on shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities in a report on Thursday, December 15th. They set a sell rating and a $150.00 target price for the company. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Mid-America Apartment Communities has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $174.96. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Mid-America Apartment Communities Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MAA. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities by 0.7% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 19,086,558 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $2,959,753,000 after purchasing an additional 141,902 shares during the period. Cohen & Steers Inc. grew its stake in Mid-America Apartment Communities by 45.0% during the third quarter. Cohen & Steers Inc. now owns 5,889,416 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $913,212,000 after buying an additional 1,827,696 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in Mid-America Apartment Communities in the 4th quarter valued at about $543,026,000. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 2,574,253 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $403,466,000 after buying an additional 39,290 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted its holdings in shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities by 63.3% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 2,208,337 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $346,687,000 after acquiring an additional 856,331 shares during the period. 91.20% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Mid-America Apartment Communities (Get Rating) Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc is a real estate investment trust, which engages in the operation, acquisition, and development of apartment communities. It operates through the following segments: Same Store Communities and Non-Same Store and Other. The Same Store Communities segment focuses on communities that the company has owned. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Mid-America Apartment Communities Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mid-America Apartment Communities and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Walmart (NYSE:WMT Get Rating) updated its FY24 earnings guidance on Tuesday. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of $5.90-$6.05 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.11. Walmart also updated its Q1 guidance to $1.25-$1.30 EPS. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Gordon Haskett raised shares of Walmart from a hold rating to an accumulate rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $145.00 to $155.00 in a research report on Friday, February 10th. Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $160.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday. Credit Suisse Group set a $170.00 target price on shares of Walmart and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 22nd. Evercore ISI raised shares of Walmart from an in-line rating to an outperform rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $145.00 to $160.00 in a research report on Thursday, March 30th. Finally, StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Walmart in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They set a strong-buy rating on the stock. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating, twenty-three have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $163.06. Get Walmart alerts: Walmart Price Performance NYSE:WMT traded down $1.46 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $147.23. 5,904,982 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 6,535,129. Walmart has a 12 month low of $117.27 and a 12 month high of $160.77. The company has a fifty day moving average of $142.24 and a 200 day moving average of $141.82. The company has a quick ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47. The stock has a market cap of $396.88 billion, a PE ratio of 34.74, a PEG ratio of 4.41 and a beta of 0.48. Walmart Dividend Announcement Walmart ( NYSE:WMT Get Rating ) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 21st. The retailer reported $1.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.51 by $0.20. Walmart had a net margin of 1.91% and a return on equity of 20.45%. The company had revenue of $164.05 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $158.67 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.53 EPS. The companys revenue was up 7.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts anticipate that Walmart will post 6.08 EPS for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, January 2nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 8th will be given a dividend of $0.57 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, December 7th. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.55%. Walmarts payout ratio is presently 53.27%. Insider Buying and Selling at Walmart In related news, Director S Robson Walton sold 1,504,039 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $145.51, for a total value of $218,852,714.89. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 245,711,516 shares in the company, valued at approximately $35,753,482,693.16. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, Director S Robson Walton sold 1,504,039 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $145.51, for a total value of $218,852,714.89. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 245,711,516 shares in the company, valued at approximately $35,753,482,693.16. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, major shareholder Jim C. Walton sold 1,908,331 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $144.15, for a total transaction of $275,085,913.65. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 247,215,555 shares in the company, valued at $35,636,122,253.25. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 21,053,710 shares of company stock worth $2,982,527,217. Company insiders own 47.06% of the companys stock. Institutional Trading of Walmart Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Power Corp of Canada bought a new stake in Walmart during the 1st quarter worth approximately $44,000. FWL Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Walmart during the 4th quarter worth approximately $52,000. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Walmart during the 4th quarter worth approximately $113,000. Coppell Advisory Solutions Corp. bought a new stake in Walmart during the 4th quarter worth approximately $114,000. Finally, Covestor Ltd increased its stake in Walmart by 31.7% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,162 shares of the retailers stock worth $173,000 after purchasing an additional 280 shares in the last quarter. 31.27% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Walmart Company Profile (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. Dupont Capital Management Corp bought a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF (NYSEARCA:EWJ 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 bought 141,149 shares of the exchange traded funds stock, valued at approximately $7,684,000. Dupont Capital Management Corp owned approximately 0.08% of iShares MSCI Japan ETF as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the business. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its holdings in iShares MSCI Japan ETF by 15.7% during the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 202,282 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $12,462,000 after buying an additional 27,428 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can lifted its stake in iShares MSCI Japan ETF by 37.8% in the first quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 92,661 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $5,807,000 after purchasing an additional 25,415 shares during the last quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. grew its holdings in iShares MSCI Japan ETF by 15.3% during the first quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. now owns 89,447 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $5,511,000 after purchasing an additional 11,850 shares during the period. Wit LLC purchased a new stake in iShares MSCI Japan ETF in the first quarter worth $239,000. Finally, Founders Financial Securities LLC bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF in the first quarter valued at $2,797,000. Get iShares MSCI Japan ETF alerts: iShares MSCI Japan ETF Stock Down 1.5 % EWJ traded down $0.87 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $58.07. The stock had a trading volume of 1,058,306 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,878,278. iShares MSCI Japan ETF has a 1 year low of $47.64 and a 1 year high of $60.16. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $57.30 and its 200 day simple moving average is $54.54. The stock has a market cap of $9.93 billion, a PE ratio of 12.76 and a beta of 0.67. iShares MSCI Japan ETF Profile iShares MSCI Japan ETF (the fund), formerly Ishares Msci Japan Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of publicly traded securities in the Japanese market, as measured by the MSCI Japan Index (the Index). Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI Japan ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI Japan ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Bank of Montreal (NYSE:BMO Get Rating) (TSE:BMO) have been assigned a consensus rating of Hold from the ten ratings firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $155.75. BMO has been the topic of a number of research reports. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Bank of Montreal in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a sell rating on the stock. Bank of America lowered Bank of Montreal from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, December 12th. BMO Capital Markets lowered their target price on Bank of Montreal from C$151.00 to C$147.50 in a research report on Thursday, January 19th. Credit Suisse Group initiated coverage on Bank of Montreal in a research report on Monday, December 19th. They set an outperform rating on the stock. Finally, Bank Of America (Bofa) lowered Bank of Montreal from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, December 12th. Get Bank of Montreal alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On Bank of Montreal Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Bank of Montreal by 7.5% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 24,179,597 shares of the banks stock valued at $2,119,100,000 after purchasing an additional 1,688,352 shares during the last quarter. TD Asset Management Inc increased its position in shares of Bank of Montreal by 1.7% during the 4th quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 15,949,293 shares of the banks stock valued at $1,443,847,000 after purchasing an additional 262,540 shares during the last quarter. TD Asset Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Bank of Montreal by 2.8% during the 3rd quarter. TD Asset Management Inc. now owns 15,686,753 shares of the banks stock valued at $1,386,867,000 after purchasing an additional 429,688 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia increased its position in shares of Bank of Montreal by 3.6% during the 4th quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 13,211,403 shares of the banks stock valued at $1,196,832,000 after purchasing an additional 464,465 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mackenzie Financial Corp increased its position in shares of Bank of Montreal by 3.0% during the 4th quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 12,653,654 shares of the banks stock valued at $1,144,446,000 after purchasing an additional 372,199 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 42.78% of the companys stock. Bank of Montreal Price Performance Shares of BMO opened at $89.28 on Friday. Bank of Montreal has a 52-week low of $81.57 and a 52-week high of $119.55. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a current ratio of 0.98. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $94.34 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $93.53. The firm has a market cap of $63.66 billion, a PE ratio of 7.28, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 1.14. Bank of Montreal (NYSE:BMO Get Rating) (TSE:BMO) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 28th. The bank reported $2.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.33 by $0.06. Bank of Montreal had a return on equity of 13.65% and a net margin of 22.13%. The firm had revenue of $4.80 billion for the quarter. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Bank of Montreal will post 9.81 EPS for the current year. Bank of Montreal Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 26th. Investors of record on Friday, April 28th will be issued a dividend of $1.075 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 27th. This represents a $4.30 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.82%. This is an increase from Bank of Montreals previous quarterly dividend of $1.05. Bank of Montreals dividend payout ratio is 34.34%. Bank of Montreal Company Profile (Get Rating) Bank of Montreal engages in the provision of banking and financial services to individuals and institutions. It operates through the following segments: Canadian Personal and Commercial Banking (Canadian P&C) and United States Personal and Commercial Banking (U.S. P&C). The Canadian P&C segment refers to retail banking and financial operations in Canada. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Bank of Montreal Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of Montreal and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BlackRock California Municipal Income Trust (NYSE:BFZ Get Rating) declared a monthly dividend on Monday, April 3rd, Zacks reports. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 14th will be given a dividend of 0.039 per share on Monday, May 1st. This represents a $0.47 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.99%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 13th. BlackRock California Municipal Income Trust Trading Up 0.3 % BlackRock California Municipal Income Trust stock traded up $0.03 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $11.74. The companys stock had a trading volume of 53,126 shares, compared to its average volume of 86,114. BlackRock California Municipal Income Trust has a 52 week low of $10.03 and a 52 week high of $12.07. Get BlackRock California Municipal Income Trust alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at BlackRock California Municipal Income Trust In other BlackRock California Municipal Income Trust news, major shareholder Saba Capital Management, L.P. bought 26,517 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 28th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $11.42 per share, for a total transaction of $302,824.14. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 3,340,712 shares in the company, valued at approximately $38,150,931.04. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders have acquired a total of 108,855 shares of company stock worth $1,235,084 over the last 90 days. About BlackRock California Municipal Income Trust BlackRock California Municipal Income Trust is a closed-end investment fund. Its investment objective is to provide current income exempt from Federal and California income taxes. The company seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in municipal obligations exempt from federal income taxes and California income taxes. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for BlackRock California Municipal Income Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BlackRock California Municipal Income Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Blue River Resources Ltd. (CVE:BXR Get Rating) shares reached a new 52-week low on Wednesday . The company traded as low as C$0.01 and last traded at C$0.01, with a volume of 2826000 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at C$0.01. Blue River Resources Price Performance The stock has a market capitalization of C$1.18 million, a PE ratio of -5.00 and a beta of 0.07. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is C$0.01 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is C$0.01. Blue River Resources Company Profile (Get Rating) Blue River Resources Ltd. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties. It holds 100% interests in Castle copper project covering an area of 335 hectares located in British Colombia. The company was incorporated in 2008 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Blue River Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Blue River Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. YorkBridge Wealth Partners LLC reduced its stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Rating) by 1.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 19,077 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 295 shares during the period. YorkBridge Wealth Partners LLCs holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb were worth $1,373,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in BMY. Xponance Inc. lifted its position in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 28.0% during the 3rd quarter. Xponance Inc. now owns 219,534 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $15,607,000 after acquiring an additional 47,993 shares during the period. Grimes & Company Inc. boosted its position in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 1.6% in the third quarter. Grimes & Company Inc. now owns 295,464 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $21,005,000 after buying an additional 4,778 shares during the last quarter. Cliftonlarsonallen Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 2.2% in the third quarter. Cliftonlarsonallen Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 12,366 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $879,000 after buying an additional 261 shares during the last quarter. Advocate Group LLC increased its holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 9.0% in the 3rd quarter. Advocate Group LLC now owns 97,286 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $6,916,000 after buying an additional 7,998 shares during the period. Finally, Columbia Asset Management purchased a new position in Bristol-Myers Squibb during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $495,000. 75.51% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Bristol-Myers Squibb alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Bristol-Myers Squibb In other news, CEO Giovanni Caforio sold 240,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $74.65, for a total transaction of $17,916,000.00. Following the transaction, 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 filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, CEO Giovanni Caforio sold 240,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $74.65, for a total transaction of $17,916,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 236,104 shares in the company, valued at $17,625,163.60. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Ann Powell sold 11,183 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $74.69, for a total transaction of $835,258.27. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 23,043 shares in the company, valued at $1,721,081.67. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.09% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Bristol-Myers Squibb Price Performance Shares of NYSE BMY opened at $69.17 on Wednesday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $69.92 and a 200-day simple moving average of $72.79. The company has a quick ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 1.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13. The stock has a market capitalization of $145.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.45. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a 52 week low of $65.28 and a 52 week high of $81.43. Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 2nd. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.82 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.71 by $0.11. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a net margin of 13.71% and a return on equity of 51.60%. The company had revenue of $11.41 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.20 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.83 EPS. Bristol-Myers Squibbs quarterly revenue was down 4.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts predict that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 8.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Bristol-Myers Squibb Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, April 10th will be paid a dividend of $0.57 per share. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.30%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 6th. Bristol-Myers Squibbs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 77.29%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities research analysts have commented on BMY shares. Atlantic Securities upped their price target on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from $88.00 to $90.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday, February 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $70.00 to $78.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 3rd. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a strong-buy rating for the company. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective 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, Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in a report on Monday, March 6th. They issued a hold rating and a $62.00 price objective for the company. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, seven have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Bristol-Myers Squibb currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target 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. Featured Articles 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. Calamos Advisors LLC trimmed its position in Paycom Software, Inc. (NYSE:PAYC Get Rating) by 8.9% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 97,156 shares of the software makers stock after selling 9,471 shares during the period. Calamos Advisors LLCs holdings in Paycom Software were worth $30,148,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Paycom Software by 1.1% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 5,672,472 shares of the software makers stock valued at $1,871,858,000 after acquiring an additional 61,819 shares during the period. State Street Corp increased its holdings in Paycom Software by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 1,849,465 shares of the software makers stock valued at $610,305,000 after purchasing an additional 23,413 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its holdings in Paycom Software by 8.7% during the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 1,359,073 shares of the software makers stock valued at $470,756,000 after purchasing an additional 108,505 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its position in Paycom Software by 10.4% during the 2nd quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 969,474 shares of the software makers stock valued at $271,570,000 after purchasing an additional 91,650 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. lifted its holdings in Paycom Software by 7.2% in the 1st quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 845,202 shares of the software makers stock worth $292,764,000 after buying an additional 56,649 shares during the period. 88.58% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Paycom Software alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes PAYC has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Barclays upped their target price on Paycom Software from $324.00 to $336.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, February 8th. Oppenheimer raised their target price on Paycom Software from $360.00 to $400.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 8th. Piper Sandler increased their price objective on Paycom Software from $395.00 to $417.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, February 8th. Moffett Nathanson began coverage on shares of Paycom Software in a report on Monday, January 9th. They set an underperform rating and a $310.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price target on shares of Paycom Software from $425.00 to $400.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Monday, January 23rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $386.38. Insiders Place Their Bets Paycom Software Price Performance In other news, Director Jason D. Clark sold 1,070 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $278.33, for a total transaction of $297,813.10. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 4,741 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,319,562.53. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website . 14.50% of the stock is owned by insiders. Shares of PAYC opened at $292.78 on Wednesday. Paycom Software, Inc. has a twelve month low of $255.82 and a twelve month high of $402.78. The company has a market capitalization of $17.66 billion, a P/E ratio of 60.37, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 1.41. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $299.62 and a 200 day moving average of $313.27. The company has a quick ratio of 1.16, a current ratio of 1.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02. Paycom Software (NYSE:PAYC Get Rating) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, February 7th. The software maker reported $1.73 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.49 by $0.24. The business had revenue of $370.61 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $366.71 million. Paycom Software had a return on equity of 25.62% and a net margin of 20.46%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 30.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.82 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Paycom Software, Inc. will post 5.98 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. About Paycom Software (Get Rating) Paycom Software, Inc engages in the provision of cloud-based human capital management (HCM) software solutions delivered as Software-as-a-Service. It offers functionality and data analytics that businesses need to manage the complete employment life cycle from recruitment to retirement. Its solutions include talent acquisition, time and labor management, payroll, talent management, and human resource management. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PAYC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Paycom Software, Inc. (NYSE:PAYC Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Paycom Software Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Paycom Software and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Photo: The Canadian Press The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board says competition between buyers returned to the market last month as the average home price in the area ticked above the average list price for the first time since May 2022. The Ontario board found Wednesday that the average price of a home hit $1,108,606 last month compared with $1,096,519 the month before. However, the average price was still down almost 15 per cent from $1,298,666 last March, when bidding wars kept the market moving at a frenzied pace. The board took last month's numbers to mean the market is tightening after several months spent in a sluggish state, where sales paled in comparison to typical years and prices started to drop as interest and mortgage rates soared. "As we moved through the first quarter, Toronto Regional Real Estate Board members were increasingly reporting that competition between buyers was heating up in many GTA neighbourhoods,"Paul Baron, the organization's president, said in a statement. The numbers indicate prospective homebuyers are regaining the confidence to wade into the market despite borrowing costs climbing and are looking to take advantage of lower prices while they last. Detached homes had an average price of $1,468,651, down 13.5 per cent from a year ago, while semi-detached properties dropped more than 17 per cent to $1,087,924. Townhouses cost an average of $935,626, a 14 per cent decrease, while condos and apartments fell 13 per cent to $703,566. TRREB found March's composite benchmark price was $1,118,500, a 16.2 per cent drop on a year-over-year basis, but up month-over-month on both an actual and seasonally adjusted basis. The month culminated with 6,896 sales, up from 4,765 in February. However, sales were still down almost 37 per cent from 10,862 in March 2020. Sales were partially impacted by new listings, which have waned because would-be sellers have held off on purchases because they want to fetch the lower prices their neighbours did at the peak last year. Their cautious approach pushed new listings to 11,184 last month, down 44 per cent from the prior March. TRREB's numbers were released a day after TD Economics economist Rishi Sondhi sent a note to investors saying that "Canadian home sales appear to have reached a trough" after incurring a "dramatic slide" in prior months. Sondhi is now forecasting quarterly sales gains with stronger growth headed into the year's second half. "Ontario and B.C. are poised to record the strongest quarterly sales growth this year," Sondhi wrote. 'This shouldnt be taken as a sign of strength, however, as 2023 will likely be the softest sales year since the early 2000s in both provinces." On Tuesday, the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver revealed home sales fell 42.5 per cent in March from a year ago and were 28.4 per cent below the 10-year seasonal average. Last month's sales totalled 2,535 compared with 4,405 sales in March 2022 and 1,808 in February. Chief Bobby Cummings will no longer lead the Delaware State University Police force. After a tumultuous winter for the Dover institution students protesting campus safety, decrying the handling of sexual assault cases, filling hours of town hall meetings with passionate testimony the former Wilmington police chief will soon vacate a position he filled roughly two years ago. Delaware State confirmed the chief "will be retiring from his position effective at the end of May. A university spokesperson told Delaware Online/The News Journal the move was voluntary. "On behalf of the entire university community, we express our deepest appreciation for Chief Cummings dedicated service as the Chief of Police," said Cleon Cauley, Delaware State's chief operating officer, in a statement Tuesday. "His commitment to maintaining a safe and secure campus has been invaluable, and his leadership has positively impacted our students, faculty and staff." Cummings was the fourth chief on campus since the departments establishment in 2000. Now, the university will be searching for its fifth while it continues to coordinate the ongoing response to student concerns. Who is Chief Bobby Cummings? After his time as the Wilmington Police chief, Bobby Cummings worked for the Department of Health and Social Services to lead a program that hoped to reduce gun violence in Wilmington's largest city. Cummings had over 30 years of law enforcement experience in Delawares largest city before moving to Dover. He oversaw both updated technology for the Wilmington department and further diversification of the force as its chief. The Georgia native also participated in President Barack Obamas 21st Century Policing initiative, according to Delaware State. The tenure wasnt without criticism though, as previously reported by Delaware Online. Crime persisted in Wilmington. And the former chief and his boss, Mayor Dennis P. Williams, oversaw the disbanding of the community policing unit in January 2016, opting instead to adopt a department-wide mentality of community policing. After stepping away from the Wilmington Police Department in 2017, he sought public office. A 2018 run for state Senate proved unsuccessful. Story continues By October 2021, Cummings became the chief of Public Safety and Delaware State University Police. The historically Black university would see its largest growth ever recorded by fall 2022, marking a 40% expansion in the last decade and the largest class in over 130 years. COO Cauley, to whom Cummings reported as chief of police, praised his leadership during this period. In addition to recent unrest reaching a fever pitch by late January, a September shooting also rocked campus under his watch. Students and parents expressed frustration at the lack of transparent communication in both incidents. Whats been happening at DSU? Delaware State University students took to their own Dover campus to protest Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 18, 2023. Over 200 students gathered in front of the public safety building, calling for change within the Delaware State University Police Department. Delaware State has been rolling out its response to explosive student protests and subsequent unrest. Hundreds of students filled a campus street Jan. 18 to protest concerns with security, as well as how their university handles cases of sexual assault on campus. Many students shared stories, with some saying they didnt feel safe walking home at night, and others claiming survivors are not taken seriously when reporting assaults. Town hall meetings, some closed to the public, followed as President Tony Allen crafted his university response just days later. A new Safe Space Coalition to assess safety protocol would join promises to upgrade campus lighting and cameras, update the blue lights system, garner body cameras for university police, as well as assess existing escort services and counseling hours. Pressure mounts: Delaware State drops campus safety coalition NDAs: 'We went too far' What's DSU's Safe Space project? What a $300K grant for Delaware State University aims to address after student protests A key fixture of that response recently came under fire after Delaware Online reported that the university was requiring any student or member of the coalition to sign confidentiality agreements first. Delaware State has since dropped the requirement, calling it a step too far. Allen says the coalition is tasked with monthly reporting to the university community. Dr. Tony Allen, President of Delaware State University, attends DSU's state budget hearing at Legislative Hall in Dover, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023. The coalition was awarded last month a $300,000 grant to assist in developing its sexual assault response and prevention program over two years. The "Safe Space Project will be housed at DSU Downtown, Delaware State announced March 6. The university also committed to continuing its funding after these two years. As Chief Cummings prepares to step away from the university, a timeline for his replacement remains unclear. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Delaware State University police chief to retire after unrest Canadian Zinc Co. (TSE:CZN Get Rating)s share price traded up 9.1% on Monday . The company traded as high as C$0.12 and last traded at C$0.12. 122,370 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 21% from the average session volume of 154,194 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.11. Canadian Zinc Price Performance The firm has a market capitalization of C$43.93 million and a price-to-earnings ratio of -3.24. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is C$0.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 867.15, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 0.67. Canadian Zinc Company Profile (Get Rating) Canadian Zinc Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration and development of natural resource properties in Canada. The company's principal project is the Prairie Creek mine, a zinc-lead-silver property located in the Northwest Territories. It also owns a mineral land package in central Newfoundland, which comprises lead, copper, silver, gold, and zinc deposits. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Canadian Zinc Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Canadian Zinc and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Catalyst Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK Get Rating) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 5,567 shares of the utilities providers stock, valued at approximately $573,000. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in DUK. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its holdings in Duke Energy by 541.8% during the second quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 7,566,436 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $811,198,000 after purchasing an additional 6,387,550 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its holdings in Duke Energy by 3.8% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 44,338,703 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $4,753,552,000 after purchasing an additional 1,623,646 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. boosted its holdings in Duke Energy by 2.1% during the third quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 54,910,595 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $5,107,783,000 after purchasing an additional 1,109,394 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Duke Energy by 1.5% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 70,549,902 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $6,562,551,000 after purchasing an additional 1,035,303 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Neuberger Berman Group LLC raised its position in Duke Energy by 41.9% in the third quarter. Neuberger Berman Group LLC now owns 2,875,520 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $267,696,000 after acquiring an additional 849,278 shares during the period. 63.22% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Duke Energy alerts: Duke Energy Price Performance NYSE:DUK traded up $2.38 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $98.61. 2,264,117 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,069,660. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $97.19 and its 200 day moving average price is $97.78. The company has a market cap of $75.99 billion, a PE ratio of 28.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.15 and a beta of 0.43. Duke Energy Co. has a 12-month low of $83.76 and a 12-month high of $116.33. The company has a quick ratio of 0.51, a current ratio of 0.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.34. Insider Activity at Duke Energy Duke Energy ( NYSE:DUK Get Rating ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 9th. The utilities provider reported $1.11 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.06 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $7.35 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.27 billion. Duke Energy had a net margin of 9.11% and a return on equity of 8.45%. Duke Energys revenue for the quarter was up 17.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.94 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect that Duke Energy Co. will post 5.63 EPS for the current fiscal year. In related news, SVP Louis E. Renjel sold 1,900 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $99.90, for a total transaction of $189,810.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 9,967 shares of the companys stock, valued at $995,703.30. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several brokerages have commented on DUK. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $105.00 to $99.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, March 21st. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $116.00 to $112.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, February 16th. Seaport Res Ptn raised shares of Duke Energy from a sell rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, March 17th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Duke Energy in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on shares of Duke Energy from $111.00 to $103.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 10th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Duke Energy presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $104.70. About Duke Energy (Get Rating) Duke Energy Corp. engages in the distribution of natural gas and energy related services. It operates through the following segments: Electric Utilities and Infrastructure, Gas Utilities & Infrastructure and Commercial Renewables. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure segment conducts operations in regulated electric utilities in the Carolinas, Florida and the Midwest. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DUK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Duke Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Duke Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust (NYSE:EVN Get Rating) declared a monthly dividend on Tuesday, April 4th, Wall Street Journal reports. Shareholders of record on Thursday, April 13th will be paid a dividend of 0.041 per share by the investment management company on Thursday, April 20th. This represents a $0.49 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.88%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 12th. Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust Stock Up 0.4 % EVN opened at $10.08 on Wednesday. Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust has a 12-month low of $9.34 and a 12-month high of $12.02. The firms fifty day moving average price is $10.22 and its 200 day moving average price is $10.05. Get Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust alerts: Institutional Trading of Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of EVN. HighTower Advisors LLC lifted its position in Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust by 14.2% in the 4th quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 14,193 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $139,000 after purchasing an additional 1,769 shares during the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust by 3.3% in the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 111,996 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $1,326,000 after buying an additional 3,554 shares in the last quarter. Nomura Holdings Inc. bought a new stake in Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust during the 2nd quarter valued at $109,000. Captrust Financial Advisors acquired a new position in Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust during the 2nd quarter worth $118,000. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new position in shares of Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust in the first quarter worth $136,000. About Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. Its investment objective is to provide current income exempt from regular federal income tax. The company was founded on January 29, 1999 and is headquartered in Boston, MA. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Flexible Solutions International (NYSE:FSI Get Rating) in a report issued on Sunday. The firm issued a hold rating on the stock. Flexible Solutions International Trading Down 0.9 % Flexible Solutions International stock opened at $3.18 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14, a quick ratio of 1.28 and a current ratio of 2.58. The firm has a market cap of $39.40 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.94 and a beta of 1.75. Flexible Solutions International has a 1 year low of $1.51 and a 1 year high of $4.05. The firms 50 day moving average price is $3.09 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $2.95. Get Flexible Solutions International alerts: Flexible Solutions International Company Profile (Get Rating) Featured Articles Flexible Solutions International, Inc is an environmental technology company engaged in the research, development, and manufacture of products that save water and energy. It operates through the following segments: Energy and Water Conservation Products and Biodegradable Polymers. The Energy and Water Conservation Products segment consists of a liquid swimming pool blanket which saves energy and water by inhibiting evaporation from the pool surface, and a food-safe powdered form of the active ingredient within the liquid blanket. Receive News & Ratings for Flexible Solutions International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Flexible Solutions International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. UniFirst Co. (NYSE:UNF Get Rating) Stock analysts at William Blair dropped their FY2023 earnings per share estimates for shares of UniFirst in a research note issued on Thursday, March 30th. William Blair analyst T. Mulrooney now forecasts that the textile maker will post earnings of $6.97 per share for the year, down from their previous estimate of $7.60. The consensus estimate for UniFirsts current full-year earnings is $6.97 per share. William Blair also issued estimates for UniFirsts FY2024 earnings at $7.71 EPS. Get UniFirst alerts: UniFirst (NYSE:UNF Get Rating) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, March 29th. The textile maker reported $0.95 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.35 by ($0.40). UniFirst had a return on equity of 6.56% and a net margin of 4.88%. The business had revenue of $542.70 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $531.68 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.24 EPS. UniFirsts quarterly revenue was up 11.5% on a year-over-year basis. UniFirst Trading Down 1.6 % Several other research firms have also recently weighed in on UNF. StockNews.com cut shares of UniFirst from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, March 30th. Robert W. Baird reduced their target price on UniFirst from $225.00 to $203.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, March 30th. UniFirst stock opened at $169.65 on Monday. UniFirst has a 12 month low of $154.72 and a 12 month high of $205.59. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $193.86 and its 200 day simple moving average is $187.53. The company has a market cap of $3.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.96 and a beta of 0.91. UniFirst Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 30th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 9th were paid a dividend of $0.31 per share. This represents a $1.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.73%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, March 8th. UniFirsts dividend payout ratio is presently 22.63%. Insider Transactions at UniFirst In related news, EVP William Masters Ross sold 1,231 shares of UniFirst stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $200.00, for a total transaction of $246,200.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 4,335 shares in the company, valued at approximately $867,000. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other news, EVP William Masters Ross sold 1,231 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $200.00, for a total value of $246,200.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 4,335 shares in the company, valued at approximately $867,000. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, major shareholder Matthew Croatti sold 7,724 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $205.03, for a total transaction of $1,583,651.72. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 11,266 shares in the company, valued at $2,309,867.98. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 9,049 shares of company stock worth $1,846,059 in the last 90 days. 1.20% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On UniFirst Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNF. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund increased its stake in UniFirst by 1.7% during the 3rd quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 5,013 shares of the textile makers stock valued at $843,000 after purchasing an additional 82 shares in the last quarter. PDT Partners LLC purchased a new stake in UniFirst during the third quarter worth $221,000. Truist Financial Corp boosted its holdings in UniFirst by 11.9% during the third quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 12,065 shares of the textile makers stock worth $2,030,000 after buying an additional 1,287 shares in the last quarter. Wipfli Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new position in UniFirst during the third quarter valued at $52,000. Finally, Bessemer Group Inc. lifted its holdings in UniFirst by 45.0% during the third quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 28,196 shares of the textile makers stock valued at $4,744,000 after purchasing an additional 8,753 shares in the last quarter. 77.73% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. UniFirst Company Profile (Get Rating) UniFirst Corp. engages in the provision of workplace uniforms and protective work wear clothing. It operates through following segments: the United States and Canadian Rental and Cleaning, Manufacturing (MFG), Specialty Garments, First Aid, and Corporate. The U.S. and Canadian Rental and Cleaning segment purchases, rents, cleans, delivers, and sells uniforms, protective clothing, and non-garment items. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for UniFirst Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for UniFirst and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Blackhawk Bancorp (OTCMKTS:BHWB Get Rating) and Frederick County Bancorp (MD) (OTCMKTS:FCBI Get Rating) are both small-cap finance companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, analyst recommendations, valuation, profitability, earnings, institutional ownership and dividends. Volatility & Risk Blackhawk Bancorp has a beta of 0.35, meaning that its share price is 65% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Frederick County Bancorp (MD) has a beta of 0.34, meaning that its share price is 66% less volatile than the S&P 500. Get Blackhawk Bancorp alerts: Dividends Blackhawk Bancorp pays an annual dividend of $0.48 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.7%. Frederick County Bancorp (MD) pays an annual dividend of $0.32 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.9%. Blackhawk Bancorp pays out 10.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Profitability Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Blackhawk Bancorp 21.60% N/A N/A Frederick County Bancorp (MD) 11.41% N/A N/A Valuation & Earnings This table compares Blackhawk Bancorp and Frederick County Bancorp (MD)s net margins, return on equity and return on assets. This table compares Blackhawk Bancorp and Frederick County Bancorp (MD)s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Blackhawk Bancorp $63.13 million 1.33 $13.64 million $4.75 6.09 Frederick County Bancorp (MD) $18.62 million 3.11 $2.96 million N/A N/A Blackhawk Bancorp has higher revenue and earnings than Frederick County Bancorp (MD). Analyst Recommendations This is a breakdown of recent ratings and recommmendations for Blackhawk Bancorp and Frederick County Bancorp (MD), as reported by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Blackhawk Bancorp 0 0 0 0 N/A Frederick County Bancorp (MD) 0 0 0 0 N/A Summary Blackhawk Bancorp beats Frederick County Bancorp (MD) on 5 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks. About Blackhawk Bancorp (Get Rating) Blackhawk Bancorp, Inc. is a bank holding company for Blackhawk Bank, which engages in the provision of banking and related financial services. It offers a value-added consultative services to small businesses and their employees related to the financial products. The company was founded in November 1989 and is headquartered in Beloit, WI. About Frederick County Bancorp (MD) (Get Rating) Frederick County Bancorp, Inc. operates as the holding company for Frederick County Bank that provides various banking services to individuals and commercial enterprises in the Frederick County, Maryland. It offers deposit products, including personal checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, individual retirement accounts, and health savings accounts; and business checking accounts, savings and money market accounts, and certificates of deposits. The company provides home equity, home equity fixed rate, mortgage, installment, vehicle, and unsecured loans, as well as home equity line of credit and lines of credit; and commercial loans, such as term loans, lines of credit, letters of credit, and real estate finance. It also offers cash management services comprising automated clearing house, wire origination, remote deposit capture, and zero balance account services. In addition, the company provides mobile deposit capture, overdraft protection, debit and credit card, automated teller machine, and night depository services; and business courier and merchant processing services, as well as online banking and bill pay services. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Frederick, Maryland. Receive News & Ratings for Blackhawk Bancorp Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Blackhawk Bancorp and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Johnson Midwest Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of Cummins Inc. (NYSE:CMI Get Rating) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 449 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $109,000. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in CMI. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its holdings in shares of Cummins by 39.5% during the 3rd quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 5,240,383 shares of the companys stock worth $1,067,213,000 after purchasing an additional 1,484,171 shares during the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP boosted its holdings in shares of Cummins by 48.8% during the 3rd quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 2,033,702 shares of the companys stock worth $413,878,000 after purchasing an additional 666,567 shares during the last quarter. Neuberger Berman Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Cummins by 69.6% during the 3rd quarter. Neuberger Berman Group LLC now owns 1,221,941 shares of the companys stock worth $248,698,000 after purchasing an additional 501,499 shares during the last quarter. Castleview Partners LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Cummins by 18,796.4% during the 2nd quarter. Castleview Partners LLC now owns 432,539 shares of the companys stock worth $2,235,000 after purchasing an additional 430,250 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Cummins by 1.7% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 13,203,832 shares of the companys stock worth $2,687,113,000 after purchasing an additional 226,774 shares during the last quarter. 80.94% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Cummins alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes CMI has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price objective on Cummins from $235.00 to $231.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, February 7th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Cummins in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Credit Suisse Group upped their price objective on Cummins from $287.00 to $291.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, February 7th. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on Cummins from $264.00 to $262.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 20th. Finally, UBS Group upped their price objective on Cummins from $247.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, February 16th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Cummins has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $254.75. Cummins Trading Down 2.2 % NYSE:CMI traded down $5.18 on Wednesday, reaching $226.72. 142,254 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,028,644. The firm has a market capitalization of $32.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.39 and a beta of 1.00. Cummins Inc. has a 52-week low of $184.27 and a 52-week high of $261.91. The company has a quick ratio of 0.77, a current ratio of 1.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45. The business has a fifty day moving average of $244.12 and a 200-day moving average of $238.80. Cummins (NYSE:CMI Get Rating) last announced its earnings results on Monday, February 6th. The company reported $4.52 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $4.52. The firm had revenue of $7.77 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.21 billion. Cummins had a net margin of 7.66% and a return on equity of 24.58%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.85 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 32.8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts expect that Cummins Inc. will post 18.95 earnings per share for the current year. Cummins Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 9th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 24th were paid a $1.57 dividend. This represents a $6.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.77%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 23rd. Cumminss payout ratio is currently 41.56%. Insider Buying and Selling In other news, VP Sharon R. Barner sold 5,929 shares of Cummins stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $257.13, for a total value of $1,524,523.77. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 16,144 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,151,106.72. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In related news, VP Sharon R. Barner sold 5,929 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $257.13, for a total value of $1,524,523.77. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 16,144 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,151,106.72. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Georgia R. Nelson sold 1,933 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $251.64, for a total transaction of $486,420.12. Following the transaction, the director now owns 21,742 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,471,156.88. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 16,709 shares of company stock valued at $4,245,545 in the last three months. 1.05% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. About Cummins (Get Rating) Cummins, Inc engages in the design, manufacture, and market of diesel and natural gas engines. It operates through the following segments: Engine, Distribution, Components, Power Systems, and New Power. The Engine segment manufactures and markets diesel and natural gas-powered engines under the Cummins brand name, for the heavy- and medium-duty truck, bus, recreational vehicle, light-duty automotive, construction, mining, marine, rail, oil and gas, defense, and agricultural markets. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CMI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Cummins Inc. (NYSE:CMI Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Cummins Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cummins and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Johnson Midwest Financial LLC boosted its stake in Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM Get Rating) by 66.7% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 390 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 156 shares during the period. Johnson Midwest Financial LLCs holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $39,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of PM. Mark Sheptoff Financial Planning LLC purchased a new position in Philip Morris International in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. My Personal CFO LLC acquired a new position in Philip Morris International during the 4th quarter worth $31,000. Asset Dedication LLC purchased a new stake in Philip Morris International during the 3rd quarter worth about $36,000. EdgeRock Capital LLC purchased a new stake in Philip Morris International during the 3rd quarter worth about $39,000. Finally, Northwest Investment Counselors LLC raised its position in Philip Morris International by 300.0% in the 4th quarter. Northwest Investment Counselors LLC now owns 400 shares of the companys stock valued at $40,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares in the last quarter. 75.85% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Philip Morris International alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of analysts recently weighed in on the stock. UBS Group upgraded shares of Philip Morris International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their target price for the stock from $106.00 to $116.00 in a research note on Wednesday, March 1st. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded shares of Philip Morris International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their price objective for the company from $95.00 to $120.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 25th. Societe Generale began coverage on shares of Philip Morris International in a research report on Monday, January 23rd. They set a sell rating and a $90.00 price objective for the company. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Philip Morris International in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Finally, Citigroup reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a $109.00 price target on shares of Philip Morris International in a report on Tuesday, December 13th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $110.36. Philip Morris International Trading Up 0.3 % Shares of Philip Morris International stock traded up $0.28 on Wednesday, hitting $97.82. The stock had a trading volume of 341,511 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,587,383. The stock has a market cap of $151.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.79, a P/E/G ratio of 3.09 and a beta of 0.68. Philip Morris International Inc. has a 52-week low of $82.85 and a 52-week high of $109.81. The companys 50 day moving average price is $99.07 and its 200 day moving average price is $96.71. Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 9th. The company reported $1.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.29 by $0.10. The firm had revenue of $8.15 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.54 billion. Philip Morris International had a negative return on equity of 127.24% and a net margin of 11.22%. The firms quarterly revenue was up .6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.35 EPS. Analysts predict that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.31 EPS for the current fiscal year. Philip Morris International Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 11th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 23rd will be paid a dividend of $1.27 per share. This represents a $5.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.19%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 22nd. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio is presently 87.44%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, Chairman Andre Calantzopoulos sold 80,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $100.35, for a total value of $8,028,000.00. Following the transaction, the chairman now owns 1,007,048 shares of the companys stock, valued at $101,057,266.80. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other Philip Morris International news, insider Stacey Kennedy sold 20,308 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $100.30, for a total transaction of $2,036,892.40. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 22,418 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,248,525.40. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Chairman Andre Calantzopoulos sold 80,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $100.35, for a total value of $8,028,000.00. Following the transaction, the chairman now directly owns 1,007,048 shares of the companys stock, valued at $101,057,266.80. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 117,064 shares of company stock valued at $11,738,763. 0.13% of the stock is owned by company insiders. About Philip Morris International (Get Rating) Philip Morris International, Inc is a holding company engaged in the manufacturing and sale of cigarettes, tobacco, and nicotine-containing products. Its products include cigarettes and reduced-risk products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products. The firm operates through the following geographical segments: European Union, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, South and Southeast Asia, East Asia and Australia, and Americas. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Philip Morris International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Philip Morris International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Morgan Stanley India Investment Fund, Inc. (NYSE:IIF Get Rating)s stock price shot up 0.4% during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $19.53 and last traded at $19.53. 3,893 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 90% from the average session volume of 37,963 shares. The stock had previously closed at $19.46. Morgan Stanley India Investment Fund Stock Performance The companys 50 day moving average is $19.80 and its 200 day moving average is $21.85. Get Morgan Stanley India Investment Fund alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On Morgan Stanley India Investment Fund Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of IIF. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Morgan Stanley India Investment Fund during the 4th quarter worth about $137,000. Barclays PLC acquired a new stake in shares of Morgan Stanley India Investment Fund during the 4th quarter worth about $98,000. Almitas Capital LLC increased its position in shares of Morgan Stanley India Investment Fund by 129.5% during the 4th quarter. Almitas Capital LLC now owns 92,137 shares of the companys stock worth $1,870,000 after purchasing an additional 51,991 shares in the last quarter. CSS LLC IL increased its position in shares of Morgan Stanley India Investment Fund by 117.3% during the 4th quarter. CSS LLC IL now owns 65,746 shares of the companys stock worth $1,335,000 after purchasing an additional 35,484 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Atlas Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Morgan Stanley India Investment Fund during the 4th quarter worth about $887,000. Institutional investors own 44.75% of the companys stock. Morgan Stanley India Investment Fund Company Profile Morgan Stanley India Investment Fund, Inc is a closed ended equity mutual fund launched and managed by Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc The fund is co-managed by Morgan Stanley Investment Management Company. It invests in the public equity markets of India. The fund invests in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Morgan Stanley India Investment Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Morgan Stanley India Investment Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM Get Rating) by 13.4% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 4,711 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 558 shares during the period. Eagle Bay Advisors LLCs holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $477,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in PM. Fairfield Bush & CO. lifted its position in shares of Philip Morris International by 1.1% during the first quarter. Fairfield Bush & CO. now owns 26,141 shares of the companys stock worth $2,456,000 after purchasing an additional 281 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. lifted its holdings in Philip Morris International by 35.6% in the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 4,939 shares of the companys stock worth $463,000 after acquiring an additional 1,296 shares during the last quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P lifted its holdings in Philip Morris International by 24.7% in the first quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 3,065 shares of the companys stock worth $288,000 after acquiring an additional 608 shares during the last quarter. Covestor Ltd lifted its holdings in Philip Morris International by 54.9% in the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 525 shares of the companys stock worth $49,000 after acquiring an additional 186 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mather Group LLC. lifted its holdings in Philip Morris International by 14.7% in the first quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 8,987 shares of the companys stock worth $844,000 after acquiring an additional 1,154 shares during the last quarter. 75.85% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Philip Morris International alerts: Philip Morris International Stock Performance Shares of NYSE PM traded up $0.87 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $98.41. The company had a trading volume of 819,822 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,593,810. The company has a market cap of $152.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.79, a PEG ratio of 3.09 and a beta of 0.68. Philip Morris International Inc. has a 52 week low of $82.85 and a 52 week high of $109.81. The businesss 50-day moving average is $99.07 and its 200 day moving average is $96.71. Philip Morris International Announces Dividend Philip Morris International ( NYSE:PM Get Rating ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 9th. The company reported $1.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.29 by $0.10. The company had revenue of $8.15 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.54 billion. Philip Morris International had a negative return on equity of 127.24% and a net margin of 11.22%. The firms revenue was up .6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.35 earnings per share. On average, research analysts expect that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.31 EPS for the current year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 11th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 23rd will be issued a $1.27 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 22nd. This represents a $5.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.16%. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio is currently 87.44%. Insider Buying and Selling at Philip Morris International In other Philip Morris International news, insider Werner Barth sold 8,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.35, for a total value of $786,800.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 87,321 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,588,020.35. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other Philip Morris International news, Chairman Andre Calantzopoulos sold 80,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $100.35, for a total transaction of $8,028,000.00. Following the sale, the chairman now directly owns 1,007,048 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $101,057,266.80. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Werner Barth sold 8,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.35, for a total transaction of $786,800.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 87,321 shares in the company, valued at $8,588,020.35. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 117,064 shares of company stock valued at $11,738,763. Corporate insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities analysts have issued reports on PM shares. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on shares of Philip Morris International from $109.00 to $118.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, February 2nd. The Goldman Sachs Group raised Philip Morris International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the company from $95.00 to $120.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 25th. Citigroup reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a $109.00 price target on shares of Philip Morris International in a report on Tuesday, December 13th. Societe Generale started coverage on shares of Philip Morris International in a research note on Monday, January 23rd. They set a sell rating and a $90.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, UBS Group upgraded shares of Philip Morris International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their price objective for the company from $106.00 to $116.00 in a research note on Wednesday, March 1st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $110.36. Philip Morris International Company Profile (Get Rating) Philip Morris International, Inc is a holding company engaged in the manufacturing and sale of cigarettes, tobacco, and nicotine-containing products. Its products include cigarettes and reduced-risk products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products. The firm operates through the following geographical segments: European Union, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, South and Southeast Asia, East Asia and Australia, and Americas. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Philip Morris International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Philip Morris International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. AP Finance CNN fired longtime host Don Lemon on Monday following his short and disastrous run as a morning show host, a little over two months after he apologized for on-air comments about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley being past her prime. While CNN chairman and CEO Chris Licht announced, after Lemon had co-hosted the show Monday, that they had parted ways, Lemon characterized it as a firing and said it was surprise to him. After 17 years at CNN I would have thought someone in management would have the decency to tell me directly, Lemon said. Pipestone Energy Corp. (OTCMKTS:BKBEF Get Rating) saw a significant growth in short interest in March. As of March 15th, there was short interest totalling 1,683,700 shares, a growth of 5.3% from the February 28th total of 1,598,400 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 34,200 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 49.2 days. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Separately, National Bank Financial decreased their price target on shares of Pipestone Energy from C$4.50 to C$4.00 in a research note on Wednesday, January 11th. Get Pipestone Energy alerts: Pipestone Energy Trading Down 0.9 % BKBEF stock opened at $2.18 on Wednesday. Pipestone Energy has a 1-year low of $1.80 and a 1-year high of $5.34. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $2.11 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $2.42. Pipestone Energy Dividend Announcement Pipestone Energy Company Profile The firm also recently announced a dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 15th were issued a $0.0223 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, March 14th. This represents a dividend yield of 4.07%. (Get Rating) Pipestone Energy Corp. is an oil and gas exploration and production company, which focuses on developing its condensate assets in the Pipestone area of Alberta. The company was founded on January 4, 2019 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Pipestone Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pipestone Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. SevenBridge Financial Group LLC lessened its position in shares of PPL Co. (NYSE:PPL Get Rating) by 8.4% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 53,115 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 4,877 shares during the period. SevenBridge Financial Group LLCs holdings in PPL were worth $1,552,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. CI Investments Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of PPL by 989.9% in the 3rd quarter. CI Investments Inc. now owns 970 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 881 shares in the last quarter. MinichMacGregor Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of PPL in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Worth Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of PPL in the 1st quarter valued at $27,000. Gradient Investments LLC boosted its holdings in shares of PPL by 56.3% in the 3rd quarter. Gradient Investments LLC now owns 1,238 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 446 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Allworth Financial LP boosted its holdings in shares of PPL by 70.6% in the 3rd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 1,344 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 556 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.02% of the companys stock. Get PPL alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research analysts have recently issued reports on PPL shares. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on shares of PPL from $31.00 to $29.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, March 21st. Mizuho lowered their target price on shares of PPL from $32.00 to $28.00 in a report on Monday, March 20th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of PPL to $34.00 in a research note on Wednesday, December 14th. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of PPL in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating for the company. Finally, TheStreet cut shares of PPL from a b rating to a c+ rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 21st. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $30.63. PPL Stock Performance PPL stock traded up $0.25 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $27.80. 168,283 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,697,488. The stock has a market cap of $20.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.75 and a beta of 0.77. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.75. PPL Co. has a 52-week low of $23.47 and a 52-week high of $31.74. The firms 50 day moving average is $27.83 and its 200 day moving average is $27.94. PPL (NYSE:PPL Get Rating) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 17th. The utilities provider reported $0.28 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $0.28. The company had revenue of $2.29 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.62 billion. PPL had a net margin of 9.57% and a return on equity of 7.50%. PPLs quarterly revenue was up 54.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.22 EPS. Analysts predict that PPL Co. will post 1.59 EPS for the current fiscal year. PPL Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, April 3rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 10th were given a dividend of $0.24 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 9th. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.45%. This is an increase from PPLs previous quarterly dividend of $0.23. PPLs dividend payout ratio is presently 93.20%. About PPL (Get Rating) PPL Corp. engages in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. It operates through the two reportable segments: Kentucky Regulated & Pennsylvania Regulated. The Kentucky Regulated segment consists of LKEs regulated electricity generation, transmission and distribution operations of Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company as well as regulated distribution and sale of natural gas of Louisville Gas and Electric Company. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for PPL Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for PPL and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Premier Oil plc (OTCMKTS:PMOIY Get Rating) shares hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $3.67 and last traded at $3.62, with a volume of 2006 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $3.77. Premier Oil Stock Performance The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $3.54 and a 200-day simple moving average of $4.09. The stock has a market cap of $3.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.18 and a beta of 2.77. About Premier Oil (Get Rating) Premier Oil plc, an oil and gas company, engages in the exploration, production, and development of oil and gas properties in the Falkland Islands, Indonesia, Vietnam, the United Kingdom, and internationally. As of December 31, 2019, its proved and probable reserves (2P) were 175 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe); and 2P and estimated contingent resources were 847 mmboe. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Premier Oil Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Premier Oil and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PROG Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:PRG Get Rating) traded down 4.8% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $22.92 and last traded at $23.06. 24,545 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 95% from the average session volume of 514,026 shares. The stock had previously closed at $24.22. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Separately, TheStreet raised shares of PROG from a d+ rating to a c- rating in a research note on Friday, January 13th. Get PROG alerts: PROG Price Performance The companys 50 day simple moving average is $23.60 and its 200-day simple moving average is $19.63. The company has a current ratio of 3.37, a quick ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.04. The company has a market capitalization of $1.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.68 and a beta of 2.11. Institutional Inflows and Outflows PROG ( NYSE:PRG Get Rating ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 22nd. The company reported $0.84 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.58 by $0.26. PROG had a return on equity of 23.28% and a net margin of 3.80%. The company had revenue of $612.10 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $600.47 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.67 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 5.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts predict that PROG Holdings, Inc. will post 2.4 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in PRG. Lazard Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of PROG in the 4th quarter valued at about $30,000. Quadrant Capital Group LLC grew its stake in PROG by 68.1% during the third quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 2,341 shares of the companys stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 948 shares during the period. Castleview Partners LLC increased its position in shares of PROG by 4,101.5% in the second quarter. Castleview Partners LLC now owns 2,731 shares of the companys stock worth $318,000 after acquiring an additional 2,666 shares in the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC raised its stake in shares of PROG by 83.0% in the 3rd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 3,836 shares of the companys stock valued at $57,000 after acquiring an additional 1,740 shares during the period. Finally, Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank raised its stake in shares of PROG by 20.3% in the 4th quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 7,290 shares of the companys stock valued at $123,000 after acquiring an additional 1,232 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 98.81% of the companys stock. PROG Company Profile (Get Rating) PROG Holdings, Inc (NYSE:PRG) is a financial technology holding company based in Salt Lake City, Utah with three business segments: Progressive Leasing, which offers lease-to-own transactions primarily to credit-challenged consumers through e-commerce and point-of-sale retail partners, via online, mobile, and in-store solutions; Vive Financial, which provides consumers who may not qualify for traditional prime lending with a variety of second-look, revolving credit products through private label and branded credit cards; and Four Technologies, which provides consumers of all credit backgrounds Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options through four interest-free installments via its platform, Four. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for PROG Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for PROG and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rogers Communications (NYSE:RCI Get Rating) (TSE:RCI.B) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Desjardins from a buy rating to a hold rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports. A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on RCI. TheStreet upgraded Rogers Communications from a c rating to a b rating in a research note on Monday, February 6th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Rogers Communications in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating for the company. CIBC increased their price target on shares of Rogers Communications from C$69.00 to C$72.00 in a report on Thursday, January 12th. UBS Group raised shares of Rogers Communications from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, February 6th. Finally, TD Securities upped their price objective on shares of Rogers Communications from C$76.00 to C$78.00 in a report on Friday, February 3rd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $74.31. Get Rogers Communications alerts: Rogers Communications Stock Up 3.0 % NYSE:RCI opened at $47.13 on Monday. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $47.25 and its 200-day simple moving average is $44.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.96, a quick ratio of 1.97 and a current ratio of 2.02. Rogers Communications has a fifty-two week low of $36.23 and a fifty-two week high of $64.55. The stock has a market capitalization of $23.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.93, a P/E/G ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 0.51. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Rogers Communications Rogers Communications ( NYSE:RCI Get Rating ) (TSE:RCI.B) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 2nd. The Wireless communications provider reported $0.80 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $3.07 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.08 billion. Rogers Communications had a net margin of 10.90% and a return on equity of 18.14%. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Rogers Communications will post 3.21 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Rogers Communications during the first quarter worth approximately $1,219,000. American Century Companies Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Rogers Communications by 29.8% during the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 28,915 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $1,637,000 after buying an additional 6,634 shares in the last quarter. US Bancorp DE grew its holdings in shares of Rogers Communications by 3.0% during the first quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 7,289 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $413,000 after buying an additional 213 shares in the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Rogers Communications in the first quarter valued at about $237,000. Finally, BlackRock Inc. boosted its position in Rogers Communications by 16.1% during the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 3,281,771 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $186,241,000 after acquiring an additional 455,522 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 45.46% of the companys stock. Rogers Communications Company Profile (Get Rating) Rogers Communications Inc operates as a communications and media company in Canada. It operates through three segments: Wireless, Cable, and Media. The company offers mobile Internet access, wireless voice and enhanced voice, device and accessory financing, wireless home phone, device protection, e-mail, global voice and data roaming, bridging landline, machine-to-machine and Internet of Things solutions, and advanced wireless solutions for businesses, as well as device delivery services; and postpaid and prepaid services under the Rogers, Fido, and chatr brands to approximately 11.3 million subscribers. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Rogers Communications Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Rogers Communications and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cheniere Energy Partners (NYSEAMERICAN:CQP Get Rating) had its price objective decreased by stock analysts at Royal Bank of Canada from $56.00 to $48.00 in a research report issued on Monday, The Fly reports. The brokerage currently has a sector perform rating on the energy companys stock. Royal Bank of Canadas price target points to a potential upside of 1.42% from the companys previous close. A number of other analysts have also recently weighed in on the stock. Citigroup decreased their target price on shares of Cheniere Energy Partners from $47.00 to $44.00 and set a sell rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 9th. TheStreet raised shares of Cheniere Energy Partners from a c rating to a b- rating in a research note on Friday, March 3rd. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Cheniere Energy Partners presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $51.43. Get Cheniere Energy Partners alerts: Cheniere Energy Partners Price Performance Shares of NYSEAMERICAN CQP opened at $47.33 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of $22.91 billion, a PE ratio of -112.69 and a beta of 0.85. Cheniere Energy Partners has a fifty-two week low of $40.20 and a fifty-two week high of $62.08. Insider Transactions at Cheniere Energy Partners Cheniere Energy Partners ( NYSEAMERICAN:CQP Get Rating ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 23rd. The energy company reported $1.87 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.72 by $0.15. Cheniere Energy Partners had a negative return on equity of 108.35% and a net margin of 3.13%. The company had revenue of $4.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.37 billion. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Cheniere Energy Partners will post 5.23 EPS for the current fiscal year. In related news, major shareholder Holdings L.P. Blackstone III acquired 27,082 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 29th. The shares were bought at an average price of $47.11 per share, with a total value of $1,275,833.02. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 18,535 shares of the companys stock, valued at $873,183.85. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, major shareholder Cqp Rockies Platform Llc acquired 53,413 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, March 27th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $45.73 per share, for a total transaction of $2,442,576.49. Following the purchase, the insider now owns 36,557 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,671,751.61. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, major shareholder Holdings L.P. Blackstone III acquired 27,082 shares of Cheniere Energy Partners stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 29th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $47.11 per share, with a total value of $1,275,833.02. Following the completion of the purchase, the insider now directly owns 18,535 shares in the company, valued at approximately $873,183.85. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Cheniere Energy Partners Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Cheniere Energy Partners by 132.4% during the first quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 12,745 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $718,000 after buying an additional 7,262 shares during the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Cheniere Energy Partners by 8.2% during the first quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 17,041 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $960,000 after buying an additional 1,287 shares during the last quarter. Equitable Holdings Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Cheniere Energy Partners during the first quarter valued at approximately $267,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Cheniere Energy Partners during the first quarter valued at approximately $217,000. Finally, Clearbridge Investments LLC grew its holdings in shares of Cheniere Energy Partners by 24.1% during the first quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 949,727 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $53,527,000 after buying an additional 184,500 shares during the last quarter. 46.45% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Cheniere Energy Partners Company Profile (Get Rating) Cheniere Energy Partners LP engages in the operations of liquefied natural gas. The company was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Houston, TX. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Cheniere Energy Partners Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cheniere Energy Partners and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Santori & Peters Inc. lifted its position in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (NYSEARCA:EFA Get Rating) by 0.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 53,241 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after acquiring an additional 170 shares during the quarter. iShares MSCI EAFE ETF accounts for 2.0% of Santori & Peters Inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 10th largest position. Santori & Peters Inc.s holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF were worth $3,495,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Jane Street Group LLC increased its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF by 102.6% in the 2nd quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 7,805,067 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $487,739,000 after buying an additional 3,952,102 shares during the period. Board of Trustees of The Leland Stanford Junior University increased its position in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF by 55.4% during the 3rd quarter. Board of Trustees of The Leland Stanford Junior University now owns 8,785,451 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $492,073,000 after purchasing an additional 3,132,027 shares during the period. CFS Investment Advisory Services LLC increased its position in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF by 6,542.8% during the 3rd quarter. CFS Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 2,804,140 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $735,000 after purchasing an additional 2,761,927 shares during the period. Toronto Dominion Bank increased its position in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF by 2,717.6% during the 3rd quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 2,358,345 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $132,064,000 after purchasing an additional 2,274,645 shares during the period. Finally, Nisa Investment Advisors LLC increased its position in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF by 361.6% during the 3rd quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,214,925 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $124,058,000 after purchasing an additional 1,735,125 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.78% of the companys stock. Get iShares MSCI EAFE ETF alerts: iShares MSCI EAFE ETF Trading Down 0.9 % NYSEARCA EFA traded down $0.62 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $71.48. 7,669,973 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 20,926,586. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $70.24 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $65.79. iShares MSCI EAFE ETF has a 12-month low of $54.61 and a 12-month high of $73.22. iShares MSCI EAFE ETF Company Profile iShares MSCI EAFE ETF, formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Index Fund (the Fund), is an exchange-traded fund. The Funds investment objective is to seek investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance of its underlying index, MSCI EAFE Index (the Index). The Index has been developed by MSCI Inc as an equity benchmark for its international stock performance. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EFA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (NYSEARCA:EFA Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. AMF Tjanstepension AB boosted its position in shares of Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE Get Rating) by 791.5% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,356,502 shares of the utilities providers stock after acquiring an additional 1,204,338 shares during the period. Sempra Energy accounts for about 2.4% of AMF Tjanstepension ABs holdings, making the stock its 9th biggest position. AMF Tjanstepension ABs holdings in Sempra Energy were worth $209,740,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in Sempra Energy by 2.3% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 28,199,642 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $4,228,254,000 after buying an additional 625,052 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Sempra Energy by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 18,800,250 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $2,825,114,000 after acquiring an additional 305,700 shares during the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc lifted its holdings in shares of Sempra Energy by 7.9% in the 2nd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 4,150,969 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $623,058,000 after acquiring an additional 303,061 shares during the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Sempra Energy by 0.7% in the 1st quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 3,795,347 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $638,074,000 after acquiring an additional 24,679 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Sempra Energy by 2.8% in the 3rd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 2,935,160 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $440,097,000 after acquiring an additional 80,852 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.75% of the companys stock. Get Sempra Energy alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on SRE shares. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price objective on shares of Sempra Energy from $169.00 to $166.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, March 1st. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on shares of Sempra Energy from $180.00 to $174.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, March 1st. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Sempra Energy in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating for the company. Bank of America lowered their price target on shares of Sempra Energy from $173.00 to $165.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, March 28th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on shares of Sempra Energy from $158.00 to $150.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, March 21st. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $168.45. Sempra Energy Trading Up 2.2 % NYSE SRE traded up $3.34 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $153.60. The company had a trading volume of 189,644 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,339,557. The company has a current ratio of 0.60, a quick ratio of 0.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87. Sempra Energy has a one year low of $136.54 and a one year high of $176.47. The company has a market cap of $48.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.11 and a beta of 0.73. The companys fifty day moving average is $152.15 and its 200-day moving average is $154.65. Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE Get Rating) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 28th. The utilities provider reported $2.35 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.06 by $0.29. Sempra Energy had a net margin of 14.74% and a return on equity of 10.53%. The business had revenue of $3.46 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.79 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.16 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 10.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Sempra Energy will post 8.95 earnings per share for the current year. Sempra Energy Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Saturday, April 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 22nd will be given a $1.19 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 21st. This is an increase from Sempra Energys previous quarterly dividend of $1.15. This represents a $4.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.10%. Sempra Energys dividend payout ratio is currently 71.90%. Insider Transactions at Sempra Energy In other news, CEO Jeffrey W. Martin sold 19,260 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $146.09, for a total value of $2,813,693.40. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $146.09. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In other news, CEO Jeffrey W. Martin sold 15,964 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $161.92, for a total value of $2,584,890.88. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 19,261 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,118,741.12. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CEO Jeffrey W. Martin sold 19,260 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $146.09, for a total transaction of $2,813,693.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1 shares in the company, valued at $146.09. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 52,504 shares of company stock valued at $8,045,547 in the last three months. 0.14% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Sempra Energy Company Profile (Get Rating) Sempra Energy is an energy-service holding company, which engages in the development and operation of energy infrastructure, and provision of electric and gas services. It operates through the following segments: San Diego Gas and Electric Company (SDG&E), Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), Sempra Texas Utilities, Sempra Mexico, and Sempra LNG. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SRE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Sempra Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sempra Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Accel Wealth Management increased its stake in shares of The Gabelli Equity Trust Inc. (NYSE:GAB Get Rating) by 5.9% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 314,345 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 17,609 shares during the period. Accel Wealth Management owned 0.12% of The Gabelli Equity Trust worth $1,723,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of GAB. International Assets Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of The Gabelli Equity Trust during the 1st quarter worth $5,109,000. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its position in The Gabelli Equity Trust by 18.2% during the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 1,799,025 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $12,467,000 after purchasing an additional 276,858 shares during the period. Atria Wealth Solutions Inc. purchased a new stake in The Gabelli Equity Trust during the 1st quarter worth $1,482,000. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC boosted its position in The Gabelli Equity Trust by 5.4% during the 3rd quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 1,575,429 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $8,664,000 after purchasing an additional 80,598 shares during the period. Finally, Larson Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in The Gabelli Equity Trust during the 3rd quarter worth $430,000. 7.58% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get The Gabelli Equity Trust alerts: The Gabelli Equity Trust Stock Down 0.2 % The Gabelli Equity Trust stock traded down $0.01 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $5.66. 64,708 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 441,848. The companys 50-day moving average is $5.76 and its two-hundred day moving average is $5.65. The Gabelli Equity Trust Inc. has a 52-week low of $4.84 and a 52-week high of $7.09. The Gabelli Equity Trust Dividend Announcement The Gabelli Equity Trust Company Profile The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 24th. Investors of record on Friday, March 17th were given a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 16th. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 10.60%. (Get Rating) The Gabelli Equity Trust Inc is a closed ended equity mutual fund launched by GAMCO Investors, Inc The fund is managed by Gabelli Funds, LLC. It invests in public equity markets of the United States. The fund seeks to invest in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors. It invests in preferred stock, convertible or exchangeable securities, and warrants and rights. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GAB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Gabelli Equity Trust Inc. (NYSE:GAB Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for The Gabelli Equity Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for The Gabelli Equity Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Versant Capital Management Inc reduced its holdings in shares of Eversource Energy (NYSE:ES Get Rating) by 31.4% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 338 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 155 shares during the quarter. Versant Capital Management Incs holdings in Eversource Energy were worth $28,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in ES. Mascoma Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Eversource Energy during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Piershale Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Eversource Energy during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Eversource Energy by 571.4% during the 3rd quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 329 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 280 shares during the last quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Eversource Energy by 293.5% during the 3rd quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 366 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 273 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Point72 Hong Kong Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Eversource Energy during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $35,000. 77.37% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Eversource Energy alerts: Insider Activity In other news, insider Faasen William C. Van sold 1,943 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $81.08, for a total transaction of $157,538.44. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 18,841 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,527,628.28. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.38% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Eversource Energy Price Performance Several equities analysts have recently commented on the company. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on Eversource Energy from $99.00 to $94.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 15th. StockNews.com started coverage on Eversource Energy in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Guggenheim reissued a buy rating on shares of Eversource Energy in a research report on Tuesday, March 21st. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price target on Eversource Energy from $89.00 to $86.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, February 15th. Finally, Wolfe Research lowered Eversource Energy from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 21st. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $87.00. Shares of NYSE ES opened at $78.05 on Wednesday. Eversource Energy has a 1-year low of $70.54 and a 1-year high of $94.63. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.27, a current ratio of 0.62 and a quick ratio of 0.57. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $77.67 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $79.67. The firm has a market capitalization of $27.21 billion, a PE ratio of 19.32, a P/E/G ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 0.46. Eversource Energy (NYSE:ES Get Rating) last issued its earnings results on Monday, February 13th. The utilities provider reported $0.92 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.94 by ($0.02). Eversource Energy had a return on equity of 9.38% and a net margin of 11.43%. The company had revenue of $3.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.24 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.91 earnings per share. Eversource Energys quarterly revenue was up 22.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts expect that Eversource Energy will post 4.36 EPS for the current year. Eversource Energy Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 2nd were issued a dividend of $0.675 per share. This represents a $2.70 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.46%. This is a positive change from Eversource Energys previous quarterly dividend of $0.64. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, March 1st. Eversource Energys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 66.83%. Eversource Energy Company Profile (Get Rating) Eversource Energy engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of natural gas and electricity. It operates through the following segments: Electric Distribution, Electric Transmission, Natural Gas Distribution and Water Distribution. The Electric Distribution segment distributes electricity to retail customers. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Eversource Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eversource Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Allied Copper Corp. and Emerging Markets Consulting, LLC. An Emerging Markets Sponsored Commentary ORLANDO, Fla., April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Last month, President of Allied Copper Inc. and CEO of Volt Lithium Corp. (TSX-V: CPR, OTCQB: CPRRF) (the Company or Allied or Volt) Alex Wylie was interviewed by Martin Gagel from Radius Research and presented a deep dive into direct lithium extraction for li-ion batteries . Heres the breakdown: Wylie started by introducing Volt Lithium Corp, a lithium development and technology company, aiming to be North Americas first commercial producer of lithium from oilfield brine. A subsidiary of Allied Copper, Volt intends to leverage proprietary direct lithium extraction technology, existing infrastructure, and managements hydrocarbon/water handling experience to extract the highly valued lithium, supporting the worlds clean energy transition. Wylie then went on to explain just how Volt will produce lithium, stating technology is key. He said that in order for Volt to become a successful Lithium producer, it must focus first on the extraction technology. Volt has spent the better part of 24 months developing and improving its technology which has culminated in the Companys breakthrough, proving removal of 99% of contaminants from its lithium-infused brine and recovery of 93% of the lithium. Key factors covered in the interview that are driving Volt's success include: Proprietary Technology: University of Alberta Nanotechnology Lab and Sterling Chemicals Partnerships. Volt's strategic partnerships have led to the development of proprietary direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology. The unique process enables 99% contaminant removal and 93% lithium recovery in less than 90 minutes. Multiple iterations of refining and improving the process have yielded lower extraction costs and higher recovery rates - even on low lithium concentration brine samples. Prime Lithium Reservoir: Long production life with an extensive, high-quality resource. Quality lithium reservoir located in Alberta, Canada, at Rainbow Lake. Approximately 435,000 acres of land with strategic permits and over 1,300 producing wells. Multiple formations with lithium-infused brines show concentrations up to 119 mg/L. Ability to leverage existing infrastructure and wells and reservoir size ensure a long production life. Cabot Energy Partnership: Minimizing CapEx by leveraging existing infrastructure. Partnership with Alberta-based Cabot Energy provides access to three multi-well batteries. Reduces capital requirements by leveraging over $100 million of existing infrastructure - the brine producing wells are already in place and operational. Access to road and rail transportation for lithium export upon commercialization. Regulatory Advantages: Using established infrastructure eliminates the need for new permits. Using existing infrastructure affords Volt regulatory advantages. Local authorities, including the Alberta Energy Regulator, are pleased with Volt's planned responsible and clean approach to commercial production. Management's Expertise: A wealth of experience in oilfields, brines, and fluid processing. Volt's management team boasts extensive experience, ensuring the company can navigate industry challenges and streamline its path to commercial production. Story continues Currently, Volt is in pilot production (250,000 Liters), using the same equipment planned to be employed during commercial production. Pilot results are expected by the end of Q2, to be audited and delivered with economics associated with the near-term commercial production plan. In a rapidly growing lithium market fueled by electric vehicles and renewable energy, Volt Lithium Corp's groundbreaking technology, strategic advantages, and extensive lithium resource position it as a frontrunner in lithium production from oilfield brines. By bringing a highly sought-after North American lithium source online, Volt is set to make a significant impact on the clean energy transition and secure a more sustainable future for the industry. Demand for lithium is dramatically rising as electric vehicles and renewable energy continue to gain ground. There is expected to be a 40x increase in demand for lithium forecast by 2030 due to electric vehicle growth. For a deeper understanding of Volt Lithium Corp's innovative lithium extraction technology and to hear more about their ongoing pilot production and anticipated results, watch Alex Wylie's full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/clip/UgkxmyJgtI8POVXVfOANamJCSbp2PeHLyrFU For more on Allied Copper Corp. and Volt Lithium Corp., visit: https://www.alliedcoppercorp.com/projects-6 About Allied Copper Corp.: Allied (TSX-V: CPR, OTCQB: CPRRF) is a growth-oriented, battery-metals focused exploration company. Allieds strategy is to acquire and develop low-cost, potentially high-growth battery metals assets that represent key inputs needed to support the global energy transition. Their commitment is to operate efficiently and with transparency across all areas of the business staying sharply focused on creating long-term, sustainable shareholder value. About The Emerging Markets Report: The Emerging Markets Report is owned and operated by Emerging Markets Consulting (EMC), a syndicate of investor relations consultants representing years of experience. Our network consists of stockbrokers, investment bankers, fund managers, and institutions that actively seek opportunities in the micro and small-cap equity markets. For more informative reports such as this, please sign up at: https://emergingmarketsconsulting.com/ Must Read OTC Markets/SEC policy on stock promotion and investor protection Section 17(b) of the Securities Act of 1933 requires that any person that uses the mails to publish, give publicity to, or circulate any publication or communication that describes a security in return for consideration received or to be received directly or indirectly from an issuer, underwriter, or dealer, must fully disclose the type of consideration (i.e. cash, free trading stock, restricted stock, stock options, stock warrants) and the specific amount of the consideration. In connection therewith, EMC has received the following compensation and/or has an agreement to receive in the future certain compensation, as described below. EMC has been paid $300,000 by Allied Copper Corp. EMC does not independently verify any of the content linked-to from this editorial. https://emergingmarketsconsulting.com/disclaimer/ Emerging Markets Consulting, LLC Florida Office 390 N Orange Ave. Suite 2300 Orlando, FL 32801 E-mail: jamespainter@emergingmarketsllc.com Web: https://emergingmarketsconsulting.com/ VinaCapital Vietnam Opportunity Fund Limited (LON:VOF Get Rating) declared a dividend on Thursday, March 23rd, Upcoming.Co.Uk reports. Investors of record on Thursday, April 6th will be paid a dividend of $0.06 per share on Thursday, May 11th. This represents a dividend yield of 1.18%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 6th. The official announcement can be seen at this link. VinaCapital Vietnam Opportunity Fund Trading Up 0.3 % LON:VOF opened at GBX 437.50 ($5.43) on Wednesday. VinaCapital Vietnam Opportunity Fund has a twelve month low of GBX 388.81 ($4.83) and a twelve month high of GBX 525 ($6.52). The company has a quick ratio of 55.38, a current ratio of 414.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.01. The business has a 50 day moving average price of GBX 449.31 and a two-hundred day moving average price of GBX 446.84. The company has a market cap of 703.94 million, a P/E ratio of -714.75 and a beta of 0.48. Get VinaCapital Vietnam Opportunity Fund alerts: VinaCapital Vietnam Opportunity Fund Company Profile (Get Rating) Further Reading VinaCapital Vietnam Opportunity Fund Limited specializes in private equity investments. The fund seeks to invest 80 percent of its portfolio in private equity and 20 percent in equitization projects will be re-allocated to listed shares. The fund also makes private investments. It invests in stocks of companies operating across the diversified sectors. Receive News & Ratings for VinaCapital Vietnam Opportunity Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for VinaCapital Vietnam Opportunity Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Virgin Money UK PLC (LON:VMUK Get Rating) shot up 1.7% on Monday . The stock traded as high as GBX 150 ($1.86) and last traded at GBX 148.45 ($1.84). 2,283,228 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 6% from the average session volume of 2,147,811 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 145.95 ($1.81). Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research firms recently weighed in on VMUK. Berenberg Bank boosted their target price on Virgin Money UK from GBX 170 ($2.11) to GBX 195 ($2.42) and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Friday, February 3rd. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their target price on Virgin Money UK from GBX 215 ($2.67) to GBX 205 ($2.55) and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 1st. Barclays cut Virgin Money UK to an equal weight rating and set a GBX 230 ($2.86) target price for the company. in a research note on Monday, February 6th. Citigroup restated a buy rating on shares of Virgin Money UK in a research note on Friday, March 10th. Finally, Shore Capital restated a buy rating on shares of Virgin Money UK in a research note on Wednesday, February 1st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Virgin Money UK presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of GBX 212 ($2.63). Get Virgin Money UK alerts: Virgin Money UK Stock Down 0.4 % The company has a market cap of 1.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 390.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of -0.56 and a beta of 1.99. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of GBX 169.27 and a 200 day simple moving average of GBX 162.81. Virgin Money UK Increases Dividend Virgin Money UK Company Profile The company also recently declared a dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 15th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 9th were given a dividend of GBX 7.50 ($0.09) per share. This is a positive change from Virgin Money UKs previous dividend of $2.50. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 9th. This represents a yield of 4.62%. Virgin Money UKs payout ratio is 2,972.97%. (Get Rating) Virgin Money UK PLC provides banking products and services for consumers, and small and medium sized businesses under the Clydesdale Bank, Yorkshire Bank, and Virgin Money brands in the United Kingdom. The company offers savings and current accounts, mortgages, credit cards, and home loans; business loans, overdraft facilities, treasury solutions, and corporate and structured finance; asset and invoice finance services; risk management; international trade services; and home, car, and life and critical illness insurance products. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Virgin Money UK Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Virgin Money UK and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ramnath to lead comprehensive marketing, brand and communications strategy for global automation leader ST. LOUIS, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Global technology and software company Emerson (NYSE: EMR) today appointed Vidya Ramnath senior vice president and chief marketing officer, effective June 1. Ramnath, who currently serves as Emerson's Middle East and Africa president, will report to Emerson President and Chief Executive Officer Lal Karsanbhai and serve on Emerson's Office of the Chief Executive. As CMO, she will lead global marketing, brand, external communications, and play a vital role in driving greater awareness of Emerson's continued evolution as a global automation leader across customer stakeholders and investor communities. Vidya Ramnath "Vidya is a proven leader with the ability to help teams navigate complex, fast-evolving landscapes with confidence and strong collaboration," Karsanbhai said. "Her experience across Emerson's global businesses, combined with her deep knowledge of the industries and customers we serve, uniquely position Vidya to accelerate momentum on our evolving brand journey." Across her nearly 30-year Emerson career, Ramnath has held several key marketing, sales and operations leadership roles globally since joining the company in 1994 as a manufacturing engineer for Rosemount in Singapore. Ramnath held a number of roles with increasing responsibility, including senior manager of customer care for Emerson's Flow business in Asia Pacific and the director of marketing for Rosemount. Ramnath became the vice president of marketing for Emerson Asia Pacific in 2010 along with business leadership for Emerson's wireless portfolio. In 2016, Ramnath became vice president of Plantweb Solutions and Services in the global sales organization and was named vice president of Asia Pacific for measurement and analytical in 2017. She held this role until 2019, when she was promoted to her current role as president of Middle East and Africa for Emerson. Story continues "I've had the privilege of working closely with our customers throughout my career, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to engage with them in a new way as we elevate the brand of Emerson as a global automation leader," Ramnath said. "Emerson has such an incredible story, and I am energized to help our global team share this important next chapter with the world." Ramnath was recognized among Forbes Middle East's Power Businesswomen in 2020 and received the 2022 "Women in Leadership" Equality in Energy award from EGYPS. In her role as CMO, she succeeds Kathy Button Bell, who retired in December 2022. Ramnath has a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Madras in India and a master's degree in industrial engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington. She and her family will relocate to Emerson's corporate headquarters. About Emerson Emerson (NYSE: EMR) is a global technology and software company providing innovative solutions for the world's essential industries. Through its leading automation portfolio, including its majority stake in AspenTech, Emerson helps hybrid, process and discrete manufacturers optimize operations, protect personnel, reduce emissions and achieve their sustainability goals. For more information, visit Emerson.com. Emerson logo (PRNewsfoto/Emerson) Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/emerson-names-vidya-ramnath-chief-marketing-officer-301790098.html SOURCE Emerson The Tennessee House of Representatives is scheduled to vote Thursday on removing from office three Democratic lawmakers who protested on the chamber floor with a bullhorn to call for gun reform following last month's school shooting in Nashville. Endogena SAN FRANCISCO and TORONTO and ZURICH, Switzerland, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Endogena Therapeutics Inc., a clinical-stage biotech company focused on the development of endogenous regenerative medicines, announced today that the dose-escalation stage of its phase 1/2a study of EA-2353 in retinitis pigmentosa (RP) has been successfully completed. No clinically relevant or dose-limiting adverse events were identified after repeated intravitreal injections. Given the positive safety and tolerability profile, the study will now enroll patients into the expansion cohort, using the highest dose evaluated in the study to explore the potential efficacy of the compound. The phase 1/2a study is conducted in collaboration with Endogenas Lead Investigator, Mark Pennesi, MD, Ph.D., Professor of Ophthalmology at the Casey Eye Institute in Oregon, USA, to examine the safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy of EA-2353 administered by intravitreal injection in patients with RP ( ClinicalTrials.gov i dentifier: NCT05392751 ). A total of 14 patients with RP due to any pathologic genetic mutation are being recruited across up to six sites in the USA. The first patient was dosed in July 2022 and 9 patients have been treated to date during the dose escalation phase. EA-2353 takes a novel, small-molecule approach and selectively activates endogenous retinal stem and progenitor cells, which differentiate into photoreceptors and can potentially preserve or restore visual function. This gene-independent treatment approach has significant advantages in RP, which has multiple genetic causes. EA-2353 was granted Orphan Drug Designation by the US FDA in May 2021, and Fast Track Designation in February 2023. RP is a serious and debilitating condition. It consists of a group of inherited diseases causing slow and progressive retinal degeneration and loss of vision, for which there is currently no treatment for most patients. It is a leading cause of inherited blindness, with an estimated 1.5 million people worldwide presently affected. Matthias Steger, Ph.D., MBA, CEO of Endogena, said: We are edging closer to a treatment for this devastating condition, and Im very encouraged by the safety and tolerability profile in this dose escalation stage. We have the best people working tirelessly to bring this novel treatment to the patients who need it as fast as possible. Endogenas artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery platform, combined with cutting-edge knowledge of molecular pathways that regulate retinal stem cells and retinal pigment epithelial cells, provides a potential new treatment paradigm to tackle degenerative conditions related to aging and genetic disorders. Beyond EA-2353, other products in Endogenas pipeline include treatment for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is approaching IND-enabling studies, and earlier programs in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and hematopoietic recovery. Story continues About Endogena Endogena Therapeutics Inc. is a clinical-stage biotech company that discovers and develops first-in-class endogenous regenerative medicines to repair and regenerate tissues and organs. Its approach has the potential to change the way degenerative conditions related to aging and genetic disorders are treated. The concept is based on the selective regulation of endogenous adult stem- and progenitor cells for controlled tissue repair by small molecules. Endogenas most advanced programs target degenerative diseases of the eye, including retinitis pigmentosa and geographic atrophy (secondary to AMD). Endogena is registered in San Francisco, USA, with a head office in Zurich, Switzerland, and a research facility at JLABS in Toronto, Canada. For more information, please visit www.endogena.com Follow us on LinkedIn See our YouTube channel for a video explaining how EA-2353 works. For more information on the clinical trials, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov (Reference: NCT05392751). For media enquiries, please contact: Free Range Communications peter.sandbach@freerangecommunications.com +41 79 500 9824 Charles Consultants sue@charles-consultants.com +44 7968 726585 The newest cohort of students and professor Laurence Wainwright of the Oxford Smith MSc in Sustainability, Enterprise and the Environment program From Oxford, England: The MSc in Sustainability, Enterprise and the Environment program at Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford is expanding in 2023 and will admit 35 students in its September intake, up from 25 in previous years. The course, which was launched in 2021, received over 550 applications in the latest rounds, making it the most applied to graduate program per place at the University of Oxford. Lucy Lyons: What attracted me to the MSc was its narrative around how we can work within the bounds of the existing system to create changes we want to see The MSc equips current and future decision makers with the academic knowledge and practical skills to lead enterprise toward net zero, with a focus on making the transition fair and just for everyone. Students undergo a rigorous 12 months of rigorous academic training, covering everything from sustainable finance to climate science. A weekly enterprise forum with practitioners, five field trips and a week-long trip to Denmark ensure that academic knowledge is complimented with real world street smarts. Career backgrounds represented in the 2022-23 cohort include business, policy and public affairs, banking, military, consulting, journalism and international development. Current MSc student Aurona Sarker worked as a business strategy analyst at Ralph Lauren before joining the MSc in 2022. I worked to integrate the companys sustainability strategy into its business strategy I could see that business can be a force for good, but in order to tackle a wicked problem like climate change, I needed to understand how the power of business can be leveraged to lead system level solutions, and that brought me to the Smith Schools MSc. Adds Laurence Wainwright, director of the MSc SEE: Having just completed the admissions process for the third intake of students, MSc SEE has come along way from its origins as an idea on a poster at a team away day in 2018. It is a great privilege for the Smith School to be able to attract such high-achieving, passionate and capable cohorts of students. Story continues Read more And read more of Poets&Quants coverage of Oxford Smiths MSc in Sustainability, Enterprise and the Environment: OVERWHELMING DEMAND: OXFORD HIT BY A TSUNAMI OF APPS TO NEW SUSTAINABILITY MASTERS FROM A WAR ZONE TO OXFORDS HOTTEST DEGREE PROGRAM: ONE UKRAINIAN STUDENTS JOURNEY Fifteen deans of leading business schools met on the campus of Emory University in March to discuss the future of business education. Emory photo Deans Summit brings together top minds to shape the future of business education From Atlanta: Emory Universitys Goizueta Business School hosted the Comprehensive Business School Deans Summit on March 20 and 21, bringing together business school deans from across the country to discuss the future of business education. The two-day event kicked off with a private tour of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights Museum. A highlight of the summit was a conversation with Reverend Dr. Bernice A. King and Emory University President Gregory Fenves surrounding the role of business schools in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. The discussion provided an opportunity for the business school deans to discuss how they can create more diverse and inclusive learning environments and prepare students to be effective leaders in a rapidly changing world. I am energized by the conversations at the Summit and optimistic about the future of business education, shared Gareth James, John H. Harland dean of Goizueta Business School. As deans, we face many of the same challenges and opportunities in delivering a world class education to our students and redefining business in real time. Its critical that we continue to develop principled and impactful leaders and entrepreneurs, foster innovation for a data and technology driven world, and grow a global presence fueled by local synergies and our success depends on collaboration with the leading minds in the industry. Read more ESCP celebrates 50 years From Paris: Established in Paris in 1819, ESCP is the oldest business school in the world and was destined to be European from the outset. The school was founded upon the European values of humanism and multiculturalism and prioritises a multidisciplinary vision of education, with a focus on science and language. In the schools history, the year 1973 was pivotal as it saw the birth of its second half, EAP, the first educational institution to operate on several European campuses. Throughout the year, ESCP will celebrate its pioneering model and European network with dedicated events and opportunities to connect past, present and future generations of the ESCP community, starting with the first Europe Week organized by the student society Tribunes, from March 27 to March 31st. Leon Laulusa, ESCPs interim dean and executive president, says: As we look to the future, we are proud to continue to unite our campuses with pride for European excellence, open to the world and committed to progress. ESCP Business School is not only a European institution but a global leader in business education, recognized for our multiculturalism and commitment to educating purpose-driven leaders who will impact the world. Read more New business-law certification from Syracuse University From Syracuse, New York: Syracuse Universitys College of Law and Martin J. Whitman School of Management are launching a new Certificate of Advanced Study in Technology Law and Entrepreneurship. The CASTLE program leverages areas of strength at each of the schools that equip students with an advanced, marketable designation as they seek careers at the intersection of law, business management and technology. The CASTLE curriculum consists of a minimum of 12 credits, including a foundational course in entrepreneurship offered at Whitman and an applied capstone course offered at the College of Law through its Innovation Law Center. The ILC offers a unique, interdisciplinary experiential learning program for students interested in the commercial development of new technologies. It is also the designated New York State Science & Law Technology Center by Empire State Developments Division of Science, Technology and Innovation. Under the leadership of Director Brian Gerling L99, ILC students and faculty provide research, information, and advisory and support services to the more than 30 universities and research centers in New York supported by NYSTAR as well as New York state entrepreneurs and companies with new technologies. Students enrolled in CASTLE can choose from courses in the areas of intellectual property, patents, venture capital and startup advising, among others. CASTLE is open to graduate and law students enrolled at Syracuse University, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry and SUNY Upstate Medical College. Read more DONT MISS INSEAD UNVEILS A 10-YEAR CAMPUS RE-IMAGINATION MASTERPLAN The post Entrepreneurs Flock To Oxfords Most Popular Program, Which Expands To Meet The Demand appeared first on Poets&Quants. The commemoration of this years 78th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp on January 27 took place amidst NATOs escalation of the war against Russia in Ukraine and was dominated completely by imperialist war propaganda and right-wing historical falsification. In the eyes of millions all over the world, Auschwitz has become the dominant symbol of the crimes of fascism in the 20th century. The camp was liberated 78 years ago by the Soviet Unions Red Army. Upon arrival, the soldiers found a vast complex of extermination and labor camps. Over 1 million people had been murdered here, including 900,000 European Jews. Overall, between 1.1 and 1.5 million people were deported to Auschwitz during the Second World War, among them at least 140,000 Poles, 20,000 Sinti and Romamost of whom were murderedand 10,000 Soviet prisoners of war. Countless thousands were forced to work in the labor camps that were run on behalf of the German chemical and pharmaceutical giant IG Farben. It was the predecessor of todays BASF and Bayer, two of the worlds largest and most influential companies. "Selection" of Hungarian Jews at Auschwitz, 1944. Almost the entire Jewish community of Hungary, numbering 400,000 people, was gassed in Auschwitz in the summer of 1944. But these historical facts were under systematic assault at the official commemoration ceremony, which was placed fully in the service of imperialist war propaganda against Russia. Its aim was not to honor the memory of those who were murdered and the few survivors of the Holocaust who are still alive, but to beat the drums of war propaganda to justify new crimes of imperialism. Russia had been disinvited from the ceremony to begin with, despite the fact that the Red Army liberated the camp, as well as most of Eastern Europe 78 years ago. The director of the Auschwitz memorial, Piotr Cywinski, focused his speech not on a condemnation of the crimes of fascism and Nazism, but rather on a conscious relativization of the crimes of the Nazis by equating Russias invasion of Ukraine to the wars waged by Hitler and the Holocaust. He said, Auschwitz emerged out of the lust for power and megalomania. Today, he continued, similar sick megalomania, similar lust for power, and similar-sounding myths about uniqueness, greatness, primacy only written in Russian. Innocent people are dying en masse in Europe, again. Even though Auschwitz is principally remembered as a major site of the Holocaustits gas chambers murdered one-sixth of the Holocausts 6 million victimsthe Holocaust and the Nazis death camps were largely ignored by Cywinski. Mentioning sites of Nazi massacres of Polish, French and Czech civilians but not the mass murder of the Jews, he said, Wola district in Warsaw, Zamojszczyzna, Oradour and Lidice today are called Bucha, Irpin, Hostomel, Mariupol and Donetsk. No convincing evidence has been provided for the imperialist allegations of Russian war crimes in the cities of Ukraine cited by Cywinski. By contrast, it has been documented irrefutably that the Nazis murdered between 40,000 and 50,000 Poles in the suppression of the Warsaw Uprising in the Wola district in 1944, 340 Czech civilians in the massacre of Lidice, and 643 French civilians in the massacre of Oradour, in France. Over 100,000 Poles were deported from Zamojszczyzna in an operation of ethnic cleansing that formed part of the Nazis Generalplan Ost, which aimed at the expulsion of the Slavic population and the settlement of Germans in Eastern Europe. There is no innocent explanation for the head of the Auschwitz memorial highlighting these sites over those of the Holocaust. These massacres have long been exploited above all by Polish, but also other European nationalist and far-right forces, in order to downplay the crimes of the Nazis against the Jewish population across the continent, which local nationalist and far-right forces either tacitly supported or directly participated in. Mateusz Morawiecki, Polands prime minister and a member of Law and Justice Party, went even further, claiming on Facebook, On the anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi German death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, let us remember that to the east Putin is building new camps. He provided no evidence whatsoever for this extraordinary claim. Hours later, he boasted on Facebook about Polands role in pushing for Germany to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine to wage war against Russia. Morawiecki is a member of a party that has not only played a key role in NATOs war preparations against Russia, but is also infested with far-right and anti-Semitic forces. In 2018, the Polish government banned public mention of and research into the crimes of Polish anti-Semites during the Holocaust. It has since undertaken a large purge of academic institutions and museums, ousting people who have opposed the governments far-right historical revisionism. In 2019, the PiS government effectively allowed a pack of fascists to march in Auschwitz on the 74th anniversary of the liberation of the camp. The unprecedented promotion of war propaganda and the deliberate minimization of the crimes of Nazism at the Auschwitz commemoration is inseparable from the renewed explosion of imperialist militarism now underway in Europe. The crimes of Auschwitz and German fascism more broadly were ultimately rooted in the breakdown of the capitalist system. The Nazi movement was brought to power by the German ruling class to smash the workers movement and establish the hegemony of German imperialism in Europe. The virulent anti-Semitism of Nazism was rooted, primarily, in the political and ideological reaction against the internationalist and socialist workers movement. The destruction of the Soviet Union became one of the central aims of German imperialism. First, Germany sought to destroy the workers state that had emerged out of the 1917 October Revolution, albeit degenerated under the Stalinist bureaucracy, and thus deal a major blow to the international working class. Second, German imperialism sought to establish full control over the vast raw material resources of that region in order to consolidate its position vis-a-vis its main imperialist rivals, above all, the United States. These aims were the basis for a war that to this day remains the bloodiest in human history. It was based from the very beginning on criminal orders, placing Germanys waging of war outside any established international norms of warfare. In one of the criminal orders issued to the Wehrmacht, Eric Hoepner, commander of the 4th Panzer Group, instructed his troops on May 2, 1941: The war against Russia is an important chapter in the struggle for existence of the German nation. It is the old battle of Germanic against Slav peoples, of the defence of European culture against Muscovite-Asiatic inundation, and the repulse of Jewish-Bolshevism. The objective of this battle must be the destruction of present-day Russia and it must therefore be conducted with unprecedented severity. Every military action must be guided in planning and execution by an iron will to exterminate the enemy mercilessly and totally. In particular, no adherents of the present Russian-Bolshevik system are to be spared. The Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941 marked a key turning point not only in the war but also in the development of the Holocaust. Auschwitzs gas chambers began operation a few months later, as the Nazis Wehrmacht was massacring the Jewish population of the occupied Soviet Union en masse in mass shootings. The vast majority of the victims of the Holocaust were murdered between the summer of 1941 and late 1943. The Red Army, composed of soldiers from throughout the Soviet Union and its different nationalities, fought against the Nazi invasion and played the central role in defeating Nazi Germany in the war. Despite the horrendous crimes of Stalinism, the Red Army, which had been founded by Leon Trotsky in 1918 to defend the conquests of the 1917 October Revolution against the invading armies, backed by the imperialist powers, still carried within it the spirit of the socialist revolution and social progress. The disinviting of Russia from the official ceremony was therefore not just a major political provocation, but also part of a systematic effort to promote anticommunism and historical falsifications. But Russias President Vladimir Putin counterposed to the imperialist war propaganda historical falsifications and political lies of his own. He responded to the disinvitation of Russia from the official commemoration ceremony by creating a false analogy between Russias invasion of Ukraine and the role of the Red Army in World War II, claiming that the aim of his war in Ukraine was to de-nazify the country. The reality is that both the war in Ukraine and the resurgence of far-right forces and the unfolding imperialist war against Russia are ultimately the product of the decades-long Stalinist counterrevolution against the socialist October Revolution of 1917, which culminated in the 1991 destruction of the Soviet Union by the Stalinist bureaucracy. The Putin regime, which speaks for the interests of a tiny oligarchy that has enriched itself at the expense of the masses over the past 30 years, is the heir of this counterrevolution. The Russian army, recruited largely from desperately poor people, is not a resurgence of the Red Army. Its soldiers are tragically being slaughtered in a war waged by the oligarchic regime in a desperate effort at a war of national defense whose principal goal is to safeguard the oligarchys own privileges and somehow find a way to negotiate with the imperialist powers. The reactionary invasion of Ukraine by Russias oligarchic regime and the accompanying historical falsifications and promotion of Russian chauvinism have been grist for the mills of the imperialist war machine and its propaganda and have served to further divide and confuse the working class. The task of putting an end to the imperialist war now under way and of fighting the resurgence of fascist forces in Europe falls to the international working class. It must draw the lessons from the devastating consequences of the nationalist betrayal of the October Revolution by the Stalinist bureaucracy and counterpose to the imperialist warmongers and the nationalism of the Putin regime the strategy of a unified struggle by the working class across Europe and internationally in the fight for socialism. On January 17, just days before the announcement that the German government would once again send battle tanks to wage war against Russia, the Berlin-Karlshorst Museum commemorated the World War II blockade by German forces of Leningrad, now Saint Petersburg, which resulted in some 1.2 million people starving to death. The blockade lasted from September 1941 until January 1944. The brochure distributed at the January 17 event, The Leningrad Blockade in the Testimonies of the Mojshes Family, documents the diaries and memoirs of the Russian-Jewish Mojshes family and recalls this immense German war crime. The Nazi war of extermination against the USSR claimed the lives of 27 million Soviet citizens, 14 million of them civilians, nearly half the death toll in World War II. The number of Leningrad blockade victims alone was roughly 2.5 times the number of US military deaths. Indeed, the US Military Academy in its Atlas of the Second World War estimated that Russian casualties during the siege were greater than combined US and British casualties during the entire conflict. Soviet civilians leaving destroyed houses after a German bombardment during the siege, December 10, 1942 [RIA Novosti archive, image #2153] [Photo by Boris Kudoyarov / CC BY 2.0 Leningrad, Moscow and Ukraine, along with the cities of Kiev and Odessa, were the first targets of the massive, bloody German invasion of June 22, 1941. When by late summer the expectation of a quick victory had proven a miscalculation, Hitler and the Wehrmacht leadership decided not to attack Leningrad but to seal it off. Leningrads population of 3 million was to be annihilated by continuous shelling and starvation, in part, as murderous revenge on Bolshevism and the October Revolution, which had such powerful roots in and ties to that city. Beginning on September 8, 1941, for two and a half years, 872 days, the inhabitants of the former Petrograd were trapped. On January 27, 1944 the Red Army managed to break through the encirclement. In the winter of 1941-42 there was only one connection with the outside world, Vehicles followed a route across the frozen Lake Ladoga, called the Road of Life by Leningrads inhabitants. Trucks, driving under continuous attack, often fell through the ice. Many of those who were supposed to be evacuated by this route lost their lives, and urgently needed food supplies often never reached their destination. It was not until January 18, 1943, that a rail line was able to transport food along a narrow land corridor, likewise under constant fire. The Leningrad blockade was judged at the Nuremberg trials in 1945 to be one of the most serious German war crimes and deemed genocidal. The great quantity of evidence at the trial included what is probably the best known and most harrowing account, the diary in which 12-year-old Tatyana Savicheva recorded the deaths of her relatives with dates and timesthe last of which read Mama, May 13 at 7:30 in the morning, 1942. The particular focus of the January 17 panel discussion at the former German-Russian Museumalso called the Surrender Museum because it was here that German generals Keitel, von Friedeburg and Stumpff signed the unconditional surrender of the Wehrmacht on the night of May 8-9, 1945was on the diary of Lasar Mojshes and the memoirs of his daughter Anna. The Mojshes family originally came from the Vitebsk region, where many Jews settled under tsarist rule. The family moved to Yelets in the Oryol region in 1913, later fleeing from the brutal pogroms of the White Guard troops during the post-revolutionary civil war to Petrograd, later named Leningrad. Father Lasar, who worked in a factory for school materials, began his diary on September 9, 1941. The day before, the ring of the siege had closed around the city, and during the night German bombs fell on the Badayev warehouses, which burned almost completely to the ground, destroying a portion of the citys food supply. The events of the last days in Leningrad are so serious that I decided to keep a diary about them, Lasar Mojshes notes. He sees himself as a chronicler of the times and records everything soberly, but accurately and factually, with details about street names, house numbers, even times of the bombings and artillery blasts. He also lists the number of dead. In passing, one learns how many social and cultural institutions existed in the city of the October Revolutionfood canteens, many clinics, the Mariinsky Theater, a youth theater, the House of the Peasant, the Palace of Labor, communal laundries. The Nazis, described by Lasar as bastards and scoundrels, deliberately bombed civilian targets, including Leningrads largest department store, the Gostiny Dvor, bus and streetcar stops, and the hospital for evacuees on Nevsky Prospekt, producing many casualties. One also learns that a bomb killed Betty the elephant, who had lived in the city zoo since 1911. At the same time, Lasar notes how the bread rations got smaller and smaller. He is one of the non-working people after his factory closes at the start of the war, and ultimately must make do with the smallest ration of 125 grams per day, which comes to about one thin slice of bread. The hunger becomes more and more desperate, in the canteens there is only thin soup, without vegetables and certainly without meat. You cant even get horse meat, cats have almost all been eaten, even I dream of catching a cat and trying it, Lasar writes. One is starving. Despite all this, we do not grumble. It is better than falling into the hands of the Hitlerites, who sharpen their teeth on us. We see our salvation only in the defeat of the bastards and bandits. Luck be with us. Thus ends the diary of Lasar Mojshes on November 30, 1941. A month later he died of starvation at the age of 59. His death certificate, reproduced in the museum booklet, was issued on December 30, 1941cause of death: dystrophy III degree. His wife Tatyana and his four children were evacuated in time and survived the blockade. Tatyanas brother and his wife, who lived with them, also starved to death. Three men burying victims of Leningrad's siege, 1942 [RIA Novosti archive, image #216] [Photo by Boris Kudoyarov / CC BY 2.0 The memoirs of Lasars daughter Anna, a journalist who was involved in the evacuation of children from Leningrad, were tape recorded shortly before her 90th birthday, in 1999. She had taken charge of children, especially from families of journalists and other members of the intelligentsia, evacuated to Tatarstan in the late summer of 1941 and returned to Leningrad in 1944. Her son Volodya was also there. The Bonn historian Katja Makhotina, herself born in Petersburg, explained in her introduction that the interesting thing about this document is that Anna Mojshes still represents the communist narrative 10 years after the end of the Soviet Union. Her language, with its optimistic narrative, sounded at many points like a Pioneer newspaper of the official Stalinist youth organization. One senses in it the pride she feels in having succeeded in making frontline workers out of the rather spoiled intelligentsia children. ... But they dont just work: they are happy to be working, feeling great pride and enthusiasm. Makhotina explains this communist language as the survivors attempt to overcome their traumas. However, the enthusiasm and pride during the Leningrad Blockade were neither invented nor exaggerated, nor is the willingness of Soviet soldiers to fight and sacrifice on the fronts. The introductory remarks express the attitude of the academics of the post-German-reunification period, who assess the fighting spirit of the Soviet population as support for the Stalinist regime, which they equate with socialism. However, despite the crimes of the Stalinists, the population was determined to defend to the bitter end the achievements of the October Revolutionthe nationalized property, the planned economy and the social and cultural advances associated with itagainst the Nazi invasion. There can be no doubt that this had an impact on children. It was the criminal policies of the Stalinist bureaucracy that left the Soviet Union initially defenseless before the fascist onslaught. Stalin, in the Great Terror, not only murdered almost the entire leadership of the October Revolution and hundreds of thousands of Communists and intellectuals, but he also decapitated the Red Army. He disregarded the warnings about an imminent Nazi attack, trusting instead in the non-aggression pact with Hitler. Anna does not hide the difficulties the villagers faced, where Stalins policy of forced collectivization led to hostile reactions. She talks about clashes between children and caregivers. But she is animated by the desire to incorporate the best features of the revolution into her pedagogical duties to the children, to cheer them up and create a sense of security despite their separation from their starving parents in Leningrad, and so much sad news. The children love it and appreciate being treated as equals, Anna says, recounting how the educators organize plays, literary contests, songs and a wall newspaper with them. Anna Mojshes, against bureaucratic opposition, ultimately brings the orphans back to Leningrad and helps them cope with the loss of their parents through mentoring and social cohesion. At the end of the meeting, Russian-Jewish survivor Leonid Berezin, now 94 years old, took the microphone and thanked the museum with moving words: This event is very rare. In Berlin, in Germany, everywhere in the world today they are against Russia. The Leningrad hunger blockade was a genocide, he continued. But, We are here! he added, referring to the survivors. This event is especially important to me, he stressed, and then slowly, deeply, harshly, unmistakably once again the words, Because we are here! Berezin, born in Siberia in 1929, survived the blockade of Leningrad by the Germans and the Holocaust during World War II. In 1941, as the Wehrmacht advanced on the Soviet city, he was evacuated with a childrens transport. But the train was attacked by German bombers, and as a 12-year-old he walked for three days, along with a few other surviving children, back to Leningrad. In February 1942, then 13 years old, he survived a childrens transport across frozen Lake Ladoga. Many of his relatives died in Leningrad or became victims of the Holocaust in Belarus. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, he came to Germany as a so-called contingent refugee. Among contingent refugees were victims of the blockade, about 300 of whom are still alive today. In Leningrad, Berezin was a professor of radio technology. Today, like many other Jewish contingent refugees, he lives in poor conditions in a one-room apartment in Berlin, surviving on meager basic welfare benefits. He heads the Berlin association of blockade victims Lebendige Erinnerung (Living Memory), which celebrates the liberation of Leningrad from the siege on January 27 as our Victory Day. On February 2, the Berlin-Karlshorst Museum, whose original name was changed primarily at the instigation of the German Green Party, will host a reading and discussion of Vasily Grossmans book Stalingrad to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad. During the coronavirus pandemic of the past years, the museums website has integrated some helpful video guides on, among other things, the blockade of Leningrad and the Nazi starvation policy under the General Plan East. The museum booklet The Blockade of Leningrad in the Testimonies of the Mojshes Family can be ordered here. Ahmed White is professor of law at the University of Colorado. He is the author of a recent book on the repression of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), Under the Iron Heel The Wobblies and the Capitalist War on Radical Workers. The IWW was founded in 1905 in Chicago with the aim of organizing all workers, no matter their skill, occupation, national origin, race, or sex, into One Big Union. Capitalism would be sunk when workers finally took into their own hands the economic power, the means of life the control of the machinery of production and distribution, without regard to capitalist masters, as the unions president, Big Bill Haywood, put it. Tom Mackaman: I want to start with the typical interview first question: How is it that you came to the subject of the IWW? And relatedly, how is it that a law professor becomes a labor historian? Im thinking here, as well, of your previous book, another fine effort, The Last Great Strike. Ahmed White: I started on this project 20 or so years agoat least thats when I did my first bit of work on it. At the time I didnt know very much about doing historical research or even very much about the IWW, but I got interested in the plight of migratory harvest workers, featured in the book, and kind of worked my way towards doing some archival research on them. I then published a couple law review articles on the subject, put it aside for a great number of years, and only came back to the topic when, in the wake of publishing The Last Great Strike, I tried to figure out something else I wanted to do. Ahmed White [Photo: University of Colorado] I ended up initially trying to write a book about criminal syndicalism, but in short order I figured out that neither I nor the typical reader was as much interested in a history of laws as they might be interested in a history of people. It evolved into a broader project about sedition-type laws and persecution under them in the postwar period. And then from that, into the project on the IWW. How did I end up doing labor history? I think the book on the IWW reflects some of the underlying reasons. I started out as a law professor with a sort of leftist orientation, but still in some small but notable way, kind of imprisoned by conventional liberal assumptions about law and about the legal system, and about all of society. Those assumptions rested uncomfortably with me all of my career. And it didnt take very long, actually, before I began to migrate away from that. And that involved, first, putting aside, for the most part, the work I had been doing on criminal laws, criminal justice policies, and turning more to labor. TM: Yet I found the discussion of the criminal syndicalism laws in your book fascinating. And I want to come back to that in a bit. But first let me ask you more about the subject. I recall hearing a historian once state that there is, if anything, too much attention given to the IWW, because it never had more than a fraction of the membership of the AFL. And as a matter of fact, Ive heard similar arguments made about the CIO in the 1930s in relation to the AFLthat it should be viewed as less important because it remained smaller. I think this reflects a very mechanical way of thinking about history. But putting that aside, I guess Im inviting you to make a case for the importance of a study on the IWW, such as the one youve done. Book cover, Under the Iron Heel, by Ahmed White. [Photo: University of California Press] AW: Thats a really interesting and important question because you not only have those impulses that kind of diminish the significance of the IWW. You also have people for whom the IWW is important primarily because it played an important role in the progression of American civil liberties. I think to figure out where one stands on the subject, one has to navigate both of those concerns. I think the importance of the IWW lies with the way its influence extended beyond mere dues paying membership. So, theres a point that I make in the book, and that others have made, about the large number of people who passed through the IWW. And though the membership was a fraction of the people who were in the AFL, nonetheless, its not an insignificant number. On top of that, at the conclusion of the book, I invoke the novelist James Joness ruminations, which I think are extremely interesting, about the IWW. He has one of his characters describe the IWW as having a vision we dont possess. Well, I think thats another factor that goes to the significance of the IWW, that they had an outsized influence because they had an outsized ambition compared to the AFL and just about every other institution in American life. And I think that that very understandably, and quite rightly, made them much more important than their mere membership numbers. And that was, of course, reflected in what happened to them. A measure of the unions relative importance is just how much it endured in the way of oppression. James Jones, author of From Here to Eternity TM: Thats an important point. I think it suggests something that resonates powerfully today: The explosiveness, just of the idea, of a labor movement that declares as a principle that its going to organize the whole working class, that its going to have an uncompromising attitude toward capitalism. And as you show, its that program that so terrified the American ruling class, first in the West, and then at the state government level, and then finally at the level of the federal government. So, lets turn to the laws. One of the most fascinating aspects of your book is its analysis of these criminal syndicalism laws and the related Espionage and Sedition Acts of 1917 in 1918. Can you try to summarize these laws say something about their significance? AW: The laws were often different in their text. But they were very similar in their ultimate practical effect, which was to make membership in the IWW a felony. They all did this a little bit differently. The Espionage Act, which, as you know, was amended by the Sedition Act, made it a crime to oppose the war. It was enforced against the IWW by means of conspiracy doctrine, which abetted this project of criminalizing IWW membership. The nature of conspiracy law is such that you dont have to prove that the person charged with conspiracy really did anything, only that he or she agreed with someone else to accomplish this criminal purposein this case, to undermine the war effort. When it came down to it, in these trials of IWW members, this meant nothing more really than proving these people were members of the union. And putting on a bunch of evidence to suggest the union was a seditious organization. That was enough. And it didnt matter that the evidence was, as I and other people have noted, already dubious to start with. Nothing in particular had to be proven about any of these individuals to bring about this result. Mug shot of laborer Axel Downey, 17, an IWW member who, with scores of other Wobblies, was arrested following a vigilante massacre of fellow IWW members in Everett, Washington, on November 5, 1916. Source: Everett Public Library's Everett Massacre Collection The criminal syndicalism laws were even more artfully designed to accomplish that purpose. They made it a crime principally to advocate for what was called industrial or political change by means of violent sabotage, and other criminal acts. But they also made it very explicitly a crime to be a member of an organization that was committed to that kind of change. And so, on their very face, they made it possible to prosecute people simply because they were in the IWW. Thats how they worked. And they worked very well, not least because these Wobblies were not inclined to deny membership. It was pretty uncommon for them, when brought to trial or arrested, to say, Im not a member of the union. They were quite courageous. They made a cult of courage, and their martyrdom. And so, once they admitted membership or refused to deny it, it was a very simple thing to convict them. This was done often by means of professional witnesses, or testimony from IWW snitches, who were put on the witness stand to make extravagant accusations. Occasionally a local police officer or someone like that would testify. But mainly it was just the fact that these people would not deny membership that was good enough to convict. TM: And the Espionage Act is something that the federal government dusts off from time to time. Presently with Julian Assange. AW: Thats right. Its been amended over the years, but its still used. With Assange, it just proves the political purposes for which it can be used, beyond supposedly stamping out spying. I think what the Assange case shows is the continuity in the federal governments role, its willingness to use its prosecutorial authority to repress voices and movements that it opposes. Julian Assange [Photo by David G. Silvers, Cancilleria del Ecuador / CC BY-SA 2.0 Whats interesting about what happened to the IWW was that it was central to the construction of this facility within the federal government, which was very poorly developed until the First World War. Before the persecution of the IWW, and the first Red Scare, there was actually very little facility on the part of the federal government to do what it does very easily today. And I think a lot of that is to be owed, or is to be in some perverse way, credited to what happened to the IWW. TM: Along the same lines of past and present, one of the things that struck me about your book is its really sharp analysis of liberalism, a thread you weave throughout. And you have a couple very incisive pages, early on, where you describe the transformation from a 19th century classical liberalism to this Progressive Era statism. Could you summarize the role of liberalism in the persecution of the IWW? And following from that, what do you make of the state of American liberalism at present? AW: What was striking to me in researching and writing this book was the contradictory role of liberals or progressives. Some of them supported the union. But many of them aligned in the effort to destroy it. And I think what these people brought to bear, which is so interesting, is a kind of characteristic belief that a society needs to be managed. I mean, these were all capitalists fundamentally, and they believed that capitalism created problems, contradictions, difficulties that needed to be addressed. What distinguished them was the serious and organized and legally oriented way they thought that should be done. That was true of their approach to things like child labor or food safety and all sorts of things. It was also true of their approach to radicalism. And so, once these progressives and liberals decided that the IWW was an intolerable threat that was antithetical to their ambitions, their beliefs, then they spearheaded the attempt to destroy it by exactly those organized and legally oriented means. Thats what they brought to bear. They were not above participating in acts of extralegal violence or vigilantism, but their main purpose was to do this in an organized and lawful way. And they did. And that was reflected in their role, the often leading role, they played in the enactment and enforcement of the Espionage Act, the enactment and enforcement of the criminal syndicalism of laws. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., author of the "clear and present danger" doctrine Now, I think we still see that today there is in liberalism a fist in the velvet glove, thats often very quickly deployed. We can see that in the treatment of people like Assange. Its not a universal thing. There are today, as there were 100 years ago, liberals who are concerned about civil liberties and about democratic rights. But there are plenty who are quick to deploy the state in very, very aggressive and coercive ways to accomplish their purposes. I think thats one of the legacies of what happened to the IWW, the broader legacies of progressivism, and frankly, one of the legacies of the New Deal. TM: Speaking of the New Deal and following forward in history the other legal strandthese criminal syndicalism lawsyou make the interesting point that the Smith Act was basically a federal version of the state syndicalism laws. What about the present? Are these laws still on the books? Or did Brandenburg v. Ohio, which you discuss in your conclusion, undo them? The Smith Act was first used to persecute Trotskyists. Pictured here, in 1941, are 14 of the 18 Socialist Workers Party members convicted under the Smith Act. Back row, left-to-right: Farrell Dobbs, Harry DeBoer, Edward Palmquist, Clarence Hamel, Emil Hansen, Oscar Coover, Jake Cooper; Front row, left-to-right: Max Geldman, Felix Morrow, Albert Goldman, James Cannon, Vincent Dunne, Carl Skoglund, Grace Carlson [Photo: Minnesota Historical Society ] AW: Brandenburg v. Ohio was decided in 1969. It is, to my mind, a rare case deserving the inscription landmark decision. Before Brandenburg, these criminal syndicalism laws had been enforcednot just the criminal syndicalism laws, but also the Espionage Act and the Smith Acthad been enforced for decades. What Brandenburg did in a case involving criminal syndicalismalthough the case itself involved some hapless and really pathetic Ku Klux Klan member in Ohiowas find these laws could not be constitutionally enforced when they criminalized mere advocacy or membership in a group, or actions that were too far removed from the dangers that they incited, or that the authorities said they were about to incite. And so, what appeared to be on some level a kind of technical or even marginal distinction actually had an enormous effect. And that is why today you find people across the political spectrum who are displeased with Brandenburg and would like nothing better than for the Supreme Court to abandon their precedent and open the door to the more aggressive prosecution of all kinds of people for what they say, or what group they belong to. And not just people like these folks who barged their way into the Capitol a couple of years ago, the insurrection, but also people on the left who stand to be prosecuted in the way they were for the 50 years between the enactment of the Espionage Act and the Brandenburg decision. TM: Indeed. And one of the reasons I ask is because I think there are signs of stirring in the American working class again. There is, I would say, a growing sense of militancy, sort of a sense among workers that things cant go on as they have been. Speaking of that, Im curious to know if youve followed Will Lehmans campaign for UAW president, and also the Railroad Workers Rank-and-File Committee, and its fight against the Biden administrations injunction against workers right to strike? AW: I do. And the WSWS is one of my major sources of information about these struggles. Youre right, we live in an interesting and uncertain time. There is a disquiet on the part of the working class. And we saw that, certainly, with the preempted rail strike. And what it generated in its way was this tension and cleavage between people on the left and people in organized labor and the Democratic Party establishment. Will Lehman at GM's Flint Assembly Plant [Photo: WSWS] They avoided the strike. But it raises the question, which is I think where you might have been going with this, of what will happen if this evolves into a major working class upsurge of the sort that weve seen many times in this countrys history? And would it involve some of the things that happened to the IWW? I think its well within the realm of possibility to imagine the widespread use of sedition type laws against people on the left and labor people if there were such an uprising. But presently the ability to prosecute is constrained by Brandenburg. And that may not be true in five years time, or three years time. I think that raises a point about the book in another way. One of its themes, and something I think is an inescapable aspect of the history of the IWW and its repression, is the way that law and legal principles yield so quickly to political realities and class politics. And that should, in itself, provide the cautionary point in thinking about where labor and where the left is today, and where it might be in the years to come. TM: Another element of the history that comes across, and that is not commonly known, is the sort of vigilantism that took place in this period. I think youre correct in identifying in the book that the lawmen were very frequently complicit in these acts, often involving middle-class layers. And we have these successive waves of vigilante organizations, the American Protective League, the American Legion, and then the Ku Klux Klan and all sorts of other names that nobody would recognize. Whats the relationship between this and the overall repression of the Wobblies? AW: I think one thing that can be said about the vigilantism that the union faced is that it was very frequently a means of augmenting the more lawful forms of repression that the union faced. In other words, the people who did this viewed it as an almost entirely legitimate way of dealing with the threat that they imagined the IWW posed to them. IWW leader Frank Little was tortured and lynched in Butte, Montana, on August 1, 1917. He had gone there to support the struggle of copper miners And that was evident in what they did, the way they justified it once it was done, and in the way they often turned the victims of this behavior into the perpetrators. They made IWW members responsible for their own persecution. This was acutely evident in the wake of the lynching of Frank Little in Montana in the summer of 1917, with several different people basically saying, Well, if there had been adequate legal repression here in Butte of the IWW, Frank Little would still be alive today. It wouldnt have been necessary to lynch him. TM: It is the Iron Heel, as Jack London foresaw. AW: Like a lot of people on the left, I read Jack London when I was a kid. And I found this project as an opportunity to go back to Jack London. What was just so wonderful about Jack London, and so resonant to me, is that in his political writings the one great virtue is its just all clear. London is up from the bottom. He is not a sentimentalist. And he was willing to see the world for what it was. And its frightening but its also refreshing. Published in 1908, Trotsky later praised Jack London's "The Iron Heel" for "the audacity and independence of its historical foresight." TM: I think these are important lessons and well worth pondering. Do you think that there are other critical lessons to draw from the experience of the IWW? AW: A point I try to make in the book is about the tremendous and often forgotten human cost of repression. I think there has been a tendency, not a malicious one, but a tendency nonetheless, even for the best of chroniclers of anti-leftist repression, to give short shrift to what that really means to people who were subjected to it. And one of the things that struck me since I began studying the IWW years ago, in all the work Ive done on repression, is how devastating this can be to a lot of these people. People who were made of iron. But that doesnt mean they didnt suffer. They suffered enormously. And I think thats something to remember not just for some sentimental reasons, but for very bright, practical political people to understand what awaits them if indeed we have a massive upsurge in radicalism or activism. People will suffer, as they have in the past. And they will suffer enormously. I think thats something worth remembering. Not to deter people, but for quite the opposite reasonto prepare people for whats to come. Thats something that I think is important about the story. Theres also a story here, and I dont weigh in on it so much as just raise it in the book, and that has to do with the relative merits of the IWW program, its agenda, its ideology. Its syndicalism comported well with its skepticism about the power of the state, something that was confirmed tragically with what happened to the organization. TM: In this vein, you mention James P. Cannons essay on the IWW. As you know, he had been a Wobbly. But I would describe him as a revolutionary optimist in his view of the IWW. I would say that, while recognizing the tragedy of the experience, he took positive lessons out of itas a sort of a process in the development of consciousness within the American working class. AW: I agree. Its yet another part of this story that I think is significant. And there is a lesson in the IWWs success, even if membership numbers were never enormous. They offer, I think, to anyone reviewing their history, some indelible lessons about how to go about organizing people, about the importance of organizing people from the ground up. James P. Cannon, center, with Max Eastman, left, and Haywood in Moscow, 1922. The repression against the IWW only really escalated when the union started to make some significant headway. And it made significant headway when it adopted the so-called job delegate system of organizing, which I think in many ways is a quite useful example of thinking about how to organize. It was, in its conception, an anti-bureaucratic and only somewhat professionalized idea of organizing. And most importantly, it put organizers shoulder to shoulder with the people they were organizing, at a time when already there were tendencies in American labor towards greater and greater professionalization and bureaucratization. Similarly, the way workers comprised the leadership of the organization to a much greater extent than many other labor organizations or leftist movements. Theres a lesson to be learned from the IWW. TM: Your primary focus is on the West, but it has struck me that there was a real attraction to the IWW program in the immigrant working class of the industrial East, broadly defined. We saw it in the Lawrence textile strike of 1912 and the Paterson silk strike of 1913, but it cropped up again and again. And, here again, Cannon writes so well on this, this problem the IWW faced was that they could come in, they could provide leadership, but it wasnt really a union. And so, it would dissipate. But in all of these immigrant groups, it seems that there were very commonly IWW-oriented newspapers in the foreign language. Its a very significant and fascinating chapter of American history. Its one of several ways that I think your book really provokes curiosity. To cite one example that you mention, this Bulgarian immigrant, George Andreytchine. First, hes in Bulgaria and hes in prison camps in the Balkans. And then he comes to America, joins the IWW, and hes jailed here. Then he winds up in the Soviet Union. And ultimately, after this long and fascinating career, hes accused of being a Trotskyist and executed in the Soviet Union. Somebody whos certainly worthy of a biography. Hes just one example, but your book is full of such fascinating figures. The 1918 mug shot from Leavenworth federal penitentiary of George Iliev Andreytchine, 1894-1950. Andreytchine was executed in Moscow in 1950. This question, I think, flows from a discussion of what the IWW did among such workers. One of its strengths was its really uncompromising attitude toward the existing union, the AFL. The Wobblies recognized they were going to have to either go around it, organizing workers the AFL disregarded or banned, or else run right through it, in industries where there were these shell AFL unions. I guess the question following from that historical observation is, and again to bring us to the present: What similarities do you see between the situation confronting the IWW and what was a very polyglot American working class 110 years ago, and the situation at present? AW: Politically, obviously the field is very different. But once again we havewhats the word used now?a multicultural labor force, a working class that is composed of a percentage of immigrant workers similar to what it was 100 years ago. And in that context, I think, a growing sense of crisis, a sense that things cant go on like this. And that does raise some questions about the viability of the kind of organizing the IWW engaged in 100 years ago, and the viability, or maybe the lack of viability, of the current trade union establishment. I have some very negative words at the end of the book along those lines and I stick by those. There is clearly a lot of unrest among American workers today. But I am far from convinced that the existing union structure is, even by its own standards, ready to take any real advantage of it. Because I think its methods and its means, maybe not unlike 100 years ago, are equally unsuited to what the situation is. And equally likely to be squandered, maybe even in a worse way than all the official unions programs foundered in the 1920s and the early 1930s. TM: Its easy to look back and identify the problems of the old AFL. Its enough to note its hostility to industrial workers, which obviously overlapped with its hostility to immigrants and blacks and women. And it was business unionism, as the Wobblies liked to say, or the labor lieutenants of capital running these organizations. Samuel Gompers, president of the AFL for four decades until his death in 1924 But on the other hand, the AFL unions were in the business of, as I think Gompers put it, morenegotiating wage increases for the often skilled workers that they represented. Of course, one of the similarities that we have today is that there is a similar share of the private-sector workforce thats organized. But, as opposed to then, now its really been a half-century of the unions negotiating wage cuts. I mean, this dates back to the 1980s. AW: I agree with that, and I would add again that the unions are lacking this vision that the IWW had, and that was very effective to cultivate and propagate among American working folksto fight for something fundamentally better. Whether we agree that its methods were well-suited to achieve that or not, I think thats something that is sorely lacking in the labor movement. And for which there is, I think, a tremendous appetite among American workers. The status quo is, to a lot of people, workers and others, an insufferable one. TM: As I note in the review, one of the things thats refreshing about your writing is the absence of academic jargon, postmodernism and so on. Its free of the projection of present concepts of identity onto the past. So, youre swimming against the current. I think its very serious history writing that youre doing. But its not a very friendly climate at present for such writing. AW: I made a conscious decision to tell the story as it deserved to be told. And that is a story in which the principles and dynamics here are fundamentally about class, and not about race and not about gender. Now, I dont deny that these are things that define society, or certainly define American society. But they were not central to this story. If they were, I would have incorporated them to a greater degree than I have. I think some people have done some wonderful work, for instance, about the occasions in which the story of the IWW intersected with questions of race, such as Peter Coles book on blacks in the IWW. And some interesting work, some quite good work, has been done about women in the IWW, studies by Laura Vapnek, Heather Mayer and Jane Little Botkin, for instance. But as I note in the book, when you write a book about repression and the IWW, its primarily a book about what happened to men, and primarily a book about, frankly, what happened to white men. And thats the way I tell it. Maybe I approach things the way I do in part because of my own background. Im black and was born and raised in the rural south in the 1970s and 1980s. My father was a civil rights lawyer who grew up on a cotton and potato farm, and was himself a farmer, as well as a political activist. He was a real civil rights lawyer, not the kind that makes boatloads of money, but the kind that suffers politically and struggles professionally and financially because of the kind of work hes doing. He also did some work for labor as well. Growing up, I saw white supremacy in its dying dayssomething quite overwhelming, not the vestiges of it, however problematic they may be. And I learned to take things like racism and sexism seriously enough to insist that people see them for what they are and not for what fits their political or scholarly agenda, or the fashion of the day. You were very generous in describing how straightforward, and, maybe, accessible, the book is. That was certainly an intention of mine as well. This is a story that deserves to be read by people who arent academics and arent preoccupied with the kinds of postmodern tropes and concepts and notions that you mentioned, people for whom those things have very little meaning anyway. And so, I consciously wrote the book in that way. TM: Did you follow our critique of the 1619 project? AW: Yes. I certainly did. It was quite effective and deservedly well-followed. I much appreciated the work you all did on that for a lot of reasons, but in part because of what I just mentioned about my own past and my own kind of consciousness of race in America, in the American South. This is going kind of far afield, but nothing irks me more than the reduction of the American Revolution and the Second American Revolution, as you rightly described the Civil War, to some kind of cynical conspiracies. Its unfortunate to see these great revolutions diminished. TM: Were nearing an end. And so, I should now ask you the classic last interview question: What are you working on? Whats coming next? AW: I am working on a project that was once part of what became the IWW book, and that is a book about sedition, repression and communist unionism in the 1920s and 1930s, that speaks to some of the same things as the IWW book, including the role of the state and the position of progressives and liberals when it comes to labor activism and labor radicalism. And, in that period, what proved to be the last gasp of independent labor radicalism in the United States on a large scale. TM: Well look forward to that. Thank you again for speaking with us. An Australian government-initiated parliamentary inquiry last week called for greater executive power to launch wars, in particular without UN Security Council approval. At the same time, in order to try to divert rising anti-war sentiment, it proposed cosmetic measures to obtain parliamentary approval of such warsbut only after they have already started! Commissioned by Defence Minister Richard Marles last September, the inquirys report is another warning that the Labor government is preparing to join an aggressive US-led war against China, and regardless of even pretence of adhering to international law by obtaining authorisation from the UN Security Council. The parliamentary report has been barely mentioned, let alone accurately reported, in the corporate media. That reflects real nervousness in ruling circles about publicising the strengthening of the anti-democratic war-launching mechanisms. Its release follows the Albanese governments announcement of the allocation of $368 billion over 30 years for the purchase of nuclear-powered attack submarines, along with hypersonic missiles and other offensive weaponry, as part of the AUKUS pact with the US and UK governments, clearly directed at preparing for war against China. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with US President Joe Biden at Point Loma naval base, March 13, 2023, San Diego. [AP Photo/Evan Vucci] It comes amid a barrage of media material seeking to acclimatise the public to the prospect of a catastrophic war with China that would almost certainly involve the use of nuclear weapons. That included a Red Alert series in the Sydney Morning Herald and other Nine network outlets declaring the need to prepare for war against China within three years. This timeline comes direct from the American military. US Air Force General Michael Minihan earlier this year forecast an American war with China by 2025. That war is always depicted as a response to alleged Chinese aggression, including over the island of Taiwan, which for the past 50 years has been internationally recognised as part of China. In reality, the US is increasingly encircling China militarily and seeking to cripple it economically. Having identified China as the chief threat to the hegemony that American imperialism established through World War II, Washington is seeking to goad the Beijing regime into a conflict, as it did with the Russian government over Ukraine. The US deliberately provoked the rapidly escalating NATO war in Europe that is seen as the prelude to war with China. As a recent Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) series reported, figures inside the military-intelligence apparatus are warning of the political alarm if people in Australia suddenly find themselves at war with China. The ABC pointed out: Australians could wake up one morning to the news that we are at war with China. Confronting as that would be, perhaps more confronting is something many people do not realise: such a decision would not require any consultation in parliament. The decision to go to war would not require a public discussion. Nevertheless, the parliamentary report, prepared by a committee with a Labor majority, emphatically declares that decisions regarding armed conflict including war or warlike operations are fundamentally a prerogative of the Executive. That is the Labor governments own position. Even as he commissioned the report, Marles wrote to the committee chair, Shayne Neumann MP, stating that he was firmly of the view that the current war powers arrangements should not be disturbed. However, the report goes further, recommending the strengthening of those powers, especially for wars not supported by resolution by the United Nations Security Council, or an invitation of a sovereign nation. This is a further warning of the type of war that the Australian ruling class and its allies, notably the AUKUS partners, are preparing. Whatever the pretext for military action against China, the US-led powers demand the power to go to war without even the fig leaf of UN authorisation, as they did in Iraq in 2003. While the UN, essentially a clearing house for the interests of the imperialist powers, has never proven an obstacle to US-led wars, a war conducted without formal Security Council approval runs the risk of exposing those responsible to charges of launching an illegal war of aggression. That is the primary reason why the report, issued by the Defence Subcommittee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, urges the government to undertake any armed conflicts by invoking the power of the governor-general as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces under section 68 of the Australian Constitution, rather than by exercising the powers of the defence minister under the Defence Act. The report said this would protect the war-making decision from any legal challenge, either domestic or international, and shield Australian military personnel from war crimes charges. Such decisions of the Governor-General are not justiciable, that is, they are immune from legal or constitutional objection. The 1901 Constitution, a colonial-era document adopted by the emerging Australian capitalist class, deliberately retained the prerogative powers of the British monarchy, which include the power to declare war, and vested them in the hands of the governor-general. The committee insists that the war power must be kept in the grip of a tiny cabal, essentially consisting of the prime minister, and perhaps members of the cabinets national security committee, advising the governor-general to authorise a war declaration. In practice, any decision to go to war with China would be made in Washington. That is not least because Australia hosts vital US military and intelligence facilities, such as the Pine Gap communications and surveillance station in central Australia and other bases across northern Australia. Particularly since 2011, when US President Obama announced Washingtons military and strategic pivot to Asia on the floor of the Australian parliament, Labor and Liberal-National governments alike have increasingly integrated Australia into US military operations, making it an essential platform for a war against China. This integration embodies the Australian ruling classs unconditional alignment behind US imperialism on which it has depended since World War II to prosecute its own predatory imperialist interests in the Indo-Pacific region. Cosmetic measures The parliamentary committee was conscious of the hostility among workers and youth to being plunged into war, especially after the barbaric disasters, involving the deaths of millions of people, of the Vietnam War and the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraqall conducted on the basis of lies and propaganda. The report referred to two surveys that at least partially measured the anti-war sentiment. A 2021 Digital Edge poll found that 87 percent of Australians agreed with the proposition that war decisions should be subject to parliamentary approval always or unless there is immediate danger to Australia. Roy Morgan research conducted in 2020 said 83 percent of respondents supported reforms to require parliamentary approval prior to any decision being taken. In a bid to quell such opposition, the report proposes token measures to give the appearance of parliamentary consultation, essentially in order to use a parliamentary rubber stamp to generate public support for a war that had already been triggered. One recommendation is that the Cabinet Handbook, which has no binding legal effect, require that parliament be recalled as soon as possible to be advised of a war decision. Even this toothless gesture could be scrapped if not possible due to extenuating and appropriate circumstances. The government would then facilitate a debate in both Houses of Parliament at the earliest opportunity, either prior to deployment of the Australian Defence Force or within thirty (30) days of deployment. Any government could brush aside these cosmetic procedures. The governor-general could approve deferral of any of these requirements in specific circumstances, such as high risks to national security or imminent threat to Australian territories or civilian lives. The essential political agenda behind such proposals is to legitimise a war and drum up popular support for it. In his submission to the inquiry, Professor George Williams wrote: One of the parliaments main functions is to build community confidence in contentious and difficult areas by demonstrating that the peoples representatives have gone through a deliberative process and listened to the arguments publicly and transparently. In other words, parliaments role is to seek to mobilise the population behind what would be a disastrous war of aggression, not prevent one. A similar stance was taken by Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR). The report noted that AWPR said Parliament served as a means for the Government to convince the Australian public regarding the necessity for the war. At committee hearings, AWPR witnesses assured the inquiry that parliamentary approval would be a sure thing, due to Australias general bipartisanship on matters relating to defence. As these submissions demonstrate, parliament is not the means to stop war. Rather, it is part of the capitalist state apparatus, dominated by the parties that defend the profit interests of the Australian ruling class, including its domination and plunder of the South Pacific and other parts of the region. That includes the Greens. They filed a dissenting report, urging support for a 2020 bill requiring a joint sitting of parliament to approve military deployments overseas. That bill would allow the governor-general, by proclamation to declare that an emergency required a deployment without parliamentary approval. But the capitalist class launches every war on claims of emergency, such as the fraudulent claims of the imminent threat of weapons of mass destruction concocted as the pretext for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The real purpose was to assert US control over the oil and resource-rich country at the centre of the strategically crucial Middle East. Workers and young people need to draw a warning from the move to boost, and dress up, the war powers. Far from being a check on the threat of a third world war being provoked by the US and its allies, the parliamentary establishment is pivotal to the war preparations. That danger can be answered only by a globally unified movement of the working class to abolish the source of conflict, the capitalist profit system itself. Last week, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong effectively declared that her Labor government could do nothing to secure the freedom of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange, who is imprisoned without charge in Britain and faces extradition to the United States. As the WSWS noted, Wongs comments in the Senate were the most explicit by a senior Labor minister on the governments attitude to Assange. Her remarks largely dispensed with the fraud that Labor was using quiet diplomacy to somehow address Assanges dire plight. Summing up the essence of her argument, Wong asserted that Labor could not free Assange, because he was subject to legal processes in another country. To try to influence or end those proceedings would undermine the rule of law and the separation of powers. Wong declared: [A] court has to determine the legal process. So, we can raise these issues, as I have and as the prime minister has. But we are not able to alter the judicial processes of another country. In the first instance, Wongs presentation of the case against Assange as a bona fide legal process is an infamous lie. Assange is the first journalist in more than a hundred years to be charged under Americas draconian Espionage Act. For publishing true information, exposing war crimes and other violations of international law, he faces 175 years imprisonment. Even establishment corporate outlets, such as the New York Times, have warned that the prosecution would strike a body blow to freedom of the press. Julian Assange [AP Photo/Matt Dunham] It is now on the public record, moreover, that the Trump administration only issued an indictment against Assange in late 2017, after plans for an illegal US assassination or kidnap of Assange had fallen through. Authoritative international organisations have branded the US prosecution as a frame-up. In 2019, then United Nations rapporteur Nils Melzer labelled the persecution of Assange as psychological torture. In 20 years of work with victims of war, violence and political persecution I have never seen a group of democratic States ganging up to deliberately isolate, demonise and abuse a single individual for such a long time and with so little regard for human dignity and the rule of law, Melzer stated. In other words, the fact that Assange is a persecuted Australian citizen and journalist is beyond doubt, as is the sham character of the legal process that he faces. Wongs contention is also refuted by a lengthy record. On multiple occasions, Australian governments have exercised their diplomatic and legal prerogatives to secure the freedom of a citizen facing state attack abroad. In a number of instances, this has involved compelling foreign governments to terminate legal processes not dissimilar to those involving Assange. * In 2007, the Liberal-National Coalition government brokered a deal with the US for the return of Australian citizen David Hicks from the American military prison in Guantanamo Bay. * In 2012, Melinda Taylor was appointed by the International Criminal Court to defend Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, after his fathers Libyan regime had been overthrown the previous year by a US-NATO military intervention. Taylor was arrested by the US puppet government in Libya and accused of spying. Then Labor Foreign Minister Bob Carr personally travelled to Tripoli to secure her rapid release. * In 2014, then Al Jazeera journalist Peter Greste was convicted by an Egyptian court of espionage. The military regime sentenced him to seven years imprisonment on bogus charges. The following year, Greste was freed after intensive interventions by the Australian government. * In 2018, Australian documentarian James Ricketson was convicted of espionage by a Cambodian court which handed him a six-year prison sentence. Less than a month later, he was pardoned after an Australian government campaign against the frame-up. * From September 2018 to November 2020, Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert was imprisoned in Iran on espionage charges that she has said were bogus. The Australian government conducted a complex global operation for her release, which culminated in a 2020 prisoner exchange that would have involved the cooperation of multiple governments. * In 2021, Sean Turnell, an Australian economist and former economic policy advisor to State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, was arrested by the military junta that had seized power in Myanmar. In 2022, court proceedings began against Turnell on charges of violating the Official Secrets Act, i.e., espionage. When a conviction was recorded against Turnell in June, Foreign Minister Wong issued a statement declaring: The Australian Government rejects this weeks court ruling in Myanmar against Australian Professor Sean Turnell. It is more than sixteen months since Professor Turnell was detained by the Myanmar military. He remains imprisoned in Myanmar, and we will continue to call for his immediate release. When Turnell was sentenced to three years imprisonment in September, Wong stated: Australia rejects the ruling in Myanmar against Professor Turnell and we continue to call for his immediate release. We do not accept the charges against him We will continue to take every opportunity to advocate strongly for him until he is returned to his family in Australia. Through an aggressive campaign, Wong and the government secured Turnells freedom last November. So much for Wongs claim that Australia cannot, and would not, intervene in the legal processes of another country. What is most striking about the above list are the parallels of virtually all of the cases with Assanges. In each instance, except for Hicks, accusations or charges of espionage were levelled against journalists, academics or political figures, of a politically-motivated and bogus character. In each of the cases, most notably that of Turnell, the Australian government rejected the frame-up publicly and took concrete actions to end it. Wong may claim that Britain and the US, unlike Libya, Egypt, Iran and Burma are rule of law countries, but in fact the parallels simply underscore that the methods of transparent frame-ups associated with tinpot dictatorships and military juntas have been adopted by the major imperialist powers. It was not only in Turnells case that Wong has shown a willingness to intervene in the affairs of other countries. Throughout her brief tenure as foreign minister, Wong has repeatedly toured the Pacific Islands. There she has lectured, hectored and bullied the leaders of these tiny and impoverished states, insisting that they align with the US and Australia against China. Last year, when the US began imposing extensive sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine war, Australia was among the first allies to follow. In an opinion piece at the time, Wong declared that in the defence of human rights, I start from this basis: to do all we can, in the ways that we can. To be motivated by principle and act with purpose. Just as we bring all aspects of Australian power to our foreign policy, we employ every strategy at our disposal towards upholding human rights, consistent with our values and with our interests. For Assange, Wong and her government offer nothing but a shrug of the shoulders and descriptions of an Orwellian frame-up as a just legal process. The reason for this is no riddle. To the extent that Australia, like the other imperialist powers, invokes human rights, it is used as a battering ram to advance predatory and aggressive geo-political interests. In the case of the sanctions, that is to further the US-led and provoked war against Russia in Ukraine. In the Indo-Pacific region, the Australian government invoked human rights to justify its frontline role in the US preparations for war with China. The Assange case underscores the utter fraud of such declarations. The persecution of the WikiLeaks publisher demonstrates the fact that the militarist program of the major powers is incompatible with democratic rights. He is being prosecuted to intimidate the mass anti-war sentiment that exists among workers and young people all over the world. Lessons must be learnt from Wongs explicit statements that the Labor government will not free Assange. His freedom will not be secured through fawning appeals to right-wing capitalist governments that are preparing even greater war crimes than those exposed by Assange and WikiLeaks. Rather, it requires an independent political movement of the working class directed against all of the governments and the capitalist profit system they defend. The basis for such a movement exists in the growing struggles of the working class around the world. Such a fight, moreover, is inseparable from the struggle to build a mass international anti-war movement to prevent the horrors of war with Russia and China that are being plotted by American imperialism and its allies, including in the Labor government. For years, a relentless campaign has been waged internationally against opponents of Zionism and the establishment of Israel through the expulsion of the Palestinians and their ongoing persecution, denouncing them as left-anti-Semites. This witch-hunt has targeted anyone making an analogy or drawing any comparison between Israels treatment of the Palestinians and Hitlerite fascism, or identifying Israel with apartheid rule in South Africa. It rested on the assertion that Zionism represented the collective interests of Jews the world over and that Israel was the embodiment of that collective self-identity. A section of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of anti-Semitism [Photo: screenshot from web site of International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance] The centrepiece of this campaign was the insistence on the adoption of the working definition of anti-Semitism agreed in 2016 by the intergovernmental body, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). The IHRA definition included definitions and examples of anti-Semitism that effectively outlaw criticism of the Israeli government: Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a state of Israel is a racist endeavour. Applying double standards by requiring of it behaviour not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation. Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis. Not one of these proscriptions on free speech, defining what is supposedly illegitimate criticism, stands up when measured against the reality of the explosive conflicts that have now erupted in Israel. The political lie of the unchallenged universal legitimacy of the state of Israel has suffered a devastating exposure with the mass protest movement of Jewish Israelis against the far-right government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Tens of thousands Israelis protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial overhaul plan outside the parliament in Jerusalem, Monday, March 27, 2023. [AP Photo/AP] Since the election of Netanyahus government last November, resting on far-right and ultra-religious parties, it has set about consolidating the power of the government over the judiciary. This is designed to facilitate the suppression of social and political dissent and to pave the way for the permanent annexation of much of the occupied West Bank and bloody military interventions, not only against the Palestinians but also Iran and its allies. The coalition also has plans for legislation disqualifying Palestinian Knesset members from serving in the Israeli parliament and banning their parties from standing in elections, permanently disenfranchising 20 percent of Israeli citizens. This builds on Israels 2018 Basic Law, popularly known as the Nation-State Law, enshrining Jewish supremacy as the legal foundation of the state. This new Basic Law declares, The right to exercise national self-determination in the State of Israel is unique to the Jewish people, proclaims Jerusalem complete and united as Israels capital, declares that the development of Jewish settlement in the Occupied Territories is a national value to be encouraged by the state, and removes Arabic as an official state language. This has led groups including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Israels BTselem to denounce it as a new form of apartheid rule. Netanyahus planned political coup has provoked the biggest mass protest movement in Israeli history. And though its leaders still proclaim their Zionism and loyalty to Israel, events speak for themselves regarding the assertion of national unity on which Zionism rests. Hundreds of thousands have marched and demonstrated week after week to denounce the lurch towards dictatorship led by a government including self-avowed fascists such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The extent of the opposition testifies to the broader social and economic concerns animating a protest movement that has involved at least one in five of the population. The Zionist Histadrut trade union federation was forced to call strikes to try and control spontaneous walkouts by Israeli workers. Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu (left) far-right Israeli lawmaker Bezalel Smotrich (right) and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid (centre) and leaders of all Israel's political parties pose for a group photo after the swearing-in ceremony for lawmakers at the Knesset, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem, Tuesday, November 15, 2022. [AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov] In response, the police have fired tear gas and used water cannon to break up demonstrations, carrying out mass arrests. Almog Cohen of Jewish Power and others have called for the arrest of opposition leaders for treason, including former Defence Minister Benny Gantz, former Prime Minister Yair Lapid, and former Major General Yair Golan, amid warnings on both sides that Israel faces a descent into civil war. Millions of Israelis and some of its most prominent political representatives now routinely denounce the countrys descent into fascist rule in a manner that would be proscribed in the UK and much of Europe and provoke accusations of anti-Semitism, intimidation and victimisation. The left anti-Semitism witch-hunt in the UK The left anti-Semitism witch-hunt in the UK was led by an alliance of the Blairite right-wing of the Labour Party, Zionists and Conservatives, all with intimate connections to the security services of Britain, the US and Israel. Focusing on Jeremy Corbyn once he became Labour leader in 2015, the witch-hunters claimed his supporters had transformed the party into an anti-Semitic threat to British Jews, who would be forced to flee the UK if he ever became prime minister. Jeremy Corbyn speaking at a rally in London, October 1, 2022 [Photo: WSWS] The aim of the Blairites in driving out Labours left-leaning rank-and-file was to make sure that the party remained a reliable instrument of the most reactionary elements within the British state apparatus. Thousands were suspended, expelled or driven out, including many of Corbyns closest allies, while he prostrated himself before his critics and handed leadership of the party over to Sir Keir Starmer. Today, Corbyn has been removed from the Parliamentary Labour Party and told he will never stand again as an Labour MP because he dared to suggest that his political opponents had exaggerated the threat of anti-Semitism in the party. The witch-hunting went much wider than the British Labour Party, however, as the IHRA definition was used as a political cudgel to silence the voice of Palestinians and their supporters on campuses and to ruin the lives and besmirch the integrity of academics and artists as varied as Gunter Grass and Roger Waters all over the world. The broader aim of this offensive was to justify the global enforcement of the policies of British and US imperialism in the Middle East using the dishonest and illegitimate identification of anti-Semitism with principled opposition to the policies of the Israeli stateespecially its military-police role against the Palestinians, Syria, Lebanon and Iran. The ultimate target of this McCarthyite orgy is the working class, facing censorship, political victimisation and even criminal prosecutions for opposing imperialisms crimes internationally and at home. Moreover, accepting that Israel embodies the interests of all Jews leaves Jewish workers under the control of the Zionist state and politicians, and Arab workers prey to the claims of bourgeois Islamist groups, Sunni and Shia, including the Iranian-dominated Axis of Resistance, to represent the anti-imperialist strivings of the regions workers and oppressed masses. The political restrictions being demanded in the name of combating left anti-Semitism would make it impossible to wage a struggle against imperialist warmongering and to fight for the unification of the working class in the Middle East. This made the attempt to denigrate and discredit socialism, and any identification of the independent and universal interests of the regions workers, Jewish and Arab, the essential political aim of the witch-hunters. New York Times columnist Roger Cohen giving a talk at the Temple De Hirsch Sinai, Seattle, Washington sponsored by J Street. [Photo by Joe Mabel / CC BY-SA 4.0 Responding to a column by Roger Cohen of the New York Times titled Anti-Semitic Anti-Zionism, the WSWS explained: Its broader purpose, however, is made clear in the very first line: The hard left meeting the hard right is an old political story, as Hitler understood in calling his party the National Socialists. Cohens old political story is an old political lie. Nazism was developed not primarily as an anti-Semitic, but as an anti-communist movement. Anti-Marxism and opposition to the international unification of the working class was Hitlers driving obsession, to which he counterposed ethnic German nationalism. His hatred of the Jews was based upon their association with the socialist movement. He stated in Mein Kampf that his aim was to destroy Jewish Bolshevism. He wrote of his conviction that the question of the future of the German nation is the question of the destruction of Marxism... In Russian Bolshevism we must see the attempt undertaken by the Jews in the twentieth century to achieve world domination. The service provided to German imperialism by National Socialism, i.e., fascism, was to mobilise the ruined petty-bourgeoisie and the declassed lumpen-proletariat as a shock force against the organised workers movement. Its essential political aim was to eradicate Marxian socialism and destroy the labour movement as a precondition for the unleashing of militarism and war, which were necessary to secure the markets and territory required by German imperialism, as expressed in Hitlers goal of Lebensraum. In contrast, the socialist movement, that is the Marxist movement, attracted so many Jewish workers and intellectuals in the late 19th and early 20th centuries precisely because it stood resolutely for internationalism, for equality and unity, and an end to all forms of ethnic or religious discrimination, especially the anti-Semitism espoused by all of Europes bourgeois governments. These latest attacks on socialism, under the guise of defending against left-anti-Semitism, occur under conditions where the far-right is once again re-emerging as a significant political force, both in Europe and internationally, including the fascist Alternative for Germany and Marine Le Pens National Rally in France. Today it will become clear to ever broader layers of the more thoughtful workers and intellectuals in Israel itself that it is impossible to combat a similar descent into far-right reaction without making a political accounting of the Zionist project and challenging its underlying political assumptions. The dead end of Zionism What is unfolding in Israel is the product of deep-rooted contradictions, political and ideological, within the Zionist state. It is fuelled by the growing divisions between the working class and the ruling elite in one of the most unequal countries in the world, making paramount the need to identify the class interests represented on both sides of the conflict over Netanyahus coup and to delineate an independent axis of struggle for the working class. This can only be done by taking an historical approach that penetrates beneath the political mythology of Zionism. Israels foundation was rooted in the catastrophe that overtook European Jewry in the 1930s and 1940s, culminating in the extermination of six million European Jews in the Nazi holocaust following the defeat of the European working class by fascism. The entrance to the main camp of Auschwitz. [Photo by Bettmann Archive / CC BY-SA 1.0 The conditions for this defeat were created by the Stalinist degeneration of the Soviet Union and the Communist International, and the Soviet bureaucracys betrayal of the struggle for world socialism, which prevented the working class from putting an end to the crisis-ridden capitalist system. It was the disastrous policy pursued by the German Communist Party under the direction of the Comintern that allowed Hitler to come to power without the working class being mobilised to prevent this, paving the way to World War II and all its horrors and crimes. Zionism politically exploited the widespread disillusionment created by this defeat among Jewsoften with deep connections to the socialist movementand the desperate situation they faced, to urge the creation of a separate Jewish state. Emigration to British-controlled Palestine was encouraged throughout the 1930s by Jews seeking to escape Nazi persecution. On 21 March 1933, Potsdam Day, President Paul von Hindenburg (right) accepts the appointment of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler as German chancellor. [Photo by Theo Eisenhart/Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-S38324 / CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 Israel was finally established in 1948 following a United Nations vote in 1947 for the partition of Palestine that precipitated a civil war. Its foundation, justified by references to the Jews having been expelled from their homeland 2,000 years ago, was advanced as securing A land without people for a people without land. It would supposedly be a just and democratic haven for a people who had faced discrimination and oppression for centuriesa state defined by religion, open to all who could claim Jewish ancestry/descent. The reality behind such rhetoric is the forcible and brutal expulsion of almost a million Palestinians, most of the population, the seizure of their land and the assertion of the ethnic and religious interests of Jews over those of Arab Muslims and Christians. From the very day of its inception, Israel was organically incapable of developing a genuinely democratic society due to the denial of democratic rights to and repression of the Palestinians. Plunged immediately into war with its Arab neighbours, it grew into a militarised state, with the army serving as its central pillar, supported by US imperialism as its heavily funded garrison in the region. The Arab-Israeli war of 1967 ended with Israels occupation of lands belonging to Jordan, Syria and Egypt, the West Bank of the Jordan River, the Golan Heights and the Gaza Strip. It gave rise to the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) under the leadership of Yasser Arafat that called for the struggle against Israel to be carried out under the banner of Palestinian nationalism, and the beginnings of Jewish colonial-style settlement and renewed ethnic cleansing. This turn to a Greater Israel policy was then consolidated by the decisive victory against Egypt, Syria and other Arab powers in October 1973. Israeli tanks advancing on the Golan Heights, June 1967 [Photo by Government Press Office (Israel) / CC BY-SA 4.0 A naked policy of military expansionism destroyed the good will Israel had enjoyed internationally since its foundation. It was a turning point in the political development of opposition to Zionism on the left, against which Israels rulers were to develop over many years the campaign to denounce left-anti-Semitism. The escalation of militarism and war, including the military repression of the Palestinian national movement, the cultivation of a settler population, together with ultra-orthodox groups encouraged by the propagation of pseudo-biblical justifications for Israeli expansion, were all funded by the US. It was accompanied by free market policies and the abandonment of limited social welfare measures. As social inequality in Israel grew to one of the highest levels in the world, a ruling class with less and less to offer workers increasingly based itself on the support of settler and ultra-religious groups. This created the basis for the emergence of the fascist tendencies within the political and military establishment. These are the forces that now dictate government policy and threaten not only the Palestinians but most Israelis with brutal repression. It has left Israel today under a government intent on imposing the dictates of Jewish religious law, with religious discrimination enshrined in its constitution, and a society riven with explosive social and political divisions. None of the major parties, whether in government or opposition, represent the interests of the Jewish people either within Israel or the diaspora. They are the contending spokesmen for Israels financial elite, courting Washingtons supportbe it the Democratic Party or the Republican Partyfor alternative perspectives for the preservation of Israel as a bastion of US economic and military domination in the region. It is the protest leaders intransigent advocacy of Zionism and the social interests of the Israeli bourgeoisie that sets them against Netanyahus assault on the Supreme Court. They fear that Bibi and his fascist backers are undermining the bogus democratic veneer the Israeli state employs to legitimise its every military aggressionnot only against the Palestinians, but against Iran. Destabilising Israeli society by handing the initiative to Jewish supremacist and religious reactionaries, they know, wrecks the states ability to draw the population behind its warmongering agendaand also risks an explosion of social struggles against economic policies of austerity to pay for war while enriching Israels oligarchs. In the person of war criminals such as opposition leader Benny Gantz and Netanyahus rebellious Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, the Israeli bourgeoisie is acutely aware of the social and political threat it faces from the working class. In contrast these political realities find no expression among the petty-bourgeois opponents of Zionism and advocates for the Palestinians. Understanding these historical and social processes raises the central question of how the working class must respond to the emerging crisis of rule in Israel. Class unity, not ethno-nationalism Those accused of left anti-Semitism, Palestinian groups and their supporters in such organisations as the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) and Palestine Solidarity Campaign, are being slandered. But that does not mean they offer any basis for a genuine struggle against Zionism. These groups and various liberal commentators have almost invariably taken the position that what is unfolding in Israel is purely a conflict between warring Zionist camps. Noting the reactionary character of the self-proclaimed leadership of the opposition protests, they not only insist that the same concerns animate the hundreds of thousands directly mobilised and the millions more who back them, but also that it is impossible to either challenge or change this situation. This plague on both your houses position de facto accepts the Zionists own claim to be the legitimate representative of the entire Jewish people. It objectively throws a lifeline to the Israeli bourgeoisie at its hour of greatest need by reinforcing the myth of national unity and perpetuating the division between Jewish and Arab workers. Their basic position, nationalist and pro-capitalist in essence, is that class distinctions count for nothing as the Jewish working class benefits from the oppression of the Palestinians and of Arab Israelis in their relatively privileged position as the social base of a settler colonial state. This is only an extreme variant of the argument employed by pseudo-left tendencies internationally who not only write off any possibility of working-class unity and socialist struggle in any country beset by ethnic or religious conflicts such as Northern Ireland, Spain, and Belgium, but who also declare that the working class of the imperialist nations, above all in the United States, is similarly hopelessly corrupted by supposedly sharing in the spoils of oppression. The political conclusion is an embrace of national and separatist movements as the supposedly legitimate representatives of the nationally oppressed peoples concerned. The working class, to the extent that it is even spoken of, is tasked only with supporting national liberation through military struggle led by various bourgeois tendencies and states. The division of the world into ever smaller, ethnically pure states and statelets which flows from such a perspective has proved time and again, in Yugoslavia, Eastern Europe and throughout the Middle East and Africa, to be a recipe for fratricidal warfare ending in the creation of anti-democratic and dictatorial regimes that remain the playthings of the major imperialist powers. For a revolutionary perspective The conditions exist to fight for a revolutionary socialist alternative in Israel and throughout the Middle East. The Israeli bourgeoisie and its state face an existential crisisa fact now widely recognised. And under such conditions to reject a priori a successful struggle to break Jewish workers from Zionism is both profoundly sceptical and politically reactionary. This is not the first time that divisions within the ruling elite, invariably of a reactionary and tactical character, have opened the road to an emerging revolutionary movement of the working class. One need only recall how the April 25, 1974 military coup in Portugal unleashed a mass socialist movement that ended the Salazar dictatorship and the colonial wars in Mozambique, Guinea and Angola. If anything, Israel is more socially polarised than Portugal was then between the working class and the ruling families. Vladimir Lenin in his office in the Kremlin, Moscow, around 1919. (AP Photo) [AP Photo] In 1914, in The Collapse of the Second International, Lenin outlined what he termed the three symptoms of a revolutionary situation: (1) when it is impossible for the ruling classes to maintain their rule without any change; when there is a crisis, in one form or another, among the upper classes, a crisis in the policy of the ruling class, leading to a fissure through which the discontent and indignation of the oppressed classes burst forth. For a revolution to take place, it is usually insufficient for the lower classes not to want to live in the old way; it is also necessary that the upper classes should be unable to rule in the old way; (2) when the suffering and want of the oppressed classes have grown more acute than usual; (3) when, as a consequence of the above causes, there is a considerable increase in the activity of the masses, who uncomplainingly allow themselves to be robbed in peace time, but, in turbulent times, are drawn both by all the circumstances of the crisis and by the upper classes themselves into independent historical action. The basic issue that must be given conscious political expression is the growing political chasm between the opposition movements bourgeois leadership and the sections of workers now moving into struggle. Instead of dismissing Israeli workers as homogenous defenders of colonial occupation, the task of socialists is to make a class appeal for the unity of Jewish and Arab workers against their common oppressors and in this way bring an end to the divisions so carefully fostered by the bourgeoisie. This is the essential lesson to be drawn from Israels troubled and tragic history. Responding to the partition of Palestine in 1947 by the United Nations that led to the creation of Israel, the Fourth International insisted in a statement titled Against the Stream: The Fourth International rejects as utopian and reactionary the Zionist solution of the Jewish question. It declares that total renunciation of Zionism is the sine qua non condition for the merging of Jewish workers struggles with the social, national and liberationist struggles of the Arab toilers. It warned: By partition a wedge is driven between the Arab and Jewish worker. The Zionist state with its provocative lines of demarcation will bring about the blossoming forth of irredentist (revenge) movements on either side. There will be fighting for an Arab Palestine and for a Jewish state within the historic frontiers of Eretz Israel (the Land of Israel). As a result, the chauvinistic atmosphere thus created will poison the Arab world in the Middle East and throttle the anti-imperialist fight of the masses, while Zionists and Arab feudalists will vie for imperialist favours. This prognosis has been vindicated by history and Jews and Arabs alike have paid a bitter price. Mourners chant slogans and carry the body of Montaser Shawwa, 16, through an alley, during his funeral in the West Bank refugee camp of Balata, Nablus, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. Shawwa succumbed to his wounds that were sustained during an Israeli army operation in the occupied West Bank on February 8. [AP Photo/Nasser Nasser] The reactionary Zionist utopia of a national state in which the Jews of the world could find sanctuary, unity and equality has led instead to the creation of a capitalist state acting as a garrison for US imperialism, built through the dispossession of the Palestinians, maintained through the constant eruption of war, wracked by immense social and political contradictions, and built on the denial of basic democratic rights to its Palestinian citizens. Far from being the only democracy in the Middle East, Israel is undergoing a headlong descent into police state forms of rule, the emergence of fascism and the eruption of civil war. There is nothing unique in this catastrophe relating to Zionism or the State of Israel. The dead-end of Zionism is only one manifestation of the failure of all national movements and the states they have created to resolve any of the fundamental questions confronting the mass of working people. The same issues are posed to all the peoples of the region, where the working class is subject to brutally repressive forms of bourgeois rule amid grotesque levels of social inequality. Nor is there anything unique in the eruption of opposition. Israel is a significant expression of the far-reaching political consequences of a global upsurge of the working class, from Sri Lanka to France. Leon Trotsky, founder of the Fourth International A genuine revolutionary alternative must be based on the theory of permanent revolution. In the imperialist epoch, Trotsky explained that the realisation of the basic democratic and national tasks in the oppressed nations associated in the nineteenth century with the rise of the bourgeoisie can only be achieved only through the independent political mobilisation of the working class, acting on a socialist and internationalist perspective. The only way to defend democratic rights and put an end to state repression, deepening financial hardship, and the rising threat of far-right reaction and war is to unite Arab and Jewish workers in a common struggle against capitalism and for the building of a socialist society. Transcending all national divisions, workers must fight for the United Socialist States of the Middle East, freed from the predatory interests of the imperialist powers and transnational corporations. Built on the essential principle of equality for all the regions peoples, this would guarantee a democratic and prosperous future for all, based on the use of the regions vast natural resources to meet essential social needs. A Canadian Pacific Railway locomotive in Calgary, Alberta. [Photo by Jason Corbett) / CC BY 4.0 The US Surface Transportation Board (STB) gave final approval to the Canadian Pacific (CP) Rail and Kansas City Southern (KCS) joint merger application to combine the two railways to form Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) on March 15. The new railway combines the two smallest of the seven Class I railways in the United States, and will still be the smallest of the now six Class Is. However, it is the first single-line railway connecting the US, Mexico and Canada. The merger must be viewed in the context of the intensified push to establish a North American protectionist trade bloc dominated by American and Canadian imperialism. With this policy, which is underpinned by the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)finalized as an upgrade to NAFTA during the Trump administrationthe continents twin imperialist powers aim to consolidate their economic power to wage trade war and military conflict against their geostrategic rivals, above all Russia and China. During last years contract negotiations for rail workers in the US, when over 120,000 rail workers were on the verge of strike action, national security specialists explicitly drew attention to the importance of preventing disruption to the rail network under conditions of war with Russia. Todd Rosenblum, writing on the FreightWaves website, declared that the convening of the Presidential Emergency Board to impose a sellout contract on rail workers was essential for preserving the nations readiness for conflict in this period of heightened uncertainty. Imposing a concessions-filled settlement without a strike would signal to adversaries that our readiness to respond to provocation is high, and our supply chain is becoming more resilient, not less. A critical element in the North American ruling elites protectionist plans is the concentration of key supply chains within the continent so as to reduce dependency on rivals for the supply of critical minerals and other raw materials. From the standpoint of the ruling class, this requires a reliable rail network capable of transporting goods from Canada to Mexico, while suppressing opposition to horrendous working conditions by rail workers. The investing website Seeking Alpha explained last September how CP, and North American railroads more broadly, were set to benefit from global supply chain re-shoring. The website explained, The merger with Kansas City Southern will allow the company to service Canada, the United States, and Mexico. This means benefiting from higher industrial production and the ability to connect major grain, automotive, chemical, energy, and other supply chains. The consolidation of supply chains in the North American continent has been the subject of extensive consultations at the highest levels of government. In a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the North American leaders summit in January, US President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged to intensify efforts to source raw materials necessary for EV production and other clean energy projects from Canada. With a network of close to 33,000 kilometres of rail and approximately 20,000 employees, CPKC will play an important role in transporting raw materials and finished goods across one of the worlds largest free-trade zones under the USMCA. Its first cross-border trains are expected to carry Midwestern meat products to Mexico and Mexican-grown fruits and vegetables north to Chicago. From mid-2020, KCS rejected 11 offers from investment firms attracted by US/Mexico cross-border trade until Canadian National (CN) and CP engaged in a bidding war to acquire the railway. KCS originally accepted a $33 billion proposal from CN but that was rejected by the STB over the structure of the voting trust. Ultimately, Canadian Pacific secured a deal in September 2021 which provided $1.4 billion to cover merger-termination fees owed to Canadian National. Since that time the railroads have operated independently, pending the STBs final review. The support of the STB for CPs offer underscores how a rail network encompassing North Americas three main economies was desired at the highest levels of the state. In justifying its decision to allow the merger, the STB stated that the combined operation would present a stronger competitor to BNSF and Canadian National. A major factor in this consideration is, no doubt, that CPKC would be in a better position than CP Rail and KCS were individually to pick up the slack from a strike at either of the major two railroads. Keith Creel, the current CEO of CP and future CEO of CPKC, declared that the new rail network would create a truly unique single-line network connecting three nations and instantly injecting new competition into the North American rail industry when our supply chains have never needed it more. Last year, he vowed that a major target of the new railroad will be the two-person-crew rule in the US, which he said was short-sighted, and that once technology and components allow safe, efficient and reliable service, railroads should be allowed to operate trains with one person in the cab. Creel is advocating running a 3 kilometre long train at high speed with potentially hazardous freight in every conceivable condition, with a single operator to manage it safely. Even with a minimum of two crew members today, derailments occur at a rate of more than 1,000 per year across the US. Both CP and KCS utilize Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR). PSR is universally despised by workers because it imposes a dehumanizing attendance policy that forces them to be on-call virtually 24 hours a day, seven days a week in order to satisfy efficiency targets. The demand to run longer trains at higher speeds with less down-time, even for vital safety inspections, can be cited as a contributing factor in the tragic deaths of three CP workers in British Columbia in 2019. CP continues to deny any responsibility for the incident and boasts that its rapid growth since PSR was introduced proves that PSR works. The financial oligarchy that stands behind the railway companies is determined to entrench PSR across the continent no matter what the cost to working conditions and lives. These conditions of ruthless exploitation are made all the more necessary by the economic impact of the US-NATO war on Russia. Key agricultural products, like fertilizer, grain, oil and gas, are required from Canada in greater quantities due to the sanctions imposed on Russia and the destruction of the Ukrainian economy. When 3,000 CP Rail workers were locked out by management in March 2022, Creel asserted that avoiding a prolonged strike by means of a lockout was necessary to ensure Canadian resources could reach the world market. North Americas railroads have profited handsomely from the war and the growth of economic protectionism, which is why Creel and co. are so confident that the merger will prove highly lucrative. As the American Railroad Association notes on its website, Railroads continue to move huge amounts of cargo, despite current supply chain challenges. In the first 11 months of 2022, railroads moved more carloads of chemicals than in any comparable period in history; more carloads of food products than any year since 2012; the fourth-highest carloads of grain since 2009; and the second-highest carloads of iron and steel scrap since 2014. CPKC will offer a direct route for Albertas bitumen to the gulf coast of Texas, where most of the worlds heavy oil refineries are located. Shipping crude oil by rail is not the most cost-effective method. However, since the Biden administration canceled the highly controversial Keystone XL pipeline in 2021, a direct rail route has acquired heightened importance. CPKC will also offer a direct route for Canadian grain as far south as Mexico City. Wheat is one of Canadas largest agricultural exports, coming in at over $7 billion per year. Another is fertilizer, with exports reaching $8.3 billion in 2021, prior to the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. Canada exports fully one-third of the worlds traded potash, a key fertilizer ingredient. The fact that Canadian Pacific was so easily able to seal the transaction by stumping up the additional $1.4 billion, to cover the merger-termination fees owed by KCS to CN, shows just how much cash is washing around the industry. In the middle of a global pandemic, CP was forcing its workers to work long hours in unsafe conditions, while it splashed cash around to fulfill its desire to become a serious continental player. CPs union accomplices in the Teamsters and Unifor happily played along with the corporations pleas of poverty throughout the various contract negotiations before and after the merger deal, jointly imposing concessions at every turn. The combined workforce of the new entity will now be subject to restructuring and intensified exploitation, with the prospect of significant job losses. The nationalist and bureaucratic unions long ago gave up representing the interests of the membership and have been fully integrated into the management structure of the corporations as the brokers of labour power. Almost 120,000 railroad workers in the US laboured under an expired contract for more than two years before giving their union executives near unanimous strike mandates that the unions opposed carrying out. Eventually, the White House, with the support of Congress and the unions, imposed a dictatorial concessions-laden settlement on workers across the system. In both the US and Canada, the unions are subservient to the interests of their own corporate elites and capitalist states. In Canada, Unifor and the Teamsters are key props of the federal Liberal government, while in the US all the unions have worked closely with the Biden administration to enforce miserable contracts across every economic sector. Faced with a multi-national railroad that will scour the continent from the Canadian Arctic to tropical Mexico to secure the cheapest labour and biggest profits, rail workers cannot take a single step forward in the fight for better conditions and wages by entrusting their fate to such nationalist and pro-capitalist organizations. The only solution is for rail workers to take power away from the bureaucrats by forming rank-and-file committees in every workplace. These committees must counterpose to the ravenous pursuit of profit by CPKC and other railroads, demands based on what workers actually need, and fight to unify rail workers in Canada, the US and Mexico in a continent-wide struggle to put an end to the ruthless exploitation that prevails on the railroads. On Friday, March 31, four days after 39 migrants died in a fire in a provisional government-run detention center in Ciudad Juarez, Mexicos President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (known as AMLO) snubbed the survivors and families of the deceased, refusing to meet with them. Presidents Lopez Obrador and Biden at North American summit, January 2023. [Photo: POTUS/Twitter] Knowing that AMLO was scheduled to meet in a college gymnasium with so-called Servants of the Nation (government social workers), over a hundred migrants, along with local immigration activists, waited outside for an hour to demand dialogue with him. A Venezuelan migrant shouted through a microphone, We are international workers, we want justice. They have treated us like criminals and we are not criminals, we came peacefully and we want to talk to the president. When AMLO exited and attempted to leave in a van, migrants blocked it. Through loudspeakers they called upon Lopez Obrador to get out and talk and listen to them. One speaker said, We do not want this to be a protest, we want to present a proposal to the President, that policies that violate human rights end, that they not put us in those prisons (immigration stations) and that the United States be made to understand that migration is not a problem, but a phenomenon in which we seek better conditions. As a tribute they called out the names of each person who lost their lives in fire, chanting Justice! after each one. Servants of the Nation and other AMLO supporters shouted back get out invaders and get out f***ing intruders, reflecting the real character of his immigration policies. AMLO himself had initially blamed the detained migrants for their plight for burning a mattress in protest of their confinement, ignoring that guards had not opened their cells as the fire grew, leaving them to suffocate and burn from the smoke and heat of the flames. AMLOs entourage managed to depart within a few minutes of the encounter. Thereafter, AMLO did not go to visit the more than two dozen seriously injured hospitalized migrants who had survived. Many of the migrants had been unjustly detained merely for begging or washing car windows. Richard Franco, a 37-year-old Venezuelan immigrant, elaborated in a television interview: The authorities are annoyed that we are at traffic lights asking for help, and we dont want that either. But what else can we do if we have to eat to live? If this government gave us a provisional permit to work, we would not beg in the streets. He also said, as did other migrants, that one reason for the tragedy was a raid by the National Institute of Migration (INM) to get the migrants away from city cruise ships. Franco continued: We want our right to life and the right to liberty and work to be respected. Venezuela is experiencing the worst economic crisis in its history. The streets of Ciudad Juarez are full of families with hungry and tired children, with not one peso or any place to sleep, exposed to the sun or the cold, waiting for a chance at immigration that is increasingly closed to them. Mexico has sent millions of its own immigrant workers to the United States, yet it treats foreigners crossing its territory inhumanely. Most of the migrants are from Venezuela or Central America, where poverty is endemic. It is common knowledge that Mexican authorities are the worst abusers during their entire trek. As one young Venezuelan put it in an interview on a US Spanish-language TV channel, The only country that put obstacles before us has been Mexico. We suffered the worst in the Darien jungle [of Panama], Costa Rica and Honduras, but no officials made us suffer so much. [In Mexico] they grab you like you're a criminal and they tell you, how much do you have? for bribes. The Mexican government has faced criticism from human rights organizations for accepting US policies, and deploying more than 20,000 agents of its Armed Forces at the borders for immigration tasks. Felipe Gonzalez Morales, a former president of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and current United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, criticized the practice of mass detentions of migrants. He said on Twitter that extensive use of immigration detention leads to tragedies like this one. What occurred at the INM-run detention center in Juarez was nothing less than a state crime. The Lopez Obrador government has implemented a policy of repressing, jailing and criminalizing migrants. That is what led to the deadly blaze, in a detention center, not a shelter, for migrants forced to survive on the street. If any will be punished, it will only be the lowest-level officials. The higher ups who are responsible will go free. Lopez Obradors government bowed to the pressure from two US presidentsfirst Donald Trump and then Joe Bidento, as one Mexican commentator put it, turn Mexico into a border patrol and waiting room for the United States. Mexico is the wall Trump wanted. AMLO has deployed the Mexican military to serve in effect as an auxiliary of US imperialism and its US border police. Many of the migrants face deportation from Mexico as a result of the Biden administrations policy banning immigrants from applying for asylum at the US-Mexico border. The legal process for entering the United States is also very confusing, now requiring that an application be filled out on a cell phone, using an app that does not work very well and often freezes. The Juarez detention center where the deadly fire occurred was also used to temporarily house migrants who had already illegally attempted to cross the border and were thus liable for deportation. The immigrants who perished were barred from entering the United States under Title 42, an obscure public health provision of US law employed by Trump and then Biden to ban immigration at the US-Mexico border under the false pretense that immigrants spread COVID-19. The presence of migrants in the border area has intensified this year since the United States announced new measures, which include the immediate deportation under Title 42 of migrants from Haiti, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba who arrive by land. With Title 42 slated to expire in May, Biden announced a new policy last month to fill the gap. Under the new asylum ban, immigrants at the southern border would not be allowed to enter the US to apply for asylum, regardless of the fact that such a right is guaranteed under international law, on the grounds that they should apply for asylum in Mexico instead. The more difficult it becomes to immigrate, the more desperate are the attempts to cross the border. Those that have come so far do not want to give up within sight of the border. Many with young children are increasingly forced to take more dangerous routes, such as crossing the Rio Grande, and risking the blackmail of coyotes and drug traffickers. The result is a cruel system that mistreats migrants, makes their trek more difficult and, in many cases, kills them. According to Mexican civil organizations, 2022 was the most tragic year for migrants in Mexico, as nearly 900 people died trying to cross without documents into the United States. Mass anger is still mounting after three months of mass strikes against President Emmanuel Macron and his attempt to ram through, without a vote, pension cuts opposed by over three-quarters of the French people. Millions of workers and youth have participated in strikes and protests. Two-thirds of the French people support blocking the economy with a general strike to bring down Macron. This objectively revolutionary situation exposes the class gulf separating the Parti de legalite socialiste (PES) from an entire milieu of middle-class, pseudo-left groups like Lutte ouvriere (Workers Struggle, LO). The PES has explained that if Macron is ruling against the people, the only way forward for workers is to initiate a broad political mobilization of the rank and file against Macron. Its goal must be to prepare a general strike to bring down Macron and abolish the French presidency and its draconian powers. The union bureaucracies and their petty-bourgeois political supporters, such as LO, are working to strangle social opposition against Macron. Last week, union officials called for mediation with the state and warned against social anger they fear they cannot control. LO is working to subordinate workers to the union bureaucracies, making no criticisms of union mediation plans and avoiding all calls to bring down Macron, while hypocritically acknowledging that union mediation with Macron will not stop his cuts. Indeed, leading LO member Jean-Pierre Mercier recently claimed it would be naive to think that the government will cancel the law after the meeting with the union bosses. Invited on BFM-TV, Frances main 24-hour news channel, Mercier said: Visibly all the trade unions will go to this meeting. In any case, that will not make the mobilization smaller. We just need the cuts withdrawn, plain and simple. There, no need for negotiations, for mediation! It serves no purpose. Everyone in this country knows what we want, what labour wants. It is the withdrawal, plain and simple, of the law on 64 years. Merciers comment covers up the fact that workers demands extend far beyond just forcing Macron to withdraw the provision of his reform that sets the minimum retirement age at 64. This provision has been chosen as a target by sections of the union bureaucracy, who have indicated that they might accept to sell out the movement if Macron agrees to temporarily abandon this demand. Other parts of Macrons cuts, such as raising the pay-in period to the pension scheme from 40 to 42 years, might remain. Above all, however, the struggle emerging between the working class and the capitalist police state led by Macron goes far beyond demanding the withdrawal of parts of a law. Growing layers of the working class are concluding that if Macron rules against the people, he must go. Merciers claim that the trade union mediation will not make the mobilization smaller is a cynical half-truth. It is true that the union mediation has no credibility in the working class, where anger and determination to struggle are continuing to mount. But the reality is that LO is firmly oriented to the union bureaucracy, which is terrified of the growing conflict between the working class and the capitalist state. LO echoes the arguments of factions of the union apparatus which want Macron to have more talks with them, and pass the social cuts more gradually, so as to wear the workers down and impose the will of the banks without provoking a social explosion. Last week, the union tops called for mediation with Macron while expressing their deep concern about the rising social anger. French Democratic Labor Confederation (CFDT) leader Laurent Berger called for a stand-down of the strike movement. I am concerned by this situation. He warned of a political climate that is dangerous and insanity that could take over this country, concluding: We have to turn the temperature down, not stoke things up. Berger warned that if the capitalist state and the union bureaucracies simply agreed to publicly support the law and end all legal protest against it, the results could be catastrophic for them. He said, If we simply bank on opposition rotting away, there will be more serious consequences: lasting resentment for which we will all pay dearly. In order to avert the complete discrediting of the state institutions and the union bureaucracies, Berger proposed his bogus mediation with Macron. Bergers comment reflects enormous concern among the unions apparatus, that the class struggle threatens their privileged position within the capitalist political establishment. This concern is shared by the privileged union bureaucrats and academics who set the political line of LO. LO opposes any struggles developing independently outside the control of the pro-capitalist union bureaucracy, and towards a general strike to bring down Macron. On March 29, LO published a statement titled, Continue the struggle, in force and with determination! by LO spokeswoman Nathalie Arthaud. The LO statement did not make any criticism of, or indeed even mention, the unions call for mediation with Macron. The most important thing to remember, it states, is that the feeling of injustice and anger is rising in the world of labor. That is why ever more workers are joining in the protests and opposing the ferociously anti-worker policy of the government and of big business. LO peddles the illusion that spontaneous strikes can pressure Macron to modify the reform, while leaving his regime intact. Arthaud wrote, It is strike action that can give us power to make Macron fold. Arthauds empty talk of making Macron fold has the advantage, for LO, that no one knows what this means. While sounding militant, it in fact commits LO to nothing. The strikes she vaguely proposed would be compatible with the union apparatus organizing a few one-day strikes to isolate workers struggles plant by plant, while letting the state repress strikes and requisition strikers to legally compel them to return to work. Even as it boasts about making Macron fold, LO advances the demoralized argument that it is in fact very difficult to fight capitalism, because the capitalist state is so strong. Thus, the working class in this view can only pressure the state to modify its policies through symbolic protests controlled by the union bureaucracies. Indeed, the LO statement concludes: So the struggle is on, it must be waged to the end. The fight will not be easy, because the bourgeoisie, even though it is super rich, is determined not to give an inch. So, yes, the bourgeoisie and Macron do not want to give an inch. Well then, it is up to us to show we are just as determined in the fight! The perspective advanced by LO is bankrupt. If it is impossible currently to launch a general strike, despite the support of a large majority of workers for such a strike, it is mainly because of the bankruptcy and political cowardice of such pseudo-left organizations. The mobilization of the working class in struggle against Macron depends on politically arming the working class to thrust aside the vague, demoralizing rhetoric of groups like LO. The PES makes clear: the working class must be mobilized to bring down Macron. It proposes to convene general assemblies in every workplace and school, to adopt resolutions demanding that Macron be removed from power, and that a general strike against his regime be prepared. These assemblies can select committees, drawn from the rank and file and democratically answerable to them, to lead and broaden this political struggle. The creation of such independent working class organs of struggle would pave the way for the transfer of power to institutions democratically controlled by the working class and the fight to build a socialist society. Ethan Allen DANBURY, CT, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. (Ethan Allen or the Company) (NYSE: ETD) today announced that it will release its financial and operating results for the fiscal 2023 third quarter ended March 31, 2023, after the market closes on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. Following the earnings release, the Company will host a conference call with investors and analysts at 5:00 PM (Eastern Time) to discuss these results. The conference call will be webcast live from the Companys Investor Relations website at https://ir.ethanallen.com . The following information is provided for those who would like to listen to the conference call: U.S. Participants: 877-705-2976 International Participants: 201-689-8798 Meeting Number: 13736909 For those unable to listen live, an archived recording of the call will be made available on the Companys website referenced above for up to six months. ABOUT ETHAN ALLEN Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. (NYSE: ETD) is a leading interior design company, manufacturer and retailer in the home furnishings marketplace. The Company is a global luxury home fashion brand that is vertically integrated from product design through home delivery, which offers its customers stylish product offerings, artisanal quality, and personalized service. The Company provides complimentary interior design service to its clients and sells a full range of home furnishings through a retail network of design centers located throughout the United States and abroad as well as online at ethanallen.com. Ethan Allen owns and operates ten manufacturing facilities located in the United States, Mexico and Honduras, including one sawmill, one rough mill and a lumberyard. Approximately 75% of its products are manufactured or assembled in these North American facilities. Story continues For more information on Ethan Allen's products and services, visit www.ethanallen.com . Investor Relations Contact: Matt McNulty Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer IR@ethanallen.com Women Talking follows a group of women and girls living in an isolated, socially regressive religious colony who learn they have been repeatedly sexually assaulted while drugged unconscious. The feature, written and directed by Canadian filmmaker Sarah Polley, was adapted from the 2018 novel of the same title by Miriam Toews. It was awarded Best Adapted Screenplay at this years Academy Awards and nominated for Best Picture. The film and novel are based on events that occurred on the fundamentalist Mennonite commune of Manitoba near Santa Cruz, Bolivia. The colony, founded in 1991, derives its name ultimately from Mennonite communities in the western Canadian province of Manitoba. The approximately 2,000 residents speak Plautdeutsch (Mennonite Low German), dress plainly and do not use electricity or automobiles. Women Talking In 2011, seven men were convicted of drugging and raping more than 130 women and children between 2005 and 2009. An eighth man was later convicted of supplying the drugs. Polleys film begins with a sweeping montage of events in the immediate aftermath of the crimes. A shocked woman, Ona (Rooney Mara), lying in bed, looks down at her badly bruised thighs and cries for her mother. A young narrator recounts that when we woke up to hands that were no longer there, the elders told us it was the work of ghosts, or Satan It went on for years, to all of us. An enraged mother, Salome (Claire Foy), forces herself into a house and stabs her male attacker before shes wrestled to the ground. The male assailants are escorted out of the colony and into police custody for their own protection. The narrator continues: Almost all of the men of the colony went to the city to post bail for the attackers. We were given two days to forgive the attackers before they returned. If we did not forgive them we would be ordered out of the colony and denied entry into the kingdom of heaven. A title card reads, What follows is an act of female imagination. Three generations of women from three families gather in a hayloft to decide what to do next. They have 24 hours before the men are back. Do they stay and do nothing, remain and fight, or do they leave? A thoughtful, university-educated exile who has recently returned to the commune, August (Ben Whishaw), volunteers to record the meetings minutes. The women cannot read or write. Director/writer Polley sees women talking amongst themselves as a radical act of democracy, despite the complete absence of any men in the discussion. The unstated assumption, of course, is that the men dont count because they are all complicit in the crimes, whether directly or indirectly. From the outset, this type of noxious middle class feminist outlook infects the drama, lending it both myopia and blandness. For a film that claims to be inspired by true events, salient details of time and place are left out. We're given no indication that these women are even Mennonites, let alone any details that might suggest their conditions of daily life. All we know from the heavy-handed colour desaturation and the low-fi surroundings is that these women inhabit a drab and backward world, but this is thanks more to the telling than the showing. Much of the dialogue in Women Talking stands out as self-conscious and laboured. It strains the viewers imagination to think that this cloistered circle of women is able to conjure forth such sage and snappy lines as Perhaps forgiveness can, in some instances, be confused with permission, or, Leaving and fleeing are different words with different meanings. They each say something about us. It goes on like this, a dull sermonizing better delivered in a gender studies lecture hall. The cast is an ensemble of talented actors, but not one of them is able to pull a convincing, artistic rabbit out of such a ham-fisted and contrived hat (script). Here is another typical exchange that takes place as the group wrestles with the pros and cons of staying versus leaving: Wise matriarch Agata (Judith Ivey) addresses the group: Time will heal. Our freedom and safety are our ultimate goals. And it is men who prevent us from achieving these goals. Embittered Mariche (Jessie Buckley), who is married to a violent man but is afraid of leaving, retorts, But not all men. Ona, the moral arbiter-philosopher queen, horns in with Perhaps not men, but a way of seeing the world and us women that has been allowed to take hold of mens hearts and minds. Later on, Salome, the furious mother whose young daughter was also abused, asserts that it is the elders quest for power that is responsible. Agata continues: And they have taught the lesson of power to the boys and men of the colony and the boys and men have been excellent students. Rooney Mara and Claire Foy in Women Talking Press rinse and repeatthis sort of empty, self-satisfied moralizing saturates the entire film. But for all the womens talking, what is meticulously avoided is any allusion to the concrete conditions in the colony that gave rise to the abuse, such as semi-medieval religious hierarchy/dogma and its incompatibility with social equality, and extreme seclusion and economic hardship. How these women and their childrenilliterate and unable to speak any language widely spoken in the countrywould fare outside of the colony without financial means, access to housing, jobs, schools, is anyones guess. Miriam Toews, who wrote the novel Women Talking is based on, approached the story as an imagined response to real events. According to Frances McDormand, who stars in and co-produced Polleys film, these events serves as a parable for a larger world challenge. In other words, the depraved sexual crimes committed within a remote and ideologically reactionary religious cult are taken as a direct reflection of a broader, current social problem misogyny embedded in the patriarchy. It doesnt seem to have occurred to the filmmakers that it was precisely the sequestered character of the colony, its conscious removal from modern life, that made the appalling activity possible. Anything that frustrates the films goal of being taken as a reflection of reality must be chucked out. Polley admits as much. She explains in one interview that she had cut a scene where the women encounter a local elderly man with dementia whom they are fond of. While [the scene] worked beautifully in isolation, it slowed down the crucial urgency of the outcome of the conversation we had been living in for an hour and a half, and it had to go in order to be respectful to the whole. It is clear that the filmmakers are less inspired by real events than they are disappointed by the outcome of those events. This perspective distorts reality and feels artistically and intellectually dishonest. Some striking facts are worth pointing out. A Vice article (The Ghost Rapes of Bolivia) noted that the victims husbands and fathers were so enraged by the crimes that its likely the accused would have been lynched if they had not been removed from the colony. One father explains that Every day we talked about it, but we were worried about telling the authorities. We just didnt know how to resolve things, His whole family including himself had been drugged with a cattle tranquilizer, and his wife and daughters sexually assaulted. The reporter disclosed that residents privately confirmed that men and boys were also victims of the attacks, but unwilling to come forward. After the assaults, the women and girls stayed in the colony. As one mental health councillor told Vice, they have no way out. He explained that, In any other society, by elementary school a child knows that if they are being abused they can, at least in theory, go to the police or a teacher or some other authority. But who can these girls go to? Despite the men convicted of the wave of assaults ending up behind bars, residents say the abuse continues. None of these complicating facts make it into Toews novel or Polleys film, as it would compromise the neatly packaged imagined endingessentially both a middle-class feminist romance and a disservice to the women and men the story purports to be about. Fortune Business Insights According to Fortune Business Insights, the Europe rail infrastructure market size is projected to grow from USD 135.81 Billion in 2022 to USD 185.04 Billion in 2029 at CAGR of 4.52 % during forecast period. Pune, India, April 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Europe rail infrastructure market size was valued at USD 129.49 billion in 2021. The market is projected to grow from USD 135.81 billion in 2022 to USD 185.04 billion by 2029, exhibiting a CAGR of 4.52% during the forecast period. The rising focus on reducing carbon emissions has resulted in substantial investments by governments to incorporate advanced technologies into railways to provide safe and sustainable modes of transport. Electrification of railway infrastructure is a key factor driving the rail infrastructure sector growth. This information is provided by Fortune Business Insights, in its report titled, Europe Rail Infrastructure Market, 2022-2029. Industry Development January 2022: VR Group and the Ministry of Transport and Communications have entered into a rail transport services agreement until 2030. This new agreement will guarantee the continuation of traffic on routes that are unprofitable. It covers approximately 44% of the long-distance trains in Finland and 16% of long-distance trips. Request a Free sample PDF: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/europe-rail-infrastructure-market-107376 Report Highlights: Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2022-2029 Forecast Period 2022 to 2029 CAGR 4.52% 2029 Value Projection USD 185.04 Billion Base Year 2021 Market Size in 2022 USD 135.81 Billion Historical Data for 2018-2020 No. of Pages 150 Segments covered Europe Rail Infrastructure Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Service Provider (Rail Fleet Operator (Rapid Transit Railway, Passenger Railway, and Freight Railway) and Infrastructure Manager (Rail Network and Signalling, New Track Investment, and Maintenance Investment) Growth Drivers Rising Need for Transportation Owing to Globalization Drives Market Proliferation Declining Rail Transport Demand Hindered Market Expansion Amid the Pandemic. Market Drivers and Restraints: Rising need for transportation facilities due to globalization and rising efforts by governments and corporate companies to improve infrastructure will propel the Europe rail infrastructure market growth. The increasing need for faster transport will also drive market proliferation in the coming years. Rail systems drive both social and economic development by connecting people for education, jobs, and health services with ease. Furthermore, the adoption of intelligent transport systems helps in improving operational efficiency of transportation networks and enhancing safety of railways, which will boost market expansion as well. Story continues COVID-19 Impact The rapid spread of COVID-19 worldwide and the rising number of cases in several economies encouraged governments to impose stringent social distancing norms. This affected the rail infrastructure domain significantly as manufacturing facilities were closed and supply chains were disrupted. The rail fleet operator segment registered a 48.6% decline in revenue in 2020-21 as rail transport demand decreased. The manufacturing slowdown in several industrial units affected several ongoing rail projects negatively in terms of budget and schedule, thus hindering market proliferation. To get to know more about the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this market, please visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/europe-rail-infrastructure-market-107376 Report Coverage The report covers: Market drivers, restraints, opportunities, and threats Mergers & acquisitions, partnerships, and collaborations undertaken by industry leaders COVID-19 impact analysis Market share, growth rate, and valuation estimates by geography and segment Segmentation Railway Fleet Operator Segment to Lead Backed by Rising Rail Transport Demand Based on service provider, the market is bifurcated into railway fleet operator and infrastructure manager. Among these, the railway fleet operator segment dominated the market due to the rising demand for rapid and passenger rail transport. Rail transport is a hassle-free and affordable alternative especially within cities. Growing Investment in Rapid Transit Segment to Drive Segment Growth The railway fleet operator segment is divided into rapid transit railway, passenger railway, and freight railway. The rapid transit railway segment is the largest segment in Europe rail infrastructure due to increased adoption of rail transport and rail operators in the region. The rapid transit railway segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period followed by passenger railway. The growth of this segment is attributed to increased investment by the government and several major players in the region for development and network expansion. Expansion of New Rail Routes is Driving the Growth of the New Track Investment Segment By infrastructure manager, the market is segmented into maintenance investment, new track investment, and railway network and signalling. It is estimated that the new track investment segment has the largest market share, and will see higher growth as a result of increasing rail network and focus toward safe rail transport. Geographically, the market is segregated into Northern Europe, Southern Europe, Eastern Europe, and Western Europe. Regional Insights Western Europe to Dominate Backed by Growing Investment by Governments on Developing New Routes Western Europe held majority of the Europe rail infrastructure market share in 2021 due to rising investment by Germany, the U.K., and France on developing new routes. Moreover, the Germany market is projected to showcase lucrative growth trends due to increasing expenditure on developing new tracks and signals and maintaining existing ones. Ask For Customization: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/ask-for-customization/europe-rail-infrastructure-market-107376 Competitive Landscape Investments by Leading Players to Develop New Rail Infrastructure to Aid Market Augmentation Industry players often make strategic moves to deal with their competitors and maintain a strong foothold in the market. One such move is investing in advanced technologies and signing profitable deals with other companies or the government. For instance, in May 2022, Bane Nor, a Norwegian infrastructure manager, announced its plans to invest approximately USD 1.7 billion in railway infrastructure in the central Trndelag region, including funds for the new Trondheim Central Station. List of Key Players Covered in Europe Rail Infrastructure Market Report Alstom (France) Arriva (U.K.) Banedanmark (Denmark) Bane NOR (Norway) Green Cargo (Sweden) Infranord (Sweden) Statens Jarnvagar (Sweden) TX Logistix (Germany) VY Group (Norway) VR Group (Finland) Buy Now this Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/107376 Table of Content:- 1. Introduction 1.1. Research Scope 1.2. Market Segmentation 1.3. Research Methodology 1.4. Definitions and Assumptions 2. Executive Summary 3. Market Dynamics 3.1. Market Drivers 3.2. Market Restraints 3.3. Market Opportunities 4. Key Insights 4.1. Key Industry Developments Key Contracts & Agreements, Mergers, Acquisitions and Partnerships 4.2. Latest Trends 4.3. Porters Five Forces Analysis 4.4. Supply Chain Analysis 5. Quantitative Insights-Impact of Covid-19 on Europe Rail Infrastructure Market 5.1. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Europe Rail Infrastructure Market 5.2. Steps Taken by the Industry/Companies/Government to Overcome the Impact Potential Opportunities Due to COVID-19 Outbreak TOC CONTINUED Have Any Query? Ask Our Experts: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/europe-rail-infrastructure-market-107376 About Us: Fortune Business Insights offers expert corporate analysis and accurate data, helping organizations of all sizes make timely decisions. We tailor innovative solutions for our clients, assisting them address challenges distinct to their businesses. Our goal is to empower our clients with holistic market intelligence, giving a granular overview of the market they are operating in. Contact Us: Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd. Phone: US: +1 424 253 0390 UK: +44 2071 939123 APAC: +91 744 740 1245 Email: sales@fortunebusinessinsights.com By Chavi Mehta BENGALURU (Reuters) - Intel Corp's former chief architect Raja Koduri is in talks with Hiranandani-backed data center operator Yotta for a deal for his generative artificial intelligence startup, which he said will have a big presence in India. His yet-to-be-named firm would either partner or acquire Yotta, which has data centers in the cities of Mumbai and Noida, said Koduri, whose aim is to challenge Nvidia Corp's grip on the digital movie and video game markets. The company is likely to be launched by the end of the year and will provide AI tools to creators including game designers and film industry workers, the Indian-American executive said in an interview to Reuters. "These days if you breath you're competing with Nvidia because they have entered every space, everything, so you have no option but to compete against," he said on the sidelines of a conference in Bengaluru, dubbed India's Silicon Valley for its tech firms and startups, on Wednesday. Koduri, who has worked on nearly two dozen generations of computer graphics chip, plans to build local data centers to ease the access to massive computing power needed for generative AI tools. Generative AI refers to technology such as ChatGPT that can use prompts to whip up haikus, essays and images. The data center plan, however, will face challenges from unstable power, shortage of skilled labor and the lack of clear policy from state and central governments. The southern state of Karnataka and Telangana have been "very supportive", he said, adding that subsidies on electricity will be crucial as data centers are power guzzlers. Koduri did not disclose how many people his firm would employ, but said "a ton" would be hired from the southern cities of Bengaluru and Hyderabad. He is also joining the board of AI chip startup Tenstorrent, led by veteran chip architect Jim Keller, who led the design of Tesla's self-driving chip in 2016. Tenstorrent uses open-source technology RISC-V to build its chips. (Reporting by Chavi Mehta in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur) Fortune Business Insights Companies covered in the Ferrochrome Market are Tata Steel Mining Limited (India) Samancor Chrome (South Africa) TNC KAZCHROME JSC (Kazakhstan) Ferro Alloys Corporation Ltd. (FACOR) (India) HERNIC (South Africa) Eurasian Resources Group (Luxembourg) IMFA (India) Daido Steel Co., Ltd. (Japan) Sandvik AB (Sweden) Baosteel Group Corporation (China) and many more players profiled. Pune, India, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global ferrochrome market size was assessed at USD 16.10 billion in 2022. The market is projected to grow from USD 16.92 billion in 2023 to USD 24.03 billion by 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.1% during the 2023-2030 period. Growing product demand from developing countries and rising stainless steel production for end-use industries such as automotive and construction will drive market proliferation in the coming years. This information is provided by Fortune Business Insights, in its report titled, Ferrochrome Market, 2023-2030. COVID-19 Impacts: Disturbances in Automotive and Construction Sectors Hindered Market Growth Amid the Pandemic The spread of COVID-19 worldwide resulted in the implementation of stringent lockdowns and social distancing norms in several economies across the world. Manufacturing facilities were shutdown to curb the spread of the virus. This affected the flow of products and resources negatively. Disturbances in the automotive and construction sector due to labor and raw material shortages caused by the pandemic acted as challenges and affected the market negatively. This decreased the consumption of stainless steel in these industries even further. Get a free Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/ferrochrome-market-107373 List of Key Players Mentioned in the Ferrochrome Market Report: Tata Steel Mining Limited (India) Samancor Chrome (South Africa) TNC KAZCHROME JSC (Kazakhstan) Ferro Alloys Corporation Ltd. (FACOR) (India) HERNIC (South Africa) Eurasian Resources Group (Luxembourg) IMFA (India) Daido Steel Co., Ltd. (Japan) Sandvik AB (Sweden) Baosteel Group Corporation (China) Story continues Report Scope & Segmentation: Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2023-2030 Forecast CAGR 5.1% 2030 Value Projection USD 24.03 Billion Base Year 2022 Ferrochrome Market Size in 2021 USD 2.53 billion Historical Data 2019-2021 No. of Pages 200 Segments Covered By Application and Regional Ferrochrome Market Growth Drivers Rising Foreign Investments and Manufacturing Activities to Boost Market Growth High Usage in the Stainless Steel Industry to Aid Market Expansion Segments High Carbon Segment to Dominate Stoked by Lower Costs of Easy Availability As per product type, the market is split into high carbon, low carbon, and others. Among these, the high carbon segment held majority of the market share due to its lower costs and easy availability as compared to other alternatives. The growing demand for high carbon ferrochrome (FeCr) from stainless steel sector will further propel growth of this segment. Stainless Segment to Hold Major Share Due to Growing Demand from the Construction Industry According to application, the market is divided into stainless steel, specialty steel, and others. Among these, the stainless-steel segment dominated the market in 2022 owing to surging demand from the construction industry. The decreased cost of steel due to technological developments in this domain has made it more accessible than before. Moreover, its longevity and corrosion resistance has made stainless steel the ideal choice for construction. These factors will boost stainless steel demand in the forecast period, thus contributing to the expansion of the segment. Geographically, the market is studied across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. Get a Quote Now: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/get-a-quote/ferrochrome-market-107373 Report Coverage: The report provides a deep-dive analysis of the global market including drivers, opportunities, threats, and restraints affecting market dynamics in the upcoming years. The market is analyzed at both micro and macro levels systematically. Market share, growth rate, sales amassed, profit margins, and valuation of each region and segment are documented as well. Furthermore, latest developments such as partnerships, collaborations, and agreements signed by industry leaders to strengthen market positioning are also given. Drivers and Restraints: Surging Demand for Ferrochrome for Stainless Steel Products to Aid Market Expansion Ferrochrome is added to stainless steel to improve its corrosion resistance and appearance, and thus rising demand from stainless steel manufacturers will facilitate the ferrochrome market growth in the upcoming years. Chromium stainless steel and chromium manganese grade are usually used in the construction and transportation industries. Additionally, the surging demand for stainless steel from the construction, transportation, and metallurgical industries is likely to aid market proliferation as well. On the other hand, the availability of alternatives such as carbon fiber and the large amount of electricity needed for FeCr manufacturing will hamper market augmentation in the forecast period. Browse Detailed Summary of Research Report with TOC: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/ferrochrome-market-107373 Detailed Table of Content: Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions Executive Summary Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities Key Insights Key Trends Key Developments Insights on Regulatory Scenario Latest Technological Advancements Porters Five Forces Analysis Qualitative Insights Impact of COVID-19 on Market Supply Chain Challenges Steps taken by Government/Companies to overcome this impact Potential opportunities due to COVID-19 outbreak TOC Continued! Regional Insights: Asia Pacific to Hold Largest Share Owing to Rising Urbanization and Stainless Steel Production Asia Pacific captured majority of the ferrochrome market share in 2022 due to rising product demand from stainless steel manufacturers in India and China. Growing stainless production due to rising urbanization is propelling product demand and facilitating market growth in this region. The North America market is projected to grow significantly in the coming years. Increasing stainless production in the U.S. due to decreasing imports owing to the ongoing trade war with China will propel market growth in this region. Surging demand for steel from domestic manufacturers will further contribute to market augmentation. The Europe market is slated to record substantial growth in the forecast period. Growing research and development activities and expansion of automotive sector are the factors attributing to market elevation in this region. Advancements in the product will propel its consumption in this region, thus aiding market expansion. Competitive Landscape: Efforts to Enhance Production Capacity by Industry Leaders to Aid Market Proliferation Leading companies often make tactical moves such as partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, and product launches to enhance their market position and maximize profits. One such move is investing in research & development or collaborations to improve production capacity and boost sales. For example, in April 2021, Tata Steel Mining Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Steel, announced its plans to increase its FeCr production capacity to 900,000 tonnes per year. Key Industry Development: February 2021: TNC Kazchrome JSC, a subsidiary of Eurasian Resources Group, achieved a new production record for manufacturing 1.84 million tonnes of ferroalloys in 2020, which is 1.7% higher than the amount produced in 2019. Speak to Our Expert: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/ferrochrome-market-107373 Check out more Related Insights: Water and Wastewater Treatment Market Size Worth 489.07 billion by 2029 | Exhibiting a CAGR of 7.1% Ammonia Market Estimated to Reach USD 110.93 billion by 2028 | CAGR Excepted to Hit 6.4% About Us: Fortune Business Insights delivers accurate data and innovative corporate analysis, helping organizations of all sizes make appropriate decisions. We tailor novel solutions for our clients, assisting them to address various challenges distinct to their businesses. Our aim is to empower them with holistic market intelligence, providing a granular overview of the market they are operating in. Address: Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd. 9th Floor, Icon Tower, Baner Mahalunge Road, Baner, Pune-411045, Maharashtra, India. Phone: US: +1 424 253 0390 UK: +44 2071 939123 APAC: +91 744 740 1245 mailto:sales@fortunebusinessinsights.com LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Photo: The Canadian Press The Justice Department said Wednesday it has tentatively settled a lawsuit over the 2017 mass shooting at a Texas church that will pay victims and their families more than $144 million. More than two dozen people were killed when Devin Patrick Kelley opened fire during a Sunday service at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs. Kelley, who died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after he was shot and chased by two men who heard the gunfire at the church, had served in the Air Force prior to the attack. U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez had previously ruled that the Air Force was 60% liable for the attack because it failed to submit Kelleys assault conviction during his time in the Air Force to a national database. The Justice Department said the settlement is still subject to court approvals. Foothills Exploration, Inc LOS ANGELES, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Foothills Exploration, Inc. (OTC: FTXP), including its direct and indirect subsidiaries, (Foothills, or the Company), an oil and gas exploration company focused on delivering the energy needs of today and tomorrow announced today an annual review of its financial performance for the year ending December 31, 2022. The Company settled and extinguished a considerable amount of its variable-rate and fixed-rate convertible debt during the year ending December 31, 2022, reducing the total by over 90%. Subsequently, in January 2023, the Company also signed a 12-month standstill and lock up agreement with its remaining fixed-rate convertible noteholder. These critical agreements reached with the Companys institutional lenders will prevent billions of shares of potential dilution. Balance Sheet Initiatives In November 2022, the Company reached a global settlement agreement with an unaffiliated investor (the Investor), which retired and extinguished a total of eleven (11) variable-rate and fixed-rate convertible notes issued on various dates from November 1, 2018 to May 2, 2022, with a combined total principal face value of $6,368,000. This global settlement agreement also extinguished a total of twelve (12) common stock purchase warrants (all with cashless exercise provisions) and eleven (11) securities purchase agreements issued of same dates, for up to 3.9 billion shares of the Companys common stock and cancelling their corresponding irrevocable share reservation held by the Companys stock transfer agent. The Investors sale of the Companys common stock for the ensuing six (6) months will also be limited to twenty percent (20%) of the average daily volume traded on each respective trading day. End of Year Highlights: Foothills reported an 94% decrease in total net carried amount of convertible notes payable (including debt discount) to $430,000 during the twelve months ended December 31, 2022 (FY22), compared to $7,138,000 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2021 ("FY21"). Foothills reported a 55% increase in revenue to $1,104,000 during FY22, compared to $714,000 during FY21. Foothills reported an 11.5% decrease in losses from operations of $1,268,000 during FY22, compared to $1,434,000 for FY21. Story continues For more information, please refer to the Companys 2022 Annual Report filed with OTC Markets on April 4, 2023. Q1 2023 Operational Highlights: Standstill and Lockup Agreement In January 2023, the Company reached a standstill and lockup agreement (the Agreement) with an unaffiliated investor (the Holder) for a certain convertible promissory note in the original principal amount of $390,000.00 (the Note), associated warrant and stock purchase agreement all dated February 22, 2022. The Agreement includes a mutually agreed-to payment schedule for the next 12 months and prevents the Holder from converting any sums due pursuant to the Note or to effectuate any exercise of the warrant into the Companys common stock for 12 months, as long as the Company makes the prescribed monthly payments in a timely manner. The associated warrant will also be extinguished in its entirety for no additional consideration on the date that the Note is repaid in full. Comanche County, Oklahoma Well Acquisition In January 2023, the Company closed on the acquisition of twenty-one (21) shallow oil and gas wells, all located in Comanche County, Oklahoma, situated across four leases. These stripper wells have an average depth of 1,200 feet and primarily produce from the Granite Wash formation. The Companys return-to-production program on these properties will consist of cleaning out existing wellbores, facility maintenance, electrical work and flowline repair work, which is expected to deliver collective production rates of 20-25 barrels of oil per day for all wells. WHZ Oil & Gas, LLC, an indirect subsidiary of the Company will operate the properties. Jubilee Exploration Acquisition In January 2023, the Company also closed on the acquisition of one hundred percent (100%) membership interest in Jubilee Exploration, LLC, an Oklahoma limited liability company and independent oil and gas operator (Jubilee), which owns five hundred forty-five (545) shut-in or stranded oil and gas wells situated on multiple leases located in northeastern Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas. Jubilee Acquisition Highlights The acquisition of over 500 wells provides a multi-year inventory of wells to increase the production and reserve profile of the Company. The assets provide the Company with a platform to deliver double-digit growth in production, reserves, and revenues in 2023 and 2024. Substantial reserves behind pipe Infrastructure in place to drive low-cost development. Natural gas weighted assets About the Company Foothills Exploration, Inc. (FTXP), is an oil and gas exploration and development company focused on delivering the energy needs of today and tomorrow. The Companys strategy is to build a balanced portfolio of assets through two core initiatives. The first initiative is to generate high-impact oil and gas exploration projects. The second is to invest in hydrogen and geothermal projects for a low carbon future through its New Energy Ventures division by identifying areas where the Company can contribute to a viable, realistic, and balanced future energy mix. For additional information please visit the Companys website at www.foothillspetro.com. Forward-Looking Statements All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this release that address activities, events or developments that we expect, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on certain assumptions we made based on management's experience, perception of historical trends and technical analyses, current conditions, capital plans, drilling plans, production expectations, our ability to raise adequate additional capital, or enter into other financing arrangements to support our acquisition, development and drilling activities, anticipated future developments, and other factors believed to be appropriate and reasonable by management. When used in this release, words such as "will," possible, "potential," "believe," "estimate," "intend," "expect," "may," "should," "anticipate," "could," "plan," "predict," "project," "profile," "model," "strategy," "future" or their negatives or the statements that include these words or other words that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes, are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. In particular, statements, express or implied, concerning our future operating results and returns or our ability to acquire or develop proven or probable reserves, our ability to replace or increase reserves, increase production, or generate income or cash flows are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. Such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. While forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by us that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, whether actual results and developments will meet our expectations and predictions depend on a number of risks and uncertainties which could cause our actual results, performance, and financial condition to differ materially from our expectations. As a result, no assurance can be given that these assumptions are accurate or that any of these expectations will be achieved (in full or at all) or will prove to have been correct. We have had sporadic and limited revenue and our securities are subject to considerable risk. Investors are cautioned to review FTXPs filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a discussion of risk and other factors that affect our business. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this news release speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future development or otherwise, except as may be required by law. The Company intends that all forward-looking statements be subject to the safe-harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investor Contact Christopher Jarvis EVP of Finance (800) 204-5510 ir@foothillspetro.com (Bloomberg) Frank founder Charlie Javice was released on a $2 million bond after being charged with defrauding JPMorgan Chase & Co. in its $175 million acquisition of the college financial-planning site by vastly inflating the number of its users. Most Read from Bloomberg Javice, 31, engaged in a brazen scheme to defraud JPMorgan, Manhattan US Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement Tuesday. She lied directly to JPMC and fabricated data to support those lies all in order to make over $45 million from the sale of her company. The criminal charges include conspiracy, wire fraud affecting a financial institution and bank fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison if Javice is convicted. She was also charged with securities fraud, which has a 20-year maximum. Javice, who is a dual citizen of France and the US, lives in Miami. She was arrested Monday evening at Newark Liberty International Airport and appeared in Manhattan federal court Tuesday. Under an agreement with prosecutors, Javice surrendered her US and French passports and her travel is limited to New York City and South Florida. Her $2 million bond is to be guaranteed by two people and by the equity in her Miami home. Shell have to observe a curfew and isnt permitted contact with witnesses or with current JPMorgan or former Frank employees. Read the Justice Department statement here and the criminal complaint here Alex Spiro, a lawyer for Javice, declined to comment, as did a JPMorgan spokesperson. Earlier on Tuesday, Javice was sued for fraud by the US Securities and Exchange Commission. 30 Under 30 Javice founded Frank in 2017 as an online platform to help college students fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or Fafsa. Forbes named her to its 30 Under 30 list for finance in 2019. Story continues In 2021 she started looking for a buyer for the site, beginning the acquisition process with JPMorgan and a bank that isnt named in the criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday. She told both banks that Frank had 4.25 million customers who had signed up for accounts, according to the government. In reality, the US claims, Frank had fewer than 300,000. Read More: Jamie Dimon Calls JPMorgans Frank Acquisition a Huge Mistake Prosecutors claim that during discussions with JPMorgan, Javice asked Franks director of engineering to take the companys actual customer data set and use it to create a larger, synthetic set. The computer engineer, who isnt identified, raised concerns, saying, I dont want to do anything illegal, according to the complaint. Javice and an unidentified co-conspirator said the request was legal. Orange Jumpsuits We dont want to end up in orange jumpsuits, she told him, according to the complaint. The engineer, who is a current JPMorgan employee as a result of the acquisition, declined. Javice then hired an outside data scientist to create the phony set, falsely claiming the full database of Frank users was actually a smaller, random sample of a much larger database, the US says. She allegedly used the new data to support her claim the site had more than 4 million users in discussions with JPMorgan. Read More: Dimons Acquisition Spree Stained by 29-Year-Olds Startup The bank, the nations largest, has been on a start-up buying spree since Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon said in 2020 he wanted to acquire more financial technology firms focused on sustainable investing and tax issues. JPMorgan, which acquired Frank in 2021, sued Javice and another executive, Olivier Amar, in federal court in Delaware in December, alleging they used fake customer accounts to lead the bank into completing the deal by exaggerating the number of people using her site. To cover up lies about Franks customers, Javice bought sets of data on 4.5 million college students on the open market, according to the lawsuit. Due Diligence Amar wasnt named as a defendant in either of Tuesdays complaints. Earlier, he said in a bid to dismiss JPMorgans lawsuit that he wasnt a party to the merger agreement and attended no more than one meeting with the bank before the deal. Javice, who has sued JPMorgan in state court in Delaware to force the bank to cover her legal fees, argues it rushed to buy Frank without doing proper due diligence and was also trying to deflect attention from its violations of student privacy laws. Read More: Dimon Pushed to Get JPMorgans Frank Deal Done, Founder Claims Javice said in a response to JPMorgans suit that Dimon pushed to acquire Frank out of fear that another bank was looking at the company, that she was being scapegoated for the banks faulty due diligence and that it was JPMorgan that asked her to come up with synthetic data on Frank users. Javice and JPMorgan agreed to the sale in August 2021, and it closed the next month. The deal called for Javice to get about $21 million from the merger and to continue working on Frank for the bank, with a $20 million retention bonus to be paid out over the next three years. The criminal case is US v. Javice, 23-mag-02638; the civil case is Securities and Exchange Commission v. Javice, 23-cv-02795; US District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan). With assistance from Hannah Levitt. (Updates with bail in third paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Halfway there! Dan DeFrancesco in NYC, and I'm amazed the Italian government wants to pass a law allowing them to fine people for mispronouncing words like "bruschetta." Mamma mia! Just wait until they hear how people over here say "mozzarella." I still need questions for the upcoming reader mailbag. Drop any Wall Street (or non-Wall Street) questions you have for me here. (No email needed!) One caveat: Please no personal finance questions. I'm not a financial advisor. Today, we've got stories on Jamie Dimon's annual shareholder letter, why parking lots ruined the economy, and what you should buy next time you're at Trader Joe's. But first, can I be Frank? If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Insider's app here. Portrait of Charlie Javice on green background Charlie Javice; Arif Qazi/Insider 1. Frankly, it's a mess. We've got another update on one of the wildest fintech deals in recent memory. Charlie Javice, who sold her student-aid startup Frank to JPMorgan Chase back in 2021, was charged with fraud by federal prosecutors on Tuesday, Insider's Katherine Long and Jack Newsham report. A quick refresher: JPMorgan accused Javice of juicing Frank's customer numbers in a lawsuit filed at the end of last year. The suit, which also named Frank's former chief growth officer Olivier Amar, claimed Javice inflated the startup's user numbers from roughly 300,000 to 4.25 million. Meanwhile, Javice's lawyer, Alex Spiro, previously told Insider that she was actually a whistleblower against the bank. Well, it turns out that prosecutors and regulators aren't seeing it that way. Prosecutors charged Javice with wire fraud affecting a financial institution, securities fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy. The Securities and Exchange Commission also filed civil charges against her. I'm not one to suggest reading legal documents for pleasure, but the SEC complaint detailing the case against Javice includes a pretty fascinating timeline of events. In particular, I appreciate Javice assuring an engineering director she allegedly propositioned about creating synthetic data to mimic actual users that it was legal and no one would end up in "orange jumpsuits." Story continues Life sure does come at you fast. Look, it's easy to pick on Javice, but let me be frank about one thing. (I had to get at least one pun in here.) This is still an awful look for JPMorgan. According to the complaint, verifying Frank's user base was, understandably, a sticking point of the deal. After some jockeying back and forth, both sides agreed they would use a third party to "validate the coverage of the attribute data." But the validator's report, per the complaint, just confirmed there was data in the various fields. It didn't actually verify the information was accurate. Excuse me?! I get there are lots of hangups when it comes to sharing customer data. A little startup wants to get acquired by a big player. It shares all of its customer data and references and then *poof* the company's not interested and the startup's clients suddenly have new offers from the big player. I also realize this was in the midst of a frenzied dealmaking environment, and JPMorgan had already made its fair share of fintech deals, but that's still not an excuse. How can JPMorgan look at that report, which only checked the data fields were "populated versus null/blank," and be happy to push forward with the deal? Is this what due diligence is? I've joked about it before, but Taylor Swift really should teach a class on this stuff for Wall Street. Read more about the the charges levied against Frank founder Charlie Javice. And for more on how Javice built a following among investors and the media, click here. In other news: Jamie Dimon in front of a downwards facing trend line David A.Grogan/CNBC/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images; Rebecca Zisser/Insider 2. Jamie Dimon sounds off. The JPMorgan CEO published his annual shareholder note, and the 43-page letter spans a wide range of topics. Most notably, Dimon said the turmoil in the US banking industry isn't over, and there could still be more pain to come. If you're looking for the highlights, check out the eight best quotes from the letter. 3. Who's next at JPM? Buried within JPMorgan's 116-page annual proxy filing was a mention that Daniel Pinto, the bank's president and COO, will be tapped as the "sole CEO" in case of emergency. That's not to say Pinto is a shoo-in for the top job should Dimon step down. Check out our org chart of the top 114 executives at the bank to get a sense of the power structure at the firm. 4. AI is coming for the lawyers and bankers. A new study suggests the automation of jobs that will come from generative AI will hit the legal and finance industry the hardest. Meanwhile, blue-collar workers don't have much to be worried about. More on who is at risk, and who isn't, from the tech. 5. A Dutch fintech is pushing for a US banking license. Neobank Bunq has filed an application for a US banking license as it aims to do what European startups Revolut, N26, and Monzo have yet to achieve. Here's more on Bunq's US ambitions. 6. What housing bubble? If you're waiting for housing prices to drop in these areas, good luck. We've got data on the 10 regions that have seen the largest increase in house prices over the past 25 years. Hint: Everything really is bigger in Texas. 7. Parking lots ruined the economy. It's not the president or Wall Street or Congress that's to blame. Parking lots, from the sheer amount of space they take up to the resources needed to build them, are a massive drag on the economy. Here's why. 8. ChatGPT is Team Four-day Workweek. Economists and analysts believe the tech's ability to improve employee productivity could help make the case for a shortened workweek. This is something we can all get behind. 9. Get your living room looking good for spring. We canvassed some interior designers for what's hot, and what's not, when it comes to living rooms. From curved furniture (in) to matching furniture sets (out), here's what you need to know. 10. Trader Joe's food recommendations from the people who know it best. Employees shared their picks for 10 of their favorite items from the grocery store. Here's how they stacked up. Curated by Dan DeFrancesco in New York. Feedback or tips? Email ddefrancesco@insider.com, tweet @dandefrancesco, or connect on LinkedIn. Edited by Jeffrey Cane (tweet @jeffrey_cane) in New York and Hallam Bullock (tweet @hallam_bullock) in London. Read the original article on Business Insider Leading NFT attendance badge service POAP announced Tuesday that it will soon begin charging commercial clients for access to its services, ending the companys years-long policy of offering all users unlimited POAP minting for free. Our goal for the long run is to bring POAPs to humanity more broadly, and getting there will require long-term sustainability to be more of a priority, the company said in an email sent to POAP users today. POAP, or Proof of Attendance Protocol, is an Ethereum-based app that helps event organizers give out attendance badges in the form of NFTs, minted using the ERC-721 token standard. Those badges, called POAPs, can be used to show proof of attendance at a physical or virtual event, as well as to unlock a variety of benefits and experiences post-mint, including access to group chats, discounts, and ticketing for future events. Ethereum NFT Badge App POAP Raises $10M to Fund Development POAP raised $10 million in a seed funding round last year to further its development. According to the company, over 6.5 million POAPs have been minted since it launched in 2019. POAPs will still be free for personal use, per the company. Companies and individuals who distribute POAPs at commercial events, though, may be subject to charges based on the number of POAPs they issue, beginning April 17. According to Isabel Gonzalez, POAPs co-founder, prices for commercial clients will likely converge around $1 per POAP issued. Current commercial users, however, will be able to opt into special pricing at one quarter that cost, for an unspecified period of time. Not all commercial customers will be charged for their use of POAPs, though. Certain ventures that further POAPs artistic and creative mandate may continue to be subsidized by the company on a case-by-case basis, according to Gonzalez. We like people creating true precious digital collectibles more than we care that they pay, Gonzalez told Decrypt. The efforts that go into good storytelling are worth their own weight in gold. Story continues Are Web3 Communities Vapid or Authentic? Particularly in Web3, where the line between community and company is often razor-thin, determining whether an event or project is personal or commercial can pose a daunting task. POAP has released detailed guidelines outlining the telltale diferences between a personal event (a wedding with under 200 attendees where collectors know the issuer directly) versus a commercial one (a concert with thousands of attendees where a POAP unlocks financial perks). Some factors taken into consideration in determining whether a project is personal and commercialsuch as whether an emotional connection exists between a POAP issuer and collector (telltale sign of personal usage)may prove harder to parse. As a general rule, according to the POAP guidelines, events requiring large amounts of POAPs (especially in an automated fashion) will most likely be considered commercial ventures. Gonzalez, who said ideas for a commercial use tier have been floating around POAP since early last year, hopes the move will encourage its users to consider the best applications for its services, in addition to cementing the companys staying power. We believe this evolution will expand the range of possibilities for how POAP can be used sustainably, in part by giving issuers tools to align their plans with POAPs mission of creating precious digital collectibles, she said. resort Mexican officials reported grim news on Monday (April 3). The bodies of four individuals were discovered near a Cancun resort in the citys hotel zone close to the beach. The names and nationalities of the victims have yet to be released, NBC News said yesterday (April 4). The outlet added that just one week before, an American tourist was shot in the leg in the nearby town of Puerto Morelos while on vacation. On Monday, it was originally thought to be three bodies found near the resort; however, prosecutors announced a fourth individual was recovered in the same lot by one of Cancuns beachside hotels along the Kukulkan Boulevard. It had been overlooked as it was in undergrowth near the crime scene. A shooting involving suspected drug dealers has killed 4 people on a beach in Mexicos popular Caribbean resort of Cancun https://t.co/joS4txCeLn pic.twitter.com/OlglcbNDGf Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) April 5, 2023 Authorities in Quintana Roo stated that two suspects are already in custody in association to the deaths near the resort, and the case is under investigation. Crime in Mexico has been under a lens as of late, after a series of incidents have made headlines. In November 2022, the United States issued a kidnapping advisory for citizens traveling to parts of the country. Six destinations were listed, and Americans were advised to be aware of violent crime such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery [which] is widespread and common in Mexico. In early March, four South Carolina residents ventured to Matamoros, Mexico, so one could undergo cosmetic surgery. Before they could reach the appointment, they were violently kidnapped by members of the Gulf Cartel. Two of the Americans were killed during the incident. Despite the advisories and deaths, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador claimed, Mexico is safer than the United States. There is no issue with traveling safely through Mexico. Thats something the U.S. citizens also know, just like our fellow Mexicans that live in the U.S. Story continues See related posts below. I want to hear more about these 4 people in Cancun who were shot and killed on the beach. Thats a major story news outlets are barely reporting on because of all this Donald Trump crap. Stephen with a PH (@WheatFree32) April 4, 2023 4 ppl were killed at a popular spot in Cancun MrsNewon (@MrNewtonMrs15) April 4, 2023 Damn folks not even safe on resorts in Mexico4 folks shot & killed on the beach in Cancun Zoo Keeper (@VezTheWeirdo) April 4, 2023 Trending Stories CONCORD The New Hampshire attorney general on Wednesday announced an expanding investigation into real estate agent and broker Daniel Twombly. He is also facing an investigation in Massachusetts. Twombly, a Hampton resident, is accused of failing to make approximately $250,000 in agent commission payments for transactions in recent months and misappropriating his firm's escrow account after his suspension. New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella said Wednesday his office's Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau, the Real Estate Commission, and the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification are all "actively investigating" the complaints against Twombly as well as his real estate businesses: NE Coast to Country Realty Investments (Coast to Country) LLC, RE/MAX Insight and RE/MAX On the Move. Local real estate agent Daniel K. Twombly was suspended by the New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. Now the state attorney general and courts are getting involved. Previous story: Seacoast real estate agent suspended. RE/MAX closing Dover, Exeter, Hampton franchises. Twombly has not responded to previous requests for comment. RE/MAX On the Move had offices in Hampton, Dover and Exeter. RE/MAX Insights offices were in Manchester and Salem, as well as in Dracut, Methuen, and Tewksbury, Massachusetts. Marshall Hook, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, said Wednesday the agency has "an open matter pending for Mr. Twombly," adding we are "unable to comment further." He said Twombly's license is no longer active in Massachusetts. New Hampshire petitioned for a receiver to take over, operate, or close the real estate businesses "after it was found, upon inspection of its books and records, to be operating in violation of the provisions of the law," according to Formella. Twombly's principal broker license had been suspended by the state Real Estate Commission on March 11 "after receiving complaints that he had misappropriated funds held in an escrow account," according to Formella. The commission also sought the immediate establishment of a receivership and the appointment of a receiver over Coast to Country. Story continues New Hampshire investigators found Coast to Coast failed to pay more than $250,000 in commissions between Oct. 1, 2022 and Feb. 28. In addition, Twombly "had exclusive access to the escrow account and authorized transactions after the time of his suspension, and prevented the Real Estate Commission from auditing the escrow accounts of Coast to Country," all in violation of state laws, according to Formella. Receiver available to people affected by alleged wrongdoing The Merrimack County Superior Court on Tuesday appointed a receiver, Jason Mills of principal of BCM Advisory Group LLC, to operate Coast to Country "to preserve the assets and minimize the financial hardship to employees and consumers," according to Formella. Members of the public who are affected can reach Mills at (207) 807-9516 or jmills@bcmadvisorygroup.com, according to Formella. BCM Advisory Group is located at 22 Monument Square, Suite 401 in Portland, Maine. The commission and court orders are preliminary orders and subject to further hearings. New Hampshire Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau investigators can be reached at 1-888-468-4454 or DOJ-CPB@doj.nh.gov. Investigators with the Real Estate Commission and the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification can be reached at (603) 271-6985. Reporting by Ian Lenahan is included in this story. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: AG: Seacoast NH RE/MAX real estate agent broke law after suspension artist's impression of canadarm3 attached to a space station in front of the moon, with earth far behind On Monday (April 3), NASA announced the crew of its Artemis 2 mission, which will send four astronauts around the moon in late 2024. One of those four Artemis 2 flyers is Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who will become the first person from his country to leave Earth orbit. Canada earned the Artemis 2 seat through its contributions to NASA's Artemis program, in particular Canadarm3, the big robotic arm that will service the moon-orbiting Gateway space station. On Sunday (April 2), Space.com spoke with the top Canadian government official responsible for space: Francois-Philippe Champagne, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. Space.com asked Champagne, who directly advises Canada's prime minister, about Artemis 2, the broader Artemis program and Canada's role in space going forward. Related: Everything you need to know about NASA's Artemis program Space.com: You have held many offices related to the Canadian Space Agency's (CSA's) work: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities and Minister of International Trade. Now you're the CSA's minister. So where do you see the CSA's role in government? Champagne: The President of the United States said it best [in late March] when he said, Canada and the United States can do big things because we do them together. So yes, the CSA brings all the portfolios together. There's the aspect of the space economy, or aspects that will benefit communities in the Arctic with health and nutrition in harsh environments. CSA brings in the foreign affairs portfolio because with our American friends, we're going to be building Canadarm3 to maintain the Gateway station. So it's kind of a full circle [for me], and I think it's pretty exciting. I hope Canadians will be proud to see our astronauts blasting off and going to the moon. Space.com: The new federal budget [released March 28] said the CSA is key to our economy. In what ways do you think it's going to be able to benefit Canadians, to be investing in the moon and related programs? Champagne: Space exploration is all about science, technology and innovation. And as a reminder, the science of today is the economy of tomorrow. You don't need to go very far to see the dividends that space is bringing: just think about GPS, which is now something commonly used by everyone. But that started with the space program. Story continues In Canada, we have a harsher environment and more isolated communities. When you're going to go to the moon and Mars, you really have to rethink how you deliver health, for example, in very challenging environments, or storing food. So I think the technologies that we're going to develop will certainly benefit Canadians writ large. Artist's impression of a moon base showing astronauts, lunar rovers and other equipment. Artist's impression of a moon base showing astronauts, lunar rovers and other equipment. (Image credit: NASA) Space.com: In Budget 2023, there were several new investments in space. Are these going a bridge between the next moon missions [for Canada]? Because there's going to be the Artemis 2 mission, and then years down the road a Gateway mission by a Canadian astronaut. So are these programs in part meant to be sustaining interest in moon exploration and giving opportunities for Canadian companies in between those two astronaut journeys? Champagne: Sure. For example, a mini lunar rover [flying in 2026] will mean that Canada will design, build and develop the technology required for rovers to go on the moon. But what Canada has been designing, building and developing will be used by other science or commercial applications. I do know that the companies who are looking at developing the rover already have an interest from a number of companies on the commercial side. So there will be the opportunities down the road. illustration of square-shaped lunar rover nearby rocks on the surface of the moon. Canadian company Canadensys will manufacture a lunar mini-rover for Canada, set to lift off in 2026. (Image credit: Canadensys) Space.com: What kinds of consultations are being done with Canadian companies that are in space, or adjacent to space, to get their input as you're formulating the policy and the direction for the CSA? Champagne: There's a new Canadian space council [of companies], so I've been in touch with them very much. We're talking to [Canadarm3 maker] MDA and GHGSat, which is monitoring methane. We've been with the council to really make sure that we have a strategy that will be brought in and center Canadian companies, because there's so many applications down the road. [Looking internationally], we do want to make sure we integrate Canadian companies in the strategic supply chain. I've been talking to a number of space companies, like SpaceX, Blue Origin and obviously talking to NASA. We're going to be launching rockets [again] soon from Canso, Nova Scotia [using facilities from Maritime Launch Services]. I think that there's an inflection point now where Canada will see commercial benefits. Related: Maple leaf to the moon: Canadian Space Agency debuts new logo close-up of canadarm robotic arm's end effector inside a glass case, with spectators behind Canadarm 201, one of the original Canadarms used in the space program, on display at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa, Canada. (Image credit: Elizabeth Howell) Related stories: Canada got its Artemis 2 moon mission seat with 'potato salad' Meet the 4 astronauts flying on NASA's Artemis 2 moon mission NASA's Artemis 2 moon mission: Everything you need to know Space.com: Concerning Canada's launching capability, when the announcement was made a few months ago, your government said at the time they were going to be considering applications on a case by case basis, and then working towards a newer set of regulations. So where are you in that process right now? Champagne: I have to give credit to Minister Omar Alghabra and [his portfolio at] Transport Canada, because our legislation and regulations did not cover launching. We are putting a framework in place that will allow for safe launching from Canada. I think there's a lot of interest when I spoke to different companies. In Canada, they're interested because the angle where you can put the satellites in orbit is unique, and you cannot replicate it anywhere else. I think we have some uniqueness. [To paraphrase] Volkswagen announcements, when it's good for Volkswagen, it's good for everyone. This interview has been edited and condensed. Elizabeth Howell is the co-author of "Why Am I Taller?" (ECW Press, 2022; with Canadian astronaut Dave Williams), a book about space medicine. Follow her on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook. bankrol-hayden At the top of March, Bankrol Hayden returned with his latest album, 29, a 19-track project with appearances from Lil Tecca, Zzz., charlieonnafriday, Arden Jones, and others. Yesterday (April 4), the California-raised talent returned with the official music video for Bop Slide, the projects standout posse cut featuring Blueface, OHGEESY, and Maxo Kream. The exciting clip opens up with a scene of Hayden landing at a red carpet event via helicopter. As the paparazzi immediately swarms around him, he delivers his slick and catchy intro verse: Now, I told that b**ch bop, move, or Ima shoot the chopper, Im a loose screw when I get off the vodka/ Told her clap back and bust it for the commas, got a fat a**, she get it from her mama Prior to 29, Hayden shared his breakout project, Pain Is Temporary, back in 2020. That body of work boasted hits like Brothers featuring Luh Kel, Costa Rica featuring The Kid Laroi, and Drop A Tear featuring Lil Baby. Since then, he has stayed connected with fans by dropping off singles like Cant Change For You, Deep End featuring Lil Skies, Courtside, Van Hayden, F**k Love, and plenty more. Although hes just 21 years old, the Sandlott rapper has already given a lot back to his hometown and plans to do even more. Thats important to me. Ive already done a lot for my city, he shared in a previous interview. Before I signed to another label, I was asking all the foundations and letting them know thats something I want to do. I make sure they have that. Right now, Im planning something to give back to hospitals in my city, he said. Be sure to press play on Bankrol Haydens brand new Bop Slide single featuring Blueface, OHGEESY, and Maxo Kream down below. Trending Stories Its a scenario that we all wish would play out in our own lives: You think that an old family painting is relatively worthlessyet it turns out to be a precious piece of artwork created by a notable artist. While this doesnt happen often, it did occur recently to someone living in northern France. What had long been regarded as a fake Bruegel painting was indeed the real thing, and it just sold at auction for $850,000, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday. That news might have us all double-checking the provenance of the artwork hanging in our homes. More from Robb Report Back in October, Malo de Lussac went to a new clients home to assess the various artifacts within and determine how much they would sell for at auction. Most of the visit was rather unremarkable, with furniture, china, and interesting yet unimportant paintings, de Lussac told the Post. But in the TV room, the Bruegel caught his eyedespite it being covered in dust and mostly hidden by a door. The owner told him, however, that the family had long ago decided that the painting was a fake. De Lussac, luckily, went ahead and sent the painting to a Bruegel expert anyway. In December, they heard back that the painting was actually the work of Pieter Bruegel the Younger, the first-born son of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, one of the most important artists of the Flemish Renaissance. LAvocat du Village (The Village Lawyer) depicts Flemish peasants carrying items like a basket of eggs and flowers as a Spanish tax collector reviews his records. At 44 inches by 72 inches, its now one of the largest known Bruegel paintings, although de Lussac said he hopes that it isnt the last one discovered. Experts who reviewed it believe that Bruegel painted the scene sometime between 1615 and 1617, and de Lussac thinks that the former owners family bought it as an authentic piece by the artist, although that provenance became lost over the years. Story continues While some would have decided to keep the painting after learning of its illustrious history, the former owner still went ahead with selling it at auction, where someone scooped it up for the whopping $850,000. Hopefully that family will make sure to tell its younger generations about the artworks true creator, lest this whole scenario play out again in the future. Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. President Biden on Tuesday told Britains King Charles III that first lady Jill Biden will be attending his upcoming coronation on behalf of the United States, adding that he wants to meet with him despite missing the event. The first lady will lead a delegation to the United Kingdom for the coronation, set to take place on May 6. The president, who was expected to not attend, congratulated Charles and also conveyed his desire to meet with the King in the United Kingdom at a future date, according to the White House. The White House said the presidents call on Tuesday underscored the strength of the relationship between our countries and the friendship between our peoples. In the past, presidents have not attended a coronation for a British monarch. During the last coronation for Queen Elizabeth II, then-President Eisenhower did not attend and also chose to send a delegation. The U.S. delegation at the time did not include the first lady, but included the governor of California and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, among others. The president and first lady attended Elizabeths funeral in September, joining other leaders from around the world. Biden also had called the king in September to offer condolences on the passing of his mother, during which he conveyed that he wants to continue a close relationship with him. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Citing a high level of gun violence across the hemisphere, two top Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the chairman of the Senates Judiciary Committee are calling for a federal investigation into the illicit trafficking of firearms coming from the United States into the Caribbean. On Monday, the three lawmakers sent a letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, Congress investigative arm, asking for it to look at the consequences of firearms trafficked from the U.S. to the Caribbean. The letter was signed by U.S. Rep. Gregory W. Meeks of New York, a ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Texas U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, a ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. and Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee. They noted that their offices have requested similar reports in the past focused on Mexico and Central America. This new request, focused on the Caribbean, will allow us to obtain a more robust picture of the overall impact of the illicit trafficking and use of deadly weapons and munitions in the region, the lawmakers said, adding they also want to know what more can be done to curtail the flow of weapons. Among what they are asking of the GAO: A country-by-country breakdown of the number and types of U.S. arms being trafficked to Caribbean countries, excluding Cuba, and whether the number is growing annually; information on where and how illicit weapons are being obtained in the U.S. as well as how they are being smuggled into their final destinations; and measures being taken by U.S. and Caribbean law enforcement to address the problem. They also want to know what legislation might assist the efforts of U.S. authorities to combat arms trafficking. READ MORE: How U.S. gun laws and South Florida ports help fuel Haitis escalating gang violence The U.S. lawmakers said that they are particularly concerned about the effects of illicit U.S. firearms on the security situation in Haiti, which is seeing unprecedented levels of violence and kidnappings by heavily armed gangs. They noted that during a hearing last fall before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs titled Haiti at the Crossroads: Civil Society Responses for a Haitian-led Solution, both activists and supporters alleged that the U.S. was the principal source of weapons being used by criminal gangs, who are destabilizing the country, preventing the provision of basic government services, thwarting the distribution of humanitarian assistance, increasing levels of deadly violence, and causing an ever-increasing number of Haitians to lose hope and flee the country. Story continues Two reports published by Haiti-based organizations show the reach of violent gangs in Haiti society. On Monday, the Organization for Citizens for a New Haiti said that gang violence had led to the deaths of at least 195 people, the majority of them in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince in March. Another report issued Tuesday by the Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights in Port-au-Prince, which tracks kidnappings, said that 389 kidnappings were recorded for the first quarter of this year, which when compared to the same period last year and in 2021 is a 72% and 173% increase, respectively. The number includes 29 foreign nationals representing three countries, including a Haitian-American couple from Tamarac abducted more than two weeks ago. Haiti does not stand alone as a Caribbean nation being destabilized by the influx of illicit American firearms, the lawmakers wrote. The United Nations Office of Drugs and Crimes Global Study on Firearms Trafficking 2020 evaluated firearms trafficking seizure levels in seven Caribbean countries in 2016 and 2017. The study found that between 2,000 and 3,000 firearms were seized each year, with Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas accounting for most of these seizures. They have also taken note of other reports including another from the United Nations that states that firearms are involved in 70% of the Caribbeans homicides, compared to 30% at the global level. The U.N.s Office for Disarmament Affairs also noted that Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, the Dominican Republic and Haiti, which all have high numbers of illicit firearms trafficking, also have high or increasing rates of violent crimes and homicides. Lawmakers request for a GAO investigation comes on the heels of a decision last month by The Bahamas, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago to provide support to Mexico in a civil lawsuit it has filed against U.S. gun manufacturers. The suit, which is being appealed after it was dismissed by a federal judge, argues that the marketing and distribution practices of several well-known firearms brands are facilitating the trafficking for arms in Mexico and fueling powerful drug cartels. Caribbean nations in a friend of the court brief before the First U.S. Court of Appeals in Boston argue that the U.S.-made guns illegally trafficked across the borders, many of them from South Floridas ports, are also facilitating crime waves in their small nations. The U.S. Commerce Departments Bureau of Industry and Security, which collaborates with other federal agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, told the Miami Herald late last year that since 2020 about half of all firearms-export investigations have been concentrated in the Caribbean region a top smuggling destination fueled by the demand of drug traffickers and huge black-market markups on U.S.-made guns. The other 50% are scattered throughout the world. Embattled former US President Donald Trump sits in the courtroom with his attorneys Joe Tacopina and Boris Epshteyn (R) during his arraignment at the Manhattan Criminal Court April 4, 2023 in New York City. Andrew Kelly-Pool/Getty Images Former President Donald Trump was charged with 34 felony counts Tuesday in Manhattan. Congressional Republicans outraged by the court appearance likened it to "what banana republics do." "We are all going to regret it for a very long time," Sen. Marco Rubio said of today's proceedings. Congressional Republicans floored by Donald Trump facing 34 felony charges in a Manhattan courtroom declared that America is doomed if the embattled former president is forced to stand trial. The collective doom-and-gloom kicked up by Trump pleading not guilty to falsifying business records relating to his alleged affair with porn star Stormy Daniels overtook both chambers. Sen. Marco Rubio on Monday shared some thoughts about the merits of the case brought against the twice-impeached former president that included talk of misdemeanors and expired statutes of limitations. After sleeping on it, the Florida Republican and former 2016 presidential candidate got back on Twitter with a more dire assessment. "Today is a bad day for all of us & we are all going to regret it for a very long time," Rubio captioned a 98-second video in which he warned that federal prosecutors now have carte blanche to go after political opponents. Rep. Harriet Hageman, the Wyoming Republican who unseated Trump impeachment supporter Liz Cheney with the GOP's blessing, wrote that Democrats were attacking the former president the same way political opponents are dealt with in "Russia, China, Cuba, or other dictatorships." "They hate him so much they don't care how much they harm our country & our justice system," Hageman wrote online. Rep. August Pfluger told Fox News that prosecuting polarizing political leaders is typical in "banana republics" and "failed states." But not in America. "We cannot let our justice system be politicized," he warned. Story continues Rep. Eli Crane skipped any legal analysis and went straight for the GOP base's jugular. "They're coming for President Trump because he stands in the way of what they want to do to you," the Arizona Republican wrote online. "Don't forget that." Read the original article on Business Insider Funding a new police station took a step forward when Mayor Robert Weilmuenster broke a 3-3 tie at the Shiloh Village Board meeting Monday. The approved resolution committed $1.2 million of the capital projects fund balance for the construction of a police station. Trustees in favor were Jason Holzum, Greg ONeil, and Colleen Powers. Those opposed were Kurt Burrelsman, Julia Warchol and Matt Wilke. For 13 years, the village has rented a building on the Wilke Window and Door property at 3498 Lebanon Ave. in Shiloh for the police. Currently, the rent is $45,459 per year, and goes up 2.5% annually, the mayor said. The need for a larger Shiloh Police Station has been a growing issue in the village and Weilmuenster has supported using the fund balance for construction as well as applying for grant money. However, the plan has become embroiled in controversy related to the villages sewer system and a development proposal. The village sold its wastewater department to Illinois American Water Company for $3.6 million in 2020, adding 1,515 wastewater customers. Trustee Greg ONeil said the village wasnt making any money on it. We broke even, he said. We had 600 people on aeriation. ONeil said $1.8 million remains from the sale, and the current mayor wants it to go towards funding a new police station. ONeil, who has been a trustee for eight years and is retiring, was a police officer for 10 years before that. But former Mayor Jim Vernier II who is seeking a seat on the village board and businessman Steve Wilke want the funds to be used for sewers on Ramona and Christine streets, abutting Wilkes property on Green Mount Road. Vernier II, who was mayor for 20 years and a trustee for 16 years prior to that, said on his Facebook page that when the village sold its sewer department, the funds were to support improvements to the sewer system and that other areas in the village would be added, with costs minimal. About this development proposal, he stated: We also are offering them guaranteed treatment instead of aeration systems that require semi-annual maintenance. Repairs to several storm water drainage ways were also being considered. The funds we are talking about are $1.8 million plus interest. Story continues Weilmuenster said after the village privatized sewers, they do not make such monetary decisions. You cant spend taxpayer money on sewers thats a private company. We have many different things in our toolbox. Were not putting sewers in, not the village. If American Water wants to, thats their decision, the mayor said. ONeil said the information is public record. There is nothing on record stating that money was to go for sewers. Brenda (Village Clerk Brenda Kern) even went back in the minutes and looked it up, ONeil said. Their plan would only help 45 homes and Wilke. Its not up to us to fix the sewers. Everybody knows weve outgrown our police station. There is false information being spread. This is not helping the village. We can use those profits for the village, ONeil said. Shilohs population in the 2020 Census was 14,098 in 2020. Spanning over 11 miles, Shiloh has a population density of 1,318 people per square mile. It has grown from a few thousand people in the 1980s and has become a hub of commerce as well. Shiloh police officers are seen here working in a crowded space. Funding a new station took a step forward when Mayor Robert Weilmuenster broke a 3-3 tie at the Shiloh Village Board meeting Monday. The approved resolution committed $1.2 million of the capital projects fund balance for the construction of a police station. Police Station Inadequate The police station employs 23, including two clerks. Leasing the building is not adequate. We are in bad need of a police station. People are not getting the facts, Weilmuenster said. The mayor and police chief recently explained the lack of inadequate space no room for training or if the major case squad is called in, and no sally port a secure, controlled entry way to escort prisoners through privately. Police Chief Rich Wittenauer, who has been with the village since 2017, said the facility was built as a home, and a holding cell is a closet. We need more room for tech, more staff. In the interview room, you can hear officers talking about others over the phone, he said. Shiloh police officers are seen here working in a crowded space. Funding a new station took a step forward when Mayor Robert Weilmuenster broke a 3-3 tie at the Shiloh Village Board meeting Monday. The approved resolution committed $1.2 million of the capital projects fund balance for the construction of a police station. More from the chief, mayor We do a lot with very little. We get a lot of support from the community, Wittenauer said. Wittenauer noted, with the Auffenberg car dealerships relocating to Shiloh, there is a need for extra patrols, and there is more traffic in the village because of growth. A good facility helps retain and attract new officers, Weilmuenster said. The mayor said he discovered grant money could be used, and the village will pursue applications. One expired March 12 because he said the village board tabled action at the March 6 meeting. Weilmuenster had broken a 3-all tie at the Committee at Large meeting March 27 to forward the item to the April 3 meeting. More about Wilke The Wilke complex began as a business in 1960, developed by Norm Wilke. The property also includes Norms Bargain Barn and Lifestyle Kitchens & Baths. Steve Wilke, Norms son, is the current CEO. His son, Matthew Wilke, is a trustee on the village board. Matt Wilke has opposed using the capital fund for the police station and had been part of the March 6 vote tabling the resolution. We have been planning for a permanent home for the PD that I agree is needed. If the $1.8 million is redirected to this plan it is unlikely that the sewer additions will ever happen, Vernier said. Dont get me wrong. I fully support a new police station. The village has various ways it could be funded. Judge Clifford Brown speaks with defense attorney Clint Broden, left, and prosecutor Guillermo Gonzalez during the trial of Uber driver Daniel Perry who is accused of the murder in the fatal shooting of Austin protester Garrett Foster in 2020. No photo or video has been presented in court that shows Uber driver Daniel Perry shooting Austin protester Garrett Foster in 2020. Lawyers in the murder trial have had to rely on witness descriptions and recordings of Perry's interviews with police to make their case to jurors whether or not the shooting was in self-defense. On Tuesday, defense attorneys called their first expert witness who presented some mathematical calculations of what could have happened based on the videos and photos that are available. Jason Evans, a forensic engineer who specializes in taking measurements from photos and videos and converting them into 3D images and videos, said he calculated that Foster was standing 18 inches from Perry's car one-tenth of a second before Perry shot him. He also said Foster was standing at an angle in front of Perry's driver's side window with one shoulder in front of the other in what is known as a bladed position, astance police often take when confronting a suspect. More: Trial in death of Austin protester Garrett Foster begins. Was it self-defense or murder? Daniel Perry Before the shooting, Evans said, Perry turned his car from Fourth Street onto Congress Avenue with a speed of 11.9 mph and then slowed down to a stop amid the marchers he encountered. He said Perry braked his car 6.2 seconds before the shooting happened. Video and photos only captured 1.2 seconds of the 6.2 seconds between Perry stopping and the shooting, Evans testified. Defense witness Emanuel Kapelsohn, a Pennsylvania firearms expert who has trained police across the country, later testified that he practiced shooting an AK-47 18 inches away from cardboard meant to represent Perry's car door. He said it took him one-fifth of a second to raise the rifle after he had the barrel pointed down and fire a shot. Kapelsohn also said that people have a delayed reaction time when faced with someone already ready to attack them. "When a man in a car sees a guy raise his rifle, he cant afford to wait any longer," he said. Story continues "There's no guarantee your first shot will stop the attacker," he said. "Police miss four out of five shots they fire." More: Jurors view police videos of Daniel Perry describing how he killed protester Garrett Foster Prosecutor Efrain de la Fuente questioned the photo from the video that Evans used to calculate the distance that Foster was standing from Perry's car right before the shooting. De La Fuente said the video included the flash of a muzzle, which meant a shot was already being fired. De La Fuente also questioned why Evans said Foster was standing by the car when the shooting occurred because the four bullets found in Foster's body had all traveled at a downward angle. Evans said he was not a ballistics expert. The photo from the video, which was taken by a protester, was blurry and depicted protesters standing on the street and a partial view of Perry's four-door Hyundai Ioniq with an orange flash of gunfire in the background. The calculation that Evans spoke about did not show how Foster was holding his AK-47. Perry told police in an interview shown in court Monday that he shot Foster in self-defense because Foster lifted his rifle at him. Garrett Foster, right, with partner Whitney Mitchell Perry, who is an Army sergeant, was traveling on Fourth Street on the night of July 25, 2020, and turned onto Congress Avenue, where a crowd was marching downtown to support Black Lives Matter. Perry stopped, and several protesters approached his car, including Foster, police have said. Protesters have said they feared they were being attacked by someone in a car. Witnesses have said during the trial that Foster never raised his rifle at Perry. One protester fired shots, he said, at Perry's car after Foster was shot as Perry was leaving the scene. Defense witnesses on Monday afternoon included people who saw certain parts of the protest, including one who said he felt threatened by Foster. William Green said that on the night of the protest he stopped at an intersection at Third Street and Congress and saw Foster carrying an AK-47. "It's fair to say I was alarmed by Foster carrying a gun," said Green. "I reached for my handgun to make sure it was still there." Green said he noticed that he had pulled into the crosswalk and backed up because he noticed a woman in a wheelchair needed to use it. Green said Foster waved at him in a friendly gesture after Green backed up his car to let the woman pass. The woman was Whitney Mitchell, a quadruple amputee. The American-Statesman has reported that she was Foster's fiancee, but she described herself in court as his wife. Defense witness Gregory Hano said he saw the protesters when they stopped outside the W Austin hotel during their march. Several of them were carrying rifles, he said. It made me feel threatened, and I called 911 several times, Hano said. He said police never came to the scene. Hano said he asked one of the marchers carrying an AK-47 to put down his rifle because it was a residential neighborhood. The marcher didnt put down his gun but just waved the muzzle of it in Hanos direction, Hano said. He said the marchers also aimed a green laser at him. Prosecutor Guillermo Gonzales asked Hano to read a description from the police about his 911 call. Hano complained to police about marchers carrying AR-15s during the march but didnt mention AK-47s, according to the description. Hano said he sells guns at McBrides gun shop. Defense attorneys also played a 911 call in court on Tuesday from an anonymous caller who said she was driving in the area of the protest when she was stopped by a man carrying an AK-47 who said he was working as private security for the march. She said the man was threatening and "seemed pretty forceful telling me to do this and do that." This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Witnesses describe scene when Daniel Perry shot Garrett Foster in 2020 El coco. El cucuy. La llorona. El chupacabra. Ask almost any Latino and they can tell you how their parents used to scare them into being obedient as children by using one of these so-called "monster" stories or leyendas to keep kids in line. Parenting or trauma? The jury is still out [shudders to el cucuy]. Writer-director Jonas Cuaron takes the legend of the chupacabra a bloodsucking creature said to attack and feed on the blood of farm animals (particularly goats) and revamps the myth into a somewhat personal, fish-out-of-water story set in the '90s with a so-ugly-it's-cute CGI creature in the family adventure film Chupa (April 7 on Netflix). An homage to films from the era like E.T. and The Goonies, the movie stars Oscar nominee Demian Bichir as Chava, an ex-luchador and grandfather living on a ranch in Mexico seeking to connect with his grandson Alex (Evan Whitten) who is visiting from Kansas City shortly after the death of his father, Chava's son. While on the ranch, Alex soon discovers Chupa, a young chupacabra that got separated from its family when running away from a scientist (Christian Slater) who's hunting the mystical creature to try to harness its powers. Chupa. (L-R) Evan Whitten as Alex and Demian Bichir as Chava in Chupa. Cr. Tony Rivetti Jr/Netflix 2023 Tony Rivetti Jr/Netflix Evan Whitten and Demian Bichir in 'Chupa' The Hateful Eight and Weeds alum has known his Chupa director since he was five years old (through Jonas' father, director Alfonso Cuaron) that familiarity is initially why he was so excited to join the project. "I wanted to work with him after seeing him grow as an artist," Bichir tells EW on a Zoom call a day after the film's world premiere in late March. "You can only imagine what that represents to me, that after some years he's become such a great director." But there was one thing that topped working with Cuaron the chance to fulfill a childhood dream of his own: "The icing on the cake was that I got to play a luchador. I always wanted to be a luchador, ever since I was a kid!" Story continues In Mexico, luchadores (Mexican wrestlers) are treated like icons. They wear bedazzled masks, boldly colored outfits, and tights (see Bichir get suited up in the exclusive clip above). Lucha libre fight nights for the most part, family-friendly events are full of music, fun, drinks, and food. (Think WWE but with more dazzle, more aerial technique, more character play, and a whole lotta camp set in Spanish.) To be a luchador is to be a cultural icon and to be beloved by most fans of the sport. For Bichir's Chava, it was also a deep connection to his son, and a way to pass on a piece of his heritage to his American grandson. In the process, Chava dons a luchador mask, something Bichir says he's wanted the chance to wear for a while now. "I put on different types of masks all the time," he explains, "but this is one mask that I have wanted to put on for some time, professionally, I mean. And this is the closest I've been to actually becoming one." The critically acclaimed actor smiles, almost giddy at the thought of himself back in the luchador mask. "It was one of those things that you want to do when you're a kid, that you dream of becoming when you grow up. And we got to do it in such a realistic way that this is very believable." Chupa. (L-R) Demian Bichir as Chava and Nickolas Verdugo as Memo in Chupa. Cr. Tony Rivetti Jr/Netflix 2023 Tony Rivetti Jr/Netflix Demian Bichir in 'Chupa' "In this case, we play with Lucha Libre, which is a crucial part of our culture, popular culture. Lucha Libre, in Mexico, we call it the theater of the people," Bichir says proudly. He recalls a moment when Cuaron asked him to remove his cape, which he refused to do. "At some point, Jonas said, 'I think that toward this part of the film, you should just get rid of the cape.' And I said, no, because you know what? I remember watching every film about luchadores growing up. Santo and Blue Demon and Mil Mascaras and all those great ones. And the main characteristic was that they never lost their mask or their cape. There could be other bizarre situations or circumstances, and they would always have their full gear on." And the cape stayed. The actor adds, "Lucky me, I'm so happy that I kept my cape, because at some point, it was so cold, it was freezing, and then we had crazy winds. And so I'm glad I kept my cape because that saved me a little bit." The A Better Life star believes that while Chupa is very much a film with universal themes of family, grief, and love, it also is a message about immigrants and immigration. "Many [immigrants] lost the language, for example," he explains. "It seems to be a natural type of thing that we do when we move into a different culture, especially this culture that is very, very tough on immigrants. [People] remind you every day that if you talk funny, if you sound different, then you might not be accepted. That's something that kids keep in mind, and that's why they will stop being who they are. They stop being proud of their own roots. We suggest exactly the opposite on Chupa." He continues: "It's very important for [immigrants] to keep in touch with their roots and their own culture so they never forget who they are. It's proven that immigrants make any culture better. They enrich any country and culture that they stepped in and so we're trying to talk about all that in a fun, beautiful, family way." Bichir says Chupa's biggest virtue is in its celebration of each other's differences. "We usually tend to be afraid of things that don't look like us. We tend to be reluctant to find out about who people are," he notes. "But when you look deep inside of each of us, then you find the beauty in everything." Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more. Related content: DeVonn Francis We often think of immigration as a specific type of one-directional travel that occurs only once a lifetime. But the reality is often better reflected as trips crisscrossing back and forth, even if later visits are taken by offspring rather than the original migrants. Every time you travel you cant help but take a bit of that place with you and leave a little something behind. All those invisible strings connect our hearts to a place even after were gone. DeVonn Francis was born in Virginia and now lives in New York City, but the 30-year-old gay culinary artist, advocate, and event producer has deep roots in the Caribbean, on the island his parents left: Jamaica. One of the cultural elements of a place easiest to recreate elsewhere is its cuisine. As long as you have the recipes and access to the ingredients you can share a bit of your homeland with those whove never been. Thats what Franciss parents did for him. His father ran a Jamacian restaurant and Francis and his mother cooked together and shared a love of Food Network shows. So its always been a part of my life, Francis says. In New York City he found the Caribbean diaspora, which opened doors for him to go deeper into his heritage. I was able to trace not only flavors of ingredients, but also stories around ingredients and like understanding how people came to be in certain places, he recalls. DeVonn Francis in Jamaica DeVonn Francis in Jamaica Courtesy A trailblazer at heart, Francis didnt just want to map his own path back to the islands. He wanted to make space for his community to find passage back as well. So I feel really excited about what we're doing with Yardy World, Francis explains now. I wanted to be able to really create a template or a roadmap for other queer Caribbean peopleretracing their roots and tracing their heritage. While food itself is one ingredient in that recipe, so are the stories and traditions that are typically passed down when people cook or eat together. The ways in which you invite people to come together kind of like family at the dinner table makes me feel a little bit more empowered to really learn about myself and to take my own history into my own hands, he muses. Story continues The activist sees Yardy events as growing a larger network of people with similar values and goals. The reason why we were doing dinner parties or having events or making videos or content related to Jamaica, or related to immigrant experiences, is because were basically signaling to other people, Do you relate to this? And if so, how can we coalition build together? In 2023 Francis will be creating more culinary experiences and the discussions they inspire. I imagine having our favorite artists collaborate on our menus, music, table direction, and creating food that reflects some of the new menu items Ive been developing which is largely inspired by my recent trip to Jamaica with my family. There are dishes like cassava pudding baked in banana leaves with a pistachio crust, slow poached snapper, mussels with annotto and crab butter; it should always be decadent. DeVonn Francis Courtesy DeVonn Francis Referencing Black lesbian poet Audre Lordes essay Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power, Francis argues pleasure is power, and we all have the right to find and seek out pleasure and being able to do that makes you feel good and connected to where you are. He wants to empower others to make those choices, and to foster food sovereignty, which he defines as your rights to decide and determine what your own relationship to food is, to eating well, to having a connection to your health. In addition, Francis says, food sovereignty involves, Figuring out ways to create pathways, not just to get food to people, but to teach people how to access the resources for themselves. Last year Francis launched a digital platform to make Yardy World accessible to people who love our work but dont live in New York. Francis explains, If were just creating events for people who can get to New York then were leaving a lot of people out of our growing family and that feels like a huge loss to me. As that family grows, Franciss goal is to create job opportunities to historically marginalized communities like queer BIPOC. How we do that [at Yardy World] is by creating products with ingredients and materials that can be sourced from regions and communities we support, pulling them into the supply chain and circulating revenue back to them back to the island and the diaspora across the world. Yardy World recipe cards feature DeVonn Francis's mom Yardy World offerings include cards featuring recipes (and images of Franciss mom) and the tasty and protein-packed YW Snack Mix, which Francis says started as a joke about never getting to eat a real meal because we spend so much time cooking for other people. And then I thought, Why not create a snack that you can have when youre really busy or dont feel like cooking? The other part about that is we get to use ingredients that can be sourced from the Caribbean so that farmers and producers we source from get to benefit from each purchase. Yardy World snack mix Yardy World snack mix This Lunar New Year Francis posted a photo series on Facebook with images of what a celebration might look like in the Caribbean and how different ingredients impact our concept of what makes Caribbean food Caribbean. He says the experience was a really valuable learning lesson because it helped me and the Yardy World team expand on the idea of what Caribbean recipes look like. We took recipes that seem familiar and used the story of Chinese migration to Jamaica to tell a wider story of what Jamaica truly is. What most people dont realize about Jamaica and the Caribbean at-large is its global history. The early influence of Taino people and their friction with Spanish settlers, enslaved African people who made the plantation economy possible, Chinese migrants, Indian spices, French, Dutch and British merchants and colonizersso many of these historic and political factors are embedded in the foodways that shape the Jamaica we known today. Edith Makra and team have been hard at work putting a new solar-power-focused spin on the old think global, act local maxim. Since 2017, her two-person office at the Illinois-based Metropolitan Mayors Caucus has been helping more than 50 Chicago-area cities, towns and villages that want to expand access to local solar power via SolSmart, a Department of Energyfunded program. Plenty of communities in Illinois wanted to participate, Makra said. In 2018, more than 100 members of the caucus had signed on to a broad sustainability pledge and were looking for opportunities to do something to boost solar adoption without making major capital investments or taxing already busy staff, she said. SolSmarts eligibility criteria for potential partners met those requirements. SolSmart provides free technical assistance to cities, counties and other local government organizations that want to support and expand the growth of solar. So far, the SolSmart program has helped nearly 500 communities across the U.S. streamline permitting, overhaul zoning, train workers and engage residents in solar programs and now its doubling in size. Earlier this month, SolSmart announced plans to expand to 500 more local governments and regional organizations through 2027, backed by $10 million in funding. Along with this new scale, SolSmart is widening its scope beyond rooftop solar to include other Biden administration priorities, including supporting community-solar development and improving equitable access to solar energy. The magic for the communities [is] that it allowed them to do what they have to do regulate development, engage with communities and ensure public safety more effectively, and with great results, Makra said. Of the more than 50 local Illinois governments participating, many have reduced solar-permitting turnaround times to just three days; a few have also seen requests for solar installations grow more than a hundredfold, she said. Story continues The DOEs broader goal with the program is to reduce solar soft costs, which include everything that isnt the cost of the solar panels, inverters and other hardware involved. Those include the costs of acquiring customers and permitting, installing and financing solar projects, and can account for two-thirds of the total cost of typical solar installations. Cutting soft costs isnt just an important way to lower the all-in cost of expanding solar. Its also vital to making solar accessible to communities that have lacked the money and know-how to obtain it. There are a lot of best practices out there, said Michele Boyd, a program manager at DOEs Solar Energy Technologies Office. How do we get them to communities that want to increase their solar market? Diverse community needs, shared templates Communities partnering with SolSmart have taken a number of different paths to leverage their grant funding. Some have trained permitting and inspection staff on the latest tools, such as DOEs SolarApp permitting platform or virtual home inspections, which can dramatically cut solar inspection time and cost. Many of them, such as Ohios Cuyahoga County and Michigan City, Indiana, have teamed up with solar cooperatives such as Solar United Neighbors to pool neighborhood buying power for rooftop solar. Others have formed local solar-workforce development programs, like northwest Indianas Soul Power Project, or theyve focused on bringing solar to rural areas, as Pennsylvanias Centre Region Council of Governments is pursuing. Many communities say that SolSmart served as a launchpad to broader clean energy activities, said Theresa Perry, program director at the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, one of the two nonprofit organizations that manage the SolSmart program. They may be working on a resilience plan, which is not part of the SolSmart program, but grows from that, Perry said, as with the microgrid projects being pursued by five rural municipalities in Puerto Rico, the territorys first SolSmart participants. Or they may be working on supporting EVs throughout the community, as Illinois Metropolitan Mayors Caucus has done with the recent launch of an EV readiness program for its municipal members. Fundamental improvements in solar permitting and inspection are an important foundation for this kind of work. In Illinois, communities participating in SolSmart collected data on their permitting costs and timeframes, Makra said. That data provided baselines for improving those processes, including creating a new standard template for solar permitting a big bonus for solar developers and installers eager for predictable rules and regulations from town to town, Makra noted. SolSmart guidance also helped participating municipalities review their zoning ordinances, which can sometimes present unexpected barriers to residents who want rooftop solar. A lot of communities are not aware of the barriers to solar theyve put into their zoning ordinances, such as rules requiring special exemptions to install solar, Perry said. SolSmart provides a standard process for communities to identify and remove some of those barriers. Putting up a web page with all the information that customers and solar installers might need is another simple step that can significantly boost adoption, said Scott Annis, a senior program manager at the International City/County Management Association, the other of the two nonprofits chosen by DOE to manage SolSmart. You should be easily able to find on one government website everything you want to know about solar, he said, offering examples from SolSmart communities from Olympia, Washington to Pulaski County, Virginia. Consumer protection, resources on solar financing options and summaries of state policies for solar access have as many resources as you can. Making solar accessible for all SolSmart also announced it will adhere to the Biden administrations Justice40 Initiative, which pledges to direct 40 percent of federal climate-related funds to historically disadvantaged communities, DOE's Boyd said. In addition, it is supporting community efforts to expand solar for multifamily housing, low-income resident participation in community solar, and building pathways for local minority and women-owned businesses to install solar, she said. Its up to the communities to determine that pathway, Boyd said. We dont tell them what to do. But when they decide what they want to do, we help them do it. SolSmart participants have previously laid out some of the challenges for extending solar to underserved communities in a 2021 webinar. Neal Denton, a sustainability officer for Santa Fe, New Mexico, noted that the city had cut rooftop solar permitting fees to $40 and put permitting checklists online to make the process easier for people. But its still developing ways to help city residents work with banks and credit unions to obtain low-interest loans for solar installations, which is a significant barrier for some people. Alon Abramson, director of residential programs at the Philadelphia Energy Authority, highlighted his groups work on making low-cost solar leases available to city residents. But some residents arent able to install solar even if financing is lined up because their homes require underlying repairs, he noted a problem that must be addressed by funding home retrofits that precede solar installations. SolSmart has been taking steps to make its already no-cost technical assistance much more accessible to communities that have fewer resources, to make it less of an administrative task to participate, Perry told us. If they have to write a memo, theres a template thats already there. Thats all part of the broader DOE goal of building a more solar-friendly environment that reduces soft costs for local governments as well as residents and developers, Annis said. We understand theyre quite busy and often under-resourced, he said. We can go in and help them implement these best practices. And if you can do that, you can save your staff time this is a cost-saving measure as well. From the curb, the two-story home on Ballad Avenue in Greece appears to be a well-maintained house, but a real estate listing that went viral offers an egg-stra Easter surprise inside. Upon viewing the listing's photos, the Easter Bunny makes a repeated appearance - lounging on a couch, removing a carton of eggs from a refrigerator, peering out a window and taking a bath. Real estate agents Colleen Bracci and Marissa DelVecchio, both of RE/MAX Realty Group, represent the seller of 390 Ballad Ave. and thought up the creative idea. Inside the costume is DelVecchio, who Bracci described as a quirky and fun coworker. Bracci, who has been a real estate agent in the Rochester region since 1984, said she's always been a bit of an unconventional agent, as her father had been. She said she is always looking for a way to stand out and has "always tried to be a bit edgy." The house was featured this week on Zillow Gone Wild, which has garnered more than a million views (and counting) on the Instagram post alone. Zillow Gone Wild features out of the ordinary listings including properties where celebrities once lived or were featured in films, ostentatious mansions or homes with unique features, such as a pyramid-shaped home or a geodesic dome. The Easter Bunny removes a carton of eggs from the fridge at 390 Ballad Ave., in Greece. Photos of the house went viral in March 2023 after it was featured on Zillow Gone Wild. "It took off way more than I ever thought it would," Bracci said. The split-level 2,872-square-foot house was built in 1965 and was listed at $219,900. After 85 showings of the four-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom home in a five-day span, the property owners received 25 offers, Bracci said. "It went for well, well over what it was listed for," more than $50,000 over the asking price, she said. And while the house has been spoken for, Bracci said she's pleased that the listing "brought a lot of attention to Rochester," where real estate property sales are more affordable that other parts of the country. The house sits on a third of an acre on Ballad Avenue, a residential road in a neighborhood off Maiden Lane and Long Pond Road within the Greece Central School District. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: House for sale in Greece NY goes viral on Zillow Gone Wild Born in 1914 in Milwaukee, Mary Nohl was an artist inspired by the shores of Lake Michigan and her travels. Fox Point officials decided on April 11 to allow limited access to the home of the late Wisconsin artist Mary Nohl, who transformed her lakefront abode both inside and out with her artwork. The Nohl home, at 7254 and 7328 North Beach Drive in Fox Point, has picturesque views of Lake Michigan and is adorned with paintings, sculptures and other art mediums. The stewards of the home, an affiliate of the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, were approved by village officials to change the zoning of the property to allow for limited access to the home and to build an auxiliary building, among other things. Following the village board's decision, here's what you need to know about the Wisconsin artist. Who was Mary Nohl? Born in 1914 in Milwaukee, Mary Nohl was an artist inspired by the shores of Lake Michigan and her travels. After studying and teaching, she moved to her parent's Fox Point cottage and created art both inside and outside the home. She wasn't confined to one medium; she was a painter, sculptor, printmaker, woodcarver, writer, illustrator, cartoonist and jeweler. Following the death of her parents, she started to change the home, filling the yard with large sculptures. She died Dec. 22, 2001. Where is her art located? In 2021, 80% of Mary Nohl's body of work went on public view at the Art Preserve located at 3636 Lower Falls Road in Sheboygan. Fox Point Planning Commission narrowly passed the recommendation of the cultural overlay for the Mary Nohl Home on March 6, 2023. The Village Board will take up the proposal at a meeting later this spring. The remaining artwork is the most fragile and tied to the lakeside environment of the home. These works have been conserved on-site, both within and outside the home. The center can't transport the Fox Point home to another site without destroying many of the sculptures, said Amy Horst, director of the John Michael Kohler Arts Center. Who is trying to preserve her home? In 1996, Nohl gifted the Kohler Foundation, Inc. her home and entire collection for documentation and preservation. After she died in 2001, the site was named to the National Register of Historic Places and Wisconsin Register of Historic Places in 2005. Story continues In 2012, the Mary Nohl site ownership transferred from the Kohler Foundation, Inc. to Creation and Preservation Partners, Inc., an affiliate of the John Michael Kohler Arts Center. In 2022, the center invited area residents to informational open houses to gather input on a cultural overlay zoning request, which would include constructing an auxiliary building and hosting two special events per year at the site, among other things. The Fox Point Planning Commission narrowly recommended the proposal 3-2, with members Russell Yale and Robert Smith opposing due to concerns about the number of people visiting the property. On April 11, the Village Board approved the zoning proposal 6-1, with member Eric Fonstad voting against the overlay due to concerns about hours of operation, lighting and the fundraisers. Is the home open to the public? No, the Nohl home is not open to the general public. Under the proposal, the home will remain closed to the public and would be open to guests by invitation only. The Mary Nohl home, located 7254 and 7328 North Beach Drive in Fox Point, has picturesque views of Lake Michigan and adorned with paintings, sculptures and other art mediums. Why is there controversy surrounding the preservation of the Nohl home? The stewards of the home, Creation and Preservation Partners, asked the village for a zoning change that would allow for limited access to the home. The proposal has received backlash from Beach Drive residents, who are concerned about an increase in traffic and noise pollution. Some residents joined a group called Save the Beach Drive Neighborhood Association, which is represented by John Wirth of the Mallery Law Firm. Over a series of months, the village received more than 800 pages of comments on their record. Comments included the public hearing agenda, supplied documents from the applicant and all written comments received by the village. Before the closing of the record on Feb. 20, Wirth agreed to support a revised proposal, which reduced the special events size from 80 people to 60 people and shrunk the size of the auxiliary building from 4,000 square feet to 3,000 square feet. Several Beach Drive residents did not agree with Wirth's assessment, and have since argued they should be allowed to submit public comment after the proposal was revised and before the village voted on April 11. Contact Alex Groth at agroth@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @grothalexandria. More: Glendale officials agree to settlement with auto repair shop after foul balls damage cars Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What you need to know about Wisconsin artist Mary Nohl of Fox Point Tensions between Paxful co-founders Ray Youssef and Artur Schaback spilled into public yesterday, as the peer-to-peer Bitcoin exchange abruptly announced it had suspended operations. While Schaback hopes to resume operations, Youssef has apparently recommended a new provider to Paxful users. In a Tuesday message posted to Paxfuls website, Youssefthe companys CEOurged Paxfuls users to withdraw funds from its platform and explore alternative venues, citing the departure of key employees and ongoing regulatory headwinds in the U.S. He wrote that it was unclear whether Paxful will resume operations, suggesting that its future was in jeopardy. During a subsequent Twitter Spaces, Youssef said that a lawsuit filed against Paxful and himself by Schaback was an untenable factor weighing on the firm, claiming that it prompted important team members to quit. I couldn't do it anymore, ethically, so I took some massive legal liability, and I said [...] I'm shutting this down, Youssef said. He had a court order preventing me from doing anything, but I said, fuck that. Schaback told Decrypt that Paxfuls decision to suspend operations came as a shock. And while he conceded that the platform's suspension of operations could end things entirely, Schaback said he plans to get the marketplace up and running again. I was not expecting that its going to be permanent, he said. My plan is to reopen Paxful again with a new business direction. Schaback claimed that Paxfuls announcement yesterday was part of an orchestrated effort to move the companys business outside of U.S. jurisdiction while blaming him for the companys troubles, which Youssef later denied to Decrypt. Schaback said the root of their disagreement can be traced back to 2021 when a potential deal between him and Youssef fell through. It involved potentially buying out Schabacks stake in Paxful. He decided not to, basically, buy out my shares or find investors because he found a way to just completely take control of the company, Schaback said. Story continues Bitcoin Marketplace Paxful to Shut Down Amid Legal Battle With Co-Founder When Youssef directed people to explore other trading venues on Paxfuls website yesterday, he suggested users choose another firm called Noonesa super app with similar features labeled as Rays Recommendation. Noones website states the company is based out of Europe and the United Arab Emirates, founded by a small group of passionate Bitcoiners who are dedicated to peer-to-peer in the Global South, including Nicholas Gregory and Yusuf Nessary. Youssef said he doesnt have a direct role at Noones but supports the company, per CoinDesk reporting. Yet, Schaback pointed out that Noones and Paxful share notable similaritiesincluding what appears to be a database of users. Multiple accounts on Twitter reached out to Paxful users on Tuesday, saying that they can log in to Noones with your Paxful credentials & your KYC, trades, etc will be there already. For those who use Paxful: 1. A new platform recommended by Paxful CEO @raypaxful is live; Noones @noonesapp 2. You can log in to Noones with your Paxful credentials & your KYC, trades, etc will be there already. 3. Log in to Paxful then transfer your funds from Paxful to Grey Jabesi (@greybtc) April 4, 2023 Paxful clarified on Twitter that the two companies are not affiliated, directing an account to Noones website for raising questions or concerns. Please be advised that Paxful is not affiliated with Noones; it is a separate platform, the firms account said. Hi, @Ianosg5. Thanks for getting in touch. Please be advised that Paxful is not affiliated with Noones; it is a separate platform. You may direct your questions and/or concerns related to Noones to their website. Thank you. Paxful (@paxful) April 5, 2023 Some users in what appeared to be Noones official Telegram channel said they were able to log in to the platform using their Paxful credentials without any issues, while others asked for help. The functionality is part of several referral deals between Paxful and other marketplaces as the company looks for any passive income it can get to stay afloat while users withdraw funds, Youssef told Decrypt. I want the Paxful wallet to stay up for at least two years, he said. That means we have to get some passive revenue into the company to pay for engineers and staff. Gemini Officially Terminates Crypto Earn Program Amid DCG, Genesis Spat The two co-founders expressed differing accounts not only about Paxfuls potential future but also regarding the nature of Schabacks lawsuitfiled in Delaware Chancery Court in January. Schabacks lawsuit accuses Youssef of several egregious, unauthorized, and self-interested actions, such as looting the Companys coffers and a surreptitious scheme meant to freeze Schaback out of Paxful, according to a court document. Youssef has denied these allegations. Instead, Youssef claimed yesterday that the lawsuit is an attempt by Schaback to extract as much money as possible from the company. My co-founder thinks he's gonna get a nine-figure exit, and that's why he was fighting so hard to do this, Youssef posted on Twitter. A spokesperson for Paxful declined to comment to Decrypt on questions related to the lawsuit, citing the firms role as a nominal defendant. The lawsuit notes that Youssef and Schaback are the two sole members of the companys board of directors. And as their conflict plays out, the impact of their disagreement extends far beyond Delaware or the U.S. According to Coin Dance, Paxfuls trading volume totaled around $37 over the past week, with a significant portion of users based in countries like Argentina, Kenya, and India. Yesterday, Youssef said that Paxful was a great experiment in part because the firm was able to bring Bitcoin to areas of the Global Southlike starting in Nigeria and building out to the rest of Africa over time. He said, It made places fertile. MILAN Italian jewelry house Gismondi 1754 said Monday it reached an agreement with Lombardi Srl to take over the Vendorafa Lombardi jewelry brand and some company assets for 608,000 euros. Established in Italys goldsmith district of Valenza in 1951, Lombardi Srl is controlled by LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton watches and jewelry division. More from WWD In addition to its proprietary collections, over the years Vendorafa Lombardi has also designed and manufactured exclusive jewelry lines for marquee international brands. Its products are best known for boasting artisanal workmanship, such as hammering, engraving and embossing techniques. The deal will enable Gismondi 1754 to integrate the Vendorafa brand and flank it to the namesake proprietary label. Vendorafa will maintain its identity and commercial positioning on the market, which is more accessible compared to the high-end and exclusive proposition of Gismondi 1754. Hence, the strategy of the group is to diversify its offering and target different customers, while leveraging production and distribution synergies. This represents the first in a series of acquisitions in the medium term aimed at strengthening the groups presence in the sector, said Massimo Gismondi, chief executive officer of the Genoa-based, family-run company. With Vendorafa we give continuity and strength to an international brand; I was immediately struck by our shared values [represented by the] motto handmade in Italy by Italians, which sets us apart and through which we enhance Italian craftsmanship and its high specialization in the goldsmith industry, he added. The Marea bracelet by Gismondi 1754. In addition to acquiring the brand including its designs, archival collections, the stock of some iconic jewels and the production machinery Gismondi 1754 will continue to build on Vendorafas international presence, especially in the U.S. and Japan. Story continues In the former market, the brand is present in 30 specialized retailers as well as department stores including Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue; in the latter, Vendorafa is distributed by Unoaerre Japan, which is seen as a launchpad to expand the Gismondi 1754 brand in the same country, too. As reported, earlier this year Gismondi 1754 also inked a five-year deal with Qatars Al Mana family to boost its retail and wholesale distribution in the GCC area. As part of the agreement, seven franchised stores are expected to open in the region in the next five years, starting with one in Doha, Qatars capital, in June. Gismondi 1754 has stores in Italys Genoa, Milan and Portofino; St. Moritz, Switzerland; Prague, Czech Republic, and Saint Barth, among others. In the U.S., the company is looking to further boost its wholesale presence, as well as eyeing the launch of retail stores, including possibly one on Madison Avenue in New York City. To support these plans, last month the company established the Gismondi 1754 USA Inc. branch in New York and named seasoned jewelry and fashion executive Giovanni Mattera Vairo CEO in the Americas. Listed on Euronext Growth Milan, the segment of the Milan Bourse dedicated to small and medium-sized companies, since 2019, the Gismondi 1754 group saw total revenues jump 44 percent to more than 14 million euros in 2022 versus 2021. The company dates back seven generations, when in 1754 Giovan Battista Gismondi was born in Genoa. At the age of nine, he learned the art of working silver, and when he gained his silversmith license, he became a supplier to the Doria family and Pope Pius VI. The Gismondi family for generations continued as silversmiths, creating sterling silver crosses, tableware and ornaments and other pieces for the church. Vendorafa Lombardi is part of Pedemonte Group, a jewelry manufacturer with divisions in Italy and France that was formed in 2020 under the Equinox III SLP SIF investment fund. The group combined Vendorafa Lombardi with Villa Pedemonte Atelier, a large-scale production specialist that also has a long history of collaborating with international luxury brands, as it has collaborated with LVMHs various houses. At the time of creation, the two companies reported combined revenue of 41 million euros. As reported, last year LVMH acquired the young fine jewelry group from Equinox for an undisclosed amount. Best of WWD Click here to read the full article. Hayden Panettiere has not severed ties with Brian Hickerson. More than two years after their breakup following a domestic battery incident that led to Hickerson's arrest, the Scream 6 star opened up about their tumultuous past. In a New York Times profile published on April 4, Panettiere reflected on how she was at the height of her struggles with addiction when she was dating Hickersonand her decision to reconnect with him as friends after they both became sober. "There are feelings there, yes," she told the outlet, which noted that Panettiere referred to Hickerson as "babe" several times throughout the interview. The publication also stated Panettiere was hesitant to define her current relationship with Hickerson, though she noted their friendship is "contingent on him continuing on this road of recovery." Sharing that Hickerson "knows he deserved what happened to him" after spending jail time for his charges, the 33-year-old explained of their reconciliation, "I did not do any of this lightly." Celebrities Who Got Real About Their Addictions Panettiere began dating Hickerson, 32, in 2018. Throughout their four-year romance, Hickerson had a series of run-ins with the law stemming from allegations of domestic violence against the actress. In 2019, Hickerson was arrested in Los Angeles following an alleged confrontation with the Nashville alum at her home. He pleaded not guilty to felony domestic violence, and the case ended up being dismissed. Eric Charbonneau/Shutterstock On Valentine's Day of the following year, Hickerson was taken into police custody in Wyoming for alleged domestic battery against his girlfriend. Panettiere ended her relationship with Hickerson shortly after the arrest and obtained a temporary restraining order against him. Hickerson pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend and served less than two weeks in jail in May 2021. Hickerson stepped out with Panettiere again in July 2021. However, he noted to E! News at the time, "Hayden and I are not back together but are working on a friendship." "We have a long history together, and the first step in my recovery as an abuser is making amends," he added in his statement. "That's exactly what Hayden has been gracious enough to allow me to do." For more information on domestic abuse or to get help for yourself or someone you love, visit the website for The National Domestic Violence Hotline (http://www.thehotline.org/) or call 1-800-799-7233. School COVID requirements and the controversies surrounding them largely feel like a thing of the past. But at the countrys Head Start and Early Head Start centers, which serve low-income children 5 and under, the debate has lingered, with lawsuits challenging the programs vaccine mandate. The debate was settled on Friday, at least for now. A federal judge in Texas vacated the mandate, meaning it can't be enforced anywhere in the U.S. More: Supreme Court turns away challenge to Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health workers This decision wont change Head Starts decades-long commitment to the health and safety of Head Start children, families, staff, and communities, said Yasmina Vinci, the executive director of the National Head Start Association, a private nonprofit that advocates for and represents Head Starts families, students and staff. That said, we have every confidence this decision will allow programs to, at long-last, reclaim their local autonomy, which is at the foundation of what they do best: serve children and families in a safe, healthy, and community-driven manner. More: Pandemic babies are behind after years of stress, isolation affected brain development In November 2021, the U.S. Health and Human Services Department, which runs the Head Start programs, issued an interim final rule mandating COVID vaccination for all staff by the end of January 2022. Opposition was swift. Within weeks of the rules announcement, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against the department, challenging it as an illegal federal mandate. Texas was soon followed by attorneys general in two dozen other red states on behalf of Head Start staff. More: Why children of color aren't getting the physical, speech therapy some need Louisiana: Federal judge blocks Biden COVID vaccine mandate for Head Start program Last September, a federal judge in Louisiana struck down the mandate in those 24 states. Story continues And in Texas, the attorney general succeeded in getting a preliminary injunction soon after suing the Biden administration. The opinion issued Friday, by Judge James Wesley Hendrix of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, makes that injunction permanent and prohibits Head Start programs in any state, territory or tribal community from requiring the vaccine. The decision comes several months after the administration announced Head Start staff and students would no longer be required to wear a mask. All Head Start programs are still required to have a COVID-19 mitigation strategy. More: White House lays out plans for distributing vaccines to youngest children Contact Alia Wong at (202) 507-2256 or awong@usatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter at @aliaemily. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: COVID vaccine rules for Head Start staff permanently banned by Texas judge Pool - Getty Images Jacinda Ardern, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, is teaming up with Prince William. Kensington Palace announced today that Ardern will join the Board of Trustees of the Prince of Wales's Earthshot Prize. "Her commitment to sustainable development and climate action as Prime Minister of New Zealand strongly align with the optimistic ambition of The Earthshot Prize and its efforts to protect and restore our planet by 2030," Kensington Palace said in a statement. Prince William said, "It is an honour to welcome Jacinda to The Earthshot Prize team. Her life-long commitment to supporting sustainable and environmental solutions, along with her experience as Prime Minister of New Zealand, will bring a rich infusion of new thinking to our mission." He continued, "Four years ago, before The Earthshot Prize even had a name, Jacinda was one of the first people I spoke to, and her encouragement and advice was crucial to the Prizes early success. I am hugely grateful to her for joining us as she takes the next steps in her career." Ardern, who stepped down as New Zealand's prime minister in January, has been involved with the Earthshot Prize before joining the board. Last year, she attended The Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit in New York, and spoke on behalf of Prince William. "I am humbled and excited to be working with the Earthshot team. Since its inception, Ive believed Earthshots power to encourage and spread not only the innovation we desperately need, but also optimism. Solutions are within our reach if we invest, support and accelerate them globally," she said in a statement. The third cohort of Earthshot Prize finalists will be announced this fall. You Might Also Like The White House said the first lady "looks forward to attending" the historic ceremony on "behalf of the United States" Roy Rochlin/Getty, CHRIS JACKSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Dr. Jill Biden and King Charles First lady Dr. Jill Biden will be leading the U.S. delegation attending King Charles' coronation next month. On Tuesday, the White House confirmed that President Joe Biden will not be in attendance and that he had informed the King that his wife, 71, will be attending the historical event on behalf of the United States. "President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with King Charles III, underscoring the strength of the relationship between our countries and the friendship between our people," a readout of the call released by the White House read. "The President congratulated the King on his upcoming Coronation and informed him that First Lady Jill Biden looks forward to attending on behalf of the United States." The readout also confirmed that the president, 80, hopes to plan another visit to the U.K. at a later date. "The President also conveyed his desire to meet with the King in the United Kingdom at a future date," the readout stated. On Wednesday, the White House confirmed that the president will begin a four-day trip to Northern Ireland and Ireland in Belfast on April 11. Charles' coronation is due to take place at Westminster Abbey in London on May 6. Related:King Charles' Coronation Invitation Released by Buckingham Palace Inside the Symbolism Drew Angerer/Getty; Chris Jackson/Getty President Joe Biden will not be attending King Charles' coronation next month The news regarding the president's coronation attendance comes after The Daily Telegraph reported on Saturday that the president was "not expected" to attend the ceremony due to scheduling conflicts and was planning to send a delegation in his place. Sources told the publication that there "may still be some efforts under way to see if Biden can be persuaded to come to the Coronation." Another source said his plans were "not locked and loaded" and he was still "technically in play." Both the president and the first lady visited the U.K. in September to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey. The Bidens also visited the coffin of the late monarch as it lay in state inside Westminster Hall and attended a reception at Buckingham Palace with other world leaders, dignitaries and royals on the eve of the funeral. Story continues Related:Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Receive Invitation to Coronation But Don't Confirm If They'll Go Paul Morigi/Getty Images Joe and Jill Biden Before arriving in the U.K., the president and first lady visited the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. to pay tribute to the queen and sign her condolence book. "We mourn for all of you," Biden said at the embassy. "She was a great lady. I'm so delighted I got to meet her." On Tuesday, the official invitation for the coronation was unveiled, with Buckingham Palace releasing the colorful card which will be issued to 2,000 guests. The intricate invite, which features a floral border, was designed by Andrew Jamieson, a heraldic artist and manuscript illuminator. The hand painted watercolor and gouache illustration will be printed and distributed on recycled card a likely nod to 74-year-old Charles' interest in sustainability and protecting the environment. Chris Jackson/Getty Images King Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort "The Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla," the letter heralds. "By command of the King the Earl Marshal is directed to invite [name] to be present at the Abbey Church of Westminster on the 6th day of May 2023." A close look shows two birds perched on the letter C, which is flanked by Charles and Camilla's coats of arms. The Queen Consort's crest has been updated to reflect her installment as a Royal Lady of the Order of the Garter last summer, courtiers said. On the same day, the Prince and Princess of Wales' son Prince George's role in the coronation was also confirmed, along with Camilla's three grandsons. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The prince, 9, is set to be a page for the King at the ceremony, Buckingham Palace announced on Tuesday. Both Charles and Camilla, 75, will each be attended by four Pages of Honor during the coronation. George, who is second-in-line to the throne, and three other boys will be Pages of Honor attending to Charles throughout the coronation service, while Camilla's three grandsons and great-nephew will be supporting her. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Johnny Depps comeback movie Jeanne Du Barry is to open the Cannes Film Festival. Directed by Maiwenn, who also stars, the films world premiere will take place on Tuesday, May 16, and the film will be released in cinemas the same day in France, the festival said Wednesday. More from Deadline Maiwenn herself plays the eponymous main character alongside Depp, Benjamin Lavernhe, Melvil Poupaud, Pierre Richard, Pascal Greggory and India Hair. The film will recount the life, rise and fall of French King Louis XVs court favorite, Jeanne Vaubernier. The French-language films official synopsis describes Vaubernier as a young working-class woman hungry for culture and pleasure, who uses her intelligence and allure to climb the rungs of the social ladder one by one. She becomes the favourite of King Louis XV who, unaware of her status as courtesan, regains through her his appetite for life. They fall madly in love. Against all propriety and etiquette, Jeanne moves to Versailles, where her arrival scandalizes the court. Depp will play King Louis and will speak French in the film, we can confirm. It marks the first time the actor will speak French throughout a film. Depp has had a long love affair with France. Between 1998 and 2012 he was in a relationship with French singer Vanessa Paradis, he has owned various properties in the country and in 2021 he called it his home. He has had a number of movies at Cannes over the years, including Cry Baby, Arizona Dream, Dead Man, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and The Brave. RELATED: Johnny Depp: A Career In Photos From Platoon to Pirates And Beyond Rust and Bone and A Prophet production company Why Not is producing with Goodfellas handling sales. Depps production company IN.2, La Petite Reine and France Televisions also produce. Backers include Saudi Arabias Red Sea Film Foundation, and the film has been picked up by Netflix in France which will release after its theatrical run in the territory via Le Pacte. Story continues The production marks Depps first feature film role in three years. He shot it around the time of his U.S. victory in the turbulent defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard. The result of the previous and acrimonious UK trial between Depp and UK tabloid The Sun saw the star dropped from Warner Bros Fantastic Beasts franchise and led to him claiming he was boycotted by Hollywood. He is still yet to be cast in a major U.S. production since the UK trial. Jeanne du Barry is Maiwenns sixth feature and comes after Cannes movies such as 2011 Jury Prize winner Polisse, My King, for which Emmanuelle Bercot won best actress in 2015, and semi-autobiographical work DNA, which was feted with Cannes special 2020 label. As well as directing and co-starring, Maiwenn also co-wrote the screenplay with Teddy Lussi-Modeste. The film has long been expected to debut on the Croisette. It joins high-profile movies recently confirmed for the festival such as Martin Scorseses Killers of the Flower Moon and Disneys Indiana Jones 5. RELATED: From Killers Of The Flower Moon & Indiana Jones To Jeanne Du Barry & The Old Oak: 32 Movies That Could Light Up The Cannes Film Festival Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. The official Kandahar trailer for Open Road Films upcoming action thriller has been released, featuring Gerard Butler as an undercover CIA operative who must find a way to escape a hostile territory after his mission got exposed to the enemy. The project hails from Butlers long-time collaborator Ric Roman Waugh. Joining Butler (Plane) are Navid Negahban, Ali Fazal, Travis Fimmel, and Elnaaz Norouzi. The film is scheduled to arrive in theaters on May 26. Kandahar is directed by Ric Roman Waugh, who co-wrote the script with former military intelligence officer Mitchell LaFortune. It is being based on the real-life experiences of LaFortune in Afghanistan during the time of the Snowden leaks. Filming took place in Saudi Arabia In the film, an undercover CIA operative named Tom Harris, who is assigned in the Middle East, reads the synopsis. An intelligence leak dangerously exposes his classified mission and reveals his covert identity. Stuck in the heart of hostile territory, Harris and his translator must fight their way out of the desert to an extraction point in Kandahar, Afghanistan, while eluding the elite special forces hunting them. The film is being produced by Butler & Alan Siegel for G-Base, Thunder Roads Basil Iwanyk, Brendon Boyea, & Erica Lee, and Capstone Groups Christian Mercuri, with Capstone and MBC Studios financing the project. David Haring, Scott LaStaiti, Ruzanna Kegeyan, Andrea Dimity, and Jonathan Fuhrman are executive producing. The post Kandahar Trailer Previews Gerard Butlers Next Action Movie appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. Keri Russell has stepped into her next leading TV role. Netflix has dropped the trailer for The Diplomat, the upcoming political drama that places the Americans star firmly inside the U.S. government. Russell, who is also an executive producer, stars as Kate Wyler, the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom who must prevent a war amid brewing crisis in her marriage. More from The Hollywood Reporter The hourlong drama releases all eight episodes April 20. From showrunner Debora Cahn (The West Wing, Homeland), The Diplomat is a high-stakes, contemporary political drama about the transcendence and torture of long-term relationships, between countries and people. Keri Russell as Kate Wyler and Rufus Sewell as Hal Wyler in The Diplomat. The trailer (below) flips between comedy and political thriller as it shows Kates struggles when she steps into a role formerly held by her husband (Rufus Sewell), who shares his many opinions about her job whether or not she likes it. Russell, who earned three Emmys nominations for her portrayal as Soviet spy Elizabeth Jennings on the acclaimed FX series The Americans, has most recently appeared on an episode of Apples Extrapolations and on the big screen in Cocaine Bear. The Diplomat marks her series regular return to TV. The official logline reads: Kate Wyler (Russell) is the new U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom. She was supposed to go to Afghanistan. Shes great in a crisis zone. In a historic home less so. War is brewing on one continent and boiling over on another. Kate will have to diffuse international crises, forge strategic alliances in London and adjust to her new place in the spotlight all while trying to survive her marriage to fellow career diplomat and political star Hal Wyler (Sewell). Story continues David Gyasi, Ali Ahn, Rory Kinnear and Ato Essandoh round out the cast. Cahn, Janice Williams and Russell are executive producers. Updated April 6 to correct FX series to The Americans. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Click here to read the full article. Courtesy of Kim Kardashian/Instagram Kim Kardashian is wearing Balenciaga again. The reality star stepped out in the label during a recent trip to Japan months after the fashion house released a controversial campaign that featured children posing with BDSM-inspired stuffed animals. While its not immediately clear if Kardashian, 42, ever stopped sporting the brand, she noted at the time of the controversy that she was reevaluating their relationship. More recently, she shared photos of herself via Instagram in Balenciaga pieces while visiting Tokyo with daughters North, 9, and Chicago, 5, on Sunday, April 2. In the snaps, the Skims CEO is seen rocking a massive pink fur coat by the company paired with their coordinating fuzzy handbag. She also accessorized with Balenciagas metallic sunglasses. In prior social media posts, Kardashian appeared to have broken her months-long Balenciaga streak with labels like Rick Owens, Reform and Magda Butrym in the wake of Balenciagas scandal. She was also seen in a number of looks from her collaboration with Dolce & Gabbana. Balenciagas promotion for their Spring/Summer 2023 collection, which dropped in November 2022, featured two young girls holding the purses that were designed to look like teddy bears in BDSM-inspired looks while surrounded by Balenciaga products, including clothing and home goods. Other images, where the children werent present, showed a handbag resting atop a mess of files and paperwork which turned out to include an excerpt from a Supreme Court case on child pornography. After the ad was met with backlash, Kardashian who has worked with the Spanish fashion house many times, posing for campaigns and wearing the brand at the Met Gala called the images disturbing. I have been quiet for the past few days, not because I havent been shocked and outraged by the recent Balenciaga campaigns, the SKKN by Kim founder wrote via Twitter at the time. But because I wanted an opportunity to speak to their team to understand for myself how this could have happened. Story continues Kardashian who also shares son Saint, 7, and Psalm, 3, with ex-husband Kanye West continued: As a mother of four, I have been shaken by the disturbing images. The safety of children must be held with the highest regard and any attempts to normalize child abuse of any kind should have no place in our society period. She concluded, I appreciate Balenciagas removal of the campaigns and apology. In speaking with them, I believe they understand the seriousness of the issue and will take the necessary measures for this to never happen again. The Selfish author spoke out again during a December 2022 episode of the Angie Martinez IRL podcast. As soon as I saw what everyone was seeing on the internet and the reality of the situation I completely spoke out and gave my thoughts on child pornography. I completely denounced it, she said. Demna, Balenciagas creative director, addressed the situation that same month, sharing: I want to personally apologize for the wrong artistic choice of concept for the gifting campaign with the kids. I take my responsibility. It was inappropriate to have kids promote objects that had nothing to do with them. He went on to explain that while he often tries to provoke thought through his work, he would NEVER have an intention to do that with such an awful subject as child abuse that I condemn. Period. He added: I need to learn from this, listen and engage with child protection organizations to know how I can contribute and help on this terrible subject. I apologize to anyone offended by the visuals and Balenciaga has guaranteed that adequate measures will be taken not only to avoid similar mistakes in the future but also to take accountability in protecting child welfare in every way we can. ReportLinker The gas separation membrane market is projected to register a CAGR of over 5.5% during the forecast period. Key Highlights. COVID-19 significantly impacted the entire supply chain of the oil and gas industry, pharmaceutical industry, and biomedical devices industry, owing to strict lockdowns in several regions and thus negatively impacting the market for gas separation membranes. New York, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Gas Separation Membrane Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06445288/?utm_source=GNW The gas separation membrane market is projected to register a CAGR of over 5.5% during the forecast period. Key Highlights COVID-19 significantly impacted the entire supply chain of the oil and gas industry, pharmaceutical industry, and biomedical devices industry, owing to strict lockdowns in several regions and thus negatively impacting the market for gas separation membranes. However, with the lifting of restrictions, the market is expected to gain pace with time and continue to grow during the forecast period. The primary factors driving the market include the rising demand for membranes in carbon dioxide separation operations and stringent government regulations governing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Plasticization of polymeric membranes in high-temperature applications, on the other hand, has significantly hampered market growth. The development of mixed matrix membranes and polymeric membranes and expanding applications are projected to open new potential in the market under consideration. Asia-Pacific is the largest market and is predicted to be the fastest-growing market throughout the projection period, owing to rising demand in China, India, and Japan. Gas Separation Membrane Market Trends Hydrogen Recovery Application to Dominate the Market The global need for hydrogen is increasing in tandem with the growing demand for sustainable energy. Hydrogen is widely used in hydro-treating and hydrocracking for cleaner and higher-value fuels and in creating chemical products and electronics. The hydrogen-generation techniques produce residual gas streams or byproducts that contain a considerable amount of used compressed hydrogen. As a result, gas separation membrane modules are used to cheaply recover hydrogen from such gas streams while incurring the least amount of loss. These membrane modules achieve separations with hydrogen purities ranging from 90 to 99.9%. If operated at high enough temperature, hydrogen separation membranes can be used for hydrogen separation while at the same time directly converting natural gas via steam reforming reactions. In this way, methane conversion and hydrogen separation are carried out in a single component, facilitating downstream treatment processes. More important, the equilibrium shifting caused by continuous hydrogen removal enhances the degree of chemical conversion, increasing overall plant efficiency. According to the Global Hydrogen Outlook (GHO) by International Energy Agency (IEA), global hydrogen demand reached 94 Mt in 2021, a 5% increase in demand in 2020, driven mainly by the recovery of activity in the chemical sector and refining. Moreover, hydrogen demand surpassed its historical maximum of 91 Mt achieved in 2019. According to the European Commission (EC), hydrogen accounted for less than 2% of Europes energy consumption in 2022 and was mostly utilized to generate chemical products such as plastics and fertilizers. 96% of this hydrogen was created using natural gas, which resulted in large CO2 emissions. They also proposed producing 10 million tons of renewable hydrogen and importing 10 million tons by 2030. The GHO by IEA also stated that in 2021, demand for new uses such as transportation, high-temperature heat in industry, hydrogen-based DRI, power, and buildings increased by 60% to reach roughly 40 kt H2, accounting for 0.04% of worldwide hydrogen demand. However, by 2030, hydrogen consumption will be over 180 Mt, with nearly half of the demand coming from new applications, including heavy industries, power generation, and hydrogen-based fuel manufacturing. From September 2021 till August 2022, nine governments have adopted a hydrogen strategy for a cleaner future. The total number of governments that have committed to adopting hydrogen as a clean energy vector in their energy system has increased to 26. To assist research and innovation in hydrogen technologies in Europe, the Clean Hydrogen Partnership (CHP) (a public-private collaboration) was founded in November 2021 as a successor to the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCHJU). Public funding for hydrogen R&D observed its largest annual increase in 2021, with a 35% increase compared with 2020. Hydrogen technologies received around 5% of the total R&D budget for clean energy technologies. European countries mainly contributed to this increase, nearly doubling their expenditure. Thus, growing hydrogen production may augment the hydrogen recovery procedures in refining and petrochemicals application, boosting the demand for gas separation membranes. Asia-Pacific to Dominate the Market Asia-Pacific is expected to be the largest and fastest-growing market for gas separation membranes, owing to the regions increasing industrialization, which drives the market growth. The markets expansion is primarily driven by rising demand for carbon dioxide removal from reservoirs, rising need for sanitation and fresh water, increased urbanization, and higher living standards. Fast expansion and innovation, combined with industry consolidations, will likely drive significant growth in the regions market. Nonetheless, the oil and gas industry in China is one of the most important application industries for gas separation membranes. Over the last two decades, China has invested in increasing its refining capacity to support its expanding economy. Furthermore, for a long time, China has steadily increased its refining capacity for all types of crudes. According to the Institute for Energy Research (IEA), China is expected to have 20 million barrels of refining capacity by the end of 2025, resulting in an increased need for gas separation membranes in the coming years. Furthermore, Chinas crude oil output in 2022 was estimated to be about 204.6 million tons, a 3% increase over the same period last year. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) China, the monthly output of crude oil in December 2022 was approximately 16 million tons, a 2.5% rise over the same period last year. Because gas separation membranes are widely employed in the oil and gas industry, from oil wellhead to oil recovery to the refinery, product demand will skyrocket in the near future. Even though India has a large power industry, the growing population coupled with rising electrification and increasing per capita usage will propel the industry size in the upcoming years. According to the Indian Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), as of October 31, 2022, Indias installed renewable energy capacity (including hydro) stood at 165.94 GW, representing 40.6% of the overall installed power capacity. Additionally, the increasing use of gas separation membranes to control CO2 emissions from industrial effluents is expected to have a positive impact. Strengthening government regulations to curb gaseous emissions is expected to fuel the demand for the product in the future. Furthermore, significant growth of natural gas production in the region may propel the demand for gas separation membranes in acid gas separation in the regional market. Gas Separation Membrane Industry Overview The gas separation membrane market is partially consolidated in nature, with a few major players dominating a significant portion of the market. Some of the major companies are Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., UBE Corporation, Air Liquide, Evonik Industries AG, and Membrane Technology and Research Inc., among others. Additional Benefits: The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format 3 months of analyst support Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06445288/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Story continues CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 City Council candidate signs sit in the grass in front of the Davis-Harrington Welcome Center on Missouri State University's campus on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. All three of Springfield's competitive and open City Council races stayed close as final election results were reported late Tuesday night. City Council newcomers Callie Carroll, Derek Lee and Brandon Jenson will be sworn in at City Hall later this month. General Seat C In one of the open citywide seats, Callie Carroll defeated opponent Jeremy Dean with 9,851 votes (55.3%) vs. 7,974 (44.7%). The more than 10-percentage-point margin was the largest among competitive council races elected Tuesday night. Speaking to the News-Leader, Carroll said she was "excited to serve the city." "That's why I did this. I love Springfield. It was important to me to run, you know, a clean campaign and just be authentically myself. And that's what we did. And I'm just really really, really proud to get to serve the city I love," she said. General Seat C candidate Callie Carroll answers a question during the Neighborhood Advisory Council's City Council candidate forum at National Avenue Christian Church on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. Asked for comment on his loss, Dean said the result makes it clear that "money and nepotism can win an election." Carroll is a communications specialist for Old Missouri Bank and Dean is an office coordinator for a CoxHealth OB-GYN clinic. Carroll will replace Councilman Andy Lear, who did not run for re-election. Carroll was endorsed by the Springfield Police Officer's Association and business-friendly Springfield Good Government Committee, while Dean relied on several endorsements from local labor unions. General Seat D General Seat D city council candidate Derek Lee on Friday, Jan. 27, 2023 In the other citywide race, Derek Lee defeated Bruce Adib-Yazdi with 9,600 votes (52%) to 8,832 votes (48%). Results flipped back and forth between the two candidates as results were released throughout the night before settling at a narrow, four-point margin. Speaking to the News-Leader, Lee said he was "humbled" by the result and he "wants to serve" the city. "I want to work on public safety, and I want to work towards getting the police department fully staffed. And then I want to work on the codes, just the things that I talked about in my campaign. I want to actually do that," Lee told the News-Leader. Story continues In conceding, Adib-Yazdi said Lee is a "gentleman" and they will "remain friendly colleagues." City council candidate Bruce Adib-Yazdi speaks about his campaign at The Vecino Group office on Historic Commercial Street on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. Adib-Yazdi is running for General Seat D. "I congratulate him on his victory and wish him the best as a City Council member. I do intend on staying engaged with the issues facing our city in the years to come," Adib-Yazdi wrote in a statement. Both Lee and Adib-Yazdi work in developing projects in Springfield. Head of Lee Engineering & Associates, Lee often represents developers at neighborhood meeting or before City Council. Adib-Yazdi is an architect and vice president of development at The Vecino Group development firm. Much of their campaign focused on the role of development. Lee has said the city overregulates developers, while Adib-Yazdi has said the city development process is biased against neighborhoods. Lee was endorsed by the Springfield Police Officer's Association and Springfield Good Government Committee, while Adib-Yazdi relied on several endorsements from a local labor union. Zone 3 City Council Candidate Brandon Jenson speaks about issues that are important to him in Springfield in his home on Monday, Jan. 16, 2023. Jensen is running for Zone 3. In the southwest Springfield Zone 3, Brandon Jenson defeated David Nokes with 1,900 votes (53.8%) to 1,629 votes (46.2%). Jenson works for the State of Missouri Department of Economic Development as a program manager for federally-allocated Community Development Block Grants. He also serves as president of the West Central Neighborhood Alliance. Speaking to the News-Leader Tuesday night, Jenson said he owed much of his win to the Neighborhood Alliance and the strong bonds to the community in Zone 3 he has been able to forge. "It just allowed me to truly be in touch with experiences of folks throughout the community. Being able to interact with anybody from the neighborhood translated to an ability to interact with anybody in the zone and have meaningful conversations with them," he said. "I think that my message of experience and passion for our community, as well as my hope for the future, really resonated with voters." Jenson hopes to use his economic development experience as a councilperson once he is sworn in later this month. "I would be very excited to participate in the zoning code overhaul, using my past experience as a city planner to identify innovative approaches to addressing chronic nuisance properties and supporting new sustainable housing." Zone 3 candidate David Nokes answers a question during the Neighborhood Advisory Council's City Council candidate forum at National Avenue Christian Church on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. Speaking to the News-Leader, Nokes said Jenson would "do a good job" for Zone 3. "It's good to have choices and the Zone 3 residents that showed up at the polls, they made their choice and I'm sure Brandon will do a good job." Nokes served as a police officer for 28 years, starting as a 21-year-old in his native Cassville. He worked 23 years at the Springfield Police Department, retiring at the rank of major. City ballot questions All three ballot measures put to voters by Springfield City Council were approved by Springfield voters. Question 1 makes a series of changes to the City Charter related to city human resources and employee issues many of which the city has described as housekeeping in nature. More than 70% of residents approved the change. Question 2 also changes the charter and would allow bills that contract agencies for the city or contract the city with other entities to be voted on the same meeting they are introduced. The measure passed with just 53% approval. Question 3 consolidates the city's hotel/motel tax into a single licensing tax of 5% for hotels, motels, and tourist courts. More than 66% of residents approved the change. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield elects three new councilmembers in open races. The podcast host's parents were found guilty of bank fraud and tax evasion and are currently serving a combined 19-year prison sentence Frederick M. Brown/Getty Lindsie Chrisley Lindsie Chrisley is shedding light on the worries she experienced after her parents received a combined 19-year prison sentence on fraud and tax evasion charges. The 33-year-old podcast host said on the latest episode of the PodcastOne series, The Southern Tea, that she was concerned about how her parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley, would be treated in prison before starting their sentences on Jan. 17. "You want to be strong and tell them that everything is going to be fine even though you're questioning if everything is going to be fine," Lindsie said. Related:Lindsie Chrisley Feels 'Blessed' That Her Parents Were Welcomed to Prison 'with Open Arms' Although Todd, 53, reported to Federal Prison Camp Pensacola and Julie, 50, began her sentence at a prison in Lexington, Kentucky, Lindsie shared that she feared whether their time on television would affect how her parents were treated. Tommy Garcia/USA Network/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty "One of my biggest concerns was the access to televisions," she explained to prison consultant Justin Paperny during the podcast episode. "Do you think that people who have seen Chrisley Knows Best are serving in these camps?" Related: Savannah Chrisley Hugs Chloe Chrisley After Nashville School Shooting: 'Never Been More Grateful' Marcus Ingram/Getty; Danielle Del Valle/Getty Lindsie Chrisley and her parents Todd and Julie Chrisley While her parents are currently appealing their case, Lindsie added that her worries were proven wrong after her parents were "welcomed with open arms." "I feel so blessed with that. I have heard of other people reporting and that not being the case," she shared. Todd is currently serving his 12-year term at a facility in Florida, and Julie is undergoing her seven-year sentence at a prison in Kentucky. Both will be required to serve 16 months of probation after completing their respective sentences. RELATED VIDEO: Lindsie Chrisley Gives Update on Dad Todd's Condition in Prison Related:Everything to Know About the $30 Million Fraud Trial Against Todd and Julie Chrisley Story continues After the conviction in June, Lindsie issued a statement, writing on Instagram, "I know most of you are expecting to hear from me on my podcasts this week as I took time to be with my family last week. The verdict is not what I had hoped or prayed for, and I am deeply saddened for myself, my son, and my family as a whole." "Please pray for us during this difficult time and know that I will be back when the time is right," she added. "Thank you for your continued love and support." Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. New episodes of The Southern Tea podcast can be streamed Wednesdays on major podcast platforms. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. The National Weather Service has issued a fire warning for portions of Custer County in western Oklahoma. National Weather Service officials said a wildfire in the area is rapidly moving to the east and northeast. They urge people to stay aware of their surroundings. Red Flag Warning canceled for Oklahoma County 4:30 p.m. The National Weather Service canceled the red flag warning for Oklahoma, Lincoln, McClain, Cleveland, Stephens and Jefferson counties just after 3 p.m. Tuesday. This means these counties no longer have favorable conditions for the ignition and spread of wildfires. The most severe fire danger remains to the west of the metro, due to the dry line having stalled before making it to the Oklahoma City area. Meanwhile, meteorologists in Norman are monitoring the chances of severe storms that could develop this evening across southern and central Oklahoma. We continue to monitor the low potential for a severe storm or two to develop over the next several hours across southern OK, where large hail would be the primary threat. Meanwhile to the west, extreme fire danger will continue for the next several hours. #okwx #texomawx pic.twitter.com/7Ag0MAjG4X NWS Norman (@NWSNorman) April 4, 2023 -Jana Hayes Route 66 Fire blazes across Custer County, Weatherford Public Schools bus routes affected 4:06 p.m. Officials with Oklahoma Forestry Services said the Custer County blaze is now being referred to as the Route 66 Fire. An estimated 1,550 acres has been burned, according to the agency. Weatherford Public Schools said in a statement on social media that parents living in the bus route dedicated to areas north of Lawter Road and west of SH 54 should instead pick their children up at the schools administration building on 1409 Cypress. Story continues -Jessie Christopher Smith Officials evacuate part of Custer County, not Weatherford 3:21 p.m. Officials are ordering evacuations for portions of Custer County as crews continue to battle a large wildfire between the cities of Clinton and Weatherford, Oklahoma, just west of E1020 and N2350. According to the Weatherford Fire Department, the order applies to the area between 2330 and 2340 north of Interstate 40. There is NO evacuation order for the City residents of Weatherford, fire officials said. The fire warning for the area has now been extended to 4 p.m. -Jessie Christopher Smith Wildfire spreading east in Custer County 2:16 p.m. Fire crews in Custer County of western Oklahoma are responding to a wildfire rapidly moving to the east and northeast. ***CORRECTION: This is for Custer County, not Dewey County! https://t.co/jtGTW4QwX2 NWS Norman (@NWSNorman) April 4, 2023 Around 1:07 p.m., meteorologists with the National Weather Service in Norman issued a fire warning for parts of Custer County. Residents should evacuate to the west and the south of the warned area, the alert read. Smoke and fire will present a hazard along Interstate 4o between Weatherford and Clinton. Meteorologists said people in the area should evacuate quickly and follow directions from local emergency management officials. The warning remains in effect until at least 3 p.m.Do not drive into smoke, the National Weather Service advised. Stay aware of your surroundings! More: Dozens of grass fires consume homes north of OKC; residents evacuated near Edmond, Guthrie The forecast office had previously issued a red flag warning of severe fire weather Tuesday for much of Oklahoma. Wildfires can start and spread quickly in areas with heavy wind gusts, warmer-than-average temperatures and dry air. It will become very windy (and) fire danger will become extreme today in the west with the strong winds and very low humidity, meteorologists said Tuesday morning. Be very careful to avoid the start or spread of any fires today." -Jessie Christopher Smith Oklahoma fire map shows smoke, wildfires across state If you can't see the map below, please click here. Fires expected to spark across Oklahoma Tuesday Firefighters across the state are looking at a big threat Tuesday as winds ramp up and bring a wildfire danger. The winds will enhance the threat of fires, and a wildfire could spark in seconds. More: After hundreds of wildfires scorched Oklahoma on Friday, forecasters sound the alarm of more to come. How to prevent wildfires While severely warm weather can worsen a wildfire spread, most are the result of human behavior. In fact, nearly 85% of wildfires in the U.S. are caused by humans, according to the National Park Service. With its wide acres, rural areas and inconsistent weather patterns, Oklahoma is prone to grass fires. Forestry and safety experts offer several guidelines for residents on how to avoid starting a fire, which can often breakout from just one wrong spark. Avoid using welding equipment. Never drive on a flat tire. Extinguish cigarettes completely before properly disposing of them, and never throw them outside of a window while driving. Avoid parking on dry grass or dragging chains behind your car. More: How to help Oklahoma residents impacted by the fires This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Fire breaks out in western Oklahoma, Weatherford Roxanne Tahbaz holds a picture of her father Morad Tahbaz, who is in jail in Iran (PA Archive) Liz Truss told the family of a Londoner imprisoned in Iran that he was no longer her "problem" when he was not released as expected with Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, MPs have claimed. The then-Foreign Secretary suggested to Morad Tahbaz's family that he would be included in a deal to release detainees in March last year, a report by the Foreign Affairs Select Committee revealed on Tuesday. Ms Truss agreed to include the UK-US-Iranian trinational in the pact to return Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori to the UK, in return for the Americans helping broker the arrangement. "However, Liz Truss did not stand by this arrangement and failed to let either the family or US officials know that Morad was not to be released with Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori," the report said. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was brought home in March 2022 (REUTERS) Instead of being informed by the Foreign Office or the Foreign Secretary, the Tahbaz family learnt about Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Mr Ashoori's release through news reports. The report added: "It was, instead, left to senior US State Department officials to formally notify them that Morad had not been released. Liz Truss eventually called the family to say that 'Morad is now a US problem'. The former Prime Minister hit out at the claims, insisting that "many of the assertions in the report are not true" and the "US did not help broker the deal". But Tory MP Alicia Kearns said ministers "deeply distressed" British citizens imprisoned abroad through poor communication, including "speaking offensively" to their families. The chairwoman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee added that the treatment of some hostages' families had been "insensitive and hurtful". Referring to Ms Truss's handling of Mr Tahbaz's case, she said "the most heinous failure of a minister" was to tell a family "you're no longer our problem". Mr Tahbaz, who was born in London, was working as a conservationist with the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation in January 2018 when he was arrested and accused of spying by the Iranian authorities. Story continues The 67-year-old was jailed in 2019 and has been held in Tehran ever since. His wife Vida, 62, was also banned from leaving Iran. In an interview with the Standard last year, their daughter Roxanne Tahbaz criticised Boris Johnsons Government, and Ms Truss, for failing to secure the release of her father. The family told the committee Ms Truss claimed she had secured an "indefinite furlough" for Mr Tahbaz from prison and his wife's travel ban would be removed and she would be free to leave Iran. Mr Tahbaz was released on the same day charity worker Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe and retired civil engineer Mr Ashoori were freed but returned to prison soon after their plane took off. He was released on furlough for three months later in the year which the family argue was "only achieved through the pressure and hard work of Oman and USA". The committee added that Ms Truss gave "inaccurate descriptions" to Parliament over her communications with Mr Tahbaz, which she subsequently corrected. He remains in Iran's Evin Prison. A spokesman for Liz Truss said in a statement to the Standard: Many of the assertions in the report are not true. The US did not help broker the deal. "It was always the case that as Morad Tahbaz was also a US citizen, the maximum on the table in any deal with the UK was securing furlough, which was achieved. Morads family were aware of this and were kept informed of developments throughout. Without the action Liz took, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori would still be in jail today. A blue and red cloudlike sculpture by artist Janet Echelman will be hung over High and Gay streets in June. A 229-foot-long cloudlike sculpture will be hung over North High Street Downtown in June, becoming the longest piece of public art in the city. To be called "Current," the blue and red fiber sculpture will be suspended up to 126 feet above High Street at Gay Street. Announced in late 2021, the sculpture is by artist Janet Echelman, and is similar in style to sculptures she has hung over cities throughout the world including Singapore, Sydney, Shanghai, Montreal, New York and London. Artist Janet Echelman will install a sculpture in Columbus in a similar style as her sculpture shown here in Montreal. Made of 78 miles of twine and more than 500,000 knots, the billowy wisp will be visible from airplanes, and illuminated at night. In a news release from the Columbus Museum of Art, Echelman said she drew inspiration for the sculpture from Columbus' history of "innovation and light," including its gas-lit street arches. She said the sculpture's title, "Current," alludes to both electrical current and the current of the nearby Scioto River. I became absorbed in Columbus historical narrative and quickly fell in love with the city," Echelman said. "The challenge to build such an ambitious permanent interconnected art commission over a municipal street attached to multiple private buildings might have been impossible elsewhere. I witnessed exceptional cooperation to achieve this public goal and came to understand firsthand what is nationally referred to as the Columbus Way. More: Take a self-guided tour of Columbus sculptures, murals and more using new Art Walks app Developer Jeff Edwards, president and CEO of the Edwards Companies, proposed the sculpture as part of the redevelopment of the Gay and High street area. Edwards is paying an unidentified amount for the design and installation of the sculpture, representing the largest private contribution to public art in the history of Columbus, according to the Museum of Art. Edwards plans to donate the sculpture to the museum, which will oversee its maintenance as part of its permanent collection. This piece will be the north star for Columbus new culture-centric compass," Edwards said in the news release. "I envision this to be the first drop in the pond, sending waves throughout the Gay Street district. Story continues The museum plans to host a public ceremony for Current on June 9 at the sculpture site. The sculpture would be suspended by cables attached to nearby buildings. At its lowest point, it would hang about 35 feet above ground, according to a 2021 presentation to the city. Made of a nylon fabric that does not snag birds, the sculpture would be removed in winter to avoid ice accumulation. The sculpture by artist Janet Echelman would be anchored by a series of cables above North High and Gay streets. City officials hope the sculpture will become a tourist draw, like the Cloud Gate sculpture (commonly called "The Bean") in Chicago. "Current will be a beacon and a beckon, drawing people from across the city and region. Its going to be a defining image for our Downtown and put Columbus on the map as a community that cares about and invests in transformational public art, Mayor Andrew Ginther said in the news release. When you visit the historic corner of Gay and High Streets, youll know youve arrived at the nexus of culture in Columbus. Those involved in the project hope that Current joins the lounging deer on the Scioto River banks and Dublin's "field of corn" as an integral part of the Columbus public arts landscape. Current will be an iconic part of the Columbus skyline, Pete Scantland, Columbus Museum of Arts board president, said in the news release. Our museum is grateful for Jeff (Edward)'s generous support and for his unwavering vision and determination to further affirm our city as a destination for world-class art. jweiker@dispatch.com @JimWeiker This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Cloudlike sculpture to hang over High Street Downtown An Idaho man was arrested on Wednesday after he allegedly killed the main suspect in his mothers murder, which occurred the day before. Officials allege that 31-year-old Raul A. Cuevas killed 39-year-old Jesus R. Urrutia in what they've characterized as a case of revenge. Cuevas was taken into custody and charged with one count of first-degree murder after the stabbing, according to Law & Crime. RELATED: Brian Walshe Indicted On Murder, Obstruction Of Justice Charges In Wife's Disappearance On Tuesday, March 28, the day before Urrutia was killed, Cuevas mother Michelle E. Luna was fatally stabbed in her home located on W. Grouse St. in the city of Nampa. According to first responders, the 52-year-old sustained several stab wounds to her body, and the life-saving measures taken by medics were not successful. The victim was pronounced dead on the scene. Investigators soon identified Urrutia as a main suspect. Like Luna, Urrutia and Cuevas also resided in the Nampa area, nearly 20 miles west of Boise. According to Law & Crime, Urrutia and Luna knew one another. A mugshot of Raul Cuevas Raul Cuevas Photo: Ada County Sheriff's Office Several law enforcement agencies were notified of the incident and instructed to locate Urrutia overnight. At approximately 7:03 a.m. the next morning, the Nampa Police Department responded to a dispatcher call from the Ada County Sheriffs Office about an additional stab victim. A press release from the Ada County Sheriffs Office identified the victim as an adult male believed to be Urrutia. Police found Urrutia slumped over in the car, which was running but in park in the parking lot of a gas station more than 25 miles away from Nampa. First responders performed CPR on Urrutia until paramedics arrived, and he was pronounced dead around 8 a.m. after being transported to a local hospital. His death was classified a homicide, due to a "sharp force injury wound to the chest, the Ada County Coroners Office stated. Investigators identified Cuevas as a prime suspect in Urrutias murder, and he was soon found in his car at the intersection of Idaho 55 and Beacon Light Road. Story continues Oxy App Daulton Stachler, manager at the gas station where Urrutias body was found, noted that Cuevas used the gas stations phone to contact law enforcement to turn himself in, according to the Idaho Statesman. After gathering evidence and speaking to Cuevas, deputies brought him to the Ada County Jail where he was charged with first-degree murder, according to People.com. Investigators are still figuring out why the stabbing occurred at a gas station parking lot in Avimor in north Ada County, which is over 25 miles and several towns away from Nampa, the sheriffs office noted in its press release. Cuevas is expected to make his first court appearance on Thursday afternoon. Counselor Angelena Plummer sits in a room used for therapy at her private practice, A Positive Life, on March 3, 2023, in Rapid City. Angelena Plummer, owner of a counseling practice in Rapid City, knows what its like to wait for mental health care. A few years ago, she called a therapist after a distressing life event. When she found out the wait was three months for the next available appointment, Plummer recalled, it was a literal jaw drop. My memory of that was a lot of curse words, bewilderment and yes Ill still take the appointment, she said. The first session brought up additional issues. So, when the therapist wasnt available again for over a month, Plummer felt alone and worse off than I was when I entered the session. Lengthy waitlists are still a concern in Rapid City, reflecting a statewide problem. Several bills in the recently concluded legislative session including one providing $2 million for suicide prevention, which passed addressed the issue. Considering South Dakota saw record-breaking suicide numbers in 2021 (statistics for 2022 are still provisional), theres concern that the shortage has become critical. The shortage is the worst weve seen, according to Anthony Raaphorst, president of the West River Counseling Association. Over the last two years, we have seen a major change, where its like, We need more help, he said. The total number of licensed counselors and marriage and family therapists in the state has actually grown over the last few years. Last year saw the largest increase in at least seven years, according to data from the Board of Examiners for Licensed Counselors and Marriage & Family Therapists. The shortage may therefore be explained by rising demand. Certain types of counselors and social workers will be in high demand through 2030 with higher-than-average annual job openings, according to projections published last year by the South Dakota Labor Market Information Center. The coronavirus pandemic has increased the demand for mental health care, professionals in the field say, while decreasing the stigma against seeking services. The stigma is still there, but people are accepting that its OK to get help, Raaphorst said. Story continues This surge in demand has overwhelmed mental health services, resulting in burnout of providers and incredibly long waitlists in Sioux Falls, as reported in the Mental Health Needs Assessment of Sioux Falls, published in January by the Augustana Research Institute. Younger South Dakotans are seeking services more often, the report says. Every county in South Dakota faces a shortage of mental health professionals, either for the entire county or for a group of people living in the county, according to the Health Resources & Services Administration. These shortages are typically defined as areas, which may span multiple counties, with no more than one psychiatrist per 15,000-30,000 people. Clients desperate for help The shortage is one reason why Beverly Dafler, owner of Crossroads Counseling Services in Rapid City, hasnt fully retired from her practice. Im semi-retired, and Im still getting calls from people who are saying theyre desperate for help, Dafler said. Due to obstacles like cost, transportation or the stigma of seeking care, people dont tend to seek mental health care until they really need it. Much like the dentist, they dont go until it has reached a critical state, said Duane Kavanaugh, director of counseling services at South Dakota Mines. If clients dont get the care they need, their health may worsen, Raaphorst said. Or, they may turn to unhealthy coping techniques like substance abuse. Ultimately, he said, ripple effects may impact the families of those seeking care. Its a domino effect, Raaphorst said. The shortage means that the person isnt getting the help they need, and that affects those around them. Certain communities may find it especially difficult to find a provider, according to the Mental Health Needs Assessment of Sioux Falls. This includes non-English speakers, rural clients, and non-white clients looking for a provider of a similar racial identity or cultural background. Lower income clients have few options for affordable care, the report said, and organizations with sliding scale fees often have the longest waitlists. Months-long wait times for services in Sioux Falls were described, with some of the longest wait times for psychiatrists. In Rapid City, South Dakota Searchlight found wait times between less than one week and over six months for therapists and psychiatrists. Larger organizations had the longest waitlists. At the Monument Health Behavioral Health Center, counseling services are booked until July. Psychiatry services are booked until September for adults and July for children. Across the state, children wait up to 4-6 weeks for mental health care, as described by mental health and juvenile justice system workers during summer meetings of the Legislatures Study Committee on Juvenile Justice. Rep. Taylor Rehfeldt, R-Sioux Falls, used testimony from those meetings to inform a resolution encouraging further research into childhood mental health, but the resolution didnt pass during the legislative session. Students waited at least two weeks for counseling services at every state university last semester, with some counselors at BHSU working over their lunch breaks out of the goodness of their hearts, said Caleb Weiland, president of the South Dakota Student Federation. He also referenced the problem at a legislative hearing in January, where the president of the South Dakota State University Students Association, Blake Pulse, revealed that over 100 students were on a waitlist for counseling services at the university. The topic of the testimony was the suicide prevention bill that passed during the legislative session. It provides funds to support suicide prevention and loss programs for youth and young adults. You might get no one to apply Some mental health organizations have struggled to hire enough employees to meet the demand. Years ago, youd get applicants. But now, depending on where you are, you might get no one to apply to work there, Kavanaugh said. In early February, there were 66 vacancies at a Behavior Management Systems Agency in western South Dakota with 160 employees. Of those, 44 were in outpatient counseling and case management, as heard in testimony for a bill in the Legislature that didnt pass, but would have appropriated scholarship funds for students entering the behavioral health field. In December, there were 64 full-time vacancies across 12 behavioral health organizations that primarily serve Rapid City, according to a survey facilitated by the John T. Vucurevich Foundation of a group of providers, the Systems of Care Collaborative, who meet to discuss youth-centric issues. Over 70% of those positions required a graduate degree while under 30% required only a bachelors degree. Potential job titles ranged from case manager at the bachelors degree level to psychiatrist at the doctoral degree level. The highest percentage of vacancies required a masters degree but not a doctoral degree, with potential positions of counselor, social worker or psychiatric nurse practitioner. Workforce issues extend across the state Sioux Falls providers reported hiring challenges heightened by high turnover rates, as described in the Mental Health Needs Assessment of Sioux Falls. Low pay, along with the long process of obtaining a license, were driving factors. Filling the pipeline with students SDSU offers the only masters degree in counseling on the western side of the state at an off-campus center in Rapid City, where enrollments have increased over the last few years. Scholarships would have a profound impact on recruiting new students since none are currently offered, said Moneik Stephens, the SDSU program coordinator for Rapid City. Similar support may attract students to the states only clinical psychology Ph.D. program at the University of South Dakota. Clinical psychologists, unlike counselors, can test clients for psychological conditions like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or autism. Higher stipends, tuition remission and providing health insurance for graduate assistants would be the biggest help in attracting students to our program, said Beth Boyd, director of the clinical psychology program at USD, in an email. For West River students, limited availability of local graduate programs may influence their career decisions. Ideally we would have a Ph.D. program locally or a second masters program, said BHSU Psychology Professor Emilia Flint. When someone realizes they need to move away to advance, she said, sometimes its like seeing the wind knocked out of their sails. People should at least be able to survive Low wages create retention issues for some professions. We have a high turnover rate in mental health. A lot of times, it can get to people. Pay is not as high as some people think that it is, Raaphorst said. Counselor Charlie Hartpence works 60-70 hours per week split between two employers to care for her child as a single mom in Rapid City. I love the work that I do its really fulfilling, but I regret taking this path in life, Hartpence said. Her first full-time job at a social services agency paid $16 an hour in 2020. Now, she divides her time between a counseling practice and an adolescent care center. She has $120,000 of student loan debt from her undergraduate and masters degrees, she said, and I make less money now than I made working as a barista. In school, they talk about not doing this job for the money, but I think people should at least be able to survive if not flourish, Hartpence said. School counselors, who need a masters degree to practice, also face low compensation that affects retention. The average salary for school counselors in Rapid City is $42,340. If the starting salary was higher, they would be more inclined to stay in the state, said Daniel DeCino, associate professor in the Division of Counseling and Psychology in Education at USD, in an email. Ecosystem support needed In this strained system, some clients look beyond professionals for help. When people cant get into a therapy appointment right away, they sometimes visit peer support groups run by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, said Sheri Nelson, executive director for the alliance in South Dakota. Its not in place of therapy its in addition to therapy and its a good connection point for people who are waiting to see a mental health provider, Nelson said. On college campuses across the state, students find support in peer-to-peer mentorship programs run by Lost & Found, a suicide prevention nonprofit. The mentors are not trained to be counselors instead, they offer a listening ear, teach life skills like boundary setting, and connect their mentee to other mental health resources if needed. For students who are at subclinical levels of depression and anxiety, this is exactly what they need to prevent those conditions from becoming bigger issues, said Carrie Jorgensen, senior prevention program specialist at Lost & Found. More of this broader ecosystem support could help providers by easing the strain on their services, said Erik Muckey, executive director of the nonprofit. Its no fault of anybody, but we have to respond, he said. There is no other time that we can wait for this to pass because its not going to pass. Its just going to continue. Mental health resources For non-crisis services To find help: Obtain a mental health resource guide for your area, offered by the Helpline Center. Or, call the center at 211 for listening and support. Download the Lets Talk About Mental Health Guide published by the nonprofit Lost & Found to learn how to find help or support others. To find peer support: Join a support group (virtual or in-person) led by the National Alliance on Mental Illness. For college students, become a mentee through the Peer2Peer program offered by Lost & Found. For crisis services For a suicide crisis: Call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Veterans, press 1 after dialing 988 to connect with the Veterans Crisis Lifeline or text 838255. For any crisis: Text HOME to 741741 to connect with the Crisis Text Line. For LGBTQ youth, text START to 678678 to connect with a crisis counselor with The Trevor Project. For transgender people, call 877-565-8860 to reach the Trans Lifeline. For a domestic or sexual violence crisis: For rural stress or a disaster-related crisis: Call 800-985-5990 to receive crisis counseling through the Disaster Distress Helpline. For farmers, call 800-691-4336 to reach the Farm and Rural Stress Hotline. This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Need mental health care in SD? You may have to get in line Glatfelter Corporation ~ Streamlines Senior Leadership to Accelerate Business Performance ~ CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Glatfelter Corporation (NYSE: GLT), a leading global supplier of engineered materials, today announced that Mr. Boris Illetschko has been appointed to the role of Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer. He replaces the Companys current Senior Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Christopher W. Astley, and Senior Vice President, Integrated Global Supply Chain and IT, Mr. Wolfgang Laures, both of whom will leave the Company effective immediately. The Company noted that these changes are not related to Glatfelters operations, financial reporting or controls, or personal conduct. Since joining Glatfelter, I have assessed the leadership skills and capabilities that are essential to driving Glatfelters financial performance improvement, which led me to consolidate the Companys commercial and supply chain leadership into a single, integrated chief operating role. I am delighted that Boris Illetschko will be serving in this capacity given his previous experience leading multi-national commercial and supply chain functions throughout Europe, North America, and Asia, said Mr. Thomas M. Fahnemann, President and Chief Executive Officer. Also, I want to thank Chris and Wolfgang for their respective 12 years and 3 years of dedicated service and commitment to Glatfelter, and for the support they have provided to me during my early Glatfelter tenure. Mr. Fahnemann continued, My goal with these changes is to streamline the decision-making and real-time assessment of the business needs for the commercial and supply chain functions under one single point of accountability for delivering results. This restructuring provides for an effective combination of strengths and capabilities from our long-tenured leaders, whose deep knowledge of our business and the markets we serve, remains invaluable. When combined with our recently hired leaders who bring new insights and external perspectives, we gain the best combination of comprehensive talent. I am excited to lead this team to a new level of performance. Story continues Most recently, Mr. Illetschko served as global Group Chief Commercial Officer & Group Managing Director for voestalpine Rotec GmbH, Krieglach, Austria, where he was responsible for ten production facilities located in North America, Europe, and China. Prior to this role, he worked as an independent industry consultant from 2017 to 2019. From 2011 to 2017, Mr. Illetschko worked for Semperit AG Holding, Austria where he was responsible for various roles including corporate development and mergers and acquisitions, as well as General Manager for a global business segment with production sites in Europe, India, and China. Mr. Illetschko is an Austrian citizen and holds several degrees, including a Master of Business Administration from the University of Toronto, Canada and Advanced Management degrees from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), United Kingdom, as well as the Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria. Mr. Illetschko will join Glatfelter after completing his legally required notice period with his current employer, which will conclude no later than October 1, 2023. During this interim period, Mr. Fahnemann will provide direct leadership to the management who will report into Mr. Illetschko upon his arrival. About Glatfelter Glatfelter is a leading global supplier of engineered materials with a strong focus on innovation and sustainability. The Companys high-quality, technology-driven, innovative, and customizable nonwovens solutions can be found in products that are Enhancing Everyday Life. These include personal care and hygiene products, food and beverage filtration, critical cleaning products, medical and personal protection, packaging products, as well as home improvement and industrial applications. Headquartered in Charlotte, NC, the Companys 2022 revenue was $1.5 billion with approximately 3,250 employees worldwide. Glatfelters operations utilize a variety of manufacturing technologies including airlaid, wetlaid and spunlace with sixteen manufacturing sites located in the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the Philippines. The Company has sales offices in all major geographies serving customers under the Glatfelter and Sontara brands. Additional information about the Company may be found at www.glatfelter.com. Contacts: Investors: Media: Ramesh Shettigar Eileen L. Beck (717) 225-2746 (717) 225-2793 Michigan Mother Of Eight Missing After Her Burnt-Out Vehicle Was Found With Blood In It The Detroit branch of the FBI posted a plea to Twitter Friday, offering a $20,000 reward to anyone with information that could help them find a Michigan mother missing since December. Heather Mae Kelley of Portage, a 35-year-old mother of eight, never returned after telling her family she was picking up an acquaintance in Kalamazoo on Dec. 10, despite phone calls to her children promising to be home soon, according to national missing persons network NamUs. RELATED: Brian Walshe Indicted On Murder, Obstruction Of Justice Charges In Wife's Disappearance Her cousin discovered her abandoned vehicle by the roadside in Comstock Township the next day. The vehicle had been set on fire, but investigators managed to find traces of Kelley's blood inside. Although Kelley's body has not been found, authorities are investigating her disappearance as a homicide. Kelley's 37-year-old boyfriend, who authorities have not yet named and who was recently jailed for unrelated charges, is the only person of interest in the case, Kalamazoo County Sheriff Richard Fuller III told ABC News. A poilce handout of Heather Mae Kelley Heather Mae Kelley Photo: Kalamazoo County Sheriffs Office Local news outlet Target 8 reported in February that the person of interest was being held at the Newaygo County Jail on a federal hold while detectives build a case against him. He is set to be released on April 26, and a judge denied his request for compassionate early release to get heart surgery, the outlet reported. "The sheriff's office, as well as the Portage, Michigan, [Department of] Public Safety, have been working this in conjunction together as a homicide investigation that has led us into several different possibilities. But it leads us to one person of interest," Fuller told ABC. "That person of interest is still in jail on unrelated charges. But right now, we feel that the investigation continues us on a path toward a possible arrest at some point, down the road, of the suspect." Story continues Court documents reviewed by the local outlet showed that the boyfriend was finishing a federal sentence for what the publication called a "cocaine conspiracy that included a murder-for-hire plot" at the KPEP halfway house in Kalamazoo around the time that Kelley was last seen, and was ordered by a judge to wear a tracking device at all times. But after Kelley's burnt vehicle was recovered, those documents said, he took the device off and didn't return to the halfway house after his work shift at The Park Club, a dinner club in downtown Kalamazoo where he worked as a busboy. Caitlyn Kaufman Devaunte Hill Fb Pd The boyfriend told detectives he had last seen Kelley when she dropped him off at the halfway house on the afternoon of Dec. 10, Target 8 reported. However, phone records showed that he and Kelley were together at the restaurant that evening. His phone was turned off after that, but was later tracked to an area near where Kelley's car was found. His GPS tether wasn't turned on again until the next morning. The fact that the man's phone was turned off, detectives wrote in the search warrant application for the boyfriend's phone and social media that was reviewed by Target 8, "supports the theory that Heather Kelley has been the victim of a violent crime." In a letter to a federal judge, the boyfriend wrote that he went AWOL because one of Kelley's brothers had sent him death threats, "even sending pictures of an AR-15 assault rifle." He said that he filed a police report with Kalamazoo Police. The department denied a FOIA request sent by Target 8 to confirm that claim, citing an ongoing investigation. Kelley's brother, who the outlet chose not to name, denied that he had threatened the boyfriend. Oxy App Peter Ellis, the resident agent in charge of the FBI Detroit's field office, said that the agency's renewed efforts to publicize Kelley's disappearance have been effective. "I believe at this time we've had several tips so far in the last few weeks, since the reward did go up, and we are posting this reward up on mobile billboards throughout the area," Ellis told ABC. In addition, local police agencies are offering a $5,000 reward for pertinent information in the case, the outlet reported. Sheriff Fuller said he is confident that Kelley will be found. "We believe that given the spring weather and how it's warming up and more people are out traveling along the edges of the road in this area where we have searched fairly well, we believe that there's still a possibility that she is in that area and that springtime is when somebody is going to come across Ms. Kelley and then contact us," he said. MUNCIE, Ind. What was once a thriving center of retail for East Central Indiana is headed for a tax sale in May. Muncie Mall, with the exception of Buyers Market, which had already purchased their portion of the mall building, will be placed in the Sheriff's sale at 10 a.m. May 10. Asking price for the property is $32 million. Wells Fargo Bank has taken control of the mall, which was owned by retail developer Washington Prime Group. Washington Prime stopped paying the mortgage on the mall property in 2020, essentially sending it back to the bank, and filed for bankruptcy in 2021. Mayor Dan Ridenour said the move could lead to the property being sold by the bank to an owner who would redevelop the retail center, which is currently enclosed. Two of three anchor spots at the mall are currently empty, along with much of the interior space the mall, which was built 53 years ago. The mayor also noted that an new pet supply store is being built on the westside of the the mall parking lot across from Target. Late last year a shopping center in the mall's neighborhood, Muncie Marketplace, was sold to JLL Capital Markets. The 77,871-square-foot center sold for $14.6 million and is home to Dick's Sporting Goods, Five Below and Michael's arts and crafts stores, McAlisters Deli, Kay Jewelers and GameStop, according to JLL Capital Markets, which enabled the sale. War Chest Real Estate LLC was the buyer, JLL announced in December. JLL represented the seller, AlbaneseCormier Holdings LLC. This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Muncie Mall headed for sheriff's sale in May The story goes that Ryuichi Sakamoto loved this one Japanese restaurant in Murray Hill but hated the music they played. So he did what any generous, generationally talented composer would do: he offered to make the chef a playlist. Since then, that anecdote has become a bit of a myth (ie. it went slightly viral). But this wasnt, as reported, a fussy curmudgeon with an aversion to Spotify; this was an artist considering a room, and imagining how music might more thoughtfully fill it. When I met Sakamoto in 2018, he told me that, in his old age, he only listened to ambient music. He said this like it was the natural evolution of things, that inevitably one gives up the obligation of melody and harmony for the ambiguity of texture and tone. One might assume ambient is synonymous with background noise or lo-fi chill beats. But the modern forms of it, which Sakamoto was fascinated by, confronts a vital question: what is the relationship between sound and the environment? Ryuichi Sakamoto died at age 71 this past week. He was not just a composer, but a celebrated pianist, political activist, and at one point, an extraordinarily famous pop star. And though he may never have been a household name here in the States, there are very few forms of modern music that dont reflect the influence of Sakamotos expansive, ever-changing four-decade career. I found myself deeply saddened by his passing. For those who recognized him, he was a fixture of New York City. I used to see him around the West Village and Lower East Side, often leaving the movies. Id wave and hed return the gesture and a sly grinand then he was off, headed to the next thing. Photograph by Alex Reside Sakamoto has never ceased to be productive, even when his health made it difficult. In 2014, he was diagnosed with throat cancer, and not long after wrote his late-career masterpiece async in the throes of treatment. As a production, it is one of Sakamotos finest, even in a canon defined by technical brilliance; as a series of compositions, it is his darkest, an unflinching meditation on mortality that alternates between somber piano etudes and haunted drones. Story continues Earlier this year, he released what would be his last album, 12, recorded after a second diagnosis of cancer between spring of 2021 and 2022. A sparser and narrower work than async, the dozen new instrumental pieces leaned heavily on ambient overtones, with an occasional respite for the melody of a piano. Each song was untitled, and instead, bore the date it was composeda record of living, day by day. But for many, the most recognizable of Sakamotos oeuvre is defined by elation, idiosyncrasy, and a sense of humor. Publicly, he was never more popular than he was in the 70s, as the keyboardist in Haroumi Hosonos electronic pop trio Yellow Magic Orchestra. A heartthrob with high cheekbones and swoop of hair, it was Sakamotos polyrhythmic grooves that propelled the band to acclaim beyond Tokyo. Much of early hip-hop owes its sound to the bands novel approach to sampling and looping. And you wouldnt have had the U.S. or U.K.s new wave movement without Sakamotos ingenuity with the Moog synthesizer and Roland TR-808. Sakamotos solo records proved equally significant, continuing to unlock the potential of nascent music hardware. He was a pioneer of synths, sequencers, and drum machines; though his fame was, at the time, confined mostly to Japan, his work was foundational for pop, electronica, and hip-hop around the world. He collaborated with David Byrne, Iggy Pop, and Thomas Dolby. Often cited by music historians is the breakbeat jam of Riot in Lagos from B-2 Unit, a dimension-expanding template of what rhythm could bring to popular music. (The Guardian called it the sixth most important event in the history of dance music.) But if you listen to Riot in Lagos today, youll hear its influence not just in music, but in a lifetime of art defined by blips and bloops: videogames, computer interfaces, ringtones (he would actually compose several for Nokia in the early aughts). The last decades appreciation for Sakamotos work has swelled thanks to the internets context collapse. The music of Yellow Magic Orchestra, along with other artists of the era, has been retroactively dubbed city popa Tumblr/YouTube-ified reappreciation of Japanese music in the 70s and 80s, paired aesthetically, of course, with completely unrelated clips of anime. While it may be easy to cast Sakamoto as some kind of sonic futurist for his contributions to musics embrace of technology, he was always possessed by the classical forms of the medium. As a teenager, he was obsessed with Claude Debussy. In the 90s and early 00s, Sakamoto continued experimenting with pop music, but he became better known for scoring films. A cinephile himself, he moved to New York and was attached to works by some of Hollywoods great auteurs: de Palma, Almodovar, Inarritu, and Bertolucci, whose 1987 film The Last Emperor would win Sakamoto an Academy Award for Best Original Score. The most famous of his film compositions might be Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, written for the David Bowie-starring film of the same name (in which Sakamoto briefly appears). He then recast it with vocals for David Sylvian titled Forbidden Colours; later, he would arrange the song for an instrumental trio and perform it until his final public concert. All three recordings are excellent, and express the way Sakamotos songwriting transcends formor maybe he was just talented at music in all its mediums. I spoke with him in 2018 ahead of the release of a short documentary about his life. For a former pop icon, whose face had appeared on many albums and magazine covers, he was pretty shy. (He liked the film, Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda, because it was not too long.) Id set down a plastic recording device, plus my phone as backup, and he proceeded to play with both throughout the interview. Over coffee at a sleepy restaurant in the West Village, we talked about the film, and then he expanded on his larger philosophies of music. At first, the conversation sounded, frankly, a little woo-woo for me: human beings, the natural world, the connection between the two. But as he continued, I began to understand what he meant: that relationship was one of tension. All music is artificial, he said. People craft it with material from nature. In fact, art is an abuse of nature, of sorts. The thought pained him. And yet, he could not resist. He admits it was a contradiction. But I do want to make my own sound, make my own music Thats the true desire. How else would he survive? Sakamoto has always pursued that desire. His inexhaustible curiosity and relentless work ethic left us with a prolific output, from the internationally beloved techno pop of Yellow Magic Orchestra to the introspective experimentation of his ambient works to the playlist he made for that one restaurant in Murray Hill. Music sounds the way it does today because Sakamoto fiddled with early synthesizers. As a film, Coda is less interested in the breadth of Sakamotos career, but more in the thematic weight of his philosophy about technology and naturalism. At one point in the documentary, seated in front of his Steinway grand, Sakamoto explains how the music of his piano was made possible only by the industrial revolution. A combination of wood and string and tremendous force to produce an instrument, a technology to create music. Matter taken from nature is molded by human industry, by the sum strength of civilization, he says in the film. Nature is forced into shape. Which is to suggest that this shape is temporary, and eventually, everything returns to its natural form. That the instrumentswhether digital or organicare just tools, that existence is an ephemeral state, that if we are lucky with our time on Earth, we might use those things to make something that endures. Ryuichi Sakamoto chose sound. Kevin Nguyen is the author of New Waves and a features editor at The Verge. He is a former GQ editor. Originally Appeared on GQ MONACO Rafael Nadal pulled out of the clay-court Monte Carlo Masters, saying he is not yet able to compete at the highest level. The 22-time Grand Slam champion has been sidelined with a left hip flexor injury since the Australian Open. The Monte Carlo Masters begins on April 8. I will not be able to play in one of the most important tournaments of my career, Monte Carlo, Nadal wrote on Twitter. I am not yet in conditions to play with the maximum guarantees and I continue my preparation process, hoping to be back soon. Second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz and seventh-ranked Felix Auger-Aliassime also withdrew from the event. Alcaraz pulled out because of physical discomfort after his semifinal loss in Florida last week. The Spaniard had been so dominant recently, he hadnt lost a set since February before that defeat. I have post-traumatic arthritis in my left hand and muscular discomfort in the spine that needs rest to prepare for everything that is to come, the 19-year-old from Spain said. Auger-Aliassime needs to rest his left knee. I have been struggling with my left knee for the past few weeks and decided it was the smartest decision to take some time off so Im able to fully heal and recover, the 22-year-old Canadian wrote on Instagram. Nadal has won the Monte Carlo tournament a record 11 times, including an Open Era record streak of eight consecutive titles from 2005-12. The 36-year-old Spaniard generally uses the event as a key part of his preparations for the French Open, which takes place May 28-June 11. Nadal has won 14 of his major titles on clay at Roland Garros, including last year while dealing with chronic pain in his left foot. In January, Nadal hurt his hip flexor during a second-round loss to Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open. Nadal, Alcaraz pull out of clay-court Monte Carlo Masters originally appeared on NBCSports.com National Geographic today released the first trailer for the forthcoming Holocaust-themed eight-part limited series A Small Light starring BAFTA and Indie Spirit nominee Bel Powley, Liev Schreiber and Joe Cole that will have a multinetwork launch on May 1 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, with a simulcast of the first pair of episodes across Nat Geo, Nat Geo WILD and Lifetime and streaming the following day on Disney+ and Hulu. Freeform will encore the premiere episodes on May 6. See the official trailer below. More from GoldDerby A Small Light reaches beyond the specific tale of Anne Frank to tell the true story of her protectors Miep Gies (played by Powley in the series) and Mieps husband Jan (Cole). Miep was initially a young, carefree and party-hearty young woman working as a secretary in Annes father Otto Franks (played here by Schreiber) company in the Netherlands in 1942 when the heat of Nazi occupation during World War II became too great. Otto asked his employee Miep to hide him and his Jewish family (along with friends the van Pels and dentist Fritz Pfeffer) to escape deportation and persecution. SEEA Small Light tells Anne Franks iconic story from the perspective of those who hid and sustained her extended family Thus began a two-year ordeal in which Miep and her husband protected and sustained eight souls in a previously unoccupied area of a home in Amsterdam that came to be known as the Secret Annex. For those many months, the couple dedicated their lives to keeping the Franks (including Otto and Anne), the van Pels and Pfeffer out of sight and fed gathering food and provisions from several locations so as not to raise suspicions while also delivering letters. Its in this hiding place where Anne wrote her diary. Interwoven are glimpses of members of the resistance who assisted Miep and Jan. The series illuminates the daily risks taken by the couple and the ways it took over their lives. Story continues Before those being hidden were discovered and the hiding place was stripped by the Nazi authorities in August 1944, it was Miep who kept Annes diaries and saved them in her desk drawer with the goal of giving them back to Anne once they reunited. Instead, she gave them to her father Otto, the sole survivor of the Secret Annex. He would publish his daughters memories into the book thats still shared around the world. SEEMiep Gies is poised to become the face of Holocaust resistance with A Small Light A Small Light is produced by ABC Signature and Keshet Studios. PREDICT the 2023 Emmy nominees through July 12 Make your predictions at Gold Derby now. Download our free and easy app for Apple/iPhone devices or Android (Google Play) to compete against legions of other fans plus our experts and editors for best prediction accuracy scores. See our latest prediction champs. Can you top our esteemed leaderboards next? Always remember to keep your predictions updated because they impact our latest racetrack odds, which terrify Hollywood chiefs and stars. Dont miss the fun. Speak up and share your huffy opinions in our famous forums where 5,000 showbiz leaders lurk every day to track latest awards buzz. Everybody wants to know: What do you think? Who do you predict and why? SIGN UP for Gold Derbys free newsletter with latest predictions Best of GoldDerby Sign up for Gold Derby's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Natasha Lyonne is enjoying something of a career renaissance, and shes attributing the undeniable success to her female friendships. As she took the stage at Varietys annual Power of Women event on her birthday, no less she toasted to her community of women, among them Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph, who have cheered on each others rise in Hollywood. Its pretty eccentric to see how much we grow up together in this business and how meaningful it is to stick together along that ride, she said on Tuesday afternoon at midtown Manhattans The Grill. More from Variety Lyonne joked that she and her dear pal Rudolph started the production company Animal Pictures to ensure wed have time to hang out with each other, and that she co-created Russian Doll as an excuse to get existential with my friend and co-creator Amy Poehler. More recently as the itinerant sleuth Charlie Cale on Rian Johnsons case-of-the-week mystery series Poker Face shes in heaven because she gets to work alongside guest stars like Alice Ju, Clea Duvall, Chloe Sevigny and Janicza Bravo. I have spent a lot of my adulthood creating places for myself to go, Lyonne said. Places to learn, to explore and to connect with other women. Lyonne honored at Tuesdays fete alongside Judy Blume, Kelly Ripa, Rosie Perez and Michaela Jae Rodriguez was introduced by Aidy Bryant, who recalled her first time meeting Lyonne, about a decade ago in Reykjavik, Iceland. At the time, the Saturday Night Live alum was newer to Hollywood and worried about the potential ups and downs that might come with her new career. Natasha is a really great person to worry at because and this is something I love about her she has seen some shit, Bryant said. She knows. She explained to me that there will be ups, and you should really try to enjoy them because you can also count on the downs too, but that holding on to yourself and the people you love, you can weather it. Story continues Bryant also praised Lyonne because she uses her celebrity for good, by volunteering at the Lower East Side Girls Club, a community center in Manhattans Alphabet City. Lyonne says she finds herself inspired by the organization, which was founded in 1996 to support girls and gender-expansive youth of color through mentorship and programming in STEM, the arts and other areas. As a young girl in New York City, I did not always have a place to go or other girls to learn from. Thats why its especially moving to be here celebrating the Lower East Side Girls Club, Lyonne said. Not just because they are my friends and neighbors, but because there is no other organization like it on the planet. Its so out of this world that you can literally go there and hang out on Mars or fly through the Milky Way at their planetarium! A planetarium, can you imagine on 8th Street and Avenue D! Lyonne has a proclivity in her professional and personal life for people who feel like they dont belong. She views her hit Netflix series Russian Doll, a comedic drama about a woman who relives her 36th birthday again and again, as a metaphor for outsiders coming together to survive. Through free, year-round, innovative programming, they connect young people with their passions, celebrate their curiosity and help channel their creative energy, she said. Youve heard the phrase it takes a village to raise a child. But I would raise you one and say it takes a Girls Club to change the world. She also mentioned that in 2022, Lower East Side Girls Club opened a 5,000 sq ft. Center for Wellbeing & Happiness. Wellbeing and happiness, baby my god, what a concept! said Lyonne, referring to one of her most quotable lines from Russian Doll. In her Variety cover story, Lyonne also spoke about giving up cigarettes, riding the wave of her career renaissance thanks to Russian Doll and Poker Face and being in her 40s. People have suddenly become receptive to my eccentricity and idiosyncrasy, she said. Its a real curiosity that when I turned 40, people were like, Were down for this. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. N.C. Rep. Tricia Cotham announced Wednesday that she will join the House Republican caucus after years as a Democrat, firming up Republicans control. The move, announced at GOP Headquarters, is expected to ensure overrides of any veto from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. Until Wednesday, 71 of the Houses 120 seats were occupied by Republicans with 49 by Democrats. That left Republicans one vote short of the 72 votes, or three-fifths of the chamber, needed for a supermajority. The party switch now gives Republicans 72 seats and Democrats 48 seats. If someone is not present for a vote, the math changes. House members may be absent for a variety of reasons, including health, family and work. Under new rules, the House doesnt have to give notice on its calendar of potential veto override votes. Republicans in the Senate already have a supermajority and control 30 out of 50 seats. Thats three-fifths of the votes enough to override a veto from Cooper. Cooper has two years left in his term, and GOP leaders have said they will revisit bills he has vetoed in the past. On March 29, the General Assembly successfully bypassed the governors veto for the first time since 2018. Senate Bill 41 includes a repeal of the states handgun permit requirement. Cotham was one of three Democrats who were absent during the 71-46 vote due to a medical appointment, The Charlotte Observer reported. She said she was opposed to the bill. Cotham told The Charlotte Observer that Republicans and Democrats knew she wouldnt be present at the legislature on the 29th and that her presence alone wouldnt have stopped the veto override. In order to successfully override Coopers veto, Republicans needed at least one Democrat to vote with them, or two Democrats to not be present. Avi Bajpai, Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan and Josh Bergeron contributed to this report. Attendance matters. How NC House rules change may make it easier to bypass Cooper Click here to read the full article. Members of the National Council of Textiles Organizations (NCTO) at its 19th annual meeting last week got a mix of post-pandemic good news about increases in trade, rule changes and more on-shoring and nearshoring. Countering that were stern warnings from a banking official about how to plan ahead in the face of seismic worldwide demographic changes under way. According to outgoing NCTO chairman David Poston, the positive trends reported in 2022 included increased government procurement of US textile-based products, more pressure to crack down on abuse of the de minimis waiver system, safeguarding our free trade agreements and maintaining a strong position on China trade enforcement. Maintaining the integrity of the yarn forward rule of origin was also cited. Poston, president of the South Carolina-based Palmetto Synthetics, noted payoffs on efforts by several government agencies that resulted in $2 billion in new textile and apparel investments in the US and Central American region. More pending legislation to boost US output is the Homeland Procurement Reform Act (HOPR), which would further allow the Department of Homeland Security to purchase high-quality American-made PPE for front-line personnel. Former US Senator Heidi Heitkamp, now chair of the Ex-Im Bank Advisory Board of Directors, exhorted NCTO members to plan ahead, not just regarding PPE supplies but for vast population shifts that manufacturers are not poised to take advantage of. As a country of 330 million people, she said, were not growing. The crisis of aging and zero-population growth has hit Japan and Europe and is coming to the US, according to the former elected official. Manufacturers have to begin to look at developing exports to Indochina because that is where the customers for US goods will be. In 20 years, some 70 percent of the worlds population will be in Indochina. We will not be successful as a country if were not exporting, she said. Story continues The US also has to maintain relationships with its traditional trading partners in Europe. Emerging and green technologies have to be kept in perspective, the Senator said. She elaborated: you cant always refuse to buy a product because it doesnt meet US standards and you must be able to stand by claims you make on your own so-called green products. According to Heitkamp, the message has to be one of openness and robust collaboration. We cannot go back to where we were pre-pandemic, she said. We have to be able to generate enough steel in this country to run our industries, make sure we have enough manufacturing to put clothes on our backs and sheets on our beds without being beholden to another nation. Were now doing what it takes to jumpstart American manufacturing, Sen. Heitkamp said. But getting American manufacturing up and moving again wont be sustainable if we dont access international markets. Also speaking at the event were USTR Katherine Tai, who appeared via video, and Livia Shmavonian, Made in America Director at the US Office of Management and Budget. Marisa Lago, Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade, concurs that our biggest and most unwieldy trading partner, China, has to be held accountable and forced to comply with all trade regulations. Lago refers to Secretary of State Blinken in his summation of working with China: invest, align, compete. That means the US invests in trade, works with our allies, but at the end of the day still competes with China on many levels. The US is never going to sacrifice our intellectual property protections in order to compete with China, or compromise on our support of human rights, Lago said. But one thing I have to emphasize even as we are engaging in promoting US exports, we are never going to lose sight of the primary importance of protecting our national security and living up to our values, the Undersecretary said. Diversity issues are one area Lago feels have not reached the goal she set for any of the administrations she has served or any of the multiple positions she has held in government. We need to do more in the areas (you) mentioned: women, minorities, the disadvantaged, veterans, rural and historically disadvantaged communities, she noted. The textile industry is well placed to make inroads in these areas. It has many jobs that dont require a college degree and recognizes the importance of technical trade training. She points to North Carolina as a mecca for this approach and commends the state for its focus on fair labor practices. US exports of fibers, textile and apparel were up last year, to $34 billion from $28.4 billion in 2021, according to David Poston. Capital expenditures also remain strong, with investments in yarn, fabric, apparel and some production, hitting $2.27 billion in 2021, compared with $1.85 billion in 2020. There is $39.8 billion annually in two-way trade with the Western Hemisphere, up 18.4 percent in the past five years. This supports two million jobs in the supply chain, Poston said. Poston left his position as chairman of the NCTO at last weeks meeting and handed the gavel to the newly elected Norman Chapman, CEO of South Carolina-based Inman Mills. The newly elected vice chairman is Charles Heilig, president of Parkdale Mills, located in North Carolina. De minimis issues remain paramount in enforcing trade regulations, which fall under the aegis of Customs and Border Protection. There was an important change however, in that the legal value of any item to be taxed upon crossing the border, which was raised to $800, up from $200. Despite that 400 percent jump, there are still almost 1 billion de minimis shipments crossing the border a year, up from 150 million in 2016 when the requirement was changed, according to John Leonard, Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of Trade, U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The CBP enforces more than 500 US trade regulations, 14 trade agreements and seven priority trade issue in collaboration with 49 partner government agencies. It is working to improve data collection with programs called 321 Data Pilot that gets data from the Amazons and Alibabas of the world, and Type 86 which generates a Harmonized Tariff number. To give an idea of volume, the 321 Data Pilot recorded 161 million entries in FY22; Type 86 recorded almost 350 million transactions. Leonard said it was so effective the system ran out of numbers and had to be reconfigured. CBP is also developing more effective tracing technology which can identify the origin of a fiber, often using DNA, to determine if it came from a region known for forced labor and therefore considered contraband. It has an on-line reporting system, e-Allegations, where complaints of infractions are triaged and investigated. It works closely with Congress and has added staff. Still, the number of confiscations grows with no end in sight, according to Leonard. Those confiscations dont solve the bigger issue. We cant seize our way out of this problem, he said. Trump's speech at Mar-a-Lago Tuesday reinvigorated his presidential campaign while bracing voters for the possibility of future indictments. Also in the news: Union organizer Brandon Johnson has won Chicago's mayoral election and what a liberal victory in Wisconsin's state Supreme Court election means. I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Is the "pink moon" actually pink? Now, here we go with Wednesday's news. Trump attacks Manhattan district attorney in Mar-a-Lago speech In a 27-minute speech Tuesday at Mar-a-Lago, former President Donald Trump attacked New York prosecutor Alvin Bragg and other prosecutors who are investigating him. "I never thought anything like this could happen in America," Trump told the crowd gathered in Palm Beach, Florida, mere hours after the judge in New York warned him against rhetoric that could incite threats and violence against public officials. Trump pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 34 counts of allegedly falsifying business records at his namesake company, where he is accused of hiding hush-money payments arranged to silence two women before the 2016 election. Trump's next scheduled court date in New York isn't until Dec. 4. That means a trial might not start until January, on the cusp of the 2024 Republican presidential nominating process. Trump could be juggling other court cases by then. The former president remains under investigation by prosecutors in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., over efforts to overturn the 2020 election, holding onto classified documents after leaving office, and the insurrection by supporters on Jan 6, 2021. Dive deeper: Read the full Trump indictment and why extremists aren't protesting yet. Former President Donald Trump sits at the defense table with his defense team in a Manhattan court, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in New York. Brandon Johnson elected mayor of Chicago Voters in Chicago chose former teacher Brandon Johnson to replace Lori Lightfoot to lead the nation's third-largest city, culminating a mayoral election season that has centered on the increase in crime during the COVID-19 pandemic and high property taxes. Tuesdays highly anticipated runoff election was a tight race between Paul Vallas, a former public schools executive backed by the city's police union, and Johnson, a union organizer endorsed by the teachers union which became highly influential in city politics. Read more about what Johnson plans to do for Chicago. Story continues Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson celebrates with supporters after defeating Paul Vallas after the mayoral runoff election late Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in Chicago. More news to know now What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here. For McCarthy and Taiwan's leader, visit marks historic first The moment will be historic a U.S. House speaker meeting with the president of Taiwan for a rare visit on American soil. The high-profile encounter Wednesday between Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is designed to boost support for the island government. But the meeting at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California is almost certain to draw rebuke from China. It is among the most sensitive stops on Tsai's transit through the U.S. and Latin America. For McCarthy, who is outspoken on China, it is the start of his foray into foreign affairs as House speaker. Read more French President Emmanuel Macron is in China for talks with Beijing on Ukraine. What NATO will gain if Sweden membership follows explained in five graphics. Supporters of Taiwan, right, confront protesters opposed to Taiwanese independence outside a hotel where Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen is expected to arrive in Los Angeles, Tuesday, April 4, 2023. Severe storms move east Severe weather and tornado risks across the Plains and Mississippi Valley are moving east, impacting a stretch from the Great Lakes region to parts of the Appalachians and beyond on Wednesday. Dangerous winds are possible in at least 10 states on Wednesday, with the areas also at risk for showers and severe thunderstorms. And wintry weather is also returning to New York and New England, with snow, freezing rain and sleet possible. Read more Live weather updates this week : Millions alerted of tornado danger. While still in prom tuxedos, Rolling Fork high school seniors rescued tornado victims. Cars line up along the road as cleanup continues from Friday's tornado damage, Sunday, April 2, 2023, in west Little Rock, Arkansas. Just for subscribers: These articles are for USA TODAY subscribers. You can sign up here. What the Wisconsin Supreme Court election means Milwaukee Judge Janet Protasiewicz won a nationally watched judicial election Tuesday, which will likely give liberals the edge in the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Much of the race, which was officially nonpartisan, was defined by abortion access in the state, which was made immediately illegal after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade last summer. A ruling will likely be issued around a lawsuit brought by Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul to block a pre-Civil War abortion law later this year. Read more One more thing The 47-year-old Woods was asked a wide range of questions ahead of the 2023 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. https://t.co/Wc5jvWBp7H USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) April 5, 2023 Photo of the day: Judy Blume speaks at Variety Power of Women Event Author Judy Blume, 85, delivered a poignant message at Variety's Power of Women luncheon in midtown Manhattan Tuesday about censorship and book banning, which affected her career after her books on puberty and sexuality were banned in the '80s. Read more highlights from the ceremony and click here for more photos. Seth Meyers and Judy Blume speak onstage during Variety's 2023 Power of Women event at The Grill on April 04, 2023 in New York City. Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this subscribe to USA TODAY here. Associated Press contributed reporting. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump indictment, Chicago election, Wisconsin Supreme Court, Masters, weather, China: Daily Briefing (Bloomberg) -- Teck Resources Ltd.s public rejection of a $23 billion offer from Glencore Plc has fired the starting gun on a three-week countdown for the Swiss commodities giant to keep its proposal alive. Most Read from Bloomberg Glencore isnt actually trying to buy any Teck shares yet. There would be little point, after the companys controlling investor Canadian mining patriarch Norman Keevil made clear hes not interested in selling. Instead, the future of Glencores proposal for now depends on convincing Tecks other shareholders to reject the companys current strategy to split into two, at a vote scheduled for April 26. Ironically, the same dual-class structure that gives Keevil his power through supervoting shares may also provide an opportunity for Glencore. Tecks plan to separate its base metals and coal businesses will require two-thirds approval from both sets of investors separately the powerful A shares dominated by the Keevil family, as well as the regular B shares. That means shareholders with just a small percentage of the total voting rights could have the power to scupper Tecks plan and throw its future into question. Glencore now has three weeks to convince enough Teck investors to oppose the separation in the hopes of bringing Keevil and the board back to the negotiating table. Of course, the Keevil familys holding will leave it in control regardless of the outcome of the vote. But it will provide a opportunity for the B shareholders to stage a protest should they choose to, leaving Teck without a clear strategy if the split fails. Shareholders of Teck have a chance to say they actually think the Glencore deal looks better by voting down the Teck split, said George Cheveley, a portfolio manager at Ninety One UK Ltd., which holds shares in both companies. If you vote down the split, you might find that other people then come in. Story continues Glencore, which is working with Citigroup Inc., has indicated its deal would be dead if Teck investors approve the split later this month. The clock started ticking on Monday, with Tecks announcement that it rejected a proposal from Glencore to buy the company for shares at a 20% premium, and then spin off the combined coal businesses. Teck says it has no interest in Glencores offer, and Keevil himself has been unequivocal in his rejection, telling Canadas Globe and Mail that he wouldnt sell to Glencore at any price. Yet Glencore remains undeterred, and Chief Executive Officer Gary Nagle spent Monday afternoon on calls with investors, analysts and reporters extolling the merits of the plan. The deal would be Glencores biggest since its company-defining purchase of Xstrata Plc in 2013, and promises the double benefit of snapping up Tecks lucrative copper mines at a time when the world is bracing for a shortage while also providing an exit from thermal coal mining. In private conversations, at least two investors with small amounts of Teck shares said they would like to see the company engage with Glencore, although they declined to comment on how they planned to vote in three weeks time. Teck reiterated on Tuesday that its board and special committee are confident that its own plan to split is in the best interests of the company and all its stakeholders. The biggest holders of Tecks class B shares are China Investment Corp., with 10.3%, followed by BlackRock Inc. and Dodge & Cox, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. is an investor in class A shares alongside the Keevil family. Some analysts have suggested Glencore may need to raise its offer. Tecks rejection of the bid means Glencore may need to improve its offer by $2-3 billion, we think, before Tecks shareholders vote on the companys own separation plan on April 26, Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Grant Sporre and Alon Olsha wrote Tuesday. While Bloomberg reported Monday that Teck is willing to entertain offers from potential suitors after it finishes the spinoff of its steelmaking coal business, so far there is little indication that Glencores rivals are rushing to jump into the fray. Executives at BHP Group, Rio Tinto Group and Anglo American Plc are watching closely, but are more likely to hold off on any moves until after the Teck vote, according to people familiar with the matter. --With assistance from Jack Farchy and Jacob Lorinc. (Updates with details of shareholdings in 11th paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. NH indictment laws are terribly outdated, unfair, unethical and lack transparency March 31 To the Editor: Donald Trumps indictment is a failure of the indictment system that New Hampshire also suffers from. After practicing law for over 15 years, I know how screwed up the laws in New Hampshire are. My name is Rich Clark. In 2022, I ran for the Rockingham County attorney position as a Democrat. My number one priority and campaign position was trying to educate Granite Staters that New Hampshires indictment process was centuries outdated, lacked transparency, accountability, and allowed unethical county attorneys to prosecute the innocent. Imagine if a New Hampshire District Court determined probable cause was insufficient to issue an arrest warrant, then a New Hampshire county attorney can turn around and sign an indictment for the same thing. Our Rockingham County Attorney Pat Conway will sign an indictment when a District Court judge refuses to issue an arrest warrant. Conways actions injure the innocent, that we allow by our outdated laws. Is this corruption, archaic laws, unfairness, or lack of transparency? In New Hampshire, county attorneys can knowingly hide material facts hurting their case from the grand jury that could cause an indictment to not be issued. New Hampshire county attorneys have no requirement to provide the grand jury exculpatory information information that helps the person being accused of a crime. In New Hampshire, if an arrest warrant is denied, a law enforcement officer often goes to the next justice of the peace until its issued with no requirement to notice the next justice of the peace its before them because it was denied earlier. In February 2023, Joshua Yokela sponsored our bill we worked on requiring exculpatory evidence to be presented to grand jurors. New Hampshire indictment laws are terribly outdated, unfair, unethical and lack transparency. It will only stop when people act for indictment reform by contacting Gov. Chris Sununu, state reps and senators. Story continues Rich Clark, Esquire Portsmouth Rich Clark: Trumps indictment is a failure of the indictment system that NH also suffers from. After practicing law for over 15 years, I know how screwed up the laws in NH are. I respect the courage and resilience transgender and gender non-conforming people March 31 To the Editor: I value and honor people who identify as transgender and non-gender conforming because they are indispensable to our health as a community. As a cisgender male, I appreciate how they bring attention to the concept of gender and by doing so encourage us to question our assumptions and biases. The transgender and non-binary community breathes new life into our understanding of gender, showing through their own paths that it is possible to loosen the straitjacketed gender roles that we are taught and that are forced upon us. I respect their courage and resilience in the face of the hostility, violence, and discrimination against them that currently engulfs our country. They are the most vulnerable targets among us, yet their integrity in standing up for themselves and each other models what self-respect looks like. Transgender and gender non-conforming people have been with us for centuries. A North American native culture honored them as two-spirit people, and gave them a place of honor in the tribe. A 2016 UCLA study estimated that there are over 700,000 transgender people in the United States, with about 4,500 in New Hampshire. They are our community members, our family, friends, and neighbors and we are the better for it. Chuck Rhoades Dover What is the purpose of a public library? April 2 To the Editor: When working to apply for a building permit in Kittery, Maine, on my house I realized that the required building codes, such as the 2015 IRC, are not available at the public library. In my opinion there is no more fundamental of a responsibility for a public library than to be a source for documents required by the town for its residents to conduct town business. I reached out to the Rice Public Library and was told that having copies of building codes would be expensive to buy and maintain. I was also told that users of the codes are responsible for sourcing them, implying that it wasn't the library's responsibility to do so as a result. This got me thinking, what is the purpose of a public library? Is the purpose of a public library only to limit itself to affordable books that are ostensibly not the responsibility of anyone else to purchase? What would that even mean for a public library? Choosing cheap best sellers off the New York Times list that serve no practical purpose beyond fashionable trends? That's ludicrous. Also, why is expense suddenly an issue? Rice Public Library lobbied the community for millions in upgrades a few years ago, but now frugality is important? I believe that being a resource for information that is required by the town in order for residents to engage in town business should be a fundamental purpose of a public library. This is particularly true where financial barriers make affording that information impractical for individual residents. Consideration should also be paid where learning disabilities preclude the use of digital copies, making physical copies a matter of reasonable accommodation. Joshua Cormier Kittery, Maine We need to fortify our schools, not take away guns April 2 To the Editor: Contrary to what the author of the recent opinion (Frustrated with ceaseless gun violence? Vote for change.) published in Fosters Daily Democrat implied, the recent school shooting in Nashville was not carried out by means of an automatic assault rifle (aka a machine gun). Owning those types of firearms and other destructive devices were made illegal by the National Firearms Act of 1986. Section 922(0), Title 18, U.S.C., makes it unlawful for any person to transfer or possess a machine gun except under certain circumstances heavily regulated by the government. In fact, handguns were used in the vast majority of mass shootings in the U.S. from 1982-2023. The authors claim that guns are the leading cause of death for children in the U.S. is also a bit dubious when considering how the data can be parsed. However, what is certain is the number of mass shootings at soft targets continue to grow. That should concern everyone, but pointing fingers seems to be sucking all the air out of the room instead. Blaming Republicans for these attacks and accusing them of not caring about children doesnt seem like a good pathway to a solution. The debate about guns and gun control doesnt appear to be one that will end anytime soon, so in the meantime I believe its more prudent to discuss how we defend our children at these soft targets and at a minimum mitigate the carnage. After Sandy Hook, I didnt believe it was necessary to consider fortifying our schools. I believed there were other security measures readily available that would deter attacks and reduce the harm in those instances someone decided they were going to go on a rampage regardless of the deterrence measures. Ive done a complete 180 on that thinking and now feel certain we must fortify our schools to make it so difficult even people with mental illnesses will give pause before going after children. If we have $196 billion to give to Ukraine to help secure their people against Russia, Im sure we have enough money to address protecting our own children attending school here in America. And, if we are willing to expose our children to all sorts of questionable things these days, I think helping to protect them and letting them know there are bad people in this world who would kill or harm them shouldnt be a problem. The Nashville shooter purchased her weapons lawfully, even a so-called red flag law would have still left an opening for her to commit the heinous act. Banning assault rifles and all the other proposed solutions by the author of the opinion arent really serious proposals aimed at curbing school shootings. They are attempts to take law-abiding citizens' right to self defense away from them. If we are serious about protecting our children then stop the political posturing, stop sending money to other countries before taking care of our own and lets keep our kids safe! Fred Leonard Rochester This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: NH indictment laws are outdated, unfair and lack transparency: Letters NORTH PROVIDENCE Despite the long-known dangers of lead exposure, there are an estimated 29,000 lead pipes bringing drinking water to customers across Rhode Island. Efforts to remove lead pipes from Rhode Island's drinking system have been going on for years, but compared to the scale of the problem, progress has been gradual. Now, state leaders hope to jumpstart the state's lead removal effort this year with $141 million from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, and are considering legislation that would set a deadline to complete the job. Senate President Dominick Ruggerio's Lead Poisoning Prevention Act was the second bill introduced in the Senate this year and is one of his top legislative priorities. "Obviously we should have acted before we started doing this," Ruggerio said at a news conference in support of the bill in the driveway of home where a lead service line to the street is set to be removed. "Access to clean, safe drinking water should not depend on someone's zip code or income level. No family should have to fear that their children will be poisoned in their own home." Senate President Dominick Ruggerio speaks in favor of the Lead Poisoning Prevention Act at a home in North Providence with a lead service line. Lead dangers: A Central Falls couple's twins were struggling. Then a blood test showed high lead levels What would the Lead Poisoning Prevention Act do? The Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, sponsored in the House by Rep. William O'Brien, D-North Providence, would require all water providers throughout the state to locate and create an inventory of all lead service lines the pipes that connect a water main to a building in their systems by Oct. 16, 2026. O'Brien's version of the bill would set the deadline for cataloguing lead pipes one year earlier. Once the catalogue is complete, water systems will have to notify the owner and residents of any building with a lead line and develop a plan to replace it. That includes both the "public" part of the line from the water main to the curb and the "private" part from the curb into the home. Story continues The water authority is already responsible for paying for the replacement of the public part of the main, but responsibility for the private part is more complicated and has included a mix of grants and loans. The town of North Providence has made lead removal a priority and for several years has been using some of its federal Community Development Block Grant money to pay for private side pipe removal. Jeffrey Diehl, CEO of the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank, said half of the $141 million in the infrastructure law is being given to water authorities as grants for disadvantaged communities, and half will be loaned to the authorities. The $141 million in new federal money will be delivered over five years to the Infrastructure Bank, which will then distribute it to water authorities, which will be responsible for working with property owners. So far, the Infrastructure Bank has received 20% of the funds and expects to distribute the first tranche by the summer, spokesman Chris Hunter said. Ricky Caruolo, general manager of Providence Water, said his organization offers 10-year, no-interest loans for property owners to pay for replacing private side pipes. The Lead Poisoning Prevention Act would require water authorities to replace all lead pipes 10 years after the bill goes into effect. Although it is real money, $141 million will not be enough to replace all of the lead pipes, and how quickly the rest are replaced will depend on funding. Gov. Dan McKee included $28.5 million in state funds in his budget proposal to match a larger pool of federal Bipartisan Infrastructure money that could be spent on all kinds of water-related projects including drinking water. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Lead water lines in RI would be replaced in 10 years under proposed bill One person died and at least 30 people were injured after a passenger train collided with a crane in the southern Netherlands early Tuesday, Dutch emergency services said. Rescue teams were sent to the town of Voorschoten, between Hague and Amsterdam, where the accident took place. A fire department spokesperson told Dutch radio that 19 people were taken to the hospital. Others were being treated on the spot, the emergency services said. The local news agencies said that a fire broke out in the rear carriage of the passenger train after the collision. There were at least 50 people on board. Earlier it was reported that a freight train had collided with the train, resulting in derailment and injury to several people. Several dozen injured people are being treated at the spot and taken to hospital if necessary, the emergency services said, adding that specialists are working to secure the train. The accident occurred at around 3.35am on Tuesday, according to reports. A rescue operation is underway. The local emergency services said in a statement they were focused on rescuing people. Three helicopters have also been delegated for rescue at the scene. Photos and videos on social media showed the front carriage of the passenger train derailed with rescue workers trying to gain access. De hulpdiensten zijn nog steeds druk bezig met het #treinongeluk wat in #voorschoten gebeurde waarbij de veiligheidsregio opschaalde naar #groteHV #grip3. De #politiehelikopter zoekt op dit moment mee naar overige slachtoffers, inmiddels is code: 50 afgegeven, dat betekend dat de pic.twitter.com/w3Bmagzumr Kyrlian (@Kyrliandebot) April 4, 2023 The Netherlands has declared it an emergency and authorities earlier said as many as 50 people might have been injured in the accident. Dutch Railways said in a tweet that all passenger trains between Leiden city and parts of The Hague were cancelled after the collision. A man was arrested Wednesday after threatening to shoot personnel at the Iowa National Guard's Joint Forces Headquarters, Des Moines Veterans Affairs Hospital and the STARC Armory at Camp Dodge. Around 3 p.m. Wednesday, Travis Feeback, 29, was arrested at his home in the 5900 block of Merle Hay Road by Polk County sheriff's deputies and Des Moines police officers, sheriff's Lt. Heath Osberg said. Feeback was charged with one count of making a threat of terrorism and four counts of first-degree harassment. Travis Feeback Around 3 p.m. Wednesday, Polk deputies were called to the Joint Forces Headquarters at 6100 NW 78th Ave. in Johnston after Feeback emailed threats saying that one day he could be found outside the Joint Forces Headquarters "picking off all you overpaid useless c--------- that don't pay any attention when you should," according to a criminal complaint. "'F--- you, pay me, or I'll start spilling m-------------.'" Feeback is known to law enforcement, Osberg said. He did not have any weapons at the time of his arrest and Osberg said there was no indication he planned to follow through on the threats. "He's on people's radar," Osberg said. Feeback also sent emails and posted on the VA's social media page in which he wrote that he planned to shoot specific personnel at the VA Hospital and the STARC Armory, according to court records. He said he planned to use a 7.62 mm scoped rifle to shoot VA Hospital personnel, according to court records. Feeback is being held without bond on the terroristic threat charge, according to Polk County Jail booking records. Bond was set at $2,000 on the harassment charges. Philip Joens covers breaking news for the Des Moines Register. He can be reached at 515-284-8184 at pjoens@registermedia.com or on Twitter @Philip_Joens. Your subscription makes our journalism possible. Subscribe today at DesMoinesRegister.com/Deal. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Police: Man threatened VA Hospital, National Guard, Camp Dodge A close-up of the red light streaking across the night sky. A bright red streak of light appeared in the sky above parts of Scandinavia last week after a surprise solar storm smashed into Earth and triggered stunning auroras across the planet. But the bright red band was not an aurora it was something much rarer. The streak, which appeared as a river of hazy red light that stretched all the way across the night sky, was most prominently visible above Denmark. Astrophotographer Ruslan Merzlyakov snapped a spectacular shot of the peculiar light show on March 23 above Mns Klint, a set of limestone cliffs on the Danish island of Mn in the Baltic Sea. The unusual phenomenon is known as a stable auroral red arc (SAR), but despite the name, it is not an aurora or particularly stable, according to Spaceweather.com . Instead, the light is emitted by oxygen molecules in the upper atmosphere that have become superheated by Earth's ring current system, a massive loop of electric current that surrounds our planet. Related: Skywatchers enjoy surprise auroras as strongest solar storm in years hits Earth (photos) The SAR coincided with the most powerful geomagnetic storm to hit Earth for six years, which was triggered by a surprise coronal mass ejection a gargantuan, fast-moving blob of plasma and magnetic field released from the sun that was spat out of a massive hole in the sun wider than 20 Earths. During auroras, highly energetic particles from solar storms and solar wind bypass Earth's magnetic field, or magnetosphere, and excite molecules of gas in the upper atmosphere. This creates swirling, multicolor lights that ebb and flow over time. The various colors of light come from different atoms, which emit specific colors when excited. During SARs, energy from the ring current system, which surrounds the magnetosphere, heats up the gas in the upper atmosphere and makes it glow like an aurora. For unknown reasons, only oxygen is heated up during a SAR, which means these phenomena always emit the exact same shade of red, according to Spaceweather.com. Story continues SARs actually occur quite frequently, but they are normally invisible to humans because they are too faint and our eyes are poorly attuned to the wavelength of red light emitted by SARs, according to Spaceweather.com. Massive streaks like the one over Denmark only become visible when strong solar storms weaken the magnetosphere, which enables more heat from the ring current system to enter the upper atmosphere. Related stories: Huge solar tornado as tall as 14 Earths hurls plasma cloud into space. Here's the video. Strange unprecedented vortex spotted around the sun's north pole Powerful solar storm delays SpaceX rocket launch, stalls oil rigs in Canada amid aurora-palooza The SAR over Denmark was not the only unusual light show observed during the recent solar storm. The aurora-like phenomenon STEVE, a large ribbon of colored light that hangs in the sky for up to an hour, was also visible across the United States and parts of the United Kingdom . There is some evidence that STEVE and SAR arcs are related phenomena. In March 2015, skywatchers in New Zealand watched as a bright red SAR slowly transformed into a STEVE event over the course of about half an hour. The story was originally published on Live Science. Sunlight streams through a church window during an Easter morning service. If you are a believer in old school biblical retribution you know, heretics and skeptics getting struck down by celestial thunderbolts I would avoid downtown Phoenix in the coming days, particularly the area around the Hyatt Regency hotel. In a way that some might consider symbolic, others might deem militant, and still others would regard as blasphemous, American Atheists are holding their national convention there. This weekend. Including Easter Sunday. For which I would tell this bold and eclectic gathering of nonbelievers bless you. Christian nationalism is a real danger The aim of the atheists, as stated in their convention information, is to draw attention to the advancement of Christian nationalism a movement that is not Christian and goes against the core beliefs of the nation. Nick Fish, president of American Atheists, said in a news release, In Phoenix and elsewhere, Christian nationalists want to force their theocratic vision on everyone. We cannot allow them to succeed. Theyre already doing pretty well in Arizona. Unholy rise: Beware of Arizona's Christian nationalists In January 2020, for example, the Christian nationalist Pine Tree flag was on display on the second floor lobby of the Arizona State Capitol. Versions of that same flag appeared alongside the stars and bars flags of the Confederacy, large crucifixion crosses and Trump banners during the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Arizona politicians are a part of it Baylor University communications professor Leslie Hahner said, Christian Nationalism is a set of ideological beliefs expressed by [some] white, evangelical Christians. Their beliefs champion the U.S. as a Christian nation, as one that is ordained by God. Its often connected to, if not an outright embodiment of, ideologies of white supremacy. The Freedom From Religion Foundation lists Reps. Andy Biggs and Paul Gosar among what it calls Christian nationalist House members. Unhinged Republican state Sen. Wendy Rogers says stuff like, I stand with Christians worldwide, not the global bankers who are shoving godlessness and degeneracy in our face. Story continues That remark is a common anti-Semitic trope, and you may recall that Rogers also shared a picture on social media of herself next to a dead rhino branded with a Star of David. Kari Lake has played that card for months Losing Republican candidate for Arizona governor Kari Lake has been playing the Christian nationalist card almost from the beginning of her campaign. Like when a group of evangelical supporters laid hands on and anointed Lake at an event in Scottsdale. Or when she compared MAGA Republicans to Jesus and said God would help her and her supporters take back our country and save this republic. Or after the election, when her followers marched around Maricopa Countys election center seven times while blowing horns, expecting the walls to come tumbling down as in the Bible story of the battle of Jericho. Religious organizations are also opposed Nationally, we have politicians like Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene saying things like, We need to be the party of nationalism and Im a Christian, and I say it proudly, we should be Christian nationalists. The problem with that, on the most elemental level, is the First Amendment to the Constitution, which says simply, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the exercise thereof . A grassroots religious organization called Faithful America is also working to draw attention to politicians like Greene and Rogers, saying in part, Christian nationalism poses a grave threat to democracy, the church, and the common good and grassroots Christians are sick of seeing false prophets distort the Gospel for their agenda of hatred, power, and division. Atheists will do even more this weekend Programs scheduled during the atheists convention include sessions titled A Bullet Train to Christian Nationalism: Vouchers and Public School Privatization and The Christofascist Attempt to Take Over Arizona School Boards. Jeanne Casteen, the executive director of Secular Coalition for Arizona, said, Arizona has a Christian nationalism problem, and we must work together to stop it. That isnt all that the men and women attending the convention will try to do, however. On Sunday, working with a group called The Outreach Program, atheists will be packing 25,000 meals for people in need in Phoenix. No matter what faith you believe in, if any, putting together meals for the hungry is an act of grace. Amen to that. Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com. For more opinions content, please subscribe. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Real atheists take on fake Christians in Phoenix during Easter The watch world is often referred to as a community and it certainly felt that way in Geneva this past week, said David Hurley, deputy chief executive officer of Watches of Switzerland Group, after an edition of Watches and Wonders that spilled out onto the streets of the Swiss city. The fair, a major moment in the watch industrys calendar, had a refreshed energy, excitement and buzz as the entire world was back to attending in-person, said Tatiana Birkelund, vice president and general business manager, beauty and jewelry at Neiman Marcus. More from WWD And if Swiss watch exports alone 23.7 billion Swiss francs, or nearly $26.2 billion at current exchange rates according to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry werent enough to attest to the health of the high-end watchmaking industry, the busier than ever edition really gave everyone the reassurance the industry was in full swing, according to Mr Porters senior buyer fine watches and jewelry Maxim De Turckheim. Especially since retailers came ready to spend time and budget, letting touch-and-feel sessions guide them. We do have a given budget. However, in the end, the collections and our crushes have the final say. So no budget, quipped French retailer Arijes president and CEO Carla Chalouhi. Brands certainly rose to the occasion, offering booths that caught the eye but also pieces that would hit the spot for emotion but also the rarity through exclusive or limited-edition pieces expected by consumers, according to Galeries Lafayettes buying director of watches and jewelry division Mandana Levaux. Innovation in materials, craftsmanship, vintage inspiration and iconic designs were among the ideas that stood out. Here is what retailers thought of a record-breaking edition that saw an appearance by Julia Roberts, the return of Asian visitors and customers already reaching out: Story continues Tatiana Birkelund, vice president and general business manager, beauty and jewelry at Neiman Marcus Overall impression: Watches and Wonders had a refreshed energy, excitement and buzz as the entire world was back to attending in-person. The booths showed both a fresh perspective and continued innovation, and the watches advanced in newness and luxury. We are confident our curated buys and product assortment will resonate with our luxury customers. Best booth: There were so many great booths at the event. One that stood out was Hermes with its use of materials to create movement, motion and overall lightness. We were delighted by their moving butterflies in the vitrines. Piagets booth also had a renewed energy [and] we foresee great things with their brand as they approach their 150th anniversary next year. Top watches: It was exciting to see innovation in materials the use of meteorite, Damascus steel, titanium blends, forged ceramic. We appreciate the versatility this brings to design, allowing the wearer to modify the watch depending on the occasion or mood. For example, Piaget had a feather watch that can also convert to earrings. We were excited to see trends in smaller, feminine watch case sizes and expect our clients to respond positively. In this trend, we specifically loved Hermes petite H Hour and Chopards smaller Happy Sport. It was wonderful to see so much color in dials and faces blues, greens, reds and pinks. Watches as jewelry is an important category for our customers and one in which we saw a lot of great newness. Some of our favorites included Chanels lion cuff with the hidden face, Chanels pincushion watch, Hermes gold bracelet watches, and both Piaget and Chopard bejeweled watches with degrades of colored gemstones. Chopard had one watch with an exquisite dial in which the gemstones went from diamonds for day to sapphires at night. Ordering behavior: Watches are such a unique and detailed category. Our ability to touch and feel them at Watches and Wonders is critical to understanding how the customers will respond to the curated assortment we procure. What are your customers shopping for? [They] are looking for versatility, the ability to style their watches with both their look and their personality. Our customers are always looking for the watch with that something extra more diamonds, more color, more interest to make their life extraordinary. Your outlook for 2023: We remain excited about the future and bringing the best of Watches and Wonders luxury offering to our customers. [They] continue to trust Neiman Marcus to curate the best assortment of watches from our wide-reaching global brand partners. Maxim De Turckheim, senior buyer fine watches and jewelry at Mr Porter Overall impression: This years fair was busier than ever, which really gave everyone the reassurance the industry was in full swing. It was nice to see a slightly more simplified format for many brands, which made it easier to navigate booths and appointments. Best moment: Julia Roberts casually making an appearance on Day One! Best booth: I loved the Jaeger-LeCoultre booth this year with all the artisans showing their craft, amazing historical pieces from the archives, a water fountain projection and of course lets not forget their insane hot chocolate (made from mountains of melted chocolate). Top watches: Our top clients were already messaging us about the Vacheron Overseas Moonphase Retrograde, Cartier Tank Normale Platinum Skeleton and Jaeger-LeCoultre Chronograph. But my personal favorite was the Ressence Type 8 in a gorgeous sage green. New talent: I loved the new Czapek collection with all the fun-colored dials and found Trilobes concept stunning and a great price. Budgets: We were lucky that a lot of the brands we stock had already given us sneak previews so we had some budget already committed and a healthy amount to spend at the fair. Ordering behavior: Being online, we had a huge surge of demand during the pandemic, which was maintained in 2022. For 2023 we want to introduce some nice opening-price commercial pieces to target our watch newbies but also secure some of the metiers dart/rare/limited pieces for our biggest spenders. We see these two segments being the ones which will continue to grow. What are your customers shopping for? Our customers are quite classic in their watches and very tasteful. They are going towards smaller sizes but also elegant designs. We have had lots of demand for Hermes recently since they launched their H08 as it is a perfect day-to-evening watch but also from new brands such as Gerald Charles, which are bringing back to life some of Gerald Gentas gorgeous designs. Your outlook for 2023: Lots of salmon and green. David Hurley, deputy chief executive officer of Watches of Switzerland Group Overall impression: It was wonderful to feel the energy of the fair back in full force, particularly with the added element of public access at this years Watches and Wonders. The watch world is often referred to as a community and it certainly felt that way in Geneva this past week. Its the most exciting time for our industry and to have brands, press, buyers, executives, and now watch aficionados, from all around the world in one place makes the atmosphere unmatched. Best moment: Too many to count but Day One when all the launches drop what an exciting rush. Best booth: I might have to give that to Ulysse Nardin. The interactive giant Freak movement with a mirrored ceiling was a great photo opportunity. Top watches: We saw a lot of vintage inspirations with this years launches. Chopards new Alpine Eagle and Vacheron Constantins Patrimony Retrograde have exceptional dials that give them a retro-inspired and understated elegance. In addition to the excitement around the 60th anniversary of the Daytona, Rolex released a once-in-a-lifetime Day-Date with the puzzle-piece dial and emoji date window a really unexpected drop. We also saw several brands doubling down on some of their most iconic pieces, Cartier with the new Santos in yellow gold and two-tone steel along with Ulysse Nardin with a black DLC coated titanium and rose gold Freak One. Always a favorite, Patek Philippe struck an undeniable balance between their modern unveils of new Travel Time and Pilot watches in juxtaposition to their rare handcrafts exhibition highlighting the artistry that sets them apart. New talent: Watches of Switzerland will always champion the independents. Ressence and Speake Marin are two independents we always look forward to seeing and our clients continue to be intrigued by. Budgets: We come to the fair with the intention of seeing the novelties in person, so we go in without prior commitments to our budget. Watches and Wonders is the most significant show for us so we always plan on maximizing the opportunity to introduce new lines to our clients based on what we see in person. Ordering behavior: At Watches of Switzerland, our teams really appreciate the touch and feel component of the fair. We very much will look forward to our in-person appointments next year and the continued expansion of the current format. What are your customers shopping for? With such a wide global network of clients, we really look to check all the boxes. Every market and client is different, so Watches of Switzerland looks to have the advantage of choice within the group. Overall, we are seeing a move towards 42mm being the largest size that clients are asking for and you can see from this years launches many brands are moving in that direction. Your outlook for 2023: [It] is extremely positive. Our teams phones are off the hook with clients reaching out about releases theyve seen coming out of Watches and Wonders. Watches of Switzerland continues to be in growth mode, globally, but particularly in the U.S. market where the watch consumer demographic continues to grow exponentially. Mandana Levaux, buying director of watches and jewelry division at Galeries Lafayette Overall impression: Its a very successful second [physical] edition bringing the biggest names of high-end watchmaking, with much energy and creativity. Best booth: Chanels beautiful staging of its creations on 3D-printed mannequins, a true black-and-white immersion into [its] world. Best moment: Cartiers touch-and-try, a moment of conviviality to enter into the brands collections, try product and share our impressions. Top products: Collections that were very colorful, with a lot of green but also new colors on the dials. Much richness in the treatments and decors for dials. We are seeing that smaller sizes, often unisex, and a growing womens offer in collections. Our favorites were Rolexs Yachtmaster 42mm in RLX titanium; Cartiers Santos Dumont skeleton; Panerais Radiomir Quarenta; Hermes H08 in rose gold and titanium, and Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Orlinski in titanium. What are your customers shopping for? Our clients are looking for emotion but also the rarity through exclusive or limited-edition pieces. Your outlook for 2023: [The year] starts on a very good dynamic and the novelties of this year should allow us to see another excellent year on high-end watches. Carla Chalouhi, president and chief executive officer of Arije Overall impression: We believe that positivity, innovative spirit, and novelty and some positive messages in a colorful palette were the key words of this 2023 edition. Best moment: What we appreciated the most was being brought back all together in the beating heart of the industry. Best booth: The Hermes booth for its artistic and poetic aspects. Top watches: The new Yacht-Master 42 in RLX Titanium and as another premiere for Rolex the Day-Date 36 with 31 emojis and colorful statements. The Cartier Clash [Un]limited jewelry watch with its innovative purple gold, and its high jewelry Art Deco declination. Last but not least, the Greubel Forsey Balancier Convexe S2. New talent: Yes we will reveal our crushes in the coming weeks. Budgets: We do have a given budget. However, in the end, the collections and our crushes have the final say. So no budget. Ordering behavior: [We] certainly [wont go for] the digital methods [as] we strongly believe that you need to touch, try, feel a watch you are going to wear on your wrist [This is an] essential part of the emotion. What are your customers shopping for? Our clients look for quality, innovation, rarity and exclusivity all together. They expect to be surprised. Your outlook for 2023: We cannot say that the market is immune to the macro environment. However, we can and will remain optimistic. Roberto Chiappelloni, owner, and Robert Weintraub, manager, of Manfredi Jewels Overall impression: A fantastic attendance, well attended from all over the world finally after COVID-19. There is a sense of cautious optimism from the other retailers that we connected with. Best moment: Spending 45 minutes with the master watchmaker Kari Voutilainen, who will be celebrating his 20th anniversary this year as an independent watchmaker. We have been very fortunate to be a retail partner of his from the very beginning. Best booth: Hermes. Top watches: Grand Seiko Tentagraph, Parmigiani Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante, Rolex Day-Date 36 with a celebration dial filled with emotion. New talent: We are already a retailer [for the brand] but we are very pleased with the evolution of Schwarz Etienne watches. We are also very excited to have seen the watches that we will be receiving soon from Frederick Jouvenot, as we will be the first retailer representing them in North America. Budgets: We always come well prepared to make purchases that will represent all of our brands in the best way possible. Ordering behavior: It is a lot more fun to be together in person at these events, and to be able to actually touch and feel these beautiful mechanical wonders. There is no substitute for seeing a watch live, and putting it on your wrist. What are your customers shopping for? At Manfredi we are very much in tune to our clients wishes and needs and are encouraged by the newfound appreciation for great timepieces that will deliver a lifetime of pleasure from their beauty and quality. We encourage our clients to compare and contrast between the many brands we carry, assisted by one of our passionate advisers to find the perfect timepiece to add to their collection, or to celebrate a special occasion. They are asking for sport watches with integrated bracelets in steel that they can wear in a variety of different settings and activities. Jeweled yellow gold ladies watches are gaining preference recently as well. Your outlook for 2023: Cautiously optimistic. Scott Udell, vice president of London Jewelers Overall impression: The show was great. There was much buzz and anticipation leading up to [it] considering how strong the state of the watch market has been. Retailers and consumers were excitedly waiting for the new releases to drop at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 27. People were telling me they were refreshing their feed every few seconds to see the latest drops from all the brands. Best moment: The first time you enter Palexpo on Day 1, walking through the hall where Rolex and Patek Philippes booths are located as soon as the show opens, glancing at the new releases and full catalog of pieces in the windows. Even as a retailer its so rare to see the whole catalog in one shot in one place. There is something magical [about this moment] like being a kid in a candy store. Best booth: There were some really cool and innovative booths this year. The Van Cleef & Arpels [one] is always amazing, like walking through a [brand] fairy tale with colors and large glass and gemstones lining the ceiling, and beautiful and bright colors all around. The vibe is magical [especially in] the way they incorporate their jeweled and enamel watches and jewelry along with their one-of-a-kind featured works of art. A few of the other booths had some great technology, interaction or insight into the manufacturing process including Ulysse Nardin, Tudor, Jaeger-LeCoultre, [who] had their head enameler showing the whole process and painting dials live under a microscope it was unbelievable. Patek Philippe had an interactive library of all their calibers and movements along with every movement in the window [so you could] zoom in on and see the differences [between them]. Top watches: The new Rolex GMT, released in steel and gold along with an all-gold version, [with an] almost a retro vibe to the piece but so well received. Definitely a fan favorite so far. Tudor Black Bay 54, definitely another buzz of the show and favorite. [Its] Tudors first ever dive watch made in a 37mm case and offered on a bracelet or rubber strap. [It has] a retro vibe to it and the size is just right. [By] moving back to a smaller-sized piece, Tudor really hit it out of the park. Great value, [priced] roughly under $4,000. Patek Phillipe 5261R; Patek nailed it again! This new annual calendar Aquanaut is a more unisex size with a 39.9mm case and a new umbrella-shaped moon phase at 12 oclock. Two beautiful subdials outlined in rose gold with day-and-date wheels. The rose gold [version] with its bluish gray dial and rubber strap; the watch flows beautifully and [is] definitely a winner. Again, great for both men and women! The Jaeger Reverso Tribute Chronograph was definitely the buzz of the show. The iconic Reverso design now offered with time on both dials, [one] a classic watch and [the other] a subskeletal chronograph. [By showing] two different looks in one piece, Jaeger-LeCoultre nailed it with this piece. New talent: Gerald Charles is making noise in the independent category. The latest and last designed watch by Gerald Genta, the most famous watch designer. Watch out for this brand in the future as they are doing amazing stuff. They released a gem-set piece with a blue sapphire bezel that is spectacular! Budgets: We do not go to the show with a hard budget. Its impossible to really know until we see what is being released. Most [of the] launches are preallocated so its a difficult environment to set a budget. Ordering behavior: Its always better to touch, feel and try on. Selling luxury watches is not a necessity but being able to see these fine timepieces firsthand and trying them on is the only way to do it. What are your customers shopping for? The customers were so excited in anticipation of what was to come from the brands and fair that they waited to see [before] the buzz begins. The brands are so influential that [their interest is] more of the reaction to what gets put out. Your outlook for 2023: The outlook for the watch industry is strong. Enthusiasm in the industry is at an all-time high. Best of WWD Click here to read the full article. A fiery meteor flies through space towards planet Earth. Scientists in Australia have unearthed 3.48 billion-year-old rock fragments that may be the earliest evidence of a meteorite crashing into Earth. The fragments, known as spherules, may have formed when the meteoroid slammed into the ground, spraying melted rock into the air. This melted rock then cooled and hardened into pinhead-size beads that became buried over the eons. Researchers presented this discovery, which has not been peer-reviewed, at the 54th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Texas last week. In a summary of their results , the scientists concluded that the spherules, which they drilled up from a group of volcanic and sedimentary rocks called the Dresser Formation of the Pilbara Craton in Western Australia, are "the oldest evidence of a potential bolide impact in the geologic record of Earth." (A bolide is a large meteoroid that explodes in the atmosphere while falling to Earth.) Related: Meteorites reveal how they brought space water to Earth Until now, the oldest evidence of meteoroid impacts were 3.47 billion-year-old spherules, also from Pilbara Craton, and 3.45 billion-year-old fragments found in Kaapvaal Craton, in South Africa. "This new research documents ejecta in slightly older rocks, which have an age of 3.48 billion years old (about 10 million years older than previously found)," Chris Yakymchuk, a geologist at the University of Waterloo in Canada who was not involved in the research, told Space.com's sister publication Live Science in an email. The results appear robust, he said, but access to the entire dataset would be necessary to confirm their significance. The scientists discovered the spherules in 2019 in cores of sedimentary rock and dated them using isotopes, versions of the same chemical element that have different masses due to the numbers of neutrons in their nuclei. "This is a robust and reliable dating technique," Yakymchuk said. "We have a good idea of their age based on isotope dating of the mineral zircon." Story continues The team concluded that the spherules were almost certainly of alien origin due to their chemical composition. They detected platinum group elements like iridium in much higher amounts than normally found in terrestrial rocks, as well as minerals called nickel-chromium spinels and isotopes of osmium within the range typical for most meteorites. They also noted that the fragments had the characteristic dumbbell and teardrop shapes of impact spherules and contained bubbles, which tend to form when splashes of melted rock solidify after a meteoroid strike. Evidence of meteoroid collisions with Earth is difficult to find and often controversial. Plate tectonics and erosion wear down the planet's crust and can erase traces of ancient strikes, such as impact craters. A 2012 study claiming to have uncovered the world's oldest meteor crater triggered a heated debate among scientists. But when geological forces wipe out a crater, spherules are sometimes all that's left of the event. Related stories: Boom! Japanese astronomer catches meteorite smashing into the moon (video) Meteorite that crashed onto UK driveway contains the building blocks of life Mars meteorite with organic molecules holds clues to chances of ancient life "There are two groups of impact-related rocks," Yakymchuk said. "The first group is where there is still an impact crater preserved the oldest known one is the 2.23 billion-year-old Yarrabubba structure in Western Australia. The second group is where we have fragments of rock and minerals that were created through an impact, but they have been ejected from the impact crater and are now found in rocks." The team is now studying the rocks which encased the spherules and analyzing the different layers of sediment they drilled up to refine their understanding of the meteoroid strike. Ancient bombardments like this one shaped the conditions on early Earth and hold rare clues about the history of our planet. The story was originally published on Live Science. Rep. Rachel Jones during a legislative session at the Arizona state Capitol in Phoenix on March 21, 2023. As we round into Month Four of whats supposed to be a four-month legislative session, our leaders still havent gotten around to plugging a gaping loophole in water law to prevent rural Arizona from being sucked dry. Help for struggling public school students, the ones who havent followed the parade of suburban kids that are snapping up those $7,000-plus taxpayer checks to pay for private schooling? Nope. There was a moment when it appeared the Republican-run Legislature might address the homeless and affordable housing crisis that is leaving people with nowhere to turn but alas, that fizzled out. Still, take heart, Arizona. Republican legislators just took a big, bold step to counter yet another election conspiracy that exists solely in their fevered imaginations. HB 2308 addresses a Kari Lake conspiracy House Bill 2308 would bar the secretary of state from overseeing elections in which he (or she) is on the ballot. Never mind that its the counties that actually run elections in Arizona. Its worth noting that this sudden glaring conflict of interest was never a concern when Republican secretaries of state were on the ballot, either running for reelection or for governor. But then in those days our esteemed leaders dealt in facts, not fantasy. Maybe its because Twitter wasnt a thing then. One of the many (many) theories of the conspiracy squad is that Kari Lake lost the governor's race last year not because shes Kari Lake and certainly not because she ran off RINOs and turned off independents. No, Lake lost, as the conspiracy goes, because then-Secretary of State Katie Hobbs somehow stole the election. No proof that Hobbs threw the election Of course, no one has never offered any actual evidence of how Hobbs pulled off this impressive feat. But hey, it was all over Lakes Twitter feed. And it was featured in Mark Finchems lawsuit challenging his loss to Secretary of State Adrian Fontes. His lawsuit was so ridiculous that a Maricopa County judge a Republican judge appointed by a Republican governor actually sanctioned him last month for bringing a claim that was groundless and not brought in good faith. Story continues So, naturally, the Senate on Tuesday approved HB 2308, addressing Finchems frivolous claim. Latest Senate conspiracy theory: Involves elections and COVID-19 The bill, the brainchild of freshman Rep. Rachel Jones, R-Tucson, originally barred secretaries of state from performing any election-related duties while on the ballot. Jones has said the bill is needed because the Cochise County Board of Supervisors was pressured by Hobbs to certify the 2022 election and threatened with jail by a Democratic election attorney. Two of their supervisors did not want to do that because there were enough questions left unanswered, Jones told the Senate Education Committee last month. The original bill got watered down Never mind that ARS 16-642 says county supervisors shall certify the election within 20 days of the vote. Meaning they dont have a choice. Or that ARS 16-1010 says that a person charged with performance of any duty under any law relating to elections who knowingly refuses to perform such duty is guilty of a class 6 felony. Meaning they could go to jail. Still, everybody knows Hobbs mustve cheated because, well, they just know. And so we need a new law barring the secretary of state from performing his constitutional duties. Except that the bill was watered down by the Senate on Tuesday, allowing the secretary of state to continue certifying elections and negating the reason for the bill in the first place. The SOS just would no longer certify machinery or write the election procedures that must be approved by the governor and attorney general. Meanwhile, the governor and the attorney general? They can continue overseeing election procedures while on the ballot. We're saved. Now can you fix real problems? HB 2308 passed on Tuesday on a party-line vote. One of the most important things we do as elected officials is avoid the appearance of conflicts of interest, Sen. Ken Bennett, R-Prescott said, in voting for the bill. And we have rules that require us to admit conflicts of interest when they do exist. Conflicts that curiously didnt exist when then-Secretary of State Bennett was running for governor. Or when Republican Secretary of State Michele Reagan was running for reelection. Or in any of the other countless elections down through the decades in which secretaries of state were on the ballot. Still, I get it. Theres now an appearance of a conflict of interest. So yay. HB 2308 has passed. We are saved. Now, how about doing something to address the appearance of a Legislature that seems to have no interest in fixing actual problems? Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter at @LaurieRoberts. Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Senate passes an(other) election conspiracy bill. We're saved Company Logo Global Filtration Market Global Filtration Market Dublin, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Filtration Market (Focus on Biologics Manufacturing) - Distribution by Type of Filtration System, Type of Filter (based on use), Type of Assembly, Company Size and Key Geographical Regions: Industry Trends and Global Forecasts, 2023-2035" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The report features an extensive study of the current market landscape and future opportunity for the players offering filters for biopharmaceutical use. The report answers many key questions related to this domain. A key advancement in this industry has been the introduction of novel filtration systems, such as depth filtration systems, tangential flow filtration systems, virus filtration systems and chromatography filtration systems. These systems can be applied to a wide variety of application areas due to their flexible nature. In fact, several large pharma companies have already made investments to improve their conventional filtration technologies. The primary goal behind introducing these filters is to achieve the highest possible purity and yield of the desired biological product, along with maintaining its safety and efficacy for use in human or animal health. Given the ongoing advancements in this domain, several companies have developed and launched their proprietary biopharmaceutical filtration systems for more efficient purification of biologics. Benefits and Growing Demand for Biopharmaceutical Filtration Systems Biopharmaceutical filtration systems are used to separate and purify biological products, such as proteins, antibodies and vaccines. These filtration systems offer several benefits over conventional systems, such as higher efficiency, enhanced product purity and higher throughput. Driven by these benefits, the demand for efficient biopharmaceutical filtration systems is anticipated to increase, resulting in lucrative opportunities for developers. Story continues Current Market Landscape of Biopharmaceutical Filter Developers The market landscape of biopharmaceutical filter developers features a mix of over 80 large, mid-sized and small companies, which have the required expertise to offer various biopharmaceutical filtration systems, across different scales of operation. It is worth mentioning that more than 80% of the companies have the ability to develop membrane filters. Further, the ongoing activity in this domain indicates that biopharmaceutical filtration system developers are continuously upgrading their capabilities and infrastructure to accommodate the current and anticipated future demand. Key Drivers behind the Biopharmaceutical Filtration Market The biopharmaceutical industry has rapidly expanded over the years, primarily driven by increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and rising demand for regenerative therapies and personalized medicines. This has, in turn, led to a subsequent escalation in demand for filtration systems for biologics. Further, the stringent government regulations and guidelines, such as Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and United States Pharmacopeia (USP) standards, established to ensure product safety and quality, has created a need for advanced filtration technologies. It is also worth highlighting that, adoption of single-use technologies, and development of new and advanced filtration systems, such as tangential flow filtration, chromatography filtration and virus filtration, are likely to create new opportunities in the market. Market Size of the Biopharmaceutical Filtration Market Driven by the rapid growth of the biopharmaceutical industry and increasing research and development activities, the future opportunities and growth associated with the filtration market for biologics is anticipated to witness a noteworthy growth in the foreseen future. Specifically, in terms of type of filter, the market is anticipated to be driven by membrane filters. Further, more than 60% of the market is anticipated to be represented by players based in North America and Europe, in the foreseen future. Key Players in the Biopharmaceutical Filtration Market Examples of key players engaged in this domain (which have also been captured in this report) include Asahi Kasei, Cobetter Filtration, Corning, Merck, Pall, Parker Hannifin, Sartorius and Thermo Fisher Scientific. Scope of the Report The study presents an in-depth analysis of the various firms / organizations that are engaged in this domain, across different segments. The study presents an in-depth analysis, highlighting the capabilities of various stakeholders engaged in this domain, across different geographies. Amongst other elements, the report includes: A general overview of filtration systems, highlighting details on different types of filtration systems and steps involved in sterile filtration for bioprocessing. It also presents information on the factors affecting sterile filtration, advantages of biopharmaceutical filtration systems, challenges associated with biopharmaceutical filtration systems and applications of biopharmaceutical filtration. Additionally, it presents an overview of the ongoing trends and future perspectives of the biopharmaceutical filtration industry. A detailed assessment of the overall market landscape of companies offering biopharmaceutical filtration systems, based on several relevant parameters, such as year of establishment, company size (in terms of number of employees), location of headquarters, type of filter system / element (depth filters, tangential flow filters, virus filters and other membrane filters) and application area(s) (viral clearance, cell culture clarification, cell separation / product purification, sterilization and others). In addition, it includes information on type of filter (based on use) (disposable or single-use and reusable or multi-use), type of filter module (encapsulated), type of media material (natural components, synthetic, polypropylene or glass microfiber), type of assembly (pod, capsule, cassette, hollow fibre, and others), novel filtration systems offered (chromatography filtration and tangential flow depth filtration) and type of technique(s) used (ultrafiltration, microfiltration and nanofiltration). A detailed competitiveness analysis of biopharmaceutical filtration system developers based in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, based on supplier strength (in terms of years of experience, company size and number of filter system / element offered), product strength (considering features of depth filters, tangential flow filters, virus filters, other membrane filters, novel filtration systems, type of technique(s) used) and application areas (viral clearance, cell culture clarification, cell separation / product purification, sterilization and others). Tabulated profiles of key players based in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific that are engaged in manufacturing biopharmaceutical filtration systems (shortlisted based on company size and availability of financial information). Each profile includes a brief overview of the company, details related to its financial information (if available), product portfolio, recent developments and an informed future outlook. An in-depth analysis of recent developments / trends in the biopharmaceutical filtration domain, offering insights on patents that have been filed / granted for biopharmaceutical filters, since 2019, based on relevant parameters, such patent publication year, patent jurisdiction, CPC symbols, emerging focus areas, leading players (in terms of number of patents granted), patent benchmarking (in terms of CPC codes and leading players), patent characteristics and patent age. It also includes an insightful patent valuation analysis and list of leading patents based on number of citations. In addition, it provides information on recent mergers and acquisitions reported in this domain, including details on year, deal amount, regional distribution and key players (in terms of number of deals). A detailed analysis of global events that took place in this domain, since 2018 based on several relevant parameters, such as year of event, event platform, type of event, geography, type of filter (based on use) (single-use and reusable filters), type of filter system involved (depth filters, sterilizing grade filters, tangential flow filters, virus filters, virus filters, membrane filters and others), type of process(es) involved (upstream bioprocessing and downstream bioprocessing), most active organizers (in terms of number of events) and application area(s) (type of biologic involved), as well as prominent players. Frequently Asked Questions Question 1: What are the different types of filtration systems used in biomanufacturing? Answer: The various types of filtration systems used in biomanufacturing processes include depth filtration systems, tangential flow filtration systems, virus filtration systems, other membrane filtration systems and chromatography filtration systems. Question 2: What are the limitations of conventional filter systems? Answer: The key concerns related to conventional filter systems include limited filtration capacity, need for frequent maintenance, risk of clogging, and limited lifespan. In addition, conventional filters were not very effective in removing certain types of contaminants, such as dissolved minerals, bacteria, viruses or chemicals. Question 3: How many companies offer filtration systems for biopharmaceutical purposes? Answer: Presently, more than 80 companies are involved in the development of depth filters, tangential flow filters, virus filters and other membrane filters. Question 4: How many patents, related to biopharmaceutical filtration, have been filed / granted in the last few years? Answer: Close to 130 patents have been filed / granted related to biopharmaceutical filtration, in the last few years. It is worth mentioning that most of the patents have been filed by industry players and are focused on virus removal and protein recovery. Question 5: What are the key trends in the biopharmaceutical filtration market? Answer: Companies involved in this domain have made significant investments to expand their existing capabilities through the incorporation of advanced methods, technologies and platforms, in order to accommodate the current and anticipated demand for filtration systems. Further, these companies have actively participated in various conferences, meetings, seminars, exhibitions and webinars in order to present their ideas and innovative products / technologies to a wider audience. Question 6: Which segment, in terms of type of product, is likely to have the largest share in the biopharmaceutical filtration market? Answer: Presently, membrane filters dominate the biopharmaceutical filtration market. This can be attributed to the fact that these are widely used in biopharmaceutical manufacturing for sterile filtration and virus filtration due to their high efficiency, durability and versatility. Question 7: How is the biopharmaceutical filtration market likely to evolve in the coming years? Answer: The biopharmaceutical filtration market is projected to grow at a CAGR of ~10% in the coming years. Key Topics Covered: 1. PREFACE 2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3. INTRODUCTION 4. BIOPHARMACEUTICAL FILTRATION: MARKET LANDSCAPE 5. COMPANY COMPETITIVENESS ANALYSIS 6. DEVELOPERS HEADQUARTERED IN NORTH AMERICA: COMPANY PROFILES 7. DEVELOPERS HEADQUARTERED IN EUROPE AND ASIA-PACIFIC: COMPANY PROFILES 8. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS 9. GLOBAL EVENTS ANALYSIS 10. MARKET FORECAST 11. CONCLUSION 12. EXECUTIVE INSIGHTS 13. APPENDIX 1: TABULATED DATA 14. APPENDIX 2: LIST OF COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/yk6t9a About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment CONTACT: CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 PROVIDENCE The state agency that runs the Eleanor Slater Hospital which cares for some of the state's most vulnerable people has a new chief medical officer after a bumpy couple of years that saw a parade of CMOs come and go. Richard Charest, the director of the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals, announced on Tuesday that Katharine Woods, who had been the chief medical officer of the Arizona State Hospital, has been hired to fill that role in Rhode Island. Among her other titles: assistant deputy director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, and before that she was medical director for hospital psychiatry and director of neurotherapeutics at Banner-University Medical Centers South Campus, in Tucson, Arizona. More: Neronha investigates, rings alarm bells about patient care at state hospital New appointment follows turmoil with the hospital and department Woods started her new job on Monday, taking over from Dr. Sue Ferranti, who had been serving as interim chief medical officer since the abrupt departure of Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz, less than a year after taking the job. McCance-Katz returned to the hospital that she left for a top mental-health post in Trump-era Washington at a time of turmoil that saw her predecessor (Dr. Brian Daly) quit and the CEO suspended without pay before quitting. And she is leaving at a point the hospital with about 200 patients across two campuses in Cranston and Burrillville is under investigation by the Rhode Island attorney general and Disability Rights Rhode Island, an independent, federally mandated "protection and advocacy system for the state of Rhode Island." Woods is a graduate of Harvard University, the University of Southern California, and the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her residency at the Institute of Living in Hartford, Connecticut and is Board Certified in Psychiatry. Story continues I am pleased to announce that Dr. Woods has accepted the position of Chief Medical Officer, Charest said. She brings a great deal of experience and knowledge to this role and she understands the needs of our patients at Eleanor Slater Hospital, as well as the needs of individuals who receive services that are supported by BHDDH. "In addition to her experience as a physician, Dr. Woods also has extensive teaching experience, including seven years as a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona," according to the BHDDH announcement. The Arizona State Hospital had its own share of controversy, amid legislative calls for reform. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: New chief medical officer for Eleanor Slater Hospital announced Asgeir | Credit: Getty/FilmMagic Sydneys City Recital Hall has unveiled the official music program for its 02 | 23 winter season, with a slew of international names on the June roster including Icelandic folk hero Asgeir, Japans Ichiko Aoba, Londons Yazmin Lacey and Nigerian-born UK artist Obonjayar. Punters can experience this eclectic collection of artists headlining the iconic space in the heart of Eora/Sydneys CBD, which FYI has recently been decked out with a snazzy new 360-degree spatial audio sound system. Asgeir Snowblind On the local front, Naarm/Melbourne act Cash Savage and The Last Drinks will also perform, while Go-Betweens icon Amanda Brown will debut a live performance of her new, 20-years-in-the-making debut solo record, Eight Guitars. In a press statement, the Recital Halls Director of Programming, Stuart Rogers, said hes honoured to bring this lineup to Sydney. The diversity of the line-up excites me both as programmer and punter, Rogers said. Season 02 | 23 leans into sonic experiences that audiences have yet to be part of including Australian debuts by Yazmin Lacey, Ichiko Aoba and Obongjayar. He continued: Over the course of 01 | 23, we saw the unveiling of CRHs new sound system which ushered in a new standard in sound in Sydney and featured venue defining performances by Peaches for Sydney WorldPride 2023 as well as an exploration of its spatial capacity by electronic music pioneers Monolake and Electric Indigo just last week. We look forward to sharing the next stage of CRHs contemporary music evolution. Its a game changer, so watch this space. Tickets are on sale now and you can peep the full lineup for the recital halls 02 | 23 season down below. City Recital Hall 02 | 23 Season Tickets on sale now here Friday, 2nd June Asgeir Saturday, 3rd June Cash Savage and The Last Drinks Tuesday, 6th June Ichiko Aoba w/ Laura Jean Wednesday, 7th June Yazmin Lacey Friday, 16th June Obongjayar Friday, 30th June Amanda Browns Eight Guitars Story continues Further Reading Asgeir Announces 2023 Australian Tour Love Letter To A Record: Asgeir On Nirvanas Nevermind Watch Asgeir Turn Mura Masas Love$ick Into A Sweet Slow-Burner For Like A Version The post Asgeir, Obongjayar and More to Perform at Sydneys City Recital Hall for 02 | 23 Season appeared first on Music Feeds. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem reacted Tuesday on Twitter to news of former president Donald Trump's indictment and arraignment in New York City, where he was charged with 34 felonies relating to hush money payments during his 2016 Presidential run in connection with an alleged affair with porn star Stormy Daniels. Trump, who pleaded not guilty to counts of falsifying business records, was indicted in late March by a Manhattan grand jury. The charges were unsealed Tuesday during his arraignment. More: Trump indictment live updates: Trump pleads not guilty to 34 felony counts in historic New York case Trump is the first former president to be indicted on criminal charges. Noem said on Twitter she, along with a majority of Americans, believed "this prosecution of President Trump is political." She went on to say that Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan District Attorney, should get his priorities straight. A majority of Americans believe that this prosecution of President Trump is political. So do I. Murders and other major crimes have skyrocketed in NYC since Alvin Bragg took office. He should focus on his job: keeping people safe. He needs to get his priorities straight. Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) April 4, 2023 Noem has been a supporter of Trump's in the past, inviting him to the Black Hills for a Fourth of July celebration in 2020. He endorsed her re-election campaign in early 2022 and sent a video message encouraging people to vote for Noem in November, the day before Election Day that was played at a Rapid City rally. Sen. Mike Rounds, part of South Dakota's Congressional delegation, issued a statement Tuesday calling the prosecution politically motivated and a "soap opera." "The indictment includes 34 counts of falsifying business records for allegations of activity that occurred more than six years ago," Rounds said. "Despite the fact these charges are normally misdemeanor charges, the district attorney, in his indictment, is attempting to bootstrap multiple underlying crimes in order to elevate these charges to a felony level." Story continues Rounds and Trump have had their differences in the past. Trump called Rounds a "jerk" and a RINO (Republican in name only) after the senator defended the outcome of the 2020 election. Sen. John Thune, the second highest ranking GOP member in the Senate, also took the stance that the case appears politically motivated. "I understand that this is the beginning of a legal process, not the end of one, but after an initial review of the details, this indictment looks like a political agenda run amok, and its becoming increasingly clear why previous district attorneys opted against prosecution," he said. Rep. Dusty Johnson said that by reviewing the indictment, it only "elevated my fears that [the charges] are politically motivated." "Like all of us, former President Trump deserves his day in court, and a jury of citizens will hear his case, weigh the evidence and render judgement," Johnson said. This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: SD Gov. Kristi Noem calls Donald Trump prosecution 'political' The Stockton Unified School District's Arthur Coleman Jr. Administrative Complex is located at 56 South Lincoln Street in downtown Stockton on July 13, 2022. Stockton Unified School District officials are looking for ways to improve their outreach to families of students who are learning to speak English to create a more inclusive environment and boost high school graduation rates where they're needed. The district is the largest in Stockton, which in 2020 was identified as the most diverse large city in America. Here, more than 45 languages are spoken by families whose students are enrolled in one of the district's schools. Nearly a quarter of the district's 37,000 students are classified as English learners, which means those students reported speaking a language other than English at home and did not score highly on an English assessment, Director of Language Development, Dr. Israel Gonzalez said. Twenty-eight percent of those students are not graduating high school, Gonzalez said. Yet the district communicates in only English and Spanish, the two languages that meet the state Department of Educations communication requirement for languages spoken by 15% or more of the district population, Gonzalez said. That leaves behind at least 700 students who speak at home either Hmong or Khmer the national language of Cambodia. They are the third and fourth most-spoken languages in the school district behind English and Spanish, according to a report Gonzalez presented last Friday to the Board of Trustees' English Learners Committee. I understand what policy says about ed code has to be a certain percentage but as a district, we have to do better because we are such a diverse district, board Vice President Kennetha Stevens said. Were not meeting the needs of all of our families. Were meeting some, but were not really investing the way that we should. New SUSD board trustee Kennetha Stevens greets a well-wisher after being sworn in at the board meeting on Dec. 13, 2022. The district has exotic language translators available, but they are only available when requested. District officials said they generally arent receiving requests for exotic language translators for groups like the District English Learner Advisory Committee and other groups where parents can get involved. Stevens said the district used to have Hmong translators designated for parent meetings and outreach, but Stockton Unifieds translators are now stationed at the enrollment office, a district official said. Story continues We did get participation, but it was because we had someone going after the parents, and we no longer have outreach, Stevens said. The District English Learner Advisory Committee is responsible for administering a yearly parent-needs assessment, but the survey is only offered in English and Spanish. Interim Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Dr. Susana Ramirez said that will need to change. Something that we will need a commitment to translate the needs survey in different languages to ensure that its in Hmong, Cambodian and these other languages, Ramirez said. Stockton Unified School District Dr. Susana Ramirez, interim assistant superintendent, educational services department, left along with interim chief business official Joann Juarez, seated center give a business and finance presentation to the SUSD board during a special study session at the SUSD Arthur Coleman Jr. Administrative Complex in downtown Stockton on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023. Taylor Leadership Academy, a K-8 Stockton Unified school, hosts one of the largest Hmong communities in the school district, Ramirez said. When Ramirez began working at the school district in 2019, they had a specific learning program for Hmong students that has since gone away, she said. I feel like at that time, we did have a better system of communicating at large with our Hmong families, Ramirez said. (Things) we can do next year one is having stronger relationships with those site principals How can we develop and implement a program that meets the needs of student populations other than Spanish speakers? The stakes are high. Though the district is in financial peril, they need to spend roughly $150 million in federal COVID-relief funding by September 2024, Ramirez said. More: Limited progress at Stockton Unified puts it at 'urgent' risk of insolvency, state takeover In this moment, in this district, theres enough resources for everybody. Its what our district targets, Ramirez said. We want it to go into the hands of people that are wanting to do for our community. Stevens said every parent group should have the opportunity to produce a plan for COVID-relief funds. I think were doing our district and our funding a disservice when were not asking parents what support could help them navigate their students journey, Stevens said. The next English Learner Committee meeting is scheduled at 5:30 p.m. Monday, May 1 at the Arthur Coleman Jr. Administrative Complex. All Stockton Unified subcommittee meetings are open to the public. This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton Unified School District aims to aid Hmong, Cambodian families The incident occurred in the bottom of the third inning of the Rangers' game against the Baltimore Orioles on Monday Rob Leiter/MLB Photos/Getty Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Smith received six stitches after being struck in the face by a pitch on Monday. The incident occurred in the bottom of the third inning of the Rangers' game against the Baltimore Orioles, according to the MLB team's Twitter account. Related:All About Sonny Vaccaro, the Former Sports Exec Who Signed Michael Jordan to Nike "Rangers LF Josh Smith has been taken to an area hospital for further scans and testing on his face and jaw. He was struck on the right side of his face by a pitch in the bottom of the 3rd inning," the statement read. Scary moment. @Rangers Josh Smith hit in the face on this pitch. Left the game. @NBCDFW pic.twitter.com/kdKFXG4p3K Pat Doney (@PatDoneyNBC5) April 4, 2023 After undergoing a medical evaluation, the MLB shared on its website, the 25-year-old athlete cleared concussion protocols and received six stitches on the right side of his face. While there was no structural damage to his face nor jaw, the MLB added that Smith will continue to be evaluated over the next few days and that he is "unlikely to require an IL (injured list) stint." Related:Simone Biles Celebrates 'Cloud 9' Themed Wedding Shower Ahead of Nuptials with NFL Star Jonathan Owens Rangers manager Bruce Bochy gave his account of the incident during an appearance on Tuesday's The K&C Masterpiece podcast, expressing that Smith had taken "a pretty good blow there to the lower jaw." Richard Rodriguez/Getty "He hangs in there so well against left-handers, and the ball just stayed in on him," continued Bochy. "I saw all the blood when I got out there, and we're all praying for him at that time. It's always a scary situation. I think it was about 88 mph." Story continues Following the incident, Smith took to his Twitter account to share his own update, writing: "Thank you to everyone who reached out and sent prayers. I'm doing fine & will hopefully be back on the field soon." Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. According to the Associated Press, Smith reiterated those feelings while being spotted in the Rangers clubhouse Tuesday afternoon, telling reporters, "I feel pretty good, actually. I slept good. It's not as bad as I thought it was going to be. Really no pain or anything like that." For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Ohio is putting up new signs enforcing the states new distracted driving law. Texting while driving is already illegal in Ohio but a new law took effect Tuesday that will make it easier for officers to pull motorists over for distracted driving. The new, upgraded law makes distracted driving texting, checking social media, streaming videos a primary offense. That means police no longer need to see another traffic infraction before making the stop. On Monday, Gov. Mike DeWine said a statewide effort will launch soon to educate Ohio drivers about the new law. DeWine said a new website is up to inform drivers at phonesdown.ohio.gov Lock Your Screen Before You Rock The Road from Ohio DOT on Vimeo. Ohio roads: 100 mph-plus speeding continues even as traffic volume back to normal The law has several exceptions, which include: making an emergency call to police, the fire department or the hospital. using a phone while stopped on the side of the road, at a red light or because of an emergency or road closure. holding a phone near your ear for a call. using a speakerphone. using navigation services as long as you're not typing in a destination or holding the phone. using a single touch or swipe to end a call, for example. "We have been working for years to change the culture around this deadly behavior," DeWine said Monday. Safety proponents oppose the provisions that allow holding the phone to your ear or fiddling with at a stoplight. DeWine noted that compromise is part of how a bill becomes law. Ohio's new distracted driving law goes into effect this week. Police will be allowed to pull over drivers for texting and other distracted driving activities without witnessing other traffic infractions. "This law will clearly save lives, there is absolutely no doubt about it. It'll spare many families the grief and sorrow that unfortunately many of our families have suffered in the last few years because of distracted driving," DeWine said. State lawmakers are debating whether to tweak the new law but any changes won't be decided until later this year, if at all, according to Senate Transportation Committee Chairwoman Stephanie Kunze, R-Hilliard. In 2022, distracted driving contributed to at least 31 fatal crashes and 258 crashes with serious injuries, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol. Since 2017, distracted driving has contributed to 73,945 crashes. Story continues Law enforcement may start writing tickets for distracted driving beginning Oct. 4 when the six-month grace period ends. For the next six months, officers will only be allowed to issue warnings. After that, the penalties are: A fine of up to $150 and two points on your license for the first offense. A fine of up to $250 and three points on your license for a second offense within two years. A fine of up to $500, four points on your license and a 90-day driver's license suspension for a third offense within two years. Individuals can avoid the fine and points for a first offense by taking an approved distracted driving course instead. Fines are doubled for those who use cellphones while driving in a construction zone. Under the new law, the Ohio State Highway Patrol also must compile an annual report on how many people are cited for distracted driving, including demographic information such as race. Ohio banned texting while driving in 2012 but made it a primary offense for drivers under 18 and a secondary offense for adults. In June 2018, an SUV-driver shopping on her phone hit and killed John Fullenkamp, a Shelby County farmer who was driving between his fields. Leah Fullenkamp, now a widow and a single mother of four, urged Ohioans to set 'do not disturb' on their phones to avoid distractions, speak up when another driver is texting with you in the car, and make a pact to put away your phones while driving. "I can't think of anything that I've ever done at any point on my phone that is worth hurting or killing myself or someone else. Can you?" Fullenkamp said. She applauded the new law. "This is a huge accomplishment and through these efforts, my hope is that my family's story does not become your family's story." Laura Bischoff is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Akron Beacon Journal, Cincinnati Enquirer, Columbus Dispatch and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio. Get more political analysis by listening to the Ohio Politics Explained podcast This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio's new distracted law takes effect April 4. What you need to know [Source] Debu-chan, a ramen restaurant in Tokyos ramen battlefield, recently implemented a new rule banning customers from watching videos on their phones while dining. Kota Kai, the restaurants owner, implemented the ban last month after he noticed that customers who were watching videos on their phones took the longest time to start eating. Although he understands that customers who watch videos prior to eating do not intend to ruin their meal, Kai pointed out that his restaurants thin one-millimeter-wide noodles can quickly become soggy. Even watching a brief video before eating the ramen could result in a noticeable difference in taste, according to Kai. Its painful for me to see the ramen that I put my soul into making get ruined right before my eyes, he said, according to SoraNews24. More from NextShark: Watch: TikToker attempts to eat 10 durians at AYCE durian buffet in Singapore Kai explained that the Hakata ramen he serves, which originates from Hakata prefecture in western Japan, is a food born for impatient people, indicating that the noodles are meant to be eaten immediately after being served, reported CNN. In addition to preventing soggy noodles, the video-watching ban is also due to the shops location: Tokyos competitive restaurant neighborhood, Takadanobaba. Since his store only has 33 seats, customers often have to wait in a line that trails outside. By implementing this policy, Kai hopes that diners will eat and leave sooner to make space for those in the queue. Story continues More from NextShark: Witnesses Ignore Elderly Asian Woman Punched and Kicked in Broad Daylight in NYC Its got to be hard for the people waiting to see people who were seated before them relaxing with videos, Kai said. Rather than posting signs about the phone ban, Kai said he prefers to speak directly to the customers: When the seats are full and I see people stopping eating while staring at their smartphones, I tell them (to stop). Many Twitter users expressed support for Debu-Chans decision to ban phone videos. More from NextShark: Woman charged with hate crime for calling man Asian pig, assaulting him on NYC subway Some commenters noted that they too feel the urge to speak up when they see someone eating while staring at their phone. The surest way to tell that someone was raised poorly is when you see them doing something else too while eating, one person said. However, others voiced their disagreement with the restaurants policy, arguing that it should be up to the diners to decide whether or not to use their phones. Personally, I dont like it when restaurants force that sort of we put our souls into this attitude on the customers, wrote one Twitter user. I prefer to eat my food without that kind of heavy atmosphere. Some also argued that its the customers responsibility to prevent their noodles from getting soggy, not the restaurants. Whether the noodles get soggy or not is on the customer, isnt it? questioned one user. Kai clarified that customers are allowed to take pictures of the food before eating, but if they want to watch videos on their phone while eating, they should dine at a different restaurant. Tommy Lee sitting behind a bonsai tree Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee has joined forces with the California Bonsai Society to offer fans the chance to join him at a bonsai tree landscaping workshop. The event will take place somewhere in the "greater Los Angeles area" on April 15, and three Crue/bonsai enthusiasts will be able to join Lee the event. Attendees will be selected via an eBay auction, which, at the time of writing, has attracted 46 bidders. The leading bid is currently a sizeable $5,150.00. "Come spend a days with me!" exclaims Lee. "For our first Ebay fundraiser we're going big time. Here's your chance to bid on a once in a lifetime opportunity to create a bonsai landscape live with the one and only legendary, Tommy Lee. "The winner and two second chance runners up will attend a four hour workshop with Tommy and Robert Pressler, President of California Bonsai society, where you will create a bonsai landscape or Saikei that they will then keep and take home. The high bidder is guaranteed a seat in the workshop while the remaining two seats will be offered to the next highest bidders via an EBay second chance offer." Proceeds from the auction will benefit the California Bonsai Society's Ben Oki Scholarship Fund. The fund was named after the late Ben Oki, a California juniper specialist internationally recognised for his fine detail work and skilful tree splitting techniques. The fund raises money to allow young enthusiasts to attend classes and workshops. It would appear that Lee is a reasonably recent convert to the exciting world of bonsai. In a Facebook post in early 2021, he wrote, "My love for the art of making bonsai is taking ova!!!!!!" next to a picture of some delightfully manicured plants. Motley Crue's Stadium Tour with Def Leppard makes its way to Europe in May, before heading back to the US in August. Full dates below. Motley Crue/Def Leppard Stadium Tour 2023 May 22: Sheffield Bramall Lane, UK May 25: Monchengladbach Sparkassen Park, Germany May 27: Munich Koenigsplatz, Germany May 29: Budapest MVM Dome, Hungary May 31: Krakow Tauron Arena Krakow, Poland Jun 02: Prague Rocks, Czech Republic Jun 03: Hannover Expo Plaza, Germany Jun 07: Solvesborg, Sweden Rock Festival, Sweden Jun 09: Helsinki RockFest, Finland Jun 11: Trondheim Rocks, Norway Jun 14: Copenhagen Copenhell, Denmark Jun 18: Dessel Graspop Metal Meeting, Belgium Jun 20: Milan Ippodromo SNAI San Siro, Italy Jun 23: Lisbon Passeio Maritimo de Alges, Portugal Jun 24: Rivas-Vaciamadrid Auditorio Miguel Rios, Spain Jun 27: Thun Stockhorn Arena, Switzerland Jul 01: London Wembley Stadium, UK Jul 02: Lytham Festival, UK Jul 04: Dublin Marlay Park, Ireland Jul 06: Glasgow Hampden Park, UK Aug 05: Syracuse JMA Wireless Dome, NY Aug 08: Columbus Ohio Stadium, OH Aug 11: Fargo Fargodome, ND Aug 13: Omaha Charles Schwab Field Omaha, NE Aug 16: Tulsa H.A. Chapman Stadium, OK Aug 18: El Paso Sun Bowl Stadium, TX Tickets are on sale now. Former President Donald Trump campaigns in Iowa in October 2021. Scott Olson/Getty Images Trump could be on trial just weeks before the closely watched Iowa caucuses. New York prosecutors' historic indictment of the former president was publicly released on Tuesday. Trump formally pled "not guilty" to a 34-counts of falsifying business records. Donald Trump could be on trial in New York just weeks before the 2024 Iowa caucuses, illustrating the headaches that will likely come as the former president tries to juggle court appearances with his political future. Manhattan prosecutors told New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan on Tuesday that they wanted a trial to be scheduled for January 2024 on charges that Trump falsified business records as a way to cover up alleged hush money schemes. Trump's legal team asked for a "spring 2024" trial date. Either date would create major political headaches for the former president. By December, the 2024 GOP presidential race will be nearing its peak in the final stretch before the Iowa caucuses. Traditionally, candidates stump across Iowa and other early states in a final stretch before the holiday season. A final date has not yet been selected, but it's expected the 2024 caucuses will be in early February. Merchan said he'd decide on a trial date after Trump's legal team has a chance to review evidence collected by prosecutors. Prosecutors plan to hand over the bulk of that discovery material over the next two months, they said in court. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's historic 34-count indictment of Trump was made public during the ex-president's arraignment Tuesday, as the former president pleaded not guilty to the multiple felony counts. Before a possible trial, Merchan wants Trump to return to court on December 4 for a hearing over whether to dismiss the charges against him. The former president's attorneys asked to waive Trump's right to appear in person, citing logistical and security concerns. The judge said he wanted Trump to show up "the same way we expect all other defendants to appear in court," but said he'd be open to hearing more arguments on the issue later on. Story continues The first-in-the-nation caucuses will not come close to determining the nomination. In actuality, Iowa awards relatively few delegates compared to a state such as Texas. Rather the caucuses and later contests in New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada will set the tone for the nomination contest and likely winnow the field. Iowa will also be the first time that Trump has been on a ballot since losing the 2020 presidential election. Despite his popularity in Iowa, Trump also narrowly lost the 2016 caucuses to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. An early loss to a challenger such as potentially Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis could be devastating to the former president's chances. Read the original article on Business Insider Photo: file photo Victoria police detectives arrested suspect Michael King on Tuesday. Victoria police have arrested a man for murder following the death of a Victoria senior who was assaulted and later died in hospital. Detectives arrested suspect Michael King on Tuesday. He remains in custody pending a court appearance this month. King was initially charged with aggravated assault on March 6 after police were called to a multi-unit residential building in the Cook Street Village area, where they found a 70-year-old man suffering from life-threatening injuries. The victim was taken to hospital, where he died from his injuries on March 15. VicPD said Wednesday it would provide no further comment as the matter is now before the courts. Members of the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team had been called to the 400-block of Chester Avenue to find a suspect in an aggravated assault investigation. The street was closed with police and fire officials on the scene after potential hazardous materials were discovered in a unit in the building. Police evacuated nearby units and called for assistance from the Victoria Fire Department, Capital Regional District hazardous materials crews and RCMP officers who deal with illegal drug labs. Streets were closed off for several hours until the building was deemed safe. Polaris Market Research & Consulting LLP Polaris Market Research has conducted a comprehensive 2023 research study spanning over [+115] pages, revealing that the global home bedding market was valued at USD 96.62 billion in 2022. The study predicts that the market will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4% and is expected to reach USD 196.84 Billion by 2032. The bed linen segment accounted for a largest market share in 2022, due to consumers attraction is increased towards the bed linen because it provides softness, cooling capabilities, health benefits, durability. Some of the top market players are American Textile Company; Purple Innovation, Inc., Pacific Coast Feather Company, The White Company, Casper Sleep, Inc., Beaumont & Brown and others. New York, NY, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Polaris Market Research has published a new research report titled Home Bedding Market Share, Size, Trends, Industry Analysis Report, By Type (Bed Linen, Mattress, Pillows, Blankets, Others); By Distribution Channel (Online, Offline); By Region; Segment Forecast, 2023 - 2032 in its research database. According to the latest research analysis, the global home bedding market size/share is anticipated to be valued at approximately USD 96.62 Billion in 2022 and is projected to hit a revenue of around USD 196.84 Billion By 2032, at a CAGR of around 7.4% between 2023 and 2032. What is Home Bedding? How Big Is Home Bedding Market Size & Share? Overview Bedding, also called bedclothes, is the material placed above the mattress of a bed for reasons of hygiene, warmth, bed protection, and aesthetic appeal. Home bedding is typically used to furnish homes with aesthetic appeal and convenience for occupants. These are removable and washable materials that are placed above the bed to improve comfort at varying room temperatures. Mattress, bed linen, pillows, and blankets are some of the key types of home bedding. Cotton, wool, or polyester batting is frequently used in blankets and down alternative comforters. Personal, hotel, and other uses are just a few of the many purposes for home bedding. Mostly online and offline channels are used to sell home bedding goods. Growing disposable incomes, rising demand for luxury bedding, and increasing knowledge about the value of comfortable and high-quality sleep are driving the home bedding market size. Rising consumer investment in home furnishings is boosting the growth of the market. Story continues Request Sample Copy of Home Bedding Market Research Report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/home-bedding-market/request-for-sample (The sample of this report is readily available on request. The report sample contains a brief introduction to the research report, a Table of Contents, a Graphical introduction of regional analysis, Top players in the market with their revenue analysis, and our research methodology.) Our Sample Report Covers: 2032 Updated Report Introduction, Overview, and In-depth industry analysis. 115+ Pages Research Report (Inclusion of Updated Research). Provide Chapter-wise guidance on Requests. 2023 Updated Regional Analysis with Graphical Representation of Size, Share & Trends Includes Updated List of tables & figures. Updated Report Includes Top Market Players with their Business Strategy, Sales Volume, and Revenue Analysis. Key Offerings of This Report Market size and share assessment for regional and country-level segments Business opportunities, drivers, and success factors Current trends and the future potential of the market Market segment analysis by types, applications, and regions The competitive status of key players within the projection timeline Value chain analysis with price analysis and market forecast Region-specific growth and development in the market Market Dynamics: Key Growth Driving Factors Increasing demand for bedding products drives the market growth The rising popularity of online purchasing, which makes it simpler for customers to locate and buy bedding products there, is further fueling the market expansion. The growing housing sector, consumer preferences, and lifestyle changes are boosting the home bedding market growth. A surge in demand for premium bedding products is another factor expected to propel the market growth for home bedding during the forecast period. The increasing consumer knowledge about the value of getting quality sleep for their overall health and well-being is one of the major factors supporting the home bedding market demand. The rise in the use of bedding products is anticipated to flourish the market growth throughout the foreseen period. Request for a Discount on this Report Before Purchase @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/home-bedding-market/request-for-discount-pricing Recent Trends Influencing the Market Introduction of eco-friendly mattress models propels the industry's expansion Players in the market are introducing eco-friendly mattress models to meet the demands and preferences of customers who care about the environment. For instance, In September 2022, Centuary Mattress unveiled its Foamtastic line of foam mattresses, which are friendly to the earth. The increasing trend of online shopping with e-commerce is also boosting the sector's expansion. Companies are offering various products and improving their digital marketing strategies as consumers largely use the internet to buy bedding products. Segmental Analysis Bed linen segment held the largest home bedding market share Based on type, the bed linen category dominated the market owing to the rise in consumer demand for high-quality and sustainable bed sheets. Customers are attracted to bed linen goods that provide a variety of advantages, such as softness, cooling properties, health advantages, and durability. For instance, poly-fiber bed linen offers a soft and cool sleeping experience because of the thin fibers, which fuels its popularity. Poly-fiber is a healthier choice for customers because it lacks allergens and pesticides and contains anti-pilling properties. Offline segment accounted for the major revenue share In 2022, by distribution channel, the offline category witnessed the highest revenue share in the home bedding market as this is the most popular line for purchasing home bedding products. Also, the offline channel offers convenience for examining the quality and materials of the products oneself before purchasing. When it comes to sheets and blankets, many consumers choose to touch and feel the bedding products in order to analyze the fabrics texture, colors, and patterns. Inquire more about this report before purchase @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/home-bedding-market/inquire-before-buying (Inquire about a report quote OR available discount offers to the sales team before purchase.) Home Bedding Market: Report Scope Report Attribute Details Revenue Forecast in 2032 USD 196.84 Billion Market size value in 2023 USD 103.62 Billion Expected CAGR Growth 7.4% from 2023 2032 Base Year 2022 Forecast Year 2023 2032 Top Market Players American Textile Company; Purple Innovation, Inc., Pacific Coast Feather Company, The White Company, Casper Sleep, Inc., Beaumont & Brown, Portico New York, Crane & Canopy, Inc., Acton & Acton Ltd., Tempur Sealy International, Inc., and Bombay Dyeing. Segments Covered By Type, By Distribution Channel, By Region Customization Options Customized purchase options are available to meet any research needs. Explore customized purchase options Geographic Overview North America held the greatest market share in 2022 By geography, the home bedding market in North America accounted for the highest revenue share and is expected to maintain its dominance over the anticipated period. The high standard of living and rising demand for premium bedding items has led to an increase in the demand for home bedding products among consumers. Further, growing disposable income, the accessibility of a variety of goods, and rising knowledge about the importance of comfortable sleep are positively influencing the market growth in North America. The US accounts for a significant market share of North America due to its strong economy, increasing preference for luxury bedding products, and high consumer purchasing power. Browse the Detail Report Home Bedding Market Share, Size, Trends, Industry Analysis Report, By Type (Bed Linen, Mattress, Pillows, Blankets, Others); By Distribution Channel (Online, Offline); By Region; Segment Forecast, 2023 - 2032 with in-depth TOC: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/home-bedding-market For Additional Information OR Media Enquiry, Please Mail At: sales@polarismarketresearch.com Recent Developments In January 2022, In a press statement, Sleep Number stated that its 360 Smart Bed line had received the most recent upgrades. The ability to detect potential sleep issues like insomnia and sleep apnea using cutting-edge sleep monitoring technology and biometric sensors is one of these upgrades. Browse Latest Research Reports: Over the Top Market: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/over-the-top-market Scrubber System Market: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/scrubber-system-market Micro-mobility Market: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/micro-mobility-market Edge AI Hardware Market: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/edge-ai-hardware-market Electrolyzer Market: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/electrolyzer-market Aircraft Flight Control Systems Market: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/aircraft-flight-control-systems-market Key Questions Answered in The Report Who are the key players in this market? Whats their company profile, product information, and contact information? What was the market status? What will be market share, supply, and consumption? What is market chain analysis by upstream raw materials and downstream industry? What are the market dynamics of the market? What are the challenges and opportunities? What are some of the other regions that are rising at promising CAGR? Polaris Market Research has segmented the Home Bedding market report based on type, distribution channel, and region: By Type Outlook Bed Linen Mattress Pillows Blankets Others By Distribution Channel Outlook Online Offline By Region Outlook North America (U.S., Canada) Europe (France, Germany, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Russia) Asia Pacific (Japan, China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea) Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina) Middle East & Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Israel, South Africa) About Polaris Market Research Polaris Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. The company specializes in providing exceptional market intelligence and in-depth business research services for PMRs clientele spread across different enterprises. We at Polaris are obliged to serve PMRs diverse customer base present across the industries of healthcare, technology, semiconductors, and chemicals among various other industries present around the world. We strive to provide PMRs customers with updated information on innovative technologies, high-growth markets, emerging business environments, and the latest business-centric applications, thereby helping them always to make informed decisions and leverage new opportunities. Adept with a highly competent, experienced, and extremely qualified team of experts comprising SMEs, analysts, and consultants, we at Polaris endeavor to deliver value-added business solutions to PMRs customers. Contact: Likhil G 30 Wall Street 8th Floor, New York City, NY 10005, United States Phone: +1-929 297-9727 Email: sales@polarismarketresearch.com Web: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter Blog: https://polarismarketresearch.medium.com Two Harrison County residents were charged with murder Tuesday after authorities recovered the body of a man missing from Hinds County. Angel May Pierce, 19, of Biloxi, and Jerry Cornelious Parkman, 24, of Pass Christian, are charged with first-degree murder in the death of Cody Smith, 24, of Byram, Mississippi. Smith was reported missing on Dec. 16, 2022, and had last been seen in Harrison County. After an extensive search by Harrison County investigators, Harrison Fire Rescue, Gulf Coast Search and Rescue and Long Beach CSI, remains believed to be Smiths were recovered in a wooded area off Elmer Ladner Road in Pass Christian on Monday. According to Harrison County Sheriff Troy Peterson, Harrison County investigators were contacted by the Hinds County Sheriffs Office on March 28, and notified that Smith, who had been missing since December, was last seen in Harrison County. Arrest warrants were issued for Pierce and Parkman after investigators determined they involved in the case. Parkman was already being held at the Harrison County Adult Detention Center on an unrelated charge when his warrant was served. Pierce and Parkman are being held on no bond pending an initial appearance before Judge Brandon Ladner. Harrison County investigators say more arrests may be made in this case. The Harrison County Sheriffs Office encourages anyone with information about Smiths murder to contact the department at 228-897-1474. Hardwood Furniture Guild Executive Director Kendrick Mullet stands in the entrance to the featured Showcase House added to the Ohio Hardwood Furniture Market this year at Mount Hope Auction Event Center. MILLERSBURG Hosting a signature event during a traditionally quiet time of the year is a win-win for the area, and that is exactly what the annual Ohio Hardwood Furniture Market provides, according to Holmes County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tiffany Gerber. For three days last week, somewhere between 300 and 400 local manufacturers and vendors set up shop in two locations at the Exposition Center at Harvest Ridge and at the Mount Hope Event Center to display their hardwood furniture products for retail buyers from across the country. Hundreds of hardwood furniture manufacturers held their annual market last week for retailers from across the country to see what's available in Holmes County. The Ohio Hardwood Furniture Market was held at the Exposition Center at Harvest Ridge and Mount Hope Auction Event Center. The event is hosted by the Hardwood Furniture Guild of Holmes County, a nonprofit group of more than 200 members who operate under the auspices of the chamber. The HFG board is made up of 15 members from within the hardwood industry, and other affiliated businesses like Kaufman Realty, SSB Bank and Rea & Associates. Kendrick Mullet serves as executive director. Mullet has taken the foundation that was laid by his predecessor Shasta Mast and helped develop it into a bustling organization, thanks to the efforts its members and the teams at the Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau. Mullet grew up in the furniture industry. His family sold their manufacturing and retail business in 2020. The HFG board reached out to him to see if he would be interested in being the executive director on a part-time basis. "We market these guys year-round, not just here at this event," Mullet said. "I had a background as a manufacturer, dealing with retailers across the nation, so I understand from the manufacturing end what the people walking through these doors are looking for. Plus, because we had a retail store, I used to walk through these same doors as a buyer. I had a relationship already with many of the manufacturers." He noted that as a nonprofit, no one is in it for themselves; rather they work for the benefit of the industry. Hardwood furniture on display at Exposition Center at Harvest Ridge. Gerber said the objective of the event is to promote the local hardwood furniture market, while connecting members of the furniture building industry with retailers from across the country, and continuing to grow the local hardwood industry. It also combines the resources of builders to collectively market their wares. Story continues She added that the Ohio Hardwood Furniture Market is trying to be in the league with the High Point Furniture Market in North Carolina, which is considered the pinnacle of the home furnishings industry trade shows. High Point is the longest running event with around 2,000 exhibitors. Creating a marketing brand Gerber explained that the Ohio Hardwood Furniture Market is a way to take all these shops, both big and small, and give them a marketing brand. "They are so much stronger together, and to be known as a furniture destination, it just fits our mission as a tourism destination." Gerber said. "It also fits our mission as a chamber to support local business, and the hardwood furniture business is such a huge part of our economy. "It behooves anyone with an interest in that market to put this show on," she continued. "Each of these companies might have their own outside sales person, but not every company can do that. And, depending on the company, they might not have the technology. This brings them all under one umbrella." Retailers are aware of the quality of product that comes from this area, as well as the number of producers, which explains why the event draws visitors from across the country, as well as from Canada. Gerber pointed out that the show exists to showcase the variety of styles and design trends available to retailers around the country. The show isn't just about local furniture retailers, but local furniture builders and their suppliers. "It's about getting a piece finished. It's about getting the hardware. There are some cases where a specialty shop is involved, like Bentwood Solutions, where bent wood is used in making a piece of furniture," Gerber said. "This is so far beyond visitors coming to Amish Country to buy furniture. "Our furniture makers have done a tremendous job of staying ahead of styles and designs," she continued. "It's not just heavy oak. It's modern. They've incorporated different design styles. It's about getting beautiful, modern furniture." According to numbers from the Ohio tourism bureau, the average traveler spends a little over $100 a day. If they spend the night, that amounts to roughly $300 a day. Gerber said 300 to 400 companies with three or four representatives spending at least two nights here adds up. "The economic impact of hosting this, even though it's not open to the regular tourists, these are all business travelers who are dropping a lot of money, stimulating our economy even before the start of tourism season," Gerber said. "Here we have a signature event early in the spring that really impacts the local economy." This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Ohio Hardwood Furniture Market is a signature event for Holmes County A person enters the Summit County Board of Elections Early Vote Center on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, in Akron, Ohio. Early voting for the May 2 primary election started in Summit County and across Ohio this week. This is the first election since Gov. Mike DeWine signed legislation that changed policies on mail-in voting, ballot drop boxes and more. Photo identification will be required to vote. In Summit County, there are about 50 fewer precincts in this election after the board of elections in December approved a redrawing of the county's precinct boundaries. Here's everything you need to know about the reprecincting; how, where and when to vote in Summit County; and what's on your ballot. Why did my polling place or election precinct change in Summit County? Summit County previously had 420 precincts. It now has 371, with the board of elections adopting the new precinct boundary maps in December. According to the board of elections, precincts were realigned due to multiple city ward and County Council boundary changes for the 2023 and 2024 elections. More people are also voting absentee in recent elections. "We had some room that we could increase the number of registered voters per precinct," Summit County Board of Elections Director Lance Reed said. "We didn't want to go outrageous with any significant drop, but we felt that 370 range was comfortable to make sure that we could still have the right amount of voting equipment for voters as they come in to vote at the polls." The board of elections redrew the precinct boundaries with the assistance of Florida-based geographic information systems technology company International Computer Works. Per state law, precincts can't contain more than 1,400 voters. The board of elections can decide what a "reasonable number" of voters per precinct is "after taking into consideration the type and amount of available equipment, prior voter turnout, the size and location of each selected polling location, available parking, availability of an adequate number of precinct election officials and handicap accessibility and other accessibility to the polling location," the Ohio secretary of state's election official manual states. Story continues The board of elections in late March mailed notices to all nearly 367,000 registered Summit County voters that said, In conjunction with a number of cities in Summit County that were required by their Charter to update their Ward boundaries following the release of the 2020 Federal Census data, the Summit County Board of Elections has redrawn its voting Precinct boundaries. "We wanted to kind of get them out in a timely fashion so that people would get them early enough," Reed said. "That gave everybody somewhere in the range of five, five-and-a-half weeks before Election Day." Although the number of precincts dropped, the number of polling locations in the county did not change, nor did the locations of polling places, Reed said. Precincts and polling locations also didn't change for every single voter, but the board of elections is required by law to notify all voters of the changes, Reed said. "We reprecincted the entire county," Reed said. "Some communities redrew ward boundaries, like the city of Akron redrew ward boundaries; some communities didn't...We had state district changes between state representative, state senator, all those different things, that it was a multitude of different variations that kind of led to changes for people." To view precinct maps and polling locations, visit boe.ohio.gov/summit/precinct-and-polling-location-info/maps/ or lookup.boe.ohio.gov/vtrapp/summit/precandpoll.aspx. Summit County Board of Elections Director Lance Reed (left) and Deputy Director Pete Zeigler (right) review names in a book of candidates who filed to run in the May 2 primary. How do I look up my polling place and election precinct in Summit County? To find your polling location, visit lookup.boe.ohio.gov/vtrapp/summit/pollfinder.aspx. To look up your voter information, visit lookup.boe.ohio.gov/vtrapp/summit/vtrlookup.aspx. Do I need a photo ID to vote? Under the state's new election law, voters are required to show photo ID at the polls. A Democratic law firm sued Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose on behalf of several groups, arguing the law will disenfranchise voters particularly the elderly, military voters and people of color. The case is ongoing in federal court, and the judge hasn't issued any orders to keep the law from taking effect. The Ohio Republican Party and two election workers filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. To vote in-person, either early or on Election, Day, voters have to show an Ohio driver's license, state of Ohio ID card or interim ID form from the Ohio BMV; a U.S. passport or passport card; or a U.S. military, Ohio National Guard or U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID card. The new law allows Ohioans 17 and older to receive a free state ID card. Photo IDs must have an expiration date that hasnt passed, a photograph of the voter and the voters name. An unexpired Ohio drivers license, state ID card or interim documentation with your former address is an acceptable form of ID when your current address is in the pollbook. Voters cant use a drivers license or photo ID card issued by a state other than Ohio, Social Security card, birth certificate, insurance card, utility bill, bank statement, government check paycheck, other government document or registration acknowledgment notice from the county board of elections. Those without a valid form of identification can cast a provisional ballot, but they have to return to the board of elections within four days of Election Day to provide a qualifying form of identification for the ballot to be counted. Boards of elections have until eight days after the election, May 10, to determine what provisional ballots can be counted. Those without a photo ID because of a religious objection to being photographed can complete an affidavit of religious objection and have their provisional ballot count. When does early in-person voting and voting by mail start? Military and overseas absentee voting started March 17. Absentee voting by mail and early in-person voting started Tuesday, April 4. To vote by mail, you need to provide a copy of your photo ID, driver's license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number. Absentee ballots can be returned by mail or delivered to your county board of elections. The new law requires Ohioans who want to vote by mail to submit an application at least seven days before Election Day. That puts the deadline at April 25 for the May election, with absentee ballot applications required to be received by your board of elections by 8:30 p.m. April 25. The absentee ballot postmark deadline is May 1. May 6 four days after the election instead of 10 under the old law is the last day for boards of elections to receive absentee ballots postmarked by May 1. To request an absentee ballot, visit boe.ohio.gov/summit/absentee-information/absentee-voting/ and print and fill out the application. You can drop it off at or mail it to the Summit County Board of Elections Absentee Department, 470 Grant St. Akron, OH, 44311. To check your absentee request or ballot, visit lookup.boe.ohio.gov/vtrapp/summit/avlookup.aspx. Counties are allowed to install one drop box at the board of elections office for voters or their near relatives to return absentee ballots anytime before 7:30 p.m. May 2, when the polls close. Curbside voting is prohibited, unless someone has a disability and can't enter their polling place. In those cases, voters can cast ballots in their car or at the door of their polling location. The Summit County Board of Elections. When is early in-person voting in Ohio? Early in-person voting for this election is: April 4-7: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 10-14: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 17-21: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 24: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. April 25: 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. April 26-28: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. April 29: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 30: 1 to 5 p.m. In-person voting is no longer allowed the Monday before Election Day, but those hours were redistributed to another time. When is the primary election in Ohio? The primary election is on May 2, with polls open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Whats on my ballot in Summit County? Voters will be choosing the Democratic and Republican candidates for Akron mayor, Akron City Council, Barberton mayor, Barberton finance director, Barberton law director, Barberton City Council, Barberton Municipal Court judge, Tallmadge mayor, Tallmadge finance director, Tallmadge law director and Tallmadge City Council (some races are uncontested). (Editor's note: This list of candidates has been updated with the accurate information of those appearing on the ballot in May.) Akron mayor candidates: These eight people want to be the next mayor of Akron. See who has filed to run for office Issues include a replacement and increase parks tax levy in Coventry Township; a replacement trash tax levy in Richfield Township; a replacement roads tax levy in Reminderville; renewal tax levies in the Stow-Munroe Falls, Green, Manchester and Woodridge school districts; additional tax levies in the Mogadore and Springfield school districts; and several local liquor options in Akron, Barberton, Cuyahoga Falls, Norton and Stow. For a full list of candidates and issues, visit lookup.boe.ohio.gov/vtrapp/summit/ballotlist.aspx. This election is not a countywide election, so not every precinct will be voting. Where can I get more information on voting in Ohio? For more information on voting and the election, visit voteohio.gov or boe.ohio.gov/summit/ or call the Summit County Board of Elections at 330-643-5200. USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau reporter Haley BeMiller contributed reporting. Contact Beacon Journal reporter Emily Mills at emills@thebeaconjournal.com and on Twitter @EmilyMills818. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: May primary election in Summit County: What you need to know Paris-based XR distributor Diversion Cinema has scooped up a pair of award-winning titles, adding director Singing Chens The Man Who Couldnt Leave, and both director Thierry Loas 21-22 China and his follow-up 21-22 USA to a premium catalog of prestige immersive fare. Produced by The Walkers Films and Outland Film Production, The Man Who Couldnt Leave won the top prize at last years Venice Immersive and will be presented in competition at this years NewImages Festival. Directed with aplomb by Singing Chen, the heartbreaking docudrama recounts the history of political repression in mid-century Taiwan, filling a 360 screen with handsome chiaroscuro compositions supporting classical film language. More from Variety The Man Who Couldnt Leave is an instant classic, says Diversion head of acquisitions Paul Bouchard. With breathtaking visual sophistication, this ode to freedom reaches levels of embodiment never experienced before, and offers proof that the 360 narrative experience can still deliver something powerful and immersive. Diversion Cinema remains committed to the 360 format, Bouchard continues. And so distributing this project was an obvious choice. We want to introduce this masterpiece to the widest possible public. Winner of the Panorama VR Award at last years FNC Explore, and the Digital Storytelling Award at this past Januarys Fipadoc international documentary festival, Thierry Loas 21-22 China is the first of a three-part series that explores the current geological epoch defined by human intervention. Both 21-22 China and the U.S. set follow-up offer all-encompassing and somewhat meditative 360-degree surveys of landscapes undergoing massive transformation. Story continues Produced, like its predecessor, by Montreal-based studio HelloHello, Loas 21-22 USA will be released later this year. Launched in 2016, Diversion Cinema has become a leading XR distributor with a tightly curated catalog that celebrates premium 360-degree and interactive experiences. For the past several months, the French outfit has been developing their Fulldome catalog a selection of 14 artistic and creative experiences designed planetariums and domed venues. We believe there is a growing interest for this format, says Diversions Han Nguyen. Especially given the presence of a Fulldome program for the first time at this years NewImages. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Relatives of a Southern California mother shot and killed by a school safety officer will receive $13 million in a settlement with the Long Beach Unified School District, the familys attorneys announced. Manuela Mona Rodriguez, 18, was shot outside of a high school in Long Beach on Sept. 27. 2021, and later died of her injuries. The multimillion-dollar payout would settle the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Rodriguezs family. Although the district will not be admitting liability, $13 million is a form of accountability for the actions of their trigger-happy security guard who ended a life and shattered a family, said the Rodriguez familys attorney, Michael S. Carrillo, in a statement Wednesday to USA TODAY. Rodriguez's brother Omar said at a Tuesday news conference that the familys legal action against the school district is not about the money. Its not bringing back my sister, he said. I dont want anybody else to go through this pain. Manuela Mona Rodriguez was shot outside of a high school in Long Beach on Sept. 27. 2021. She was later taken off life support and died on Oct. 5, 2021. What happened to Mona Rodriguez? Rodriguez, the mother of a 5-month-old son, was shot in the back of the head as she rode away from an off-campus parking lot near Millikan High School with two friends on Sept. 27, 2021, according to the Long Beach Police Department. School safety officer Eddie F. Gonzalez was driving in the area and stopped upon seeing a fight between Rodriguez and a 15-year-old girl, police said. 2017 MASS SHOOTING: Sutherland Springs shooting victims reach tentative $145M agreement with DOJ TEACHER SUES OVER SHOOTING: First-grade Virginia teacher shot by 6-year-old student files $40 million lawsuit Rodriguez was a passenger in the car attempting to drive away as he approached. Gonzalez appeared to shoot at least twice into the vehicle as it drove away next to him, and at least one bullet appeared to hit one of its windows, according to video shared online. Rodriguez was struck by one of those bullets. She was taken off life support and died on Oct. 5, 2021. Story continues The Long Beach Unified School District fired Gonzalez one day after the fatal shooting. He pleaded not guilty to a second-degree murder charge, for which he awaits trial. NASHVILLE SCHOOL SHOOTING:Nashville officers describe response to Covenant School shooting Family says officer was improperly trained Omar Rodriguez called the settlement "step one of accountability," NBC Los Angeles reported. "I'm really hoping that we get true justice," he said emotionally on Tuesday. "My sister was robbed of that." As the car was driving away, the family's attorneys say Gonzalez faced no danger. The lawsuit contended the district was negligent in hiring Gonzalez and failed to properly train him. Gonzalez was hired in January 2021, had passed background checks and completed required training before starting the job, according to the school district's superintendent, Jill A. Baker. MONA RODRIGUEZ DEATH: Fatal shooting of California woman raises questions about armed school safety officers "The family hopes this settlement can send a message to this district and others to better vet and train their security guards so that this doesn't happen again," Carrillo said. The school district said in a statement that it hadn't seen or ratified a settlement agreement and could not discuss details. Settlements like these include language that there is no admission of liability on the districts part," the district said. "However, we again share our sincerest condolences with everyone who was impacted by this terrible event. Contributing: Celina Tebor, USA TODAY; The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Long Beach shooting victim Mona Rodriguez's family gets settlement Screenshots of a TikTok video of bus driver, Jackie Miller, uploaded by user @jenniebetheone. TikTok/@jenniebetheone A school bus driver went viral on TikTok for screaming at children. The bus driver said she thought a student sprayed perfume, which they know gives her asthma attacks. A GoFundMe for the bus driver has raised about $50,000 so far. An Ohio school bus driver apologized after a viral TikTok video showed her verbally berating children on a bus. But she also said she "won't take it back." Jackie Miller resigned from her position as a bus driver with the Amherst Exempted Village school district on March 30 after a video of her screaming at kids on the bus went viral on TikTok, garnering millions of views and shares. "I'm sorry for the way this went down, I truly am," Miller told WKYC on Monday. "I do apologize for my actions, but I won't take it back." The video shows Miller approach a student toward the back of the bus and ask them for their perfume, to which the student responds that they "didn't do anything" and did not "spray anything." "Goddamnit, how much more do you expect me to fucking take?" Miller can be heard saying in the video. "I'm sick of all of this shit. I'm done with it. I'm going to start kicking some fucking serious ass," she says at another point. "Do you hear me? My foot's going to be so far up your God damn ass it's going to dangle out your God damn nose." Miller said that she has asthma and that perfumes and other strong smells can trigger asthma attacks for her, according to WKYC. She said she had an attack the month before and that the kids knew this was an issue. "She sprayed perfume on the bus and I had a horrible asthma attack," Miller told the outlet. "I had to stop the bus, grab my inhaler and try to get my lungs to open up again. I had all the kids open up all the windows. They know this." Story continues According to the station, Miller has dealt with consistent misbehavior from a particular set of students on her bus for the past two years. "That particular day was challenging to say the very least because it started the minute this core group of students got on the bus," Miller told WKYC. A GoFundMe account started to support Miller since her resignation has so far raised almost $50,000 at the time of publishing. "After so many years of being treated horribly by kids, and underpaid, this bus driver was done with it and went Red Foreman on them," the fundraiser's page reads. "I'm on her side and if it was my kids, make 'em walk!" Red Foreman the fictitious and notoriously grumpy patriarch from "That 70s Show" routinely threatened that he would "put my foot in your ass" to his mischievous children and their friends. Amherst Village superintendent, Mike Molnar, sent out a letter to parents after the video went viral that said the school district had accepted Miller's resignation and would be investigating the situation, Molnar told Insider. He also said the district's transportation department would "review its procedures" moving forward in the letter. Molnar said the school district has no further updates regarding Miller's situation due to its ongoing investigation into the incident. Read the original article on Insider When parents-to-be worry about the sacrifices theyll have to make after having children, travel often sits at the top of their list. While its true that traveling with little ones will be different than what youre used to, its still possible to indulge your wanderlust and explore new places as a family. As you may have gathered from your paltry parental leave, the U.S. is not always the most welcoming country for families with children. Many other nations show more consideration for kids and parents in both their public policies and their cultural practices. Not all of these locales feature bathroom changing tables or stroller-friendly streets, but there is often a shared expectation that kids will be integrated into daily life, whether theyre riding public transit, dining out or visiting a national monument. During one of our early forays abroad as parents, my wife and I took our 1-year-old to the Dominican Republic. We looked pretty ridiculous maneuvering our stroller through the cobblestone streets of old Santo Domingo, but everyone we interacted with was helpful and kind. A waiter in a traditional restaurant even picked up our baby and cheerfully walked around with him for a bit so that we could use both hands to enjoy our food. All our fellow diners got to watch our son return their smiles and bestow on him the standard Dios le bendiga(God bless him) that Dominicans offer every child who crosses their path. The author's son awaits lunch at a comedor in the Dominican Republic. The author's son awaits lunch at a comedor in the Dominican Republic. If youre itching to roam beyond the U.S. with your kids, here are some recommendations from families with lots of travel experience. Of course, not every part of any country will be suited for kids, but these families were able to find child-friendly spots for making memories. The most important thing to remember there is that countries are not monoliths, and some parts of a city may be perfectly safe while others are not, digital nomad and mom Courtney Orgias told HuffPost. Story continues The Dominican Republic In addition to a child-friendly culture, the all-inclusive resorts in beachy places like Puerto Plata can simplify life for families traveling with young ones. You dont have to worry about lugging a carseat to multiple places or renting a car. They also typically have toddler pools, kids areas, activities and sometimes childcare. The buffets offer a variety of foods so theres a good chance youll find something the baby/toddler will enjoy. The rooms also typically come with refrigerators for storing the babys food and milk, Stephanie Claytor, founder of the brand Blacktrekking, told HuffPost. Jamaica Claytor mentions that similar all-inclusive accommodations, alongside white sand beaches and turquoise Caribbean water, are available in Jamaica. We took our son to Negril for his second birthday. Our favorite memory is of him dancing on the beach to reggae music during the all-white party on his birthday. We had no idea he could bust a move. He loved the party and reggae music. We of course were in the back away from the crowded dance floor but were still able to enjoy the DJ, said Claytor. She recommends looking for places that offer refrigerators (for breastfeeding parents who need to pump milk), ample shade and outdoor dining so that Im not embarrassed when my son breaks out in loud singing or accidentally throws some food. With young children, almost any place can be kid-friendly. Toddlers and babies are amused by the simplest things such as wood chips and stairways, Claytor said. So if theres a destination youre keen to visit with your little one, you can probably find a way to make it work just be ready to spend an afternoon collecting rocks instead of devouring your novel in the sun. Try to get out of your head any images of long afternoons lounging by the pool sipping cocktails, said British travel blogger Jenny Lynn. As a parent traveling with kids you still have to be on, she continued. But traveling provides you with a constantly changing backdrop to take on those daily parent chores, and with new adventures to experience together, daily life becomes all the more rewarding. Claytor with her husband and child in Jamaica. Claytor with her husband and child in Jamaica. Portugal Lisbon can seem intimidating to explore with small kids because of all the hills nobody wants to carry a toddler or push a stroller up a 30% incline but we were able to take the bus to most places and found it to be efficient and clean; there were stops everywhere, said Orgias. Ample parks and green spaces allowed the kids to get their wiggles out and break up a day of sightseeing, she added. Mexico Public transportation also makes Mexico City (Mexico D.F.) more navigable for families, according to Orgias. It has a great train system we were able to utilize and its very walkable, with lots of wonderful neighborhoods that are easy to explore on foot, she said. Worrying about traveling with car seats and hopping in and out of ride shares and taxis is scary for a lot of parents, she explained, but good public transportation options can allay these concerns. Costa Rica If your kids eat rice and beans, theyll have always something to nosh on with gallo pinto at every meal. Maria De la O of Roam Family Travel told HuffPost that year-round access to fresh fruit also made it easy to keep kids satisfied. Theres plenty to see, between the jungle and the beach. De la O and her family booked a tour via National Geographic Expeditions with local guides and saw about 20 different animals during their stay. We of course stayed in hotels with pools and allowed at least an hour or two a day just for the kids to do that, she added. Canada The CN Tower, Centre Island and the many summer festivals in the city all present opportunities for novelty, learning and bonding in Toronto. Its a city with so much cultural diversity that theres always something to do, indoor & outdoor, said Orgias. For animal lovers, Toronto features a zoo and an aquarium. In warmer months, you can take the ferry to Toronto Island Park and enjoy bike trails, picnic areas and even an amusement park. You can also tour Niagara Falls from Toronto. On the French-Canadian side, Montreal offers plenty of parks, museums and historical sites to keep the whole family occupied. If youre looking for European-style flair and cobblestone streets, check out Quebec City a bit further north. Namibia Namibia gets our vote as one of the best places for intrepid family travel, said Lynn, the U.K. travel blogger quoted above. She recommends forgoing an organized tour and instead renting your own 4x4 with roof tents. The quality of roads is generally very good and the campsites are seriously fantastic (theres often a pool), she added. In addition to lunar landscapes and safari wildlife, Namibia offers a low malaria risk, good health care, German bakeries in every town, and an amazing climate, Lynn said. Morocco Its so close to Europe, yet feels a world away with vibrant medinas, sweeping apricot-colored deserts, and jagged snow capped mountains, Lynn said. Orgias said some of her favorite memories are of Morocco: When our kids were 9 months and 3 years we spent Christmas Day riding camels and hiking through the Atlas Mountains in Marrakech. It was such a surreal experience to be able to gift them with these amazing bucket list activities. She described Marrakech as a fast paced city that allows kids and adults alike to get wrapped up in the blend of rich cultures. Lynn said the country is very doable by car. Kids will love sandboarding in the Sahara Desert, trekking the Atlas Mountains on a mule, or surfing the waves in Essaouira a coastal town Lynn found remarkably stroller-friendly. Thailand Thailand is easily one of the most accessible countries weve visited with the boys, said Lynn. Her family enjoyed the energy, the ornate temples, the colorful markets, the polite people and the food and of course the incredible beaches! Thailand boasts a plethora of street vendors selling delicious snacks. Lynn says her kids enjoyed sticky rice, banana pancakes, mango and other tropical fruits. Many restaurants, even along the once-backpacker enclave of Th Khao San, have highchairs, and we found that some beach restaurants in Ko Lanta have toys and kids play areas, she said. The Netherlands Orgias recommends Amsterdam for families taking their first journey abroad together, describing it as safe, clean and friendly to speakers of English. The city is walkable, offers lots of child-friendly museums and activities, she said. And if you get the itch to venture out even further, Paris is just a 3.5-hour train ride away! De la O recommended European destinations in general for travel with a baby. Pushing a sleeping child in a stroller or walking them in a Baby Bjorn or baby backpack is a perfect way to sightsee, so take advantage of the museums and Gothic churches you wont be able to enjoy when your child gets a little older. However, she advises, Forgo your fancy jogging stroller and bring a cheap umbrella stroller on your trip. They are soooo much more maneuverable and travel-friendly. Related... When Las Cruces real estate broker Nora Stone received an online request to list a 2.4-acre homesite in the Soledad Canyon area of the city, she had no idea she was communicating with a scammer and not the owner of the property. Little did she know the lead, which was transmitted to her through the Realtor.com website, was the first step in a plan to impersonate the owner and steal the proceeds of the sale. What the scammer didnt count on was that a relative of the true owner lived next door to the lot. The scam quickly ended when, within hours of the installation of the for-sale sign on the $150,000 property, the attempted cybercrime was uncovered, and the listing was cancelled. Following the discovery, the scammers email and phone numbers were immediately disconnected. Gary Sandler Online cybercrimes involving vacant land properties are more commonplace than most people imagine. A New Mexico attorney familiar with real estate and title issues noted that at least three other attempts to scam Southern New Mexico property owners have been made within the past 60-days. In one of the instances, the owner said he lived in an African country and could only communicate electronically. Forged documents ostensibly notarized by the American Consulates office in the country were submitted as proof of identity. Had it not been for a last-minute request from the owner to redirect the sale proceeds to an account in Vietnam, the $50,000 theft would have succeeded. The problem is so pervasive, the U.S. Secret Service Cybercrime Division recently issued a bulletin outlining how the schemes work: The criminal researches public records to identify real estate that is free of mortgage or other liens and the identity of the property owner. These often include vacant lots or rental properties. The criminal poses as the property owner and contacts a real estate agent to list the targeted property for sale, and requests it be listed below current market value to generate immediate interest. The criminal, posing as the property owner, refuses to sign the closing documents in person, and requests a remote notary signing. The criminal (or coconspirator) also impersonates the notary and provides falsified documents to the title company or closing attorney. The title company or closing attorney unwittingly transfers the closing proceeds to the criminal. All communications are electronic, not in person Story continues If you are a property owner whose property is the target of a successful cyber-scammer, it may be years before you learn the deed to the property is no longer in your name. In the end, it is the responsibility of the title insurance company which issued a Policy of Title Insurance in connection with the sale, to make you whole. In law enforcement circles, the schemes are referred to as Business Email Compromise (BEC). The FBI 2022 Congressional Report on BEC and Real Estate Wire Fraud cites BEC as the leading source of victim loss reported to their Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), totaling $2.4 billion in 2021. See you at closing! Gary Sandler is a full-time Realtor and president of Gary Sandler Inc., Realtors in Las Cruces, NM. He loves to answer questions and can be reached at 575-642-2292 or Gary@GarySandler.com. Read more Real Estate Connection: This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Alert neighbor thwarts Las Cruces listing scam Future Market Insights Global and Consulting Pvt. Ltd. Higher Innovation Quotient (IQ) to keep the Industrial Ceramic Market going, reaching US$ 218.1 Billion by the year 2032. Growth of automotive and electronics industry is one of the major driving factors of the industrial ceramics market DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, April 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global industrial ceramics market was worth US$ 118.9 Billion in the year 2022 and is expected to reach US$ 218.1 Billion by the year 2032 at a CAGR of 6.1% between 2022 and 2032. Improving infrastructure worldwide is expected to take the industrial ceramics market by storm in the near future. The construction vertical is the flagbearer herein. Ceramic implants are turning out to be more popular across the globe due to advancements in medical technology. They are used at a greater scale in the dental and orthopaedics sub-vertical. Industrial ceramics find applications across end-users like aerospace & aviation, automotive, healthcare, oil & gas, and the other industrial verticals. The automotive sector has industrial ceramics-based products like ceramic bearings, mechanical seals, sensors, and valves. For instance Yttria Stabilized Zirconia (one of the ceramic materials known for higher tensile strength) is well-suited for pump components like fuel injectors, and the mechanical seals for highly durable engines. Get a Holistic Overview of the Market from Industry Experts to Evaluate and Develop Growth Strategies. Download the Sample@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-9596 Coming to pumps, critical components like stator and rotor are being produced from the industrial ceramics; particularly in the applications that involve movement of the high-temperature fluids. The major advantage is that industrial ceramics perform better under high temperatures and do have a better resistance against wear and corrosion. Insulation tiles are known for having a long history of utilization in the space shuttle program of NASA. Story continues In todays world, advanced industrial ceramics like glass-ceramic composites are used for making windows, panels, canopies, and lenses due to the higher heat resistance and being lightweight. Future Market Insights has etched these facts with future perspectives in its latest market study entitled Industrial Ceramics Market. It has its determined team of analysts and consultants for executing through 360-degree view in its primary, secondary, and tertiary modes of research. With automotive and medical verticals increasingly asking for ceramics, the industrial ceramics market is likely to grow on a grand note in the near future, says an analyst from Future Market Insights. Key Takeaways from Industrial Ceramics Market The Asia-Pacific holds the largest market share with rapidly expanding automotive vertical, fast-paced energy & power sector, and rising innovation in healthcare and aviation in Japan, China, and India. Europe and North America have conventionally been stronger markets for industrial ceramics. The scenario is expected to remain unchanged even in the forecast period. The US, Germany, and the UK are leading from the front. Browse Full Market Report@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/industrial-ceramics-market Competitive Analysis Kyocera Corporation, in the year 2019, did announce that it had acquired Friatec GmbHs ceramic business. It has actually given the company a ceramic production all across the Europe; thereby letting it fulfil expansion of industrial machinery components. CeramTec, in 2021, did create a novel 3D printing technology for getting construction pieces from technical ceramics. Its a quick and low-cost 3D printing method. SCOTT AG, in September 2021, completed acquisition of Applied Microarrays Inc. for expanding the diagnostic business. Bodycote, in April 2021, completed acquisition of Ellison Surface Technologies for creating the biggest engineered coating surface technology along with thermal spray services. Oerlikon Balzers, in April 2021, expanded the first customer center in Vietnam; thereby expanding its footprints in the Asia-Pacific. AGC Ceramics Co., Ltd., in December 2022, entered into collaboration with AMSKY technology Co., Ltd. for expanding the sales of BRIGHTORBTM 1, the 3D printing material in China. Kyocera, in February 2022, did launch the high-speed ceramic packages as well as substrates for the optoelectronic devices at OFC. AGC Si-tech, in July 2022, did launch Integrated Silica Product Brand RESIFATM to expand eco-friendly silica products like Microplastic Substitutes all through Norway. CeramTec, in April 2021, did develop a ceramic power module for the drive inverters for e-mobility solutions. The company collaborated with Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device technology for developing cooling solutions for power electronics in the e-mobility drive trains. Key companies profiled Kyocera, Anderman Industrial Ceramics, Elan Technology, Khyati Ceramics, Industrial Ceramic Products, Inc., Advanced Industrial Ceramics (AIC), Carborundum Universal Limited, CM Cera, A&B Industrial Ceramics, Schaefer Industrial Ceramics. Expand Operations in the Future - To Get Requisite Details, Ask for a Custom Report@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/customization-available/rep-gb-9596 Key Segments By Type: Alumina Silicon Carbide Tungsten Carbide Mullite Cordierite Zirconium Dioxide Silicon Nitride By Products: Pipes & Tubes Insulators Knives & Cutters Medical Implants Fiber Optic Connectors Electrical Connectors Nozzles Rods Filters Coatings Formed Components By End-Use: Automotive Aerospace & Aviation Power Oil & Gas Healthcare Industrial By Region: North America Latin America Asia Pacific MEA Europe Grow your Profit Margin with Future Market Insights Buy the Report! https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/9596 What does the Report Cover? The research study is based on type (alumina, silicon carbide, tungsten carbide, mullite, cordierite, zirconium dioxide, and silicon nitride), by product (pipes & tubes, insulators, knives & cutters, medical implants, fiber optic connectors, electrical connectors, nozzles, rods, filters, coatings, and formed components), and by end-use (automotive, aerospace & aviation, power, oil & gas, healthcare, and industrial). With growing demand from building and construction vertical, the global industrial ceramics market is bound to grow on an impertinent note in the forecast period. Table of Content 1. Executive Summary 1.1. Global Market Outlook 1.2. Demand-side Trends 1.3. Supply-side Trends 1.4. Technology Roadmap Analysis 1.5. Analysis and Recommendations 2. Market Overview 2.1. Market Coverage / Taxonomy 2.2. Market Definition / Scope / Limitations 3. Market Background 3.1. Market Dynamics 3.1.1. Drivers 3.1.2. Restraints 3.1.3. Opportunity 3.1.4. Trends 3.2. Scenario Forecast 3.2.1. Demand in Optimistic Scenario 3.2.2. Demand in Likely Scenario 3.2.3. Demand in Conservative Scenario Complete TOC of this Report@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-9596 Explore FMIs Extensive Ongoing Coverage on Chemicals & Materials Domain Ceramic Tiles Market Demand: As per Future Market Insights, Inc. analysis, the Ceramic Tiles Market will exhibit a 7.20% CAGR between 2022 and 2032. Ceramic tiles demand uptick is on the card in response to the expansion in the residential, commercial, and construction sectors. High Temperature Ceramics Market Size: The global high temperature ceramics market was estimated to be worth US$ 4.67 billion in 2022. From 2022 to 2032, it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.1%, reaching US$ 9.27 billion. Advanced Ceramics Market Growth: Global advanced ceramics market demand is anticipated to be valued at US$ 62,341.6 Million in 2022, forecast to grow at a CAGR of 5.4%to be valued at US$ 105,483.4 Million from 2022 to 2032. Bioceramics and Hydroxyapatite Market Trends: The bioceramics and hydroxyapatite market is valued at US$ 3 Billion in 2022. The market is likely to record a CAGR of 6.9% through 2028, reaching US$ 4.4 Billion. Ceramic Sanitary Ware Market Value: Global demand for ceramic sanitary ware is expected to rise 5.3% per year to US$ 43,227.96 Million in 2026. Forecasts indicate that the market will grow at a CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period. About Future Market Insights, Inc. Future Market Insights, Inc. is an ESOMAR-certified business consulting & market research firm, a member of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, headquartered in Delaware, USA. As a recipient of the Clutch Leaders Award 2022 for a high client score (4.9/5), we have been collaborating with global enterprises in their business transformation journey and helping them deliver on their business ambitions. 80% of the largest Forbes 1000 enterprises are our clients. We serve global clients across all leading & niche market segments across all major industries. Contact Us: Future Market Insights, Inc. 1602-6 Jumeirah Bay X2 Tower, Plot No: JLT-PH2-X2A, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates LinkedIn| Twitter| Blogs | YouTube For Sales Enquiries: sales@futuremarketinsights.com A 93-metre long mega barge will be used to house asylum seekers in Britain for the first time, the Home Office announced on Wednesday. The Bibby Stockholm, built in 1976, will accommodate more than 500 men and will be moored off the coast of Dorset. The Government insists the plan to place migrants on the boat will cut the 6million-a-day hotel bill it currently pays to house them while their asylum claims are assessed. The three-storey Bibby Stockholm barge was previously used by the Dutch government to house asylum seekers but was branded an oppressive environment to live in. It previously saw at least one person die and reports of rape and abuse on board. Promotional material says the boat has 222 bedrooms for 222 guests but the Home Office plans to house around 500 men, sometimes four to a room, while stationed in Portland Port. The boat was previously used by energy firm Petrofac for workers building the Shetland Gas Plant. Bar area (PA) It is unclear whether the Games Rooms with pool tables, dart boards and bar will be retained by the Home Office. The Mirror reported that chartering such a vessel costs between 8,000 to 15,000 a day. Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge, a 222 bedroom, three-storey vessel, which can house up to 506 people. (PA) Confirming the use of the Bibby Stockholm barge, immigration minister Robert Jenrick said: The Home Secretary and I have been clear that the use of expensive hotels to house those making unnecessary and dangerous journeys must stop. The Bibby Stockholm (Home Office) We will not elevate the interests of illegal migrants over the British people we are elected to serve. We have to use alternative accommodation options, as our European neighbours are doing including the use of barges and ferries to save the British taxpayer money and to prevent the UK becoming a magnet for asylum shoppers in Europe. All accommodation will meet our legal obligations and we will work closely with the local community to address their concerns, including through financial support. The Kitchen (PA) Conservative-run Dorset Council has opposed the use of Portland Port as the site for the huge vessel. Story continues Local Tory MP Richard Drax said: We will look at any way we can stop this. The Home Office said the barge will provide basic and functional accommodation, healthcare provision and catering facilities. Around-the-clock security will be in place on board to minimise the disruption to local communities, the Home Office added. The Bibby Stockholm will be in operation in Portland for at least 18 months and the Home Office is in discussion with other ports with the aim of deploying more vessels. A bedroom (PA) Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: This announcement is a sign of the Conservatives total failure to clear the asylum backlog, tackle the criminal smuggling gangs or get any kind of grip on the system. This barge is in addition to hotels, not instead of them and is still more than twice as expensive as normal asylum accommodation. It will house just 0.3% of the current Tory backlog which has sky-rocketed and is continuing to grow under the Conservatives. Until the Government takes serious action to clear the backlog, this problem is going to keep getting worse with more people in costly accommodation, not less. Their new legislation only makes the problem worse. The Refugee Council said the barge will be completely inadequate to house vulnerable people who have come to our country in search of safety having fled beatings and death threats in countries such as Afghanistan and Iran. Chief executive Enver Solomon said: A floating barge does not provide what they need nor the respect, dignity and support they deserve. There would be no need to use barges and former military bases if cases were dealt with in a timely and efficient manner. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has defended the use of the barge, insisting it would save taxpayers money. On a local election campaign trip to Peterborough he said: I think everybody knows one of my five priorities is to stop the boats, and as part of that, weve got to reduce the pressure on hotels in communities up and down the country. We are spending, as a country, 6 million a day housing illegal asylum seekers in hotels that cant be right. Ive committed to reducing that number, moving asylum seekers out of hotels and that means we need to find alternative sites, including barges like the one weve brought forward today. Thats going to save the taxpayer money, reduce pressure on hotels and its part of our broader plan to stop the boats. Tory-run Dorset Council opposed the move and said it had serious reservations about Portland Ports suitability as a location for the barge. A Beaufort womans two children may have saved her life Saturday afternoon and police arrested her partner on a felony charge of domestic violence, according to the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office. Luis Villoboz Salazar, 47, of Beaufort, was charged with illegal possession of a firearm and domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature, jail records show. The incident began around 4 p.m. Saturday as Salazar and his girlfriend argued about infidelity in their relationship, according to Maj. Angela Viens, a sheriffs office spokesperson. The woman told police Salazar pushed her to the ground and put a gun to her head, telling her If the children werent here, Id kill you. The couples two children were home while the dispute unfolded, one of whom saw the attack firsthand, Viens said. Neither of the children was injured. The woman was able to get away and call a family member, who dialed 911. Sheriffs office deputies found and arrested Salazar a short distance away from the couples home, according to Viens. A high and aggravated nature charge of domestic violence is the offenses highest possible degree in South Carolina. The felony is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Salazar was still in custody at the Beaufort County Detention Center as of Tuesday, records show. If you or someone you know has been affected by abuse, help can be found by calling Hopeful Horizons 24-hour Support Line at 843-770-1070. A bill restricting the powers of the Iowa state auditor's office could limit the auditor's ability to oversee more than $12 billion in state and federal funds, potentially putting some of that at risk, according to a nonpartisan agency. Republican lawmakers in the Senate have already passed Senate File 478, which would prevent the state auditor from accessing certain types of personal information, including medical records, students' educational records, peace officers' reports and attorney work product. The bill would also stop the state auditor's office from going to court against another statewide office or executive branch agency, department, board or commission to enforce a subpoena for documents. More: Iowa Auditor Rob Sand pushes back after Senate Republicans pass bill to limit his powers Those restrictions "may limit the ability of the (auditor of state) to perform oversight" of several state and federal programs, totaling nearly $12.2 billion, according to an analysis of the bill published Friday by the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency. House Republicans offer fixes to avoid risks to federal funding In the House, Republicans have already changed the bill to try to remedy some of the concerns. Rep. Michael Bergan, R-Dorchester, said he agrees "it's unacceptable" to risk federal funding. "Weve got to meet all the federal requirements in this process, and that is meeting generally accepted accounting principles and government accounting standards," he said. "And thats our ultimate goal." House Republicans amended the Senate version of the bill to allow the auditor to access some of the categories of prohibited information as long as the office follows generally accepted government auditing standards, or in cases of embezzlement or theft. Bergan, an accountant, said he's talking with certified public accountants about the need for additional changes. He said CPAs would also be affected by the bill's limits when they audit counties, cities, school districts and other public entities. Story continues "At this point, Im still open to changes in the amendment that came out of committee to ensure that were addressing this," he said. The bill has drawn opposition from state auditors around the country, who say it would limit Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand's ability to do his job effectively. Sand is the only Democrat holding statewide office in Iowa. Sand has been a frequent target of Republican criticism for investigations his office has conducted into Gov. Kim Reynolds' administration. Republicans say the bill is intended to protect Iowans' personal information. Sand previously called the Senate version of the bill the "most pro-corruption bill in Iowa history" because it would require the entity being audited to agree to give the auditor certain information. The House amendment does not remove a requirement that disputes between the auditor's office and other government agencies be decided by a three-member arbitration panel, rather than going to court. "The fiscal note speaks for itself and it also adds to the professional and nonpartisan chorus from people across the country who are sounding the alarm about Senate File 478," Sonya Heitshusen, a spokesperson for Sand's office, said Monday. More: Which Iowa bills are still alive? Changes to education, child labor laws advance after 'funnel' deadline Bergan said he's met with Sand and "he raised valid points" about the bill. Rep. Adam Zabner, D-Iowa City, said the agency's analysis of the bill "was really shocking." Zabner and other House Democrats oppose the bill. "I mean, $12 billion, thats a pretty big number," he said. "And when LSA is saying theres going to be a qualified opinion or disclaimer on that $12 billion in funds, I mean thats a really big impact on everyday Iowans in terms of the programs they rely on." Which funds could be at risk if the auditor's powers are limited? The Legislative Services Agency's analysis says Senate File 478 may limit the scope of audits performed by the state auditor's office, which could affect Iowa's ability to comply with federal requirements for receiving funds. If the auditor's office isn't able to audit federal programs in compliance with government auditing standards, the federal program being audited may take action such as withholding payments or suspending or terminating federal awards, the agency states. If a department denies the auditor access to information, the auditor may have to issue a modified opinion noting that the office wasn't able to access the information needed for an audit. The Legislative Services Agency's analysis says nearly $12.2 billion in state and federal funds could be affected if the auditor has to issue a qualified opinion or disclaimer, or if the scope of the audit is limited. Those funds include: Medicaid: $4.39 billion IPERS: $3.78 billion Unemployment insurance: $2.02 billion Student financial aid: $478.3 million Other postemployment benefits for state and university employees: $468.8 million Child Nutrition Cluster: $275.8 million Title I and special education: $230.5 million Child Care and Development Block Grants: $202 million Children's Health Insurance Program: $142.4 million Temporary Assistance for Needy Families: $74.2 million Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program: $59.8 million Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children: $40.4 million The agency also noted that the auditor's office is prohibited by law from releasing confidential information a point Zabner echoed. "I think the important thing to know is that the auditor already has to follow existing consumer data protection laws," Zabner said. "So things like HIPAA apply to data that the auditor has." Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Nonpartisan agency says $12 billion at risk by bill curbing Iowa audits The explosion on Friday afternoon, which also resulted in 10 other people being injured, leveled one building and severely damaged another in West Reading, about 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia Photo by Michael Rubinkam/AP/Shutterstock Authorities are working to determine the cause of an explosion at a Pennsylvania chocolate factory that left seven people dead. The incident occurred at the historic R.M. Palmer Co. factory just before 5 p.m. on Friday in West Reading, about 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia. It leveled one building and damaged another nearby, reported Associated Press. A medical supply building, a church and an apartment building in the immediate area have also been condemned as a result of the blast, West Reading Mayor Samantha Kaag said on Twitter late Sunday. Kaag added that local authorities are now trying to pinpoint the cause of the explosion and how they "can prevent it from happening in the future." "Tonight, we were able to announce that all seven presumptive missing have been found," Kaag revealed on Twitter about the tragic death toll from the incident. "Please understand that this is still a devastating loss but we are truly grateful to bring closure to the families involved in the upcoming days." We are still working diligently behind the scenes - please utilize us for resources if you were affected - I truly mean it when I say I am so proud of the community, the county, and I am so honored to be the Mayor of West Reading. pic.twitter.com/kWUCNqUh0a Mayor Samantha Kaag (@SamanthaKaag) March 27, 2023 Related:Mississippi Couple Took Shelter in a Car Wash During Deadly Tornado: 'Everything was Flying' Police have not released the identities of the victims, Kaag added. At least 10 others were injured in the explosion, a local hospital confirmed to NBC10 Philadelphia. Residents described a massive explosion, saying it sent shockwaves throughout the community. "It sounded like a bomb went off," Doug Olexy told NBC10. "I mean, all of our houses shook. I've never heard as loud of an explosion in my life." Story continues Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Photo by Michael Rubinkam/AP/Shutterstock Related:At Least 13 Hospitalized, 1 Dead After Factory Explosion in Ohio On Sunday, the chocolate maker released a statement regarding the tragedy. "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," the company said. "We have lost close friends and colleagues, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of all who have been impacted." "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," the company added. "We will continue to coordinate closely with local and national agencies to assist in the recovery process." For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Former President Donald Trump faces criminal charges in Manhattan, and a Delaware limited liability company is likely at the center of those charges. He is the first former president in U.S. history to be charged with criminal offenses. Trump was arraigned on multiple felony charges in Manhattan on Tuesday following his Thursday indictment by a grand jury that had been investigating hush money payments to two women who claimed to have had affairs with him, multiple news outlets have reported. News about the potential charges has been trickling out long before the indictment was handed down. Specifically, the former president is under investigation for hush money payments to two women who claimed to have had sex with him. That includes a $130,000 payment made ahead of the 2016 election reportedly made to silence an adult film star about their affair. LIVE UPDATES: Donald Trump lands in New York to face criminal charges The Delaware connection The seedy business believed to be at the center of Trump's indictment was routed through limited liability companies set up in Delaware. Two companies created in 2016 by Trump's former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, were used to pay off Daniels, as well as a national tabloid, to not publish details about another alleged affair. Two weeks before the 2016 general election, Cohen created Essential Consultants LLC to funnel $130,000 in what he would later call "hush money" to former adult film star Stephanie Clifford, professionally known as Stormy Daniels. He told investigators the payments were made at Trump's behest and that he was reimbursed by Trump in a way that hid the true purpose of the payments. In this file photo taken on October 11, 2018 Stormy Daniels, the porn star who claims to have slept with US President Donald Trump over a decade ago. The previous month he had created Resolution Consultants LLC with the intention, according to federal prosecutors, of reimbursing the National Enquirer's parent company for its $120,000 purchase of a story from former Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal about her intimate involvement with Trump. Story continues Those payments were made public in a 2018 article published by the Wall Street Journal after Trump was elected. Later that year, Cohen was charged by federal prosecutors with evading taxes and making unlawful campaign contributions, among other counts tied to the payment to Daniels. Cohen would later plead guilty to the campaign contribution charge and serve time in prison. Why form a company in Delaware? To create the Delaware LLCs, Cohen employed the help of a local company that registers and maintains entities on behalf of their beneficial owners. Known as a corporate capital, Delaware is the legal home to over 1 million business entities. For some, the relative anonymity of beneficial owners and quickness is a selling point for forming a limited liability company in Delaware. Some of those companies have been used in the highest-profile global money laundering schemes in recent decades. FILE - In this Sept. 19, 2017, file photo, Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's personal attorney, steps out of a cab during his arrival on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File) However, it's not really clear why Cohen used Delaware LLCs to route money to Daniels. Cohen signed his name on Essential Consultants incorporation certificate, though state law would have allowed him to list a registered agent for the company. SHELL GAMES: Delaware dissolves shell companies created to pay off women by Trump-fixer Michael Cohen In a largely symbolic move, the Delaware Attorney General's Office filed a complaint in 2019 in the state's Court of Chancery seeking to cancel the registration of Cohen's two Delaware LLCs "because a corporate officer of each of the Defendants has pleaded guilty, and thus confessed, in federal courts." The Delaware attorneys asserted that the companies had been used to purchase Clifford's and McDougal's "silence and prevent her story from influencing the election." A state judge ordered the dissolution of Essential Consultants LLC and Resolution Consultants LLC in 2020. What is Trump charged with? Donald Trump pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with thousands of dollars in hush money payments to multiple people, according to reporting by USA Today. The case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg went beyond the $130,000 hush money payment to Daniels, to include a $30,000 payment to a former Trump Tower doorman, who claimed to have a story about a child Trump had out of wedlock, prosecutors asserted. Prosecutors referenced another $150,000 payment, which appeared to track a separate allocation to McDougal to silence her about an alleged long-running affair before the 2016 election. Trump, prosecutors said, falsified New York business records to conceal crimes that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election. Former President Donald Trump arrives at Trump Tower in New York City on April 3, 2023. Trump has denied wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to the charges in a Tuesday arraignment hearing. Other ongoing investigations The indictment of Trump comes as he campaigns for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination and as he is being investigated for other potential crimes. In Georgia, state authorities are conducting a criminal investigation into election fraud. The evidence includes a recorded call to state Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger asking him to find the votes to overturn the results for President Joe Biden. FROM USA TODAY: Who is Jack Smith, the special counsel appointed to lead Trump investigations? Federal officials are also probing Trump's involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, his alleged efforts to overturn the election result in his favor as well as the former president's handling of classified documents. Contact Xerxes Wilson at (302) 324-2787 or xwilson@delawareonline.com. Follow @Ber_Xerxes on Twitter. Related for Subscribers. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Donald Trump indicted: How Delaware is connected to charges The continued quest to legalize weed in Delaware cleared its first hurdle of the legislative session on Tuesday when House lawmakers voted to legalize adult possession of 1 ounce or less of marijuana. The bipartisan vote, 28-13, showed significant gains in support of legalization. Two Democrats Reps. Bill Bush and Stephanie T. Bolden who previously had not supported legalization voted for the bill on Tuesday. House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf was the only Democrat to vote against it. Three Republicans, including House Minority Leader Mike Ramone, also voted yes. BACKGROUNDCould this be the year Delaware legalizes recreational marijuana? What you need to know This is the second time the House passed a similar version of this bill. It was ultimately stymied by Gov. John Carney, who vetoed the bill last session after it passed in the Senate. When the House attempted to override his veto, several Democratic lawmakers who initially voted to legalize backed off and ultimately supported the governor. As the bill now makes its way to the Senate, where it is expected to pass, the looming question is if Democrats have the political support this time around to override another possible Carney veto. The moderate Democrat, who is in the final years of his second term, has previously stated his position has not changed. Delaware continues to be one of the last Democratic-controlled states to not legalize recreational marijuana. New York, New Jersey and Maryland have all done so in recent years. James Baldus of Pike Creek holds a sign in support of legalizing recreational marijuana at a rally outside of Legislative Hall in Dover on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. Whats in the bill? House Bill 1 would remove all penalties for possessing 1 ounce or less of marijuana for those ages 21 and older. This legislation required a simple majority of 21 votes. As of now, marijuana is decriminalized in Delaware. The second bill, HB 2, would create a framework to regulate the growth, sale and possession of weed. Lawmakers say marijuana would be regulated and taxed the same way alcohol is. This legislation requires a three-fifths vote because it deals with revenue and taxation. This is expected to be voted on soon. Story continues Delawareans would buy marijuana from a licensed retail marijuana store. The bill would allow for up to 30 retail licenses to be distributed within 16 months of the legislation going into effect. The process will be competitive, with prospective retailers being rewarded for providing good salaries and benefits and hiring a diverse workforce. What continues to be the opposition? A majority of the Republican House caucus continues to be against legalization, citing unknown health concerns and roadway safety. Former Medical Society of Delaware President Dr. Richard Henderson, who briefly spoke on behalf of Republicans, vocalized the organizations opposition to legalization. He was also wary of the impact this could have on the brain development of young people. We're not ready for this yet, said Rep. Ruth Briggs King, R-Georgetown, during floor debate. When we're talking about public health, public safety over public pleasure or public preference, I will always choose to go for what I think is a more safe and prudent route which is why I cannot support the bill today. House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, presides over session in Dover's Legislative Hall during in Jan. 2020. Schwartzkopf, the House speaker, has been vocally against legalization for some time. He told Delaware Online/The News Journal last year that he had significant concerns about how the state will measure intoxication levels regarding driving. Schwartzkopf worked as a police officer for 25 years. He has previously supported the idea of creating a recreational marijuana industry if the substance was first legal in Delaware. I'm not naive, the speaker said last year. I know it's going to pass eventually. I just can't vote for it. Key takeaways from the vote The vote on Tuesday showed growing support for the measure, previously from Democrats who have expressed hesitancy. The additional support will be key if Carney once again vetoes the legislation. Rep. Ed Osieniski, the bill sponsor, has said he believes he has the votes this year to override a veto, citing the addition of several progressive lawmakers. Ramone, the House Minority leader, praised Osienski on Tuesday for his incredible job in shepherding this legislation over the past five years. He specifically noted how it was important to him that this legislation will no longer penalize anyone over the age of 21 for possession of 1 ounce or less of marijuana. Rep. Ed Osienski Zoe Patchell, the executive director of Delaware Cannabis Advocacy Network, said she was pleased to see Republicans acknowledging the human and economic toll to cannabis prohibition. It was clear to Patchell that some lawmakers finally voted with the will of their constituents. We're guardedly optimistic going into the second portion of this fight, she said. And we're just hoping that the same lawmakers that supported HB 1 will also support HB 2. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware marijuana: Lawmakers vote in favor of legalizing weed Perhaps one of the biggest surprises in film and television last year was Liam Neesons cameo appearance on Atlanta. The actor appeared in the fourth season episode New Jazz and poked fun at his 2019 racism controversy. The actor ignited outrage on his Cold Pursuit press tour in February 2019 after revealing his past reaction to a friends sexual assault. Neesons friend was sexually assaulted by a Black man, so Neeson took to the streets with a weapon and hoped a Black bastard would come out of a pub and have a go at meso that I could kill him. In a new interview with GQ magazine, Atlanta creator Donald Glover opened up for the first time about recruiting Neeson for an episode that mocked the actors racism controversy. Glover wrote the episode himself. More from Variety When I got in touch with him, Liam poured his heart out, Glover said. He was like, I am embarrassed. I dont know about this. Im trying to get away from that. And I was like, Man, Im telling you, this will be funny! And youll actually get a lot of cream from it because itll show youre sorry. He asked me to let him think about it. Then he sent me an email saying, I dont think I can do it and best of luck with Atlanta, blah-blah-blah. Glover really wanted Neeson in the episode, so he reached out to a famous friend and Oscar winner for help. Liam said [after the incident] he talked to Morgan Freeman, Jordan Peele and Spike Lee. So I was likeJordan Peele! Glover said. I hit Jordan Peele up and I was like, Look, man, I got this idea. He said that he trusted you. Tell him its a good idea! Jordan thought it was hilarious! So Jordan talked to him. Liam hit me back and said he talked to Jordan and his son and thought itd actually be a good thing, Glover added. But what was so funny is, like, I forgot to hit Jordan back. I was so excited about Liam doing it. So Jordan hit a friend of mine, and was like, Am I on a prank show where Donald got me to forgive Liam Neeson? Was this a jokeon me? Story continues In the Atlanta episode, Neeson plays a fictionalized version of himself who meets Paper Boi (Brian Tyree Henry) at a bar named the Cancel Club. You mightve heard or read about my transgression, the fictionalized Neeson tells Paper Boi. You know, what I said about what I wanted to do to a Black guy, any Black guy, when I was a younger man in London. A friend of mine had been raped and I acted out of anger. I look back now and it honestly frightens me. I thought people knowing who I once was would make clear who I am, who Ive become. But with all that being said, I am sorry. I apologize if I hurt people. Paper Boi tells Neeson that he still fucks with Taken, adding, Its good to know that you dont hate Black people now. No, no I cant stand the lot of you, Neeson responds in the show. Well, now I feel that way because you tried to ruin my career. Didnt succeed, mind you. However, Im sure one day I will get over it, but until then, we are mortal enemies. When Paper Boi asks Neeson if he learned that he cant say racist stuff like that, Neeson answers, Aye. But I also learned that the best and worst part of being white is that we dont have to learn anything if we dont want to. The punchline was shocking, but casting Neeson as himself gave the Taken star a chance to apologize for his behavior with the support of Glover behind him. Amid intense backlash to his story in 2019, Neeson told Good Morning America that his urge to commit physical violence against any Black man shocked him, adding, It hurt me. I did seek help. I went to a priestI am not racist. This was nearly 40 years ago. I was trying to show honor, to stand up for my dear friend in this terrible medieval fashion, Neeson said at the time. I am a fairly intelligent guy. Thats why it kind of shocked me when I came down to earth after having these terrible feelings. Luckily, no violence occurred. I did want to lash out because my friend was brutally raped and I was defending her honor. It was a learning curve. Read Glovers full profile on GQs website. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. YouTube - Netflix Netflix has treated us yet again, with a brand new gripping mystery thriller series called Unseen. The six part series is set in South Africa, and was released last week. Unseen focuses on Zenzi, a cleaner who is looking for her husband after he mysteriously disappeared following his release from prison. However, on her journey to find out what happened to her husband, Zenzi discovers he has been involved with the wrong people, leading to disastrous consequences for Zenzi and her family. So how exactly does the tense series end? This is everything you need to know. What is Unseen about? Unseen opens with a shot of a woman named Zenzi being arrested for the murder of a number of men. The rest of the series then shows the five day buildup to this moment. Going back five days earlier we see Zenzi, who is a cleaner, due to pick up her husband, Max, from prison, two years after he was sentenced for the murder of a man named Yazid Noordien. Around the time Max was sent to prison, two gangsters broke into the couple's home and killed their son Esulu. Zenzi travels to the prison for his 5 o'clock release, only to be told by the prison guard Max was released earlier that morning. Desperate to understand where Max is, Zenzi goes onto a quest to find him, leaving several dangerous men dead in her path to uncover the truth. Netflix What happened next? After being unable to find Max, Zenzi approached Raymond, a friend of Max's and a gangster. He shared with her information about a man named Jackson Thom who said he might know something about Max. When visiting Jackson, he threatened Zenzi, telling her unless Max paid what he owed him, he would keep Zenzi as collateral. However, Zenzi in the heat of the moment ends up killing Jackson with a gun she stole from Raymond. Shortly after she kills another man called Ernie Meyers, who offered her a job working for Raymond. Zenzi goes to Raymond, who assigns her the task of killing his boss Blessing, as he has had enough of being told what to do. She succeeds in killing him, but makes numerous mistakes at the crime scene which leads the police and Blessing's lawyer Ruben Theron to grow suspicious that Blessing's death wasn't drug related, but instead he died of asphyxiation. Story continues Raymond wants to keep his hands clean of the whole thing, and so orders one of his workers Joseph to kill Zenzi and take the gun back she stole. However, Zenzi manages to kill Joseph first and whilst dying, he reveals one key piece of information - he knows where Max is. Netflix Where is Max and why was he sent to jail? In his dying breath Joseph revealed Max is in Caledon with his mother. But why? Well it all goes back to why he was originally arrested. Max used to work at Blessing's bar and knew Yazid, the man he was accused of murdering. Yazid and his friend Farouk made a plan to blackmail Blessing for large amounts of money, but they were slightly unprepared for the people they were dealing with and so Blessing killed Yazid. As someone who worked for Blessing, Max took the fall for Yazid's death and was told by Blessing Zenzi and their son would be looked after. However, upon learning this wasn't the truth, Max planned to tell the police the truth and when Blessing heard about this he planned to kill Max when he was released from jail. In order to avoid Blessing, Max travelled to stay with his mum, where he teamed up with Farouk to try and prove Blessing was involved in money laundering. Blessing's lawyer Ruben sends Raymond to kill Max after they discover the money has been compromised. However, he only finds Farouk, who he kills in a fit of rage. Max is then killed by the police who are looking for him, before he can reach Zenzi at the train station, where she is arrested by the police. Raymond managed to find the drive that contains all the information about the money. Netflix How does Unseen end? After being arrested Zenzi is questioned over the murders of Jackson, Blessing, Ernie, Enrico, and Farouk. However, Zenzi is unable to process anything. She has now lost her husband and son, and the only proof of incriminating evidence, aka the drive, has been stolen by Raymond. The police theorised Max was the person behind the killing spree, but they needed Zenzi to confess to make a stronger case. Zenzi begins to tell the police about the money laundering, when the ballistics report reveals the gun that shot her son belonged to Raymond. Now, with this valuable information she becomes determined to tell the truth. However, it is then revealed that it is a man named Andrew Harting who has been the mastermind behind the whole money laundering operation. He wants to put at end to Zenzi and so orders one of his contacts in the police to kill her. A police officer offers Zenzi a chance to escape, which she takes, however, she soon realised everything is not what it seems. She somehow manages to survive jumping off a cliff whilst trying to escape the officer and his accomplice. She confesses to Ngesi what she's done and explains her reasons why before going after Raymond. At Raymond's office, his assistant tells Zenzi Raymond is at Blessing's bar, which Zenzi is unaware is a trap. When she arrives Ruben and Raymond are facing off, before Raymond is taken into custody by Ruben's men, who try to make him confess. After they leave Zenzi finally gets her turn to confront Raymond, who confesses to murdering Zenzi's son but says it was an accident. As a fire burns in the background, Raymond begs Zenzi to untie him, but she leaves him there to burn to death. As the series ends we see Zenzi on the edge of a building, looking like she is about to commit suicide, devastated after losing her son and husband. Her sister Naledi begs her to come down, telling her they can fight to bring the perpetrators to justice. The episode ends just as Zenzi steps forward, with no conclusive answer as to if she did jump. We're really keeping our fingers crossed she didn't. Unseen is available on Netflix now You Might Also Like ReportLinker during the forecast period. Increasing electrification of the industrial processes leads to an increase in the energy demand which drives the power grid market.Transformers: The second largest segment of the power grid market, by component . New York, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Power Grid Market by Component, Power Source, Application and Region - Global Forecast to 2028" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06445314/?utm_source=GNW during the forecast period. Increasing electrification of the industrial processes leads to an increase in the energy demand which drives the power grid market. Transformers: The second largest segment of the power grid market, by component Based on components, the power grid market has been split into five types: cables, variable speed drives, transformers, switchgear, and others.The transformers were estimated to have the second-largest share of the power grid market in 2022. Transformers are essential components of grid infrastructure that play a critical role in the transmission and distribution of electrical power. These devices are used to transfer electrical energy from one circuit to another, enabling the efficient distribution of power over long distances Renewables segment is expected to emerge as the largest segment based on power source By power source, the power grid market has been segmented into oil, natural gas, coal, hydroelectric, renewables, and others.Renewables are expected to be the largest share of the power grid market in 2022. Renewables are also becoming increasingly competitive in terms of cost, with the price of solar and wind power dropping significantly in recent years. They offer an opportunity for countries to reduce their reliance on imported fossil fuels and improve energy security By Application, the Transmission segment is expected to be the fastest growing market during the forecast period. Based on Application, the power grid market is segmented into generation, transmission, and generation.The transmission segment is expected to be the fastest-growing segment during the forecast period. Without an efficient transmission network, electrical energy would need to be generated close to where it is consumed, which would be prohibitively expensive and impractical. Power transmission is essential for ensuring electrical energy is delivered reliably and without interruption. Middle East and Africa is expected to be the second fastest-growing region in the power grid market Middle East and Africa is expected to be the second fastest power grid market during the forecast period.Several factors contribute to this growth, including population growth, urbanization, and rising standards of living. As a result, the demand for energy in the region is increasing rapidly, leading governments to invest heavily in power generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure. These factors are expected to fuel the growth of the power grid market in the region Breakdown of Primaries: In-depth interviews have been conducted with various key industry participants, subject-matter experts, C-level executives of key market players, and industry consultants, among other experts, to obtain and verify critical qualitative and quantitative information, as well as to assess future market prospects. The distribution of primary interviews is as follows: By Company Type: Tier 1- 35%, Tier 2- 45%, and Tier 3- 20% By Designation: C-Level- 35%, Director Levels- 25%, and Others- 40% By Region: North America- 40%, Asia Pacific- 30%, Europe- 20%, the Middle East & Africa- 5%, and South America- 5% Note: Others include product engineers, product specialists, and engineering leads. Note: The tiers of the companies are defined on the basis of their total revenues as of 2021. Tier 1: > USD 1 billion, Tier 2: From USD 500 million to USD 1 billion, and Tier 3: < USD 500 million The power grid market is dominated by a few major players that have a wide regional presence. The leading players in the power grid market are ABB (Switzerland), Siemens (Germany), Schneider Electric (France), and General Electric(US). Research Coverage: The report defines, describes, and forecasts the global power grid market, by component, power source, application, and region.It also offers a detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis of the market. The report provides a comprehensive review of the major market drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges.It also covers various important aspects of the market. These include an analysis of the competitive landscape, market dynamics, market estimates, in terms of value, and future trends in the power grid market. Key Benefits of Buying the Report Electrification of industrial processes and fleets and Investments in upgrading and expanding transmission and distribution infrastructure are some of the main factors driving the power grid market. Factors such as high installation costs and lack of common standards for electrification in some countries still restrain the market. Increased government mandates for upgrading electrical infrastructure and reducing power losses provide opportunities for the power grid market to grow. Even though delays in electrical transmission projects are major challenges faced by countries under power grid development. Product Development/ Innovation: The future of the power grid market looks bright for HV direct current (HVDC) and flexible alternating current transmission systems (FACTS) as they become less expensive due to improvements in power electronics modules and the ability to connect directly to higher voltage systems. Market Development: Renewable energy sources are becoming increasingly important in the grid infrastructure for power generation. Renewables include sources such as solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass, among others. The Middle East & Africa (MEA) power grid market is expected to experience significant growth in the coming years, driven by increasing demand for electricity and the development of new power infrastructure. Market Diversification: GE Renewable Energy launched HYpact switchgear. It can be used in several applications, such as mobile (truck-mounted) substations and onshore wind substations. It makes the electrical network more predictable and reduces the customers operating costs and environmental impact. Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of market shares, growth strategies, and service offerings of leading players like ABB (Switzerland), Siemens (Germany), General Electric (US), and Prysmian Group (Italy) among others in the power grid market Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06445314/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Story continues CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 Gisele Bundchen continues to show off her post-split glow! Since announcing her divorce from Tom Brady in October 2022, shes rocked epic ensembles on the red carpet and soaked up the sun in Costa Rica on several occasions with her Jiu Jitsu instructor (and rumored boyfriend) Joaquim Valente. While many have suspected Valente to be Bundchens new flame after finalizing her divorce, insiders reportedly told The Daily Mail that the supermodel, 42, is actually romantically linked to billionaire hotel magnate Jeffrey Soffer. READ MORE: Gisele Bundchen Flaunts Her Toned Abs On Steamy Beach Date With Jiu Jitsu Instructor Amid Tom Brady Coming Out Of Retirement Rumors Gisele Bundchen and billionaire Jeffrey Soffer are seeing each other https://t.co/zXHVHzLgkL pic.twitter.com/Chc4OyGZzh Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) March 16, 2023 Gisele Bundchen & Jeffrey Soffer Are Romantically Linked, Insiders Say Soffer, 55, is a friend of Bundchens ex Brady, 45, the publication notes, and also the former husband of fellow supermodel Elle Macpherson. According to a well-placed insider that spoke with the outlet, Gisele has been spending time with Jeffrey Soffer. The source added, Theyve been seeing each other for several months now and meet secretly about once a week. Gisele Bundchen is reportedly spending time with Jeffrey Soffer, Tom Bradys pal & Elle Macphersons exhttps://t.co/H2avanXQLs pic.twitter.com/Flf06gyWWY HollywoodLife (@HollywoodLife) March 16, 2023 Soffer and Brady have been friends for years, the source says, and in January, they were both photographed hanging out in Miami, and Brady and Bundchens daughter Vivian, 10, tagged along. Brady and Bundchen were married from 2009 to 2022, and also share one son Benjamin, 13, while Brady is also dad to the 15-year-old Jack, who he shares with ex Bridget Moynahan. Story continues READ MORE: Tom Brady Shares Cryptic Quote About Betrayal And False Friends After Gisele Bundchens Bombshell Interview Drops EXCLUSIVE: Gisele Bundchen and billionaire Jeffrey Soffer are seeing each other https://t.co/wLz0FQBgqF Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) March 16, 2023 Who Is Jeffrey Soffer? Bunchens supposed new love interest is a developer and hotelier who owns several luxury properties, including Miamis legendary Fontainebleau Hotel. Today, The Daily Mail writes that Soffer is worth an estimated $2.2 billion, with private jets, a superyacht and expansive properties at his disposal. He was married to Macpherson, 58, from 2013 to 2013 and share five children two from Macphersons previous marriage to French financier Arpad Busson, 60, and three from Soffers prior relationship. READ MORE: Gisele Bundchen Glows In A Gold Dress While Making Her First Red Carpet Appearance Since Tom Brady Split Gisele Bundchen Denies Absurd Report Shes Dating Tom Bradys Billionaire Friend Jeffrey Soffer https://t.co/pHeOfhkdQB People (@people) March 22, 2023 Bundchen Denies Dating Soffer In Vanity Fair Interview When sitting down with Vanity Fair for an interview published last week, Bundchen addressed the Soffer dating rumors and quickly shut them down. I have zero relationship with him in any way, Bundchen told the magazine. Hes Toms friend, not my friend. Gisele Bundchen denies shes dating ex Tom Bradys friend Jeffrey Soffer https://t.co/WLunMdJe32 pic.twitter.com/PWesDK8ywF Page Six (@PageSix) March 22, 2023 She also called the rumors absurd. She also stressed that she hasnt seen Soffer in months, and would never date someone who was friends with her ex. I wouldnt be with [Bradys] friend, Bundchen said of Soffer. I wouldnt be with this guy. I mean, puh-leeze. They were saying Im with this guy, hes old, because hes got moneyits ridiculous. Gisele Bundchen and her jiu-jitsu instructor Joaquim Valente are back in Costa Rica together, and shes showing off her toned abs. https://t.co/D0g8nZ5aAg TMZ (@TMZ) March 15, 2023 What About Joaquim Valente? Although Bundchen has been spotted with her hunky Jiu Jitsu instructor multiple times on what appear to be dates in Costa Rica this year, sources close to her have adamantly denied that the two are dating. The Daily Mail writes that insiders insist that Valente, 34, is just her close friend and fitness partner, nothing more. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gisele Bundchen (@gisele) On March 15th, the model uploaded a sunny selfie while sitting among plants, and seemed to cryptically address the Valente dating rumors in her caption. She wrote, Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth. (Interesting) MILAN High-end Italian furnishings company Cassina SpA announced Wednesday that it reached an agreement to acquire Zanotta, fellow upscale furniture company. More from WWD Guided by the art direction of legendary architect and artist Patricia Urquiola, Cassina is a leading voice for design throughout the world. In a press release, Cassina said it will coordinate Zanottas activities and future development plan. We will take care of Zanotta and work towards generating the greatest attention for it to grow worldwide, Cassina chief executive officer Luca Fuso said. Zanotta is an Italian furniture company particularly known for the iconic pieces of Italian design it produced in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, including the Sacco beanbag chair and Blow, the first mass-produced inflatable chair. Zanotta will join the other prestigious furnishing, lighting and accessories brands controlled by the Haworth Lifestyle Design group (formerly known as Poltrona Frau Group): Cassina, Cappellini, Ceccotti, Karakter, Poltrona Frau, Luxury Living, Janus et Cie, lighting and accessories brand Luminaire and Interni, among them. With the arrival of Zanotta we have added another shining star to our bright sky, confirming HLD groups vocation to identify, attract and develop the best organizations from the global design scene, Haworth Lifestyle Design CEO Dario Rinero said in a statement. Founded in 1954 in Nova Milanese, Zanotta is recognized as one of the major players in the history of Italian design. Led by its founder Aurelio Zanotta, it has produced emblematic and innovative products defined by technological research and high-quality materials. It has collaborated with some of the most important Italian architects and designers, including Gae Aulenti, Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Alessandro Mendini, Carlo Mollino, Bruno Munari and Ettore Sottsass. Story continues With a turnover of approximately 25 million euros, Zanotta operates in both the residential and contract markets and is available in more than 700 specialized stores in 50 countries around the world. The company was not immediately reachable for comment regarding the value of the transaction. Following these years of intense work, which have brought Zanotta back into the spotlight, I am happy that this wonderful company can continue its journey side by side with an important player like Cassina, which will help it to make the most of its potential, Zanottas CEO Giuliano Mosconi said. With a turnover of 850 million euros and 2,200 employees, Haworth Lifestyle Design group is today one of the largest companies in the world operating in this sector. It is part of Michigan-based Haworth Inc., which has a turnover of approximately $2.5 billion and 7,500 employees worldwide. Aided by demand to renovate and update personal and commercial spaces, Italys dynamic wood furnishing sector saw a 12.7 percent rise in 2022 versus 2021, increasing its value to 57 billion euros versus 43 billion euros in 2019, according to preliminary figures for 2022, released by wood furnishings consortium Federlegno Arredo. Due to buoyant sales sector-wide and robust growth in international markets, industry experts expect a rise in mergers and acquisitions in the medium term. As Italian firms prepare for Milan Design Week, which runs from April 17 to 23, eyes will turn to the full year 2023 outlook. Best of WWD Click here to read the full article. Joe Biden has revealed that he will not be attending King Charles IIIs coronation and that his wife Jill Biden will be going without him. The White House confirmed in a readout of Bidens call with the King, shared on 4 April, that the first lady will be going to the coronation in May to represent the US. The President congratulated the King on his upcoming Coronation and informed him that First Lady Jill Biden looks forward to attending on behalf of the United States, the statement read. The White House said that Biden conveyed his desire to meet with the King in the United Kingdom at a future date. In addition to discussing the coronation, the pairs call was also about underscoring the strength of the relationship between [their] countries and the friendship between [their] peoples. According to The Telegraph, many guests who received the save the date card for the Kings big day have been asked to tell the palace if theyre attending or not by Monday. In September, Biden and his wife also visited the UK to join a plethora of world leaders at Westminster Abbey in paying their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II. While the US President may be missing the coronation in May, some other famous faces are expected to be at the ceremony. As David Beckham and his wife Victoria Beckham attended the Queens funeral in September, they are expected to get an invite to the Kings coronation. Former Greys Anatomy star Sandra Oh attended the Queens funeral as a part of the Canadian delegation, alongside musicians Gregory Charles and Olympic gold medallist swimmer Mark Tewksbury. So, it could be likely that shell be at the coronation. In addition, it has been reported that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex received an invitation to the event via email correspondence, following the release of Prince Harrys tell-all book, Spare, which featured multiple allegations about the royal family. However, the couple havent confirmed if they will be attending or not. Story continues Multiple members of the royal family are expected to be at the coronation, including Prince William, Kate Middleton, and Prince Andrew. The coronation is set to take place on 6 May 2023 at Westminster Abbey, London and will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace. This is the first coronation in 70 years, as the last one was in 1953, when the Queen was crowned at the age of 27. Charles turned 74 years old in November 2022, making him the oldest person to be crowned in British history. There are expected to be 2,000 guests in attendance, a stark contrast to the 8,000 guests present at the Queens coronation. The Independent has contacted a representative for Buckingham Palace and The White House for comment. Is bikini season really almost upon us? Sisters Kim Kardashian, 42, Khloe Kardashian, 38, and Kylie Jenner, 25, seem to think so! They traveled to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico last month and posted some gorgeous vacation photos of each other in their sultry bathing suits lounging in the sun. Kim and Khloes bikinis are to die for! READ MORE: The Kardashians Might Not Be Invited To This Years Met Gala, According To Insiders View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kim Kardashian (@kimkardashian) Kim And Khloe Don Black And Brown Swimsuits On Vacation In new photos shared to Instagram on Thursday, March 23, the Keeping Up With The Kardashians stars can be seen cuddling up poolside while enjoying their time away in Cabo San Lucas. The snapshots, photographed by Kylie, show the Good American founder, in a square-neck brown one-piece and the SKIMS founder in an itty bitty black string bikini. Both also sport oversize sunglasses. They styled their brunette hair in middle parts, in loose beach waves down their backs. In the joint photo shoot aptly captioned Kiki and KoKo take Cabothe two snuggle up on a lounge chair and play-wrestle by the pool. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kylie Jenner | Fan Page (@photoskyliej) It appears the post was a throwback to the trios trip to Mexico. Kylie previously shared her own swimsuit outfit pics on Instagram (set against a similar resort background) in February. She originally posted her poolside looks on Monday, February 13. For her look, the makeup mogul opted for a similar tiny black string bikini to match Kim. You my twin, Jenner captioned her post posing with her older sister. Kim returned the love, commenting, Always and Forever. Springfield Mayor James Langfelder concedes the election with his wife Billie by his side at the State House Inn Tuesday, April 4, 2023. 9:37 p.m.: Langfelder concedes; Buscher elected mayor of Springfield Two-term mayor Jim Langfelder conceded Tuesday night following an unsuccessful bid for a third term as the city's top official. Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder ensures there will be a smooth transition for Treasurer and Mayor-Elect Misty Buscher.#SJRbreaking Steven Spearie (@StevenSpearie) April 5, 2023 The concession means that City Treasurer Misty Buscher will be just the second woman elected mayor of Springfield. With all precincts reporting, Buscher defeated Langfelder by 772 votes, getting 51.5% of the vote to Langfelder's 48.5%. Buscher was first elected city treasurer in 2015, the same year Langfelder was elected mayor. Both were endorsed in that election by the Sangamon County Democrats; however, Buscher appeared at a rally for then-candidate Donald Trump and identified as a Republican. Eight years later, the county Republicans endorsed her against Langfelder in what turned out to be a successful attempt to dethrone him. Prior to her political service, Buscher spent 20 years in the city's banking industry, serving as a vice president for Marine Bank. The defeat of the incumbent means that Langfelder suffers the same fate as his father, Ossie, who lost a bid for a third term in 1995 to Karen Hasara and Mike Curran in a top-two primary. 9:28 p.m.: Purchase cruises to victory in Ward 5 Incumbent Ward 5 Alderman Lakeisha Purchase won a full term on the Springfield City Council, winning a convincing victory over former Alderman Sam Cahnman and write-in Calvin Pitts. Purchase won the seat by 615 votes, taking 70.5% of the vote to Cahnman's 29.5%. Purchase had been endorsed by the Sangamon County Democratic Party, the third Democrat to win a seat tonight on the council. Story continues 9:12 p.m.: Carlson wins in Ward 7 Brad Carlson, a legislative aide for Illinois Senate Republicans, has won a seat on the Springfield City Council, taking the Ward 7 election over John Houlihan. Carlson won the seat by 430 votes, taking 56.6% of the vote to Houlihan's 43.4% of the vote. Houlihan also had a job in the Statehouse, serving as a staffer for Illinois Senate Democrats. At the moment, Carlson is the lone candidate endorsed by the Sangamon County Republicans to win a contested aldermanic seat tonight, a stark contrast to their success in the city's executive offices, where both Misty Buscher and Colleen Redpath Feger lead in their respective mayoral and treasurer races, respectively. 8:46 p.m.: Buscher takes the lead; Williams, Rockford, Notariano win council seats City Treasurer Misty Buscher has taken a 470-vote lead over incumbent Mayor Jim Langfelder in a tight fight for Springfield's top office. Buscher is currently pulling in 51% of the vote, with Langfelder taking in 49% of the vote with 92.2% of the precincts reporting. In addition, Ward 3 Alderman Roy Williams, Jr. held onto his seat on the Springfield City Council tonight as Larry Rockford and Jennifer Notariano picked up seats in Ward 4 and Ward 6, respectively. With all precincts reporting in Ward 3, Williams picked up 54% of the vote, with challenger Bill Eddington winning 46% of the vote. Williams won by 121 votes in the northeast side district. Rockford won by 206 votes over his closest challenger, former Sangamon County Board member Jason Ratts. Rockford received 44.9% of the vote, with Ratts getting 37% of the vote. David Yankee finished third with 18.1% of the vote. Notariano picked up 58.2% of the vote in the south-side ward, winning by 379 votes over local attorney Alyssa Haaker. Haaker picked up 41.8% of the vote. 8:30 p.m.: Buscher, Langfelder locked in tight mayoral race Springfield's mayoral race has significantly tightened from where it was earlier in the night, giving hope to supporters of challenger Misty Buscher's bid for the office. Incumbent Jim Langfelder holds a 370-vote lead over Buscher with 68.6% of precincts reporting. Langfelder currently has 51% of the vote, with Buscher carrying 49% as of now. 8:22 p.m. Early results from election night Over an hour after polls have closed, here's how the key races are shaping up: Springfield Mayor: Jim Langfelder currently holds a 1,097-vote lead over challenger Misty Buscher, with 42.2% of precincts fully reporting. Langfelder has 53.5% of the vote (8,332 votes), with Buscher pulling in 46.5% (7,235 votes). Springfield City Treasurer: Colleen Redpath Feger holds a 1,566-vote lead over her closest challenger, Lisa Badger. Redpath Feger is pulling in 42.1% of the vote (6,330 votes), while Badger has 29.2% of the vote (4,399 votes) with 42.2% of precincts fully reporting. City budget director Bill McCarty currently has 28.7% of the vote (4,313 votes) Ward 3 Alderman: Incumbent Roy Williams, Jr. leads challenger Bill Eddington by 207 votes with 63.6% of precincts reporting in the ward. Williams is pulling in 58.7% of the vote (699 votes) while Eddington has 41.3% of the vote (492 votes) Ward 4 Alderman: Larry Rockford leads his closest challenger, Jason Ratts, by 161 votes with just 8.3% of precincts reporting in the ward. Rockford currently is pulling in 46.2% of the vote (527 votes), while Ratts has 32.1% of the vote (366 votes). David Yankee currently has 21.7% of the vote (247 votes). Ward 5 Alderman: With 30% of precincts fully reporting, incumbent Lakeisha Purchase leads former Ward 5 Alderman Sam Cahnman by 375 votes. Purchase is pulling in 70% of the vote (656 votes) while Cahnman has 30% of the vote (281 votes) Ward 6 Alderman: Jennifer Notariano holds a 384-vote lead over Alyssa Haaker with 71.4% of precincts reporting in the district. Notariano is pulling in 60% of the vote (1,151 votes), with Haaker bringing in 40% (767 votes) Ward 7 Alderman: Brad Carlson leads John Houlihan by 40 votes with 18.2% of precincts reporting in the district. Carlson is pulling in 51.2% of the vote (842 votes), with Houlihan getting 48.8% of the vote (802 votes) Nathan Armbruster, right, throws his hands up in celebration when he is told by Election Judge Brian Deslue that he is the 100th voter in Precinct 22 at Lakeside Christian Church in Springfield Tuesday Nov. 8, 2022. 7 p.m.: The polls are closed! Polls have officially closed in Sangamon County for the consolidated election. Much of the attention in Springfield is placed on the mayoral election between incumbent Jim Langfelder and City Treasurer Misty Buscher, but a wide range of different races are up for grabs as the first results come in, from City Council to school boards to various governing bodies. 6:16 p.m.: More from the voters at the polls Those who took time out of their busy day to vote Tuesday had a wide range of opinions on who they were voting for and why. At the Knights of Columbus Council #4175 on the north end, Johnny Guinn made his decision mainly on principle, as he isn't a big fan of incumbent politicians. "(I voted for) Misty Buscher," Guinn said. "Whoever was in (office), I want them out for new blood. It's not really (that) I'm Democrat or I'm Republican, it's like, 'You guys did a (poor) job, give somebody else a swing at that." At Union Baptist Church near the city center, Helen Williams, voted for Langfelder in large part because she couldn't see Buscher "in any of us." "When you're promising something that you're going to do for a city, you don't pick the people that you know," Williams said. "You pick the people that you know you're going to help. I didn't see that on (her) side." AG's office to monitor elections More than 140 teams of assistant attorneys general and investigators from Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul's office will monitor the consolidated elections throughout the state Tuesday. Raoul urged voters to call his office if they encounter suspected improper or illegal activity. Central and southern Illinois voters can call 1-866-559-6812 (TTY 1-877-844-5461). 1:30 p.m.: 'I'm just doing my civic duties' Emerging from Precinct 76 on the city's east side, Elvia Washington said she had a simple reason for voting in Tuesday's consolidated election. "Change doesn't come by sitting," Washington said. "I'm just doing my civic duties, putting my opinion on the ballot and moving forward." Washington said she is a regular voter in every election, sometimes voting early, depending on her schedule. As rail project continues, Madison and Jefferson shut down between Ninth and 11th streets Washington said she was moved by the mayor's race, pitting incumbent Mayor Jim Langfelder against treasurer and challenger Misty Buscher, as well as the treasurer's three-way race between Colleen Redpath Feger, Bill McCarty and Lisa Badger. "I like to stay the course," Washington said, about her vote for mayor. Steve Sommer and his wife, Debra Sommer, said they are also regular voters, preferring Election Day voting, as they came from the Lutheran High School gymnasium where they cast their votes. Steve Sommer said he thought it was voter apathy keeping off-year-election voting numbers down. "I think people think no matter who they vote for, they're not going to get much of a result," he said. 12:30 p.m.: Langfelder votes with his family at Lutheran HS Mayor Jim Langfelder said that it was an Election Day tradition putting out campaign signs at polling places, going back to when his father, Ossie Langfelder, served as the city's mayor from 1987 to 1995. "I didn't do it because they delegated it to someone else, not to my liking," Langfelder said with a laugh after voting with his wife, Billie, and daughter, Lauren, at Lutheran High School on the city's far south side, Tuesday morning. The main difference between this election and other runs Langfelder made against Paul Palazzolo in 2015 and the late Frank Edwards in 2019 was the amount of money being spent. He's been outspent by city treasurer and challenger Misty Buscher more than 2:1. Langfelder said while he hopes that isn't a signal for what's to come in the future with campaigns, he said his established name and trust with the community helped. "It would be very difficult to win (otherwise)," Langfelder admitted. "The other thing that's helped is the power of the office. Good government is good politics, and I've always ran on that. Mayor Jim Langfelder faces the media at Lutheran High School on S. Sixth St. Frontage Road after casting his ballot Tuesday morning. "Has it been a little contentious than previous ones on the other side? Without a doubt. You have outside forces inserting themselves into the process and that always raises a question: what's their interest?" Asked why he thought he could garner a third term as mayor, something that eluded his father, Langfelder fell back to a familiar story about his father telling him "even his friends" had quit talking to him in the 1995 primary, which he lost. "He got squeezed out of the vote," said Langfelder, recalling 1995. "This time it's one-on-one. "People are talking to me now more than ever. So that tells you the engagement that gives me the great confidence in moving forward." 11:15 a.m.: Buscher heads out to vote at north-end precinct City Treasurer Misty Buscher, who is looking to unseat Jim Langfelder as mayor of Springfield, stopped by her north-end polling place at the Knights of Columbus Council #4175 to cast her ballot Tuesday morning, greeted by friends who wished her well as her political fate is decided. It was already an eventful morning for Buscher, who visited several polling places to check on the status of yard signs and greeted people while eating breakfast at Papo's Cafe on the west side. She felt confident that she could end Langfelder's tenure as mayor and provide a change for the city. Treasurer and challenger for mayor Misty Buscher votes at the Knights of Columbus on West Street Tuesday, April 4, 2023. "I feel good," Buscher said. "All the reception I got knocking on doors (was that) people were very confident and said they were voting for me. If the people who said they were voting for me vote, that's a good sign. I just don't know who's going to go out and actually cast that ballot, which is the most important part. "I want to be the change I see in the community, so I'm running to make big changes in the city of Springfield. I want the voters to know that there would be changes with me as your mayor and I would appreciate their consideration and their support when they hit the ballot box." 7:30 a.m.: Who's endorsing who in Springfield While the consolidated elections are, by law, a nonpartisan affair, the reality is that both major parties put their thumbs on the scale through endorsements of various candidates, even for seats that one wouldn't expect would be that partisan, such as the Springfield Park Board and the Springfield Metropolitan Exposition and Auditorium Authority (SMEAA). In a political environment as fractious and partisan as this one, the endorsements can make the difference for formerly undecided voters on Election Day. Here's who's endorsing who in Springfield's races today: Mayor Democrats: Jim Langfelder (incumbent) Republicans: Misty Buscher City Treasurer Democrats: Lisa Badger Republicans: Colleen Redpath Feger Ward 3 Alderman Democrats: Roy Williams, Jr. (incumbent) Republicans: Bill Eddington Ward 4 Alderman Democrats: David Yankee. Larry Rockford is also Democrat. Republicans: Jason Ratts Ward 5 Alderman Democrats: Lakeisha Purchase Republicans: None. Purchase's main challenger, Sam Cahnman, is also a Democrat. Ward 6 Alderman Democrats: Jennifer Notariano Republicans: Alyssa Haaker Ward 7 Alderman Democrats: John Houlihan Republicans: Brad Carlson School Board District 2 Democrats: Micah Miller (incumbent) Republicans: Emerson Weed School Board District 3 Democrats: Jessica Bandy Republicans: Spurgeon Johnson School Board District 4 Democrats: Jeff Tucka (incumbent) Republicans: None. Neither Ken Gilmore nor Donna Hopwood was endorsed by either party. Park District Democrats: Winfred "Earl" Winfong Republicans: Mary Aiello, Charles Hoogland, Kris Theilen (incumbent) and Mary Beth Rodgers (incumbent) SMEAA District 3 Democrats: Steven Simpson-Black Republicans: Jason Loftus (incumbent) SMEAA District 4 Democrats: Deborah Grant, Derek Griffin and Michael Paoni Republicans: Steve Ettinger (incumbent), Tony Smarjesse (incumbent) and Bill Taft SMEAA District 5 Democrats: Mike Malany, Garret Selinger and Gail Simpson Republicans: Marissa Lesko and Brad Mills (incumbent) Lincoln Land Community College Board District 1 Democrats: Samantha Raymond (incumbent) Republicans: Sean Dickerson Lincoln Land Community College Board District 3 Democrats: Gordon Gates (incumbent) Republicans: Melissa Hahn Moseley Mary Roth puts a stamp on mail ballots for the consolidated elections as Sangamon County Clerk Don Gray looks on Tuesday April 4, 2023. 7:27 a.m.: Shortly after polls opened Sangamon County Clerk Don Gray seemed pleased about how things kicked off for the consolidated elections, with all polling places across the county opening in a smooth fashion at 6 a.m. "(The) polls opened fully staffed (with) no troubles that I know of," Gray said. With the smaller scale of the election relative to a presidential year or a midterm year, Gray was nervous about how turnout would look and how people would utilize the relatively new automatic vote-by-mail system in place. He said his fears were assuaged when he opened up the drop box at the county complex and saw that it was full. "That tells me we're going to get a good chunk of (mail votes) back today and keep it moving," Gray said. "That's a bit of a new challenge that we haven't experienced before in the past of having to do this in the last remaining hours of an election on Election Day, but we're stoked and ready to get that done." About 8,000 mail ballots were outstanding as of 6 a.m. today, with Gray pointing out that the new mail balloting system has allowed for people who don't normally vote in an off-year consolidated election to cast their ballot. "There's a larger, substantial amount of folks who have normally not voted in consolidated elections that have received those ballots and we're seeing a dramatic increase in transition of those ballots," Gray said. "Pre-Election Day, we were up 180% from 2019. Coming in this morning and witnessing the amount of ballots still coming back with 8,000 out, I think we're going to get a good amount of them returned today. That's a substantial, almost game-changer situation in terms of participation for these smaller elections." Melissa Booker holds her daughter, Addison Lathan, 3, as Booker votes at Union Baptist Church Tuesday, April 4, 2023, on election day. If there's one sign of the smaller nature of this Election Day, it's that there are fewer poll workers than what would be needed for a presidential year or midterm year. Gray said that there are three poll workers per polling place, down by two from the five dispatched for a bigger election. In total, Gray said that there were 540 poll workers out today, down from 900 for a bigger election. "That's still a lot of people and we're fully staffed," Gray said. "We have a sufficient number of backups. We've had some vacancies of folks who fall ill the morning of or have to deal with their children unexpectedly, but we're filling them with the backups we have in place and I'm proud of the team that we have coordinating this. It's a challenge, but in Sangamon (County) that challenged is conquered and we're fully staffed and prepared." 6 a.m.: Good morning! Happy Election Day. The polls have opened in Sangamon County for Tuesday's consolidated election and will remain open through 7 p.m. Among the high-profile races is the Springfield mayoral election between incumbent Jim Langfelder and treasurer and challenger Misty Buscher. Langfelder is seeking a third term for the city's top spot, something that eluded his father, Ossie Langfelder who served as mayor from 1987 to 1995. "Our barometer has always been going to door to door and we continue to reach our goal of walking the top 50 voting precincts and we've covered a lot more of the other precincts as well," Langfelder said recently. "The response has been very good." Buscher, who has served two terms as treasurer, has outspent the mayor a little over 2:1. "Honesty and integrity is deep within my family and working as a vice president at Marine Bank and earning the trust of (owner) Coyn Richardson and the Richardson family who put me in that position means something to me, so the taxpayers will get the same Misty Buscher working for them that Coyn Richardson did," she said. "That's just who I am." For Buscher's soon-to-be former office, deputy treasurer Colleen Redpath Feger, City of Springfield Office of Budget and Management director Bill McCarty and Springfield Park District trustee Lisa Badger square off. In the aldermanic races, incumbent Roy Williams Jr. faces off with Bill Eddington in Ward 3. In Ward 4, Larry Rockford, Jason Ratts and David Yankee are vying for the seat. It is also a three-person race in Ward 5 with Lakeisha Purchase, an incumbent, squaring off with Sam Cahnman. Calvin Pitts is a write-in candidate. Like Ward 4, Wards 6 and 7 will get new faces. Jennifer Notariano and Alyssa Haaker match up in Ward 6 with Brad Carlson and John Houlihan matching up in Ward 7. Three Springfield public school subdistricts have contested races. In Subdistrict 2, incumbent Micah Miller takes on challenger Emerson Weed. Sarah Blissett tries to hold on to her seat in Subdistrict 3 against challengers Spurgeon Johnson and Jessica Bandy. In Subdistrict 4, Jeff Tucka, an incumbent, is matched up with challengers Ken Gilmore and Donna Hopwood. Voters also will pick candidates for the Springfield Metropolitan Exposition and Auditorium Authority (SMEAA) board, the Springfield Park District board and the Lincoln Land Community College board. A number of area villages also have contested races. In Chatham, voters will weigh two advisory referendum questions pertaining to the sale and production of adult-use cannabis. Freida Greene leaves the Knights of Columbus building on West Street after voting on election day Tuesday, April 4, 2023. Voting contingencies with threat of weather A threat of severe weather has prompted Sangamon County authorities to take proactive measures regarding Tuesday's consolidated election. State's Attorney Dan Wright prepared an order Monday that could give the county's election office to extend voting hours or redirect polling locations. That order could be executed by Chief Circuit Judge Ryan Cadagin if some weather situation interferes with voting, said county clerk Don Gray, who is the election administrator. "It's the responsibility of the county clerk and election office to take into consideration all contingencies that could affect opportunities to be able to cast ballots or conclude an election," Gray said, at his office Monday. As of early Monday afternoon, the county was still at "an enhanced risk" of severe weather, including the possibility of tornadoes, Tuesday afternoon going into the evening. Polls in the county open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Marilyn Tisckos signs her signature to get her ballot on election day at the Knights of Columbus on West Street Tuesday, April 4, 2023. Gray said he has been in contact with authorities from the Office of Emergency Management, the County Board office and the sheriff's department. If the order warrants execution, Gray said he will consult with Wright who will submit the order to the court. Park District candidate out Winfred Earl Wilfong voluntarily withdrew as a park district candidate late Monday afternoon. Wilfong was running for a four-year term. Kris Theilen, Charles Hoogland II and Mary Aiello remain on the ticket for four-year terms. Leslie Sgro has re-filed for president and Mary Beth Rodgers is seeking a two-year unexpired term. This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Buscher unseats Langfelder as Springfield mayor This story is being offered for free. Please consider becoming a subscriber to help power our ongoing local coverage. As severe weather again threatens Middle Tennessee with damaging winds and hail, some school systems are dismissing early. Storms are expected to roll into Middle Tennessee around 2 p.m. and hit the Cumberland plateau by 1 a.m. Thursday with sustained, straight-line winds up to 60 mph. The Nashville Metro area will likely see rain starting around 5 p.m. More: Nashville weather: Damaging winds, hail largest threat with severe weather The western portion of the region, including Clarksville, Nashville, Williamson County and Columbia, are under an enhanced risk (level 3 of 5) for severe storms. The rest of the region is under a slight risk (level 2 of 5). Robertson County was the first school to announce an early dismissal, noting that all after school activities are also cancelled for the evening. Here's the schools dismissing early: Cheatham County Schools: Closing at 1 p.m. Dickson County Schools: Closing at 1 p.m. Houston County Schools: Closing at 1 p.m. Humphreys County Schools: Closing at 1 p.m. Robertson County Schools: Closing two hours early, all after school events cancelled This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville-area school closings: Weather prompts dismissals in Middle TN Residents of a small town in Minnesota were allowed back home late on Thursday morning after being evacuated due to a fiery freight train derailment. People in Raymond, 100 miles west of Minneapolis, had been ordered to leave in the early hours on Thursday. Some 22 cars, carrying ethanol and corn syrup, came off the tracks. Several cars burst into flames, according to the Kandiyohi County Sheriffs Office. Residents in the immediate vicinity were ordered to leave their homes, and a half-mile evacuation zone was set up around the crash site. BNSF Railway, the company which owns the train, told The Independent there were no other hazardous materials on the train and no injuries as a result of the incident. Minnesotas Governor Tim Walz said on Thursday morning that he had been briefed on the train derailment and would visit the site. The Minnesota train derailment is the latest in at least half a dozen railroad incidents across the US in as many weeks. Key Points Minnesota Governor visiting site of derailment Residents of Raymond moved outside of evacuation zone Is ethanol harmful to the environment? 18:10 , Louise Boyle The derailed train was carrying the hazardous substance, ethanol, according to public officials. Ethanol is used widely in gasoline in the US to reduce air pollution from the fossil fuel, and to produce biofuels, according to the Department of Energy. Pure ethanol is nontoxic and biodegradable, and if spilled, break down into harmless substances, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). However, the EIA notes that similar to petroleum fuels, biofuels are flammable (especially ethanol) and must be transported carefully. However when burned, pure biofuels generally produce fewer emissions of particulates, sulfur dioxide, and air toxics than fossil fuel products, EIA noted. Fire crews inspect the train derailment 17:48 , Louise Boyle Firefighters work near piled-up train cars, near Raymond, Minnesota on Thursday, March 30, 2023, the morning after a BNSF freight train derailed (AP) Railroad company respond to derailment 17:25 , Louise Boyle The train which derailed in Raymond, Minnesota is owned by BNSF Railway, one of the USs largest freight railroad companies which operates in 28 states. Story continues In a statement to The Independent on Thursday, a BNSF spokesperson confirmed that approximately 22 cars carrying mixed freight including ethanol and corn syrup are reported to be derailed with four cars on fire. There are no other hazardous materials on the train and no injuries as a result of the incident. BNSF field personnel are onsite to assess the derailment site and are working closely with local first responders. Residents and businesses impacted by the incident can contact 866-243-4784 for assistance. The main track is blocked and an estimated time for reopening the line is not available. The cause of the incident is under investigation. Watch: Train derailment leads to ethanol fire in Minnesota 17:05 , Louise Boyle Ohio moves to approve new safety rules after toxic crash in East Palestine 17:01 , Louise Boyle The latest US derailment in Minnesota came hours after Ohio lawmakers moved closer to approving new safety rules following a toxic train derailment in their state last month. A Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials derailed in a fiery crash in East Palestine early in February spilling toxic chemicals into the environment. On Wednesday, new safety measures moved closer to becoming law in Ohio, as part of a nearly $13.5 billion transportation budget that cleared the Legislature. It will then head to the desk of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine for expected final approval. Ohios new rail safety provisions include a two-person crew for freight trains; require personnel who receive messages about defects picked up by a railroads wayside detector system immediately notify a train operator; and order the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to submit written reports to the Legislature regarding the transportation of hazardous materials and waste. With reporting from the Associated Press Local residents told to evacuate area 16:30 , Louise Boyle People in the community of Raymond, Minnesota were evacuated in the early hours. My colleague, Rachel Sharp, has the full report below. Minnesota residents evacuated as train carrying ethanol derails and catches fire EPA arrives at first light 16:10 , Louise Boyle The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said that they had arrived on the scene at 6.30am on Thursday morning to carry out air monitoring at and around the site, and throughout the community. Four of the cars in the derailment which ruptured contained ethanol, a highly flammable product. This subsequently caused a fire that has continued to burn. The local fire department led the response and ordered a mandatory evacuation, which remains in place The agency will continue to coordinate with local, state and federal agencies to ensure the safety of residents and first responders in and around Raymond, EPA stated. Watch: Train wreck engulfed in flames in Minnesota 15:56 , Louise Boyle Minnesota Governor on way to scene of derailment 15:38 , Louise Boyle Minnesotas Governor Tim Walz said on Thursday morning that he had been briefed on the train derailment situation unfolding in Raymond and was on my way to the site. He also said that he had a phone call with Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg about the situation. The state stands ready to protect the health and safety of the community, he added. Pictured: The burn site in snow-covered rural Minnesota 15:34 , Louise Boyle Emergency personnel respond to the scene of a train derailment early on Thursday, March 30, 2023 in Raymond (KTSP via AP) No injuries or fatalities reported, say Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg 15:11 , Louise Boyle No injuries or fatalities were reported in the trail derailment, Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg said on Monday. The Federal Railroad Administraion (FRA) is on the ground following the BNSF train crash to monitor the incident, he added. The state Executive Building in downtown Salem houses the Oregon Department of Administrative Services. Oregon will stop paying remote state workers, including those who work out-of-state, to travel to their offices. The new policy, which reverses a practice started during the pandemic, takes effect Sept. 1. The delay will allow the state Department of Administrative Services to provide notice to employees about the policy change, Gov. Tina Kotek said in a news release. The move comes as the Oregon Legislature considers a bill that would limit commuting reimbursements for out-of-state remote workers to those who live within 60 miles of the Oregon border. Minority Leader Tim Knopp, R-Bend, sponsored Senate Bill 853 following media reports about state employees who took advantage of the policy by moving to states without income taxes, including Florida and Texas, and charged the state for their travel costs when their work required them to be in Oregon. The Senate passed SB 853 last month, and it is currently pending before a House committee. Willamette Week first reported on the policy last August. Oregon has 41,543 executive branch employees, DAS told state legislators in February. Of those, 6,348 work remotely in-state, and 432 work remotely out-of-state. The state does not know how much taxpayers have spent reimbursing travel costs for in-state or out-of-state remote workers, DAS communications director Andrea Chiapella said. That's because each agency tracks its own costs, and DAS has not asked for those totals. She also couldn't say how much it will cost taxpayers to continue the reimbursements for another six months. "We don't have a projection on what those travel reimbursement costs may be through September," Chiapella said. DAS employees alone had been reimbursed a total of $10,882 through the end of January, she said. DAS was unable to say Monday what travel expenses qualify for reimbursement. Beginning Sept. 1, state employees will still be allowed to work remotely as approved by their agencies. However, remote employees will no longer be reimbursed for commuting to the office. Story continues We must ensure that state resources are used effectively to serve Oregonians and that our policies reflect the evolving needs of our workforce and the public, Berri Leslie, DAS interim director, said in the governors news release. We look forward to implementing this change and continuing to refine our policies to meet the needs of our state employees, Tracy Loew covers the environment at the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips to tloew@statesmanjournal.com, 503-399-6779. Follow her on Twitter at @Tracy_Loew This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon to stop paying remote employees Supporters of South Carolinas effort to pass a law to hide the identities of companies or pharmacies willing to sell drugs for lethal injection executions are adamant complete secrecy is the only option. The current shield law legislation making its way through the Statehouse gives no opportunity to disclose any information about manufacturers, pharmacists or compounding pharmacies that may provide lethal injection drugs to the state, even through legal discovery or under seal in litigation. However, the department obtained drugs for lethal injection in illegitimate ways in the past. Over a decade ago, when domestic supply of a sedative used in U.S. executions was dwindling, the state was one of several that obtained drugs from an unregulated overseas pharmacy operating out of a driving school in London against federal regulation. Still, state Sen. Greg Hembree (R-Horry), a sponsor for the bill, has told legislators that the South Carolina Department of Corrections will have ultimate responsibility for accountability in the event of a botched execution. Dig deeper: Shield laws havent stopped problems with executions, but they have kept them hidden Bryan Stirling still has to follow federal law, theres nothing in the law that says that hes exempt from federal law, Hembree said at a Senate committee meeting on Feb. 2 about SCDCs director. He put some pretty clear testimony on the record that they were not going to violate federal law. "Director Stirling has testified that the department will comply with federal law as to obtaining any drugs for execution and would not obtain drugs from the so-called gray or black market," SCDC spokesperson, Chrysti Shain, said in an email to The Greenville News. "The department will comply with federal and state law when it comes to obtaining any drugs for execution." But although the amended bill states that no drug shall be used in an execution unless approved by the Food and Drug Administration, in 2019 the U.S. Department of Justice determined the FDA does not have any obligation to regulate drugs for the use of capital punishment. Story continues Alexandra Klein, a professor at St. Marys School of Law in Texas who researches capital punishment, said states have added feel good language in shield law legislation that is ultimately meaningless. The FDA has nothing to do with lethal injection drugs, Klein said about the legislation. A lot of this is papering over fundamental flaws in a process that is only meant to execute more people. Klein said shield laws have created a black hole of information around execution protocols. Its startling the lengths to which states will go to get drugs for lethal injection and escape any kind of oversight, Klein said. This is one of the most intense things the government can do, and they do it without such little transparency. Its very troubling. How SC once got lethal injection drugs overseas In 2009, several death penalty states were desperately in search of drugs to perform lethal injection executions when the only domestic source for a widely used sedative ran dry. Hospira, Inc., a former pharmaceutical company based in Illinois, was the sole manufacturer of sodium thiopental, the first drug in a three-drug cocktail at that time used in executions. South Carolina, like other states, began to inquire overseas. Around this time, pharmaceutical companies began barring their products for use in capital punishment in mass. Hospira announced it would completely halt producing the drug in 2011. A year before, it was reported the Arizona Department of Corrections was ordering the drug from England from a source the then attorney general said was a reputable place. Yet, the official did not name the company at the time. The company, determined as Dream Pharma, was operating out of a driving school in west London and receiving the drug from a manufacturer in Austria. When officials in England discovered the company was selling the drug to U.S. prisons, the country banned exports of the drug. Court records show South Carolina was one of seven states that ordered sodium thiopental from Dream Pharma. "Dream Pharma asserts that selling these drugs was no different from selling a hammer in a hardware shop. The analogy is apposite only if we include one fact the customer told the salesman he planned to bludgeon someone to death with it outside the store, Clive Stafford Smith, a British human rights attorney said according to reporting about the discovery in The Guardian. A sign for the Food and Drug Administration is displayed outside their offices in Silver Spring, Maryland, on Dec. 10, 2020. The head of the FDA announced an overhaul of the agency's food safety and nutrition division. Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023 The FDA initially held imports of the drug upon entry but released the shipments under the pretext that reviewing substances imported for the purpose of state-authorized lethal injection falls outside of its public health mission. The agency was then sued by a group of Arizona death row inmates for violating the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act which prohibits shipments of misbranded and unapproved drugs from entering the U.S. Sodium thiopental was never FDA approved for imports, nor was Dream Pharma a registered foreign drug establishment. A federal judge ruled in favor of the condemned men, determining the agency has a duty to all consumers at risk of expired, contaminated or counterfeit foreign products. In the final analysis, the FDA appears to be simply wrapping itself in the flag of law enforcement discretion to justify its authority and masquerade an otherwise seemingly callous indifferent to health consequences of those imminently facing the executioners needle. How utterly disappointing! the judges memorandum stated. Emails obtained and provided in the court records show officials with the South Carolina Department of Corrections desperately inquiring about the shipments from Dream Pharma in late 2010. The FDA imposed delay is an increasing concern to us. Is there anyone who can give us a reasonable explanation for the FDAs decision to stop the shipment to South Carolina. For the FDA to stop the shipment and then refuse to communicate the reason for its decision is unconscionable, former SCDC director of health services, John Solomon, wrote to an FDA investigator, according to the records. During the legal battle against the FDA, the Drug Enforcement Agency seized shipments of the drug from other state corrections departments. South Carolina relinquished its supply in 2011 before the states last execution to date. In May 2011, South Carolina executed Jeffrey Motts the day following his 36th birthday after he requested all outstanding appeals of his case be dropped. Motts was sentenced to death after the murder of his cellmate in 2005 at Perry Correctional Institution where he was serving two life sentences for a 1995 double murder in Spartanburg County. Without sodium thiopental, the state used a new three-drug cocktail, replacing the sedative with pentobarbital. After more than a decade, pentobarbital is now a common sedative used in lethal injection executions, though as history repeats itself, has become increasingly more difficult to obtain. The case against SC's death penalty: Does it violate the state's constitution? This undated file photo provided on July 11, 2019, by the South Carolina Department of Corrections shows the new death row at Broad River Correctional Institution in Columbia, S.C. Are there any safe ways to get lethal injection drugs? As more states introduce shield laws to veil protocols for how executions are carried out, information about how drugs are obtained for lethal injections becomes more sparse, creating concerns about efficacy and safety. South Carolinas proposed legislation provides language to loosen some licensing regulations from the department of health and environmental control (DHEC) and the state Board of Pharmacy in order to obtain drugs for lethal injection, but federal oversight is already lenient. In 2019, the U.S. DOJ issued an opinion stating that the FDA is not subject to regulate drugs or devices intended for use for capital punishment under the FDCA. Congress has repeatedly authorized the death penalty on the assumption that there are lawful means to carry it out, but the regulation of such articles under the FDCA would effectively require their prohibition because they could hardly be found safe and effective for such an intended use, the opinion said. Similar to other death penalty states, South Carolina officials have proposed the use of compounding pharmacies, or a pharmacy that customizes drugs that are not mass manufactured. These pharmacies are also not FDA approved. In some cases, the use of compounding pharmacies has already created concerns around expired products. Dozens of global healthcare companies have released public statements against the use of their products in capital punishment. Several national healthcare associations, like the American Pharmacists Association, have spoken out about pharmacists participating in executions. ...Such activities are fundamentally contrary to the role of pharmacists as providers of healthcare, the APA said in a 2015 statement. The lack of participation from medical experts in establishing protocols for state executions has allowed legislators to essentially build the plane as they fly it. Legislators dont have the expertise, and so some of this stuff starts to look experimental, Klein said. Kathryn Casteel is an investigative reporter with The Greenville News and can be reached at KCasteel@gannett.com or on Twitter @kathryncasteel. This article originally appeared on Greenville News: SC obtained execution drugs overseas. Shield law may hinder accountability Golden Agri-Resources was recognised at the 8 th Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards (ASRA) The integrated agribusiness won Gold for Asia's Best Supply Chain Reporting and Silver for Asia's Best Environmental Reporting Awards acknowledge the company's continued commitment to upholding and advancing sustainability standards in the palm oil sector SINGAPORE, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Golden Agri-Resources (GAR) has been recognised with a Gold award in the Asia's Best Supply Chain Reporting category at the 8th Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards (ASRA). The award, for the company's Sustainability Report 2021 , is a testament to GAR's sustainability commitment and its efforts to address material sustainability issues. GAR also received the Silver award in the Asia's Best Environmental Reporting category. The company was nominated in two other categories: Asia's Best SDG Reporting and Asia's Best Community Impact Reporting. Anita Neville, Chief Sustainability and Communications Officer at GAR, stated, "Transparency and accountability are the building blocks for upholding sustainability standards across the palm oil supply chain. It's important that we can give our customers, consumers and partners a clear and comprehensive view of what we're doing to tackle risks in core areas such as deforestation, conservation, environmental management and social issues. Golden Agri-Resources is proud of the work we've done to advance this agenda and are honoured that this work has been recognised by the ASRA." Judging for the Asia's Best Supply Chain Reporting category focused on transparent and comprehensive supply chain disclosure, including specific steps taken to engage and measure suppliers' performance against defined standards. To date GAR has achieved 98% Traceability to the Plantation (TTP), enabling the company to provide detailed information on the deforestation-free status of its palm products. GAR has worked extensively across its own operations and with suppliers to ensure compliance with No Deforestation, Peat or Exploitation (NDPE) commitments using the NDPE-IRF framework. Story continues In the Asia's Best Environmental Reporting category, priority was placed on demonstrating the strategic importance of environmental initiatives to the business and to stakeholders, backed up by clear targets and performance indicators. Conservation of High Carbon Stock (HCS) and High Conservation Value (HCV) forest is a major initiative for GAR, which has preserved 79,900 ha on its own plantations, in addition to collaborating with communities to conserve 43,000 ha, and supporting suppliers to conserve 117,000 ha. The virtual awards ceremony, which took place on 30 March 2023, began with an opening address by H.E. Ms Kara Owen, the British High Commissioner to Singapore. The awards were presented by Tom Moody, Regional Director, South East Asia for Climate and Energy, Charis Yeap, Regional Lead for Green Finance at the British High Commission in Singapore, and Elaine Cohen, a well-respected sustainability reporting expert and a member of the ASRA judging panel. Rajesh Chhabara, the founder of ASRA and Managing Director of CSRWorks, stated, "Golden Agri-Resources' sustainability report demonstrates its commitment to high-quality disclosure about how it manages material environmental, social and governance issues, risks and opportunities to create sustainable value for its stakeholders." Sustainability reporting enables companies to assess and communicate their ESG performance, manage risks, build trust with stakeholders, and align their strategies with global sustainability goals. Winning at the Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards is a significant achievement for companies committed to growing sustainably. The rigorous multi-tier evaluation process involves three assessment rounds that select the best in each award category, taking into account companies' reputations among their stakeholders. The awards ceremony was attended by senior business leaders and sustainability practitioners from 16 countries. For more information on the Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards, please visit www.csrworks.com/asra . Note to editors: More comprehensive information on the Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards is available at www.csrworks.com/asra About Golden Agri-Resources Ltd (GAR) GAR is a leading fully-integrated agribusiness company. In Indonesia, it manages oil palm plantation area of 537,697 hectares (including plasma smallholders) as of 31 December 2022. It has integrated operations focused on the technology-driven production and distribution of extensive portfolio of palm-based products throughout its established international marketing network. Founded in 1996, GAR was listed on the Singapore Exchange in 1999 and has a market capitalisation of US$2.3 billion as of 31 December 2022. Flambo International Limited, an investment company, is GAR's largest shareholder, with a 50.56 percent stake. In addition, GAR has several subsidiaries, including PT SMART Tbk, which was listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in 1992. As an integrated agribusiness, GAR delivers an efficient end-to-end supply chain, from responsible production to global delivery. In Indonesia, its primary activities include cultivating and harvesting oil palm trees; the processing of fresh fruit bunch into crude palm oil (CPO) and palm kernel; refining CPO into value-added products such as cooking oil, margarine, shortening, biodiesel and oleo-chemicals; as well as merchandising palm products globally. GAR's products are delivered to a diversified customer base in over 100 countries through its global distribution network with shipping and logistics capabilities, destination marketing, on-shore refining and ex-tank operations. GAR also has complementary businesses such as soybean-based products in China, sunflower-based products in India, and sugar businesses. About ASRA The Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards (ASRA) recognise and celebrate the best sustainability reporting practices. The non-profit awards were established in 2015 with the aim of promoting transparency and accountability in business practices in the region. The awards have become a prestigious platform for companies to showcase their sustainability commitment and are highly regarded by the sustainability community in Asia. For the full list of winners, visit www.csrworks.com/asra About CSRWorks CSRWorks International is a Singapore-based sustainability firm that provides advisory, training, and thought leadership services. CSRWorks has created the Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards (ASRA) to identify and honour sustainability reporting leaders. ASRA is organised alongside the Asia Integrated Reporting Awards (AIRA). CSRWorks is a global training partner of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), IFRS Foundation, EcoVadis, and AccountAbility (AA1000). For more information, please visit www.csrworks.com . Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/golden-agri-resources-recognised-with-two-awards-for-sustainability-reporting-excellence-301790580.html SOURCE Golden Agri-Resources White balloons were the main decoration at the Olympic gymnasts pre-wedding celebration. Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images From her wedding dress shopping journey to her bachelorette party in Belize, Simone Biles has taken her fans along for the ride while the bride-to-be gets ready to say I do to Jonathan Owens. On April 4, 2023, the professional gymnast gave her followers an inside look at another pre-wedding event: her bridal shower. On Cloud 9 BRIDAL SHOWER, she writes. Feeling so loved & blessed. The Olympic gold medallist is sharing the details behind the celebration by uploading a carousel of photos captured by Rachel Taylor Photography. Based on the images, the future wifes vision appears to recreate a cloud, which was accomplished with an all-white color palette and balloon installations. One section of the event seems to have taken place in a tent, where high-top tables engulfed in white tablecloths were arranged. Balloon installations suspended from the ceiling like clouds, while more balloons formed a wall. A neon sign with the words, On Cloud 9 Simon Owens, stood in the center of the formation. Related:The 13 Best Bridal Shower Decorations For drinks, guests could grab the specialty cocktail of the day from a mobile cocktail bar decorated with more airy balloons and another neon sign that said Cocktail Bar. According to the photos, friends and family had another option for beverages as well. A mobile champagne cart displayed coupes of bubbly topped with clouds of cotton candy. To accompany the selection of booze, Biles served an abundance of snacks. The food spread was stationed beneath hanging rattan lanterns and adorned with balloons and a neon sign that featured Engaged and a ring symbol. To top off the feast, the bride-to-be chose an all-white cake with a bottom tier that resembled a cloud to create a floating illusion. The fashion was another moment that helped bring the upcoming brides vision to life. Biles wore a white high-neck gown featuring pearl embellishments. She paired her look with white heels and wore her hair in loose waves. Her guests sported blue attire, which seemed to be reminiscent of the sky. In a follow-up post, Biles shared a group photo of her loved ones who attended. The best girls, my day 1s , she expresses. Cant wait to get married with yall by my side!!! Her sister, Adria Biles, was present for the festivities, in addition to several of her close friends. Almost a month before her bridal shower, Biles celebrated her bachelorette party in Belize. On February 28, 2023, the professional athlete uploaded a video montage that wrapped up her trip. According to the clip, Biles and her crew spent the vacation admiring the ocean views, hanging out by the hotels pool, and hitting up happy hours and group dinners together. Thanks @alaiabelize for hosting the most epic bachelorette , she captioned the video. We had a TIME!!!!!!! It was truly unbelizeable. Up Next:The 17 Best Bridal Shower Dresses of 2023 for Brides-to-Be Two incumbents on the Springfield City Council retained their seats, with a former city employee coming out of a three-way field in Ward 4, a state employee winning Ward 6 and a Republican Illinois Senate aide taking Ward 7. Roy Williams, Jr. and Lakeisha Purchase each kept their seats in Ward 3 and Ward 5 respectively, with Larry Rockford winning in Ward 4, Jennifer Notariano winning in Ward 6 and Brad Carlson taking Ward 7. Williams, Purchase and Notariano were endorsed by the Sangamon County Democratic Party; Carlson unsurprisingly was endorsed by the Sangamon County Republicans and Rockford went unendorsed by either party. More: Three Incumbents, newcomer claim victory in close Sangamon County village races Ward 3 Roy Williams Jr. Williams, endorsed by the Democrats, got 54% of the vote to challenger Bill Eddington's 46%, winning by 121 votes in the eastside district. Eddington was a bricklayer endorsed by the Sangamon County Republicans. Williams sought a full term in office after being appointed in 2021 following the departure of Doris Turner to the Illinois State Senate. The president of the Faith Coalition for the Common Good and the Ernie Bankhead Neighborhood Association, he said that his victory will allow him to continue working for the people in the ward, particularly as it relates to the Pillsbury site redevelopment and upgrades to the Poplar Place apartment complex. "Winning again has allowed me the opportunity to see through various projects that I really wanted to get started and get going," Williams said. "I will be around long enough to see a big dent in with (Pillsbury) and the same with Poplar Place. I wanted to be around to see it through." Bill Eddington, candidate for Springfield City Council in Ward 3. With Mayor Jim Langfelder who helped get Williams on the City Council losing tonight to Misty Buscher, Williams is looking forward to helping the newly elected mayor make her transition while also noting that power still resides with the aldermen. "I always was close to the mayor; he was my choice," Williams said. "We didn't win, but he has given us instructions to help make a smooth transition because that's what Springfield needs. Just because she wasn't my choice, doesn't mean I won't continue the hard work for Ward 3. I understand that it's the city council that really makes the difference, not so much the mayor." Story continues Ward 4 Rockford came out of the three-way field with 44.9% of the vote, defeating former Sangamon County Board member and Republican endorsee Jason Ratts by 206 votes. Ratts got 37% of the vote, with local financial advisor David Yankee, endorsed by the Democrats, receiving 18.1% of the vote. Rockford, a retired city employee now working part-time for FedEx, said that his victory showed that the voters of Ward 4 were looking for someone with an independent mind, as Rockford wasn't endorsed by either major political party prior to the election. "Sometimes, they want to hear from an independent," Rockford said. "I'm a registered Democrat (and) have been for many years. I didn't get the endorsement from the Democratic Party, but that's okay. I work for the city and citizens of Springfield." Rockford's win comes in stark contrast to the fate of his brother-in-law Langfelder, whose defeat to Buscher could make one ask about how the relationship between a family member of the outgoing mayor and the incoming mayor who defeated him will go once both are sworn in. For his part, Rockford said that he'll strive to make sure that his relationship with Buscher would be no different than what it would have been had Langfelder been successful yesterday. "We need to come together and work for the common goal for the city of Springfield," Rockford said. "How do we make it better? There's issues on the north side of town. Mayor Buscher sees it (and) she's a northender. I think my relationship with her will be no different than with Mayor Langfelder." Rockford wants to focus on rebuilding the infrastructure in the ward along with beautifying parts of the area, including Peoria Road. "You can't say infrastructure enough," Rockford said. "We all want to add new businesses and beautify the city. Everybody talks about Peoria Road and getting it overlaid and getting it beautified. You got to get all the minds together and work for that common goal." Jason Ratts, Ward 4 candidate for Springfield City Council Rockford replaces John Fulgenzi, who is stepping away after eight years on the City Council. Ward 5 Lakeisha Purchase, Ward 5 Alderwoman Purchase blew out Cahnman by a 70-30 margin percentagewise, winning a full term by 615 votes. Purchase won the Democratic endorsement for the seat over Cahnman, who ran for a Illinois General Assembly seat as a Democrat in 2006. Calvin Pitts, a local electrician running as a write-in, received 64 votes. Purchase, appointed in 2021 to replace Andrew Proctor, said that she was excited to continue the work she started two years ago in terms of continuing to build new opportunities within the ward, such as the MedicsFirst headquarters now based out of a former Shop 'n' Save on North Grand Avenue. "Ward 5 is very unique," Purchase said. "I cover downtown, the medical district and some of the oldest neighborhoods surrounding the downtown area. The infrastructure improvements (there) is such a critical need. That's not just a topic for Ward 5, it's for the whole city of Springfield. The downtown is the jewel of Springfield and the momentum we have is good, but I'm trying to continue to build on that." Purchase is open-minded about listening to what incoming Mayor Buscher has to say about what she wants to do in the community, particularly as it comes to helping support the people of Ward 5. "I think that communicating effectively, sitting down and talking with her to see what her vision is for our community and getting that message out to our communities (is important)," Purchase said. She's grateful for the support provided by the people of Ward 5, enough to defeat someone with wide experience in the city and county. "I'm still taking it in right now," Purchase said. "I'm so thankful and grateful for the residents of Ward 5. When people texted me last night and said, 'You did it,' no, we did it. Each and every one of you put your trust in me to represent you as your Ward 5 alderwoman and I am just so thankful for that." Sam Cahnman Ward 6 Jennifer Notariano, Ward 6 candidate for Springfield City Council. Notariano, a contract specialist with the state's Capitol Development Board endorsed by the Democrats, beat Alyssa Haaker, an attorney endorsed by Republicans, by 379 votes. Notariano pulled 58.2% of the vote to Haaker's 41.8%. Notariano said in February that she admired the work that her predecessor Kristin DiCenso did and wanted to continue doing it as Alderwoman. Alyssa Haaker, Ward 6 candidate for Springfield City Council. "She's done a really good job of staying in touch with constituents and connecting them with services whenever they need (them)," Notariano said. "She's also been a strong voice for the values of this community and for the attention and care that this sort of older urban core neighborhood needs. I'm running because I want to continue on doing her work." Ward 7 Brad Carlson, Ward 7 candidate for Springfield City Council. Carlson defeated John Houlihan by 430 votes, with the Republican-endorsed legislative aid getting 56.6% of the vote to Houlihan's 43.4%. Houlihan was endorsed by the Sangamon County Democrats, where his father Bill serves as the party's chair. Carlson thanked those who helped pound the pavement for him in the months leading up to the election, in addition to those who voted for him to replace term-limited Joe McMenamin on the City Council. "I want to thank the voters (and) my volunteers for having the faith in me," Carlson said. "I think my message of 35 years of experience at all levels of government has worked well and I think I can represent them well at the City Council." He said that the endorsements from police and fire unions, not to mention a smattering of other labor unions, helped provide a boost for his campaign. "Those groups have seen my involvement in the community for 35 years and what I can do for the citizens of Ward 7," Carlson said. More: Election updates: Buscher unseats Langfelder as mayor of Springfield Carlson said that his experience at all levels of government has taught him that his two main tasks in government are to solve problems and answer the questions of the people. When he was campaigning, people told him that they were looking for someone with the ability to find common ground with others and to create solutions for the community, something he feels that he is more than qualified for. "That's what people told me they liked about my record as I walked precincts for five months," Carlson said. "In my day job, we're in the super-minority, so there's a lot of times that we have to work with the other side and find common ground." John Houlihan, Ward 7 candidate for Springfield City Council. As for his relationship with Springfield's incoming mayor, Carlson believes that he and Buscher will work well together, saying that the two are in lockstep on economic issues such as business development. "One thing she talked about and one thing that I've talked about for months is (that) we need to make it more user-friendly for developers to come in, build and develop," Carlson said. "When businesses come into town, we need to walk them through the process, whether it's the electrical or plumbing department. We need to make it easier for developers to re-locate and locate here in Springfield." Running unopposed Five current alderman held on to their seats Tuesday as they ran unopposed. Chuck Redpath (Ward 1), Shaun Gregory (Ward 2), Erin Conley (Ward 8), Jim Donelan (Ward 9) and Ralph Hanauer (Ward 10) each kept their seats without opposition. This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Purchase, Williams victorious; Notariano, Carlson pick up seats Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG Lawmakers and advocates who support opening Pennsylvanias primary elections to over a million independent voters hope the legislature will take action this year, but at least one key senator stands in their way. Pennsylvania is one of nine states that has closed primaries, meaning only registered Democrats and Republicans can vote for candidates during partisan spring elections. This means only those voters have a say in which candidates from those parties will face off in the November election, excluding the 1.2 million people in Pennsylvania who are registered to a third party or who are unaffiliated. (Unaffiliated and third-party voters, however, are still able to participate in special elections that coincide with the spring primary, as well as vote on ballot referendums and other local initiatives.) Good-government advocates and a small group of lawmakers have been trying to open Pennsylvanias primary system for more than 20 years. Though the change has bipartisan support and has gained traction in recent legislative sessions, it has never passed both the state House and Senate. With Democrats now in charge of the state House and new chairs in place for both chambers key election policy committees, open primary advocates have expressed hope that the new legislative landscape could be friendly to their cause. However, whereas the state House stymied the bill in previous sessions, this time the state Senate is the potential roadblock. There have been repeated bipartisan attempts to change Pennsylvanias primary process dating to at least 1995. In recent years, an open primaries measure came closest to succeeding in 2019, when one passed the state Senate 42 to 8. The measure was sponsored by former state Sen. Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson, who was then the chambers president pro tempore and held considerable power. Story continues However, state House leaders never brought the bill up for a vote. The conflict over open primaries often revolves around disagreements over how partisan these elections should be. Advocates for opening Pennsylvanias primaries say that because unaffiliated and third-party voters pay taxes that fund the election system, its undemocratic to prohibit them from participating. They also argue that introducing this new pool of voters to primaries would decrease hyperpartisanship and create more competitive races. David Thornburgh, chair of Ballot PA an initiative by the good-government group Committee of 70 that supports opening Pennsylvanias primaries said both major parties have faced struggles that could be fixed by including independent voters. In the 2022 primary, Republican voters resoundingly chose far-right state Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Franklin, to be their candidate for governor. However, in the November general election, Mastriano lost to now-Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, by nearly 15 points the widest margin in a Pennsylvania gubernatorial race between nonincumbents in the past 80 years. The Republicans have nominated people for statewide office who have performed poorly Democrats have been losing voters in the southwest and northeast, Thornburgh said. If I were in their shoes, Id be thinking about what new and different on-ramps you might be constructing to bring more voters into the party. But opponents of open primaries argue that allowing voters from outside a party to participate in choosing its candidates dilutes the platform. State Sen. Cris Dush, R-Brookville, is one such opponent. Hes also the new chair of his chambers State Government Committee, which any open primary legislation would need to move through. Last legislative session, the panel was chaired by state Sen. Dave Argall, R-Schuylkill, who voted for open primaries in 2019. Dush told Spotlight PA he has no plans to bring up an open primary bill in his committee. Its like having the Baltimore Ravens be involved with the draft of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dush said. Dush is best known for propagating false claims of election fraud in 2020 and pushing for an investigation of that years presidential election. This session, he has also sponsored bills that would require additional election audits and eliminate no-excuse mail voting. State Sen. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie, a longtime supporter of opening Pennsylvanias primaries, sponsored a bill that would have done so last session and says he plans to try again this year. At the start of the legislative session, he and state Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-Lehigh, circulated a memo seeking support from their colleagues for a proposed bill that would allow unaffiliated voters to participate in primaries. It would exclude third-party voters. Laughlin said he has spoken with Dush about the bill. While Dush doesnt currently support open primaries, Laughlin said he thinks popular opinion could sway the chair. Its not that big a deal for most of them, Laughlin said of his colleagues in the state Senate. Cris is a team player, too. I dont believe its a live or die bill for him, he added. This is not a politically dangerous vote for a legislator to put up. No ones going to get voted out of their district for open primaries. Laughlin said hes had support from his colleagues in the state Senate in the past, pointing to the 2019 bill he co-sponsored that passed with 42 votes. He said including independent voters makes sense from a practical standpoint. When you head into a general election, thats typically the voter youre fighting over, Laughlin said. Republicans and Democrats both know in the fall you rely on your base and fighting for independents. Its completely silly to not involve them in the primary process. State Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township, the new chair of his chambers State Government Committee, served for years as the panels minority chair and has consistently expressed support for the bill. Conklin introduced his own legislation that would open the primaries last session and said that he would support the bill again if it appeared in his committee. When asked about its viability in the state Senate, Conklin acknowledged that Dush may be an obstacle. We all have our personalities and backgrounds and views. Sen. Dush is an election denier (but) he gets elected just like every one of us gets elected, Conklin said. Im hoping to be able to work with him. Multiple state House representatives have announced plans to introduce open primary bills this year. In February, state Reps. Jared Solomon, D- Philadelphia, and Chris Rabb, D-Philadelphia, released a joint co-sponsorship memo announcing plans for a bill that would allow unaffiliated voters to participate in primaries. State Rep. Marla Brown, R- Lawrence, echoed that pledge in a separate co-sponsorship memo released in March. Making it out of committee is only one of the first steps for a bill. It must also be called up by the leaders of each chamber, who have discretion about which legislation is formally considered and voted on. A spokesperson for state House Speaker Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia, said it was too early to weigh in, and a spokesperson for state Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman, R-Indiana, didnt comment by press time. If a bill is approved by a majority of lawmakers in both the state House and Senate, it will be up to Shapiro to either sign it into law or veto it. Shapiro has not taken a public stance on the issue, and a spokesperson for the administration declined to comment for this story. Thornburgh said he hopes an open primary bill finally sees success this legislative session and not just because of the new political dynamics in Harrisburg. Theres a presidential election next year and theres going to be increasing pressure and interest to tighten up some of the loose ends in the election process that were revealed in 2020 and I think this very well could be a part of that, Thornburgh said. The tide is coming in again, its reaching higher and it might just reach in all the way. WHILE YOURE HERE... If you learned something from this story, pay it forward and become a member of Spotlight PA so someone else can in the future at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. UPDATE: Rep. Gloria Johnson survives Tennessee House expulsion vote after peaceful gun control demonstration Tennessee State Rep. Gloria Johnson plans to fight back if Tennessee House Republicans vote April 6 to expel her. She has a bigger cause in mind: Stopping mass shootings. Johnson and two freshmen Democratic colleagues are facing an expulsion vote after the trio led protest chants for gun reform on the floor of the chamber last week in the wake of the shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville that killed three kids and three staffers. She told Knox News in an exclusive interview she's exploring all her legal options to continue the fight. I firmly believe we are on the right side of history, she said. Tennessee House Republicans, who hold a supermajority, introduced resolutions this week to expel Johnson, Justin Jones of Nashville and Justin Pearson of Memphis for "disorderly behavior for breaking decorum rules in the chamber. The House chamber and the streets outside the Capitol were filled with passionate gun safety demonstrators from around the state and the country who said they were tired of hearing about children dying. The conversation with Johnson has been edited slightly for length and clarity. Knox News: Justin Pearson is from Memphis. Justin Jones is from Nashville. Youre from Knoxville. How important is it that the whole state was represented in your demonstration? Gloria Johnson: You know what's really interesting is, of course, nobody thought about it at that time, it was spur of the moment. But weve noted this. We came together and there was three of us from three different parts of the state. And we all felt it was the right thing to do. Democratic state Reps. Gloria Johnson of Knoxville, Justin Jones of Nashville and Justin Pearson of Memphis hold their hands up as they leave the House chamber April 3 in the state Capitol Building in Nashville. The people that were there that showed up that day and the reason they showed up were the children who died so that we can put an end to more children dying. Its a sentiment thats felt all across the state. I've gotten so many calls from Republicans today and even over the weekend, that support what we did and support red flag laws and support safe storage laws, you know, common sense gun laws. They fully support it. Story continues It appeared that Democratic leadership, at first, opposed the three of you leading protests. Why? When did they get behind it? They were never opposed. A lot of people interpreted the conversation up front when (Minority Leader Karen Camper, D-Memphis) came up to talk to us, she was frustrated at the situation. She was angry because the Republicans that day were saying they were gonna move to expel us right now. So, she was frustrated and was getting us to move into a private office to have a conversation. It was still recess at that point. But no, they were never opposed to us but they were very upset at the situation that was happening and they were frustrated, but it was not with our actions. What do you say to those who have claimed the protests were not peaceful? That they werent there, thats what I would say. It was the most peaceful protest I have ever seen. I mean, it was toddlers and teenagers. It was a protest of toddlers and teenagers. And the toddlers parents were there. There was one scuffle, one tiny scuffle, in front of a bathroom with a couple of 16-year-old boys. There was absolutely nothing to fear and for the speaker of the House (Rep. Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville) to lie and say that it was worse than the insurrection is dangerous. (Editors note: House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, falsely compared the events on March 30 to "at least equivalent, maybe worse" than the events at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, which left police officers and a protestor dead and millions of dollars of property damaged. There was no damage and no one was injured in the peaceful demonstrations at the state Capitol, according the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Clarifying his comments on April 3, Sexton said it was not his intent to conflate the protesters at the Capitol with the three lawmakers.) If you are removed from your seat, do you plan to sue? If so, talk me through that decision. Yes, we're looking at all legal options, and we have quite a few. There's no question about that. We're going to explore every option because this is just unprecedented, expelled for breaking a house rule that literally, you know, for 20 seconds we were in the session, and they cut the microphone. And the megaphone did not come out until they cut the microphone and called for a recess. They are doing this because we stood up for dying children, because we are trying to protect the community. The very first action this body takes after a shooting that killed three children and three school personnel, the very first action theyre gonna take is to expel the very people who were speaking out against it Anti-gun demonstrators protest at the Tennessee Capitol on April 3. I firmly believe we are on the right side of history. There was a scuffle on the House floor, according to videos posted during Monday nights session. What happened? When they started reading our expulsion resolutions, the people in the gallery got very angry. So, people in the gallery were yelling fascists, fascists, fascists! The people in the gallery got vocal. And so, they were being taken out by the Highway Patrol. And a lot of people on the floor were filming them So, Justin Jones was standing kind of behind and over from (Rep.) Justin Lafferty (R-Knoxville) and saw that Justin was filming and he just got a screenshot of it. And Justin Lafferty, turned around, shoved (Jones) and took his phone and started waving it in the air. It was just outrageous that Justin Lafferty just went for him. I really feel like they feel entitled. They feel like they can do (anything), especially to these young, Black men. They act like overseers. Its remarkable Not all of them act that way. Some of them are quiet about it, but some of them just dont care. Editor's note: After this story published, Lafferty's office responded to questions from Knox News with a statement. It did not deny the allegations that he shoved Jones and took his phone. Representative Jones came to my desk and as I turned he shoved his phone in my face in a threatening manner," Lafferty said. "I reacted as anyone would. Attempts to characterize this as anything else are misleading and false. The three members who are in danger of losing their jobs are desperate to deflect attention away from their actions. Tyler Whetstone is an investigative reporter focused on accountability journalism. Email tyler.whetstone@knoxnews.com. Twitter @tyler_whetstone. The Tennessean contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Gloria Johnson on the Tennessee House Republicans who could expel her From left: Zachary Amick, Jim White and Brazil Star watch through cameras the nest of American bald eagles near Dublin Road. Wondering what the crowd of people most with cameras are doing standing just on the opposite side of a guardrail along Dublin Road? A pair of American bald eagles are back along the Scioto River in Columbus, just west of Downtown, and they have a new home, according to those who have watched over the years. The pair named Apollo and Annie by the group of people who regularly watch them have a new nest on the south bank of the muddy Scioto, just south of busy Dublin Road. American bald eagles Annie and Apollo and their hatchlings occupy this nest Monday in a tree above the Scioto River near Dublin Road. Joanne Miller of Hilliard, one of those taking photos across the river on Monday afternoon, said it appears there's at least one chick in the nest. "I saw a fuzzy little head," said Miller, 72, who uses a powerful 3000 mm zoom lens to get a bird's-eye view. Sarah Schott, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Division of Wildlife, said on Tuesday that a new photo that Miller posted shows that the nest contains at least two chicks. Joanne Miller smiles Monday as she photographs a nest of bald eagles from alongside Dublin Road. Miller said there's a new nest because the branch holding the nest the pair had in 2022 came down, taking that nest with it. Before that happened, Schott said, two chicks in the nest died, likely from hypothermia. Through observation of the eagle parents, Miller said she could tell that the two chicks had died last year. "The behavior of the eagles changed," she said, including the way they looked down into the nest. The new nest is on the same side of the river, about 100 yards downstream, high in a still-barren tree, making it easier to see the eagles. The watching spot had been in a parking lot across from the Camp Bow Wow dog day care on Dublin Road east of Grandview Avenue. Now, people have set up a little farther east with their cameras, sitting on the opposite side of the guardrail along Dublin Road at the top of a steep hill heading down to the Scioto River. Stuffed animals decorate the wooden guardrail posts Monday near an area where visitors watch the nest of American bald eagles Annie, Apollo and their hatchlings along the Scioto River near Dublin Road in Columbus. On Monday afternoon, Miller, a retired Columbus schoolteacher, was sitting on a bench the eagle watchers have placed along and behind the guardrail along Dublin Road. She said she has been watching eagles along the river since 2017. Story continues People have also brought chairs and put down mulch along paths people walk on. There are displays about eagles in the nearby parking lot along with signs warning visitors that flying drones is prohibited because of the nesting bald eagles and that doing so violates state and federal law. In January 2020, a bald eagle was found dead in a nearby construction site. That was John, Miller said, who had been Annie's mate. John and Annie were named after John and Annie Glenn: John, the astronaut hero and U.S. senator from Ohio, and Annie, his beloved wife. Now it's Apollo and Annie. "She yells at him when he doesn't bring home any food," Miller said. Gary Miller of Hilliard (no relation), a retired state corrections officer, said he visits to take photos because of the thrill of watching the eagles take off and land. "It's something I never get tired of," said Gary Miller, 66, who said he comes to the river two to three times a week at this time of year. Both Gary Miller and Joanna Miller ultimately left the site, but more people came a little after 5 p.m. Monday to watch the eagles. It's a tight-knit group that has a Facebook page, "Birds Of Prey And Wildlife Society," that highlights the goings-on along the Scioto with vivid photography. Kristin Free and Tim Johnston brought their cockatoo, Kooper, with them Monday while they watched the nest of American bald eagles near Dublin Road. Brazil Star said she has been watching eagles from the perch along Dublin Road since 2016. She finds them inspirational, calling Annie and Apollo "our local eagle ambassadors." Star, from the Grandview Heights area, said when disaster befalls the eagles, when their nest falls or if their chicks die, they come back to rebuild their nest and try again to have a family. She said the adult eagles sat in branches for a week after the chicks died last year before taking them out of the nest. The eagles show the way on how to overcome these things, Star said. They also help educate visitors, she said, making them more likely to take care of wildlife. Star pointed to the strength of the eagle's new nest. Despite high winds of the past two weekends with gusts reaching 60 mph, it survived. "I've never seen anything woven like that," she said of the branches of the nest. Schott said a March 2022 census showed there are 806 eagle nests across Ohio. Another count will be done soon, she said. mferench@dispatch.com @MarkFerenchik This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Bald eagles Annie and Apollo are nesting again along the Scioto River Dotdash Meredith and Yahoo Inc. may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Heres all the clothing, shoes, gear, and accessories you need for your first trip to Egypt. Travel and Leisure / Alli Waataja The allure of a trip to Egypt is undeniable; the bucket-list destination is one of the world's oldest and most intriguing countries with an equally rich modern culture to match. Still, Egypt gets extremely hot (were talking up to 109 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer months), and has a predominantly Muslim population, so there are things to consider when curating a packing list as a visitor. You wont want to get caught wearing inappropriate garments or becoming too sweaty to enjoy the experience, so we spoke to a handful of Egypt travel experts to get their insights on exactly what youll want to pack (and other important tips to keep in mind). This guide will help ensure youve got everything you might not have thought about for your trip to Egypt but dont forget your usual travel essentials as well! Its pretty easy to find replacement toiletries or electronics while in Cairo but nobody wants to spend their vacation hunting for something instead of sightseeing. Packing Checklist for Egypt Packing for Egypt takes a little extra planning than, say, Spain or Italy, but with a little thoughtfulness youll be well on your way to an unforgettable experience. Here are all the things you need in one comprehensive vacation checklist. Clothing Story continues Shoes Gear Accessories Many residents of Egypt tend to dress more conservatively and its nice to respect the country youre entering by dressing in a similar fashion, says Jasmine Padda, Egypt Destination Specialist for Kensington Tours. Of course, the standards for tourists are more liberal, the general suggestion is to ensure your shorts/dresses/skirts dont go above mid-thigh, and that there isnt excessive cleavage being shown. Youll also want to prioritize sun protection and breathable fabrics that youll be able to wear comfortably for the entire day. Egypt gets unbearably hot in the summer months but even in the spring and fall, youll easily find yourself working up a sweat as the day goes on. Toomet Women's UPF 50+ UV Sun Protection Shirt Best Long-sleeved Top for Women Buy at Amazon.com Packing a breathable long-sleeved top will likely end up being the most important item in your Egypt wardrobe. Women should plan to dress quite modestly in Egypt but youll also want to ensure the garments you pack are going to be moisture-wicking or youll wind up overheating in the Egyptian sun. This Toomet Women's UPF 50+ UV Sun Protection Shirt is our top pick in the long-sleeved shirt department. Its made from a 50+ UPF material thatll ensure optimal protection from the harsh sun while also providing a very airy feeling against the skin. The loose-fitting shirt is also quick drying so you can easily give it a wash and hang dry in the hotel sink as needed. Price at time of publish: $29 Coofandy Men's Cotton Linen Henley Shirt Best Short-sleeved Top for Men Buy at Amazon.com Buy at Coofandy.com While men have different considerations when it comes to conservative dressing, youll still want to opt for loose-fitting garments to ensure optimal comfort. The Coofandy Men's Cotton Linen Henley Shirt is our favorite short-sleeved top for men due to its versatile style and cotton/linen material. This combination is moisture-wicking, lightweight, and breathable, but the stand collar and button detailing give this option a slightly more sophisticated look than the average linen shirt (which will allow you to style it for semi-formal dinners just as easily as you would to explore the pyramids). Price at time of publish: $30 Amazon Essentials Women's Linen Blend Drawstring Wide Leg Pant Best Pants for Women Buy at Amazon.com While you could opt for jeans or cotton trousers while traveling in Egypt, youll be far more comfortable in something loose-fitting and breathable like linen drawstring pants. The Amazon Essentials Women's Linen Blend Drawstring Wide Leg Pant is a super versatile option that will provide the same breezy comfort as a pair of shorts but will be much more appropriate while visiting the hot spots in Cairo and beyond. The wide-leg pant features four functional pockets and is also machine washable (read: low maintenance). We also like that this pair comes in a huge array of light colorways to help keep you cool even in the baking hot sun. Price at time of publish: $36 iWoo Mens Cotton Linen Drawstring Pants Best Pants for Men Buy at Amazon.com The iWoo Mens Cotton Linen Drawstring Pants are going to be the best option for men looking for a cooling and comfortable pair thatll offer protection from the sun without feeling too stuffy. The linen and cotton blend is moisture-wicking and quick-drying while the relaxed drawstring fit gives these pants a leg up when it comes to all-day comfort during those hours-long guided tours on your feet. This option also has two back pockets with buttons which offer a distinctly more sophisticated look than the average linen pant. Price at time of publish: $32 Simlu Maxi Skirt for Women Best Long Skirt Buy at Amazon.com Skirts and dresses are completely appropriate to wear in Egypt but youll want to look for something that hits below the knee as a more respectful style. The Simlu Maxi Skirt for Women is a great option thatll tick all the right boxes for adventures in Egypt. Its budget-friendly to start but it is also crafted with a comfy (and stretchy) modal material that sits snugly at the hips and flares out into an elegant gathered style that is conservative but flowy enough to get really great Instagram photos in front of the Great Sphinx of Giza. Its available in a wide array of cool colors and prints, including mustard yellow stripes and cheeky black-and-white polka dots. Price at time of publish: $36 Kranda Round Neck Short Flutter Sleeve Smocked Ruffle Floral Maxi Dress Best Maxi Dress Buy at Amazon.com Buy at Walmart.com When it comes to travel wardrobe heavy-hitters, a maxi dress is truly the G.O.A.T. You dont have to worry about mixing and matching multiple pieces its a one-stop-shop that allows you to get dressed and go in an instant. The Kranda Round Neck Short Flutter Sleeve Smocked Ruffle Floral Maxi Dress is a particularly great option for this kind of convenience, especially while traveling through Egypt. The flowing skirt and loose-fitting sleeves are breathable and stylish while still offering a modest silhouette. Price at time of publish: $43 Summersalt The Sidestroke Best Swimsuit for Women Buy at Summersalt.com You dont have to worry as much about modesty if youre staying at a western resort or hotel, but if youd still prefer to stick with a one-piece over a bikini in this case, were pretty fond of the Sidestroke bathing suit by Summersalt. It packs comfy-yet-flattering compression and a unique one-shoulder design that is both stylish and still efficient for swimming laps (or just lounging by the pool). We also like that this option is size-inclusive; its available in sizes 0 to 24. Price at time of publish: $95 Lululemon Pool Short Best Swim Trunks Buy at Shop.lululemon.com Likewise, men can opt for whatever swim trunks youd pack for any other resort or warm-weather vacation. The Lululemon Pool Short is our top pick when it comes to a long-lasting and comfortable pair. Theyre crafted using a water-repellent and abrasion-resistant fabric which means theyll dry quickly once youre out of the water and they also wont get banged up with regular use. We also really like that these swim trunks are made using more than 80 percent recycled materials, including recycled nylon and recycled polyester. Price at time of publish: $78 L*Space Sungazer Dress Best Coverup Buy at Amazon.com Buy at Anthropologie.com It doesnt matter if youre at a resort in Cancun or Cairo its considered polite to have a decent bathing suit coverup on hand for moving between the restaurants and interior of the hotel to the pool. The L*Space Sungazer Dress is our favorite swimwear coverup for a handful of reasons. Its a bit on the pricey side, but its well worth it if you want an elegant and long-lasting coverup thatll work just as well (with a tank underneath) at the hotel buffet as it will as a casual evening dress in a pinch. The full-length dress features a deep v-neck, a smocked waist, and subtle side slips for added comfort and visual interest. Price at time of publish: $165 Egypt typically requires a lot of domestic travel to see the most significant points of interest, points out Padda. Air travel is popular to make the most of your time, so try and limit your luggage to one checked bag, or better yet, one carry-on per person. This means being super intentional with your footwear; we suggest going simple with a comfortable pair of running shoes, a sandal, and maybe a pair of evening-appropriate dress shoes if youre planning to attend more formal dinners at your resort or hotel. Lastly, if you plan on visiting a mosque, you may want to pack a spare pair of socks, especially if youre wearing sandals and dont want to be barefoot indoors. Adidas Women's Cloudfoam Pure 2.0 Running Shoes Best Sneakers for Women Buy at Amazon.com Buy at Stitchfix.com Youre going to be on your feet a lot while exploring Egypt so youll want to ensure you have a pair of sneakers that are comfortable and actually broken in. The Adidas Women's Cloudfoam Pure-2.0 Running Shoe are our top pick when it comes to comfy and durable sneakers for travel; they provide superior cushioning and built-in memory foam that protects your feet from impact and the exterior is durable so you wont need to worry about scuffing your shoes while running around. We also like that this sneaker is made with at least 50 percent recycled materials, and comes in a huge spectrum of colors to best suit your style. Price at time of publish: $75 Related:The 10 Most Comfortable Walking Shoes for Women of 2023, Tested and Reviewed Adidas Men's Kaptir 2.0 Running Shoe Best Sneakers for Men Buy at Amazon.com Buy at Adidas.com Likewise, the Adidas Men's Kaptir 2.0 Running Shoe earns our seal of approval for a comfortable running shoe that will keep going from dawn to dusk. The heavily cushioned sole is inspired by runners which means youll be spared the impact that can sometimes irritate the feet and legs when spending a ton of time walking or running. This sneaker also has a comfortable knit upper and sock-like opening that will help protect ankles and heels from irritation and blisters. Price at time of publish: $56 Sandalup Elastic Flat Sandals Best Sandals for Women Buy at Amazon.com Buy at Shop.com We named the Sandalup Women's Elastic Flat Sandals as our top pick when it comes to the most comfortable sandals for women and, once youve slipped them onto your feet, youll see why. The straps are snug so you dont have to worry about them rubbing or sliding around on your feet, and they slip on and off so you dont have to mess around with buckles or ties while on the go. Its also worth noting that these sandals are comfortable right out of the box; no awkward breaking-in period or blisters required this time. Price at time of publish: $30 Birkenstock Men's Arizona Grip Horween Slides Best Sandals for Men Buy at Dsw.com Buy at Comfortoneshoes.com For men (and honestly for women, too), the Birkenstock Men's Arizona Grip Horween Slides are an excellent option for travel. Admittedly, Birkenstocks can sometimes take a little while to break in but once they mold to your feet (while maintaining proper arch support), theyll work for hours of wear. We also really like that these Birkenstock sandals are made from renewable resources including natural cork and latex from rubber tree resin so you can feel good about your purchase. Price at time of publish: $110 Margaux The Demi Best Comfortable Flats for Women Buy at Margauxny.com Buy at Zappos.com A timeless pair of comfortable flats is an imperative part of a smart travel wardrobe. Ballet flats are designed to be both casual and classy which means you can wear them pretty much all day and night without worrying about being too dressed up or down. The Demi Flat by Margaux earns our seal of approval for its adjustable bow and the fact that it is a handmade (and customizable) work of art. The shoe is made in Spain using supportive foam padding that, unlike cheaper flats on the market, will actually provide arch support and cushioning for all-day wear. Price at time of publish: $225 Cole Haan Men's Grand Atlantic Oxford Best Comfortable Dress Shoes for Men Buy at Amazon.com Buy at Dsw.com You likely wont need dress shoes during the day while exploring Egypt but if youre staying at a mid-level resort or hotel you might want to consider packing something a little more formal for the evenings. The Cole Haan Men's Grand Atlantic Oxford isnt exactly a formal dress shoe in the traditional sense and thats why we like it. The oxford-style could really be worn both formally and casually which gives you the flexibility to wear it for multiple occasions while traveling. We also really like that this option is made in the U.S. using a unique cushioning technology for extended periods on your feet. Price at time of publish: $91 There are certain items youll want to remember to pack to make your trip to Egypt as stress-free as possible, such as a portable charger for staying connected throughout the day and ample sunscreen to keep yourself protected from the suns rays. Youll also want to ensure you bring a copy of the prescription for any meditation that youll need while in Egypt. Double-check that any over-the-counter medications you usually pack are permitted in the country as well; the CDC also recommends packing medication like loperamide (Imodium) and ibuprofen just in case. Sony Alpha 7R V Best Camera Buy at Electronics.sony.com Buy at Bhphotovideo.com We know, we know. Smartphone photography has come a long way since the early days of the iPhone and its certainly more convenient than lugging around a huge DSLR and immediately pegging yourself as a tourist. But, trust us, youre going to want to have genuinely high-quality images to look back on after such a bucket list trip. The Sony Alpha 7R V Full-Frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera is our top pick when it comes to a camera that can do it all and is relatively easy to learn while on the go. The mirrorless camera delivers professional-quality images but its surprisingly beginner-friendly thanks to features like adjustable autofocus and artificial intelligence subject recognition. Price at time of publish: $3,900 Related:The 11 Best Cameras for Travel of 2023, According to Professional Photographers AmazonBasics 50-inch Tripod Best Tripod Buy at Amazon.com Investing in a tripod is one of the best ways to ensure youre getting great photos as a solo traveler but its also great for families who dont want to opt for selfies or always rely on a random passerby to snap photos for the group. The Amazon Basics 50-inch Lightweight Camera Mount is a great option when it comes to affordability and ease-of-use but its also super lightweight and not as burdensome to carry around with you. Note that youll want to use your judgment when setting up and taking tripod photos; its probably not the best idea to try this in particularly crowded tourist zones where you could lose your device. Price at time of publish: $15 Anker Portable Charger Best Power Bank Buy at Amazon.com Buy at Anker.com If youre going to be on the go all day and you should anticipate it while visiting Egypt youll want to have more than enough juice to fuel your phone all day long. The Anker Portable Charger offers a generous 20,000mAh cell capacity which means itll charge the average smartphone about five times over. We also really like that this option is compact and has two different USB ports which allows you to charge two devices at once. Its also a relatively inexpensive option compared to similar portable chargers on the market right now. Price at time of publish: $43 La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-In Milk Sunscreen SPF 60 Best Sunscreen Buy at Amazon.com Buy at Walgreens.com Its hard to pinpoint just one item as the essential must-bring for a trip to Egypt, but a decent sunscreen comes pretty close. We especially love the La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-In Milk Body as it wont just protect your skin from the rays, but helps to keep it moisturized in the hot and dry weather at the same time. We also really like that this option is non-greasy and fast-absorbing so you wont feel like youre slathered in sunblock. Price at time of publish: $38 Sawyer Products Picaridin Insect Repellent Lotion Best Insect Repellent Buy at Amazon.com Buy at Rei.com The mosquitos can get pretty rough in certain parts of Egypt (especially at dawn and dusk) so youll want to ensure you pack ample bug spray to keep the pests at bay. We like the Sawyer Products Picaridin Insect Repellent Lotion because it protects against ticks and mosquitoes and the diseases they spread but without the unpleasant odor thanks to its DEET-free, but still effective, 20 percent picaridin formula. (This also means that this repellent is safe to use on kids or those with allergies or sensitivities.) The spray should work for about 12 hours but its available in pocket-sized sprays that can easily be thrown into your day bag or backpack as well. Price at time of publish: $17 for 2 2-ounce bottles Miamica Travel Laundry Bag Best Travel Laundry Bag Buy at Amazon.com Buy at Miamica.com Things get dusty in Egypt, like, really dusty. Youll want to plan to bring a decent laundry bag to keep your grimy items away from your clean clothes until you have the chance to throw them into the wash. Despite the fact that this Miamica Travel Laundry Bag can expand to hold up to a weeks worth of clothing, this option is ultra-lightweight and packs down to next to nothing when its empty. It also has a full zip closure so you wont have to worry about dirt sneaking out and contaminating your clean items. Price at time of publish: $11 There are a handful of accessories that will make your trip a lot easier. The tourist hot spots in Egypt, like any other major tourism destination, can be crowded and prone to pickpocketing so youll want to opt for a belt bag or inconspicuous backpack to store your valuables. Youll also want to ensure you have sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat for protection from the bright afternoon sun. Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag Best Belt Bag Buy at Shop.lululemon.com The Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag is, in fact, everywhere. But its easy to see why. The basic silhouette is easy to pair with just about anything from activewear to streetwear. The water-repellent fabric is designed to last through heavy day-to-day use while the additional interior pockets make it easy to organize and keep track of your gear while on the go. We also really like that this option comes in a huge variety of colors and is easily adjustable to best suit exactly how you want to wear it. (We recommend using it as an over-the-shoulder crossbody with the pouch on your chest for safety and style.) Price at time of publish: $38 Related:The 13 Best Fanny Packs of 2023 Longchamp Le Pliage Backpack Best Lightweight Backpack Buy at Nordstrom.com Buy at Saksfifthavenue.com We never travel without a Longchamp Le Pliage Bag; its really one of the best unsung heroes of an efficient travel wardrobe. The folding style literally packs down into a tiny square when its not in use which means you can easily throw it into your carry-on without taking up any space at all. The Le Pliage backpack is a particularly great option for bringing to Egypt thanks to the lightweight design and durable (and easily washable) nylon exterior that wont get destroyed in the dust or the hot sun. Price at time of publish: $140 Coolibar Women's Aubrey Wide Brim Beach Hat Best Sunhat for Women Buy at Amazon.com The Coolibar Women's Aubrey Wide Brim Beach Hat is going to be your best bet for those hot days in the desert or in the city. The casual sun hat blocks 98 percent of UVA/UVB rays but its also extremely breathable and wont leave your head or hair feeling sweaty. This option is available in sizes small and large but it also has a built-in adjustable fastener at the back to ensure it fits your head perfectly and wont fly off and into the water when youre cruising down the Nile. Price at time of publish: $39 Coolibar UPF 50+ Men's Kaden Crushable Ventilated Hat Best Wide-brimmed Hat for Men Buy at Amazon.com The Coolibar UPF 50+ Men's Kaden Crushable Ventilated Hat is our top pick when it comes to a smart hot weather hat for men. Like the womens style, this option offers UPF protection without leaving your head super sweaty. The ventilated hat is also crushable which means that you can fold it up to pack among your clothing without ruining its shape. We also like that this hat includes an adjustable chin cord to keep it firmly in place even in windy conditions. Price at time of publish: $69 Ray-Ban Rb2140 Original Wayfarer Sunglasses Best Sunglasses Buy at Amazon.com Buy at Sunglasshut.com It doesnt matter if youre planning on staying in the city or heading into the desert youre going to want to have a good pair of sunglasses on hand. The Ray-Ban RB2140 Original Wayfarer Sunglasses are a classic and will work with just about any existing style thanks to the timeless shape and classic black colorway. The sturdy plastic frame feels solid while on the bridge of the nose but is still lightweight enough to wear all day without worrying about irritation on the sides of the nose. Price at time of publish: $163 HappyLuxe Wayfarer Travel Shawl Best Wrap Buy at Amazon.com Buy at Thenxtstop.com Keep in mind that Egypt has a predominantly Muslim population which doesnt just mean youll want to dress more conservatively but also that youll probably wind up visiting a handful of historic mosques during your travels. Keeping a wrap like the Happyluxe Wayfarer Travel Shawl in your bag will ensure you dont have to borrow something while visiting landmarks that require more conservative attire. Its also helpful to keep on hand as a shawl for cooler evenings in the desert or even as an impromptu blanket on chilly flights. Price at time of publish: $46 Related:The 12 Best Travel Wraps, Ponchos, and Blanket Scarves of 2023 Frequently Asked Questions When is the best time to visit Egypt? The best time to visit the destination is October until May as the weather is nice and warm with guaranteed sun during the daytime but a lovely cool chill at night, explains Omar Asem, Travel Director and Egyptologist at Insight Vacations. Of course, the weather can be manageable for travelers year round but it's important to remember the summer months can be very hot. What items are not allowed in Egypt? Its crucial to note that drones are absolutely forbidden in the country, explains Asem. Travelers must make sure all medical drugs in their possession can only be dispensed with a prescription and beware to not travel with any kind of narcotics. How should I dress in Egypt? Female travelers are recommended to dress modestly by western standards while traveling in Egypt including garments that cover the shoulders and go below the knee. For maximum comfort in the desert climate, Asem recommends wearing loose fitting pants and blouses. During visits to religious places such as mosques and churches, women are expected to wear long sleeves and a head scarf to respect the culture and tradition. How can I get around Egypt? Local SIM cards are very handy for using your phone to get around and can be obtained easily at a local shop, however travelers must remember to bring their passport to secure one, says Asem. Cash in small denominations is helpful when doing local shopping or taking a taxi. Its smart to learn some key Arabic words and phrases that can help with communication like shukran (thank you), aywa (yes), laaa (no) and maalsalama (good bye). Traveling with a trusted travel brand allows travelers to let the local team show off the top sights and expert insights while taking care of everything so you can enjoy in comfort and style. With a guided tour, travelers will get up close and personal with the destination with passionate Egyptologists by their side, adds Asem. Cruising around the Nile is a wonderful way to explore the area between Luxor and Aswan with all of its incredible sights from royal tombs to breathtaking temples. Why Trust Travel + Leisure For this article, Kaitlyn McInnis used her experience as a full-time travel writer to curate the best options to suit most needs. She also consulted Omar Asem, Travel Director and Egyptologist at Insight Vacations, and Jasmine Padda, Egypt Destination Specialist for Kensington Tours. Related:The 14 Best Products for Sleeping on a Plane of 2023 Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and well send you our favorite travel products each week. For more Travel & Leisure news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Travel & Leisure. Class of 2024 five-star recruit Ian Jackson is one of four commits for North Carolina in the 2024 cycle and already hes cashing in on an NIL deal that involves the GOAT. Jackson has struck a deal with New York City shoe store Extra Butter to help promote a new colorway of the Air Jordan 1 titled Skyline. Jordan Brand has tagged Extra Butter as the first shop to launch the new colorway as the two sides are partners. The Skyline colorway of the Air Jordan 1 High OG pays tribute to a photo of Jordan doing the Jumpman pose in Chicago with the citys skyline in the background, for an iconic photo. To help promote, Jackson was featured in this video and even a photo recreating the picture: The shoe released exclusively at Extra Butter on Friday, March 31st and features a purple-to-pink gradient color scheme with white and black accents throughout. Jackson wont have to wait much longer to reap the benefits of being at a Jordan Brand school as UNC often receives player-exclusive retro Air Jordans. Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions. Story originally appeared on Tarheels Wire Belize Taiwan Central America (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Taiwan remained defiant ahead of the island president's expected meeting with the U.S. House speaker on Wednesday, after China threatened retaliation multiple times in the past week. Taiwan's president Tsai Ing-wen has been visiting the island's remaining diplomatic allies in Latin America, Belize and Guatemala. The most politically sensitive part of her trip will be the meeting with US House speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles while she transits on her way back home. The visit while important for Taiwan in demonstrating its overseas support is fraught for both Taiwan and the US because China views Taiwan as its territory and treats any dealings between US and Taiwanese officials as a challenge to its sovereignty. Belize and Guatemala represent two of Taiwans 13 formal allies across the world, a number that has dipped as China has put pressure on and funneled money into isolating the island. Tsai's Latin American trip comes just a week after Honduras announced it was cutting ties with Taiwan in favour of China, potentially prompted by a $300m hydroelectric dam project in central Honduras built by a Chinese company. Last week, and again on Monday, China threatened with countermeasures if Tsai met with McCarthy. The Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles issued a statement Monday saying it opposed any any form of contact between Taiwan authorities and the US. The reality and current situation that both sides of the (Taiwan) Strait belong to one China is very clear, the statement said. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said at a daily news briefing Tuesday that China will closely follow the developments and resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it has never been part of China, and that China's recent criticism has become increasingly absurd. Taiwan, the Republic of China, is a sovereign country, and has the right to make its own determination in developing relations with other countries in the world, it said in a statement. It does not accept interference or suppression by any country for any reason, and will not limit itself because of intimidation or interference. Story continues The United States longstanding one-China policy acknowledges that the Chinese claim Taiwan as their territory. However, the US does not endorse that claim and remains Taiwans most important provider of military hardware and other defense assistance. China has repeatedly asserted its claim to Taiwan, though Taiwan maintains its own democratic system of government since the sides split after a civil war in 1949. Keeping up the military pressure, China's Peoples Liberation Army sent 20 warplanes toward Taiwan as well as three warships in the latest round of exercises that have increased significantly in recent years. According to data from Taiwan, the exercises involved the largest number of planes in a week. China regularly sends warplanes around the island and has at times seemingly used the exercises as a demonstration of its ire. Last December, China sent 71 planes and seven ships toward Taiwan in a 24-hour display of force after it expressed anger at Taiwan-related provisions in a U.S. annual defense spending bill. And last year, China responded to a visit by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan with the largest live-fire drills in decades that included firing a missile over the island, which had landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone. The PLAs increased military activity near Taiwan has raised concerns among regional governments, and also drawn greater international attention and rhetorical support for Taiwans defense. US legislators have also started visiting Taiwan at a greater frequency, as anti-China sentiment and concerns over China's strategic position grows in Congress. - Associated Press video journalist Liu Zheng in Beijing contributed to this report. Goodfood Market Corp. MONTREAL, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Goodfood Market Corp. (Goodfood or the Company) (TSX: FOOD), a leading Canadian online meal solutions company, will release its financial results for the second quarter of Fiscal 2023 on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, before markets open. Jonathan Ferrari, CEO, Neil Cuggy, President and COO, and Roslane Aouameur, CFO, will hold a conference call to review the results at 8:00 a.m. (ET) on the same day. Details of the Q2 Earnings Conference Call: When: April 12, 2023, at 8:00 a.m. ET Dial in number: 1 (888) 396-8049 or 1 (416) 764-8646 Conference call replay available until April 19, 2023: 1 (877) 674-7070 or 1 (416) 764-8692 Replay passcode: 463513# To access the webcast and view the slide presentation, click on this link: https://www.makegoodfood.ca/en/investisseurs/evenements The conference ID is 42463513. ABOUT GOODFOOD Goodfood (TSX: FOOD) is a leading digitally native meal solutions brand in Canada, delivering fresh meals and add-ons that make it easy for customers from across Canada to enjoy delicious meals at home every day. The Goodfood team is building Canadas most loved millennial food brand, with the mission to create experiences that spark joy and help our community live longer on a healthier planet. Goodfood customers have access to uniquely fresh and delicious products, as well as exclusive pricing, made possible by its world class culinary team and direct-to-consumer infrastructures and technology. We are passionate about connecting our partner farms and suppliers to our customers kitchens while eliminating food waste and costly retail overhead. The Companys administrative offices are based in Montreal, Quebec, with production facilities located in the provinces of Quebec and Alberta. For further information: Investors and Media Roslane Aouameur Chief Financial Officer (855) 515-5191 IR@makegoodfood.ca Editors note: This article has been updated to reflect that although there will be magnetometers at the Utah GOPs convention in late April, guns are not banned from the event. The Utah GOP will allow guns, but install magnetometers for Gov. Ron DeSantiss (R) speaking event for the states Republican convention later this month. The Salt Lake Tribune reported Tuesday that Utah GOP Chairman Carson Jorgensen said there would be magnetometers at the event as a part of enhanced security for the Florida governor. Jorgensen announced last month that DeSantis would be the keynote speaker for the convention, which will take place on April 22. In the current political climate, we felt the need to be thorough in our security for this event, Jorgensen told the Tribune. Jorgensen also said the decision to use magnetometers was one made by Utah GOP and DeSantis officials, rather than The Utah Valley Universitys UCCU Center, where the convention will be held. The convention center typically bans firearms from its facility, as well as fireworks and air horns. The Washington Post reported in February that DeSantiss campaign wanted weapons banned from his victory campaign event held at the Tampa Convention Center after his 2022 reelection. The Post reported that the campaign wanted the convention center to take responsibility for the proposed ban, likely because it would cause political issues for DeSantis, who is a strong supporter of gun rights. The convention center, which is city-run, ultimately allowed guns in accordance with state law that allows concealed firearms to be brought inside unless its a gun-free event. DeSantis signed legislation Monday that allows Florida residents to carry a concealed weapon without a permit in his latest action on gun rights. The law, which will take affect July 1, will not require residents to go through a background check or through training in order to carry a concealed gun. Story continues The Hill has reached out to DeSantiss office for comment. Updated 1:21 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, BGR may receive an affiliate commission. The 3-episode Norwegian Netflix series War Sailor, which is currently one of the most-watched shows in the US on the streaming giant, is a World War II epic with an unusual provenance. Given that the series tile inside the Netflix app includes a red letter N in the top corner, most people would probably assume this show based on true stories of Norwegian sailors during and after WWII is a quote-unquote Netflix series. In point of fact, though, the streamers version of War Sailor is actually a re-edited version of writer and director Gunnar Vikenes 150-minute movie that hit theaters last year. Re-edited, and also chopped up into three separate episodes. Today's Top Deals War Sailor: first a movie, and now a hit show on Netflix Given that it had a budget of $11 million, that made this title the most expensive film ever made in Norway. War Sailor was also Norways submission to the 95th Academy Awards for consideration as Best International Feature Film (that honor ultimately went to Netflixs All Quiet on the Western Front). Now that the movie has been refashioned into a Netflix series that hit the platform just this week, meanwhile, its currently sitting at #5 on the app in the US for today ahead of more established Netflix releases like Shadow and Bone, You, and Outer Banks. As for the narrative, heres the official synopsis from Netflix: Alfred Garnes is a working-class sailor, who has recently become the father of a third child. He and his childhood friend Sigbjrn Kvalen (Wally) are working on a merchant ship in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean when World War II breaks out. They are unarmed civilians on the front lines of a war they never asked to join. The two men struggle for survival in a spiral of violence and death, where at any moment German submarines may attack their valuable vessels. The war sailors have one goal: To surviveand to return home. Story continues Back home, Alfreds wife Cecilia struggles through the war alone in Bergen. Not knowing when or if shell ever see her husband again, she focuses on raising their three children. Later, in an attempt to bomb the German submarine bunker in Bergen, British aircraft instead hit a primary school as well as homes, killing hundreds of civilians. The news reaches Alfred and Wally in Canada, leaving them unsure if theyll have anything left to return home to. War Sailor on Netflix I couldnt really let go According to Vikene, War Sailor was originally written to exist as both a movie as well as a mini-series. And I couldnt really let go of the initial idea of telling the story in both formats, he said, according to Netflix. When we were editing the feature film, we realized that a lot of the footage didnt fit in the well over two-hour-long feature film. Fortunately, Netflix accepted the challenge, and throughout the autumn we worked on making a three-hour mini-series with several new scenes to be able to show the WHOLE story not just to the Norwegian public, but also the rest of the world. Don't Miss: Todays deals: AirTag sale, $15 Amazon credit, Ring Doorbell deals, $20 Fire Stick, more More Top Deals See the original version of this article on BGR.com A Wichita Falls man who sold fentanyl that resulted in the death of a 27-year-old man in 2020 has been sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison. No caption Lionel DeSaun Henderson, 33, and his former girlfriend, Shameka Tanee Mason, 29, both faced charges in connection with the transaction, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas. In court documents, the pair admitted they knowingly sold counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl to a person who later sold them to the victim. A man who injested the drug and survived said he and victim who died split a pill and told an investigator some of the remaining pills were at a home in Oklahoma. Investigators found a counterfeit oxycodone pill at the house. An undercover agent met Henderson and Mason at Mason's residence in Wichita Falls where the agent purchased five tablets that later tested positive for fentanyl and acetaminophen. A search of Hendersons home recovered 497 tablets that also tested positive for fentanyl and acetaminophen, 1,035 multicolored tablets that later tested positive for ecstasy and multiple firearms, including one that was stolen. Mason has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced in to 24 months in federal prison. In plea papers, Henderson said he had been selling fentanyl-laced pills since March 2020. This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Wichita Falls man sentenced in fentanyl death Jan Hartwig has returned to the ranks of Michelin three-star chefs. The German cook, who previously held three stars as the chef at Atelier, was given the honor yesterday, when the 2023 Michelin stars for Germany were announced. His namesake restaurant, Jan, in Munich, greatly impressed the anonymous Michelin inspectors, who said, Jan Hartwig masters craft and technique to perfection and sometimes dares to do something unexpected. The variation of products and flavors is fantastic. More from Robb Report That was the only shakeup at the very top of this years list, as the nine other three-starred restaurants in Germany maintained their ranking. Further down, however, eight restaurants were newly awarded two stars and 34 spots were given their first star. In total, Germany now has a record 334 starred restaurants, putting it in fourth place for countries with the most Michelin stars, according to Bon Appetit. Only France, Japan, and Italy have more lauded establishments. In the two-star category, the recently reopened Alois-Dallmayr Fine Dining, in Munich, immediately received the elevated honor, under the leadership of Max Natmessnig. Elsewhere, several restaurants were elevated from their former one-star status, including L.A. Jordan, Lakeside, and Votum. The new additions were rounded out by Sein, Coeur DArtichaut, Gourmetestaurant Dichter, and Muhle. As far as one-stars go, the first-timers spanned from around the country. In Berlin, the NoName and Bonvivant both made the cut, with the latter spotlighting vegetarian and vegan cuisine. Munster, which is home to the two-star Coeur DArtichaut, saw two additional restaurants earn their first star, BOK Brust oder Keule and Spitzner. Among other cities, Freiburg, Munich, and Cologne were also highlighted for their dining scene. Story continues Despite the many challenges of the current economic situation, the 2023 selection of the Michelin Guide for Germany continues to demonstrate a remarkably consistent quality in German gastronomy. Our inspection team was amazed by the vitality of the 2023 vintage, Gwendal Poullennec, the international director of the Michelin Guide, said in a statement. Local professionals have defied many crises, all the while aiming at offering their guests a consistently high standard. The vastness of Germanys guide is certainly a testament to that. Best of Robb Report Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. HENDERSON, Ky. For several months, the start of construction of a new stretch of Interstate 69 alongside what Hendersonians call the U.S. 41-Bypass has been largely a spectator sport for passing motorists. But within a few weeks, as construction work kicks into a higher gear, those motorists are going to be part of the game and will need to pay closer attention. Driving lanes on a stretch of the 41-Bypass between Kentucky 351/Second Street and the U.S. 60 cloverleaf are going to shift by early May, project officials announced during an online update Monday evening. How will traffic by the I-69 construction change? Northbound traffic will be required to shift left onto a portion of the southbound lanes. Southbound traffic will shift right. There will still be two lanes in each direction, but the lanes will be narrower, separated by vertical tubular markers with no-passing signs, and featuring narrow shoulders. Signs reducing the speed limit to 45 mph and alerting drivers to road work ahead have already been put in place. That stretch of the U.S. 41-Bypass from just south of Van Wyk gravel road to north of Canoe Creek will be a genuine construction zone for the next year and a half. The 41-Bypass carried an average of 33,140 vehicles per day as of 2019, according to the transportation cabinet. A section of northbound and southbound lanes on what Hendersonians call the U.S. 41-Bypass will shift westward from early May through late 2024 to accommodate construction of a new interchange for Interstate 69. The lanes will be narrower than normal and a 45-mph speed limit has been put in place. 'The project is on schedule' The lane shifts will accommodate construction of ramps for a new interchange that, in the future, will carry traffic north to the new Ohio River bridge. The work is part of what is called Section 1 (of three sections) of the long-awaited I-69 Ohio River crossing. Section 1 stretches six miles from the Kentucky 425/South Bypass which currently is the northern terminus of I-69 in Kentucky to U.S. 60-East near the viaduct. Gov. Andy Beshear and other dignitaries ceremonially broke ground on Section 1 on a blazing hot day in late June 2022, and construction started in earnest in August, Emily Deason, the Section 1 project manager for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, said during the project update. Story continues The project is on schedule thats the good news, Deason said. Work (on Section 1) is 20% complete, with 400,000 cubic yards of earth moved and 14 big concrete piers set a few weeks ago for a bridge over Canoe Creek just off the bypass, she said. More: I-69 Ohio River Crossing proceeds to next stage of development Roundabouts are coming While the upcoming lane shifts on the 41-Bypass will be a minor aggravation, far more dramatic traffic changes are coming. As part of a reworked Second Street/Kentucky 351/Zion Road interchange, a series of three roundabouts will be constructed, including one on Second Street between North Middle School and Palmers Market at Kentucky 2084, as well as two on either side of the interchange bridge. Construction of those roundabouts is scheduled to begin next year, after the 2023-2024 school year, and be fully operational by late 2025, project spokeswoman Mindy Peterson said. Deason said the transportation cabinet will launch an education campaign to familiarize Henderson motorists with how to navigate roundabouts, which eliminate stop signs, reduce traffic speed and are, she said, safer. This is going to be quite a bit of an adjustment for the community, which currently has no roundabouts, she acknowledged. Roundabouts, which have existed for generations around town squares in various small Kentucky cities, are increasingly becoming a part of the states landscape. The new I-69 interchange on U.S. 60-East will also feature three roundabouts, including one at Tillman-Bethel Road and two on either side of the interchange bridge. Other work on Section 1 this year will include a rehabilitation of the Kentucky 425 bridge that will require shifting traffic onto the roadway shoulder; construction of the U.S. 41 interchange bridge; the start of construction of the U.S. 60-East interchange bridge; rehabilitation of the Adams Lane and Audubon Parkway bridges; a rerouting of a section of Kimsey Lane into Van Wyk Road; utility relocation; and construction of 175 acres of retention basins to control stormwater and provide fill material the roadway. The Transportation Cabinet awarded a $158 million design-build contract for Section 1 in 2021 to Ragle Inc. and Stantec Consulting Services Inc. A timeline of other changes to come In other phases of the I-69 Ohio River crossing (aka, ORX) project: 2024: Roadway construction on the Indiana side of the river (called Section 3) from existing I-69 south toward the bridge crossing will begin. A contract for that section is expected to be let in late 2023. 2025: Work on Section 1 will conclude. 2026: Work on the Indiana approaches concludes. 2027: Construction of the Ohio River bridge (Section 2) is scheduled to begin, although Peterson said both states are looking for opportunities to accelerate Section 3. Its a priority project for both states. That will include new roadway from U.S. 60-East to the bridge. Kentucky and Indiana last week signed an initial memorandum of agreement to allow preliminary development and financial planning to move forward for Section 2. 2031: Ohio River bridge construction is completed. This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Traffic shifts, dramatic changes coming to I-69 Ohio River Crossing On Feb. 21, Antarctica's sea ice retreated to its lowest extent since satellite records began in 1979. The amount of sea ice surrounding Antarctica has reached its lowest level since modern records began, for the second year in a row. Sea ice is frozen seawater that floats on the ocean's surface around the Earth's polar regions. It forms at much lower sustained temperatures than freshwater ice does, at around 28.8 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 1.8 degrees Celsius). Sea ice builds up during the winter until it reaches its maximum extent, and then melts away in the spring and summer until it reaches its minimum extent. In Antarctica, where summer and winter are flipped relative to the Northern Hemisphere, sea ice normally reaches its maximum extent in September, when sea ice covers around 7 million square miles (18.5 million square kilometers). At its minimum extent, at the end of February, historically only around 1 million square miles (2.5 million square km) remains, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), based at the University of Colorado Boulder (UCB). Last year, the minimum sea ice extent was less than 772,000 square miles (2 million square km), the lowest total since scientists began recording sea ice extent with satellites in 1979. On Feb. 21 this year, that number had shrunk to just 691,000 square miles (1.8 million square km), which is roughly 40% less than the average between 1981 and 2010, NSIDC reported. Related: Melting sea ice could wipe out 98% of emperor penguins by century's end A diagram of Antarctica's sea ice coverage using data collected by satellites on Feb. 21. The yellow line represents the median edge of sea ice between 1981 and 2010. The record-breaking minimum was expected after an extraordinarily hot January, which was the seventh warmest since records began 174 years ago, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "By the end of January, we could tell it was only a matter of time [until the record was broken]," Will Hobbs, an Antarctic sea ice expert at the University of Tasmania and the Australian Antarctic Program Partnership, told The Guardian. "It wasn't even a close run thing." Antarctica's minimum sea ice extent will likely continue to decrease in the coming decades as global temperatures rise as a result of human-caused climate change and more multiyear ice, which acts as a seed for new ice growth, melts away. Story continues Why is sea ice important? Sea ice is crucial for polar predators, such as penguins in Antarctica and polar bears in the Arctic, which use the ice as a platform for hunting. But the sea ice also helps stabilize ice on Antarctica. "Lower sea ice extent means that ocean waves will pound the coast of the giant ice sheet, further reducing ice shelves around Antarctica," Ted Scambos, a senior research scientist at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences based at UCB, said in a statement. Ice shelf instability could, in turn, threaten massive glaciers, such as the Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers. The latter is commonly known as the Doomsday Glacier, which, despite melting at a slightly slower rate than previously expected, is still teetering perilously close to disaster. RELATED STORIES Alarming heat waves hit Arctic and Antarctica at the same time 10 amazing discoveries from Antarctica in 2022 Climate 'points of no return' may be much closer than we thought "If these glaciers begin a more rapid runaway loss of land ice, it could trigger a dramatic increase in sea level rise rates before the end of this century," Julienne Stroeve, an NSIDC senior research scientist and professor at the University of Manitoba in Canada, said in the statement. Sea ice also reflects sunlight back into space, which helps to cool Earth. Lower sea ice levels reduce the portion of light reflected, called albedo, which will further increase global warming. This story originally appeared on Live Science. Spring marks the beginning of camping season or glamping season for some. Yelp recently named the top places to camp across the country, and California has three of the best spots. Yelp released its Top places to camp in the US & Canada on March 27, and campgrounds in Mendocino, Burney and Skyforest were top contenders. To find the top places to camp in the U.S., Yelp said it identified businesses in the campgrounds category. Then each business was ranked based on the total volume and ratings of reviews, along with other factors. Mendocino Grove Mendocino At No. 6 on Yelps list, campsites at Mendocino Grove are more sophisticated than your typical camping experience. Visitors go to this spot to glamp. For those of us who may not be ready to take on real camping, Mendocino Grove is around to give us a smoother intro into the woods, one person wrote on Yelp. The 37-acre campsite is filled with large canvas tents stationed on wooden platforms with heated beds, down comforters and blankets, according to its website. Each campsite has a picnic table, a fire ring and grill for cooking. There are also bathhouses and a common area where people meet for breakfast. The Mendocino Bay overlook is nearby. Its dog friendly, with great amenities bright, sturdy, and clean tent cabins, nice dinner or breakfast spreads, and modern bathrooms/outdoor showers, another Yelp reviewer said. Mendocino is about 200 miles northwest of Sacramento. McArthur Burney Falls Memorial State Park Burney McArthur Burney Falls Memorial State Park is filled with nature-related activities for campers, including hiking, fishing, paddle boarding and catching a view of a 129-foot waterfall. Ranked at No. 7, reviewers said this place in Burney is a must stop. There are few places that I wish I could experience again for the first time but Burney Falls is one of them! What an incredibly beautiful sight, one reviewer said. Story continues Overnight camping costs $35 per night, or visitors can stop by for the day for $10 per vehicle. The peak season for visiting the park is from April through October, according to its website, so some reviewers recommended planning a visit in the fall once crowds begin to dwindle. Burney is in Northern California, about 50 miles northeast of Redding. SkyPark Camp + RV Resort Skyforest Yelp ranked SkyPark Camp + RV Resort No. 9 on its list of best camping spots in the country. The camping area is along California State Route 18 also known as the Rim of the World Highway and it has panoramic views. RVs, sprinters and buses are welcome. Campsites offers full hookups, 50 amp power, water and waste disposal, according to its website. Visitors can also pitch a tent. Stunning views & the perfect place for a nice getaway. This place is loaded with every amenity you can think of individual showers/bathroom, laundry room, community fire pit, one Yelp reviewer said. Skyforest is about 80 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Pockets of wildflower blooms are popping up in two California parks. What to know Best BBQ spot in California? This family-run restaurant is No. 1 in state, Yelp says Three Irish pubs in California are among the nations best. What makes them stand out? The White House announced Wednesday that President Biden will visit Northern Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement before traveling on to Ireland. Mr. Biden will first visit Belfast on Tuesday, April 11, one day after the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, the landmark 1998 deal that ended 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland, a period known as The Troubles. Former President Bill Clinton, who played a key role in negotiating the deal, is also set to travel to Belfast to mark the anniversary, according to the Irish Times. Mr. Biden will mark the "tremendous progress" since the signing of the agreement, the White House said. After Belfast, Mr. Biden will then go to Ireland from April 12 to 14. He is set to visit Dublin, County Louth and County Mayo, where "he will deliver an address to celebrate the deep, historic ties that link our countries and people," the White House said. President Biden holds a meeting with his science and technology advisers at the White House on April 4, 2023. / Credit: Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images "It will be a privilege and an honor for us to welcome President Joe Biden to Ireland, especially as we mark 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement," Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said in a video posted to his Twitter account. "The involvement of the United States and President Biden personally has been essential to the peace process in Ireland from its earliest, uncertain beginnings to the making of the Good Friday Agreement. In good days and bad, the U.S. has always been at our side." Varadkar called the U.S. and Ireland "true partners," noting the Mr. Biden's "special affinity for Ireland." Mr. Biden has Irish ancestry his great-great-great grandfather Edward Blewitt was born in Ballina before emigrating to Scranton, Pennsylvania. Ballina, located along the coast in County Mayo, is now preparing a homecoming of sorts for Mr. Biden. "The visit is going to be unbelievable," Annie May Reape, a local politician, told CBS News last month. "We have a lovely tradition where people like to come and see where their ancestors came from, and now everyone will be anxious to see one of the most important people in the world has a family background in Ballina." Story continues Former President Barack Obama, who also had Irish ancestry, visited Belfast in 2013 and Ireland in 2011. The Trump administration had announced in 2018 that former President Donald Trump would visit as part of a trip to Paris to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, but that trip was indefinitely postponed. Senate chaplain on prayer after Nashville shooting: "There comes a time when action is required" Passage: In memoriam A Passover message: Overcoming a plague of hubris By Stephen Nellis (Reuters) -Alphabet Inc's Google released on Tuesday new details about the supercomputers it uses to train its artificial intelligence models, saying the systems are both faster and more power-efficient than comparable systems from Nvidia Corp. Google has designed its own custom chip called the Tensor Processing Unit, or TPU. It uses those chips for more than 90% of the company's work on artificial intelligence training, the process of feeding data through models to make them useful at tasks such as responding to queries with human-like text or generating images. The Google TPU is now in its fourth generation. Google on Tuesday published a scientific paper detailing how it has strung more than 4,000 of the chips together into a supercomputer using its own custom-developed optical switches to help connect individual machines. Improving these connections has become a key point of competition among companies that build AI supercomputers because so-called large language models that power technologies like Google's Bard or OpenAI's ChatGPT have exploded in size, meaning they are far too large to store on a single chip. The models must instead be split across thousands of chips, which must then work together for weeks or more to train the model. Google's PaLM model - its largest publicly disclosed language model to date - was trained by splitting it across two of the 4,000-chip supercomputers over 50 days. Google said its supercomputers make it easy to reconfigure connections between chips on the fly, helping avoid problems and tweak for performance gains. "Circuit switching makes it easy to route around failed components," Google Fellow Norm Jouppi and Google Distinguished Engineer David Patterson wrote in a blog post about the system. "This flexibility even allows us to change the topology of the supercomputer interconnect to accelerate the performance of an ML (machine learning) model." Story continues While Google is only now releasing details about its supercomputer, it has been online inside the company since 2020 in a data center in Mayes County, Oklahoma. Google said that startup Midjourney used the system to train its model, which generates fresh images after being fed a few words of text. In the paper, Google said that for comparably sized systems, its chips are up to 1.7 times faster and 1.9 times more power-efficient than a system based on Nvidia's A100 chip that was on the market at the same time as the fourth-generation TPU. A Nvidia spokesperson declined to comment. Google said it did not compare its fourth-generation to Nvidia's current flagship H100 chip because the H100 came to the market after Google's chip and is made with newer technology. Google hinted that it might be working on a new TPU that would compete with the Nvidia H100 but provided no details, with Jouppi telling Reuters that Google has "a healthy pipeline of future chips." (Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Matthew Lewis) A woman from Richmond has been accused of firing shots on Berea Colleges campus, according to court documents. Allie Issacs, 39, is facing charges of wanton endangerment, unlawful possession of a weapon on school property and discharging a firearm across a public road, according to court records. She was arrested early Sunday morning behind the Kettering Residence Hall after being found with a handgun and two spent shell casings on campus. Prior to the arrest, police received multiple reports of shots fired in the area of Prospect Street and Kettering Drive, according to court documents. As officers arrived they found an unoccupied vehicle registered to Issacs in the middle of the street on Prospect Street. Officers searched the area and found Issacs in a corner behind the rear entrance of Kettering Residence Hall, according to court documents. She was transported to the Madison County Detention Center without further incident. Issacs was still booked at the Madison County jail on a $5,000 bond Wednesday morning, jail records show. Chinese company Space Pioneer launches the Tianlong-2 rocket into orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on April 2, 2023. The Chinese company Space Pioneer successfully launched its Tianlong-2 rocket into orbit early Sunday (April 2), making space exploration history in the process. The 4:48 a.m. Beijing Time launch from China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center located in the Gobi Desert, Inner Mongolia, represented the first time a liquid fueled rocket has been launched into orbit by a Chinese aerospace company, and also the first time a startup company successfully reached orbit on its first attempt. The Tianlong-2 rocket's name means "Sky Dragon-2," according to a translation. Beyond making its mark on history, the rocket's builder Space Pioneer also known as Beijing Tianbing Technology Co. aimsed to launch a small satellite to a polar orbit around Earth that is in a "fixed" position relative to the sun. Chinese company Space Pioneer launches the Tianlong-2 rocket into orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on April 2, 2023. From this sun-synchronous orbit the satellite, named Ai Taikong Kexue or "Love Space Science" and developed by Hunan Hangsheng Satellite Technology Co., Ltd, will test its remote sensing capabilities. "At 4:48:15 on April 2, 2023, the Tianlong-2 Yaoyi carrier rocket independently developed by our company ignited and took off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, and successfully sent the 'Love Space Science' remote sensing satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 500 kilometers. The launch mission was a complete success," Beijing Tianbing Technology Co. wrote in a press release. According to SpaceNews, Tianlong-2 is a three-stage rocket that is capable of carrying 2,000 kilograms (2 tons) to low Earth orbit or 1,500 kg (1,5 tons) to a 500-kilometer-altitude sun-synchronous orbit. The Beijing Tianbing Technology Co said that the 3.35-meter-wide, 32.8-meter-tall rocket is fueled by coal-based kerosene. This allowed the three YF-102 gas generator engines of the rocket, which had a take-off mass of 153 tons, to deliver a thrust of 193 tons at take-off. Chinese company Space Pioneer launches the Tianlong-2 rocket into orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on April 2, 2023. Related stories: 25-ton Chinese rocket debris crashes to Earth over Indian Ocean Story continues China's latest giant rocket debris crash blasted by US and European space chiefs Another huge piece of Chinese space junk is falling to Earth. 'Here we go again,' experts say "The Tianlong-2 rocket adopts the 'three flat and one vertical' test and launch mode, vehicle-mounted mobile launch, tank car automatic filling, and a self-contained diversion launch device, and can implement liquid rocket launch from a simple cement field, providing a solid foundation for large-scale launches. An innovative model," Beijing Tianbing Technology Co. wrote. Kerosene derived from coal was recently approved by China's state-owned main space contractor the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). China seriously committed itself to the space race in 2014 when President Xi instructed the air force to speed up the integration of air and space capabilities. This sparked the birth of China's commercial space sector. This year could see over 20 private and commercial rockets launched from China, according to SpaceNews. "Getting into orbit is just the beginning. In the future, Tianbing Technology will continue to improve its main products such as reusable large liquid carrier rockets, heavy liquid carrier rockets, and manned space shuttles," Beijing Tianbing Technology Co. wrote. "Advanced aerospace propulsion technology and service solutions, enabling orbital transportation and intercontinental transportation, helping China's commercial rockets enter the era of big payloads and green aerospace so that aerospace technology can truly benefit peoples livelihood and the lives of ordinary people." Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or on Facebook. At regular intervals across the Australian desert sit empty, circular patches. These fairy circles have long intrigued and bewildered scientists. What causes these dusty polka dots? Why do they appear in only some areas? These circles, however, are much less mysterious to Australias Indigenous or Aboriginal people, researchers said in a study published April 3 in the Nature Ecology & Evolution journal. However, previous scientific research on fairy circles did not consider Indigenous knowledge, the study said. Instead, scientists extrapolated from patterns found in the African deserts of Namibia and Angola, concluding that Australian circles were caused by grasses self-organizing while competing for water and nutrients, the study said. Unconvinced by this explanation, a cross-cultural team of researchers and Aboriginal people investigated the fairy circles by studying Indigenous knowledge parallel to surveying the patches. A fairy circle pavement. Aboriginal people refined their encyclopedia and authoritative knowledge when living continuously on this continent for at least 65,000 years, Fiona Walsh, an ethnoecologist and the teams leader, told The University of Western Australia in a news release. Indigenous languages had names for these bare circles, the study said. The Manyjilyjarra language called them linyji, and the Warlpiri language called them mingkirri, researchers said. Linyji are the homes of termites who live underground, Gladys Bidu, an elder of the Martu people and co-author of the study, said in the news release. I learnt this from my old people and have seen it myself many times. Indigenous people passed their knowledge of linyji in oral narratives, artwork, ceremonies and songlines, the study said. We saw similarities between the patterns in Aboriginal art and aerial views of the pavements, Walsh said in the release, and found paintings that have deep and complex stories about the activities of termites and termite ancestors. Story continues Painting titled Watanuma, meaning edible flying termites, by Anmatyerre, Warlpiri and Arrernte man Kaapa Tjampitjinpa. Photos show two such paintings by Aboriginal artists, one titled Watanuma, meaning edible flying termites, and the other titled Flying termite dreaming, the study said. Painting titled Flying termite dreaming by Anmatyerre Warlpiri man, Paddy Carroll Tjungurrayi Simultaneously, researchers excavated 60 soil trenches from four plots of fairy circles, the study said. The samples were taken from two desert areas in northwestern Australia. Walsh described the fairy circles in the release as having a pavement surface as hard as concrete. Researchers using an air blower to better expose the termite structures under the fairy circles. After we dug and then dusted to clean the trenches, 100 (percent) of them had termite chambers, she said in the release. Forty-one (percent) of the trenches contained live harvester termites. The researchers also found that termites and termite structures were much more common under the pavements than in the spinifex grasslands next to them, Walsh said in the release. Part of a termite structure with several chambers extracted from a fairy circle. The teams results further validated the explanation for fairy circles provided by Indigenous peoples knowledge of their environment, the study said. Still, the implications of this research extend far beyond fairy circles, Walsh told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. If there was this much to discover about termites, Walsh told the outlet, imagine what there was to be found about emus, red kangaroos, and a whole plethora of other common species that are deeply important to Aboriginal people. Two new species of poisonous birds found in jungle. They taste spicy, locals say Extinct bison emerges from melting permafrost up to 9,000 years later. Can it be cloned? New spider species with unusual mating ritual discovered by chance in rainforest PROVIDENCE The U.S. Supreme Courts ruling last summer revoking the constitutional right to abortion struck fear in the LGBTQ+ community. They took notice, in particular, to a concurring opinion by Justice Clarence Thomas calling for reconsideration of rulings on same-sex marriage and relationships, as well as contraception. People are going to come for our marriage, said Dr. Beth Cronin, an obstetrician in Providence who is in a same-sex marriage and serves LGBTQ+ patients. If courts challenge their marriage, Cronin worried, what will become of their standing as a family, and as parents. With those fears in mind and given the increase in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and rhetoric nationwide, state Sen. Dawn Euer, D-Newport, sponsored a bill to streamline the adoption process for same-sex couples who conceive a child through assisted reproduction. The measure would remove requirements that a couple post advertisements to relinquish the sperm donors parental rights and undergo a home study, unless the court orders otherwise. Passing this bill will make it accessible for more Rhode Island parents to secure a confirmatory adoption. It is more important than ever for LGBTQ+ families to have access to the legal protections they want and need for their families, Euer said. Roe v. Wade overturned: RI advocates warn 'a close reality that more rights can be taken' But the legislation has a powerful opponent in Family Court Chief Judge Michael B. Forte, who leads the court that presides over adoptions. He faulted the legislation for essentially directing Family Court judges to "rubber-stamp adoptions for people who use assisted reproduction to conceive children; he cast it as an affront to the separation of powers. Adoption is a legal process created by statute to establish the parentage of a person who is not a birth parent. Oversight is vested in the Family Court, Forte wrote the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. The intrusion of the Legislature into the discretion of the Family Court to grant or deny adoptions and to direct the Family Court to issue adoption decrees, granting adoption `pro forma for this population of parents is a violation of the Separation of Powers Doctrine set out in the Rhode Island and United States Constitution[s]. Story continues Euer stands by the proposal, noting that the adoption process itself is a function of state statute and that a Family Court judge would still maintain discretion. As the General Assembly, we are the policy-making body for the state, she said. Huge gains, but more protections needed, advocates say In 2020, Gov. Gina Raimondo signed the Rhode Island Uniform Parentage Act into law. The 45-plus page legislation updated state parentage laws for the first time in 40 years to address the changing ways families are made. It provided an avenue for same-sex, unmarried couples and others who rely on assisted reproductive technology and surrogacy to establish parentage at birth through a voluntary acknowledgment. Advocates say that while that law was transformational, it does not go far enough to secure same-sex family rights, given the Supreme Court ruling and the current anti-LGBTQ climate nationwide. Same-sex families need the protection of an adoption decree in case their parentage is challenged in other states and jurisdictions, they say. The children of Dr. Beth Cronin, an obstetrician and strong advocate for legislation to streamline the process for second-parent adoptions. Here, Juliana, left, and Raven hold Grace and Teddy. Courtesy of Dr. Beth Cronin There is an attack nationwide on LGBTQ+ people, LGBTQ+ families and it has people terrified. Many families want an adoption decree because it allows them to travel throughout the country with an additional layer of security, said Patience Polly Crozier, director of family advocacy at GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders. Crozier told lawmakers last week of an incident in which her own parentage was challenged at an airport and she had to produce a decree, paperwork she said she always carries with her. Under the legislation, the non-birth parent or presumed parent would petition Family Court for adoption with the signature and consent of the birth parent. The process would no longer require notice to the sperm donor, a step that couples have found a great indignity. Also to be waived unless ordered by the court would be state Department of Children, Youth and Families approval, a home study examining the presumed parents fitness, verification that the baby is not a missing child, a criminal background check and a requirement that the parent live in the state for six months. Inside view on adoption Cronin has a true insiders view of the stringent requirements, having adopting two older daughters Juliana and Raven through the state system, a long and invasive process that required classes, training and a home study. I was asked almost every imaginable question about my life over a series of home visits: my personal upbringing, the type of alcohol I drink, and my planned parenting philosophy , Cronin wrote state lawmakers. Given the abuse and neglect many children suffer prior to adoption from the foster-care system, I understood the importance of the process to ensure that the parent or parents chosen will provide a safe and nurturing environment for these children to thrive. But, she said, that same process is completely unnecessary when she and her wife have gone through the intensive process of selecting a donor and purchasing sperm and monitoring ovulation cycles and undergoing insemination, all in the hopes of growing their family. Grace was born in February 2020 and Teddy in May 2022. For most families like ours, this quickly adds up to thousands of dollars, very little of which is covered by insurance. Having parented these two amazing humans over the past three years, much of it with limited help due the COVID-19, the thought of having to adopt them to have all the legal rights of parentage is maddening, Cronin said of Grace and Teddy. Still, she said, securing an adoption decree feels like the only way to truly guarantee her parental rights. While she and her wife have means to cover the costs, many of her patients struggle with the expense of assisted reproduction, only to be required to pay for adoption lawyers while raising a newborn, she said. Its another huge burden to secure their families. It seems unnecessary, she said. Other states take similar steps The legislation comes as other states have enacted similar laws, including California, Colorado, Maryland, New Jersey, New Hampshire and Virginia. It has drawn support, too, from the state affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Resolve New England and Providence Mayor Brett P. Smiley. As attacks on LGBTQ+ people escalate across the country, it is vital that our state does everything it can to protect our residents, while also [demonstrating] that Rhode Island is a welcoming and inclusive place to start and grow a family, Smiley wrote to Senate Judiciary. Passing this bill will make a confirmatory adoption process more accessible to Rhode Island parents and provide them with the security and dignity their families deserve. Senate Judiciary held the legislation for further study, as did the House Committee on the Judiciary with that chambers version. Rep. Rebecca Kislak, D-Providence, is the lead sponsor in the House. Now we need to take this next step to make sure every parent and child can have the security of adoption so they can feel secure if they happen to move or even just visit family in states like Florida or Oklahoma that dont have the protections we have here, Kislak said. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: LGBTQ advocates want streamlined RI adoptions to secure parent rights Harry Styles desire for darker roles reportedly stopped him from becoming Disney royalty. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly for a piece published Tuesday, filmmaker Rob Marshall said that the Watermelon Sugar singer was an early choice for the part of Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid, but that Styles ended up passing on the live-action family film to pursue more dramatic projects. Harry Styles charmed at Italy's Venice Film Festival, where his film Harry Styles charmed at Italy's Venice Film Festival, where his film "Don't Worry Darling" screened on Sept. 5. We met with him. He was lovely. What a wonderful guy, Marshall said. But at the end of the day, he really felt like he wanted to go off and do the movies that he ended up doing, which were sort of darker. Another British actor, Jonah Hauer-King, was eventually cast as the prince in the highly anticipated remake, which is set to come out May 26. The film also features Halle Bailey as Ariel, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula and Javier Bardem as King Triton. Speaking to The Face in 2019, Styles discussed his decision to pass on The Little Mermaid. At the time, he told the magazine that he wanted to focus on [music] ... for a while. Still, the One Direction alum said hed be watching the film, adding that everyone involved in it was amazing, so I think its going to be great. In the meantime, the As It Was crooner has taken a number of serious roles, appearing in the gay period drama My Policeman and the psychological thriller Dont Worry Darling, both released in 2022. While working on Dont Worry Darling, Styles became embroiled in some serious off-screen drama. His romance with director Olivia Wilde made headlines following her split with Jason Sudeikis, the father of her two children. Styles and Wilde dated for two years, but media reports revealed in November 2022 that they were taking a break from one another. Related... [Source] BTS label Big Hit Music has announced that group member J-Hope will start his mandatory military enlistment as an active-duty soldier. The company issued a statement on Weverse on Saturday to announce that no events will be held on the day he enters the South Korean military. His start date has yet to be disclosed. J-Hope will fulfill his required time with the military by enlisting in the army. Please note that there will be no official event on the day of his entry. The entrance ceremony is a time to be observed by military personnel and their families only. To prevent any issues that might occur from crowding, fans are advised to refrain from visiting the site. Instead, we ask you to keep your heartwarming words of support and farewell in your hearts. More from NextShark: Immortal Studios Releases First Comic Based on Legendary Wuxia Authors Hit Series Following Big Hits statement, J-Hope, 29, took to social media and updated fans with a selfie, telling them not to worry. Have a great weekend, and please don't worry too much!!!! I love you, ARMY, he wrote in a post on Weverse. More from NextShark: Hyun Sook Han, adoption trailblazer who helped connect Korean adoptees and families, dies at 83 In February, Big Hit released a statement confirming that J-Hope would be the next BTS member to enlist in the military. He is the second member of BTS to enlist and serve following eldest member Jin, 30, who started training in December 2022. Story continues Last month, J-Hope released on the street, a collaboration with his idol J. Cole. The track was a follow-up to his debut solo album, Jack in the Box, which was released in July 2022. More from NextShark: Velma Season 2 reportedly in development First Lady Jill Biden will be in Vermont on Wednesday, April 5. Her travels take her to stops in Colorado, Michigan, Maine, and Vermont as part of the Biden-Harris Administration's Investing in America Tour. Biden is expected to talk about how her husband, President Joe Biden's, economic policies benefit working Americans. Before making her way to Vermont in the afternoon, Biden's plans are to speak at Southern Maine Community College in South Portland in the morning. Jill Biden is not the first first lady to make it to the Green Mountain State. She is in the company of some recent and historical first ladies who have visited or had ties to Vermont. Here's what we know about Jill Biden's visit. President Joe Biden talks with Rolling Fork, Miss., Mayor Eldridge Walker, right, as he and first lady Jill Biden arrive to survey the damage after a deadly tornado and severe storm moved through the area in Rolling Fork, Miss., Friday, March 31, 2023. First Lady Biden's Schedule in VT First Lady Biden's plane is expected to arrive around 1:30 p.m. at Burlington International Airport. At 2 p.m. she is due to speak at BETA Technologies, an electric aircraft company based at the South Burlington airport. Beta in the news: Beta building a second, fixed-wing electric aircraft for cargo and passengers She will be accompanied by U.S. Secretary of Education, Miguel Cordona, and the two will join Gov. Phil Scott for a private appearance with select stakeholders and media in attendance. What Jill Biden will be talking about A community college professor with a doctorate in educational leadership, First Lady Biden is expected to speak on topics aligning with her personal and professional interests. She and Cordona plan to present how investing in career-connected learning and workforce training programs at the high school and community college level can shore up the workforce through creating high paying jobs in emerging industries. This is one of the initiatives central to the Biden Education Pathway. BETA was chosen as a host for its role creating jobs in the electric aerospace and clean energy industries. Speakers are also expected to talk about the investment of federal and state funds into career and technical programs focused on electric vehicles. Contact reporter April Barton at abarton@freepressmedia.com or 802-660-1854. Follow her on Twitter @aprildbarton. This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: First Lady Jill Biden visits Vermont. Her schedule and talking points. A woman walks past a coronavirus-themed mural on a street amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease in Kolkata, India on Apr. 2 Credit - Sudipta Das/NurPhotoGetty Images The World Health Organization (WHO) is monitoring a new COVID-19 subvariant called XBB.1.16, which has been circulating throughout India for a few months and is causing a new surge of cases there. The Times of India reported on Apr. 3 that more than 3,600 new COVID cases had been recorded in the country since the previous day, marking Indias largest single-day jump in case numbers in more than six months. In India, XBB.1.16 has replaced the other variants that are in circulation, said Maria Van Kerkhove, WHOs COVID-19 technical lead, during a Mar. 29 press conference. So this is one to watch. XBB.1.16 is one of more than 600 Omicron subvariants that are currently circulating, according to WHO. Its similar to the XBB.1.5 variant that has dominated the U.S. throughout 2023 but is distinguished by a mutation in the spike protein that may give it some additional growth advantages, says Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of the Texas Childrens Hospital Center for Vaccine Development. In lab studies, this additional mutation shows increased infectivity, as well as potential increased pathogenicity, Van Kerkhove said. It has potential changes that we need to keep a good eye out on. So far, XBB.1.16 has been found primarily in India and Nepal, where at least 10 cases were confirmed on Apr. 3. But, as weve seen with past variants, things can change quickly, Hotez says. Take XBB.1.5, which accounted for less than a quarter of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. going into late December last year. Over the ensuing week, XBB.1.5 became the dominant variant, says Hotez. If the new variant reaches the U.S., the question is whether XBB.1.16 is going to do the same, or whether the two are [closely related] enough. More from TIME Read More: Why New COVID-19 Variants Have Such Confusing Names Story continues Still, a new varianteven one ratcheting up case numbersis not by itself cause for alarm. We havent seen a change in severity in individuals or in populations, Van Kerkhove said. Despite the increase in cases, reported hospitalizations and deaths in India have remained low, says Dr. Monica Gandhi, associate division chief at UC San Franciscos Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, and Indian health officials have responded to the new dominant variant by recommending additional boosters for people over 65 or who are immunocompromised and otherwise vulnerable. Right now, many countries have high population level immunity, so boosting those who are vulnerable at the outset of a wave of cases is a reliable and repeatable strategy, she says. Any new subvariant of Omicron, its not fazing us, Gandhi says. It doesnt change [the WHOs] baseline recommendation, which is to boost older and vulnerable people. There is a possibility that we get really unlucky and we get a worse variant, and then we would boost everyone, but the reason that we know this is not what XBB.1.16 is is that its causing the expected rise in cases without a high rise in hospitalizations. Its been a year since WHO released their plan for how the world will get out of the emergency phase of the pandemic, which included three possible paths. Even with the emergence and spread of variants like XBB.1.16, Gandhi says that the world is still on the best-case scenario path, in which new variants continue to appear but dont cause outbreaks with high occurrences of severe disease and hospitalizations. Though XBB.1.16 is not currently among the Omicron variants accounting for U.S. infections, Hotez believes its time for public health officials to consider authorizing another booster for vulnerable populations who were among the first to receive the bivalent boosters back in September 2022. Im a little puzzled about why weve not heard from the FDA or CDC about that, he says. As the virus continues to evolve, Hotez is most concerned about the dismantlement of independent tracking efforts that the U.S. has relied on to spot and monitor new variants before they become dominant. I think were letting our guard down, he says. (Bloomberg) -- Rajiv Jain, one of the biggest names in emerging-market investing, cut across the grain last month when he bought almost $2 billion worth of Adani Group stock. Most Read from Bloomberg Now, the chief investment officer of GQG Partners Inc. has grand predictions for his bet on the embattled Indian conglomerate: a return in excess of 100%. These could be multibaggers over five years, Jain said in an interview at Bloombergs New York headquarters. The term comes from mutual fund manager Peter Lynchs book and describes an investment that could at least double. The Florida-based firm has become the highest-profile champion of billionaire Gautam Adanis battered empire. The Adani Group lost as much as $153 billion in market value after a US short-seller accused the conglomerate of stock-price manipulation and fraud in a report released earlier this year. Pushed Back But those allegations, which the Adani Group denies, havent deterred Jain. The veteran investor, whos of Indian origin but works from Fort Lauderdale, has often pushed back against what he calls comfort investing making decisions by committee rather than taking risks on undervalued public shares. Jain said the Adani Groups value lies in its assets. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis government is looking at tycoons like Adani at one point Asias richest man to improve the nations infrastructure and lure manufacturing from places like China. Many of the Adani Groups projects are tethered to Indias development goals, and cut across multiple sectors of the economy. In particular, Jain pointed to Adanis coal mining assets, his data centers and his majority stake in Mumbais busy international airport as signs of a healthy business. Story continues We believe the airport itself could be worth more than the company, Jain told Bloomberg, noting that the land alone stretches across some of Asias most expensive urban real estate. GQG has a diverse portfolio. The firm oversees more than $90 billion, with investments in industries like oil, tobacco and banking. In a wide-ranging interview, Jain said he wasnt fazed after a Jan. 24 report from Hindenburg Research detailed fraud across the Adani Group accusing the conglomerate of pulling the largest con in corporate history. In March, GQG acquired shares in four of Adanis firms from a family trust. He has expressed interest in exploring increasing GQGs stake over time. Look Messy The Hindenburg report read like a 10-year-old newspaper, Jain said. Though the allegations might look messy from a Western point of view, he said, theyre perhaps less problematic in the Indian business context. Over a 30-year investment career, Ive yet to come across a perfect company, Jain said. That view is a motivating principle for other investments. In the interview, Jain was similarly optimistic about Latin America and companies like Petroleo Brasileiro SA, the large oil driller thats come under pressure after a change of leadership in Brazil. Chinas state-owned enterprises are another favorite, he said. One of Hindenburgs allegations is that by using a labyrinth of offshore accounts connected to the family, the group skirted Securities and Exchange Board of India requirements that public shareholders own at least 25% of a stock. Adani has denied the claims. One of the issues raised was that he owns more than 75% of the company, right? And let me ask you in real simple English, is that fraud? Jain said. Is it not disclosed properly? Yeah, its some of that, you could argue that, but is it fraud? --With assistance from Ye Xie. (Updates throughout with more details from the interview.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is set to welcome Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen in California on Wednesday, in a high-profile and high-stakes meeting that will feature both Republicans and Democratic lawmakers showing support for the democratic island. McCarthy will host a meeting with Tsai at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. The Taiwanese president is transiting through Los Angeles on her way back to Taiwan from official diplomatic engagements in Central America. The transiting label is a careful exercise in allowing high-level meetings between the Taiwanese president and U.S. lawmakers that falls below the threshold of official engagement that is a red line for Beijing. Joining McCarthy in California are more than a dozen Republican and Democratic lawmakers. This includes the top Republican and Democratic lawmakers on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, Chairman Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) The committee was established by McCarthy and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) at the start of the 118th Congress as an effort to chart the way forward on Washingtons policy towards Beijing, and to identify key areas of risk in American ties with China. McCarthy also invited Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), the Democratic Caucus Chair, a member of House Democratic leadership, to attend the meeting in California. Other attendees include Reps. Jason Smith (R-Mo.), chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means; Julia Brownley (D-Calif.); John Curtis (R-Utah); Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.); Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa); Trent Kelly (R-Miss.); John Moolenaar (R-Mich.); Seth Moulton (D-Mass.); Adrian Smith (R-Neb.); Michelle Steel (R-Calif.); Haley Stevens (D-Mich.); Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.); Rob Wittman (R-Va.) and Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.). The Chinese government in Beijing has reacted harshly to Tsais travel and the expected meeting with McCarthy, viewing the high-level engagement as a threat to its claims of sovereignty over the self-governed, democratic island. Story continues The Chinese side will closely monitor the situation as it develops and resolutely defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters on Tuesday. Tsai visited New York last week, ahead of her trips to Guatemala and Belize, where she reportedly met with House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), and Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.). The senators are all members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Tsais transit through the U.S. is her seventh such trip since she was elected president in 2016. The Biden administration has characterized her trip as private travel and said there is nothing unusual about her stopovers, and warned China off of overreacting and carrying out harsh retaliation measures. In August, China reacted harshly to a visit by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to Taiwan by carrying out large-scale, live-fire military exercises and war games in six areas surrounding Taiwan and that included missile launches over the island. The Chinese also cut off specific diplomatic channels of communication with the U.S. in retaliation for the visit. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Israels Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai is under fire for his leaked comments saying Arabs have muderous nature (AFP via Getty Images) Israels police chief is facing calls to be sacked after he was heard saying Arabs in the country have murderous nature in a leaked recording. Israeli police commissioner Kobi Shabtai allegedly made the racist remark in a private meeting with far-right national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir last week. During the meeting, Mr Ben Gvir was seeking to understand the record-high crime rates in Arab communities of the country and said they need a strong national guard to combat the issue. One murder after another. It has crossed every line. We need a strong national guard, Mr Ben Gvir was quoted as saying in the transcript of their leaked conversation by Channel 12 on Tuesday. The police chief responded: Mr minister, there is nothing that can be done. They kill each other. That is their nature. That is the mentality of the Arabs. The leaked conversation comes amid a growing dispute between the two after Israeli governments approval to form a national guard which would operate under Mr Ben Gvirs ministry. However, opponents, including the police chief and opposition party leaders, have warned against it, saying it will function as a "private militia" of Mr Ben Gvir, leader of the far-right Jewish Power party. The controversial leader who was given the national security ministers portfolio in Benjamin Netanyahus cabinet was convicted in 2007 of racist incitement against Arabs and backing a group considered by Israel and the US to be a terrorist organisation. File Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir arrives for a cabinet meeting (EPA) He has been charged more than 50 times on allegations of incitement to violence or hate speech. The police chiefs office said the remarks were taken out of context from a private conversation and expressed shock that the conversation was leaked. However, the statement did not seek to retract or apologise for Mr Shabtais comments. "The police are shocked that the minister and his office are recording personal conversations between the minister and the chief, and are outraged that things were taken out of context in a conversation that dealt with behavior patterns in Arab society that does not reveal the identity of the murderers even when it is known to the relatives of the victims, the statement said. Story continues This conduct calls into question the ability of the police to report to the minister without fearing the disclosure of sources and the distortion of the conversations," said the police. Israeli security forces remove Palestinian Muslim worshippers sitting on the grounds of the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem (AFP via Getty Images) The comments have sparked outrage, with opposition party members calling for Mr Shabtais resignation. Ayman Odeh, chair of the Joint List party, said: The number of Palestinians killed in [criminal incidents in] Israel is seven times higher than the number of Palestinians killed [in criminal incidents] in the West Bank, Gaza and Jordan. This is not the nature of the Palestinians, it is the nature of the racist establishment, he said, adding that racist commissioner like Shabtai should be sacked. Mansour Abbas, deputy speaker of the Knesset and chair of the United Arab List, said the commissioner should apologise and retract his obscene remarks about Arab society and the prime minister should condemn the remarks. I expect the police commissioner to retract his obscene remarks about Arab society and apologize to the Arab public or resign from his position, he said. Lawmaker Waleed Alhwashla of the United Arab List said Mr Shabtai is descending into the abyss of racism and prejudice, and this is without regard to the fact that the statement, in itself, is a form of embezzlement. The controversial comments against Palestinians come amid a wave of rising violence in the country between Israeli police force and Palestinian youths, sparking confrontation with Gaza militants. Israeli police stormed into the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalems Old City early Wednesday as Muslims marked holiday month of Ramadan and Jews prepared to begin the Passover festival. Around 14 people were injured after police fired stun grenades and rubber bullets following a pre-dawn raid. The clashes prompted Hamas to fire nine rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel, setting of alert sirens near Sderot. A 22-year-old man faces charges after police said he tried to carjack two vehicles Tuesday evening in Newark, including an unmarked police vehicle being driven by an off-duty officer. The man, a Newark resident, remained at Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on Wednesday afternoon after failing to post a $5,000 bail. What happened during the incidents? The incidents began about 8:40 p.m. Tuesday when police said a man approached an occupied vehicle and opened the car door, ordering the person inside to get out while also forcibly trying to remove him from the vehicle. The car occupant was able to get the person off him, lock his doors and call police, who met them in the first block of E. Main St. Minutes later, investigators said an off-duty Newark officer was driving an unmarked police vehicle and stopped on East Main Street a few yards away from the first incident. That's when police said a man came up to his vehicle, opened the door and ordered the off-duty officer to get out of the vehicle. The man fled after the off-duty officer identified himself as police. The off-duty officer chased him and with the assistance of other officers, the man was taken into custody without incident. The man was also identified as being involved in the first attempted carjacking, police said. Carjacking trends in Delaware, nationwide The incident comes within a week of a series of carjackings in Delaware, including two near the Delaware State Police's Prices Corner troop that ended in chases onto I-95. On March 28, a 30-year-old woman carjacked another woman outside a Prices Corner drug and alcohol rehabilitation center, then led police in a car chase that ended in Pennsylvania with officers there using their vehicles to stop her. Then on Monday, what started as a carjacking in the Prices Corner Shopping Center turned into a car chase that ended in gunfire on I-95. Background: More: Carjacking outside Prices Corner rehab center leads to police chase into Pennsylvania Story continues More: Carjacking in Prices Corner ends with gunfire on I-95 near Brandywine Hundred Motor vehicle thefts and carjackings have been steadily rising for several years, according to a report from the Council on Criminal Justice. The report also found: Of 30 cities with data on motor vehicle thefts, 27 have seen a rise since the beginning of the pandemic. Motor vehicle thefts rose 21% in 2022 up 59% from 2019, based on data from those cities. Vehicle thefts more than doubled in eight of those cities from 2019 to 2022. Based on data from seven cities, carjackings rose by 24% from 2020 to 2022. For context, motor vehicle thefts in those cities rose 54% during that time. More: Data from big cities suggests most violent crime fell last year. It's not the full picture, experts say. Despite the rise, carjackings aren't as common as Americans may assume, Rick Rosenfeld, lead report author and criminologist at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, told USA Today. Overall, motor vehicle theft rates are more than 20 times greater than the rates for carjackings, he said. Contact Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299, eparra@delawareonline.com or Twitter @eparra3. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Newark man charged with trying to carjack city police officer Jourdan Hartshorn was a young child when Hurricane Katrina landed on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where he has lived most of his life. Even though he was young, the hurricane changed his life forever. MS tornado recovery: Is FEMA knocking at your door? Here's what you need to know Fast forward to 2020 and Hurricane Zeta, another storm that caused damage on the Coast, and emergency responders had run out of steam and funds to help. "I started my own nonprofit after Hurricane Zeta and the pandemic," Hartshorn said. "I saw that on the Coast the national organizations didn't come because there were already smaller teams because of COVID and they had 30 storms that year. "By the time we got hit I think we were the 29th or the 30th the organizations' resources were depleted. So I thought, why are we not training our citizens to be the responders and to help the responders." Jourdan Hartshorn Hartshorn said having local trained responders on the ground when a storm hits not only benefits the community, but also the volunteers. "It helps keep their mind off things and it gives us a bigger response team," he said. Hartshorn was in Rolling Fork soon after an EF4 tornado hit the town on March 24, destroying between 80% and 85% of the buildings. Hartshorn knew his years of experience working in disaster relief would come in handy. Once he had his feet on the ground, he worked with Sharkey County officials as a public information officer to help journalists get information out to the community and beyond. His Mississippi Disaster and Conservation Corps has trained roughly 50 civilians in the last few years to know what to do when a disaster strikes. The volunteers go through training for different response jobs and have monthly training exercises to keep their knowledge fresh. Now 28, Hartshorn recently accepted a job with emergency management in Texas. He plans to continue operating the Mississippi nonprofit organization to train more volunteers who can mobilize after a disaster strikes. Story continues "I'm already in the process of sitting down and deciding if I'm going to create a Texas disaster corps," he said. After the March 31 tornadoes caused significant damage, Hartshorn headed to Little Rock to offer his services just a week after the Rolling Fork tornado. In addition to volunteering during natural disasters, Hartshorn has served in leadership roles on the boards of a few nonprofits including Harrison County Fair Association and Open Doors Homeless Coalition's Youth Action Board. He currently is vice president of Buddy Bags and a board member of Let's Go, Gulf Coast and United Cajun Mississippi coordinator. Hartshorn was awarded the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021 by the Trump Administration for logging over 9,000 community service hours. Do you have a hero you'd like us to feature? Contact Lici Beveridge at lbeveridge@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @licibev or Facebook at facebook.com/licibeveridge. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jourdan Hartshorn's MS nonprofit trains community disaster responders The National Weather Service in Memphis is predicting more severe weather across the Mid South, just days after tornados ravaged the region. The National Weather Service in Memphis is tracking more severe weather that is expected to roll through the Mid-South Tuesday night and into Wednesday. The weather service is expecting wind gusts upward of 60 miles per hour, ping-pong-ball sized hail, possible tornados, heavy rain and possible flash flooding to start in the central region of Arkansas and parts of lower Missouri Tuesday night. Memphis, and parts of West Tennessee are at a "marginal" risk Tuesday night, but an enhanced risk is expected to move into East Arkansas and West Tennessee early Wednesday morning. NWS Memphis predicts that weather will stick around through Wednesday's evening hours. The National Weather Service in Memphis is predicting more severe weather across the Mid South, just days after tornados ravaged the region. The severe weather comes days after tornados ravaged the region, leaving 15 dead in five Tennessee counties, four in Wynne, Arkansas, and one in Pontotoc County, Mississippi. NWS Memphis said its survey crews determined three EF3, which is a tornado with wind speeds ranging from 136 to 165 mph, tornadoes touched down in Covington and Adamsville, Tennessee and Wynne, Arkansas Friday. On Monday, an NWS crew from Jackson, Mississippi, confirmed an EF1 tornado hit near the Eudora area in southwestern DeSoto County. The tornadoes across the Mid South left thousands without power, and came a week after tornadoes devastated parts of Mississippi, leaving at least 23 dead. Memphis-area weather radar Lucas Finton is a news reporter with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at Lucas.Finton@commercialappeal.com and followed on Twitter @LucasFinton. This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Weather in Memphis: More severe storms to roll through Tuesday night House Minority Leader Robert Reives and several Democrat-led organizations called Tuesday for the resignation of Democratic Rep. Tricia Cotham, the day before she switched her party affiliation. The announcement, made at a Wednesday press conference at NCGOP headquarters in Raleigh, comes months after the Mecklenburg Democrat was elected to represent House District 112. The switch would have major ramifications for control of the General Assembly, handing House Republicans a super-majority. Rep. Tricia Cotham campaigned as a Democrat and supporter of abortion rights, health care, public education, gun safety and civil rights, Reives said in a news release late Tuesday. The voters of House District 112 elected her to serve as that person and overwhelmingly supported Democratic candidates up and down the ballot. Now, just a few months later, Rep. Cotham is changing parties. Reives became the first public official to confirm news of Cothams party switch. Axios Raleigh, citing anonymous sources, first reported the switch. Others calling for Cothams resignation include: the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the North Carolina Democratic Party, the Mecklenburg County Democratic Party and Equality NC, the largest LGBTQ advocacy and political lobbying group. Reives, in his statement, said Cotham won in 2022 with 60% of the vote. But he said shes no longer the person her constituents campaigned for in a difficult primary, or championed in a general election. Those constituents deserved to know what values were most important to their elected representative, Reives said. Because of that, the appropriate action is for her to resign so that her constituents are fairly represented in the North Carolina House of Representatives. Cothams decision also serves a blow to Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, essentially stripping him of his veto power by giving both chambers a narrow supermajority. This is a disappointing decision, Cooper said in a statement to The News & Observer. Rep. Cothams votes on womens reproductive freedom, election laws, LGBTQ rights and strong public schools will determine the direction of the state we love. Its hard to believe she would abandon these long-held principles, and she should still vote the way she has always said she would vote when these issues arise, regardless of party affiliation. Story continues Democratic Party says Cotham should step down North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton and Mecklenburg County Democratic Party Chair Jane Whitley released a joint statement Tuesday evening also calling for Cothams resignation. This is deceit of the highest order, Clayton and Whitley said. Rep. Cothams decision is a betrayal to the people of (House District) HD-112 with repercussions not only for the people of her district, but for the entire state of North Carolina. If she can no longer represent the values her constituents trusted her to champion, she should resign immediately. Equality NC, the largest LGBTQ advocacy and political lobbying group in North Carolina, said Cotham had already betrayed their trust by voting yes on a bill that call for sheriffs to work with ICE. The organization also called for her resignation. Tricia Cotham sought ENCs endorsement in 2022 affirming that she held values consistent with our own, Equality NC tweeted. Since then, she betrayed those values, voting against equality by supporting legislation that targets the rights of marginalized communities. From Washington, D.C., the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee also asked Cotham to step down. Rep. Cotham is pulling a bait and switch on her constituents who voted overwhelmingly for a Democrat to represent them in the House, said interim President Heather Williams. Voters in North Carolina did not elect a GOP House supermajority and Rep. Cotham is placing politics over their interests. Williams said her organization is targeting North Carolina in 2024 to break both supermajorities and said Cothams actions gave Republicans free reign to enact their extreme MAGA agenda. We stand with Democratic Leader Reives and echo his calls for Rep. Cothams resignation, Williams said. Her constituents deserve the leadership they voted for. Sen. Natasha Marcus, a Democrat from Mecklenburg County, called Cothams actions dishonest and undemocratic. If candidate Tricia Cotham had been honest before the election, she would not have won her seat, Marcus tweeted. The people of her district do not support the extreme right-wing policies that the NCGOP is shoving down our throats, now with her help. And the Young Democrats of NC chose to turn Cothams decision into a call to action on Twitter: If youre angry about the fact that a Democrat just handed away Gov. Coopers veto and threw you to the wolves, we are too but were not taking this lying down. Help us get ready to fight like hell to break the supermajority in 24 starting in District 112. Law enforcement in the Oklahoma City metro area arrested two teens in connection with videos of animal cruelty went viral in early April. Oklahoma City Welfare executed a search warrant and rescued three dogs from a metro-area residence. Oklahoma City police have arrested two juveniles amid a case of animal cruelty that also involved threats to a metro-area middle school. Sunday, various law enforcement agencies in the metro area received phone calls about a video spreading online showing the two juveniles punching, stomping and tossing two puppy dogs, while also making threats toward Deer Creek Middle School. "Deer Creek School District administrators were made aware of a circulating social media video involving two of our students indicating potential animal abuse," school officials said in a statement Monday. "We immediately reported this information to law enforcement for further investigation and will continue to assist them in this matter." Authorities initially attempted to find the juveniles at several addresses Sunday but were unsuccessful. "There was a little bit of a delay in the start of the investigation, because we weren't sure about the actual jurisdiction, because all we knew was it was kids in a car," said Oklahoma City Animal Welfare Superintendent Jon Gary. "We visited with the (OKC) Police Department and determined that we were going to work the case jointly." Monday, another video was posted online containing school threats. Police said they located one of the juvenile suspects at a house and seized guns. Officers gathered additional information about the second juvenile and took him into custody Tuesday. According to police, both juveniles will face two felony counts of cruelty to animals. More: Police search for suspect after finding drowned dogs at northeast Oklahoma City park Animal welfare officers also executed a search warrant Tuesday afternoon at the residence where the dogs were being kept. Authorities seized three puppies, including the two in the videos, as well as two adult dogs. All five canines are expected to be OK, Gary said. "The two that were in the video that were beaten were examined by a veterinarian (Tuesday) evening, and she did say that there were surprisingly minor injuries," Gary said. "After watching the videos, we had expected them to be worse than what they were. But they did have some bumps and bruises, and all three of the puppies that we have now were somewhat malnourished. But the two adult dogs both appear to be healthy." Story continues Organizers with the Oklahoma Alliance for Animals, a nonprofit devoted to animal welfare issues, encouraged the public to offer any relevant information on the case to city authorities. "We urge everyone to get involved on behalf of these poor dogs," Oklahoma Alliance for Animals Director Jamee Suarez said. "This behavior by juveniles is well documented to be a gateway behavior to further sadistic violence, including equally depraved violence against people. This will not stop here and these dogs will not be the last victims." More: Oklahoma City temporarily closing animal shelter after 130 dogs get respiratory infection Officials with the police and animal welfare said they are assembling information on the case to present to prosecutors. Any additional charges will be up to the district attorney's office. "It's important to be the voice for the animals," said Sgt. Dillon Quirk, with the Oklahoma City Police Department. "It's a felony crime, and we appreciate the concerned citizens who alerted us to these videos, even if it's hard to watch. We want to be able to take quick and appropriate action on these things and stop them from happening. It's important to investigate, follow up, and make arrests accordingly for the good of the community." This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC police arrest two teenagers in connection with viral animal abuse As the UC Davis community grapples with the deaths of three of its own in a traffic collision last week, the students lives are coming into focus. Minkyu Geon of Hong Kong was a junior majoring in electrical engineering and had been an undergraduate assistant in the Integration Engineering Laboratory, university officials said Tuesday. The lab focuses on the study of intelligent robotics and mechatronics. Codi Orland Mateo of Pasco, Washington, was a senior majoring in neurobiology, physiology and behavior, university officials announced. Margarette Guinto Ventura of Virginia Beach, Virginia, was a sophomore majoring in biological sciences, who, friends said, was an intern at the Bayanihan Clinic in Rancho Cordova, helping to provide medical care to underserved communities. The student-run Bayanihan Clinic on Explorer Drive provides free medical care to the areas Filipino immigrant community and other underserved communities along with outreach to Filipino-American military veterans. Many of the staffers come from UC Davis ranks, including undergrads like sophomore Ventura and UC Davis medical and physicians assistant students. Mateo studied neurobiology, the pre-health program that gives students, in the course catalogs words, the tools to develop solutions that will help humans and animals lead healthy lives. But at Pasco, Washingtons Chiawana High School, Mateo was a beloved member of his schools wind ensemble, marching and jazz bands. Mateo, a 2021 graduate, played euphonium and bass, and was, in words posted on the high school bands Facebook page, one of the coolest kids youll ever meet. Geon and Mateo lived in Shasta Hall. Ventura lived in the campus Laben Hall and was a member of Girl Gains, a recreational weightlifting organization on campus. Mateo also participated in the Filipinx Association for Health Careers, also a student organization. We are absolutely devastated and struggling to come to terms with such immense loss, University of California, Davis Chancellor Gary S. May said in an earlier statement. On behalf of the UC Davis community, we send our condolences to the family, friends and others who knew and loved them. Our Aggie family shares deeply in your pain and loss. Story continues The university has contacted the students families to offer help and are directing fellow students to the campus Student Health and Counseling Services. These postvention services, as they are known, focus attention on families who have lost loved ones. Campus representatives will meet with grieving family members, offering help with memorial services, arranging campus visits or posthumous recognition of their students academic achievement, said Paul Kim, the universitys director or counseling services. For students and others in the campus community, counselors are at the ready along with crisis consultation services including a 24-hour text line. A list of available services can be found on the Aggie Mental Health website. With sudden tragedies such as Fridays, students experience a range of emotions and impacts, Kim said. There are a range of resources we provide and we stand ready to provide them. California Highway Patrol officials summarized the harrowing scene that led to tragedy. The students car was struck by a wrong-way driver and two other vehicles on Highway 99 north of Lathrop Road in San Joaquin County a little after midnight Friday. The students vehicle then slammed into a concrete divider. The students and the wrong-way driver, identified only as a 32-year-old Stockton man, were pronounced dead at the scene. Alcohol was a factor in the collision. Both the wrong-way driver and another motorist who was taken to San Joaquin General Hospital with major injuries were suspected to have been under the influence of alcohol, the CHP said. The wrong-way driver collided with the students car on northbound Highway 99 north of Lathrop Road about 12:30 a.m. Friday, officials from the CHPs Stockton office said. Patrol officers said the car was driving south on the northbound side of the highway, its headlights damaged from an earlier collision, when it slammed into the students vehicle. The force of the collision sent the students car into the path of a third vehicle also going north. The driver of that third car collided with the students car, pushing it into the path of a fourth car. The driver of the fourth car, identified by the CHP as Nicholas Craggs, 40, of Stockton, was also suspected to be driving under the influence. PANAMA CITY BEACH A coffee shop on the Beach is getting some major attention after being recognized by one of world's most popular review websites. In a recent article, Yelp ranked its Top 100 best places to eat in Florida this year, and The Pour in Panama City Beach claimed the 58th spot. Yelp notes the restaurants were ranked "using a number of factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews between January 1, 2022 and January 1, 2023." Here's what we know about the local establishment, which sits at 12902 Front Beach Road. Who's up for fish fry? Here are 6 Bay County eateries that serve great fried fish A vacation worthwhile: 12 attractions to explore in Panama City Beach Restaurant inspections: No Bay County restaurants get high-priority violations, one aces inspection What makes The Pour special? Though The Pour might at first glace appear to be a traditional coffee shop, it doubles as a nonprofit organization that Panama City Beach Ministries uses to raise money for The Ark, a transitional-housing shelter located on the same property. Yelp recently released its list of the Top 100 best places to eat in Florida this year, and The Pour in Panama City Beach came in at No. 58. "A lot of people who come into the coffee shop don't event know that it's also a nonprofit that funds transitional housing to locals in Bay County," said Kia Bennett, head manager of The Pour. "To a lot, it's just a cool, cozy coffee shop, but it's so much more than that." Bennett noted The Ark currently houses about 120 people, many of whom were either recently released from jail or are recovering from addiction. What food, drinks is The Pour known for? Apart from its coffee, Bennett said The Pour is most known for its cinnamon rolls, which she described as being "out of this world." The shop also offers a "secret latte" dubbed "the Teddy Roosevelt," which boasts honey, vanilla and cinnamon flavors. "It was a special a few years ago, and we still always get people coming in just kind of hearing about it," Bennett said. "Obviously, it pairs wonderful with our cinnamon rolls." What are Bennett's thoughts on The Pour making Yelp's list? While Bennett did not know until talking with the News Herald that The Pour made Yelp's list, she hoped the publicity would help more people learn about the coffee shop and it's mission. Story continues "I'm amazed, and I'm shocked," she said. "I think it's such a cool blessing. It's kind of blowing my mind a bit. I think that's very, very cool, and I just think it's well deserved because this spot is very, very special, and I don't think it's just the coffee that makes it great. "I know we serve good coffee, good baked goods and we always have smiling faces, but it's seriously so much more than that." This article originally appeared on The News Herald: The Pour in Panama City Beach ranks 58th on Yelp's Florida rankings The Recording Academy will honor Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) for their work supporting music creators later this month. The academy said in a release on Tuesday that it will recognize Schumer, Cassidy and musician Pharrell Williams on April 26 at its annual Grammys on the Hill awards, which have been held for more than two decades to honor those who have advocated for creators rights. GRAMMYs on the Hill is a celebration like no other, spotlighting musics unifying power as we bring together our nations leaders with some of the most renowned artists in the world, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in the release. Its a privilege to honor Pharrell alongside Senate Majority Leader Schumer and Senator Cassidy, all of whom have fought tirelessly for pro-music policy that protects the creatives that make up our community. The release states that Schumer and Cassidy are being recognized for their support for policies that have helped people in the music industry, including the Save Our Stages Act, which provided funding to performing venues and organizations to help them stay afloat amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The release states Schumer ensured funding was provided to gig workers and small music businesses as majority leader. He also sponsored a resolution to designate Aug. 11, 2021, as Hip Hop Celebration Day and November 2021 as Hip Hop Celebration Month, while Cassidy served as an original co-sponsor. The academy said Schumer and Cassidy were critical in working to help 272 young musicians, faculty and staff from the Afghanistan National Institute of Music escape from the country as the Taliban took over in 2021 and get to Qatar. This has allowed the institute to resume many of its activities in Portugal, according to the release. Schumer said he is honored to be recognized by the academy for Congresss work to support the recording and performance industry during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Story continues I was proud to lead the fight in Congress alongside musicians, venue owners, operators, and employees to pass the Save Our Stages Act bringing critical relief to thousands of workers in the music industry, he added. Cassidy said music helped guide the Afghan students to be free from the Talibans rule. Music carried the spirits of the students at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music through to freedom. No matter where you are in the worldKabul or New Orleansmusic communicates resilience, passion and culture, he said. Williams is being recognized for an unparalleled commitment to supporting creators rights and to philanthropy. The ceremony will be followed by the annual Grammys on the Hill Advocacy Day, in which current and former award winners and nominees and industry leaders meet with lawmakers to discuss the issues facing the industry. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Pinterest announced today that it's expanding its Creator Fund for underrepresented groups to five more countries, including Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France. The company debuted its $500,000 Creator Fund in 2021, and announced an additional $1.2 million for the fund last year. Pinterest told TechCrunch in an email that it has invested a total of over $2.3 million in cash grants and ads credits for this specific program. The fund focuses specifically on supporting creators from underrepresented groups by offering both financial and educational resources. Pinterest says that since its inception, the fund has provided support to dozens of Creators from the United States, the United Kingdom and Brazil, noting that they have received training and insights from experts in the field, personalized consulting and a financial grant in cash and ad credits. Our mission is to bring everyone the inspiration to create a life they love, and inspiration is fueled by diversity of experiences, perspectives and communities," said Zeny Shifferaw, the Creator Inclusion Lead at Pinterest, in a statement. "Expanding this program will unlock more opportunities for disproportionately underrepresented creators and content producers to gain financial support, exposure, resources and reach new audiences looking to be inspired by their passions on our platform." After announcing its Creator Fund in April 2021, Pinterest last fall said it would invest $20 million toward Creator Rewards in the United States, which would pay creators directly for participating in challenges. The company then shut down the program last November. The expansion comes as many companies have been rethinking and tweaking their creator programs. Meta committed $1 billion to creator bonus programs, but recently announced that it was pausing its Reels bonuses to creators on Facebook and Instagram. In addition, TikTok recently launched the beta version of a revamped creator fund called the Creativity Program. The company says the program is designed to generate higher revenue and unlock more opportunities for creators. TikTok's original fund launched in 2020 with a $1 billion commitment over three years, and has been criticized by creators who have complained about low payouts. ALLEGAN COUNTY A former mayor and current Saugatuck City Council member was arraigned this week on misdemeanor charges for violating Michigan election law. Leigh Garnet Lewis was arraigned in the 57th District Court in Allegan County on Monday, April 3, according to online court documents. Garnet Lewis Lewis, 61, is charged with failing to report a violation on nominating/initiative petitions. The penalty for the violation is a fine of up to $500, up to a year in jail, or both. The incident date listed is July 26, 2022, according to online records from the 57th District Court. A warrant was issued March 3 and Lewis was released from jail on a $1,000 bond March 13. During an arraignment Monday, Lewis pleaded not guilty to the charges. Her next court date is 10:45 a.m. Thursday, April 27, for a pretrial hearing with Judge Joseph Skocelas. Lewis is part-owner of Isabels Market and Eatery in Douglas and of Vigano LLC, a commercial real estate investment operation. Lewis was first elected to Saugatuck City Council in November 2019. She won reelection in November 2021 for a two-year term ending November 2023. Shortly after, Lewis was selected by council to serve as mayor for a one-year term, running through Nov. 2022. Lewis, a Democrat, previously ran for statewide office in 2008, 2014 and 2018. Subscribe: Receive unlimited digital access to your local news coverage In February, Lewis was appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to the Michigan Travel Commission, representing an individual with experience in the travel, tourism and recreation industry for a term running Feb. 21, 2023, to Aug. 20, 2026. Lewis did not respond to a request for comment by publication deadline. Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @SentinelMitch. This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Saugatuck councilmember arraigned on election law charge SEABROOK Seabrook Elementary School Music Teacher Katrina OBrien has been awarded the New Hampshire Music Educators Associations Educator of the Year award. OBrien was recognized for going above and beyond to ensure that every student has the opportunity to express themselves and develop their musical skills. Her commitment to music education is unwavering, and she is always willing to give her time to meet with students before school, during the day, after school, and even online during nights and weekends, stated the letter nominating her for the award. Katrina OBrien and the Unified Arts Team from Seabrook Elementary School. OBrien was named music educator of the year by the New Hampshire Music Educators Association. Principal Bryan Belanger said OBrien is actively involved in almost every area of the school community, including organizing school-wide music celebrations. Her positive attitude and infectious energy are contagious and have a profound impact on her colleagues and students, said Belanger. Her yearly March Madness song challenge, he said, is just one example of her innovative and creative teaching style. Mrs. OBrien teaches not only music but also life lessons, such as responsibility, perseverance, and hard work, he said. Students of all grades have praised her fun and engaging teaching style, and her ability to make music lessons enjoyable. Mrs. O'Brien was, and probably still is, one of the funniest and coolest teachers I know, said Lucus, a Seabrook Middle School eighth-grade student. Katrina OBrien was named music educator of the year by the New Hampshire Music Educators Association. Lucus said OBrien was always willing to help students when they needed help. His favorite memory from her class was learning the recorder. I loved practicing in class and at home, he said. Fourth-grader Kylie said OBrien makes learning music really fun! She helps us learn a lot about our instruments, added fourth-grader Kennedy. Shes really funny! She has a way of making everyone laugh in the class. Fourth-grader Huda said OBrien helps make the concerts really fun. She picks really good songs for us to learn, said fourth-grader Breslyn. They are easy to learn, and we like the messages in the songs that she shares, like A Million Dreams. It makes you think about growing up. The songs can make you feel a lot of things. Story continues Teachers and parents also lauded her enthusiasm, passion, and love for teaching. On behalf of Seabrook Elementary School, we want to thank Mrs. OBrien for all she does for our students and the community, said Assistant Principal Tim Dow. We are proud of her achievements and are honored to have her as a member of our team. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Seabrook Elementary School teacher named music Educator of the Year Stormy Daniels has spoken out about her alleged sexual encounter with Donald Trump, revealing that she had a 90-second blank where she says I dont know what happened. Ms Daniels toldVogue in an interview released on Tuesday that, during the 2006 encounter in a hotel room in Nevada, she came out of the bathroom to be greeted by Mr Trump standing in the doorway in his underwear. The adult film star said that there was then a 90-second period that she has no memory of before she says she found herself on the bed. So at one point after wed been chatting for a couple hours, I got up to use the bathroom, she said. And then I come out, and its like, theres 90 seconds that dont exist. I dont know what happened. Im standing there, in the doorway, and all of a sudden hes there in his underwear, doing the worlds worst Burt Reynolds impression, and thats the thing I dont understand, I dont understand how I got from the doorway to being underneath him in the bed. Specifically, Ms Daniels claimed she had no memory of taking off her gold shoes. Thats what gets me. Because they were these gold shoes, with buckles kind of a pain in the ass to put on and take off, you know? And I know I took them off because I had to put them back on again. And I remember that, putting them on, she said. And it being a thing, because I wanted to leave. Afterwards. I know I didnt say no. But I also know I didnt say yes. I wasnt threatened... I dont know. I just dont know. Ms Daniels has previously said the sexual encounter was consensual but told Vogue that she remembers thinking that Mr Trumps bodyguard was just outside the door and feared that if she hit Mr Trump, the bodyguard could hurt her. I remember him saying, Do you want to go back to the trailer park? she said. I never said I lived in a trailer park; I didnt. I said we were poor The Independent has reached out to Mr Trumps attorney for comment. Stormy Daniels alleges she had an affair with Trump (AP) Ms Daniels first spoke out in 2018 about the alleged 2006 sexual encounter with Mr Trump at a hotel room in Nevada. Story continues During the 2016 presidential election, Mr Trump had allegedly paid Ms Daniels $130,000 through his fixer Michael Cohen to silence her over the alleged affair. On Tuesday, the former president was arrested in Manhattan and arraigned on 34 criminal charges surrounding the hush money payment to the adult film star. Ms Daniels told Vogue that she has been facing death threats ever since Mr Trump was indicted on criminal charges last week. But, despite the backlash, she hopes that Mr Trump will get whats coming. For my own sake, Id like vindication, Id like him to get whats coming for once, she said. But thats about me, and theres other stuff thats more, like, about the country, she added, referring to the other investigations circling the former president. Ms Daniels said that she understands how some Americans were drawn to him early on but struggles to see how people cant see who he is now. I do get it, in some ways his appeal, at least early on, she said. Coming out rough-around-the-edges, saying things other politicians just wont say I get how people could look at him and feel like, that guy is closer to me and my life and how I think than other people who run for office. I get that desire people have, for a person who gets them. But what I cant understand is how those people have stuck with him, after everything they ought to be able to see who he is now. Ms Daniels has found herself at the centre of Mr Trumps legal challenges as he has become the first current or former president to ever be indicted on criminal charges. In a historic day for America, the one-term president was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in order to conceal illegal activity connected to his 2016 presidential campaign. The catch and kill campaign allegedly involved Mr Trump and his then-attorney Michael Cohen making hush money payments during the 2016 run to suppress negative information about him by silencing individuals over alleged affairs he had with women . Former President Donald Trump is escorted to a courtroom Tuesday 4 April (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Three specific alleged affairs and hush money payments were mentioned in the charging documents the $130,000 payment to Ms Daniels, a $150,000 to former playboy model Karen McDougal and a $30,000 payment to a doorman at Trump Tower who claimed he had information that Mr Trump had fathered a child with a woman while married to Melania Trump. Mr Trump repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election, the charging documents read. Each of the 34 criminal charges relates to an individual entry in the Trump Organizations business records. Mr Trump surrendered to Manhattan authorities on Tuesday afternoon and was officially arrested on criminal charges. He then appeared in court for his arraignment before Judge Juan Merchan the same judge who sentenced the Trump Organization and its CFO last year. Cutting a glum figure, he defiantly pleaded not guilty to all the charges. After flying back to Mar-a-Lago in Florida, the former president launched into a speech railing against the criminal charges, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the judge in a move that could risk him being placed under a gag order. Despite much speculation, Judge Merchan did not issue a gag order on Tuesday but did warn Mr Trump not to incite violence towards people involved in the case. The victims of the 2017 mass shooting at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, have reached a "tentative settlement" with the U.S. Department of Justice for $144.5 million, the department and attorneys for the victims said Wednesday. The agreement, if approved by Attorney General Merrick Garland, would end the Justice Department's appeal of a district court ruling that found the federal government partially liable for the shooting that left 26 people dead and 22 wounded. The potential settlement represents long-awaited relief to the victims, some of whom are still suffering from physical injuries, attorneys said. "The Sutherland Springs families are heroes. The country owes them a debt of gratitude," Jamal Alsaffar, lead trial attorney, said in a statement. "They have gone through so much pain and loss in the most horrific way. But despite that, these families fought for justice, endured and won two trials against the federal government, and made this country safer as a result." The news comes more than five years since an ex-airman stormed into First Baptist Church on a Sunday morning and fired hundreds of rounds, using guns he purchased from licensed firearms dealers. A federal judge in 2021 ruled the Air Force is "60% responsible" for the shooting because the branch failed to report the gunman's assault conviction to an FBI database that tracks criminal history, which would have barred him from legally purchasing or possessing a firearm. Last year, after a second trial, the judge said the branch must pay more than $230 million in damages to survivors and victims' families. This summer, the DOJ filed an appeal to overturn the rulings. In this Nov. 10, 2017, photo, crosses for members of the Holcombe family are part of a makeshift memorial for those who were killed in the Sutherland Springs Baptist Church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas. Survivors and victims have for years criticized the federal government's treatment of their case, citing previous Justice Department settlements with victims of the shootings in Parkland, Florida, and Charleston, South Carolina. DOJ: Agreement ends 'painful chapter' "No words or amount of money can diminish the immense tragedy of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs," Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said in a statement. "Todays announcement brings the litigation to a close, ending a painful chapter for the victims of this unthinkable crime." Story continues Attorneys for the victims urged the Justice Department to make the settlement final. "Attorney General Garlands office still must approve it, and we urge his Justice Department to act quickly to bring some closure to these families. Its the least they deserve," Alsaffar said. Dig deeper on Sutherland Springs This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sutherland Springs shooting victims reach tentative agreement with DOJ Three Kansas City, Kansas, police officers and three suspects were injured in a shooting Wednesday afternoon during an attempted arrest related to a drug investigation, according to police. About 3 p.m., the shooting broke out after police tried to arrest suspects in an undercover investigation of fentanyl dealing, police said. All six were taken to the hospital with injuries that were not thought to be life-threatening. Police say the shooting happened around 3 p.m. near 18th Street and Wood Avenue. It appeared to have unfolded in the parking lot of Fast Freds Market, a small restaurant and convenience store, where spent shell casings littered the ground. Two vehicles were butted up against one another, both of which had apparent bullet damage. Two KCKPD vehicles remain blocking a Chrysler 300 in the parking lot of Fast Freds Market after police tried to arrest suspects in an undercover investigation of fentanyl dealing Wednesday in Kansas City, Kansas. Gia Bleu was on FaceTime with a friend at the house across the street when she heard brakes and a crash. That was followed by multiple shots being fired, including what sounded like a machine gun. I got down on the floor, she said. It was very loud, it sounded like Grand Theft Auto, like the video game. After the shooting stopped, she looked outside and saw officers running with shields. It was very dramatic, Bleu said Police stand near the scene where three officers were shot Wednesday in Kansas City, Kansas. One neighbor who lives about a block from the market was standing by his driveway talking to a friend when he heard what sounded like 100 gunshots. It sounded like Iraq or something, he said. Man, whats going on? Occasional gunfire isnt uncommon in the area, said the man, who asked not to be named. But the volley of bullets alarmed him, prompting him to take cover behind his friends vehicle. Later, he saw what appeared to be two men, walking handcuffed with police escorts near the convenience store. One was covered in blood, he said. Meanwhile, another man was standing near the police tape a block away from the store was texting his child, waiting for more information. His son, a freshman at Wyandotte High School, was inside Fast Freds when the shots began, he said. Story continues The man, who asked that his name not be used to protect his sons identity, said his son, 14, often goes to the nearby park or the store to grab snacks after school with his friends. On Wednesday, he said, his son went with a friend his age to buy soda and chips after playing at the park down the street, a common hangout spot for kids his age. He was reunited with his son and two other teenagers his age by evening. Im glad hes OK, but its not just a comfortable position for a kid, he said. Vehicles at the scene of a shooting Wednesday in Kansas City, Kansas, show bullet holes and broken windshields on a suspect vehicle and a police car. Spend bullet casings, handgun magazines and police shields are seen on the ground. Kansas City, Kansas, Police Chief Karl Oakman said the officers injured Wednesday were part of a tactical team called in to arrest the suspects. Undercover officers had purchased fentanyl from the same suspected source and were attempting another undercover buy on Wednesday afternoon, he said. Oakman described an earlier afternoon promotion ceremony in contrast with the news of the three officers shot roughly an hour later, saying sometimes you just dont realize the ups and downs of policing. As a leader of an organization, thats the one thing that keeps me up at night. How Im putting young men and women at risk every night to protect the citizens of Kansas City, Kansas. Thats one of the things that really keeps you up at night. The Kansas City Police Department is investigating the use of force as part of an agreement struck last year between the two agencies. Officer Donna Drake, a spokeswoman for KCPD, said investigators would be reviewing any available video footage and conducting witness interviews as part of the investigation. She said those findings would be forwarded to the Wyandotte County District Attorneys Office. In a news conference shortly after 5 p.m., Dr. Sean Kumer, associate chief medical officer at the University of Kansas Health System, said the officers were able to converse. KU Police Chief Brad Deichler said it was an emotional time. The shooting in Kansas City, Kansas comes roughly one month after a three tactical police officers were shot on the other side of the state line during a separate narcotics trafficking investigation involving fentanyl. On Feb. 28, three Kansas City police officers were executing a search warrant on behalf of a county drug task force when they were struck by gunfire at the front door of a residence. Officers returned fire, retreated and were treated at a hospital for gunshot wounds. An hourslong standoff followed the shooting Two people who were in the home face drug charges, including fentanyl distribution, and a third was found dead of what authorities determined was a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The police officers were all cleared to be released from the hospital few days later. The Stars Nick Wagner contributed to this story. Tori Spelling just made an eye-conically chaotic admission. After stepping out in public while wearing a bedazzled eyepatch, the Beverly Hills, 90210 star revealed that she's recovering from an ulcer caused by misusing her once-daily supply of disposable contacts. "It's my fault I did this to myself," Spelling said on a recent episode of her 90210mg podcast of wearing the patch over her left eye. "So, I have contacts, but I wear daily ones, and at the end of the day, whatever, I can make all the excuses I want I don't take them out. I sleep in them. It's not healthy." When pressed on how long she wears the contacts, Spelling made a stunning admission: "I've been known to go maybe 20 days. I know..." Spelling previously addressed her eyepatch in an Instagram post detailing a night out with stylist Laura Rugetti. "Bringing twinning back one fashion moment at a time when your hair bestie @laurarugetti launches her clip in extension line ' California Blondes' and collab x @hiddencrownhair you support even with an ulcer on your eyeball," the 49-year-old actress captioned the post. "Laura even bedazzled an eyepatch for me. I'm proud of this #boss." Spelling elaborated on her condition in a March 24 Instagram Story, PEOPLE reported. "Thx to all the well wishes and concern. Everyone is asking if I scratched my cornea. It's actually an ulcer on my eye," she said. "Antibiotic drops and Dr said it will 'hopefully' heal in 7-10 days." Tori Spelling Wearing an earpatch on the 9021omgpodcast 9021omgpodcast/Instagram Tori Spelling wears an eyepatch Listen to Spelling discuss her eye ulcer in the 90210mg podcast clip above. Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more. Related content: trump-mar-a-lago-speech-2.jpg US-POLITICS-TRUMP-INDICTMENT - Credit: Chandan Khanna/AFP/Getty Images After a day of historic indignity spent getting booked and arraigned at a Manhattan courthouse former president Donald Trump retreated to his safe space, Mar-a-Lago, where he delivered an embittered televised address to the nation. Trump entered his ballroom to the strains of Lee Greenwoods Im Proud to be an American. The crowd chanted USA! USA! as he took the podium in front of a backdrop of American flags, ready to reassert himself after a day of powerlessness in court. More from Rolling Stone But Trumps delivery was drained as he rattled through an endless litany of conspiracy and complaint, not only about the days criminal proceedings but about the onslaught of fraudulent investigations he claims are unfairly targeting him, ranging from Russia, Russia, Russia, to the dual impeachment hoaxes, to the boxes hoax (his new term for his mishandling of classified documents at his Florida resort), to his persecution at the hands of New York Attorney General Letitia James. Trump took advantage of the free air time to proclaim his innocence: The only crime I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it. A key purpose of Trumps speech seemed to be priming his faithful for additional prosecutions that may soon be incoming. He blasted the local racist prosecutor in Georgia who is investigating his election interference in that state. (In an odd throwback to his impeachment over Ukraine, Trump characterized his haranguing of Georgia election officials as another perfect phone call.) Similarly, Trump trashed the radical-left lunatic bomb-thrower Jack Smith, whom Attorney General Merrick Garland tapped to lead federal investigations into his document scandal and his efforts to subvert the 2020 election. Story continues And despite a caution from the judge in his Manhattan case to lower the temperature, Trump specifically lashed out at the New York jurist: I have a Trump-hating judge, he insisted. He also bashed the Manhattan DA who just indicted him, calling him the radical-left George Soros-backed prosecutor Alvin Bragg. Trump: I have Trump hating judge with a Trump hating wife and Trump hating family pic.twitter.com/PyAXCWn3mv Acyn (@Acyn) April 5, 2023 Throughout his campaign-style speech in which he name checked the Hunter Biden laptop from hell and wove in references to Hillary Clintons emails Trump spun a narrative that he, instead of being the perpetrator of a crime, is now a conservative martyr, subject to baseless political slings and arrows. To be clear: Trump today was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to illegally cover up a hush money payment to a porn star who alleges she carried on an affair with him beginning in 2006, shortly after the birth of his fifth child to his third wife. Trump, the charging documents assert, cheated in the 2016 election orchestrating a payment to Daniels to prevent an explosive story from coming to light that October and then cheated through his business accounting to cover it up. Trump even used a White House meeting in the Oval Office to shore up the particulars of the crime. Trumps fixer in this case, his former attorney Michael Cohen, has already served federal prison time for his role in the scheme, and the new charging documents insist that Cohen acted at Trumps explicit direction. But from Trumps perspective, he is blameless. During his Mar-a-Lago address, Trump insisted, Theres no case. Theres no case! Retreating into projection, Trump claimed the prosecutor was the one who should be on trial: The criminal is the district attorney, Trump insisted, alleging that Bragg illegally leaked grand jury information and should resign. Cutting his speech short after just half an hour, Trump seemed absorbed by the trauma of the days events. When he railed against the cripled economy, the shame of the Afghanistan withdrawal, and a nation going to hell, he seemed lost in the darkness, a lonely troubled man sunk in his own emotional well. He wants Americans to make him president again. Best of Rolling Stone Click here to read the full article. Healthcare executive brings over 25 years of leadership experience to healthcare technology company TAMPA, Fla., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Greenway Health, a leading health information technology services provider, today announced the appointment of healthcare executive, Mary Smith, to its Board. With over 25 years of experience guiding the strategic development and regulatory compliance of national healthcare systems, Smith will be a valuable addition to Greenway Health as the company continues to optimize the efficacy of its solutions for healthcare providers, enhance the provider and patient user experience, and execute its next growth phase. "Mary is a distinguished healthcare leader with a successful tenure building health equity through data analytics, operational excellence, and strategic innovation," said Pratap Sarker, CEO of Greenway Health. "Her expertise will be invaluable as we navigate the evolution of the healthcare ecosystem and partner to deliver best-in-class technology to the industry." A practicing attorney and President-Elect of the American Bar Association, Smith brings extensive experience to Greenway Health in highly regulated industries advising executives in governance, government affairs, and regulatory compliance. Smith previously served as CEO of national healthcare system, the Indian Health Service, serving over 2.2 million people with a budget of over $6 billion that included 26 hospitals and over 50 clinics. Smith oversaw the development of an overarching operational framework that utilized data analytics to improve services, allocate resources, and develop the workforce. Smith also regularly testified before the U.S. Congress in this role. Currently, Smith is serving the Asian & Pacific Islander Health Forum (APIAHF) as Vice President and Managing Director of Programs where she influences policy and strengthens programs to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Story continues "As a pioneering electronic healthcare record company, Greenway Health has a longstanding track record of innovation and its leaders are highly focused on improving care delivery through technology," said Smith. "I am excited to join Greenway Health's board and work with its talented team to enhance the healthcare technology experience for providers and empower patients in their healthcare journey." Smith was sourced through the external board program operated by Vista Equity Partners, a global investment firm focused on enterprise software, data, and technology-enabled businesses, and a majority investor in Greenway Health. Launched in 2017, the program leverages Vista's ecosystem and additional resources to identify, train and appoint qualified board candidates for its portfolio companies. The program works to create a diverse pipeline of qualified board candidates through programs and partnerships that advance diversity for all boards and drive impact for the corporate world at large. About Greenway Health Greenway Health provides electronic health records (EHR), practice management, and revenue cycle management solutions that help practices in multiple specialties grow profitably, remain compliant, work more efficiently, and improve patient outcomes. Its team of clinical, financial, and technology experts serve as trusted advisors, committed to enabling successful providers, empowering patients, and building healthier communities. Greenway works with more than 55,000 providers across multiple specialties, translating into millions of lives touched daily by its solutions. For more information on Greenway and its holistic solutions, visit www.greenwayhealth.com , call 877-537-0063, or follow Greenway on Facebook , Twitter , and LinkedIn . Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/greenway-health-announces-appointment-of-mary-smith-to-its-board-301790063.html SOURCE Greenway Health All eyes were on former President Donald Trump for his arrest and arraignment in Manhattan on Tuesday and North Carolina Republicans were watching, too. Trump surrendered himself to authorities after being indicted, pleading not guilty to 34 felony charges. All 34 charges, which were revealed publicly for the first time Tuesday, are for falsifying business records. The case revolves around Trumps alleged role in a $130,000 hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. Seems so SURREAL WOW, they are going to ARREST ME, Trump wrote on Truth Social Tuesday afternoon while en route to the district attorneys office. Cant believe this is happening in America. Being a criminal defendant is a first for Trump, and the nation has never before seen a former president face criminal charges. Trump has called for protests to take our nation back, much like he did following his 2020 election loss. Thats troubling rhetoric, and it should be refuted by every elected official who claims to care about law and order. So what are North Carolina Republicans saying? For Rep. Dan Bishop, it was just four words: What a total crock. Rep. Patrick McHenry, who accused the Manhattan DA of political motivations, said the prosecution sets a dangerous precedent that undermines faith in our system of government. According to Rep. Richard Hudson, no American should stand for the weaponization of our criminal justice system for a political agenda. Sen. Thom Tillis likewise called it a politically-motivated prosecution against President Trump. The GOPs comments resemble those made after the FBI raided Trumps residence at Mar-a-Lago last year to retrieve classified documents the former president allegedly withheld. At the time, Republicans were quick to defend Trump and criticize the Department of Justice for targeting Trump unfairly. Congressional Republicans vowed to investigate the supposed weaponization of government institutions to target political opponents a fools errand they immediately took up upon reclaiming the House majority early this year. Trump, of course, is innocent until proven guilty, and he has the right to due process like any other American. However, that does not make the prosecution a sham, nor does it mean that authorities are motivated by anything besides the pursuit of justice. While we may now know the charges Trump is facing, we have yet to see the evidence. So for a party that talks about the rule of law today should be a day to let the rule of law take its course. Yakima County Government, Lower Valley Reporter Hi, Im Phil Ferolito, longtime reporter with the Yakima Herald-Republic, where I have gained an array of experience from covering small city governments and school districts to big-picture issues concerning county government, crime and the Yakama Nation, a federally recognized tribe with important historical and cultural ties to the land. I began with the Herald-Republic in Oct. 2000 as a copy editor, designing pages, writing headlines and proof-reading stories. Over the years I have covered four Lower Valley municipalities, Granger, Toppenish, Wapato and Harrah, and the Yakama Nation. My goal always has been to shine a light in dark places and bring readers closer to concerning issues, important people, and other events in our community. WA driver's licenses are the priciest in the US. Here's what to know about the increase Click here to read the full article. As home textile brands such as Sunbrella, Milliken and Nassimi announce plans to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from their fabrics, a new study finds that those chemicals might not even provide stain resistance as previously thought. The study, published today in the AATC Journal of Research, found that textiles treated with PFAS chemicals generally did not perform any better than those without the chemicals in resisting stains. Researchers tested six PFAS-finished and three non-PFAS-finished fabrics using droplets of coffee and oil-based salad dressing. With the water-based coffee stains, none of the PFAS-finished fabrics performed better than the unfinished textiles. The stains were easily removed from both fabrics, and only fabric typepolyester vs. cotton, patterned vs. solid, light vs. dark, etc.affected stain performance. With the oil-based salad dressing, some of the PFAS-finished fabrics performed minimally better than those without the finish. But the repellency was lost with abrasion, with the benefits fading once the fabric is worn with use. Researchers also found that the performance differences were greater between different fabric typescolors, patterns, etc.rather than between those with and without PFAS. It was surprising that these harmful but supposedly indispensable chemicals had no practical benefit, said lead author Jonas LaPier, a PhD candidate in civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University. It makes you wonder what other uses of PFAS are also unnecessary and could be easily eliminated from products without noticeable change in performance. PFAS are also commonly referred to as forever chemicals since it takes them so long to break down, if at all. PFAS chemicals can leech into the soil and water during production, and according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), PFAS are found in the blood of people and animals all over the world and are present at low levels in a variety of food products. Of the thousands of PFAS chemicals in existence, some have been linked to harmful health effects. Story continues California, Maine, Vermont and Washington have all enacted legislation regulating the use of PFAS in consumer products such as home goods. As of Jan. 1, product manufacturers must provide written notice to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection regarding any products that contain any intentionally added PFAS. PFAS are a public health nightmare and should only be used when essential, said Carol Kwiatkowski, co-author and scientist at the Green Science Policy Institute, which provided funding for the study. In the case of these fabrics, they arent delivering the desired performance of stain repellency, and like lipstick or car wax, they get reapplied, which introduces more PFAS into the environment and increases the risk of human exposure. Theres simply no justification for continuing to use them in furniture. As part of its phase-out of PFAS, Sunbrella parent company Glen Raven announced it had developed a proprietary cleaning solution to remove oil-based stains, called Sunbrella Extract. With so many home textiles makers eliminating PFAS finishes, the focus of performance is shifting from repelling stains to cleanability. The results of the study align with what Ive seen firsthand, said co-author Betsy Phillips, Director of Environmental Initiatives of the textile company Maharam. The presence of PFAS-based finishes doesnt prevent textiles from staining, especially after the finishes have become worn with use. The best way to prevent staining is to promptly clean up spills. When prompt cleaning isnt possible, choosing a thicker, darker, patterned fabric will help mask any stains that may permeate. Beyond staining, omitting PFAS is simply better for our health. Trump charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, pleads not guilty Xinhua) 09:55, April 05, 2023 A motorcade of former U.S. President Donald Trump approaches the complex of Manhattan Criminal Court and Manhattan District Attorney's Office in New York, the United States, on April 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg accused Donald Trump of "falsifying New York business records in order to conceal damaging information and unlawful activity from American voters before and after the 2016 election," while Trump has denied wrongdoing and stated that the criminal inquiry is politically motivated. NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. President Donald Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, the Manhattan district attorney said on Tuesday afternoon. Trump, who was arraigned at the Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City and became the first former U.S. president to be criminally indicted, reportedly pleaded not guilty. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced the indictment after Trump's arraignment, accusing him of "falsifying New York business records in order to conceal damaging information and unlawful activity from American voters before and after the 2016 election." During the election, Trump and others employed a "catch and kill" scheme to identify, purchase, and bury negative information about him and boost his electoral prospects, according to Bragg's office in a press release. Trump then tried to hide this conduct, causing dozens of false entries in business records to conceal criminal activity, including attempts to violate state and federal election laws, the release alleged. The New York State Supreme Court indictment cited three instances of hush-money payments to cover up Trump's alleged affairs. A Republican who held the White House from early 2017 to early 2021 after winning the 2016 race, Trump has denied wrongdoing and stated that the criminal inquiry led by Bragg, a Democrat, is politically motivated. Trump's attorney Todd Blanche, speaking to reporters outside the Manhattan Criminal Court after Trump's departure, revealed that his client is "frustrated" and "upset." "It's not a good day," Blanche said, adding that "you don't expect this to happen ... to somebody who was the president of the United States." Law enforcement staff are on duty outside the complex of Manhattan Criminal Court and Manhattan District Attorney's Office in New York, the United States, April 3, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) Trump is traveling back to his Mar-a-Lago residence in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he will hold an event to address his indictment on Tuesday night, following the court appearance. "Seems so SURREAL -- WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Can't believe this is happening in America. MAGA!" Trump wrote on his social media platform "Truth Social" before arriving at the Manhattan Criminal Court earlier in the day. Republicans have rallied behind Trump, criticizing that the justice system has been weaponized by the Democratic Party for political purposes since Trump, 76, is running for the White House again and is an early frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. "Equal justice under the law, unless you're a Republican running for president," tweeted U.S. Congressman Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican who serves as chairman of the House Republican Study Committee. Democrats, by contrast, are seeking to cast the historic indictment as an accountability move and urging Trump supporters to remain peaceful while protesting. "I believe that Donald Trump will have a fair trial that follows the facts and the law," U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. "There's no place in our justice system for any outside influence or intimidation in the legal process," Schumer, a New York Democrat, added. Police divide a park into two parts for former U.S. President Donald Trump's supporters and critics opposite the complex of Manhattan Criminal Court and Manhattan District Attorney's Office in New York, the United States, on April 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Tuesday afternoon that President Joe Biden is aware of his predecessor's arraignment but stressed that it is not the Democrat's "focus." "Of course, this is playing out on many of the networks here on a daily basis for hours and hours, so obviously, he will catch part of the news when he has a moment to catch up on the news of the day, but this is not his focus for today," Jean-Pierre said. In addition to the hush-money payment case, Trump is facing several other criminal investigations at the state and federal levels, including his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss, his handling of classified documents, and his role in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Sixty percent of Americans approve of the indictment of Trump, according to a new CNN poll released on Monday. Support for the indictment fell along party lines, with 94 percent of Democrats approving of the decision to indict Trump, while 79 percent of Republicans disapproved of the move to indict. Besides, about three-quarters of Americans say politics played at least some role in the Trump indictment, including 52 percent who said it played a major role, the CNN poll showed. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Wu Chaolan) Photo: The Canadian Press Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario Patty Hajdu speaks speaks during a press conference on a revised final settlement agreement to compensate First Nations children and families in Ottawa, on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby A multibillion-dollar settlement for children and families harmed by Ottawa's underfunding of on-reserve services is heading back to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal for approval, as both sides seek to turn the page on a dark chapter in Canada's history. Federal ministers and First Nations representatives presented the revised $23-billion compensation package to Canadians on Wednesday after it was endorsed the day before by delegates from the Assembly of First Nations. "Once the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal has endorsed this agreement, it will then be taken to the Federal Court of Canada for approval in late spring or early summer of 2023," said Manitoba regional chief Cindy Woodhouse, who has led the file for the assembly. "Once all these approvals have been granted, the claims process will begin in late 2023 or early 2024. And funds will start to flow thereafter." The latest settlement offer comes more than 15 years after the assembly and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society jointly launched a human-rights complaint that sparked the years-long legal battle with Ottawa. The 2007 complaint revolved around allegations that Ottawas underfunding of on-reserve child welfare services amounted to discrimination, and that First Nations children were denied equal access to support ranging from school supplies and medical equipment. The tribunal eventually ruled in the complainants' favour, setting off a range of lawsuits, appeals and proposed settlements, including one last year in which Ottawa offered to spend $20 billion to reform the child-welfare system and another $20 billion on compensation. But the tribunal rejected that proposal over concerns that not all eligible claimants would receive compensation. The new deal includes an extra $3 billion to compensate another 13,000 people and makes other amendments both sides hope will satisfy the tribunal's concerns. Those who qualify will receive at least $40,000, with some receiving more, as the government has agreed to pay interest on the payments. Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu said during a news conference with Woodhouse and others that the latest compensation package represents the largest settlement offer in Canadian history. "The revised agreement, as I said, isn't going to make people whole," she added. "No amount of money can make people whole. But it is an important piece of healing because it's an acknowledgment of the discrimination." Hajdu drew a direct link between Ottawa's failure to provide proper funding for child-welfare services in First Nations communities and the discovery of 33-year-old Linda Mary Beardy's body in a Winnipeg landfill on Monday. "There's no coincidence that Indigenous people face higher rates of violence, Indigenous women and girls face higher rates of violence, and it's connected to what we're here to talk about today: compensation for a discriminatory system," she said. "That meant that children didn't get a fair chance. They didn't get a fair start. And they were in many cases ripped away from families, from moms and dads and aunties and community and language and culture and connection." Ashley Bach, who was taken from her family and First Nations community in northwestern Ontario shortly after birth, described the proposed settlement as "a step towards enabling our healing of the harms that we've experienced and suffered." "I'm hoping that this compensation will be one way that we (will) be able to return home, be able to learn our languages, even go to school and use to raise our families," she said. Yet even as Woodhouse and Bach welcomed the revised deal, they echoed calls from the Assembly of First Nations for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to issue a formal apology as part of the final settlement. Neither Hajdu nor Marc Miller, the minister for Crown-Indigenous relations, addressed such calls during Wednesday's news conference. Trudeau's office said in a statement that the settlement agreement "marks an important milestone" in terms of providing accountability to First Nations families and children. "This agreement has been First Nations-led and designed every step of the way, and we thank all the parties involved for ensuring we get this right," it said. Helvetia Holding AG (VTX:HELN) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 5th of May to CHF5.90. Based on this payment, the dividend yield for the company will be 4.5%, which is fairly typical for the industry. Check out our latest analysis for Helvetia Holding Helvetia Holding's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage We like to see a healthy dividend yield, but that is only helpful to us if the payment can continue. Prior to this announcement, Helvetia Holding's earnings easily covered the dividend, but free cash flows were negative. In general, we consider cash flow to be more important than earnings, so we would be cautious about relying on the sustainability of this dividend. The next year is set to see EPS grow by 16.0%. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 50% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward. Helvetia Holding Has A Solid Track Record Even over a long history of paying dividends, the company's distributions have been remarkably stable. The dividend has gone from an annual total of CHF3.40 in 2013 to the most recent total annual payment of CHF5.90. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 5.7% over that duration. The dividend has been growing very nicely for a number of years, and has given its shareholders some nice income in their portfolios. Helvetia Holding Could Grow Its Dividend Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. It's encouraging to see that Helvetia Holding has been growing its earnings per share at 6.3% a year over the past five years. The lack of cash flows does make us a bit cautious though, especially when it comes to the future of the dividend. Our Thoughts On Helvetia Holding's Dividend Overall, we always like to see the dividend being raised, but we don't think Helvetia Holding will make a great income stock. With cash flows lacking, it is difficult to see how the company can sustain a dividend payment. This company is not in the top tier of income providing stocks. Story continues It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. For example, we've picked out 1 warning sign for Helvetia Holding that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield dividend stocks. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. SEOUL, South Korea, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyosung Chairman Cho Hyun-joon attended the Korea-Japan Business Roundtable held in Tokyo, March. At the meeting, key officials from the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) and the Japan Association of Corporate Executives (Keizai Doyukai) specified the visions for economic cooperation between the two countries and discussed expanding exchange and cooperation among business leaders. From Korea, 12 members of the FKI attended, including Chairman Cho Hyun-joon and Acting FKI Chairman Kim Byong-joon, as well as leaders of conglomerates. From Japan, 11 business leaders attended, including Chairman Masakazu Tokura of Keidanren and Mikio Sasaki, the chairman of the Japan-Korea Economic Association. Chairman Cho said, "I hope to mutual development in various fields for both countries through this meeting," adding "I shall make efforts to contribute to the development of both countries through active economic exchange with Japanese companies". In the business world, Chairman Cho is regarded as an expert on Japan. He has been serving as the vice-chairman of the Korea-Japan Economic Association since 2014 and was reappointed in 2023 for his 10th year of service. He showed his interest in Japan by mentioning that "economic cooperation with Japan is essential" during the 29th Korea-Japan Business Conference last year. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/hyosung-chairman-cho-hyun-joon-attends-the-korea-japan-business-roundtable-301790254.html SOURCE Hyosung Corporation Stiri pe aceeasi tema - The National Public Health Institute (INSP) informs that in the week of April 10 - 16, 41.5 percent of the COVID-19 cases in Romania were reported by Bucharest City and the counties of Cluj, Iasi, Sibiu and Brasov combined.As many as 4,201 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were registered in the - The National Institute of Public Health (INSP) informed on Thursday that 75,390 cases of acute respiratory infections - clinical flu, IACRS and pneumonias - were reported between April 3 and 9.According to the quoted source, there were 15.3 pct fewer cases compared to the ones registered the previous - The National Institute of Public Health (INSP) informed that, in the week of March 13 - 19, 46.7% of the cases of COVID-19 were registered in Bucharest and in the counties of Cluj, Iasi, Sibiu and Brasov.According to the weekly surveillance report, 44.6% of the confirmed cases were registered in - The National Institute of Public Health (INSP) informed that a number of 92 cases with the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 were confirmed for the week March 13 - 19, of which 29 are variants of concern (VOC) and 63 are variants of interest (VOIs).Of the VOC 63 cases, 23 are confirmed with the BQ.1 - The National Institute of Public Health (INSP) informs that, in the week between 20 and 26 February, 46.1pct of the cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Bucharest and in the counties of Cluj, Timis, Maramures and Brasov. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe - The National Institute of Public Health (INSP) informs that, in the week of January 23 - 29, 39.8pct of the cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Bucharest and in the counties of Cluj, Timis, Brasov, Iasi, told Agerpres. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe - The National Institute of Public Health (INSP) informed that, in the week of January 16-22, 42.6% of the cases of COVID-19 were registered in Bucharest and in the counties of Cluj, Timis, Brasov, Sibiu. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe Facebook stiripesurse.ro - The National Institute of Public Health (INSP) has informed that, in the week of January 16 - 22, 102 cases with the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 were confirmed, of which 27 are variants of "concern", and 74 "of interest". Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro Stiri pe aceeasi tema - Education Minister Ligia Deca said on Monday evening in Timisoara that two of the ideas of the Romanian diaspora in the research area have become reality in the new legislative package in Bucharest - the internationalisation of higher education, which becomes a strategic priority, and the launch of - The Social Democratic Party (PSD) announced on Tuesday that it does not support the legislative proposal initiated by the National Liberal Party (PNL), which tightens the criminal sanctions in case of public protests, told Agerpres."In its current form, the draft law entered into debate in the Senate - The leader of the PSD (Social Democratic Party) group in the Senate, Radu Oprea, stated on Tuesday that the bill to grant holiday vouchers to the 4.2 million employees in the private sector would have a budgetary impact of approximately 6 billion RON, respectively 0.42% of GDP, the Liberal parliamentarian - Vulnerable people will benefit from a special package of support through the Inclusion and Social Dignity Programme, the first calls for projects to be opened in the second quarter of this year, informs the Ministry of European Investments and Projects (MIPE).In total, in 2023, 10 calls worth a total - Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca on Friday said Romania, together with Western strategic partners, is determined to support Ukraine as long as necessary, told Agerpres. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe Facebook stiripesurse.ro Help your friends - BRD - Groupe Societe Generale granted Belgian real estate developer Speedwell a financing package of 24.32 million euros for the development of two green residential buildings in western Timisoara city, as part of its commitment to support sustainable projects in Romania, the bank announced on Thursday. - The acting president of the Senate, Alina Gorghiu, received, on Wednesday, the new ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain, Jose Antonio Hernandez Perez-Solorzano, on the occasion of which she emphasized the importance of parliamentary diplomacy as an indispensable tool for the development of bilateral Realme 11 Pro+ apare in fotografii cu un design atipic de camera Desi realme 10 de abia a ajuns in Romania, iata ca deja discutam despre succesorul sau, realme 11. El va debuta in luna mai si a primit deja o serie de teasere, care dezvaluie o camera circulara in spate. Acum il vedem in mana cuiva. Inca nu e clar ce model din gama va [citeste mai departe] Stiri pe aceeasi tema - European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton is visiting Romania today, according to the European Commission Representation in Bucharest.Breton is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca and Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Marcel Ciolacu. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi - Romania is deeply engaged in promoting and implementing the European policy on equal opportunities, the European agenda on women, as well as the UN Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, says Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. - The government on Wednesday will approve a list of 27 hospitals that will be built or rehabilitated, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca said at the beginning of a government sitting, adding that this is an objective undertaken under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and funded by EUR 2.1 - The government will continue to take all measures to fulfill the objective regarding the absorption of European funds, so that at least 10 billion euros will be attracted by Romania this year, declared Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro - Hundreds of lorries are waiting now to leave Romania through the main border crossing points in Arad County, with a long queue covering about seven kilometres on the pan-European highway before Nadlac II, told Agerpres. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro - Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca announced on Tuesday that the Executive is to pass a draft law under which approximately 20 million EUR are ensured for the rehabilitation and modernization of some hospitals, told Agerpres. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro - Swimmer David Popovici, double world and European champion of seniors in 100 and 200 m freestyle, and rower Simona Radis, double European and world champion in double rowing and 8+1, were named the sportsman and sportswoman of the year 2022 during the gala organized on Thursday evening by the Ministry - Romania has to boost digital transformation as its public administration is lagging behind in the digital transformation index of the European Union, Chair of the National Confederation for Female Entrepreneurship (CONAF) Cristina Chiriac said on Thursday, told Agerpres. Fii la curent cu cele Stiri pe aceeasi tema - President Klaus Iohannis is making, on Saturday, an official visit to Chile, the first of this level in the last 10 years. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe Facebook stiripesurse.ro Help your friends know more about Romania! Share - AGERPRES special correspondent Florentina Peia reports: President Klaus Iohannis, who is on an official visit to Brazil, the first at the head of state level in the last 23 years, was received on Tuesday by his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi - President Klaus Iohannis will receive First Vice President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, at the Cotroceni Palace on Friday, the Presidential Administration informed.The meeting will take place at 13:00. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe - President Klaus Iohannis stated on Tuesday that women have a major contribution in terms of including on the public agenda some essential topics such as climate change and energy transition and underscored that their endorsement in getting involved in the public and professional life must be permanent, - President Klaus Iohannis had a meeting with the President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group, Werner Hoyer on Monday, on the sidelines of the participation in the inaugural edition of the EIB Group Forum, which took place in Luxembourg. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste - In Luxembourg today, President Klaus Iohannis is meeting Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel and participating as a keynote speaker in the first edition of the European Investment Bank Group Forum, told Agerpres. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe - President Klaus Iohannis declared on Thursday that at the special European Council meeting that starts today he will reiterate Romania's support for Ukraine, adding that the plenary meeting will be followed by restricted format meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Fii la curent - President Klaus Iohannis stated on Friday that Romania remains highly interested in accessing additional volumes of Caspian gas in order to cover the growing national consumption, told Agerpres. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe Facebook stiripesurse.ro Fortune Business Insights The global Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Market is exhibiting a huge growth with steady CAGR. Driving factors include cost-effectiveness, convenience and accessibility. Technology advancements and rising prevalence of acute and chronic diseases will further boost the global market Pune, India, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) Market size is projected to experience dynamic growth in the forthcoming years. Rise in prevalence of chronic diseases worldwide is propelling the growth, finds Fortune Business Insights in its report, titled Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Market, 2023-2030. This report includes expert opinion and information from trusted sources and focusses on analyzing major factors driving and restricting the growth of the market during the forecast period. As per the report, in terms of product, the mono oxygen chambers segment is expected to show strong growth. In addition, the relative ease provided by mono oxygen chambers and other advantageous features they offer are further anticipated to help this segment remain dominant through the forecast period. Request a Free Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-market-101103 Key Industry Developments New medical research conducted at the LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine indicates that the procedure can be beneficial for the patients of Alzheimers, when conducted with other therapies or by itself. Perry Baromedical and Kent Imaging Inc., entered a strategic partnership in the field of hyperbarics, where in Perry Baromedical will distribute Kents product offering of KD203, a near infrared imaging device Report Scope Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2023 to 2030 Base Year 2022 Historical Data 2019 to 2021 Key Takeaways: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a well-established treatment for a variety of illnesses such as decompression sickness, serious infection, diabetic injuries, radiation injuries The global Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy market is expected to register significant growth due to the technological advancements. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 13 medical uses of the hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). Story continues Browse Complete Report Details: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-market-101103 Low Treatment Cost of HBOT in Developing Nations Promotes Medical Tourism The global hyperbaric oxygen therapy market is driven by the increasing prevalence of chronic and acute wounds and rising cases of post-surgical infections. The rising prevalence of chronic and acute diseases resulting in serious ailments is also helping the market gain traction. Besides this, of the market is expected to gain from increasing medical tourism. Additionally, the rise in adoption of technologically advanced medical products, tools, and drugs is helping the market gain traction at a rapid pace worldwide. On the other hand, certain factors may pose a threat to the growth of the hyperbaric oxygen therapy market such as lack of awareness about these systems, and high cost of installation. Additionally, the lack of HBOT devices in developing nations may hinder the hyperbaric oxygen therapy market growth in the long run. Increasing Investments in Expansion of Healthcare Infrastructure in Developing Nations to Help Asia Pacific Emerge as a Lucrative Market Geographically, North America currently holds a major percentage of the overall hyperbaric oxygen therapy market share. Growth witnessed in North America is attributable to the high investment made in the regions healthcare and medical infrastructure. Governments in North America strive to provide advanced health facilities to their citizens. This, coupled with recent regulatory approvals and quick adoption of technologically advanced medical procedures, is helping the hyperbaric oxygen therapy market in grow at an accelerated pace in North America. On the other side, the Asia Pacific market holds huge growth potential because of the increasing popularity of the HBOT especially in the developing nations such as China and India. In addition, the research and development on hyperbaric oxygen therapy are boosting Asia Pacific market. The rise in adoption of HBOT systems in this region, coupled with, the rise in emphasis of treating diseases such as decompression sickness will help the market in Asia Pacific register rapid growth in the coming years. Pre Book - Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Market Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/101103 List of Key Players Covered in the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Market Report: Sechrist Industries, Inc. Perry Baromedical Environmental Tectonics Corporation Fink Engineering OxyHealth Gulf Coast Hyperbarics Inc. Hearmec Co. Ltd IHC Hytech BV SOS Medical Group Ltd Hyperbaric SAC Market Segmentation: By Product Monoplace oxygen chambers Multiplace oxygen chamber Topical oxygen chambers Portable oxygen chambers By Application Decompression Sickness Wound Healing Infectious diseases Gas Embolism Carbon monoxide poisoning Others By End Users Hospitals Ambulatory care centers Outpatient clinics Standalone hyperbaric treatment centers Others By Geography North America (USA and Canada) Europe (UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Scandinavia and Rest of Europe) Asia Pacific (Japan, China, India, Australia, Southeast Asia and Rest of Asia Pacific) Latin America (Brazil, Mexico and Rest of Latin America Middle East & Africa (South Africa, GCC and Rest of Middle East & Africa) Ask for Customization: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/ask-for-customization/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-market-101103 About Us: Fortune Business Insights offers expert corporate analysis and accurate data, helping organizations of all sizes make timely decisions. We tailor innovative solutions for our clients, assisting them to address challenges distinct to their businesses. Our goal is to empower our clients with holistic market intelligence, giving a granular overview of the market they are operating in. Contact Us: Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd. US: +1 424 253 0390 UK: +44 2071 939123 APAC: +91 744 740 1245 Email: sales@fortunebusinessinsights.com The government will support developments at the Hungaroring race track in Mogyorod, on the outskirts of the capital, state secretary for sport Adam Schmidt said. The upgrade is scheduled to be ready by the time Hungaroring hosts the 2026 Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix, Schmidt said. The public procurement procedure for the project is planned to be called in the next 40-45 days, allowing construction to start in the autumn of 2024 and to be completed by the time the 2026 event gets under way, he added. The upgrades are a condition for extending Hungarys contract to host the F1 races from 2027 to 2032. Hungary aims to further intensify relations with Japan in the agrarian sector, Minister of Agriculture Istvan Nagy said on Monday after meeting Japanese ambassador Masato Otaka, the ministry said. Nagy said there were opportunities for cooperation in numerous areas, including the exchange of technological know-how and foreign trading. He highlighted the potential for economic cooperation in pork, poultry, duck, honey and medical food, the ministry added. The talks also covered the security of food supplies and Nagy said Hungarys agriculture and food industry had the capacity to supply more than 20 million people. Hungarys food industry is undergoing a renewal and instead of base materials, the country wants to export processed, good quality food products. Resources allocated for investment and technology modernisation have been tripled, and Japanese investors are welcome to participate in the process, he added. Hungary has one of the largest gene banks in Europe and there is significant economic potential in indigenous Hungarian species, he said. Wine-making is a priority area for Hungary and the aim is to be able to present the high-quality products to an increasingly large audience, he added. Hungary continues to support the discontinuation of sanctions against Japanese food products in the European Union resulting from the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Nagy said An agreement has been made to complete the fourth motorway between Hungary and Romania in 2030, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said. The planned motorway is part of an earlier agreement to build motorways linking the two countries every five years, Szijjarto said in a joint statement with Sorin Mihai Grindeanu, Romanias deputy prime minister. We succeeded in 2015 and in 2020, and another success is being readied for 2025 to link the M3 motorway in Hungary with the road network around Satu Mare (Szatmarnemeti), he said. Today we sealed the next success, for 2030, agreeing on a fourth motorway link, he added. The motorway between Budapest and Bekescsaba will be extended to the border, creating a link to the Romanian motorway network south of Salonta (Nagyszalonta), Szijjarto said. A border crossing point has been agreed upon and the people of Mehkerek, in south-east Hungary, are making preparations, he said. Developing cooperation between Hungary and Romania is a priority strategic interest both to serve the ethnic Hungarian community and to broaden economic relations, he added. Szijjarto said that bilateral trade exceeded 12 billion euros last year, a record-breaking figure, making Romania Hungarys third largest export market. Developing cooperation is unimaginable without developing physical links between the two countries, he added. Grindeanu thanked Hungary for its support for Romanias Schengen accession process. Commenting on the planned construction of a crossing station at the Hungarian-Romanian-Serbian triple border, he said the local authorities of Beba Veche (Obeba) supported the project. Air India has introduced refreshed inflight food and beverages menus across cabins on all international flights. "The refresh of the menus is based on guest feedback and is designed to offer travellers an assortment of gourmet meals, trendy appetizers, decadent desserts, and showcase India's locally sourced culinary influence while keeping in line with the healthy eating trend," the airline said in a release. Besides, the bar menu has been revamped, that includes Laurent-Perrier La Cuvve Brut champagne, and wines from the vineyards of Chateau de l'Hestrange, Les Oliviers, Chateau Milon, and the Piedmont region of Northern Italy. #FlyAI: We have refreshed our Inflight Menu for International Flights Ex-India. Sit back, relax, and enjoy our new selection of trendy beverages, tasty appetizers, sumptuous mains and decadent desserts.#Menu #Meals #RefreshedMenu pic.twitter.com/v708ggsdVC Air India (@airindiain) April 4, 2023 The new beverages menu also features a range of whiskeys, gin, vodka, and beers of premium brands, the release said. "Our underlying focus while designing the new menus has been on ensuring that they include nutritious options that are delicious, and on incorporating contemporary, sustainable practices," Sandeep Verma, Head of Inflight Services, Air India, said. Also, recently, one of the engine blades of an Air India plane was found to be damaged after it landed in Kolkata on Monday morning, said officials who suspect that it was caused by a bird hit. A blade on the right engine of the plane, Airbus A320, which arrived here from Mumbai, was found to be bent during checks after boarding was complete for its return journey, they said. Also read - Indian Aviation Enters 'Golden Period' With Expansion Of Airlines' Fleet, New Airports Air India flight AI675 landed in Kolkata around 8.20 am, after taking off from Mumbai at 6.16 am, they said. For its return journey to Mumbai, a total of 119 passengers boarded the plane (AI676) from Kolkata.There were also six cabin crew on the plane, which was preparing to take off when the damage was detected, they added. The passengers were made to deboard the plane, which then underwent repairs. The passengers went to Mumbai on the same flight around 1 pm, officials said. With new airports being inaugurated at a fast pace and airlines placing orders for planes in the hundreds, India is set to be a global aviation hub. The Indian aviation industry and reliable industry players are set to grow in size and repute. The air passenger volume of a country can be seen as an unofficial marker of the health of its economy and a reflection of its citizens` purchasing power. More travellers can indicate a stronger economy. Thanks to India`s strong economic foundation and policies, her aviation story, which began slowly, has now taken off and is flying at the highest altitude. In a historic deal, Tata Sons-led Air India placed a massive order of 470 Boeing and Airbus aircraft last month to meet the sudden surge in the aviation demand of the country. Also read: PM Modi To Inaugurate New Terminal Building Of Chennai International Airport On April 8; See Pics The deal, worth around USD 100 billion, comprises the purchase of a wide range of aircraft that will cater to the needs of passengers across the economic ladder and of travelers around the world. These deals with Boeing and Airspace were two of the biggest civil aviation deals the world has witnessed to date. While commenting on the Air India and Boeing deal, US Department of State Spokesperson Ned Price said, "It is an opportunity not only for the American economy and for workers here in this country, but it`s an opportunity for Indian people as well, an opportunity to deepen a profoundly intertwined relationship based on shared interest, based on shared values, based on deep economic ties and with the announcement between India and Boeing yesterday those ties are all the deeper." India is one of the most promising aviation markets in the world. After a brief pandemic-induced lull in her aviation activity in 2020 and 2021, India resurged strongly in 2022, with a 47 percent rise in air passenger traffic, totaling approximately 123 million people. Market and consumer data specialist `Statista,` recorded that 22 million international passengers touched down at Indian airports in the Financial Year 2022. India has around 400 airports and airstrips, of which 153 will be operational by the end of 2022. The Indian aviation sector is projected to tread parallel to Indian economic growth in general, which is well placed to grow fastest amongst the major global economies in the next decade. The government`s proactive measures, such as capping airfares, coupled with a rapid expansion in budget airlines` fleets and a consistently growing middle-income group in India, have contributed significantly to the success of the Indian aviation sector. India is also home to one of the most affordable air markets in the world. These are some of the reasons that many experts worldwide believe that Indian carriers can not only become a challenger to middle eastern carrier hegemony but can also surpass them to become the most preferred air carriers globally. IndiGo, the biggest domestic air carrier, flies nearly 1,800 flights daily and isis also set to expand its fleet size. As many as 500 aircraft are on order and will join the IndiGo fleet soon. ANI quotes, percent Head of International Sales, IndiGo, Vinay Malhotra, "We are currently flying a little over 300 aircraft, and we have a whopping 500 more on order. Currently, we are flying 1,800 flights a day, and 10 percent of these flights are for international routes. Our current international flights are concentrated around the Indian sub-continent and other countries. The farthest that we are flying is to Istanbul in Turkey. "Global aviation advisory and research organization CAPA, after it analyzed Indian aviation trends, projected a sharp uptick in India`s international air passenger volume, which could reach around 115 million to 125 million by 2029-2030.The domestic market is also projected to increase multifold shortly. The government`s UDAN, or Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik scheme, has proven highly successful in attracting and adding the country`s middle class to air transportation. The role of India`s largest carrier, IndiGo, along with other domestic private players like Spicejet, cannot be understated, for they have made air travel accessible and affordable. On the inauguration of Greenfield International Airport in Goa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Prime Minister said, "Today India has become the third largest aviation market. The way Udaan Yojna has fulfilled the dreams of flying off the middle class is genuinely a case study topic for the academic world." India has been working overtime to resume operations at airports that were previously unserved or underserved. The Airports Authority of India has added dozens of airports to India`s domestic air network in less than one decade, which has singularly propelled a significant growth in India`s domestic air travelers. India is also on track to have some of the largest airports in the world in the immediate future. With the initial potential of catering to up to 12 million people annually and the expansion potential of 60 million to 120 million passengers over thirty years, Noida International Airport, in Delhi`s satellite city, is expected to be operational by 2024. "Number of airports is increasing, and the number of airlines is also going to increase. So our aviation industry which is growing at such a good speed, is a beacon of hope to the entire world," said Airports Authority of India Chairman Sanjiv Kumar. A remarkable aviation journey, which is poised to grow further, is an indication of India`s general economic health. Per capita income levels have registered significant growth, and a tremendous trajectory is predicted. The entirety of `Brand India` and her individual sectors are booming. Observers say India`s aviation sector will greatly promote her reputation around the world in years to come. New Delhi: Bollywood actor Abhishek Banerjee has featured in several character roles in films and web-series. The actor gained prominence after portraying Jana in Stree and Jaffa in Rana Naidu, and has continued this success by turning in back-to-back standout performances. Now we only want to see more of him every time we see him on screen. Today, taking to social media, Banerjee made an announcement informing that he will be a part of Amitabh Bachchan and Diana Penty starrer Section 84. Abhishek Banerjee penned down an emotional note saying Section 84 is my moment of EKLAVYA meeting his DRONACHARYA .. for me when I knew nothing about acting I knew only one name AMITABH BACCHAN, from a boy who used to be hypnotised by him to be actually getting an opportunity to stand alongside him in one frame , life truly has become a full circle for me with this film . This is what dreams are made of, bacchan mania continues, this time I m going to be a part of it infront of camera!! Thank you thank you Ribhu sir you hv no idea how much my younger self is jumping with joy to be on your set and experience the mania I think we all hv been struck by for years now ! Recently, the makers also announced Diana Penty in one of the key roles. Section 84 is presented by Reliance Entertainment in association with Jio Studios and produced by Reliance Entertainment and Film Hangar. The film is written and will be directed by Ribhu Dasgupta. Chaitra Purnima is a significant Hindu festival that falls on the full moon day in the Hindu month of Chaitra. This day is considered very auspicious and is celebrated in different parts of India with various rituals and customs. It holds special significance in Hinduism as it comes after Yugadi, Gudi Padwa, and Chaitra Navratri. In North India, it is also celebrated as Hanuman Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman, who is considered a symbol of strength and devotion. Meanwhile, people also worship Lord Satyanarayana, a form of Lord Vishnu, and observe fasting on Purnima day. Chaitra Purnima 2023: Date And Shubh Muhurat As per Drik Panchang, Purnima Tithi Begins: 09:19 am on April 5, 2023 Purnima Tithi Ends: 10:04 am on April 6, 2023 Chaitra Purnima 2023: Significance As per Hindu Calendar, Chaitra Purnima is observed as the first Purnima after the New Year. Devotees further observe fast on Chaitra Purnima and worship Lord Satyanarayana, a form of Lord Vishnu. In North India, it is also celebrated as Hanuman Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman, who is considered a symbol of strength and devotion. Meanwhile, in South India, it is celebrated as Chitra Pournami and is dedicated to Lord Chitragupta, who is believed to be the keeper of records of all the good and bad deeds of humans. On this day, people take a holy dip in the river Ganges or other sacred rivers, perform puja and offer prayers to their deities. They also observe fast, distribute food and clothes to the needy, and participate in various cultural activities. It is believed that by performing these rituals, one can attain peace, prosperity, and happiness. Also read: Sitting Disease: How To Overcome Health Problems Caused By Sedentary Lifestyle - Check Easy Tips Chaitra Purnima 2023: Puja Vidhi As per Drik Panchang, many communities take a holy dip in Ganga water. Further, many communities observe one day fast on Purnima Tithi according to their Kul Parampara. Kul Paramparas are family traditions passed from generation to generation. Further, offering water to Lord Surya is believed to be auspicious. Many devotees observe fasting and offer prayers to Lord Satyanarayana. Worshipping the moon on Purnima day is very important, as after this devotees break their fast. On this day people do charity - distribute food, money, and clothes to the poor. Some devotees even organise hawan and Satyanarayan Katha at home with priests. (This article is intended for your general information only. Zee News does not vouch for its accuracy or reliability.) Hanuman Janmotsav 2023: Lord Hanuman is one of the most worshipped deities in India. The birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman is celebrated every year on Chaitra Purnima. Hanuman Janmotsav is a Hindu festival celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman. The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion in many parts of India and other countries with full pomp and show. Devotees offer special prayers, chant mantras, and sing hymns in praise of Lord Hanuman. They also fast, visit temples and participate in processions to mark the occasion. As per the Hindu calendar, the birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman is celebrated every year on Chaitra Purnima. This year, it falls on April 6. Apart from this, Hanuman Janmotsav is also celebrated on the Chaturdashi of Krishna Paksha of Kartik month. However, there is confusion if this festival should be called Hanuman Jayanti or Hanuman Janmotsav. Lets find it out. Also read: Hanuman Jayanti 2023: Date, Shubh Muhurat, History And Significance - All You Need To Know Difference Between Hanuman Jayanti And Hanuman Janmotsav People usually confuse Hanuman Jayanti with Hanuman Janmotsav. Jayanti and Janmotsav are used for the day of celebrating a birthday, but it is used in different contexts. Jayanti is used for a person, who was born in this world, lived life, and died one day. After the death of that person, when his birthday falls on a particular date, it is called Jayanti. However, as per Hindu scriptures, Lord Hanuman is believed to be the living deity in the world of Kalyug. Lord Rama gave him the boon of immortality, and he resides on Gandhamadan mountain as the protector of religion in Kalyug. Hence, Lord Hanumans birthday should be Hanuman Janmotsav. Hanuman Janmotsav 2023: Puja Vidhi On Hanuman Janmotsav, devotees offer prayers to Lord Hanuman in several ways. In some places, a special puja is performed, where Lord Hanuman's idol is bathed with milk and honey, adorned with flowers and garlands, and then worshipped with incense, lamps, and other offerings. Lighting a mustard oil lamp, and chanting the powerful mantra of 'Om Marutatmajaya Namah' 108 times is considered auspicious. Further, devotees offer jaggery and gram to Lord Hanuman and then recite Hanuman Chalisa 11 times at home or the temple. It is believed that on this day, Lord Hanuman blesses his devotees with the best of his blessings. The puja is usually followed by distributing prasad (offerings) to the devotees. Hanuman Janmotsav 2023: Powerful Mantras To Chant: 1. Om Ham Hanumate Namah..!! 2. Om Namo Bhagvate Hanumate Namah..!! 3. Ashta Siddhi Nav Nidhi Ke Daata As Var Deen Janki Maata..!! (This article is intended for your general information only. Zee News does not vouch for its accuracy or reliability.) Hyundai Hope On Wheels announces plans to award $25 million in research and programmatic grants to commemorate its 25 th anniversary This year's donation marks the organization's $225 million lifetime donation total Hyundai Hope On Wheels names newest National Youth Ambassador Raynie Clark to join fellow ambassador Oliver Foster NEW YORK, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Hope On Wheels, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supported by Hyundai Motor America and its more than 820 U.S. dealers, celebrates its 25th anniversary in its long-standing fight against childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, the organization is one of the longest-running corporate social responsibility efforts in the automotive industry. In honor of this milestone, Hyundai Hope On Wheels today announced plans to award $25 million in research grants this year, its largest donation in a single year, bringing its total giving to $225 million since its inception. Hyundai Hope On Wheels National Youth Ambassadors Raynie Clark and Oliver Foster are photographed on February 21, 2023 (Photo/Hyundai) "Hyundai Hope On Wheels is honored to have reached this milestone, which humbly started as a local initiative in New England 25 years ago," said Kevin Reilly, vice chairman of the Hyundai Hope On Wheels Board of Directors, and president of Alexandria Hyundai. "While we are proud of this growth and the significant advancements in pediatric cancer research, we remain as unwaveringly dedicated to our goals of funding research and creating awareness as when we started. The resilience of pediatric cancer fighters, survivors, and their families inspires us to continue this journey and strengthen our commitment to bring hope and put an end to childhood cancer." In 2022, Hyundai Hope On Wheels appointed executive director John Guastaferro to build on the organization's achievements and advance its mission into the future. This year, Hyundai Hope On Wheels is set to surpass 1,300 research and programmatic grants to over 175 hospital and research institutions over its 25-year history. Hyundai Hope On Wheels awards grants in three categories to researchers at eligible Children's Oncology Group (COG) member institutions, which are focused on improving outcomes, treatments, and support for children diagnosed with cancer. Story continues In 2023, Hyundai Hope On Wheels will introduce two new categories of grants to provide bridge funding for National Institute of Health grant applicants and to expand support in more regions across the United States with engagement from local Hyundai dealers. Now with five categories of grants, Hope On Wheels will help sustain and strengthen research for projects underway and increase its support to more institutions nationwide. "While we are thrilled that we are now able to cure around 80 percent of children with cancer, our goal is to get to 100 percent," said Dr. Dan Wechsler, a long-standing member of the Hyundai Hope On Wheels Medical Advisory Committee. "Appropriate funding is critical to ensure that doctors, scientists, and institutions continue their cutting-edge research. I applaud Hyundai Hope On Wheels for its dedication to and perseverance in advancing pediatric cancer research particularly for young investigators and look forward to continuing efforts to cure and support as many pediatric cancer patients as possible." New National Youth Ambassador Raynie Clark, a 10-year-old from a town outside Las Vegas, Nevada, was announced as the newest National Youth Ambassador from a nationwide search. Throughout the year, Raynie will travel with her fellow National Youth Ambassador Oliver Foster to children's hospitals to inspire others to join the fight against childhood cancer. Oliver was selected as the 2022-2024 National Youth Ambassador, while Raynie will serve as the 2023-2025 ambassador. This year marks the return of appointing two ambassadors to jointly represent the organization and share their stories of courage and hope since 2020. Learn more about Raynie's and Oliver's inspirational stories on our website. To celebrate the 25-year milestone, Hyundai Hope On Wheels launched its "HOPE Defined" social media campaign, which will spotlight what Hope means to members of the pediatric cancer community and culminate through various celebrations in September, National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Visit HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org to learn more about Hyundai Hope On Wheels and its 25th anniversary celebrations. Hyundai Hope On Wheels Hyundai Hope On Wheels is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels provides grants to eligible institutions nationwide that are pursuing critical research aimed at improving treatments and saving lives. Hyundai Hope On Wheels is one of the largest nonprofit funders of pediatric cancer research in the country. Primary funding for Hyundai Hope On Wheels comes from Hyundai Motor America and its more than 820 U.S. dealers. In 2023, Hyundai Hope On Wheels will surpass a lifetime total donation of $225 million in support of more than 1,300 childhood cancer research grants. Hyundai Hope On Wheels National Youth Ambassadors Raynie Clark and Oliver Foster are photographed on February 21, 2023 (Photo/Hyundai) Hyundai Hope On Wheels Logo (PRNewsfoto/Hyundai Hope On Wheels) Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hyundai-hope-on-wheels-celebrates-25-years-with-a-25-million-donation-to-pediatric-cancer-research-301790746.html SOURCE Hyundai Hope On Wheels Kia India has announced bringing back its flagship offering in India - Kia EV6. The South Korean brands EV will now go on sale in India again after select units of the EV6 were sold in India. Now, the company will start accepting bookings for the Kia EV6, from April 15 onwards. Talking of the last sales run of the EV, it found 432 customers in India, since it was on sale in limited numbers. In fact, the response received for the EV6 was so high that Kia sold more than 4 times the original units allotted for the Indian market. The 2023 Kia EV6 is available in two variants: GT Line and GT Line AWD at an ex-showroom price of Rs 60.95 lakh and Rs. 65.95 lakh respectively. Mr. Tae-Jin Park, MD & CEO, Kia India, said "We are thrilled with the response to our first premium EV offering, the EV6, which has established itself as a design and technology marvel and has won multiple awards since its launch. As a symbol of our commitment to electrification and sustainability, the EV6 has created history by becoming one of the best-selling products in its first year. We are proud to be leading the way towards a more sustainable future and will continue to grow the segment to grow our business. Park further added, For this year, we are focussing on importing more products to cater to the audiences who couldnt get their hands on the premium car last year by expanding our dealer network. We are confident that the EV6 will continue to lead the premium EV segment with its splendid performance in the market. Also read - Actress Neha Sharma Buys Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV Worth Rs 1 Crore: Watch Video Built on Kias dedicated EV platform, the Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), the EV6 is a combination of bold design, progressive engineering, innovative technologies, and exciting electric performance. The EV6 delivers impressive performance, ultra-fast DC charging, vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, and a flat-floor interior that utilises sustainable-friendly materials throughout the cabin. Kia EV6 offers a wide array of advanced driver assistance systems. The vehicle boasts an ARAI-certified range of 708km, ultra-fast charging capabilities, and a spacious, high-tech interior. Kia EV6 is available in five exciting colours - Runway Red, Yacht Blue, Moonscape, Aurora Black Pearl, and Snow White Pearl. Also, the brand will soon install the 150 kW high-speed charger network from the existing 15 dealerships to all 60 outlets. Thane: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Wednesday slammed the Maharashtra government saying that "Mughal rule" was prevailing in the state, and declared that he would contest the next Assembly election from Thane, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's bastion. He was speaking at a rally organised by the Shiv Sena (UBT), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Congress -- which comprise the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition -- in protest against an alleged attack on a woman worker of the Sena (UBT) in Thane city two days ago. Sena (UBT) leader and Thane MP Rajan Vichare, NCP leader Jitendra Awhad and Thane city Congress chief Vikrant Chavan participated in the protest march to the Thane police commissioner's office besides thousands of workers of the three MVA parties. #WATCH | Maharashtra: Our women's wing chief was attacked yesterday over a Facebook post. She is pregnant. Farmers' suicide, violence against women have increased in the state. This is not a Hindutva state, it's a Ravana regime state: Aditya Thackeray (Uddhav Thackeray faction) pic.twitter.com/J9A9asWbdk April 5, 2023 Aaditya Thackeray in his speech said that the Shinde-led Shiv Sena was not a party at all. "It is a stolen party. How can a gang of thieves be a party?....There is now `Mogalai' in the state," said Thackeray, a former state minister. The word `Mogalai' is often used to denote tyranny in Marathi. "There is no chief minister of Maharashtra, whoever there is, he is the Chief Minister of Guwahati and Gujarat," he said in a jibe at Shinde, who had taken his flock of Shiv Sena MLAs first to Surat and later to Guwahati after rebelling against Uddhav Thackeray's leadership last June. Saying that the Shinde government would not last long, Aaditya said once it falls, everyone including "traitor" leaders and officials who have misused their positions will face consequences. "I would contest from Thane and win," said Aaditya, who had won the 2019 Assembly election from Worli in south Mumbai. Chief Minister Shinde, notably, represents the Kopri Pachpakhadi constituency in Thane city. A woman worker of the Shiv Sena (UBT) was assaulted, but instead of booking the assailants, the police in Thane registered FIRs against her for alleged defamation, Thackeray said. Roshni Shinde, activist of the Sena (UBT), had alleged that she was assaulted over a `derogatory' Facebook post about the chief minister and his ally, the BJP. The chief minister kept quiet even after this atrocity took place in his city, Aaditya Thackeray further said. He also targeted Shinde over big-ticket industrial projects going to Gujarat instead of Maharashtra. `Nari Sanman Yatra' will be taken out in every district of Maharashtra to fight for women's honour, Thackeray announced. New Delhi: Delhi police on Wednesday arrested a man for allegedly insulting saffron flags placed along a street in northeast Delhi's Shastri Park area, news agency PTI reported. Around 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Sagar (23), a Shastri Park resident, came to the police station and reported that on the eve of Ram Navami, some small-sized, saffron-coloured religious flags were placed along the A Block street, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police (northeast) Joy Tirkey. Around 12.30 am, his neighbour Azim tore a few flags, trampled them and dumped them in a nearby drain, police said. Someone filmed the entire incident which got viral on social media, they said. A case under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered on Tuesday, police said. Azim has been arrested and further investigation is on, police added. Earlier on March 29, a young man was apprehended for allegedly insulting a saffron flag placed near a mosque in northeast Delhi's Jyoti Nagar. An FIR was registered against Falz Alam (18) for disrespecting the flag near the mosque Moula Baksh situated at B-Block, Ashok Nagar, a video of which went viral on social media. The incident comes on the heels of clashes in West Bengal and Bihar during Ram Navami celebrations. On Monday, West Bengal Police arrested a 19-year-old boy in connection with the violence during Ram Navami celebrations in West Bengal`s Howrah. Arrested from neighbouring Bihar, the youth allegedly brandished a weapon during a Ram Navami procession in Howrah. The accused, identified as Sumit Shaw, was purportedly seen brandishing a weapon in a video now viral on social media. According to the police, the accused is a resident of Salkia in Howrah and had been absconding since the incident. "I can only say that West Bengal police arrested one person. Now after court permission, they will take the arrested man on a transit remand," Munger Superintendent of Police Jagunath Reddy Jalareddy said. TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh claimed that the violence on Ram Navami was a conspiracy by the BJP to trigger unrest in West Bengal. "In the Howrah incident on Ram Navami, a boy was spotted carrying a revolver in the BJP procession. With his arrest, the BJP`s plot to incite violence stands exposed. Howrah Police arrested him in Bihar`s Munger. The case has been assigned to the CID," the TMC leader said. New Delhi: After violent clashes took place in Maharashtra, Bihar, and West Bengal on Ram Navami, the Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an advisory directing all states and UTs to ensure the maintenance of law and order, peaceful observance of the Hanuman Jayanti festivities. In Delhi, security in Jahangirpuri has been tightened ahead of Hanuman Jayanti. In today's DNA, Zee News' Rohit Ranjan discussed the aftermath of the Ram Navami violence in West Bengal and the security measures recommended by the Calcutta High Court to the Mamata Banerjee government. In West Bengal, after the violent clashes, chief minister Mamata Banerjee appealed for peace in the state. The Calcutta High Court had sought information from the West Bengal government on the violence after which the state government submitted its report on the same. The High Court then directed the Bengal government to arrange for apt security measures on the route of religious processions. The court also said that if there is a shortage of policemen, security forces should be sought from the Centre. Ahead of Hanuman Jayanti, the HC asked CM Mamata Banerjee to provide information on the security arrangements made for the festival. Banerjee's government said that if the law and order are broken during the processions, the organizers will be held responsible for it. Furthermore, there will be no barricading on the entire route of the processions but only in sensitive areas. The organizers will have to give information about their procession to the administration. West Bengal government on Wednesday also decided to deploy paramilitary forces in three districts of Hooghly, Barrackpore, and Kolkata during Hanuman Jayanti celebrations to prevent any incidents of violence or minor clashes during the festivities. New Delhi: Former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday heaped praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and called him a 'statesman'. In an interview with the news agency ANI, Azad, who quit Congress last year and formed his own political outfit Democratic Progressive Azad Party, also called Modi 'too generous'. "I must give credit to Modi. For what I did to him, he was too generous. As Leader of the Opposition I did not spare him on any issue be it Article 370 or CAA or hijab. I got some Bills totally failed but I must give him the credit that he behaved like a statesman, not taking revenge for that," Azad said. Azad resigned from Congress in August 2022 following a difference of opinion with the party leadership. Soon after he quit the Congress, several party leaders recalled PM Modi's lavish praise in his emotional speech in Parliament during Azad's farewell from Rajya Sabha to allege some sort of agenda. In an interview with the news agency PTI on Tuesday, he hit back at his critics, who had raised eyebrows after PM Modi praised him, and said that they have a "polluted mind" and need to go back to "kindergarten to learn ABC of politics". A former leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha, Azad also slammed those who could not differentiate between farewell speeches and a routine one, saying their political acumen is "questionable at best". Referring to Azad's scathing resignation letter, Congress Media Department Chairman Pawan Khera had attacked the former Union minister, saying, "We have seen the love between Modi and Azad, it was also seen in the Parliament. That love has been manifested in this letter." In the interview on the eve of his book launch "Azaad -- an autobiography", the former Union minister said his good relations with the prime minister dated back to the period when he was a general secretary of the BJP. Azad, who retired from the Rajya Sabha on February 15, 2021, said that there were 20 speakers who spoke on his farewell day which included the prime minister. Asked that immediately after Modi's speech he was dubbed as an agent of the BJP, he said, "That is insulting. That means that the brains of some people are polluted. Only people with polluted brains can say such things." In his book, Azad speaks about his tenure as leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha and says this period gave him an opportunity to understand the prime minister both inside the house and outside. "As LoP, I tried my best to raise issues of social, political, and economic importance, and confronted the PM and his colleagues every time on the floor of the House, but he never reacted to the harsh words I used against his government's performance. I found him to be a great listener with a capacity to tolerate criticism," said Azad, adding he opposed the government on Article 370, CAA and hijab. KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the West Bengal government to requisition central forces for assisting the state police in maintaining peace during Hanuman Jayanti celebrations. The court said in view of events in the recent past, the order was being given to assure the general public that they are safe and will not be affected by any disturbance. Following the direction of the Calcutta High Court, the West Bengal government on Wednesday decided to deploy paramilitary forces in three districts of Hooghly, Barrackpore and Kolkata during Hanuman Jayanti celebrations, a senior official said. The decision was taken at a meeting held virtually by Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi with senior police officers of the state. Clashes had taken place at some places in Howrah and Hooghly districts between two groups during and after the Ram Navami processions. Welcoming the court order, the opposition BJP claimed that the West Bengal government failed to maintain law and order, while the ruling TMC accused the saffron camp of trying to foment trouble in the state. Observing that prevention is better than cure, a division bench presided by Acting Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam directed the West Bengal government to requisition central forces to avoid any breach of peace when Hanuman Jayanti rallies are taken out on Thursday. The court also directed the Centre to make swift arrangements for such deployment on receipt of requisition from the state. The order came on a PIL filed by Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP. The high court said the state police is required to take all steps, with the assistance of the central forces, to prevent any untoward incident so that people are not put in jeopardy. It also asked the state to file an action taken report on the next date of hearing. "The intelligence wing of the state police shall be strengthened and all steps be taken to avert any such pre-planned attacks or violence," the bench directed. It said that considering the sensitivity of the issue, no political personality or a leader or a common man will make any statement to the public or to the media concerning the festival. The court said the police will have the discretion to restrict the route of any procession considering the "unpleasant" events that have taken place. Passing the order, the bench, also comprising Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, said it has to be ensured that Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated in a peaceful manner without any untoward incident. "We welcome the court order," West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said at Digha in Purba Medinipur district. However, the high court order prompted a war of words between the TMC and the BJP. BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh alleged that the state government failed to control the situation when violence erupted during Ram Navami celebrations because of its 'appeasement politics'. Suvendu Adhikari also accused the state government of failing to maintain the law and order in the state. TMC state spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, "We have seen that central forces were deployed when assembly elections were held in eight phases in 2021. The BJP and the saffron camp are trying to foment trouble in the state. The central forces will now have to deal with the goons of the BJP." CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said both the BJP and the TMC are trying to destroy the state's culture. "The administration's failure has been evident in the past few days. The TMC and the BJP are trying to destroy the entire state and its culture. Such a situation was unthinkable during the Left Front regime," he said. New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday issued an advisory directing all states and UTs to ensure the maintenance of law and order, peaceful observance of the Hanuman Jayanti festivities and to monitor any factor that can disturb communal harmony in the society. The Union Home Ministry's advisory to all states and union territories came in the wake of communal violence in different parts of the country during Ram Navami last week. "The state/UT governments are encouraged to ensure the maintenance of law and order, peaceful observance of the festival, and monitoring of any factors that could disturb communal harmony in society," the Home Minister's Office tweeted. The MHA has issued an advisory to all states in preparation for Hanuman Jayanti. The governments are encouraged to ensure the maintenance of law and order, peaceful observance of the festival, and monitoring of any factors that could disturb communal harmony in society. , HMO India (@HMOIndia) April 5, 2023 Delhi Police Deny Permission For Hanuman Jayanti Procession The Delhi Police on Wednesday denied permission to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and another group to undertake processions in the Jahangirpuri area of the national capital on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti on April 6. News agency ANI quoted Delhi Police as saying that VHP and other right-wing outfits had sought permission to take out processions for Hanuman Jayanti but keeping in view the law and order situation, organisers were denied permission. On April 16 last year, clashes had broken out between two communities in the area during a "shobha yatra" on Hanuman Jayanti. Police said that elaborate security arrangements have been put in place in the Jahangirpuri area ahead of Hanuman Jayanti. Delhi Police and Paramilitary Force personnel are patrolling the area. Calcutta HC Directs Bengal Govt To Deploy Central Forces For Hanuman Jayanti In a related development, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal government to requisition central forces for assisting the state police in maintaining peace during the Hanuman Jayanti celebrations. The high court passed the order in view of the recent clashes across the state during the Ram Navami celebrations. The order was being given to assure the general public that they are safe and will not be affected by any disturbance, the court said. The Calcutta High Court passed the order after the West Bengal government submitted a report on the recent violence in Shibpur and Rishra. The court asked the state government what steps it is taking to ensure peace and tranquillity in the state in view of the upcoming Hanuman Jayanti. Court then directed the state govt that it can request for deployment of paramilitary forces for confidence building in the state. Ram Navami Clashes In West Bengal Clashes had taken place at some places in Howrah and Hooghly districts between two groups during and after the Ram Navami processions last week. Observing that prevention is better than cure, a division bench presided by Acting Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam directed the West Bengal government to requisition central forces to avoid any breach of peace when Hanuman Jayanti rallies are taken out on Thursday. The court also directed the Centre to make swift arrangements for such deployment on receipt of requisition from the state. Advocate General S N Mookherjee told the court that around 2,000 applications have been received by the police in the state for holding Hanuman Jayanti rallies. The order came on a PIL filed by the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari. New Delhi: Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched a sharp attack on Rahul Gandhi and the Congress on Wednesday, alleging the party has been left with no ideology except the one of a "traitor" which works against the country. The BJP leader attacked the Congress for according Rahul Gandhi "special treatment" following his conviction in a defamation case and accused the party of pressuring the judiciary and doing everything possible to stay relevant. This party has insulted backward classes, sought proof of our armed forces' bravery and spoken about our soldiers being beaten up by China, Scindia said, in a direct attack on Gandhi who has been accused of making these remarks. "The Congress has been left with no ideology. This Congress has been now left with only one ideology which is of a traitor, an ideology which works against the country," he told reporters. Scindia was incidentally in Congress for a long time and was considered a close associate of Gandhi. He quit the party and joined the BJP in 2020 following differences with its leadership, especially in his home state Madhya Pradesh, leading to the fall of the Kamal Nath-led government. The minister said the Congress is projecting the "personal legal battle" of Gandhi as a fight for democracy. It is leaving no stone unturned to play with democracy and hitting new lows, he said, accusing the party of trying to pressure and intimidate the judiciary by taking its army of leaders and supporters to Surat when Gandhi filed an appeal in a court there in a criminal defamation case. Parliament is not being allowed to function and its leaders are wearing black clothes, he said, questioning the rationale as he noted that several other leaders have previously been disqualified as well. Is this the philosophy of "Gandhiwaad", why so much is being done for one person, he asked. Some people are "first-class citizens" for the Congress, Scindia said, noting that a Congress leader had claimed that normal legal process should not be applied on the Gandhis. New Delhi: The Higher reaches of Kashmir Valley received fresh snowfall on Tuesday, areas like Gurez in North Kashmir and Sonamarg in central Kashmir are again covered in a white layer of snow. The change in weather also resulted in an avalanche in the Zojila area of Central Kashmir. The MeT department has predicted intermittent precipitation and thunderstorms to continue at most places of Kashmir and isolated places of Jammu till April 06. Srinagar Leh National Highway was closed for traffic after an Avalanche hit the Zojila area in Central Kashmir's Ganderbal district. The avalanche hit Panimatha and Kai-Pathri of Zojila pass after the fresh snowfall in the higher reaches. The government has pushed machinery for clearing the highway. ''Fresh snowfall was witnessed in the upper areas of Kashmir Valley including Gurez, Zojila, and Pir Panjal range. Two snow avalanches hit the Srinagar-Leh highway at Zojila Pass due to which the road connecting Kargil and Leh with Srinagar has been closed to traffic. Officials said that BRO teams have started the snow clearance operation. The weather will remain like this till April 6. People need to be careful in snowbound areas. Always check the highway status before traveling to these areas, '' said Mukhtar Ahmad, Deputy Director Meteorological Department, Kashmir. The traffic on Srinagar- Jammu National Highway was briefly halted due to the multiple mudslides in the Ramban area. The highway was cleared, and traffic was restored. The MeT Department has also advised the farmers to avoid spraying orchards till April 6 and maintain proper drainage to drain out excess water in fields. Meanwhile, the MeT official said that Srinagar recorded a low of 6.9C against 7.9C on the previous night and it was 0.5C above normal for the summer capital. New Delhi: A joint team of Central Intelligence and Maharashtra ATS arrested Sharukh Saifi, the fugitive accused in the Kerala train fire case, at Ratnagiri Train Station in Maharashtra on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday. Saifi's is accused of setting a fellow passenger on the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express on Sunday, April 2, at about 9:45 p.m., when the train arrived at the Korapuzha railway bridge after passing through Kozhikode city, by throwing an inflammable liquid on him. While eight other passengers were injured during the process, three peopleincluding a one-year-old kid and a womanwere found dead on the tracks at Kozhikode's Elathur railway station hours later. Saifi's location was traced to Ratnagiri yesterday. According to the media reports, Sharukh Saifi was being treated at Ratnagiri civil hospital for head injuries sustained during a fall while exiting the train he had targeted in Kerala. He, on the other hand, fled the hospital before the treatment was completed. Afterward, intensive searches were performed in the Ratnagiri area, and Sharukh Saifi was arrested. He is now being held by the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Ratnagiri, and his interrogation has not yet begun. Ratnagiri has also been visited by Kerala Police. Kozhikode train fire incident suspect Shahrukh Saifi being handed over to Kerala Police: Maharashtra Police https://t.co/I9r158XKuE ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2023 Earlier there were reports that a man who resembled the one in the sketch sought treatment at the Kannur District Hospital. The Police arrived at the hospital and collected details. The accused is learnt to have escaped after someone pulled the chain to stop the train. A search is on to find the assailant. Two railway police officers visited Noida on Tuesday morning as part of a search operation for the accused. According to the officials, the man set fire to a passenger allegedly after an argument on board the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express train near Elathur in Kozhikode district on Sunday night. IONIQ 6 honored by World Car Awards at New York International Auto Show The Electrified Streamliner is the second straight Hyundai IONIQ model to sweep three major World Car Awards following IONIQ 5's triple wins in 2022 IONIQ 6 can charge 10-80 percent in just 18 minutes, offers a WLTP-rated range of 614 km 1 and features Vehicle-to-Load technology As a smart mobility solutions provider, Hyundai Motor plans to introduce 17 battery electric vehicle models by 2030 NEW YORK and SEOUL, South Korea, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor Company's acclaimed IONIQ 6 Electrified Streamliner has won the prestigious World Car of the Year, World Electric Vehicle and World Car Design of the Year for 2022, lauded by an international jury for its unique aerodynamic design and outstanding all-electric range. World Car Awards revealed the results at a ceremony held at the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) today. Jose Munoz, president and global chief operating officer, Hyundai Motor Company | president and CEO, Hyundai Motor North America and SangYup Lee, executive vice president and head of Hyundai Global Design Center, Hyundai Motor Company accept Hyundais World Car of the Year awards in New York, April 5, 2023. A jury of 100 automotive journalists from 32 countries chose IONIQ 6 from the top three finalists, all launched in 2022. This is Hyundai's second straight triple honors at the World Car of the Year awards. Last year, the jury named IONIQ 5 the winner in the same categories. "We are thrilled to receive this prestigious honor two years in a row, which recognizes the tremendous talents and unrelenting efforts of everyone at Hyundai Motor Company to bring EVs like IONIQ 6 to market," said Jaehoon Chang, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company. "This honor reinforces our commitment to be a global leader in vehicle electrification and will serve to embolden our efforts as a smart mobility solutions provider." "We always want to connect with customers on an emotional level and with the design of the IONIQ 6 we have created truly one of a kind. The daring streamliner styling combines strong emotional appeal with aerodynamic efficiency to give exceptional range," said SangYup Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai Global Design Center. "Inside, we set-out to create a personal studio which offers the mindful space and calm functionality which, we believe, elevates EV design." Story continues IONIQ 6 is the second model in Hyundai's dedicated all-electric lineup brand, IONIQ. It takes full advantage of a bespoke Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) architecture to offer 800-V, ultra-fast charging capabilities for a 10 to 80 percent charge in just 18 minutes and a spacious interior. With an ultra-low drag coefficient of just 0.21, IONIQ 6 is one of the most aerodynamic and energy efficient EVs on the market. The Electrified Streamliner's WLTP rated range on a single charge is 614 km2. The standard 2WD model with 18-inch tire achieves WLTP-rated energy consumption of 13.9 kWh/100 km. IONIQ 6's many features include Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) technology, driver assistance systems and advanced connectivity with over-the-air (OTA) software updates that offer the ultimate in-car experience. The spacious and ergonomic interior takes full advantage of the elongated 2,950 mm wheelbase to provide an array of empowering features, such as Dual Color Ambient Lighting, Speed Sync Lighting, EV Performance Tune-up and Electric Active Sound Design (e-ASD), to enhance the electric mobility experience. This year, the World Car of the Year jury also named SangYup Lee as the 2023 World Car Person of the Year for his vital contribution to the most stunning and innovative concept and production cars unveiled in 2022, including Hyundai IONIQ 6, the All-new KONA and the N Vision 74 rolling lab. In addition, IONIQ 6 has won prestigious awards during the past few months as it's been named 'Saloon of the Year' at the 2023 GQ Car Awards and 'New Car of the Year' hosted by Le Guide de l'auto. Plus, it achieved a five-star safety rating and 'Best in Class' selection in the 'Large Family Car' category from Euro NCAP. The IONIQ brand's winning this year will help to energize Hyundai Motor's efforts to accelerate its electrification strategy and become the world's leading EV maker. Hyundai Motor plans to introduce 17 new BEV models by 2030, including Genesis luxury brand models, and aims to boost annual global BEV sales to 1.87 million units by 2030. About Hyundai Motor Company Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company is present in over 200 countries with more than 120,000 employees dedicated to tackling real-world mobility challenges around the globe. Based on the brand vision 'Progress for Humanity,' Hyundai Motor is accelerating its transformation into a Smart Mobility Solution Provider. The company invests in advanced technologies such as robotics and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) to bring about revolutionary mobility solutions, while pursuing open innovation to introduce future mobility services. In pursuit of sustainable future for the world, Hyundai will continue its efforts to introduce zero emission vehicles equipped with industry-leading hydrogen fuel cell and EV technologies. More information about Hyundai Motor and its products can be found at: http://worldwide.hyundai.com or http://globalpr.hyundai.com 1 The statistics provided are based on the Long-Range model (77.4 kWh) with a 2-wheel drive (2WD) configuration and 18-inch tires. The EPA-estimated range equivalence for this model is 361 miles. 2 The statistics provided are based on the Long-Range model (77.4 kWh) with a 2-wheel drive (2WD) configuration and 18-inch tires. The EPA-estimated range equivalence for this model is 361 miles. SangYup Lee, executive vice president and head of Hyundai Global Design Center, Hyundai Motor Company and Jose Munoz, president and global chief operating officer, Hyundai Motor Company | president and CEO, Hyundai Motor North America accept Hyundais World Car of the Year awards in New York, April 5, 2023. The Hyundai IONIQ 6 won big at the prestigious 2023 World Car Awards today and was named overall World Car of the Year, World Electric Vehicle of the Year and World Car Design of the Year. SangYup Lee, executive vice president and head of Hyundai Global Design Center, Hyundai Motor Company and Jose Munoz, president and global chief operating officer, Hyundai Motor Company | president and CEO, Hyundai Motor North America accept Hyundais World Car of the Year awards in New York, April 5, 2023. Hyundai Motor America. (PRNewsFoto/Hyundai Motor America) (PRNewsfoto/Hyundai Motor America) Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hyundai-ioniq-6-sweeps-world-car-of-the-year-world-electric-vehicle-and-world-car-design-of-the-year-301790850.html SOURCE Hyundai Motor Company New Delhi: Amid speculations of Kichcha Sudeep joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Kannada superstar on Wednesday said that he is not joining any political outfit. At a joint press conference with Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Sudeep confirmed that he will only campaign for the saffron camp and that will not contest the upcoming Karnataka Legislative Assembly elections. Stressing his affection and respect for Bommai and recalling that he stood by him during difficult times and shared a very close bond with his family, Kichcha Sudeep announced his support to the BJP leader. "I'm not entering politics, nor contesting elections," Sudeep, who is best known for his performance in films such as 'Swathi Muthu', 'Kempe Gowda', 'Eega', and 'Pailwaan', said. "There were only a few people who stood by me during my difficult times and among them, the main person and my loved one is Basavaraj Bommai 'mama'. It is a duty and gratitude that I have for this loveable person," the multi-lingual actor said. When asked if he would campaign for the Chief Minister or the party he belonged to, Sudeep said he would only follow Bommai's instructions. "I am here only because Bommai wants me to support a few people. However, I cannot campaign for everybody because humanly I cannot and I won't," he said. On whether he supported the BJP's ideology, Sudeep said as a citizen there are certain ideologies he did agree with but those were his personal perspectives. "I agree with the leadership. I totally respect Prime Minister Narendra Modi for certain decisions he has taken but that has got nothing to do with me sitting here today because this is me connecting with a person (Bommai)," the actor added. Kichcha Sudeep hails from the Shivamogga district and belongs to the Valmiki Nayaka community, which is the largest tribe in the ST category in Karnataka. Basavaraj Bommai said that the actor doesn't belong to any political party and said he had told Sudeep that even though he is not joining the BJP, his campaigning is "necessary". "His support for me also means that he is supporting the party (BJP)," the Karnataka CM said. "Sudeep's support gives big strength to BJP's campaign," Bommai said. - Press Conference https://t.co/CjKYH4CbMz Basavaraj S Bommai (@BSBommai) April 5, 2023 Several reports had earlier claimed that the actor was likely to join the party on Wednesday. Assembly elections in Karnataka are scheduled to be held on May 10. The counting of votes for the Karnataka Assembly has been scheduled on May 13. Meanwhile, an alleged threat letter was received by Kichcha Sudeep's manager Jack Manju on Wednesday, following which a police case was registered. According to the police, Sudeep's manager received a letter from an unknown person, threatening to release the actor's "private video" on social media. New Delhi: Terming it an anti-India agenda, the Ministry of External Affairs has condemned the statement issued by the General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on the violence that took place in some parts of India on the festival of Ram Navami. In response to media queries on the statement issued by OIC Secretariat regarding India, the Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi said, "We strongly condemn the statement issued by OIC Secretariat today regarding India. This is one more example of their communal mindset and anti-India agenda. OIC only does its reputation damage by being consistently manipulated by anti-India forces. Our response to media queries on the statement issued by OIC Secretariat regarding India:https://t.co/CYtJely0hO pic.twitter.com/VnGUVyqXpf Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) April 4, 2023 "The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) issued a statement in Tuesday that it has followed with "deep concern" the acts of "violence and vandalism targeting Muslim community" in several states in India during the Ram Navami processions, including the burning of a madrasa and its library by an extremist Hindu mob in Bihar Sharif on 31 March 2023. The OIC General Secretariat said that it denounces such "provocative acts of violence and vandalism", which are a vivid manifestation of mounting "Islamophobia" and systemic targeting of the Muslim community in India. "The OIC General Secretariat calls upon the Indian authorities to take firm action against the instigators and perpetrators of such acts and to ensure the safety, security, rights, and dignity of the Muslim community in the country," OIC said in a statement. The MEA strongly reacted to this and said that it is one more example of OIC`s communal mindset and anti-India agenda. "OIC only does its reputation damage by being consistently manipulated by anti-India forces," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a statement. This comes after violent clashes broke out in several parts of India during Ram Navami processions. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday quashed the Centre's telecast ban on Malayalam news channel MediaOne and pulled up the Ministry of Home Affairs for raising national security claims in "thin air" without facts. Observing that the State can't impose unreasonable restrictions on press as it would have a chilling effect on press freedom, a bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud set aside the Kerala High Court order which had upheld the Centre's decision to ban the channel's telecast on security grounds. The top court said critical views of the channel against government policies cannot be termed as anti-establishment as an independent press is necessary for a robust democracy. "Press has a duty to speak truth to power and present citizens with hard facts enabling them to make choices that propel democracy in the right direction. The restriction on freedom of press compels citizens to think along the same tangent. "Homogenised views on issues that range from socio economic polity to political ideologies would pose great dangers to democracy," the bench said, adding that non-renewal of license for a channel is a restriction on the right to freedom of speech. The top court said the alleged link of the channel's shareholders to Jamaat-e-Islami Hind is not a legitimate ground to restrict the rights of the channel. It said the State is using national security as a tool to deny citizens remedies that are provided under the law. "National security claims cannot be made out of thin air, there must be material facts backing it," the bench said. Non-disclosure of reasons for denial of security reasons and disclosure only to court in sealed cover has violated principles of natural justice, the bench, also comprising Justice Hima Kohli, said. "Sealed cover procedure cannot be introduced to cover harms that cannot be remedied by public immunity proceedings," the bench said. The apex court said courts should appoint an amicus curiae to assess the claims of confidentiality and assist the court in coming out with a reasoned order. The top court was hearing the plea of the news channel against the Kerala High Court's order which had upheld the Centre's decision to ban its telecast on security grounds. The top court had on March 15, in an interim order, stayed until further directions the January 31 directive of the Centre revoking the licence of the news channel and banning its telecast on security grounds. It had said the news and current affairs channel would continue its operations as it was operating prior to the ban of telecast. The top court had passed the order after perusing the files filed by the Centre on the basis of which security clearance was revoked and the Kerala High Court had passed the order upholding the ban on telecast. It had left the question open on whether the content of files on the basis of which the ban order was passed be given to the channel to enable it to defend itself. The Kerala High Court had upheld the Centre's decision to bar telecast of the Malayalam news channel and dismissed the plea of Madhyamam Broadcasting Ltd -- which operates MediaOne -- challenging the central government's January 31 decision. The high court had said the decision of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to deny security clearance was based on intelligence inputs received from various agencies. The channel had contended that MHA clearance was only required at the time for fresh permission/licence and not at the time of renewal. It had also contended that according to the uplinking and downlinking guidelines, security clearance was only required at the time of application for fresh permission and not at the time of renewal of licence. New Delhi: The Supreme Court, on Wednesday refused to entertain the plea by 14 political parties including Congress, alleging the misuse of central probe agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Laying down general guidelines without having relation to the facts of the case will be dangerous, a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala said on the plea. Addressing the parties who filed the plea, the Supreme Court said, "Come back to us when you have an individual criminal case or group of cases," as quoted by PTI. Senior advocate A M Singhvi who was representing the political parties then sought permission to withdraw the petition. "Learned counsel seeks permission to withdraw the plea at this stage. The petition is accordingly dismissed as withdrawn," the bench ordered. "You please come back to us when you have an individual criminal case or group of cases," the bench said. BJP's national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla reacted to the dismissal of the plea on Twitter and attacked the Opposition parties, accusing them of "corruption". Poonawalla tweeted, "Will they now say courts are vindictive? This is a huge setback to those who think they enjoy birthright to do corruption and then are entitled to immunity - today there is a Mahagathbandhan of the corrupt who believe they can loot & then get away with it! Huge vindication for the agencies today." Will they now say courts are vindictive ? This is a huge setback to those who think they enjoy birth right to do corruption and then are entitled to immunity - today there is a Mahagathbandhan of the corrupt who believe they can loot & then get away with it ! Huge vindication pic.twitter.com/KAGftIvDlL April 5, 2023 The appeal claimed that there has been a concerning increase in the application of forceful legal procedures against political figures who oppose the government, as well as other individuals who are exercising their fundamental freedom of expressing dissenting views. In addition to the Congress, the political parties involved in this collective action are the DMK, RJD, BRS, Trinamool Congress, AAP, NCP, Shiv Sena (UBT), JMM, JD(U), CPI(M), CPI, Samajwadi Party, and the J-K National Conference. Karimnagar: Telangana BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar was detained from his Karimnagar residence shortly after midnight on Wednesday, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state. According to reports, a police team arrived at the MP's Karimnagar residence and arrested him. While Bandi Sanjay's supporters and party employees attempted to halt the police, the atmosphere became tense. Karimnagar, Telangana | BJP state president Bandi Sanjay detained by police from his residence in Karimnagar Police have arrested BJP state president Bandi Sanjay from his residence illegally. This is nothing but to disturb PM Modis program in Telangana: BJP State General pic.twitter.com/LeipGaR2sC ANI (@ANI) April 4, 2023 Bandi Sanjay could be seen being dragged by policemen and later made to sit inside a police van. Reportedly, he was taken to Bommala Ramaram police station in Nalgonda district. More details on the police action are awaited. BJP State General Secretary Premender Reddy said, "BJP state president Bandi Sanjay was detained by police past midnight. He has been held from his residence in Karimnagar illegally." In a midnight operation, Telangana police has arrested BJP state President Bandi Sanjay Kumar on fabricated charges of being involved in secondary school paper leak. This wont end well for KCR. pic.twitter.com/jSCIxtWysX Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) April 4, 2023 BJP State General Secretary Premender Reddy stated that the police should have initiated any legal process in the morning. He further alleged that this is nothing but to disturb PM Modi`s program in Telangana. What was the need for this action against a Member of Parliament at midnight? What are the crime and case? They are not telling us anything. He is being taken to Bhongir. Why is he being taken there?" Reddy further questioned. He further alleged that the reason behind this action is that we are raising our voice against the KCR government over the question paper leak case. This is all against the `Democracy. Telangana BJP leaders following the detention of Bandi Sanjay said that a state-wide protest would be launched. State-wide protest against the police action against the BJP State President is being planned, according to the BJP State Secretary. PM Modi's Visit to Telangana PM Modi is scheduled to visit Telangana on April 8 to inaugurate the Vande Bharat Express train from Secunderabad to Tirupati along with launching various other developmental projects. WARANGAL: Telangana BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar was arrested by police in the early hours of Wednesday after he was named the prime accused by the city police in a case of malpractice after a question paper of Standard 10 (SSC) board exam surfaced on groups of an instant messaging app. Sanjay Kumar, a Lok Sabha MP from Karimnagar constituency, was picked up by a team of police from his residence in Karimnagar city and was initially put under preventive arrest, triggering protests by his party workers. He was subsequently arrested, and then produced in a local court in the evening in Warangal, which remanded him to judicial custody till April 19 along with three others. The paper of Standard 10 (SSC) board exam in Telangana found its way into an instant messaging platform for the second day on Tuesday after a 16-year old boy took a photo of the paper from a student who appeared for the exam in Hanumakonda district and shared it with that student's brother while the exam was going on, police said. The paper was then posted in a group of the instant messaging app and subsequently shared in other groups by one of the accused, who had also sent a copy to Sanjay Kumar, police added. According to Warangal Police Commissioner A V Ranganath, Sanjay Kumar had sought to defame the government by conspiring to create fear among the students and their parents during the ongoing SSC public examination, as the blame for the question paper leak would fall on the Telangana administration "There was WhatsApp conversation between Sanjay and the second accused (a former journalist of a TV channel). There were also WhatsApp calls between them. When we asked Sanjay, he said his phone is not with him. If we examine his phone, some more information will come out," the Police Commissioner told reporters at a press conference in Warangal. "We feel that they wanted to create a sense of insecurity among students. There is no political motive in filing cases. This (the leakage of papers) was done under the direction of Bandi Sanjay," he added. The official further said the leaked question paper found its way into the phones of several BJP leaders, including former minister and legislator Etela Rajender. Ranganath said the arrest of Sanjay Kumar has been intimated to the Lok Sabha Speaker's office as per procedure, and added that the police had the power to arrest a person under section 41 of CrPC without issuing a notice first under certain circumstances. After his preventive arrest, Sanjay Kumar tweeted: ?Fear is real in BRS.! First they stop me from conducting press meet & now arrest me late in night. My only mistake is to Question BRS govt on its wrongdoings. Do not stop questioning BRS even if I am jailed. Jai Sri Ram! Bharat Mata ki Jai! Jai Telangana." He even posted the videos of his preventive arrest along with the tweet. After images of an SSC Hindi question paper surfaced on the social media platform, police took up the investigation and apprehended the 16-year-old boy and arrested two others on Tuesday, who include a former journalist of a TV channel and a lab assistant who had allegedly circulated the question paper on the app. Subsequently, Sanjay Kumar was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday along with another accused, a driver. A total of 10 people have been named as accused in the case and five are absconding. Police, in the remand report, claimed that the technical evidence gained by analysing call details of the phones of all the accused and the chats of the accused on the app proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused persons were involved in a conspiracy with regard to the "leaking" and copying of the question papers on April 4. "This is a pre-planned and criminal conspiracy. Malpractices (have been committed) in SSC public examination with an intention to create rumours and provoke breach of peace of the ongoing public examination in Telangana state wherein Bandi Sanjay Kumar hatched a plan with the help of two other accused to leak out the ongoing SSC papers by taking a photo of a question paper in the cell phone," police alleged in the remand report. The police accused Sanjay Kumar of giving direction to the second accused to exploit the situation of the leak of the Telugu question paper which happened on April 3 (Monday), by stating that if it also happens on April 4, then they could circulate the same on social media and defame the state government. The BJP state chief sought to portray it as the failure of the government in preventing the question paper leak, the police claimed. The development comes days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state to inaugurate various projects. Sanjay Kumar, who was initially shifted to Bommalaramaram police station under Rachakonda Police Commissionerate limits in Hyderabad was subsequently taken by the police to Warangal. Earlier, a large number of BJP workers gathered near Bommalaramaram police station to protest Kumar's arrest and also raised slogans against Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. They demanded that Sanjay Kumar be released immediately. BJP MLA M Raghunandan Rao and several party leaders and workers were prevented from going there. Party national general secretary and Telangana in-charge Tarun Chugh said the BJP state president's arrest was unconstitutional and illegal and it would prove to be "the last nail in the coffin of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's repressive regime". Four government staff were suspended on Monday in Vikarabad district of Telangana after a stand-by invigilator at a government school allegedly took a photo of the Telugu question paper of SSC board exams and shared it with another teacher on an instant messaging app while the test was going on. The BJP has said if its Telangana president Bandi Sanjay Kumar is not released 'immediately', the party will launch a mass-campaign across the state. It also claimed that its Telangana president Bandi Sanjay Kumar has been arrested on "baseless" charges as part of the state government's diversionary tactics due to "leakage and package" allegations against the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi. Senior BJP leader K Laxman linked the arrest of Kumar, a Lok Sabha MP, to the party's agitation over the issue of the leak of question papers of competitive exams which have hit the future of millions of job-seekers in the state. Laxman said if Kumar is not immediately released, then the BJP will launch a state-wide campaign from Thursday. 'Package Row': BJP Says KCR Government Mired In Scams Citing media reports, Laxman claimed that besides the leak issue, the matter of the "package" has also hit the state government hard. The package, Laxman alleged, is the reported offer by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao that he has the package to finance a joint opposition campaign against the BJP if he is elected as their chairperson. "The government is becoming most unpopular. It is mired in scams and has resorted to Sanjay Kumar's undemocratic arrest in an illegal manner to divert people's attention," the Rajya Sabha member said. Telangana SSC Exam Paper Leak, Bandi Sanjay Kumar's Arrest, Possible Reason Telangana BJP chief Sanjay Kumar was detained by the police in Telangana in the early hours of Wednesday, triggering protests by his party workers. Sanjay Kumar, a Lok Sabha MP from Karimnagar constituency, was picked up by a team of police from his residence and has reportedly been now taken into the custody. BJP leader and advocate Rachna Reddy told PTI that the party has moved a house motion (habeas corpus petition) before the Telangana High Court seeking direction to the police to produce Sanjay Kumar before a court. According to PTI, Police have been tight-lipped about the "preventive arrest" and the charges on which Sanjay was taken into custody. The Commissioner on Tuesday said one of the accused, who had circulated the Hindi SSC question paper on social media, had also sent a copy to Sanjay Kumar. The paper of Standard X (SSC) board exam in Telangana found its way into an instant messaging platform for the second day in a row on Tuesday after a 16-year old boy took a photo of the paper from a student who appeared for the exam and shared it with that student's brother while the exam was going on. The paper was posted in a group of the instant messaging app and was subsequently shared in other groups by one of the accused, who had also sent it to Sanjay Kumar, police said. After the paper was found circulated in social media, Police began investigating into the matter and registered a case. They apprehended the student's friend and arrested two others who had circulated the question paper on the app. A thorough inquiry was conducted by the education department through district authorities and also the police. It was concluded that the incident is a case of malpractice, and accordingly cases were booked under relevant laws. Four government staff were suspended on Monday in Vikarabad district of Telangana after a stand-by invigilator at a government school allegedly took a photo of a Telugu question paper of Standard X board exams and shared it with another teacher on an instant messaging app while the test was going on. PM Narendra Modi-Telangana CM KCR's Degree Row Sanjay Kumar had demanded on Tuesday that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao furnish his post-graduate degree certificates before talking about the educational qualifications of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Reacting to the comments of KCR and his Minister son K T Rama Rao about Modi's educational qualifications, the BJP leader said the Prime Minister had been leading the country on the path of progress. Modi had brought India to No 5 position in the world in terms of development, he claimed. Tension Over Bandi Sanjay's Protest Earlier, the MP's supporters tried to prevent the police from taking Kumar into custody, leading to some tense moments. Condemning the police action, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy termed as 'undemocratic' the 'arrest' of Kumar without citing any reason. The development comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state on April 8 to inaugurate various projects. anjay Kumar, who was initially shifted to Bommalaramaram police station under Rachakonda Police Commissionerate limits here was subsequently being taken by the police to Warangal. A large number of BJP workers gathered near Bommalaramaram police station to protest Kumar's arrest and also raised slogans against Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao. They demanded that Sanjay Kumar be released immediately. BJP MLA M Raghunandan Rao and several party leaders and workers were prevented from going there. (With PTI Inputs) New Delhi: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has decided not to field Shaista Parveen, the wife of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, as its mayoral candidate in Prayagraj in the upcoming civic polls in Uttar Pradesh. Prayagraj district unit BSP chief G.N. Jaiswal said the party will contest the local body elections strongly. "This is the reason why strong candidates are being selected. Shaista Parveen will not be getting a BSP ticket for contesting mayoral elections now. The party has begun the search for a new candidate," he said.Shaista Parveen, along with her husband and two sons, has been named in the FIR lodged in the February 24 Umesh Pal murder case here. Later, the Prayagraj police announced a Rs 25,000 reward for information leading to her arrest.She has been absconding ever since the crime was committed in Dhoomanganj in which Umesh Pal, the prime witness in the 2005 Raju Pal case, and his two police guards were shot dead in broad daylight. Shaista Parveen joined the BSP in the presence of senior party leaders in Prayagraj on January 5 this year.BSP leaders, present on the occasion, had also announced that she will be the party`s candidate for the post of Prayagraj mayor in the upcoming local bodies polls in the state. Paytm Founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma recently met King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck during the latters visit to India. The founder of Indias leading payments and financial services company took to Twitter and said, An honour to spend evening, meeting His Majesty the King of Bhutan and hearing his vision of whats coming next. https://twitter.com/vijayshekhar/status/1643429339201937412 This image quickly became viral with users calling this a meeting of two kings the King of Bhutan and the King of mobile payments in India. Vishal Gondal, CEO and Founder of GOQii, commented on the picture shared by Sharma and said,two kings of their own realms. Can't wait to see what the future holds for the happiest country and digital payments! #PayTMHappiness @Paytm https://twitter.com/vishalgondal/status/1643474422433746944?s=46&t=EcTj035XzeROkcUTZVIqdw Calling it an honour, Dr. Shriram Nene re-tweeted Sharmas tweet and said,The ruler of the happiest country on Earth: what an honor. https://twitter.com/DoctorNene/status/1643472635182084096 Another user said, Epic Moment Captured! The King of Mobile Payments in India @vijayshekhar meets the King of Bhutan. #PayTM #IncredibleIndia https://twitter.com/Aishwar35123631/status/1643552150436585472?s=20 Sharmas fintech company Paytm has become a household name for mobile payments, powering convenience for millions of users across the country. The company pioneered mobile and QR payments, and its iconic SoundBox has emerged as the sound of mobile payments in India. Paytm is at the forefront of Indias digital revolution and has taken its payment solutions to every corner of the country, driving financial inclusion. With innovative solutions like All-in-One QR and Soundbox, the company has empowered small merchants and street vendors to seamlessly accept digital payments. As the country is taking giant strides towards becoming a trillion-dollar digital economy, adoption of digital payments by small and medium businesses gives a further boost to economic growth. Paytms latest offering, UPI LITE will make mobile payments even more accessible especially for small-value transactions up to 200. Through lightning fast payments that never fail, Paytm UPI LITE has enabled both merchants and users with reliable and easy mobile payments. The homegrown brand is truly the pride of India. Bengaluru: Ahead of the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections, popular Kannada movie stars - Sudeep (Kiccha Sudeep) and Darshan Tugudeepa - are likely to join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday. According to the party sources, both actors will join the party at 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm at a private hotel in Karnataka`s Bengaluru. "They will join the party in the presence of Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and other party leaders," sources said. Both the ruling BJP and the main opposition party Congress have sharpened their attack on each other ahead of the assembly polls. Terming the ruling BJP a 'sinking ship' in Karnataka which even Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot save, Congress leaders on Tuesday said their party is "united" in the southern state and will ensure the "40 percent commission" government is ousted. The Congress also claimed that it had information that the BJP is unable to select its candidates as a "mass exodus" is happening in the party and Prime Minister Modi is "resorting to its last weapon of misusing Income Tax and ED officials" against Congress leaders and candidates. The Congress was the first to declare 124 candidates for the May 10 election to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly. Meanwhile, pointing to the infighting going on in the Congress, Karnataka Chief Minister Bommai said, "Congress Party will not come to power and they are fighting for the seats which they cannot win. That party is fighting for power and the CM`s post, and not doing good things for the people of Karnataka. The utterances of Siddaramaiah indicate what`s happening inside the Congress party. Bommai also said that the Bharatiya Janata Party`s Parliamentary Board would finalise and release the list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections in the state on April 8. The Chief Minister said that the selection of the candidates has been done based on winnability. "The selection of candidates had been done based on reality and winnability. The state-committee meeting will be held for two days starting today, and after the meeting, the list of candidates will be sent to the high command. The same will be vetted on April 8 and released on the same day," the Chief Minister said. The names recommended by the district committees will be discussed during the State Core Committee meeting on Tuesday and then send to the Central Parliamentary Board, he further said. Reiterating that the party will return to power in the Assembly polls, he said, "Witnessing developments in the last three to four days, the BJP will get an absolute majority in the coming Assembly polls. "He said that there will be "unexpected results" in some constituencies. "Unexpected results would come in some constituencies. The rank and file of the party are confident of the BJP getting a full majority in the May 10 polls," he said. Bommai further took a swipe at Congress which is claiming to win the elections and said that the party would not come to power. Karnataka will go to Assembly polls on May 10 and the counting of votes will be done on May 13. SEATTLE and BRISBANE, Australia, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Immunexpress, Pty Ltd., a molecular diagnostic company focused on improving outcomes for suspected sepsis patients, announced today a poster presentation at the 33rd European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) which evaluates the use of SeptiCyte RAPID as a tool to determine sepsis status in patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The poster presentation, entitled "CLARIFYING UNCERTAINTY IN SEPSIS DIAGNOSIS USING A GENE EXPRESSION ASSAY," #P1673, will be presented in-person at ECCMID on April 16th, 2023, in Copenhagen, Denmark. The poster will be published in the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) e-library and will be available at www.septicyte.com/references. Additionally, Immunexpress will host a presentation entitled "SeptiCyte RAPID, a unique qPCR host response assay for the rapid and early detection of sepsis," at the ECCMID Innovation Theatre on April 17th, 2023, at 12:30 p.m. CET. Immunexpress will also provide live demos of SeptiCyte RAPID on Biocartis' Idylla Platform at booth EN-04. The study evaluated 143 adult patients admitted to the ICU who were classified as indeterminate by an external three-member panel of experienced physicians performing a three-way patient classification of sepsis, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), or indeterminate by chart review using retrospective physician diagnosis (RPD) The 143 patients were derived from a retrospective and prospective clinical trial comprising critically ill adult patients admitted to the ICU with a suspicion of sepsis (MARS-NCT01905033, NEPTUNE-NCT05469048) (total n=419). Indeterminate cases occurred when all panelists could not reach SIRS or sepsis consensus. The 143 indeterminate patients included in the study were reviewed again, requiring a final adjudication of SIRS or sepsis performed by forced diagnosis with SeptiCyte RAPID. Story continues For patients initially classified as indeterminate and then reassessed by a forced diagnosis, SeptiCyte RAPID significantly differentiated between SIRS (mean result or SeptiScore 5.6) and sepsis (mean SeptiScore 7.3) (p=1.31e-07). "Early identification of sepsis is crucial for improvement in outcomes of sepsis patients. Emergency medical teams are often unable to diagnose sepsis in its early stages since patients present with clinical symptoms that are common to many other non-infectious diseases," said Dr. Balk, Professor of Medicine, Rush Medical College and Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, IL. "SeptiCyte RAPID served as an effective tool to differentiate sepsis-positive cases from SIRS in scenarios in which a clinician panel was unable to determine diagnosis." "This study provides evidence that SeptiCyte RAPID has the potential to significantly impact emergency care centers through not only providing rapid, accurate diagnosis of sepsis, but by fostering anti-microbial stewardship," commented Rollie Carlson, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Immunexpress. "Antibiotic overuse is a tremendous challenge for hospitals, as many care teams prescribe these as a treatment in cases in which infection status is unable to be determined. By differentiating sepsis from SIRS, care teams are able to more confidently prescribe antibiotics for sepsis patients as an essential part of their care plan." About SeptiCyte RAPID SeptiCyte RAPID is a sample-to-answer, cartridge-based, host response molecular test for sepsis using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to quantify the relative expression levels of host response genes isolated from whole blood. SeptiCyte RAPID is used in conjunction with clinical assessments, vital signs and laboratory findings as an aid to differentiate infection-positive (sepsis) from infection-negative systemic inflammation response syndromes in patients with organ dysfunction and high infection risk. SeptiCyte RAPID generates a score (SeptiScore) that falls within four discrete interpretation bands based on the increasing likelihood of sepsis. SeptiCyte RAPID is intended for in-vitro diagnostic use and runs on the Biocartis Idylla Platform, and Immunexpress has a commercialization partnership with Biocartis in Europe. SeptiCyte RAPID is CE Marked as a near-patient sample-to-answer test in European Union (EU) member countries and those harmonized with the EU IVD Directive (98/79/EC). As of November 2021, SeptiCyte RAPID has been FDA cleared for use in hospitalized patients suspected of sepsis. About Immunexpress Immunexpress is a molecular diagnostic company, based in Brisbane and Seattle, committed to improving outcomes for patients suspected of sepsis. Immunexpress' SeptiCyte technology can assess a patient's dysregulated immune response by quantifying and analyzing gene expression from whole blood, providing actionable results in about an hour from sepsis suspicion, to guide the physician in optimizing patient management decisions. SeptiCyte RAPID is a lab test for sepsis that combines SeptiCyte technology with the ease-of-use of the revolutionary Biocartis' Idylla Platform; it supports differentiating infection (bacterial, viral, fungal) positive (sepsis) from infection negative systemic inflammation in patients with organ dysfunction and high-risk infectious exposures. This powerful test enhances early sepsis detection and can strongly support its diagnosis in the crucial first hour(s) that determines clinical outcome. SeptiCyte RAPID also has a high potential to reduce sepsis associated healthcare costs. For more information, visit http://www.septicyte.com and http://www.immunexpress.com/ . Follow Immunexpress on Twitter and LinkedIn . Media Contacts: Scott Stachowiak Russo Partners, LLC Scott@RussoPR.com Maddie Stabinski Russo Partners, LLC Madeline.stabinski@russopartnersllc.com Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/immunexpress-to-present-data-at-eccmid-2023-indicating-that-septicyte-rapid-differentiates-sepsis-from-non-sepsis-in-patients-with-uncertain-initial-diagnosis-301790445.html SOURCE Immunexpress, Inc. New Delhi: Online searches for cryptocurrency 'Dogecoin' on Google skyrocketed by a whopping 1,992 per cent worldwide after Elon Musk changed Twitter's bird logo to Dogecoin's shiba inu on April 3, a new report showed on Tuesday. The finding by Japanese online casino guide 6Takarakuji revealed that this is an increase of over 20 times the search interest compared to average levels over the last seven days. 'Buy Doge' and 'buy Dogecoin' searches also soared 1,044 and 253 per cent respectively, and Shiba Inu coin also saw a 132 per cent rise. "Elon Musk shows his power with a single logo change. By removing the iconic Twitter bird logo, Musk demonstrates that Twitter belongs to him. The effects of his actions are evident in the surge of user interest in Dogecoin, as investors rush to buy Doge to catch any potential yields as the price shoots up. But how long will it last?" a spokesperson at 6Takarakuji said. Moreover, the report showed that Google searches for 'Twitter' have leapt over the last seven days, rising 38 per cent as users noticed the change. According to Google Trends data, almost three-quarters (72 per cent) of top searches for Twitter over the last seven days relate to the new logo, which has created a buzz among internet users. Further, the report mentioned that Dogecoin's price has jumped more than 30 per cent and is now ranked the seventh most valuable cryptocurrency by CoinMarketCap.com, overtaking Cardano. UP Board Exam 2023: Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad, UPMSP is expected to release the result soon on the official website. Almost 58 lakh students who took the exam will have their results announced. The Council begin evaluating Class 10 and 12 papers from March 18, 2023. Through March 2023, about 3.19 crore answer sheets from Class 10th and 12th have been verified, and 1.6 crore answer sheets have been graded. UPMSP is scheduled to release the date and time as soon as all answer sheets have been evaluated. According to sources, 1.40 lakh examiners were appointed, and 258 answer sheet evaluation centres were established across Uttar Pradesh. According to media reports, the result is expected in the third or last week of April 2023, but no date or time has been announced by UPMSP officials. Beginning on February 16, 2023, the exam was held for both Class 10 and Class 12. The UP Board Class 10 examinations ended on March 3, 2023, and the Class 12 exams ended on March 4, 2023. This year, nearly 58 lakh students took the UP Board Examinations 2023. UP Board Exam 2023: Here's how to check Step 1 - Go to the official website of UP Board -upresults.nic.in, upmsp.edu.in, results.upmsp.edu.in. Step 2- On the homepage, click on the - UP Board Class 12 Result 2023. Step 3 - A login window will be displayed on the screen. Step 4 - Enter roll number to check the UP 12 result 2023 Science Arts and Commerce exams. Step 5 - UP class 12 result stream-wise will appear on the screen. Step 6 - Download the result and keep it safe for future reference. It should be noted that the result date has not yet been declared. A fake message claiming that the results would be released on April 5th was circulated. The UP Board rejected the claim and stated that such false information should not be relied on. Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal government to requisition central forces for assisting the state police in maintaining peace during the Hanuman Jayanti celebrations. The high court passed the order in view of the recent clashes across the state during the Ram Navami celebrations. The order was being given to assure the general public that they are safe and will not be affected by any disturbance, the court said. The Calcutta High Court passed the order after the West Bengal government submitted a report on the recent violence in Shibpur and Rishra. The court asked the state government what steps it is taking to ensure peace and tranquillity in the state in view of the upcoming Hanuman Jayanti. Court then directed the state govt that it can request for deployment of paramilitary forces for confidence building in the state. West Bengal government submits before Calcutta High Court a report on the recent violence in Shibpur & Rishra. The court asks the state govt what steps it is taking to ensure peace and tranquillity in the state in view of the upcoming Hanuman Jayanti. Court tells state govt that ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2023 Ram Navami Clashes In West Bengal Clashes had taken place at some places in Howrah and Hooghly districts between two groups during and after the Ram Navami processions last week. Observing that prevention is better than cure, a division bench presided by Acting Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam directed the West Bengal government to requisition central forces to avoid any breach of peace when Hanuman Jayanti rallies are taken out on Thursday. The court also directed the Centre to make swift arrangements for such deployment on receipt of requisition from the state. Advocate General S N Mookherjee told the court that around 2,000 applications have been received by the police in the state for holding Hanuman Jayanti rallies. The order came on a PIL filed by the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari. MHA Issues Advisory For Hanuman Jayanti Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry also issued an advisory to states on law and order ahead of Hanuman Jayanti celebrations, days after Ram Navami clashes in parts of the country. MHA has issued an advisory to all states in preparation for Hanuman Jayanti. The governments are encouraged to ensure the maintenance of law and order, peaceful observance of the festival, and monitoring of any factors that could disturb communal harmony in society: HMO pic.twitter.com/JZrLfQWSOw April 5, 2023 In its advisory, the Union Home Ministry has asked the states to monitor any factor that can disturb communal harmony. All states have been asked to maintain law and order, and peaceful observance of Hanuman Jayanti celebrations, the Home Minister's Office said. After India outrightly rejected China`s attempt to rename places of Arunachal Pradesh, Beijing on Tuesday claimed its "sovereignty" over the region. In a regular press conference, China`s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, "Zangnan (Arunachal Pradesh) is part of China`s territory. In accordance with relevant stipulations of the administration of geographical names of the State Council, competent authorities of the Chinese government have standardised the names of some parts of Zangnan. This is within China`s sovereign rights." Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Tuesday asserted that Arunachal Pradesh will always be an integral part of India. Bagchi issued the statement after China`s Ministry of Civil Affairs came up with the names of 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh, which it referred to as "Zangnan, the southern part of Tibet. Also Read: 'Strongly Oppose': US On China's Attempt To Rename Places In Arunachal Pradesh "In response to media queries regarding China renaming some places in Arunachal Pradesh, Arindam Bagchi in a statement said, "We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has made such an attempt. We reject this outright." He further said, "Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Attempts to assign invented names will not alter this reality." Meanwhile, United States "strongly oppose" China`s attempts to advance a claim over Indian territory, Arunachal Pradesh by renaming localities, the White House said on Tuesday. "This is another attempt by the Chinese claim on us, Indian territory. So the United States, as you know, has recognised that territory for a long time and we strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance a territory claim by renaming localities. And so, again, this is something that we have long stood by a few things," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. China released names of 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh in Chinese characters, Tibetan and pinyin according to the rules on geographical names issued by the State Council, China`s cabinet, Global Times reported. The ministry announced the names of 11 places on Sunday and also gave precise coordinates, including two residential areas, five mountain peaks, two rivers and two other areas. China`s Ministry of Civil Affairs also listed the category of places` names and their subordinate administrative districts, as per the news report. According to the Global Times report, this is the third batch of geographical names announced by the ministry in Arunachal Pradesh. As per the news report, the first batch of the standardized names of six places was issued in 2017, and the second batch of 15 places was released in 2021. In December, last year, the Union government said it has seen reports of China attempting to rename some places in Arunachal Pradesh "in its own language" and asserted that the border state has been and will always be an integral part of India. "In response to a media query on reports that China has renamed some places in Arunachal Pradesh in its own language, Bagchi said China had also sought to assign such names in April 2017. "We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has attempted such a renaming of places in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. China had also sought to assign such names in April 2017," Bagchi said. "Arunachal Pradesh has always been, and will always be an integral part of India. Assigning invented names to places in Arunachal Pradesh does not alter this fact," he added. New York: Former US President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a Manhattan Court during his arraignment on history-making criminal charges related to paying hush money to a porn star before the 2016 presidential election. The 76-year-old former Republican president, who ruled the country for four years till January 2021, was arrested when he arrived to surrender at the Manhattan criminal court on Tuesday. Trump, who became the first former US president to be indicted, arrested and arraigned on criminal charges, pleaded not guilty to 34 criminal charges of falsifying business records in person before State Supreme Court Justice Juan M Merchan. Heres Quick Update About Trumps Arraignment, Indictment And Lawsuits TRUMP DEFIANT IN MAR-A-LAGO SPEECH Flanked by American flags, former President Donald Trump delivered a campaign-style speech to cheering supporters at Mar-a-Lago Tuesday night. Trump was defiant, referring, among other things, to his two impeachment trials during his presidency. He called the New York indictment the latest in an "onslaught of fraudulent investigations. This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election and it should be dropped immediately," Trump said. TRUMP RETURNS TO FLORIDA In a social media post from his plane on his flight home from New York, former President Donald Trump said that Tuesday's court hearing "was shocking to many in that they had no surprises,' and therefore, no case. Virtually every legal pundit has said that there is no case here. There was nothing done illegally! Trump's plane has landed in Florida, and his motorcade headed to his Mar-a-Lago resort where hundreds of supporters, many in red MAGA hats, awaited him in a grand ballroom. Trump was expected to speak there in a campaign-like setting. One man wore a jacket patterned with star-shaped American flags, and another man wore a red tie with the message No Crime! Members of a motorcycle club sported black leather vests that read on the back Born To Ride for 45 Donald Trump. Trump was the 45th US President. Alex Gonzalez, a motorcycle club member, said he supports Trump in his 2024 presidential bid. If he did something wrong, like anybody else, he should be held liable for it, but at the same time this is a witch hunt. This is not a real case, said Gonzalez. MANHATTAN DA BRAGG DISCUSSES CHARGES Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg says his office's historic case against former President Donald Trump seeks to ensure that everyone stands equal before the law. No amount of money and no amount of power changes that enduring American principle, Bragg said. Bragg spoke to a room packed with reporters following Trump's arraignment Tuesday in a Manhattan courthouse on 34 felony charges tied to hush money paid to multiple people during the 2016 presidential campaign. The former president pleaded not guilty. Bragg, who took office in 2022 and initially slowed the office's move toward indicting Trump, said additional evidence not available to his predecessor led to moving forward now. He didn't elaborate on the evidence or how it came to prosecutors' attention. I bring cases when they're ready, Bragg said. JUDGE WARNS TRUMP TO AVOID INFLAMING RHETORIC A New York judge warned former President Donald Trump to refrain from rhetoric that could inflame or cause civil unrest during Trump's arraignment Tuesday in Manhattan. Trump told Judge Juan Merchan that he pleaded not guilty, and the judge advised him of his rights. Merchan also warned Trump that he could be removed from the courtroom if he is disruptive, but Trump spoke only a few times to respond to questions. He's next due in court in December. Trump's lawyers asked for him to be excused from attending the hearing in person because of extraordinary security precautions. The judge said he was not imposing a gag order at this point, but he asked both sides to refrain from comments that could lead to civil unrest. Trump stayed mostly still with his hands steepled or interlaced and looked ahead during the proceedings, which lasted just under an hour. TRUMP LEAVES MANHATTAN COURTHOUSE Former President Donald Trump has left the Manhattan courthouse after his arraignment on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Trump did not answer a reporter's shouted question about the charges as he quickly left the courtroom where the hearing was held. Trump spent about two hours inside the building for booking and the arraignment where he learned the details of the criminal charges he faces while running a third presidential campaign. TRUMP PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO 34 FELONY COUNTS OF FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, according to two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter. The two officials who confirmed the plea spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because prosecutors had not yet released the indictment publicly. The charges stem from a hush-money payment during the 2016 campaign. Photos from the courtroom showed Trump sitting at the table reserved for defendants and their attorneys. His legal team surrounded him, two seated on each side of the former president. Trump leaned forward slightly, his shoulders rounded, but he didn't turn his face away from photographers given permission to be in the courtroom just before the hearing. WHITE HOUSE REMAINING QUIET ON TRUMP CHARGES While the country's attention was trained on the Manhattan courthouse where Donald Trump was being arraigned, the White House did its best Tuesday to suggest that it wasn't paying much attention. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that our focus right now is on the American people, and was noncommittal when asked whether President Joe Biden was following the news. He will catch part of the news when he has a moment to catch up on the news of the day,? she said. ?But this is not a focus for him today. Jean-Pierre was similarly circumspect when asked about the potential for unrest over the prosecution of the former president, especially since Trump has called for protests. We are prepared, she said. Fox News' Peter Doocy tried unsuccessfully to get Jean-Pierre to open up more. Why don't you have more to say about the Trump indictment, he asked. For better or worse, all that anybody in the country is talking about, at this exact moment while we're in here, is Trump. And they look here to find out what the White House thinks about it. I think the American people should feel reassured that when there is an ongoing case like this one, that we're just not commenting, Jean-Pierre said. But reporters didn't give up. I love how you guys are asking me this in different ways, Jean-Pierre joked. You guys are clever. TRUMP ENTERS COURTROOM FOR ARRAIGNMENT Former President Donald Trump has entered the Manhattan courtroom where he is scheduled for arraignment on criminal charges stemming from a hush-money payment during his 2016 campaign. Trump reached the 15th floor courtroom about 70 minutes after he entered the courthouse to surrender and be booked ahead of the hearing. Trump did not acknowledge a television camera sending live images from the hallway outside the courtroom. Judge Juan Merchan has ruled that TV cameras will not be allowed in the courtroom. Trump's attorneys have said he will plead not guilty. MANHATTAN DA ENTERS COURTROOM Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has entered the courtroom where former President Donald Trump is scheduled for arraignment on criminal charges stemming from a hush-money payment during his 2016 campaign. Trump has not yet been seen on the 15th floor where the hearing is supposed to take place. Wearing a navy-blue suit and a bright red tie, Trump entered the courthouse around 12:20 p.M. To surrender on the charges and be processed before the hearing. TRUMP ARRIVES AT MANHATTAN COURTHOUSE Former President Donald Trump has arrived at the Manhattan courthouse where he is expected to plead not guilty to criminal charges. He entered the courthouse surrounded by Secret Service agents. Trump's motorcade traveled from Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan, tracked by numerous helicopters. TRUMP LEAVES NEW YORK HOME Former President Donald Trump pumped his fist and waved before leaving Trump Tower shortly after 1 p.M. Tuesday, bound for the Manhattan courthouse nearly 4 miles (6 kilometers) away. Trump's attorneys have arranged for his surrender. He will be booked at the courthouse, not at a police precinct as most New York defendants are. Court officials will create a record of his name, age, birthdate, height and weight before taking his fingerprints via a computerized system. They may take his photo. FLORIDA LAWMAKER PLEDGES TO KEEP SUPPORTING TRUMP A former Florida state lawmaker said he and others drove from Orlando to New York in time for Tuesday's hearing to send a message to former President Donald Trump: We won't stop supporting you. Anthony Sabatini, chair of Florida's Lake County Republican Party, joined other Trump supporters in a park near the Manhattan courthouse where Trump's arraignment was to be held. "It's a bad day for America, one of the worst days in American history, he said. The mood among Trump supporters, though, was positive, Sabatini said. He credited New York police officers with keeping people separated based on their motivation in support of Trump or in support of his indictment. GREENE SPEAKS BRIEFLY AMID SHOUTS Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene briefly rallied supporters of Donald Trump outside the Manhattan courthouse Tuesday morning ahead of the former president's arraignment. After she exited an SUV, a large crowd surrounded the Georgia Republican, once shunned by the GOP as a political pariah for her extremist rhetoric. Washington: Donald Trump, the former United States President, attacked the current Joe Biden-led Administration in his first remarks after his arraignment and said, Our country is going to hell. Addressing a vast gathering of his supporters after arriving at his Florida home late on Tuesday, Trump said, I never thought anything like this could happen in America. The only crime I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation. Our country is going to hell, Donald Trump said as the crowd of supporters clapped for him in support. The former US President said that every legal person has said that there is no case and that he has done nothing "illegally". "The hearing was shocking to many in that they had no 'surprises,` and therefore, no case. Virtually every legal pundit has said that there is no case here. There was nothing done illegally!" Trump said while commenting on his arraignment on Truth Social. Trump Charged For Three Catch And Kill Hush Money Payments Trump faces criminal charges for his alleged role in 36 felony criminal charges including the hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign to conceal an alleged affair that he has constantly denied. Tuesday`s Trump arraignment was another high-voltage drama in United States politics. Trump, who became history by being the first former American president to be indicted, has surrendered himself before going to the court. While Trump surrendered voluntarily, which was unexpected for some as the FBI warned the local and state police agencies around the country about concerns related to a possible indictment, and even New York City officials had planned to closedown major streets in lower Manhattan as a security measure, as reported by ABC News. In the streets of New York City, police deployed barricades that kept loud pro and anti-Trump protesters apart in a small park near the courthouse where Trump was arraigned, with NYPD officers standing in the middle. Some of the demonstrators could be heard shouting insulting and profanities at each other, according to CNN. On one side filed with hundreds of supporters of the former president, a man strummed chords on a violin as he stood next to a protester holding a sign saying, "Trump didn`t start any wars!" But one of the supporters grabbed the attention. A naked cowboy, who usually pose for tourists in time Square, stopped by the court area and showed his support for the former president. He took pictures with backers of the former president, CNN reported. While, on the other side, placards with "Lock him up!" signs were shown. "Trump is the definition of depravity," read another sign. Trump Pleads Not Guilty To 34 Criminal Charges In the Manhattan criminal court, Trump, who became the first former US president to be indicted, arrested and arraigned on criminal charges, pleaded not guilty to 34 criminal charges of falsifying business records in person before State Supreme Court Justice Juan M Merchan. He left the courtroom after arraignment but without uttering a word and then flew to Florida, as per the reports on CNN. When Trump was leaving for Mar-a-Lago, his Florida home, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L Bragg, who is also a Democrat held a press conference and even released a statement stating that the former President has been charged with three pre-election hush-money cases. In the statement, the attorney mentioned three instances of the 'catch and kill' scheme in Donald Trump`s indictment. "In one instance, American Media Inc. ("AMI"), paid USD 30,000 to a former Trump Tower doorman, who claimed to have a story about a child TRUMP had out of wedlock," Bragg said in a statement. The attorney also stated that AMI paid USD 150,000 was paid to the woman who claimed to have a sexual relationship with Trump. And former President asked his lawyer to reimburse AMI in cash. AMI admitted its conduct was unlawful in an agreement with federal prosecutors and made false entries in its business records concerning the true purpose of the USD 150,000 payment. "In a third instance - 12 days before the presidential general election - the Special Counsel wired USD 130,000 to an attorney for an adult film actress. The Special Counsel, who has since pleaded guilty and served time in prison for making the illegal campaign contribution, made the payment through a shell corporation funded through a bank in Manhattan," the statement read. Trumps Indictment The indictment started with the Manhattan grand jury, who voted to indict the former US President. Former US President Donald Trump was at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida home and a private club on Thursday when his lawyers said he had been indicted. Trump has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing and stressed that those probing him were making politically motivated accusations. In the case of Donald Trump, the indictment was filed behind closed doors at the lower Manhattan courthouse after the clerk`s office was closed for the day. White House Says 'No Comments' The White House refrained from making a comment on the developments in New York except for saying that it's a legal matter. "It's an ongoing case, so we're just not going to comment on the case specifically itself, but the president is going to focus on the American people like he does every day. This is not something that is a focus for him. He is going to focus on things like making sure how to continue to lower prices for the American people," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference. Former US President Donald Trump appeared before a Manhattan court yesterday for his arraignment and later reached Florida. The next in-person hearing in a criminal case against Trump has been set for December 4, roughly two months before the official start of the 2024 Republican presidential primary calendar. Trump, the first former US President to be criminally charged, has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records at his arraignment in a Manhattan court on charges relating to hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election. According to reports, at the December in-person court appearance, State Supreme Court Justice Juan M Merchan will decide on the expected motions to dismiss the case. Now, allow us to tell you about 'Hush Money', 'Indictment' and 'Arraignment': What is 'Hush Money'? Hush money, as it seems in Donald Trump's case, is not always illegal. As the name suggests, the money is paid to a certain person by another to hush or hide some crucial/sensitive/personal information. Someone paying to keep an affair secret is not illegal. However, hush money can involve illegal acts like extortion or blackmail. A simple example of hush money payment is a father giving his daughter chocolate/toy to keep something secret from her mother. Notably, Trump isnt being charged for hush money payments to Stormy Daniels but for allegedly falsifying business records. What is an 'Indictment'? An indictment is a court document containing charges that were voted on by a grand jury, a group of people who decide whether a prosecutor has enough evidence to pursue criminal charges. An indictment formally charges a defendant with a crime and provides a basis for legal prosecution. What is an 'Arraignment'? An arraignment is where a defendant is brought to court to hear charges and have a chance to enter a plea, which is generally guilty or not guilty. A judge or prosecutor typically reads the charges aloud. A defendant is usually represented by lawyers, especially in cases that are high-profile or could lead to jail or prison. It sets the trial in motion. If pleaded guilty, the judge will announce punishment at a later date and if pleaded not guilty, a hearing will take place on the next date. Donald Trump is expected to use the charges against him to try and rally support among Republican voters, arguing he is a victim of a politically motivated prosecution. A Saint Anselm College poll released Tuesday showed Trump with 42 per cent support among likely Republican primary voters, well ahead of Florida Gov Ron DeSantis, who garnered 29 per cent support, the newspaper said. (With Agencies inputs) New Delhi: Finland formally joined NATO on Tuesday, its flag unfurling outside the military bloc's Brussels headquarters, in a historic policy shift brought on by Russia's invasion of Ukraine that drew a threat from Moscow of "counter-measures." Finland's accession, ending seven decades of military non-alignment, roughly doubles the length of the border the North Atlantic Treaty Organization shares with Russia and bolsters its eastern flank as the war in Ukraine grinds on with no resolution in sight. Finland's flag - a blue cross on a white background - was hoisted alongside those of the alliance's 30 other members as a military band played in the bright spring sunshine. "For almost 75 years, this great alliance has shielded our nations and continues to do so today," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg declared at the ceremony. "But war has returned to Europe and Finland has decided to join NATO and be part of the world's most successful alliance." Stoltenberg earlier noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin had cited opposition to NATO's eastward enlargement as one justification for invading Ukraine. "He is getting exactly the opposite... Finland today, and soon also Sweden will become a full-fledged member of the alliance," Stoltenberg said. Finnish President Saul Niinisto said Finland's most significant contribution to NATO's common deterrence and defence would be to defend its own territory. There is still significant work to be done to coordinate this with NATO, he said. "It is a great day for Finland and I want to say that it is an important day for NATO," Niinisto said at a joint news conference with Stoltenberg. The Kremlin said Russia would be forced to take "counter-measures." Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said Finland's accession raised the risk of the Ukraine conflict escalating further. In dropping non-alignment, Russia's Foreign Ministry said, Finland was committing a dangerous historical mistake that would fray relations with Moscow and undo its status as a confidence-building presence in the Baltic Sea and Europe at large. "This is now a thing of the past. Finland has become one of the small members of (NATO) that doesn't decide anything, losing its special voice in international affairs. We are sure that history will judge this hasty step," a ministry statement said. Russia said on Monday it would strengthen its military capacity in its west and northwest in response to Finland joining NATO. Ukraine hailed Finland's step. "I congratulate all the people of Finland," President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his evening address. "Russian aggression clearly proves that only collective guarantees, only preventive guarantees, can be reliable." Finland's era of strategic non-alignment began after the country repelled an attempted Soviet invasion during World War Two and opted to maintain friendly relations with neighbouring Russia. But the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 prompted Finns to seek security under NATO's collective defence pact, which states that an attack on one member is an attack on all. Since the end of the Cold War three decades ago, Moscow has watched successive waves of NATO enlargement, and the issue was contentious even before the invasion of Ukraine. NATO has repeatedly stressed that it is solely a defensive alliance and does not threaten Russia. Moscow says the funnelling of heavy weaponry to Ukraine by NATO countries since the war began proves the West is bent on destroying Russia. Finland's accession brings NATO significant military capabilities. It is one of the few European countries to have retained a conscription army through decades of peace, wary of Russia next door. Finland's ground, naval and air forces are all trained and equipped with one primary aim - to repel any Russian attack. In Finland, people said their country's entry into NATO made them feel more secure. In Virolahti, near the Russian border, retired combat engineer Ilkka Lansivaara, 70 - whose father was an air force pilot in World War Two - had hung a NATO flag from the side of his house. "It's a special day for Finland. Now we have power also behind us, not just our own forces." People in the Russian city of St. Petersburg, only about 150 km (93 miles) from the Finnish border, said Finland would make problems for itself by joining NATO. "We used to consider it a brotherly country of the capitalist world, the closest to us in spirit, in ... mutually beneficial economic relations," said Nikolai, a St. Petersburg resident. "But now we'll consider it as a state that is unfriendly to us." Finland and its neighbour Sweden applied together last year to join NATO, but Sweden's application has been held up by NATO members Turkey and Hungary. Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstroem told reporters it was Stockholm's ambition to become a member at the NATO summit in Vilnius in July. Turkey says Stockholm harbours members of what Ankara considers terrorist groups - which Sweden denies - and has demanded their extradition as a step toward ratification. Hungary cites grievances over Swedish criticism of Prime Minister Viktor Orban's record on democracy and rule of law. Washington: Adult film star Stormy Daniels has been ordered to pay over USD 120,000 in legal fees to the attorneys of former US President Donald Trump by a federal appeals court in California. The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday (local time) ordered Daniels to pay Trump`s attorneys just over USD 120,000 in legal fees. That`s on top of the over USD 500,000 in court-ordered payments to Trump attorneys that she has to pay. Stormy Daniels Loses Defamation Suit Daniels had filed and lost a defamation suit against the former president, reported CNN. The order was delivered on the same day that a Manhattan court arraigned Trump on 34 charges related to alleged hush money payments to Daniels to cover up a purported affair between the two. Trump Charged With 34 Counts Of Falsifying Business Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records related to the alleged payments. It`s the first time a former US president has faced criminal charges. The civil litigation is officially unrelated to Trump`s arrest and charges filed against him in New York - but both involved Daniels, who was paid USD 130,000 in hush money during the 2016 presidential campaign to keep quiet about an affair. Trump denies the affair, reported CNN. Daniels sued Trump in 2018 after Trump in a tweet called an allegation by Daniels that an unknown man threatened her in a parking lot to keep quiet about her alleged affair with Trump a "total con job." Dismissing the lawsuit in October 2018, federal Judge S James Otero said Trump`s statement was protected by the First Amendment, reported CNN. "The Court agrees with Mr. Trump`s argument because the tweet in question constitutes `rhetorical hyperbole` normally associated with politics and public discourse in the United States. The First Amendment protects this type of rhetorical statement," Otero wrote at the time. Daniels Ordered To Pay Legal Fees To Trump's Attorneys Otero later ordered Daniels to pay roughly USD 293,000 in legal fees. Daniels was also ordered to pay another USD 245,000 in fees after losing another appeal, reported CNN. Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, had asked the appeals court to knock down another award. The court declined her request. "Clifford`s argument that the fee request is unreasonable and excessive is not well-founded," the 9th Circuit filing states. "Trump`s attorneys reasonably spent the requested 183.35 hours preparing a motion to dismiss, a reply to the opposition to the motion, two extension motions, the answering brief, and the fee application," it added. In March 2022, Daniels said she would "go to jail" before paying a penny to Trump after a failed defamation suit filed by Daniels` former lawyer, Michael Avenatti. New Delhi: Former President Donald Trump was on Tuesday charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a historic case over allegations he orchestrated hush-money payments to two women before the 2016 US Presidential election to suppress publication of their sexual encounters with him. The 76-year-old is now the first sitting or former US president to face criminal charges. The two women in the case are adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. What is Donald Trump accused of doing? Prosecutors led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, an elected Democrat, charged Donald Trump with 34 felony counts for falsifying business records related to a "catch-and-kill" scheme to suppress negative news stories about him ahead of the 2016 US Presidential election. During the campaign, his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid porn star Stormy Daniels $1,30,000 for her silence on an affair she says she had with Trump. While Cohen testified in 2018 that the ex-US President directed him to pay Daniels, Trump has repeatedly called him a 'liar'. Trump has also denied the allegations and the affairs but has admitted to reimbursing Cohen for his payment to Daniels. He has called Bragg's probe a politically motivated "witch hunt" and has pleaded not guilty during his first court appearance on Tuesday. It is against New York state law to make a false entry in a company's records. While falsification of business records on its own is a misdemeanor, meaning it is punishable by a sentence of less than one year, it is considered a felony punishable by up to four years in prison if it is done to conceal or further other crimes. In Trump's case, Manhattan District Attorney Bragg said those other crimes include alleged election law violations. The US Attorney's office in Manhattan has not charged Trump, who it referred to in its charging document against his ex-lawyer Cohen as "Individual-1," with any crime. What can be Donald Trump's argument? Donald Trump may argue that his former lawyer acted on his own when paying Stormy Daniels. He may also argue that the purpose of silencing Daniels and Karen McDougal was to spare him and his family the embarrassment of public attention to alleged extramarital affairs, not to help his campaign. Taken together, the charges carry a maximum of 136 years in prison under New York law, but any prison sentence following a guilty verdict would almost certainly be far less than that. Trump would almost certainly appeal any conviction. What's next for Trump after being charged with hush-money scheme? Donald Trump has accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of targeting him for political gain and could try to seek dismissal of the charges on those grounds. He has complained that Juan Merchan, the judge, treated his company unfairly when he oversaw a criminal tax-fraud trial last year. Trump has also said that the case should be moved from heavily Democratic Manhattan to Staten Island, a more conservative part of New York City. His lawyers would now have to file a motion showing why Merchan is unqualified to handle the case. That would likely be denied as there is no basis for recusal, news agency Reuters reported citing a former Manhattan assistant district attorney. Likewise, any request to change the venue would likely be denied this far in advance of a trial. Trump will likely pursue other avenues as well, some of which could present thorny legal issues that take time to resolve. Trump could also challenge whether the statute of limitations -- five years in this instance -- should have run out. That deadline has been extended due to the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Under New York law, the statute of limitations can also be extended if the defendant has been out of state, but Trump may argue that serving as US president should not apply. After Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges, Judge Merchan set the next court hearing for December 4. Prosecutors said they plan to request a trial date of January 2024, while Trump's legal team suggested a spring 2024 trial. That now raises the possibility that Trump could face a jury in a Manhattan courtroom as he seeks a return to the White House - or even after the November 2024 US Presidential elections. Trump's case is far from typical, and his lawyers say they intend to fight it aggressively with a blizzard of paperwork. That could conceivably push any trial past the timetable floated by the two sides and closer to the upcoming US presidential election. If elected after defeating the Democratic nominee (likely incumbent President Joe Biden), Trump would not hold the power to pardon himself of state charges. But putting a president-elect or president on trial for state charges would enter uncharted legal waters. It is noteworthy that aside from the hush-money case, Trump faces federal criminal investigations over allegations he tried to overturn his 2020 election defeat and mishandling of classified documents. He also faces an investigation into his attempts to fight his 2020 defeat in Georgia. (With agency inputs) Pekic / iStock.com Among the proposed changes to Social Security is to raise the full retirement age for recipients, which proponents say will bolster the programs finances as one of its reserve funds heads for depletion. Now a pair of lawmakers have moved a step closer to bringing such a plan up for a vote. Social Security: No Matter Your Age, Do Not Claim Benefits Until You Reach This Milestone Read: 3 Ways To Recession-Proof Your Retirement While it had been initially reported by MarketWatch and Semafor that U.S. Sens. Angus King (I-Maine) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) were considering a proposal to raise the FRA to 70 from 67, a representative for Bill Cassidy has since clarified to GOBankingRates that there are no plans to raise the FRA to 70, nor is that figure under consideration. However, the two senators have proposed creating a sovereign-wealth fund that could be funded with $1.5 trillion or more in borrowed money. If the fund fails to generate an 8% annual return, both the maximum taxable income and the payroll tax rate would be increased to ensure Social Security stays on track to be solvent for another 75 years. Other options on the table include changing the formula that calculates monthly Social Security benefits from one based on a workers average earnings over 35 years to a formula based on the number of years spent working and paying into Social Security. Proposals to raise the FRA have been floated for quite some time amid reports that the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund which funds about 25% of Social Security benefits will run out of money as early as 2032. When that happens, Social Security will have to rely solely on payroll taxes for funding under the current system. The idea behind raising the FRA is that it will push more Americans to wait an extra couple of years to start claiming Social Security benefits, which could save money over the short term. So far, the idea has not advanced much past the discussion stage. Story continues Social Security advocates and many lawmakers have pushed back against raising the FRA because of the potential financial impact it would have on seniors who are already struggling to make ends meet. Spokespersons for Cassidy and King wrote in an email to MarketWatch that their plan doesnt include any cuts for Americans currently receiving Social Security benefits, and that many will receive additional benefits. They also said the plan is not finalized and the final framework is still taking shape. Even if a similar plan were to make it to a Congressional vote, its chances of eventually passing into law are not great. The Senate and House would have to approve it, and then President Joe Biden would have to sign it and as GOBankingRates previously reported, he has shown no inclination to support Social Security changes that would cut or delay access to benefits. If the FRA ever does get raised to age 70, it would significantly cuts benefits for anyone retiring before their new full retirement age, according to the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM), a nonprofit advocacy group. The NCPSSM noted that when the full retirement age was 65, workers retiring at age 62 received an initial benefit that was 20% less than their full benefit amount. When the FRA rises to 67, workers retiring at age 62 will receive a 30% cut in benefits. If the age were increased to 70, a worker claiming retirement benefits at age 62 would have their benefits reduced by nearly half, according to the NCPSSM. Take Our Poll: Do You Think Bankruptcy Is an Acceptable Way To Escape Student Loan Debt? Instead of protecting future generations, raising the retirement age will dramatically cut benefits for younger generations of workers, especially those at lower-income levels, the NCPSSM said in a blog. The cuts will have their greatest impact on those who can afford them the least lower income workers with a shorter life expectancy, who are less likely to be able to continue working to age 70. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Increasing Social Security Full Retirement Age to 70 How It Could Impact Benefits According to Fortune Business Insights, the global IoT market size is projected to reach USD 3352.97 billion in 2030, at a CAGR of 26.1% during the forecast period, 2023-2030 Pune, India, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global internet of things market size was valued at USD 544.38 billion in 2022. The market is estimated to expand from USD 662.21 billion in 2023 to USD 3,352.97 billion in 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 26.1% over the projected period. The expansion is due to the availability of a range of solutions such as integrated solutions, vehicle solutions, deployment services, and others. Fortune Business Insights provides this information in its research report, titled Internet of Things Market Forecast, 2023-2030. Request a Free Sample PDF: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/internet-of-things-iot-market-100307 Key Industry Development: June 2022 Siemens rolled out Siemens Xcelerator for creating value for users in all grids, buildings, and industries. The platform includes a curated platform of IoT-empowered hardware, software, and digital facilities. Report Scope & Segmentation Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2023 to 2030 Forecast Period 2023 to 2030 CAGR 26.1% 2030 Value Projection USD 3352.97 Billion Base Year 2022 Internet of Things Market Size in 2022 USD 544.38 Billion Historical Data for 2019 to 2021 No. of Pages 130 Segments covered Component, End-use Industry and Geography Key Takeaways: Internet of Things Market size in North America was USD 179.71 billion in 2022 Major driving factors include Surging Demand for Downstream Data Servers The Healthcare and Manufacturing segment has the largest share in the global market. Siemens Launches New Solutions to Gain Strong Foothold Browse Complete Report Details: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/internet-of-things-iot-market-100307 Drivers and Restraints: Market Share to Surge Owing to Increasing Number of Smart City Initiatives One of the key factors propelling internet of things (IoT) market growth comprise increasing urbanization and population and the adoption of smart city solutions for the management of resources. Furthermore, connected devices help in the improvement of infrastructure efficiency and related services. Story continues Segments: Platforms Segment to Register Substantial Surge Owing to Increasing Product Demand Based on component, the market is segmented into solutions & services and platforms. The platform segment is fragmented into cloud platform, network management, and device management. The segment is set to depict an appreciable CAGR owing to growing demand for downstream data servers. Manufacturing Sector to Lead Driven by Huge Spending on Advanced Technologies On the basis of end-use, the market is fragmented into BFSI, agriculture, manufacturing, retail, transportation, sustainable energy, IT & telecom, and others. The manufacturing sector is expected to register the highest market share throughout the forecast period. The rise is due to the increase in quality, productivity, and the reduction of downtime. Based on geography, the market has been studied across North America, Europe, South America, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. Have Any Query? Ask Our Experts: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/internet-of-things-iot-market-100307 Regional Insights: North America to Lead Owing to Rising Customer Base for Cloud-based Platforms North America internet of things (IoT) market share is expected to register substantial expansion over the forecast period. The rise is driven by surging customer base for cloud-based platforms. Additionally, cloud platforms are witnessing considerable adoption in the region driven by rising investments in R&D and the expansion of IoT-enabled devices. Furthermore, the Europe market is poised to depict an appreciable surge throughout the estimated period. The rise in market share is driven by the provision of a range of insights such as descriptive analytics, diagnostic analytics, prescriptive analytics, and predictive analytics. Competitive Landscape: Major Companies Enter Partnership Agreements to Expand Product Reach Leading companies are centered on the adoption of an array of initiatives for reinforcing their position in the market. These include merger agreements, acquisitions, and the launch of new products. Some of the additional initiatives comprise an increase in research activities and the rollout of new solutions. List of Key Players Mentioned in the Report: Amazon Web Services, Inc. (U.S.) Intel Corporation (U.S.) Microsoft Corporation (U.S.) PTC Inc. (U.S.) GE (U.S.) Cisco Systems, Inc. (U.S.) IBM Corporation (U.S.) Oracle Corporation (U.S.) SAP SE (Germany) Siemens AG (Germany) Quick Buy - Internet of Things Market Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/100307 Major Table of Contents: Global Internet of Things (IoT) Market Size Estimates and Forecasts, By Segments, 2019-2030 Key Findings By Component (USD) Platform Device Management Cloud Platform Network Management Solution & Services Solution Real-Time Streaming Analytics Security Data Management Remote Monitoring Network Band Management Services By End-use Industry (USD) Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) Retail Government Healthcare Manufacturing Agriculture Sustainable Energy Transportation IT & Telecom Others By Region (USD) North America Europe Middle East & Africa Asia Pacific South America North America Internet of Things Market Size Estimates and Forecasts, By Segments, 2019-2030 Key Findings By Component (USD) Platform Device Management Cloud Platform Network Management Solution & Services Solution Real-Time Streaming Analytics Security Data Management Remote Monitoring Network Band Management Services By End-use Industry (USD) Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) Retail Government Healthcare Manufacturing Agriculture Sustainable Energy Transportation IT & Telecom Others By Country (USD) United States Canada Mexico TOC Continued! FAQs How big is the internet of things market? Internet of things market size was USD 544.38 billion in 2022. It is expected to reach USD 3352.97 billion by 2030. How fast is the internet of things market growing? The internet of things market will exhibit a CAGR of 26.1% during the forecast period, 2023-2030 Related Reports: IoT Connected Machines Market Size, Share, Revenue Forecast and Opportunities IoT in Smart Cities Market Overview, Industry Share and Forecast 5G IoT Market Size, Share, Opportunities & Analysis About Us: Fortune Business Insights offers expert corporate analysis and accurate data, helping organizations of all sizes make timely decisions. We tailor innovative solutions for our clients, assisting them to address challenges distinct to their businesses. Our goal is to empower our clients with holistic market intelligence, giving a granular overview of the market they are operating in. Contact Us: Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd. US: +1 424 253 0390 UK: +44 2071 939123 APAC: +91 744 740 1245 Email: sales@fortunebusinessinsights.com Intesa Sanpaolo Marco Elio Rottigni Marco Elio Rottigni, head of Intesa Sanpaolo. Intesa Sanpaolo's International Subsidiary Banks Division (ISBD) recorded growth in 2022. The Intesa Sanpaolo Group, the largest banking group in Italy and a leader in Europe, has a strong international presence. The activities of ISBD are carried out through 11 commercial banks operating in 12 countries (Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine and Egypt) and the wealth management company Yi Tsai (Talento Italiano) in China, where the Group also has a minority stake in Bank of Qingdao and Penghua Asset Management MILAN, Italy, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intesa Sanpaolo's International Subsidiary Banks Division (ISBD) recorded growth in 2022. The Intesa Sanpaolo Group, the largest banking group in Italy and a leader in Europe, has a strong international presence. The activities of ISBD are carried out through 11 commercial banks operating in 12 countries (Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine and Egypt) and the wealth management company Yi Tsai (Talento Italiano) in China, where the Group also has a minority stake in Bank of Qingdao and Penghua Asset Management. The Division's banks, which play a major role in their respective markets, have a network of over 900 branches serving around 7 million customers. Over the last three years, ISBD, led by Marco Elio Rottigni, recorded an average growth in total assets of 7% per annum and contributed 14% to the net profit of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group in 2022. "We are very satisfied with the results achieved in 2022 and, more generally, in the last three years: we have achieved them by operating in a complex economic and geopolitical scenario at global level, which has led to the redefinition of international production and logistics chains, said Marco Elio Rottigni, Chief of ISBD. During the press conference, Rottigni also outlined the Business Plan outlook to 2025. "The Euro-Mediterranean basin, he explained, "will play an increasingly central role in global maritime routes, and the countries where we operate with our commercial banks are those with the highest expected economic growth in the area." In key words: internationalisation of the Italian entrepreneurial ecosystem and synergies. "We intend to contribute to this growth and, at the same time, facilitate the internationalisation of Italian companies, focusing on the distinctive skills of our Group, inter-divisional synergies, and recovery and resilience programmes. In particular, Rottigni stressed, "we will focus our funding on the sustainable development of agribusiness, a strategic sector in the areas where we operate, manufacturing, trade and transport." "Our people have contributed to the achievement of important results and are the real added value of our Division and, more generally, of our entire Group, the Chief of ISBD concluded. Story continues For more information: Press Office LaPresse - ufficio.stampa@lapresse.it A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7f35997a-8ebc-41f2-9dba-4b2e8c146ca1 The photo is also available at Newscom, www.newscom.com, and via AP PhotoExpress. A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/119e8be4-111e-4a69-9ad8-0dbaff959ebd It's easy to match the overall market return by buying an index fund. Active investors aim to buy stocks that vastly outperform the market - but in the process, they risk under-performance. Unfortunately the Brookfield Corporation (TSE:BN) share price slid 41% over twelve months. That falls noticeably short of the market decline of around 5.1%. At least the damage isn't so bad if you look at the last three years, since the stock is down 3.0% in that time. Although the past week has been more reassuring for shareholders, they're still in the red over the last year, so let's see if the underlying business has been responsible for the decline. See our latest analysis for Brookfield To paraphrase Benjamin Graham: Over the short term the market is a voting machine, but over the long term it's a weighing machine. One way to examine how market sentiment has changed over time is to look at the interaction between a company's share price and its earnings per share (EPS). Unhappily, Brookfield had to report a 51% decline in EPS over the last year. This fall in the EPS is significantly worse than the 41% the share price fall. It may have been that the weak EPS was not as bad as some had feared. You can see below how EPS has changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image). It's good to see that there was some significant insider buying in the last three months. That's a positive. On the other hand, we think the revenue and earnings trends are much more meaningful measures of the business. It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on Brookfield's earnings, revenue and cash flow. What About Dividends? As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). The TSR is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. It's fair to say that the TSR gives a more complete picture for stocks that pay a dividend. In the case of Brookfield, it has a TSR of -26% for the last 1 year. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. This is largely a result of its dividend payments! Story continues A Different Perspective We regret to report that Brookfield shareholders are down 26% for the year (even including dividends). Unfortunately, that's worse than the broader market decline of 5.1%. Having said that, it's inevitable that some stocks will be oversold in a falling market. The key is to keep your eyes on the fundamental developments. On the bright side, long term shareholders have made money, with a gain of 12% per year over half a decade. It could be that the recent sell-off is an opportunity, so it may be worth checking the fundamental data for signs of a long term growth trend. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Brookfield better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 5 warning signs with Brookfield (at least 1 which is concerning) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process. Brookfield is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on Canadian exchanges. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here Photo: The Canadian Press Premier Danielle Smith. Premier Danielle Smith must explain to Albertans why she discussed a criminal case with the accused before his trial, whether she still believes such calls are OK and whether she will continue to have these conversations, legal experts and political scientists say. They say the premier's actions a violation of the democratic firewall separating politicians from court cases and that Smith's strategy to stay silent and threaten to sue media ensures the controversy will be alive for the upcoming election campaign. Smith has declined to answer questions from reporters surrounding a leaked phone conversation in which she offered to help Calgary street pastor Artur Pawlowski in his criminal case related to the COVID-19 protest at the Canada-United States border crossing at Coutts, Alta., in early 2022. In the call, Smith discussed the disposition of other cases with Pawlowski. She revealed to him internal government disagreements over case strategy, commiserated with him that he was being treated unfairly by the prosecutor through a late-day document dump" and told him the charges against him were politically motivated. There's no universe in which any of that information can or should be conveyed to an individual caught up in the criminal justice system by the highest elected official in government, said law professor Eric Adams with the University of Alberta. (Smith) has yet to go on the record to admit that this was an error that shouldn't happen and can't be repeated. If she remains of the view that these kinds of calls with (individuals) caught up in the criminal justice system are appropriate, I remain deeply concerned about the state of the rule of law in the province. Law professor Steven Penney said its a clear violation for a premier to discuss court cases involving the government with those charged, as it breaches the democratic guardrail precluding politicians from having any say in whether people are charged or how their cases would be prosecuted. Penney, with the University of Alberta, said a premier can direct the justice system, but only at a broad policy level. The idea that the premier or members of her staff or anyone else in the political branches of government could make contact with prosecutors or with accused persons, speaking directly about their cases, providing them with information, advice or seeking to intervene on their behalf in an individual case that just very, very clearly crosses the line," he said. I've never seen any principled defence of that or a rationale for why we would we would want that in our (justice) system." Smiths response to the controversy has been to repeat that she has never spoken directly with prosecutors about cases, which has been backed up by prosecutors and the Justice Department. On Saturday, on her call-in radio show, Smith declined to answer when asked if she regrets the call with Pawlowski, saying that she has lots of conversations with people and was surprised the call with Pawlowski was recorded. At a news conference Monday, Smith announced that because she is contemplating a lawsuit, she will stay silent on the advice of her lawyer. A notice of defamation letter sent from lawyers on behalf of Smith calls on the CBC to retract and apologize for a January story. The story stated a member of her staff sent emails to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service challenging how it was handling court cases from the Coutts blockade. Smith has said a review found no evidence of contact between her office and the prosecution service. The CBC has said it stands by its reporting. The notice of defamation letter gives the CBC until April 28 to retract its article and apologize or face potential legal action, which would be just days before an expected writ drop for the provincial election, expected May 29. Smith said her United Conservative Party, not the government, is paying for the lawsuit. Smiths office and the party have declined to say why the party is paying. Political scientist Duane Bratt said the silence and legal threat is a risky political strategy, given questions will still be asked about what happened. He said the premier may see it as the best plan in a slate of bad options. How do you explain this phone call? said Bratt, with Mount Royal University in Calgary. (Does Smith say), I told (Pawlowski) what he wanted to hear?' That's not a good answer. Or (does Smith say), I needed (Pawlowskis) help in winning the (UCP) leadership?' That's not a good answer. There's no good answer here. Bratt said Smith must also explain the contradiction of not speaking about why she talked to someone whose case is before the courts, because she is contemplating related action that may be before the courts. Pawlowski's trial was heard in Lethbridge, Alta., in early February and the judge has yet to render a verdict. Political scientist Jared Wesley said by deciding to stay silent, Smith has not put the issue to rest. The debate can be steered by others in ways she might not want it to go, he said. Its naive to think that this wont make things worse, because there's now only one narrative out there and it's not the government putting the narrative out there, it's everybody else. And Albertans are pretty good at filling in the blanks, said Wesley, with the University of Alberta. The solution, he said, is to confront it head on. In 2019, former premier Jason Kenney was in a similar position says before a writ drop. He was forced to react to allegations that his team had surreptitiously worked with a third candidate in the UCP leadership race to undermine Kenneys main rival, Brian Jean. Kenney held a news conference and took question after question until reporters ran out of questions. A month later, he won a majority government. That is how you solve a political crisis of the magnitude that Danielle Smith is facing: you step in front of the cameras, you answer every question forthrightly until there's no questions left, Wesley said. You don't put it behind you by failing to answer questions. It just raises more questions. I don't know what (Smith) is going to do in an (election campaign) debate when (Opposition NDP Leader) Rachel Notley poses the question, or if the moderator does. Key Insights Using the 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity, Dermapharm Holding fair value estimate is 77.88 Dermapharm Holding's 39.72 share price signals that it might be 49% undervalued The 56.00 analyst price target for DMP is 28% less than our estimate of fair value Does the April share price for Dermapharm Holding SE (ETR:DMP) reflect what it's really worth? Today, we will estimate the stock's intrinsic value by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to today's value. We will use the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model on this occasion. Before you think you won't be able to understand it, just read on! It's actually much less complex than you'd imagine. Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you. View our latest analysis for Dermapharm Holding The Model We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. In the first stage we need to estimate the cash flows to the business over the next ten years. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 Levered FCF (, Millions) 156.2m 173.0m 188.4m 211.6m 209.0m 207.4m 206.4m 205.9m 205.5m 205.4m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x3 Analyst x4 Analyst x3 Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Est @ -0.75% Est @ -0.48% Est @ -0.29% Est @ -0.15% Est @ -0.06% Present Value (, Millions) Discounted @ 4.9% 149 157 163 175 164 156 148 140 134 127 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = 1.5b Story continues We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (0.2%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 4.9%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2032 (1 + g) (r g) = 205m (1 + 0.2%) (4.9% 0.2%) = 4.3b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= 4.3b ( 1 + 4.9%)10= 2.7b The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is 4.2b. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of 39.7, the company appears quite good value at a 49% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out. dcf Important Assumptions The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the cash flows. If you don't agree with these result, have a go at the calculation yourself and play with the assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Dermapharm Holding as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 4.9%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.800. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. SWOT Analysis for Dermapharm Holding Strength Debt is well covered by earnings and cashflows. Dividends are covered by earnings and cash flows. Weakness Earnings declined over the past year. Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Pharmaceuticals market. Opportunity Annual revenue is forecast to grow faster than the German market. Trading below our estimate of fair value by more than 20%. Threat Annual earnings are forecast to grow slower than the German market. Looking Ahead: Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it ideally won't be the sole piece of analysis you scrutinize for a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Instead the best use for a DCF model is to test certain assumptions and theories to see if they would lead to the company being undervalued or overvalued. If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. What is the reason for the share price sitting below the intrinsic value? For Dermapharm Holding, we've compiled three fundamental items you should consider: Risks: For example, we've discovered 3 warning signs for Dermapharm Holding that you should be aware of before investing here. Future Earnings: How does DMP's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered! PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every German stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here Of all tech billionaires, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos saw the biggest hit to his net worth in the past 12 months, according to a new Forbes ranking. Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File/Associated Press Forbes' annual ranking of the world's richest people has some big winners and losers. Jeff Bezos' net worth dropped more than anyone else, down $57 billion from March 2022. But he's still the third-richest person in the world, with a $114 billion fortune, per Forbes. It's been a rough year for tech companies, and tumbling stock prices have put big dents in their founders' fortunes. Forbes released its annual ranking of the world's richest billionaires on Tuesday, and the list identified the billionaire whose wealth took the greatest hit in the last year: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Bezos' net worth is down $57 billion from last March but still sits at a cool $114 billion, making him the world's third-richest person, according to Forbes. Amazon's stock fell by 50% in 2022, and it became the first public company to ever lose $1 trillion in market value. Tesla and Twitter CEO Elon Musk came in second place on Forbes' list, with a net worth of $180 billion, and Bernard Arnault, the CEO of luxury goods company LVMH, has taken the top spot with a net worth of $211 billion. This year's list included 313 tech billionaires worth a collective $1.9 trillion, down from 332 tech industry titans worth $2.1 trillion last year, per Forbes. In 2021, a red-hot year for the industry, Forbes identified 365 tech billionaires worth a record $2.5 trillion. So far, 2023 has also been off to a rocky start for Amazon. CEO Andy Jassy, who took over when Bezos stepped down in July 2021, announced in January that the company would slash 18,000 jobs, marking the biggest job cuts in its history. In March, Jassy said Amazon would lay off 9,000 additional workers on top of that as it looks to be a "leaner" company. Read the original article on Business Insider MONTREAL, April 5, 2023 /CNW/ - Trevi, a long-established and well-known leader in the pool and spa industry with a wide network of locations across North America and Europe, has entrusted its digitalization strategy to JRTech Solutions, the largest supplier of Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) in North America, to equip their brand-new eco-friendly store entirely with Pricer's Power+ graphic ESLs, the greenest electronic shelf label on the market. Trevi's latest development includes the opening of its inaugural eco-concept store in Mascouche. The store's main objective is to reduce the brand's environmental impact while enhancing the customer experience with sustainable practices. By incorporating JRTech Solutions' Pricer digital price tags, Trevi has chosen the longest-lasting label on the market with a proven four-fold battery expectancy over other labels on the market. JRTech's ESL solution from Pricer will allow Trevi to ensure seamless synchronization across channels by automating real-time price adjustments and promotions, reducing paper waste, and resulting in a refined in-store shopping experience for customers. Trevi Mascouche Superstore (CNW Group/JRTECH SOLUTIONS INC.) "It was essential for us to find technology that would support our sustainability plan, but also respect the quality of service and level of responsiveness that has made Trevi successful for over 50 years with our clients. It wasn't just any digital smart label that could fulfill these requirements. JRTech's Power+ digital labels from Pricer are the only ones that have been able to meet our expectations," said Francis Laliberte, Deputy Director General of Trevi. "Not only did they stand out for the power of their advanced features to help our staff be more productive in their operational strategies, they also stood out for the reliability of their communication platform where, unlike radiofrequency or Bluetooth communication, infrared guarantees both an interference-free environment and substantially longer usage life of electronic labels." Story continues Pricer Graphic Digital Labels, Power+ from JRTech Solutions. (CNW Group/JRTECH SOLUTIONS INC.) "Trevi and JRTech Solutions have both been local trailblazers in their respective fields for many years. We feel privileged to partner with Trevi on the digitization of their newest eco-store. With this collaboration, we have been able to demonstrate the reputation of our ESL technology is not limited to automating store operations. It is also based on its ability to deliver an eco-friendly management solution," said Diego Mazzone, President of JRTech Solutions. " For over 15 years more than 1,000 retailers have already adopted our technology because we are the only one to offer an end-to-end solution with unmatched speed and exceptional battery life expectancy enabled by our infrared communication ESL platform from Pricer, making it the most environmentally friendly and sustainable option on the market. By working with such an innovative brand in the pool and spa industry as Trevi, we are proving once again that JRTech Solutions is the trusted provider to digitally revolutionize all retail verticals in North America." JRTech Solutions and Trevi, the first Canadian pool and spa company to go digital with Pricer Graphic Electronic Shelf Labels (CNW Group/JRTECH SOLUTIONS INC.) About Trevi Founded in 1972, Trevi is a Quebec-based company specializing in the design, manufacture, sale and installation of pools and spas. Well-established in Quebec for 50 years, Trevi is also known under its Cornelius, Dynasty Spas, Lacus Innovations, Maitre Piscinier, Taiga Zone, Trevi Fabrication and Val-Mar banners. The company operates 11 corporate stores in Quebec and has 12 retailers. Trevi also distributes its products across a wide network of stores in Western Canada, the American East Coast, and Europe. For more information, visit www.trevi.com. About JRTech Solutions Inc. JRTech Solutions Inc. is a privately-held corporation headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. JRTech Solutions Inc. is the leading Canadian Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) provider and the largest distributor of Pricer Electronic Shelf Labels in North America, involved in over 1,000 store installations with over 14 million labels installed since 2008. For further information, visit www.jrtechsolutions.com. JRTECH SOLUTIONS INC. Logo (CNW Group/JRTECH SOLUTIONS INC.) SOURCE JRTECH SOLUTIONS INC. Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2023/05/c2386.html Featuring Special Earth Day Events on April 22, co-hosted by California Climate Action Corps, a Program of California Volunteers (Office of the Governor) LOS ANGELES, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As the world prepares to celebrate and honor the planet this April, L.A. Works invites the Los Angeles community to join together in service April 15-23 for Earth Week. The week will culminate on Earth Day, April 22, with a series of volunteer events across Los Angeles hosted in partnership with California Climate Action Corps, a program of California Volunteers (Office of the Governor). Projects on this day will include tree planting, school greening, and composting. "Earth Day is a reminder that we all share a responsibility to protect the planet," said Deborah Brutchey, executive director, L.A. Works. "Through our week of environmental volunteering and our Earth Day partnership with California Climate Action Corps, we remain committed to inspiring the community to take meaningful action to reduce our environmental impact, and we invite Angelenos to volunteer and join us in this effort." Events on Earth Day include: Santa Monica Mountains At L.A. Works' flagship event, participants will plant and nurture native oak trees in Cheeseboro Canyon. By restoring oak woodlands, volunteers help fight climate change, bring back species diversity, and provide habitat for displaced species in the Santa Monica Mountains! When : Saturday, April 22, 2023 9:00am 12:30pm Pasadena School Beautification Help green and beautify the grounds of Pasadena High School! Volunteers will plant native or drought-tolerant plants, remove weeds, and build planter boxes and benches. When : Saturday, April 22, 2023 9:00am 12:00pm For more information and to register for these opportunities and all our Earth Week activities, please visit LAWorks.com/earth-week. ABOUT L.A. WORKS For more than 30 years, L.A. Works has mobilized Angelenos as volunteers to strengthen the fabric of Los Angeles. As the region's largest and longest running volunteer action center, the nonprofit makes volunteering accessible to bring Angelenos' time and resources to nonprofits serving a range of needs, from hunger and homelessness to the achievement gap and cultural enrichment. As a unique nonprofit social enterprise, L.A. Works also creates service events and programs for corporations. More at www.laworks.com. Story continues Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/la-works-inspires-angelenos-to-take-action-for-earth-week-2023-301790373.html SOURCE L.A. Works Key Insights Given the large stake in the stock by institutions, Lloyds Banking Group's stock price might be vulnerable to their trading decisions The top 24 shareholders own 50% of the company Recent sales by insiders To get a sense of who is truly in control of Lloyds Banking Group plc (LON:LLOY), it is important to understand the ownership structure of the business. The group holding the most number of shares in the company, around 84% to be precise, is institutions. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn). And last week, institutional investors ended up benefitting the most after the company hit UK32b in market cap. One-year return to shareholders is currently 8.9% and last weeks gain was the icing on the cake. Let's delve deeper into each type of owner of Lloyds Banking Group, beginning with the chart below. View our latest analysis for Lloyds Banking Group What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Lloyds Banking Group? Institutions typically measure themselves against a benchmark when reporting to their own investors, so they often become more enthusiastic about a stock once it's included in a major index. We would expect most companies to have some institutions on the register, especially if they are growing. As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in Lloyds Banking Group. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see Lloyds Banking Group's historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story. Since institutional investors own more than half the issued stock, the board will likely have to pay attention to their preferences. Hedge funds don't have many shares in Lloyds Banking Group. BlackRock, Inc. is currently the largest shareholder, with 9.0% of shares outstanding. Meanwhile, the second and third largest shareholders, hold 5.4% and 4.6%, of the shares outstanding, respectively. Story continues Looking at the shareholder registry, we can see that 50% of the ownership is controlled by the top 24 shareholders, meaning that no single shareholder has a majority interest in the ownership. While studying institutional ownership for a company can add value to your research, it is also a good practice to research analyst recommendations to get a deeper understand of a stock's expected performance. Quite a few analysts cover the stock, so you could look into forecast growth quite easily. Insider Ownership Of Lloyds Banking Group While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO. Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances. Our most recent data indicates that insiders own less than 1% of Lloyds Banking Group plc. As it is a large company, we'd only expect insiders to own a small percentage of it. But it's worth noting that they own UK26m worth of shares. It is always good to see at least some insider ownership, but it might be worth checking if those insiders have been selling. General Public Ownership The general public-- including retail investors -- own 14% stake in the company, and hence can't easily be ignored. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies. Next Steps: While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. Take risks for example - Lloyds Banking Group has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of. If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here SHENZHEN, China, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Japan IT Week 2023, a major event for IT hardware and software companies, is driven by Japan's substantial investment in research and technology. Longsys (stock code:301308.SZ), along with its three brands FORESEE, Longsys, and Lexar, is excited to showcase its storage innovations at the event. Longsys Unveils New Storage Solutions at Japan IT Week 2023 Longsys participates in the Japan IT Week from April 5-7, 2023. You can find it at booth E45-9 in the East Hall of the Tokyo Big Sight. Longsys presents consumer, industrial, automotive, and enterprise storage solutions for you. These solutions comprise various DRAM and NAND Flash storage products, catering to diverse market demands. 1. Industry Storage Brand FORESEE: Provide effective, innovative, and quality storage products and solutions. FORESEE offers automotive-grade eMMC and UFS for the automotive market, boasting high reliability and excellent quality. It also offers XP2000 PCIe4.0 SSD and P709 PCIe3.0 SSD for the PC market, which provides encryption capabilities and superior performance. FORESEE SPI NAND Flash, uMCP, and LPDDR are available for consumer electronics (such as smartphones and IoT) offering a comprehensive range of capacities and customization options for high quality. 2. Enterprise Storage Brand Longsys: Continuously develops and innovates enterprise storage products. Longsys products include RDIMM(16GB&32GB) and SATA eSSD(480GB-3.84TB) for the server market. These products are characterized by stability, reliability, and durability. Longsys offers customers a wide range of products to cater to different needs. Longsys' main markets include data centers, cloud computing, supercomputing, and other industries where high-speed performance and reliability are important factors. 3. Consumer Storage Brand Lexar: Great solutions to professional photography, data transfer, and portable storage. Lexar Brand offers a wide range of memory cards for different uses. For the gaming and PC market, it has the NM800 PRO PCIe4.0 SSD and ARES DDR5 RGB UDIMM, which deliver top-notch performance. Story continues For the photography market, it has Professional 2000x SDHC/SDXC UHS-II Card GOLD Series and Professional CFexpress Type B Card DIAMOND Series, providing exceptional performance. Conclusion: We hope to see you at Longsys' booth at Japan IT Week 2023! Longsys, a leading provider of flash and DRAM storage solutions, invites customers to learn about its advantages in brand, R&D, quality, and customization. Longsys participates in Japan IT Week 2023 from April 5-7. Please visit Longsys at E45-9 in the East Hall of the Tokyo Big Sights. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/longsys-unveils-new-storage-solutions-at-japan-it-week-2023-301785337.html SOURCE Longsys Electronics Bernard Arnault, the CEO and chairman of LVMH, is now worth $201 billion. CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT/AFP via Getty Images LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault's net worth surpassed $200 billion on Tuesday. He is the third person ever after Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos to reach this level of wealth. Arnault's fortune grew on the back of LVMH's soaring stock price, which is up nearly 25% this year. Bernard Arnault, the CEO and cofounder of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, is the richest person in the world and has just reached a new financial milestone. Arnault's net worth climbed to over $200 billion on Tuesday, making him the third person ever after Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon to reach attain that level of wealth, according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Arnault is also the first person outside the US to surpass a net worth of $200 billion. Arnault derives his wealth from a 97.5% stake in the luxury fashion brand Christian Dior holding company that controls 41.4% of LVMH. His net worth increased by $2.4 billion on Tuesday, bringing the Frenchman's fortune to $201 billion, per Bloomberg's index. LVMH shares on the Euronext Paris stock exchange closed 0.8% higher at 851 euros, or $932.30, on Tuesday. The stock is up about 25% this year. A luxury boom is propping up Arnault's wealth The French tycoon's net worth has doubled since the beginning of 2020 amid strong demand for luxury goods as consumers splurged on designer handbags and watches during pandemic lockdowns. This robust appetite for luxury goods is helping LVMH, which owns a range of luxury fashion brands including Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., and TAG Heuer. LVMH posted a 23% year-on-year growth in revenues as well as profits from recurring operations in 2022, according to the company's financials. Millennials and Gen Z are also driving growth in this market. A record number of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 are opting to live at home with their parents at a level not seen since the Great Depression thus freeing up disposable income for splashing out on luxury goods, Insider's Nidhi Pandurangi reported in December. Story continues LVMH is also making a targeted move to win over customers in Asia. Shoppers in China are expected to boost the luxury goods sector this year after the country lifted zero-COVID restrictions. Chinese consumers are expected to boost demand for high-end apparel, accessories, and other items by 20% in 2023, according to a Morgan Stanley report on March 13. To reach younger shoppers, particularly in Northeast Asia, LVMH has made a calculated move to enlist K-pop stars in marketing campaigns for brands including Dior and Tiffany. Arnault kept the management in the family Arnault has appointed his five children to leadership positions across his business empire, keeping much of the management of the conglomerate's luxury brands in his family. In July 2022, Arnault changed the legal structure of his family holding company, Agache the controlling shareholder of Christian Dior to ensure his family's long-term control over LVMH. The 73-year-old tycoon has not named his successor as LVMH's CEO. His daughter, Delphine Arnault, is the CEO of Dior, while his oldest son, Antoine Arnault, is the CEO of LVMH's holding company, Christian Dior. Read the original article on Business Insider Interim results show improvements in PTSD symptom severity lasted at least six months after the last treatment session Findings are consistent with previously published Phase 2 data1 on the sustained effect of MDMA-assisted therapy for the treatment of PTSD SAN JOSE, Calif., April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- MAPS Public Benefit Corporation ("MAPS PBC"), a clinical-stage company dedicated to changing the way mental health conditions are treated, announced positive topline results from an observational follow-up study evaluating the long-term safety and efficacy of MDMA-assisted therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder ("PTSD"). Preliminary findings show that participants in this study demonstrated a durable response at least six months, and in some cases a year or more, after their final MDMA-assisted therapy session during the Phase 3 study. MAPS Public Benefit Corporation (PRNewsfoto/MAPS Public Benefit Corporation) "PTSD is a chronic condition when insufficiently treated and has historically been addressed through long-term maintenance treatment, which is why it's important to evaluate whether an acute treatment like MDMA-assisted therapy has an enduring response when used to treat PTSD," said Amy Emerson, chief executive officer, MAPS PBC. "These results are consistent with previously published Phase 2 data demonstrating the sustained effect of MDMA-assisted therapy at least 12 months following treatment and suggest the acute treatment effect could last even longer." In the two Phase 3 studies, participants who received therapy with MDMA showed significant improvement over therapy with placebo when measured at two months after the last experimental session, meeting the primary and secondary endpoints. Following the final treatment session, participants went back to their daily lives and then were able to participate in this long-term follow-up study by agreeing to complete an assessment at least six months after their last therapy session with MDMA or placebo. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of MDMA-assisted therapy for the treatment of PTSD as measured by the change in Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) Total Severity Score. Story continues Preliminary interim findings show that participants in this study demonstrated durable improvements in PTSD via CAPS-5 Total Severity scores at least six months after the last dosing session. Follow-up data continues to be collected from participants. Results also showed the effects of treatment were maintained in participants who were followed up within a year as well as those who were followed more than a year later. There was also a low incidence of relapse following treatment response or loss of PTSD diagnosis, and an even lower incidence of relapse following remission. These results were consistent with previously published Phase 2 data suggesting sustained effectiveness of MDMA-AT for the treatment of PTSD. About MDMA MDMA (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is an entactogen - a class of psychoactive drugs that produce experiences of emotional communion, oneness, relatedness, emotional openness and are thought to have use for various medical conditions.2 In the 1960's and 1970's MDMA was used in conjunction with psychological therapy by mental health providers to enhance patients' access, processing, and communication of difficult emotions and experiences.3 In 1985, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency ("DEA") made MDMA a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act preventing it from being used for recreational or medical use.4 Since then, research has shown the unique properties of MDMA allow it to act as a powerful catalyst to support psychotherapy by helping attenuate the brain's fear response allowing patients to access and process painful memories without being overwhelmed.5 With a growing body of evidence supporting the potential medical use of MDMA, in 2017 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") granted MDMA-assisted therapy Breakthrough Therapy designation, a process designed to expedite the development and review of drugs intended to treat serious conditions and that demonstrate substantial improvement over available therapies. MAPS PBC expects to submit a new drug application including data from two Phase 3 studies that showed clinically significant improvements in PTSD symptoms following acute treatment with MDMA-assisted therapy to the FDA in the third quarter of 2023. If approved by the FDA, the DEA would reschedule MDMA making it available for prescription medical use. MDMA-assisted therapy is also being studied in other indications. MDMA-assisted therapy has not been approved by any regulatory agency. The safety and efficacy of MDMA-assisted therapy have not been established for the treatment of PTSD. ABOUT PTSD PTSD is a serious public health issue affecting approximately 13 million Americans each year6, yet currently available treatments only provide modest efficacy.7 People with PTSD can experience debilitating symptoms that impact nearly all areas of a person's life.8 They also frequently suffer from serious comorbidities including anxiety, depression, and substance use disorder.9 PTSD has an enormous economic impact resulting in an annual burden of over $200 billion.10 Currently available treatments for PTSD are inadequate to address the full spectrum of patients who need treatment and do not provide adequate relief from debilitating symptoms.6 These limitations combined with high treatment discontinuation rates11 underscore the urgent need for novel and effective therapies. ABOUT MAPS PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION (MAPS PBC) MAPS Public Benefit Corporation (MAPS PBC) is focused on developing and commercializing prescription psychedelics to bring better treatments to those living with mental health conditions. Founded in 2014, MAPS PBC is a subsidiary of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For more information, please visit www.mapsbcorp.com. MEDIA CONTACT Blair Clark-Schoeb Chief Communications Officer media-inquiries@mapsbcorp.com 1 Jerome L, Feduccia AA, Wang JB, Hamilton S, Yazar-Klosinski B, Emerson A, Mithoefer MC, Doblin R. Long-term follow-up outcomes of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of PTSD: a longitudinal pooled analysis of six phase 2 trials. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2020 Aug;237(8):2485-2497. doi: 10.1007/s00213-020-05548-2. Epub 2020 Jun 4. PMID: 32500209; PMCID: PMC7351848. 2 O'Neil, M.J., The Merck Index: An Encyclopedia of chemicals, drugs and biologicals. Merck Research Laboratories, Merck and Co. Inc, Whitehouse station, New Jersey, 2006. 319 3 Wagner MT, Mithoefer MC, Mithoefer AT, MacAulay RK, Jerome L, Yazar-Klosinski B, Doblin R. Therapeutic effect of increased openness: Investigating mechanism of action in MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. J Psychopharmacol. 2017 Aug;31(8):967-974. doi: 10.1177/0269881117711712. Epub 2017 Jun 21. PMID: 28635375; PMCID: PMC5544120. 4 National Institute on Drug Abuse What is the history of MDMA? | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (nih.gov) 5 Yazar-Klosinski B, Mithoefer MC. Potential Psychiatric Uses for MDMA. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2016 Nov 9. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpt.565 6 VA National Center for PTSD. US Department of Veterans Affairs. Accessed February 14, 2023. https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/common/common_adults.asp 7 Morina N. Remission from post-traumatic stress disorder in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of long term outcome studies. Clin Psychol Rev. (2014) Apr;34(3):249-55. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2014.03.002. 8 The Mayo Clinic, PTSD, Symptoms and Causes www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20355967c 9 Grinage B.D. Diagnosis and Management of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Am Fam Physician. (2003);68(12):2401-2409. 10 Davis LL. The economic burden of posttraumatic stress disorder in the United States from a societal perspective. J Clin Psychiatry. (2022) Apr 25;83(3):21m14116. doi: 10.4088/JCP.21m14116. 11 Varker T. Dropout from guideline-recommended psychological treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports (2021) Apr 2021, 100093. doi: 10.1016/j.jadr.2021.100093 Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/maps-pbc-announces-positive-topline-results-from-long-term-observational-follow-up-study-on-mdma-assisted-therapy-for-treatment-of-ptsd-301790104.html SOURCE MAPS PBC Photo: The Canadian Press FILE - A Twitter logo hangs outside the company's offices in San Francisco, on Dec. 19, 2022. Twitter has labeled National Public Radio (NPR) as state-affiliated media on the social media site Wednesday, April 5, 2023, a move some worried could undermine public confidence in the news organization. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File) Twitter has labeled National Public Radio as state-affiliated media on the social media site, a move some worried Wednesday could undermine public confidence in the news organization. NPR said it was disturbed to see the description added to all of the tweets that it sends out, with John Lansing, its president and CEO, calling it unacceptable for Twitter to label us this way. It was unclear why Twitter made the move. Twitter's owner, Elon Musk, quoted a definition of state-affiliated media in the company's guidelines as outlets where the state exercises control over editorial content through financial resources, direct or indirect political pressures, and/or control over production and distribution. Seems accurate, Musk tweeted in a reply to NPR. NPR does receive U.S. government funding through grants from federal agencies and departments, along with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The company said it accounts for less than 1% of NPRs annual operating budget. But until Wednesday, the same Twitter guidelines said that state-financed media organizations with editorial independence, like the BBC in the UK or NPR in the United States, are not defined as state-affiliated media for the purposes of this policy. NPR has now been removed from that sentence on Twitter's website. Asked for comment, Twitters press office responded with an automated poop emoji. The move came just days after Twitter stripped The New York Times of its verification check mark. NPR and our member stations are supported by millions of listeners who depend on us for the independent, fact-based journalism we provide, Lansing said. NPR stands for freedom of speech and holding the powerful accountable. The literary organization PEN America, in calling for Twitter to reverse the move, underlined that NPR assiduously maintains editorial independence. Liz Woolery, PEN Americas digital policy leader, said Twitter's decision was a dangerous move that could further undermine public confidence in reliable news sources. Future Market Insights Global and Consulting Pvt. Ltd. Escalating Nox Pollution Concerns Intensify Marine Selective Catalytic Reduction Systems Market Growth: CAGR of 6% through 2033. By 2033, the Marine SCR System Development in North America is anticipated to produce US$ 1 billion. NEWARK, Del, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global marine selective catalytic reduction systems market may reach a valuation of US$ 4.77 billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 6.0%. By 2033, the global market projections indicate a value of US$ 8.54 billion. Key Market Dynamics The global maritime selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems market is expected to develop significantly through 2033. Owing to a steady increase in shipbuilding activity, particularly in growing economies such as South Korea, China, and Japan. The growing seaborne trading business, combined with severe rules governing maritime pollution, may fuel market expansion. Increasing maritime tourism and constant boating activity across sea areas can hasten marine SCR system deployment. The high installation and upfront investment costs of a selective catalytic reduction in ships may limit its application. The retrofitting of marine SCR systems necessitates the inactivity of ships, which hurts the shipping marine selective catalytic reduction systems market advancement. Download a sample to obtain additional highlights and key points on various market segments and their impact in the coming years: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-16915 Adopting favorable legislation to stimulate sustainable systems adoption creates lucrative opportunities for marine SCR industry growth. Moreover, the market growth is predicted to gain value from the growing investment in refining maritime fleets. Drivers Innovative technique to minimize toxic gas emissions from naval vessels Substantial expansion in the global maritime industry Restraints Costly installation and operation Lack of cognition among end users Opportunities Environmental protection is receiving more attention Considerable demand for marine engines that use minimal fuel Threats Government laws that are incredibly rigid Existence of alternative measures Application Insight Marine selective catalytic reduction systems sales volume from commercial applications is poised to strengthen at a steady CAGR through 2032. This increase is attributed to the increased production of container vessels, bulk carriers, tankers, and other commercial vessels. The sea route has evolved as a favored alternative for global transportation networks. Story continues These characteristics and the advent of attractive government incentive schemes to modernize maritime transportation can accelerate the use of marine SCR systems to minimize emissions from commercial vessel engines. Market presence across multiple geographical footprints Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial - Buy the report! https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/16915 Asia Pacific Economic Picture From 2023 to 2033, the Asia Pacific marine selective catalytic reduction systems market is expected to develop more than 6% CAGR. Furthermore, constant innovation, in collaboration with attractive investments in creating new solutions, is anticipated to strengthen the regional prospect. Exponentially rising shipbuilding activities, particularly in Japan, South Korea, and China, are likely to benefit marine SCR systems adoption across the Asia Pacific. Key Takeaways Due to the increasing development of sea route networks, the segment for offshore marine selective catalytic reduction systems is expected to transcend around US$ 4.5 billion by 2033. The navy segment had a market worth more than US$ 1.2 billion in 2022; revenue growth was anticipated from 2023 through 2032. By 2033, North America's marine selective catalytic reduction systems market is projected to be worth more than US$ 1 billion. Market growth for marine selective catalytic reduction systems in Asia Pacific may exceed 6% CAGR between 2023 and 2033. Competitive Landscape To improve the application of these systems, the leading manufacturers are focusing on making huge expenditures. They are indulged in utilizing competitive resources and strategic mergers and alliances. Tenneco, Wartsila, YARA International, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Johnson Matthey, PANASIA, Hitachi Zosen, MAN Energy Solutions, Agriemach, Hug Engineering, DCL International, Caterpillar, ECOUREA, ME Production, DEC Marine are among the leading marine selective catalytic reduction systems manufacturers. Access Full Report: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/marine-selective-catalytic-reduction-systems-market Recent Development Acquisition Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering acquired six B&W 11G95ME-GI Mk10.5 from MAN Energy Solutions in July 2021. This acquisition aims to construct six ultra-large container vessels of 23,500+ TEU for Hapag Llyod. Agreement In September 2022, DAMEN Naval and Rolls-Royce Power Systems signed an agreement. The agreement is to supply DAMEN with MTU Series 4000 gensets for the German Navy's upgraded F126 frigates. Rolls-scope Royce's for the F126 frigates covers both automation and power technology. With this deal, Rolls-Royce maintains its long-standing collaboration with the German Navy. Marine Selective Catalytic Reduction System Market By Application Key Segments Marine Selective Catalytic Reduction System for Commercial: Containers Tankers Bulk Carriers Roll On/Roll Off Marine Selective Catalytic Reduction System for Offshore: AHTS PSV FSV MPSV Marine Selective Catalytic Reduction System for Recreational: Cruise Ships Ferries Yachts Marine Selective Catalytic Reduction System for Navy: Marine Selective Catalytic Reduction System Market by Region Marine Selective Catalytic Reduction System in North America Marine Selective Catalytic Reduction System in Europe Marine Selective Catalytic Reduction System in Asia Pacific Marine Selective Catalytic Reduction System in Latin America Marine Selective Catalytic Reduction System in the Middle East & Africa Customization Before Buying, Visit: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/customization-available/rep-gb-16915 Table of Content 1. Executive Summary | Marine Selective Catalytic Reduction Systems Market 1.1. Global Market Outlook 1.2. Demand-side Trends 1.3. Supply-side Trends 1.4. Technology Roadmap Analysis 1.5. Analysis and Recommendations 2. Market Overview 2.1. Market Coverage / Taxonomy 2.2. Market Definition / Scope / Limitations 3. Market Background 3.1. Market Dynamics 3.2. Scenario Forecast 3.3. Opportunity Map Analysis 3.4. Investment Feasibility Matrix 3.5. PESTLE and Porters Analysis 3.6. Regulatory Landscape 3.7. Regional Parent Market Outlook Talk to Our Analyst: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-question/rep-gb-16915 Explore wide-ranging Coverage of FMIs Industrial Automation Market Insights Landscape: Power and Control Cable Market Size: The global power and control cable market size is set to reach US$ 131.61 billion in 2023. Overall sales of power and control cable are likely to surge at 7% CAGR, taking the forecasted market valuation to US$ 258.90 billion by the end of 2033. Modular Construction Market Share: The global modular construction market is estimated to be valued at US$ 97.51 billion in 2023. The demand for modular construction is anticipated to progress at a CAGR of 7.4% to surpass US$ 199.11 billion by 2033. Industrial Nailers Market Analysis: The industrial nailers market is likely to strengthen its boundaries at a steady CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period. The market is anticipated to hold a revenue of US$ 678.6 million in 2023 while it is anticipated to cross a value of US$ 1,432.6 million by 2033. Submersible Pump Market Demand: Global submersible pumps market is likely to register an overall valuation totaling US$ 19.39 billion by 2033, up from US$ 11.68 billion in 2023. Sales of submersible pumps are expected to increase at 5.2% CAGR between 2023 and 2033. Industrial Temperature Controller Market Growth: The industrial temperature controller market is expected to increase from US$ 2,178.50 million in 2023 to US$ 3,415.40 million in 2033. The market is likely to register a 4.60% CAGR during the forecast period. About Future Market Insights, Inc. Future Market Insights, Inc. is an ESOMAR-certified business consulting & market research firm, a member of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce and is headquartered in Delaware, USA. A recipient of Clutch Leaders Award 2022 on account of high client score (4.9/5), we have been collaborating with global enterprises in their business transformation journey and helping them deliver on their business ambitions. 80% of the largest Forbes 1000 enterprises are our clients. We serve global clients across all leading & niche market segments across all major industries. Contact Us: Future Market Insights Inc. Christiana Corporate, 200 Continental Drive, Suite 401, Newark, Delaware - 19713, USA T: +1-845-579-5705 LinkedIn| Twitter| Blogs | YouTube For Sales Enquiries: sales@futuremarketinsights.com Market Research Future Rising Use of Data Management Tools to Boost Master Data Management Market Growth New York, US, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a comprehensive research report by Market Research Future (MRFR), Master Data Management Market by Type, Professional Service, Industry, Deployment Global Forecast till 2030 Market Analysis The global master data management market will touch USD 24.2 billion at a 16.85% CAGR by 2030, as per the current Market Research Future report. Master Data Management Market Key Players Eminent players profiled in the global master data management market report include: SAP SE (Germany) SAS Institute Inc (US) IBM Corporation (US) Oracle Corporation (US) Tibco Software Inc (US) Informatica Corporation (US) Teradata Corporation (US) Orchestra Networks (US), Rivers and Technologies, Inc. (US) Talend (US) Get a Free Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/6723 Drivers Rising Use of Data Management Tools to Boost Market Growth By master data management services & solutions that store data in one location and guarantee data security, massive volumes of data created throughout an organization are routed. Superior data quality technology is required to support operational excellence in the face of increased data churn. Assuring data quality is the first step in implementing MDM, the robust system which enables businesses to trace the stages of the information flow and document data transformation. Data accuracy is ensured by data quality technologies, and records are automatically updated and redundant data is removed by MDM systems. Report Scope: Report Metric Details Revenue forecast in 2030 USD 24.2 Billion Growth Rate CAGR of 16.85% from 2022 to 2030 Key Market Opportunities Large datasets may be made available via the use of this technology since it provides extra technological possibilities for data storage. Key Market Drivers The growing need for precise predictions to enable quicker judgment, as well as the increasing usage of data quality technologies for data management, are anticipated to propel the master data management (MDM) market development. Browse In-depth Market Research Report (100 Pages) on Master Data Management Market: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/master-data-management-market-6723 Story continues Opportunities Rapid Technological Advances in the Master Data Management Technology to offer Robust Opportunities New technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and machine learning are driving the MDM market ahead (ML). Large datasets are now accessible and new data processing & storage capabilities are made possible by this technology. Customers now have a wider range of requirements as new technologies' capacity for processing data from multiple domains and perspectives has grown. The most common request has been for MDM solutions to be integrated with technologies like Big Data, analytics, and business intelligence. Two common master data issues are the discovery of duplicate records and the assurance of data quality. Restraints and Challenges Issues with Implementation to act as Market Restraint Data security concerns, lack of awareness, and issues with implementation may act as market restraints over the forecast period. Market Segmentation The global master data management market is bifurcated based on deployment, industry, professional service, industry, and deployment. By type, the master data management market is bifurcated into supplier data and customer data. By professional service, the master data management market is bifurcated into consulting service and implementation & deployment service. By industry, BFSI will lead the market over the forecast period. By deployment, cloud will domineer the market over the forecast period. COVID-19 Analysis The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting businesses all across the world. Data management companies are seeking to maintain their assets online while also ensuring the security & privacy of information across different connections in an effort to counteract this scourge. In order to assist executives in making business decisions about how to respond to the new enterprise issues presented by the COVID-19 infection, data analysis professionals, key specialists, and experts with refined analytics competence like artificial intelligence & machine learning have in fact been asked for their knowledge and experience. Ask To Expert: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/ask_for_schedule_call/6723 Regional Analysis North America to Head Master Data Management Market Growth Throughout the anticipated period, North America is anticipated to dominate the worldwide master data management market. The master data management (MDM) market in North America is impacted by huge organizations, the rapid use of the Internet of Things (IoT), novel technologies, and artificial intelligence (AI). According to the forecast, the North American market for global MDM would continue to be dominated by Mexico, the United States, and Canada. The market sales within North America are dominated by the industrial and medical sectors. The market is anticipated to be dominated by the North American region. In this area, the retail market is sizable and very competitive. The market in this area is anticipated to grow due to a rise in the implementation of MDM in eCommerce. Most industries in North America have a high rate of advanced technology adoption. Furthermore, the area is home to significant firms who provide cutting-edge master data management. To meet the growing need for sophisticated master data management services across a number of industries, including retail, logistics, manufacturing, and others, vendors in this market have developed cutting-edge master information management software. Due to increased innovation in master data management systems and the presence of major market participants like Oracle, TIBCO Software Inc., SAS Institute Inc., IBM, and others in North America, the region's market had the greatest revenue share in 2021. The key firms in the region are boosting their R&D efforts for the integration of MDM with other technologies, including as AI, ML, big data, & others, to simplify difficulties for large organizations. This is what is responsible for the market's rapid growth rate in North America. Rising need for greater data compliance as well as a growing penchant for cloud-based MDM solution is anticipated to promote market revenue growth. California Consumer Privacy Act as well as General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules and regulations are followed by MDM (CCPA). Ask To Customization: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/ask_for_customize/6723 APAC to Have Admirable Growth in Master Data Management Market Due to the increased adoption of the MDM solutions via SMEs to develop better business strategies, the Asia Pacific market will record the fastest revenue growth rate. To secure data and safeguard privacy, businesses are implementing high-quality data governance software management solutions. Also, the oil and petrol industry is increasingly using MDM solutions to record and manage relationships between wells, equipment, workers, and sites for efficient operations, which is boosting the market's revenue in this region. Over the projected period, the Asia Pacific is anticipated to experience the greatest market growth rate. The Asia Pacific is developing into a very promising market due to the growing awareness of the growth in business efficiency and the professionally built MDM solutions provided by vendors located in this region. Furthermore, this region's expansion is being aided by substantial facilities for the implementation and maintenance of master data apps at low cost. About Market Research Future: Market Research Future (MRFR) is a global market research company that takes pride in its services, offering a complete and accurate analysis regarding diverse markets and consumers worldwide. Market Research Future has the distinguished objective of providing the optimal quality research and granular research to clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help answer your most important questions. Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter CONTACT: Market Research Future (Part of Wantstats Research and Media Private Limited) 99 Hudson Street, 5Th Floor New York, NY 10013 United States of America +1 628 258 0071 (US) +44 2035 002 764 (UK) Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Website: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com McCarthys Message to Wall Street: You Should Worry About the US Debt Ceiling (Bloomberg) -- House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Wednesday that Wall Street should be concerned about the political impasse over the US debt ceiling as the country inches closer to a possible payment default. Most Read from Bloomberg The California Republican, in an interview with Bloomberg TVs Balance of Power said he is very concerned about reaching a deal with Democrats on the debt limit. But he remained opposed to increasing the nations debt limit without curbing government spending. We are never going to move a bill that just raises the debt ceiling, McCarthy said. President Joe Biden has opposed the GOP effort to leverage the debt limit to extract deep spending cuts. Unfortunately, I tried to sit down with the president and the president wont communicate, McCarthy said. McCarthy didnt provide details of any emerging Republican deficit-reducing proposal they want in exchange for votes to raise the nations borrowing ceiling. But he did suggest that House Republicans might make some news when they return to Washington later this month. Biden, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democrats seeking a clean increase repeatedly have called on McCarthy and his team to make public their spending-cut proposals. A default would happen this summer if the two parties cant reach an agreement. --With assistance from Annmarie Hordern. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. EDMONTON, AB, April 5, 2023 /CNW/ - McCoy Global Inc. ("McCoy," "McCoy Global" or "the Corporation") (TSX: MCB) today provides notice that the Annual General and Special Meeting (the "Meeting") of the holders of common shares ("Common Shares") of the Corporation will be held at the Metterra Hotel on Whyte, 10454 82 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB, T6E 4Z7, on the 11th day of May 2023 at the hour of 8:00 a.m. MDT. The date for determination of the shareholders entitled to receive Notice of the Meeting and vote shall be holders of Common Shares of the Corporation of record at the close of business on April 4, 2023. McCoy Global logo (CNW Group/McCoy Global) The Company today also announced that Mr. Cory Janssen has expressed his intent not to stand for re-election at the Company's next Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders. "The Board of Directors would like to thank Cory for his service to McCoy and for his leadership over the last two years," said Terry Freeman, Chairman of McCoy. "We have deeply valued his expertise in smart technology solutions and wish him the very best in his future endeavors." Meeting materials, including McCoy's Management Information Circular and McCoy's Form of Proxy, will be made available on SEDAR and the Corporation's website ( mccoyglobal.com/investors ) by close of business on April 14, 2023. About McCoy Global Inc. McCoy Global is transforming well construction using automation and machine learning to maximize wellbore integrity and collect precise connection data critical to the global energy industry. The Corporation has offices in Canada, the United States of America, and the United Arab Emirates and operates internationally in more than 50 countries through a combination of direct sales and key distributors. Throughout McCoy's 100-year history, it has proudly called Edmonton, Alberta, Canada its corporate headquarters. The Corporation's shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and trade under the symbol "MCB". Forward-Looking Information This News Release contains forward looking statements and forward looking information (collectively referred to herein as "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward looking statements. Forward looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "could", "should", "can", "anticipate", "expect", "objective", "ongoing", "believe", "will", "may", "projected", "plan", "sustain", "continues", "strategy", "potential", "projects", "grow", "take advantage", "estimate", "well positioned" or similar words suggesting future outcomes. This New Release contains forward looking statements respecting the business opportunities for the Corporation that are based on the views of management of the Corporation and current and anticipated market conditions; and the perceived benefits of the growth strategy and operating strategy of the Corporation are based upon the financial and operating attributes of the Corporation as at the date hereof, as well as the anticipated operating and financial results. Forward looking statements regarding the Corporation are based on certain key expectations and assumptions of the Corporation concerning anticipated financial performance, business prospects, strategies, the sufficiency of budgeted capital expenditures in carrying out planned activities, the availability and cost of labour and services and the ability to obtain financing on acceptable terms, which are subject to change based on market conditions and potential timing delays. Although management of the Corporation consider these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to them, they may prove to be incorrect. By their very nature, forward looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties (both general and specific) and risks that forward looking statements will not be achieved. Undue reliance should not be placed on forward looking statements, as a number of important factors could cause the actual results to differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates and intentions expressed in the forward looking statements, including inability to meet current and future obligations; inability to complete or effectively integrate strategic acquisitions; inability to implement the Corporation's business strategy effectively; access to capital markets; fluctuations in oil and gas prices; fluctuations in capital expenditures of the Corporation's target market; competition for, among other things, labour, capital, materials and customers; interest and currency exchange rates; technological developments; global political and economic conditions; global natural disasters or disease; and inability to attract and retain key personnel. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. The reader is further cautioned that the preparation of financial statements in accordance with IFRS requires management to make certain judgments and estimates that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses. These judgments and estimates may change, having either a negative or positive effect on net earnings as further information becomes available, and as the economic environment changes. The information contained in this News Release identifies additional factors that could affect the operating results and performance of the Corporation. We urge you to carefully consider those factors. The forward looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward looking statements included in this News Release are made as of the date of this New Release and the Corporation does not undertake and is not obligated to publicly update such forward looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless so required by applicable securities laws. Story continues SOURCE McCoy Global Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2023/05/c1955.html Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta intends to use its proprietary generative AI to create ads for companies by the end of this year. Advertising is already a major revenue stream for Meta, but the company plans for artificial intelligence to design those ads for brands who advertise on Metas social platforms. "[Brands can] ask the AI, 'Make images for my company that work for different audiences.' And it can save a lot of time and money, Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth told Nikkei Asia. The goal, as Bosworth suggested, is to let brands use generative AI tools to create an array of advertising variations to target different types of users, potentially leading to better and more cost-effective results for companies advertising on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Meta Cuts 10,000 More Workers After Scrapping NFT PlansIs the Metaverse Still On? Bosworth added that Meta expects to see some of the first results this year, and that generative AI is probably the area that Im spending the most time in, alongside CEO and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and Chief Product Officer Chris Cox. Zuckerberg announced in February that Meta was establishing a new internal team focused on generative AI development, and said it was experimenting with tools such as AI-powered chat on WhatsApp and Messenger, along with AI filters for Instagram. A couple weeks before OpenAIs popular ChatGPT chatbot debuted in November 2022, Meta launched its own chatbot called Galacticabut pulled it from the internet after just three days, according to The New York Times. "We've been investing in artificial intelligence for over a decade, and have one of the leading research institutes in the world," Bosworth told Nikkei on Wednesday in Tokyo. He said that Meta has a large research organization with hundreds of employees, and that he feels very confident that Meta is at the very forefront in the space. Metas metaverse visionfueled by its Oculus virtual reality (VR) headsetshas yet to yield notable results for the firm, which has seen its stock price sink since the 2021 rebranding, It has also laid off about 21,000 employees in recent months, and ended a short-lived NFT trial on its platforms. Story continues But AI may also be key to Metas plans in the space. In addition to ads, Meta expects generative AI to eventually be used to create virtual worlds in the metaversea feature that Web3 metaverse platform Oncyber is already testing out. OpenAIs GPT Is Helping Turn Text Into Custom Metaverse Worlds Previously, if I wanted to create a 3D world, I needed to learn a lot of computer graphics and programming, Bosworth said. In the future, you might be able to just describe the world you want to create and have the large language model generate that world for you. It makes things like content creation much more accessible to more people, he added. TRUMBULL, Conn., April 05, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Coordinated Transportation Solutions (CTS), a nationally recognized leader in non-emergent medical transportation (NEMT), has appointed Miguel McInnis as the company's new president and CEO effective March 31, 2023. He has succeeded David White, CTS founder, president and CEO, who retired after 25 years. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005312/en/ Coordinated Transportation Solutions (CTS) has appointed Miguel McInnis as the new president and CEO effective March 31, 2023. (Photo: Business Wire) "I am humbled and honored to be joining CTS. I look forward to working with CTS outstanding staff, board and community partners to build on its 25 years of connecting people with care," said McInnis. "I am committed to growing our organization to be truly responsive to the accessibility needs of our diverse communities. After several years spent near Washington D.C., I am happy to return to my roots in Connecticut." With over 30 years of healthcare and management consulting experience, McInnis is a nationally recognized healthcare leader and public health innovator committed to ensuring healthcare access for the most vulnerable in our society. McInnis most recently served as the CEO of MetroHealth, a nonprofit health clinic offering multidisciplinary and integrated medical and behavioral healthcare in Washington, D.C. McInnis received his Master of Public Health degree in health policy and management from Yale University School of Public Health and a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry from Oakwood College. More information on McInnis can be found in the leadership section of the CTS website. "Since it was first identified as an important social driver of health, studies have shown that having access to affordable transportation leads to healthier communities," remarked White. "I am proud of the growth that CTS has achieved and of the team that has made that success possible. I am confident that Miguels expertise and vast knowledge of the healthcare landscape will bring unique perspectives and be instrumental in leading the organization into the future." Story continues Established in 1997, CTS has successfully increased the availability of cost-effective and efficient transportation services to underserved individuals and communities in eight states (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont). With its headquarters and operations center located in Trumbull, Conn., CTS has nearly 275 full-time employees and revenue of more than $130 million a year. It works with a transportation network of nearly 400 providers to provide over 2 million yearly trips. Steve Martin, CTS board chair, commented, "The board is deeply impressed with Miguels vast knowledge of the healthcare landscape and his commitment to addressing systematic inequities as a social determinant of health. We are confident he is the right person to lead the organization during this important period of growth." About CTS: A nationally recognized leader in non-emergent transportation, Coordinated Transportation Solutions, Inc. (CTS), headquartered in Trumbull, Connecticut, is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to its mission of increasing the availability of cost-effective and efficient transportation services to transportation-disadvantaged individuals and communities. With twenty-five years of experience and a reputation for exemplary customer service, CTS creates solutions and manages transportation benefit programs for government agencies, health plans, healthcare facilities, school districts, not-for-profit organizations and injured workers programs. CTS utilizes a holistic customer-focused approach, state-of-the-art technology, deep contractual and programmatic compliance experience, and quality assurance practices to deliver the highest level of customer care. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230405005312/en/ Contacts Christopher Tessier Chief of Communications & Growth Coordinated Transportation Solutions +1 203 450-0266 ctessier@ctstransit.com PR Agency: Joe Bennett Account Manager AH&M Marketing Communications +1 413 347-1996 jbennett@ahminc.com -- Annual General Meeting Scheduled for May 9th, 2023 -- OTTAWA, ON, April 5, 2023 /CNW/ - Minto Apartment Real Estate Investment Trust (the "REIT") (TSX: MI.UN) today announced that it will release its 2023 first quarter financial results after market close on Tuesday, May 9th, 2023. Minto Apartment REIT Logo (CNW Group/Minto Apartment Real Estate Income Trust) Jonathan Li, Chief Executive Officer and Edward Fu, Chief Financial Officer, will host a conference call for analysts and investors on Wednesday, May 10th, 2023 at 10:00 am (ET). To join the conference call without operator assistance, participants can register and enter their phone number at https://emportal.ink/3KxkrSl to receive an instant automated call back. Alternatively, they can dial 416-764-8688 or 1-888-390-0546 to reach a live operator who will join them into the call. In addition, the call will be webcast live at: https://app.webinar.net/aEmYlne6X2d. A replay of the call will be available until Wednesday, May 17th, 2023. To access the replay, dial 416-764-8677 or 888-390-0541 (Passcode: 970664 #). A transcript of the call will be archived on the REIT's website. The REIT's Annual General Meeting ("AGM") will be held virtually at 1:00pm ET on May 9th, 2023. The link enabling Unitholders to participate in the AGM will be included in the Management Information Circular, which is scheduled for mailing shortly. About Minto Apartment Real Estate Investment Trust Minto Apartment Real Estate Investment Trust is an unincorporated, open-ended real estate investment trust established pursuant to a declaration of trust under the laws of the Province of Ontario to own income-producing multi-residential properties located in urban markets in Canada. The REIT owns a portfolio of high-quality income-producing multi-residential rental properties located in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton. For more information on Minto Apartment REIT, please visit the REIT's website at: https://www.mintoapartmentreit.com. SOURCE Minto Apartment Real Estate Income Trust Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2023/05/c7429.html ReportLinker The missiles and missile defense systems market was valued at USD 14.40 billion in 2022 and is poised to grow at a CAGR of 4.82% during the forecast period. The impact of COVID-19 on the missiles and missile defense systems market was negligible as the military spending and the investments of armed forces into the procurement of new-generation missiles remained unaffected. New York, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Missiles and Missile Defense Systems Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06316171/?utm_source=GNW The missiles and missile defense systems market was valued at USD 14.40 billion in 2022 and is poised to grow at a CAGR of 4.82% during the forecast period. The impact of COVID-19 on the missiles and missile defense systems market was negligible as the military spending and the investments of armed forces into the procurement of new-generation missiles remained unaffected. An increase in expenditure from several countries and rising procurement of advanced missile defense systems drive the market growth during the pandemic period. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, global defense expenditure reached over USD 2 trillion in 2021. The missile market is expected to grow primarily due to the procurement and upgrade activities undertaken by armed forces to counter emerging threats. Several contracts for military aircraft, helicopters, infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), and armored personnel carriers (APCs) mounted with launchers and warheads are currently underway, and many new contracts are anticipated to be dispersed during the forecast period, creating a parallel demand for countermeasures such as interceptor missiles and missile defense systems. Several countries are expending significant resources toward augmenting their current military prowess by procuring new weapon systems or modernizing their existing deployed systems with advanced weapons and next-generation missiles. Furthermore, companies are working on developing advanced surveillance systems that may identify incoming stealth threats and intercept them, which is anticipated to boost the markets growth. Missiles & Missile Defense Systems Market Trends Short Range Missiles Dominated Market Share Short-range missiles are projected to account for the largest market share during the forecast period. A short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) is a ballistic missile with a range of about 1,000 km (620 mi) or less. Due to their relatively low cost and ease of configuration, they are primarily deployed as a strategic deterrent in regional conflicts. The growing territorial disputes amongst neighboring countries are one of the major drivers of the R&D and production of advanced SRBMs capable of targeting and neutralizing threats at strategic strongpoints in a hostile neighboring country. Furthermore, rising defense expenditure and growing procurement of advanced defense systems drive segment growth. The border conflict between China and India and China surrounding India with strategic military bases have also provoked India to invest in short-range missiles to protect the countrys waters and birders. As part of the new defense upgrade plans, India has invested in introducing new anti-ship and anti-aircraft short-range missiles in partnership with its own state-run Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO). In January 2022, the Indian Navy, in partnership with DRDO, successfully tested the short-range, anti-aircraft and anti-ship missile the Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) that is to be equipped with Indian Naval warships. With military threats from China, Japan has also increased its investment in defense systems by significant margins in 2022. The new investment of USD 880 million as of December 2021 will be used for conflict deterrence and develop countermeasures against the sophisticated weapons being fielded by The Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) of China. The country is now planning to upgrade and extend the capability of its cruise missiles to hit objects at 1,000 km, which currently is at just 100 200 km, improving the chance to defend against farther adversary targets. There has been a significant rise in the number of active programs for SCBMs as the countries aim to achieve arsenal superiority over each other. For instance, in August 2021, the Chinese PLA tested a single-stage ballistic missile with new conventional warheads. The newly developed missile is speculated to also feature a multi-mode seeker enabling precision strike capabilities comparable to the Indian Prithvi Missile. North America Accounted for Largest Market Share The North American region currently dominates the market and is expected to continue its dominance over the market during the forecast period. This is primarily due to the highest military spending in the US. The country is robustly investing in procuring and developing new missile and missile defense systems. The FY2022 budget entails USD 20.3 billion and USD 10.9 billion for missiles and munitions and missile defense programs, respectively. Under the Missiles and Munitions budget, the country plans to acquire the Hellfire missiles, Joint Air-to-Surface Missile (JASSM), Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), and Standard Missile (SM)-6, whereas, under the Missile Defense programs, the country would procure additional Standard Missile 3 Block IB and IIA missiles, and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors. The government is also investing in the development of new missile systems. The country has also been strengthening its attack and defense systems with the increasing threat from its global rival, China. The aggressive military actions from China are also threatening US allies in Asia, further driving the US military to keep the necessary weapons and defense systems at its disposal in bases in Japan and Taiwan. In the wake of the war between Ukraine and Russia, the United States has been alert. The country has been purchasing new missile systems and supplying these weapons to its ally Ukraine to defend against Russia. As part of this, the country, in June 2022, announced the purchase of an advanced medium to long-range surface-to-air missile defense system that is expected to be supplied to Ukraine. Missiles & Missile Defense Systems Industry Overview The missile and missile defense systems market is fragmented, with many global and regional players in the market. Some prominent players in the missile and missile defense systems market are The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Raytheon Technologies Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, and MBDA Inc. The companies are increasing their presence in the market through long-term partnerships and contracts with government agencies and armed forces. For instance, in December 2021, Raytheon Missiles & Defense was awarded a contract worth USD 578 million to manufacture 54 SM-2 Block IIIAZ all-up round upgrades for the US and 215 Standard Missile-2 all-up rounds (SM-2 Block IIIA, IIIAZ, and IIIB variants) for seven partner nations (Chile, Denmark, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, and Taiwan). Furthermore, the companies continuously investing in the research and development of new missiles have been fostering the advancements in accuracy and efficiency of integrated weapon technologies and associated products and solutions of the missiles and missile defense systems. Additional Benefits: The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format 3 months of analyst support Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06316171/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Story continues CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 Zion Market Research [199+ Pages Research Study] According to Zion Market Research, the demand analysis of Global Mobile Hotspot Market size & share revenue was valued at around USD 3.92 billion in 2022 and is estimated to grow about USD 14.74 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of approximately 19.6% between 2023 and 2030. The key market players are listed in the report with their sales, revenues and strategies are Aptilo Networks AB, Verizon Communications Inc., Optus, Singtel, Sprint Corporation, Japan Communications Inc., Orange S.A., Bharti Airtel, Sierra Wireless, Inc., Novatel Wireless, Inc., Skyroam Inc., ZTE Corporation, Cisco Systems, Inc., Nokia Corporation, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. Samsung Electronics Ltd., Vodafone Group plc, Reliance Communications, AT&T Inc, NETGEAR Inc., and Ericsson among others. NEW YORK, United States, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to Zion Market Research has published a new research report titled Mobile Hotspot Market By Offerings (Component [Mobile Router, Portable Dongles, Others], Software, Service), By End-User (Domestic Use, Professional Use), And By Region - Global And Regional Industry Overview, Market Intelligence, Comprehensive Analysis, Historical Data, And Forecasts 2023 2030. in its research database. According to the latest research study, the demand of global Mobile Hotspot Market size & share in terms of revenue was valued at USD 3.92 billion in 2022 and it is expected to surpass around USD 14.74 billion mark by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 19.6% during the forecast period 2023 to 2030. What is Mobile Hotspot? How big is the Mobile Hotspot Industry? Report Overview: A mobile hotspot is a device that allows users to create a wireless internet connection by sharing cellular data from their smartphone or other mobile devices. Mobile hotspots have become increasingly popular as more people use their smartphones and other mobile devices to access the internet on the go. They provide a convenient way to access the internet when there is no Wi-Fi network available, such as when traveling or in remote areas. Story continues Mobile hotspots also allow users to connect multiple devices to the internet simultaneously, making them a popular choice for families, businesses, and other groups. Despite some challenges and restraints, the mobile hotspot market presents several opportunities for growth, driven by the increasing demand for mobile internet connectivity and advancements in technology. Get a Free Sample PDF of this Research Report for more Insights with a Table of Content, Research Methodology, and Graphs - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/mobile-hotspot-market (A free sample of this report is available upon request; please contact us for more information.) Our Free Sample Report Consists of the Following: Introduction, Overview, and in-depth industry analysis are all included in the 2023 updated report. The COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak Impact Analysis is included in the package About 199+ Pages Research Report (Including Recent Research) Provide detailed chapter-by-chapter guidance on Request Updated Regional Analysis with Graphical Representation of Size, Share, and Trends for the Year 2023 Includes Tables and figures have been updated The most recent version of the report includes the Top Market Players, their Business Strategies, Sales Volume, and Revenue Analysis Zion Market Research Methodology (Please note that the sample of this report has been modified to include the COVID-19 impact study prior to delivery.) Global Mobile Hotspot Market: Growth Factors The global mobile hotspot market is expected to surge exponentially due to factors such as increasing demand for mobile internet connectivity, rising adoption of smartphones & other mobile devices, and growth in remote work & virtual collaboration. The market presents opportunities for expansion, including the development of 5G networks, the rise of IoT and other emerging technologies, and the need for reliable and secure mobile hotspot solutions. However, the mobile hotspot industry faces restraints such as concerns around data security and privacy, regulatory restrictions, the high cost of mobile data plans, and the availability and speed of cellular networks in some areas. Additionally, competition from established players in the market may pose a challenge for new entrants. Directly Purchase a copy of the report with TOC @ https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/buynow/su/mobile-hotspot-market Report Scope Report Attribute Details Market Size in 2022 USD 3.92 billion Projected Market Size in 2030 USD 14.74 billion CAGR Growth Rate 19.6% CAGR Base Year 2022 Forecast Years 2023-2030 Key Market Players Aptilo Networks AB, Verizon Communications Inc., Optus, Singtel, Sprint Corporation, Japan Communications Inc., Orange S.A., Bharti Airtel, Sierra Wireless, Inc., Novatel Wireless, Inc., Skyroam Inc., ZTE Corporation, Cisco Systems, Inc., Nokia Corporation, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. Samsung Electronics Ltd., Vodafone Group plc, Reliance Communications, AT&T Inc, NETGEAR Inc., and Ericsson among others. Key Segment By Offerings, End-User, and Region Major Regions Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East &, Africa Purchase Options Request customized purchase options to meet your research needs. Explore purchase options Mobile Hotspot Market: Segmentation Analysis The global mobile hotspot market is segmented into offerings, end-user, and region. Based on offerings, the market is bifurcated into hardware, software, and solutions. The hardware segment held the largest market share in 2022 and is further predicted to grow rapidly at a significant CAGR during the forecast period. The hardware segment of the mobile hotspot market has experienced steady growth in recent years, driven by the increasing demand for reliable and secure mobile hotspot solutions. Mobile hotspot devices and routers provide a convenient way for users to access the internet on the go, particularly in areas with limited Wi-Fi access. Additionally, the development of 5G networks and other technological advancements have improved the speed and reliability of mobile hotspot connections, driving further growth in the hardware segment. Despite the competition from software and solutions offerings, the hardware segment is expected to continue its growth in the hardware segment. Despite the competition from software and solutions offerings, the hardware segment is expected to continue its growth trajectory as more people rely on mobile devices for internet access and the need for mobile hotspot devices and routers persists. Based on end-user, the market is segmented into domestic use and professional use. The professional use segment held the dominating market share in 2022 and is projected to grow exponentially at a notable CAGR during the forecast period. The professional use segment of the mobile hotspot market has grown rapidly in recent years due to the increasing need for remote work and virtual collaboration solutions. Businesses and organizations require mobile hotspot solutions to enable their employees to work from remote locations or in the field, driving demand for these offerings. Additionally, the development of 5G networks and other technological advancements has improved the speed and reliability of mobile hotspot connections, making them a more viable solution for professional use cases. The global Mobile Hotspot market is segmented as follows: By Offerings Hardware Software Solution By End-User Domestic Use Professional Use Browse the full Mobile Hotspot Market By Offerings (Component [Mobile Router, Portable Dongles, Others], Software, Service), By End-User (Domestic Use, Professional Use), and By Region - Global and Regional Industry Overview, Market Intelligence, Comprehensive Analysis, Historical Data, and Forecasts 2023 2030..- Report at https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/mobile-hotspot-market Competitive Landscape Some of the main competitors dominating the global Mobile Hotspot market include - Aptilo Networks AB Verizon Communications Inc. Optus Singtel Sprint Corporation Japan Communications Inc. Orange S.A. Bharti Airtel Sierra Wireless Inc. Novatel Wireless Inc. Skyroam Inc. ZTE Corporation Cisco Systems Inc. Nokia Corporation Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. Samsung Electronics Ltd. Vodafone Group plc Reliance Communications AT&T Inc NETGEAR Inc. Ericsson Key Insights from Primary Research: According to the analysis shared by our research forecaster, the Mobile Hotspot market is likely to expand at a CAGR of around 19.6% during the forecast period (2023-2030). In terms of revenue, the Mobile Hotspot market size was valued at around US$ 3.92 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach US$ 14.74 billion by 2030. Based on offerings, the hardware segment held the largest market share in 2022. Based on end-user, the professional use segment held the dominating market share in 2022. Based on region, the Asia-Pacific region is predicted to cite the fastest CAGR during the forecast period. Have Any Query? Ask Our Experts: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/inquiry/mobile-hotspot-market Key questions answered in this report: What is the market size and growth rate forecast for Mobile Hotspot industry? What are the main driving factors propelling the Mobile Hotspot Market forward? What are the leading companies in the Mobile Hotspot Industry? What segments does the Mobile Hotspot Market cover? How can I receive a free copy of the Mobile Hotspot Market sample report and company profiles? Key Offerings: Market Size & Forecast by Revenue | 20232030 Market Dynamics Leading Trends, Growth Drivers, Restraints, and Investment Opportunities Market Segmentation A detailed analysis by Offerings, End-User, and Region Competitive Landscape Top Key Vendors and Other Prominent Vendors Request for Customization on this Report as per your requirements - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/custom/5648 (We tailor your report to meet your specific research requirements. Inquire with our sales team about customising your report.) Regional Analysis: The Asia-Pacific region held a remarkable market share in 2022 and is further predicted to cite the fastest CAGR during the forecast period. This is mainly due to the increasing adoption of mobile devices, internet penetration, and technological advancements. With the region's large population and expanding middle class, there is a growing demand for mobile hotspot solutions that provide reliable and secure internet access on the go. Additionally, the rapid deployment of 5G networks and the proliferation of internet-of-things (IoT) devices have further increased the demand for mobile hotspot solutions in the region. Despite the competition from other connectivity solutions, the Asia Pacific mobile hotspot market is expected to continue its growth trajectory in the coming years, driven by the region's evolving digital landscape and changing consumer behaviors. By Region North America U.S. Canada Rest of North America Europe France UK Spain Germany Italy Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea Rest of Asia Pacific The Middle East & Africa Saudi Arabia South Africa Rest of the Middle East & Africa Latin America Brazil Argentina Rest of Latin America Recent Developments In July 2021, Verizon, one of the world's leading providers of technology and communications services, announced the launch of a new mobile hotspot plan aimed at remote workers and digital nomads. The plan offers unlimited 5G data and is available on a month-to-month basis, making it a flexible and affordable option for those who need reliable internet access on the go. In June 2021, Huawei, a dominant China-based provider of 5G networks and a leader in sales of telecommunications equipment, announced the launch of its latest mobile hotspot device, the Huawei 5G Mobile Wi-Fi Pro. The device offers 5G speeds, support for up to 40 devices, and a large battery capacity, making it ideal for remote workers and families. To know an additional revised 2023 list of market players, request a brochure of the report: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/requestbrochure/mobile-hotspot-market Browse Other Related Research Reports from Zion Market Research: Mobile HotSpot Router Market : https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/mobile-hotspot-router-market Enterprise WLAN Market: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/enterprise-wlan-market IoT Sensors Market: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/iot-sensors-market Wi-Fi Hotspot Market: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/wi-fihotspot-market Serious Games Market : https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/serious-games-market Game-Based Learning Market: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/game-based-learning-market Online Poker Market: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/online-poker-market About Zion Market Research: Zion Market Research is a leading market research organization offering industry expertise and scrupulous consulting services to clients for their business development. The reports and services offered by Zion Market Research are used by prestigious academic institutions, start-ups, and companies globally to measure and understand the changing international and regional business backgrounds. Our clients/customers conviction on our solutions and services has pushed us in delivering always the best. Our advanced research solutions have helped them in appropriate decision-making and guidance for strategies to expand their business. Follow Us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zion-market-research/ Follow Us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zion_research Follow Us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zionmarketresearch Follow Us on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/zionmarketresearch/ Follow Us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Y0Yfi7N8zSs Contact Us: Rushikesh Dorge USA: +1 347 690-0211 United Kingdom: +44 2032 894158 Japan: +81 50 5806 9039 India: +91 7768 006 007 Web: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/ Blog: https://zmrblog.com/ Still, Looking for More Information? OR Want Data for Inclusion in Magazine, Case Study, or Media? Email Directly Here with Detail Information: sales@zionmarketresearch.com Shutterstock.com You work hard for your money, so you expect excellent service when you dine at a restaurant, have a drink at a bar or spring for a latte at your local coffee shop. The thing is, the waiters, bartenders and baristas serving you also work hard to earn the fair tip you might not be giving. More: 30 Sneaky Ways Restaurants Trick You Into Spending More Money Find Out: How To Guard Your Wealth From a Potential Banking Crisis With Gold Generally speaking, you should tip 15%-20% for sit-down wait service, according to the Emily Post Institute. Similarly, bartenders should be tipped $1-$2 per drink or 15%-20% of your total tab. While theres no obligation to leave money in a tip jar, the Emily Post Institute recommends tipping occasionally if your server or barista provides something extra or if youre a regular customer. If youre not currently following these rules, its time to step up your tipping game. Monique Soltani, who worked in the restaurant industry for more than a decade as a bartender and server and currently serves as the executive producer and host of Wine Oh TV, has seen plenty of bad tippers throughout her career. Some of the most annoying offenses include not tipping on the wine, not tipping on the tax, doubling the tax as a way of calculating the tip and not tipping on the full amount of the bill after an item is discounted or comped. When someone orders a bottle of wine, whether its $50 or $500, the server dedicates a certain amount of their time and energy on picking the wine, opening the wine, serving the wine and then pouring the wine tableside until the bottle is finished, she said. You get extra service and attention when you order a bottle of wine. Therefore, she said its important to thank your server for their hard work by tipping accordingly. To not tip on the wine is the most annoying habit I have seen consistently over two decades, she said. What I always tell people is this, If you have enough money to buy a bottle of wine at a restaurant, then you have the money to tip on that bottle of wine. Story continues Take Our Poll: Would You Move for a Job That Paid You a $10,000 Signing Bonus? Charlie McKenna, founder and chef at Lillies Q, a Southern BBQ restaurant with locations in Florida and Chicago, echoed the sentiment that frustratingly so some people dont tip for drinks. They act as though being served drinks is completely separate from being served food, he said. Then there are some customers who are somewhere in between they will tip if they ordered a cocktail, but not for a beer or wine. He said this lack of tipping is fueled by customers believing the bartender didnt do enough to merit the extra cash by simply pouring a drink. My advice is to tip your bartender or barista, no matter what you ordered, he said. They appreciate it more than you know. Jamie Hickey, an SCA certified barista and founder of the site Coffee Semantics, also has experience with receiving seriously low tips for no apparent reason. As a barista myself, I find that most people leaving change for a drink, but not tipping is the most annoying factor, he said. Or tipping the waiter, but [not] the barista. The positions are separate and dont share the tips. You might think this level of tipping is rare, but he said its actually quite common. After working full-time at two different places, I can say this with confidence, he said. A lot of customers will leave 2-5 cents per drink as if their order is no more important than those of those around them and one time someone left me 10 cents on $4. Its possible you didnt realize your tipping habits were cheap, but now you know. When going out, always factor proper tipping into your budget, because the people providing you with excellent service deserve fair compensation for their efforts. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Most Annoying Tipping Habits Waiters, Baristas and Bartenders Deal With Photo: The Canadian Press FILE - Anthony Brown, Democratic nominee for Maryland attorney general, speaks at Bowie State University in Bowie, Md., Nov. 7, 2022. On Wednesday, April 5, 2023, the Maryland Attorney Generals Office publicly released a redacted version of an investigative report detailing sex abuse allegations against more than 150 Catholic priests and examining the Archdiocese of Baltimores response. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File) More than 150 Catholic priests and others associated with the Archdiocese of Baltimore sexually abused over 600 children over the past 80 years, according to a state report released Wednesday that accused church officials of decades of cover-ups. The report paints a damning picture of the archdiocese, which is the oldest Roman Catholic diocese in the country and spans much of Maryland. Some parishes, schools and congregations had more than one abuser at the same time including St. Mark Parish in Catonsville, which had 11 abusers living and working there between 1964 and 2004. The Maryland Attorney Generals Office issued the report during Holy Week considered the most sacred time of year in Christianity ahead of Easter Sunday and said the number of victims is likely far higher. The staggering pervasiveness of the abuse itself underscores the culpability of the Church hierarchy, the report said. The sheer number of abusers and victims, the depravity of the abusers conduct, and the frequency with which known abusers were given the opportunity to continue preying upon children are astonishing. The disclosure of the redacted findings marks a significant development in an ongoing legal battle over their release and adds to growing evidence from parishes across the country as numerous similar revelations have rocked the Catholic Church in recent years. Also on Wednesday, the state legislature passed a bill to end a statute of limitations on abuse-related civil lawsuits, sending it to the governor. Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, who took office in January, said the investigation shows "pervasive, pernicious and persistent abuse. Other investigations involving the Archdiocese of Washington and the Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware, which both include parts of Maryland, are ongoing. Baltimore Archbishop William Lori, in a statement posted online, apologized to the victims and said the report details a reprehensible time in the history of this Archdiocese, a time that will not be covered up, ignored or forgotten. The detailed accounts of abuse are shocking and soul searing. It is difficult for most to imagine that such evil acts could have actually occurred, Lori said. For victim-survivors everywhere, they know the hard truth: These evil acts did occur. The report largely focuses on the years before 2002, when an investigation by the Boston Globe into abuse and coverup in the Archdiocese of Boston led to an explosion of revelations nationwide. The nations Catholic bishops, for the first time, agreed on reforms including a lifetime ban from ministry for any priest who commits even a single incident of abuse. Jean Hargadon Wehner said she was abused in Baltimore as a teen by a priest who served as her Catholic high schools counselor and chaplain. She said she reported her abuse to church officials in the early '90s, when her memories of the trauma finally surfaced about two decades after she was repeatedly raped. I expected them to do the right thing in 1992, she told reporters Wednesday after the findings were released. Im still angry. The Associated Press typically doesnt name victims of abuse, but Hargadon Wehner has spoken publicly to draw attention to the issue. The report notes that while new national policies significantly improved the internal handling of reported abuse in the Baltimore archdiocese after 2002, there were still flaws, including that its public list of abusers didnt include everyone it knew about; its independent review board is limited by the information church officials provide about alleged abuse; and some alleged abusers were allowed to retire, with financial support, rather than be ousted. The investigation also revealed that the archdiocese failed to report many allegations of sexual abuse to authorities, conduct adequate investigations, remove abusers from the ministry or restrict their access to children. In some cases, victims ended up reporting abuse to priests who were abusive themselves, prosecutors wrote. Brown's predecessor Brian Frosh launched the probe in 2019 and announced its completion in November, saying investigators had reviewed over 100,000 pages of documents dating back to the 1940s and interviewed hundreds of victims and witnesses. Lawyers for the state asked a court for permission to release the nearly 500-page document and Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Robert Taylor ruled last month that a redacted version should be made public. The court ordered the removal the names and titles of 37 people accused of wrongdoing whose names came out during confidential grand jury proceedings but will consider releasing a more complete version in the future. Lawmakers' passage of a bill to end the states statute of limitations came after similar proposals failed in recent years. The issue received renewed attention this session. Gov. Wes Moore has said he supports it. Currently, victims of child sex abuse in Maryland cant sue after they turn 38. The bill would eliminate the age limit and allow for retroactive lawsuits. The Archdiocese of Baltimore has long faced scrutiny over its handling of abuse allegations. In 2002, Cardinal William Keeler, who served as Baltimore archbishop for nearly two decades, released a list of 57 priests accused of sexual abuse, earning himself a reputation for transparency at a time when the nationwide scope of wrongdoing remained largely unexposed. That changed, however, when Keeler was named in a sweeping Pennsylvania grand jury report. The 2018 report presented extensive evidence of a far-reaching coverup that often involved transferring accused clergy to other parishes instead of holding them accountable. In Keelers case, the grand jury accused him of covering up sexual abuse allegations while serving as bishop of Harrisburg in the 1980s. Keeler later allowed the accused clergy member, now-defrocked John G. Allen, to transfer to Baltimore and continue working. Not long after the report became public, church officials announced the archdiocese was changing its plans to name a new Catholic school after Keeler, who had died the previous year. Hong Kong-based logistics technology start-up alfred24 has been chosen as the first investee of a collaboration between MTR Lab and tech hub Cyberport to nurture digital and sustainable solutions in the city. Alfred24, which specialises in automated parcel lockers and provides software solutions for locker operators, will use the funding to invest in sustainable solutions such as battery and solar-powered Bluetooth lockers to optimise its technology, as well as "reduce carbon emissions related to the last-mile delivery by 70 per cent", according to a statement on Tuesday. "Traditional e-commerce logistics requires the equivalent of 17 carbon dioxide-emitting vans per 1,000 deliveries, while alfred24 requires the equivalent of just four," said Christian Secci, co-founder and CEO of alfred24 in a statement. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. "With our innovative parcel lockers, residents can soon shop until 8pm and collect their parcels as early as 8am from any convenient alfred24 collection point along their daily commuting journey, reducing the need for daytime deliveries and cutting 13 vans for every 1,000 deliveries." Solutions provided by alfred24 can reduce the number of vans per 1,000 deliveries from 17 to four, according to co-founder and CEO Christian Secci. Photo: AP Photo alt=Solutions provided by alfred24 can reduce the number of vans per 1,000 deliveries from 17 to four, according to co-founder and CEO Christian Secci. Photo: AP Photo> The start-up plans to double its presence in Hong Kong to over 2,000 locations, expand its business into the Greater Bay Area and enter at least one other Southeast Asian country by 2025. Alfred24 currently has customers in 14 markets, including Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and the United Kingdom. Story continues As of March, alfred24 had nearly 1,000 smart lockers and pickup locations in Hong Kong. Kerry Logistics' automated "Click & Collect" stores in MTR stations across the city currently use alfred24's hardware and software solutions. The start-up is expected to launch its battery-powered smart lockers in late 2023 as part of its partnership with MTR Lab. Alfred24 will also release artificial intelligence-powered software for scouting and analysing new installation locations, and optimising fleet routing to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and promote a greener, more sustainable way of delivering parcels, according to the statement. Alfred24's offering "is changing the e-commerce logistics landscape, cutting time, costs and carbon out of the commercial delivery cycle", said Michael Chan Ting-bond, managing director at MTR Lab in a statement. MTR Lab, a subsidiary of Hong Kong's railway operator that invests in technology, launched a collaboration with Cyberport last June to jointly invest in digital tech start-ups to help Hong Kong develop into a smart city. MTR Corp has set aside over HK$300 million (US$38.2 million) to invest in start-ups from 2022 to 2025. PCCW launched a network of automated parcel locker machines across Hong Kong in 2015. Photo: Handout alt=PCCW launched a network of automated parcel locker machines across Hong Kong in 2015. Photo: Handout> "Achieving sustainability and carbon neutrality has always been one of Cyberport's top priorities and we encourage start-ups to incorporate green elements into their solutions," said Peter Yan, CEO of Cyberport in a statement. The use of automated locker machines is not new to the city. In 2015, PCCW, the flagship company of media and telecommunications mogul Richard Li Tzar-kai, launched a network of automated locker machines to store parcels across Hong Kong as part of its "last-mile" logistics support for e-commerce merchants. This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2023 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2023. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. TORONTO, ON, April 5, 2023 /CNW/ - The Mufflerman Inc. ("The Mufflerman"), a portfolio company of Argyle Capital Partners has acquired Fleet Specialties Inc. ("Fleet"). The transaction closed on March 31st, 2023. The Mufflerman Inc. Acquires Fleet Specialties Inc. Toronto, ON, April 4, 2023. The Mufflerman Inc. (The Mufflerman), a portfolio company of Argyle Capital Partners has acquired Fleet Specialties Inc. (Fleet). The transaction closed on March 31st, 2023. (CNW Group/The Mufflerman Inc.) Founded in 2008, Fleet provides maintenance, repair, management and custom upfitting for commercial fleets and corporate clients, focused on light and heavy-duty trucks and vans. Fleet's founders will be remaining with business for a transition period to assist in the seamless handover of the operations. All employees will be remaining with the business and Fleet will operate as a distinct division of The Mufflerman. Paul Gaudin, Fleet's Founder said "After 15 years of running Fleet we are confident that we have found the right team to provide our customers with the service and commitment they demand. I know Fleet has a long and bright future ahead of it. I can see the team at The Mufflerman helping Fleet grow to the next level." Costa Haitas, President of The Mufflerman, said "We are very impressed with the business that Fleet has built. Paul and the team's focus on the customer and ensuring every detail is taken care of is very similar to our core values at The Mufflerman. Combining Fleet's expertise in the industry and commitment to the customer with our network of suppliers and operational procedures will only strengthen Fleets capabilities. We are excited to be embarking on the next stage of Fleet's operations." About The Mufflerman Inc. Founded in 1964, The Mufflerman is a leading auto repair shop operating throughout Southwestern Ontario. The Mufflerman operates out of its 12 corporate-owned locations and is focused on the best Quality, the best Service and advice customers can Trust (QST). www.themufflerman.com About Fleet Specialties Inc. Founded in 2008, Fleet provides maintenance, repair, management and custom upfitting for commercial fleets and corporate clients. Fleet focuses on light and heavy-duty trucks and vans out of its facilities in North York, Ontario. Story continues www.fleetspecialties.ca About Argyle Capital Partners Founded in 2016, Argyle Capital Partners is a Toronto-based private equity firm focused on partnering with family-owned businesses in the lower middle market. Argyle traditionally focuses on old economy, industrial products businesses within service, manufacturing, and distribution. www.argylecapital.ca SOURCE The Mufflerman Inc. Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2023/05/c0838.html Company Logo Dublin, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) - Market Insight, Epidemiology And Market Forecast - 2032" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This report delivers an in-depth understanding of the Multiple system atrophy (MSA), historical and forecasted epidemiology as well as the Multiple System Atrophy market trends in the United States, EU4 (Germany, Spain, Italy, and France) and the United Kingdom, and Japan. Key Highlights: Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a rapidly progressive synucleinopathies group of disorders characterized by abnormal deposition of the protein aS in the central and peripheral autonomic nervous system. In 2022, the market size of MSA was highest in the US among the 7MM, accounting for approximately USD 84 million, which is further expected to increase by 2032. The first line of treatment includes Levodopa, Adrenergic receptor agonists, and others (off-label therapies like Clonazepam, gabapentin, etc.). While Adrenergic receptor agonists cover the larger market, making up the total market of around USD 50 million in 2022, in the 7MM. MSA approximately accounted 36,000 cases in 2022 in the 7MM; the treatment market of MSA lacks approved therapy specific to MSA treatment. Theravance Biopharma's Ampreloxetine (TD-9855) is being developed for treating MSA patients with symptomatic neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (nOH). It is estimated to launch by 2027 in the US. This emerging therapy has the potential to create a significant positive shift in the Multiple System Atrophy market size. Geography Covered The United States EU4 (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain) and the United Kingdom Japan Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) Epidemiology As the market is derived using the patient-based model, the Multiple system atrophy (MSA) epidemiology chapter in the report provides historical as well as forecasted epidemiology segmented by total diagnosed prevalent cases of MSA, gender-specific diagnosed prevalent cases of MSA, age-specific diagnosed prevalent cases of MSA, and type-specific diagnosed prevalent cases of MSA in the 7MM covering the United States, EU4 countries (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain) and the United Kingdom, and Japan from 2019 to 2032. The total diagnosed prevalent cases of MSA in the 7MM comprised approximately 36,000 cases in 2022 and are projected to increase during the forecasted period. Story continues The total diagnosed prevalent cases of MSA in the United States were around 15,000 cases in 2022. The United States contributed to the largest diagnosed prevalent population of MSA, acquiring ~43% of the 7MM in 2022. Whereas EU4 and the UK, and Japan accounted for around 27% and 30% of the total population share, respectively, in 2022. Among the EU4 countries, Germany accounted for the largest number of MSA cases, followed by France, whereas Spain accounted for the lowest number of cases in 2022. In the 7MM, approximately 54% of the patient share is attributed to males, whereas the remaining 46% of females suffer from MSA. A higher number of diagnosed cases were estimated in the 50-59 age group, suggesting that the prevalence of MSA increases with age. According to the publisher estimates, based on type, there were around 21,000 cases of MSA-P, while for MSA-C, around 15,000 cases were estimated in the 7MM in 2022. Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) Drug Chapters The drug chapter segment of the Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) report encloses a detailed analysis of MSA-marketed drugs and late-stage (Phase-III and Phase-II) pipeline drugs. It also helps understand the MSA clinical trial details, expressive pharmacological action, agreements and collaborations, approval and patent details, advantages and disadvantages of each included drug, and the latest news and press releases. Emerging Drugs Ampreloxetine (TD-9855): Theravance Biopharma Ampreloxetine is an investigational, once-daily Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor (NRI) in development for treating patients with symptomatic neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (nOH). It has a high affinity for binding to norepinephrine transporters. By blocking the action of these transporters, ampreloxetine causes an increase in extracellular concentrations of norepinephrine. Drug Class Insights The current therapeutic management of Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) is based on symptomatic treatment and has witnessed little change for a decade. Considering the approved market segment, NORTHERA (droxidopa) is the world's first approved therapy for symptomatic nOH. Moreover, the upcoming treatment landscape is poised to see further expansion after the emergence of new classes, such as Ampreloxetine, which is in Phase III for treating patients with symptomatic neurogenic orthostatic hypotension. Lu AF82422, a monoclonal antibody, AAV2-GDNF, gene therapy is in the early phase of clinical investigation for MSA. Such novel drugs are expected to change the dynamics of the current treatment regime. Multiple System Atrophy Market Outlook Currently, no disease-modifying agent is approved. The drug used to treat PD (parkinsonism), most notably levodopa (SINEMET), is also prescribed for MSA individuals. However, the efficacy of such medications varies greatly among affected individuals. Apart from levodopa, other drugs used to treat PD may be used to treat MSA individuals. These include dopamine agonists such as ropinirole (Requip) and pramipexole (Mirapexin), which increase the activity of dopamine receptors in the brain. This helps the brain receive dopamine signals. Midodrine hydrochloride (ProAmatine) has been used to treat low blood pressure, sometimes associated with MSA. Adrenergic drugs such as ephedrine may be used to treat low blood pressure. L-threo-dihydroxyphenylserine (L-DOPS or L-threo-DOPS) can also treat low blood pressure. The major challenge and unmet need in MSA treatment are that no drug is approved for the direct treatment of MSA. The key competitive factors that may affect the success of these products, and any other product candidates that are yet to reach the market, if approved, are likely to be efficacy, safety, convenience, cost, the availability of generic competition, and the reimbursement from government and/or other third-party payers. Few new agents are being developed and tested as potential treatments for MSA; the emerging drugs include Ampreloxetine, Lu AF82422, AAV2-GDNF, and others. The total market size of MSA in the 7MM was approximately USD 125 million in 2022 and is projected to increase during the forecast period (2022-2032). The market size in the 7MM will increase at a constant CAGR due to increasing awareness of the disease, better diagnosis, and the launch of emerging therapy. Among EU4 countries, Germany, with about USD 5 million, accounted for the maximum market size in 2022, while Spain occupied the bottom of the ladder with around USD 3 million in 2022. Japan's treatment market lacks approved targeted treatment for MSA, but with the expected approval of Ampreloxetine by 2029, the market is expected to experience positive growth. Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) Drugs Uptake This section focuses on the uptake rate of potential drugs expected to be launched in the market during 2019-2032. For example, for Ampreloxetine, we expect the drug uptake to be slow-medium with a probability-adjusted peak share of around 25%, and years to the peak is expected to be 6 years from the year of launch. Further detailed analysis of emerging therapies drug uptake in the report. Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) Pipeline Development Activities The report provides insights into different therapeutic candidates in Phase III, Phase II, and Phase I stage. It also analyzes key players involved in developing targeted therapeutics. Pipeline development activities The report covers detailed information on collaborations, acquisitions and mergers, licensing, and patent details for Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) emerging therapies. A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes H Lundbeck A/S Theravance Biopharma Brain Neurotherapy Bio, Inc. Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Alterity Therapeutics For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/su6ky7 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. CONTACT: CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 LOS ANGELES, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nativo , the most advanced content technology platform where advertisers and publishers distribute brand stories at scale, today announced recognition from workplace culture company Comparably for its Best Department award: Best Sales Team. Nativo Best Sales Team Comparably Award Comparably Awards are derived from sentiment ratings anonymously provided by employees from specific departments who rate their workplace experiences in 16 different metrics, including compensation, leadership, co-workers, work-life balance, career growth, perks & benefits, and more. "This team has overcome so many obstacles in the past few years, and they've supported each other to help Nativo's business grow despite many industry challenges. They show up daily with a mission to be the best in the business. I'm so proud they're being recognized for their work." said Sarah Dale, Chief Revenue Officer at Nativo. This isn't the first time Nativo has been recognized for its outstanding company culture. Nativo announced earlier this year it was awarded by Comparably Best Company for Women and Best Company for Diversity. Also, Nativo was recently recognized by National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) with a certification as a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE). "We are humbled by the recent recognition of the work we've been doing in building a people-first, values-driven culture where everyone has a voice. We firmly believe that our work to ensure our team members feel valued, supported, and heard translates into us delivering extraordinary service to our customers. We'll continue to prioritize our team members' well-being while fostering a positive and fulfilling workplace where we amplify the diverse voices across the business because when we do, it's a win-win for everyone," said Mark Putrus, Chief People Officer at Nativo. About Nativo At Nativo, we believe content not more ads is the critical connection along the customer journey to drive engagement and consideration. Our patented technology automates the distribution of content in a non-interruptive, fully integrated experience within trusted environments, and delivers deep insight into content performance. We connect better through utilizing machine learning and artificial intelligence to drive better connections with today's digital consumer. Nativo is committed to improving the web experience by igniting the power of connection between brands and consumers through content. Story continues Founded by Justin Choi in 2010, Nativo is an Asian American-owned technology company holding more than a dozen patents, working with more than 3,500 premium publisher websites around the globe. For more information, go to nativo.com or follow us at @Nativo on LinkedIn and Twitter . About Comparably: Comparably (now a ZoomInfo company) is a leading workplace culture and corporate brand reputation platform with over 15 million anonymous employee ratings on 70,000 companies. With the most comprehensive data on large and SMB organizations in nearly 20 different workplace categories based on gender, ethnicity, age, experience, industry, location, education it is one of the most used SaaS platforms for employer branding and a trusted third party site for workplace culture and compensation. For more information on Comparably and its annual Best Places to Work Awards, visit www.comparably.com. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nativo-awarded-third-comparably-award-for-best-sales-team-301790720.html SOURCE Nativo WILMINGTON, DE / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2023 / Transparency Market Research Inc. - The global NEV taxi market was valued at US$ 3.5 billion in 2022 and the global market is projected to reach US$ 20.9 billion in 2031. The global industry is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 22.5% between 2023 and 2031. Transparency Market Research inc., Wednesday, April 5, 2023, Press release picture The global NEV market focuses on improving air quality acting as a major factor whereas NEV taxis or electric vehicles have a much higher potential in boosting urban air quality than private vehicles that are converted to EVs. The technological developments and the growth in sales of EVs in China, India, U.K. are thus calculated to propel the market development during the forecast period. Further, extensive testing and application of EVs by taxis are expected to expedite this market system in the future. The rapid rise in air pollution levels is bad both for the environment and people's health and has genuinely pushed the national and international regulatory authorities for adopting the initiatives of green mobility. EVs are considered the most environmentally friendly option as they are developed and put into use quickly for both personal and professional purposes. Get the Recently Updated Report on the NEV Taxi as a Sample Copy at - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=54609 Several government authorities have imposed strict emissions with tax breaks and subsidies for NEV purchases by darting the global NEV taxi market. The increase in awareness about adopting green mobility is hence regarded as flexibility in the future due to the limited availability of fossil fuel and the decrease in the auto industry thus decreasing reliance on these fuels is therefore expected to create opportunities in the market. Lately, the range of anxiety and battery cost is considered to have the major challenges that will hamper the global NEV taxis market demand where technological advancements and favorable policies are anticipated to offer fruitful opportunities for the market players. Whereas the manufacturers are mainly focusing on raising investment in R&D on the lithium-ion battery technologies that are completely based on graphene and sulfide for lowering the cost of production and batteries. Story continues Henceforth, according to TMR, Asia-Pacific is accounted to have the global market for NEV taxis market. Key Takeaways of Market Report The global NEV taxis market in 2022 was US $ 3.5 billion. Focusing on improving air quality acts as a major factor whereas NEV taxis or electric vehicles have a much higher potential in boosting urban air quality than private vehicles. Rapid rise in air pollution levels is bad both for the environment and people's health. Strict emissions by government authorities have been imposed with tax breaks and subsidies for NEV purchases by darting the global NEV taxi market. A range of anxiety and battery cost is considered to have the major challenges hampering the global NEV taxis market demand. Asia-Pacific is accounted to have the global market for NEV taxis market followed by China on the second. Expand operations in the future - To get requisite details, ask for a custom report - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=CR&rep_id=54609 NEV Taxis Market: Growth Drivers The rapid rise in air pollution levels is bad both for the environment and people's health and has genuinely pushed the national and international regulatory authorities for adopting the initiatives of green mobility. EVs are considered the most environmentally friendly option as they are developed and put into use quickly for both personal and professional purposes. According to the reports of TMR, reduced emission levels have been observed in cities where the adoption of NEV has been the most active. The NEV vehicles are considered to be more useful than the conventional ICE vehicles as it makes a better option for fleet owners as EVs are considered to be less movable or have fewer rotary parts than conventional vehicles. Also, the operators who shift to NEV taxis thus increase and influence of both the passengers and taxi owners, passengers for opting more NEV taxis thereby raising the global market. NEV Taxis Market: Regional Landscape Asia-Pacific is considered to dominate the market in 2022 where to the increase in demand for electric vehicles in China and Japan. Thus, the availability of electric charging stations is on the verge of driving the development of NEV taxis in the region. China's auto sector is said to be placed on high priority as it is regarded as the world's top market for the green taxi, and the trend is projected to continue further during the projection period. Key Points from TOC: Executive Summary 1.1. Global Market Outlook 1.1.1. Market Size, Volume in units & value in US$ Mn, 2017-2031 1.2. TMR Analysis and Recommendations 1.3. Competitive Dashboard Analysis 2. Market Overview 2.1. Market Coverage / Taxonomy 2.2. Market Definition / Scope / Limitations 2.3. Macro-Economic Factors 2.3.1. Per Capita Consumption (PCC) 2.3.2. Government Regulations 2.3.3. Industrial Developments 2.4. Market Dynamics 2.4.1. Drivers 2.4.2. Restraints 2.4.3. Opportunity 2.5. Market Factor Analysis 2.5.1. Porter's Five Force Analysis 2.5.2. SWOT Analysis 2.6. Regulatory Scenario 2.7. Key Trend Analysis 2.8. Value Chain Analysis 2.8.1. Component Manufacturer 2.8.2. System Suppliers 2.8.3. Tier 1 Players 2.8.4. 0.5 Tier Players/ Technology Providers 2.9. Regulatory Scenario 2.9.1. NEV Taxi Market - Various Government Announcement on EVs 3. NEV Taxi Market - Emission Impact Analysis 3.1. Government Emission Regulations 3.2. Auto Manufacturers Announcement 3.3. Announcement and Implementation on banning ICE 4. Global NEV Taxi Market, by NEV Type 4.1. Market Snapshot 4.1.1. Introduction, Definition, and Key Findings 4.1.2. Market Growth & Y-o-Y Projections 4.1.3. Base Point Share Analysis 4.2. Global NEV Taxi Market Size & Forecast, 2017-2031, by NEV Type 4.2.1. Battery Electric Vehicle 4.2.2. Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle 4.2.3. Hybrid Electric Vehicle 5. Global NEV Taxi Market, by Vehicle Sub-type 5.1. Market Snapshot 5.1.1. Introduction, Definition, and Key Findings 5.1.2. Market Growth & Y-o-Y Projections 5.1.3. Base Point Share Analysis 5.2. Global NEV Taxi Market Size & Forecast, 2017-2031, by Vehicle Sub-type 5.2.1. Hatchback 5.2.2. Sedan 5.2.3. Utility Vehicle 6. Global NEV Taxi Market, by Ownership 6.1. Market Snapshot 6.1.1. Introduction, Definition, and Key Findings 6.1.2. Market Growth & Y-o-Y Projections 6.1.3. Base Point Share Analysis 6.2. Global NEV Taxi Market Size & Forecast, 2017-2031, by Ownership 6.2.1. Company Owned 6.2.2. Individual Owned/ Private 7. Global NEV Taxi Market, by Range Type 7.1. Market Snapshot 7.1.1. Introduction, Definition, and Key Findings 7.1.2. Market Growth & Y-o-Y Projections 7.1.3. Base Point Share Analysis 7.2. Global NEV Taxi Market Size & Forecast, 2017-2031, by Range Type 7.2.1. Intercity 7.2.2. Intra-city TOC Continued Buy this Premium Research Report | Immediate Delivery Available - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=54609